Marija

Since our return from our first triumphant safari to East Africa last September (see http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34864322
for details), Bruce and I constantly discussed how if we had but one more trip to take in our lifetimes it would be back to Africa. Our previously envisaged dramatic final returns to Venice and Paris for one last melancholy fling before the Grim Reaper reaped were replaced by wanting to hear one more lion roar, see one more African sunset...

It was satisfying to have agreed on a destination for our final trip. But it sure was frustrating to face the uncertainty of when that would be. What if we weren't given adequate notice to plan the trip? What if first class airline seats weren't available (might as well pull out all stops) or our desired camps were full? It would be heartbreaking not to have our very last trip together be absolutely perfect. And then there are the health issues associated with a farewell tour. Back breaking safari vehicles, early wakeups, malaria medications and long flights really aren't suitable for such a mission. As we talked it was becoming increasingly clear that we should reschedule our final trip to an earlier date. But when?

We evaluated the current situation. Our safari clothes still fit, although once we embark on our soon- to- be -lauched fitness program they will be much too loose and need replacement. Our antibiotics weren't due to expire for another year. Our stockpile of immodium, Purell, mosquito repellant and sunscreen would suffice for at least another half dozen safaris. Bruce still remembered how to use his camera, my knowledge of animals hadn't faded too badly since we constantly watched (together with captive friends) our photos and videos. The obvious finally came into focus. We should go on safari as quickly as possible.

tuckeg

From the title, I was hoping this was going to be a story about how you forgot to pack bathing suits.

moremiles

Your pre-trip reports are such a great introduction to the actual trip-can't wait for the rest.

Marija

Since our first trip was to Kenya and Tanzania, we selected Namibia and Botswana as the primary destinations for this trip, with Victoria Falls and Cape Town as short side trips. Unfortunately, it was mid-March when we decided to forge ahead, eager to travel this year. Meetings blocked out some good weeks in July and September further complicating planning. The first company I contacted sent back discouraging e-mail recommending that we plan for 2008 instead. If we couldn't get into first rate camps, delaying the trip was obviously the correct decision but I wondered if a more industrious travel agent might not be able to put together a good trip.

My next e-mail went to Julian at Timeless Africa. I speculated that he was eager to expand his business and would probably research all possibilities more diligently than better fed agents. My prediction was correct. Timeless Africa cycled through various dates and lodges and came up with an itinerary that included in Namibia Kulala Wilderness Camp (2 nights) and Ongava Lodge (3 nights); in Botswana Seba Camp (3 nights), Little Mombo (3 nights) and Selinda (3 nights); in Zambia Sindabezi (2 nights) and in CapeTown Kensington Place (3 nights). I e-mailed this itinerary to safaridude, a learned fodorite we met last year at Campi ya Kanzi. He approved the trip, so we signed on with Timeless Africa. Given the circumstances, I couldn't really compare prices from different agencies so I don't know if we got a good deal. I do know that we received excellent, prompt service at every step.

Once the trip details were in place, I was free to obsess about how much warm clothing we would need for a Botswana winter and what to pack it in. (Our first safari was in September in East Africa so warm clothing wasn't needed.) After consulting with more experienced fodorites I embraced the onion style and everyday wore a short-sleeved t-shirt, long sleeved blouse, fleece vest and fleece jacket, rolled in a final layer of a windproof jacket and hat and scarf. Our glomitts were the envy of everyone we met. So many people were poorly prepared for the cold temperatures. They had little to layer over their travel agent recommended bathing suits and shorts. For once in my life I felt like a savvy dresser!

Since I knew we would be packing lightly, I toyed with the idea of taking everything as carry-on to eliminate the very real problem of lost and stolen luggage. (We met lots of people who were eagerly anticipating a reunion with their luggage.) The downside of carry-on is dragging the duffel bags down endless corridors after clearing security. I read and re-read all the threads about the evils of wheeled duffel bags and then went in search of two small wheeled duffels that would meet the carry-on restrictions. I just couldn't see having to carry the bags and camera equipment through O'Hare and Dulles. It's very easy to buy a large wheeled duffel and very difficult to buy a small wheeled duffel. The only 24 inch wheeled duffel I could find was a High Sierra bag (http://www.hssc.com/ItemDetail?itemNum=RSX706)and I bought two, in baby blue and bright red. We certainly wouldn't have problems picking out our bags on the landing strip and no one would be tempted to walk away with them either. Everything (including two expandable Bagallini bags but no stapler) fit into the duffels. Triumph! We were ready to go.

