April 28

 Runde to  Etosha NP

We began our day on the shore of the Okavango River, watching mist rising over the river.  The river is warm but the early more air is chilly, hence the mist.   While Charlotte and Devon went for a morning run in the cool air Al and I sat on the floating section of the lodge, looking for crocs and hippos.  The rainy season has just ended so the river is still high, and flowing swiftly.  This is not the ideal season to see hippos as they prefer to linger in shallower water.  Still, the birdlife was impressive. 

After a leisurely breakfast we packed up and set off for the Etosha NP.  En route we stopped briefly at Grootfontein and Tsumeb, where we picked up more provisions.  Our vehicle has a 12V fridge, which is handy but rather small for the amount of fresh food we want to carry along.  So, provisioning frequently is our routine. 

Around 1500 we arrived at our next campsite in the Onguma Game Reserve just at the edge of Etosha NP.   I had prebooked, which was essential in the best places, especially in NPs.   To reach the lodge we first went through a large, guarded  entrance gate.   Then we drove along a bush road, where we were not allowed out of our vehicle, to another large gate.  Once inside the second gate we were near the lodge and campsite, and in the safe area where we could walk freely.  

What a beautiful lodge!   We sipped G&Ts by the pool (Charlotte also went for a swim), then sat on the observation deck overlooking a water hole and the game reserve.   We love this place, and highly recommend it.   

We lingered on the observation deck  until dark, then walked back to our campsite.  This campsite is spacious, and includes our own, private toilet/shower hut as well as an outdoor kitchen area.  All campsites include a private braii (BBQ) pit area as well.   Our large, private camping area here at Onguma has a nice grassy area too, so Charlotte and Devon were able to pitch their tent a distance from our dining area, braii and our vehicle, where Al and I set up our roof tent.  

After another delicious dinner by chefs Charlotte and Devon, we walked back for some night viewing of the water hole.  Unfortunately, no large mammals wandered by....

One perk at Onguma for us is WIFI.  We hope you enjoy the up-dates, and that you will revisit the blog later to see more photos.  

Sent from my ipad....Oops, did auto - complete create strange words?

April 27

Caprivi  Strip, Namibia

Nunda River Lodge is beautifully set up, with a lovely main lodge right on the Okavango River.  The campsite is large, showers are hot, the river environment is beautiful, the swimming pool area inviting, and our hosts were very welcoming.  We recommend this place. 

We got up at dawn, as usual, which arrives at 6 am and lasts only a short time before it is suddenly full-on daytime.  Charlotte and Devon went for a run at 6 am (they are training for a marathon) while the air was still cool.  Then we all had  breakfast and packed up.  

Our morning adventure was a safari drive along the river's edge in the nearby Mahango NP.  We stopped to watch a plethora of animals including zebras, giraffes, warthogs, baboons and a number of antelopes including kudu, gemsbok, lechwe, and impala. Hippos were milling around just across the river. 

Bird sightings included -among others - kingfishers, herons, egrets, geese, lilac-breasted rollers, red-billed hornbills, cinnamon bee-eaters, and something called a go-away bird.  It was an amazing environment for us!  

We followed the river track for about 10km, stopping often to view birds and mammals very close to our vehicle.  We are not allowed to get out of the vehicle in most NP,  except at designated picnic areas.   One of the two designated picnic locations in Mahango NP was by a giant baobab tree, the other on the edge of the river.  

Driving along the sandy single track we noticed some large elephant scat and soon afterwards we saw four elephants lingering in the shade of some bushes. 

After a morning in the park it was time to drive west.  The main roads are good, paved with just one lane each direction and very little traffic.  We drove as far as Runde, stopped for provisions, then another 10 km to our next camp at the Hakuseme Lodge.   

Hakuseme has lovely round cabins and a beautifully landscaped garden plus a main lodge (and restaurant) on the edge of the river, including a floating section for being right out on the river.  The campsite was an open grassy area, not as special as some of the other campsites, but it was quiet and served us well.  

Charlotte and Devon created another delicious meal..

Sent from my ipad....Oops, did auto - complete create strange words?

Giraffes in Chobe NP

Curious aren't they?

Elephants in Chobe NP

Chefs Charlotte and Devon

Creating another delicious dinner, this one at our campsite on the river in Chobe NP

April 26

We rose early and packed up promptly so we could go on safari before the heat of the day.  Driving back along the river tracks in Chobe NP we found some impalla "harems" and herds of buffalo, then we found a lion under a tree, chewing on his kill (a buffalo) ! 

