Our journey to “Africa’s Switzerland”

Getting to know a new country for the first time is always exciting, and when it's a totally new continent, even more so. We have always wanted to get to know Africa, and once the opportunity for a longer travel arose, we grasped it. But how to choose where to go? We were on an unfamiliar ground; Africa is massive, with so many nuances, different cultures and environments. In addition, our family and friends also had some prejudices and concerns regarding safety, cause indeed, some restlessness appears at the moment in many African countries. We wanted to find a unique yet safe destination, so we checked the travel advise among others from the UK government's site (keeping in mind that these recommendations are most likely a bit extreme and having a reliable local to tell you about their views about safety is more valuable), and got excited about wildlife watching, safaris and the harshness of the desert. 

So there is was, our chosen destination from 3rd to 30th of November: Namibia - endless kilometres of gravel roads in the middle of nowhere, silence (and a few elephants) as your fellow travellers. And as a hairdresser in Windhoek described it, “it’s the Switzerland of Africa”!

There is tons of research you could / should do beforehand, but we didn’t really have time for that. And what makes things even more complicated is that when you try to look for answers from discussion forums, blogs etc., they all tell you a different story. We did panic a bit after reading about people making bookings for the Etosha National Park one year in advance, and there we were just a few days before departure opening our Lonely Planet for the first time.

Around four days before our departure (combined with packing all our stuff, moving & trying to sell our apartment) we made the first and only pre-booking for the trip: an Airbnb-room for three nights in Windhoek. We naturally searched for hotels and lodges as well, but the prices were surprisingly high, so Airbnb it was! And we didn’t end up regretting that decision for one second, since our Airbnb-hosts turned out to be the perfect pick, the friendliest and hospitable, just lovely people. Their house was beautiful, and the patio was a great spot for some yoga in the morning and drinks and chatting in the evening. The great thing about Airbnb is meeting the local people who love their country – we got some great tips and ideas for our road trip itinerary from Sandra and Riaan, and their help was priceless in the search for the right vehicle, campsites and equipment.

         

These headlines made the 

front page on Monday

 6^th of November.

The stay in Windhoek was an experience on it's own; it's the capital with a population less than 400 000, and the atmosphere is relaxed, friendly and slow-paced. We were surprised how safe and easy it was to go around the city by foot (completely different situation than in South Africa). Even after sunset we were able to walk to a nearby restaurant - the famous Joe's Beer House was the place to be in our neighbourhood. At Windhoek you can find everything you need for your travels in Namibia (including a safari hat with sunblock SPF 50 and a prepaid sim card with data and minutes from an MTC). You can also experience many different ways of living, from Katutura township tasting some traditional cuisine to having a beer at Skybar at Hilton Windhoek. 

Windhoek from over the rooftops at Skybar

We learned that one of the essentials 
to go with pancakes is cinnamon, 
and you might need to work hard to get it;)

We ended up staying in Windhoek at our Airbnb-home for five nights while planning our trip and working, and we also got to witness the first heavy rains in Namibia for a long while. The dry season has been going on for almost three years, so to celebrate the rain we had a pancake-fest with our lovely hosts on our last evening at Windhoek.

Bear in mind to buy your alcohol on time!