The time passes very differently here in Namibia. I couldn't say from the feeling if I've only been here for 10 days or maybe seven or eight months. Maybe it's because of the (sometimes more, sometimes less fixed) routine that Robin and I have here at the lodge - appear in the kitchen at 7 o'clock, set the table, prepare the buffet, prepare eggs for the guests at 8 o'clock, clear and wash at 9 o'clock. The whole thing is repeated for lunch and dinner, with the extra that we also serve drinks in the evening and usually close the bar, which is now our domain, around 10 or 11 o'clock. On good days, that means five or six hours of work, on bad days, rather 12.
But maybe first more about our workplace, the Kivo Lodge. On 08.11. we were picked up from the owner, Ivo, at Windhoek Airport and saw a lot of sand, dust, thorn bushes, an ostrich and a few oryxes (if you don't know these animals, you should definitely google them - super beautiful, graceful animals) during the 45-minute drive northeast. The lodge itself covers an area of 11,000 hectares, with many animals (including horses, cows, and 3 Jack Russels, but also more exotic animals - see Game Drive) and many scattered houses, including the guest house, the main house, and an unfinished guest house, where we were initially accommodated.
This is the main house of Kivo Lodge from a distance.The courtyard is a nice mix of front yard and parking lot, on the left side of the picture is the reception and - now - also our balcony.To get from the rooms to the main house, you have to climb quite a few stairs, but you are rewarded with a phenomenal view (see below).View from the bar (or the second dining room) with the three dogs of the lodge, with whom we quickly became friends - they now sleep in front of our door and hardly leave you alone :) The area of the lodge extends to the foot of the mountains on the horizon. Since all guest rooms were occupied on the first day, we were given one of the discontinued construction projects with some unfinished parts as a room. At the latest when a bat had peed on the windowsill, we were really grateful to be able to move into one of the guest rooms on the 10th day. We couldn't complain about the view, among other things because we slept right next to a water hole and had frequent sight of horses, cows, warthogs, birds, and more drinking. The sunsets are really an adventure every day - even if the sun has already set, the sky takes on the most diverse colors...... and as soon as it gets dark, the zebras come to the waterhole to drink. We were particularly lucky in the last week when a family of four with a newly born baby came by. So cute and really tiny, but very safe on their feet and almost as playful as the other zebras. A nice tradition are the 'Bries' (=barbecues), where a lot of game meat is roasted in the coals of a campfire. I don't (yet?) eat with them, but the atmosphere and the fire alone are a great way to end the day. Not to mention that it is much less work than having to prepare and serve a normal dinner......And it's always worth staying up a bit longer for the stars and the moonrise. From here you can sometimes see the Andromeda Galaxy very clearly. On the first day we were greeted by several unusually large spiders, an impressively wide view, and 21 guests; as many as the lodge can accommodate at most. Since we didn't receive any introduction to the bar or the kitchen and the two kitchen staff are very friendly but only speak limited and also a very different English, the start was correspondingly stressful.Slowly but surely, however, we have learned to deal with the unfamiliar work and sometimes unfriendly guests, so the work is still a lot on some days but always manageable. There are also bright spots, such as the medical seminar with some really friendly guests who gave us their remaining chips and drinks when they left.When we have some free time that we don't spend catching up on sleep, we can also sit by the pool (unfortunately not in it - too cold for more than dipping your feet in!), read a book, learn Japanese...... or take a walk, where you always come across animal remains, small animals, cows, horses, plants, and maybe even a bit of green. Last Monday, on 11/11, we were kindly given a few hours off and dropped off at the center of Windhoek for shopping and groceries, etc.The city itself is rather small; 300,000 inhabitants, a main street with green space and a certain industrial feeling (many construction projects, a lot of trash and concrete). Many people ask for money or food (sometimes even directly in German), but otherwise it is very similar to any other city life there.I quickly made friends with the Craft Centre & Craft Café, a place where the most diverse goods, mostly handcrafted, are offered for sale and where you can also get really good cheesecake and a first-class ice chocolate. If you are considering going to Windhoek, you should definitely visit this place.We paid approximately €12 for two good cakes with drinks - the Swabian heart is happy!Not to forget: The welcome committee upon arrival at the lodge.Kuh-AntilopeOryxAdler im FlugKuh-AntilopeOryxAdler im Flug
