A Rare Desert Beauty.

Fish River Canyon, Namibia.

A single flower blooming

in the desert, solitary,

in stark naked splendour 

it called out to me.

Had I never seen it

how disappointed I would be,

this small blaze of colour

and delicate symmetry.

Other travellers simply ignored it

or perhaps just couldn't see.

Will they always hurry

and miss each flowering desert beauty?

This small flower blooming

on a canyon's rocky rim,

a remarkable part of Nature's plan

not merely random whim.

Should a single flower bloom

in the desert, solitary:

were we to not observe it,

would it still be a rare beauty?

Wildflower, Damaraland, Namibia.

Whenever I think back about my three visits to Namibia I see desert flowers again.

A Rare Desert Beauty.

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World's Largest Quartz Crystal! : Travel Photo Thursday.

How would you like this crystal on your finger?!

One huge piece of Quartz...well a cluster of crystals really, but that is so impressive to see up close.

Until you wander through all the huge, well laid out and very impressive collections at The Crystal Gallery in Swakopmund, you will not fully comprehend the extensive range of  precious and sem-precious gemstones Namibia is famous for. I knew they had a big diamond industry, but the country is also rich in other minerals; tourmaline, topaz, garnet, rutile, quartz to name a few; Namibia is a gem hunter's paradise. 

Monster sized crystals.

A wide range of minerals and gemstones. 

You can buy from their extensive and varied offerings. This Herero woman selects and strings a range of gemstones. Her distinctive headwear is folded to simulate the horns of a cattle beast.

For more info on Kristall Galerie- 

http://www.namibiangemstones.com/

Travel Photo Thursday is on again where travel bloggers post up their great pics from around the world. Join us! Post up your travel pictures and head over to Nancie's Budget Traveler's Sandbox and link into the fun!

World's Largest Quartz Crystal! : Travel Photo Thursday.

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Youtube Tuesday Aug 9th

Yeah, alright I am late but it is still Tuesday somewhere!

Mascato Coastal Children's Choir from Swakopmund, Namibia has its biggest fan here in New Zealand - me! 

A choir started up some 14 years ago to take children off the streets and instill some self esteem in them, and now they travel the world entertaing crowds in Germany and Canada, as well as regular performances back home.

I have several stories to tell about Mascato CCC but for now hook into this and just listen to these kids and the lead male singing their hearts out.

adopted from Josh at Its Tiger Time.

It's a day set aside for sharing your favorite video.
Feel free to join in each week and see how creative we bloggers can be. Each month, Josh will highlight a selected video and present the winner with the ‘You Tube Tuesday’ Award.

Youtube Tuesday Aug 9th

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Tomorrow's Leopard!

On my MatadorU assignment site - Resoled Holes In My Soles, I have posted my latest article for a Transition exercise. I hope you like it. It's an article about facing fear, even though that word is never used, and instead the 'leopard' signifies fear. He is very real. I 'saw' him in my dream that night, a very large animal, and a very dark coloured cat, possibly so because of the pale moonlight, or else a dark mutant colouring. When Hendrick came down from exploring the kopjie and told us about finding the paw tracks, a big shiver went up my spine. This story I'd like to expand a little from the basic two stage transition, 400-600 word article asked for in the assignment, and take you as a reader through to another level where we all get caught up in Hendrick's story. He held our attention that night. I hope I do also in the retelling of him telling his story, but he was a greater story teller than I, because story telling is part of their culture.


Tomorrow's Leopard.

Tomorrow is my big day.
”James. ” (Kay always calls me James when she demands attention) ” You can put the bathroom cabinet up tomorrow morning before you go off to hospital.” That’ll finish the new bathroom off in the morning…while I’ll be finished off in the afternoon!
“That’ll probably be the last thing going up in this house.” I reply.
The new bathroom was Kay’s birthday present….my Christmas present is- Tomorrow!

Our late breakfast together, on this warm, sunny morning and ‘Tomorrow’ intrudes upon my thoughts of the tuis calling outside. The leopard stirs…

How I wish this tomorrow never comes. I’m trying not to think about tomorrow – every man does not want to think about ‘Tomorrow’. But for 30-40% of men it draws near inexorably, as we age. Tomorrow is a Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate, .. a TURPS, ..a Rebore, and we men do not talk about it, let alone think about it. But tomorrow it is the reality. Got to face up to it, got to be staunch. Get into it, get over it, get on with it. Just like any problem in life really, I suppose. And the leopard stirs again….

Sure, I could go on drugs, Beta-blockers that help you pee, but hey, at my age I do not take any drugs and do not want to start. Just staves off the day when it has to be done, so I elected to have the re-bore now while I’m young and healthy and so nothing interferes with going back to Africa. When there is an elephant crashing around your campsite, you need to be able to get out and and have a pee quickly.

It was the leopard.
The image of that leopard above me in the rocky kopjie that made me think my time had come. Hendrick started it all off. Hendrik and his tales of surviving a leopard attack as a village kid. Around the campfire that night, on our Elephant-Human Relations Aid volunteer project in Namibia, he related his tale of his desperate struggle with and finally killing a leopard, and storytelling for Herero is an art, a tradition, a long, evocative and masterful affair.

