After our camping adventure in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, we had a couple of nights of down time before we were back in the tents. One of those nights we were in the country where some locals gave us a presentation about how life used to be when they were able to live off of the land. Now the government won’t allow them to live that way anymore. So their culture doesn’t get lost and forgotten, they do these presentations to teach others about them. I think more than anything I was fascinated by their clicking language. Given the United States has become a melting pot, it’s normal to hear different languages. But I can say that I have never heard a language like that before. (Unfortunately you won’t hear it in this video)
Our next night was in the city, across the street from a shopping mall. I wasn’t feeling too well (a slight cold) so I decided to just stick around the hotel and relax. According to others, the mall was just like any other mall, nothing unique or special. It sounds like I didn’t miss out. I definitely didn’t go to Africa to go to a shopping mall.
The next day we were on our way north to Etosha National Park which is in Namibia. We first stopped at Penduka, an organization that supports and empowers women. It is a charming little handicraft village that provides many jobs for local women both those who can come to the village and those who cannot. A lot of the products they make are embroidery that expresses African culture. The art is simple yet beautiful. I bought a few pieces as I try to buy art on my trips instead of “dust collectors” as some would call them. Unfortunately there weren’t many women there at the time, so we just got a brief tour of the facilities and the opportunity to buy some of the products. We didn’t see anyone making anything.
After our stop at Penduka, we had the long drive to Etosha, only stopping at a small town which had a grocery store and a charming coffee shop. Here we stocked up on water, snacks, and other needs and wants since we would be camping for two nights. This camping adventure in Namibia was going to be a little different as we would be camping at an actual camp site with other people and actual restroom facilities. No more hole in the ground! The campground also had a pool (which I did not go in), a restaurant (which was not impressive), and my favorite part, a large watering hole with benches to sit and watch the animals drink and play.
When we first arrived, we drove around the park briefly to see if we could spot any animals before we set up our tents. The terrain at Etosha National Park in Namibia is completely different from Chobe National Park in Botswana. It felt like there was a white wash over all of it. There wasn’t a lot of green. It appeared we were in the middle of a white dessert. It didn’t seem like the type of place where you would see elephants, giraffes, and lions, but it was! I don’t recall seeing a lot of animals on that initial drive. Luckily the following day provided a more eventful drive!
We got back to the campground, and the first night was a bit uneventful. We set up camp, ate dinner, planned for the next day, and checked out the watering hole.
The watering hole was massive in size, compared to the elephant hotel, but there was a greater distance between us and the animals. Still, it was a sight not to be missed! The first night at the watering hole we saw a couple of elephants, some giraffes, and a rhino! Not only was there a rhino, but she had a calf with her! It’s always more exciting to see a baby! I was happy to go to bed knowing I had seen some animals.
We got up early the next morning to drive around Etosha National Park in search of animals. We were fortunate as we saw a male and female lion together. I won’t tell you what they were doing, but they were occupied. We saw zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, springbok, and oryx. A safari is always a great way to start the day! It was then time for some relaxation at the campground.
That evening was another highlight of the trip. While hanging around the campsite, someone in our group spotted a herd of elephants walking towards the water hole. Perfect! We could use some animal entertainment. We walked over and patiently waited for the elephants to arrive. However, that wasn’t the only herd of elephants headed for the water hole. There were two other herds which totaled about 60 elephants at the watering hole at once. I did not count them, but someone in my group attempted to. Everyone was in absolute awe. Being around a group of people, all silent, all off their phones (just kidding, everyone was recording and taking photos including me!), but using their phones to appreciate nature, was quite the experience. An experience I will never forget, and one I can only hope to enjoy again. Etosha was definitely worth it!
We woke up early the next morning and made our way back to the little town with a grocery store and coffee shop for breakfast. We were then headed to the coast, Swakopmund. Swakopmund is a charming coastal town in Namibia which has cute little shops with handicrafts and jewelry and activities for the adrenaline junkies like skydiving and sandboarding. I decided to go skydiving! Just kidding. I would never. A few of us did take a day trip to the sand dunes.
Visiting the sand dunes in Namibia was a fun activity, but nothing to write home about. Considering I grew up on the west coast, I’ve had experiences at the beach and being in the Oregon dunes. Nevertheless, the coast is always beautiful, and I love being there. We went off-roading on the dunes and stopped for a quick lunch at one of the high points to take in the view.
We didn’t see any animals, except for flamingos, which are interesting birds. I learned there are two types of flamingos, but that’s all I can remember. Maybe I should google it!
When we returned to the hotel, the water was turned off due to nearby construction. Nothing like being covered in sand and going to a massage and not being able to shower. The massage was incredibly cheap but far from relaxing. In fact I think it was the most painful massage I’ve ever had. My poor muscles were sore for days afterwards. When we got back to the hotel, there was still no water. The joys of traveling!
The next day we were heading to our next and final camping adventure in Namibia near the Sossusvlei Sand Dunes in the Namib Desert. On our drive to the dunes we stopped at a little restaurant/store to use the restroom and get a snack. This place was in the middle of nowhere and known for its apple pie, so that is what I got, a slice of apple pie. It was good, but nothing compares to the pies from the Avila Valley Barn. If you’re ever in Avila Beach, California, it’s a must! Anyway, we then got to our campsite, but not before dropping off six of our group members at the hotel across the street as they were done with the camping adventure.
Because it was only a small group of us camping, we got to have our own tents, which was nice. Our campsites also had their own restrooms, which was a big plus. We didn’t have to share the facilities with others. There wasn’t much to do at the campsite, so after setting up our tents, we played some games, ate dinner, went to bed, and prepared for an early morning. The next morning I was planning on hiking Dune 45! Stay tuned.