Safari Journal (part 3: Ooh baby it’s a wild world)

Safari journal (part 3: Ooh baby it’s a wild world)

On the 6th night we make it to the town of Swakopmund. With a population of about 50k it’s the second largest in Namibia. [fun fact-with only 2.3 million people and a relatively large landmass Namibia ranks 2nd to last in population density behind Mongolia]. Swakopmund is a costal town on the Atlantic Ocean. The towering and expansive sand dunes on the other side makes for a unique mystic contrast. We were given 2 days here to get out of the campsites and enjoy the luxuries of bedrooms with attached bathrooms. This was actually news to me as I didn’t quite check the facilities portion of the itinerary since I thought we were camping the whole time. Come to find out this is the first of what will be three times we get hotel rooms. To illustrate how much I knew about the details of the package, over the first few days I asked around a bit as to when people booked the safari. The answers I got were all either January or February. The tour left on September 25th, a Wednesday. I booked it that Monday.

Had I seen the box to check for “single person supplement” I probably wouldn’t have checked it anyway seeing how I’ve become used to sharing rooms over the last several months. Little would I know that the only other person without a roommate who they were attempting to have me room with is the Frenchman Allen. Allen is, not only the same person to reach across me to close my window (in part 2), he is also the same one to lay into our driver for allowing them to wait while Aussie Leroy and I climbed the Big Daddy sand dune. Basically he was just a dick. I was not happy with the revelation that I’d be sharing a room with him. Really anybody but Allen! I asked for my own room and said I’d pay the upgrade. The guide says ok, she’ll work on it because Allen wants to pay for his own room as well. I’m thinking hey, that’s bullshit, why does he want his own room! What did I do to Allen, what’s Allen got against me? Kind of a funny social behavior experiment. I almost wanted to forgo my room to inflict misery on big Allen now! Eventually we were given our own rooms and in light of the situation Allen and I have been cool ever since.

The activities to choose from on our free day were vast and varied. On the way we were told about a morning dolphin and seal cruise, skydiving, camel trekking, quad riding in the dunes and city (township) tours. When we arrived to sign up for these I discovered they also offered an activity I’ve been itching to try for years- sandboarding. I signed myself up for the sandboarding and quad biking. There would be no “off” on my off day. That night we went out for dinner and at midnight celebrated the birthday of one of the younger German girls and things got a bit festive. As I’ve testified before, there’s nothing quite like tequila to liven up an evening. Knowing what I had in store for myself the next morning though the responsible angel on my right shoulder spoke louder than the party devil on the left and I managed to drag myself out of the bar before 2am for a decent nights sleep. My first time back on a board since breaking my patella almost 3 years ago was actually a “surf”board in Byron Bay, AU. This would be my first time back on a “snow” board, but I would be riding sand instead of snow. Like riding a bike I was carving up mountains again and it felt great. Only pain in the ass was the absence of a chair lift, or quad, or camel, or any other way except frekin’ walking to get back up the hill every time.

I managed to squeeze in 6 runs which was, at least, 1 more than anybody else. I also got on the lay down board that was clocked by radar gun. With the help of some friction minimizing pointers from the instructors I clocked the fastest time for the day at 71 KMPH (44 MPH).

In the afternoon German translator homey Martina and I made our way to the quad rentals. Come to find out we were the only ones to book it. To get a snapshot of my group, very few people did any of the offered activities and actually made the off day an off day. The Aussies Leroy and Jade did a combo quad and lay down board package in morning, Leroy and driver Norman went skydiving in afternoon (full day for Leroy), German couple Martin with bday girl Katherine went on a township tour and that’s it. The other 16 people refilled their oxygen tanks, or went antiquing, or whatever the hell it is old people do. At the quad place Martina and I decided on manual bikes (considerably more powerful than automatic), but she stalled a few times out of the gate. The quad guide made her change and since we had to stay in single file anyway I changed mine to automatic as well. To be perfectly honest I was a little relieved by her mishap. When I broke my kneecap it was on a snowmobile and quads are to a snowmobile what sandboarding is to snowboarding. I am still a little skittish apparently. At any rate away we went and the automatics didn’t diminish the thrill of the majestic dunes. By days end I felt more comfortable riding around again on mountain machines. Bring on the snowmobile!

