10%

namibia

All That Doesn't Glitter (Part Three)

By Carolyn Chon

July 14^th, 2019

"Just be careful when you're in Swakopmund, there are sandstorms that happens up there quite often." That was the one warning the car rental company gave me.

"Our insurance doesn't cover any sandstorm damage."

Right.

And what does Chon encounter?

A sandstorm.

the negative post

What is an adventure without a misadventure was something I said to one of my friends on the second last day of the trip.

I drove out of Swakopmund around 9am, wanting to get to my next destination - Twyfelfontein just in time for check in or lunch at least. I drove up north heading towards Henties Bay where I would turn off and start my first of many dirt road drives. I had to pull over as I was passing Henties Bay when I encountered the first heavy sandstorm. I was still within decent population, so I wasn't all too worried.

I sat in the car, with the back of the car facing the direction of the storm as per what the rental person advised. After 20 minutes, I got restless while the storm seemed to slow down and so I pushed on. About maybe 10 minutes or so later, I see the turn off and I also see the seemingly mild sandstorm.

I braved the turn as it wasn't that bad, but about 200-300ms from the turning I had to pull over again. This time, the storm was raging towards my direction. Ughhhhh was probably the first reaction that I vocalised. I contemplated on whether to make a U-turn or just sit still. After all, the front of my car was facing the storm's direction. I debated with myself for 20 minutes before I finally made the U-turn. I didn't make the turn immediately because visibility of the opposite of the road was zilch. My palms were sweaty with nervousness.

I'm not sure what made me more nervous though, being stuck out in the storm or causing damage to the car of which insurance would not cover.

me and my chinese face

After making the U-turn, I parked by a couple of tour trucks. The thought of waiting out the sandstorm all by my lonesome was a bit daunting, not to mention my sweaty palms wanting some air.

I got out the car and approached the tour guides and had a chat with them about my impending doom in the sandstorm, obviously...not. They advised me to just wait out with them and their guests.

"Please explain to them that we cannot drive through the storm, even some bigger trucks drove and now have broken windscreens." Said the white Namibian folk to me.

The real problem I have with people assuming I read, write and speak Chinese just cause I have a Chinese face is that I get embarrassed when I speak to proper Chinese folks, and by proper Chinese folks I mean those who are born and bred in China. My extremely limited Chinese probably can save my life, but man it is embarrassing when I do try to have a proper conversation with them

If anything, I wish everyone knew the real Chinese stereotype - how much of a Scrooge we are.

the first dirt road drive

When the dust finally settled, literally. I pushed out with the two other tour trucks. I trailed behind them for a good hour until we were clear of whatever mild sandstorm there was left. I remember seeing a couple of bike packers who were cycling towards where we drove and really hoped the sandstorm had passed.

I was planning to drive all the way without making any stop, but the wait for the sandstorm to die down meant my bladder couldn't keep up.

So, I turned and made a stop at a petrol station at this tiny township called Uis. As soon as I got out of my car, a young girl approached me wanting to sell me something, I forgot what. I politely declined, but took up the offer for her to keep an eye on my car and paid her of course. This was something my first guide, Raymond advised me to do whenever I parked anywhere as it was always good to have someone keep an eye out.

5 minutes after leaving the petrol station, I looked at my fuel indicator and it was blank. I panicked at first, thinking they must've stole my fuel while I was parked! But then I figured it was kind of impossible to do so in such a short amount of time, I did only go in for a wee, not for a number two. I kept telling myself that as I drove on at moderate speed.

Thud!

I went over a slight depression without braking because well, dirt roads have many bumps and humps and depressions. My fuel indicator came back alive!

Mystery solved.

twyfelfontein

I finally arrived at the next destination after about 6 hours, no thanks to Mother Nature. The lodge looked really decent nestled in the arid landscape. Oh, but I was in for a not-so pleasant experience with this one.

I've slept on couches during my younger couch-surfing days, I've slept in a car in negative temperatures (out of dumb choice suggested by dear friend Taco Joe), I've slept in a taxi cos we (Jules and I) didn't book accommodation. So, it's safe to say I'm usually not hard to please. Or perhaps, I'm ageing and comfort levels these days are more important than before. I'd like to think it's the former, but the latter is probably also truth.

Upon checking in, the lady at the reception kindly told me that the air-conditioning in the room wasn't really working, but they had fans in the room. My response to her was that I much rather sleep with the fan anyway, just as I do back home.

After dinner, I went back to the room. Showered, had a smoke, went out to try to shoot the milky-way, then laid down on bed, ready to sleep. But the heat, oh the heat...!

I had to take off my clothes. I did. I laid down on my back, then on my side. Thinking that way I get more air onto more skin. Still, the heat, oh the heat...! The fan proved to be a phoney to me. I couldn't feel ANY air moving at all. I was really struggling to sleep.

I finally did. After I took the face towel, drenched it with cold water, wrung it dry and placed it on top of my chest. I woke up in the middle of the night for a top up of cool down. I did open the window and would've really wanted to sleep with the door open as well, but you know...desert = snakes.

So, if any of you ever pass by Twyfelfontein, please do check beforehand if their air-conditioning is finally working, otherwise I'd like to believe that their campsite would probably be much cooler.

I know it's very first world problem of me, but it was a big let down seeing how pretty much all the places I stayed in Namibia proved to me how right they got their hospitality game on right.