Task #14 - Visit Namibia

It's been a while since I could check something off my bucket list but I finally managed! My parents and I visited Namibia this July! We did a driving tour for 2 weeks working our way from Fish River Canyon all the way around to Windhoek. We had an amazing time! We had multiple run-ins with baboons, an ostrich ran into our car, and we found a dead gemsbok (oryx - see pics below)! It was an awesome trip and we met so many friendly people along the way. It is a beautiful country with gorgeous landscape! Make sure you put this one on your bucket list!

This is the dead gemsbok!

Fish River!

Fish River Canyon

Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei

Cape Cross

Vingerklip

Vingerklip

Wild Dogs

Etosha

Etosha

Etosha

Etosha

During the two weeks, we had to change tyres, three times, and one of those times we were in the middle of the safari/game park! Exactly 100m from where we had previously seen a male lion!

We had an amazing trip - Namibia is truly a special one-of-a-kind country!

These are the places we stayed at if you are keen to visit:

Canon Lodge - Fish River

A Little Sossus Lodge - Sossusvlei

Meike's Guesthouse - Swakopmund

Twyfelfontein Country Lodge - Damaraland

Vingerklip Lodge - Damaraland

Okaukuejo Resort - Etosha

Waterberg Plateau Lodge - Waterberg

Hotel Safari - Windhoek

Task #9 - Go On A Road Trip

Hey Bloggers! I'm sorry I haven't been posting things in a while, been a tad busy. But one of my latest ventures that I can remove from my bucket list is to go on a road trip!

My boyfriend and I decided to go and check out the Drakensberg region of South Africa. It's about halfway between Johannesburg and Durban and it's a massive mountain range. So it's ideal for outdoor people! :)

We decided to spend five days there and stay in different places along the way so we could see and experience as much as possible! Our plan was to stay at the Amphitheatre (cool mountain lodge place) the first night, then move down to Champagne Valley, and finally end up in Mooi River!

The plan did work, for the most part - it decided to snow! Normally the snowy week happens in July, but of course this year it decided to happen in August. ALL of the highways were closed once we got to our checkpoint at Harrismith.... Including the important main highways from Joburg to Durban.... It was crazy. We quickly booked ourselves into an inn in Harrismith and then made plans with our other accomodation to scoot everything back by a day. So it was a great start! But still, it was awesome, especially to see SNOW in AFRICA!!!! :)

The next morning we woke up to find that most of the roads were still closed but we managed to take back routes to the Amphitheatre! We spent a freezing night up in the mountains, but it was beautiful! :) Looked so much like the Alps! The following morning we decided to go on a hike up the Amphitheatre, because of the snow the hiking trail wasn't cleared properly, so we were literally walking in each others footprints on the edge of a very high mountain!!! I was scared, I won't lie!

After surviving we made our way through Champagne Valley and then finally reached Mooi River. We stayed at this beautiful lodge where the rooms are actually individual treehouses! :) Upon arriving, we were told that because of the 1m of snow, there was no electricity or water.... we had food and candles, so it was a fun night, consisting of candlelit dinner and flashlight billards :) But it was beautiful, our treehouse had an unobstructed view of the Drakensberg and it was magnificent....

 
Needless to say, it wasn't the trip we were expecting with a few issues and delays, but it was so worth it. The Drakensberg looks so much better with snow!!!!