Safari Day 8 - Long Haul to Tents

Day 8
Once again it was a 0630 breakfast followed by hitting that dusty trail at 0730 for our long, long drive. 

Flat scrub brush with rock covered soil was the scenery. We came across a couple of baboons early by a dried up riverbed that still had some green trees along it, and also an Oryx and a couple of Springbok. 

We are becoming accustomed to seeing Oryxx and Springboks as they are the most common in this area. Today was to be a long, boring day that would be spent in the bus looking out over rock covered flat terrain. There were these odd shaped rock hills everywhere and it is a very inhospitable area overall. Lunch is in a hamlet sized place. While waiting for our sandwiches to be made I ordered a Shandy and wandered up the street with Bob to visit the local hardware store that had a bit of everything.

Another old truck outside a restaurant.

This tree was just down the road, and it seemed so lonely
just like the small town we had stopped at for lunch.

By the time we reached our tents everyone was tired of the bus, although in the last couple of hours the landscape now had some mountainous hills and there was much more dry grass than rocks.

I asked Misheck to stop for this photo as we neared our tents in the desert

 Our tents were a mix of Adobe walls, cement floors and canvas roof and windows. There was electricity, no internet or air conditioning. It was a long walk for Bob and I to the reception which is where the pool and small bar were. I went for a dip in the pool which was about the size of 4 bathtubs but very cool and refreshing. We relaxed in the tent until 6:45 PM which is when we met to be bussed up the road about 3 km for supper. Supper was at the sister lodge to where we were staying and quite up scaled in features. Dinner was an extravagant buffet outside with candlelight and an almost full moon for light. There was quite an array of salads including Sushi, salmon, and soup. The main course was cooked in front of you at a station where they had 2 chefs. At one grill there was a selection of beef, chicken or pork, bbq'd to your desire. At the other grill you had a choice of 9 different types of wild game, including gazelle, impala, Oryx, ostrich, eland, kodu, Wildebeast, springbok and I can't recall the last one lol. On this night I tried the impala and eland, neither of which I liked that much.  There was another station where you could choose your selection of western stir fry. 

Our dinners seem to take about 2 to 2.5 hours and it was 9: 30 before we were paying our bills. The place was packed and the waiters did an amazing job of reading the bills by candlelight and adding up individual bills by hand. There were a lot of Germans in this lodge. 

The view outside our tent

We were not up to late as we had an early day again tomorrow to visit the red dunes of Namibia. 

Safari Day 7 - Fish River Canyon

Day 7
0730 was breakfast but it was really 0630 S African time. The agenda for today was to have breakfast (buffet style with cereal, fruit, and eggs available), followed by a trip to Fish River Canyon which included a 3 hr. Walk along the rim. This canyon is second to the Grand Canyon and quite spectacular in its dept and width. The land is flat all around it so when you do get there it is quite a surprise.

This road followed the edge of the canyon for miles.

 I took quite a few photos and also a group photo from the top of the bus.  There were some beautiful red leaf cactus blooming with a brilliant yellow flower at certain points of the rocky walls of the canyon.

Every day on the bus we had been rotating seats clockwise and today was our day for the front seat! When we returned to the lodge it was free time until 7:30 for a briefing by Mishek and then supper at 8 PM S African time

We spent the afternoon in the lounge moving photos for Bob as his portable hard drive would only work on a Mac so it was a bit of a long process. While in there I had a   "Beer Shandy" which is 1/2 beer and 1/2 lemonade. It was so refreshing I had 2!

Oryx was the main course along with pork for the buffet that night. I went for the Oryx (Rapier Horned Gemstock) which was cooked in a tasty broth and almost rare. Although it was rare, it was very tasty. So tasty that both Mike and I went back for seconds. 

Afterwards, Bob and I went to lounge and tried contacting home on the spotty wireless they had. 

Once again tomorrow was to be a long day (500 km of which 400 was dirt) to get to our next place which would be "Luxury Tents". Obviously we were asleep by 1130 PM. 

Safari Day 6 - !Xaus Lodge to Namibia

Day 6 - Fri. 5 Sept

 Although the alarms were set for 4 AM, I awoke about 10 min. prior. Perhaps it was the anticipation, or possibly my internal clock is starting to work again, but for whatever reason, I was awake and anxious to see what the midnight sky would look like with no moon (it went down around 1 or 2 am) and with all the lodge lights out as well. Both Bob and I had brought along miners' headlamps for precisely this reason, and they worked like a charm. The lodge generator was not scheduled to start until 6 today, so it was very dark, quiet and serene. I must confess to a bit of concern when I first walked out of the room and onto the catwalk as the lecture about lions being present at night was still very fresh in my memory.

