Alex's Birthday Weekend
on Alex MacMillan (Namibia), 17/Jun/2012 13:50, 34 days ago
It was Alex's 31st birthday on 2nd June and we decided we needed to celebrate: furthermore, it would be our 2nd wedding anniversary the following week, but since we were due to be away in Rundu for a VSO event that week, combining the celebrations was clearly in order.We kicked off with a dinner at the snazzy Heinitzburg Castle in Windhoek, where staff sprinkled our table with rose petals, turning the faces of the German couple across the room green with envy, and the restaurant cat wound her way around our legs the minute Alex's fish arrived (the waitress red with the exertion of pulling the cat out from under the table). The surprise cake the waiters brought at the end of our meal was a song-and-dance-packed chocolatey end to a lovely evening.Alex enjoys his cakeThe following morning, we drove along the gravelly D-road to the Elegant Farmstead, about 80km out of Windhoek. We wanted a serious weekend of relaxation, and the Farmstead certainly met all expectations. Jack, a kind Nama gentleman from Keetmanshoop greeted us and demonstrated impeccable customer service throughout our stay - a rarity in Namibia.The view from the swimming pool and observation deckAlex and I picked up some tea and cake - thoughtfully provided by staff every afternoon at 3pm - and wound our way to the outside bed, where we read for hours, chatted, listened to the birds cawing in the bush, slept and watched the world go by.The view of the riverbed from the farmsteadAlex off to get more cakeOur neighbourThat night, after a double whisky, staff provided one of the best vegetarian meals I've had in Namibia - stuffed roasted peppers with couscous, cheese and vegetables. Heavenly - especially since in Namibia, unless at least half of your meal once breathed, it's not considered 'real food'. After an hour sitting beside the campfire wrapped in blankets and stroking the farmstead's cat, we went back to our room where, during dinner, staff had turned on the heating, lit little tea-lights and left chocolates on our pillows. Bliss... we slipped into comfortable beds and slept fantastically well. The next day was Alex's birthday! After unwrapping his gifts we enjoyed a fantastic breakfast - about a hundred kilos of Jungle Energy museli and yoghurt - and gave his Mum a skype call. We then proceeded with another lazy day, walking along the local riverbed and enjoying the wildlife, followed by coffee and reading by the pool.The riverbed. Note the absence of a river.That afternoon, we went on a game/sundowner drive, bottle of wine and nibbles securely tucked in the back of the car. Surprisingly, despite Jack's rodeo-cum-Mad-Max-driving along the bush roads, everything arrived intact. It was certainly exciting.Alex in the carGiraffes!Along the river bedSome kind of Bok/Impala/can't-remember-thingPulling up to the top of a nearby hill, we had a fantastic view over the surrounding landscape, and enjoyed a glass of wine as the sun went down.Enjoying wine and nibbles at sunsetBack at the Farmstead, staff said they'd prepared a table for us in the Wine Cellar for Alex's birthday. We found a lovely table waiting for us, with a free bottle of champagne and personal service all evening. Perfect!The champagne's not in this photo as we're drinking itA whisky around the campfire and we were ready for bed - Alex had had a lovely, relaxing birthday and a cosy night. And, of course, we enjoyed spending time around the pool the next morning before we left to go back to Windhoek. Along the gravel road back to Okahandja, we picked up two hitchikers and took them to the main road - where the young woman promptly left her handbag in our car, which we didn't discover until we arrived back in Windhoek. Looking through the bag, we found some identification, and discussed the possibility with VSO of stopping off in Okahandja the next day (Monday) on our way to Rundu, to give the bag back.