Back to Windhoek

May 3.  We return for a final time to see the dunes at sunrise.  They continue to amaze, appearing to have been sculpted expertly to change shape and color with the shifting light and the angle from which you view them.  We leave them behind, satisfied that we have not “overdune” them.
Return to the lodge to pack and have breakfast.  The Sossus Dune Lodge was another very good place to stay, comfortable and beautifully situated to afford great views while blending with the environment.  This would be my second favorite, with the Elephant lodge (in some ways the ritziest) third and Mowani Mountain Camp the clear winner.
Today is spent driving back to Winhoek, with stops for a marvelous apple crumble at Solitaire Bakery and a quick sandwich along the road.  I have two sessions with Nevada, reviewing photos on the bus, which are very helpful in identifying problems with my photos and somewhat encouraging, because I’ve improved pretty significantly based on incorporating suggestions from our earlier session together.  We arrive at 3:00 and have a welcome and luxurious 3 1/2 hour break before drinks.  We are back “home” at Galton House, where we started the journey and are even assigned the same rooms.  It’s been a tiring trip with very early wake ups, temperatures of over 100 degrees in the sun during midday, long rides in the van and some fairly challenging walking, sometimes in high winds.  So the afternoon respite is very welcome.
We meet for drinks at 6:30, and Carol reads drafts of a couple poems she’s written about the dunes and I read the spoof blog I’ve written about what really happened on our trip.  Both are well received.  We drive to a local restaurant with a lot of character and have an excellent meal.
Carol and Jeff will be leaving the group tomorrow to fly home, as they are not doing the five day extension.  The rest of us will be heading north.  I’m told that we won’t have internet for three or four days,