Auchterlonie

Today was an amazing day. We were up first thing at 5am brewing coffee and sorting breakfast. I actually thought we were leaving camp really early but it turned out to be a little later than expected, but by 7:30am we were back through the park gates and game hunting across the kalahari.
Within the first 5 minutes of driving we saw the back end of a caracol disappearing into the long grass, then we saw wilderbeast, orax and springbock by a shallow watering hole.
From there we headed to a picnic area where your actually allowed out of your car, and we had some snacks and used the toilets before moving on.
Moving up we saw numerous falcons and got a chance to photograph the social weaver birds nests, and then we saw a secretary bird killing something on the ground. Mongoose, and ground squirrel were next followed by more birds, and then an American lady passed us and stopped us and asked if we had seen the cheetah and the lions back the way we had come. Obviously we hadn’t so we spun Caren around and headed back for camp.
Sure enough 20 minutes later we found 2 Cheetah sleeping under a tree and although they were a little way off, we could see them with the camera’s.
From there we headed straight back to camp, the temperature was now 38°c and the animals were starting to find shade and lay down. When we got back we all got changed into our swimming gear and Pieter and Hilda went up to the pool while the rest of sorted our clothes out to follow shortly. Ellie went to get changed in the toilets and I sat down talking to Becky, then when Ellie returned Becky said for us to go on because she might be a while and I thought she went to her tent.
Just as Ellie and I were about to leave a huge gust of wind picked up Becky’s tent and blew it through the campsite. We both took off after it and every time we got close the wind would take it further and as it rolled upside down I saw a lump bouncing around which I presumed was Becky.
Fortunately Becky was actually in the toilets getting changed and she couldn’t believe we had, had a mini tornado in the the 2 minutes she had been away.
The pool water was seriously refreshing in the 40°c heat and as we were talking about lunch the American lady who had told us about the Cheetah cam to find us.
Apparently her husband had to work at 2pm so would we like to split up, and some of us drive her car and take her on a game drive later, I said yes straight away but when she left we decided Pieter would drive her car and I would drive Caren, but in the end I let Becky drive.
At 4pm, we went to chalet 4 where we picked Jennifer up and she had provided a cooler box of champagne, wine and beer with cheese and biscuits it was quite something, and with beer in hand we took off across the Kalahari. Becky drove, and from the outset the three of us were having a serious laugh and exchanging funny stories. At 5:30pm we stopped at a different picnic area where we all had a beer except for Becky, who as designated driver got a half bottle of opened champagne to swig from the bottle on our return journey. On the return journey we saw Meerkats.
Back at Jennifer’s chalet we were reintroduced to her husband David, and then spent 2 hours with them talking and exchanging stories. Jennifer is a real character, from Colorado and has stories to turn your hair white.
Back at camp at 8pm Pieter cooked us dinner of tomato and mushroom pasta and we finished the half bottle of champagne that Becky didn’t want.
This was the most random day ever, but we’ve made a new, if not eccentric friend and I can honestly say this was one of the best road trip days ever.Read more