Namibia safari

Hello friends! This is the second half of our trip to Africa last summer and our Namibia Safari. It’s taken me a full year to write this post and go through the hundreds of photos my husband and I took. I swear it literally feels like we just got back from this amazing trip. Seeing so many incredible animals in the wild and the breathtaking landscapes of Namibia and South Africa has me planning our next adventure to Kenya and Tanzania . Sometimes I struggle with how to write about my travels. I don’t always have my phone or camera ready to shoot. I prefer to stay in the moment and capture everything with my eyes and soul . Hopefully my experiences and suggestions can give you an idea of how to plan your own trip.

Leaving Twyfelfontein our travel time to Etosha National Park http://etoshanationalpark.co.za was about 320 km and took almost five hours. We stayed our first night at the Etosha Safari Lodge https://store.gondwana-collection.com/accommodation/etosha-safari-lodge This Place is spectacular !

IMG_6659 | MYTERADISE — Safari Lodge Etosha

Etosha Park Safari

The rooms are beautiful the food was delicious and the Andersson Gate entrance to Etosha park is only 9km away . Gates opened at 7 am and since we were doing our own self-drive safari we wanted to get ahead of the packed safari tour vans to see if we could get spot lions , hyenas , and leopards . Sure enough fifteen minutes in we spotted our first male lion and an hour later I spotted a leopard .

We spent the day visiting the various water holes and saw giraffes, elephants, zebras, ostriches , Wildebeest , springbok, kudu , and black rhino ! When we got back to our resort in the early evening right outside our room a few banded mongoose were getting it on LOL They are so cute and I saw more when we hiked up into the Waterberg Plateau Park a few days later ..The next two nights we stayed in Etosha park at two lodges . Halali Wildlife Resort

http://www.nwr.com.na/resorts/halali-resort/ and Namutoni Resort https://www.nwr.com.na/resorts/namutoni-resort/Both are nice and convenient because you’re staying inside Etosha but the nicest resort in my opinion is the Etosha Safari Lodge for the quality of the meals and comfort of rooms. Each lodge has it’s own water hole located close to where the campgrounds are within each resort so, after dinner you can head out and watch the animals come to you.

IMG_6565 | MYTERADISE — Halali Watering hole at night

It’s pretty dark but they’re lit up with floodlights so you can see many of the animals that are nocturnal like Black Rhinoceros , lions , Hyenas and if you’re really lucky wild African dogs ! We didn’t see any Hyenas this trip and when I was at breakfast some people said that they saw Hyenas at the lodge water hole around midnight ! Grrrrr Waking up at five am to catch the first sunrise and animals of the day had me falling asleep at 10 P.M.

The starry open skies of Namibia are incredible.

If you’re coming to Namibia Etosa national Park is a must . The high season runs from July to November . It never felt crowded and it’s the best time to see the animals . The average temperature was around 25 c during the day (It does get really cold at night though !!) and it’s the dry season so there’s no rain which made driving much easier but also dusty.We spent three days here and most of the day on the courses exploring each water hole and following the animals. Etosha is clearly marked with good signs so you won’t have any trouble navigating or seeing wildlife they are abundant. Don’t get out of your car and stay only on the marked roads . It’s dangerous for the animals and intrusive. There was a few times that some Zebras got really close to us . I got a kick out of watching them in their family groups. They would nuzzle each other, roll around in the bush , or just stand there looking at us while they rested their heads on each other or did the Zebra equivalent of cuddling. My husband captured them smiling as you can see here . So sweet….

Leaving Etosha we headed northeast towards Rundu passing Tsumeb , and Grootfontein. This was the most populated part of Namibia we had seen so far. The last two weeks of driving through the country we were lucky if we’d pass two or three cars a day ! We had lunch in Rundu and stayed here a bit longer to recharge our phones and check out some of the local shops for snacks. This was going to be a long travel day . Seven hours and 633 kilometers later we arrived to Popa Falls our home for the next three nights.

Popa Falls – Caprivi Strip

Popa Falls is located in the north eastern corner of Namibia in the Caprivi strip. This panhandle of Namibia borders on Angola and Botswana and was a stark contrast to most of the country we’d seen so far. Lush woodlands and the sound of the falls was nice to hear from our river chalet at night . We stayed at the Popa Falls Resort http://nwr.com.na/resorts/popa-falls-resort/ We were excited to get up early and explore the Mahango Game and Bwabwata National park. http://national-parks.org/namibia/bwabwata We went to Bwabwata first and this is where I got my first glimpse of Warthogs!! Within minutes of entering we saw herds of elephants, giraffes, ostriches, monkeys and the sitatunga! This species of antelope is so pretty and very elusive so I felt really lucky to have spotted one! I was told the Caprivi Strip was one of the few places we could potentially see the wild african dog but to no avail. We also still haven’t spotted a Honey Badger…

Throughout the day we saw so many different species of incredible birds, including some giant vultures feasting on carcasses . I loved that “Beaky Buzzard ” from Loony Tunes when I was a kid so I don’t find Vultures or Buzzzards so repulsive ? I’m probably alone in this logic. Along the banks we found Hippos and crocodiles and right at dusk as were were heading out of the park ten minutes before closing we were forced to stop. A herd of one hundred elephants were crossing right in front of us headed to the bank to swim and stay for the night. We had to slowly back up as more and more elephants kept coming . I could feel the ground shaking and it was really scary but beautiful and mesmerizing at the same time. My husband said “let’s get closer !” I though are you crazy! What are we going to do if they decide to stomp on our 4×4 and toss us around ! We are the only ones left in the park with the animals and who’s going to hear us or find us ! We got back to our place in time for dinner and my husband had Eland steak which he said was one of the best steaks he had in his life. He also ate Kudu and Springbok on this trip and said it was delicious . I’m not much of a meat eater and couldn’t even think of eating those beautiful animals after seeing them prance around in the wild so I stuck to vegetarian dishes mostly. Our meals were wonderful at each place and I never had trouble finding fresh fruit , vegetables , eggs or plant based protein.

We spent the next morning at the Mahango Game reserve hoping to see Lions but we did not. There were far less animals here, mostly birds so we headed back to Bwabwata and spent another full day. My husband took so many beautiful pictures and the landscape was so lush green and beautiful. So many water buffalo , hippos , otters and crocodiles frolicking in the water. If the lion is king of the jungle then the elephants are the kings and queens of the rivers. The moment the elephants made their way to the water all of the animals make way for them . Even the hippos ! Some of the hippos didn’t want to leave the water but they don’t mess with the elephants .Even when they start splashing water with their trunks and they start making waves (literally!).We even saw a baby elephant chase away two adult giraffes from the watering hole in Etosha

Waterberg National Park

IMG_0694 | MYTERADISE — Now it was time to head south for our last week in Namibia Our destination was Waterberg Camp and we were going to spend two days and nights exploring the Waterberg Plateau The distance was 745km and took us about eight hours so we stopped to eat and refuel in Otjiwarongo We arrived late at night so the next morning we explored the camp hiked a few of the trails close by that led up to a lookout point on the Plateau which is stunning The trails by the camp we had a little trouble finding until we spotted a sweet Dik Dik at the edge of the brush who led us in She guided up to the start of the trail and we started hiking our way up the plateau Id say its a moderate hike The terrain is rocky and rough a lot of dry brush and quite steep Halfway up I saw two Dassies getting it on and my husband pointed out a Black mamba that was in our path It was huge It left us alone but I booked it the rest of the way up the trail Talk about motivating The view at the top of the Plateau was breathtaking and made even better by a DASSIE

I was so happy seeing them in Capetown and to see them again in Waterberg made my heart so full. We stayed on top of the Plateau for awhile and at our Simba chips and Crunchie bars. One Dassie stayed close by and I sprinkled the crumbs from my Simba chips on the rock to see if they would try them . Oh they did! When I put the last piece of my Crunchie bar out they snatched it up ! I’ll never forget that sweet face. I even got a smile! We were able to book an afternoon safari from 3 PM to 6PM into Waterberg. You cannot go into Waterberg National Plateau Park without a guide and I don’t see how you could even see anything without one. The bush here is so dense and thick. After driving around for awhile I couldn’t even figure out where we were . The guides are experts at finding and showing you where the animals are and ours was exceptional and made our excursion really fun. On our way back to camp at sunset we stopped and we saw a white Rhinoceros. It was just so perfect to end our trip with this magical animal .

