Mokala National Park

Thursday 28 to Friday 29 January

Lockdown Day 308 and 309

Mokala is a Sanparks gamepark near Kimberley, set up to protect rare species like Roan antelope and disease-free buffalo. A few years ago we stayed in the Motswedi Campsite; just 6 private sites around a waterhole. This time we stayed in a cottage at Lilydale Camp overlooking the Riet River which is in flood. The water level was rising as we watched it.

We had a great catch-up and rest day. I roasted a ducken (no tur) and made a Stollen bread pudding both of which were delicious. They have been in our car freezer since Christmas and this is the first place we have stayed at with an oven since Zebula. 

Lots of people I have been in touch with lately are battling to stay positive now that it's becoming clear that this Pandemic is going to drag on way longer than a year. Time to restart online exercise and Zoom dinner parties?

Kalagadi NP Mata Mata

Saturday 23 to Wednesday 27 January

Lockdown Day 303 to 307

On Friday we heard that the river North of Mata Mata is in flood and is flowing slowly towards the camp and beyond; for the first time in 20 years. We managed to secure two extra nights up North to wait for the water. On Saturday we saw lions again on both our early and late drives.

On Sunday we hung out in camp most of the day. We bought a bit of wi-fi just to send a few messages and for Neil to download his Sunday Times. More lions in the evening. 

On Monday we had to move to Kalahari Tented Camp again, just 3 kms away, for a night but it was awesome there with a spectacular view of the river bed and lots of game.

The river still had'nt made it to Mata Mata and  the rate of progression slowed and level dropped so it never reached us after all. More lions on Monday; three different prides and the closest were only 2kms from camp.

On Tuesday we stayed in a two bedroom riverfront chalet with Danie and John. Our lunchtime glass of wine turned into quite a few bottles and an arvie doze. 

We had a late braai and were forced into bed by 10.30pm when the generators went off and we got plunged into darkness. At 3.30am I was awoken by  howling jackals. I shone the spotlight out on them and saw they were distressed by a lioness lying nearby. Again at 4.45am I went out with the spotlight. The lioness got up and came to the waterhole to drink and then ambled past our chalet just as it was beginning to get light. 

After 18 nights in the Kalagadi we drove down to Upington. The end of the Kalagadi trip and the beginning of a new adventure through some of the  National Parks in the Karoo. We are waiting for the border to Namibia to reopen. There's no point heading to the Capetown or back to Joburg during a strict lockdown or until the daily case numbers have dropped right down again and the hospitals are coping.

Kalagadi NP Kalahari Tented Camp

Thursday 21 January to Friday 22 January 

Lockdown Day 301 to 302

After breakfast we headed South from Nossob and across the dune road listening to some of our favourite podcasts as we travelled along. We met up with Danie and John at Kalahari Tented Camp. It was so hot we sheltered in the tent all afternoon, hopping into the shower every so often to cool down.

On our evening drive we had a great sighting of two male cheetah coming down to the waterhole to drink.

Danie and John invited us to braai at their chalet. We had a delicious Eland sirloin. Somehow I managed to enjoy too much Rose so we're didn't get up at dawn but when we went out a bit later we followed another cheetah on the hunt.

We braaied a deboned led of lamb, Greek style served with Pita bread, Tsaksiki and Salad. 

Life on the road.  Life in the bush. 

The show must go on.

Kalagadi NP Nossob Camp

Wednesday 20 January

Lockdown Day 300

300 days of lockdown and I'm still writing. I was going to give up these posts long ago but they seem to have decided their course is not run. So I guess the new target will be 365. Here's a pic of one of our World Food Moments - WFMs- as I call them. Eating Emerill's Hot New Orleans Mufaletta Sandwich in the middle of the Kalahari Desert.

(We have a small portable 12 volt oven in the car for hot food and a centre console fridge for cold drinks, water and chocolate - taking padkos to a whole new level)

Throughout lockdown I have cooked lots of International cuisine; dishes that remind us of the specific times in the specific places where we ate them. It's a link to that other life. The one we had when we were free.

