Zebra River Lodge and the Tsaris Mountains...Part 2

Day 19

Today I was to walk the 10 kilometer Olive trail in the Naukluft mountains. I drove out to the area with one of the workers. We saw ostriches and springbok as we went.

Unfortunately, at the Naukluft ranger station, we were informed that a hiker had gone missing. A few rangers were sitting around waiting for a helicopter from Windhoek.

Apparently, he'd been in a large group of hikers on the long Waterkloof trail when he decided he couldn't make it the whole way. He decided to go back on his own and, surprisingly, his hiking partners let him. His partners made it back and he did not.

Just another reminder of how dangerous this land is when one is careless.

We saw another troupe of baboons on the way back. I heven't done much but read today. I have another big hike planned for tomorrow morning.

***Note: The missing hiker was found the same day by the helicopter.***

Day 20

After a very late (post-noon) start today I set off to hike the Kudu loop.

The trail started off easily enough climbing slightly and following cairns along the canyon wall below limestone shale cliffs. After an hour or so the path turned into a large canyon and climbed steeply over several kilometers to a high plateau in the Tsaris.

Once I reached the high ground I lost track of the cairns and set off on my own traversing the plateau ridge. I came to a point where I could see the lodge far down below. Between myself and there stood a very steep decline and several bands of limestone shale cliffs.

I slowly headed down and only came to realiuze how high the cliffs were once I was right on top of them.

I traversed the top of each cliff band before I found a scramble route down that seemed feasible. Once the cliffs were conquered I recalled Coleridge's descent of Fat Man's peril and loudly trumpeted the triumph of reason over nature (as with Coleridge it was really just blind luck).

Having found my way to the valley bottom I set off overland in the rough direction of the lodge until I rejoined the cairns I'd been following.

After one more cliff descent I made it through the dry river-bed back to the lodge.

A dip in the pool amongst the bees and some Wallerstein have capped off my day.

Day 21

Today we were up early and off to Windhoek for supplies. We startled a springbok as we drove to the main road.

We drove through the dry savannah spotted with green camel-thorn and fig trees amongst the scrub. Huge boulder hills gave way to rolling hills covered with vegetation as we reached the city. The beautiful jacaranda trees, with their purple flowers, still dotted the city.

Rob dropped me off downtown where I needed to pick up Rx and money. It was to be my first afternoon alone in a sub-Saharan, black-African city.

I admit that I was a bit nervous at first. I suppose I was waiting for the hawkers and hustlers to pull me into their game. However, only paper-boys wanted my money and they are easy to fend off.

I had a lovely lunch at thge Cafe Zoo before heading off to the streets. There was a huge youth festival going on and the adjacent park was filled with a tourist market.

I was probably the scruffiest individual there with my beard, Che Guevara shirt and sandals. Nonetheless the Namibians were friendly and a few said hello.

At one point a huge thunder, rain, and lightning storm passed overhead and myself and a bunch on Namibians crowded under the protection of a huge tree.

After a while of waiting for Rob being in the visible minority became a bit taxing. Everyone stares and since I can't speak Africaans or Nama I couldn't understand their comments. A few teenagers walked by and yelled "wassup my nigga!" at me. It was in good fun. Still the staring and comments become irritating and you have the urge to say "What are you staring at?" I didn't and the urge passed. Windhoek does have a relaxed vibe to it and I enjoyed my afternoon downtown nonetheless.

A further note on wildlife in the morning: we saw ostriches driving in, I saw a black-backed jackal and we all saw a troupe of baboons at the police checkpoint outside the city.

On our way back to the lodge after stopping for gas at Reheboth, we saw rabbits, a fox, a scorpion, a tiny steenbock, and two Kudu (think African elk).

Only a few days before I go to Ethiopia. I'm nervous but ready for the next leg of this adventure.

Day 22

Lazy day today. Shaved off my huge beard (it only tookk 4 razors).

Read a lot of Wallerstein and had an epiphanous moment regarding the article I mean to write for adbusters.

Tomorrow I think I'll do the canyon walk or possibly go up to Gail's cave.

Day 23

After a late-morning start I decided to do the short hike to Gail's cave in the canyon across from the lodge.

On my way out I startled a large troupe of Baboons. When I made it to the dry riverbed I saw and heard three large males perched on a clif-side and barking out warnings at me. I barked back and got a couple of good photographs of them on the cliffside.

