Namibia 2017: Two Cats on a hot Tin Roof

[PeterHG]

As before, @xelas, your report has been a great pleasure to read, not in the least because of the large number of great photos by Zvezda, Tanja and yourself. I quite understand your mixed feelings about the  visit to the AfriCat foundation, but it did get you some good shots. Thank you for sharing this family trip with us. I can't wait to see the beautiful scenery, the animals and the birds of Namibia myself. Only six months to go 

[xyz99]

@xelas Fantastic report, photos and stories, thank you! I'm almost more excited about your next trip than mine. Almost

Where are you going next?

[Levante]

Thank you so much to have shared your experience with us. You are a great storyteller ! I'm looking forward to reading your report from Ethiopia which is one of the country I would like to visit.

[xelas]

10 hours ago, PeterHG said:

Only six months to go 

 

Thank you, @PeterHG. And those 6 months will just fly by, specially with the side trip planned .

[xelas]

9 hours ago, xyz99 said:

Where are you going next?

 

Thank you, @xyz99. Our next trip is Scotland in August. Then Cape Town in January. Then ... Bottom line, there will be more trip reports .

[xelas]

42 minutes ago, Levante said:

I'm looking forward to reading your report from Ethiopia

 

Grazie mille, @Levante. Only you will have to wait at least till 2020 for our trip report from Ethiopia; not planned at all but for sure we will not go there before 2020. In the meantime, @Atravelynn and @michael-ibk combo trip report is a fantastic and very educational read.

[xyz99]

5 hours ago, xelas said:

 

Thank you, @xyz99. Our next trip is Scotland in August. Then Cape Town in January. Then ... Bottom line, there will be more trip reports .

 

Can't wait!

[Atravelynn]

 

5 hours ago, xelas said:

 

Grazie mille, @Levante. Only you will have to wait at least till 2020 for our trip report from Ethiopia; not planned at all but for sure we will not go there before 2020. In the meantime, @Atravelynn and @michael-ibk combo trip report is a fantastic and very educational read.

Rooms are being reserved, guides are booking up, space is dwindling as Ethiopia becomes a more popular destination.  Get those reservations in for 2020.  (Remember when 2020 seemed so far off)?

I'll be very interested in Scotland too!

[Galana]

On 04/07/2017 at 9:15 PM, xelas said:

White-throated canary.

Really? Would you like best of three?

[Galana]

AS you will have guessed I have caught up again. Is that notify button a new feature or have I just noticed it?

As always a great report well written and beautifully illustrated.. I can see you getting used to chalets in Etosha. I felt tired just looking at those final photographs of the rig. Good to read of the Red cloth signals working and learn that Martin made it round OK!

Some final observations.

You photographed the Pale Chanting Goshawk Juv. Dark occurs along the Caprivi (where you have yet to visit!!)

The Gecko is Tuberculed.

I loved seeing Etosha looking so green. Obviously the rain I suffered for you in December paid off.

Your Bronze-winged Courser was special for me. Mainly crepusuclar or nocturnal Zvelda did well to get one in good light (or overcome poor light?)

 

Finally would you care to speculate on ways for the Halali rangers to evict that Honey Badger. I know one Reserve where the owner has spent a fortune on trying to keep them IN. No way anybody will come up with a way to keep them OUT.

 

@janzin. Do come to Namibia. There are many on here would fight for the honour of driving your husband and you..

[xelas]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

Really? Would you like best of three?

 

Of course, master birder!

[xelas]

 

2 hours ago, Atravelynn said:

Get those reservations in for 2020

 

Right now?! I dare not! Zvezda is already mad because I have started to plan our summer 2019 trip  ... 

[Galana]

9 minutes ago, xelas said:

 

Of course, master birder!

Well not yet a Master but if you look at the range of your WT Canary you would be stretching the boundary a bit. Also note the heavily streaked back and some streaking on the belly/flanks too.

So why not Black-throated or even just the Yellow.variety?

Your bird, your call.

[xelas]

48 minutes ago, Galana said:

Mainly crepusuclar or nocturnal Zvelda did well to get one in good light (or overcome poor light?)

 

09:52:21 said the clock on the camera. Maybe its clock did not worked ?!

[xelas]

7 minutes ago, Galana said:

Well not yet a Master but if you look at the range of your WT Canary you would be stretching the boundary a bit. Also note the heavily streaked back and some streaking on the belly/flanks too.

So why not Black-throated or even just the Yellow.variety?

Your bird, your call.

 

I will took special care of this bird when posting it in the Big Year!

[xelas]

54 minutes ago, Galana said:

There are many on here would fight for the honour of driving your husband and you..

 

@janzin what do you say about a driving service in exchange for a photography tuition ?! Let me check my calendar ... hmmm, April/May 2019 maybe?? Too late? Don't worry, there are many excellent guides/drivers that will drive you around Namibia. Don't wait for too long, Namibia goes the Ethiopia way re. bookings and visitors.

[michael-ibk]

Thank you, Alex, Zvezda and Tania, for another stellar report. You had some fantastic wildlife sightings but I'm most impressed with the landscape photography. Such beautiful - and diverse - scenery, that alone would be enough for me to finally get to Namibia. 

[Dave Williams]

I have a touring caravan and I love "camping" in it but looking at your Hilux set up I think I'll stick to the Rubic's Cube as it's less complex!

 

I do appreciate some of the benefits of having your mobile home set up though.

 

 

Great report yet again. 

Dave

 

Edited July 26, 2017 by Dave Williams

[janzin]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

 

@janzin what do you say about a driving service in exchange for a photography tuition ?! Let me check my calendar ... hmmm, April/May 2019 maybe?? Too late? Don't worry, there are many excellent guides/drivers that will drive you around Namibia. Don't wait for too long, Namibia goes the Ethiopia way re. bookings and visitors.

 

ha if you were serious I'd take you up on it! We have nothing planned for that time period yet

 

[janzin]

2 hours ago, Galana said:

 

 

@janzin. Do come to Namibia. There are many on here would fight for the honour of driving your husband and you..

 

@Galana are you volunteering too?

 

[xelas]

33 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Thank you, Alex, Zvezda and Tania, for another stellar report. You had some fantastic wildlife sightings but I'm most impressed with the landscape photography. Such beautiful - and diverse - scenery, that alone would be enough for me to finally get to Namibia. 

 

Thank you so much for your words, Michael, And same goes to Andreas for all his likes. Namibia is waiting for you two !

[xelas]

34 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

I do appreciate some of the benefits of having your mobile home set up though.

 

Thanks Dave! There are obvious financial benefits but if one does the planning properly, also lodging is not that much more expensive. 

[xelas]

13 minutes ago, janzin said:

 

ha if you were serious I'd take you up on it! We have nothing planned for that time period yet

 

 

Me serious?! I am always serious!! Who would decline having free of charge photography tuition! And I will have a 3-weeks long training driving Michael and Andreas all over Costa Rica in July of 2018..

[JohnR]

On 25/07/2017 at 7:53 AM, xelas said:

Sad eyes

 

 

 

I don't find the eyes sad. Just a well fed and lazy cat like my cat at home.  

[xelas]

43 minutes ago, JohnR said:

 

I don't find the eyes sad. Just a well fed and lazy cat like my cat at home.  

 

Even better, @JohnR. Well fed and lazy they are, for sure .