"As a young kid all the village boys looked after the cattle, and flocks of sheep and goats taking them out from the kraals to graze surrounding hills and valleys wherever their was any grass.In dry seasons when grass is scarce, all the wild antelope would leave the area and the leopard would come in looking for food, our flocks. We had to guard them. Sometimes we would hear a leopard come into the kraal at night and take a goat or young lamb. We would be too frightened to stop it.But if we were to prove ourselves as men and no longer boys, we could not fail to look after the animals. That was manhood.
"So we made a plan. We would get all the boys, and all seven dogs and find the leopard and kill him ,and we made a pact to all stick together. The dogs tracked and treed this leopard, and all the dogs kept it there. We were all frightened as now we had to get it down and kill it. We would do it all together, I with my father's sword that I carry now. The other boys had sticks and clubs. We threw rocks at the leopard and it jumped down into the dogs. It killed and wounded 4 dogs and chased the others off and then turned on us, all in a matter of seconds.  I was afraid but there were many of us boys,,,,, until  I looked behind me ....and there was no one else! Just me. I am very afraid now.
"But  I also have learned about leopards. Leopards to attack always leap on to you, usually from in front so they can grasp your face in their teeth, and put a paw over your head and rake your scalp off and down over your face to blind you. At the same time their hind legs come up to your chest then jerk down into your belly to rip out your intestines to the ground. This is the way of killing baboons and why baboons are so afraid of them at night because a leopard hunts at night.
"So I run behind a bush to keep the bush between me and that leopard and it is too high for him to leap over. He runs around one way, I run the other way, and he goes other, I go this way. This goes on a long time. We are both getting tired. Then I see some boys coming back looking for their dead friend. I am not dead, just tired, but I must keep running around the bush or leopard will leap on me.
"Soon all the boys see I am alive, and they must help especially as I have done the hard part of tiring the leopard. So we all attack him and we kill him and I got some gashes from his claws."

Hendrick had us spellbound, each of us held by the images drawn in our imagination by that master storyteller with his sword hanging in his scabbard, and the leopard scars on his bare scalp.

Later I would struggle up from deep sleep busting for a pee, and in the darkness wander off to attempt to hose down a rock. If only….
Standing there hopefully, the realisation dawns to how vulnerable I was, of taking so long that a leopard could slowly steal up and launch itself at me in the dark from the rocks above. Yes, I was going to have to get to grips with this and get something done!

In the wee hours of the morning I dream - of a dark spotted cat looking down at a man while he is peeing. I am seeing the scene from above, just enough light to make out that leopard looking down on that man - me - each figure just visible between the shadows cast from the rocky outcrops by the half moon. Just a dream....

Morning’s coffee and Hendrick comes down from the kopjie, armed with his 2 foot long Damara sword: asking him about why he was armed with it had set off the story telling the evening before.
“Hi Hendrik. What did you see from up top?”
“Leopard country. There was a leopard up there last night. I see his tracks. He was watching us last night."
A shiver went up my spine as that leopard stalked into the shadows of my mind and settled there.
Tomorrow can’t come soon enough. Re-bores do not phase me, as long as I don't think about it, but that leopard scares the shit out of me! And I’m going back there.

If you ever read this story Hendrick, know that I tried to recapture the tension you yourself conveyed that night beside the campfire, but it is your story...only you could tell it better.


For anyone reading this story, concerned about benign prostate  enlargement, which affects 30-40% percent of men as we age, or if you're concerned about prostate cancer, the most informative site I have found written from actual experience is here- prostablog.wordpress.com/ I hope spreading this information helps others.


The following are comments upon the condensed story at Resoled Holes In My Soles.
 20 Responses to Tomorrow’s Leopard.

Kelly says:
01/12/2010 at 11:28 pm (Edit)
This really amazing Jim! I love the story almost as much as I love the way you wrote it. You took a somber topic and parlayed it into a tale of adventure, travel and lust for life. Bravo, my friend! I was hooked on this from the first few words.
I now also share in your fear of leopards. Eek! Good luck with everything.
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nev says:
01/12/2010 at 11:43 pm (Edit)
I’m not thinking about it….LOL.
Thanks for your encouragement, nice to read. There’s hardly anything on the net about this condition, so I wondered whether I should even talk about it, but after a while I got my head around it and thought” Well why not? Might help another guy .”
But yeah, everytime I do think about it, that leopard crouches… I fear him more than tomorrow. Thanks.

Jools Stone says:
02/12/2010 at 12:31 am (Edit)
Good luck Jim, long may you leap ahead of the leopard!
Reply
nev says:
02/12/2010 at 12:44 am (Edit)
Thanks Jools, hold that train for me. I’ll be right on board.

John in France says:
02/12/2010 at 12:39 am (Edit)
Ten out of ten for this assignment Jim! Absolutely fabulous article. Good luck with the bathroom cabinet and the re-bore! You’ll be too quick for the leopard!
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nev says:
02/12/2010 at 12:46 am (Edit)
Hiya John, yeah well the assignment called for a ‘transitions’ article , so they get a trans- resection one!
Flowers greatfully accepted!

Christy @ Ordinary Traveler says:
02/12/2010 at 12:59 am (Edit)
What a lovely story, Jim. Good luck tomorrow!
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nev says:
02/12/2010 at 1:53 am (Edit)
You think so Christy, that’s so nice of you. Thanks and we’ll be up and around soon as .

Matt Hope says:
02/12/2010 at 1:25 am (Edit)
good luck Jim, I’ll be thinking of you!
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nev says:
02/12/2010 at 1:39 am (Edit)
Don’t worry Matt, we’ll be up and at it again in no time. May be able to catch up with more blogging and following while taking it easy. Hey and thanks!

Cathy Sweeney says:
02/12/2010 at 4:33 am (Edit)
Good luck, Jim! Thanks so much for sharing this with us in such a wonderfully-written post.
Reply
nev says:
02/12/2010 at 5:51 am (Edit)
For you to say it’s wonderfully written is just so encouraging Cathy.

inka says:
02/12/2010 at 7:10 am (Edit)
You couldn’t have tackled a serious matter in a braver and – yes- more staunch way than with this great stroy. Good luck, you’ll be good as new in no time and elephants and leopards will have to look elsewhere for a morsel!!
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nev says:
02/12/2010 at 4:57 pm (Edit)
Thanks Inka, counting down the hours….


 @#%$#^&%$@WSR&&*%#@WTF%!!!!!!!!!

Amy says:
03/12/2010 at 7:38 am (Edit)
I’ll echo the others here Jim – excellent post!

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nev says:
03/12/2010 at 5:35 pm (Edit)
Thanks Amy. Gone better than I expected.Lots of inspiration for writing now!

taminchina says:
03/12/2010 at 8:33 am (Edit)
Hi Nev,
I read this with a view to commenting on “assignment 2″ stuff, but that seems just a little bit trite. I think you’ve tackled the tricky subject with humour and honesty that someone experiencing a similar “ordeal” will surely empathise with and take comfort from.
Good Luck with the leopard. Tam
PS: Great title, and great image on your blog header!

