valandian-in Africa: Etosha to Twyfelfontein

August 7

Another early start for a morning game drive. A long, slow four hours of seeing very little. It was very windy (and cold) and this kept the animals lying low. Our last opportunity for viewing game here, so for us Etosha was a bit disappointing. On balance, however, we didn't really do too badly: lots of jackal, elephant (at a distance), giraffe, oryx, wildebeest, springbok, black faced impala, zebra.

Kori bustards aplenty

We were lucky to see some Springbok pronking and I managed to catch one in the act

This pretty black faced impala is apparently an import from Kruger National Park. They have been introduced to Etosha

I'm rather fond of jackals

This was the landscape on one side of the road .......

and this was the landscape on the opposite side of the road - extraordinary

Some more zebras crossing!

After leaving the park we headed south once more for a one night stop at Outjo. It was not too far so we were there in time for lunch. We were a large group so had to be split overnight at two lodges. Once the greater number had checked in at Etotongwe Lodge we went to Sophienhof Lodge where the remaining eight were to be accommodated. This lodge also has a lot of private land where there are a variety of animals. We had a game drive before we had dinner there then returned to our lodgings at Etotongwe.

The drive was good fun and turned up some surprises. After seeing ostrich being fed as well as cheetah, we drove off and were very lucky to see 4 giraffe sitting down. This is a rarity and is only usually seen when they feel safe. We also saw others feeding elsewhere and a rather lovely lechwe, and a couple of dik dik. The funniest thing was coming upon five ostrich on the road ahead of us. They kept running along in front of us which was hilarious. The male peeled off and left his harem of four still running along in front of us until another peeled off followed, eventually by the rest. After we had finished dinner we watch some porcupine being fed. These very shy creatures are fascinating to watch. They are actually rodents and look very like very large guinea pigs with quills.

We had lunch at a rather nice cafe and the milkshake was outstanding

Feeding ostrich

Minding we did not get a kick from these deadly feet

This chap had his work cut out for him with three cheetahs pouncing on the food. There was definitely a pecking order too

We came upon a creche of giraffe. Some adult females caring for some calves. They were all sitting down. Most unusual

While driving our way back to where the other vehicles were waiting, these ostrich had other ideas about our progress

Then they decided to run, it was very funny to watch

Returning to the creche, the giraffe had been disturbed so were up and protecting the calves

One of the vehicles had difficulty with a hill start so everyone had to pile out

They eventually got the vehicle up the hill and everyone piled back in again

A rather lovely large lechwe. Although he looks like there some other antelope mixed up in his genes the colouring and horns are not quite typical of the species

This little dik dik was very nervous but kept an eye on us

The porcupines were fascinating to watch having their evening meal

Hard to see with this light but you can see this is his head with a fluffy top knot and deadly quills behind

August 8

Today four of the group departed to return home. Then we left to pick up the other eight who had stayed at the other lodge. There were some unusual Monterio's hornbill feeding. After taking photos of the beautifully painted lamp shades we were on the road again. Our journey now takes on a more scenic rather than a wildlife focus.

After a scenic drive we arrived for our photo stop at Fingerclip rock. The photos taken around here could almost have been taken in Utah. Such was the stark landscape. We also stopped at a roadside stall where the bare breasted Himba women were selling their wares (including photos!). Next stop was the petrified forest where, it is said, pine trees up to 30m tall were felled by moving ice and moved from Europe during the Ice Age.

After a fuel stop at Khorixas we continued our journey. Not long after we left town we came to the beginning of the dirt road. The landscape was gorgeous – desert plains with mountains on either side. I sat in the jump seat at the front of the coach for this sector – superb.

On arrival at our lodge, Twyfelfontein, I momentarily took my eyes off the path and went for a tumble when I caught one foot under a rock sticking out at the side of the path.. No major damage but enough to be a nuisance – a bruised eye socket and my left hand took some major ligament damage. Oh well! It will all heal in time. Everyone was very solicitous. We are lucky to have qualified nurses in our group and I was well taken care of.

A couple of eland which were grazing at our lodge

Departing friends

Heading for Windhoek

All the outside lamps at Sophienhof Lodge were painted with images of the wildlife on the property

Another variety of hornbill I had not seen before

Rather liked these warthogs

A small but very interesting place to stay

Finger Klip rock

Apart from the very dense vegetation this could almost be Utah

No traffic problems on this road

This is what we left behind. Once on the gravel road it stayed that way until near the South African border

A picture of concentration. Andre drove us very well

The road was through country which experiences flash flooding. Lots of dips to take the flood water away

Petrified pieces of ancient trees

A vast barren landscape

This little chap was scooting about the rocks

The largest of the petrified trees, this one starts bottom left of the picture and continues along the line diagonally across the centre of the picture to the tree in the distance

One of the larger pieces

And the road simply stretched away into the distance

We are now on a major highway from the centre of Namibia to the coast

Layers of hills and mountains appear ahead of us through the dust and heat haze

Twyfelfontein Lodge nestled into the mountainside

The view from our accommodation with the sun starting to set

And in the opposite direction the cliffs glow with the setting sun

A gorgeous setting for a pool

August 9

Twyfelfontein means doubtful fountain. The first white man to settle here, Mr Levine, when asked how things were going said he doubted the fountain would last. There is a natural spring which flows strongly from time to time, but most of the time is just a trickle.

We saw the rock engravings made by bushmen thousands of years ago. Very similar to many Australian Aboriginal engravings, these tell stories and map an area to show water sources as well as the varieties of game in the area.

We visited Burnt Mountain, a formation created when plant material was buried and compressed millions of years ago, and then with erosion a dark rock has been exposed.

The Organ Pipes were next, a channel where water has exposed igneous columns of basalt, similar to the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.

The afternoon was spent relaxing around the pool.