Experiencing 4 Countries in less than 20 minutes

Experiencing Southern Africa has been such a joy. Each country I decided to see, left me with lasting memories.

I have made more than one trip to some of these countries. Many things took me to Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. And Zambia being my home country, has been a wonderful home.

Just to go down memory lane, I will, should I leave my country for good, always remember the Mighty Victoria Falls. It is a touristic identity of the country and being in Zimbabwe many times, I must say that the same falls will remind me of Zimbabwe as it is also found there.

I will always remember Namibia for its beaches and deserts and Botswana for its wildlife.

If the truth be told, I would love to do a revisit. What was closest to this visit I am desiring, was when I took a trip enjoying my moment on the safaris of the Chobe River, only to find out I experienced all four of these countries in less than 20 minutes!

Before I got to Chobe River for the safari, I passed through Kazungula bridge and it is at this place that Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Zambia borders meet at a quadripoint. I love that this bridge was worked on and looks beautiful and I spent time admiring the Zambezi River from this side of the country.

This Botswana- Zambia border connects two points on the Zambezi river, one with Namibia in the Northwest to one with Zimbabwe in the Southeast. This boundary on the Zambezi River is also known as the “Four Corners of Africa”. The four countries meet on the eastern side of the Caprivi Strip. What is more interesting is that research has it that there are more than 150 tripoints in the world like Egypt, Libya, and Sudan in Africa; Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela in the Americas; Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan in Asia; Austria, Germany, and Switzerland in Europe but there is only one International quadripoint in the world and I am happy to have had seen this point. It is always a great feeling to come across rare places. You will find the four countries Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana meeting at the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers.

I bet there are other points one could enjoy this quadripoint from, but one of these is on the Chobe River. I sat on the boat waiting to come across some wildlife of Botswana. There were lots of animals to see but that is a story for another day. What made my day was learning and experiencing this rare truth that the boat I was on did not just make a stop on ordinary waters but on a spot that made me experience four countries in less than twenty minutes!

Though this point could take about five to six minutes, I decided to wait longer than this by asking the boatman for his permission. I figured this rare place could be appreciated more if there was a poster or something but because this was on water, there was little chance of this.

June 20, 2024 33

A Day-Tripper’s Tale in Walvis Bay

It’s worthwhile to visit Namibia if Walvis Bay is on your bucket list. It is nestled between the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the dunes of the Namib Desert. It’s a seaside city with plenty to see and do. Its location makes any trip you take more enjoyable.

Because of Walvis Bay’s natural beauty, visitors are welcome to explore its coastal treasures. The sound of the waves will welcome you as you approach Walvis Bay. What sort of fun can one have in this town without spending a night? One of the advantages of doing day-trips to a different town is that there isn’t much planning needed.

I didn’t do much research on this. I was just advised to try a day trip there. I got up from my bed in a town called Swakopmund and decided to do a day trip. I had my breakfast and set off.

There was a certain element of spontaneity to my journey because I decided not to plan everything out beforehand. Every corner revealed something new.

I was engrossed in the allure of unplanned stops and breathtaking scenery. Although my day started early in Swakopmund, I loved the experiences along the way. This included the weather which was cool.

I was about 40 minutes away from Walvis Bay. I was excited because this was gonna be my first time to this town. The next time I try a day trip to a different town, I should plan a weekend getaway.

It was easy to find transport to Walvis Bay from Swakopmund. I am happy to be among early birds. By this I mean, I don’t struggle to get up early. I owe that to my early nights. Getting up early for this trip was not a problem. In no time, I was in Walvis Bay. I made it before 9 O’Clock.

I wanted to start my day with some coffee and cake. I already had breakfast in Swakopmund but with me, there is always room for cake. I found a prefect place with an ocean view. Protea Hotel.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee welcomed me as soon as I walked in. The smiling staff made me feel very welcome. The soothing sound of the waves in the background added to the interior’s cosy vibe.

I sat at an inside table first, then moved outside to enjoy the tables outside and take in the amazing view of the ocean. My taste buds celebrated the rich flavour of my coffee as I sipped it. This went perfectly with the rich slice of cake.

