Day #258 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Yikes!…Snakes, scary insects, heat, power outages and thefts…!…

Twig snake, also known as a vine snake, was on the railing at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant as we walked up the steps to the restaurant. “Twig snakes are among the few rear-fanged colubrids whose bite is highly venomous and potentially fatal. The venom is hemotoxic, and although its effects are prolonged, and bites are rare, no antivenom has been developed, and several fatalities have occurred.”

Today’s photos were from the post on this date in 2018 when we were walking up the steps to dinner at Jabula Lodge & Restaurant in Marloth Park when a guest yelled out, “Look out! There’s a snake on the railing!” For that post, please click here.

Hopefully, by the time we arrive (hopefully) in Marloth Park, it will have been 20 months since we departed South Africa in May 2019, when I was finally able to fly after heart surgery. It will have been long enough for us to put aside thoughts of encountering venomous snakes, insects, and the high temperatures in January, which is summer in Africa. It can be as hot as 104F/40C or considerably higher from time to time.

Juan, a young yet highly accomplished snake handler, captured the snake, placing it in this container and releasing it in Lionspruit, where other venomous snakes are sent to live out their lives.

With air-con generally only available in the bedrooms in most bush houses and with our desire to be outdoors on the veranda all day long, waiting for wildlife to visit, it will be quite an adjustment from sitting in this cool, dark, temperature-controlled room for the prior ten months (by the time we depart). I’m not complaining, just observing.

As mentioned in prior posts, we keep the darkening drapes in this hotel room closed all day with the lamps on to keep the room cool throughout the day and night. Even the bright sunlight will require an adjustment after all this time, one we look forward to. In our prior two lengthy stays in Marloth Park, in 2013/2014 and 2018/2019, on each occasion, we were there over the summer months, and we fared well in the heat.

Young zebra in the garden.

I imagine we’ll do equally well once again. When we lived in the “Orange” house, I did ok after returning from the hospital after open-heart surgery at the tail end of February, lying on the sofa in the lounge room without any air-con. If it became unbearable for a short period, Tom helped me maneuver to the bedroom for a break with the air-con on.

A day after I returned from the hospital, the power was out for a day. Danie brought over a generator for us to use. Bless their hearts, he and Louise were always thinking of us.

The frequent power outages were challenging at times. Eskom’s “load shedding,” when the power was turned off to reduce the grid load, was incredibly annoying. That’s another story I won’t get into today, but it is a fact we must accept in returning to our otherwise favorite place in the world.

We wrote in 2018: “We’re treasuring every moment with the wildlife, knowing once the holiday-makers arrive, we’d have considerably fewer visitors until well into January.”

Also, at times, there’s no water. And, of course, when the power is out, there is no WiFi. Now that we have our Google phones with built-in data hotspots, if necessary, we can use them during those periods. We won’t know if it will work in our location until we arrive.

Another precaution we must consider is the number of burglaries in the bush houses. Although the two entrance gates to Marloth Park are guarded 24-hours a day, many burglaries transpire with losses of computers, phones, digital equipment, TVs, and other items. At no point can we leave our laptops on the outdoor table if we run indoors to do something if one of us isn’t around to keep out a watchful eye.

When Little didn’t get my attention when he walked up the steps to the veranda, he knocked over this chair—determined Little, trying to get my attention. It worked!

Last night, 12 hours ago, I saw this post on Facebook, “A lion has recently been seen on Butterfly Street towards Olifant.” From time to time, lions crawl under the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park to enter Marloth and may be heard and seen for days, if not weeks.

There’s plenty of food for lions in the park. When such a sighting is observed, everyone is notified through the various Facebook groups or emails. During these times, warnings are issued to prevent locals and guests from freely walking in the streets. Night-time curfews are instituted. Lions tend to hunt at night but are often observed during daylight hours.

Of course, I made his antics worthwhile. I gave him pellets and ice-cold carrots on a scorching day.  He was so exhausted in the heat that he lay down to dine.

In those cases, I will have to consider where I’ll continue my regular walking routine each day. If necessary, I’ll walk indoors on the days when lions are spotted and outdoors for the remainder. The house we’ve booked appears to have a long driveway which I can walk many times each day to achieve my goal. Somehow, it will all work out.

