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AFRICA - DAY SEVENTEEN AND EIGHTEEN - WINDHOEK AND NAMIB DESSERT |
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Previous Blogs: Day 1 Pretoria | Day 4 Dinokeng | Day 5 New Years | Day 6+7 Umdloti | Day 8 - DumaZulu | Day 9 Hluhluwe | Day 10+11 PE to Knysna | Day 12 Ostrich Farm | Day 13 Hermanus | Day 14 Hout Bay | Day 15 Cape Point | Day 16 Table Mountain | Day 17+18 Namib Desert | Day 19 Sossusvlei | Day 20+21 To Swakopmund | Day 22 Cape Cross | Day 23 Luderitz | Day 24 Walvis Bay | Day 26 To Windhoek Click photos for a larger image... |
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We left South Africa and headed North to the next country over, Namibia flying to Windhoek the capital. This is a special place for me as I lived here for 3 years in the early eighties. Windhoek was the place that launched my over 25 year career in car rental that transcended 3 countries, 8 cities and brought me to what I am today, a boat rental operator. I started here as a station manager for Hertz Rent-A-Car in Windhoek after my previous career in retail did not work out. I was 23 when I arrived. This is my first time back to Windhoek in 35 years! |
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We flew from Cape Town to Windhoek with Air Namibia in an Airbus A319 - a little smaller than the A320s we are used to in the USA, only holds 110 passengers. Namibia was a German colony until the end of WWI, then became under South Africa's governorship (then a British Colony) until independence in 1990. |
Windhoek is the largest city in Namibia has a population of 300,000. The country is VAST in size, but has a total population of a little over 2 million.
It has it's own currency (Namibian $) and is common rated with SA Rand and SA money is readily accepted anywhere.
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Once again an old home town was kind to me and Avis upgraded us from
a Compact to a Luxury car. We drove off in brand new nice
Mercedes C190.
We only spent one night at this hotel (on left) in Windhoek before heading to the desert. We booked a simple German Pension type hotel and were expecting to see a bunch of grey haired German retirees staying here. Nope, instead the place was filled with 20 something millennial back-packers! We also discovered that you cannot buy booze after 1 PM on a Saturday (today) and not at all on a Sunday (tomorrow). ARGH! They have not changed that law in 35 years! Fortunately the hotel came to the rescue and had an honor bar stocked to the hilt. PHEW! |
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(SUNDAY) We dropped our car off at the local airport in order to
board our private charter Cessna to the desert. To get to where we
are going by land takes almost 6 hours on a dirt road. We decided to
splash out and hire a private plane instead. Things are a lot
cheaper in Namibia. Namibia works on "whatever" time. Our departure was set for 9.30 am. We found the pilot and he said we're all good and on schedule. When we point out it was 9.40 already he simple said, "OK we're now departing at 10!" The flight was nothing less than spectacular flying at 8500 feet. At first there was rolling hills with some vegetation, mostly scrub bush. |
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| The vegetation slowly disappeared in favor of rock and sand | |
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| ... and then there was just desert! | |
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 Bottom right is the lodge we are staying at. |
 Then it was time to land at the tiny air strip |
 We were met by the hotel lodge on the landing strip for the short ride to the lodge. |
 We are staying at the Sossusvlei Lodge |
 And this is our hotel room... |
 And the view from our hotel room |
 And we have a pool with a view... |
 Ah... and of course we have a beer garden! Beers at this 4 star lodge are only $1.60!
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We have more adventures planned for sunset this evening and desert
safari tomorrow. So, see ya tomorrow afternoon!
and finally...
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Sign above the sink in the airport restroom in Windhoek...
I like the first sentence best in number 5.
But do note the hand written comment added by one of the restrooms patrons! |