Namibia’s top draw is the Etosha National Park, rated as one of Africa’s finest game sanctuaries. The birding experience in the country is truly superior. On a Namibia safari, the range of activities you can indulge in the unsurpassable physical environment is truly impressive. Ballooning over the desert, skydiving over land and sea, paragliding, whitewater rafting and sand skiing along coastal dunes are good activities for starters. More fun games to pick from include abseiling – that most spectacular of rock sports, coastal and fresh water angling, desert camel riding, scuba diving, 4×4 desert runs, hiking and mountaineering.

Namibia has four distinct geographical regions. In the north is Etosha Pan, a great area for wildlife and heart of Etosha National Park. The slender Caprivi Strip is nested between Zambia and Botswana and is a wet area of woodland blessed with a few rivers. Along the coast is the Namib Desert, which at the age of 80 million years old, is said to be the world’s oldest desert. At the coast, the icy cold Atlantic meets the blazing African desert, resulting in dense fogs. The well-watered central plateau runs north to south, and carries rugged mountains, magnificent canyons, rocky outcrops and expansive plains.

Namibia, one and half times the size of France, is very sparsely inhabited and carries only 1.8 million souls. The people are as unique as the land they live on. The most intriguing are the San, otherwise known as Bushmen. These most hardy of people have a highly advanced knowledge of their environment. It is a marvelous thing how well they are adapted to their difficult habitat. Just pause and think that these are the only people in the world who live with no permanent access to water. In the Kalahari Desert, one of their domiciles, surface water is not to be found. Tubers, melons, and other water bearing plants as well as underground sip wells supply their water requirements.

In Namibia today, Bushmen number about 50,000. Historians estimate that they have lived, mostly as hunters and gatherers, for at least 25,000 years in these parts of the world. Bushmen speak in a peculiar click language and are very gifted in the arts of storytelling, mimicry, and dance. Namibia’s other people, who are indigenous to the continent, are mostly of Bantu origin. They are thought to have arrived from western Africa from about 2,400 years ago. The African groups include the Owambo, Kavango, Caprivians, Herero, Himba, Damara, Nama and Tswana.

The Africans aside, other groups comprise about 15% of the population and have played an important role in the emergence of the modern nation. White Namibians amount to about 120,00 and are mainly of German and Afrikaner heritage. Germans arrived in significant numbers after 1884 when Bismarck declared the country a German Protectorate. Afrikaners, white farmers of Dutch origin, moved north from their Cape settlements, especially after the Dutch Cape Colony was ceded to the British in 1806. This strongly independent people, whose ancestors had lived in the Cape from 1652 resented British control.

Two other distinct groups complete the spectrum of Namibia’s people – Basters and Coloureds. Coloured in Namibia and southern Africa refers to people of mixed racial heritage, black- white for example. They have a separate identity and culture. This makes sense considering that Namibia was run by South Africa after the First World War. Even in pre-Apartheid South Africa, racial classification was a fine art. The Afrikaans-speaking Basters, descended from Hottentot women and Dutch settlers of the Cape. Alienated from both white and black communities, they trekked northwards, finally founding their own town Rehoboth, in 1871. Baster is actually derived from “bastard”, but it is not derogatory, and the Basters are indeed proud of it.

Namibia’s barren and unwelcoming coastlines served as a natural deterrent to the ambitions of European explorers. That was until 1884 when the German merchant Adolf Luderitz established a permanent settlement between the Namib Desert and the Atlantic seaboard that afterwards took his name. Bismarck subsequently declared the territory covered by Namibia a German colony and named it Sdwestafrika or South West Africa. As German settlers moved into the interior, conflict was inevitable with the inheritors of the land.

The German occupation was a particularly unhappy experience for the Herero. The Herero resented the German’s harsh and racist rule and the effect of the encroachment on their lands on their livelihood and way of life. On the first day of the year 1904, the Herero led by Chief Samuel Maharero, rose suddenly and unexpectedly in arms against their colonial overlords. The Nama joined the insurrection and the authorities did not regain control even after six months of trying. Over 100 German settlers and soldiers died in the uprising. Historians now consider events that followed to constitute the first genocide of the twentieth century.

