Descending the dunes

Day 116 of the project, 
slightly south of the Namibian border, South Africa

Of all the countries on my itinerary, few people knew much about the Republic of Namibia. The country became an independent nation in 1994. It has one of the world's lowest population densities with only 2.1 million people in its vast borders. The economy is heavily dependent on mining, but growth in tourism has prompted the creation of national parks. Namibia has the raw, uncharted ruggedness that appeals to the desert enthusiasts and adventure-seekers and discourages those looking for pampered luxury. In short, this is the sweet spot in time to visit.

My desert adventure began in Swakopmund. A former German colonial town, it straddles the mountains and the coastal sand dunes. The architecture is a mishmash of German chateaus and ugly modern concrete blocks. Several high quality brauhauses lubricate tourists and locals alike. It is a growing mecca for adventure sports ranging from kiteboarding to sand boarding to sky diving. There is little shopping and the main "cultural" activity is a tour of the uranium mine. Everything closes by 4pm with no clear reason why. It is by far one of the oddest places I have been...in the world.

In keeping with weird vibe, I did something out of character: I signed up for a day of sand boarding. It is not that I am out of shape or lazy; climbing the dunes is perfectly fine. But my well-documented lack of coordination and inclination for self-preservation has generally kept me from extreme sports. There was a good chance of injury and a guarantee of humiliation. Yet for some reason (maybe the beer?), I found myself calling Alter Action and signing up for the next morning session.

The drive to the dunes was spectacular. Red-orange mountains of sand loomed from the edge of town and into the ocean. A layer of gray fog hung heavily across the skies, keeping the air cool. I chatted with the owner/instructor/guide, who is originally from Marin county, about the Bay Area and Namibia.

Once we arrived at the chosen dune, the assistants fitted us with boots and boards and then we headed up the mountain of sand. General instruction was given and we watched the few with snowboarding experience take a turn down the dune. Then we were up.

My first ride down was smoother than anticipated. No wipeouts or mangled limbs. Of course, no crazy speeds and I certainly ate sand during my few falls. The motion was completely counterintuitive to surfing or SUPing or any other board sport previously attempted. But the sensation was addictive and by the time I reached the bottom of the dune, I was ready to go again. The morning flew by as our group went up and down the sand. Each run was progressively better; my movements evened out and my speed increased. I was even able to squeeze in a turn.

At the end of the session, I left the dunes exhausted, invigorated and happy. Sand boarding set the tone for the rest of my travels here: hiking the 200-meter high dunes, hiking around the Fish River canyon rim trail and kayaking the Orange River. More importantly, it was a great reminder to set aside reservations and go for the unconventional sometimes.