Northern Namibia

Spreethoogte Pass

Before I left for my own small trip to southern Namibia, I had organized the booking of the campsites and bought the permits for the parks.
Now, I was waiting for my parents to arrive. We were probably excited all three of us, when they landed the 18th of november in Windhoek. Of course the reunion after more than 6 months was something quite special. Quite tired after 9 hours of flight I took them to Chameleon Backpackers. Still, I did not give them a lot of time for resting at daytime to avoid them sleeping the wrong way. So, already on the first day, in the late morning we explored Windhoek by ourselves, in the afternoon we took an organized sightseeing tour by bus. In the evening, there was a small welcome party at the hostel with very nice Moroccan food, cooked by our chef Mohsine from Tangier.
For sure, everything was new for my parents, foreign and on top it was quite warm for the newcomers from cold old Germany.
Quite spontaneously, my parents decided in the evening to see the soupkitchen in Katutura the next day, before we fetched our car in nearby industrial area north. In this soupkitchen I was working the last few days before the parents arrived.

Home of Good Hope, Katutura

Katutura is that part of Windhoek, where underprivileged black people live. In former times, this was the township, the white have established, when the black population was excluded from the city center. Monica, an active local, has brought to life a soup kitchen for children about 2 years ago. With the support of 3 ladies from Sweden and 3 young men from Germany, a house for the children was established in october this year, so that the children must not sit anymore with their food outside in the hot sun.
Now, about 200 children come here every day to get their maize mash with beans. They are fed in two sessions. This is often the only meal of the day. Volunteers can come and help for a day or more, also donations of food, clothes, and cosmetics, just anything are welcome.
So, first, there is singing and praying together with the children, then the volunteers distribute the food. After the dishes are done, there is always time to play with the children.

Streethoogte Pass

For sure, especially for my Mum, it was an overpowering experience to see these children here. They are absolutely happy, all charming and it is unbelievable to see, how calm they wait till it is their turn to get their share and put it slowly with fingers in their mouth. All children are quite crazy to be carried around. My Mum was about to take all 200 children back home….
The whole project is currently financed by one single donator who comes from Canada and transfers every month 300 US on Monicas account. The money is enough to buy food for 200 children once a day during the week.
Of course 2 meals a day would be better, moreover, Monica would like to install a kindergarden with nursery school for the smallest children. There is still a lot to do. The optimism of Monica and the will to work very hard, allow to hope that these aims can be realized!
From Katutura, we went with a local taxi to the rental station – exactly that kind of taxi, white locals and hotel staff keep warning tourists over and over not to take. There were recently incidents of kidnapping, or that passengers are driven completely somewhere else and robbed. On the other side, no call taxi would go to Katutura to pick up someone there…..

Sesriem Canyon

At the car rental, we had to go through a lot of paperwork. After that, it took us quite a long time to get the car explained. Why that took so long? Well, this was a 4×4 car, which I drove 30 minutes before in my whole life and Dad not at all before. There was quite some equipment, we do not need in daily life in Germany like carriage siphon, tube to the indulgence of the air or for inflating of the tires, the fridge and the stove, and then of course our roof tents!
Yes, my parents wanted to travel in Namibia not from lodge to lodge, but they wanted the real adventure with a 4×4 and tents on top. Well, they got their big adventure!
Then, finally, after two hours, we left the rental station. I drove the car to the next supermarket close to the town border, and then my father discovered his passion for a 4×4 and for driving on the wrong, left hand side and drove all the remaining 4300 (!) kilometers himself.

Dead Vlei

The first night, we spent at Spreethoogte Pass, where we had a brilliant view of the mountains and the namibian desert. Above all the sunset was spectacular. Building up the tents was a major issue, as it was quite windy on this pass. Finally, after something like 1.5 hours both tents were ready, mum had a fight with the gas stove in these stormy conditions, but managed to create some nice dinner.
After the first night in our roof tents, we knew that this was the kind of travelling fitting to us. All three of us slept well, no one fell down the ladder. It took us rather long to build up our tents, but we just needed more practice and some more tactics, and then it would become better and faster also.

