Back from Namibia

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Here’s a complete random selection of some of the 1,000 photos and 2 hours of video footage.

I’ll do some words next week.

Back from Namibia

View Full Album

 

Here’s a complete random selection of some of the 1,000 photos and 2 hours of video footage.

I’ll do some words next week.

The Final Countdown

You might not know this, but I'm going to Africa. If you do know, you've probably heard this a hundred times but I make no apologies. The first time that I can remember wanting to go to Africa was when I was ten years old. It has only taken 40 years to make this a reality, so it's no wonder I'm a little excited!

It's only 2 days and a handful of hours before I fly out to Namibia and this will be my last post before I go. I doubt I will have any form of connectivity in the bush (note the African terminology) but I will keep you up to date by providing a series of pre-written posts that will (I hope) appear automatically explaining where I should be and what I'm doing according to our itinerary.

I have two piles of kit: equipment and clothing. I keep visiting them to see what I can remove. Inevitably I end up adding something to them, which doesn't help! Tomorrow is equipment cull day! A ruthless removal of all things unnecessary. Yup! Well, that's the plan!

I'm cramming in the study knowing I can't take all the books with me. I know the staff and guides will have a good selection of reference books. Liebenberg's 'Tracks and Tracking in Southern Africa'  will be the one that goes in my tracking bag.

I've had a few more words of wisdom. Max Maxwell was born in Zambia and I had a good chat with him on the recent Shadowhawk course. He suggested keeping optics like photographic equipment in dry bags. This will help keep out the sand. Another fellow tracker is Rohan, who has visited Africa on many occasions.

Here's a few gems from him that made me smile:

• Take a powerful white head torch for checking eye shine at night (especially on the way to the loos - not joking)
• Haribo type sweets don't melt in your pocket like choc
• Tekkies: South African for soft-backed pumps, daps or plimsolls, are very versatile and take up less space than flip-flops
• A cut up gallon orange juice container makes a handy jerry to save braving the leopards at night :-))
• Stand in the shade not out in the sun
• Take a GPS and ping the vehicle before leaving it on walkabouts (guides will ask you to find the 'moova')
• Take a v. light cape/poncho with you every day
• Wear a cap, not a bush hat, and you'll hear better (but burn yr neck :-( )
• It's bastard hot and wet in the Transvaal at this time but quite cool and dry in the western Cape.  Probably cold and foggy up in Namib (just kidding :-))
• Learn bird calls (esp Oxpecker, Grey Lowrie) and behaviour (vulture sequence, etc)
• Make sure your guides do a full safety brief (ideally with a lioness scenario) every day before walking off,
• Tamboti tree: If present in your area, get someone to show it to you and learn the bark.  It's poisonous and if used for a braai fire will give everyone a headache.  It's normally found near water, so it may not be there in Namib.
• Always plan for the worst; that way you always have a plan
• 'Welkom bei Afrika' translates as 'shit happens here' and is an expression of sympathy, not welcome :-))  Africa destroys things and people, don't take anything delicate or that you'd hate to lose.

Click here for the weather.

With that I bid you farewell until 18 November when I will not only announce my return but share some excellent news.

Check back for the itinerary auto-posts.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

The Final Countdown

You might not know this, but I'm going to Africa. If you do know, you've probably heard this a hundred times but I make no apologies. The first time that I can remember wanting to go to Africa was when I was ten years old. It has only taken 40 years to make this a reality, so it's no wonder I'm a little excited!

It's only 2 days and a handful of hours before I fly out to Namibia and this will be my last post before I go. I doubt I will have any form of connectivity in the bush (note the African terminology) but I will keep you up to date by providing a series of pre-written posts that will (I hope) appear automatically explaining where I should be and what I'm doing according to our itinerary.

I have two piles of kit: equipment and clothing. I keep visiting them to see what I can remove. Inevitably I end up adding something to them, which doesn't help! Tomorrow is equipment cull day! A ruthless removal of all things unnecessary. Yup! Well, that's the plan!

I'm cramming in the study knowing I can't take all the books with me. I know the staff and guides will have a good selection of reference books. Liebenberg's 'Tracks and Tracking in Southern Africa'  will be the one that goes in my tracking bag.

I've had a few more words of wisdom. Max Maxwell was born in Zambia and I had a good chat with him on the recent Shadowhawk course. He suggested keeping optics like photographic equipment in dry bags. This will help keep out the sand. Another fellow tracker is Rohan, who has visited Africa on many occasions.

