29th Sept. Graskop, High Veldt.
Good to get the car serviced and those few niggles sorted out. Buying a bakkie unsighted was always a bit of a risk but the work required was mainly routine with a bit of wear and tear items thrown in. When you consider the types of roads it must have been driven on as a hire car there is no wonder some work had to be done. It goes well now, no rattles, ready for another venture next year.
Leaving Polokwane in the afternoon we headed east to Tzaneen and then on to the bottom of the eastern Drakensburg escarpment. Not that interesting country apart from the knowledge that the events leading up to Breaker Morant’s execution happened in this area. There is a memorial to the event, unfortunately we couldn’t find it.
This morning we climbed out of the low veldt, over the Drakensburg range to the high veldt where we became tourists ogling at truly amazing panoramas and attractions along the escarpment. It is the South African school holidays at the moment and some of the places were quite crowded.
There is a decided difference to the attitude the black Africans show when we wave or greet them compared to that in both Botswana and Namibia. In those countries there is an open acknowledgement to our greeting with perhaps a smile thrown in. Here, often no acknowledgement and if any, very off hand. Yet, when we talk to them and they realize we are from another country they open up, ask questions, and seem to relax somewhat. South Africa is a wonderful country and has so much going for it. But the gap between the haves, both white but more increasingly black, and the have nots is causing so much resentment. It is a problem that is going to take a long time to remedy. They expected so much with Mandela and are disillusioned with what has happened. The result is they are taking it out on the whites especially the land owners of which many have been killed in the last few years. Yet, I can see why people who emigrate become so very home sick for SA. It is a great place.
This could be my last blog. We head to Pretoria over the next few days and will spend the last couple of nights with Len and Ria, the couple we met 2 years ago. A lovely couple who we get on with so well and have kindly offered for us to store the bakkie at their place until we come back. We look forward to catching up with them again
I hope anyone reading has enjoyed what I have written. I enjoy doing it even if as only a written memory for Joan and me. I sometimes look back at the earlier ones, they bring back good memories. Maybe one day we will get too decrepit to travel like we do, we both hope that day is a long way off.
Next year we are looking at heading north from Pretoria, visit the Kruger NP then on into Mozambique where we will relax somewhere on the beach and take in the succulent seafood of which they are famous, then on back into Malawi and then Tanzania where we want to visit Zanzibar. Have tried to get there on two occasions without luck, maybe this time.
Friday, October 8, 2010
27th Sept Polokwane
27th Sept. Polokwane, Limpopo, Sth Africa.
Well, it’s all coming to an end. A week’s time we will be packing ready to fly home. We crossed into Sth Africa a few days ago and have been at Polokwane since then. On Saturday we booked the bakkie in to be serviced today and camped at the Municipal Game Reserve the first night but last night and tonight we are staying in on of their rondavel chalets. Very comfortable and the first real bed we have slept in since July. It appears they have to replace some bushes and other work which will take until tomorrow. After that we will wend our way south to Pretoria through, we believe, some beautiful country. We thought it best to have it serviced so when we come back next year it will be ready to take off.
The game reserve here is the biggest municipal one in the country; we went for a drive last night and saw our first rhinos on this trip as well as sable antelope, a type we hadn’t seen before.
Polokwane is the capital of the Limpopo Province. Joan wanted to do a bit of shopping at one of the new malls. It was out in the more prestigious areas and seemed to have more whites shopping than blacks. However the next mall we went to in the middle of town I think we were the only whites in the place. It was quite amusing. Queues of people everywhere with a paucity of baskets. Even to get too a checkout took 15 minutes of queuing.
I was getting short of reading matter, the bookshop we went to had on its shelves the South African classic, ‘Jock of the Bushveld’. By Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. The story of a man and his dog in the north east of the country in the late 1800s. I mention it because we used to have the book in the house when I was a kid. Not sure how my mother got it but at the time I was a bit young to read such an adult book. The edition I bought was a 100 year anniversary of it being written and as we are going into the area where it was set I am finding it an easy, interesting read. In those times game was plentiful, 2 metre fencing would have been unheard of and bullock carts were the mode of transport.
Something I forgot to mention when we were staying at Kasane, in the north of Botswana: the camp we were staying in was on the banks of the Chobe River. The afternoon we were there we walked through the acacia to the river bank to see if hippos or crocs were in the area. On the bank of the river was a massive dead croc. Or he would have been massive if he still had his head which seemed to have been sawn off. It was too neat to have been bitten off by a hippo. We asked the friendly lady in the office who wasn’t aware of its presence. She thought it may have been killed and its head used in some ritual, they were still common in the area she said. Religion is very strong in Southern Africa but you wonder how far below the Christian beliefs animism is still practiced.
Well, it’s all coming to an end. A week’s time we will be packing ready to fly home. We crossed into Sth Africa a few days ago and have been at Polokwane since then. On Saturday we booked the bakkie in to be serviced today and camped at the Municipal Game Reserve the first night but last night and tonight we are staying in on of their rondavel chalets. Very comfortable and the first real bed we have slept in since July. It appears they have to replace some bushes and other work which will take until tomorrow. After that we will wend our way south to Pretoria through, we believe, some beautiful country. We thought it best to have it serviced so when we come back next year it will be ready to take off.
The game reserve here is the biggest municipal one in the country; we went for a drive last night and saw our first rhinos on this trip as well as sable antelope, a type we hadn’t seen before.
Polokwane is the capital of the Limpopo Province. Joan wanted to do a bit of shopping at one of the new malls. It was out in the more prestigious areas and seemed to have more whites shopping than blacks. However the next mall we went to in the middle of town I think we were the only whites in the place. It was quite amusing. Queues of people everywhere with a paucity of baskets. Even to get too a checkout took 15 minutes of queuing.
I was getting short of reading matter, the bookshop we went to had on its shelves the South African classic, ‘Jock of the Bushveld’. By Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. The story of a man and his dog in the north east of the country in the late 1800s. I mention it because we used to have the book in the house when I was a kid. Not sure how my mother got it but at the time I was a bit young to read such an adult book. The edition I bought was a 100 year anniversary of it being written and as we are going into the area where it was set I am finding it an easy, interesting read. In those times game was plentiful, 2 metre fencing would have been unheard of and bullock carts were the mode of transport.
Something I forgot to mention when we were staying at Kasane, in the north of Botswana: the camp we were staying in was on the banks of the Chobe River. The afternoon we were there we walked through the acacia to the river bank to see if hippos or crocs were in the area. On the bank of the river was a massive dead croc. Or he would have been massive if he still had his head which seemed to have been sawn off. It was too neat to have been bitten off by a hippo. We asked the friendly lady in the office who wasn’t aware of its presence. She thought it may have been killed and its head used in some ritual, they were still common in the area she said. Religion is very strong in Southern Africa but you wonder how far below the Christian beliefs animism is still practiced.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
30th Sept. Graskop. Sth Africa
30th Sept.
Hi, A few photos uploaded but having trouble with text. Will try again later.
Gary
Hi, A few photos uploaded but having trouble with text. Will try again later.
Gary
Thursday, September 23, 2010
22nd Sept. Nata Bird Sanctuary
22nd Sept. Nata Bird Sanctuary.
I guess you might say we started heading home today. We left Kasane this morning and drove south some 300kms over uninspiring country apart from a couple of Elephant herds close to the road, and made it as far as Nata, an uninspiring town on a major intersection. Some 20kms out of town though was this bird sanctuary started up by a local community group to protect the area’s birds and also make a bit of money for themselves.
The land here is flat, grassy, leading down to a large soda ash pan. On first impression we thought it might turn out a waste of time as all we saw the first few kms were a couple of ostriches. But as we made our way to the dry river bed that flows into the pan in the wet season we came upon a series of water holes filled with sand pipers, pied avocets, pipits, plovers and the odd duck thrown in. Our overnight pass allowed us to stay wherever we wanted to in the sanctuary. So here we are, on the banks of a dry river bed, waterholes either side of us, and a procession of birds any twitcher would be envious to see. As the night lengthens the twittering continues with the odd splash of some newcomer. When the river flows into the pan the area is full of lesser flamingoes and other birds after the crustaceans in the pan.
We had to park close to the track leading to the river mouth as the grass was long and prickly. As the sun began to drop we suddenly had a line of safari vehicles passing by heading to the mouth to watch the sun set. We felt obliged to greet all and everyone as they were literally a metre away. We even were the object of a couple of camera clickers. Once they had headed off it was just us once more, and the birds. An idyllic situation and quite unexpected. A memory that will last.
I guess you might say we started heading home today. We left Kasane this morning and drove south some 300kms over uninspiring country apart from a couple of Elephant herds close to the road, and made it as far as Nata, an uninspiring town on a major intersection. Some 20kms out of town though was this bird sanctuary started up by a local community group to protect the area’s birds and also make a bit of money for themselves.
