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Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:03 pm
by Spock
Just got back (and draggy) from hours or days or whatever of air travel from Windhoek.
Quick things and I will add more later.
1)Etosha National Park-I previously had no real desire to see Etosha because of the large tourist pressure-but with Covid-tourism is still light so a waterhole that typically might have 20 vehicles on it-might have had 3 when were there-spent 2 days and nights there.
Got to see rhinos and a lioness on a hyena carcass-that was Mrs Spock's hope-to see rhinos and lions.
My favorite thing from Etosha was seeing a pack of hyenas running over the savanna at close range-there was something primal about that,
2) Ethiopian Airlines-we flew them for most legs and went through Addis Ababa both ways-I have no problem recommending them and will say more about this part later. But some may be interested that (for whatever reason) we seemed to scrupulously avoid Sudanese airspace which really adds flight time from Addis when you want to fly this way and lose any possible angles over Sudan. For example, we flew up (and down) the eastern part of the Red Sea and cut the corner over Egypt and over Europe to Dublin where we stopped quickly for fuel and a crew change.
Re: Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 9:30 am
by tlynn78
Spock wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:03 pm
Just got back (and draggy) from hours or days or whatever of air travel from Windhoek.
Quick things and I will add more later.
1)Etosha National Park-I previously had no real desire to see Etosha because of the large tourist pressure-but with Covid-tourism is still light so a waterhole that typically might have 20 vehicles on it-might have had 3 when were there-spent 2 days and nights there.
Got to see rhinos and a lioness on a hyena carcass-that was Mrs Spock's hope-to see rhinos and lions.
My favorite thing from Etosha was seeing a pack of hyenas running over the savanna at close range-there was something primal about that,
2) Ethiopian Airlines-we flew them for most legs and went through Addis Ababa both ways-I have no problem recommending them and will say more about this part later. But some may be interested that (for whatever reason) we seemed to scrupulously avoid Sudanese airspace which really adds flight time from Addis when you want to fly this way and lose any possible angles over Sudan. For example, we flew up (and down) the eastern part of the Red Sea and cut the corner over Egypt and over Europe to Dublin where we stopped quickly for fuel and a crew change.
Interesting. Waiting to hear more.
Re: Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:48 am
by Spock
Mrs Spock is really busy with work, but as soon as she gets time to download the pictures I will share the story of the strangest Farmer's Market possible. I guarantee that the tourist buses don't stop at this one which had about 12 vendors selling the same thing.
And no, it is not anything boring like sheep's heads or any cliches like that-LOL
Re: Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 6:57 pm
by Spock
If anybody wants to read about the Ethiopian Airline portion of the trip-have at it.
http://thesmokeofafrica.blogspot.com/20 ... lines.html
In a later portion of the trip=I got to do shots with a very interesting Afrikaner commercial fisherman.
Re: Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:11 pm
by SportsFan68
I would very much like to see a rhinoceros, but I've pretty much given up. The first time I was at Kruger National Park, we were told we missed the rhinos by about an hour. The second time, no one would tell us anything about any sightings because of horrific wholesale slaughter.
Re: Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2021 9:42 am
by Spock
SportsFan68 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:11 pm
I would very much like to see a rhinoceros, but I've pretty much given up. The first time I was at Kruger National Park, we were told we missed the rhinos by about an hour. The second time, no one would tell us anything about any sightings because of horrific wholesale slaughter.
If Rhino is majorly on your bucket list, Namibia might be your best bet. They seem to handle things pretty well.-Etosha is probably the best place. Our camp there was built around a waterhole and one rhino tended to show up just before dark with various others showing up through the night. One lady said there was major rhino fighting and stuff going on around midnight.
And then-for truly wild (non-national park) rhinos-Damaraland/Kaokoland to the west of the park might be fun.
Our camp at Etosha was Okaukuejo. We had a bungalow pretty close to the waterhole-which is lit at night.
Re: Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:35 pm
by Spock
I don't have a narrative arc planned for this trip the way I had for the other trip. The muse hasn't struck I guess, so posts will be random.
Here are rhinos, hyenas and lions at Etosha National Park.
https://thesmokeofafrica.blogspot.com/2 ... ns-in.html
Then my Eland. The best meat in Africa and it has a lot of it.
https://thesmokeofafrica.blogspot.com/2 ... frica.html
Re: Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:03 pm
by Estonut
Spock wrote: ↑Sat Jul 03, 2021 9:42 am
SportsFan68 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:11 pm
I would very much like to see a rhinoceros, but I've pretty much given up. The first time I was at Kruger National Park, we were told we missed the rhinos by about an hour. The second time, no one would tell us anything about any sightings because of horrific wholesale slaughter.
If Rhino is majorly on your bucket list, Namibia might be your best bet...
You're guaranteed to see them here...
Re: Spock-the African Explorer-Expedition 2
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2021 8:53 am
by SportsFan68
I've wanted to visit San Diego a long time -- guess I have to go now.