We were up at 5am, had toast and coffee or tea and then started driving toward Kgalagadi Park. We drove for 2-1/2 hours to Upington which is on the Orange River. It is wine country and certainly the most prosperous area we have seen in South Africa so far. Very green and lush landscapes with very modern housing. We stopped for a typical South African breakfast - toast, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, and cheese. Could have added sausage and ham. The South Africans eat a HUGE amount of meat. After breakfast we continued on to Kgalagadi arriving there about 12:30pm. We had to register and then we unloaded our gear in our cottage. A very nice duplex with a thatched roof and 2 bedrooms, complete cooking facilities and a bathroom. We ate lunch and then headed out on our first game drive. What an amazing experience! We had 2 lion encounters, first with 2 female lions and then with a male and female. We saw 6 different species of antelope, 6 different types of birds and 2 jackals. (Pictures attached) We were in the park for about 5 hours in very hot temperatures. We also encountered the social weaver bird which builds nests in the form of a colony and can house from 250 to 300 pairs of birds. Some of the power poles had huge nests and in the park, the nests are so large, they actually break the branches they are built on, apparently weighing up to 2-3 tons. We had a great dinner and will now sleep as we will be up at 5am for a 6:00 park opening.