A sunrise walk begins the day with two park rangers sporting hefty looking guns & instructing us on how to walk specifically so that lions can’t pick us off one by one!

Fresh lion prints on the track

As we inspect some lion prints in the Kalahari sand, Jan, the more senior of the two rangers, shows us how to tell if the prints are fresh that morning or not.

Sun peaks out over the dune

A lonely gemsbok meanders past us here and there and we startle a pair of bat-eared fox from the long blonde grass who run ahead and disappear, only to jump up again as we continue in their direction.  A third time we disturb them and  eventually two becomes seven as their whole family springs out from the grass & decides to finally veer off from our course.

After the walk we take our first safari drive through the park.  It’s a long day of game-spotting and corrugated dirt roads.  We see one meerkat, lots of ground squirrel, springbok, gemsbok, red heart beast and wildebeest & all sorts of birds big & bigger.

South African Ground Squirrel cooling off

Early morning sparring is the daily routine

A frisky baby gemsbok shows off his stuff

Just as we decide to head back we finally spot some lions, a fair way from the road, but still we are able to appreciate their magnificent size and lazy cat behaviour as they move around their spot to find the best way to put their tummy’s in the air.  Indeed these are completely wild lions, not raised to become accustomed to vehicles and called ‘wild’ but completely untouched, protected from poachers by this second largest national park of South Africa.  We felt privileged to have found them.

Three lions with nothing much planned

Excited we head back to base for our guests to make the guided night drive in time & hopefully watch those lions at night.  Remaining at the chalets Morne and I prepare the braai (barbecue) and wait in anticipation for our guests to return, hopefully with good news.  40 minutes late they finally return, excited as they recount to us how they had stayed with the lions for ages until, as they were about to leave, the lions decided to finally get up and mosy down past the night truck, spotlighted by the truck they’d been able to get some shots as the lions headed out to find some dinner.

The next morning we headed out together, one more time before checkout, to see if they were still there.  When we came to their spot we saw something move and thought maybe . . .  but even better – a beautiful leopard!

A great sighting of the elusive leopard

He was not too far, walking through the long grass, the early sun shimmering along his magnificent coat and showing off his muscles as he walked.  Jumping up some rocks he made his way up a Kalahari dune, before sitting, perfectly posed at the top of the rock.  It was a great sighting, and one that remained with us as we drove back to base and headed off to our next destination.  For one of us, the first leopard sighting after years of African travel!

Cheers Africa

Keturah de Klerk – South Africa Photography Tours

Riemvasmaak faces

The second location on our South African Photography Tour in the Kalahari wowed us with a magnificent sunrise over the towering cliffs at Riemvasmaak. As the sun’s rays slowly crept across the cliff face, it revealed every wrinkle in the magnificent rock face looming high above us.

After a hearty breakfast we met up with a local guide;  Lionel, who lives in the settlement, moved to Riemvasmaak with his grandmother in 1994. She was one of the local inhabitants that was forcibly removed from the land and relocated to Namibia. This land was claimed by the Military, under the Apartheid government, to serve as an area where the military could test their equipment during the 80’s and early 90’s.  In 1994 the area served as the first case of land restitution under the new South African government. It was handed back to the previous inhabitants and people flocked back after more than two decades of exile.

Riemvasmaak Faces - Lionel

Since being handed back the land, things have moved ahead, even if ever so slowly. We see more donkey carts and bicycles than cars. There are still some shacks for housing, but where there are brick houses, there is even the odd satellite dish for cable television. There is a government clinic and a council building and we come across a group of workers erecting a shelter for a taxi stop in the main road.

Donkey Cart Riemvasmaak, Northern Cape

We wander over to where a group of kids are playing a game of soccer. Even though the game is being played on a small patch of sand and the goal posts are just a few rocks for markers, it looks like they are taking it pretty seriously.  After the game, one group of boys sits sulking. We enquire as to why they were so down and are informed that not only had they lost the game, but there was a money wager as well.  The wager on the game turned out to be one South African Rand, this is about 12c Australian.

These people are very poor according to western standards, but the friendly welcomes we receive everywhere is heart warming.  They are realising that the rugged beauty of this area is of great value to tourism.

Riemvasmaak Faces

This is one of the reasons we chose this place on our itinerary, as we hope our custom can make a difference in the lives of some of the amazing people who are giving it a real hard go in this harsh area of ancient land.

Photographers have used this technique very effectively when photographing landscapes after the sun has gone down to get star trails and the ‘Ball of Light’ in pictures.

