06/05/2002:
We drive further South untill we reach the Orange River, natural border between Namibian and South Africa. We camp beside the river and spend our time watching the numerous birds of the area. They come here to get fresh food from the very fishy river. We have to eat our meat but we promised us to buy fishing-rot in the next town and to beginn with fishing!
We also enjoy a Canoe-drive on the river. Though its name, we can attest that the water doesn't taste like orange! We tested it after a rapid, that our boat didn't like!! |
06/02/2002:
We visit the Fish River Canyon, the second largest Canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. For thousands years the Fish River made its way through the mountain and created this canyon. It is 165 kilometers long and is 550 meters deep at some places. It is such an amazing view from above the canyon! |
05/31/2002:
The Gariganus Farm - known for the quivertree forest on its ground and their three tamed cheetas - welcomes us for one night. That for we have to do some housework: Hansjörg feeds the cheetahs, Vanessa teaches french to the rosyfaced lovebird! |
05/31/2002:
In this dry area of southern Namibia grows a very specific tree: The Quiver tree. It is named like this because the Bushmen used its trunk to make quivers for their arrows. Near the town of Keetmanshoop we saw a lot of this trees on the rocky mountains. We are happy to be here in the time when the trees are getting very nice yellow flowers. |
05/30/2002:
We leave the tarred roads behind us and start off in direction to the Kalahari desert. Along the border to South Africa we are trying to find the path trough the farmland. The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park on the other side of the border-fence shows us wildebeest, big groups of ostriches and hartebeest; our camp directly at the fence also attracts an hyena. The night gets a bit rough: all around at the horizon there are flashes, shortly after we go to bed, the thunderstorm reaches us and it rains the whole night. As we heard the next day, it was the latest rain in the year since 18 years.
The next morning brings blue sky with it. From our bed, we have a spectacular view over the vast extension of the Kalahari: Red sand and green acazias, golden grass and blue sky. Astonishing scenes like these you only find in Africa! |
05/28/2002:
As Namibia is very short of natural ressources of water, dams are very essential for the nations agriculture and economy. North of the small town Mariental lies the biggest reservoir of Namibia: the Hardap Dam. Its 300 millions m³ water - which it gathers in the rainy season - are base of the agriculture in the greater area.
Along the southern coastline a small game park is established. We spend the whole day driving through this park, spotting ostriches and springboks between the bizzar erodet mini-tablemountains. |
