Wild Adventure Chapter 2 Lion Cubs on the Dune

2016-04-22 | puppy1952

4 March

Lord Grum-Peigh woke up and went straight into panic mode. “We have to get out of here as soon as the gates open!” he stressed. “Otherwise we won’t find the Frend-Leighs and they won’t know they need to sign us in!”

“Relax,” cooed Lady Peigh “We’ll find them – and probably at a sighting!” But still he fussed and rushed her and to his extreme annoyance she deliberately took her time at the showers and laughed when he got upset.

But once they were on the road his mood improved and he was a tad less grumpy specially when he saw the familiar green of Mr Leigh’s Nissen Pathfinder. The Leighs were looking toward the top of a dune and Lord Peigh nearly fell out of the car window when he saw two young lion cubs relaxing there.

Do I have to wake up now?

I wonder what there is in those cans on wheels?

They sure look tasty

The Lord was now in a very good mood and made plans to meet the Leighs at TR, sort out the Rooiputs booking and then go for brekkie.

After watching the cubs for a bit Lord and Lady Peigh went in search of their mother. They met a man who said he’d driven up and down the road but there was no sign of her. The Earl, though, has a nose for these things and would not give up until his curiosity was satisfied.

The presence of a jackal can indicate lions in the vicinity as they like to scavenge off their kill!

His vigilance paid off because all of a sudden they caught sight of three lions walking away from them along the road.

One of the lions

All three of them

With this lovely sighting dancing in their heads the went back to report to the Leighs. Late all the business of booking in at the Botswana side of reception was completed. Then they all headed to The Kgalagadi Lodge a few kilometres outside the gate. It was almost lunchtime but they ordered breakfast – Mr Frend-Leigh asked the waiter, “Is one allowed to have beer with breakfast, here?” The waiter laughed and brought one for him and the Earl.

Back at camp :Lady Peigh went for a swim and the Earl had a nap and then when he woke up they went for a swim together before going out for an afternoon drive

Brant’s whistling rat

Ground Scraper Thrush

Secretary Bird

Scaly-feathered finch

Southern Masked Weaver

Leopard Tortoise

The creatures have right of way at all times. This male ostrich finds something tasty on the gravel road.

Because His Lordship was a too tired to do a braai Her Ladyship cooked chicken casserole on her caravan gas stove for supper. It was a perfect evening but they were woken at 2am by heavy rainfall!

A Wild Adventure – Chapter 1 Off to the Kgalagadi

2016-04-21 | puppy1952

A wild adventure with Lord and Lady Grum-Peigh and Mr and Mrs Frend-Leigh is based on a true story. Names have been changed to poorly disguise the true identities of the guilty.

Chapter 1-

“When are the children coming to stay,” asked the First Earl of Struisbaai of his wife after a particularly busy few months of organising building plans and other business matters.

“In just over a fortnight,”said Lady Grum -Peigh.

“Well I feel like getting away somewhere,”said the Lord – “Try and book something.”

So she tried but nothing seemed to work out quite right. Addo was booked up and the only camping available at Kgalagadi was at Twee Rivieren. So she tentatively suggested – “We did have a loose arrangement to join the Frend-Leighs at Kgalagadi if we got the chance – If we leave straight away we could fit in 10 days or so and share their campsites. The only problem is we can’t contact them as there are no internet or cell coms where they are at present.”

“Good idea,” said The Lord ” If they can’t have us we’ll just spend a few days at Twee Rivieren then come home.” And two days later the caravan was packed and sorted for a long trip to the semi-desert. The first night was spent at Molopo Lodge and then the next day (3 March) they were able to enter the park by 8:00 am. They booked two nights at Twee Rivieren where they set up camp and then set off to find their friends.

Luckily Lady Grump-Leigh had their itinerary. They would be making their way from Mata Mata to Rooiputs that day. The latter is just 30 km from Twee Rivieren and so getting there would not take long. “I predict that they will be there around 11ish,” said her Ladyship who knew that Mr Frend-Leigh would make no unnecessary stops along the way. And sure enough they were just about to pin a note to a tree on their allotted campsite when along they came.

