A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012) *

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Mel
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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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A young lioness sleeping close to the road.
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She was actually with two young males that both wore a collar. Quite a naughty bunch as we should find out later on the trip. 0'

Less than an hour later and without having seen anything else – more lions just north of Houmoed.
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We stayed with them all of 5 minutes and moved on towards the waterhole. When we came back the lovey-dovey couple had moved further into the bush and we just drove on. At Kampfersboom I finally found the hyena den I had heard so much about. O\/ But the snoring hyena was too far off for a decent photo, so on we went.

Our naughty friends were still sleeping, but one of the collared guys had turned so I took a profile shot. It will serve for the wanted list 0' . But more of that on a later date…

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That night the elands and spotties would take turns at the waterhole. O:V

Dinner: Rumpsteak, boerwors, tinned chakalaka veg, potatoes


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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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Day 12
01/11/2012 Urikaruus

Bookings opening day! We got up at 4.00 am and while sitting in the dark and having a coffee, a brownie came to drink at the waterhole. This was very special despite the many brown hyena sighting we had had before: A brownie at Uri is rather rare. O\/ In fact, I haven’t seen people reporting them in the sightings books that you find in each of the 4 units.

We were out exactly on gate opening time and ‘raced’ towards Mata-Mata to beat the crowds in the satellite offices, headquarters and what have you. 0' Still we did get to see some amazing stuff on the way. If you’re into colour and smaller cats that is… (Actually, we saw a spotted hyena at 13th but the light was still low and the critter obviously was on a mission as it moved off rather fast.)

Glorious morning light over the dunes

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An almost full moon still up in the sky

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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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AWC (at Dalkeith) again – YAY!!!
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This trip has been amazingly good to us with the little cats. Before we had had one fleeting glimpse of an AWC and this time we have had several good sightings. I was happy! Surely this would mean good things for our planned reservation for next October as well? Far off, we had to find out later. :evil: Despite the ever so helpful and lovely Loretta at MM who did her utmost to accommodate us (literally…), we weren’t able to get a single night in our beloved Urikaruus. O/ All gone after 10 minutes… Well, at least we hold 4 nights in Grootkolk and we’ll go back to check out KTC again. Always good for the cheetahs and the lions anyway… -O


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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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Our bestest BEF sighting of the whole trip – YAY!
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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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Close to Mata-Mata I lived the African Dream ;-)
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But the very best sighting of the day was yet to come...

It had been a VERY slow and quiet day – I even retreated to taking photos of trees as there had been nothing else on our afternoon drive (or at the camp during rest time). We were already back on our way to the camp when I saw something in the corner of my left eye. First I had thought it was just a dead trunk sticking out of an equally dead tree. But I made SO stop and reverse and reverse and reverse. And there it was: My first self-spotted owl! O/\ And sitting out in the open: O/\

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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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Other sightings

Kudu at Craig Lockhardt
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Tawny in the sky
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Juvenile BSE in the same place
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And another tawny
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An ostrich that didn’t run and made a severe case of too much lens
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And the trees and landscapes
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No lions today! 0-

Dinner was a serious treat from an amiable friend: Grilled kingclip, green salad with tomatoes and potatoes. X#X

Tbc with a last morning drive heading towards the main gate...


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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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Day 13
02/11/2012 Leaving Day

Alas, on our last day we had to leave with gate opening time sharp again. Luckily, it was November and we were allowed out half an hour earlier than two days before. Otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to stay at Uri if we wanted to catch our flight at Upington. In fact, for March I had to amend our booking for the last night from Uri to Kielie as the gates open only at 6.30 am then in contrast to 5.30 am in November. :O^

Anyway. It was our last day and the KTP gave all to make sure we would come back. O\/ She still doesn’t know we will either way :twisted: (as long as the camps haven’t been extended and new camps have been built – after that, we’ll see… 0*\ )

The last drive started off with a beautiful sky

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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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The springboks had a soft glow as well
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Next up were the closest elands we had ever seen in daylight
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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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And then – an even better sighting of a BEF than the day before O/\
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We hadn’t got much further towards Twee Rivieren when we finally spotted the cape foxes at the den we had heard so much about

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Re: A kinda, uhm, weird trip to KTP (Oct 2012)

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Right, it was getting late – relatively – and our mind was set on proceeding towards the main gate, when Spots started to chant. The sleepy head from the day before yesterday appeared on the dunes. Well, on the last day, any lion is welcome. O**

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God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
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