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Namibia 2017: Two Cats on a hot Tin Roof


xelas

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On 26/07/2017 at 6:23 PM, janzin said:

 

@Galana are you volunteering too? ;)

 

Of course. Like xelasI have nothing pencilled in after June next year and I am a lower maintenance driver/guide than him.

I can drive all day on a bottle of wine and a kind word.:o

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2 hours ago, Galana said:

Of course. Like xelasI have nothing pencilled in after June next year and I am a lower maintenance driver/guide than him.

I can drive all day on a bottle of wine and a kind word.:o

 

You're hired! :)

 

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Peter Connan

Magnificent report thank you @xelas, with great photos by all three of you.

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A wonderful report. Superb photos (as we expect:)) and very engaging writing. It is a beautiful place - I am sure your report will attract more visitors!

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And thank you, @Peter Connan , @TonyQ and @Davesg for reading it, and for your kind words. We are in love with Namibia, and plannings for next visit in 2019 have already started!

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Xelas,

 

Let me say that after reading through your report your trip was just plain fabulous ! But the report itself is second to none. Great storytelling skills, very entertaining and humorous at times. Of course, the pictures are class in their own. I absolutely adore the sunsets, which are rich and so well balanced and moody. The animals captured in whole variety are absolutely stunning. It must have been great to see them all live and freeze some intimate encounters on a sensor. Congratulations to you, Zvezda and Tanja.

 

Greg

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Greg, I know you are exaggerating ... but your words are music to my ears :D! But it is also a challenge to be better next time ... which is not that easy specially with ESL problem. Zvezda's photos are what really shines in this trip report. Thank you for your words ... and for me it is better to find a really great writer to help me with our next TR (I think I have one name already).

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Xelas, quot scripsi, scripsi !;) And I will stand by that.

Please only enlighten me what ESL is as I'm already slow brained.

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10 minutes ago, garito01 said:

Please only enlighten me what ESL is as I'm already slow brained.

 

@garito01 , I wouldn't know about ESL either but just today I have received a message on another travel forum from one of the members I have replied to, trying to give some travel info, and ESL was mentioned in rather dubious way. I needed to check it out; I opted for this version:

"ESL is a common abbreviation used in schools and it stands for "English as a Second Language." Schools will often use the term ESL when describing the programs that educate students who are not native English speakers and for describing the 'ESL students' themselves."

Urban Dictionary has another version:

Short for "English as Second Language", the term actually refers to *people* who use english as their second language. These people are often falsely thought of as morons, or generally a person of lower degree/intelligence. They often use their own version of English, mixing in some of their own words or their first language's grammar, especially when talking to other ESL, even more so when the other ESL's first language is the same as his own (when they are speaking English to each other for whatever weird reason, that is.) 
Generally ESLs can understand English decently, especially when an ESL version is spoken by another ESL. Their first languages needn't be the same, but it would help even more. 
Between the english-speaking community, however, it has a derogatory meaning.
 
Edited by xelas
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@xelas Again a great trip report with amazing pictures! You really are a great ambassador for Namibia. Reading your report brings back sweet memories. 

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4 hours ago, Ladouce said:

@xelas Again a great trip report with amazing pictures! You really are a great ambassador for Namibia. Reading your report brings back sweet memories. 

 

Glad to read that, @Ladouce! I looks like we all are in love with this amazing country; our 4th trip already has an itinerary :o!

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Alex: I challenge you to conquer the Van Zyl's pass before I do. Let's see who is Da Man !!!  

Northern Namibia is crying out for us !  Hope your 4th Trip is looking north. 

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10 hours ago, Chakra said:

Alex: I challenge you to conquer the Van Zyl's pass before I do. Let's see who is Da Man !!!  

Northern Namibia is crying out for us !  Hope your 4th Trip is looking north. 

 

@Chakra

 

Chak, the challenge is accepted :o!

Nope, as of now the 4th trip is looking south; you know, to keep the things in balance :). But it might change as there is still plenty of time till 2019 :D!!

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  • 1 month later...

I've been slowly reading this report @xelas, as you can probably tell from the slow trickle of likes coming through. What a great trip, with excellent photos and special sightings.  It makes me want to reconsider Namibia - another country to add to the list! Now I need to finish your Scotland report. :)

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@Zubbie15, thank you so much for taking your valuable time and reading our trip report. I am a man of habits thus returning to a country already visited is not a strange thing for us ... and Namibia deserves our full attention, and without doubts I am sure you will enjoy it also.

Ahhh, Scotland TR ... yes, it is slowly emerging through rains and clouds ... a couple of weeks more I need. But it will be posted ;).

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  • 1 month later...

@xelas   

 

Apologies for being very late to the party - but very much enjoyed this TR. Amazing to see the desert with some green vegetation. We were in Sossusvlei 6 months before you and it was just dry, arid desert then. So stunning to see thunder clouds, rainfall and having to ford rivers in Namibia!

 

Excellent photos from Etosha - particularly loved the ellies.

 

Thank-you for including the photos of how to 'pack away' the roof tent - we have discussed travelling this way so good to know how it all works.

 

Looking forward to your next TR.  :)

Edited by Jaycees2012
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Thank you, @Jaycees2012, for taking your time and reading (and liking) our trip report! It was an amazing journey, our third in Namibia but far from being the last one; we have still to set our foot in Kaokoland and in Caprivi.

Camping was a lot of fun; working with roof top tents were "interesting" but with a very good assistant we managed to get through, and even to enjoy it (not always, of course). One only downside was the arrangement of camping gear and spare tires and luggages inside the pick-up, but we have now identified a much better organised vehicle for our next trip. 

 

There will be more trip reports posted in 2018 so stay tuned :)!

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@xelas

 

It would be interesting to know what the 'better organised vehicle' for your next trip is and what the problem was with the vehicle you used for this trip. Looking at some of the vehicle hire company web sites - many of the vehicles seem to be very well organised - but without using one 'for real' some of the drawbacks may not be immediately obvious.

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@Jaycees2012, my "problems" with organisation were that we have to unload and reload quite many things each evening ... and morning. As there were no extra dedicated space for camping equipment that means like: everything out, dinner, everything in, sleep, everything out, breakfast, everything in. OK, not everything but still moving too many items twice a day. 

There are more specialised camping vehicles, like bushcampers. However they are more expensive, and some items are not needed in a "normal" roads. I have spotted one "normal" vehicle on parking lot at Hoba meteorite, and you can see it in this trip report: 

 

Extra drawers for cooking and utensils, tyre on swing arm, pull-out fridge, table and chairs under the roof ... it looks much better organised then our was. I will probably try it next camping trip.

 

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@xelas

 

Thank-you for the tips. I'll have a look at the TR you referenced as well.

 

:)

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After 3 trips (plus the one to Kgalagadi) I have found that best option for us would be sleeping under the "fix roof" (i.e. in a room or cabin) and doing self-catering. That would allow us to save some money on meals and to be quicker on the road or off the road. We have used this strategy when in Etosha, and it worked well. That is OK for 2 persons; if going with 3 or 4 persons (like parents and kids) then roof top tent is obviously much cheaper option. Some camps have option of using their fixed tents (I have seen those in Madisa and in Hoada) Prices are still quite high but as other "fix roof" options are even pricier, they are a viable solution. Another "step down" in total costs would be using a different type of vehicle. But I am quite sure Zvezda would oppose this even if she would have to sleep on the roof :D again!!

Edited by xelas
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I have long maintained that the time it takes to pitch the tent is almost meaningless, it's the time it takes to unpack everything that is important!

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