24. Signs from the Past (_Ai-_Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park)

The search for the Big Snake continues as the Zebra Bus team treks further and further into the ancient mountains in search of signs and messages left from ancient times, when people roamed freely across the landscape. They cross the Orange River from South Africa into Namibia and continue on the dusty roads of the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park until a family of baboons crosses their path.

When they run out of road, the Zebra Bus ventures into the pathless wilderness of rock and sand, along a range of mountains where the oldest paintings in Africa are found. Using a compass, they try to find the caves filled with cultural treasures that Oompie once visited a long time ago. Unsuccessful on their first try, the team stays over in the veld for the night, using the bus as shelter.

In the morning they find engravings of the ancient Nama in a dry riverbed and follow the river to the cave. Here there are many engravings and paintings about a life that is long gone and forgotten, but clearly their artwork will last for generations to come. Most San paintings are several thousand years old, but these painting in the well-hidden Apollo 11 cave are 25 - 30 000 years old! Just imagine finding that treasure!