Back in Norway

I miss updating our blog from Namibia weekly, and several people have told me they still keep looking for some updates, so here is one from Norway!

The boys and I have been back for two weeks, and time is flying. Erik has started school, and Gabriel started preeschool last week as well. I am posting some Norwegian pictures, one is from crab-fishing at a beach nearby, some from Gabriels first day of preeschool, and some from a Ola Bil race we went to see with Anne and Kjetil n kids.

Life is different in Norway, no doubt. We miss Namibia with its beautiful landscape and with a simplicity in regards to how to live life, day by day.

Leaving Namibia today

The kids and I are leaving Namibia today - we have spent the last few days in Windhoek, including a trip to Sossousvlei, one of Africas largest sand dunes. It has been hectic but nice spending our last bit of time here, and the bags are now packed and we are ready to go. Sammy will stay for another month or so, and go back to Opuwo to finnish his contract. In the meantime Erik will start school in Norway, and Gabriel and I have a few weeks at home until I start working again June 1st.

Thank you Namibia and thank you to all our good friends that we have made while living here - until we meet again!

Farwell Opuwo

We are driving to Winhoek today, my brother is flying back to Norway tomorrow, and the boys and I will follow the 13th of May. It is time to say farwell to Opuwo, and it is with mixed emotions that we do so. The past two years have filled our hearts with the warmth of the people in Opuwo, the everyday visits from all the kids in the neighbourhood, the visits to the supermarket where Gabriel is held by most of the staff everytime and Erik is allowed to run around, the daily run to the airstrip - where the scenery is so stunning that its hard to get your head around it. The lodge on the top of the hill, where you can swim while gazing at the African landscape shaped with hills and mountains and plains. Gabriel's daily fun with Mr. Chombo who works in the garden, they have become good working buddies and there is no day without Gabe helping in the yard. The handshakes with all the people you meet, the himba ladies laughing and greeting you with their big smiles and ochre smell, the herero ladies in their big dresses and cow horns have become a natural part of our life. The lack of water, the sometimes lack of electricity, the TB, Rabies, cholera, malaria and all the rest have been challenging, no doubt, but we have done it and whilst living in it you realize that everything is possible. Living in Opuwo has allowed our family to grow even closer together, sharing the experience and challenges living in a village in Africa. Time stands still and it has allowed us to spend all our time together as a family. There is so much more to say, but words cannot describe how Opuwo has forever changed the 4 of us. We will take this African experience with us and meet the world at home with different eyes. Thank you Opuwo!

The last Braii

The last braii at the house and saying goodbye to good friends.

My brother arrives Namibia!

Auden decided to make a last minute trip to visit us here before we move back to Norway. Despite the short time he has here, we decided to show him what Namibia has in store in case he decides to come back one day. Most important for me was to take him "home" to Opuwo and show him our life here. It as been our home for the last two years, and we are starting to feel time is passing just a bit to fast for us now. We arrived with Auden in Opuwo yesterday, after a day in Swakopmund and the sand dunes, we drove up the Skeleton Coast and saw the biggest seal colony in Africa, the to Brandberg (home of the desert elephants), and we drove through Damaraland to Etosha. We camped, but our last night in Etosha was scary - lions were roaring ALL night long, very very close to the campsite, and I cant say that we felt safe sleeping in a tent....

The next two days we will spent here in Opuwo, a braii tonight, tomorrow we will go to the lodge, and Wednesday we'll have to drive back to Windhoek.

Ali and Kathy in Namibia!

I have been busy since my last update, as Ali and Kathy (friends from the UK) came to visit Namibia and Opuwo. I picked them up at the airport, and we girls had three days to ourselves before making our way up to Opuwo. We went to Etosha National Park, and we enoyed the wildlife and saw 7 lions at a waterhole! From Etosha we drove straight to Opuwo, where Sammy had organized a nice braii for us. After a couple of days in Opuwo, we drove to Sesfontein (2,5 hours away) and WarmQuella, a natural lagune where we camped and enjoyed the beautiful blue lagune. Sesfontein is very scenic and beautiful, and there are loads of elephants in the area. Ali and Kathy haiked back to Windhoek, and flew on to Mozambique.

Erik's last day of school....

Last week Erik attended his last day of African school (at least for this time). It was the last day of this term, and the kids are now on holiday. It was a bit emotional for all of us, but we brought cake and shared with his class. Erik attended grade 1, class c, with 37 students. The kids sang songs for him, and gave him a book they had worked on together, where they had drawn pictures of things that will remind him of Opuwo and Namibia. The last song they sang for Erik, was the national anthem, which Erik also knows by heart as it is sung every morning and afternoon, with a salute to the flag.