An African Adventure: Feb 4: Depart for Fish River Canyon

Since the Orange River is not navigable due to flooding; there is no canoeing. We break camp early, eat breakfast and take off in our favorite safari truck, Janis. After about 30 miles, we leave paved road and travel on dirt hard pan road for the next 4 days. The roads are bumpy and we have coined the term "African Massage" to describe the bumps and up-downs that our bodies are experiencing...everyone is having a great time.

We had to take a couple of detours because the roads were washed out or too slick. We stop to look at a lonely aloe tree and some flowers. I take a picture to record our entry into AI-AIS (pronounced ICE-ICE) National Park. Since it has been raining during the past week, there is more green rather than the brown/orange desert that we expected.

Namibia' Desert Roads

Where We Are Today

AI-AIS Beauty

Entering AI-AIS National Par

We arrive at Fish River Canyon's Homas campsite, http://www.nwr.com.na/hobas.html, early since the canoeing trip was cancelled. The campsite has very nice accommodations with excellent camping, shower,and pool facilities plus a small convenience store; there is no bar. We set-up our tents and relax; I go to the pool since it is nearly 100 degrees F and read my Kindle. At 4 PM, we close our tents in the event of rain and travel about 8 miles to view the Fish River Canyon sunset.

Entrance to Homas Camp

Soon Putting-Up Tent

Boy It's Getting Hot!!

Camp Pool - Cool and Refreshing

Yo-Yo Enjoying Her Own Cooking

Let's Go

We arrive at Fish River Canyon which is the 2nd largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. We are dropped off at a point near the canyon's rim from which we hike back to look-out point, about a mile walk. We have about two hours before sunset so we have a delicious dinner of a macaroni meat dinner and salad; Yo-Yo is a great "chuck-wagon" cook. The overcast skies clear and it looks like we will have a great sunset. All of a sudden, the winds pick-up and really begin to blow. Behind us towards our campsite we see storm clouds and rain; thank goodness we closed-up our tents. Sunset arrives and the pictures speak for the beauty for the Canyon.

Hiking towards Look-Out Point

Panoramic View of Canyon

Delicious Dinner

Chowing Down

Sun Reflecting Off Fish River

Storm Clouds Approach Our Camp

Fish River Canyon Sunset

Good Night Day

Holding-On

Wind Blown Sohee and Yo-Yo

We leave the Canyon and head back for camp. Unfortunately the rain that we saw earlier actually dumped on our camp...what a mess...pools of water...a number of tents were blown over...some had rain seep into their tents...and I thought camping was fun again...I only remembered the good times from my Boy Scout days. My tent is dry so I repack my equipment do that the morning will not be hectic...taking down and packing a wet sandy tent is not going to be fun. Read my kindle for a bit, take a Melatonin (sic) and go to bed. It is hot and muggy and I sleep on my sheet in my skivvies...gooood night...