Planning a trip, highlights and helpful links, Namibia

Favorite thing: Should you feel undecided about Namibia because you've never been to arid areas or deserts. Here's my suggestion for you. Should you be visiting Cape Town, or South Africa travelling on a flexible international ticket. Try to change your returnflight via Windhoek. Chances are you'll end up on a local flight touching down in Walvis Bay or another town on the way to Windhoek.
Make sure you have a windowseat! Now just watch and ejoy. Could it be evolution shown in timewarp?
The WAY is the destination! It's never been more true than in Namibia's case. If you're not hooked after this, I'm afraid, I can't help you.

Fondest memory: the awesome "Moonscapes" along the Swakop River Valley or the overwhelming planes of the largest lichen fields in the world.

Completely unexpected came the wild horses in the middle of nowhere.

Favorite thing: Canoe while exploring the geological wonder of Snail Mountain and camping on Orange river banks. Sleeping under the stars. Climbing highest dunes in Sossusvlei, hiking in Fish River Canyon, Hotair balooning over the desert or just do the 'Africa' bit in Etosha National Park.

Fondest memory: Am I on moon, mars in some prehistoric place or elsewhere?? Dramatic changes of scenery everynow and then.

Favorite thing: Don't miss: Ethosha National Park, the Sossusvlei, The Epupa-falls in the North near Angola, the Himba's in the North (Kaokoland) and the Fish River Canyon !!!
(this picture I found on the internet)

Fondest memory: I loved the sanddunes !!!

Favorite thing: It is a country of contrasts where cultures live together peacefully, where traditions collide and Old and New co-exist without visible problems. Here in Otjiwarongo, a Herero lady in her fabulous outfit strolls down the street after shopping in a hyper-modern supermarket.

Favorite thing: Go and see and canoe in Orange River, a gorgeous river with more water than I have ever seen in such a desert area.
It´s like being in the middle of nothing, surrounded by the someday-in-the-past-mountains now so weak and dry that you could say that they are going to fall from one moment to the other.
And in the shores of the river, green grass and other wild vegetation, a contrast that makes from mosquitoes the happiest when tourists try to enjoy the river by canoing!!! which doesn´t steal a piece of joy from these by just looking right and left, up and down.
And, as not everything is perfect I have to say that I missed the lack of origin people. There were only dutchs, germans, irish or english or even americans everywhere with their tropycal bars on the shores and their beautiful campings. But it´s not a good place for those looking for other kind of experiences, like searching new cultures and that stuff.
So, as I told you, nothing is perfect!!!!

Fondest memory: Coming from Europe, or anywhere else in the world, it's really fantastic nature! Also driving around in the gravel roads, one can't see other car in 5(five) hours! Or another thing - straight road (no curves) for about 300km.!!!

Of course desert dunes.......!!! NO WORDS!!!

Favorite thing: Experience with one's 5 senses
it's amazing diversity

SOURCE of satellite photo:http://spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/Human.Exploration.and.Development. f.Space/Human.Space.Flight/Shuttle/Shuttle.Missions/Flight.072.STS-73/STS-73.Mis ion.Images/Africa.Namibia.Kalihari.STS-73.gif

Fondest memory: It's German cultural links,
It's Geological wonders,
It's wildlife

Favorite thing: I'm still to go, but equally in tandem,
SOUSSIESVLEI SAND DUNES and
ETOSHA PAN ANIMAL MIGRATION

Fondest memory: The space and quietness;
The semi precious stones;
The Germanic influence;
Springer choclates, especially the sugar crystal encrusted liquer ones, and nutty or truffles, they're all yummies;
Windhoek lager;
Smoked Game meats: ..........
...............................ad infinitum ;-(

Favorite thing: Go to Etosha!!! Namutoni and Okukuejo get excellent reviews, but personally, Halali had just the best, most natural way of viewing, I thought, and it was one of the most moving experiences of my life.

And I'd have to put in a pitch for my community, Okovimburu where I lived for 3 months.

Fondest memory: This is a hard one....Halali was a personal moment that will never be forgotten, my dream come true. But the times I spent with my fellow volunteers and my Namibian family make me teary-eyed when I remember them....

And you can't beat the solitude and the sunsets over the desert were unbeatabe, except maybe by the storms when rainy season was just starting out....most incredible thing i've ever seen.

Favorite thing: Windhoek : pleasant small city (the capital). You will find anything here. Be careful at night as there is some crime. I personally was 'approached' by a group of teenagers begging me for money so much....that was right in front of the Central Post Office. If 2 army guys were not walking through this zone...I could imagine they beat me down. The army men shout so much to the teenagers...I almost thought they would use their gun and kill them.....impressing but stressing.

Waterberg Plateau : a pure delight !!!!! Small national reserve on a 'plateau' (mountain top), very green, good contrast with the desertic area, Wildlife is fine but nothing like lions or hippos...only antelopes and smaller things... Still this place is great great great !!!

Mariental + Rehoboth cities : I drove through and did not find anything interesting. But if you like old colonial buildings, it's worth a stop

Swakopmund : the main Namibian port is very photogenic !! Full of old 'German-style' houses. Very quite. There's a huge beach but water is extremely cold (due to an Antarctic currant). North of Swakopmund you may watch seals from some places.
I took the only regular train line in Namibia running from Swakopmund to Windhoek (10 hours trip...very very slow....) stopping everywhere. Funny experience. Lock you out in your cabin especially if you travel 2nd or 3rd class. I heard about some crimes.

Namib Desert / Sosslusvei...great !!!! If you're not afraid of EXTREME heat !!! It's a 1 hour walk from the parking lot to see the biggest sand dunes in the world !!! Rewarding but DO CARRY AT LEAST 2 LITERS OF DRINKING WATER PER PERSON if you don't want to have real health problems. If you suffer from heart disease I strongly don't recommend this excursion. It's was so hot that part of my shoes became like chewing-hum !!!! (I am serious).

>>> the picture shows a global view of WINDHOEK, the modern capital of the country

Fondest memory: Etosha National Park...one of the best National Parks in the WORLD !!!!! Really, I am not exagerating. Wildlife is very abondant and sceneries are so great. You may wake up very early in the morning (04:30AM) if you want to catch the best...and also avoid packs of tourists, noisy, making animals run away....