PHOTO-A-DAY CHALLENGE

Water Tubing, Kayaking, and Swimming in the Desert

Week 24 of the photographic documentary of my daily life

I don’t know even where to start. This has been a week full of highlights. One in a lifetime of experiences. Natural wonders. And simply lots of fun. Playing in the water.

Last week’s photo essay took you into the desert and its green appearance after things in life. Those beauties worth capturing.

This week we’ve been still driving a lot. But we swam as well. A lot. On the border between two countries, we can’t cross at the moment. We’ve been paddling through rapids and swimming in a lake in the desert.

We didn’t actually leave the desert to get to the water. I’m not sure if this area is still part of the desert. But the mountains surrounding the Orange River in the south of Namibia look dry enough to be a desert.

The river that runs between South Africa and Namibia was our playground for a few days. On our first full day on the river, we got dropped upriver from our hosts. About 14 kilometers. With a kayak.

And then it was all to us. To paddle, drift, and swim back to camp. The current was strong, so we often didn’t do any effort and just went with the flow. When getting too hot, we jumped in the river and cooled off in the water.

Compared to the rivers on the northern borders of Namibia which have crocodiles and hippos, this one is totally safe to swim on. Apart from some rocks sticking out, there’s nothing that can hurt you.

Perfect for us to play around and have fun. In the morning we went on this kayaking expedition and later in the afternoon we went tubing. In the river. A first for me!

Today we moved camps. It was just about 40 kilometers we had to drive. Passing the vineyards we got to our new campsite. Also on the river. With lots of birds visiting our camp.

This place had WiFi and cell phone reception. I got 4G on my tablet, my working device. A first on this trip. Therefore I spend some time working. Writing for Medium. Publishing on Newsbreak. And posting articles on my blog.

With a swimming pool to cool down and a stunning view onto the river, it was a lovely working place.

Today we drove for about 80 kilometers along the Orange River. A stretch of winding roads right next to the water and through the mountains. It’s a dirt road. Not much driven.

But an incredibly scenic road. Because of being on the river. And in the mountains. I loved it.

We stopped eventually, parked our car next to the river, and went into the current with our tubes. Again. And again. Because it’s so much fun. Floating in the water.

We left the river yesterday already to drive back north. Which means direction home. And it means back to the desert. The real desert. With high sand dunes and nothing but sand.

Except for…?

Desert lilies. After seeing them on the canyon road just a few days before I got to see them again. Filling the desert. Coloring the soil. Decorating the desert.

Absolutely stunning. I can’t believe this view. Normally there's nothing but sand for miles and miles. And now — it’s a field of flowers. A field of flowers growing in the sand. Or in the rocky soil. Whatever it is.

It surely is a miracle.

Today we entered the dune belt. We drove deep into the dunes. Following a riverbed that rarely ever carries water. Ending up in Sossusvlei. Known for the dried-out lake. Some trees standing in the desert.

But not today. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime happenings and the river was flowing. Strong. It pushed lots of water down the mountains 150 kilometers into the desert.

And it filled the lake. With water. Because the water can’t go further. Dunes are blocking the way to the ocean. So the water just stops here. In the desert. And created a lake. A real lake. In the desert.

A natural wonder.

One to remember. And one I will never forget. Because it’s so special. And beautiful.

We went to play in the water. Swim around in the lake. And play with the tubes. We swam in the desert. Because it rained. A few days ago. Somewhere in the mountains.

Today was our last day of the trip. Driving back through the desert we passed the riverbed we camped in, the first night of our trip. And guess what? It was underwater. Flowing.

This is where we drove in and camped just on the side of it. Not even 48 hours later the water was rushing through here. A friend drove past and showed us the video. We would have been stuck there. Maybe not swept away, because we selected an elevated area for the camp. But we would not have been able to get out there. For a few days. Or longer.

Now we’re just driving past there. On our way home.

We’re back. From our trip. This was my first night in a real bed in over two weeks. But you know what? I do sleep very well in the tent too. So it didn’t make much of a difference.

Instead of hearing the birds singing in the morning, I heard the roaring sound of the ocean. Through my bedroom window. Not too bad either, is it?

Today is the day to dust off. Yesterday we obviously dusted off ourselves. Does that word even exist? I’m not sure. But that is what you have to do coming back from a trip in the desert.

So today we cleaned mattresses, took the rooftop tent down, washed it, and vacuum cleaned it. And many other things. Basically, everything had to get removed from the dust. Or the dust removed of it.

I hope you enjoyed following me through the desert. It has been a lovely trip. I will write more about the different days in separate articles. I got a lot to write about.

But mainly, I got almost a thousand photographs taken during this trip. Many of them worth sharing. So stay excited about more unique desert experiences.

This photography challenge started by Dennett last year has been my joy for months now. It’s kind of like a journal. Writing down a few words every day. But it’s also a visual journal. Because of the photos.

This challenge is about seeing beauty in life and sharing it with the community. It’s about learning to focus on the small things that make us happy.

Take one photograph each day that describes your day the best. Add a caption and share it with us. We are an enthusiastic group of readers who love photography!

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Anne Bonfert is a traveler. Photographer. Writer. Teacher. Skydiving instructor. Adventure enthusiast. Nature lover. And fell in love with the African continent.