AFRICA TOUR part 5

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Zie: http://gerardenpetraopreis.blogspot.com/2017/08/

Tuesday 14th of November 2017

Tiaan’s Camp, Khumaga, Botswana

The alarm clock rings again at 5 a.m. We are the first to hop around. We quickly pack everything to be 1st at the small ferry. We are there at 6.10 a.m. The ferryman is already here and we don’t have to wait at all. Gerard can immediately drive onto the little ferry boat. Now that the river is wider and higher it is going much faster than last year. We have to pay 150 pula.

Checking in at the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is also very fast. Everything has been pre-paid and at 6.30 a.m. we already drive towards the waterfront. We quickly see 3 zebras, but then nothing more. Dead silence. The river is much wider than last year, but you can still drive along it in some parts. It just takes a while to find the right entrances and exits. It’s deep sand. It often happens that Gerard wants to make a turn but that the car rolls straight ahead.

A moving mountain of vultures and caribou sits on top of each other under a tree along the water. As a result, it is impossible to see what is underneath.

We see a small motor boat coming. The guests of the Lodge across the water are taken to the safari cars that are ready on the bank. A little later we see one of the cars a bit away from the river. Yes they have found lions. We count 4, they still look young. If they are the same as last year, they are about 15 and 18 months. I ask the guide and it is correct. I show him the photos from last year. Only 2 of the four larger cubs are left. 2 were probably killed by humans. The other 2 are the little ones. Dad aka Blondie and brother Blake, are still alive too and mom has new little ones that she hasn’t shown to the world yet. 7.30 a.m. and the mission has already been successful. We found the cubs and they look very good, healthy, fat and round. They lie together under a very small bush. We take a look at them a few times and as the shadow decreases, the lions increasingly lie on top of each other. We are going to drive along the river. From 9 a.m. it gets busier with animals. Hordes of elephants arrive and take a bath. They even go completely under water. Herds of frightened zebras come to drink. This fear is understandable because scattered around are many zebra skeletons, recognizable by pieces of skin and mane. Every 15 m there is 1. We also see a few deer with big ears and a herd of wildebeest. Furthermore, 2 dik-diks and only 3 springbok. We drive up and down the river a few times and look at the lions a few times. Then we go to the campsite to report, eat a cracker for lack of alternatives and take a river water shower at the ablution block. The SKL does maintain everything top. The campsite is raked, the two firepits, braai, trash can and toilet building are very clean. We get a short heavy rain shower but the wind still feels like a warm hair dryer. We drive back to the lions, but they have moved and we don’t find them again. Except for a few elephants, all animals have also disappeared. Even the herds of cows that walked in and across the river. There is still a group of hippos in the water and when we are watching 2 jackals run past behind the car. We pass the place where a lot of vultures were feasting this morning. There is a spotlessly clean zebra corpse. No more piece of meat on it, just some skin with hair. At least we know what the lions ate! We also go to the campsite for something to eat. On the way we see a fox and we have to stop for a turtle crossing the road. At the camp there are actually 3 spots occupied. The velvet monkeys walk past to see if they can steal another apple from us and disappear into the trees when the sun goes down. The wind is blowing but the enormous dark sky we saw earlier has not come our way. We see the starry sky and a big thunderstorm in the distance. The sky lights up every few seconds. It is a beautiful, beautiful spectacle.

Wednesday 15th of November 2017

Khumaga Camping, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana

Last night we woke up from the rain. We closed the flaps as a precaution. When the alarm goes off at 4.45 a.m. it is still dark but it soon gets light. The sunrise is beautiful with some clouds and a lot of red. We are already in the car by 5.31 a.m. to be the first to search for tracks. But it turns out the neighbours are not in a hurry at all, 1 has even gone back to bed! Near the camp 2 springbok mothers with 2 very small young. A little further down the track a whole group of bokkies and 3 zebras. Last year the springbok walked in the camp. Except for elephant feet there are few tracks and the river looks deserted. We pass prints that look like lion’s paws and follow until they disappear into the bushes. We don’t see any lions. We drive up and down the river, see 3 jackals, a cow that swims across and bokkies again. We follow a tire track from a safari vehicle, but nothing. When we drive back to Two Palms at 8.30 a.m. there is an elephant in the bushes. We park under a large tree in the shade. There is a lot of wind. 3 wildebeest walk to the river just in front of our car to drink and then quickly run up the dune again. The 1st elephant arrives at the Boteti River around 9 a.m. In a pit next to the river he takes a mud bath. The 2nd elephant comes and goes to drink in the river. The 1st elephant walks our way and chases of the 2nd elephant. We see the 1st cars. So does the elephant and he’s pissed off. He starts flapping his ears and stamping his foot. He kicks up clouds of sand. When he walks our way even more, we decide to reverse. Eventually the elephant walks into the river and swims to the other side. 9.25 a.m. no animals, but we do see people walking?

