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Exciting purchase in the countryside…

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Although the building is small and unassuming, Button Meats offers a wealth of grass-fed meats and poultry with a heartfelt welcoming we couldn’t have appreciated more.

Fascinating Fact of the Day About St. Teath, Cornwall*:

“The village of St. Teath is situated approximately three miles (5 km) southwest of Camelford and seven miles (11 km) northeast of Wadebridge. The hamlet of Whitewell lies to the west. The parish population at the 2011 census was 2628. An electoral ward also exists, including Delabole and St Breward; the population for this ward at the same census was 3,957.”

*Based on the fact we are currently located in a somewhat tiny village, we’ll be adding information in “Fascinating Fact of the Day” for the surrounding areas as well.
On Friday, this is the sign we spotted on our way to the property, asking our property owners if they’d recommend purchasing meat at this location. They enthusiastically explained they buy all their meat at Button Butchers, and it was well worth a visit. At the end of this week, we’ll return for our final week’s meat supply. 

This morning, after a fitful night’s sleep, I arose, bound and determined to tackle the task of putting all our tax information together for our accountant in Nevada.  

Over the past months during my recovery, I couldn’t seem to get motivated to get this done. It weighed heavily on my mind. As of now, Monday at noon, I am done, having sent the worksheet and attached documents by email, including a few questions, for the accountant.  

Two cases are filled with a variety of meats, homemade sausages, and streaky bacon.

He’s very competent and will most likely be done submitting our forms electronically by the end of the week. No signature is required.  What a relief to have this almost behind us!

My next daunting task is getting to work on setting up Plan B and a supplement for Medicare, so at least when we’re in the US, I’ll have coverage. Plus, I’m contemplating a trip to the Mayo Clinic while we’re in Scottsdale, Arizona, to check to ensure all is well with my heart and recovery.

It was raining when we arrived, making the refrigerated cases foggy, but the butcher/owner John was more than willing to show us or cut for us anything we desired.

United Healthcare Global Plan doesn’t cover our trips to the US.  Thus, the only coverage we have while in the US is Medicare Part A which only pays for 80% of any required hospitalization but not doctor visits, outpatient tests, or treatment or prescriptions.

Now that I am down to only three prescriptions with the opportunity to refill them online at reasonable prices from a reputable company we’ve used for years, ProgressiveRX.

Sausages don’t often work for my way of eating based on wheat and other grain fillers.

As we’ve mentioned many times in the past, the responsibilities of our lives as US citizens remain constant regardless of where we may be at any time in any part of the world.

On the most recent cruise, only 2½ weeks ago, several passengers asked us if we’ll ever give up our US citizenship. This will never happen for dozens of reasons I won’t get into here since the list would be too long to list.  

John toured us through the cooler.  I cringed a little seeing the hanging pig carcasses.  But, if we’re going to eat meat this is a harsh reality.

We have many benefits and reasons always to maintain our US citizenship, plus with it comes down to it, there is a certain sense of pride in being American. And yes, regardless of “political disharmony” in the US (which we won’t get into here either), we still and always will feel a strong sense of patriotism.

Today’s photos depict one of many reasons we both feel connected to the countryside or outlying areas of many countries in the world. As we’ve often mentioned, we are not “city folk” as much as we may be in awe from time to time visiting large cities.

More hanging/aging meats.

Sure, cities such as St. Petersburg, Paris, London, Rome, and many more hold a certain appeal with their luxurious historical buildings and history. But for us, a visit to a small town in the country leaves us reeling with delight, as has been the case here in the UK in Falmouth and now in St. Teath and their many quaint surrounding areas.

On the day we arrived at the Mill Barn cottage (actually a large house), we noticed a sign at a nearby farm inviting passersby to stop to purchase grass-fed local meat. We couldn’t have been more thrilled. 

Massive slabs of grass-fed beef.

On Friday afternoon, we returned to the less-than-a-mile away Button Meats and purchased all the beef, lamb, pork, bacon, free-range eggs, and chicken we’d need for a week.

We always giggle over finds such as this delightful farm offering a wide array of healthful meats, chickens, and eggs. The butcher/owner John cut beef for us precisely as we needed to make old-fashioned pot roast, a favorite of Tom.  

Prime rib is located on the back shelf.

I selected two lamb shanks to add to the beef in the large pot we borrowed from the owners whose home is next to us (not attached). They are kind and thoughtful, willing to assist us in any way possible. But, we make every effort not to ask for many extras.

Speaking of thoughtful owners, John, the property owner in Falmouth, sent a US $300 credit to our credit card (via Homeaway’s system) with an apology for the inconvenience of the towel debacle the first two days we were there. How nice it that!!!  

We got a kick out of John, quite the fine butcher.

We’d never asked for special consideration of any type. Here’s the link to John’s property in Falmouth, which we thoroughly enjoyed once we had towels on hand. The owners here in St. Teath are equally kind and accommodating.

We’ve been fortunate to have had many great experiences with owners throughout the world over the past almost seven years and, they are with us. We would treat their properties with the same consideration if they’d been our properties, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.

Of course, we’ll be back tomorrow with more, sharing photos of the animals in the paddocks here on the farm. It’s raining, so we’re staying in doing laundry and preparing tonight’s special dinner.

(Apologies to our vegetarian/vegan readers for today’s meat photos)!

Carpe diem!
Photo from one year ago today, September 9, 2018:
Vervet monkey drinking water off the roadway after a downpour during a drought. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…New bookings…A new country…A new lease on life!…More tomorrow…

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The Maharajas Express Luxury Train* in India.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“Even though legend says that St. Patrick cleared Ireland of snakes, the truth is that these slithering creatures were never able to make it from Britain to the island.”

__________________________________________

*Please excuse the quality of today’s photos.  They were taken from the train’s website and aren’t clear when enlarged.


With our hesitancy to book future travels due to my recent health fiasco, the nature of our travels had changed dramatically.  At one point since we arrived in Ireland, we had no idea where we’d go in December 2019 after leaving Minnesota, Nevada, and Arizona to see family.


After days of research and planning, as of late yesterday, we’re booked until May 2, 2020, almost a year out but also have a few cruises beyond that date which we may or may not take. 


We have moveable deposits on all of our remaining cruises with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise Lines.  We have a Euro 731, US $900 deposit, paid for a cruise we’d booked from Lisbon to Cape Town on November 2020.  At the time we booked that cruise, we had no idea about my heart issues.

One of several lounges on the train.

When we went through immigration in South Africa on May 11, 2019, we were classified as “undesirables” since we overstayed our visas by the three months we had to stay in SA while I recovered, unable to fly during that time.  This classification would prevent us from returning to South Africa for 5 years.  Subsequently, we’ ll miss this particular cruise.

We were provided with documentation to allow us to apply for a waiver that could potentially allow us to return sooner.  Immediately after we arrived in Ireland, we put together the detailed packet required to apply for the waiver and sent it via email as required.


Yesterday, I called to see how our file was progressing and was directed to another email address for a status update which I did, attaching all the relevant documents once again.  I was told we’d hear back in 24 to 48 hours.  But, I doubt we’ll hear by then, based on history in dealing with governmental processes in South Africa.

One of several dining venues.

If we don’t hear by the time the final payment is due in July 2020, we’ll have no choice but to cancel the cruise, losing a portion of the deposit and not able to return to Marloth Park South Africa until May 2024.


In the interim, we’re proceeding as if this isn’t an issue, leaving a gap in time for the Africa cruise and the three months we’ll have spent in Marloth Park.  We have a year to hear from immigration.


In order to get “back on track,” we decided to proceed with events we’ve longed to do.  Yesterday morning, we booked the first of these exciting venues on the Maharajas Express, the India equivalent of the Orient Express.  We couldn’t be more excited.

On one of many included excursions, close to the Taj Mahal.

We’ve talked about visiting India at some point but neither of us has been interested in experiencing the massive population as shown below:

“The population of India 2019: Looking into the latest UN data, the approximate population of India is 1,350,438,098. The population of India is rising at an alarming rate and this is why the country is known as the second most populous country in the world after China.”


This is a big chunk of the world’s population as shown below:

“The current world population is 7.7 billion as of June 2019 according to the most recent United Nations estimates elaborated by Worldometers. Thus, India possesses 17.7% of the world’s population.”

One of many dining carriages.

Based on our plans for India, we’ll be able to avoid some of the traffic and commotion in the larger cities, although we’ll visit some of them along the way.  No doubt, the crowds, and traffic are all part of the experience in India.

We plan to spend two months in the country, from traveling to different locations we’re considering now.  But, as mentioned above, one of the most exciting elements of our time in India is starting on February 2, 2020, with a six-night excursion on the Maharajas Express from Mumbai to Dehli, stopping at outstanding points of interest along the way.

In the past several days, we spent hours researching pricing, accommodation, amenities, and routes and decided on the Maharajas Express’ Heritage of India which provides us with the most exciting and comprehensive experiences.

With so much information to share here, we’ll return tomorrow with more photos, pricing, amenities and the itinerary of the Heritage of India.  We couldn’t be more thrilled, especially after this long haul of only focusing on my health.  This is exactly “what the doctor ordered.”

See you soon!
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Photo from one year ago today, June 27, 2018:
Elephants crossing the road in Kruger National Park.  That vehicle stopped too close to them putting themselves at risk.  For more details, please click here.

Visit to a museum…Connemara Ponies and more…First non-stop transatlantic flight…

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View from the second story of the museum.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“Ireland
has mounds of dirt known as “fairy forts” Legend has it that those who disturb one of these mounds will be riddled with bad luck. These mounds are ancient dwellings from the Iron Age.”

A few days ago, we decided to take advantage of our shopping trip to Clifden and visit the Station House Museum, which was listed as an essential place to tour while in Connemara.

We arrived at the Station House Museum a little too early and left wandering about town until it opened 30 minutes later. The entrance fee is Euro 3, US $3.42 per person.

Keep in mind that Connemara, although with a small population of around 32,000, is a vast area covering many miles. We can quickly drive for almost two hours and still be within the region. 

Located in County Galway, it’s a point of interest for many tourists visiting Ireland for its scenery, history, people, and cozy country feel with sheep, horses, donkeys, and cattle easily spotted on the narrow, winding roads, often only wide enough for one car to pass. For “city” people, this is a unique experience.

Replica of the biplane made the first nonstop transatlantic flight by two British pilots from St. Johns Newfoundland to Clifden.

For us and our world travel experience, it’s another exciting place to live with several worthwhile sites in the area. Less interested in long, all-day road trips, we strive to find the venues that appeal to us within a reasonable driving distance. Museums are often top on the list.

What an excellent way to learn about a community, its culture, and its people. Such was the case when a few days ago, we visited the Station House Museum located close to downtown Clifden. In this small town, we’ve found shopping to be enjoyable, with its friendly, often Irish-speaking population who’ve learned English over the generations.

A saddle from the early 1900s.

We arrived at 10:00 am as advertised online, but when we arrived promptly, we found a note on the door stating they wouldn’t be open until 10:30. No worries. We busied ourselves walking around while we waited for the opening.

The Station House Museum is small but packed with historical facts and memorabilia that we found refreshing and enlightening. Here’s some information we found online about the museum:

Replica of Connemara Pony and cart.

From this site: “Located in a former train shed, this small, absorbing museum has displays on the local ponies and pivotal aspects of Clifden’s history, including the Galway to Clifden Connemara Railway (in service from 1895 to 1935) and Guglielmo Marconi’s transatlantic wireless station at Derrigimlagh, which was also the site of the crash landing of John Alcock and Arthur Brown’s first nonstop transatlantic aeroplane crossing in 1919.”

Additionally, we discovered the following information from this site:

“An international library of Connemara pony stud books and journals is available for research by enthusiasts. A video of the ponies in their native habitat filmed nearly forty years ago is shown daily. The ground floor is dedicated to Ireland’s native pony breed, the Connemara.
One hundred years ago, British aviators “John Alcock and Arthur Brown, as shown in these statues, made the first nonstop transatlantic flight in June 1919.  They flew a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Clifden, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland.[The Secretary of State for Air, Winston Churchill, presented them with the Daily Mail prize for the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by aeroplane in “less than 72 consecutive hours”.A small amount of mail was carried on the flight, making it the first transatlantic airmail flight. The two aviators were awarded the honor of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) a week later by King George V at Windsor Castle.”

The high roofed interior, with tall shedding windows on either side, is the backdrop for montage panels of photographs and documents. These are well supported by memorabilia and artifacts.

A sign is posted near the statues.

All the latter have an intimate association with breeders and ponies from the Western Seaboard throughout the last two centuries.”

A buggy from yesteryear.
An upper gallery takes visitors step by step through the region’s rich history, D’Arcy early in the nineteenth century, to the building and life of the Galway to Clifden railway line (1895 – 1935).

A photographic exhibition of the Marconi Wireless Station at Derrygimla (1905 – 1925) and lifesize figures of Alcock and Brown who landed on this site after their historic flight (1919) complement the interesting range of exhibits.”

Replica of Connemara farmhouse with donkeys pulling a cart.  We see many donkeys in this area.

Nearby, only a few steps away from the museum, is the popular Clifden Station House Hotel with two restaurants and a pub serving tourists and locals. After reviewing their menu, surely during our time here, we’ll try the restaurant, most likely for lunch rather than dinner. 

(We’re avoiding driving long distances at night with a high risk of accidents on the narrow winding roads, especially after a few drinks).

A variety of winning ribbons for Connemara Ponies.

As shown in our photos, we found plenty of interesting information and artifacts in the museum and learned more about this appealing area, country, and its people.

We’re staying in over the weekend, but we have plenty of new photos to share after another outing yesterday. A special thanks to all of our new readers for stopping by. From whence you come…we have no idea but, we’re happy to see you here. We have no access to your email or personal information, but we can see we’ve had new visitors.

May your weekend be filled with awe and wonder!

Photo from one year ago today, June 22, 2018:

This male was “standing watch” so the others could relax and nod off. For more photos, please click here.

It takes a few days to adapt…What are the adaptations?…

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John, the fish guy with Tom.  John will stop by once a week. Last night I had the haddock, which was fabulous without a single bone and the fresh crabmeat.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland” 
“Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle. This is because of its lush greenery and rolling hills. The country receives a lot of rain each year, which keeps the grass green and the plants blooming.”

Regardless of how well equipped a holiday home may be, there are specific nuances to which we must adjust each time we move to a different country and subsequently begin living in an unfamiliar holiday home.

No holiday home is perfect. For us, the primary factors when we book a house is its location, price, views, WiFi, and other amenities. A good kitchen is a must, along with laundry facilities, at the least a washer. (We gave up interest in clothes dryers shortly after we began traveling).

Neither of us cares to live in an apartment unless it’s necessary, such as in big cities where private homes are either too costly or too far from the hubbub of the town, which we may explore on foot.

Hotels are another matter. Location is critical for access to sightseeing, along with price, breakfast, and free WiFi, if possible. We do not book hotels where we must pay for WiFi.

Freshly caught fish in John’s truck.  He may have different options each week. The crab meat was delicious when I sauteed it in a bit of Kerry Gold butter.

This morning Tom booked a hotel for August 9 to August 11, 2019, when we’ll have two nights to spend in Amsterdam before the upcoming Baltic Cruise.  Location was significant mainly for walking and accessibility to the port.

Amsterdam is very expensive. Using our accumulated credits for past bookings on Hotels.com here on our site, the cost was still Euro 364, US $408 for the two nights at a conveniently located and highly rated hotel. We selected a canal view when the scenery in Amsterdam is important to us.

However, holiday homes and hotels always seem to have some type of issues that impact our stay and require us to adapt to the nuances. This home in Connemara, Ireland, is no exception.

The most substantial issue is that the three bedrooms, including the master, are located upstairs, requiring climbing an open wooden spiral staircase.  Not only are the steps a bit slippery with the finely finished wood, but they are steep.

As mentioned earlier, Tom and I agreed I wouldn’t go up and down the spiral staircase other than once per day. He placed a plastic bin at the top and bottom of the steps to allow me to add items to go up or down, which he’ll handle.

Fishing boats in the bay.

This wasn’t an issue for me when we booked this house, but since the surgery on my legs, I’m unstable until I build up my strength and balance. I’m working on both of these each day, by walking no less than 6000 steps per day or more some days. After all, I was only starting walking about 10 days ago, after lying down with my legs up for months. Slowly my strength is building.

Another issue with this house is the double bed in the master bedroom, with no larger bed in the other two bedrooms. Typically, this would work for us, but with the necessity of finding a comfortable position for my leg, I’ve slept in the twin bed and the bedroom the first few nights. This is unusual for us. 

Tonight, we’ll try to sleep together again, and if a problem, we’ll have no choice but to sleep separately during the balance of our 90-day stay in Ireland. If the bed were a queen, such as we had in Marloth Park, there would be no issue.

Another concern is the tiny below-counter refrigerator in the kitchen without a freezer. Another fridge is located in the laundry room with a very small freezer, enough for our ice cube trays, a bag of ice, and a few packages of meat or chicken.

When the fish guy comes weekly, I’ll eat fish for two days due to lack of freezer space, as I did last night making a fantastic salad with haddock, crabmeat, and tons of vegetables. Tom had a taco salad. Running back and forth to the two refrigerators is good exercise for me but annoying. 

Shopping for groceries is challenging when we can only purchase enough to fit into the tiny freezer. Nor can we make larger quantities of our favorite dishes to freeze and have for dinner on the days we’ve been out sightseeing. The refrigerator space between the two is sufficient to handle our cold products.

Closer view of boat hauling fishing equipment.

Otherwise, the kitchen has every conceivable pot, pan, gadget, small appliance, dinnerware and flatware, and spices that we can use. The knives are wonderfully sharp. There are plenty of dish towels and a newer dishwasher. There’s even food in the cupboard (very few items we’ll use) and condiments in the little fridge.

As for the pluses, the views from almost every window are stunning, overlooking a bay surrounded by mountains. The WiFi signal is superb, the flat-screen TV set up with satellite and many channels (we only watch the news) and there’s an upright piano.

No longer will we need to watch our favorite shows on my laptop. We hooked up our HDMI cord and can watch our shows from the living room. We could have done this in Marloth Park, but it was always too hot to do so comfortably.

The furniture in the living areas is in excellent condition and exceedingly comfortable. We have two areas when we can lounge and work on our laptops. It would be nice if there were an ottoman on which I could put my feet in the evenings, but the big comfy chairs do not have this, nor have we been able to find a comfortable alternative.

The TV is located at the end of the living room, preventing us from seeing it sitting on the sofa. We may ask the owner if we can move the furniture around to put my feet up at night.

There are few annoying insects other than midges (tiny biting insects) at sunrise and sunset. Of course, as we often experience throughout the world, there are no screens on the windows. If we want fresh air, we must risk flies and midges entering the house.

Although full of vegetation, the lot on which the house is located is impossible to use with uneven land, bushes, and wild plants. There is a picnic table on the side of the house which we’ll seldom use when it is fairly cool outdoors. 

Down the road, if I start drinking a little red wine, as recommended by the doctors, we may sit at that table at happy hour. For now, neither of us is drinking any alcohol since Tom never drinks alone, nor does he miss it.

Once we get a little more settled, we begin the process. We’re quite a distance from some of the areas we’ll research, but others are within an hour’s drive. Overall, we are content and look forward to researching Tom’s ancestry, which motivated our coming to Ireland.

