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Scenic Views |
Miscellaneous |
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Miscellaneous, Scenic
Views Each image is displayed with a size of 1280 pixels by clicking on the
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This website is something like a personal corona diary 2020
concerning Onjala/Namibia.
In
mid-February 2020, one of us (Paech) flew to Namibia in the hope of being able
to carry out a similarly successful observation program as in 2019 on Onjal by
the end of October. The coronavirus was already being heard about in Europe,
but how dramatically the situation would come to a head in just under 6 weeks
was not foreseeable ...
Middle of February 2020 ...
Arrival in Namibia in the middle of the big rainy season. This was very
productive, I had never seen the landscape on Onjala so green in almost 7
years. |
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Chamäleon house and "dirty devil" vor dem Affenberg |
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The 3- and the 4m dome (after a repair of the RA
drive) were quickly ready for use and also the potable mount, the MACH 1 from
Astro Physics, with the Pentax refractor and the guidescope was quickly set up
and ready for upcoming, planned observing programs. |
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Around mid-March, the
situation began to escalate extremely, both in Europe and in Namibia. The Air
Namibia cancels all flights to Germany and Namibia has a quarantine for
entrants from all over the world. My wife was supposed to come on March 20, we
cancel the flight immediately.
My return flight was planned for the end
of August, a decision had to be made: Stay and wait or fly back to Germany. On
March 20, there are only flights with KLM to Amsterdam, onward travel to
Germany uncertain. I decide to fly home and register at the German Embassy and
the Foreign Office for a return flight through the Federal Republic.
The
tour operator Chamäleon Tours from Berlin brings all tour groups traveling
in Namibia centrally back to Onjala Lodge. Around March 20, Namibia closes the
borders to the |
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The Covid-19 Corona Virus |
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neighboring countries - also to South Africa - and is preparing a
strict lockdown between the individual Namibian provinces. Chameleon Tours is
trying to organize a charter flight to Frankfurt for March 25. There are
difficulties to get a landing permit for Johannesburg (South Africa), where
Chameleon groups are also still traveling. The very last KLM flight - out of
Namibia - leaves on March 24, I decide to take the Chameleon flight, because it
goes to Frankfurt and not only to Amsterdam.Translated with
www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) |
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On March 25, in the morning, about 75%
of Onjala employees are laid off, many have tears in their eyes because they do
not understand at all what is going on. The lodge is completely
closed.
The Namibian lockdown is a fact and in the morning all
Pack Safari buses are used to drive the Chameleon guests - and also me - to the
airport and the dismissing Onjala staff to Windhoek. |
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At the
airport more or less chaos, The boarding passes were distributed,
none for me. I learn that I am - for
whatever reason - removed from the passenger list. A helpful employee of Pack
Safari ensures at the "Super Visor" immediately that I am put back on the
passenger list and get a boarding ticket. Pure stress, I do not have to
experience again in my life.
The airplane - after intermediate landing
in Johannesburg extremely full - was a Spanish airline. Hardly any service
except for a coffee and a sandwich - but on the way to
Frankfurt.
P.S.
The German Foreign Office and the German Embassy had probably forgotten about
me. I did not receive any emails for a return flight. If I had not taken care
of it privately, I would have been stuck in Namibia until October
... |
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our spanish airplane, last
flight leaving Windhoek |
from
Johannesburg extremely full |
ghostly, the long distance train station at Frankfurt airport |
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At the
airport on entry, no indication of Corona, except for distance markings on the
floor.
Last stage, the ICE to Hannover. In the compartment together with
Laila, a social pedagogue, who wanted to work in the kindergarten on Onjala for
3 months. After 14 days all-clear, no infection with Covid-19 in the fully
occupied plane - WITHOUT to carry a mask |
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OCTOBER 2020
At the end of
September, the RKI, and thus the German Foreign Office, removes Namibia from
the travel list. Covid-19 illnesses and deaths remain within limits in Namibia.
From the beginning of October, Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings will
again offer flights from Frankfurt to Windhoek 3 times a week. Entry
requirements for Namibia: A negative Coronatest, not older than 72 hours and
new - a proof for a travel insurance, which also includes Covid-19 diseases.
Now more than ever - NO RISK NO FUN
I am booking a flight for October 15
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16 hours with mouth and nose protection |
only
a few passengers |
ready for takeoff in Frankfurt |
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Arrive in Windhoek at 7am in the morning |
Distance, distance and distance on entry |
Welcome at Onjala |
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In mid-October the sun is almost at its zenith |
hot,
up to 38 degrees in the shadow |
selfie at sunset |
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Our house gecko |
our
portable, ready for use ... |
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with Pentax and guidescope |
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the 4m dome |
new
staff - Training for Stargazing |
the
3- and 4m dome |
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Testgamedrive with Nathie without guest |
Stuck in the revier |
The
Giraffes are still there |
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meanwhile there are 16 animals |
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View
to the lodge and the 4m dome |
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Sundowner with Bianca and clouds |
First rains of the small rainy season |
The
nights were mostly cloudy |
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A 360 degree sun halo ...
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and spectacular sunsets |
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View from the sundowner place towards the lodge
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The
observatories ... |
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under a spectacular sunset |
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The
last evening before my return flight on November 16 showed clear skies and a
2-day-old crescent moon above the 4m dome. The following night I sat on the
terrace at 28 degrees and a big glass of beer under a brilliant starry sky. The
Magellanic Clouds high in the southern sky. The constellation Orion rising, the
Pleiades and Hyades in the northwest, Sirius rising in the east. And close to
the horizon - over 90 degrees latitude - thunderstorms fulminate with incessant
cascades of lightning, somehow a surreal sight.Translated with
www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
The next morning at 7 a.m. I
leave for the airport, 17 hours with mouth and nose protection await me. The
last through ICE from Frankfurt to Hannover leaves at 8pm. I reach it thanks to
a very timely Lufthansa flight and am around 1 o clock in the morning in
Hanover. |
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All Images and all Content are © by Franz
Hofmann, Wolfgang Paech |