February 24, 25, I am not sure where I am......other than in a airplane or airport!

Travel day today. Relaxing start and then off to airport for 2.30 pm flight. 6 hours to Addis, change planes and then 8 1/2 hours to Dublin. 1 hours stop there but did not get off plan. Then about 7 1/2 hours to Washington DC. Arrived at about 10 am local time. I spent about 7 hours in airport...walking walking walking... very tired and stiff from sitting for so long! We were supposed to depart at 3 and were pretty close but never got off the tarmac as there was a medical emergency on board so back to waiting. We left about 1 1/2 hours later. 6 hour flight to Bogota, off the plane, and then back on the plane. Not sure why....as was same flight number and a hassle as through security again! Then 3 hour flight to La Paz arriving at about 3.30 am local time. Very quick getting through the immigration and customs and was in bed by 4.30 am!

February 21 and 22and 23, Durban, South Africa

I am making up for a month of not walking. Enjoying just walking along the beach, stopping for coffee at different places along the way. Interesting as there are no people selling goods on the beach, but if on the street there are lots of people looking for food or money. The weather here is very nice and does not get cold so people could live outside.


February 20 Durban, South Africa

Went on a tour of Moses Mabhida Stadium today. This stadium holds 56,000 right now and was built for the 2010 World Cup and will host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2022 Commonwealth games. It is not used much at the moment as the home team is no longer in the premier league. Too bad, a very nice facility. The art work is really something else. A map of Africa with something like 3 million beads. Very nice.

I also took the sky car up along the top of the main beam in the centre of the building. Great views of ocean, city and surrounding fields. My timing was good as shortly after the wind got really strong and they stopped doing the sky car rides.

The wind blew very hard all afternoon. I got sand blasted on the beach as there is no where to get out of the wind. Lots of thunder and lightning in the early evening! Window rattling thunder! Great storm, lots of rain but did not last that long.




February 19 Durban, South Africa

The sun shone all day today! Very nice. It felt very hot, but was only 29. Actually got in swimming today. Each beach has a designed swimming area (between flags) as well as designed surfing, boarding areas and jet skiing areas. The waves are crazy wild and choppy but the water is 20/21 so very nice.

The surf rescue was kept busy keeping people swimming in the right area. They also were looking for someone.... but did not seem to find anyone. Not sure what happened but they were out looking by swimming and with 2 rubber dingies.

Trucks and quads zooming up and down the beach.
Spent an hour chatting with a guy from Johannesburg... covered a lot of ground. Very interesting and all of this sitting on step on hotel!


February 17 & 18 Durban, South Africa

Cloudy and cool days with rain showers, thunderstorms blowing through.
Still was out for walking. The beach here is about 6 km long, the hotel is about 4 km across the street from the beach, with views! Very nice. An older hotel but they are working on fixing up. Breakfast is amazing! More food.
The city has done a super job of the beach area. There is a brick promenade all the way along the beach. There are plenty of showers, toilets and change rooms along the 6 km. There are several piers that separate the beaches. Lots of little cafes, coffee shops and fast food places. It is really very nice. A great place to relax after the last 30 days!


February 16, Durban, South Africa.

A 9 am, 2 hour flight to Durban. Got checked in and then went for lunch down the street. My room as a view of the ocean. There are several surfers on the water. Relaxed for the afternoon. It is the first almost full day of nothing to do or any place to go. I would have gone for a walk but it started to rain. Cool at 24 compared to what the weather has been like!

February 15, Cape Town, South Africa

Left about 8 am. First stop was Bird Island on the edge of Lamberts Bay, just behind the potato/french fry factory. Thousands of garnets, seals and terns. Lots of guano as well!

Drove for a couple of hours and then stopped at Org de Rac, an organic winery. We tried some white, rose, and a couple of reds.

They were good but I have had better. 2 or 3 more hours and we were back in Cape Town. Wow.....where has the 30 days gone????? It was a lot of fun and it went by so fast. We were always on the go with lots of things to see and do, especially all the animals! 8400 km in total, and we only flew from Cape Town to Johanneseburg! What a super trip!

Spent the afternoon drinking coffee and talking....I can not believe we were sitting after being so long on the bus each day! Oh well...it was fun. Out for dinner with a few people and then some drinks after at the bar with some others. Lots of laughs, reminiscing about the trip. Close the bar, but it closed at 11 pm!


February 14, Lamberts Bay, South Africa

Off at 8 am, with a short drive to border and then on bus. A long day, arrival at 5.30 pm.
The drive was around smaller mountains/hills on paved roads, but there was a lot of construction. The land is very dry and in places there was no vegetation at all.

Mostly small shrubs, at most 2 feet tall. The only animals I saw were goats.

Off to dinner for a fish fry! This place is a open air shack on the beach in the middle of nowhere! They bbq fish as well as smoked. The fish was amazing... I ate way too much!


