In an attempt to avoid “tooting one’s horn”…Kindness means so much…

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A lone giraffe in the bush.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A croc was making an appearance in the river.  From this site: “Crocodiles can submerge and remain underwater for a variety of reasons. In most voluntary dives, crocodiles stay underwater for between 10 to 15 minutes. If the crocodile tries to hide from a threat, dive length may be longer, up to 30 minutes or more. Most crocodiles can remain underwater for up to 2 hours if pressed.”

Our world travels aren’t always about “us.” As we meet and engage with the locals, we often find opportunities to “do good works” for those in need. It isn’t always about handing over money, although when circumstances are correct, we do.  

At times, it’s about doing something special for an individual and their family. At other times, it’s about generosity and kindness in varying forms and degrees. We choose not to write about these occasions. Doing so would merely be in an attempt to gain recognition or accolades for “doing good works.”

What a lovely scene on the Crocodile River, as seen from Marloth Park.

When wealthy celebrities donate money to various situations and causes, there are many forms of media covering the exchange to make the donor “look good” and enhance their public image.  

 No doubt, it’s done with good intentions to provide funds and foundations for many causes, disaster relief, and poverty. But, strip away the ability to do it anonymously, and one wonders among them would still contribute.

This elephant climbed the big rocks for a better view.

But, for the “small folks” like us with limited resources and a fixed income, we don’t have the luxury of donating the more significant share of our income. We give as we can when circumstances are right.

 Long ago, when we encountered such situations that felt right for us, we decided we had no need or desire to write about them here in an attempt to “toot our own horn” or “make us look good.”  

Crossing the shallow river…

In our hearts and minds, we are at peace with the fact that our travels are not entirely about our pleasure and enrichment. It’s about somehow, in some way, giving back something of ourselves that matters to someone we meet along the way. That’s all we need.

 Gee, I don’t want to sound like we’re looking for accolades for our philosophy.  We’re not. We’re mentioning this as a preface to a bit of story we’re sharing today that didn’t include generosity on our part but was merely a matter of circumstance, perhaps somewhat serendipitously, more than anything.

The Crocodile River views vary depending on the banks from which we’re shooting photos. The amount of water varies from day today.

When the screen on my still-working cellphone cracked, which wasn’t noticeable when used in a darkened room, and I’d run out of storage space with too many apps, we decided I’d get a new phone that we shared yesterday’s post here.

 We decided we’d drop off the old phone at an electronics recycle facility once we reset the phone to delete all of my content. This is what we usually do with obsolete digital equipment in most countries. But, it was a shame to get rid of an otherwise well-operating smartphone.

This elephant appears almost black after being in the water.

We decided we’d ask Martha, our housekeeper, if she could use the phone after I wiped out all my data. Keeping in mind she doesn’t speak English very well, when we showed her the phone asking if she likes it, her response was priceless. She enthusiastically hugged us both. What a coincidence! Her old phone had stopped working for calling.

 Martha has a large family, and being unable to stay in touch was hard for her, as one would imagine. She lives in a tiny house on the grounds of this house and visits family on her days off. She doesn’t do Facebook, email, or any other forms of social media. She likes to make calls and play games. This we could accomplish for her.

These orange blooms on aloe bushes are commonly seen during the winter months in the bush.

We all giggled over the irony of me buying a new phone and needing to dispose of an old phone, which ultimately meant so much to her.  We didn’t do anything special other than avoiding a trip to a recycling store. It only took moments of our time to set it up for her, certainly less than we’d have spent driving to a recycling facility.

 The quality of our lives is often about the little kindnesses we receive, ultimately striving to pay it forward. Kindnesses include dining at Uschi and Evan’s fabulous home in the bush last night with Evan’s mom Ester joining us,  a delicious meal perfect for my way of eating with some of the best conversations in the land.

Recently on a scorching day, we spotted dozens of elephants by the river.

Kindness means Louise and Danie were bringing us knives, a cutting board, and a food processor, and many more endless generosities they provide day after day. Kindness means the workers who came to our house to help when Martha was away, graciously greeted us each day, and did a fine job fulfilling our expectations. 

A Big Daddy (kudu) crossing the road in Marloth Park.

Kindness means our beautiful friends in Marloth Park, including Kathy and Don (and many more) who introduced us to their friends who have included us in their lives, inviting us to their homes and social events, always making us feel welcomed and special.

It goes on and on, and we are grateful for every gesture, big and small, that we are gifted with day after day and for the opportunity to bestow kindness in return.

One of our favorites, Mom and Baby Bushbuck. We place their pellets on the bottom step to keep guinea fowls away.

As for kindness, we want to thank all of our readers for their thoughtful email messages, for continuing to “travel” on this journey with us, making every day more precious and meaningful.

May kindness come your way today and always!

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

In the villa in Atenas, Costa Rica, the end of the kitchen island with the sinks had a stepped-down countertop with a shorter barstool. This spot was ideal for sitting and chopping, and dicing. For more photos, please click here.

Tom’s latest haircut…A new look and…A new smartphone purchase in South Africa…

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Tom’s excellent new haircut. She cut his hair this time as opposed to using the electric clippers. Cost with a tip?  ZAR 130, US $9.35 (includes tip).  Wow!  I love the beard!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A band of mongoose stopped by for raw scrambled eggs. Note the green dish in the right-center of the photo.

When Tom grew a beard in Bali, he quickly became frustrated with it when he said it was “scratchy” on the pillowcase when he was trying to sleep. As light sleepers, any distraction can prevent a good night’s sleep.

Recently, when he hadn’t shaved for a day or two, I raved about the stubble, he decided to give it another try. So far, so good. We all enjoy seeing our beloved significant other with a new look from time to time, don’t we?

I can’t say I shake it up much, living this lifestyle, but as I continue to work on my weight loss, albeit slowly but successfully, that’s all the new look he’s getting out of me. 