The land here is flat, grassy, leading down to a large soda ash pan. On first impression we thought it might turn out a waste of time as all we saw the first few kms were a couple of ostriches. But as we made our way to the dry river bed that flows into the pan in the wet season we came upon a series of water holes filled with sand pipers, pied avocets, pipits, plovers and the odd duck thrown in. Our overnight pass allowed us to stay wherever we wanted to in the sanctuary. So here we are, on the banks of a dry river bed, waterholes either side of us, and a procession of birds any twitcher would be envious to see. As the night lengthens the twittering continues with the odd splash of some newcomer. When the river flows into the pan the area is full of lesser flamingoes and other birds after the crustaceans in the pan.
We had to park close to the track leading to the river mouth as the grass was long and prickly. As the sun began to drop we suddenly had a line of safari vehicles passing by heading to the mouth to watch the sun set. We felt obliged to greet all and everyone as they were literally a metre away. We even were the object of a couple of camera clickers. Once they had headed off it was just us once more, and the birds. An idyllic situation and quite unexpected. A memory that will last.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
20th Sept
Hi there,
Managed to finally get some posts and photos on board. Hope it is interesting.
Take Care, Joan & Gary
20th Sept. Kasane, Nrthrn Botswana.
It has been a full on 5 days. The three days at 3rd Bridge in Moremi Game Reserve were relaxing in as much as we had a bit of time up our sleeve instead of rushing around taking it all in. But yesterday, because we didn’t have a booking for Savuti Camp which was half way through Chobe NP, meant we had to get to the exit gate of Chobe in the one day, And the whole of the day’s driving would be in sand, sometimes quite deep. Not counting the river crossings one of which had water surging over the bonnet as I eased the bakkie over in low range first. Our faith in the vehicle had been enhanced many times over on this trip.
Chobe, one of the jewels in the Botswana crown disappointed us. Apart from a couple of greater kudus and dik diks, we saw no animals. We were tired and tried to cadge a place in Savuti but at US$50 per head as well as the park fees, and that was to share a sight, we said ‘no thanks’ and drove on into more deep sand. Not long after leaving the park and still in the forest reserve we turned a corner and there ahead of us were 8 African hunting dogs relaxing on the road before heading off on their evening hunt. We hadn’t seen them before and were intrigued as they were one of the animals REST was trying to protect. Much maligned, their numbers have been reduced horribly until there are only a few thousand left. Their numbers are not helped by their strange reproduction arrangements as the alpha female is the only bitch of the clan that bear off spring, the father being the alpha male. The whole clan looks after the pups. They are a beautiful animal with golden colourations on their fur. That wasn’t the end of what we saw as we had to wait for a herd of elephants to cross the road, giraffes nonchalantly watching us, greater kudu, impala and dik diks abounding and as we stopped for the night, free camping, a magnificent eland showed up down the road. The largest of the antelopes they are still able to clear A 2 metre fence. All this outside the park.
That night we lit a big fire, free camping near so much wild life can be a little unsettling.
Today we headed to North Chobe NP. A sweep of land bordering the Chobe River. The border between Namibia and Botswana. Renowned for its elephants at first we were more worried by the deep sand after the gate entrance but after hitting the river we were very soon gobsmacked by what lay below us. The land above the river had been denuded by the elephant herds but the plains either side of the river were green and covered by hundreds of zebra and further upstream, thousands of elephants. Interspersed with these were cape buffalo, hippos, crocs, water buck, giraffes (30 in one group), kudu, impala, wart hogs, to name most. But it was the elephants that were the star whether they were feeding, drinking, taking mud baths, or just protecting their young, they are so interesting of beasts. It was an amazing day. We made it to Kisane where we are staying for a couple of nights, very tired.
Managed to finally get some posts and photos on board. Hope it is interesting.
Take Care, Joan & Gary
20th Sept. Kasane, Nrthrn Botswana.
It has been a full on 5 days. The three days at 3rd Bridge in Moremi Game Reserve were relaxing in as much as we had a bit of time up our sleeve instead of rushing around taking it all in. But yesterday, because we didn’t have a booking for Savuti Camp which was half way through Chobe NP, meant we had to get to the exit gate of Chobe in the one day, And the whole of the day’s driving would be in sand, sometimes quite deep. Not counting the river crossings one of which had water surging over the bonnet as I eased the bakkie over in low range first. Our faith in the vehicle had been enhanced many times over on this trip.
Chobe, one of the jewels in the Botswana crown disappointed us. Apart from a couple of greater kudus and dik diks, we saw no animals. We were tired and tried to cadge a place in Savuti but at US$50 per head as well as the park fees, and that was to share a sight, we said ‘no thanks’ and drove on into more deep sand. Not long after leaving the park and still in the forest reserve we turned a corner and there ahead of us were 8 African hunting dogs relaxing on the road before heading off on their evening hunt. We hadn’t seen them before and were intrigued as they were one of the animals REST was trying to protect. Much maligned, their numbers have been reduced horribly until there are only a few thousand left. Their numbers are not helped by their strange reproduction arrangements as the alpha female is the only bitch of the clan that bear off spring, the father being the alpha male. The whole clan looks after the pups. They are a beautiful animal with golden colourations on their fur. That wasn’t the end of what we saw as we had to wait for a herd of elephants to cross the road, giraffes nonchalantly watching us, greater kudu, impala and dik diks abounding and as we stopped for the night, free camping, a magnificent eland showed up down the road. The largest of the antelopes they are still able to clear A 2 metre fence. All this outside the park.
That night we lit a big fire, free camping near so much wild life can be a little unsettling.
Today we headed to North Chobe NP. A sweep of land bordering the Chobe River. The border between Namibia and Botswana. Renowned for its elephants at first we were more worried by the deep sand after the gate entrance but after hitting the river we were very soon gobsmacked by what lay below us. The land above the river had been denuded by the elephant herds but the plains either side of the river were green and covered by hundreds of zebra and further upstream, thousands of elephants. Interspersed with these were cape buffalo, hippos, crocs, water buck, giraffes (30 in one group), kudu, impala, wart hogs, to name most. But it was the elephants that were the star whether they were feeding, drinking, taking mud baths, or just protecting their young, they are so interesting of beasts. It was an amazing day. We made it to Kisane where we are staying for a couple of nights, very tired.
18th Sept. 3rd Bridge.
18th Sept. 3rd Bridge, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana.
We had a bit of luck in Maun when we tried to get a place in one of the camp sites in Moremi GR. Usually bookings have to be made up to 12 months before but the 3rd Bridge camp site had availability for 3 nights commencing 2 days hence. We also wanted to stop off at Chobe NP but the camp at Savuti was full, there is a privately run one nearby and hope to make that tomorrow when we leave here.
Moremi GR is smack bang in the middle of the Okavango Delta and is the only place where you don’t have to pay exorbitant prices although, now that the campsites have been privatized, AU$105 per night for the two of us for camping and park fee is not what you would call cheap. Still, the lodges here charge what they like and when you include the fly-in price as well, it is very expensive. We have been here two nights now, the drive from Maun was an experience, watching a variety of wildlife in the waterholes we drove near and yesterday we took a loop to the west that included an hour’s paddle on a mokoro poled by Action. The mokoros are slim flat bottomed river craft, holding a couple of people and poled by a bloke standing in the back. Before paying our money Action pointed out that we won’t see any animals but the vegetation is interesting and the tranquility of the water passing by. He was honest and we appreciated that. It will be one of the highlights of this trip; reeds on both sides, water lilies along the edges, clear water, silence apart from the birds and the pole slipping into the water. So relaxing.
This loop is noted for its elephant herds and on the way to the river we passed a couple, one fairly close to the road. But after the cruise we headed back and soon ran into a big herd that were feeding and wallowing in the nearby mud. Unfortunately three of them decided to feed on the road ahead of us. We had to back track a couple of times to give a couple of younger ones room when they showed their dislike of us being so close. But these three just ate on, 50 minutes later one by one they decided to browse elsewhere and we were at last able to get by. We checked later and were told that what we did was correct. Driving up to them and tooting the horn would be asking for disaster I would think as they are capable of flipping a car with one trunk tied behind its ear.
The camp site here is what is called a walk in site. There are no fences and the animals just walk in. We were warned against the baboons and hyenas helping themselves to food left out but last night we watched a lion about 500 metres away and the crowd in No 7 next door had a hippo sleep the night a few metres from their caravan. Two elephants were feeding near the reeds about 50 metres away yesterday morning and this afternoon the baboon troupe have been entertaining us with their antics in the tree above us then over at a vacant site where they spent hours playing and cavorting tne the trees.
The staff here have been excellent, helpful in advising us on viewing routes and up to date info on the road ahead. The Okavango Delta has had the best rain in the last 12 months for many years and flooding has only started to lessen. Many of the roads have been closed and others have had bypasses around the worst areas. Bit like Australia, when the rains come, everyone smiles.