It can also be a lot of fun just drawing a picture.

We recently had a few workshops on Painting with Light on our Kalahari Photography Tour and I include some of the photographs below.

Cheers

Morne de Klerk

Painting with Light workshop - Different Light sources

Painting with Light workshop

Painting with Light - The Group Effort

Painting with Light - Quiver Tree

Painting with Light and Star Trails - Quiver Tree

Kalahari Giraffe

As we make our way across South Africa, going through the motions of what our tour will be, an old saying comes to mind:” Never do business in Africa”.

Giraffe

Quiver Tree

There are road works, construction, closures, electricity supply issues, stock shortages, broken promises, forgotten deals, car troubles and so much more. But the further we go, the longer we spend here, the more I remember how much I love Africa.

Sure the odd bridge has to close (the only access over the longest river in South Africa for 20 km’s) in order for the government to spend 6 months fixing a simple pillar. Sure, you will pick up the odd spike in your tyre that deflates quickly along with your enthusiasm.

All the dramas are forgotten when you drive around the corner and suddenly you are surrounded by 10 Giraffes, or when the sun sets a golden yellow. Even the Dassies (rock hydras) and the baboons come out as a family, sitting in a row with their fat little bums, to appreciate the sunset.  The Kalahari sun creates long shadows, then turns the old baboon sitting on the rock cliff into a silhouette, edged by a bright glowing sky.

Augrabies waterfall

This is the country I grew up in. This is the country I miss whenever I am gone from here and the country that makes me groan, laugh & love when I’m back.

Cheers

Morne

He Said: It never rains in the Kalahari. Why then do I get a flat tyre on the only day of the year that it does!!

She Said: At least while I wait for the car tyre to be fixed, I can finally get some work done.

Augrabies waterfalls, landscape

Today we saw something that people who live in South Africa and visit this park (and indeed other parks) several times a year, have never been lucky enough to see; a hunt & successful kill in the wild.

Four cheetahs, perhaps a mother and four mature cubs, were lazing under the shade of a tree when we came across them, obvious thanks to the few other cars that were there enjoying the sight.  It wasn’t long before the other cars left and we had them to ourselves.

Cleverly, Morne anticipated the possible interest the cheetahs might have in the approaching herd of springbok and indeed they were soon sitting up with ears pricked forward before heading off in a line, semi-flat with the grass, ahead of the herd, in a direction that would suggest they intended to head them off.

Excitedly we drove backwards to position ourselves where we thought an attack might happen, we’d lost sight of the cheetahs in the long grass so we stayed close to the springbok.  It all happened so fast, we were still busy positioning the car when I had to yell at Morne just to stop & shoot!  Springbok had scattered and we glimpsed a cheetah in full flight as morne began shooting.  Suddenly the cheetah had a springbok down but alas right behind a bush and we had to quickly drive forward to keep him in sight.  It was over, amazing! The herd had run off but stopped not far away, looking back to assess the damage and see who they’d lost, expressing their distress with loud snorts and bleats.

A cheetah chases a springbok, the herd has scattered

Four cheetahs now stood over the dead springbok and soon enough they were dragging it behind a suitably fallen tree for protection before they could enjoy an early lunch.

Cheetahs search for the best eating spot

Now we could breath again and excitedly recounted to each other what had just happened, and we were still all alone!  No-one else had been lucky enough to witness this basic act of survival.  In vain we tried to get some angle around the tree to watch them further but it was as if they’d planned it, this perfect fallen tree protected them in a semi-circle away from the road.

Cheetahs drag the springbok to a worthy eating place

Now some other cars arrive and we get to hear some great ooohhs and aaaahhhs (in different languages) as we tell our great story, the fellow travellers are a very rewarding audience.  Our own emotions roller-coaster between joy & despair as we think of what we could’ve shot HAD WE HAD THE KOP (HEAD) TO REMEMBER THE 400mm!!!!!!!!!

cheers

Keturah de Klerk – Photography Life

She Said I can’t believe you forgot the 400mm!

He Said I can’t believe you didn’t remind me to bring the 400mm!

Sunset in the Kalahari

So we have, all in the name of business prep of course!   Running through the tour itinerary ahead of the first tour we take ourselves into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Kalahari area of the Northern Cape, South Africa.

Chongololo - giant millipede

No more than 20 minutes inside the park and we have seen the trophy cat, the most shy, most camouflaged, graceful predator over land and tree – the leopard, and we have two together!  For a brief time all is at peace in the world, if you ignore the two idiots that accidentally hoot their horns as they lever themselves in and out of their drivers seat windows to get a better look.

