another wonderful African holiday!
on John and Dinah with VSO in Namibia (Namibia), 09/Sep/2009 10:06, 34 days ago
We have just had a wonderful holiday here (again very memorable). Much needed after an exhausting finish to last term battling with exams and the 'schedule' a spreadsheet analysis of the results. We were a bit less keen as it was the usual highlights trip but had to be done as John’s sister, Jean and her husband Mike were visiting. I’m so glad they did! We might not have decided to go to Etosha for the third time and it was absolutely mind-blowing. First boggler was lunch time at the waterhole at Halali where there must have been about 50 elephants! Photo of a few –attempts to get the whole scene hopeless – I blame the light! Then we saw several giraffe, some elies and 3 RHINO at the waterhole (Okaukuejo) where we were staying for the night. We have never seen 1 before so this was very exciting but I didn’t have my camera. Luckily Jean had hers so willget some pics eventually.The following morning was equally stellar. First we got up early and went to the waterhole where we’d seen lions with Graham. We must have only missed an actual kill by minutes! There were about a dozen lions feasting on a giraffe. We watched for about and hour and it was fascinating to see the males (2, apparently would have been brothers) waiting for the family to be satisfied then tuckingin. 4 jackals were also manoeuvring to get some too!That would have done for the morning but after breakfast back at Okaukuejo we decided to pop down for a last look at the waterhole. It was unbelievable! There was an endless train of animals and at least 100 round the hole at any given minute. Mike was very concerned about the Oryx (Gemsbok) who seemed to need some assertiveness training, but in fact everyone got a good drink and cool-down. It was just beginning to heat up again after the winter. In fact they timed it perfectly weather-wise.We also loved going down to Walvis Bay where we did a 4 wheel drive safari recommended by Nico and Marg. Our guide dug tiny creatures out of apparently lifeless sand (miles of, so how he spotted tell-tell traces was astonishing). The one he was proudest of was a white lady. A rare sand spider, and only his personal third. I’m hoping Nico will be impressed! When you see how small it was (and completely buried at least 10 cm down) in a desert you really can’t imagine how he found it. The others loved the roller-coaster ride over the dunes although I was really terrified (my sound effects added to the other’s enjoyment). Then they produced a luxurious lunch with oysters (yuk! Again I was the odd one out). Everything else delicious and on to Sossusvlei.Mike and Jean decided to do a balloon trip which I was very tempted by. Anyway they loved it and John and I walked in the dunes meanwhile. I hoped to beat my (irrational) dune phobia but again once I reached a certain height I just wanted out. I had to sit down as standing I felt as if I had no weight or strength. I held J’s hand all the way down so not all bad. I have now decided to give up and never attempt another of the world’s top ten highest sand dunes. As J says this does not constitute a major restriction! We had a beautiful drive through the park and the sand is an amazing colour so overall glad we went. They also gave us the best food of the trip. John says the best he’s ever had anywhere. The others were all really enjoying the game meat and I admired their willingness to try everything. Jean was disappointed not to find crocodile anywhere but they got their teeth round everything else imaginable – zebra, gemsbok (where was Mike’s fellow feeling now?), springbok, warthog etc. etc.I forgot to say that they came to the school first and that was great. Mike borrowed Chaz’s guitar and had a sing-song with the learners from John’s 11C. Jean gave 12A a physical science lesson which reminded her of the joys of teaching as she retired 10 years ago. Both were big successes and the learners are still talking about it! Jean also made me a birthday card (she is brilliant at it) and I’m afraid I threw it out yesterday (I can’t take much back with me). I asked a learner to burn my paper and she rescued it and asked if she could keep it as she thought it the most beautiful card in the world! I keep forgetting to offer stuff I think of as finished, although Ihave long since been a major distributor of empty yogurt pots and jars! I have even been persuaded to part with dead batteries!They were supposed to be borrowing our car to go to Vic Falls but it broke and they had to be rescued from the roadside. Along with the 2 punctures we had they had a truly African experience although rather unnerving at the time! They got to Vic Falls by intercape bus so managed to see masses. While in Livingston they also visited a project for rescuing and conserving big cats and it became a standing joke to remind us that they had walked with lions, only young ones, but big enough to impress. They had a film of themselves doing it and actually looking very relaxed and happy!It was sad to see them go and I was sorry that so few of our family and friends actually got to see this terrific country.Back to work now and into our final term. We meet our replacements on Friday night and are busy getting ready for them here. It will be really interesting to see how it works volunteering with children. We also met another family of Swiss volunteers who are with Interteam and over this side of Rundu. Obviously a new trend as another family came out with ours as VSOs.We will really be sad to finish although keen to get back to our loved ones at home. 2 years is a long time, but so glad we did it!Hope to hear all good with you. Is this the start of a new academic year? Hope you have been given the classes you want etc.THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS BLOG ARE THE AUTHORS OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF VSO.