One of my favorite storytellers, Julie Riso, recently recounted the idea of sacred spaces; hers is “a humble meadow tucked into a forest that claimed [her] during early childhood explorations”. Her bliss place. The place that holds her soul. She believes we each have our own sacred place …
…and that there are also sacred spaces we share with others.
Sossusvlei is such a place.
Here, walking among the sandy behemoths sculpted to perfection by Mother Nature, I immediately felt that same meditative sense of calm and connectedness evoked in my own sacred space; a network of ravines that opened up to the endless expanse of Lake Michigan, eventually leading me to the open ocean that I now call my home.
In Sossusvlei, as in my personal sacred space, time stopped, life was clarified, everything seemed to make sense. But really, for me, that ‘meditative sense of calm’ kicked in well in advance of our arrival in Sossusvlei.
It started as the highways of South Africa gave way to the simpler byways of Namibia which in turn, gave way to gravel.
It continued as we made our way to one of the largest canyons in Africa…
…the jaw-droppingly gorgeous Fish River Canyon.
The tranquillity was temporarily interrupted by the suboptimal, dust filled Hobas Campsite, a place that commanded a premium price because of its location. Nothing brings out my inner ugly like a bad night of camping. It wasn’t pretty.
But the drive onward followed by a few lovely days spent in Lüderitz got me sorted and returned this princess in her happy place.
Luckily, I was able to maintain my serenity at the comparatively luxurious Sossus Oasis, an affordable, quiet, well-outfitted campsite just outside the Sesriem Gate leading to Sossusvlei.
The blissful feelings strengthened the next morning as we navigated down the 60 km road to Sossusvlei …
…culminating as we left the paved road.
Mankind seemed insignificant when juxtaposed against the enormous dunes; among the world’s highest.
I simultaneously felt my own insignificance and an immense sense of power as I ascended Big Mama later in the day. The tour groups had left by then and we now enjoyed the place to ourselves.
Image Courtesy The Captain
Impermanence was top of mind as we walked through the dune-framed valley of the dead; the skeletal remains of acacia trees lining the salted clay plans of Deadvlei, their thirst for water unquenched as encroaching sand dunes had changed the course of the Tsauchab River, prohibiting further replenishment of supplies diminished by drought.
And I was reminded again that all things are possible as I marveled over this harsh desert landscape’s ability to support life that has adapted to survive on a very limited supply of water provided by occasional rains and the morning fog rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean.
But what of those ‘shared sacred spaces’ that don’t elicit a sense of the spiritual. For Atreyee Gupta at Bespoke Traveler, it was coming to terms with her failure to locate that “higher plane of consciousness” others find at Joshua Tree.
For me, it was the disappointment experienced along the road to Sedona as I navigated past endless facades filled with hucksters and charlatans. Luckily, my friend Jean showed up and helped me find the Sedona’s beauty on the trails, with its red rocks and diverse greenery. But my initial impression of the place had colored my perspective, limiting my ability to tap into the energy generated by the Sedona vortex.
In the end, what I found at Sossusvlei was not a lesson to be learned or some transformative experience born of a hero’s journey; it was simply a moment to be savored, one that I carried with me as we traveled onward.
Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again.” – Joseph Campbell.
Other worldly!
🌞It was indeed #uncomparablesplendor
Thanks so much for the mention, Lisa. Your photos took me back to this mystical place. The one of you on Big Mama took my breath away. It takes a vast soul to feel comfortable in desolation. I think if I were forced to choose the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen, it would be here. I love Atreyee’s post. So many places are ruined by hype. But magic can still be found, as was the case with my visit to Bali. Sedona is another one. So incredibly beautiful, but so obnoxious. I prefer the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert area of AZ. Thanks so much for taking me back to one of my sacred places.♾❤️♾
🌞Thank you so much for the inspiration and here again for your beautifully articulated sentiment that ‘it takes a vast soul to feel comfortable in desolation’. The Captain’s photo of me on Big Mama did sum up that ‘Soussuvlei feeling’ pretty well. I was surprised to find the magic in Bail, but perhaps it is because I traveled there with such low expectations. My experience of The Painted Desert was seriously preferable to that of Sedona; when I visited it in late October 2007, there was not another soul around …
Wow. lovely post. lovely place – Not everyone finds ‘beauty and peace in the sparse’ (comparable to some of the Aussie ‘outback’); however, I do and understand completely…. The last time we met you were also ascending a sand dune, albeit a much much smaller one… 🙂
Ha, we did meet ascending a sand dune; a lovely day hiking Middle Percy with you and Andrew that is forever etched in my mind. Thank you for your kind compliments on the post. While we were blessed to experience some of Australia’s magnificent sprawling ‘outback’, we failed to make it to the sacred heart in Uluru. Next time around.
You’ve made me homesick. In a good way. Thanks.
🤗 You are welcome. And thank you for your visit here!
I love the idea of sacred spaces. I don’t think the dessert would be my sacred space, but I haven’t spent much time in isolations in desserts so I can’t be sure. I tend to love being around water. Wherever it is, I don’t think you choose sacred paces so much as they choose you. Currently my space is the beach park to blocks from my home. There is a pier and some Adirondacks that look out over the lake and into the sunset. In the evenings or early mornings, all the children and swimmers are gone and it is quiet. My husband and I relax, watch the ducks on the water and enjoy the sunset. I feel an overwhelming sense of calm. The first time we visited the park, before we moved here, we both knew that this was going to be home.
I fully agree that spaces choose us and, as a total water-baby, completely understand how your beach park beckoned you. I was surprised that the desert called out to me in the same way the ocean does. Perhaps it is the vast emptiness and sense of freedom I find in both. Interestingly, I am drawn to cities for the same reasons … I revel in the sense of calm I feel floating along on a sea-of-humanity and am freed by the diversity and open-mindedness of large melting pots. In my 20s and 30s, all my friends would go to the mountains to relax and I would go to NYC; it was the only place that moved faster than I did and that helped me to relax.
I call it “my happy place” here on Hornby Island. It is just as exciting as Africa but in a different way. Today’s adventure was new landscape and meeting a new person from far away…Vancouver Island who I shared lunch with.
How lucky are you to live on beautiful Hornby Island. The wildflowers bursting there in the spring speak loudly to the magic of the place. I have always said that I want to retire in Canada when I drop the anchor for good. Maybe I will find my way to your majestic home.
I’ve made my sacred space comments on Julie’s and Atreyee’s blogs, so can I just say I love seeing Nelson?! I don’t think I’ve seen his sweet face before. Lest you think I have misdirected my attention, I’ll add that the dune photos are ALL amazing, especially that one of you on Big Mama (I bet the Captain has some photography experience … haha) and the one of the oryx (or whatever that long-horned animal is) surviving out there in the heat and dryness. “A moment to be savored”: that’s pretty much all I hope for on most trips, and luckily there is always at least one!
Nelson. I get weepy when I see that sweet little face. Honestly, I can’t imagine inviting another canine companion in my life after Nelson. Central Park (yet another one of my sacred spaces …bizarre but true) will never be the same without Nelson there by my side to explore every nook and cranny. His appearance in this post was the very last minute thing. After I finished writing, I decided to add a Sedona visual to complete the tale. The one with Nelson was the first that popped up in the search for the right image and I felt no need to look further. Anyhow, enough of my carrying on like a ‘crazy dog lady’. Thank you for your lovely feedback on the post. Fabio is smiling widely knowing that you loved his photo. With feedback like that, you’ll always have a place aboard his ship ;-).
PS. Re your hiding spot…. one side of me says ‘face that fear, you won’t be disappointed’ but the other side of me says ‘if that fear serves you, hold onto it until what it denies you becomes more compelling’.
I’m that crazy dog lady, too, and we are struggling a year after losing Wrigley with the idea of getting or not getting another. sweet pooch Part of me is also loving the freedom … we’d better wait until we come to Panama! 🙂
What is my hiding spot?? Did not know I was facing a fear. Am I forgetting something?!
You HAVE to wait for Panama!!!. So looking forward to seeing you again and having J. on board. The hiding spot was part of a comment on J.D.’s post.
Stunning. There’s something about being in the desert – a sacred space indeed.
Thank you for your lovely compliment Suellen. And speaking of scared spaces, really enjoyed your recent article for Multihull Solutions “Night Passages – Love Or Hate”. Even after all my miles, sometimes I love them …and sometimes I hate them.
