We are finally back!…Busy with Paulette and Colleen and dinner guests Kathy and Don…We are off to Kruger National Park!…

We’re getting ready to head to Kruger National Park, our first visit since Colleen and Paulette arrived four days ago. It’s hard to believe how quickly these past four days have flown by. We’ve been keeping busy with endless wildlife sightings, fabulous meals, lively conversations, and plenty of social interactions with our many friends here in Marloth Park. Having family here to share our bush experiences makes everything even more special.

We’ve squeezed quite a bit into these past few days, and we haven’t had much time to sit around doing nothing. Of course, that’s not necessarily a bad thing when we have so much to share with our visitors. Between the wildlife that regularly stops by our garden, our favorite restaurants, and catching up with friends, there is always something happening.

Last night, Kathy and Don joined us for dinner. Sadly, this was our last evening together for a while, since they will be leaving in a few days. They sold their beautiful home overlooking the Crocodile River, a place they have enjoyed for years. When they return to Marloth Park in 2028, they plan to rent a home from our friend Louise.

Hopefully, their return will coincide with our next visit to Marloth Park, which we anticipate will be around my 80th birthday in 15 months. Good grief! Did I really say 80? It’s hard to believe that birthday is approaching, although I suppose time has a way of sneaking up on all of us, especially when we’re busy enjoying life and traveling the world.

We had a fabulous dinner and evening with Kathy and Don. There is something especially enjoyable about spending time with friends who share our love of this remarkable place. We talked, laughed, reminisced, and enjoyed one another’s company, knowing this would be our last chance to see them before their departure.

After dinner and our goodbyes to Kathy and Don, the four of us returned to our veranda. It was lovely to have some quiet time together after such a busy evening. Before we knew it, the hours had slipped away, and we eventually drifted off to bed around 11:30 pm.

This morning, we are up and getting organized for our first game drive into Kruger National Park with Colleen and Paulette. We’ve been looking forward to taking them there, and we decided that today would be a good opportunity to get an early start.

The forecast calls for a particularly hot day, and anyone who has spent time in the African bush knows that extremely hot weather can make wildlife viewing more challenging. During the heat of the day, many animals retreat into the shade of thick vegetation or rest beneath trees, making them much harder to spot. By getting through the entrance gates early, we hope to enjoy the cooler morning hours, when animals are often more active.

Of course, there are never any guarantees when it comes to wildlife sightings. That’s part of the adventure! We may see elephants, giraffes, zebras, kudus, impalas, lions, and many other magnificent creatures. Sometimes we encounter an abundance of wildlife, while other drives require patience and a willingness to appreciate whatever comes our way. Either way, being in Kruger is always a treat.

For Colleen and Paulette, this will be another opportunity to experience the incredible wildlife that makes this part of South Africa so special. We hope they will enjoy every moment, and naturally, we hope to come home with plenty of photos to share.

Tonight, we’ll all head out together for Quiz Night, another activity we’ve come to enjoy during our stays in Marloth Park. It’s always fun to gather with friends, test our knowledge, and see how well our team does against the other participants. With the four of us together, and our other two players, we’re sure to have a wonderful time.

So, off we go to enjoy another day in Africa! Between our morning adventure in Kruger and Quiz Night this evening, it looks like another full day is ahead of us. We wouldn’t have it any other way!

Be well.

 

Photo from ten years ago today, November 3, 2016: