Christmas on the Beach

Alright I know it seems like I’ve completely dropped out of the blogosphere, but – don’t worry – I haven’t! I’ve just been on holiday, and it’s hard to keep a computer safe when you are traversing thousands of kilometres and camping in a tent so I just left it at home.

Photo: Trekking up Dune 7. Huge, isn't it??

First off, greetings: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! Also thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday and especially those that were forward-thinking enough to send a card in November (Grandma, Mom and Aunt Cheryl).

Photo: Our campsite in Swakop

As many of you may know, this is the first holiday season that I’ve ever spent away from home. And, honestly, I couldn’t be farther away from home (which turned out to be a good thing). It’s really hard to get homesick when it doesn’t feel like Christmas. And for me, there needs to be snow for it to feel like Christmas, so...Guess where I spent my Christmas? THE BEACH! It was great.

Photo: Cape Fur Seals - thousands of them. Oh the noises and the smells!

From the 24^th of December to the 2^nd of January, I camped with 20+ other volunteers in Swakopmund on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. While everyone else at the campground had several cars, a few large tents, a braai (grill) and sometimes even a fridge, we had over 20 one- or two-person tents, laundry hanging everywhere and empty bottles and backpacks littering the ground. But who needs fancy camping equipment to have a good vacation?

Photo: Our Swakop group on the beach on the last day of 2010!

Swakop is one of Namibia’s biggest tourist destinations, especially during the holiday season. To be honest, it felt more like little Deutschland than Africa. I spent a lot of time on the beach – walking, reading, splashing around in the icy cold water (the Benguela Current pulls up chilly Antarctic water). And what time wasn’t spent at the beach was spent walking around the city and eating at its many delicious restaurants. After realizing that I’d be eating oshithima almost exclusively for the next three months, I decided I wanted to eat as much good food as possible. That meant sushi (x3), fish and chips (x2), carrot cake (x2), chocolate cake, milkshakes (x2), oysters (ick), pizza (x2), Chinese, gelato, and too many coffees and pastries to count. The damage to my wallet and my love handles is bound to be immense but frankly I don’t care. It was completely worth it.

Photo: Our Nam Christmas tree

Another highlight of the holiday was a trip up the Skeleton Coast (so named for the many whale and ship skeletons occupying its shores). With a group of 20 and two rented pickups, we visited Cape Cross, home to a huge Cape Fur Seal colony and Walvis Bay where we climbed Dune 7 (one of the largest in the world). We also camped on the beach next to a shipwreck (pretty sweet, right?).

Photo: Camping on the beach next to a shipwreck

Now, (fortunately or unfortunately – I’m not sure) it is time to return to reality, i.e. the village, and start the term. Time to speak Oshiwambo again...and eat oshithima...and mark papers...and measure time by looking at the sun. Generally, to do what I came here to do...

Photo: The view from Dune 7

Video: Dancing to Waka Waka on the beach...is this Africa?