Stunning photos, Lisa and a heartfelt, beautifully written post. I think the Captain mentioned something about the dunes being in his top 10 of all times and the entire world. What an amazing place! And, all the wildlife. I’m envious of your time in Africa, but I realize that it must have been an exhausting and expensive road trip. Very different from being on the water. But, the memories! The experiences! The culture! The nature! The photos! The beauty! Yes, I like your sacred place. 🙂
One of the best parts of circumnavigating the globe with Fabio is seeing so many of the places that are part of his lore. There are still a few more to look forward to as we make our way to the Caribbean (and a few that we missed which I’d like to see next time around). Sharing a self-drive, double tented 4X4 with two of Fabio’s friends kept costs down. Thank you so much for your compliments on the post and the images. Am trying to hone my writing skills and positive feedback from a pro like you means a lot. I hope you find your way here someday (and I hope I find my way back – maybe we’ll travel here together someday).
I savoured this post from beginning to end. I can feel the heat of the desert, and the perfect beauty of the dunes invading my heart. I’d put up with a bad night’s camping, and another not so bad, to be able to savour this place. And to see a gang of ostriches! I’m not sure I have a personal sacred place, though if I did it would be in Canberra or Vancouver.
Alison
Thank you, Alison. You’ve made my morning with your lovely compliments. Although I’ve never been to Canberra, I can completely appreciate how Vancouver could be a sacred space. Few places combine city, country, and sea as perfectly. You are blessed to live in such surrounds. It is one of those places where you can have all the great experiences of travel without ever leaving.
Yes I am, and yes it is. And Canberra, although a whole different climate and landscape is the same. Both are rarely beautiful cities.
Moments to be savoured indeed! Your post stirs up my own images of climbing those red dunes, driving the starkly beautiful roads through the Namibian desert, and camping under the most magnificent night sky I’ve ever seen. Namibia, and specifically the NamibRand Nature Reserve remains the travel experience most etched in my soul. A close runner up is my first visit to Mt. Bromo in Java, Indonesia in 1991. A second visit around 2010 did not live up to the first, mostly because of the hoards of visitors. I was disappointed at first, but have come to terms with it, realizing that sometimes it’s more than just the place, but the time and circumstances that make it special. Thanks for the beautiful post.
Oh, how I would love to visit Mt Bromo in Java! Your pictures from there are magnificent. I so appreciate the disappointment of being greeted by hoards of visitors in a place that you once enjoyed by yourself. That happens to The Captain often (e.g. he traveled Bali and Phuket in the 70s along empty beaches with no one around but the locals). Me less as I am visiting many of these locations for the first time. One thing that helps both of us is to visit ‘Instagram Destinations’ in the off-season or even the ‘off hours’. There were about two hundred people when we arrived at Sossusvlei but there was no one after the tourist buses cleared out at noon. Thank you for visiting here again with me virtually and for your lovely compliments.
Wow, 200 people. This has changed since we were there in 2008. So true what you say about about off season and off hours. I’m glad you were able to experience Sossusvlei after the busses had left. I’m envious of The Captain’s experiences in Bali and Thailand in the 70s. I thought they were pretty great when I backpacked in 91. When I visited again about 9 years ago with Mike and our son I couldn’t believe how much more developed and busy these places had become. It was a bit of a shock but we had a wonderful time and I enjoyed seeing everything through their “first time eyes”. Thank you for visiting my old Bromo post!
The place is supposed to draw 600 per day during the high season!!!
It is such a rewarding (albeit a bit challenging) experience to see places again through another’s ‘first-time’ eyes. Sounds like Mike and your son turned what could have been a disappointing experience into a delightful one.
Beautiful story-telling in words and images. And I’m not surprised that you mention two of my favourites, Julie and Atreyee. You go together well. <3 Amazing wildlife images and the colours! I'm a water baby so I've always felt a certain dread of the desert (and have never come even remotely near, our sandy beach comes closest), but your photos induce a yearn I knew nothing about. A great well of thought too, this post. Wonderful.
I am glad that you heard the call of the desert through this post. I was surprised that I gravitated to this place as I like you am a water baby. But there are lots of similarities, with the open ocean likely, the vast emptiness, the unique inhabitants, the feelings evoked (i.e. freedom, insignificance, awe, immense power, etc). I hope you heed the call of the desert someday. Hugs from Brazil
Such a beautiful post. I’ve found many sacred places on our planet. I’m still searching for one I can call my home. 🙂 Your pictures are stellar! The sand dunes of Namibia remind me of the deserts of Mongolia. Once the tour groups leave, it’s bliss. 🙂
A road trip to your beloved Mongolia is top of my list of ‘things to do when we finally ‘drop the hook’). I want to take the train from London to China, transiting across Mongolia from Moscow to Bejing. I may have to go back to work for a bit between sail and rail, but I am determined to do this trip. Thank you for joining me in Sossusvlei and for your generous feedback. I hope you find a sacred place that you can call home soon.
