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Botswana and Namibia Trip Report June 2012


penolva

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fantastic start....waiting eagerly for more from the bots bush !! :-)..even the namib roads ! bring it on .....

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Superb videos penolva! Wild dogs frollicking in the water and so close to the vehicles.

 

Definitely understand your attachment to those adorable cubs!

 

Can't wait for the next chapter.

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Pen, You lucky dog, you!

I never got to see wild dogs on my trip but heard that some were in the area while I was in the Kwai R. area of the Delta 2 weeks ago. I am just blown away with your video!

Thanks for sharing!

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Glad you liked the video, more to come soon. I love looking at it all again. Sometimes it all passes by in a blur of early morning calls, afternoon cake, sundowners, safari, dinner, bed, early morning .................... you have to just STOP and breathe, hear, smell taste it all. That's why we are going to self drive next time. One month of just US and the wild. can't wait. Pen.

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One month of just you and the wild...how wonderful and how lucky!

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Uh_oh busted

Your videos are convincing me to bring the video camera this fall. Do you use a bean bag or mini tripod?

 

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Thanks again for the positive comments.

 

II used a Manfrotto monopod, just held it like a grip, not extended or anything. It was brilliant. Hubby had brought it for the Nikon with the long lens but we decided it was better used on the video. We got a second one as soon as we got back. The bean bag didn't work with the Kwando set up as there is nowhere to rest it. Pen

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madaboutcheetah

Great news on the cubs!!! Thank God, they are doing good......

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I am so happy!! I know you shouldn't get attached but we spent so much time with them, and they are beautiful.......

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Game Warden

Pen, can you embed the videos in this topic please so I can add them to the front page.

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OK I put the dogs there, should I put the others as well? Pen

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Great Sunday morning reading and viewing but I'm a bit confused with the lion cubs, have they been seen recently or not?

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madaboutcheetah

Great Sunday morning reading and viewing but I'm a bit confused with the lion cubs, have they been seen recently or not?

 

They are doing well, Twaffle ....... There were updates on the Kwando facebook page to say that the cubs were just not viewed for a week ........ but, in subsequent sightings seen doing well along with the pride!

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Great Sunday morning reading and viewing but I'm a bit confused with the lion cubs, have they been seen recently or not?

 

They are doing well, Twaffle ....... There were updates on the Kwando facebook page to say that the cubs were just not viewed for a week ........ but, in subsequent sightings seen doing well along with the pride!

 

Thanks Hari, funny how we worry about the cubs. Feel much better now.

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Hari is going to say 'Hello' to them when he goes to Lebala.

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I am going to start with the Botswana part of our trip even though we did a self drive in Namibia from 1 - 14 June.

 

Penolva,

 

Going to Namibia in October, so I'd really like to hear about your experiences! ;)

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madaboutcheetah

Hari is going to say 'Hello' to them when he goes to Lebala.

 

Surely ...... Here's hoping they don't hide from me!

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Trip Report Namibia and Botswana June 2012. Part 11

 

We left Lebala by road and met up with Carlos from Lagoon Camp at the half way point. Spencer Mathambo, who was going to be our guide would meet us later. We had met him at Lebala where he was guiding a private safari. We got stuck in deep sand an hour from camp and it took an hour to dig our way out. It was hot!! Carlos gave us a lesson in what to do in the circumstances, which we will remember for next year on our self drive.

 

We met up with Spencer and Aaron, his tracker, and went out on an evening drive to find the famous cheetah brothers. Hari had told me about the brothers and recommended Spencer as our guide. We got both, thanks very much Hari, your suggestions really made our trip. ST members are great!!!

 

The brothers were snoozing and only moved on when the sun started to set after lots of yawns and cheetah yoga. The light turned golden and with the sounds of the doves, my favourite sound of Africa, we watched those beautiful animals interact with each other. When you get sights and sounds like that with only 4 other people to share it with you truly feel privileged. We were able to get some great video and photos. They even tried a half hearted hunt, and we laughed at Spencer’s “Come on boys”.

 

Lagoon camp is beautiful and we wish we had stayed there for 3 nights instead of 2. Spencer is a real character and we enjoyed every hour we spent with him. He and Aaron showed us how to track and it was fascinating. The first morning they tracked the wild dogs and that’s when we saw them running in the water. I will put the video here again, I have had a lot of positive comments about it. Thanks. The following morning we found the alpha female cleaning out an old den and we heard since that she gave birth to the puppies two days later.

 

The rest of the time at Lagoon was mostly spent with cheetah’s but the second evening we met with the most inquisitive and cheeky Roan Antelope. He gradually walked closer and closer to us and showed off his beautiful ears. We were so lucky as they are very shy usually.

 

The sounds of frogs and hippos during the night was magical. I thought some of the frogs sounded like hundreds of Spanish Flamenco dancers with their castanets dancing in the darkness.

post-17162-0-39540500-1342379802_thumb.jpg

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Very nice. I feel video adds so much extra to the record of a safari.

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Game Warden

Penolva: I merged the two reports to keep all the info together. Keep adding to this. Matt.

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Thanks Matt, I couldn't figure how any one would know about Part 2 if I didn't post it separately. Pen

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