A fantastic 4th of July family day!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
My hands don’t work as well as they used to, so our flag cake was a little messy, but everyone said it tasted great!
It had been a long time since I’d made dinner for family members. Looking back over our past travels, the last time I did so was when we were in Apache Junction,  Arizona, visiting Tom’s sisters and significant others in January 2019. We made a meal for everyone in our little park model days before we left the US.
When we were last in Minnesota at the end of 2019, we stayed with our dear friends Karen and Rich in Eden Prairie, who have since sold their home and moved to Florida. We didn’t cook any meals during that period when we were stricken with an outrageous virus contracted on the cruise we’d take before we arrived.

After all these years, planning shopping and cooking yesterday’s 4th of July meal was a different experience, especially in Camille and Greg’s new house. No one was quite sure yet where everything was located. My granddaughter Madighan was very helpful in finding the kitchen items I needed.

Camille and Greg’s gorgeous wooded backyard.

Together, Madighan and I made the flag cake, got the ribs in the oven, and prepared the sweet corn, chickens, and homemade garlic bread. No one was interested in eating potatoes with the otherwise big meal so we left those out. It was a relatively easy meal to prepare for the six of us. Our granddaughter, Maisie, was working at her McDonald’s job and couldn’t dine with us.

We had a great day. Greg had to pick up a piece of equipment at a distant Fleet Farm store, and I rode along with him. The food prep was under control, making it easy for me to be gone for the hour. It was fun to have a little alone time with my youngest son, and the lively conversation flowed with ease as if we’d never been away.

Daughter-in-law Camille is still recovering from recent cancer surgery, and we insisted she stay away from the kitchen. It was good to be able to give her a break to rest and relax.

Greg said their new home’s wooded lot reminded him of the house where my kids grew up, about 8 miles away.

After dinner, Greg and the kids did the dishes while Tom and I relaxed while chatting with Camille. We’d all opted out of going to watch fireworks. Tom and I were still struggling from lack of sleep due to the seven-hour time difference between South Africa and Minnesota, and we had yet to catch up on sleep.

Finally, last night we both slept almost 8 hours, and we’re good as new today. Whew! What a relief! We knew a good night’s sleep would set us right, and indeed it did. The past four days have been a struggle for both of us, when we were awake at 2:00 or 3:00 am and unable to go back to sleep. Last night, I awoke at 2:30 am, feeling wide awake.

After playing a few games on my phone, I finally dozed off back to sleep, as did Tom. As for Tom, he left at 8:30 this morning to meet up with his daughter Tammy. They, too, needed some alone time together. I was content to stay behind at the hotel. I am stranded here for the next several hours but I will make some calls to friends and family and easily stay busy.

What a beautiful view and landscape! Many properties in Minnesota had heavily wooded lots.

It will be great to be able to make calls without considering the time difference. This time, we may not see many of our friends due to concerns over Covid-19. After all, we’ve just returned from South Africa, and it seems many are terrified at the prospect of being around us.

We certainly understand their concerns. With the scare tactics in the news, the perception is that most people from South Africa are infected with the virus, which isn’t necessarily the case. Currently, South Africa is in the #19 position in the world, based on the number of cases and deaths as shown on Worldometer.com.

Unfortunately,  as of yesterday, South Africa was in the #6 position worldwide for new cases and deaths. It’s only been four days since we arrived, seven days since our negative PCR tests, and another four days since we were vaccinated. Even though most family members and friends were vaccinated weeks ago, there are still some risks in being in our presence.

One of Greg’s family’s three adorable cats, including Baby Bells

We can’t rest easy until the first seven days pass or even more. In some cases, symptoms don’t become evident for up to 14 days since exposure. We can only rest easier (still observing Covid-19 safety protocols) when two weeks have passed since our vaccination date of July 1st. We have a long way to go. I’ll be relieved when this period passes.

It’s interesting to hear Americans’ observations about Covid-19. Some are incredibly cautious, and others fall into the category of the “naysayers” and “conspiracy theorists.” Many refuse to get the vaccine which is also the case in South Africa, making herd immunity impossible.

I believe I’ve located a camera I may be interested in purchasing. I’ll decide today while I am alone and conducting more research and reading reviews. We’ll have the camera shipped to our mailing service in Nevada rather than collect it here. Added weight for our upcoming domestic flight is a good reason to wait. Once we leave Nevada to fly back to South Africa, we’re allowed twice the weight at no additional cost.

We hope all of our US friends and relatives had a great Independence Day!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, July  5, 2020:

Cattle were so busy grazing in Connemara, Ireland, that they hesitated to look up for a photo op. For more photos, please click here.

Photo facts we must face while in the midwest…Happy 4th of July to our family and friends in the USA!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Little, please be there when we return at the end of the month!

After signing up for a membership for $60 yesterday at Costco, I was a bit frustrated. Once again, Tom dropped me off to shop, with a plan to pick me up when I was done and called him. I was surprised to discover a new policy after being a Costco member for many years, except for the past nine years since we’ve been gone.

