We need to catch up on our video postings...these videos below are from our trip in June with the Pegg's and Hygnstrom's, our friends from Nebraska. We took a dune tour, south of Walvis Bay with the Mola Mola tour company. Namibia is home to a one-of-a-kind natural phenomenon, where a desert runs into the ocean. The red dunes are large and have been used as the backdrop for many Hollywood movies, including '10,000 BC' recently. Our driver, Francois, made the trip memorable with his adventurous driving abilities. Our friend, Mark, had been on this trip before, but kept mum about the thrill ride we were about to encounter.
First, a video of a 'roaring dune'. Francois stopped at the brink of the dune face, and turned off the engine. He then let the vehicle slide down the face, with the brakes on. In the video you can see sand being pushed in front of the vehicle. Turn up your speakers, and listen for a roar that sounds, as Kelly suggests in the video, like an airplane going overhead. That is the roar of the dune. Why do dunes 'roar'? Well, you can read all about the physics of roaring dunes here, but the basic answer is that the roar comes from the synchronized vibrations of the loose sand as the avalanche occurs. Cool.
The second video is of our thrill ride in our 4x4 'roller coaster' on Slingshot Hill. Hang on and come along for the adventure.
Photos of this trip in June are archived on our Picasa photo site.
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