We had a bit of luck in Maun when we tried to get a place in one of the camp sites in Moremi GR. Usually bookings have to be made up to 12 months before but the 3rd Bridge camp site had availability for 3 nights commencing 2 days hence. We also wanted to stop off at Chobe NP but the camp at Savuti was full, there is a privately run one nearby and hope to make that tomorrow when we leave here.
Moremi GR is smack bang in the middle of the Okavango Delta and is the only place where you don’t have to pay exorbitant prices although, now that the campsites have been privatized, AU$105 per night for the two of us for camping and park fee is not what you would call cheap. Still, the lodges here charge what they like and when you include the fly-in price as well, it is very expensive. We have been here two nights now, the drive from Maun was an experience, watching a variety of wildlife in the waterholes we drove near and yesterday we took a loop to the west that included an hour’s paddle on a mokoro poled by Action. The mokoros are slim flat bottomed river craft, holding a couple of people and poled by a bloke standing in the back. Before paying our money Action pointed out that we won’t see any animals but the vegetation is interesting and the tranquility of the water passing by. He was honest and we appreciated that. It will be one of the highlights of this trip; reeds on both sides, water lilies along the edges, clear water, silence apart from the birds and the pole slipping into the water. So relaxing.
This loop is noted for its elephant herds and on the way to the river we passed a couple, one fairly close to the road. But after the cruise we headed back and soon ran into a big herd that were feeding and wallowing in the nearby mud. Unfortunately three of them decided to feed on the road ahead of us. We had to back track a couple of times to give a couple of younger ones room when they showed their dislike of us being so close. But these three just ate on, 50 minutes later one by one they decided to browse elsewhere and we were at last able to get by. We checked later and were told that what we did was correct. Driving up to them and tooting the horn would be asking for disaster I would think as they are capable of flipping a car with one trunk tied behind its ear.
The camp site here is what is called a walk in site. There are no fences and the animals just walk in. We were warned against the baboons and hyenas helping themselves to food left out but last night we watched a lion about 500 metres away and the crowd in No 7 next door had a hippo sleep the night a few metres from their caravan. Two elephants were feeding near the reeds about 50 metres away yesterday morning and this afternoon the baboon troupe have been entertaining us with their antics in the tree above us then over at a vacant site where they spent hours playing and cavorting tne the trees.
The staff here have been excellent, helpful in advising us on viewing routes and up to date info on the road ahead. The Okavango Delta has had the best rain in the last 12 months for many years and flooding has only started to lessen. Many of the roads have been closed and others have had bypasses around the worst areas. Bit like Australia, when the rains come, everyone smiles.
14th Sept Maun
14th Sept. Maun, Okavango Delta, Botswana.
Botswana is flat and built on sand. As soon as you go off the sealed road it’s all sand.. We traveled almost 600kms yesterday and saw three hills, the highest about 50 metres tall. Yet there is water here, more than we saw in the 7 weeks in Namibia. We hope to get out to some of the national parks over the next couple of weeks but the parks board is similar to that in Namibia, saying all camps are full. We shall see today.
The trip to Windhoek was very successful, having the work done on the camper and a new battery fitted in the one day. We put a 102ah one in compared to the minuscule 60ah one that was already in. That means we should get 3-4 days without plugging in. Caught up with a couple of people, did the shopping the next day and were heading east to Botswana by lunch time. We made it to the Zelda Game Farm a few kms from the border but spent two days there as we both felt we needed to recuperate after REST.
It was good to have grass in the camp site again as those in Namibia are generally devoid of such a luxury. Also to walk around in bare feet, something the acacia thorns don’t allow you to do. They can pierce all but the thickest of shoe ware.
The Okavango Delta is well known as where a large river, the Okavango, divides into many channels then disappears into the sands of the Kalahari Desert. Most of the area is privately owned with very expensive lodges built to cater for the well off fly-in guests. The area for us plebs is the Moremi and Chobe National Parks. I see on the map there is one stretch getting to Moremi that takes 5 hours to do 45kms. That will be interesting.
These blogs may be delayed as I can’t use my Namibian dongle here in Botswana so will be making use of internet cafes etc.
Botswana is flat and built on sand. As soon as you go off the sealed road it’s all sand.. We traveled almost 600kms yesterday and saw three hills, the highest about 50 metres tall. Yet there is water here, more than we saw in the 7 weeks in Namibia. We hope to get out to some of the national parks over the next couple of weeks but the parks board is similar to that in Namibia, saying all camps are full. We shall see today.
The trip to Windhoek was very successful, having the work done on the camper and a new battery fitted in the one day. We put a 102ah one in compared to the minuscule 60ah one that was already in. That means we should get 3-4 days without plugging in. Caught up with a couple of people, did the shopping the next day and were heading east to Botswana by lunch time. We made it to the Zelda Game Farm a few kms from the border but spent two days there as we both felt we needed to recuperate after REST.
It was good to have grass in the camp site again as those in Namibia are generally devoid of such a luxury. Also to walk around in bare feet, something the acacia thorns don’t allow you to do. They can pierce all but the thickest of shoe ware.
The Okavango Delta is well known as where a large river, the Okavango, divides into many channels then disappears into the sands of the Kalahari Desert. Most of the area is privately owned with very expensive lodges built to cater for the well off fly-in guests. The area for us plebs is the Moremi and Chobe National Parks. I see on the map there is one stretch getting to Moremi that takes 5 hours to do 45kms. That will be interesting.
These blogs may be delayed as I can’t use my Namibian dongle here in Botswana so will be making use of internet cafes etc.
8th Sept. REST
8th Sept.
Offal day again. Not the most pleasantest of jobs. I mentioned to Maria how it would be made less messy if the animals to be killed were given no food for 36 hours to let them empty their stomachs, like they do in any abattoir, I don’t think the idea went further than her.
We had spent the morning stock piling stones and building more steps, always hard work though the pace did slacken somewhat when she had to attend a meeting. Earlier, Jack the purple roller was ceremoniously carried by Joan out to his new aviary. He loved it; bush around him once more, birds calling. He will never be released but at least he catches the cooling wind and is alert to the sights and sounds around him.. He came alive again. Just hope the honey badger doesn’t tear the door off.
Maria surprised us all after the offal delivery by sitting down saying it as too hot to do more stones. We had a group discussion after which I went up to feed Nesher. I have mentioned earlier the problems they were having getting the wild birds to come down and feed at the restaurant There were quite a few vultures circling as I put Nesher’s food out, then I saw one come in to land at the offal. It was fantastic. It didn’t take long before 40-50 birds were feeding. Funny, usually vultures follow jackals to the kill, as I said earlier all the jackals had been poisoned in the area but the last couple of nights both Joan and I had heard them howling through the night, at least three of them and Martin had surprised one at the hide that morning.
A fitting farewell as we had decided to leave a couple of days earlier than planned. We have to get a 2nd battery for the van as well as some more repair jobs on the camper. It has been hard here at REST at times. Maria is a ‘Work Hard’ not ‘Work Smart’ person. She listened to some of my suggestions at the start then decided she knew better, to everyone’s sufferance. The work demanding but the workers here are great, the vultures so interesting. We have learnt so much, we will miss it.
Offal day again. Not the most pleasantest of jobs. I mentioned to Maria how it would be made less messy if the animals to be killed were given no food for 36 hours to let them empty their stomachs, like they do in any abattoir, I don’t think the idea went further than her.
We had spent the morning stock piling stones and building more steps, always hard work though the pace did slacken somewhat when she had to attend a meeting. Earlier, Jack the purple roller was ceremoniously carried by Joan out to his new aviary. He loved it; bush around him once more, birds calling. He will never be released but at least he catches the cooling wind and is alert to the sights and sounds around him.. He came alive again. Just hope the honey badger doesn’t tear the door off.
Maria surprised us all after the offal delivery by sitting down saying it as too hot to do more stones. We had a group discussion after which I went up to feed Nesher. I have mentioned earlier the problems they were having getting the wild birds to come down and feed at the restaurant There were quite a few vultures circling as I put Nesher’s food out, then I saw one come in to land at the offal. It was fantastic. It didn’t take long before 40-50 birds were feeding. Funny, usually vultures follow jackals to the kill, as I said earlier all the jackals had been poisoned in the area but the last couple of nights both Joan and I had heard them howling through the night, at least three of them and Martin had surprised one at the hide that morning.
A fitting farewell as we had decided to leave a couple of days earlier than planned. We have to get a 2nd battery for the van as well as some more repair jobs on the camper. It has been hard here at REST at times. Maria is a ‘Work Hard’ not ‘Work Smart’ person. She listened to some of my suggestions at the start then decided she knew better, to everyone’s sufferance. The work demanding but the workers here are great, the vultures so interesting. We have learnt so much, we will miss it.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
3rd Sept. REST
3rd Sept. REST
Had a day off in Otjiwaringo today, we have a Zimbabwean girl working here and was going home for a month; we offered to take her in to catch the bus.
