Leaving behind the awe-inspiring landscape of Sossusvlei, our roadtrip through the never-ending maze of gravel roads of Namibia continued on. This time, with a 4-but-let’s-just-make-it-6-hour gyration of a journey to Swakopmund - The “vacation home” capital of Namibia. Spanning the contrasting divide between endless valleys of sand dunes and the frigid Atlantic Ocean, both of which disappear off into the arc of the horizon (sorry flat Earthers), this quaint town, founded as the OG port for German South West Africa (and no Julie, OG does not mean "old guys"), Swakopmund has long sustained itself on two vital industries:
Representing a slightly odd pairing (Forrest Gump would be proud), the two have managed to keep the lights on in “Swakop” for the last century. However, like all good things, COVID waltzed on in and officially declared “hold my Hefeweizen.” With September representing the busiest time of the year for tourism, our experience in Swakop consistently shared one common trait - Desolation. From shuttered shops to abandoned beaches. From eerily silent roads to miles upon miles of empty vacation homes. Even your typically beachside beggars seemed to have an especial sense of desperation in their pleas to buy a random rock they picked up off the ground 3 minutes ago. Everywhere we went. Everyone with which we spoke. The same theme came up over and over again. Nobody is coming, and we cannot survive. And yet, it is not for a lack of “Fauci Abidance” that Namibia is suffering so greatly. With only 5% of the population fully vaccinated, people are pleading in vain for more supply that never seems to arrive. And even so, you would be hard pressed to find a mask-less soul, even amongst those walking for miles on end, alone along the highways. I won’t preach much more to the choir, but it’s quite revealing to see one society completely decimated by COVID, doing everything in their power to try survive. And another, slightly “encumbranced”, who could literally give two shits about anybody but themselves. Aaaaand scene. On that note, time for a couple fun & random facts about Swakopmund!
Onto the pics: Next Post: Namibia Roadtrip (3 of 3) - Etosha National Park
2 Comments
Melissa
9/12/2021 02:31:50 pm
If my comment is the first one, I want you to know that it’s because I’m so committed to this blog, that I clicked the link in the profile of your Instagram post even before the email came through!
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Mark
9/14/2021 01:21:10 pm
Thank you for your undying dedication to this blog Melissa! I believe you have been designated the Official Not Another Damn Travel Blog Groupie. You are like the non-Kiwi Mel the Stalker. A very honored group of which to be apart.
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PRIOR BLOG POSTS: Year Abroad Intro: • Welcome to our Newest Blog! Again! • The Move - Dissected, Probed and Then Probed Some More • The Voyage (Part 1) - If At First You Don't Succeed, Trying Again Won't Work Either • The Voyage (Part 2) - The Layover to Rule All Other Layovers • A Personal Life Update - Establishing Our Shallow Roots A Guide to South Africa: • How to be an Expat When You Aren't Technically an Expat (Part 1 - Bank Accounts) • How to be an Expat, When You Aren't Technically an Expat (Part 2 - Health Insurance) • Load Shedding - Keeping the Lights Off in South Africa Since 2007 • 195 Ways to Fight a Pandemic - The South Africa Edition • Halloween in South Africa - Playing Catch-Up Since 2016 • SnapScan - South Africa's Glimpse into America's Future • Thanksgiving in South Africa - Where My Turkeys Be At? • Life at the Epicenter of Omicron - A Different Type of Cancel Culture • Playgrounds - The Starbucks of South Africa • Cost of Living in South Africa - An Exploratory Journey of Everyday Expenses Trips: • Namibia Roadtrip (1 of 3) - Driving a Shake Weight to Sossusvlei • Namibia Roadtrip (2 of 3) - Searching for Souls in Swakopmund • Namibia Roadtrip (3 of 3) - Getting our Safari on at Etosha National Park • Weekend Getaway in Robertson - A Trip Down Pleasantville Lane • Summer Holiday Trip (1 of 3) - Glamping Without the Glam in the Drakensberg Mountains • Summer Holiday Trip (2 of 3) - The Historical Chronicles of Kruger National Park • Summer Holiday Trip (3 of 3) - Searching for Whales and Spare Tires in the Overberg • Visitors Round 1 - The Woodmans - An Expedited Exploration of Everything • The Great Wildebeest Migration - 15 Years of Waiting Decided in 15 Minutes • Ngorongoro Crater - A Pre-Migration Layover Inside an Inverted Volcano • Ndutu - The Safari to Rule All Other Safaris • Serengeti National Park - Seeking Out Simba at an Abandoned Pride Rock • Zanzibar - The Island of Sugar, Spice and Most Things Nice • Visitors Round 2 - Let's Ignore Our Sanity & Do All The Things • Wild Coast - A Little Tatse of the O.G. South Africa Cape Towning: • Spring Break in September - Just as Strange as it Sounds • A Day in the Life of a South African Expat - The Visual Edition • A Wrinkle in Our Spare Time • Our Final Week in South Africa - A Bittersweet Symphony of Bucket Lists The Other Stuff: • This is 40: The South Africa Version |