I am back now from my week long holiday in Namibia and what a trip it was. There are far too many things to put into one blog post so I've decided to divide my trip into a few different posts for your enjoyment. As you can see my first post will be my...
Guide to Surviving Your Namibian Road Trip
The roads in Namibia are no joke. While here in South Africa we do have the random baboon crossing and seemingly suicidal taxi drivers Namibia has many other things to worry about while driving.
Tip #1 - Know the law
In Namibia there is a police facilitated road block about 70km outside of every city. They are quite purposeful in helping police forces catch smugglers and poachers because there is basically only one main road in all of Namibia, but they are an extreme hassle for the average holiday-ing foreigner. You must educate yourself on the various motor laws in Namibia, and on the fines attached to disobeying them, because Namibian police do not have any mercy, and in some cases fabricate fines.
Real life example - We thought only the front seat passengers needed to be wearing seatbelts, but in reality the actual law is that all passengers need to be wearing seatbelts.
Us- " Good morning officer"
Officer- "Why aren't you 3 wearing seatbelts? That is $3,000 spot-fine for each"
Luckily we were able to talk our way out of this, but after actually researching the fine it is lawfully only supposed to be $300 per person. Many Namibians said that since it is now the Christmas season many officers are increasing their "spot-fines" (a fine you must pay in cash on the spot).
We inquired at the border what we need to lawfully drive in Namibia, and were told we only need our road tax papers... but here is a list of the things you actually DO need in order to avoid a fine.
-Road tax paperwork
-License sticker
-ZA sticker (if from South Africa, there is a $500 fine for not having)
Tip #2-Do not drive alone if you can help it
I have never been a strong night-driver, but I could never make the drive alone in Namibia. 98% of the road does not have street lamps, and you literally drive in a basic straight line for hundreds of kilometers. It is so easy to nod-off on these roads due to their lack of lighting and towns, and extremely repetitive scenery.
While at most times there might not be any other drivers on the road, you must still be completely aware. Buck, rabbits, warthogs, and the random road-side horse are all along the side of the road and of course run in front of your car at the most convenient time. It is best to have a co-pilot to switch driving shifts with.
Tip #3- Always have a spare tire
At some points along our trip the roads were unbelievably terrible. Enormous pot holes, large stones from road works, and huge drop-offs on the side of the road. Many of the roads are gravel as well, which does not make for an easy trip. Make sure to bring a spare tire because I can't think of anything worse that being stuck in the dark on the side of the road in Namibia. It is not safe, and there is hardly any cell phone service.
The best place I've found for information on traveling in Namibia is the AA, so go online or give them a call before you even think about crossing the border in to Namibia.
Namibian roads = hectic.
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