The noisy tourists

They are not close to us, these leopards, had we not forgotten to put the 400mm in the car this morning we would have a shot at some nice cat portraits, but alas, that’s what stress does to you.  We have seen them much closer here in the past, but it doesn’t matter.  Being able to sit in silence and observe their royal presence and behavior is enough for us for now.  In the long blond Kalahari grass their camouflage is so effective I decide to take some photos to play a game later of spot the leopard!

Spot the Leopard

We did not spot them straight away. In fact, we only spotted the Leopards thanks to a couple of other cars that were already there watching them, even then it took us a while.  In contrast, the park maintenance workers drove past and spot them a mile off, but are still impressed with the find.

Yawning leopard

Back to the lodge for the evening, ostrich steak for dinner (fortunately, we had not seen any ostriches in the park, so I didn’t feel bad eating it) and a few drinks consolidate the fact that all will surely be ok and the sale of the house will go through soon, no point in considering anything else right now.

Some Dutch tourists warn us about the snakes in the grass (so true) and the leopard that has apparently infiltrated the camp fences.  We retire for the night, feeling slightly African, slightly European, and planning to make that sunrise guided walk.  However, considering the red wine and 6am start, we are already conceding that maybe it should wait until our actual tour next week …..

cheers

Keturah de Klerk

Photography Life / South Africa Photography Tours

He Said: A giant thatched roof chalet with a private braai. I’m in heaven!

She Said: What is it with Africa & single beds? No such thing as ‘double’ rooms here, maritals just push them together, if you can be bothered…

But SO WHAT?

We have now decided to put ourselves out there and share this new adventure as it happens, without knowing whether it’s going to be a success or a huge failure, in the hope that you will do the same, or at least know where we are when we need rescuing or a decent feed!

Along with the fear of putting ourselves out there, is of course the immense effort and risk needed to do carry out our plan.  All I mean by that is  - we have just put our house in South Australia on the market in order for us to LIVE THE DREAM!

What We’re Doing:

We have set up a new dimension to our photography business which is South Africa Photography Tours and we are taking the first tour group this April.  In conjunction with these tours we are hoping to pursue our own photography projects for publication.  This year we will remain in South Africa for six months between tours, finding our projects which will hopefully have a social justice focus.  For a summary of our background in this area, see the Africa’s Game project, found on our Photography Projects page of our website (http://www.photographylife.com.au)

The Process so far:

There’s a big difference between wanting all this to happen and actually making it happen!  Although there’s nothing like emptying your house of all your furniture and crap to un-nest you;

Hallway before floors polished

The kitchen, before floors polished

As we were preparing our house to be rented out in our absence to help us cover the mortgage, the huge effort and emotional trauma of painting mis-shapened walls, squeezing the life out of many, many NoMoreGaps tubes and removing all the furniture to have our floors polished made us suddenly realise that actually it was just a house, not a part of us, and that we couldn’t bare doing this again after kicking out tenants on our return.

Hallway, after floors polished

The kitchen, after floors polished

So, only a week ago (7 weeks til departure) we decided we’d try to sell it.  We could certainly use some money to sustain us for 6 months in Sth Af (not sure how we were planning to do this without selling) and we’re assuming (hoping) we’ll save some money for a deposit on a small house or unit when we come back.

So to bring you up to speed, the house is up for auction in a couple of weeks, (wow we saved $100 by doing our own photos) and we’ve just had our first open inspection.  View the brochure PDF

Living room photo for brochure

kitchen photo for brochure

front of house photo for brochure

Preparing the house for that was another nightmare and I’m not looking forward to doing it again this coming weekend and I do expect sympathy here from those of you brave people that  have also ever sold a house before.

We are terrified it won’t sell at auction and I expect it won’t, we’ll see what happens.  Meanwhile we are preparing to re-home our children for 6 months (actually 2 cats) which is another type of trauma again.

On a positive note, I’m already listing the camera equipment I want to buy once the house is sold for a fortune . . .

We’ll keep this up to date when we can – hopefully through the good and the bad!

cheers

Keturah de Klerk

Did I mention also that we only had a short window in which to do this trip?  Three days.  Yep, we must’ve driven a bit over 1000km each day, which in a way made the very hot temperatures irrelevant thanks to an air-con car, which, contrary to my dad’s warnings, did not collapse, overheat or have its tyers melted by the road.

