Discovering the joys of camping in Namibia (page 30 of 30)

Hi Isabelle,

I’m waiting for someone to take over—I think Jean Luc is on the starting blocks, unless Alain-Pierre beats him to it 🤣 The bets are on!

Clever 😇! Now I had to check: Jean-Luc: journal started on 10/05; already on Day 09 Me: journal started on 10/09; only on Day 05 (Day 06 tonight)

So I’m behind 😮!

By the way, I just noticed your smileys—they’re not the standard VF ones. How do you add them?

What we liked the least

Looks like we had the same experiences!

At the end, everything was done in 1 hour

Including breakfast? For us, it was more like 1h30, breakfast included.

I really enjoyed writing this journal

For me, a trip has three parts: the preparation, the actual journey, and the story (whatever form it takes). Even if a travel journal takes work, it’s always rewarding—and there’s the sharing aspect. A big thank you for this story.

Jean-Luc: journal started on 10/05; already on D09 me: journal started on 10/09; only on D05 (D06 tonight)

I’m beat 😮 !

Slow and steady wins the race... We’re both still far from the finish line....😉

Clever 😇! So I went to check: Jean-Luc: journal started on 10/05; already on D09 Me: journal started on 10/09; only on D05 (D06 tonight)

I’m beaten 😮!

Hi Alain-Pierre, Beaten because Jean-Luc started before you, but considering he’s been back since early August, he still took his time to get going 😕

By the way, I just noticed your smileys—they’re not VF’s standard ones. How do you add them?

It’s when I reply from my phone that I have different smileys, not from my PC like right now 😇 🤪 😏

In the end, everything was done in 1 hour

Including breakfast? For us, it was more like 1h30, breakfast included.

Yes 😊, but it was a whole production... the water was already hot in the thermos, the orange juice already squeezed in a bottle... 😎

For me, a trip has three parts: the preparation, the trip itself, and the story (whatever form it takes). Even if a travel journal takes work, it’s always rewarding, and there’s the sharing aspect.

Yes, that’s actually my signature: "Travel is a triple pleasure: the anticipation, the wonder, and the memory." And writing journals helps solidify the memory 🙂. Plus, if it can help others plan their trips, it’s even more rewarding 😊.

A big thank you for this story.

A big thank you for reading my journal so thoroughly 😊. Now I’m enjoying reading yours and the others about Namibia 😎.

If you're still craving desert landscapes... check it out here

A huge thank you for this amazing travel journal that inspired us for our upcoming trip in August 2020. As a result, we booked 2 nights at NamibRand and we're doing the CCF and Africat. I hope we'll be as lucky as you with the animals. Now that we know we can eat at some lodges, I admit we might be tempted to treat ourselves. It's our first time camping and the logistics are stressing me out, but the excitement is building (hoping the virus won't stop us from going). Thanks again

I hope we’ll have as much luck as you did with the animals.

Uh... I mostly hope we’ll be luckier than you usually are !

Hi Vanessa, So glad my travel journal inspired you to try camping! 😊 I was pretty nervous before leaving too, but in the end, I think we handled it pretty well. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions if you need to—the forum’s here for that! 😆

Two nights at Namibrand is amazing; you won’t regret it. That said, it’s where we got the coldest, so make sure to bring warm sleeping bags and clothes! 🥶

Happy planning—it’s really an incredible trip!

I hope we’ll be as lucky as you with the animals.

Uh... I mostly hope we’ll be luckier than you usually are !

Ugh... this year, there are no lions or leopards in Etosha. You’ll understand what it means to return to camp empty-handed in the evening 😞, and you’ll see—you’ll appreciate giraffes, elephants, and zebras for what they’re truly worth 😊

As for leopards, we’d be a bit bummed, but we can do without lions for once—we’re all a little jaded anyway 😛! If we have to settle for elephants, giraffes, and zebras, that’ll work just fine since they’re among our favorite animals. And throwing in one or two camels on top would be the ultimate dream!!!

Quick question from an old-timer: comfort-wise, how are the tents? Should I bring a self-inflating mattress or are theirs enough? I’ve got a dodgy shoulder, so I’m a bit wary. I’ve definitely noted to pack warm stuff!

In my opinion, an air mattress isn’t necessary—the structure under the tent isn’t hard. It’s much softer than the ground, and there’s a mattress on top. Personally, I slept really well on it. Plus, you’ll have to deflate your mattress every day, which could be a real hassle.

If you want some camels, I can hook you up—I’ve got plenty in stock 😄

Also, you’ll have to deflate your mattress every day, which could be a real hassle.

Or rather, it could be a pain 😏

😏😏😏

Also, you’ll have to deflate your mattress every day, which could be a real hassle.

Or rather, it could be a bit of a drag 😏

😂😂😂😂

And... Namibia isn't too tough, is it? 😉 It's still a total change of scenery... finding yourself lost in the middle of nowhere, without civilization, without internet... you still have to be mentally prepared for it 😏

Good evening Neighbor. To avoid cluttering Biboun51's story, I'm replying here. First of all, congratulations on your travel journal—I devoured it in one sitting. Your trip was much more complete and longer than mine. Tough, Namibia? Not at all! I found the tracks easy. I only had one flat tire in total, and it wasn’t even on my Hilux! A total change of scenery? Absolutely: Africa was almost unknown to me, except for brief stays in Senegal and Morocco. Without internet? Without a mobile signal? We know that in Chartreuse 😉 On the other hand, what I wasn’t prepared for at all was taking a "turnkey" trip, organized (well or badly?) from A to Z. Apart from treks in Nepal, I’d never done that before. Despite that, I loved it so much that I now have new travel destinations (Tanzania, Botswana...) to fit alongside the American Southwest and Southeast Asia! That’s sneaky! 😄

Hello Gilles, Yeah, I feel like once you set foot in Southern Africa, you just can’t wait to go back (with a few exceptions, of course) 😉 True, it’s best to let a local agency handle the bookings, but some people manage just fine on their own too. See you soon on VF since the hiking trails in Chartreuse are closed right now

If you're missing Africa... don't hesitate to take a trip to Kenya 😉

https://voyageforum.com/forum/safaris-photos-kenya-d10657488/