Day 14 Okaukuejo (Etosha)

Found the waterhole, last night, relatively easily (at least after we had cut through someone's lounge and walked across a vast stretch of crippling gravel only to find there is a paved pathway that's even shorter!!)  Two elephant when we arrived, ubiquitous jackal and, a bit later, a black rhino. (Seems we only get to see them at night!).
A restless night as we were woken on a few occasions by jackal howling (next to the Rad), Hyenas whooping and lions roaring.  All damn fine splendid things to wake up to!
Decided to explore west of camp today. Very dry (more so than usual); vast grass plains littered with stubby gorse like bushes;  thorn thickets, and in one area, cropped grass dotted with a few Mopani trees (not bushes) with their autumnal foliage, dotted around. The latter, reminiscent of a large municipal park (without litter). 
Our first sighting was a kill where the main player/s had left. Jackal and vultures all over the show with largish chunks of flesh or a bone dangling from their mouths/beaks.
We took this photo of a Cobas Tree at a place named "Fairytale Wood",  there are not too many of these trees around and the administrators have fenced off an area to, presumably, try and preserve the remaining ones.  It would appear the tree provides some animals with, I'm guessing, moisture as a few Springbok were gnawing (do buck gnaw?) at the bark.

Not far from there was an African Wood Hoopoe, which, in some African cultures (think Zulu is one of them) is regarded as a good luck totem.  It certainly seems to work it's magic in our case as some of our more memorable and unusual sightings have been preceded by it's appearance.  (Serval and African Wild Cat in the KNP to name but 2).  Once again, it did not disappoint:  not far down the road was this snake  (have not made a positive ID as left our snake book at home (bright!) but think it might be a Black Mamba):

That in itself made our day but the bird had more in store.  Just a short way further was a pride of at least 12 lions, including 3 youngsters.

Somewhere in the midst of our driving this morning, we happened across a picnic spot enclosed by a rickety fence, a portion of which had been flattened. It's quite bushy at the picnic spot even tho' the surrounding terrain is flat and treeless. We got out of the car to open a rather large and heavy gate and were quite relaxed once inside the enclosure.  When we left and got out to re-open/close the gate, we noticed some relatively fresh leopard spoor right next to the gate!  Hmmm, makes you think!
Sad to be leaving here tomorrow (heading for Xaragu (Damaraland)) - have just over 4 000km on the clock - I have driven about 2m (yes, meters) of that grand total and that was pulling the Rad through the "leopard gate"!
Mum, Dad, you may not physically be with us on this trip but you are with us every leg of the way.  We are following your footsteps and constantly think of you and what your reactions may have been each time we encounter something that is new for us..