Back up to Nossob. This time we had a riverfront chalet with great views of the waterhole from our bed.

In the evening we drove out North and came across six lionesses and two cubs blocking the road.

Driving back into the sunset we played the same song over and over again at top volume. We actually play it a lot every day. It's our Music Therapy.

Only the Wild ones..by Dispatch

.

And only the wild ones,

Give you something and never want it back,

Oh the riot and the rush of the warm night air

Only the wild ones are the ones you can never catch

Stars are up now,

No place to go but everywhere...

Twee Rivieren again Kalagadi NP

Tuesday 19 January

Lockdown Day 299

Neil and I came to the Kalagadi as part of our honeymoon.  I'm not sure how we decided on a road trip for a honeymoon but we've been on the road more or less ever since.

To paraphrase our favourite Zen Dog mantra:

Do we know where we're going?

Or does the open road decide?

It's not the destination..

It's the glory of the ride!

We spent the afternoon in the air-conditioned chalet. I got a chance to upload a lot of blog posts. We are still not sure where we'll be going after we leave the Kalagadi - too many choices or limited options? Or both?

Kalagadi NP Kielie Krankie

Sunday 17 and Monday 18 January

Lockdown Day 297 and 298

We had to leave Bitterpan early because we had planned to meet Danie and John at Kamqua picnic site at 10am. Because there's no cell phone reception, we had to make real, fixed plans like in the old days. It was fun to see them. We were lucky to see a leopard at the Batulama waterhole. And also two lionesses about three kilometres further down the road. 

And then on to yet another wilderness camp, Kielie Krankie. Five Adobe style houses perched on top of the dunes. 

We slept with the curtains open so the next morning I was awoken by the sunrise over the dunes.

I made coffee to get Neil into the car early and we were rewarded with two sightings of the desert giraffe. We found the two lionesses just lying in the dewy grass. Soon they got up to drink and then ambled back and plonked down in the road right next to us. 

In the afternoon we drove south and saw an African Wild Cat with three kittens and Bat Eared Foxes with five pups. I am missing Hanli and Menon to take some decent photos for me.

Bitterpan Wilderness Camp Kalagadi NP

Friday 15 to Sunday 16 January 

Lockdown Day 295 to 296

We drove up to Nossob again to check in for Bitterpan. The camp is in the middle of the desert, 60kms from either Nossob or Mata Mata and there's a one-way loop track in and out. We didn't see very much because of all the rain but it's an amazing drive. 

Bitterpan has 4 double rooms, each with it's own bathroom but a communal kitchen. It's an ideal place to book out for a group - if you are lucky enough to secure a reservation. 

And the pan was full of water for the first time in 10 years. What a great thing to see!

The first night was cloudy and rainy but the weather cleared up on the second day.

We are getting used to the days without connectivity. Neil reads and I write and we cook. I made Kerala Egg Curry and Upma for brunch. 

Neil braaied his favourite sosaties for dinner.

Kalagadi National Park Twee Rivieren Camp

Tuesday 12 to Thursday 14 January

Lockdown Day 292 to 294

We woke up to more grey and drizzly weather and a lovely cool 20°c for packing. And to think that my reason for not bringing the caravan was the 40°c heat that is usual for this time of year. The cloud cover remained all day and the road was still underwater in many places.

It's an 8 hour drive back down to Twee Rivieren but we were rewarded with two nice sightings of lion and a female cheetah hunting with her two cubs. She was following a herd of Hartebeest with youngsters but she was being very cautious.

We were supposed to use our time at Twee Rivieren to plan and book our trip to Namibia while we had a good data connection. But South Africa's land borders have all been closed. I was angry that my freedom to travel has yet again been curtailed, not due to Covid so much as the complete incompetence of the Government to prepare for and control the flow of people at our busiest borders after the holiday season. It took me a day of ranting and a day of mental inertia before I could face tackling a new plan. 

And everyday it rained so we weren't always able to go out on game drives.

One positive and beautiful thing I did do was to take photos of all the desert flowers. The Kalagadi is truly spectacular after the rain.