“We thought you wouldn’t come!” cried Mrs Frend-Leigh in surprise.

“Sorry we didn’t let you know but we decided at the last minute that we could fit and few days in! We’ll stay at Twee for two nights then come and join you here.”

Rooiputs is rustic, unfenced camp the Botswana side of the park and booking in had to take place at Twee Rivieren. Lady Grum-Peigh duly went to book in but the official on teh Botswana side said they would have to get Mrs Frend-Leigh to check them in personally so it was just as well that they’d booked two nights at Twee Rivieren.

The Grum-Peighs were delighted to be back in the wild and spent the rest of the day enjoying the park.

Wattled Starlings at Samevloeing

The beautiful Namaqua dove eyeing them from a thorny tree

It’s called the Green Kalahari for although there’s little rain when it comes the grass grows and the flowers bloom – Here is a Red Hartebeest enjoying the bounty

The Grum-Peighs were pleased to see large herds of healthy Springbok. Fodder for the lions! It was hot and they wisely found a shady spot to escape the burning sun

Why when there are plenty of waterholes do the creatures drink from puddles in the road? It must contains salts that they crave. Those white specks are butterflies!

The Grum-Peighs found them all over the park in huge numbers

So delicate and pretty

A southern black korhaan had a lot to say!

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Saffies and Aussies on Safari – Day 23 and 24

2015-07-15 | puppy1952

24 June 2015 Bitterpan

We hear lions this morning but none appear at the waterhole. We cook breakfast, chat to our neighbours and exchange details then leave for Twee Rivieren.
It is another roller coaster ride over the dunes and the scenery is great. We then take the dune road toward the Nossob – Twee Rivieren road but we have only a few sightings.

Affectionate jackals

A secretary bird

Big herds of Springbok

Ostriches descending rapidly from the ridge of a dune

Gemsbok at a waterhole

It is our grandson, Jay’s eighteenth birthday today. We have had no internet or cell phone coms so are delighted to be able to ring him when we get to Twee Rivieren – the only camp where such luxuries are available.

Happy Birthday, my boy – What’s that you say – You’ve been selected for Western Province Fishing?

Doesn’t Earlybird look cute with my pink iphone on his ear? The exciting news of Jay being selected for Western Province delights him. Watch out Shelly Beach – Here comes Jay!

We spend the afternoon relaxing and have a braai for dinner.

25 June 2015 Twee Rivieren

We set off early and are the first car in the queue. I tell Earlybird he is making a mistake choosing the Mata Mata road as it was very quiet in March and we had had all our good sightings on the Nossob road.

“The fact that we saw nothing yesterday,” I said, “is because it was the wrong time of day.”
I don’t like travelling at 40 km/hr. It is too fast in a game reserve. As we whiz by I see something right on the side of the road and yell, “Stop – lion!”

Earlybird sees it at the same time a skids to a halt. We’ve almost passed a pride of 8. The two males are proudly watching their cubs while the moms cross over to the other side of the road.

We are the only car for half an hour – nobody else comes while we’re there. We move on and alert several others as we pass them. It’s fun to see their bored expressions change when they realise that good a sighting is coming up soon!
Lions are not the only exciting things to see in a game reserve. We are very excited at our next observation.

There was a whole family of these cute little meerkats

There was a whole family of meerkats – on the wrong side of the road for good light – and this chap was taking his guard duty very seriously

Gemsbok having a confrontation

Erich’s favourite surveying the world from the top of a dune

Male and female yellow canaries singing sweetly

Marico Flycatcher looking dapper

It was interesting to see this little steenbok digging for roots with its front hooves

I have to take back my words about this being the wrong road to take today – because in addition to our lions and other creatures we have three cheetah sightings

After we have breakfast at Kamqua picnic site we drive on a bit further toward Mata Mata and find some cars parked. They tell us we’ve missed three cheetahs trying to get lunch. Then we see them!

We follow them as they make their way through the bush.

We think they may try to hunt again but instead they lie down under a tree and so we leave them in peace.