Tomorrow, I’ll work on the documents to apply for the waiver from our status as “undesirables” in South Africa, hopefully enabling us to return in 2021 instead of the five-year ban we received from immigration at the Johannesburg airport last Saturday.

This morning a cleaner will come to clean the house. We were surprised at the high rates charged by cleaners at Euro 20, US $22.41 per hour. That is more than we’ve ever paid for a house cleaner, although these may be the current rates in the US and other world areas. We’d considered having her clean the house twice a week, but instead, we decided on three hours once a week.

After she’s done cleaning, we’re taking off to check out Carna, another quaint town with a few shops. It’s only five kilometers from here and may prove to be handy for odds and ends we may need between shopping trips to the distant Clifden (which requires a 90-minute round trip) but has a fantastic SuperValu market. We plan to shop in Clifden once a week.

That’s all for today, folks! We’ll continue to get out to take photos as often as possible. For today, we didn’t have many photos to share, but we will be heading out after a while to see what we can roust up on this cloudy day.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 16, 2018:

A small but substantially packed ferry was arriving in Zambia from Botswana while we waited. This reminded us of the ferry boat when we arrived in Mombasa, Kenya, in September 2013. Click here for that post. For more photos from the above Chobe visit, please click here.

Happy hippos…Lounging lions and more in favorite photos…Six days and counting…Still no water…

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When visitors first come to Africa, they often confuse cheetahs and leopards. Cheetahs are easily recognized by the dark “tears” coming down their faces.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Yesterday afternoon, we couldn’t have been more thrilled to see a giraffe in our garden. He took off quickly when he saw us, so this was the best photo I could take.

Thank goodness we have a JoJo tank in our garden that provides water from a tall tank and pump. Otherwise, this would be our second day without water. It’s unfortunate for those who don’t have a tank and must use bottled water for all their needs over these past few days.

For new visitors, male lions have the big mane surrounding their faces, whereas the females do not, as shown in the photo we took in Kruger.
A water main burst on Oliphant Street, the main and only fully paved road in Marloth Park. With it being the weekend, most likely, it won’t be repaired until later tomorrow.  
Two females and one male enjoying the shade under a tree in hot weather.

Of course, we’re grateful for the tank, and it does provide heated (not drinkable) water for anything we need.  Tom goes outside to turn it off when we go to bed. It makes a loud motor sound every few minutes and is located close to the bedroom window.  It’s loud enough it would keep us awake.

I believe this is a bateleur we spotted in Kruger.

The aircon makes various loud noises throughout the night, but we’ve had plenty of time to become accustomed to these sounds, and they no longer awaken us during the night. Speaking of awakening during the night…oh, I had a rough night last night.  

I was awake from shortly after midnight until 4:30 am and finally dozed off, awakening every half hour or so until I finally gave up and got up. I suppose I can blame my thoughts on keeping me awake. I couldn’t seem to shut off my brain while thinking about the upcoming long travel day with three flights and two layovers.

Last October, Tom and I were at Aamazing River View when friends Lois and Tom visited for three weeks.

I also thought about our immigration issue and if we’ll have trouble exiting the country when we never got a response from the immigration department regarding our requested extension. Most likely, we’ll have to pay a stiff fine if they won’t allow our accompanying documents to support the reasons for overstaying.

Lois and Tom, friends from the US who came to visit us for three weeks last October. We had a fantastic time when they called and stayed with us.  We hear from them often.

Then, of course, I was thinking about the issue of further treatment on my leg when we get to Ireland. After considerable research, it appears there are no wound facilities within a 90-minute drive from where we’ll be living in Connemara. The closest such clinic is in Galway, and we’ll have to make the drive every other day for treatment which could last for a few more months.

Three elephants on the river.

The doctor says the wound is too severe for us to handle it on our own. Only the next few days will determine if there is even a remote possibility we could take the care of the wound on our own if, based on some miracle, it’s improved since Friday, which I doubt. 

I want to be optimistic enough to say these three scenarios don’t worry me, and I can sleep like a baby. Still, until we have the three more doctor appointments here in the days before we depart and finally arrive in Ireland, our minds won’t be at ease. That’s the way it is.

Lilies are beginning to bloom in the river.

Yesterday, hobbling about the bedroom, I packed all of my clothing from the drawers and closet into my one large suitcase. There still is plenty of additional packing to tackle, but I feel I have a good handle on the most challenging part, my clothing.

Shortly after I was done, we had two surprise visitors, Sonja and Rob, the owners of this house. It was delightful talking to them and sharing stories of beautiful experiences we’ve had in their lovely home and garden. 

Lounging lion laying low…

As renters for the past 15 months, we had plenty to share as they did as well for their lives in Africa, living in the bordering country of Mozambique. We thanked them profusely for letting us stay so long and especially for designing the perfect veranda for wildlife viewing.

Hyenas are necessarily handsome-looking dogs but are fun to see in Kruger.

Most homes in Marloth Park have ground-level verandas, and some require walking up a flight of stairs or two to get a glimpse of the wildlife.  It has been perfect here, a scenario that served us well.

Today, I’ll do a little more packing of only a few items in the cupboards we can take with us. After all the unexpected expenses we’ve incurred as a result of the surgeries, there’s no way we’re willing to pay for overweight luggage by taking food products with us.

Happy hippos…

It’s hard to believe that we’ll be settling into our new home in Ireland a week from today. Although we have these various items on our minds that we must deal with over the following months, we’re hopeful for the quality time we’ll spend reveling in the peaceful and exquisite environment of Connemara, Ireland.

May your day be spent reveling in your surroundings wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, May 5, 2018:

This gorgeous feta, onion, and lettuce salad served by Louise and Danie was enhanced with edible flowers, indicative of the attention to detail and creativity these two fine hosts possessed when we joined them for dinner at their home. For more photos, please click here.

Ironing out the wrinkles…One week and counting…More favorite photos…

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A tower of five giraffes on the road in Marloth Park.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Lots of bushbabies on the stand.

In yesterday’s post, I stated we hadn’t had a power or water outage in the past week or two, commenting I shouldn’t say such a thing or it will happen. Alas, this morning, we have no water. Go figure.

It’s hard to imagine that I will be able to fly a week from today. The pain in my leg is still challenging, especially after getting up in the morning when I lie in the same position all night long, now on my left side.

As the day wears on, it seems to feel a little better, but now that the doctors insist I started walking again, it’s more painful than ever. Yesterday, I only managed to get in 20 minutes of walking.  

Moments later, there were seven giraffes.

It’s not that I’m not demanding and can’t take the pain. It’s more so that my left leg won’t cooperate and I risk falling if I walk more than 20 minutes, in two 10-minute increments. I can’t put my foot flat on the floor, and one can only walk so far, unaided while tiptoeing. Need I say, this is a bit frustrating.

Last night (time difference), I called the airline to request disability handling during the three flights, including a wheelchair at each of the airports.   The hardest part will be getting up the stairs to the small plane in Nelspruit and then down the steep, narrow steps when the plane lands in Johannesburg. I’ll need help on either side of me since steps are challenging to navigate.

Giraffes in the bush in the neighborhood.

We’ve yet to receive a visa extension, but we’re bringing all the documents necessary to substantiate the reason for our late exit. We’re hoping this doesn’t delay us in Johannesburg and cause us to miss our next flight when there is only has a 90-minute layover. 

I’ll have to pack dinner for myself since the airline won’t have any foods I can eat at the dinner service. Because I’m flying business class, the meal might be upgraded, but I doubt there will be anything I can eat.  

Mom and four piglets when they were newborns. Now, they are almost full-sized and spirited and come to visit nearly every day.

Usually, the food situation doesn’t bother me, but this time it’s a little different…I need to eat high amounts of protein each day. Thus, I’ll have my protein smoothie before we leave for the airport and bring along a few hard-boiled eggs and some nuts to hold me over. After all, it’s only one 24-hour period.

The boys are here cleaning the house now, but once they leave, I will pack my main suitcase and get that out of the way. All I’ll leave out will be clothes to wear the next several days, including travel day.  

Big Daddy by candlelight.

We’ll pack the third of our three suitcases with the toiletries for our afternoon departure next Saturday and our few carry-on bags. We’re lightening our load this time and will only have the three bags and two carry-on bags each. We won’t have to pay for excess baggage based on my flying business class since I’m allowed two checked bags at no extra cost.

I’ve completed logging all the receipts and only have a small amount to scan, which I’ll do this weekend. I’m leaving all the spices and condiments in the cupboards, per Louise’s suggestion, only bringing a few items that will be hard to find. There are a few bags of clothing we’ll pass on to the boys for their large families and miscellaneous items they may be able to use. 

This is a grouping of those dangerous caterpillars that can cause a severe reaction if they contact humans or animals.

I’ve wondered how I will be able to pack when it’s hard to stand and maneuver. I still have the walker for a few more days, and it has an ample-sized basket I can load with clothing.  

Tom will place the open suitcase on the bed, and I’ll be able to sit while I fold and pack the items. Tom would be more than willing to pack for me, but I want to go through the items to ensure I don’t bring anything I can’t use.  

The same caterpillars as shown above making a contiguous “train” as they make their way from the veranda to the garden. The local workers refer to these as “the devil.”

The only clothing items I’ve accumulated while here were warm pajamas and a few sweaters, which I’ll be able to use in Ireland, where it’s cool in the summer, and Minnesota in November, where it will be freezing. I’m confident I’ll be grateful to have those few items on hand.

Hopefully, by the end of today, I’ll have the bulk of my packing completed and the accompanying peace of mind. Again, today and over the next several days, we’ll be eating the food we have left in the refrigerator/freezer, the chest freezer, and the cupboards. It appears we may have enough to get us through until we go.  
Female giraffes have hair on the end of their ossicones.  The hair on the back of the male’s ossicones becomes worn off from fighting for dominance.

Have a pleasant weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, May 4, 2018:

This sweet mom bushbuck is warm and friendly, having won the hearts of many residents in the park, including us. For more photos, please click here.

Shipping packages internationally…More favorite photos…

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We often see mongooses in the garden resting their chins on branches, rocks, or each other.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Each day, a mating pair of hornbills stop by and ask for birdseed which we place on the table and the container.  If we don’t quickly respond to their noisy request, they bang on the window glass until we do.

As many of our regulars readers are well aware, every four to six months, we have a shipment of accumulated supplies we’ve ordered and had sent to our mailing service in our home state of Nevada, MailLinkPlus, which may be reached at this link.

Each year we renew our oversized mailbox in October at ZAR 2251, US $156 per year. In addition, we pay fees for scanned mail (per our request) to be placed into our online file for review at ZAR 28, US $2 per page.  
A young bull, most likely ostracized from the herd as he matured, wanders down the hill in Kruger to the Crocodile River.

In most cases, when a piece of snail mail has been scanned, and we either print it (unlikely) or read it, we can check in their system that the item is to be shredded to keep from accumulating clutter in the box.  

Possibly, a mom and her two offspring, most likely born five years apart or more, which is typical for elephants.

Subsequently, the only mail in our mailbox at any given time are items we want to save for when we return to Nevada and will collect at that time, or if necessary (such as tax documents) have forwarded to us in the next shipment.

Rarely, regardless of where we’re living at any given time, it makes no sense to send items to us via the “regular” postal service. Most recently, a box we’d been waiting for months became lost in a pile of 7.5 million undelivered items in South Africa when there was a strike.  

A young monitor lizard was climbing a tree in our garden.

Our package was inside a shipping container in Pretoria. We’d later heard stories of packages never being delivered or taking as long as three years to be delivered.  We should have known better than to ship a much-needed package via US Postal Service to South Africa, especially when we were unable to purchase insurance on the package.

The US Postal Service is aware that South Africa’s mailing service is horrible and refuses to insure packages. The result for that particular package? Money…we paid ZAR 2000, US $139, to have the package found and delivered to us in Marloth Park by a postal service employee. Money speaks loud and clear.

A mom and her calf cooling off in the river.

But, now, as we’ve accumulated several items in our mailbox in Nevada, we decided to have the package shipped to us in Ireland, not here in South Africa. The owner of the holiday rental provided us with the address and advised us to use DHL.

This morning, I went through all the items in our large mailbox in Nevada, and object by item either marked; 1. Keep in the mailbox (for future reference or handling); 2. Send with the next shipment or, 3. Throw away.

The sugar cane burning season has started once again, during which we get soot on the veranda and even into the house when the wind is blowing.

Each item is listed by the return address on the letter or package. With this, we can recognize 90% of the mail to determine if we want it sent to us, tossed, or saved.

The essential items in today’s shipment are our two debit cards. We’re hoping the package will arrive before we get to Ireland since both of our debit cards, which we use to get cash at ATMs, will be in that box. We’ll be arriving in Ireland with literally not a single euro on hand or means of getting money to use while there. 

Initially, we set up our credit cards without PINS to reduce the risk of theft and to keep our costs down when credit card companies charge exorbitant fees for taking cash on a card. (Of course, we could go to any bank and have funds transferred from our bank accounts or any of our credit cards. It worked for us so far during the first almost seven years of world travel.

