Day #4, no water…No power?…We knew what to expect in Africa…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 21, 2021 with 0 Comment

A young giraffe and a few zebras blocking the road on our way to Jabula.

Note: All of today’s photos were taken last evening while going to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for our usual Friday night dinner out. It was such fun to see these fantastic animals blocking the road while all drivers waited patiently for them to pass. Tom and I both said simultaneously, “Where in the world do you see such a sight?” Nowhere that we know of. What a delight!

We had no delusions about what to expect coming to Africa. Our expectations were low, with poverty, crime, and corruption raging through many African countries, including South Africa. Most tourists come to South Africa to experience its wildlife and beauty and don’t stay long enough to get caught up in its downside.

Power, water, and WiFi outages are to be expected rather than viewed as an anomaly. The time spent by various providers to repair such issues can be far beyond what we may be used to in other countries. It’s unlike anything most of us have experienced in the past.

Everyone waited patiently for the animals to clear the road.

This morning as I first began preparing this post, the power went out. No water. No power. Of course, when the power goes out, so does the WiFi. I suggested to Tom that it would be an excellent time to drive to the pharmacy in Komatipoort. I needed a prescription for antibiotics filled when the tooth for which I’d had a root canal was still hurting from six weeks ago.

Yesterday, I contacted Dr. Singh, and he wrote me a prescription. I had initially refused antibiotics hoping it would heal on its own. I’d had enough antibiotics for my teeth in the past year or more. But, after six weeks, he said it was imperative. If the drugs don’t work after the five-day cycle, I’ll have to have the tooth pulled. It’s the last molar on the bottom right, and I suppose I won’t bother to get an implant when the missing tooth isn’t noticeable when I smile or talk.

We drove to Komati, got the prescription filled, and headed back home. All the while, we were wondering what we’d do for dinner tonight. The dishwasher is filled with dirty dishes, and with a single sink in the kitchen, even if we boiled water, it would be cumbersome trying to rinse everything. I told Tom to forget it. It’s not worth the hassle. We’ll use paper plates or eat out until the water comes back on.

Several giraffes were waiting to make their next move while on the side of the road.

Speaking of dining out, last night we went to Jabula for dinner. The receptionist, Danienne, for Dr. Singh in Malalane, brought the prescription to me since she lives in Marloth Park and, like us, she loves going to Jabula on Friday nights. We thanked her profusely and bought her and her friend a drink.

We ended up dining at the bar we’ve done before when it’s just the two of us. Dawn and Leon were both there, and we had lots of fun with them and other guests while we sat at the bar. Arriving at 1700 hrs, 5:00 pm, by 2030 hrs, 8:30 pm, we were out the door and headed back home for a pleasant remainder of the evening, streaming a few episodes of Netflix series.

Neither of us was in the mood for a day and night without power, water and WiFi. So, this morning when we returned from Komati, around 11:00 am, the power was restored, which made us both very relieved. Now, at almost noon, we are so grateful to have power and WiFi that we aren’t fussing so much over the water.

If it were a nice day, we would have gone to Kruger. But it’s drizzling off and on, and we’ll stay put. Gosh, it’s hard to believe we’ll be leaving South Africa two months from today to head back to the US once again. If you missed our story yesterday about why we are returning to the US for a short stint, please click here.

Every zebra has its unique markings, not unlike a fingerprint. Note the unique patterns around this zebra’s eyes.

A special thanks to many of our readers who have written to us in support of this tough decision, all of which was precipitated by the difficultly of travel throughout the world right now. Sure, it may be easier to travel for a one or two-week vacation, but with us frequently being on the move or even staying in one location for a few months, Covid-19 has undoubtedly put a damper on our desire to visit many countries.

Plus, news about restrictions and quarantine requirements seems to change daily. We are not interested in losing more money due to this pandemic than we already have, which is well into the thousands of dollars. We’re still hoping our five scheduled cruises beginning at the end of February 2022 will set sail and allow us to continue on our world travel path and objectives. Only time will tell.

May your travel goals and objectives also be realized over the next year, when we all hope and pray for a better outcome than being experienced now.

Photo from one year ago today, August 21, 2020:

From the year-ago post while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #151. One of many towers at Peterhof Fountain Park and Gardens in St. Petersburg, Russia. For more photos, please click here.

Finally, a decision…This news may shock you!!!…It shocks us!…Also, day #3, no water…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 20, 2021 with 4 Comments

Frank, eating his seeds from the veranda railing where no warthogs or bushbucks will bother him.

It took a lot of research and conversations, but we finally decided where we’ll go when we need a new visa stamp by October 23, 2021. We’d considered many options, but most countries in Africa have poor Covid control, inaccurate tracking, millions of unvaccinated people, many requiring quarantine, and are still, in one form or another, in lockdown.

