Today is our last full day in the park. It is almost the end of our Road Trip. Tomorrow we will pack up and head to Oudtshoorn for our last overnight stay and then it will be back to Napier and Struisbaai.

It was very cold during the night and we were grateful for a down duvet as well as a fleecy blanket on the bed. The morning dawned with clear skies and the promise of warmth but it was a while before the temperature rose above 15 degrees C!

The Earl cooked breakfast and then we headed out in our own vehicles for our last drive in the park. It was most enjoyable and we saw lots of animals on the plains. There was nothing new though so this will be a short report.

By the time we returned to camp it had warmed up quite a bit and the evening temperature was not nearly as low as last night. It was our turn to cook and The Earl did a lamb curry using the Smart Space Pot on the Snappy Chef induction stove. I made a banana salad and also served some pickled vegetables bottled by my friend Esmarie. Dessert was chocolate chip ice cream.

Being Sunday, the camp was pretty deserted as all the weekenders had left. It will probably be quite full for the Easter Weekend. We did not get to see the cats and it seems nobody else we spoke to did either. This is not a park to visit if all you want to see is the Big 5 or cats. It is, however, awesome for birds and a variety of other creatures. The scenery alone makes it worth the visit.

Today we drove the Sonnenrust in tandem with Alec and Cathy. The Earl was not all that keen on doing any 4X4-ing and I think it might have been because he ‘aged prematurely’ after doing the most hectic of the trails last time we were here. The Umgene Trail is described in the guide book as one to provide either great excitement or premature aging! We survived that one after having to move a large rock out of the road so this one was a piece of cake! It was quite hectic but we all thought it was enormous fun.

Back at camp we had a snack and a cuppa and then relaxed for the rest of the afternoon We did not go for an afternoon drive but I took short walk at about 17h00.

It was Cathy and Alec’s turn to cook. I lent them my Romosca pot and they did the most divine chicken casserole served with mash potato cooked in the smart space pots on a gas cooker and mixed veggies done in the micro

27 March 2021

The rain has gone! But it is still a tad chilly in the mornings here in the mountains of the Eastern Cape. We started our day with an “Early” breakfast, did a few household chores and then set off separately for a drive. We met halfway going in opposite directions and then headed back to camp for a cuppa. We then did another drive in the afternoon. Most of the game can be seen on the wide open plains but a few hang out in the mountains too. Birding is good. The views are magnificent. Below are the highlights from both drives.

Just a final word about the facilities at Mountain Zebra – There are two types of campsite. C indicates a caravan site and T a tent site and the sites are numbered. We are on C32 and 34 with T33 between us. It was not busy when we arrived on Thursday but today (Friday) the weekenders arrived and it is now quite full.

The ablutions are clean and neat but there has been trouble with the water – no water for a few hours on this afternoon (Friday) and the shower in the morning was luke-warm. The Earl is also horrified by the state of the electrics in the camp. He is an electrician! Sadly maintenance is always an issue in South Africa but the beauty that surrounds us makes up for it all. I would still recommend MZNP as a destination.

Thursday, 25 March 2021

It rained continuously during the night but had stopped by the time we rose this morning. By 07:50 we were packed up and on the road. Because we had heard of the dreadful potholes on the route via Colesberg we took the route via Britstown. It is no wonder our roads are being destroyed when you see how many huge trucks are driving them. It won’t be long before this route is also riddled with potholes.

We turned off into Britstown to refuel and have breakfast. It is not easy finding a suitable establishment in these small Karoo towns but The Old Mill Coffee Shop was a winner. It was one of those delightful shabby chic places that I find so fascinating. One woman’s junk is another woman’s decor.

After enjoying some delicious toasted sandwiches we were soon on the N10 to Mountain Zebra National Park and the trucks moving ore to the coast were still very much a part of the scene. There were more trucks than cars on the road.

At the gate of Mountain Zebra we filled in COVID forms, had our temperatures taken and then checked in at reception where we were warmly welcomed.

We set up camp on site 32 and 34. A lovely couple from Great Brack were between us on site 33 and it turned out that they know our sister-in-law very well. What a small world.

Rain had threatened all day so we decided to book for dinner at the restaurant. It was a tad expensive but the food was excellent. Alec and Cathy enjoyed delicious lamb shank and The Earl and I had Venison bobotie. All the meals were served with hot vegetables.

I am only posting now as I had a bit of difficulty with the internet last night. Today it is working perfectly.

