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.