February 13, Notorshama Resort, on Orange river, Namibia

An 8 am start and arrived at Resort about 2 pm. A short day as we are just across the river from South Africa. A beautiful resort, with great rooms. Ended up just stiing around and talking and going for a swim. What a lazy day. Of course caught up with internet stuff.....after all it had been a couple of days!
We made a stop at the Fish River Canyon.

This canyon is the second largest n the world, so they say, next to the Grand Canyon. This canyon was formed by tectonic activity, not errosion. Beautiful. Also nice as we were able to take an hour to walk along the ridge of the canyon. There is a 5 day walk along the river but the season for doing it is limited, by heat and flooding. Great place, and nice to get out.

Amazing trip here.....I checked google maps at one point and we were not drving on any roads...they are really just dirt roads! We drove along the river where there are many large grape farms. These are table grapes, I have not seen any Namibian wines. Most of the grapes are exported.


February 12 Seeheim, Namibia

Left the camp about 8.30. it is all gravel roads here... some pretty good, some not so good! Stopped at Hammerstein Lodge for the guide but we ended up on a game walk. This lodge has 2 cheetahs, 1 leopard and 2 caracos (lynx like cats) that are here to be rehabilitated, although they will not be able to be released back into the wild. The leopard used to be the pet of the owners son.... the son now has a hunting game farm nearby. This is where the lodge gets the meat for the cats.

Arrived at hotel about 4 pm. A long day on bus. This hotel, the Seeheim Hotel is a beautiful stone building that dates back to the late 1800s. It has been added onto but they have kept some of the original stone style. Very nice.

It is run by a couple and it is the only business in town....there are only 2 other houses. A great place for just relaxing.

They served a buffet that included zebra as the meat, done in a stroganoff style sauce. Really quite good.

February 11, Sesriem, Namibia

Up very early as wanted to be at park gates when they opened at sunrise! Good thing a woman from the UK had her kettle to plug in! I got my coffee!

We went to Dune 45 to climb up the edge of the dune. Cool in morning with a lot of mist on top of the dunes and along the bottom. The guide has only seen this 2 times before. Lots of people around and walking up the dune.

Amazing views from the top, of the mist and the other dunes. This one is about 400 metres high.

Then a few minutes down the road into another open truck for a ride along a dry river bed to the Dead Pan. This is an area that a sand dune blocked any water from getting into. As a result the trees died. It was like the landscape of another planet!On the way back we stopped at a gorge/canyon. They called int Sesriem Canyon but really a deep gorge. Sesriem, meaning 6 riems, as it required 6 lengths of cow leather fashioned as a rope to lower into the gorge to get out water.

The sides are too deep for animals, but we found our way down. Very hot as there is no wind but very interesting. The walls are made of rounded river rock stone and compressed sand, so hard almost like concrete!
Stopped at restaurant just inside the park gates, they had great coffee, and then a short 20 minute walk back to campsite. It is probably 40 degrees C. So into pool, relaxing around the pool.

Dinner was cooked by guide again. This time an excellent leg of lamb done on the braai (bbq).



February 10, Sesriem, Namibia

An 8 am start, a 5 hour drive and arrived at Sesriem, a camping site on the edge of the Namib National Park. This park runs along the coast of most of the country!

This camp site is luxury! Each site has a shower, with hot water (solar), toilet and kitchen sink. With lots of shade on a brick deck. We had 4 tents sharing the site. Super place. It is on the edge of the desert, and although fenced there was still some impala and jackals running through the camp ground.
We got the tent set up and off to the pool. Small and cold but still felt great! Guide cooked a super dinner.


February 9 Swakopmund, Namibia

Relaxing morning but on the jeep by 8 am. This morning doing the Living Desert Adventure tour with Chris. Wow.
This guy is so passionate and enthusiastic about the dunes and desert! He found critters that no one else could even see! They were buried in the sand.

A gecko that is nocturnal, and white dancing spider that was buried as well, and legless lizard that was super fast burrowing in the sand, a chameleon and a snake!

The dunes are multi coloured, yellow, red, white and black. The black is magnetized. A great tour... but I can not remember the names of any of the critters!

Dropped laundry off to get washed and then headed down the beach for a walk.
That was after having some great coffee from a local roaster.
The beach was nice but the water was much to cold to swim! I don't know how some of the people could stand it, my ankles went numb!


February 8 Swakopmund, Namibia

Camp broke and on the road by 7 am......too many early mornings....but at least got some coffee!
Breakfast at small restaurant about 8.30. We arrived about 3 pm. Very nice clean city right on the Atlantic with sand dunes a couple of blocks down the street.

The drive was great with the landscape changing every couple of hours....it got progressively drier!
Out for a walk to beach and then dinner on the beach. Feels cool with the wind off the ocean but still about 21 degrees! All relative!