My morning treat craving was satisfied by Protea Hotel, in Pelican Bay which also offered a peaceful environment, making it an unforgettable beginning to my day.

Before leaving for my next stop, I rested outside the hotel enjoying the Atlantic Ocean. This is the beauty with day trips. They provide flexibility. This enables one to tailor their itinerary to specific interests and preferences. I loved just sitting outside Protea Hotel enjoying the fresh morning breeze. I could have called it a day but decided on something else I was gonna do here.

Because of my love for walks, I did a 30 minute walk to see what was around. I then came back to a spot I could watch pelicans. Watching birds is a relaxing activity. I didn’t come with enough to feed them. They were not all over my case because of that. Besides, had I come with too much fish, they were going to disturb me.

I spent some time feeding the pelicans with the little I carried. Just as well it was almost lunch.It was a peaceful atmosphere of the beach. With a bag of fish in hand, I watched in awe as the pelicans danced with the water. These feeding time created a special bond between us. Every fish I tossed was greeted with happy screams.

The beauty with being in Walvis Bay is that pelicans aren’t the only things to see. After leaving this place I thought getting up close and personal with the Atlantic Ocean was a perfect idea. I went to the Laramon Tours Catamarn Cruise offices and checked what was offered. I loved their cozy looking cruises.

I was immediately drawn in by the inviting atmosphere and the wide selection of cruise options on show. I was drawn to charm right away because it combined the promise of exploration with the ideal amount of comfort. The office’s knowledgeable staff offered insights into the range of activities, which included dolphin encounters and an exploration of the bay’s abundant marine life. I eagerly reserved a cruise, hoping to see the marvels of the coast.

It was nice to see some “visitors” join in and enjoy the cruise with us. I then realized this “visitor” had motives. There was fresh fish on the cruise which was inviting. I hoped this wouldn’t bring his whole family in. Seals are such interesting creatures. As we continued enjoying this cruise I saw a black space on the ocean. Going on further, it so happened that this visitor of ours was heading to its second home or chill spot. This seal was a freeloader. Free food and transport to its destination.

We found loads of them. I wish I could get closer and play with them but this was the furthest we could go. I must say day trips aren’t that bad. I had seen what I didn’t even plan to see. Spontaneity helped here. Unplanned trips can sometimes turn out good. Do consider a day trip or getaway when on this end.

November 20, 2023 6

Awesome Southern African cities you should visit in 2023 (Part 2)

The last time I filled you in on which cities you shouldn’t leave Southern Africa without seeing, I did mention that it’s good I have had to learn about my bucket-listed cities via blog posts, TV,and the like and that without them, I would not even know about certain parts of the world I desire to travel to. Today I am so geared to share with you the other cities around Southern Africa you should visit in 2023 or later. I was happy to have shared on why you should visit cities like Livingstone, Walvis Bay, Cape Town, Dar es salaam and Swakopmund. If this list didn’t make you start your travel plans, I hope to do a good job making you try out the following towns:

1) Mombasa (Kenya)

I once mentioned how Kenya is like literally the epitome of Africa.Very few humans could actually not have coastal cities as their ideal hide out or hangout place. Both the areas in and near Mombasa have a touristic touch but if not a tourist, you will still love Mombasa anyways. This city is known for its history and you could enjoy going down the history lane whilst admiring the Old Town which was the center for trade between the Africans and the Arabs.

Do stop over at Fort Jesus as well on your history tour and learn more there. It is tradition to take pictures of landmarks, so Pembe Za Ndovu should never be left behind without showing some love because this is like the face of Mombasa!

2) Stone Town (Zanzibar)

It’s good to be old school sometimes and seek the things of old. Stone Town is just perfect for this kind of vibe, l mean the place screams ‘history!’ The town has old structures rich in history. Visit the Old Fort of Zanzibar sometimes called The Arab Fort which is right in the heart of Stone Town close to lots of accomodation choices ranging from hostels to 5 star hotels. You will find some local entertainment going on there to keep your spirits up.

