Sand, potholes and donkey’s…….

Day 30 2/09/2017 – Still Baai to Storm River

We set off exploring early the next day. It was a very pleasant drive past the Tidal River residents, north and well south. We stopped in Stilbaai to take a few photos in the harbour of a lovely old boat before setting off for Storm River.

Wonderful texture and rust

We departed Stillbaai and started making our way to our next stop in Storm River on the N2.

Just before approaching Swellendam we were getting a bit peckish so we pulled into a cafe on the side of the road where I bought a toasted cheese & tomato sandwich  and a delicious duo mango & berry slushy to wash it down. It really hit the mark! 

Swellendam, the fifth oldest town in South Africa is set up against a very picturesque mountain backdrop. The town has many provincial Cape Dutch heritage buildings. The town is approximately 220 km from both Cape Town and George.

The next town we arrived at was Knysna. The environmental damage and devastation from the huge fires that passed through the previous year was still very evident. Over 400 homes were lost and many houses still lay charred, derelict and untouched.

The fire damage still evident

We took a short drive to the harbour to have a look.

A river boat looking very inviting

Knysna spans a vast area with many luxurious homes surrounding the town center. After a brief look around we resumed our journey.

With David’s interest in engineering, we decided to pull off the main road to take a closer look at the Bloukrans bridge. This is where the highest bridge bungee jump in the world is, at 216 meters.

We witnessed people taking a leap of faith as they hurtled their bodies into the depths below. Can’t imagine why one would inflict that on your body let alone your mind! I was terrified just watching them.

The highest bridge bungee jump in the world

If you look closely you can see the sun glisten on the bungee rope in the middle of the bridge. Yikes not for me!

We were warned about the very aggressive baboons in this area hanging about and terrifying visitors. We gave them a wide berth.

Back on the main road and just after the bridge we stopped to take a look at the lovely Klein Brak River where we were lucky enough to spot the most stunning iridescent green sunbird.

We passed through George, Plettenberg and decided to stop at Mossel Bay to see the museum.

At the Bartolomeu Dias Museum complex entrance stands an old cannon and a white whale jaw bone.  The museum is called a “complex” because it consists of three buildings, namely the Maritime Museum, Shell Museum, and the Granary. 

The old cannon

We saw the Bartolomew Dias replica ship & museum which was  filled with artefacts.

Inside the museum

The building houses a life-size replica of the ship that was used by Bartolomeu Dias and his crew. They landed in Mossel Bay in 1488. The ship built in Portugal was brought to Mossel Bay in 1988. The ship is fantastic, so well done. 

Bartolomeu Dias Replica ship

The oldest post office is also situated here, under an old fig type tree. There is also an incredible shell museum. A great stop with lots to see, it was really worth the stop.

A display in the shell museum

Shell patterns

On the way we stopped to take photos of the beautiful proteas growing on the road side.

The sheer genius and beauty of nature

Proteas growing at the side of the road

After dinner we headed back to our accommodation nestled in the trees with a large mountain as a backdrop.

We arrived at a fairly good time at the small village of Storm River and checked into the Andeloni B&B run by two very pleasant men.

After unpacking our stuff in ‘Wagtail’ we headed off to the river mouth for dinner at the newly erected restaurant which was recently burned down as a result of faulty gas heaters. It is a temporary large Marquis perched right on the edge of the rocks near the ocean.

Darkness soon descended and we ate heartily with the sound of the waves crashing right next to us.

The restaurant

The building is surrounded with a plastic awning to protect it from the ocean mist. By this time it was dark so you couldn’t see anything. While eating dinner the sound of the waves could be heard crashing up against the rocks.

After dinner we were both really tired so made our way back up to our cabin.

I did a few things before going to get changed into my pajamas when I noticed something on my leg.

On closer inspection I discovered I had picked up a passenger. A dark tick had firmly latched itself onto the side of my right leg just under the knee, firmly embedded into my skin. I was horrified.

I didn’t have any vaseline or matches so I had to make a plan to try and remove the tick with his head intact.

By now David was fast asleep and snoring. I wasn’t sure what I should do so I gently woke David up to ask him if he had anything that we could use to make the tick let go. You can’t just pull them out as the head stays behind.

We tried a few different things which didn’t seem to be working. Our last ditch attempt was to drown it in bug repellent and thick cream. This did the trick. David very carefully removed it with tweezers and it looked like his head was still intact.

I applied some Betadine antiseptic over the bight and a bandaid. I wasn’t sure what kind of tick this was and was concerned about getting tick bite fever. It was a small dark brown tick with long legs! Yikes!

I fell into a deep sleep afterwards and luckily didn’t dream about my little long legged passenger.

Day 31 3/09/2017

I woke up the next morning at about 6:30 to a beautiful clear day with blue skies. I didn’t get up until about 7:15 instead just lying in listening to the sounds of the birds rising.

Our breakfast was included here so we made our way to the lovely little country diner. The table was beautifully laid out next to a window where the sun was streaming through.

The breakfast included a delicious fruit salad and yogurt starter followed by bacon, scrambled eggs, tomato and a hash brown. The whole dining area was themed in a pink cottage style décor run by the two very cute and friendly guys.

After breakfast we checked out and packed the car before going for a short drive to explore the small village nearby. After a very large storm passed through three weeks ago a very large tree fell across the main road in the small village. Luckily it missed any of the buildings.

Rather than try and move it they decided to just cut the middle bit out so they could continue using the road.

The fallen tree with its middle removed

Our next adventure was down to Sandy Bay (next to the restaurant) to explore the popular winding board walk through the indigenous Tsitsikamma National Park down to the Storm River mouth.

The view from the board walk

We crossed one of three suspension bridges spanning the river mouth, from one mountain to the other, then turned round and trekked back up the steep stairs back to the car park where we started. The walk took about one and a half hours.

The view from the suspension bridge overlooking the river mouth into the ocean was spectacular.

What a view!

The entrance point to the suspension bridge

After our brisk walk and climb we made our way back to the main road and continued our journey to our next stop in Alexandria. Just after the Storm River entrance we turned onto the N2 to go and have a look at the ‘Big Tree’ nestled in the forested area.

After parking the car we walked along the 500m wooden boardwalk decking through the indigenous forest which led to the giant Yellowwood tree estimated to be about 800 years old.  The tree stands at 36.6 meters high and has a circumference of almost 9 meters.

It was a lovely easy ten minute walk to the tree and back.