The customer’s credit card to sign up for the membership will automatically be set for future renewals. In concept, this doesn’t sound so bad. But, the only way I can cancel the automatic renewal is to call and talk to a manager after we are no longer using the Costco membership when we leave the US. Why can’t I go online and do this?

Having to call, be on hold, and explain our circumstances to a manager is a big waste of time. Sure, they want to make it difficult for customers to cancel to maintain their vast customer base. I get that, but such policies when it comes to us are archaic and out of date in today’s technological world.

Now, I’ve had to mark my calendar to remember to call Costco when we leave Minnesota on July 16th to head to Milwaukee. The main reason we signed up was to purchase a camera. Once in the store, I discovered Costco no longer sells cameras in their store or online. Maybe they found it wasn’t worthwhile during the pandemic. Who knows?

I have a mental block about learning new camera techniques. It’s just one of those things I am not fascinated to learn. I know how beneficial it would be for me to become more adept at taking photos. But when it comes to wildlife, there isn’t much time to change settings and lenses when the magic happens quickly in the garden or a national park. So, now I begin searching for the best camera for our use, which hopefully won’t require a lot of my time to learn to use.

In the interim, when photo ops present themselves, I will have no choice but to use my phone to take the photos. With Chromebook, getting the images from the phone to the computer is time-consuming and tricky. By the time we leave the US, three weeks from today, we’ll have a new camera and can begin retaking photos.

As for today, Independence Day, aka the 4th of July, we changed our plans from visiting an old friend and neighbor since fireworks on the lake were canceled this year due to Covid. Go figure. What does a virus have to do with fireworks? In any case, I sent Nelleke a message, thanking her for thinking of us, and explained we’d be celebrating the 4th with Greg’s family at their home.

I will be preparing most of the meal but wanted to keep it easy. Since we aren’t planning to arrive at their home until 2:00 pm, I will be busy once we first arrive at their home, getting the cake baked, cooled, and decorated, the ribs in the oven, and later on, the grill preparing the garlic bread and sweet corn. Camille will make potatoes.

We purchased several Costco rotisserie chickens, which we’ll reheat 30 minutes before dining. This makes for an easy meal, leaving more time together instead of being stuck in the kitchen. In my old life, I’d be cooking for hours on the 4th of July, but nowadays, my interest in cooking is marginal at best.

While back at the hotel, we washed, dried, and folded clothes, especially after Tom’s lost bag was delivered from United Airlines, with everything intact. The only issue was my container of Himalayan salt spilled all over his clothes. We had to wash everything to get the salt out.

Last night, we stayed at the hotel after several shopping trips. We were both still exhausted after failing to catch up on sleep. We dined on one of those enormous Costco chickens in our hotel room, streamed a few shows, and fell asleep early, hoping for an 8 hour night. It just didn’t happen. We’re still on South Africa time, 7 hours later than Minnesota. I suppose we’ll adapt in the next few days.

Be well, everyone. Continue to follow safety protocols wherever you may be. We’ve had no ill effects from taking the Covid-19, J & J vaccine, other than Tom’s sore arm. Be safe.

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

In Trinity Beach, Australia, vegetation growing in the lake at the Cattana Wetlands created this view. For more photos, please click here.

Finally, back to normal…Tom’s missing luggage…Off to Costco for a new camera and more…Our new living quarters…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We can always count on Mr. Hornbill making a noisy appearance.

Yesterday, we both were hanging by a thread, out of sorts and outrageously exhausted from lack of sleep. This morning, it’s a new day! We thought we had jet lag for the first time, but after sleeping last night after taking a melatonin product called Pure ZZZs, we are back to our “old’ selves feeling alert, energized, and ready to tackle a new day.

As it turned out, we had a great time yesterday, amid our exhaustion. Tom had breakfast in the small self-serve dining area in the morning, which offers “Jimmy Dean, egg McMuffin knock-offs,” Tom didn’t like cold cereals, sweet yogurts, fruit, snack bars, and hard-boiled eggs. The only item I could eat would have been the boiled eggs, but I wasn’t interested in them. Instead, I had a cup of decaf coffee which tasted pretty good.

Tom hates shopping, and he was so wiped out, it would have been impossible for him to dig through all the sizes and styles of jeans in the store. When we were back to our suite by 8:00 am, I offered to go to the only store open that early in the mall, Target, and purchase jeans, tee-shirts, button-shirts, socks, underwear, and a razor. I felt pretty good and got through the process without a hitch.

Everything turned out well and fit him perfectly. His 3-day old clothes were ready for a wash. Fortunately, there are laundry facilities at this hotel. With some free time this afternoon, we’ll be able to get the laundry done after shopping at Costco, a few blocks from here, where we’ll buy a new camera and food for tomorrow’s 4th of July barbecue at Greg and Camille’s house. I offered to do most cooking to give them a break since they are still unpacking from their recent move to their beautiful new home.

Yesterday morning, we went to see their new house, with me going to lunch with Greg, Camille, and my three grandchildren while Tom desperately needed a nap and returned to the hotel. Greg dropped me off back at the hotel by 2:30 pm, so Tom and I could head to Anoka for happy hour and dinner with his siblings and other family members. Again, we had a great time.

