A long tiring haul home, knowing what was to greet us at home!
Summary: 32 days total cost R35 000.
Breakdown:
Accom. R 7 169
Fuel. R11 420
Meals out R 3 446
Boats, etc R 2 824
Tyre. R 2 920
Still need to get aircon repaired.
High: Half Collared Kingfisher, Sam Situ, Epupa, Mavunje, plus all the other old faithfulls.
Low: West coast - always cold and windy!
Monday, June 9, 2014
Saturday, June 7, 2014
31 Bots/Nam, Red Sands, Kuruman 7/6/14
Effing cold again this morning. I even got cold in bed last night - that's a first. Forgot to mention yesterday that the beetles froze and fell out of the trees during the night. Under every tree were at least 10 little carapace carcasses. Also, our fridge is set to run at 2deg. It will go to 4 then the compressor will kick in to pull it back to set temp. It has NEVER gone below the setting. Yesterday it was sitting at 1!
Even last night it stayed at 2 with no increase through the night. There was no frost on our car though so guessing it was around -1 but with a mean and nasty wind.
An uneventful drive to here. Got a call from Glynn that one of our hot water pipes burst during the night - water everywhere!!! Their holiday home turned into a boot camp!
We opted to stay in a chalet tonight and eat at the lodge. Tired of being cold!
Chalets are nicely furnished and air conditioned!
Even last night it stayed at 2 with no increase through the night. There was no frost on our car though so guessing it was around -1 but with a mean and nasty wind.
An uneventful drive to here. Got a call from Glynn that one of our hot water pipes burst during the night - water everywhere!!! Their holiday home turned into a boot camp!
We opted to stay in a chalet tonight and eat at the lodge. Tired of being cold!
Chalets are nicely furnished and air conditioned!
Friday, June 6, 2014
30 Bots/Nam Nossob 6/6/14
That cold front hit us with a vengeance. -5 deg at 6am. Single sequence lion roar at 4:30 followed by a chorus of jackal.
Sparkling frost on Brutus' bonnet and our chairs.
Took a call to switch out tonight's booking at Nossob to Twee Rivieren to lighten the travel load for the homeward stretch plus nothing much seems to be happening around Nossob. The journey started off with promise with a distant sighting of a scuffling honey badger.
From that point the grueling 160kms vehicle rattling trip began. Very tedious. Said tedium broken only by a Gymnogene (African Harrier Hawk) at a waterhole, a breakfast of bacon eggs at an unfenced picnic spot ...
... A Secretary bird in flight
... Two sated hyenas soaking up the sun's rays to thaw out the effects of -5 deg.
A few largish groups of Bat Eared Foxes, very skittish.
Haughty stare from a jackal
The roads around Nossob are badly eroded by the passage of time and many vehicles. The road is therefore, low and it is difficult to see much over the high grassy verge. The last 50km stretch was much better and yielded most of above pics.
It's now 6pm and very chilly. I am posting this while sitting in the car - warmest place.
Sparkling frost on Brutus' bonnet and our chairs.
Took a call to switch out tonight's booking at Nossob to Twee Rivieren to lighten the travel load for the homeward stretch plus nothing much seems to be happening around Nossob. The journey started off with promise with a distant sighting of a scuffling honey badger.
From that point the grueling 160kms vehicle rattling trip began. Very tedious. Said tedium broken only by a Gymnogene (African Harrier Hawk) at a waterhole, a breakfast of bacon eggs at an unfenced picnic spot ...
... A Secretary bird in flight
... Two sated hyenas soaking up the sun's rays to thaw out the effects of -5 deg.
A few largish groups of Bat Eared Foxes, very skittish.
Haughty stare from a jackal
The roads around Nossob are badly eroded by the passage of time and many vehicles. The road is therefore, low and it is difficult to see much over the high grassy verge. The last 50km stretch was much better and yielded most of above pics.
It's now 6pm and very chilly. I am posting this while sitting in the car - warmest place.
29 Bots/Nam Nossob 5/6/14
My cell had adopted Nam time so I was really confused when I awoke at sunrise and the cell said it was 6am. From sunrise, however, I knew it had to be 7. The cold front is here and plenty of cloud cover. Does make for beautiful scenes, though.
