Our guide took us to another peculiar place with an astounding landscape. Just off the C28 road lies an expansive lunar-like world aptly called Moon Valley or Moon Landscape. It was once a big mountain range carved by the Swakop River, but erosion has reduced it into low-lying hills.
This area is not only a photographer’s haven, but as a former TV production person, I saw it as an ideal location for filming fantasy shows. Our guide told us that in fact, some scenes of the dystopian movie, Mad Max were shot here. My mind, however, was toying with the idea of either a galactic series a la Star Trek, or an epic saga in the style of Lord of the Rings.
On misty mornings, when the coastal fog penetrates between the hills, the valley can be described as ghostlike. But once the sun has risen high in the sky and the fog has dispersed, the lunar landscape can be seen in all its colours and contours.
However, as we were there on a cloudy mid-afternoon, the scene appeared grey and desolate. Ironically, the drabness, contrasted with the golden hues of the Namib dunes that refused to be overshadowed, gave the valley an eerily haunting beauty.
I almost expected zombies appearing in the haze and slowly marching towards us. My husband told me that my imagination was running a little too wild, so I said, "How about I change the zombies into fairies frolicking behind the thin clouds and offering us garlands of flowers?" But he reminded me that aside from the lichens that hide amongst the soil, no pretty flowers grow around the area...only bouquets of cactus that dot the barren landscape.
He also told me to stop giving him ideas because the German guy and him were actually thinking of walking further down with our guide to find a little boys' corner among the granite rocks to do some urgent business, thanks to the couple of Windhoek Lager they each downed during our long drive. Indeed, it had been awhile since we left "civilization" in Solitaire and we had been cruising through miles and miles of wilderness for practically the whole day. I teased him that maybe they'd run into some desert trolls and warned him that these imps could play tricks on them or make them lose their way.
Nothing of that sort happened, of course. When the boys emerged from the mounds of sand, they were all smiling with relief. As they approached us, the German lady and I said that it's unfortunate that we would have to wait a little longer for our "ladies' turn," but we both agreed that there was no way we were going to do what the guys did in the middle of the Namib Desert. "Don't worry, we will reach a settlement soon and find a nice washroom for us," she confidently declared, but right away added, "Just don't drink anymore water and don't you touch your cold coffee!" I assured her that the coffee could wait until our sundowner later.
It was especially windy that day. Our guide stated that this looked like the beginning of a mild sandstorm, so we had better get going. I had never been in a desert prior to this trip, and thus, had never witnessed a sandstorm. The curious part of me wanted to stay there, just to experience it, but the more logical part of me agreed with his suggestion...and yes, the German lady and I did want to reach our next destination as soon as possible...desperately!
As we walked back to the van, I joked that I could now tell my friends that I walked on the moon in Namibia. I thought that was witty. But my husband said that it was nothing. The guys, he pronounced, managed to mark their territory in the desert...and THAT, he said, was a notch higher on the ladder of "awesomeness." Our guide and the German guy gave him two thumbs ups, while the German lady and I shared a look, rolled our eyes, and almost simultaneously said, "Boys will be boys!"
Photo Credits:
civitatis.com, tripbucket.com
Comments