AGRESSIVE ELEPHANTS AND FLASH FLOODS

We spent much of today crossing the plateau between the Hoarusib River and the Hoanib River.  Once again the area was totally beautiful and fascinating, but completely different from each previous day.  We came across two other traveling groups and intersections and enjoyed comparing notes and sharing experiences, with them.  For long sections the roads was not evident other than tracks that vehicles before us had left in the sand.

In other places the tracks diverged in two or more tracks.  Usually they would converge a few hundred meters further on, but sometimes they wouldn't.  In fact on a couple of occasions I found myself on a different route to my fellow travellers, trying to figure out whether I needed to turn back or whether there was an linking route, I could use to save time.  It was all part of the adventure.  Of course we had radios which allowed us the privilage.  It would not be worth the risk without them.

This was the ideal day for thinking... Wide open spaces majestic but barren scenery with only the occasional sign of game.  The perfect surroundings to clear the mind.  Unfortunately my day for thinking was yesterday.  "Sometimes, I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits!"  Well today was my day for 'sitsing' at the steering wheel, for much of the time without much cerebral activity.  I could pretend I was meditating, but that would be lying.

  By mid afternoon, I was looking forward setting up camp and the slow loss of elevation towards sea level, suggested we were getting close to our planned camp site in the Hoanib River.  Yes "in" the Hoanib River, because it was dry and it we were in the dry season, although once we got to the river the large notes on my GPS, warning of "Aggressive Elephants and Flash Floods", was food for thought.  Once I saw the height of the river banks and limited access points, I sincerely questioned the wisdom of camping in the river bed.  

But then, I guess the surrounding countryside wouldn't be as arid as it is if unseasonal rains were a regular occurance, and I resolved that everything could be left behind if worst came to the worst.  There was considerable game where we entered the rivera and we followed the river down stream for some kilometers hoping to sight those aggressive elephants, or even better some lion, but eventually we ran out of space before getting to the no-go area of the national reserve, and stopped to camp.

Ross attempted to convert us to his theory that it was unwise to eat fruit or vegetables while camping.  Reason being, that fruit and oranges in particular attract the elephants, especially the aggressive kind.  He insisted that since our escape routes were limited, that we should all through our fruit out of the river bed onto the banks.  But after attempting to lead by example in this regard the resigned himself to the fact that the banks were too high to throw anything out of and we were therefore screwed.  He treated us to his scrumptious fillet with blue cheese source after which we settled down to a fairly chilly night, probably due to the proximity of the atlantic ocean.