Sorting out Scenic Air departure times for tomorrow’s flight to Sossusvlei takes up some time this morning. A drive to Walvis Bay 30 odd kilometres away is disappointing – a hard-working grimy sea port, with drilling platforms visible from the shoreline.
The highlight is spotting the dune bashers high on a dune on the way back to Swakopmund.
I also stop to investigate the strange Afrodite (sic) Beach development. At first I thought it was a beach bar/café/derelict amusement park, but it turns out to be an attempt at a luxury residential development that has been running since 2008 and has produced maybe 5 enormous residences which appear occupied. It seems to have run out of money as there is no apparent construction activity happening.
It does seem popular though with beach-going flamingos.
Swakopmund has couple of pretty lanes with upmarket boutiques, which need to be found on foot. The Die Muschel Art Cafe is worth visiting for coffee and cake.
The overall impression of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay though are towns that are struggling to keep the sea at bay on one side and the sand dunes at bay on the other.
