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Part 2…What to bring for an African safari….Lions…yep…we’ve got more today…

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When looking closely at this photo, we noticed a fourth lion behind the male, appearing to be another male.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This morning’s eight zebra visitors. Pellets were on the menu!

Prior to continuing with “What to bring for an African safari” we wanted to mention that today’s lion photos were taken yesterday when we ventured out around noon when Josiah was here to wash the veranda and tend to clean up in the garden.

A male lion walking on the bank of the Crocodile River.

He usually arrives around noon requiring we either move indoors or head out for the now daily drive. Rather than stay inside when often Martha is cleaning at the same time, leaving for a while makes more sense than sitting indoors which we seldom do.

From inside the house, we can’t see what’s transpiring in the garden and since we try to avoid missing the arrival of any visitors, staying outdoors makes no sense at all.  

This could be two females with this male lion or a female and a young male whose mane has yet to develop. There’s a male behind the male in front.  

Even on the hottest of days, we stay outside from the time we’re up and dressed until we go inside to get ready for bed. People often ask why we get as many visitors as we do and the answer is simple. The wildlife sees us here all day and it’s irresistible to avoid passing out pellets and veg each time they stop by.

These elephants came down the steep embankment to the river while we were watching the lions, a sight we often encounter but always appreciate.

Unfortunately, the helmeted guineafowls are also here most of the day and they’ve become experts at snatching pellets for their own diet. When we’re trying to feed three little pigs or a dozen kudus, 60 guineafowls can certainly impede their feast.  

We provide some birdseed for the guineafowls but not enough to keep them from pecking for their usual food sources which include worms, grubs, and insects.  

Alternate view of the lions.

As is the case with all the wildlife, the food we provide is more of a snack than a meal. They cannot become totally dependent on us providing food to the point where they don’t continue to forage and graze for their usual food sources.

Here again, we spotted these not too far from “Two Trees” overlook.

After the morning’s activities and staff arrived to clean, we had considerable success at the river as shown in today’s photos. Again, for our new readers, we must mention these lion sightings are often very far from our vantage point on the Marloth Park side of the river.  

The fence between Marloth and Kruger Parks often interferes with the quality and clarity of the photos. When we get closer to the fence we can get better shots by shooting between the wires in the fence but this is very tricky and trying to hold the camera steady for the distant shots and, avoiding the metal barbed-wired fence makes it all the more difficult. We do the best we can.

A lion family near the Crocodile River, where mealtime isn’t a difficult challenge with many animals near the water.

Continuing with our suggestions for items to bring for safari here are the balance of those items we’ve found to be imperative. For yesterday’s post with clothing suggestions, please click here

1. Digital:  
a. Cameras: (many tourists use their smartphones and tablets for taking photos. We see them hanging out the windows of their vehicle while self-driving through Kruger. If taking photos is not your thing, this is fine. But if you want to get great shots, a camera is a must); including multiple camera batteries, chargers, tripod and plenty of storage (SD) cards if you don’t plan to download your photos daily (as we do).
b. Universal travel adapters and converters: suitable for Africa’s outlets which can vary from country to country.
c.  Cellphone: It is less expensive to purchase a SIM card in the country your visiting than buying a global SIM online. In each country, they are available everywhere such as supermarkets, petrol stations and more.  You can purchase airtime for calling and data for maps, etc. (data is expensive, calling is not). However, if you plan on making calls back to your home country we suggest you use Skype or another free service. You’ll pay a small fortune to call using the SIM card on the phone.
d.  Laptops, iPads, and other tablets: If you’re an avid user, feel free to bring them along in your carry-on luggage, and don’t forget plugs-in!
e.  Binoculars: If you prefer to use your camera’s viewfinder to spot your subjects that’s fine if you don’t already own a good pair of binoculars and don’t want to invest at this time. Otherwise, we’ve found using a camera and binoculars is an ideal match when for example in spotting today’s posted lions. I use the camera while Tom hunts via his binoculars.
e.  Wi-Fi: Most hotels and some bush camps provide free Wi-Fi for its guest but service can be sketchy in remote areas. If staying in a holiday/vacation home, verify with the manager/owner that free Wi-Fi is included and any usage limitations. We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the service here in Marloth Park and at this home.  For us, Wi-Fi is imperative. For you, it may not be as important during your safari adventure.

