Well hi everyone, sorry it has taken awhile for me to get back onto the blog, but after we left Etosha (Onguma) we drove along the Caprivi towards Botswana and stayed at Ngepi Camp. It was quite flooded and the causeway was almost up to my thighs in places. There is just so much water around it is quite unbelievable.
We then drove through to Maun and spent 4 nights at Sitatunga Camp sorting out everything. We have got a guy servicing the vehicle while we are away which will be great.
We managed to catch up with Brendon & Caz at Ngepi and Gazza's which was great - I will try and attach some photos later today. Lovely to meet Brendon's wife and fab to catch up with him as well.
We flew home on Thursday - we both left Maun and on arrival into Jo'burg I had a vehicle meet me and quickly take me to the airport and the transfer lounge as I had a very tight connection (which in truth I didn't think I would make)! Fortunately Air Botswana had fantastic ground crew and got me onto my flight to Sydney eventually. Then when I got to Sydney I had to transfer to the domestic terminal for my flight to Brisbane - it was delayed so arrived around 6.45pm.
Dad, Maureen, Kerri & Ken were there to meet me and it was fantastic to finally have arrived and see them all. We drove back to Dad & Maureens place and had a lovely dinner and caught up with all the gossip.
Last night we had Maureen's kids Carla & Rueben over for a BBQ (also Carla's two kids who have grown up heaps and Tony her boyfriend). We all had a lovely night and was great to catch up with them all.
Today Dad & Maureen are taking me for a drive around this area to see all the changes and just to see the area they live in - might be able to have a nice lunch on the water somewhere.
Well I will try and upload some photos later.
Love & hugs to all xxx (Martin I miss you darling - very quiet without you)!!
Sunday 19 April 2009
Thursday 9 April 2009
Well last night we went on another night drive, didn't see very much, but we really enjoy them!
This morning we decided to go into Etosha again in our own car, we got a packed breakfast and headed out about 6.15am. We hadn't been around Fischers Pan so decided to do the long trel round and up to Tsumcor and Stinkwater. Saw quite a few water birds and some plains game, but not much else.
We then headed down past Namutoni to Chardop and then onto Kalkhewel. When we left Chardop we came across 2 cheetah walking across the plains - fantastic to see. It was a mother and her youngster - watched them for a while and then headed onto the next waterhole.
As there is so much water around everywhere due to the heavy rains they have had not many of the animals are going to the waterholes to drink. We saw loads of zebra, springbok, oryx, jackals, impala and loads of fantastic birds.
Hope you are all well love and hugs to all xxx
This morning we decided to go into Etosha again in our own car, we got a packed breakfast and headed out about 6.15am. We hadn't been around Fischers Pan so decided to do the long trel round and up to Tsumcor and Stinkwater. Saw quite a few water birds and some plains game, but not much else.
We then headed down past Namutoni to Chardop and then onto Kalkhewel. When we left Chardop we came across 2 cheetah walking across the plains - fantastic to see. It was a mother and her youngster - watched them for a while and then headed onto the next waterhole.
As there is so much water around everywhere due to the heavy rains they have had not many of the animals are going to the waterholes to drink. We saw loads of zebra, springbok, oryx, jackals, impala and loads of fantastic birds.
Hope you are all well love and hugs to all xxx
Wednesday 8 April 2009
On this is so annonying, I have been trying to put some photots on for the last 20 minutes (well just one actually) and it is still thinking about it! I am not sure that I will be able to attach any phots - sorry!
We are now staying on the east side outside Etosha and our lodge is fantastic! It is Onguma Plains Camp or The Fort. It is so relaxing and we have decided to stay an extra night here.
We went on a night drive last night which was cool - 2 lovely guys with us who made it all very relaxed and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves even though we didn't see too much.
This morning when we were having breakfast we had a group of wildebeest decided to start running across in front of us. Martin was wondering what made them run and I told him they are just stupid animals. Anyway they got to a lovely big tree which they were resting under yesterday and all stopped. It seems that they just wanted to get to the tree first - there were about 35 zebras also walking the same way.
Well I told Martin that they were like the Germans although they didn't have any towels to lay out so they just all had to run to get there first!!
Hope you are all fit & well? Love and hugs to all xx
We are now staying on the east side outside Etosha and our lodge is fantastic! It is Onguma Plains Camp or The Fort. It is so relaxing and we have decided to stay an extra night here.
We went on a night drive last night which was cool - 2 lovely guys with us who made it all very relaxed and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves even though we didn't see too much.
