Wednesday 10 June 2015 – Namutoni

We are second car out of the gate after handing in our laundry at reception on 6:10 am.   The gate is meant to open at 6:25. It is light and Earl persuades the guys to open a tad earlier so were on the road by 6:15.

Giraffe are the order of the day today and we see them everywhere.  They are my favourite animal as to me they are a true iconic African creature.  There is nothing nicer than seeing a landscape dotted with tall giraffe.

In Etosha they seem to be darker and dustier than the Kruger giraffe.  I know the males are darker and get darker and darker as they age too.

In Etosha they seem to be darker and dustier than the Kruger giraffe.  I know the males are darker and get darker and darker as they age too.

Of course Earl and I stop to see every bird and this confuses our guests.  “I can’t understand it,”says Erich “You stop for a tiny little bird but drive straight past a Wildebeest.”  After that we stop for every impala, springbok, ostrich and wildebeest and try to see the park through the eyes of a novice to the wilds of Africa!

We continue and stop off at waterholes and have some interesting sightings.

We return to camp just after 8 for breakfast and do not go out again until after lunch at 1:00 pm.

Earl and Erich nap for a while.  Wendy goes to buy gifts at the curio shop, I go to the waterhole and walk around camp but I’m disappointed at the lack of birdlife.  Then Wendy and I join up and spend some time at the pool.  It is hot but the water is freezing.  Wendy and I chat on our lounges and then she says, “That water looks so inviting. I think we should at least attempt a swim.”  “Is that a challenge?” I ask  She smiles.  I get up and made my way to the shallow end and she follows.   I can’t believe how cold it is but Wendy goes down one step at a time and I can’t let her outdo me.  Soon we both plunge in and I gasp and yell at the chill!  We swim two lengths and then get out.  It is very invigorating but how crazy are we!  A young German couple look at us in disbelief – Wendy pipes – When you get older you tend to do crazy things!

E came along and I walk up to give him a wet hug but he yells and won’t let me near. I plunge back into the pool and he takes a photograph!

Our afternoon drive is just as exciting.  As we make our way to the Kalkheuwel water hole, I shriek when an elephant suddenly appears on the road in front of us.  He raises his trunk, trumpets loudly and charges toward us.

Earl goes  into full speed reverse. He keeps his cool and as he says – Stop being naughty – to an elephant who clearly can’t hear him.  But he must get a mental message because with one last trumpet he charges into the bush.   “I think I might need a clean pair of underpants,” Erich declares.  Phew – we all laugh nervously.  Our adrenalin rush for the day.

Some creatures we see before we return

We visit the waterhole when we return but there is not much happening so we have sundowners and then go to dinner – another buffet.