Burnt Mountain and searing heat



 The wind rattled and shook our tent during the night but we still managed to sleep quite well. We were up, breakfasted, packed up and ready to go by 8 and are now travelling through fairly nondescript, flat, countryside. It is very hot and we are all feeling tired and lethargic so there is not much conversation in the truck

We make a brief stop, for fuel, at a scruffy village and another stop at a roadside craft market where the women from the Herera tribe are selling dolls.  I buy one, more out of sympathy than desire, because I feel sorry for these women who stand all day in the hot sun hoping for the occasional sale. They dress in similar clothes to the Damara women, German colonial dress with a horned hat, The animals we see today are mainly domestic animals, goats and cattle, on the many farms we pass through. The people appear to be very poor, even  the farmers have basic, shanty-style houses.


  Donkey carts are a favourite mode of transport and we stop to give some local men in a cart some fruit.  They are delighted with their windfall.  I have been impressed by how kind the Namibians are to each other.  From what I have seen there is a real culture of care, concern for others and sharing here. We arrive at our camp around lunch time. It is The Aba Huab Community Camp and is located on the edge of a dry river bed.  We eat lunch before setting camp  It is sweltering...38 in our tent... and we are hot, sticky and tired so all race off to have showers. The showers are primitive but we don't care, they are refreshing. 



  At 3.30 we leave camp to view the rock drawings at Burnt Mountain.  This is a world heritage site with hundreds of ancient drawings dating back anywhere between 2000 and 6000 years. It is searingly hot, we estimate it to be in the high 40s, the sun being absorbed and then reflected off the red rock mountain. We begin  our guided walk up the track and after about 100 metres  one of the women in our group faints from the heat.  A couple of our group stay with her while the rest of us carry on up to see the drawings.  They are very accurate depictions of the animals hunted and prized by early man.  There are many pictures of giraffes which symbolised the precious commodity of water.  I have forgotten my camera so feel cross with myself as the drawings are impressive and astounding. It is simply too hot, though, and we are all parched and exhausted and probably don't give the drawings the attention they deserve. Back at camp we freshen up and then  go to the bar for a drink.  We sit upstairs on an attractive open balcony looking out over the countryside and  pull our chairs into a circle. We are an harmonious group and have a very convivial time as the day cools and the sun sets.  Dinner tonight is shepherds pie and fruit salad with custard.... tasty.  Several of our group go across to the bar after dinner to watch the locals performing traditional dance but Hils and I are too tired and are in bed by 8pm, still finding time for our nightly banter between tents with Gary, nevertheless.

Photos: (1) Ronney shows us a highly toxic plant capable of killing both humans and animals, (2)  A Herera doll seller, (3) ...and her colourful doll display, (4) Donkey cart, a popular mode of transport in Namibia,

(5) Ancient rock drawings at Burnt Mountain (photo Gary Willcocks)