(Signing the visitors' book: Union's End, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

We set out to drive all the way to Union’s End – the northernmost point of the old Union of South Africa and the current boundary point between the Republic of South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. A very remote spot and also the northernmost point of Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. There we sign the visitors’ book and in the process discover the names of the soldiers we met at Lejers Draii: “passed through this point [on the way] to Tshabong, Thanks to Mother Nature” [signed] Capt. Ngoma; Maj. Marius DeBruin; Pvt. Rouncivell; Pvt. Modome; Pvt. Rammala Mociomoti. We are very pleased to add our names to theirs and send thanks in the same direction too.

The scattered rain showers have greened sections of the veldt and the grazers have moved to these.

(Greened veldt: Red Hartebeeste gather in the shade -- road to Union's End)

(Intense sun/sought after shade: Gemsbok on the road to Union's End)

A lone male wildebeest holds his ground next to the road – shaking his horns and stamping the ground in warning.

(Shaking horns/Standing ground: Blue Wildebeeste on the road to Union's End)

The Grootkolk Camp looks very inviting: the tented facility looking like it was just constructed and in a well placed setting. More vehicles are on the road – in previous days we had seen almost none.

Visited the small but informative nature museum at Nossop. While there a rude tourist comes in to complain about his chalet to the young female park ranger: “You have done a very bad thing… how do you expect me to sleep? My room is 41 degrees [Celsius]… there are no screens on the windows [true so far in all of the places we have stayed]. I was not informed that the room lacked air conditioning.”

("Tourist hardship": chalet at Nossob Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park -- the interior was really nice too)

Very persistent and very much on the ‘let me speak to the person-in-charge’ track. Not aware of how it all turned out but the routine we followed was to go on a game drive from 6 to 9 AM leaving the chalet windows open; close the casement windows by 10 AM leaving the transoms open for ventilation and the ceiling fan running; keep the curtains closed all day; go on another game drive; at 5 or 6 PM open the windows (peak afternoon temperatures were about 41 degrees C); close windows before retiring because of mosquitoes but leave transoms open and spray some “Doom” around the room; hope the fan does not suffer a power cut and take the daily shower at night.

We pack and load the truck that night for a morning departure – we are scheduled to drive all the way to Keetmanshoop.

(Red Hartebeeste -- road to Union's End, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

Labels: Lejers Draii, Nossob Camp, Rude Tourist(s), Union's End

¶ 11:48 AM 0 Comments

Awoke at 4:00 AM in the heat of a power cut (no ceiling fan). Distant thunder and lightning. Sprayed the mosquitoes. Then the distinct and very impressive sound of lions roaring in the middle distance. Gathered binoculars, camera and sound recorder and walked over to the camp’s game “hide”. It has an illuminated water hole. The South African park system is truly great I am thinking.

(4:00 AM -- The game hide at Nossob Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

Sat in the dark enjoying the night sounds: bats squeaking and rustling in the roof of the hide, birds singing, more lion roars, and the thunderstorm which passed in the distance heading toward Botswana in the east. Roused Will at 5:15 as planned and ready to drive out the gate at 5:30 in the direction (south) of all the roaring. Will – the experienced hand - naturally a bit skeptical.

Then at Rooikop windpomp we saw other vehicles and pulled up.

(Rooikop: why it is a good idea to stay in your vehicle -- there is a very large male lion close by -- can you see it?)

( Dead center: he stood up and walked off to the right just after this picture was taken)

(And one of the females in the same pride walked off to the left -- stretching in the early morning sunlight)

(A lion footprint at Rooikop)

Back to our chalet: Will slept while I dealt with our camping gear and reorganized it for the rest of the trip (ease of access, compactness, priority). Pleased by what we have brought – nothing seems to be superfluous and it is all in excellent condition if not brand new. Visited store for more fluids – the temperature is 41 degrees Celsius. Fellow visitor rushes up to our chalet to tell us the lion pride is now 100 meters from the gate of the camp.

(The pride overlooking the waterhole at Nossob Camp -- a lioness is left-center in the shade of the tree)

(One-by-one each member of this group walked by the truck -- parked less than 100m from the gate of Nossob Camp)

(Each individual bore scars of the hunt -- the last two images show injuries from porcupine quills)

(Members of the pride then settled on the shoulder of the road where we were parked)

Another thunderstorm passes us by. We cook dinner for two nights and plan to go to the hide later. The shortwave radio provides a lot of amusement: the BBC Africa Service and (later) the VOA when we lose the BBC signal. The BBC lists six stories (in this order) in its bulletin at the top of the broadcast: UN Troops to Somalia; Indictment Reinstated in Zambia; Youngest President in History of DRC; Foreign Oil Workers Kidnapped in Nigeria; Rwanda Breaks Relations With France; and Police in Sierra Leone to Receive Guns. I predict the lead story on VOA and am correct: Foreign Oil Workers Kidnapped in Nigeria.

Sonny Young with the Sonny Side of Sports gives the VOA the “Ned Flanders” touch and we come to enjoy (and frequently imitate) his delivery. Point is that the African news is now much more compelling than the US domestic news where the big story is release of the Iraq Study Group report “to mixed reaction.” Yesterday it was the US Secretary of Defense (Gates) saying “the present strategy is not working.” No comment from us except that the current President slept through his classes at Yale and does not comprehend the Middle East.

(A thunderstorm passes to the north of Nossob Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

Labels: BBC Africa Service, Game Hide, Illuminated Waterhole, Nossob Camp, Rooikop, VOA

¶ 12:10 PM 0 Comments

Fatigued. Spent some time cooking a good breakfast, arranging our equipment, and planning. Eventually set out in the direction of Union’s End but stopped short determined not to be late getting back to Nossob.

(Blue wildebeeste -- road from Nossob Camp to Union's End, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

Ran into an army patrol at Lejers Draii (later we confirmed that it was the Botswana Defense Force) – very friendly after they hailed us to approach them. Passed no other vehicles and realized if we broke down we would have to be entirely self-sufficient.

(A welcome chance to get out of the truck (I should say bakkie): one of the Park designated "Get-Out Points" -- road from Nossob Camp to Union's End, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

(Some shelter from the intense rays of the sun at the same Get-Out Point: visitors are required to stay in their vehicles except at designated spots)

(Will takes advantage of the break and captures the "little Kalahari" with his Nikon D50)

(The little Kalahari captured: One of the species of Agama lizards)

As we had not put a significant amount of water in the truck it was resolved not to repeat that error again. The Hilux proved to be 100 percent mechanically reliable throughout the trip however.

(Ostriches -- road from Nossob Camp to Union's End, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

The game spotting highlight was a pool of water with what must have been a birder’s grand slam: two types of vultures; kites; eagles; falcons; secretary birds; and a kori bustard. Put a kori bustard on the road to flight.

(Grand slam: Secretary birds at the pool of water (really a large puddle) next to the road from Nossob Camp to Union's End)

(Lappet-faced vulture (R) with White-backed vulture (?) overlooking the pool of water -- road to Union's End)

The amount of animal life here is astounding – especially compared to the Mojave Desert. Drove back having apparently mastered Trevor Knutsen’s silent game drive “approach” (another skill he demonstrated to us): surprised two gemsbok standing one meter from the edge of the road. It is possible to approach large game here to within 2 to 3 meters – much closer than at Prof’s lodge.

Labels: Lejers Draii, Nossob Camp, Union's End

¶ 2:29 PM 0 Comments

There is a debate over the best technique for driving over a heavily corrugated road: “either go slowly or fly over them [corrugations].” This section of road (R360) from the Professor’s lodge to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Twee Rivieren Gate is being tarred so it alternately is a rough detour, old corrugated passages, and sections leveled for paving. (When we exit the Park several days later the paving is nearly complete from the gate to the existing tarred stretch to Upington.)

After 90 minutes or so we complete the 40 km to the gate (we drove very slowly over the corrugations) and stop to pay the Conservation fees (we bought a Wild Card) having previously reserved and paid for a chalet at Nossob Camp.

(The gemsbok - or oryx if you prefer - is an emblem of the Park: one of the odder sights of the Kalahari is a gemsbok shaking out a dried corpse in order to eat the calcium-rich bones)

A quick stop at the store and then, not 2 km from the gate we begin to see animals large and small, singly and in groups: springbok; gemsbok; tsessebe; hartebeest; blue wildebeest; blackbacked jackals; bat-eared foxes; and a small cat – possibly a caracal.

(The road north from the gate at Twee Rivieren to Nossob Camp follows the dry riverbed of the Nossob River, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

I list these because we are completely overwhelmed immediately by the abundance of game and stop to look and experiment with the cameras frequently.

(Springbok ram grazing, Nossob road, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

(A kori bustard: the world's heaviest bird capable of flight, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

(A male ostrich refuses to take flight: Nossob road, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

(Enormous wingspan: a kori bustard takes flight on the Nossob road)

I drive too fast through a deep mud puddle on the road and splatter the engine compartment and the truck exterior. After stopping for lunch we realize we are running late and have underestimated the distances involved in light of the 50 km speed limit.

(An acacia rat observes us during lunch, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

(Another friendly observer under the acacia tree - a ground squirrel at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

(A Lanner falcon(?) -- Nossob road, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

It grows late and we wonder if we will be locked out of the camp site. Having picked up the tempo and not stopped despite many more game sightings; we are nevertheless 35 minutes late to the Nossob Camp Gate. The rangers are waiting and we get a mild scolding. We explain (honestly being overwhelmed by what we saw) and make a promise (kept) not to be late again. (If they have to go out and look for you there is a fee per kilometer and a fine for being late.)

Prof had warned us about “the sneaky little jackals at the Camp” and she is immediately proven correct. While unloading the truck a jackal neatly picked up a plastic shopping bag (by the handles no less) and ran off with a load of books and CD’s. A comic chase ensued in which the jackal lost its grip and ended up by strewing its booty over a short distance from the door of our chalet. Jay-Z made it all the way to Africa only to end up in the sands of the Kalahari. Having retrieved him and the other musicians and authors I was greatly surprised to see the jackal return to stand just outside the chalet’s door as I was describing the chase to Will. Putting its ears back it was clearly calculating its odds if it made a mad dash inside. I clapped my hands and moved towards it but it was barely fazed by this and trotted off only with the greatest reluctance.

(A blackbacked jackal on the road to Nossob Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

Labels: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Nossob Camp

¶ 11:55 AM 0 Comments