Surprised by Namibia!

When I read “Namibia” on the cruise itinerary, I have to admit my first thought was, “Where – and what – is a Namibia?” I’m not certain I had ever heard of the loosely populated Southern African country. And I’m sure I would have needed to study a map to find it.

The only sign we could find somehow
proving we were in Namibia.
Thank you, big bus!

Located about 900 miles north of Cape Town on the western (Atlantic Ocean) coast of Africa, Namibia is about the size of Texas with a population of about 3 million people. This works out to about 8 people per square mile. It is an independent country as of 1990, with history going back to Germany and South Africa ownership.

Tourism is a growing industry in Namibia, behind the exports of uranium, lithium, and salt. Electricity is very expensive, as they have to import it from South Africa. We were told a number of the people selling their services and crafts in the port/tourist towns (Walvis Bay and Swakopmund) while we were in town had bumped along primitive roads for about 6 hours to greet us and our wallets. I did my best to purchase some meaningful souvenirs and tip appreciatively.

The white pyramids are salt. I kept an eye out
for an opportunity to buy some Namibian salt,
but never saw any. I guess it all leaves the country?

Namibian singers on the pier just passed our ship.

This gemstone - called Pietersite - is
unique to Namibia (a redder version
can be found in China). I loved its 
swirls of dark blue and gold. I 
bought a small pill box with Pietersite
on the top as a souvenir. It's gorgeous!

Getting into Namibia was quite a process. A few months ago, I spent some quality time on our bed cracking the code on acquiring the proper entry visas. We then had to provide the visas and our passports to Namibian Immigration Officials in Club Fusion on Deck 7. Both before we left the ship and when we returned. Score some more cool passport stamps!

A day trip to Namibia!
And blessedly a lot less angsty than
for passengers who waited until they
were on the cruise to try to get the visa.

The excursion we booked for Namibia was one of the more expensive tours on our cruise. Not because it was very involved, but because the required staffing and operable buses are in short supply. Indeed, we were about an hour late leaving the cruise terminal because Bus #1’s door was not working.

Neither Rob nor I had any expectations for the day. As a result, we had a great time in Namibia!

Our first stop was Walvis Bay, moderately famous for large flocks of flamingos that hang out next to the shore. But, as luck would have it, apparently Walvis Bay got some of its annual 1-inch of rain recently and the birds left in search of less diluted water. So, we only saw a few flamingos, and they were more white than pink.

We were told that the flamingos like salty water because the saltwater produces a pink algae that the birds like to snack on. That algae gives their feathers the iconic pink hue. So diluted water meant meh algae and therefore only a handful of lazy non-pink flamingos that were awaiting the return of the good pink stuff.

A flock of white-ish flamingos

Flamingo footprints!

There were gorgeous palm trees
all over the place! We were told
the trees were imported from the
Canary Islands.

With only about 1 inch of rain per year,
the palm trees in Namibia are watered by
daily fog and a LOT of irrigation. You
can see the drip line tubes at the base
 of the tree trunk.

The bulk of our tour was spent in a town called Swakopmund about 45 minutes north. Founded in 1892, the town reflects Namibia’s German roots with its architecture, names, and food. We walked around a bit. There was a museum that Rob spent quite a bit of time perusing. I did my typical Museum Fly By (watched a video, admired the collection of historic beer bottles), and then wandered outside to enjoy the coastal air and live music.

Already a cherished memory, I spent about 30-45 minutes sitting on a stone wall listening to the 8th Octaves A Cappella Band. The six t-shirt-wearing singers in their 20s stood under a palm tree next to the water, with only a drum and one maraca accompanying them. They sang some of the most joyful, happy, beautiful music I’ve ever heard.

The voices of the two women and four men blended with ease and precision. I have no idea what they were singing about. But much like Julia Roberts at the opera in “Pretty Woman,” the purity of their voices moved me deeply. Their singing filled my spirit with hope and gratitude. Although I quickly found and purchased 8th Octaves’ one album on iTunes before we set sail last night, it’s just not the same. I’m grateful I snagged some video of them singing live outside the Swakopmund Museum; I desperately wish I had more. THIS is why I love to travel.

Click here to listen to a far too short video
of these beautiful voices!

On our drive back to the ship, our tour stopped for a few minutes to admire the non-coastal part of Namibia. In other words, the rest of the country aka the Namib Desert. We were told there’s a lot of interesting wildlife in the sand (including snakes – no thank you!), and we saw imprinted evidence of popular ATV dune running and sand surfing (sliding down the dunes on a board).

That's A LOT of sand...

Walking on the sand was a lot easier than I expected. It was pretty firm, and it did not fill my shoes. We were told the lighter the sand’s color, the younger the dune. I have no idea how old the dune that we walked on was; I and my knee just appreciated its stability.

Piglet for perspective. Still A LOT of sand.

Us for perspective. Still sandy...

As we got closer to town (Walvis Bay),
I noticed a lot of locals just walking through
the sand dunes. No need for sidewalks?

We are now at sea for 7 days. We’ve never been on a ship for that many days in a row. We’re looking forward to it! We need some forced boredom and relaxation. By all reports, Tim back at Woodhaven is going along quite well. Inspections have been successfully concluded, so now insulation and drywall get to start. Nice and boring!

Next stop: Cape Verde!

The fluorescent tubes are gone!! 
Canned recessed lighting for the win!