Kalahari Reflections March 2014*

[GavinW]

Kalahari Reflections March 2014

(With pictures by my SO, Debbie, most of the time)

Events leading up to the trip

Our last trip to the Kgalagadi was in May 2012, where we had the most amazing trip to this bit of heaven ever. (See our last trip report Christmas Trees in the Kalahari)

Our next trip was scheduled for May 2013.

Then my sister and her husband put a spanner in the works an offered to take us to Thailand in June 2013. Thailand was wonderful and a great experience, but we needed to reschedule our KTP trip as a result to October 2013. That was OK, could definitely live with that compromise

Then in June 2013 I put a spanner in the works again by changing jobs. This meant another postponement to March 2014. A bit grumpy about that but life does get in the way at times, like it or not.

As March approached time came for me to get my leave approved.

Problem yet again: Our Company had just announced the new dates for the Cape Town Art Fair, right in the start of my proposed dates. This resulted in more negotiations with employers, Wannabe Nerd, SANPARKS and the Botswana Dept. of Wildlife until finally we were sorted and able to start seriously getting excited. (I must admit I did hold my breath on this until we were finally on our way)

Each time we had to change our dates, our whole itinerary would need to change, and change it did, in a big way.
Our final itinerary looked like this:

1 night Twee Rivieren
1 night Nossob
3 nights Polentswa (Campsite no 2 as opposed to no 1 originally booked)
2 nights Nossob
3 nights KTC
1 night Urikaruus
6 nights Rooiputs (3 nights in no 5 and 3 nights in no 6, as opposed to 6 nights in no 3 originally booked)
Home

Finally with the Art Show done and dusted, all reports in we were finally all packed and ready to hit the road on the evening of 4 March. Our long awaited trip was about to begin.

[GavinW]

Day 1: March 5

We arrive at Twee Rivieren and our first evening drive

As per our custom, we were up at sparrows, well before that in fact at 1.30am, and on the road a smidgen after 2am.

We made good time in our trip up from Cape Town, arriving at Twee Rivieren almost exactly 12 hours later to the minute. The expected stop/go’s resulted in us having to stop briefly only twice out of a possible 7 or 8 times.

Once at Twee Rivieren, we got booked in, found our chalet, unpacked what we needed to and Debbie had a quick nap. I went and did a few admin things, like surviving the petrol station whilst getting our tyres deflated and buying wood and ice from the shop.

I must admit that was an experience of two extremes. The attendant at the petrol station was unhelpful and even rude when I enquired about my tyre pressures, whilst the new staff at the shop were friendly and helpful. (What a change from previous visits)


By 5.30 we were up and ready to venture forth into the park for the first time.




Just past Samevloeiing, we came across our first Kalahari roadblock, 5 or 6 cars watching some sleeping lions. Ok good start, but they are just sleeping, so we decided to carry on.

Typically when you first arrive in the park, you stop and take note of almost everything, as it is all new and just great to see and experience it all again. This drive was no exception to this.


First up, some sociable weavers at their nest,









Followed by a Kori Bustard (Not walking away from us)



And some gemsbok.



We drove as far as Leeudril before turning back and deciding to watch the lions for a while. They were starting to get active and move about, probably partially due to being disturbed by the pending storm.








This side attraction on the other side of the road, was even more pleasing to the eye, especially when we noticed the tawny eagle in the tree as well. Here Debbie got it just as it flew off into the rainbow

[GavinW]

The rest of Day 1 continued

We watched the lions for a bit longer and after a while decided that the pre-planned sundowners at Samevloeiing were much more important than jostling other vehicles to get a view of some semi - comatose lions.
We got to the waterhole in time to see the pending storm start gaining momentum on the horizon.



WOW





Soon time was against us and we had to head back to camp, where the storm started to display itself even more potently.







Needless to say, besides a good try on my behalf, at the advice of my SO and our neighbours at TR, I was unable to use the braai wood I had bought earlier in the day, and we had to settle for left over Cornish pasties for supper. (Bummer, I really love braaiing in the Kgalagadi)

[GavinW]

Day 2: March 6

We head north to Nossob:


We set our alarms early as we wanted to head straight out and up to Nossob without having to come back to camp to pack up etc, but at the same time we didn’t want to miss out on the early morning “golden hour”. We were up and ready to go at 6.30am

Our drive up to Kij Kij was relatively quiet, but then that all depends on what you call quiet. If you are chasing cats, (which we were, sort of) then it was quiet. However if you are just taking in the surrounds and the smaller things, (which we were, sort of) then it was far from quiet.


A sign of things to come: we were rewarded with a variety of stunning raptors:

A Snake Eagle




A Lanner falcon







A tawny



And, my favourite, a bateleur

[GavinW]

Thanks for all the comments


Day 2: continued

We stopped for a break at Melkvlei and then continued on our way.

