Leopard

Leopard
Day Fourteen:  Guest Blogger - Sylvia Faoro -  Tracking Desert Elephant
Well, the day has finally arrived with much anticipation.  It is our day for our Desert Elephant tracking excursion. 16 of the 27 are going and we are all up at 5:30 am, breaky at 6 and leave at 7:00. We have a long drive this morning with the Elephant Tracker and 3 guides. We eventually arrive and drive off road. It is very rocky and bumpy. The twigs and branches hurt as they whip across the body. Brian and Jo-Ann get the worst of it! The first vehicle gets stuck in the sand as he tries to make it up the hill.  After 3 attempts he makes it, we all clap. Our driver guns it up the hill no problem. The last vehicle now feels the pressure to make it and tries to go another way but to no avail.  Our driver, Ernst, says that, "Prince Charles", is scared.  He fails at the first attempt but makes it on the second try. We all applaud him.
The Tracker is out of the vehicle and looking for elephant tracks. He finds them. We drive one way and then another.  I feel like we are going around in circles. The drivers plough through bushes higher than the windshield and drive over barbed wire fences. The first vehicle gets the barbed wire stuck in his rear wheel. It only takes 5 minutes to get it out.  Yes, we find elephant DUNG!!!!  The tracker says that the dung is 4 days old.  We call our driver, Ernst, the poop tracker. He points out that white poop is from hyena's, the Lion poop is full of fur and the elephant poop is full of grass. 

All of a sudden the tracker is out of the vehicle and gone!!!  Within minutes he is on top of a hill in the distance.   He spots the elephants but they are heading over the hill and down.  We are told to get out of the vehicles as we are going to track them by walking.  EXCITING!!!!!! We start out on foot with cameras and extra batteries.  Excited and nervous at the same time. We get about 20 yards from the vehicles when the tracker says that the elephants have turned around and are coming to us.  Wow! We are really excited now!  Everyone rushes to their vehicles and gets ready.  It is so quiet, you can hear a pin drop. The drivers are on top of the vehicle hoods or roofs. We are hanging out of the vehicles while managing to hang on and balance our cameras.  OMG, they are here!

Beautiful,Amazing, Awesome, Surreal!!! I tear up as I see my first one, heading straight for us. 
The cameras are clicking away fast and furious.  Everyone is excited as we all want the PERFECT shot.  We think there are about 10 or 11.  At least 5 babies and a couple of teenagers.  The Matriarch stops and looks at us - eyeing us up and down while protecting her herd.  FABULOUS!!!

Everyone is elated and satisfied. The tracker gets 3 cheers!  A job well done and well in advance of anticipated timing. We head home over rocky terrain, nothing bothering us as we are on Cloud 9!

At dinner, Sylvia announces Brian's proposal and they thank Michael for making all of her dreams come true.  It is also Ricki's birthday.  The servers bring her out desert and tea lite candles.  They sing Mamma Africa and Happy Birthday!!!!
 

A perfect ending to a perfect day!!!

FACTS

These  elephants are 1 of only 2 groups in the world, The other lives in Mali, North Africa.


  • They have a smaller body mass and larger feet than other elephants.
  • There are only 600 to 800 of these elephants left today.
  •  Gestation is 22 months.
  •  Elephants only have 4 teeth, one is each side of the upper and lower jaw.
  •  An adult male can drink up to 160 liters of water a day.
  •  They eat mostly green vegetation. 
  •  They favor camelthorn trees and seed pods and Mopane.


 
Cheers!.....SF

Day Thirteen:   Daytrip to visit the Himba Tribe

Up for 7 am breakfast and 8 am departure in 3 safari vehicles.  Headed out the driveway of the Lodge, past the watering hole where we again saw springbok, along with a number of oryx and kudu. They are semi-comfortable with the "traffic" so we can get excellent pics from about 20 feet away!

Down the steep incline of the driveway and then on the road heading for the Himba Tribe.
The Himba Tribe is one of the remaining traditional tribes of Africa now residing in Namibia that is protected by the government and is helped by the very lodge that we are staying at as part of a Conservancy for the area.

On the way, our vehicle was last in the convoy and our driver pulled off the road and drove into a schoolyard.  This was an unexpected surprise!  The children were just starting their recess and were pouring out of the school doors to see and look at us with curiosity.  They looked on while their head teacher took us for a tour of the school and loved it when we took their pictures and then showed them to them on our cameras!  Some of our group had chocolate bars, candy and even soccer balls and the kids were thrilled to receive them!  After lots of handshakes, smiles and goodbyes, we left the school and continued on our way.





The Himba live in a remote area called Kaokoland (our Lodge is in Damaraland) and we had to go through an attended gate with a permit to gain entrance.  There was no real road except for some suggested tire tracks on the ground so we drove over very rough, rocky terrain (actually making good use of the safari vehicle for the first time!) as well as deep sand and river beds.  It took about 30 minutes to drive the remaining 6 km.  to the village at the slow, bumpy pace we were going.

The village we visited was Village #1, which the guide described as the 30 and under village.  Village #2 was for 30 - 50 year olds and Village #3 was for over 50 and was the "Elder" village from which the other villages took direction and approval.

I forgot to mention that our driver had prepped us along the way with the Himba greeting (Morro!)  and response (Nawa) and "thank you" (Okuheba).  When we arrived at the village, the lead guide told us to wait in the trucks until one of the guides had introduced us and the women in the village had come to greet us.  It wasn't long before the villagers came out and began greeting us exactly how the guide had explained to us.  The next thing you know, we are shaking hands with these very primitive people and they are friendly and smiling and happy to be sharing their culture with us.

The village population is small.  There is maybe a total of 40 in the village with women and small children being the majority with one third being young men.  There is a chief of the Village and,in his absence, his wife is in charge.  All things must be approved through her.

The Himba women are distinctly dressed in fur and leather skirts with a leather belt, if they have a child, to help her support it so that her hands can be free to work. They wear ankle bracelets to cover their ankles as they are the most secret part of the body and in the anklets are a white one for each child they've had.  They also wear necklaces of beads, and women who have not had a child wear an additional very thick one.  Most distinctive is their hair which is done in thick braids with fur woven into the ends.  On top of their heads as part of the headdress were two pieces of leather standing up almost like two small rhinoceros ears.