The only way to get my photo

Looking up into the canopy of the tree

David standing at the base of the big tree

Craft and art situated near the car park

On the next leg of our trip we passed a large wind farm on our way to Humansdorp. Passed through  Port Elizabeth and finally arrived at Alexandria, which was to be our next stop. Here we stayed with my cousins from the Fick family, on their beautiful farm.

I hadn’t seen them for many, many years and it was a wonderful reunion. They welcomed us into their home with open arms.

Sand, potholes and donkey’s

Day 28  31/08/2017 Cape Town to Stillbaai

Today we head north along the coastal road, departing Cape Town at 8:45 on a fairly clear day with a bit of light mist lingering. 

Driving through Hout Bay we made our way through Somerset, Muizenberg, Strandfontein, Rookies, Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay, Kleinmond, Hermanus and Stanford.

Muizenberg Beach

I cannot remember the name of this beach maybe someone will recognise it and let me know

Strandfontein beach front

View of the ocean from a different perspective

Interesting building at Strandfontein beach

We got a little off track looking for the Danger Point Lighthouse which we eventually found. It is situated on the southern point of Walker Bay, near Gansbaai. It was built in 1895 and stands at 17 meters high.

Danger Point Lighthouse

Beautiful aloe growing on the rocky outcrop near the car park

We traveled back to Stanford to the intersection R316. Here I phoned Lampie, a distant relative I had never met before. We had been corresponding over a year about our mutual interest in the Fick family genealogy.

When Lampie heard I was coming to Cape Town on a tour, he insisted we stay with him. Lampie directed us to our meeting point at the gate entrance to his farm in Clocolan. Clocolan is a small town in the Free State Province. 

The Free State is where my father was born in the Ficksburg district.

Our first glimpse of Caledon

Lampie was waiting for us and after brief introductions we followed him in his bakkie (ute) to the farm house, a fair distance from the main road. After a wonderful welcome and introduction to his wife, Doekie we all piled onto the back of the farm bakkie (ute).

Doekie rode in the front with the driver.

Lampie’s bakkie

The first attempt up the mountain failed so we had to backtrack and take another route so that we could get a birds eye view of the canola and cereal fields. The farm is situated in a very picturesque area. The rich soil yields incredible canola and cereal crops.

The bright yellow canola carpeted the valley as far as the eye could see. It was a breathtaking vista.

Canola as far as the eye could see

On the way back Lampie wanted to take us to see an oak grove that has been converted into a wedding venue by a young couple who got permission to marry there and decided to make it into a venue called die Woud (the Wood).

There was a lovely see through Marquis erected in the middle of the grove with see through furniture sparkling in the afternoon glow. The sun poured through the side awnings casting a magical light throughout.

The reception Marquis

They also made an open air church and erected a small gazebo for the ceremony, all nestled under the oak trees. The grove radiated a sense of mystical magic.

By now it was starting to get late and the sun was setting fast. We made our way back to the large farm house. Doekie kindly gave me a tour of their lovely artworks, some of which was done by Doekie and her mother.

That night the maid cooked us a wonderful dinner of sausages, ostrich, chicken and a sweet and sour casserole accompanied by green beans, carrots and mashed potato. David insisted on helping Lampie cook the sausages on an internal barbecue.

After dinner milk tart drizzled with honey was served by the fireside. We settled into a very relaxed evening as we all got to know each other. Sharing our family histories and generally reminiscing about our families and past events in history. 

I fell into bed at about 9:45 absolutely exhausted, falling asleep almost immediately. David apparently did a bit of reading before retiring and sleep took over.

Day 29 1/09/2017

The next morning we were served a fabulous breakfast of cereal, fruit, paw paw, yogurt, toast and jam. When Lampie heard our next stop was to be Cape L’Agulhas he and Doekie decided to come too. So off we went in two cars.

David wanted to dip his toes into two oceans at the Southernmost tip of Africa.

On the way, Lampie pointed out P.K. Van Der Byl’s farm. Pieter Kenyon Fleming-Voltelyn van der Byl was a Rhodesian politician who served as his country’s Foreign Minister from 1974 to 1979. I often heard my father talking about him. 

We made a brief stop at another farm belonging to another Fick family branch, from the Napier region,   to view the old family cemetery. The land has been owned by 8 generations of Fick’s since 1798.

Due to my interest in genealogy this was a must for me and something I didn’t expect so it was an added bonus. Standing in the old cemetery looking at all the headstones of previous generations, some of the founding fathers, I was overcome with emotion. 

From the farm in Caledon we traveled through to Napier to Bredadorp and onto Cape L’Agulhas.

On arrival at Cape L’Agulhas we all took a stroll along the boardwalk which took us to the southernmost tip. David rushed toward the ocean, sidestepping the rocks where he indeed dipped his toes into the somewhat chilly ocean.

The boardwalk

It was starting to get hot so we made our way back to a sweet cottage style cafe situated in close proximity to the Lighthouse where David very kindly treated us all to lunch. David had calamari and we all had hake fish & chips.

It was a delicious lunch prepared by the most charming and friendly owner.

Cape L’Agulhas Lighthouse established in 1849

Lampie and Doekie departed shortly afterwards at about 2:30 heading home to Caledon. We drove back to Bredasdorp, turned R to Waenhuiskrans, and then on to Anniston.

Arniston is famous for its 120 year old fishing village. Arniston was named after an east Indiaman ship that wrecked on the shore on the 30th May 1815. Only six people on board survived with a loss of 372 lives.

After we parked the car we walked among the famous Arniston cottages and met and engaged in conversation with a lovely elderly fisherman who told us he was 98 years old and had been living there since the cottages were built.

The 98 year old local man sitting in his garden in the front of his cottage

Visiting this place had always been on my bucket list so I was delighted to be here and see what remains of the old fisherman cottages.

Kaasie’s Baai Guest House and B&B

One of the charming original cottages

Willeen’s Arts & Craft

Entrance to the Arniston harbour established 1936

Just before leaving we were lucky enough to watch the local fisherman returning with their catch. They brought in Red StumpNose, Shark and Red Roman. It was a hive of activity as they removed the fish and  immediately started preparing them.

Arriving with the days catch

Local fisherman with his catch of the day

A hive of activity

In the background of the photo above you can see all the new development in this area. A stark contrast to the original cottages. South Africa is a country of great wealth alongside appalling poverty.

