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Malealea Lodge: Lesotho’s Sustainable Ecotourism Retreat
Throughout the year I spent living in Southern Africa, I was constantly struck by the disparity between the continent’s luxurious hotels and the living conditions of the local population. I began to question the efficacy of tourism in Africa as a vehicle of providing upward mobility to the continent’s residents. I’d seen the failure of international aid time and time again. And when travelers to Africa passed out candies to children and brought ‘gifts’ for their host communities, I often found myself often questioning whether international visitors—while well-intentioned—were truly helping.…
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How Big is the World?
Academic sources would have us believe that Earth is approximately 510,072,000 square kilometers and that thousands of ethnic groups speaking millions of languages inhabit its surface. Growing up, we learn that there are seven continents, six of which support human life and five of which consist of multiple countries. We are told that the world’s people live in a wide variety of different habitats; from the polar regions blanketed in ice to the steamy rainforests near the equator and from remote atolls in the turquoise seas of the Pacific to…
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A Walk around Ondangwa
The dusty, concrete cities of Ovamboland surely aren’t on many travelers’ lists of must-see places. And, aside from the odd Peace Corps volunteer or independent traveler en-route the Kunene Region from Etosha National Park, the endless floodplains of Namibia’s northern region fly largely under the radar. Granted, there is not much in the country’s northern cities to keep travelers entertained. The area has next to nothing in terms of historical monuments and its geology and topography are justifiably overshadowed by those of its neighboring regions. Aside from strip malls, abundant shebeens and…
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Visiting |Ai-|Ais National Park in Southern Namibia
In the indigenous Nama Language, the word Namibia means “land of nothing.” The vast country in southwestern Africa received its name because of its seemingly infinite landscapes that extend toward the sky, as far as the eye can see. Yet, amidst this nothingness, in the heart of southern Namibia’s sprawling |Ai-|Ais National Park, lie some of Africa’s most impressive natural wonders. The otherworldly landscapes of |Ai-|Ais—part of the greater |Ai-|Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park—showcase the grandeur of Namibia’s geologic features. Highlights of the area include the Quivertree Forest, the Giant’s Playground and, most notably,…
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Visiting the Sossusvlei Sand Dunes in Namibia
Sossusvlei is a place where the vastness of Namibia’s desert is both overwhelming and achingly beautiful. It is a hyperbole of nature. One of my favorite places in the world. In writing this guide to Sossusvlei, I wanted to convey the sensation of standing amid waves of rust-colored sand. I wanted to memorialize my experience and imprint it in my memory. But—despite having put my thoughts and images to paper—I failed to find the perfect words or snap the perfect photo. I can’t possibly do justice to the Namib Desert’s…
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The Skeleton Coast in Namibia: What to Expect
Some refer to Namibia as ‘The Land God Created in Anger’. And after a year of traveling extensively around the country, I find it easy to see why. Namibia is a place where desolation manifests in exquisite beauty. It is a wild frontier, with unforgiving landscapes that seem virtually incompatible with life. The landscapes of Namibia are bleak, harsh, and foreboding. Nowhere does this ring more true than along the otherworldly stretch of shoreline known as the Skeleton Coast. THE SKELETON COAST IN NAMIBIA Like a massive graveyard, the Skeleton…
