Here we go again. Another move. If you have been reading along from the start of our journey, you will know we should be pros at this. I am typing this from a dusty, near-empty house, which has been our home for almost six years. These walls have held us, they have been a place of safety, healing and deep growth. The only home our daughter remembers and the home in which our son had his first birthday party ever. The space that has expanded to hold the love and laughter we have experienced.

NamibRand has been the most amazing experience, and the most magical place that we have had the privilege of living and growing in. While this move is big, it isn’t very far – this too is on brand for us. We seem to be like homing pigeons, with the Nubib mountain range being our beacon. Our numbers are two adults, two smaller humans, one ridgeback, four chickens, two tortoises and three mice. Needless to say, our belongings seem to have doubled – we now own our own couch and cupboards. We have moved up in the world! We are about five bakkie loads in, with one full trailer load done and at least another of each pending.

Yesterday I was telling the kids how long we have lived here and how amazing this chapter of our lives was. I am grateful that they will both have reasonable memories of this time. Of course it was a hot day – it is January and we should be having consistently high temperatures. However, the clouds have been building and the weather app has been giving us relatively high chances of rain.

The kids were playing outside after lunch time. I had just sent them out, but they came screaming back into the house: “Tornado. There’s a tornado. It’s coming!” Mildly irritated by both the heat and other things, I did not pay much attention. Murray went to look and I heard him say, “Get back in the house now.” He is, as you may know by now, a really calm and measured guy and, even here, he was still pretty composed. As we all got in the house, the noise levels rose – this dust devil had picked up speed and strength and we were simply in its way. Unaware of this parting gift the NamibRand was giving us, I carried on prepping dinner until the noise was deafening and the house was dark. We heard what sounded like metal twisting and wood splintering above the roar of wind and sand hitting the house. Murray, bless him and his calm demeanour, was watching from the door as a section of the roof from the guesthouse landed on the lawn. The roof of the guesthouse was bent open, allowing the dust and the rain direct access to the dining room. What I haven’t yet told you is that the new area wardens are already staying there for the handover period. As the dust was blowing and the wind was howling, the rain started. Because of the intensity of the wind, the rain came at an angle – in fact, it went completely sideways. The kids and the dog were banished indoors, forced to watch from a distance and the boring safety of our bedroom.

Each raindrop felt like needles being vaulted into our skins. At this stage Murray was on the roof trying to bend it into some shape that would prevent the guesthouse from being soaked, while the lightning and wind raged on around us. After some repairs and a regroup, we decided to chase some rain! We headed out across Keerweder Pan and back via the borrow pits. There was already water flowing in from up the road.

Despite the chaos and the mild stress of the destruction, it was an exhilarating experience. A reminder of the excitement we have seen and the very varied events we have been privileged to witness over the years. It was also a good reminder of the power of nature and its sheer force.

NamibRand will always hold a piece of our hearts, for the space it was to us all, for the beauty and adventure, and for what it meant to us as a family and as individuals. I will always remember the first day we arrived – a diesel truck had spilled on the main road and we needed to assist. A slightly violent, but all’s-well ending therefore seemed to be a fitting last hurrah for us. While we are sad to say our goodbyes here, we are deeply excited for our next adventure. Seeing where it goes and how it will forge ahead will keep us on our toes and keep me writing these stories! TNN