I had to take a photo of this boat with the same name as my grand-daughter

We left Arniston at 4:30 and drove back to Bredasdorp and then on the N2 to Swellendam, 220 km from Cape Town. It is the 5th oldest town in South Africa. A beautiful place  surrounded by a spectacular mountain range. 

From there we drove through Heidelberg, Riversvadale and finally arrived at 6pm at our next stop, a B&B called Aitsa, in the charming Stillbaai seaside village. It was a long trip and we were late for check in and no one was around. We phoned the owner who was out to dinner.

She very kindly left her dinner to come and give us our key to get into our very pleasant accommodation.

After unpacking the car we headed off to do some exploring. We spent the evening driving North and South of the  lagoon. There were lots of upmarket holiday type homes scattered alongside.

We spent the evening driving North and South of the lagoon. There were lots of upmarket holiday type homes scattered alongside. We found a small shopping center, but unfortunately everything was closed. We located the small yacht harbour and took a short walk on the beach.

There were 4 beaches,  the Goukou River, Mossel Bay museum, remnants of Ancient fish traps. Early cave dwellers noticed that fish got caught in the natural tidal pools as the tides receded. Most of these traps are half moon shaped and vary in size. 

After driving a short distance through the wilderness it soon became too dark to see anything so we headed back to our accommodation. Our dinner was the leftover fish and salad from my lunch at L’Agulhas. By now the salad was a bit soggy.

We had to make do as we had nothing else except rusks.

I fell into bed at 9:40 pretty exhausted by the day’s events. 

Sand, potholes and donkeys cont…….

Day 27 30/08/2017 Cape Town

Today we plan to visit the Cape Town waterfront. I haven’t been there for many, many years so I am really looking forward to seeing it again. 

Our first stop was at Llandudno, with some of the most expensive residential property in South Africa.

After parking the car in the small car park we walked down to the beach. It was a very overcast day, windy and a chill in the morning air.

We walked barefoot along the beachfront looking back at the houses perched up against the hill. We climbed over the rocks and generally soaked up the view and the sea air. I nearly got caught by a wave which snuck up behind me when I had my back turned.

Luckily David alerted me just in time for me to hop onto a rock and avoid getting soaked. Just as well as I didn’t have a change of clothes with me.

Llandudno beach

We spotted this unusual flower growing near the beach. It is a Ferraria crispa “Starfish” flower.

After leaving Llandudno we took in the scenery along the coastal road towards Cape Town.

Taken from inside the car with a rainbow peaking through the clouds in the distance

From Llandudno we drove to Camps Bay and took a short stroll to look at the very attractive candy striped lighthouse. The Green Point Lighthouse is an iconic candy-striped structure on the Sea Point Promenade.

This lighthouse is about 200 years old and is nicknamed ‘Moaning Minnie’ because of her characteristic fog horn, much to the chagrin of the surrounding residents. 

From the lighthouse we drove along the coastal road all the way to the waterfront. We decided to park a small distance and walk as we didn’t think we would get a park close by. The underground parking suited us fine.

The waterfront is a wonderland of shops and food outlets and a buzz with activity. David did some serious shopping.

Victoria Wharf

Once inside the building we discovered a wonderful display of rhino sculptures sending a very strong message. Sadly these incredible animals are fast disappearing from our planet. A very poor testament to the human race who have caused their demise.

Striking colourful rhino sculptures

A vendor selling his beadwork sculpture’s

In Noble Square stand the bronze sculptures of the country’s four Nobel Peace Prize recipients, Albert Latuli, Desmond Tutu, F.W de Klerk and Nelson Mandela. Standing proud with their backs facing Table Mountain.

Bronze sculptures of Albert Latuli, Desmond Tutu, W.W de Klerk and nelson Mandela

For lunch I suggested to David that he should try the samoosas, a traditional South African dish. We both enjoyed our lunch seated at an outdoor table whilst being entertained by the passers by. Table Mountain provided a perfect backdrop.

We enjoyed the music of the four young trumpet players standing just in front of the sculptures.

Gourmet Samoosas

Even though this boat is falling apart it is an artists delight! Just look at all those barnacles, texture, colour and more. The one thing art has taught me is to find beauty in objects that are ordinarily considered by most to be an eyesore.

Table Mountain the perfect backdrop

After we had savoured the sights we drove up to Signal Hill to take in the sights of Cape Town city and surroundings. Signal Hill, also known as the Lions Rump, is a landmark next to Lions Head and Table Mountain. A very popular lookout point.

The Port of Cape Town is clearly visible from this view point. Situated at Table Bay it is one of the busiest trade routes in the world.

 In the distance we could see Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated.  It is situated in Table Bay, 6.9 kms west of Bloubergstrand. Unfortunately its not a very good photo as it is quite a distance and my camera is a point and shoot.

The huge Green Point stadium built for the  20210 FIFA World Cup is located in Green Point and was also clearly visible from this vantage point. The Stadium standing proud like a huge spaceship in the distance.

Green Point Stadium

At the top of Signal Hill there was a jumping off point for hang gliders and we watched one take off like a giant bird.

The only real bird we saw was a guinea fowl strutting his stuff! He was very much at ease among the visitors in the car park on Signal Hill.

Helmeted Guinea Fowl

The day proved to be most enjoyable and we looked forward to a relaxing evening back at Liesel’s place.

David cooked again, serving up the delicious kingklip fish on a bed of pumpkin, with a side dish of broccolini. Dessert of strawberries and ice cream was served, followed by a liqueur. A delicious meal, thank you David!

Another day full of wonderful sites, history, shopping and food adding a touch of perfection to our African adventure.

Sand, potholes & donkeys cont……..

Day 25  28/08/2017 – Nelspruit to Cape Town

The next morning Izak cooked us a full braai style, alfresco breakfast in the pool deck of their home, looking out onto a lovely vista of farmlands.

After breakfast, packing and our farewells we set off for the Mpumalanga airport where were handed back our Hertz rental.

Our flight for Cape Town left at 11:30 arriving at 1:15 at the International Airport. Cape Town here we come!

It was a very pleasant and quick flight and on landing we went to hire our next car. In our Corolla we headed off to Hout Bay where my cousin’s daughter Liesel was expecting us. Lots of traffic, big freeways and breakneck speed!

Liesel and her husband Mark had both very kindly invited us to stay for a few days. I couldn’t wait to see her again and hopefully catch up with my cousin Sophie.

We found Liesel’s place with out a problem. I had not seen Liesel since she was a young girl and now she is married and has a child of her own.

Liesel was already home and waiting for us. It was so wonderful to see her and meet her wonderful husband Mark and adorable little girl.

