One Stop Shop

Each country we visited on our overland tour had unique scenery and sights, but NAMIBIA had, by far, the most to see in terms of seeing the African animals and landscapes. I would describe it as the "one-stop-shop." Within a short drive, you can see beaches, deserts, national parks, and even massive canyons. 

Here are some pictures that we thought best capture how beautifully diverse this country is:

Grasslands of Etosha National Park

Lioness at a watering hole in Etosha National Park

Rock formations of Spitzkoppe

Stretch of desert in northwest Namibia

Beaches of the Skeleton Coast

Sunrise on top of Dune 45 in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Fish River Canyon in Richtersveld National Park

LOGISTICAL STUFF:
Out of all the countries we visited on our 6-week overland tour, NAMIBIA was one that you could easily go without a driver and rent a car instead. It had great infrastructure and we felt that it would have been seamless to travel independently in lieu of a prepaid tour. The roads were good and they connected all the major sites including Etosha National Park in the north. You could even continue your road trip into SOUTH AFRICA, since they also have great infrastructure for tourists.

CLICK FOR MORE PICS: Etosha | Swapokmund | Skeleton Coast | Dune 45 | Fish River Canyon

The Power Of A Matriarch

We've been here in India and I've found it to be a great place for getting your creative juices flowing once again. The noise, colors and music can't help, but make you productive, as it seems everyone here is in a hurry to somewhere. But this post is neither here nor there, it's about a moment in Africa.

As part of our introduction/initiation process onto the Acacia Truck, Matt and I had to give the group reasons as to why we decided to travel to Africa (followed by a swig of 98% vodka, then an unsuccessful attempt in saying your full name without coughing - not an easy task). For Matt, it was the landscapes and World Heritage Sites. For me, it was to see the African elephants. All my life, I've always admired them for their grandior, intelligence and strong family ties - they have even been shown to assimilate a burial ceremony for their kin, i.e. the elephant funeral. So, the first time we spotted a herd of elephants in the Serengeti, I was beyond excited.

We watched in silence as a head matriarch quietly led her family only a few meters in front of our open-roofed safari truck. Just seeing that, I was in awe. I can't imagine what she may have thought of us. Perhaps we were some strange creature from outer space  with a large shiny body that sprouted 8 heads, each with one long extending eye (aka: the camera zoom). We must have looked very strange indeed, because shortly after she got the herd safely across the road, she double-timed it back towards us to get a closer peek. She moved with purpose and then suddenly stopped on a dime, causing her large Africa-shaped ears to swing forward in the momentum. She stood still as a board, and glared right into our pupils, trying to make heads or tales of the danger we presented.

Photo Courtesy of Stacey Berg

As I stared blankly back into her dark little eyes, I held my breathe. (1...2...3...) She had stood long enough. She had made her point, her presence known. She slowly turned her back to us and followed after the herd. Even after she was far in the distance, I still felt her presence. A true matriarch, she was mesmerizing.

Photo Courtesy of Stacey Berg

P.S.
My camera died during this whole occurrence, but thankfully Stacey, our fellow passenger, took pity on me and gave me a few of her photos. Thanks, Stacey! :)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICS

Gnomes On Safari

Matt and I have both tried writing a post to summarize our African Safari experience at The Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya, but all that we could come up with was how incredibly happy we were just riding around the open plains with our heads popped out of the sun roof like gophers, watching as 'National Geographic' played before us in real time. We hope this little montage of my first / Matt's second game drive can help shed saw light on what we saw. Roll 'em!

The Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya  
(ADVISORY: Please turn up volume & push pause to wait for video to load halfway before playing.)

CLICK HERE FOR PICS