Namibia : Journey of diamonds and dust part 1

Namibia was on my travel bucket list for a long time, and it became a goal to make my 7th continent.

After going back to Antarctica fell through, I messaged Sarah and let her know that our planned trip to a secret location after I did Antarctica again as a do over -had to change as I wasn’t going back to South America. I asked her if she would like visit Namibia with me and it was a complete yes let’s go. We were both so excited and I knew from Antarctica that we would get along amazing on a trip together. We talked for 5 hours the first call so excited- planning and prepping for our girl’s self drive photography adventure.

The amazing journey begins…

I travelled from Sydney to Perth, then Perth to Johannesburg on South African airways. I waited in Jo’burg airport (as us Aussies affectionately call it) for Sarah as luckily; we both booked the same flight to Windhoek. It was so great to see her, and we picked up exactly where we left off in Antarctica and we didn’t shut up from that point we sang and chatted the whole trip and not one- yes not one disagreement or cranky pants huff. We totally understood each other and if one wanted to shoot grass or dust or wildlife then the other would wait or drive, we just cared each other had an incredible trip.

 Day 1 Windhoek

We arrived in Windhoek, and we were met with a driver from Namibia2go to pick up our Suzuki Jimny which we named Temu. At Namibia2go Windhoek airport we then did a quick safety course on how to change a tyre, ( The Australian government recommends two spare tyres in Namibia as it is very common to get a flat) Sarah and I were lucky we didn’t get one and they went through tyre pressure on sand and dirt and an education of the features of the Jimny.

We quickly realised that global roaming on our phones didn’t work in Namibia, and we then drove back to the airport to get MTC sim cards.

From the airport we could now use google maps and headed to Ti Melen our beautiful Bed and Breakfast in Windhoek. We settled into our rooms and mine had the kettle, so we sat on the balcony in disbelief and excited we were in Namibia overlooking the most gorgeous view of Windhoek from the balcony. We started planning our shopping list for our road trip, where we were going to fill up for petrol and our jerry can we also hired in case we ran out of petrol along the dirt roads and of course dinner. We decided on the recommended Joe’s Beerhouse. We arrived at Joe’s tipped our car watcher and had a beer and dinner. We also got up and learnt African drumming with Ongoma drum café it was a lot of fun and such a great start to our adventure.

Day 2 Windhoek

We woke up early and Sarah came to my room for coffee and a sunrise shoot from my balcony in our pyjamas before we headed for breakfast. My shots were ok but I wasn’t in my zone yet that came later. After breakfast we decided to head to get our groceries and then adventure Avis Dam in Windhoek. It was exciting to be out exploring the damn and listening to the different animal sounds completely unfamiliar. We met a lovely couple from Windhoek who told us to not hike here alone on the other side of the dam as people have been robbed and don’t visit at nighttime.  We were careful not to go out at night and even after dinner at Joe’s straight back to Ti Melen. Though I have to say I didn’t feel unsafe at all just the first nerves of being in unfamiliar place. The dam was nice and good to stretch our legs. From there we decided to freshen up and head into Windhoek to site see. The famous Christuskirche and the Genocide memorial and the memorial statue “Freedom Struggle” where we both got teary and where I decided on Diamonds and Dust series. We went to Joe’s again for dinner and saw incredible street signs Nelson Mandela Ave and Fidel Castro Rd. It was a margarita for me and then went back Ti Melen for a sunset shoot of amazing colours.

Day 3 Onguma bush camp Etosha.

We headed off on our 7-hour rd trip to Etosha.

“Take a deep breath..close your eyes…awaken your inner being and let yourself be touched by the magic of Onguma, a place to rejuvenate the soul and rekindle lost spirits...” Welcome letter in our rooms and it resonated with my whole outlook.

The drive didn’t seem to take that long maybe it was excitement or us doing carpool Karaoke to Sarahs epic fun playlist. I drove first half, Sarah second with stops along the way. We arrived through the gates to a giraffe and Springbok, squirrels, deer and antelope and that’s where it hit me “ oh my gosh this is Africa”. I made it to my seventh continent after all I had been through in my life, and it gave me goosebumps. It got better though.

 We had just arrived and, in our rooms, when Sarah exclaims “giraffes” and 7 came to the watering hole within metres of our cabins. We shot sunset with them and springbok. In total 11 giraffes and round about 50 springboks. Afternoon turned to night, and we did astrophotography outside our rooms with the most amazing scene ever. It just felt like the universe saying “ hi you girls deserve this amazing scene.” I felt so lucky.

Two wild boars zoomed passed both Sarah and I and we both looked at each other both at same time thinking “how are we experiencing this?”. Incredible. We then went to dinner at the restaurant at Onguma and went to bed early. Although I woke up at 3am as something was outside my cabin door and it was large. I still think it was an elephant I opened the door but was a tad scared- as yes you sign to say you may come across lions, cheetahs and dangerous wildlife and it’s at your own risk at lodges and camps. I warily closed the door and tried to sleep but I was just so happy and excited I couldn’t.

