BootsnAll Travel Network



My Visit With The Sangoma

February 28th, 2009

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(to see an individual photo, click on the image to enlarge)

While staying at Malealea Lodge in Lesotho, the owner arranged for me to have a visit with the village “Sangoma” or witchdoctor. He was supposed to arrive at 7 a.m. (before our anticipated departure time at 8), but I ended up getting a knock on our door at 6 a.m. by the “interpreter”.
He advised that he would relay whatever the sangoma said since the sangoma could not speak any english. I had already been awake since 5:10 in anticipation, so I just threw on some clothes and joined him.

Just to let you know, I have never been to a fortune teller or anything of the sort back home (or anywhere else for that matter). I have always been of the mindset that “I’d rather not know” and that it was all “hocus pocus” or bogus anyway. My massage therapist (Hi Kim!) will be proud of me though!

I followed the interpreter into a dark hut. It was very surreal, given the fact that it was at 6 a.m. and there was a lot of cloud and mist in the air. The sangoma was just finishing his prayers, then greeted me with a big grin.

After sitting down, he requested his 30 Rand ($3.00) and it was put down on the dirt floor in front of him. He then put a shell necklace around it and then went into his pockets and brought out a collection of shells, horse teeth, dice, etc which he shook in his hands, then released on top of the money. From the positioning of the objects, he then began to tell me my future.

Needless to say, it was all quite interesting…………. I will lead a long and healthy life, as long as I give my sisters a big party. So, Cindy and Caroline, get ready for a party when I get home!!! Among other things, the sangoma advised that I would return to Lesotho, have many travels in my future, and would “work with my hands”.

THIS IS OUR FINAL BLOG:

Our adventures have come to an end in South Africa. We wish to thank everyone for their comments and good wishes.
We hope all of you will have the opportunity some day to have a trip of a lifetime.

Lisa n Fred

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Swaziland n Lesotho

February 1st, 2009

Swaziland

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Swaziland

As we crossed the Mozambique border into Swaziland, the landscape turned to rolling verdant hills and lush valleys, dotted with small communities and subsistence farmers.

We drove approximately 1.5 hours on excellent roads into the central west area into the Mhilane National Park. We checked into the park’s rest camp ($46/night, private bath, fan, kitchen facilities) and relaxed on our porch which overlooked a valley of grazing zebra.

We enjoyed our lunch at the restaurant on a wooden deck overlooking a large pond. Within a couple of minutes, two eyes emerged from the water and started coming directly towards us. Fred and I ended up eating our meal with a 10′ crocodile lying in wait only a few feet away, below us on the deck. There were also several small fish at the water’s edge and to create some excitement, I threw my bread crusts into the water to attract the fish. In turn, the crocodile would whip open his mouth to eat the fish.

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We then spent the next few hours riding along the park’s trails on horseback. We rode Swazi horses alongside herds of wildebeest, zebra, greysbok, kudu, and warthogs. The wildlife were not particularly frightened by the horses but they were aware of their presence. Our ride finished with a wild gallop through the bush and back to camp.

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The next morning, we headed out early to drive to the Drakensburg Mountain region in South Africa. Once again, we crossed the border back into South Africa and drove for about 6 hours to the Royal Natal National Park area. Here, we stayed at a fantastic lodge in a two story cottage, complete with a kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room, and satellite tv (all for only $46/night). We had a delicious meal at the restaurant, with drinks, for only $18.

The Drakensburg Mountain region is one of the most impressive areas in South Africa. Jagged mountain peaks, green valleys, rolling hills, steep cliffs, high plateaus, and the Orange River make up most of the terrain. Once again, we were on the road again and the paved roads were excellent.. We headed south towards our 7th African country: Lesotho.

Lesotho

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We crossed the border without hassle at Ficksburg and drove for about 2 hours along more great roads to the Malalea Mountain Lodge and “Pony” trekking centre (they are not actually ponies). Lesotho has spectacular scenery similar to what I imagine Utah would look like. It reminded me of the Cederberg Wilderness Area with sandstone mountains, semi-desert, and interesting rock formations.

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Our accommodation at the lodge ($46/night, private bath) had a great view overlooking the valleys below. A few resident peacocks strutted their stuff around the property by day, and on top of our room by night. Each night at 6 p.m., guests congregate to enjoy tribal music performed by local men with their very rudimentary instruments. They even had some dance moves to rival those of Michael Jackson.

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Early the next morning, I was off for a 5-6 hour ride ($18 US for the full-time, along with a $5 tip to the guide) with a friendly German couple. Since Fred was suffering from a cold, he unfortunately missed out on a spectacular ride. I have never ridden on such challenging terrain including steep climbs up rocky embankments and down narrow, rocky gorges. The “Basotho” horses were remarkably sure-footed and very careful where they placed their hooves. I didn’t realize a horse could even lift its hooves that high (it was as if we were climbing stairs).

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After an hour into the ride, we dismounted and tied the reins to one stirrup and let the horses graze freely while we did a half hour hike down into a cave to see thousand(s)year old bushman paintings.

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We also stopped midway on the ride for a hike down to a beautiful waterfall where we munched on our snacks from our saddlebags. It was then back to the lodge via a different route over small streams and more rocky surfaces.

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The next morning, we were off early to begin our long journey back towards Cape Town, South Africa.

Lisa n Fred

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Mozzies, Malaria n Mozambique

January 31st, 2009

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From Kruger National Park, Fred and I drove into Mozambique and passed through a very hectic immigration and customs border crossing. We then drove north two hours and pulled into Casa Lisa Lodge for the night. The next morning, we drove to Tofo (near Inhambane) where we have spent most of our week.

For the past 3 weeks or more, (since Etosha National Park in Namibia), we have been taking Apo-Doxy malaria pills and using mosquito repellent. In Tofo, we stayed in a beautiful seaside room at Aquatics Beachside Casitas. Before bed, we fired up the fan full speed, applied mosquito spray, and chose not to utlitlize the mosquito net (being in just a “double bed” you are very constricted with the net touching the sides of the bed). The next morning, both of us awoke to several mosquito (mozzie) bites each. . . . (not like the bites we get at home either, these are huge, red whoppers).

The reason this blog is entitled “Mozzies, Malaria & Mozambique” is because malaria is a serious health problem here. Everyone we spoke to seemed to have had malaria several times. The owner of the Tofo internet cafe has caught malaria 6 times (since 1999), the 25 year old Australian massage therapist I went to caught malaria 4 times in the past 3 years she’s been there, the German-Zimbabwean man who took us on the horseback riding safari along the beach has had it about 10 times, and finally, our gregarious host at the Blue Anchor Inn north of Maputo has had malaria about 10 times, twice being admitted to ICU because he was so sick. His 7 year old has had it several times, too. As well, the friendly lady from Germany that worked the bar there advised she quit counting after 10 bouts of malaria.

Apparently malaria symptoms are very similar to the flu. Headaches, achy joints, fever, etc and requires treatment as quickly as possible, especially within the first 48 hours of symptoms. If treated early, it is very curable, but if not, it can be difficult to treat and even death.

Malaria pills are not 100% pills effect, including the preventive malaria drugs we are taking. Everything we read tells us the best way to prevent malaria is to avoid being bitten my mosquitos which is easier said than done. Especially when the nets are not treated with spray, have holes in them, don’t fit properly around the bed and touch your arms, feet, legs , sides, and head when you sleep, allows the mozzies to still bite you even when you are using a mosquito net.