That’s an amazing plan! We wanted to of the train trip from China to Russia (via Mongolia). It didn’t work out because we had already visited China. Wishing you luck and will eagerly wait for your posts. 🙂
So much magnificence here, Lisa. Presence in all senses. The Captain’s shot is a treasure.
The Captain’s shot is definitely something that I will forever treasure. He was a commercial and wildlife photographer in the analog days but now I make most of the photos. He creates such beauty whenever he takes up a camera. I wish he’d do so more often. Thank you so much for joining us here in Sossusvlei.
Hi, Lisa – Thank you for introducing us to Sossusvlei, sacred spaces and moments to be savoured. Your photography is stunning as usual and always a delight to experience!
Always a pleasure to see you here Donna! Thank you for savoring the moment with me virtually. May I have Erica’s good fortune to meet you in person someday
Your writing is exquisite. I particularly was moved by your thoughts (and words) on impermanence and then hope. Photos are gorgeous. I, like so many other commenters, find my sacred places by the sea – but most often in the company of good friends and loved ones sharing our true sacred moments. This, albeit at a distance, was one.
I can’t thank you enough for clicking through to the blog and leaving a comment here. I love comments and I love you so it’s double the fun :-). Your supportive eloquence has buoyed my spirits once again as it has for many years. Indeed, nothing is more sacred than moments spent in the company of good friends and family. I miss hanging out with you and look forward to doing so again someday soon.
Just wow! Such a beautiful post in every way. I have seen pictures of those dead trees in the desert before and was really struck by them. I’d forgotten where they were, if I ever knew. Now I know!
Delighted that you enjoyed the visit here Anabel! Thank you for your lovely feedback 🥃😉
Those dunes are amazing! I had the same impression of Joshua Tree as Atreyee did (and jumped over to her site to leave a comment), and that you did in Sedona (until I got WAY out of town and could enjoy the landscape without the people). I think I have found many sacred places in my travels and hope to continue to find more. The Captain’s picture of you way in the distance on the sand dune is exquisite.
Thank you so much for hopping over to Atreyee’s site to leave a supportive comment. She is still coming to terms with her Joshua Tree experience, vacillating between whether she should return there or just let it be. I am completely resolved in my Sedona experience. I have enough sacred places to enjoy on this earth. Still, like you, I did find magic on the trails far out of town (even if it was just an appreciation for Mother Nature’s grandeur rather than finding myself at one with the energy vortex there) and would have no problem visiting again. I’ve spent a lifetime at being the ‘outsider who just doesn’t get it’ and turned that into a lifetime of adventure meeting many kindred spirits along the way.
Oh, how I love “I’ve spent a lifetime at being the ‘outsider who just doesn’t get it’ and turned that into a lifetime of adventure meeting many kindred spirits along the way.”
😉😘
It hurts when a place remains closed to me for whatever reason. I’m still coming to terms with this, vacillating between whether I should return at some point to Joshua Tree or let it be. It does, however, make me supremely happy that you and Julie were able to find such deep connections in the places you were which you will carry with you into the future…so different of course: hers a powerful wallop to the gut and yours a magical serene experience. I loved reading them both. I consider myself extremely privileged to have had so many of these too, in both famed destinations and ‘no-name’ little forests, shores, and meadows. Thank you for the mention. Your photos of Sossusvlei are breath-taking!
Let it be or return if you want, but celebrate the moment; revel in your failure to connect and in your ability to see things differently than the rest. Your unique perspective and skill to convey it eloquently (and with awesome visuals) are what keep me coming back for more. Love your blog. Glad to share it with others.
You captured the beauty and spirit of the place beautifully, Lisa, while also letting your own spirit shine through. I love how the exact same space can speak differently to us all, and even to younger and older versions of ourselves.
Can’t wait to see your take on the place. Thank you for sharing it with me here today and for providing such kind and insightful feedback.