Here's a few gems from him that made me smile:

• Take a powerful white head torch for checking eye shine at night (especially on the way to the loos - not joking)
• Haribo type sweets don't melt in your pocket like choc
• Tekkies: South African for soft-backed pumps, daps or plimsolls, are very versatile and take up less space than flip-flops
• A cut up gallon orange juice container makes a handy jerry to save braving the leopards at night :-))
• Stand in the shade not out in the sun
• Take a GPS and ping the vehicle before leaving it on walkabouts (guides will ask you to find the 'moova')
• Take a v. light cape/poncho with you every day
• Wear a cap, not a bush hat, and you'll hear better (but burn yr neck :-( )
• It's bastard hot and wet in the Transvaal at this time but quite cool and dry in the western Cape.  Probably cold and foggy up in Namib (just kidding :-))
• Learn bird calls (esp Oxpecker, Grey Lowrie) and behaviour (vulture sequence, etc)
• Make sure your guides do a full safety brief (ideally with a lioness scenario) every day before walking off,
• Tamboti tree: If present in your area, get someone to show it to you and learn the bark.  It's poisonous and if used for a braai fire will give everyone a headache.  It's normally found near water, so it may not be there in Namib.
• Always plan for the worst; that way you always have a plan
• 'Welkom bei Afrika' translates as 'shit happens here' and is an expression of sympathy, not welcome :-))  Africa destroys things and people, don't take anything delicate or that you'd hate to lose.

Click here for the weather.

With that I bid you farewell until 18 November when I will not only announce my return but share some excellent news.

Check back for the itinerary auto-posts.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

Anniversary

A not quite so happy anniversary this weekend as one year ago, I ruptured my Achilles tendon. It's been a long haul getting it fixed and after a re-rupture in January, I was finally signed off by the physiotherapists only two weeks ago.

It was a scary thought (and not just because it was Halloween) that this time last year, I was sitting in a plaster cast wondering how I was going to get to the woods let alone to Africa.

I will never forget everyone's kindness in sending best wishes, DVDs, books and even a walking stick from Ashley at Natural Bushcraft. The only benefit of that experience was that I started making leather bits and pieces.

I was probably a bit critical of the NHS at the start and rightly so with a series of appalling administrative errors, but they certainly came through at the end by providing top class after-care in the form of two wonderful physios, Hazel and Suzie. I know they will be following my adventures in Namibia starting next Saturday. They went out of their way and battled to get me fit knowing I was making the trip.

This weekend, as with last weekend, I was striving to get some photos of the rut in my local woods. After identifying the stand, I waited and waited and waited for some activity, but only saw fleeting glimpses of the dominant buck. The does were also elusive and I just couldn't get any decent shots at all.

This year's rut didn't seem to have the same intensity as it did last year, where many tree trunks were frayed and gouged. This year there was none. I tried various tactics such as stalking, laying up and high seats but it wasn't to be. And now I've run out of time before I go to Namibia next week. Never mind. There's always next year.

Mid week post - 'The Final Countdown'.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

Anniversary

A not quite so happy anniversary this weekend as one year ago, I ruptured my Achilles tendon. It's been a long haul getting it fixed and after a re-rupture in January, I was finally signed off by the physiotherapists only two weeks ago.

It was a scary thought (and not just because it was Halloween) that this time last year, I was sitting in a plaster cast wondering how I was going to get to the woods let alone to Africa.

I will never forget everyone's kindness in sending best wishes, DVDs, books and even a walking stick from Ashley at Natural Bushcraft. The only benefit of that experience was that I started making leather bits and pieces.

I was probably a bit critical of the NHS at the start and rightly so with a series of appalling administrative errors, but they certainly came through at the end by providing top class after-care in the form of two wonderful physios, Hazel and Suzie. I know they will be following my adventures in Namibia starting next Saturday. They went out of their way and battled to get me fit knowing I was making the trip.

This weekend, as with last weekend, I was striving to get some photos of the rut in my local woods. After identifying the stand, I waited and waited and waited for some activity, but only saw fleeting glimpses of the dominant buck. The does were also elusive and I just couldn't get any decent shots at all.

This year's rut didn't seem to have the same intensity as it did last year, where many tree trunks were frayed and gouged. This year there was none. I tried various tactics such as stalking, laying up and high seats but it wasn't to be. And now I've run out of time before I go to Namibia next week. Never mind. There's always next year.

Mid week post - 'The Final Countdown'.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

If Anyone Can, Canon Can

I've being playing with my new Canon EOS 500D camera all weekend, pretending I know what I'm doing.

I've had a SLR camera before in the old days of film, but I haven't had a DSLR before.

Everyone takes pictures of rusty containers for some reason...do I win a prize? No. I thought not.

...and of course the obligatory sunset and birds picture (Rooks).

This is a tree. I should put some clever F stop and shutter speed info I suppose.

People also take close ups of berries don't they?

...and the old blurred background thingy.

Watch my ears, watch my ears...

Keep watching...

Just building up enough speed...

There we go!!   The servo mode is quite good.

Okay, we're bored with trees now. It because they don't move isn't it?

Ah yes... Note the way the picture leads you away from the foreground to the background. Still no prize?

Would you please stand still. This is a new bit of kit!! Give us a chance.

Oh well. Back to things that don't move.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.