Etosha National Park

Hello!
Well, Mark and I must be settling in a bit. Last week was quite tiring, hot days, working pretty hard, but getting used to what is and is not possible in Khorixas. I got used to it to the extent that on Saturday, when we stopped in Outjo on the way to Etosha, and went into a bakery and saw, oh my such a spread!! There is such a strong German influence: apple strudel, good bread, sausage rolls, ginger cookies... Really a delight, and such a treat. The thing is, one can really live well with out these things, but one appreciates it a lot more if it's hard to come by!

We went to Etosha, which is enormous, and agreed with each other that it was just nice to be out, seeing something different, it didn't matter if we didn't see any animals: Oryx, Springbok, giraffes, zebras, ostriches, squirrels, guinea fowl, lions (mating), gnus, lizards, impala (lots) warthog, meercat, white capped jay and red capped wood pecker. Big bird about ½ the size of ostriches with a peak at the back of head. Looked like a really large heron, with affronted, mincing gait. Other black birds with white flashes on wings, vv large.

People talk about the "big five" and are a bit snobbish about zebras and giraffes, but we found them amazing. A giraffe is just so strange! It was amazing to watch them from the car, just nibbling. I'm ashamed to say that I didn't know ostriches were in Africa (I thought they were Australian)

Lions can be very active: hunting and fighting, but often spend up to 23 hours a day just lazing around, so I guess we were lucky to see them mating! Meercats make me think of Maya, for some reason. I think she told me once that they were her favorite animal.

All in all an expensive way to spend the weekend, but only 3+ hours drive away, and once we have a tent, much cheaper...

lots of love,

the