Do you remember that time I went to the Okavango for a week? Well, I perfectly do. Even though it was almost a year ago, I still keep a vivid memory of what happened each and every single day we where there. But, among all the great adventures we had there was one which was truly special. If you asked me why, I couldn't probably tell, somehow, it just was a combination of all those things that made our stay at the Nkasa Lupala Lodge, one of my most memorable experiences of all my life.
The whole story was, more or less, like that. We took the Namibian high road across the country, passing through some small villages, shepherds with their herd and even some young kids happily going to school all together. Of course, we were following the guidelines of our GPS on our way and finally it told us to turn and get into a dusty and pretty bumpy road (and actually really fun to go in, if you love adventure). Were we in the right track?, we wondered. Not sure, but keep going my dad said. Oh, great! We were following the road which now went left, and then right and then turn again. Somehow, unexplainable magically, we finally made it to somewhere, not certain where, but therefore, somewhere.
We hadn't even left our car when a thirty-something man approached us. When we started to speak, although smartly hidden, I noticed he wasn't neither Namibian nor English (or from any English speaking country). Oh, we found out, he was Italiano! He introduced himself, Simone (forgive me if I'm wrong, it was a while ago), his wife, Laura, and his cute little one year-old baby, Hectore.
The whole story was, more or less, like that. We took the Namibian high road across the country, passing through some small villages, shepherds with their herd and even some young kids happily going to school all together. Of course, we were following the guidelines of our GPS on our way and finally it told us to turn and get into a dusty and pretty bumpy road (and actually really fun to go in, if you love adventure). Were we in the right track?, we wondered. Not sure, but keep going my dad said. Oh, great! We were following the road which now went left, and then right and then turn again. Somehow, unexplainable magically, we finally made it to somewhere, not certain where, but therefore, somewhere.
We hadn't even left our car when a thirty-something man approached us. When we started to speak, although smartly hidden, I noticed he wasn't neither Namibian nor English (or from any English speaking country). Oh, we found out, he was Italiano! He introduced himself, Simone (forgive me if I'm wrong, it was a while ago), his wife, Laura, and his cute little one year-old baby, Hectore.
After all the presentations, we had a surprisingly wonderful lunch. What were we expecting? The cookers were instructed by Italian people. Mh, pasta italiana. When we were all satisfied, it was time for another of our unbelievable adventures: a boat cruise around the Harabundi channel. It was the early evening and we took a calm ride around the beautiful crystal waters of the Okavango. We had a truly friendly guide, he was a local guy who spoke a little English and took us to a marvelous promenade. I have always imagined that he must have thought we were insanely ridiculous. Yes, we are those families that get freakingly excited whenever we see some animal or something different from cars and buildings and people running in the streets. But, by the way, we even caught some hippos doing their siesta! What I was the most impressed of was how scary those animals looked when you seem them, that huge hippo with an even bigger mouth and his tiny eyes looking at you. I was literally trembling whenever one of themed moved towards us.
As the night was coming around, the landscapes were becoming more and more stunning. That was when we finally set down our excitement to let it go for speechlessness. Oh... how can a sky be so perfectly combined with the ground to create that pleasing scenery?
As the night was coming around, the landscapes were becoming more and more stunning. That was when we finally set down our excitement to let it go for speechlessness. Oh... how can a sky be so perfectly combined with the ground to create that pleasing scenery?
Finally, after a long day (although being a lovely memorable day) we were highly exhausted. We had dinner together with Simone and we shared our experiences and live adventures. He was such nice man (and all the staff was it too, by the way), and so interesting to hear! I remember how we discussed about random things like McDonald's food or the beauty of traveling. Ah, and that fish we ate! So tasty and good and delicious... We sticked around at the terrace for a while and then after all, went to bed tired.
I can't believe I'm still on the second day! There are so many things to tell! In the morning, once we had already had breakfast (crazily delicious, just in case your were still doubting) and were ready to leave, we jumped on a Jeep to go straight to Mamili National Park for our Combo Drive+Boat 5h. Oh, you know I have a lot of fun going through bumpy roads in Namibia! Hop, bup, wooooo! That is something that never happens in Barcelona... Anyway, we entered the park and got on to our expedition.
We found some buffalos (forgive again if they weren't, my brother is the animal expert, not me) and what was our idea? Follow them! We were chasing a almost tow-hundred herd of buffalos. It was so insane, but at the same time so incredible. Their turning left, there there they are! Poor guide.. he must have gone mad with us screaming. And then we saw some lèmurs -Update: my brother just told me they are babuïns- running through the sand and the grass (you know you want to move it move it). And if we hadn't had enough, it was time for boat- and now we chased elephants! I still remember how we saw ten or something of those big wise animals crossing the river right in front of us. I was breath-taken.
It was lunch time and that, that if one of my favorite memories of all my life. We assembled a little table and our guide took out the food and the beverages. Have you ever seen Out of Africa, with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford? It was exactly like that, it felt perfect at the moment.
It was lunch time and that, that if one of my favorite memories of all my life. We assembled a little table and our guide took out the food and the beverages. Have you ever seen Out of Africa, with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford? It was exactly like that, it felt perfect at the moment.
Buffalos, lemurs and elephants.
The rest of the trip was relatively normal. We came back, I had a nice chat with the lovely girl who was in the reception and she explained me so many interesting things from Namibia and at night we even heard the girls in the stuff from the Lodge sing traditional songs and dance along with it. It was like a private spectacle for us! And, sadly, the third and last day came and we had to leave our little paradise.
I shall admit I have just written this straightforward, haven't thought about it twice. It is a pretty nonsense thing to do, but once I started writing I couldn't stop. There are so many memories kept inside me about those two perfect days in Nkasa Lupala. There wasn't any other guest at that time (it was low season, by the way) and all the attention was for us. Even more, the lodge was so beautifully done, and not to talk about the stunning views we were able to saw... And even more, what I think made this voyage unforgettable, further than the gorgeous landscapes and the incredible experiences we had, was the people. All the stuff was nice and so great to be with.
My time at Nkasa Lupala Lodge is a souvenir I conserve in my heart for whenever I need some peace inside.
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And you, where is your little paradise?
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And you, where is your little paradise?
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Sincerely,
Vera
Vera