Tommy's Living Desert Tours

Went out into the Namib with Tommy Collard of Tommy’s Living Desert Tours. It was truly like being on NatGeo Wild or Animal Planet. Tommy drove this souped up LandRover through the dunes that end at the edge of the city of Swakopmund. He reads the “Bushman Newspaper” i.e. the faint tracks in the sand to locate all of these fascinating creatures that inhabit the seemingly desolate Namib Desert, the world’s oldest. When he spots something, he jumps out of the Rover and starts digging like a rabid dog and pulls up such interesting beasties as a Fitzsimmons Burrowing Skink, or a sand-diving Lizard or the Palmato Gecko. The Namaqua Chameleon was the most appealing of the bunch and sat in everyone’s hands very obediently. He even ate mealie worms right out of Tommy’s lips. I did get a bit frightened when Tommy fished a Peringuey’s Adder (sidewinder, yes exceedingly venemous) out of one of the desert bushes and started handling it very close to the girls. The girls were un-fazed and of course Emma volunteered to hold everything—not in the least bit squeamish. Tommy said she was one tough little girl. She sure enjoyed the “adulation.” We had a terrific time, learned loads about the Namib and flat out enjoyed going over the dunes. It’s definitely an excursion everyone who visits Swakopmund should undertake.