Temples of date palms, Klein Pella at sunrise

Bushmanland, bordering Namibia, is a vast, arid landscape, harsh and formidable. We have transitioned away form the flowers of Namaqualand to walk here in Bushmanland.

We are based at the Klein Pella Guesthouse on the largest date farm in the southern hemisphere. It is such an impressive organisation, high tech, immaculate with a caring responsible approach to the people and the place.

The accommodation is a gem. We were up before dawn to drive to the Orange River to walk the sunrise over the vast 'temples' of palms. The plantations felt like the temples in Egypt. An eerie sight these huge trees set in the desolation of a semi desert. I look forward to taking a box of their medjool dates home.

We have safari style stops to rest feet and revive a little, here we are after the first 8km this morning and the views of the palms while lying on my back....

• Walking log: 17th August

The first 16km of the walking today was from the Orange River past the palms, the precision planting of export table grapes and the business premises.

The walking was nice, even with the long slow incline all the way to the Guesthouse. My challenge is the increasingly worrisome blisters on both my heels. It is makes me anxious.