Namibia, for me, was the heart of the overland portion of the trip. It was where we spent the longest period time. It was where we saw our first wild (as in "not in a game park") giraffes and zebras, and also where we actually did visit our first game park, Etosha. And although I got a little weary of game parks before we were done with them, my first few days in Etosha were very memorable. But what I most remember is that Namibia is where I experienced the best camping of my life. Not in the game parks - God no, they had all the charm of a KOA camp - but out in the sticks. It was fantastic. I was using a tent with a mesh roof, and the stars, the lack of urban development - really, the general scarcity of other people, not to mention the amazing choruses of barking geckos - well, it was close to perfection. And, most importantly, it was where I began to realize that I really did not need an overland truck or a schedule or leaders to travel through Africa. And that in fact if I stayed on with the overlanders I would never experience Africa the way that I wanted to, I'd just observe it through the lens of overlanding culture. And that was very definitely not what I had come to Africa for. But, as I said, my mistake. My expensive mistake. I should have done much more research before laying down my money. At any rate, I hadn't started planning my escape yet, not in any specific terms, but the wheels had begun to turn in that direction.

     Also, Namibia is where I got to play with cheetahs like they were the big cats that they are.