Tom’s wild hair before the haircut.

Later, I’ll disclose how much I’ve lost and how I’ve done it. It may be another two months until I reach my goal. I’m only losing about .5 kg (one pound) a week at this point, although I never “cheat.”

Yesterday, we decided to head to Komatipoort a little early and left before I’d finished the day’s post, as mentioned in yesterday’s post. On the way to Spar Center, we stopped at the Pep Cell Phone Store first to no avail. There wasn’t a single phone in that store that appealed to me.

Realizing I probably wouldn’t keep a new phone for more than a year, the price was a major consideration. As it turned out, I left the Vodacom store a few doors from the market with one of the most expensive phones in the inventory price at ZAR 2500, US $179.86.

Within an hour, another band of mongoose came by for eggs, or…was it the same group that was here earlier?  These animals and others are very tricky in making us think they are a new batch of visitors!

Of course, there’s no required contract when buying “unlocked” phones to which one can add two separate SIM cards, one for voice, another for data. Once I selected the phone I wanted, as shown in the photo, the salesperson put my existing voice SIM card in the new phone, and I was ready to pay.

Not unexpectedly, their credit card machine didn’t work (this happened years ago at this same location when we tried to buy data), so Tom headed to the neighboring bank’s ATM for the cash. 

In the interim, the store’s tech guy showed up and got the handheld credit card processing device to process my credit card purchase finally. We can always use the extra Tom got from the ATM, so it was no big deal.

My new smartphone, purchased yesterday at the Vodacom store in Komatipoort.

Actually, this happens a lot here. After all, this is Africa, not the USA, and services don’t always work as expected, seamlessly and without complications. Networks are often down, electricity is often down, and packages don’t arrive as anticipated.

Our package containing hundreds of dollars of supplies, shipped from the US on May 28th, has yet to arrive. Dear Louise has taken over the daunting task of getting the package sent to Marloth Park. 

The postal service has acknowledged it has arrived in Pretoria after successfully going through customs. But the language barrier has been an obstacle that seems to have impeded the conversations when we did manage to get someone on the line. We’ve called no less than 10 times, seeking an answer. We’ll see how it rolls out, posting the results here.

Last night, our next-door neighbors stayed in the house for two and stopped by for happy hour. We had a great time with Lydia and her son Jody from Amsterdam.

When we returned to the house, we put away the groceries, after which I finished and uploaded the day’s post. I was anxious to get my new phone up and running with all my favorite apps.

The process went as smoothly as I hoped, and within a few hours, the new phone was loaded with all my information and apps. Although I rarely make a phone call on the smartphone, I usually use it for the same types of mindless drivel most people do. It was a relief to have this handled.

Last night, tourists from Amsterdam who are renting the house next door joined us for sundowners on our veranda. With the outdoor heater on low, we were able to stay comfortable at the big table. We had a great time with Lydia and Jordy and have already connected on Facebook.

There’s a tinge of green developing in the bush after on and off drizzling over the past few days. This little bit of rain can be so beneficial for the grazing wildlife.

Tonight, we’re invited to dinner at friend’s Uschi and Evan’s home. We have no doubt this will be another enjoyable evening in the bush. Still, the wildlife visitor count is low, and we’re looking forward to Monday when the tourist traffic thins out, and our animal’s friends return to our garden.

Have a fabulous summer weekend for some and winter weekend for those of us on this side of the world!

Photo from one year ago today, August 10, 2017:

One year ago today, we booked the Protea Hotel in Buenos Aires, where we stayed while awaiting the cruise to Antarctica. We ate the eggs, cheese and meats only, no cereals, milk, pastries or fruit. The nightly rate included this breakfast. For more details, please click here.

Rain, at long last…Few visitors last night…Today is Women’s Day in South Africa, a national holiday…

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Wildebeest Willie is drinking from the cement pond.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

It’s a little bit challenging finding a comfortable position when you have razor-sharp tusks!

Miraculously, last night it rained and continues to drizzle throughout the day. It’s cold again, today as low as 13C (55F), and after the scorching day recently, this feels very cold. Thank goodness for the outdoor heat lamp that enabled us to stay outdoors last night and will again tonight. It makes all the difference in the world.

As for last night’s visitors, we were pleasantly surprised when no less than eight warthogs, some we didn’t know, stopped by to say hello and check out the pellet situation. It was pretty good, they observed.

View of the Crocodile River from the overlook.

A short while later, several bushbucks and two duikers, female and male, all of whom we do know, appeared, anxious to get in on the action. It was easy for us to help them participate. 

 We got up to feed them several times during dinner, leaving our dinners to get cold. This is such a common practice. We no longer mind a bit. Now, chilled to the bone, we’re still sitting outdoors while the drizzle continues hoping to see more and more vegetation turn green for the wildlife. It’s a happy occasion in the park today.

Three little pigs…not so little…Mom and babies eating pellets at the bottom of the steps, intended for Ms. Bushbuck.

We thought it is important to mention that instead of frequently apologizing for late postings, in the future, please plan to see a post between the usual posting time and five hours later. We’re so busy here in Marloth Park. We often head out on mornings to shop, go to Kruger, or head out on a drive, especially when we see notices posted on Facebook on unusual sightings.

 As much as it seems we may have idle time, we’re swamped each day with only a few idle hours in the late afternoon. I’m sure this is the case with many retirees. How did we ever manage to have a “regular” job and get anything done?  

Croc lounging on the bank of the Crocodile River.

We’ve often heard retirees make such comments as “I’m busier now than when I worked.” I suppose it’s no different for us when each day we strive to engage in more fodder for the next day’s stories and photos, have a social life, cook most of our meals while spending the bulk of each day interacting and observing wildlife.

