An hour and approximately seventy kilometres down the road, we stopped for 45 minutes near a sleepy settlement with a cultural market (which was yet to open as it was so early on a Sunday) and a coffee shop. It was here I made the horrible discovery of still having the hotel room key in my pocket. A quick confession to Steph, our guide, and the situation was sorted but I still felt extremely bad while sipping my coffee!

On the road again we travelled on to our campsite in the Waterberg Plateau Park. The scenery, made up of plains with tall flat mountains on all sides was stunning. Once parked up and tents erected it was time for a lunch of ham salad rolls. The temperature was so hot and the sun so intense that after eating nobody could be bothered to move.

We had been warned about the baboons local to the park. Interesting because they have such a male-dominated society (the alpha male being the chief) they have no fear of human females. In general they seemed only to keep their distance when there was a large group of us. Just like in Livingstone our only form of defense was to launch rocks at them. Seems cruel but nothing else worked to scare the braver and more vicious ones away.

While we were all there enjoying the afternoon sun, they left us in peace but as soon as some of the group started to leave and make the trek to the swimming pool they chose to raid our camping area, some of them even managing to get into the truck. They were immediately chased away but not before getting their hands on some of our provisions.

After seeing off the baboons Kirsty and I made the long uphill trek to the pool as the afternoon sun continued to beat down. Arriving in a hot film of sweat nothing was more welcome than a cool dip in the pool, one eye constantly on another set of mischievous baboons nearby.

The afternoon was spent lounging by the pool and catching a game from the English Premier League before the somewhat less strenuous walk downhill back to camp.

At 5pm we all set off for our hike to the top of the plateau so that we could catch the sunset view over the plains. Being at the back and trying to keep up with the relentless pace being set over some pretty big boulders led to the inevitable losing of the leading group. The three of us (including Leonie) spent some time climbing higher, walking further and shouting louder in the vain hope of finding the others before deciding with the dropping light to head back down to camp. It was on the way down we bumped into Steph and after a little pause to deal with a nosebleed we rejoined the others on the edge of the plateau with a stunning view of the flat plains below.

Returning to camp, we both had a quick shower before dinner cooked by Ruan was served. The intention was that Kirsty, Leonie and I were to get our food first as a 'reward' for getting lost, however it seemed that being patient and waiting for others was beyond some people in the group. This lack of manners a distinct negative of group travel.