Hope it's worth the wait.......

23 April 2007 First of all, apologies for the delay but my laptop died so I am having to retype all of this on Jason’s laptop while we drive across from Maun (Botswana) to Windhoek (Namibia). Nearly 800 km so should have time to get a bit done (battery allowing). Anyway where were we….ah yes…Kande beach. Get up after a restless night of nightmares about nightmarish mares and head for breakfast a little nervous about the horse riding that will follow that afternoon. Having jumped at the chance to have a rare lie in I have missed the pig parade….a walk past by a little black porker that has been selected for our roast dinner tonight. The little fella has now been dispatched and shaved and is tied to a metal pole ready to be roasted over hot coals for the day. I take first turn on guard keeping the campsite dogs at bay…not the easiest of tasks as they are pretty persistent and numerous. A leisurely lunch and a pint for Dutch courage and we head off to meet our horses. Chaps are fitted and I am introduced to Annie…a placid 16 year old who has the difficult task of carrying me for the next couple of hours. After climbing on board (I think that’s the correct horsey term), I am given a two minute demo of how to turn stop and ‘giddy up’ and we are on our way trekking through woodlands and local villages. All is going well until the dreaded shout of ‘lets’s trot’ is uttered. I manage to hold on but not sure the technique is what it should be. We cover a few miles and after a few more trots we come to the point where the experienced riders should split away leaving the novices to go it alone. Our leader asks the guide at the back how Fraser and I are doing with trotting and he says fine - not sure who he has been watching so we stay together and head of for a couple of canters….I never realised that it was possible to grip the reigns so tight or that my backside and nether regions could make such heavy or frequent contact with the saddle. Still not sure to this day how I stayed on or survived! We come to an area of marshland and by now I am starting to get relatively confident and am able to take in a bit of the scenery as we wade through 2-3 feet of water. Su had been warned that her horse liked to roll and sure enough just as we leave the marsh he goes over dumping Su in a foot of water. Fairly entertaining from where Fraser and I are sat but only because Su somehow manages to stay the top side of the horse. We finish by walking along the beach and unsaddling our nags before mounting them bareback (god that’s painful) and taking them for a swim in the lake. With the waves crashing on the shore it seems more than a little odd that we should wade in to the point that the horses are almost completely submerged and the waves are hitting us in the chest. Still we all manage to hold on, including Su, despite her horse rearing up on it’s hind legs trying to pitch her into the water. All in all a cracking afternoon and an experience I will never forget…posh Hannah who had joined Fraser, Katie, Su and I (from the Dragoman truck) who previously owned her own horse commented that I was ‘a natural’ and could not believe that I had not ridden before. It should be noted at this point however that she was at the front and could not see me for most of the afternoon, ashen faced clinging on because my life depended on it. Riding Horses in Lake Malawi....

Tea (dinner for those of you of a southern or posh persuasion) is roast porker….a definite treat and then it’s back to the bar to play pool and take on the centurion challenge from the Dragoman truck….the evening finishes with Tom demonstrating his mangina pose, the photos of which cannot be published on this blog.

24 April 2007

Up early and head to Lilongwe (Malawi’s capital) for some provisions before crossing the border into Zambia. It seems a shame to leave Malawi so soon especially as we have just missed a visit by Madonna and have therefore had to cancel plans to get Tom adopted (Tom reckons he comes from a broken home and would fit well into Madge’s lifestyle)….Meanwhile, back in the real world we reach our camp in Chipata and spend the evening watching the Kiwis in the group slowly deflate as they are trounced by Sri Lanka in the cricket semi final.

25 April 2007

Jason’s 37th birthday…. He celebrates by doing a two hour rally driving demonstration on the dirt road to Flat Dog’s camp (flat dog is a nickname for a crocodile in Southern Africa). The camp sits overlooking Luangwa river and the National park on the opposite bank. With no fences the camp has a number of unusual rules…tents have to be several yards apart to allow hippos, elephants, crocs etc a way through. We are not supposed to walk around the campsite at night by ourselves and walking in the bush is forbidden as in the event that you do make it back alive you will be asked to leave. We spend the afternoon watching the 40 or so hippos in the river before celebrating Jason’s birthday and heading to bed with the baritone bark of the hippos echoing round the campsite.