February 7, Etosha National Park, Namibia

Up very early for a 7 am game drive. Nice as we were able to have coffee before breakfast. Some quiet time. The CEO made breakfast. Hard boiled eggs, bread and muesli.

This is an all day game drive. Again, amazing. The landscape changed within the park. Some areas very green and others were completely void of grass...only short 1 foot shrubs!

Great as in one spot was the well known single tree with barren landscape expected of an African landscape. We drove by the Etosha pan, a large shallow lake that only has water 3 or 4 days a year! Amazing. We went to the other national park for lunch. On the way back we got caught in a thunderstorm and heavy rain. We are in an open truck with bench seats set up in the back. There is a roof but the front and sides are wide open. Well the top part of us got very wet.

But the rain only last about 10 minutes. In that time the area was covered in water. The ground is so flat that it barely runs anywhere, it just sits there. We were dry in 15 minutes. It is very dry.

Then we hit another thunderstorm... even better thunder and lightning....almost up to prairie standards!

The animals this time included 3 or 4 male lions..this first we have seen, a slender mongoose, several birds, an elephant (covered in white mud), giraffes, wildebeests, impalas, steenboks, spring bucks and many birds. Wow, I don't know how else to describe it.

We got back to the camp and it started to rain. Just before we got back the wind was very strong.. it blew down 1 tent and moved several. Ours was fine! It rained for about 2 hours. Most just soaked into the ground and was gone.

Not a problem, just had happy hour, most in the camp kitchen and a few outside the shower block, under the eave. The CEO was cooking dinner. A super dinner, the steak was very very good, with salads, squash, carrots, and garlic bread. For dessert, roasted marshmallows over the fire. Hard to believe that some had never had them.! Also some amarula, a liqueur made from the fruit of an African tree. Very good! All this time the jackals were trying to steal the food. For wild animals they were very close to us.. within about 3 feet...but then there was lots of food around.
I keep thinking that it can not get better...but it does!


February 6, Etosha National Park, Namibia

On the road at 8, with about a 7 hour drive.
The country side changed every couple of hours. Windhoek is very hilly and then suddenly very flat. There were spots where there was a lot of water on the ground and in holes. Must have been a good rain, but limited in the area it covered. There must be some rain here as it if fairly green. This changes as well as in places there is no grass and the shrubs look like they are dead. Very dry.

We are camping in the park. It is very nice. We got camp set up and then out in the bus for a game drive. Once again amazing the number and kinds of animals spotted. Giraffes, hyenas, wildebeest, oryx and more lions. The lions were sleeping along side of the road under a tree. We are so close! All of this in 1 hour!

Back to the camp and out to the restaurant. They had eland steaks on the menu. Actually pretty good. No game taste. Then wandered down to the water hole to spot animals. Not much going on except the weavers in their huge nests were very noisy! Apparently there is a snake that is making its way through the various holes. I did not see it, but then I did not stand under the nest!


February 5, Windhoek, Namibia

Up early for a Bushman walk at 6 am. Another early morning. The same people as last night gave us a demonstrator of the medicines they get from the bush. They have remedies for toothache, infertility in women, diarrhea and constipation, as well as headaches and mosquito repellent.
On the road by 8 am, cross the border into Namibia and arrived in Windhoek at 4.
IT was a very easy crossing. There has not been much traffic on the highway which is a surprise as it is the only crossing for miles.

This city is very modern and clean. Many high rise buildings with more under construction. Apparently there is a strong German background.

February 4, Ghanzi, Bushman hut, Botswana

Up at 5.30 and back in boats by 7 am for trip back. Tired but feeling good after a great sleep.
In the dugouts for 1 1/2 hours then on the bus for 1 1/2 hours . Picked up luggage and then off.
Short stop at grocery store then on the highway. Arrived about 4 pm at the Bushman huts. Here we stay in huts used by the Sand Bushmen. These are huts about8 to 10 feet in diameter and completely thatched. Only a door, not window, and the door is made out of reeds. No hinges. These are a bit of luxury as the floor is concrete and there are metal beds with mattresses and mosquito net.

Just had coffee in afternoon and of course a shower. Everything is outdoors and pretty open. It was hilarious as while in shower had a chat with the 3 others having showers in the next stalls . That is a first. But felt great.
Dinner and then had a bushman dance and song show. Very interesting. These people are small in stature but can they sing and move.


February 3, Camping on island in Okavango Delta, Botswana

Out of hotel by 8.30 and on the road. Asphalt for 45 minutes and then a sand road for another 45 minutes to the launching place on the river.

In dugouts, morcano (?), which are poled through grasses, reeds, cat tails and very tall bamboo like grass. Amazing place with lots of water lilies in purple and white. How these people handle the boat is amazing.

