NAMIBIA 16th Feb - 7th March

On our way to Etosha, we camped at Waterberg and climbed to the top of the plateau. The climb was steep and hot, and near the top we had our first encounter with Rock Hyraxes - on this occasion just their smell, it would be much later when we would actually see any.

This was our first sunday without a church to go to and the milk's gone off.

We had to meet a couple from Austria before we discovered how the fridge worked!

Etosha Game Park 19th - 23rd Feb 2007

We set up camp in Namutomi at the eastern side of Etosha. Whereas we'd been deafened by the singing of numerous Red-billed Francolins at Waterberg, here we had to cope with a Warthog sow and her two piglets wandering about and a few Black-backed Jackels scavanging. After dark there came the tell tale crash of dustbin lids falling to the ground as these inquisitive creatures explored within.

After two days we moved to Okaukuejo at the western end of the Park.

After four days we had seen elephants, giraffes, black rhinos, black-faced impalas, springbok, oryx, various birds and lions. Some of these you can see in the photo album.

Sossuvlei/Sesriem 27th - 28th Feb

The number one tourist attraction in Namibia is the Sea of Sand. Dune 45 is the most accessable and is often climbed at dawn to see the rising sun paint the sandy landscape with oranges and reds.

We rose well before dawn our hearts racing with the expectation of a glorious if energetic sunrise. You should try climbing a 145m high pile of sand sometime!

But oh dear, the start of the rainey season has delivered a cloud strewn sky bereft of the painterly pallate we had been led to expect!

Not to worry, Paddington made it to the top and was duly photograghed without a bead of perspiration to be seen.

Anyway, can't complain, it was much easier on the metabolism to explore Dead Vlei with cloud cover. I think I saw the end of a Golden mole's snout, but being wary of snakes, the small, black glossy bead in the sand was left to far more adventurous explorers to peruse!

How about a new way to travel from one country to another? Let's go by coach from Namibia to South Africa.

We left Windhoek at 18.00hrs on 7th March and arrived in Cape Town at 13.00hrs 19 hours later!

With seats upstairs that reclined by 150 degrees, we nearly had a good nights' sleep. Being roused at 04.00 for passport contropl at both borders wasn't so bad.