Satisfied with our early morning sightings we stopped at the designated picnic spot by the  river where Charlotte and Devon created us a most delicious brunch.  . 

Around mid-day we left the park and headed for the border crossing.  The balance of the afternoon was spent driving west. We stopped for a late lunch at Catima Mulilo, where we sampled a local meal with fresh fish served up at a tiny eatery in the local  market. 

At sunset we arrived at Nunda campsite, a most appealing river front site I had prebooked,  where we relaxed with G&Ts on the deck over the river.  Our host told us he was offering  a prize for the first person to swim across the river and back again.   Of course we knew no one could ever win that prize because crocodiles would get them first? 

It was another amazing day, with a most amazing camp for overnight. 

Take a look at the web page for our camp:  Nunda River Lodge

April 25

 River, Chobe  NP 

Our most ideal safari day so far!

We left Thebe River Camp rather late (9am) and drove into Kasane for provisions.  Then we began driving west through the northern section of Chobe NP.   

Our general idea was to cross the border from Botswana to Namibia, but first  we decided to turn north down a sandy single track that we thought might led to the Chobe River.   Little did we realize we were about to an entire day "on safari" in an incredible river habitat. 

At first we saw only a few birds, most notably a colourful Woodland kingfisher.  Al expressed an interest in seeing giraffes and soon after we noticed three giraffes lingering behind some trees!  

The sandy track went down, but we still could not see the river for several km.  Then it suddenly appeared below us and we got out for a short walk on the shore.  

Then our animal sightings became more frequent, and exciting!  We saw  a buffalo, with two ox pecker birds on his back.  These birds eat tics that land on the buffalo, and on little mammals too.  We read that one of these birds was found with 200 tics in its stomach!  We saw impala too, some also sporting ox peckers on their backs. 

As we continued down the river track we found more giraffes among the trees,  and walking across right across our track in front of our vehicle.   Groups of impala, with dominate males aggressively chasing away intruders, hovered nearby.  Warthogs were feeding on low vegetation.  More giraffes, their long necks stretched out, were chewing on high branches.  We watched as their tongues - which can be 18 inches long - reached out to snatch branches.  

We stopped to watch some dung beatles at work.  In the distance we observed some hippos.  Colorful birds were everywhere.  This environment supports over 400 bird species!  

Our safari went on for over 5 hours, until we finally stopped at the Ihaha NP campsite on the river bank.   We had to chase away the vervet monkeys who were scrambling around, keen to steal anything we might leave unattended.  

Sunset comes early here, and the sky turns a brilliant red.  Our camp on the river was large and very private.  Devon and Charlotte created a delicious braii (BBQ) feast and we relaxed together over a game of Scrabble while listening to animal sounds. 

An amazing day! 

April 24

April 24

Okavango Delta,  Chobe National Park

What a day!  We took our 4x4 through a challenging,  soft sand single track route across the edge of the Okanvango Delta.  Elephants were the highlight.  Driving through soft sand on a rough single track route was a challenge.  Being on our own in the delta was a privilege. 

We broke camp around  730 am and proceeded north to the end of the pavement, then along a dirt road that lead to the park gate, which we reached around  10 am.  After checking in we proceeded along the park road, which suddenly became a single, sandy track.  Al put the 4x4 into four wheel drive low but we were soon stuck in deep, soft sand because he missed shifting gears fast enough.  The car was high centered on sand and the slow shift meant the car simply stopped dead in the deep sand.  After using some language we won't repeat, and backing up a fair distance, Al revved the engine and plowed ahead.  The car was "swimming" or "floating" through the sand, bouncing and jerking as Al steered vigorously.  Soon he mastered shifting more quickly and - though there were anxious moments - we were never truly stuck again.  

Soon after entering the park noticed large piles of scat on the track ahead and suddenly came upon a large bull elephant behind a tree very near the car.  He was flapping his ears in a way that indicated to us it was time to drive on.   We had several more sightings in the next few hours, then the amazing experience of watching about a dozen elephants - including young ones - splashing about in a water hole.  Wonderful!

Some other sightings during,our drive across the park included: a large,male ostrich walking, then taking flight, a secretary bird dashing across an open plain, some beautiful landscape.  

We were encouraged to stay overnight at the Savuti camp but had another priority: to meet Charlotte and Devon in Kasane.  So, on through the soft sand we plowed, for a total of 5 hours!  During this entire day in the park we only saw a few other vehicles.  We were truly alone in a wild and isolated environment. 

