Friday 30 August 2013

San Camp First Day

This is a very unusual place. We flew from Joburg to Maun in Botswana and then in a tiny plane out to the desert, it broke my RAF friends rule of 'Never fly in a plane with one engine'. Rather bumpy and nothing much to see except desert - shades of the Taklamat. Very posh tents which are 1940s. With mahogany furniture and chota hasuri, it keeps reminding me of my childhood. I spent the first ten years of my married life trying to persuade Michael that he would like to get me a cup of tea and a plain biscuit in bed every morning. Anne has just pointed out that I could buy a Teasmaid for this purpose and I will do just that.

Very Small Plane

Drinks at sundown in the desert. Note the array of bottles and the canvas washhand basin with five gallon drum of water for washing. This really brought back memories.

The camp in the desert

A bat eared fox

Alex having his head used as a lookout point by a meerkat. I have loads of meerkat photos which are to be downloaded to Anne when I get home. They keep us very busy here and there has not been much time for ourselves. This morning we also saw a lioness with two cubs but she was very unfriendly and we drove away quickly. The lions here are solitary and not used to vehicles and humans as they are in Nkwali. They are also much larger. No standing twelve foot away and taking photos here!!

I slept very well. I suspect because the night is not full of anything but wind. At Nkwali there were hippos grunting a few yards away, baboons barking danger calls and all sorts of rustling noises which were very alarming especially when they sounded like elephants. Not helped by the knowledge that there were watchmen round the camp all night. Well they would not pay watchmen if they were not needed, would they?

 

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I am weaver and - -. I dye my yarns with acid dyes, I paint my warps, put fabric collages and stencils on my weaving. I have three looms, a 12 inch wide, 12 shaft Meyer for demos and courses, a 30 inch Louet Kombo which is nominally portable but has a stand, two extra beams and a home-made device containing a fan reed. And last a 32 shaft Louet Megado which is computer controlled, has a sectional warp and a second warp beam and I am the proud owner of an AVL warping wheel which I love to bits and started by drilling holes in. I inserted a device for putting a cross in. I have just acquired an inkle loom and had a lesson from an expert so I can watch TV and weave at the same time. I am interested in weaving with silk mostly 60/2 although I do quite a bit with 90/2 silk. I also count myself as a bookbinder with a special interest in Coptic binding.