Fun night in the bush!…Memories of years past…

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Frank, who prefers to walk and run, flew up to the bushbaby house and posed for this photo.

Last night, we didn’t take a single photo. Once we arrived at Khaya Umdani, a beautiful holiday home owned by Louise and Danie, we were caught up in the loveliness of the evening, the hosts, the Christmas decorations, the food, and the beauty and ambiance of a house we’d stayed in for a few weeks back in 2014.

Returning to Khaya Umdani brought memories of the particular time we spent in that gorgeous house far beyond our budget. The rent is at least three times more than we pay at this house and more suited to large groups with six bedrooms and five bathrooms. It is a stunning house, suitable for ten adults and two children.

It was fun to see a few mongoose babies.

If you are interested in coming to Marloth Park with friends or family, this house is ideal. If the cost were divided among three, four, or five couples, the cost would be a bargain. To view this listing and its stunning features in many photos, see this link and contact Louise for more information at bookings@khayaumdani.com.

As the guests arrived, almost all of whom we already knew and thoroughly enjoyed at other social events, an intimate group of their closest friends, we felt honored to be included in this little party of 13. Everyone had brought tasty treats, and of course, Louise and Danie made some fantastic meaty items on the braai, ready to be served when we arrived.

Could One Tusk be our replacement for Tiny, also gentle and friendly?

At that gathering, Flo and JiJi invited all of us to their upcoming New Year’s Eve party, which we’d attended the last time we were here on New Year’s Eve in 2018. We are thrilled to be included. We have parties to attend on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, rounding out the holiday season.

We’ll spend Tom’s birthday on December 23rd at Jabula without any commotion due to its proximity to Christmas when everyone is otherwise preoccupied with Christmas festivities. We’ll make his 70th birthday in 2022 more festive when we return to Cape Town, South Africa, earlier in the month by cruise and make our way to Marloth Park for the holidays and a few following months.

One Tusk never minds sharing pellets with piglets and their mom.

Of course, all of the cruises we have booked into 2022 could easily be canceled over the next several months. The first one we expect to be canceled is the one for which we’ll make the final payment on Christmas Day, two weeks from today. If that payment is accepted, it doesn’t confirm that the cruise will set sail on April 8, 2022, because it is a transatlantic cruise ending in Southampton, England.

England has several entry restrictions as outlined here at this site. But, a lot can change in the next four months, so, once again, we’ll play it by ear. We’ll need to arrive in the US 14 days before the cruise to ensure we can get on the cruise on April 8th. Otherwise, they won’t accept us for boarding the ship in Fort Lauderdale, coming directly from South Africa. We can’t take that chance.

Big Daddy maneuvered through the dense bush to make his way to our garden.

Today, I decided to make Tom a special treat for his birthday. Although not low carb, he deserves a treat, so I will make him his favorite dessert, German Chocolate Cake, from scratch. South Africa doesn’t carry typical cake mixes. In our old lives, I’d use a Pillsbury German Chocolate cake mix for this particular cake and make the frosting from scratch.

This year, I’ll make the entire cake from scratch and plan to do so early in the morning on his birthday. That night, when we return from dinner at Jabula, he can have a piece of his cake. Of course, I don’t eat any of it, but I will enjoy seeing him savor his favorite treat. It’s the least I can do for my guy on his 69th birthday!

Kudus are used to eating from the trees, not bending down to eat pellets.

Most likely, for the holiday, I will make a special low-carb coffee cake for me and another of the same for Louise and Danie, who also eat as I do. Once done, I will post both recipes.

Tonight, we’re off to Jabula for dinner and more fun socialization. No doubt, we’ll have another fantastic evening.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 11, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #263. This was Cupid with a heart-shaped marking on her throat. She particularly loved the lucerne. For more photos, please click here.

Holiday party tonight…Five lions need to go…

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We’d hope for a better photo of the ostrich family, but dad, mom, and chicks hurried across the road, leaving little time to get good photos.

Commonly, social events are planned at the last minute in Marloth Park. It makes sense to plan social events last minute with frequent power outages, water outages (we had a 24-hour water outage this week), and unpredictable inclement weather. Thus, tonight we are attending a sundowner party with starters instead of a full dinner, which is hard to do in this heat.

Plus, it makes sense for all guests to bring a dish to share, which we’ll prepare today to get to the 6:00 pm, 1800 hrs event. Since we usually have dinner around that time, today we’ll have a late breakfast of bacon and eggs that will hold us. I ended up canceling tonight’s dinner at Jabula with a reservation for tomorrow night, Saturday, instead.

If we don’t feel like cooking on Sunday, we may go back to Jabula for another dinner. We’re running low on groceries and plan to head to Komatipoort early next week. The small freezer is still reasonably full, but the refrigerator section is practically bare.

Dad proudly strutted across the road with his four huge chicks and mom trailing behind.

At the moment, at 11:00 am, It’s already 90F, 32C with high humidity. We’re sitting outdoors on the veranda while sweating profusely. Zef and Vusi are here cleaning the house. We don’t envy them for their hard work in cleaning Louise’s many rentals as more and more visitors come to the park for the holiday season.