9.36 a.m. 2 elephants have swum to the other side of the river and 3 new elephants approach. No other animals, not even cows. The wind seems to blow even harder.

We go back to the campsite to empty the trunk completely. This morning we heard gnawing and suspect that there is a mouse in it. Everything goes out. We find evidence; my sponge has been eaten since yesterday, but we cannot find the mouse. Now everything has to be put away again. Gerard then refills water in the reservoir of the windshield wiper. But after 1 shot it is already full. Gerard checks the tube and discovers 3 big holes. Luckily we have Ali’s magic tape and Handy Harry (Handige Harry aka Gerard) can fix it again. Then he cleans the air filter. This turns out to be not over luxuries because a cubic meter of fine sand falls out on shaking. Then again some air in the tires. We eat and take a shower. At 3.15 p.m. we drive back to the river and watch cheerful elephants bathe and play in the water. They push each other and go under. We see hippos or better only their eyes and ears. Now a lot of zebras are coming to drink again. Furthermore some kudus and springbok. 3 giraffes also want to go to the river but are afraid of the cars. It is actually busy today. The Lodge also has 2 extra cars ready, now 5 in total. I have a chat and hear that the lions have been heard on the other side. Personally I don’t think that’s good news because that’s where the village is. The river is the boundary of the park, but there is no fence. Back at the campsite, 4 places are now occupied. The monkeys are seated on the neighbour’s braai/bbq. There is also a bokkie. We have a spot on the river, but you can’t see anything because of the trees. The sunset is also hard to see. We do see the silhouettes of the monkeys in the trees. We make a fire and have a lot of profit again from the old rusty cast iron plate that stops the wind. There is a thunderstorm in the distance, but once more we have a starry sky. A fish Eagle screeches, a delightful sound.

Thursday 16th of November 2017 TOPPER

Khumaga Camping, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana

Highlights:

Lions

Scenic flight

Alarm clock 4.45 a.m. Last night was very windy and we had to close the flaps but no rain. It is still dark and very cold, about 10 degree. We quickly put on an extra sweater. The monkeys are in the tree, all hugging each other for heat. We hear the fish eagle scream again and the springbokkies are walking on the campsite. At 5.31 a.m. we’re the first to start driving. No animals on the road along the river. We want to film a bit, but just in front of the viewpoint, we have to brake for a lioness. She is startled and runs of with 2 large cubs after her. We go looking for them but cannot find them until the Germans from the campsite say that she is at the river. A young lion is eating something by the river. He walks away to a spot in the shade but is trickered by a few kudus. Roaring he chases after them. A 2nd lion arrives at the scene. It is not much of a hunt. They start to play together and disappear from view. The other 2 siblings arrive but they crawl into the bushes. Time to drive up and down the river. We have to give way to a couple of elephants. At 9 a.m. we go to pick up our belongings at the campsite and at 10 a.m. we cross the river again on the ferry. Maun is not far away but we want to be at air Shakawee in time to report for the scenic flight over the Delta. The 1st part of the road goes smoothly, except for some brakes for crossing cattle. When we turn onto the road Nata – Maun, the speed drops because of huge potholes. Some are up to 2.5m in diameter and 30cm deep. We hit another checkpoint but are allowed to continue after a chat. At 12.30 p.m. we are in Maun and we hear that the sightseeing flight is a go. We have lunch at the Indian Restaurant and are able to surf the internet a bit even though the connection is not fast. We drive to the SKL office and book a night in Savuti. We are assigned Paradise, the beautiful place we had last year. Our plan was to drive to Savuti and see if there would be a campsite available, but we have met so many people who had no luck and were send away. Then at 3 p.m. we drive back to the airport. Pay, pass through control, wait 5 minutes and we are already taken by taxi to a very small plane. We have 2 nice pilots. The 3rd passenger is an Australian who has volunteered at the veterinary clinic. She is going home tomorrow and has not been in Moremi. We have a one hour flight 150m above the ground. It is a bumpy ride but the view of the Delta is fantastic and we see a lot of animals. Elephants, zebras, deer, giraffes, birds and even 2 rhinos. We also see a huge herd of buffalo. We fly a bit over Chiefs Island. We also pass the entrance of the Delta where we entered last year with the boat trip. My stomach still bounces after we’ve landed. We immediately drive to Audi Camp, 10km further. It’s too late for the pool. We go to our campsite and have a nice chat with Steve and Simone 2.0. We eat the rest of the Indian food and go to bed early.