In the afternoon we drive from Halali to the edge of the salt pan. During summer, which is from December to April, the pan in some places gets filled with water. The high salinity however, makes it impossible to drink for animal and humans, so that only a couple of algae can thrive in the water.

Whoever comes to this area in a very rainy year will, with a bit of luck be given the chance of seeing flamingoes here. In the dry season on the other hand, this light-grey area, stretching far into the horizon, is as good as deserted. Only springbok and Oryx dare to wander a couple of meters into this hostile desert, always on the search for salt-loving grasses with their high amount of proteins.

After seeing a giraffe and a flock of guinea fowls drinking at the eastern water hole, the disaster eventually happens: our truck refuses to start up. Was it the air condition running non-stop? Is the battery flat? No idea. Jayjay and Sydney become more and more nervous as the engine will still not cooperate. We wonder if there is a jumper cable somewhere in the bus. No, of course it is not. Luckily enough another jeep carrying one turns up at the water hole next to us. Before he can drive up closer to the side of our bus however, a row of rocks lying in the way first has to be removed.

Of course, we ourselves would have been happy to help with this job as well. Our guide however wasn’t happy with that idea at all and it doesn’t take long before he shows us a scorpion hiding under one of the rocks. Even though it is only a small one, it is a clear warning to us. And now we can’t even get out of the bus even more, as the jeep is already blocking our door. Finally our problems are solved with the help of the jumper cable and we are absolutely relieved that we won’t have to spend the night in the middle of the Park after all.

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