We took a number of photos, sharing Bob's tripod, and experimenting with what we had studied up on from the internet on Astrophotography. The "500 Rule" was designed to limit your shutter speed to prevent any star motion. It basically said you divide 500 into your focal distance to tell you the slowest you could go.

The Milky Way

I was using an 11-16 mm lens so I stayed around 25 - 30 second exposure. .... The pics look great on the small camera screen so hopefully there will be one to show when we are back to civilization. 

Everyone was at breakfast by 0615 and we were on the road by 0730 in the 4 X 4's the lodge uses. The /Xaus Lodge is pronounced as "house lodge", only with a "click" in your tongue before "house".

The 29 km drive out over the 90 dunes was not only as rough as when we came in (same road), but now it was quite cold as well as they are open air affairs.

There were blankets on the seats so Bill, Bob and I pulled it over us to try and keep warm. It really was quite chilly on that drive!

Mishek was already waiting for us at the entrance to the lodge so after transferring our small packs and the box lunches from the lodge, we were back down the road in Transfrontier Park, heading for Namibia. 

Did we see game or what? It was early, and as we drove down the small valley, we came across quite a few different species. By 10 AM we had seen Spotted Hyenas Feeding on a far off ridge, Steenbock, Gemsbock (Oryxx), a Marshal Eagle, a couple of Vultures, Wildebeest, Osttrich, a Giraffe and some bird species I cannot recall. 

We went thru customs into Namibia around 1030. Mishek informed us Namibia time was an hour ahead of S African time but Daylight Savings was ending in Namibia in 2 days so not to bother changing our watches. S,  Africa does not utilize daylight savings time. 

In Namibia we had a 260 km drive over dusty, bumpy dirt road so I packed my camera away and got caught up on my blog on the iPad.

Namibia is called the land of changes, and it does change as you drive thru it. The soil got progressively rockier as we neared Fish River Canyon. It also got flatter and more devoid of trees, if possible. By the time we rolled into Canyon Lodge we were all tired and a little dusty. 

The staff here were very accommodating and Mishek informed us they would be expecting 5 Rand for hauling our bags to our rooms.

There was 2 single beds in our room placed about 6 inches apart. There was a mosquito net over the bed as well. They had an outdoor swimming pool and there was internet in the lounge. We dropped off our bags and headed for the lounge/bar for a quick drink. 

A sunset walk was planned for 4:45 so Mike and I headed out on that. It was short but enjoyable as they had drinks on top of the hill where we stopped to watch the sunset.

Supper was quite nice with Kudo being the main course. Kudo is a cross between a camel and a deer I looks. The meat was good and not gamey at all, tasting something like beef. The supper btw, was a buffet and overall quite nice. 

After supper we had another drink and then we headed off to bed. Apparently there are no mosquitoes out this early in the season so we left the net up. Also, the net makes it quite warm as. It also traps your body heat.  I slept on top of the covers as it was quite warm there, in the middle of this strange desert. 

Safari Day 5 - !Xaus Lodge

Day 5 - 'Xaus Lodge
It is early morning, and I meet some of the others who have elected to go on the early morning Dune Walk.  We enjoy a quick cup of coffee before heading out over the grass and shrub covered dunes. We have a guide who gives us a quick rundown on what the rules are befoe we leave,  and another guide who will be bringing up the rear and keeping an eye out (with binoculaurs) for lions and other predators.

What are the rules?

- Follow my footsteps, as there are 3 types of snakes out there, and they are all dangerous. If you step on one of them you could have serious problems.

- If we come across a lion, or if a lion approaches us, DO NOT RUN.  Get behind the guide and let him deal with the predators.

- Be careful of the grasses, bushes and trees. They just about all have thorns, prickles or some other type of protection to ensure they survive.

- There are also scorpions about.  They become a problem when it is windy, as it becomes cooler on the ground then, and that is when they become active.

Guide Explaining about "Social Weaver Birds"

Once we had covered the rules we headed out over the dunes, which didn't seem like dunes due to the grasses and bushes all over them.

It didn't take long for our guide to start making stops and pointing out all kind of interesting things about the plant life, animals and also about how the indigenous people survived this tough climate

"Follow my footsteps" said the guide, and so we did.

.

We did not see any animals during our trip, but it was quite rewarding nonetheless as I learned a lot and have a new appreciation for how tough this land and these people are.

Sleeping units at 'Xaus Lodge. We were in the second on the left.

Once back at the lodge we joined the rest of our group for breakfast. At mid-morning there was an option to join a tour of the local Tribespeople which Bob and I declined as it seemed like it had a "set-up" feel to it. Instead, we relaxed, played with our cameras taking some photos, and enjoyed, the day of rest.

