"There is something about safari life that makes you forget all your sorrows and feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne — bubbling over with heartfelt gratitude for being alive." — Karen Blixen
Happy belated Earth Day! I spent mine reminiscing about my 10-day tour of Namibia and feeling so grateful for the innumerable nature experiences made possible by G Adventures and National Geographic Journeys. The best souvenir I found was from the museum shop in Swakopsmund - a beautifully illustrated book entitled Namibia - Fascination of Geology: A Travelguide Paperback by Nicole Grünert. My vivid memories of Namibia will always be filled with fantastical landscapes that changed constantly through the window - slate mountains littered with quartz, red dunes at dawn rising to the sky, white sand dunes sloping down into the sea, endless dusty desert at the Tropic of Capricorn, thick fogs of the Atlantic coast threatening ships, red rock easels for ancient petroglyphs, and the lusher landscapes of Etosha National Park that feed and shade lions, giraffes, zebras, elephants, and precious rhinos. Namibia is endless geologic wonders populated by oryx and ostriches, and even cattle might roam the open road in its capital of Windhoek. Â
I feel embarrassed I never stopped being surprised how clean, safe, modern, and accommodating Namibia's facilities, streets, stores, hotels, and restaurants are. I suppose I expected to be roughing it more in the bush, but I was relaxed and comfortable through the whole journey. The Namibians we met were warm and welcoming and curious about our country too. I most enjoyed talking with a bartender at our lodge beside Etosha over lunch one afternoon. He asked what the Grand Canyon is like, because the second largest after it is called Fish River Canyon, located in southern Namibia. They look almost identical! In fact, Namibia's geography sometimes reminded me of the American Southwest. But in their desert air mixed with mist blown inland from the sea, giving dew to the leaves that nourish its wildlife, you sense being in an alien land ruled by different laws of nature.
Our last days were spent on game drives in Etosha National Park, and giddy like a child, I raised my arms in the air each time I saw my first animal in the wild and say, My first zebra! My first elephant! My first lion! I'll never forget that rush of excitement I felt each time I saw a new creature in the wild, just going about its day in front of us, with no fences or walls between us. Obviously being a cat lover (and really missing my own cat by that point), it was thrilling to be so close to lions in Etosha and also with cheetahs at the Cheetah Conservation Fund's research and education center.
For the 55th annual Earth Day next year, you could also experience the magic and mysteries of our "Mother Continent" - or why wait? I'd love to tailor-design an African experience all your own soon!Â
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