Monday, May 3, 2010

God Was Watching Over Us

No, I haven't found religion in Namibia, I just spend the last 2 weeks at Na/ 'an ku se Wildlife Sanctuary, translated to mean "God is Watching Over Us."

It was an incredible few weeks, with great people (mostly UK, US, Aussie and Dutch) and interaction with a ton of animals (that is where the God watching over part comes in ;-)

It seemed every day I did something I NEVER thought I would do (or would never be allowed to do), including:

  • Feeding carnivores, including: lion, cheetah, african wild dogs and leopards

  • Walking animals, including: baby leopards (6 mos old, and not so tiny), caracals and baboons

  • Being groomed by baboons- they were very thorough (borderline molestation, really)

  • Having baboons stick their tongue in your mouth-- Ewh!

  • Playing mom to baby baboons, yes, meaning sleeping with them (sometimes on your head) and bottle feeding them

  • Cutting grass with a machete for sleeping beds for the leopards, donkey and rabbits (my future donation- a weed wacker!)

  • Playing tug of war with a baby leopard's (Umbili) tail as he dragged me into a thorn bush (did you know all those trees that seem to exemplify Africa are covered in thorns?)

  • Having a cheetah (Samira) lick and rub up against me like a house cat
  • Bonding with a baboon (Bloomie) who loved to jump on my bum shoulder- why she was against the left shoulder I'll never know?

  • Herding bunnies at night
  • Going on a midnight spotlight drive and seeing eyes peering back at me

  • Driving a donkey cart around the perimeter gate for 6 1/2 HOURS :-(

  • Ooohing and Ahhhing at the cute little meerkat, lamb and steambok

  • And probably a ton more I'm not remembering right now

The scenery was fantastic- between the stars and the never ending nothingness, sometimes it looked like a movie set.

I hope Miss Cora Porter is now pleased with the new animal photos she requested.

Tomorrow morning I am off to visit the 2nd largest sand dunes in the world at Sossusvlei, so expect an update in a few days before I head into Botswana.

5 comments:

  1. The animal sitting on your shoulder reminded me of you at 3 with Chauncey wrapped around your neck.

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  2. i loooooved this post!!! i can (almost) imagine you experiencing it all. sleeping with animals, feeding them, having eyes peer back at you in the dark, seeing all the stars...so amazing. can't wait for more updates, i love these!! miss you!!

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  3. If you let that big monkey sit on your head for Cora's benefit, just know that she REALLY APPRECIATED the effort!

    She also liked your pics with the "cats", and then she realized they were lions and roared.

    Very exciting! And yes, I think we all thought of Chauncey when we saw that. Mom's search for Chauncey's 'real killers' no enters its 3rd decade.

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  4. Wow!! These pictures are great! My at childhood experience at Jungle Habitat(now "Great Adventure")just can't compare.

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  5. this is like six flags but ... better!
    :)
    i love the baboon on your shoulder - would be cool to have him walk around with you in Manhattan.

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