I agree with Julie. 🙂 My sacred place is the Ile de la Cité and Notre-Dame.
(Just took a beating recently right?) 🙂
Your is very peaceful. Congrats.
Oh my. How disquieting to have one of your sacred places scarred in the way that Notre-Dame was recently. Your tribute to her was beautifully moving and now I fully understand the depth of her loss for you.
Aw shucks as Jimmy Stewart would say. It’s all right. The structure was saved. It will live another 800 years, hopefully.
There are other sacred places fortunately. One is the Pont des Arts, nearby. Look forward to it in july.
Full moon is on the 18th. Will you be gone by then?
Sounds like you have a marvelous July to look forward to!
We should be getting underway on the 18th. The weather is looking favorable and I should have recovered from this nasty cold I am experiencing by then.
Don’t tell me! A cold in the tropics is enough to be miserable all day. I hope you will recover promptly.
The good news is that I am on the mend and should be good to go on the 18th of May!
Good. That was my mother’s birthday. 🙂 (How is yours?) and we’ll celebrate grandson’s 3rd birthday on the 18th. That should send good vibes. 🙂
Fair winds Lisa.
In addition to manoeuver a boat with a running nose must be a bore… 🙂
Lisa, your photos are breathtaking! I LOVE talking about sacred spaces, something that leisure automatically gives us when we commune with nature. I enjoy learning about the places you visit, what a spectacular world we inhabit!
How about it!?! Yet another benefit of living a healthy leisure lifestyle. A day in nature never fails to buoy my spirits, whether in my own backyard or the vast expanses here at Sossusvlei. When I was working full-time, the quality of my delivery was vastly improved by maintaining a healthy balance of time indoors and out. And once I set sail, it is hard to remember feeling blue for longer than an afternoon on occasion. Thank you for your visit and compliments on the post.
I’ve never set foot in pure desert, Lisa. It must be amazing if your photos are anything to go by. Such breathtaking sweeps of sand. I never expected to be smitten by ostriches 🙂 🙂
I hope you find your way to the desert someday, Jo. I was surprised that it evoked the same feelings in me that I’ve experienced on the open ocean. Something about the endless possibilities envisioned across vast scapes (land or sea). A blessing to be able to traverse one of nature’s marvels. I shouted with glee when I spotted that ostrich gang marching their way toward the horizon. Truly a highlight of our Namibian adventures. Many thanks for your visit.
Hi Lisa, Breathtaking photos! I found myself breathing slower and deeper just now, looking at your pictures. I have not used the term “Sacred Space” in the past. It made me reflect as to what place I would call sacred. My first thought was Long Beach on Vancouver Island. We try to go there every year where I feel more meditative, calm and a feeling of connectedness. I am glad our paths crossed. Thank you for a beautiful post:) Erica
Oh, how I long to island hop by sailboat in that area. I’ve been to Vancouver but have yet to visit any of the nearby islands, many which have a reputation for being magical. Delighted to have been met you through Donna’a blog and so appreciate you coming here for a visit. Thank you so much for your visit.
I left my adventurous spirit several years ago. Circumstances change, but your trip reminds me of some walks through another type of desert. Pampas de Nazca in Peru and the Atacama desert in Chile. Each of them also has its sacred spaces because the Inca culture left a lot to study. Each region has its appeal. His photos are impressive and, without the need to travel, I am in those places of breathtaking landscapes. His description is of the best and one feels as if he enjoyed by his side the crossing through those deserts. I like your blog because it fills me with knowledge of the world geography. It has been a great pleasure to read you.
You may no longer be a wayfarer but the experience you create with your words assures me that you are still an adventurous spirit. I plan to tour Peru this summer and have added Pampas de Nazca to my list of places to visit. Thank you for exploring the world with me here and for your poetic feedback in my blog.
I hope you like Nazca. In my student years, I lived in the city of Pisco, near there. We help Maria Reichi, archaeologist who studies the figures, to build the first point of view to appreciate the figures that can only be seen from above. Now it’s done in airplanes. We also cleaned the land looking for more remains of the drawings. My help was just for the adventure of spending the weekends in that desert with bread and water. My greetings.
What a grand adventure!!! I will think of you when visiting Nazca and dream of being part of an archaeological team. I’ve investigated volunteer archaeology opportunities in the region but the ones I have found are beyond my budget – these things are a big business now.
