Namibia!

Hi!

This will be a shorter post because I plan on saving the sappy-cheesy end-of-summer writing for the plane ride home. This past weekend, we drove 20 hours to Swakopmund, Namibia. Luckily I slept for at least 18 hours, so the drive wasn’t too bad! 

Our first morning in Swakopmund was spent cruising the bay on a catamaran. The energy was high, the cocktails were flowing, the music was loud, and the animals were plentiful. About five minutes into the cruise, a wild seal hopped on board and paraded himself around the boat. I got a big, wet, and sloppy hug and kiss from him and his friends who also hopped on board! At that point, I didn’t think the cruise could get any better. However, out of nowhere, a pod of humpback whales surfaced right next to the boat. For a second I thought it was the mimosas tricking my eyes, but the whales swam alongside the boat for a few minutes. After the whale sighting, I was invited by the captain to go and drive the boat. I mean who wouldn’t trust me a few cocktails in to drive a huge catamaran on the open ocean? 

After the boat docked we headed straight to the desert. Swakopmund is famous for its towering dunes meeting the sea. So after the excitement on the water, it was time to experience the desert! We rode camels over the dunes and it was so beautiful. My camel's name was Israel, which was funny because the last time I rode camels was in the desert in Israel! 

The next day was filled with swimming, tanning, and exploring the city! I have missed the ocean so much, so being able to spend the day at the beach was exactly what I needed. Also, our hostel had a bar and restaurant in it so we spent the night playing pool and meeting locals! For our last day in Swakopmund, we went ATV riding through the desert. It was actually some of the most fun I've ever had. We were flying up and down the dunes, with the ocean and city in the background. I had a huge smile the entire ride and can’t wait to do it again!

Although we only spent 3 days in Namibia, I can confidently say that Swakopmund is my favorite city I have ever visited. The city is so beautiful, there is so much to do, the people are so kind, the culture is so interesting, and the food is amazing. It was the perfect way to spend my last weekend in Africa.

Speaking of my last weekend in Africa, I am going to continue to ignore the fact I leave in 3 days (hence the reason for another blog in a few days). I got to go study for finals but will update you soon!

Xoxo, 

Abbie