Their skin was the colour of a rich dark reddy brown and the colour of all their gear blended in as one.  The most unique thing about the women is that they never bathe.  That's right.  Never!  They take ochre and grind it with rocks into a very fine powder and then mix it with jelled cow fat and rub it all over their bodies.  They then take small pieces of tree bark mixed with some cow fat and light it to create a scented smoke which they then waft all over their bodies as well as holding their clothing over the smoke to scent them, too.  Every woman has her own distinct scent from the different bark they burn.

There is so much more I could write but it would go on forever.  Again, sorry, but you will have to Google the rest or wait for the paperback!

At the end of our "lesson", they formed a circle and put all their crafts out for us to look at and bargain for (very important to bargain!) if we wished.  All in all, it was a very different experience.

Once the group had done their "shopping", we loaded back into the trucks and back down the rocky, sandy riverbeds.  Soon, the guides found a big shady tree for us to enjoy a bag lunch under and we were enjoying a cold drink and the birds overhead (except when they decided to "gift" us with their droppings!).

After lunch, I couldn't resist climbing into the driver's seat and asking him if I could try driving the vehicle.  He thought I was joking but I assured him I wasn't and told him that I drove a standard at home and knew what I was doing.  Well, he looked a bit trepidatious at first but I guess he figured I would either stall out or give up on my own, so relented.

Very excited and a little nervous, I checked I was in 1st, one foot full on the clutch, one on the brake and already in 4 wheel drive and then I turned the key.  Nothing.  What?  I checked everything again and turned the key again and again, nothing.  Ok, this was weird.  He was sitting behind me and I just turned to him and asked if there was something I didn't know about the vehicle?  He smiled, climbed down, reached in and turned the key. Again, nothing.  Now he looked worried and played with his key chain and some buttons a bit and determined that he had some lock on it and fixed it.  Thank heaven it wasn't me!

The vehicle started up fine, I shifted into reverse to get back up the little sandy incline before shifting into first and driving over a bumpy patch before heading through the dried- out river bed with sand on both banks.  Well, I made it, much to everyone's surprise, I'm sure, and I was ready to keep on going but they all cried out, "Ok, that's great, Jo-Ann, but that's enough!" Well, of course, I was disappointed in their lack of faith in me but I think it had more to do with the insurance coverage being void if I was behind the wheel!   Still, it was a blast to have had the experience!

We made our way back to the Lodge up that crazy driveway with the insane incline and all poured out of the vehicles for a cold beer on the patio.

Our next safari drive at 4 pm was supposed to be a drive by a river bed to see the river animals but, because it was bone dry, the guide took us up on one of the table mountains, instead.  The next thing you know, we're driving along  on what feels like the top of the world!  And it wasn't long before we saw a small herd of zebras off in the distance that was perfectly silhouetted against the sky - perfect for clearly seeing them without background camouflage!

As we neared the edge, the drivers pulled into a little dip on the plateau and stopped for us to.get out and have some refreshments.  There, before us, lay the entire valley of browny-green foliage uninhabited for miles and miles and stretching out until it blended into a soft mist in the horizon.  The flat tabletop mountains were all exactly the same height as if some great laser had cut through them like a knife.  The mountains and valleys rose and fell like a great scenic expanse and it took us a while to take it all in and try to comprehend once again this vast, amazing country.




As the sun started to fall on the horizon, we headed back in time for a delicious meal prepared by the staff and to catch the sunset as it left its twilight glow on the eastside of the mountain range below our chalets.


Tomorrow, elephant tracking!!! ........JT


Day Twelve:   Guest Blogger - Lynn Zeldin  - We drive the Skeleton Coast

Off to Grootberg, Damaraland on the Skeleton Coast.  Twenty minutes out of town, the T belt sign came on in our vehicle, causing all sorts of consternation and worry. Contact with rental company produced an "ok" to keep going, but to be on the safe side, we returned to Swakopmund and got a second opinion from a garage mechanic.  He was German so we had every confidence in his diagnostic skills and decided to continue on.

The scenery is pretty boring today - very flat and not too much variety.  There are the occasional signs for fishing spots, but mostly just a 1 and 1/2 lane, undivided road heading due North.  Beige sand with sporadic hillocks of grey-green hardy plants extend to the horizon in all directions for much of the drive.

Unfortunately, our vehicle scare delayed us such that we missed our scheduled lunch stop at the Cape Cross Restaurant, pre-booked by Michael.  I'm sure it was much tastier than the stale bun and cheese eaten in the truck parked outside the Permit Office at the Cape Cross Seal Reserve (arf! arf!). Permit fee was too steep for a short visit to see the seals, so we passed.   Let them suffer, bwah ha ha!!!

Back on the road again, still heading North, no one else on the road at all, except us.  We rolled up to the gates of the Skeleton Coast - appropriately a double gate with two skulls and crossbones flanked by a couple of ribs.  Yo ho ho, me hardies!  Once through, the terrain was even more desolate.  Desert, desert,desert - no buildings, towns, sites - oh!  An old rusty oil rig and lots of Inukshuks!  Are these a global phenomenon?


We have now entered Damaraland and the landscape has drastically changed once again - mountains, rocks, fields that stretch for miles.  We've been told that this is now land that has the greatest concentration of free-roaming lions in the world.  We have to beware of those and of snakes from here on in.



A quick tally thus far.  Total game sighted: 7 springbok, 5 Oryx, 2 ostrich, 1 hyena, 7 giraffes, and 17 baboons - a grand day's drive.

Passed through a small community - a collection of homes, hovels really, plus a liquor store and a medical clinic.  It really brings home how lucky we are.

Sylvia believes she saw an elephant in the bush on the way down to the valley.  Unfortunately, no one else did, but quite a memorable event for her.

When we arrived at the driveway to the Lodge, we faced it with a bit of trepidation - not doubting Jo-Ann's driving skills for one second - just looking at the veritable goat's path leading up at a 45 degree slope, with boulders jutting out of the path and cliffside, and a drop to the valley on the other side.  Definitely 4-wheel drive time in Low gear!  Jo-Ann persevered and delivered us in fine fashion.