Lieutenant General Lothar von Trotha was furnished with a contingent of 14,000 soldiers and tasked to put down the rebellion. The governor general of the territory was then Rudolph Goering -the father of Herman Goering, Hitler’s right hand man. Lothar von Trotha was a generation ahead of his time and his kind of thinking was to become government policy under the Third Reich. He argued that the Herero must be destroyed as a people and he did not wince at the murder of women or children. At the end of it all, 100,000 Nama and Herero were killed. The survivors were herded in concentration camps where unspeakable things happened. The Herero fared very badly and 80% of her people perished. The population of the Nama diminished by 35-50%.

Windhoek, the capital of 165,000 people is the only true city in the country. For those traveling to more remote regions, this is where you settle practical matters. The positive aspects of the German period can be seen in the charming style of older buildings in the city. Places of interest in the city include the State Museum, State Archives, and the Namibia Crafts Centre. The Dan Viljoen Game Park lies 24 Km west of Windhoek on the gentle hills of Khoma Hochland. In this resort you find ostriches, baboons, zebras and over 200 species of birds. The Waterburg Plateau Park, located 230 km from Windhoek is popular with weekenders. This extensive mountain wilderness is home to cheetah, leopard, kudu, giraffe, and white rhino.

Etosha National Park is what brings wildlife lovers to Namibia. The park is comparable in size and diversity of species with the best in Africa. The unusual terrain of Etosha holds savanna grassland, dense brush and woodland. But it is the Etosha Pan, a depression that sometimes holds water and covers 5,000 sq km, that is the heart of park. The perennial springs around the pan, attract many birds and land animals in the dry winter months. The effect of this background is magical and some of the best wildlife photographs have been taken here.

There are 144 mammal species in the park and elephants are particularly abundant. Some other interesting wildlife here includes giraffe, leopard, cheetah, jackal, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and black rhino. The birding is great at Etosha and over 300 bird species have been recorded. You will get best value by spending at least three days here. There are excellent accommodation facilities at the three rest camps of Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo. The best time to see animals is between May and September, when water draws them in huge numbers to the edge of the pan. Etosha is 400 km to the north of Windhoek by road.

The Fish River Canyon is unrivalled in Africa and only the Grand Canyon in the U.S in larger. The Canyon runs for 160 km and reaches a width of 27 km and depth of 550 m. But size alone does not explain the appeal of the canyon. You experience incredible views at various points along the rim. Adventure lovers do not merely come for the views. Hiking through the canyon is the ultimate endurance adventure for hikers. There is an established 90 km hiking trail that will take you 4-5 days to cover.

The trail ends at Ai-Ais hot spring resort where you can unwind. You are allowed to hike between early May and end of September. The hike is quite strenuous and needless to say, you must be physically fit. The authorities disbelieve the capacity of most people to undertake the hike and will actually insist on seeing a medical certificate of fitness before allowing you to start off. Fish River Canyon is 580 km to the south of Windhoek.

The Skeleton Coast has been the graveyard of seafarers and whales and deserves that morbid name. The problem is the dense fogs. And woe to the ship wreck survivor who expects respite onshore! Ahead is the Namib Desert, one of the driest and most unwelcoming places. Adventure travelers love trekking along the coastline as they enjoy the stark beauty of the area. To the south at Cape Cross, you find a seal colony carrying tens of thousands of seals. The Skeleton Coast Park covers 16,400 sq km and begins at 355 km northwest of Windhoek.

The Portuguese explorer Diego Cao reached this part of the world in the year 1486. He is probably one of the people whose experiences discouraged Europeans from venturing ashore until the arrival of the Germans 400 years later. Further south is the Namib-Naukluft National Park, a vast wilderness covering 50,000 sq km. The landscape is very diverse and covers mountain outcrops, majestic sand dunes, and deep cut gorges. For really spectacular dunes, the Sossusvlei area is unsurpassed. Here you have dunes rising to 300 m! The orange tint giants extend as far as the horizon and the area has an unreal, unforgettable atmosphere.

To the northeast of the country, the well-watered Kavango and Caprivi Strip region offers an unspoilt wilderness suitable for rugged game viewing and camping. The area also promises a feast for bird lovers. Game reserves in the area include: Kaudom, Caprivi, Mahango, Mudumu and Mamili. Poachers did great damage to wildlife during the years of the civil war in neighbouring Angola. Animal numbers are however building up rapidly. Some of the wildlife in the region includes leopard, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, lion and various antelope species. The Caprivi Reserve falls in an area of swamps and flood plains. Here you have an opportunity to partake fishing, hiking, game viewing safaris and river trips in traditional mokoro boats.

