On the way up we were lucky enough to see the famous head-stander beetle
though it was a little late in the day to see him actually perform his headstand routine
to get a drink. But Siegfried assured us we were seeing the very insect we had wanted
to see. So tiny and black but a lot lighter than we are, so I think he climbs the dunes
more easily than we did.
This dune area is magnificent and it is the biggest tourist draw in all Namibia.
There is an unexpected amount of vegetation on the dunes because of the dense
fogs that roll in from the Atlantic to condense into thick dews (the beetle and other
small creatures drink from this supply as does the vegetation). There are also
underground springs which supply water to the plants. The play of light on these iron
rich dunes creates a most amazing palette of colors during the day - everything
from pinks, to ambers, to orange, deep red, mauve, and cream! Simply splendid!
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