The next morning, we have to get up early not to wait long in Sossusvlei. “A few people even drive there at 4 a.m.”, tells Sydney, “but the gate is just opened, when the sun is rising”. But even Sydney doesn’t want to wait too long with us. That’s why our breakfast is cancelled and we get a packed lunch.

At 5 o’ clock, we start at the Hammerstein Lodge (near Maltahöhe) towards Sesriem. While the first kilometres we sleep a little bit. But as the sun is rising over the Zaris, we are wide awake. We are watching the event in the sky, which is getting deep red, curiously. Lots of photos are taken during the drive – but I don’t think they turn out well.
We all have the feeling that the first sunrays enlighten the valley every moment, but after our arrival at the Sossusvlei-entrance, it still takes a few minutes until the sun comes out.

We have luck. There are just a few cars waiting in front of us. However, two little cars push past our bus when the gate is opened. That gives them the advantage of perhaps 10 seconds.. When Jayjay, our driver, heads for a parking lot directly after the gate, we feared the worst: toilet break. I think ‘Therewith, we are in the back’, but then I remark, that most of the other drivers also head for the parking lot. Later we get to know, that it doesn’t matter at all. The dunes of Sossusvlei are that long, that everything disperses soon after the entrance.

The drive from the entrance along the dunes is breathtaking. They reach till 300 metres in the sky and shine brightly red in the rising sun. Just the shadow plays are fascinating and show us lots of shapes. As it’s getting turbulent in the bus, Sydney stops the bus: Photostop! Everybody is outside the bus with his camera immediately and takes photos in front of the dunes with the gigantic grass. Annette and I, we are the last. Fortunately. We hardly stand a minute alone at the border of the dune; a bright baya hops directly in front of our shoes. How cute.

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