Returning our focus…Never forgetting what we’ve learned…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Stunning mountains and Crocodile River view from our visit to Wild & Free Rehabilitation in Hectorspruit.
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
Blue-tailed skink lizard, one of many that hang around a Crocodile River overlook.

After our focus on the two stories about our visit to Wild & Free Rehabilitation and the posts regarding Bovine Tuberculosis, we’re still reeling over the hard facts and reality for wildlife victims of this dreadful disease.

Three girls stopped by to check out the pellet situation.

It’s not easy rolling back into our usual mode of the joys of life living in the bush, embracing every visitor that comes our way, both human and animal. But, as we promised, we’ll continue on the path of past posts, although occasionally, we may address more issues as they become relevant in our remaining time in Africa and all over the world in years to come.

Did our stories affect any change? We’re hoping change may come based on the number of people who read the stories on our site and Facebook, including several Marloth Park pages. 

Lots of elephants on the hill by the Crocodile River in Kruger, as seen from Marloth Park.

During our short remaining eight months in Africa, we may never know. Change doesn’t come easily for many, regardless of the circumstances. When people realize that certain habits are destructive for their health, well-being, and longevity and don’t make the necessary changes, it’s unlikely that charges will be made for wildlife.

Another scene of the Crocodile River from our visit to Wild & Free Rehabilitation in Hectorspruit.

In a way, it’s a part of the human condition. Most of us are not amenable to change. We find comfort in the usual, the status quo, the expected, and the familiar. In many ways, we’re just like animals here in Marloth Park and throughout the world. 

They, too, find comfort in the familiar, treading on some of the same paths, visiting the same favorite spots, only wandering away when food supplies or mating opportunities are diminishing in familiar territory.

Baby and mom bushbuck often stop by for a visit and always stand at the bottom of the steps to the veranda.

Yesterday, we had our cement pond emptied, cleaned, and refilled with fresh water and will continue to have this done weekly. No, we won’t stop tossing handfuls of pellets, carrots, and apples to the visiting wildlife. Throwing the pellets, fruit, and vegetables is certainly less harmful than feeding wildlife in unwashed bowls and troughs. 

None of us are perfect. We do the best we can. Let’s face it, people come to Marloth Park for the wildlife, for interacting with the wildlife, unlike anywhere else in the world.

Yep, finally, we were able to get a photo of four bushbabies on the small stand.  Now, we’re trying for five.

Recently, we asked our readers to tell us of any other place in the world like Marloth Park. We didn’t receive a single reply.  Without the wildlife, Marloth Park would be another lovely bush suburb with friendly people, lots of birds, and its fair share of insects and mozzies in the summer months.

We can only hope that awareness will ultimately have an impact.  Isn’t that the case with everything?  When do we see videos of a dying beached whale who swallowed 80 plastic bags from the garbage in our oceans? Who’s listening?  Who willingly and conscientiously will make a change?

Mating season. This kudu couple stops by together every few days.

There are factions of our world population who don’t care. We’ve seen this in many countries in which we’ve lived over the years.  We had chosen not to eat the local fish in many locations when the oceans were filled with sewage and garbage, and the beaches were challenging to navigate due to all of the trash and toxicity.

Oh, I could go on and on about environmental and conservation issues but, I’ve said my piece, and now we’re back to sharing the intricacies of our daily lives while living in Africa.

Ostrich was walking down the road when we went out for “sundowners” (drinks while watching the sunset), a popular undertaking here in South Africa.

Today, we’re off to Komatipoort for shopping. I need to purchase a heavy sweater or sweatshirt if I can find such a thing. The temperature is very cool now, 15C (59F) in the mornings and even cooler at night. During the daylight hours, it warms up considerably, and it’s pretty comfortable. We don’t want to be indoors for fear we’ll miss something extraordinary.

Those are some mighty big warts on Wart Face. Those by his tusks are so big, they droop.

And wonderful it is, and excellent it will continue to be. We’re grateful, eternally grateful, and without a doubt, humbled by the world around us.

And then, the sun began its final descent.

Thank you for continuing to sharing it all with us!

Photo from one year ago today, June 7, 2017:

As a part of the landscape at Butchart Gardens, this opening provided an exciting view for visitors. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…An important message for residents and tourists in Marloth Park…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This is a Bovine Tuberculosis-infected kudu we spotted only the day after being educated on this dreadful disease, mainly kudus in Marloth Park.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Another view of an Egyptian goose (from yesterday’s post here) recovering from an amputated foot due to a severe injury. He’s recovering well and will soon take flight.

First, we must qualify today’s post with this important and heartfelt message: We are not wildlife experts in any manner, nor do we profess to be. The minuscule amount of education we’ve had on Bovine Tuberculosis has been gleaned from others and by reading online scientific reports from universities and veterinary medical resources. We do not intend to express opinions or engage in any controversial conservation issues of which there are many. Our intent is purely to report what we’ve heard, seen, and read about potential means to reduce the incidence of Bovine Tuberculosis here in Marloth Park and save these magnificent animals from extinction in this magical place.

From this scientific abstract at this site:

“Abstract
Five kudus (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), three bulls, and two cows within the Greater Kruger National Park complex were diagnosed with generalized tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium Bovis. The lesions seen in these animals were similar to those previously reported in kudus and included severe tuberculous lymphadenitis of the nodes of the head and neck (that resulted in noticeable uni- or bilateral swelling beneath the ear), thorax, and the mesentery. All the animals also suffered from severe granulomatous pneumonia. The lesions in the lungs were more severe cranially and had a miliary distribution elsewhere in the lungs. Based on the DNA patterns of the M. Bovis isolates, at least some of these kudus were infected with strains commonly present in tuberculous buffaloes, lions, cheetahs, and baboons in the Park. In contrast, other strains from these kudus were quite different and may reflect another source of infection. The presence of tuberculous kudus in the Park is expected to complicate control measures that may be instituted to contain or eradicate the disease in the Park.

Here is another scientific report to review:
https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/18952/35keet2001.pdf?sequence=1

When we took the above main photo of this kudu with Bovine Tuberculosis, we immediately contacted Evan with the Marloth Park Honorary Rangers to notify the rangers of this kudu with TB. Sadly, this infectious animal had to be euthanized.

Most likely, in contact with other kudus, many other kudus will have become infected through saliva and other bodily fluids. There is no known vaccine or treatment available to treat or cure Bovine Tuberculosis, a dreadful and painful condition affecting animals in Kruger National Park and here in Marloth Park.

According to local medical professionals, the kudu we spotted is only one isolated case of many already infected in the park. Eventually, the death toll could be staggering. Also, other wildlife carries the disease, which may or may not exhibit symptoms.

There’s no means, at this point, of eradicating TB other than removing all kudus from Marloth Park and starting over with an entirely new healthy generation of kudus. From our understanding, even newborn kudus from an infected mother will have the disease.

We look at all the beautiful kudus here in the park and can’t imagine many are sick. Perhaps, we all can take it upon ourselves to look for signs of TB in our visiting and grazing kudus throughout the park and immediately report the time and location of the sighting. 

Here are some of the more obvious indicators that we may be able to detect in visiting kudus:
1.  Tumors on the head, face, and neck
2.  Excessive salivation
3.  Curly hair on otherwise straight-haired antelope
4.   Sores on the hooves

Of course, we asked, “What can be done to abate the spread of this disease?  Is there anything homeowners, holiday renters, and property managers can do to reduce the risk?”

Although the disease cannot be eradicated by any of our efforts, it can be controlled to a degree by residents implementing the following steps:

1.  First and foremost, it is to stop feeding wildlife in troughs. This is the quickest way TB is contracted between infected and healthy animals. 
2.  Regularly and consistently clean out waterholes, remove all the water, wash the foundation in hot soapy water, rinsing thoroughly, and replacing with fresh, clean water. This should be done at least once a week. No doubt there are waterholes no one in particular controls, but the goal is to “reduce” the risk of infections, if at all possible.
3.  If you feed wildlife in bowls or other small containers, wash them daily with hot soapy water.
4.  Regularly and consistently wash bird feeders in the same manner as above.  As we all are aware, kudus will eat from bird feeders if they can reach them.

Currently, there is no surefire test for tuberculosis in kudu. Deidre of Wild & Free Rehabilitation and Dr. Dawid Rudolph is developing an accurate test for TB in kudu. Still, funding and research must be satisfied to accomplish this monumental feat.

Deidre Joubert-Huyse (no relation to the property owners) is a kind, dedicated and hardworking individual committed to rescuing and releasing injured and ill wildlife that fit within the guidelines of a safe future release. Her primary concern is tuberculosis in kudu while she continues to aid in the recovery of many wild animals at her facility in Hectorspruit. Deidre explained that she often has to make tough decisions but always with the animal’s best interests as a top priority. Her Facebook page is found here.

There are no easy answers here. And, with all the best intentions in the world, residents in Marloth Park can only do so much. The love of the majestic kudus and other wildlife in the park has become a way of life for many, not only from a caring and emotional place but also from the reality of generating interest in attracting tourists to holiday homes and small businesses located in the park.

We share this message today with a sense of sorrow. We hope that if all residents band together to aid in the reduction of the risks and spread of Bovine TB for the kudu and other wildlife, change may eventually come to fruition.

Yes, we know. We’re only here in Marloth Park for a short time, one year total, as a part of our continuing non-stop world travels, which is nothing compared to the many years most of you have cared for, loved, and nourished these fine animals. 

However, as outlined in yesterday’s and today’s stories, these current circumstances made us feel compelled to share this message and support your efforts, big and small, in effecting a change in reducing the potential for tuberculosis among the kudus (and other wildlife) in Marloth Park.

Photo from one year ago today, June 6, 2017:

Daphne Islet in Victoria, British Columbia. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…An important message for residents and tourists in Marloth Park…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
One of two barn owls in an outdoor cage. Deidre released this own into the wild last night. Here is the video from the release.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is the more colorful male of the snake-eating peacocks, happily visiting Wild & Free Rehabilitation grounds.

We met Deidre Joubert-Huyse at “movie night in the bush” on February 25th, shortly after we’d arrived in Marloth Park, which was hosted as a fundraiser for Wild & Free Wildlife Rehabilitation. That post may be found here.

We were interested in the event and the intent of the rehab facility, with its focus on rescuing ill and injured wildlife in Marloth Park and surrounding areas. A few days after the event, we met with Lisa, one of Deidre’s assistants, who’d hosted the event at her home here in the park and who’d rescued several bushbabies with the plan to return them to the wild, which has since been accomplished. That post may be found here.

We drove through a beautiful orange grove to arrive at the Wild & Free Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Release facility in Hectorspruit, located about 30 minutes from Marloth Park.

When we think of rescue centers, we often recall visiting various rescue facilities we’ve seen throughout our world travels. Although many of these facilities rescued animals from rehabilitating and releasing them into the wild, many did so only to present them as “zoo” animals. The owners and managers would generate revenue from tourists. 

Although not accurate in many cases, this discovery has been disheartening over these past years of world travel.  We couldn’t avoid feeling that the animals were exploited by leading the public to believe the facility owners’ ultimate intentions were to aid in wildlife conservation when in fact, it was not.

Deidre Joubert Huyse, who developed and ran the rescue facility, met us at a local petrol station, and we followed her to the center. We’d had a hard time finding it without her assistance. For Wild & Free’s Facebook page, please click here.

Thus, when we attended “movie night in the bush” some months ago, we took it with a grain of salt. Was this another case of a few people who love animals, caring for them for their gain and altruistic reasons? How wrong we were! In this case, we loved being wrong!

As the months passed and we’ve become more knowledgeable about the health and well-being of wildlife in Marloth and Kruger National Park and, as we listened to endless conversations revolving around varying opinions on how wildlife health should be handled, Deidre’s name came up over and over again, always with the utmost of regard for her work, skill, and dedication.

We were impressed by the organization, cleanliness, and commitment evidenced in the facility.

Most recently, as mentioned in an earlier post that may be found here, we were inspired by Marloth Park Honorary Rangers Ushie and Evan to write a story on alien invasive plants that impact not only the park but also areas throughout the world.  That post may be found here.

After an orientation of the impact of alien invasive plants, Uschie and Evan gave us an entirely new perspective of plant life and wildlife, particularly here in Marloth Park. For us, it changed everything.

Wild & Free is supported through donations for the facility, medical care, and the feeding of the various wildlife rescued by Deidre and her staff.

Sure, it’s enticing and easy to get caught up in the magic of the visiting wildlife in the park and the “fun” of self-driving through Kruger National Park, sharing photos and receiving “oohs, aahs, and likes” from our worldwide readers when we post photos that appeal to their tastes.

But there’s so much more than that. And, with our vast local and worldwide audience, we are entrenched in the perfect arena to “get a message out” about the protection and preservation of that which surrounds us here in Marloth Park and throughout the world.

The ground surrounding Wild & Free is located on the Crocodile River at the ultimately most exquisite river view we’ve seen anywhere in the world, a perfect environment for rescuing and recovering wildlife by Deidre’s dedication and commitment.

No, we’re not going to become banner-wielding enthusiasts to distract us from the primary intent of our site, living as homeless nomads as we travel the world for as long as we physically can. Our daily posts encompassing the joys we derive from the wildlife we encounter and the scenery we behold will never change.

When Uschi and Evan explained the symptoms and horrors of bovine tuberculosis and how it’s impacting kudus in Marloth Park, we were both heartsick with this information. What could anyone do? Was there something we could do? This story over the next few days will explain everything.

Deidre had to amputate the foot of this Egyptian goose who suffered a severe injury after being tangled in a fishing line. It’s only been three weeks since his surgery, but he’s adapting well and will eventually be able to return to the wild.  For now, he happily stays on the grounds of the facility. 

We left their home with this bit of knowledge, unsure of where to take it from there.  Ironically, the next day, while on our usual almost-daily two-hour drive through the park searching for the unusual, we spotted a kudu with the obvious signs of tuberculosis on her face for the first time. These large bulbous tumors can manifest all over their bodies. (Photos we took of this kudu will follow in tomorrow’s post, Part 2).

Had we not met with Uschie and Evan the previous day, we’d have dismissed these tumor-like structures on her face as some congenital disability or physical anomaly. Instead, we forwarded the photos to Evan, and he reported it to the rangers, who’d have no choice but to find and euthanize the diseased kudu. Bovine TB is highly contagious to other kudus and wildlife (not necessarily spread to humans).

These two genets were soon to be released into the wild.  These two were at the facility due to the urbanization of their natural habitat, and they were separated from their mothers.

From there, in our discussions with others, Deidre’s name kept coming up along with the government vet, Dr. Dawid, who is working with Deidre in an attempt to discover ways to possibly control the spread of this life-taking disease among kudus (and potentially other animals as well) via adequate testing which is in its infancy.

So, here we are, especially after meeting with Deidre yesterday at her amazing facility in Hectorspruit, finding ourselves committed and dedicated to sharing this newfound information with those who may be able to play a role in saving lives of many kudus.

The scenery surrounding the rescue center is so astounding it took our breath away.  It bespeaks a “healing” environment.

Thanks to Deidre and all her hard work and unbridled dedication in aiding in the real and dedicated rescue and release of many species that surround us in magnificent South Africa and in her research and intent to impact Bovine TB. 

A special thanks to  MP Honorary Rangers Ushie and Evan for contributing their time to educating us on these critical issues in Marloth Park. We still have a lot to learn and will continue to seek information from those who teach us so much.

These peacocks are known to kill snakes with the utmost expertise and precision.  Each day, they hang around the rescue center, pecking off seeds and various treats they find on the grounds. These are the females.

Tomorrow, we’ll share how each can play a vital role in reducing the spread of this horrible disease affecting the gorgeous wildlife in Marloth Park. Please check back for more.

Wild & Free Rehabilitation may be reached here for donations.

Photo from one year ago today, June 5, 2017:

Buildings on the grounds of the Butchart’s Gardens. For more photos, please click here.

OMG!…It doesn’t get any better than this!…Quite a “Sighting of the Day in the Bush!”…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Soon, there were nine until the tenth arrived.  At this point, the three warthogs were on the scene, a mom, an auntie, and a tiny baby.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Today’s sighting of the day in the bush couldn’t be more befitting of what life is like in Marloth Park. Please check out this video when ten zebras, three warthogs, and two kudus came to call.

There are fewer visitors over the weekends when tourists flock to Marloth Park, staying in holiday homes or one of many lodges in the park. They too feed the wildlife that visits their surroundings, and often with the extra cars and added weekend noise, many of the nature take cover and don’t come around as much.

They don’t waste any time letting us know they’d like some pellets.

Usually, by Monday or Tuesday morning, we begin seeing them again. Besides humankind, on both Saturday and Sunday, that’s not to say we don’t have visitors over the weekend. Many animals visit us on weekends, just not as many as during the weekdays.

We tossed out a few handfuls, and they were all over it.

Based on the fact we spend 14 to 15 hours a day on the veranda, less our almost daily drives in the park, visits to Kruger (upcoming again this week), trips into town for shopping and appointments. Time spent socializing. The wildlife has come to realize. We’re an easy mark for pellets, apples, and carrots most of the time.

In a matter of moments, more zebras arrived in the yard.  Check out the young one in the back center of the photo.

On a day like today, we’ll be gone from 12:30 to 7:00 pm for two planned events, both of which we’ll share with photos in tomorrow’s post. Our dinners are already prepared, ready to be reheated, and by 7:15 this evening, we’ll be back on the veranda prepared to begin “watching and waiting” once again.

This zebra came up to the veranda, licked my bare toe to let me know she wanted more.  I complied, cutting up several apples for her and the others.

For us, avid wildlife observers and prominent commentators in one form or another, we never seem to become bored with this interminable hobby that is a way of life as we live in what we’ll always refer to as “this magical place.”

Their stiff upright manes are an indicator of good health.

We’d love to hear if any of our readers have been to or heard of such a place anywhere on this earth, where one could live for a few months at a time, socializing with beautiful people and embracing daily life surrounding by visiting wildlife.

There was plenty of kicking taking place as they competed for the pellets and apples.

If you know of such a place, please let us know. We’ll want to go there! But, as the well-traveled residents of Marloth Park always say, “There is no place on earth quite like this place.”

The three warthogs held their ground, refusing to let the feisty zebras intimidate them. Tom made sure to toss plenty of pellets toward them.

Sure, many locations throughout the world offer sightings of bears, moose, antelope, whales, endless varieties of birds, farm animals, and on and on. But, as we perused this world so far (not even the “tip of the iceberg” so far), we haven’t encountered anything comparable to Marloth Park.

The youngest of the dazzle of zebras (yep, dazzle) got in on the action without hesitation.

In a way, it reminds me of when I was a child, and we visited Disneyland, only about 35 minutes (much longer now with more traffic) from where I grew up in Long Beach, California. There was one exciting moment after another, and as a kid, it was easy to feel I’d never get enough.

The cement pond is a favorite spot from which to drink after eating the dry pellets.

And, although this place isn’t “manufactured or artificial” (except for the homes, lodges, and few shops), this wildlife environment was here long before the people. For me, it feels like Disneyland every day, one wonder after another.

The young zebra rarely moved from the others to allow for a good photo.

For Tom, who’s a little more reserved in his outward display of enthusiasm, he too is caught up in the wonder of it all, especially when a few days ago, he was responsible for discovering and booking the upcoming cruise back to Africa in November/December 2020. Click here for the details if you missed the post describing that cruise.

Tom mentioned these three had been by earlier in the morning while I was getting dressed. I was thrilled to see them return to check out the little one.

On February 11, 2018, coming back here this time was a gift from Tom for my 70th birthday on February 20th, knowing how anxious I was to return. But, now returning in 2020 is not only for me. He, too, is fully engaged and loving the life we live here.

Two female kudus came prancing into the yard to check out the activity. When the zebras wouldn’t allow them in on the pellets, they left.  No doubt, they’ll return later.

No, we won’t eventually move here as many have asked. We have no plans to permanently “live” anywhere. Nor will we stay so long next time. We’ll stay the 90 days allowed by a South African visa and be on our way. 

This time, we wanted to see Victoria Falls on both sides from Zambia and Zimbabwe, safari in Chobe National Park, the Chobe River and, cruise on the Zambezi River. Mission accomplished.  

When we book plans for our next 90-day required exit in August, we’ll share all the details at the time of booking and while we’re on that next adventure. However, we don’t need to travel from Marloth Park, South Africa, for an experience. 

The kudus left, deciding a few pellets weren’t worth a kick from a zebra.

We need only open the giant wooden doors to our lovely holiday bush home on a morning like this to behold a scene such as this morning’s and, the adventure has just begun.

Thank you to all of our readers for sharing this particular time with us. All of you have given us such purpose as we document all of these magical moments. Without YOU, we may have smiled, laughed, and taken a few photos along the way. 

With YOU, it’s immemorial, as we feel dedicated and determined to document this life we lead 365 days a year.

Have a pleasant Monday!

Photo from one year ago today, June 4, 2017:

As we continued to have quality time in Minnesota with family and friends, we added more photos of Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia.  We didn’t want those we love to feel every get-together was a photo op posted online. For more garden photos, please click here.

Pizza night in the bush…Finding ingredients isn’t easy…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We were thrilled to have spotted these elephants on the Crocodile River from the Marloth Park side of the fence separating us from Kruger.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Our goal is to take a photo of increasing numbers of bushbabies on the platform at night as they gently share the little cup of yogurt.  We’ve seen as many as a dozen flying through the trees, and this photo of four on the platform is our record so far. We’ll continue to try for more.

As much as dinner guests enjoy eating traditional South Africa food, we’ve found our guests like experiencing something new and different. As a result of most of our dinner parties, we tend to make more traditional American dishes. 

Last night’s guests of Kathy, Don, Linda, and Ken especially found the prospect of eating Americanized pizza appealing. Although we still made it low carb, grain, sugar, and starch free, we made our usual pizzas with a bit of a twist which including three pizzas:

We counted 30 to 35 elephants.

1.  Sausage, mushrooms, olives, onions, and cheese – Tom’s favorite
2.  Pepperoni, mushroom, onions, olives, and cheese
3.  Chicken Thai pizza, a copycat recipe from California Pizza Kitchen, a favorite of mine and Kathy’s.

 We made three large pizzas, enough for everyone to try some of each if they so chose. The first problem we had was a lack of the proper type of a third pan. The second problem was,  where would we find pepperoni? The third problem was, where would we find the necessary ingredients to make the copycat recipe located here? 

It’s interesting to watch their interactions.

Keep in mind. I made a loose version of the above recipe to make it suitable for gluten-free for several of us in the group.  Plus, the sugary additions as shown in the recipe were modified to suit the wheat-free, sugar-free, and starch-free options. It was a bit complicated. But, somehow, I figured it out.

As for the pan, we headed to Marlothi Center yesterday morning and found an excellent pan at the hardware store that even included a rack for future use. That was quite a find.  

 As for the pepperoni, we headed to the Butchery in the same little shopping center and found salami that tasted somewhat like pepperoni, although the sliced rounds were much larger.

There were numerous babies in the parade.

Surprisingly, I found a combination of four ingredients at the Bush Center mini-mart to compensate for making the sauce. After tasting proved to be perfect, tasting precise as spicy peanut sauce should taste. I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

The chopping and dicing and cheese grating all by hand took almost all day. In my old life, I had a food processor and could have shredded the imported mozzarella cheese and vegetables in a matter of minutes, not hours. But that was then, and this is now.

 Tom grated all the cheeses while I cut the vegetables, cooked and diced the chicken, and sliced the three different types of sausages. Then, I cut everything for the side salad. 

Had we arrived a short while earlier, most likely we’d have seen them enter the Crocodile River.

On Friday, I made the dessert.  Knowing none of our guests were into big desserts after a big meal, I made low carb fudge and low carb almond bark, a nice little treat after a big dinner with coffee or a glass of wine. 

As it turned out, recently, I’d given up dairy in an attempt to improve my gastrointestinal issue. After three days without any form of dairy, I’m greatly improved. We’ll see if this continues to improve. Wouldn’t that be something if, all along, my issue was exacerbated by a dairy intolerance?

After a while, they began moving back up the hill in Kruger National Park and out of sight.

As a result, last night, I ate no pizza. Instead, I made myself a plate with all the toppings on the Thai pizza with only a tiny portion of that tasty sauce on a bed of steamed cauliflower and green beans. Wow! That was almost as good as the pizza would have been.

We had a wonderful evening as expected. Tomorrow, Monday, we’re meeting up with the four of them for what Don describes as a “special surprise in the bush.” It will be fun to see what he has in store for all of us! We’ll all bring our favorite “happy hour” beverages when we meet before dark.

A lone elephant grazing in the bush.

This morning, our new friend Kerstine (pronounced cast-teen) stopped by for an enjoyable visit, having walked on this beautiful day from her home many blocks away. It was nice to see her again.

 Marta returned from her one-week holiday, and we welcomed her with many hugs and warm welcomes. It was nice to have her back. She lives on the property in a little house in the side yard. 

The ages of many of the elephants varied from months-old infants to decades-old matriarchs.

She offered to clean today, but we’d done a great job cleaning up after last night. She insisted on making the bed which, with the busy morning, I hadn’t yet tackled.

 Today will be a low-key day. Tom will have his leftover sausage pizza while I make chicken liver and onion stuffed portabella mushrooms with roasted vegetables on the side for my dinner. Of course, on this perfect weather day, we’ll be on the veranda, well into the evening.

Soon, they began their ascent up the hill.

In our old lives, we have headed to Costco to purchase a new laptop. Tom is still having trouble with his monitor but has figured out a workaround, for now, a vice grip at the edge of the monitor, which makes it stay on. We’ll see how that goes over the long haul.

 But, like making the pizza, particular adaptations must be made in this life.

May your day be uncomplicated!

Photo from one year ago today, June 3, 2017:

One year ago, we celebrated grandson Vincent’s grade school graduation at Benihana, a popular local Asian Teppanyaki restaurant in Minneapolis. It was a fun day. More photos coming will follow with our other grandchildren as we spent six weeks in Minnesota last year at this time. For more details, please click here.

Tall and tan and young and lovely…Great night out with friends…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
What could be more fun than stopping on the way to dinner to let these magnificent beasts cross the road? Most likely, this was a mom and growing youngster.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We never fail to stop to observe an ostrich. What a fantastic bird!

Today is a busy day! We’ve been up and prepping since 7:00 am with company coming for homemade pizza, salad, and dessert. Soon, we’ll take off for a quick trip to the mini-mart here in the park to see if they have a few odds and ends we discovered we needed.

However, even on these busy days, regardless of what’s on the agenda, we ensure there’s ample time to upload somewhat of a post for the day. Although mundane and a mere representation of quiet days “at home,” the words come quickly.

They always seem mindful of observing oncoming traffic,  But then again, we’re cognizant of giving them the right-of-way.

Photos may be a challenge when we’re aren’t always out and about searching for new and unique photo ops. Yesterday, we embarked on our usual two-hour drive here in Marloth Park and encountered several situations we’ll share over the next few days as we wind down the weekend.

On Monday, we’re off to see Deidre, the director of Wild & Free, Rescue, Rehabilitate and Release, to discuss her and her center’s research on Bovine TB, mainly how it affects its animals in the antelope family of which there are many in Marloth Park.

Such beautiful and graceful animals.

Also, while there, we’ll have an opportunity to take photos of many species currently being rehabbed at the facility and discuss the great work for wildlife. Everyone in the park knows about Deidre’s devotion and dedication.  