At the top of the driveway climb, we were greeted by lots of oryx and springbok gazing at us with curiousity.  We stared back in delight.  They didn't seem impressed.


We went into the main lodge and were greeted by our welcoming host with refreshing drinks and then escorted to a deck which overlooked a valley beyond description.  Envision gazing out over Jurassic Park, The Land That Time Forgot and The Lost Valley - that is sort of close to what we were looking at.  It was mind boggling!



Each of our individual huts had thatched roofs with comfortable beds, private baths, and sliding glass doors that overlooked the same view.  I swear I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

 



After a stellar dinner and a walk under a million stars back to this wonderful little nest, my hubby and I fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.   The day had been perfect.

Ciao for now..........LZ

Day Eleven:   Self-Drive into Naukluft National Park

Up bright and early again and, this time, for a self-driving tour of Dorob Park which is inside Naukluft National Park, one of the largest parks in the world.  

We drove out of Swakopmund and, once again, encountered endless fields of golden grass wheat sprinkled with sparse trees and low-lying grey-green shrubs.  We were driving along when we heard on our shortwave radio (up to now, our radio had not been working and we didn't realize how peaceful we had had it!) that Gino was requesting we take a turn off into this particular park that housed a tree that was 1500 years old.  Since we didn't have a set plan and the day was young, Michael (our fearless leader) agreed and off we went in search of the tree.

It wasn't long before we were driving in the most desolate hills and valleys that were completely devoid of life of any kind.  It was grey, black shale and rock and yet it was fascinating unto itself.  We stopped a few times to capture different angles and striking views.  All the time, we were heading down into a valley and suddenly we came around a corner at the bottom of the valley and there, in front of us, lay an oasis that looked like The Garden of Eden dropped into the middle of Death Valley.


 




There were towering palm trees, grassy fields, beautiful gardens and a lovely building that we later found out was originally a Mission.  There were picnic tables and a small playground for little ones. There were quaint little homemade fences of sticks and rope housing goats, alpacas and pigs.

We were anxious for a bathroom break so we parked in the lot and started to explore the grounds. Some of us were fortunate enough to catch the male peacock that was outside the wall of the building that housed the washrooms.  Once he saw that he had an audience of about 6, he suddenly raised his tail into the most stunning plume of feathers and proudly did a complete 360 for us so that we could ooh and aah and show our admiration while madly clicking our cameras.  At one point, he even gave a shake and a squawk and then fluffed them up even more which, of course, earned him even more accolades and you could tell he was pleased.  When he felt he had given us enough of a show, he gave a loud piercing cry and then the tail went down and he turned and walked away.   What a show and we loved it!


After enjoying the beautiful grounds for about 15 minutes and chatting with the proprietor to let her know we were in search of the ancient tree, she kindly gave us helpful directions and we promised her we'd be back to enjoy the hospitality she so kindly (and anxiously) offered.

We continued our search and it took us up out of the oasis and back into the bleak hills.  Suddenly they opened up onto a plateau from which one could see forever off into the horizon.  As Richard (Alesa's dad) said, "Who knew that barren could be so beautiful!", and there was no better way to describe it.

More driving, more radio contact about the GPS location of the now "infamous tree" that we were "tracking" and then, finally, just as we were about to throw in the towel (hot, starving and thirsty), there it was!  Surrounded by a fence to protect it, a huge Welwitschia tree, the oldest and largest of its kind, looking like its younger compatriots that we had seen strewn over the barren land.  It resembled a creepy, crawly land octopus with its long, green tendons reaching out over the desert.  Able to survive on little or no water, this plant was approximately 1600 years old and therefore, one of the oldest trees recorded by man.



We were so relieved to have fulfilled our quest because we were all hungry for lunch!  We returned to the oasis and happily enjoyed some nice cold drinks and delicious food while taking in the soothing, refreshing surroundings.  We did get a history of the place and found that, because it had natural springs, it was a welcome watering hole for both man and beast when oxen were the vehicle of the times (mid to late 1800's).  It flourished until the steam engine allowed trains to circumvent the valley in the early 1900's and it became abandoned, rundown and would have disappeared except for the uranium mines which started in the 1960's.  One local entrepreneur saw an opportunity and started to get the locals to help rebuild and refurbish the building and grounds in the early 2000's and the current owners run it as a restaurant and guest suites.  They were very happy to have our business and encouraged us to spread the word about their wonderful little hideaway - Goanikontes Oasis. (Google it!) :)

Drove back to the hotel for rest and relaxation (and me to my blogging!) before heading out to a local eatery - Swakopmund Brauhaus - for delicious German and international food and some reverie with a group of Germans who numbered 28, almost like us!  And, when learning we were Canadian, told us they were going to Vancouver next June, followed by the Alaska cruise.  It really is a small world, isn't it?
Gino and Susan at the Brauhaus


Tomorrow, the Skeleton Coast!..........JT

Day Ten:   We head north to Swakopmund, Namibia

Up at 6:30 am, still revelling over the night before but excited to be continuing the journey.   Made another quick breakfast of home fries, toast and eggs before cleaning up all the kitchen supplies and leaving it ship shape for the next party.  Loaded up our truck with Noel and Lynn and they excitedly told us about their leopard spotting at 4:30 am in the morning when Lynn was woken by something crashing into the BBQ on the patio, followed by a deep low growl of a large cat. She reached over and held Noel's arm firmly to wake him and let him know something was up but not to make a sound. They both carefully got out of bed to peer out the flaps and, although they couldn't see anything, they could hear the thundering sound of a large animal running past.  The sound faded out and then gradually grew louder as the animals came back towards the tent.  Noel saw two dark cat shapes sprint past the tent, about 20 feet away.  He discerned they were larger than a lab but smaller than a mule.  The cats turned and thundered past again and, this time, they breaked hard and stopped.  A few seconds later, Noel and Lynn heard a faint squeal and then all went silent.  A few hours later, when the sun came up, Noel went out to look for paw prints and found distinct cat prints that were half the size in length of his size 10 foot and about 5 inches in width!  If Alesa and I hadn't slept so soundly, we would have heard all the excitement!

