Namibia (part one) – by Warwick Blow
Endless Vistas
“The Land of Wide Open Spaces” is what they call it, and a very apt name too. This is a land where you can look from horizon to horizon and see no sign of human interference, just pure exhilarating wilderness. This is a land of such stark contrasts that the soul aches with its beauty. This land is rugged, serene, stark, bountiful and above all wide open!
There can be few countries left on earth that allow one to feel so in touch with nature and oneself as Namibia .
Located in south western Africa, Namibia is a large country, one and a half times the size of France and yet with only one tenth of the population of Texas . The people of this country are a fascinating mix, a real melting pot of life, with black Africans, nomadic San Bushmen, German settlers and Afrikaaner “voortrekkers” all thrown in for good measure. Each and every one though a true pioneer, for this really is the last outpost, a land that is not forgiving, where summer temperatures soar and bitter winter nights can freeze the desert landscape. A land whose borders are formed by perennial rivers and yet whose internal waterways are at best ephemeral.
For most international tourists, Windhoek, the country’s capital, would be the point of entry, and here the adventure starts. When the familiar announcement comes over the airwaves “ladies and gentlemen please fasten your seatbelts, we will shortly be landing in Windhoek” the usual rush of excitement fills the plane as first timers vie for the best views out of the aircraft’s small windows. However, this sense of excitement quickly changes to one of a little concern – Where is Windhoek? More to the point where is the airport? All one can see is miles and miles of open space, beautiful open space, but open space nonetheless! The plane is getting lower and lower and lower and there is still just a lot of open space, and then there it is, a gleaming runway in the middle of all this open space, and we have touchdown!
After the short journey of around 20 miles from the airport, through a magical landscape of African bushveld, folded mountain structures and the bluest skies imaginable one is greeted by the city of Windhoek. Windhoek is an easy city on the senses. This is Africa for beginners; in fact it is Cities for beginners. This city is home to around 18% of the country’s population, but that only means 300,000 inhabitants. The streets are wide, well maintained and clean and the pace of life is mellow. For a first timer to Africa, Windhoek is a gentle introduction, a place where African craft markets, modern shopping malls and turn of the century German style churches all co-habit peacefully. There are no major attractions in Windhoek, no “must see” monuments or places of outstanding natural beauty, but it is the type of place where one feels at ease, the type of “let’s just stay one more day” kind of place.
However, adventure awaits, and just beyond the city limits is where it starts.
Desert RoadsWindhoek City Centre
