We left Monate at nine o’clock this morning. It was once again a beautiful sunny morning with temperatures beginning at about 18 degrees C and rising to the early thirties by midday.
It was a three-hour drive to Twee Rivieren and the closer we got to the park the more the landscape changed to typical Kalahari with its red dunes.
It was awesome to see Twee Rivieren again. We were here last in 2018 and Cathy and Alec visited in 2019.
Once we had checked in at reception which was quick and efficient we made our way to the campsite and set up. We chose sites next to each other that had shelters. This time of the year TR can get quite windy and that means DUST. We would be relatively sheltered and also close to the ablutions, laundry and kitchen.
Once we were settled we had some lunch and while everyone went to have a lie down I took a walk around the camp and visited the shop before coming back to read my book until 3 pm.
These are photos of some of the camp’s wildlife
Ground Squirrel
White-backed Mousebirds
At about 3:30 we took a short game drive. The temperature was in the thirties and was very hot.
Kori Bustard on our first day – not bad!Members of our National Animal – The Springbok – welcomed usIt’s mating season for the steenboks “Come on Sally, Let’s get a room.” “No way Simon I’m not in the mood”
The South African section of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park was called The Kalahari Gemsbok Park and of course, we saw quite a few members of that species.
These Guys were thirstyGreat to see this wildebeest – a favourite of my Oztrian friend, ErichThat was such a lovely sandbath!Hi there – I’m Sammy Surricate – Have you seen my friends? Can’t find them anywhere! I’m Gordon Ground Squirrel and No, I have not – mine are here somewhere.Jacob Jackal is usually on a mission but when he caught sight of us he sat down and stared.Pale Chanting Goshawk finds the top of sociable weaver condominium a perfect place to perch onOur first Marico Flycatcher of the trip – and certainly not our last!
It was not a bad start to our Kgalagadi stay. The internet was down for a few hours and we could not refuel as the card machine was not working. Fortunately, we had enough to last for our short drive and when we returned they were back online. However, the internet is very slow and erratic and my blog posts will surely be affected by that.
Thanks to those who have made comments on WordPress, Facebook, and the groups I share links on. If I don’t reply it is all to do with trying to post while the internet is good and sometimes I just don’t get to reading all the comments.
Friday 11 August 2023 Calvinia to Monate Caravan Park, Upington
The traffic noise was quite hectic last night and we all experienced some disturbed sleep. The campsite would be fine if it weren’t for that little hiccup. If the railways were functioning efficiently then there would be fewer trucks on the roads at all hours. In years gone by this would have been an ideal overnight stop.
It was not too cold when we woke up but jeans and a fleece were required. By 08:30 after a quick breakfast of cereal and a cup of coffee, we were packed up and ready to leave for Monate Campsite outside Upington. By midday, the temperature had risen to 30 degrees C.
There were no more spectacular fields of flowers but instead, the stark yet beautiful Karoo landscape took over. The colours of the Kalahari are muted – khaki, olive green, pinky mauve, and grey. The land is flat with scattered scrub and the occasional tree. Where there is water the landscape will suddenly come alive with brighter shades of green. As we neared the Kalahari there were patches of orange/red sandhills.
Typical Karoo MountainsKaroo ColoursLovely to see lots of quiver treesThe quiver tree gets its name from the San people who used to hollow out the tubular branches of the tree to form quivers for their arrows. The Dry Karoo needs windmills to pump subterranean water
The only farm animals that we saw were the occasional flock of Dorper sheep. A few springboks made an appearance and we saw a few mongooses.
There were too many pied and black crows but we were pleased to see Pale Chanting Goshawk, kestrels, and the odd Jackal buzzard.
As we travelled deeper into the Northern Cape we started to see sociable weaver nests.
. The nests consist of separate chambers, each of which is occupied by a pair (sometimes with offspring) and used to roost and breed. The birds usually build their nests in acacia trees but telephone poles are used too.
We stopped in Kenhardt to refuel. Originally, we were not planning to have a meal there as we were sure there would not be anywhere suitable. But Kenhardt turned out to be such a quaint town and it was like going back into the mid-twentieth century. Oma Miemie’s Bakery caught Cathy’s attention and after refueling we doubled back and were able to park both caravans very comfortably.
