Windhoek

So by using my newly discovered buttock juggling skills (see previous post), I actually manage to get some sleep on the flight. The in flight entertainment is the now universal (on most recent flights that I've been on) visual gag show, an episode of Friends and some crap film, so aleep is a welcome relief.

We arrive early at Windhoek (Namibia's capital) and I spot someone else in the immigration queue ahead of me with an Exodus envelope who I guess by process of excellent deduction (since he is male, travelling alone, and travelling with Exodus) to be Colin.

I'd been told before leaving that I would be sharing with someone called Colin for three nights due to overbooking at some of the safari lodges. In return I would get my entire single supplement fee recouped. Which isn't such a bad deal really.

Sod's law, my queue turns out to be the slowest and despite being one of the first off the plane I'm practically the last through to collect my luggage.

We meet Sven our guide, (blonde, blue eyed, surfer looking type dude) originally from Pretoria SA, and the rest of the group too. I only had six people listed on my group notes but it turns out that with a flurry of late bookings, there are now eleven people on the trip.

We get introduced to each other, size each other up and instantly forget each others names.

We stroll out of the airport and get our first glimpse of the minibus that'll be our main mode of transport for the trip. It's not too bad though a bus full of tall or wide people would not be happy. Luckily that doesn't desribe our group, so we are fine.

We get driven into downtown Windhoek and have a chilled morning just wandering around.

Windhoek is okay but it's not really a tourist town. The architecture of some of the older colonial looking buildings painted in pastels looks nice but the part of town that we are dropped off in is by a large shopping mall and the touristic (is that a word?) highlight is a display of meteorites in one of the side streets off the main thoroughfare.

I enjoy a chat with the two girls that I'd spied earlier on the flight, who turn out to be doctors, over a nice green cream soda drink then retreat to the local park where I lie down in the shade, call the other half and watch a live band performing the hits of Bryan Adams with their own version of the lyrics for some type of PTA-style meeting. A bit bizarre but I was chilled out and happy to be here.

We then headed out of town to the chalets where we'll spend a single night before we start our clock-wise loop of the country.

The chalets were okay and my two main priorities of a clean, firm bed and a hot shower are well met. Unfortunately the bar attached to the chalets is closed with just a male hockey team, much to the delight of some of the ladies in the group, being given their pre-match talk in attendance.

We get introduced to Sven's girlfriend Serena, who's also a guide and will be travelling with us.

In the evening we head off to what is called the best beerhouse in Namibia, Joe's. Though no longer owned by Joe (according to our Sven), it is nevertheless still an atmospherically rustic restaurant. I have a really nice mixed game stroganoff and the food makes for a nice hearty meal indeed!

A quick Whisky nightcap courtesy of fellow traveller Jane in the evening and it's all set for the first day proper of out trip tomorrow!