Week 9 and 10 in Namibia and South Africa

Wow, I have gotten behind on the blog update.  I have been going, going and going.  When traveling on the overland truck, you only have a certain amount of time in each city so you have to do everything as soon as the opportunity presents itself.  Luckily with African Trails, they have given us some flexibility.    We are back down to a group of 4 people (us three Americans and one, new Korean girl).  We lost the group in Cape Town yesterday so still getting use to being a small group again.  Here is an update of the last few days.  Hope you enjoy! 

On December 2nd, we arrived in Sesriem, Namibia.  On the drive there, we stopped in Solitaire, Namibia for some homemade apple pie.  It was wonderful and it finally felt like the holiday season.  It was in the desert and they had old cars and cactus all around the stop.  I even got to see the sand wind funnel flying over.  We got to watch the sunset behind the sand dunes which some dunes are over 300 meters high.  The afterglow on the mountains opposite of the sunset was just amazing.  They changed colors from brown to pink to purple and back to brown.  And the stars that night were also just as amazing!  It was a cold night (about 40 F) and morning came around 4:30 AM.  We had to make sure to be on top of the dune before the sun would rise.  We had about a 15 to 20 minute to the top of Dune 45 where we sat and watched the sun rise over the dunes.  It was beautiful and there were animal tracks everywhere!  The views were just amazing!  After hiking down, we had breakfast and continued the journey to Fish River Canyon for our last night in Namibia.  Kirsty, Joe and I made dinner at the campsite on December 3rd.  I learned to make risotto and it was a good cooking night as everyone hung out with us as we cooked.  

On December 4th, we drove about 10 km to Fish River Canyon where we walked along the edge from one view point to the other.  It was really beautiful but not much water flowing thru the canyon.  It was not as colorful as the Grand Canyon as it had more of just the brown, redish sand tints to it.  We drove to the border and crossed into South Africa.  It was another easy border crossing.  We camped right over the border on the Orange River.  We just hung out and read on the side of the river.  That evening, we played a couples game (with three couples).  I got to be one of the question askers (not sure that is a word).  It was fun to hear the different answers from the boys and girls.  We play a lot of games when we show up at campsites with not much to do!  

On December 5th, we drove to Trawal, South Africa.  Our campsite was on a vineyard (they called it a farm).  The views were amazing with grapes all around us in the middle of the mountains.  We did a wine tasting that afternoon and got to try the Highlanders wines.  They were great! The tour and a bottle of wine cost me about $28 US dollars! On December 6th, we continue to Stellenbosch, South Africa.  We got to upgrade to a hostel but that meant that food was not provided from African Trails.  We went shopping that afternoon and walked around town.  We stayed in that night knowing that we were going on a wine tour the next day.  I did get to use skype and catch up with Gavin! 

On December 7th, we headed to four wineries around Stellenbosch.  We went to Simonsig, Fairview, Dieu Donne Vineyards and Boschendal Wineries.  The first two were my favorites. Our guide was not very friendly and so he kind of brought the mood down.  The views from the Dieu Donne Vineyard was just beautiful.  We also stopped and had lunch at a little cafe along the way.  

At 5:30 AM on December 5th, we woke up to headed to Gansbaai, South Africa where I would get to dive with the great white sharks.  I had a hard time sleeping as I think I was just so excited to see them!  We got on the boat around 8 AM and went about 15 minutes out from the dock.  We had about 25 people on the boat and would all be taking turns in the cage that was attached to the boat.  I went in the second group and had a wet suit, wet shoes and a wet suit hat on.  The water was super cold and my teeth were chattering.  The sharks swam right along the cage.  It was awesome and they are HUGE!  I jumped back in the cage with the last group as I may never get the opportunity to be that close to a great white shark again. On that note, I may never want to be that close to a great white shark again! It was really fun to sit on top of the boat and watch the sharks swim up for the bait.  It was also a weird feeling know the sharks were swimming under the boat at times!  You sure as heck did not want to fall out of the boat.  We got to see a total of 7 different sharks that ranged from 2.5 meters to 4 meters which was a really good day for us!  Jordan made a song that brought all the sharks to us!  I will not share here but if you ever see her ask her to share it! The great white sharks get to be about 6 meters long and range in wideness.  Once a sharks dies, they can use the cartilage to see the sharks age by cutting it and seeing the amount of rings on it (just like an old tree).  The only problem is when a shark dies he sinks and the cartilage deteriorates in the water.  We got to see a lot of the baby, younger sharks as they are more adventures in what they eat and go for.  The older sharks don't take any chances as they don't want to waste their energy.  Just like you have all learned on shark week!!  On the drive home, we got to stop and see 4 southern right whales (2 moms and 2 babies).  They are massive!  I got a great photo of one of the tails.  We also got to see dolphins swim by but I missed them.  The views on top of the cliff were just beautiful!  We got dropped off at our hostel in Cape Town, South Africa.  That evening was Kathy's  Birthday and our Chinese Christmas Exchange dinner.  We went to a local African restaurant and I got to try warthog.  It was really good! For the Christmas Exchange, I ended up with a Christmas bell that I will use next time I go hiking in Canada so it will scared the bears away!  It made me miss home a little but was fun the have a holiday tradition in Africa!

On December 9th, we woke up to a not so windy day in Cape Town so we took the cable car up Table Mountain.  We went to the top and had amazing views of the city and ocean.   We just walked around the top admiring all the different capes.  The water is so blue and one side you could see the clouds coming over the mountain range.  Red Bull was having a festival down by the waterfront so we headed down there after the moutain.  We had lunch and got to try the local Mitchell beer.  It was a fun day out with the girls.  December 10th was our last day in Cape Town.  Jordan and I took the local train to Simon's Point where we walked to Boulder's Beach.  It has the largest African penguin population.  They were adorable and so cute when they walked.  We walked around the little town and did a little shopping. Ryan - I got you a cool gift and I hope it makes it home!  Nothing big but something you would only get in Africa. We also meet up with everyone as it was our last night with the original African Trails family.  It was sad saying goodbye but everyone was looking forward to their next adventures! 

Yesterday (December 11th), we drove to Knysna, South Africa along the garden route.  It was really beautiful drive but not as green as normal and there were clouds over a lot of the mountains.  We had lunch on the Knysna lagoon and did a beer tasting of Mitchell's beers.  The beer is brewed in this town.  Our hostel provided dinner and we just hung out for the night.  Today, I am relaxing and going to rent a bike to ride around town.  

Only 7 more days in Africa and until Part II of the adventure begins! 

Week 8 and 9 in Botswana and Namibia!

This trip is like taking one vacation after another!!  Everything we do is so different and exciting in a whole new way.  I feel really blessed to be here and getting to experience another part of the World!  We have not had internet for quite a while or I have just been busy but here is an update from the past two weeks in Botswana and Namibia!

On November 19th, we crossed the border into Botswana and stayed along the Chobe River in Kasane, Botswana.  It was a really hot bus ride and we jumped right into the pool.  Our African Trails Group is now up to 13 people with 8 British, 2 Germans, and 3 Americans.  Although you may think we all speak English, British and American English are different. A lot of times, I have to ask what a certain word means or ask them to repeat something they have said.  It is pretty funny but fun learning the different words.  Since most countries in Africa were ruled by the British at some point, a lot of the British words apply when we are traveling.  For example...when I ask for a restroom, I get a confused look because it is called a toilet.

On November 20th, we had a very long and hot drive to Maun, Botswana.  It was a stopping place before heading on a two night, three day Okavango Delta tour.  We left on November 21st for the tour and had to pack our tents, pots, pans and food for the next three days.  We arrived on the side of the delta and got our makoro tour guide.  The makoro is like a canoe.  We headed into the delta were we went thru tons of reed, lilies, a hippo pond with two hippos, and an elephant walking thru the delta.  The elephant was so loud when he was walking thru the delta.  We keep our distance at all times.  Our makoro driver was Judge and he ended up being the guide leader.  We got to camp which was just a tree with elephant dung all around. We set up our tents and got to relax for a bit.  The guides dug a 4.5 foot hole for the toilet behind on of the bushes and gave us instructions on covering your waste with dirt, using the shovel to know if the toilet was occupied and when you need to take a buddy in case wild animals were around.  WOW, what an experience for this city girl!  Kayla - I know you would go into more detail here but I will not! We went for a swim in the delta which was nice and no hippos came into the swimming pool area!  That evening, we went on a game walk around the island we were staying on.  It was very hot!  We got to see zebras, cows, old elephant bones and the sunset over the side of the delta.  It was a nice hike but the guide was very hard to understand so I did not learn as much as I may have like.  We slept knowing that if you went out of the tent, you must first scan the area with your head lamp for any wild animals!  The next morning (Thanksgiving back home), we woke up very early for a morning makoro ride and game walk.  It was a long walk but we got to see some elephants for a distance, a black mambo snake up close (I spotted him as we were walking up!) and a little more of the delta.  In the afternoon, we learned to guide the makoros.  Surprisingly, no one flipped over!  It was a lot harder than it seems to go down the narrow, hippo highways thru the reeds!  After learning, we went on a makoro sunset cruise and it was really beautiful!  After dinner, the guides sang local songs and danced along with them around the campfire.  They did a wonderful job!!  When Jordan got into the tent that night, I woke up and asked her if we were still on land....crazy malaria dreams going on!  The next morning, we packed up and left the delta.  Although it was a great experience, bush camping with no showers is not really my style of camping! I think I was also a little sad knowing everyone back home was eating turkey, stuffing and chocolate pie made by Albert's family!!  I was missing my family!  We did return to a hotel where we got a buffet dinner included with the tour and got to use a very nice swimming pool.  A few of us went shopping in the town of Maun for a bit but everything was very expensive.

On November 24th, we had a long drive to the border crossing in Namibia.  It was the most relaxed, nobody around border crossing that I have ever been too.  We stayed the night in Divundu along the Kavango River.  That evening was the best sunset that I have seen.  The afterglow was reflecting a rainbow.  On the other side of the river was Angola.  Dinner that night was made a little too spicy for my taste but I guess you have to expect some nights to be funky when cooking for 14 people! I never felt bad so maybe my stomach is getting a little stronger! We continued to drive thru the north Namibia until we reached another stopping point outside of Grootfontein.  It was on a farm in the middle of nowhere.  We could see the moon coming up along with the sunset afterglow.  As I went to bed, I could see the lighting storm thru the clouds from my tent mat!  In the morning, the sun was rising right outside of the tent window.  Made for a very nice camping spot!  We headed to the largest and heaviest meteor in the World, the Hoba Meteorite.   We drove to Etosha National Park that morning and in the afternoon go to take a game drive thru half of the park.  It was very beautiful and got to see the kudu, oryx, and springbock along the way.  The giraffes were drinking from the water hole and it was a site to see them bending down to take a drink. We stopped in the pan or the old lake in the park.  It was very beautiful and fun to take pictures in!  I can see how the glares in the distance would make someone lost believe they could see water.  We stayed in the Hilali Camp where they had a watering hole with lights.  We got to see a mom and baby rhino walk up and take a drink and an owl flying around!  It was pretty cool because the observation deck is so close to the water hole! In the morning, we continued a game drive thru the other side of the park.  We saw lions and hyenas on the drive.  That evening, we stayed in Kamanjab in Cheetah Park.  We got to go into the persons yard which had 4 older cheetah and a 4 month old baby.  It was GREAT to pet the cheetahs and they were very friendly! In the evening, we went to feed to wild cheetahs from the back of the truck.  There were nine cheetah and it was neat to hear them interacting when they were feed.  You maybe thinking why would they be caged in.  Here in Namibia they are allowed to shot cheetahs that mess with their wildlife or come too close to their homes.  The owner of cheetah farms wants locals to capture them and bring them to the farm where they can live.  It is a nice way to keep the cheetahs alive. There was one mom with her three babies that we slept about 100 yards from!

On our way to Swakopmund, Namibia, we stayed at a campsite in Uis, Namibia for the night.  Right outside of town, we went on a 5 km hike to the tribal paintings on the rocks in the Brandberg Mountains.  They were awesome and really nice to see.  The hike was short and pretty flat but the heat in the desert was horrible.  I am glad that I had tons of water with me! We also stopped to see the seals of Cape Cross which is one of the largest groups of fur seals in the World.  There were tons of babies and one seal was even giving birth.  The seals were all along the shore and swimming in the water.  It was the most seals that I have ever seen (even more than Lauren and I got to see in California!).  The smell of the seals could just about kill someone.  It was super smelly and a few times I thought I might lose it.  But totally worth seeing so many seals in one place! It is really cold on the coast.  We have all been sitting on the truck with our sleeping bags on.  It looks really funny!

On November 29th, we arrived in Swakopmund.  We are not cooking here as we have been upgraded from the tents to a hostel for three nights.  We are staying right on the corner of this cute, little German town right on the Atlantic Coast.  It is nice to get out of the tents!  We went out for a game dinner on Thursday night and we got to try kudu, oryx and springbock.  I liked the oryx the best! It was a nice dinner.  We went sand boarding on Friday morning.  We headed right outside of town to the sand dunes (only 15 minutes from town).  We got our gear which included a helmet, elbow pads, gloves, and the board.  Then, we hiked up the dune which was a hard hike but I made it.  The sand gets easier to climb the more you use the walking path because you don't sink in as much.  The landscape was amazing and hard to believe that I was standing on top of a sand dune with the ocean one side, flat desert on the other and the city in the distance.  Just amazing views! We did about seven sand boarding runs and 6 walk ups.  It was amazing.  On the second to last run, I went 70 km/hr down the dune with even a little jump going down.  It was crazy fast and wild!  The only breaks you have are to stick your feet into the sand.  I have a video and some great pictures of this!  It was a very cool sport and I would recommend to everyone! They had a stand up board option which was just like snowboarding down the side of the dune.  It looked like hard work but I know Ryan and Brendon would have been great at it!

Today is December 1st so only 19 more days in Africa.  CRAZY!  I have just been hanging around and enjoying the city today.  It is a beautiful day but a little chilly here.  We have three more nights in Namibia before we cross over into South Africa!  This trip is going so fast but I also cannot wait to see Gavin in Vietnam!