Fred says there is a real need for a mosquito net that is designed properly so as to not touch people as they sleep. Especially when it is upwards of 30 Celsius in the room at night, a fan doesn’t even penetrate the mosquito net, doesn’t cool you off, so you have to sleep in very uncomfortable conditions. Plus, most of the lodges we have stayed in have 20 foot ceilings so you can’t effectively spray the room to kill the mosquitoes.

After taking Apo-Doxy for a week, I started to develop heartburn and it lasted for 2 weeks. Apparently, heartburn and indigestion is a side effect of Apo-Doxy. I am relieved to report now that the side effects are gone and I am still taking the pills (and will continue to be on them for the next 3 months!)

One of the largest draws to this country, surrounded by Tanzania to the north, Zimbabwe and Malawi to the west, and South Africa and Swaziland to the south, are Whale Sharks. Of the approximately 2000 whale sharks left in the world, about 300 reside off the coast of Tofo.

We went snorkeling to see these incredible “animal wonders of the world” and were fortunate to swim within 9 feet of one – approximately 7 metres in length. They are gentle creatures and can grow to be 20 metres in length and 100 years old. Whale sharks belong to the shark family due to their skeletal system and not the whale family (called whale sharks because of their impressive size). Also, they eat plankton like whales do.

Also on our “ocean safari”, we spotted two different types of dolphins, one being the bottle-nosed dolphin which literally surfaced beside our boat then swam underneath it. Upon initially spotting them, everyone jumped overboard and started snorkeling but the flurry of activity only sent them off in another direction.

While in Mozambique, we also had the opportunity to go horseback riding along the Indian Ocean. I rode a nice grey Arab/Hannoverian cross called “Wolf” who could run like the wind. According to the owner (originally from Berlin, then moved to Zimbabwe then Mozambique), Wolf was the most expensive of his 8 horses, having paid $350 US to a resident of Zimbabwe.

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Fast Facts about Mozambique (as reported in the 2007 Southern Africa Lonely Planet book)

– Portuguese speaking
– more than 3 times the size of the UK
– population is 19.7 million
– patience in the great Mozambican virtue
– about 80% of Mozambicans are involved at least part-time in subsistence agriculture, tending small plots of farm land
– annual per capita income of about US $300 (compared with about US $26,000 in the UK)
– if one family member is lucky enough to have a good job, it is expected that their good fortune will filter down to even distant relatives and others in the community
– HIV/AIDS infection rates are highest in the south and centre, where they exceed 20% and about 20,000 children die annually of AIDS-related causes (deaths are often explained away as tuberculosis or with silence)

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After a relaxing 5-day beach holiday in Tofo, we headed back south towards Maputo. It took us a hard 6 hour drive before we reached the Blue Anchor Inn, located 50 km north of Maputo. Check out their website at www.blueanchorinn.com

Here, we had a super room (with private bath, fan, US$46/night) and our “Best Meal in Africa”. They cooked us up a scrumptious 3 course meal including creamy butternut soup, a delicious rump steak (for me), surf n’ turf for Fred (real “giant” prawns and steak), fries, vegetables, and desert, all for a very reasonable cost.

Out hosts, Nigel and his wife Nita (who were standing in for Nigel’s parents Paul and Liz Hallowes who were vacationing) were terrific and entertained us with stories of Mozambique (where they have lived for the past 18 years) and Zimbabwe (where they are originally from). After saying our good-byes early the next morning, we were off to our next destination: Swaziland.

Lisa n Fred

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Kruger National Park . . . Shocking

January 16th, 2009

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Kruger National Park . . . Shocking!

From Maun, Botswana, we drove a long 10 hours skirting the semi-arid Kalahari desert, over the Botswana/South Africa border at Martin’s Drift, to a village called “Allways”. There, we found a quaint, 10-hut lodge called “Motopi” where we were relieved to find a hut (private bath, air-con, and a bathtub!!! – my first hot bath since Uyuni, Bolivia back in October!), for only $30 U.S. Needless to say, it was just getting dark and we were both ready for a few “Castles” to say the least.

The lodge was a real gathering hole for South Africans residing in the area and we ended up talking to some real interesting locals. We first spoke with the manager in charge of drilling at South Africa’s largest diamond mine (Caroline – one karat, H quality, is worth $3,000 U.S.), a white vegetable farmer who employs 6 illegal workers from Zimbabwe (pays them $60 U.S per month and says they are happy and relieved to be there), a game guide who takes tourists out (mostly Spaniards) to shoot wild game on private reserves (he even tells them which particular animal to shoot and when), plus the South African mother and daughter team that rent Motopi. All very friendly and happy in their chosen occupations.

We departed early the next morning and what we thought would be a 2 hour drive to the Punda Maria Camp in Kruger Park, ended up being a 4 hour drive since we drove through many small towns and villages that weren’t even on the map. We were surprised at how populated the area was enroute to the northern part of the Park. The area appeared very poor with most residing in mud huts with a thatch roof. This appears to be a predominantly poor area of South Africa compared to the areas we saw in Cape Town and north through the Clanwilliam area where we’ve been a month earlier.

Kruger Park borders Mozambique to the east and is about 350 km long and averages 65 km across. All the “Big Five” game can be found in the park (African bufflao, elephant, lion, leopoard, and black rhino). They are supposedly known as the “Big Five” because they are the most dangerous animals to hunt, with the clever African buffalo being the most dangerous. It attacks without warning and will circle around and take a hunter from behind.

On arrival at Kruger, we entered the park ($28 U.S for 2 plus the vehicle), and went to the Punda Maria Camp. Here, we stayed in a concrete casita (private bath, air-con, fridge) for only $48 U.S (much cheaper than staying at a private game reserve outside of the park). It was very clean, quiet, and had a decent restaurant and shop. Also, a big pool in a natural setting surrounded by playful, vervet monkeys.

We went on a night safari ($17.50 U.S each), and were accompanied by 6 “birders” who were on a quest to spot an elusive type of nighthawk. We stayed at one spot for over half and hour, out of the vehicle, while we waited for these birds to fly in. Just before dark, we spotted them and were told to get back inside the jeep for “safety reasons”. Even though the guide had his rifle at the ready, he was not prepared to take any chances. I had asked him earlier before we left if he had had any encounters with wild game. He most certainly had and has had to fire his rifle at game on more than once occasion while conducting walking safaris.

Since I was sitting in the “spotlight seat”, I shone the light for 3 hours as we drove around in search of wildlife. Most exciting were the herd of 100 – 200 African buffalo, the amusing, bouncing springhare (which bound just like a kangaroo only they are the size of a rabbit with a long tail), a bushbaby (large cat with a bushy tail), and a chameleon that somehow the guide spotted. We also saw some kudu, greysbok, steenbok, and duikers (all belonging to the deer-like, hooved family).

The next morning, we drove for another 4 hours to the next camp at Letaba. Even though it was only 178 km, the strict 50 km/hr speed limit (with frequent stops to admire game) made the journey that much longer. Once again, we were pleasantly surprised with our accommodation (private hut, with bath and air-con, fridge, screened in porch, overlooking the river) for only $50. We enjoyed another excellent meal overlooking the Letaba River (less than $30 for both of us)

After watching an informative one-hour National Geographic Video on the African Elephant inside the Elephant Museum at the Letaba Rest Camp, we had a “sundowner” on the park bench overlooking the river. I noticed a Waterbuck alongside the river and motioned for Fred to come and see. As he was admiring the Waterbuck, he couldn’t help himself but had to “touch” the wire fencing in front of him. It was 10-strands of wire, and every-other strand had an insulator so I knew it was an electric fence. I warned Fred not to touch it, that it was electric, but he said “No it isn’t, see.” As he touched one wire, nothing happened . . . then . . .the big ZAP! You should have heard the snap – Fred sure felt it! He had his laugh at my reaction to the mock-charge of the elephant in Namibia, well, I had my laugh at his reaction to getting zapped on the fence! It was definitely a stronger current than our horse fence!

