The Namib Desert is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Never in my life have I witnessed such a beautiful display of sand. I could have easily spent days, perched atop a dune, mesmerized by the vibrant colors and varied textures within the Namib-Naukluft National Park. It is jaw-dropping, knock your socks off, gorgeous. Words cannot describe just how impressive this place is, and photographs don’t do it justice. It is simply a place you have to see for yourself in order to appreciate.
The stars had somehow aligned, because we arrived at the perfect time. The recent rainfall created a dazzling display of neon green grass, growing amid the dunes, as well as a lake within the salt and clay pans of Sossusvlei. Being that the area is Namibia’s most visited attraction, we were a little concerned that large tour groups might take away from the experience, but outside of Sesriem, we often felt alone. It was fantastic.
A trip to a National Park wouldn’t be complete without a slap on the hand; we seem to get those wherever we go. While driving around within the park on our first day, we noticed multiple sets of tracks in the sand on the side of the road, leading up to the dunes. We passed a few signs saying “Stay on the road,” especially close to the entrance, but they were few and far between. Since we hadn’t seen one in a while, and there were fresh tire tracks across the pan, we assumed it was a safe spot to pull off and break for lunch. Well, you know what they say about assumptions…
When I think back to that day, is all I can do is laugh. There we were, lost in a sea of sand with our Chevy Spark, eating PBJ’s under a gigantic rainbow umbrella, in our matching neon-colored chairs. For a moment, we were “those” guys — the ones we love to hate.
Not realizing we just committed a major no-no, we made our way back to the road and were immediately stopped by a Namibian couple who worked for a nearby lodge. We rolled down the windows and were met by a mouthful of piss and vinegar. I could immediately tell they wanted to beat us to a pulp. In their eyes, we were the most inconsiderate a-holes known to man. “What are you doing!?! Look at what you’ve done! How could you!?!’” My personal favorite was, ‘”Do you realize your tracks will be here for a thousand years?” Really? I mean, really? A thousand years. Come on. Now, you’re just being the a-hole.
We genuinely felt bad, but it was an honest mistake. We both have a great appreciation for the environment and would never intentionally do anything to interfere with its preservation. We tried to explain that to the couple, but they wanted none of it. They informed us that if park officials had seen us in the act, they’d be forced to fine us close to $500. We assured them such a mistake would never happen again.
Their warning implied that they wouldn’t report us, when in fact, that’s exactly what they did upon parting ways. Why they didn’t just come out and say that, instead of leading us to believe we were lucky, is beyond me. They clearly had no problem putting us in our place. Perhaps something we said rubbed them the wrong way? I’m sure the beach umbrella and Rich’s goofy hat didn’t help matters. It’s hard to take anyone seriously with possessions like that.
On our way back to camp, we were stopped by park officials and asked if we had seen any other small white vehicles in the area. There was only one reason for them to ask such a question: Mr. & Mrs. tattled on us. Awesome. We followed one of the gentleman back to the office, where we quickly admitted our guilt and regret. Thankfully, the ranger let us go with a stern warning, instead of a fine. In the process, we also learned that the main concern with vehicles going off road is the cosmetic ramifications. Tire tracks aren’t pretty. They want the area clean and pristine, which is completely understandable. It’s just nice to know that we didn’t ruin an ecosystem and our tracks have most certainly been swept away. Ha. A thousand years. Priceless.