Last night, there was a notice on Facebook about residents and tourists assisting rangers and animal wardens in locating the FIVE lions sighted in Marloth Park. Apparently, for their safety and ours, they must be captured and removed from Marloth Park. Here is a newspaper article about the lions entering Marloth Park:

Here is the post we read on Facebook last night from a Marloth Park group:

“Gerrie Camacho, the MTPA Carnivore Scientist, requests the help, assistance, and cooperation of everybody in Marloth Park to aid in the capture of the lions as fast as possible. The capturing and removal of the lions are extremely difficult due to the number of people in Marloth and the strategic planning of the ground crews and the on-site vet, whose time is precious! Unfortunately, the lions have to be removed as per the rules, law, and general safety of everybody! It is also in the best interest of the lions as they need to be captured alive and removed!
PLEASE everybody let’s help the team with any sightings to immediately contact Nadine, Security, the Rangers, or myself so that we don’t waste any time. We will be kept in the loop as far as what happens after their safe capture and removal.
Once again, we ask everyone, including Lodge owners, guests, clients, visitors, and permanent residents, to report ANY sightings of the lions as soon as possible!
CPF, Security, Carnivore team, MTPA, and Rangers.”
We spotted several other giraffes, but they were hidden in the dense vegetation.
Many members of various Facebook groups have stated, “Let the lions stay!”
We understand some locals desire to keep the lions in the park. They offer added excitement and adventure and may be instrumental in reducing night break-ins which are rampant right now.
But we also see why it’s essential to remove the lions with the busy holiday season upon us. Many visitors have no regard for curfews and often let their kids walk and ride bikes on the roads and along the river. No one wants to tarnish the beauty and wonder of Marloth Park with an adult or child being attacked by a lion.
Also, if such a horrific event transpired, the lions may have to be euthanized. They are here just doing what they do in their natural habitat, hunt and kill, which while in Kruger or another national park, is generally safe for them. After all, they are at the top of the pecking order, “The King  or Queen of the Jungle.”
Yesterday, we took a short drive to where they’d last been spotted. But seeing them during daylight hours is comparable to finding a needle in a haystack. Many others have driven around the park looking for them but spotting them is more of a fluke than anything. They are elusive and cautious.
A few days ago, we posted by Melissa, who stumbled upon them, able to capture several photos. You may see her photos here at this link.
That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back with more tomorrow, hopefully with some photos from tonight’s party. See you then!
Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 10, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #262. A boulevard scene in Arica, Chile. For more photos, please click here.

Two years of hell?…

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At first, we thought this was one centipede tangled around itself. But, when Tom moved it to safety in the grass, it proved to be two. Were they fighting, or were they mating? Centipede poop beside them. Did she squeeze the you-know-what out of him?

Without much of a social life these days after most of our friends have left the bush, our days and nights seem to roll into one another, and we easily lose track of time. Many Marlothians are concerned about Omicron and staying close to home rather than going out and about to socialize.

We haven’t heard of any new virus cases here in the park, But it’s entirely possible they aren’t being recorded. Today, I contacted the Marloth Park medical clinic to see if they’ll have the J & J boosters, and they will not. I am awaiting a response on if I can get a different booster which I’ve read is fine to “mix and match.”

This is One Tusk and who may have been his mate, Momm, and three piglets. The two warthogs in the background are hers from her last litter, Barbara and Lori. She chases them off now that she has the new piglets. Family dynamics. Funny.

At this point, I don’t think South Africa has authorized boosters for the general population, but finding accurate information online is tricky. Answers are vague and confusing. All we can do at this point is to continue watching the news for updates. Also, we continue checking the news to see if the President will do his “family meeting” to see if he will extend visas again for foreign nationals.

This was hilarious. One Tusk happily lounges on the ground while the three piglets are “giving him a bath.” He didn’t mind a bit. Surely, these must be his kids! Note: Barbara and Lori are looking on.

If he does not extend visas, we’ll have no choice but to return to Zambia again for the new visa stamps. Flights are still available to Livingstone, from Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger. This time, we’ll bring a copy of our flight cancellation and a newly purchased ticket to the US. South Africa immigration doesn’t approve of “border jumping” for visa purposes, although it is legal. In this case, we won’t have a choice.

If our cruise cancels, will we attempt to stay here longer, or will we book a new location? Fortunately, United Airlines now has a free cancellation policy that makes bookings easier. If we find out that our cruise is canceled after we’ve booked it, we’ll be able to change or cancel the flight after deciding what we’d like to do.

It’s fun to see the three generations getting along.

At this point, a new location is more appealing, providing the various countries we investigate will accept passengers from South Africa, which is a real dilemma, especially since the onset of Omicron. But, at this early date, we have no idea. Everything could change between now and March or April.

If we go to Zambia on January 24, 2022, and get another 90 days, and if the cruise cancels, most likely, we’ll stay here until the end of the 90 days. We’d be able to stay in South Africa until April 24, 2022. Our next cruise, sailing from Istanbul, isn’t until June 29, 2022. Hopefully, we could find somewhere interesting to stay for a few months in that part of the world while we wait for the cruise.