We awoke the next morning to a cloudy, cool day. We decided to see how far we could get towards our next destination – Mozambique. As we drove through the park, given the cool temperatures, this was the best game viewing day yet in the park. We saw a several spotted hyaenas walking down the road, giraffe, zebra, hippo, a small croc, warthogs, elephants sparring in the middle of the road where we had to wait for about 15 minutes while the two bulls challenged each other for dominance, almost backing into our car, and most excitedly – a few lions circling, then running down a small herd of African buffalo. This was amazing to see, and after a big kick by a buffalo, the lion backed off and the buffalo crossed the road behind our car. Just a typical day in Kruger!

After another 10-hour drive, crossing the chaotic border from South Africa into Mozambique (took us about an hour – we needed visas, third party insurance, etc), we made it just before dark to Casa Lisa Lodge (recommended by Greenwood Accommodations – private hut with bath, no fan/air con, no electricity – for $55 U.S). We were relieved to find the place before nightfall as we hadn’t seen any other lodges/hotel accommodations north of Maputo. Because of heavy rains earlier in the day, the Maputo roadway was a washout, with huge potholes and water up to the wheelwells on the car. We couldn’t believe the number of people out and about, operating their “stores” right alongside the roadway. After travelling through the Western Cape of South Africa, through Namibia, and Botswana, Mozambique definitely appears to be a third-world country.

Luckily, a delicious chicken dinner was prepared for us, savoured with a couple of glasses of South African Shiraz (dinner for two with drinks for under $30). We had another early night since we were mobile again in the morning – destination: Tofo.

Cheers,

Lisa n Fred

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Baking in Botswana

January 13th, 2009

After entering Botswana, we drove to the town of Kasane located on the banks of the Chobe River. We found the lovely, Water Lily Lodge (private bath, tv, air con, balcony overlooking the pool and river, $85 US/night) and were relieved to get their last room.

After checking in, our first stop was to look for an ATM as once again, we were changing currencies. After visiting a couple of ATMs, we discovered they didn’t recognize Cirrus so it was off to the bank to get a cash advance on our Mastercard. After standing in line for 45 minutes, we were able to take out the maximum for the day – the equivalent of $325 US. Luckily, our lodge and safari tour company took credit cards (with a 5% surcharge) but at least there weren’t any more long lineups.

We were fortunate enough in Zambia and Namibia to be able to use the Rand that we still had from South Africa when we needed to. In Botswana, the currency is called the Pula with the highest currency note being 100 (the equivalent of about $12 US).

Our next item of business was booking a sunset boat safari which we did through the Chobe Marina Lodge. While we were awaiting being served, loud squealing came from the reception area, followed by an adult male warthog chasing a young male warthog across the lobby tiles. The manager was right on their tail, trying to chase off the adult male. She advised he was attempting to kill the young warthog in order to mate with the mother. Apparently, the warthogs had run straight for a couple of young ladies who quickly took refuge on top of a bench.

We cruised down the river from 3:30 p.m until 6:30 p.m on a very spacious pontoon boat with about 30 other nature lovers, and 5 people (mid-30s) who thought they were on a booze cruise. They brought their own cooler of alcohol on board and got totally ripped, to the point of extremely loud voices, swearing, and one even passed out on deck.

Here we were, trying to observe hippos semi-submerged in the water, or a herd of elephants crossing the river, and these rowdies were spoiling it for everyone. I eventually reached my saturation point and told the captain to ask those people to be quiet (etc…). Not to single them out, he did make an announcement requesting silence on board at which point, the most obnoxious man of them stated, “It’s too quiet. Let’s make some noise!” They proceeded to carry on despite the glares and stares of all the passengers. After Fred complaining again to the captain, with negative results, Fred finally turned around and yelled at them to “Shut Up!!!”. I was anticipating a donnybrook to break out (fist fights and people getting thrown overboard with the crocs and hippos!) but these people were so into themselves, they didn’t even hear Fred.

When we finally got back to the lodge, we immediately went to the Manager and complained about their obnoxious, inconsiderate, deplorable behaviour. We were joined by several other passengers and soon thereafter; the rowdies. We ended up being about 20 people in the small bookings office, arguing with the drunks who said that “we ruined their boat trip because we were too quiet”. Yeah right…. I think they were from Botswana or possibly Zambia, and are used to seeing wildlife because they definitely weren’t on that cruise taking in the sights, just themselves. The other passengers were too intimidated to complain in front of these guys so it was just Fred and I. Anyway, I got into it with the one guy (it reminded me of my old policing days dealing with obnoxious drunks). We cancelled our jeep safari we were supposed to be taking with that company the next morning in case these jerks went on it (they said they were going to go on just to spite us).

We spent the next day relaxing by the pool and shopping for supplies in the town. There were huge lineups in all the stores, apparently from all the Zimbabweans who cross the border to buy things because of the shortages in Zimbabwe. At dinner, we were fortunate to meet a terrific couple from Pretoria, South Africa and they invited us to join them for an all day jeep safari in the morning.

The next morning, we enjoyed the sights with Richard and his wife Ronel, from the backseat of their brand new Toyota Landcruiser from 9 a.m until 3 p.m. Since the river separates Namibia from Botswana in the Chobe National Park, Richard’s GPS was frequently speaking, saying “You have just crossed the border” – we must have crossed the GPS border about 20 times. Since the GPS has a female voice, I said to Fred it’s a good thing we don’t have one, or he’d have two women telling him how to drive!

Our jeep safari was quite exciting, especially driving through herds of elephants crossing the dirt roads in front of us. On a couple of occasions, the elephants came right up beside the vehicle and really checked us out. At 4 metres in height, they are quite intimidating up close, especially knowing their unpredictable behaviour. There were a lot of mothers with their little ones trotting alongside and you definitely don’t want to get in between them.

We also saw massive hippos, both in and out of the water, water buffalo (not the herd of 300 that Richard and Ronel had seen a couple of days before though), baboons, monkeys, a very large iguana, herds of red letchwe, impalas, pukus, and kudu, and a few warthogs trotting around with their tails stuck in the air. We stopped for a well-stocked picnic lunch under a beautiful tree in the shade and returned back at the hotel by 3 for a quick refreshment before our 3:30 p.m sunset boat cruise.

This time, we were on a much smaller boat that left from our hotel with only our hotel guests on board (8 of 12 seats were filled). Our guide was able to manouver the boat through small tributaries which allowed us to get closer to the animals and see them enjoying their habitat. At one point, we cut the motor and sat for at least half an hour (or enough time to drink a couple of beer) and marvelled at a herd of at least 50 elephants playing in the water and eating grass to our left, 20 hippos semi-submerged in the water only 15 metres away, a large croc waiting patiently at the water’s edge only 8 metres from our boat, a small herd of giraffes and pukus on the opposite side of the river, a troop of baboons coming down from the hill in the distance, and a small herd of water buffalo on our right side. This is AFRICA! All with the sun beating down on us and a sultry 35 degree heat filled with humidity.

The four French people sharing the boat with Richard, Ronel and us appeared to be birders so we also took opportunities to photograph many exotic birds up close. Our guide was very knowledgeable with identifying the different birds and at right at sunset, there must have been over 200 birds come in from all directions and land in the trees right in front of us. While we were witnessing this special evening ritual, we also noticed a few crocodiles that were laying in wait of the baby impalas and baboons who were nervously pacing the water’s edge, beckoning courage to take a drink. I am sure if we had stayed longer, it wouldn’t have been long before witnessing the food chain in action.