Day 4 Etosha Safari Lodge

We were up early for a game drive and then checked out and drove into Etosha National Park to cross it to our next destination. Only we did not receive a map on the way in and we took a turn to find a bathroom (obviously you cannot get out of your car in Etosha because of the wild animals)-that ended up being an adventure- a kind of scary one- we were lost in Etosha national park, well not entirely, but we were off track.

 Namibia had experienced rains and floods, and the colours were back, and greenery and shrubs were growing through the desert, but it totally wiped out the dirt road we were on. As I was driving, I had some serious 4wdriving to do. Potholes were metres deep and there were kilometres of them with no flat road it was scary, but I was proud I did it we made it through safe and Temu the little car intact.  We bounced around and my arms were killing me being so tense to keep the car and us rolling or being bogged in the mud. The Jimny handled it, but I was wishing I was in my jeep. Two hours later we found the road again. We saw zebras and springbok, oryx and birds and as I was up at 3am and couldn’t sleep then our 7-hour journey and scary one I was wrecked. There was an accommodation blunder so after a quick dinner then back to our cabins I crashed out after dropping my bags down fully clothed on my bed. Wipe out!.

 Day 5 Etosha Safari Lodge

Game drive early morning we saw so much wildlife it was breathtaking. Then we came back to lodge and had dinner then later we did astro by the pool and had an early night. The light of the nearing full moon wasn’t great for astro, but it was just fun to be under the night sky and seeing so many stars and chatting with Sarah pondering all things photography and life.

Day 6 Damaraland

Drive to Onjamba Hills we arrived in red desert dust after stopping through Damaraland the place is heart breaking. We stopped and gave away our groceries and water to people in the desert heat with no shoes and shelter. We bought groceries three times and gave it all away.

The first stop we were on a break that we would take to shoot or stretch as the drives were long. An old man walking with no shoes carrying branches with nowhere to go- miles of dirt road and desert sat under a tree near the rest stop. Sarah gave him some chips and water and I went back over with money. He didn’t speak English he just held my hand and just kissed it. It was then I felt so white privilege and ashamed of how much stuff I had and just wanted to give it all away and I did over the rest of trip. I have been to third world countries before, but Damaraland hit my soul hard. To see the strong contrast of entitled “influencers” next to this broke my heart.

 We also gave away water to a lady and her children Sarah parked up the street to keep us out of danger, I grabbed our big 4 litre water bottle and walked back to the lady, but she was already running bare foot up the road to meet us. It was then I broke down in the car. I cried. Traveling before social media was always about true adventure from heart and soul and it was a fringe thing to do. It was about finding yourself or running away from yourself or maybe both and really respecting places. Now. Well now it’s all for show a performance for social media and popularity the exact things travellers before did not want- Some of us still don’t and that contrast I think is what hit me so hard in Africa.

We stopped on the side of the road and I bought crystal rocks. In a trustful way there are old buckets and chairs and tables on the side of the roads lined with crystals and rocks. sometimes a message pinned on one or two saying they were raising money for a child’s school or a medical treatment needed. Heartbreaking and of course we had to help.

In Onjamba there was no way Temu would make it up those hills and we were taken by bus up to our cabins. We had dinner and as Sarah drove, she was wiped out and went to bed while I stayed up late trying to do astro. The valley across the desert was so beautiful the moon lit it up and I could see for miles but it made astro hard. I didn’t care it was just so amazing to see…

Until I got attacked by mosquitoes. I was covered head to toe in long sleeve clothes and pants and had Deet all over my face they still attacked my ears and my eyeball… (and the story goes- it stung all night and for the rest of trip it just felt gritty and annoying, but I really didn’t pay much attention to it until I got home. Within days of being home I was in hospital with doctors freaking out that I had malaria. My eye was the size of a tennis ball I was cleared of malaria by blood tests, but I had an infected eye) too funny another travel story to add to my list of crazy stuff that can only happen to Toni ha-ha) then went to bed it was SOOO hot there.

Day 7 Damaraland

The next morning Sarah did an elephant safari, and I decided to have breakfast and relax by the pool and do the sundowner safari rather than sunrise as I was up late or early with my mozzie friends doing astro. My sundowner drive was cancelled so we ended up just relaxing by the pool and chatting. Wild baboons came by the pool which was crazy to see and took some black and white photos. We skipped dinner as we were tired. The drives are long between places and in hindsight and extra night at each place would’ve been better to relax more it was go go go…so we planned our next few days chatted and relaxed.  

To be continued….

Thank you for reading along for week one of the Namibia journey, stay tuned for week two. I truly appreciate all the love and support of my blogs and my photography it means the world to me…

In the meantime my new galleries and store are coming soon...please feel free to get in touch via socials or contact form would love to hear from you.

…see you out there shooting

Toni xx

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