PHOTO-A-DAY CHALLENGE

Between Beach and Sky

Week 21 of the photographic documentary of my daily life

It’s been a turbulent week here in Namibia. Like everywhere in the world life is different from the previous December’s. But despite some restrictions, life here on the coast is still comforting.

Beach life. That’s what we do over here. Christmas in Namibia is always celebrated on the beach. It’s summer. It’s happy vibes. It’s people. It’s family meetings.

South Africans and Namibians from the inland come to the coast and fill the coastal towns. And that was this year just like the previous years too. People relax and just let go of all the stress they have been through. It’s been a tough year.

And it feels good to just come together. Collect strength for the upcoming year. Find hope and motivation to look forward again.

This week I continued again with the contrasts in the photography challenge. Two photographs taken the same day. Somehow representing some differences.

In Germany, we celebrate Christmas on the 24th. But since I left Germany I got detached from the whole Christmas tradition. And I’m happy about it. I don’t like the whole commercialism of the festive season.

You just buy gifts for people who you don’t usually meet and give them things they don’t need either. You receive lots of gifts which you will throw away soon or find a spot in the cellar for them where they will start collecting dust.

This whole consumption of useless stuff is in my eyes a waste of money, time, and bad for the environment. I much rather spend money on going on trips, exploring nature, and simply spending time with my friends. Creating memories.

Memories are what I value in life. Material things are only adding to one’s worries.

On Christmas day we set up camp and had a lovely lunch with the family on the beach. The men tried their luck with fishing while the women were tanning in the sun.

Later that day my partner and I drove further up the coast choosing a spot far off the main road. Setting up the camp for the night we sat around the fire listening to the ocean.

Seals were surfing the waves right in front of us. Some of them were even coming out of the water looking curiously at our camp. The one on the picture was quickly escaping as I came closer. Back to the ocean.

The next morning we wake up to the roaring sound of the waves. Jackals were spotted in the distance. We found their tracks all around the camp. They were looking for some food. But that was all hidden inside the car.

After breakfast in bed with a view onto the sea, we slowly packed up and drove back home.

Today was my birthday and I decided to spend it in the air. Looking from the sky onto earth couldn’t be more exciting than in Namibia where the dunes meet the ocean.

We filled one load with adventure enthusiasts. All of us trying to leave the plane at the same time looks like chaos but it gets all organized again when we get together.

Forming an eight-way over the Namib desert before landing in the dunes. An alternative landing spot. Because it’s a special day. One of our friends proposed to his girlfriend who landed on a tandem jump.

She said yes. Now she’s also part of the skydiving family.

I started today a ground school. Training students to become skydivers. Lots of theory and practice on the ground is necessary before I can go up with them. Spending all day in the office and on the ground explaining how a parachute works I didn’t have time to take a picture.

Back home I was exhausted. From all the talking I did. From all the questions they asked. Remembering my photographic documentary I quickly picked up the camera.

Sitting on the couch I took one picture from inside the house, focusing on what was on the window sill. And one of what what was outside the window. The beach. Right in front of the house.

Day two of the training course. Sometimes your training takes longer than usual. Some students have lots of questions, are doubting everything you’re saying, and drag out the whole course.

Something you have to deal with as a teacher. Being patient but strict at the same time is sometimes a real challenge. I enjoy the process of teaching which doesn’t mean that it can’t be frustrating at times too.

Looking at my parachute I called it “one-way use” because I can only come down with it. Down from the sky. The plane in comparison we can use to go up and down. The shot was taken after the course when high clouds were covering the late afternoon sun.

Today I went up with one of the students on his first jump. Together with another instructor we took him on a skydive where he had to and did pull his parachute himself. He got nervous when we reached the door but still did a great job.

After that one jump, the student was overwhelmed and tired from all the concentration and decided it was enough for the day. I continued to help on the ongoing tandem operation which is always very busy between the years.

When leaving the airport I took those two pictures half an hour apart. The setting sun can create such diverse pictures in the sky.

This has been my week. A week between Christmas and the end of the year. A week between the beach and the sky. I was busier than expected since I got this training course in which occupied me for three day days. Including the jump.

It was fun being back at work for a bit and also fun jumping over the desert. I always enjoy those views.

Christmas on the beach was a typical Christmas in Namibia.

Let’s see what the new year will bring. As soon as everything calms down we’ll be preparing for a trip. It’s time to go and explore more of this stunning country!

I’m wishing all my loyal readers a Happy New Year and all the best for your future plans!

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Anne Bonfert is a traveler. Photographer. Writer. Teacher. Skydiving instructor. Adventure enthusiast. Nature lover. And fell in love with the African continent.