Tom often sees figures of one type or another in cloud formations.  In this case, he would have seen this as an angel.

But, recently, based on the unplanned scenario of me having open-heart surgery, we had to cancel our plans to return to the US in April, during which time we’d have collected the new debit cards, which expired on the last day of March.

We had plenty of SA rands (ZAR) on hand to get us through our remaining time here but not any euros to see us through any time in Ireland. Getting these debit cards sorted out was a mess when Wells Fargo canceled them when we hadn’t activated them in a timely fashion. 

Big Daddy and zebras were sharing pellets in harmony.

When we noticed the newest cards had arrived at the mailbox a few weeks ago, we instructed Wells Fargo to give us over a month to receive and activate the new cards.  

If we don’t have the package during our first week in Ireland, we’ll call Wells Fargo again to extend the time we’ll have to activate the cards. (We didn’t want activated debit cards to go through customs in the US or Ireland to avoid further complications if stolen).

Dad (far left), mom, and ostrich chicks.

Twice, we reordered new debit cards to be delivered here in Marloth Park, and in both cases, they were lost in the mail, in this case, Fed Ex International. After this, we swore we’d never ship any kind to or from South Africa.

Today, I’ve gone through every item in our physical mailbox in Nevada, deciding which items we want to be included in the shipment. For example, Tom ordered a new RFID wallet when the almost seven-year-old similar item has fallen apart. I no longer use a wallet keeping credit cards in my name in Tom’s wallet.

Mr. Nyala, sniffing Ms. Kudu.  Wouldn’t he love an opportunity to mate?

After all, we’re always together, and without me having a wallet or similar such items, there’s less to be lost in the event of a theft. For this very reason, I don’t own or use a handbag and haven’t done so since we landed in Kenya in September 2013.

Also, in this shipment is two pairs of jeans for me, a few sweaters, and long sleeve tee shirts for use while in cool Ireland and also in Minnesota, US when we finally return in six months in November 2019 when it will be freezing.

This lonely nyala, the only of this species in all of Marloth Park, would surely like to have a family of his own.

I haven’t received from MaillinkPlus the cost of shipping this package to Ireland since we’ll need it quickly due to the time difference. As typical, I’m expecting it to be approximately ZAR 5771, US $400, and even sent by the fastest means, most likely won’t arrive any sooner than 10 days from today.

We were living our lives as world travelers. We are continually faced with challenges that we consider minor, compared to the recent necessity of major heart surgery, including surgeries for complications.

No one said life would be easy, but stuff happens regardless of where you live or your chosen lifestyle. It’s how we handle it that determines our ability and enthusiasm in carrying on. For us, we’re excited to carry on…

Photo from one year ago today, May 2, 2018:

A morning’s photo of Scar Face clearly illustrated his improvement. We were excited to see his continuing recovery from this horrific injury. I wish we could see him one more time before we leave in nine days.  For more photos, please click here.

The human condition…Making and fixing errors…

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Bushbuck we call “Friend” since she is always hanging around with bushbuck moms and their offspring but never has one of her own. She may be the grandmother beyond her reproductive years. With her lighter coat, she could be old. Typically, bushbucks in the wild have a lifespan of 12 years.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

On a rare occasion, a male impala will visit the garden.

Finally, the credit for our two airline tickets from Nairobi, Kenya to Santiago, Chile appeared on our credit card in tAR 29812, US $2115. Ethiopian Air had canceled the flight, and we were entitled to a full refund which we received through our credit card company last week.

The airline wasn’t responding to the request for a refund, and we had no choice but to bring the issue to the credit card company on which the airfare was initially charged.  They resolved it in no time at all.
 

Today, in this world of technology in which we’re entrenched, we see more human error situations than we’d seen in the distant past. Did employees formerly take more incredible pride in a “job well done” than they do today when they’re now almost entirely dependent upon technology performing many of their duties? Is that why so much falls through the cracks?

Oxpecker with an orange beak.

We often mention how we have to check and re-check scenario after scenario for accuracy and completion of most human-performed tasks in the workplace.
Recently, we’ve seen these types of problems cropping up more than usual.

 Of course, diligent employees still go to any limits to ensure a positive experience for their customers. However, in the process, they, too, are often subject to ancillary support from other staff members who may not care as much as they do. And then, the entire cycle of errors and inaccuracies follows suit.

 Twice, Wells Fargo sent us our renewing debit cards. Twice they were shipped “snail mail,” which we specified over and over would never get to us due to the poor postal system in South Africa. And yet, both times, they did the same thing.

Female kudu with oxpecker.

We told them to snail mail the cards to our mailing service in Nevada, USA, on our third request. Now we must bear the expense of sending the cards here to us via DHL International, never knowing if they will arrive on time before we leave in 35 days.

 All of these types of issues must be handled over the phone. Why? Because of humans, not technology, that must correct these types of problems. We’ve found over the years that we can’t be assured the situations will be resolved when communicating by email.

 Often, employees don’t bother to deal with their incoming email with the same priority over phone calls. Perhaps, someday this will change, but right now, it’s in its infancy. There’s a long way to go.

Mongooses are funny minor characters with lots of personalities.

If one analyzed the loss of revenue from human incompetency, the numbers would be astounding. Perhaps, it could be as much as the non-error revenue generated in the best of circumstances.

 Oh, I’m not purporting I am exempt from making errors, as seen by my frequent typos in daily posts even after both of us have proofread the bars from top to bottom each day.  But fortunately, our typos aren’t costing our readers their hard-earned money or considerable time in figuring out what we “meant” to say.

 When we’re overbilled or doubled billed, it becomes our responsibility to find the errors and spend the time getting the situation resolved. This becomes time-consuming and stressful.

Let’s face it…there’s no “free lunch.”  Almost every situation has the potential to become a tiresome and time-grabbing scenario.  If only we could sit back and depend on accuracy and competency to guide us through our future travels.

 And the reality remains, travel is one of those areas where mistakes by humans are rampant. It is for this very reason. We don’t use travel agents. If there’s an error, we want to be able to blame ourselves and resolve it ourselves rather than spending time patronizing the well-intended travel agent who made a mistake and beating ourselves up for not catching it sooner.

 In other words, when working with travel agents, one must verify the documents for accuracy and precision. And, of course, when acting as one’s travel agent, doing the same, checking and re-checking.

The marulas on the ground hold little interest in most of the wildlife.

While we were in the US in 2017, I booked a non-refundable flight for the wrong date while distracted by numerous plans and activities. There was nothing we could do but lose the money.  