Tom says, “Being retired, I get up every day with nothing to do, and by noon, I’m three hours behind.” Hahaha, so true.

Three zebra butts.

Add the fact we spend at least three to four hours each day preparing a post, proofreading, taking and managing photos, and coordinating photo ops for future posts. It’s surprising to us that we have any time at all left for frivolity. But, we make sure we do.

So, for now, we’re back from shopping for the next week until we depart for Zambia and Botswana next Thursday. We’ve eaten almost everything in the big freezer except for two boxes of fish we recently purchased from the traveling “fish guy.”  

Little Wart Face often naps in our garden.  He’s so at home here.

If the power goes out for an extended period while we’re gone, Lousie and Danie will rescue the fish and other frozen items in the fridge’s freezer and put it all on ice.No worries.

Today, when we drove to Komatipoort to shop, we noticed the pharmacy was closed at 10:00 am. While at the Vodacom store purchasing my new phone (more on that tomorrow), the sales staff stated that due to Women’s Day in South Africa as a national holiday, the pharmacy would open for only one hour. How weird was that?

Vervet monkey on a rock on the bank of the river.

For details on this holiday, see below from this link:

National Women’s Day
National Women's Day.jpg
Women in Lesotho at a National Women’s Day protest against violence against women at the National University of Lesotho
Observed by Republic of South Africa
Date 9 August
First time 9 August 1995

“National Women’s Day is a South African public holiday celebrated annually on 9 August. The day commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20,000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country’s pass laws that required South Africans defined as “black” under The Population Registration Act to carry an internal passport, known as a pass, that served to maintain population segregation, control urbanization, and manages migrant labor during the apartheid era.

The first National Women’s Day was celebrated on 9 August 1994. On 9 August 1956, more than 20,000 South African women of all races staged a march on the Union Buildings against the proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act of 1950, commonly referred to as the “pass laws.” In 2006, a reenactment of the march was staged for its 50th anniversary, with many of the 1956 march veterans.

The march was led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, and Sophia Williams. Other participants included Frances Baard, a statue unveiled by Northern Cape Premier Hazel Jenkins in Kimberley (Frances Baard District Municipality) on National Women’s Day 2009. The women left 14,000 petitions at the office doors of prime minister J.G. Strijdom.

The women stood silently for 30 minutes and then started singing a protest song composed in honor of the occasion: Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo! (Now you have touched the women, you have struck a rock.). In the years since, the phrase (or its latest incarnation: “you strike a woman, you strike a rock”) has come to represent women’s courage and strength in South Africa.”

Moms and babies.

What an important day for South African women! We wish the very best for every woman as they are reminded of this critical period in time to celebrate together.

We’d heard about this important day of celebration but had no idea some stores would be closed or open for only short spans of time. After keeping an eye out, we managed to get into the store during the one-hour-open period and purchase a few toiletries for our upcoming trip.

Five waterbucks and lots of elephants near the river.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos from Tom’s new haircut and the story of purchasing a new smartphone in South Africa, where there certainly are a few differences from buying in the US.

Have a spectacular day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 9, 2017:

The view of the main pool from the master bedroom in the villa in Costa Rica. These sliding doors and others on an adjacent wall open wide with fine screens to keep out insects. It was such a treat for us to have screens! For more photos, please click here.

Another school holiday period in Marloth Park…All is not as it seems…

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Dad and his offspring posing for a photo we’d taken on yesterday’s drive.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

The elephant’s hides appear black after they’ve been in the river.

It was a slow start to the day today. I spent almost two hours early this morning talking to my sister Julie on Skype, most of which was spent laughing. Then, I spent time prepping for tonight’s dinner with the help of a new appliance Louise and Danie purchased for our use, as a most exciting surprise, a food processor, as shown in the photo below.

This handy food processor will save so much time for food prep.

The use of this handy appliance will cut my chopping and dicing down about 80%, saving time for more important things in life, like watching wildlife, taking photos, socializing, and enjoying our day-to-day lives. With the new knives, cutting board, and this appliance, kitchen tasks have a whole new meaning.

We always laugh when seeing ostriches with their mouths open which helps them stay cool. When we took this photo yesterday, it was 37C (98.6F). Today it’s much cooler.

After my vegetables were ready to be roasted in the oven, we realized it was time for Tom’s haircut at the local salon/barber next to Daisy’s Den. We purchased birdseed and other miscellaneous items.

Yesterday we encountered an extraordinary elephant sighting on the Crocodile River when we counted over 50 of the magnificent beasts.

We turned off the oven, knowing we’d be back in no time and could fire it up when we returned. With these few distractions, we’re now back at the house, and I’m making every effort to get today’s post uploaded before too long.

This photo was an optical illusion…quite confusing.

Today starts yet another school holiday, and three houses close to us are involved in one type of construction or another. There’s lots of noise, to say the least, which will probably continue for several days.

This lone elephant, covered in mud from the wading in the river

When there’s noise to this degree, the wildlife stays away. This morning we noticed our favorite male bushbuck considering coming into our garden. But, he stayed hidden on the side of the house, fearful of all the noise. As hard as we tried to encourage him to approach, he wasn’t willing to take the risk.

We realize that many of our photos consist of elephants. But, it’s difficult to resist the lure of these magical animals.

As much as we talk to the animals and feed them pellets and vegetables, they still are wild animals, and they must feel safe to approach. Subsequently, we expect these next several days until the holiday period ends on Sunday night, to be very noisy from people and very quiet from wildlife.

There were quite a few youngsters in the parade.

We’ll have to entertain ourselves otherwise. We’re curious to see how tonight rolls out when the noise is made for the day, but the park will be filled with arriving tourists, talking loud, playing loud music in their cars, driving fast, and filling up the bumpy dirt roads with traffic.

Based on the heat of the day, many of them assembled at the river.