When we’d planned a trip to Kenya months ago last minute, we had to cancel our plans when a new lockdown was instituted, making it impossible for us to go. We lost quite a bit of money when certain aspects of that trip were non-refundable. Over the past 18 months, after canceling the balance of our tour of India, overall, we have lost several thousand dollars due to Covid-19.

This lone mongoose was staring at us, looking for paloney or eggs. Once we go inside to get them, she signals to all her friends, and suddenly dozens are waiting for the treats along with her.

We do not want to risk losing more money, with more possible cancelations, lockdowns, quarantines, and being subject to added exposure to the virus. After all, we got the J & J vaccine which apparently provides less efficacy than the other two-shot vaccines. Neither of us wants to take the risk of becoming ill in a country with poor medical care and infrastructure.

Perhaps we are overly cautious. But, when we keep hearing about people dying, even here in Marloth Park, many of whom were vaccinated, we came to the hard realization that we must return to the US for now. Yes, the cases in the US are increasing daily. But, if we did become ill, we feel we’d have the best chance while in the US instead of seeking medical care in such countries as Zambia, Kenya, or another African country.

As of yesterday, we booked our return flight to the US for October 21st, the best day for travel at the best possible pricing. This does not mean we are stopping our world travels. It simply means we will spend a total of four months in the US in Arizona and then Florida (for our friends Karen and Rich’s wedding). We’re surprised at ourselves for making this highly logical decision, not motivated at all by our usual desire for wanderlust.

Thick Neck/Bad Leg started eating the leftovers of Frank’s seeds after he’d wandered off.

Our first stop will be Phoenix, Arizona, where we will spend more time with some of Tom’s siblings. His sister Colleen, who won’t be coming to AZ this season due to her husband Gene’s health, has offered her place to us in Apache Junction. Yep, it’s back to a park model and RV park, but this time, it’s much larger than the one we rented two years ago. Photos will follow once we arrive.

But, staying in this location allows us to spend time with some of Tom’s sisters when they arrive in Apache Junction in November for the winter season. Tom is the youngest of the now remaining eight siblings after others have passed away. Originally, there were 11.

At this point, we have five cruises pending, the first setting sail in February 2022. If this and the other cruises don’t set sail, we will make a new plan to continue our world journey. At no point are we considering stopping our lives of world travel or stopping our daily posts. We need to take a breather during these terrible times of Covid-19.

Siegfried and Roy are back in close contact with the mongooses who don’t eat pellets.

If a booster for the J & J vaccine is instituted, potentially increasing our immunity while we are in the US for added protection and the purpose of future travels, we will most likely opt to participate. These are crazy times.

Our flight back to the US is booked, our stay at the wedding venue in Florida is booked, and we will use this time to enjoy ourselves and make the very best of the situation. Thanks to Tom’s sister Colleen for offering her place in Apache Junction, AZ, and also to friends Karen and Rich for inviting us to stay with them before and after their wedding. Good times are on the horizon, for sure.

Many of our friends in Marloth Park will be gone in November and won’t return until later in 2022. It will prove to be a good time for us to depart, returning once we know more about the future, the same position many of us are in at this time. We won’t travel to Minnesota in the winter months but will see everyone again when we return to the US again in May if that particular cruise sets sail.

Now, for the harsh reality of today…it is day #3 without water. No showers, no clean dishes, no laundry being done, no easy toilet flushing. We wash our hands and bodies with bottled water, taking “sponge baths” each day. Thank goodness we have plenty of hand sanitizer, which we’re often using. We’re wearing the same clothes three days in a row to save on laundry accumulating, as we did while in lockdown in India, only changing into clean underwear daily.

At the slow pace of the repairs, we expect to be without water through the weekend or longer. They just found the parts for the repairs, and they are on their way, but it could be days until the repairs are completed.

Last night, it was easy when we spent the evening with Louise and Danie. Tonight, at 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs, we’ll head to Jabula for our usual Friday night dinner. Rita and Gerhard are still gone on their road trip to the Drakensberg Mountains, while Kathy, Don, Linda, and Ken are on safari at Sabi Sands in Kruger. We always enjoy time at Jabula, whether it’s just the two of us or with our friends.

May your day be filled with wise decisions. Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, August 20, 2020:

There was no post on this date one year ago when our new site was in the process of going “live,” and as typical during such transitions, we were unable to post.

Day #2, no water…After all, this is Africa..

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 19, 2021 with 0 Comment

A Go-Away bird was sitting at the birdbath for a drink.

Whether it’s no water, no power, or no WiFi, this is the “nature of the beast” (no pun intended). The infrastructure is delicate. Theft of cables, copper, and various parts for running the water system in Marloth Park is the culprit. Yesterday, we were informed of a theft at the water station.