Reply
nev says:
03/12/2010 at 5:34 pm (Edit)
Hi Taminchina, Nice of you to show up from the ‘U’. Did the writing deliver though? Could it have n
been done better?
I may tweak a couple of things. I want the multi transitions a bit sharper.

Robin says:
03/12/2010 at 11:39 am (Edit)
Really engagingly written! An you have provided something to squirm about for any men of a certain age reading this…

nev says:
03/12/2010 at 7:03 pm (Edit)
It’s gone surprisingly well Robin. And for all those other guys out there heading down this track, it’s OK so far and any problems then I’ll blog them. But sweet as so far. No pain.
Just wanna get up and moving as soon as they unhook all the pipes.

Tomorrow's Leopard!

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Gap Adventures Dunes, Deltas & Falls Discoverer

I have been asked about our trips to Southern Africa so I have revised this report on the trip we did in July 2008 that I had originally posted on GAP Adventures forum.The Wateringhole ,Gap Adventures forum
Trip Report-DAFD Original July 1st 2008.
This is my report on the Cape Town to Windhoek segment of the DAFD tour.I got off in Windhoek and my wife carried on for the full tour through Botswana to Victoria Falls.

My wife and I have travelled on many tours,with many companies, and on comfort or overland styles.But this tour ranks as the best we have ever experienced.An amazing and thoroughly enjoyable time.
It could be a difficult tour, with long drive times, and because of limited accommodation options, there are a few nights where this becomes an issue.And I know GAP have worked hard to address these issues, and improve/refine this tour, and make this now one of the great tours in their African portfolio.
It also takes a very special person as a tour guide to make every moment on this trip interesting,the long drive days pass by so quickly in good conversation, and for the whole tour to be a marvellous learning opportunity..
And it really helps if fellow travellers realise this is adventure travelling and that not everything is going to be as you want or expect.Surprises abound in this type of travel.We were blessed with companions who all showed a positive spirit .

Saasfeld Lodge and our transport awaits!

Accommodation.
Saasfeld Lodge,Kloof Street, Cape Town, the start hotel, was adequate.New owners could do quick tidy up with a little paint here and there.Showers are tricky.But overall, it’s positioning more than made up for it’s shortcomings.It's just a short walk down to town, the cafe's , markets and historical buildings.
Guesthouses (Sir Lamberts Bay Guest House)in Lambert’s Bay made us feel warm and comfy.Really homely.
The Felix Unite Tented chalets at Gariep,on the Orange River were in such a picturesque setting.Loved that place.
Klein Aus Guest Farm dormitory lodge on the 4th night was an experience.And some people will find this an issue.But there is not much alternative accom. In the area, and so we approached this with a ‘go with the flow’ attitude.Even though it was cold and wet, and electricity had shorted out, our group showed a very positive’ Hey, it’s only 1 night.Let’s enjoy it”attitude.
And from there it was all uphill with great lodges, at Nubib Nature Camp, then Namib Desert Lodge.
Dunedin Star ,Swakopmund,clean and reasonable,and well positioned.Great service from helpful staff.
Igowati Lodge,Khorixas,Damaraland was a great nights accom, with many animals and birds wandering the place.

Etosha was tenting at Okaukuejo.Which was great as we were able to position our group close to the main watering hole viewing area.And the temperatures at night had warmed by then.
And where else could you have a honey badger snuffle silently up to you when drowsing off to sleep and give me a big smoochie through the tent canvas!?
Auas Hotel in Windhoek was excellent for positioning , cleanliness, and service.Right near a major shopping mall.



                                                                   
                                                                                          Our Okaukuejo,Etosha campsite.
Transport.
Our 28 seater small bus had total of 18 , plus guide, guide assistant and driver.Which meant it was not too crowded.
With it’s truck chassis, it handled the unsealed roads very well.Not as gutsy, or grunty looking as an overland truck, but a very good comfortable choice for this type of travel.And at Etosha, very suitable for the game drives, as all the game was well in view from the various tracks.We felt no compelling reason to opt for going with the optional game drive safaris.And saw plenty of game, and including 3 lions from our bus.For that time of year, when game is concentrating around the main watering holes,there is not quite the need to take the optional game safaris.Quite different perhaps during wet season where game has to be searched for.Optional game safaris may be the best option then.


Guides/driver.

Our guide Gerhard Schwanepol, was an exceptional person.Always enthusiastic, an excellent conversationalist,a great sense of humour, and extremely well organised.Gutz was right up there as a leader.Enthusing us all with being great adventure people.Who’d have thought anyone could get 18 tourists to lie on the ground at Dead Vlei, spelling out GAP for a photo shoot?
Gerda, our assistant guide was a wonderful , cheerful and enthusiastic person.
Joseph our driver, worked hard on those long drive days.

              Our Gutsy guide!

The water hole at Okaukeujo,Etosha

Game.

Driving up the C35 into Damaraland, we were greeted by a lone cow elephant,browsing a mopani tree by the side of the road.

"Welcome to my territory" she seemed to say."And here is my family"as the rest of the herd crossed the road right in front of us.A 14 strong herd I was to meet up with 8 days later on my EHRA volunteer project I would be joining.This was the main desert elephant herd headed by huge matriarch Mama Africa.
At Etosha, there was an endless stream of game coming into the watering hole at Okaukuejo.Springbok,oryx,impala,kudu,zebra,elephants etc.And at one time there were 6 black rhino in view .
Our game drive in the bus found us observing 2 lionesses over an oryx kill and a male at a nearby water hole.
Heading into the dry season now will see more animals concentrate around the main holes.

General.
For some travellers, this tour with long drive days may be trying.But for myself ,with an interest in Biology, I found that there was never a boring moment.In fact I relished the opportunity to observe the ever changing environment as we travelled up from Cape Town and into true desert areas.Southern Africa has very unique plant life, and it was a joy to observe many plant species we may grow at home as houseplants,flourishing in their natural state.As you travel through various vegetation zones, you will observe how various specie become dominant, then others take over.

