In March of this year, Odette was visiting her grandfather Tony Curtis in Newbury, UK. Tony was talking about his life in Zimbabwe & he mentioned my name to Odette. He was wondering what had happened to me! Odette quickly found me on the internet & i went to visit Tony (as i was in the UK at the time). We had a wonderful day together & Tony told me a little about his granddaughter, who is an ardent conservationist & the director of the Overburg Lowlands Conservation trust. So I started correspondence with Odette & we arranged to meet up. I drove down on the 2nd/3rd August (over 1,400 Kms)!
The southern edge of the Karoo biome.
Big, wide open spaces.
As you travel south, arable farming
becomes more common.
South African Shelduck
Yellow-billed Pintail.
Blue Crane.
Odette in front of her Ford sponsored car.
The wonderful Black Harrier.
Several pairs breed on the reserve.
One day we visited Hermaneus, because I had to get my vehicle serviced. We made it into a very relaxed day, doing the touristy things.
Over the weekend, we went to a gun dog trial, which was a completely new activity for me & a lot of fun, both for the dogs & people!
Just before the turn off to Montagu.
It is still winter here!
becomes more common.
Further south still, vineyards become commonplace.
Odette, with Alice,
who thinks she is a dog!
Odette has four dogs (only three of them here).
Here is number four!
On the kitchen wall!
Did I mention that Odette is a zombie!
Take two! Much better!
The newly restored research centre.
It is very well equipped.
It is not all work though!
Dee & Odette having fun!
Bat sp. On a tree in the garden.
Fiscal Flycatcher
The reserve.
Renosterveld.
Blue Crane is common in the farmland.
Spur winged Goose
Odette lives in the village of Napier, which is about 50 kms from the Renosterveld Reserve of which she is the director. She has achieved a remarkable amount in just three years & the habitat she is helping to preserve is one of the most threatened in South Africa.
Hermaneus Bay.
Rock Hyrax were feeding along the cliffs.
The town is a little quirky in places!
But then so am I!
One of the judges.
A partnership!
Odette - enjoying the day.
On the way home from the trials, Odette & myself
stopped off to give her dog a final run.
She has found something!
It turned out to be an African Wildcat!
It escaped unharmed.
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