Sabbatical Meike

September - December 2023

Seit Jahren habe ich davon geträumt, endlich ist es soweit Read more

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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Sep 23, 2023, 12:00pm
- ⛅ 27 °C
- Altitude: 1,739 m
- South Africa Gauteng City of Johannesburg Orange Grove -26.174071, 28.08773626°10’27” S 28°5’16” E
Day 2–4
Johannesburg
September 23, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
In einem kleinen Cottage in Johannesburg kann ich mich aklimatisieren und mich auf mein großes Abenteuer vorbereiten- Fledi ist immer dabei
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Das sieht schön aus ☺️ [Nadine]
9/24/23ReplyTranslate
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Sep 25, 2023, 4:41pm
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 271 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe Bellcrest -33.573993, 26.581833°34’26” S 26°34’54” E
Day 4
Kariega Game Reserve
September 25, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Another long day with travelling from Johannesburg to my final destination: Kariega Game Reserve. We got up at 6, going from Joburg to Port Elizabeth, where it was at least 10 degrees cooler (about 20 degrees celsius). There I was picked up with other volunteers and it was another 2 hours drive to the Reserve. We quickly got an introduction and I was placed on the kitchen Team for tonight: cooking dinner for 9 people: Pasta Bolognese...my room neighbor is a lady from the Bermudas...and Fledi is watching over usRead more
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Sep 26, 2023, 8:30am
- 🌧 13 °C
- Altitude: 264 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe Bellcrest -33.574158, 26.58177833°34’27” S 26°34’54” E
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Day 5
First Day as 'Volunteer'
September 26, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
This morning it was raining and storming really badly, and instead of being outside we did some theory on rhinos (black & white), elephants, birds and habitats - this is some serious stuff, including our own field sheets and clip boards.
But finally it cleared in the afternoon and we were able to do our first introductiory tour into the Reserve. And we did see a baby elephant! And some other animals too: Blesbocks, Wildebeest, Impala and a LionessRead more
Traveler Tolle Aufnahme 😍🐘
9/26/23ReplyTranslate
Christine Metzler Sehr schön.
9/26/23ReplyTranslate
Christine Metzler 😍😍😍
9/26/23Reply
Christine Metzler 👍
9/26/23Reply
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Sep 27, 2023, 11:07am
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 45 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe -33.6158, 26.56687433°36’57” S 26°34’1” E
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Day 6
Rhino Day
September 27, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
At least it was not raining anymore - therefore Jaco, our coordinator, took us for another outing. After a flat tire we finally went in search of the Rhinos: white Rhinos, that have been de-horned to not encourage poaching, and black Rhinos which have not been de-horned. They are far more agressive and need their horns to defend themselves.Read more
Christine Metzler 😍
9/28/23Reply
Traveler Eindrucksvoll! Auf die Nashörner freuen wir uns sehr und werden mit Ihnen unsere Big 5 zusammenbekommen ☺️
9/29/23ReplyTranslate
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Sep 28, 2023, 11:01am
- ☀️ 20 °C
- Altitude: 13 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe Ouplass -33.633602, 26.52211533°38’1” S 26°31’20” E
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Day 7
Release of the Cheetah
September 28, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Today we were able to watch something absolutely fantastic: the release of a female cheetah from a Boma (holding ground). She was brought into the Reserve to join the two male cheetahs a couple of weeks ago and being kept separate, today she was going to join the other two. Everybody was around watching and prodding, in the end she only got out, after everybody (besides us) left.Read more
Christine Metzler Wow. Beeindruckende Bilder. Und so nah. Der Ausblick. Grandios.
9/29/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Welch einzigartiges Erlebnis 🐆
9/29/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Wunderschön!
9/29/23ReplyTranslate
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Sep 29, 2023, 5:33am
- 🌙 11 °C
- Altitude: 236 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe Dorset -33.57963, 26.60374833°34’47” S 26°36’13” E
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Day 8
First day of work
September 29, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 11 °C
Today was the first day where we volunteers were put to work- but first things first.
We got up at 4 to start our trip to see the sun-up over the Kariega-River: that was magic...and still quite cold...
After watching the sun coming out we went back for a quick breakfast and then to the new pasture to help get wire and razor wire from the previous owner out of bushes and trees, so the Rhinos and Zebras wouldn't hurt themselves. By then it was 30 degrees....
We did that for a couple of hours and then, to cool off, went swimming...on our way back and forth we came across Zebras, Giraffes, Buffalos, Warthogs and lots of others...it was a beautiful and fullfilling dayRead more
