Rob and Anna's travel adventure

Anna's entry:

INTRODUCTION

...It was day 48 of our independent adventure in Africa.  I was feeling grouchy that morning - primarily due to the lack of sleep almost the entire night before.  First, an elephant woke me up about mid-night wrestling trees and stumping very close to our tent.  Then, for the next three hours a pride of lions were raising hell - roaring non-stop and bugging other animals (and me).  Just before the sun-rise, about 4:45 a.m. a high-pitch calling of zebras was enough to be completely woken up.  Rob luckily managed to sleep through all of this - my rigorous schedule of the past seven weeks (leaving our camp by 5 a.m. and getting back at sunset, along with countless hours driving in desert conditions) seemed to work as a perfect tranquilizer for him.  A bit later that morning, a group of young hyenas got obsessed with our car - must be all the enticing scents collected on our tires.  The hyenas decided that surrounding and smelling our car just wasn't fun enough, so they got under the vehicle (fully aware we were sitting in it at the time) and started chewing car parts under us - try explaining that to the insurance company what had happened!

But, first things first...

For the past several years I had attempted to plan an adventure in Africa; but every time I would go over the available travel resources, I would throw away the travel guides.  None of them met the criteria.  I wanted independence, adventure, freedom of our own routes, close encounters with wildlife, genuine cultural interaction, longer travel time, no tourist crowds, no tour packages, (relatively) safe border crossings AND it all had to match the budget and value factor.  So, I started my own research.  It took months, along with a good amount of stresses, frustrations, cursing, etc.  In addition, in the middle of my research I suddenly (but luckily - temporarily) began loosing my eye-sight and ended up hospitalized for 10 days - that pushed me even more to prioritize and experience things while we still can. By the time our trip was due to commence, I had a pretty solid plan.  Actually, I "over-planned it".  Being aware of other factors out of our control (including regional natural disasters and civil unrest), I also put together a contingency back-up.  By the end of my research,  I felt pretty good about the plan, and we were ready to start our adventure.

Below is a synopsis of our travel stories and photographs of the 3-month independent journey in Namibia, South Africa, and Morocco along with a stop-over in the Middle East - Qatar.  I have to admit that only a FRACTION of stories and photographs made it to this blog.  As I am writing this - several months later, from a comfort of our own home in North America - I still get over-whelmed and completely emotionally moved by the encounters we were so fortunate to experience.  And, I feel so humble and grateful for the opportunity to see, feel, live, experience, and remember the fairy-tale we were so lucky to become a part of...  Below is a very modest attempt to share a part of our journey.












NAMIBIA

Windhoek-Arrival

The way from the airport to the city of Windhoek initially did not seem that different from other parts of the world located in tropical or desert areas - until we began noticing large baboons casually grazing along a major highway.  We were lucky to have a place to stay with a local Namibian gentleman (who actually was away during our visit and who graciously offered us his apartment to re-coop after a long flight).  We were also quickly (and unexpectedly) got "adopted" by his lively outgoing neighbour Teklu, who insisted to look after us and make us feel welcome as if we had known each other for ages.  We will never forget how in the morning we found a note under the door from Teklu saying "Rob and Anna - please let me treat you to your FIRST BREAKFAST in NAMIBIA.  It is ready and waiting for you - just come on over to my place when you wake up".  How is that for the introduction to Namibia?!  For the record - later on, Teklu also cooked for us our LAST MEAL in NAMIBIA towards the end of our journey there.

Two days after arrival in Windhoek, we were finally ready to "spread our wings" and set off for our independent adventure.  As mentioned above, I had put several intense months researching and planning the trip, I was also aware that I would need to "over-plan and over-research" the details and routes to make the journey not only memorable, but actually doable.  When picking up our rental vehicle from a local company (who I have been in constant communication with for the past months), my proposed (and previously submitted) route raised a lot of eyebrows.  The woman doing our paperwork looked at me and said "This is the most ambitious planning I have ever seen in THAT type of a vehicle, I have never seen ANYONE use it for such a long journey and for 30 days!!!".  I looked back at her and said "YES - it is quite ambitious, it is ALSO quite well planned out, researched, analyzed, AND and we are doing it in THAT type of a vehicle".  By "THAT" vehicle she meant - it was NOT the monstrous and over-priced 4WD (that every scared tourist seemed to be persuaded they would need), but a normal 2WD Toyota Avanza.  Yes, we looked like a tiny box of chocolates on the challenging Namibian roads compared to the huge obnoxious 4WDs "on steroids", but let me tell you upfront - for the next 5,500 kilometers we would have ZERO flat tires, ZERO accidents, and 100% adventure.  As, later on, my good friend in Seattle would say "Obviously, that car company lady had not met Anna before..."

In a course of my life, I have heard so many you-would-never's and you-could-never's, that I have gotten used to it.  By the way - so far they have all been proven wrong.  It is not about winning or failing, it is about trying.  In my opinion, the biggest failure is to be ordinary.  After all, how could you build your self-respect and create incredible experiences and memories if you don't challenge yourself?

Here is our Namibia Route synopsis: Windhoek-Mariental-Southern Kalahari Desert-Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park-Sesriem-Sossusvlei-Solitaire-Naukluft National Park-Tropic of Capricorn-Gaub Pass-Vogelfederberg-Walvis Bay-Swakopmund-Henties Bay-Spitzkoppe-Kalkfeld-Outjo-Etosha National Park-Tsumeb-Grootfontein-Rundu-Divundo-Caprivi Strip-Kavango Delta-Bwabata Mahango Core-Popa Falls-Northen Kalahari Desert-Otjiwarongo-Windhoek.  Days allocated - 30.

















Mariental

We finally were off to start our adventure in Namibia.  Driving on the left side was new to Rob, driving a manual transmission was new to me.  Our first stop before driving towards Mariental was a large supermarket in Windhoek - we had to load up on groceries and water (a LOT of it); our second stop was a gas station.  There will be a lot of roads ahead of us that would take a couple of hours before we see any passing vehicle, plus we were heading down to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and we wanted to be prepared.

