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Finally getting around to sharing our February 2011 trip to KTP.

Similar timing to last year, but a different and yet similar experience.

It was a last minute booking, and I managed to get consecutive nights at a number of camps.
Aim was to 'chill out' get rest and see some wildlife while we were about it. Clearly understanding that last year's (2010) amazing visit could never be repeated, we would be thankfull for all and any sightings.

The bookings were almost perfect, a number of nights in TR, Nossob, KK and new chalets at MM. But we had one night problem at MM and would have to go to UR and then back to MM and then home. A number of requests to swop out that one night were unsuccessfull. No packing,unpacking, packing,unpacking...for this trip...

A definite highlight was meeting a number of mites and making new acquantances...time spent chatting along the road, sharing experiences, passing time waiting for sighting to move....

First up on the dune road between 2 dips was Patries and SO, they were on their way out...
While chatting to them, a vehicle came over rise, we moved back out of the way....
Vehicle chatted to Patries and came forward...

Pikasso and Vahine on their way home as well.....met them last year at the end of that visit..

We met Bush Bapist on our way to Nossob, and thanks to some info on the river we came across a sighting which we would have missed after the upper dune road turnoff..

Relaxing in Nossob, we were approached by a lady cradling her camera.... Dreamer had seen our YR
A good long chat and invitation to join them at Quannah (Bob and Lee) for the evening. Good time catching up with them. Lee was preparing a leg of lamb,in the cobb, purchased from a butcher in our valley that we had not yet tried. We have since and will support in the future.

Crossed paths with Jo and SO on there way to and from GK

A number of times passed Nyala and SO, always sharing some amazing sightings..

Met NatureGuy at a lion sighting.

JohanN and SO were on their first visit to KTP.....

Then first anne catherine and later click-click with anne-marie in the back.
An honour to meet them and share some of our respective experiences....
I promised anne-marie that i would post some pics of Elena...

We crossed paths again with Gariep and So again this year...


None mites that we spent some time with Peter and May, Ken and ?, and Roger and Louise (??Englishman living in Germany)

We did a day time drive up, detoured to the only bridge access to Upington, spent the Saturday and Sunday nights in Upington. Monday morning picked up the preordered, vacuum packed frozen meat. Some other final items shopped and we were on our way.

Lessons from last year and taken with.....
most usefull ...window shields/shades (silver foil) used to shade ourselves very often...
least usefull....insect repellant candles..sat with hand 3 inches from flame and a mossie landed on my hand

frozen face clothes helped for the heat.....
cobb stones reduced the charcoal requirement...

The visit was much wetter with water all over, but the heat spells still kept me awake esp in Nossob....

Clothing wise I wore shorts, T-shirts and croc slip slops the entire 3 weeks.

7th Feb 2011 and we were back in KTP, first drive via a vacant Samevloeing WH and then onto the Auob river, we came across a bird that I am intrigued with having discovered them on the previous trip and as with many bird species was amazed by the quantities grouped together...very different from prior years

Wattled Starling

A warm welcome from a bigger bird



Colourful and lush surroundings...

This steenbok insisted on being photographed, while finding some sustenance on the road

This PCG provided a nice colourful pic





last sighting of the first day.....

an owl inside the TR camp gate

8 Feb 2011 we were woken up during the night by a heavy rain storm, SO having a unscheduled shower, water dripping down on her pillow.......

The result..



Gemsbok going for a swim



The confluence of 2 rivers at Samevloeing

Along the dune road, colourfull setting



Lost soul





A large herd of BWB came down the river





Hunt was on for the perfect shot of a bee eater

Lots of practice on BIF on offer again

Not long after having turned around and heading back to TR in Montrose area, a small traffic jam.

2 or 3 cars parked off...

and behind a tree on a kill, Lisette

a pregnant Lisette...


















she made her way across the road in front of us and headed for the central dunes



Fantastic to have met up with her again...

This young bokkie suddenly started running rings around mom......quite entertaining (a little far off)







and got the pronk right

This policeman allowed us to get close....

Dune road noisy creature



and close to the gate



we were on for a show....
sadly the photographer and/or equipment were not up to scratch........

what could have been coming up....

Just outside the TR gate was a big puddle of water...

these guys flying towards it