January 17, 2024

Not another GREY GO-AWAY

As our skipper slowly turns the boat toward the dock along the bank, a flutter of wings catches my attention in the canopy of the adjacent Ana tree. My brain-eye coordination is still set on “bird spotting mode”, even though our water adventure has come to an end for the day. There, in the lofty canopy, I see the characteristic mohawk-style wispy crest of a Turaco.
January 17, 2024

A Hike In The Shadow Of Brandberg

I hear the familiar crunch of my hiking boots on the sand as the sun peeks from the granite koppies behind Madisa Camp. It is the start of a four- day slackpack hike. The first two days will take us down into the Ugab River, and on the other two we will follow the bends of the river course as we make our way upstream. It is the land of desert-adapted elephants, magical landscapes and Brandberg Mountain. Exploring this area on foot is a new experience for me – and I am savouring it.
January 21, 2024

“I will be back”

“Never again!” That seems to be the solemn pledge after a five-day stint of hiking the Fish River Canyon. That’s what Eric McLaren thought to himself upon completing the extraordinarily challenging Fish River for the first time. For me, this was the prevailing thought that occupied my thinking as I attempted to focus on “just one more step and then another”.