Take an interest in how various plants have adapted to survive in these arid areas.From the geometrically beautiful forms of various Aloes, to the spiky candelabra Euphorbias,and the occasional protea, or fields of stonecrops/crassulas.
And for the tours going through Namarqualand in Late Aug/early Sept, you should be enjoying the veld come alive in brilliant colour as wildflowers will be at their best.We were lucky to see only some sparse early showings.

Overall, this trip exceeded our expectations.On the 10th day my wife and I looked at each other and virtually said at the same time-“We’ll have to cancel our North American tour next year , because after this,America is going to be too tame for us!”
The big fear we have now, is how can any future tour ever be as good!?

And for anyone reading this and thinking about an African trip with Gap Adventures,I can fully recommend them.And hey!You can help us adopt a baby elephant here-
http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/
How? Because if you do want to enquire or book your trip with Gap Adventures, click on the Gap Adventures or Discovery Tours advert you see on the right of this page.Any tour booked online which originates through those adverts means this site earns a commission on sales from Gap Adventures.And all that money we earn ,less any tax, we will be donating back to wildlife conservation.
So help us help Africa's wildlife! Doesn't cost you anything extra, but your booking can save an elephant orphan!

And that will put a smile on everybody's face then!

Gap Adventures Dunes, Deltas & Falls Discoverer

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Weekly Desktop Photo

"We love your hat Mr Jim!"

Nothing quite like the smile on a kids face is there? And I often put this photo up on my computer desktop screen just to remember these kids.
Look at that boy's fantastic smile! Brilliant white teeth, a cheeky furtive look sideways, peeking out from under my hat. I love it! And all the other kids so engrossed in the moment, everyone a different pose or expression, but all caught at that perfect moment of total enjoyment.
Not the best quality photo sorry but came across it on my Sony Handycam and I had taken a few stills on it. Only 3MP. But it still is a GREAT photo.
Anixab, Damaraland, Namibia. The kindergarten at A Gariseb Primary School that EHRA have 'adopted' to renovate and repair. Pop along to this link and enjoy the reports here -EHRA School Program
Here is EHRA's latest report-
Over the next month three intrepid schools are coming to EHRA to complete our Wilderness Challenge Expedition. The first is our good friend King Alfred's School from London, UK. We have 13 students and 2 brave teachers coming along. The students have been busy raising money for their project at A.Gariseb Primary School, which this year is a huge vegetable garden to compliment the hostels feeding programme. Indeed whilst planning the garden we have realised that it involved ALOT of hard work and we are going to have to really push to finish it with in the week. However we have no doubts that we will suceed!


Secondly comes 14 students from Felstead School through World Challenge in the UK who were also here last year. Felstead School are going to be the first group performing rennovation work at EHRA's new partner school, Frans Frederick Primary in Fransfontien. The school has not seen a lick of paint in the last 50 years so we have our work cut out. However, having revamped A.Gariseb over the last 6 years we know that anything is possible with a bit of hard work, cement, polyfilla, paint and willing hands!

The third school is a new visitor to EHRA, St Andrew's School from Canada and we have 22 students and 4 teachers coming along! St Andrews are also heading through to Fransfontien and as they are such a large team we are expecting great things from them! Each group, after completing the rennovation project will then go on to trek through the Ugab River and learn to navigate using maps, a compass, a pencil and a ruler! The highlight of their challenge is to navigate on their own from one camp to the next, a journey of about 25kms.

So, we say a huge thank you in advance for the hard work fundraising and the hard work to come, and very good luck for the navigation trek!

Weekly Desktop Photo

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Diamonds at my feet.

The unwary traveller.

Where on earth did that big lizard go? It was just too big to disappear like that. I was sure it crossed the road about here in front of our 4WD. We'd slammed to a stop after seeing a huge monitor type reptile stalk across the Gibb River Road, Western Australia, and I'd grabbed a camera and ran back to try for a picture, but it had disappeared. Once it got into the knee-high grass it must have shot off so quickly. Must have been nearly 2 metres long.
Then I see diamonds at my feet in the grass. Beautiful yellow and black diamonds seeming to sparkle in the early morning sunlight, lying scattered in the long grass along a deep dark, scaly, greenish body, and as my eyes follow the diamond trail my mind is just starting to recognise the outline of that huge Bungarra so perfectly camouflaged in the grass just centimetres from my boots. I flick my camera to video. Then I kick it's tail....

                   A smaller  Bungarra seen at Tunnel Creek later in our Extraordinary Taxi Ride.

Whooosh, that Bungarra takes off so fast before I realised I hadn't even turned the camera on!
Doug, our driver had warned me they can take to you and leave a nasty bite. But I hadn't given that a thought. It was just such an unusual event for any Kiwi out in the Australian Bush, and seeing such an incredibly beautiful reptile overrode any sense of caution I should have used.
 I often had to stop and think about that lack of caution, because here in New Zealand we grow up in a country that has no dangerous animals, and very few toxic plants either. Our original natural biosystem had no land mammals apart from native bats and seals. Oh, sure there is our Katipo spider that may give you a nasty poisonous nip but very rarely encountered. But no bears in our woods, no crocs in our rivers and lakes, no snakes in our fields. We have such a safe environment for the hiker or even that family picnic at some riverside. So in my travels, I have had to consciously be very aware that I am in another country, and I cannot just go haring off into their veld or forests without learning about the dangers that may be waiting-no matter how low the actual risk- because the unexpected encounter can happen.
I've just been discussing with my wife this concept of being ignorant of other countries wildlife. She reminded me of a friend's story about their business-sponsored family trip to Zambia many years ago. Hot and sweaty, the river's edge seemed like a great spot to cool off for her and her toddler child. While she was reading her book on the bank, she was shocked to look up to see a native walk out of the high grass and down to the river and abduct her child! She was about to scream for help when the child was brought to her in his arms, and placed before her.
"Crocodiles, Madam. No play by river, Madam".

