your normal daily water ration. Under normal circumstances you could work on 6 ℓ of water per person per day for drinking, cooking and dishes. Ideally you should always travel with at least 40 ℓ of water with you. In case of an emergency, stay at your car as a search party will find it easier than they will find you wandering around, especially if the search is conducted by air.
Personal safety
You should use good common sense when you travel Namibia, like you would when you travel anywhere else in the world. Basically the same can be said for Namibia as for any other country in the world: A lot of people = a lot of crime.Therefore you should be more cautious when you are in cities. Crime is mostly confined to thefts like pickpocketing, luggage theft and burglaries. You are a welcome target if you leave your handbag or camera equipment lying openly in your car, especially if you leave your vehicle unattended. Avoid displaying flashy jewellery and carrying your camera around your neck. Rather carry it in a camera bag over your shoulder. When you camp, you should rather take your personal belongings with you into the tent at night, especially if the campsite is in or close to a village or town. In case you have a breakdown or accident and you can-
not reach your planned destination, it is better not to pitch your tent right next to the road where everybody can see you. It is always best to pack your loose camping equipment away at night as you never know if a wind will come up during the night.
Insurance
Make sure you have appropriate medical and vehicle insurance before you leave, and that your vehicle insurance includes vehicle recovery. You will find the numbers of tow in services in this guide under the towns closest to where you are. Keep the contact numbers for your insurance with you. Remember that you cannot phone other countries’ toll free numbers from Namibia, so ensure that you have direct numbers. It is advisable to contact your medical aid/insurance prior to your trip to obtain a document which states what you are covered for and what the claim procedure is if you are in a foreign country.
Driving through long, dry grass
When driving through long, dry grass, like you often find in Kaokoland and Damaraland, be very aware of the danger of vehicle burn out. ALWAYS have a fire extinguisher in the vehicle and be on the lookout for Grass Burn Out Risk warnings on your Tracs4Africa GPS map. 37