Alone in Namibia with Martha Gellhorn

By Piia Mustamäki
“You are alone?” The young woman’s raised left eyebrow gave away her surprise. It was Christmas Day during a pandemic and I had just driven 10 miles on a gravel road. The other woman behind the Hobatere Lodge reception didn’t bother hiding her alarm. Both eyebrows raised, she chimed in, “You don’t have children?” “No I don’t,'' I answered, flashing a smile I had gotten used to doing and quickly changed the topic to the five elephants splashing at the water hole in front of the lodge.
The check-in continued as usual except that the woman worried about my childlessness kept gi...