By the time we return from Zambia and Botswana on August 23rd, the holiday season will almost be entirely over, with tourists no longer arriving as often from summer in Europe and other parts of the world.

Waterbucks always stay close to the river.

After this holiday season ends, it should be relatively quiet here in Marloth Park until the Christmas holiday season begins. Four and a half years ago, we were here during that period, and indeed it was pretty busy.   

When we arrived on December 2, 2013 (click here for that link), we had no frame of reference for how quiet it can be here. When the holiday season ended after the first of the year, the peace became blissful. Surely, it will be that way again soon. 

It’s incredible how they maneuver their heavy bodies up steep embankments.

For today, we’ll lay low as we continue with research for our future travels. It’s a never-ending process as we delve into countries we’d like to visit in years to come. For now, we’ve decided our current itinerary will work for us, although it will require a very long travel day(s) when we leave Kenya on March 8th.

Tomorrow, we’ll shop in Komatipoort and Lebombo. My phone’s screen suddenly cracked all over (I didn’t drop it), and I need a replacement that can last until we return to the US in April. 

It’s always challenging taking photos impeded by the wire fence between Marloth Park and Kruger. But, we do somehow manage to work around it for most shots.

There’s a phone store by the market, and hopefully, I’ll find something satisfactory. In Africa, they tend to carry older models of digital equipment of any type, so we’ll see how it goes. I’ll report back here with what I’ve found.

Enjoy today’s photos taken yesterday on a scorching day as we drove along the Crocodile River. The extreme heat brought many elephants down the steep embankment to the river, and we had the heavenly benefit of watching them cool off.

Have a cool and calm day!  

Photo from one year ago today, August 8, 2017:

In La Perla villa in Costa Rice, a double garage was below the screening room. The maintenance man and groundskeeper, Ulysses, has an apartment to the left of the garage. Otherwise, we occupied the remainder of the gorgeous house.  For more details, please click here.

Bird lover’s paradise…Animal lover’s paradise…

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This morning’s four hornbills love our birdfeeder.

“Sightings of the Day in the Bush”

A typical day at “home,” drying a little laundry in the sun, and a zebra stops by.

We can hardly describe ourselves as expert bird watchers. But as enthusiastic animal watchers, birds certainly provide us with considerable entertainment, as witnessed in many of our posts over the years.

Whether it was hand-feeding kookaburras in Fairlight Australia, setting out seeds for our all-time favorite singing red cardinal in Hawaii, or observing the nesting and hatching of albatross chicks in Kauai, we never failed to take the time to watch and enjoy our feathered friends.
Laughing doves are frequent visitors to our feeder.

Here in Marloth Park, we can enjoy a wide array of birds in our garden or when out on frequent drives through the park or during any foray to Kruger National Park for the day.

Louise recently loaned us a bird book for common South Africa’s birds arranged by color, but I continue to struggle to find the names of birds we’ve seen in the garden and when out.  

This is a streaky-headed seedeater, aptly named, who loves the birdfeeder.

I partly blame myself for becoming frustrated when I don’t correctly pin down the bird’s features efficiently enough to find the photo in the book. At that point, I’ll look online and then, as a last resort, pester our bird-enthusiast friends Lynne and Mick, who live in the UK and part-time in Marloth Park, and friend Louise in Kauai, Hawaii.

When they go to Kruger, they’re searching for birds while reveling in spotting other wildlife. For us, it’s the other way around. We’re looking for other wildlife and happen to come across birds in the process.

Ostriches tend to hang around a specific territory in Marloth Park.  We’ve yet to have any in our garden this time.  However, when we were here in 2013, we had an enthusiastic visitor. To see those photos, please click here.

I suppose it’s a matter of personal preference. Also, it’s not as if one can’t be enthusiastic and expert in both areas. For us, it’s a matter of where our attention is focused at any given time, and although we aren’t experts in either aspect of wildlife viewing, we quickly can wrap our minds around appreciating both.

In other words, it revolves around the lyrics from the old song, “Love the One You’re With,” which I guess applies to many areas of life, including wherever we happen to be at any given moment, loving the one you’re with, the place we’re living at the time, the scenery we’re embracing, and the wildlife we’re incorporating into our daily lives.

Early morning dewdrops on the back of the head of a helmeted guinea fowl, permanent residents in our garden.  Typically, dozens of these birds hovering in the bush, waiting for us to toss pellets to other animals.  They peck at the pellets to break them up into bite-sized pieces.

Perhaps, that’s what travel is all about, getting outside your comfort zone, seeking the unusual, the new, the unique, and the enchanting to expand one’s horizons and furthers our personal growth.

The difference for our way of life, essentially as homeless drifters, nomads, or wanderers, we’re always seeking to learn and grow through our surroundings, whether it’s rich with birds or other wildlife or exquisite scenery and vegetation.

On any given day, there may be as many as 60 of these turkey-like birds hanging out in our garden. They wait underneath the birdfeeder for other birds to drop seeds while they eat.

The world is a magical place, filled with rife, worry, war, and disharmony. One day it could all be gone. We can only pray and play whatever role possible in striving to keep our exquisite surroundings intact. 

Photo from one year ago today, August 7, 2017:

Early morning view of low-lying clouds in Atenas, Costa Rica.  For more photos, please click here.

Elephant Day!…Never cease to amaze us!….

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This may have been the huge matriarch.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This zebra posed for a photo between the fronds of a plant on the veranda.

Driving through Marloth Park is almost as exciting as driving through Kruger National Park. Knowing we can drive less than 10 minutes on the bumpy dirt roads, which if on smooth surfaces would take only a few minutes, inspires us to venture out as often as possible.

