Monday 25th July

Up at 7.00am to find our explorer truck has arrived.  Chico our driver guide chef and general good bloke reminds us it is not a bus.  Load up and 5 mins later we get as far as the supermarket.  Looks we bought out their entire stock of wine and beer.  Hardly any room in the bus, oops, truck for the water.  Head southwest and within 5 mins we are rocking & rolling on a gravel track watching the amazing scenery of the veld unfold before us.   The wildlife was soon in view.  First baboons, then a pair of Oryx galloping, then Springbok – first one or two, then loads. Soon  we didn’t even bother shouting “LEFT” or “RIGHT”.  After 2 hours we are in the mountains for a quick viewing stop at the Gambas Pass.  After an hour we are back on the veld.  Ostriches and more Springbok, then it was the Gaub Pass – a deep river canyon into which we descend out of the sun for the first time.  Out of the pass and we stop seemingly in the middle of nowhere.  But it’s the Tropic of Capricorn.   Nick tell us it’s the line of the southernmost  descent of the sun.  Whatever.  Quick stop at gas station village called Solitaire – think about it – for a diy lunch and stretch of the legs (check  camels, ground squirrels, Moose McGregor’s bakery and famous apple pie, collection of rusting old cars, everything shop) then final leg to Sossus Oasis Campsite.  Really smart place (water harvesting, soler panels, pool, internet bar, etc).  Fun and games getting all the tents up, then off to Sesriem canyon for sunset.  It only looked like a ditch from the road but up close it was a 50ft deep 10ft wide canyon.  Sunset amazing as all the mountains turned pink.  Then the lights went out and the temperature dropped 20deg!  Jolly Chillenden –style evening round the campfire.  Gasped at the amazing starscape and milky way( assisted by Raynee’s iPad starfield map).  Then and early night…

Any other business:
·         3 bottles of Frangelico
·         Sesriem canyon
·         Sunset over the mountains
·         Howling jackals at night