Part 1…School holidays starting on Thursday, ending October 5…What are the rules for residents and visitors?…

An 11-day school holiday is starting in South Africa on Thursday and will continue through October 5. While we are happy for the property owners, restaurants, shops, and other local businesses that depend on tourism for their livelihoods, we also know what these school holidays can mean for those of us who live in or spend extended periods in Marloth Park.

Hundreds of tourists arrive from across South Africa and around the world to enjoy their time off from work and school in this magical place. We certainly can’t blame them. Marloth Park is a unique destination where visitors can stay in holiday homes surrounded by wildlife, wake up to bushbuck and kudu wandering through the garden, and spend their days enjoying the peacefulness of the African bush.

For local businesses, these busy periods can be extremely important. More visitors mean more restaurant meals, grocery shopping, activities, accommodations, and purchases from the many small businesses that make Marloth Park what it is. We genuinely hope everyone has a successful and profitable school holiday.

For us, however, who spend extended periods living here, the influx of people can be quite annoying.

Most tourists respect the wildlife, the environment, and the serenity that makes Marloth Park so special. Unfortunately, some are always totally oblivious to, or unwilling to follow, the rules that apply to everyone here, whether permanent residents, long-term visitors, or tourists staying for only a few days.

Some of the most important rules include:

• Do not chase, corner, touch, or harass the wildlife. These are wild animals, not pets, and they need respect and plenty of space.

• Do not feed the animals inappropriate foods. If you feed wildlife, offer only suitable foods, and remember that not everything people eat is safe for animals.

• Do not speed. Wildlife frequently crosses the roads, and animals can appear suddenly from the bush. Driving slowly is essential for everyone’s safety.

• Do not sound your horn at animals. There is no reason to scare or chase wildlife away simply because it happens to be standing in the road.

• Do not get out of your vehicle to approach wildlife. This is especially important with larger animals such as giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and kudu. They may appear calm but remain wild and unpredictable.

• Do not litter. Marloth Park is part of a natural environment, and trash has no place on the roads, in the bush, or anywhere wildlife might encounter it.

• Do not make excessive noise. Loud music, shouting, and other disturbances detract from the peaceful bush environment and can disturb both wildlife and other residents.

• Do not block roads or stop vehicles in unsafe locations. Pull over appropriately when observing animals so other vehicles can safely pass.

• Respect private property. Just because an animal is standing near someone’s home doesn’t mean visitors should enter the property to get a closer look.

• Keep dogs and other pets at home. Wildlife and domestic animals don’t always mix well, and allowing pets to join you here can create dangerous situations for them and the wildlife.

These aren’t unreasonable expectations. They are simple ways of respecting the animals, the environment, the residents, and the other visitors who have come here to enjoy Marloth Park.

We know that school holidays are part of life here, and we certainly aren’t complaining about people coming to experience this extraordinary place. After all, we were visitors ourselves long before Marloth Park became such an important part of our lives.

We’ll adjust our routines over the next couple of weeks, avoid the busiest areas when possible, and patiently wait for October 5, when the holiday crowds begin heading home.

Then, hopefully, the bush will become a little quieter again, the roads a little less busy, and we can settle back into the peaceful routine we love so much.

That’s one of the trade-offs of living in a place this special. We can’t keep Marloth Park a secret forever, and perhaps we wouldn’t want to. We hope everyone who visits will love and respect it as much as we do.

More will follow in Part 2, tomorrow.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, September 21, 2016: