Don’t Forget to Tighten Those Bolts ~

Adventures in Kgalagadi – 9th April 2021

We left Mabusahube and drove 170km to the South African side of the park stopping half way to set up camp in the middle of nowhere, literally nowhere and no one around for miles. This time round we decided to take the trip slower and enjoy the moments of doing nothing by the campfire. The peacefulness and quietness gives a real sense of feeling alive in a way I might have never really understood. Especially someone who loves to be around people and have a different kind of life has started to enjoy the simplicities of life even more. While COVID has also helped us learn this, and hopefully will allow us to continue living less materialistic lives.

On arriving in the South African side of the park we were back in the ‘real’ world. It’s quite a shock to the system, being connected again and trying to go through a week’s worth of messages and emails. Letting family and friends know you’re alive and having people around us. COVID is back on your mind, masks back on and hand sanitiser close by. I started to hate the feeling COVID has brought about when meeting people, it really has created unsocial barriers.

Now in a proper campsite we have electricity, showers, functioning toilets and internet. I think I preferred the wilderness of it all, I must admit I felt a little stressed that day.

We decided to head out before sunset in search of some lions, Nossob area does not disappoint. After spending some time with mating lions and two lionesses casually sleeping in the road we were on our way to find a kill and Cubs – our afternoon was sorted, or we thought.

The car begins to rattle, Mike swears and we stop in the middle of the road, 40km from camp – we’re a little screwed. The caliper fell off. Don’t ask me what that is or what we needed to do. If it was up to me we probably would have waited in the car until someone decided to come find us. Please not we were already pressed with time and had to be back at camp before nightfall and they locked the gate.

Before I knew it Mike was pulling out the jack, removing the wheel and figuring out what went wrong. A bit useless I took cover and looked out for any predators. Knowing we had just seen a few earlier on I wasn’t too sure if this was a good idea but Mike seemed to know what he was doing. The caliper had missing bolts and was completed dislodged! We must have lost them somewhere along the way.

After removing one of the bolts from the other side, Mike managed to get the car moving again and we headed back towards camp, hoping we won’t be locked out. Luckily enough we actually found one of the bolts on the road and made it back just before nightfall, getting a quick glimpse of another four lions on the way back.

Now what? The gate was locked and it was getting dark. I quickly jumped the gate to see if someone would open. A man was heading out, wonder if he was coming to find us? We tried to explain what happened but he didn’t really communicate. Made it in the end… wonder what the other days will bring.

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