After unpacking we spent the rest of the time catching up on all the family news. That night I fell into bed for a very welcome sleep.

 Day26  29/08/2017

The next morning after a lovely breakfast we spent the day exploring. Our first stop was Hout Bay to look around and find out the best place to buy some fresh Kingklip fish for dinner. David wanted to prepare the evening  meal for us all as a thank you. 

The famous Bay Harbour Market has a vibrant market on the harbour waterfront. The colourful shopping stalls and live music set the tone. 

David checking out the merchandise

A colourfully dressed musician willing to show his skills

The wonderful scenic view with an array of boats and tugs set against a mountain backdrop make this an idyllic place. Although it was very overcast and the fog lay heavily on the mountain top, it was still incredibly beautiful.

Hout Bay Harbour

‘Berg Town’ has seen better days, now lying forlornly in the bay

All in a day’s work, the hustle and bustle of a fisherman

We met the local friendly bull seal who has befriended one of the locals and has become accustomed to humans and is not all aggressive. I am sure this friendship has developed due to the constant supply of fish. The seal has been returning to the harbour for 14 yrs, becoming quite the tourist attraction.

A long term friendship forged with fish, kindness and mutual respect

My ongoing obsession with all things old and rusty was rewarded with an abundance of subjects to be found. I had a field day taking photos!

After Hout Bay we drove along the magnificent coastal road, Chapmans Peak Drive road. It was still very misty and a bit drizzly.

We spotted a bronze statue while driving and stopped to take photos. The bronze statue was sculpted by Mitford-Barbeton completed in 1963, weighing 295 lbs. He donated the statue to the Hout Bay community and the Divisional Council had it placed upon a rocky pedestal.

This statue is a memorial dedicated to all the wild animals who once roamed the mountains of the peninsula. Sadly the wildlife has over time vanished from this area. The last leopard sighting was in 1937.

The bronze statue cuts a lonely figure looking over the ocean.

We continued along the scenic drive until we spotted a look at a local African Art Studio which we decided to take a look at. The array of wooden and soap stone carvings of wildlife standing along the side of the road, demanding attention, lure the passers by, to take a closer look. Of course I had to take a photo of this gorgeous rhino.

After a brief meander through the area we continued our trip. We drove through Kalk Bay and then along the winding Atlantic coastline to find the Lighthouse named Slang Kop (Snakes head) near the town of Kommetjie.

The cast iron lighthouse has been burning bright since 1914 but became fully automated in 1979. The lighthouse is one of oldest and tallest cast iron lighthouses in South Africa. 

When we found it we parked the car and seemed to be the only visitors other than one other vehicle which belonged to one of the few lighthouse keepers still on staff.  Russel who has been the lighthouse keeper for the past ten years has an obvious passion for his job.

He gave us a little guided tour of the small museum on sight. David was fascinated with the history, asking lots of questions about the lighthouse and soaking up all the information Russell enthusiastically shared with us.

It was also really interesting to see some of the artefacts from some of the shipwrecks in the area.

He left us there, promising not to lock us in and said we were welcome to climb up to the top, which we did.

The 144 metal spiral staircase to the top was about 5 levels and quite a climb but what a view. Great to see the mechanics of the inner workings of the mechanism. David was in his element. The view from the top was spectacular despite it being very overcast.

The ocean was very rough and it was windy and blustery. Due to poor visibility the photos are not great and do not do it justice.

Slangkop Lighthouse standing proud against the cloudy gray skies

The start of the 144 step spiral staircase

Almost there, phew!

After the light house we made our way to Cape Point, a promontory at the southeast corner of the Cape Peninsula. There were a lot of tourists there when we arrived. David immediately made a reservation for us for lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant to secure a place for us.

We then made our way to the Flying Dutchman Funicular which took 3 minutes to get us to the viewing point. We decided to take the funicular up to save time as we had to get back in time for our lunch booking.

The view from inside the funicular

We walked up several stairs to reach the very top platform. It was quite windy and cold despite being a bit cramped with all the visitors.  The view from the top was exhilarating, looking out over the Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

We didn’t stay long, took photos under the Sydney sign and headed back down again. 

Me pointing to the Sydney sign

On our way back down we encountered an extremely aggressive baboon who jumped onto the backpack of an unsuspecting tourist to try a snatch and grab of two concealed apples. She screamed and got a terrible fright.

This spooked the baboon who sat on the wall snarling, displaying extremely aggressive behaviour to anyone who tried to walk past her. I was very reluctant to try as she really meant business.

Hiding behind some large men I managed to sneak past her and made a hasty retreat into the building. Apparently had she been a male she most definitely would have attacked the woman and anyone else who tried to stop the him!

A baboons canines can grow up to 2 inches in length and are lethal. I definitely didn’t want to be on the receiving end of those deadly weapons!

Once back down we made it just in time for our lunch. David ordered a shared seafood platter with 6 prawns, 6 langoustines, crayfish, squid and two big pieces of fish. This platter was served with salad chips and two sauces. I had a G&T and David had wine.

What a delicious feast we devoured. We had really worked up an appetite with cold fresh air and days of exploration! Although it was a very generous and varied platter we both made short work of it!

Beautiful Protea table decorations in the restaurant

The dessert menu. I was too full but David indulged.

On the way home we drove via Fish Hoek and through Constantia, making our way back to the Hout Bay Fish Market to collect the Kingklip. The catch only arrives in the afternoon and they promised to keep some for us. Well they didn’t!

When we arrived they had sold out and weren’t at all apologetic. A very rude man ran the place and I am sure must have got out of the wrong side of bed that morning.

Plan B was put into place and we stopped to buy a few groceries at Woolworths supermarket before heading back to Liesel’s place.

David cooked a really delicious meal finished off with strawberries and ice cream for dessert followed by a liqueur. The dinner was delicious and very well received.

With all that fresh air, good food and great company the day ended on a high note. Now time to sleep and gather strength for the next day of adventure in beautiful Cape Town.

Sand, potholes & donkeys cont……..

Day 24  27/8/2017 Botswana to – Nelspruit, South Africa

The next morning the most beautiful male Nyala wondered through the quiet camp. This gave me the opportunity to get some photos of this most welcome early morning visitor.

After a hot cup of tea, a rusk and a shared an apple for breakfast we checked out and we were on our way by 7am. On our way to the gate we saw kudu, impala, squirrels and a variety of small birds.