Hidden Vlei

Our next destination was Sesriem, where we had booked two nights a state campsite. Already on the campsite we had to use 4×4, as we got stuck in deep and very soft sand there!
The afternoon, we did a hike in Sesriem Canyon, a deep gorge dug by a river. There must be a lot of water at times to create a canyon like this, but for sure, this is not too often the case.
In the afternoon light, the canyon has beautiful colours like yellow, sienna and orange and offers new great photo motives with every turn.
In the late afternoon, we went to Elim Dune, which is just 3 kilometers from the camp. Here one can observe very well the change of colours on the facing Naukluft Mountains in the fading sun. And of course, finally, there was a lot of sand. Lot of people do not fancy sand between the toes, I just love it!

Hidden Vlei

As we wanted to experience sunrise on top of a dune, we had to get up very early the next day. So, I decided not to build up my roof tent this time because of saving time early in the morning and to sleep rather on the mattress in the sand. My parents, not at all cowardly, decided to do the same and so all three of us spent the night outside. At that time, I could not yet anticipate, that this idea would become one of the highlights of the whole trip for my parents! Well, staying overnight in  the 1000 stars hotel is definitely something special, above all in the desert where one has the feeling that the stars are a lot closer to the earth than anywhere else.
The next morning, we were among the first to enter the national park and the first at the big dunes. It was quite foggy at the beginning, so the sunrise was not as expected with a lot of shining colours, but there was this very interesting phenomenon, when sun and fog met with the sand dunes. Though the colours were not a brilliant yellow or orange, but, however, the scenery with fog had definitely its own charms.

Namib

Next, we went to Dead Vlei. Right next to gigantic sand dunes, there is a very shiny, white area, which is sometimes flooded with water. It does not rain very often here, but when it does, the water cannot be soaked easily by the sand, so it creates a lake. The water evaporates of course very fast in this hot sun. The remains are a very bright, almost white layer which is very hard and breaks later in cracked pieces. On top of that, the sun burns relentlessly, and there is besides a few gnarled, mostly dead trees no shade and of course also no animals. An extremely inhospitable, but spectacular scenery! One has here the feeling to be on another, extremely inhospitable planet.
The highest dunes with up to 325 metres are in Sossusvlei itself. Here the views from top of the dunes are definitively spectacular and the sand sea is simply overpowering to all sides.

Swakopmud

As Dad and me love playing in the sand, both of us went back in the afternoon. Thus we drove again 65 kilometres one-way to the big dunes, this time to see Hidden Vlei. Photo technically seen, this was one of the highlights, as the time, light as well as the forms of the dunes were fantastic.

As my parents have carried along my laptop for downloading my photos, there was a lot of space for new ones. Including Namibia, there are already 9000 photos! I will definitely not be bored when I will be back once, as it will take a lot of time to go through them!
After our sand adventures, we went to Swakopmund. The drive there is rather monotonous from Solitaire, as there is not an awful lot more than stones and grey stony desert for a distance of approx. 200 kilometres. The biggest highlight on the road was two cyclists going the other way, who also did not seem to be very happy there. No wonder, as it was very hot, very monotonous, and there was a light gradient for the whole distance.

