Mother and Daughter - Namibia from Two Perspectives

In the year before my daughter Annabelle finished her career army service, she shared her thoughts about going on a post-army trip with me.

The destination: Africa

The truth is I wasn't surprised, because about 25 years ago Annabelle's father and I went to Ivory Coast, where we established an agricultural project and stayed for an entire year. We fell in love with the continent. This was despite only having been to Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Tanzania.

As Annabelle's departure date drew near, the excitement at home grew. I realized that beyond the great joy and excitement, Annabelle was going to be in completely different places than the ones I had visited myself, and her experience of Africa would be different, contemporary, and intriguing.

Towards the end of her trip, Annabelle invited me to join her for the period before her wildlife volunteering chapter.

She invited me to—

Namibia

Before Annabelle started her journey, she joined another traveler to be with him in Tanzania. I invited his parents over for lunch one Saturday, close to their departure date, so we could get to know each other a bit. During that meal, a lively conversation developed, and many concerns were raised by his parents regarding safety, hygiene, and personal security in Africa.

I found myself surprised and reassuring them. I explained that I didn't feel worried, that the rules of conduct in Africa aren't complicated, and that essentially the main thing about the continent is its warm, nice, and welcoming people. There is no need to carry jerrycans of alcohol and disinfectants; one should listen to the advice given at travelers' clinics during vaccinations, open one's heart and mind, travel, and enjoy.

Annabelle left. She was in continuous contact with me—either via the internet in places where there was Wi-Fi, or by regular phone with an Africa international package. And here she was, having dreamed of traveling for a long period, finding herself very quickly preferring to travel alone (a young woman) in the Black Continent, without feeling paralyzing fear, and with the feeling that this "alone" allowed her human encounters she wouldn't have been able to experience otherwise. Every now and then she would tell me she was joining another traveler or travelers for a few days. Throughout the trip, she experienced herself as capable of being alone, capable of taking care of herself, and capable of making the right decisions for herself. There she went from Tanzania to Zanzibar, and from there to Uganda, and from there spontaneously to Ethiopia, as the date approached when we would meet in Namibia. Many months had already passed since we last saw each other; the joy and excitement were immense.

(Great excitement and anticipation! Annabelle on her travels across the continent)

Namibia is an advanced and modern Africa in many ways, but at the same time it allows exciting encounters with unique nature and the mesmerizing culture of the tribes in the north of the country. I planned an itinerary for our joint trip in advance with the help of a Namibian tour guide who married an Israeli woman and moved to live in Israel. An incomparably warm and professional man named Herman. We found ourselves in luxurious accommodations, a modern Jeep, airport transfers, etc...

The exciting meeting ​

took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the airport during a layover, and from there we flew together to Namibia. I felt privileged to join her on her trip and treat her to good lodges for a short time (two and a half weeks), and I remembered that when I was in Kenya-Tanzania on safari about 25 years ago and slept in a tent, I peeked at the lodges from afar and said, "One day I will return here and have enough money to sleep in a bourgeois and luxurious lodge," and here that day had come... and it came with Annabelle!

Namibia is gorgeous and vast (a "short hop" is 200–300 km), with sparse public transport, so it is easier to get around independently with a rental car completely on your own, or with a guide. The landscapes are very diverse—nature reserves with fascinating animals, dunes and desert, ocean and seashore. We didn't experience a single safety or hygiene problem, not even once.

Now, as we prepare for a trip to India, the sanitary implications are much greater and preparation is very achievable but requires more attention.

(Fascinating animals, dunes, and oceans. Namibia)

The African continent has not yet been revealed as a tourist destination in all its power. I promised Annabelle and myself that I would go back with her to Uganda too, so she could show me some of the places where she stayed and lived. And I am eagerly looking forward to the next time.

Clare Barkai

Traveling with Mom in Namibia (even if it's ''only'' for two weeks).

So I met my mom during our shared connection in Ethiopia. The anticipation was intense, and I had been waiting for her from the moment I told her 'see you later', back when we parted in Israel. When we arrived in Namibia, someone picked us up from the airport, whom we had arranged with in advance, and we drove to the guesthouse.

We rented a Jeep and started our journey. Getting from place to place takes long hours. What helped was preparing a playlist on our phone and CDs in advance. The drives became much more fun when my mom and I started singing.

But the drive was interesting even without our singing, because the scenery is mind-blowing! Vast expanses of nature, and every now and then you see an unusual animal wandering in the wild. There are many places where you can stop along the way and enjoy a homemade picnic. There are tables and chairs, 'refreshment stations' by the roadside.

(An unusual animal wandering by the roadside)

This amazing, magical, colorful, and mesmerizing country, home to about 3 million people spread across an area more than 20 times the size of Israel. A country with a huge variety of places to see and people to meet. A country where black and white people live together (there is a long history, I suggest reading, being curious, and talking to the people who live there). A country with many options to see animals up close, animals undergoing rehabilitation in various farms scattered throughout the country, a safari where tourists can be their own drivers! (Etosha), a breathtaking and magnificent desert, and what not—simply a diverse and magnificent country!

The amount of attractions this country offers is unbelievable. And I haven't even mentioned meeting the Himba tribe, with its immense uniqueness (the tribe members paint themselves red, there are intriguing rituals, and their way of life is fascinating). We even ran into them in the local supermarket, shopping in their unique traditional attire and barefoot, with their specially styled hair, and the curiosity that this whole surreal situation brings with it.

(Fascinating encounter with the Himba tribe. Even at the supermarket)

All this and more without mentioning the amazing sunsets and sunrises! The vivid, strong colors that leave you open-mouthed in astonishment. But perhaps the most important part is the people in this country. So much warmth and love, unconditional help, caring, and smiles. There is no chance you'll ask for help and someone will say 'no' to you. Everyone will help with immense joy and without asking for anything in return.

The fun part of the whole trip was having Mom all to myself, without my sisters or anyone interrupting us. Just her and me.

Needless to say (or maybe not), that after traveling on my own for four months, suddenly having someone close pamper me, pay for me, and even the small calculations between myself and my wallet just disappeared... a true luxury.

(A true luxury. Annabelle and her mother)

I couldn't have asked for a better experience in Namibia. I was so glad my mom came; it's wonderful to have a parent visit for a short period during the trip. Suddenly there's no need to wait for Wi-Fi to make a phone call and talk about how it was and what I experienced—she was right here beside me, experiencing it all with me. And all worries disappear...

She benefited too, by the way. She visited this amazing country and experienced something she wouldn't have experienced if I hadn't been traveling there. I was very happy for the privilege to travel with my mom and to have something that belongs just to the two of us.

We enjoyed every moment and the incredible experiences we had there.

Annabelle Lambez.