We’re seldom disappointed. With sheer determination and patience, we have the opportunity to see a side of the river that visitors to Kruger can’t access from the roads, a bird’s eye view of what transpires on the wildlife-rich Crocodile River.
As usual, we were quite a distance from them, doing our best to get decent photos.
I can’t begin to describe the bumpiness of the roads in Marloth Park. It’s almost as if you’re on the ride at a carnival called the “tilt-a-whirl,” except it’s even more of a wild ride with all the ruts, potholes, hills, and ridges, like none other we’ve seen anywhere.
The attention and care adult elephants provide for their young, and each other is breathtaking.
Thank goodness my spine doesn’t cause pain anymore after changing my diet seven years ago this month. Otherwise, the ride would be unbearable for a person with back pain of any type. The degree of bouncing in a little car would be a disaster.
 
Using the tripometer, we’ve found we don’t travel more than 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) during a two-hour drive. But, what we witness most days during this two-hour stint is satisfying and breathtaking.  
The parade of elephants spending time in the Crocodile River, as seen through the fence between Marloth and Kruger Parks.
By including a day in Kruger once a week plus relishing in the wildlife we see in our garden, we certainly get end up with an exciting wildlife experience in one way or another each day.
A youngster is rarely allowed to wander off without adult supervision.
Last night, on the veranda, with the weekend holidaymakers diminishing on a Sunday as usual, the animals began to return to the garden after a very sparse weekend. At most, a few warthogs and bushbucks came to call on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
 
We often wonder where they go when the tourists fill the park. Do they head to the surrounding parklands out of sight and the sounds of all the noisy tourists? I don’t think so. Tom seems to think the tourists are feeding them so not-so-healthy foods that keep them hanging around with them instead of us.
Four youngsters with a babysitter!
Oh, no doubt some tourists feed the wildlife “bad-for-them” foods such as chips, leftover bread, sweets, and other items. But I’m convinced they aren’t around when we don’t see them wandering around the park on holiday weekends.
It’s impossible to avoid a view of the fence in some of the photos.
Instead, on weekends, we find considerable numbers of wildlife at the Crocodile River who aren’t influenced by holidaymakers’ presence in the wild areas of Kruger National Park.
 
Not only is discovering wildlife while on the drive special in each case, but we also enjoy the idle chatter between the two of us and even the quiet periods when we’re both lost in looking through the lens of the binoculars (Tom) and the camera for me.
We’ve zoomed in between the narrow fence wires for most of these photos.
We both rely upon our instincts as to which path to take, especially when one of us senses we’ll have safari luck by taking a certain road or trail. Sometimes, we’re right, and other times, we’re not, but the harmony in which we make these simple decisions is part of the joy of the experiences.
 
Today, we’re staying in, catching up on more research for future travels. In 10 days, we leave for our “visa stamp” trip back to Zambia and Botswana for yet another week.  
The interaction between the adults and calves is both loving and educational.
Having had the experience almost three months ago and knowing what to expect puts our minds at ease, and we’re looking forward to going back to Chobe National Park for more adventures.
 
We’ll be back with more tomorrow. Thanks, dear readers, for taking the journey along with us!
Photo from one year ago today, August 6, 2017:
Before sunrise, we captured this cloudy scene over Atenas, Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here.

This is too weird for words…Do they read road signs?…

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Where in the world would one drive down a road to encounter this site outside their car window?

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We didn’t realize we hadn’t cut this piece of lettuce into smaller bites for Ms. Bushbuck.  When we saw her tackling this big piece, we couldn’t help but laugh.  She managed it eat the entire big leaf.

After finding the ostrich chicks and mom and dad on Volstruis Street on July 6th (see that post here) based on a text Louise sent us after she’d spotted the family, we couldn’t help. Still, we were amazed that they were hanging around this particular street that translates to “ostrich” in the Afrikaans language.  

At that point, we thought it was a fluke that ostriches would be grazing on a street that means “ostrich.” But, that fluke didn’t keep us from returning to that street several times in the past month in an attempt to see the family again.
First, we spotted mom and dad hanging out near this building.  Moments later, we saw the seven chicks.

On Friday afternoon, before our usual drive along the Crocodile River to see what we could discover, we decided to drive down Vostruis Street to see if we could find the ostrich family.  

Alas, after heading down Volstruis in one direction and then another, we saw them, the mom, the dad, and the seven chicks who’d easily doubled in size over the past month.  

We were thrilled to see all seven had survived this past month.

“How peculiar!” we both commented in unison. Do these fantastic oversized birds read road signs? How is it they so happened to spend a good portion of their time on a street, meaning ostrich?

Then, we wondered if perhaps before the street was named, it was indeed a haven for ostriches prompting the naming of the street some 40 years ago. Who knows?  If any Marlothians out there have an answer, please let us know. It’s quite curious.

Even more peculiarly is the fact that when a lion was sighted within the confines of Marloth Park a few months ago, it was first seen on Leeu Road, which translates to “lion” in Afrikaans.  

We didn’t have an opportunity to take a photo of all seven chicks together.

We’d shared a post, found here, regarding the lion sighting mentioning the fact it was first seen on Leeu Road, not realizing at the time that “lieu” translates to “lion” in Afrikaans. 

Last Sunday, when we spotted the lions across the river at the “Two Trees” overlook, I saw a young boy, pointing across the river shouting, “leeu.” At that point, it dawned on me the peculiar fact that the lion appeared on Leeu Street, which we wrote about on June 23rd, as indicated in the above link.

The chicks, most likely a few months old, are on their own in foraging for food. The parents do not feed them once they’re out of the nest. They emulate the parents pecking behavior and begin foraging at a young age.

Surely, these sightings on these two roads must be entirely coincidental unless one has some mystical beliefs regarding this magical place. Neither lions nor ostriches read road signs, as far as we know.

Regardless of what any of this may or may not mean, we were thrilled to see once again this family of seven chicks and their diligent mom and dad watching out for their safety.
Dad kept a watchful eye on the chicks when they wandered off.

There’s little information online as to the raising of ostrich chicks. We can only surmise how the young chicks are raised by their diligent and cautious parents through our observation.

It is clear that the female watches for predators and the male watching the chicks so that they don’t wander off far from view. We’ve observed this on several occasions, and it is further indicated in the above photo.

At specific points, the chicks say close to one another as they search for food.
Never for a moment do we fail to appreciate the gift of being privy to the cycle of life here in the bush. And, over the next many months until we depart in February, more and more offspring of these amazing animals will be born, allowing us to cherish further the remarkable ability most animals possess in caring for their young.
Dad lets them know to stay close.

Today, we’ll embark on yet another drive. It’s overcast and still a bit windy and, due to increased tourist activity over the weekend, we’ve had few visitors since Friday other than a few warthogs and mom and baby bushbucks. All of them we thoroughly enjoy, as shown above in the “Sighting of the Day in the Bush” photo which we took last night slightly before dusk.

Have a pleasant balance of the weekend, wherever you may be!

Photo from one year ago today, August 5, 2017:

There was a cafe at the front of the Supermercado Coopeatenas, where we grocery shopped, often busy with ex-pats. For more photos of Atenas, Costa Rica, please click here.

A date night at our favorite spot in the bush…Fish finds…

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Impalas (male is shown here) and warthogs seem to get along well.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Mongooses are very clever in cracking eggs. They hold them in their front paws, bang them on a root or rock, and then suck out the contents.

Without a doubt, our favorite restaurant in Marloth Park or anywhere nearby is Jabula Lodge & Restaurant, about a 10-minute drive on Oliphant, the tar road.

Last night we arrived at Jabula at 1700 hours (5:00 pm) to enjoy happy hour while seated at the inviting bar in the highly appealing establishment. Four and a half years ago, we frequently dined at Jabula based on the excellent food, great prices, and good service, all provided by Dawn and Leon and their staff.

Rushing water over rocks at the Crocodile River.

This time it’s been no different other than the addition of Lyn, their assistant, who is also conscientious in providing all customers a seamless and pleasant experience.

Not only is the food excellent, but the extensive menu provides many options that work for me. When we make a reservation, I email Dawn a few days earlier. She ensures there are non-starchy, lactose-free vegetables and meat for me when many popular South African vegetable and meat dishes include dairy and starch in one form or another.

No boating or humans are allowed on the Crocodile River based on dangerous wildlife that lurks therein, including crocs, hippos, snakes, cape buffalo, elephants, and others.

Last night Tom “pigged out” and order chicken schnitzel, chips (fries), and onion rings. I cringed when I saw his huge plate of fried foods but kept my mouth shut.  

After diligently eating “my way” each day, he tends to order carb-rich foods when we dine out. He didn’t eat breakfast this morning when he still felt full. Hopefully, he’ll be hungry after I make a fabulous low-carb dinner tonight.

Warthogs spending a little time near the water at Sunset Dam.

Above all, the pleasures of dining at Jabula Lodge & Restaurant is the magical way Dawn and Leon always make us and all their customers feel welcomed and special.  Not all owners/managers have the personalities and attentiveness that Dawn and Leon bestow upon each of their guests.

Back home by 2000 hours (8:00 pm), we spend the remainder of the evening researching plans for the future. At the moment, we’re on a mission to fill in some gaps in our itinerary (last posted here), which, once accomplished, we’ll share here.

Giraffe crossing the tar road in Kruger National Park.

After chopping and dicing for tonight’s dinner and vegetables for the wildlife, this morning, we headed to two of the three shopping centers in Marloth Park for a few grocery items, the Bush Centre and Marlothi.  

Upon pulling into the Marlothi center, we noticed a refrigerated truck. I was so excited to see it was the “fish guy” we’d heard so much about. Keeping in mind, Tom doesn’t eat fish. I had to consider a few factors when deciding on what I’d purchase; one, I’d be eating it alone, and two, that the power could go out while we’re gone beginning in 12 days.

Many different species do well together while grazing.

Power outages are common in Africa, and if one occurs for more than a few hours while we’re gone, the contents of our freezer could be lost. As a result, I only purchased two boxes of frozen fish; Norwegian salmon and the popular South Africa kingklip.

Kingklip is described as follows from this website: “The Kingklip is one of many eel-like fishes enjoyed around the globe. It is endemic to the whole Southern Hemisphere and is, predictably, one of the most important commercial fish in South Africa. They are fished from deep ocean waters, up to 1000 meters deep, and can grow to be as long as two meters.”

This elephant was moving toward us, so we backed away.

Although I’d never tried this fish since it is often breaded in restaurants, I decided to give it a try after hearing many great comments about it. I’m sure I’ll like the well-filleted boneless fish since I like almost all varieties of wild-caught fish.  

Although I’d already prepared my dinner for tonight consisting of a seafood stew with mussels, prawn tails, hake, and vegetables, I’ll be having the kingklip tomorrow night while Tom has leftover short ribs pot roast with carrots, whole mushrooms, and onions. We’ll both have a side salad with homemade dressing.

Each time we visit Kruger, we’re gifted with spotting elephants.

Let’s face it, many of our lives are about food, whether we like that fact or not.  Planning, prepping, and preparing good meals is an integral part of our lives, especially when we get the opportunity to try some local favorites from time to time.

Today, it’s outrageously windy. We’re outside on the veranda, but it’s tempting to spend the remainder of the day indoors, something we rarely have done. The animals don’t like the wind, so we’ve only had one visitor so far today, a lone female bushbuck who we enthusiastically fed lettuce, carrots, apples, and pellets.

We take a few photos through the car’s windscreen (windshield) when other options are possible. Tom washes all the car’s windows before we explore Marloth and Kruger Parks.

