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My SO (gavinw) and I have finally arrived and I feel as though I have come home. On the way up from Upington it started to rain and the smell was heavenly. The storm followed us to TR and it was very strange seeing KTP through raindrops on the windscreen but it still felt awesome.

The road from Askam to TR is like a highway and if anybody is still moaning about this road I would recommend that they drive to Beaverlac for the weekend and they will soon change their minds. We arrived at TR about 4pm after a lengthy stay in Upington (SO had to see the Doc about an ear infection and of course got off the driving), booked in, bought firewood and ice and then hit the road via Saamevloeing towards leeudril before we had to turn around to beat the closing of the gate. We saw lots of rain, the usual suspects but we also managed to get in a Pale Chanting Goshawk and a Secretary bird doing high jinks in a tree (photies to follow once Michell and Dreamer give us lessons).

I will carry on with this report once I return to Cape Town so until then take care and don't be too

OK now my 2 cents worth! I can't believe that we are actually in TR and I am on the forum instead of going looking for jackals or owls, but the weather is really grotty! Windy and wet. I just hope tomorrow is better when we go to Kielie Krankie. As Wannabe Nerd said it is great to be here and just seeing the red dunes makes me really excited and can't wait to see what the Kalahari is going to dish up for us in the next 2 weeks
Also looking forward to touching sides with JB72 and suej.

Red dunes peeping out from the green grass!!!!
Hate to say it, but a bit like a Welsh rugby jersey!!

Sorry guys you aregoing to have to wait a bit for our report. We are stuck in TR with our SECOND broken blade spring in 10 days. More about that later in the report. We hope to be heading back to CT tomorrow. MN I now know what it's like to be stuck in a KTP camp!!
On the bright side we had some amazing sightings ad Wannebe Nerd has over 2300 pics to sort through (taken on her mik and druck camera) and we met up with a load of amazing forumites!

Hi all
Yes we are back from an amazing trip. You will please have to show oodles of patience as I have to go through all my photos and also study for an exam at the same time (was meant to study while away but with all that happened and the wonderful sightings and folk that we met, of course that did not happen). I will get to this report as soon as possible.
Debbie

We are getting there!!!

And I am still trying to work out this tinypic thing!!
Talk about being technically challenged

It seems as though my SO really does have too much time on his hands especially at work. Wow Gav I am impressed.
Ok all I will get on to the report this weekend as we will be home bound (Comrades Day on Sunday and hubby does not leave the couch)
Thank you all for your kind patience hopefully you will be well rewarded. Let us just say that the only animals we did not see were honey badger and brown hyena and a few snake varieties

So get the and whatever refreshment tickles your fancy ready and this thread will have something for you come Tuesday

Thursday 1st May 2008
Gav and I had waited 11months for this morning and we were both very packed and rearing to go. The new bakkie was packed and parked in front and all I had to do was kiss my grandson goodbye and we were on the road by 6.15am.

We stopped for breakfast at Van Rhynsdorp and headed off over Van Rhyns Pass with me clicking at the view


We drove via Calvinia arriving in Augrabies @ about 4pm. We set up a quick camp

and started the fire for our first holiday braai.
On the way up we saw a Cori Bustard and a family of yellow mongoose(s) as well as the usual many sightings of sociable weavers nests (love them as they are always a reminder that we are getting closer to the best place on earth)

Friday 2nd May 2008
Got up pretty bright and early the next morning and packed up the camp site and went off for a quick walk before heading off to Upington
saw many dassies

Got to Upington and did the usual last minute shopping at Skaapland and Pick n Pay and we also had to make a stop at the local Medicross as we thought that Gav had an ear infection (his balance was non to steady and it had nothing to do with the grapes he had the night before ).
We found out that he did have quite a bad infection and he was told No Driving (I did not realise that he would go to such lengths to get out of driving)

We arrived at TR at about 4pm, booked into Chalet 6 and took off on our first game drive up towards Melkvlei.
We saw a Bateleur Eagle flying along with the usual Springbok, Gemsbok and BBJs.
On the way back we saw a Secretary Bird making his bed to the night


Gav and I could not get over how green it was. This was my third trip but it was Gav's 7th trip and neither of us had ever seen it so green. It was truely an awesome sight and one that I know I will never forget.
We went back to TR to unload the truck before the heavens opened once again and wet the land. It smelt wonderful.
We started our trip report and went to bed 2 very happy bunnies.

No I am definitley better behind the wheel as opposed to the camera. I do a really good back seat picture taking job tho!