This morning I signed up for a WhatsApp group for updates, and here’s the most recent, as of a few minutes ago:

“Eskom (the electric company) has reported another theft at the Fig Tree substation near Masibekela. Copper blades were stolen last night around 2300 hrs (11:00 pm). The power supply has been restored. However, low voltage is still being experienced. Water supply is affected due to the low voltage. Eskom is attending the matter urgently.”

Another Go-Away bird is ready to drink from the bottom portion of the birdbath.

Another post from WhatsApp::

“This will happen when power is off. Ideal for perpetrators.”

The question in my mind is, “How are these perpetrators being allowed into Marloth Park to commit such crimes? A lot of controversies exist in regards to the security at the entrance gate.” But, to avoid an unpleasant back and forth with locals, I won’t get into this.

After all, we are just visitors here and not property owners. We have no say in what transpires in the park. Many people are actively involved and work hard in an attempt to avoid such situations. But, again, “This is Africa,” and not everything goes as one would like. Preventing crime is a complex process in this area and other parts of South Africa.

Lots of mongooses wondering what is on the menu today: Paloney? Eggs? Leftover meat?

But, it’s not exclusive to South Africa or Africa itself when we hear about crime throughout the world, including our own USA. The bottom line is, “You can run, but you can’t hide.” Nowhere in the world is exempt from awful people who commit crimes upon fellow humans, animals, and property.

Today, we have no water pressure at all. Early yesterday morning, while we still had some water, I had put a load of laundry in the washer. When the water stopped running, we now had a load of dark clothes, soaking wet in the washing machine with no way to rinse or spin them. The washer doesn’t have separate settings for these features alone. If the water isn’t restored today, we’ll have to remove all the clothes and wring them out by hand, hang them to dry, and rewash them at a later date.

As for showering, no such luck, this morning, I did a “sponge bath” using bottled water warmed in the teapot. That worked out well. Tom’s hair is another issue. Without a shower, he looks like the “nutty professor.”

Siegfried and Roy cuddled on a cool morning.

After last night’s dinner, we had dirty dishes sitting in the dishwasher. This morning, Zef used pool water to wash the floors, a daily must-do with all the dust from the animals in the garden. We’re still using pool water to flush the toilets. That also works out well.

Thank goodness we have electricity. No water and no power is quite the nightmare. We are very grateful to have power and WiFi. We can cook, but we can’t clean up after ourselves. We’ve heard stories of water outages in Marloth Park that lasted for weeks. Hopefully, this time won’t be such a case. Two or three days are tolerable. Longer becomes exceedingly annoying.

At 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs, we’re heading to Louise and Danie’s to drop off the money we owe for pellets and stay for a little social time. That will be a nice break!

Have a spectacular day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 19, 2020:

There were no photos posted one year ago today while our new site was going live, and the “to be expected” temporary issues prevented us from doing so.

Special trail cam sighting…No water today…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 18, 2021 with 0 Comment

Every morning Tom removes the data card from the trail cam and carefully goes through each photo, looking for something other than warthogs and bushbucks. We see plenty of them during daylight hours. The nocturnal wildlife piques our interest, which was the purpose of purchasing the trail cam many months ago.

Last night, once again, we were gifted with a visit from a porcupine, as shown in these two photos captured by the trail cam. No, they aren’t as clear or bright as we’d like. I tried editing them, but the result was less visible than those posted. Right now, we don’t see a wide variety of wildlife. Mostly, it’s those same warthogs, including Little, about eight bushbucks, Broken Horn, hornbills, and of course, Frank and The Misses.

Don’t get me wrong. We love seeing our “regulars” and respond to their visits with enthusiasm at every opportunity. But, we are limited right now on the number of photos we can offer on each days’ post. We will soon return to Kruger National Park, but we are busy making plans for the future this week, considering our visas expire at the end of October.

After booking flights and places to stay, we will post what we’ve decided to do in the next several days. With the state of the world now, we have many considerations as we watch the increase in Covid-19 cases in most countries, even as more and more become vaccinated. It’s crazy! Why are the numbers going the wrong way?

On occasion, we move Frank’s seeds to the table when other animals try to eat them. He’s content to jump onto the table even when we’re sitting there.

No doubt, we are in a quandary as to where to go next. At this point, we know for sure that we are heading to Howey-In-The- Hills, Florida, in February for dear friends Karen and Rich’s wedding on February 11th. Yesterday, we booked three nights at the resort where the wedding will be held.

At either end of the wedding, Karen and Rich have invited us to stay with them at their house In Apollo Beach, right on the water. It was hard to resist their invitation. After staying with them in 2019 for our three-week visit to Minnesota, we know the four of us to have a great time together and can easily live under the same roof.

Handsome Big Daddy stopped by for a visit.

Yesterday, after considerable research, we managed to book a car with Budget in Tampa, Florida, for around ZAR 13411, US $900, which is reasonable for vehicles in the US. In this case, it paid to book as early as possible. Florida is a busy place in the winter months.

Staying with friends and family isn’t always easy. We each have our peculiarities and routines, Tom and I included. But somehow, Karen and Rich have similar routines and habits, making staying together easy and seamless. Plus, we have so much fun together. It’s irresistible!

We’re looking forward to spending time with them once again. We plan to be in Florida for about a month.

Old Man also stopped by for a visit and a few pellets.

But, the dilemma now is what we will be doing when the end of October arrives and our visas expire once again. The more and more research we do, the less confident we feel about traveling to other countries in Africa. Many African countries aren’t reporting Covid cases, nor have they since the onset of the pandemic. It’s a guess to determine which countries are safe and which are not.

Breakthrough cases of vaccinated individuals are rapidly rising worldwide, and the unavoidable reality is…where do we want to be if we become infected? What countries have adequate medical care? Also, we’re not well informed yet whether or not the one jab J & J vaccination was sufficient to provide ample protection. At this point, no medical organization has definitive answers about the necessity of boosters or the long efficacy of the various vaccines.

Hal likes to wander the park with his friend, Old Man.

It is no wonder that so many “vaccine objectors” exist worldwide when information is sketchy and uncertain, with endless exaggerations from social media impacting people’s views. However, we don’t judge others for refusing the vaccine. Each person has the right to choose what is appropriate for themselves and their loved ones.

We chose to be vaccinated based on our desire to continue to travel the world. Only time will tell if our five booked cruises will set sail in 2022 when such awful news is posted daily about Covid cases on cruise ships, even for the vaccinated.

There’s no water pressure today in Marloth Park. Some thieves ripped off electric cables to run the power for the water plant. As a result, we are without running water at this time. Thank goodness we have bottled water for drinking and hand washing. We’re using pool water to flush the toilets.

May our world become safer in months to come.

Photo from one year ago today, August 18, 2020:

One year ago, there was no post on this date while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #148, due to my dear sister Susan’s passing

Sorry, if we missed responding to your comment…Remembering…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 17, 2021 with 0 Comment

Zebras along the bank of the Vurhami Dam in Kruger National Park.

Within the inner workings, on the admin pages, I can see comments posted by our readers. Each day before I begin preparing the post, I check the “comments” section to read comments posted on any past or present posts. Comments may be posted on historic entries as far back as our first post on March 15, 2012.

Recently I noticed I hadn’t responded to some comments, and I apologize for that. In the future, I will make every effort to respond to each comment and email. Some days we receive more email messages that I can respond to in a day. So please bear with me as I attempt to get caught up.

A zebra was taking a drink at the Vurhami Dam. Note the elephant on the opposite side of the wall.

With some technical issues impacting our WiFi signal in the house, I haven’t been able to work on the corrections for the past posts for several days. After uploading this post, I will spend the remainder of the afternoon beginning this process once again. At this point, I still have 1200 or so posts to correct.

So far, I have completed about 2286, which was quite a task in itself. But, it’s the nature of the beast, and I chose to go back and do the corrections, never knowing how long it would take. Since I can comfortably correct about ten posts per day, I expect I won’t be done with this task until four months from now, hopefully by the end of the year. It will be a relief to have my afternoons to work on other things I may enjoy more.

There is an adorable youngster in this photo.

Life is filled with responsibilities, some pleasant, some not so much. This morning I made Tom homemade, from scratch, blueberry muffins. His weight remains stable, and he’s been able to enjoy some treats. Each time we grocery shop, he makes his way to the bakery section, checking out the muffins and doughnuts.

He’d added a few items to our grocery trolley on a few occasions, but after trying them with his coffee the next day, he always mentions they aren’t very good. Finally, I made homemade blueberry muffins for him, not from a box but scratch. I found a good-sounding recipe at this link, entitled “To Die For Blueberry Muffins.”

By the time I finally finished making and baking the muffins, he’d already had his coffee for the day. But, he didn’t waste any time, eating two warm muffins, each topped with a dollop of butter. He loved them! I was thrilled. I’d made a double batch ending up with 18 muffins. To keep them fresh, I froze them in ziplock bags of four. The entire batch will last a total of nine days, eating two muffins a day.

I won’t be surprised if he asks for another batch at the end of the nine days, and of course, I will be delighted to make them again. In the meantime, I was tempted by his muffins which aren’t gluten-free, sugar-free and low carb. As a result, I made a batch of suitable lemon/poppyseed coconut flour muffins for me. I have been longing for such a treat for so long.

This elephant was too far for a good shot.