Stone Town is the starting point for the refreshing day trips to Prison Island, Nakupenda Island and indeed many other places I did not see. If you happen to be a food lover (especially one in love with seafood and Indian food), Stone Town will just do it for you! I found lots of restaurants and certainly enjoyed the ones I picked.

3) Lusaka (Zambia)

Not that the town is not that touristic but i have met many a traveller that aren’t that into touristic stuff yet travelling. Some travellers like this could enjoy many places in Lusaka like Trotover Farms for those into horses and enjoy some horse riding .

Lusaka boasts some game reserves and you don’t have to go so far off to have a safari experience and the perfect place for this would be Chaminuka Game Reserve which is close to the main airport and do enjoy watching animals.

Restaurants are also an ideal fun place especially for your taste buds. We have restaurants in the likes of Bombay Lounge, Keg restaurant and bar, Radisson Blu Hotel, The Quorum Hotel, Neelkanth Sarovar Premiere, for those who like to keep it fancy. Aside all these activities are others like the night life if that is your thing.

4) Windhoek (Namibia)

Namibia’s capital, Windhoek is a must-go. The city is calm, busy on some days and ideal for a short city getaway. There are historic landmarks like the Christuskirche i found which is the face of Windhoek. So much history attached to this structure! Other structures that captured my attention were the Independence Memorial Museum that focuses on struggle for independence. The museum is very close to the Christuskirche and could be seen in one tour.

I liked Windhoek for its affordable but neat accommodations. There are lots of shopping malls that offer lots of convenience. I loved the drive on the elevated pieces of land in certain parts of the city which was an opportunity to view the city from a better angle.

5) Kasane and Maun (Botswana)

There are many people I have asked about what one could do in Botswana and often times the replies make it appear like there isn’t really much one could do there. Maybe there is a reason some say so but I doubt the two towns Kasane and Maun would agree to that and am thinking so long there is a desert in the country, should be a reason for it to qualify as a place for people like me.

Kasane is a small border town in Botswana that offers the Chobe Safaris. These are famous safaris even on the Zambian side as you will find many Zambian tour companies offering day or more than a day trips to these national parks. This place I must say is elephant territory so you might want to watch out for these big fellows. I saw lots of those and other animals as well like the Impala family.

There are few cheap flights you could find from Kasane to Maun and back and this could give you the opportunity to see the lovely Okavango Delta from above that looks especially incredible!

These are the towns in Southern Africa that you should find a reason to visit.

August 24, 2023 11

Awesome Southern African cities you should visit in 2023 (Part 1)

💕Hey you! Part 2 coming soon!💕

If there is such a thing as winning the lottery, having a get-rich-quick scheme go as planned or I just happen to afford it, I want to visit North America, Europe, Canada and my absolute favorite, Australia but the way I see it, these will remain dreams for now, but, thanks to bloggers, TV and indeed all the places I have seen and appreciated these places through. Imagine if these channels were never available.

Today I especially woke up with a dire need to share Southern African cities I have come to love and hopefully encourage someone out there to consider adding these cities to their bucket list and even if it ends up being a dream, it’s free to dream, right?

By all means do try out:

1) Livingstone (Zambia)

Let’s say you happen to be on the Southern part of the continent of Africa on Zambian soil and not made it to Livingstone, then you haven’t lived. I think at this moment, Livingstone is tired of having me. This is a place you will find African dancers communicating to you, appreciating and welcoming you through dance. Feel free to tag along and enjoy the rhythms of Africa.

I have done Livingstone sometimes just to get soaked by the splashes from the mighty Victoria Falls. I want no one to disturb me when am spending time with her. You will want to enjoy your awesome moment with her after all she is one of the natural wonders of the world! I love Livingstone! Never a dull moment here. If it’s not the falls you wanna be at, do the Zambezi river, all in one town! This river is like the fourth longest river in Africa.

You will enjoy lots of activities done on this river. Many other activities will make your visit to Livingstone memorable like the nerve-wracking, adrenaline-boosting lion interaction. Most of all, if you are a foodie like I am, you don’t want too many restrictions when it comes to food so enjoy tasty crocodile at some restaurants here but I highly recommend Zambezi Cafe. Yu-m-mmmy!

