Namibia arrival and tour day 1

Well here I am in Windhoek, Namibia. On the west coast of southern Africa, with South Africa below, Angola above and Botswana to the east, it's hot here although it can be cool at night. Geographically a big country, but with a population of only 2 million, Namibia was a colony of Germany, then South Africa, before independence in 1990. The legacy of Germany in particular is here to be seen. Clean well organised towns and villages, a very civilised country, people friendly and helpful. But there are 'townships', many impoverished people barely scraping a living, governed by a rich 3% and economically heavily reliant on the 7% white minority. Interestingly, the official language is English. Prior to the tour, I am staying two nights at Rivendell (yes the same name) in Windhoek. My room is Bag-End!

Excellent full breakfast, giant sausage. Walked around Windhoek city centre, mostly modern buildings. Street stalls selling souvenirs. A fascinating craft centre, a maze of buildings, passageways and odd-shaped rooms selling local stuff. Nice cafe on a balcony selling tasty cakes. Zoo Gardens on the edge of the city centre is a pleasant retreat.

Tour day 1, I meet the guides and the group. George, sitting, is in charge. He is Lenny Henry. Namibian with a welsh grandfather and surname Griffiths, I think George is going to be a great guide. Standing L to R, Ruben is the most important person, he is the cook; Larissa from Germany is a Doctor specialising in anesthesiology; Agnes from Poland, living in Spain, organises exhibitions for telecoms companies; Yumi from Japan works for an English language school in Tokyo; Filipa from Portugal is a lawyer in Brussels; and me! Looking to be an interesting 10 days.
We drive 200k to Okahandja wood carving market. OK.
Then on to the 200sqkm Okonjima Nature Reserve Park, home of the Africat Foundation, conservationists who concentrate on the African Big Cats. George explains that most of the animals living at their Rehabilitation Centre have been rescued from desperate situations, orphaned or caught and injured in a trap. Before entering the Park we have a hot dog for lunch with the longest sausage ever. Then to the rehab. area. From a hide, we get a close up view of Wahw, a Leopard found as a tiny kitten, raised with humans so cannot be released into the wild, but now fully grown and very fierce and dangerous. Wow this animal is scary. It glares at us, sensing we are near but unreachable across a narrow moat between him and us in the hide. I get some great pictures.

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Next we see the Adams family - four cheetah siblings. Beautiful animals, restless, pacing, hungry, especially interested in the edible children watching them. Then on to the main Park where animals live and hunt, free from human intervention. We see giant termite hills, baboons, kudu (a species of antelope with big curly horns), warthogs (Pumbas),

oryx,

and vultures.

Sadly, there is the occasional road-kill...................... Back at the camp-site (we're living in tents) dinner is served by Ruben. Kudu goulash with pasta and salad. Delicious. No pudding though. 572

Early to bed in my sleeping bag after a great first day. Lots of night noises, including lions we're told afterwards by George. I sleep well. Good night.