Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh | Adventures and Outings: Naomi in South Africa & Namibia

Adventures and Outings: Naomi in South Africa & Namibia

We're wrapping up Adventures and Outings! Thank you to all the parents who sent in photos of their children on the go and for sharing so many fantastic travel tips! We hope your little ones enjoy their AT bibs!

Ruben and Mutaleni used a trip to Africa as an opportunity to reconnect three months after their daughter Naomi's birth. The family spent a week in Cape Town, South Africa and then took a 21 hour (!) bus ride to Windhoek, Namibia to visit Mutaleni's family.

The ride was fine - seeing that Naomi is a relaxed baby and still has very simple needs. My family was delighted to meet her! My parents took her to my father's village in northern Namibia (a 7 hour car ride) where an aunt performed a welcoming ceremony and presented us all with traditional clothes.

We enjoyed the trip and both agree that it was made easier by a few factors:

Having a Baby Bjorn and our own car seat (which doubled as baby
chair in restaurants).

Keeping things simple - our family motto - by borrowing friends'
cars and using a long distance bus company (thereby saving on
expensive car rentals and short distance flights in Africa).

Still doing things the baby doesn't mind like visiting places of
historic relevance or going to the cinema (she slept a lot and can't
yet move about!).

Ensuring comfort and privacy by renting an apartment or staying in a small hotel.

Keeping bed time rituals (bath, prayer, bed).

It was a fantastic trip!

Comments (4)

You brought a newborn to a foreign country that is plagued by malaria?

Does anyone else here feel like calling social services?

posted by Mrs.S on September 7th 2007 at 9:07am
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Dear Mrs.S

Thanks for your concern - we appreciate it.

It seems that, to you, Africa is a continent plagued by malaria... we travelled to South Africa and Namibia (my home country - nothing foriegn about that) in their winter - which is low risk malaria season. There really is no concern.

Did you know that Angelina Jolie gave birth in Namibia? Since you're calling anyway...

posted by lushdreamer on September 7th 2007 at 9:11pm
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How wonderful! I love Cape Town, and hope to one day make it to Namibia. I am impressed that you had the courage to take a 3-month-old on that plane ride, but my mother (a former flight attendant) swears that it's easiest to travel with babies under 6 months.

And Mrs. S, adults are not even advised to take anything for malaria in Cape Town, because it's not really a risk. I don't know about the situation in Namibia, but the only place in Africa I've had to take anti-malaria medication was in Tanzania.

posted by fiona on September 8th 2007 at 11:38am
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Mrs. S - should we call social services for all the children living in South Africa and Namibia?

Our comments are for sharing feedback and offering advice and ideas - we would hope they wouldn't serve as forums for judging the parenting choices of other readers.

Carrie

posted by CMcB on September 9th 2007 at 6:39am
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