What a gem this little restaurant is. It was really like visiting Grandma’s house in 1960. Pies are their specialty and are baked on the premises. What a treat they are! I had the Vegetarian which was filled with butternut and bell peppers. The others had Lamb and Rosemary and we all had a delicious side salad of cucumber, tomato, carrot and avocado pear. The pies are served with their homemade spekboom chutney – really good with just a little kick. They also serve excellent coffee – an Americano for me, lattes for Alec and Cathy, and a cappuccino for the Earl. We all agree that Oma Miemie’s is five-star!
Bone-handle, silver cutlery, and fine china straight from Grandma’s houseA really delicious lunch
There are some lovely preserves, raw honey, home-baked fare, and other products on sale, and we all went away with some lovely treats to enjoy in the park.
Feeling refreshed and fortified we continued on for another hour and a half. Driving through Upington which is quite a big Northern Cape town was quite hair-raising as there was a lot of traffic, school had just been let out and very few of the traffic lights were working! It’s a good thing we did not wait to have lunch there!
Our campsite, Monate, is several kilometres outside Upington and is just lovely. We have plenty of shade, a neat little picnic table, a lovely braaiplek, and the birdlife is great. A special bird to see in the park is the Northern Black Korhaan – well there were ten walking around the campsite when we arrived. I have never seen so many in one place in my life before. White-browed sparrow weavers have made their nests, as usual on the west side of the trees, and they were very vocal today. We also spotted a crowned lapwing and some bulbuls. A ground squirrel and a yellow mongoose also made an appearance.
Two Geckos arriving at MonateOur campsiteSome of the korhaans at the campMale Northern Black KorhaanWhite-browed Sparrow WeaverGround SquirrelYellow MongooseLaughing DovesSunset at MonateThe Earl at the Braai
It was warm enough to strip off jeans and jerseys and change into shorts and t-shirts and although it got slightly cooler in the evening it was only necessary to don a fleece.
Because we had eaten such a lovely lunch we were not very hungry at supper time. So we decided just to braai some boerewors, and a chop and chicken wing each and serve it with salad.
Load shedding started at 8 and by that time we had finished eating. Everyone went off to do ablutions and get ready to bed while I finished washing up duty. When I’d finished I walked toward the ablution block and noticed another caravan had arrived. Lo and behold it was Gecko 36 – Shirly and her hubby whose name now escapes me. They had driven here all the way from Pretoria! We chatted for half an hour. They are on their way to Namaqualand to see the flowers.
As I write it is half past nine and it is still warm outdoors. I think I might have packed too many winter clothes!
Gecko 109 (Cathy and Alec) and Gecko 81 (Helen and Earl) are on the first leg of their road trip to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape, South Africa.
Thanks to Cathy’s excellent organising skills the trip that she planned a year ago began today. But there was a hiccup. Earl needed to renew both our car and caravan licenses but when he tried to do it at 3 pm on Tuesday the municipal office had already closed at 12 noon and yesterday was a public holiday! So Cathy printed out the required forms on Wednesday afternoon and the Earl and I arrived bright and early at the Bredasdorp Traffic Department at 07:45. Earl was third in the queue but was finished first as he had his forms all filled in! The office opened at 08:00 and he was done by 08:12 enabling us to meet at the appointed spot by 08:25!
Our first stop at 10:00 was at Christina’s on Van Loveren’s Wine Farm in Robertson where we had a delicious breakfast. It’s a great place to stop as there is plenty of space to park the caravans. Their Eggs Florentine and omelets are awesome. The coffee is excellent too.
At lunchtime, we stopped at Kardoesie and had toasted sandwiches and smoothies before continuing to Calvinia where we spent the night at Klipwerf Self-Catering and Camping. The camping section is tiny and we could not park our little Geckos without using our movers. The site is also on a busy road so the sound of heavy vehicles can disturb your sleep. We have a small ablution of a loo, basin, and shower shared by our two caravans.
We wanted to go to a restaurant for dinner but when I phoned around they were all fully booked It is, after all, flower season! So we opted for takeaway pizzas from Ciela which were excellent. I phoned to order and they Whatsapped me the menu then I replied with our choices – Just Meat for the men, Kiepie for Cath, and Stella for me. South African readers will guess the “Kiepie” had chicken. Stella – butternut and feta among other stuff. They then sent a pin and promised to let us know when to collect. The wait was about 40 minutes as they were really busy. Flower season is really good for business in this neck of the woods!
So those are the details of Day One. Now for the photographs of our scenic drive through Namaqualand. The weather was glorious. Our starting temperature was 12 degrees C but through Namaqualand, it rose to 30 degrees C! August is the best month to visit Namaqualand especially if the preceding months have had good rains. And indeed it has been a very wet winter. The photographs do not do justice to how incredibly beautiful the flowers are this year. Most of my photographs were taken from a moving vehicle!