LyndaS

Marija - I didn't realize you guys had gone off to Africa again - how wonderful!!! Can't wait to read all about it, when did you go?

Julian is an incredible peron, I can well imagine he took good care of all your bookings, I have had the pleasure of meeting him and having dinner with him, he really is incredible!

Marija

Lynda,

We returned last week. It sure is hard to resist going back...

Marija

Despite all the threads that countdown the number of sleeps until Africa, it is possible for a trip to Africa to start too soon. The night before our 11:00 AM flight from ORD we went to sleep at a reasonable hour, since everything seemed to be in order. The cab was to pick us up at a respectable 7:30 AM. Close to midnight we awake to a ringing phone. It had to be either a family emergency or someone looking for Smart Cars, a business with a similarly endowed number. It was neither. A recorded message from United Airlines instructed us to call a human for an important message about our flight. The news was not good. Our flight was cancelled. The unsympathetic customer support agent told us to be grateful that they could put us on a 6:00 AM flight to Dulles. I asked for a supervisor, I complained, but they stuck to the story that the 8:00 AM flight was full and no other airlines had flights available. Our confirmed upgrade to business was also gone. The agent instructed us to get to the airport three hours before flight time, since it was to be an international flight. She finally conceded that a flight to Dulles, connecting nine hours after arrival to a South African Airways flight to JNB, was not really an international departure and a two hour advance check-in would do. Bruce called the cab company and asked for a 3:30 AM pick-up. I sent farewell e-mails to the family, in place of the morning phone calls, so they wouldn't think aliens had abducted us during the night. Bruce slept for an hour, I lay awake wondering how we would have coped if we had left some crucial errands for completion in the morning.

Check-in at O'Hare was uneventful since we bypassed the long lines and went to the business class counter. As a deposed business ticket holder I felt entitled to complain and check-in quickly. The security lines were still closed so we listened to and contributed our own grievances to those aired by our fellow travelers. The flight was uneventful and we arrived at Dulles with nine hours to kill before our flight to JNB. Based on the agent's recommendation, we went to the customer service counter to ask for lunch vouchers. It provided us with an activity. We felt very magnanimous in the line full of people anxiously trying to reschedule flights since we let so many go before us. After all, we had a lot of time and the lunch coupons were but a diversion. We pocketed our $10 coupons and walked to the international terminal only to discover that the SAA lounge didn't open until 3 hours before flight time. We debated going to the nearby space museum but I didn't want to leave our carry-ons and cameras unattended in the airport or at the museum. We finally settled in to the United lounge until the SAA lounge opened. (The SAA lounge at Dulles was by far the best lounge we encountered. There was actually freshly cooked to order food.)

The flight to JNB was great and we got a good night's sleep in the flat beds. Our final destination was Windhoek in Namibia so upon arrival in JNB we followed the transfer signs and checked in for our flight. At this point we had to check the carry-ons since they were too big for the small plane. I placed locks on the zippers since I had been warned about the dangers of JNB. Another uneventful flight, pick up by a Wilderness Safari rep, a quick stop at the ATM at the airport, and we were on our way to the Hotel Heinitzburg where we had a two night, one day, stay. That was our insurance to make sure that if we had flight problems we wouldn't miss any part of the safari.

moremiles

What an ominous beginning to your trip-glad it all worked out in the long run. Lucky you in those new flat bed seats of SAA though! I can't wait to hear about your stay at the Heintzburg too.

granny

Can't wait for the next addition of your trip.

We have to stay in JNB overnite because our flight leaves only an hour between our connection to Windhoek and SAA requires 90 minutes between flights. Guess they don't want to pay for a hotel if your connection is late. Anyhow we also are leaving a day early, just so we can start our trip on time if we're delayed somewhere.

Your report is fun reading.