With all these potential issues, you may ask why in the world would we want to return? As our long-time readers know, the answer is easy, “Amid all of that, we love it there…the wildlife, the people, the access to Kruger National Park, the scenery and the simple pleasures of life in the bush,”

A praying mantis stopped by for a visit that morning. After he walked on the veranda table, he landed on Tom and then landed on me. Friendly little fellow.

Now, we wait, albeit as patiently as possible, for the days to pass so we can once again return in 38 days. Fingers crossed.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 6, 2019:

In 2015, we were at the Arts Village in Pacific Harbour, Viti Levu, Fiji. For the year-ago story, please click here.

Day #229 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…A commenter writes a criticism of me…Elephant close-ups…

It was a rarity for us to see impalas in the garden, but several stopped by to partake of pellets. No doubt, they are hungry at that time of year, put aside their apprehension of humans, and came to call. This adorable girl was chewing pellets when I shot this photo. Too cute for words!

Today’s photos are from this date while living in the bush in South Africa in 2018 and visiting Kruger National Park. For the story from this date, please click here.

No words can express our joy when our readers write to us via our comment section at the end of each post or by email. Many hesitate to post a comment, but please keep in mind you can do so anonymously if you prefer or even leave your first name.

We were saddened to see who we named “Wounded.” He was stabbed in his near eye by another animal’s horn or tusk.

This morning, I noticed there were hundreds of comments I’d yet to reply to after discovering that our new site wasn’t set up to send me a notification email informing me that a new comment was posted. This will be fixed by Monday. If you posted a comment and I haven’t replied, please be aware I am working on responding to all of these over the next few days and will soon be caught up.

As for the comments, we were thrilled to see the amount of kindness and support from so many of our readers. Although I recognized the names of a few long-term readers, most were from readers we’d never communicated with in the past, many of whom may have been new readers over the past many months in India.

We got as close as was safe while we waited for 40 minutes for him to move out of the road in Kruger National Park. He wasn’t about to move for us, nor did we honk or bother him while we waited. After all, this is their territory, not ours.

Many commenters were from India, Indonesia, China, Germany, The Netherlands, South Africa, and more. Of course, like most blog sites, we receive our fair share of spam, which includes advertisers for various products and services, and most annoyingly, pornographic spam to which I quickly report as “spam” and immediately remove from the system.

Oddly, one reader wrote on this post here, “You overthink.”  We both laughed out loud, no offense intended to the commenter. Nor am I offended. Yes, I admit, I do overthink. However, excessive thinking allows me to develop a new post 365 days a year and today writing post #3009.

We got as close as was safe to take some close-up photos of him.

It takes some serious thinking to be able to prepare, edit, and upload a new story with photos every day of my life over the past more than eight years, only missing some days due to travel days, WiFi, and power outages, and 2019s open-heart surgery and subsequent other surgeries due to complications, when I skipped over two weeks.

When I’m not preparing posts, am I “overthinking?” I try not to. While walking for over 90 minutes a day, I listen to podcasts and don’t think much other than absorbing what I’m learning from the information on hand. Once I’ve finished the daily post, I spend the rest of my afternoon working on the edits for the 3000 posts, leaving little time for thinking other than what’s in front of me.

We noticed as we waited that he had a hole in his ear which could have been a result of a fight or damage from a tree or bush while grazing.

From 3:00 pm to 3:30 pm each day, we start streaming our favorite shows, which doesn’t leave much time for excessive thinking, other than enjoying the shows on the screen and stopping in between shows to finish my walking for the day. My daily goal is to walk one mile, 1.6 km, five times a day.

Yesterday, we signed up for Hulu, which has tons of shows we haven’t seen, such as “Dancing with the Stars,” The Bachelorette,” America’s Got Talent,” and “Shark Tank,” all of which are mindless drivel we can escape into during this challenging period. Not much thinking is going on then.

The diameter of his foot was astounding. An elephant’s foot can range from 40 to 50 cm (1.31 to 1.6 feet in length).  

In the evenings, we’re working our way through one of the most entertaining shows we’ve seen since, Amazon’s “Man in the High Castle,” which is “The Walking Dead.” We steered away from zombie shows for years, never able to grasp the concept. But now, this 10 season show with 115 episodes has been exceedingly engrossing, oddly enough. Not much thinking there.

As for the middle of the night, years ago, I trained myself to not overthink and worry during the night when it has such a significant impact on quality sleep. If I awaken during the night and can’t return to sleep right away, I’ll read a few things on my phone with the screen dimmed or play Scrabble with others who may be online at the time until I’m sleepy again. This works well for me but may not for others.