You might be interested in a typical day here at the vulture aviary. The workers have a roster system though I have taken on the 7pm job of going up to the aviary to check the gas freezer is working, all birds are looking ok and taking the meat out of the fridge for the daily feeding. That starts at 8am when the food for the lappet face vulture, Batelau eagle and purple roller is weighed and taken up to them, the cape vultures are fed twice a week. It’s a case of slowly walking up to them and placing the meat near where they are. They usually get stuck into it immediately and we normally wait around to take the plate away. After that we start the daily work which could be cleaning out the vultures drinking pond, carting rocks to add steps in the aviary, removing wasps from the hide, cutting up meat, maintenance on the water and solar hot water systems etc. Joan and I have spent the last week finishing off a large aviary for Jack. At the moment he is in temporary accommodation. Rollers are a very colourful medium size bird that feed on flying insects. Unfortunately someone amputated a wing at some time, and didn’t make a very good job of it. He will never fly again but at least in the aviary he will be outside with it all happening around him.
At 9.45 and 2.45 either Maria or I take a handful of meat pieces up to Nesher, the male cape vulture. We are trying to get him into the habit of coming down to the education centre area for visitors to see a vulture at close range. I can walk slowly up to him and he will take the food out of my gloved hand. Now it is just a case of enticing him to follow me down. That’s why we are building extra steps to help them. At 4pm Jack gets a 2nd 10gms of meat and we knock off at five.
The site has no electricity making it difficult to do so many jobs even like drilling holes and many of the tools are not in the best of condition bringing one’s ingenuity to the fore. Not being able to plug in to power is also playing havoc with our 2nd fridge in the van. The one installed can’t hold the fridge to a good temp for more than 24 hrs meaning I have to start the van up at least twice a day to charge it. It is one thing we will be looking at before we leave to come home; either 2 good 2nd batteries or even solar on the roof.
It’s a pretty good crew here; I have mentioned Maria earlier and Martin her manager, then there is Jackee, from the UK, in her late twenties studying to be a zoologist. Luwazi, a young girl from Zimbabwe doing her bsc with an interest in wild life. A new girl, Christina, from Germany arrived yesterday with her Prada bags. Quite funny seeing it being dragged through the dirt to the front door. She will be here until Nov I believe.
Martin is a great bloke, softly spoken with a gentle smile he never seems to get stressed with what is going on around the place. He trained as a chef and made us a delicious spinach quiche last night. Today he made us get the ingredients for a health loaf that he will make us next week when our normal bread starts to dry out.
Had a day off in Otjiwaringo today, we have a Zimbabwean girl working here and was going home for a month; we offered to take her in to catch the bus.
You might be interested in a typical day here at the vulture aviary. The workers have a roster system though I have taken on the 7pm job of going up to the aviary to check the gas freezer is working, all birds are looking ok and taking the meat out of the fridge for the daily feeding. That starts at 8am when the food for the lappet face vulture, Batelau eagle and purple roller is weighed and taken up to them, the cape vultures are fed twice a week. It’s a case of slowly walking up to them and placing the meat near where they are. They usually get stuck into it immediately and we normally wait around to take the plate away. After that we start the daily work which could be cleaning out the vultures drinking pond, carting rocks to add steps in the aviary, removing wasps from the hide, cutting up meat, maintenance on the water and solar hot water systems etc. Joan and I have spent the last week finishing off a large aviary for Jack. At the moment he is in temporary accommodation. Rollers are a very colourful medium size bird that feed on flying insects. Unfortunately someone amputated a wing at some time, and didn’t make a very good job of it. He will never fly again but at least in the aviary he will be outside with it all happening around him.
At 9.45 and 2.45 either Maria or I take a handful of meat pieces up to Nesher, the male cape vulture. We are trying to get him into the habit of coming down to the education centre area for visitors to see a vulture at close range. I can walk slowly up to him and he will take the food out of my gloved hand. Now it is just a case of enticing him to follow me down. That’s why we are building extra steps to help them. At 4pm Jack gets a 2nd 10gms of meat and we knock off at five.
The site has no electricity making it difficult to do so many jobs even like drilling holes and many of the tools are not in the best of condition bringing one’s ingenuity to the fore. Not being able to plug in to power is also playing havoc with our 2nd fridge in the van. The one installed can’t hold the fridge to a good temp for more than 24 hrs meaning I have to start the van up at least twice a day to charge it. It is one thing we will be looking at before we leave to come home; either 2 good 2nd batteries or even solar on the roof.
It’s a pretty good crew here; I have mentioned Maria earlier and Martin her manager, then there is Jackee, from the UK, in her late twenties studying to be a zoologist. Luwazi, a young girl from Zimbabwe doing her bsc with an interest in wild life. A new girl, Christina, from Germany arrived yesterday with her Prada bags. Quite funny seeing it being dragged through the dirt to the front door. She will be here until Nov I believe.
Martin is a great bloke, softly spoken with a gentle smile he never seems to get stressed with what is going on around the place. He trained as a chef and made us a delicious spinach quiche last night. Today he made us get the ingredients for a health loaf that he will make us next week when our normal bread starts to dry out.
1st Sept REST
1st Sept. REST
Almost a week here now and the work is starting to fall in to some semblance of routine but with plenty of opportunities to diverge at any time.
Today, Wednesday, was offal collecting day when Maria toddles off to the next door game park to pick up the offal from the just killed donkeys or horses. The meat is fed to the cheetahs, lions and I think leopards on the park. Africats is the company and Ohjingwa is the name of the resort and park. They do considerable research into cheetahs as well as run one of the best resorts in Southern Africa.
We were denied the pleasure of seeing where guests pay from US$100-10,000 per night to stay, but turned left and went to the small abattoir where a bakkie was sitting there with its back filled with mellifluous offal. We had 6 garbage bins on the back of her bakkie with rubber gloves the only protection between this stomach churning (for the weak) pile. However the two employees of the abattoir got stuck in transferring it bare handed into our garbage bins.
Back at the restaurant it was another story. Martin, Maria’s fantastic manager, and the two girls Jackee and Lwaza were there waiting for us to arrive. It was a case of emptying a portion of each bin by hand as they were too full to just up end. That was when the fun started and before we finished I don’t think anyone was not sporting some ingredients of the donkey’s stomach on some part of their clothes.
Some of Joan’s work colleagues will be saying, ‘dealing in shit again’ no doubt, but she took it so very well.
This week has been an extreme case of stepping outside your comfort zone and has stretched Joan’s physical ability but we have loved it and the people we are working with. I have spoken about Maria before but her manager, Martin, is such a quiet, thoughtful man who can turn his hand to any task that comes up. He used to be a chef and we are looking forward to the spinach quiche he is making us tomorrow night. He is appreciating having me here to spread the workload as Maria is still getting this place set up and the jobs for him are never ending be they smoking out wasps, fixing water lines that the porcupines have pierced or meeting visitors arriving for a presentation.
Almost a week here now and the work is starting to fall in to some semblance of routine but with plenty of opportunities to diverge at any time.
Today, Wednesday, was offal collecting day when Maria toddles off to the next door game park to pick up the offal from the just killed donkeys or horses. The meat is fed to the cheetahs, lions and I think leopards on the park. Africats is the company and Ohjingwa is the name of the resort and park. They do considerable research into cheetahs as well as run one of the best resorts in Southern Africa.
We were denied the pleasure of seeing where guests pay from US$100-10,000 per night to stay, but turned left and went to the small abattoir where a bakkie was sitting there with its back filled with mellifluous offal. We had 6 garbage bins on the back of her bakkie with rubber gloves the only protection between this stomach churning (for the weak) pile. However the two employees of the abattoir got stuck in transferring it bare handed into our garbage bins.
Back at the restaurant it was another story. Martin, Maria’s fantastic manager, and the two girls Jackee and Lwaza were there waiting for us to arrive. It was a case of emptying a portion of each bin by hand as they were too full to just up end. That was when the fun started and before we finished I don’t think anyone was not sporting some ingredients of the donkey’s stomach on some part of their clothes.
Some of Joan’s work colleagues will be saying, ‘dealing in shit again’ no doubt, but she took it so very well.
This week has been an extreme case of stepping outside your comfort zone and has stretched Joan’s physical ability but we have loved it and the people we are working with. I have spoken about Maria before but her manager, Martin, is such a quiet, thoughtful man who can turn his hand to any task that comes up. He used to be a chef and we are looking forward to the spinach quiche he is making us tomorrow night. He is appreciating having me here to spread the workload as Maria is still getting this place set up and the jobs for him are never ending be they smoking out wasps, fixing water lines that the porcupines have pierced or meeting visitors arriving for a presentation.
