Day 4 – Drive North to Spitzkoppe and Ai Aiba Lodge

Set off at 9 going north up the salt road along The Skeleton coast in Francois’s Land Rover. Stopped to see a wreck of a boat called Zeila, this was being towed to India for breaking up, but instead ended up breaking up on the coast of Namibia and is now a tourist attraction.

We turned off at Hentiesbaai on to dirt roads and travelled inland. There was a stop at Bushman’s Paradise at Spitzkoppe nature reserve to see our first rock art and eat our packed lunch. SInce the last trip this place had been enhanced with new roads, a gate and an entry charge. This was my first view of the large worn granite blocks which are scattered across the area. After lunch we left the Spitzkoppe area and headed to Ai Aiba Lodge.

We arrived at the Ai Aiba lodge. Sat around drinking some beers, in the lodge bar. The lodge was a very nice rush roofed affair, with the rooms (Bungalows) down a track.

We all ate slices of my surprise, chocolate birthday cake and listened to ‘Happy Birthday’ sung by a chef and very beautiful waitresses in their local Damara click language. Alas no pictures or recordings because it was a total surprise.