Namibia

This song was written by Michelle Riedlinger with her guitar while travelling through Namibia (December 18, 2002 – January 6, 2003). Her travelling companions, Jenni Metcalfe and Merrick Ekins assisted with the lyrics from time to time (when they weren’t fixing cars, pitching tents or working out itineraries).

This song celebrates the start of Michelle and Merrick’s adventure in their tan 1982 Toyota Landcruiser. Who knows when they will return. Last Jenni heard, they were thinking of climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Kenya.

Imagine a bluesy tune while you read the words to the song below.

Photos by Jenni Metcalfe (for more photos of Namibia, see our photo gallery)

1.
We took our car out driving
Way, way up the coast
And I was quite relieved when we crossed the border post
We stopped in at the Canyon that had a lot of fish
And we jumped into the river and found Ourselves a niche
It’s good to feel so free, in Namibia

The moon at Cederburg in northwest South Africa (1)

Fish River Canyon (southwest Namibia)

CHORUS
Namibia, oh ah
You’re dry and dusty, you are
But your horizons could be
The start of something in me
You’re harsh on the senses
But your softness is peace for the soul

Moonscapes near Ugab River

Landscape between Skeleton Coast and Ugab River (1)

2.
We came across the red sands
In time to watch the sun
As it shone across the mountains in colours that did run
We headed out at sunrise and climbed dune 45
Then we jumped into the Canyon and
We’re glad to be alive
We were touched by the spirit of the earth, in Namibia

Sossussvlei 1

Michelle and Merrick at Sossussvlei

3.
We stopped to search for diamonds on the
Way to the river bed
The springbok, they were pronking
And the bat eared foxes fled
The scorpions avoided us and the ranger, he was great
We planned to get up early but we slept in really great
We’re on the road again, in Namibia

Scenery near Homeb

Springbok – before pronking (jumping up and down)

4.
The ranger let us off the hook
Without a camping fee
The leopard prints were all around as far as we could see
We stopped to see Welwitschia
And lichen that drank dew
We swam in the Atlantic and the car nearly did too
We had moonscapes on Christmas Day, in Namibia

Welwitchia plant

Skeleton Coast 1

5.
We saw a herd of elephants
On our early morning stroll
And the sapphire-misted mountains
Was a line that Merrick stole
With edges etched against the sky, we headed for the coast
And Mr Rudman let us stay to see the sailor’s ghosts
Save the rhino, forget the fishermen, in Namibia

More elephants at Ugab River

Michelle and Merrick with Berndt Brell at Ugab River, Save the Rhino campsite

6.
Swimming in the waterfall
Was definitely a must
After the 4-wheel track we drove along had coated us in dust
We passed Hereto and Himba tribes
That looked from eras past
And we travelled through Etosha where the animal life was vast
We saw the New Year start, in Namibia

Himba people in north west Namibia

Giraffes at Etosha National Park