I wanted us to take it easy the first day and get used to driving on Namibian roads.  Our first stop was in Mariental - it was also our very first night camping in Namibia.  That night we were the only guests to a campground.  Rob and I had done a lot of camping in various places, but camping in Namibia would prove to be an unusual one.  We were in a desert - so no grass to pitch a tent.  Instead we were given a private campsite with a cemented pad for the tent and our own private "ablution" (with a private lock and a key).  The owners also opened up a swimming pool just for us (a very handy provision in a desert to cool off during 40°C/105°F temperatures).  We enjoyed it under the starry sky and to a strange sound of some wild animal that lasted all night long.

In the morning we made a quick stop at a local grocery store to top up on the provisions.  That was when we learned that my tablet device would kill a battery if being charged during (even quick) parking stops - our car's battery was completely dead and needed to be jump-stated.  An expensive Mercedes was parked right next to us, but a lady (of European descent) categorically refused to help. Near-by, another family (of Namibian descent) had been observing the interaction, and immediately and non-solicited volunteered their help.  A few minutes later a problem was fixed, and we were on our way towards Kgalagadi.

Desert, dunes, trees with massive weaver nests - it all started to look exotic.  There was also a long gravel road - later on, we would have so many of them, but that day it was our first.  There was so much to learn and get used to...  Driving through Kalahari desert was just a glimpse into what would be to come.  I remember making several stops under massive trees covered in hundreds of weaver nests.  When I walked right under them, hundreds and hundreds of weaver birds kept flying in and out of them...  That was probably the first iconic image for me of our journey start in Namibia.






Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Though officially Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP) belongs to South Africa, I found a "back door" solution to enter and exit it via Namibian Mata Mata border post - which allowed us (and our Namibian vehicle) to stay in bona fide Namibian status.  For the record though - Namibian authorities did have to stamp us OUT of Namibia, and until our exit from the KTP (either back to Namibia or to surrounding countries of South Africa or Botswana) we remained "stateless".  I always wondered what it would be like to be "stateless" and finally had a chance to experience it for five days - in Kalahari Desert out of places!

I chose Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park for several reasons - magnificent unique and isolated, with a possibility of close-up encounters with rare black-maned lions, cheetahs, jackals, giraffes, kudus, wildebeests (just to name only a few), AND to get us our African "christening by fire" - driving and camping in scalding deep sands of the challenging (but so beautiful) Kalahari Desert.  And, the "christening" we DID get.  To me, Kgalagadi Tansfrontier experience WAS the true beginning of our adventure in Africa.



Kgalagadi Day 1 - After hours of driving on isolated gravel and sand road, and upon entering the actual Kgalagadi, it felt like we just crossed into a different planet.  The temperature just hit 43°C/110°F, our car tires had to be drastically deflated to cope with deep sands, our tent felt like an oven from the hot desert sand under us, we got hit by a wind storm followed by a sand storm, followed by a light rain (the last one we would see in the desert in many weeks to come), just in front of us a parade of wild animals was commencing with a rainbow above a vast desert, and I thought to myself "Wow - it is going to be a great trip!"  That very first night, I made my way to a hidden observation area to watch hunting jackals, and hearing my very first (in the real wilderness) roar of lions (a lion would pay a visit for a drink of water the second night we were there), and glancing at beautiful unobstructed unpolluted Milky Way galaxy above me and at a couple of large scorpions walking right under me.

After such a pompous introduction just a few hours after our arrival in Kgalagadi I was excited about what would be next to come.  I knew (from my extensive research about the area) what there WAS to see, but only doing it for real would show what we are actually ABLE to see.  Also, being a realist I knew that our modest 2WD vehicle would have some limitations in deep desert-sand driving conditions, but upon my inquiry about upcoming "roads", was quickly reassured by a lovely elderly South African gentleman (camping near by) of the following "Of course you'll get stuck on desert roads, love!  Probably more than once, but don't worry - there will ALWAYS be helpful local people to dig you out.  So, nothing to worry about!"  Wow - how refreshing to hear such an encouraging attitude - I just hope he was joking (or not) depending which part of his answer was true. 






Kgalagadi Day 2 - We left our camp around 5 a.m. and observed our very first sunrise over Kalahari Desert.  The colours and landscape were striking!  After half an hour into driving, I began noticing something BIG moving above the trees.  They were getting closer and closer - our very FIRST in the wild giraffes, about eight of them were coming towards us.  "STOOOOOP, I shouted to Rob who was driving", "GIRAAAAAAFES!".  And, this is how we got stuck in deep sand for the first time.

Luckily for us, that re-assuring gentleman described above was absolutely right - local South Africans came to our rescue.  They helped us to dig our wheels from a sand, pushed our car, and gave us the first African lesson - NEVER STOP in a deep sand, whatever it is - keep moving.  Even if you see wild giraffes for the first time in your life.  Having learned the first lesson, soon after we had the second African lesson - the deeper sand becomes, the faster you drive after shifting in a lower manual gear.  And again - helpful South Africans helped us out - this time had to tow us out of even deeper sand.  And that lead to the third African lesson - never trust a rental company (no matter of how fabulous their reputation is). In our case, they forgot to put a very important (and invaluable in desert conditions) piece - eyelet for a tow rope.  We have and can share a lot more comments about that later.  Having learned those three important lessons in our first day of driving in real desert conditions (remember my goal described above of having our "christening by fire" in Kgalagadi?), we never had any problems for the rest of the trip.  My kudos go to Rob who became an expert of desert driving, and his fantastic driving skills sure would come in handy later - in South Africa - when we would have to drive backwards from large herds of wild elephants...  Exciting, isn't it?

Anyway, we continued driving deeper into Kgalagadi - hords of springboks, gemsbucks, onyxes, wildebeests, then jackals, and then...our very FIRST... LION!  He was sleeping just by the side of the road and then started walking towards a water hole in the ground before returning back for his nap under a tree.  As we continued further, we approached another water hole, a size of a small pond.
As we though the day could not get any better, it did!  We were fortunate to encounter and observe (for two hours!) a large family of lions - one mails and five females just a couple of meters (few feet) away from us.  One of the lionesses walked SOOOOOO CLOOOOOOSE to our car, she almost brushed against it.  I remember videoing her and her eyes staring right into my camera, I also remember that we tried not to move or breeze to give a lioness any "snack" ideas...