Something caught the eye of the two of them.

2.  Medication:  
a.  Prescriptions: Regardless of where you’ll be staying it’s a must to bring copies of your prescriptions and ample medication to last at least a week beyond your expected stay in the event of some unforeseen delays. Many common prescriptions can be purchased at local pharmacies in small numbers to get you through a crisis with a copy of your current prescription, although narcotic medications cannot be purchased in this manner. A local doctor must be seen. If you take a narcotic drug for medical purposes, only bring enough, along with a recent prescription, to last during your stay. A large supply can cause serious issues at the airport.
b.  Over the counter medications: If you’ll be in a remote area, it’s a good idea to bring the following: aspirin, Tylenol (call Paracetamol in Africa); allergy meds; insect bite creams (antihistamine and cortisone creams); sunscreen; band-aids; Visine or similar eye irritant solution (dusty conditions can cause eye irritation; contact lens solution/cleaner if applicable include replacement lens since dusty conditions may require a new pair of lenses); your usual favorite toiletries in small sizes suitable for your stay. If you won’t be in a remote area, feel comfortable bringing only those must-use items since all of the above are readily available at local pharmacies. 
c.  Insect repellent: Bring only a small amount of 35% or less DEET. Insect repellents are made for specific areas based on insects indigenous to the area you’ll be visiting. If you will be in a remote area, bring an ample supply of a DEET based product. Repellent must be worn day and night due to the possibility of malaria, and other diseases carried by insects. Reapply based on suggestions on the label.

Male lion resting near the other three lions.

See your local doctor as to any vaccinations you may need or the use of malaria prophylactics. We cannot make any recommendations in this regard. Only you and your doctor can make these decisions.

3.  Sunglasses: t’s wise to bring more than one pair if you’re prone to losing them. The bright sun of the savanna is often blinding and good sunglasses are a must. (Oddly, we rarely see South African wearing sunglasses but they must have adapted accordingly).

4.  Miscellaneous: In our own unique ways, we each have items we like to have with us when traveling. For you, this may be a favorite book, a Kindle, an item of clothing, a packaged food item, a special pillow or headrest.  It’s important to carefully access what makes you feel comfortable and yet is easily packable (check with your airline for weight restrictions). Africa is hot, dusty, and often windy and can be uncomfortable at times especially when bouncing around in a safari vehicle or car on dirt roads while on safari for extended periods. (If you have a serious medical condition, a safari may not be a wise choice but a place like Marloth Park can be ideal when the wildlife come to you while you lounge on a veranda at a holiday home or resort).

We’re posting various shots of the same scene for nuances.

Please feel free to contact s by email or comment here with questions regarding this topic (or others). We’re happy to be of assistance.  We continue to grow in our knowledge of life in Africa but we’re neophytes in comparison to many others. If you have any added suggestions we may have missed here, please let us know and we’ll update these posts.

Have a pleasing and fulfilling day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 13, 2017:

It’s fun to watch the hummingbirds stab their fine pointed beaks into the tiny holes of the feeder. To see the link for our easy recipe for the syrup, please click here.

A day we’ll remember…Contact with the outside world…

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We can only imagine how frustrating it must be for sailors and tourists hesitating to partake in boating activities during this rainy period.

Yesterday was unlike any other day we’ve experienced in our travels. No, it wasn’t a typhoon or a hurricane, but it could have been. The winds whipped around this house shaking it on its stilts that hold up the ocean side of the house, the balance wedged into the steep hill. 

The rain came down as hard as we’ve ever seen, steadily, hour after hour. At one point Tom said, “Gee, I hope there’s not a landslide!” I hadn’t thought of that. Then, after he said it, I did think of how possible it could be living on the side of this mountain, after rain falling day after day with only a few exceptions since we arrived 39 days ago. 

(After today, we’ll stop writing about rain for a while unless, of course, if there’s a typhoon or we do in fact, float away. We’re tired of it too, as most of you are into reading about it. You’ll see it’s ended when we post sunny day photos).