The real treat came later. I went off the 4x4 track, crossed a fence and traversed in front of the buttressed cliff faces looking for the cave. My attention was startled by hoof beats and I looked up to see 13 to 16 mountain zebra traversing the valley floor and climbing the cliff face with ease. I whipped out my zoom lens and got a few shots of the herd galloping along the cliff side. I consider it quite a blessing to have spotted such rare animals twice now in my time at the lodge. It's a nice way to say goodbye to the wilderness on my last day.

I made it to the cave and had some water. I took my time surveying the unique landscape of the Tsaris mountains before I mosied down the 4x4 trakc back to the lodge.

For the remainder of the day I have one lat swim planned and a good deal of Wallerstein to read.

I'll definately miss this part of Namibia when I leave tomorrow. I had some good hikes in landscape I probably won't see again. I've met some interesting people though it's unfortunate no one was even remotely close to my age. It's been good to have some time to get a better feel for teh true beauty of Namibia that I find lying in its shifting landscape and hidden gems. It's a shame I never got to visit a true Himba village to experience some of the culture. but that is reason to come back.

Zebra River Lodge and the Tsaris Mountains...Part One

*** Just got back to Gonder after 8 days of trekking (120 km!) in the Simien mountains. I'm exhausted but happy to say that I made it to the summit of Ras Dejen (4,543 meters). Tomorrow I'm off by hook or crook to Axum. ***

Day 15

After waiting for a while in Windhoek I was picked up by Rob and we set off for the Zebra River lodge.

We eventually came to the Naukluft mountain range. A long chain of peaks rose up on our right. Apparently, the trails are not well maintained and I was told of stories of hikers wandering off and becoming lost for days.

The lodge is quite nice and nestled into a veritable maze of canyons with pancaked rock layers rising to flat-topped plateaus. It's very peaceful here and I look forward to some hiking in preparation for the Simiens in Ethiopia.

Day 16

Last night was a great introduction to the warm and familial atmosphere at the lodge. Many of Rob and Marriana's extended family and friends were staying over and we had a delightful dinner featuring tasty Kudu as the highlight. The conversation was jovial and I was made to feel as part of the family.

After a lovely breakfast of cereal and hot-from-the-oven muffins, Neil (a retired English policeman who now lives in Cape Town) and I were driven to a gap in the fence by Rob. We started our hike along the grey sands and sculpted rock of the dry river-bed. We heard all manner of birdlife including the rosy-face lovebirds chattering in the cover of the large, green fig trees.

It was starting to heat up significantly as we followed the riverbed towards the pancaked and red limestone strata of the canyonlands. We saw a large scorpion scampering over the rocks. Neil indicated that its large tail displayed its menace and that I would be in some trouble if I was stung by it.

We followed the streambed into the canyon and spotted a large troupe of baboons on the cliff-side keeping a keen eye on us and barking amongst each other. The flaked rock of the canyonenclosed on either side of us and we noted that we were being followed by two or three male baboons who barked warnings as we climbed through the rock.

We came to a small spring overrun with beetles and bees. Neil told me that a group of Germans he was guiding had come across a spitting cobra in that area. We found the shed skin of a large snake.

We climbed out of the canyon in the heat towards the flat-topped high-grounds of the Tsaris mountains. Our baboon escorts had left at that point. After a good steep climb, we made the high-grounds where the breeze and the level trail provided some relief from the searing heat. We rounded a corner and Neil and I spotted a group of five mountain zebra. Neil pointed out that I was a 'lucky man' as they are rarely spotted by hikers. They gallopped along the steep and rocky slope with great agility. They were a beautiful sight.

We continued along, traversingcanyons and once again descending to dry riverbed with its fig trees filled with noisy and startled parrots. We joined another trail and silently slogged our way back to the lodge for a lovely lunch. It was a five hour hike in the blazing sun. If I do smaller hikes once a day while I'm here i should be fit as a fiddle for the Simiens. Right now I think I'll go for a swim; African bees and wasps be damned!

Day 17

Lazy day today. Napped and swam in the pool. Quite the hike planned for tomorrow morning.

Day 18

I just finished my first self-guided hike for 4 1/2 hours on the Canyon walk. I got a late start this morning (10:00 AM) and though there was a breeze for relief, the heat of the Namibian summer was already beating down.