Here are two more pics from day two:
A Klippie in Augrabies and some bokke in the KTP:
(a bit far away though)



All this because I am scared of that Jackal waiting patiently

I deleted her entire post by accident just before wannabe was about to post it! you can imagine the sense of humour failure - I was not the most popular SO around as yo can imagine. We (no sorry)Wannabe is going to try again now. I will just watch

Saturday 3 May Twee Riveren to Kieliekrankie

Got up at 6am all rearing to go (this for me is most unusual as I am not a morning person but I just could not wait to get out to see my KTP). Gav was grumpy and dizzy as his medication had not yet kicked in properly. We were out the gates just after 7 and headed out on the Mata Mata road. We saw a Duiker, a Gembok with funny horns, a Giant Eagle Owl as well as a Bateleur Eagle, Rooi Hartebeest and some whistling rats.




We rushed back to pack and fill up with petrol before leaving for Kieliekrankie. As we were leaving Gav checked the petrol slip only to find that we had been charged double (Wow I knew that petrol had gone up but not that much). We did a quick about turn, got our refund and headed out once again.

Went up the Nossob river road and our first sighting was a BBJ on an old kill at Samevloeiing.


In between Leeudril and Rooiputs we had our first lion sighting.
A lazy far away male doing nothing (how unusual).


We wended our way up to Melkvlei for a pitstop and a bite to eat. Thereafter we turned back to Kij Kij to connect to the lower dune road and onto Kieliekrankie. As we approach Kij Kij a lone, battered and old looking lion just walked out of a bush.

We followed him to the water hole where he proceeded to drink loads of water.


This was at about 2pm and we had him to ourselves for about 15min before being joined by one very idiotic tourist who obviously wanted to be lion food.


He then proceeded towards the dunes, lay down under a bush and did what lions do during daylight hours, just disappeared. We then proceeded along the dune road and arrived at Kieliekrankie in the late afternoon. Not before seeing an amazing close up of a Pale Chanting Goshawk. He was standing on the side of the road and did not seem to mind being photographed.



We met with Willem who showed us our accommodation (No 1) and we settled in. What an amazing place – definitely to be repeated and for not less than 2 nights. We sat on the veranda and admired the view, opened the wine, lit the fire and chilled to the sounds of jackal, lion and hyena. What an amazing start to our holiday.


We both slept like logs to be awakened early next morning with our neighbours shouting for Willem to turn on his spotlight…………

Sunday 4th May Kieliekrankie to Mata Mata

Woke up to great excitement. The guys next door thought that they had seen a hyena or a leopard (I suppose they would both look the same in the dark??). Willem came out with his mega spot light and we saw nothing. Whatever was there had ducked no doubt because of the noise. A little later Willem came around to say that there was an African Wild Cat at the waterhole. While we were watching it a BBJ approached from the left and the hackles on both sides were raised. I think that the AWC won but am not sure as Willem said that this happened often. We also saw a duiker and gemsbok while drinking coffee with Willem and listening to all his tales. We found him to be a very charming and informative young man.

We then packed up and proceeded towards Mata Mata. Saw little in the way of wild life on the dune road but the scenery was beautiful as we had never seen it so green. Once on the Mata Mata road we saw jackal, secretary birds and a jackal on an old ostrich kill near Kamqua. We also saw another first for me and that was a family of bat eared foxes.

we also saw lots of these guys




We arrived at the camp around 1ish, pitched the tent right on the fence and got organized. We then went off towards Craig Lockhart and sat at the waterhole for a bit. We saw giraffe and came back for a braai.

Another wonderful, yet quiet day in paradise……… not for long

Monday 5th May Mata Mata

7am start and we drove to Kamqua and back. We saw 6 Tawny Eagles, 8 Giraffe and 4 bat eared foxes (no pics as it was all very far away). We got back to the camp, had some lunch and pottered around until going out again at 3.30pm.
White Faced Owl outside Mata Mata Shop
Gav at the waterhole
Lilac breasted roller

We aimed for Craig Lockahrt and saw very little until we approached the waterhole when we noticed a bit of a 3 car traffic jam. We then proceeded to watch 4 cubs at the waterhole




followed by a further 2 cubs, 2 lionesses and one very lazy lion.

this little guy was scared to cross the road so he waited for Mom



this youngster was hell bent at destroying the plumbing

All drank except for the large male who proceeded to lie down and sleep.


This was another first for me as I had never witnessed a pride of lions. Containing my excitement was rather comical as I bounced all around the inside of the bakkie trying to get pics with Gav’s ongoing verbal commentary on what I should be taking (I am going to either buy Gav a plug for his mouth or his own camera). It was so wonderful just watching how they interacted with each other.

We all just made the gate at 6.01pm and we then got to meet Suej, Bucky and Texasboer who had pitched camp just behind us. We downloaded pics, braaied and went to bed very happy bunnies (once again).

Fantastic pics of the lion cubs at Craig Lockhart Wannabe but your Scops Owl is in fact a White Faced Owl..love your report