 Now, when booking cruises, holiday homes, flights, and rental cars, we always show one another the screen before completing the transaction. No one is exempt from making errors.  

 Sadly, it’s all a part of the human condition. Sadly, blaming someone after the fact doesn’t negate our responsibility quickly resolves the issue(s).

 Today, blessedly cool and cloudy, is yet another day in my recovery. I am working hard to avoid sitting in the same position for long periods due to bedsores in the area of my boney tailbone from lying with my feet up in the same place for the past seven days.

They pose in cute positions in hopes their adorableness will inspire us to feed them.  It does!

Our friend Uschi stopped by to loan us an egg crate mattress cover. This will be very helpful in reducing the risk of worsening the bedsores and developing more over the next 11 days and nights of total bed rest,

 Why in the world didn’t I think of the possibility of bedsores a week ago? Should the doctors and nurses have addressed this potential issue with me when they saw me in the same position day after day during the five full days I spent in hospital after the two-leg surgeries.

 I’d never had bedsores in my life, nor had I ever considered such a risk would have existed for such a short period. But, as mentioned above, blaming gets me nowhere. Resolving the issue is my only option, which requires using the cream the doctor prescribed, the egg crate mattress cover, sheepskin, and frequently changing positions to avoid placing more pressure on the area.

 Last night, for the first time in over seven weeks, I was able to sleep on my side with pillows supporting my back. This side position causes discomfort in the still-healing sternum, but I can live with that. As long as I am moving forward a little each day, I am hopeful.

 Tom is making pizza for himself today and avocado stuffed with shrimp salad for me. We hope you have a wonderful weekend!


 Photo from one year ago today, April 6, 2018:

We could watch for hours and rarely see more than a hippo taking a quick breath of air at the hippo pool in Marloth Park.  We were lucky to get this shot.  For more details, please click here.

There’s always a recipe for a solution…Cost and convenience are often the vital ingredients…

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This fluffy little one captured our hearts.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Baby zebra are sticking close to mom during nighttime activities.

I don’t know where to begin. It’s a convoluted story of inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and rampant incompetency in one manner or another. My intent is not to bash South Africa’s governmental procedures. 

Instead, I reach out to you, our valued and loyal worldwide readers, to share our story and to alert those of you who may consider a long-term stay in this country.

Don’t get me wrong…we’re grateful for the exquisite almost 10 months we’ve spent in the country in this isolated little world of paradise in the bush, Marloth Park.  

It’s not like this everywhere in the country, animals roaming free as one might expect countrywide. There are conservancies, game reserves, national parks, and designated wildlife areas for that.  

The dry bush will brighten once the rainy season takes off.

The uniqueness of Marloth Park was the motivator for us to visit and subsequently return this past February. Our future itinerary has us returning in about two years from now, but only for the allowed 90 days, no more. We never want to deal with immigration issues again.

I won’t reiterate the beginning of the story and the massive pile of documents we prepared to accommodate a request for a visa extension to February 20, 2019, the day we’d been advised to book a flight out of here to Nairobi, Kenya, for our next adventure. If you’ll click this link here, that portion of the story is told in its entirety.

But, it was the culmination of the complicated process that hovered in our minds as we wondered as to the outcome since September when we first applied, as it turned out, way too early, upon advice from others and ended up starting all over again on October 24th when we returned to Nelspruit the second time to apply.

While there in September, a rep made a handwritten notation on our document copy that we were to return on October 24th (still have this document), giving ample time for the file to be reviewed and meeting our planned departure date of February 20, 2019.

Waterbucks grazing by the river’s edge.

Part of the application process required two departing South Africa-airline tickets for ZAR 15461 (US $1132) for that date which we purchased at the time of making the first application in September.

Stay with me. We’re getting there. When we returned on October 24th, going through all the forms with the reps at the VFS Immigration office, we were told everything was in order. We were told to start checking online after three weeks to see when the response would be ready.

For those of you who read the prior posts, we indicated we’d have to appear once again once the notification indicated we were ready to see the answer in a sealed envelope, which we’d open in front of the immigration rep.  

If we didn’t like the answer, the only available process was to reapply once again. This was not an option for us. Our visas had already expired on November 21st.  We weren’t in a particularly good position for “negotiating,” which, in any case, is not a part of the process regardless of circumstances.

A lone giraffe was munching on treetops.

We took off for Nelspruit yesterday morning, typically a 75 to 90 minutes drive where many trucks and vehicles jockey for space on the highway. We were told to arrive anywhere between 10:00 am and 1500 hours (3:00 pm).  

Once we were “scanned” by the security guard, we entered the waiting area, lined up several rows of chairs. All the seats were filled, and we had to wait, standing, in the back of the chairs section. As each person was called, everyone in the chairs moved over to the next available chair, kind of like a musical chairs thing.

Much to our surprise, the line moved more quickly than during our two other visits.  Within 40 minutes, we were standing at the counter awaiting our news.  Tom was handed his sealed envelope first. Gingerly, he opened the envelope and immediately we were bost aghast. He was granted an extension but only until February 15th.

We have paid our rent here to February 20th, paid for a rental car to February 20th, and paid for the two airline tickets for February 20th. We tried to explain that it was their manager who’d told us to return on October 24th, allowing us ample time for the requested February 20th departure date.

Waterbucks live close to the river, grazing on its green lusher vegetation than in other areas of the bush, where everything is dried up during this year’s low-rain period.

We even showed her the handwritten notes she’d made on the document telling us to return on October 24th. She dismissed this written statement saying what she wrote was irrelevant. The government’s decision is all that matters, regardless of the number of days.

Then the weirdest thing happened.  I opened my envelope and was given until February 21, 2019. Our files were linked as a married couple. Why the six-day difference? All kinds of thoughts ran through our heads. No matter what we said, the only option they suggested was to start all over.  

There was no way we were going to pay the fees ZAR 3500 (US $256) again and start over the lengthy and detailed paperwork process, all the while taking the risk that nothing would change.

We walked out the door, neither of us talking, and made our way to the parking ramp, thoughts racing through our heads. On the return drive, we reviewed our options, but Tom, bordering on “overly grumpy,” was more engrossed in his driving in traffic than a lengthy discussion over our options.

On Sunday night, while situated on the veranda, speaking on Skype with my dear friend Karen in Minnesota, a dazzle of zebras appeared.

Instead of pressing him, I wrote the text for yesterday’s post on an offline app on my phone, determined to get it uploaded before the power went out due to “load shedding” again at 1500 hours (3:00 om).  