This morning, the wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen brought back many memories of past times. I’m reminded of all of the years I worked full-time and spent my spare time cooking and baking for us, for family, and friends. I love the life we have now. No, I don’t miss that life. But, it’s pleasant to go down “memory lane” when amazing smells fill the house, stirring up memories from the past.

Today, we’re staying here, cooking a flattie (a flattened chicken) on the braai and some side dishes, feeding our endless stream of visitors and continuing to revel in this life in the bush, seven months after arriving, with almost six more months to go. Then, we’ll be off again to other adventures in this chaotic world, as restrictions and lockdowns allow.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, August 17, 2020:

One year ago, this photo was posted in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #147. Taken from our seats on the Eurostar from Paris to London in 2014. The seats were more comprehensive than airplane seats. I had pictured a four-seat configuration with a table in front of us, which was not the case with our seats. For more photos, please click here.

Busy morning in the bush…Paid off a debt hanging over our heads…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 16, 2021 with 0 Comment

This morning’s visitors were plentiful. We had no less than eight bushbucks, seven warthogs, 50 mongooses, and Frank and The Misses. Tom was busy feeding everyone while I showered and dressed for the day. Once done, I was outdoors and joined in on the feeding and usual chatting with the wildlife.

It’s odd to think about talking to wild animals, but many of them look into my eyes, tilt their heads, flick their ears in response to the gentle, albeit high-pitched voice. No, they don’t necessarily know what I am saying, but I often repeatedly use the exact words, and they may quickly become familiar with those words.

At this point, the most frequent warthog visitors do a little dance when I say, “Do you want some pellets?’ It’s not different than asking your dog, “Do you want to eat or go for a walk?” Pigs are listed as smarter than dogs. Is it any wonder that the warthogs and other wildlife would eventually associate my words with actions after a while? It’s not surprising to me at all.

The most significant joy of interacting with the wildlife is the way they make eye contact. As I’ve mentioned in the past, zebras don’t seem to make that same type of eye contact. I genuinely believe that the lack of emotional interaction with them is why we seldom see them in our garden, although they do visit from time to time.

In today’s heading, I’ve mentioned the payoff of a debt hanging over our heads. When I had open-heart surgery in February 2019, and our then insurance company refused to pay, we had to pay the entire balance out of pocket. After we paid off the bulk of it, we had a remaining balance which we agreed to pay monthly to the tune of ZAR 10000, US $678, a month.

On Friday, I made the final payment. The actual US dollar amount varied monthly based on the rand (ZAR) value, but we chose to pay in rands rather than US dollars, which ultimately saved us some money. We could have used personal funds to pay this off, but it made sense to pay it off this way when no interest was charged. Now that this is finalized, we can put this behind us.

We used a credit card each month to make the payment using a South Africa payment app through a bank, but we paid off that card every month, as we usually do, avoiding any interest charges. It feels good to have this behind us since we have no debts, without a home or car and accompanying lifestyle.

Being debt-free is a good reason why we always strive to live within our means. That way, we never have to worry about money which can be an enormous stressor. Sure, from time to time, we’ve charged substantial amounts on our credit cards to pay for expensive cruises, but we’ve always managed to pay them off quickly.

Bossy drank from the pool as opposed to the birdbath.

I easily recall being a single mom while owning a business subject to the ebb and flow of the housing market and how financial struggles kept me awake at night. I never stop appreciating how fortunate we are these days, not to worry about money. But, here again, we live on a tight fixed income, and foolish spending is not within our realm.

Speaking of spending, finally, after 12 days, we’re going grocery shopping once again. Having dined out several times during this period and using all the meat we had in the freezer, we made it through. But today, we’re down to the “bare bones,” and grocery shopping is a must.

That’s it for today, dear readers. And thank you for all the kind and thoughtful messages regarding yesterday’s post about losing my sister, Susan, one year ago while we were in lockdown in Mumbai.

Be well. Be safe. Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, August 16, 2020:

One year ago, this photo was posted in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #146. With almost 13,000 restaurants listed on Trip Advisor in Paris, it’s tricky deciding on where to dine. For more photos, please click here.

Losing loved ones in times of Covid-19…Today is a sad anniversary…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 15, 2021 with 0 Comment

A few days ago, we read a post on Facebook that the husband of a well-known couple in Marloth Park passed away from Covid-19 at 52 years old, only after two days in the hospital. Their adult daughter, a popular singer, and performer has been in hospital in ICU for the past five weeks, hanging on for dear life, also with Covid. Neither had yet been vaccinated since their age group for the jab hadn’t come up yet. This is heartbreaking.

There’s no doubt that many of our readers have suffered such losses due to Covid-19 in the past 18 months since this nightmare began, impacting all of our lives in one way or another. Whether we lost a loved one, lost a job, lost income due to cutbacks and closings, lost a business, and lost a dream for the future, no one has been exempt from the ravages of the pandemic.