And I'm reminded of one of the scariest moments I have ever had.
In the desert in Damaraland, Namibia, on a volunteer project with Elephant-Human Relations Aid, EHRA, building a rock wall around a farm well. We'd camped in a dry riverbed near our work site, cooked over a campfire, thrown our sleeping bags on the ground, slept in the open under our billion-star hotel, and woken before dawn to make an early start. Around midday, I go wandering off seeking privacy around a bend in the dry river bed to answer call of nature. That mound of leaves blown into a pile under the bank looked just the perfect spot. Squatting and just about to go in Nature's bathroom when the pile of leaves rustled so unexpectedly...as if something was moving through the leaf pile rapidly. Right beneath my exposed rear!
This Kiwi jumped up and made the fastest dash out of there! Who knows what it was. Snake or lizard? Gee, that was one heck of a shock! Heart thumping stuff!
And this moment I wrote about here- Elephant behind me!
These encounters may be rare but they can happen, so now I like to do a little research before a new journey just so I'm aware of how I need to react when something surprises me again. And so when my friend mentions he'd like to walk part of the Appalachian Trail or in that general area, while in the USA visiting relations, I thought I'd Google around for info for him. He's not all that computer savvy. But he's another dumb Kiwi with no knowledge of wildlife in the area, no sense of caution and I just can't let him get chased by a bear in those woods, can I?
Observing wildlife, however dangerous it may be, is one of the true delights in hiking backwoods areas. And I'm sure he'll be overjoyed if he is lucky enough to come across a black bear, but whether he's got enough nouse to know how to handle the situation is another matter. According to this report, bear sightings are slim but becoming more frequent-  Bear sighting report -a sign of a growing population hopefully. As that report says,they're hardly likely to be seen and just as unlikely to attack. And like most wild animals, unless cornered, they'll want to avoid you. I read that hikers are encouraged to make noise as they hike when in bear areas, to give them a chance to avoid you. And that is where we Kiwis need to learn about where we are hiking because, back home, we would normally hike in silence so as not to scare wildlife away, and to be able to listen to our birdlife. So we need to adapt to where we are. We Kiwis can be very rowdy at times! I'm sure he will be.
And then there are snakes, bobcats, and coyotes, etc, all part of that wonder of Nature. And we are lucky if we do see them. But usually they'll slink away silently soon as they hear or even smell you coming.
I'm sure the Hocking Hills trails of southern Ohio will be a delight for him to walk, and even more delightful would be the  experience should he do have a chance encounter with bears. Getting back to Nature is what draws a lot of people to hiking any wilderness areas, wherever they are. And dangerous animals are just a part of that natural wonder. Without them,the experience would be lacking. We shouldn't  be put off walking these trails because of our fears, but we can learn to understand nature and embrace it.
Umm... but don't embrace bears !

Diamonds at my feet.

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EHRA Elephant-Human Relations Aid

There are a couple of posts in my Archives EHRA 2008 regarding my time with EHRA, Elephant Human-Relations Aid.A private organisation based in Damaraland, Namibia working to  mitigate human/wildlife conflict there.From our perspective Elephants are such marvellous creatures, and we are slowly beginning to understand that they possess a very high intelligence, and an amazing social structure and awareness.Sometimes when I read about the research that is going on with these creatures,I can't help thinking it's we humans who are the dumb ones.

And that's all very well, but then we also need to look at elephants from the perspective of locals, the villagers and farmers that have contact with them every day.And in their search for water and food, in a country that, at most times of the year, is very dry and the vegetation sparse, with growing herd numbers, elephants are now moving back into areas where they have  been unknown for over a century.Shot out of their traditional roaming areas, their return brings them into conflict with  humans who have moved into these areas and whose sole income in most cases is their farms and their sheep, goats and cattle.
So village or farm water points,wells, storage tanks, and pipelines are sought out by thirsty elephants who need to drink over 40 litres a day.And for most times of the year, rivers in Namibia are just a dry, sandy riverbed.Here and there a waterhole, or water may be close enough to the surface for eles to dig a seephole.
But if  you're a local farmer,and eles are breaking down your facilities as they try to drink from your well, you will want to protect your livelihood.You've got mouths to feed.And you have no money for repairs .
But you have got an old rifle........
That's one way to solve the situation for yourself!
But EHRA work with the community to offer another, long lasting solution which solves the conflict and encourages local people to live with elephants.

Building rock wall protection around water points, at a height which still allows eles to get their trunk over and drink, but without damaging expensive facilities.Simple.Effective.
But expensive from a communities point of view.Johannes Haasbroek recognised the problem and came up with a solution.A volunteer project where the volunteer pays to fund the materials needed, and actually builds the rock wall.
Easy.But why would someone from an affluent background pay to go and build a rock wall in Namibia?
I kept asking myself that question after I signed up for the project for July 2008.And I'm still asking that 2 years later as I look forward to signing on again.Perhaps I'll find the answer this time.It's crazy but so many volunteers go back there.Or go on to other volunteer projects, either in Africa or other parts of the world.
For me at the time, it was a real desire to just get as far away from my lifestyle as I possibly could.Push out those boundaries we tend to draw closer around us as we age.Seek out a challenge.And also to answer a need to be involved with wildlife I'd felt for so long.

So for others reading this,who are thinking about a volunteer project, I can only encourage you to do it.And EHRA will be a great start.Ask me any questions you have.I'll be glad to answer.
Meantime there is a website here  to read an excellent report on EHRA and the work they do.
bushwarriors
Enjoy !

EHRA Elephant-Human Relations Aid

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Our Family's New Dog!

We have a mut. A rescue mut. She was supposed to be a wee dog when we got her. But you never can really tell when they're 4 month's old just how big they will eventually grow. Size of the feet! That's a pointer to their adult size. Works most of the time, but in this case someone didn't mention how long their legs could grow!

So we ended up with a horse!

