Day 26

We weren't sure if we would be going to the school again today, and although it would have been nice, work on the Barn was more pressing as we still had plenty to do, and not nearly enough time left to do it all in. We had already completed our mission of hockey equipment delivery so it might've been a little indulgent of us anyway.

If we weren't going, then at least it would mean we would have time to hunt for some animal footprints and get them plastercasted for the new steps, and as Rouhan's guys (yes, it's spelt Rouhan not Ruen. Sorry, Rouhan!) were keen to get the cement in it was probably better to spend our time doing that instead.

So it was a mix of disappointment and relief when Tammy came to pick us up to go looking for prints. She suggested that we go up to the Lodge to grab some oil and clingfilm. Clingfilm so it would be easier to remove the casts from the prints, and oil so it would be easier to remove them from the cement.

Before we left, we spoke briefly to Gerhard, who had arranged for Freddie to escort us all up to see the caves in the afternoon! Something else we had hoped to see before we left. Freddie was going to finish work up at the Lodge at 3.00pm, and we would go with Zander and he down to Hopewell where the caves are, which also meant we could pop by the Barn and see how Justin, Frieir and Atchi were getting on with the steps.

We got to Lodge and waited while Tammy sorted the oil and clingfilm. A small black and white bird landed right next to the Cruiser while we waited - it still surprises me just how close many of the wild birds will come to us here - and although I had the camera to hand, it stayed in the shadow of the Cruiser for the most part, denying me of the opportunity to get a really good shot of him.

Not a Fiscal Shrike

When Tammy returned I showed her the picture, and immediately she told me it was a Southern Boubou bird. These are very similar to another local bird, a Southern Fiscal Shrike, but the fiscal has a longer tail feather and perches higher when hunting. As always, she shared her vast knowledge with us and explained that the Fiscal Shrikes are from the lanius genus, and lanius is from Latin meaning 'butcher'. They are named 'butcher birds' because after they catch and kill their prey - usually small rodents and lizards - they hang them from small thorns near their nests, or sometimes even barbed wire. This helps to attract females as they are showing that they can provide for them. Come, my dears, come and look at me lovely lizards!

With clingfilm and oil, and our mystery guest identified, it was off down the game track to the first waterhole. Not much was there, other than some reasonably fresh elephant dung, some bably elephant dung, good for our growing dung collection, and two ducks swimming in a sea of green. Well, more of a pond of green. The ducks eat the algae, so it must be like swimming in pea soup.

A real pea souper

So it was back into the Cruiser and on to the next waterhole where Tammy had seen the elephant herd recently, so probably a good place to get an elephant's footprint. On the way, as we munched on Tammy's dinner of Mini Cheddars, we saw lots of kudu, as always, and several monkeys. There were so many monkeys, including baby ones and we guessed it was probably the whole family on a day out. They were too quick for the camera though, apart from one who sat and watched us watching him. A bit further on we saw three zebras, two ran off but one of which seemed pretty chill, and just stood there quite happy, about 15-20 feet away. Maybe he just likes being photographed.

Kudu? Yes, I kud.

You scratch your back, and I'll scratch mine

This is my best side, you know

Then we arrived at the other waterhole and it immediately looked more promising. Huge footprints were visible in the water even before we parked up. Apparently, this is a very popular spot for the herd. Around the far side, we found what we were looking for, some good examples of prints that we should be able to take casts from. As well as elephant prints, including a good baby elephant one, there were also grey heron, normal zebras (the mountain zebras are smaller hoofed), and a large eland. We did the business with the plaster of paris, and went off to look for Avis while we waited for them all to harden.

A waterhole, but not ours

Holes in water in a waterhole

Actual photo evidence of big foot

We worship Tammy...quite literally

Standing in the footprints of giants

Avis? Avis!...where are you, eh?

Unfortunately Avis was not to be found that day, and time was getting short. A shame as Kira especially would have loved to have seen him and I really wanted her to have that fantastic experience that Max and I had. We did see the herd though, which was at least something.

We kept an eye for more prints on the way back, and although we saw quite a few, like the porcupine ones below (you can see where his quills have dragged across the sand), the ground was too sandy to get a decent cast.

Porkie pie tracks

We began heading back and on the way  we saw a Pale Chanting Goshawk. I'm pretty pleased that I'm recognising certain birds on sight now (thanks to Tammy's excellent tuition!*) and I guessed it was a type of goshawk, even if I wasn't sure what type.

*Disclaimer: If I ever get something wrong, there's a 99% chance that I'm confused, not Tammy.

That handsome creature is a Pale Chanting Goshawk

On getting back to the waterhole, we discovered three red hartebeast relaxing in the sun. It looked like they didn't really want to move, but our presence in the truck was too clearly too much for them and they reluctantly sauntered off with a definite air of grumpiness at having been evicted. In the bush, Toyota Land Cruiser has dominance. It's interesting how they are lying around with each facing a different direction... I'm guessing this is so they can see any predators from any direction. Or they've had a falling out and just not talking to each other.

We were leaving anyway...

Not happy hartebeast

The casts well hard by now, so we collected them all and were quite pleased with the results, especially the enormous elephant footprint. We managed to get them all out without breaking any as well, result! After we had them all it was time to go back. On the way we saw this cute little thing, which I believe was a Steenbok.

Casting couch

Cuter than Bambi

Also on the way back we had a stroke of luck finding the remains of an elder kudu that Matt and/or Kalahari had killed fairly recently. The horns were in really good condition, and large, and even the jawbone was intact and nearby too. It still had fur on the skull! As it would make a great addition to the Barn exhibits - we already have a baboon skull and a springbok so far - we loaded it up (it was heavy!) in the back of the Cruiser, and secured it with the rear seatbelt to save it from bouncing around and breaking in the back. Shortly after, we saw a large herd of zebras, but these were quite skittish, and took off as soon as we approached.

If you want to get ahead, get a skull. And horns

Clunk click, every trip!

Say..isn't that Gerald in the back..? WH...WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO GERALD??

More luck was in store for us as we neared the Lodge when we came around a corner to see a zebra and it's baby standing in the road. It was great as like the first one we saw, they didn't immediately run off, they were really relaxed and calmly ambled across the road. And even better, the baby began suckling on it's mother for a long time, giving us plenty of time to capture it all on film and in pictures. It was a lovely sight!

We got back to reception where we collected our staff lunches, and somehow managed to carry them, and the kudu skull, and the casts, and our bag, between us. We put the skull on the porch ready to take down to the Barn (but I think it needs a proper clean before we can mount it anywhere first) with the others, making it look like we were just starting up a voodoo business. A leisurely lunch until Zander picked us up at 3 to take us with Freddie up to the caves. Kira got busy doing the family diary while Max and I went back to reception to try and get some blogging done.

The voodoo, that kudu, so well

The lions had him over for dinner

2:59. That means Zander should arrive any secon...ah here he is. Quick stop to pick Freddie up, with Sheep (Tammy's sheep) baaaing at us the whole time, then off to see the caves. Passing the Barn on the way we saw Justin, Atchi and Freeak busy on the steps (pronounced free-ak. It wasn't Freer or any of the other variations I've been using up until now at all. Oh dear. Sorry, Freeak!). It looks like they're doing a good job down there. Then up the steepest and bumpiest track I've ever seen a 4x4 handle, until we could go no further. We jumped out and made the short but steep walk up the hill until we reached the caves we've been looking forward to seeing.

Freddie was great, and very informative, and showed us all the bushmen paintings and handprints, while giving us the history and context, and described what the bushmen did all those hundreds of years ago. The caves had only recently been discovered, about 8 or so years ago. It's amazing to be somewhere with so much ancient history around you. Some of the paintings had faded over time, and no-one really knows how many have fallen away with the rock they were painted on, but it was still possible to see many pictures of hunters and the animals they hunted of that time.

From the caves we could also see our waterhole, which looked fantastic from so high up. We could also see where the rocks opposite have been pushed up over millenia into an arch. Under the arch is apparently where the bushmen would hold their ceremonies.

Freddie, our guide, Zander, our driver

A lot steeper than it looks!

The Barn and our waterhole!

Seeing the caves was fascinating, and we all really enjoyed it. Even the drive up and down the hill was great fun in itself! Well done to Zander for managing to coax a sometimes reluctant Land Cruiser up such a difficult track, and for getting it back down with careening down the hill without killing us all! :)

We stopped by the Barn on the way back and had a quick look at the guys' progress. It was looking good. I don't think they were especially happy that they still couldn't cement the steps, but we were doing the best we could. We would like to get the rest tomorrow - there's still kudu and rhino to cast by our waterhole, but it all depends. We shall see!

After a long day, it was back home for dinner and then to bed. Apart from yours truly of course, who had to spend his sleepy time trying to get the blog updated... :)


*Please note: The blog is currently four days behind (It's now Sunday night) and as we leave here tomorrow morning for our south coast tour, I'm not sure when we'll be able to update again. Hopefully we'll have internet access at whatever backpacking lodge we stay in.. but it should be fairly soon. Until then, watch this space for the reports of our last few days of the project. There's still lots to tell you! Thank you for following. Stay tuned!