Nicely the first step to getting

Nicely the first step to getting over the idea that they have plain impossible to go to Africa is that it's not as exotic as you might consider... well, sort of. I mean it certainly is nevertheless exotic and far-flung, with an air flow of danger and romance added too? Sure. But is it so various that nothing will be like home and you'll feel lost and out of your component and home-sick while 10, 000km from your home? Nope, probably not. And for individuals who aren't regular globe trotters dwelling the nomad life, that is great information.

You see, Africa was colonized by many different European countries and they've all of the left their mark. The Aventure and Greeks conquered much of Upper Africa at various times, and you may even find examples of this in fusion cuisine such as Italian/Ethiopian eating places in America. The Dutch and the Uk both colonized South Africa, they speak Colonial in Angola because that's who have came in and colonized (same having Brazil), the West of Cameras was largely colonized by England (they even had some of The united states if you remember - Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Quebec, Montreal, and so forth ), and the country we're concentrating on - Namibia - was colonized by Germans. "Now, that's most of well and great", you're considering, "but what the hell does this should do with me? ". Simple - lots of Europeans already visit countries in which their ancestors colonized. They speak the chinese language and often know somebody. So although Africa is in general still great and untamed, you can definitely get yourself a bratwurst and a lager during your trip through Namibia. Sure, you can always consume some gazelle or zebra also to make it more thrilling, but if you really feel homesick and want something familiar, you can definitely find it.

Now that that's covered, you might be surprised to find out exactly how easy it is to get there. There are lots of immediate flights from New York to Gabardine Town and Johannesburg, and following that it's no problem flying to Namibia's capital city of Windhoek. There are lots of standard, European-style hotels there and the PEOPLE dollar is pretty much accepted anywhere. Namibia's government is also tied to To the south Africa's so they're a bit more stable than the average African country. Namibia even has a good road system and it's highway signs and instructions were installed with all the accuracy in addition to effectiveness the Germans could muster, which is saying something. All in all, Maltahohe, namibia is possibly the perfect place to explore Africa and its wonders.

Well believe it or not, not every country in Africa will be war-torn and in constant civil conflict with rebels driving down every street threatening you with AK-47s or perhaps lions on leashes. I know this could shatter your world view, sometimes countries are pretty well run. The biggest thing for Namibia is their previous Apartheid government it distributed to South Africa, but that of course continues to be officially over for a while now, and instead of bitter resentment it seems like every person there is just happy to have it be done. Sure some countries are better left un-seen for the casual tourist, but Namibia is plenty safe.

Nowadays, that being said, Namibia is also vast and sparsely populated. So while really safe on a human level, the particular countryside and animals can be dangerous. However because of this, everyone is always looking for each other. I don't think I actually pulled over to check a map in which someone that passed didn't stop to make certain I was okay. It's just the method it is out there - you have to consider each other.

Good question! Let me tell you some more about my trip there.

Right after landing at Windhoek's Eros airport terminal, I got a rental cell phone, found my ride to the rental car depot and took off. Rental cars are really a good choice in Namibia. They don't have very much public transit and the roads are usually in good condition. So I had a shiny Toyota Corolla waiting to take me in the safari dreams when I arrived. I realize, I know - a Corolla basically exactly what you think of when you think firefox in Africa. But what can I point out, I was by myself and smaller autos are cheaper. Plus this thing was a bit beefier than a American corolla. Trust me, the car is probably even more up to the challenge of driving throughout Namibia than you are. Case in point, it survived my crash no problem. I mean it wasn't a huge crash, but still. Side note: crashing your car into the employee's break table before you even keep the rental car lot is not the best way to instill trust in a rental car company. Damn the driver's seat simply being on the right and shifting while using the left!

Cars are to Namibians simply because horses were to cowboys in the American West. Once you're out in the state, you basically live and kick the bucket by your car, so be good to it. You'll be with it a lot too - the roads are well kept but they're still not an interstate interstate system. Think of how driving is Ireland and you'll get the picture. Spending budget more time than you think it'll take to get some where and be sure to acquire some maps at the rental car workplace.

Don't be surprised if you see lots of guys in official Jeep or even Mercedes shirts hanging around, or automobiles with black-out tape all over all of them. Namibia is where many car organizations test prototypes for heat in addition to rough roads, and has some of the best off-roading trails in the world to give SUVs a proper workout. See what I'm stating about cars and Namibia? They will just go together.

After checking out the downtown area Windhoek and stocking up on resources at a local grocery store, I popped out to bed early to get a jump planning on heading out to the country and on traffic. I didn't want anybody around while I was learning to push on the left. I was off to Sossusvlei in the South to see a real, honest-to-God desert. Taking B1 out of town, you will see lots of hills and ravines, big river rocks the size of houses strewn here and there tutorial definitely a feast for the eye. But the turn-off to C24 is where the real fun starts. Honestly this particular road could be the newest stage worldwide Rally Championships. It's a dirt highway that makes the best wooden roller-coaster jealous of all its zips and zags. It runs through the Naukluft mountains, whose terrain looks like a crumpled up piece of paper. There was even a hill steep enough (though just about 30ft height) that I couldn't wake up in 1st gear! I had to be able to reverse and try again with additional of a running start. Fun travelling, but you're definitely ready for an escape when you get to solitaire.

When you check out Sossusvlei, be sure to head there as soon as you can in the morning for two reasons. To start with, because the sun hitting the sand arte at an acute angle makes for some very dramatic and beautiful lighting. Next, cause you'll want to climb those sand hills and hike the vleis just before it gets scorching hot outdoors. Miss either of these and you'll genuinely be disappointed.