The piglets are hilarious. We never tire of watching their antics. One Tusk is a very gentle guy, even with the one vicious-looking task.

So much is up in the air. But after spending ten months in lockdown in India in 2020, we are much more adept and patient in dealing with the unknown. As complex and challenging as those ten months were, we did learn a few things about ourselves and our ability to adapt and accept such a trying situation.

If anyone had told us that we’d experience such a difficult challenge for ten months during our first nine years of world travel, along with dealing with my open-heart surgery, all transpiring in a two-year period, we’d have wondered if we could handle this degree of strife. But, amid those difficulties, we had countless fantastic experiences. The two years weren’t, by any means, a total loss for us.

Eventually, Mom and the babies were left on their own, when of course, we tossed more pellets their way.

As those times have passed, we look back with gratitude for the personal growth and strength we gleaned, individually and as a couple, during those tough times.  It has only made us more resilient than we ever imagined. Waiting out this current scenario is a piece of cake,

We’re safe. We’re content. We have each other and the love from friends and family worldwide. What more could we ask for?

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 9, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #261. After arriving in Nevada to visit family in 2019, we were on our way to the Vegas Golden Knights game, guest of son Richard, a super fan. For more, please click here.

Lions still in Marloth Park…Flights, canceling to and from South Africa…What shall we do?

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When Melissa Grobler of Dubai, currently staying in  Marloth Park with her mom, a resident, captured these lion photos, this morning we were enthralled. Melissa managed to witness this fantastic sighting of one of the female lions known to roam the streets of Marloth Park.

Finally, this morning, photos were taken of one of the lions that have been spotted in Marloth Park over the past few months and subsequently, posted on Facebook. These are the first photos we’ve seen of the lions. I contacted the photographer, Melissa Grobler, who is currently staying in the park for a few months, visiting her mom, a resident, asking if we could use her photos. She was thrilled to share.

After all the comments we’ve read about numerous sightings since the lions were originally spotted, with no supporting photos, we began to wonder if these elusive carnivore beasts were actually staying here. Often, at night, humans perceive certain animals to be roaming the bush, other than those we see regularly, At times, at night, we’ve often thought we’ve seen something when perhaps the light and the night tricked our eyes.

Melissa did this drawing to outline the shape of the lion she spotted in the bush.

In this day and age, with the advent of rampant cellphone and camera use, we longed to see an actual photo of a lion in the park. It’s not that we doubted their existence here, especially when, in this day and age, rangers and many locals have spotted them, over and over again. But, as they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words” and Melissa hit the jackpot this morning.

So, for all the naysayers, here are some good photos of the lions, keeping in mind they don’t care to be around humans and may be extremely poor subjects when hiding in the bush, and mostly making appearances at night in the dark when they are on the hunt for their next meal. Obviously, the pickings are good in Marloth Park with so many animals a part of this unusual wildlife conservancy,

You may have to squint your eyes to see the lion in this photo.

On to other matters…This morning at 6:00 am, I received an email from Expedia, that our flight from Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger to Tampa, Florida had been canceled by Delta Airlines. Apparently, Delta isn’t interested in flying to and from South Africa, in light of Omicron, the newest Covid-19 variant.

Although, so far, reports are showing this variant is no more lethal than other variants, a worldwide panic ensued and many countries locked their borders to South Africa as well as airlines suspending flights. In this prior post, we commented how we’ve canceled our plans to attend our dear friends, Karen and Rich’s wedding in Florida on February 11th.

We were sad and disappointed to be missing this event, which after the wedding, we’d planned to stay in Florida for an upcoming cruise sailing out of Fort Lauderdale on April 8, 2022. After a month-long stay with Karen and Rich at their oceanfront home, we’d also planned to spend time driving through Florida, visiting friends that have relocated to various oceanside areas in the warm weather state.

It’s been a thrill to see these photos. We can only thank Melissa for capturing these photos.

With everyone’s justified concerns about Omicron, we won’t be seeing our friends after all. If the trans-Atlantic cruise actually sails, we’ll come to Florida two weeks earlier and self-quarantine, not seeing any of our friends during this period. From there, we’ll board the cruise. But, by the end of March, new rules may be in place about mandatory quarantine for anyone arriving from South Africa, whether US citizens or not. Only time will tell.

When we decided to cancel our trip to the wedding, we left our flight, departing on January 22, 2022, in place. With Delta, we had until the end of December to move the flight to a different ending point and date without penalty. A few days ago, when I’d made a to-do list on this post, it included moving this flight. Now, this has been taken care of by Delta canceling the flight and offering us a full refund.

This morning after receiving the email, I requested a refund for the flight and we’ll book our exit out of here when we know more. Is the cruise going to sail in April? Will there be flights out of South Africa by then? What will we do about our visas expiring on January 24th? This all remains to be seen.

In the interim, we’ll be contacting all of our friends in Florida, telling them not to worry about being near us since we won’t be seeing them after all. Our biggest concern beyond that is what we’ll do about our expiring visas in January? We may have no choice but to return to Zambia for another short stay and another visa stamp. Will immigration allow us to make this trip once again? Or, will President Cyril Ramaphosa issue another visa extension for foreign nationals based on this Omicron situation?

Only time will tell. In the interim, we will stay positive and aren’t as worried as one may think. We’ll continue to enjoy our time in the bush and see how it all rolls out.

Today, we’re reveling in the lion photos and the excitement each day of wildlife visiting our garden.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 8, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #260. We were with friends Lisa and Barry, enjoying one last night together on the ship in a private sitting in the wine room. For more photos, please click here.

Stuck indoors on a rainy day…One big task accomplished..

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Zoom in to note the difference in size between this massive elephant and the nearby male impala. For more photos, please click here.

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned how I was procrastinating over a few tasks that I’d listed in the story., As of this writing, I have one of these tasks completed, the new spreadsheet for 2022 expenses. Wow! Accomplishing a nagging task is so gratifying it’s indescribable. It spurs me to work on the remaining tasks to achieve more of this “high.”

Perhaps once today’s post is uploaded, I’ll strive to tackle these other challenges instead of getting into mindless drivel. Dinner is already made for tonight, laundry is done, and nothing is like a rainy day to get things done!

Several kudus stopped by for a short visit, eating some pellets and drinking from the pool.

Our house was in excellent condition, but there were always little projects that could be tackled. In our old lives, on a day like this, we might have been heading to Home Depot to buy the necessary products to do some “fixing” around the house. Or, I may have called a friend to meet me for lunch or visit the kids and grandkids.

Shopping was also a possibility when I kept an ongoing list on my phone of needed groceries or other items that may precipitate a trip to a local mall or Costco store. We only shop for groceries once every ten days due to the long drive to Komatipoort. As for any other shopping in Komati, it’s limited. Only on a few desperate occasions have I entered any store, other than the pharmacy or the Spar Supermarket,

Our good friend, Hal, visits from time to time but not as often as Broken Horn.

With most of our closest friends returning to their home countries or other locations, social events are at a minimum here in the park during the upcoming holiday season. Also, with concern over Omicron, many locals stay close to home to avoid contact with others. We certainly understand this.

We’re grateful we have a Christmas Day party to attend and will wait and see if a New Year’s Eve party materializes over the next few weeks. If we had a bigger house, we might plan something, but this house doesn’t have adequate space for entertaining more than four guests, especially when the weather is unpredictable and could require entertaining indoors.

A young kudu was checking out the action in the garden.

Thank goodness, we have our fun Friday nights at Jabula and may, over the holiday season, go there for dinner on both Fridays and Saturdays when socialization is at its best. Tom’s birthday is coming up on December 23rd, a Thursday. He doesn’t want to inconvenience locals to attend a party for him so close to Christmas. As a result, we’ll go to Jabula and celebrate with our friends there, including friends/owners, Dawn and Leon.

Unfortunately, we don’t have many new and exciting photos. With the awful heat, these past several days and now the rain, both occasions during which wildlife stays undercover, our photo-taking ops have been limited. Also, with the bush so lush and green, we’ve tossed less than half the pellets than during the sparse winter months. We’ve barely gone through one bag a week instead of the usual three bags.

Young Daddy is looking at us, wondering where his pellets are.

Of course, this is good for the wildlife. Grazing off the natural vegetation, most suitable for their diets, has been excellent over these past several weeks since everything became green once again. As a result, we’ve had 65% fewer wildlife visitors than we had in the past.

We haven’t even seen Little and Narrow in the past two days. Perhaps, they’ll stop by later this afternoon at their usual 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs, time slot. We’ll have an eye out for them, even if we are stuck indoors.

We hope you have an enriching day filled with many wonders.

Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago today while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #259. Tom and I and Lisa and Barry, our new friends. They visited us in Ireland in 2019, and we are close in touch. For more photos, please click here.

Procrastination…Not good for world travelers…

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A male impala is on the lookout in Kruger.

Is it likely that we procrastinate when projects are tackled from time to time? You bet we do! Because we are world travelers doesn’t mean we are always “on the ball.” Right now, a few projects are hanging over our heads that we need to address by the end of the year.

We haven’t been motivated to do much of anything other than the bare minimum with the heat and humidity. I’ve managed to do laundry, cook meals, and prepare each day’s new post. But that’s been the extent of it. Of course, we both always keep ourselves looking fresh and presentable, if not for ourselves but one another.

Tom does everything related to dishes and is constantly alert for insect control, both inside the house and on the veranda. He makes ice a few times a day and keeps our ice tea pitcher topped off while overseeing the job of keeping both of our cold mugs filled to the brim with tea and ice. He also handles all of the photos on the trail cam daily, filling the big bucket of pellets we keep in the lounge room and tossing pellets to our animal friends.

Impalas in Kruger National Park are a common sighting.

Of course, I am in charge of Little’s arrival each day since I get a huge kick of feeding him and his buddy, Narrow,  who’ve been arriving together each afternoon. It’s nice to see Little has made Narrow his friend once again.

Although Zef and Vusi clean the house five days a week, a certain amount of housekeeping is required. Sure, we could leave dishes in the sink and tidying up for them, but we don’t. We clean up after ourselves, never leave dishes in the sink and pick up and fold our towels after use. They’d willingly do our laundry, but we prefer to do it ourselves to ensure our clothes last longer by avoiding using a clothes dryer.

Our day-to-day responsibilities are limited. But, this morning, I spent two hours in the kitchen after showering and dressing for the day. It’s so hot. We decided a  few cold salads would be ideal for the next few days, so I made a big batch of chicken, tuna, and mixed salad for dinner.

Big Daddy kudu in Kruger.

All three salads were in the fridge cooling for tonight’s dinner two hours later. I had to cook the chicken, cut it into bite-size pieces, cook, cool, peel, dice two dozen eggs, chop red onions, white onions, celery,  and make the dressing. All that’s left is to make Tom’s rice and toss the green salad at dinnertime. But, just like that, two hours drifted away.

Now, I am at 11:00 am just now getting started on today’s post, sitting straight up on the bed with the fan blowing on me. We dislike using the aircon during the day, but lately, when Tom takes a nap around 2:00 pm, 1400 hrs, we turn it on to cool us off a bit. It’s a welcome relief.

So what could we possibly be procrastinating about right now? A few things which include:

  1. Jess: I am getting started on the SEO posts I have been putting off since I finished the corrections a month ago.
  2. Tom: Conduct research on what we’ll do for our upcoming visa extensions on January 24, 2022.
  3. Both: Move our previously booked flight to the US by December 31 to ensure we get a full refund once we decide when to fly to the US for the upcoming cruise in April. (Delta Airlines is offering free flight changes up until that date. Plus, before month’s end, we’ll know if our next cruise is sailing and the flight plans we’ll need to make for that sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 8, 2022).
  4. Jess: Make a new spreadsheet for 2022 expenses

    Hippos mulling around in the dam.

These tasks are not only time-sensitive but require a reasonable amount of time and effort. We know we’ll get them all done in time, as we always do. But right now, today, we don’t feel like doing any of this. Instead, we stay fairly low-key during these hot and humid days in the afternoons. We realize it’s not going to cool down as summer approaches, but perhaps there will be a few cooler days to get us motivated.

May you have a cool and comfortable day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 6, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago in lockown in a hotel In Mumbai, India, on day #258. In 2018, when Little didn’t get my attention when he walked up the steps to the veranda, he knocked over this chair—determined Little, trying to get my attention. It worked! For more photos, please click here.

Oh, what a night!…

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Holey Moley, chewing on a piece of cabbage, we tossed her way.

Last time was torture. During the day, the temperature rose to 98F, 37C, with the dew point at a high/uncomfortable tropical 72. At about 4::00 pm, 1600 hrs, the power went out due to an Eskom fault. On the horizon at 11:00 pm. 2300 hrs, load shedding was scheduled to begin. We weren’t hopeful.

We were seated at the table on the veranda, listening to music and chatting about our dreams for the future amid these crazy pandemic times. When we heard the usual ping of a power failure, we started planning how we”d prepare dinner when several items we’d planned required the use of the stove.

We cooked the rice, creamed spinach, and bacon on the braai to go with our beef patties I’d already seasoned and prepped. Earlier in the day, I’d made a big salad that would stay cold in the fridge until we’d eat, a few hours later. Regardless of the power outage, we were roasting on the veranda in the interim. It was hotter indoors.

We prepared and ate dinner, and when the bugs got bad, we had no choice but to go indoors. With WiFi still working, we decided to sit on the bed and watch a few more episodes of Yellowstone. By 8:00 pm, 2000 hrs, we still had now power. Worried about the food in the fridge, Tom filled the metal bowl with ice and placed it in the center of the refrigerator, hoping to keep the contents cool enough not to spoil.

Only on the hottest days that Little sits in the cement pond.

The bedroom was a hotbox. We had to keep the door closed since many bugs were flying around the house, including flies that came out of nowhere when preparing any meat.

At 10:00 pm. 2200 hrs, we turned off the laptop to complete darkness except for the light from our phones. Since the outage, I’d been texting back and forth with Louise since she gets updates on  Eskom outages on her phone. She, too, speculated this would be our fate for the remainder of the night.

I’d taken another shower before bed but was dripping in sweat in no time. Tom was feeling the same, but neither of us complained. What was the point? We weren’t the only people feeling uncomfortable. The power was out in all of Marloth Park. Also, without power, the security system doesn’t work. The house locks up tightly. We keep the house keychain in the bedroom with us every night since the emergency button on the keychain is battery-operated.

Field Security could be here in five minutes if we pushed that button—lately, many break-ins and burglaries in the park, including on our road. We always stay super alert to sounds outside the house. Most of the break-ins have occurred at night when residents are in bed. This is especially frightening.