Friday, September 3, 2010
28th Aug REST
28th Aug. Rare & Endangered Species Trust. Near Otjiwaringo.
Long before leaving Australia we looked at volunteering web sites in Namibia but were pt off by the high fees involved. One web site I hit upon was for low cost volunteering of which REST was one of them.
Maria Diekmann is a very full on, passionate woman committed to the preservation of the Cape Griffon Vulture. Originally from the US and a background in politics 25 years ago she made Southern Africa her home after coming here on assignment.
Here, a short distance from Otjiwaringo, she has built an amazing aviary that is the home of three Cape Griffon Vultures as well as a Lappets Vulture and a Batelau Eagle. These birds serve as an educational focus for visiting tourists and school groups as they are unable to be released because of physical trauma in the past. Through them she is getting the message across that vultures play a very important part in the environment with their group ability to reduce a carcass of medium size to skin and bone in an hour. Thus reducing the spread of diseases such as anthrax and rabies, both diseases being prevalent in this area.
Farming practices are one of the main causes of the depletion in vulture numbers and by working with the land owners the vulture support group is trying to reverse the downward spiral. Poisoning carcasses to reduce attacks by leopards and jackals have a flow on affect on the vultures as they would eat the primary source as well as the initial victims of the poisoned animal. The use of vulture restaurants are another method of farmers helping the birds as well as an easy way of getting rid of dead animals. They are an area set aside in some corner of their farm that any dead beasts are taken. As long as they have not been poisoned or recently dipped they are a tasty meal for the local vultures.
As well as the aviary they have now a visitor information area, laboratory and an amazing hide built nearby. All they need are some wild vultures to feed at the restaurant. Maria had built restaurants elsewhere that have attracted hundreds of vultures at a time but for some reason they are loath to land and feed on the inviting offal on hand. She and her staff are trying to work out the problem.
On arrival, our first impressions were uncertain, but when shown over the setup, we were very impressed. The break here has come at a good time on our trip; not that we were tired of travelling, but to stop in a place for a week or two and hopefully achieve something is a good change. For me it’s good to get my hands dirty again although picking offal up with bare hands took some doing.
I will give an idea of our daily tasks in the next post.
Long before leaving Australia we looked at volunteering web sites in Namibia but were pt off by the high fees involved. One web site I hit upon was for low cost volunteering of which REST was one of them.
Maria Diekmann is a very full on, passionate woman committed to the preservation of the Cape Griffon Vulture. Originally from the US and a background in politics 25 years ago she made Southern Africa her home after coming here on assignment.
Here, a short distance from Otjiwaringo, she has built an amazing aviary that is the home of three Cape Griffon Vultures as well as a Lappets Vulture and a Batelau Eagle. These birds serve as an educational focus for visiting tourists and school groups as they are unable to be released because of physical trauma in the past. Through them she is getting the message across that vultures play a very important part in the environment with their group ability to reduce a carcass of medium size to skin and bone in an hour. Thus reducing the spread of diseases such as anthrax and rabies, both diseases being prevalent in this area.
Farming practices are one of the main causes of the depletion in vulture numbers and by working with the land owners the vulture support group is trying to reverse the downward spiral. Poisoning carcasses to reduce attacks by leopards and jackals have a flow on affect on the vultures as they would eat the primary source as well as the initial victims of the poisoned animal. The use of vulture restaurants are another method of farmers helping the birds as well as an easy way of getting rid of dead animals. They are an area set aside in some corner of their farm that any dead beasts are taken. As long as they have not been poisoned or recently dipped they are a tasty meal for the local vultures.
As well as the aviary they have now a visitor information area, laboratory and an amazing hide built nearby. All they need are some wild vultures to feed at the restaurant. Maria had built restaurants elsewhere that have attracted hundreds of vultures at a time but for some reason they are loath to land and feed on the inviting offal on hand. She and her staff are trying to work out the problem.
On arrival, our first impressions were uncertain, but when shown over the setup, we were very impressed. The break here has come at a good time on our trip; not that we were tired of travelling, but to stop in a place for a week or two and hopefully achieve something is a good change. For me it’s good to get my hands dirty again although picking offal up with bare hands took some doing.
I will give an idea of our daily tasks in the next post.
25th Aug Usakos
25th Aug. Usakos
Here lies Martin Luther. A short journey into history. Five kms out of Swakopmund this 14,000kg steam behemoth now stands. It was imported from Germany some 114 yrs ago to transport supplies inland. The inaugural trip was delayed by a local war, the engineer went back to Germany taking with him the secrets how to operate it. A US prospector managed to work out how to get it going. It then managed a few journeys between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund before grinding to a halt west of Swakopmund. The people realized that the amount of water required to run the beast was out of all proportion to its viability that this thirst ravished country could permit. It lay there all those years, rusting. Some pieces were removed. Until in 2005, the students from the Namibian Institute of Mining resurrected it. Once again it shows of its Teutonic glory housed under protective cover.
We returned to the Namib/Naukluft Park again today on a day excursion to look at the lichen that covers much of this desert. It lives off the mists that come in from the Atlantic and is important in holding the soil together. Easily damaged and slow to recover, its growth rate is 1mm per year. The other plant that was intriguing was the welwitschia. Endemic to Namibia it is a ground hugging plant with amazing longevity, one plant is reputed to be 1500 years old. A photo below. Other places of interest were the remains of a German camp from World War 1. Rusted tins and the tracks of a tracked vehicle were still visible. The Swakop River flows through this area, at the moment a dry riverbed, it has eroded the surrounding land into a grotesque lunar landscape.
Here lies Martin Luther. A short journey into history. Five kms out of Swakopmund this 14,000kg steam behemoth now stands. It was imported from Germany some 114 yrs ago to transport supplies inland. The inaugural trip was delayed by a local war, the engineer went back to Germany taking with him the secrets how to operate it. A US prospector managed to work out how to get it going. It then managed a few journeys between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund before grinding to a halt west of Swakopmund. The people realized that the amount of water required to run the beast was out of all proportion to its viability that this thirst ravished country could permit. It lay there all those years, rusting. Some pieces were removed. Until in 2005, the students from the Namibian Institute of Mining resurrected it. Once again it shows of its Teutonic glory housed under protective cover.
We returned to the Namib/Naukluft Park again today on a day excursion to look at the lichen that covers much of this desert. It lives off the mists that come in from the Atlantic and is important in holding the soil together. Easily damaged and slow to recover, its growth rate is 1mm per year. The other plant that was intriguing was the welwitschia. Endemic to Namibia it is a ground hugging plant with amazing longevity, one plant is reputed to be 1500 years old. A photo below. Other places of interest were the remains of a German camp from World War 1. Rusted tins and the tracks of a tracked vehicle were still visible. The Swakop River flows through this area, at the moment a dry riverbed, it has eroded the surrounding land into a grotesque lunar landscape.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
25th Aug. Swakopmund
24th Aug. Swakopmund.
Laundry day today, both for our clothes as well as ourselves, a hot shower after 4 days without a wash is most enjoyable. Still, the park was something exceptional; short distances to travel, roads pretty good and the unexpected wild life we came upon something hard to beat. This morning was a typical example. After the night at the most isolated place we have stayed at, I stepped outside to see half a dozen springbok warily eyeing me as they fed a short distance away. I walked down to the sandy stretch on the track in and noticed the spore of the jackals that were howling at the full moon as we went to bed. I could see their eyes in the spotlight the night before. It was 20kms to the main road over rough granite, not long after leaving we came upon a solitary warthog nonchalantly feeding near the road, the road then became sandy as it wound its way along a dry riverbed, raptors circled above, there was good vegetation in the river bed, driving out of it we surprised three giraffes feeding, they galloped off a few metres then turned to stare. A herd of gemsbok picked up our movement and galloped off. We noticed movement on the ground to our left that I thought were meercats but their bushy tails showed them up as ground squirrels, we passed a closer group not long after perched up on their hind legs just like meercats. Then there was a herd of zebras to our right, the stallion making his donkey like neighing as he turned around to confront us. Soon there was a warthog family to our left a few metres from the road and as we pulled out onto the main road ostriches ran across the road. And that was all within 20kms and one hour.
The Lonely Planet says of this park ‘ truly this is one place where the journey itself is worth much more than the destination'.