The corrugations and the windy roads tend to put you on a bit of a” plak”, as you daydream about the next magic sighting you imagine is just around the next corner , or at the next waterhole.
I know I have had the most amazing imaginary leopard and brown hyaena sightings as I bob along the road at 30km/hour.

About 2kms before Kransbrak, Debs suddenly noticed these guys on her right hand side.
We so nearly drove past them, but luckily the spotter was on top of her game just then.
Why are you disturbing me?? You know it is MY road!!








Trying to find some shade




Aaah aaaah thishoo !!! These bushes are making me sneeze








I can see you!!!!




I actually love this pic, it could be quite scary

And this one



Ok we are out of here!




And after that we wended on, on our merry way.... tbc

[GavinW]

Thanks guys

A bit shattered at the moment after a LONG weekend and the my first day back at work

A quick preview





Will be back soon, once the page turns

[GavinW]

Thanks nan

Day 2: continued


Carrying on up to Nossob, we hadn’t gone far before in the slowly drying up puddles in the road we came upon these butterflies. We were to see loads more as the trip went on



Then shortly before Jan se Draai we again almost drove straight past these guys








This was turning very much into a lion day!!!!






Closer to Dikbaardskolk, things started getting quieter as the sun got hotter. We did see this family along the way though.



We stopped briefly at Dikbaardskolk for something to eat and soon carried on.



We got to Nossob in the early afternoon and set up camp in “old campsite no 4”, one of our favourites along the eastern border of the camp in the non-electrified sites.

We spend a fair amount of time in the camp watching the goings on.

Black kites were all over the place (a first for us)






We also saw the resident Pearl Spotted Owlet







Later on that evening we went for a drive around Marie’s and had sundowners at the waterhole, but all was very quiet, but very green




These mongooses were out and about though



Once back at camp we enjoyed our first braai of the holiday





and saw our first kill:



A millipede eating his supper

[GavinW]

Thanks again nan, you are becoming my chief page turner


Day 3: March 7

How the Kgalagadi changes its colours:

Our original booking had us camping at Nossob for four nights before heading up to Polentswa, but with all the changes we were forced to make, we had only the one night before having to head north. A bit irritating as we had to dismantle our campsite after just having put it up.

Because we only had limited time in Nossob, and only 60kms to travel up to Polentswa, we decided to take a drive down to Marie’s before going back to camp and packing up.

Well from hero to zero, the Kgalagadi changed its spots overnight, (as it often does).


Nothing, Nadda was happening on Marie’s, so we decided to head down to Kaspersdraai to see if we could find anything down there. Again ZIP… not even a photograph, so we trundled back to Nossob, packed up camp and set off for the next segment of our holiday: Polentswa

[GavinW]

Day3 continued:

Having said our temporary goodbyes to Nossob, we set off with high expectations for our three nights at Polentswa.


There was not too much going on except the usual suspects as we headed north. We got to Bedinkt to come across these Abdim’s storks. A first for both Debbie and I.




Not the most attractive birds, but they are fairly impressive when all gathered together like this at a waterhole.








We got to Polentswa, and after a quick look at the waterhole, we went off to the campsite to pitch our tent.
When we got to the campsite, we automatically went to campsite no 3, which we were sure we had been allocated and started pitching our tent. Something bothered me about the campsite number as I had a feeling we were supposed to be in number 2, but Debs assured me that we were in the correct site, so we left it at that.
We were almost finished pitching our tent when a vehicle arrived and stopped at the campsite.

They claimed that number 3 had been allocated to them and after checking our booking sheet we realised our mistake. With all the changes to our bookings we had both lost track of where we were supposed to be and when!

Our brief setup at campsite no 3:



Confusion, embarrassment, irritation and apologies all followed in rapid succession, and we proceded to lug our campsite up the hill to number 2





Lesson learned: When in doubt… check



After setting up our campsite for the second time, we had time to chill in camp and have a quick “bush bath”
We had driven enough for the day so closer to sunset, we took a leisurely drive down to the waterhole for sundowners, which we enjoyed along with these guys:









The sunsets at Polentswa have always been one of my favourite things about the camp, and from campsite no 2 the sunset that evening was spectacular






Here is a picture of Debbie putting Handy Andy on the bakkies tyres to stop hyeanas from tasting them overnight.



We went to bed that evening after a nice braai, tired and happy to be in the bush at last

Early the following morning, we were woken by the sound of roaring lions coming closer and closer to our camp.

[Mel]

Mel - Handy Andy is a cleaning detergent with a strong smell of ammonia. It's white and quite thick.

Thanks for confirming my suspicion, Flutts.