Last Day at Okonjima
Trip Start
Jul 12, 2006
1
8
18
Trip End
Jul 30, 2006
Okonjima,
Namibia
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Franz showed us how they would make rope from the 'elephant toothpick' - a green cactus looking plant that was rolled and crushed until only its fibres were left. These fibres are then rolled on the leg and platted to make rope for traps. We were shown traps for porcupine and guinea fowl
Lion at Lion lapis Okonjima
. They were of very simple construction but very effective. The darts the Bushmen used to kill larger game are poisoned using the intestines of a larvae found in the trees. The poison is incredibly potent with enough in one larvae to kill 5 people! The poison is deliberately not put on the point of the dart so that you could accidentally prick yourself but on the side. An irritant is put on the point and this makes the animal rub itself so the end of the dart falls off but the top part enters the animal. For something as big as a Kudu it may take up to 72 hours for the animal to die.We were also shown how they make the skins of animals into clothes and how to make a fire with just a stick and some tinder. Also how Bushmen carry water in a cleaned out Ostrich egg with wax over the top to keep it watertight. Ostrich eggs are also used for jewelry crushed and shaped into a circle a hole is pierced through so that they can be strung together. Porcupine spines are also used.
The 'Bushmen Trail' was really interesting and we felt we learned a little about these incredible people and the way they survive in very extreme conditions.
In the afternoon we decided to do another Leopard track but this time Wilson would be our guide
Lion at Okonjima
. He was completely different to Meldon much more careful and somehow it didn't seem the same. The leopards were becoming increasingly difficult to track and I think we all knew that we would be unlucky this time. We weren't even able to pick up a good signal. Meldon and gone into the hills on a Quad Bike to see if he could locate any but he didn't have any luck either proving just how elusive these animals are even when they are collared. We did see some baboons though and Wilson was full of other information about the flora and fauna so we felt it wasn't a wasted journey. Dinner was again excellent and I talked with Wilson about how he grew up in Zimbabwe and how he became a guide in Namibia.
It was down to the hide once more and this time we were lucky enough to see four porcupines and two Genets - the best viewing so far!