Although we met her before under more social circumstances, we’re enthused to see her again in her outstanding role as a conservationist and caregiver for wildlife. We’ll be posting the story with photos via a series over several days, beginning on Tuesday. We’re so looking forward to this opportunity.

All the cars in front of us also stopped to watch the giraffes.  That’s why people live in and visit Marloth Park.

Last night, we joined friends Linda and Ken for dinner at Phumula. Although the food isn’t as outstanding as at Jabula Lodge, we had a nice dinner and enjoyed the lively conversation. They had been traveling non-stop for the past almost three months and shared some spectacular experiences, some we’ve had in these past years and others that inspire us.

That’s what is so special about making friends with other world travelers. We learn so much about places we’d like to visit in the future. The world is a huge place. We’ll never run out of enthusiasm to see more and more as time marches on.

This giraffe was way more interesting in dining than paying attention to the motorists.

It is exciting to share our recent travels to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, locations which they’d already visited in the past. It’s the commonality of most of our friends here in Marloth Park that certainly adds flair to conversations, where we’ve been, where we plan to go in the future. The myriad experiences we have each day engaging with the wildlife while living in this magical place.

Those conversations were so unlike discussions with friends in our old lives that were spectacularly over-the-top, mentally stimulating, and often filled with loud laughter.  The talks are equally mentally stimulating, filled with loud laughter, but the topics are very different.

Stopping to check out the passing cars.

Now, we focus on sharing a plethora of world travel-related topics, wildlife, and nature.  Wow! This experience certainly has rounded out our interests as opposed to what may have been had we “stayed put” in the US in our retirement years.

No doubt, had we never conceived of the idea to travel the world, now in our sixth year, we’d have found a level of contentment enjoyed by many retirees, often moving to warmer climates, making new friends, and staying in touch with old friends.

These two giraffes were on the opposite side of the road munching on greenery.

This “stepping outside the box” premise far exceeded anything we ever imagined for our lives.  Last night, on our way to the restaurant, stopping for giraffes crossing the road, Tom looked at me and said, “Who would have to thunk it?  Did you ever imagine stopping on the road to let giraffes pass?”

I smiled, looking deep into his eyes and, without a word, he knew my answer.

Have a fabulous weekend and be well and happy.

Photo from one year ago today, June 2, 2017:

This pretty flower at Butchart Gardens attracted flying insects, as shown in the upper left. For more photos, please click here.

Here we go again!…Booking and planning for the future…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Image result for azamara journey photo
Most of the cruise ships we’ve sailed in the past have a capacity from 264 to 4100, although some ships are larger and continue to be built for more and more capacity. The Azamara Journey, smaller than most cruise ships, has a maximum passenger capacity of 690.  Our recent Antarctica cruise on Ponant’s Soleal has a passenger capacity of 264 (only 200 or less allowed to sail in the Antarctic). We prefer smaller ships such as this.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Frank, our resident Francolin, who’s decided to make our yard his permanent residence. Francolins are highly territorial and extremely noisy when other francolins invade his space, except, of course, for Mrs. Frank. They’ve been building a nest. Francolins are monogamous and mate for life. They nest in grass-lined low-lying shallows.  The incubation period is from 18 to 21 days carried out by the female. Once the eggs hatch, both parents tend to the chicks until their first winter.  We’re looking forward to Frank’s and the Mrs.’ chicks.

Last night, after dinner, while sitting at the big table on the veranda, we called Vacations to Go on Skype and booked the furthest-out cruise we’ve booked to date. With reasonable new-listing pricing only available until June 3rd at midnight in the US, we knew if we wanted to sail on this particular cruise, we’d like the best book in now to ensure we could choose a good cabin.

The cruise embarks on November 10, 2020, almost 2½  years from now, a very long time away. But, in this life of world travel, with our desires for specific itineraries, on occasion, it makes sense to book a cruise, holiday home, or a tour well in advance to ensure a good spot and pricing.

This is the furthest out we’ve booked a cruise since we began booking cruises in early 2012, shortly after we decided to travel the world. We weren’t thrilled about the ZAR 13,874 (US $1,100) deposit required so far in advance, but we had no options if we wanted to secure our preferred cabin. 

This cruise was almost sold out after only being posted online for the past week. It’s a good thing Tom stays on top of what’s transpiring in the cruise world on almost a daily basis. He’s the “cruise booking” enthusiast in this family. I’m too impatient to spend the time researching cruises as Tom does so regularly.

Why was this cruise so important to us? It brings us back to Africa, 22 months after we leave the continent this upcoming February 2019. We’ve finally come to the reality and acceptance of the fact that we can’t get this continent out of our hearts and minds to stay away too long.

The cruise embarks from Lisbon and ends 22 days later in Cape Town, South Africa. Finally, we’ll see Cape Town after Louise and Danie have enthusiastically encouraged us that we “must” see the stunning city and surrounding areas. 

Finally, when the cruise ends, we’ll be able to spend a few days in the sprawling tourist-popular city. We’re planning to meet up with Louise’s parents, Estelle and Jonas, who live in a nearby suburb. We enjoyed meeting them here in Marloth Park during their recent visit and would love to see them again.

After a few days in Cape Town, we’ll fly to Nelspruit, rent a car and once again make our way to Marloth Park, but this time for only a 90-day visit. The visa requirement of leaving South Africa to a non-bordering country can get expensive, and again, we’ll have to consider our budget.

We selected this cruise to return to South Africa and allow us to visit many other countries on the west coast of Africa where fewer tourists are inclined to visit. We’ve never sailed on Azamara in the past.  Owned by the same corporation that owns Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, our loyalty program will carry over to this cruise, enabling us to partake of several perks we’ve enjoyed on past cruises.

As always, we booked a balcony cabin with cabins above and below us to avoid noise from various venues on the ship.  Here are some details about the ship:

