Wannabe Larnies in the KTP: December/Jan 2015*

[GavinW]

Wannabe Larnies in the KTP: Dec/Jan 2015

2014 proved to be a special year for Wannabe Nerd and I in so much as we got to get to the KTP twice during the year. Firstly in March (See our travel tale “Kalahari Reflections” and then again in December/January.

One thing we realised last year was that in my then job, if we wanted to get to the Kgalagadi, we should go in December between Christmas and New Year, as I was guaranteed to get time off at that time of the year.

So in January last year we booked six nights in paradise. Because we were only going for such a short period of time we decided that for once we would leave the tent at home and stay only in accommodation. A bit extravagant but what the heck!!

Come September 2014, and I decide that I have had enough of Corporate life and decide to change my career direction and start out on my own.

That meant that amongst other things that I have a bit more freedom when it comes to planning holidays. So the scheming began.........

As accommodation slowly became available we snapped up a bit here and a bit there, until suddenly we found ourselves with a 14 day trip planned....... All in accommodation.

Ok some had already been paid for; we cancelled out March trip and transferred the money from that trip to our December trip, and paid the balance.

We were off to our safe place for 14 days, and our Itinerary was to be as follows:
2 nights Twee Rivieren
4 nights Urikaruus
4 nights Kieliekrankie
2 nights Nossob
2 nights Urikaruus

However by changing accommodation types in Nossob so that we didn’t have to move chalets, we ended up with a small credit on our account.
No problem to the Wannabe larnies, a night came up at TR and so we added that to our trip. The excuse being, well it’s better to leave for Cape Town from TR than Urikaruus. Isn’t it?

[GavinW]

Thanks everyone for your comments and support


Day 1 Boxing Day 2014


Actually no, go back one day to Christmas day, and there we are at Debbie's brother and his family having Christmas lunch, and it is taking just SOOO long.
I just want to get in the car and head off to the KTP, and I still have to pack the Jap. OMW.
We eventually got home at about 5pm and had the bakkie packed and ready to go by just after 7pm. After an earlyish night and we were eventually on the road at 2am.

Being a public holiday in the middle of the festive season the roads were quiet, the stop and go’s not in operation, except for one near Citrusdal which held us up for 5 minutes and besides a bit of mist on van Rhyns Pass, we had a pleasant trip up, and arrived at Twee Rivieren at 1.30pm.

We unpacked the car,





Then had a shower and tried to sleep

That didn’t work so by 5pm we were out the gates and on our first drive.

[GavinW]

To Melkvlei and back

Our original plan was to have a nap and then take a casual drive to Rooiputs and back, but now after not having been able to sleep, we decided to just go out and see what happened.

The weather was overcast and rain was threatening, but it was also still pretty hot, and even at 5pm in the afternoon, nothing much was moving.

We did however see this nice springbok herd



As well as a nursery herd of Blou wildebeest



We got to Leeudril and saw this Black Harrier having a drink. Certainly a new bird for us so we were quite happy with the sighting
( Thanks for the id Glynnis)



We then HAD to take a picture of THE tree on the way to Rooiputs. We have had sightings of slender mongooses and lanner falcons at this tree in the past, and it is a favourite.



At Kij Kij, a few cars were parked off just after the waterhole. A flat lion was lying under a tree about 100m off the road.
Way too far for our muk and druk Panasonic Lumix cameras (and the lion was lying fast asleep in the shade in any event),so we carried on to Melkvlei.

Nothing much, so we turned around, greeted the flat lion and headed back to camp.
On the way back the wildebeest were still next to the road and posed and played nicely









A cloudy sunset saw the end of our drive,



And as is the custom the first night in Twee Rivieren we were greeted with rain. It always happens. So weird.


So instead of my much anticipated first braai of the holiday, I had to settle for chicken salad, not before going to visit Glynnis and her SO, Rob, for a drink, (they also arrived that evening from Cape Town)

Our first day done and dusted, we slept like babies that night happy to be back..

[GavinW]

Thanks everyone

Day 2: 27 December The Kgalagadi welcomes us.....

The first full day in the park, and we were at Reception at 5.30am ready to roll, excited about what the day would deliver.

We were about the third vehicle out the gate, and as we drive slowly, I was happy just to chill and let the others rush past in their quest for lions.

Just outside the gates first up was a spotted eagle owl having a bath in one of the puddles left from the previous night’s rain. The light was still pretty bad as can be seen in this pic:



Carrying on, we went past a quiet Samevloeiing and carried on towards Leeudril.
Some bat eared foxes were still out and about





As was a cape fox family, but they were too far away for any decent pictures, so we just watched the cubs play.

These juvenile Gabar Goshawks were soaking up the morning sun just near Rooiputs

[GavinW]

A few kilometres past Rooiputs, where the detour to Kij Kij along the old Botswana road starts we saw two vehicles which appeared to have sighted something.



Sure enough a lioness and two cubs were walking along the road back towards Rooiputs.

