Final Africa Pix

I realize that I was in Africa A YEAR AGO. So, in the spirit of finishing what I've started, here are a sampling of the last few days of the Spafari.

Leaving Botswana
On our last night in Botswana, we went on a stargazing drive. Here's Annie trying to read a starmap.

Our final leopard sighting. He just missed catching a zebra.


The ladies at Sandibe sent us off with a song and dance.... (sala!)

The trend toward smaller and smaller aircraft continued. This one was about the size of a VW Rabbit.


A final farewell from BT and KB. (Click to see larger view).


NAMIBIA

The border between Botswana and Namibia

Our flight was long, but arriving at Little Kulala made it all seem worthwhile.

The private deck at our chalet.

Everything about Namibia was different. The landscape was vast and colorless. Full of sand and dead things, but still beautiful. The camp offered to set up camp for us on the roof of our chalet so we could sleep under the stars. We considered it, then realized that the temperature would be around freezing, so we decided against it.

The view from the roof of our chalet.

Sundowners.

Our guide, Richard, pouring the champagne.

The animals were different. This is an Oryx that was hanging around the local watering hole.

Ostriches are also really common in Namibia.
As are references to Brangelina.

Fabulous sunsets, of course.

The main attraction in this part of Namibia is Sossusvlei, in the Namib Desert. Here there are enormous red sand dunes that constantly shift in the winds.

The day we ventured there, it was windy and uncomfortable. We looked like Bedouins.

Uncomfortable, but amazing.

We ended up at the famous Deadvlei. Which is dead. And a Vlei.

Our last morning was a lazy one. I spent it reading and watching the ostriches.


One last parting shot at the airport in Namibia:
We spent one last night in Namibia, in the capital of Windhoek. The Hotel Heinitzburg is a historic site.

Our last sunset and last glass of bubbly: