Desert Safari: Capetown, South Africa to White Lady Lodge, Namibia

Part 1

There isn't a word to describe the beauty of the Namibian desert region of Africa! It has its own unique beauty and is always steeped in that unusual light that comes with the desert brightness. Contrasted with the unbelievable sand-swept redness of the Sossusvlei sand dunes and you get pictures of incomparable beauty. This is where we were heading for:

The stark beauty of the Susslevei sand dune No. 45 in the Namibian desert.

Capetown to Clanwilliam

Leaving Capetown, getting supplies for our trip north to Clanwilliam.

We ventured forth from Capetown in our safari truck, none of us aware of what a safari was going to be like! Loaded up and on the way, we stopped off to get last minute supplies. But in reality there are many stops, even in remote places, where you can get basic things such as toiletries, food, nibbles etc and the 5 litre bottles of water necessary in the heat. From the truck we took in the scenery, a patchwork of green cropped farming fields with canola and vineyards. After crossing the Cedarberg Mountains, we drove through vast areas of citrus orchards watered by dams fed from mountain streams.

Vast patchwork of canola and mixed farming fields.

Clanwilliam

We arrived at our first overnight stay by afternoon. Clanwilliam Lodge was over 100 years old, but quite comfortable and well appointed with a pool and separate dining room nearby. We were taken to taste the variety of teas that have made this Nooridoof tea area famous. This included the South African Rooibos tea which is sold worldwide. On our return, we had a delicious meal and enjoyed a nightcap of the famous "Amarula".

Clanwilliam Lodge in the heart of the tea growing area.

Vast wildflower areas beside the road to Clanwilliam.

Native wildflowers flourish in the sandy soil.

Orange River, Namibia

Our next stop was the Felix Unite Lodge over the border from South Africa. Border crossings can be a great trial, but we managed to get through them all with minimal fuss due to the good management of our native Zimbabwean guide and driver, who knew every trick in the book like getting there early and being very respectful to the authorities.

This lodge was so beautifully situated above the river, with separate thatched roof huts, restaurant, pool and bar, a small shop all located close by. It is basically built on just the grey soil that looks like something from outer space, barren and devoid of plant life. But the Namibians have turned parts of it into whole areas of green with grape growing and fruit trees, date palms and other suitable crops for irrigation in these hot conditions. It was a haven, as were most of our lodges which appeared out of the desert miraculously after many hours of driving! Next day we took a canoe trip down the river enjoying the bird life on the way.

Beautifully appointed thatched roof huts at Felix Unite Lodge, Orange River.

Beautiful sunrise view from outside our hut.

Early morning canoeist on the Orange River.

Fish River Canyon

Next day, we set out for Fish River Canyon Roadhouse, a most amazing lodge in the middle of the barren gibber desert and only 13km from the canyon itself. It has an immense amount of old abandoned and rescued motor vehicles placed throughout the whole site together with an amazing bar area and dining room decorated with road signs, garage signs, bowsers and number plates and more vehicles!

Old trucks and cars are everywhere on the Lodge grounds.

Everywhere you look there's a number plate!

Where else can you have a vehicle with a built in dining table?

A  quiver tree growing out of an old relic car. Bushmen use them to make quivers.

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In the afternoon,we headed out to the Fish River Canyon itself. The area we visited has an uncanny resemblance to the Horseshoe Bend of the Grand Canyon in America. It is equally deep but without the immensity of the Colorado River. The views were to die for and you can hike along the rim of the canyon to the lookout point where we had snacks and champagne while watching the sun go down on a most remarkable African day!

Amazing view of the Fish River Canyon.

View from the scenic rim walk.

Sossusvlei, Deadvlei

We had arrived at last at one of the highlights of our trip. I had seen many travelers' pics of these desert dunes and had wanted to visit them. We arrived at Agama River Camp Lodge on schedule and surveyed our accommodation, an adobe type room with an outside staircase leading to a rooftop view. We looked out to the pool area and to our amazement saw some warthogs availing themselves of a quick dip before sundown! This rather put me off a quick swim despite the heat and I decided on a wander around the main hotel area and drinks on the veranda of our suites with our friends instead.

I don't think the warthogs took any notice of the signage but we did!

Dune No. 45

Next morning we set out for a sunrise deadline at the sand dunes made famous around the world. We were the first out to the Dune No. 45 in Namib Naukluft Park. Everyone who could, set out to climb the 250 metre high dune. I suffer still sometimes from vertigo and so only ventured up the first slope about three quarters, with encouragement from my friend! Just viewing these dunes is an amazing experience, they stretch in endless wave like patterns, their symmetry shifting with the wind each day.

After this fantastic sight and a breakfast in the car park, we pushed on another 20km to Sossusvlei where we transferred to a trailer pulled by a tractor for a pretty bumpy ride through the sand tracks. By this stage, it was getting very hot when we walked over the sand to Deadvlei area. This is an area of claypan and dead trees where the Tsauchab River used to run. Sand dunes blocked off the river 300 years ago and the trees remaining have not rotted due to the dry air. The last time there was water in this area of Sossusvlei was 2012.

Climbing the dizzy heights of Dune NO 45 in the Namibian desert.

Deadvlei with its stark desert landscape and remains of trees from centuries ago.

On the way back to base camp, we stopped at the amazing Sesriem canyon, carved out of the desert by a river millions of years ago. It is only 5 metres wide in places but 30 metres deep.

We experienced oryx steak for our night meal, together with soup and dessert, a lovely finish to the day. All the meals on this trip are very wholesome and delicious, even the lunches often out in the bush setting. After our meal, we were entertained by the serving staff and chef who gave a wonderful dance with harmony singing African style, such a lovely impromptu concert which was often repeated throughout our trip and so enjoyed by us all!

Sesriem Canyon.

Swakopmund

Next stop was Swakopmund, a German town on the west coast that is still immersed in its German heritage. The German language is still spoken here and there are German street signs, architecture, cafes and an interesting museum. It's the second biggest town in Namibia, with a population of about 45, 000.

We saw massively big beautiful flocks of perhaps 2000 flamingos on the shoreline, and were fascinated by their flight and feeding. Our hotel was comfortable but the weather was quite cold and windy, such a contrast to the heat of the desert areas we had come from and were going to next.

Its as if an entire German town has been transported to Africa complete with German signposts and street names.

Hundreds of beautiful flamingos flock to the foreshores of Swakopmund to feed.

Cape Cross Seal Colony

On the road again to Brandberg Mountains, we traveled the salt-made road north. After passing the salt mines, we stopped to view a shipwreck close to shore. This is called the Skeleton Coast because of the amount of wrecks on the west coast of Africa. Then onto another highlight, an enormous seal colony at Cape Cross. Despite the smell, it is absolutely spectacular to see these seals everywhere you look along the beach including hundreds in the sea! The viewing platform is up high and the noise is also incredible with babies climbing over backs to find their mothers, bull elephants neck fighting and tossing their heads! All in all, a totally awesome experience.

Skeleton Coast. The coastline is strewn with ancient and modern ships wrecks.

Enormous coastal seal colony, one of 17 in this area.

Continuing over hot, dry dusty desert roads again, we passed many ladies in full German style 19th century colourful long frilled frocks with 3 cornered hats waving to us to stop and buy their roadside goods, which we did with the hope that our contributions went towards improving their living conditions and getting their small children to school.

Friendly ladies in vintage German dress sell hand sewn dolls and other handcrafts by the side of the dusty desert road.

Brandberg Mountain, White Lady Lodge

We finally arrived at White Lady Lodge, which had the most beautiful setting facing the west. It also had a very welcoming bar, dining room and swimming pool to lay the dust of the day!

The beautiful view of White Lady Lodge.

An oryx by the roadside.

We saw our first wildlife on the way- the mountain zebra, the oryx, then ostriches, kudu, springbok and other antelopes. This lodge was where we had our most amazing encounter of the entire trip!

But first we hiked up the canyon at Brandberg Mountain, the highest mountain in Namibia, to view the White Lady paintings which are thousands of years old and so sacred to the Bushmen tribes of this area. Our Bushman lady guide was a very friendly lady who kept us informed with the history of the paintings. Around the mountain there are over 50,000 ancient rock paintings, some over 5000 years old. The White Lady is actually thought to represent a shaman and was discovered in 1917 by a German topographer. 

It was very hot and hard going with boulders strewn throughout the trail to clamber over and going upwards all the time. Also we were on the lookout for elephants which use this steep trail early mornings and late afternoons. Their damage to the bushes and trees were evidence enough for me, and I was not particularly wanting to meet one that close up!

Heading up the trail to the White Lady paintings.

The famed White Lady rock painting which is revered by the Bushmen.

Next morning, I was up early with a couple of others, to get good shots of the sunrise over the rooms where we were staying, some distance from the main lodge. We had been told not to walk outside after dark as the elephants roam freely throughout the whole area at night. But as I was standing in the middle of the dirt track, I heard a strange loud noise which I guessed to be an elephant and then saw a herd of elephants not far behind our rooms, hustling through the trees and bushes.

