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I need a remedy to reduce excitement of departure... and what better way to put it into words.

I'm nearly ready to go... a multitude of objects lying around... this is the joy of Safran
I move, and move again, weighed and reweidhed the whole, my bag must not exceed 20 KG... and for a long stay, the choice is not easy
I have a lot for children... a quarter of the total

Why this "headline" ?... for purists.. . and they are few...
I need dictionary, google translate, but for verbs... nothing ... so I'll try my best, with my heart...

I'm leaving on the 7th of Septembre... in the afternoon, from Geneva, via London, Johannesburg, and will arrive the next day at Upington where I'll go shopping... for 3 weeks

and then... then... it's another story ... wait and see... still 2 weeks to tell

thank you Scipio, MM, bert, Micetta, RayK, Chickadee, Caracal, Sharifa and Duke, Salamanda, Petra Jacobs, Nurse Bev
Here you are the first picture :
the... brothel

aboon... one month to early for you... or one month to late for me, have a nice journey and sightings

sable... only one week

Richprins... I knew ......

PS... photo also... are not under controle.... one hour to try to post this one
I don't remember posting a picture clickable

thank you skywalker I will try to do even more funny

I'm almost ready to leave... in 2 hours... with 2 bags (one with 4kg of notebooks ) one big cabin bag (8 kg ), photo "arsenal" etc.... a backpack...
I don't know how it will be

see you soon, in Kgalagadi, Cape Town and Kruger... I have a lot of "dates"

Thank you to each
After a good, extra long journey... except for the luggages (too much and too heavy)... one have no more 20 , I'am at Upington
and the first animal I saw, at the airport is a Mangoose (a small one with a little white at the end of the tail) and here at the guest house a Hoopoe what a good start...
but... a lot of cold wind (who comes from Cape Town ) and a little bit fresh and very sunny, like at Johannesbourg.
Well... I have to go shopping.....

... another good new... I have received a wonderfull cake for my birthday, with a candle for making a wish, (I think you know which it was ) and another suprise... a little bit later...thanks a lot Kathy and Francolin

appetizer....



Yes I'm at Upington for few hours
and tomorrow... ho ho ho

I met Dreamer and family, Penny, SO and friends, very nice people, I met also Jo at a water hole and Tobieo at Grootkolk where we have some terrific hours... but all has well finished... and Nighthawk on the road.

All was nice and even super nice

.... I'm at home.....

Micetta for that moment is not the better place at all.... 5°, fog, 2-3 m visibility ...

Caracal, only to think of our wonderful days we have, give to me a little "baume" in my heart

annalie, thanks to understand and say to The jackal, the compass was very useful for the return... J'burg was closed, I have to wait and wait and wait, the landing was terrific (due to the wind, I hope not to the wine ), same for the take of and the first hours in the plane. I run all the night to have connections, but fortunately Salamanda was here to help me, thanks Sal and Virginia and her SO.

MM, very nice to meet you again, you don't change, still this nice smile in your face

RichardJ, yes I survived another trip. I spend a lot of time with Martie, and it was so nice. She is like a ray of sunshine and still in the park

Now I have to get my bagage, who return by train from Geneve to Lausanne. And get my Safran, who is not so well, to console my sister in law, her Yorkshire, the friend of Safran, died some days ago.... than after sort 61 Go of pictures
and sorry I'm not hurry, I don't have to return at work.... and that is the good point

Elsa, Pumbaa, Petra, Chip, thank you for your kind word
I start to dowload few pictures (for ID), then slowy....

Chip I'm happy you found the wild dogs, what a day, not really awake due to the super nice supper with Martie and Stephen... I spend more than one hour with the big pack (more than 20 ) in open space, until arrived 4 zebras.... (the end soon )

and thank you to all forumite who remember me... I have not memory enough to retain all the name

Well I try
I hope it's work, because I need 2 hours for this test ...


1. Genève - Upington – 8/9.9

The weather was beautiful and the flight very agreeable: You could see the Mont Blanc on the right side of the picture

Le Mont-Blanc

As expeded, I had to pay (a lot) for excess baggage, but that I knew… and went to counter to the other…. luckily someone helped me at J'burg and I could catch the correspondance.

When I arrived at the Gesthouse in Upington, a surprise was waiting for me….

here
and also a surprise from Katy and Francolin. A big thank to you both.
In the afternoon I went shopping, driving on the left side with a lot of concentration, a very big car… for me.

