Travels of Bob & Sharon: 2011

Wedged between the Kalahari and the South Atlantic, Namibia enjoys vast potential as one of the youngest countries in Africa. In addition to having a striking diversity of cultures and national origins, Namibia is a photographer's dream - it boasts wild seascapes, rugged mountains, lonely deserts, stunning wildlife, colonial cities and nearly unlimited elbow room.

A predominantly arid country, Namibia can be divided into four main topographical regions: the Namib Desert and coastal plains in the west, the eastward-sloping Central Plateau, the Kalahari along the borders with South Africa and Botswana and the densely wooded bushveld of the Kavango and Caprivi regions. Despite its harsh climate, Namibia has some of the world's grandest national parks, ranging from the wildlife-rich Etosha National Park to the dune fields and desert plains of the Namib-Naukluft Park (see blog "Part 3").

Namibia is one of those dreamlike places that make you question whether something so visually orgasmic could actually exist. Time and space are less defined here. Landscapes collide. Experiences pile up. Watch a lion stalking its prey on a never-ending plain in Etosha. Fly down a giant dune on a sandboard. Spend a night in the desert under a sky so thick with stars you can't differentiate between constellations.

Namibia only gained independence less than 20 years ago and yet racism is not as blatantly obvious as it is in South Africa. Whites on the whole, are more open-minded, do not refer to their black country-people in overtly negative terms and do not speak about apartheid in a positive manner. Perhaps one of the most interesting differences between the two countries can be seen in the use of Afrikaans. Blacks in South Africa will tell you it is the language of apartheid, and although many were forced to learn the tongue in school, speaking it is considered insulting. In Namibia, where intermarriage between different tribes is common, Afrikaans has become a vital form of communication.

With a population of barely 1.8 million, Namibia represents one of Africa's lowest population densities, with approximately two people per square km. This number comprises 11 major ethnic groups, including Owambo, Kavango, Kerero, Himba, Damara, Nama, Basters, Caprivians, German, Afrikaner and Tswana. About 75% of the population inhabits rural areas but the uncontrolled urban drift for work or higher wages has resulted in increased homelessness, unemployment and crime in the capital and other towns.

Lunch spot....we were all delighted to see a moose on this
continent

This is Moose. Would you buy pies
from this man? We all did. A real
character!

Interesting landscaping around the property

What do ya think Phil?

Moving right along. We've seen
this sign before...in several countries.

First leopard sighting, crossing
the road right in front of the truck

Isn't he something?

Amazing changes in the landscape

...then salt being harvested...so we
knew we were near the ocean

Contrasting stark desert and power lines
....closing in on the town of Swakupmund ,
population - 25,000

Often described as being more German than Germany, Swakopmund is Namibia's most popular holiday destination, and it attracts surfers, anglers and beach-lovers from all over southern Africa. However, the seaside resort has recently reinvented itself as the adventure-sports capital of Namibia, and now also attracts adrenaline junkies jonesing for a quick fix. Whether you race through the sand sea in a quad bike, slide down the dunes on a greased-up snowboard, jump from a Cessna with a parachute strapped to your back or live out your Lawrence of Arabia fantasies on a camel safari, there's no shortage of gut-curdling activities to choose from. (LP)

Instead of risking our necks, most of our group decided to spend most of our two days in town alone, exploring and visiting museums and the waterfront. There was one tour that most of us wanted to take and we were all happy that we did. It was a tour to the Mondesa township (think Soweto), guided by young men who actually live in the townships. Our driver was also a guide however the young man who walked us through the streets is the guide who taught Brad Pitt, Seal, Denzel Washington and Steven Segal (after our visit) to sand-board. Angelina was pregnant at the time and wanted to learn but didn't risk it. This is also where Angelina and Brad adopted the baby, facing much criticism. I asked our guide what he thought of the story that the father had sold his child to them because he knew they were famous American movie stars. He smiled and said that no one in the townships had a clue who they were, nor did it matter. It was a matter of survival for him and the rest of his family.

Stage one housing (see description below)

Stage one housing

A communal tap and clean, clean
laundry

Living in Stage one, this woman
makes a living as an herbalist

Herbalist and her beautiful baby

Stage two school classroom

Our guide and the teacher

Lovely, loving children

My favourite...I thought perhaps he wasn't
feeling well. He didn't sing to us with
the rest of the class. His most prized possession,
his pencil, had been snatched by one of the other children
and he was so, so sad.....
One pencil should last for most if not all of the year.

Adorable!

Hamming it up for the camera. They love
to see their photo's..just like children
everywhere.

Most creative name

I tried to do this and failed dismally

Talent in the township, making their
shops and homes as lovely as possible

These paintings could sell anywhere
in the world and no doubt represent
memories of the areas or countries
of origin

The township on the edge of Swakopmund has two distinct areas; the first is furthest from downtown and is where refugees from war-torn African nations come seeking safety and work in the world's largest open-cast uranium mine. They are allowed to build a shack on the sand, out of any materials they can find, most of it pieces of cardboard, tin, canvas and almost all of it found at the local dump. It might take them two to ten years to find full time work and they creatively set up shops, selling everything from herbs and home made crafts, to illicit alcohol. There are chickens and small animals around their shacks. They use communal out-houses and water taps. The second section, immediately adjacent to the first has small block houses, yards, out-buildings, regular grocery stores, community centres, schools and playgrounds. This section is where the immigrants move once they have obtained employment and are permanently registered with the government. They have street lights and well maintained unpaved streets. It took us a few blocks of walking through both areas before we realized that the yards and shacks or block houses were immaculate. No garbage and absolutely no begging. We were told that when the tour program started several years ago, the children and adults did beg and it wasn't working; the residents became angry and resentful of the tourists. All the chiefs of the various tribes meet on a regular basis and decided that they needed to teach that satisfaction and power comes as a result of education and since that time there has not been a problem. There is some begging in the downtown area and it is recommended that you do not walk around alone, late at night however begging was not a big issue for us.

We had two especially fun and unforgettable events . The first was when our guide asked us if we would like to meet one of the tribal chiefs for a meeting. We were delighted and he prepared us for the formalities; how to wait to be presented to the chief and how to say "hello" in the tribal language. We stood outside the house while the guide knocked and entered, following a strict protocol. After a few minutes, we entered the house and every one of us was stunned. The chief was a woman in her 80's. A beautiful woman who received us graciously and with humour while her great-grandchildren crawled on her and ran about the house.

The Chief and her great-grandson. He's
loving my water bottle

Bob and the little guy eyeballing each other

I look lonely however am actually awaiting
the formal hand-washing to begin before
entering the hut.

Our second event was visiting a traditional tribal hut, built among the homes in the township. The tribal chiefs are attempting to keep their traditions alive and it is quite difficult as their world is changing almost as quickly as ours.

Believe it or not, there was more space inside than ever imagined....we all fit!!

One of the delicacies presented
to us...grilled caterpillars

Ok, our guide is used to it. Most of
us declined however our two crazies, Bob and
Stefan braved the gag reflex and swallowed
a couple.....YUCK!!!

Not certain what "pick a phone" means
since there weren't any

The "do" she's creating for this young
man takes 2 1/2 hours and she does it
all with a large needle! Whoever
believes that only females are vain, please
stand up!!

Selecting tunes on the juke-box in the bar

Our posh hotel in Swakopmund, pretty
obscene compared to the township.

Very old and stately

Dinners were always a formal affair

The Atlantic a block away

Next, we head north along the skeleton coast to Damaraland and Etosha National Park and driving out of Swakopmund and along the paved road beside the ocean, with blowing sand and fog mixed with salt was a freaky experience in itself.

The term 'Skeleton Coast' is derived from the treacherous nature of the coast - a foggy region with rocky and sandy coastal shallows which has long been a graveyard for unwary ships and their crews. Early Portuguese sailors called it "Sands of Hell" as once a ship washed ashore, the fate of the crew was sealed. The Skeletan Coast actually refers to the coastal stretch between the mouths of the Swakop and Kunene Rivers. For our purposes, it covers the National West Coast Recreation Area and the Skeleton Coast Park. These protected areas stretch from just north of Swakopmund to the Kunene River, taking in nearly two million hectares of dunes and gravel plains to form one of the world's most inhospitable waterless areas. (LP)

Skeleton Coast shipwreck

We drove inland through the Damaraland region with its vast and rugged terrain. Its mountain ranges are intercepted by wide gravel plains which run into sandy, vegetated riverbeds and hot, dry valleys. Our overnight accommodation, Ugab Terrace Lodge, was impossible for Adam to navigate, being situation on a high and narrow ridge. We unloaded our luggage into an open vehicle then our driver took us up the vertical slope with sheer drops on either side. At the top, the most gorgeous views.

Herrera tribe members, both male and
female, make crafts to sell by the side of
the road, in a little market

While the children play with anything at all

Traditional Herrera dolls

Full size Herrera doll in traditional clothing
She made all the dolls in the previous photo

I found myself drawn to the woman on crutches and bought several items from her stall. I asked what she had done to her leg and she replied that she had awakened in her hut one morning with a painful leg and could only see tiny marks. By the time she sought help in town many kilometres away a couple of days later, she learned that she'd been bitten by a puff adder that must have slithered into her bed on the floor while she slept. Her leg had to be amputated and she is now saving for a prosthesis.

Entrance (notice the swivel door) to Ugab Terrace Lodge

Ahhhh, the views

Drinks await us...as they always do!

Our beautiful cabin

The swimming pools

Our lodge, up on the ridge

Our cabin. The structure on
the back houses a little furnace stoked
with wood that provides hot water to the
cabin

Another "forever" sunset

View from the bar area

Our cabins from the road below

The next morning we visited the Himba tribe, a semi-nomadic tribe, living in scattered settlements throughout the region. They are characterized by their proud yet friendly stature and the women are noted for their unusual beauty, enhanced by intricate hairstyles and traditional dress (or undress). The adult male members of the tribe, wear modern clothing while the women are traditional. They do not bathe from the time they are born and cover their skin and hair in a mixture of ochre, oil and wildflowers. They burn sweet-grass and wave it over their bodies to stave off insects and prevent odour. They smell beautiful!