Dann Viljoen Game Reserve

So, the other weekend we decided it was time to do something. Also, I hadn't really seen any animals so far (except for the guinea fowl which lives in the river bed behind our house and is a kind of African 'Perlhuhn') and we were too late for something really big so we decided on Daan Viljoen.
Dann Viljoen is a 39km2 Game Reserve west of Windhoek and since it doesn't have any predators you can actually walk around in it! (In Etosha you're not even allowed to open the car door....strictly speaking). SO that's what we did for our Sunday afternoon!

We drove out of the city. If you do that, pretty soon the only thing you'll discover are hills and a very thin vegetation of sturdy tress and bushes.

Driving through the gate, we had to follow the street up the to restaurant/office/camping site to pay our park fee. Also, since we were too many people we used two cars. I was in the first one ;)

Though I really hadn't had any problems with the extra bit of time. In the tree on the left you can see a really common nest type. The birds built little bowls which hang there, as far out on the branch as possible, to make nesting safer for them and their babies.

It was quite dark and huge clouds were looming on the horizon. Eventually, we also started to hear the thunder.

After 10 minutes or so we got a text from the other group, telling us that they had missed the right turn and were going to take a bit longer, so we decided we would start with a mini tour around the office/camping site. Right were the path started, a warthog family and some baboons had a loud and verbal discussion on who was supposed to stay on that certain patch of earth. The baboons won (poor Pumba).

Can you see the Baboon? And more, really dramatic clouds....

Footprints. Oh and yes, I was walking around in shorts. If you intent to give the tan a try and you are me, you need to make sacrifices (like being warm and comfortable....though it got warmer like half an hour later).

Finally, the other part of our group arrived. We got our maps...

...and started!

With my camera I somehow either end up behind or in front of people. Taking pictures in a group just somehow seems to be impossible.

Our reliable and obvious path-signs....(and I would lie if I said we didn't think about turning it around....just a bit....;P)

Somewhere on the way we decided that finally the time for proper pictures had arrived. So we left the others to walk ahead and started taking pictures. Here, with a tree.

But of course, there was more to take pictures of. Can you see them?!

But then again, this pond was asking for it ;)

In the middle of it all I started to have problems walking. Something sharp was poking into my feet. After removing my shoe for like ten times without finding anything inside, we finally found the thorn on the outside. It had pushed itself through my sole.....

Arriving at the waterhole.

More guinea fowls. This is were our trip was supposed to stop. But who would we have been if we would have actually followed what we were supposed to do. So instead, we went on and climbed one of the 'mountains'

Which I highly recommend!

My usual and necessary feet picture

Oh and when we came down (we used a different way down than up) we found this!

My flatmate in deep thoughts, trying to figure out what happened. Its leg was lying a couple of meters away in the grass.

More animals....

...and did you know they have ostriches here?! (Now you know)

Since it was already starting to get dark we didn't do the other walking safari but made one round with our car. And look what we saw!!

Definitely a Sunday afternoon well spent!

Home and a few other things

The last week has been a bit stressful, due to me feeling not a 100% and work being slightly frustrating but luckily it's the weekend now. Cross that out. Somehow I managed to end up as busy here in Namibia as I've been back home but I guess I'm just good at putting stuff on my plate ;) And after all, somehow I still really enjoy it. So, before I'll head into the safari we did this weekend, I first wanted to share a bit with you about the place I live in right now. So let's hope on a tour with me ;)

I think I did show pictures of our kitchen before, but since it seems to be the most important part of a home (hello?! Food!!!) I thought, a second glimpse won't do any harm.

Right now, I'm sharing a room with two other girls so this is my 'bedside table'. I love it :) 

Our room. For two nights it was crammed full with four mattresses. So three feels pretty empty already.

Our messy office table. Really! I haven't seen a messier table before, but it's still effective and great. Which also is a bit like how the rest of the house works. Messy and magical.

If we turn left at our house, this is what will appear pretty soon on your right side. The way to the super market.

And this is the view, if you peak over our fence....

Me, walking around our neighbourhood. Just proving I'm really here.

The first weekend, I randomly strolled through all our streets just to figure out where I was actually living (that's me. I do it everywhere). This was another view I came past.

Early sunset from our office window....

And we have a lemon tree!!! Where we simply can go out to and pick our own lemons!!

Also, in the house complex we live in, there are a couple of other people living. This is mono our neighbours daughter. Needless to say I like her ;)

I could also convince her to take a selfie with me

And a collection of pink and yellow to our feet :)

Also, we recently, the Polytechnic University of Windhoek had a cultural week. This was the three of us, watching different traditional dances.

Those woman were doing something with....cows?! But I'm not a hundred percent sure. What I knew is that at one point, the guy with the hat on the right, went around and spit water over the guys and the woman...

Selfie time ;)

I took pictures of every group  but sadly don't really know which one are which. So I'll just give you another shot as an impression.

In between they had little games. Also, can you tell, they like eating competitions....

Then, the other day, I came home to this! The green house is ours!

Just sliiiightly concerning, right?!

The whole area right next to the house...

Turns out, they do it regularly because it would be something natural happening at this time out in the bushes. Some of the fires actually just happen somehow. This one, however was planned. well, as planned as something gets around here ;)

And that's its. Messy. Magic. A bit chaotic. Quite lovely in its own way.

A day in the spectacular life of an intern in Africa

Not that I wouldn't have a load of pictures waiting for you all, but right now it's just more fun to write about the recent events ;) So bare with me and have fun seeing what I was up to today (because that is so exciting, I know).

My day starts around 6:30 when my alarm goes off so I have about an hour to get ready, make my lunch and than get a ride with one of my roommates. School itself is from 8am to 3pm but I'll be telling you more about it in another post (soon ;P).

Today after school I went shopping at Fruits&Begs which is pretty much on my way to the main place where I normally grab a taxi to head back home. This kiwi-beetle (please let it be a beetle...otherwise just pretend I called it a car) simply shouted out to be photographed!

And since I'm really throughout with my photography, you'll also get the veggie aisle (also, throughout should be a word that I practise with my students....just thinking).

I arrived home half an hour later only to find out that our whole house (which, after all, consists of 7 people right now) was out. So I sat in front of our gate, ate some cake (I got my first student-present! Self made cake! ♥) and started preparing my lessons in the shade of a Namibian afternoon.  

After doing the dishes (haha more cleaning, but it just came all together in the last two days, normally it's not so much) I went running and than introduced Yoga to our place! Ha! That is one proud me with all my fellow yogis ;) (Though I did let the video do the teaching...we don't want to take it to far right in the beginning, right?!)

Being fully concentrated here....

Edwin in beginning child's pose....

And now, once again, we're all back to the living room/office/dinner table being taken care of by Edwin who's doing some kitchen magic. And isn't our new stove awesome?! And oven?! I see  some baking in the future!

Our dinner to be ;)

And with that I'll leave you all to a hopefully good evening, and I'll be off to finish my lesson preparations for tomorrow.