Monday was a holiday here, "Human Rights Day". Funny enough in South Africa Human Rights Day is in March. Never mind. Anyway, I used the weekend to get away, walking with friends in the Naukluft Park. As I had to work Saturday morning and my friends left early, I drove there on my own Saturday afternoon. Already on the way from the Park entrance to the office I stopped to have a closer look at a social weaver birds nest, I saw Kudus and Steenbok. The Campsite has only 10 places, each for a few tents, and there were only 4 groups camping there. It is simple, but sufficient, sandy, shady space swept free of thorns from trees, braai place (=BBQ), water tap, toilets and shower. The camp is right by a dry river bed with a few puddles with tadpoles and crabs in it. The evening I arrived I just explored the closer surrounding and later we grilled venison sausage and sweetcorn. Of course we did not miss the obligatory red-wine sundowner.
In the middle of the night I heard some shrieks of animals and the noise of them moving around. I am not sure what it was, maybe baboons or mountain zebra, but it was quite close. I marvelled at the starry sky for about 15min before I recognized Orion there. There were so many stars that I nearly did not see the pattern. Unfortunately, I did not have my binoculars with me to have a closer look at the nebule.
Next day we started the 17km walk, first along the riverbed with cristal clear pools for a dip (not big enough to really call it swimming) and interesting rock formations. On the way we saw some antelopes, dassies, baboons and lots of lovebirds. The walk then left the pools and went 15km over the hills with not much shade and pretty powerful sun. On the way back we joined the riverbed again and dipped into more pools. You could imagine the waterfalls when it rains, the soft sediment stone was in many places washed away. When we crossed one creek we saw a snake in the water and it held still for long enough for me to take some fotos. I am not sure if it was poisonous or not, but many of them are. It was quite a long day and we arrived tired in the camp. Next morning I went part of the way backwards on my own to bath in the pools and take some picture of fig trees between the rocks in the morning light and then returned. I also watched a group of baboons having their fig-breakfast. It is a very different experience to go the same way in a group or on your own, you look with different eyes and are more alert. I really enjoyed it.
