On Thursday morning we visit the Namibia Craft Centre in Windhoek for some last-minute shopping and breakfast. Then we drive to the airport, return the rental car, and each fly back to our respective home countries. While flying back to Estonia with three flights via Addis Ababa and Stockholm, it’s good to reflect on the trip. Twelve days was clearly too short for a country like this. For example, we didn’t make it to Lüderitz in southern Namibia, where it would have been pos

On Wednesday morning we pack our things and begin driving from Okutala back toward the capital, Windhoek. On the way, we stop for food in the town of Otjiwarongo and, on a spontaneous impulse, decide to visit a nearby crocodile farm. There is also a restaurant offering various crocodile dishes and a shop selling crocodile leather products. We avoid the crocodile-based products but don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about these animals. The local guide explains everythin

On Tuesday, we spend the entire day relaxing at Okutala Lodge. We watch the rhino feeding both in the morning and again at 5 PM. In between, I even go for a swim in the pool. I also chat with a couple of the staff members. One of them, who mainly works as a waitress, has been employed here for only eight months. Before that, she studied hospitality for three years. Her Western name is Nancy, but according to her, her local name sounds like the English words “Very now.” Her wo

On Monday, we get up before sunrise and drive to the gate of Etosha National Park, where our guide Amon is waiting for us with a safari vehicle. We set off together with a group of Germans. It turns out they all studied medicine together and have come to Namibia for the wedding of a friend who is marrying a local white Namibian man. As part of the trip, they are traveling around the country. The doctor sitting next to me is half Indonesian and half German. During the tour, wh

On Sunday, we continue from Omaruru toward Etosha National Park. After driving for quite some time, we suddenly notice a tortoise in the middle of the road. I slam on the brakes and manage to stop the car just 20 centimeters from it. All six species of land tortoises found in Namibia are endangered (only South Africa has more species), so it’s truly fortunate that we didn’t run it over with our Toyota Hilux. We carry it safely to the roadside and continue our journey. In the

On Saturday, we hand over our apartment in Swakopmund and drive 160 km to Spitzkoppe, a mountain often called the “Matterhorn of Namibia” because of its sharp peak. All around the area, locals sell stones and pieces of wood at small roadside stalls, apparently aimed at hikers. What exactly one is supposed to do with those stones, we don’t know — and we don’t investigate further. We then drive another 90 km to a place called the San Living Museum, located inside a private natu

On Friday, we drive south along the seaside road lined with sand dunes. We visit the saltworks complex on the outskirts of Walvis Bay, where salt is extracted from seawater and where it’s possible to admire salt ponds in various shades of color. Along the shore, we also see seals and flamingos. Afterwards, we head north from Swakopmund toward the Skeleton Coast, famous for its numerous shipwrecks. However, most of the wrecks have been removed (a controversial decision, since

On Thursday, we wake up to birdsong in our hut at Camp Gecko, pack our things, and drive up the hill where breakfast is served in a separate little cabin. Then we set off on a six-hour drive. The road takes us through a landscape densely dotted with dome-shaped rock formations. Along the way, a thunderstorm rolls in, and within a short time the temperature outside drops by 20 degrees. Altogether, it creates a rather dramatic scene. Eventually, we reach the coast, where, due t

On Wednesday morning, we pack our things and say goodbye to Hammerstein Lodge. We drive once more into Sesriem National Park to visit Sesriem Canyon — a massive gorge carved into the earth by a river over centuries. It is the hottest day so far; by the afternoon, the car’s external thermometer reads 40 degrees Celsius. The canyon offers some refuge from the scorching heat, and a group of young Germans we meet there are spending time by a small pool, throwing pebbles into hole

On Tuesday, we wake up at Hammerstein Lodge, have breakfast, and set off towards Sossusvlei. At first, we try to follow the shortcut suggested by Google Maps. We end up at an expensive tourist camp, where we’re told that only their guests are allowed to drive across their land. We have to turn back and drive for another hour. The detour isn’t pointless, though — along the rocky desert road, we spot oryx walking nearby. In Sesriem, we fill up the tank and continue into Sesriem

On Monday morning, we hand over our apartment and say goodbye to Windhoek, setting off on a longer driving day that takes us mostly along gravel roads. Along the way, we encounter wild baboons by the roadside, as well as more antelopes. In the evening, just before sunset, we arrive at Hammerstein Lodge, located on the edge of the red desert. We move into our little cabin and have dinner in a large hall together with the other tourists.

On Sunday, we first drive to the church in downtown Windhoek, where we see women from the Himba tribe, dressed in very minimal clothing, selling souvenirs. Since there isn’t all that much to see in Windhoek, we decide to head to Daan Viljoen Game Reserve, a private nature park. Soon after entering, we spot several giraffes and antelopes. We then leave the car behind and hike along a dry riverbed all the way to a dam. Apart from us, we see only one other hiker on the trail. Af

The Ethiopian Airlines plane lands in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, on Saturday, November 8 at 1:20 PM. After some hassle at the Europcar airport rental desk, we finally manage to get the keys to the Toyota Hilux we’ve rented for the entire trip. However, we’re not allowed to take the car until we’ve watched a safety video. The video explains that in Namibia, most deaths are caused by car accidents. You can’t drive at the same speeds as in Europe because many of the roads are

Indonesia was awesome. I would rank my best experiences as follows: A trip to Nusa Penida island, including snorkeling with giant manta rays and sea turtles, Walking along the rim of Mount Bromo volcano, Exploring the Prambanan temples near Yogyakarta, Spending a peaceful day in Medewi watching the ocean, fishermen, surfers, and the sunset, Touring the temples of Ubud, the Monkey Forest, and the rice terraces. The people of Indonesia are very friendly. They are happy to talk

On Wednesday, we wake up early to catch a 7 a.m. speedboat for snorkeling and a trip to Nusa Penida Island. Right at the beginning, we’re told that some people didn’t show up—apparently their party the night before got a bit too wild. We’re told this is quite common in Bali. So our small group heads out, which besides us and the tour operators includes two women from the U.S. and two girls from Australia who have just graduated from high school. In Australia, it’s apparently

On Tuesday, our hired local driver—who doesn’t speak much English—picks us up in Medewi, and we set off on a grand exploration of Bali. Our first stop is Ubud, the town made famous by the film Eat. Pray. Love  and now very popular among tourists. There we visit the Hindu temple Pura Taman Saraswati, also known as the Ubud Water Palace. It isn’t a very old temple—it was completed in 1952 at the request of the Prince of Ubud, I Gusti Nyoman Lempad. Nevertheless, it is one of Ub