A Traveler's Lessons

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”-Miriam Beard

Planning an adventure is a thrilling process. Your mind is filled with faraway sights and naïve expectations of what is to come. Partaking in the adventure is even more exciting. The first step off of that plane onto a different continent sends chills of anticipation through your body. Then three weeks of amazing activities, sights, smells, food (most of the time), people and places zooms by and you find yourself home in your own bedroom staring at your pictures with a reminiscent smile. Is this all you have left, pictures, distant memories and maybe a few souvenirs? At first it may seem that this is what Africa has left you with, material objects and captured sights on photographs. But I have found that Africa and traveling in general is much more giving and wise than that. Through my experiences abroad, especially my last experience in Namibia, I have grown in ways that I’m not even aware of yet.

            Namibia was full of amazing wildlife. This is one of the main notions that peaked my interest about the trip. From the bush elephants of the north and the lions of the Skeleton Coast to the endemic black faced impalas, Namibia has a lot to offer to a young aspiring wildlife biologist. And in this sense I was not let down at all. I lost count after forty different species of mammals, birds and reptiles. One of the most moving sightings was a herd of about 30 elephants, (Of course I am slightly biased, since this is my favorite animal). As we turned the corner of the road in Etosha National Park, I spotted a huge bull elephant. We drove closer and realized that the bull had company, a lot of company. There we saw several bulls, cows and even calves. Some of the babies were definitely less than 6 months old. I sat in silence and watched in amazement as these pachyderms lumbered along, browsing tree tops with their resourceful trunks, or spraying themselves with mud and water to cool down in the African heat. One obnoxious elephant strutted right in front of us with a big branch in his mouth, and then as if showing off, decided he didn’t like the taste of it and tossed it over his back. We watched the babies play in the mud hole, the mothers keeping an ever watchful eye. I could have sat there for hours soaking up the beauty and serenity of these amazing creatures, but of course they had other places to go, and marched on.

            Namibia’s landscapes were breathtaking. For hours all we would see were shrub dessert type land you might find in Wyoming or Nevada. Then looming in the distance would be giant rocks, sometimes jet black, and always full of distinct layers, telling a story of billions of years of formation. The Skeleton Coast was an unforgettable site. After driving along the Atlantic coast, we reached the famous sand dunes of the ancient Namib Desert. We stopped for a while and I attempted to climb all the way up a somewhat vertical sand dune that was probably 80 feet high. The sand easily gave way under my feet, making it much more difficult than I anticipated. However after many attempts, I made it to the top. The reward was completely worth it. I sat there, the fresh ocean breeze lightly kissing my face, the warm ancient sand under my toes. I looked out across the coast and saw a sight that is one of a kind; it is the only place in the world that it occurs. The rolling sand dunes of the Namib Desert plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, creating a unique ecosystem and a beautiful scene.

            The wildlife and landscapes of Namibia were truly amazing and unforgettable. But surprisingly, this is not the high point of the trip for me. The people I met in Namibia have changed my views, broadened my horizons and touched my life forever. We had the great fortune to meet and even stay with all walks of life; from farmers, game ranchers, wildlife rescuers, to local tribes and traditional farms. The chance to spend time with each of these types of people is something I took advantage of to the fullest. I asked them questions and had conversations with them about anything and everything; From their native language, sustainability, wildlife conservation, value of carnivores, trophy hunting views, to everyday living and wildlife management. I learned that the people of Namibia and their views are as varied as the landscape and the wildlife. However I discovered one thing they all had in common not only with each other, but presumably with the rest of the world. They all were doing everything they could with what they had to try and eke out a living and provide a life for their families. Sometimes it was not much at all. In the slums of Katatura people found whatever they could to turn a lean-to shelter into their home, using scrap metal and old signs, rocks and wiring. On community conservancies in their traditional farms they used every bit of the cattle and goats as a resource, from consuming their milk, producing butter, using their leather and even using their dung in the construction of houses.

This ingenuity and resourcefulness is something I will never forget. Coming from a culture where we use up our credit cards trying to fill a void in our life with material items, I watched in amazement as the eighty something year old Herero grandmother taught us to make butter from fresh milk using simply a gourd and a stick. As she explained that this was a staple in their diet, she kindly gestured for me to have a seat by her on a pad made of goat skin. In this moment I saw her, matriarch of her family, her skin weathered by the dry Namibian air and sun. She had a glow about her, a sense of pride that can only come when satisfied or at least happy about her life and her family.

