It was the summer of 2018 when my girlfriend (now
wife) invited me on holiday to Namibia. I had very little knowledge of Namibia,
but always had an urgency to someday go and explore this land. All I knew, was
that this was a place where very few people can stand the extreme heat temperatures
and come to terms with the baron, rocky and open landscapes. I, however,
immediately fell in love.

The family who owns the farm in Namibia are very
knowledgeable and have learned and adapted to survive in a place that is and
could be very unforgiving. With that said, I have noticed a sense of joy every
time we headed into the veld to do our everyday chores to make sure that
everything runs like it should. I was mesmerized by how things not only
survived, but actually thrived in this landscape…

It was the 3rd day of our visit when we set out on a
game drive to explore and learn about the lands and enjoy the sightings of the
wild animals roaming the open plains of Bethanie. The sun was blazing and
measured around 41 degrees in the morning around 10am. I knew that this was
part of the everyday life here, but still wondered how anything could walk and
survive in this emptiness.

It wasn’t long until we parked in the shade to enjoy
our breakfast.  The bakkie was filled with laughter with everyone snacking
on Biltong and sipping Moerkoffie. Little did I know that my life would change
course at that moment.

My father-in-law had spotted a herd of Gemsbok
earlier the morning not too far from where we had decided to stop for our
morning coffee. He encouraged me to take a hike up with him on a big(ish) ridge
where he had last spotted the herd to try and take photos…

Off the bakkie and up the ridge we went. It wasn’t
until about halfway up that I could feel the pressure of the sun blazing down
on my skin and my calves aching as I tried to carefully make my way up loose
rocks. Hundreds of different kinds of lizards and small living creatures all
around me, gazing and wondering what I am, and vice versa!

Finally, on top of the ridge my Father-in-law and I
took a minute to catch our breath and take in what was around us. I could feel
the sweat dripping down my forehead and a slight breeze cooling me down. For a
moment I had thought that I was busy dehydrating or suffering sunstroke as all
I could hear, was silence. Dead. Silence.

Into the distance I stared. Taking it all in.

It was in that moment it felt like I was the only
person on earth. And there it was. Across the dried-out riverbed on the other
side of the ridge, camouflaged just enough for me to see him (almost as if he
wanted me to) stood the mighty, mysterious and mythical Greater Kudu.

There we were, staring at one another. Sharing the
moment as if it had been planned as if he wanted to prove to me that things can
survive here and that the beauty can be found when you are out on a journey of
discovery.