We arrived back at the hotel after 7 p.m, and gratefully acknowledged the guide with a generous tip for all his efforts. We enjoyed spending another dinner with Richard and Ronel (and sharing some of Ronel’s delicious red wine) and learning about life in South Africa. For our teacher and police officer friends out there, they only get paid $1500/month, and the professions don’t hold near the respect that they do in Canada. Also, a household cleaning lady gets $200/month (for a 40 hour workweek).

The next morning, we were on the road again, heading south to Nata, then west across to Gweta. We hit a terrible pothole section, which was even sign-posted warning of “severe potholes”. At many points, we had to stop the car and survey the road and decide which way was the lesser of two evils. Sometimes, we even drove on the dirt track alongside the road in the ditch which was better than the road!

After 6 hours in the car, we finally made it to Gweta where we stayed at Planet Baobob (a dark hut with only a floor fan/private bath, exorbitantly priced at $120 US. Our twin beds were at least 25 feet away from each other so the fan could only reach one of us…and since I have a harder time sleeping in the heat, I got the fan). Not that it helped much – the mosquito net ended up blocking the breeze. The temperature outside was at least 35 C and our room temperature must have matched it. Needless to say, I was so uncomfortable I only slept for a couple of hours. At least I had the Lonely Planet close by; I ended up reading it for a few hours that night. We had also gone earlier for a swim in their very merky pool, and some creature ended up crawling up Fred’s arm.

We were up and out of there by 7:30 a.m enroute to the tourist town of Maun. After consulting the Lonely Planet, we headed first to Croc Camp and were delighted to find they had a private room with bath (and fan), for $85 US/night. We ended up staying there for two nights in a bungalow close to the river’s edge.

We booked a Mokoro trip on the delta and left at 8 in the morning. The camp’s speed boat took us to the location where the “polers” operate from. Here, Sault took us 1.5 hours through the heavy reeds to the bank of the delta where we then took a 1.5 hour walk through the delta in search of game. Before our walk, we had our “safety talk”, in regards to what procedure we follow if we encounter an aggressive water buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, or rhino (the “Big 5”, the most dangerous wild animals). We saw lots of evidence of game (tracks, excrement, broken branches, etc), but no game. Since it was almost noon, and @ 40 degrees C, most of the animals would have been under shade.

We returned to where we docked the mokoro and had our lunch. I asked Sault if he had ever been threatened by an animal and he said he had, about 3 weeks ago, with 7 tourists, they became between a mother elephant and her infant and she charged them. He and all the tourists high tailed it and luckily, escaped without further incident.

On our way back, we had the opportunity to go for a swim in the delta in a deep, sandy area. Given the temperature, I didn’t have to be asked twice if I wanted to go in (crocs, hippos, or not). Supposedly, there were none in this area . . . but you never know. Anyway, we spent about 20 minutes enjoying the refreshing delta waters.

We asked Sault about his position as a “poler”. He gets paid 150 Pula and the lodge charged us 575 Pula each. Good thing we tipped him 50 Pula as he is trying to afford a new mokoro (1200 Pula) and the current one leaked. I was envisioning having to get out, half way up the delta, and walk through the chest-high, croc infested waters. Sault took an empty plastic water bottle and dipped it in the delta then drank from it, so hopefully, this body of water doesn’t have Bilharzia in it.

He told us all about the procedure about becoming a poler (there are 600 in the village) and 65 Assistant “guides” which he is one of. They work on a rotation basis so he usually works 2 or 3 times a week. Sault is 37 years old, with a 25 year old girlfriend, and had 6 kids (one has died).

From Croc Camp in Maun, we drove 10 hours, over the Botswana border at Martin’s Drift into South Africa. While driving those many hours, we passed the Kalahari Desert area, and had to stop repeatedly for herds of goats, donkeys, and cattle. It was interesting to see the rural life of the Botswana people – housed in tiny, circular mud huts with thatched roofs.

Fast Facts about Botswana (from the 2007 Lonely Planet Edition)

achieved democracy in 1966
has very few roads
landlocked
roughly the same size as Kenya, Texas, or France
population 1.61 million
they have an easy-going and unhurried approach to life (Fred and I thought this was very evident, we were under the impression that all those in the service industry were on valium)
expensive to visit
highest ratio of AIDS vs. population in all of Africa
subsequently, their life expectancy is now projected at 27 years of age!

Bye from Botswana!

Lisa n Fred

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Happy New Year from Vic Falls

January 6th, 2009

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Happy New Year!

Fred and I left Etosha National Park and drove 6.5 hours north-east to Rundu, Namibia. The scenery was fantastic as we passed small farming villages, oxen pulling plows, and women and children gathered around pumps awaiting their turn to fill their container with water (I should have brought some of your pumps, Dan 🙂

In the town of Rundu, we settled on a Swiss-operated lodge ($51 US) on the beach overlooking the Okanvango River since N’Kwanzi was booked full. I was a little surprised when the manager gave us earplugs for the load noise which she advised would be coming from the big tent at the river only metres away (which it did until 4 a.m). There was also a written notice advising guests to stay on the cleared path, to not swim in the river, and to keep away from the long grass – all because of crocodiles and snakes.

After unloading our luggage into the room, we drove around looking for a wi-fi hot spot so I could upload my blogs. After about 6 stops (indicating either “closed”, “relocating” or “on holidays”) we finally found a friendly business that would allow me to plug the internet cable into their computer cable. The owner asked about our travels and indicated that he was interested in starting a tourist business to Angola. I asked him whether we could cross over to Angola and he just smiled and laughed. So much for the idea of seeing Angola – this time.

We ended up speaking at breakfast with a couple from Windhoek, Namibia who were travelling to Vic Falls that day. We decided to change our plans and drive first to Vic Falls, Zambia, and then come back through Botswana.

What we anticipated would take us 6 hours ended up being a long, 10 hour drive. We went through at least 3 Namibian police checkpoints (at least they were courteous and polite) as well as a Disease Control point where we had to exit our vehicle and step onto a squishy platform to disinfect our shoes while an official sprayed the lower perimeter of our vehicle.

Once at the border with Zambia, it was another test of patience. What a procedure – first, we had to stand in line and pay $50 US each for a Visa. Next, we had to get stamped through customs. Then, we had to pay $30 US for Third Party Car Insurance and sign more paperwork. Fourth, we had to pay $20 for Vehicle Emissions, fifth – $15 US for Road Services, and finally, $15 for Council money. All this required time, paperwork, and money (of course) as well as dealing with one official to the next. We seemed to have all our paperwork in order since the couple we had breakfast with had left an hour before us and were still doing the necessary paperwork when we pulled away, 50 minutes later.

We noticed a considerable difference travelling through Zambia as opposed to Namibia and South Africa. It definitely appeared poorer and there were very few vehicles on the roadway, however, a lot of female pedestrians were walking along the road, balancing jars, sticks, or laundry on their heads. Men or boys were walking roadside, directing their small herd of cattle or goats.

Because of the political situation in Zimbabwe, we decided to see the falls from the Zambian side. We arrived in Livingstone, Zambia at dark with no prebooked accommodations. Using our guide book, we initially tried Jolly Boys Backpackers with no luck (booked up). They called Fawlty Towers for us and luckily they had a room left. I think this was our most bare-bones accommodation yet on this trip (twin beds, shared washrooms, no fan/air con, stifling hot, $30/night). We lasted through the night then switched to Nygone ($70 with private bath, air con, tv, etc).

We drove to Victoria Falls, one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World” and admired her for a couple of hours. Very spectacular and the spray was much appreciated in the 35 degree humid temperatures. We walked around the market area and were bombarded with Zambians trying to sell us everything from carvings to beaded necklaces. I think there must be a water shortage on the Zambian side, too, since I don’t think those fellows have showered in a month!

After having lunch at an “authentic” (but touristy) African restaurant, Fred went for a nap while I enjoyed a 2 hour New Year’s Day ride through a National Park, alongside the Zambezi River, and over the manicured lawns of the “Royal Livingstone”. There was just one couple riding with me (a white couple from Botswana), who I found very interesting and they shared a lot about their culture with me. I rode a tall, sorrel thoroughbred cross who fortunately, didn’t like the thorn bushes either and saved my legs from getting totally ripped up in the thorns (I decided to ride last minute so didn’t have the time to change).

January 2 we left Zambia enroute to what the couple from Botswana told us was the worst border crossing in all of Africa – Kazungula (Zambia) to Kasane (Botswana). The crossing is made worse because it has to be done by ferry. Luckily, our timing was perfect and after more paperwork, we departed on the 10:30 a.m. ferry. At this location, 4 countries meet – Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Botswana. Finally, we were in Botswana.

Until next time,

Lisa n Fred

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Namibian News

January 6th, 2009

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EXCERPTS FROM THE NAMIBIA SUN — DECEMBER 24, 2008

as reported by Fred:

I thought you might find the following excerpts interesting.

TWO SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS FOR RAPE

The front page headlined the sentencing of two rapists to 30 years in prison. It seems that the two men, age 23 and 24, broke into a home and raped a 15 year old girl. The girl testified that the men did not turn on the light but that she recognized their voices as local men in her village. One man raped her once and the other raped her twice. They held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her if she uttered a sound. Afterwards, her screams woke her grandfather who asked what had happened.

The girl identified the two suspects and the father gathered several neighbours and they set out after the culprits. They confronted one of the men at his hut but he broke through the wall and escaped. They apprehended the other man but he too escaped while being escorted to the police station. Both men were arrested a few days later.

Only one of the accused testified on his behalf and he told the court that his friend invited him along to visit a girl. His friend had sex with the girl while he waited in another part of the room. The court refused to believe his testimony and the judge called the victim a good and reliable witness.

The judge convicted both men on three counts of rape including the occasions that one stood guard while the other raped the girl. He sentenced them to 15 years on each count of rape but made two of the 15 year sentences concurrent with another. The final sentence for each totalled 30 years in prison. One of the accused had dismissed his lawyer after the trial began and the other was un-represented.

MAN TO SERVE 5 YEARS FOR THEFT OF COWS

In this case, a 45-year-old Namibian man pled guilty to stealing two of his neighbours cows. He was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the judge. The judge commended him for admitting his guilt and for pleading guilty and decreed that 15 years of the sentence would be suspended providing that the man is not convicted again during that time period. The final term to be served for the crime is five years. The newspaper reported that the man has five children.

CELL PAL

There are two full pages of this ten page paper devoted to personals from people who provide their cell phone number. They ask respondents to either call or text message them if they are interested. Some examples which include their text message spellings:

Hi, im Lena, a 29 y age lady, HIV positive looking for man anywhere in Namibia. I hve only one son. Call …

I am Ras, 22 black and gay and looking for boys just to have fun.

This is your boy Denzel looking for girls from de age of 12 to 14. Contact me only from 7 to 12. Luv Denzel

I am 24 years of age looking 4 a sugar mummy. Must be independent with a place of her own. Any interested mummys call me. Please no jokes or miscals. She must be 30-48.

Sugar Mamy u ar working and hv yo own house. What you want is a man. Now is yo chance for a fresh boy of 23 yrs. If you are ready to have a brilliant boy lyk me, just call. Be ready 4 HIV test.

I am 30 yr lady who is HIV + and I have 2 kids. I am interested in a man who wants a serious relationship and marriage between 35 and 45. Only serious man plz.

Hi. its ur boy nelly. I’m 2 hot and im lukn 4 hot chicks. If u r hot, call me at …

Hala hala ladiez! Diz ur boy Kronic!! Think ur up to cht with Knonic, call. Ladiez strickly.

I am Mercy and am looking for cute, sweet but independent guys age 24 to 28. If you are looking 4 a princess, look no further. No perverts!

I am woman 40 yr looking for man 50-58 who did not get married, is not smoking and non drinking, must believe in God and be gowing to church. Ask for Alleta.

29 yr looking for sugur mammy to be my love. Mast work, have own pls. Age 33-40.

This is your boy Rey looking for girls between 13 and 15. fone me at … love Rey Wolf.

Wassup girls this is ur boy Calvin seeking hot ladies. If ur up for it, call.

Im a 22 year old guy looking for a rich and sexy sugar mummy from 29-35.

Soul-sistas! Its ya gal Ceye 18 yrs yung, luking 4 cool gals who are outspoken, bubbly and love to live the fast life. Age dnt matter bt no minors pleez. Dumb blonds r welcum 2. Gals only. Happy holidays.

Whts up al u butful galz if u thnk u cn hndle me thn gve me a call. Only galz 15-17 nd no miscals.

AUNTIE NAMGY ADVICE COLUMN

Another page of the Namibian Star is devoted to Auntie Nangy, an advice columnist.

The column includes advice about what to do with cheating boyfriends, husbands, wives and girlfriends, what virginity means, which type of condom to use, how to avoid period sickness, whether or not to get married, how to get a boyfriend to marry her, how to get pregnant, whether this guy really loves her (he cheats), and how to get a boyfriend back from her best friend.

A BULL ELEPHANT CHARGES LISA!

Lisa and I had a great time in Etosha National Park in Namibia. We saw all kinds of animals including zebra, giraffe, lions, black rhinos, hyenas, baboons, and birds. The animal I most wanted to see, however, was the elephant. We drove around a lot and took a night safari but there were no elephants to be seen. I was very disappointed to find out that we had missed seeing four elephants at the watering hole at our camp by only half an hour.

When we left Etosha heading for Zambia, I even said to Lisa that we might tour all of Africa and never see an elephant. She was far more optimistic and said that it was just a matter of time. She even predicted that we would probably see elephants on our drive through the Caprivi National Park on our way to Zambia.

When we entered Caprivi National park, we immediately saw the road signs warning us about elephants crossing the road and indicating that the speed limit was 80 km per hour (as opposed to the usual 120 km per hour).

We drove through the park for two hours or more but saw no elephants. There were elephant dung piles and there were broken and uprooted trees all along the road for the entire trip (sure signs of elephant activity). But still no elephants.

Just as we neared the end of the park, Lisa spotted a bull elephant coming out of the bush two hundred yards ahead. I stopped the car about 50 to 60 yards away and turned off the engine. The elephant had small tusks so we assumed that it was a young bull male. It seemed agitated and somewhat nervous and watched us intensely as it moved back and forth amongst the trees..

He seemed to want to cross the road but was reluctant and perhaps afraid. A 4-wheel drive vehicle passed on the other side and he retreated back into the bush a few paces. Both Lisa and I took photographs from the car. Because he was on my side, I had the camera ready to photograph him as he crossed the road.

When he did make his move, however, he trotted across quickly and I could only get a blurry picture of his backside. He stopped on the other side and I drove up beside him. He was standing in the bush about 50 yards away looking back at us. I turned off the engine and Lisa took another photo of the young bull.

