Deadvlei, the valley of the dead as its referred to in Afrikaans, is in basic terms only a clay pan with the remnants of dead trees. At least that’s how it was described to me by an acquaintance from the Netherlands, who in literal terms is an Instagram influencer whose job is to create Fomo in others, by posting beautiful travel pictures using his gross Lightroom presets, with total disregard for historical or cultural matters.
I’m standing in the middle of Deadvlei at sunrise, virtually alone, and so sad to see how all these Instagram wannabes just pass through this breathtaking place without truly admiring its beauty.
I mean, literally finding this gem in the middle of the desert is a real feat, and being present with only the sun and the wind, surrounded by these massive 900-year-old sculptures? I can only compare the feeling to being alone in the Galleria dell’Accademia and seeing Michelangelo’s David for the first time.