IN CONCLUSION-
Here are my thoughts about the trip as a whole. What went well, and what I will change next time...
Travel-
Qatar Airlines was great. This was our first time on this airline. We used them primarily because they are "One World Alliance" partners with Alaska Airlines and we were able to purchase tickets using the Alaska Airlines Milage rewards programs. We flew coach and the seats, food and drinks were all adequate. The flights were all on time and even a little early. We had long (several hrs) layovers in Doha going both directions.
The Doha airport is very nice, modern, and easy to get around. It is BIG, but I think it's its easier to transition through than many of the large US airports. Signage is all in English and easy to follow. Lots of places to eat, drink and shop. Next time we will defiantly be getting a hotel room, a sleeping pod if we have more than about a 6 hr layover.
The Seattle airport was hot mess coming back into the US. Everyone trying to get their luggage off several flights at the same time and get through customs. Sara got selected for extra agricultural screening. Not sure why, but probably just random.
It took us 2.5 hrs to get luggage, clear customs and get back to the Alaska Airlines desk to check in for our domestic flight. Then it took almost another hour to get back through the security line again and get to the gate for our domestic flight.
Next time we will have Global Entry with TSA Pre-Check and the CBP Mobile Passport Control App completed in advance....I highly recommend this for anyone that hates US customs and security lines as much as I do.
Gear-
My Pelican 1615travl case luggage was great. It's big enough that I had lots of room for curios on the way home. It's also sealed up and sturdy enough that I didn't have to worry about any of the contents getting dirty or broken. It came through the airline luggage handlers and rode in the bakkie with no problems. We picked up a couple days ladies that needed a ride to another lodge and one of them was sitting on it.... All good. I wish it had 4 wheels and the pull handle was a little more user friendly, but regardless it is going to be my safari luggage from here on.....
I wore Carhartt comfort fit double front green pants and a pair of Columbia cargo pants with the zip off legs. They both SUCKED in the thorns.... I wore the Columbia's one day and then switched to the Carhartt for the rest of the trip. The Carhartts were much better, but they still got lots of tear marks. At least the double fronts stopped the thorns from getting to my legs....
Next time I am wearing Columbia's or something similar for travel days, and I am going to get some hunting pants that shed thorns better.....
My hunting shirts were Tag safari and Ariat. They both worked well.
I was able to fit all the extras that I needed daily for hunting in the pockets of my Sitka Jacket. I had my 5.11 Rush 72 backpack but never took it on the bakkie. It was was great for travel and easily fits everything I needed for a change of clothes and fit well in the over head bins while traveling. I also packed all my cloths in it for for the days we went to Swakupmund and Okambara and was able to leave my Pelican case at the Khomas lodge.
I wore my Sitka jacket every morning and every evening on the bakkie. I filled the pockets with my light gloves, neck gaiter, spare ammo and that was all that I needed. I took the jacket off and left it in the bakkie when stalking and Ii would not have held up well in the thorns. I am glad I didn't need it for stalking....
I took a Kuiu neck gaiter and it was awesome in the bakkie and for stalking on the cold morning. This is one item I won't go without....
I wore Merrel Moab boots with the 8" uppers and smart wool mid weight socks. They were great and super comfortable. I wore them for travel and hunting and had no problems. I took a pair of Crocks but only wore them one or two nights around the fire....
Hats... I like Rouge hats. I wore my Rouge Packaway everyday while hunting. I really like that hat. It fits my head well, dosent t blow off while on the bakkie and packs well without bending. I bought two more Rouge hats at the Curio shop at Taxidermy in Windhoek. One is kudu leather with a crock band, and a second with cow hide leather and half mesh top.....I also took a Filson ball cap for travel.
I had my VonGuff AH EDC Knife and it worked well. Not much knife work to do of course, but when we needed to dispatch my Impala behind the skull it worked perfect...
I took a 2-post Namibia to USB electrical adapter and 2 2000mhr usb battery chargers to charge on the go to keep the cell phones charged. The Khomas lodge is using the 2 post style outlets. Other places in Swakup and Okambara also the 3 post outlets (like SA) but we were able keep everything charged with the 2 post adapter and the batteries.