And for the campers and caravanners – our campsite photos
Cathy and Alec’s siteHelen and Earl’s site The tiny ablution between the sitesThe Gate in the background.
Winter has been particularly cold and wet in our neck of the woods this year. But for the past few days, it has been sunny and slightly warmer. Spring, we hope, is making her way towards us.
Last Thursday our good friends Tom and Meg from Cape Town came to spend a couple of days with us. “We want to sleep in the caravan,” Tom insisted although we had plenty of beds in the house! And so I made up the caravan as cozily as I could and they were delighted.
On Thursday evening we invited mutual friends around for a braai and we had an awesome time catching up.
On Friday, Tom said he would love us to take him and Meg bird watching. When they stayed with us in 2015 we had a very successful trip to Arniston and surrounds and got a list of 72 birds. The route Tom requested this time was to De Mond and back which covered some of the roads we did in October 2015. This time of the year, I warned, would probably not produce as many birds.
On checking on the 2015 excursion I saw that we made a very early start. Eight years later we only made it to breakfast at Earth Restaurant after 10! But even with the time and the light not being quite right we still managed to chalk up 55 species.
Little GrebeRed-knobbed CootYellow-billed DucksCape ShovelersBlack-winged StiltCape Weaver at his nestSpeckled MousebirdCape LongclawRed-faced MousebirdAnd then they flew awayCape BulbulsOstrichWe did not do the whole 7km circular route but I have done it in the past and it’s lovelyTom and Meg crossing the bridge at De Mond Nature ReserveMe on the bridgeTom, Meg, and I climbed to the viewpoint and enjoyed the panoramic viewsAfrican DarterWe then joined The Earl to walk towards the mouth – E alerted us to this Three Banded Plover
I really wanted to see a secretary bird and a Denham’s Bustard. The latter was a real possibility as these birds are quite common in the area but they must have been away for the weekend. However, just as we were resigning ourselves to the fact that no more species would be added to the list, a big bird dropped from the sky, landed in the field next to the car and took off at a run! It was a secretary bird. We almost fell out of the vehicle in surprise and I only just managed to get two very poor photographs!
In the evening we had a wonderful time at Suitpunt Diepsee Hengelklub’s social where we enjoyed pork curry for dinner and enjoyed the company of our friends Sonja and Roger again.
Megan and Tom posing in front of the Marlin!
On Saturday Tom and Meg packed up and went to spend a night with a friend in Agulhas before returning to Cape Town on Sunday.
Sunday was a truly awesome sunny day and I could not bear to waste it so persuaded the Earl to take a drive along the Elim Road and then to Napier where we had lunch. We left at 9 am and had a wonderful morning of birding chalking up 45 species. Some we’d seen on our birding excursion with Tom and Meg and but others were new giving us a total for the weekend of 64
I really had to think about this question because I always say stuff isn’t important in the greater scheme of things but then I thought – but I love my stuff – both expensive and sentimental. The expensive stuff like my jewelry also has sentimental value as most of my pieces were gifts. The home we owned back in Cape Town was a wrench to part with as it was filled with so many happy memories and I miss it still. So each thing I own has sentiment attached to it. But some things can be replaced while others can’t like a little yearbook my Grade One class made for me several years ago. I would be heartbroken if that disappeared because it is truly irreplaceable.
2. What do you consider to be ‘a quiet night in’?
Most nights are quiet nights in with my hubby. We have sundowners at 5, dine at 6, and are usually in bed watching our favourite TV shows till after 10! Once or twice a week we entertain at home or dine out with friends. These evenings are also quiet compared to our very busy social lives from yesteryear.
3. Do you believe in Soul Mates?
I absolutely do and I believe I have a few.
4. Can you dance? (for example: old time, disco, jive)
I can dance with my husband because he leads very well and we just get into the rhythm and do our own thing. If our song, Lady in Red, is playing, we get up and dance whether there’s a dance floor or not.
Gratitude:
Concentrate on what we have, not what we want.
What a privilege to have all that I need and more and that I am surrounded by loving friends and family and am able to truly enjoy my golden years.
I have a few loved ones who are not well right now but they’re in good, caring hands, and for that I am truly grateful.
The birds that visit my garden make me smile every day. I am quite a nature freak and it gives me great pleasure that wild creatures enjoy my indigenous garden.
