LITTLE KAROO: Part One!

Finally in the Karoo

Karoo was the first stop of three on our trip. Its a semi-arid area and essentially a desert.  It was rather cold during the night, ended up sleeping in my sleeping bag! 

The sunrise/sunsets were beautiful! and the nights sky was even more spectacular.  Being 40km away from the closest town, there's next to no light pollution so the nights sky is glistening with thousands more stars. I was surprised at how many satellites are up there and how many can be seen gliding between the stars.

Our first close sighting of wildlife. Above is a Steenbok; a small antelope. They have large ears for how small they are.This individual was actually pregnant. 

Some views around the reserve and at camp.

Doesn't really show up in the picture but on this one walk on our break we attracted tons of these tiny flies. 

Above: A mantid nymph. I spotted many of them running from plant to plant. 

A blackwinged stilt in the dam.

For one of my modules I had to learn animal tracks. The track in the photo above is a baboon, one of the easiest as it has a significant resemblance to our own.

Outside of one of the buildings at camp, was a paving slab, under it was this scorpion. When it was dark, shining a UV torch on it, you can see markings on it. 

Down the Shooting Range and Firearm Safety

Off to the shooting range we went. We had a morning of firearm safety first and then got to go and do some shooting for ourselves. on the trip we obviously didn't carry firearms with us. However our guides did. This is purely for the safety of the group and is the last option. If an animal charges at you, shooting it is the last option. You stand your ground, try to look as big as possible and shout as loud and as foul language as possible. This is to show that you're not afraid of them and swearing and shouting is aggressive. Most animals will back off, however if they do not then a warning shot is fired in its direction away from any animals. Shooting an animal is ALWAYS the last thing you want to do. After all its usually only protecting itself or its cubs/young.  A Rhino is something you dont want to run into on foot. Even if they charge at you, in South Africa anyway, no one can shoot it. like my guide said 'there are seven billion of you on the earth and only a few thousand of them'.

Thw worst thing to do encountering any dangerous game is to run away. Food runs. Things that are scared run. Stand your ground and whatever you do; DON'T RUN!

Above: The guys strange creature they made for target practice.

We shot four firearms. An air rifle, a rifle, an air pistol and a pistol. I did pretty well at aiming, even if I do say so myself....
We did firearm safety and shooting at the shooting range so that we understand the safety of being around somebody with firearms and also to understand how they work and to make us feel more at ease being around them.

Above: A pale chanting goshawk perched at the top of a tree. These were a common sight to see flying above our head, looking for prey. We didn't often see them stationary.

The track back to camp....

CAPE TOWN: Part Two!

Nobel Square

We took a stroll down to the waterfront in search for the aquarium! on our way we passed through Nobel Square which is a place to pay tribute to South Africa's Nobel Peace Prize laureates including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela.  Nobel Square website.

Two Oceans Aquarium

Two oceans aquarium has the worlds largest artificial kelp forest... and it was huge! I didn't quite realise how big the fish could be in that habitat. The aquarium was enjoyable with loads to do, touch tanks were pretty cool, with seaweeds, sea urchins, anenomies to name a few things. Two Oceans Aquarium Website

Cheetah Outreach

Cheetah Outreach was a must on our list of things to do. it was a long drive to get there. However a lovely cab driver that took us all over gave us a very good deal and waited there for a few hours for us as it would take him that long to get to Cape Town and back to get us.

I saw the cubs and one of the adults. the cubs were almost fully grown though and very playful. They also didn't like the odd showers very much which made them very energetic. They usually let you see the meercats but on this particular afternoon you couldn't unfortunately. Cheetah Outreach is an education and community-based programme created to raise awareness of the plight of the cheetah and to campaign for it survival.They also raise Turkish Anatolian shepherd dogs which are placed on South African farms to guard the livestock. This is to try to eliminate the conflicts between farmers and cheetahs. Cheetah Outreach Website

Atlantic Point Backpackers

Our hostel was amazing! I would recommend to anyone to stay there if travelling to Cape Town. Everyone was friendly and theyre so much to do as well as having comfy places to relax other than your room.Atlantic Point Backpackers Website

(Above; our hostel room)

District 6 Museum and National Museum of South Africa

In the afternoon a few of us went to some museums whilst the others went shopping (borrringggg).  first was the District Six museum. Its very small however is was extremely interesting.


When we left the last museum after being told to leave as it was closing, we finally saw table mountain clearly as the fog/mist around the mountain lifted. The peak to the left of table mountain is Devils Peak and the one to the right (which you cannot see in this photo) is Lions Head.

Braai

At the hostel we had our first Braai of the trip. A braai is essentially a South African barbecue. It was delicious! the toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches were oddly the most amazing thing Ive ever eaten! after we played some drinking games, including Flippy cup (or flip-a-cup? everyone called it something different). My team won overall! I think.... I'm pretty sure we did.

