MDF Magazine Newsletter Issue 60 December 2019

TRAVEL
exceeded 35 degrees) and good road conditions allowed us
to go exploring and cover areas of the park we had never
imagined possible for us or our vehicle. The rains brought
water and mud into the equation, but those too were
manageable with deflated tyres and a bit of momentum!
We enjoyed wonderful sightings along both of the river
roads. Lions were never in short supply although they did
spend most of their time doing what lions do best, sleeping
under trees. The cheetahs were more accommodating and
we encountered them everywhere ‒ under one of the trees
at Melkvlei, prowling the open basin of Gemsbokplein, and
on a sand berm at Kaspersdraai, which was a really close
encounter. The giraffes of the Auob riverbed provided us
with endless entertainment as they strode majestically down
this sand superhighway or, much to our shock and horror,
galloped down the sand dunes, or chose to browse amongst
the trees, eye to eye with some rather startled sociable
weavers. We had countless sightings of gemsbok, springbok,
wildebeest, hartebeest, kudu, brown hyena and steenbok, and
even a fleeting glimpse of a badger!
The birdlife was a particular treat, even for a couple who
do not consider themselves to be dedicated birders. It would
be an understatement to say it was plentiful, with everything
from the little finches and weavers through to the hawks,
falcons, big crested eagles, secretary birds and about a
million kori bustards! The park literature indicates that there
are approximately 200 resident kori bustards. We think they
might have omitted a zero in the typesetting!
The landscapes were simply breathtaking! The open
riverbeds, red dunes, sprawling waterholes, gnarled trees,
rocky escarpments, and of course those expansive views
topped by huge thundercloud skies. Our wide-angle lens saw
a lot of use, and we even managed to try our hand at some star
photography of the crystal-clear, unpolluted night skies. And
the light ... that amazing Kgalagadi light, which seems to
mark every photograph with its unique stamp.
The disabled accommodation is adequate although
manageable only with assistance. The bathrooms were
equipped with grab rails and folding shower seats, but
SANParks still makes use of elevated toilet seats, which
hopefully will change as the units are upgraded, so I can
look forward to sitting on the loo with my feet actually
touching the ground! Access into the units was also manageable
although both Twee Rivieren and Nossob suffer from the
same problem of not having a paved parking area linking the
access ramp to the motor vehicle, which would allow for safe
transfer into and out of one's vehicle. It must be noted that
sand is a notable obstacle around the camp sites and something
which has to be taken into account when planning a
trip.
It has to be mentioned that the staff at Kgalagadi were most
helpful and when requested sought to make our stay as
comfortable as possible.
After twelve fantastic days we sadly had to depart,
feeling that we could quite easily turn the car around and do
it all again in a heartbeat. We had stepped out of our comfort
zone, tackled new ground and, thanks to the support and
encouragement of friends, had succeeded beyond our
expectations. A friend of ours had said that once we
experienced the red Kalahari sand between our toes we would
always want to return. He was certainly correct!
It was an outstanding trip, more an adventure than a
holiday!
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