After our 4-night stay in Cape Town, the 6 nights at Addo, we were headed to the Mountain Zebra National Park. It would be our second visit and we were very much looking forward to it since we loved the scenery there and also because Mountain Zebra had treated us to our first caracal sighting EVER.
Also, we had indulged into booking the Doornhoek Guesthouse which is outside the fenced main camp and were happy about the prospect of staying on our own in an unfenced area - soaking up the solitude and silence. A little bit like the Kgalagadi Well, those of you who read my summary in the Other National Parks General Management Issues already know it was not meant to be. But I shall add the bits here anyway as it will make my travel tale complete and also because after 4 months I'll have to admit that despite some really nice sightings we had, the memory about the roaring days linger...
The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
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The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
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- Mel
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Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
Anyway, it was the 28 March and we had left Addo around midday seeing that it would take us about 2 hours to get to Mountain Zebra plus a quick shopping stop in Cradock. A few Stop & Go along the way made sure we didn't arrive before 3.30 pm. At the main gate we were processed by a very friendly and efficient member of staff. And off we went for our first short drive within the park boundaries. The park lived up to its name and I didn't have to wait long for my first most beautiful zebra:
Alright, we need to work on the posing for the camera bit, but hopefully we would be able to amend that over the course of our stay.
The SO and I agreed that after a long day in the car, we wouldn't embark on an evening drive anymore, rather enjoy our luxurious abode and therefore
take a detour to reception via Ubejane Loop. But it was generally rather quite or the animals were as far off as they possbily could...
Only a familiar chat was close enought to venture a shot.
When arriving at reception in the main camp...
...and the anticpated silence amazingly loud
Off to new adventures the next morning
Alright, we need to work on the posing for the camera bit, but hopefully we would be able to amend that over the course of our stay.
The SO and I agreed that after a long day in the car, we wouldn't embark on an evening drive anymore, rather enjoy our luxurious abode and therefore
take a detour to reception via Ubejane Loop. But it was generally rather quite or the animals were as far off as they possbily could...
Only a familiar chat was close enought to venture a shot.
When arriving at reception in the main camp...
We made our way to the guesthouse and were welcomed by a roaring generator. Well, we knew the deal... So, we unpacked and eventually settled on the porch with a cold beer and Cidre respectively. The view was amazing...Mel wrote:... we were informed that there was a bit of a problem with the accommodation since there was no electricity since the cable had failed. Now you must know that the guesthouse is about 5 kays from the main camp (less as the crow flies) and electricity comes from there with the cable being buried along the dam that is located right in front of the guesthouse. Not an easy task to find the fault, I'll admit.
We were told that they had been working on it all day and knew the fault must be somewhere around the dam but it wouldn't be until the next day before they could proceed with the works.
Instead of overnighting in the faulty guesthouse the receptionist offered us a unit within the main camp. At the same time she told us that there was electricity at the guesthouse but only by generator, hence a lot of noise. After a short discussion between the SO and myself, we decided that we'd accept the noise and go for the solitude and the excitment in staying in a unit that was in an unfenced area. To us this was just tough luck, since it was nobody's fault that the darn cable decided to quit just the day before we arrived. We were offered to have the generator switched off at 10 pm and on again at 6 am. Well, we were fast asleep the nights before by ten, so way too late for us and gate opening was at 6 am, so way too late to have the thing switched on only then. 9 pm to 5 am was the agreed downtime.
The check-in proceeded and we were introduced to the activities on offer. The Cheetah Tracking had been on our wish list and when we said we wanted to book that the lady at reception made a quick call to her duty manager to get it for us for free - and succeeded.
So far, so good.
...and the anticpated silence amazingly loud
So we were able to get rid of the noise right after dinner Sitting in the dark is nothing new for us as we always doMel wrote:Later that day two staff members arrived at our unit to fill the generator up on diesel and the SO went out to chat about the technical stuff. I'm glad he did because he ask for and got instructions how to operate the generator which was parked right next to the unit (the noise and the smell were not pretty...) and the three of them agreed on us being totally self-sufficient. Like that, we were able to determine the times when we would switch off and on again. Pretty perfect under the given circumstances!
Off to new adventures the next morning
God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
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Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
Great start Mel. Such a pity about the fiasco with the electricity, but I'm very much on board for this TT
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Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
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Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
It's always the same Mel, you get to somewhere that you have high expectations of and get let down by things thike this. The places where you have no expectations of are always better in my experience.
Nice zebra, chat and view though.
Nice zebra, chat and view though.
Dewi
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Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
nice closed Zebra
ready for more
ready for more
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- Alf
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Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
A very noisy Mountain Zebra
I'm used the thunder and lightning around
I'm used the thunder and lightning around
Next trip to the bush??
Let me think......................
Let me think......................
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Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
The mountain zebra are quite different to the common old Burchell's.
Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
Great start, Mel,
and for sure a park I simply have to visit one day - The chat shots are stunning and for sure great ones from the zebras as well
and for sure a park I simply have to visit one day - The chat shots are stunning and for sure great ones from the zebras as well
PuMbAa
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- Mel
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Re: The Straw that broke the Mountain Zebra's Back
Don't expect anything half as exciting as on your trip though We're more the regular guysPJL wrote:Great start Mel. Such a pity about the fiasco with the electricity, but I'm very much on board for this TT
God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.