The trail climbed steadily as it clung to the cliff escarpment of a huge and picturesque canyon in the Tsaris. Limestone shale slipped off the trail as I clambered around another and then another abutment along the canyon wall.

It's the heat that really taxes you on these hikes. My water was already hot by the time I needed to use it. After a few hours the trail zig-zagged up a rocky canyon coulee and I made for the high-ground. Once there I was privy to the fantastic maze of canyons, dry riverbeds, and pancaked limestone that stretch as far as I could see.

I walked along the top of a cliff, past a hilly peak called 'Neil's Hump' and scrambled down a few small limestone faces to hasten my return to camp.

I've just finished off a wonderful lunch (everything is luxury to me at this place). Now I'm going for a swim (I was radiating heat when I got back) and a short nap afterwards.

Etosha...

***Sorry the posts haven't been up to date, finding usable internet in Ethiopia is a bit difficult. Etosha and Namibia seem a world away now, but I'll keep faithfully posting this journal.***

Day 12

Last night at the campsite we had a truly special moment that I would classify as another 'Viva Africa'. A group of local women came to our fire and serenaded us with African songs. How to describe them; filled with energy and happiness the songs were distinctly African.

We arrived in the Etosha pan today after a short stop-off at a petrified forest. There we saw all manner of lizards and 60 - 80 million-year-old spruce. For some weird reason I had it in my head that the trees would be standing. They weren't and I was a little disappointed.

As soon as we arrived in Etosha with its flat grasslands and abundance of trees we saw animals. First came a herd of Zebra.

Next we saw 3 giraffes munching away at foliage. It is a truly bizarre and beautiful animal. It was at that moment, while taking pictures of the gangly, other-worldly animal, that Kapuscinski's words rang true for me. Africa really is a universe unto itself. As a continent with a name it exists only in our minds.

Soon we're going for an afternoon game drive. I really hope to see some big cats.

Day 13

Last night and today has been all about the animals. We had our first game drive last night and we weren't disappointed.

Oryx and Springbok abounded in the brush. Black-faced impala and a pair of black-backed jackals also made an appearance. Herds of zebra mosied around. At one waterhole, 3 female lions and six cubs played. It was great to see the big cats. Wilderbeests were also here and there.

The real treat came as we drove back to the resort. A huge, old elephant lumbered with a lightning storm as a back-drop.

We had a jackal prowling our camp during dinnertime and later in the evening at the floodlit waterhole I watched a black rhino have a mexican stand-off with 6 giraffe.

We began our drive early today and were rewarded with 2 male lions at a waterhole with a jackal picking at remains off to the side. We saw an abundance of birdlife and 4 more lions later on.

Later we saw a herd of zebra intermingling with a herd of elephants. Earlier in the morning at the floodlit waterhole we watched 4 elephants drinking. Eventually we came to plains shared by zebra, oryx, springbok, wilderbeest, and giraffe.

The floodlit waterholes and the mingling of African giants lumbering about give a real Jurassic park feel to things. You really haven't seen these animals until you've seen them in the wild.

With the elephants, lions, and rhino I've now seen 3 of the big five. My fingers are crossed for a leopard. We're going on another game drive in an hour or so. Etosha definately makes the top three experiences of this tour. The wildlife is just another facet of the place's beauty that I am just coming to grasp.

Day 14

Well, it was a million to one shot but somehow it worked out. We set off last night in search of a leopard. After a while of driving and seeing the illusive and tiny dik-dik deer we came across the wretched stink of a rotting impala carcass in a tree. Then there it was.

A stunningly beautiful African leopard lay resting beneath the tree. For a while there was just the whirring and clicking of cameras. To our surprise, the leopard posed for pictures before moving to the other side of the truck for more pictures. I consider myself quite blessed to bear witness to such a majestic big cat.

We came back to our camp to wart-hogs and jackals prowling our campsite. In Etosha, everything goes by the animals' rules.

As we left today we saw 8 more lions bringing the 2 and a half day total to 23. The last we saw was a group of four juvenile males just lounging amongst a group of springbok.

We drove south through the well-treed bushland before entering the low mountain ranges around the capital of Windhoek ("Vindhook"). It's a pretty city filled with greenery and dotted with the electric purple of the jacaranda trees.

Tonight I say farewell to the group and tomorrow it's off to the Zebra River Lodge and the life of luxury after roughing it for so long.