With everything packed, I headed back to Heathrow to set off on the return journey to Namibia. My plans were kind of loose, a few days on the farm to pick up my things, relax and spend some days volunteering and catching up with people, followed by a few days chilling in Windhoek, a holiday trip to Cape Town with mum, and a weekend in Jo'berg with a good friend. I hadn't booked a return, the idea being I would make a plan whilst in Namibia, and be out of SA before the 90 day visa ran out. However, the airline refused to let me on-board without a return ticket. As I didn't have firm plans past Jo'berg I decided to come back around the same time as my friend in order to get on with the planning and next chapter. So, after a quick coffee, ten minutes on the ipad, and some unkind thoughts about the airline attendees messing with my rather relaxed travel plans, I had a flight booked back.
I arrived back to Namibia to one of our drivers holding my name on a sign, having worked there for two years this really made me chuckle, I think we could have dispensed with the sign, after five weeks away we still recognised one another, phew! We had a great chat in the car, before I arrived to see everyone else. It was a nice time to go back as so many people had just come back from their Christmas holidays everyone was catching up on stories and news.
Within a couple of hours of getting back the baby hartebeest needed bottle feeding, no hesitation from me! I dived in with a bottle and a call of 'meep meep' which seemed to do the trick.
.JPG)
Saturday evening was, as always, Braai night and great to see people. I spent the next week staying in one of the tents in the veldt, really nice to be living so close to nature, hearing the animals, feeling a bit of rain on you in your bed in the night when the tent flaps are open and hearing the African wildlife so close (apart from the one night where I had a Nguni cow practically breathing down my neck through the canvas!). You have to be very organised living in a tent out of a suitcase, but apart from that, its a great, down to earth and back to basics feeling.
From our position at the tents it was possible to hear the big boy leopard growling at night as he was trying to impress Duma and Shakira and, luckily enough, one night on a security drive, we saw him. Duma and Shakira were pacing the fence, whilst Ombeli stared off defensively into the bush. We realised that if the big boy was anywhere he was facing off Ombeli, and as we pulled up we could see him around 5 metres from the car, sat, relaxed and confident. Despite a desire to stay and watch, he is wild we don't want him to get too used to people and cars for both our safety and his. We moved off quite quickly, but wow what a majestic sight.
"I went to South Africa on safari and came eye to eye with a beautiful leopard. We were so close; I was staring at him for a long time and I felt a recognition with my own nature." - Bai Ling
Over the next few days I headed out on a caracal walk, and also got to meet the two new baby caracals, who were so cute. I was warned that one of them nipped a little, but as they were so sweet and the person who told me is fond of joking around, I didn't believe it and went to touch the caracal, but I got more than I bargained for. Caracal jaws lock when they bite, so it took a little while for her to release her jaws on my finger before I could have it back! Quite some bite for such a little ball of fluff!
On the caracal walk we also saw a female boomslang in a tree. The name boomslang translates from the Afrikaans and literally means tree snake, in all honesty the fact she was in a tree (and her colour, a browny olive as opposed to the males' bright green) gave away both snake and gender to me, without the tree there would have been no chance.
She was busy trying to raid the weaver bird nests in the tree.
Later in the week I also saw what I thought might be a black mamba, but turned out to be a mole snake sunbathing.
On another day I went on a final carnivore feed, which happened to be organs, urgh. But it was a great chance to see all the animals for the last time cheetahs, lions, leopards and wild dogs. Great morning. One of the staff who has raised two of the cubs also took us to spend to some time with them, and it was lovely to see how they have grown.
Most days I went out for a couple of hours looking for my babies, but very sadly I couldn't find them anywhere, its great to know that they are happy and free, but I do miss then and would have liked one last chance to say goodbye, or at least goodbye for now.
[old pic I found I thought I would treat you to]
On the caracal walk we also saw a female boomslang in a tree. The name boomslang translates from the Afrikaans and literally means tree snake, in all honesty the fact she was in a tree (and her colour, a browny olive as opposed to the males' bright green) gave away both snake and gender to me, without the tree there would have been no chance.
She was busy trying to raid the weaver bird nests in the tree.
Later in the week I also saw what I thought might be a black mamba, but turned out to be a mole snake sunbathing.
On another day I went on a final carnivore feed, which happened to be organs, urgh. But it was a great chance to see all the animals for the last time cheetahs, lions, leopards and wild dogs. Great morning. One of the staff who has raised two of the cubs also took us to spend to some time with them, and it was lovely to see how they have grown.
Most days I went out for a couple of hours looking for my babies, but very sadly I couldn't find them anywhere, its great to know that they are happy and free, but I do miss then and would have liked one last chance to say goodbye, or at least goodbye for now.
[old pic I found I thought I would treat you to]
[bit more recent]
Whilst back at the farm I received the very sad news that our cat back home had gone into renal failure and had to be put down, at nearly 19 years old she had a great life, but (now back at home) her presence in the house is very much missed.
I left the farm to get into town for the weekend and was all good until I had to say goodbye to Lala, and then more than a few tears escaped!
“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” ― J.M. Barrie
“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” ― J.M. Barrie
I had a lovely weekend in town, chilling out, catching up with friends, shopping (including a pair of sunglasses that came with a free flick knife, TIA). A couple of us had dinner out on Saturday night, followed by a few drinks back at the backpackers and a few hours of ridiculousness in the pool.
It was one of those nights where your evening of partying rolls into someone else's breakfast time, and at that point you know its definitely time for bed! After one final brunch with some friends from the farm and a night watching films and passing out on the sofa it was time to go. The boys dropped me for the intercape and (again sad to say goodbye to both them and Namibia) I headed south...
[last Namibian sunset for now...]
It was one of those nights where your evening of partying rolls into someone else's breakfast time, and at that point you know its definitely time for bed! After one final brunch with some friends from the farm and a night watching films and passing out on the sofa it was time to go. The boys dropped me for the intercape and (again sad to say goodbye to both them and Namibia) I headed south...
[last Namibian sunset for now...]