Kgalagadi Day 3 - We started even earlier this morning, about 4:45 a.m.  Another mesmerizing sunrise over Kalahari Desert was embracing us.  In these earlier hours the temperatures were quite pleasant, but soon enough we would it would feel like being in the oven.  As uncomfortable as it was, it didn't matter.  How could it?  Less than an hour into our drive, TWO LIONS appeared just in front of us.  Then a parade of slender gorgeous giraffes (many of them) immersed across the sands.  Soon after, local South Africans parked along the side of the road pointed something to us in a distance - there were TWO young CHEETAHS just ahead - apparently, cheetahs' mother had just been hunting and they patiently were awaiting for her return.

We decided to drive a lot further into Kgalagadi.  The temperature had hit 40°C/105°F, but we kept pushing on.  Again, we came across something NEW - so many OSTRICHES could be seen running and dancing over the desert sands.  They probably HAD to run - the surface temperature during the afternoon hours must have been burning their feet.  I know it did burn my sandals.

That day, we also did our sunset drive, just before we headed back to our camp.  It was beautiful!  Another iconic image of Africa was directly in front of us - silhouettes of giraffes gracefully walking with the setting down Sun on the background.  Ahhhhhhh....  What a striking image to finish already such a great day...













Kgalagadi Day 4 - Driving during sunrise hours was becoming a norm now.  We were not the only ones appreciating the cooler and peaceful setting at this time of the day.  Herds of springboks, wildebeests, oryxes, gemsbucks accompanied by reserved jackals were also welcoming a temporary relieve of the heat.

Very shortly after we came across another special sighting - TWO adult CHEETAHS had just finished their hunt and were feasting on the corpse under a large tree.  We watched them for a long time, and after they were finished, a jackal came to enjoy whatever was left on the bones...
As we proceeded driving further, we also encountered a very RARE sighting of the African Wild Cat.  It basically looked like a regular cat, only bigger (and wilder).  Apparently, you have to be very lucky to come across it, so we were glad we did.

Shortly after, a large family of ten GIRAFFES were cautiously coming towards a waterhole not too far away - they probably could still smell a presence of the predators in the vicinity.  This was the first time we observed that iconic African image of giraffes gathering side by side by a water hole, with their legs spread wide apart,symmetrically positioned above the water, with perfect reflections of their heads.  Beautiful, isn't it?

Summary of wildlife sighted in Kgalagadi - black-maned lions, female lions, cheetahs, Cape foxes, jackals, South African wild cat, giraffes, ostriches, springboks, gemsbucks, oryx, wildebeests, red hartebeests, elands, owls and many other birds (including a rare secretary bird), yellow mongoose, rare dik-dik.










Kgalagadi Final Sunset

We were planning to leave Kgalagadi the next morning and proceed further into Southern Kalahari Desert.  And what a fantastic Culmination Finale was waiting for us as we were driving back to our camp right at the sunset.  TWO LARGE male LIONS came out just minutes before we were ready to head out back to our camp.  Then minutes later, a LARGE female LIONESS graced us with her appearance - we pulled over to the side of the sandy road to enjoy her magnificent presence only from two meters (a few feet) away.  And, as we proceeded further, TWO LARGE GIRAFFES appeared right in front of our vehicle - almost like bidding their good-byes...  Rob and I looked at each other and smiled recollecting our very first encounter, just a few days ago, with giraffes - the very reason we got stuck in deep desert sands and the very reason we learned how to drive in deep desert sand - the invaluable skill that would come in ohhhhh-so-handy for many weeks ahead of us...









Sesriem 

After leaving the magical Kgalagadi came long hours of driving along bone-shaking gravel roads.  We were happy when we finally reached our rest point.  Normally, I avoid mentioning a specific name of a place we stay at, but I am comfortable making an exception here.  Mainly, because of the attitude of the personnel working there and hospitality we enjoyed.  Elegant Desert Lodge felt like a little oasis.  We picked one of the large camp-sites with a 360 degree panoramas of mountains, hills and vast desert valleys; and set up our tent (that we brought from home) under a large camel-thorn tree which provided a bit of shade respite (never mind the sharp thorns).  Oh, yes - I have to explain something here...  YES - majority of posh lodges in Namibia DO have a provision (and specially dedicated space) for camping and setting up a tent - a kind of progressive thinking, don't you think?  Campers, enjoy the same privileges as (over)paying guests staying in lodges, such as - free use of gorgeous swimming pools, lounging chairs, and frequently free coffee or tea, and wifi.  The only difference is that when you sleep in your tent, you could marvel at a breath-taking night sky directly above you, while if you sleep in a lodge - you will have a view of a ceiling above you.  The "ceiling arrangement" also comes with a big price tag, while a tent comes with a sense of adventure.   And, let me tell you - the night sky is Kalahari Desert is really phenomenal!  The magnificent Milky Way looks absolutely striking!  Once you experience it, the images will be burnt into your brain forever...








Sossusvlei, Deadvlei and other magnificent Dunes

Having based ourselves in Sesriem, we left for Sussusveli at sunrise (the earliest time our rental vehicle was allowed to be taken on the road).  I refer to the entire dune area as "Sossusvlei" for simplicity.  Of course, we explored other surrounding magnificent areas, basins, and dunes such as surreal Deadvlei, the magnificent Dune 45, peaceful Elim Dune, etc. etc.  What is so special about those dunes (among other things) is that their size and height is that of a mountain - about 170 meters (230 feet), and the brilliant-red colour in the early morning hours makes them look even more breath-taking...  The area around them is extremely desolate, and yet the beauty is so striking and unforgettable...  What is also unforgettable, however, was a challenging hike to them and around them in deep hot desert sand.  We spent over TWO hours in Deadvlei alone.  When we came back in the afternoon to get a lift to our vehicle (2WD cars are not allowed beyond a certain point due to very deep sand), a ranger was so impressed with our fascination and time spent exploring the desert, that he took us for a drive via (what seemed like) off-visitors-limit area so we could enjoy even more this desert fairy-tale.  Another, great experience to cherish.


















