Niall's Travel Blog

The journey begins! - 19th July

After so many months of projects, exams and anticipation I couldn't believe I was finally heading off to Namibia, kicking off my travel plans. After an uneventful flight to Gatwick I decided to check into my flight straight away.

This turned out to be a great call because I was informed that without proof of onward travel (my plans are very flexible timewise and I don't like to book too far in advance) I would not be allowed into the country! To let me travel they made me sign an indemnity form meaning that if I didn't get past immigration I would have to get the next available flight out at my own expense. After two hours on the net, a faulty website, half an hour of roaming calls to South Africa (not looking forward to my next bill!) and multiple mis-spellings of my e-mail address later, I managed to get a printed booking confirmation that would hopefully save my trip before it even began! Despite having a four hour stopover in Gatwick I only had time to grab a sandwich and sprint to the boarding gate.

On the flight I was seated beside a Spanish woman who I didn't think would be interesting but, as always, looks deceive. She works as a social worker on HIV/AIDS education with an NGO call Total Control of the Epidemic in Ondangwa near Namibia's northern border with Angola. A heroin addict as a teenager and HIV positive she told me about her fascinating career helping people to cope with both in Spain, Norway, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Botswana before ending up in Namibia. She talked very candidly about anti-retroviral drugs and the need to shift the AIDS programmes from treatment to prevention. After the airplane food, a glass of Namibian wine and a terrible movie I fell asleep hoping I was going to be allowed into the country!

posted by Niall at 1:47 p.m.