DAYS 33-35: ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK. The major highlight was not in the park itself, but the watering hole at our campsite. Designed for tourists, the Okaukuejo Camp built a (red) floodlit watering hole surrounded by benches for its guests. Giraffes, zebras, elephants, warthogs, jackals, and rhinos came down to drink.

DAY 35: SPITZKOPPE: The matterhorn of Africa, or “Pride Rock.” We slept under the stars, nestled in these striking rock formations. Absolutely beautiful but difficult to get comfortable; I kept slipping down into my sleeping bag.

DAY 36: CAPE CROSS SEAL RESERVE: A breeding reserve for thousands of Cape Fur seals. There were adorable babies running all over the beach. The smell was not so cute.

DAYS 36-39: SWAKOPMUND. In the self-proclaimed “Adrenaline Capital of the World,” I jumped out of a plane over, and quad biked across, the Namibian Desert, or The Namib. I am convinced that quad biking is the preferred method.

DAY 39: NAMIB NAUKLUFT. We stop in Sossusvlei to see the Namibian dunes. We drive out to Dead Vlei, a dried out riverbed featured in “The Cell.” Our tour guide was a fabulously energetic Japanese Woman – she ran through the desert barefoot.

DAY 41: FISH RIVER CANYON. The second largest canyon in the world, but dwarfs in comparison to the Grand Canyon. We are exhausted, but dinner was good. 1 more day!