Swakupmund north...

Day 9

This morning we saw a large troupe of baboons as we drove out from camp. We were heading to the coast and we drove through the mountains to get out. We stopped in one area of upwardly thrusting striated rock known as "moonland". After several striking conyons we were back into the dunes that continue all the way to the coast where we saw flocks of flamingoes. Not much to report today. I'm sleeping in a warm bed tonight. It's much cooler as the coast. It's good to see the ocean again after so much desert. Tomorrow I go sky-diving.

Day 10

Sky-diving: one word - WOW! It was overcast in the morning so my jump was postponed until just past noon at which point there were blue skies.

Myself, Sandy and Cathy from the group and an English chap named Charlie were driven to the airport. We went through dry training before Charlie and I were loaded onto a tiny airplane to be the first jumpers.

We flew over the dunes down to Walvis Bay and back towards Swakupmund as we steadily climbed to 10,000 feet.

I was the first jumper. Derrick, my tandem jumper, strapped himself to my back as I kneeled in the front near the doorless exit (we'd been doorless the whole flight).

As I stepped out onto a foothold and felt the windspeed I had a lsight spell of nervousness. This was quickly over; I had no time to be scared.

We leapt out and I had enough time to think "What the f-" before the experience took over. Initially we flipped upside down because my legs were in the wrong position. Derrick corrected that and I was soon on my stomach free-falling 5000 feet at 220 kph. It's beyond description. I was yelling and hollering and having a blast. It was sort of like ebing suspended in mid-air. You don't realise you're falling and just have a steady blast of air from beneath.

Before I knew it there was a huge pull and the chute was out. The next five minutes were spent turning arounf through the air as we descended.

It's an insane rush and I have to say I'm hooked. I'd love to do it again. I had a DVD made and have picture stills on CD. The whole madness has been recorded for posterity.

Day 11

Today we drove from foggy, cool Swakupmund back into the baking heat of the desert. The land we drove across was much more savanah than the barren scrubland of earlier days. The scrubby plains were dotted with all manner of acacia trees and great piles of red, house-sized boulders upthrust all around.

This was Herero country and we saw their huts and herds of goats as we drove along. The women stood at the side of the road dressed in long, multi-colored Victorian-style dresses. They were selling dolls in the same manner of dress. Andy told me that the women used to be naked but that French Hugeonauts [sp] had them dressed up when they encountered them hundreds of years ago.

We stopped at Twyfelfontein and had a guided tour of 4 to 6 thousand year old Bushman rock carvings. They were very clear and depicted local as well as coastal animals. I am really eager to learn more about the vanished Bushman culture. I regret that I won't be able to see the Kalahari this trip.

Tomorrow it's up to the Etosha pan. Fingers crossed for animals.