Then I took the road… this long, long, straight road, with no car or person, but asphalted up on arrival.
Coming to TR, just to buy the air, I made a few more Km…. And I saw this

Southern Black Flycatcher

then


White-quilled Korhaan

the first wild….

Then I did the first of a long serie of fire, with more or less succes….. I took a Lessson in Cape Town, with Doug, The Jackal, etc…. but I'm still not realy developed….

2. Twee Rivieren - 10/11.9.09

This day, I really enter in the park, ready to catch all I can. So going north through the unique way, along the Auob River, I can resist to do the big loop. It was much too much but I need it.
The first animal I saw was Suricates a little bit to far... but Suricates
here
then a Honey Badger with a PCG
here
and the birds I would like absolutely to see :
Pygmy Falcon
here
and Black-shouldered Kite(thanks Michele)
here
All the trees and bushes was in bloom
here
It was beautiful because I let the autumn to find the spring.
I saw also Red Hartebeest
here
Ostrichs,a 3 horns Oryx
here
Crimson-breasted Shrike
here
Tawny a little bit curious
here
Greater Kestrel
here
Namaqua Dove
here
Swallow-tailled Bee-eater with a present
here
and AWC in very bad position
here

During the sunset drive, we saw 2 Porcupines, but no time to have a photo, they run away… a first for me, till now I saw only the quilles. (and again in Kruger)

3. KTC 12/13/14.9

This time, it is time to go right into the park, I mean in an unfenced camp. Finally feel alone surrounded by all this wildlife. Arrival at KTC is exactly what I felt. First it was impossible to cook as there was back and forth to the water, ostrich, jackal, wild cat, go out into the kitchen, control the fire, take a picture or two (fortunately there are no baboons) but still a fence anti hyenas ... for the car ! This has been useful, they patrolled noisily all nights.

In the morning, I woke up with 7 °, and it was really hard to get out of bed. The next night I put my clothes into the bed .... It's the only morning I really felt cold.

For the first time I saw the Cape fox digging around in all directions, I am yet remained a long time, but I have not seen the babies mentioned Penny (I think).
here


Then I left to cross the whole family ostrich who take time. Parents took their bath of sand and one small chicks tried to do the same thing, with varying degrees of success.
here

here

here

Then I sat down to a brawl Tawny, they were three, the fight was hard, they even continued to fight in flight.
here

here

here

Then I sat down to the Tawny's breakfest, a male mouse !

here
here

And again Suricates, What a chance !

In the 14th water hole there were 3 young lions who terrorized sprinbok and oryx, but a rash Springbok who dared, after weighing the pros and cons, have a drink.

here

here

Returning Mata Mata, I checked the nest (TonyT.) above the route. It's still there, but it feel empty and I saw a Bateleur a little further in another tree, can be well also with a nest, I'm not sure
here

Then I went to the hyena's den and I had the chance to see 3 babies and some adults. The place is well protected, no car can go very close and it very well

here

here

I then found on the road a Black Mamba, halved ... still moving ... vision of hell


I came across a police car 30 seconds before and under the tire tracks on the road ... they may well be the culprits!

I then saw a large herd of wildebeest with only 1 Cattled Egret

here

and a lot of new birds for me.
Then I crossed what I believe a Mole Snake……

here
It is also the first time I've seen so many snakes.

Oups enough for this chapter.... it's very difficult to post...

and some birds for the same chapter

Marico Flycatcher

Scaly-feathered Finch

White-browed Sparrow-waever

Lark Bunting

African Hoopoe

Pygmy Falcon

I hope I'am right with the ID... and not mixed all

some more for 14.09


Kgalagady without Oryx... is not....


slender mongoose


a bunch...


a look... before disapearing


no pups today


Cape Sparrow

à suivre

4. Urikaruus

This morning I decided to go north, a good idea. I stopped near a car and the man showed me a cheetah to horizon. In fact, a collared cheetah with a young. She seems ready to pounce, leaving her little back, we waited ... but nothing is passed, they disappeared behind the dunes.


here


here


the target


I then found a Tawny eating a bird, it seems to me, and somebody cross so quickly and loudly that it flied away with his booty


here


Returning to the south, a leopard was lounging on the rocks and I said to a bus "Pick and Pay" carrying a bunch of kids. Oh, they were so happy. (thanks P+P)


here


here

à suivre...