Traveler Tolle Eindrücke und unglaublich nahe Tierfotos !
9/29/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Wie gemalt! Ist das schön!
9/30/23ReplyTranslate
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Oct 1, 2023, 10:51am
- ⛅ 18 °C
- Altitude: 27 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe Cannon Rocks -33.752815, 26.51825233°45’10” S 26°31’6” E
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Day 10
Weekend Activities
October 1, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
This is the first weekend on the Reserve, we are not working but instead can use our spare time to relax, discover etc...
We (Sarah, Toni and myself) decided to go to Port Alfred on Saturday, which is about a 45 minutes drive from the Reserve and explore the city a bit, playing games with the rest of the volunteers in the evening...
Today we went to Cannon Rocks Hiking Trail, so beautiful, through the dunes and along the sea, for a couple of hours...even though its only spring here, the Indian Ocean is warm enough to swim in.
For dinner there was Braai, around the fireplace with the stars coming out...Read more
Christine Metzler Wow, absolut genial
10/1/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Wie schön!
10/1/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Beeindruckend!
10/1/23ReplyTranslate
So schööööön ☺️ [Nadine]
10/2/23Reply
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Oct 2, 2023, 11:18am
- ☀️ 23 °C
- Altitude: 53 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe -33.615543, 26.57080833°36’56” S 26°34’15” E
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Day 11
Elephant (Study) Day
October 2, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Today we were joined by Dustin, an Elephant Research Specialist, on our trip. We went for the elephants to study their behaviour, their movements, their social life...and it was absolutely fantastic, they were really close to the vehicle and looking us, studying us. We could see them grazing, browsing, the little ones fooling around - just like kids.
Later we went for the sundown, another successfull and beautiful day.Read more
Christine Metzler 😍
10/2/23Reply
Traveler Großartig!
10/3/23ReplyTranslate
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Oct 3, 2023, 7:37am
- ☀️ 20 °C
- Altitude: 264 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe Bellcrest -33.57423, 26.58173933°34’27” S 26°34’54” E
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Day 12
Day of the predators
October 3, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Yesterday we went out to do some alien plant control - meaning to get rid of any plants who are not originated in this area.
But we got sidetracked by our first Lion-Viewing: it was around 11:00 and already really hot, and the two adult males were lounging in the shade of bushes, not at all interested in us...later we also found a Zebra carcass in the area, which we thought would be their dinner.
After that we went to see some Hippos, in a segregated area of the River. Even though they were down in the water up to their nostrils you should always keep in mind that they are the most deadly animal for humans, they can run up to 40 km/h.
During lunch Jaco got the information that the two male cheetahs had escaped again and were roaming outside the Reserve. The cheetahs were watched all afternoon by the Rangers, then darted, put into crates and brought back to the Boma. We were able to support taking the crates down and open them - off they went...
No alien plants in the end at all...Read more
Traveler Das Zebra lebt nicht mehr, richtig?
10/4/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Ja, leider...das war Dinner für die Löwen...
10/4/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Der Lauf der Natur.. Beeindruckend, dass ihr all das gesehen habt!
10/5/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Was schöne Tiere...
10/5/23ReplyTranslate
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Traveler Sabbatical Meike
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- Oct 5, 2023, 1:25pm
- ☁️ 22 °C
- Altitude: 84 m
- South Africa Eastern Cape Ndlambe -33.644815, 26.53577333°38’41” S 26°32’9” E
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Day 14
Rainy days
October 5, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
It is raining since yesterday, sometimes just drizzling a bit, but mostly pouring. And still we are going out, to find the lioness with her cub and to check on the twisted collar of an elephant, to avoid it hurting or strangling him. And later to look after the female cheetah, who had been released last week from the Boma.
The lioness was hiding with her cubs and a carcass of a warthog in the bushes, really difficult to find, especially with all that rain, so there are no pictures yet.
The elephants were down in a valley, you could only hear them moving through the trees and bushes and suddenly they were right in front of the car - very curious about these strange creatures in their raindrenched ponchos.
On our way to see the cheetah there was some traffic on the roads with white rhinos and giraffes, but I'm slowly getting used to it.
The cheetah was hiding under a bush with her prey and we were able to walk just 10m in front of her, absolutely amazing...
So rainy days are not at all bad!Read more
Traveler Wow, so nah… Wie beeindruckend!
10/7/23ReplyTranslate
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