Namibia is home to welcoming people and renowned for the oldest desert, the Namib. – It’s velvety sand is hosted alongside a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean.
Perhaps it could be the fascinating geographical formations that lure you to make this your next holiday destination.
Let’s just conclude that it offers it all… beautiful landscapes, clear skies, rugged and soft nature. But there is a humourous and peculiar side too.
Here are a few unusual things you could experience that are truly Namibian:
Don’t be alarmed when someone walks beside you in the shopping mall with their pyjamas or hair curlers – they might have run out of coffee or milk, and were enticed to shop after seeing all the promotional prices in the supermarket.
Vendors selling vegetables outside supermarkets or shopping malls is very normal.
People dressed in their traditional attire as they run errands – these clothes are not only reserved for special occasions.
Aunties cooking and selling soul food right next to a construction site, so you might as well stop for a vetkoek or kapana.
Taxis hooting non stop when they see you walking, don’t mind them as they are only in search for clients, so just smile and wave.
When you hop onto public transport, on most occasions it is the first time people meet and it might seem as though they have been friends for a long while.
A few BMW or Toyota donkey carts will be in sight while journeying to one of the Gondwana Lodges.
Don’t break your head when someone directs you to the ‘robot’, it is only the traffic lights.
When the vendor mentions that you owe them a ‘tiger’ for their cool drink sale, they mean N$10.
Most people you meet as you ask for directions or simply speak to, will use two or more languages in a sentence – but eventually speak in English.
You hear people refer to Friday as Flyday or Sixty as Sickisty.
In winter Namibians flock into the sunniest corner like the rock Dassies, it’s freezing out here.
For many young people every older woman or man they cross paths with is referred to Meme or Tate (Mom or Dad) – it is a symbol of respect.
If you make use of public transport, you might hear the same song multiple times, don’t get annoyed it is just the song of the hour. – This too shall pass.
In the Katutura Township, you will have the barbershop right next to a kapana sales man who is next to a car wash that is connected to the bar – so there’s always a chance to do it all at once.
You will notice a few crowds of people in the central business district (CBD), and no they are not demonstrating but purely waiting for public transportation.
Internet connection will humble you, as it’s most probably slower than where you are from but you will survive.
When walking alongside a construction site or a bus or truck, you could hear someone whisper…my size, so don’t get offended just walk by as it’s a way of saying you sure are good looking. – Take it as a compliment!
Have fun on your Namibian adventure, and you will certainly enjoy either one or two of these unusual experiences.
What are some other unusual Namibian experiences? What experiences do you look forward to? Let us know by sharing your story in the comment section below.
Author – I’m Nela, from Windhoek Namibia but born in a small village called Omatunda in northern Namibia. I am passionate about writing, research and photography, as it helps me gain knowledge about people and my country.