He was partially hidden by some branches so I suggested to Lisa that she get out of the car to get a clear picture. She opened her door and moved out to the front bumper to take her shot. The elephant watched her and then suddenly, he bent his head down and began to charge! I heard Lisa yell “Oh shit!” and she wheeled around the open door and leaped into the car yelling “Let’s get out of here!”.

From my view, I could see that the elephant only faked his charge. He took two or three steps and stopped. That was enough to get Lisa moving so she didn’t see that it was a feint.

I have to say that I had no idea that Lisa could move so fast. She was around the door and in the car is less that a second. She said later that she had the camera ready to take a shot and was looking through the viewfinder when she saw the bull make is aggressive move towards her.

I was also sure that the bull was charging and I have to confess that when he made his move, I threw the gear shift into neutral and reached for the key to start the car. Lisa was already in the car before I could get my hand on the key. By then, however, I knew that the elephant wasn’t coming.

I must say that this has been the funniest incident that has occurred on this trip. I couldn’t believe how fierce that elephant looked or how fast my wife can move.

It was made even funnier when Lisa reminded me that it was I who suggested that she step out of the car to take a better photograph. She claims that she was “set up” and that this is the last time she is going to listen to me. I’m sure I won’t hear the last of this incident.

She also said that she was surprised that I didn’t drive off and leave her there. Of course, I couldn’t have done that since she was in the car before I could even start the engine 🙂

Anyway, we saw our first elephant and it made a lasting impression on both of us. Lisa also has a good story to tell her students when she gets back in the classroom.

Just as a footnote to all of this, we met some Afrikaners at Gecko Creek Lodge in South Africa who told us about their good friend who was killed by a bull elephant. Their friend was a Park Ranger and conservationist and he took some tourist on a bush walk when they were attacked by a bull elephant. He sent the tourists in one direction and he tried to lead the elephant away from them. The bull caught up to him, however, and trampled him to death.

These animals are clearly dangerous and we have learned to stay in our car from now on.

HELLO TO OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

A number of our friends have asked us if we are tired of travelling since we have been gone almost four months. The answer is no, we are not tired yet — especially when we hear about the kind of winter Ontario is experiencing. We don’t miss the cold, driving on winter roads , winter clothes, scraping our windshields etc. Lisa doesn’t miss putting on “teacher clothes” and makeup everyday.

However, we do miss friends and family and I miss my magazines and newspapers: the KW Record, the Globe and Mail, The Economist, and Time Magazine. I suppose I’ll just have to make due with the Namibian Star until May 2009.

By the way, I also miss kicking John Leroux’s butt in pool every Thursday night on what Lisa calls our “mandate”. And I miss beating Toby Tombros in golf each time we play and hammering Darrell and Miles each and every week by 10 to 15 strokes. I look forward to all of these simple joys when we return in the Spring.

Cheers,

Fred

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Etosha National Park

December 30th, 2008

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From the Ombinda Lodge in Outjo, we drove north towards Namibia’s grandest park, Etosha. Also called the “Great White Place of Dry Water”, it is 23, 175 sq km and is filled with some of the most impressive flora and fauna of any place in all of Africa. Etosha protects 114 mammal species, 380 bird species, 110 reptiles, 16 amphibians, one fish species, and countless insects (well-represented in our washroom!). With rainfall varying between 300 and 500 mm per annum, the park is also home to 800 different plant species.

After entering the park, we began encountering wildlife immediately. Herds of zebra, springbok, gemsbok (oryx), a few giraffes, and a lone warthog were some of our first animals we spotted close to the roadway in just the first 10 minutes The speed limit was posted at 60 km/hr and it wasn’t long before the paved road turned to gravel. We drove for 2 hours before arriving at the Halali Rest Camp (private room, with bath, fridge, and private patio for $80/night). The Park has 3 different camps and we chose this one because it was central and apparently had the best wildlife-viewing waterhole.

After checking in at the camp, we relaxed with a pint of Windoek and some lunch. From 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., we sat quietly with the rest of the game viewers down at the watering hole. Initially, a small herd of Red Hartebeest were quenching their thirst but it wasn’t long before they were pushed out by the subtle arrival of a rare Black Rhino. We watched the rhino (which is actually grey) for about an hour before he left. At one point, he did challenge and snort towards the viewers. Our viewing platform was about 50 metres from the watering hole. The Black Rhino are supposed to have poor eyesight, but excellent hearing and sense of smell.

After about an hour, the lone male left the scene and not long after, a Black Rhino mother and her calf (? not sure if you call the young a calf or not), arrived tentatively. They shared the water hole with countless birds swooping down, as well as Blue-headed Guinea Fowl, and towards dark; bats. As we continued to watch (and spray mosquito repellent), a different lone male black rhino arrived. He inspected and nudged the little rhino for about 20 minutes before going off on his own.

We had an early night with the plan to awake early and check out the watering hole. We were down there by 6:30 a.m and watched a large herd of Blackfaced Impalas grazing on the tasty grass around the watering hole. After a half hour with no change, we decided to drive around the dirt roads looking for more wildlife. We spotted a few Blackbacked Jackals playing in the distance in the field, a Spotted Hyaena stalking a large group of Springbok, the world’s heaviest bird – the Kori Bustard, a herd of Blue Wildabeest, and a Banded Mongoose.

Since we booked a night safari from 8 – 11 p.m, we decided to go to the watering hole from 6 – 7 before dinner. On arrival, there were a lot of hartebeest present, but were very disappointed to learn that just a half hour prior, there were 4 elephants playing and trumpeting in the watering hole. Fred had his heart set of seeing elephants in the park, but due to a lot of rain they had the week before, they have not had to come to the watering holes as they could find water elsewhere in the park. Maybe we would see them yet

We went on our night safari with another couple from Angola. While enroute to the watering hole, we came across a couple of Spotted Owls, Hares, and countless Spotted Hyaenas. With all the hyaenas present, the guide figured there must be a kill around. He shone the infrared light around the perimeter of the watering hole and sure enough, 3 male lions were laying in the grass. Because they weren’t sitting upright in the hunting position, he figured they were full and satisfied. Hyaenas are also scavengers and will eat the leftover bones. Amazingly, the guide said he heard heavy footfalls, and sure enough, he shone his light in the distance and located a black rhino. He said they will sometimes circle the watering hole 5 times before finally heading down for a drink. The rhino sure kept his distance from the lions who I don’t think saw his presence.

We made it back to camp by 11 p.m. It is interesting to note that you cannot get out of your car while travelling around the dirt road and you cannot leave the park before sunrise and you have to be in by sunset. The camp has a large fence around the perimeter and a very large swimming pool, snack bar, restaurant, and small gift shop (no internet!). There spotted several Tree and Ground Squirrels around the camp, as well as some HUGE insects (praying mantes type grasshoppers/walking sticks).

Our third day in the park was a two hour drive to exit the park and head north to the town of Rundu (on the border with Angola). We stopped to view some amazing birds, a herd of wildebeest, more giraffe, zebras, and Steenbok.

Although Etosha National Park is host to the “Big 5” (Lion, Leopard, Water Buffalo, Elephant, and Black Rhino), we were only fortunate enough to see the Lions and Black Rhino. But with Botswana, Kruger, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda ahead of us, I’m sure we’ll have plenty of opportunities for the rest!

As I type this blog on my laptop, we are driving 6 hours to Rundu. We just passed the sign that indicates 100 km left. The speedometer reads 120 km/hr (driving at 110 didn’t last long…but the roads are paved, flat and straight with hardly any traffic in sight). The odometer will top 5,000 km, and soon we’ll be in need of an oil change.

