Safari Day 15 - To Ochavango

Sunday, 14 Sept. and the 15th day of our safari adventure. Everyone is getting along well on the trip and we are all very satisfied with what we have seen and experienced to date. 

Breakfast, packed and on the road by 7 once again as Mishek takes us to visit a couple of waterholes prior to hitting the pavement for our long drive. 

On our second last waterhole we come across a pack of Hyenas which is epic! One of them has a nasty gash around its' neck and we can see others trying to console it, or so it seems so to our domestic minds.

 While looking at our photos close-up, we can see the gash goes completely around his/her neck and there is wire there as well, probably from a poacher or trap.

We see quite a few giraffes also and stop at the gate when we leave Etosha for a pee break.

There are a couple of vans there with quite a few black children on board also stopped as they are just entering the park on a school field trip. Some in our group have their photos taken with them and I wonder about this as we really don't know them but later discover it is the African children who are requesting the photos as they often don't see white people. Some of the kids even have parkas on, although the temperature is already in the high 20,s at 9 in the morning.  

We soon are on pavement which is a blessing as the dusty dirt roads are tough on the body after awhile. 

It is around 5 PM when we arrive at Ndhovu Safari Lodge.

Our tent, directly behind me is the river

Chillin' on the deck.
Bob, Terry, Cheryl, Bill, Rick, Wendy, Shirley and Frank
There is no glass round the outside, just the railing.

This was the Safari vehicle we went in the following morning

Beautiful AND they sang quite remarkably.

Prior to arriving there we see a lot of litter on both sides of the road and people lined up for water. We pull into the lodge and are greeted by 2 large dogs. One is a boxer and the other is a huge Great Dane. No one is overly anxious to get off the bus at first. Once we are off we go into the dining area which has an honour bar and a nice deck over the river. It is on this deck that we will later view hippos frolicking in the shallow waters of the Ochivango River. 

Bob and I are given tent #3 and see that it has a small patio, mosquito nets over the beds, a an outside bathroom and one outlet we are supposed to use in the bathroom. 

Supper that night is at 8 PM which is also where we gather to learn of our agenda for the next day as we will be spending 2 nights at this place. 

It is hot and humid as we drift off to the new sounds of the river, with thoughts of hippos and crocs in our dreams. 

Safari Day 14 - Etosha Park

Day 14- West  Etosha Park to East Etosha Park

The drive today is not so long, only 70 km, but takes all morning as we make a game drive out of it while we make our way to the East side of the park. 

During this game drive in the bus/truck we visit about 5 waterholes to see some incredible sights. We even come across a mother Lion with 3 cubs lying in the shade about 40 ft. from the road.

Also present, (because predators are a big draw), were about 6 other tour/safari vehicles of varying sizes. A male Lion slowly strode thru the thick bush covered plain in the background which caused some momentary consternation for the female as she perked up until she could determine that he posed no threat to her or her cubs. It was difficult to get a shot and I am feeling rushed as the rapid fire clicks of my friends' Canon cameras is causing me to be concerned that I may not get "The Shot". 

Jackal

This Rhino was quite shy.

While visiting the waterholes we see Elephants, Springbok, Oryx, Steenbok, Giraffes, Zebra, Wildebeest, banana beak birds, a Secretary bird, and some other critters that I cannot recall at this moment. Suffice to say that everyone was pretty pumped by the time we checked in at the Lodge, which is on the east side of Etosha Game Park. We had lunch (grilled ham, cheese and tomato for the 4th day in a row), at the lodge, and checked into our rooms. It is getting quite warm and one of the staff said it was in the low 40,s at noon. 

The rooms were quite a bit larger and more upscale than the previous evening as we had a desk and also a tub and even our own little rock covered yard!. 

We had finished lunch by 1:30 and Mishek was going on a game drive at 3:30 so we could join him or have the afternoon off. Bob elected to rest and relax while I took the 2 hours to have a quick shower, charge some batteries and download some photos before the game drive. 

At 3:30 I rushed out to the bus with my camera bag and lots of enthusiasm. There were only 8 of us going which meant everyone had a window seat. Mike, Tim, Rick, Bill, John, Chris, Frank and myself were taking the game drive. 

This game drive would last until 6:45 and was quite leisurely as we were not rushed and looking for game rather than trying to make as many waterholes as possible.   In some places the bush was very thick and in others it opened up to large Savana like plains with scattered Acatia Trees dotting the landscape. 

While in the thick bush we came across a couple of Warthogs who settled down once they realized we posed no danger. I was using my Loupe Viewfinder and along with taking my time, was getting some very nice results. 

On this outing we saw Ostrich, Oryx, Wildebeest, and the usual assortment of deer-like animals. We also saw a gorgeous Rhino and even came across a Cheetah by a waterhole. It was quite  a distance away and had its' back to us most of the time. We stayed there about 1/2 hr watching to see if this Impala would get the courage to come down to the waterhole to shake his thirst. Finally, the Impala decided he wasn't that thirsty so we moved on also. 

