Of course it's changed ... but for the better?
Well the price of houses has risen astronomically in certain areas - not in others (where we have ours!) There is evidence of Chinese businesses everywhere - including the huge new hotel being built on Independence Avenue .... many, many Chinese shops selling cheap, worthless goods that last only a few weeks. We were greeted at the airport by an Air China 747! Is that positive or negative ? I don't know but they bring in cheap labour and locals believe it is putting them out of work. Unemployment is 38%.
Crime levels seem to be escalating, as does corruption. The hotel where I stayed (where I first met John - you know the story) has deteriorated and is very expensive but the service is lousy ... and the place is surrounded by 'ladies of the night' - who were never so evident before. Don't get me wrong - I'm not singling Namibia out - it's just that these negative social aspects didn't used to affect this beautiful country not so many years ago. I guess it was just a matter of time.
One thing I won't miss - today it is month end AND Easter break and the crowds in town were phenomenal! The queues for the ATM were hundreds of metres long! I had to fight to get out of the hotel to my taxi (not helped by the fact that a large number of rather strapping young lads from a sports team had just disgorged from their coach and were trying to get into the hotel!!)
The times they are a-changing! (but we still have fantastic sunsets!)
