80,000 years ago this meteorite crashed into planet earth.

The Hoba meteorite is not only the largest single meteorite in existence it also had a remarkable entry to Earth. On impact there is no crater instead it is theorised that being flattish it skipped through the atmosphere much like a rock on water.

In 1920 a local farmer was ploughing his field when his plough hit something hard. With all the surrounding country being a white limestone to have something hard and black was very different.

This single Meteorite weighs 60 tons and measurers nearly 3 metres in diameter. Due to the presence of a rare radioactive nickel isotope scientists have estimated it crashed to earth around 80,000years ago. The actual age is somewhere between 190 and 410 million years and most likely came from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

N127: Hoba Meteorite Campsite

Cost: N70/person (A$7/person)

Altitude: 1514 metres

S 19*37.234 E 17*56.452

Today: 213 Km 

Africa Total: 24,726 Km

Herero lady in her normal day wear.

N128: !Uris Camp Site

Cost: N165/person

Altitude: 1304 metres

Today: 119 Km 

Africa Total: 24,845 Km

Nice and unusual shower made from sticks and parts from the old copper mine, and with hot water from a donkey boiler.

Tuesday 6th September 2016:

The !Uris area is surrounded with old and new copper mines.

Why the ‘!’ before Uris ?

Because this is Damara country and their language involves a lot of ‘click’ sounds and the ‘!’ designates the ‘click’ sound.

Around mid-day we arrive at the Etosha National Park it is still semi-desert area yet we are surprised at the diversity and numbers of game animals.

Kudu.

Impala by the hundreds, with Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Springbok, Oryx, and Steenbok.

It is all Kast ( limestone) country and it is the springs and sink holes that bring in the animals.

Hundreds of Zebra and Giraffes

Again it is the Elephants that impress us.

More than once we had to back up as they eye off the Fuso as a threat.

Ears wide and stamping of the feet is an aggressive sign.

Add to that a bit of snorting and it’s time to back up.

Our 1st nights camp is at Halali and at this waterhole our first sighting of a Black Rhino.

Then as dark descends 5 lions materialise.

N129: Halali Campsite - Etosha

Cost: N$ 480 (A$48/2 person camp)

Altitude: 1105 metres

S 19*02.197 E 16*28.183

Today: 230 Km 

Africa Total: 25,076 Km

Wednesday 7th September 2016:

Game driving nearly all day along the edge of the Etosha Pan.

The actual pan is 140 kms long and 60kms wide. At this point one can see the earths curvature along the horizon .

Our highlight was watching the Elephants take a mud bath from the soaks along the edge of the Pan.

The mud is used as a sun block and also

against the insects. First a liberal splash then stand to let dry then reapply.

The mud is green, drying to a powder white, giving they an almost ghostly appearance.

A lion cub..... cute.

A medley of animals at a waterhole.

N130: Namutoni Campsite - Etosha

Cost: N$ 360 (A$36/2 person camp)

Pre-booked

Altitude: 1091 metres

S 18*48.296 E 16*56.494

Today: 128 Km 

Africa Total: 25,204 Km

Thursday 8th September 2016:

Todays highlights:

A male Lion with a couple of lionesses.

At dusk, Elephants hurry to a waterhole.

Feeding the local wildlife.

A Ground Squirrel.

N131: Halali Campsite - Etosha

Cost: N$ 360 (A$36/2 person camp)

Pre-booked

Altitude: 1105 metres

S 19*02.197 E 16*28.183

Today: 121 Km 

Africa Total: 25,326 Km

Friday 9th September 2016:

More self-drive game drives as we amble across Etosha.

Hartebeest and Wildebeest by the hundreds.

Wildebeest and Springbok.

2 Male Lions

Rhino, Elephants, Ostrich, and Springbok.

Oryx at the Okaukuejo Waterhole.

N132: Okaukuejo Campsite - Etosha

Cost: N$ 360 (A$36/2 person camp)

Pre-booked

Altitude: 1104 metres

S 19*10.873 E 15*55.089

Today: 94 Km 

Africa Total: 25,420 Km

Tonight another NWR ( Namibian Wildlife Resort) campsite. We have nearly spent 2 months travelling and camping Namibia and I suggest the Director of NWR should crawl into a dark hole with shame !

Again cold showers, toilets with broken seats, or sometimes NO SEAT ! Toilets that do not flush, taps that are loose, broken or do not turn on. Broken and missing floor tiles.

Tonight in Okaukuejo Campsite not even a hook or nail in the shower to hang clothes or towel. The only option is on the muddy wet floor....disgusting.

All it needs is even just a couple of nails in the back of the door !

Signs “save water” yet no plugs in the sink, laundry or kitchen to enable one to save water!

Signs to “Recycle Waste” with 4 labelled garbage bins for Glass, Metal, Plastic and Other, yet what happens when the cleaners come.  All are tripped into the same bin !

Reading the comment book in reception: every page “ Fix the Roads ! ”

NWR prices are twice the amount of private ones outside the park, and that I can accept, as they have a monopoly.  BUT I should not have to accept half the quality !

The private ones just outside the park are far superior in every area.

Price for NWR N$400 (A$40) camp site, private parks N$200 (A$20).

Saturday 10th September 2016:

Is this the Last Rhino....ever !

As his one walks into the setting sunset, one has to ask the question.

Now Rhino horn is worth per ounce more than gold and the killing is continuing at such an astonishing rate that in less than 10 years they will be extinct, finished, none, zero, gone forever !

During this trip we hear that the chief ranger in Kruger National Park was caught up in this elicit trade !

In the Far East, Rhino Horn is now seen as a cure for cancer, is there  now any hope for this animal ?

Similarly the Elephant has probably 20 to 30 years before extinction at its current rate of killing.

Sunset by the Okaukuejo Pan.

Lyn stays up until after midnight to catch a rare glimpse of another Black Rhino and her calf.

Same Camp: N133 Okaukuejo Campsite - Etosha

Sunday 11th September 2016:

Heading west we arrive at Ozonjuitji Borehole and a multitude of animals.

Our count is approximately 600+

Springbok 200+

Zebra 100+

Wildebeest 100+

Impala 50+

Eland 30+

Ostrich 28+

Hartebeest 20+

Jackal 2

Warthog 1

and 3 Lions !

As we watched the lions kept the animals away from the water hole .

Occasionally when they started to get thirsty and sneak in the lions did a chase.

Well this caused a stampede with dust then billowing across the scene.

‘Elephants Rule’ and size does matter so the Lions departed.

Hence

1. +5 Elephants
   

then followed by

+ 3 giraffes

Quite a action waterhole.

N134: Olifants Campsite - Etosha

Cost: N$ 250/person (A$50 for 2)

Altitude: 1169 metres

S 18*58.239 E 14*51.654

Today:164 Km 

Africa Total: 25,585 Km

This camp was originally a culling camp for Elephants back in the 1980’s when huge numbers moved south from Angola and overpopulated the area.

In 2014 NWR built a new campsite here and tonight hot shower water, ( at least for me. Lyn’s was cold ) the water actually goes down the shower hole and plugs in the sinks !

That night a Black Rhino and her calf.

Hope for their future !

Maybe.

Exit Etosha