Trucking it through Namibia

Hello all!!!

Very nice to find an internet cafe in the middle of Namibia!!!Considering I did not see a car for the past 7 days....a town with warm beds and and internet cafe was like heaven!!

So where on earth to I begin!!!


The group: 8 over 50 non english speaking Frenchies, 4 non english speaking spanish, 1 Italian, 1 very funny Korean lady who just shouts in Korean at random animals on the way, 4 dutch....one couple dont speak to each other never mind anybody else, and then one young couple who are here as friends...who are my pals here, one english girl, and 2 portugese. Well....a very very interesting bunch!!

All i can say though is , girls....why on earth did you come on a camping trip if you wont pee without toilet paper??I mean hello???The next two days we are camping in the bush which means ...no toilet...no nothing.Just you and the great outdoors!!! Day three there were tears over toilet activities, cold water, camping etc. I mean honestly!You came on a camping trip in Africa??!!

So anyhow, all in all, the group isn't the best, but i suppose that is just the way.I didn't expect them to be so old and there isn't much I can do about my own lovely camping buddy who actually has a personality defect and constantly is highly strung!!very very hard work!!!
However, this all adds to the experience I suppose.

So Namibia is rather cool. It is where the desert meets the sea!!Climbed a sand dune...A big one (Dune 45) at 4am the other morning to watch the sun rise.A very surreal experience.It was totally freezing a yet we are in the desert!!Later that morning it was then roasting!

We were also walking in a caynon the other day....and I overheard some french speaking about, "deux serpent". So of course i was like, "Excuse-moi...mais, il y a deux serpent ICI??" and they were all like, "mais oui, just ici". So that was my cue to leg it back to the truck!2 SNAKES!!!So of course they french in our trip who cannot speak english, and who did not hear our guide say, "if you see a snake, please run as if it bites you, forget about making it to the border of Botwana". SO off the french wandered as snake bait. I decided it would be only a moral duty to warn them in french that they may die, but un-phased by it they all wandered down to find one cobra and one puff adar!!!!HELLO???!!!So i stayed snuggly in the truck for that one.

Also came across a few scorpions and other random creatures along the way.

So a week later I can now truly reflect on mt South Africian experience, and I must admit that I had a ball. Really really was gutted to have to leave. Had to much fun. I suppose in a way it was mainly due to the company I was with. We really had a great time. Saw loads, did loads, experienced loads. Without a doubt though, the wine festival last week followed by Rust en Vrede restaurent was truly an amazing experience. So so good.
I am rather jealous today actually as I know they are all gone to see the South african rubgy game. It will be class. Although I knew it already, South Africans REALLY love their rugby. It is actually kind of scary.

I feel that i need to go back to south africa. I feel like I didn't get to see all i wanted to see.Even in 4 weeks. I really feel like I could have stayed for longer. And for those of you who are safety concious, i can honestly say that hand on heart i never ever ever felt threatened or nervous. It is a beautiful city and we always went out in the university town of stellenbosch which is very safe.

The only time i ever had that hint of nervousness was walking across the grounds of the hospital at 4am. However, I do think my mind was playing tricks and i was hearing things and seeing things.

So without a doubt, when I finally pay this trip off in ten years time, and will come back here. However, this time I will come in Spring or summer.

Speaking of money; i am very poor. I propely bartered with a man in a market today for a stupid little statue thing and some salad spoons. I have NO money like!!I have been told on numerous occasions that the prices in south africa have risen dramatically in the last two years. I mean the UK is definetly cheaper. I bought shower gel this morning for 2.20 euros. I mean...that was the cheapest??!And it was in a local supermarket!God, how i am so grateful for tesco and Asda!!
I have some dollars, but keeping them for Zimbabwe.


OH GUESS WHAT!!!I have just been informed that I am on a FLYING shift with the helicopter emergency medical services in Jo'burg!!!WHHHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!Amazing!

Just on a random note, i have kept a small diary; it is impossible to write on gravel/dirt track roads. In the diary I have made a list of all the things i am grateful for and things I will never do again. Just as a little taster, here are some of the things I will never ever do again.

1: Buy a travel pillow from Aldi. What was I thinking!??10hours travelling some days on dirt track roads!
2: use a 3 season sleeping bag when you are in winter which is the missing 4th season!
3: but a head tourch and not test it before i leave; dancing around the bedroom whilst packing with the main light on does not count as testing it.
4: never ever agree to share a tent with a randomer. I think it may be Gods way of testing my patience?!
5: i will never ever moan about how crap a shower is. If it is indoors, free of animals and has hot water of some sort...then it is a great shower.
6: I will never ever share a hostel room with guys who have ?swine flu/common cold/TB.

Things I am very grateful for:
1: adequate drinking water
2:hot showers
3:normal friends with good tempers and emotions
4: internet connection and phone network (sorry i know this is shallow, but when you are travelling alone this is your life line!) When i was in cape town, i could have survived better but i will never again moan if the connection is crap.
5: Tar Mac on the roads. I have travelled over a thousand miles in the past few days...and it has nearly all been on dirt track roads in a truck.
6: Good suspensions!!
7: washing facilties!!

So for the next few days, we are sleeping indoors in a hostel tonight which is heaven on earth!!!No crazy hats and thermal underwear going to bed!!

Tomorrow we head to the bush to hang out with some local community and tribes. We are there for 2 nights and then we head to Etosha National Park to hang out with the animals. After that we head to the capital of Namibia and then across the border to Botswana. After that we head on to Zimbabwe.It will be pretty cool to have that stamp on my passport.

Okay, and as a warning, please please do not worry. If there is trouble in Zimbabwe we will be safe. We are not near a troubled area and we only spend one day travelling down through it when i leave. Please do not panic if you see anything crazy on the news.

Okay, i will leave you go now. Hope all is well and good.Looking forward to checking this next week to see some replies.

Let me know how the hurling goes.

Thinking of you all at home. Goodbye for now from a freezing Swakomund.
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