It felt odd when we reached pavement again, and odd to hear a beep beep indicating a text message was coming in from Charlotte.   For a few months we had been planned to meet in Kasane, Botswana on this specific day, and this day had finally arrived. 

 

At 5 pm we rolled up to the border control between Botswana and Zimbabwe and 5 minutes later Charlotte and Devon walked across to meet us.  What joy!  And what perfect timing! 

After lots of hugs and shared elation we drive a short distance to the Thebe River Lodge, set up camp and relaxed together over dinner at the lodge restaurant. 

Photos will be added....

April 23

Bird song woke us early ; the dawn chorus is  always magical and here it was extra special. 

We lingered at our site, relaxing over breakfast, and watching the local (exotic to us) birds flutter and sing all around us.  It was relatively  late (after 900) when we packed up our tent and moved on.   As we drove the few km from the camp to the main road we noticed a bunch of male impalla grazing in the bushes, but nothing more. 

Our drive took us east through the Kalahari.  Cows and donkeys hovered by the side of the road, but we saw  no 'wild' animals all day.  

Our fuel gage  - and our estimation of distance traveled so far - suggested it was time for a fuel stop.  On our way through a police check we inquired and were assured we would find a fuel station about 50 km further on.  And so we were relieved when we drove into a Shell station just where we expected to find it.

Do you take Visa?  Al asked?

Yes, we take Visa.....but we don't have any petrol......

Oh....

Charlotte had warned us about this.  In Malawi fuel shortages are routine and she told us they often had to wait a few days before the stations in town would have more to sell.  Others have warned us of this too.  We were advised to always top up our fuel tanks, even if the tank is half full, because the next open station with fuel to sell might be difficult to find.  We had passed a station earlier in the day, which was obviously open and selling gas, but our tank was still half full then, so we drove on by. Now we regretted that decision. 

We did some simple arithmetic.  Our vehicle has two tanks and the rental agency assured us would could have a range of 850 km.  The next available fuel might be in Maun and by then we would have driven over 850 km.  

Needlesstosay, were relieved to  see an open station when we arrived on the outskirts of Maun.  This time our questions were different, starting with:

Do you have petrol?   

Yes, and if we run out in this pump we will switch to the other. 

Do you take Visa?  

Yes

We took on 115 liters.  We checked the mileage: we had covered 880 km in our first two days. 

It was time to stop for the day, or risk driving the rough roads in Chobe National Park in the dark.  We stopped in Maun for a few provisions then drove just a short distance out of Maun to  camp at the Okavango River lodge.  This being in-between season we found the campsite empty, so we selected a site with a view of the river, settled into our deck chairs, and soaked up the atmosphere. 

Animal sightings?  Those antelope (impalla) we saw in the morning at Thadaku, a  few dozen cows and goats along the roadside and some dogs in Maun.  We also saw a few bird species,  some wonderful Baobab trees, hundreds of termite towers, and what looked like caterpillar nests in trees.  At the Okanago River Lodge we hoped to see some more "wild" species but instead we saw cows and dogs.  Our sleep was interrupted by rock music, barking dogs and traffic noises.  The morning chorus was dominated by roosters, and more barking dogs.  We were looking forward to being in the park! 

April 22

Namibia Day One

We began our day at the Arebbusch Travel Lodge campsite in Windhoek, the rather urban campsite where we safely arrived well after dark following our late flight from Cape Town.  The camping area is only a part of a much larger operation which offers all sorts of accommodation as well as facilities for events.  While this was not our idea of safari heaven,  I did enjoy soaking in the bathtub in the campsite "ablutions block" before bed.   We slept quite  well during first night in our roof tent, despite the hum of urban traffic. 

Our earlier plan was to visit GocheGanas, which is run by our friend Vic's friend Udo.    While in London ( at Vic's flat) we re-confirmed our interest in visiting with Udo (a 4 th generation German-Namibian) for a visit of his amazing  resort and game farm.   However, the new Air Namibia flight schedule meant we might not have arrived there until 2200 so we will have to reserve that visit for later.  Go to his website by looking for GocheGanas  .

What is a roof tent, you may ask?  It is a collapsable tent mounted on roof racks. We simply remove the cover, pull on the telescoping ladder and voilà, the tent erects itself on the roof of our vehicle.  It keeps us up off the sandy ground, away from any wild animals, and is clean and cozy! 