We just passed a Kavango rural village where their huts are made from mud and sticks and gardens and small farm animals surround their fenced-in property. In Namibia, most still live in homesteads and lead typical village lives. They have a strong kinship and extended families all live in the same community and are presided over by an elected headman. They subside on small stock-farming of cattle or goats. There is a small dirt road on either side of the paved road for horse-drawn transportation and moving their cattle/goat herds. 5

We decided to call yesterday a recommended lodge (N’Kwazi), but they have no riverside huts available, so we’ll wing it, as usual. Might try to cross the Okavango River into Angola if we can and check it out.

Well, my battery is running out so I better sign off. I probably won’t be writing another blog until next year (ha – 2 days away!). Which also reminds me, January 1st is our 16th Wedding Anniversary. How time flies!

Hope you all have a healthy, rewarding and fun-filled new year!

Lisa n Fred

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Climbing “Big Daddy”

December 30th, 2008

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We had a very early morning, December 24th, as we were awoken at 5 a.m for our 4 x 4 tour to the famous sand dunes of Sossusvlei. We were accompanied by another couple from Austria who were as happy to be away from a northern hemisphere Christmas as we were. Since we both had just 2 WD vehicles, some of the area would have been inaccessible so we decided to relax and be shown around by an experienced Namibian guide from the lodge.

After entering the Namib-Naukluft Park entrance, we travelled several kilometres before stopping to photograph the first of many reddish-coloured, quartz sand dunes. The guide dug a hole in the sand around what he determined to be an underground spider’s web. Sure enough, deep down he located the jelly-like substance web and even further down, scooped up a white spider (forget its name). Fred was keen to hold it in his hand but the Austrians and I were content to keep our hands away from it.

We continued down the paved road to “Dune 45” which is aptly named because it is 45 km from Sesriem (park entrance) and 45 dunes from Sossusvlei. Our guide asked us if we were interested in climbing a dune and after getting a positive confirmation, gave us the option of climbing Dune 45 or Big Daddy. He advised that Dune 45 is very popular to climb since it is the most accessible from the road and is 150m. Big Daddy, on the other hand, was much more challenging and less touristy. The reason – it is the highest dune in the world at 325 metres.

Feeling up to the challenge, our guide dropped us off and pointed to where we would begin our ascent. Our 30 year old Austrian passengers opted out, saying they were the “cafe” types. I told them I thought everyone is Austria were mountain climbers and Fred told her he wanted to hear her yodel at the top. After a good laugh, they indicated they were from the metropolitan city of Vienna, not the alps.

We began our walk to Big Daddy at 8 a.m with a small water bottle each. We saw a group of about 12 already half way up, as well as one other couple making the climb. Once we hit the start of the dune, we were surprised with how loose and deep the sand was to walk up. Unfortunately, I forgot to get my heavy duty sandals out of the trunk and was attempting the climb with my open-toed croc sandals. I got just two minutes into the climb when the strap on my sandal broke because of the deep sand. I ended up just taking both sandals off and walking barefoot.

After an hour of tough slogging, Fred and I made it to the top of Big Daddy. Our guide had caught up to us (after dropping the Austrians off to see Dead Vlei) and was handy to take a few photographs for us. I also brought Flat Stanley with me and got some great shots of him on top of the dune. It was a very impressive view of the surrounding red dunes in the early morning light. This area is a large ephemeral pan containing dunes that tower 200 metres above the valley floor and more than 300 metres over the underlying strata. The Sossusvlei sandy area is 300km long and 150km wide and contains the world’s highest and oldest dunes.

From the top, it was a very steep and quick descent to the bottom. What took us so long to climb up, only took us 5 minutes to climb down. With each step deep into the sand, we could hear a roaring sound as a result of air being pressed out of the interstices between the sand granules. Once at the bottom, we entered “Dead Vlei”, an extremely dry open area containing several blackened trees which have been dead for 500 years. They used to receive water from the river but it dried up as a result of a sand dune blocking it and diverting the river.

On our walk (a km or so) in the hot sun back to the 4 x 4, I had to put my sandals back on sice it was now about 10 am and the sand was scortching hot and burning my feet. We met the Austrian couple relaxing by the jeep under a shade tree and then drove to a picnic area to enjoy a champagne breakfast complete with cereal, ham, cheese, bread, and other snacks. After a Christmas Eve toast, we were back in the jeep for a quick tour of the 2km-long and 30m-deep Sesriem Canyon.

We returned back to the lodge at about 1 pm and wasted no time changing into our swimsuits and diving into the refreshing pool at the Desert Homestead Lodge. We enjoyed a warm bottle of Pinotage that we have been carrying us with us since South Africa, then headed up to the lodge for a roast chicken Christmas Eve dinner ($13 US each).

I spoke with Ian, the temporary manager and horse guide, about possibly joining him for an early Christmas morning ride through the desert. He was very agreeable and we were to set off prior to sunrise.

I woke up several times that evening, looking out the open, french doors into the starry sky . . . visioning Santa and his sleigh over the Namibian desert 🙂

Ian and I rode off around 6 a.m and since we both took challenging mounts, the photos are limited. The sun rising over the desert mountains was surreal. We did happen to spot some bat-eared foxes in the distance which took off when they saw us. I couldn’t have had a better Christmas morning!

Once back at the lodge, Fred had just awoken and we went for an early morning breakfast and departed for Namibia’s third largest city, Swakopmund. The Austrians, who had spent a week there, advised us it was full of tourists and we’d be hard pressed to find accommodation. After a gruelling, 6 hour drive on all dirt roads, complete with lots of washboards, we arrived to the city on Christmas Day. Half way there, we had passed a sign indicating the Tropic Of Capricorn.

Also on our travels, we had an animal from the mongoose family, as well as the deer family, cross the road in front of us. We also drove through some scenic mountain passes.

Looking almost like a ghost town, we checked half a dozen lodgings being told everywhere was fully booked before finally finding the “Swakopmund Inn” ($70 US/night for a tiny room with 2 twin beds and no private bath, but a decent breakfast). We booked for two nights and went out and enjoyed a terrific Italian pizza and beer for our Christmas dinner followed by Christmas drink at their outdoor bar.

Skydiving has always been on my “Do Before I Die” list and I could think of no better place than to skydive over the sand dunes and the Skeleton Coast. I inquired with the manager who had herself done it and survived to tell the tale. I told her I was interested and would love to do it the following day. She immediately called the company and I was scheduled to be picked up at 10. She asked me if I had noticed the two men sitting at the bar earlier and I hadn’t. She advised that those were the two guys I would be diving with…..

As Fred and I sat outside playing a game of Skip-Bo, I kept thinking about the two guys drinking at the bar, celebrating Christmas Day with several brewskies. After having read about all the drinking and driving and intoxication in Namibia, I started to second guess whether diving at 10 in the morning after a holiday was such a good idea….. As I sat there playing cards and enjoying my own drink, I could just imagine getting into the vehicle to drive to the air strip smelling booze on these guys. At that point, it would be too late! Since it was tandem-diving, I could just imagine that guy’s breath breathing down my neck. So, before the game of Skip Bo was over, I asked the manager to call the guys back and advise them I was backing out!

Hopefully, I’ll get another opportunity somewhere, sometime, in the future.

Since I now wasn’t going skydiving, I asked Fred what adreniline acitivty he wanted to do the following day. His reply, “Find a laundromat.”

