Day 2 Part II

Day 2 PART I

Woke up to a cup of tea (hmmm) and savored every sip. Before walking to the main camp for breakfast, I discovered a series of insects outside the tent. There was the Fog Bugs (I call it) with bits of white wax on its back to reflect the sun’s rays. And there was the dung beetle my friends asked me to touch so my fingers would smell funny :) Then I saw two ants following one another, after which my heart skipped several beats when I saw the twisting shapes of a snake in the nearby shrubs, zooming in my camera confirmed that it indeed was NOT a snake, just a log. But you must admit after looking at that particular picture I took, it does look like a snake!

We walked to the main camp for breakfast. I had scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms and some toast. We proceeded to sight-seeing after breakfast. The view was breathtaking. Landscape after landscape, a never ending horizon filled with red tinted sand. We went dune climbing as well, my shoes were undoubtedly filled with sand soon, so I took them off and walked with socks instead. We made Dune Angels on the sand, and I pretended to be mummified by the heat.

Day 1

Last weekend we went to Wolwedans Dunes Lodge, situated in the south of Namibia. We took a small plane (that made me want to throw everything up from all the turbulence). We arrived shortly after an hour of flight. Greeted by our beloved friend Aldred accompanied by none other than the infamous dessert heat. 

We passed the well known fairy circles that scientists from all over the world could not explain the phenomenon of the circular patches all over the area where grass will not grow.

The drive back was supposed to take 30 minutes that turned into more than an hour due to the constant stops made when we saw the various animals that populated the reserve. Springbok, Oryxes, Zebras and Ostriches.

When we finally arrived, we were greeted with Champagne, and then taken to our “tents”. All the tents faced East so everyone could wake up to sunrise at 06:15. After settling down, it was nearing sunset. We drove up on a hill and literally froze to death in the cold wind (having forgotten the difference in temperature in desserts, I only dressed for summer). Sundowner came with a local cream liqueur knows as Amarula, that tasted exceptionally sweet after a few sips. Windhoek Larger, Tafel Lager and Gin & Tonic were provided as well, though none could compare to the enchanting taste of Amarula.

Not wanting to be late for dinner, we packed our little picnic up the hill and descended for the restaurant. Four courses were served: Pre-starter, starter, main course and desert. All of which were unforgettable. Having filled our bellies with food, we departed for our tents. Lying in bed, I couldn’t help but smile as I fell asleep.

jacindamagnolia:

Echolilia

All parents love their children. But what do you do when you can’t connect with them? In my case, I started making photographs of, and with, my son Elijah, who has autism spectrum disorder. This series—the title is from “echolalia,” a clinical term for the mimicking aspect of his condition—shows the bridges we’ve built on our shared journey of wonder, discovery, and understanding.

We began this project when Eli was five. He was doing well at school but fixating on odd things, lashing out, speaking repetitively. My wife and I couldn’t figure him out. Then I started taking pictures of him around the house. It was an instinctive act for a photographer: Point your camera at something in order to make sense of it. But a curious thing happened. As I documented what Eli was doing and creating, he became interested in the images I was making. I was learning how he thinks; he was learning what I like and value.

We soon had a system. Eli would do something unusual, one of us would notice, and we’d make a photo of it together. The pictures we took over three years were more raw and feral than anything I’d done as an editorial or advertising photographer. And more personal. This is, after all, the story of a father and his son.

Timothy Archibald’s book, Echolilia: Sometimes I Wonder, was published last year by Echo Press. See more of his work at timothyarchibald.com.

Shhhh~*

(via batinsteadofboat)