Showing posts with label Namibia. Show all posts

The sun, out of Africa

Location: Somewhere on the road in Namibia
Date: 19 April 2001; 5.45pm
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned

I have always been fascinated by the photos of African skies. There are such a variety- always either beautifully layered with clouds or blood-red sunsets tanning the landscape. It must be its weather system- large areas of dryness with seasonal deluge. In any case, I was not disappointed during my swing across the southern part of the continent as I have seen beautiful sunsets, misty mornings and many instances of the sun hiding shyly behind clouds. The sky is truly one of the attractions of Africa.

Location: Twyfelfontein Rock Art, Namibia (20� 35' 26? S, 14� 22' 20? E)
Date: 18 April 2001; 2.15pm
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned

When someone mentioned Rock Art, invariably one would think of ancient paintings and engraving by people who lives thousands of years on rocks. Rock Art has been discovered all over the world- mostly by ethnic inhabitants of the place concerned. Hence there are Aborigine, Maori and plenty more in Europe, India, Central America and so on. One common theme of such Rock Arts is that they normally depict animals of the time or motifs and hand prints. Most of such sites that have been discovered around the world are now listed as UNESCO Heritage Sites. Twyfelfontein in Namibia is one of the most well-known Rock Art site in Africa. There are a few thousands of such rock engravings in Twyfelfontein, many of them in relatively good condition; no doubt helped by the dry weather condition in that area. Most of the engravings are chiseled into the sandstones and are depictions of animals such as lions, giraffes, buffalos, wildebeests and so on.

Technorati Tags: Rock Art,Namibia,Twyfelfontein

A lone quiver tree or kokerboom, Namib Desert

Location: Near NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namib Desert, Namibia (25� 2'8.68"S 16� 5'41.73"E)
Date: 14 April 2001; 4.25pm
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned
Quiver Trees are also known as kokerboom, and are a species of aloe indigenous to South Africa, specifically in the Northern Cape region, and Namibia. Its name was derived from the common practice of the Kalahari San Bushmen of hollowing out the tubular branches and bark to make quivers for their arrows. These trees are very rugged and are among the very few plants that survive in the dry, avid desert.

A Springbok Among Devils' Thorn Flowers, Etosha, Namibia

Location: Etosha National Park, Namibia (18� 31' 12? S, 16� 16' 30? E)
Date: 19 April 2001; 4.25pm
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned

Etosha National Park was the largest game reserve in the world when it opened. However as a result of political changes, it is now only a quarter of its original size. Despite that, there is a bewildering range of animals which tend to concentrate around the waterholes within the park. The dry season is the best season to see these animals as they come to drink at the waterholes.

Technorati Tags: Etosha,Namibia,waterholes,springbok

Dawn lights at Spitzkoppe, Namibia

Location: Spitzkoppe, Namib Desert, Namibia (21� 49' 29? S, 15� 11' 39? E)
Date: 18 April 2001; 6.25am
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned

The Spitzkoppe is often described as the "Matterhorn of Namibia". The granite massif is situated in the Namib Desert, with the highest outcrop at about 1,784m above sea level. It is not the highest mountain in Namibia but maybe, the most well-known due to its striking outline and its dramatic rise from the endless, dry surrounding plains. The highest peak is about 700m above the floor of the desert below and the island of mountains can be seen from far away.

The granite pile harbours many different unique flora and fauna as well as ancient Bushmen artworks. There are also many beautiful arches and rocks with strange cavities formed from wind and water erosions over the millennia.

Technorati Tags: spitzkoppe,Namibia,Namib Desert,Bushmen

A Storm is Coming In the Namib Desert!!!

Location: Namib Desert, Namibia (24� 44' 0? S, 15� 22' 0? E)
Date: 15 April 2001; 2.15pm
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned

A storm cloud is coming at the Namib Desert, in the Namib-Naukluft National Park!! The average annual rainfall in the desert ranges from 5 to 80 mm and yet we have to be in the desert on the day when nearly half the year's rainfall fell. Locals were really excited about the rain on that day- it is extremely rare for such a high volume of rainfall in a day but we were not amused! We came to the Namib Desert to see the desert and the sand dunes not to be washed and chased away by the rain! Such is life.

Technorati Tags: Namib Desert

Oryx chilling out in the evening at Etosha National Park, Namibia

Location: Oryx or gemstock at Etosha National Park, Namibia (18� 31' 12? S, 16� 16' 30? E)
Date: 19 April 2001; 4.15pm
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned

Etosha National Park is one of the best Fame Reserve in the southern part of Africa. It is part of the Kalahari Pan which was a lake that has dried up thousands of years ago. There are quite a number of waterholes within the pan that attracts a tremendous diversity of wildlife especially in the cooler months. It is also quite unique as it has a long fence along its 850 km boundary to control the spread of diseases among the animals.

Technorati Tags: Etosha,oryx,gemstock

Hiking at sunset at Palmwag, Namibia

Location: Near Wilderness camp, Palmwag, northwest Namibia (19�52'9.00"S 13�56'8.00"E)
Date: 18 April 2001; 7.15pm
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned

North of the Huab River in remote northwest Namibia is an arid landscape of seemingly nothingness but a road cutting through it. The area is divided up into large private concessions and Palmwag is one of them.

Palmwag is quite an amazing place teeming with all sorts of wildlife within the concession including the black rhino which the camp specialises in approaching on foot. However we were there specifically to look for desert elephants.

Technorati Tags: Plalmwag,Namibia

Location: Near NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namib Desert, Namibia (25� 2'8.68"S 16� 5'41.73"E)
Date: 14 April 2001; 4.15pm
Camera: (analogue) Canon 500N with slides and scanned
A huge swath of Namibia is the Namib Desert. Its significance can be gauged from the fact that Namibia's name is derived from the name of the desert. Namib means vast in the local Nama language. It is indeed a vast land of rolling orange dunes, including some of the highest in the world, some 300meters high, around Sossusvlei.
The scenery may be amazing but the local wildlife and flora is just as fascinating. Animals, insects and plants have adapted to this arid and at first sight, inhospitable landscape in distinctly unique, incredible and beautiful fashion. This include the acacia plant photographed here.

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The sun, out of Africa