Azamara Journey

Ship Rating: 5
The Azamara Journey has all the modern conveniences that the discerning traveler demands. The Journey has an intimate atmosphere with only 690 passengers. With nearly 400 crew members, the staff is always there to offer a drink or a fresh towel. Azamara’s concept of Destination Immersion means that you’ll spend more time in ports, and when you’re on board, you’ll be able to sample the culinary classics of the ports you’re visiting. There’s plenty to do when you’re still on the ship as well, like gambling at the casino, enjoying live entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge, getting a work-out in at the fitness center, or kicking back in any of the ship’s many bars. When you’re ready for some well-deserved pampering, the spa is waiting with several signature treatments. You can visit your own private spa deck, indulge in Facial Glow services, get a massage or even relax in an all-day spa ritual. The cruise may not last forever, but the memories will last a lifetime. Azamara Journey
 Ship Statistics 
Year Built 2000
Refurbished 2016
Tonnage 30,277 tons
Registry Malta
Length 593 feet
Beam 84 feet
Passenger Capacity 690
Crew Size 408
Total Inside Cabins 26
Total Outside Cabins 320
Cabins & Suites w/ verandas 247
Suites 42
Maximum Occupancy per room 4
Age Restrictions One person must be 21 or older
Dinner Seatings 2
Seating Assignments
in Main Dining Room		 Open
Dining Hours Dining
Dining Room Dress Code Dining
Tipping Expected? No
Tipping Guidelines Azamara includes the gratuities in your cruise fare.
Onboard Currency US Dollar
Services & Amenities
Spa Yes
Video Arcade No
Bars/Lounges Yes
Casino Yes
Elevators Yes
Cell Phone Service Yes
Laundromats (self-service) Yes
Movie Theatre No
Outdoor Movie Screen No
Onboard Weddings No
Shops Yes
Showroom Yes
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop Yes
Chapel No
Disco/Dancing No
Hot Tub Yes
Internet Center Yes
Wireless Internet Access Yes
Note: Available throughout the ship
Laundry/Dry Cleaning Yes
Library Yes
Fitness & Sports Facilities
Basketball Court No
Fitness Center Yes
Golf Driving Net No
Golf Simulator No
Ice Skating Rink No
Jogging Track Yes
Mini-Golf Course No
Rock Climbing Wall No
Swimming Pool Yes
Tennis Court No
Water Slide No
Water Sports Platform No
Cabin Features & Amenities
24-Hour Room Service Yes
Hair Dryer Yes
Safe Yes
Telephone Yes
Television Yes
Kids Facilities
Babysitting No
Children’s Playroom No
Kiddie Pool No
Supervised Youth Program No
Teen Center No
Water Playground/Splash Park No
Special Needs & Requests
Adjoining Cabins
(private connecting doors)		 Yes
Kosher Meals Yes
Single Occupancy Cabins No
Single Share Program No
Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins 6

For details on pricing for this 22-night cruise, please click here. Cruises around the African continent are always pricey.  With this much advance notice, we’ll have plenty of time to budget for this higher-priced cruise.

It’s a long way off, but we’re still excited knowing this cruise is on the horizon, along with all of the other plans we have for the future.  We haven’t posted a new itinerary since we were in Buenos Aires, which may be found here.  Please scroll to the bottom of this post to see the itinerary.

We still have many gaps in our schedule to fill in, and we may be changing some other cruises we have booked into the future. But this cruise we booked last night, bringing us back to Africa, will definitely stand in place.

Today, we’re updating our spreadsheets with this new booking, and tonight we’re heading out to dinner with friends Linda and Ken, who returned yesterday to Marloth Park. We’re making “pizza night” for Kathy, Don, Linda, and Ken for another great evening with friends tomorrow evening.

Have a great weekend! 

Photo from one year ago today, June 1, 2017:

Last year at this time, we were in Minnesota for six weeks visiting family. At this point, we continued to share more photos from Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, our last stop before departing Canada for the US. For more photos, please click here.

Kruger National Park posted our video on their YouTube!!!…The reality of “haters” in social media…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Male kudu attempting to reach the seeds in the bird feeder.  He wasn’t successful.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Greater Blue-eared Starling.

Last week, after returning from Kruger, we posted the following video from our YouTube site of two cape buffalos whose horns became entangled during an altercation which may be found at this link. Fine and good. 

We didn’t think much more about it until after we’d searched YouTube and hadn’t found much in the way of a similar situation. We giggled at the prospect of getting lots of hits on the video and how fun it would be to track.

As mentioned in an earlier post, we don’t make any money on the video since we hadn’t “monetized it.” As we’ve often said, we share what we find worldwide with whoever would like to see or read it. That way, we prevent feeling like doing “this” is a job that would create stress and a sense of urgency we’d prefer to avoid in this amazing life we lead.

There are two hornbills in this photo.  The one was waiting her turn while the other was busy eating the seeds in the feeder. They may have been a mating pair but refused to share.

When Kruger National Park, SANParks (South Africa National Parks), contacted us asking if we’d allow them to post the unique video on their website, we agreed. We hoped we’d acquire more readers with whom we were going can share our world travels. However, we didn’t have a lot of expectations as to any particular outcome.

Before we continue, I must add that we’ve been blessed over the past six years since we began posting (start date, March 14, 2012) with very few negative comments or “haters,” those who look for opportunities to criticize anything they see online. 

Why don’t we get haters for our site? The only reason we can imagine is that we “tell it as we see it,” and we’re vulnerable, revealing our flaws and foibles. It’s hard to critique someone who’s critiquing themselves.  Avoiding haters was never intended to be “open,” but somehow, we believe this may have been instrumental.

Female kudus waste no time in letting us know what they want.

In our early days, a hateful commenter wrote, “How dare you spend OUR money traveling the world.” Duh, YOUR money? It was Tom’s 42.5 years of working on the railroad making contributions, along with the company, for his years of dedicated hard work. It was never “taken” from anyone else. 

After that isolated hater, we haven’t felt any comments or questions posed our way have been from “haters.”  We’ve loved and continue to love the interaction with our worldwide readers, which we receive every day. 

Once we agreed with Kruger National Park to post the video on their YouTube site (click here to see), we never gave it much more of a thought. Yesterday, we received an email that the video had been posted and is ready for viewing.

Last night, as darkness fell, these three zebras stopped by for carrots, apples, and pellets. Of course, there was a warthog in the background waiting for the leftovers.

We always reply to comments within 24 hours, except on travel days which may delay a response by a day or two. Thank you to all of you out there who write to us and also to those of you who lurk at their leisure without comments.

This morning we decided to check and see how many hits the video had. Less than 24 hours after posting it, it’s received over 2000 hits. It’s not millions and most likely won’t be, but it’s been fun for us.

Yep, the haters have arrived. A select few are knocking our video, and for the first time in over six years (except for the above-isolated case), we’re feeling the brunt of how impactful negative online comments can be. 

Kudus seem to be intimated by zebras due to their powerful kicks and, thus, won’t join in on the snacks.

Generally, we have thick skins. We have to live this unusual life on the move, especially after so much time has passed. But, like so many others who are subject to haters on various social media platforms, it stings a bit to read negative comments and see “thumbs down” on something we’ve done without an ulterior motive and for the love and passion for wildlife.

Of course, we won’t let this impact the joy in our lives, nor will it stop us from taking videos of situations we find exciting and unique. If you’ve never seen our YouTube page, please click here. 

We have dozens of fun, funny and unique videos with almost no negative comments or reactions. I can’t tell you how often people write to us when they see a video they find interesting, and always, we’re pleased and flattered by the positive response.

The zebras are aggressive with one another while snacking, often kicking and head-butting one another.

This is not unlike all the negative press worldwide about South Africa. Haters are impacting tourism in this beautiful country. Sure, there is a lot of crime in some big cities, but there was a horrific crime only 30 minutes from where we lived in Minnesota, which continues today. 

In evaluating crime in big cities throughout the world, one can evaluate the crime rates in big cities in their own country.  As Tom always says, “Where there are tall buildings and lots of people, there is criminal activity.” This is so true.

South Africa has so much to offer, and the negative comments one can read at many news outlets if often an exaggeration of a few unique situations. Let’s face it; we can’t believe the news anymore when the newsmonger’s goals are centered on sensationalism to make more and more money.