On the last partially sunny day, we drove through Yaroi, a small village further down the road from Savusavu.

It was a good thing we shopped a day earlier, avoiding the worst of it. This morning, still cloudy and outrageously humid, the rain is stopped at the moment, for however long we don’t know. For the first time in days, we can see across the bay through a shroud of haze and humidity.

If the sun appeared today, we’d still have to stay put for a few days to let the roads dry, never expecting Rasnesh to make it up the steep incline on the dirt road which by now, is all mud. 

Houses of the local villagers lined the highway.

The house is still intact with only a little water seeping in through the jalousie windows which we kept closed during the worst of it, wiping it up throughout the day. This morning, we were able to open the windows again for fresh air and yet the windows remain covered in raindrops unable to evaporate in the humid air.

Four days ago, I did some hand washing, and today it’s still damp. This morning, when I grabbed my pill case to swallow a few prescriptions and vitamins, most of them had disintegrated into powdery dust. I salvaged what I could and replaced the rest. Now our pill cases will remain in the refrigerator which is already packed to its limits as shown in yesterday’s post.

School for special education.

Two years ago, we thought the humidity in Kenya was the worst we’d ever seen. The zippers on our luggage turned green from the humidity. Since that period, we’ve become smarter and regularly zip and unzip the bags at least every few weeks whenever we’ve lived in humid climates.

Yesterday, Junior, soaked through and through, stopped by to see if we were OK. That’s the kind of service we get here. And later than usual, Shalote came with fresh towels and sheets to change the bed. She, too, was soaking wet. I wondered how her slim, lithe body would manage walking in the strong winds.

Entrance to the school which didn’t appear to be in session.

Sure, we’re looking forward to getting out to see more of this island’s beauty and to take many more photos.  But, we’re easily maintaining an upbeat attitude keeping ourselves busy. 

This rainy period of time has given us the opportunity to investigate future travel options and slowly, we’re coming to a place where we’ll be able to pin down some decisions. Once we do, we’ll certainly share them here.

We weren’t able to determine if this old structure is occupied.

During food prep yesterday, I couldn’t seem to get my hands or the wood countertops dry no matter how many paper or cloth towels I used. By the end of the day, my fingertips were wrinkly comparable to spending a long period in water. 

Even the cloth furniture and our clothing felt damp. Thank goodness the temperatures remained cool enough to make the humidity a little more tolerable.

Most houses are on some type of raised structure in the event of inclement weather.

As for today, we continue to be housebound. With a 70% chance of rain hopefully dwindling over the next week, we’re content with the current situation knowing eventually, we’ll be able to get out and about. 

Tom’s been busy with his favorite pastimes; Ancentry.com, managing investments; connecting with his railroad cronies, family, and friends on Facebook; watching and reading US news; and listening to his favorite radio podcasts from Minnesota, KSTP 1500, “Garage Logic.” He used to wear earbuds when listening until recently when I’ve also enjoyed listening to the show.

Beaches are still eye-catching on cloudy days.

Yesterday, I downloaded 10 books in “Kindle Unlimited” at Amazon.com (USD $10, FJD $21 a month for all the books one can read, never having more than 10 “checked out” in any given time). In 24 hours, I’ll breeze through two books especially when my computer was busy downloading movies and TV shows on Graboid.com preventing me from doing anything else at the same time. In one day, I used five gigs of data, more than the average person may use in a month.

These online resources provide us with entertainment, information, and contact with the outside world. With our newly purchased Vodafone Internet dongles, we have a great connection, easily able to enjoy our pastime activities.

Have a peaceful or action-packed weekend, whichever suits your desires!

Photo from one year ago today, October 17, 2014:

A year ago today, we were settled into our new home in Maui, a beautiful condo overlooking the ocean with a pool and everything we could possibly need.  With the prospect of Hurricane Ana still looming, Tom decided he’d better check out the beach outside our condo before the deluge. For details, please click here.

No seat assignment available for us on Turkish air…A letter from Expedia.com…

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With the midsummer heat, few flowers remain in the gardens.
With our upcoming flight from Venice, Italy to Mombasa, Kenya on September 2nd, arriving 17 hours later on September 3rd, we’d expected to be able to sit together.

