Frustrating travel experience for our friends Marylin and Gary on their way to Marloth Park…Our friends from Canada arrive today!…

This morning started like many others, quietly and comfortably, with me in the kitchen preparing one of my favorite meals. I was assembling a Greek salad to go along with filet mignon for tonight’s dinner, looking forward to the arrival of our new houseguests, Di and Peter, who were due at 4:30. It felt good to be back in that familiar rhythm of planning a shared meal, anticipating good conversation, and knowing we’d soon be welcoming friends into our temporary Marloth Park home.

As I chopped vegetables, my fitness watch suddenly began to beep, signaling an incoming call. I glanced down and immediately recognized the number. It was Marylin, calling from overseas. She and Gary, along with four friends, had left their home in Utah on Monday, embarking on what was meant to be a long-awaited one-month stay here in Marloth Park. We had been so excited about their visit that we’d already made a reservation at Jabula for a dinner for ten on Saturday evening. We imagined how much fun it would be to introduce them to Di and Peter, knowing how naturally social everyone is.

Over the past four days, Marylin and I had been in steady contact through text messages as their journey unfolded. What should have been a straightforward series of flights turned into one disruption after another. Cancellation followed cancellation, leaving the group stranded, rerouted, delayed, and increasingly exhausted. When the call came in, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be good news.

Marylin’s voice confirmed it. They were in London, completely worn down. After days of trying to salvage their plans, they had reached a point where continuing no longer made sense. None of them were feeling well, which wasn’t surprising given the stress, the lack of rest, and the endless uncertainty. With heavy hearts, they had decided to abandon the trip and return to Utah.

Hearing this was heartbreaking. We could only imagine the effort they had put into trying to make it work. Marylin and Gary are seasoned travelers, the kind who know how to problem-solve and pivot when things go wrong. If there had been any possible solution, they would have found it. The fact that they couldn’t speaks volumes about how difficult the situation must have been. It was a disappointing end to something we had all been eagerly anticipating.

After we hung up, I stood for a moment in the kitchen, taking it all in. Travel, as rewarding as it can be, has its share of challenges, and sometimes those challenges simply win. We felt so deeply for them, knowing how much they had been looking forward to this time away.

In just a few hours, the mood here will shift again as Di and Peter arrive. They sent a message last night to say they had made it safely to Johannesburg and were staying at the City Lodge right inside the airport. It was a smart decision, allowing them to catch an early afternoon flight to Nelspruit and then make the 90-minute drive along the N4 during daylight hours. That road demands caution, and we’ll feel much better once they’re safely here.

Tonight, we’ll sit out on the veranda, enjoying the warm evening air, and we’ll watch with delight as Di and Peter experience, for the first time, the magic of wildlife wandering through the garden. There is something special about seeing that initial reaction, the surprise, the laughter, the sense of wonder. It never gets old for us, and it’s even better when shared with friends.

Although we are disappointed about Marylin and Gary, we are grateful for the time we’ll have with Di and Peter over the coming month. We’ll continue posting each day, as we always do, except for those times when we’re out exploring or fully immersed in these shared experiences. In the end, it’s these moments, both planned and unexpected, that shape this life we’ve chosen and continue to cherish.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 6, 2016: