By Lwando Mufune
There's something about being driven along an open road... it makes
u sleepy!
Seriously though, I do not remember how we got to Oanab. I just know
it felt like a long of stretch of road and instead of leaving at 9am we left
Windhoek at 12h30 pm!
We must have arrived at Oanab at around after 2h30pm... The
sun was blazing hot and for some unknown reason known to man, the entrance gate
was like an entire kilometre away... worst one kilometre road ever! It was so
sandy, rocky and bumpy... thank God I had elected to sleep as opposed to eat the
whole way there.
After actually seeing the camp site, I am left in awe! Or maybe it just felt really good to get out of the car at last. Oh, turns out we were more
than eight people; it ended u being us girls and five guys. And, surprisingly, the girls got there first. Not surprisingly, none of us knew how to put up the
tents.
So the guys made us wait a whole twenty minutes before gracing us
with their presence, and initially when I see them I get excited ‘coz being in
the wilderness didn’t seem so scary anymore'. Little did I know that these guys, well ok let me rephrase that, 3 of these guys were serious DUVAS (side note:
recently learnt that that’s what you call male divas).
But right now, and more important than that brief shaking of my head
at the thought of the DUVAS, I need to say a special Thank You God for V’s
boyfriend and brother because they managed to put up everyone’s tents before we
elected to go play a little.
Before I explain myself, let me tell you a little about Oanab... Its
located somewhere in Rehoboth, its a camping resort type of place, its known
for its water based activities because it is surrounded by water! Perfect
right? Well, generally my friends and I like a different type of adventure, we
like adventure that doesn’t involve water ‘coz LIFE is safer that way but for
some reason this year so far has made us go out of comfort zone and delve into
depths unknown (together at least) and on this occasion it made us go canoeing and aqua
cycling.
Ah canoes... I have always looked at these things and asked myself
who the hell would really go on ‘scandalous boat’ like things; that is begging
to die right there! But it is like I was possessed by demons on Saturday I just
wanted to go on the canoe, I figured don’t knock it till you try it right?
Being the cautious woman that I am I made sure to partner up with
someone who looked like they knew what they were doing and who could save me
should the boat flip over....that’s how I roll. So while I felt pretty confident
about the canoe ride thanks to my Partner I was a little concerned about Frans
our instructor (and I use the word instructor loosely here because that man did
zero instructing). From a distance Frans looks like a very capable individual
up close he reeks of alcohol, but at least he manages to give us life vest and
the things we use to row the canoe although he gave me half of what we are
supposed to use. Then he directs us to the water gets us in the canoes and
pushes us right bam into the water... I mean really is he normal? OR was I that
scared either way he is just lucky we figured out how to move those canoes
exactly how we wanted them to move and that it was one of the most thrilling
experiences ever.
I understand adrenaline junkies a bit better now there’s something
about doing something slightly dangerous and over coming long held beliefs and
fears you had. It’s empowering, yeah that’s the word I felt empowered. Without
a doubt I think V and the girls share my sentiments completely. They will also
agree that going on a canoe and aqua cycling is as good as a day in the
gym...DAMN!
We must have played in the water for two hours before peoples’
stomachs started talking... the water area was a slight distance from our camp
sight but seeing as none of the duvas came to play we thought they would at
least have started a braai... talk about wishful thinking! In fact every idea I
thought about guys being gallant in the wilderness has completely been dashed!
But hey my mama raised me to get things done if I have to and I was
on hand to help the other girls do the braaing... I don’t mean to toot our horn
but that was some pretty good braaing if I do say so myself!
Yes sir/maam good food, and a camp fire... all great settings for a
bonding session. Talking to people in such an environment is quite special,
it’s almost spectacular...it’s open air, it’s honest and in fact we are forced
to become honest...and well I will leave it up to your imagination to guess
just how honest we all were.
So much talking, I can’t remember what time we got to sleep I just
know that it was the most uncomfortable sleep I have ever had to endure, and it
was bloody cold. Mind you I slept in two hoodies and thick pants and socks but
still I could almost hear my bones shaking. I barely slept and to make things
more interesting some deranged donkeys were making noise in the wee hours of
the morning. I got out of my sleeping bag at around six, everyone else slept I
guess in preparation for the journey back home and I just sat by the braai area,
it’s an amazing spot because it overlooks the dam. I allowed my thoughts to
carry me and I thought about a range of things, people I need to let go of,
those who I need to do a better job of contacting and I promised to believe in
myself more I mean I had just gone on a canoe some hours earlier something I
swore I wouldn’t and couldn’t do...and is survived camping no wild animals in
sight…!
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