            Africa has given me more than photographs, souvenirs and mere memories. It has given me these moments I have described and more,  and the lessons I learned from each. It taught me the patience and tranquility you feel when observing nature’s wonders, the sense of place it puts you in of your own role on this earth, the respect that grows for every living thing around you, and the appreciation of what you and your family have, when most of the world survives and thrives with a tenth of that.

Like a wise professor, Africa did not shove these lessons in front of my face, but patiently taught me through experience to open my eyes to the beauty of the natural world, open my ears to listen to all walks of life and their views, and open my heart to the full experience, letting it change me forever. 

For a video slideshow of my trip, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psfL8ahQzjM

Otize and Cattle Dung

Eye balls and mopani worms

"guys, I have eye ball in my teeth and need some floss"
-Amber
What a day! So many new experience, almost a sensory overload. We had a tour of the slums of Windhoek, named Catatoura. The name means"place where we won't settle" conveying the blacks resistance towards moving during the apartheid. Our expert tour guide Ouapi showed us the diversity of the slum. It was amazing to see how different one area was from another, ranging from concrete brick houses top tin shacks. One thing that was the same thought was the tenacity and ingenuity of the people in ecking out a living.
To end our tour we went to a local resaurant and tried a variety of traditional foods including a "smiley" which is a whole head of a goat or cow, grilled or roasted then boiled, causing it to grin. In our case we were treated to a goat. I have to say the cheek meat was not bad, but Amber went to an extreme and decided to eat the eyeball. Katie was kind enough to extract the eye while reminding us of how similar it was to making a European mount. After some hesitation Amber made good on her promise and ate it. According to her it tasted like "chalk and butt" or something along those lines. All in all it was an amazing day.
Love,
Ben

Otize and Cattle Dung

There is so much to tell and so little time! I can't wait to tell everyone in person about my favorite day in Africa so far, and that was on our friend Uapii's farm on a conservancy. He spent the day having us meet his traditional Herero family, grandmother mother and little sister. We got to learn the daily activities, and even take part in them!

 Us girls started off with a woman's duty of patching their hut houses. I was prepared to do whatever in order to immerse myself in their culture and really live the experience, but nothing prepared me for sticking my hands and fingers into a pile of warm fresh cattle  dung! But I did it with a smile anyways as I filled a bucket with the dung and carried on my head back to the hut. Then we mixed it with soil and water and formed balls. The balls were thrown onto the hut in places needing patched and then kneaded into the wall. The arid environment dries this mixture like concrete, making it a great insulator and a good foundation for their house. The old grandmother watched me work and said I was worthy of staying! She said I got the highest marks for how much I participated with a smile :)

Next the boys rounded up the donkeys and hooked them up with harnesses made of old tires to what we called the "Kalahari Ferrari" which was an old donkey cart! Then all of us got to ride and direct the donkeys. It was a blast!

After that we learned how to milk their cows. Uapii's mother strapped up her little 2 year old daughter on her back and we followed her into the cattle corral made of sticks. She leaned over and put the bucket between her legs and started milking like a pro. We each got to try it out, and pretty soon had a bucket full of milk.







Then we went up to the house and sat on cow hides as we poured the milk into a big gourd hanging by a rope tied on sticks and began to rock the gourd back and forth to make butter. She said she does this every day for an hour. The grandmother later showed us how she strains the butter and cooks it for a better taste.






The last thing we did was go into one of their huts and they showed us how they apply otize, which is a mix of butter and red ochre, to make a red paste that is applied to the skin. This paste acts as a sunscreen, and is also great for your skin. I was the only one who volunteered to put it on, and I put it all over my face and arms. I can still remember the grandmother laughing and laughing, she'd never seen a white girl with this on! Speaking quickly in Herero, she told me I looked so beautiful, and that she wanted me to marry her grandson Uapii. Uapii laughed and Ben told him "She's your for 15 cattle." Uapii said "Deal!" ha ha.