Untitled design copy 3 | MYTERADISE — White Rhino in Waterberg Plateau

Our trip was coming to end and it was time to pack up and drive to Windhoek. This is the capital of Namibia and usually the starting point for most travelers . We stayed at the Utopia Boutique Hotel http://naankusecollection.com/establishment/naankuse-utopia which is perfect for exploring downtown Windhoek . The last two weeks during our safaris we ate within our resorts and didn’t have the ability to really eat out so for our last night we had dinner at The Stellenbosch Wine Bar and Bistro http://thestellenboschwinebar.com It was nice to have something different and a good glass of wine before heading home to Italy.

My tips and final thoughts for traveling to Namibia

Namibia by far has been one of the best trips and most incredible experiences of my life. There is so much more of Africa I want to explore. I’ve never seen such breathtaking beauty , met kinder people and seeing these unique animals in the wild is something to behold.

Some things I’d like to let you know if you plan on Namibia . Namibians drive on the left and all signs are in English. We obtained an International Driver’s license to rent a 4×4 and drive in Namibia . It doesn’t replace your Actual Driver’s license and you don’t NEED it in Namibia but we did it to be one hundred percent secure. Traveling after Covid had us NOT wanting to be caught without any potential necessary documents . We used this online service in case you want to look into it further. http://idexplore.org

Tap water for brushing your teeth is ok but stick to bottled water for drinking.

Bring mosquito repellant. We didn’t need it until we were up north in Caprivi but it’s still good to have . Also sunscreen especially for your face ladies!

Clothing wise especially for safaris bring long pants and layers! Linen and cotton will be most comfortable during the day .It gets really cold at night and was freezing in the late nights /early mornings in August . The Sossusvlei area is windy and there’s a lot of dust in the Namib so bring a bandana or something to protect your face from the sand. I was told that Blue clothing attracts the Tsetse fly which is responsible for African sleeping sickness .

All of the food we ate in Namibia was wonderful. In Swakopmund , Windhoek and Luderitz you’ll find some fun German pubs with traditional German cuisine . Luderitz is famous for their own variety of Oysters , and if you’re brave like my husband there’s Kudu , Eland , Springbok and different Antelope steaks to try .

I’m so happy I got to see this incredible country ! While planning our trip we enjoyed watching Nick from Namibia http://instagram.com/nickfrnamibia . His Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/@NickfrNamibia is a great resource and we liked his attitude and personality. I hope you enjoy our beautiful photos of the animals !!! XO Tera

Untitled design copy 8 | MYTERADISE — Vervet Monkey

Tera Reigns Supreme

SS07 Supreme has no doubt been one of the best moments in my career . Back in 2007 when they asked me to collaborate with renowned photographer Kenneth Capello in NYC we created some sensual imagery that became classic collectors items . I was featured on two T-shirts. The “Je t’aime one below and a photo tee was exclusively released in Japan to promote The Supreme Book Vol. 3 There was also a set of three lighters . http://highsnobiety.com/p/supreme-celebrity-tees/ has a fantastic piece on every Supreme Tee and the story behind it … FW24 Fast forward 17 years later and I’m gracing a new Supreme Tee and Skateboard Deck for the Fall / Winter collection . I’m so excited to be a part of it again . I scoured the internet a few years ago looking for my SS07 Tee but never found one ! I’d love to see pics so if you have a Tee from the new collection or 2007 show me . Go get one here if you haven’t yet … XO Tera ttps://eu.supreme.com/products/tdb1kla6rd3y3bdo