Today was my first time driving.  On the left side of the road, don't forget. Being as there was little or no traffic, no traffic lights, no markings on the roads and broad shoulders, there was very little trouble I could get into.  It was just pure exhilaration driving in a 7 vehicle convoy across the open roads of Africa!

We made it back to Solitaire, our lunch stop from two days before, but this time for coffee and pastries in their renowned bakery.  Everything was amazing except for the delicious-looking cinnamon buns that, unfortunately, ended up being hard as rocks.  Once everyone was sufficiently coffeed up, we got back on the road and headed North for Swakopmund.  And once again,we were blown away by the vast expanse of terrain that is hard to imagine in size.  If you've ever driven through Saskatchewan, try multiplying that by 5 times and you'll come close to the vastness.  The scenery changes in such an unusual way that you notice but don't notice until you realize you are looking at an entirely different terrain and you wonder when it changed.  We went from dry desert sands and black hills in the distance to low-lying rolling hills with pale bits of green shrubbery to bigger hills sprinkled with black shale-like rocks jutting perpendicularly out of the ground.

The next thing we knew, we were driving through a barren stretch of land that was white, gravelly rock and sand for as far as the eye could see, and, when I say that, it truly means that! Suddenly, we were coming to a stop and we didn't know why on earth we would because there was no living thing, plant or animal, for miles. Then, we saw it! A sign! A BIG sign! It said, The Tropic of Capricorn!!! We all piled out of our vehicles and crowded around the sign for the photos that everyone was excited to get!  There was no other indication of any kind that we were there, just that huge sign but it was cool and we all wanted a record of it!



It wasn't long before the barren white gray terrain slowly turned to rolling gold hills speckled with sparse trees and foliage.  Heading for the coast, the temperature started dropping and by the time we got to our destination, Anchor Restaurant at Walvis Bay, it was about 15 degrees and we were all surprised to have to don our sweaters and jackets because of the cold wind.  The restaurant was ready and waiting for us with a big long table and the service was efficient and pleasant.

We had only been sitting for a few minutes when we spotted out the window a porpoise and her calf swimming across the bay in front of us only about 20 feet from shore. She swam back and forth a few times until she simply disappeared, leaving us holding our cameras ready in vain.

Following our delicious lunch, we got back on the road (after a quick battery charge for one of our vehicles' lights that had been accidentally left on), and headed Northeast to Swakopmund. We continued on through vast expanses of land that is so vast, it's "uber-vast", to the point of being surreal.  Imagine Planet of the Apes, Land Before Time, and Moonscapes all rolled into one and you have a taste of Africa.

Pulling into Swakopmund, a quaint little German-influenced town, was a juxtaposition after such immense landscapes.  We found our hotel, Deutsche Haus, quite easily and poured out of our trucks tired and thirsty for a cold German beer and a good, hardy German meal and we were soon enjoying both.  Then we all tucked into our rooms with fresh clean sheets, down pillows and duvets for a good night's sleep after a full and exhilarating day!

Sweet dreams......JT


Day Nine:  (Part Two)   An Evening Out!

The only clue we had about this evening's adventure was that it included dinner, possibly the sunset and we needed to bring a sweater or jacket.

We met at 5:15 pm at the main house again and there we waited for our same 3 safari "chariots".  We boarded and off we went heading down the road towards the sunset.....

We soon turned off the main highway (just means it was paved, that's all) onto a single lane sandy road that wound its way through low dusty green shrub and the occasional green acacia tree (oh, that reminds me.  I forgot to tell you about the tiny "weaver " bird, about the size of a sparrow, that builds nests to protect their young with the entry hole at the bottom so that snakes can't get in.  These tiny birds work entirely together as one community and can build nests in the acacia tree that are larger than a huge suitcase.  The nests are made from the desert grass and look like perfect straw huts. Sometimes the shape takes on that of an elephant or a bear and are amazing to see hanging precariously in the trees).

So, we're slowly making our way across this long winding sand road with the sun slowly going down on our left and a huge black mountainous rock far off in the distance ahead.  The guide told us to look for ground squirrels (we did spot some.  They stood up tall like a prairie dog but were long bodied and ran like a weasel through the low shrub).  He told us to look for jackals (kind of glad we didn't see those as they are truly an ugly beast).  And we saw some Springbok and Oryx without him having to tell us.  All the way we are driving and neither he nor the travel agent are telling us where we are going.

Although it looked like too far away, we actually were drawing closer to the huge black rocky mountain area that just rose right out of the sandy, shrubby desert like an icon.  And , as we drew closer, we could make out a table  with a white linen tablecloth on it and what appeared to be glasses and other accoutrements.  We couldn't believe it as it was so out of context with the surroundings so we knew Michael was up to something. 




We drove to the right around the side of the mountain and past the table.  Hmmm......ok....,,,?
We stopped beside a huge rock three stories high and the driver had us all get out so he could show us paintings on the side of the rock from the Bushman from centuries ago.  Then he walked to the mountain side where a huge rock slab was balanced precariously over smaller rocks and provided a sheltered area where the early Bushman had cooked and slept and made fires for warmth.  

We got back in the vehicles and the drivers proceeded around the mountain and pulled up and parked.  They led us carefully single file around the mountain until we could make out the table with the white linen cloth!   It was beautifully laid out with buckets of champagne and beer, orange juice and sparkling water; dishes full of nuts and dried jerky of Oryx and Springbok; dates; and pistachios. Three waiters were ready and waiting and began pouring the drinks liberally.  We were overwhelmed with how beautiful it looked and being in this completely desolate place with such luxury....we felt totally spoiled. 





There we were with the sun slowly setting in its stunning yellow, orange, red glow over the rocky horizon as we sipped champagne, taking pictures and glowing, ourselves, in the absolute beauty of the moment.   



After capturing every last frame we could of the renowned African sunset, we climbed back into our chariots and were ready to be returned back to reality.  Little did we know what lay ahead.......

We drove a little further distance around another corner and again, were asked to disembark and follow the guide.  It was now dark and a little scary wandering where we could hardly see the ground but as we rounded the next corner, we could make out candles and lights everywhere on an open flat section of sand.  As our eyes adjusted to the light, we were stunned to see before us the most amazing display of tables of food lain out like a luxury cruise, and 3 round tables set with linen and all the cutlery and glasses you would see in a 5 star restaurant!  Candles sprinkled the ground, the tables, the rockside of the mountains and a large burning flame lit up the middle ground.  It was stunning and unbelievable that we would be sitting out in the middle of nowhere in such luxury under the stars. And this was the travel agent's plan - to treat us to a memorable evening that we would never forget, and he exceeded himself!





