Weekend Part 2

The next morning we had originally planned to head up to Otjwarongo and visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund. However, we rethought the idea because we did not want to be under tight time restrictions when we go there. So we decided to stay closer to Okahandja and visit a private game reserve called Erindi. This private park is over 70,700 ha of wilderness and would be our first real introduction to the savannah and pans of Africa. They cater to tourists and have over 15,000 animals including all the big 5, hippo, hyena, etc. We reserved a game drive for 10:00 and left to drive the 40km to the park around 8:30, thinking we would have plenty of time. However, we did not count on the conditions of the dirt roads. It has been raining a lot, at least in African standards, the last two months. The road was a mess with washouts and washboard bumps.

Driving down a good part of the road.

It took us until almost 11:00 to reach the reserve and then had another 25 km to reach the lodge. About an hour into the drive to the lodge, we turned around because of the road conditions. Lesson learned: Off the main road (note I said road as in singular, not plural) driving conditions can be difficult and take much longer than you anticipate. We have a small SUV with good clearance and it performed well, but next time we decide to travel on a gravel road, we will rent a more sturdy 4 wheel drive. Even with the difficulty, it was still a good trip. Of course we missed the guided game drive, but we did manage to see along the road:

Not sure what bird this is. It is about 4 ft. tall and was running around a rancher's fenced in pasture. Just in--Bruce has done some research and thinks this might be a bustard.

A really big bird nest. You would think looking at this that it would be fitting for some kind of prehistoric gigantic bird, but it is actually a pretty small bird that makes this nest. A social weaver bird is only about 5 inches long. This is a communal nest that they build. They do not require any water, getting all they need from the insects they eat. 

Found in middle of the road. He did not seem to happy when I moved him off to the side. Doesn't look much like a road does it?

A large troop of baboons. I am starting to get the impression that the baboon is the raccoon of Africa--a noisy, get into everything annoyance. They are bigger than they seem in the picture and have some pretty hefty fangs. You don't want to mess with an adult one. 

Quiver trees or in Afrikaans: kokerboom  They are a member of the aloe family.

When was the last time you saw an elephant crossing sign?

Wilda beasts

More giraffes. I still think they are so cool when they pop their heads up about the trees.

Impala

And our first zebra.

Another lesson learned: You can find wildlife everywhere in Namibia. Yes, we have yet to see elephants, lions, aardvarks, rhinos and many other African animals. But we have not been to Etosha or even more than 150 km outside of Windhoek. We have not paid any money to go on a safari or game drive. I know at some point we will, because we want to be able to experience them all. But we are happy in finding the natural landscape, floral and fauna of Namibia that is out there for all to see by just driving or hiking around. This is an amazing place and we are so blessed to be able to experience it. 

The ending of the experience is a bit of a downer. We arrived home to find our power out in the apartment. (Ran around the neighbors handing out frozen meat so it would be used instead of going to waste.) The electrician can in today and found that the water heater in the bathroom is faulty, causing the main breaker to trip. He turned off the power to that water heater, so we have power to the rest of the apartment, but until a plumber shows up, it looks like cold showers for us. I'm ready to go back to the tent!