Tag Archives: africa

Last few days, and what a few days they were!

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This blog is proving to be increasingly difficult. So many ‘things’ keep happening and so many fabulous wilelife experiences. It makes it hard to cull the photos. There are loads more which, if forced, I will present to you, if you struggle with sleep.

So many elephants. And some are so young

Etosha is just glorious. And King Nehale lodge is a total oasis in the desert. Elephants, lions, zebras, giraffe, so many things to look at. Well, once we managed to actually get into the park. The local staff into the park are generally grim. Sometimes actually friendly but most seem to have gone onto the “How to be unhelpful, unfriendly and an awful advert for Namibia’ course. And passed with distinction. Long story but basically we ‘Owed £15 to an office 100km away. We tried to pay locally the next day but we were refused, suggesting we might ‘run away’ without paying. We suggested leaving a £50 cash deposit, ie much more than the figure owed. This was rejected, as ‘We do not deal with cash’. We also suggested phoning the office and doing the transaction over the phone. “We can not do that” But you take credit cards? “Yes”. But not over the phone? “No”…..why? “We can’t tell you” !! Ok. So, for £15 we left 2 passports!! Or, stay in the park and pay for a grim hotel, with all our stuff outside the park, in a really nice hotel! Hey ho.

Our ‘really nice hotel’. Better in the flesh!
Etosha pan
Look who’s opening the gate – risking life and limb

Etosha is huge and the bush is so green that it is hard to see all the animals that are there. But when you do see them, fab!

White rhinos, only two left in the Onguma private reserve – 2 boys, at that. (if they do manage to introduce a female one male will probably kill the other.) And we managed to get so close!

Spoonbills…

And my fave photo so far…

This image was seen in Onguma, just outside Etosha. Agreed that this was the best place on our trip. But gosh it’s close. The worst was really good! I would go back to any in a heartbeat.

Day 5-6 Jackalberry

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We have been here a day now, and are getting used to it used to the heat, the humidity and ‘the way of things’. Because it is just us, we have the whole team asking what we would like to do, and when. Meals are our anchor. The choice is limited, generally ‘would you like… or not?”! Dinner has a choice of 2 main courses but nothing else. The last day was down to one choice. BUT, we are miles and miles away from anywhere, the camp runs on solar, and there is minimal power, no aircon, minimal wifi etc etc. DEspite this the team produce lovely food very well presented and everyone has a cheerful smile. A ‘thank you’ from us always produces a genuine ‘ You are welcome’ from all the staff.

A special shout ot to Justin. Great guide, always friendly and managed to find just what we had asked for, with respect to the animals. Such as using a red light for night spotting, so much kinder on the animals.

Our river “cruise” was amazing. Laden up with bug spray we saw so much. Kingfishers. Hippo’s and er, more hippos. A bubble in the water hid a huge hippo! And they are loud. In the water they ‘own’ it. Out of water, less so. Underneath the serene view is real hard life.

Malachite Kingfisher. Titchy.
African fish Eagle.
Bee eater.

A few hippo photos. But to get the real feel I suggest seeing them. Awsome. Huge. And maybe 30 in agroup. And 10 groups. A lot of hippos. And a lot of bad tempered animals all sharing a small space. I mean hippo’s , not humans.

I can see you….and I’m huge…be warned!
Look, I have big teeth. Be scared… very scared.

And loads of bee eaters. Glorious little birds. So colourful.

Our river cruise was awsome. And a final fling was the sunset. Not a sunset, the sunset. No words…except ‘yes please’ to ‘Would you like a chilled beer?’

Not sure what to expect next…but it will be glorious. We just know…

Day 3-4 Jackalberry Tented Camp

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Wow. And again WOW!! Just 4 ‘tents’ in the Nkasa Rupara National Park, miles from anywhere. Jackalberry Tented Camp isn’t ‘luxury’, but it is so close! We are the only people here, which is sad for the staff. The drive is proper 4×4, sandy, wet, mud. And we were very glad we were following Justin our guide. So many bends, turns, bogs. We would have been lost! Just the drive to the camp is a safari in its own right. Glad the car is good. It was suggested that we left the car in the nearest ‘town’, Sangwali but Justin reconed we could do it! Phew. We could!!

We started with a night drive, not seeing as much as in Otijwa Eagles rest, but the peace, and actually the noise of the night, is glorious. Hippo making ‘bowel’ noises and munching on grass, loads of frogs but most memorably the roar of Lions. And don’t forget the smells! Wild sage mixed in with various poos! We spend 2 1/2 hours tracking the lions. We heard them loads. We saw their paw prints. But we didn’t see them. No luck. But that was to change tomorrow…

African Fish Eagle
Wild cat. Not a tame one. Honest.
Spotted hyena
Male red Lechwe

The first morning of our time in Jackalberry. 5.30 start for coffee and the game drive starts at 5.50, ish. It is cool, maybe 17-18 c and refreshing. Dawn is just breaking. Justin our guide is keen and happy. We hear lions, again. But more frustration. Loads of birds, Impala, Kudu and warthog. Still no lions. But then: around a corner…an amazing lion. Yea.

And here are some of the antelope we have seen. The whole place is just teeming with life.

Impala
Male Kudu, love the neck hair…

And a warthog!!

More soon, including a sunset that is amazing!

Etosha day 1 and 2. Exciting..

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6.45 am
6.48 am
7.20 am
Loads of Gnu’s
And a baby
They have little nips all the time..
Guinea Fowl, looking fab
Loads of young about this time of year. Including these Impala

Etosha National Park – wow. Entered via Okaukuejo staying at a Lodge very close to the watering hole. Regular visits from wildebeest and springbok day and night. No driving before sunrise or after sunset. Up and out by 5:30, herds of zebra, impala, wildebeest and springbok with their young. This is the time of feast while the rains are here. Stately giraffe gently nibbling at the ferocious thorn bushes. The salt pan is vast, a white backdrop to everything. But this time of yer the area is green and lush.

Young chap looking grand. Practicing being served food..
Looking a bit hungry..

A large herd of springbok darting across the plain caught our attention… three femaile lions and one young maile staliking. Small herd of zebra with a young colt clearly very twitched. Peculiar thing is they inched closer and closer to the shaded lions. Why? Wouldn’t you head off to another watering hole? Fascinating to watch the behaviours and contemplate what is actually going on. One female lion very bloodied already so possibly not quite ready to put in some action….

Those Zebra look yummy..
We know you are there…and e are a bit scarred. But, we are Zebras. Wee’s kool.

Etosha is vast. Flat. White. And when it’s been raining green and yellow with flowers. But it is easy to drive for hours. And it’;s life isn’t given up easily. You have to look. Hard. And even then have some luck. We did. Look hard and huge luck. The loins were great. Happy for us to be fairly close. In fact most of the animals whilst not being used to cars, don’t seem to care. Unless you do somethjing silly. Like cough! Or start the car…

Etosha is glorious. Harsh but so beautiful. Abd did I mention harsh??

Tomorrow.. another early start. 5 ish, and a night drive.

Namibia is quite addictive. Fab!!