Malelane, another town in South Africa…Another view of rural life…As darkness falls…

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Due to a power outage on April 20th, this post wasn’t uploaded until the morning of April 21st.  However, a new post describing an upcoming adventure in Africa will be posted later today, April 21, 2018.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

The road to Malelane on the well-traveled N4 Highway.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This baby warthog was nursing between her mom’s back legs. 

Yesterday morning, before completing and uploading the post, we decided to drive to Malelane. Our permanent Kruger “Wild Card” (a year-long pass) had arrived at the post office, and time was running out to collect it.

Talk about “rocky mountains!”

Why the pass wasn’t sent to us baffles us since mail usually comes to the post office in the Marlothi Shopping Center. But, as everyone always says, “This is Africa,” and things aren’t always done as we’d expect in other parts of the world.

Giant rocks atop mountains and hills on the way to Malelane.

We quickly found the post office in the small town and headed to the Obaro farm store to buy pellets at hopefully a better price than the recent one. We’d heard we could get a “senior discount” at that location. 

The drive took about 40 minutes from Marloth Park. Many police cars were parked on the sides of the road, looking for offenders. Tom stayed under the speed limit in hopes we wouldn’t get stopped.

As it turned out, the senior discount in Malelane was ZAR 5 (US $.42) per bag, and the bags were priced at ZAR 204 (US $17.03) as compared to ZAR 215 (US $17.95). In all, with the meager discount, we saved a total of ZAR 16.05 (US $1.34) on each of the four bags. 

As darkness falls, Tom’s favorite, Ms. Bushbuck makes an appearance.

Had we not needed to go to the post office, buying pellets in Malelane isn’t something we’ll do in the future. The 90 minutes round trip drive plus the petrol we used doesn’t make it worth a memorable trip.

Then we spotted three hippos near the Crocodile River.

After Obaro, we drove to the biggest mall we’ve seen since we arrived to shop for a few items at the Malelane (also spelled Malalane) SuperSpar, which is much larger than the Spar in Komatipoort. 

Big Daddy stopped by last night, moments before dark.

We couldn’t find several items on our list and decided we’d continue to shop in Komatipoort, which seems to carry most of the things we use. I’ve been trying to find herbal cinnamon tea with no luck anywhere which I like to drink hot or as iced tea. 

Two hippos and a cattle egret at the river’s edge, as seen from the fence between Marloth and Kruger Park.

When we returned home, I ordered 12 boxes of my favorite Good Earth Sweet and Spicy herbal tea (no caffeine, no sugar), which will arrive with our upcoming shipment in several weeks. (We haven’t had it shipped to us yet since we’re awaiting the arrival of a few items to our mailing service in Nevada).

Last night, after dark, we had a steady stream of visitors; warthogs, kudus, bushbucks, bushbabies, and duikers came to call. It was much busier than most evenings.

In any case, the trip to Malelane was enjoyable, visiting another small town in South Africa. The fact that only a little over 8% of the country’s population is white is evident in this small town in Komatipoort.  At no point did we feel like “outsiders,” nor have we anywhere we’ve been in South Africa thus far.

We call him “Little Daddy.”  He’s about 30% smaller than Big Daddy. There are two types of kudus in Marloth Park, the Greater Kudu and the Lesser Kudu, smaller with smaller antlers. This appears to be a Lesser Kudu. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

Of course, Marloth Park is not a realistic representation of demographics or lifestyle in this or any country. It’s a world of its own, far removed from the reality of life in most parts of the world.

Every day we remain in awe and grateful for this experience and more experiences we’ll glean in our remaining time on the continent, another ten months, including several side trips. 

As shown on the veranda floor, our bright lamp doesn’t seem to keep the wildlife away.

The first of those trips is upcoming on May 11th to Zambia, another forthcoming in February, details of which we’ll be sharing in tomorrow’s post. Please check back for photos and exciting information.

May your weekend be filled with peacefulness, pleasure, and purpose.

Photo from one year ago today, April 20, 2017:

Christine and Colin, the fabulous friends we met on a cruise, met up with us in Manly, Australia, for lunch. For more details, please click here.

Excellent evening with dinner guests…Heading to Malelane for the first time since our arrival…

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Notice this little three-point design on this zebra’s upper leg. Each zebra has a unique pattern of stripes. Each animal has its distinctive markings and distinguishable features, making it easy to identify repeat visitors.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Tom’s favorite, Ms. Bushbuck who insists on eating directly out of the pellet container. She adores Tom, and I think he likes her too. She visits several times each day.

Last night’s dinner guests, Gail and Mark, were a total delight. Their vast experiences in Africa and their fantastic story, as described in this post combined with our stories of world travel, created some engaging and thought-provoking conversations that lasted well into the evening.

Waterbucks along the river.

With all the dinners we’ve shared with locals, we could easily have dinner guests every week or more. We can’t recall ever having had such a busy social life. Unfortunately, we occasionally turn down local events since we need a few quiet evenings at home, which we also thoroughly enjoy.

Today, after we’ve uploaded the post, we’re heading to Malelane to pick up our permanent Kruger entrance pass, which for some reason ended up at the post office there.  

Female kudus and babies in the yard.

Malelane is about a 40-minute drive from our property in Marloth Park. However, we’ve decided to make the most of it and do some shopping while there. The stores have a more incredible selection of items. We’ll stop at the larger Spar market to see if we can find a few things we haven’t been able to find in Komatipoort.

Big Daddy and zebras seem to get along while munching on pellets.

Also, our friend Kathy explained we could purchase pellets there for a much better price at the Obaro store by asking for a senior discount. Feeding wildlife can get expensive, especially with the number of visitors we see each day and night.

It’s dangerous to hand feed Big Daddy or get too close. One could easily be seriously injured by being stabbed by these massive antlers, unintentionally, of course.

