Feijoa harvest

Feijoa

Come back from holiday to find feijoa fruits all down on the ground, 100% ripen on the tree then. Lucky with the green skin, there is no insect attack, the cool weather keeps them in good condition. After growing the 2 bushes for 5 years, it is the first time with this large quantity of harvest.

Feijoa

The skin is bitter, the flesh has a firm crunchy texture like guava, and taste a bit in the guava direction too, slightly sour and has a strong floral perfume.

amazingly beautiful feijoa flower

Namibia holiday (November 2018)

Sossusvlei

A few points that left a strong impression:

1. Local people are friendly and the country feel safe. 

2. Very hot in the afternoon, 36˚C to 42˚C, super dry, and cool down in the evening, around 10˚C along the coast and around 20˚C inland.

3. Landscape along the whole of the west coast is extremely varied, unique and beautiful. I stopped at Damaraland, but travelers who went further up along Skeleton coast to the far north said the scenery is fantastic.

4. Even though north Namibia is malaria risk area, in the whole trip, there were mosquitoes only in 2 evenings in Okaukuejo in Etosha (which is classified as a low risk area), no mosquito around the river areas at all. November should be the beginning of rainy season in the north, but this year the rain has not come. 

leopard tortoise

Fishing at Okavango river, Botswana

Tiger fish

This area is famous for catching Tiger fish, a lot of fishermen came here specifically for this reason.

The fish has fierce looking teeth, but is actually very pretty, shinny orange skin and streamline body like salmon. 

butter barbel is much easier to catch

Okavango river, Botswana

Okavango river, Botswana, Mokoro cruise

To make a full circle of the tour without having to back track to Windhoek Namibia for the return, instead went across the border near Caprivi to Botswana, to stay at the down stream of the same river, now called Okavango for a few days. 

fish eagle catching fish

Nxamaseri Island Lodge is situated right next to the river, with more abundant bird life and prettier river scene.

Goliath heron

Okavango river, Botswana

Hippopotamus grazing at Caprivi, Namibia

hippos swimming

During river cruises, it was easy to see hippos swimming, but could only see their eyes and ears, the big body is like a submarine hidden under water. 

 

Hippopotamus grazing, Caprivi, Namibia

So decided to do a self drive in the afternoon to see if we could find them and have a closer look. Indeed located 3 out of the water grazing near the river. 

Hippopotamus grazing, Caprivi, Namibia

Bird life at Caprivi, Namibia

giant kingfisher

 

fishing eagle

The land along the river, being more green and flowery, other than wild animals like various antelops, warthogs, water buffalo and hippopotamus, there are a lot of birds, my favorite is Lilac Breasted Roller, so colourful. 

African Jacanda

woodland kingfisher

Lilac breasted roller

Kavango river cruise, Caprivi, Namibia

 

Kavango river cruise, Caprivi, Namibia

Went northeast to stay in the area along Kavango river, the first river we have seen in this country and one that has water all year round. 

 

Kavango river cruise, Caprivi, Namibia

The whole area is green with grass and trees, a nice change from dried up landscape so far. 

Kavango river cruise, Caprivi, Namibia, crocodile

 

Kavango river cruise, Caprivi, Namibia

This is the area where most of the vegetables are grown in the country, and a lot of cow and goat farming, we finally see how local farming people lives. 

Kavango river, local farm, Caprivi, Namibia

Kavango river, local ox, Caprivi, Namibia

Onguma cheetah viewing, Namibia

Not long after started the late afternoon game drive, our guide got news that there was sighting of cheetah trying to hunt. He drove at high speed to the spot, we could see impalas grazing around, and at the back behind the bushes, was the faint shadow of a cheetah hiding, waiting for the chance. 

Onguma cheetah viewing, Namibia

She was not lucky, the impalas noticed her presence and all ran away. Cheetah came out from the bush, walking away. Our guide drove closer and we have a good look of this cheetah, beautiful slim body shape. 

Onguma cheetah viewing, Namibia

Then she called, and her around 2 months old cubs came out from hiding, followed behind their mother to walk away, right next to our car. 

Onguma cheetah viewing, Namibia

East Etosha water hole Chudop, Namibia

In the middle of the day, went back inside Etosha again, to visit the water holes in the east. There will always be different animals drinking. 

elephant at Chudop water hole

At Chudop waterhole at noon, while watching a big elephant drinking, saw a leopard slowly walking down, for a drink, it was a hot thirsty day!

leopard at Chudop water hole

In our many viewing on our own or on game drives, we have seen lions a few times, but this is the first time to see leopard, and in broad daylight. 

leopard at Chudop water hole

Within 2 minutes, the leopard walked down the slope, drank, and walked away in the other direction. It was our luck to be there in those 2 minutes.

hyena at Chudop water hole

After visiting the other water holes, before heading back to Onguma lodge, decided to go to Chudop water hole again. In the water is a hyena, swimming! 

hyena at Chudop water hole

It is another hard to spot nocturnal predator. After a minute it cooled down and walked away.

Onguma lodge, east Etosha, Namibia

warthogs

impalas

Stayed in this lodge right outside Etosha on the east side, with it own 8000 hectare of game land, and of course a water hole right in front of the chalets. 

early morning cheetahs came for a drink

  

early morning cheetahs came for a drink

Joined bush walk in early morning and game drives in late afternoon.

giraffe and baby

Okaukuejo water hole at night, Etosha, Namibia

Okaukuejo water hole

The most fascinating is to watch the water hole during the night, from around 10pm onward, the water hole is floodlit in dim light, and animals come out from the dark to drink and enjoy a swim. 

rhino

For 2 nights we saw first a family of black rhinoceros floating serenely in the water hole, drinking, swimming and touching each other gently with their horns, repeatedly, so sweet.

giraffes

Then came family of giraffes, bending down to drink, after that is a family of elephants.....

elephants

Etosha pan, Namibia

driving to Etosha pan, Namibia

driving to Etosha pan, Namibia

This was an ancient lake, huge and flat, white because of lime stone calcium deposits. 

 

Etosha pan, Namibia

Now, only has shallow water in the rare few rainy months. 

Etosha pan, Namibia

It is amazing to see such empty space, void of things, not even rubbish!

Etosha pan, Namibia

Okaukuejo jackal's kill, Etosha, Namibia

nervous springboks

One morning saw this herd of springboks drinking water, but they were particularly nervous and jump away from the water edge regularly. 

Okaukuejo jackal's kill, Etosha, Namibia

Indeed a black backed jackal is around and eventually managed to grab and drown a young springbok, and started having his meal at the edge of the water hole. 

Okaukuejo jackal's kill, Etosha, Namibia

After a few second of uneasiness, springboks came back to drink, like nothing happened....