Female Kudu resting by the side of the road

Heading towards the main road all the power poles on either side had been striped of all the wiring, leaving the poles standing forlornly. Either with no wires at all or just a few stragglers left dangling flopping about in the wind.

Stripped power lines

Turning left at the camp gate we headed back along the dirt road leading back to the main road and then turning left heading towards the Martins Drift border between Botswana and South Africa.

On the side of the road we spotted more dead vehicles abandoned and decaying in the heat. In time these remains disappear but for now they leave scars on the countryside

Nature taking over

It didn’t take us long to arrive at the Martins Drift Border post. Luckily we were early and it only took us 20 mins to get through.

The truck drivers waiting patiently on the other side heading in the opposite direction weren’t so lucky. The queue went on forever. We felt really sorry for them as this must be a regular problem.

Approaching the bridge over the Limpopo River

Back in South Africa the terrain gradually started to change. It was a pretty quiet and uneventful journey.

We passed, centre pivot irrigation operating on large fodder plantations, cereal crops and large cabbage plantations. The only animals we saw were cattle and a few stray donkeys. We passed through small settlements and towns.

Every town had taxi vehicles lined up on the side of the road.

Mokopane where we were to meet up with my friend Renata’s mother, Didi and her husband. I promised to deliver a gift to them from Renata. Luckily this time ‘Lady Jane’ took us right to their door.

I had phoned ahead so they were expecting us. After our introductions on arrival they welcomed us in for a cup of tea and rusks, which by now we were more than ready for. We had a lovely chat with this delightful couple whom we had never met before.

The stark reality of wildlife crime

During our conversation they told us they had recently been to the funeral of a very well known  Rhino Conservationist Pieter Van Zyl and his wife Tilla, who had been murdered. Pieter had a large rhino reserve where he had been protecting and caring for these iconic animals.

He was very well respected as he provided employment for many of the locals and treated them very well.

The attackers broke into his supposedly secure gated home. They then broke into the farmers safe and removed all the rhino horn stored there. The only thing that was left in the safe was a small bottle of gun oil.

The practice of removing the horns is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the animals as poaching is rife. After the criminals removed the horns from the safe they proceeded to stab the farmer repeatedly with a gemsbok horn. The horns of this large antelope are like scimitars making it a lethal weapon. They proceeded to beat his wife, crushing her skull. After this gruesome act the murderers then proceeded to shoot the farmer 5 times. This extremely brutal attack was sending a very clear message.

The lucrative wildlife crime syndicates will stop at nothing to protect their income. 

He also dehorned his rhino to stop or deter them from being poached. All his rhino horns were kept in a safe under lock and key.

There were eight criminals that descended on the farm and murdered the farmer and his wife in the most barbaric and violent way.

They stabbed Pieter repeatedly with the scimitar horns of a blesbok, then proceeded to crush Tilla’s skull before shooting him 5 times and then shot her as well. They removed all the horns from the safe, all the contents within, leaving behind just a small bottle of gun oil. 

This is what is going on in Africa as a result of the high price and demand of rhino horn.

So for every person out there who feels the need to sniff, snort, brew, inject for whatever reason you think might benefit you, please remember you are responsible for the death of innocent people and the slaughter of innocent animals! 

We were both completely and utterly distraught by this information. These were kind, respectable, and honourable people whose only crime was to care for the wellbeing of the rhino species.

Their funeral was the biggest ever seen in Mokopane and yet all they were afforded was the tiniest little article obscurely placed in the local newspaper. To top this terrible news, apparently another couple had also recently been murdered for similar reasons.

This is why the world needs to know that wildlife crime is alive and thriving in Africa.

As if this information wasn’t enough, Didi’s husband then proceeded to tell us that his first wife was also brutally murdered in Warmbaths. These murders occur regularly in South Africa as corruption and greed take hold of this beautiful country.

We left Mokopane at 1pm and headed for Nelspruit. My heart was very heavy with this sad news as it ate away, it deeply, deeply saddened me.

The terrain changing as we are getting nearer to the Mpumalanga area.

The next leg of our journey was extremely tedious. Between Middelberg and Nelspruit we hit a stop/go road works which slowed us down completely. There was nothing we could do about it. I tried to distract my thoughts by taking in the beautiful mountains surrounding us.

It was almost as though the mountains were trying to take the pain in my heart away.

It took us five and half hours to get from from Mokopane to Nelspruit. It turned out to be a very, very long and extremely sad day.

We finally arrived in Nelspruit where I had arranged to meet my cousin, Isaac at McDonald’s. Unbeknown to us there are actually two McDonald’s, one at either end of the town. We were waiting at one while Isaac was at the other.

After a couple of phone calls, Izak figured it and and we finally connected. I hadn’t seen Izak for about 28 years so this was to be a massive reunion. The whole family gathered at his sister Troublene’s house for a fantastic meal and a very special gathering.

I had never met many of my relatives from this branch of this family before. There was much laughter, jokes flying and the sharing of family history.

After a wonderful dinner we followed Izak and Carin to their home situated on a 150 acre farmstead about 12 km from the town centre.

Looking out from the pool deck over the picturesque farm

Nothin like old milk cans to make me feel at home

The fatigue of the days events set in as the emotions of sheer heartache and despair to the joy of family love and hospitality finally took its tole, leaving me feeling completely physically and emotionally drained. I was more than ready for my bed….Sleep came quickly.

Fly Me to The Moon- up, up and away

Dunsborough Artist Paula Wiegmink, was thrilled to learn that her TV Art Documentary, produced by Put Some Colour in Your Life would be heading to the moon with SpaceX and NASA on their mission in 2024.

Paula Wiegmink with CIYL Ceo Graeme Stevenson at the conclusion of filming her episode in Dunsborough, Western Australia

Paula explained, “I was over the moon about the news. It was almost unimaginable something like this could happen to a regional artist like me”.

Little did I know what a journey my painting would take me on. To know that the incredible rhino will be on the moon for future generations to see. Hopefully still roaming the earth.

For the last twenty years of Paula’s life the rhino has had an enormous presence. Her passion for wildlife with special interest in endangered species has been the prime motivation in her art. Sadly the rhino species is still as much under threat if not more, due to wildlife crime, human conflict and habitat loss.

Paula was thrilled when she was contacted by Graeme Stevenson, CEO of the Television Art Program ‘Put Some Colour In Your Life’ inviting her to be a featured artist shortly after she relocated to Dunsborough from Perth, Western Australia in 2014.