Swakopmund

Swakopmund is very German, very foggy and very sleepy on a sunday afternoon. As it was also rather cold, we rented a room at Desert Sky Lodge. This was not an awful lot more expensive than to camp there. Lots of people rave about Swakopmund with its german architecture and all the German traditions, but all three of us, we were not too impressed. We did a very nice trip by boat to WalfishBay for the pelicans, fur seals and dolphins. For sure, it was quite cold on this boat, but it was worth the excursion.
This evening, we had an appointment with a very special person. The mother of a friend of my parents lives since 22 years in a home for elderly people in Swakop. Of course we paid the lady a visit. We thought rather of coffee, but she greeted us with champagne and white wine, so we all had a very interesting and amusing evening.
Close to Swakopmund, there is an area in which many Welwitchias grow. These plants can store water very long and can become up to 2000 years old. These plants are very rare and grow only in Namibia. We drove the so called Welwichia drive, which is designed like a natural trail. Besides the Welwitchias, they explain also other plants on boards, e.g., the importance of lichens to hold loose sand. Also, in this area, was the lunar valley. This is a big canyon with spectacular views.

Cape Cross Seal Reserve

After this excursion, we went back to Swakop and continued towards Skeleton Coast. Here, in former times, lots of ships stranded, the people could hardly survive in these life-hostile surroundings without any water or food. Today, a well maintained road runs along the coast, but it is extremely windy here, virtually always foggy and for Namibia also very cold. Nevertheless, quite a lot of tourists come here, above all locals. Here the water is very rich in fish and lots of local men come here with gigantic fishing gear, which sometimes even does not fit in their cars, so they transport it tied at the front of the car.

10 degrees outside temperature was a little bit uncomfortable, so went rather early into our nice and relatively warm tents.
The next day, we went back to the warmth, first of all we drove to the petrified forest. Here, fossilized trunks lie around, they are from 260 to 280 million years old. The biggest ones are up to 30 metres long.

Twyfelfontain

The next highlight was Twyfelfontein with its rock art paintings, which are something like thousand or more years old. Above all the image of a lion is well known. Moreover, there are a lot of antelopes, hippos, rhinos and footprints of animals or people, which were scratched in here.
On our way to the north shortly before Palmwag, we had our first breakdown: the protective frame, which should preserve car and passengers from bigger damage, when there is a collision with an animal, was broken and was hanging down on one side. What to do now? There was no way to continue like this. So, we called the rental company. Welding was not possible as there were no mechanics, putting the whole thing on the roof or inside the car, was also not possible as too big.
Finally, we left it in Palmwag, and went further on to Sesfontein, where we spent the night on a rustic camping place. Rustic, because shower and toilet were open sky and there were also no doors….

Epupa Falls

Our next stop was in Opuwo, the biggest town in northwestern Namibia. This town attracts people from the whole area, and many come here in search for a job, which cannot be for so many people at all. Often, there is no money for the return journey, so lots of people are stuck, and the number of people begging for just anything was especially big here. Here, besides, there were a lot of Himba women, and usually very traditional living tribe of the area. Put out of place in a big city like this, they suffer a lot from lost traditions, poverty and alcohol. For us, it was only a stop for stocking up food and petrol. We spent the night a little bit outside of town and celebrated the birthday of my mother in a nice restaurant.
The road from Opuwo to Epupa Falls at the border with Angola was in very good condition, so in the early afternoon we already reached the waterfalls. These waterfalls are affected by the angolan dam at Ruacana, but 5 days per week, they open the dam, so the waterfalls look really great.
The following day, we did a tour to a Himba village with John, who is Himba himself. First, we bought presents like maize flour, sugar, coffee and salt.
Here, the Himba still live very traditionally in their huts made out of wood, soil, cow dung and dry sheets from trees.

Himba

The women apply every day a paste from ocher and fat on the whole body. So, the whole skin has a red brownish shiny colour and a strong milky smell. This paste is regarded as personal care, however, it helps also against heat or cold, against mosquitoes and other vermin and, in addition, is looked as beautiful. They never take a bath or a shower, this is reserved for men, women apply this cream and taking care of their body and being even more beautiful takes a lot of time.

