11/11 Morning

dik dik trail again. black rhino, and this time actual tiny tiny dik dik,



breakfast

back out to other waterholes on south east edge of pan, Chudop, Okerfontein, Ngobib, Springbokfontein and Kalkheuwel.



eland,

warthogs,



a cheetah perhaps.

lunch, no buffet! smoked oryx cold cuts were very good.
Mongeese hiding from the sun


Siesta till 4:30pm



- Posted using BlogPress

Location:Namutoni Camp, Etosha

11/10 Etosha NP day 3

Early morning rendezvous at the in-camp watering hole. Male lion at water's edge, whatever. We regroup and head out to Nebrowni waterhole for a little gemsbok fighting action



and some mud caked white elephants.



Bored, we head back down to check out the waterhole at Gemsbokvlakte. Well who knew, another "geoff unusual(tm)" - its a 5 car viewing situation, a male lion eating its morning springbok.



(heads ups - if you see >4 stationary vehicles on the skyline then get over there pronto something is going down for sure.)

good stuff, how does Geoff arrange this stuff to happen for us?

Back for bacon, I mean breakfast, and a quick re-pack and check-out before we embark for our 160km journey across the southern edge of the Etosha pan to our destination, Netumi. Halfway along we start to explore all available waterholes, dry or not, and do really enjoy Goff's favourite tree, really.

An un-memorable lunch at Halali (nice enough place btw, public nudity not prohibited) and then it's on to Namutoni.

The landscape is changed, there are lots of short trees, there looks to be vegetation. There is a surfeit of giraffes, like a lot. Dallying we visit a waterhole just shy of the hotel which is differentiated by an island of lush green reeds. Semi submerged we find an elephant doing its best to clear the island of vegetation. But hotel rooms sound good, we leave.

We check in to Namutoni Camp, and this previous colonial fortification reveals itself to be a totally cool hotel.



Not quite as swish as last night at "bacon central", aka Okaukuejo, but very very nice. (Actually i prefer this camp now)

Never missing a beat Geoff has us out on a pre sunset drive around dik-dik trail. No dik-dik (small, no tiny, deer, really) but instead, industrial quantities of giraffe. The place looks like a line up of cranes at a container dock. Seriously, 21 giraffe! We could have Oakland harbour humming.



Giraffes do not get arthiritis, apparently.



Anyway, trying to squeeze the last minutes of daylight away from a bar and targeted to more useful things we did a bonus loop back to the natural water hole where the elephant had previously been gorging on giant reeds. But now the elephants are gone and a pride of lion are performing -ok, sleeping. Then we notice the two delinquent teenage lion cubs have somehow landed on the island of reed. (Elephant scarred but not destroyed and yes apparently, cats swim)


This then turned in to an exciting juggle of whether we can wait long enough for the cubs to leave (swim?) from the island or would we collect the heavy fine incurred by failing to get back to the hotel before the gates close at sunset.

We won.

Dinner in the fort courtyard was considerably enhanced by a nicely chilled bottle of SA chardonnay. Unfortunately my dining companions chose not to share in the fun.

I look forward to the bacon in the morning.

Final pre-sleep thought, the international mix is at the same ratio but apparently the really really cheap tours don't make it here. The human water hole is a delight to behold.

I'm worried, tonight I find out Geoff went to an English public school. (bet it was a direct grant)






- Posted using BlogPress

Location:Namutoni Camp, Namibia

11/9 Etosha NP day 2b

Lunch was salad and dietary counciling for Geoff (he had chips no salad)

Blazing heat so we stayed out of the sun until we set off for afternoon game following the same route as this morning, west-east route across the pan. A lot of nothing down to Gemsbokvlakte until we got back north to the culvert at Namutoni where we had the lioness encounter this morning. Fascinating to watch the same lion (ok one that looked similar) go into stalking mode in the long grass as a long line of tasty springbok came directly towards her. Perfect, except she let the entire herd pass her, unseen, with no attack. So the "unusual thing" was that the lioness did not strike at a point blank target.

Gradually a few other lions emerged, two males this time. It looked as though they had pulled off a circling move around the waterhole but the ever approaching sunset meant we had to beat it out of the park before sunset.

Did a quick climb of the old defensive tower then to the waterhole to watch the elephant mud bath.

Jackals everywhere



- Posted using BlogPress

Location:Etosha NP

11/9 Etosha day 2

We got to the waterhole at 5:45am and Geoff brought the vehicle by at 6am. We headed off to see what we could find on our second game drive.
This time we headed east along the southern edge of the pan to another natural waterhole, Nebrowni. Interesting brown hyena the other animals treat them with respect and clear out of Dodge.
We were just tooling along the road a bit past the waterhole when we came upon a lioness just standing there - presumably strategizing about her breakfast.




we are talking 10 feet from the car window.
She loped across the road and proceeded to waterhole through the perfectly camoflaging grass.




Geoff says "unusual" but wait, there's more. Not 10 mins later we come across a honey badger digging out a ground squirrel nest and capturing the owner.
Now this is very unusual..