What brought this to mind, especially today, is that one year ago on this date, my elder dear sister Susan (four years my senior), who was already bedridden and suffering from many conditions (primarily hereditary), passed away. My sister Julie and Susan’s daughter Kely were at her side when she took her last breath.

A lone yellow-billed stork at Sunset Dam.

A few days later, Julie, who hadn’t worn a mask while at Susan’s side, tested positive for Covid-19 and experienced a horrifying case of the virus, still plaguing her yet today, suffering from what is called “long haul Covid.” Little is known as to how to treat these lingering symptoms.

After these events, I felt confident that although Susan was suffering from many conditions, none of them were imminently life-threatening. With Julie getting sick only days later, I am convinced that ultimately Susan passed from Covid, or at least her many conditions were exacerbated by contracting Covid while living in a small nursing facility.

The hardest part for me was finding out she’d passed by a phone call, which transpired while Julie read one of our posts to her, while we were on day #145 in lockdown in a hotel room in Mumbai, India. There was nothing I could do. Tom, who also cared for Susan, cried along with me that day when the only thing we could do was sit on the edge of the bed in each other’s arms in our hotel room and let the tears flow.

At that point, unbeknownst to us, we were only halfway through those ten months in lockdown in India, waiting for the Mumbai and Johannesburg airports to re-open to international flights so we could finally be on our way to South Africa. I wonder if we’d known then that we were only halfway through the lockdown if we’d have done as well as we did, with the grief of losing my dear sister and the fear of losing other loved ones in the process.

Our inconvenient situation in lockdown was nothing compared to the sorrow of losing loved ones and becoming ill with the dreaded illness. The fact we stayed safe all those months still surprises us. At that time, if one of us had become sick and required hospitalization, the public and private hospitals were full. Ill patients were placed on “Army cots” outdoors in parking lots.

That was a terrifying thought to both of us, especially as the months passed and new guests entered the hotel, staying on our floor, talking loudly, with few wearing masks and social distancing. We often forgo walking in the corridors when other guests were careless coming in and out of their rooms.

Today, again, I mourn the loss of my dear Susan and will do so each anniversary to come, along with the anniversaries of others we have lost over the years, regardless of the cause.

May you all find peace and comfort in recalling great memories of loved ones you have lost over the years. Stay well.

Photo from one year ago today, August 15, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #145. Good thing I couldn’t eat any of this. We’d have spent a fortune, and I’d have gained so much weight I wouldn’t fit into my clothing. For more photos, please click here.

Thinking ahead in the short term…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 14, 2021 with 0 Comment

We spotted this crocodile with its mouth open at Sunset Dam, beyond the Lower Sabie area. Crocs rest with their mouths open to cool off since they don’t sweat.

Last night, at dinner at Jabula with Rita and Gerhard and Linda and Ken, we all discussed our plans for the next several months, which includes the Christmas season, which is only four months from now. Linda and Ken are returning to their home in the UK after selling their home in South Africa months ago.

Rita and Gerhard are heading back to their home in the state of Washington to spend the holidays with their adult children, not returning until February or March. Kathy and Don will head back to Hawaii. Next month, Alan and Fiona will depart for her home near Durban, South Africa, and won’t return until March, when we will most likely be gone.

We were surprised by how many crocs we saw in one day.

We’re fortunate to have other friends here in Marloth Park, including Louise and Danie, Dawn and Leon, and others, but with the holidays looming and Covid, we aren’t sure of their plans. It just may turn out that we are almost entirely on our own over the holidays. Thank goodness for great food, fun, and festivities at Jabula, where most likely, we’ll celebrate the holidays.

As of this moment, with uncertainty looming about travel, we’re hoping to go to Zambia again at the end of October for a week for our new visa stamps. But, at the end of January, when our visas expire once again, we’re seriously considering going to Florida, US, for dear friends Karen and Rich’s wedding on February 11th.

How long we’d stay in Florida is up in the air, subject to the anticipated cancellation of three cruises we have booked beginning February 27, 2022. Between these cruises, we have a month to fill in and around Japan. For that part, as in the rest, we have to “play it by ear.” If these cruises do sail, we’ll disembark in Seattle, Washington, on May 6, 2022, and from there, we will stay in the US to visit family once again while we await the next two cruises on June 29, 2022.

As cruises are experiencing more and more cases of Covid by vaccinated individuals, at this point, we’re wondering about cruising in general over the next year or two. Here is an article about 27 vaccinated individuals who tested positive on August 13th, on a Carnival Cruise, 26 of whom were crew members along with one passenger, as follows in part:

Another crocodile on the bank of the Sabie River.

