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  • Misadventures Of Wanda

This is not a holiday!!

Join us as we travel back to South Africa to move our car from Cape Town to Pretoria exploring along the way Leia mais
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    🇿🇦 Mbombela, South Africa
    Misadventures Of WandaThis is not a holiday!!Misadventures Of Wanda

    Berg en Dahl Camp

    23 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    I was up at 4:45am, today was moving day and I wanted an early start so we had a quick cup of coffee and then started loading the car with the food and bedding we had taken out yesterday and trying to avoid the baboons at the same time.
    We left Tamboti tented camp at 5:45am and I thought it was around 150km to an unknown camp down in the far south west of the Kruger called Berg en Dahl we had booked into and I thought it would take around 3 hours. Somehow even looking at the map and adding up the distances and doing the speed limit of 50kph this worked out wrong and it was a slow and tedious journey of 6 hours at 50kph ( that’s 30mph). Five and a half hours in we came across 2 prides of lions. We were so tired we didn’t really stop at either.
    We checked into Berg en Dahl at midday and luckily being a Sunday lots of people had left and we found a beautiful fence line site overlooking the dry riverbed. We are right on a corner and can see across and down the river it’s one of the best pitches here.
    Berg en Dahl is probably the most family friendly of all the camps situated close to the Malalane gate and hosting the biggest swimming pool in the Kruger with a toddler pool off to the side. At reception it has an interpretation centre all about the black and white rhino in this area and it’s one of the only camps that has a dedicated nature trail in it.
    The temperature was 35°c whilst pitching and it was hot and humid so as soon as we finished pitching up we went to cool off in the pool. Then we went back to camp and had a nap.
    After a quick nap Ellie wanted to go to the rhino centre so we walked back to reception and read all about the rhino it was quite fascinating. Everybody thinks that it’s the Chinese that are after the rhino horn as an affrodisiac but this is only a small part of the problem. The final destination for most rhino horn is actually Yemen where they use it to make handles for there daggers. Since the price of oil has gone up and more yemenese have got wealthier rhino horn daggers have become a booming business. Rhino horn is more valuable than gold.
    The rhino horn is not a horn at all but is composed of compressed, fibrous keratin, the same substance that forms hooves, hair, and fingernails. The fibres of the horn are packed together so tightly that the end result is an extremely hard horn that can poke a hole through a car door! Rhino horns do not have a spongy centre like other animal's horns. When horns are broken or torn off they can grow back. Horns are quite heavy and an average black rhino may carry about 3.6kg/ 8 Ibs. of horn on its face!
    Rhinos have 24-34 teeth, depending on the species. They have 12-14 pairs of molars and the Asian species also have incisors. Sumatran rhinos are the only rhino species that have a cone-shaped canine tooth on each side of their lower jaw, which are probably used for fighting. The molars are designed for grinding up vegetation. These teeth have folds in the enamel surface. As they wear down they form ridges which help cut tough vegetation.
    The horn grows off a large bony mass called a boss. The occipital region towards the back of the skull is long and deep. This area provides a large and firm attachment for the huge neck muscles needed to hold up the heavy head.
    All rhinos have three toes on each foot, but most of the weight is born by the large centre toe. The sole of the foot is a hard, rubbery pad. Rhinos can gallop for short distances at speeds of 40-50 km/h.
    A rhino's skin is between 12 and 15 cm thick, Different species display different fold patterns. The skin of white and black rhinos looks crinkly and leathery, but feels soft Indian rhinos' skin folds across its shoulders, the top of its rump, and ogain at the base of its tail, There is a partial foid near the neck and knobbly bumps all over its body.
    After the interpretation centre we went back to camp eating ice creams and spotting a tiny tortoise and I found the biggest moth we had ever seen, then we sat at the fence line watching impala and bushbuck for the rest of the day.    Leia mais

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  • Misadventures Of WandaThis is not a holiday!!Misadventures Of Wanda

    Tamboti Tented Camp

    22 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We were up at 4:30am. A few cars had just left but I didn’t see much point in going out before the sun was up because we wouldn’t be able to take photos the only reason we were up at this time was because today is our last day at Maroela and we are moving. I think this camp has become our favourite. We’ve had good neighbours for the most part, the hyena have stayed with us nearly 24/7, it’s quiet and clean and seems very chilled unlike other camps. By 9pm most people are in bed.
    We left camp just before 6am and got off the dirt track that leads to Maroela and down 500 meters of tar road and there was our first road block. It was the wild dogs and this time they weren’t sleeping. A few were just standing at the side of the road and then they all started to walk towards us. Everybody else in the queue was facing the other way as they had come from Satara Camp and as the dogs walked past the car I turned around and joined the queue. I could see they wanted to move across the grassland so I overtook all the other cars and turned right back towards camp and slowly drove down the gravel track. We could just see them coming across the plain and we passed a small group of Impala.
    Just as we passed the Impala the wild dogs saw them, the impala barked an alarm and then took off. The wild dogs instantly went into chase mode. Only food runs!!
    The wild dogs looked just like any other dog chasing a deer but the dynamics were different. As soon as the chase started there was 3-4 dogs chasing the impala. Then there were other dogs that run out to the sides diagonally. This is to flank the impala if they change direction. The dynamics were unbelievable to watch. It’s like a well oiled machine of communication but there’s no words. Wherever a dog is when the chase starts it knows what it has to do in that position.
    We spent about 30 minutes watching and following the wild dogs and 1 hyena and unfortunately this time they didn’t get breakfast. It had been a very exciting morning and it wasn’t even 7 o Clock.
    We made our way to Satara and as we got closer the herds thinned out and there wasn’t much to see. At Satara we grabbed coffees to go and made our way back to Maroela.
    Half way back I looked across the veld and suddenly saw 3 rhino in the bushes. This is super rare for this area and something we haven’t seen before.
    Back at camp we had breakfast and then packed up. It was now 12pm and we took a very slow drive to Orpen camp to see if they would let us have the keys to our safari tent.
    Luckily for us the lady on the reception was feeling generous and let us check in early and she gave us the keys to safari tent 19, then we made our way back towards Maroela turning right 400 meters before the camp and driving another kilometre down and over a cattle grid and into the Tamboti tented camp.
    Tamboti tented camp is safari tents and we took a look around it the other day and saw lots of bushbuck in the camp itself, so for an extra £7 we decided to have one night here out of the trailer.
    The tent itself was basic, but spacious with 4 beds inside and a small table. On the outside is a big covered veranda with 4 chairs around a small table. There is also a 6 foot cage with double doors, one door has a fridge freezer in and the other has shelves to keep pantry stuff and cooking stuff. We brought up the food we needed for the night and the cups and kettle and then went off to the shared ablutions for showers. Then we chilled on the veranda for the afternoon where I found a giant African land Snail and also some empty bug exoskeletons and after googling what they were we found out they were cicada.
    Once dinner was done we went and done the washing up and watched the baby vultures in the trees calling for their mums.
    Then when it got dark we set the trap camera in the hole we’d catch a honey badger on camera overnight.    Leia mais

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  • Misadventures Of WandaThis is not a holiday!!Misadventures Of Wanda

    Maroela Rest Camp Day 8

    21 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Today we were up at 6am but the hyena had tried getting us up earlier with a lot of whooping right next to the tent. We had decided not to do a game drive but head back to Hoodspruit instead and get some shopping after yesterdays quiet day.
    We left camp at 8:30am and didn’t see much on the way to Orpen gate. I refilled our tyres back upto pressure at the petrol station on the exit gate and then it was a 70 kilometre drive to Hoodspruit.
    Our first stop of the day was the Midas store for cars where we tried getting 2 more gas struts for the back of the car and after fitting 2 and realising they didn’t work which took 30 minutes we finally went to the spar.
    In the Spar we got fresh produce and enough meat for 5 days of dinners. Then it was back in the car and to the petrol station to get diesel before heading home.
    We got back to camp at 12:30pm and had a short chat with our older neighbours Henny and Mimpy. Some of the South Africa names are weird. The guy on the exit gate is called Silence and the guy in the office is called Comfort.
    We were going to have a quick nap but new people were coming in and one pitched up right next to us and made a lot of noise setting up so we just chilled for the afternoon.
    The hyena were scarce today until much later in the day when 2 walked past and they had big fat bellies. They had obviously eaten well last night and that’s what all the calling was about first thing this morning.
    For dinner I did the best burgers that any restaurant would have charged a fortune for and after washing up we sat and watched a great sunset and at 7:30pm we went in for the night to watch TV.    Leia mais

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    Maroela rest camp day 7

    20 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We had decided to get up later today as we hadn’t been seeing much really early and we left camp after coffees and Ellie had, had breakfast around 7:30am.
    Herd animals were plentiful this morning which gave us hope of seeing predators but it was all quiet. Our best sighting was of a fish eagle sitting in a tree at eye level over the river.
    I had hoped to see leopard on the Timbavati river road to the picnic sight and drove the gravel track incredibly slowly looking in every tree and in the long grass but there was nothing and I reached the picnic sight at 9:30am grumpy.
    We drove back the same route because I didn’t want to take the risk of driving all the way to Satara and not see anything and we encountered a big herd of buffalo and quite a few elephants but still no predators.
    We got back to camp to find that even the hyena had deserted us for the day. We’d have to settle for looking at a dry river bed for the day.
    After a nap at 12:30pm we just sat in camp and it was void of all wildlife out in the riverbed. We had to settle for the woodland kingfishers and the tree squirrels. It was the quietest animal day we’d had for a very long time.
    At 4pm our lack of animals changed when an elephant came strolling by the fence line and just as he passed us he gave a very low rumble and then another elephant appeared on the opposite bank. They met up in the middle before moving off.
    At dinner time 3 hyena came by and then wandered off over the other side and up the bank and into the bush. Then it was all quiet for the night until we went in at 7pm.    Leia mais

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    Maroela Rest Camp Day 6

    19 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We had decided yesterday not to get up at the crack of dawn as we hadn’t been seeing much really early do today I got up at 5:15am, made coffees and we left with our bag of washing to do at Satara at 6am and just as we were leaving camp Mike the ranger was coming in. He gave us a big wave as he passed then he realised who we were and we both stopped and reversed upto each other.
    “Good morning” he said “ what do you want to see?”
    I immediately said “ leopard”
    “ oh, your not interested in wild dog then?” He replied
    “ I’m always interested in wild dogs”
    He told us to turn left at the tar road, don’t stop at the big herd of elephants and just before you get to the kingfisher ranger road the wild dogs are at the side of the road sleeping and there’s not many cars.
    We thanked him and done the speed limit of 50kph. We saw the huge herd of elephant it was massive and we would have stopped as it was so big but with our new information we continued and as we rounded a bend there were 4 cars queued up in the left with 8 wild dogs sleeping on the right hand side. It’s always incredible to see wild dogs and they behave so much like domestic dogs that live together.
    We stayed at the wild dogs for 10 minutes until game vehicles started to come and then we moved on, our mission today was to get the washing done. As we approached the S36 gravel road crossroads we looked across at where we saw the hyena a couple of days ago and there were some out and as we got closer we saw it was 2 mothers with their pups suckling. It was a lucky spot.
    From the hyena we drove to Satara camp and got change from reception and put in 2 loads of washing. Then we went to the restaurant and had toasties for breakfast before retrieving our clean clothes. The washing was done and we’d seen wild dogs and hyena and had breakfast all by 9am.
    From Satara I turned left out of the gate to take the gravel road home but it was still closed so we had to double back and at Satara camp we turned left again taking the river road as far as we could before turning right and crossing the river. I was looking for leopard which we didn’t find but we did find big herds of animals with lots of babies especially the impala. This route took roughly 2 hours and once we got to tarmac again it took us 30 minutes to reach Satara and then another hour to reach our camp. We finally got home at 1:45pm and we were both knackered and annoyingly a Swiss camper has squeezed it’s way into the gap between us and our neighbours even though there are hundreds of spots and they have met up with friends and are talking very loudly so a quick nap was out of the question even with earphones in.
    We sat around camp with 2 hyena just the other side of the fence watching us for the rest of the day and at 4pm I lit the Braai and cooked Wors with veg and relish and we were done by 6pm.    Leia mais

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    Maroela Rest camp day 5

    18 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    I was up at 4:30am making coffees. The rain had stopped and it looked like it was going to be a lovely day and I wanted to get going.
    The hyena had woken us up at silly o clock because they had been hunting and I thought other predators might have been out.
    Just as we were leaving the monkeys came back into camp. We’d already locked everything away but it’s the destruction they can cause and just as we were debating staying Mike the ranger turned up and they scarpered. They were so scared of him and we then felt happy leaving.
    Game viewing was sparse to say the least but halfway to Satara a ranger flew past us going towards our campsite with his hazards on and I made a joke saying Mike has had to call for backup. Little did I realise that was actually the truth.
    We grabbed coffees at Satara jumped back in the car and headed back to camp, that’s when we found out that Mike had, had problems with the monkeys aswell and called for backup and the car we saw heading there was a K9 protection unit. By the time we got there the action was all over, the dogs had chased the monkeys away and the camp was quiet.
    We got back to camp at 10:30am had a cup of tea and then went back to bed for an hour. When we got up we decided to take the awning sides and storm tarp down to clean them and put them away. We are moving camps tomorrow and this will save time.
    By 2:30pm we were done and sitting out the front of the caravan we were joined by a male hyena just the other side of the fence. He spent all afternoon and evening with us. If we can’t get a fence line position at Satara camp we’re going to miss the hyena.
    At 4:30pm we had convinced ourselves into staying at Maroela camp and binning off Satara altogether. The only reason we needed to go to Satara was for the washing and different roads so we headed upto Orpen reception and changed our dates and the day before we are meant to leave this area we booked 1 night in a safari tent at the Tamboti camp next door.
    We went back to camp, had chicken salad for dinner and as it got dark we lit a small fire for ambience. Then at 8pm we went un for the night.    Leia mais

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    Maroela Rest Camp Day 4

    17 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    It stopped raining around 4am this morning and we had no plans for the day except to head to Satara camp and get meat from there butchery so we didn’t even get up until 5:30am.
    We had a couple of cofffees and around 6:45am we left for a game drive. I reckoned animals would be in the hunt because of all the rain. The hyena around camp last night looked hungry and agitated. We were first out of the gate because of the bad weather and once on the tarmac we took a slow drive to Satara avoiding all the African land snails on the road. We saw lots of waterbok on the way.
    At Satara camp we got hot drinks and changed our mind on shopping in the butchery and decided to head to the town of hoodspruit about 45 minutes outside of the Orpen gate and do a proper shop as the weather was so bad.
    On the return journey we spotted 4 game vehicles queued on the opposite side of the road and as I pulled up I looked out of my window to see a huge leopard laying in the grass eying up a herd of impala and we had a direct view. I parked up and grabbed my camera and started shooting just as she stood up and started stalking. One of the impala started barking a warning and they all looked and the leopard increased speed and looked like she wasn’t going to rush them but I think it was a mock charge to see if any split off and they didn’t. Then the leopard ducked down again and went behind a tree and belly crawled into the long grass and just like that she went invisible and nobody saw her again. The stealth was incredible to see.
    We made our way to Orpen gate, popped into reception to add a day stay to our camp in Maroela so we could dry out and then headed out and 3km down the road in the buffer zone there was a queue of cars. Instantly I said this must be lions and sure enough it was.
    A pride of 8 lions had brought down a giraffe and had already gorged themselves and were sleeping it off.
    We made our way to town and went into the spar and then went to refuel where the gas attendant pointed out we had a huge thorn in our back tyre so we then went to the tyre centre and got the tyre repaired. On the return journey we stopped at the lions again and this time 2 of them were ripping bits off the giraffe and the others were sleeping next to the road.
    Back at camp we had just got back and were unloading the car and as I went to close the boot a monkey ran into the awning and stole our rolls. We weren’t the only one’s in camp having monkey problems and before long there were 3 of us out with catapults trying to scare the monkeys off but having little effect. They are super clever. They know who is armed and who isn’t and they know if you go out the awning all they have to do is go under the caravan. They a total bastards.
    At 5pm a ranger came to sort out the monkeys and as soon as they saw him they ran off. He didn’t have to do anything. A couple of the campers were already complaining but we’re in their territory and what can you do? When we went to bed we were dreading going out in the morning incase the monkeys damaged the awning or the caravan.    Leia mais

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    Maroela Rest Camp Day 3

    16 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    We were woken up at 4:30am by car doors banging and the rain pouring down. Lots of people were leaving.
    I got up and made coffee and waited an hour before I finally took tea and biscuits into Ellie so she would get up.
    It was helling it down with rain and this was going to be set in until Tuesday, hence our storm tarp and sidewalls going on yesterday.
    At 6am we left to go on a wet game drive and made our way to Satara rest camp. It was interesting to see what was enjoying the rain and what wasn’t. The elephants seemed to love it with big herds strolling across the plains. All the wildebeest were stood with their backs to the weather and all the zebra were stood with their heads facing it. The impala were taking shelter under trees looking miserable.
    At Satara camp we had toasties for breakfast and hot drinks then out of Satara we turned left and then left again towards the timbavati picnic site. It was now gravel and mud for 70km and I engaged 4 wheel drive as we ploughed into the bush. Animals on the gravel roads seem to be scarce and now like a few other drivers in their 4x4’s we thought we’d have an off-road test.
    The trail rolled up and down and the further down the track we went the wetter it got and all the bottoms of the hills were flooding. Several times we ended up sliding sideways and slipping about but ghost found traction at the last minute. On we went ploughing through floods of water completely submerging us until finally we popped back out on the H7 tar road and we made our way back to camp.
    The trailer was faring well with all the water being diverted off the roof and walls and we made a cup of tea and went back to bed for an hour until it rained so hard we got back up at 12:30pm.
    It was damp, and it felt cold at just 19°c and it was now so wet outside the birds and squirrels were now taking shelter with us in the awning. The monkey tried but after stealing a bag of pasta from our kitchen yesterday while I popped to get something from the car that little bastard can stay outside and get wet.
    We had a cup of tea outside and then went back inside to watch tv for a couple of hours until 4:30pm when I could finally light a Braai. I brought the charcoal chimney and Braai stand under the awning and lit it in the doorway and once the chimney was hot enough I tipped the charcoal into the Braai and we sat around it to keep warm until I started cooking. We had Wors and mash with vegetables and once that was done we paddled over to the washing up area where there were lots of people taking shelter from the weather and trying to dry stuff out. Lots of people had been flooded out.
    After washing up we went back to camp and made a cup of tea and sat around the Braai keeping warm until bedtime.    Leia mais

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    Maroela Rest Camp Day 2

    15 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We were up at 4:15am and out of the gate at first light at 5am. Today we were going to take a recommended route for seeing cheetah and leopard.
    We left camp and turned left again heading towards Satara and half way there we turned right onto the S36 gravel road.
    Yesterday evening I let some air out of the tyres and it was a good thing I did because the gravel track was unbelievably corrugated. We hardly saw anything all the way to the picnic site where we stopped for a nature break and then turned back on ourselves for a kilometre before turning right again onto the S23.
    This road now followed the river and for the first half we didn’t see anything but as we approached the waterholes more herd animals started appearing including waterbok and elephant. Still there were no leopards and we searched every tree and every rock.
    By the time we reached the Tar road again it was 9am and we were done. We’d gone bushblind from searching the bush so hard and we were tired and hungry.
    We went to Satara and to the Cattle Baron takeaway and ordered a wrap and a pizza to go along with 2 coffees. As today is Saturday it was already filling up with day visitors and we had 6 game vehicles parked next to us when we left.
    From Satara we headed back down the H7 tar road to Orpen and our campsite spotting just a few herd animals on the way and a pregnant Hyena heading into a storm drain for the day.
    We got back to camp at 11am and I was disappointed at what we had seen and really disappointed I hadn’t seen a leopard but we have had excellent sightings on this trip so I can’t complain too much.
    Back at camp Ellie had a nap and then we pulled the storm tarp over the roof and pegged it down. We chilled for the rest of the afternoon and after our Braai we put the sidewalls on the awning. Bad weather is expected over night and we are now prepared.    Leia mais

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    Maroela Rest Camp

    14 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    We were awake at 4:30am. This is what time the gate from camp was open and as I made coffees the first couple of cars were leaving. We had already decided not to rush as sunrise wasn’t until 4:50am and daylight at 5am. Neither of us want to see animals in the dark and not be able to get photographs.
    We left camp just after 5am and took the gravel road upto the S100 tar road and turned left heading to Satara rest camp. Out of all the places we have been in South Africa this road had yielded the most sightings of wildlife.
    It was quiet this morning with hardly any cars which is unusual but we have never been here this time of year. The landscape now looks totally dry with only a few centimetres of grass and we could see all the way through the bush. We had never seen it so baron.
    Our first major sighting was 10km up the road where we encountered 2 hyena walking down the road straight towards us. They then stopped right next to the car and I had to change lenses to shoot them.
    Then just 2 kilometres from that sighting we saw 4-5 cars queuing down a gravel track and as I turned into the track we saw a whole pack of hyena including pups right outside a den they had made at a storm drain. They were all tusling with each other under a bush and doing zoomies it was very special to watch.
    From the hyena we continued towards Satara passing 4 cars lined up along the road side watching 3 lions in the distance.
    Once we got to Satara we had a breakfast which took 90 minutes and then we turned around and headed back to camp.
    Just as we got into camp at 11:30am my phone pinged twice. The first message was from Pete saying he should be able to meet us in Marloth park. The second message was a severe weather alert for Sunday and Monday for our area.
    I was worried about how our power would do if there would be no sun so I managed to use our old broken power lead and wire it into our good power lead which then gave us an extra 10 meters of length. More than enough to get to the power station. I felt very smug but resourceful and it cost us nothing.
    We stayed at camp for the rest of the day. Yesterday had taken quite a lot out of us and we had got up at 4:30am and done 6 hours of game driving. We had a nap and just chilled at camp until it was Braai lighting time and I made burgers.
    The hyena returned late afternoon and as we settled in for the night the whooping started.    Leia mais

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    The Journey to the Kruger

    13 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C

    I was awake at 4:30am and out the caravan by 4:40am. I was the first person up, it was still dark and a herd of impala were stood behind the car watching me as I made coffee.
    I made coffees and Ellie came out while I made my second and I was already pulling pegs and removing our awning supports today was moving day and it was the biggest drive of the trip.
    By 5:45am we were hitched and ready to go and we were so early we had to wait for security to turn up and open the gate for us at 6am.
    Our first half the journey was 360km and we got held up at 3 lots of roadworks having to wait 15 minutes at each set which was a total nightmare by the third set. After that it was a straight run, through Bella Bella and onto the N1 motorway where we picked up speed to 120kph.
    360km translates to 220 miles and our rest stop was the outdoor warehouse at the mall of the north in Polokwane, here we got a handheld compass and a tin of waterproofing for the tent canvas. We stopped for 20 minutes eating our rolls Ellie had made in the morning and then we refuelled at the shell garage before continuing.
    I programmed in our final destination of Maroela Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park. It was another 320 kilometres and now it was all rural roads but we averaged 100kph for most of the journey taking 10 minutes off Tomtoms predicted time and arriving at 1:40pm we had travelled 418 miles in total. The biggest journey of this trip and the biggest drive we had done for a very long time.
    We checked in at the Orpen rest camp and then drove to Maroela. Maroela is a satellite bush camp 2km from Orpen. Ellie opened the gates and to our astonishment it was almost empty so we parked up and wandered the campsite looking for a good pitch and boy did we find one. Right against the fence line with not 1, not 2 but 3 hyena!!
    We dropped the trailer and popped the top and our bedroom. It was 37°c in the shade and because we had been in an air conditioned car for 8 hours, outside felt like the surface of the sun. I then spent 40 minutes painting our canvas with weatherseal before putting the awning out to give us some shade. I then realised I had parked the trailer 3 foot too far away from the electric point for our lead to reach. Atleast we have solar.
    We were both knackered and I opened some beers and we both sat and watched as the hyena prowled the fence line. They looked quite cuddly until dinner time and as the sun went down the hyena got more active and started whooping. Now they looked like they meant business. Luckily we are in our own cage with the animals on the other side. It’s day one in the Kruger and we’re already loving this camp. We were in bed by 7:30pm totally exhausted.    Leia mais

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    Marakele National Park

    12 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    I was awake at 5am. The lady at reception yesterday had said the wilder animal side was open from 6am to 6pm and I wondered how many people would be doing a game drive.
    I got up and out of the caravan at 5:15am and I was surrounded by birders pointing in the trees and taking photos. Birders have their own moral code which means they can go anywhere or Point there cameras anywhere even if this means infringing on your privacy or camp.
    We had a couple of coffees and at 6am the rush to get to the gate wasn’t there. Nobody moved so at 6:10am we decided to go. It was our first time here and we soon found out why nobody was in a rush. The vegetation was so thick you wouldn’t be able to see anything unless it crossed the road.
    We passed through the subway and got to the electric gates where wilder animals are supposed to be, pressed the button and drove in and what greeted us?
    A rhino, then another and then another. It was a family and we stopped to let them do what they wanted for 10 minutes until they cleared the road.
    The vegetation inside this section was even thicker and we set off towards the cape vulture viewing site.
    We saw another rhino on the way as he was walking down the road and we followed him for a good kilometre until he slid off into a small clearing and we could get photos.
    Then the road started going uphill and it climbed higher and higher and got tighter and tighter as went around hairpin bends and switchbacks. There were no barriers just a shear drop to your doom and this single track was the only way up and down.
    After driving in first and second gear at 20 kph for an hour we finally reached the viewpoint. Marakele boasts the second largest cape vulture colony in the world. There wasn’t really a car park at the top more just enough space for 3 cars and if that was full you would have trouble turning around and we were the second car so we stopped for a Quick Look at the vultures who were miles away on another mountainside and then we made our way precariously down passing only one car on the descent but many more on the flat section in the main park so we were glad we went up there early.
    Back at ground level we saw yet another rhino before we got to the electric gate and once through there we made our way to the bird hide which was beautiful and overlooked a waterhole but it was void of people and wildlife.
    From there we decided to do one of the loop roads which just happened to be 4x4 only and high clearance as recent rain had completely killed the roads. All of the roads here are mud so when it does rain I can’t see anyone driving anywhere.
    We got back to camp at 11am, had toasties for breakfast and then had showers and climbed back into bed for a nap. Our day was practically over. Out of all the animals here we had seen Gnala, impala, wildebeest, 3 warthog and the 5 rhino. We also saw dwarf and banded mongoose. It is a very quiet park with beautiful scenery but to spot anything you had to be lucky with this bush veld.
    At 2:30pm we were joined in camp by an ostrich that we thought was going to attack the guy in the tent next door but luckily he woke up just in time and the ostrich then had it’s head in his ammo box which was full of crackers. Who knew that ostriches loved crackers.
    At 3pm we decided to head out of the park and down to Thabazimbi, our nearest town 15 mins away. Here we popped into a Midas car store and got a new gas strutt for our back door and we also popped into the spar to get extra food for tomorrow’s long journey.
    When we got back I lit the Braai and we cooked an award winning Wors from chequers which was amazing. I also cooked the last of yesterday’s steak so we had a proper meat fest.
    At 8pm we headed into the caravan for the night. Tomorrow is going to be a big day of driving.    Leia mais

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  • Misadventures Of WandaThis is not a holiday!!Misadventures Of Wanda

    The Drive to Marakele National Park

    11 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    It rained heavily overnight with a mega storm but we were safe under our storm tarp although the weather did wake us up in the early hours.
    I was up at 6am and it was still spitting. It was grey and cold.
    I made coffees and was joined soon after by Ellie and as it was so cold we started packing things away almost straight away and at 7:45am we were ready to leave.
    The map for Botsalano game reserve wasn’t really worth having as nothing lined up and all of the signage was sun damaged so navigating was a real nightmare and now we were trying to navigate on flooded tracks. I fortunately had the sense to engage 4 wheel drive at camp and it was a good job. There were some real tricky bits if deep water to get the through and I made the joke of saying the car made it feel it easy but then we got to the gate.
    It took us 45 minutes to get to the entrance and we had to turn right onto the gravel track that was now just a big wet sloppy mess and it just got worse and worse. Mud flew everywhere. All over the car, the windscreen was covered and so was the trailer. If we stopped we’d never have got started again and I did my best to keep the car straight and moving forward without sliding off the road. It was like this for 26km, we were so grateful when we got to tarmac.
    Our first stop was going to be Rustenberg Mall to do shopping and the whole 260km to it we were driving through black villages and townships. Neither of us knew whether it was safe or not there wasn’t a vibe either way.
    Then we got to Rustenberg mall which had a chequers supermarket and lots of designer shops but again it was completely black. We only saw 2 other white people in a mall the size of lakeside. Nobody gave us a second look but we just didn’t feel comfortable and didn’t know if it was safe, do we hurried around chequers and to a pharmacy to get some anti inflammatory pills that the lady put in a cage so I couldn’t steal them and then back to the car.
    It was another 160km to our final stop at Marakele National park and the last hour of driving was a killer at just 40kph through20 kilometres of roadworks with speed humps every 500 meters.
    Finally at 3pm we arrived at Marakele National park and we were knackered. It had been a long drive but this park looks beautiful and is quiet. It’s divided into 2 sections of harmless animals roaming around our section and then there is a section with all of the animals including lions and wild dogs through another gated area. We will be checking that out tomorrow.    Leia mais

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    Botsalano Game Reserve Day 2

    10 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    We had a great nights sleep and woke up at 6am. I tried to stay in bed longer but couldn’t so I just got up made coffee and then Ellie joined me and we wandered down the road looking for footprints.
    After a couple of coffees I decided to fit our new lights on the outside of the trailer which didn’t take that long and while the glue was setting we decided to go for a game drive.
    We left camp at 8:30am and it’s creepy, daunting and a little scary knowing that nobody else is in this park and we have 26 square miles all to ourselves. If anything happens to us nobody would know for days.
    In this reserve there are kudu, impala, bushbuck, zebra, white rhino, jackal, giraffe and many other things that shouldn’t hurt us. There are no real predators and the reserve is mainly for breeding antelope to supply other reserves and for white rhino breeding.
    We were primarily looking for the rhino on our game drive but we decided to check out the other camp sites and the first one we found in the centre of the reserve was far nicer than ours but wouldn’t have been as private if the reserve was busy. It also had water in its JoJo tank.
    We drove on and the next campsite was a tented bush camp overlooking a huge lake. This looked like something out of a horror film as it was so run down and you could just see a bunch of teenagers getting slashed to pieces in the middle of the night so we didn’t stay there too long.
    We left the tented camp and continued animal spotting and about 200 meters outside of the tented camp we spotted something through the bush veld. I thought it was buffalo laying down but Ellie was looking closer and thought it was hartebeest. She looked through the binoculars but she couldn’t tell so I got out of the car and wandered into the clearing and it was covered in heads of wildebeest. There were a few legs here and there but no bodies mainly heads and I counted close to 100 and they were in various states of decay. It was super creepy and weird.
    Back in the car we continued our game drive spotting Blesbok, hartebeest, Dyker, impala and kudu, but no rhino. It took us hours going at a super slow pace only getting the car into second gear, but we had a real explore and decided that our camp was pretty good after all.
    Back at camp I fitted the last light, then fitted our new seat organisers and cleaned the inside of the car. We now have a lot more space for stuff in the car.
    This took us upto 4:30pm and we chilled for 30 minutes until we lit the Braai just after 5pm and I made burgers. We’d also gathered lots of wood on our game drive and just before it got dark we lit a big fire which kept us warm as it still wasn’t very warm with a top temperature today of just 22°c.    Leia mais

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    Botsalano Game Reserve

    9 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We were up at 6:30am and it didn’t take too long to pack up and we were on the road by 8:30am.
    We had a 360 kilometre drive to our next destination of Botsalano Game reserve and it was going to take us atleast 5 hours.
    Just out of red sands we dieseled up and the petrol station was obviously the place to be at 8:30am on Sunday morning as it was packed with black guys but not alot of cars. Some of the social culture out here is really weird. Then it was 100km to the town of Vryburg where we stopped at a big mall which was in a black area, and looked predominantly black and sketchy but there were a few whites wandering around so we thought it would be ok. We only needed snacks and ran into the superspar and got some hot food for brunch then we cruised the 260 remaining kilometres right upto the customs post at the Botswana border and turned right onto a very broken up tarmac road. Then we turned left onto sand and gravel for 15km before finally coming to Botsalano game reserve.
    A botswanan guard came out and let us in and then signed us in. We were staying at Signal hill bush camp and from the main entrance it was almost another hours drive.
    When we arrived there were some day visitors using the Braai and fire pit so which they shouldn’t have been so we had to wait for them to pack up and leave before we made camp.
    This place is super remote and it’s the furthest from civilisation we have been. There’s no fences, no electric and no water although there should have been water but we’ve got plenty.
    We pitched up and put the storm tarp on as it was black and cloudy but it didn’t rain and at 5:30pm we lit a big fire on the fire pit. Then I brought the kindle outside and the Bluetooth speaker and we watched tv in front of the fire until bedtime.    Leia mais

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    Red Sands Country Lodge

    8 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    I was woken at 5:10am by car doors closing. Normally I’d have been annoyed by this but today I was grateful. I wanted to be up and out of here by 6:30am if possible.
    I opened the caravan door and the middle of the campsite had a lake in it. People were up tipping water off of the awnings and tents so I was glad we’d put ours away.
    I got the chairs out the back of the car where we had stowed them to keep dry and then made coffees.
    After coffee we efficiently put everything away and even in the wet sand we could push the caravan 90° to be able to hook it up to the car, then at 6:20am we left Kgalagadi.
    Upington was our next destination and we got there at 9:20am after a 100 mile journey and our first stop was 4x4 mega world for some spare guy lined and pegs. Then we went to Midas, which is go to place for car stuff and got some new car seat organisers and various other bits. Then we went to the safari centre where we had a new awning rail fitted on the outside of the trailer for our new awning and picked up some new led lights. Then we went to the mall to get food shopping for 4 days.
    Our next stop was red sands country lodge, a place we had seen many times on YouTube and it took us nearly 4 hours to reach it on a journey of 264km. Even Ellie had a sleep on the way.
    We got to the lodge at 3:30pm, checked in where we were greeted with an iced roobois tea and alpacas roaming free. Ellie was in her element.
    We found our camp, quickly pitched up and then sorted our shopping out. 30 minutes after setting up we decided to put the storm tarpaulin on just incase as it was thundering. Then it was time to relax.
    At 6pm we had tea of chicken salad and then it was time to get cleaned up un the shower before bed.    Leia mais

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    Last day in the Kalahari

    7 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    The alarm went off at 4:45am and it woke us with a jump. We hadn’t slept well. When we went to bed it was windy so we closed all but my window and then the wind dropped off and it got stuffy.
    Surprisingly I was the first one up and out of the trailer and initially I thought I had the times wrong. Then I saw our mate in the land rover discovery was up and I knew I was right.
    We were in no hurry to get to the gate and left camp just after 5:30am and rolled through the gates at 5:37am taking a very slow drive of 20kph.
    We took 3 hours to drive to Kij Kij water hole using the Nossob road, where our young cape faces were just going in for the day but apart from that we only saw young goshawks eating something and the usual odd herd animal.
    We decided to just turn around and head back to camp there wasn’t a lot that was going to beat yesterdays sightings.
    Just after the 10km to go marker we came across a lady that told us there was a leopard in a tree just before the Mata Mata junction by the time we got there, there were already 5 cars and a game vehicle. We could just about see the leopard although it was surrounded by branches and foliage unless you could see straight up which nobody could so everybody stopped and queued waiting for it to jump down which wouldn’t be anytime soon. We waited about 30 minutes and then gave up. We were to far back and now there was atleast 20 cars and nobody had a clear view. It just wasn’t meant to be today.
    We returned to camp, had breakfast of ghostie toasties and while I washed up Ellie went and got a token for the washing machine and put our dirty clothes in. Then we compiled a short shopping list for tomorrow of the essentials before heading into the caravan for a nap before it got too hot.
    I got back up at 12:15pm and it was roasting, 37.2°c and rising. The heat was just bouncing off the sand and even the breeze felt like a hairdryer.
    We went to the swimming pool for an hour at 2:30pm and then at 4pm we decided to take our chances at seeing the leopard in the tree and hoped that she would come down, so we went on our final drive and 3km in there was the leopard and traffic was still building. We waited for 30 minutes and then decided to call it and turned around as the sky was getting very black and we returned to camp.
    Back at camp I cooked Wors with mash and relish while the sky got darker and lightning started flashing in the distance over Namibia.
    At 7pm we headed up to the hide again and the heat was just building. It just felt so humid. I said I wish it would rain to cool things down and 2 hours later as we were laying in bed my wish was granted.
    At first there were some really big gusts of wind and the thunder just cracked overhead and I suggested we put the awning away. By the time we had got our shoes on the first drops had started. I didn’t even bother taking the pegs out, I just loosened the guy lined and unhooked them and within 2 minutes we had the awning in it’s bag and zipped up as it started throwing it down.
    The trailer rocked and the sound was deafening as the thunder cracked and the roof was pelted with hailstones. Within minutes there was a river flowing through the middle of the campsite, it was an incredible display of nature.
    The rain lasted until 10:30pm by which time we were grateful to be able to get in bed thankful that not a lot of water got in this time.    Leia mais

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    Back to Twee Rivieren

    6 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    After all our packing up last night to have a little lay in this morning, Mr zips next door with his conqueror caravan was up at 4:30am dismantling his setup. His caravan must have been a zip it together caravan as there were more zips on there than we could count. While they were dismantling and draining the water off of there awning Ellie and I got our chairs out of the boot and drank coffee. Then we had another.
    I washed the cups up and said in 10 minutes I want us ready to leave. And we put the cooker and kettle away, closed the kitchen door, dropped our bed compartment on the front and lowered the roof. Then we hooked up and were ready within the 10 minutes. Mr Zips was still getting pegs out of the ground.
    We left Mata Mata at 5:37am. Earlier than I thought but we had missed the morning rush so we took a slow drive of 35kph.
    We stopped at the wildcats and got some shots of them playing as they were up and actually on the floor. Then we drove into every water hole and as just as we got to the 13th waterhole 3 cheetah walked across the pan to the waters edge. We couldn’t believe our luck as only one car was there and we got right next to the waterhole while the cheetah drank. These are once in a lifetime photo moments and we stayed for about 10 minutes just watching and photographing it really was unbelievable the time we had with them.
    After the cheetah we came across a spotted eagle owl in a low branch and just as we were about to leave we spotted its chicks on a lower branch in full view. Another special moment.
    After the owls I spotted a dust cloud being kicked up behind some long grass and saw some cape foxes but the grass was too high to get photos. For a transfer day we had, had probably our best sightings ever.
    We arrived at Twee Rivieren at 11:30am and within 30 minutes we’d pitched camp. Then we went and fueled the car up and then we went to the restaurant for brunch.
    After lunch we went to the shop and grabbed a Wors for tomorrows dinner and some fresh bread and once all that was done we decided to head to the pool as it was 38°c in the shade and 46°c in the sun.
    We got back to camp at 3pm and that’s where we stayed until 7:15pm when we took a walk to the hide the other side of camp. We didn’t see anything at the water hole but in the way back we saw our first scorpion and quite a few weird bugs.We got back to the caravan at 8:30pm and climbed into bed ready for our final kalahari game drive tomorrow.    Leia mais

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    Mata Mata Day 5

    5 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    I was awake 2 minutes before the alarm went off at 4:45am. I wasn’t in a rush to get going this morning I thought I’d let most people go first do we could drive slower do we left just after 5:30am.
    Just 10 kilometres down the road our 4 cheetah came up over a ridge top right next to us, The sun was just coming up so it was still a little dark for good photos but they were quite close and started to walk in the direction we had come from. Just as I went to turn around a land cruiser came steaming up the road ahead of us and drove straight past us and stopped blocking the road. I then had to move further down and did a U turn and came back but the Land Cruiser and his mate in a hilux were blocking the road and hogged the whole sighting. Even when the cheetah moved off they drove right next to them not letting anyone get past and nobody else could get pictures. There was a herd of giraffe nearby and they were going mad running about, and then big male stopped right in front of the cheetah to stand his ground and the cheetah just slowly walked by, It made for a great photo but I was annoyed with these Italian idiots hogging the best of the sighting.
    We turned around once the cheetah started heading across the pan and went to look for the African wildcats someone had told us about and we just got there and who should come charging up behind us? The land cruiser and his mate again. The land cruiser overtook us and then pulled right across in front of us while his mate sat on my bumper. Now we were hemmed in and couldn’t see that cats that we had found and they were taking photos.
    As soon as they moved I drove away hoping for some distance.
    At the next watering hole there was a big male lion sitting next to a bush with his back to us. I positioned the car to get photos if he came to drink and just as the land cruiser came down he got up and walked off.
    At the next watering hole there was a martial eagle on its nest with a chick. Just as we pulled up the land cruiser came charging up behind us and parked in front. We managed some photos and then we drove on to the picnic area and got there for 8:30am spotting 2 hyena in the distance just before we arrived.
    We are our breakfast and then made for camp stopping at every water hole on the way back. Without the idiots that had hindered us all morning I managed to get a shot of the martial eagle chick, then as we got closer to camp there were 2 cars blocking the road and in front of them at the edge of the road were the 4 cheetah.
    They were laying in the shade so no photos, but the car on the left moved forward and pulled up right next to them. I moved up next to the other car and he said I could go next so we slowly rolled forward and stopped just 3 feet from the cheetahs. I grabbed a couple of shots and then they got up and moved into the sun. It was an unbelievable sight, a mum and 3 cubs glistening in the sunlight walking across the pan.
    After the cheetah we stopped at the wildcat tree again and I managed a couple of shots of 1 wildcat while he had his eyes open.
    We got back to camp just after 11am and went straight to the shop to get water. It was already 36°c in the shade back at camp. I went for a cold shower while Ellie went for a nap and when I came out the toilets there was a huge dust devil spinning across the desert so j grabbed my phone and videoed it quickly. Nobody else in camp even noticed it.
    By 2pm it was 47°c in the sun and we decided to go out in the car to use the air conditioning. We got lucky almost straight out of the gate spotting 2 short toed eagles at the side of the road eating a bird. Then we saw the wildcats in the tree sleeping and then we got to the Craig Lockhart waterhole where we waited for a giraffe to drink but he just kept staring at something. We gave up waiting and slowly drove out of the waterhole area where we spotted a Gemsbok also staring in the same direction as the giraffe. Then I spotted it, 800 meters up the hillside and in the grass a black lump and a yellow lump. A male and female lion. It was a really good spot because everyone we told about it needed binoculars to see them.
    After that we turned around and made for camp as the clouds got darker and it looked like rain falling ahead.
    We got back to camp just after 5pm and people were already starting there Braai which meant they knew it was going to rain so I quickly got the charcoal chimney lit just as a huge crack of thunder went off overhead.
    We were lucky to have finished dinner and washed up and then we put the side bed away and the awning all before it rained. We are moving back to Twee Rivieren tomorrow and I wanted an early start and didn’t want a wet awning.
    Just as we got in the caravan to watch tv the rain started, nothing heavy but the thunder and lightning was really kicking off and we were glad to have everything away and out of the weather as we settled in for the night.    Leia mais

