The Himba people

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Up early and we were ready for our flight into northern Namibia to visit a Himba tribe.
Our journey started at Swakopmund International Airport (tee hee) where we were introduced to our pilot and our lovely little Cessna.
Our flight across Namibia was nothing short of breathtaking with so many varied landscaped in this dry and dangerously arid country. The flight ended by circling Epupa falls and passing, only for a few seconds, into Angola. The pilot then made his descent into what can only be described as the smallest runway in all of Africa, so small, nobody on the plane could see it until the last minute. Shortly after landing our guide for the day picked us up and took us straight to a Himba village.
The Himba people were fascinating, even the persistent smell of ochre and goats fat in the village was interesting. The woman and children where the only people in the village, at that time of day, as the men were out herding their cattle. The women proudly showed off some curios they had made; the had to be handled carefully though as they were all covered in the orange ochre that the women coat themselves in and never wash off, except after childbirth.
After being shown around the village, and burial site we were taken, in the now extreme heat (c. 45 c) to the lodge were we would be having lunch. A homemade lasagne and tipsy pudding were scoffed before chilling out next to the croc infested river that feeds the Epupa falls.
A quick trip to the falls, then back to the airfield for our trip back to Swakopmund, via the skeleton coast, what a ride. Flying 200 feet above this famous coastline was awesome for all of us. Flamingos, both on salt pans and in flight, fishermen, one wreck and some gorgeous scenery were enjoyed by all. We arrived in Swakopmund in the middle of a fairly well sized dust storm and 20mph winds, our well experienced pilot still brought us down with the slightest of a nudge to complete what was probably our best day in Africa.

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