Solitaire and Tropic of Capricorn

A very descriptive image of unforgiving desert conditions was very vividly represented in a tiny settlement of Solitaire. The vehicles buried in desert sand looked like symbolic sculptures and reflection of what Kalahari was about.  I remember TRYING to sit on top of a vehicle for a photo - it felt like a frying pan.  But, it sure is a unique and somewhat iconic image of this part of Namibia.  Oh, and by the way, all the hype about how it is a "must" to have a 4WD vehicle and how a 2WD car will NEVER make it through from Sesriem to Solitaire and Naukluft - disregard them.  All it took was patience and caution (and, of course, no rush) - the ride via Naukluft was beautiful, we were also fortunate to come across several large herds of wild ZEBRAS (our very first on this trip).  The sandy roads were just fine (especially, after Kgalagadi), I must admit, however, that HOURS of bone-shaking gravel roads were irritating, but our vehicle and us were just fine, and not a single flat tire just yet...











Gaub Pass and Vogelfederberg

It was a very picturesque, but also a very l-o-o-o-n-g drive along bad gravel corrugated roads.  We went through several mountain passes and canyons created by desert rivers that frequently fail to reach the ocean due to droughts.Th  e surrounding geography was immensely beautiful, roads were challenging.  We kept running into vehicles (4WD, by the way) that continuously had issues with their flat tires.  Big and sharp rocks were present, but if you drove slowly, they were certainly avoidable.  Another long day of going "rouge" driving, and without any flat tires again.  Just before sunset, we finally reached our rest point for the night.  We had secured a permit a few days prior from the Namibian National Parks authority to camp on top of the Mount Vogelfederberg (my prior research and planning made things a lot easier). The sand was deep in parts to get to the top, but again - after getting our sand driving figured out in Kgalagadi, Rob was driving like a pro.  We reached the top of the mountain without any issues, and set up our tent.

We were the ONLY ONES camping there.  Another gorgeous night under the surreal desert sky.  We even didn't bother putting our tent fly and could watch the planets and stars right above us - completely unobstructed and unpolluted by any light near by - while falling asleep in our tent.  Romantic and beautiful, on top of the mountain, surrounded by dunes and stars - this in itself makes a long challenging day all worth it...







Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Henties Bay (near Skeleton Coast)

After silence of the desert, it felt strange to be falling asleep to the sound of waves brought by the South Atlantic Ocean.  We positioned ourselves a very short walking distance to the coast in a comfortable campground.  I made a deal "under the table" with a nice guy managing the campground - he agreed to a good price and let me pick any campsite of my choice, and I agreed to keep our names off the registration sheet.  Normally, I would prefer to keep it "on the books", but the real campground owners (of Western descent - of course) got a bit greedy lately with their pricing, so an adjustment seemed totally appropriate, in my opinion.

We explored the coast, had great picnics on the beach (the Spar store in Walvis Bay had the best deli selection out of all locations we tried in Namibia), enjoyed watching hundreds and hundreds of flamingos, took a coastal ride to see a couple of shipwrecks near the shore, visited a local craft market (frequented by Himba tribes who, sadly, had to adjust to the reality of the Western world), had good genuine chats with local Namibians, but...  The cities were just not that interesting  (and certainly not exotic) for us, so it was time to return back to the desert...















Spizkoppe

That was, probably, the most picturesque campsite of our entire journey in Namibia.  We were surrounded by mountains and boulders all around us.  Beautiful golden tint was reflecting off the boulders' slopes and quiver trees, the iconic images of burgundy-red sunsets and magnificent trees on the foreground, vast and spacious sites, us feelings like tiny gnomes against the powerful rocks above us, and the night sky - it was just phenomenal!  We were gazing at the vast Milky Way, magnificent planets and stars right from our tent, undisturbed either by sound or light.  It really felt like we had been transformed onto a different planet!  The only presence of life around us were the wild African dassies - chasing each other along low hanging tree branches, or rocky outcrops, and when I would walk, dozens of them would appear on the hot desert surface emerging from under-the-ground respute.  Being surrounded by gorgeous golden silhouettes of boulders and desert, with unforgettable sunsets and starry skies, enjoying a delicious African red wine and Amarula, and most importantly - sharing and recollecting the journey and experiences with that special person in your life, how could life get any better?
















Dinosaurs Tracks or Welcome Back to 200 million years ago!

It took us some time and patience to cover a long stretch of sandy and corrugated roads to make it here.  Wild warthogs and African toucans were an occasional distraction from a bumpy ride while Rob was patiently and watchfully driving us around deep potholes on the road.  Eventually we made it to the closed gate of a German-owned farm.  The welcome was different from any other place in Namibia - a tall dark older Namibian man came out to talk to us, he almost looked and sounded like a zombie...  I don't know if it was his normal disposition or he was trained to be that way by the farm owners.  He silently showed us to our campsite, was polite but without showing any single emotion on his face, and behaved as seemingly afraid to be asked or answer any questions.  Shortly after, a German owner himself showed up to chat with us.  The latter represented all the stereotypes that German people are labelled for and hate to be associated with - let's leave it at that, and let it be opened to your own interpretation.

The campsite itself was very peaceful, with "donkey heated" showers located near by and connected by a creative bridge.  And again, we were the ONLY ONES there, surrounded by REAL DINOSAURS PRINTS dating back to 200 million years ago.  There were several species of dinosaurs that used to roam around this particular area of Namibia, and they left their prints preserved just beautifully.  It felt incredible to walk along the dinosaurs foot prints and be able to actually touch them - literally!  Putting your hand against the dinosaur's foot print and touching the 200-million year old history was the closest thing to being in a time machine.

As we were walking along the dinosaurs tracks, all exposed on top of the vast rocky field, it started raining; and shortly after, bright lightning strikes were appearing all around us.  I remember Rob telling me in a very serious manner, "Anna - if you start feeling your hair standing up on end, just drop to the ground immediately!"  At that moment I wondered - how many other couples have conversations like that while standing on top of the actual dinosaurs foot prints?!












Outjo

A very quick over-night stop-over on the way before heading towards Etosha National Park.  A small campground attached to a fancy lodge, and again - people camping in their own tents were welcome to use a refreshing swimming pool and all the facilities belonging to the lodge.  Local Namibian girls working for the lodge noticed our fascination with a few fruit trees planted throughout the property.  With a big smile they broke off a couple of fruits hanging on the branches and gave them to us.  Those turned out to be a palm-granite!  Another "first" for us in Namibia - palm-granite off an actual palm-granite tree, and not from a supermarket shelve.

The night before we reached Okaukuejo entrance to Etosha National Park, we also made another stop-over so we could head down to national park early in the morning and come back to our camp right at sunset.  This time around, our campsite was attached to even fancier lodge.  If not for the desert oven-like temperature, one could think they ended up in some elegant English estate.  There were fountains, walkways, columns, marble steps, not one - but THREE swimming pools, gazebos, lanterns, and posh lounging area with tastefully lit up and "hardscaped" surroundings.  And (of course) there were heave-duty gates and guards.  Another give away that it was actually Namibia and NOT England was a baby MONGOOSE that was running free all over the property and who tried to play and chew my sandals.  The (what appeared to be Western) guests inhabiting that lodge seemed to be a lot more interested in spending their hours in pretentious chats and gossip as opposed to driving tough roads and exploring the wildlife in Etosha - which was exactly what we were planning to do.






Etosha National Park

Etosha - Okaukuejo Area

We entered Etosha National Park shortly after sunrise - via Okaukuejo, and slowly proceeded deeper into the wilderness.  We were not the only ones enjoying the cooler sunrise hours - zebras with young babies were already active, as were magnificent giraffes gracefully marching near by.  At some point, a family of giraffes decided to share a road with us in a very close proximity, which we greatly enjoyed viewing.  As we kept driving on and on, we began encountering more and more - herds of kudus, springboks, impalas, red hartebeests, wildebeests, oryxes, etc.

The deeper we drove into Etosha, the worse roads were becoming...  Gravel corrugated surface was the least of our concerns.  There were so many potholes completely filled with water after a recent heavy rain - some potholes were a size of a small pond!  I had to break the official Etosha rules and get out of our car - hoping not to become a snack for a lion or leopard.  I HAD to get out of the car - to check the water depth and to make sure Rob could actually steer us out. Could our car actually make it?!  If we were to be stuck here, we both could become snacks for a lion or leopard.

AND, it was not all a joke.  By the end of the day (literally), closer to sunset hours, when we were heading down back to Okaukuejo we encountered a LIONESS and a cub VERY close to the road.  She actually crossed the road right in front of us followed by her cub.  What a treat it was (visually) for us to finish our day in Etosha on such a special note. 















Etosha - Namutoni

Exploration of this part of the park had not been previously planned.  But, when we were at Okaukuejo just a couple of days prior, the (only) gas station was out of order.  Even though we always tried to top up our fuel any chance we had, the amount of fuel we had just may not have been quite enough to make it all the way through Etosha.  Getting stuck in the middle of wilderness sounds exotic, but has its repercussions.  Remember those lions described above?  We probably would have been fine, and the next camp in Etosha might have had sufficient fuel, but gas shortages in Namibia are quite common, so we decided to play it safe.

It actually, turned to be a good decision.  My research had shown that due to heavy rains, herds of elephants had moved back to Namutoni area.  This time, we decided to camp INSIDE the national park.  The campsite was just fine (and over-priced), but the evening we set up our tent, super strong gusty winds came followed by torrential downpoars.  We literally saw other people's tent flying away.  Enormous tree trunks taken by winds were laying on the ground.  Becasue of the rain, we couldn't really take advantage of the sunset hours to enjoy viewing of nocturanl wildlife, and that was a bummer.  But, by sunrise, the weather had returned to normal and we were off exploring the park.
The sightings of wildlife were excellent that day - herds of zebras, springboks, impalas, red hartebeests, warthogs, kudus, oryxes, ostriches.  Many giraffes were also around.  Loved watching various groups of animals gathering at waterholes.  At once, saw more than 20 adult zebras with many young ones drinking from a waterhole, symmetrically gathered with beautiful reflections in the water - yet another iconic African image that people see in National Geographic, and here we were enjoying it all with our own eyes.  Dozens and dozens of young animals were around - super cute springboks and impalas were such fun!  I also LOVED watching "parenting skills" of wildebeests attending to the needs of their babies.  Wildebeests were so affectionate, gentle, and patient!  Juxtaposition of their rough looks and their actual inner-nature was so apparent!

Up till this point, there was one animal we had not encountered just yet, and which I REALLY wanted to see - the wild African elephant.  It was still early on our trip, and at that time I had no idea that by the end of our African adventure we would see close to a thousand of them, and some of them in a VERY close proximity - a little TOO CLOSE, and a little TOO MANY times.  But, about that later - in our South Africa chapter. That day in Etosha I was excited and hopeful to finally have my very first encounter with an African elephant.  And, we did.  My patience and perseverance were rewarded - we got to see 30+ of them all AT ONCE.  There were both adult and young ones, and seeing so many of them in the wild for the first time in my life was definitely very special.  As the day progressed, and we continued driving further and further through Etosha, we had many other individual sightings of the magnificent African elephants.

Just when we were leaving Etosha and our campsite at sunrise the following day, we came across a LARGE family (20+) mongoose with their mischievous babies.  We watched them for a while and it was a real fun.  Giraffes and zebras were also starting their day near by...  As were were driving out of Etosha I couldn't help but feel very lucky - to be there and experience the nature and wildlife while it still exists.  And, the best part - our journey was just beginning...


















Tsumeb

This was probably the best value camping with its own peculiarities.  First of all, we had an actual GRASS spot (a luxury in a desert) to pitch our tent on - desert camping is quite exotic, but it sure is nice for a change not to be sleeping on hot sand and sharp thorn needles from camel-thorn trees above you.  Secondly, a camping was attached to another posh lodge (quite common), AND an Olympic-size pool (quite uncommon).  I loved an opportunity to swim long laps after hundreds of long hours in a car.  At night - swimming the laps under the stars, and in the morning  - enjoying a swim surrounded by beautiful trees.  Our campsite was spacious with a well-manicured lawn around us, an adjacent (English-looking) pond with ducks, a waterfall, super-modern shower facilities, and even a kitchen.  Prior to setting up our tent, we had stopped by several grocery stores (Spar deli being the main one), and picked up delicious supplies of various salads, pies, fruits (and all the aperitifs to go with it) for impromptu picnics.