Graeme asked Paula if she would recreate the image of a painting she had previously painted which is currently the face of the Duke Ingram and Rubin Besureis One. Fight. Unite. SAY NO Poster awareness campaign for endangered species, launched in London, UK.

The painting was created especially for World Rhino Day in 2012. Titled ‘Tears of the rhino’-hear my voice, acrylic on canvas, depicts the animal crying tears of blood. This confronting image conveyed the message the artist was trying to send. The painting was featured on the WESSA stand during the Sunday Tribune Garden and Home Show, in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. During the show Paula did another large scale painting of a rhino to highlight the critical position the species is in. This painting was donated to raise funds for the cause.

‘Tears of the rhino’ – hear my voice

‘Tears of the rhino’ became the face of Duke Ingram and Rubin Besureis, One. Fight. Unite SAY NO poster awareness campaign. Launched in London, UK the poster has been signed by: Dame Daphne Sheldrick, Tonya Littlewolf, Noel Fitzpatrick, Kevin Richardson, Sir David Attenborough, Virginia Mckenna, Dr Jane Goodall and Brian May among many others.

Duke Ingram and Rubin Besureis One. Fight. Unite. SAY NO poster awareness campaign

Through this collaboration with Duke Ingram and Rubin Besureis, Paula was officially invited to attend Dr Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots awards event in London, UK 2019.

Paula accepted the invitation and was delighted to meet and chat with Dr Jane Goodall during the one day event. Dr Goodall very kindly signed a book recently gifted to Paula by a friend, written by Jane. Meeting Jane was a ‘Bucket List’ moment for Paula.

Event held at the Barbican centre, London, UK
L-R Sarah Green, Duke Ingram, Dr Jane Goodall, Paula Wiegmink

Recreating the painting live on TV was a challenge for the artist, considering that it was created a few years prior. The film crew travelled from the east coast where they are based to film the artist in her studio in Dunsborough, WA.

Paula said, “Dreams really do come true so never say never and aim for the moon!”

You can view the art show that is heading to the moon below : (Please feel free to leave a comment)

Paula is represented by The Studio Gallery, Marrinup Rd, Yallingup, Western Australia where you can view her work: https://thestudiogallery.com.au/artist/1203-paula-wiegmink

Other links:

Website Gallery: wiegminkart.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wiegminkart/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiegminkart/
Artists for Conservation: https://www.artistsforconservation.org/artists/873

“The moon will guide you through the night with her brightness, but she will always dwell in the darkness, in order to be seen.”~ Shannon L. Alder

Below is the press release from the Art TV Show, Put Some Colour In Your Life:

AUSTRALIAN TV SERIES ROCKETS TO THE MOON WITH SPACEX AND NASA

Art TV show, Put Some Colour in Your Life, received the exciting news that all 22 seasons of their TV art documentaries will be included in the Lunar Codex or “the Museum on the Moon”, rocketed via the Astrobotic Griffin / NASA VIPER ROVER / SpaceX Falcon Heavy mission headed to the Lunar South Pole due to land in 2023.

Graeme Stevenson OAM, CEO and founder of Put Some Colour in Your Life, was over the moon when payload co-ordinator and curator Dr. Samuel Peralta (physicist), confirmed that all of the nearly 300 artists who have been filmed over the past 12 years in 7 countries will be represented.

Put Some Colour in Your Life TV show based in Murwillumbah, Northern NSW, Australia, films 24-minute TV art documentaries about artists in their studios and then distributes the show to TV networks in over fifty counties, as well as many online streaming services and Smart TV apps.

“When I began this business back in 2009, my vision was to build a library of the minds of artists, preserving a digital record of creative spirit, culture, and techniques for future generations”, Graeme explained,” I had no idea that the library would be kept on the moon. It is just mind blowing!”

“The Lunar Codex — http://www.lunarcodex.com- is a project to preserve contemporary creative arts for future generations, a message-in-a-bottle to the future,” explained Dr. Samuel Peralta, creator of the enterprise. “It is sending the work of 5000+ creative artists to the Moon in three lunar exhibits / time capsules to be launched via three separate missions to the Moon over 2021-2023.”

Dr Samuel Peralta

Colour in Your Life will be joining the Polaris Collection, on the third mission, and is mentioned in the Peregrine collection in the first mission. Polaris data will be on nickel-shielded memory cards. The Colour in Your Life archive will join other short and full-length films already included in the time capsule, including several feature films and short films, documentaries, and an Emmy Award winning film.

Some of the Colour in Your Life artists included in this collection are Ken Done, Ernie Dingo, Eric Rhoads – the world’s leading art promoter, Joseph Zbukvic – the number one watercolour artist in the world, De Gillett, Alvaro Castagnet and Herman Pekel. You can see the full list here: https://www.colourinyourlife.com.au/featured-artists/

“Our hope is that future travellers who find these time capsules will discover some of the richness of our world today,” Dr. Samuel Peralta said. “The Lunar Codex speaks to the idea that, despite wars, pandemics and climate upheaval, humankind found time to dream, time to create art.”

Viper Rover image credit Astrobotic

Sand, potholes and donkeys cont…….

Day 23 – 26/08/2017 Nata, Botswana – Stevenson Game Reserve Botswana 

On rising the next day we found out that the deal here only included breakfast for one. As I wasn’t hungry and was happy for a rusk and a cup of tea, David went off to have breakfast in the dining room alone.

We left Nata at 8am traveling via Francistown heading in a westerly direction for the Stevenson Game Reserve situated on the border of Botswana and South Africa.

One of the little villages we passed on the way

The first half of the journey we dodged really bad potholes and saw a few  warthogs, impala, yellow billed Hornbills and a variety of other small birds. We passed small villages, the occasional cyclist and the ever present remains of a few ‘dead’ cars in complete contrast to the surrounding bush.

Another ‘dead car’

We arrived in the area at about 3pm and once again ‘Lady Jane’ decided to take us on the scenic route through one of the small rural villages. Traveling on a dirt track weaving in between the village huts we realised that this couldn’t be the right road. We eventually stopped to ask an elderly man walking past us if he knew the reserve or at least where the Tuli Block was. Luckily for us not only was he friendly, he was also familiar with the Sherwood area and Tuli block. So with the information given we were able to re-route back to the main road, turning left and now moving in the correct direction towards the Muldersdrift border. Just before the border post we turned right heading into the Tuli block. This road led us to a private locked gate with no one in sight so we knew that this wasn’t correct. Once again there was no visible signage anywhere. We turned around and headed back towards the main road. Turning right we spotted a service station near the border. We thought there might be someone there who could direct us. I climbed out of the car and went to see if I could find someone. A very enthusiastic young man said he knew exactly where the reserve was and was very keen to climb in the car with me until he realised that I was traveling with a man!