Marija

It took about 30 minutes to get from the international airport to the Heinitzburg, a rather anemic castle by European standards, situated on a hill overlooking Windhoek. (Despite Wilderness' official notice that we needed two empty passport pages for Namibia we didn't find that to be the case. In fact, it appeared that they were very careful not to touch the four empty pages Bruce had in his passport.) At check-in I asked if there was any correspondence for us, since Julian from Timeless Africa had been there a week or so earlier and had promised to leave us a note with helpful information about what to eat and do in Windhoek. I was assured that no such note was left. Having read on trip advisor that the Heinitzburg swallows faxes and such instead of passing them on, I continued to ask whether they were really really sure there was nothing for us. After my third attempt the letter appeared, without a word of explanation or apology.

Our room at the Heinitzburg was comfortable and similar to the one shown on their website, www.heinitzburg.com. Although the hotel is located outside the city, there was a surprising amount of traffic noise that could be heard in the room at night. On check in the room safe was locked and, despite a phone request, no one came to fix it. Basically the hotel wasn't interested in making a tourist's life easy. We had to carry our own bags, bottled water had to be purchased from the minibar at minibar prices, and, despite the easy availability of free maps of Windhoek at the tourist office, the hotel only had large maps for sale at $4 US. How much effort does it take to have a bunch of free maps on hand for guests?! The Heinitzburg does have good food and a delightful patio overlooking the city. We sampled their seasonal fish menu, a springbok preparation, vegetarian raviolis as well as some hearty lunch soups. All were excellent. (Skip the foie gras appetizer.)

Before leaving I tried to figure out what to do in Windhoek for a day but I couldn't find much information. Wilderness Safaris offered a half day tour of the city and we decided to let them show us the town. Wilderness was supposed to contact us at the hotel to drop off the trip documents. When they hadn't called by midmorning I called them. It was good that I did. They had no plans to drop off any documents since they had no record of us. I suggested that since we were picked up at the airport the night before and were staying in a hotel that had reservations for us, someone at Wilderness Safaris must know we're here. After several more phone calls back and forth I was put in touch with the Johannesburg office of Wilderness Safaris. The rep wanted to know why we failed to pick up our documents at the airport. That was the first I'd heard about having to leave the secure area of the airport to go in search of documents. He assured us that he would call the Namibia camps and explain why we didn't have vouchers and told us that a Wilderness rep would meet us when we returned to Johannesburg to spend the night on the way to Maun. No one asked for documents so this didn't become a problem. However, by the time everything was straightened out we decided it was too late to book a tour and set out on our own to explore the city which was a quick 15 minute walk away. Getting instructions from the hotel staff wasn't easy and the directions were confused enough that we ended up taking the long way around the hill. (Turn right out of the hotel grounds and then right again at Robert Mugabe and then left at the Christuskirche onto Fidel Castro street which takes you to Independence Avenue, the main drag.)

Windhoek is an unusual city. We walked around for half a day and were approached only once by a vendor. Even the panhandler (of whom there were very few) bypassed us when we sitting on a park bench. The Germanic influence was pronounced in both the architecture and daily life. In the grocery store we stopped at to buy bottled water, cans and displays were labeled in both English and German. And of course there's the obsession with beer which is still brewed to demanding standards.

I don't know if there are any must see attractions in Windhoek. We went to the Namibian Crafts Center which highlights crafts from all of Namibia. It was way too early to start dragging souvenirs around so we left empty handed. There's also an impressive bigger -than- life kudu statue erected in the early 1960s. Different stories circulate as to its origin. One tourist brochure claimed the reason for its existence is unclear, another that it commemorates a period when disease struck kudu and nearly wiped them out. Regardless, it's a great statue for kudu fans. In the Post Street Mall there's a waterless fountain made of fragments from the Gibeon meteorites (http://www.namibweb.com/gibeon.htm). I'm sure we left many of Windhoek's treasures unexamined, but we did enjoy walking around this clean, tourist friendly city. (Fortunately the danger to tourists in Namibia thread started after our departure!)