More about MZNP to follow

It rained in the night and it was still overcast and drizzly when we awoke at Vluytjeskraal Caravan Park.

After enjoying a good cup of filter coffee and a rusk we decided to do the sensible thing. Who wants to cook in the rain – not us. And just before a real downpour began we walked across the footbridge to Aan-die-Oewer and had breakfast a their restaurant.

The rain really came down in buckets after we got back to our caravans. Alec and Cathy needed to go to town to do a bit of shopping and when they returned they reported that the dirt road was really slippery!

In the afternoon we took a tour of Orania. The information centre offers mini-bus tours free of charge several times a day. The following is my version of what I learned from the trip. I also did a bit of research on the internet. Wikipedia

The little town of Orania is situated along the Orange River in The Karoo region of The Northern Cape. It is a semi-autonomous Afrikaner town and if you wish to live there you have to apply and have an interview to ensure you will adhere to their customs. Their aim is to preserve the religion, language and culture of The Afrikaner. Anybody who defines themselves as an Afrikaner and identifies with these three pillars on which the community is built may live in Orania.

This is perfectly legal in terms of the Constitution of South Africa which has a clause to ensure the right to self-determination. Non residents are not allowed to work in Orania unless they offer a skill that the residents don’t have themselves. Thus they are completely self-sufficient, have their own commercial centre and industries, including their own very successful bank, medical centre, retirement village with frail care facility, two private schools and a technical college. It is also in the process of building its own university.

Residents of Orania reject the term ‘white’ but rather refer to themselves at The Third Afrikaner, a new generation of Afrikaner who understands the principle behind self-labour. In other words they are not concerned about the old South Africa but want to build a new future for the Afrikaner built on self-governance and own territory in peace with its neighbours. There is little crime in Orania and the residents say they don’t need to lock their doors and their children can play safely outdoors. It is a fact that in most parts of South Africa, crime is a serious problem. Of course there are plenty of small towns where crime is minimal but they are not exclusive, Afrikaaner run cities.

The first human occupation of Orania took place 30 000 years ago when the San people roamed the area. In the second half of the seventeenth century European hunters, Trekkers and Griquas arrived on the scene.

In the late 19th century many farmers moved seasonally back and forth across the Orange River to find good grazing for their cattle.  One such place as called Vluytjekraal and this is the farm on which present day Orania is built. Sephanus Ockert Vermeulen purchased the farm in 1882.

In 1963, the Department of Water Affairs needed to accommodate workers who were building the irrigation canals connected to Vanderkloof Dam so they established the town Vluytjeskraal on this farm. They changed its name to Orania. When the project was completed the town fell into disrepair and Water Affairs completely abandoned Orania in 1989.

Carel Boshoff, the grandson of Hendrik Vervoerd and 40 other Afrikaner families bought Orania from the Department of Water Affairs in December 1990 and in April 1991 the first 13 people moved to the town. Although they have not experienced the growth they had hoped for, the town was soon repaired and more and more people moved from all over the country to live there. Today it has a population of about 2500.

The town is now privately owned by the Vluytjeskraal Aandeleblok company according to a framework known as ‘share block’ under South African law. This means that the home-owner only owns the building in which he lives. He does not get a title deed unless he has an agricultural property. Eight people are on the board of directors of this company and they also form the Village Council. These directors then elect a chairperson who is then also the mayor of the town.

Orania’s main source of revenue comes from farming of which there are various types. There are almond and pecan orchards the latter being the most prolific. The nuts are exported all over the world. The quality of life in Orania is higher than the national average but lower than most of South Africa’s white population. Residents of Orania can use a ‘currency’ called Ora which is actually more like a voucher. If the ora is used instead of the rand, a discount will be given.

It was interesting visiting Orania. Unfortunately I could not take photographs through the window of the vehicle as it was raining. The town was not what I expected. I imagined a walled city with houses build in a similar style with manicured gardens along straight, paved streets. Instead we found a haphazard of houses of all different and interesting styles. Some were grand and other quite simple. A few were made from straw and one even from polystyrene! The emphasis is on being green. Everybody is conservation conscious, they recycle, most have solar power or use whatever means they can to conserve resources. They look after the wildlife and environment. They are community conscious and there are things in place to help the destitute get back on their feet. Everybody has a job and everybody gives back to the community. All in Orania seems good and well but is it the right way to live? Personally I am against any kind of extremism. Personally I prefer living in a rainbow nation where I am aware of all cultures, where I can learn from others too. I like diversity. Why should we all be the same? Why can’t we live in mixed culture communities and be tolerant of each other? I don’t believe that the Afrikaner language, religion or culture are in any danger. It is very strong in South Africa and it will take a great deal to destroy it. But that’s me. If they feel the need to live exclusively then good luck to them.