The end of the elephant’s tail has hairs that act as a small brush, suitable for swatting flies, bees, and other insects.

So, yes, dear reader, I sometimes do “overthink,” but that too works for me, especially when striving to keep those thoughts positive and worthwhile to share here the following day. Please keep those comments coming and know that as we advance, we’ll make every effort to reply to each one.

Have a safe, healthy, and fulfilling day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 7, 2019:

The world-famous Atlantis Hotel in Nassau, The Bahamas. For more photos, please click here.

Day #226 in lockdown in Mumbai, India…Election results day…Bubonic plague in Africa, two years ago…

More than 1,300 cases have now been reported in Madagascar, health chiefs have revealed, as nearby nations have been placed on high alert
This map of Africa in 2017 illustrates that there was a high risk for bubonic plague. At that time, we were planning to be in South Africa beginning in February 2018 and other countries to renew our visa status. We, ultimately, stayed in Africa for 15 months at that time.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2017, during the news on the bubonic plague impacting the east coast of Africa. See the link here.

After a solid 5½ hours of uninterrupted sleep, I bolted out of bed at 5:00 am, anxious to shower, dress, and get ready to start the day, watching US news on the elections. While getting dressed, I had the news on my phone in the bathroom, but the results were only dribbling in at that time.

Tom’s early morning view of the moon setting on the horizon, taken from the veranda.

Not wanting to awaken Tom, I decided against turning on the news on the TV to one of the few English-speaking channels in India. My phone is a perfect resource for information and at the moment, at 6:00 am, I’m dressed for the day, sitting in my comfy chair, earbuds in my ears, listening to the news on my phone while I’m preparing today’s post.

My goal is to complete today’s post by the time Tom awakens and be able to plug in my laptop to the TV with live broadcasts of US news available to stream. I don’t mind not working on my laptop today. Instead, use it to see what’s transpiring with the election.

We’ve often been asked if we pay attention to what is transpiring in the US as we’ve traveled the world, and without a doubt, regardless of our fears and frustration over recent events, of course, we care deeply about our home country. We always stay in close touch via the news and read a variety of publications online.

A boy covers his mouth as a council worker sprays disinfectant during the clean-up of the market in the Anosibe district, one of the most unsalubrious districts of Antananarivo.
Street scene in Madagascar during the plague. (Not our photo).

Over these many months in lockdown, we are paying particular attention when we’ve had news on, in the background,  most days, switching between the few English speaking stations, most of which are international news which also has a significant impact on our lives. There are one or two English-speaking Indian news channels which we also watch for updates on COVID-19 and the possibilities of the opening of international flights.

As for today’s photos, on this date in 2017, news broke about the bubonic plague (ironic, eh?) hitting the eastern coast of Africa. It caused us concern with our plans to head to South Africa in February, three months later. Fortunately, the virus was contained by the time we arrived in Africa. We headed to Marloth Park to celebrate my 70th birthday at Jabula with friends and hopefully stay for an extended period.

By traveling in and out of South Africa by visiting other countries in Africa, we were able to stay for 12 months with only applying for one visa extension by traveling to other African countries and returning to South Africa for another 90-day visa stamp.

People queue at a pharmacy in downtown Antananarivo, Madagascar to buy protection masks against infections and medicines against plague on Monday, October 2.
Locals outside a pharmacy in Madagascar. (Not our photo).

When I had open-heart surgery in South Africa and couldn’t travel for three months, we overstayed our last visa by 90 days. Tom was too busy taking care of me to spend days working on another visa extension. We were told we couldn’t return for five years when we left the country, described as “undesirables.” We had letters from doctors and proof of payment for medical bills to prove the reason why we’d overstayed. Still, we were banned.

While in Ireland after leaving SA, we hired a South Africa law firm to help us acquire a waiver to allow us to return sooner than in five years. After considerable legal fees, it was granted months later, and now, ironically, we can’t get there. So much has changed for us and people all over the world in 2020. I don’t believe this will be over with the new year.

Regardless of today’s US election results, we pray for the safety and well-being of our fellow US citizens and citizens of the world.

Be well. Be safe.

Photo from one year ago today, November 4, 2019:

The travel anniversary cake was hosted by Murano, a specialty restaurant on the ship. Tom didn’t eat any of it. We handed it over to the neighbors from Minnesota in the next cabin for them to enjoy. For more photos, please click here.

