Foto Kalahari

The wider Kalahari is a vast untamed region of sand plains that cover
nine countries in south - central Africa and is part of the largest
continuous area of sand in the world. This sandy desert with its
blistering summers, largely featureless landscape and almost no surface
water supports a surprising number of lifeforms......including herds of
gemsbok, springbok, wildebeest and red hartebeest. These antelope
provide food for the large carnivors of the desert - cheetahs, lions,
leopards and hyaenas.

Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, the second - largest national park in
South Africa (after Kruger), was proclaimed in 1931. In 2000, this park
became linked with Botswana's Gemsbok Park and became Africa's first
transfrontier park, known as Kgalagadi ('Land of Thirst').

Desert areas of the world have always attracted me.............ever
since hitch - hiking across the Sahara (from Zinder, Niger to Algiers,
Algeria) in 1962. How special it was for Elaine and me to at last (after
eight trips to Africa together over the past fifteen years) be able to
savor the unspoiled wilderness of South Africa's Kalahari
desert................and to be there eating moon cakes in celebration
of Hong Kong's Mid - Autumn Festival while gazing up through a crystal
clear sky to admire the 'biggest, fullest' moon of the year.

With only untarred, sandy roads in the park..................as well as
challenging red sand dunes to negotiate.................we moved around
in a 4 x 4. Being an inexperienced 4 x 4 driver, it was hardly
surprising, in retrospect, that early on we found ourselves well and
truly stuck in the sand.............inspite of the assurances given to
us as regards the capabilities of our Toyota Hilux. What we didn't know,
however, was that we had somehow strayed across the fenceless border
into Botswana! So far off the main track were we that we were forced to
break the park rules and leave our vehicle to look for help.
................'It was a great trip.......... until Elaine was eaten
by a lion'. Some days later, we actually did see lions.........a pride
of ten!

Of the four camps we stayed at, two were particularly special because
they were fenceless, with only the stars and the silence for company.
One, 'Bitterpan', is a stilted camp of only four two - bed units with
exceptional views over the pan and across the dunes. The other,
'Kalahari Tented Camp', is situated high up on a red
sand dune overlooking a waterhole in the dry bed of the ancient Auob
River. Comments in the Visitors' Book aptly sum of the feeling of these
two camps............' A very wonderful and peaceful place. One of the
last paradises in the world'................'This place is heaven on
earth. We loved the peace and beauty of it all'