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Eish, don't worry about translating your Afrikaans bits, Scouter. While I'm pretty hopeless with either speaking or understanding spoken Afrikaans, I'm OK with reading it (I kinda hafta be the PDU website) — with my trusty dictionary!

Looking forward to your next installment!

Ooops yes, forgot about PDU

Next one coming up shortly

Reading their booklets afterwards it seemed like they were mostly excited about being in the park ( some had been last year but for a lot of them it was their first time) but also a bit scared and most were missing their mom or their dad or their dogs !!! And as they had to draw a picture on the back we could see that some were really talented artists too.....

So I’ve mentioned Jannie Bok before right ..... he is a ranger that was kindly on loan to us from Brent up at Nossob – he was there for my first week then unfortunately ( for us, not for him ) he had to go off the 2nd week and fly backwards and forwards over the park in a teeny tiny plane for a week doing a game count with a pilot who sounded like he had a very warped sense of humour - but then he was back for Petra and Scipio’s week and I know they enjoyed having him around ....

Here he is, standing guard while the kids were on the dune ...



Everywhere we went, Jannie Bok came too – his trusty R1 always at the ready the minute we walked out the gates of Gemsbokplein .....



This one is for Meneer Rikki from Philandersbron School – he said to me “please take a photo of me with the ranger and his rifle “ ...... Henriette will send a CD to the schools with all the photos we took of each group, so Mnr Rikki will get his photo



Down the dune again and back to camp... I couldn’t resist the beautiful sunset ....





Supper was a lekker savoury mince with rice – thanks Toya ! We dished up, the kids washed their own plates and cutlery and cups and then we checked them and re-dried them .... the one group of kids tried to cut corners and brought their plates back still covered in food but Jannie B was extra vigilant and sent them all back to re-wash them – and after that we had no more dirty plates coming back ... ( BTW Mariska and I worked out that in the 2 weeks we dried over 1200 plates and mugs and slightly fewer knives and forks – they had sarmies for lunch so no cutlery – yay !)

After supper Henriette did a stunning power point presentation for the kids on the animals and birds in the park and how they adapt and why some antelope have horns and lots of other fascinating things ... some of the first group passed out on the tables fast asleep – there were some Grade 4’s and they were shattered ..... They were loaded back into the bus and carted off the few hundred meters back to their dorms ( can’t have them walking in the dark – they might get eaten !!!) The genny was switched off just after 10 and eventually silence descended on the land once again .... Day one was done and dusted .......

enjoying this Scouter

The sunset - very beautiful and Jannie Bok a true guardian angle . What a big responsibility on his shoulders - I can imagine

Sounds like this was an amazing experience for all concerned! Thank you for sharing this with us Scouter and thanks to all the helpers!

Thanks Leana - glad you are enjoying it I have lots more sunset photos to show you Jannie was brilliant - he took his job very seriously but was great fun too...

Thanks wanderw - it was such a great experience !

Boy, oh boy, does this bring back memories!! Luckily we don't have long to wait, we'll be helping again from 16 -26 October. Can't wait! This is such a magical experience and I still can't figure out who gets the most out of it, us or the kids!

Thank you so much for the pics

bosticbudgie - so you are the ones helping again - awesome !!!!

It really is incredible !! And so glad you are enjoying the photos As you can see from a lot of them the light was shocking, but hey, its the memories that count !

Hi Scouter, thanks for all the info

I first met Jannie Bok when he was working at Grootkolk, but it was his Last night , because he was promoted to the rangers (this was about 2 years ago, I think)

Ever since, when I am in the park, I do visit Jannie. HE IS ONE OF THE DIAMONDS OF THE KGALAGADI!!!

One of the best persons I have ever incounter in my life.

SJ

SJ - Don't worry, we looked after Jannie VERY well during our time with him ( especially when I was dishing up the food ) .... but yes, he's a really great guy with a wicked sense of humour too

Scouter, I am thoroughly enjoying reading this report and the pictures are great too
It sounds like you had such a fabulous time and I am sure the children enjoyed having you there just as much as you enjoyed been there.
Once again, WELL DONE to all the helpers (again...... I wish I could have been there too) Maybe next time I could do the 1200 pieces of crockery, that's not a bilingual job
So pleased Jannie B is appreciated for his excellent conduct

Thanks Dreamer - so glad you are enjoying it - I took SO many happy-snaps that I'm having a hard time choosing what to post, so glad they are ok... 40D had a defunct shutter button so hardly used it - I'd like to take 4 frames a second not one every 4 seconds as was happening

Definately come next time - one's Afrikaans doesn't have to be THAT good I promise and the extra hands will be more than welcome !!

Day 2 dawns with Mariska’s cellphone alarm going off at 5.45 – noooooooooooo ............ too early ................. it’s still dark outside ........ surely it won’t take that long to make oats and scrambled eggs and butter some bread and pour 60 cups of coffee ??? Everyone is very “paraat” ( a nice old “National Service, Defence Force” word for ready or prepared - also read “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed “ ) on this first morning and keen to make a good start so we stagger out of bed and get ready for the day. Henriette had warned me that Tuesdays and Thursdays were going to be hectic – and she wasn’t kidding !

At 7.30 Henriette went down to the dorms to round up the first group of kids to see what had been caught in the traps that had been set overnight ....





The traps were basically buckets with sand in the bottom for the goggas to hide in and inside them cosy biscuit boxes with cottonwool inside for the mice to keep warm in .... the traps were checked a couple of times a day each with a different group of kids and notes were kept of how many of what creepy crawlies were found .... mostly bugs and little spiders and the odd lizard that were all released again once they had been documented ....

We did find quite a few of these scorpions over the 2 weeks – they are the nasty ones with tiny pinchers and a beeeeg tail with a beeeeg sting .....



And this little beauty ..... a “klaasneus” ..... a WHAT I hear you say .... ? You heard me ....... a klaasneus .... otherwise known to us Rooinekke as a shrew ... it is adorable, no ? I have to say I learnt so many new fascinating Afrikaans names for things I never knew .... who lumped the poor ground squirrels with a name like a "waaierstertgrondeekhoring "???



Kids trying not to fall in the buckets



Jannie being very vigilant – he did say he would not like to have to tell Henriette’s husband if anything should happen to her on his watch ...... and those of you who know Henriette's husband will know exactly what he meant

Please keep it coming Scouter - am loving it!!!! Wish I could say I have seen a shrew at such close quarters - am with envy!

Great Gandalf - am so happy you are enjoying it - Im having such fun re-living it as I tell it here .. theres lots more to come ...