Don't walk backwards around Coober Pedy

An overnight in Coober Pedy saw us staying at the Underground Motel (at least we had all agreed not to camp in this heat).  The Underground Motel was a mine that had been converted, thus the rooms are quite small and without the usual kitchen facilities of a motel room.  Instead there’s a communal kitchen area where continental breakfast is included in your fee.  Small is not necessarily a bad thing, it certainly feels more like a cave than other underground motel or hotel rooms in Coober Pedy, with the room shape still resembling a rough cut mine shaft.  Just be prepared to possibly roll over in bed and find your cheek resting on rock rather than pillow.

The next day we ate our continental breakfast (toast with vegemite) over the local paper and enjoyed such headlines as ‘For those leaving our town, we salute you’ and ‘Christmas Nativity play a huge success says coordinator’.  Then we were off to Uluru.

As we got close the silhouette of a similarly shaped Mt …….. fooled us all into getting excited too early.  We checked in at our accommodation (everything there is a part of the Ayers Rock Resort – a conglomerate of different hotels, shops, restaurants, campsite etc) and forced ourselves into the car again to get to the rock for sunset.  It was hot and busy but not frantic, though busier than I expected for summer.

The Rock at sunset, very grassy due to recent rains

Before I go on I want to make note of something about the NT.  It’s relaxed.  We had earlier mused at the 130 speed limit but as we returned to our hotel after sunset and decided to have a swim in the pool I really noticed it; It was about 10pm, the pool was empty and noone was around and I found myself checking for signs, signs about what not to do – what time were we not allowed to swim after?  Where’s the no alcohol sign?  As we sat in the pool with our champagne waiting to be told off I noticed also that the pool had no fence around it – wow.  SA must really be a nanny state.  Rules are engrained in me.  This NT assumption that you’ll do the right thing and be ok without being told how – this is what normal should be.

The next morning we forced ourselves awake at 4.30am to catch the sunrise.  Not that it was difficult dragging myself from the lack of comfort of my hotel room – not impressive, no air-con, toilet smell (which they officially blamed on wet weather) and questionable bed sheets.  At this, The Lost Camel hotel, I can only recommend the pool, at night.

I laugh now remembering how I thought the sunset viewing area was busy and hoped that that lot would sleep in.  This sunrise viewing spot was super busy – as it also allowed for the buses.  Streams of bleary eyed tourists poured into the three vantage points for the sun to hit the rock, then headed out again to the base in case it opened for walking.

The manoevering to get a vantage point at Uluru, sunrise

Another vantage point at sunrise

It did, so we gave it go.  It’s a pretty steep climb, quite a different experience to walking up Mt Lofty.  The rock is smooth, round, tantalising, and tough for many.

Since we were there in summer, during a week of 40+ degree days, apparently it hadn’t been opened for climbing for a while.  We were lucky to chance a day when they did open it for climbing before 8am.

The bus-loads of tourists poured out of their vehicles and marched up the rock.  We were behind a load of very eager Japenese tourists, all very well equipped if not a little over dressed for the weather in long pants/jeans and long-sleeved tops (I don’t mean the light, summer kind to just protect from the sun, I mean jumpers), hats, good solid hiking shoes, backpacks with water and even white cotton gloves (not sure what for).  As we pulled ourselves up the chain they slowly dropped off to the side for a sit down.  It seemed all were giving it a go, from the perhaps height-phobed gentleman who couldn’t move from all fours on the face of the rock as we walked vertically past, to the white-haired grandparents who made it higher than the young folk before taking a break.  Nearer the top the nos had thinned out, as many decided to stop where the chain stopped, rather than go all the way.  We exchanged photo-taking with a young friendly couple who were independent from the bus-load and were making their way down to Adelaide.  So friendly, they seemed to be bursting with pride and glee at being there, yet humble, you wouldn’t notice them unless you needed them.

In hilarious contrast were a bunch of young Italian men, also happy to be there, loud, showy and perhaps just a little too cocky, one of which was the only tourist to bite it on the descent, slipping and coming down hard on his butt, as he showed-off for photos to his friends at the base.

An Aussie father and son duo impressed everyone as this kid, who must’ve been about 4, made it all the way to the top – without being carried.  He became the tourist attraction as some young ladies asked him to pose for some photos with them and his dad advised “enjoy it while you can son, it won’t last”

Everyone carried water with them of course, everyone that is, except for an American lad, who, as we began our descent and passed him on his way up, stopped us and puffed, sweaty and red-faced – “They got any kind of water up there . . . at the top?”  Why yes – and a Burger King too, next to the Starbucks . . .

