I just checked this in now, found it most interesting, anyone want to reply? I will give my comments when I find time....
"Dear Sir
In an English national newspaper I have recently perused an interesting article relating to Namibia/Oranjemund/Sperrerbiet & what was described as the Forbidden Zone. The details contained therein were, to be frank, very disturbing. Throughout the complete article the author goes to great length in order to provide an accurate portrait of the scenes around him insofar as the geology, geography, climate & wildlife are concerned. I must say that from the images created by the author in my mind, it is an area I now deeply regret missing when I visited nearby South Africa. However, those descriptions provided by the author were not wholly restricted to the natural beauty of the area & the wonderful diversity of the animal life that live there, for within the words were a series of documented facts that cast a chilling fear over the reader.
Due to the fact that I am not usually a person who would automatically take the word of a single person-cum-journalist without question, I decided to invest some time whereupon great effort was given to glaring at a damn computer screen - I dislike having to use the internet, especially when attempting to gather information - in order to read some further details about the said area. Google quickly provided several links to the information I was seeking. Hence I found my way to the aforementioned website & your email address.
And there began a series of very stark contrasts between the words of one person and the details given on a website: On one hand was ajournalist/writer portraying what can be described as Hell on Earth whilst on the the other a jolly-faced website was distributing facts and figures that could be likened to a holiday brochure for a stay in Cologne or one of Berlin's better residencial areas. What then, is one supposed to believe?
In the newspaper there were of course the statutory reflections toward past events; of horrendous events whereupon thousands of the indigenous peoples were slaughtered by German colonialists. Heinrick von Wolf being among the more unpleasant characters to have the misfortune to come upon. There was a reference to Heinrich Goering - father to one of Hitler's most loyal servants - and the part he had in the numerous attrocities carried out by German colonialists in Namibia.
Nevertheless, such events are now in the past though the place they hold in history is vital and should never be forgotten lest we once again become the savages we were so readily and easily only a few short years ago. The twenty first century may now be with us and the passionate drumbeat of equality and freedom; regardless of its hypocricy still rings loud across the globe. And hypocricy it all is; providing one can believe all they read that is. According to the newspaper article people within Orenjemund cannot simply come and go as they might be pleased to do so. I quote: "The Sperrgebiet may be slowly opening to the public, but Oranjemund stays prohibited." Further descriptions of how the inhabitants are forced to wear cards detailing the numerous xrays they frequently undergo together with spine chilling details of examinations of persons are carried out in steel cages where every orifice of the body is looked into in order to ensure that a diamond, regardless of size, cannot be smuggled beyond the greedy paws of the mine owners. Draconian levels of punishment are zealously enforced, indeed, the author even speaks of how a person can receive a hefty punishment for picking up a piece of litter for fear that a diamond may be concealed. It might appear then that lurking in a seemingly insignificant corner of Africa there is a terrible tragedy that no truly civilised nation can dare to trade with yet continues to do so. It appears also that the price paid in human tragedy for the shallow egoistical pleasure of placing a sparkling stone on our lady's neck or fingure is excessively disproportionate. And yet we have the audacity to call ourselves civilised?
In contrast there are the images provided in your website. As stated earlier one can be forgiven for thinking that what they are seeing is an advert for a weekend break in Frankfurt. Pleasant looking chaps with guitars and beers in clean, cooled bars seem a very long way from the descriptions I have read so far. To go further at this juncture would be to venture into conjecture. Such an action would be a folly and wrong.
Perhaps then, somebody might be decent enough to come back to me and provide an alternative and proveable alternative to the horror story I have just read.
Best Regards,
Mr Terence M Allen
tmallen@live.co.uk"
This shows how reports in papers can exaggerate and paint horror pictures.
That happy community surely is not reflected in that report.
I would have never come to Oranjemund if that was the truth.
Of course the security part bears a pinch of reality but is not as reported
Hope some guys respond with a mail and state whats up or invite the writer to join the forum and see what this site is all about.
Georg
Yes, I think we should reply. It hurts to hear how facts are distorted by one person which creates misconceptions with readers who haven't had the privilege to visit or stay in our town. I will definitely also reply when I have a little more time. The fact remains - I am so happy that I had the opportunity of spending the first 14-15 years of my life in Oranjemund, and wouldn't trade it for anything!
Here's my reply:
"Hi Allen, firstly my humblest apologies for the delay in replying to your email. Secondly, thank you for your interest in our unique little town.
As you will by now know, I run a non profit community based website for ex Oranjemunders. Due to the nature of mining, people tend to drift on and off the mines and we now have a situation where ex Oranjemunders are scattered to the four corners of the earth. Taking with them, their memories and friendships. As time passed, contact was lost with these people. As with all life, people passed on and we were always left wandering, who indeed was still alive and living where in the world. As a result I set up the Oranjemundonline site. We have resurrected many an old friendship. Brought our family back together. Anyhow, I digress, back to your letter....
When Diamonds were first discovered in the Namib desert, back in 1908, the German Colonial government of the day, declared a large area of the desert, the Sperrgebiedt.Any indigenous inhabitants were removed and almost all the diamond mining at the time occured in the Kolmanskop/Luderitz area.
Oranjemund was established, way back in 1936, as a series of wooden shacks, spread out over the desert floor. Only men were allowed into the Oranjemund Camp. As the diamond reserves proved to be highly rich and in abundance,the mine expanded and the town started to grow, with all the facilities being made available. Woman were allowed in during the 40's. But as the article states, you were only allowed out once a year on your annual leave. You were required to have an Xray taken before departing.
The entire town was sealed off from the outside world, by barbed fencing and the mighty Atlantic Ocean and Namib desert made excellent natural boundaries. Every single building , piece of furniture and motor car belonged to the DeBeers empire.
One has to remember that this all occured in the 40's-70's, and contrary to what the author of that article states, the majority of the people living in Oranjemund were happy. You were like one big family, living in the safest place in the world. Yes! you were all accorded a number, but this was not burned onto your arm, you did not have to carry a card around with you all the time. This was your company work number. You could buy supplies in the store just by using your company number. Get your laundry cleaned, by using your company number...
During a damp night in the mid 70's, Oranjemund changed, the town was declared "open". What this actually meant , was that to the world at large, you could not just come to Oranjemund, in fact even today, you still cannot just visit Oranjemund. You need a permit.But what did happen, the fence/gate was moved to the west side of town, the side where the actual diamond fields started, thus enabling you to bring your private car into the town. You could come and go as you wanted....known as "crossing the bridge"
But life in Oranjemund was still locked away. Most people living here liked it that way, crime was kept very very low....the town was/is maintained for by the mining giant DeBeers and we have wild oryx grazing all over the lawns in the town..... We have excellent sporting facilties, recreation clubs and overall enjoy a high standard of life..Oranjemund also boasts one of the premier 18 hole golf courses in Namibia.
I posted your letter on the forum section of the internet to get a response from ex Oranjemunders. So you should receive a few emails with various peoples comments.
In essence, the article appears not to have been properly researched and if we did not know any better would have thought it was written sometime in the early 50's
We have to remember that if the Sperrgebiedt had not been proclaimed all those years ago, we would not have such a unque pristine stretch of land to declare a national park. We also have to remember that these diamond fields have produced the world's highest quality of gemstones and needed to protected.
Times are changing and my town has an uncertain future, but like so many Oranjemunders, around the world, we sir, were indeed priviledged to have called Oranjemund.....home.....
Please feel free to visit the forum section of our site to view the memories and comments of Oranjemunders.Link--> http://www.oranjemundonline.com/Forum/index.php
Yours in the Sand
Mike Alexander
(Oranjemunder)
Ps... I am no historian with regard to German Colonial History in Namibia and thus cannot comment on the topic. Perhaps a few of the forum members might."
I emailed Mr Allen thanking him for taking the time and bother to do research and debunk for himself the poorly researched and constructed article .. giving my brief history and gratitude for what O'mund gave me .... and yes telling him to regard himself as an honorary Oranjemunder for taking the bother to research ..
thnx
Well done Michael... Your response was great and I could not agree with you more!
I will treasure the years I spent growing up in Oranjemund forever.
Yes Mike I did point this out to you guys on Saturday already!!!
It was in Saturdays Daily Mail,we also sent them an email!!!
Pam, I have yet to see the article, do you still have it?
Yes indeed I do and the 'so called' journalist'sname is SEAN THOMAS!!
can you scan it and post it on the forum.... or at least email it me pls.......
Yes of course,but will have to wait till tomorrowwhen Keith is here
as me being the dud when it comes to copying,don't know how to as never
done it before. My comment is under 'whats in the news to day'can't type it as its
2 full newspaper pages long!!!!
Ok.... I found the article online..... for those of you who are interested in it
LINK:--> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1138299/The-Holocaust-Horrifying-secrets-Germanys-earliest-genocide-inside-Africas-Forbidden-Zone.html
After reading the article...... in full and the comments section..... my opinion, a poorly researched article.....
I am offended that this chap tried to link Oranjemund and the Nazism..... idiot!
23_146_26
I responded to the article and posted a comment over the weekend, but I see it isn't shown yet. Wonder how long it takes.
I also responded to Mr T.M. Allen's e-mail to show him how some of us who have actually been part of the community feel.
True Mike, except for a few nice "pictures" painted of nature, the rest a load of bull and like you said - smacks of an article from 1950!
Thanks Mike for the Link
i could not help it, had to post a comment to the paper....not approved yet, i guess it will not be approved
Lets see tomorrow
Aaagh! this just pissed me off, I edited the article, see attached word doc, which I will email to the editor.....
Quote from: pam spackman on February 10, 2009, 05:37:47 PM
Yes Mike I did point this out to you guys on Saturday already!!!
It was in Saturdays Daily Mail,we also sent them an email!!!
I tried your link on Sunday Pam but could not find it.
I also tried on Sunday, but there server was down...
Link didn't work for me either, but I went straight to their website and then searched for "Oranjemund" and found the article. My comment was accepted with a note to say that it would be posted as soon as it has been checked by them.
That is an utterly disgusting article for a modern journalist.
I think it amounts to irresponsible jounalism.
Yes, in the late 40's and early 50's we were restricted from leaving town too often. This was for medical reasons, as the effects of X-ray was not fully understood.
Even then, it was common knowledge that everybody was not x-rayed every time. In the late 50's, I went in and out of town at least 8 times in two years, and was never body searched, nor have I ever heard of anyone being searched.
Was the author or his source perhaps suspected of smugling and/or IDB, and now has an axe to grind?
I got very brave and also replied to the article......lets see how many of our responses are accepted
Not done the response to the paper yet ... other axes to grind ...
I read the article on Sunday and immediately started commenting. Then I realised how p*ssed off I was and thought it would be preferable if I calmed down before continuing. So I'll try again today.
Pretty ordinary bit of journalism. An apology to all of us should be in order. Amazing how powerful the pen is! I have sent my 2c in to the paper as well!
I guess , at least now the paper will know more about our town.... swink
Oi.... Is/was there another Oranjemund we do not know ????
They still dont publish our comments
I wrote again
Quote
Why dont you publish comments from the people of Oranjemund ????
It clears the picture and shows what utter nonsense you wrote.
We in Oranjemund can not accept those stories, get your facts right, do investigate before you make a fool of yourself.....
Dont be a coward and dont ignore our many comments, publish what we say and let all know what sort of journalist is behind the story you concocted
Georgswa
Unquote
I also went to check the site again today, none of our comments there.... next task is to find that sean thomas chap, who wrote the article's email address.... then we can bombard him...
image21
:wow1: ha ha
Just checked still nothing......
Wonder if this is the uninformed excuse of a journalist:
http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-writing/writers/61/Sean-Thomas/reviews-and-articles.html
He might be confused about Oranjemund due to his "chequered lovelife" - check the link above and you'll see what I mean. If not, sorry to the real Sean Thomas for sharing your name with another Sean Thomas with limited intelligence.
I e-mailed the Daily Mail's Feedback section to ask why none of our better informed comments have been posted, awaiting their reply.
Seems to fit the bill but then lets wait and see...
Goeie werk Bertus..... Kom ons sien watter ander dinge ons kan uitvind.... wonder of hy op Faceboek is?
I think I've been blacklisted as they won't accept my comment ... let's keep bombarding this site that allows idiots to publish utter rubbish BoomSmilie_anim BoomSmilie_anim
I'm definitely going to make a nuisance of myself until they respond. Nobody trashes our Lady of the Desert and gets away with it! yellocard
I have only scratched the surface. Will use other means to get more info. This weekend I'll be super-sleuth and use all my tooth mouse and garden gnome abilities.
Some good news! Mr Allen replied to the e-mail I sent him to help put matters straight, and it's a wonderful response. I hope there's more people like him who, like Sandy said, actually went through the trouble of searching for the truth.
I hope he visits us regularly on Oranjemundonline and keeps in touch!
Here's his reply:
"Thank you for your email it was a privilege to receive it. Very clearly the article I referred to in my original email was very misleading. I cannot help having a slight sense of relief in the knowledge that I at least had the common sense to place those details to one side whilst I "had a further look" at the place for myself - albeit via the internet.
Very clearly Oranjemund was a very pleasant place and to spend one's childhood/youth or to work in such social safety and tranquility is something many people in this very troubled world can only barely imagine.