Getting to sleep wasn’t easy. I awoke at midnight sweating under my lightweight tee shirt. Tom slept restlessly beside me. Finally, we drifted off.

At 1:30 am, I heard the familiar ping of the power returning. We’d left the remote for the aircon on the bed between us. I couldn’t hit the button quickly enough. Within minutes, I was back to sleep, pulling up the duvet, hopeful our food in the fridge might survive.

He moved around a few times, looking for the coolest spot.

This morning, Tom said the ice in the metal bowl hadn’t melted, a good sign the food would be ok. What a relief! On numerous occasions, we have lost most of the perishables in the fridge.

Today, it’s still hot with a high of 97F, 36C, but with a slightly lower dew point which makes all the difference in the world. Of course, load shedding will occur tonight but only from 9:00 pm, 2100 hrs, for a total of 2½ hours. We can handle that easily.

Summer is almost here, but we’re already amidst its brunt now. It will worsen, and we will prepare ourselves for that eventuality. We could be in Minnesota now, where we spent most of our lives (Tom all of his life), where temps are often below zero with snowfalls hard to imagine. Nowhere in the world is exempt from challenges such as these.

We forge ahead, slaying the dragons as they appear and carry on, filled with hope and optimism for the future to come.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 6, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #257. A pelican was proudly posing for a photo while in Pisco, Peru, in 2017. For more photos, please click here.

A decision has been made…Photos from our trail cam…A special visitor…

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Look to the right of this tree in the center, and you’ll see our occasional visitor, a porcupine.

It wasn’t an easy decision to make. We don’t want to be overly or foolishly cautious as we strive to continue our world journey, hopefully soon. There wasn’t a single factor that precipitated the decision to stay in South Africa, again, to get a visa extension, due by January 24, 2022.

Yesterday afternoon, I called my dear friend Karen and told her that sadly we wouldn’t be coming to her wedding in February. It was a huge disappointment for her and us and her fiance Rich, but they both fully understand our predicament with the world in an upheaval due to the latest Covid19 variant, Omicron.

The porcupine is easiest to see if you zoom in.

What was the most influential factor that resulted in making this decision? Most likely, more than any of the other factors we mentioned in yesterday’s post, it was due to uncertainty. With airports and borders preventing the entry of passengers from South Africa, we could be left in a precarious position if last-minute changes are made, giving us little time to make an alternate plan.

We know this from experience, not speculation. On March 20, 2020, we arrived at the Mumbai International Airport at 2:00 am to be turned away from our scheduled flight after waiting in line for over an hour. South Africa closed its borders from when we left our hotel for the airport until the moment we heard the bad news. From there, you all know what transpired over the next ten months.

We wish the camera got a better shot, but we are always excited to see these.

We can safely stay in South Africa to wait this out with the only obstacle, a mandatory renewal of our visas, every 90 days. From past experience, we feel confident we can work that out and come up with a solution by January 24, 2022, our visa expiration date.

Also, there is a possibility that President Ramaphosa will extend visas for foreign nationals if the pandemic worsens over the next few months. This has transpired several times since the onset of the pandemic and could easily happen again. If not, we’ll fly to another country in Africa for a short stay and return. In this situation, we may not be able to make plans until a week before our visas expire.

As we’ve mentioned, porcupines are nocturnal.

The process of applying for an extension is so labor-intensive, and invasive of our personal financial status deters us from choosing to apply for an extension. Plus, with fewer employees working at the immigration department now due to Covid-19, it’s possible, even if we did apply, it might never come through in time.

We had a fantastic time at Jabula last night, chatting with Dawn and Leon, Lyn, and other guests at the bar. By the end of the evening, we’d been invited to Christmas Day dinner at Sinndee and Bruce’s bush home, along with Dawn and Leon and others we may or may not know. We couldn’t have been more thrilled to have plans for Christmas Day!

The Christmas tree at Jabula was a delight to see.

Of course, this reminded us of Kathy and Don inviting us to their home on Christmas Eve when they had never even met us! But, this is Marloth Park, and people are so friendly and welcoming, it’s always been hard for us to believe! The beauty of the bush, the wildlife, and the easy lifestyle has been instrumental in locals being warm and friendly.  Then again, South Africans are known to be welcoming to foreign visitors.

As for today, Saturday, we’re staying in. It’s still sweltering and humid. At the moment, I have a floor fan blowing on me that helps. We were outside on the veranda all morning. But now, being indoors with the fan cooling our sticky skin feels a little better.

They never seem to get very close to the camera.

It usually cools down by evening, but the dew point remains high at 72. We best prepare ourselves since summer’s “real” heat and humidity in Africa is yet to come. December, January, February, and March are the hottest months. January is considered the hottest month, with an average temperature of 91F, 33C. Considering how much it cools off at night, you can easily imagine how it is during the day.

The record high temperature in Marloth Park was 118F, 48C, the date on which this occurred is not published. We sure hope it doesn’t get that hot this summer. In any case, whatever it will be, we’ll manage to get through it.