As always, a posh lodge estate and a vast campground attached to it had an electric security gate and armored guards 24/7 - a feature that Namibia (and South Africa) seem to be really emphasizing for all their guests - campers or lodgers alike.   Obviously - it does reflect a state of society, and a social gap existing within it...  I am also pretty sure that prior colonization has also another "something" to do with it as well.  We have had a number of conversations with local Namibians about that, and their stories are quite educational and frequently sad...






Grootfontein

An over-night stop and camping at a local Namibian-owned farm - without any gates or armored guards.  We had to wait for a heavy rain to finally stop before setting up our tent - otherwise, it could easily swim or slide away...  The site was simple, but comfortable.  Even at a modest farm, there was a small swimming pond to cool off after a long drive and excruciatingly hot temperatures.  That afternoon, we also did a 6-kilometer (4 miles) hike to a famous meteorite site.  It was really unusual (and refreshing) to walk (as opposed to drive) along Namibian country roads.  Our walking must have been also an unusual site for Namibian locals who are only accustomed to see people pass them in non-stopping vehicles.  We made this over-night camping stop just before we headed towards (my personal favourtie and highly anticipated) - Caprivi strip...










Caprivi - Rundu

I was really looking forward to this part of our journey.  All my research showed that Caprivi is a very special part of Namibia - isolated, real, and exotic.  It certainly did not disappoint.  As soon as we entered via Rundu, it was THE REAL Namibia I was so longing to see...  There were no big towns, no supermarkets, no modern city amenities - instead, it had the genuine raw side to it, it was like a capsule of old Namibia preserved in time.  It is possible, that gruesome conflict with Angola left its own imprint on Caprivi.  In either case, this part of Namibia felt more real right from a start - barefooted locals walking along the roads, village huts made out straw, goats randomly appearing on the roads, and there were smiles and hand waving...

For a night stop-over, we decided to follow a (recommended) route along the Kavango river, bordering the Angolan border.  Both Rob and I were a bit skeptical that was the way to go, but our camping map (and local instructions given to us) insisted that was the route.  I remember asking a border control officer if, in his opinion, the flooded road would be suitable for a 2WD car.  His response - "show me which car is yours...", and after a quick glance over our Toyota Avanza, nodded and said "you can make it". O-K-A-Y...

We were skeptical, but decided to trust his local knowledge and started driving...   Sandy road, flooded, nowhere to turn...  I also remember telling Rob "I think I may be hearing hippos in the river..."  After about an hour, we saw a group of young local boys on a pasture with their cattle.  They looked really surprised, when we appeared from nowhere in our modest 2WD vehicle.  They did NOT look surprised, when 30 minutes later we returned back in our modest 2WD vehicle.  I went and asked them about the "road" conditions in the area.  They immediately told me, as soon as I approached them, "We think you should NOT be going that way.  You will get stuck in the flood plains".  G-R-R-R-E-A-T....  Thank you, Namibian officer for misleading us prior, and I hope someday you will enjoy that lovely drowning route you sent us on...

We tried driving in all possible directions, but it was clear - Rob and I reached the point of no return...  There was no any road, just flood plains in front of us (our "road" was possibly UNDER those floods)...  There was no other choice, but push on.  I started walking with my bear feet ahead of our car - navigating and hoping that the water level ahead may still be doable for us to make it.  The surface under my feet was getting muddier and deeper.  Sharp thorns under my feet were the worst; biting ants were the second worst; and, there were also frustrating flies - my face and neck were covered by them.  But, we had to keep going - it was getting late.

When I approached a really LARGE flood plain, it became obvious things were getting worse.  I left Rob behind in a car, and kept walking further through the flood plain.  I remember so many wild birds in surrounding marshy plains, they must have been startled by me - an unexpected stranger walking in the middle of nowhere...  The birds would take off the flooded area and I would be completely surrounded by them flying above  and around me from all directions.  I also remember, that after about 15 minutes, I came across another flooded field AND a few local village ladies - imagine their surprise when they saw a Foreign Western White Woman appearing from nowhere, walking barefooted in the flooded area.  They looked even more puzzled , when instead of approaching them (and asking for help), I just waved to them and kept on walking like I was taking a walk in a park.  But, really - what CAN they do?  Our car will either make it or not, there is no towing service here.  Obviously, the village ladies had no idea what I was up to - I was alone and walking.  So, they rightfully concluded - let this girl do her own thing...

I proved to myself, there was NO WAY our car will make it through, and began walking back to where I left Rob and our car.  I didn't look forward to sharing my sad news with him (even though we both knew what was happening).  To my surprise, when I came back, Rob looked animated and excited - "Anna, Anna, hurry!  A local guy happened to be walking by and he told me about a "secret hidden way" for us to get out of here!"  "We have to drive through that field!"  And, Rob eagerly pointed out to a vast farm field ahead of us which was also flooded.  W-H-A-A-At???????  It sort of made sense because about a mile away, we could hear some road noise and traffic, and THAT was the road we needed.

We had a plan.  I would go ahead (again) to find and navigate Rob towards a "shallower" flooded path, and Rob will use his master skills (so handily acquired in Kgalagadi) to drive as fast as possible in lower manual gear trying not to get stuck for good.  The difference was - Kgalagadi had deep sand, and here we had water and deep mud.  Rob deflated our car's tires to the minimum possible, and we gave our plan a try.  SUCCESS!  Our car was able to make it across, and we were on a dry surface connecting us to a REAL road ahead.  You can image what a relief it was when we finally reached the gate of our camp.  We had a nice campsite near the river, followed by a super delicious picnic set up on the spare tent tarp (with all that food we brought from the "developed" Namibia).  We also had large peacocks (really???) wandering around us, as well as large turkeys with babies - one of which, for whatever reason, kept trying flying up and landing on my back...  Listen, after today's earlier adventure, nothing surprised me...

