Year 11 Namibia Trip

On 29 August, the Year 11 class headed on their Orange River trip with an early departure at 5am. Huddled under blankets and warm jackets, some chatted excitedly in the dark and cold bus while others grabbed a couple hours of sleep before our first rest stop in Piketberg where we were able to grab some breakfast before we set off back on the road to continue our journey. With two more stops in locations such as Garies, with an eventful bus ride in between, we finally arrived in Springbok for lunch where some headed to the KFC while others headed to Steers. A few were even able to go to the Crazy Store where rugby balls and a bow and arrow were purchased for even more fun. Our group eventually arrived at the Namibian-South African border and with a group as big as ours we spent a significantportion of time in the small buildings staring at posters about the illegality of plant poaching. By the time we arrived at our camp Amanzi the sun was setting, so we hurriedly set up our tents with one group being able to remarkably get their 6 person tent up quick and with ease. The rest of the night was spent talking with friends as we braced our first taste of the cold nights that awaited us the rest of the trip.

The next day we were all up early to get our last showers in, eat some breakfast and pack up our things into buckets and dry bags for our time on the river, where a lot of us realised we had seriously overpacked. It was decided that our group would use the inflatable boats which would be slower on the river but were less likely to tip over. As the day started to warm up we put all of our belongings in the middle of our two person boats and by 11am, we were on the river, going through our first rapid just moments after getting into the water. The rest of the stretch was quite easy with us mostly taking in the view as we made our waydown the Orange River. We stopped for lunch shortly after and enjoyed the views of beautiful mountains and blue skies. We were able to see wild goats, take in the warm sun and cool water as well as skip rocks and pass the rugby pall around. After a lunch of hot dogs we were all ready to continue our journey where we got the chance to swap snacks in boat trains as well as take a nappy ride down the final rapid. Our first night on the river we camped on the beach. It quickly became dark so many of us gathered around the fire the guides had made for us as we roasted marshmallows and even biltong before we had a good dinner also prepared by the guides. The night was spent stargazing as we spotted a few shooting stars before we headed to sleep for the next day.

Our second day on the river started with us waking up even earlier to take down tents and eat a quick breakfast before completing another 10 km on the river. Our group headed through many more rapids but we were able to bond along calm stretches in chained boats as we traded more snacks or took a dip in the river water. We stopped for lunch around midday and while some tanned in the sun and chatted with friends, others collected rocks before we all enjoyed some sandwiches and tuna salad. At this point we only had 3 km left to complete for the day, so it wasn’t long before we arrived at our next campsite. Just a couple metres before this point we had seen our first baboons so we were all extra vigilant that night! The wind was particularly brutal as we set up our tents and many struggled to pin their tents down on the loose sands. Later on, a couple of people played uno while others gathered around the fire to chat. Earlier that evening a baboon skull had been discovered and had been promptly stuck on a stick to the uneasiness of others who claimed this would be bad karma for the group and this uneasiness was made worse by the skulls eyes being set alight. Eventually as the fire died and our game of impressions of people came to an end, we gathered in groups to hang out under the stars despite the cold night.

The next day we packed up our tents for the last time on the river before playing a quick bonding game of trying to catch the oar before we all continued our journey. Our final stretch on the river to complete our 33km was quite eventful. While the distance was not as great as our first day on the water, we had been warned about the upcoming rapids. We were first hit by a relatively calm one but with rocks surrounding the shallow water, it was a battle to not get  stuck along the choppy currents. Luckily we got a break, stopping for lunch where we bonded some more while burying someone in the sand. After a quick meal, we quickly headed towards our final two rapids – mini Sjambok and Sjambok where we had one person be tossed into the river as well as multiple other close calls from others. Finally, we had arrived at our destination and promptly packed all of our belongings and boats onto the trailer and loaded onto the buses that had come to pick us up, enjoying a relaxing ride back to camp. Back at Amanzi we once again pitched our tents for the final time that trip before everyone rushed to enjoy a hot shower and changed into nice clean clothes, free of river water and sand. Many decided that night to pull an “all nighter” due to the 4am start the next day, with our whole group essentially being packed and ready to leave by 3 in the morning. Setting up tents was definitely a waste!

By 5am we were on the road, excited to see home after the many days away. With much less energy than the previous drive, many took the opportunity to get the sleep they never did the previous night. Border control, while long, was much easier than before so it didn’t take long to get back on the road until our next stops, where we had the opportunity to grab something to eat at the Vida or KFC. After a 12 hour journey, we were finally back at ISCT, exhausted but happy.

Thank you to all our guides as well as the teachers who made this amazing trip possible! This was good bonding experience for our grade and a great start to our journey as the next leaders of this school.

– Hannah C