Sand Dunes in Africa

Sand will be coming back to the US with me--red and white to be sure. I've spent the last several days in the middle of Namibia--in Sossusvlei and Swakopmund. The first had large red sand dunes which is where I spent my birthday, climbing #45 at dawn to reach the top by sunrise. It was truly spectacular to watch the colors light up and shift as the sun rose. We went for a desert tour right after breakfast and saw all kinds of small wild life, vs. the large wild life we'd seen on the safaris and elsewhere. Later that day, I went for a walk and observed oryx and springbok at a safe distance. Rarely are herds of oryx seen, so I know my angels were looking out for me.

The dunes form by east and west winds, then part based on major rains. The evolution is creative and wonderful. The dunes are also home to so many small creatures that it's been fun seeing the big five in the Serengeti, birds in Kruger National Part and now even beetles and bugs.

The news of the day was skydiving. Oh, maybe there's another sport in my future. More on that later.