Eckhaus Latta Sunglasses Campaign

It’s Hot in here … Summertime is finally here in Northern Italy and I get to break out my three favorite summer essentials . Sunscreen , shorts and sunglasses. I’m featured with Tony Ward in the new Eckhaus Latta Sunglasses campaign shot by Rob Kulisek http://robkulisek.com and it was amazing working with such wonderful people. Check out mine and Tony’s interview here https://www.ssense.com/en-us/editorial/fashion/tony-ward-tera-patrick-interview-eckhaus-latt What could be hotter than two sex icons coming together to shoot sexual expressions in sunglasses though ? I loved working with such a diverse group of cool fun people. When I got the call from Esra for this shoot I was on my way home to Italy (by way of Chicago EXXXOTICA) and made the trip back to LA just to shoot. Fashion modeling will always be my first love and I’m so happy to have been a part of this . I hope you enjoy the article and shoot ! XO Tera

Crabby in Krabi – The Rocky Part of our Thailand trip

Krabi by The Sea .. Leaving Chiang Mai in the beautiful mountains it was time to spend the last two weeks of our Thailand trip by the sea. For months Alberto and I watched our favorite YouTuber Paddy Doyle document his entire journey through every providence in Thailand and we couldn’t wait to see the breathtaking seaside for ourselves. If you’ve been reading about my trips you know what I mean when I say there’s a “dip in the trip “.. This is usually the part where I’m not feeling it or enjoying myself . August is the monsoon season in Thailand so expect a lot of rain . We arrived to Krabi airport late around nine-thirty P.M , and were bombarded with driver’s who insisted on taking us to our hotel as there were no other options .. It was a bit unnerving , being crammed into a van with ten other people , completely dark , pouring rain with a two hour ride to the other side of the island since our hotel was the furthest away but here we go! Low Tides and Limestone cliffs We finally arrived to our Hotel http://krabihomeresort.com and it was going to be sweet relief to climb into bed after a day of traveling. A staff member (BLESS HIM) waited for us to arrive (at midnight no less) had an umbrella , change (for our shuttle driver ) and big smile on his face as he carried our luggage up the hill to our bungalow. Morning brought us overcast skies but warm smiles from the wonderful staff at our resort and a good breakfast . We’d have to wait until tomorrow to get a longtail boat since the forecast was rain and rough seas. We decided to explore our beach area Tubkaak , and spend the day relaxing and eating some good home cooked Thai food.. The tide was low so I was able to Vlog and walk quite a bit. The sunset was stunning.. Hong Island (Koh Hong) Our hostess at our resort booked a longtail boat so we set of to Hong Island . It takes about 20 minutes and is an easy quick day trip . Located in the Thanbok Kharanee National Park the beach is divided into two sections. The landing spot for the longtail boats is where you pay 400 thai baht to enter the national park . We climbed the 420 steps to the Hong Island Viewpoint which was quite a workout but you’re rewarded with the most breathtaking view of this magical island . The white sand beach is super soft ,clear, and warm. We took some beautiful photos then got back on the longtail boat so we could swim in the Hong lagoon .You have to pass through a narrow rock opening to enter the lagoon but it’s another world . The towering limestone cliffs , and turquoise water are breathtaking … Have your hotel pack a lunch or grab food and snacks if you plan to spend the day on the island or boat. I don’t recall if there’s a shop to get food or snacks once you get to the island.. A watertight beach bag is a must to protect your clothes, phone, and anything you bring with you onto the beach.I recommend checking with your local host also for the weather since it can change rapidly. We were having the sweetest sea time here , so why did I have to suggest we see something else… Rocky times in Railay So here’s where our trip gets rocky.. Railay Beach was a quick trip from Ao Nang the main hub and starting point of Krabi . After 3 days I thought let’s go see another part of the Island! It’s not that I get bored (well sometimes) . It’s that I want to see as much as I can when I’m in a new destination. So we drove the two hours to the Ao Nang pier , then a 10 minute longtail boat ride and finally we were towed into the Railay Beach resort and spa by a tractor . My first impression of Railay beach west wasn’t a good one. The scenery and landscape is pretty but the beach itself was dirty. Or should I say .. messy ? Walking the beach path towards our resort I couldn’t help but feel like we stepped into some some kind of trap. Tourist trap maybe ? Weed shops, fast food and a few tiny cafes lined the concrete path along the trash filled beach…. Eager to escape the loud techno music and the sound of crocs shuffling against sandy concrete we checked into our room and planned out our next three days… What the heck were we going to do for three days here ? Our resort was big and although outdated in terms of aesthetics three big crystal clear pools called out to me so I could cool off in the scorching humid heat and watch the moneys squabble over snacks they’d steal off of tourists breakfasts plates LOL We found one cafe that served good Pad Thai and wasn’t blaring music 24-7 so that’s where we enjoyed our meals . On our way back from the cafe that first night my husband decides to stop by and inquire about rock climbing tours and signs us both up ! Why not! Those limestone cliffs look easy to climb AND what else is there to do around here! No I’ve never rock climbed in my life but in my Kevin Hart voice “you’re gonna learn today! You’re gonna learn what rock climbing is today ! And here’s how it went .. Phra Nang Beach Shadowrock climbing met us bright and early at Phra Nang Beach along with hundreds of other tourists also geared up and ready to scale the gorgeous cliffs. I went first and let me tell you what you might already know ; ROCK CLIMBING IS HARD . Mad respect because

