Of black maned lions and rampaging hippos

[bPeteb]

Small crocs on the Angolan river bank. Weaver birds. Water monitor.


Lots of people farming on small plots of land. The nibbles were opened up and we nibbled away. We had a Dutch couple on board with us, all kitted up in safari gear. We tried to chat but they weren’t hugely interested.

Fabian explained that there was no limitation on Angolans accessing Nambia, or vice versa. They come across for school, work and to shop.

the bubbles was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too sweet but we drank it nevertheless



Further upstream from the hotel were a number of large homes and a campground. We watched the sunset from up there.


Greeted when we came back to the lodge (three boats went out) with an amazing welcome of singing and dancing. It was fantastic. I wish we could post little videos on here. Can't be bothered posting them to youtube then adding links.

 

[bPeteb]

Dinner was an extensive buffet. Buffets are much easier to cater for at remotely located camps.



wine for the night


The milky way was on full display above the camp when we went back to the cottage.

 

[bPeteb]

Fri, 9 Aug

An excellent buffet breakfast. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from this beautiful lodge

Some more from around the lodge before we left, including yet another beautiful sunrise

 

[bPeteb]

645km drive to Etosha Village. The longest drive of the trip.

Mostly sealed roads. Smiles on everyone’s faces as things were soon to get very bumpy as we progressed into Namibia.

It’s a funny group. They don’t really want to deviate from the itinerary. We were passing the Otavi Mountain range and were within a few kilometres of the Hoba meteorite Hoba meteorite - Wikipedia and Mishel asked if anyone wanted to go and see it. Just Al, me and our Italian geology guy so it was a no.

Some pics from the drive

 

[bPeteb]

Just a few kilometres from our lodge giraffes started appearing in the scrub along the side of the road. Hopefully a sign of things to come.


We stayed at Etosha Village Stay at Etosha Village, Namibia - Affordable Accommodation & Camping only 2km form the Okaukuejo entrance to Etosha National Park and it was another amazing lodge. Campground and cottages. A couple of pools, a great bar and multiple open air dining spaces.


The individual cottages spread around a huge site and ours was on the outer edge with nothing but bush off our porch.


As we walked back up to the room after putting our laundry in, and maybe pausing for a couple of beers (it was super hot), we came across these two, who we called Bruce and Jenny. Two zebras just strolling around. Incredible. They hung around outside our cottage for ages.


out of our bathroom window

 

[bPeteb]

Two Kiboko groups were staying at the lodge plus some smaller German groups. Fellow AFFer kpc was on the northbound Kiboko trip. kpc and his lovely partner came over and introduced themselves


and we had a great chat about what each of us had seen and done. We were warned that the roads were about to get bad. We thought we’d already experienced bad, but they were right!!

Yet another excellent buffet with a whole lot of different game meats on offer and we tried them all. Oh, and maybe some of the dessert offerings as well



We stood outside our cottage in the pitch black and just stared up at the incredible display of stars. Even brighter than at Hakusembe, even if the moon is getting bigger and brighter

 

[RooFlyer]

We thought we’d already experienced bad, but they were right!!

going the other way, my oath they are right!

 

[RooFlyer]

@bPeteb did you and Al also @kpc take malaria prophylaxis tablets? My travel doctor said take them if you want but probably not essential if using covering clothes and insect repellent. I decided to take them and I started yesterday, being the day before, but it affected my sleep quite a lot.

i’m tempted not to take them any more, but what do you think?

 

[bPeteb]

@bPeteb did you and Al also @kpc take malaria prophylaxis tablets? My travel doctor said take them if you want but probably not essential if using covering clothes and insect repellent. I decided to take them and I started yesterday, being the day before, but it affected my sleep quite a lot.

i’m tempted not to take them any more, but what do you think?

No, we didn’t take anything for malaria RF. Both rabies and typhoid, bAlt also cholera and Hep

 

[Quickstatus]

@RooFlyer
From the CDC Yellow Book 2024

 

[kpc]

@bPeteb did you and Al also @kpc take malaria prophylaxis tablets? My travel doctor said take them if you want but probably not essential if using covering clothes and insect repellent. I decided to take them and I started yesterday, being the day before, but it affected my sleep quite a lot.

i’m tempted not to take them any more, but what do you think?

Yes we are taking antimalarials....malarone to be specific and tomorrow is last dose

We are risk adverse, and also travelled to Botswana, Vic Falls and Eswatini where I believe there is malaria but low risk as dry season. We did not take rabies vaccine but stayed clear of baboons, monkeys, seals, dogs etc.

 

[RooFlyer]

Were evening mozzies evident at Etosha? Or any time?

 

[kpc]

Were evening mozzies evident at Etosha? Or any time?

Don't recall but there were a few in Botswana. I guess everyone will need to make their own informed decision

 

[bPeteb]

Were evening mozzies evident at Etosha? Or any time?

Saw none at Etosha. A couple at Hakusembe. We just applied repellent then didn’t bother after there.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks. I'm risk averse also @kpc but if it’s going to muck up my sleep even more, that’s to make the balance against taking taking malarone. I have two types of Deet insect repellent so they are going to get a workout

 

[bPeteb]

Cannot beloved that this absolutely amazing trip is just about over. We’re sat in the BA lounge enjoying some SA bubbles, and maybe a red or two, before heading back on QF64.

Decided to bring ourselves down, way down, by visiting the Apartheid Museum this morning.

I’d get myself banned here if I write what I really feel about the people who created apartheid. Sadly there are way too many around the world, including in Australia, who continue to espouse right wing white supremacist views.

I’ll get the rest of my trip report written, and photos edited, during the flight home, ready for upload when we get back.

 

[kpc]

Decided to bring ourselves down, way down, by visiting the Apartheid Museum this morning.

We were planning to go last Wed am but on Tuesday we went to the Constitution Hill Human Rights Precinct including the first prison where many of SA leaders was kept for many years like Nelson Mandela, Albertina Zisulu, and Winni Mandela.

We also visited the Hector Pieterson Memorial which detailed the Soweto uprising in 1976.

.....and that was more than enough for us.

So we went to Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton on Wed am and explored the high end retail and restaurants of JoBurg instead.

 

[bPeteb]

Away we go. Ready, not ready, to come home

 

[bPeteb]

We were planning to go last Wed am but on Tuesday we went to the Constitution Hill Human Rights Precinct including the first prison where many of SA leaders was kept for many years like Nelson Mandela, Albertina Zisulu, and Winni Mandela.

We also visited the Hector Pieterson Memorial which detailed the Soweto uprising in 1976.

.....and that was more than enough for us.

So we went to Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton on Wed am and explored the high end retail and restaurants of JoBurg instead.

Constitution Hill was just a ‘in hindsight’ unacceptably flying visit. We could have spent half a day there.

No shopping for us. Our bags today weighed exactly what they did when we left home

 

[RooFlyer]

Just arrived Etosha Safari Lodge - close to where you were, a bit further away from the park entrance.

No Bruce and Jenny seen but yes, some giraffes about