Flamingo lagoon at Walvis Bay

ALLIE: DAY 9: Friday 23^rd of February

Exploring the coast and what is downtown Walvis Bay

Finally a good nights sleep revives my energy. Not that we do much today, since we have decided to spend a full day here and recover and do some computer and email work.

The bad weather of England seems to have changed into a more friendly day. We stroll along the esplanade and watch some of the alleged 34000 greater flamingos who feed here in the Lagoon. Walvis Bay is the only major lagoon of that sort in the whole of Africa and that’s where 83% of all flamingos of the continent stay. 

The birds look quite majestic when they fly, but funny when they try to snap something out of the water. They triple with their long legs on the spot like a step dancer.

photo from internet

But not only flamingos come here. A multitude of North European birds come here for the summer months in Africa crossing more then 14000km from the tops of Siberia or Europe. Some of them cover more then 3000km in a single stretch. But why do these birds make such an effort to come here? The reason is breeding. Whilst they cannot breed here in Namibia because wild dogs would eat their eggs, the winters in Europe or Siberia are so harsh they also could not survive there. Amazing facts!

We leave the flamingos picking insects and worms and drive into the town of Walvis Bay. Well, I guess, the flamingos are indeed the best there is to Walvis Bay. The town is so boring and full of tacky shops that we quickly do our emails at a internet café and escape again towards the sea.

photo from internet

This time driving a bit towards the south where three white peaks stick out into the blue sky like sugar cones. It’s the salt works. Some hundred square meters of this part along the coast are salt basins with amazing colours and shapes.

A relaxing walk along the deserted beach makes me want to try the water. But 13 degrees and many jelly fish let me decide otherwise. Maybe a coffee on our lovely balcony or a dip into the hotel pool will be a better choice.

With a second visit to the Raft, we already feel like regulars chatting and talking to the pub owners, Gary and Sarah Goldsack. Could there be a more appropriate name for someone who is running a very successful pub?

PHIL: Day 9/23 Feb

At last a decent night’s sleep! Our brains were finally up to  coping with the backlog of e-mails since leaving home, but the system was still painfully slow at what seemed to be Walvis Bay’s only Internet café. Rang Mum to discover that Auntie Doff, one of her twin sisters, had died of cancer a couple of days ago. Not unexpected but rather more sudden than might have been hoped, though apparently she went peacefully.Mum seems to be taking it well so far but the funeral isn’t until 27^th so we shall see.

Drove to see the local salt works by the South Atlantic and then the deserted ocean shore beyond. It crossed both our minds that this might be a location for al fresco sex until a 4x4 loaded with fishermen broke the illusion of isolation.

In planning our next few days I rang several air charter firms to see if a trip from Windhoek to Etosha (the best Namibian game reserve) was within our budget. It wasn’t.

Another excellent meal at ‘The Raft’ .