Hoosier Cruiser

April 7-8, 2026

Our visit to Walvis Bay began and ended in the desert. How’s that for an opening?

Viking invited us to a mystery location in the desert for an evening dinner under the stars. A convoy of coaches and mini-vans set out just before sunset. On arrival, we were greeted by a singing group in traditional garb and a field of luminaria. The venue was at the foot of a huge dune faintly illuminated by the setting sun. Servers greeted us with stems of sparkling wine as we oriented ourselves to the various buffet lines and large tents of banquet tables. After dinner, a quartet of fire dancers put on a lively show. Back at the ship, some of the crew welcomed us back to late night wine and cheese.

The following day began with a bird-watching excursion to a nearby lagoon. There we saw large numbers of flamingoes. The guide said something about greater and lesser flamingoes but that distinction was lost on me. From there, we visited a huge salt works which is a vast array of evaporation ponds. Crazy to think how a common mineral was once a precious commodity and currency. Finally, we drove back to the Namib dunes. As imposing as they were the previous night, they were even more impressive at midday.

We have a long stretch of sea days so no posts until after April 18th.

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