With his directions we turned around and headed back in the way we had just come from. Just a short distance ahead we spotted the Stevenson Game Reserve sign which was only visible from the this direction and that is the reason we missed it.

The sign board we couldn’t see coming from the other direction

The reserve was another 13 kms down a gravel road in a northerly direction. When we arrived at the gate the security guard radioed the main desk to check whether they were expecting us despite the fact that we assured him we were indeed booked in. Shortly after signing in and passing through the gates into the reserve, stood a small bush buck and shortly thereafter a lone wildebeest had just crossed the road and was heading into the bush. A little further on stood a lone kudu frozen in the dry grass curiously looking back at us.

Majestic male greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

African ground squirrels (genus Xerus)

As we stopped to admire this majestic animal a little squirrel scuttled across the road and bounded up a tree trunk. An impala wandered across the road in the distance. Nearing the main reception area a gray heron stood like a statue in a small pond. The reserve looked promising and we eagerly headed towards the reception area.

Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)

Stevenson Game Reserve reception area

On arrival in the parking area we were welcomed by Zoe, Brutus, their big ‘sookie’ dog and little friend. After signing in,  Zoe asked us to follow her in her vehicle to our accommodation. A fair distance away from the reception building we came upon a lovely rondavel bush style camp. It was quite rustic but very functional and clean with a pleasant private outdoor lapa (an open structure covered with a dry grass thatched roof, used for outdoor meals) set up with table, chairs, small kitchen,  pantry, fridge, gas cooker etc.

Zoe with Brutus and little friend

After unpacking we decided to go exploring. With a very basic map in hand we ventured off to find the weir stretched across the Limpopo river, which borders Botswana and South Africa. As we climbed out the car we could hear some Egyptian geese squawking in the distance and could see they were nesting under the canopy of some large trees on a nearby small island. The whole scene was so picturesque and peaceful except for the birds chattering away.

The weir across the Limpopo River

As we sat on the river bank to take in the scene we heard a commotion in the distance. It sounded like male voices which seemed to be getting closer and closer. Just then a pontoon type vessel appeared around the corner carrying a group of rowdy men wearing camouflage uniforms. They came from the South African side and appeared to be enjoying their booze cruise. We exchanged some friendly banter in Afrikaans and suddenly I was a ‘Tannie’ (Afrikaans for aunty) again. They guided their large pontoon towards us and as they neared the bank they kindly offered us two cans of ice-cold King’s Castle brandy and cola!

Late afternoon booze cruise

We happily accepted and a couple of minutes later they set off  in the opposite direction with much jollification. David cracked open the cans and happily sipped away as we sat relaxing on the bank enjoying the sounds of nature as peace was restored. Suddenly out of the blue another vehicle arrived with a group of four people. We spent some time chatting with them. One of the couples were locals from Botswana and the others were visitors from the Czech Republic. After they left we walked along the river bank. We spotted a pied kingfisher, fishing from the nearby reeds. diving into the water with great accuracy and speed.

Peaceful scene across the Limpopo River

After taking a few photos we got back into the car and continued exploring to see if we could find any more game before sunset. We spotted a shy little duiker well camouflaged under the trees near the river bank. As we followed the river we found a small side road leading to a couple of designated camping spots right on the water’s edge. There didn’t seem to be any campers there at the time.

 Grey go-away-bird (Corythaixoides concolor)

We then drove to the other side of the reserve looking for one of the other water holes indicated on our little map to see if we could find any of the resident Eland. Sadly we didn’t find any. However there was a lot of activity around the waterhole with the resident ducks and go-away-birds (Grey lourie). By now the sun started setting quickly. Feeling rather exhausted, we made our way back to the camp to see what we could muster up for dinner, with our now diminished food supplies. As we pulled up to our rondavel we startled a warthog who had been happily grazing in the camping area. He made a mad dash to get out through the perimeter fence. The poor animal squealed as he struggled furiously to free himself after getting caught in the wires. Luckily he was able to break free in moments and did not require any assistance.

Burchell’s glossy-starling (Lamprotornis australis)

Around the camp hopped many glossy starlings and spur fowl all furiously foraging in the scrub. To our surprise the outdoor dining area had been beautifully laid out with candle light, serviettes, plates etc in our absence. After rummaging through our cooler box we discovered a tin of baked beans and a can of peas! So while David heated the peas and beans I made toast to accompany our gourmet meal! I was so hungry that I savoured every mouthful! It was the best baked beans on toast ever. After the last of our shared can of Grapetiser we finished off with a lovely cup of hot tea.

Late afternoon sunset

Once again it was a quick shower, bed and I fell swiftly into a deep sleep serenaded by the sounds of the creatures of the African night.

Selling and buying art online

This gallery contains 12 photos.

‘Window to the soul’ acrylic on canvas Selling art online has never been easier with so many galleries to choose from. Some of these online galleries require a subscription fee and others don’t. Each gallery take a commission which varies. … Continue reading →

Selling art online

‘Don’t mess with me’ – oil on canvas on board

Would you buy art online? It seems many do. I would love to get your thoughts on this subject.

It appears that there are more artists around than ever before, or is it just my imagination? Or is it because we are just more exposed on social media?

I want to try a little experiment to see if having a blog, facebook, instagram, pinterest, linkedin etc all work or is it only about the time you spend on the computer, phone etc inputting data and photos?

‘Touch of Tanamu’ – pastel on colourfix paper

I am not a tech expert and would like nothing more than to spend all my time in my studio painting! However I seem to be spending more time than ever before on my computer! Don’t get me wrong I love that the world has become a much smaller place and that we are able to connect with people from all over the world at a click of a button!

Are other artists interested in meeting other artists online? I know that the competition is fierce out there but is it really necessary? Art is so subjective and I feel that every painting has its audience. It’s just a matter of finding it!

 I  am inviting you to visit my online website and Instagram page, please feel free to leave a comment https://wiegminkart.wordpress.com/

https://www.instagram.com/wiegminkart/?hl=en

If you are willing please choose your favourite paintings by clicking on the like button  and follow me if you so wish. 

In this way firstly I will see which of my paintings connect most with a wider audience. Secondly I will see if this experiment actually works!

