Collected Moments of Survival

The enviable view from my tent is just the thing to make a studio special. I have to admit that I am feeling a little depressed. If you consider that I am on my African adventure then that statement is even more depressing. (Not to worry it does brighten up in a bit). I am not sure if the reason for my depression is the unrelenting heat or the realization that there are some unrelenting 21st-century “things” I am not sure I can accept as part of who I am. The main reason, of course, for the African adventure is to get into the bush (that I so passionately love) and hopefully steep myself in its magic and peace. However, the reality is far from that, especially here at Etosha.   The first shock, I think, was the sheer number of tourists in the park on a daily basis. I will add that   I am on the western side of the pan at the very popular Anderson Gate entrance. Due to the fact that I only go into the park every second day I have to go and pay entrance fees each time (bureaucra...

The car shudders and rattles as we pass over each rut in the road and the trailer behind us bumps out of control despite the fact that we are traveling at the prescribed 40km per hour. The road undulates interminably as we make our way from the picnic spot at Dikbaardskolk to the next one almost 50km's away at Kamqua. As we crest yet another dune we reach Vaalpan a descriptively accurate summation of a sandy clearing with a couple of very "vaal" looking water tanks to one side. Scattered about on the pan is a rather large group of Oryx who turn their heads as we gingerly approach trying to minimize the confounded racket that our rattling vehicle is making. The clearly delineated black and white facial markings of the Oryx bear a striking resemblance to Japanese kabuki dancers making the subject a cinch for a statement photograph. As I search through the small herd for a suitable subject in the correct position there is a loud clack-clack directly in front of me ...

It is our last day in the Etosha National Park today and we decide to only visit our favorite waterholes. After a quick visit to Blesbokfontein waterhole where we are lucky enough to get a black rhino out in the open we head off to Rietfontein, an active waterhole where we are guaranteed some action. By now I even have a favorite spot to park to get the best shots on offer and we wait. We are not disappointed as wave after wave of elephants pass us by. Finally, the big herd arrives. Today, instead of going around the back of the waterhole they pass close by as there is a group of rambunctious young males splashing around on the far side of the pond. There is nothing more exciting than landing up in the middle of a group of elephants and their close proximity certainly heightens the experience. The leader of the group today is the matriarch's youngest offspring. As the group quickly move forward with their measured steps the young elephant has difficulty in keeping...

Spend enough time in the bush and soon it will reveal more than just a glimpse of an animal or two, a whole new world waits for those who seek it.The longer periods of time I spend in the bush the more I envy the Game Ranger who gets out to see the animals every day and is afforded much more than just a glimpse. On our trip to Etosha Pan in July one little elephant decided to allow us more than just a cursory glance. En-route to the Rietfontein waterhole we are stopped dead in our tracks on the busiest route in the reserve by a black rhino with her calf. However, a black rhino normally only affords one a fleeting glimpse and this rhino was no different. She soon crosses the road and the grass folds around the pair as they disappear from sight. We move on and only a matter of a few hundred metres further there is a small breeding herd of elephants right next to the road. A cow and calf are the first to move across onto the road. They pick up the white dust off the road and blo...