As for the hotel, at first, we were sorely disappointed and considered moving to a different location. It reminded us of an apartment building we may have lived in, in the ’70s or earlier. We seriously considered leaving when the WiFi didn’t work in our suite, and I had to call technical support. There was no way we could be in a hotel without working solid WiFi.

After talking to tech guy Chris on the phone, he figured out the problem, and in no time at all, we had a strong working signal. At that point, we decided to stay. The suite was clean, well-maintained, and had most amenities we required. Cleaning service was offered only once a week, but we requested twice a week, and they complied without additional cost.

The location is very convenient for us, somewhat centrally located for both families. We have a partial living room, good air-con, a full kitchen, and an adequate bathroom. Parking is right outside the main door. It will be fine for us for the remaining 13 days until we leave on the road trip for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to see Tom’s sister Betty, the retired nun in a nursing home.

With the shortage of workers in most commercial situations, the Marriott hotel had stopped daily maid service. Of course, this is all due to Covid-19, the same scenario I experienced at Target. Not enough employees and lots and lots of empty shelves, something I’d never seen at a Target store. A few blocks from here, the remaining stores in the Eden Prairie Mall don’t open until 11:00 am due to a lack of staff and shoppers due to Covid-19.

Friend Linda texted this morning to say that South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa will do another speech on Sunday night, called a “family meeting.” Cases of Covid-19 are still rising after the newest lockdown, and we’re anticipating that more lockdown measures may be instituted. We’re hoping, closing of the borders won’t be included.

We left the old camera in Marloth Park with the intent of purchasing a new one. In a few days, I’ll add some new photos once we get the new camera. So that’s it for today, folks. Tomorrow is the big 4th of July celebration, and like most other Americans, we’ll be celebrating with good food, fun, and fireworks.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, July 3, 2020:

Photo from a mall in Singapore. The displays with menu options are meant to whet the appetite. For more photos, please click here.

Day #4…We’re “back in the USA!”…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Mongoose and kudus in the side garden,  munching on treats we tossed their way.

The lyrics to the song written by Chuck Berry, “Back in the USA,” (see the link here), are as follows and ring true today in many ways;  “Chuck Berry first issued the song on Chess Records in 1959 as a single which reached number 37 in the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s lyrics were supposedly written based upon Berry returning to the United States following a trip to Australia and witnessing the living standards of Australian Aborigines.”

Lyrics
“I woke up to a bitter storm (bitter year)
And Noah’s Ark came washed up on the shore
The riot gear has lined the dawn (bitter year)
Like dogs that shit on your neighbor’s lawn
Let freedom ring with all the crazies on parade
Let them eat poison, and it tastes like lemonade
Back in the USA for a small town serenade
With fireworks on display
Tonight, it’s a hero’s welcome home
And there’s no place to go
And I’m taking it to the grave
Back in the USA
The saddest story ever told (bitter year)
Is feeling safe in our suburban homes
Like soldiers of an endless war (bitter year)
And every church can have a liquor store
Let freedom ring with all the crazies on parade
Let them eat poison, and it tastes like lemonade
Back in the USA for a small town serenade
With fireworks on display
Tonight, it’s a hero’s welcome home
And there’s no place to go
And I’m taking it to the grave
Back in the USA”
Many of these words remind me of the trials and challenges most of us faced during the past 18 months of the pandemic. The music to this song is an “earworm” playing over and over again in my head, as we both deal with a severe lack of sleep since Tuesday night, In total, we each may have slept only  10 to 12 hours, and we’re both feeling the brunt of the long journey.
I knew that preparing a post today wasn’t going to be easy. So, on the last leg from Chicago to Minneapolis, I wrote the following on my phone when I had a sudden burst of energy. Doing so made the short 55-minute flight fly by quickly and read as follows:

“I wrote today’s post while on the flight yesterday afternoon from Chicago to Minneapolis. Packed like sardines on the United Airlines Airbus with nary an empty seat, we should be landing in MSP in less than 90 minutes.