It rained most of the day so in the evening we went back to Aan-die-Oewer Restaurant but this time we drove around with the car. To our surprise the restaurant was almost full but luckily we got the last unreserved table.

The service was good and the food amazing. If ever you find yourself travelling in the Northern Cape of South Africa, don’t give Orania a miss.

The past two days have been travelling days. On Monday we were sad to pack up and say goodbye to beautiful Augrabies. The Earl and I had to take Gecko 81 back to Upington for some quick fixes so did not join Cathy and Alec on a visit to Leon and Hannelie, (Gecko 113) who live nearby. Thanks for your help re our Gecko, Leon. Hope to meet up some other time.

We dropped the caravan off then went to do a bit of shopping and had breakfast at Dros. Our overnight stop was at Kheis Riverside Lodge and The Earl and I arrived first. Cathy and Alec were just half an hour behind us. We had two lovely shady campsites.

The manageress was very friendly and accommodating. We requested dinner at the restaurant and it was opened specially for us.

We were up and ready to leave by nine this morning and travelled in tandem to Orania stopping at Kalahari Lodge in Kimberly. We hadn’t had breakfast but it was too late for that so we decided to have their lunch special – braaied chops, chicken wings and boerewors. A wonderful buffet of vegetables and salads were also on offer. Desserts were also included for just R99 per person! Coffee and drinks were extra. Everything served was delicious.

We had not pre-booked a campsite in Orania and first tried to get in at Aan-die-Oewer. Surprisingly it was full but the young lady at reception directed us to another park right next door. We walked across a foot-bridge and down a path to a little cottage where the manager assured us that he had some vacancies. At first he said he could not offer us sites next to each other but after we’d driven around and checked in properly we found that site four and five were empty and perfect for our needs.

More about Orania in the next episode of our Gecko adventures.

This morning breakfast was hosted by Cathy and Alec. They enjoyed the ‘original Early breakfast’ and wanted to see if they could get it right. Well, of course they made their own tweaks to it and it was delicious. The Earl is now scheming how to improve his recipe even more!

It was laundry and house cleaning day today. After a week on the road our clothes and caravans needed some attention. I popped my load into the machine. It took my three five rand coins but then didn’t switch on! Some staff were about and they quickly called the techie guys and it was sorted within minutes. The weather being hot and breezy meant we could hang it all out in the hanging yard and it was dry very quickly.

Living in a small space means that cleaning up is done in a jiffy. After a good sweep, wipe and tidy up I went off to the pool for a swim and then toddled off to the bird hide. It was the middle of the day so I did not expect much activity at the pond. There were not birds but the dragonflies were so pretty so I spent some time trying to photograph the hyper-active little creatures.

Yesterday Cathy and I had seen the malachite kingfisher but neither of us got the portrait. I willed one to appear and as I snapped a dragonfly something bright and orange caught my eye. He made a brief appearance, posed beautifully and then flew off as if to say, “I hope you’re happy now. I came her specially to say hello.”

I then walked around the lawns where, like yesterday, there was quite a bit of bird activity. The sparrows, starlings, bulbuls and doves were very active. Then I saw something slightly different. A glossy starling? I wondered. But no – It has a long decurved bill – a scimitarbill! I spent ages watching him digging in the bark of a tree looking for insects.

Back at camp the greedy African Pied Wagtail came peeping by hoping for a crumb or two.

In the afternoon we all went for a drive and visited some more view points. We also saw some creatures!

Sadly it was our last day. We braaied chicken drumsticks and pork chops for dinner.

A couple from Somerset West arrived late as they got a little lost. Before setting up they said they would go to the restaurant for dinner. They had no defrosted food to braai. Well with the restaurant being closed that would not work. We all started making suggestions. Cathy and Alec have a microwave, perhaps they could defrost something. Maybe they could do bacon and eggs? NO! Not good enough. Hang on, I said, I still have left-over lamb curry from last night. I went over and offered our new friends some braaied chicken drumsticks and lamb curry. Come over when you’re ready, I said. They were most grateful. Cathy warmed to curry in her microwave and also had some left over rice. After they set up Louise and Francis came over. That’s what campers do – pay it forward. We now have two new friends who I am sure we will run into again in the future.