A double-collared sunbird in my milwood tree
2. What makes you angry?
Lots of things make me angry but I try not to dwell on these things. But what makes me really angry and will get me going is when somebody does something wrong and then tries to blame his actions on somebody else. Too many times in my life have I seen people break their marriage vows and then blame their faithful, caring partner. Come on! Of course, marriages break up but to blame your partner and take no responsibility for your own actions is just insane. If you’re unhappy and can’t see a solution then come clean – tell your partner, sort out how to go forward, split everything fairly and move on! Don’t go behind her/his back and break your vows and then blame him/her for the disaster that follows!
3. What saddens you?
When I hear of some tragedy like a fatal accident that affects the future of so many left behind, I am deeply saddened. Any news of an unnecessarily, early death really makes me very sad.
4. What do you find most frustrating?
I can see clearly what the solutions to this country’s problems are but the powers that be do absolutely nothing to put things right. And the most frustrating thing is that the voters keep re-electing them!
This week’s gratitude: Look beyond the bad and enjoy the good.
I love the above meme and it is so true. As much as I can I try to make the most of life, living in the moment and enjoying the good things. I am grateful for my lovely friends and family and my super comfy home. I live in a beautiful part of the world and in spite of all that is going wrong in my own country, I still wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
1.Do you prefer a sofa (aka couch, settee) or an armchair to relax in?
I like a couch as I can kick my shoes off and stretch out if I feel like it.
2.Do you prefer to sit at a table to eat your meals, or on a tray?
I prefer to sit at a table. When I was a child we always ate dinner together as a family aound the dining room table. I brought my family up the same way. Now that there are only two of us we still usually sit at the dinner table to eat. Sometimes, though, we use our individual camp TV tables to eat at.
3.Do you enjoy a glass of wine with your main meal?
I do indeed. In fact, I have one before my meal too!
My hubby and I enjoy a glass of Springfield’s Life from Stone with our meal
4. How do you like your chips (aka fries), with salt, sauce, mayo or something else?
I seldom eat chips unless they’re done in the air fryer. Last night we had sweet potato fries which were delicious. I just add salt. I believe that chips in Belgium are sold with mayo and are to die for. I have never tried that.
Gratitude:
So many times we look without seeing, and in so doing, miss so much. Take a little time to enjoy your surroundings.
I love this because there is so much to enjoy in the surroundings where I live.
Somebody took the trouble to improve the verge outside their home
Although I prefer to drink coffee rather than tea, I will choose tea when a choice is offered by someone I don’t know very well. I am pretty sure that almost everybody I visit in this country will have my tea of choice – Rooibos (Red Bush). I take it black with or without a slice of lemon.
Now coffee is a different matter. The only instant coffee that I will stoop to would be Jacobs or Nescafe, hot, strong and black. At home, I drink ‘real’ coffee – all the time. It must either be made from freshly ground beans which I will then brew in an Italian Coffee Pot or use a plunger. I was never keen on Nespresso and swore I’d never buy a Nespresso Machine – but then my children gave me one for my seventieth birthday. It came with a variety of pods none of which I took to. However, I discovered ‘generic’ pods that match my beans of choice. So now I adore Nespresso – quick, easy and no mess! And yes – hot, black, strong – no sugar.
The very best coffee in the world can be found in Italy. When my husband was in an Italian hospital for three weeks I stayed in a small hostel on the hospital premises and was allowed to visit for most of the day. Every morning I would start my day with a coffee and croissant at the canteen. “Americano e croissant al cioccolato per favore” I would ask the grumpy server and she would glare at me and hand me the order in a huff. I really tried hard to make her smile but to no avail, until the second to last day when I said, “Il caffè italiano è buono- Italian coffee is good!” Her reply – “No, questo non è caffè italiano, questo è caffè americano. Non va bene!” No this is not Italian coffee – this is American coffee It is not good! And her scowl was one of total disgust.
Heck – I’d been ordering all wrong! The next day I went in. “Espresso per favore?” She beamed from ear to ear! At last, she’d converted this stupid Inglese!
I really do enjoy an espresso but in the morning I like a slightly longer drink, thank you.
Me enjoying the ‘wrong’ type of coffee in Plettenberg Bay this weekend. The meme in the background – Happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast!