For camera's all three of us used used our cell phones. Mine is a I13 Pro and all the pics have turned out great. A couple of times it would have been nice to have a good telephoto, but I didn't miss it that much.
I have the AT&T International plan on my cell phone. I was able to call and basic text from Windhoek but no Internet.
The wifi at the lodge works great, as did the the Internet at the other places we stayed. Internet also worked well in Doha. I was able to update my AH report every day and usually twice a day.
I took a Garmin inreach mini for emergency texting, with the $25 a month plan, but I didn't need it. I travel in remote AK for work so I had the plan already.....
My Bino's were Nikon Prostaff 10x42 with a cabala's bio harness. The Bino's worked well because I was not making decisions about which animal to shoot.
Issak would say "third one from the left" so all I had to do was find the third one from the left.... Next time I am going to take a bino harness with a case. I got tired of cleaning the dust off my bino's all the time...
Shopping for curios was interesting and the ladies and I did lots of it. The shops in Swakup are really nice and there are is everything available from T-shirts to high end jewelry and art. We hit them all...
I think that the the curios shop at Taxidermy in Windhoek was just as good with the same availability and maybe even lower prices.
The last day we stopped at Taxidermy the fellow that makes wood sculptures was there with all of his items laid out for the shop manager to inspect for purchasing. The shop manager was sorting though the items individually for purchase into their inventory. I thought it was a cool process...They also have a full bar in the curio shop
....even cooler...
.Normal day at the Heusis River Lodge goes likes this-
-The kitchen ladies show up at 0600, make a fire in the inside fireplace, make hot coffee and hot water for tea.
-Breakfast is informal seating by 0700-07:15. Always cereal, granola, yogurt, milk, fruit, bread and a toaster available on the buffet.. The ladies will make eggs and bacon as requested.
-Out the door hunting by 0730-0800.
-12:00-13:00 Back to the lodge for lunch, full bar, and siesta until 1500.
-15:00-15:30 Afternoon tea / coffee with cake/cookies/rusks and out the door hunting by 15:30-1600
-Sundown, back to the lodge for biltong, cheese, crackers, full bar and clean up.
-19:30-20:00 Dinner with fresh baked bread, select wild game, salads, potatoes, dessert, and of course a full bar. All the food was amazing....
-After dinner sitting on the back patio with the fire pit. Watching giraffes, birds and other critters and talking about the days hunting, and update AH report....
-Or move to the front room for some competitive snooker....
-All with full bar......
Laundry and room cleaning were all great.... The mattress in our room was probably the best mattress that I have ever had in lodge room....
Phillip and his crew run a very professional and laid back operation. They really have got it figured out and are working hard to make folks happy. Everything is taken care of....
If you want a beer or drink and there is no one there do make it for you, go behind the bar and self serve. It's all good...
Phillip runs the hunting side of the ranch and his brother runs the cattle side....
The hunting is really free range.... There where NO HIGH FENCES AROUND ANY OF THE HUNTING AREAS...ONLY CATTLE FENCE.
The only high fence is around the lodge where there is no hunting, with Giraffes, Sable, Lechwe ect...
We hunted on some parts of the Khomas property that I believe have not been hunted since the last rain (no vehicle tracks) which was at least a couple weeks or more.
The animals are all free range, self sustaining, and migrating populations. There is no supplemental feeding at all, even for the cattle.....
They are introducing new genetics and new species (sable, lechwe ect...) into the populations but everything in the hunting areas comes and goes as it wants. Except the cattle of course....
There is a saying when hunting free range Africa that "you never know what's around the next corner" and I believe this is very true in the Khomas Highlands.
The staff is excellent and all are very professional.
Issak the head PH and his wife Martha who runs the kitchen and cleaning staff, have been with Khomas for 33+ years.
IMO (and I am union labor guy) this is truly a family run business that takes care of the people that take care of them and work hard to turn out a product that makes everyone happy....
I am already talking to Philip about organizing another visit in a couple years and we will be seeing more of Namibia and it's neighbors......
