How can one visit a place in Africa and not love it? It is highly impossible and even if it is, I would
probably assume that that one person is insane.
My visit to Namibia was a short one, literally. I was there
for 4 days, but let me tell you; you’re lucky if you can even spend a day in
such a beautiful country. One stereotypical notion of most people is that
Africa is all about the deserts, wild life, safaris and languages. People also
tend to forget that Africa is a continent.
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Day 1
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| Driving to Swakopmund from the Airport |
Namibia is a country that is rich in beauty. I knew this
immediately when I was driving from the airport to Swakopmund. With my flight
having arrived in the evening, I got the advantage of seeing a beautiful
sunset. As you drive from the airport to Swakopmund, you are surrounded by the
wild nature of Nambia. Both sides are filled with small hills and mountains,
complimented by the earthen tone of sand. The sight is like a preview of what
the Namib Desert would be like.
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| Entrance to the Jetty |
It was a 4 hour drive to Swakopmund with the most breath
taking sceneries throughout. I decided to explore this small town. It was night
and therefore getting a clear picture of the place was a bit difficult.
However, one place that you have to visit at night is The Jetty. The Jetty is a
place that you can walk onto and have a look at the tranquil sea. In
Swakopmund, they have a restaurant, The Jetty, overlooking the sea from the
very edge of the Jetty. If you’re not a fan of sitting right on top of water,
you can always have a meal at the Tug Restaurant, right before the entrance to
the long walk on the Jetty. The Tug Restaurant is located at the threshold of
the waves of the sea, at a high point, overlooking the magnificent body of water.
Day 2
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| German Architecture |
Today I went around exploring the beautiful town of
Swakopmund. Namibia is a country that has a small population; therefore most of
the streets are a quite deserted. However, this comes to your advantage when taking beautiful photographs of the ancient and modern German
architecture that the town has to offer.
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| The Beach at Swakopmund |
Swakopmund is also known for its view of the ocean. There is
a beach side where you can go and relax, take a few pictures and perhaps have a
coffee or 2 at the Beach Café. There is also a Small Museum, right behind the café
that shows the history of the country and town. Opposite the Museum is the
Lighthouse Restaurant which is apt for a relaxing dinner in the evening.
The same afternoon, I was taken to Walvis Bay. It is a half
an hour drive from Swakopmund. On this drive, I had the beach on my right hand
side and a few sand dunes on my left hand side. It was two extremes and a rare
moment to experience a view such as that.
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| The Skeleton Coast view from the Dunes |
Walvis Bay is a relatively crowded place compared to
Swakopmund. The main reason people go to there is because of the view it
has to offer. It has the beach with lots of cafes around. But Walvis Bay is the
point from which people are taken to the Sandwich Harbour. The Sandwich
Harbour, also known as the Skeleton Coast, is where the grand sand dunes meet
the Atlantic Ocean, creating the most perfect photographic scene. This is a
very rare occurrence.
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| The Ocean meets the Sand Dunes |
The drive to the Sandwich Harbour is a rather thrilling and
interesting one. Before actually going to the Skeleton Coast, I was shown how
salt is processed and taken to large salt processing areas. After this, we
proceeded to the Sandwich Harbour. As we approach the meeting point of the
dunes and the ocean, I had a magnificent view of very large sand dunes on my
left and a rather calm and tranquil view of the ocean on my right, with a few
large waves and a few small waves. If you are lucky, you may even spot a few
seals and dolphins.
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| Sand Dunes |
Day 3
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| One of the Curio Shops in Windhoek |
Today I was taken to Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia. The city is much like any other. Not much sightseeing was done.
However, there are many places where you can go on a shopping spree for souvenirs and curios. The place is rich in traditional Namibian markets and stores, but also has quite a few shopping centres with modern wear. Windhoek is a place where the traditional and the modern meet.
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Namibia on a whole was a wonderful visit. It was thrilling
that I could cover so much in 4 days. However, I also know that I left out
quite a few other places that would have been equally exciting to visit. Well, I
always have next time. As for you, there’s always a first and Namibia is the
place to go if you’re looking for a new outlook on the very stereotypical based
continent of Africa.
© Anupama Subramaniyam
All Photographs were taken by the Author
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