After two nights at the Heinitzburg we were anxious to begin our safari. But first I had to deal with the duffel problem. Somewhere between JNB and Windhoek International someone had pulled the lock off one of the side compartments, pulling the zipper off with it. I knew the luggage was not very durable, but I didn't think about cargo workers trying to pull it by the locks, which is what I assumed happened. In retrospect I should have used cable ties to secure the luggage when flying in and out of large cities. Safety pins seemed like the solution but my supply was limited and the small one in the sewing kit at the hotel was useless. I loaded the broken compartment with books we needed only for the return trip in the pouch and tried to sew it shut but the thread kept breaking. Then I remembered dental floss, a material that knows no equal. It was the first of numerous repairs to the flimsy duffels that couldn't bear the rigorous of African travel...

Since Sefofane planes were said to have very small openings for luggage, my plan was to shrink our duffels by unloading some of their contents into the Bagallinis, small foldup bags. After repairs and rearrangements we waited for the pickup by Wilderness. (They had called the night before so we were confident that they would come.) After nearly an hour wait I called them. Shortly a driver arrived with apologies that our original driver had forgotten us. Well, at least they didn't make up a story. At the domestic airport we met our pilot and an officer from the British Army who was spending his month off working as a conservation volunteer for Wilderness. (The luggage hold in Sefofane planes in Namibia is vast, compared to the Botswana planes, so our duffels would have fit without decanting.) After a brief wait for fuel we were finally on our way to Kulala Wilderness Camp.

bat

Marija:
Fun report to read. I think that I will adopt your "take the final trip now" philosophy.

broniukas

Kulala Wilderness Camp

Photos:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...p;conn_speed=1


Flying over Namibia was quite different from the flights we've taken in Kenya and Tanzania: no bomas or animals, just lifeless, endless desert formations, dried up river beds and empty roads stretching like snakes as far as you can see. (We were soon to learn that the desert isn't lifeless by any means, but many of the industrious desert creatures aren't easily seen from a plane.) Within an hour we were landing at the airstrip for Kulala Wilderness Camp, greeted by Jimmy, our guide, who was brandishing much-appreciated towels and water. Soon we were welcomed by Heidi, the manager of Wilderness Camp.

Wilderness Safaris had three Kulala camps in this area: Kulala Wilderness Camp; Kulala Desert Lodge and Little Kulala, the luxury option. Wilderness Camp is situated about an hour's drive from the Sossusvlei dunes and doesn't have dune views but looks over dramatic desert scenery. Desert Lodge has distant dune views and is closer to the entry point for the national park. Heidi indicated that some visitors arrive at Wilderness Camp and are outraged not to have dune views, so they rebook them into Desert Lodge when possible. I must admit I was initially a little disappointed that we couldn't see the famous dunes, but soon I was contentedly marveling at the desert that engulfed us. Our kulala was comfortable, although monastic when compared to the rest of the camps we stayed in. (I did speak with someone on a self-drive who said they got a great rate on CC Africa's Mountain Lodge by calling a day in advance and negotiating with them.)

After we legally absolved Wilderness Safaris of anything that might possibly happen by signing our names on their form, Heidi told us that there had been a robbery in a neighboring camp and we would have to keep our rooms locked. (Surrounded by miles of desert, we hardly felt imperiled.) Heidi didn't give any more details but we later met people who had been staying at Kulala Desert Lodge around that time and they reported that money had been taken from their safes. One man claimed to have lost $380 in 20s. When he reported this, a Wilderness official indicated that this was not the first occurrence in the camp and promised to reimburse the funds. The safe in our room was portable so I turned over our passports, credit cards and cash to Heidi for placement in the camp safe. The room key business was a constant nuisance, since housekeeping didn't have keys and wasn't accustomed to using them. We felt ridiculous locking our room in the middle of the desert, and returned the key. Our only intruder came late one night, giving himself away by loud crackling noises. Bruce bravely removed the little mouse from a plastic storage bag and set him free.

Our first night there was only one other couple, Italians still awaiting their luggage which arrived at camp only minutes after they left. The second night there was a pilot/safari operator from Zimbabwe, together with his four guests. The native Zimbabwean's tales of his extraordinary life in that formerly extraordinary country astonished us, and gave meaning to all those news stories we read at home.

Upon our arrival, after a cup of tea and some cakes we set off for sundowners on a cliff overlooking distant protrusions. On the way Jimmy pointed out sociable weaver nests in acacia trees. These are huge avian equivalents of expansive family compounds, added on to by successive generations of sociable weavers. The desert was dotted with fairy circles--small circles of land in which, for reasons still unknown, nothing grows. We saw springbok, oryx, jackals and other game that can endure the harsh desert conditions. Upon our return I had an excellent fish dinner on the patio of the lodge while Bruce unenthusiastically munched on rice to stabilize his digestive system.

