Swakopmund 101

Thought I might try to fill you in on what life is like in Swakopmund.  As I mentioned previously Swakop is a holiday town for Germans and South Africans and as it is currently winter there are many empty homes and apartments.  It is also home for many miners, I am not sure of whether these folks commute to the mines or live here on their days off. 

The town of Swakop and its neighbouring suburbs along the coast are predominantly white.  It would seem (with my limited knowledge) that most of the black people live on the fringes and inland from Swakop.They all walk the hour into town to work. 

It is a funny thing the safety factor.... I really think fear begets fear.  This place is pretty safe but the paranoia and fear is contagious.  I suspect in summer when the town is busier and there are people living in all the now empty homes it would feel safer again. I don't feel vulnerable.  I would perhaps if I lived any further away from town. We don't live in a gated community and whilst many properties have gates (& big dogs!) there are no such communities.  Much is made of the locking of doors, alarms, not leaving anything in your car, paying for the guys to watch your car while you shop and the security guys who watch a bunch of homes at night.  Some of it probably just employs people and maybe some of it is necessary... who knows? There are stories of film crew getting robbed, mugged etc but you know what people, we are in Africa, it ain't the eastern suburbs (of Sydney or Melbourne for that matter!!) Rest assured I feel safe and am confident this won't change when Steve is not home till late. It is by no means South Africa or any of the other lawless African countries and let's just say I reckon it is safer than the south Maroubra ghetto.

As for the weather.... well today it is beautiful, warm and pleasant. But tomorrow it could be freezing.  It is like Melbourne weather on steroids! It is kinda fun to be mixing up the fashion on a daily basis and finally getting to wear some of the gear I never get to wear in Sydney like beanies and mittens!  Ace looks super cute in his red beanie, thanks Mrs S.  Being on the Atlantic coast results in two weather options.  Either the wind comes from west bringing with it the Swakop fog, where I can no longer see the ocean across the road.  It can be tres cold and damp.  Or the east wind blows from the desert bringing with it dust and an oppressive hot wind.  And then there is everything in between.  However the most refreshing part is that in the month we have been hear there has been NO rain! Maybe two mornings of the slightest fine drizzle but that is it.  After 4 years of Sydney deluges I am finding this state of affairs very pleasant. 

Now I hope I haven't bored you all to bits with such a mundane post.  Next up where we live!

And below some photos from our morning stroll today. Ace is home from pre-school with his cold & cough, very typical of this changing Swakop climate. Hope to be back at Bugs & Beetles tomorrow.