Sossusvlei is just one of many vleis in the area. I took the desert ferry over to them in addition to saw Dead vlei, Sossusvlei and lots of smaller vleis. The vleis, incidentally, are pans of dried grime and rock. There is so little rain fall and so much evaporation that it sucks all the moisture out of the ground until it finally is much more like fired ceramics or bricks. Almost nothing can grow in all of them and they are mostly barren wasteland surrounded by towering (up to 1, 000ft) fine sand dunes. Very forbidding, very toxic, and very beautiful.

After a day inside the desert and relaxing the night away with French travelers staying at identical guest farm as I, it was the perfect time to move on to someplace cooler. Swakopmund is usually a tourist town in Namibia regarding exactly the opposite reason Florida in addition to S. California are for North Americans - it's cold there. A minimum of it is compared to the scorching deserts all-around it, and not only is it cold, additionally it is wet. A current of freezing drinking water from Antarctica makes it's way north along the coast of South Africa and Namibia. It finally warms a bit and rises up outside Swakopmund, cooling the air around that making an air conditioner for the whole landscaping	in Colorado Springs town. When the cool air hits the hot desert air blowing in, it makes prodigous amounts of fog. All this adds up to a large array of land and sea life, and makes Swakopmund not only a destination for it is temperature, but also for it's ecology plus a booming adventure scene to explore and get fun in all the area offers.

For your great apres-adventure beer, head to the particular authentic German Brewhaus. Wurst of each and every shape and size, beer flowing down waterfalls into 5 liter glasses offered with a side of leiderhosen along with a polka band for every table! Okay, it might not be

German, but this is definitely the real deal. Come for the beverage, enjoy the food and love the live audio provided by drunken over-landers.

Oh come on, you really want it all don't you? And I imagine you want 5-star dinners with that, and airplane rides over the most exciting areas of the country as well? Well you're throughout luck. You can have all of that if you want, plus Etosha is the name of the game when it's time to Safari in Namibia.

Etosha is a monstrous salt-pan in the to the north of the country, with an even greater national park surrounding it. It could well known for game viewing within the dry winter, when animals appear in droves to the man-made watering holes. In the summer, it becomes a birders haven as the pan floods and thousands of birds (including large flocks involving flamingos) come to wade.

I provided myself a bit of a treat and stayed at at a luxury lodge just not in the park. Cell signal isn't robust in the north so I wasn't in a position to ask for more specific directions as I obtained close. Torrential downpour made the roads thick with mud and the Corolla was having some difficulty on the dirt when I finally seen the turn off for the lodge. ?nternet site was trying to communicate with some natives who spoke no English and couldn't fathom what I was performing in the country in a 4x2, and VOLKS WAGEN minibus comes tearing down the road and through the gateway, followed by a armed forces vehicle. A huge old German throughout fatigues gets out, slowly starts off smoking a cigarette and methodically - almost strategically - offers directions to the bewildered VW denizens, his help, and myself at the same time. "You're looking for Nauanaua? " he admits that as more of a suggestion than a problem, using The Force like he's Darth Vader. "I work for Nauanaua... I am going to get you there. Park behind typically the fence", he says, motioning to the hot and razor-wired fence he simply drove through. And just as Now i'm stepping into the car, happy to get free from the rain, "No wait! That people park in there. There are

in there... KABOOM Lightning strike! holy crap I'm in Jurassic-freaking-Park!! After the terrified Germans and I get into the military car, it's a leisurely ride uphill by waist-deep mud, often sideways, usually with all differentials locked, fogged-over windshield and constant water dripping on us through the roof. We made little talk about whether we just got kidnapped by a Survivalist or not, and if we'd all be eaten by the elephants. However once at Nauanaua, all doubts were put to rest. The lovely wife of the old German in fatigues (together, they're the owners) made welcome us with open arms in addition to fruity drinks. Ahhh, what a way to turn a rough day entirely around! Here's to Africa.

Once you have made it into Etosha, the world appears to open up a bit. There are long roads going out in all directions, and slow-motion operating becomes the name of the game. Take your time, go slowly and try to spot animals out in the distance and wait for them to come closer. Remember that the animals are in charge - if they're blocking your way on the road, wait for them to clear. Currently being patient will often get you better image ops as well.

You can camp in the park, and I'd recommend that for maximum safari time. You can find four camps with both hotels plus campgrounds, and all have illuminated providing water holes for game viewing. Typically the animals are most active during the nighttime, so this can be a great opportunity. You can also go on guided safari through the camps or any of the lodges surrounding Etosha, which can be a good option since they sometimes know the park and animals intimately.

After the big safari experience, it was once again to Windhoek for one last night before winging my way back to America. Now this is where getting a GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM with my car would've been very handy. I drove throughout the downtown area for over two and a half hours trying to find the rental car lot. I had a detailed map of Windhoek and their address, but the two merely never seemed to jive with the certainty of the streets. And up to this point acquiring someone who spoke decent English wasn't hard, but of course this time every business I stopped at for instructions it was German, Afrikaans, or chest area. Eventually I found it, they were almost all happy (surprised? ) to see that we made it back in one piece, and got my shuttle to the hotel.

And exactly what a hotel it was! I wanted to spend my last night at The Heinitzburg, an ancient German-built castle perched on a hill high above the city (and the only Relais &amp; Chteaux hotel in the country), indulging in luxury after my solo-safari experience but alas, it was not to be. I had to "make due" with the Executive Suite in the Olive Grove instead. Simply wonderful hotels and staff - sure it had been a bit more pricey than the rest, nonetheless every once in a while you have to splurge, proper? Especially on the last night of your Africa adventure, and I hope you do identical.