Once we were all comfortably seated, we were again graciously waited on by the hotel staff who were as excited as we were to be a part of this spectacular evening!  Drinks were served and then we made our way to the buffet where there were choices of multiple meats - zebra, Oryx, springbok, kudu as well as the traditional beef, chicken and pork. There were black cast iron pots hanging from a long pole over open flame that held mixed vegetables, beans, rice, potatoes, lentils and curries.  On the side tables, there were delicious salads - Greek, Caesar, bean, green and Mediterranean.  There were also cheese and cold meat plates of German/Dutch influence so of incredible quality and flavour.  And, for the finishing touch, desserts of chocolate, lemon, fruit, whipped creams and marzipan delicacies. 


It was beyond anyone's wildest imagination and here we were living it.  A huge thank you to Michael who went out of his way to make the arrangements for this magical night to happen!

Wish you were here.........JT        


Day Nine:  (Part One) Desert Camp, Sossusvlei, Namibia

Waking up before sunrise with the light of dawn coming up over the mountains in the cool fresh air of the desert is exciting and invigorating.  We dressed warmly but in layers as we knew that as the sun rose in the sky, so would the temperature.

Alesa and I each had a piece of bread and cheese, hers with a bit of chicken from last night's BBQ, to hold us off until lunch which wouldn't be for about 7 hours.  I made a quick cup of camp coffee (using a paper towel as a filter) and Alesa had her lemon Rooibus tea (still fighting a cold she'd picked up in Dubai, poor thing).

We met up with the group at the head office where there were 3 open air safari vehicles with 3 guides to take us into the famous red sand dunes of Namib Naukluft Park.  Thank heaven they had big warm blankets to wrap around us because the wind was bitter cold as they drove off at about 45 km. an hour to get us to our destination.

It took about an hour to get to our first stop at the edge of a sand dune where the guides proceeded to tell us about the life of the desert - the snakes, spiders, small rodents and other desert dwellers.  It was amazing how they could spot the tiniest tracks that the untrained eye wouldn't even recognize as tracks at all.  One such track was that of a spider - the Dancing White Lady Spider.  


One guide spotted the entry to their underground burrow by an unusual few dots in the sand near a grass tuft.  He then lifted up a little patch of sand, exposing a burrow.  The other guide took a long thin poker-like stick and slid it almost 30 cm. at an angle down into the burrow until it stopped and he said, "There is the nest.".  He then bent over and proceeded to dig, sifting through the sand with his hands until voila!  The sleeping spider lay still in the sand looking almost like it was dead - all twisted up and motionless.  Once everyone had a chance to see it sleeping, the guide took the stick and gently touched it.  Immediately, it lept up and started to scurry away.  It was about the size of the end knuckle of a finger with average length of legs.  It was white and the guide told us it was venomous and ate its mate after coupling, similar to the Black Widow.


After showing us a few more tracks and explaining unusual desert habits, we got back in the vehicles and headed down a dry river bed between the burnt orange dunes that stood between 200  and 340 m. high and went on for miles and miles.  Formed by sand and soil coming down the Orange River to the ocean Coast and then being brought back up by the ocean waves and blown at from both sides by the East and West winds, the dunes are a unique phenomena in the world and are a stunningly magnificent sight to behold.





We could not possibly see them all as they stretched over such a vast array of land that seemed to go on forever (this was becoming the standard for our trip - endless vista of staggering proportions!).  We did stop at one dune and, the next thing I knew, we were all out of our vehicles and headed for one of the dunes and starting to climb it!  It was now about 10:15 and the heat of the day was coming upon us.  We just followed each other one after another and climbed up the ridge of the dune.  We stopped a few times to catch our breath and marvelled at the height and the beauty of our surroundings.

On either side of the dunes was an area called "Deadvlei" as it was literally where the forest had died from drought and the remains were a salt-white blanket with Tim Burtonesque trees scattered intermittently over the terrain.  It was completely surreal looking and it was hard not to think that we were on a Hollywood movie set but actually in a massive park in Africa!




   
The sand of the dune, itself, was velvet in texture and cool to the touch.  If you did not stay on the path of the person in front of you, you risked slipping off and sliding with the very delicate makeup of the sand - it slid away easily and you could just slide away before you realized it!   It took us about 30 minutes to make our way to almost the top and then the guide suggested we stop and make our way down.  How?  Literally, straight down the side of the dune by carefully digging in your heels first, leaning back and doing a bit of a "slide" step as you almost "danced" straight down the dune!

It was scary, exciting and exhilarating, all at the same time.   If you looked down to the people standing at the bottom of the dune, it made your stomach jump as they only looked a few inches high and you realized just how far up you were.  Some brave souls made their way down quite quickly. Others, like me, took more time.  I had to stop because of the burn in my legs of muscles I forgot I had and also I had to make sure I only looked at my shadow or my fear of heights kicked in and I freaked myself out!  

Kudos to Rita who managed to make it down the dune with the help of the guide as her fear  of heights is even worse than mine and she was frozen with fear.  What an amazing accomplishment to challenge yourself and overcome that fear to actually climb a sand dune in Naukluft Park in Africa and descend straight down its side!  Yay!!!!

We then headed back (with our shoes full of the velvet sand acting as great orthotics!) the 1.1 km. to the waiting vehicles and shared our accomplishment with our fellow travellers who decided it was a bit too much for them.

The drive back was much quieter as we were hot and tired from all of the activity and copious amounts of information about the desert we were trying to absorb.  One last stop before home was in an area on the gentle slopes of golden sand dunes where there were perfect barren circles amid the low lying green shrubs.  Funnily enough, just as I wondered out loud to my seatmate, Eileen, what the circles in the scrub were, the driver explained that a German scientist had taken samples of the sand with the shrub and samples of the sand without the shrub and found that in the shrubless sand were termites that fed off the roots of the shrubs thereby making the land above barren.  How they happened to do it in perfect circles is still a mystery, I think?!