Wake up was at 4:30 the next morning for the sunrise trip to Namib-Naukluft National Park. After breakfast we sped through the world's oldest desert, fortunately in a closed car, until we reached the photogenic red sand dunes, still before sunrise .( One great benefit of a nearly empty camp was having a guide and vehicle all to ourselves.) A quick ascent to the top would give us an opportunity for photos like those we've long admired but our climb up the 560 ft tall Dune 45 fell somewhat short of the top. Sliding down was great fun even when the descent was no longer on two feet. As the sun illuminated the dunes, they constantly changed color and magnificent shadows appeared on their surfaces. I would have happily gazed at the dunes all day but the next item on the agenda was a visit to the "dead vlei," a large pan sprouting ancient gnarled trees and surrounded by those incredible dunes. We walked the vlei, trying to retain the images: Bruce with his camera and me with available personal memory storage. After a filling lunch we set out for Sesriem Canyon, named after the 6 lengths of thong required to scoop buckets of water out of it. Without much debate, and to the immense relief of Jimmy our guide, we decided against a descent into the canyon. More photos and we were headed back to the lodge unaware that we were to soon witness what was probably the most unusual sighting of our entire safari: aardwolves mating. By the time we figured out what was going on and pulled out photo gear it was too late, the amorous couple was making a quick escape.

That evening we had sundowners at the lodge and dinner on the patio overlooking the desert. We slept in the next morning since all we had to do was hop a mid-morning flight to Ongava. A strong wind was howling, making us grateful that we had had a calm day for a visit for Sossusvlei but increasing our anxiety about the upcoming flight. Francois, Heidi's fiancé, drove us to the landing strip where we had time to debate the merits of going up in such incredible wind. There's only one conclusion: you have to assume that the Sefofane pilots know what they're doing and go with it. As the tiny plane circled the landing strip and made a smooth landing, Bruce complimented the pilot, saying "He sure knows what he's doing." Francois smiled and said "Wait till you see who gets out." Soon a tiny 16-year-old-looking girl emerged from the plane--our pilot. (Despite appearances she must have been at least 20.) On the one hand we were both duly impressed by her ability to handle the plane in difficult conditions; on the other hand we both know the role of experience in everything from surgery to home repair...

Her name was Simone, and she turned out to be a native South African who considers herself "part of the Zim crowd." She gave us the usual briefing on safety procedures, warned that the going might be a little rough and took off. The takeoff and flight were smooth despite the strong crosswind, the pilot cool and confident. Upon landing in Windhoek for fuel, she conceded that a less experienced pilot might not have taken off in those conditions. I could no longer restrain my curiosity and asked how long this experienced pilot had been flying. Eight months for Sefofane and once a week in Zimbabwe for two years, was her reply. How our definition of experience changes with age! (There are 4 women Sefofane pilots out of 19 pilots flying in Namibia.) Soon we were airborne again, and an hour and a half later Simone brought us down in Ongava.

hguy47

Finally got a chance to read your report. Very interesting so far, and I love your clever writing style and occasional use of unusual words (unusual in their context, anyway). Thanks for contributing, I'm glad that things worked out (ultimately, but not easily in some cases) so far, and I'm anxious to see more.

moremiles

Your photos and writing style are wonderful and I'm really enjoying your report.

napamatt

Really enjoyable report.

Patty

Great report and photos so far! In one month, we'll be headed to Namibia so really enjoying this.