Soon after this we spot another cheetah, on her own, sitting up on the ridge. She then walks along the ridge and disappears down the other side.

As we travel on Earlybird stops and says – Look at that gemsbok – We look and see his is standing stock still and staring up onto the dune ridge. We scan with our binoculars and after a few minutes I spot her.

She starts to move towards the springbok and gemsbok. They all move away and the springbok cross to the other side of the road.

We drive up the hill toward Killie Krankie to get a better view. She is patient and does not move for ages.

Eventually we leave as all the animals are aware of her and she won’t hunt today.

As we travel back to TR cars stop us to say they have seen the lions but when we get back to the spot they are no longer there. What a fabulous last day we have had.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Saffies and Aussies on Safari – Day 22

2015-07-14 | puppy1952

23 June 2015

I am late for school – again. I rush into the building and race toward where I think my classroom is but I can’t seem to find it. I panic – the girls will be fretting, wondering where I am. They won’t know what to do. Some will be crying – I dash across courtyard after courtyard searching for a familiar room but mine does not appear and there’s a lion roaring really close by. He’s getting closer – I must find my classroom!

A distant voice yells, “Lion! Lion! Get up there’s a lion outside.”

I wake up – it is just the same recurring dream – I am at Gharagab and finally a lion has come calling.

It is 5:15 and it is Earl who alerts me to the lion’s roar. We listen but it does not come again. We check the water hole – no sign of them. Earl gets dressed and sits at the glass door, while I snuggle under the blankets a little longer. When it’s light I get up too. The Schoffls have heard them too and Erich says he heard the first roars far off at 3 earlier this morning. While Earlybird is packing Dawid comes to show him the spoor of two lions going past our cabin – so they were here!

At 7:30 on the dot Earlybird has us in the car and off in search of the cats. We find spoor on the road and just near Dankbaar water hole, Eagle-eye Wendy calls, “what’s that?” and there in the grass sit two beautiful young black-maned lions.

We are delighted that the lions are still in the area and that we found them!

Eagle Eye Wendy spots something again. “Are those ant hills or animals?” she says.

We scan with our binos and at first see nothing then they materialize – 7 very cute suricate a but quite a distance away. How did she spot them!

We are delighted with this lovely sighting and continue to enjoy the steenbok that appear quite often, red hartebeest in playful mood and gemsbok getting their morning exercise by racing across the veld.

It’s a long trip over the desert dunes and much like a rollers coaster ride. We are delighted by the Disco 4’s performance.

We stop at all the waterholes but apart from some bird activity there is little to see.

At Nossob we have brunch at the picnic site.

Upon arrival at Bitterpan we see another CA Land Rover. Another couple arrive just after us – Dave and Jeanette from Hogsback. The land rover owner introduces himself as Lee and we chat for a whole. Later his wife Shannon joins us. The six of us braai together but Dave and Jeanette decide to do their own.

We have a delightful evening.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Saffies and Aussies on Safari – Day 18

2015-07-12 | puppy1952

Friday 19 June Cheetah Day

I wake at quarter to six and get up at quarter past – it is freezing! I wrap myself in a rug and go to the loo. My ablutions are quick and I get dressed under the blankets! Today I don a pair of thermal tights under my jeans. I can’t feel the ends of my fingers even though I wrap them in a warm pair of gloves. Packing up is painful and takes twice as long as with warm hands!

The temperature registers at -2 in the car and goes down to -3. Thank Goodness for an effective air-con in the car as soon we warm up.

There are a few exciting spots the first being two African Wild Cats darting across the veld. Unfortunately the light is wrong and they are too quick for a photograph. But still it is a great sighting.

At 13^th water hole we meet a couple we’d met the day before – George and Venetia. They say they’ve seen the cubs but they have now gone over the ridge – clearly following their mothers who must be ahead of them. We chat for a while then both cars move on. We find them stopped up ahead of us and as we draw nearer see what they have seen – three cheetahs moving swiftly through the bush high up on the ridge.

