Namibia Nordic

Hey everybody!

I'll be studying down in the southwest African nation of Namibia for the semester! It's my third day here in Windhoek and I'm already trying to cement my position as Namibia's first nordic skier. The rollerskis and hi-vis were out in full force today as the 90 degree heat and 5500 feet of elevation tried to beat me down. Dodging (or not dodging...) vicious dogs mid-L3 interval up at Veal Farm prepared me well for the stray dogs I encountered on my ski around the neighborhood. As some of you may know, I'm dangerously prone to heat stroke, so surviving the hot African sun will be a top training goal for me this semester.

A scorcher today in the hills around Windhoek, Namibia

Could this be the first rollerski in Namibia ever?

Prior to arriving in Namibia, we spent 3 weeks traveling around South Africa. Visits to Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Port Elizabeth were great, but nothing could be Cape Town.

Running up Table Mountain

Huge reward at the summit. That's Robben Island out in the ocean, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for over 20 years.

Now for some super fun facts about Namibia:

1) It is the 2nd least densely populated country in the world. Only Mongolia is less densely populated. There are 2 million people living in an area twice the size of California!

2) Namibia was the first country in the world to incorporate environmental protection into their Constitution. They're experimenting with solar operated taxis now.

3) Namibia is home to the highest sand dune in the world. It's 1,300 feet tall!

That's all for now!

-Carr