That is one long legged, mongrel! Grown from a pup, who had been lost on Wellington's streets for months, probably a Christmas puppy gift, abandoned, found just skin and bones, starving, lost most of her hair, in such bad shape SPCA were going to euthanise her. But they took her in, gave her 2 weeks to respond to feeding or it was the end for her. Luckily she recovered.
We'd seen many dogs that left me cold that day at the Wellington SPCA when we went there to get another after 2 long time family dogs had passed on. And we'd made a pact it was going to be a small dog, something easy to manage, a dog we could leave with friends when we took off on our often long gone travels. When we saw her we knew nothing of her past, just a pup being walked past us on a leash by a wonderful volunteer walker.
When this pup walked past us, something just clicked!
And I said that's our dog.
And Lilly became part of our lives. Well, mainly mine. She and I walk to work each day. She minds my shop. Barks like mad to tell me a client is coming up the drive, then walks out the back to allow them in. She's my companion at work. Deaf to my endless rabbitting on. Forever pretending attentiveness to my latest profound diatribe. Never argues back. Just takes it on her chin as if to say "Get it off your chest. I'm listening!"
Why can't all the women in my life be like that?!!

And now our family has another dog.

Well not at home, but in Namibia. And it's not a dog you would want at home as they're rather untameable. Our new dog is an African Wild Dog or Painted Dog- one of Africa's most endangered animals. Originally estimated to number in excess of 500,000 and ranging across vast areas in Africa below the Sahara. Now sadly numbers have declined to less than 5,000! Hunting, disease and loss of wild habitat have all taken their toll.
african wilddog
At Naankuse, Namibia last August we had the privilege of seeing these up close. There are two brothers in a huge enclosure, as when taken in as pups, close human habituation has left them vulnerable if released into the wild, having lost their fear of humans. Sometimes sanctuaries have to balance up the ethics of keeping an animal in captivity against the realities of an uncertain fate if released.
Read about Naankuse here- Naankuse sanctuary
NaanKuse have recently taken in 14 wild dog pups from an area where they face persecution. With less than 200 wild dogs, (some estimates as low as 150) in all of that huge country of Namibia, there was very slim chance those pups would survive. But with possibly 10% of the entire wild dog population's survival at stake,what else should have been done?
Naankuse on facebook

Sure, the pups now in care will be human habituated, and now be unsuitable for survival if released.
This website has been set up with the object of helping fund conservation projects just like this. So our family has adopted one of these pups. And around May 2011, we will visit Naankuse and see first hand how our pup is. Take that first step in direct assistance in protecting Africa's diminishing wildlife. Adopt a Wild Dog Pup. That pup needs you!
If you have Paypal already set up then you can send the donation to donationsnaankuse@iway.na
and put in the notes £50 for wild dog pup. Or use your credit card.

Our Family's New Dog!

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The Face of Beauty.

This is the Face of modern beauty today-
Yep do you like this picture?
Do you cringe with disgust and recoil in horror from such a beautiful face, the modern face of youthfulness, of never ageing, of unlined and unblemished perfection?
Hey, it's just a rhino missing half its face, namely it's horns. Don't worry, they've just been chainsawn off while it's still alive but drugged or heavily tranquilised -yes surely-so it didn't feel any pain...until it wears off! And now the Chinese retailers of rhino horn are demanding and paying for the best, and that's got to come from live rhino, not those shot and then hacked off.
No, it's  got to be alive because then it's got the highest potency. And when people around this world have got the dosh to spend trying to beat the effects of ageing to retain their youthful looks, to fool themselves or be in denial that they are ageing or getting more wrinkles, crows feet, and more blemishes, and in desperation seek out  any exotic remedy to beat Nature, it just doesn't matter that a little pill of powdered rhino horn can be bought.
It's only a little bit anyway. Just a little...but that's another rhino doomed!


Well that rhino's face was once beautiful. And one of the most beautiful sights you'll ever see is the face of a rhino, with a full set of horns, and a young rhino beside her. But sadly that rhino will suffer horribly and die. Hopefully a game ranger may euthanise her.

The other face of beauty.

And this is the other face of beauty.

Read the report here-

Elle Eats rhino horn!

She has since recanted and protested it was just a joke.
A joke!
Elle says joke!

This is the reality of rhino poaching, fuelled by it's use in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an aphrodisiac. And powdered rhino horn is also prescribed to treat chest pains, convulsions, snake bites, food poisoning, fevers -anything almost– and now it looks like a new folklore has sprung up around it as an anti-ageing remedy.
How many people reading Elle's outlandish statement may be desperate enough, and rich enough, to want to believe it?
http://www.stoprhinopoaching.com/

South African National Parks (SANParks) reports suggest that rhino poaching in South Africa has escalated even further since the beginning of the year, with 92 rhinos having been lost in the past five months alone.

The Kruger National Park is being particularly hard hit : 33 rhinos have been lost so far this year.
Four of the five rhinoceros species occupy spots on the top 100 EDGE endangered mammals list .

We visited Kruger National Park August last year, and were privileged to view rhino on a number of occasions. Their poor eyesight allowing you to sit quietly in your car,while their massive great bulk amble slowly towards you like a creeping armoured vehicle, cropping the grass as they came. And it was really comical as one used a huge rock to scratch itself.
So this photo is the face of real beauty -a rhino with it's horn- as it should be.

The Face of Beauty.

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The unsatisfied boots!

The first of our guest bloggers, - a wonderful guy I grew to respect on our Elephant-Human Relations Aid project in Namibia, 2008 - has submitted a claim for compensation for my boots that have finally worn out. But this canny bootmaker has asked him to submit in writing an account of how they have been used since he took ownership of my travelling boots, and I was able to establish that the unconditional guarantee expired when they stood in the dog shit!
Dog shit is not good for anything these days: it used to be used for leather tanning, but no more...hopefully.

Enjoy this-

Edwin Ramboer writes March 29.
2 years ago, I was working for EHRA, in Namibia. My job was taking care of the volunteers who came to help building walls and protecting the desert elephants. The most exciting part was the volunteers, as one never could tell what kind of weird people would come along...
One of those guys was Jim, a Kiwi who looked like a modern crocodile dundee...

"Gee I desperately need some new boots Hendrick."

