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Does any one know from a historical perspective what the camp life in the early years was? Did the visitors bring their own food and how did they keep it fresh especially if the visited the Park for a week or longer? What did they do in the evenings and what was on the menu? Not sure if fresh/frozen meat was available to have a braai? It will also be very interesting to hear some interesting information on how they celebrated Christmases and New years in the Park in those years and the food that they prepared.

So interesting , there could be much info in "Neem Uit Die Verlede" and Salmon Joubert's books .

I read that in the very early days rangers were expected to share their accomodation with tourists , one complained that it was a drag to have to share his toothbrush with them ...

There is some interesting info posted by GML Smit under Special Interests , People and Conservation .

Thank you verymuch Ndloti for guiding me in the right direction. I really enjoyed the postings under
Special Interests , People and Conservation . It is so interesting! Appreciated. I however do not have a clue where to obtain the books that you have mentioned.

An African Eden by Col James Stevenson-Hamilton is usually available from Exclusive books or they will order it for you. I have also never been able to find the Salmon Joubert book

Have a look at the forum menu under "General" and sub "recommended reading" for more book titles .

Wow, thanks ndloti!!!! I did not even know to look in that section. The topics look like very interesting reading. You made my Christmas.

I may be mistaken, but I don't think braaing was high on the agenda and popular in those years. People used to cook their meat and ate canned meat. As far as I know braaing only became popular in the seventy's with the slogan: "Braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies, and Chevrolet"

Theuns, We were braa-ing long before then
(en ek is 'n Egelsvrou )

Our parents took us on many trips to the KNP in the seventies when my sister and I were still very young. I still remember the good times that we had and it was even better when my grandparents went along because my grandfather told us the most interesting stories in the evenings around the fire. Information on the “good times” in the early years was not readily shared perhaps because in those years it was not important to keep diaries or whatever, don’t know. My aunt gave me a stack of letters recently that were exchanged between my family members and when I read them I could deduct that visits to KNP were popular with them. They did mention the animals they saw and who went along but not much what they did otherwise. But I am sure they must also have had “good times” in those very early years. I remember my granddad made us the most wonderful “braaivleis but perhaps as TheunsH said it became only popular in the seventies. Perhaps before that a few people did have a “braai” as indicated by Pjw .