We treated ourselves two day’s vacation at Palmwag Lodge. It was just too beautiful here. Palm trees sway in the wind and the pool was irresistible at temperatures around 30 ° C. In the evening we watched as the sun set glowing red behind the palm trees.

On May 13th, 2021 we prepared for departure. Once again, a steel blue sky arched over us. Once again, a little-used pad lay in front of us. We looked forward to the journey that would take us south to Swakopmund. We drove to two lodges, but both campsites were already fully booked. (There are currently a lot of South Africans traveling – it’s holiday time there!)

Finally, we ended up in the White Lady Lodge, at the Brandberg. A massif that looks as if it had burned – the name is no coincidence! The black stone looks like it has been painted; one therefore speaks of «desert varnish». Nothing else than the result of a chemical process on the surface of the rock, caused by extreme solar radiation and heat.

PS. In the Brandberg massif lies the highest mountain in Namibia, the Königstein, at 2,580 meters. His first conqueror was Reinhard Mack. (The mountain would certainly not have been a challenge for Reinhold Messner!)