Daily, we cut up apples, carrots, and any scraps from vegetables we’re preparing for our meals.  It seems the female kudus love the leaves on bunches of celery, although the males turn their noses up at it. The warthogs prefer pellets and won’t eat many carrots or other vegetables.

Lizard crossing the road while we are driving in Marloth Park.

Even the finicky Helmeted Guinea Fowl love the bird seeds we toss out, like the pellets as they peck and peck at them to break them into smaller manageable pieces.

The zebras, not surprisingly, love apples, carrots. None of them get enthused about the cabbage but will nibble on it if it’s available. And lettuce. Based on my gastrointestinal issues, we’ve been buying lettuce instead of cabbage which doesn’t digest as easily.

Baboon in the bush.  Please stay away from our house!

Feeding the animals each day has changed our entire activity level, which is excellent. It was easy to sit most of the day, taking a walk at some point in the past. But now, as we feed the animals, we’re on our feet constantly.

Not necessarily a clear photo, but this female kudu had her foot stuck in her ear while she scratched and scratched.

Whether we’re cutting up vegetables, feeding the visitors, walking through the yard or the neighborhood to see what’s transpiring, or following a sound we’ve heard, we’re much more active than we’ve been in quite a while.

While driving in Marloth Park almost daily, we’re often out of the car, walking on rough terrain to get into better positions to see wildlife and scenery. This has been good for both of us.

There are so many species of birds in Kruger. We’re not always able to identify them. Any comments on this bird we spotted at the Crocodile River?

As much as I’d love to work out at a facility, it’s just not possible while living in the bush. It’s not as if there’s a health club I can join that’s less than a 90-minute drive which would be back to Nelspruit, where the airport is located. Instead, we take advantage of every opportunity to be on the move.

Mutton Chops sniffing Scar Face’s wounds.

In two more days, on Saturday, we’ll be posting information and photos about our exciting upcoming African adventure next February. We can’t wait to share this with all of you!

Have a fabulous day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 19, 2017:

A night view of a few of the buildings in Circular Quay, Sydney, taken from the Manly Ferry. For more photos of Sydney, please click here.

Out to lunch with neighbors…Stopped by police for most peculiar reason…Check this out!…

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This is the “warning triangle” found inside the case, as shown below that, without it, can get a lot of South African drivers in trouble.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is the tiniest warthog we’ve seen since returning to Marloth Park.  Two females and this piglet stopped by last night. The baby had already figured out to eat on her knees at such a young age.

Yesterday at noon, our next-door neighbors, Rina and Cees, picked us up in their bigger-than-ours rental car to drive to the far end of Komatipoort to a resort restaurant for lunch, the Border Country Inn.

On Easter Sunday, we dined there with Louise and Danie, and the food had been quite good. Yesterday, it was mediocre, but that won’t prevent us from returning sometime in the future. 
This is the case that contains the “warning triangle.”
Let’s face it, in this relatively remote area of South Africa. One can’t expect gourmet quality food when dining out. That’s why we continue to return to Jabula Lodge & Restaurant, where the food is always great, wonderfully consistent, and highly predictable.

Rina and I each ordered the chef salad, which was good but not exceptional.  Again Tom ordered the T-bone steak, ordering it rare this time for a medium finish. Cees ordered a burger. The prices are outrageously low as were our expectations, but the service was good. 
Another Fish Eagle shot in Kruger.
Rina and Cees insisted on buying us lunch which was unnecessary, saying we’d invited them for happy hour a few days earlier. Customarily in Marloth Park, reciprocating shortly after being guests at each other’s homes is the norm, and we’ve followed suit accordingly.  

Doing so keeps residents of the park socially active, going back and forth to one another’s homes for happy hour and/or meals or in dining out for those who prefer not to entertain in their homes. In this quiet and peaceful environment, this type of socialization adds a great deal to the pleasure of living in the park.
Muddy wildebeest tucked into the vegetation in Kruger.

After lunch on the return drive to Marloth Park, we encountered several police officers manning some type of a checkpoint. When asked, Cees promptly handed over his driver’s license. 

We all sat still in silent suspense, wondering why we’d been stopped. Tom reached for his wallet to produce our driver’s licenses, but the three of us weren’t asked to produce ID.

The Crocodile River provides a wide array of marshes, swamps, and waterways suitable for wildlife.

None of us had our passports with us. We’re seldom asked to present our passports in South Africa, except most recently when I had blood tests, purchased SIM or data cards, or picked something up from the post office or other government facilities. Fortunately, none of us, including Cees, was asked to produce a passport. 

Elephant munching on a spikey shrub.

The officer looked something up in his car and returned to our vehicle, asking, “Where is your “warning triangle?” 

We all had a hard time figuring out what he meant…what the heck is a warning triangle? The officer spoke to Cees in a very strong hard-to-understand dialect, further confusing all of us. Finally, Cees was able to figure out what he meant.

Several elephants grazing possibly after a dip in the water hole.

The officer was referring to a reflective warning triangle as shown in today’s photos, supposedly to be used in the event a vehicle was stopped for an emergency on the highway such as a tire change, accident, vehicle breakdown, or other such incidents.

Cees and the officer went through the rental car’s trunk, searching for the triangle.  Alas, it was found much to all of our relief. Failure to have such a device in a vehicle results in a fine of ZAR 500 (US $41.72), as described in this post.

Mom and baby elephant behind a bush.

Finally, after about 10 minutes, we were back on our way. Luckily, Cees was driving within the speed limits, and there were no other issues. Off we went, anxious to get back to the peace and comfort of Marloth Park.

We stopped to allow a few giraffes to cross the paved road in Kruger. This is a common occurrence in Marloth Park when they cross Oliphant (the main paved road).

At home, by 3:00 pm, we got back to work on a new heart-pounding booking we can hardly wait to share with all of you. It is one of the most exciting events we’ve booked over the years. It is comparable in excitement to Antarctica and fulfilling in content even far beyond our safari in the Maasai Mara.

An elephant using a tree to scratch his backside.

We’re gathering all the information now, and the post, with numerous photos, will be presented on Saturday, a mere three days from today. Yep, I love leaving our readers in suspense, and, yep, this could be a lot more exciting to us than to some of you. 

Giraffes and a youngster grazing on a tree.

We think most of our readers will be interested in this multi-faceted trip we’re planning commencing in February 2019, a mere 10 months from now.

Tonight, our new friends Gail and Mark Fox are coming for dinner, whose fascinating story we shared last month, found at this link. If you haven’t had an opportunity, check out this heart-wrenching and heartwarming story.

Kruger National Park is rife with sources of water accessible to a variety of wildlife.

Please check back daily to see what’s new as we continue to search for the unique and enticing.

Have a very special day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 18, 2017:

Prices in Manly, Australia, were high at the fishmonger’s. For example, the fish Tom caught in the ocean while fishing in the Huon Valley, Flathead Fillets, sells for AU $46.90, US $35.44 for one kilo (2.2 pounds). We prefer not to eat farmed fish, avoiding this pricey farmed salmon for AU $39.90, US $30.16 per one kilo. For more details, please click here.

Health updates…Doctor appointment in Komatipoort, South Africa…

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A giraffe against a blue sky in Kruger National Park.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A goose looking up at the sky while sitting on a tree stump in the Crocodile River.

Some mornings, when I sit down at the big table on the veranda to begin to prepare the day’s post, I’m at a loss for a few minutes. What can I say and show today that will retain the interest of our readers all over the world?

Many of our readers are from countries where life is very different from our lives and from what they know. That fact in itself is sufficient to hold their attention for a while but, over the long haul? We hope so!

The marshes along the shore of the Crocodile River.

We never want our readers to grow tired of our stories and photos, especially while we’re here during this extended period in Africa. At the very least, every 90 days, we’ll be off to other African countries to ensure we can return to South Africa, which we’re using as a base. 

In only 24 days, we’ll be leaving South Africa for Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe as we begin to round out our African experiences while complying with immigration laws.

Rapids on the Crocodile River.  No boats are allowed on this dangerous river, a habitat for crocs.

There’s no guaranty we’ll be allowed to leave and re-enter so many times in these remaining 10 months, but we’re hoping to accomplish this lofty plan we set out from the get-go.

In the interim, these 90-day stints in between our travels are filled with such purpose and pleasure that we’re beside ourselves with sheer joy. This morning as I write this at 8:15 am, we’ve already had two zebras, four bushbucks, four kudus, and dozens of Helmeted Guinea Fowl hanging out in the dirt yard in our clear view from the veranda.

Had this branch not been obstructing this elephant, she may have charged us when we suddenly came upon her while driving on the paved road in Kruger.

What a spectacular way to start the day! The first thing I see after heading outdoors after showering and dressing for the day is the wide grin on Tom’s face as he looks back at me from his steady stance at the edge of the veranda with the yellow pellet container in his hand, happy, fulfilled and excited to share what he’s seen so far. 

He gets outdoors well before me each morning. I tend to lounge in bed until 7:00 am or so, reading the world news on my phone. Once I’m up, I can get ready for the day in no time at all, highly motivated to see what’s going on.

Every night, we attempt to take photos of the bushbabies eating from the cup of yogurt we place on their little stand in a tree.

As you long-time readers so well know, we incorporate snippets of a more personal nature in our posts.  Some have asked, “Why post such personal matters?”

The answer to this is simple. There are literally millions of travel-related sites on the web, most extolling the virtues and downfalls of various tourist sites to visit throughout the world often while providing valuable information for travelers.

Tom took this photo that makes me laugh…Mutton Chops on the left and Scar-Face on the right, already on his knees in prime position for eating pellets. Of course, we complied. We love it when these two stop by, often twice a day.

We’re a little different. We include information about places we’ve seen and our experiences, good and bad.  However, we include the realities of who we are, good and bad, what we think and feel, and how we relate to each other and the world around us. 

At times, that information is highly personal; information people don’t necessarily share even when in a group of close friends.  And, here we are, sharing it with the world.

This bushbuck seems a little large to be nursing.  No doubt, mom will send her on her way to fend for herself.

For example, yesterday, we both had doctor appointments with Dr. Theo in Komatipoort, as mentioned in yesterday’s post here. We intended to review our immunization records, which we had with us, and begin updating some vaccinations sooner rather than later.

Also, I wanted to discuss my gastrointestinal issues with Dr. Theo further since the problems had recently returned after a short-term reprieve. I was so hopeful during the two-week period where the discomfort was minimal, thinking that perhaps, now that I was off the PPIs (proton pump inhibitors), which have many side effects, things would improve.

These two male zebras are now regulars, visiting every few days.

Alas, they did not. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been in terrible discomfort, dreading the prospect of having to go to Nelspruit for invasive medical tests. I’m one of those people who totally freak out having to have invasive tests. I suppose most people feel the same way but are braver than I am.

Dr. Theo examined me again and felt confident that I didn’t need invasive tests when he suggested I try another H2 blocker (i.e., Pepcid, Tagamet), which has considerably fewer side effects and may be beneficial for me what he considers to be gastritis. My blood tests results were perfect, much to our relief.

Zebra drinking from the pond after eating pellets.

He also suggested some dietary restrictions, including high in acid, such as coffee, tea, chocolate (don’t eat these anyway), and anything carbonated (there go my sparkling water and diet tonic). I’m busy checking online for highly acidic foods to ensure I avoid them, along with all the other foods and drinks I avoid anyway.

After reviewing our records, he insisted we follow through on several vaccines but only had one available in his office, the rabies vaccine, which he injected in both of us. He wanted us to wait three weeks and return for those that need to be updated, such as typhoid, hepatitis, and a few others he’s going to research for us. I love a doctor who does research rather than sticks to the “old ways’ he already knows!

This morning in the bright sunlight, two females and two babies, regular visitors stopped by for pellets.  In the background is Wart Face, who can be very bossy around the pellets.  Even the aggressive and territorial guinea fowl are scared of him.

Dr. Theo is expecting improvement for my condition within four to five days. Once again, I’m hopeful. I took the first pill last night at bedtime and actually had a great night’s sleep. Whether I can attribute this to the medication or not is questionable at this point.

Today, we’re heading out to lunch with our new neighbors Rina and Cees from The Netherlands to the same restaurant Louise and Danie had taken us to at the Border Country Inn on Easter Sunday. No doubt, we’ll have a pleasant afternoon with our next-door neighbors.

May you have a pleasing day with those near you!

Photo from one year ago today, April 17, 2017:

With the sun shining in Fairlight, Australia, we opened the sliding glass door only to have a visitor come to see what I was cooking. Carnivorous scavengers Magpies are always on the hunt for a tidbit of meat. Three Magpies visit every day to see what morsels we have for the day. Please click here for more.

The saga continues…Doctor visit…Rules for feeding wildlife…

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This flower is blooming from this greyish pod on a tree in the yard.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A Vervet monkey-eating something rousted up in the trash in the neighborhood. Due to the monkeys, there are caged bins in front of each property to enclose the garbage until the garbage truck arrives.

Soon, we’re heading to the doctor to update some of the vaccinations we’d had in Minnesota six years ago. With several boosters needed, an excellent medical clinic was recommended to us by local friends.

These two zebras stop by occasionally along with Big Daddy Kudu.

We’ve been putting this off for some after failing to follow through with a plan we made to do this in January. We’d changed our minds about going to a local clinic in Buenos Aires, feeling it would make more sense to have these done in Africa, based on potential diseases one may acquire while here.

Yesterday, after the rain, we drove toward the river to find this scene. Adorable baby hippo with mom.

Today, we both have appointments with Dr. Theo, who’s located at the following phone and address: 

Telephone +27 13 793 7306
Address Rissik Medical Centre,
71 Rissik Street,
Komatipoort, 1340

A few weeks ago, I had an appointment to see Dr. Theo when it was time to have some blood tests. Today, I’ll receive the results of those tests and will schedule my vaccinations as needed. Tom will begin his vaccinations today.

As we drove along the Crocodile River, we spotted three more hippos grazing along the shore.

After the noon appointment, we’ll head to the Spar supermarket for more groceries, the Butchery for a few items, and the Obaro hardware store to purchase a few more big bags of pellets. 

Typically, males wander the bush together while females and the young stay together.

It’s been so busy with visitors in our yard that we can barely keep up. Never more than an hour passes that we don’t see any of the dozen or so species that frequently stop by.

Even the evenings are action-packed. As it’s turned out, we have more visitors now than we did four years ago at the Hornbill property, which we loved for that very reason. The house wasn’t ideal, but the flow of visitors was exceptional.

Many local women are adept at carrying heavy loads atop their heads.

Now, we love this house and the steady stream of wildlife, many often returning several times a day, topping our numbers at Hornbill. When they look into our eyes, we feel an affinity with everyone. Sure, they come for the food, not due to their “liking us,” but we can dream, can’t we?

Even the silly mongoose sit in the yard and stare right at us, wondering when we’re getting the big green pie plate ready for them with the raw scrambled eggs. Tom always makes the concoction and lays it in the dirt for them to devour, quickly running back up the veranda as they gather around the dish in the dozens. These funny-looking little creatures have come to know he’s the food source.

In Kruger, male impalas don’t seem concerned about staying close to elephants.

As soon as they see him, they begin watching his every move in anticipation of when the egg platter will be delivered. It’s hilarious. And, the same goes for various groups of animals each of us has come to know more readily.

Some homeowners and renters in Marloth Park don’t feed the wildlife. They feel it domesticates them too much. We understand this philosophy and appreciate their position. We also struggle with this concept.

Bushbabies gently share the cup of strawberry yogurt we place on the stand for them each night. They arrive every night when darkness falls.

But, knowing many of them desperately need nourishment and based on the quality of the vegetables, fruit, and pellets we provide, we feel we’re only supplementing their grazing in the bush.

As the leaves become more sparse as winter approaches, we’re particularly mindful of this dilemma. Also, there’s the concern about who will continue to feed them when we’re off to Zambia for a week next month.

It was almost dark, and these five bushbucks arrive to enjoy some pellets together. The only two we’ve seen together are the mom and baby, who visit frequently.

These animals are intelligent. If they don’t find food here, they’ll wander off to other homes where it’s available or rely upon the bush for whatever they can find. There’s no easy answer for “to feed or not to feed.”

Here is an excellent article from the Marloth Park Honorary Rangers that reviews the feeding of various grazers in the park. It clearly defines our theory of how and what to feed the wildlife. Please click here for the article.

Scar Face and Mutton Chops now stop by several times a day, most often together.

We’ve heard stories of homeowners feeding the animals their human “leftovers.” In most cases, these are not good for them, mainly when it contains foods they don’t typically consume. Kudus (and others) have died after eating corn and other human products. 

Also, it’s important to note that it’s unacceptable to feed wildlife old or rotting food. Their bodies cannot safely process the bacteria and pathogens found in rotting food. 

A warthog mom and her relatively young piglet, a kudu, and a Vervet monkey are all on the road beyond our driveway.

We will continue to feed the wildlife pellets and fresh cut-up veggies and fruit. We’ll always pay special attention to how long it’s been since we cut up apples, carrots, and vegetables to ensure freshness and safety for our visitors.

That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back tomorrow with more, including details of our visit to Dr. Theo in Komatipoort.

May you have a healthy and enriching day!  

           Photo from one year ago today, April 16, 2017:
Not as clear as we’d like, we took this photo from quite a distance to avoid scaring this rabbit off—happy Easter to all who celebrate. For more photos, please click here.

Kruger National Park didn’t disappoint…More photos…

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Wildebeest in the bush.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A mom and her calf.

Today is US income tax filing day, although it’s tomorrow when it fell on a Sunday. Fortunately, our trusty accountant in Nevada completed our taxes, and they’re filed with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). That’s one less thing to think about. 

A vast expanse of the Crocodile River.

Over the past month or so, I’ve been gathering the data to submit after having forwarded all of our tax documents to him that had been arriving at our mailing service in Nevada since the first of the year. 

Giraffe crossing the paved road in Kruger.

We’re glad that’s behind us now as we begin to review and contemplate our upcoming itinerary. At this point, we’re considering some changes for 2019, which, once completed, we’ll post here. 

Tom says this looks like a “magistrate.”  I say it looks like a type of eagle.  Louise explained it was a Fish Eagle.

The certainty in our itinerary are the times we’ll spend in 2019 visiting family in Minnesota (our kids and grandkids), Nevada (son Richard and sister Susan), Arizona (Tom’s three sisters who spend their winters there), and California (my sister Julie and other relatives). However, the specific dates of our arrival may change slightly. 

Louise explained this is a saddled bulled stork. Thanks, Louise!

However, we’re considering swapping out a cruise for an adventure in Africa. We’ll soon share, providing it all works out. We’ve inquired with several questions and look forward to a response soon. 

Oxpecker eating insects off a giraffe’s neck.

As for the past 24 hours, we spent a glorious day and evening on the veranda. The wildlife visited us all day and evening while we reveled in taking more photos while observing their behavior.

We were excited to see this hippo and her baby. Waiting patiently, we hoped for more.

Each species has its personality traits and behaviors we find fascinating, including distinct characteristics of each animal. The longer we’re here, the more apparent this becomes and the more interested we become in discovering more and more about them.

A short time later, we were able to capture this shot.

At the moment, as we’re situated on the veranda, there’s a troop of baboons racing across the roof of our house. The noise is earsplitting. Tom is carrying an extension pole, used for cleaning the high spaces, and by holding this pole over his head and making some grunting noises, he can usually scare them off.

And then, this shot of her calf.

As much as we love all the wildlife in Marloth Park, the baboons are destructive as they can be. If somehow they manage to get inside a house, they’ll tear it to pieces in no time at all, leaving a poopy fiasco behind. 

This wildebeest was rolling around in the dirt.

We can’t leave anything outside when we leave since they won’t hesitate to destroy anything they find. This has happened once since we arrived, and although we left nothing for them to destroy, they left piles of poop and pools of pee on the veranda we promptly cleaned. Yuck. 

A southern ground hornbill.

The smaller Vervet monkeys aren’t as destructive, but they too can leave a mess behind. We often find them playing with Marta’s brooms and wet mops she leaves outdoors to dry in the side yard.

She was nibbling on vegetation.

Today, we’ll take a drive to see what wonders are awaiting us right here in Marloth Park. It rained for about 10 minutes this morning, but now it appears the sun will be coming out again soon. 

Have a bright sunny day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 15, 2017:

There’s a glitch in our system which doesn’t show a post for this date, one year ago, perhaps due to the International Dateline difference of one day.  We’re not going to try to resolve this issue.  As a result, today’s photo is from April 14, 2017:

A day at Manly Beach for school kids. For more details, please click here.

Capes, crocs and cattle egrets…Kruger National Park didn’t disappoint…Safari luck prevails…

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Seeing a crocodile in the wild is quite exciting. This croc sat there for a very long time with its mouth open. 

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Often a warthog is seen lurking in our bush photos. They’re smart. If they hang around long enough after they’ve had their fair share of pellets, we’ll throw pellets for other animals, and they can get in on the action. Tom says, “Pigs, what do you expect?” I love them anyway!

It’s 10:30 am, and I just finished loading the photos and writing the captions for the photos we’re posting today. Yesterday, during our foray to Kruger National Park, we managed to take many satisfying shots of a variety of wildlife.

Once we spotted this Cape Buffalo, we were determined to find more to take better photos. Safari luck prevailed, and a few hours later, we got the shots shown here.

Today, once again, it’s a gorgeous sunny day, not too hot, not too humid, with a slight breeze wafting through the bush every so often. As more and more visitors stop by our yard, adding to our enthusiasm, we revel in sharing the photos from Kruger we’re posting today and others we’ll include over the next few days.

Avid grazers, the Cape Buffalo can have its head in the grass for hours. It takes a lot of vegetation to satisfy the appetite of these monstrous beasts.

Here’s a list of what we found during the three pleasant hours we spent in the park: (not in any particular order)

1.  Giraffe
2.  Elephant
3.  Wildebeest
4.  Impala
5.  Kudu
6.  Duiker
7.  Crocodile
8.  Cape Buffalo
9.  Hippo and baby
10. Southern Ground Hornbill
11. Eagle
12. Vultures
13. Zebra
14. Variety of small birds

When we spotted this croc with an open mouth, we wondered what was inside. We zoomed in for the better shot, as shown in today’s main photo.

We managed to take photos of all of these species, and over the next few days, we’ll share those we found to be most interesting. Today, we decided to focus on the Cape Buffalo and crocodiles we’d yet to see since our arrival in South Africa on February 11th, after several trips into Kruger.

Another croc we saw on the opposite side of the bridge.

Kruger’s paved road runs through the massive 19,485 km² (7,523 square miles). We decided it was best to stay on this road with concern over a slow leak in one of the little blue rental car’s tires.

From this site: “The African buffalo is one of the most successful grazers in Africa. It lives in swamps and floodplains and mopane grasslands and forests of the major mountains of Africa. This buffalo prefers a habitat with dense cover, such as reeds and thickets, but can also be found in open woodland. While not particularly demanding about habitat, they require water daily, so they depend on perennial water sources. Like the plains zebra, the buffalo can live on tall, coarse grasses. Herds of buffalo mow down grasses and make way for more selective grazers. When feeding, the buffalo uses its tongue and wide incisor row to eat grass more quickly than most other African herbivores. Buffaloes do not stay on trampled or depleted areas for long.”

