Monday 1st August. A day in the park

Up at 5.00am this morning so that we get to the park gate for sunrise.  Hearty breakfast by the camp fire as the edge of the sky begins to turn crimson.  We hit Anderson Gate at 6.25am and have to queue behind two other cars.  Then we are in!  Once again we find animals everywhere.  Chico takes us on a 4hr odyssey around the back lanes of Etosha and we come across amazing sights everywhere.  Rather than try and provide chronological diary, this is what we saw…

·         5 male lions and 1 lioness

·         Oryx

·         Wildebeast

·         Black Faced Impala

·         Black Backed Jackals

·         Elephants

·         Warthog

·         Giraffe

·         Zebra (Burchalls)

·         Secretary Bird

·         Springbok

·         Hartebeest

·         Steenbok

·         Lilac Crested Roller

·         Chanting Goshawk

·         Tawny Eagle

·         Egyptian Goose

·         Rock Kestrel

·         Crowned Lapwing

·         Vultures

·         Great Bustard

·         Oh, and to finish off we see first one, then two, then a family of four White Rhino.  And then another on his own right by the road not 10m away!

·         Wait!  That’s not it.  We see a sitting of vultures up ahead.  They are feasting on a newly killed Zebra.  The carcass is still warm and there is blood & guts all around…

From horizon to horizon it is totally flat.  360deg of pure animal kingdom.  Then it’s back to Okaukuejo for lunch. We all get a bit merry on the wine as we realise we’ve never had lunch quite so early for ages.  All very nice but it feels a bit artificial to have such luxury in the middle of the desert game park.  Set off at 2.30pm for the 3½ hr trek across the dead flat park to Dololmite Camp on the western edge of the park where we will overnight.  Phew!