On the drive from Windhoek to Swakopmund, you can see very large termite mounds and even larger poverty.
The landscape itself doesn't change much until the sea - it always looks a bit like focaccia everywhere. But while in the vicinity of Windhoek you mainly see baboons standing by the roadside, outside there are more and more empty plastic bags and people who don't seem to own much more. On the outskirts of Swakopmund, we drove past the largest favela I have seen so far, and that somehow hits differently than in geography lessons - especially when just a few kilometers further there are villas on the beach where Germans go on vacation and ride quads in the desert.
But now let's start from the beginning:
Our journey started - of course - again at the Craft Café, where we spent time with delicious food until our shuttle left in the afternoon.
(For those who are interested: we paid €16 for the 4-hour drive in a compact car and were taken to the door of our Airbnb - Deutsche Bahn could learn something from that.)
When we arrived at our apartment, we were warmly greeted by our hostess Ilse and were quickly very excited about the accommodation, including kitchen and garden.
A bit exhausted, we only managed to take a walk along the beach, which is only 5 minutes away, on that day, but it was definitely worth it-
The sun has just set and Swakopmund is also a breathtakingly beautiful town, especially from the beach promenade.
You can put your foot in the Atlantic Ocean at any time (in Robin's case, you can even go swimming in it) ...
... or admire the colorful houses right on the beach, surrounded by huge green spaces, flowers and palm trees.
The further you move away from the beach, the less luxurious the city becomes - a good point of reference is the cute lighthouse, which separates the villas and nice restaurants from everyday life and shopping streets.
But we also spent a lot of time in the city center, especially because the good old Superspar supermarket was unfortunately located a 30-minute walk away in the city. My personal highlight: definitely the Christmas tree! (And the bakery inside Spar.)
Other than that, we also spent a lot of time at our favorite restaurant, the Farmhouse right by the sea, once even with some dolphins right next to us in the bay.
And it's always nice to walk or sit on the beach - sometimes with birds, sometimes with a sunset...
... and once even with a seal!
Behind the seal in the picture, you can see the long pier, also called Jetty, which we walked to on the first full day and were pleasantly surprised on the beach in front of it.
At the beginning and end of the pier, there is a restaurant, but for satisfied tourists, there is also an observation deck above the second restaurant after a few meters of wooden planks (the TÜV would surely have something to say about them)...... along with a nice view of the sea, the city, and any guests who join in.We then tried to hike to a dune on Day 2, which we had seen from the pier the day before. Unfortunately, we didn't make it as it was located in a nature reserve, but the walk along the beach alone was worth it.About halfway, you can find some abandoned bridge pillars, on which a railway was supposed to run in the past. However, just three years after construction began, the bridge was flooded, and the railway was moved further inland.We managed to get past that, through a reservoir, the outskirts of the desert, and to the next road-But then, after a short sand angel, it was time to turn back. Back in the city, a bird was waiting for us again, this time up close next to the returning fishermen.Things got really exciting on the fourth day when we spontaneously stopped by Desert Explorers and took a two-hour quad bike tour through the desert.At first, I was a bit scared of all the ups and downs, but as soon as I got a bit more used to it, it started to be really, really fun - especially the very steep slopes and sharp curves - and the initial 30 km/h quickly became 50. All in all, definitely the highlight of the trip for me, with incredibly beautiful scenery, a nice guide, and lots of adrenaline kicks.The second highlight was the (highly recommended by many) Little Five Tour; a guided day tour through the Namib Desert, focusing on the desert as a habitat for small animals.Before we drove into the desert, there was a short stop at a camel enclosure, and then we were off.Initially, we learned about the food chain and the climate of the desert, and then we set off on a search for animals - and we were quite successful!We saw a small, heavily pregnant snake, some lizards (including this usually nocturnal specimen),...... a slow worm that we were even allowed to hold in our hands,...... and last but not least, even a chameleon.At first, it hid in a bush but was then lured out by good persuasion and a handful of worms from our guide.Tasty!Aside from the animals, there were other things to discover, such as the various (sometimes highly magnetic!) sands,...... another failed railway line (apparently, the desert suddenly got in the way),...... and also the beautiful dunes themselves, which are suitable for a short walk.The remaining days were mostly spent in the city, at the beach, or planning our road trip to the north of the country, and so the 10 days passed surprisingly quickly. After a final farewell dinner by the sea, it was time to say goodbye, at least for now... :)And as soon as we were back in Windhoek, the next surprise awaited us: puddles everywhere, it had rained the last three days!In the meantime, grass is already starting to grow a bit, and the plants are blooming - so the rainy season has officially begun.We will spend the next few days relaxed and without guests back at the Kivo Lodge, so I might not be in touch until early next year, then telling you about our first road trip.In that case, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, see you in 2020.Best regards,Inka
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Risposta (1)
Regina
Also zuerst mal ein dickes Lob an Robin für die Fotos! Das Chamäleon sogar mit der langen Zunge beim Madenleckerli zu erwischen, das ist schon eine Superleistung! Richtig unwirklich sieht ja diese bunte Eidechse aus, toll die Robbe und wunderschön die blühenden 🌵. Dazu interessant und flott erzählt, danke Inka! Ich hoffe, Du greifst noch mal vor dem Jahreswechsel in die Tasten! Ganz liebe Grüße und weiter viel Spaß wünscht Regina
