This week’s photo challenge is to share a shot of a landscape – in nature or an urban setting. My first thought was about a magical scene that unfolded in front of our eyes. On our last trip through the Namib desert two years ago we travelled along a gravel road we hadn’t driven before but was recommended to us by my brother-in-law. It took us along and up the plateau and then suddenly, at the edge of the escarpment, the sweeping vista opened up and the Namib desert lay in front of us in all its splendour, as far as the eye could see.

It’s hard to do the beauty of this landscape justice with a photo. Partly because it’s more beautiful than the photo shows and partly because there’s no indication of what lies ahead as you’re travelling along until you’re suddenly surprised with this breathtaking view, almost like the reveal of a most wondrous work of art to an unsuspecting audience.

The Namib desert taken from the top of the Spreetshoogte Pass