Karoo National Park

About fifty kilometers before Beaufort West we started noticing Cubby was making a louder noise than usual. We stopped and checked that nothing was loose or flapping in the engine and that nothing was caught dragging on the ground. As we got closer to the Karoo National Park, we both started thinking “exhaust.” Cubby has a history of exhaust problems.

We were about to set up our gazebo when it started raining. We were both quite stressed, so sat down and had some coffee with rain pelting down around us. It didn’t last that long, however, and we were able to set up our gazebo in the corner of the site. The sky after the rain, around sunset, was spectacular.

We had seen ostriches on our ride towards the rest camp and there were tortoises resident in the camp.

There was also a Cape Eagle Owl but he flew away before I could get his photo.

The next day started off raining and quite cool so we didn’t take our costumes when we went to pay and register (because the system had been down when we arrived). We pushed our bikes up the long hill to get to reception. The pool was up a further hill at the top of the very last cabin.

The journey back was lovely though!

Later we braved the hill again, but only for a short distance to investigate the fossil trail. We left our bikes at the sign for the hyena trap.

These traps (or Wolwehokke) were made by early stock farmers in the area. Bait was attached to a rawhide rope rubbed with fat. The rope ran over wooden bars and was attached to a stone trapdoor. Any tightening of the rope resulted in the trap door sliding down, entrapping the animal. At the top was an opening, usually covered by a stone that allowed an assegai or rifle to be used to kill the animal.

The fossil trail was very interesting with evidence of creatures I can’t even pronounce.

We packed up in the evening so we could get an early start to take Cubby to be checked and fixed.