When booking the flight several weeks ago, trying to choose our seats for the three legs of the flight, a message popped up stating that seat assignment will be available at a later date, unknown at this point.

As I walked through the gardens, the bees swarmed around me.

The thought of the possibility of that long flight without being able to sit next to one another was frustrating for us both.  Playing Gin and dining together (yes, they serve meals) makes the time pass quickly, an excellent diversion.

Knowing little about Turkish Air other than reviews we read online, we have no idea what to expect.  The reviews varied from “hate them” to “loved the flight” more on the favorable side.  There were few flight options to Kenya.

The honey bees love the lavender, still in its full glory.

Yesterday, concerned about the lack of seat assignments, I contacted Expedia.com from whom we purchased our tickets.  With the usual good customer service, I expected a response within 24 hours.  Within hours, they responded to our request with the following:

"Dear Expedia Customer,  
Thank you for contacting us about your seat requests for your flight reservation. The airline has not made seats available for a pre-assigned seat request at  this time. The airline will assign seats for you when you check in.
Meanwhile, your seat assignment requests have been sent to the airline. Please be advised, that the airline ultimately controls, seat assignments and we cannot guarantee every request will be honored. Confirm your specific requests with the airline before departure.   If this does not answer your question or solve your problem, feel free to reply to this message or  call us at 1-800-EXPEDIA (1-800-397-3342) or 1-404-728-8787 (for callers outside United States and Canada) and reference case ID: ????? Thank you for choosing Expedia.  Dennise Expedia Customer Service Team"

All we can determine from this message is that when checking in at the airport, we’ll have to stand in line, hopefully, early enough to get seats together, which may or may not be possible. Why? Why do it this way?

The shade of the overhanging vines creates a pleasant patio area in our yard.

If their online system is not sophisticated enough to allow seat selection? If that’s the case, are their planes updated and maintained to meet modern standards?

Each time we encounter a possible stress-inducing situation, we develop a back-up plan to ease us through the scenario. In this case, very early arrival at the gate in Venice is our best option. 

However, when we were departing on our last ship, the Norwegian Spirit in Venice, we were warned not to arrive at the airport over three hours before a flight’s departure.  One would not be allowed into the terminal if earlier.

We’ve noted our calendar:  arrive at Marco Polo airport in Venice at 7:30 am on September 2nd, considering our 10:30 am flight. 

A good soaking rain would bring all of the vegetation back to life.  It rains a little a few times a week but not enough during the summer heat in the 90’s each of the past several days.

Also, checking online for information about that airport, we discovered that they have a technology kiosk where we’ll be able to recharge our laptops and smartphones prior to departure.  At this point, we’re unable to determine if any of the three planes we’ll be flying have “plugins” at our seats (what seats?) for recharging digital equipment. 

Having our equipment charged will enable us to read Kindle app books, play games, and of course, write about our travel experience as it transpires, posting it on the blog in real-time.  If the plane doesn’t have plug-ins, we’ll recharge our equipment at kiosks at the two other airports along the way, Istanbul, Turkey, and Nairobi, Kenya, at each of which we’ll have layovers and plane changes.

Plan in place.  Stress reduced. 

The next flight stress inducer is overweight luggage, especially since we don’t want to pay the extra $700 in fees when we flew from Dubai, UAE to Barcelona, Spain. The process of reducing our load has already begun as we’ve disposed of more and more items each week, including making a pile of items we may ship to Kenya, after all. 

In checking with the owner of the house in Diani Beach, he’s agreed to accept a box of items for us.  It will be insured. If it’s stolen, we’ll be covered. We shall see how this rolls out.

More evidence of a need for rain.  This grass was lush green only a few weeks ago.

Tom has expressed his desire to drop off whatever rental car we have at the Venice airport the day before our departure. With the two hours it took to originally pick up the car, he feels more at ease doing it this way. 

At first, I disagreed with him.  Why bear the expense of transportation back to the hotel the previous day? With the hotel offering a complimentary shuttle to the airport, we’d have to pay the one way.  As these other concerns have materialized, I agree with him.  

In any case, we would have done it “his way” whether I agreed or not. To avoid arguing over any such item, we always acquiesce when one of us is adamant about a particular issue. Thus, we don’t argue, making the assumption that either of us is smart enough to make reasonable decisions.

The ongoing process of planning to reduce stress and surprises well in advance takes time and careful thought.  With that in mind, surprise, often occurs, forcing us to ditch our best-laid plans to begin again. I guess that is the way life is in general for all of us:  “Expect the unexpected.”

Road trip tomorrow!  To heck with waiting for the rental car agency to let us know where and when to swap out the rental car. Not a word from them. Off we go, back later in the day with photos and the story of our expedition.

New camera on its way!…

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V Digital Camera 32GB Package 3 by Sony, priced at $349.

The definitive travel camera from Sony has to be the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V and it might just be the whole package for you. With an incredible, 20x optical zoom Sony G lens and compact body the HX30V can cover all your photographic needs with its 25-500mm focal range. Everything from portraits to landscape is a breeze with this versatile, high-quality lens. The high-speed autofocus and Optical Active SteadyShot image stabilization make for a blur-free pleasing shot and smooth handheld Full HD 1080p video. The high resolution 18.2 megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor is purpose-built for mind-blowing low light performance, making the HX30V a trooper in varying light conditions. The HX30 also includes Wi-Fi connectivity, 3D shooting, and GPS functionality, making it one smooth little package.
Movie Feature – captures Full High Definition video* with audio up to 1920 x 1080 resolution at 50p frames per second for smooth action footage. Optical zoom functions whilst filming.
* We recommend using Class 4 or higher memory cards for recording Full HD video. SDHC and SDXC memory cards are only compatible with their respective devices.

Product Description

Package Contents:

1- Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V Digital Camera w/ All Supplied Accessories
1- 32GB SDHC Class 10 Memory Card
1- Rapid External AC/DC Charger Kit
1- USB Memory Card Reader
1- Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Replacement Battery
1- Weather Resistant Carrying Case w/Strap
1- Pack of LCD Screen Protectors
1- Camera & Lens Cleaning Kit System
1- Mini Flexible Table Top Tripod
1- Memory Card Wallet

In our “old lives” taking photos was a constant source of frustration.  As digitally adept as I have always been setting up and running electronics devices, my mind always blanked out when trying to figure out a camera.

Never owning an SLR camera, the photos I took as my kids grew up were all Polaroid, popular in the day.  When the first digital camera hit the market years ago, I was one of their first customers.  The online software, although clunky and cumbersome was a breeze.  Getting a good shot was not.

When we planned our worldwide travels and began this blog in March 2012, I used my Droid X smartphone to take photos with the dumb idea that the phone itself would suffice in our travels. Ha! It was purely my method of denial, I’d have to learn to use a real camera.

We left the US on January 3, 2013, with no camera on hand and with only the Droid X. Each time a photo “op” presented itself, I groaned in my frustration for my lack of interest in buying a camera and learning to use it.  It nagged at me several times a day. 

Need I say that Tom’s interest in learning to use a camera was not only less than mine, but his picture taking skills lagged far behind mine, a fact hard to believe. I can’t even show you any of his photos. In most cases, they end up in the recycle bin.

On our first cruise on the Celebrity Century through the Panama Canal resulted in a “port day” in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  Awakening early that morning, a thought pulsed through my mind as a lay there contemplating our day.  It was the day to get off the ship and buy a camera. 

Posing these thoughts to Tom, he tentatively agreed but expressed concern as to where we’d find a store to buy a camera.  The ship had docked early in the morning.  Jumping out of bed we looked out the window. Alas, there was a Wal-Mart in plain sight, across and down the street from the pier!

We’d never shopped at a Wal-Mart store in Minnesota. With the closest location a half-hour drive, it didn’t seem worth the gas to drive there.  Thus, we stayed away. Once or twice in the past many years, I had stopped in for cleaning supplies or the like when I was in the area. That was the extent of our Walmart experience. 

The story of the walk to the Wal-Mart store in Puerto Vallarta and the subsequent purchase of the camera in a store where no English was spoken, is available in our ARCHIVES listed on the right side of our homepage for January 7, 2013. 

The photos we’ve posted since January 7, 2013, have been with the new camera an inexpensive Samsung valued around $100 in the US for which we paid slightly more in Mexico.  Up to this point it has served us well.  It’s lightweight, takes reasonably good photos but has limitations, the major being poor night photos and another is the necessity of plugging the camera into my laptop. 

In addition, Samsung has no memory card to slip into the laptop, an oddity in this day and age.  We knew this when we purchased it in Mexico.   At that point we were desperate.  If we didn’t purchase a camera that day, we might lose the desire to purchase one at all.  This fleeting thought had a grip on me while Tom joined in on the fanfare.

On Thursday night while the moon rose high in the sky in its glory, we anguished over our inability to get a good shot, continually running back inside to plug in the camera to review the photo.  We couldn’t, no matter the setting, get a decent shot.  The decision was made.  We need to purchase a higher quality camera.

I have been in love with Bluetooth technology, wanted a camera that was highly rated, affordable, easy to use and was WiFi-enabled. This would allow us to take a photo, immediately sending it to this blog, to Facebook or other social media or to either of our computers, without cords or cards, along with the ability to send it by email to anyone as long as we have an Internet connection.

Now one might ask…how does one have access to the Internet when we’re walking the winding roads of Tuscany with no Internet connection or, while on safari in Kenya?  Ah, we’ve got that covered. With our XCOM Global MiFi device in our pocket, we’ll be online at most times (based on the connectivity of a general area).

Taking a photo, we’ll immediately be able to send it via email anywhere we choose.  Wow!  I love technology. A WiFi-enabled camera is a fairly new technology, although there have been many attempts by a variety of manufactures to fulfill this consumer desired feature.   

There’s no doubt that we may be making this purchase a year or so too early, as advancement in this feature will grow exponentially.  Willing to take the risk along with a commitment to fully learn the new camera’s nuances, we’re anxious to get started.

On Thursday, after hours of research, we made the purchase at Amazon for the WiFi-enabled camera.  How will we receive it?  We’ve got that covered.

When our mailing service in Nevada receives the camera (shipping was free from Amazon) in the next week, the mailing service will include it in the large box of supplies we’ll receive to be held at the UPS store in Miami Beach for our pickup on April 13, 2013, when our ship is in port for the day. 

If for any reason, it doesn’t arrive by the time the large box goes out from Las Vegas, Nevada to Miami Beach, Miami, we’ll be back in Miami Beach for yet another port day on April 20, 2013, when we prepare to leave on our journey across the ocean to Barcelona, Spain.

The idiom, “the devil is in the details” prevails in our lives.  We had no delusions that traveling the world would consist of lounging on a veranda, reading a book, looking up only to dreamily stare at the sea or to say hello to a passerby. 

Moving every two to three months and the journey to get there is daunting as well as learning a new location and its cultures, maintaining our financial health, paying bills (insurance and paying off credit cards every few weeks to keep them clear for future use to avoid paying exchange fees), keeping tax records, continually updating our budget by entering every dollar spent, printing tickets/boarding passes, registering for upcoming cruises, checking airfare, booking air travel and…the most dreaded task…packing and unpacking.

Life traveling the world is glorious but as we all know, there’s no “free lunch.” There’s always a price we must pay whether its in time, monetarily, emotionally, or physically.  We’ve chosen to “pay the price” with our time and our attention to detail, with a passionate desire to get the hard parts accomplished as painlessly, efficiently, and quickly as possible. 

With only eight days remaining until we get back on the scary Hummingbird Highway for the four-hour drive back to Belize City to board our ship, the Carnival Liberty (yikes, Carnival! Hope the toilets don’t overflow), today is the day we begin to pack.

The three large bags that we’ll send to my dear sister in Los Angeles, must be packed and ready to ship on April 13th. Today, we’ll begin to make the final decisions on clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous for which we’re willing to “say goodbye.”  

Photos (on the old camera) will follow as we weave through this process. Check back if you can.

We hope you had a memorable Easter. The recipe for the Zucchini casserole is not worth sharing after all.