Day #197 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Seven years ago today…


This is a Topi, only found in the Maasai Mara.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while on our first safari experiences in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

Please bear with us as we share repeated photos as we work our way through October 2013. It was that single experience while on safari many times in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, living in a luxury tent (photos of the tent will follow in a few days), that everything changed for us.

We could sit for hours and watch the antics of the hippos. Their sluggish movement and playful personalities are a pleasure to behold.

In tomorrow’s fourth 2000 word post (only one more to go), we’ll explain this further regarding taking photos of wildlife. It’s a long post to which we’ll be adding more repeated images but will illustrate how being amateur photographers have enhanced our world journey.

It was seven years ago today that we were entrenched in the splendid glory of being on safari twice a day while never disappointed. Throughout my life, I swooned over photos of animals in the wild, wondering when and if I’d ever had a good fortune or be brave enough to embark on such a journey.

A lone hippo was searching for a morsel on the ground.

Little did I know at the time that bravery wasn’t a necessary element in experiencing the joys of safari. Instead, it is a sense of adventure, which with a professional guide and later on, as our guides, presented little risk with a multitude of thrills. At one point in our posts, I equated it to having an “E” ticket at Disneyland (remember, old-timers, like me?), and the thrills were seemingly never-ending.

Looking back at the photos now, primarily while outrageously confined in lockdown in a hotel in India for 6½ months, these photos still send a rush of endorphins through my bloodstream, making me realize how addicted I’ve become to this incredible rush after all of these years.

We realize that this gruesome photo may be difficult for some to see. But, it’s a part of the food chain which we decided we would accept on such scenes as a reality of the life cycle in the wild. This crocodile was consuming either an impala or gazelle.

Each day on Facebook, I peruse dozens of photos from various safaris in Africa and countless wildlife photos in Marloth Park from the many friends we left behind. Many of us belong to different Marloth Park FB groups, and the photos make me long to return in a way I can barely describe.

I think that perhaps someday soon, we can return to see our animal and human friends, shop in a grocery store, cook our meals, savor a glass of red wine or cocktail at happy hour, and move about freely in open spaces. My heart skips a beat.

The Mara River. Our tent was located on the shore, where sounds of hippos filled the air beginning around 4:00 am as they awoke.

On top of that, at any time we’d like, we can make the 20-minute drive to the Crocodile Gate to enter Kruger National Park to search for the next big rush excitedly; elephants, lions, cape buffalos, cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, most of which we don’t see as readily in Marloth Park.

The well-rounded experiences of that location are all we could ever dream of and, without a doubt, were where we had the most exciting, enduring, and blissful experiences in our almost eight years of world travel (as of October 31). Whether it was dinner at Jabula Lodge & Restaurant or dinner at our table or theirs, with friends, sitting by the braai (bonfire), or even those special times alone on the veranda, just the two of us, reveling in every visitor that graced our garden during the day or evening, it all was extraordinary.

No swimming in this river!

Will we appreciate it more now than we did then, during the entire 18 months we spent in Marloth Park in 2013, 2018, 2019? I don’t think so. We treasured every single day and night, just like we’ll do once again, sometime in the future. When? We don’t have a clue. But, we wait patiently for news on the horizon when borders open, and we can be on our way.

It won’t be easy getting there. It’s a long flight, and most likely with COVID-19 protocols, it will be 35 hours or more from airport to airport and then a five-hour drive from Johannesburg to Marloth Park. The closer (one hour drive) airport of Mpumalanga/Nelspruit/Kruger won’t be opening for some time. Time will tell.

“Please pinch me,” I told Tom at that time. “I must be dreaming!”

Right now, our biggest concern is getting that package delivered. The hotel manager is helping us and working directly with FedEx. Hopefully, today, we’ll hear something. In the meantime, it’s the status quo, same old, same old.

Have a peaceful day, and please stay safe and healthy.

Photo from one year ago today, October 6, 2019:

A goose with a knot on her head on the farm in Devon, England. For more photos, please click here.

Day #182 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Making decisions…

Yes, I know. Photos of us in 2013 often show us wearing the same clothes over and over. After ditching most of our clothing to lighten our load, we have no choice but to do so. We try to wear the same items frequently in order to wear them out for disposal, saving the newer items for the future. So far, nothing has worn out. With no clothes dryers available, the thinnest tee shirts seem to “live” forever.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013, while we were living in Diani Beach, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

We laughed over the night depicted in today’s historic photos of the night on this date seven years ago that we went out to dinner in Kenya and were the only diners in the entire restaurant.