We finished up our evening in the pool built next to the river.  We had to cool off.  Except for the moon-light, it was completely dark - we had no idea if the pool normally would look blue or black.  The Moon was out though, and we could see that we were surrounded by lush tropical trees and plants.  I remember thinking, "What would prevent crocodiles from jumping in from the river and joining us in this lovely pool?"

















 

Caprivi - Ngepi

We set up our tent right above the Kavango river.  Sounds and splashes of hippos near-by lasted on and off all night long.  And, the hippos were quite close.  On the very first day of our arrival, I saw two HUGE HIPPOS directly in front of us across the river.  Shortly after that, I noticed two ELEPHANTS with adorable young calves heading towards the river as well.  We watched them for two hours - walking around, eating, playing, taking a dirt bath, splashing in the water and showering themselves from their trunks - it was a real treat to observe them in a wild!
Several days at Ngepi "awarded" us with downpours.  And, when it came to taking an actual shower - they were quite different too.  They were the outdoor type - constructed out of tree branches, and straw - very unusual and certainly very exotic.  It felt completely wild to be taking a shower surrounded by tropical trees and watching for hippos and crocodiles just below - in the river.  There was also a "cage pool" - built right in the Kavango river with hippos and crocodiles swimming near by in the same river, somewhere below the murky river surface. 
Yes, Caprivi did feel WILD and very different from other parts of Namibia.  We also kept having associations with our prior travels in Costa Rica - tropical forest, crocodiles, toucans, minus the hippos (of course).


















Caprivi - Popa Falls

We added Popa Falls as another camping option while exploring Caprivi and Mahango National Park.  After Ngepi, Popa Falls seemed quite normal, but actually it was nice to have a bit of a luxury at night while still going "rouge" throughout the day - an actual hot shower and electricity v.s. seeking out a bathroom in the tropical maze of woods in complete darkness.  We still continued camping in our "brave tent" which by now has been exposed to both the extremes of desert and downpours.  I also had some chats with a local Namibian girl working there and got introduced to the insider's perspective about the local culture and relationship dynamics.








Caprivi - Mahango Core (Bwabwata National Park)

Spread out along the Kavango River connecting Botswana and Angola, Mahango was definitely a highlight of the Caprivi area.  It is rarely visited and retains a pure raw beauty.  Even though Mahango is relatively small, it is a home to an incredible amount of wildlife - we were very fortunate and privileged to have countless and up-close interactions with the animals here.  Below are my notes from our Mahango journey.

Mahango Day 1.  Spent the entire day driving around on the gravel road - after (previously expereinced) bad flooded and deep-sand roads, it felt like a smooth easy tar road ride. 
Great encounters with huge herds of zebras, giraffes, impalas, kudus, springboks, red hartebeests, warthogs, wildebeests, water buffaloes, ostriches, monkeys, and elephants.  A special teat - came across 10+ hippos - watched them for a long time fully exposed.  Tons of rare birds around us.  Another special encounter - watching a fascinating dung beetle.  Super Special encounter at sunset - 14 African Wild Dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   They are EXTREMELY RARE to see, and we were super lucky not just catch a glimpse of them, but actually watch them for almost half an hour.  This large pack of African Wild Dogs were hunting, directly in front of us, creating a massive commotion among herds of wildebeests, impalas and warthogs.  It was truly a National Geo performance unfolding in front of us.  Another unusual thing was that these  African Wild Dogs were as curious about us as we were about them; and how CLOSELY they came to us - we were fully prepared to roll up our car windows completely to avoid any possible "ideas" that those wild animals had at the moment.  I found these wild dogs quite cute, Rob thought they looked vicious, hungry and clearly "up-to-no-good".

We returned back to our camp shortly after sunset.  What an amazing day it turned out to be in Mahango!   It had also been a l-o-o-o-n-g day.   Night brought its own wilderness sounds - I could hear hippos splashing in a river and not too far away from our tent.  The hippos were making a lot of noise and sounds almost echoing Rob's snoring.  I am pretty sure that was hippos' territorial response...






























Mahango Day 2. 

Despite of heavy rains, we decided to return back to Mahango.  Another good day to encounter the wildlife here.  Watched 10+ hippos near by; lots of giraffes, a crocodile, monitor lizard, tortoise, and the "usual" - zebras, red hartebeests, kudus, impalas, lots of warthogs with cute young babies frolicking around, etc.  A Special Encounter - 2 elephants in very close proximity (were were staring at each other about 10 meters away).  Another Special Encounter was observing right in front of us two giraffes in love...  What made it even more special to come across and observe the animals' display of affection towards each other was that today also happened to be a Valentine's Day.





















Mahango Day 3.  Another "day commute" to Mahango.  Animals seemed to have gotten used to our presence and sound of the voice.  Impalas and kudus even barely tried to get out of our way as we driving by them.  Giraffes would glance at us and calmly would continue their daily routine.  A Special Encounter - closest viewing to-date of 4 hippos with a young baby.  And, another Special Encounter - a family of 6 elephants VERY close, crossing the road right in front of our car.  Lots of rare birds were gracing us with their presence - including a handsome Secretary Bird and a unique Kori Bustard of Africa - the heaviest flying existing bird. 

Just before exiting Mahango, we had more and more of up-close encounters - large groups of giraffes, zebras, ostriches, kudus, warthogs, red hartebeests, wildebeests, impalas, springboks bidding us their final good-by...

As we were leaving Mahango, which I affectionately called our "African Amazon", it was apparent that Caprivi was indeed our favourite part of Namibia.  I happened to be the driver for that evening.  As I was steering our vehicle away from Mahango border, tears began running down my cheeks.  I was feeling such a joy and sadness at the same time - the unbelievable experiences and encounters with wildlife and nature that we were so fortunate to find here, the sense of gratitude to still be able to see it while still in existence, the vulnerability and beauty, the acceptance and trust - Caprivi, and Mahango in particular, was a real gift of Nature, and for that we are humbly grateful.



























Grootfontein area

We were slowly making our way back to Windhoek, and made a stop-over for a couple of nights in a camp not too far from Grootfontein.  One of the reason I picked that place was to position ourselves in route to a Ju/'Hoansi Tribal area.  There are still a number of indigenous groups surviving in Namibia, and the most known are Himba, Herero and Ju/'Hoansi. 