We finally arrived back at our desert campsites around 1:00 pm exhausted and starving.  I'm not sure what the others did for lunch but I chopped up the remaining potatoes from the BBQ for home fries.  Then I cut up the leftover steak I had from the Joe's Beerhouse night and finished cooking the too rare meat.  I pan-fried some bread for toast and threw on some eggs and served Alesa and myself a fabulous camp breakfast of steak and eggs!   Accompanied by an ice cold beer.....you couldn't get much better than that! :)

A nap was definitely in order and we needed to renew our energy as we were told by the travel agent to be ready to go by 5:15 pm and this time on a surprise adventure....

Stay tuned for Part Two.....it will prove to be an extravaganza of surprises!......JT
Day Eight:    Our first day on the Road as we head to Sossusvlei

On the road at 8:10 am with coolers full and all gear safely stowed in the back.  Hardly out of Windhoek when we started seeing the new Big 5 of South Africa....cows, mules, sheep, goats ....and baboons!!!  Yep, we were hitting the big time in the farm country of Namibia. 

Hot off the press by Lynn in our vehicle upon the first sighting of a baboon..."Look! A baboon on the road! And it's not dead!"  Ok - possibly a little morbid but when you are driving and baboons are literally running freely around your vehicle, not hitting them is a high priority!

We were headed for our first destination....Sossusvlei...about a 5 and 1/2 hour drive and all we could think about is what animals we would see on the way.   The terrain soon opened up and the rolling plateaus and hills of golden grass lay out before us as far as the eye could see.   Small dead brush dotted the horizon with the odd bright green tree that stood out as if someone had reached down with a paintbrush and splashed it gingerly.

Off in the distance, the very FAR distance, you could see the dark mountains that spread
across the horizon like giant, long tables.   First stop, Rehoboth, a small little town hardly discernible. Then 20 more minutes and we were on a dirt road heading for the Coast.  There was barely a car on the road.  The only other traffic we saw were two vans with trailers full of goats and a family of four in a tiny ancient wooden wagon being pulled by a mule.

After driving through vast lands of gold flecked with black and green that stretched on for miles, we were about to come to our lunch stop when our lead car pulled over and informed us that the rear car had suffered a blown tire and he had to go back to assess the situation.  Given that we were only a km. from our lunch stop, he told us to go ahead and get started (normally the rules of the entourage are to stick together at all costs). So five trucks went ahead and two were held back.

The lunch stop was a little oasis of a civilization aptly called Solitaire, a delightful little mini resort area with restaurant, gas station, bakery, gift shop and park areas. There we enjoyed a prearranged lunch that included a carrot fritter topped with tartar sauce followed by a buffet of salads and vegetables that accompanied our choice of meat from an open brick BBQ.  Meat being Oryx, Springbok or Kudu.  Ok, when in Africa, do as the Africans do.   I chose Springbok, not having any idea of what it would taste like, and was pleasantly surprised to find it very tender and very similar to a lovely piece of veal.

We were just into our meals when the two other trucks pulled up and joined us.  Needless to say, they were hot, tired, thirsty and starving!  Molly (of the "Mona Lisa" smile) sat down beside me and I explained the lunch rundown to her and suggested she have the Springbok as it was really tender and not gamey.  Without missing a beat she said, "I don't eat anything I take pictures of." and that was the end of THAT discussion!  (You know it doesn't matter what you say, Mona Lisa doesn't change!).

I then asked about the tire incident and she told me how they couldn't get the regular jack to work so had to remove the big daddy from the front grill.   The truck was jacked up so high, she feared it would roll over the "embankment" (the slight ditch off the side of the road). Then, when the "deed" was done, the jack jammed and wouldn't come down until finally it came down with a crash and caught the travel agent's hand.  Looking for something to help with the bleeding, Molly offered a tissue. When the travel agent had cleaned his wound, he looked back to Molly and asked, "Don't stewardesses pick up the cloth after it's been used?" Needless to say, he did not get a cheery reply.

Back on the road after lunch, we were only about 40 minutes from our destination for the night - Desert Camp.  And that was truly what it was.  Twenty small wood-framed tents set on cement bases with little patios that housed your own little kitchen counter zipped securely behind another tent flap. On the patio was a small little picnic table from where you sat and looked out over the vast expanse of desert that stretched endlessly out in every direction until finally it stopped at the black, table top hills that were so far away, they looked like misty mirages.

Desert Camp


It was hot. Very hot. We soon replaced the cold water we had been drinking in the car with nice cold beer and white wine that had been chilling in our coolers during the long drive to get there. Our group broke into smaller groups depending on the location of their tent or their truck mates (or whoever they figured was best at cooking on an outdoor BBQ over wood and cooking on a makeshift stove with two burners and one pot!)

As night fell and the heat of the day started to subside, the flames from the BBQ became our light and our heat.  Deciding when the meat was cooked was the next biggest challenge because, all of a sudden, everyone was the cook with a different opinion, and the conversation took on a whole new energy!  But, we finally dined on well-done chicken and medium-well steak, boiled new potatoes, fried onions with peppers and a wonderful medley of corn, broccoli and other veggies - a delicious feast (yes, feast!) given the tools we had to work with.



The finale of the day was just above us as we took in the unobstructed view of the sea of stars that flooded the sky, paled only slightly by the glowing moon that was close to full and shining like a beacon.

Pinch me! Is this real? Yes!  It's Africa and everything you've ever dreamed of!

Must sleep as safari starts at 6:15 am..........JT
Day Seven:  Windhoek, Namibia and we visit Asco, the vehicle rental site

For anyone who has been on a road trip, ramp that up about seven times for a road trip in Africa, specifically large countries such as Namibia and Botswana!

So, this morning (Friday), all the Primary drivers and Secondary drivers were bussed to Asco, the car rental place, where there were 7 Toyota 4 x 4's waiting for us along with 2 staff members to go through all the workings of the car and 3 ladies in the office preparing all the paperwork for signatures, etc.

First , we were given a rundown on the outside of the vehicle...the tires, the mirrors, the lights, the gas tanks (2), the canopy with 3 different locking swing flaps to allow access to luggage, the cooler box, and the repair kit.  We were given a demonstration of removing the large tire jack (zap-strapped across the front grill) that is for changing a tire in sand. We also had to learn where the regular jack was stowed and how to use that.