X3 Expo in Los Angeles

My first X3 Expo ! Hey guys it’s pouring rain at home here in Italy so I’m catching you all up on my travels ! Christmas 2023 and the New year brought me back to Los Angeles . I stayed an extra three weeks to attend my very first X3 Expo presented by XBIZ . XBIZ is one of the two main B2B and award shows in the Adult industry . I had the privilege of hosting the XBIZ Awards with comedienne Orlando Jones in 2013. X3 Expo Details The X3 Expo http://X3.show takes place in Hollywood , California mid January at the Hollywood Palladium and features Pornstars (past and present ), webcam models , and creators /influencers from the adult industry. The set up was definitely more “chaotic” compared to the booths and tables that are provided at the AVN show . The Palladium is a nightclub so our setups were bar tables and barstools and we were packed pretty tight together but as pornstars we’re kinda used to that LOL Honestly it was pretty funny for me because I knew literally no one! I have no idea who I signed next to those two days but across from me were my friends Fleshlight http://www.fleshlight.eu/products/tera-patrick . X3 Expo Friends !! Well it turns out I did find my friends after all !! One of my favorite ladies in the industry Lacie Lennon http://linktr.ee/misslacylennon always comes to see me for a hug and I love talking to her. She’s super smart. I love how she’s handled herself and her career . Tommy Gunn was one of my favorite performers to work with . Such a kind and humble guy. My good friend Gege who’s always traveled with me and did my very first expo in Los Angeles wanted to say hello to Ember Snow who’s always stunning and sweet . I don’t do awards shows anymore but after some time it was great to stay in LA and meet up again with my fans . I don’t think I had made an LA appearance in almost 10 years! Unless you catch me at a CVS or Thai town … It was fun and thank you to my wonderful LA friends and fans who made it out !! XO Tera

ItsMeSpkn2U – Ep. 132 With Tera Patrick

Speaking with Jeffery Wilson Hi everyone! It’s been a minute since I’ve made a podcast appearance and I’m back with THREE new ones ! First up I reconnect with my friend Jeffery Wilson on ItsMeSpkn2U. We do a deep dive into my accident , our favorite theories surrounding covid and lockdown then finish with our favorite places to travel . We also touch on the importance of keeping a good network of family and friends close especially in our wacky but fun world that is entertainment. Jeffery is one of my favorite people to talk to and he’s such a wonderful storyteller on his show. Please consider joining and supporting him below !! Thank you and enjoy our episode XO Tera The Most Lovely Tera Patrick returns to catch us up on what she’s been up to. And it’s been A LOT! Enjoy! SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.chemicalfreebody.com PROMO CODE- ItsMe for discounts! www.preparewithitsme.com That Podcast Network · ItsMeSpkn2U Ep. 132 Tera Patrick

Namibia safari

Etosha Park Safari