Later in the day there was a Sunset Drive which we joined. It was interesting to go over the dunes and see some of the desert creatures, although our glimpses were somewhat fleeting.  We came to a small hill and stopped there to unload a cooler and table, which the guides set up to serve drinks where we could watch the sun go down.  The sun goes down very fast here, and afterwards, we high-tailed it back to the lodge for supper, which was served in the regular spot.

Mike, Tim, Bob
Watching the sun set in the desert







After supper, everyone retired to their huts. Bob and I had wanted to photograph the Milky Way and this would be an excellent place, as the generators go off at 10 PM and the moon, according to Mike, goes down about 4 AM.

Safari Day 4 - To !Xaus Lodge

Day 4
0600 was the time the alarm went off and I jumped in the shower as the next 2 days' showers would be highly salty in the desert. Breakfast started at 0645 and by 0745 we were on the road heading for Uppington, which was the commercial centre for this area. There are large salt mines here and a huge volume of fruit is dry packed here during the season. 

We stopped for 1/2 hour at a Pik n Pak mall for lunch supplies, bank Atm's and a bathroom break where there was no toilet paper lol.  

Once back on board I jumped up front with Mishek for the short drive to the border stop where we were to enter the Kgalahari Transfontier Park, which is jointly owned by Botswana, Namibia, and S. Africa. 

Once they the border we stopped for a picnic with our food supplies at a small camping spot. It was interesting to see some of the different types of RV's in use over here. 

After lunch we drove in an old river bed that was quite smooth. A couple of water holes were present and now I started to feel like I was on Safari as we came across small herds of Wildebeast,

Oryx (Gemsbok)

Springbok

Wildebeast

Springbok

Springbok, Gemsbok, Steenbok, Ostrich, Orynx, and we also saw a very sick Lion lying in the shade close to the road. He was basically skin and bones and it was a very sad sight but also indicative of what life in the wild is really like. 

This was quite exciting as Mishek stopped the vehicle a number of times so we could watch and take photos. 

It took about an 2 hours of driving and stopping before we pulled off to meet the Xhaus Lodge safari vehicles which were to transport us to the lodge. These jeeps were open and after we loaded all our gear we took off across the reddish coloured dunes heading for the lodge. These dunes had lots of different grasses, shrubs and small trees everywhere. This journey would cover 29 km one way, over 90 dunes, along a narrow road built for 1 vehicle. I had managed to snag the front seat again which was more comfy than in the back. 

Once at the lodge, everyone had a drink and we got a brief talk about snakes (3 types here, all deadly), scorpions (2 types, 1 deadly), and the presence of lions around the lodge at night.

We were shown to our rooms and relaxed for a couple of hours before supper (African style), around a fire burning Acatia tree wood. Supper was an African dinner with lamb, rice and vegetables. It was very good. 

After supper we retired to our rooms as we were tired and the generator shut down at 10:30. 

There was a half moon with a lot of stars out. Bob and I tried some night photography with varying degrees of success

Safari Day 3 - Augravie Falls

Day 3 - Calvinia to Augravie Falls
0745 was the time breakfast was ready and the group gathered in the small square in front of our rooms a few minutes prior. Breakfast was in the same restaurant/heritage site as last night's supper. Once again it was buffet style with an assortment to choose from. The poached eggs looked inviting but the green broth they were floating in left me with a big question, the answer to which I would not get until after I had consumed one. The green broth was a spinach and feta cheese concoction that was actually quite tasty, appearance notwithstanding. 

Mmmmm, good!  It looks different, but these poached eggs in a Spinach and goat cheese broth were quite good! 

Following breakfast we quickly loaded the bus and were soon on the road following a short talk by our guide Misheck. 

On this day, Bob and I declined to rotate and change seats, feeling this would provide an opportunity to interact with some different people during the course of the day. 

More flat plains greeted us with many different sized rock hills interspersed throughout. We made an early morning photo stop to view the Quiver Tree as well as some large nests with multiple birds called "Social Weavers".  The Quiver Tree was so named because the bushmen would take a piece of it (hollow inside), take the bark off and use it to store their arrows.

Quiver Tree 

Social Weavers

These social nests can house up to 150 pairs of birds

It was shortly after 12 noon when we pulled into a small town at a place called Vegelegen Guest House. We had a wonderful lunch there. Interesting prices though as Tim's ham and cheese cost 2.90 whereas my ham and cheese AND tomato was cheaper at 2.80!

Following lunch we got into our rooms, unpacked and than we took off for Augribie Falls, which was about a 20 minute drive.

The Augravies Falls.... The Orange River plummets 56 m into the gorge below to create the 6th largest waterfall in the world. Indigenous locals call these majestic falls Aukoerebis - "place of great noise".  White settlers later derived the names Augrabies  The gorge at Augrabies is 240 m deep and 18 km long.