“Twenty-seven vaccinated people who are on board the Carnival Vista cruise ship tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Belize Tourism Board. Twenty-six of the positive cases are among Carnival crew members, with only one passenger testing positive. According to the tourism board, everyone who tested positive was vaccinated, and “most are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms.

The ship departed from Galveston, Texas, and headed to Belize when the authorities reported the outbreak. Last week the cruise line reported positive cases on the Vista, but it would not disclose the number.

“We have managed the situation utilizing stringent health protocols which included placing those who tested positive in isolation and close contacts in quarantine,” Carnival said in a statement on Friday to ABC News. “Guests onboard the July 31 and August 7 sailings were notified and kept updated, and the CDC and destination officials have been apprised.”

Contact tracing was initiated for the other almost 3,000 guests and 1,500 crew onboard the ship, which docked in Belize on Wednesday.”

This news further leaves our future travel plans up in the air, as is the case for many past and future cruisers who’d like to make cruising an integral part of their upcoming travel plans.

A creek was running over the rocks at the Sabie River.

Tonight, we’re off to dinner at Alan and Fiona’s home, starting with sundowners at 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs. We are savoring any time we can spend with friends until many have left Marloth Park for other destinations in the months to come.

That’s it for today, dear readers! Stay diligent. Stay healthy. This isn’t over yet.

Photo from one year ago today, August 14, 2020:

This photo was Tom’s dinner at an upscale restaurant in Paris, posted again one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #144. Tom’s filet mignon with fries and butter for the breadbasket. His steak was very small. For more, please click here.

Need advise…Is there a secret to wearing flip flops?…More Kruger photos…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 13, 2021 with 3 Comments

This might be a serrated hinged terrapin, but it was difficult to determine from this photo.

Yesterday, friend Fiona and I had pedicure appointments at a local Marloth Park spa where I’ve gone three times in the past. Before these recent pedicures, I probably didn’t have more than three professional pedicures in my life. I am ticklish and don’t like anyone messing with my feet.

But, as we age, I believe that maintaining good foot care is as important as maintaining the health of any other part of our bodies. It isn’t as easy to do my pedicures as it was years ago as I’ve aged, especially since I had open-heart surgery here in South Africa in February 2019. I find I have a difficult time bending over. I’ve read that other heart patients have experienced the same issue.

When I drop something on the floor, I have to force myself to pick it up. Last night, during the night, I couldn’t sleep. On a rare occasion, I take one aspirin that, for some odd reason, makes me go back to sleep. When I got the bottle of aspirin out of the cupboard during the night, I dropped the lid, and it rolled under the bed.

This morning when I got up, I got down on my hands and knees in an attempt to grab the lid—no such luck. My wobbly sternum, which never healed quite right, prevented me from reaching for it. When Zef was cleaning this morning, I asked him to get the lid, and in seconds, he had it in his hands. He’s 30 years younger than me and had no problem. Oh well.

Another distant shot of an elephant along the Sabie River.

Back to the pedicure, after my sidetrack…Yesterday, I made another batch of gluten-free apple crisp for Tom. He’s been craving this dessert, and since he hadn’t gained any weight from eating the first batch, and his blood sugar is regular, I didn’t hesitate to make it for him. We had ample apples and ingredients left for another batch. He peeled the apples, which helped speed up the process.

He loves vanilla ice cream on his warmed apple crisp, so we headed to the local little grocery shop for the ice cream at noon. While there, I had an idea to purchase a pair of flip-flops that I’ve never owned in my life. When I tried them on long ago, it hurt so much between my toes that I swore I’d never buy flip-flops. I am very picky about not wearing shoes that hurt my feet.

While Tom was in the grocery shop, I checked out the flip-flops on display outside a gift shop next to the market. I expected they’d be very inexpensive here. I imagined a cheap pair of rubber flip-flops for a few dollars. But, these were much nicer, basically decent cushy-heeled shoes, priced at ZAR 390, US $26.24. Should I buy them since no store in the area would have the cheaper version and eventually “learn” to wear them painlessly?

The edge of the car’s window is shown in this photo. We were very close to this elephant.

Knowing mine and Fiona’s pedicure appointments were upcoming in a few hours, I purchased a pair of the flip-flops that “looked” most comfortable. I tried them on. Yep, it hurts between my toes, but I’d heard that regular wearing will toughen up the space between one’s toe. I decided to give it a try.

After our appointments, I carefully put on the flip-flops, aware that it was painful but not wanting to wreck my newly polished toes. Once back at our house, when Fiona and Alan stayed for sundowners, I kept the flip-flops on, only taking them off after they left a few hours later.

This morning, as soon as I was up, showered, and dressed, I started wearing them again. It would be much easier to slip on flip-flops every time I go outside to the veranda instead of bending over to put on other shoes. We’ll see how it goes. So far, still painful. Any suggestions or input as to how long it takes to get used to wearing flip-flops would be greatly appreciated.

