Spying out the land

We decided to make a short trip up North to spy out the land, as it were. We needed to look at schools, house rentals, what the shops stocked (and didn’t, so we knew what we would have to buy in Windhoek prior to going up there to live), and so forth.

Step #1
We needed a car. After 3 days of David going around (and back around) car dealers, we decided on a Toyota Hilux (1999). It is in much better shape than Frank the Tank (horaay) and we don’t get shaken around nearly as much. As it is an SRX (which sounds like Shreks) and is green, we have called her Princess Fiona! We bought her 20th February.

Step #2
We needed to all be well. Also, on 20th February, Étienne went down with an awful vomiting/diarrhoea bug (we had planned to leave the next day). He was much better in the evening but then decided to accidentally swallow a coin! I am glad to say it was a small one, and not our month’s allowance, but it would have cost us the allowance if he had needed an operation. He was fine (though we said that, if he wanted to spend it, he would need to ‘spend’ more than a ‘penny’, and he would have to get it himself! No seeking the ‘lost coin’ for us!).

So we left on 21st. Because this is the rainy season – and Namibia has had more rain than usual) all looks very green. The rain keeps the temps down (yay!) but the mozzies up (boo!). For the first stretch of the 1,400 km round-trip we were often reminded of the Collarenenbri-Moree road; long, straight, animals on the road, lack of any turn-offs or dwellings and the scrubby vegetation along the sides. Once we passed Tsumeb and entered into Owamboland this all changed. Dotted all along the sides, every few kms, were clusters of one-roomed concrete-bricked places selling beer etc. These cucas (Portuguese for ‘beer’, influence of Angola) are very primitive places, as you can see by the pix. They have amazing names. I have pictured one called ‘Germ Spot’. We also saw ‘Never Never Return Bar’. David saw a barber’s called ‘Sorry’ (perhaps ‘oops’ may have been better!) I have included a foto of a place where you can make calls … not sure if that cable from the main ‘phone wire is legal, though! You can also see a (town) barber, cobbler, roadside food vendors, and meat vendor.

The long journey is ideal for learning multiplication tables, some Afrikaans and OshiKwanyama. We listened to Roald Dahl’s ‘Witches’ (again!) on the way up. The children love it! On the way back we had CS Lewis’ ‘Prince Caspian (again!). Even though we have listened to the Narnia series a number of times, we still enjoy them. But I think we need to look for some fresh listening material!

When we were in Australia we knew we weren’t natives as we were all delighted every time we saw a ‘roo, koala, emu or echidna. On our trip North we got excited when we saw kudu, warthog, baboons, monkeys and lizards. There is a photo of a shongololo (giant centipede) in David’s hand. You can also see a pic of a weaver bird building a nest. If you have children you may want to get them to find out about Weaver nests … all very interesting!

We arrived in Ondangwa late afternoon. There is a tarred road from South Africa, through Windhoek and through Ondangwa northwards to Angola. Once you leave the main road all other roads are a pot-holed sort of sand. Like in Oshakati, there are shops in the hub but much of the town comprises an informal sprawl.

We found a cheap place to overnight; 2 tents in a camping area. This promised to be a Great Adventure as it was the first time Caris had slept in a tent. Unfortunately, not only did it rain BUCKETS, but the power in the town went off in the late afternoon and was still off the next day! This meant cold sandwiches, wet & muddy dashes to the ablution block in the night, packing and unpacking the ute/bakkie in the rain, cold & drizzly showers, no power in the shops or for the traffic lights, no flushing toilets. So we knew things could only get better! And they did!

I cannot describe what this place is like. Only those of you reading this who have spent any time in Africa off the beaten track can imagine the poverty of many dwellings, seeing women carrying shopping/water/wood on their head and babies on their back, women queuing up for water at a communal tap, labouring in fields; weeding and hoeing by hand, the richness of the culture, the waving children as we drive by, the strange trees and birds … the ‘differentness’ of it all. All this is just a short way from the town centre. In the town itself there are all the amenities one could ask for shop-wise (clothes, food, furniture etc) though not the choice one is used to. But the many dirt, pot-holed roads, shoeless schoolchildren and half-starved dogs remind you of where you are. Driving, especially at night, is hazardous because of donkeys, goats, cows, kudus wandering across the road.

It is a flat, flat land. With the rains, the oshanas (special ditches) have filled with water. As the floods recede, fish remain and catching them enables people to supplement their diet. If I have managed to upload it, you will also see a picture of the dry river bed of the Okahanja River, about 1 hour north of Windhoek; at the height of the rainy season Namibia is still a thirsty land.

The people are so friendly and polite. They enjoy our attempts to speak Kwanyama and respond encouragingly. David says he has never spoken so much Afrikaans in his life as he has since we arrived in Namibia. They even understand ME, but one fellow was convinced I was German! When we were up North we did not meet anyone who had English as their mother tongue. David has enrolled us in an Oshiwambo language course but we have been warned that, until there are enough people interested to make it viable, it will not happen.

We are so excited at the prospect of exploring, of getting to know and befriending the Owambo people and their land. They have a rich culture, a lovely language and many skills to teach us. Being back among African singing is very moving. Caris is enjoying dancing and singing.

David went down on 22nd February with ‘Étienne’s germs’ as Caris called it. The poor fellow was as sick as a dog and we thanked God that we had chosen to overnight in a sort of motel/lodge. The toilet was close for David … and out of the rain!

We have looked at some places for rent. In Ondangwa, where we had initially wanted to live, there are basically no places available. In Oshakati, there are not many places and they are all very expensive. In Ongwediva (8 kms east of Oshakati) there are not many places either, and they are only slightly less very expensive. We have found a place in Ongwediva. Now we have the daunting (but fun) task of turning it into a home. I guess beds, bedding, chairs, curtains, cutlery, crockery and a table are top of the list! If we gave him the choice, Étienne might say that a TV and video player are more important than beds. As for Caris, she would probably be happy simply with somewhere to put her ‘girl’ things.

As for schools, the one we had in mind was in Ondangwa, where we had hoped to live. However, there is one in Ongwediva that can take both children (into Grade 0 and Grade 2), though the principle language is Afrikaans so they would have to learn it pretty quickly. Even if they are just there for this year it will give them an opportunity to make some friends in the area.

We are well on our way, so you can now start planning your trip to Namibia. I think we can promise a life-changing experience! We plan to move up about mid-March. David will spend much of the intervening time with Kees van Dam, the TEE co-ordinator at NETS, learning the distance education ropes.