Little Wart Face was exhausted after chasing a female around the yard for about an hour, unfortunately for him, without any luck.

Well, anyway, I always promise not to get involved here in controversial topics, and today, as usual, I’ll back off on this topic. South Africa is a great country to visit, with most areas safe for tourists, especially if they stay away from the more crime-ridden areas. But this is true in London, Paris, Auckland, Lisbon, and New York. The list could go on and on. 

We all must do our research to discover what is best for our safety as we travel. Some of the best resources are other travelers who’ve visited these countries and have enjoyed exciting and worthwhile visits to lands they never imagined they’d get to see.

If you go to Kruger’s link to our site here, you may or may not agree with the negative comments about our video.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But behind every wildlife video is a human being who chose to share something they found worthy of sharing in one way or another, whether motivated by money, notoriety, or for the pure joy of it (as in our case).

We’ve loved to hear your comments on this topic. You may choose to post a comment at the end of today’s post or any post or write to us via email. We appreciate every one of YOU! Thank you for “stopping by” and sharing yet another little piece of our lives.

Photo from one year ago today, May 31, 2017:

This was my favorite photo from Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. For more photos, please click here.

Late posting today…Busy time in Komatipoort and Lombobo…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
“Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, if you like than you should have put a ring on it!”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Mongoose are very clever little animals.  They stare at us to bring out some eggs which we often do.

OMG!  In a “notification” post I accidentally hit “Last posting today” when I meant to write “Late posting today!”  Good grief, that must have made those of you who read the short notification post wonder, ‘What the heck is going on?!!!”

No, this is not the last posting.  It’s a late posting.  It’s simply one more step the continuing documentation of our daily lives of world travel; some fascinating; some mundane; some educational; some adventurous and exciting and some, let’s face it, at times, totally uneventful.

We never tire of visits from Big Daddy kudus.

Today, was definitely not uneventful for us.  We’re back at the house at almost 2:00 pm and here I am just getting starting on today’s post.  Of course, I’m concerned about all of our readers throughout the world clicking on our link to still find yesterday’s post. 

Sorry for the inconvenience.  I’m typing as fast as my relatively uncoordinated fingers can fly across the keyboard in an attempt to explain why we’re changing the content of today’s story from that which we’d entered earlier today, discussing the issue of Bovine Tuberculosis in Marloth Park.

They are majestic animals, gentle and yet well aware of how powerful their big rack can be.

I must add that after this morning’s interactions with several wonderful people we received valuable information that changes our plan to post the Bovine TB story until we conduct further research which will be accomplished over the next week at the latest. 

This is a topic near and dear to our hearts based on our love and appreciation for the health and well-being of the wildlife in Marloth Park.  We’ll keep you updated on the progress of this upcoming story.

This male has been chasing after this female for weeks.

So here’s how the morning rolled out:  Tom’s laptop has been having monitor issues over the past few weeks after we’d returned from Zambia on the 18th.  Every so often, for no apparent reason at all, his monitor turns into a rainbow of colors and he’s unable to bring up his home screen.

Me, as somewhat of a geek, got to work trying to figure out a solution by utilizing online information some of which indicated it could be a loose ribbon cable.  Tom unscrewed all 18 tiny screws after we’d tried a number of suggestions, including a Windows 10 “system restore,” all to no avail.

These two young ladies stop by making intense eye contact, surely looking for pellets.

Opening the back of the laptop seemed a logical next step to see if we could tighten the loose cable.  No luck.  A total waste of time.  After several hours, we resigned ourselves to the fact that we needed to head to a tech store for help.  Ugh!  Usually, we’re able to resolve our own technological issues.  Not this time.

With Tom’s dentist appointment scheduled at 11:00 am with Dr. Luzaan Du Preez, one of the best dentists in the land, located in the little strip mall near Wimpy’s in the Spar Centre, we needed to stay mindful of the time. 

He needed two fillings replaced.  We’d decided to leave early to go to the market in Lebombo (10 minutes from Komatipoort) to purchase carrots and apples for the wildlife.  Before we walked out the door, we had an unexpected visitor, Kerstin, a new friend I’d spent a few hours with yesterday here in Marloth Park at her bush home.  

A banana farm the road on the way back from Komatipoort.

Kerstin had contacted me to get together to discuss our mutual world travel experiences when she’d seen a post on Facebook on the Marloth Park Honorary Rangers’ page a week ago when we’d done the story on alien invasive plants. (See this link for details). 

This morning Kristin delighted us with an unexpected visit but unfortunately, we were heading out the door when she arrived.  Surely, we’ll get together another time soon to continue our intriguing conversation.  She has quite an illustrious story of world travel.

In no time at all, we were on our way, first to the computer store, then to Lebombo, then to the dentist, then to the supermarket, then to the meat market and then, returning to Marloth Park, most likely a two-hour turnaround at most.

It’s always a pleasure to see one of our striped friends on the road.

At the computer shop, we were warmly greeted by staff member Samantha who immediately introduced us to Nico who looked at Tom’s laptop to inform us it wasn’t sensible to fix or replace the monitor.  Instead, he showed us yet another workaround which so far, since we returned to the house, seems to be working.  Tom merely has to press the screen with his fingers in a specific location and the screen returns in full.   


Nice people, thoughtful people, honest people.  What more could we ask for?  Where does one find service such as this?  If you need a computer repair anywhere near Marloth Park, Komatipoort and a number of surrounding towns, this is the place to go:

the TechSHOP
Office: 013 013 0310 / Fax: 0866 529 491
Shop 19, Komati Spar Centre
Rissik Street, Komatipoort
http://www.techshops.co.za

Arno Joubert

0722614324


arno@techshops.co.za



Nico Joubert

0815782334
nico@techshops.co.za
www.techshops.co.za

Yet, our visit to the Tech Shop wasn’t over.  As we packed up the laptop to head out the door, Arno stopped us saying he remembered us from “movie night” in the bush some months ago. A conversation ensued and somehow got around to the topic of Bovine Tuberculosis on which we’re hell-bent on getting our information “right” before we post the story.  He directed to Deidre who is the director of “Wild and Free” rescue, rehabilitate and rescue centre. 

Impalas are very shy around humans seldom visiting us in the yard.

He explained she’s currently involved with considerable research and study on Bovine TB and this was who we should see.  Once this post is uploaded, we’ll call Deidre and set up a time to meet with her at her facility and learn more about this important topic.

Once we were out the door of the Tech Shop, we were reeling from the kindness and consideration of people we’ve met along the way.  Off we went to Lebombo market where we purchased eggs for the mongoose, free-range eggs for us and carrots and apples, all at excellent prices.  Time was running short.  We headed to the dentist’s office.

Tom was taken in promptly for his appointment.  I joined him for a few minutes and then took off to grocery shop.  We’d parked the car close to the supermarket so once done shopping, I could put everything in the car and then walk the short distance to the dentist’s office which is coincidentally located next door to the Tech Shop.

Two males checking available treats.

