I shot lots of animals in Etosha National Park.

It was our first stop after leaving Windhoek (German pronunciation of VIN-hoook)

To see the widespread highlights of Namibia, I joined a group tour. Really!

It was that or rent a truck. I was quite apprehensive but it ended up being very fun. Great people and only 4.5 of us (one person joined us) in a bus with ten seats.

And I was very happy to let Anton drive on the brutal washboard gravel roads that we were on for half of the more than 2000 km we covered in a week.

They call it ‘African Massage’.

The afternoon before we left Windhoek, we went to N/a’an ku se Sanctuary, which was located about 50 km from the city.

We got to watch them feeding the three cheetahs and one leopard.

The cheetahs were waiting!

As orphans or surrendered pets, they have never learned the skills to be released into the wild.

A huge thunderstorm with hail rolled through, and we couldn’t continue to feed any more.

It is the beginning of the rainy season but so far haven’t seen any more.

The next morning we were on the road by 8 so we could reach Etosha for a full afternoon game drive in our jeep.

We stayed in the National Park so we could go out driving again before the gates opened. We lucked out catching a lion family all dozed out from their big breakfast!

They were at a waterhole but then sauntered past us to go sleep under the bushes.

Later in afternoon we came back and saw the lionesses sleeping while the male took care of the cubs. The females needed to be rested for hunting at night as it’s their responsibility.

At our resort in the Park there was a waterhole that attracted a stream of different animals.

Floodlit at night.

A wide variety of antelope. Impalas. Springbok, Kudu, Wildebeest (Gnu)

Lots of ostrich, and a family photo with their chicks.

Termite nests as tall as me.

Making the shape of Namibia isn’t easy!

It did feel weird looking at the animals, and then eating them.

Biltong is similar to jerky but just air dried. The choices here were Springbok, Oryx and Kudu.

Then for dinner that evening it was Kudu, Zebra and Wildebeest. Very lean.

We stayed in very nice places, and each had our own cottage. Though we weren’t in our rooms long as it was always an early start.

After Etosha we headed to the coast. We travelled through the region of Damarland.

Gorgeous rocky but often desolate looking.

Some of the tribes wear their traditional dress with very unique horn shaped hats while posing for photographs. And then selling you something!

We also stopped at a very dry and dusty village. Along the road people were trying to flag us down to give water. It’s a precious commodity.

Dry bathing with dust.

The whole coast of Namibia is known as Skeleton Coast and has been a deadly end for many ships.

This one was being towed for scrap in 2008 and broke free. So they abandoned it.

Swakopmund was originally a German settlement, and still has colonial buildings.

Great fresh fish!

Then we headed inland again.

Solitaire just needed tumbleweeds!

It’s famous for its apple pie.

A jackal hoping for scraps.

Then into Namib National Park when the gates opened at 0600 to catch the morning light on the dunes.

We climbed Dune 45. It was easier in barefeet but still tough because you sank into the soft sand.

Breakfast after the climb.

Then 4×4 shuttles into Sossusvlei to climb Big Daddy (three times higher than Dune 45.

Most people just do the 1 km into Deadvlei. It’s already 35 oC by 09:00.

An ancient lake bed with 1000 year old petrified trees.

Sesriem Canyon with a remnant of water that will see more in the rainy season.

Then a short tour of another cheetah sanctuary where four siblings were never taught skills for the wild. So very used to humans.

Most of the other animals are in another section to be relocated away from the farms they have been raiding.

There were bird nests that looked like thatched roofs. On these ones the owls have built their nests on top.

Then back to Windhoek.

Museum of Independence. For years Namibia was a part of South Africa until they could separate. They finally achieved that in 1990. And their third president is a woman.

Genocide monument.

So it’s been a whirlwind tour of Namibia. But I saw a lot. It’s definitely a country I would recommend!

Tomorrow I’m getting picked up at 06:00 for the airport. I fly through Johannesburg to reach Victoria Falls.

I’ll spend days on the both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides, then slide into Botswana.

So lots more coming up. See you there.