Ah, moonlight!

It was a beautiful moonlit night and we recall it as if it was only yesterday. We made a reservation at the Blue Marlin Restaurant located on the beach on the Indian Ocean. It was a long walk from the security entrance to the actual restaurant on uneven pavers and we were grateful for our LED flashlights to guide us along the way.

This spot was ideal for relaxing after a guest drank too many Margaritas!

We arrived at 7:30 pm at TripAdvisor’s highly rated restaurant, surprised to find we were the only guests on the premises. The staff was plentiful and the service and food was excellent. At the time we couldn’t recall ever being the only guests in a restaurant during dinner hours, but we shrugged it off, assuming sooner or later, other guests would appear. It never happened, much to our surprise after experiencing the delicious meals, drinks and service.

The chalkboard at the Blue Marlin listed the daily specials.

As a result, we had an opportunity to take some photos with the staff who were thrilled to oblige. We handed out several of our business cards knowing full-well they’d be searching for their photos on the next day’s post, perhaps making them feel a little like celebrities. It was endearing.

We had a chance to interact with their two “house dogs” who couldn’t have been more friendly. Of course, when we returned back to our holiday home, Han’s two dogs, Gucci and Jessie, were waiting for our return. It’s always been a treat to be able to adopt a dog or two that resided near our vacation homes at the time.

The Blue Marlin offered a relaxed, comfortable outdoor environment for diners.Notice an actual blue marlin on the wall.

It was hot, humid and windy, when we returned to the house. By the time we reached our outdoor living room, the veranda, we both decided to change into as minimal clothes as possible, covering ourselves with repellent and staying outdoors until bedtime. It was another good night.

Zaa Zaa, our friendly companion for the evening, lying at our feet as we dined.

On another note, yesterday’s post was the first of the five 2000 word posts I wrote, to which our web developers will be editing in the background for purposes of website optimization. Yesterday, I wrote the second of five posts and that should be ready to post tomorrow. I apologize for any redundancy in these long posts since its imperative they contain the content represented in the keywords.

Tom drank two bottles of this local Tusker beer.

There’s only five such posts and we should be done with them within a few weeks. Otherwise, on all other days, our regular less-wordy posts will appear as usual. No worries. No impact on your regular reading. Thanks for your patience.

Over the past few days, there’s been a lot of skuttlebutt online about the possibility of South Africa’s borders opening soon. At this point, it appears US citizens and anyone entering from India will not be allowed to enter. Another reality is that the Kruger Mpumalanga Nelspruit Airport we usually fly to, won’t be open for some time.

The chef insisted we take a photo together!

When we can travel to South Africa, we’ll fly into Johannesburg, rent a car and drive for five hours to make our way to Marloth Park. None of this concerns us. What concerns us is when the borders of both South Africa and India open enabling us to leave.

Tom’s appetizer of bacon wrapped jumbo prawns. I pointed out the bulging eyes. He asked, “Why’d you tell me that?”

Yesterday, we had a much needed discussion, considering these facts and both have agreed we are willing to “wait it out’ here at this hotel in Mumbai, India. There’s no point in adding more COVID-19 exposure in flying to the US to wait it out, nor is hovering around various airports, as they are just beginning to open, many soon.

My appetizer was a delicious creamy crab salad.

By the time we’re allowed to leave, protocols for COVID-19 will be firmly in place, after more experience, and we’ll have a better chance of avoiding infection. Of course, if India opens to other countries we’d be willing to travel to, and South Africa isn’t open for us, we may opt to head somewhere else to wait, as long as its to a location we’d find worthwhile and interesting. Otherwise, we’ll stay put.

Tom’s dinner consisted of a sizable portion of Swahili Fish, most likely a type of snapper. Bone free and lightly seasoned with a rich buttery coconut sauce, he had no trouble devouring every morsel.

Nothing much has changed around here. The corridors are a little less crowded now. The staff is working on reducing the noise at night from our next door neighbors (ugh!). And, we’re fine. As I write here now, Tom is watching the Minnesota Vikings football game on the TV using the HDMI and his laptop. As usual, they aren’t doing well. So it goes.

Look at the size of these calamari rings! I, too, savored every morsel on my plate.

Be well.

