I am wrung out..... no more books please...

it is sunny outside....

I am wrung out.

I can't stand another gallery visit, another book to make or another reflective diary entry to be made for my MA in book art. I am beginning to hate books.....

I have taken up jogging to lift the endorphin levels.

did it, but knackered

It has wrung me out further.

I no longer have the energy to do anything except lie on the dunes in the sunshine.

Camber Sands

Why would I sit indoors when outside looks like this?

I refuse to do it any longer.

I made four books for my last assignment.

And then found out I had read the brief incorrectly.

So I made another book, called 'Blood, Sweat and Tears and Dust '.

It is a bit of a rant, and I don't think teacher will like it.

It has real blood. And a bag of dust.

It did the trick of allowing a good load of venting, which I think is the purpose of art......

And now the sun is shining, and I am remembering the sunshine and space of Namibia.

Swakopmund

So I will leave you with a friendly warthog, and go off to the beach for some candy floss and ice cream.

On the road to Deadvlei

My other half (OH) and I are on the road in Namibia.

Long dusty journeys on gravel roads, from one spectacular desert view to another.

With his usual style, OH takes me to wonderful places for rest breaks.

A Wimpy in the middle of nowhere, followed by a concrete picnic spot with its own dog, miles from any signs of habitation.

But it is all in a good cause, for the scenery is nothing less than spectacular, and we were heading to Dead Vlei at Sossusvlei, a land of dunes and dead trees.

Dead Vlei is a landscape photographers' paradise. 600 year old dead trees that have not decomposed because it is so dry. The river bed that once fed them water has long since dried up.

The ground is dry clay.

We got up at 4.30am to be there before the sun got too hot.

The park gates open at 06.15, and an orderly queue had formed.

In we went and drove along beside the enormous dunes.

We passed Dune 45, which is climbable, and saw a steady line of human ants making their way up.

Our guide was determined that we should avoid the crowds, so we climbed a different dune and learned about the plants and animals of the desert.

Mole and bird tracks

some grass

and lots of sand

Sossusvlei

Slowly we made our way towards the small area that is the famous Dead Vlei.

Deadvlei

As we approached our guide informed us that we could take 'as long as we wanted.... 5 or 10 minutes'.

FIVE OR 10 MINUTES!

I had come half way around the world to see this.

My fellow travellers were not photographers, and had no idea what I thought of his generosity.

I rushed across the dry clay to the farthest trees, took a few quick pictures and then ran back to the folk waiting patiently for me.

I don't think they believed me when I said I could have spent hours there.

dead camel thorn trees at Deadvlei

We stopped at the desert toilets and headed off for a picnic lunch.

Moral of this story; don't go to iconic photography spots with non photographers.

Next time will probably never happen, but it was wonderful all the same.