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.