This morning when we were having breakfast we had a group of wildebeest decided to start running across in front of us. Martin was wondering what made them run and I told him they are just stupid animals. Anyway they got to a lovely big tree which they were resting under yesterday and all stopped. It seems that they just wanted to get to the tree first - there were about 35 zebras also walking the same way.
Well I told Martin that they were like the Germans although they didn't have any towels to lay out so they just all had to run to get there first!!
Hope you are all fit & well? Love and hugs to all xx
Monday 6 April 2009
Hi
Dee has handed the computer over to me.
After three and a half months on the road I feel we have had an awesome time and I'm at last starting to see a bit more of South Africa Namibia & Botswana. This is the first time I have had time and not been on a tight schedule. We have tried to keep out of most of the major towns as much as possible as I feel that this is where the biggest problem is with security as anywhere in the world. We only go in if there is safe parking.
Dee is slowly converting me to camping. At Anderson Camp I was actually looking foward to the next two days back at a campsite in our own trailer tent. I seem to sleep better and its nice to know where everything is and its enjoyable to just be on our own again. The trailer has been great and there have been no problems with it and it's starting to feel like home. I am still only a fair weather camper - when it's raining it's nice to be in a room with an en-suite bathroom.
The Land Cruiser has had a few problems; first off the towball wasn't strong enough so Bushwakka had to make up a new bracket and weld it to the back bumper, but Lesotho tested it to it's maximum, going up and down the steep passes. In hindsight we should have left the trailer at a campsite as we burnt out the brakes on the trailer and the vehicle, so for the next 1000 miles the car had to do all the braking until we reached Windhoek and then Bossie & Jackie at Chameleon got the car serviced and tightened up the trailer brakes to work as best they could.
I had to take out the electronic fuel management as it could not seem to cope with the heat and the weight of the trailer. Since then (touch wood) we have not had any engine problems. There are a few more things for me to fix; the sliding roof still leaks, but Bushwakka were kind enough to make us a cover for the whole roof so that has temporarily fixed the problem.
Mark Atton's drawers in the back have worked really well and this is our secure and dust free area in the car.
The fuel consumption is high about 4km per litre when towing, this is probably because I estimate the total weight of the car and trailer is in excess of 5 tonnes. I am slowly working at stopping all the squeaks and rattles as they drive me mad!
I thought travelling by ourselves would be easy and less tiring than on a truck or package trip, but it has proved very tiring as it is stay 1, 2 or 3 nights then move on. We didn't build enough rest days into the itinerary (Martin didn't want any more when I did the itinerary in UK). I feel I have tested Dee's paitence to the limit, when I get tired and things go wrong and I start mispronucing names and forget the name of where we are meant to be going.
God knows how she puts up with me 24/7?? I still wonder why I put up with myself sometimes. I think it is testing her love for me to the maximum, it's a great break when we see friends and have someone else to talk to and hear about all that they are doing.
Most of the game lodges have been fantastic, one or two however have been disappointing, it's usually down to poor management or guides. In the later it is usually when they haven't bothered to find out what we have seen and know and then treat you like it is your first game trip and don't listen to what you want to see. I suppose we have been spoilt by having some of the very best guides in the Kruger area. I am finding it a great adventure and definitely is living my dream.
Good luck and love to you all xxx
Dee has handed the computer over to me.
After three and a half months on the road I feel we have had an awesome time and I'm at last starting to see a bit more of South Africa Namibia & Botswana. This is the first time I have had time and not been on a tight schedule. We have tried to keep out of most of the major towns as much as possible as I feel that this is where the biggest problem is with security as anywhere in the world. We only go in if there is safe parking.
Dee is slowly converting me to camping. At Anderson Camp I was actually looking foward to the next two days back at a campsite in our own trailer tent. I seem to sleep better and its nice to know where everything is and its enjoyable to just be on our own again. The trailer has been great and there have been no problems with it and it's starting to feel like home. I am still only a fair weather camper - when it's raining it's nice to be in a room with an en-suite bathroom.
The Land Cruiser has had a few problems; first off the towball wasn't strong enough so Bushwakka had to make up a new bracket and weld it to the back bumper, but Lesotho tested it to it's maximum, going up and down the steep passes. In hindsight we should have left the trailer at a campsite as we burnt out the brakes on the trailer and the vehicle, so for the next 1000 miles the car had to do all the braking until we reached Windhoek and then Bossie & Jackie at Chameleon got the car serviced and tightened up the trailer brakes to work as best they could.