The three vehicles took turns in letting each party have a chance to follow the trio in the leading position ( something I really like about the Kgalagadi)







They eventually started moving over to the South African side, so once we were in the front again, I carried on down towards Rooiputs until we were able to retrace our way back along the SA road to the now, approaching lions.



Water puddles in the path mean only one thing to a lion. A drink. So we stopped and waited for them to arrive.





By this stage, quite a few other cars had arrived, and we decided to leave the lions and carry onto Melkvei for some coffee and to stretch our legs.

The trip up to the picnic spot and back was pleasant, but not much was moving around, but we did see these two Giant Eagle Owls, one on the way up and the other on the way back.





By 8.30am on average in December, we realised that the prime viewing time was over, or so we thought.............

[GavinW]

A special moment.....

One thing on our bucket list for this trip was to see a springbok give birth as we had never been fortunate enough to witness that before. When we booked the trip we sort of hoped that we would get the timing right and be in the park when the bokke started dropping their lambs. As you know, this is really totally dependent on the weather conditions, the summer rains and on the whim of the springbok mother. So it is really hit and miss stuff.

Anyway after this introduction I assume you know what we were about to witness next

On our way back, just before Rooiputs we spotted her next to the road.



I will let the photos do the talking.

[GavinW]

Once the lamb was born, the mother diligently cleaned her newly born baby and ate the afterbirth





Then the all important first drink



And some wobbly first steps





Not without a nose dive or two




And off she goes.............

[GavinW]

After witnessing the birth, we were a a bit of a high on our way back to Twee Rivieren,

Along the way we saw this chap in the road.



There were also four flat lions at Leeudril, but they had moved off into the bushes on the far side of the waterhole, and whilst we waited a few minutes to see what, if anything they would do, they didn’t oblige, so we carried on.

As we were arriving back at TR, we saw Monty parked at reception, so we dashed down to greet Michele and her SO and family, who had just arrived from Cape Town.

We spent a relaxed time in camp until about 5pm when we set out again.

For our evening drive, we decided to head up the Nossob again to Leeudril and to see if the lions had moved.

The lions were out on the side of the road by now, but still pretty inactive.







This dove decided to give me a bum shot.



While we were watching the lions, another Cape Town forumite, Gill and her family also arrived at the sighting. It was good to catch up with them again.

Time eventually dictated that we leave the lazy lions so we set off back home.

These ostriches entertained us briefly just before Samevloeiing.



Our first full day in the park had been most productive, and we finished the day off with a pleasant braai before retiring to bed at about 10.30pm

[GavinW]

Day 3: 28 December We move to Urikaruus


The wannabe larnies woke up on day three of our trip with huge grins on our faces.

We were off to Urikaruus for 4 nights, something we had been looking forward to for a year, and our stay included my birthday and New Year’s Eve.
No matter what, it was going to be a special time and we couldn’t wait

Well, actually we had to wait. Leaving Twee Rivieren at 5.30am , left us a whole lot of time to travel the 60 odd kilometres to Urikaruus, before we could book in at 1pm.


So we decided to do a detour via Melkvlei, Kij Kij, the lower dune road and then on to Urikaruus.

Along the stretch between Twee Rivieren and Rooiputs, we saw very little and reminded ourselves to be prepared for a quiet day, as historically we have always had our quieter days when we are in transit between camps.
No idea why, maybe we have been just too eager to get to our destination, and haven't concentrated on what had been around us as much as on other days.

We did meet up with some more bat eared foxes playing in the morning sun,



As well as another gabar goshawk.



Carrying on past Rooiputs and onto the road that was recently reopened, but not upgraded as the first 25 kilometers or so, we came upon one of my favourite sightings of our trip:





It was quite stunning as they came over the dune and down into the riverbed.

A tad further on Debbie spotted these little ones up on the dune.




We waited a while, but then decided to carry on....


Just before Melkvlei we came upon a traffic jam of note!!!

It was so bad that we could not see what all the commotion was about as all the vehicles at the sighting were blocking the road to such an extent that, the only way to either see what they were looking at, or to get past them and carry on was to drive off road, which I was not prepared to do.

Eventually the cheetahs moved off the road and we could see what all the fuss was about.





(Don't you just love the bokke all en guard )


We got a brief sighting of them before they wandered off in the direction of Botswana and to solitude I am sure




I must admit I was a bit frustrated after this experience, as it is not the norm in the KTP, but then, school holdiays, limited roads and predators close to a main camp can only mean congestion.
Luckily this was our only such experience of our trip, and we DID get to see the cheetah in any event, so I am not too sure why I am ranting on like this.

Our transit day was not turning out to be as quiet as I had predicted after all

[GavinW]

It's Ekon (in all three photos), offspring of Elena.

How many cheetahs were there in total? And do you have more photos? I'll have blurds as well.

Also, I asked on your last TT already, but can I add them to the cheetah sighting thread, please?

Hi Mel
There were two cheetah at the sighting. This is the only other pic I have of the sighting



You are most welcome to post them in the cheetah sightings thread