Following my rather disastrous fall in April that forced the cancellation of our much anticipated trip to Wrangel Island off the north coast of Russia, September saw us embark on a trip to Namibia.  I was informed that it would not be too tiring - well that was wrong !!  Getting up at 6.00am and being shaken to pieces on the Namibian gravel tracks for hours on end was not my idea of a relaxing holiday, however, the whole trip was, without exception, superb. Our journeys to the wilder and more remote parts of the world are never considered holidays, expeditions would be a better description. 

The organisation of this trip, throughout, was first class, thanks in no short measure to Nick Joynes from Wildlife Worldwide ( www.wildlifeworldwide.com ) who accompanied our small band of intrepid travellers throughout the majority of the tour and kept us suitably informed about the geology and wildlife wherever we were.

The landscape and wildlife that we encountered was thrilling, to say the least.  The wild expanses of the Etosha National Park, the ever changing geology of Damaraland, the wild openness of the Skeleton Coast and the unbelievable drama of the dunes in the Namib desert, each area with such a variety of wildlife that left us, at times, quite breathless. 

Throughout the trip we encountered probably over 100 different species of mammal and bird, many of which I did actually manage to photograph successfully!  So many memories remain from this trip, but highlights must be tracking and photographing Western Black Rhinoceros on foot in the Palmwag Conservancy and listening to the sound of a Cheetah crunching the bones of its prey in the Onguma Game Reserve.

Namibia is a relatively large country with a very poor infrastructure, meaning that journeys from one area to another are long and uncomfortable, but if you are prepared for this, you will be amply rewarded by a unique wildlife and, in my case, photographic experience.

Here's to the next one!!!!