Namibia Day 15

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Our last full day in Namibia, and a very cold night in our tent when it got down cold enough for frost to form. Due to an administrative error, another early start was on the cards as the alarm went off at 6am but we got to see a wonderful sunrise. Because we were early for breakfast we got to see the staff feeding the local bird population: we managed to count fifty lovebirds before they consumed all of the food and disappeared.

We hit the road early again back to Windhoek with a quick stop at Okahandja to look at the craft market. It was OK but on approach looked more like a shanty town because of the cobbled together stalls. Browsing was not possible, as each ‘shopkeeper’ made a personal approach (the first as we got out of the car) and once in a stall it was not possible to leave without making a purchase unless you are thick-skinned enough not to feel guilty when someone is begging you and saying they haven’t made a sale in two weeks. However, as far as well could tell they were all selling similar stuff so I doubt we missed anything.

After returning to Windhoek we had a look around the botanical gardens which was fantastic and very informative with lot of descriptions of the plants as we would get at home but also how they are traditionally used to make medicine and how they are administered. It was a shame that most of the plants were in their winter guise, i.e. very dry and many without leaves, but you could get the impression. The gardens are another place where you can see rock dassies.

A quick walk round the shops in the centre of town and we are back at our guesthouse waiting for the hire car to be picked up. It seems strange but I have become attached to the beast over the last two weeks as we have toured the country. We have done just over 3,400km (2,100 miles) and we think we have spent more time in the car than we have in any other individual place we have stayed. Well it didn’t let us down and we didn’t get a puncture, much to our surprise. An American couple were telling us that last time they were here they got a puncture a day for the first week so perhaps we have been lucky, or perhaps having two spares on board was a good insurance policy.

Not much more to add for today: we start our journey home tomorrow, so just the final word to write and post once we are home.

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