Laundry day today, both for our clothes as well as ourselves, a hot shower after 4 days without a wash is most enjoyable. Still, the park was something exceptional; short distances to travel, roads pretty good and the unexpected wild life we came upon something hard to beat. This morning was a typical example. After the night at the most isolated place we have stayed at, I stepped outside to see half a dozen springbok warily eyeing me as they fed a short distance away. I walked down to the sandy stretch on the track in and noticed the spore of the jackals that were howling at the full moon as we went to bed. I could see their eyes in the spotlight the night before. It was 20kms to the main road over rough granite, not long after leaving we came upon a solitary warthog nonchalantly feeding near the road, the road then became sandy as it wound its way along a dry riverbed, raptors circled above, there was good vegetation in the river bed, driving out of it we surprised three giraffes feeding, they galloped off a few metres then turned to stare. A herd of gemsbok picked up our movement and galloped off. We noticed movement on the ground to our left that I thought were meercats but their bushy tails showed them up as ground squirrels, we passed a closer group not long after perched up on their hind legs just like meercats. Then there was a herd of zebras to our right, the stallion making his donkey like neighing as he turned around to confront us. Soon there was a warthog family to our left a few metres from the road and as we pulled out onto the main road ostriches ran across the road. And that was all within 20kms and one hour.
The Lonely Planet says of this park ‘ truly this is one place where the journey itself is worth much more than the destination'.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
24th Aug. Swakopmund
21st Aug. Walvis Bay
Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are as different as chalk and cheese. Separated by only 30kms, the former is suave, modern, and chic with its coffee houses and boutiques. Walvis Bay is the working town with its large port, betting houses and tired centre. Yet it is the latter with its friendly people, and air of industry. And then there are the wetlands south of the city that make it unique. An estuary of some 45,000 hectares that is home to hundreds of different types of birds. The area is a world RAMSAR declared place of significance for migrating birds the main inhabitant being tens of thousands greater flamingoes. All along the shore at low tide they are seen doing the circular dance of death for the crustaceans they are trying to scare out of the mud. They put their beaks in the mud where they think one is then stomp the feet going around in a circle at the same time. It is quite amusing. That is an advantage of having a bit of time up your sleeve; to take in things like that that the usual tourist wouldn’t have time to do.
22nd Aug Namib/Naukluft NP Mirabib Kopje
That applies to these next three days as well. This park is the biggest in the country but is mainly semi desert and sand dunes. We spent last night camped at the Kuseib Canyon where the dry river forces its way through this rocky range. On the other side of the river is the beginning of the massive sand dunes that carry on for over 100kms. I climbed one that would easily be 150 metres high and this morning we trekked through the canyon proper. So quiet with a little breeze and the odd swallow to break the silence.
We left there this morning heading to this kopje a short distance away. The road was good and interesting passing by a couple of deserted mining sites, wildlife was scant apart from a couple of bat eared foxes and the ubiquitous springbok. We then turned a corner, there was a windmill ahead of us and in the surrounding area were 40-50 ostriches, at least 15 gemsbok, jackals, mountain zebra, a family of warthogs and nearby a colony of meercats. It was amazing. The windmill wasn’t pumping any water but there must have been water nearby as some of those would be water dependent.
23rd. Namib/Naukluft NP. Groot Tinkas Camp
I don’t think we have been as isolated as this evening. Camped besides a small kopje after traveling along this 4wd track for 15kms or so. A couple of wart hogs greeted us but made off fairly quickly. We passed the usual plains animals on our way here and there are signs of them grazing in the area but none here at present. These kopjes have their own animals, smaller but still interesting. As I write this a couple of dassie rats come out and forage then fly back into their shelter if we disturb them. Actually they have been misnamed as they aren’t dassies (hyraxes) or rats but a genus of their own. We had a couple of native rabbits in our area last night and some rock hyraxes on the rocks this morning
There are a couple of graves nearby, the writing is in German but sounds like they were in the army and the two blokes died within a day of each other. Will find out more when I find a German speaker.
We will be leaving the park tomorrow and will either head back to Swakopmund where there is a day trip we would like to do, or head on to Windhoek.
Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are as different as chalk and cheese. Separated by only 30kms, the former is suave, modern, and chic with its coffee houses and boutiques. Walvis Bay is the working town with its large port, betting houses and tired centre. Yet it is the latter with its friendly people, and air of industry. And then there are the wetlands south of the city that make it unique. An estuary of some 45,000 hectares that is home to hundreds of different types of birds. The area is a world RAMSAR declared place of significance for migrating birds the main inhabitant being tens of thousands greater flamingoes. All along the shore at low tide they are seen doing the circular dance of death for the crustaceans they are trying to scare out of the mud. They put their beaks in the mud where they think one is then stomp the feet going around in a circle at the same time. It is quite amusing. That is an advantage of having a bit of time up your sleeve; to take in things like that that the usual tourist wouldn’t have time to do.
22nd Aug Namib/Naukluft NP Mirabib Kopje
That applies to these next three days as well. This park is the biggest in the country but is mainly semi desert and sand dunes. We spent last night camped at the Kuseib Canyon where the dry river forces its way through this rocky range. On the other side of the river is the beginning of the massive sand dunes that carry on for over 100kms. I climbed one that would easily be 150 metres high and this morning we trekked through the canyon proper. So quiet with a little breeze and the odd swallow to break the silence.
We left there this morning heading to this kopje a short distance away. The road was good and interesting passing by a couple of deserted mining sites, wildlife was scant apart from a couple of bat eared foxes and the ubiquitous springbok. We then turned a corner, there was a windmill ahead of us and in the surrounding area were 40-50 ostriches, at least 15 gemsbok, jackals, mountain zebra, a family of warthogs and nearby a colony of meercats. It was amazing. The windmill wasn’t pumping any water but there must have been water nearby as some of those would be water dependent.
23rd. Namib/Naukluft NP. Groot Tinkas Camp
I don’t think we have been as isolated as this evening. Camped besides a small kopje after traveling along this 4wd track for 15kms or so. A couple of wart hogs greeted us but made off fairly quickly. We passed the usual plains animals on our way here and there are signs of them grazing in the area but none here at present. These kopjes have their own animals, smaller but still interesting. As I write this a couple of dassie rats come out and forage then fly back into their shelter if we disturb them. Actually they have been misnamed as they aren’t dassies (hyraxes) or rats but a genus of their own. We had a couple of native rabbits in our area last night and some rock hyraxes on the rocks this morning
There are a couple of graves nearby, the writing is in German but sounds like they were in the army and the two blokes died within a day of each other. Will find out more when I find a German speaker.
We will be leaving the park tomorrow and will either head back to Swakopmund where there is a day trip we would like to do, or head on to Windhoek.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
19th Aug. Sth of Swakopmund
19th Aug. South of Swakopmund.
Finally caught up with the blog.
We left Palmwag fairly early as we wanted to get to Henties Bay, the first place to get provisions. It’s on the coast and meant we were to pass through the Skeleton Coast NP on a one day transit pass. This whole coast is so fascinating, so dry and lacking in vegetation. In the past it was a graveyard for any shipwrecked survivors as there is no water no matter what Bear Grylles says. The ship wrecks didn’t end with the beginning of steam, we visited a large Chinese trawler, the Zeila of Hangana that came ashore on the 25 Aug. 2008. It is still there looking like the day it landed. Incidentally we were in Sth Africa at the time suffering some of the severest gales they had had for years.
On the way out to the coast we had or first blowout after hitting a rough river crossing too fast. We have 2 spares so no problems but we only had three cars pass us while working on it. They first 2 stopped to see if we need help but the third car was Max & Moira. It’s funny, I had a feeling they would come along.
The camp site at Henties Bay is one you wouldn’t recommend. Almost new it is strewn with signs saying what and what not to do, the vibes were not good as soon as the white woman came out of her fortress. Some Sth Africans we got talking to had asked for their money back they were so upset with their treatment, of course she wouldn’t give it. Two years ago we put off stopping there as it didn’t feel right. That was the old camp site. I have posted a photo of the ‘don’t’s’ they listed.
At Swakopmund we had to have the van pressure cleaned. The road all the way along the coast is what is called a salt road. Not sure if the salt is in the road surface or salty water that they spray on the road. It’s a great smooth surface but deadly on the vehicle if not washed off.
Weather suddenly cool here with the Atlantic mist rolling off the sea. Fleeces and thick socks weather.
We are staying at a campsite at Long Beach Leisure Park. A bit like a Butlins camp in winter. There is a pier going into the Atlantic with a building of some sorts on the end. This place is deserted at the moment. We braved the cold winds and walked to the end of the pier expecting an empty building. To our surprise it turns out to be a bar with a barman whiling away his time watching football on the telly. We warmed ourselves with a couple of stiff drinks.
Finally caught up with the blog.
We left Palmwag fairly early as we wanted to get to Henties Bay, the first place to get provisions. It’s on the coast and meant we were to pass through the Skeleton Coast NP on a one day transit pass. This whole coast is so fascinating, so dry and lacking in vegetation. In the past it was a graveyard for any shipwrecked survivors as there is no water no matter what Bear Grylles says. The ship wrecks didn’t end with the beginning of steam, we visited a large Chinese trawler, the Zeila of Hangana that came ashore on the 25 Aug. 2008. It is still there looking like the day it landed. Incidentally we were in Sth Africa at the time suffering some of the severest gales they had had for years.