In Namibia you can enjoy up to 300 days of sunshine. The coast is temperate and thermometers run between 5C-25C. Inland, daytime temperatures range from 20C-34C, but can rise to 40C in the north and south of the country. Winter nights can be quite cold and frost occurs over large parts of the country. The rains inland fall in summer (November-April) and are heaviest in the Caprivi region. Rains do not much affect travel, but beware of flash floods in the vicinity of riverbeds. The best time to travel is over the dry months of March to October, when it is easier to see animals at waterholes. It is best to avoid the Namib Desert and Etosha between December and March when it can get unbearably hot.

You can get by wearing light cottons and linens in summer. Over winter nights and mornings, you need heavier cottons, warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as the ground gets very hot. Some useful stuff to pack includes: camera, binoculars, sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen and mosquito repellant. Be ready for dusty conditions and carry your clothing, equipment and supplies in dust proof bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made of ivory. You may not be allowed to carry them through customs at home. And it also good that you do not encourage the trade in ivory products that keeps poachers busy.

About the Author

Copyright Africa Point

Andrew Muigai is editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter. It is part of AfricaPoint.com- the Africa travel website that has helped thousands of travelers discover Africa. You can view more info on Namibia safari and tours at the website.

Written By: Andrew Muigai

1. Portable Applications that you can control
2. Hang Gliding. By Robert Lett.

To see how to use your handheld like a professional, send an email with “ebook” in the subject to receive a free version of the ebook at: ebook@robertlett.com

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Portable Applications that you can control
By Chuck Schwartz

Theres a history of success stories for large companies fielding mobile applications on handheld computing devices. Whether helping track packages, placing orders or taking inventories enterprises have save millions of dollars each year by putting computing power directly into the hands of their mobile workers.

Unfortunately the same results have never been translated down to smaller organizations or work groups. The number one reason for this mobility software systems are largely custom applications, created to meet specific tasks on a one up basis. This is fine when you are deploying hundreds or thousands of handhelds. There is an economy of scale that reduces the cost per individual handheld to a very manageable level. But when translated to smaller deployment counts something happens. Since the cost for software doesnt change based around the number of handhelds deployed, Return on Investment gets skewed, paybacks become too long and projects dont get done.

An emerging trend is to employ software generation tools for handheld computers that are easy enough to be used by non-programmers. This allows organizations to take control of their own applications. Typically these systems are forms replacement systems. The forms paradigm makes a lot of sense in these environments since the work being replaced onto the handheld computer likely started as field forms on a clipboard. One of these products, Portable Forms by Rovenet, is especially suited for these roles as it can take existing paperwork and turn it into data applications for handheld computers and smartphones in minutes.

Using patent pending On-Demand Programming technology, Portable Forms users take existing forms in editors like Microsoft Word and add simple intelligence. This template document is then run through a web application that converts it into application code for Palm OS and PocketPC devices that connect and receive it wirelessly or during HotSync operations. Users then go out into the field and collect their information. Once a work cycle is complete they reconnect to the Internet and Portable Forms delivers their information as emails, web delivery, databases, faxes and other means.

Using Portable Forms enterprises with as few as one field worker have seen Return on Investment paybacks of a few months, often even weeks. To learn more about this amazing product go to www.portableforms.com

To see how to use your handheld like a professional, send an email with “ebook” in the subject to receive a free version of the ebook at: ebook@robertlett.com

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Hang Gliding. By Robert Lett:
Zero to 5000 feet in 3 steps! With any type of flight, you must log your times and locations for upgrades to your license. With all the flight log programs, you’ll have to look at each one and see which you might like to use. One of the one I use is real basic but it allows you to connect to your existing Palm Address Book to log your flying buddies. The really nice feature of these programs is that it allows you to see all the flights you’ve taken from a particular location, or all flights you have had in the last year where you broke 10,000 feet. It also allows you to analysis where you might seem to be having your best flights from. (This way, if you’re feeling down, just go back to the place where you keep having your best flights, and you are almost guarantied to have a great day)! Most of these programs are for private pilot and beyond flight logging. But they work really well for Hang Gliding, Paragliding, or any other type of sport flying. The last time I was PIC (Pilot In Command) of a motorized aircraft was a C172 in 1987, this was the year I found Hang Gliding, and I’ve never looked back!