They showed us every item in the tool/repair kit including a tow strap (Michael checked it carefully as apparently last time, they were given about 4 feet worth of an old rope!).  Then we were each given an individual tutoring with the technician on all of the idiosyncrasies of a left-hand drive with a 4-wheel drive gear shift.  In addition, we had to learn the two-way radio and remember that the antenna on top was attached only by a magnet so no underground parkades in cities (drivers who forgot this, you know who you are!).

Our Vehicles


For good measure, on the outside of the vehicles' metal canopy, were an axe and a shovel, both locked in place. All in all, the driver was given a set of keys with 8 keys (!) on it for full functioning of the vehicle.

Spare tires?  Two!  One on the swing-gate and one underneath. Gas tanks - two. The gas gauge would only start to show the level of the gas after the first tank was empty. You can understand why this process took about two and a half hours but those on the group from the last trip said this was a marked improvement over the six hours it took that time!

So, now we actually have our cars and are ready for safari and what do we do?   Well, rent small vans to take us for dinner, of course, for our last night in Windhoek at Joe's Beerhouse, a "must see" if you're ever in Windhoek!   Namibia, like BC, has zero tolerance so no one wanted to drive to dinner and not be able to enjoy a drink (or two!).

Joe's, a completely different experience! If you could combine the funkiest ex-pat bar in Mexico with a roadhouse museum, a Bushman cave, a treehouse full of every empty bottle known to man and a crazy concoction of signs and ridiculous sayings, that would be Joe's. And it was a huge place! You had to be very careful to mark your way to the bathroom or you might end up in a completely different part of the restaurant with an entirely different crowd and no one would ever find you! (No, no, I don't think so!)

27 people sitting down at once is a tall order for any restaurant and so it was a while until all drinks were served.  Finally, this small feat was accomplished and so the Travel Agent made his first toast to our journey with "To a safe drink!" Which was met with a round of laughter as he corrected it to "To a safe trip!" and everyone toasted in agreement!

After a fabulous dinner of either Springbok, Oryx, Kudu, or regular fare such as beef, lamb or chicken, everyone was ready to hit the hay as we were to be packed and ready to hit the road at 8 am the next day!

Safari awaits........JT
Day Six:  Flight to Windhoek, Namibia

I am remiss in not continuing to introduce my travel companions. I have a bit of time as yesterday and today are travel days. Yesterday was a long flight to Johannesburg and a little hotel near the airport just for an overnight and this morning is our final flight leg of our journey to Windhoek, Namibia where we pick up our vehicles. So, to my travel companions.

Well, I should really introduce the lovely couple, Klaus and Gerrit, first as they owned the travel agency that our travel agent used to work at and then took over for when they retired. They are good friends and travelers with Richard and Linda who happen to be the parents of my 'roomie', Alesa, a young lady close in age to my daughter and who has a delightful dry sense of humour which I love. Then there are Bill and Ricki who have been traveling for many years with the group and are seasoned, not only at travel, but at the idiosyncrasies of the group and of the travel agent and enjoy offering humourous tidbits at opportune times. 

Rita is Donna's roommate and another longtime traveller with the group. The couple who Alesa and I will be driving with in our vehicle is Lynn and Noel.   Although they give the illusion of being quiet and somewhat reserved, they both have a mischievous sense of humour and I am really looking forward to being on safari with them!  Donna's sister, Derry and her husband, Ash, joined us in Dubai.  I've yet to get to know them better but I've heard stories that Ash has been known to demonstrate strange behaviour and that Derry may or may not acknowledge it (which can then result in minor hiccups but, of course, these are all rumours.....to the best of my knowledge......lol!).

Rounding off Donna and Rita's vehicle are Hans and Bob, more seasoned "groupies" and all around gentleman (thank you, Hans, for the water and tissue when a little birdie decided to "bless" me with a little "good luck" on my shoulder while we were touring the gold market in Dubai)!  Then there's John and Molly.   John with the winning smile and happy go lucky nature and Molly, who, behind that "Mona Lisa" smile, hides a ravenous chocolate fixation that must be satiated or heads will roll!

Margaret and Anna are travelling together and are two of the sweetest women I've met.  And, bringing up the rear, which is literally his role with the group, is Roger, a quiet, reliable, dependable guy and his fun and gregarious companion, Eileen. Oh, of course, there's Michael, the travel agent, himself.  Intense, uber-organized, tends to worry but, who wouldn't? with all the above characters to take care of!   I hear he goes by nicknames such as "Emperor", "Bwana", or "Captain". I guess he just wants to make sure we all know who's in charge! 

And, for those of you who may be reading this and don't know me, the blogger, I'm Jo-Ann, the complete and utter "newbie" to this gang.   I've recently retired and have been looking forward to this trip for over a year now!   So, there you have the CanAfrica troupe of 2014! 

Africa, here we come!!!

Until next time.....JT
Day Three: Alive and well in Dubai

We all survived the 14 hour flight quite nicely courtesy of Emirates Air and the spacious seats, the good food and the lovely flight attendants (tall and gorgeous and that's BOTH genders!).  :)

In no time, we had our bags, re-connected with our compadres who had flown first class (wre weren't allowed access to them on the plane!) and had caught our transport to the hotel.

After a quick shower and change, we met at the hotel buffet and filled our plates with lamb, Moroccan style curries, vegetables and rice topped with fresh tzaziki and hot sauces. Then out on the patio where gentle breezes kept us cooled while overlooking the bright lights of the city and the promise of exciting sights on tomorrow morning's city tour.

Pleasant dreams.....JT

Day Four:  Ah....Dubai...for those of you who have visited before, this will be like a walk down memory lane. For those of you who haven't, close your eyes, sit back and imagine ....

Warm, hot heat...the kind that wraps itself around you like a blanket that is soft and secure. The colour of sand everywhere....the buildings, the sky, the walls, the furniture and, of course, the desert. Music playing softly in the background that is sensuous, enticing, and teasing you to experience Dubai in all its glory and luxuriousness.