Every one of us, throughout the world, has ongoing challenges to face as the pandemic continues and impacts all of our lives. We pray for us all.

Photo from one year ago today, December 4, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #256. Here is an albatross chick shortly after hatching. The chick was hatched during the first week in February while in Princeville, Kauai, in 2015. For more photos, please click here.

Deciding what to do…CDC tagging South Africa travelers into USA…

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Hippos aren’t necessarily the cutest of animals. Hippos cannot breathe underwater.

After spending ten months in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, in 2020, we may have become particularly cautious and sensitive about spending more time in quarantine, even if it’s in the US. After reading the following article a few days ago, we can’t help but ask ourselves if we’re prepared to travel to the US in 50 days.

United States

Exclusive: U.S. CDC to collect data on southern Africa passengers over COVID variant

By 

WASHINGTON, Dec 1 (Reuters) – U.S. officials ordered airlines to disclose passenger names and other information about those who have recently been in eight southern African countries and will give it to local and state public health agencies, according to documents seen by Reuters.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told airlines in a letter late Tuesday that they must turn over names and contact information for any travelers who within 14 days have been to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, citing “the emergence of the Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19/

(The CDC) will provide the contact information of these passengers to jurisdictional state and local public health partners for public health follow-up. This follow-up may include recommendations for potential post-arrival viral testing and quarantine and isolation,” the agency told airlines.

Effective Nov. 8, the CDC required all airlines to collect contact tracing information from all international air passengers but had not required them to turn over those names.

The new directive, which took effect late Tuesday and was seen by Reuters, mandates airlines to turn over the information within 24 hours of passengers arriving in the United States who have been in one of the eight African countries.

The collected information includes full name, full address while in the United States, primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number, and email address.

The United States effective Monday barred nearly all foreign nationals if they have been in one of the southern African countries.

Separately, the CDC confirmed late Tuesday it is moving to require that all air travelers entering the country show a negative COVID-19 test performed within one day of departure in response to concerns about a new coronavirus variant.

Currently, vaccinated international air travelers can present a negative test result obtained within three days from their point of departure. Nearly all foreign nationals must be vaccinated to enter the United States. The unvaccinated must now get a negative COVID-19 test within one day of arrival.

The new one-day testing requirement would apply equally to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals.

The Biden administration is also considering whether to require air travelers to get another COVID-19 test within three to five days after arrival in the United States, officials said.

The administration could require international passengers to submit an “attestation” that would also require them to follow all state and local public health orders.”

Hippos often come up for air. We’re always trying to get that wide-open-mouth shot. No such luck this time. A hippo’s gestation period is 243 days.

So much can change in a day’s time that we may find ourselves feeling ostracized with weird restrictions that we may not know at this point. The day we moved into the hotel in Mumbai, we thought we’d be there for days, not ten months. We didn’t know at that point that we couldn’t have a glass of wine or cocktail for ten months, that the restaurant would close, that we wouldn’t be allowed to leave the fourth floor.

Also, we must ask ourselves if we’re willing to bear the expense of living in a hotel, with high room rates during peak season, expensive car rental rates, and the high cost of quality food, which is tricky for my way of eating. Fast food doesn’t work for me.

There is no way we can avoid spending 18 days in quarantine before the official wedding celebrations begin with fears of infecting the bride and groom and many seniors with precarious health conditions. After the 18 days, we’d move to yet another hotel for three more nights where the wedding is being held.

Hippos can live for 40 to 50 years.

This would be a choice we make, which at this point, is not required by the government. However, so much can change in the next 50 days, with cases of Omicron increasing worldwide. Perhaps, lots of testing and mandatory quarantine will be required, and who knows, what else?

Will those, like us, arriving from South Africa, have to stay in certain hotels? This is entirely possible. In the UK, mandatory quarantine required travelers to stay at specific hotels at exorbitant rates. The hotels were guarded and monitored to ensure no one left the building. How will we purchase clothing for the wedding? We’d anticipated heading out shopping without an issue. This may not be possible. Neither of us has a single wardrobe item appropriate for what we are sure will be an upscale wedding.

You may think we’re over-reacting. But, please, we may be the only people you know who spent ten months in confinement in a hotel during Covid-19 from March 2020 to January 2021. It isn’t easy to convince me we’re over-reacting. We’ve been through it.

Giraffes were munching on treetops.

On top of all of this is the fact that once again, we’ll be traveling for almost two days with massive exposure to other passengers. That fact in itself is concerning. Of course, if we decide against going, we’ll be disappointed to miss this special event for our dear friends.

What would you do if you were us?

Tonight, we’ll speak to our friends, Karen and Rich, and make a definitive decision, which we’ll share here in tomorrow’s post.

Be well. Be safe.

Photo from EIGHT years ago today, December 3, 2013

We decided to post this “eight-year ago photo” from December 3, 2013, when we arrived in Marloth Park for the first time. This giraffe didn’t seem to mind photo-bombing us. Readers wrote that it looked as if I was wearing a giraffe hat. This photo was taken in our neighborhood. Louise explained that the giraffes would soon come to our house, which they did. For more photos, please click here.