Honey badger is swinging the spoils in his mouth. (apair of pale chanting goshawks are on standy cleanup duty)

Pretty succesful drive.

- Posted using BlogPress

11/8 Etosha game drive 1

After lunch we headed north in the SUV up the edge of the pan to the natural water hole at Okondeka. A very hot afternoon but there sleeping under some bushes was a pride of lions, 1adult male and 16 females and cubs. As the afternoon cooled the lions moved out from under bushes and rested again watching over the pan. Strangest thing as soon as the lions emerged the springbok, gembok, ostriches, wildebeeste and zebra disappeared off the pan.



It's a big fine if you leave the park after closing time (today was 6:02). we made it with a few minutes to spare. Cleaned up, had dinner and back to the camp waterhole where there was an unusual occurrence (if Geoff hasn't seen it before its an unusual occurrence). Three different elephant herds were sharing the waterhole. We are ta the very end of the dry season and water is very short. Only in this situation do these herds share.




Even the odd rhinocerous was in on the action. Each species obeys an order of drinking protocol. Elephants first or whenever they want.



Back to the room to sleep and I got up at 2am to check the waterhole. One nervous giraffe. I think there was a lion there but it was out of reach of the lights.

- Posted using BlogPress

Location:Okaukuejo, Etosha NP, Namibia

11/8 Etosha NP, day 1

Took an early morning walk back out the trail to investigate the "spider hunting wasps". They weren't frantic but were active and look totally mean




The lodge is full of euro-smokers (the french kind) actually two large groups of them. We will see them in Etosha no doubt still smoking.
Geoff was stumped trying come up with the name of the proud bird that built this outstanding nest over the breakfast area.



Then we were in the Hyundai headed north to Outjo and Etosha. The park entrance is full of exciting warnings. Geoff left his camera in boot as this always guarantees seeimg game. Sure 'nuff springbok herd at 2pm.

Arriving at 11am the room wasn't ready so we headed to the water hole. Oh my goodness. Animals everwhere.



Lunch by the pool, the euro water hole. Huge white creatures wallowed in the water. Scary. Rooms are ready. There is a definite skill to getting things done here. Similar to managing rogue policemen. Geoff is the master. Rooms are very nice.



The mosquito nets are particularly welcome when I think of the anti-malarial meds still sitting in Palo Alto.

- Posted using BlogPress

Location:Okaukuejo

Windhoek to Otjibamba Lodge

We enjoyed a very nice breakfast (election results are in) at Pension Bougainvilla (sic) before hitting the ATM and a whirlwind tour of downtown Windhoek. Then it was north 240km on the B1 to Otjiwarongo. Just 3km shy of Otjiwarongo is Otjibamba Lodge, a nice-ish hotel with bungalows set in their own private game park (small).
Anyway, we had an exciting first 30 mins on the road encountering first an odd shaped human heap some 10m off the road where it had come to rest after what must have been a direct hit. The parked car that wasn't a police vehicle looked a tad crumpled with its human shaped indentation. (no pics, of course, what do you think i am?)

Then off again only to come to a full stop at one on the random police checkpoints. The only sign was a stop sign which Geoff obeyed. As no one seemed to pay any attention Geoff slowly proceeded only to be chased down by an indignant policeman who asked rhetorically "who said you could go". Actually answering that question would not have been smart. What followed was a masterful handling of an inflammatory situation where the police-dude demanded a $N1000 ($125) fine to be paid back in Windhoek. Geoff navigated a conversationally circuitous route by claiming we were never going back to Windhoek (a lie). "You wont ignore my stop sign again - you will pay the fine". The discussion went on for an age, around and around until i heard the man say the magic two words "... the next time..." and that's where it ended. Brilliant situational control by Geoff, never raising his voice or seeming to argue or worst, question the silly little man's supreme authority over those 10m of tarmac. Only last night at dinner Geoff said the two things to watch out for are eppaulette's and a peaked cap. (again no pics as i'm guessing they would cost $N1000 each)

Basically this lodge exists for those that don't want to drive non-stop from Windhoek to Etosha NP. ie us.



There is a small watering hole in front of the lodge which catered to two ostriches (big), numerous deer (small) and a solitary wildebeest.


Trying to get a small lunch at the lodge seemed too challenging so we hopped in the car and went the 3km on to Otjiwarongo where we ate at Dumptzy's - totally adequate, good pumpkin dish.

Then back at the lodge we set out to walk the longest of the trails through the park only to stop after all of 100m into the 5km trail at an hide. Geoff leading the way looks up into the thatched roof above and seriously pissed off the occupants of the hornets nest. Within 5 seconds he had been stung 3 times by some vicious and mean flying things that were huge. Geoff retreated to the lodge while we unscathed ones headed off on the trail. Fairly unexciting (ostrich and strange bovine noises) trail but we were'nt tip toeing.

Did i mention it is very hot.



- Posted using BlogPress

Location:Otjibamba Lodge, Namibia