My Africa research often led me to strange wonders like Madagascar, where most species exist nowhere else on Earth. In Namibia, the locals spoke of Quiver Tree Forest, six hours south of Windhoek.

The moment I arrived, I felt as though I had left Earth. Quiver Tree Forest is Alien land, twisted silhouettes rising from stone, glowing gold in the sunrise. According to folklore, Quiver trees bring luck, with diamonds hidden beneath their roots. But as I walked among them, I realised the trees themselves were the diamonds, rare, otherworldly, unforgettable.

I promised one tree I would return next year with more people. Strangely, it felt as though the tree answered me. As we left, two small animals sat facing the sunrise, reminding me that perhaps in this alien land, we were the outsiders, and they were the true inhabitants.