26 April 2007

Up at 6 for a morning game drive. A little disappointing as we only see Puka (antelope) and a few elephants (including a rather stroppy adolescent male who trumpets and headshakes in disapproval at our arrival. Lamb shank for lunch and an afternoon nap before a night drive….a little nervous about this one as I have told everyone how much fun they are in direct contradiction to the view of one individual that all you see is eyes and they are a waste of money. I need not have worried as after watching the sun go down over the open plains of the park we spot Marshall eagles and with the spotlights on, an elephant shrew (one of the small 5 - see later), an Eagle owl, loads of ellies (nearly drove into the back of one), a spotted genet, and then the ultimate prize….a leopard, sat in the hollow of a tree. Normally fairly skittish this one is remarkably chilled and we get to watch her for a good ten minutes before she moves off in front of the truck scouring the area for prey before unsuccessfully stalking an impala. A stunning spot a worth the money alone. The other major sighting is the hippos….already seen in the light from a distance we spot them in the dark looking like aging maiden Aunts dressed up for a night out with water lilies on their backs. Quite a perverse but entertaining view. We head back for camp but just before we leave the park a lioness pads round the corner in front of us. With Su and Jason occupying the open seats to the left they look more than a little nervous as she passes just inches below them looking them both in the eye as she strolls by. Fortunately the game drive includes dinner so once again I get out of cooking - this is becoming a bit of a standing joke now as it’s always our team…Fraser, Grant, Su and I (previously included Anna) who seem to be due to cook when we eat out or have a meal provided. As such we have cooked three times when others must be on turn 6 or 7 now….such is life. Oh nearly forgot…the big Five were historically the five most dangerous animals to hunt and are leopard, buffalo, elephant, black rhinoceros and lion. Someone then came up with the small five which are the leopards tortoise, buffalo weaver bird, elephant shrew, rhinoceros beetle and ant lion. On this trip we have eight of the ten with the black rhino and rhino beetle being the most elusive to date.

27 April 2007

Back to Chipata to the rather bland Mama rules camp. The only highlight of which is a Jack Russell that Tom has nicknamed Baxter after the lead hound in the film Anchorman. Limping today after a fight with a German Shepherd he is still the life and sole chasing trying to chew anything he can get his teeth into.

28 April 2007

Up before 6 and we have 600km to cover to reach Lusaka (Zambia’s capital). A long old day on the truck but with Jason at the helm we reach our camp by 4.30 and watch a bit of cricket before it is obvious the Aussies will win the final and we head off to gatecrash a fundraiser for an Elephant charity. Much fun is had by all and we return in the small hours to be greeted by the 4 campsite Jack Russell’s all now called Baxter…..Stef ends up with all 4 in his tent before the being reprimanded by the security guard…. Not allowed dogs in tents for some reason.

29 April 2007

After removing the four Baxters from tents, lockers and the truck we head off for Zimbabwe stopping briefly in ’Livingstone I presume’ on the Zambia side to get food etc as you can never be sure what you can get on the Zimbabwe side. $55 for a visa smarts a little especially as it funds Mugabe’s regime. A picture of whom hangs on the wall of the customs office and it is noticeable that he is sporting a little hitler style moustache….not a coincidence I suspect. Crossing the bridge over the Zambezi river we get our first view of Vic falls….a stunning site with clouds of mist a kilometre or more across rising from the falls which straddle the border. As we are here for 5 days I upgrade to a chalet (pretty basic but comfy and relatively cheap) . We then head for the backpackers bar (Shoestrings) to hear what activities are available during our stay and exchange some dollars for the Zimbabwean dollar. Because of Mugabe’s inspired leadership the Zim dollar is in freefall and we can get 20,000 to the US$. Strangely this is only possible on the black market but the exchange rate is somewhat preferable to the $250 Zim we would get should we go to a bank. You get a feeling for the rate of inflation and the problems faced by ordinary Zimbabweans by the fact that all the notes have a sell by date on them of the end of July or August 2007. I presume this is the Mugabe way of getting people to use banks.

30 April 2007

We leave at 9 for our adrenaline day…. First activity being the chance to abseil down the 60 metres of rock face that makes up the wall of the Zambezi gorge. Surviving this there then follows the flying fox (a zip wire across the gorge suspended in a harness strapped to your back) and another abseil down the gorge (face down though this time which is a good deal more nerve racking). Just before lunch comes the highlight of the day (?) the gorge swing. Where you jump off the cliff free falling 53 metres in 3 seconds before the rope takes your weight whipping you across the gorge inches above the tree canopy. Pretty much on a par to a bungy jump in terms of the adrenaline/fear it creates and I limit myself to one jump - my excuse being that the walk back up and out of the gorge is far too long and hot to warrant a second go. Scream of the day awards go to Su, who let out the most blood curdling scream I have ever heard in my life which echoed miles down the gorge and Rich who let out a high pitched camp yelp as he jumped. With the options to jump forwards and backwards and in tandem taken by many the afternoon provided a lot of highlights and some great photos (which unfortunately are now stuck on my ailing laptop). The only injury of the day is a large lump on Steff’s head caused by the snap on the rope as he and Hamish tandem jumped….looks pretty nasty and Klingon like.

The flying fox....

Abseiling down a 53m cliff face....

1 May 2007

Up at 6.30 for a horse back safari. Yes I must be a glutton for punishment but after surviving the last time without any lasting aches or pains I reckon I can go again. The owner of the stables is a 70 year old hatchet faced witch who abuses her staff and customers and is a classic bad example of white colonial Africa. Still the guides are good and we pad round the park making the most of the chance to get close to animals which are not so spooked by people on horseback. Kudu, Elephant, Waterbuck and Warthog make for a good morning and with the added challenge of Steff trying to get his horse and everyone else's to canter all the time much fun (and in Natalie’s case fear - it’s her first time on a horse and she is no way ready to trot let alone canter) is had by all. Su as usual gets a dodgy nag which bolts and tries to throw her but somehow she stays on although it all looked far to hairy from where we were. I get Blues man a solid looking steed who never misses a beat and strangely follows most of my commands. Back to camp for a walk round Vic falls town and a Geezer breakfast (large fry up) at Shoestrings. The evening is taken up by the Sunset (or booze) cruise. A boat cruising down the Zambezi river on the top side of the falls which has the added bonus of a free bar until the sun sets. Needless to say the group does not look a gift horse in the mouth and by 7 things are more than a little fuzzy as we disembark for dinner and a an hour or so drumming. We are all given our own drum and taken through our paces. The alcohol fuelled din that is generated by 15 drunk drummers is incredible with the award for no rhythm or style going to Tom. Su has a video of this which is available to any interested parties …. Not sure how to describe it but it’s the funniest thing anyone has seen in years and we have gone through several sets of batteries watching it again and again ….. Each time the sight of Tom drumming open mouthed completely out of time to everyone else brings tears to my eyes…..difficult to believe his Dad plays the drums. A genetic anomaly I suspect. With hands sore from excessive drumming we head off for the bar where things go downhill fast and several people end up in the pool (not me this time I have learnt my lesson - the cut is healing nicely by the way thanks for asking).

Katie and Fraser enjoying the sunset cruise....

Grant and ale.....

2 May 2007

A fry up, the price of which has gone up $24,000 Zim since the day before…..such is inflation in Zimbabwe (later met a Canadian who was in Zim last year when a Zim $ was worth half a million US$) and a relaxing day sorting out tour t-shirts before we head to the Zambian side for our afternoon micro light flight over Vic falls. We sit for a while watching the Helicopters fly in before our rather fragile looking craft arrives. Getting strapped in it feels like sitting in an armchair strapped to a large kite. When Andre, my South African pilot takes off the wind makes the craft lurch violently. Not sure how best to describe the feeling as we rise up towards the falls….it’s a bit like being in an armchair at 1000 feet….still any feeling of impending doom is negated by the stunning views of the falls and the wildlife (ellies, hippos, storks, antelope and warthogs) that inhabit the marshy floodplains of the Zambezi river. At almost 2km wide and with a 100m fall into the narrow Batoka gorge below Vic falls is listed as one of the seven natural wonders of the world and is aptly named ‘the smoke that thunders’ with the surge of the water sending plumes of mist 500 metres into the air.

A John's eye view of the Falls.....

The The 15 minutes we are in the air simply flies by (sorry sometimes puns are just too hard to resist). Stefan follows us into the air and still looks and sounds petrified when getting back on solid ground….not sure he has fully recovered from the drumming after the sunset cruise….his hands are incredibly swollen due to over enthusiastic drumming and has, quite rightly earned the nickname ‘the nutty professor’ as he has the hands of someone weighing well over 25 stones.

3 May 2007

Another early start as today we get to walk with Lions. Head south for a few kilometres to the lion encounter camp where they have established a breeding programme to re-establish lions in parks across Africa. Not wholly convinced about the ethics behind it but the project his still in it’s early stages and I suppose only time will tell. We are given various tips about how to react when close to lions ….don’t show fear, don’t scream even if they jump on you and keep a watchful eye on them at all times. We head off into the bush and meet our two feline companions for the morning….male lions aged 11 months….sounds cute but these things are huge even at less than a year of age. We spend the next 2 hours with them and our confidence grows as we approach, stroke and pet the two feisty males. At one point when stroking the more aggressive one under the chin he starts to wash his hand and my arm….imagine a pet cat with a tongue like the roughest sandpaper you can buy from B&Q and you will get the idea. I even get to hold the lion’s tail as he walks along in front of me…..never ever thought I would get to pull a lion’s tail…always considered it one of the quickest ways to lower your life expectancy but I get away with it.

Don't try this at home.... I did take my eyes off one of them for a couple of seconds and got a playful ankle tap for my lack of vigilance. All great fun though and a highly memorable morning. The afternoon is spent in the curios markets where Tom and I are constantly hassled by enthusiastic salesmen. One of the locals who offers to show me round is Martin Ndlovu….it turns out he is the brother of Peter Ndlovu who once played for Coventry City, almost signed for Huddersfield Town and is now playing in South Africa. Having escaped from the markets a few of us head for a walk round the falls.

Vic Falls from Cataract view.....

Very different at ground level, you get a real feeling of the tremendous force of the water and having viewed the falls from the drier points we spend the next hour or so in thick spray getting utterly drenched. Great fun though and an utterly stunning sight. Drying off at the Vic Falls hotel we take in the views back down the gorge from the comfort of the Stanley bar …. All rather posh and very much a symbol of colonial Africa.

4 May 2007

Star Wars day and its Dave’s 55th birthday. A significant event which Dave is keen to celebrate having been told by a fortune teller at the age of 12 that he would die at the age of 54.…anyway he made it and I am pleased to say is full of beans! Su and I head off to walk to Zambia. A bit of a hike but it’s worth it for the view of the Falls from the bridge and the opportunity to get some Zambian money changed into US$… Back at camp we meet up with Dave to celebrate his Birthday and grab a pizza…such luxuries are coming thick and fast now we are in East/Southern Africa.

Vic Falls from the bridge across the Zambezi....

5 May 2007 A relatively short drive as we head over the Zimbabwe border into Botswana. A simple clean crossing and I manage to refrain from putting a comment about Mugabe in the Zim customs suggestion box (fairly sure I would have been tracked down). One thing that you realise in Zimbabwe is the fear that people live under…a couple of people told us that meeting to discuss opposition to Mugabe was likely to get you killed. Anyway, we cross into Botswana after dipping our feet in disinfectant to counter foot and mouth and within 100 yards of the border post have to stop as a group of about 20 elephants cross the road. The joiurney to the campsite is pretty brief but we still get to laugh at Stefan who having purchase a large wooden hiipo and rhino sit’s nursing them at the front of the truck. Like much of Africa the reminders about the risks of HIV are everywhere with a obvious and necessary advertising campaign. Botswana suffers worse than most with the staggering fact that a 15 year old boy has an 80% chance of dying of aids. Tents are pitched and we stock up at the supermarket which feels very South African (it’s well stocked for starters!), then it’s back to camp and a relatively early night as we are heading to Chobe National park for a game drive early the following morning. 6 May 2007 Only Grant, Su, Natalie, Stef and I make the 5.45 alarm call and on the way to Chobe in an open top jeep we start to wish we were still tucked up in our tents as it’s freezing cold ….still Chobe is renowned for it’s huge elephant population so it should all be worth it…. 3 hours later with not a trunk in sight we return to camp somewhat cold and frustrated…. Not the best game drive ever but that is the way it goes sometimes and on such a cold morning you can’t blame the wildlife for staying well tucked up. Did see some Lions (from a distance) a Kudu, Puku and lots of Vultures. With 500km to cover we have long drive to Maun which lies on the edge of the Okavango delta …. Our safari destination for the next couple of days. We pitch tents in the grounds of the slightly upmarket Sedia Hotel and get a little abuse from some disgruntled German tourists who don’t seem too thrilled at our arrival and quickly up sticks and move to the other side of the site. 7 May 2007 Packed and ready to go by half 7 the only delays are the late arrival of the game drive vehicles and my latest tow injury as I take the end off another digit on the leg of the BBQ grill. With 6 injured toes my feet are almost biblical in that I look like I may have leprosy such are the numbers of bits hanging off. With tents, bedding and cooking kit packed onto two jeeps we head off for the Okavango Delta and the Panhandle for an overnight bush camp and the chance to canoe through the narrow waterways of the Delta in Mekoro - a shallow draft dug out canoe hewn from ebony or sausage tree log. The mekore are poled from a standing position (similar to a punt) and their precarious appearance allegedly belies their amazing stability (we will see!). The best polers are from the polers trust in Seronga - as traditional village on the edge of the delta and it is here that we collect our ‘driver’ for the next two days. Now a bit about the Okavango delta…. The watery wilderness of the Okavango Delta, sprawling like an open palm across the north western Botswana is reputed to be one of the most spectacular sights on earth. The 1430km Okavango river rises in central Angola, then flows south across Namibia’s Caprivi, where it tumples through the Popa fall before entering Botswana. There the river’s waters begin to spread and sprawl before the thirsty air and Kalahari sands swallow them. Eventually the water is lost in a vast 1500 sq.km maze of lagoons, channels and islands. They never reach the sea and it is this fact that makes the Delta unique. Meeting our polers we pile all our kit into two Mekoro and the rest of us split into twos for a couple of morning’s on the water. Initial fears that I would have to share a boat with Fran are allayed and the trusty partnership of Tommy P and I take to our wobbly craft with Tim on pole. For the next couple of hours we weave our way through narrow channels of reeds before pitching camp in a small copse of trees. After lunch Sam, the chief guide, leads us on a walk through on the floodplains of the Delta where we get to track a Bull elephant on foot, learn about termite mounds, sausage trees etc before returning to camp for tee and wine. It is nice to be bush camping again after the relative luxury of the camp sites of Eastern and Southern Africa and the various calls of the wild that echo round the camp just add to the fun. At one point Stef thinks he hears a lion and goes off in search of the source of the noise. Unbeknown to him Fraser sneaks round the back of the tents and lurches out of the darkness lion style. Not sure I have seen anyone jump that high outside of an Olympic arena and it was a good while and a few more glasses of wine before Stef recovered and we stopped laughing. 8 May 2007 While some of the group head out for another walk the rest of us decide to head back to the relative calm of the mekoro (it also meant we got to lie in bed until 7.30 rather than get up at 6! Not a difficult choice. With 7 of us going I get a Mokoro to myself and the lead guide (Sam) as my poler. Leading the way through the reeds is a bit of a test as you have to clear the path for everyone else ….this involves the parting of the reeds and the sweeping off of thousands of ants that fall from them (suffering a fair few bites in the process). This is all small fry however as just as I am relaxing and starting to take in the view the deafening bark of an advancing hippo comes from the rapidly moving reeds. Sam our guide react swiftly, shouting at the advancing aggressor who, amazingly, stops in his tracks and returns to his watery lair. Luckily for me all I saw was the reeds moving but bore than a little nervous I ask Sam how close he was and the answer of ‘about a metre’ and the knowledge that hippos kill more people than any other mammal in Africa adds up to a lucky escape and certainly makes the following groups a tad tentative. We continue on our way with Sam telling me how this particular hippo has attacked mekoro before. Some 40 minutes later we hear another hippo and Sam walks off on foot to check the ‘road’ ahead. Unfortunately it would appear that ‘our hippo’ has circled round and is now lying in wait. Sam reckons we could go for it but it is likely that he will be looking for a fight should we cross his path again. I am still in the lead boat and while the others are keen to get a picture of me being munched by a hungry hippo on the front of National Geographic, the sensible decision to turn back is taken. Not far on though Su tries to upstage my near death experience with the Hippo when a fish jumps into her boat. She goes to remove it but is told not to as it is ‘dangerous’. It turns out to be an African pike and at almost 6 inches long could potentially have given a nasty nip possibly even breaking the skin! After Hamish and Darren have tried poling (with much aplomb) we return to camp for lunch before packing all our kit back into the Mekoro and heading home. Tom and I manage to liven up the journey home by scooping moss and mud from the channels and bombing other boats. Su gets away lightly but Natalie gets a pasting before we overtake and move on for other targets. We choose not to attack Fraser and Katie of Hamish and Katie heading instead for Darren and Michelle….at this point we are blindsided by all comers and take a right royal pasting…..not that we did not go down without a fight and at least the laundry bills will put some money back into the local community. Anything for a good cause! The evening meal is provided as part of the cost of the trip and yours truly was due to cook so I get out of it again…. Hamish and Katie’s last night so it’s a late one for many of the group although Mr Moderation retires to be relatively early having already had far too much excitement for one day. Not a good place to meet an angry Hippo!

