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Now let me tell you about the Mount Zebra wind. This is not a wind that blows consistently and gives you a gauge of its strength and ferocity. This is a wind that sometimes acts in a very friendly way, drops a little, plays at your feet and just as you think you have you tent erection under control... it comes and rips and tears everything apart in a most cruel manner.

Noname telling the wind to behave taken on our last trip.



Which leads me to my next point:

Learn to ask for help

a reminder of MM and Sarabi at Addo where there was a wind break and two people.



I eventually had to admit defeat. This was not going to work. I went to reception and asked if anyone was able to assist me in setting up my tent.

They were most helpful and a few minutes later two men arrived to help me set up for the night.

Are you sure you want the tent here? I was asked...

I looked at the view and without hesitation answered in the affirmative.

"Where are the tent pegs?" they asked..... I looked in vain for tent pegs... no tent pegs maybe at Addo

"Don't worry", I said, "my weight will hold it down".

A picture of MM taken at home with a new virgin tent. MM, the mighty mouse.... with the weight to hold down a tent in an Eastern Cape gale.



ah, for the next lesson in a while..

Ah yes, where was I?

I was in a tent with a wonderful view, in a gale force wind... with no tent pegs.

My initial plan had been to pitch my tent and leave for a late afternoon drive. Well it was now early evening and there was certainly no place on my agenda for a late afternoon drive. There was no late afternoon left.

I went off for a welcome shower in some very smart and clean ablutions. I cannot post pictures for obvious reasons.

Supper was a tin off tuna, not very nice tuna and dried rolls. I also had a half bottle of flat Autumn Harvest. Remember, this was a trip through Rhodes where Autumn Harvest is sold in higher quantities than tea or coke. Autumn Harvest had been the cheapest drink to buy. The first half had been consumed while pitching my tent.. its called Cape Dutch courage.

I went to bed fairly early after a magnificent sunset.

Well, I have spent uncomfortable nights.. but nothing prepared me for this.

I get to my next lesson..

Never underestimate tent pegs

Remember the tent. This is the non aerodynamic tent at Letaba and my hungry son.



I was thrown about in the dark by what seemed to be demonic forces.

I felt my mattress lift as if an invisible hand was playing rummy with my life.

My tent moved in the darkness and at one point I even wondered if it had knocked over the rubbish bin meters from my tent. Something hard was stopping my progress.. it was pitch dark and I had no way of seeing into black.

I remembered that the bins are often the hunting grounds of determined primates.



Frightening images of my future and my mortality invaded disjointed and technicolor dreams. (never trust Autumn Harvest on a mere tin of tuna.)



There was not much sleep to be had.. then just before dawn, the wind dropped.. and ran away. The dawn was greeted by silence, a blessed silence.. and then the first twitter of the dawn chorus.

Thank goodness it was this



and not this

Philip on the ball is better than waking up to a tin man, a scarecrow and a fearful Lion

Kite the tent has served me very well. It is an Eco 360, but it is not good in winds. I have decided that for windy times, particularly August and September, to get a canvas tent... and to remember tent pegs.

or else to get one of these

Melph...

a "ggod morning" picture for you..

waiting for 2015.

Morning had broken, indeed it had. A perfect Mount Zebra morning.

The previous night's torment had disappeared like a thief in the night. I had one permanent memory though..

completely splintered tent poles

I left Mount Zebra camp knowing that I could take a leisurely drive to the gate.



I was in awe of the mystery of the country.



I fell in love with its namesake.. the gentle creature of the slopes.



flowers, fynbos, produced a carpet of colour.. and I drank in a flora so delicate and tough.



as I turned towards the gate, a movement disturbed me. I could not believe my eyes...

a gift

a sighting of sightings

I watched with wonder and delight as a family group of 16 Meercat frolicked around a pool of water. They seemed to have no fear of my great tin monster. I was spellbound.

I could not believe my luck

I could not believe my misfortune

Here I was watching one of the most endearing sightings of my life and I would have no recorded memory

Nothing to it

I had to return again.

testing...TESTING

OOPS