Swakopmund

Before the trip, I visited a travel medical agency. Over an uncomfortable conversation on STD’s, I learned that public display of homosexuality is illegal in Namibia and Botswana. Sam Nujoma, an ex-president of Namibia, declared in 1996 that “homosexuals must be condemned and rejected in our society.” In 2000, cabinet minister Jerry Ekandjo ordered the police to rid gays “from the face of Namibia” and kill their dogs while they are at it. But for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), lawmakers are actually the least of their concerns – the real danger comes from the general public. In Namibia, anti-gay violence rose to an alarming level when Wendelinus Hamutenya, Mr Gay Namibia 2011, was publicly assaulted in an alleged homophobic attack. Sadly, there was no solace for him even back home. When he first confessed his sexual orientation, his father called the police to escort his son to a psychiatric ward. He was only 18 at the time. In Botswana, one can face up to seven years of imprisonment simply for “having carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature”. Acceptance of gay marriage in this part of the world likely won’t happen during my lifetime.

But that doesn’t seem to deter these two men at Tiger Reef. In fact, they have taken an instant shine on J-Mao, if not for his exotic half-Asian look, then for sure because he was the only person entertaining their questions. Oblivious to their advances, J-Mao tried to talk us into going to this party.

“There will be a lot of girls,” suggests J-Mao, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically.