Here is a beautiful desert flower that bloomed this morning in my backyard! They only live for a day and I wanted to share it with you! Come to Namibia and see all of our desert wonders.
If you want more of my writing, you can see my weekly feature column in the Windhoek Observer www.observer.com and my monthly piece in the Insight Magazine, www.insight.com.
Lest we forget Namibia has wildlife views that are spectacular, allow me to share some other pix from my friends the Hurds:
Elephants taking dust baths are common now in Namibia! We must have RAIN very soon. It seems some rain is predicted for this weekend. Let's hope! Rain, rain come today, little elephants want to play!
On with the BLOG -
I just returned from a conference in Lesotho. They call it the Mountain Kingdom. It was a quick trip to represent the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) at a Southern African Customs Union (SACU) meeting. Great information about joining private sector with public sector to meet and talk together about better cross-border trade issues in the region so that each country can better harmonize what they are doing. All too often, countries 'tariff' each other to death, yet they are in the same Customs Union? Governments often pass trade restrictions without consulting the private sector and that needs to be stopped. This new vehicle for private/public sector to meet on these issues can help get this in check.
Sorry, I didn't have my camera handy to get photos while driving in from the airport and seeing some of the sights on the tours we took. There are plateaus al over like old John Wayne western movies and the air is clean and crisp.
I stayed at the Maseru Sun Hotel which, sorry to say... is a dump. I should have taken photos, but I thought that was extreme. I think my words will paint an accurate picture.
Aside from the fact that they lost my reservation and I was left standing for 45 minutes until a manager could be found to sort the matter, the rooms are a hang-over infused flashback from the 1970's. The curtains in my room pre-dated my marriage... we just celebrated our 25th anniversary last month. My 'sheer' inner curtain was torn and dirty (room 324). the beds are horrific foam-ish things and not firm spring mattresses. The pillows were new and soft though and the bed linens were white and smelled fresh.
Get this: there is an AM radio between the two beds and the room telephone is a reject from 1980!? Whaaat? The internet is EXTRA cost! Accommodation providers in the 21st century that charge extra for the internet are ripping their clients off. It is like charging extra for pillows.
The food was passable, but they don't know what a fried egg, EASY-OVER means and they don't understand 'crispy bacon.' They only know 'well done' eggs and undercooked pork streaky bacon' and tasteless Danish-wannabe dried things on the breakfast buffet.
The shower requires Olympic high jump skills to get into the tub and then to wash. This is the old fashioned style with the tub and shower as one. No hold-on handles or safety bars anywhere - I was afraid I would fall. I nearly stripped my skin bear using the hard towels. But, at least I could exfoliate my skin and dry myself at the same time.
The rooms had yellow light that is so dim! There is no overhead light in the room and that makes reading at night a challenge! Maybe they dim the lights so that you can't notice that the rooms haven't seen investment in 20+ years. They even still have real, actual keys for the rooms! No computer card systems there.
But seriously?? The Sun International people should be ashamed to have a hotel bear their brand and look like that one!
I can say with a straight face that Namibia knows how to do accommodation. We have hotels in our Capital City that rival anywhere in the world for comfort, efficacy and style all wrapped up in one. While we still need to work on consistent, friendly SERVICE issues, we have the infrastructure to let our business travelers relax in style at all price ranges.
Visit Namibia and check it out! When you come, tell'em - Jackie sent ya'
By the way...my Labrador pups are now 6 weeks old. Here are some photos at 5 weeks. I will take new photos today and get them to the VET for their puppy shots.
Readers in Namibia, they are available as of next week! They are N$3000 each. We have 6 girls and 2 boys. They are booking fast so, send me an email: Asheeke@africaonline.com.na!
This is a pup at 6 weeks. They are adorable!
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