It was another fantastic evening in the bush…A recipe worth posting…

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This may be a Southern Masked Weaver. Who’s about to enter her nest.

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned we were making keto buns from a recipe I’d found online. Louise and Danie were coming for sundowners, which ended up being dinner after all the food we’d made. Trying a new recipe with guests coming can be risky, But since they both eat as we do, I wasn’t a bit concerned.

As it turned out, the buns were good, and thus, we’re sharing the recipe here today. Keep in mind, keto bread and buns don’t taste like the usual bread and buns purchased from a market. Almond flour tends to create somewhat of a dense texture. After all these years of baking with almond flour (on occasion), we are used to the heavier texture.

It’s challenging to determine what type of stork this is from this photo.

The buns were thinner than a regular bun made with flour, but once sliced in half, they worked well as a bun to hold various meats. Last night, I filled my bun, after adding homemade sugar-free ketchup, with the pork and beef we’d made for the meal. I’m looking forward to eating another meat-filled bun with tonight’s leftovers.

This morning I made a big salad and a fresh batch of keto creamed spinach which we’re hooked on right now. We’ll have those with the meat-filled buns. Delicious.

A hippo with her head underwater.

So here’s the recipe for the keto buns from this site:

“Easy Keto Buns

These keto buns are soft, fluffy, and you won’t believe them to be low carb with a tender crust! Simple ingredients and perfect for hamburgers, sliders, and more!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 Buns
Calories 250 kcal
Author Arman

Ingredients

  • 3 cups shredded cheese mozzarella cheese * See notes
  • 2 oz cream cheese
  • 1 3/4 cups almond flour
  • One tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 large eggs

For the glaze and topping

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, add the shredded cheese and cream cheese. Microwave in 20-second spurts, until the cheese, is mostly melted. Remove and whisk together until combined and smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly.
  • Transfer the warm cheese mixture into a food processor. Add the dry ingredients, along with the eggs, and pulse until a thick dough remains.
  • Lightly dust a kitchen surface with almond flour. Transfer the dough onto it, and, using slightly wet hands, knead it several times. Once the dough is smooth, divide it into six portions. Roll the portions of dough into balls and place them on the lined tray. Press down onto each one into a thinner burger bun shape. Brush the tops with the remaining egg (whisked) before sprinkling the sesame seeds on top.

  • Bake the buns for 14-17 minutes, or until golden brown on top. (The recipe is continued below.) remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing in half and serving.

    A few weeks ago, this petrol station in Lower Sabie was struck by lightning and burned, as shown. No one was injured.

Notes

* Mozzarella cheese is best, as it is mild flavored. You can also use cheddar cheese or provolone, but the flavor will be more prominent.

** 2 eggs will be used for the dough, and the remaining egg will be used to brush on top of the buns.

For slider buns, make 12 portions.

TO STORE: Leftover buns should be stored in the refrigerator, covered. They will keep well for up to 1 week.

TO FREEZE: Slice the buns in half and place them in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.

TO REHEAT: Either microwave the buns for 30 seconds or slice them in half and heat in a non-stick pan until warm.

Nutrition

Serving:1serving | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 790mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin A: 663IU | Calcium: 498mg | Iron: 2mg | NET CARBS: 2g”
Multiple bird nests in this tree at Sunset Dam in Kruger.
As it turned out, I doubled the recipe, which was a mistake since all of the ingredients wouldn’t fit into the small food processor we have in this house. I blended as much as I could using the processor and then dumped it all into a giant metal bowl and kneaded it all by hand. It worked well, and the buns came out nice. No doubt, they were a bit dense and doughy but had a nice flavor. Surely, I will make these buns again.
This morning at 11:00, Dawn (Jabula Dawn) and I had pedicure appointments together once again. It was such fun to engage in lively conversation between ourselves and our two lovely spa employees. It’s been wonderful to get pedicures here in Marloth Park at this beautiful spa, something I’d rarely done in the US. With a tip, it’s under US $20, ZAR 316. In a spa in the US, it would easily be twice the cost.
Hippos floating in the Verhami Dam.
The pedicure includes arm/hand massage as well as the lower legs. I always wear cropped jeans to the appointment and bring along flip flops to wear on the way out to avoid ruining the polish. What a treat! Plus, it’s fun to be there with my Marloth Park friends while both of us get our pedicures simultaneously. Tom drops me off and picks me back up when I notify him by WhatsApp that I’m ready to go.
Right now, the power has been out for the past 2½ hours due to some fault by Eskom, the unreliable electricity provider. We have no idea how long it will last. If it isn’t restored within an hour, we’ll have to make some emergency plans for all the food in our refrigerator. We often fill the metal bowl with ice and place it in the fridge to keep things cool.
The power just came back on 3½ hours later.
Back at you tomorrow.

Photo  from one year ago today, December 2, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #254. Little was determined when he climbed the steps, feeling more at “home.” He made us laugh in 2018, and he makes us laugh even more now. For more, please click here.