Some assume the only way to see the most wildlife is to get off the main road and onto the dirt roads. But we’ve found no consistency in where wildlife will be. They can be located on or near remote dirt roads, and they can just as well be found on or near the paved road. It’s the same thing here in Marloth Park.

Nor does a sunny or cloudy day seem to be determining factor as to what we’ll see.  Although, we have experienced fewer sightings during rain storms, especially with thunder and lightning. Even wildlife like to stay undercover during inclement weather.

From this site:  “The African buffalo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to Asia’s slightly larger wild water buffalo, and its ancestry remains unclear. Syncerus caffer caffer, the Cape buffalo, is the typical subspecies and the largest one found in South and East Africa. S. c. nanus (African forest buffalo) is the smallest subspecies, common in Central and West Africa forest areas, while S. c. brachyceros is in West Africa and S. c. aequinoctialis is in the savannas of East Africa. The adult buffalo’s horns are its characteristic feature; they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a “boss.” They are widely regarded as hazardous animals, as they gore and kill over 200 people every year.”

Yesterday’s beautiful sunny day enabled us to take many good photos, which we’re thrilled to share. We realize that our daily animal stories can be redundant, and some of our readers who may not be animal lovers may become bored with our site.

We attempt to divert from the magic of the wonders surrounding us, and from time to time, we do. In 28 days, we’ll be heading to Zambia and Botswana for more adventures. Although some of that trip will be about wildlife, more of it will include scenery and magnificent places to see in the wild; Victoria Falls, the Zambezi River, and the Okavango Delta.

These Cape Buffalos looked content lounging in the water at the Verhami dam on a sunny day with a few oxpeckers on their hides.

Undoubtedly, one week in that environment will result in weeks of photos and stories we’ll excitedly be sharing with all of you. Please bear with us in the interim as we continue to embrace our immediate surroundings, so rich and filled with the mystery of nature so abundantly provided.

We waited, hoping to be able to get a good photo of the Cape Buffalo’s faces.

For us, it’s a learning process along with the almost constant surge of feel-good hormones surging through our brains while we witness one heart-pounding experience after another. 

Finally, a full face shot of a Cape Buffalo, a “face only a mother could love.”

When we returned in the afternoon, we busied ourselves with a few household tasks (Marta on vacation for a week), including sweeping the veranda, which, once again was covered with soot from the burning in the sugar cane field that seems to cover everything.

On our return drive to the Crocodile Gate exit, we finally were able to get close enough while on a bridge to get some decent views of these majestic animals, one of the “Big Five.”

We invited our new next-door neighbors, Rene and Case (our ages), visiting renters like us (they’re from the Netherlands), for happy hour at 5:00 pm. It was delightful to chat with them to hear of their passion for Marloth Park, which they’ve visited regularly for many years. The commonality that we all share for this place is refreshing and heartwarming. 

We made a plan that the four of us will go to lunch on Tuesday at the Border Country Inn, where we’d gone with Louise and Danie on Easter Sunday. (They are in Cape Town now, returning next Friday. We already miss them!)

Cattle egret in a marshy area at the Crocodile Bridge exit.

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll be back at you tomorrow with more!   

Have a happy and fulfilling day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 14, 2017:

Surfers took advantage of the excellent surf in Manly, Australia. For more, please click here.

We’re off to Kruger National Park today…Exciting sighting from Marloth Park into Kruger…

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There’s nothing as heartwarming as any animal, and it’s young, especially baby elephants.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Last night Scar Face, Mutton Chops and Wart Face all showed up at the same time. We happily tossed them several cups of pellets.

Up, dressed, and outside by 6:30 am, we decided to hurry with today’s post and try to get going to Kruger early but got sidetracked doing some household tasks. It appears we won’t be out the door until around 10:30 am.

We were thrilled to see these fantastic scenes while standing at the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park.

Many assume that going into Kruger must be a very early undertaking, yet we’ve seen so much midday that we aren’t concerned about going in a little bit later than some prefer by starting as early as 5:00 am when the park opens.

Some of the young were born this season, while other slightly larger elephants may have been born last year. The young females may stay with their moms and the matriarch for life while males are tossed out by thirteen or fourteen years old.

Now that the holiday crowd is gone, it won’t be too busy in the massive park, although many newcomers will have arrived for the weekend. It won’t matter much to us since often, in a three or four-hour period, we may only see a dozen cars at most, along with a few safari vehicles.

A few days ago, we drove along the Crocodile River while still in Marloth Park to find this “parade” of elephants.

Not all spectators like to do the self-drive, especially those who’ve never been inside the park in the past. There may be a bit of trepidation in driving through this rough and wild terrain for possibly hundred of kilometers surrounded by massive wild animals, some of which could easily tip over a car, especially by elephants.

There were dozens in this sighting, but they were scattered along this lush area of vegetation on the river.

There are many rules posted about doing a self-drive in the park due to the risk of being attacked by wild animals. However, the chances are minimal if one stays in their vehicle and respects a distance when observing animals. For a full list of the safety rules, please click here.

Of course, one wouldn’t want to get a flat tire in the park and have to change it. That would be very scary. In those cases, it’s best to call for help at one of the emergency numbers listed in the map book.

We could see them in every direction, which was on the side of the Crocodile River, closest to us.

This morning Tom took the little blue car to the petrol station to fill the tires with air.  The little car’s tires are small and, for some reason, tend to get low on these bumpy dirt roads.

We were so close we hardly had to use any zoom on the camera.

Louise loaned us a dongle (a Wi-Fi hot spot) we can use during our remaining time in Africa. She loaded one gig of data which should last quite a while for emergency purposes. Plus, it’s excellent to use MAPS on our phones for navigation when in unfamiliar areas.

As for the past 24 hours, we’ve been having the time of our lives. At least once an hour, we have visitors, as many as eight to ten species in a day. We may see many repeat visits throughout the day of those species, enjoying them just as much when they return.