Marija

Thanks for your kind comments!

broniukas

Ongava Lodge

Photos: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...p;conn_speed=1

Jack, our guide for the next three days, was waiting for us at the landing strip. Once again a routine check-in was accompanied by drinks and towels which I think we were supposed to approach in reverse order. Tea was being served but we couldn't dally since we had but 20 minutes to prepare for the afternoon game drive. Our brick, thatch and rock chalet was way down a very long meandering road of steps. (I think most of the chalets, except for two, are pretty much at lodge level.) Since there was much construction in progress, when we weren't climbing up the stairs we were glad to be removed from the activity and noise. The room had been recently remodeled and was very comfortable with indoor/outdoor showers and heating, an amenity that Bruce, a Southerner who still hasn't gotten used to chilly weather despite many years of self-imposed exile, really appreciated. He claims to have been cold for much of the trip. My Baltic blood is an invaluable first layer to any clothing scheme. (We had wanted to stay in Ongava Tented Camp but it wasn't available. That was just as well since we met several people who had stayed at the Tented Camp at the same time and they reported being very, very cold.)

The afternoon game drives take place on the large Ongava private reserve where off roading is not allowed. Within the first half hour we spotted (well, saw) both white rhino and black rhino, followed by gemsbok, kudu, giraffe, wildebeest and assorted other creatures. At sundowners we heard the presumed "distant" call of a lion and quickly packed up and returned to the lodge. Dinner was a "semi-buffet" with starters and desserts served individually. We almost missed the starters since we were hard at work trying to comb our hair. We carried everything onboard as carry-on, so I didn't waste our precious liquid allotment on conditioner, a decision that caused us both to pull out our hair. The Wilderness lodges we stayed at in Namibia didn't provide conditioner but you sure do need it-- not to have model shiny hair for possible safari movie auditions but to be able to get a comb through the dried-out tangled mass on the top of your head. (The little bottle I acquired in Johannesburg while transiting to Maun was unnecessary since the camps in Botswana had plenty of conditioner.)

The next morning , together with a charming management consultant from Germany, we set off for the Great White Place (or the Place of Dry Water, depending on what you read)-- Etosha National Park, entering at Andersson Gate. Twenty-five percent of the huge park, the size of Switzerland, is a mineral pan, most of which is off limits to tourists. This was our first experience in a park where almost all game viewing takes place at waterholes which are at some distance from each other. That means you can either position yourself at a waterhole and await interesting developments that may or may not be happen at this particular hole, or you can drive between waterholes, hoping to locate an already action-filled hole. No doubt guides know the usual schedules and casts of characters appearing at the holes and try to catch the best shows. (Ongava Lodge has two well-lit waterholes which provide easy viewing from the elevated decks and rooms. At night we saw a large pride of lions drinking as well as a white rhino with a baby.)

On the first day we visited five or so waterholes, including the one at Okaukuejo, which is one of the three campsites in the park. It's lit at night and Jack told the sad tale of the German tourist who fell asleep on a bench and was killed by lions. There's a lot of construction going at both of the campsites that we saw. The most entertaining waterhole was the one full of elephants, including several small babies. It was great fun to watch them chase off intruders. We drove to the edge of the pan and stared at what resembled a large grey sea before us. The only predator we saw that morning was a distant lion enjoying a snooze in the sun.

We returned to camp for a suitably Germanic buffet lunch of sausages, potatoes, sauerkraut followed by our own snooze. The rhinos didn't appear at the afternoon game drive on the property. Instead we followed three lions that walked and walked and then gave it up and slept--so much for seeing the hunt. Sundowners were drunk in the jeep, in futile hope that the action would resume and, of course, to avoid tempting the lions to turn us into hors d'oeuvres. Dinner for us was an excellent roast beef for Bruce and fish for me.

At the end of our first game drive in Etosha, Jack indicated that there was the possibility of an all day game drive in Etosha going all the way to Halali, one of the other campsites, but he wasn't sure if it could be arranged, especially if no one else was interested. Fortunately, even though the lodge was full, the manager agreed to let Jack take the two of us for all day Etosha excursion. We started our long, dusty journey after the usual buffet breakfast of eggs, porridge and accompaniments.

Our first sighting was a glorious male lion walking purposefully, close to the road. We drove alongside him, eager to observe his morning outing. After a long constitutional he lay down under a tree... We revisited some of the holes from the day before and then set out to a distant waterhole that is favored by lions. After a good half hour drive, we reached the spot and were treated to stories of how we just missed the large lion pride. The alternate road was under repair so we retraced our path, observing the broad empty plains, dotted with occasional giraffes, zebras, jackals, ostriches, gemsbok and the cute black faced impala seen only in Namibia. Our most interesting sighting was again elephants, this time frolicking in the dust of a dried up waterhole.