It’s hard to see, but was there a crocodile in the river in the background?

The power is out right now. Oddly, the WiFi is still working. That’s Africa, for you! It’s very cool and windy today, and most animals are hunkered down. They don’t like wandering about in the wind. Right now, our only visitor is Thick Neck/Bad Leg, who is busily dining on pellets.

Tonight, we’re off to Jabula with Rita and Gerhard and Linda and Ken. No doubt, we’ll have a great time, fantastic dinner, and excellent service once again!

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, August 13, 2020:

This photo was posted on this day one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India. We were at Le Louvre in Paris. Tom is in front of a statue of a hunter in the center courtyard. For more photos, please click here.

Hippo photos from Kruger National Park…How do we feel about zoos?….

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 12, 2021 with 0 Comment

There’s no question about it; observing animals in the wild is unlike any other wildlife experience. Sure, we grasp the importance of zoos to provide the public, who May never visit Africa, to learn about their existence, conservation, and habitat. Reading from a book hardly provides an in-depth experience.

With more and more zoos throughout the world considering the well-being and conservation of wildlife while in their care, we animal-lovers are often less concerned and horrified about zoo habitats than we may have been years ago. Throughout our almost nine years of world travel, we have visited some “wildlife rehab centers” with the intent of feeling comfortable about the care and feeding of indigenous and non-indigenous wild animals.

A group of hippos is called a “bloat.” How appropriate! Ungainly as it is, the hippopotamus is **the world’s deadliest large land mammal**, killing an estimated 500 people per year in Africa. Hippos are aggressive creatures, and they have very sharp teeth. And you would not want to get stuck under one; at up to 2,750kg, 5053 pounds, they can crush a human to death.

In about half of the cases, we’ve been pleased with what we’ve seen. But, there have been cases where animals are treated as commodities, kept in small cages, unable to wander freely, and fed a poor diet, unsuitable for the species. These scenarios are undoubtedly criminal, as are the people who keep exotic animals in cages and pens on their property for bragging rights.

But, we have seen some fantastic zoos/rescue centers where the wildlife is provided ample space, companionship when suitable, and foods they may have foraged in the wild, along with quality medical care for rehabilitation purposes and daily care.

Many such facilities claim they have the intention of returning the rehabilitated animals to the wild. But after seeing how professionally and carefully that process is undertaken by the local Wild & Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre by curator Deidre and her support staff, we doubt many such facilities are willing or capable of returning animals to the wild with the care and diligence we’ve witnessed by this local facility.

One of the main factors preventing a triumphant return to the wild is excessive bonding with humans, especially when animals may become dependent upon care from humans, preventing them from foraging. If an animal has been fed while living in a cage for an extended period, it’s unlikely it’ll ever be able to hunt for food, resulting in an untimely and painful death.

We were surprised by how many hippos we saw in one day.

Yesterday, while in Kruger, it was rewarding to see the wildlife appearing robust and healthy. Although this has been a dry winter and the bush here in Marloth Park, there are many green areas, enabling the herbivore and omnivore animals to find sufficient vegetation to survive and the carnivores able to hunt for healthy sources of food.

The problem with animals in Marloth Park, which prompts many of us to feed them during the winter months, is that they don’t have access to distant, greener, more affluent areas to forage. Although Marloth Park is almost seven square miles, 3000 hectares, 7413 acres, it isn’t large enough during the dry season to fully support the needs of the abundant wildlife. That fact results in many of us choosing to feed as much as we can afford.

We’ve always loved the gurgling sounds of hippos which were in abundance on yesterday’s self-drive.

Many disagree with humans feeding the animals in Marloth Park. But, based on these circumstances, many of us feel compelled to do so. Seeing the animals with full bellies as they wander from bush house to bush house gives many of us great comfort in knowing they are eating. Right now, the bush is brown and dry.

This morning, I noticed Bossy eating a non-indigenous plant that survived thus far this winter in an attempt to eat some “greenery,” of which there is little. It’s a challenging scenario when the wildlife starts eating the equivalent of “house plants.” It becomes impossible for many of us to avoid feeding them. Of course, there are two schools of thought on this topic, the other being “let nature take its course” and all that it entails. Perhaps it’s our own selfish desire to prevent that course since we don’t want to see it. Understood.

The narrow, single-lane bridge over the Crocodile River toward the entrance to Kruger National Park.

We’re thrilled to share these hippo photos today, and over the next few days, we have plenty of other species photos to share.

Soon, I’m off with Fiona for another pedicure while her significant other, friend Alan, will visit with Tom while she and I are gone. It should be a fun afternoon in the bush.

May you have a rewarding and meaningful day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 12, 2020:

Month: August 2021