After our walk we packed up and filled up (at $2.03/litre!!!!) and headed back to Coober.   Coober Pedy was like a furnace but it was a welcome relief to be OUT OF THE CAR!!!!  This time we stayed at The Lookout Cave underground motel and were much more impressed.  These rooms were created specifically as motel rooms so they are more square shaped and spacious, with the minimal kitchen facilities and SPACE.

The view of Coober Pedy, complete with air vents, on top of our underground motel

To celebrate being out of the car we took our beers up to the motel’s lookout, which is on top of the motel’s dugout rock, with 360 degree views of Coober Pedy.  Then dinner at John’s Pizza Bar and Restaurant which really did have very decent pizza, testimony to its ‘I heart Food Awards 2010’

We took our leftover pizza back to the motel (four people will only need one large pizza, unless you want brekky).  Cut into pure rock, dug-outs in Coober Pedy have a constant temperature of 25 degrees so they don’t need air-con.  A fan to move the air around is ample to ensure a fantastic sleep.  With no noise or light in the mornings, a late sleep-in is difficult to avoid.

Finally the last 1000km home to Adelaide was not without its highlights – including a speeding fine (nanny state, see He Said), buying a country road-stop coffee and being asked if I want “instant or machine?” Also a bush fire in the Flinders Ranges (just out of Port Augusta) and the sad sight of an emu still alive but not looking good after being hit on the road.  FYI if your car hits an animal and its still alive you can call the general police no 131444 and they’ll contact the local police to deal with it (eg. They’ll shoot cattle, I don’t know what they’ll do with an emu).

All in all, I ended up being very glad the in-laws made us do the trip.

Cheers

Keturah de Klerk, Photography Life

 HE SAID

“Why is is 130km/hr safe in the NT but not in SA”?

 SHE SAID

 “There’s always a pube in the hotel bedsheets when you neglect to bring sheets of your own”

The pictures were pretty straight forward, to be used for credentials etc. Flat light and a white background was to be used. As it so happened, on one of the pictures I took of young South Australian super talent Jack Bobridge, one of the flashes had not recycled yet. This meant that the picture was taken with only one flash from the camera right.

In the past, I would have probably just binned the image, as it was not the picture that I was there for. I liked the look of it though, it took me back to my student days when we were only given one light to play with. I ran it through some post production and viola.

I like it.

Hope you do too.

Morne de Klerk

The 'official' picture that I was after

One light from camera right. Retouched.

There are only 2 things that you need to know about Oodnadatta. The water in the shower is hot and the beer is cold. It doesn’t matter which direction you are travelling in, by the time you arrive in Oodnadatta, you will certainly need one, if not both of them.

Oddnadatta is a town in South Australia’s far north and sits bang in the middle of the desert. It gives the name to the main thoroughfare in these parts, the Ooodnadatta Track, an extended scraped patch of dirt that counts for a road.

On first glance, Oodnadatta can look a bit intimidating. There are car wrecks and scrap spare parts all around the place and a pack of dogs roam the streets. The town is completely dominated by The Pink Roadhouse. Built in the old American style, it has morphed into a place where you can buy just about anything, from the basic petrol and snacks through to scrap spare parts. If something is broken, chances are you can find a quick fix solution here, if you are willing to go rummaging in the back shed.

Pink Roadhouse

We stayed in the Pink Roadhouse’s camp area. It has all the basic facilities, but they are basic. It is here though that I found a hot shower, and it was excellent after a dusty day-long trek along the Oodnadatta track.  It is peaceful save for the nearby school, where children played basketball under lights until about 8 pm, but that was the only noise until the crows started their yelling a little before sunrise.

Everyone in town seems friendly and approachable, not only the shopkeepers who are great with information and directions, but local residents are easy to talk to. A chat to locals in the general store might have you there for a while, hearing stories of the surrounding area.

So, as they say:”don’t judge a book by its cover”. Oodnadatta is one of those places. Many travellers come in, fill up and head off and miss out on some of the friendly local hospitality, and if there is one thing I hate to miss out on, it is an ice cold beer!

Pink Roadhouse Sign

Old Petrol Bowser

Oodnadatta House

Hope you get a chance to visit!

Cheers

Morne de Klerk

He Said:

Cold beer and hot showers and really nice burgers!

A mechanic/handyman’s dream and also his worst nightmare. If something is broken and need fixing in Oodnadatta, chances are you will have to get creative. If the Pink Roadhouse does not have a part or some distant resemblance to the part you need, there is always the scrapyard. Because of the remote location, spare parts are expensive, it is not like you can just go somewhere else.