At an altitude of 39 400 feet, en route to Addis Ababa from Windhoek, I could not help but hear the excitement of an Italian couple sitting next to me. 

They were reflecting on their just-ended excursion in Namibia as they browsed through photos they had taken. 

My eyes and ears could not help wandering.

Hailing from Perugia, about 100 kilometres north of Rome, Claudio Antonio Stinchi and Sara Becchetti spent 12 days in Namibia, visiting places such as Etosha National Park, Uis, Spitzkoppe, Skeleton Coast, Swakopmund, Sandwich Harbour, Sossusvlei and Deadvlei.

“We wanted to go to Africa – to a place with stunning sightseeing, visit the desert, do a safari, see the savanna, meet other cultures and do all these things alone and in a safe place.

Namibia met all the requirements, so it has been an easy choice,” they said. 

“We almost cried. Not only in the desert, but also in the savanna. Italy is beautiful, but we are used to our landscapes. Here, there’s nothing like Namibian scenery. Sometimes, our eyes have seen more than our hearts could contain,” stated Stinchi.

The karate teacher said they first started in Windhoek and went to Etosha National Park, spending two days doing a self-drive safari.

“We had the chance to see many animals, including a lot of elephants, zebras, giraffes, wildebeests, lions, warthogs, marabous, kudus, springboks, oryx, impalas and mongooses. Every sighting was just wow. We will never forget the beauty of seeing all those creatures in their habitat,” he vividly recalled.

Stinchi said a fundamental part of the experience has been what they have seen along the road.  From the animals to the ever-changing scenery, they said driving in Namibia really is the trip itself. 

They could not tell how many times they pulled over to take pictures.

“We don’t like to travel with guides or other people. We need to feel free to make things at our own pace, to decide by ourselves what to do and for how long, and to be silly

together without looking weird to others. The experience of self-driving has been fun from the beginning to the end of our trip. It was part of the experience itself. We are not new to

driving alone while travelling, even for long distances, but this was the first time that we drove such a distance on asphalt,” Stinchi stated.

He said it was a great feeling, as it gave their trip an even wilder touch.

He added that driving on gravel and desert roads has been like going to a huge amusement park.

The sportsman stated that they drove to the Uis area, slept close to a Himba community who moved there, in a jaw-dropping landscape at a campsite called Ozohere.

“We had the chance to learn a lot about their culture and lifestyle. It is so different from our Western society, yet so interesting. They might not have all the comforts we have, but I think they have a connection with nature that we have completely lost. Their lives are simple, but I feel like they know much better than we do – how you can be happy just by being alive, following the pace of the earth. We have lost a lot in our modern life,” Stinchi reflected.

Becchetti was not a fan of camping, but she lived the experience to see another day. 

They had the tents that were attached to the roof of the car. 

It was these spontaneous activities that made the trip more adventurous.

“We are both vegans, and we knew that Namibia is not a vegan-friendly country yet, so we

were prepared. Plus, we spent most of our time on the road, and we did not want to waste our time by cooking something, lighting up the fire and stuff like that. So, we basically ate

sliced bread, canned vegetables, protein shakes and bananas for 12 days. When in Swakopmund, we wanted to try some Namibian restaurants, but there was meat or seafood

everywhere, so we ended up doing something we never do abroad: eating Italian. We found a nice pizzeria, and we ate pizzas twice,” said the high school teacher.

She added: “On our last day in Windhoek, we wanted to go eat somewhere, but we were so tired. We decided to have dinner in our room – some bread and protein shakes”.

“The last day was time to say goodbye to this incredible country. We came back home pretty tired but with so much beauty in our minds that we probably still have to fully

process it. More than once, we really felt moved, almost to tears, just by being surrounded by such beautiful, vast, uncontaminated nature. Namibia will always have a special place in our hearts,” said Becchetti.

The duo said: “If you want to spend money for the trip and return home richer than you were before leaving, then go to Namibia. What you will see, feel and experience is priceless.

It will be with you until the end of your days. Just grab your tickets, go and enjoy the wonders of the enchanting Namibia. Always be respectful of the nature around you”.

-psiririka@nepc.com.na