Our long journey, albeit tiring, was moving along seamlessly until we arrived in Chicago. Several things went wrong, and honestly, aside from the loss of Tom’s suitcase, it’s not worth getting into each of the other issues.
Facing time constraints with our upcoming Covid-19 vaccines scheduled for 5:45 at the MSP airport, the inconvenience of filing a claim for the lost luggage put us in a severe time crunch.  Maneuvering back and forth to the vaccine center in the terminal and baggage claim area will keep us busy.
The 5:45 pm vaccine times for both of us is a priority over filing the claim. We’ll have to juggle picking up my one bag, making the lost luggage claim, and keeping the vaccine appointments. On an average day, this would be no big deal. After traveling for three days with only a few hours’ sleep, we’re both raggedy and out of sorts.
I haven’t eaten anything all day, and Tom ate high-carb, primarily junk food. We need a shower, good food, clean clothes, and sleep. (Oh yeah, Tom doesn’t have any clothes other than what he’s worn since Tuesday morning when we left Marloth Park).
We’ll see how all of that goes. Now, if we can get the vaccine without incident, I won’t complain too loudly. Tom, sitting across the aisle from me in the “sardine can,” reminded me, “Eight years, eight months, and we never lost a bag!”
I laughed! We have been pretty lucky, haven’t we?
Ah, after a good night’s sleep and food, our attitudes will change exponentially. We’ll report back as to how all of this evolved in tomorrow’s post. Please check back for the update.”
We’re at “tomorrow,” and we wanted to update our readers on our receiving the J & J vaccine, surprisingly in the airport upon arrival. Before heading to the luggage area, since we didn’t have enough time to do both, we made our way with our two carry-on bags to see if we could be vaccinated a few minutes earlier than the 5:45 appointment time.
The two very professional nurses were delighted to have some vaccine recipients. They mentioned, “the business has been slow with few passengers interested in getting the vaccine. In the early part of June, when they first started offering the jabs, they were busy. But, in the entire 45 minutes we were with them, including a 30 minutes waiting period after the jab, not another patient appeared.
As it turned out, we chatted with them during our waiting period, and the time flew by. It didn’t allow us to be concerned or worry about possible side effects. Neither of us experienced a thing. Even today, as tired as we are, we have not had a single twinge of any reaction or side effect.
When done, we headed to the baggage area, picked up my bag, and filed a claim for Tom’s. They have no idea when his bag will arrive. Today, he has to buy some clothes, after wearing the same things since Tuesday. I couldn’t get my clothes off fast enough to sit on the bed and eat my Chipotle bowl. Oh, what a treat that was! Tom did Wendy’s.
Dining around here will be easy. We’re in an area where there are tons of takeaway and eat-in restaurants. Plus, we’re across the road from Eden Prairie Shopping Mall, making it easy for any shopping we need to do, mainly the clothes Tom needs to buy today until his suitcase arrives, if it does at all.
That’s it for today. We’ll be back tomorrow with some unusual details about our hotel. Please check back.
Photo from one year ago today, June 2, 2020:
This flock of ostriches is often found in a particular area near the river we often visit when on daily drives. Note the chick on the far left. For more photos, please click here.

Day #3…We’re on the move…A tolerable “red eye”…In Frankfurt now…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Elephants we recently spotted in Kruger National Park.

It’s 8:00 am Frankfurt time, at the same time zone as South Africa. Our Lufthansa flight landed at 5:45 am. Our next flight to Chicago takes off at 10:45 am. We’re inching our way to Minnesota with only two more flights to go, with two behind us since we left Marloth Park on Tuesday morning. In 16 hours, we’ll land in Minneapolis/St. Paul and be making our way to the vaccination center at the airport. Whew! What a daunting travel experience.

The letter “n” on my keyboard isn’t working again. I have to pound very hard to use it. Also, spell check doesn’t seem to catch everything I type. So please be aware that a few “n’s” may be missing in today’s post. Once we get settled in Minnesota, I’ll get back to work on this. Otherwise, I may have to purchase a new device while in the US.

The flight from Joburg to Frankfurt wasn’t too bad. We purchased an upgrade to Business Class at the check-in counter for both of us for ZAR 16400, US $1152, which was well worth the added expense. We had the two seats in the center section with tons of leg and elbow room. The seats lay down to a comfortable bed with a fluffy sanitized pillow and an amply sized blanket.

My Fitbit says I only slept 1 hour and 53 minutes, but I know I slept another hour before midnight. Tom did about the same. A passenger passed away on the flight. The back and forth down the aisle by staff kept us light sleepers awake, along with the frequent interruptions by staff over the intercom, requesting assistance from a medical professional. We don’t believe anyone responded. The plane was only about 50% full, and thus less likely a doctor or nurse was on board. How sad.

The flight attendant didn’t wait to leave South Africa to offer alcoholic beverages, considering the current alcohol ban a few days ago. So in no time at all, I was served a nice glass of Australian red wine, and Tom had a cocktail. We settled in to watch a movie while we perused the printed menu for the three-course dinner options.

The food was good, fresh, and hot. Tom got to eat more bread, and I stayed true to my low-carb way of eating. There were several suitable options for me. Unfortunately, since Lufthansa is a German airline, there was a shortage of movies to watch that we either hadn’t seen or were in English.

By the time we dined, and each watched a second, we both tried to drift off, although doing so, as mentioned above, wasn’t accessible amid all the commotion. A good night’s sleep in Minnesota will do us both good. The flight on the vast 747-8 two-story new plane was seamless. We never felt any turbulence, and take-off and landing were smooth. We’d fly Business Class on this airline again in the future.

With little sleep, I don’t have a lot of steam to keep writing. So the next time you see us here will be tomorrow from our hotel in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. On Friday, we have a busy day meeting son Greg and family for lunch and Tom’s siblings for happy hour and dinner.

Thanks, dear readers, for following along with us! We appreciate every one of YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, July 1, 2020:

While in Trinity Beach, Australia, we stopped at a fish shop by the beach. We’d never seen scallops in the shell. We can imagine a plate of six of these covered in almond flour and Parmesan-crusted buttery topping. Tom likes scallops, so this will be a no-brainer. For more photos, please click here.

Day #2…We’re on the move…South Africa visas extended, again for foreign nationals…Vaccines provided in Marloth Park…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment

    A young male kudu sheltered in the shade to cool off in the heat.

