Arrival in Namibia

      If there is a single word I could use to describe my impressions of Namibia; remote. Namibia is the second least densely populated country in the world, and it is obvious. Approximately three people per 

square kilometer inhabit the country, with the majority of its population residing in the capital and largest city of Windhoek. The only major airport in Namibia (WDH) is located about 27 miles from the city center. Even driving on this well-traveled route between the airport and Windhoek, the absence of any towns, developments, or buildings is noticeable. A dry and mountainous landscape near Windhoek resembles something similar to southern Arizona in my mind. After completing a lengthy customs and rental car process, we drove to the N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary (I am not typing that again), where we would be spending the night. Walking around the grounds at sunset, I captured some silhouetted tree photos with an orange twilight in the background. The air in Namibia is extremely clear and the sunlight illuminates the desert vividly during the day. At nightfall, however, I experienced the most incredible Milky Way view I have ever seen. Here in the southern hemisphere, the galaxy shines directly abovehead; in the northern hemisphere, the Milky Way can only be seen looking towards the southern horizon. Thus, less atmosphere stands between you and the stars in the southern hemisphere, allowing for a more direct and spectacular view. The image above was simply taken on an iPhone… that’s how bright it is. To the naked eye, I could see the band of clouds in the galaxy stretching across the sky without any trouble.