The temperature during the early afternoon in September was something 40 degrees celsius, but it was dry, totally dry and very pleasant. Nothing much else to do than look over a dried lake, and have a braai after sunset.
Bitterpan in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa is not fenced, so you could see a lion eye-to-eye – we didn’t. But we truly enjoyed the quietness and tranquility of this small four room camp, knowing that there will be no incidental passers.
(Click → larger)
Bitterpan Dune Camp, Kgalagadi Park, South Africa, 6 September 2008
(4 images, Canon 20D & 10-22@10mm)
It looks just like the Australian desert. It was interesting to read the web page about it. So well organised and clear instructions. Excellent they don’t allow large 4WD vehicles. Even so, I guess it must be very dusty driving. Did you hire a vehicle? I can’t imagine people going to stay at places like this in Australia. Here they would think it too dull, but apparently the desert is full of life if you take the time to simply sit and wait for creatures to emerge. I imagine there wasn’t much large life, it being so dry. You haven’t left a comment on the site. I’ve been across some of Australia’s ‘outback’, and it was always very windy with lots of flies. Is it the same at Bitterpan? The flies here were intolerable!
SA has done a great work in creating an well managed nature park network. We were six of us with two hired 4WDs, all of us interested in photography and nature. We saw and photographed a lot of different kind of animals, from grasshoppers to giraffes, mainly birds (http://goo.gl/3cXQp). In Bitterpan we had no wind, and no flies, but surely lot of dust.
Ah Olli! Those birds. Of course I fell immediately in love with the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill – Etelankeltatoko , and the masked weaver is so adorable poking it’s head out of that nest. and the birds in flight, wings spread – Southern Anteater-chat… they are all magnificent. You are indeed an accomplished photographer. Thanks so much for sharing them. Do you give talks to groups of people? I am sure if you could project your photos onto a wide screen TV [I don't think people have slides any more do they?] and talk about your travels, many people would love it. We have about a hundred different species here, at least half of which are migratory, several parrots. unfortunately, the clearing of natural habitat continues and so fewer and fewer birds appear each year. Add to that the cats that kill millions of birds every year because everyone insists they have the right to own a free running cat, and it’s not surprising the so many of our birds and small mammals are on the verge of extinction.
Thanks a lot for your kind words, Rigby. I quess I’ve presented and talked about my pictures publicly only once – that was some 25 years ago in a sort of Finnish-Burmese society meeting. Maybe there will be day I’ll do it again …
I couldn’t see your latest post, apparently my WordPress password isn’t the correct one.
The last post is for limited group of readers (like some of my older posts as well), and thus password protected. PW is not the same as for WP.
But wait for a while, you’ll see soon some more posts open for all.
Great shot! Did you climb up t the water tank to get it?
Thanks Rory! Yes I did climb on top of the tank. – We did not see any wildlife there, but I will soon post some more pictures from this camp.
I should have done that too, next time! Am following your blog now and will look out for your other pictures.
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