So it goes. As of last night, a notice was online from South Africa immigration that visas for foreign nationals were extended once again, this time until September 30, 2021. Then on Facebook, we saw photos of seniors over 60 years of age getting their Covid-19 vaccines in Marloth Park. Oh well, this information became known to us once we had arrived in Johannesburg and we were situated in our hotel room.

In any case, we’re excited to see the family after a year and a half, and the trip indeed will be worthwhile and gratifying. We will return with a visa stamp taking us to October 26, 2021, and we’ll figure things out from there. Returning to South Africa fully vaccinated will also give us peace of mind, although we’ll continue to observe lockdown requirements and safety protocols.

If it weren’t for the long and challenging travel time, leaving and returning requiring almost two days, visiting the US would undoubtedly occur more frequently. But, it always seems as if we are very far away at any given time since we’re inclined to be interested in more remote locations, rather than a more leisurely trip to Europe, for example.

We’re often asked why we don’t spend more time in Europe. The answer for us is clear. We’ve already visited hundreds of historic buildings, including churches, museums, galleries, and such. We feel more inclined toward our preferences surrounding nature and wildlife and more unusual locations for the remainder of our years of world travel, less frequented by typical travelers.

Of course, with the pandemic in our midst, who’s to say where we’ll be able to travel in the future? For all of us passionate travelers, the options are limited at present and may continue to be so over the next several years, for all we know. Here again, only time will tell.

As for our drive to Nelspruit, the car rental drop-off, and the flight to Johannesburg, all was smooth and went as planned.  Airlink out of Nelspruit is a great airline, and we’ve always been happy with their flights and good service. But, unfortunately, since we’d booked the return flight at the end of July as one contiguous journey, Las Vegas (LAS) to Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger (MQP), we weren’t able to use the individual return flight from Joburg to Nelspruit.

We stopped at the Airlink counter yesterday, and they gave us a two-year credit for the return flight. That was great, even unexpected. Airlines realize that being more adaptable during Covid-19 will go a long way toward customer retention in the future.

Once we arrived at Garden Court’s hotel, it took a good 35 minutes to get checked in and a room key in Joburg. Several suitable Covid protocols were in place, but they never asked to see our negative PCR test results. We wondered what they’d do about food when all restaurants in South Africa are closed.

As it turned out, they have some arrangements for takeaway from a local restaurant, and our meals were delivered at 6:00 pm, 1800 hrs. We hadn’t eaten anything all day. Airlink had given us each a “boxed lunch” when we de-planed since no food service was allowed during the flight. We didn’t look at it until we checked into the hotel room.

There was a bag of salt/vinegar potato chips, candy, and two juice boxes. I don’t eat any of those items, and Tom snacked on both boxes throughout the evening. Dinner was mediocre, but what did we expect? I had two chicken legs and left the rice and veg. Tom had a steak (no steak knife), rice, and veg. He ate my rice along with his.

Our 9:30 am breakfast order was lost. So we had to re-order again at 10:00 am. I ordered poached eggs, bacon, and sausage. Tom ordered fried eggs, plus cold cereal, muffins, toast, and hash browns. Hahaha! That’s my guy!

We requested a late checkout and arranged with the shuttle driver to take us back to the airport at 3:45 pm, 1545 hrs. So our flight isn’t until 7:00 pm, 1900 hrs, allowing us three hours before departure as required. The first flight to Frankfurt is 10 hours 35 minutes, followed by a five-hour layover in Frankfurt. Then, we’re off to Chicago on another 9 hours 15-minute flight.

Once we arrive in Chicago, we’ll have another layover of a few hours. Whew! It will be a long journey. But, this isn’t the first time we’ve had a long trip, nor will it be the last.

We’ll be back in touch during our layover in Frankfort.

Have a pleasant day and evening.

Photo from one year ago today, June 30, 2020:

We walked past a grove of palm trees and evergreens in Trinity Beach, Australia, as we made our way to the beach. For more photos, please click here.

Day #1…We’re on the move…USA, here we come!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Mom and baby. We’ll miss you all.

No doubt it’s a long journey to the US. Soon, we’ll make the 90-minute drive to the airport in Nelspruit (MQP), over the treacherous N4, the highway I’m not particularly eager to travel. Unfortunately, there’s been a lot of traffic and road construction, so we’re leaving hours earlier than usual, figuring we could easily be delayed.

Most likely we’ll arrive at the airport two to three hours earlier than our flight if traffic isn’t as bad as expected. Unfortunately, due to the Level 4 lockdown a few days ago, the restaurant in the airport will be closed, and we’ll have to wait on benches in the corridor of the small airport. There are no “gates,” so to speak, at this airport, so we’ll have to hover while waiting for our 1:50 pm, 1350 hrs flight to Joburg.

Once we arrive in Joburg, we’ll stay overnight in a hotel since our flight to Germany isn’t until the following day. From Joburg, we’ll have over 32 hours of travel time, including layovers. Then, we’ll repeat a similar journey on our return flight four weeks later.

