#dune 45

I actually started writing this at a poolside table in Botswana, but did not end up finishing this while I was on the continent. I finished this once I was home and decided to save it for when I was feeling nostalgic. So here it is: a collection of memories and moments in Africa.

Morocco

Colorful winding markets | a square being painted blue | As-Salaam-Alaikum | motorbikes zooming by | a man leans over to kiss his child on the cheek | smoke rising from restaurants | soft light resting on the faces of sellers and buyers | cheers for the end of the daily fast | the call to prayer | camel trekking through the desert | dancing and drumming under the stars | the desert sky with the brightest moon, silhouetting the sand dunes that surround us | a tiny village high in the mountains with a curious girl who offers a stranger her meal.

Ethiopia

Children with curious eyes interested in newcomers | women all in white walking to church | a bustling market with no clear start or end | endless valleys | high green mountains | stone churches | ancient artifacts | hot coffee and spicy cuisine | local children smiling and waving | evening thunderstorms.

Namibia

Desert stretching on for miles, bathed in warm, golden light | the fine sand runs through my fingers, not a single grain can be held | Gemsbok eye us suspiciously | the mornings cold yet still | the sun rises in the distance and silhouettes a hot air balloon | climbing high sand dunes | the ethereal salt pans contain ancient trees and ancient mysteries | the night sky speckled with thousands of stars, counting meteors, distant galaxies, the southern cross above. 

Botswana 

A pack of wild dogs seek shade from the hot sun, the pups take this opportunity to chase and play | elephants gather for an evening drink at sunset | a giraffe lazily chews leaves from an acacia tree while keeping an eye on us | a mother hippo protecting her young | the low growl from a lion in the dead of night | an elephant runs across the road | the delta stretches far and wide from beneath our bush plane | a morning visitor, a proud lion, traipses through camp | steaming rooibos tea and rusks each morning | rushing out into the bush before sunrise | children yelling and waving as we speed past | a herd of elephants charge into the water, lush green grass awaits them | the wake dances in the setting sunlight as the day ends and the journey continues elsewhere. 

Zambia 

The smoke that thunders | water that falls then rises up to pour down on you | clouds of mist and sunlight form a rainbow that dives down the falls, out of sight | colorful, lively markets | feisty baboons | reminiscing and saying goodbye.

South Africa 

Sunsets over quiet beaches, save a couple taking a stroll and dogs playing in the waves | driving along the coast, waves crashing below and the mountains looming high | Atlantic storms that allow for a quiet, restful day in bed with movies to be watched | boat rides with waves crashing, people laughing, and seals resting along the dock | colorful chalets | kids cartwheeling down the beach and diving into the cold water | small penguins with big personalities enjoying life and a swim even if the wave will always bring them back to shore | the furthest south you’ve ever been when you began this year the furthest north you’ve ever been and it makes you feel so small in this big world. 

Tanzania

Zebras at sunrise, the light golden upon their backs | hyenas laughing outside my tent | dancing with the Maasai | ‘vintage’ South African wine | our long dinner table, full of food and full of laughter | lion cubs cry for their mother, then bravely jump down the tiny rock ledge that blocked their way | mambo, jambo, asante sana | rare animals that your guide is sure we won’t see, and then there they are | leopards playfully chase each other through an acacia tree | bike rides through villages while being chased by local children | riding underneath towering banana trees | fried plantains and banana beer | the vastness of the Serengeti | witnessing your fellow travelers seeing all of this for the very first time.

Mozambique

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On Top of Dune 45 | Namibia