The Falls were nice but not spectacular as I am somewhat spoiled from living in Canada

Augravies Falls

Tim and Mike at Augravies Falls

What was interesting was the marmot like creatures all over the place again, similar to Table Mtn. They are called "Draxx". 

While looking around we also saw quite a few small 6 inch long lizards or geckos. The females were a grey colour whilst the males were covered in brilliant multi-coloured scales. 

While roaming around the Augrabies Falls, 4 of our group also came across a couple of baboons. These I did not see but am hopeful to see and photograph some during this trip.

Supper back at our lodging was quite long in being prepared but was most definitely worthy of the wait. I elected to have "Springbok Capaccio" (antelope) for an appetizer followed by Ostrich (200 g) as the entree. Terry and Sue were 2 of my dinner companions from Australia who have eaten lots of Ostrich recommended I have it either rare or medium but not well done as the meat would be quite tough. Apparently Ostrich is very high in protein with little fat or cholesterol as that is all put into the egg  the meal was superb and extraordinarily tasty. Neither meat was gamey and the ostrich tasted a bit like a fine cut of beef if I had to compare it to something familiar. 

Following supper everyone retired as tomorrow also promised to be an early start with a lot of activity for tomorrow we were to "officially" leave S. Africa at a border crossing when we entered the transfrontier Kgalahardi desert park.   

Safari Day 2 - To Calvinia

Day 2 - Monday 1 Sept

0730 - We Met in the lobby after breakfast and checking out of breakwater Hotel.  By 0750 we were all loaded up and on the road. Mishek gave a short talk on where we were going that day, what we would see, and also said we were to change seats each day. 

Table Mountain as we leave on our Safari

As we left Cape Town I felt a sense of anticipation for what the coming days would bring.  There were a couple of "townships" next to the highway as we neared the outskirts, and I took a few photos from the moving bus, mindful of how fortunate we were to be born in N. America to a middle class family

South African township for the poor

Further along, the landscape changed more as the land flattened out, and boulders with frequent piles of rocks became prevalent.

Grape fields for the wineries that are everywhere

It is the end of winter here in S. Africa, which is high tourist season. There were lots of wildflowers along the roads which were quite pretty and we stopped a couple of times for viewing and pictures.

Nice farm at one of our leg stretching breaks.

Stops were made every couple of hours either for leg stretching, bathroom breaks or photo ops. One of our travellers, Mike Dority , was keen about photographing the wildflowers which were in bloom and present everywhere for a couple of hours. We crossed this huge plain and finally came to this large hill. Mishek, our guide, later said it was a 2400 ft.  climb. Once on top I was expecting to go down again but we were greeted by another large, seemingly endless plain.

Switchbacks of the big hill we climbed up to get off one plain and onto another!

On left is road we just came up after crossing that large plain at the bottom

There was a LOT of construction later on that day which caused considerable delays in our progress.
Not very much machinery as it is cheaper to have manual labour than big machinery I guess.

Crews on road construction.

400 km was our mileage for the day when we finally pulled into this small town called Calvinia. It was 4:30 in the afternoon when we disembarked in front of the local museum. It was very cool inside which was a blessing considering how warm the bus had become inside over the hours. Normally a museum is a so-so item to report on but this one only cost 5 Rand (50 cents) and housed not only a.profound amount of sheep data but outside, around a corner was an old Blackstone stationary Diesel engine, a control panel and generator similar to what Bob and I worked on early in our careers with the Armed Forces.

My friend Bob in front of the control panel for an old Blackstone diesel we both used to work on.

Calvinia is not a large town, nor is it wealthy. Payday had just occurred which was evident by the lines of people in front of the local bank. Some individuals appeared to be drinking their monthly wages in a fairly rapid manner. Mishek picked us up at 5 pm and drove us down the road to a small Dutch motel that he had already registered us in with our names on the doors. It was with a bit of trepidation that I opened my door.

Motel in Calvinia, S. Africa

Quaint was an easy description but would not do it justice. It was comfortable and held all kinds of stories from decades of use. If only the walls could talk.

My room in Calvinia

We had a beer with Bill and Cheryl and were soon joined by Rick and Wendy. They were all from Ontario, retired, and were teachers except for Rick, who was an engineer involved with the production of steel over the years.

Dutch doors and an outside gate that had a separate lock as well. That is Bob, locked himself in, he did.

It was wonderful getting to know some of our fellow travellers and we joined them for supper, which was Dutch in nature and served at an old 1853 House which is not a restaurant and national treasure. The meal was excellent, with chicken, spinach soup, a curry flavoured shepherds pie. Dessert was an amazing rum cake with ice cream.

Group getting truck packed up in the morning. That is Bill from Ontario looking at me.

We were to meet at 6:45 the next morning so we all crashed to our rooms around 9:30 pm.