Namibia is situated northwest of South Africa. The country was a German colony until the end of the First World War. That is the reason why German is still one of the languages widely spoken in Namibia. Until 1990, the country was administered by South Africa. It gained its independence in 1990. Even though it does have its problems, by African standards Namibia is a well functioning democracy.

The most unreal place in the whole of Namibia and probably in the whole of Africa is Swakopmund. Swakopmund is situated on the Atlantic Coast of Namibia and said to be the second largest place in the country, second only to the capital Windhoek. When you are German and bless Swakopmund with your presence the first time, you do not believe what you see. Right in the middle of nowhere in Africa, there is all of a sudden a small town that looks like a German town at the end of the nineteenth century. The architecture there looks German. The names of shops and other outfits sound German. Quite a few people there speak German like I speak German – standard German without any accent.

Everybody has heard of the Kruger National Park in South Africa. But not everybody has heard of Etosha. Etosha is almost as big as Wales. You need to spend at least a couple of days there to get a realistic impression. As there is no public transport in Etosha, you need some sort of vehicle. A jeep is always a good idea in Africa. When cruising around in Etosha, do not be surprised if you end up having a rhino in front of your jeep after reversing the vehicle for example. I know what I am talking about. Just keep your nerves.

Namibia in general is characterized by vast deserts. The infrastructure and highways do not leave to be desired. Even though the country drives on the left hand side of the road, there is so little traffic in the countryside that it does not really matter whether you drive on the left or right hand side of the road. Every now and then you see a black walking along the highway. Two questions cross your mind considering the size and emptiness of the country. First, where is he coming from? Second, where is he going?

Botswana Since independence from colonial rule, there are not a bunch of success stories in Africa. Botswana is one of the very few success stories in Africa. Botswana is situated east of Namibia and north of South Africa. Shortly after the country’s independence in 1966, three of the most significant diamond mines in the world have been discovered there. In terms of health, education and economy Botswana is head and shoulders above the rest of Africa except South Africa.

Most of Botswana consists of wilderness. By wilderness I mean savannas, deserts and wetlands. The best known desert there is the Kalahari. Lots of the wilderness there is either without anything that deserves to be called roads or the roads are gravel roads. All this means that Botswana is not everybody’s cup of tea. Forget about Botswana if you are timid and fearful. However, if you are into things like deserts and wilderness, adventure and solitude, do go to Botswana. Try to imagine this – You cruise around in the Kalahari desert in a jeep. You spend the night outside in the wilderness. Sleeping outside in the African wilderness is an experience that is one of a kind. You go to sleep early. There is no civilization. You wake up early in the morning, at five o’clock or half past five. The sun rises early. The sunshine gets plenty strong early in the morning.

The animals make an incredible noise. You can no longer sleep. You have to get up. However, when you sleep in the wilderness, do keep one thing in mind. Do make a very big fire before going to sleep. It must be so big that it is still burning the following morning when you wake up. If you do not, you may be dead when you wake up – as a consequence of an unwanted visit by animals. Years after sleeping in the African wilderness, I still have the habit of chucking my pillow out of bed when going to sleep.

One of Botswana’s main attraction is the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world and is situated in the Northwest of the country. It buzzes with wildlife. The wildlife ranges from birds in all shapes and sizes to zebras and elephants, bufallos and giraffes and who knows what else. After experiencing wildlife in Africa, you are no longer fond of going to a zoo.

The main center of the Okavango Delta is Maun. I have certain difficulties with the notion of calling Maun a city. However, Maun serves as something like the regional hub. There is also the main regional airstrip. As Maun does not really fit the bill for a city, neither does the airstrip fit the bill for an airport. Even though there are now hotels and lodges, Maun continues to radiate the flair of a rural frontier town. In a nutshell, Botswana’s wilderness and deserts will satisfy your heart’s desire if you are a little adventurous and independent.

Zimbabwe While Botswana truly deserves to be called a success story, Zimbabwe does not. Zimbabwe may be called loads of things but not a success story, no matter how you define success story. An article in “The Economist” recently pointed out a few facts that illustrate why Zimbabwe is light years away from being a success story.

The country’s gross domestic product went south by a third in the past three years. Inflation has now reached four hundred and twenty per cent. Seventy per cent of the population live in poverty. There are at least five thousand street children in the capital Harare. As if all this is not bad enough, the government of Robert Mugabe is virtually in the process of completely wrecking the economy by having forced almost all remaining whites in the country off their farms. The government has seized white farm land without compensation. It claims that the purpose of the exercise is to rectify colonial injustices. However, instead of giving the land to black farmers, the government allocates it to political cronies. They know as much about farming as I do about table dancing.

At the same time, Zimbabwe is amazingly beautiful and offers lots of attractions. The most famous of these attractions is Victoria Falls. The huge Victoria Falls drop into the Zambezi, one of the biggest rivers in Africa. On the other hand, Victoria Falls is a typical tourist trap. There is even a casino. Even though I have seen the interior of only two casinos in my life – in Victoria Falls and in Auckland – it goes over my head why people seek entertainment there. The atmosphere in casinos is depressing. On the way back to Johannesburg, I spent a few days in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city. When I graced Bulawayo with my presence, it radiated a rather relaxed attitude with its wide tree – lined streets. It is a pleasant enough place on the fringe of the Kalahari. Although it is worth sussing out Zimbabwe, it may be wise to wait until Robert Mugabe is history. It will happen. You reap what you sow in life. When you reap bloody rubbish, you will sow bloody rubbish. Robert Mugabe will join the ranks of the departed sooner or later.

Concluding Thoughts

The Nobel Prize for literature was awarded this year to John M. Coetzee. John M. Coetzee is the second white South African writer, who was awarded the Prize after Nadine Gordimer in 1991. In his post – Apartheid novel “Disgrace” John M. Coetzee displays a very critical attitude to the new South Africa. Coetzee appears to relay the message that there is no place for whites in the new south Africa. He emigrated to Australia last year. It seems to confirm a current trend in Africa. There is a significant white population in Africa, in particular in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya but also in other African countries. For lots of whites there, Africa is home. They were born there. They have been on that continent all their lives. For various reasons, quite a heap of them have left or are leaving Africa.

However, I am once more inclined to swim against the tide. I do tend to the assumption that there is a place for whites in Africa. There is a role for people with professional expertise in developing countries. That is one reason why I am inclined to rehash Doug Casey’s phrase in a different tense. Once I may have a farm or…. in Africa….

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