‘Kimberley moonshine’ – acrylic on canvas

I look forward to seeing your reaction! Please join me and feel free to comment and leave feedback! Here we go, off on a magical media tour!

https://wiegminkart.wordpress.com/

Sand, potholes and donkeys cont……..

Day 22 – 25/08/2017 Kasane to Nata Botswana

The next morning we took the opportunity to go on a morning game drive to the Chobi National Park. We had an early 4am rise to be ready for our drive with Gomez who was going to collect us at 5:45am. We had a quick breakfast, packed our gear and with three other passengers found a spot on the safari vehicle. We entered through the Gavundu gate for a 3 hour drive which luckily for us turned into 4 hours. We spotted a large variety of birds and animals.

Chobe National Park

Lions basking in the morning sunlight

Mums and bubs

Pair of fish eagles

Teenage elephant

Gomez showing as a skull

When we stopped for a ‘pee’ stop and a coffee there was a troop of baboons surrounding the ablution block. Gomez shooed them away from the building so that we were free to enter. He warned us on our return to keep an eye on the vervet monkeys who had by now gathered around the vehicle in anticipation of possible invasion and theft.

Baboon on the move

On our way back to the safari vehicle one of the male passengers on our tour took great pleasure in telling us he had filmed the monkeys breaking into the vehicle by opening the back glass sliding doors, gaining access to the picnic box and stealing our morning tea biscuits! We all gathered round to watch his video and witness the perpetrator in action! We were all looking forward to our morning snack!

Vervet monkey enjoying our biscuits

While we were enjoying our mug of tea/coffee I spotted one of the monkeys jumping onto the vehicle to see if there was anything else he could steal. I tried to ‘shoo’ him away and in a flash he jumped from one side of the vehicle straight towards me in a very threatening manner bearing his teeth at me. I beat a hasty retreat. I soon discovered that male monkeys do not take kindly to being challenged by a female of any species! He did not back off until Gomez intervened. By now we were surrounded by a family of monkeys who gathered in the nearby trees and around the vehicle enjoying our biscuits and anticipating their next break and enter!

The cheeky vervet monkey that challenged me

Gomez keeping an eye on the vehicle as the thief sat on the roof 

Time was now ticking on and we needed to head back to the gate. We had a very rushed and bumpy ride back and as we hit a huge ditch we all went flying including David’s ‘Big Bertha’ camera which crashed onto the floor with a thump . When he managed to retrieve it he discovered that the lens filter was chipped. Luckily it wasn’t the lens. “Not happy Jan!”

We arrived back at Elephant Trail at 10 am and were packed, checked out and on the road by 11am after refuelling and buying a few nibbles for the road.

On the way to Nata after about two hours driving we stopped for lunch under the shade of a lovely tree and enjoyed Russian sausages, lettuce, tomato sauce and an iced tea purchased in Kasane.  We resumed our journey  passing large millet fields. When David spotted a large harvester in progress we had to stop to take a few photos. We were also stunned to see ground hornbills feeding on the side of the road. We were so lucky to spot them and of course had to stop for a few quick photos before they flew off.

Harvesting the millet

Ground hornbill

We arrived at Northlake Lodge in Nata, a very small town at about 2:30 pm. The Lodge is situated right next to the service station.  As we arrived at our destination fairly early in the day, while checking in, we enquired what there was to see in the immediate area. The receptionist told us about the Nata Bird Sanctuary in the Makgadikgadi Pan about 20 kilometers south of  Nata township. After quickly unpacking our gear we headed off not wanting to waste a minute of the day. This particular stretch of road between Nata and the bird sanctuary was possibly the worst that we had encountered so far. The potholes were horrendous. In fact most of the tar was gone and just pitted road rubble left. The vehicle traveling in front of was  swerving drastically to miss the ever-increasing potholes. I thought I was going to fall apart.

When we finally reached the reserve it was such a relief to get off the ‘surfaced’ road onto just ‘normal’ corrugations. At the gate and small reception building we paid $20 AUD for the entry permit. While in reception we met Stephen, a guide who was taking a female American tourist to the same place we were heading for which was the lookout viewing platform. The platform was pointed out to us on a very basic map supplied to us. Stephen and his guest left  shortly before us and we followed.

Our first sighting was two lovely ostriches strutting over a barren pan. Very striking, against the stark terrain as they walked off  into the distance fluffing their feathers. While we were taking photos, Stephen approached us moving in the opposite direction. It appeared he was lost and couldn’t find the platform and stopped to ask us for directions! We told him to follow us and said that if he ever needed help with guiding he should just call us. He wasn’t amused!

Strutting ostriches

We drove quite a long way and suddenly there it was, a sea of water. I expected dry salt pans instead so this was a total surprise. It looked like a flat ocean as far as they eye could see. Positively stunning!

 Nata Bird Sanctuary, Makadigadi Pans, central Botswana

We drove a little further and came upon the viewing platform where we planned to settle down for a quiet afternoon of bird watching. Wrong! The next moment two bus loads of tourists arrived and the place was crawling with humanity. Luckily for us they didn’t stay too long and we relished in the sheer peace and tranquility that settled in to every pore of our bodies. Unfortunately there weren’t many birds at all. A lone pelican, a flamingo fly by and a few smaller water birds in the distance. The day came to an end but not without a spectacular African sunset. First stunning pinks filled the sky subtly changing into bold orange then morphing into subtle mauve and finally settling into subdued blues. A perfect end to a long but joyous day.

The setting sun over the salt pan

Stunning sunset

Last light at the platform

After the sun set and the night air settled in a silence fell over the landscape. The darkness fell like a blanket over the area and we couldn’t see a thing. The mosquitoes arrived soon after so we climbed into the car and nibbled on what leftovers we had by torch-light. Having run our supplies down gearing up for the next leg of our journey we didn’t have much choice,  a few crackers and whatever we could find to put on them. Eventually the stars began to twinkle like diamonds. Soon after we headed back to Nata hoping to get back to the gate in time. On the way back we spotted a beautiful little owl in the middle of the road and a couple of rabbits. The journey back to Nata was uneventful other than dodging potholes in the dark which was quite a challenge. David drove and I was the spotter!

Back in Nata and safely in the room I had a quick shower first and then it was David’s turn. Unfortunately the shower head fell off landing on his head! The shower then proceeded to continually drip all night! Nothing worse than a dripping tap however with our mosquito nets spread over our beds and snuggly tucked up, sleep finally took over!