One is now left with the enigma of how could a so-called professional journalist/writer be so erroneous in their research. I'll leave the task of finding an answer to that question to the psychologists.
The mental image I have of Oranjemund is different now I have meandered through the website and have received emails from people such as yourself.
My very best regards to you,
Terry Allen."
Great Stuff...... Feel like we are redeemed...
OK All, don't forget there is a Hitler Youth meeting on Saturday Night in The Goering hall in the centre of town, where we all will march to the childrens library and burn a few Enid Blyton Books whilst our galant security guards fire a 21 gun salute in Honour of Field Marshall Valentine......
image14
swink
Havent forgotten ... I just love burning books that make children go soft in the head ha ha
image201 ha ha @ Mike
msn emoticon (9) Let's see if Mr Sean Thomas prints an article on that, Mike! laughpoint
I to had a reply from Mr Allen....I just don't know how to move it here.
Think copy and paste should do the trick.... swink
Auntie, Here's how you move it in here....
"Left Foot In, Left Foot In, Left Foot In, Left Foot In (Then Shake It All About) [x2]
Left Foot In Put Yo Right Foot Out Put Yo Left Foot In (Shake It All About)
Lean With It Rock With It Dance It All About, Everybody Walk It Out (It Out)
Left Foot In, Left Foot In, Left Foot In, Left Foot In (Then Shake It All About)
Soulja Boy Tell Em Left Foot In Put Yo Right Foot Out Put Yo Left Foot In (Shake It All About)
Lean With It Rock With It Dance It All About With It Everybody Walk It Out (It Out)
Left Foot In Put Yo Right Foot Out Put Yo Left Foot In (Shake It All About)
Lean With It Rock With It Dance It All About With It Everybody Walk It Out (It Out)"
I think Mr Allen deserves an Oranjemund cap!
image201 Sharp Michael.
Ooh dear I still see no copy and paste from Diana ... Diana first drag through and shade the letters in the the mail then right click , the little box shoud have copy option ... click copy .. then go to forum topic reply .. then in the reply box you right click again and box should have paste option then you paste ... Oook???
eeeeeeerrrrrrr ummmmmmmm hammer I deleted it by mistake.
Now thats one big Oops !!
Maybe it's still in your 'trash' folder......you never know your luck - have a peak and see :ciupa1:
What ... there's a trash folder in my computer ... image061 ... Up-out
Diana if you're using outlook, you should be able to switch from "Inbox" to "Deleted items" and then open it there or mark it as unread.
Got my reply from Mr Allen .. did not erase mine .. clickdragshaderightclickcopy opentopicrightclickandclickpaste .. Diana cat3
Hi Sandy,
The warmth shown within your email was very welcome and certainly most gratifying to receive. I shall be visiting the website in the near future and I shall look forward to meandering through the various photographs and details therein. It is always very intriguing when one looks deeper into the vast diversity that our different societies and communities have to offer - if only more people would take the time to look at and understand others.
Cape Town/J'burg/Pretoria was as close to Oranjebund as I ever got. I was in S Africa for about three and a half months a couple of years ago and loved it out there, though when I first went for a swim in the sea in Cape Town I got something of a shock - that'll teach me to remember my geography lessons.
Once again thank you for your efforts to reply to my enquiries and for providing me with another viewpoint of a place I never had the fortune to visit.
All the very best,
Terry Allen
Well, my fellow Oranjemunders, here concludes this debate...... the author of the said article, Sean Thomas Replies....
"Hello
I am the journalist who wrote the article on Namibia in the Sperrgebiet, in the Daily Mail, which - I see - caused some kerfuffle in your forum.
I wanted to get in touch to firstly, apologise for any mistakes in my article - and any offence caused - and secondly, explain why they happened.
First - I was in Namibia for a month and it IS difficult to get into Oranjemund, whatever some of your more angry members say. I was advised by the administrators of the new Sperrgebiet National Park that it would take several weeks to organise the necessary permits and invitations etc.
For that reason I was forced to rely on secondary sources for my information about the security restrictions, x-rays, etc, in Oranjemund.
I went to places like this blog:
http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/32603/Inside-Namibias-forbidden-zone-Oranjemund-1
"It is necessary to present a Police Clearance Certificate and apply for permits to stay in Oranjemund and enter the mining areas. When entering the main area, my camera was sealed so that no diamond could be hidden inside it. At the exit everybody was X-rayed.."
I also went by what others told me in Luderitz: that, including the temporary workers, OJM was 90%+ male.
