Van Zyl's Pass, Marienfluss to Puros to Palmwag

Epupa Falls was great went for a hike down to the beach and had a refreshing  swim on my own and soaked it all up. It is pretty amazing  scenery  around here and we'll worth visiting.on getting back to the camp and telling the guide about  my swim , he didn't believe me so I showed him a picture  I took of my lovely feet float ing in the river. He then told me 2 Americans  and a South African had been eaten there by a crocodile and actually the guys in the camp next to us were there for a memorial for him and we're related, needless to say I didn't mention what a dumbass I had been.

The road to van Zyl's Pass was slow and rocky , worst I have ever seen and we arrived to camp after five ,getting stuck in the riverbed, but the guys around helped me and we camped in the riverbed. We were mear meters from actually starting the notorious van Zyl's Pass.
Next morning  I was up early anxious to get this over with, cause earlier in the trip I decided not to do it as I am no 4x4 fundi, but decided to hell with it and just get get er done.
Well we are loaded, I put it in gear and get buried in the sand, much to the pleasure of everyone, made a few adjustments and off we went, finally ! Come to the first  reality, a steep narrow climb with a cliff to the left, but the guy at the top slashed his tire on a rock and are busy changing it , so I have to wait, and assist as much as I can.
I sailed up the hill without incident, going down was something  else, but am in the groove , so to speak. Well if you out the groove it's over, it is hectic to say the least, I am in way over my head, but loving it. There were a sleuth of vehicles  cause it was school holidays and everyone were locals and seasoned 4x4 drivers and knew I was the dumbass that couldn't  even drive down the riverbed without getting stuck.
Continued  on ,then the mother of all drops appeared , I went to see what route to take but god when I walked down and saw it , it was unbelievable how a vehicle can drive down there. I watched them navigate down, then it was my turn and another guy guided me and did a great job cause I made it down the crevasse and the next two and then it was all over when we reached the Marienfluss valley. The boys all stopped and celebrated with a beer and signing a rock, I was relieved and overjoyed I made it over unscathed,  thanks to all those guys that helped me, was the most memorable  journey and scariest I have ever done.

Continued up 50km to Marienfluss Camp which is on the Kunene river which borders Angola. It is an overwhelming  valley and with the recent rain is covered like a carpet with  yellow grass and is absolutely  stunning.
The following  day drove south to Red Drum and then a brutal road to Orupembe and then to Puros where we stayed two nights. Our neighbors invited us over for a drink with there party of nine and it was a very entertaining evening with them who are from Windhoek.
Drove down the river 25 km in the gorge looking for the desert elephant, but had no luck but was an incredible drive and did come across ten desert giraffe in another dry riverbed.
Had to buy some diesel for double the normal price but that got us to Sesfontein on a knarly bumpy, rocky road. Arrived at Palmwag Camp at 3 only to be greeted by an elephant nearby our camp, I pursued it for some close up pics which I found out later I was not allowed to do that. So many things you are not allowed  to do , I feel like a child again, such a good feeling.
Got into our rooftop tents and then the ellie reappear and walked into our little area and started shredding  the tree and then walked next to the vehicle to the other side and hung around for about 45 minutes and left only to return in the middle of the night for more fun and games. Was a great experience and just lucky to have had that campsite.
Then I bumped into a couple I had met in Sesriem three weeks ago at the camp, so we celebrated, they are doing a seven month trip north and hope to see them again.

Am now in Twyfelfontein writing this at the lodge and has been hard to post pictures but am trying and will post pics in past blogs hopefully  soon.