In Windhoek, Namibia to be exact, where my son, Tim is working at the University with a team setting up the first Pharmacy degree course here. I had a smooth journey out of the dark and cold of Nottingham via Cairo and Johannesburg,to a warm, sunny country, green with the new rains.
After a couple of days chilling out, downloading the books and Christmas presents that had endangered my luggage allowance, we went off to the Skeleton coast for the weekend at SWARKOPMUND.
The journey led from green thorn bush, over a high plateau, up to 5000 feet, gradually drying out to desolate srub, then bone dry hard sand desert with only a few dark shrubs looking like a scattered flock of black sheep. The scare life up here is sustained only by condensation from incoming coastal fogs for a few miles inland. There are no permanent rivers or surface waters. David Attenborough filmed part of his series on extreme environments in this area. Life used to be a great struggle even at the coast. At one point as we began descending, the road, a railway, power lines, telegraph lines and a huge water pipeline all ran along together. Without them modern life could not be sustained.
Africa is full of surprises and Swakopmund was one. No wrecks or skeletons to be seen but a surprisingly english seaside resorty sort of place only full of stolid circa 1900 german buildings and streetnames. The Altes Amtsgericht (Old Magistrates Court) on Bahnhofstrasse (Station Street)for instance. The weather was pleasantly warm with cool misty mornings, a cool breeze bringing in huge atlantic rollers. What fun sea bathing while hearing of yet more snow in Nottingham. The sea fishing here is supposed to be excellent but we spent a lot of time fishing small people out of the waves as they tried to boldly go to S America!
Back in Windhoek, also showing many signs of previous life as a german colony I enjoyed the great museum of ancient and modern history, geology and life forms. Really fascinating. It was good to see that the modern state has not tried to hide the past but seems able to look back without bitterness. Amazing considering some of the terrible things that were done in the colonial and apartheid times. More exploring of the city and game parks to come!
A MESSAGE FROM PAUL RENNIE ON HIS TRAVELS IN AFRICA.
ReplyDeleteHad another two good days, now waiting for bus to leave Bulawayo for VICTORIA
FALLS. This is resort on Zimbabwe side of falls. I will have a look round there and then cross the Zambezi river into Zambia abw either this evening or tomorrow am. Had a relly good time in Jo’burg with Ju and Sad. They made me so welcome and did a lot of arranging for me. The time at COSMO CITY with the Oasis people was very worth while. Sadie arranged a tour guide for me for Soweto – she was quite a card and very knowledgable. The Apartheid Museum was amazing. It did not hype up the African viewpoint but just told the facts as they happened – most of which I remember hearing and reading about. It really is miraculous how they finally got majority rule and that there is not more bitterness and recriminations after all that happened. I was quite overcome when I came out at the end. I just sat down in the coffee shop and sobbed my heart out. I just couldn’t help it. Such a lovely country and so much wealth – enough for everyone to have a good life and to spare, but so many horrible things done for a few people to grab and keep everything they could. Much of it done in the name of “keeping Christian civilization and stopping communism”. Anyway we went on from there to Soweto and had lunch at a “Buy and Braai” There’s a butcher where you buy a pile of meet, then take it round to the cafe part where they barbeque it on the spot and then you eat it with lots of sauces, chutneys and maize porridge. (Thats a bit like putty and you use it to scoop up the sauces etc. Its good but it lays a bit heavy. You don’t get hungry for a long while though)
Then we went round Soweto (South West Township)It is a huge settlement 10KM wide and 6Km across) with about 4m people. It was where the blacks were moved away from the city centre and had to commute in long distances. Most of it is now developed int housing of various grades (many like prefabs) and water, sanitation, electricity is gradually being extended in and shops churches and other amenities. It is an amazing story how they helped themselves and the new government has tried to do what was promised. We visited many historic sites, Nelson Mandela’s and Desmond Tutu’s houses, also some people living in various types of houses. It was a long day but so hopeful in what has been achieved so far.
In the evening I took J & S out for a nice Thai meal which we all enjoyed. Then in morning Ju took me to the airport. We sorted out the ticket ok and had a smooth flight here. Some friends in town met me and then Lance and Elizabeth picked me up. They are a great couple, quite chaotic at the house as they are in the middle of massive extensions, but made me very welcome. I bunked up, literally, with Ashton their 13 yr old son such a nice lad. I went out to the project yesterday. Tell you more later. Bullawayo is like a time warp. It looks like Zambia in 1969 but is scruffy and unkempt as if nothing has been touched since. It seems remarkably relaxed on the surface at least. Poeple are getting twitchy about Mugabe calling early elections though. Now its off to Vic Falls and Zambia at last. Toady is day 23 the middle day of my trip. Thank God for how well it has gone so far. Bus is beginning to champ at bit now so will close. FROM PAUL WILLIAM