Later that day we visited another tribe the Himba. They greeted us with a traditional lion hunting dance, and after awhile I even joined in the dance. They all laughed and loved it! The kids were so cute. The Himba wear little clothing and are covered in the red otize. Their hair has red clay and otize in it, and it looks like painted dread locks. They are beautiful people and I'm so glad I got to meet them.

That night we camped by the river and parked our truck right over some elephant dung! We played in the river and I searched for tracks, then we roasted a whole goat from Uapii's farm. Pretty soon there were Himba men and Herero woman coming from all over throughout the forest to join in the feast. I spent the night practicing the little language I knew "Movango" means "want some?" as I passed around food. "Koda" is a greeting like "Hello how are you" and "Nowya" is the response meaning good. Even though we were all languages apart, we spent the evening enjoying good food and laughing and telling stories to one another as Uapii acted as the interpreter. The stars overhead so thick there were star shadows, the fire burning before us, and about 25 people from all different races and tribes sat together and enjoyed each other's company all night.

There is so much more to tell, and I'm sorry I don't have pictures. But this was by far one of the best days not only on the trip, but of my life. I learned so much, experienced so much, and put myself out there 100% to walk in the shoes of people across the world from me on so many levels.

Cape fur seals and Sand dunes

A couple nights ago we had or first camping experience. As the sun was setting over the savanna we found out spot against a rock outcropping. We grilled bush toasties (kal you would love them! They're like grilled cheese!) And lamb. The tents are on top of the truck so you don't have to worry about snakes and predators. The next morning we headed to Swakopmund. This is a city on the coast.
Yesterday we had a boat tour of the harbor. We saw dolphins, jelly fish, pelicans, and cape fur seals. Three different seals actually came on our boat! We got to pet them and feel their slick fur and powerful slippers. Its unreal how big they get!
Next was the dune tour. The dunes of the Namib Desert come right up to the ocean, the only place on the world this occurs. We took a land rover over the 100feet dunes so fast it was like a roller coaster! Then I looked to my right and there was an ostrich running over the dunes! It was incredible. We found a lot of lizards and chameleons when we stopped to have lunch. They served us fresh oysters and fish right on the middle of the desert. It was fantastic.
Later that night Ben, Katie and I attempted to cook mexican for everyone, but we had to make the tortillas because there of nothing like that here. It was a success! We called it african mexican because it wasn't exactly the right spices and had an african kick to it.
We are having a blast everyone! I love and miss you all but rest easy (especially you momma) that I'm having the time of my life! This might be the last post for awhile. We will be visiting the Himbas for a few days, and then make our way to Etosha.

Weaver Birds and Klipsringers

We have been off the grid for the last couple of days. So there is a lot to tell! I have been enjoying the peace of being out of the city and into the country. We were at a ranch called Namtib, settled into the beautiful Tierras mountains. We did counts and surveys on the giant weaver bird nests, pictures to come. In the morning I hiked a mountain at 530am and got to see the sun rise over the tips of the mountains. You could see each minute the warm rays lit up the valley below, catching it on fire with golden color. It was breathtaking. In the distance you could see see the smoldering orange dunes lit up by the morning sun. On our way back down we saw three klipspringer hop along the mountain. I don't have a picture so you'll have to google them :) We've seen so many oryx ostrich and springbok. Last night we camped and the stars were amazing. I am so happy! Today at Swakopmund on the dock over the Atlantic I saw dolphins! My friends made fun of me because I was so excited I did a dolphin dance :)

More to come later!! Love and miss you all!

Amber

Cats!

Today we went to Anamani Cat Reserve. We got to see leopards, cheetahs, and lions who have been rescued and rehabilitated to be back in the wild. When we first showed up we were greeted by two baby warthogs who affectionately nibbled on my fingers and squealed with delight as I scratched their ears. soon we jumped into a vehicle with sidebars and open top and headed towards the Khomas mountains to search for the big cats. Seeing them up close was amazing, and I was reminded of the raw power of these predatory cats. And when the lion roared as the sun went down, the deep bellow echoed through the mountains and awakened something in my soul. While driving back to the lodge I asked some of the Damara people to teach me some words. They were delighted to teach me several phrases that had the clicks in it! Now I'm practicing my clicks with whoever is listening ha ha. We ended the night at a famous game restaurant where I had zebra, ostrich, crocodile, and kudu. Great food and even better people! Here's a toast to our first day in Africa! With so much fun today, I can't believe there is over two weeks left! Love you all from Africa!
Amber

Welcome to Africa!

