CAPE TOWN, 31 March 1999-As the airplane landed at Cape Town International Airport last week, Kevin's dreams no doubt remained airborne, dreams filled with billowing sand dunes, teeming wildlife, and throbbing discotheques. All those dreams were apparently lived out in March as Kevin experienced the vacation of a lifetime among the arid dunes, flat scrublands and glittering cities of South Africa and Namibia.

Arrival

Assisted by faithful guy-pal and intimate associate Ian, Kevin trekked to Africa in search of the massive sand dunes of the Namib desert. Arriving at Cape Town in the afternoon, Kevin and Ian took a moment to savor the flavor of the Mother City, literally, as they enjoyed mouth-watering steak dinners and coffee before turning in early. After a full breakfast the following morning, both lads realized that the city was their oyster, and they proceeded to paint the town red with enthusiasm! They trekked first to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, where Kevin was spotted in a used book store purchasing several rare books about the history of Rhodesia and Southern Africa. While at the Waterfront, the boys checked with the travel agencies about their options for travel in Namibia, and eventually booked space at the tony Hotel Thuringer Hof in Windhoek. After a quick jaunt to the bus station to purchase tickets on the Intercape Mainliner luxury bus to Windhoek, it was off to the hotel to freshen up, then to Sea Point for a fabulous ostrich filet dinner at Caffe 2000. Later in the evening, both lads were spotted at Cape Town's hottest night spot, Bronx/Angels/Detour megaclub in Green Point, where they danced the night away and enjoyed cocktails and the service of bartender Hein, who provided drinks and a more than a little eye candy!

Kevin poses in front of the Cecil Rhodes monument in Cape Town.

Thawing out in front of the Intercape Mainliner luxury bus, which ferried Kevin and Ian to Windhoek. Kevin checks out the sights in throbbing Windhoek. The Africar takes a break after a long journey.

Sunday, as church bells pealed, Kevin and Ian checked out of the Holiday Inn Green Market Square and marched straight to the bus station, which was located only a few blocks away. After a short wait, boarding began for the luxury bus trip to Windhoek. Kevin and Ian took their seats in the front row on the upper deck and eagerly awaited departure. It took several minutes before the crew started the powerful engines, and during that time passengers were forced to sweat it out in incredibly hot temperatures. One passenger took the initiative and opened a ceiling vent, but bus attendant Natasha scolded everyone seated nearby when she saw this and quickly shut the vent. Things began looking up as the bus was started and it gracefully departed the station. As the double-level Mainliner made its way through the city's northern suburbs, a second, very friendly bus attendant appeared with coffee and cookies, a welcome refreshment and a wonderful start to an exciting adventure! Unfortunately, the journey went downhill from that point. Several hours into the ride, as they neared the border with Namibia, Kevin and Ian were nearly frozen to death as forceful air conditioning vents positioned directly above their seats were switched on. Unable to turn the vents off or redirect the air flow, Kevin notified Natasha, but she cruelly refused to do anything about the problem, and so the air remained on for the remainder of the trip. Eighteen hours and countless cups of coffee after leaving Cape Town, the bus arrived in the heart of Windhoek, and luggage in tow, Kevin and Ian braved the African dawn and dared to walk the deserted streets to their hotel. To their surprise, their arrival coincided with Namibia's independence day, and everything in the city was closed for the day, but that didn't dampen their enthusiasm as they proceeded to check out the city's several tourist attractions, including a church, a statue, and an old German fort, which was not open and inaccessible due to the holiday. The following morning, accommodations were secured at the Weltevrede guest farm in southwest Namibia, and after renting the smallest car available, the boys hit the road and were on their way to the timeless dunes on the Namib desert. Unwisely, shortly after departing Windhoek, they decided to nosh at a quaint roadside restaurant, where they picked up a nasty intestinal virus which would haunt both of them well after their return to the United States.

