LOST KEYS AND LOST MINDS

Nossob is a remote camp, as the nearest town is Upington, which is 640  kilometres away. Upington would be where one would find a locksmith. Do we need a locksmith ? Oh yes, Noel has lost the keys for the Land Rover. I am standing outside our tent with Dave and Joy. Noel is flustered, and he asks me where he left his keys the previous evening. I indicate the pouch hanging from the arm of the camping chair. The keys are not there. Do jackals steal keys ? The keys have a steel tag, and not a leather one, which may be favoured by jackals, as they have a penchant for leather shoes. Noel had set the alarm for 3.50 a.m. that morning, to make sure that I was going to be ready, and we could be first to drive out of the gate. Now, we have to hunt for the keys. I am mystified as I saw Noel place the keys in the pouch the previous evening. It is just after 4.00 a.m., it is still dark, and we are standing around looking most forlorn. "Well," says Noel, "there is only one thing to do, and that is to unpack the entire tent." Noel dives into the tent, bustles about, and then whoops, "I have found them, They were next to my stretcher. I remember now, I got up last night, and put the rusks in the car, just in case the jackals managed to reach the container. " The Mullins retreat, shaking their heads. I am still half asleep, but relieved. I hardly have time to grab a cup of coffee, before Noel is agitating as he wants to get going. As we race off, I am sure the Mullins are thinking we have lost our minds.

We rumble along the badly corrugated road past Cubitje Quap, then Kwang, we do not see very much. It is still early, and we push on to the next water-hole, Bedinkt. We are rewarded, as there is a big black-maned lion lying in a clearing right next to the road. We have the sighting to ourselves, as the lion poses for us. Dave was so excited, as he had never been this close to a wild lion. We were less than two metres away, and the lion just lay there. It was starting to get hot, and as we had snapped many photos of our feline friend, we made our way back to camp.

                                                        The lion at Bedindkt

The corrugated road had caused the Land Rover's dashboard to work loose. It was in danger of falling right off. Back at camp, Noel found a roll of insulation tape, and did some temporary repairs, to hold up the dashboard.. A breeze had come up, and made the weather feel cooler. Cumulus clouds had appeared in the sky, but the pattern they formed made them look like they were corrugated, too.

Fellow campers stopped to chat. It was really great to meet Natalalie and her dad, Didier. Natalie told Noel that they had seen the vultures bathing at Cubitje Quap. "That's where I am spending the afternoon," said Noel, "Anyone like to join me ?" Carmen joined Noel, and the two of them sped off to spend the afternoon at Cubitje Quap.

 


A Bateleur pair at Cubitje Quap

                                                           The rare Lappet-faced vulture

I was feeling drained with the early morning start and the heat. We did not light the braai fire, but made chicken wraps for supper. I retired at about 9.00 p.m. grateful for my early bedtime, and then... A loud roar split open the night. The lions had arrived at the water-hole at Nossob. Torches flashed around the campsite, people were shouting excitedly and running to the hide. I was too tired to be bothered and rolled over to sleep.