Again given that I was unable to get in, other anecdotes had to be gleaned from other articles, like this one, which was the most recent in-depth look at Oranjemund I could find:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E5D8113FF934A15757C0A96E958260
This again contains all the stuff about xrays etc.
I do accept that this is an imperfect way to write, and risks error, especially if sources are outdated, but I am a humble journalist writing at speed, and not a historian able to take years to research facts.
However, once more, I do apologise if my sources misled me in anyway.
Finally, I should like to say I stand by the thesis of my piece (which wasn't focussed on Oranjemund!) - that there are horrific psychosocial parallels between German atrocities in Namibia and German atrocities in the Second World War.
As evidenced by links like this, on Eugen Fischer, Hitler's favourite race scientist, who did for formative work in Namibia.
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3729704,00.html
But this of course is almost ancient history for many people.
As I say in the piece, Namibia today is a wonderful and amazing country, which is why I went there (for my second visit).
Who knows, maybe next time, I will be able to get that permit and see Oranjemund myself. I may even pick up some litter...!
I would be grateful if you would forward this explanation and apology to your forum members.
Very best wishes
Sean Thomas"
Sean, thanks for your honesty, it is greatly appreciated.....
Apology accepted from my side, BUT...
I still think it is unprofessional to use an internet BLOG as a reliable source for an article in a big publication like the Daily Mail. Has the author forgotten about the telephone? It is extremely easy to phone any person in Oranjemund from the telephone directory - any occupant in Oranjemund would have corrected and advised him at no cost, in less than 10 minutes, and in the process would have saved him from the embarrassment of being labeled as a less than accomplished journalist.
Mmm a bit of an oops .. and definitely never trust a blog .. people can write any unsubstantiuated stuff on them ...well we all human and make mistakes .. and I'm sure Sean has learnt from this mistake ...
I checked some of the links
The one has nice pics from Oranjemund, whoever that was, he said he worked in Omund
Also said the camera was sealed by security, i ask, how do you take pictures when the cam is sealed LOL
I took my cams in and out, never had a problem.
Yes, I hear what he says, but I am not convinced.
This is indeed irresponsible journalism, he has done incredible damage to the image of the town where I lived as a child and teenager.
Georg,
The camera's are indeed sealed by security. All that is done is an adhesive numbered seal is place over areas such as the battery housing or other opening areas where diamonds could be hidden.
All the times I have taken a camera in it has never interfered with the cameras operation.
The last resort if the seals are broken for any reason is for the camera to be x-rayed ( not good for film if one is using film) or to be taken apart when security has the time otherwise one could end up having the camera conferscated. BEST ADVICE IS NOT TO TAMPER WITH THE SEALS.
"Who knows, maybe next time, I will be able to get that permit and see Oranjemund myself. I may even pick up some litter...!" This is what Sean Thomas said, now I trust that should he ever visit, security will remember he said "litter" and not Glitter and treat him accordingly.
If I recall correctly , security would upon one exiting checkpoint take the camera , remove the film cartridge under darkroom conditions and check it for tampering as well , that would allow them to also examine the camera for tampering and also if sufficiently suspicious x ray it ... nowadays if you got digital camera its no real problem ... same as airport security ,, the memory chip unaffected . by low energy x ray ...
and then this one I received this morning...
"Dear Mr Alexander
Thank you for your email, which has been passed to the Managing Editors
Office.
I have spoken with Sean Thomas, the journalist who wrote the piece you
mention, and understand that he has sent a response to your forum
explaining his comments on your complaint.
I hope that you find his answers sufficient, and thank you once again for
writing into us
Yours sincerely
Robin Esser
Executive Managing Editor"
NO MORE COMMENTS FROM ME.
No apology? Ok, say no more.
Another article by Sean Thomas....
"http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090228/TRAVEL/527584558/1042"
"I'm standing on a dusty road, in a windswept desert, and it feels like the edge of the earth. I'm about to cross the invisible border into the Sperrgebiet – or forbidden zone – an act which, for the last hundred years, would have got me arrested, beaten or shot.
A lanner falcon wheels above me in the silence of the African wilderness. Nothing else happens, so I carry on walking.
The Sperrgebiet, a 20,000-square-kilometre region of southwest Namibia, has been closed to visitors since 1908 to protect the region's vital and lucrative diamond industry from smugglers. As of this month, however, the area has become the world's newest and possibly most amazing national park.
The opening of the Sperrgebiet has been a long time coming. Owned jointly by diamond companies and the Namibian government, much of the zone has already been mined out but an element of paranoia – and bureaucratic lethargy – has nonetheless prevented tourists exploring this region, until now.