____________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, September 21, 2019:

An otter lounging in the sun in Tiverton, Cornwall, UK. For more photos, please click here.

Day #177 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Two spaces or one at the end of sentence?…

Hans invited us up to his third-level veranda in Kenya for “happy hour” and to watch the sunset. As we enjoyed the view from up high, we all noticed this animal’s butt sitting inside a window of a thatched roof. Not a monkey with this type of tail, we anxiously waited for it to turn around. By the time it was dark, it hadn’t moved, leaving us all without a clue as to what type of animal it had been.

Today’s photos are from the post in 2013, while we lived in Diani Beach, Kenya, for three months. For more details from that post, please click here.

The sunset is beautiful everywhere. From the third floor of Hans’ house, we were thrilled to take photos of the progression of the sun’s setting on the horizon.

As I muddle through our almost 3,000 archived posts to make corrections, I continue to stumble across a dilemma. Do I remove two spaces after each sentence/paragraph and change it to one space or leave it as is, at two spaces? For us old-timers who learned to type on an old-fashioned typewriter, two spaces were the correct procedure.

Today, with the advent of digital means of typing, this simple dilemma may have changed. Subsequently, as I labor through post after post, barely able to get through 20 posts a day, I realize that the bulk of the corrections I am making in tightening up the space between two sentences.

Hans made Tom one of his unique local concoctions while I sipped on my usual ice tea while chatting with Hans’ lovely wife, Jerie.

Of course, I searched online for the answer, hoping to find a definitive solution. But, like many topics, the variations in opinions are overwhelming. Some dictionary sites say “one space,” and others say “two-spaces,” making the text easier to read. Oh, good grief. I’ve already spent hours correcting thousands of these.

At sunset, the lush greenery appeared brighter than during the day’s sun.

Here’s some information I found on this topic:

“Why should you or shouldn’t put two spaces after a period?
Hence the adoption of the twospace rule—on a typewriter, an extra space after a sentence makes text easier to read. … Because we’ve all switched to modern fonts, adding two spaces after a period no longer enhances readability, typographers say. It diminishes it.”
Or,

“There was a time when every period, question mark, or exclamation point was followed by two spaces. These days, depending on what you’re reading, you can find either one or two spaces between the end of one sentence and the beginning of another.”

Look at these lush ferns, abundant in Kenya’s humid weather.

After reading further, I concluded that in today’s world, one space after a sentence should be one, not two. I’ve opted for one space, thus doubling its time to correct errors on each page. So, how does this impact my corrections on almost 3,000 posts in the future?

And, what types of other errors am I encountering?

  1. Spelling: (I am using Grammarly and Ginger for assistance)
  2. Font size: Which I’ve decided to leave as is since it takes so long to correct.
  3. Punctuation
  4. Grammar: Many comma placement errors and sentence structure (I am using Grammarly and Ginger, two apps, for assistance)
  5. Paragraph and line spacing
  6. Missing or inadequate links
  7. Verbiage errors, restructuring sentences, etc.
  8. Photo placement/positioning
  9. Caption errors on all of the above
  10. Issues with headings
  11. Repetitive words reduction
    The haze, a result of both humidity and fires burning, leaves an eerie view over the horizon.

Well, as you can see, making these corrections is a lot more complicated than one might expect. Why am I doing this when most of our readers don’t care one way or another? (Thanks for that!). Many of our posts were completed under time constraints or days when I wasn’t as attentive as I should have been. Many other posts were achieved when the WiFi signal was poor. Making corrections was nearly impossible, let alone typing the text.

From high up on the veranda, these coconuts caught my eye. They are everywhere!

Excuses aside. Human nature. We make errors, especially me when 365 days a year I write the equivalent of an essay from 700 to 1000 words, mostly with photos which is a breeding ground for human error.

Now, as I go back through each post, one by one, I am certainly missing some corrections or making new errors in the process. Also, I am making new errors in the new posts I am doing now. It’s not perfect, nor am I, nor is Tom’s daily proofreading. But, we continue to strive every day to get this message to our loyal readers/friends/family to let you know what we’re doing, feeling, and thinking.

Soon, the sun would set, and darkness would fall as the sounds of the nocturnal wildlife rang through the air throughout the night.

Hopefully, shortly, we’ll have more to discuss than mere “dots.”

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 16, 2019:

As we approached St, Michaels and All Angels, Church of England in Michaelstone, Cornwall, we were in awe of its beauty. For more photos, please click here.