The excitement of seeing everyone is tempered by the long travel time. Once we’ve had our Covid-19 vaccines at the airport in Minneapolis, picked up our luggage, the rental car, and arrived at our hotel, we’ll feel more relaxed and able to enjoy seeing our family and friends over the 16 days. I’m sure a good night’s sleep will be our first concern, especially since we’re arriving in the evening.

Over the years, we’ve experienced several long hauls such as this. In each case, the exhaustion was palpable, but a good sleep usually set us right the next day. Hopefully, it won’t be any different this time. The time difference is only seven hours between South Africa and Minnesota. This slight difference doesn’t usually result in any jet lag for either of us.

Our Covid-19 tests arrived in my inbox this morning with both negative as expected. We’ll stop at Louise’s Info Center to pick up our copies on our way to the airport. We have all other documents in order as required by the airlines. No special consideration is required for US citizens returning to the US from South Africa other than a recent (72) negative Covid-19 test.

Of course, we’ll consider our potential exposure when visiting family and friends based on the fact we’ll only have had the one-dose J & J vaccine on July 1st. We will always proceed with caution.

Thank you to so many who’ve written, wishing us a safe journey. We plan to post again tomorrow from Joburg since our first flight doesn’t depart until 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs. So we’ll have plenty of time.

Little and Tiny are both here now. I hope this isn’t our last goodbye. The warthog culling takes place in mid-July, when 500 will be taken out.

Be well. Be safe, and we’ll be back soon.

One day and counting…New lockdown in South Africa…Our 30 year anniversary of the day we met…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This young male kudu stopped by a few times yesterday and was foaming at the mouth. His mom may have been lost to the kudu culling. We called the rangers, and Juan and Mark came out to look for him. But, by the time they got here, only minutes later, he was gone. They explained he might have choked on something which could cause the foaming. In the evening, he returned and was so longer foaming at the mouth. We fed him plenty of pellets which he seemed to enjoy. He was back again this morning, looking better.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 10 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, and more
  • 8 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck, Torn EarSpikey, Stringy, Young Ms. Bushbuck, and others
  • 6 kudu – inc. Big Daddy, Bossy, and kids
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 17 helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 2 Frank and The Misses
  • 21 mongoose

Last night President Cyril Ramphosa conducted one his his “Family Meetings” to update the citizens of South Africa of new Covid-19 restrictions as stated in this article:

“JOHANNESBURG, June 27 (Reuters) – South Africa will tighten COVID-19 restrictions for 14 days as current containment measures are insufficient to cope with the speed and scale of new infections, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday.

The worst hit on the African continent regarding recorded cases and deaths is in the grip of a “third wave” of infections. It recorded almost 18,000 new cases on Saturday, approaching the peak of daily infections seen in a second wave in January. Local scientists say the Delta coronavirus variant first identified in India seems to be spreading fast. read more

“Additional restrictions are necessary… Our focus is on limiting social contacts while preserving the economy,” Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation. Under the measures announced, all gatherings will be prohibited. There will be a curfew from 9 pm. to 4 am. The sale of alcohol will be banned.

A Big Daddy with a massive rack of twisty horns.

Schools will start closing on Wednesday, but beaches and parks will remain open. Restaurants will only be able to sell food for takeaway or delivery. “We will assess the impact of these interventions after 14 days to determine whether they need to be maintained or adjusted,” Ramaphosa said.

The president added that South Africa recently received 1.4 million doses of the Pfizer(PFE.N) vaccine via the COVAX Facility and an additional 1.2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) vaccine. So far, the vaccine rollout in South Africa has been slow, with only around 2.7 million doses administered among a total population of 60 million. Faced with opposition protests, the government has set a target of more than doubling the rate of daily vaccinations over the next month.”

In summation, alcohol sales are banned, restaurants may only offer take-away, and schools closed. As a result, reservations made by holidaymakers throughout the country, including Marloth Park, are rapidly being canceled. Who will want to visit a location for a day, a weekend, or an extended period if the restaurants can’t serve food and guests can’t purchase alcohol for their consumption?

Bossy is back to stop by several times a day.

In reality, I suppose this is a good time for us to be leaving since it would have been illegal for us to meet up with our friends for sundowners at private homes, visits to the Crocodile River, dining out, and gatherings of any type with people outside one’s household.

Hopefully, by the time we return at the end of July, the number of cases will have dropped, and the Level 4 lockdown measures will have ended. But one never knows. With this new variant, entitled Delta, who knows what will transpire in weeks to come?

Our packing is almost complete. I made a convenient packing list on my phone on the excellent app called “Keep,” and go through it from time to time to ensure we haven’t forgotten anything. But, of course, we’ll be in the US, and if we did forget something, we could easily purchase it there.

Big Daddy, interacting with females.

Today is the 30th anniversary of the day we met in 1991. Usually, we celebrate this particular date with a special evening out. But that won’t be happening today. So instead, we’ll cook burgers on the braai, topped with cheese and streaky bacon, along with rice for Tom and a fried egg to top my burger.

We’ll spend our last evening on the veranda, most likely with Little and Tiny in attendance, hoping they will still be here after the upcoming warthog culling coming soon. There are about 2000 warthogs in Marloth Park, 500 of which will be culled. So that leaves our “boys” a 75% chance of still being here when we return.

