Needless to say, we were quite happy to reach Solitaire, a place of comfort and luxury compared to the five hours that lay behind us. But do not expect too much here, even if Solitaire has its own point on the map. The petrol station is clearly the most important feature, but there is much more to discover like...

The public telephone, ...

the local cafe/restaurant/bar (with color TV!), and...

...the general store, of course, offering maps, batteries, icecream, souvenirs, repellent, and almost anything else you might need for your trip. Other travellers say that "you have to stop at Solitaire. It's famous." - and we agree. :-)

The windows of the Solitaire General Store are covered with stickers from around the world. But this does not stop the pigeon to fly in and out through the open window.

Next to the Solitaire petrol station we found this Morris Eight Series II that has definitely seen better times. Maybe this is a good warning to those who try to come here with a sedan, like, "Do you want to make your car look like that? Visit Solitaire!"

After the bumpy road (and even bumpier road to the lodge!) we were really happy to reach the Namib Desert Lodge that afternoon. Once more we were stunned by the comfort and beauty of the location, being so close to the desert.

The Namib Desert Lodge sits directly at the foot of a red sandstone cliff, the petrified dunes of the Namib, and it offers plenty of beautiful sights for the visitor (and the photographer).

Sunset was approaching quickly and the sun was casting long shadows across the surrounding plains.