Hearing their sounds was music to our ears.

As time goes on, they’ve come to recognize us as we develop our precious means of communication by looking into each other’s eyes. One female kudu has come to know me as she approaches the veranda, begging me to pay attention to her. 

There were no less than six or eight babies in this sighting.

She’s one of few animals I’ll feed from my hand. She nudges me, insisting on it, preferring my hand to eat pellets, carrots, and apples off the ground. Of course, I scrub my hands afterward, each time. But this level of intimacy between us and nature is what brought us back to this magical place after four years away.

So now, as I quickly wrap up today’s post so we can take off for Kruger on a bright sunny day, after many days of clouds and rain, we’re as excited as if it was the first time. One never knows what one may discover.

This may have been a mom and some aunts watching over the baby. Their hides were dark from being in the muddy water.

And if we come back empty-handed, we need only park our butts in the comfy chairs at the big table and wait patiently. They’ll come. They always do.

Enjoy today’s elephant photos we took while cruising along the Crocodile River from the Marloth Park side of the fence.  See, we don’t even have to leave to have magic happen.

Have a magical day of your own.

Photo from one year ago today, April 13, 2017:
A pier in Manly, Australia busy with beach-goers and diners. For more details, please click here.

Scar Face and Mutton Chops…A busy morning in the bush…

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This morning Tom took photos of this injured or malformed warthog.  Empathizing with him, Tom gave him an abundance of pellets which he happily gobbled up. Whatever may have caused this anomaly retained the wart in its usual position, although it’s smaller. Hence his new name, “Scar Face.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Waterbucks are found near the river. Each has “target-like” markings on its hind ends.

Over these past few days, we’ve been busier with visitors coming by more than any other time since we arrived on February 11th or when we were here four years ago.

Side view of Scar Face. 

Whether we’re chopping carrots or apples, restocking the small yellow pellet container from the huge trash can container we keep in the living room, or filling the red plastic measuring cup with bird seeds we keep in the freezer, now that the tourists have wafted away, we’re practically busy all day long.

Scar Face visited with his friend whom we aptly named “Mutton Chops” for those of us who recall the expression  From this site:  “Sideburns, sideboards, or side whiskers are patches of facial hair grown on the sides of the face, extending from the hairline to run parallel to or beyond the ears. The term sideburns is a 19th-century corruption of the original burnsides, named after American Civil War general Ambrose Burnside, a man known for his unusual facial hairstyle that connected thick sideburns by way of a mustache, but left the chin clean-shaven.”

Then, of course, there is the process of taking photos we feel may be worthy of sharing here.  Not all we take fit into that category. But as all you amateur photographers like us so well know, one can take dozens of shots to get the one worthy of sharing. (Tom took many of today’s photos).

Ms. Kudu munching on some tasty leaves on a tree closest to the veranda.

Add the daily meal prep, a little bit of cleaning (Marta does the bulk of it), and our almost daily drives in the park. Our days are packed with activity. One might assume our days sitting on the veranda are uneventful other than the occasional visit by animals or people. 

After Tom gave them many pellets, they both needed some moisture; one drank from the pond while the other munched on vegetation.

But, that’s not the case. The days fly by so quickly with the flurry of activity coupled with our intense enjoyment of our environment. It is almost as if we didn’t have enough time to embrace them thoroughly.

This uneven dirt road with ruts and bumps is typically found in Marloth Park. When we explore, most roads create a very bumpy ride.

In our own way, we take a breath and stop to capture the moment, not just with the camera but in our minds, hoping to recall every day to memory as the days march on in rapid succession,

Luckily, we have our past posts to fill us in when we can’t recall a date or specific event. Uploading our daily posts is not only well-worth sharing our stories and photos with all of you, but it provides us with easy and handy references to every single day of our lives.

Two male zebras didn’t seem to mind Marta walking out to the clothesline.

That, in itself, would be enough inspiration to keep us posting indefinitely. Do you recall each day of a holiday/vacation if it weren’t for your photos and observations posted on various social media sites? 

During the mating season, in full bloom now, the kudu’s necks and glans near his neck swell to enormous proportions. Kudus are also very muscular, year-round.

Most of us would not recall each day. Those memories would meld into a single instance of “taking a trip” while spending the time to relax and rejuvenate. One may recall specific activities, but idle time is what’s most difficult to remember and, it’s often during those times that we rejuvenate and refresh the most.

Big Daddy always appreciates early morning pick-me-up pellets. 

Does our busy life allow us time to unwind? We’ve made certain of that, especially now that we’ve incorporated a hectic social life into our routine. Quiet time is sacred to us and always has been.

Frank (our resident francolin) always stops by to see “what’s cooking.”

After completing the day’s post, it’s often 1:00 pm, occasionally later, such as yesterday’s late posting when we’d gone to Komatipoort to shop for a few items. Monday morning, we’ll do the same.

Early this morning, two male impalas checked out Tom, seated at the big table on the veranda around 6:15 am. A blue garbage bag flew into the yard overnight, which we tossed.

Today will be a quiet day. I’m dragging from a poor night’s sleep for whatever reason, hoping to get in a short nap later in the day. Sometimes it’s hard to shut off my brain. Do you know the feeling?

May your day be pleasant and quiet if you so chose.

Photo from one year ago today, April 12, 2017:

Sailing is popular in the Sydney area when conditions are right. For more photos, please click here.

Heartwarming ostrich story…Watch the progression of this story as it unfolded before our eyes…

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This is a close-up of Mom, not necessarily the cutest face on the planet. Ostriches have the largest eyes of any land animal.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A giraffe’s neck is somewhat flexible, but we don’t often see one seated and stretching as in this photo.

To witness a story of life, love and instinct is truly a privilege. Yesterday afternoon, on our almost daily drive in the park looking for precisely these types of miracles, we were gifted with a sighting neither of us will ever forget.