I had to take out the electronic fuel management as it could not seem to cope with the heat and the weight of the trailer. Since then (touch wood) we have not had any engine problems. There are a few more things for me to fix; the sliding roof still leaks, but Bushwakka were kind enough to make us a cover for the whole roof so that has temporarily fixed the problem.
Mark Atton's drawers in the back have worked really well and this is our secure and dust free area in the car.
The fuel consumption is high about 4km per litre when towing, this is probably because I estimate the total weight of the car and trailer is in excess of 5 tonnes. I am slowly working at stopping all the squeaks and rattles as they drive me mad!
I thought travelling by ourselves would be easy and less tiring than on a truck or package trip, but it has proved very tiring as it is stay 1, 2 or 3 nights then move on. We didn't build enough rest days into the itinerary (Martin didn't want any more when I did the itinerary in UK). I feel I have tested Dee's paitence to the limit, when I get tired and things go wrong and I start mispronucing names and forget the name of where we are meant to be going.
God knows how she puts up with me 24/7?? I still wonder why I put up with myself sometimes. I think it is testing her love for me to the maximum, it's a great break when we see friends and have someone else to talk to and hear about all that they are doing.
Most of the game lodges have been fantastic, one or two however have been disappointing, it's usually down to poor management or guides. In the later it is usually when they haven't bothered to find out what we have seen and know and then treat you like it is your first game trip and don't listen to what you want to see. I suppose we have been spoilt by having some of the very best guides in the Kruger area. I am finding it a great adventure and definitely is living my dream.
Good luck and love to you all xxx
Well we are now staying inside Etosha National Park, last night was our first night at Halali which is the middle campsite in the Park. We had the honey badger come through and go through the rubbish bins last night - what a noise!
Maxene thanks for the two messages and hopefully we can catch up when I get home to NZ at some stage.
Leanne we saw one of your trucks at the cheetah farm a girl called Julie and Steve the driver (I think) I remember him from Aardvark days.
As there has been so much rain here it has left alot of make shift ponds and puddles arouind the park and therefore the animals are not really drinking at the waterholes. It is lovely to see the park so green and we have seen literally thousands of zebra and springbok everyday.
Well hope you are all well love and hugs to all xxx
Maxene thanks for the two messages and hopefully we can catch up when I get home to NZ at some stage.
Leanne we saw one of your trucks at the cheetah farm a girl called Julie and Steve the driver (I think) I remember him from Aardvark days.
As there has been so much rain here it has left alot of make shift ponds and puddles arouind the park and therefore the animals are not really drinking at the waterholes. It is lovely to see the park so green and we have seen literally thousands of zebra and springbok everyday.
Well hope you are all well love and hugs to all xxx
Friday 3 April 2009
Skeleton Coast National Park Gateway!!
Well sorry once again, but we have been in areas where there has been no access for the wireless. I think we left off when we were leaving Swakopmund. We then drove north up the Skeleton Coast which is an amazing drive - the scenery is stunning to say the least! All those guys that were ship wrecked off that coast and made it ashore must have thought that they wished they had drowned. It is a very desolute coast with lots of sand dunes, no water and hardly and vegetation.
We drove up to Terrace Bay which is as far north as you can drive - loads of people go up there to go fishing. We had the one night and then made our way to Palmwag which is in Damaraland so desert elephant country and also the rhino.
Namibia has had alot of rain this year so it was amazing to see everything so green, I have been here about 6 times now and have never seen the country like this! We did some game drives and also one walk at Palmwag. On our last drive we saw a bull desert elephant and so decided to walk up closer to see him. Only trouble was that he had moved when we parked the car and we actually walked past him rather close - too close really, but Me Gusto our guide was very professional and got us behind a bush and at a safe distance. The elephant then decided to come our way and so we had to cross a river which was water over the ankles (wet shoes), but who cares as we got out of his way and watched him from the other side of the river for awhile. He didn't want to move too fast anywhere so Me Gusto walked very carefully back to the car and came and picked us up - very special to see these desert elephants as there are only about 700 of them left in the wild.
They have got much longer legs than the savannah elephants and their feet are much bigger as well. We only got to see the one, but as there has been so much rain they are very widely spread out as water is obtainable at so many different places. We didn't manage to see any of the desert adapted rhino or lions this time.
I will try and attach a couple of photos now but may have to recharge the battries first. Lots of love to all xxx
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