"Hey Dave, you reckon we can pinch those boots off Jim for Edwin"

After a while it appeared that Jim was making shoes for a living. Not just shoes, as he made the shoes for the actors of 'Lord of the Rings'! I was quite impressed about this, and was a bit jealous about the selfmade shoes he was wearing, especially as mine were falling apart after the hard labour on rocks and in the sand and heat.

You want my boots, you come get them offa me!

When Jim left, he gave me a great present; his shoes!!!!

Those shoes I've been wearing with pleasure for the rest of my time in Namibia. Back in Belgium, I kept wearing his shoes-boots, no matter where I went to. They adapted quite well from the desert, to Belgian pubs, beer, my cat, sheep, mud and rain on my farm.
A bit later I took them on a trip to Italy, where they could see and touch snow for the first time! But still they weren't satisfied...
So last year I took off with some friends in a 4x4 towards Mali.

The shoes loved to be back in a 4x4, and enjoyed going through France, crossing the Pyrenees, and having a little walk in the mountains.
From there we crossed Spain, where it was about -20°C, and again lots of snow.
Once in the far south of Spain, they enjoyed the view of Morocco, despite a huge cyclone and heavy rains and storms. But at the end they met dog dung, from too close by, and they wanted to go back to Belgium.... All this in 6 days!
Now they are waiting quietly and patiently for the next adventure, which will be skiing in Italy next week, and who knows, after that, looking for mountain gorillas?

Great shoes, thank you Jim!!

Cheers,
Edwin

PS; did I tell you about Jims beenie, a black warm beenie with the text 'Bledisloe Cup 1999'??
Well, 2 years ago, I was working for EHRA.......

A PS. from me-Here's the reason the car rally from Plymouth to Bamako,Mali was cancelled-
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/11/plymouthbanjul_cancelled/

The unsatisfied boots!

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The Leatherman Loss.

I've been reminded sadly by new friend Lisa,  of the loss of my Leatherman tool. http://stolenmomentscafe.blogspot.com/2010/03/something-old-something-new.html
A Leatherman tool?

  

 

"Is this your bag, sir?" 
"Yes. My bag. What's up?"
"We need to check what's inside, down the bottom."
"Oh, ok." Thinking to myself, about the spare pair of silk boxer undies with the yellow elephant design I packed, because my wife likes me travelling with quick dry undies (and  not because they have reminders of large things all over them.) Baggage through Oliver Tambo Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa has a notorious habit of being lost or delayed, so packing a change of clothes in one's carryon makes good sense. But right now the Sydney Airport scanner security guard was looking rather sternly at me.
"You could hijack a plane with that!"
"What? With yellow elephant underpants?"
Mr Security Man is not happy and flourishes a shiny bright tool at me. A Leatherman tool. My Leatherman tool I realize.
The tool I had looked so cool with in its holster, on my belt, all around South Africa and Namibia, just like all those professional guides. A Leatherman on your belt and you were someone. You knew your stuff, you looked the part, you instilled confidence that you could do anything with a Leatherman tool. Brandish one of those and you could stop a raging bull elephant in his tracks at 50 metres. And I'd wanted one for years.
Finally found one too. Outjo, Namibia of all places.
We'd travelled up from Cape Town on a GAP Adventures tour, and were heading up to Etosha, and comfort stopped in Outjo.You have to stop at Outjo just to see the cool hairdos the local Himba girls wear.

You can only but admire Himba tribespeople for their proud bearing and their pride in their culture. Many other tribes are rushing to adopt Western ways, clothing and lifestyle, but there's real beauty in the way these people carry on with their traditions under the onslaught of increasing tourism and economic pressures.

For further info on Himba, try here-
http://www.imagesoftheworld.com/africa/himba.html

My Leatherman tool appeared. Thrust in my face with ''You buy.You Buy'' insistence from a young guy."300 rand only"
Being the canny haggler who's done his apprenticeship in the best markets of Asia, I feign disinterest but eventually offer a ridiculous price. The way these things work is that the guy is trying to sell goods for a Fagan who has many others out selling for him.There's a rock bottom price each guy buys or is supplied the goods for, and anything above that he can sell for, he can keep.So the trick is to find his rock bottom price where he walks away from you.Then the next guy you are accosted by, you know what you can get it for, leaving him a reasonable margin for him to earn his living.People need to live, and this is their only way of earning a living for himself and perhaps his family. So don't be too mean in your haggling.
So I offer 50 Rand. And walk away. Gee the guy must have been desperate as he yells after me "OK, we sell 75 Rand ." A little over $15US.
My very own Leatherman.
Or so I thought. Gee those Chinese copy anything! Ha.
And here I was, having it confiscated! Last seen disappearing into my day backpack after using it once in Namibia and then forgotten about. Travelled through 3 airports, been through 3 scanners, and now being confiscated at Sydney.
So much for African Airport scanners. Or were they blinded by yellow elephant printed underpants?

The Leatherman Loss.

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Is it safe?

Africa!Why would you want to go to Africa?!