Himba

The chief of the village is a very important and rich man. He was already in Europe, because the Namibian government wanted to establish a dam in the country of his people. He protested against it perfectly with the help of a lawyer in front the European court of law. Now, the money was frozen and probably the dam project is dieing.
These people live a very traditional life, but they happily accept gifts from the outside world, when they are rated as useful. Like everywhere with traditional living people, western medicine is always asked for. Above all, people are usually asking for eye drops, which I have to carry around for myself in huge amounts anyway, as well as painkillers. Very good gifts, which are always appreciated, are strong shopping bags and basically just anything, one can use as a jeweler. (The funniest ever seen thing was used film rolls in Rasta hair in western Africa).
We had a beautiful time in this village and it was very funny to see the children being fascinated by the hairy legs of my father….

River Kunene

The afternoon, we made a nice little hike with John in search for crocodiles and monkeys along Kunene River. We found some of them, but only from a far distance. However, the next morning, we discovered a small crocodile not far from our natural swimming pool in the river….
The road from Epupa to Ruacana was upgraded just recently to so-called D road, which means, that it is maintained now and then. Nevertheless, this road had some difficulties like deep mud holes and precipitous gradients, both not possible to drive with a normal vehicle. It does not necessarily need a 4×4, but definitely a car with high ground clearance, so that one does not get stuck. In addition, we were a bit in fear of another flat tire, as we were already using a spare, as we could not get a replacement for the other one at Epupa…. But everything went well and we arrived safely and with an extremely mud-sprayed car in Ruacana.
Ruacana is a small place, so again, there was no chance for a new tire. But from here, the roads were tarred, but at the same time it was very boring to drive, as we all liked the gravel roads a lot more.
Our new tire and some good supermarkets, we found in Oshakati. The night we spent close to Etosha at a place called Sachsenheimfarm. What sounds first quite funny, it turned out to be one of the nicest campsites of the whole trip with great parking lots for the cars with tents on the roof, a lot of green for table and chairs, electric connection in all parking lots, big trees, good sanitary arrangements, swimming-pool, bar….. What does one need more?!

Bushman woman

From here, it was only 200 kilometres via Tsumeb to Tsintsabis. In Tsumeb we had to repair a tire once more. Tsintsabis was our next destination, as we wanted to learn more about Bushmen and Treesleepers. We camped this night near Tsintsabis in a place called Treesleeper Camp. Here, people can build up their tent also on platforms in trees – of course not if one has the tent firmly installed on top of the car. Outdoor sleep on the platform without mosquito net was no option because there are too many malaria mosquitoes at this time of the year in this area.
The first day, we visited with Elizabeth, an employee of Treesleeper Camp, two families in the village. Again we bought food and coffee as presents. The situation of both ethnic groups (Bushmen and Treesleeper) is very discouraging. The people cannot live any more in their traditional way they used to live, because they have no land, in which they could go hunting. Nowadays, they live in towns and villages, have no education, so there is a lot unemployment, so there is no money for food or clothes, of course also not for medicine. HIV and TB are big problems in these ethnic groups, alcohol abuse does the rest. A very sad situation, also linked with the feeling, that by the current lifestyle and the lack of education of the new generation, the passing on of skills from the old to the young generation will not work anymore. So, important skills like track reading, traditional hunting, surviving in the bush, searching for water, herbal medicine etc. will disappear soon.

Bushman woman

All in all, very interesting, but also very sad experience.
At Treesleeper Camp, they also organize a so called bushwalk. We went to the bush with a young man from the tribe treesleeper. These people have their name, because while hunting in former times they used to sleep in branches of a tree. On this trail, we got quite a view explanations on very useful plants for traditional medicine, poison plants for arrows, the construction of traps, different animal tracks, the collecting of flying termites, when they swarm out, as well as the life earlier in the village. On one side, it is very positive to keep the knowledge present, however, it is also a fact, and that these skills are not used in everyday life any more, but to show to tourists like in a living museum.