2) Walvis Bay (Namibia)

This is a port town on the coasts of Namibia. It is said to be the second largest city in Namibia and the largest coastal city in the country. You will enjoy being in Walvis Bay as there are lots of boating and cruise companies to help you enjoy the Atlantic ocean and all that you can do there. Wanna enjoy the Atlantic ocean on African soil? Choose Walvis Bay. The cruise agency I highly recommend is the Laramon Tours which changed its name to Catamaran Charters. They offer variety of cruises suitable for all ocean lovers.

Walvis Bay is known for its varying birdlife for all those birders out there. Bucket list this place for all good hotels near the Atlantic ocean like Protea Hotel where you could enjoy your meals and stays with beautiful views.

3) Cape Town (South Africa)

I was amazed at how beautiful this city looks at night from where I stood. I was quite stunned. Coastal cities happen to be my favorite for some reason. Unlike other cities I have toured in my own style, I love that Cape Town offers city tours and the well known company offering these tours is the City Sightseeing red bus which is the hop on and hop off kind of touring. This absolutely gives you the opportunity to see Cape Town, Seapoint area in style enjoying the views of the Table mountain, Cape Wheel, Nobel Square and a boat cruise tour near the harbor area.

Sunsets in Cape Town are beautiful. It pays off to have a long beach walk and get rewarded with an amazing sunset. For your travel sustainable, clean accomodation, I recommend Mojo hotel in Seapoint right next to where the Atlantic and Indian ocean meet.

4) Dar es salaam (Tanzania)

We celebrate Tanzania because of its beautiful city of Dar es salaam. Everytime I have been here, I always find that this city gives me a whole new vibe. Its beautiful beaches could be well appreciated from pleasure resorts like Azure Boutique Resort. I wanted a quiet moment at the beach and didn’t want a public beach. It was only me, the ocean, the birds and this moment I will not forget. I knew that though Dar es salaam is such a loud town, I would enjoy the coastal town by trying out a private beach.

The market place in Kariakoo, I loved! I went round, shop after shop and all sorts of things by the market place are sold and I even took time to ask what some of this stuff was. I especially enjoyed taking a personal tour round the town center area and Mbezi area using their mode of transport I was enjoying to use because we don’t have these kinds back home. Try Dar es salaam for lots more other activities I did not do. Because it’s on the east side of Africa, you will love the sunrise in this town and you know what else caught my attention? Coconuts! Coconuts! Coconuts!

5) Swakopmund (Namibia)

This beautiful city full of awesome scenery is found on the Western part of the country. The beauty with this town is how you can enjoy the best of two worlds, the desert and indeed the coast right in one space! How amazing can it get?!

I had way too much choice here. Took a walk down the road from the place I lodged at and bumped into a tour company right in the desert area called Desert Explorers.

Looking at camels then quad bikes, the adrenaline in me picked the bikes. You will appreciate the dunes using these tours. I was there for hours and would have loved to be there longer!

💕Hey you! Part 2 coming soon!💕

July 1, 2023 2

Would I visit Fort Jesus again?(Part 2)

The answer to this question is a simple “yes!” because as things are at the moment, I wanted to read many of the information posters and boards standing and stuck in the museum at this fort but because of time……I couldn’t. Like I mentioned in the previous blog post about Fort Jesus, the place was dripping with history content unlike the Old Fort of Zanzibar that I don’t quite remember spotting a big museum at. Fort Jesus of Kenya had so much in it that shows that there is a lot of past to be treasured.

The few hours I spent in the museum got me to the realisation that a picture is truly worth a thousand words.This is so because I looked around the museum on my own for some of the amazing ancient figures that were there but also sort the help of a guide to explain some facts on other figures.

Some of the cool old stuff I saw at the museum, though junkie looking, did have lots of history attached to them. Like say this antique below which am pretty sure I have seen in some homes here in Zambia, could just be a chair…..but this chair was a state chair used in the 17th century and made In India in a Portuguese style.

It was used by the last up holders of independence who was the Sheik of Siyu (Bwana Mataka Bin Mubarak Al- famau) and his son Sheik Muhammed. ‘Siyu’ is a location in Kenya and ”Sheikh” was in the Arabic sense an elderly man with a position of leadership and yes, that is a full name. Cool chair!

‘‘You know what? This treasure chest looks like my jewellery box back home……,” I thought to myself as I continued to explore Fort Jesus museum. It was a Persian chest dating as far back as the 13th century. Like wow! Hopefully it continues to be preserved in many more years.

I looked ahead and noticed some place near the left side of the museum as you get in. The label Mombasa Wreck Excavation caught my attention but what was this place trying to showcase?

All I saw was some structure that looked like a diver. It sounds like divers find really cool stuff under water, huh….? This local diver must have been doing his own thing when he ”bang!”found some ship of 38 metres going by a cool name Santo Antonio de Tanna. His adventure (thanks to him) has led many to learn about this ship that sunk and some man going by the name of Dr James Kirkman directed a small excavation which later on led to a survey done on the wreck site. Cool stuff if you ask me.

Time was running out and I had to be out of this place so in wanting to do a quick exit, I bumped into some cool structures of what I think were figures of Arab ,Portuguese or Indian people because of the kind of dressing. For these ones, all I wanted was to stand next to them.

Whales! Ever seen a 48 foot long creature? Maybe you have but I haven’t. It’s good I saw the remains because imagining one in motion will take up lots of my energy.

So basically you will find a skeleton of a humpback whale on display here, the remains of a Portuguese sailor, some cool old Mombasa doors which remind me of Zanzibarian doors and something that looked like it was a make believe human thing to be placed in a corn field to chase away unwanted ‘visitors’ from the field.

What can I say except another visit is in order so that I get to read in detail what I couldn’t because of rushing to leave. Do try this place out by all means.

March 30, 2023 3

Namib Desert tours

Namib Desert is a vast cold coastal desert in Southern Africa.It has some of the biggest sand dunes in the world! It could be the oldest desert in the world and contains some of the world’s driest regions.

Visiting Namibia was a delight. it was amazing. My target was to visit Windhoek, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. I first imagined myself having fun at the sand dunes before it actually just BANG!!! Happened. With no appointment whatsoever, I got to a place called Desert Explorers in Swakopmund.This place has lots of tours one could enjoy.

I was up for going quad biking on these big sand dunes! The place is found near Nathaniel Maxuilili road and I didn’t have to spend on transport because it was quite close to where I lodged.

The company other than doing quad bike tours also has camel rides, dolphin cruises, sky diving, sand boarding, kayaking, paragliding, go-karting etc. This place usually operates from 8am to 6pm every day of the week.

I wanted to boost my adrenaline levels and the quad bikes were just that perfect thing I needed. Their quad biking tours always have to be with at least four bikers and this is where solo travelling either gets interesting because you get to meet people or this is where it sucks because you kind of want your space….it depends.

I was the only female in that tour.The tour guide was of course lively and interesting and about the bucks, it’s about 50 dollars for a 2 hours biking session. All protective gear was given and the wonderful thing is that we have the image of deserts always being unbearably hot, but this tour is close to the coast and was cool or maybe it was because of the time of the year I had travelled.

Am not sure what you would like to do for that adrenaline boost when you are in this part of Africa but do pay this place a visit, it will be worth the while.

October 11, 2022 1

Namibia’s Christuskirche

Me enjoying my moment at the Christuskirche 🇳🇦

Christuskirche also called Christ Church is a historic landmark in Windhoek, Namibia.It is a Lutheran church belonging to German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia.

I wish I had the chance to see the inside

It was designed by architect Gottlieb Redecker in 1900 and shows us the German colonial influence in Namibia.

The wars between the German colony and the local Khoi Khoi put these plans on hold.The church was completed in 1910.

The structure was declared a national monument in 1974.Sunday morning services are still held in the church and are conducted in German.

August 12, 2022 6