Our morning agenda was to provision,  get a letter of permission from the car rental company so we could drive into Botswana, and purchase a local SIM card so we could communicate via Iphone.   Navigating the urban traffic in our safari vehicle was not enjoyable - especially in the morning heat -  but the locals we met were all very friendly and helpful. 

At every stop, however, we were reminded that petty theft is rampant and we must never,  ever underestimate the quick and clever actions taken by local thieves.  A guard watched over the grocery store lot, for example, and warned us to always keep our doors shut, even when loading groceries in the back.  He could not believe that in Canada no guards watch over our cars when we park outside the grocery store!  

By noon we were driving away from the congested streets, en route east. Our earlier plan had been to drive north, but the new plan of driving east meant we would see more places, and circumnavigate the Okovango delta. 

 We drove and drove and drove, crossing the border to Botswana around 4 pm, only to discover it was already 5 pm because we had crossed a time zone. 

We were warned at the border to drive carefully and to watch out for animals on the road.  Elephants?  Zebras? Springbok? 

We thought:  Ahh, the joys of going on safari in Africa! 

But the border guard laughed:  No, watch for cows and goats! 

 And so for the next couple of hours we dodged domestic farm animals as they grazed on grasses at the edge of the tarmac.  A few times we stopped while a dozen cows crossed to see if the grasses might be greener on the other side.  As the sun went down the grasses glowed a brilliant golden yellow.  The cows were harder to see, and we slowed down. 

 We finally arrived at our destination, a lovely campsite called Thadaku Bush Camp, near Ghanzi in Botswana. 

Google it:  www.thakadubushcamp.com

We prepared our gourmet meal and relaxed  with a good red as we observed the night sky. 

Botswana

Blog updates coming asap when we find WIFI
All well. 4 days in Chobe NP, mostly on sandy single track. Impossible without our 4x4 in LOW!

Lots of close ups with elephants, giraffes, impellas, warthogs, birds.... Even a lion with his fresh kill!

Wonderful!!!

Sent from my iPhone

April 21 Cape Town to Windhoek

April 21

Cape Town to Windhoek

We packed up early and spent the morning exploring the Table Mountain area, then returned our car to the airport and waited for our flight to Windhoek, Namibia. 

When we chose our Air Namibia flight it was scheduled to depart in the morning and arrive just after noon.  This appealed to us because we knew it would take awhile to get our camping gear sorted.   The noon arrival would also allow us a few hours of daylight for our initial drive from the airport.  

Well, Air Namibia contacted us just days before departure with a schedule change: the flight was re-scheduled to arrive after dark!  This was not ideal because we had been advised to avoid driving at night, and because we had some interesting plans for our first afternoon.  However, the vehicle rental people stayed late, spent over an hour going through all e camping gear, and guided us down the long, dark road towards Windhoek.

It was indeed late by the time we set up our tent and crawled into bed...

April 20 Cape Town

April 20

This day was spent exploring the Cape with Gavin and Trish, lead by their local driver/guide John.  

We set off at 0900, driving south along the west coast road returner back around 1700, via the east coast.   

At Camps Bay we stopped above the beach, taking short walk along the cliffs for photos opportunities.  At Hout Bay we stopped at the marina, at what John called the flea market.  Instead of shopping for trinkets our interest was watching the working fish boats.  To our dismay, the local sea lion (who we saw being fed in the harbour the day before) was on display in the middle if the paved parking lot.  He was guarded by an aggressive local asking for money in exchange for a photo op.  We kept a wide berth, but for your interest I snapped this shot of the aggressive guy attempting to hide his animal from any free photos! John informed us this had been going on (same guy & same sea lion) for over 20 years! 

The scenic Chapman's Peak road was next, a narrow, cliff-hugging track reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast road. (To help cover maintenance costs a toll is charged.)  We then  descended to Nordhoek and the beautiful sandy expanse of Chapman's Bay.  John then stopped at another beautiful beach where he insisted we remove our shoes and walk in the sand and surf.  

Sea temperatures interest the locals because these affect local weather conditions.  Typically, the Atlantic is 6 C colder than the Indian Ocean, and the difference in temperature between the sea and the land results in differences in wind speeds and visibility.   Even on this hot, sunny day the South Atlantic was cold and we were not tempted to swim!  However, surfers in wetsuits were out playing the waves. 

Traveling in- land, we soon arrived at an ostrich farm.  These birds are big, and  considered dangerous.  We watched them from a safe distance, from the other side of a fence.  