The Namib beckons

After a fabulous dinner of Springbok stroganoff and chocolate pudding at the guest farm and a restful night's sleep, Kevin and Ian packed up their gear at 6 am and began the two hour journey to the Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei, an area of towering dunes in the heart of the Namib. After a rough drive, the entered the dunes and immediately parked their car and proceed to climb the first dune they saw. Upon reaching the top, Kevin proceeded to slide hundreds of feet down the steep face, a decision which haunted him the rest of the day as he battled to shake all the sand out of his underwear. Later, after being dropped off at the Sossusvlei by four wheel drive, both men realized they had forgotten to bring any water, and the next few hours became a harrowing ordeal as they prayed for their ride to return to pick them up.

Kevin feigns death in the Dead Vlei.

Kevin surveys the vast, empty landscape of eastern Namibia.

After their incredible trek through the dunes, the boys set course for the coast and the charming town of Swakopmund. Shortly after fueling the car in the tiny town of Solitaire, they came across a young man hitchhiking. Not one to leave a young man standing next to the road in the middle of nowhere, Kevin quickly pulled over and picked the man up. Kevin learned the man was an electrical engineer from Switzerland, had spent the past few weeks hitching his way through Namibia, and was extremely attracted to Danish women. Bizarrely, the traveler insisted on calling the Sossusvlei the "Sausage Vlei". After five hours of arduous gravel roads, they arrived at the coastal town of Walvis Bay and welcome pavement, and after dropping Swissy off, they proceeded to Swakopmund.

Enchanting Swakopmund

Checking in at the hotel Dig By See Kevin and Ian were welcomed by Manfred, the German proprietor, who smelled of cigars and appeared to have been drinking. The information provided in the room mentioned "your hosts Manfred and Stella," and though they had met Manfred, they never saw Stella during their three-day stay. The only other individual present was a black cat, and gradually they began to realize that perhaps she was Stella. Swakopmund, a former hub of German Southwest Africa during colonial days, was full of Old World atmosphere, not to mention Old World people - the town is a magnet for German tourists. In spite of that, it is still an interesting town, full of colonial architecture, a pleasant beach, and best of all, an antique store where Ian was able to purchase a penis sheath he had promised for a friend. After three days in Swakopmund, the boys said farewell to Manfred and Stella and hopped in the car for their return journey to Windhoek and a quick flight back to Cape Town. Shortly after leaving the coast, the boys were stunned when a car driven by none other than Miss Namibia approached from behind and quickly passed them. Apparently the car she had won in the pageant, it was emblazoned with the titles "Miss Namibia 1998" in bold letters on the sides and rear windshield. Though they could only wonder where she was going, the boys knew that the pageant to choose Miss Namibia 1999 was only weeks away, and doubtless she was zipping through the country making the most of her remaining weeks as title holder. After dropping off their car at Windhoek airport, Kevin and Ian boarded their flight to the welcoming bustle of South Africa.

Ian pauses in front of the colonial era lighthouse in Swakopmund. Kevin strolls along the beach in the small town of Swakopmund.

Helpful signs make navigating Cape Town a breeze, as Ian discovered. Framed by majestic Table Mountain, Kevin bids farewell to Cape Town.

The final full day in Africa was devoted to climbing Table Mountain, a feat which had been out of the question a week earlier due to heavy clouds. Having learned nothing from their trip to the Namib, Kevin and Ian proceed to start the arduous three to four hour trek up the mountain with only the clothes on their back and not a drop of water between them, and tempers flared as they grew weary and incredibly thirsty in the morning heat. Ironically, this may have contributed to their speedy ascent, which took them only 2 hours and 15 minutes, since they knew that at the top there was a refreshment kiosk and restaurant waiting. After reaching the summit, the boys both enjoyed ice cold beverages and ice cream before wisely taking the cable car to the bottom. That night, they returned to Bronx, making the most of the evening by staying out until 6 am the following morning. Plans for a hearty brunch were discarded as both of them ended up sleeping most of the next day, until they absolutely had to get up to go to the airport at 5 pm. After boarding their flight home, the plane circled the city before heading out to sea, and both boys reflected wistfully on their experiences, wishing once again that they had brought water with them as the flight attendants quietly slinked away after dinner, not to reappear for another 10 hours...

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