þriðjudagur, mars 25, 2008

homecoming

Here is a little intermission in the travel story just to let you know that we are still alive and coming home shortly. We are no back in Cape Town and will arrive in Glasgow on the 29.March and in Iceland on the 6.April. I know that some of you have been waiting for a continuation of the travel story and it will come just be patient.
Well off we go now for some wine tasting. :)
Take care and see you soon,

Jon & Kathleen

posted by Nonni @ 5:21 e.h. 1 comments

laugardagur, mars 15, 2008

Etosha National Park

As we arrived to Etosha National Park we started our first Game drive. Amongst the animals we saw were Giraffes, Springbok, Gemsbok, and Orix. It was a short drive up to tha camping place that was situated right next to a watering hole where the animals would come to drink. Unfortunately for us it was the beginning of the rainyseason so there were a lot of watering holes elsewere so the animals did not have to come there. At the hole we only saw springbok and some jackals. We even took turns being on shift that night but not much happend. The next day however, things began to happen. Just after leaving the camp grounds we sighted our first lions.
At first we saw three quite far but then we saw a male and a female walking towards the truck and then crossing the road about 5 meters in front of the truck. Quite a sight to see lions in the wild I can tell you. The lions even had a short "romantic moment" practically in front of the truck or "confortable times" as they call it over here;). That day we also saw Zebras, gemsbok, springbok, wilderbeast, Orix, giraffs, ground squirrels, and vultures. The highpoint of the day came though when Brian yelled: "Look! an Elephant!". this was the moment everybody had been waiting for and it was all that we thought it would be. What an amazing animal. we first saw just one but then another a bit closer. We would see lodes of elefants at close range later on in the. but the first time is just incredible.

posted by Nonni @ 1:38 e.h. 1 comments

föstudagur, mars 14, 2008

Swakopmund to Spitzkoppe

After seeing flamingos and picking rubies in the sand (I found a couple of small ones but you would almost need a magnifying glass to see them) in Walvis Bay we arrived in Swakopmund. A very German town. This is where many people decided do some activities like: Skydiving, Quad biking, sand boarding, see fishing, and so on and so on. Me and Kathleen decided to relax, shop a little and one morning I went for a game of golf with Oliver while Kathleen was busy with one of her favorite activity, which is to read a book on the beach. We had a great time. The golf course was in the middle of the dessert but still green because off irrigation from a nearby river. We were told that some Springbok might be grazing on the golf course but did not expect herds of them more or less ignoring us playing through, only a couple of meters away. Oliver almost hit one once which apparently is not a rare thing to happen on that golf course.
Swakopmund was a small but very likable town and one where I would not have minded staying a couple of extra days. Maybe it was partly because we got to stay at a very nice hostel which was a welcoming break from the tents but also because the town had a nice feel to it.

Leaving the town after 2 nights, we headed to a place called Spitzkoppe, where beautiful rock formations make the landscape (you might have a picture from there on your example wallpaper on your computer. On the way there we stopped briefly at a seal colony. It was very nice to see all the hundreds of thousands of seals but to the same extend not very nice to smell them. uuugggh! As we settled at Spitzkoppe some of us went on a bush walk. I passed on the walk because it was just too hot. We are talking, "can't even think" hot. After the others came back we mosied on to the Bush bar, and finished their stock of beer and sodas which wasn't that big to begin with. We walk back to the camp and saw the sunset over the rocky hills. Reminded me a bit of The Olgas in Australia. As we had dinner, Letitia asked us to fill our plates and then follow her. Then she walked up to the rock face and disappeared behind a tree making it appear as she just walked into the rock. When we followed we discovered a huge cave that had a hole up to the sky where Hermann had all ready made a fire. It was one of the coolest places I have ever dined at, and we even had roasted marshmallows : Pure magic. :) I love Namibia.
Next: Brian spots the first elephant

Photos:
top: A Namibian Springbok
bottom: An areal view of Spitzkoppe (click to enlarge)

posted by Nonni @ 1:42 e.h. 0 comments