Why is the Sperrgebiet so tempting for adventurous travellers? There are many reasons: its ecology, history, culture and its extraordinary landscapes – as well as some truly exquisite seafood. Thanks to its forbidden status, the Sperrgebiet is one of the most unspoilt tracts of land on the wildest continent on earth. Even if it were just meadow, it would be a curiosity but this isn't just your average park.
The Sperrgebeit is a very unusual environment. Much of it is a desert where the unique flora is watered by fog which rolls in from the Atlantic Ocean, caused by the icy Benguela current flowing from the Antarctic. I can feel a fierce wind even now, as I stand on glittering Diaz Point, 20km south of Lüderitz.
Lüderitz is where most people will begin their Sperrgebiet adventures. This former German colonial town has its own odd and desolate airport (occasionally overwhelmed by sand dunes) which you can fly to from Windhoek, the Namibian capital. I drove north from Cape Town: it took two days, through some of the starkest scenery on God's earth, but the journey was well worth it.
Diaz Point is spectacularly austere. The promontory is named after the 15th-century Portuguese explorer, Bartholomew Diaz, who landed here on his famous journey south, when he became the first European to voyage around the Cape of Good Hope and into the Indian Ocean. When he first stepped ashore in 1487 he must have thought he had landed in a waterless, windswept, cruelly beautiful corner of hell.
But that unhappy wind, apparently so hostile and bitter, actually carries some noises more encouraging to man: I can also hear barks and calls of life. The islands offshore are home to pungent cities of jackass penguins; the beaches are draped with thousands of fur seals, which in turn support a bloodthirsty predator, the strandwolf – a ruffian local version of the brown hyena - that devours vulnerable seal pups whenever it gets the chance.
There are plenty of other faunal and floral oddities in the Forbidden Zone. Right in front of me, the beach is littered with the corpses of gelatinous scarlet aliens – or rather, that's what they resemble. In fact, they are huge Namibian sea-nettles, one of the world's biggest jellyfish. Similarly unique insects, plants and reptiles all thrive in this But that unhappy wind, apparently so hostile and bitter, actually carries some noises more encouraging to man: I can also hear barks and calls of life. The islands offshore are home to pungent cities of jackass penguins; the beaches are draped with thousands of fur seals, which in turn support a bloodthirsty predator, the strandwolf – a ruffian local version of the brown hyena - that devours vulnerable seal pups whenever it gets the chance.
There are plenty of other faunal and floral oddities in the Forbidden Zone. Right in front of me, the beach is littered with the corpses of gelatinous scarlet aliens – or rather, that's what they resemble. In fact, they are huge Namibian sea-nettles, one of the world's biggest jellyfish. Similarly unique insects, plants and reptiles all thrive in this harsh environment: misshapen cacti that feed off the sea-mist; trees so poisonous the smoke from the burning wood can kill you; beetles that stand on their legs to suck the lifegiving moisture from the air.
Then there are the real stars: the famous wild horses of the Namib – remarkable animals that wander between the shifting Barchan sand dunes, the peculiar quiver trees and the looming violet inselbergs, the ethereal and dreamy mountains that rise with eerie abruptness from the Sperrgebiet's yellow dust.
As I travel inland, towards Aus, I spot my first horse, wild and lonesome and loping across the dirt road. Then I see more – dozens, then entire herds. Kicking and rolling in the sandy heat-haze, they look like the ghosts of ordinary horses, roaming free in the afterlife. It's a strangely haunting sight.
No one is sure how these horses arrived here. Some think they were released by an eccentric German, Captain von Wolf back in 1907, from the thoroughbred stables that he kept at Duwisib, a castle built at enormous expense in the nearby Naukluft desert. Another suggestion is that they originally escaped from British Army vessels shipwrecked off the Skeleton Coast: the boats foundered, but the hardiest horses swam ashore.
The most likely idea is that they are the last remnants of the Schutztruppe – the German colonial army, that once ruled supreme over SudWest Afrika - until it was defeated by the South African forces of the British Empire in 1915. Whatever the horses' provenance, they are slowly evolving, and adapting to the dry conditions.
Reluctantly, I turn away from the mesmerising sight of these wild animals and head south. Several hours of bumpy driving along dirt roads – many of them deliberately unmarked on maps, some of them almost lost to the drifting sands (you will need a vehicle with good ground clearance if not a 4x4) takes me into one of the world's greatest wildernesses. This is Fish River Canyon, now a national park – as well as an impressive geological phenomenon – that is linked to the Richtersveld Park across the border in South Africa.
