Tennis Club Fishing Competition at Wlotzkasbaken

View of Wlotska from the house

Mac trying to persuade Stefan that he has to eat the "fish eye" as part of his initiation into the team.

Andre With his Catch

Damara Terns on the beach

Off - Roading in the Dunes near Walvis Bay

Some pictures of friends and I off roading on the sand dunes near Walvis Bay. Great Fun.

Classic Air Travel - Windhoek

Friend Leon next to the newly acquired DC3

NCA's DC6

An Air Namibia pilot friend invited me yesterday to Eros Airport to have a look at the new DC3 that Namibia Commercial Aviation acquired for its classic fleet. It is an ex South African Rovos Rail DC3 and will compliment NCA's DC6. I also had a look at the DC6, a beautifully restored aircraft.

I did not have my camera, but took a few quick snaps with my cell phone.

The Air Namibia Flight Home from Katima Mulilo

The B1900 waiting for us on the tarmac at Mpacha (Katima Mulilo)

There was nearly a riot at Mpacha (Katima Mulilio) Airport Monday afternoon whilst checking in for the B1900 flight to Eros Windhoek.

The clever Air Namibia check- in clerk booked in so much excess baggage (from foreign hunting tourists) that the plane was overweight.

“We have a problem”, announced the Air Namibia clerk just before boarding, “we are overweight”.

“Why did you book in that excess luggage” was our reply. No answer.

What to do now.

They took all the luggage off the plane.

Then what to do.

After deliberation, they decided to weigh the passengers. That was going to be no use I thought, as one glance around, there were only fatties on this flight. Still, one by one we all took turns on the scale, and yes we were now more overweight than before.

Now what to do. We all stood around waiting.

Then our not so favourite Air Namibia chap announced, “we will have to leave baggage behind”.

This resulted in a new mass protest…."take off the hunters excess baggage", everyone protested, “we are all under our allowable weight”. But our not so endearing Air Namibia clerk did not think this was a good idea. Then the shouting started, and everyone braced themselves for fisticuffs. No one was going to leave their bags behind just so the hunters could take their excess baggage along and the hunters were just as determined not to leave their precious weaponry behind.

Now what to do. And once again we waited.

Then our Air Namibia chap said, “we need a few volunteers to leave their bags behind”. So reluctantly, as it was now getting late, a few pax volunteered their baggage, just so we could get going.

“Still need another 6 kg” shouted our Air Nam guy. "Ok ok" , I gave them my 6 kg bag which they promised to send by Nampost.The luggage was re-loaded on the plane, and we were soon on our way, my 6kg bag having saved the day.

Of course, no thanks from the foreign hunting tourists.

Western Zambia (Barotseland)

View of the Zambezi River

View of the Zambezi from Khibbu Camp

Fishing off an island sand bank

Khibbu Camp

Sunrise over the Zambezi

The Zambezi viewed from Kabula Lodge

I spent the weekend with good friends at Khibbu Camp. I have a share in Khibbu Camp, which is situated on the Zambezi River in Western Zambia, about 40 km North of Katima Mulilo on the Namibian - Zambian border.

The Western Province, previously known as Barotseland, (a former kingdom), is the least developed region in Zambia. It is home to the Lozi people, a beautiful area but starved of development.

Trip to SA

Table Mountain

Valley near Franschhoek
Camps bay

Did a trip to South Africa last week, mostly business. Visited Jo’burg, Durban and Cape Town. Was a good trip and gave me a chance to visit the folks in Pennington. I really enjoyed Cape Town, it is one South African city that has not gone backwards. The winelands are really beautiful and there is so much to see and do. Decided I must get down there more often.

Oshikango

Lots of Auto Dealerships, most of the signs in Portuguese

This guy did not put a tiger in his tank, but in his cab !!!

Trucks lined up with goods for Angola

Earlier this week I did a business trip to the northern Namibian town of Oshikango, on the border with Angola.
It’s a shabby, dusty town but extremely busy with all sorts of trade with the Angolans. Most of the signs are in Portuguese, and the town is full of bonded warehouses and goods destined for Angola. All trading is done in cash US Dollars. With the increase in the oil price, Angola’s main export, business is booming and Angolans are buying like crazy. Its pretty corrupt in Angola and one has to have the right contacts to do business there.
I took some pictures from the car, the pictures are not that good, but give some sort of idea of the place.

Namib Desert Photo's

Hiking Trail near Rostock Ritz (Namib Desert)

Near Rostock Ritz

View of the Namib Desert taken from the Spreetshoogte Pass

Damaraland - N.W. Namibia

Desert Elephant in the Hoanib River Bed

Desert track, on the way to Puros

Near Puros

Decided, as a change, to post a few photos I took in Damaraland, North Eastern Namibia.

Farm Visit

Last weekend had an outing to a friends farm, about an hours drive from Windhoek. The farm is really nice with loads of natural game, we saw a herd of 40 Red Hartebeeste, lots of Oryz, Kudu as well as smaller game such as Warthogs.

Flying in the Fifties

Flying in the Fifties

Those days flying was glamorous, unlike the airborne cattle trucks of today !!!

Windhoek

Two weekends ago we spent an afternoon driving off road into the hills around Windhoek. Picture of friend Pete with daughter Tammy and friends from USA.

Etosha May 2008 - 3

Cheetah Portrait (taken at nearby Cheetah Conservation Fund)

Water Hole

Zebra

Etosha May 2008 - 2

Lioness looking for prey

Giraffe

Giraffe Portrait

Elephant Crossing

Etosha May 2008 - 1

The Fort at Namutoni Rest Camp

Lilac Breasted Roller

Vulture

Lioness on the prowl

My sister and her family came out from Australia to visit and amongst other places we visited Etosha National Park. Most of these pictures were taken by my 10 year Niece, Kate. As I can only load 5 pictures at a time on this blog, this post will be on three parts.

Holiday Home - Khibbu Kamp Zambezi River

I co-own with 5 other guys, a camp on the banks of the Zambezi River in Western Zambia, about 35 km north of Katima Mulilo. It is really lovely and unspoilt there, Africa at its best. Great spot to go Tiger Fishing.

Holiday Home - Wlotskazbaken

I own a house (50/50 with my friend Peter and his family), in Wlotskazbaken, a holiday coastal village halfway between Swakopmund and Henties Bay. The original wooden structure part of the house was once the police station in Walvis Bay, and was sold off, dismantled, and rebuilt as a holiday house in Wlotska sometime during the 50's. During our time, we have built on an additional wing and have done various improvements. We fondly refer to the place as the "Fishing Shack" and have had many wonderful times there. There is no electricity, we run off gas and battery power and water is tanked to us and stored in a special tank on a raised platform.

My Home

This is a picture of my home - I live in Ludwigsdorf, a suburb of Windhoek

Namibia - After a good Rain Season

Some Pictures of the Namib Rand Nature Reserve. After a summer of good rains, the desert is totally transformed.