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    Mata Mata Day 4

    4 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Getting up at 4:45am was getting tedious now but we did want to have the best chance of seeing predators and at 5:30pm we rolled out of the gate. It doesn’t seem to matter the gap that you leave with because whatever cars are coming behind always think they are going to miss something if they don’t catch the car in front.
    15km down I was already being pushed along by a couple of muppets and I pulled off onto a little loop road to let them pass and just as we rejoined we saw 2 Jackal harassing a big male lion walking down the road right in front of us. We would have been first in the queue had I not pulled off and I was annoyed but the lead car pulled in front of the lion got there pictures and then drove off. The second car wasn’t quite so polite as he kept stopping and blocking the road but once he’d got his shots he did move on. Then it was our turn and Ellie was in the bag videoing while I was hanging out of the drivers window with my camera with a huge male lion right next to us. It was incredible.
    We moved in and drove the furthest down that we had ever been from Mata Mata and at the Nossob junction and picnic site we saw 3 hyena. This is where we turned around to head back and it was now 8:45am.
    We stopped at the 13th watering hole to eat breakfast and on the exit road we bumped into a guy that told us there were 2 cheetah up from the 14th watering hole so we put our foot down and drove there.
    We found the 2 cheetah males sheltering from the sun under a tree and we couldn’t really get good photos so we only stopped for a few minutes.
    Another 5 kilometres towards home there was a big queue of cars and they said it was the male lion up in a ridge. Now it was so far away it could have been a rock so we drove on glad we had left early to see it under a meter away. Then another 5 kilometres towards home there were more queueing cars and this time it was the 4 cheetah we had seen yesterday under a bush and miles away. Again we drove on as you couldn’t really see them.
    We got back to camp at 11am had a quick nap and then both had showers. It was so hot Ellie’s hair was almost completely dry by the time she got back to the caravan. 37°c in the shade with a wind so hot it feels like a hairdryer. Then we had ice creams before we moved our chairs to the shade and chilled in camp for the rest of the day.
    At 4pm I wanted to go back out to see if the cheetah would go to the nearby watering hole but Ellie didn’t want to so we stayed at camp and Ellie made a weird pasta curry for dinner around 5pm, then at 7pm we went to the shop to collect our fresh baked bread that was still hot and then we popped over to the hide when it got dark and we got eaten alive by midgys, then at 8:30pm we went back to the trailer to watch tv before bed.    Leia mais

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    Mata Mata Day 3

    3 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    We were up at 4:45am and this time we could here Cheetah Meowing at the fence line. Drinking coffee we were dreading another day like yesterday while Ellie made Tuna Mayonnaise sandwiches and packed a carrier bag with snacks.
    We left the camp just after 5:30am and we were probably 5th out of the gate. There didn’t seem to be as many going out first thing. The sun came up at 5:50am and it was slightly cloudy so we didn’t have the glare in our eyes which was good. 10km out we saw a big herd of giraffe crossing the road. Atleast today there was something to see.
    20km out we came to the Dalkeith watering hole and there was nothing at the edge so we drove past and then in the exit road of the waterhole there were 10 cars stacked in a line. I put my foot down and joined the back of what I thought was the queue and and we looked across the pan to see what everyone was looking at. We were so busy looking further away when the big male lion stood up 40 meters away it took us by surprise.
    It was a pride of seven lions, 1 male, 2 female and 4 big cubs. And they were on a Gemsbok. It had been killed probably an hour before we all got there. One of the females was sleeping it off away from the pride and 2 of the youngsters and a female were right by the kill and the male was still eating it. It was fascinating to watch him tearing it apart.
    Once they were done they all fell into a food coma while 2 Jackal stood close by barking. In the end the male lion picked up the 200kg dead Gemsbok and dragged it under the shade of the closest tree and put his paw in it and fell back asleep. The Jackal gave up waiting for a bit.
    We stayed with the lions for about 3 hours until they looked like they weren’t going to move again, then we turned around and headed for home.
    I decided to drive past the final watering hole before camp and then a little loop road and couldn’t believe it when we came across 4 cheetah taking shelter from the sun underneath a camel thorn tree about 50 meters away. We sat and watched them for about 30 minutes. The shade was very dark so pictures weren’t great.
    We got back to camp at midday and had coffees. Ellie had a quick nap and we decided we would head back out around 3pm to see if the cats were still about.
    We couldn’t wait until 3pm as we got bored so at 1:30pm we left camp and drove back to the cheetah to check if they were in the same place, which they were, then we drove back to the lions who had moved closer to the road except for the male who was still guarding the remains of the gemsbok a little further away. We got more photos of them closer and then at 3pm went back to the cheetah.
    Back at the cheetah we decided to wait for them to move. I thought the first thing they would do was go to the watering hole so we waited. 30 minutes went by, then an hour, then 90 minutes and we knew we couldn’t not wait as we’d invested to much time. Then just after 5pm they all got up and to our amazement the mother cheetah spotted 2 springbok around 400 meters away. Straight away she was alert and slowly started to walk towards them, the babies followed but as she got to the next lot of tree cover she silently told them to wait and she ducked down in full stalking mode. This was an unbelievable sighting.
    More cars started to pull up and we moved our position in between the mother cheetah and the springbok. There was a big clump of trees in between and I suspected she would try to get to there and then ambush them. She gradually crawled half way and then stopped. The springbok weren’t moving closer any more and she was stuck in no man’s land.
    We waited and waited and in the end she just sat up, then turned around collected her young and started towards the water hole. We now didn’t have time to go to the water hole and wait as it was 6:20pm but we’d had a great cheetah sighting.
    The wind really got up in the way back to camp and at 7pm when we got back it was a nightmare trying to light the charcoal but eventually the firelighters stayed lit and we had gemsbok Wors for dinner before heading in to bed at 8:30pm.    Leia mais

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    Mata Mata Day 2

    2 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    We were awoken at 3am by lions roaring close to camp. This was the first time we had heard them since we got here and it was exciting. They kept roaring and doing contact calls until 4:45am when it was time to get up anyway.
    After a couple of coffees we were 7th out of the gate just after 5:30am. There were the usual muppets behind us that got up late and then flew out of the gate wanting to overtake everyone and not spotting but waiting until whatever car was in front of them stopped to see something. Chancers profiting of everyonelses sightings.
    The sun came above the horizon at 5:50am and it was right in our eyes. Spotting was a nightmare and by 6:30am we hadn’t seen anything to note except a big herd of giraffe. 7am came and went and we drove around every waterhole and there was nothing. After 20 kilometres of driving we knew we weren’t going to see the lion that had been roaring. So we decided to stop for an hour at the 13th waterhole and only saw a wildebeest.
    At 9am we gave up and took a slow drive back spotting a martial eagle and a spotted eagle owl. We finally got back at 11am very disappointed with the day. It seemed pointless going back out for an evening drive when it was only going to get hotter.
    By 2pm I was bored rigid and beginning to regret our decision to come to Mata Mata for 5 days. This is supposed to be prolific for lion, leopard and cheetah sightings but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of anything here. Tomorrow we are going to take a packed lunch and snacks and drive further.
    Just before 5pm the Meerkats came into the camp site but they didn’t visit us until just gone 7pm when we were having dinner. There is a baby Meerkat so small it doesn’t look like it should be out of the nest yet let alone on its own. While I was eating 2 of them were tapping my leg but Ellie told me not to feed them.
    After dinner we headed over to the hide again and just as we were giving up at 8pm a jackal came to the water hole. Once the Jackal had gone we went back to camp and watched TV in bed.    Leia mais

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  • Misadventures Of WandaThis is not a holiday!!Misadventures Of Wanda

    Mata Mata

    1 de novembro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We were up at 6:30am and today was moving day and we had quite a big drive ahead of us.
    We packed up, said goodbye to Marellie and the meerkats in the pen and left at 8:15am. We hadn’t caught the aardvark again.
    Our next stop was back to kgalagadi and we stopped at Twee Rivieren to check back in and I deflated the tyres on the car and the caravan this time aswell.
    We left Twee Rivieren at 9:30am and we took the first half of our 80 mile trip quite slowly until the sun came out and once we saw the birds taking shelter we knew it was hot. We stopped at some baby owlets in a tree and we also saw our first giraffe and 2 Jackal, but no cats.
    We finally arrived at Mata Mata rest camp at 12:40pm, checked in and found ourselves a nice little spot under a big camel thorn tree. We were inundated with ground squirrels literally as soon as we got out the car. I bent down to take a photo and one of them grabbed my phone. They are very tame.
    Once we had pitched the trailer we had lunch and the squirrels came back and the kept begging and putting their front paws out. Obviously we gave them some crusts from our bread.
    After lunch we went to check out the shop and then walked over the border into Namibia. There used to be a padstal in no man’s land but apparently that has shut. Then we went to check out the hide and watering hole which looked amazing so we might go back there tonight.
    Back at camp we just chilled for the rest of the afternoon until it was time to light the Braai.
    After dinner and washing up and as the sun set we headed over to the hide and watering hole. We spotted a Genet but it was too dark to photograph it. We also saw a few nightjars darting about catching insects.
    We headed back to camp just after 8pm in the dark and climbed into the caravan for the night, tomorrow was going to be an early start.    Leia mais

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  • Misadventures Of WandaThis is not a holiday!!Misadventures Of Wanda

    Kalahari Trails Day 4

    31 de outubro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I was up at 6am. We’d had more rain in the night and there was a breeze this morning although it was a warm one. Checking the thermometer it was already 26°c in the shade and we’d had 6mm of rain overnight.
    It was moving day today and we were moving from the tree camp to the eco camp just a kilometre over the sand dunes and by 8am we were packed up and ready to leave.
    We drove 10 minutes over the sand dunes and reversed into a pitch at the eco camp. Then we unhitched and levelled out, pulled the tarp over the top and popped up the caravan. Then we staked the tarp down. It was alot of work to do in a short amount of time and by 9:30am it was 30°c in the shade and 35°c in the sun. Today the sun was angry.
    After a quick cold drink we headed over to the dunes to see what the aardvark had been upto but he looked like he’d barricaded himself in his burrow. There was a second entrance a little further down so we moved the camera down to there and went back to camp. It was now midday and 35°c in the shade and 43°c in the sun with a very warm wind. This new camp doesn’t seem to have any cool spots except for the shower.
    By 2pm I’d already had 2 cold showers, then at 2:30km I just decided to go the whole hog and shower in my shorts and shirt. The breeze when I came out was quite refreshing.
    At 3pm we went up to the house and finally the meerkats came up to see us. It was mum and around 12 babies of varying ages. They stayed around the house with us for ages and even though they are wild one sat on my foot and Ellie got some great selfies.
    The new people that were supposed to be in our camp turned up around 4:30pm and said they actually needed power so there was no need for us to move and they are camped 2 places down from us.
    We headed back to camp at 5:15pm and started dinner and straight away. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and it didn’t look like rain for a change but we wanted to get dinner done as the weather could change any moment.
    By 7:30pm dinner was done and so was the washing up. There was still a warm breeze but it was starting to cool and we headed in for the night hoping that tonight we would catch our aardvark on the camera.    Leia mais

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  • Misadventures Of WandaThis is not a holiday!!Misadventures Of Wanda

    Kalahari Trails Day 3

    30 de outubro, África do Sul ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Obviously we both slept like crap with our feet hanging out the end of the blanket on a mattress that’s thinner than our normal one. We got up at 6am and everything was damp.
    I made coffee and we started making make shift washing lines to hang our things. Then Ellie cleaned the table at camp and put our mattresses on it.
    At 7:15am Marellie came to pick us up to show us the latest meerkats that had been released and we set off down the trails in her Hilux. This was not the adrenaline rush we needed before breakfast because as the trail picked up the fence line the dunes started rolling and we were going up and down like a roller coaster.
    Eventually we came to the meerkat release site but they were nowhere to be seen although we did see a spotted eagle owl with a chick. We waited 20 minutes and the meerkats didn’t appear so we got back on the back of the hilux for some more off roading.
    Marellie had to check the water gauges from yesterday’s rainfall all over the property which is 3500 hectares. This is just a normal backyard in northern South Africa that you can’t do anything with except breed game. That 13.5 square miles in English.
    Checking all of the dams and waterholes and rain gauges took nearly 3 hours but we found out yesterdays weather was seriously extreme as we had 38mm of rainfall. The average is 5-6mm.
    We got back to camp at 10:15am, had a ghostie toastie for brunch and then wandered back over the sand dunes to check our camera trap for the Aardvark. Had we caught it? Yes, we had 5 photos and a good 30 second video from 8:30pm last night. He looked like he was bailing his burrow out. After that the camera went off twice but it was steamed up so we’ve left the camera hoping for better shots tonight. After that we took a drive out to Askem for some food shopping which took us a couple of hours.
    When we got back we decided to drive some of the fence line to see if we could see the meerkats we saw yesterday while aardvark hunting but it was too hot and they were sleeping. Then we went back to camp and just chilled for an hour before heading upto the house to see if the meerkats would come up for dinner.
    We got to the main house at 4pm and we’d literally just missed the meerkats coming for snacks so we wandered down the bottom of the road to see if they had gone home but the only one that was there was the baby sitter. The baby sitters are young females that have to prove themselves by being bullied and starved and looking after the colony and then one day they may become the matriarch of the colony.
    Back at camp Ellie cooked for a change frying up some mince and adding a can of relish to it before mixing it with pasta. At the same time the clouds started brewing and anything that was outside I put away.
    As soon as we had finished dinner we saw lightning and I grabbed the storm tarpaulin and we just about pulled it over the roof of the caravan. I had just finished staking it down when the real lightning started and the thunder cracked. I grabbed my camera and managed about 20 minutes of shooting it until the rain started and just as I put the camera in the car the heavens opened. It threw it down heavens hard and the wind got up and the caravan rocked from side to side. It was super scary but the tarp held and we stayed dry. As the storm started to die out we put the tv on, as we were in for the rest of the night.    Leia mais

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