See ya later Swakopmund

June 27, 2011

Well I am just getting ready to leave Swakopmund this afternoon and head back into the bush. I have to admit I am sad to leave a real bed, but it is certainly time to leave town. I think I have officially seen all there is to see and I even know some of the locals now from working out at the gym a few days!

Here we are waxing our boards with floor wax! You have to wax the board before every run for speed. The real speed came from lie down boarding! I tied for 2nd place with a whopping speed of 71 km per hour.

Sand boarding in Namibia! Just like snow boarding really, but much slower and sandier! Two showers later and I am still washing sand out of my hair.

Traditional Oshivambo food: starting with the big, white blob dish in the front and going in a clock wise direction - corn pap, fruit for dessert (tastes just like wood), chicken, crickets, more pap, bread, wild spinach, and beans.

Ramen, Juan, Thomas, me and Bombo in picture 1. John, Ade, Helen and Mike in picture 2. We are in a traditional hut inside the township.

A traditional Herero lady. The horns represent cattle, which is how wealth is measured in their tribe. However, they don't keep any cattle once they move into the township . . . they remain in their villages in Namibia. In this tribe the men have multiple wives, but only if the first wife wants one and even then she gets to pick the other wife . . . the decision is completely hers.

Damara Chief "Ouma Lina," 86 years old and the mayor of the township . . . first female ever.

The township Modessa. The people who live in these shacks are waiting for match box houses . . although some will wait up to 20 years. Unfortunately, the shopping mall was closed for business.

My My new friends in the township of Modessa. 6,000 people live in Swakopmund and 4,800 of them live in the Township. The kids begged to have their photos taken just so they could see the photo afterwards.

Today was the German Carnival - Kuska! Nothing says parade like beer and Jaeger at 11 am!

A chameleon at the Reptile House. I watched an addler snake bite a mouse and it die in 3 seconds flat! More importantly I memorized (hopefully) what the black mamba and the different addler snakes look like.

Our first night in town and we dominated the karaoke bar! Strange Guy, Helen, Nick (our driver), Mike, Brandon, Nick (our cook), Lisa and Terra.

The German town of Swakopmund . . . in the middle of Namibia. Walking around town you hear a mix of German, Africans, English and even native languages with the click sounds all being spoken!