Supper was quite a nice buffet and everyone called it an early night as we had to have eaten and be on the road by 7 as we wanted to do a bit of a game drive in the morning before we did our drive. It was supposed to be a long drive tomorrow with 660 km of mostly paved road ahead of us. (Yay)

I downloaded my photos and got most of my charging done overnight as the excitement was tiring me out quite a bit.    

On a very happy note, slowing down, and using the loupe viewfinder has resulted in some very acceptable photos!

Safari Day 13 - To Etosha Park

Day 13 - Ugab Terrace to Etosha Park

The drive today is not so long, only 370 km, on dirt road that is quite washboard composition at times, but the shaking, rattling and bone jarring ride is worth it, as the landscape flattens out and the rocky outcropings are replaced with Mohab and Acatia trees dotting the plains with numerous small, thorn-covered brushes everywhere.

We enter the park and are given 1/2 hr to visit the store for ice cream or to wander down to the waterhole as there may be elephants there. Not only are there 3 elephants there, but also Springbok, Zebra, and a couple of Giraffes.

The time went by far too quickly and soon we are back in the bus, with excitement building, as we have seen some of the "Big Four" this park is known for. 

It is Dusk by the time we finally make our destination in the park as we have stopped numerous times en route at waterholes and along the road to view, photograph and marvel at the diverse creatures that inhabit this park. Even the trees are fascinating as they are gnarled, twisted works of art to me, bereft of any foliage, and covered with spines for protection.

We check into our rooms quickly, and then go for supper. There is no desk in the room, but it does have a mosquito net and power, which the last place did not. We have lots of photos to download and we do that after supper. It is quite warm out and it is not until 1/2 hr before crashing that we discover that the room has air conditioning. Not like Tim and Mike who found theirs just before departing to our next destination. Once again we have an early morning, so we have no time to look at our photos or anything before crashing.     

Safari Day 12 - To Ugab Terrace Lodge

Day 12

It is Thursday. 11 Sept around 9 Am as we leave Swakopmund and head up the coast. We stop at a shipwreck for some photos early in the day. Although it is in the middle of nowhere there are a number of guys trying to sell rocks there. The unemployment rate is high in Namibia, even though the mining industry is expanding. 

As we continue, the pavement turns to a hard sandy road, then gravel, then washboard. The coolness of being near the ocean fades to warmth and then hot as we leave the coastal region. The landscape has become hilly and infested with rocks and boulders once again.  

We have lunch at a small town and see numerous Himba tribe people around and along the road as we continue.

Distorted tree by the small pool.

By the time we reach Ugab, we have covered 430 km.  The drive was worth it as we have an awesome view of the fingerling terrace in the distance. I take numerous photos of it, despite the wind, as it is quite the site for me. 

Everything past the curve is privately owned!

Sunrise

Supper is great, Mike brings his laptop afterwards and it is neat to see the shots he took of the red dunes. 

The room is great, but there are no outlets that work so my photo upload time and battery recharging is going to have to wait for another day. Outstanding place to stay!!!

We have to meet for breakfast at 0645, packed and ready to go. 

Sunset, looking at "The finger"
Just to the right, on top of the Mesa, is another private lodge
which only became visible at dusk when the lights came on.

Safari Day 11 - Swakopmund

Day 11 Swakopmund Wed 10th

 This was our free day with a number of optional activities that we could do. I had booked the Sossusfly flight over the desert and along the coast.  The cost was 350 bucks and we were to leave the hotel at 9 AM. 

We were picked up at 9:10, driven a block where we paid and then waited for 1/2 hr for the overcast weather to change before heading to the airport about 6 km away. Once there we waited until just after 11 before finally taking off in a small Cessna.

Edge of the Namibian Desert

Red Dunes of Namibia

Our pilot was French and very nice. My partners on this were John, Chris and Judy. I ended up in the backseat all by myself with both cameras. Photographically, the trip was a bust as the sun was now directly overhead giving no shadows or depth to the landscape. There was a lot of low fog as well and dust over the desert. From a tourist point of view, it was very nice however and amazing to marvel at how massive the desert is.

Large colonies of sea lions along the coast

Salt Factory by Swakopmund

We got back to the hotel around 1:30 and I saw Tim and MIke heading to the adjacent bistro for lunch so went up to our room and got Bob so we could join them. Following lunch we went up to bank to exchange some money. both the South African Rand and Namibian Dollar are valued the same and honoured in Namibia. The exchange rate is roughly 10 Rand to 1 US greenback. 

Shopping was next on our agenda so we wandered about looking for gifts but found everything pretty expensive. One of our group had done research and said there was much better selection and price in Victoria Falls.

Restaurant by the pier in Swakopmund where we had dinner

Bob and I wandered down to the local jetty for a few pics and then went back to Bistro for a light supper (fish and chips) before back to our room for some internet and photo uploading time. We have a late departure tomorrow so it was 11 before I crashed. 

Safari Day 10 - Tents to Swakopmund

Day 10
0645 was our time to load up. Once done we drove to breakfast and then headed down the dusty road. We stopped for a 3 ft. Fat Puff Adder that was slithering slowly across the road.