Timing of each flight is important. The clock programs usually have a stopwatch feature, they will either allow for counting up or down depending on what you want. Some of the flight log programs also have this feature. With the flight log programs, when you stop the clock, it automatically adds it to the flight log. You can always edit it later if you let the time run too long.

Another nice thing about using the clock programs is that you should be able to time more than one thing at a time. Most clock programs will allow you to name your timers. This will allow you to time yourself along with 3 or 4 of your flying buddies. You can even set all the timers to start simultaneously. So after you’ve named them, just one click and they all start. The only problem with this is you almost have to land first to be able to stop the timers for your buddies. I’ve dropped my Smartphone quiet a few times, but that’s only from about 4 to 5 feet at most, and so far, it’s survived each drop. I don’t think any Smartphone out there was meant to survive a 7000-foot drop. (I haven’t tried this yet)! I don’t suggest you try it either. I have a funny, non-fuzzy feeling it won’t make it.

The ParaPhone: I have tried to design a small parachute for my Smartphone. But I haven’t yet had the guts to actually give it a try. I guess I’m just chicken! I would also need a beacon of some kind to locate the phone in the middle of the woods, or where ever it lands after leaving the comfort of my Hang Glider harness. More on this later – watch www.robertlett.com for updates.

Most of the pilots use Amatuer radio’s to communicate with one another. I’m just waiting on the day where my Smartphone will incorporate at least the 2 meter and 7cm Amatuer bands. And a 1KHz to 1GHz scanner would also be nice! I’m still waiting.
The flight logs will also hold any notes you would like to make about another pilot. With mine, I keep radio information on each pilot I fly with. Some use HAM radio and others use Hang Gliding specific radios which are in the 151MHz band. This way I know which radio to carry with me so I can be on the same frequency.
Some of the more advanced flight decks with incorporated GPS will give the entire flight history of the last 10 flights. This data is easiely sent to your computer for future use. With programs such as DocsToGo or MiniCalc/Chart you can view all your past flights from a particular site graphically. The software outputs a comma delimited file that can be imported to a spreedsheet program. As long as the spreedsheet program has charting capabilities, you can view the graphs created from previous flights. Which is nice to get a graph chart on your average flight times, site altitude, flight track, and distance. Now when you are traveling, you just pull up the next location, and your flight trends are right there in the palm of your hand along with all the people you met at that location. And all the contact information you might need.
These GPS flightdeck units will usually have the following display capable:
Wind speed
Wind direction
Time of day
Flight time
Speed over ground
Diff. speed between TAS and groundspeed
Altitude over destination
Distance to destination
Bearing
Track
Direction to best climb in vicinity
Ambient temperature
Altimeter 2 (relative)
Altimeter 3 (cumulated altitude)
Barometric pressure (HPa/in Hg)
Glide ratio (through air, over ground, to waypoint)
You can check them out at: www.flytec.com

I’ve gone to a few new spots that I was planning to skip. And had to go online and search for contacts to call for site permissions. I would just do this while sitting next the fire at the camp site the night before showing up. Then, when I was getting close to the new site, just give them a call and pickup all the information I need. By the time I arrived at the site, everyone was ready for me. I knew what frequencies they used. What their procedures were and where to sign in. And of course, sign a waiver if need be. (People always worry about you crashing or something)!? Usually, before hitting the sack and the camp ground the night before, I email ahead to my contact list at the original site, just to let them know I might be a few days behind. (Something about this sport makes people paranoid when you don’t call when plans change. I have no idea why! I’ve been chewed-out by someone I didn’t even know, for not checking in with them).

To see how to use your handheld like a professional, send an email with “ebook” in the subject to receive a free version of the ebook at: ebook@robertlett.com

Find out more of what it’s all about: www.robertlett.com/whatisit5.htm

This document is under Copyright through Infinite Data. You have permission to copy this document in its’ entirety and make duplicates. You may not change, add, or edit anything within the document. Thank you for your help.

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About the author:

www.robertlett.com
An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have it all with you, ANYTIME – ANYWHERE!

Robert Lett has operated his 25 year old company Infinite Data for the past 4 years with nothing more than a handheld Smartphone. As a public records research specialist, I need to have all my important files with me when ever I speak with a client. I now carry all those files with me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, hanging on my belt. I haven’t sat at my desk in front of my computer for over 3 years. Be productive 24/7, anywhere – anytime.

Written By: Robert Lett