9 May 2007

Up and off before 7 with some of the group looking a little bleary eyed….(Sorry to report Big Mo but Michelle was by far the worst and lost the contents of her stomach before we reached the Namibian border). …. We drop Hamish and Katie off at the airport and head for Namibia covering 700 km in a day and a good chunk of the Kalahari desert. We arrive in Windhoek (Namibia’s small and German flavoured capital - pop 240,000) around 6 p.m. With a population of barely 1.8 2 million Namibia has one of Africa’s lowest population densities with less than 2 people per sq. km and Windhoek reflects this being laid back and hassle free (well relatively speaking at least)! Arriving at the Cardboard Box backpackers we meet our new arrival ….Tanya (a Canadian) who will join us for the last two weeks of the tour. We rally round with most of those suffering the effects of the previous night (apart from Michelle) staying up and partying until the bar closes. Pretty surprised that Tanya did not ask for her money back and just head for home at this point but there you go….we must have made some sort of impression.

10 May 2007

Not a lot to report. We stay another night in Windhoek (which means we lose another day!) as the truck needs some work on it. Head into town which has shops, two or three Malls (a first for who knows how long) and luxury of luxuries a KFC for lunch. Manage to avoid spending too much and head back to the campsite for a few games of pool before going for a meal at the rather pleasant Luigi’s the Fish. Listed as ’the Splurge@ in the Lonely Planet this is the place to go if you want an expensive night out. However, Moroccan lamb shank in paprika, glazed with Cognac and half a bottle of the best dry white for 7 quid seems pretty reasonable to me!

11 May 2007

We head north to Etosha National park which at 20,000 sq.km is said to be one of the world’s finest wildlife viewing venues. The park’s name which means ‘Great White place of dry water’ is very apt as driving through the park there are vast plains of greenish whitish flats. We drive a fairly circuitous route through the park, game viewing on the way to our camp. A spot of a bull Ellie, Lion and jackal all using the same watering hole and elsewhere, Gemsbok, my first Springbok (yes despite spending nearly 4 months in South Africa) and plenty more Jackal, a lion and lots of Zebra. Arriving at camp, tents are pitched and Su, Grant and I head off to the floodlit watering hole where we are greeted by the most amazing sight; only yards away are 15 elephants of all ages with 3 being toddlers or younger. As if this wasn’t enough two black rhino (mother and calf) drink from the far side of the pool. The black rhino is much rarer than the more docile white and is a browser rather than a grazer and completes our big 5 for this tour. Full of beans we head back to the van but are stymied by Nat and Tom who have seen a Honey Badger wandering round the camp. As background you should know that I have talked of little else since we started this trip some time in November 2006. The Honey badger is reported to be one of the fiercest mammals in Africa killing snakes and tackling all comers with it’s ridiculously sharp teeth and claws. To add to my disappointment they even have pictures….my ace has just been trumped. Fear not though intrepid readers….I need not have worried. The honey badger returns to camp and after being chased away from our BBQ goes and stands on his head to kick over a large metal bin before crunching through the bones within. Black Rhinos and a Honey badger in one day…..

The Honey Badger....