Nowadays everything is business. I hope you like to visit Nazca. A good week for you.
A beautiful share, Lisa. I’ve never been in such a remote spot as this, but I can imagine how you must have felt that time was standing still. Camping has never been my thing, so I just don’t do it. The most jaw-dropping place I’ve ever visited is Machu Picchu. Even with other tourists there, I got the goosebumps just imagining what it was like way back when it was first created and inhabited. Another unforgettable experience was our few hours spent in Pompeii. I defy anyone who has ever been there to leave unmoved. You can still see the indentations left by the wheels of chariots along the cobbled streets. There are quite a few places I’ve been to which have filled me with a sense of awe and I felt the need to converse in whispers out of reverence for events that had taken place there.
I so want to visit Machu Picchu and hope to this year. The (Italian) Captain has shared a similar sentiment about Pompeii; I have yet to visit there. Camping is not my thing either but it gave us access to so many unique experiences in Southern Africa (and same in New Zealand a few years ago). The Captain does everything that he can to make it a comfortable experience for this little princess. Really, with the exception of campgrounds within the parks, we found lovely places to raise our tents. Looking forward to traveling with you to England virtually. Miss that place.
So many beautiful places in Africa. I knew here were deserts, but this is the first time I’ve seen a photograph of a canyon. This is my second favorite thing about blogging. First of course are the people. Second are the pictures of places I never knew existed. Thanks.
Fish River Canyon was magnificent and something I was completely aware of until we traveled the region. Unfortunately, we were there in the offseason when hiking into the Canyon is prohibited due to the risk of flash flooding. Still, it was lovely to behold from on-high and now I have another reason to go back again someday. I feel exactly the same way that you do about blogging Phyllis; good people and food for new adventures.
I have a few more bike trips planned and friends to go with me. I’ve also thought of my next adventures. Trains!
Fancy that!!! I adore train travel. My (next) dream of taking a train from London to Beijing. Where would you like to go?
I could start right here in Minnesota and branch out to the rest of the country. The is a train from Church Hill, Canada, north to watch polar bears. I’ like to take the Orient Express from London to Istanbul, Turkey.
Great minds think alike. I adore train travel almost as much as sailing and do it anytime I can. Seat61 is one of my favorite sites is you want to dream big. How I would love to take a train to watch the polar bears
I looked up Seat61. I’m saving that sight for the day I travel the world. ;0)
Love the photo of you with jean and the pooch
And the ending about the moment to be savored – ahhh (and the photos are so nice too)
Thank you for savoring the moments with me Yvette. Hugs from Brazil
😉
Lisa, another outstanding collection of photos and another extraordinary narrative. Moments for everyone to savor! (And I, too, find the photo of you on the dune to be exceptional coda to you Sossusvlei visit.)
You are so lovely to say Rawls! Always a pleasure to have you along on the journey
Thanks!
Hi Lisa – Your post and photos are amazing through and through. The Ascending Big Mama photo is exquisite. I love the orange-red colour of the sand dunes, so beautiful and earthy. I find the desert landscape calm, desolate, and yet thought-provoking in a contemplative way at the same time. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I hope you’re enjoying Brazil. I wonder how far north you’ll be for the rest of this year. I’d love to meet up.
Ahoy there Natalie! Would be so much fun to meet up but we won’t be near your home latitudes until 2020. This year’s plans include Grenada > Curacao > Bonaire > Colombia (with some inland travel to Ecuador and Peru) > Panama. Any possibilities that your 2019 travel plans will bring you down our way? Greatly appreciate your kind feedback on the post.
Hi Lisa – Ecuador or Panama are possibilities. 2020 is not that far off either (yikes!). I’ll let you know if the possibility becomes real 🙂
😍 Would be a treat to meet #somewhere #someday. Keep me posted 😃
Stunning photos, Lisa. A Sacred Space, Indeed. I have scrolled a few times, am still in awe. Thank you so much for taking us there. 🙂
Am delighted that you found the images awe-inspiring Amy! Thank you so much for strolling this sacred space with me.
What a post, Lisa!!! Your images literally took my breath away and stilled my breath. The Big Mama I just got lost in as I stared into this majestic sand dune. Wow!!! I could feel the sacredness of this ground. You portrayed that concept right through your photography! Incredible! To be able to travel as you do …. count yourself Blessed. I do understand the hardships travel do bring and those I’m glad I don’t experience. Have a wonderful day today!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you for wandering magical Sossusvlei with me Amy and for taking me to your sacred spaces on your blog. Greatly appreciate your visit and kind words.
