January 10, 2008

By vans, planes, shuttles, and buses- I have just concluded 32 hours of traveling. As awful as that may sound, it actually has been quite enjoyable. I have entertained myself by enjoying a Starbucks latte, reading a novel, engaging in conversation, sleeping, talking walks in the airports, and opening a suprise note in my carry-on luggage. This was all made possible by my anxiousness to be here- and I am finally here. TIA (This is Africa)!

January 11, 2008

My morning began with what would be my only run of the trip. Kari and Zach accompanied me around our gated Safari hotel. We then took a tour of Windhoek (Namibia's capital)-seeing the Parliament and its beautiful gardens, Alte Feste (National Museum of Namibia and its oldest surviving building from 1890), Kaiserliche Realschule (first German primary school that opened in 1909), a few churches, and browsing through a local supermarket (seeing mealie, litchie, and guava- 3 foods which I had read a lot about in Kaffir Boy). We then continued on our bus from Windhoek to the Namib Desert where the paved roads turned to dirt and the all the green turned to brown. The vast openness was a nice change from the enclosed traveling vehicles I had been in for the last hours. The first sights of animals were exciting- baboons, oryx, kudu, etc. We stopped for a picnic lunch as soon as we could find shade- which could on any day take miles. This certain area of the desert we were in for the next few days had only received 10mm of rain since last May (on an average of 300mm per year)! From here, I can describe our traveling through the Spreethoogte Pass as absolutely wonderful- the opened windows allowing a warm breeze to blow, the sun to blaze in causing sweat to gather between my legs and the seat, the smell of dust particles from the disturbed dirt, and my eyes to see the picturesque views of the endless desert. We were really here, in the desert- nothing but us, the land, and the animals. Finally we came to civilization called Solitaire, consisting of a gas station, small restaurant, and lodge (all connected together). We paused for a fuel stop and to taste its supposedly "world famous" apple pie. Moving on across the arid plain with its dried riverbeds, we arrived at Sesriem Camp. At dusk, we took a walk around to watch the sun sink over the mountains (see picture). Dinner was cooked over the fire- cucumber and pickle salad, white sweet potatoes, and a pasta with meat sauce. Jackals came really close scourging for food. Sarah and I hopped in our tent, thinking I was tired- little did I know that I would not sleep due to a combination of animals noises, jet lag, and a scare that scorpions were resting under my sleeping bag.

January 12, 2008

My morning began at 4:00am before the sun broke the horizen. We left Sesriem Camp and drove in the darkness with the cold breeze blowing through the open windows of the bus to where the landscape changed to mountains of sand. Upon arriving at "Dune 47" (to which we renamed Bernie Dune), I took off my shoes and ran to and up the 280m dune. My feet sank in the sand but I pushed myself to reach the summit before sunrise. Ears popping and sand blowing, I took a seat to enjoy the surrounding scenery. The vast plains of dryness continued from both sides of the dune, except here, the rocky slopes were turned into a burnt orange sand. After watching the sun rise, I ran down the dune ridge (which was much easier than climbing up on my hands and knees). I felt like a small child on a day at the beach- yet everything enlarged- but the same joy was with me.

Breakfast was waiting for us at the bus to fulfill the hunger we generated through stenuous climbing. I found it interesting that the scientists named the dunes by numbers from 1-52 to and from the coast. They are formed linearly by winds from the ocean.

Today would continue to be my favorite. The afternoon was spent viewing wildlife and plants, learning how they adapt to the arid climate, and running up and down the dunes in Sosuslvei. I tasted the succulent ostrich plant and the !nara fruit- both of which are used for hydration. I did not, however, taste the dune beetle that stores water underneath its swollen shell. Some animals that live here can live their entire life without consuming one drop of water. We also took a ride in a 4x4 through a riverbed that only gets water once every 20 years. One area that used to be a water source had cecased to hold water for 900 years. It appeared to be a mirage in the distance but close up, the ground cracked under the scorching sun with lifeless petrified trees (see picture below).

