Africa Visit 2016 – Flying to Namibia 12/1-2/2016

Africa Visit 2016

God willing, I will spent 3 weeks from December 1-22 in different areas of Africa and document my stay as I go. Currently I am scheduled to visit Namibia and South Africa, but I am looking into visiting Uganda while I am there and possibly Zimbabwe.

I want share my experience in a sequence of posts with the hopes of helping to give a realistic view of Africa and how to prepare for the visit. I do not intend to give a view through rose-colored glasses, and neither do I intend to give a view molded by imperialistic and institutional racism.

Leave Your Cultural Views At Home

Every where you go in the world outside of your home country you need to understand the culture the people, respect it, and learn to navigate it. Africa is no different so don’t put it on a pedestal, but neither throw it under the bus.

Give Africa’s cultural differences the same amount of respect you would give people if you were to visit England if you expect people to be helpful.

Africa is the home of black people, but because of the superb job of “divide and conquer” imperialist governments have orchestrated for over 500+ years the association with Africa has been a bad one.

Africa is under constant pressure by imperialist governments that work strategically to pillage Africa’s resources, undermine its development, and to promote a poverty-porn image of Africa.

I have been planning my visit for a long time and I finally had the opportunity to go. Unfortunately many Africa Americans are dissuaded from going to Africa because they think they are not welcomed, and this is not the case.

African Americans In Africa

Some African Americans might face some obstacles in Africa not because they are African American, but because they are American.

We need to learn and understand cultural differences and respect them. We shouldn’t go there expecting the Africans in their own land to bend to our cultural norms.

For example, I am visiting my friend Lamont Slater in Winhoek Namibia. He told me if I were to shake a woman’s hand the culture their is to shake the hand with your right hand, and at the same time hold the right forearm with the left hand. Everything we do gives signals and we need to be aware of the signals we give.

The is the same awareness of cultural differences we should learn when visiting any country.

Flying To Namibia

The first thing I did is talk with people who are on the ground in Africa. Lamont Slater runs a repatriating to Africa group where you can link up and ask people questions.

The group is for people who are serious about learning about Africa from people who are the ground, and for people who are serious about visiting and repatriating to Africa.

I decided to visit Namibia because Lamont repatriated to Africa and works there as a teacher. I also scheduled to visit South Africa because Lamont has been there several times and he was able to give me advice and direction.

No Need For Shots Travelling to Namibia and South Africa

Another reason I decided to go to Namibia and South Africa is because I didn’t need to get vaccination shots.

Airline

I needed my passport to travel to Namibia from the US. I traveled by South Africa Airlines. I checked in 1 bag. The weight limit is 50 lbs or 22kg. My bag weighed 15 kg.

I can add souvenirs to my bag since I can add additional weight, but my bag doesn’t really have any additional space. I have a carry on I can add some things to. I think the weight limit for carry on luggage in 16 lbs.

My flight didn’t go directly to Namibia and stopped in Johannesburg where I had to transfer to a flight to Namibia.

Flight to Namibia

The flight to Namibia was 14 1/2 hours. I used to be scared of flying but recently that has changed and the 14 hour flight was basically the same as taking a 2+ hour flight to Florida. The only difference was the amount of time I spent on the plane. Everything was easy breezy.

I bought a memory foam neck pillow which made my flight very comfortable. I used a blindfold, earplugs, hat, and jacket for the trip. I carried some kamut cakes, an assortment of nuts, and some spring water to eat.

The sun is setting:

Things are about to go dark:

The stars are so bright flying at 30,000 feet:

Sunrise:

Sun’s ray giving direction:

Finally Getting Over Land In Africa:

Stop At Johannesburg Airport For Transfer To Namibia

Yes There Are Real Airports In Africa:

You do board from the ground there:

Going through a checkpoint on the highway. The driver said you don’t have to be worried about being profiled for being black because most everyone were black. The police officers are black men and women for most because most of the people living there are black.

The rainy season has brought life and greenery to the land outside the towns in Namibia:

More About My Africa 2016 Trip»