After a grueling ten hour flight we arrived in Windhoek at 5am this morning. Ben had the biggest smile on his face and we couldn't stop catching each others eyes and smiling ! As we walked off the plane together, I was about to take my first step on African soil when I looked down at a grasshopper the size of my hand! I managed to miss it as we all laughed and walked on. On the way to the city we drove through country side. suddenly up ahead crossing the road was a whole troop of baboons, babies and all! We also saw a giraffe, hartabeest, and zebra. It was an amazing site for our jet lagged eyes to take in. it was Africas welcome for us :)
We are now chilling at the hotel until we go to a big cat center later. The picture is the pool at the hotel. Love you all!
Amber

Same Patterns, New Adventures

Around this time four years ago I had just graduated high school and was ready to start a new chapter in my life. Just a few short days after smiling for the cameras dressed in my cap and gown and waving my diploma, I was on a plane bound for the adventure of a lifetime: Africa. If there was ever one thing I was absolutely sure about as a child, it was that I was going to travel to Africa. And after holding three different jobs and saving every penny, my dream finally came true after graduation as I headed to South Africa to volunteer with a conservation effort.

Now, fresh off the market with my Fisheries and Wildlife degree, I am heading back to the land I've been in love with since a child. Only days after graduation again, but this time from a university, I am heading to Namibia. Three weeks of wildlife viewing, learning about conservancies and conservation initiatives, traveling over sand dunes in the Namib Desert and visiting the indigenous tribes all await me as I step on the plane tomorrow.

Although I have been to Africa before, I am entering this trip with no expectations or anticipations. This is hard to do, especially if you simply google "Namibia". The beauty of the people, wildlife and land is breathtaking. However I will let my own adventure unfold before my eyes, and not taint any moment with preconceived notions or expectations, but simply take everything for what it is; an amazing experience.

Of course this is what I do know about Namibia:

• The Namib Desert is considered the oldest desert in the world and has been around for at least 55million years.
• The Namibian coast line is the only coast in the world where the desert meets the ocean, making it a favorite setting for movies.
• The Namibian coast line is also the only coast line in the world that is completed protected by National Parks.
• The Namibian constitution (which is only about twenty years old) is one of the only constitutions in the world that includes conservation as a mandated priority, making Namibia very forward and  successful when it comes to wildlife conservation.
• Namibia is home to Fish River Canyon, which is the largest canyon in all of Africa and the second largest canyon in the world.

So, my bags are packed (mostly) my ticket and passport are sitting patiently on my desk, and I am ready to close my eyes and dream of Africa until I can wake up Wednesday morning and see it for myself. It seems my life has fallen into a familiar pattern of starting each new chapter with a trip to Africa. Of course I don't mind this at all, and look forward to every chance I get to go to the land I feel most at home: Africa here I come!

13 Weeks

Walking outside today the frozen air hits you first in the face, then seeps through your coat, pants, even socks and shoes. As I make the short walk to campus in this weather one word floods my brain and helps me to stay warm. Namibia. In 13 weeks I will be getting on a plane that is headed 1000s of miles East to a continent that has long captured my imagination, curiosity and passion: Africa.

It has been four years since I have been to Africa. In 2007 a couple of days after high school graduation I got on a South Africa bound plane to work on a conservation effort in Makalali Game Reserve near Hoedspruit, South Africa. After returning from my three week trip there has not been a week that has gone by without my longing to be back in the land of our early ancestors.

Now this year, a couple days after I graduate from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelors of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife, I will be Africa-bound once more. We will be in Namibia for 3 weeks, studying their culture, policies, land, animals and the way they manage wildlife conservation.

I try not to think about it too much, hoping that will help the time fly by faster. But on days like today when the cold finds me vulnerable, the traffic is unruly, the smell of exhaust and city pollution consumes me, I allow myself to think about Namibia and the serene haven that awaits me there in 13 weeks.