Friday 13 September
We have a last few errands to run around
Swakopmund this morning before we push on up the coast. We’re on a straight, smooth salt road with
the sea on one side and not much on the other.
Before too long a sign announcing a shipwreck directs us down to the
beach where this hulk is slowly rusting away.
Back on the road we keep passing low tables
that seem to be crammed with pink rocks.
Curiosity has us pull in for a closer look. They’re salt crystals with a little honesty
box should you wish to purchase one.
A bit further up the road we spot what we guess
is the source: a small salt factory.
We’re assuming this is just a way to make a bit of extra cash on the
side.
We don’t have far to go today as we’re
headed for the Cape Cross seal colony, which is only an hour or so up the
road. Luckily we pull in for lunch
before we get there, because as we open the car doors – without even 1 seal in
sight – it’s like we’ve entered a cattle/sheep market. There’s the smell of thousands of animals
defecating in the same place and the sound of their barks is pretty similar to
the sound of sheep. We take a short walk
up to the boardwalk and it’s soon clear what the cacophony (and stench) is about:
there are seals everywhere. They’re packed
in like sardines on the rocks and are spilling out into the sea way beyond the
waves.
Something like 100,000 seals breed here
every year. It’s an excellent way to see
seal behavior up close. They’re rather
cantankerous creatures and bicker over space and status. We spend some time watching them soaking up
the sun, trying to get comfy on the rocks, riding the waves and snapping at
each other.
Our campsite is only just up the road - there’s not much along this stretch of coast
so you’ve got to stop where you can.
It’s a little bit cruel as we’re camping in the grounds of the Cape
Cross Lodge – we’re pitching our tent in the back whilst admiring the luxury
(and warmth) of indoors. Still, they’ve
done everything they can to spruce up the campsites and some almighty
windbreaks keep out the worst of the wind.
Once we’re set up we take a stroll down the
beach to admire the start beauty of the setting, (we’re in the campsite round
back).
As the sun sets we spot a lonely jackal out
for a stroll.
With that it’s time to stoke up the fire,
huddle round and keep warm.
Saturday 14 September
We’re continuing up the coast today to the Skeleton
Coast National Park but we almost don’t make it. Our first detour is down to another small wreck
on the beach and the landscape is so disorienting that it takes a couple of
attempts to get us back on the road.
Before too long though we reach the
evocative gates of the park. Don’t be
fooled by the bright blue skies and palm trees: there’s an icy wind howling.
Even better, as we’re buying our permits in
the office we spot a notice about the resident male lion that’s been seen
about, so we proceed into the park with our eyes peeled for lions. Of course, we don’t see any, but we do see
plenty of strange, bleak scenery. I had
expected waves pounding on to white sand beaches backed by dunes, but this is
more like driving through a desert. For
a lot of the time we can’t even see the sea and we find ourselves driving
through gravel fields and negotiating sand storms.
There is another small wreck to see, as
well as the ruins of an old oilrig.
Entry to the park is fairly strictly
controlled: day-trippers aren’t allowed unless you’re simply transiting the
park. To actually explore the park you
have to stay overnight and there is only one accommodation option: Terrace Bay
Lodge. We’ve booked a night there, which
is a good thing: the thought of trying to camp in this weather is enough to
reduce me to tears.
It’s a strange old place consisting of a
handful of double rooms huddled down on the sea front. There’s no real beach here, just red gravel –
it does have an end of the world kind of feel.
Accommodation is on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis but there’s
nothing posh about it at all. Dinner is
a strange mix of fellow tourists and hardened fishermen. The dining room looks a bit like a school
classroom and the walls are scrawled with messages from those who have stayed
before. There’s no real menu but the
service is friendly and the food is surprisingly good.
Even indoors we’ve got to layer up well and
get ourselves tucked into bed.
Janet adds: It’s a few days before my 34th
birthday and I’m clearly falling to bits.
A day or two into our trip I blew out my knee and spent the first week
dragging an elephant leg behind me. I’ve
barely got rid of that and now I’ve picked up a bug/ingested something that’s
got me feeling like the dog’s breakfast.
Nick adds: Weak.
Sunday 15 September
We’re heading out of the park today but
along the way we do hit some proper dune scenery.
Before long the dunes turn to gravel
covered hills and eventually to mountains.
The road leads us up through the mountains and into the Damaraland – one
of Namibia’s last remaining wildernesses.
We spot the carcass of a giraffe but no living ones and the road signs
tell us to watch out for elephants, though we don’t see any of them either.
As we head inland the temperatures sure
blissfully. By lunchtime we’ve reached
our campsite and the mid-30s. That’s
more like it. We staying at Hoada
community campsite and it is hands down our best campsite yet. 3 sites are cleverly hidden away amongst the
giant boulders that litter the landscape.
There’s a bar with gorgeous views and even a little plunge pool. Our site has it’s own little kitchen and
braai area built against the side of a giant boulder.
The shower is an outdoor affair and the
toilet is just round the corner, sandwiched between 2 more boulders.
We spend the afternoon relaxing (and me
trying to sleep off my ailment). In the
evening we light the ‘donkey’ (a water tank with a little fire place
underneath) to warm up some water for the shower. I shower with the last of the dying light
while Nick opts for a moonlit shower.
We’re both pretty certain it’s our best shower ever.
Janet adds: and all of this for £20 a
night…
Monday 16 September
I could stay at Hoada longer, just to soak
up the scenery and the glowing light, but we’re headed for Etosha today so we
get ourselves on the road. Before too long
we hit tar again and we’re treated to the sight of dozens of warthogs grazing
at the side of the road.
