Out Of Africa

Shades, a sticker, a stone. Souvenirs of a far-off land I may never visit, though I look out upon its shifting sands day after day, as if gazing through a magical window to another time and place…

I was honored to receive these three talismans from a good friend (chat name: clippership108) who was thinking of me while enjoying the trip of her life, in and around Namibia – an honor in and of itself.

Each of the three objects tells their own story: A Country Code Car Magnet sticker from one of the lodge gift shops. I tested it out, it really works!

A pair of plastic sunglasses, never worn, given to those who “hire” a vehicle from NAMIBIA2GO car rental.

Last but certainly not least, a small sandstone pebble roughly 1” by 1” by ¼” that she picked up in the area close to NamibiaCam’s “NC” camera – still lightly dusted with the Namib desert’s trademark orange dust.

That simple stone might look the least impressive of the three gifts but appearances do indeed deceive, as it’s by far the most special to me.

As I moderate the chat or just watch the livestream, I can reach out and touch a piece of what I’m seeing and hearing. It somehow makes the experience more real, the connection stronger, the emotions more intense. To coin a terrible pun: I’m between a rock and a heart place.

• Watch clippership108’s visit to the NC waterhole HERE