First sighting was a pair of Bateleurs building their nest.
Each game reserve trip we have experienced has had its own prevalent sighting experience, be it jackal, cheetah, raptors, etc. This trip seems to be all about mice and rats. Two more for the collection (we saw loads, these were the two we stopped for).
Missed getting a photo of a pair of cheetah crossing the road and into the thick growth. Brief visual through windscreen.
Lanner Falcon
Pearl Spotted Owlet back at camp.
Just heard that lion made a kill (springbuck) at Mata Mata camp fence last night.
First sighting was a pair of Bateleurs building their nest.
Each game reserve trip we have experienced has had its own prevalent sighting experience, be it jackal, cheetah, raptors, etc. This trip seems to be all about mice and rats. Two more for the collection (we saw loads, these were the two we stopped for).
Missed getting a photo of a pair of cheetah crossing the road and into the thick growth. Brief visual through windscreen.
Lanner Falcon
Pearl Spotted Owlet back at camp.
Just heard that lion made a kill (springbuck) at Mata Mata camp fence last night.
28 Bots/Nam Nossob 4/6
Huge herd of Springbuck just outside Mata Mata.
Faith in Mata Mata restored: two separate cheetah sightings, one near Sitzas, the other, a pair, at 14th.
Also, a lot of jackal around.
The dune road was bone rattlingly badly corrugated for first and last 12kms of the 53km stretch. Once on the Nossob road (approx 60kms) the going was slightly, but only slightly, smoother. Mata Mata road is like a tar road in comparison. It was a very trying trip today. Besides the corrugation it was hot and dusy. (Remember, our aircon is foinked!)
Spent a quiet afternoon catching up on some lost sleep.
Patrick and Chantelle, our new neighbours, got engaged today, on her birthday.
Barney was calling repeatedly - his call could be likened to a gentler version of chalk scratching on a blackboard, a strange sound for an owl. He didn't seem to mind posing for his photo
Cold front coming in. Lion roaring constantly around us. We went to bed around 9:30ish and lay there listening to them for ages. Eventually, one of them came really close. We debated going down to waterhole but were too snug in bed. Found out in the morning that he lurked in the shadows and went under the hide so no one had a clear view.
Faith in Mata Mata restored: two separate cheetah sightings, one near Sitzas, the other, a pair, at 14th.
Also, a lot of jackal around.
The dune road was bone rattlingly badly corrugated for first and last 12kms of the 53km stretch. Once on the Nossob road (approx 60kms) the going was slightly, but only slightly, smoother. Mata Mata road is like a tar road in comparison. It was a very trying trip today. Besides the corrugation it was hot and dusy. (Remember, our aircon is foinked!)
Spent a quiet afternoon catching up on some lost sleep.
Patrick and Chantelle, our new neighbours, got engaged today, on her birthday.
Barney was calling repeatedly - his call could be likened to a gentler version of chalk scratching on a blackboard, a strange sound for an owl. He didn't seem to mind posing for his photo
Cold front coming in. Lion roaring constantly around us. We went to bed around 9:30ish and lay there listening to them for ages. Eventually, one of them came really close. We debated going down to waterhole but were too snug in bed. Found out in the morning that he lurked in the shadows and went under the hide so no one had a clear view.
27 Bots/Nam Mata Mata 3/6/14
Cold this morning. Lion roar around 6ish. Out the gate at 7:40
There were two jackal about 5 km outside camp, curled up in the sun on the road. Suspect they're our two scroungers.
Just past them was this lion, probably the source of the roaring. He looks very thin and given the paling of his mane, I suspect he's a deposed male.
Yellow mongoose visiting again
Golden Tailed Woodpecker
Southern White Crowned Shrike eating an ant
A small herd of Gnu warily came to drink water and were startled by a car door slamming
Starting to believe I'm jinxed. I was chatting up a handsome crow and he promptly went and raided a nest, killing a fledgling. As for the tree rats I've been admiring so much (there were, past tense, at least two of them), one fell out of the tree, just after I'd commented how agile they were, and landed about 30cm in front of me. He died! (Don't forget my earlier post about the lizard I was admiring that promptly got scoffed by a bird!)
Early evening the previously reported lion appeared outside the fence, chuffing. Lovely to see him mobile but disconcerting that he appeared to be looking for scraps.
