Don't Allow Namibia's Jewels To Lose Their Shine

MY husband and I visited your beautiful country for three weeks in September-October 2003, when we covered over 4 000 kms on mostly good roads, met many wonderful people, enjoyed the spectacular and varied landscape, paid for a variety of accommodation and meals, and shopped in many different places.

We came from far-away Canada, so this expedition was planned ahead

of time and involved a significant amount of our hard-earned money.

We enjoyed the visit, our fourth time in Africa.

 

We have many photos, slides, and mementos, which we share with

friends and colleagues - and notes, which we will share with the

world's leading travel guide.

 

I wish to compliment Namibians on your welcome to us as

tourists.

 

The outstanding "ambassador" we met was Renee Baard of Walvis

Bay, who has a wealth of knowledge about the country, which she

shared with great enthusiasm and generosity as she showed us around

the area.

 

As your country prepares for another tourist season, may I

suggest some areas which could use some attention? These were

noticed by many fellow travellers.

 

The roads in the "tourist jewels" of Etosha and Sossusvlei are

in desperate need of improvement, as are the road signs there.

 

The three rest camps in Etosha are overdue for basic

maintenance.

 

There were leaking taps and toilets almost everywhere, which is

strange in a time of critical water shortage.

 

Lack of thorough cleaning and repairs to broken items (such as

the shelf on which to place one's toothbrush) are things which

visitors notice and talk about.

 

Etosha's food services are priced for the wealthy; not all

travellers fit that category.

 

Are we being gouged when paying top dollar to use roads and

rooms which are deteriorating and ignored? Is this a government

attitude?

 

The private hospitality outlets generally did not have this

approach, but went the extra mile to ensure good value - and those

are the places where we stayed longer and spent more money.

 

The "jewels" just need regular polishing to keep them gleaming

and attractive.

 

- Linde Turner - Rosebud, Canada

 

We enjoyed the visit, our fourth time in Africa. We have many

photos, slides, and mementos, which we share with friends and

colleagues - and notes, which we will share with the world's

leading travel guide.I wish to compliment Namibians on your welcome

to us as tourists. The outstanding "ambassador" we met was Renee

Baard of Walvis Bay, who has a wealth of knowledge about the

country, which she shared with great enthusiasm and generosity as

she showed us around the area.As your country prepares for another

tourist season, may I suggest some areas which could use some

attention? These were noticed by many fellow travellers.The roads

in the "tourist jewels" of Etosha and Sossusvlei are in desperate

need of improvement, as are the road signs there.The three rest

camps in Etosha are overdue for basic maintenance. There were

leaking taps and toilets almost everywhere, which is strange in a

time of critical water shortage. Lack of thorough cleaning and

repairs to broken items (such as the shelf on which to place one's

toothbrush) are things which visitors notice and talk

about.Etosha's food services are priced for the wealthy; not all

travellers fit that category.Are we being gouged when paying top

dollar to use roads and rooms which are deteriorating and ignored?

Is this a government attitude? The private hospitality outlets

generally did not have this approach, but went the extra mile to

ensure good value - and those are the places where we stayed longer

and spent more money.The "jewels" just need regular polishing to

keep them gleaming and attractive.- Linde Turner - Rosebud,

Canada

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