An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi *

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nan
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An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi *

Post by nan »

From 12/09/2012 to 10/04/2012, I stayed at Kgalagadi, with a stop for "compress" and "decompress" at TR, the first and last days, and in order :

KTC, Nossob, Grootkolk, Nossob, Urikaruus, MM, KK (2 nights in large camps and three nights in the small)

It was wonderful, as usual when one love undeveloped tracts without too many "tourists", but it took a long time to put all in place O**

First because of the owner of car rental was in Europe, especially in Switzerland !
and had gave the "work" to her son, who has yet to make his teeth ... :twisted:

The electric refrigerator was not fixed = all the large bottles of water was breakthroughs, to be projected against the wood and slowly emptied... 0*\
the socket was faulty = 2 days after no more fridge at all 0*\
a very thirsty car, too powerful (I later learned that it has two petrol tanks!) = not enough cash for petrol and for shops, at Nossob and MM we must pay cash ... credit card is not accepted, as the saleswoman who makes bread ....... no longer make bread ! (unfair competition :-? ) and no bread at the shop as well :twisted:
Fortunately, I met friends, real friends, some have repaired the fridge, others lent me the cash to fill the monster and others have fixed this damned fridge O/
I thank them from the bottom of my heart 0/0 O0 0/0


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nan
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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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It cost me a week of hassle and without saying that the "sightings" were rare ... but luxury O/\

I had the chance to see 5 Brown Hyenas, a first for me, babies Cheetahs, few Elands... lot of ass =O: 5 or 6 AWC, a pair of mating Owl, fire everywhere in the dunes and once again close to Grootkolk :shock: a Horned Adder ^Q^ , Cape Cobras, one with an urgent need ^Q^ , a sandstorm in the big dune,, birds everywhere, several herds of Kudus,, dry waterholes :-( , mating Ostriches on the road, 9 Cheetahs in a day O/\ (my previous record was 8 ...) a battle of Starling ... to death, Springboks's newborns, THE Barn Owl O:V , and the last day a Brown Hyena steals a whole pack of ribs, to the beard, of Jackals and a Lion O/\
For the first time, I found the roads in very bad condition.
I also met many Forumites, I do not remember all the names, my apologies 0/0

But the highlight is definitely the meat, from the butcher at Upington, who followed me to TR, I lost track of it =O: =O: =O:
I received a radio call to KTC, I asked to give the meat to Jan Kriel for the staff, enough to make a beautiful braai ... nobody saw it ... -O-
I knew, later, when I returned at Upington, that the shop had kept it for resale -O

To top it off, after Kgalagadi, the journey is continued to Augrabies, Namaqua, Cape Town and Addo ... but that's another story ... another wonderful story O/\ O/\ O/\


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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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lets start with African Wild Cat O/\

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these two play "hide and hide" (cache cache... in French)
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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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Image it was about 40°... =O:
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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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These two, I think a male and a female...
play a long time, until one (the female (maybe) climb to find a place to sleep and the other (the male...) go to hunt O**

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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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Brown Hyena

Sunset drive at TR
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Sitzas. This one was ready to come to the small waterhole (with water ;-) ). I was waiting for 30 min. A little bit further. Another car arrives, stop just beside the waterhole and cut the way of the Hyena... who return in the dunes 0=

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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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One morning at Grootkolk O/\

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Another morning... at Kieliekrankkie O/\

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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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Several Jackals was eating on a carcass of Eland, and I saw a little point coming from the dunes... \O it was a Brown Hyena. In the same time a big Lion arrive from the left side and stop to have a drink. The Brownie judged the risk... and hop ran to stole the ribs, the Jackals was astounded O-/ and the Lion doesn't even move, he continues to drink. What a magnificent spoils the Hyena brought home !!!

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à suivre...


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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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Snakes

Without any doubt, this Horned Adder is the star of the list O/\
About 40 cm, camouflaged in the scree, it hardly moved, at first I thought it was dead ... no, no, it was just recovering from its stupor of winter ;-)
still a big first O/\ O/\ O/\

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Re: An eventful trip... to Kgalagadi

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Then quite a lot of Cape Cobras, including a dead one

This one turned long, first on the road, then in the sand ... :-?
it was looking for a corner to poop... like cats =O:

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