Tomorrow, we have some new and exciting photos to share. Please stop back and share the day with us! Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, August 4, 2017:

A church across the valley in Atenas, Costa Rica, where we stayed for almost four months. For more photos, please click here.

Togetherness….Are we telepathic after all these years?…Kruger photos continue…

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Friends Lynne and Mick confirmed this is a juvenile Bateleur.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Persistent zebras will occasionally start climbing the veranda steps to “request” more pellets. During last night’s dinner, a female warthog came up the steps looking for pellets.  Unfortunately, we didn’t have the camera ready for a photo.

This morning we had a huge laugh (a common occurrence several times a day) when we lounged in bed after awakening around 6:00 is discussing last night’s dreams. (For once, I had a good night’s sleep).

Hippos spend about 16 hours a day in the water. While they sleep in the water, they surface automatically and breathe without waking up. While awake, they can hold their breath for up to five minutes.

Tom rarely remembers his dreams, so he went first while it was fresh in his mind.  He had a dream we purchased a house. As soon as he started spewing the details, I started laughing out loud.

From this site: “Buffalo are reported to kill more hunters in Africa than any other animal. They are known to ambush hunters that have wounded or injured them.”

He stated, “It’s not that funny, although it won’t ever happen!”

 I added, “I had the same dream! We were in the process of buying a house!”

From this site:  “If a buffalo herd comes under threat from a predator, they form a circle around their young. All of the adults face outwards to hide the vulnerable. The adults actually lower their heads and form a protective barrier with their horns.”

We won’t bore you with all the details, but the irony is apparent. We both had similar dreams. Nor will we get too analytical as to why we had these dreams. It’s pretty obvious. We both have no interest or desire to ever “settle down” if we can help it.  

Some goose?

In reality, it may be somewhat of a fear that precipitated this topic in our dreams. We know someday we’ll have to stop traveling due to advanced age and health, and, in itself, that eventuality is a nightmare.   

 Gee…who looks forward to old age and poor health, and why should any of us have to accept this as our eventuality? We’ve met people on cruises, well into their 90’s, with good health who continue to travel the world.

Hippos across the lake at the Sunset Dam.

Wouldn’t our eventual demise best come uneventfully during sleep when our bodies and minds are made with this life as we know it?  Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Anyway, back to the irony of our mutual dreams. Did we both have these dreams based on something we discussed, read, or thought about yesterday? Most likely, that’s the case. It’s not unusual for us to discuss how we never want to settle down to help it.

The closest living relatives of hippos are porpoises and whales.

Why you may ask, are we so adamantly opposed to settling down? Based on our exceptional relationship, couldn’t we still be happy? But, in the same vein, many of you are so glad to be settled, finding great comfort and joy in doing so. It’s simply a matter of what appeals to each individual, each couple.

For us, the biggest irony of all is that we both thrive in the uncertainty of a nomadic lifestyle. Each new continent, country, village, and town presents us with an opportunity to embrace new surroundings, new cultures, and new ways of life.

From this site: “Buffaloes need a good freshwater supply as they love to cool down and also drink water daily. Bulls especially like to lie in water and mud hollows where they can roll in the mud and take mud baths to rid themselves of flies, horseflies, and ticks. Buffaloes are gregarious, and in South Africa (Kruger National Park), herds of up to 500 and more can congregate, consisting of dominant bulls and cows. In other parts of Africa, herds of more than 1000 animals can gather. Bulls are often found alone or form small bachelor herds, consisting of older and younger animals and varying in number from a few animals to about ten and more.”

Are we antsy being in this same house, in this same place, Marloth Park, for an entire year?  The answer is clear and consistent between us. It’s a long time to stay in one place, especially for us. In the future, we’ll never stay anywhere for so long unless required by a medical condition.

 We’d be ready for a change if it weren’t for the wildlife and our many beautiful friends. But, these two vital factors of living in Marloth Park have allayed any possible boredom or disinterest.  

We’re continually entertained by an exciting insect, noisy frog, or unusual plant, even in the most mundane scenarios. Sightings of elephants, lions, hippos, and others are the frosting on the cake.  

Because giraffes are the only herbivores that graze on treetops, there is a more readily available food source for them during the dry season.

If all we had was “visitors” and friends, we could be equally content as we are now.  Visiting Kruger is comparable to visiting a state fair or Disneyland. Every sight our eyes behold spirals us into a realm of sheer awe and wonder.

Being with our friends is equally vital to our well-being. The lively and opinionated conversations, especially about nature and wildlife, are unlike any conversations we’ve had anywhere else in the world.

We always stop to admire elephants.

The commonality we all share in appreciating and living within the throes of the animal kingdom can’t be conveyed while in many other parts of the world. It’s unique, as are these special people.

 We both shrugged off any potential significance of our mutually shared dream, meaning anything more than sharing the same beliefs, hopes, and dreams for the future.

From this site:  A natural process is quite vague: it is a natural process, but it’s not related to the elephant’s aging. Neither is it (typically) related to fighting.  Those notches and tears are caused by the daily activities of elephants feeding in the bushes. The longer the ear, the more prone it is to damage. On the other hand, thicker ears are less prone to damage.  Day by day, the number and pattern of tears/notches/holes change.  Curiously, this pattern of tears/notches/holes is used by researchers to identify individuals. Not only that but also in the way of the veins in the ears.”  We had mistakenly assumed the notches were a result of age.

Plus, being together, day and night, day after day, year after year, has only made us stronger as a couple and more in tune with each other’s wants and desires in all areas of life.  

Whether it’s telepathic or not is irrelevant. The fact remains, this life is possible for us because we get along so well and, let’s face it, we’re “glued at the hip.”

Sweet dreams to all!