Our first stop is Outjo to pick up
supplies. Once we’re stocked up we stop
for a picnic lunch and then head up to the park. Almost as we’re through the gates we meet a
giraffe. This is promising. We check-in at our camp and then go for an
afternoon game drive. It’s hot and
there’s not too much about, but we see plenty of zebra and ostrich. As we’re driving back to camp we also get a
nice close-up view of this fella:
All of Etosha’s camps have floodlit
watering holes and the one here at Oukujeo is meant to be the best. Once the tent is up we walk over for a
look. There’s a sweeping viewing area
lined with benches looking out over this:
Good of the giraffes to show up just in
time for sunset. Just after dark they
come in for another drink and are joined by a rhino.
Dinner is an interesting affair: we’ve got
a cheeky jackal out to pinch any scraps and a fearsome ground squirrel that
refuses to be frightened off. After
dinner we head back for another quick look and spy 4 rhinos have a good
drink. I like it when the game comes to
you.
Tuesday 17 September
I’m woken up a little after 5 this morning
to the sound of lions roaring. Although
every instinct is telling me to stay in the (relative) safety of the tent, I
through on some clothes and shuffle over to the watering hole for a look. Nothing.
Oh well, back to bed.
It’s my birthday today and Nick’s family
has managed to sneak in a few little treats for me to open. As we set off driving for the day Nick tells
me that he’s organized for me to see lions.
Ha ha.
We spot our first elephants along the side
of the road.
The first watering hole we stop at is awash
with game. There are ostriches, oryx,
wildebeest, springbok and zebra everywhere, with more piling in from both
directions.
And then Nick says happy birthday! –
lazying away under a tree are four lions.
We’re desperately hoping they’ll come in for a drink, so we stay with
them for an hour and a half or so, enjoying the mad abundance of wildlife. The lions don’t seem up for moving much
though and eventually we leave them to it.
At a quick toilet stop we get a tip-off about some more lions and can’t
help swinging by to take a look. Here
are at least 6 of them just relaxing on the salt pan. I’m not sure how much Nick paid them to make
an appearance, but it was worth every penny.
The rest of the afternoon has plenty more
to offer, including lots more elephant and giraffe. The day is running away with us though and
it’s time to get to camp. We’re staying
in Halali tonight. Once the tent is up
we grab a beer and get to the watering hole just in time to watch the
sunset. We’re soon rewarded with rhino
coming for a drink. There’s also a brave
little wild cat desperately trying to catch some birds. Another rhino soon joins the first one and
it’s delightful to watch the two interact.
I’m anthropomorphizing them, but rhinos seem to be the most socially
awkward animals. It’s like they’re dying
to make friends, but bottle it just at the last minute. Eventually the two go their separate ways.
When we return after dinner, there’s mum
rhino with a little baby that suckles as we watch. A few cheeky hyenas are darting around the
outskirts. As birthdays rate, this has
got to be right up there.
Janet adds: discovered the best meal
tonight – toasted cheese sandwiches, cooked on the braai, topped with spaghetti
hoops.
Wednesday 18 September
Our first watering hole this morning has a
whole herd of wildebeest and springbok, which manage to spook each other and
suddenly take flight.
Just a little way up the road we get a tip
off that there’s a leopard in the area. We park up and spend a good hour and
half desperately scouring the thick brush to try to catch sight of it. In the end we reluctantly admit defeat and
drive off… only to spot a leopard sitting happily under a tree just a short way
up the road.
He’s soon put off by the crowd he’s
attracting and slinks off into the undergrowth.
Our driving time in the afternoon is
seriously slowed by a number of zebra roadblocks we’ve got to work our way
through. I think they’ve got wind that
Nick has been eating their kind and our out to extract revenge.
There are more elephants, hyenas, giraffes
and others to see as we make our way back to camp. We’ve given ourselves a bit of time to unwind
and stretch our legs this afternoon. After
dark we take another walk up to the watering hole. As we arrive there is a family of 6 elephants
enjoying the water.
Before too long they’re joined by 3 rhinos
and a hyena – all drinking at the same time.
The elephants wander off leaving the rhinos
to their awkwardness. This time they
manage to get close enough for a little nuzzle before going their separate
ways.
Thursday 19 September
We’re up and away early this morning, eager
for more of what Etosha has to offer.
Not far out of the camp gates we meet a rhino having his breakfast.
Continuing on we spot plenty more game
including giraffe, elephant and kudu. We
come across some blue cranes sharing a watering hole with an oryx and this handsome red
hartebeest that stole my heart.
Our next stop is a watering hole that’s
overflowing with elephants. Our best
count is a rough 40. The elephants are
everywhere: taking mud baths, having little swims and mock-fighting with each
other. Little babies are strutting their
stuff and mums are disciplining the overzealous ones. It’s wonderful to watch.
I realize that I’ve forgotten to put my new
lucky birthday earring on. Not too long
after I do we hit the jackpot: as we’re driving across an open plain we spot
this lone lioness striding out. It’s the
clearest (and closest) we’ve seen a lion and we stay with her for a while.
That’ll do for us, but the day has yet more
to offer: we come across more elephants – these ones taking a full dip with
only their trunks sticking up out of the water like periscopes.
Our last watering hole for the day has a
few giraffe and some cute mongooses (mongeese?) that provide comic relief. After
that we head for camp. We’re staying in
Namutoni tonight and as we arrive in camp there’s a cheeky elephant leaning
over the lecky fences to reach a particularly tasty tree. There’s a little viewing tower and we manage
to catch an aerial view of the carnage below.
Unlike the other camps there’s not much
going on at the watering hole tonight, but after such a good day we’re ready to
hit the sack.
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