Friday 25th Tswaing Crater.

This meteor crater was created about 220,000 years ago and like the one in Arizona is perfectly formed and preserve, however, unlike the one in Arizona this crater has seep water in the base and vegetation on the slopes. 

The meteor created this crater was about the  60 metres in diameter travelling at about 40,000 mph.  The crater left is 1000 meters in diameter and 100 metres deep. The wall were much higher but erosion has reduced the height.

From 1912 to 1956 the seep water was mined for its salt and soda.  The foundations of the works can still be seen if you follow the tourist trail.

Tomorrow its time to fly home.

Wed 23rd Return to Joburg

Well like any other 8 hour drive in South Africa you never know what you will see or the ever changing countryside.  All I can say is that it happened.  All that was left in Joburg to do was to visit my brother and to visit the Tswain Meteor crater on Friday.

Tue 22nd Tswalu 2nd Full Day

To day we changed the routine for the day as I wanted to see Aardvark and Brown Hyena.   We were going  out in the morning, coming back to the lodge for Lunch and then going out again at 16:00.  This would give me the chance to walk out into the bush unaccompanied to do my own thing and as there were no Lions I was reasonably safe.  Provided I took my GPS compass and water I would be able to find my way back to the Lodge.

The morning was cold but the animals seemed reluctant to runaway so studying them was good.  In the morning we sighted the usual Antelope (Oryx, Hartebeest and Springbok) as well as Ostrich and Black Rhino.

The walk in the bush was hampered by several families of warthogs but the photosof the butterflies, birds and trees was enjoyable.

The late afternoon was good as we had to find the set that the Brown Hyena and her 3 cubs were using.  Also on the way back we came across a Lesser Spotted Eagle Owl that was happy to sit and be photographed unlike every other one flew away almost immediately.

I would like to thank the following for making my stay so memorable.

Tarryn

Caroline
Wendy
Melanie
Thami

Richard who was my Guide for the duration

Ben who was my tracker Tracker

Ashley who is doing post graduate work on the Meerkats

Mon 21st May

To day it was very cold with a cold wind blowing (indoors 14C) so I was pleased that I had brought my winter clothes from the UK.  Breakfast was at 07:30 and I would be out all day with lunch on the trail.

The Tswalu Game reserve is absolutely massive in 2 sections 83000 hectares and 28000 hectares.  They do not have the big five but they do have Meerkats, Oryx, Eland, Springboks, Black Rhino, Pangolins and Aardwarks amongst the normal lions impala etc.

Once the sun came up it was warmer and the first stop was to watch the Meerkats emerge from their burrows and after they had warmed themselves to go foraging.  We would also leave to pursue what ever game came in front of the lens.  However, the Lions and Rhinos did not want to play.

We eventually arrived back at the Lodge at 16:15 with enough daylight to photograph the outside of the buildings.

Sun 20th May Tswalu

Despite my plans I did not visit the game reserves in Botswana as I discovered the Thurs was a public holiday and many  people took the Friday off to make a long weekend consequently they reserves would have been too busy for me so I sat on my brothers farm relaxing.

To day I drove the 650km to the Kalahari desert Game reserve of Tswalu in the Southern Kalahari.  As I arrived earlier than planned I went out on my first game drive getting back to the lodge to find the fire had been made in my room.   The outside temperature at night is 2C and about 18C daytime.  There is a cold front coming through at the moment.  I will upload some images shortly.

The room is amazing with a choice of indoor and out door showers and a veranda to sit out ond look out over the desert.  The desk that I am sitting at is behind a large glass window so I can again view the desert.  I will get images of this tomorrow.

As I walked to the dining room an wild antelope was also walking along the path but in the darkness I could not identify it. My supper to night was a 4 course meal accompanied by specially selected wines to go with each course.

Tue 15th Return to Joburg

Nothing really exciting happened I did the 400 km including fuel and a shopping stops in 5 hours.  The road works at Newcastle was not as bad as I travelled quite early leaving Dundee by 08:00 except that the clouds were black but at least the rain had stopped.

Tomorrow its of to Botswana to see my brother and visit Mokalodi Game reserve. I plan to a Game drive on one day and then a walk into the bush looking for rhinos on another day.

I know my brother is not connected to the internet and I don’t plan to go into Gaberone to find an internet café so all being well the next post will be from Tswalu in the Kalahari on Sunday 20th May – all being well.

Sun 13th May Isandlwana

Again another 200 km drive. At the end of the day I will have completed 1670 of my expected 4800 km Drive.

I  find the roads very quiet and a pleasure to drive even when on the dirt track although going around corners at 80 to 100 kph on gravel has its moments.

I trie to find the Megani Falls which were well sign posted on the main road but 10Km later on dirt track lost the route and turned back

Nothing spectacular just amazement at the size of the battlefield.  I was here with my Father in 2004 and did not get a good look around but this time walked the whole site including about 1km of the Fugitives escape route.   I took me about 3 hours to complete all that I wanted to see.

On my return I took a different route past the Site of the battle of Blood River.

Tomorrow is a day relaxing before the drive to Joburg and then onto Botswana on Wed. I expect the next post will be on arrival at Tswalu on Sun 20th in the Kalahari desert. The first post will be of Botswana and the Mokolodi Game reserve

 Zulu memorial

 The white stones are the markers for where the bodies of the british are buried

 Fugatives trail

vastness of Africa