12 May 2007

The rest of the group leave Su, Dave and I in our tents while they leave at 6 for a game drive. Plans to sit by the watering hole are thwarted by heavy rain and while Dave stays in his tent Su and I go for breakfast and end up chatting to a couple from Sussex who are travelling for 4 months from South Africa to Zambia with their 4 year old son (definitely a junior Sam - my middle Nephew in the making). Sitting nursing many cups of tea we are invited for an afternoon game drive and take them up on their kind offer after spending most of the afternoon sleeping by the pool. Nice to meet some new people we chat and sit by a small watering hole watching three bull ellies jostle for position before returning to camp as shock, horror I actually have to cook meal tonight …still you can’t go wrong with Chilli con carne even if my group (Michelle, Fraser and I) has been nicknamed the ‘group of death‘.

13 May 2007

We leave at 6 ish (tents all packed) for a 2-3 hour game drive. Good Hyena, Jackal, Ostrich and Gazelle sightings and an impressive sunrise but little else. Breakfast at another campsite and having headed off to post some postcards a Black backed Jackal trots across the path in front of me. By far the best sight of the the morning. We leave Etosha and head south to our camp at a Cheetah park where we get to stroke and watch the feeding of 3 tame Cheetahs before heading off in the back of a pick up to see 20 or so wild/rescued cheetahs being fed lumps of donkey from the back of our vehicle. The scramble for food is pretty impressive although Namibian politics dictates that these fantastic animals can never be rehoused in the various parks across Southern Africa that would love to take them. In fact the Afrikaaner that runs the place explained that with permits for keeping cheetahs increasingly ’unavailable’ the only option for farmers was to shout them. Not altogether sure that he wasn’t over dramatising things a tad but either way the situation does not sound brilliant. Very early to be (before 9) absolutely bushed!

A mad scramble for a chunk of donkey..... Me and Cheetah..... 14 May 2007 Off by 6 (yes I know I put a lot of departure times down, especially the early ones, but it’s Sunday morning and I am supposed to be on holiday!). As we leave the Cheetah park Jason gets the chance to sound the new horn he fitted while we were off watching the cheetahs. He says he got it from a spare truck in Dar Es Salaam but we all suspect that he pinched it from a sooped up Vauxhall Nova in Basildon….. A top at the petrified forest (trees of stone) 2.8 million years old, and with the Namibian desert sun baking our backs, a stop at Twyfelfontein to see the some of the 2000 or so rock engravings of the San People (bushmen) some of which date back +/-6000 years…. Back on the truck we head to Swakopmund with the red rocky landscape giving way to bleak sandy desert as far as the eye can see. As we reach the Atlantic coast line the weather changes dramatically and the heat of the Namib desert gives way to the overcast fret more akin to Scarborough in March. Reaching Swakopmund by 4.30 we are all a tad chilly and the sight of the Atlantic waves pounding the sure does nothing to relieve this as we all head to our lockers for extra layers. The bar in the backpackers has a swimming pool in it and it’s not long before Stef takes the plunge, shouting cannonball as he soaks all of us as we sit down to dinner. A pee stop in the Namib desert......

15 May 2007

A lie in for a change and then we are picked up at 11.00 to go sand sledging and quad biking in the dunes North of Swakopmund. Once on our Quads we turn in land and the weather clear revealing hot sun, clear blues skies and glorious yellow dunes as far the eye can see. We soon get to grips with our bikes and are caning across the desert at high speed, careering down 100ft dunes, cornering on 2 wheels and jumping over bumps. A grin like a Cheshire cat Tom and I constantly buzz each other taking every opportunity to send huge banks of sand into the each other’s faces. After an hour we get to stop and climb to the top of one of the higher dunes where wax is applied to some pieces of hardboard which then serve as sledges as we fly down the dune face at up to 80kph with your face millimetres from the burning sand. The second run is much higher and only a few of the group have the energy left to climb the dune for a third time. Fairly tired we return to our quad bikes with Dave choosing to go in the slower group as his posture and driving style is more suited for someone in their 80’s on a mobility scooter. We did point out that he had lost his shopping off the back! A couple of crashes before we finish…Stef and Katie manage to come off their quads with Steff looking like he has gone 12 rounds with a prize fighter and Katie sporting a cut to her forefead and I dare say the odd bruise elsewhere. Fantastic fun and while the eco friendly amongst us feel fairly guilty for tearing across the dunes we would happily sell our souls for another go. Out for Kudu steak and Ostrich kebab in the evening before creaking off to my bed.

Tom and Su gearing up for an assault on the dunes......