And wow. I'm fortunate enough to have done some remarkable drives in my time: across the deserts of the south-western US, through the jungles of Vietnam, around the rainforests of Madagascar. But none of them – not one – can hold a candle to the drive between Aus and the South African border, along the gorgeous green ribbon nourished by the Fish River. It's a vivid and winding oasis of life amidst the utter desolation of one of the driest countries south of the equator.
The loneliness is part of the canyon's hypnotic appeal: at one point I step out of my air-conditioned car, into the 40C heat (wherever you go in Namibia, take a hat, sunblock and many litres of water) and the silence stuns me. I can see African fish eagles soaring in the infinity of blue, desert baboons are squatting under a camel thorn tree just 10m away, but I'm possibly the only human being for 50km in any direction.
It's slightly scary and rather humbling – and it gets better. The road ducks and twists through gorges, along wooded cliffs and, at one point, nearly tips into the mighty river. Then, suddenly, it climbs out of the canyon and out onto a desolate plateau, dotted with the occasional square of greenery indicating a vineyard (this lost corner of Namibia, it seems, even supports its own vineyards).
Yet if all of this makes the Forbidden Zone sound too daunting for a holiday, don't worry. There are outposts of luxury – halfway down the Aus road to Richtersveld is the bizarre mining town of Rosh Pinah: I say bizarre because it so opulent in such an unlikely setting. It's like a well-to-do Arizona resort town dumped in the African desert: the supermarkets are shaded with elegant palms, there are pubs and internet cafes and restaurants serving eland (antelope) steaks in pepper sauce. Even the garages stock bottles of fine South African pinotage.
Where does this prosperity come from? The many forbidding signs denoting the Namdeb Diamond Corporation give the game away. Diamond Zone 1, as Sperrgebiet is also known, may be opening up to tourists but gems are still big business here - two million carats of fine diamonds are mined in the region annually, and Rosh Pinah is one of Namdeb's more significant towns.
The most important diamond city of all is Oranjemund, on the Atlantic coast, 90km away down a gravel road. But don't bother taking this road unless you have a very good reason, plus a permit from the police and an invitation from a resident. Oranjemund is one of the most restricted cities in the free world. Only those in the diamond trade are allowed in. Namdeb take their security so seriously that even pigeons aren't allowed – they are shot out of the sky just in case someone uses them to smuggle gems.
A better bet than being shot is to keep going until you reach the South African frontier, then loop around on the main road back to Aus. This road is tarmacked and the going fast so you can make the journey in a few hours. But do take some time to view the scenery: springbok run wild here, likewise oryx, zebra, ostrich and klipspringers - these cute little antelopes bound across the rocky hillsides with the grace of female Russian gymnasts.
Aus is a good base for travellers because it has one of the most alluring hotels in Namibia, the Klein-Aus Vista. The chalets near the hotel restaurant are clean and comfy, and the food in the restaurant is excellent (game meats like kudu come highly recommended) but what makes Klein aus Vista so amazing are the self-catering lodges high up in the hills, about 10 minutes' drive from reception.
The Afrikaans owners of Klein-Aus Vista have tried to make these luxury huts as inconspicuous as possible: lodges like the Eagle's Nest are literally built out of boulders, with rocks emerging in the sitting room. Each comes equipped with a braai area, where you can barbecue your own boerwurst if you don't fancy the drive down to the restaurant. The kitchens sparkle with equipment, there are fine wines in the cupboard, and the views across the veld and the desert, where the Succulent Karoo meets the dunes of the Namib-Naukluft, are incomparable.
The nights are, if anything, even more magnificent. The total lack of pollution makes these skies some of the clearest on Earth: you can see the stars as my African ancestors saw them. And when the sun eventually wakes over the Karas Mountains, you may spot mongoose or hyrax sipping from the water dishes placed on the terrace of every lodge. I was actually woken by a large desert hare and a bat-eared fox, right outside my window, squabbling over the remains of my al fresco supper.
The last leg of any Sperrgebiet journey will probably take you back to Lüderitz, and to the airport out in the wilderness. But it's well worth lingering in Lüderitz itself. This seaport, with its lofty Lutheran churches and gingerbread Bavarian houses standing stark against the dust of the encroaching desert, has a surreal charm, surrounded as it is by intriguing ghost towns, slowly drowning under lemon-yellow dunes.