2. Are you a dunker (of biscuits/cookies)?
Biscuits in South African English, I think, are what cookies are in America. I would never dunk a cookie (cup-cake) nor would I dunk a biscuit (cookie). But I would dunk a rusk. A rusk is a Dutch confectionery that is popular in South Africa as we were once a Dutch colony. It is made from wheat flour and baked in the shape of a small loaf allowed to cool and then baked again so they are very dry but quite delicious especially when dunked in coffee. Rusks that I grew up with were called Ouma Rusks
3. What is your favourite biscuit/cookie?
I seldom eat biscuits these days but when I was younger Baker’s Eet Sum Mor shortbread biscuits were my absolute favourite.
4. Have you ever baked your own biscuits/cookies?
I have baked Kourabiethes – Greek Shortbread. And they’re 1000 times nicer than Eet Sum Mor. When my siblings and I grew up and left home my mother would not know what to give us for Christmas so she made us each a tin of these wonderful biscuits and we loved them! She taught me how just before she died.
Gratitude: A warm smile takes the chill off a cold day.
This is quite appropriate for this week as we have been experiencing very cold weather this past week. Hubby and I were visiting our kids in Plettenberg Bay and smiling through the chill was not easy but we managed! And we certainly counted our blessings while we were enjoying the company of Lauren, Allan and Simon. (Shan was away visiting her young man and enjoying a weekend at Addo Elephant Park! – We trained her well!)
Enjoying the warmth of the fire – home of Lauren and Allan
We had such a lovely time in Plett in spite of the cold weather. “Cold” to us might not seem so bad to folk in other parts of the world who experience snow and ice. We are still privileged to get sunny days in winter and the picture below shows the beauty we experienced travelling home. The mercury averaged at 13 degrees C.
I am in the southern hemisphere so it is winter and for the past few weeks we have had cold and wet weather. I am wearing blue denim jeans topped with a warm pullover that I knitted several years ago.
Will you be cooking lunch today, having something cold, or going out to eat?
We had soup for lunch today. Tonight it will be chicken curry for dinner.
Does hot weather drain your strength or agree with you?
I don’t mind hot weather. At the southern tip of Africa, the summer temperatures reach the early thirties but when we’re further north, visiting game reserves, temperatures can go into the mid-forties. It is usually a dry heat which is easier to handle than humidity. When temperatures are high like that afternoon thunderstorms usually cool things down.
Storm clouds gathering for an afternoon thunderstorm in Kruger National Park
Do you have air conditioning on your property?
Not where I live now but we did have an air conditioner in our bedroom when we lived in Cape Town. We only turned it on when it was very hot which was seldom. There is no point getting aircon now – We get loadshedding several times a day!
Gratitude: Near or far, when was the last time you spoke to your Best Friend? Keep in touch. They’re worth it.
I have four best friends. My BFF and I live in different countries. We have been friends since we were seven years old. I had a live chat with her earlier today. Our live chats are erratic but usually last over an hour! She was in South Africa in December and we spent five fabulous days together.
My other friends live 200km away. We text and chat from time to time. I am often back in the old ‘hood’ and then visit my best friends and my family.
Do you like to sunbathe on the beach or by a pool?
When I was young it was the thing to be tanned and if you had a pale skin in summer you would be teased for having a “London Tan.” Living near the beach meant that we were always in the sun but our clever mom insisted we wear sunscreen and tried to keep us out of the sun between 11 am and 3 pm – unsuccessfully of course. However, lying in the sun was not something I enjoyed. I would try to get just the right amount of sun to tan but seldom got badly sunburned. Now that I am older and wiser, I never lie in the sun either by a pool or on a beach. I do walk along the beach almost every day in summer and sometimes in winter too. I used to swim in the sea but now prefer a pool.
Have you ever used a fake tan or a sunbed?
I never felt the need for a fake tan and I have never used a sunbed.
Have you joined or wanted to join a gym?
Yes. For most of my adult life, I belonged to a gym. I still take exercising seriously but now I do my own workout and walk a lot. I think belonging to a gym got me into the habit of exercising and kept me flexible so that now in my later years I can still do it at my own level and pace.
Good health permitting, would you prefer to go hiking or take a walk in the woods?
Because I’m a bird watcher I used to go on bird walks quite often. They would be in the mountains, in the woods near rivers and lakes, or just about anywhere. I have never done an overnight hiking trail.
Gratitude: Birdsong is Nature’s symphony when you’re feeling down and the last thing you want to do is sing.
There is nothing like hearing the dawn chorus to cheer you up when you’re feeling down. I am grateful that my garden attracts a number of birds who bring great joy and entertainment to my life.
Adventuring into Retirement 