3 ft. long Puff Adder

We then made a bathroom stop a mile further at Solitaire that had a bunch of old vehicles for decoration. 

Once on the road again, we settled in and I put my jacket up against the window as the sun was making it quite warm by the window. 

At one of the few curves in the road we came across an overturned vehicle with a number of people around. They had recently crashed probably due to washboard condition of the gravel road. We stopped but other than being shaken up they were ok. 

In the middle of nowhere we came across a pullout with a road sign. .... TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

Tropic of Capricorn - photo courtesy of Mike Dority (on right)

We all got out for a group photo that took quite a while as no one was that familiar with their self timers and my camera was set up with the big lens. 

The next landscape change happened as we entered the Badlands of Namibia. The badlands consists of numerous small hills with sharp rocks. All the rock here is at a 45 degree angle when some massive geological event raised up part of the earth here. We made a couple of photo stops in this area before getting back to flat dessert with nothing but small rocks around. 

The landscape slowly changed once again as we neared the coastal town of Walvis Bay. We were now in desert country similar to what I had experienced in Saudi Arabia.  There was a lot of flat ground that was comprised a hard beige coloured sand with rolling dunes in the background. 

About 10 minutes drive south of Walvis Bay it started to get noticeably cooler and the sun was obscured by a low dense cloud or fog since the first time since we arrived in South Africa. At  first it was welcome but when we got out everyone was now cold lol. 

Lunch was a very long affair and delayed our arrival time in Swakopmund by a couple of hours. 

We were staying at a nice hotel by the waterfront and it even had wifi!

We had a couple of hours where we just relaxed and then went out for a supper that was mostly seafood. Supper was too close to lunch though and both Bob and I wanted a break from the late dinners tomorrow night.  

Safari Day 9 - Red Dunes of Namibia

Day 9 - Red Dunes of Namibia - Sossusvlei to Deadvlei
0615 was our meeting time on this day as we had to drive 3 km for breakfast and then drive 1/4 mile to the entrance of the park. By the time we had finished breakfast there was already a line of vehicles at the park entrance as they open at sunrise.

Hot air balloon rising with the sun as we drive to Sossusvlei

Once inside we had a 64 km drive on paved road to where the dunes were. We made a number os photo stops along the way and on one of them there was a hot air balloon over the distant dunes which looked really cool and caused me to re-evaluate whether to try it or not. 

Once out at the dunes some elected to pay 100 Rand for a 4X4 ride to the deadvlei area where they still had to walk 1.2 km to get to the site. The rest of the group paid 50 Rand (5 US dollars) for the ride back and set out on foot over the red sand for the dunes.

Misheck calling us together for the 5 km hike

Getting the briefing for the hike.

There were too many photo opportunities along the ways and Mike, Tim and I fell back from the main group who patiently waited for us to catch up a couple of times.

Heading out for the dunes (I added the clouds for effect)

We had been told to wear long shirts and pants, sunscreen and hats for this trip. Closed shoes were a must as the sand would get inside your shoes and be very uncomfortable. Bob elected for the ride as he only had water shoes. We we were also to bring at least 1.5 litres of water as this was going to be a 3 hour hike if you went the whole way.

Springbok tracks

Snow..... or..... Sand......?

As we neared the Deadvlei Mishek informed our group that we could climb the one dune and go down the other side, something we had already done on a much smaller dune. Going down you slide a lot and this is where your shoes get filled up with sand. Thanks (and I mean a BIG thanks to Darlene and Missy for helping me on choosing some great hiking boots and urging me to get some "good" socks as well. I got hardly any sand in my shoes and the socks somehow stayed dry, even tho it was starting to get really hot.

Sue, Terry and Frank led the way up this large dune
Up ahead on the right is the Deadvlei

If you look on the left at the flat plain, you can see people, which should
give a size perspective on these dunes.  300 ft. and higher, they are enormous!

"Look up, look waaaaay up"

Early morning is the only time to climb the dunes, as it gets very hot, very fast.
Early morning makes for some long dramatic shadows, which photographers love!

When we got to the big dune, Tim elected to go with some others for the shortcut rather than attempt the dune. In the end, Terry, Sue, Frank, Mike and I were the only ones who made it to the top. 

It was quite a hike but the view was worth it. Going down to the deadvlei flat was fun and the dead trees were fascinating to view.

On a side note, if a walk on the red dunes of Namibia is not on your bucket list, maybe it should be. 

By the time we made it back to the vehicles that were to take us back to the bus, everyone was very hot, a number were limping a bit (my right knee was getting a bit sore) and Bill's wife Cheryl was suffering from heat exhaustion.

Deadvlei from a plane. It is the large white plain at the bottom centre of the photo above
We walked along the top of the dune directly behind it. 

On the way back we were to go on another hike down some canyon but everyone passed in favour of going back to the tents. Instead we had lunch, photo stop at canyon and then back to tents for cold beer, a sleep or dip in pool for others.

One of my favourite shots in the Deadvlei.

Supper that night was a repeat of the previous evening and we were back to tents by 9:30 pm.

The location of our dinner and breakfast