The nightlife here isn't up to much – though diamond miners do get boisterous in downtown bars such as Rumours or Kapps – so the best thing to do in the evening is to enjoy the fabulous seafood in the town's finest hotel, the Swiss-run Lüderitz Nest, with its neat little swimming pool sheltered from the winds.
The hake and the kingclip are always good, the rock lobster is excellent but my favourite was oysters. I had a dozen on the half-shell every night, fresh from the cold sea right outside. So accommodating was the Lüderitz Nest after the rigours of travelling around Sperrgebiet that I came for three days and ended up staying for 10.
On the last day, I drove once more across the yellow sands to the dunes where the wild horses roam. I sat there for several hours, staring at these strange feral creatures wandering gaunt and alone through the endless, hazy deserts like shades of a long-lost cavalry. It occurred to me that they were a suitably poetic symbol for one of the world's strangest and possibly most remarkable of national parks."
Another article based on "hear-say" - shooting pigeons from the sky? PLEASE, will somebody give Sean Thomas the funds or opportunity to go study basic journalism? Fortunately we are well informed and know that any article by Sean Thomas is pure fiction.
HEAR HEAR!.........Bertie
hammer
What a load of crap about Rosh Pinah.
1, INTERNET CAFE. One computer, HA HA. at the Rooi duin and at MTC
2. Eland Steak, with peper steak. JA JA gembok/rump well aged with the fat cut off and very very ripe.
3. Garages???? one with some fine pinotges - Nedeburg baronne
3. Shady palm with shops, yes the shopping centre he got that right at least.
4. Rosh Pinah the second namdeb town.... Well Scoprpion and Exxaro will have a lot to say about that there arn't even diamonds here. Zinc, Zinc and more bloody zinc.
WHAT A BLOODY ARSEHOLE. WHAT BLOG SITE DID HE GO TO THIS TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a lot of hog-wash.
And the man calls himself a journalist.
With regards to shooting the pigeons, I'm sure he was refering to those clay pigeons at the gun club.
Please Please dont mention the steel plates we used to shoot at otherwise we will be accused of shootin the chickens, bosvarke et al.
I'm just glad I dont have to read the article he writes.
Could not even comment hence quiet ... but will share we kept pidgeons... they all used to make it home after doing their bit of Glitter courier work across the border .. security must have been very poor shots ... ha ha
and another reply from Sean....
"Hello
Crikey - I just read the reactions to my other piece, the travel article.
Your forum members are an irascible old bunch, aren't they? Again the piece was written at the same time as the first article, so it contains the same errors.
But for what it's worth, yes I had antelope steak near Rosh Pinah, yes I used the net there, yes I bought some decent wine at the garage, sorry I got the diamond bit wrong - but there were signs for Namdeb everywhere around the region, which misled me.
I think I'll stop apologising now, and kindly suggest yr forum members have, erm, a lie down?
Many thanks for getting back to me anyhow! I am very sorry to hear of your troubled economic situation: we've got it here in London too - many of my freelancing journalist friends are going bankrupt. Newspapers are in a bad way. Who'd be a journalist right now, especially if you get fifty angry Namibian ex miners pursuing you online...
lol
And thanks for the gracious invite. I love Namibia and who knows I may, one day, take you up on that offer.
All the very best
Sean T"
Oh boy some of the the comments from Sean in blue .. yes its a friday evening hectic week come to an end ,, had a nice quiet braai , in good mood .. and yes having a chuckle ...
Your forum members are an irascible old bunch, aren't they?
irascible old bunch ?? Mmm we not anywhere near old yet .. I get this picture of old gents ladies in zimmerframes brollies on the ready tottering on a search to bash Sean ... Sean join up and see the age of the members on their profiles .. anything from childhood to well yes an irascible old bunch .. well into 70 's + +
I think I'll stop apologising now, and kindly suggest yr forum members have, erm, a lie down?
Mmm me and Diana only take lie down after having too much red wine ... image201
Well at least Sean has a wry sense of humour ... martini
Yes I'll also "have a lie down".... until ST changes me from the peace-loving, soft-mannered person I am, to an irascible old miner again. However I only remember being a "minor" in Oranjemund, not a "miner".
Ok, Sean, you're welcome to visit the site often, and don't hesitate to ask the members for verification of facts when you decide to write something about our town again - we'll be happy to assist in getting your facts straight (at no cost).
Cheeky little git aint he! Pity he doesn't admit to poor journaistic standards - bloggers are hardly the most credible of sources .... I think I'll go be irascible now! image201 image19 image201
Well said Cherry...
BTW I only have a lie down when Janine takes my batteries away (see explanation in Shout Box history)