As soon as we returned, I immediately got to work on the post, albeit with less than my usual enthusiastic demeanor. Miss Overly Bubby wasn’t in. I rushed to get it done, but the power went out earlier than expected, and I couldn’t upload it until after 1730 hours (5:30 pm). Sorry for the delay.
 

At 5:30, we set up the veranda for the evening, made ourselves a “sundowner,” and sat down to discuss our options. They included the following:

  • Reapply and start the entire process all over again with no guarantees. We tossed this idea out the window.
  • Tom could leave and go to Kenya on the 15th while I stayed alone in Marloth Park, using one of the two non-refundable flights from Nelspruit to Nairobi on February 20th (my birthday). This raised many questions: hotel for Tom, transportation for me to the airport, being alone for the five nights until February 20th when I could depart, traveling apart, handing luggage…and on and on.  We tossed this idea out the window.
  • The rep told us Tom could go to Mozambique by car and see if he could end up with the extra five days. This was a very risky idea. When would he go? He could easily have ended up with no more than what he has or even less, depending on what transpired at the border.  We tossed this idea out the window.
  • We could try to get some form of credit from the airline to change our travel day to February 15th, change our end-of-rental date to February 15th, change our car rental period to February 15 and clear out of South Africa. We decided this was our only option, with both departing on February 15th, regardless of the cost or inconvenience.
There was a total of nine zebras, including the baby.

Immediately, we got to work on Expedia.com on our website to see what we could first accomplish with the tickets. In all these six years of world travel, we’ve never canceled or changed a single flight. Somehow the preplanning has always worked for us.

We knew that flights were non-refundable but never encountered an opportunity or desire to change a flight.  The website offered such an opportunity, and for a total of ZAR 2156 (US $159), we changed our tickets to February 15th.  We were relieved.

 
We want to book hotel accommodations in Kenya which we’ll do this month. Not having done so was one more minor step to handle. From here, we’ll see about our rent and early return of the rental car, both of which should save us a little more to apply to the added cost of the extra five days in Kenya.
 
Whew! What a relief! Drama averted. Immigration issues are averted, and a massive lesson learned: When we return to South Africa in years to come, we’ll only stay 90 days. Period.
Preoccupied with my phone call, I couldn’t get a photo of all nine at once.

We skated through the first three 90-day periods by leaving the country twice to travel to Zambia to get another 90-day visa each time. We just weren’t able to pull it off the third time. These two one-week trips cost us upwards of ZAR 111628 (US $8232).  Surely if we’d tried traveling out the country once again, we’d have incurred similar costs with no guaranty on the ability to return.

And so it goes. We’re good again. Cheerful, but hot in the temps above 40C (104F). And, we’re back in sync with our otherwise pleasing lifestyle and of course, with one another.

Today, we’ll lay low in the heat and humidity, but who knows what tomorrow may bring.


Happy, healthy day to all.

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

Children were playing at the beach with views of colorful fishing vessels in Pisco, Peru. These boats remind us of the colorful fishing boats in Negara, Bali. (See that link here). For more details from the one year ago post, please click here.

Immigration appointment day…Lunch at the country club and golf course, overlooking the Crocodile River, of course….Superb hippo sightings…

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Last night’s full moon.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

When we headed out to the immigration office in Nelspruit early this morning, we saw our favorite bushbuck with her tiny offspring. She’d kept her baby tucked away for a few months to keep her safe and finally brought her around to visit. No wonder she’s been coming to call several times each day over these past few months. She’s nursing and needs nourishment.

We’d been anticipating the return appointment to the immigration office in Nelspruit for the past six weeks.  When we’d delivered our massive number of documents on September 6th, we’d been turned away and told to return on October 24th. We were too early to apply for the extension, as we’d advised by an immigration consultant. 

View from the veranda at Kambaku Komatipoort Golf Club.

We have to make the long drive back to Nelspruit from Marloth Park (103 km, 64 miles), plus the idea of possibly waiting in chairs for hours left us with somewhat of a sense of dread.

View upstream of Crocodile River.

Today at 6:30 am, we were on our way on a beautiful sunny day, hopeful for a good outcome and determined to maintain a positive attitude regardless of any inkling we may receive as to our potential approval or denial to stay in South Africa until February 20th on which our flight to Kenya is booked and paid.

Lush vegetation and birds.

It’s risky. They require us to have purchased final departure airline tickets, which are non-refundable should the extension not be approved. If we’re rejected, we’re out the money for the tickets at the cost of ZAR 16,242 (US $1132) plus the thousands of dollars of expenses we’ll incur to leave the country.

Ducks on the river.

Well, there’s so much more to it if we’re refused, but we won’t get into that again today. We were told to check the website in about three weeks to see when our next appointment is scheduled. Now, the waiting game begins.

A bloat of hippos on the bank of the river.

Back at the house by 10:30, much earlier than expected, Tom and Lois were relaxed on the veranda, enjoying the few visitors that came to call. Today for an unknown reason, is a surprisingly quiet day in the bush.

We couldn’t get over how relaxed they were in the sun. Hippos have very delicate hides subject to sunburn, which attributes to their need to stay submerged in the water.

Yesterday, we decided to have lunch at the Kambaku Komtipoort Golf Club situated on the Crocodile River in Komatipoort. With an entirely different perspective of the river from this location, we were able to take many of today’s photos, particularly enthralled with the bloat of hippos as shown.

The river continues to provide a wealth of sightings, day after day, always presenting unique and exciting sightings we never tire of. As soon as I upload this post, the four of us will take off in the little car to see what today’s river views have to offer.

Two hippos were resting away from the remainder of the bloat.

Tonight, we’ll dine in for the second evening in a row having homemade burgers and chips (fries). I hadn’t cooked homemade fries in over seven years since I began this way of eating.  

Peaceful river environment.

Of course, I won’t be eating any of them, but Tom undoubtedly is enjoying this rare treat. Instead, I’ll have lettuce wrapped burger with tomato, sauteed onions, and mushrooms with homemade sugar-free ketchup while Tom adds bacon to his burger (without the bun).

Vegetation on the shore of the opposite side of the river from our vantage point.

We’ve been eating more than usual with our friends here but will quickly readjust after they leave in eight days.  After all, they are on holiday/vacation, and food often becomes an essential part of the experience for travelers.  

We’ve been dining out three or more times each week since their arrival, having had great meals at all but two local establishments. As a result, we’re doing several repeats of their (and our) favorites.

When the rains come, this area will be covered in water.

We promise to do the same! Have a fantastic day and evening! Everyone’s anxious to get going, so I’m wrapping this up now.

Photo from one year ago today, October 24, 2017:

Insulators for telegraph of electric wires at the Railway Museum in Costa Rica.  For more photos, please click here.