The all day trip to Etosha seemed rushed, since we had a lot of ground to cover to reach Halali where we were going to have lunch. By the time we reached Halali at around 3 we had to hurry and get back on the road so we could leave the park before closing time. (Halali is also under major construction. ) Ongava's vehicles are open, which is great for viewing, but not so good for traveling long distances on very dusty roads. I would certainly think twice before doing the all day trip again. I'd rather spend more time at fewer holes, especially since there was little to see while traveling between the waterholes. We arrived at camp just in time to liquify the dust, pull out some more hair and gather for dinner.

Dinner was a cookout at the camp boma, accompanied by an energetic performance by the camp staff. The most dramatic event was a screaming fit by an elderly British lady who did not want to be at the boma. She had just arrived with a CCAfrica tour, was leaving after one night (always a mistake, we think), and wanted to be at the lodge watching the waterhole. The manager quickly arranged for her return to the lodge. The tactful guide accompanying the tour hesitantly admitted that he found the group challenging.

For our last morning at Ongava we planned a visit to the hide. We were told to go late morning so we had a leisurely breakfast and packed. This was our first (and sadly only) visit to a hide. Accompanied by bottles of mineral water and cameras we were led down to the hide where only guinea fowl were quenching their thirst. All creatures are interesting in their own way but guinea fowl fall low on the scale, unless they're marching single file in front of a jeep. We asked to be retrieved in two hours, unless something interesting was occurring since we had no intentions of leaving if rhino or lions were drinking. To set a good example, we drank our own water, but not too much for obvious reasons, and waited. Always a profound thinker, I pondered if you could bring wine and snacks to the hole to help pass the time...

A very loud bark startled us. Through the gap in the hide door I could see a kudu emitting sounds that I would never have associated with such a dignified, graceful animal. The kudu faced the hide and continued to bark fiercely. I had no doubt that the kudu could smell or in some other way detect us. Kudu sense prevailed, correctly predicting that Bruce and I weren't a danger to anyone but ourselves, and the kudu herd finally approached the water. Soon more than a dozen kudu, including some with magnificent antlers, were posing for us. Then came the gemsbok, the zebras, and even a couple of wildebeest that were out of step with the Great Migration. Cameras clicking and video going, our two hours quickly passed. If I had it to do over again, I would have gone down to the hide several times to watch the unfolding action. At the Etosha waterholes you keep moving. Here we could finally sit and observe the animals.

A quick lunch and we were airborne again on our way to Windhoek International and then Johannesburg. After a night at the airport Intercontinental we were headed to Maun (pronounced ma-OON) and our camps in Botswana. At JNB we were met by a Wilderness Safari rep who walked with us to the hotel. She gave us assorted vouchers and a "custom" itinerary that gave check in times for our eventual flight to Atlanta (but we weren't going there!). The itinerary also included belated detailed instructions for picking up our vouchers in Johannesburg when we arrived. Air Namibia had pulled the zipper off another duffel pouch. Dental floss again repaired the damage. The Intercontinental was comfortable; we had a reasonably good dinner; put conditioner on our hair and soundly slept. Our reservation included breakfast which had a large assortment of cold/hot dishes. The eggs benedict were terrible.

The walk to the International Terminal from which Air Botswana flies was short but we did have some problems locating the correct floor for check-in. We had to pass through immigration again and it was with some wonder that we noted that all the custom agents avoided the four empty pages in Bruce's passport. The South African visit was tightly squeezed into half a page, among other stamps. Air Botswana screened for liquids in carry-on (which Air Namibia didn't) and also confiscated our tiny little fingernail scissors.

Next: Seba Camp in Botswana.

atravelynn

I am up to where you leave for Kulala.

I love your philosophy of safari clothes that fit and pills that haven't expired mean you have to go again. Good for you!

I cannot believe the earlier departure from United. What if you had not been at home? Right when I read that the phone rang and I was scared it was United. I am leaving for Brazil on United tonight.

Sorry about your luggage. Glad you were so pleased with Timeless Africa.

I'll have to wait until end of August to find out how the dental floss saves the day.

atravelynn

Your elephant antic pictures are great. Nice kudu and oryx shots. Was that a meerkat standing up?