Namibia
‘You must go to Namibia!’ is what I hear from a few people when I advised them of my trip to South Africa. Formerly South West Africa, this small country (current population of around 2.5 million) lies just to the west of South Africa and is predominantly arid.
My recollection, I never visited, was of a country that was more just another of the provinces of South Africa as it relied heavily on it for its welfare. Right or wrong, this was the perception. It hadn’t really ‘made the list’ but when I saw that I’d be in Cape Town for more time than I wanted I decided to go.
My planning could be better, then again I’m still new to this. I follow my gut, more like my typing fingers. When I’m researching something, checking flights, etc. fingers take on a life of their own, and start making bookings. ‘Why Walvis Bay?’ I’m asked. Because it rings some kind of bell from when I was living in South Africa, the best I can come up with.
It wasn’t until 1990 that they gained true independence. Needless to say, and yet I still say it, there were major changes occurring in their neighboring, dominating country, which may have contributed to this final positive occurrence.
The physical size of the country is not small. Again, like its neighbor, it’s quite diverse when it comes to population, also has double-digit official languages, and so on.
I’d considered driving from Cape Town, it was about a 17-hour ordeal. Flying would take about two hours on a smaller plane seating around 60.
I flew. Looking out, the land was barren, carved out with what appeared to me to be dry river beds. ‘How amazing this must look when the water flows’ I thought to myself. There were around 30 people on the flight served by one, always smiling, guy.
They even gave us a breakfast box with some kind of quiche, yogurt, and lots of coffee. The airport, Windhoek which is situated inland, was nice enough, still uses those portable steps dropping us on the tarmac to walk to the terminal. Inside it’s pretty nice, customs, and immigration worked seamlessly.
I’d rented a car, took a bit longer than I’d hoped to get it done but then I had time. I was informed that there is no relationship between the Avis here and the one I use in the US. Pity as I get points and have preferred status lowering the price a bit.
It’s a long drive to Walvis Bay so I’m keen to get underway. I’ll return to Windhoek at the back end of the trip so I’ll be closer to the airport. The attraction out that way is the Skeleton Coast. The seas are rough so there have been many tragedies befalling ships over the years some of which are still visible, stranded on shoals or whatever.
My rental, a brand new VW Polo, was cool. I’d had the pleasure of an all-electric VW Golf (same shape), and loved the way it drove, very solid car. After the Toyota AGYA (it took me a week before I realized this is a play on Ag Ya — an SA saying meaning oh yes), I was happy to have a stable set of wheels.
Although there is only one main road to take I still use Maps. I take out my phone, no signal. I’d looked into this before traveling, ATT assured me they offered service in Namibia. ‘You need to get a sim inside’ one of the guys tells me.
I don’t want to get into it too much, bottom line I bought a cheap phone with some data. Like SA the exchange rate here is currently over 16. Namibia still uses SA Rands and also their own dollar which is equal to the Rand, meaning it wasn’t terrible. I didn’t want to waste my time with ATT although I will say I had no issues with the international plan while in South Africa.
New phone in hand, maps up and running, I’m, once again at the wheel, albeit on the wrong side and with the stick shift to navigate. No stalling this time as I leave the parking lot heading towards Windhoek 40 kilometers away.
The road is sparsely populated, getting busier as I approach a town that takes me back to the ’70s. It’s as if I’ve landed back home where I grew up 60-plus years ago. Amazing time-warp. I don’t spend too much time looking around, I’ve got places to be and, I’ll be back.
I did need to make a stop in order to evacuate the coffee as well as the water I’d been downing. Based on what I’d seen from the sky I’d be encountering tons of emptiness, my preference, is to use a bathroom not the open space.
The drive, was as expected. Sadly the two-lane highway soon gave way to a single lane however, this did afford the opportunity to make those daring passes of all to slow cars, buses, and trucks. The Polo did not disappoint, stable as ever at 170 plus kilometers as it glided along drawing closer to the end target.
Along the way, I came into contact with a guy in some kind of Chevy truck (bakkie over here) who was happy to lead me along as we, as one, slipped past the laggards. Every time I tried the radio there was a commercial. I plugged in my phone and was able to access my Spotify playlist.
True to what I saw there was very little in the way of scenery. One of the amazing things was the multitude of termite mounds scattered along a portion of the route. From what I could see they tended to be built next to a tree, not sure what that is about unless the tree serves as some kind of food source, they are termites after all. I’m tempted to stop but I have a problem when on a road trip. I want to get where I’m going. Besides, there are thousands of images of these out there.
I did climb over some mountains, nothing like those I’d just been engulfed in while in the Cape, impressive nonetheless. The temperature was pretty high and the sun, of course, was pouring through the driver-side window burning my arm.
At one point I hung my pullover over the almost useless visor. What is it with these that are just small, non-functional, pieces of material stuck to the roof? It doesn’t even extend out to cover the window, why bother? Yes, this is the really basic version of the care but how much could it cost to just add this simple feature?
If you were wondering, as was I, what it is they do out here in the desert, then the answer would be provided by the countless buses we needed to negotiate. Most bore signs that look like that of an atom — Uranium.
That’s what they do here, mine. Mine for all sorts of stuff including uranium, zinc, copper much more. Fisheries abound. Farming of cattle was big but the climate was not conducive, water being a scarce resource. Those cry river beds I saw come to mind.
Saying goodbye to my driving buddy in the Chevy, I head off this path onto the new freeway heading to Walvis. It’s a two-laner, with a few trucks sharing the road, wish I had cruise control. On the opposite side, oversize trucks each one led by a separate car announcing their arrival. What are they transporting? Would seem they could do some kind of convoy but then that would take a few jobs away.
Whether it’s seen in any other part of the world or not, the dunes flanking the entire length of this freeway are majestic. So smooth, so still at least for now since it’s calm. Once again I imagine these in motion, nature’s artwork. As they stand, fully formed, each its own formation I find it difficult to concentrate on the road which is fortunately straight and mostly free of traffic.
I do need to refocus my attention as I’ve reached the end of this road, this is as far as they have made it so far but I can see they are in the process of extending it, to where I do not know. I will get closer to these, be it right here or somewhere else up the coast, very soon.
Turning up a road I’ve made it to Walvis. The first thing I encounter, is a giant mall. Brand new, sporting all the name brands, like any I’ve seen in Joburg, the Cape, any city USA. Walvis, like Namibia, seems to be on the rise. Like me, others are coming to see what’s up.
