Sunday 7th August. Sunrise on Waterberg Plateau. Travel back to Windhoek

Up at 5.00am for the sunrise game drive.  Very jolly driver but the admin was tedious and we finally get going in the jeeps by about 6.00am.  It was pitch black when we got up but it’s getting alarmingly light as we head for the gates.  Roz reminds them we are here for the sunrise so can they please get a move on!  It’s bloody freezing in the early morning half-light, so we are handed fleece ponchos to wrap up in.  Very welcome indeed!  After about 45mins (and I thought we were in the park??) we make the climb up to the plateau.  A table-flat mountain some 1650m above the veld.  It feels a bit like Jurassic Park.  We grind to a halt and get out of the jeep.  There behind us yet another amazing sunrise through the trees.  We survey the scene from the top and it is very surreal.  Down below it is dead flat veld.  Up here it is dead flat veld, but very different.  Well, we drive around and around and it all looks very promising.  Fresh foot prints here, even fresher rhino poo there (“why not you not want to hold it ma…?” – err, it’s poo that’s why and I haven’t brushed my teeth yet), but alas no animals at all.  The sun is rising higher and we start to unfreeze.  A cul-de-sac reveals an enclosed walkway that leads down to the hide and one of the water holes.  There’s bound to be something there (“everybody can sleep, but everybody gotta drink”).  Well no. Nothing.  And where are the birds too?  We console ourselves by reminding each other this is the wild not a zoo, as we tuck into our generous packed breakfast (boiled egg, biltong, cold ham & cheese toastie, juice, yogurt, apple, cheese – it’s OK by me but some people aren’t so keen).  We set off in another direction and Martin  our driver/guide is certain we’ll see something this time.  We drive for miles and miles on the plateau.  We turn off on to a very small track, 4x4 only.  He points out some bluffs up ahead – sure fire lounging spot for cats.  Nope, not today.  GIRAFFE!!!  Mary of course does spot some.  A couple of big’uns about 50m away, but we’ve see giraffe and so are not interested.  Up ahead first one, then two then a whole heard of Sable.  Now that is something.  We linger as that’s all we are going to get.  By 10.30 we’ve been up almost a working day and we finally head of the plateau.  Fantastic views, but sadly we left virtually empty handed.  It’s a game park not a zoo remember.  Back at the chalets we have a final team pose – everyone even Kevin under orders to wear the team shirt.  1-2-3 click Godfried and Olivier (eh?) take the official tour photos, then it’s on the truck (last puncture now fixed) and we head south to Windhoek, not before a last chance shop at the craft market and lunch at xxxx (fill this in later).  Despite our best efforts we buy loads of stuff.  Nick of course is the real pro and has the traders scurrying in fear and letting him get away with outrageous discounts, while the rest of us only scavenge a few bucks here and there.  The final stretch into Windhoek is a bit sad as it is the last time we will be together, although on the bright side we will be saying goodbye to the old truck.  Ironically as he speed pas a private game reserve we see loads of animals again.

 Check in at Cori and our final final farewells to Chico.  What a great guy!  We are all very sad.  Kevin mans it out and carries his bag to his room whilst the ladies all reach for the Kleenex.  Quick SSS then we are off the NICE (Namibian Instuitute of Culinary Education for our last meal together).