Having explored quite a few areas in the world by now, we are used to rare unconventional rituals, customs, traditions, and a way of living and thinking.  However, we also have learned from our travels to choose wisely and spend our efforts and time on only GENUINE (not for tourists) interactions.  Unfortunately, NONE of the accessible tribal places promoted in Namibia matched our standards.  They ALL seemed to adopt to basically being a "theater" for tourists, they even describe themselves as "actors".  Believe me when I say that ANY TIME you are required to buy an "admission ticket" to see a tribe, you are no longer dealing with a genuine hospitality.  Surely, people will be nice to you, but it is per pay.  Surely, you could take awesome photographs, but they will be posed.  Surely, if you have never experienced the REAL thing, then "a ticketed" tribal village will give you a tiny introduction to what it MIGHT be.  None of those things are acceptable for Rob and me, and therefore - we refused to go to those places and abandoned the whole idea of visiting seemingly accessible tribes in this area - at least for now, or until we find the REAL isolated community unspoiled by tourism and not corrupted by "ticket admissions".  I may have made quite a few "travelers" mad with being so upfront about it, but honestly - I don't care.  If you would like to pretend you have visited the "real" villages - it is your choice; my standards happen to be different, and the evaluation of the REAL thing is a lot stricter, especially having experienced that real thing...

Going back to our camp...  Really enjoyed it.  The second night we were the only people staying there - absorbing the exotic nature, surrounded by African horn-bills and bush babies climbing the trees above us (the latter reminded us of Tarsier monkeys in the Philippines).  The night skies were absolutely beautiful, and we could adore the stars and planets directly above us, watching them from our tent.  I also did my sunrise walk and was even fortunate to catch a glimpse of two very shy (and rare) dik-diks.  The camp had a very exotic setting indeed, with a few unusual and quirky touches.  We also enjoyed a number of picnics (prepared from those yummy Spar and OK store deli supplies we picked up on the way here, along with fantastic (South)African wine and delicious (and very affordable) Amarula.  Yes, life is good.












Otjiwarongo

We were just a few days before completing our 30-day journey in Nambia, and needed a convenient stop-over just before returning back to Windhoek.  Otjiwarongo seemed like a close-enough stop, and it was also the first and only one time overnighting in a place belonging to an actual game lodge.  All our prior encounters with wildlife were out in the open while exploring Namibia or in the National Parks.  But, we needed an over-night rest close to Windhoek, and Otjiwarongo provided that.

Our campsite (where we set up our own tent) was very private, and we had impalas and nyalas as our neighbours.  Other animals roaming around the property were wildebeests and zebras.  We did a nice sunset drive, enjoyed a picnic under the moonlight surrounded by tropical plants, and finished up our supply of that delicious decadent treat - Amarula Cream, while recollecting our past stories.

As suspected, we didn't care too much for the guests staying at that game lodge who were (predictably so) pretending that all the wildlife around them was "out in the open"; but on the other hand, I do understand that at least a handful of animals owned by that game lodge had a refuge and not being hunted or poached (as far as we know).  One of such animals was a free-ranging White Rhino.  For the record - later on, during our journey in South Africa, we would have a number of occasions to encounter rhinos in the wild, but here in Otjiwarongo was our first time to see one.

After a refreshing dip in a pool next morning, I remember noticing something big slowly stumping around in the distance - the animal's size stood out even on the background of pretty large wildebeests near by.  I realized it was a rhino and began running (literally) towards him.  See - this is the difference right there -  at a game lodge, you could just run/walk in your flip-flops towards an animal; while in the real wild, you make sure you stay in your car at all times (often with windows rolled up) when you happen to encounter a wild animal up-close.  Or, at least that's what I thought - because as I was standing (in flip-flops) with my camera documenting that White Rhino, a Western family in a large 4WD vehicle was staring at me with an apparent surprise and concern in their eyes.  Perhaps, they were wondering how fast I could run if the rhino decided to come closer (and I would have had to run at least 500 meters).  All I know that according to the game lodge officials, I was on a designated trail and kept a respectful distance.  Rhino seemed to be in agreement with me, was relaxed, and didn't seem in a hurry to leave - he even showed off a bit, striking various cute photogenic poses.  After a good amount of observation time, he slowly wandered off, and I proceeded back along the trail.


















Windhoek - return to where it all started

As we were approaching the outskirts of Windhoek, large baboons were making their appearances along the road...  I remembered their first sightings, about a month ago, on the same highway - where we had just landed in Namibia.  Our journey here most definitely met the expectations.

We spent our very last night camping in Namibia at a Windkeok's centrally located urban camp.  We had a very African-style camping spot with multiple indigenous attributes, along with the nightly wilderness observation area right across from us.  Just like a month ago, our hospitable local friend Teklu got in touch with us as soon as we came back to Windhoek, and treated us again to a home-cooked meal that he personally prepared for us in his place.  Every time we think about Windhoek, the first image that comes up is Teklu and his kind heart and hospitality that started us on such a welcoming note.  What is even more special is that Teklu and us are still in touch even though we are located on different continents...

During our 5,500 kilometers we had ZERO flat tires, ZERO accidents, ZERO regrets and 100% ADVENTURE.  As we pulled in to return our modest 2WD vehicle back to "the land of 4WD monsters", the rental lady avoided any eye contact with us.  She knew she had been wrong about so many things and how grossly she had underestimated what was absolutely possible.

Desert, dunes, mountains, ocean, driving in deep sand of Kalahari Desert, driving on flooded roads in Caprivi, gravel bumpy roads, sandy slippery roads, camping under camel-thorn trees, camping on top of the mountain, watching the magnificent Milky Way Galaxy right above our tent, watching the desert storm sand above our tent, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, elephants, hippos, etc. etc. - there was so much in such a short time...

Well, that was it for starters.  Our 30 days traveling around Namibia were coming to and end...  We had only one ride left in Namibia - it was an over-night bus journey via Southern Kalahari all the way to Cape Town, South Africa.  This time Rob could take it easy and not worry about driving in the desert conditions - that he so patiently, skillfully, and diligently had done for the past month.

And, it would be a good time to mention that the END of our adventure in Namibia was the START of our adventure in South Africa, which was where we were heading out NEXT...