A Life of Travel: I Just Drove Around Namibia for 2 Weeks... and More!
Derek Baron
May 06, 2025
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What an adventure.
Over the past 2 weeks, I spent 12 days in spectacular Namibia.
Spectacular is an understatement. Namibia is a country with just under 3 million people. About 50% of the country is protected as national parks or reserves. The nature is diverse and pristine and to put it bluntly, f*cking surreal.
We rented a 4×4 SUV, drove all over the country, stayed in the middle of nowhere, visited quaint towns, soaked up all the nature, ate a ton of apple pie and saw more zebras than people (no joke).
I stared out at the purple skies over the desert in Sossusvlei, stood atop the majestic dunes of Sandwich Harbor overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, walked through the Deadvlei salt pans full of ancient and mysterious trees while surrounded by even more towering red dunes and watched lions, rhinos, elephants, giraffes and more while on a self-drive safari in Etosha National Park.
It was all….well, silly. Yes, this trip was silly. It was so perfect in every way that it’s almost comical. Everything went so smooth. We had zero issues at all. Every day was filled with magical nature, excellent food and super welcoming and very fun people.
And as a bonus, we seemed to be some of the only foreigners not to get a flat tire during all of the off-road adventures!
Our route went like this:
Windhoek (the laid-back capital)
Sesriem/Sossusvlei/Deadvlei (the awe-inspiring desert)
Swakopmund/Sandwich Harbor/Skeleton Coast (where dunes meet the sea)
Etosha National Park (so much wildlife and serenity)
Windhoek
Namibia is an ideal destination for those who genuinely LOVE nature, especially those who are brought to tears at times by the unspeakable beauty of this planet. The country is that impressive. It’s also ideal if you enjoy being somewhere remote, very quiet and disconnected, while still having some comforts available to you.
Here’s some social media posts I made about this trip, complete with photos:
Namibia Road Trip: Part 1 - Sossusvlei
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Now I’m back in Lisbon and I’ll be here for the rest of the month. Then… we’ll see!
The surreal dunes and ocean of Sandwich Harbor, Namibia
Wandering Earl Tours
My small group tours are known for their laid-back, personal style, deep local connections, and off-the-beaten-path experiences — most of which simply aren’t possible with standard tour operators.
If you’re ready for an unforgettable travel experience, be sure to check out our trips!
2025
This year we’ve already run excellent trips to Mauritania, Vietnam, Cuba and Iraq. We have many more trips to come but only 3 trips still have spots available!
VIETNAM (Oct) - 4 spots left
IRAQ (Nov) - 5 spots left
MAURITANIA (Dec) - 5 spots left
2026
Next year’s trips will be extraordinary as well :) My extensive local networks help us create unique and exceptional experiences in every destination!
MAURITANIA (Jan)
SOCOTRA ISLAND (Feb)
VIETNAM (Feb/Mar)
IRAQ (Mar)
BHUTAN (Apr)
THE BALKANS (May)
SOUTH AFRICA (Aug/Sept)
ROMANIA (Sept)
KYRGYZSTAN/UZBEKISTAN (Sept)
VIETNAM (Sept/Oct)
JAPAN (Oct) - SOLD OUT
JAPAN (Nov) - SOLD OUT
recommendations
iPhone wallet: I didn’t think I would like having this ESR magnetic wallet attached to the back of my iPhone, but now that I’ve used it for a couple of months, I’m hooked. It’s perfect for travel as it’s simple, very convenient and even offers some protection against drops.
Journal with dots: As I try to dive back into journaling, I picked up a journal with a dotted grid on the pages instead of lines. There’s something about the dots that adds an element of fun and creativity to my journal sessions in the morning.
Universal travel adapter: The universal plug adapters I have are okay but they’re bulky, break easily and don’t stay in the outlet half the time. So I’m thinking of buying this sleek Anker universal adapter (once it’s back in stock) that a friend recommended. If you have any other suggestions, please let me know!
Tahini: In a village 45 minutes away from Mosul, Iraq is a tahini factory owned by two brothers. Their tahini is delicious. I brought a jar back from Iraq a few weeks ago and gave it to a friend who is a tahini expert. His response? “Best tahini ever!! Super smooth and tasty!” If you want some, you either need to join one of my fascinating Iraq tours or let me know and I’ll pick up a jar for you in November when I’m there for the next tour!
around the globe
🚶 The Importance of Wandering
“Wandering is simply the act of allowing yourself the grace of no plans, no directions, and no expectations.” Here’s how and why we should all wander from time to time!
🇨🇭 Swiss Paradise
I dare you to try and describe the town of Lavertezzo, Switzerland as anything other than paradise!
🥳 Portuguese Festival With Hammers
The São João Festival in Porto, Portugal is certainly a unique one, involving strangers hitting each other on the head with plastic hammers, as well as the standard fireworks of course. Here’s a video of the festivities as well.
🇮🇳 India’s Crazy Dangerous Road
Here’s the insane story of how a truck driver navigates one of the most dangerous roads in India and probably in the world.
👀 Curing Blindness
Nepalese eye surgeon, Sanduk Ruit, has been traveling around Asia and Africa performing cataract surgeries for over 100,000 people who cannot afford the procedure, and he does it all for free.
📷️ Photography Tips
These ’what I see vs what I take’ photography tips are so simple but they will absolutely make a difference in the quality of your next set of travel photos!
🧩 Any Map Puzzle
Do you think you know the layout of a particular destination? Head over to Any Map Puzzle, type in any city, town or neighborhood and see if you can complete the puzzle!
🧳 Best Travel Books
Here’s one author and foreign correspondent’s recommendations for the 5 best travel books of 2025 so far.
📚️ Independent Bookstores
If you love visiting bookstores, this list of wonderful independent bookstores is worth looking at the next time you’re on a trip!
where in the world?
A big congratulations to those who guessed the location of the photo in the previous newsletter! Here’s who guessed correctly:
Kevan, Michael F, Miss V, Steve, Helen, Craig, Danny, Kate, Susan, Cindy, Cathy, TJ and Lena
The specific location is the Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland!
This week’s photo:
It’s time to guess…where was the below photo taken?
If you have a guess (the more specific the better), click reply and let me know. Anyone who guesses correctly will be mentioned in next week's newsletter 😄
If you wish to help support this free newsletter, kindly forward it to people you know, make a donation or join one of my unique small group trips to some spectacular destinations!
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Thank you so much for reading!
Derek
(my middle name is Earl)
Travel Insurance: My personal recommendation for affordable and reliable travel insurance is Safety Wing. It was created by travelers, for travelers, and it's rapid growth in popularity is well-deserved.
Affiliate links: Some links above may be affiliate links in which I earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. I only promote products/services that I genuinely use and love myself.