I slept so well last night. The bed was really comfortable
and will be welcome when we return at the end of the trip after camping! We
have breakfast at 7, including delicious warm muffins and bizarrely square
bacon which might have been reconstituted except that it has fat. Mike has gone
to get the propshaft fitted to make our vehicle 4-wheel drive so after packing
we have some free time to relax and take photos in the grounds, then it’s off
to the mall again to stock up on booze and snacks for the trip.
The road is straight and its sandy surface is pale yellow,
just like the roads I saw from the plane. The landscape is sparsely populated
with a farmhouse every 20 or 30 km. They have corrals by the road with sloping
runways designed for offloading livestock from vehicles. The poles carrying the
power lines are topped with massive sociable weaver bird nests that make them
look like they’ve been badly thatched.
There are few turn-offs apart from the driveways to properties, and
Bobby-Jo has a map with distance markers and photos of the intersections where
we have to make turns. The first one is a little further along than indicated
but we finally spot the church that marks the turn – just a single storey
building with a cross on the gable end.
We’re looking for a shady spot to stop for lunch, but there
are few trees on the road side of the fences. Finally we settle for a modest
tree and Mike sets about making ham and tomato sandwiches on a Breaking Bad
chopping board. Louise quickly spots the ticks that are making a bee line
across the dust for our blood, and those in shorts and sandals hastily apply
insect repellent. We eat in the meagre shade of the tree and the truck and
Bobby-Jo takes our first group photo.
We hit the road again and set a steady pace until Bobby-Jo
sees a startled steenbock dart towards the fence and thinks it may have become
entangled. Turning around with the trailer is a challenge but somehow Mike
manages it. Fortunately the creature isn’t stuck – but, before long, we are.
Unable to turn the trailer on the narrow track, Mike ventures up the sandy bank
and the towbar gets stuck. We pile out and manhandle the trailer to the other
side of the road, then help push the vehicle off the sandbank; Mike reattaches
it and we pile back in.
Our journey resumes and we notice that the quantity of
wildlife is increasing as we get further from Upington. Karen is excited to
spot a wild meerkat, we also spot ground squirrels, steenbok, gemsbok, red
hartebeest, springbok and common warthogs. The ranchers are keen to deter
humans, judging by the notices that show a handgun contained in a red circle;
more elaborate and detailed signs contain a skull and crossbones. There are no
other signs of habitation apart from the ranches and although we pass an
occasional vehicle we never see anybody on foot.
Eventually we make a right turn onto a paved highway; the
entrance to Kuruman River Reserve is about a kilometre along on the left. We
enter through a gate and make our way to the farmhouse where the Kalahari
Meerkat Project has its HQ. This is where the Meerkat Manor TV series was
filmed, and more recently some episodes of Animals with Cameras. We are
fortunate to be here, a privilege extended to Bobby-Jo who knows the family of
the founder – it’s primarily a research establishment; tour groups are not
usually allowed to visit.
We’re directed to another farmhouse called Gannavlakte where
we will stay, both in the house and in rondavels nearby. We’re shown around by
Simon who manages the property; there is a separate manager for the research
project. The house is single storey with a veranda along each long side, ample
living space and a well-equipped kitchen. There are shower and toilet blocks,
outside tables and chairs, a firepit and a large barbeque – known here as a
braai. We choose our rondavels and unpack; I’m already feeling right at home
here. 
Our meerkat encounters will begin tomorrow morning, but
meanwhile we are visited by ground squirrels and a tortoise. Bobby-Jo gives us
our first photography lesson, sitting outside under a shady tree. She begins
with some top tips and then goes into a little more detail about composition;
there’s a lot of emphasis on the creativity of the photographer and the skill
of “painting with light” and less on the type of equipment. The more technical
information about camera controls will follow tomorrow, but I already feel I
know more about how to spot a photo opportunity and then make the most of it.
I grab a shower before dinner; Mike cooks us a braai of
steak, lamb and sausages with a salad and cornmeal which we eat al fresco. The
sky looks very close and the stars are really bright – the milky way is clearly
visible. We sit around for a while chatting but we have an early start tomorrow
so nobody stays up very late. I try to message Simon and Alex before bed but
there’s very little signal here …
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