Do you like Billy Ray Cyrus?
I don’t.
But the good folk at Radio Kudu do. At least they did last time I was in Namibia.
They loved playing his songs, loved hearing about his desire to protect his achy breaky heart and his longing to return to Tennessee. The producers at Radio Kudu loved him so much we heard about it every five minutes; myself and my fellow travellers Will, Anthony and Julian.
“Hi, I’m Billy Ray Cyrus and you’re listening to Radio Kudu!”
They played his songs about every five minutes too. But the problem is when you’re trapped in a hired sedan full of packs and camping gear and food and you’re traversing the long, long, open roads of Namibia, you can’t exactly succumb to the sheer musical genius of Mr. Cyrus and start boot-scooting right there and then.
No, you have to wait for the chance to get out and stretch your legs. A chance that does not arrive all too often in Namibia as the distances between cities, towns, villages, shops and even petrol stations is vast.
Namibia is truly what they call big sky country. Expansive, sparsely populated, beautiful, incredible and possessed with some of the most exceptional desert landscapes and their attendant sunsets that it is possible to witness on Earth.
Many of which my companions and I witnessed on our two week, spontaneous road trip from the capital city Windhoek and through the northern deserts and plains of the country. We visited such natural wonders as Spitzkoppe, Brandberg Mountain and Twyfelfontein, all to the soundtrack of Billy Ray.
While adventure, stunning views and genuine interaction with local people are popular among the residents of New Zealand, The UK, Australia and Germany, it seems the music of Mr Cyrus is not.
Neither are mullets.
Thus, after enduring his heart wrenching ballads for almost two weeks, we rushed into the first petrol station selling CDs and spalshed out on some tunes from The Beatles and Rolling Stones.
So next time you’re in Namibia tune into Radio Kudu, 103.5fm Windhoek. I’m sure Billy Ray’s waiting for you.
image: http://www.rollingstone.com
kieranblakewriter 