During September 2005 I started working for the EWT’s Birds of Prey Programme in the Karoo. It was in these beginning years that I drove a Nissan 1400 bakkie for nearly 3 years. The main purpose of the Project at that time was to engage with the farmers regarding the raptors at their farms. It was also expected of field officers to do all power line investigations in our area. I used to drive to a farm and then the farmer had to take me to where I had to work.

During February 2008 I did the first raptor monitoring with the support of the Nissan 1400 in Mokala National Park near Kimberley. The vehicle was too low and too small for driving off-road, but somehow, I managed. Returning from a trip to the Kgalagadi National Park the same month, I collided with a kudu on the gravel road between Prieska and Strydenburg. Fortunately, I sustained no injuries, but there was R22,000 damage to the Nissan. I had driven 27 126 km with the Nissan before the EWT supplied with a Mazda BT50 sponsored by Mazda with 37 805 km on the clock. The very reliable Mazda retired at 431 886 km after many memory-making adventures in the Karoo and Kalahari as we crossed the landscape for 15 years. Just imagine doing vulture nest monitoring in the Kalahari sand with a 2 x 4 and getting stuck on each and every survey.

During November 2022 I received the Ford Ranger 4 X 4 and the adventures continued. At least I do not get stuck in the Kalahari sand anymore! During July 2023 a small rhino calf that was deserted by its mother hit the left back door – in case you wondered why there is a picture of a rhino alongside a vulture and an eagle on the left back door.

The 500 000 km mark was reached during the vulture ringing week in the larger Kimberley area in October 2024. As I do a lot of field work for the Birds of Prey and Wildlife and Energy Programmes, I do travel a lot in the Northern and Eastern Cape and also in the Orange Free State. Now the challenge is on for one of my colleagues at the EWT to reach half a million km!