Hopefully, no new lockdown measures will impede our return in approximately four weeks. Then, we’ll be flying out of Las Vegas, Nevada. We can only wait and see.

Thick Neck never fails to stop by.

This morning we headed to Komatipoort to get our Covid-19 PCR tests. The results will arrive by email tomorrow at 8:00 am. Louise will print them for us, and we’ll pick them up at her office on our way to the airport. Everything is ready for our departure.

That’s it for today, dear readers. When we arrive in Johannesburg tomorrow afternoon, we’ll upload another post once we’re situated at our hotel. Of course, if I have everything done in the morning, I may do the post before we depart Marloth Park.

Have a pleasant Monday, and please be healthy.

Photo from one year ago today, June 28, 2020:

Protective gear from one year ago today; face masks, N99 masks, goggles, face shields, and hand sanitizers. Gloves have yet to arrive. (Sorry, this is a video. I hit the wrong button, but I’d already repacked everything, so a retake was too much trouble). For more photos, please click here.

“Movie in the Bush”…We booked appointments for J & J vaccines in Minneapolis!…Two days and counting…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Rita, Gerhard, and Tom were situated in our chairs, ready for the evening to commence.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 10 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, and more
  • 9 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck, Torn EarSpikey, Stringy, Young Ms. Bushbuck, and others
  • 6 kudu – inc. Big Daddy, Bossy, and kids
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 29 helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 2 hornbills –
  • 2 Frank and The Misses
  • 21 mongoose

Yesterday afternoon, after hours of searching online for possible J & J vaccine appointments in Minnesota, hopefully within one day of our arrival, frustration set in. There were plenty of two-dose vaccine appointments available, but nothing definitive for the J & J, one dose.

I took this photo before the arrival of many of the movie-goers.

We’ll be in the US long enough to get the two-dose vaccine, if necessary. But, doing so will prevent us from visiting Tom’s sister, who’s in a nursing home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The facility won’t allow any visitors until 14 days have passed since their second dose. This wouldn’t work for us.

When the frustration set in after a few hours of research, I tried different keywords and, by a fluke, stumbled across the J & J vaccine being offered to travelers with a boarding pass, arriving or departing from MSP (Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport). I couldn’t book our appointments quickly enough. At 5:45 pm, 1745 hrs,  on July 1st, we are scheduled to get our vaccines at the airport before taking off in our rental car to our hotel. What a relief!

Thanks to many of our readers who wrote to us with suggestions, some knew about the airport vaccination program. Your assistance is much appreciated!

When we first arrived at Lisa’s property, at least six ostriches occupied the spaces where we’d set up our chairs.

For the third time since we came to Marloth Park in 2013, last night’s Movie Night in the Bush was another delightful experience. Lisa, who hosted the event with proceeds going to wildlife rescue, had a fantastic spread of food for the participants.

There were approximately 45 guests who each paid a paltry ZAR 120, US $8.48 for a dinner of pulled pork and pulled chicken with buns, coleslaw, and sliced pickles. Lisa, whom we know well,  was so thoughtful when she put aside a huge bowl of roasted pork for me without the sugary barbecue sauce. How thoughtful was that!  The meat was delicious.

Tom, Rita, and Gerhard enjoyed the entire meal as we all dined in our portable chairs a short distance from the movie screen, as shown in the photo below. We didn’t know many people in attendance but were happy to see those we’d met in the past.

Movie screen in the bush. What a fun event!

The Ghost in the Darkness movie was a historical piece that elicited several good and bad reviews. Instead of sitting there critiquing the movie, the four of us decided to have fun and enjoy it regardless of its reputation. After all, it was an Africa movie filmed here in South Africa, and it was fun to be watching it in the bush, with wild animals surrounding us and content movie-goers in the audience.

It was a cool night, and fortunately, we’d all brought along ample clothing to keep us warm. At one point, I was shivering a little even while bundled up in my airline blanket. It was warm during the day, and as typical in Africa, it cools down quite a bit in the evenings.

When we arrived, before darkness fell, the four of us got a kick out of the ostriches that surrounded us, appearing to want to get in on the action. They had to be shooed off to get out of our faces. Perhaps, they viewed all of us as potential sources of good “people food,” which, like other wild animals, is not suitable for them.

Finally, some of the ostriches were shooed away, but a few determined birds stayed behind.

By 8:00 pm, 2000 hours, the movie ended, and we said our goodbyes, including to Rita and Gerhard, who is embarking on a trip to the outskirts of Johannesburg for a course on off-roading with their new vehicle. We won’t see them again until we hopefully can return, as planned, at the end of July.

Tonight, at 8:00 pm, President Cyril Ramphosa will be speaking during what is referred to as a “Family Meeting” to address the nation regarding other lockdowns due to the massive increase in cases of Covid-19, especially in the Gauteng Province where Johannesburg is located. We are located in Mpumalanga Province. But, we will be in Joburg, staying overnight on June 30th.

Sunset in the bush on “Movie Night.”