To see the mom and baby was rather exciting. We’ve seen many larger ostrich chicks since we returned to Marloth but none this young.

We had a plan in mind when we took off from our holiday home around noon; we’d head to the hippo pools located at the end of the caravan park; then we’d drive down Seekoei, the road that runs along the Crocodile River in Kruger National Park.

We gasped when we saw this adorable ostrich chick who couldn’t have been more than a month old.

From there, we’d return to a particular spot we found a few days ago where we had a most exciting up-close experience, which we’ll soon share. Along the way, we’d stop at the overlook with the brick structure where we always check for activity along the river.

Even with a plan in mind, we’re always looking for any potential diversions that may take us in another direction should nature present a situation we find interesting. Yesterday’s drive gave us precisely one of those situations that neither of us will ever forget. Who knew?

They decided to take a turn off Olifant and head down Volstruis Road.

As we drove on Olifant Drive, the main paved road in Marloth Park (there only are a few paved roads in the park), as usual, our eyes are peeled for any movement in the bush, along the road, or in the yards of bush houses along the way.

Mom kept a watchful eye for traffic or intruders as they crossed Olifant and headed down Volstruis. Of course, traffic stopped for them while onlookers were equally entranced by the special sighting.

We’ve both developed a keen eye for any action, and Tom’s expert driving is quick to get us into the correct position for the maximum viewing and photo-taking opportunity.

Finally, they were away from traffic and moseyed on down the road with ease and confidence.

This almost daily ritual consists of realistic expectations. We could drive for two hours and never see a thing, but with our penchant for safari luck, invariably, we find something spectacular in one way or another. At times, we’re amazed by our good fortune.

Mom walked with determination straight down the center of the road.

At other times, we shrug our shoulders, acknowledging that this is Marloth Park, after all, and it is what one can expect if they stay diligent, consistent, patient, and determined. That’s us for sure.

Apparently, from what we’ve read, ostriches keep their mouths open when they are in protection mode. The youngster has already developed this characteristic.

When we first spotted a female ostrich walking along Olifant Drive, it took only a second to spot her adorable chick cheerfully tagging along with his mom.  She kept an experienced watchful eye for traffic or any other potential hazards while her youngster followed her lead or often walked in front of her.

Then, they saw Dad coming their way.  The chick’s pace picked up the moment she spotted him. Look at the far end of the dirt road to see him coming!  His feathers are dark.

We could have taken our photos of the two of them and been perfectly content. A sighting of a mom ostrich and her chick certainly could have been enough for the day and, in essence, the highlight of the day’s drive.

As we watched, even he had picked up his pace to get to his family.

But, for some reason, we decided to hang back as much as possible and follow them for a bit, as they took off on Volstruis Road, a quiet side street with less traffic and activity. We stayed out of their way, never blocking them or getting so close enough to cause any stress.

As she and her chick proudly made their way down the quiet road, we were in awe of the elegant command in their demeanor as they walked to whatever their destination may have been. We soon found out what that would be!

Dad must have wanted time alone with his chick as he headed into the bush, as shown in this photo while the chick followed him, running as fast as he could.  Mom maintained watch on the road.

Parked at the side of the road, we spotted something dark moving toward them at quite a distance. The longer we watched, we realized it was a darker feathered male ostrich. Was it a coincidence he was approaching or, in their mysterious means of communication which we’ll never know, were they planning to meet at this spot?

Look closely to see the chick next to him in this photo. 

We’d only know when they came face to face. Would she and the chick head into the bush in fear of an unknown male? Would they merely walk past one another without acknowledgment?  Or was there some connection we’d witness right before our eyes? 

The closer he came, the chick watched him, and then…much to our delight, the chick began running toward him. “Dad!” We could see the enthusiasm when they were upon one another.

Mom preened her feathers during security duty.  Ostriches generally mate for life.

Dad chose to engage with his chick in the bush while Mom held back on the road, checking for predators, cars, or other annoyances or threats. From time to time, she watched them, appearing to have a smile on her less-than-lovely face. 

How they managed to plan this rendezvous escapes us, but we decided to take it at face value…they had a plan. Marloth Park is 3,000 hectares, 7,413 acres.  This was no chance encounter. 

Dad and chick never left each other’s side.

We watched the interactions for quite a while and finally decided to be on our way. If we never had another animal encounter for the remainder of the day, we’d be fine.

Back at home later, we couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces. But, shortly after that, we spotted a hippo on the river, several warthogs and herds of impalas in the bush, and a lizard crossing the road. It was a good day.

The chick was nestled in the grass close to Dad’s legs, as shown here.

We had a relatively quiet evening at home, dining on leftovers from the prior evening, and around 7:30, the power went out, not returning fully until 11:00 am this morning. 

We weren’t interested in sitting on the veranda in total darkness, so we wandered indoors, watched a show on my laptop, and finally hunkered down in bed with whatever battery life we had left on our phones.

If all we’d have seen in the entire day were this one hippo on the river with oxpeckers on its back, we’d have been thrilled.  Little did we know…

Before doing today’s post, we headed to Komatipoort to pick up a few groceries and returned. We both tossed and turned all night without AC, but luckily it wasn’t scorching, although it was very humid during the rainy night. , No sooner than we walked in the door at 11:00 am, the powerfully came back on. Thank goodness.

Today, a much-needed rainy day, we’re staying put. There’s no point in driving on the rough dirt roads in the rain or attempting to take distant photos. We’re content, especially after yesterday’s ostrich family sighting and, of course, with all the visitors we’ve already had so far today.

May your day bring you contentment.

P.S. Our dear friend Danie, here in Marloth Park, a native South African who speaks Afrikaans, wrote a comment at the end of today’s post after publication to inform us of the Volstruis. In Afrikaans means “ostrich!” What a coincidence! Thanks, Danie!!!

Photo from one year ago today, April 11, 2017:

They are peeking through the vegetation to Reef Beach Bay in Fairlight, Australia. For more photos, please click here.