From Windhoek to Keetmanshoop, Namibija

Potovanje se je končno začelo. Prevzeli smo avto, v trgovini nakupili vse potrebno za naslednje dni in se počasi odpravili proti jugu – proti naši prvi destinaciji Keetmanshoop. Na tretjem ali mogoče četrtem semaforiziranem križišču se prižge rdeča luč. Počasi ustavim avto, sproščeno čvekamo in opazujemo vse novo okrog nas. V stranskem ogledalu naenkrat zagledam 4 tipe, ki se hitro približajo vozilu sopotnikom za nami. V sekundi, ki sledi, opazim le še stegnjeno roko tipa, potem pa pok ob razbitju okna zadnjih vrat sopotnikov in z roko je v notranjosti avta. Takoj mi je bilo jasno, kaj se dogaja. Sranje. ROP. Kletvice so letele iz mojih ust kot še ne. Zagledam tipa, ki začne teči proti našemu avtu. Očitno si je zaželel še nas. Na semaforju se prižge zelena luč, kolona vozil pred nami se začne počasi premikati. Pritisnem na gas in med avti pred menoj si nekako skušam izboriti več manevrskega prostora. V ogledalu vidim, da skuša zbežati tudi sopotnik za menoj. Noro. Po 100 metrih zagledam na levi bencinsko črpalko z varnostnikom. Zapeljem na sredimo, skočim ven in odletim do zaposlenih. Panika. Pristopi varnostnik. Okrog nas se počasi začnejo zbirati ljudje. Varnostnik sprašuje, če je storilec ta, če je storilec oni in hkrati s pendrekom kaže na izbrane. Vzdušje je napeto, neprijetno. Noro, kakšen začetek našega potovanja. Potem se situacija počasi umiri. Pride lastnik agencije, kjer smo najeli avto in čez dobro uro je bilo steklo zamenjano in z našim potovanjem smo lahko nadaljevali. Le upal sem, da bo nadaljevanje boljše. Zaradi izgubljenih ur pa se nam popolnoma podre plan za prvi dan. Zelo počasi nabiramo kilometre proti jugu, na poti nas spremljajo oblaki, nevihte in nešteto strel. Toliko strel, kot sem jih videl v tistih urah, verjetno nisem videl v celem mojem življenju. Kamp za prvo noč tako najdemo čisto po naključju. Naslednji dan nadaljujejo proti jugu in naši prvi destinaciji – ranču, ki je znan po drevesih “Quiver tree”, še bolj pa po zavetišču za živali, kjer med drugim najdeš tudi geparde. Vsak dan ob točno 4 uri sledi hranjenje le teh. “You can go inside. No problem” mi reče naslednji dan punca stara cca 25 let. Stopim v ogrado, kakšna dva metra pred menoj pa Chiquita – gepardka s kosom svežega mesa na tleh pred njo. Ogromna je. Na televiziji so se mi vedno zdeli manjši. Začnem fotografirati. Po kakšni minuti mi reče, da lahko pridem še bližje. “You can touch her. No problem. She is like a pet”. Stojim ob njej, z roko se počasi približam njenemu vratu. Ogromna je. Ko se s prsti dotaknem dlake pa nepričakovano. V delčku sekunde se z odprtim gobcem in renčanjem obrne proti meni in mi da vedeti, da nisem zaželjen. Ugriz ni bil daleč. Kot vkopan stojim še nekaj sekund (ker premaknit se tako ali tako ne upam), potem pa z veseljem odidem na drugo stran 3 metrske ograje. Hvala. Dovolj je bilo za prve tri dni potovanja.

The journey has finally begun. We picked up the car at the rent a car agency, bought all  for the following days and slowly headed towards the south – towards our first destination Keetmanshoop. On the third or perhaps fourth traffic light the red light turned on. We slowly stopped the car and observed all new things around us. Then I saw in the side mirror four guys who were approaching fast the fellow traveler’s vehicle behind us. In the seconds that followed, I saw only a stretched arm, heard the bang of the smashed window and his hand inside the car. I knew immediatelly what was going on. Robbery!!! I was swearing like never before.  I saw a guy who started to run towards our car. Apparently we were next in line. Then green light on traffic light turned on and cars in front of us started to move slowly. I tried to start as fast as possible and found some space between the cars in front of me.  In the mirror I saw that a fellow companion is also trying to escape. Crazy. After 100 meters I saw a petrol station with the security guard on the left. I jumped from the car and ran straight to the employees. There were more and more people around our car. The security guard asked me if it’s thats the guy who tried to rob us and pointed with the stick to some of the people in the croud. The atmosphere was tense, really uncomfortable. What a beginning of our journey. Then slowly the situation calmed down. After a while the owner of the rent a car agency arrived and after couple of hours they replaced the car window and we continued the journey. But our plan for the first day was destroyed. Because of the bad weather and thunderstorms we were driving to the south really slowly and we found the campsite for the first night just near the main road. The next day we continued towards the south and to our first destination – the family ranch, which is famous for the Quiver trees and for animals – among them also the cheetahs. Every day at exactly 4 pm its feeding time. “You can go inside. No problem” said the girl in mid 20 to me the next day. I walked in the fence and just about two meters in front of me was Chiquita – cheetah female with a piece of fresh meat on the floor in front of her. She was so big. On television they looked smaller. I started to photograph. After couple of minutes she said to me that I can get even closer. “You can touch her. No problem. She is like a pet.” I moved next to her, streched my hand slowly closer to her neck and touched her softly with my fingers. Then unexpected happened. In a matter of seconds she opened the mouth and growled towards me and I immediately knew that I am not welcomed. The bite was not far away. I was still standing there, just centimiters from her (because I was too afraid to move) but after couple of long seconds I managed to leave to the other side of the 3-meter fence. Thank you. That’s enough for the first three days of travel.