Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Majestic Land of Wonders - Namibia

When you study the word diversity in the context of Namibia, it opens up a new world of endless possibilities for the eager traveller. There's countless things to do in Namibia, known for stunning sunsets and a vast display of habitats, cultures and experiences. Each region offers something different and unique to explore.


The Namib Desert runs along the Atlantic Coastline and forms the entire western border of Namibia. It can be considered graceful in the way the winds play with and shift the dunes and as the oldest desert in the world it has amazed many an eye with the mirage of being an inhospitable environment. However, upon closer inspection, a vast array of creatures and plants can be seen eking out an existence. From the elegant oryx to the delicate white lady spider, the Namib Desert is as rich in diversity as the country that derived its name from it.


The Skeleton Coast in the north west is perhaps one of the biggest features labelling Namibia as a hostile environment. During the early 1900s numerous ships have fallen victim to the ragged stretches of rocks that hug the shoreline. Ship wrecks lie marooned and abandoned along the entire coast, silent testimonies of the violence of the Atlantic Ocean beating down on the shores of the Namib Desert. Bleached whale bones and rusting ship remains are what gave this haunting landscape its name.


To the east lies the sprawling vastness of the Kalahari Desert. Derived from the Tswana word Kgala, meaning "the great thirst", this stunning expanse lends its contribution towards Namibia’s image of a desert country. Golden sands dotted with Camelthorn trees and sparse Bushman grass with their white plumes give an array of colour, deceiving the eye with the illusion of desert. It is in this seemingly inhospitable environment that the San or Bushmen communities live in harmony off the land.

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