April 24th - Back into the desert

 And a more than discernible change in temperature/humidity. 

But first, a shipwreck and a skellington on the skellington coast: 

Damaraland has a chequered history, most recently as a result of Namibia's having been part of apartheid South Africa when Damaraland was a bantustan. 

It has played host to humanity for at least 6000 years, as evidenced by the extraordinary collection of rock art at Twyfelfontein.

There are 2,500 drawings over 30 sites. Any comment I might make would be superfluous. 

I was rather sceptical about The Damara Living Museum. I was wrong. The presenter was extremely entertaining and informative and I learnt a lot about Damara culture. (There were skulls, too. Sorry for lack of pics, but they were attached to people.)

A game instead of war - played only by chiefs (or a chief and a tour guide)

The compulsory dance including tourists.

 

Finally the petrified forest.

By this point, I had wilted. Fossilized tree trunks, 280m years old. Fossilized me, somewhat less old!

Next stop - Etosha!