One of the cheetahs moving stealthily through the bush

We guess they are on their way to Urikaruus water hole so hurry along to wait for them. After 20 minutes, Earlybird says – they’re not coming let’s go but then a land rover ahead of us turns around. His mate has gone up to the viewpoint and has radioed him that the cheetahs are coming. So we turn around too and – there they are – coming right for us!

He is centimeters from my eyeballs

And touches the car as he passes by my door

He makes his way across the road passing right next to the passenger side of the car

We’ve been looking at a steenbok at the waterhole while we are waiting and the cheetahs spot her too. The one gives chase and she scoots off into the trees – we think the cheetah will return with breakfast for the others but she comes back empty handed.

She looks at the cheetahs nervously

We watch the cheetahs frolic and have fun for a while and then they move back over the road and over the ridge – but wow – what a sighting.

Next we find the three eagle owls in the tree.

one of the Verreaux’s Eagle Owls

We stop for breakfast at Kamqua before continuing our journey to Nossob

Earlybird cooks a killer brekkie

On the way we see some interesting birds and big herds of gemsbok at the waterholes.

We check into Chalet 8 just behind reception. It is quite warm now. We have a braai for supper and eat outdoors.

Sundowners at Nossob

A visitor looking for titbits

Nothing beats a good old fashioned South African Braai

After supper Earl takes the Schoffls to the waterhole and I stay behind and have a shower and catch up with my bookkeeping.

There is not much happening at the waterhole so they are soon back.

Caravanning in the Kgalagadi Twee Rivieren Tuesday 31 March 2015

2015-04-22 | puppy1952

Today is our last full day in the park. We are up at the usual early hour of 5:15 and ready to leave by 6:15. From tomorrow gate opening time moves to 7:00 am.

It is still overcast but the air temperature is warm. We take the Rooiputs Road. Just before Rooiputs Jim and Maureen stop ahead of us. I look to the right and spot one cheetah, then Earl says there is one in the tree – then a second one jumps down from the tree. We watch the three cheetah play and roll and generally get going for the morning. Soon other cars gather and we all jostle for position while watching what the cheetahs will do. Eventually they make their way to the ridge and disappear.

At 7:15 we find a tawny eagle that is very photographable. There is a Lanner in the same tree.

At quarter to eight we find the same two male lions we saw yesterday. They are fat and lazy and do very little but sleep. We wonder where the females are and Earl finds them on a distant dune but they do not make a proper appearance. After watching the more wakeful male do his ablutions we move on as the loo is calling.

At Melkvlei we have a brief loo break then move on to see if we can find the other cheetahs but don’t have any luck so we return to Melkvlei for breakfast.

Later we find one of the males on the move. We hear the first one had already gone over the ridge.

We then make our way back to Twee Rivieren stopping to enjoy the smaller things.

Back at camp, I do the laundry and make sandwiches for lunch. The Pearl Spotted owl is back in our tree and while photographing him I find a brubru as well. Earl takes a nap and I wander around camp to do some birding. When he wakes he joins me. We then go for a short drive to find more birds. We do find a Brant’s Whistling Rat!

Brubru

Groundscraper Thrush

Ground Squirrel emerging from his hole

Brant’s Whistling Rat

Secretary Bird on top of tree

Scaly Feathered Finch

For supper Maureen makes a delicious lamb chop curry. We turn in at 9. Tomorrow we will wake a little later, pack up and leave KTP at about 9.

Caravanning in the Kgalagadi Twee Rivieren Monday 30 March 2015

2015-04-21 | puppy1952

It rained during the night and it is quite chilly when we wake up this morning. However, I still think shorts will be okay. Luckily I take a fleece with me as the weather does not warm up above 20 degrees C.
Earl goes ahead to wait in the queue while I go to the loo. As I walk towards reception I notice that two cars are already lining up at the gate. This means that they did not hand in their permits last night and are illegally up front! The rest of us wait for the gate staff to arrive and check us out before we can drive to the game area gate! Jim should be first but is now third and Earl is fourth. We take the Rooiputs road and have a brief encounter with some playful jackal.
At quarter to eight we see the illegal starters stopped on the side of the road – they are looking at lion.
The first one I spot is a big male.

then Earl points out two females near to him. They are just lying there in on the dune.
Another male is short way away fast asleep. While we watch, the females get up and go up onto the ridge. Then three more come over to meet them. We can hear roaring and suspect there is another male somewhere.
We watch the male get up take a walk and find a puddle to drink from but nothing else special happens so we move on.

A few kilometres on we find a female crouching in hunting mode at the crest of the dune. We watch her for a while but do not see what she is stalking so we move on.

Martial Eagle

We stop at Melkvlei for a loo break and then decide to retrace our route and take the Dune road to Achterlonie. We find the same female and hear a roar. At first we think a male is calling her but then see that she is the one making the din!
On the Dune road we are delighted to see that beautiful yellow flowers have sprung up after the rains. I think they are called Dubbeltjies.

We see korhaan and Kori Bustards and two Spurwinged geese fly overhead. Some ant-eating chats don’t like the tawny that perches in their territory.

Two jackal puppies are exploring unattended by their parents. They seem nervous of the car at first and then ignore us and continue their antics. They are so cute one feels that one can pick them up and take them home for pets.

We have breakfast at Achterlonie and take a look at the old historic cottage. It is so cold that we eat in the car.
The rest of our trip produces very little and we are back at camp by 12:30. At half past three we decide to go to The Kgalagadi lodge for a late lunch instead of cooking supper tonight. We are delighted with our meals – pepper steaks for Jim, Maureen and Earl and I have an Adam and Eve – Rump steak with green fig and blue cheese sauce.

When we return Earl and I decide to take a quick drive to the waterhole – but stay out longer than we planned! We try to find yesterday’s caracal without success but enjoy a bit of bird-watching. The highlight is a martial eagle and when we get back into the gate we find black-faced wax-bills.

Caravanning in The Kgalagadi Twee Rivieren Sunday 29 March 2015

2015-04-21 | puppy1952

There is great resistance to rising early this morning and Earl lies in a little later while I am off to the showers at 5:30. I hear later that Jim felt the same way! As we wait in line for to collect our permits, Maureen says – It’s so overcast today – we probably won’t see very much – not the right conditions. Don’t be so sure, I say, anything can happen – the bush is unpredictable! We go through the gate as dawn is breaking and a brilliant red sky greets us, Earl says – I don’t see the point of these early starts! No self-respecting animal will be at the waterholes and there is so much water lying about they don’t even need to be near the roads! Blah-blah, moan-moan. I smile sweetly and offer to drive which is met with firm no thank you. It is 7 am and what is this up ahead. Jim and another car are stopped and as we approach I call out – Lion – no cheetah! Three are crouched together chewing something in the dirt. The animals tend to lick the dust for its salt content. We cannot make out anything else edible. We watch the three interact and have fun and the scene is on the correct side of the road in the golden light! There is a single gemsbok on the dune watching carefully, fully aware that he could become breakfast. The trio suddenly get up and one by one start walking towards the dune. We follow and hope to see a chase but not today. The gemsbok decides that caution is the better part of valour and gallops off. A little further on we Jim stops. We catch up and see a jackal taking off. But wait there are two more and they’re on a kill! Did they take down this springbok on their own – I think not. It was probably a leopard. The jackals tear at it and one by one as they satiate themselves quickly leave the scene. This is a pretty good start to our day. Let us content ourselves with birding now as there can’t possibly be anything more exciting in store. It is 8:30 and what do we see? More cheetahs – but on the East side of the road – into the sun. There are 5 of them – Mother and four teenager kittens. And they are eating a fresh kill of Gemsbok! How lucky are we! We watch them and photograph them for ages. The cheeky jackals are hovering and trying to get a paw in. But the mother chases them off. The tawny eagles – three of them fly in and try to make a grab but Mom jumps into the air to frighten them off. The little ones scrap and fight for dominance of the kill. Then Mom comes to get her share, disciplining the greedy kids. Every now and then she chases the jackals away. Then all of a sudden all five of them take off across the road with us following and disappear over the hill. We realise that something has frightened them off and return to the scene to find a male lion making a meal of the left overs. Clearly the howling of the jackals have alerted him to the fact that a canteen is open nearby. We watch the lion feast and then walk off. He finds a puddle of water and drinks for a while then walks back and over the dune and disappear. What an amazing sighting. We continue to Melkvlei for breakfast and then retrace our steps to find the kill site awash with vultures and tawny eagles. Wow! Jim and Maureen are ahead of us but we waste time watching baby ostrich and then slowly follow on. At the site of the jackal kill from this morning we find more vultures and take photographs of three different species. At Rooiputs waterhole we find the wildebeest having a Sunday afternoon nap. We try to catch up with Jim but he is way ahead Earl yells – Lynx – and a caracal crosses in front of us with a ground squirrel in his jaws. Omigosh! I am beside myself trying to get a photograph but he darts up the dune and disappear. I’ve lost my opportunity. Let’s wait and see, I say to Earl. He may appear and sure enough he emerges from behind a tree and looks at us – kill hanging from his mouth.

Poor ground squirrel

We keep him in our sights until he settles under a distant tree. The squirrel is behind him and he is panting to regain his breath. We manage few poor photographs and watch to see if he will feast upon his prey – but clearly he is saving it till later.

Tired after the chase

No other car comes by and we need to move on. Around the corner we see “Boshuisie” – grandparents in a campervan with their little grandchild. We stop them and tell them where to find the caracal. Follow us, we say, we will turn around and show you exactly where Two other cars appear and we show them all where to find the caracal. I persuade Earl to turn into the waterhole and we find two birds – a greenshank and double banded plover. Back at camp Jim and Maureen are just tucking into their lunch. We tell them about our special sighting then make chicken sandwiches for our own lunch. We plan to bird in the camp but the rains come and we only manage to get the pearl spotted rain lets up enough for me to cook and for us to eat our meal. Earl and I drive to the ablutions to shower and do our teeth and by the time we return the rain is coming down – much needed in this dry environment.

Caravanning in the Kgalagadi – Polentswa Wednesday 25 March 2015

2015-04-17 | puppy1952

We wake to the sound of roaring lions this morning. I look out to see Jim shining his torch into the bush while standing guard at the long drop. I think the lions are just behind the tree but Earl assures me that they are far away.
We go south all the way to Nossob 60 km away. There is still a lot of water on the road and we see very little game.

At Polentswa we have been very frugal with our water supplies and showering has been limited to 30 second splash downs. So as soon as we get to Nossob we go the the ablutions for a shower. Joy of joy we find that the geyser system has been repaired and we have loads of hot water.
We then go to refuel and shop. I go ahead while he is at the filling station. When he comes in, he says – where is our envelope of cash? On our way here I’d checked how much there was and put it back in the cubby hole. It’s not there he says. Men! They look with boy eyes. I go and check, search and search – no envelope! It must have been stolen. But the wallet, iPad, cell phones, cameras are all untouched. I begin to doubt myself. Did I drop the envelope out of the car? I return to the ablution block and search around the area where we were parked. I report the loss to reception. The attendant asks me Where did you last have the cash? You must check your car thoroughly. But after all 4 do us search nothing turns up. Maureen pays for our purchases then we search again. I am sure I put the envelope on top of the handbook which sits on a bracket in the cubby hole. Maureen feels down the back of the cubby and declares that she can feel something, eRl tries too and agrees with her but is it the envelope? There is no way of grabbing it or reaching it I any way so we go to the picnic site, enjoy our brekkie and decide to take the cubby apart when we get back to camp. Our men have tools for the job.

001 Day Visitor Area - Nossob 2015-03-25 09-55-14 AM 4608x3456

Picnic Breakfast at Nossob Visitors’ Area

Our return it is heartening to see lots of game. The rainfall has brought them back. But no cats again today.

003 Red Hartebeest with Gnu 2015-03-25 12-52-21 PM 3069x2304

We often see just one wildebeest with a herd of another species

003 Red Hartebeest 2015-03-25 12-51-35 PM 4608x3456

Lovely herd of red hartebeest with young

Water everywhere

002 Red Hartebeest drinking from a road puddly 2015-03-25 12-20-51 PM 4608x3456

Just wait while I finish my drink, please

We return to camp and as Maureen is about to step into her caravan she spots something curled up next to her fridge. She leaps away nimbly and yells – snake!

004 Puff Adder 2015-03-25 01-23-52 PM 3456x4608

Lazy, fat puff adder – luckily fast asleep

I grab my camera, Earl runs with a tent pole yelling Don’t worry I’ll catch it. Jim also bravely approaches the spot while M and I scream don’t let it bite you. We don’t have snake bite kits. The macho men approach and Earl hooks him onto the pole and flings him away and onto the ground. The snake refuses to scurry off so he lifts him again and throws him under a tree where it curls up and goes back to sleep. My hero!

After the excitement dies down Maureen washes last nights supper dishes and I dry. Then Earl and Jim get going worth torque keys and screw drivers. There is much grunting and groaning and struggling, but the task is not as easy as they hoped. Maureen calls Jim for lunch but Earl refuses to give up. I fear that the effort is for naught and my fears are confirmed when he manages to get his hand behind the cubby and says there is nothing here. But he struggles on and although he doesn’t get the cubby hole free he manages to free it a little more. I can see it he yells and Jim brings a pair of pliers. He grips the envelope and to my delight R3500 is returned to my grateful hands. For the second time today my hubby is my hero.

He then cooks us bacon and egg sandwiches and we sit and relax while watching lightening and listening g to thunder. The storm is some miles away but within minutes a bright flash of lightening and deafening clap of thunder warn us and E says we had better get to the caravan now. He and Maureen pack the chairs under her shelter and I run and put everything that’s out away and shut up our kitchen. Just as we shut the door the rain comes pelting down and an enormous wind violently rocks the caravan. After 5 minutes it gets worse and rips the tent poles out of the ground and the tarpaulin rips free from the Velcro. Earl rushes out to rescue what he can. Jim’s solar panels are whipped up by the wind and a Earl chases after them too. Jim rushes out to help. Our tent poles are be bent and the hooks scattered around the campsite. It’s all over in 20 minutes and then the mopping up begins. Not too much damage but we decide to do without the extra side tarpaulin for now. Earl is my hero yet again.
The rain clears and there is calm once again.

Our hero enjoying a well deserved drink after all the drama of the day!

In the evening we have a braai. As we turn in for the night we hear Maureen scream – it’s back and it hissed at me. Earl calls out – Just hang on – I’m coming – He tries to get his head torch on but the strap comes loose – it’s seems like hours but is only seconds before I help him get it together again – he rushes forth with braai tongs in hand and he and Jim march off like Vikings into the night to make sure the snake does not return.

Caravanning in the Kgalagadi Polentswa Tuesday 24 March 2015

2015-04-16 | puppy1952

It rained again in the night but this morning, though cold the weather has cleared. Nevertheless I dress in jeans and a long sleeve shirt and we head for Polentswa waterhole. The baby owl is the only creature of real interest.

We continue to Kannegaus and on the way find a rabbit in our path. There is plenty of water on the road and all the waterholes are flooded with other water lying about nearby. We see mainly wildebeest and gemsbok drinking.

002 Kousant Water Hole flooded Helen Powershot 2015-03-24 07-48-03 AM 4608x3456

The Gemsbok seem amazed at the extra water at the borehole

The sandgrouse are having a lovely time with more choices of water supply and less hassles from lanners. We find them drinking all over the place.

We do not see much but here are photographs of what we did see today.

The Crowned Lapwings were everywhere – just loving all the puddles

A lanner wondering where all the doves are

A jackal relaxing on the muddy river bed

We were back in camp by lunch time and the weather had warmed up to shorts and t-shirt status again.

The enormous sky

And the sun starts to set

Red Sky at night Kgalagdi delight

For dinner Maureen cooked a lovely meal of mince, potatoes and gem squash. It was pleasant sitting out but by 8 o’clock it looked like it would rain so we got into our caravans and had an early night. There was a brief storm but nothing too serious.

Caravanning in the Kgalagadi – Nossob to Polentswa Friday 20 March 2015

2015-04-12 | puppy1952

Last night is a bit chilly but it makes a change from the extreme heat. We must remember, though, to pack an extra blanket next time. The weather can change so suddenly in the desert.

We are a tad later than usual and once again the showers are cold! Yet, in the laundry the water is piping hot! There is obviously a maintenance problem that is being ignored.

Packing up this morning goes a lot more smoothly than at Mata Mata. Earl decides to use a screw driver to help get the roof to lock down. There is no threat of divorce or murder! It is an uneventful trip to Polentswa except for a kori bustard walking on the road ahead of Jim’s car.

Polentswa is on the Botswana side of KTP and is an unfenced camp. There are only three campsites quite separate from each other with private en-camp long-drops! There is no water and no electricity. Thus we have to bring enough water, food and fuel for 7 days! We each find a shady tree and begin setting up. Although the morning started at 12 degrees C it is now very hot. We manage to set up with little frustration and no fights! Earl and I are ready first as we do not travel as elaborately as Jim and Maureen! Earl decides to cook breakfast and scrambled eggs, bacon, tomato and banana are ready by 12 noon.

My own personal chef

We sit under the A frame which at this time is the coolest part of the campsite.

Shady and cool under the A Frame

Some pretty butterflies settle on our fingers

Tiny, blue butterflies were flitting about and weren’t to shy to settle on a finger

Our closest neighbours are some confiding birds and half a dozen mice!

Striped Mouse

Chestnut-vented Titbabbler

At 4:30 we take a drive to Polentswa waterhole which is just a km from camp. We see jackal drinking. A red hartebeest comes down is seems nervous of the doves which swarm to and from the drinking hole. At last he sums up the courage and goes down on his knees to get a drink. Nothing else happens so we return to camp and have braaied steaks for supper.

002 Red Hartebeest Drinking at Polentswa Earl 2015-03-20 05-31-12 PM 4752x3168

Getting closer to the water

Caravanning in the Kgalagadi – Nossob Thursday 19 March 2015

2015-04-11 | puppy1952

Today is a rest day. We go out early in a southerly direction and try to find the lions but we have no luck and find out later that nobody else had a particularly successful day today either.

The highlight of the drive is at Casper se Draai. We spot the melanistic Gabar settled in a tree which does not make for good photography. But it flies off and we head in the same direction and find it perched in a tree with a juvenile and another Gabar of normal plumage. It is obviously a family – Mom, Dad and junior. They have a dove in the foliage and are feasting on it. Luckily for us they are on the correct side of the road – not into the sun – and we get some reasonable photographs.

Melanistic Gabar Goshawk

Normal plumage of Gabar Goshawk

001 Melanistic and Normal Earl 2015-03-19 07-50-45 AM 3162x2116

Parent and juvenile on right

We decide to return to camp and have a rest day as we are leaving for Polentswa tomorrow. On the way back we do some more birding.

Familar Chat

Yellow Canary

Crimson-breasted shrike

Burchell’s Sandgrouse

After lunch I go for a swim and meet some people from Somerset West. They ask where I live and I say – Fish Hoek. Oh says the lady, we are with our aunt and uncle from Fish Hoek – Eric and Margaret. I am gob-smacked. They are members of The Bird Club and I know Margaret and Eric very well. I also know their daughters! Later Earl and I pop up to their chalet to say hi. I had told Eric that we were off to KTP and he’d said – You lucky fish! At that stage he didn’t know that he would also be having a trip here – two weeks ago his daughter, Alison, suggested he and Margaret go in their place as here hubby, Alan was not well. Margaret tells me that it has been a brilliant trip with their niece and nephew treating them like royalty! Her niece also said that they’d learnt a lot about birds from Eric!