Day 18 - After sketching and collecting materials, we started to build the waterhole. We spent the day digging and levelling off the half moon shaped water hole. We all ended up completely filthy and with dirt moustaches and monobrows. We finished our hard work off with a cold drink and another night without Raoul.
Day 19 - Today we set off through the mountains to start building a damn. The damns consisted of sandbags, soil and rocks to collect water for a drinking point for animals. The midgies (small bugs) were intolerable today and our tea, spent the day hiding behind our buffs. Nina found a gecko and attempted to attach it to her ear. When we returned Monica surprised us all with pizza! At night time we went for an animal walk on the plains.
Day 20 - This morning started off cold and we got straight to work on the waterhole. Beth and Abby were tasked with mixing cement while the rest of the team lay rocks down to make the water hole airtight. Adolph and Beth cooked a delicious meal of meatloaf to end the bar days work. After dinner the group played Who Am I and shared a good laugh.
Day 21 - A very chilly morning today, the team bundled up and set off to the plains to collect fence parts in order to open the land for the animals. After a tiring few days we had a very chilled night and cooked once again.
Day 22 - Today was Beth's 22nd birthday! We headed off with Victor to do some camera traps in the plains. In the afternoon we started an insect survey of the land near our campsite. To celebrate Beths birthday, we consumed massive amounts of food, including rusks, peanut butter, chocolate cake, and some beers.
Day 23 - An early start today, we loaded up Kong with our rucksacks and headed off to unexplored land. Due to the celebrations the night before, it is a long and rough journey. Once we found our spot we had lunch and began to trek down the riverbed to our campsite at the Orange River for a well deserved swim. We cooked some pasta and finished the night with some stargazing.
Day 24 - Today we headed back up the riverbed to the truck. We stayed hydrated by playing a drinking game with water. Once we set up camp we cooked a nice big dinner of potatoes and veggies and had an early night to bed.
Day 25 - Today we returned to base camp after our trekking adventure. We once again stuffed our faces with rusks once we returned. Due to the insanely hot temperatures, we drove to Estelle's house and took a dip in her pool. We chilled with beers and relaxed after a few tough days of hiking. At night time we all slept outside because it was too hot for the tents.
Day 26 - Adolph treated the group to some French toast this morning for breakfast. At noon we collected some more rocks for the waterhole and met some visiting snake scientists from Windhoek. Will, Beth, and Abby all hiked a mountain near camp. After dinner the team searched for snakes in the dark with the scientists and found one of the most deadly scorpions in the world.
Day 27 - Today we had an early start in order to have cooler temperatures to build the waterhole. We spent most of the day finishing the waterhole, and took a break during the hottest part of the day from noon till three. Dinner was a mishmash and after the long day we all went to bed early.
Day 28 - This morning the visiting snake scientists gave us a presentation on all of the snakes they brought. We saw a black mamba and all had a chance to hold a ball python. Then we went out into the plains to release a cape cobra. Later in the morning we went mountain biking. In the afternoon we packed.
Our expedition at Oana nearly finished :(