I took a quick photo shot, but one of the party had a flash and elephants do not like them. We found out soon enough, as this bull elephant took objection and started to charge at us, fortunately stopping mid rush! As you can imagine, all of us took off. I think I passed the fastest 100 metre test, adrenaline and all... What an experience!

That same morning we had to come back to collect a mobile phone that had been left behind, when we happened to come upon a herd right next to our rooms, possibly the same one as before. They were peacefully grazing beside our truck. We were so close to them and we gazed in silent awe for quite a while.

Elephant herd at White Lady Lodge, grazing peacefully so close to our truck.

This part of our safari journey so far had been fairly easy days travelling, but we were about to be introduced to the ever-changing landscape of more desert areas, long drives and the prize at the end - Etosha National Park which was going to be the best reward for all that journeying on rough roads! More on that in the next blog.

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Have you ever seen on your travels a place that is absolutely world-class breathtakingly beautiful like we found the desert dunes of Namibia?

Five unsung gems of Europe Part 5: Crete

Crete is a beautiful Greek Island in the Mediterranean Sea not far from Athens. It is often overlooked by the hordes of sun-seeking tourists who descend on more popular islands such as Mykonos. Crete exceeded all my expectations, both in beauty and friendliness! It is a short overnight ferry ride from the port of Piraeus.

A wonderful mountain view from a Cretan village.

Heraklion

We left Athens on a huge inter-island ferry full of cars, trucks and passengers. The ferry was packed with backpackers determined to stay up all night and party around the pool area! We had a cabin below that I had booked from Australia. It was fairly small but clean and reasonably comfortable, much better than the reclining chairs upstairs that others chose! The view leaving harbour was beautiful, but not as beautiful as when we arrived in Heraklion. The sun was just rising and the dawn revealed a beautiful harbour and fortress.

Venetian Fortress at the Old Port entrance.

Overlooking the sea and harbour, Heraklion has the prettiest aspect of any Greek island. Our hotel was the shortest walk from the centre of town, which is full of outdoor cafes and small shops - all bustling with young and old. There are many lovely embroidery and craft shops in between the lovely local coffee shops.

There are many restaurants also to choose from, but I particularly liked the ones outside where you sit watching the passing parade. One had beautifully placed bicycles with flowers placed on them. Another was set up inside a boat decor with the waiters and waitresses having to dodge the traffic with trays as they crossed the main road to deliver our food! The food on offer is superb and has that Mediterranean style that is so famous!

Our favourite outdoor bicycle themed café!

 

Close to the town and within easy walking distance on the edge of the city harbour at the old port, is a Venetian fortress, the Castello a Mare. It was built in the 1500's by Venice and armed with 18 cannons on the ground floor and 25 on the pathway leading to the roof. It has been restored and has many rooms complete with cannonballs and some cannon remain there also.

View over the harbour to the fortress and ferry berth.

View from the Fortress of the boat marina.

Palace of Minos at Knossos

The next day was the highlight of the trip for me, a visit to the famous Minoan Palace of King Minos! If you know your Greek history, you might know this location as the place where Theseus fought the Minotaur in the labyrinth!

I had told my family about how wonderful this palace would be, and I think they were greatly surprised to find my prediction right! The Minoan culture goes back to 1500BC and the palace has frescoes well known world-wide for their great beauty and these paintings show great details of everyday life in ancient times.

The Minoans were also known for their first use of paved roads and their use of a sewage system before Roman times and the palace was designed around this wonderfully inventive water system.

Restored fresco in the palace.

Colourful pillars used throughout the Palace ruins.

 

The famous beautiful dolphin fresco on the inside walls of the palace. 

The paved road predating the Roman roads used throughout the ancient world.
 

 

Top tip: Hundreds of tourists descend on the palace throughout the day, so I made sure we were there early to escape some of the crowds from the many buses that come from the big centres for the day.

North to South Crete

After this, we travelled from the Northern part of the island to the coastal South by hire car. We ascended steep winding mountain roads that seemed to climb into the heavens. They gave equally heavenly views, but I was a bit worried looking down steep cliff faces at times!

Here is an island population that survived terrible hardship during the invasion of Germany during WW2. The liberation of the island by British, Australian and Canadian troops is remembered as if it's yesterday. During our trip by hire car around the mountain villages, we were very much welcomed by the local villagers.  From the steep mountain sides, during WW2, the Cretans were able to strike and terrorise the Nazi invaders and quickly withdraw to their defensive positions high up in the mountains.

Unique Memorial to the fallen from 1943 is placed high up in the mountains in a secluded spot.

Coastal views in the south of the island.

 

On reaching the coastline, we celebrated with a beverage or two and then made our way slowly back to our accommodation in Heraklion, stopping off in a few small villages for exploration and more food highlights!

Have you ever visited the Greek Islands and if so, which one did you like the best? 


 

Showcasing our beautiful rural lifestyle: Living in the Oakey district of Southern Queensland, Australia

Beautiful Southern Queensland

I thought it was about time that I highlighted the beautiful part of Australia where I live! I hope with this post I can show off to my overseas and Australian friends the incredible beauty of an Australian farm and the local area surrounding it.

It has been a privilege to travel overseas in the last few years, but coming home is also a realisation that no matter where I travel, there are equally beautiful spots to explore in my home country.



The old windmill on our farm.

Late afternoon on my farm.

Australia is made up of states and territories and to travel throughout there are sometimes vast distances to cover. But in my area in southern Queensland, there are many highlights both nearby and within a 2 to 3 hour drive to explore.

Places like Brisbane, our beautiful sunny capital city on the Brisbane River, the Gold Coast and North Coast beaches and the Australia Zoo are within an easy morning drive on scenic country roads.

Tropical poinciana trees line the streets of Brisbane city.

Looking across to Brisbane city centre from the Art Gallery and Museum, Library area.

Contrast of historically old and new in the centre of  Brisbane, the capital city.


 

Sunshine Coast beaches

Toowoomba Region

My district is the Toowoomba Region and Oakey district. Toowoomba is a big bustling city with a country vibe! It has newly built shopping centres, plenty of cafes and coffee shops to welcome you, antique shops and a heritage railway station equal to any. It is most  famous for its beautiful gardens, its tree lined streets and welcoming parks.

It is a beautifully cool weather escape for tourists seeking relief from the hotter coastal and outback areas of Australia. The highlight of the year is the Australian award winning event, the Carnival of Flowers, which occurs in September when thousands of tourists flock to the city!

Beautiful Carnival of Flowers gardens on display.

Toowoomba also has some hidden treasures - firstly, the immensely popular Cobb and Co Museum. This attracts tourists from all over the world to experience a quality museum that displays carriage building including live wheelwright demonstrations, and is the largest collection of coaches and carriages in Australia.

 Another unique destination is the Royal Bull's Head Inn, run now by the National Trust. It is an original shingle roofed, timber slab construction coaching inn of the 1800's. The Inn had an added extension for the owner, William Horton, an ex convict, who used this as his private residence. This building is still standing and has been restored downstairs to its former glory with private rooms and dining areas. It has an upstairs reached by a narrow staircase, a truly amazing place to visit! This coaching inn was visited by all the important people of the colony and even royalty! A band of volunteers maintain it and open it to the public on Open Days once a month.

Royal Bull's Head Inn, an original coaching inn from the early settlement days at Drayton, Toowoomba.

Oakey

My nearest township is Oakey- a country town with a lot to offer visitors! It hosts a lot of regional functions and supports a well established community with good country hospitality, shopping, beautiful parks and picnic areas and a caravan park. You often see tourists at the local Bernborough statue which depicts a famous racehorse from this area.

The Anzac Memorial in Oakey.

There is a large Cultural Centre and library with tourist information in the centre of town. The town is also the site of a large Australian Army Aviation Base which includes a helicopter training facility and just beyond that there is a well established Army Aviation Museum which I can highly recommend.

Each year, there is an open day with highlights: this year, there was a Fly-In that included the mighty impressive wartime WW2 Catalina, the Black Betty! But, you will enjoy a visit there any time, as there is a wealth of aviation history on view.



One of many displays on view at Oakey Museum.

Close by, the Jondaryan Woolshed hosts an annual 3-Day festival in August to showcase its heritage attractions which include vintage farming equipment, blacksmithing demonstration, sheep shearing  and country crafts such as whip making and spinning to name a few. It has the best Australian dampers made in a camp oven on offer too!

Shearing the sheep demonstration.

The entrance to the Woolshed complex is via the old Bank of New South wales, moved here from downtown Oakey.



Entrance to the original shearing shed on Jondaryan Station.

Bunya Mountains

A bit further away are the Bunya Mountains, a subtropical rainforest where the indigenous population used to gather for a meeting of all the Aboriginal clans of Southern Queensland once a year. The Bunya nut is used in all sorts of delicious recipes at the restaurant there and you can enjoy long or short walks through the beautiful forest areas.

Beautiful Bunya Mountain walking track

In winter, visitors can enjoy the cooler climate which is offset by log fires within the beautiful chalet style accommodation that are available for hire all year round!



Would you to like to come and visit my home area? You will be made very welcome if you do with true blue Aussie hospitality!