Love this post and your beautiful photos! The stunning colours and sparseness brought back memories of a trek in the Western Sahara from Morocco back in 2011.
I find the dessert a surreal, but comforting and peaceful place – not too dissimilar to when at sea. But then again, think I have many sacred places that I feel at peace with…
Jumped right over to your pages to join you on that magnificent trek through the Western Sahara. A dream of mine to travel through that place #someday. Would love to know more about your sacred places. Thank you for your love.
Thank you Lisa. Very kind of you to share my link and leaving me your thoughts on my post – much appreciated.
Sailing along Australia’s East Coast and north of Cooktown, a couple of the uninhabited islands are places that you instantly feel at peace with as is Lady Musgrave Island (when day trippers have left).
My pleasure. It is a beautiful and inspiring travelogue.
As is yours!
PS. I so enjoyed my time cruising your ‘sacred spaces’ and hope to return there again someday
I should return also some day 😉
Dorny! I can’t believe I have made the pages of your blog. I am honored.
Again, the photography is breath taking and the words splendid.
I bet you could guess my scared place…..
Love you
😄Gosh, we had a lot of laughs when you visited me in Sedona (and in Bora Bora). You should be on these pages more often #comevisit. Hopefully, we’ll have Genevieve featured here in August 😍.
Spring Green must be your personal sacred space …it is certainly a shared one for me.
Thank you for the love …here today and always 💞
I can feel the calm just looking at the images of this beautiful place.
Africa over delivered, Amy. I really wish we’d stayed an extra year. Another good reason to go around again. Delighted to see you here. Thank you so much for your visit.
Wow from sacred dunes to foamy sea waves…you certainly are traversing extreme terrain and “sea”rain…happy trails and waters to you!
Ahoy from Grenada. Apologies for my delay in responding. I’ve been offline as we sailed here from Brazil along those ‘foamy seas’ (so beautifully said). Greatly appreciate your visit.
It’s not often we get to find places like this that speak to our nourish our soul. I’m glad you did and had the chance to savour it. Having spent time in the Australian outback, I think I know what you were sensing. May this place never leave your heart.
I remember you beautiful posts from the Australian outback and the ‘sacred’ feel of the place jumps right off the page. The only portion of the outback we managed to visit while sailing Australia was Kakadu and that visit along with your stunning posts have left me longing for more.
Am rather late to this post… but am glad I went back to check your blog to see if I missed anything during our crazy period of stress the last few weeks when I stopped reading blogs for a period of about six weeks.
Namibia has a very special place in my heart. I was there in my teen years with my parents and my younger brother (who is no longer alive)… so it really has memories of time shared together there. We drove around in an RV so it was quite close quarters and we got stuck in a lion park and my dad had to brave it , to walk for help.
Your photos bring back all the joys of those days together and of that time and place. Quite unique. Your photos are terrific. Those colors… you really do capture it well. So glad you loved it so much.
Peta
Always a pleasure to see you here Peta. Am delighted that the stress period is behind you and that you have found a wonderful new opportunity and country to call home. I was transported by the short story of your family road trip in Namibia, getting chills thinking of your father’s bravado and feeling a great sense of love and loss recalling your brother. I miss you and Ben and look forward to a time when our paths will cross again.
This looked and sounded like quiet the calming trip to Sossusvlei. The dunes and the canyons are no less draw-dropping. Ugh, you had a bad night camping? A bad night always puts a damper on things but it does happen – and great to hear you got on with the show to more views. The road looks endless, such a marvelous sight and an equally marvelous shot. It is interesting to see how things survive out here in such desolate conditions, sparse in terms of resources and harsh climates. Sometimes life just moves on like that. Good to hear this part of travel was a moment to savour after all 🙂
Thank you for all the love on the blog this morning Mabel.
I really wish we’d extended our time in Africa and lingered a bit longer in Sossusvlei. Add this to my lists or reasons to take a victory lap. Ahoy from Bonaire where we are 716 nm from Panama!!!!
A victory lap! Maybe you will end up going round the world a second time at some point 😊
#VictoryLap #Australia2025 ⚓️🇦🇺🙉