Our primary concern is, “Will we be able to return to South Africa at the end of July?” For our friends, Louise and Danie, managing so many properties, and Dawn and Leon, as owners of Jabula Lodge and Restaurant, this speech could negatively impact their businesses if the new lockdown measures prevent travel to Marloth Park. They have already struggled so much in the past 18 months.

Now, as we wind down our time in Marloth Park, we are preoccupied with the necessary paperwork required due to Covid-19 for traveling. We have a health questionnaire to complete, and we’ll be good to go.

A photo I took of the movie in the first few minutes.

That’s it for today, folks. We will continue to post during our travel period, providing adequate WiFi services are available along the way.

Take care, everyone!

Photo from one year ago today, June 27, 2020:

It was business as usual, with Tom wearing a sarong as the required dress to enter the temple. He had a hard time managing the steps. He didn’t have the same experience as women who’ve worn long dresses, knowing when to hold up the hem for ease in walking. For more photos, please click here.

Bossy was spared!!!…Tom and Gerhard’s Marloth expedition…Three days and counting…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Although blurry and without showing his head, Tom captured this photo of a crocodile on the river.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 18 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul and Mary, Benny, Henny, Lenny and Penny, Mom and Babies, and more
  • 12 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck, Torn Ear, Spikey, Stringy, Young Ms. Bushbuck, and others
  • 6 kudu – Bossy and family are back!!!
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 31  helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 2 hornbills –
  • 2 Frank and The Misses

After Tom dropped me off and Gerhard dropped Rita off at the local spa for our pedicures, the two guys took off in their new bakkie (truck) to explore Marloth Park. We knew it would take at least two hours for our pedicures to begin at 1100 am, giving the guys plenty of time to venture out on the bumpy dirt roads.

A crocodile is lounging on the bank of the river.

I was happy for Tom to be able to have some “guy time” while Rita and I certainly enjoyed our “girl time,” a rarity in our lives of world travel. Tom rarely has time away from me, and I was thrilled to have a few hours on his own. Neither of us longs to have time apart or even “alone time,” as many seem to cherish. We’ve always adapted well when in one another’s presence day and night.

After our fabulous pedicures, Rita and I took off in our rental car, which she drove toward our house, where we were to wait for the guys. But, as it turned out, they encountered us only a few blocks from the spa when they’d come to collect their respective wives. Rita jumped out of the car to join Gerhard, and Tom jumped in, and we were on our way back to our holiday bush home.

Tom enthusiastically shared the stories of his and Gerhard’s adventures in the park while I perused the photos he’d taken. No, Tom’s not the best photographer, especially using our less-than-ideal camera. But, he got enough photos for us to share here today, albeit blurry. I was content.

The area where Gerhard and Tom spotted while walking in Marloth Park.

Once back home, we got back to work on the final touches of our upcoming travel to the US, which begins in a mere three days. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely President Cyril Ramaphosa will extend foreign national visas again before we depart, and we’re committed to continuing on our way to the US.

In the afternoon, I had an excellent opportunity to continue working on the corrections I have made almost every day over the past few months. I’d intended to get further ahead by now to avoid doing them while in the US. But, I decided when and if I have downtime, I’ll attempt to tackle them again.

Much to my delight, mid-afternoon, Bossy made an appearance with some of her family members. I couldn’t have been more thrilled to see her. Somehow, she avoided the helicopter round-up but most likely was terrified and stayed undercover for a few days.

The crocodile returned to the water with plenty of fish for him to devour.

Today, I will be spending the afternoon trying to find where we can get the J & J vaccine in the Minneapolis area. If any of our readers know of such a location, don’t hesitate to contact us by email. In reviewing numerous “vaccine finders,” I am not having much luck. If we get the one-shot J & J vaccine, we’ll be able to visit Tom’s sister Beth in Milwaukee a few days before we leave, which will be two weeks later. If not, we won’t be able to see her.

Last night, once again, we headed to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for dinner with Rita and Gerhard, our usual Friday night out. As always, the food, ambiance, and service were exceptional. Now, I only order the lamb shank and three butter-fried eggs. Invariably, Tom always orders ribs, chips (fries), and bread. It’s always predictably good food.

The croc was working his way back onto the bank of the river.

Back at home early, we streamed a few shows, but I nodded off during the second. For some odd reason, I was exhausted, and by 10:00 pm, 2200 hrs, I was asleep, ending up with a total of eight hours for the first time in weeks.

This morning on the veranda, our usual visitors were here, and we enjoyed every moment. News has been posted on Facebook that the warthog culling will begin in July. Only time will tell. I can only hope and pray that our favorite warthogs will be back to see us when we return at the end of July.

A massive bird’s nest in a tree near the river.

Tonight we’ll be attending “Movie Night in the Bush,” a fun experience we’ve participated in a few times in the past. This is a fund-raiser for Wild and Free wildlife rescue, and we hope to see a good turnout.

Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 26, 2020:

Tom, at the park by the river in Bagni de Lucca, Tuscany, Italy, in 2013. One of our readers commented that his white tennis shoes are a dead ringer for a tourist. Europeans wear darker-colored shoes. But, we’re not ashamed to be tourists, spending money and savoring every moment in the current country in our journey. For more photos, please click here.