Took the kids on Saturday to a farm, one of the oldest German farms in Namibia, that now functions as a tourist attraction. The owners now have a bed and breakfast, camping facilities, and wild game. The big draw, though, is the cheetah and leopard drive. Tourists get to see these magnificent beasts in somewhat of a wild setting up close and personal. There are fences and they are mostly fed, but the enclosures are quite large and the creatures are well cared for. The beauty of the leopards just cannot be described in words. The tour guide took us out in a LandRover equipped with viewing seats and canopy, so there's really nothing between you and the leopards or cheetahs. He's got a stash of red meat in a large chest next to his seat and he just tosses out big chunks to the cats who seem to be very well mannered. There were only two leopards and Teddy looked like he was the Alpha male, so Maxwell didn't get anything to eat. There were a number of cheetahs, however, and they all seemed to get their fair share. They make the most interesting sounds that are a cross between and meow and a bark. The cheetahs got really close to the vehicle and Annie did get a little scared for a while. Augustus took some fabulous pictures, but then his camera died--low battery, the kind that needs charging for a couple of hours.
The best part of the entire event though was getting to the farm. It's located about 18 kilometres off the tarred main road on what starts out to be a rather nice gravel road that is relatively smooth and wide. About three fourths of the way there, there is a detour and one must turn off onto what appears to be a headland complete with gates that have to be opened and closed so that the cows don't escape. Because it's currently rainy season, and there are relatively few bridges, we had to follow this headland across a really fast moving river. Fortunately, it wasn't very deep, but we were awfully glad that we were in a 4 X 4. Our friends, who had accompanied us in their rented Toyota Corolla were worried that they wouldn't get across, but they made it without too much ado. Reid says he's going to stop inviting them along because they are undermining his reasons for convincing me to buy a 4 X 4. He shouldn't worry though, I was very happy to be in the middle of the river in a LandRover vs. a Corolla. Reid said the whole visit was worth the drive. He wants to go back again just so he can drive the Rover.
After our visit to the farm, we headed North to Okahandja. Okahndja is noted for its craftsmarket. The kids had a good time bargaining for souvenirs. I think the merchants had a good time with us too. We were somewhat of a pushover with regards to prices. It was a great learning experience for us all.
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