We started at the gold "Souq" (market) where ostentation does not begin to describe the opulence and extravagance of embroidered gold necklaces, chest plates (yes! chest plates!), arm bracelets and every kind of possible design of diamonds, precious jewels and ribbons and ropes of gold!



From the gold market, we went to the museum, rich with history of the area and how fishing and pearl diving had been the economic driving force of Dubai until the discovery of oil in the early 1970's.  And that was the beginning of the Dubai of today.  From a bleak and searing hot, dry, lifeless desert grew a teaming city of energy and majesty. Cutting edge architecture in dramatic forms of structure unseen before. Tiers and twists and heights and angles unrivaled in the world.



With our tour guide speaking fast and furiously, we drove through streets named after their sheiks, present and past, and marveled at the beautiful buildings one after the other.  We drove through residential areas with homes that were palatial estates to a mosque where those of us women in shorts and sleeveless shirts needed to don the traditional long black robe and veil.   For the men, it was the traditional long white robe. Then, after removing our shoes, we were allowed to enter the mosque and quietly take pictures and explore the interior.

Prayers are traditional at certain times throughout the day and all Muslim are expected to stop whatever they are doing and face Mecca and get down on their prayer mat to pray.  This mosque, like others all over the world, was a huge building, void of furniture but luxuriously-carpeted with beautiful carved marble interiors, stained glass windows and gold-embossed painted walls and ceilings.   In this particular mosque was a huge antique wrought iron chandelier that hung from the centre of the ceiling. It was massive and impressive and spoke of the history of the religion.

After our visit and surreptitious giggling of how we had miraculously "osmosed" into Muslims, we dis"robed" and continued on to the infamous Palm Island, so named, of course, by its palm-inspired shape. The island is completely man-made and is literally themed and shaped after the palm tree, a venerated plant of the people. The "trunk" is made up private apartments and condominiums.  The "fronds" are stunning residences, owned by movie stars and millionaires, that are all almost completely surrounded by private waterfront due to the distinct nature of their design.  The "crescent" (the semi-moon ceiling of the fronds) is only accessible by a tunnel - not visible, of course, in pictures or by air so always the mystery of how one got from the fronds to that part of the Island!  And on the crescent are stunning, luxurious hotels that one can only dream of staying in.

After leaving the Island, we drove down the Palace "strip". There are a total of 15 palaces in Dubai, all housing sheiks, prime ministers and Presidents. The palaces are all walled in and securely gated but one could still catch glimpses of the sumptuous gardens on the grounds and the stunning structures that mirrored the past with their castle-like turrets or Arabian style domes. With a little imagination, it was not hard to envision the "Arabian nights" of centuries ago and wonder if any "magic carpets" were parked in any garages! (More like Lamborghinis, Rolls and Bentleys!)  For good measure, we drove by the Embassies and Consulates - more stunning structures and beautiful gardens and finally, exhausted and satiated with structures, we did what only any self-respecting tourist does after such a tour! We poured ourselves into the hotel bar, previously empty, and ordered buckets of beer and good old-fashioned hamburgers!

Following that, everyone went their separate ways for their own amusement.  Some on the tour of the tallest building in the world ("not bad" was one comment); some to sell their old gold to be melted down for something new (stay tuned - might have a whole 'nother story on that one), some to swim in the cool, refreshing water of the hotel pool; some to shop in the renowned Dubai mall; and some just to catch up on much-needed sleep.  I, myself, was on a mission to meet the fascinating trio of young adults who had been in the "Rickshaw Run for Charity" based in India in January and happened to have met there and traveled with my two sons, Trevor (then 28) and Sean (then 20) for almost 3500 km. through India on tuk tuks!

Knowing that I was flying through Dubai on my way to Africa, my son, Trevor, told me I had to look up this awesome young woman, Laura, and her traveling companions, Darrell and Aurora.   Also knowing this fact 6 months ago did not inspire him to give me her contact info until 4 days before my departure when he, himself, was literally on his way to the airport for a flight to Switzerland!  He quickly Facebooked her to tell her I was coming and promised me her contact info and then texted me from the airport and told me to look her up on Facebook!  Thx, Trev!  Well, as all my friends and family know, I don,'t "do" Facebook but I am so glad that I made an exception because it was an absolute pleasure to meet all three of these adventurous, kind and generous young adults as well as their authentic local Abu Dhabian friend, Dina! Thank you all for a super fun night, good beer and good food at Trader Vic's in Souq (market) Madinat!!! Remember, you've promised to come to Vancouver so we can host you!



Hope this post wasn't too long for you? Trust me, one day in Dubai felt like 3! Oh, forgot one thing! I met a "Sultan" of Dubai, too! Tall, dark and handsome and driving a Lexus! Yes! He was my taxi driver!

Gotcha! ..........JT
Day one:
What would a trip to Africa be without a private coach trip down to Tulalip for one last "kick at the can" in the Casino in case Lady Luck decided to pay for the trip!  So there we were, 22 of us (5 decided they'd forego Lady Luck), headed for the border and ready for bear (bare?)!
This is my first trip with these group of travellers and I'm getting to know them fast.
There's Donna who loves babies so much, she almost confiscated a little cutie on the group's last trip to Tuscany!  There are Gino and Susan who apparently still act like newlyweds after 37 years of marriage ( but they're sitting across the aisle from each other, so I'm confused).  And there's Brian and Sylvia who have only been dating for 8 months (and THEY are sitting across the aisle from each other, so it must be a space thing).
The border was a new experience for me...on a coach trip, that is.  Beat the line up.  Yay!  Head for the "bus" check-in area. Gather up all your belongings.  Get off ( thx, Sylvia!).  Go through customs with your passport and place your luggage on a conveyor belt just like at the airport. Then exit out the door on the other side, get back on the bus and voila, you're on the road again!  All in the space of a little private building and in about 10 minutes flat!
Tulalip is a beautiful resort and we took it by storm!  Armed with our $20 Casino vouchers (courtesy of our tour package), we spread out and hit the machines looking for the ones that would pay us back.  Well, I think you know the drill.  A few made it out fairly unscathed.   Others didn't know what hit them.  And some just gave up and hit the outlet mall for final supplies before the big trip!
Ok, hitting the airport for our 14 hour trip to Dubai!
Stay tuned...........JT