16th Sept and I’m off with Virgin to Joburg then by hire car to Kuruman where I met Ikey (in his by now very battered Cruiser) and then to Clive’s farm again (I was there twice last year with Ikeys ‘lot’) to catch Sable, wildebeeste, kudu and others. It was nice to see the gang again (Tokman, Des, Hannas) but now with Hannas brother and a new guy Michael. Was also good to see some of the ‘boys’ again – including Rasta, Gunman and Samuel(s). Catching went well with no major mishaps, though I did get kicked by a darted Sable as we picked it up in a sheet of tarpaulin, which tore freeing a rear leg (the Sable’s not mine)
Me and Ikey also skived off and drank lots of coffee in the town whilst the guys were busy building/dismantling the boma …ah well – he IS the boss! Next we were off into the Kalahari – me driving the 4.5l Cruiser with a rhino trailer in tow (another phrase I never thought Id be writing. We stopped at a nice farm with the farm manger (Gideon) and his wife joining us for a braai that night. Next day we were up early (as usual) and catching Kudu, Zebra and Wildebeest. Today. I was doing 3 jobs: the first red door, the 2nd red door and also the truck door too!
End of the day’s catching but still the middle of the day so we went off to deliver some kudu at a guys farm. Sadly as we released them, one fell from the back of the truck and broke its neck. as everyone got down from the truck, I stayed sitting on top (no-one had said we HAD to get down) at this point the truck started moving…faster and faster till I realised they were actually leaving the farm, not just moving ON the farm!…no bother, I thought, I’ll just stay here and enjoy the rid – which is what I did….until we drive through the thorn trees. Man THAT HURT!! My arm and side got shredded as I was whipped and dragged along the top of the truck….luckily chicks dig scars, eh?
When we left the farm that evening – after a number of beers…we all jumped into a Cruiser pick up (backie) and speeded along the dirt roads back to our lodging – en-route, our driver decided to try and catch a Springbok which was running along the road in front of us…he managed to hit the poor thing (though it was unharmed) but also managed to spin us off the road in the process – another life experience!
Next day we moved to another farm for more catching, however it being my last day with the team, Ikey drove me back to Clives farm to pick up the car and return to Joburg.
Source: Chuggy Charles, UK