Photo from one year ago today, August 3, 2017:

This is the parrot after they were knocked unconscientious after hitting the glass wall of the veranda in Costa Rica.  There was a bird deterrent on the glass, but this poor bird slammed so hard into the glass we assumed it was dead.  It was sad to see this happen. After about 20 minutes, it awakened and eventually flew away. We were thrilled. For more, please click here.

Lion Day!!!…Finally!…

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What an animal! We feel fortunate to have been able to get today’s photos of lions.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This baboon seemed happy with a piece of fruit she’d foraged.

When we spent three months in Marloth Park four and a half years ago, visiting Kruger National Park on many occasions, we never saw a lion. DWe’dyet to see a single lion on our self-drive safaris. during our almost six months here and after almost weekly trips to Kruger

There was a total of six lions but we weren’t able to capture all of them together in one photo.

On several occasions, we’ve seen lions from the fence in Marloth Park at the “Two Trees” overlook across the Crocodile River. However, getting good photos from almost a kilometer away has been tricky.

Lion lounging on the rocks.

Without special camera lenses and with our somewhat modest cameras and camera skills, we’ve been disappointed with the shots we’ve had so far. Instead, each week when we venture into Kruger, we have a glimmer of hope we may get lucky.

Young male sprouting the beginnings of a mane.  From this site: “The mane has many hypothetical purposes and some reasonable explanations. It is supposed to make the male lion look bigger to an adversary and, therefore, more intimidating. It is supposed to protect the male lion from being bitten and clawed by other male lions. Some researchers have proposed it is a handicap in hot climates and therefore the male lions in Tsavo, Kenya are “maneless”. 

I don’t know what it is about lions that make safari enthusiasts feel great satisfaction when they see them but it seems to be the general consensus in everyone we meet here. We weren’t the only people driving around in Marloth Park for days looking for the lions who’d entered the park through an opening in the fence between the two parks.

Now and then, he opened his eyes to scope the area.

Perhaps, it’s their fearsome nature, majestic beauty and a degree of mystery surrounding their demeanor that makes us literally foam at the mouth when there’s a lion nearby. Maybe for some of us, the excitement of potential danger sends us into an adrenaline rush.  

After all, we don’t bungee or skydive.  How else do we get our adventuresome natures fulfilled in the wild? Lions, hippos (the most dangerous animals on the planet), and other big game can send us into a frenzy of adrenaline pumping through our veins. What a thrill!

A pair on the move.

It’s imperative to stress that after each expedition in Kruger, we are not disappointed or frustrated for not seeing lions up until this point. We’ve had our share of “safari luck” in countless ways in our world travels. No complaining here.

Yawning…

Yesterday morning, no more than 20 minutes into our drive on the tar road in Kruger, as we approached one of our favorite spots, the Vurhami Dam, we saw about a dozen cars stopped facing in all directions with many passengers and drivers hanging out the windows (a no-no in the park) attempting to take photos with phones, cameras, and tablets.

Wishing I’d have taken a better shot. It still was great to see those teeth.  From this site:  Like all other mammals, the African lion has a fixed arrangement of teeth which can be generalized into a dental formula. This formula can only be effectively applied to adults. Like all other cats, the permanent teeth only begin to erupt at around three months of age, pushing the deciduous teeth up and eventually causing them to fall out. The complete set of adult teeth are gained between the period of 13 and 15 months. The front canine teeth are spaced such that they can slip between the cervical vertebrae of their prey severing the spinal cord and also to rip chunks of meat away from the bone.”

The expert driver that Tom is he eventually managed to maneuver us into a spot where we’d have a clear sight of the lions although they were still at quite a distance. As amateur photographers well know, those with primary digital cameras, the more we zoom, the less clear the shot primarily due to our own movements.

Back to sleep.

I’ve yet to master holding perfectly still while shooting and doubt I ever will. This isn’t something that improves as we age. Even taking a breath can upset what could have been a decent photo. I’ve noticed that even Tom’s slightest movement in the little car while I’m shooting has an impact on the photos.

Another young male with a mane in its early stages.

We must have stayed in that ideal position for about 45 minutes, waiting for the lion’s next move or change in position or expression. We were thrilled with the results, as shown in today’s photos.

The lions have excellent vision. From this site: Lion’s eyes have two kinds of receptor cells, called rods and cones because of their structure. Rods are mainly responsible for black and white vision, and cones do the color bit. Human eyes have a predominance of cones – we see colors very well, especially in the red spectrum of light, but consequently, we have a problem with night vision no matter how many carrots we eat. Lions have fewer cones, so they see less color but have great night vision, especially since their eyes also have a membrane that concentrates weak light back to the retina. Their pupils can enlarge to an extent much more significant than ours.” 

When the lions began to scatter and walk away, we took off, still giddy over the experience. We continued on with little to no expectations of seeing much else the rest of the day but the adventures continued.

From this site: “Lions are supposed to be nocturnal, and there is a popular misconception promoted by guidebooks that lions sleep about 20 hours per day. Lions are very opportunistic in terms of when they are active. For sure, most lions will probably wake from their daily slumber and begin to get active at dusk, but this is not always so. If lions have water within their territory that attracts prey animals in the daytime, the lions will be active in the day.”

At one point, Tom spotted a leopard, but it happened too quickly for a photo. Thus, our day consisted of seeing four of the Big Five, lion, leopard, elephant, and Cape buffalo, although we never spotted a rhino all day. (As a side note, seeing the Big Five in a day is not necessarily that important to us which had transpired many times in the Masaai Mara in Kenya in 2013, to which we’ll soon return). 

Over the next few days, we’ll post the remainder of our photos including a few more lion shots not included today and a few new bird sightings that were quite exciting.

May your day bring you joy!

Photo from one year ago today, August 2, 2017:

Tom is as content as he could be at La Perla de Atenas in Costa Rica, one year ago today. For more details, please click here.