NAMIBIA

Mickael Preston - 17 years in South Africa - apprises us of his feeling about Namibia at the time of a visit.

From colony to occupied territory to independent republic, Namibia is one of southern Africa's few successes, with a stable and democratic system of government, in which the rights of all are upheld.

It also enjoys efficient infrastructures, a pleasant climate, scenic beauty, plentiful supplies of important minerals (diamonds and uranium), and above all, space.     

1.73 million Namibians live in 822,000 square kilometres, a population density of 2 people per square kilometre, compared with Western Europe's least densely populated country, Spain, which has 80 people per square kilometre.  The Namibians are truly multi-cultural, comprising blond German settlers, tribal Africans, and everything in between. 

The sense of space makes the first and defining impression and determines so much about this country.  People are not jammed against each other like sardines,  but have room to manoeuvre themselves away from the pressures that cause tension.  An easy going friendship seems to hold together the people of this land,  regardless of race, colour, or creed. 

My trip to Namibia had been programmed around a journey on the Desert Express, a luxury train running between Swakopmund on the Atlantic coast, and the capital, Windhoek, 1700 metres above sea level, with a couple of days at each end.

A last minute schedule change by Air Namibia worked in our favour, allowing us to enjoy a lunchtime braai (barbecue) at the Windhoek Country Club, before flying from Windhoek's cozy domestic airport, Eros, on a 19 seater Beechcraft to Swakopmund, where we landed on a sand airstrip. We had an extra night in Swakopmund, a charming small town oozing with the character bestowed upon it by its unique location between desert and sea, and its German and African heritage.  If this weren't enough, there are plenty of fascinating and unique excursion possibilities nearby.  

We stayed at the Strand Hotel, homely in the German tradition of 'gemuetlichkeit', and welcoming, beautifully situated on the ocean front, a few minutes' walk from the Swakopmund Museum and the town centre, and most importantly from the Cafe Anton with its superb traditional German cakes and selection of coffees, guaranteed to tempt the strictest dieter off the straight and narrow. 

The delights of Swakopmund, with its original art and craft shops, restaurants, and bookshops could have kept us busy for a couple of days, but we also had things to do in Walvis Bay, further down the coast.   

 
Photo : http://perso.infonie.fr/titan06/namibie.html

Before independence in 1990,  when Namibia was known as South West Africa under the UN mandated South African administration, Walvis Bay remained an integral part of the Republic of South Africa.  Due to its importance as a strategic base and centre of the fishing industry, it was only handed back to Namibia four years after independence.  A town of sea mists, wheeling squawking seabirds, and fishy odours, it is one of Namibia's important centres and was the starting point of a four hour boat trip around the natural harbour,  during which we saw dolphins, tame seals which clambered aboard to eat with us, and penguins. Fresh oysters, champagne and snacks were included in the cruise, ensuring an experience that was both informative and enjoyable as our captain pointed out many features of the land and seascape, illustrating the history of the area and the country.  

The incredible coastal sand dunes are a photographer's dream, with their sharp edges and wind formed ripples providing colourful contrasts between light and dark. Here we went quad biking, an experience which one of our group described as being 'about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on'. It was certainly a highlight for all of us, even the more timid quickly getting the hang of the machines, safe and stable due to their four balloon tyred wheels.

The ladies were given automatic geared machines, the men had more powerful manuals (I was happy to see that chauvinism is still alive and well in this part of the world) with 5 or 6 forward and reverse gears, making digging yourself into, or out of, the dunes quite easy. We set off behind the leader on a ten kilometre jaunt up and down the dunes, accompanied by whoops of laughter and screams of terror as the machines took off down the steep slopes.  Exhilarated and windswept, we returned  intact and planning the next outing.

 In the evening we dined at a restaurant overlooking the placid water. We arrived in time to photograph flamingos and pelicans cruising for their evening snacks to the backdrop of a flaming African sunset. From our tables  we enjoyed the floodlit spectacle of the marine birds foraging for their dinner.

Next morning after a last minute trip to Cafe Anton and a visit to the best butcher in town to buy biltong (dried spiced meat) and smoked kudu fillets, we headed for the old Swakopmund Railway station, now tastefully converted into a luxury hotel and entertainment complex, and the check in point for the Desert Express departure.   Minibuses took us to the 'shack on the track', the actual departure point of the train a few hundred yards away, where we boarded the train and were shown to our compartments by the friendly and attentive train crew.

to page 2