January 13, 2008

Traveling from the Namib Desert to the coastal town of Swakopmund- we took many stops to see and learn. Our journey passed through the Gaub and Kuiseb passes, stopping at the latter for a picnic lunch. We learned here about Namibia's national tree- the quiver tree- a relative of the aloe vera plant, and searched for garnet stones amongst the dry and rocky ground. Walvis Bay was the next stop to see flamingos- everywhere! Contrary to my previous viewings of flamingos at the zoo, I was surprised to see these not as pink as I expected. The little pale pink they wore was given by the algae and plankton they consumed. I saw two types of flamingos- the greater and lesser. They are visually distinguishable by their bills- the lesser flamingos' is completely black but the greater's is just a black stripe. Both types are excellent fliers and are known to migrate up to 500km overnight in search of food.

I enjoyed dinner at the "Tug" restaurant in Swakopmund with Kari and Sam. The name was very appropriate since it was located in a tug boat on the beach. The sun illuminated the sky as we watched it sink below the horizon through the expansive glass windows (see picture above). My entree of choice was local sea bass and it was excellent! This is not to suggest the food I have had thus far has been anything less. Both Burger and Alfeus are excellent cooks and prepared and cooked extensive meals over the fire each night. Red meat was commonly consumed and accompanied by a starch of rice or potatoes and a vegetable- usually a variation of squash. I have tasted quite a few new foods, namely oryx, kudu, sole, and goat.

January 14, 2008

As I was browsing through a bookstore in Swakopmund, I came across a book entitled "Namibia: A Land of Contrasts". It caught my attention but before even opening the cover I was distracted by other books on the shelf. The idea of this country as a land of contrasts came to mind again as I was soaring above the landscape in a Cessna 206 plane this afternoon. The ride was exhilarating- hands sweating, seat grabbing, stomach dropping, heart pounding, eyes delighting, and God-trusting, yet absolutely amazing! We passed over the Kuiseb Pass and riverbed (noticeable by the presence of green trees), Gobabeb Desert Research Center, Tsondabvlei (the only breeding area for vultures in Namibia), the Shaunee, Longwall, and Edward Bohlen shipwrecks, diamond camps that operated in the early 1900s, the sand dunes of Sosusvlei (the largest in the world), bird preserve of Sandwich Harbor, salt pans (salt production through the evaporation of sea water processes 24 million tons of water annually to produce 400,000 tons of high-quality salt), thousands of flamingos and seals on the Skeleton coast, and the cities of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund from above. Through all of this I observed that in fact, Namibia is a land full of contrasts- and this is why I think so: In these two and a half hours I saw emerging burnt red colored sand dunes that drop abruptly to white clay pans, the bright sun providing light and heat as well as dark shadows from the dunes and trees that provide shade (that which we have all come to deeply appreciate), dried riverbeds adjacent to the Atlantic, soft sand and rock mountains, shrubs so alive and some so dead, sand dunes and mountains rising high above sea level yet long and wide flat planes of desert land, vast wildlife yet sparsity of resources, the people limited socially yet well-mannered, quaint city of Swakopmund yet 10km out of town- the Shanty towns of DRC and Mundesa. Of course, these contrasts are not all unique to Namibia but together they create the diversity within. The scenic flight from above showed me an overall view of this country and I have come to appreciate these things among many others. Namibia would not be the same country without these different aspects that I think describe its people, landscapes, and practices. I am very glad that I chose to "splurge" on an adventure such as this- one that further created a permanent picture of this country in my mind that will resonate in my memory forever.

The remaining of the day was spent pleasantly around the city- an early morning walk on the beach with Sam, browsing in the downtown area shops, visiting the Lighthouse, going to the open-air markets, lunch at a waterfront cafe, Kristal Museum, and enjoying mocha milkshakes with a few girls for an afternoon snack.

January 15, 2008

Cape Cross- named after a Portuguese explorer who was sent on a mission to follow the winds around the southern tip of Africa (after discovering that they changed directions at the equator). He landed here instead (luckily for him, there were many seals for food). He and his crew planted a limestone cross on shore, where a replica stands today- hence the name, Cape Cross. I could smell the Cape Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus) much before seeing them. There were over 500,000 seals in both the water and on the shore. The females are smaller than the males and cannot stay under water as long (7 minutes versus 10-12 minutes). The pups are born during the months of December and January. I was happy we were here to see the babies! The gestation period is about 51 weeks, although 4 months of this time is non-developmental due to delayed implantation. Mating takes place about 5 or 6 days after the mother has given birth. The seals eat shoaling fish such as pilchards, squid, and crustaceans. The massive numbers of seals reminded me of the San Francisco Bay.