They are the local community that provides the transport and helps out in camp.
We tented on an island. We even had to clear the campground of grass before we could set up the tents. That done they told us about the poisonous snakes and scorpions that are in the area!

Oh well all is good. Several went for a swim even though the water is very warm and not that deep. I got a lesson on how to pole from one of the ladies. Very tough to steer, and balance the boat! one other guy ended up off the end of the boat in the water. Too funny! Everyone is having lots of laughs.

Then at 4.30 we headed off for a 2 1/2 hour bush walk. The ground is covered in short grass and lots of thorny pushes. There were hundreds of aardvark holes where they were digging for ants but we did not see any as they are nocturnal. Saw some buffalo, giraffe, hippo, and lots of tracks along the watering hole.
Happy hour went we got back and then dinner. We had bought some wine.

After dinner the people that poled us out did a song and dance demonstration. Excellent. Amazing voices and moves but most important, they seem to be enjoying themselves. Especially after cleaning up all the wine! 4 litres gone in no time.... but they did have some help, I had to taste just to make sure it was good! A very nice South African Merlot.


February 2, Maun, Botswana

Just a day of travel but did arrive in Maun fairly early in afternoon.
Nice to arrive early and not have anything planned, So sat and had real coffee and used internet. It had been 2 or 3 days without. Everyone sitting around catching up on internet, myself included.

Wifi has not been great if available... I will try to post when I can.
We are heading out camping tomorrow on the Okavango Delta, Botswana!
What an amazing bunch of countries!

February 1, Elephant Sands Lodge, 1 hour from nowhere! Botswana

Up early in morning and on the truck for a game drive through Chobe National Park, the same park as last night. This park does not have any fences so animals are free to roam.

The exciting part about this drive is that we saw a leopard. I do not know how it got spotted as I had trouble finding it even after it was pointed out. Amazing as it came down the tree and was on the hunt for some warthogs! Wow, we are so lucky! Got lots of pictures, you can see the intensity in her eyes! Also saw jackals, giraffe, and striped mongoose. There were lots of impala but these did not run away when we came up to them. Nice to see them up close. I spotted a red bird in a tree. Turned out to be the elusive and rare red fruit bird! Actually a red fruit, period! Oh well, at least we all had a good laugh.

Many guinea fowl, fish eagles, with hippos and elephants down on the river.
Wow, another amazing trip!

Back on the bus for a 3 hour drive to Elephant sands.

Just driving along the highway there were ostrich, elephants, giraffe.
Elephant Sands Lodge is an amazing place. 50,000 acres of brush land and no fences. But the main feature is the watering hole in the middle, right between the luxury tents and the bar. Here elephants have the right of way, they are much bigger. It is not a posted elephant crosswalk but not hard to work out where their paths are. This is the best live entertainment ever.

At times there must have been 25 elephants in this small hole. According to the owners, the watering hole was there and they built the lodge around the watering hole. Strange at night listening to the elephants trumpet or watching the dominant bull take charge of the watering hole. Here the accommodation was luxury tents. Huge with private showers. Power only from 6 pm to 10 pm which came from a generator.

We went out for a bush walk for about 2 hours. The guide did carry a gun but he has not shot it for 2 years. So weird at the start when you are watching elephants go by and sneaking up on giraffes. We did not get close to the giraffe but that is ok. They are very shy. That was about it for animals but there were lots of birds. The bee catchers were out in full force as the termites were flying getting ready to settle new nests. There was also a dung beetle nest, indicated by the piles of sand around the elephant dung.

Bush walk, find the elephant!

The guide also showed us how to make bushman soap. He saw a snake but it was gone before the rest of us had a chance to see it. Maybe a good thing as the snakes here are very poisonous! But there was one at the bar when we got back... just a little one, a purerona (I think). Apparently this is a non poisonous egg eater snake that is resident but it did not come out to visit.
With only a few lights around, the sky was full of stars, and all very easy to see. Another amazing place where it would be great to stay a few more nights!


January 31, Chobe River, Botswana

We are right on the border of Botswana, Zambia and Namibia
Off from hotel for short drive to river. Exited Zambia, then on a ferry to cross river. The ferry held 1 semi truck and maybe a couple of cars but that was it. The line up was huge... not sure how long people/trucks had to wait. We just walked on. A 10 minute ride and after entering Botswana! Wow another country.
A 1 hour drive and at lodge.

Then we took a 3 hour boat cruise on the Chobe River. The river is the border between Namibia and Botswana. A great flat deck pontoon boat. Another amazing trip! We saw a monitor lizard and hippos right away. Then we saw hundreds of hippos including some young ones. Great to see them grazing on the grassy island. There were also many elephants. Great to see a couple of them having a mud bath and then a light dusting.

And we were so close to them.