We sat chatting to Manie and toodled off to bed around 10ish. I lay awake listening to at least two lion roaring a way off. A jackal starting calling into the night and, at 11pm, all hell broke loose. At least two lion started roaring, chuffing and snarling about 50m away from us. This magnificent stereo audio went on for about 30 minutes, then they moved off, their roaring getting fainter, 'till eventually peace and quiet prevailed. What a rush. Not sure if the conqueror of the Mata Mata pride was chasing the vanquished further off his newly won territory or maybe the vanquished was attempting to reclaim his title ... Took me ages to fall asleep ...
There were two jackal about 5 km outside camp, curled up in the sun on the road. Suspect they're our two scroungers.
Just past them was this lion, probably the source of the roaring. He looks very thin and given the paling of his mane, I suspect he's a deposed male.
Yellow mongoose visiting again
Golden Tailed Woodpecker
Southern White Crowned Shrike eating an ant
A small herd of Gnu warily came to drink water and were startled by a car door slamming
Starting to believe I'm jinxed. I was chatting up a handsome crow and he promptly went and raided a nest, killing a fledgling. As for the tree rats I've been admiring so much (there were, past tense, at least two of them), one fell out of the tree, just after I'd commented how agile they were, and landed about 30cm in front of me. He died! (Don't forget my earlier post about the lizard I was admiring that promptly got scoffed by a bird!)
Early evening the previously reported lion appeared outside the fence, chuffing. Lovely to see him mobile but disconcerting that he appeared to be looking for scraps.
We sat chatting to Manie and toodled off to bed around 10ish. I lay awake listening to at least two lion roaring a way off. A jackal starting calling into the night and, at 11pm, all hell broke loose. At least two lion started roaring, chuffing and snarling about 50m away from us. This magnificent stereo audio went on for about 30 minutes, then they moved off, their roaring getting fainter, 'till eventually peace and quiet prevailed. What a rush. Not sure if the conqueror of the Mata Mata pride was chasing the vanquished further off his newly won territory or maybe the vanquished was attempting to reclaim his title ... Took me ages to fall asleep ...
25-26 Bots/Nam Mata Mata 1/6 - 2/6/14
1/6
Another nocturnal visitor (remember Senyati)
Cows have moved on so heard jackal. Slept much warmer last night and only left for drive at 8:30. Didn't seem to make much difference, cats are not to be seen.
Still good though.
Watched a pretty little lizard hot footing it across the sand. Was debating whether to get camera when a white browed sparrow weaver put paid to lizard.
Couple of yellow mongoose posing in the shadows.
2/6
Colder again last night. Lion roaring around 4:30. Moved onto neighbour's site as soon as they vacated (closer to fence - uninterrupted view of waterhole).
Morning drive proved cats are still elusive. Even jackal are shy this trip. Have only seen the two scoundrels scrounging outside camp fence. Oh, did have a sighting of 3 pairs of pointy ears in the long grass but that's it.
Our first sighting of a live eland in Kgalagadi, have only seen desiccated carcasses before.
Mating ritual, displaying then rejection and flying off with present. Subsequently sat on branch, alone and scoffed it.
Met Jim & Ady and chatted around the fire.
Another nocturnal visitor (remember Senyati)
Cows have moved on so heard jackal. Slept much warmer last night and only left for drive at 8:30. Didn't seem to make much difference, cats are not to be seen.
Still good though.
Watched a pretty little lizard hot footing it across the sand. Was debating whether to get camera when a white browed sparrow weaver put paid to lizard.
Couple of yellow mongoose posing in the shadows.
2/6
Colder again last night. Lion roaring around 4:30. Moved onto neighbour's site as soon as they vacated (closer to fence - uninterrupted view of waterhole).
Morning drive proved cats are still elusive. Even jackal are shy this trip. Have only seen the two scoundrels scrounging outside camp fence. Oh, did have a sighting of 3 pairs of pointy ears in the long grass but that's it.
Our first sighting of a live eland in Kgalagadi, have only seen desiccated carcasses before.
Mating ritual, displaying then rejection and flying off with present. Subsequently sat on branch, alone and scoffed it.
Met Jim & Ady and chatted around the fire.
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