Travel
Friday, December 24, 2010One Day in the Life of a Lodge Manager on a Big Five Reserve
by Cheryl Kleyweg, Kulungi Riverside LodgeShare this article:
I think it will be a quiet day at the Kulungi Riverside Lodge. Here in the Grietjie private game reserve, which is part of the Greater Kruger Park in South Africa, my guests left early to go to their activities.Boot up the computer, check emails, reply to enquiries. Check land line – no it’s not working at the moment. Never mind, we still have the Internet, Skype and cell phone.
The handyman/cook is having a well deserved break after the World Cup rush, the first after five non-stop weeks. . So it’s time to start the river pump, to keep the waterhole and dam full. I am not as lucky as the staff.
Turn on the electric switch; walk down to the river; turn on valve; walk to water’s edge; check that there is no crocodile lying in wait; make sure there is no air in the pipes by releasing water and air at the engine site; and pump in the river. Climb up the river bank to turn on other valve; turn on pump switch. Nothing happens. Repeat the process two more times. Still nothing. Curse again, changing the order of curse words; kick a fallen log; repeat the above. Success!
Now it’s time to check the dam. The water level looks a bit low, so it’s time to find out why. The cause is that the elephants decided to have water from the source but it order to access it, they had to pull out the pipe from the storage tank. But they did not have the decency to reconnect the pipe when finished slaking their thirst. So it’s time to hike through the bush to find the end of the pipe, while on the lookout for the presence of elephants, snakes (they don’t fully hibernate here) and anything else.
Pipe end found, now go back to the garage for a clamp, screwdriver and spanner. No problem. I’ve done this before without the handyman.
It is now 11h00. I will have tea as soon as I have watered the plants in the dining room. Okay while in the dining room, I checked the “Cold room” (what is this? A refrigerator or a room at the lodge that you try to keep cold?). Just as well, since the thermometer indicated that the cold room temperature was wrong (too low) so that was adjusted. Note to self: Check the temp again later.
Oh, today is the day to read the electricity meter. We do that ourselves here, otherwise the local electric company takes a chance and sends us a bill for R16,000 for one month. Time to hike back though the bush.
Seeing as I was halfway up the hill, still checking diligently for signs of wildlife, I thought it wise to check on the water tanks at the top of the hill. Said tanks are now full, all pipes connected, no leaks etc. Gentle stroll back down the hill. Oops there is spoor of some fair-sized cat. There has been much roaring noise during the last few nights.
Well I did tell the chambermaid where I was going, so they will have an idea of where to look for me or my remains later if need be, just in case I don’t reappear in the main camp. By the way, the wildlife here incorporates big bodies with tough hides, trunks and tusks or big cats with claws and manes or bovines with bad tempers. I think you get the idea. I make it back safely, so am now able to turn on some sprinklers.
The game warden has arrived. We have tea (at last), while discussing ways to discourage elephants from interfering with water supplies. The idea of installing bee hives comes up, as a bush guide with over 30 years of experience has mentioned this to me before. I tell the warden. We decide to do a feasibility study on bee-keeping.
An hour has passed since checking the hilltop tanks, so it’s time to check the temp of the cold room again after an email check. Oh dear, we are offline. Send sms to service provider. Now I go to check the cold room and the temp is even colder now. How was I to know that the knob had been installed the wrong way around. So this time I turn the dial to ‘colder’, because I actually want it warmer of course. Turn off one set of sprinklers and turn a different set on. Oh dear, one is not working. I fiddle and consider using the same set of curse words as earlier. Amazing – this must be a set of magic words. It works!
It is now 14h00. The guests have arrived back so it’s time to chat with them to see how their activities were. I’m back and we are online so it’s time to deal with emails again.
It is now 15h30. The pump is still working; the waterhole is full; the T.V. is working; the Internet is working; the phone is not working. That’s not bad. Most of the problems for today are resolved.
The monkeys have managed to get into the metal cage where the rubbish is stored, and they have decorated the garden with refuse. Perhaps it was their way of celebrating the success of the World Cup. Tomorrow after the guests have checked out, I will make a trip into town to take rubbish to the dump.
On checking the vehicle in anticipation of the trip , I find that the steering fluid needs topping up. It’s at the minimum level. While performing the top-up, I hear an unwelcome noise. A main water pipe has burst. I look up and see warthogs scattering. One of them must have been the cause of the now uprooted tap and pipe. It is time to repeat the curse words. This time the magic is not there. Instead I call the maids, one to hike through the bush to turn off the main water supply; one to hold the tap and pipe over the exposed pipe to shut off the flow while I think. I decide to call for help as it is now almost 17h00 and will be dark soon. I call a friend to help and fortunately, he found another valve to turn off which did the job of halting the gushing water nicely. Note to Self: Thank the monkeys for spreading rubbish, so that I needed to check vehicle before a trip to the dump tomorrow. This enabled me to hear the water problem as it happened and not an hour later.
It is now nearly 20h00. The guests have settled their bill and gone to their chalet.
It is now 21h00. I have had dinner and will go to lock up the office.
It is now 21h30. The guests come to call me to help identify a creature caught in the beam of their torches. Amazingly, there are still bright eyes under the tree where the hippos fought last week. The eyes are red, the creature moves stealthily. We are watching a leopard!
About the author: Cheryl Venetia Kleyweg is the manager and co-owner of Kulungi Riverside Lodge. It is a small intimate lodge in Grietjie private game reserve, which is part of the Greater Kruger Park in South Africa. At her lodge, one must expect the unexpected as there is no real fence to keep the game out. Animals are free to roam throughout the grounds.
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