Blogs from Okahandja, Namibia, Africa

Erstaunlich früh sind alle auf den Beinen am Tag des großen Festes. Um 11 Uhr fliegen auch schon die ersten Gäste mit dem kleinen Buschflieger auf der Nachbarfarm ein und müssen abgeholt werden. Außerdem müssen die schulpflichtigen Kinder der Angestellten von insgesamt drei Internaten eingesammelt werden, was sich als eine etwas schwierige und langfristige Aktion herausstellt. Fehlende Sektgläser werden noch in Omaruru abgeholt, große Mengen Kartoffelsalat geschnippelt und die Tische im Rivier dekoriert. Riesige Mengen an Speisen werden ins Kühlhaus getragen, wo es empfindlich nach Blut riecht und neben den köstlichen Kuchen und Vorspeisenplatten auch ein paar enthäutete Oryx hängen. Alle Gäste bringen hier Essen mit und mir schwant dass das ein ziemlich maßloser Abend werden könnte. In aller Herrgottsfrühe kam heute doch noch das Zelt aus Windhoek an und wurde stundenlang aufgebaut. ... read more

This weekend we went to Erindi Game Reserve which was the most amazing experience of our lives!! We saw so many wonderful and beautiful animals that it would be terribly boring if we recounted the whole thing but we will use the next 2 blogs to give you the highlights. Erindi is a 72,000 hectacre privately owned game reserve about 2 hours north of Windhoek. Even on the drive to the park we saw baboons, ostrich, kudu and springbok. As we were driving into the reserve Pam played the soundtrack from Out of Africa which was quite apropos. There is a very fancy lodge on the property and one of their goals is to fatten up all of the humans (they feed you 5-6 times a day). About an hour after lunch every day they have ... read more

Found this internet cafe on my way back. Lot to say about the last 3 days. Well worth it. Have been doing a lot more driving than I anticipated, excuse the spelling, trying to type fast. Entered Etosha from the south, just above Outjo, stayed at the western most camp, Okaukuejo, very nice place! Climbed a lookout tower and saw a giraffe moving left to right towards the park road. Hopped in car and intercepted it, was about 150 feet from it, saw zebra, wildebest, orxk, springbok. All park roads are dirt and drivable at 40 mpg, but you want to go slower to see animals. Signed up for the 8pm to 11:30pm guided safari. Driver uses a spot light to point out animals, did not see as much as when I drove, but it was ... read more

May 11, Friday More Dunes, Some Atlantic Ocean and Back to Okahandja OK I lost a day somewhere. It was hot outside at 8:30 am this morning. I woke up feeling refreshed, had a cup of Ricoffee and some breakfast that was provided with the room. Then we packed up to head off to the dunes. When we lined up to pay for our rooms we were told that the owner wanted us to pay only half of the already low rate that we were quoted. What a blessing. It is really great to be with Charlene for these types of adventures since she is quite spontaneous and the kids are flexible. We detoured toward the lagoon t see the flamingos. Dakotah developed another killer coldsore as we arrived in Namibia. The Dakotah and the ... read more