So that’s what we did. We dropped off practically all our clothes and I headed to the only wi-fi spot we could find in a cafe inside the mall downtown. 4 hours later, I had uploaded 4 blogs and answered all my emails. We enjoyed a couple of pints afterwards at a downtown happening bar called Rafters, then went for an Italian dinner at Napoletana’s, followed by a movie in English, Quantum of Solace (007).

After another early breakfast, Fred and I decided to leave the hustle and bustle of Swakopmund and head north towards Etosha. I made a quick stop into a shoe store where they had the same Croc sandals and I replaced my others. As I write this blog, we are cruising north to stay in the town of Outjo and are travelling along a straight green-grassy stretch where we have seen several “Caution Warthog” signs. Outjo is where our guide Alex from Desert Lodge grew up and he told me about all the poisonous Mumba snakes around there….and about a German tourist lady who had left her guesthouse door open and a Mumba crawled under her covers with her – she got bit in the cheek when she rolled over. Luckily, she went immediately to the manager who took her to the hospital and she survived).

Just so you know, I WILL be closing our door tonight!

Pleasant dreams,

Lisa n Fred

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Galloping into the Sunset

December 30th, 2008

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From the town of Keetmanshoop, we headed in the direction of Maltahohe to the heart of the Namibian ranching community in hopes of staying at the Daweb Guest Farm – a working cattle ranch. While enroute, we stopped at the Quivertree Rest Camp to see Namibia’s largest stand of kokerboom trees. They are also known as quiver trees because San hunters used to use the lightweight branches as quivers by removing the branches’ fibrous heart, leaving a strong, hollow tube. These interesting trees are in fact aloes which can grow to a height of 8 metres. In June and July, they bloom with a spectacular yellow flower.

We arrived early in the morning and were the first ones present to walk through the rocky area. We saw some movement underneath a scrub brush, then saw a small, light brown animal scurry across the sand into the rocks. Then, we saw another and another, and soon, we were surrounded by meerkats! These agile little critters were smaller than I had imagined and were digging up holes in the sand looking for food. A couple stood up on their hindlegs on top of the rocks as if acting as lookouts. It wasn’t long before they finished with the area and moved on to new territory. I wish I could have scooped one up and taken it home for a pet!

As we continued to walk through the maze of kokerbooms, we saw a few interesting lizards and a Rock Hyrax (a.k.a. Dassie). Today, we bought “The Mammal Guide of Southern Africa” by Burger Cillie which is a great reference to help us identify the wildlife we have been seeing in our travels. It is no substitute for a well-informed, knowledgeable guide but its informative and will make for great reading at night.

From the kokerboom area, we continued another 5 km down the dirt road to the “Giant’s Playground”. This large area is described as a “natural rock garden” but seemed more like a maze of rocks to me. Luckily for us, they had arrows indicating which path to follow, otherwise, it would have been so easy to get turned around and lost for good inside the boulders. This large area was home to many elusive dassies, colourful lizards, and singing secadas.

After about 45 minutes walking through the rock field, in sweltering 40 degree heat, we jumped back in the air conditioned vehicle and headed north. Another long, straight stretch of endless highway, with very few vehicles in sight. We did see a few Namibians driving horse-drawn carts down dirt paths in the barren fields along the roadway.

On arrival in Maltahohe, we followed the guide book’s directions to the Guest Farm down a long gravel laneway. On our approach, we were met by a man in a pickup truck who advised that they no longer rented out rooms, just camping. Being tentless, we headed back into the town of 2,500 and found a surprisingly decent lodging called Hotel Maltahohe (private room with bath, electricity, swimming pool and breakfast for $48). We enjoyed a refreshing swim and spotting a black bird with a red back and what looked to be a red helmet on its head (still have to determine its name). After spending many hours in the car the past few days, I was shocked to see a sign at the hotel offering massage services. I opted for the hot-rocks massage (never had one like that before so couldn’t resist), but having hot rocks rubbed all over you in a 35 degree C room was a little much. It still was a great opportunity to speak with a very pleasant girl from Namibia (German background though) about her life and the Namibian culture.

From Maltahohe, we headed westward towards the famous sand dunes of Sossusvlei. Once again, a particular location caught my attention: the Desert Homestead & Horse Trails (now you know why). After having only travelled about 2 hours (on dirt roads), Fred was more inclined to keep going (maybe the word “horse” in the title had something to do with it . . . ), but I pleaded to go in and just check it out so we did. It was much more impressive up close and upon hearing they had one room left, we took it for two nights ($120/night, including breakfast, anytime coffee/tea, no electricity, just a battery-operated fan and lights in the room). Since it was now approaching Christmas, we knew accommodations might be scarce. Each of the 20 thatched chalets had their own private porch and view over the desert and surrounding rocky hills. We signed up for a “sundowner” ride leaving at 5:30 p.m so spent the next few hours, relaxing by the pool. Since it was so hot and dry (40+), after leaving the pool you were completely dry again in less than 3-4 minutes.

Our very amicable guides, Ian and Luisa, accompanied Fred and I to the horse stable. Lucky for us, we were the only ones riding that evening. I was given a grey ½ Lippizan gelding by the name of Sultan and Fred was given a big Thoroughbred buckskin mare named Kalahari. Ian’s mount was a bay, feral horse they had rescued from Aus! The Desert Homestead has 24 horses of mixed levels (depending on your riding ability) and of a variety of breeds. They are very well cared for and are supplemented with grain (2x daily) and free choice hay.

We rode out towards the sandy plains passing grazing springbok and stopping to see a social weaver’s nest (which apparently snakes crawl into, too). Ian then asked if we were ready for a canter and Fred said, “Sure.” As soon as Ian’s horse cantered off, Fred’s thoroughbred was not to be left behind. Off she ran like a bullet, with Fred’s butt bouncing out of the saddle on every stride!!! Since the horses only had snaffles in their mouths, I knew Fred was headed for trouble. I was cringing and hoping he would remember Juan’s famous words (from Uruguay) “to stop the horse, pull the reins!”

Ian quickly picked up that Fred was out of control and brought his horse to a walk, hoping Kalahari would stop. Luckily, Fred’s prior riding lessons with Dan also came in handy as he remembered to keep his heels down and weight balanced, and successfully brought his horse down to an excited walk. I caught up to Fred and advised him it was just a snaffle in the horse’s mouth and that was why (among other reasons) she was so difficult to stop. I asked Ian about switching mounts with Fred but apparently Sultan was for the experienced rider and Fred’s was for the Intermediate rider (I think next time, Fred will check off “Novice”). They have one more level below for beginners who have never ridden before.

We spread out along the plains more so the horses wouldn’t feel the need to try and race one another. Fred tried to master cantering on Kalahari a couple more times with some success. I was relieved by the time we got to the “sundowner” location that Fred was still in once piece. A fall could have abruptly ended our travels.

An employee of the ranch had driven a truck ahead and had set up a wash basin, along with a table full of snacks (ham, cheese, crackers, grapes, nuts, salt and vinegar potato chips even), and a cooler full of varied refreshments. Fred and I quickly downed a water then popped open a Windoek beer. After watching the golden sun set behind the rocky cliffs, it was time to head back. I asked Ian if it was okay if Fred could ride Sultan and I’d ride the mare back, just in case she took off again. Ian and Fred had no complaints and all the horses were quiet as we just walked back to the homestead. What an incredible way to spend a summer’s evening – riding in the desert at night with just the stars illuminating our way home.

After a couple more drinks back at the lodge sharing stories with Ian (originally from Rhodesia), Fred and I called it an early evening since it was a 5 a.m wake up call for our 4 x 4 tour to the famous sand dunes of Sossusvlei.

Happy Trails,

Lisa n Fred

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