EDITOR’S LETTER THANK YOU FOR PICKING UP THIS EDITION OF TRAVEL NEWS NAMIBIA
I
t is exciting to live in a country with mysteries yet to be solved. Of course there are inexplicable phenomena all over the world, but in Namibia ours may well have to do with fairies. A group of scientists recently met at NamibRand to discuss the mystery of the fairy circles and Helge Denker was there to report back on their findings. Fairies are certainly not the ones creating the circles, but regardless of whether the scientists ever get to the bottom of the mystery, I hope they will never rename these circles. For the romantics among us, it will spoil our fun. Who would “buy” a "termite circle" or a “toxic circle” or a “magnetic circle” for the NamibRand Conservation Fund? Not me.
AUTUMN
IN NAMIBIA
As I write this message to Travel News Namibia readers all over the world, the rains have started. I know that for visitors from the northern hemisphere this will seem like bad news. But believe me, in a desert country with virtually 365 days of sunshine, there is cause for concern when there is no rain in February. All we really need is enough rain to keep the dams full and the grass green for a few months. This is what keeps the collective spirit up. After a wet cycle lasting two decades, it seems almost unavoidable that sooner or later we will have a dry spell. For visitors a dry spell means that the sky will be blue, the desert will be desert, the grass, if any, will be yellow, and the animals in Etosha will congregate at the waterholes. Tourist bliss. For Namibians, however, the talk is about nothing else but the weather. We become really boring and gloomy. (Don’t ever complain if you get soaked like I did, running from the airport terminal to the aircraft in winter. This is special because it can only happen in Namibia. Everywhere else in the world rain is expected in the rainy season and the airport company takes precautions such as umbrellas!) But whether it rains or not, the photo essay in this edition will inspire you. Inspire you to search out your own special moments and places when it rains or to return to Namibia when all you captured on your previous journeys were clear blue skies, lovely sunsets, and perfect animal poses in the hot sunshine. An exciting event in Namibia this season and something we are extremely proud of, was the selection of our outgoing President Hifikepunye Pohamba as the 2014 Mo Ibrahim Laureate for Achievement in African Leadership – this after 25 years of peace, prosperity and independence. He is only the fourth recipient of this prize since Nelson Mandela was made the inaugural honorary laureate in 2007. Noteworthy also are Namibia’s vast expanses. It is the least populated country in the world and the country with the largest percentage (46%) of surface area under some form of conservation management. It has the largest freeroaming lion, cheetah and leopard populations, and our elephant population has increased to such an extent that we are starting to be concerned about the vegetation they destroy. These are not nearly all the reasons why Namibia is the best place on the continent (if not the world) to visit. We will keep some surprises in store for future editions and editorials. When you have read about the Slaneys’ endeavours to create a haven of peace in the Kalahari, the passion of Mike and Christa of Scenic Air to ensure that fly-in safaris are safe and awe-inspiring, the fun of camping around our capital, the discovery of the sweetest, smallest antelope in the world, and the 25 things you can do to celebrate Namibia’s independence, you should be convinced that we have reason to be proud. Namibia is a sought-after destination for a reason. And we are the only travel magazine in the world that writes about travelling in only one country. Isn’t that something? To top that, we can boast about the fact that we have been writing about Namibia for 22 years and still find something new to write about.
Rièth van Schalkwyk
TRAVEL NEWS NAMIBIA AUTUMN 2015
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