Day 112- Swakopmund 23/1/13

A leisurely morning walking around this town - doesn't really seem "African" at all, some of us even think it looks rather like the Midwest of the USA (now, not in the days of cowboys and Indians). Very wide streets, with low level buildings, almost all of which look smart. There are still a number of the old ones from the German colonial days, and obviously a large number of German speakers here - for example a German newspaper, and many of the signs are in German, as well as English plus Afrikaans from the days when it "belonged" to South Africa.

Gerald (our guide yesterday) was "white", born to German parents who came here in the early 50s, and was really quite glowing about the town and indeed the country: "everything works here", and there are big plans for industry, but of course adverse knock on effects for the environment so big decisions to be made. Everyone seems to look prosperous, with shops ranging from good quality to downright expensive.

I am writing this having returned (wait for it) from an afternoon's quad biking out on the dunes. Yes, that really is me in the photo, just to prove it. I can assure you it took quite a lot of heart searching to summon up the courage, but at least I can say that I have done it.

Other photos are to give a feel of Swakopmund as well as our "The Prisoner" bungalows.

Looks as if it is springbok on the menu tonight, then we move south tomorrow.