Week 9 - Namibia

Sunday, January 20, 2019

We have arrived in Namibia. The border crossing was once again very easy and fast. Even though it was Sunday, we had to stop at a supermarket right after the border, and we immediately noticed that almost all the people there were white. The items in the supermarket strongly resemble those at home - some of them are even labeled in German. As we approached Windhoek, we noticed the many residential areas with high walls and barbed wire fences.

After setting up our tent at the campsite in Windhoek, we took a short walk to the city center. The street where our campsite was located was appropriately named Schanzenweg. Once again, we mainly saw white people. After so many weeks in Africa, it was very difficult for us to get used to this. We felt like we were on a completely different continent.

For once, Benson didn't cook for us in the evening. Instead, we all went to Joe's Beer House for dinner.

Monday, January 21, 2019

We drove from Windhoek to Etosha National Park. The area is remarkably dry and flat. Dry shrubs and trees as far as the eye can see. The roads are very good. Our campsite was quite far from everything, but it was beautiful. For the first time, we had to anchor the tents properly in the ground because it was very windy.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 and Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Etosha is the most significant nature and wildlife reserve in Namibia, covering an area of 22,270 km2. The extensive network of gravel roads around the Etosha Pan provided us with the perfect opportunity to observe wildlife with our 4x4 vehicles. We had fantastic weather and were not disappointed when it came to seeing animals. Right after entering the park, we were able to observe four cheetahs hunting. After they had killed a springbok, they calmly crossed the road with their bloody mouths and paws in front of our vehicles. Right after that, we encountered a lion family (1 male lion, 2 lionesses, and 5 cubs) sunbathing leisurely and then walking steadily towards the thickets.

In addition to these two highlights, we saw many wildebeests, zebras, elephants, various birds, and a rhino with a young one just a few meters away from our truck.

Our guide Ballak also provided us with many pieces of information that we had not heard before, even after so many game drives. For example, we did not know that wildebeests have to keep walking until they reach a waterhole if they are thirsty. If they were to stand still, their hearts would collapse.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

We headed to Swakopmund. Since the distance was too long for a single drive, we had to make a stopover in Uis. Uis can be imagined as a small town in the middle of nowhere. Just before Uis, we made a brief stop on the side of the road to visit a Himba tribe. Some of you may have already seen a photo or a documentary about this nomadic people. The Himba are an African tribe that mainly lives in the northwest of Namibia in the Kaokaverld. As the last semi-nomadic people in Namibia, they move around as livestock herders but have a permanent village where they regularly return. The huts are made of palm leaves, branches, clay, and dung. The tribe currently has about 7,000 people. For example, the number of children a Himba woman has can be determined by the jewelry she wears on her wrists and ankles. Some of the women also wear brass rings around their necks, which have symbolic meaning. Women with white necklaces are still without children, while mothers wear brown ones.

Once again, we were able to see a beautiful starry sky. Cedi and Patrick, a very enthusiastic hobby photographer, took some photos together. What may sound like a date under the starry sky was actually a practical thought. Patrick just wanted to have a bodyguard with him. :-)

Friday, January 25, 2019

We continued to Swakopmund but not without making a stopover at the Spitzkoppe. The mountain towers 700 meters above its surroundings. Due to its distinctive shape, it is also known as the "Matterhorn of Namibia". You should take a look at the photos. The rock formation is perfect for taking amazing pictures.

In the late afternoon, we arrived in Swakopmund. It is impressive how you can immediately see the high sand dunes of the Namib Desert on the outskirts of the city. We exchanged our tent for a bed and settled into our container for the next few days. From our room window, we had a direct view of the sand dunes of the Namib Desert. Swakopmund, founded by the Germans in 1892, still bears their colonial influence today. Many shops here are labeled in German, and we saw the German flag more than once.

Saturday, January 26, 2019 and Sunday, January 27, 2019

We stayed in Swakopmund for two days. Swakopmund is known for its many outdoor activities. Since we knew that we would be staying in Swakop for several days, we had already thought about which activities we wanted to book. We decided to go on a Namib Desert tour with quads and to go SKYDIVING!!! Since the weather on Saturday was very cloudy, both activities took place on Sunday. So on Saturday, we spent time in the city, saw the sea for the first time in a long time, and strolled through the many handicraft markets.

Sunday morning started with the quad trip. If any of you are ever in Swakopmund, we highly recommend the quad tour. We raced up and down the dunes on our quads for two hours. The view was fantastic!

After a short break, we were picked up. Together with Bridget and Wayne, who are also travelling with us, we went to the airport, received the safety instructions, and were soon ready to board the plane. Even the flight itself was an experience. We almost flew straight up into the sky with the door open. Below us, we could see the desert landscape and the sea. Surprisingly, neither of us was particularly nervous. When we got the go signal, we had to let our feet dangle out of the plane, strapped tightly to our parachute instructor, until the whole body was hanging in the air, under the abyss. We jumped from about 3,500 meters and free-fell for about 30 seconds. It was an incredible experience, which was over in about 7-8 minutes. We would have loved to get back on the plane and jump again. It was a very memorable experience. After such an eventful day, we really enjoyed the seafood platter at a restaurant in the evening.