If the stench of rotting elephant isn't enough to discourage the antelope from coming to Maringo watering hole, then surely the regular roaring from the pride of lions feeding on the carcass will do it. Consequently no Springboks, Gemsboks or Grisboks (it's bok bok bok in southern Africa), but a giraffe came up and assessed the situation for an hour or so before venturing a drink. And the rhinos didn't care at all. In fact, when the lions got too close one rhino turned around and casually ambled towards them, scattering them. Skittish jackels darted about and the thin shrill laugh of hyenas was heard. This is all happening a five minute walk from our tent.
Etosha National Park. Four times the size of Prince Edward Island. You cannot leave your car, you must stay in fenced in camping compounds, there are no signs, no picnic sites, no hiking trails, no anything except a network of dirt roads and the open Africa of 100 or 10,000 years ago. And Etosha is white, looking hoarfrosted with talcum fine dust. Even the sky is bleached. No colour anywhere, but animals, so many animals, drawn in by the scattered water holes.
I will be listening to lions roaring all night (no, the lion does not sleep tonight...) until I finally put the earplugs in.
If you go anywhere in Africa go here.
Your pictures are fabulous. Love the drinking giraffes!
ReplyDeleteI love how the giraffes bend down to drink. It's kind of comical.
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