As expected, the night at our accommodation was wonderfully quiet. After all, the next town, Khorixas, is still over 20 kilometers (about 12.5 miles) away. Our host, by the way, drives his school-aged grandchildren to and from school every day – a lovely daily routine that speaks volumes about life out here.
We start the day with an impressively hearty breakfast prepared by our hostess: omelette, boerewors sausage, baked beans, heaps of toast, jam, tomatoes, and avocado. We won’t be needing much more food today!
Before we hit the road, we snap a few more photos of the communal area, the family dogs, and – surprisingly – an elephant skull. Yes, really. A few years ago, a rogue elephant caused significant damage in this area. Normally these animals are protected, but in this case, a permit was issued to shoot it. Now, its skull marks the entrance to the property – a stark reminder of the delicate balance between wildlife and human settlement.
Back at the bungalow, we take a few last shots of our “African Bungalow.” The interior design features African-style artwork, fabrics, and furniture. One painting of a woman follows you with her gaze no matter where you stand in the room – slightly eerie, to be honest.
Our first stop today is the Petrified Forest, and there are several in the area. We choose the one that seems the most official, complete with a guided tour.
The Petrified Forest dates back 280 million years. After a great ice age, massive floods carried huge pine trees down from the north and deposited them in what is now Namibia. Over time, thick layers of mud – hundreds of meters (over 300 feet) high – covered the trees, cutting off oxygen and preserving them through fossilization. Roughly 125 million years ago, erosion began to reveal them again.
Besides the fossilized trees, we also spot something else special: a pair of Welwitschia plants, male and female growing side by side. We’d seen a few near Spitzkoppe, but these are far more impressive. This strange plant, endemic to the Namib, grows only two leaves – which continue to grow for the rest of the plant’s life. Some can live over a thousand years; this couple here are mere 200-year-old youngsters. Their roots reach 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) down to tap into groundwater.
We also come across other plants: a leafless tree whose branches smell like lemon, and the Mopane tree, easily recognized by its butterfly-shaped leaves and popular with desert elephants.
But we’re here for the ancient, petrified giants. The fossilized logs are scattered all over, some still partly buried. You can see the bark, even growth rings. The largest visible specimen is 1.2 meters (4 feet) in diameter and 10 meters (33 feet) long – and that’s just the part above ground. For conservation reasons, they remain unexcavated.
We continue our journey, retracing yesterday’s route from Twyfelfontein, headed for the Damara Living Museum, an open-air museum dedicated to preserving the Damara culture. Along the way, we’re greeted by a very photogenic ostrich – Namibia never disappoints!
The Damara people have mysterious origins but settled in this region between Spitzkoppe and Etosha long ago, pushing out the San people who once lived here. In fact, our current host is Damara himself. The Damara were long at odds with neighboring Herero and Nama groups. Ironically, it was German colonial rule that secured them a homeland – what we now call Damaraland – allowing them to live in relative peace.
Today, the Damara make up about 10% of Namibia’s population, though hardly anyone lives in the traditional way anymore – making the museum’s role all the more important.
At the entrance, we pay our fee, and a guide – as we’ve come to expect – shows us around. First, we visit the blacksmith’s hut, where they forge and sharpen knife blades, carve wooden figurines, and even craft shaving razors. Our guide impresses us by speaking fluent German – all self-taught through his museum work. Respect!
Next, we’re shown how beer is made from grass seeds, cleverly collected by – of all creatures – ants. The locals then simply “borrow” the gathered seeds. Depending on fermentation time, they make either beer or wine with different alcohol levels.
We watch a goat hide being processed – first de-haired, then prepped for tanning. The hair? Used to make pillows.
Then, it’s time to make fire the traditional way – with a softwood and hardwood combo and dried dung for tinder. Simple, effective, and timeless.
Suddenly, it gets lively. Around 20 men and women gather and perform traditional dances with cheerful singing and drumming. The energy is contagious, and the songs – we’re told – are about marriage and the joys of life. A truly vibrant moment!
The last stop is the women’s workshop, where they create jewelry from ostrich eggshells (white or fire-darkened) and local seeds. Beautiful handiwork on display.
Since we’d also booked the Bush Walk, we head out into the landscape with our guide and two traditionally dressed Damara companions. We stop at several trees and bushes. The woman explains their uses in the Damara language – complete with click consonants, and the guide translates:
- One tree helps with stomach issues and works as a laxative.
- Another is used for brushing teeth (hello again, Mopane tree).
- Laurel leaves are used for earaches – our guide is amused when we tell him we cook with them in Europe!
We even learn the basics of the click language. There are four different types of clicks, mostly made with the tongue. We try a few but quickly realize it’s not so easy – before we twist our tongues completely! We’d already seen some of these symbols on a carved knife handle earlier.
To wrap up the visit, we’re shown natural ochre makeup, and Annette even gets her face painted. She looks stunning!
In the gift shop, we pick up a few souvenirs. At the parking lot, we spot a vehicle from the rental company Britz – of course, we grab a quick picture.
Since our fridge is nearly empty, we make a detour past the Petrified Forest Rest Camp and continue about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) further to Khorixas for supplies. The streets are full of young people – students from the local high school just getting out for the day.
The supermarket has everything we need, including a delicious focaccia for lunch. At the checkout, things take a bit longer than expected – the cashier’s laid-back approach and the customer’s month’s-worth of groceries don’t help. We’re not the only ones getting a bit antsy – even the locals behind us look mildly irritated.
On the drive back, we spot rally-style vehicles – Porsche lookalikes on off-road tires – kicking up serious dust. No idea what that’s about, but visibility gets so bad we’re forced to slow down.
Back at the bungalow, it’s time for afternoon rest – some blogging and doing absolutely nothing. Sadly, there’s no internet here, so the blog upload will have to wait.
In the evening, our host stops by to light the water boiler, a wood-fired model similar to the one we saw at Spitzkoppe, though a bit smaller. Apparently, firewood is cheaper than electricity here – even though power is available. Michael feels a twinge of nostalgia for his childhood. The water gets blazing hot – we only need to turn the mixer tap to about one-third cold for a perfect shower. A wonderful way to wash off the Namibian dust.
We finish the day with a relaxing dinner. Another couple joins, seated at their own table – a bit older than us, we guess. We strike up a conversation and learn they’re originally from South Africa but have lived in Australia for 20 years. They’re on an extended trip through southern Africa until October. Maybe we’ll have that kind of time one day, too!