Into Namibia

Day 9 Sunday March 9th 2008
From Botswana to Etosha Game Reserve, Namibia - Namutoni Camp

As we didn't have to pack up the tent, we were on the road as the sun crested the horizon! The border post was quick and efficient and we were through in minutes! A quick stop for fuel at Dvumba (where the petrol attendant told us that one Pula = one Namibian Dollar - he must have thought we were total idiots!) and we were on our way.

The roads are in excellent condition, tarred, wide, and with no stray animals peppering the area as in Botswana. We made excellent time and I calculated that we would be at Etosha shortly after lunch. Browsing the map, I noticed there was a National Monument Baobab tree only a short distance (as the crow flies) from our route. I suggested to Simon we have a look. Oops.

The tarred roads are excellent. The gravel roads are in good condition too - but they sure do slow you down plenty!

We made it to the baobab in time for lunch, then it's about a 10 minute walk through private property to actually get to the tree. I've seen baobabs before, larger than this one, but this is the first time I've seen one with a split trunk. My arm span is about 1.5 m/5ft, and look how little of the tree I managed to cover with a full spread! I balanced the camera on an information stone there so that we could use the auto function - so here I am! (For all those who've been asking why there have been no photos of me, I'm usually behind the camera. Here's me now. Happy? Heheheheh)

I also wanted to go see the Hoba meteorite but I stuffed up and didn't. Totally my fault, and it meant we got to Etosha really late. Simon was understandably cross with me and I was very subdued for the rest of the afternoon.

They were very quick and efficient at the gates and it was only a few minutes before we got to the camp. Good thing too, as we only had a few minutes to set up the tent and the gazebo before the heavens let loose with a major rain storm. It poured down and the wind whipped the rain into a sideways angle. Simon cleverly rigged the ground sheet on the side of the gazebo and we huddled under the cover and waited it out. Well, I huddled. I was wet, cold and miserable. Simon is apparently impervious to cold. Most offensive! ;o)

The rain eased off after a while and we got out the makings of some tea and fried picnic ham over the burner for dinner. Picnic ham AGAIN!

Suddenly I noticed we were not alone and pointed out our visitor. A black-backed jackal was just outside the line of light, hovering on the edges of the camp. He had obviously smelled the picnic ham and was hoping for a hand out. Eagle-eyes Simon spotted the second, more cautious, jackal further back in the darkness. We found out later that Etosha has a problem with these animals entering into the camp and scavenging, made worse because people do feed them. They are very cute, but it's not good for folk to encourage them. They carry rabies and, when somebody gets bitten, it's the jackal that gets shot, not the dumbass who provoked it!

As we'd had a long day and it was too cold and wet to do much, we packed up and went to bed early. (By the way, this habit of going to bed early is hard to shake. Even now I find I'm nodding off by about 20h30 - a month later!) ;o)

Tomorrow we go looking for big game!