How many friends have exclaimed that, when they learn you're going to Africa?"Is it safe?You'll get robbed!What about snakes and all those lions?"
You can just see all those stereotypes flashing across their radar...
"Well , yeah, but...ummm..Just thought it could be a good idea."
"What a dumb idea"
"What made you suddenly think of Africa?"
Well, how can you explain it? How can you explain a sudden decision to get as far away from your known comfort zone as possible? What justification can you offer,for wanting to take off into a completely alien and unknown environment, where you just do not have complete control over what is going to happen? Why would you?
But there again, could it have something to do with your 60th coming up? And wanting to break the mold again,get away, taste new adventures before it's too late? Hey, you wake up and realise there's more life behind you than out front! Or is it the second big mid life crises hitting you with it's bloody big baseball bat before that 3 strike and you're out?!!
The first hit got me started on a great adventure way back in the early 80's, on an adventurous road of self employment.And hey, that worked out just dandy.So this time around, let's hit out again.
So where too?
Google!
Google is just great.Type in Siberia,desert,wildlife,whatever, and up pops-
http://www.biosphere-expeditions.org/2-week-expeditions/snow-leopard-conservation-working-holidays-2.html
Now that looked just the thing.That I could go for.So far away from civilisation,unknown places,vast uninhabited scenery,up close to wildlife..yeah, that looks good.Bookmark that one.
But wait.A little more Googling and I came across this-
http://www.desertelephant.org/elephant-conservation/desert-elephants.html
So,you ever have a moment when something just hits you...falls into place,.. seems right? That was it! It was me!
Perhaps I was always destined to go there?Back there?...Yes.Back there.
You see I have been there before.Not physically, but in a dream.
You ever have those weird dreams where it is so real, and later on an event unfolds in real life and it's just like that dream? Almost as if you had a glimpse of the future.OK.Let's talk about that later when we're around the campfire and Hendrick and I are chatting, and an extraordinary coincidence is revealed.
Coincidence?...
So where was this? Oh Namibia. Where's that? Oh Africa.Africa? Last place I wanted to go to.Never thought of going there.Been to a lot of places, but Africa? Namibia? Is it safe?
Yeah.Why not? Let's go.
But a wee problem.Ummmm.... I'm married.How do I tell my wife I'm off to Africa?
So I tell her. "Africa?Why would you want to go there?Is it safe?"
"Dunno.But I'm going."
"What, on your own? Don't be stupid.You'll get lost or lose your money or passport or something.You can't go on your own.I'm coming too!"
"Oh, OK.Ummmm....But I want to go and get lost in the desert....deliberately"
"Yeah, well you're quite capable of doing that.What do you expect me to do while you're lost in Africa?"
"Ah well.Perhaps you could do a tour or something , then come look for me?"
"Alright.You now want to get lost? But I've been telling you that for years!"
Oh dear.....they do that.They have always been telling you that for years.
Anyway, we had a look together at travel in Southern Africa and found a great tour from Cape Town up to Windhoek that then carried on through Botswana to Victoria Falls.Allowing me to get off in Windhoek ( much to my dear wife's delight...)and go get lost in the Namib Desert chasing elephants.Hey, happiness all round!
Just hope those eles are happy to see some wandering Kiwi lost in their desert!
So that's the start of our Africa travels.Adventures to follow.
Stick around.

Is it safe?

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Moonlight Nightmare.

"Shit! There’s an elephant right behind you guys!" Sam exclaimed in wide eyed horror.
 Freezing, adrenaline pumping, and fighting the rising fear, I turned my head slowly to see a monstrous black shape just 12 metres away, silhouetted in the moonlight next to the very tree we were sitting under. Alan and Earl  froze also. First night at Base Camp on the Ugab River bed, Damaraland, Namibia, and we guys were yakking around the dying embers of the braie, late at night, getting to know each other as all strangers would.

Now we four were caught off guard, up so close to a huge bull elephant with no chance of getting away if he chose to charge. Those few beers we'd had wouldn't help us move either....
How on earth does such a huge animal walk up behind you so silently?

Strangely my fear subsided, and I began to appreciate the moment. This was unique. This was so unexpected. This was what I'd come for, an adventure! Time seemed to slow down as I sank into the moment, just to absorb every second, because there's never going to be another time like this again.

What a welcome they'd put on for their new volunteers at Base Camp!
Give us a thrill like this , and we'll want to come back for more.

                                           Welcome to Base Camp.

Just a few hours earlier we’d been given our Safety Lecture by our Elephant-Human Relations Aid (EHRA) patrol guides, advising we 15 new volunteers never to approach within 100 metres of these beasts. They will charge. Recent encounters between elephants and locals, competing over scarce water supplies, had left the herds skittish, and there had recently been human casualties. Time to test their encounter theories now because this bull had walked right up so silently…..

 2 short weeks prior I’d flown Qantas Airlines with my wife to join a Cape Town to Windhoek, Namibia, GAP Adventures tour. Then I had kissed Kay goodbye in Windhoek, as she continued on the tour through Botswana on to Victoria Falls. But I was free, off on my adventure. Getting right out of my comfort zone, joining a volunteer project with EHRA, an organisation at the coalface of human/wildlife conflict.

                                        My bedroom...before the elephant ate it!

Volunteers, (you pay for the privilege of working hard..) are the key in enabling EHRA to build rock wall protection around village wells and water tanks, to stop desert elephants breaking down facilities in their hunt for water. Namibia, for most of the year is arid, with only a 2 month rainy season. Namibia’s desert elephants have adapted to this harsh environment, browsing the mopani thickets, and digging seep holes for water in the dry sandy riverbeds. But village or farm wells and tanks are irresistible, bringing them into conflict with locals. Just 2 months earlier, a local had shot and wounded an elephant while driving the small herd off. Soon after the herd had cornered that local, chased him up a kopjie, and killed him. They say elephants don't forget....
.

Great effort everyone.

We built our wall. We cooked over campfires. We chatted and learnt about each other as the fiery orange African sun set over the stunning Ugab River scenery. We slept in sleeping bags on the ground and gazed up at the brilliance of the Milky Way covering the heavens. We didn’t mind not showering for 5 days! And we fell in love with the country.


But now it was just survival! “What the hell do we do if he walks right through the camp? There’s no way we can get out of his way!”
Calmly, Voortrekker began to browse on the very acacia tree we were sitting under, keeping a stern eye on we, the intruders in his territory. Then with a look as if to say “Keep the noise down you guys,this is my patch.” he turned. Hitching up his baggy pants, he ambled away as silently as he'd arrived at our camp, across the dry, sandy riverbed to the other side of the valley where he continued to select dessert from other foliage. I had time to get my video camera and take nightscene movies as he browsed.

We are scarred with those dreams, and of that first night encounter with Vootrekker, as we came to know that majestic beast, who had come to welcome our patrol. Perhaps he understood EHRA was trying to help his herd survive in this desperate but beautiful land.


When you’re up so close to Mother Nature’s greatest land beast, and your life is in the balance of his whim, there’s a moment when the greatest event in your life becomes etched upon your memory forever. Incredible and life changing.

http://www.desertelephant.org/

Moonlight Nightmare.

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