Ghanzi - Etosha (NP) - Spitzkoppe - Swakopmund 08/07/08

---

Ghanzi

There wasn't alot to Ghanzi as we were staying in a campsite but there was an opportunity to go on a bush walk with the 'bush' people. Although it was brief, it provided quite an insight into how these people live. Their environment is very basic and the bushmen have to survive on what they can find. Quite often just small shoots in the ground can be dug up to provide water or medicines to cure various illnesses. I asked if the bushmen could demonstrate the bow and arrow that he was carrying and I don't know if he was being modest but he explained they the arrows are poisoned tipped and due to the way the wind was blowing dust would blow off and blind myself and the rest of the group. I didn't persue it any further.

Etosha

Etosha is one of the biggest game reserves in Africa which might explain why it was difficult to view many of the animals. However the park did countain a vast salt plain which from a distance was impossible to ascertain whether it was dry or whether it was a huge lake. It turned out to be salt but during the wet season it attracts hundreds of animals including flamingoes.

The highlight of Etosha was the night time watering hole for the animals. It was brightly lit enabling people to watch the animals ascending during the evening. As the only protection was a raised rock viewing point you felt very exposed to the animals - over two nights it was possible to see rhino's, giraffe, zebra and even a leopard!!

Cape Cross

Cape Cross also know as the skeleton coast due to the ships that have been wrecked over its 200km length. Currently it supports 80,000 cape fur seals, one of the largest in the world.

Spitzkoppe

Spitzkoppe is an area of granite peaks which rise over 1700 metres above sea level. As the rest of the landscape is quite barren and flat it emphasises their size. A small group took the opportunity of having a fire and spending the night on one of the rocky outcrops.

Swakopmund

The town of Swakomund is Namibia's second largest town and sits between the desert and and the Atlantic sea. The town is heavily influenced by germany and alot of the street names were in German.
Similar to Livingstone the town is very much an activity centre and there was the opportunity to try out Sandboarding (snowboarding on sand) and also quad biking across the desert sand dunes.

---