That afternoon we planned to fly east to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, but before doing this, we elected to do some sight
seeing in this part of this former German Colony and drove along the coast to Swakopmund, 30 Km north.

In this pretty little town, the first thing we noticed was, that the street names and shops all had German names. Most people
there still speak German, as well as Afrikaans and English.

In town we visited a very interesting museum, nice shops and restaurants.

One particular Café we made a stop at was a replica of what one would find in Germany. This is certainly a tourist-meeting place
and sitting there, one feels transformed back to Europe, enjoying coffee and eating delicious fresh Apfelstrudel.

We arrived back at the airport around 3PM to get a quick weather update and then take off through the low layer of Clouds,
which has been there all day.
Once on top and further inland the visibility was superb in the evening sun behind us, looking down to strange mountain formations
and the occasional farm. We could not help wondering how farmers could make a living and survive in this barren countryside..

After exactly one hours flight time we arrived at Windhoek’s Eros airport just outside town.

As we taxied to the ramp, the Tromp family was waiting for us at our final parking location. We have never met them before.
>From the June 97 Comanche Flyer’s front page I knew, that they owned the same bird, a beautiful Comanche 260C model.

Before departure from Johannesburg, a few days back, I called them up and we were immediately invited to come and stay.
This is the wonderful African and Comanche hospitality.

Jeannie Tromp and his son Dirk were now keen to inspect Hotel Oscar November and also wanted to show us their plane in
the hangar. An aircraft indeed in immaculate condition and we would have loved to take it for a local flight, but the sun was
already setting.

Before leaving for the Thromp’s home, we refilled, while talking about our further routing via the West Coast of Africa back
to Europe.

Everyone we talked to in the flight office, the Meteo, at the FBO and the Bush pilots office, the comments were unison: “What you
want to fly over Angola”?
Comments then followed on the present difficulties, the bureaucracy, the enormous dangers, due to the renewed war situation
and cost.

In other words it was apparently not a good idea even if I had written many letters and sent telexes and faxes to Angola to request
a clearance, while still in Switzerland.

Nevertheless someone agreed to try his best with his connections in Angola, to obtain the necessary clearance for us within 3 to 5 days.
There we thought- here we go. We might now have to change our further routing drastically and use “Plan B” and return via
Eastern Africa.

Jannie’s wife, Runnel gave us a very warm welcome and she lay on a delicious dinner, prepared by herself and her two children
Mandy and Dirk.

Before we sat down to dinner, they said a prayer for us crazy aviators and we appreciated as we started to think what in fact
lay ahead.

We enjoyed a marvellous evening together with our new friends, exchanging personal and all sorts of flying stories.