On the way out to the coast we had or first blowout after hitting a rough river crossing too fast. We have 2 spares so no problems but we only had three cars pass us while working on it. They first 2 stopped to see if we need help but the third car was Max & Moira. It’s funny, I had a feeling they would come along.
The camp site at Henties Bay is one you wouldn’t recommend. Almost new it is strewn with signs saying what and what not to do, the vibes were not good as soon as the white woman came out of her fortress. Some Sth Africans we got talking to had asked for their money back they were so upset with their treatment, of course she wouldn’t give it. Two years ago we put off stopping there as it didn’t feel right. That was the old camp site. I have posted a photo of the ‘don’t’s’ they listed.
At Swakopmund we had to have the van pressure cleaned. The road all the way along the coast is what is called a salt road. Not sure if the salt is in the road surface or salty water that they spray on the road. It’s a great smooth surface but deadly on the vehicle if not washed off.
Weather suddenly cool here with the Atlantic mist rolling off the sea. Fleeces and thick socks weather.
We are staying at a campsite at Long Beach Leisure Park. A bit like a Butlins camp in winter. There is a pier going into the Atlantic with a building of some sorts on the end. This place is deserted at the moment. We braved the cold winds and walked to the end of the pier expecting an empty building. To our surprise it turns out to be a bar with a barman whiling away his time watching football on the telly. We warmed ourselves with a couple of stiff drinks.
17th August Palmwag
17th Aug. Palmwag, Damaraland.
Max and Moira left us at Purros, they have limited time and like traveling faster than us, it was great traveling with them but a bit hard on the vehicle keeping up with them. By this time our supplies were running low and we didn’t realize there would be no shops to speak of since leaving Ondangwa on the 8th. We then looked at the map and realized we still had some 400kms to go before the next supermarket. Still, you cope; fruit juice on muesli and jatz biscuits instead of bread went off alright.
This area is amazing, it isn’t a national park but the animals are still all around you. At Purros we saw the elephants, ostrich, baboons, grey mongoose, as well as some interesting birds, here on the way to Palmwag we saw more elephant, mountain zebra, giraffe, greater kudu, and hundreds of springbok from the road we were on. Quite amusing really: leaving Purros we saw a group of 7-8 ostriches some 200 metres from us, I stopped to take a photo then drove off. They began to run towards the bakkie but on an angle, I was doing 55kph when they easily crossed the road in front of us. They must have been doing a good 60kph. The same with a lone dimunitive springbok we startled feeding close to the road. Instead of taking off in another direction he ran flat out along side us for some 200 metres. I was doing 70kph and he was keeping up with us with ease.
Max and Moira left us at Purros, they have limited time and like traveling faster than us, it was great traveling with them but a bit hard on the vehicle keeping up with them. By this time our supplies were running low and we didn’t realize there would be no shops to speak of since leaving Ondangwa on the 8th. We then looked at the map and realized we still had some 400kms to go before the next supermarket. Still, you cope; fruit juice on muesli and jatz biscuits instead of bread went off alright.
This area is amazing, it isn’t a national park but the animals are still all around you. At Purros we saw the elephants, ostrich, baboons, grey mongoose, as well as some interesting birds, here on the way to Palmwag we saw more elephant, mountain zebra, giraffe, greater kudu, and hundreds of springbok from the road we were on. Quite amusing really: leaving Purros we saw a group of 7-8 ostriches some 200 metres from us, I stopped to take a photo then drove off. They began to run towards the bakkie but on an angle, I was doing 55kph when they easily crossed the road in front of us. They must have been doing a good 60kph. The same with a lone dimunitive springbok we startled feeding close to the road. Instead of taking off in another direction he ran flat out along side us for some 200 metres. I was doing 70kph and he was keeping up with us with ease.
15th Aug. Purros, Damaraland.
Last night, before we left the campsite and Marienflus, I cooked up a meal of eland steaks for the four of us. We had bought 4 fillets a couple of weeks earlier at a farm butchery whom we had bought some off 2 yrs ago. Talk about returning customers complaining of their earlier purchase, at that time one fillet was so tender, the other was so tough we had to throw it away. I mentioned it to the bloke there who happened to be as wide as he was tall, he said we must have been given an old beast. Didn’t give us a discount though. Anyhow, these fillets were very tender, Max and Moira were slow eaters but we polished the 12 fillet steaks off with ease.
We traveled some 220kms south today retracing or steps over some horrible roads once more until we got to Orupembe which consists of a shop, windmill, 250 drinking cattle, a couple of herdsmen and a new police station. The road improved after that and reached Purros later in the afternoon. In places there were no vegetation yet you come upon ostriches, springbok and gemsbok in good condition. All of these birds and animals don’t need water; they get enough moisture from the plants they eat.
The town of Purros consists again of one shop and 50-70 one room huts scattered over a large area. The bush campsite was a few kms out of town with signs warning of food left attracting elephants. The village is a good base to view the desert elephants of which there are 69 in the area. Also a pride of lions to keep the balance. That afternoon we went with a guide, Theiunis, he with the 5 children and a girl friend at 34, and found 6 of the creatures at a spring in the river bed. There are 69 in the area. They are such beautiful creatures to watch and if anyone wants to know a bit more about them the book ‘The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony is a great book to read. An older male was showing a younger bloke how to fight with pseudo rushes and tusk jabs. The older female is usually the matriarch who runs the herd, the younger males are accepted until they reach maturity then leave to join bachelor herds.
A word about the camp sites in Namibia. The one here at Purros is typical; run by a community council each site has a braai (BBQ), sink, tap and usually shared ablution block. This one has one per site. In Australia the owners would have squeezed into the one site: 2 tents, 2 motorhomes and three caravans at least. The one we had at Etosha NP was big enough to build a small house in. Power is often supplied at no extra cost. They had planned to build a swimming pool at this one, it even says in the Lonely Planet that there is one, but realized thirsty elephants and relaxing tourists would be a disastrous mix. Elephants are very determined and do anything to get to water.
The toilets & showers are also quite novel. There are hardly ever any doors on the units, just a couple of corners for privacy. We usually leave our shoes at the entrance to let people know. The walls are made from stakes or rush and lucky to reach 1.8 meters tall. Often there in no roof apart from the branches of a tree. The first time I showered in one the tree happened to be an acacia with sharp thorns, when I lifted my arms to take my shirt off I received nasty cuts on my arms. I soon learnt.
Last night, before we left the campsite and Marienflus, I cooked up a meal of eland steaks for the four of us. We had bought 4 fillets a couple of weeks earlier at a farm butchery whom we had bought some off 2 yrs ago. Talk about returning customers complaining of their earlier purchase, at that time one fillet was so tender, the other was so tough we had to throw it away. I mentioned it to the bloke there who happened to be as wide as he was tall, he said we must have been given an old beast. Didn’t give us a discount though. Anyhow, these fillets were very tender, Max and Moira were slow eaters but we polished the 12 fillet steaks off with ease.
We traveled some 220kms south today retracing or steps over some horrible roads once more until we got to Orupembe which consists of a shop, windmill, 250 drinking cattle, a couple of herdsmen and a new police station. The road improved after that and reached Purros later in the afternoon. In places there were no vegetation yet you come upon ostriches, springbok and gemsbok in good condition. All of these birds and animals don’t need water; they get enough moisture from the plants they eat.
The town of Purros consists again of one shop and 50-70 one room huts scattered over a large area. The bush campsite was a few kms out of town with signs warning of food left attracting elephants. The village is a good base to view the desert elephants of which there are 69 in the area. Also a pride of lions to keep the balance. That afternoon we went with a guide, Theiunis, he with the 5 children and a girl friend at 34, and found 6 of the creatures at a spring in the river bed. There are 69 in the area. They are such beautiful creatures to watch and if anyone wants to know a bit more about them the book ‘The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony is a great book to read. An older male was showing a younger bloke how to fight with pseudo rushes and tusk jabs. The older female is usually the matriarch who runs the herd, the younger males are accepted until they reach maturity then leave to join bachelor herds.
A word about the camp sites in Namibia. The one here at Purros is typical; run by a community council each site has a braai (BBQ), sink, tap and usually shared ablution block. This one has one per site. In Australia the owners would have squeezed into the one site: 2 tents, 2 motorhomes and three caravans at least. The one we had at Etosha NP was big enough to build a small house in. Power is often supplied at no extra cost. They had planned to build a swimming pool at this one, it even says in the Lonely Planet that there is one, but realized thirsty elephants and relaxing tourists would be a disastrous mix. Elephants are very determined and do anything to get to water.