It was after mid-day when we entered the Cape of Good Hope National Park.  We first went to the Cape and wandered on the rocky shore.  It was a calm day and the sea was relatively calm.  Still, we noticed a sailboat being tossed around as it motored west about 1NM off-shore. 

John then drove us up to Cape Point where we soaked in the views while lunching in pizzas.  This perfect weather day was ideal for photos of our 360 degree view.  

Our day was already full, but we had another highlight : the penguin colony at Simon's Town!  We walked along a boardwalk through the colony, then down to a beach, getting close to these curious birds. 

We celebrated the end of a great day by relaxing back at the appartment, sipping a local white, then enjoyed a fabulous seafood dinner out at a popular restaurant in the V&A Marina area.  

Irene

Sent from my ipad....Oops, did auto - complete create strange words?

Home 604 932 3107

April 19 in Cape Town

April 19

We arrived in Cape Town after an overnight flight from London, a journey of about 16 hours due to a brief stop-over to change planes  in Johannesburg.  Fortunately our long haul flight was not full and we were able to stretch out, even if we did not succeed in actually sleeping.  We flew with  South African Airlines and found the service to be excellent, and friendly.  

Just before leaving London we made a last minute decision to rent a car for our brief stay Cape Town.   This allowed us to spend our first afternoon  exploring beyond the city, and getting our bearings.  

Our drive away from the airport led us past a "township" and our first views of a seriously poor neighborhood.  Minutes later we drove through a seriously rich neighborhood.  Throughout our journey we expect conversations to involve questions about 'how' and 'why' these situations were created, and continue. 

As tired travelers our initial priority was to find some place green, and quiet.  We drove south to the lovely Rhones Drive, skirting the eastern periphery of Table Mountain, stopping numerous times to take in the scenery and breath in the scent of Eucalyptus trees.   

This road led us to Hout Bay, where we stopped to wander e docks, view the boats (wondering what it might be like to be here on Darwin Sound), and relax over a late  lunch of fresh seafood at Mariners Wharf.  

We then followed the Victoria Road, driving north above the west coast cliffs and beaches to Camps Bay then via Green Point into Cape Town.  This narrow road was busy with bikers and runners, but provided plenty of pull-outs and parking areas for stopping to take in broad views over the Atlantic. Camps Bay was particularly lively, reminiscent of a Riviera resort in August. 

The Victoria & Alfred waterfront was our final destination, because it was here we planned to meet Gavin and Tricia for our two-night stay in Cape Town.   Without any way to communicate we decided to 'nip into town' in search of an internet café, and thus we spent an hour experiencing some less enjoyable urban driving conditions, and the reason why many had advised us to avoid renting a car.  Still, we survived unscathed and soon found our way back to the relative calm of e V & A marina, where we connected with our hosts.  

The evening was spent 'at home', enjoyed a delicious fish dinner accompanied by superb local wines. 

Penguins!

Cape of Good Hope

We enjoyed a full day touring the Cape area with Gavin & Tricia, and their local guide.

We walked in the surf, in the dunes, on rocky cliffs, and lingered among the penguins.

More text and photos will be posted later...



Irene
Sent from my iPhone
... Notice any new words created by auto-complete?

Cape Town

Another overnight flight from London brought us south to Johannesburg for a short hop over to Cape Town, where we are spending a couple of days with Tricia and Gavin.

We are relaxing over breakfast on the sunny deck before heading off for a day of exploring the Cape.

London

En route!

We flew overnight from Vancouver to London for an overnight stop prior to our next overnight flight to Cape Town.  (Yes, two overnight flights with one overnight sleep between.) 

The winter has been longer than usual here in London, and the trees don't yet have the usual abundance of leaves.  Still, the weather is warm (t-shirt weather) and spring is in the air.

Thanks to Vic, we are enjoying a "home-away-from-home" here in London.  He describes his flat as a "land-locked yacht", and we love it!  The galley-kitchen is tiny, yet fully equipped.  And - like our boat galley - this kitchen allowed us to create a delicious home-cooked dinner to accompany an evening of lively conversations. 

Vic's place is in this building....

"naked" trees on nearby street

 

Namibia NP

We aren't there yet....but here is another map of Namibia so you can see the Caprivi Strip (NE) as well as the other NP (national parks) marked in green, many of which we plan to visit once we are there.  

As you can imagine, we are very much looking forward to our first "safari" in Africa.   The total driving distance we expect to cover in a little less than four weeks will be about 4,000 km.  Even with slow driving on backroads this should allow us ample time to explore and linger in amazing places.