Etosha Pan

Next, we went to one of the highlights of a Namibiatrip, to Etosha Pan. There are three campsites in the park, in each of them we had reserved a place for us and our car with the Namibian Wildlife Resort. It turned out to be a good thing to do it that way, as in each campsite, there was a water hole, which was visited at dusk and night by other kinds of animals. We were rather lucky, as we spotted a lot of impalas, gnus, zebras, the most different big and small antelopes, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, jackals and lions (from the distance).

Etosha Pan

Etos

The distances between the camps are just 75 kilometres, so there is plenty of time to crisscross the park in search for animals at various water holes.. All camps have a pool, but only Namutoni offers grass for the campers. Both other campsites have the charm of a big sandpit with electric connection. But well, one comes here not to hang around on the camp, but to base yourself close to the water hole with a chilled beer and a ready camera with a lot of space on the memory card….
We spent three really great days in the park and we were lucky to see many animals. These days, we were on a different time schedule. Getting out of tent the latest at 6.00 am, sitting at the water hole, breakfast and breaking down the tents from 9.00 am, then driving towards the next camp, take it easy in the pool, from 6 to 9 pm at the water hole, afterwards dinner.
But it was worth the effort!

Etosha Pan

The last days of our trip, we spent at Waterberg Plateau. Here, in 1904 a disastrous battle took place between german troops and the Hereros. Subsequently many soldiers of both sides and a lot more civil Hereros died, when the German troops forced the civilians to try to escape the battle into the desert. Ten thousands of them died of thirst in the Kalahari desert. Not exactly a chapter in the German history to be proud of….

Etosha Pan

Etosha Pan

Waterberg Plateau is an about 40 kilometres long hill. Here, there are many nice walking trails and a viewpoint with beautiful view from the plateau. In spite of the heat, we climbed up to the viewpoint and even a spitting cobra could not make us give up the plan.
This cobra rose itself just about 50 centimeters in front of me and spitted in my direction. So, I moved slowly backwards and after a few metres in between me and the snake, I picked up some stones and threw them towards the snake to scare it away. Later, we found out, that these cobras are very poisonous and if the poison gets into someone’s eyes, you can easily loose your sight. Well, as only having one good eye left, this might have been a very bad story. But thank goodness, nothing really bad happened!
Waterberg was our last destination, before we went back to Windhoek. After nearly three weeks of travelling we were really good in building up and breaking down our tents. Instead of 1.5 hours at the beginning of our trip, it took us now only 20 minutes – for both tents together!
The last night with my parents we spent again at Chameleon Backpackers. Many of the friends I got to know before we headed off, were still or again there and so, there was a great reunion with the new, old friends.
The last evening, we went to an institution which one should not miss in Windhoek by any means: Joes Beerhouse. Here, they have all kinds of beer, but also very interesting bush meat like zebra, kudu, ostrich or crocodile! All that very tasty and a worthy end of our trip!

Waterberg

Well, I had a great time with the parents in Namibia, not always easy, will say for all of us! Nevertheless an experience for all of us, we will all remember for a long time. Maybe, I often wanted too much and they had not enough time for themselves or to recover, but there is simply so much to see in Namibia! For one or the other rough answer as well as a certain impatience on my side, I would like to apologize! They have done very well, and I am proud of them, as it was something they never did before!

Waterberg

I was very happy, when they decided in may this year rather spontaneously to visit me in Africa, and I am very glad that this trip was a successful one. Some of my customers in Germany send me a saying from Humboldt the other day per mail, which fits perfectly to this:
"Worst of all world views is the world view of the people who have not looked the world."
I think, it is very important to travel, to see the world and to win new friends and to get new ideas. The world is too big and too nice to remain at home!

My parents and me

So, I will close this Namibia mail. The next one will still cover some time in Namibia. This is due to the fact that I wait here for Shahid from the USA, who will hopefully travel with me to Angola and presumably to the Congos. Because he is still fighting for his Angolan visa, I will probably be in Windhoek till Christmas time. Well, there are worse things in the world than that, particularly, as I have found quite a few