It’s Been 20 Months

Summary

The author reflects on their 20-month absence from Namibia, a country they deeply connect with, and shares their joy upon returning.

Abstract

The author expresses a profound emotional attachment to Namibia, a place they have grown to love deeply despite their usual preference for exploring new locations. After leaving the country in 2021, they find themselves unexpectedly able to recall the exact duration of their absence due to an invoice received for car storage and a series of subsequent questions. The article conveys the author's nomadic lifestyle, their struggle with tracking time due to their travel habits, and the certainty of the 20-month gap since they last set foot in Namibia. The author's anticipation to reconnect with friends and the beauty of the country is palpable, and they encourage readers to explore more of their travel experiences through various linked platforms and articles.

Opinions

The author has an unexpected emotional connection to Namibia, considering themselves a seasoned traveler.
Time has a different meaning for the author; they usually don't keep track of dates or weekdays due to their nomadic lifestyle.
The author finds humor in their newfound ability to precisely state the duration of their absence from Namibia, a rarity given their usual vagueness about time.
They hold Namibia in high regard, describing it as a place with unique vastness and landscapes that are hard to describe and too beautiful to be real.
The author values their experiences in Namibia enough to maintain a blog and social media presence dedicated to their time there.
They are excited to be back in the country and are looking forward to reuniting with friends and revisiting familiar places.

When time suddenly matters. Or not?

Namibian sunset. | Credit: Anne Bonfert

20 months since I left this beautiful country. 20 months since I last felt the harsh desert sand between my toes. 20 months since I smelled the salty air of the ocean. And 20 months since I last saw this unique vastness in a landscape.

I didn’t know I could feel for a country like I do for Namibia. I didn’t know you could have such a love for one place. I’m a traveler. I love exploring new places. But I’ll never say no to returning to this country.

We never plan far ahead and usually don’t know where we’ll be in a month or two. We enjoy this uncertainty as it comes full of surprises for us. We try to make the best of every day and if we don’t, we know tomorrow is another day.

We usually struggle to keep track of the places we’ve been to and the countries we visited. And when. How many days we have spent here or there? Don’t ask us. We often don’t know the date and certainly have no idea what weekday it is. We work on weekends and have odd days off.

And just now something so funny happened to us we laugh at our answers the whole time. When we left Namibia in 2021, we left our car in the hands of a storage company and just received the invoice for it. The invoice for 20 months.

The next day, my mom asks how long we had been away from Namibia. And usually, we would answer something vaguely being unsure. We both answered at the same time “20 months”.

It happened a few more times in the next couple of days, we were being asked when we were last in the country and every time one of us responds with “20 months”. We both laugh at it while nobody else gets it.

For once, we know for sure how long we have been somewhere or this case, how long we’ve not been somewhere.

How long did you not see your parents (Question to David)? 20 months.

I first came to Namibia in 2015 and immediately fell in love with the country, the people, and the life I lived there. Since then I only flew home for short visits. In 2019, we worked for almost a year in Thailand (that’s about as precise as I can say it).

And then in 2021, we left for Germany. Planned were six months away but it didn’t stay that way. So here we go, now you all know. It’s been 20 months since we left Namibia the last time and we are now back in the country.

It feels good. Really good. And I can’t wait to see all my friends again.

It’s been long. To be exact, it’s been 20 months!

It’s Been 20 Months

When time suddenly matters. Or not?

More about this country and why I love it so much:

Boundless Beauty of the Namibian Vastness

A country with landscapes hard to describe and too beautiful to be real

The Day I Said “Yes” Changed My Life Forever

A story and moment in my life I won’t forget so easily