Etosha National Park
Trip Start
Jul 24, 2006
1
14
19
Trip End
Oct 28, 2006
Tsumeb,
Namibia
Friday, September 22, 2006
01 Who will win the fight : car or elephant?
! Step 3 was from Divundu a town which we quickly realized had NOTHING to Rundu. By this time, it was already 5pm, and we were worried that we wouldn't find any minibus, bus, or other driver with whom we could hitchhike. however, luck was on our side, and when the policeman dropped us at the gas station, an NGO worker who was filling up told us that she was just heading to Rundu and that we could ride with her. Fantastic. The next day we went to Tsumeb on a minibus that actually obeyed all traffic rules and speed limits. Tsumeb is the staging point for visiting Etosha National Park, where you absolutely need our own car. So we rented a little Volkswagon, and started our self-guided tour through this fantastic game park, attempting to put what we learned from Lesh into practice.
We were simply astounded by the amount of game there is to be viewed at Etosha. Unbelievable. Literally herds of thousands of zebras. Prides of lions that can go into the 20s. Elephant troups that number in the 30s. We spent 4 days riding around, and had fantastic surprises each day. Highlights include: watching a breeding herd of elephant around a man-made water hole that was like a shallow pool. A tiny new born elephant was with them, and as she was watching mom and the others take a drink, she got too close and fell in
02 Ostrich crossing outside of the crosswalk
. The scene was heartwrenching as the whole herd starting trumpeting and crying out. Baby's reaction was to put her trunk in the air to use as a snorkel as she swam about frantically. Finally, three elephants were able to pull her out, only to have her fall back in about three minutes later. Once that happened, it seemed that the older elephants rebuked the mother elephant and threatened not to help this time, moving away from the water hole in protest. In the end, the baby was pulled out again, but with much difficulty. Another highlight was coming upon a water hole where a pride of 4 lions had attacked a rhino and was feasting on its entrails.
Our last evening, we were watching the sun setting over the water hole when a lone white rhino came along. He was beautiful to watch, did his little song and dance, and then moved on. A few minutes later, however, a second rhino arrived, started to drink when he was interrupted by a loud snort from the first rhino. Apparently there was bad blood between them and they ended up in a head to head stand off - both of them grunting and snarling, until finally rhino number 2 stepped down and moved back towards the waterhole. However, the drama was not over - a third rhino showed up. This one a girl rhino and she and Rhino 2 start snuggling in the middle of the water hole - rubbing heads and horns
03 Defending the waterhole (too many zebras here!)
. It was very cute to watch, but Rhino 1 wasn't too happy about it. He came down to the waterhole, and the standoff recommenced. Once again, rhino 2 stepped down, and got out of the waterhole. But apparently, girl rhino was going to chose love over strength, and got out too to console her man. They then began quite a violent display of courtship...one could have almost mistaken it for fighting. But when rhino 2 got behind girl rhino and put his huge legs on her back, the intent became quite clear. However, they were not to consumate this love entente because rhino 1 came back and started snorting again, ruining the moment for girl rhino who sent rhino 2 packing. It was like watching a rhino soap opera, though after a few more episodes of courtship and standoffs we got bored and went to bed, and never did find out if rhino 2 and girl were successful!Well, enough animal love stories.
Comments
$?
How much did it cost you to rent a car? Did you stay in a tent at night? How did you know the route to take? What would you have done if you broke down?
So many questions!