Tsumeb

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Day 485
53,809 km since the beginning of the journey

Written in Namibia, Divundu.

Tsumeb is the next small town (the number of inhabitants - 15,000) in Northern Namibia, there are a few gas stations, Spar and some larger stores, so a suitable place to renew the fuel and food supplies. And try to sort out the pictures of zebras from Etosha Park , which seems at first sight quite hopeless endeavor. And not just at first glance.

In the main street of Tsumeb I have a little walk and buy myself a pair of new flip-flops. The previous pair lasted less than a month, and this is somehow too short time. And before that the ones bought in Djibouti lasted almost a year. In a small shop with a wide assortment of high quality all the major brands is represented. In a large basket there are friendly mixed up NIKE, PUMA, etc. products.  Frankly, I would have liked to have that kind of footwear as seen in the photo below.


Nothing to do. Could not get those. My purchase is placed in a plastic bag and - visit us again. I'm moving on.




The main street of Tsumeb.


Before Grootfontein there is another attraction. Hoba meteorite is the largest known meteorite and it is mentioned in all major Namibian maps. There are notice-boards of it everywhere and no chance of getting lost.

The visit costs 20 $ N, there are traditional souvenirs on sale at a shop and for $ 2N one can have two A4 leaflet about the meteorite.


On the footpath there is another warning for harassed people. I look up just in case, wait a bit, then look up once more, but as the sky is clear and nothing seems to be falling down, so I carefully move on at my own risk.

 
The meteorite was discovered in 1920. Its size is 2.95 x2, 84 meters and the thickness is from 75 to 122 centimeters. The meteorite weighs about 60 tons, and consists mostly of iron (82.3%) and nickel (16.4%). Its age is thought to be from 190 to 410 million years and it has fallen to earth less than 80,000 years ago.

In 1955 the meteorite was added to the list of National Monuments.


In many places, one can see the traces of cuttings. Samples have been taken from the meteorite by the officials and the visitors did the same before it was taken under protection.

Anyway, it is very strange to think that this piece has been formed actually somewhere else in space, has been flowing millions of years and then in the end has fallen down just here.

Some days ago. I am driving along an empty highway C44, and suddenly two young men are waving by the road in a way that there is no doubt – they are very eager to come with. I make a stop and then it comes out that there are more of those ride-wishing persons. I fail to count them up.


The first four


Then the locals try to have seats in the bus. I was not going to count, but they could be together as many as 10-12 of them. Anyway – somehow they all got inside. It is no wonder, because this type of mini-buses are very common in Africa and the general rule in most countries is that the bus will leave when there is no room inside for any more people .


In a few kilometers we have reached the appropriate place and it seems that they are satisfied with the trip in any way.


My destination was the "Living Museum of the Ju / 'Hoansi San", 75 kilometers from the main road.
But more about it in the very next post.