Blogs from Luderitz, Namibia, Africa
May 10th 2011
Photographs from various locations in the world. Photographs on the official Michel Piccaya website: http://watchtheworld.net... read more
April 14th 2011
Thursday April 14th, 2011 At the Dock- Luderitz, Namibia Latitude 26 degrees 38 minutes’ south- Longitude 15 degrees 09 minutes’ east This area of the African continent is known as the Diamond Coast and this morning we made a stop in the small fishing and mining village of Luderitz. Originally founded by German explorers in 1883, it is now a quaint backwater filled with historic buildings that make it look like a Bavarian Village that has been transported to Africa. A boomtown when Diamonds were discovered in 1908, it is almost deserted now. The country of Namibia is the second least populated by land area in the world behind Mongolia. Diamond mining has become less productive since the 1940s when most local reserves dwindled and everyone moved further south around Johannesburg where a greater concentration of ... read more
month-delayed entry from luderitz-->st. Helena transit
Published: April 20th 2011Africa » Namibia » Luderitz
March 6th 2011
March 8, 2011 Tuesday night, half way between luderitz and st. Helena (1300 miles between, about 670 there) So for recap: Feb 10th – arrived cape town Feb 11th – moved on board Feb 23rd – left cape town for luderitz, 8-12 watch Foggy, cold, damp passage Feb 27th – arrived to luderitz in fog 2 days off in luderitz, Worked a day March 3rd – left for st. Helena March 5th – traded time March 6th – dogged watches to change from 8-12 watch to 12-4 watch I am writing this entry en route to St. Helena, the island where Napoleon was exiled. I have learned that there is no airport there making the only way to/from is via ship. I am steadily getting acclimated to life on board. We work 4 hours on and ... read more
September 28th 2010
After the excitement of the desert we then headed to Luderitz, a small town sandwiched between the Namib Desert and the battered Atlantic Coast. There is little plant life here, just dry barren rocks and colourful German heritage buildings. We drove to Dias Point which is about 22km out of Luderitz. A huge lighthouse let us know that we had arrived at the barren point. Walking down to the shore we could see flamingoes and hear the seals on the nearby island. At the top of the hill overlooking the sea is a replica cross of the one that was erected by the Portuguese in 1488 on their return from the Cape of Good Hope. There was hardly any wind and the sea was calm apart from the surf that pounded the rocks. A real highlight ... read more
August 16th 2010
The World Cup - my ultimate travel goal in Africa - has been and gone. My clothes are torn with an uncountable number of holes in them. My tempestuously tempered tent has holes in it. Even my beleaguered, long suffering (but far more faithful) flip flops have holes in them, making walking a hazardous occupation (though they've barely seen any action in South Africa - Cape Town's cold climes are hardly conducive to the doning of such flimsy footwear). I am exhausted after many months stuttering down this continent. I am in dire need of regular sleep, regular meals, just regularity full stop. A flight home really should be the next step. The ridonculously obvious remedy for such tortuous woes is, of course, Namibia. There's a bus from Cape Town to Keetmanshoop? Oh, go on then, ... read more
November 11th 2009
Luderitz is described as a German colonial relic, and I am expecting it to be like Frutillar in Chile, but it has quite a different character - possibly because the Germans were invited to go to Frutillar, whereas they imposed themselves here. There's plenty of German architecture in evidence, coupled with bright colours recalling La Boca or Valparaiso, but my nostrils twitch in vain for the scent of sauerkraut on the breeze. The small port reminds me more of Whitby, a dearth of fish and chips shops notwithstanding. There's not much going on in Luderitz, so I catch up on the Namibian news. Corruption is rife, political opposition discouraged. Links with China are being forged, but Chinese infrastructure projects in Namibia seem to involve mainly Chinese employees, meaning no skills transfer to locals. There's plenty of ... read more
February 13th 2009
Keetmanshoop Karma Keetmanshoop, Namibia February 13, 2009 As we drove north a few days after a hassle-free entry across the border into Namibia, we decided to take a lunch break in the shade on the side of the road. We pulled over and got some food out of the cooler. “I smell diesel,” Sarah said as we unpacked the cooler. With too much confidence, considering our past problems with the truck, I didn’t even think about what she had said. But then, before I even realized it, it hit me -- both the smell and then the sight. There, coming from the diesel tank, was a steady drip. This one, mocking us in all its glory, dripped faster than the one from a month ago. ”How could that be” I yelled aloud. I crouched down for ... read more
July 11th 2008
Having spent our first night camping in the South African bush on the Orange River, Matilda (the name for our Land Rover) has got us safely to Fish River Canyon in Namibia. All is well in Africa, the sun is shining brighter every day as we head north. Unfortunately the BT homehub is not up to scratch in the middle of the dessert so we'll update with a full itinery in Swakopmund within the next few days. Love to all... read more
June 6th 2008
We arrived in the town of Luderitz in the early afternoon and had lunch at a nice cafe (mmmm toasties!). We don't have any photos of the town, but it is a very pretty place and really shows the German influence. The next morning we stopped at Kolmannskuppe, which is a ghost town from the diamond mining era of Namibia. Once a very rich place where counting diamonds was done on the kitchen table over a cup of tea and people were fed laxatives and x-rayed when they exited the town. After the war when demand for diamonds dropped, the town was vacated and fell victim to the desert sands.... read more
July 4th 2007
Loooong straight road from Keetmanshoop to Luderitz (paved) with the Restricted Diamond Area on the left southern side, and the edge of the Namib desert on the right northern side. Got into the sandy stuff for the last little bit, came up over the hill and poof - the Atlantic Ocean! (first ocean we'd seen since Zanzibar) What a beautiful sight Luderitz is - incredibly colourful buildings everywhere, hilltop churches and mansions, the ocean, the sand dunes, far warmer than inland... I could almost live there. Stayed at the Hansa Haus up on the hill offering a really nice view of the harbour; immediately after getting settled in decided to make use of the patio and attempt to revitalize these failing tans of ours. Following morning we headed south out of town a short ways (as ... read more