January 16, 2008

Game drives in Etosha during sunset were beautiful. The windows in our bus rolled down and the top popped open so that we could see out and feel the fresh air. This picture shows one of the elephants we saw on a sunset game drive. It was accompanied by a two more adults and a baby. Our campsite was adjacent to a waterhole that was very popular among the animals. Instead of sleeping, I spent a lot of time there observing what I thought of as the "Circle of Life". Giraffes, herds of elephants, zebras, rhinos, owls, springbok, black-backed jackals, birds, duikers, and foxes came and went throughout the night.

January 17, 2008

Game driving all day-
Champman's plain zebra, blue wildebeest, oryx, secretary bird, kori bustard, springbok, hartebeast, leopard tortoise, marabou stork, tawny eagle, millipede, blue crane, spotted hyena, elephants, white-back vulture, warthogs, impala, lilac-breasted roller, steinbok, giraffes, rhinos, helmeted guinea fowl, rare red fox, and many others.

January 18, 2008

After being introduced to and discussing the ONE campaign in our pre-departure class time, I came traveling with an awareness of the various problems that affect developing countries around the world and the specific goals to improve them in both Namibia and Botswana. Because of this, I have been looking for these issues and even hints of ways these countries are making efforts to improve them. The first I have observed, but the second I am still searching for.

A particular example of a goal that stood out to me as we visited three different schools during our stay was the education of women- Grasier Primary School in Damaraland, ?, and Etsa 13 Primary School. (The picture above is the third school we visited- Etsa 13). I have seen both girls and boys in attendance, but not an overwhelming majority of one gender. (Note: the students were not in school when we arrived at the second school- outside of Rundu-but we did see them walking along the streets after dismissal in distinctive male and female uniforms) My first thought was that these countries are somewhat making steps in improving these education goals. But, my opinion was soon changed when speaking to Mrs. Elizabeth, the first grade teacher at one of the schools that ranges from grades 1-10. The second picture above shows her first grade classroom. I asked her how many students attended regularly- and she replied 500+ this year but that the number is usually 700+. I then inquired why and she responded with 2 answers: First, that is was the first week of school back from summer break so that some children simply had not signed up yet (part of the lackadaisical African lifestyle I observed), and secondly, that many girls had "dropped out" due to pregnancy. And here was one of the eight millennium goals placed right before my eyes. You hear of this every once in a while in the United States- a girl bearing a child before she finishes her schooling- but very rarely do you hear it happening younger than the 10th grade (which is the highest grade at this school). Upon hearing that a significant loss in school rosters was due to pregnant women under the level of 10th grade, a part of me was surprised, yet another part-confirming the perceptions of the African culture that I came with.

This issue sparked my interest so I looked to our ever-informative tour guide, Burger, as a second source. He responded that it is a common practice for girls to not finish school because of pregnancy. It is not encouraged but neither is it looked down upon. (In many cases, the parents do encourage pregnancy as a way to promote marriage of their daughter, thus securing them with a man as a provider and protector that they may be too poor to offer). The mothers, now full of extra responsibilities, almost never return to complete their education. I have identified this as a problem very prevalent in this country, but I am still searching for a solution. I don't have one yet.

January 19, 2008

Driving through the Kavango Region and reaching our campsite past Rundu- A group of local singers and dancers put on a show for us around the fire. The stage troupe was dressed in costume. The girls' skirts were made of reeds with bottle caps on the ends that made noise as they shook their hips to the beat of the drummers. The upper part of the costume resembled maroon and white bikini tops. The three men wore headdresses of feathers. They sung in their own click language which was interesting to hear in song. During the performance they occasionally selected us to dance with them. I had a blast stomping my feet and clapping to the drums. As seen in this photograph, pauses were held in the show to allow for the tops of the drums (made of animal hides) to be warmed up by the fire for flexibility. Among the many songs and chants, I noticed both the Namibian National Anthem, an African anthem, and at least two religious songs. Another interesting aspect was the way in which the songs were terminated. One of the dancers would move out from the line/formation and dance back to the drummers, give each one recognition, and then the song would end with a bang!

