It was a freezing start to the day, with frost on top of the van to prove it. A hot shower followed by breakfast stopped the cold getting to the core- but that said my feet didn't warm up until lunchtime! There were compensations however - the sky was blue and cloudless and as we set off bumping along the unmade road we saw steinbok, duiker and a small herd of kudu. Overhead we spotted today's photo a lovely pigmy falcon all fluffed up against the cold......and t...

We awoke to the sound of Hadeda's ibis flying over the river at the front of Le Must guest house - our overnight b&b stop. Le Must was excellent in every respect, hospitality, decor, price,location and of course breakfast - with the added plus of tea available whenever you wanted it. John returned with a tea tray when he ventured downstairs at 6.30am having been assisted by Mandy,one of the helpful staff,to make it. Hein our, Kalahari safari guide, arrived w...

Today was a travel day and the picture was one I took from the top of mission rock and gives a feel for the topography. It doesn't however show the worlds second highest vegetated sand dune which is also a prominent feature. ( the worlds highest being Fraser Island in Australia - been there but weren't told that!) We left at 0545 with Adam, the boat captain, who took us in his little car to the airport at Richards bay for our 0755 flight.....we departed on time ...

A different day beckoned; we had a later start of 0900am as we had opted to do a bike tour which would give us a very different perspective of the coastal area, the dunes and the first part of the park ( i.e. before a second cattle grid which leads to the main park and the home of the buffalo and rhino where biking would be foolhardy!) During the first part of the cycle we cycled along paths and boardwalks along the edge of the lake and beach. We unexpectedly sa...

A later start today, after breakfast,at 8.00am, we left for a hike through the quiet streets and one of the trails along the waters edge ostensibly looking for birds. We saw the trumpeter hornbill, olive backed shrike, natal robin, cape turtle dove, green pigeon, crested guinea fowl,grey headed flycatcher, collared sunbird, white eyed barbet,tinker bird, green backed bleating warbler, an apalis, the purple crested turaco and glimpsed the shy knysna turaco. We di...