While I’m grocery shopping, our dear friend Don (of Kathy and Don) approached me with a hearty hug and welcoming kiss.  They’d just returned a few days earlier from Pretoria and were excited to accept our invitation for homemade pizza at our house this upcoming Saturday night. 

Joining us will be Linda and Ken, our mutual dear friends from the UK who are returning to Marloth Park in the next few days.  I was thrilled to hear they all could make it but I was especially thrilled to discover this while at the supermarket in order to buy the items I’d need for the dinner party for six.

Well, wouldn’t you figure, Kathy had a dentist appointment, the same dentist, right after Tom’s appointment was completed at noon?  Another coincidence.  Moments later we spotted Kathy also shopping and the three of us engaged in delightful chatter.  When does one have such fun at the market.

Obviously, warthogs aren’t quite so shy near humans other than an occasional few.

By the time I’d gathered all the items to round out the upcoming meal, I loaded the groceries onto the check out counter, paid for the groceries and began walking toward to car to find Tom entering the market, done with his appointment and ready to load the car for me.  He was thrilled with the ease of his dentist appointment and was very relieved and cheerful.

After loading the car, Don found Tom in the parking lot and the two of them chatted enthusiastically.  Afterward, we drove the car across the lot to the meat market and made purchases to last for about 10 days.  After adding the bags of meats to the car, we ran into Kathy and Don again.  Her appointment was done and she too was thrilled with her first appointment with the good dentist.

They invited out for a drink at the bar at the golf course but with all the perishables in the car, we needed to be on our way.  We’re looking forward to seeing them all again on Saturday.

Male impala drinking from the cement pond in the yard.

Finally, we were on our way back to Marloth, anxious to put everything away while still reeling from the day’s interactions with the wonderful people we encountered along the way. 

Whether it was the sweet cashier at the market, the friendly meat market owner who helped with our order, the staff at the computer store or our friends adding a special touch to the day’s activities, it was a spectacular day. 

After years on the move often without nearby friends or at times, overly friendly shopkeepers, we appreciate every moment of kindness and generosity of spirit we stumble upon in our day-to-day lives.

Every evening the bushbabies entertain us.

No more than a minute after we returned, we had more visitors, this time of the wildlife kind.  We put down the grocery bags and immediately got pellets ready for our animal friends.

Tonight, we’ll cook a nice dinner and prepare the veranda for another blissful evening in the bush.  Is it any wonder we love it here in Marloth Park, here in South Africa…here on the African continent and here, on this planet?

May you love it wherever you may be!

__________________________________


Photo from one year ago today, May 30, 2017:

Our two new pieces of luggage in easy-to-spot colors.  Tom chose the purple while I chose this peachy color.  Each bag is expandable and lightweight with four double-wheel rollers. (As it turned out these bags are holding up well after one year’s use).  For more details, please click here.

Busy day in Komatipoort…Impressed with medical care, costs and prescriptions in small town in South Africa…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
“To graze on that many leaves, giraffes usually spend 16 to 20 hours per day standing and walking. Amazingly, giraffes don’t need much sleep despite their long days of exercising and eating. They often only get 30 minutes to 2 hours of sleep every 24 hours from the short naps they take throughout the day.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This rather large gecko was a new visitor, spending most of the day and evening on the veranda.

Many tourists and part and full-time residents choose not to have vaccinations, other than the required Yellow Fever mentioned in a prior post. We might have done the same if we were “regular” tourists visiting Africa for a two-week holiday/vacation.

Note the size of the gecko in relation to Tom’s water shoe.

However, as we continue to travel the world visiting many countries where certain diseases are rampantly escalating, we’d decided a long time ago to be cautious and keep vaccinations up-to-date as often as possible.

We’re thrilled to see birds stopping by our feeder.  According to our friend, Lynne, these tiny birds are blue waxbills.

There were a few for which we’d fallen behind in getting boosters over this past almost six years.  We met with Dr. Theo a few times over these past weeks (located at Rissik Medical Centre, 71 Rissik Street, Komatipoort, Komatiepoort, 1340, phone #27 013 793 7306), he diligently reviewed our vaccination records.

Each night I practice taking photos in the dark once the bushbabies arrive.

He made excellent suggestions on how we can be up-to-date on all of those he deemed necessary based on our ages, health, and exposure through our travels and that we should be re-vaccinated in 2022.

A proud giraffe standing in the bush as we drove past one of our drives.

Yesterday was my turn for a grouping of vaccines compiled into two injections, one in each arm. One of the injections was slightly more painful than the other, and my arm was a little sore last night but is greatly improved today. Tom experienced the same scenario when he had his injections last week.

Epipens cost in the US is ZAR 7531.07 (US $600) for a pack of two. We purchased two yesterday for ZAR 2126.79 (US $169.44). (In either case, these prices are based on out-of-pocket costs, not insurance paid).

As for any other medical issues we needed to address, with caution to avoid jinxing myself (slightly superstitious, I guess), my gastrointestinal issue is improving. I am off all medication for this issue. I feel discomfort if I eat too much at any one meal or drink too much liquid in any one setting. But I am feeling better utilizing these limitations.

Yesterday, we purchased two EpiPens at the local pharmacy, requiring a prescription from Dr. Theo. See pricing on receipt posted here. 

Based on the improvement and Dr. Theo’s observation at this point, there’s no need for several invasive tests. Let’s face it, as we age, most of us find we must adapt to some changes in our lives to accommodate medical issues of one kind or another. 

Many of our readers have written describing how they’d love to travel the world but have knee, hip, and back problems that make travel difficult, if not impossible. Instead, they live vicariously through us, which means so much to us both. 

My bill for multiple vaccines I had yesterday by Dr. Theo Stronkhorst in Kpmatipoort. Tom’s bill was identical last week.  Our total cost for two office visits and vaccines for each of us was rand (ZAR) 1707.81 for a total of ZAR 3415.62 (US $272.12). 

We only wish everyone who desired to do so could live this peculiar life, generally on the move. We continue to be grateful every day that we’ve been able to continue, even with some issues along the way. This gastro thing has plagued me for the past 2½ years. 

Now, this morning I can sip on my organic herbal tea and not suffer any ill effects. This is a big deal. I really make miss morning coffee! I haven’t tried drinking coffee yet and have decided to give it several more months until I do, working my way up to one or two cups a day, if possible.

Tom’s favorite bushbuck, “My Girl,” is a frequent visitor.

During my doctor appointment, Tom went to Obara, the farm store in Komatipoort, to purchase two more bags of pellets. Now, we have an inventory of three 40 kg bags, enough to last for weeks. The animals continue to visit throughout the days and evenings.

This baby bushbuck has grown considerably over these past few months.

Today, the weather is perfect, with clear skies with a cool and comfortable breeze wafting through the air. We couldn’t be more content and at ease. Later today, a drive through the park may be on the agenda!

May your day bring you contentment and ease as well! 

Photo from one year ago today, May 29, 2017:

Canadian geese are pretty birds but poop two pounds per day in the grass, a real nuisance for homeowners, particularly those living on a lake, as we did in our old lives. For more Minnesota photos, please click here.