Table Mountain

So after getting woken up by a friend coming into our room, surprisingly chipper considering the night before, shouting that table mountain was finally open again. As soon as everyone was awake and presentable we headed up. Two of the guys walked up whilst the rest of us took the cable car.

(Above: View from Cape Town from the bottom of Table Mountain.)

(Above: Me on top of Table Mountain)

(Above:Lions head and Cape town at dusk on the way back down.)

Bye Bye Cape Town...

(Above: Thanks for a 'tidy' time! You absolute 'nutters'! Braai was 'lush'. #Naughty.  -USW 05/06/2014)

The next morning we were leaving to meet our lecturer at the airport and to get on our bus to Karoo. so we signed our names on the wall in the hostel with a string of inside jokes. Their were a few tears as goodbyes were said for some people. It was sad to leave as Cape Town was such a wonderful place, but more adventures were waiting for us!

CAPE TOWN: Part One!

Firstly, apologies that this is so late! I was super tired/busy when I got back.... I'm gonna catch up and share all my lovely adventures with you soon!

Secondly, Cape Town was truly lovely and I would go back in a heartbeat if I could! There is so much to do that a week is just nowhere near long enough. That and the fact that the first half of the week the weather wasn't too great, so a lot of things such as shark diving and Robben Island weren't sending boats out :(

Vineyard Tours and Wine Tasting

On our first full day in Cape town we went wine tasting in the morning with a few other people from the hostel. We went to two vineyards. The first was called Spier and is one of the oldest in the area. Three white and then three red. We also had a tour around the vineyard and learnt of the history of the vineyard. we stopped for lunch in a small town and had cheesy chicken nuggets (amazing!) and chips all for less than a pound! Next was the second vineyard where we had chocolates with our wine, slightly more expensive however totally worth it!

Afrikaans Language Monument

After we'd sipped (/gulped) down all our wine we stopped off at the Afrikaans Language Monument (below).

Cape Point

The following day we had a busy day ahead of us; to start everything off we had a full English breakfast at a small cafe in Simons Town, before heading to Cape Point. On the drive we saw some Zebras!!! Maybe not the most exciting animal in South Africa (especially with what was to come) but to an IWB student it was very exciting nonetheless! At Cape Point we had a short walk up to the light house you see in the distance. Its lots further up, up little winding paths, than it looks and after I'd broken my foot and only wore trainers, it was hard work! But it all paid off with the amazing views you see up there.

At cape point you can see where the Indian ocean and the Atlantic ocean.  It was lovely weather compared to what it had been the day before and pictures just don't show how amazing some of these views were. 

Following suit of other visitors we all signed our names on the rock and then did one all together on bottom of the post showing where some major cities were and also positioned it so it was pointing to London! 

Boulders Beach

Then on to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where we saw lots of ostrich and a few seals on a far out rock, lazing around in the sunshine. Then off to Boulders Beach to see the penguins. They were adorable, if i could have fit one in my bag, I definitely would have. There were a lot of juvenile penguins there, some loosing their baby feathers and others still curled up with their parents. 

We drove around the cliffs up to a small harbour where one of the fishermen was feeding a couple of seals. then gave us the chance to have a go.

Khayelitsha

In the Afternoon we went to a township called Khayelitsha.We had lunch in a small food place that our tour guide took us to. Its quite dangerous for tourists to go into the township by themselves. Our tour guide worked at the hostel and lived in the township himself. Lunch consisted of maize, beans, gravy and chicken and of course we had to eat it with our hands. It was rather messy but once you've got the knack its easy! And it was delicious!

Juma (Our tour guide), gave us a tour around near where he lived. Below is a picture of his office, the artwork on it done himself. As well as doing tours and working at the hostel, he also works with both local and international artists, doing street art in the township to try and promote social change through art. Its amazing how much it brightens the area up. 

Some were of wildlife and others symbolic or had meaning. The Kindergarten was also painted, the community got together and managed to paint the whole garden/play area and the school buildings in an afternoon. He said the community in this township is very strong and important to them. Before heading back as it was going to get dark soon, we had a beer (or a cider if you were more inclined) in a tavern near his house. It was daunting at first as you got funny looks as they knew you weren't from there, but Juma knew them all well and it was rather an enjoyable experience. 

To find out more about Juma's art tours go to: JUMA ART TOURS

Finally in Cape Town!

So I arrived in Cape Town on Saturday. I'm gonna do all my proper posts in detail when I get back as I don't have much internet, nor time. So for now here just a brief summary of some of the exciting stuff that I've got up so far.

I've seen some amazing views and done so much whilst I've been here.
I met a some cheetahs today and got to stroke them! I also saw all the penguins at Boulders Beach, where the two oceans meet (Atlantic Ocean & Indian Ocean) at Cape Point and seen so many spectacular views that the pictures just do not do justice! So here are a couple of photos until I can properly write about everything!

Thats all for now! I shall try and put a few more pictures up before I leave Cape Town,but as I said before Internets are temperamental and I'm so busy enjoying myself and doing stuff, I don't really have the time! ;)  so check back soon!