January 21, 2024

Romantic and authentically grounded at Brigadoon

I love places with history and with people who have grown in it. I found such delights during a recent stay at Brigadoon Boutique Guesthouse in the heart of Swakopmund, Namibia’s coastal holiday metropolis. This well-known boutique guesthouse is now part of Ondili Lodges and Activities, a proudly Namibian company which implements its vision of sustainability and low carbon footprints through its range of low-impact, environmentally friendly establishments.
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January 21, 2024

Back to Basics

The juxtaposition of Namibia’s landscapes continues to leave me speechless. The northwest, characterised by rocky flat-top and pointy mountains cascading into valleys and then rivers. The deep south, where standing on a hilltop has you overlooking endless stretches of deserted plains. Our coastline, misty and magical, where gemsbok occasionally stroll on the beach. The fingertip of the Caprivi, lined by wondrous waterways, lush greenery and punctuated by rural villages.
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January 21, 2024

“I will be back”

“Never again!” That seems to be the solemn pledge after a five-day stint of hiking the Fish River Canyon. That’s what Eric McLaren thought to himself upon completing the extraordinarily challenging Fish River for the first time. For me, this was the prevailing thought that occupied my thinking as I attempted to focus on “just one more step and then another”.
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January 21, 2024

Grave of John Ludwig

Driving down Willemien Street in Windhoek’s Ludwigsdorf suburb you will notice an old graveyard with an impressive mausoleum that might seem a bit out of place among the high-walled modern houses. The graveyard is the last resting place of John Ludwig, one of the colonial pioneers, after whom this luxury suburb is named.
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January 21, 2024

Do blissfully nothing at Ietsiemeer

Beach holidays on our coastline look a little different. The Skeleton Coast did not earn its name for being a sunny swimmers’ haven. It is called that way for being majestically moody and predominantly overcast, with the cold Benguela Current ruling the restless waters. Sure, the sun comes out and the wind takes a break every so often, but loving our coast includes indulging in its almost constant cooler weather. Going for beach walks here means wearing a sweater and sensing how the baby hairs around your face curl from the crisp moisture. It is a different kind of Namibia from the dry interior, a welcome respite and utterly magical in its own right.
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March 5, 2024

Gardens in the desert

On the edge of the Namib Desert, at the gateway to Sossusvlei, lies the village of Maltahöhe. Founded in 1899 and once a hub for tourism, Maltahöhe has been on a steady decline for a number of decades. As it became more dilapidated, this small southern community saw an exodus of businesspeople and a massive spike in unemployment. What had been a welcome stopover was now a place that visitors would rather pass through in a hurry. But this was in the past, and today Maltahöhe is on track to become a thriving desert-based economy thanks to an exciting community revitalisation project called RuralRevive.
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March 21, 2024

The Odyssey discovering special stops alongside the road

The traveller, the seeker, the journeyer. These are travellers who are curious. They go slow, stopping every so often to take in the views. Those who are interested in what they might find along the way. The ones who believe in the odyssey, the eventful or adventurous journey.
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March 28, 2024

Giving Plastic Pollution a Cute Face

Seals are popularly known as the dogs of the sea. This is because seals and dogs are physically similar and therefore classed in the same carnivore sub-order called Caniformes (meaning dog-like). Even their behaviour is similar, as seals are known to be playful and intelligent. Not surprisingly, humans can easily relate to seals as the marine version of man’s best friend.
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March 29, 2024

Dwarf Lions of the Desert

The ancient Greeks referred to the chameleon (chamai leon) as dwarf or earth lion because of the fighting spirit the small creature revealed when attacked. Given the fact that the embryo develops underground – the female digs a hole for the eggs and the young have to literally dig their way out – these tiny creatures fight for their survival from the word go.
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June 1, 2024

Whispered luxuries and wild encounters at Onguma Game Reserve

As the sun set on the final evening of our visit, our hearts were as warm as the play of colour on the horizon. Under the sprawling canvas of a fading African sky, where hues of crimson and lavender melt into twilight, makalani palms sway to a gentle breeze, accompanied by the silhouettes of a tower of giraffes as they slowly amble along – a puppet show of shadows against the evening glow.
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