Waterholes

After a good breakfast and saying goodbye to Jürgen and his wife, I made my way further east, to the southern entrance of the Etosha national park. I had to sign the waiver and all the park rules, the main ones being: you are only allowed in the park between sunrise and sunset, and you are never to leave you car while you are in the park. The only exceptions are when you are in one of the fenced in camps inside, where I would also stay for two nights. So I got to the camp, checked in, paid my entrance fees, and got settled in. The park is paradise for animal viewing. Don't get me wrong, you don't necessarily see heaps of animals as soon as you enter the park, and it can also happen that you drive around and don't see any for two hours (except for the birds you see almost everywhere, and the one or the other springbok, as they also seem to be everywhere). But when you see them, you quite often see big herds. Sometimes just on or next to the street, even more close to one of the waterholes. Since it's dry season and not so much water around, they usually have to come by to drink. My Etosha experience started at the waterhole at my camp, Okaukuejo. After getting settled, I went there just to have a quick look, and within five minutes I saw a huge herd of springbok (seemed to be never ending), a group of zebras (maybe 10-20) and two elephants. Since it wad already afternoon, and park gates would close at 5.25 (sunset)  I only went on a short tour to look at some of the closer waterholes. There, and on the way I saw zebras (big herds), a few giraffes, several different antilopes, some Oryx, sometimes one big herd across the street, sometimes a wild mixture at a waterhole. Later I went to dinner quite early, so I could be back to our waterhole (which was lit up by night) by 7, to watch the animals coming after dark. And there they came: first two rhinos, then two more, a group of giraffes (with their young ones), three elephants, a oryx, a few jackals, and even an owl. They all were white relaxed, enjoying the water, and didn't really care about the others. From far I could hear lions roaring and hyenas laughing, but none of them showed up while I was still there. Next morning I tried to get up quite early, and started of for a whole day driving around in the park. Apart from what became quite standard quickly (like herds of springbok, zebras, a giraffe here and there, as well as an oryx), I saw a few more kudus (they also taste very good, as I realised again at dinner), a few really mice birds, a few really cute squirrels, a whole elephant family right next to the street, and my first three lions. At night I saw again a few rhinos, zebras, and a younger elephant. I didn't manage to stay as long this night, as it was just getting too cold. Next day again, I made my way through the park, as my next lodge was just outside the eastern entrance. Because of their stupid rules that entrance fees are per 24 hours, I had to ne out of the park by 2, so I couldn't have a look at every waterhole on the way. Also I couldn't see that many animals today (still a lot, just not as many as the day before). I already thought it's because they also have a day off on Sundays, but at my new lodge I wad then told it's because of the wind, when they tend to hide a lot more. So I guess it wasn't so bad that I had to leave the park so early, and that way I could spend a nice and relaxing afternoon at the waterhole of the Omguma Bush Camp.