On the morning of departure we picked up another German couple, who, with the additions, overtook the French 8/7 on the UN count. That night, just before time for the bday cake to be lit up, very sad news was received about one of the groups mothers passing away. Before dinner is served we sing happy birthday followed directly by a moment of silence. An odd and frankly uncomfortable combination (at least our guide got the order right). A two minute microcosm of the joyous celebration of life and tragic reality of death. The next morning I was in the room when the guide was helping with transfer arrangements and airline ticket changes for the couple to get home. On the airline they booked it was going to cost over 2000 Euro for the change. I did a quick 3 minute search on my phone and found tickets for half that, but they would have to leave immediately. I let them know about it and the wife of the man who’s mother passed immediately started sobbing. She had been the most vocal about requesting any 1 specific thing on the trip. All she cared about was seeing an elephant. With my “help” they would have to leave Africa right away without this. I let them know how to access the information I found then left the room. For reasons all their own- perhaps it was the dying mothers wishes, perhaps they were estranged and hadn’t spoke for 20 years, who knows, but the couple decided to stay with the tour for 3 more days before returning home for the funeral arrangements. Nevertheless the misses soon got what they came for.

On day 10 we arrive to Etosha National Park, part of the great Kalahari Basin, where we would spend the next 2 days. The Swahili word for safari means adventure. It has nothing to do with animals (nor hunting). The reason I booked the trip was for the experience of just being out among it in Africa, not necessarily for the animal viewings, though I wouldn’t complain about it. I dig animals. Animals are cool. So far there had already been an extraordinary amount of wildlife, but with the arrival into the Kalahari it became unbelievable. Adding to the list mentioned in part 1 the wildlife also now includes: Walvis Bay flamingos, a small spotted genet, several giraffes, black backed jackal, honey badger, giant monitor lizard, impala, blue wildebeest, bat eared fox, steenbok, red hartebeest antelope, spotted hyena, kudu, white backed vultures, spotted eagle owl and 4 of the “big five”; rhino, elephant, leopard and the king of the jungle. A truly extensive list that really doesn’t leave too much left (buffalo, cheetah, hippo). The best viewing experiences came at the watering holes at night. There are several permanent waterholes from underground springs in Etosha. Two of which are short walking distances from the campsites we stayed at. (No doubt that’s no coincidence and the waterholes predate the campsites I’m sure). The first night was dominated by elephants- 38 at one count. All of a sudden they perk up as if picking up a scent.

They all exit stage left, some running others walking, but none wasting any time. Thirty seconds after the elephants cleared away in walks 1 female lion that nobody felt like messing with. We previously saw a large male hovering around a giraffe carcass. After this one at the waterhole we saw 2 more males and left the park sighting a total of 4 lions. A rare feat, but not as rare as spotting the very elusive leopard perched high up on in a tree. The following night it was a different campsite with different watering hole. This time it was the rhinos turn to dominate the area. At the height 8 occupied the waterhole and their behavior was thrilling. If you think boxing or UCF is exciting imagine trying to remain perfectly silent while watching alpha rhinos, up close, fighting for dominance over the waterhole. One joust ended with one of the rhinos hooking his horn into the hind leg of another, lifting the massive beast into the air and flipping him in his back. I stood up like witnessing a knockout. The silence was broken from all as a collective gasp lets out and one guy impulsively yells “holy shit!”. Eventually I left the waterhole area, but sleeping out under the stars, as I’ve done since my tent broke 6 days before, even though the metal rod was welded and fixed the next day, I could hear the bull breathing and groaning of the rhino battles all through the night, so loud you’d think they were in our camp itself. I was definitely among it now. Tomorrow we cross into Botswana.

Bob