The toilets & showers are also quite novel. There are hardly ever any doors on the units, just a couple of corners for privacy. We usually leave our shoes at the entrance to let people know. The walls are made from stakes or rush and lucky to reach 1.8 meters tall. Often there in no roof apart from the branches of a tree. The first time I showered in one the tree happened to be an acacia with sharp thorns, when I lifted my arms to take my shirt off I received nasty cuts on my arms. I soon learnt.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Some More Posts
Hi, Finally within range again and have caught up with a couple of pages and some photos. It was an amazing experience in the north, something we won't forget.Hope you enjoy the posts and photos.
Gary
Gary
13th August, The Marienflus
13th August. The Mareinflus.
The Marienflus is one of those place names that are mentioned with a sense of respect, even humbleness. It is a plain with massive mountains on both side of its 60km length including the sacred Mt Ondau to the Himba. There are no buildings apart from the occasional Himba kraal. The earth is covered with dry grass that can block radiators for the careless. Ostrich, gemsbok and springbok were seen, hyeanas are also in the area. It is a majestic inspiring place that few photos can do justice and words little more so. Driving north along it with the late afternoon light playing on the eastern range will be one of the most memorable highlights of this trip.
I’m writing this 20 metres from the Cunene River on croc watch. Any closer would be foolhardy although I haven’t seen any yet. I surprised a goliath heron when I walked down before dawn, the largest of the herons with its 2 metre wing span. Angola is a bare 50 metres away across the river. We are at a community camp site having a day off after the ball breaking 2 days driving up here. Our bakkie has been tested to its limits even without going down the Van Zyl pass, the ultimate for the 4wd enthusiasts of the area.
I have mentioned the Himba a few times. They are a semi nomadic tribe who were persecuted last century and retreated to the more isolated area in the north west where they have learnt to live, with their cattle and goats, in a very harsh environment. They use a mixture of herbs, butter and red ochre to cover their bodies with a coating that protects them from the sun. The result is a beautiful dark skin that radiates earthiness. The women never wash. The herbs give their bodies this alluring character. They wear few clothes, usually just a skirt of sorts.
The Marienflus is one of those place names that are mentioned with a sense of respect, even humbleness. It is a plain with massive mountains on both side of its 60km length including the sacred Mt Ondau to the Himba. There are no buildings apart from the occasional Himba kraal. The earth is covered with dry grass that can block radiators for the careless. Ostrich, gemsbok and springbok were seen, hyeanas are also in the area. It is a majestic inspiring place that few photos can do justice and words little more so. Driving north along it with the late afternoon light playing on the eastern range will be one of the most memorable highlights of this trip.
I’m writing this 20 metres from the Cunene River on croc watch. Any closer would be foolhardy although I haven’t seen any yet. I surprised a goliath heron when I walked down before dawn, the largest of the herons with its 2 metre wing span. Angola is a bare 50 metres away across the river. We are at a community camp site having a day off after the ball breaking 2 days driving up here. Our bakkie has been tested to its limits even without going down the Van Zyl pass, the ultimate for the 4wd enthusiasts of the area.
I have mentioned the Himba a few times. They are a semi nomadic tribe who were persecuted last century and retreated to the more isolated area in the north west where they have learnt to live, with their cattle and goats, in a very harsh environment. They use a mixture of herbs, butter and red ochre to cover their bodies with a coating that protects them from the sun. The result is a beautiful dark skin that radiates earthiness. The women never wash. The herbs give their bodies this alluring character. They wear few clothes, usually just a skirt of sorts.
11th Aug. Near van Zyl Pass
Weds 11th Aug. Epupa Falls
Epupa Falls is a series of 12 or so 30 metre drops that the Cunene River makes as it heads westwards. Bit like a mini Vic. Falls. It’s a popular destination for visitors and many overlanders trucks hugging the best water’s edge sites.
The night before a group of Sth Africans from Cape Town turned up at Hippo Pools in 5 vehicles. We chatted and it seemed they were heading on a similar route to us and were happy for us to tag along However we have met an Italian couple here who are also traveling the same way and said they felt safer if they were with someone else. Knowing the well equipped were behind us gave us all a bit more assurance.
Kaokoland and Damaraland are isolated areas, little visited esp in the north. It’s aland of breathtaking panoramas, high mountains and desert plains. More about that later. There are no supplies, extra fuel as to be carried and food also. Water is in short supply. This was where we were heading to.
Epupa Falls camp site was too crowded. One night was enough, the next morning we headed off with Max & Moira, a very nice couple in their 40s from outside Milan. They had hired a 4x4 from Windhoek. We had to back track 75 kms to Okangwati where we topped up with diesel then headed west.
Stephen, one of the Sth Africans had said the first 64kms was rough. It was a bit of an understatement. Little sand to contend with but very rocky with boulders the bakkie had to struggle over in 1st low range. It was reassuring having someone else with us. We reached the Van Zyl pass turnoff at 4.15 (5hrs to do 64kms) and drove a bit further before finding a spot to camp for the night beside a rocky outcrop or kopje as they call them over here.
We soon had a roaring fire from the dry wood lying around and sat down to have a welcome beer after a strenuous and tiring day. It was soon dark and talk had turned to the areas lions had been re-released in Damaraland/Kaokoland. Almost on cue we heard this low growl, we were instantly up peering into the dark. I grabbed my unused 100,000 watt spot light from the bakkie and carefully played it around the area with not so steady hands. After all this is Africa. Nothing apart from a dove’s eyes reflecting and a couple of fire flies. Actually I thought it was more like a bull’s groan, we had passed a herd of Himba cattle earlier. We built up the fire and settled down once more. Some Sth Africans had told Max in Botswana that lions don’t like fire, by now our fire was roaring. Then we thought of the kopje behind us, a perfect place for a leopard orlion to launch themselves, more spotlight, nothing.
We relaxed once more then we heard the groan again! We all jumped up, Max grabbed a burning branch for the fire and waved it around ready to defend us come what may. I cautiously crept forward with the light. Again nothing. It was very puzzling. Them Moira slapped Max on the arm and said something in Italian, they both speak perfect English, he sheepishly turned to us and said ‘It is only the water pump, I have forgotten to turn it off, it makes that noise every 5 minutes’
Later the sound of a passing herd of cattle relaxed us further, they would be better eating than old tasteless humans.
Epupa Falls is a series of 12 or so 30 metre drops that the Cunene River makes as it heads westwards. Bit like a mini Vic. Falls. It’s a popular destination for visitors and many overlanders trucks hugging the best water’s edge sites.
The night before a group of Sth Africans from Cape Town turned up at Hippo Pools in 5 vehicles. We chatted and it seemed they were heading on a similar route to us and were happy for us to tag along However we have met an Italian couple here who are also traveling the same way and said they felt safer if they were with someone else. Knowing the well equipped were behind us gave us all a bit more assurance.
Kaokoland and Damaraland are isolated areas, little visited esp in the north. It’s aland of breathtaking panoramas, high mountains and desert plains. More about that later. There are no supplies, extra fuel as to be carried and food also. Water is in short supply. This was where we were heading to.
Epupa Falls camp site was too crowded. One night was enough, the next morning we headed off with Max & Moira, a very nice couple in their 40s from outside Milan. They had hired a 4x4 from Windhoek. We had to back track 75 kms to Okangwati where we topped up with diesel then headed west.
Stephen, one of the Sth Africans had said the first 64kms was rough. It was a bit of an understatement. Little sand to contend with but very rocky with boulders the bakkie had to struggle over in 1st low range. It was reassuring having someone else with us. We reached the Van Zyl pass turnoff at 4.15 (5hrs to do 64kms) and drove a bit further before finding a spot to camp for the night beside a rocky outcrop or kopje as they call them over here.
We soon had a roaring fire from the dry wood lying around and sat down to have a welcome beer after a strenuous and tiring day. It was soon dark and talk had turned to the areas lions had been re-released in Damaraland/Kaokoland. Almost on cue we heard this low growl, we were instantly up peering into the dark. I grabbed my unused 100,000 watt spot light from the bakkie and carefully played it around the area with not so steady hands. After all this is Africa. Nothing apart from a dove’s eyes reflecting and a couple of fire flies. Actually I thought it was more like a bull’s groan, we had passed a herd of Himba cattle earlier. We built up the fire and settled down once more. Some Sth Africans had told Max in Botswana that lions don’t like fire, by now our fire was roaring. Then we thought of the kopje behind us, a perfect place for a leopard orlion to launch themselves, more spotlight, nothing.
We relaxed once more then we heard the groan again! We all jumped up, Max grabbed a burning branch for the fire and waved it around ready to defend us come what may. I cautiously crept forward with the light. Again nothing. It was very puzzling. Them Moira slapped Max on the arm and said something in Italian, they both speak perfect English, he sheepishly turned to us and said ‘It is only the water pump, I have forgotten to turn it off, it makes that noise every 5 minutes’
Later the sound of a passing herd of cattle relaxed us further, they would be better eating than old tasteless humans.
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