Open Your Eyes

Twyfelfontein, Namibia (Day 60)

Being surrounded my beauty does not necessarily mean you are immune to depression. In fact the lack of sleep and nomadic lifestyle that are so entrenched in travel can leave you vulnerable. Then bang you feel like crap and you are not sure why.

It has been a massive few days full of frustration and beauty. Yesterday started out badly. We were camping in Okakeo near Etosha national Park. It was an early start as we were going to visit a Himba Village. I must have rolled out on the wrong side of the bed (sorry I mean tent). I was in a filthy mood. I was ready to hop back into the truck and go back to sleep. Unfortunately the truck would not start. We tried pushing the truck with no luck. Then an electric compressor (or something like that) was ordered to help the truck start. But of course the compressor broke down as well. So it looked like we were going to be stuck for a while.

Four hours later we were piled into mini vans for a long sweaty drive. The Himba Village was put off for the day. We drove straight to the Otjitongwe Cheetah park near Kamajab, Namibia. That night the group was split through the middle. half the group slept in tents (which flooded) an the other half slept in a shed (which also flooded). The storm that night was ferocious with lightning illuminating the dark cheetah park. I was cold, wet and pissed off. Consequently I did not sleep much.

By the time we arrived at Twyfelfontein I just wanted to sleep. People describe Twyfelfontein as a rock amphitheatre. A place that can take you back in time. Some of the etchings date back to the early stone age. To my detriment I walked around groggy, feeling sorry for myself. Then I overheard one of the girls on my trip (who is a seasoned traveler) say she had never seen anything like this. At that moment I decided that I needed to push past how crappy I was feeling and look around.

Finally I opened my eyes (and my mind) and began to appreciate what I was seeing. The etchings were remarkable. I gazed at this etching of a stone age classroom and it looked like artwork. I imagined tribal children squatting like chimpanzees while a holy man taught them about the world. The holy man would tell them stories about their culture as he etched into the rock face.

Now I am sitting on the hillside exhausted but content. The sun is setting above the mountains and green planes. I feel relieved that I did open my eyes.