This was one of three traditional dances I observed and participated in during my trip- one by the staff members at the camp in Twyfelfontien and one by the San Bushman in Ghanzi. My favorite was the first one in Twyfelfontien because it was the most traditional, least tourist-catering, performance. They joined us as we were finishing dinner by the campfire. The group was dressed in normal work attire and genuinely enjoyed singing and dancing their hearts out for us. They even gave English a try for one of them. By the end, each member in our group was breathing heavily but with wide smiles on their faces. The San people differed from this in that the women kept the beat and the men danced around the fire (opposite to the previously described group). They were dressed in a dried seedling of some sort around the ankles to make a shaking noise to supplement the clapping. The two babies, just able to walk, kept me entertained by attempting to imitate the men stomping in a circle around the fire.

January 20, 2008

My afternoon on the Okavango Delta was very pleasant. I had some time by myself in a chair on the open plain- birds chirping all around me, the sight of a small canal covered in broad pac-man resembling lily pads with light purple flowers, the cool breeze blowing, surrounded by hippo tracks...but today was not this good until the afternoon, in fact, maybe one of the most miserable days I have experienced. Let me share how I got to the small remote island: First, we packed up from Guma Camp onto motorboats and headed into the delta. It was super fun for the first 10 minutes until it started to rain- and it rained (see above photograph by Brandon Bair)! Everything was wet- book bags, clothes, sleeping bags (even journals, cameras, and passports we found out later). Not only was it raining but the wind was blowing which made it cold! What was supposed to be a 2 hour trip turned into 4 (maybe even 5). There were 4 boats and each had to stop often to both cool the engine down and scoop water from the floor of the boat. I was frigid and if it would not have been for Rev. Robinson putting his arms around me and our boats teamwork, I probably would have gotten hypothermia like another one of the girls on our boat. I will admit, it was humorous at first, but then became serious. Luckily, our island of destination was right around the corner when this happened. My body was shivering so much I could not even put weight on my legs- but I was definitely thankful for shivering thermogenesis and not hypothermia at this point! Thankfully the boys quickly made a fire (with wet wood- it was a miracle). Camp was assembled but I was instructed to stay by the fire. After changing clothes and having a few cups of hot tea, I became warmer. The rain ceased finally in the early afternoon and made for an enjoyable rest of the day- taking walks and boat rides on the delta- the delta redeeming itself from my morning experience.

January 21, 2008

On our boat ride back to Guma Camp, we stopped to ride on the mokoro boats in the small meandering canals of the Okavango Delta. These boats are shallow dugout canoes traditionally hewn from an ebony or a sausage-tree log. Because these trees take about 100 years to grow and a mokoro lasts only about 5 years, conservation groups are now promoting the boats be made from fiberglass, which is both cheaper, lighter, and more durable. Two people sat on each boat along with a poler who propelled the boat with a ngashi, a long pole made from a mogonono tree (similar to the gondolas in Venice). As I was gliding across the waters, I was surrounded by lily pads with flowers and papyrus that seemed to make a desirable home for both crocodiles and hippos.

January 22, 2008

At dusk, our group took a walk "into the bush" with the native San Bushman (3 men, 5 women, and 2 babies). Their stature was exceptionally small, my 5'6" body towering over the biggest man. They had an uncanny knack for finding the roots of many different plants and tress to use them for purposes- some for medicinal healing, others for eating and drinking, and others for household necessities like ropes and animal traps. The San paused to make a fire by twisting two sticks repeatedly together. Smoke and heat were generated giving rise to a flame. Another amazing thing was watching one of the women bathe herself by squeezing a root until a milky-like substance came out (see picture). This was a true brief Kalahari shower. It is hard for me believe that people on this Earth still actually live so primitively. It is a great reminder of how God has blessed us with the things we need to survive.

January 23, 2008

This was our home for two weeks! This picture is of my tent-mate Sarah and I. We learned how to assemble our camp gear very efficiently and increased our speed each time we practiced. We did have an incentive- and that was that breakfast was not served until all had been packed up! I have come to appreciate it greatly- as it has served as a shady, dry, and bug-free shelter!