Day #175 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Amazing memories in frustrating times…

The lodge at Sanctuary Olonana, where we’ll experience our first safari in October 2013.

Today’s photos are from the post in 2013, while we lived in Diani Beach, Kenya, for three months. For more details from that post, please click here.

Recalling the day we booked our first safari while sitting on the veranda/living room outdoors in Kenya’s holiday home is as easy as if it was yesterday. Our enthusiasm, coupled with a tinge of fear, made our hearts race. One never knew what to expect going on safari. And watching YouTube videos wouldn’t be helpful when so many consists of dangers encountered while on safari.

We hoped to see The Great Migration, but once we arrived in Tanzania, the bulk of it had moved on, although we did see the tail end.

Seven years later, we’ve been on more safaris than we can count in several African countries, including Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Morocco, and now, in India at three different national parks. We’re not trying to break any safari expedition’s count or race. We revel in the vast experiences we’ve had over the years.

Our first safari in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in  Kenya remains our favorite of all the other experiences. A few times, we’ve been asked how many times we’ve been on safari and counting all the self-drives we’d done in Kruger National Park. Most likely, we’re well over 100 safaris.

We went on two game drives each day, one in the morning from 6:30 am until lunchtime and another in the early evening from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Often, meals will be served in the bush as the other guests and feast their eyes on the surrounding wildlife.

The bouncing, the dust flying in our faces, the jolts, and fast turns make a safari an unusual adventure requiring a but of stamina and endurance. After each several hour-long safaris in the jeep-type vehicles with open sides, we felt as if we’d been exercising for hours.

Oddly, with my newer Fitbit, when we were on safari over 12 times in India, my readings showed I’d walked almost 30,000 steps each day from the mere rough ride in the vehicle. This made us laugh when we’d spent the majority of the day sitting in the car.

Most of these photos were from the Sanctuary Olonana website.

Getting in and out of a safari jeep can be challenging for those with mobility issues and instability. While we were on safari in India, it was only 11 months after my open-heart surgery. My legs weren’t stable after two surgeries only nine months earlier, and my breastbone felt as if it hadn’t entirely healed.

Riding in the vehicle was challenging when holding on tight, which was imperative in many situations as our guide worked their way around rough roads, potholes, and uneven terrain. Even my arms were still weak and guarded. Somehow, the prospect of spotting tigers in the wild was sufficiently exciting to keep me from thinking of any potential discomfort.

In the event of rain or if we were able to be inside air-conditioned comfort, the lodge at the camp provides indoor activities, a bar, and a restaurant, although as it turned out, we were on safari for the bulk of the day. Our living quarters were lavish private tents on the banks of the Mara River, overlooking families of hippos splashing and snorting in the water. We could hear the hippo sounds starting around 3:00 am each morning.

Now, after walking 5 miles a day (8 km) for so many months, I know I’d do a whole lot better. I continue to work my arms while walking to build strength and resilience and stay mindful of good posture and stance.

As for the Maasai Mara, named after the Maasai people of Kenya, a tribe known for their colorful red garb and an unusual diet consisting primarily of cow’s blood, it is also known for the Mara River, which millions of wild animals, mainly wildebeest cross each year on their annual migration.

This is a typical interior of permanent tents, full bathrooms, electricity, free WiFi, and mosquito nets. We always share one bed when there are two, using the other for our “stuff.” We brought our laptops, two cameras, binoculars, and other digital equipment, writing here each day with many photos.

Ah, my heart aches for such an experience now. The dust in my face, the jarring ride, and the challenge of getting in and out of the jeep are insignificant compared to the joy of being witness to this world of wonder once again.

As we continue over the next several weeks, sharing photos from that incredible expedition, we’ll be reminded once again of this exceptional adventure, unlike anything we’d ever done in our old lives. And now, who knows what the future has in store for us in months or years to come? We hold our breath in anticipation of leaving India to head to other lands with other joys, many of which are almost impossible to describe.

We were fortunate to see many Mr. or Ms. Rhino while in the Maasai Mara.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 14, 2019:

The Towne Centre Theatre in Wakebridge, Cornwall, watched the Downton Abbey movie when released in the UK. For more details, please click here.
Day #169 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Part 1…A necessary change in diet…

Day #169 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Part 1…A necessary change in diet…

Although most of the items on the menu at Sails Restaurant at the Almanara Resort in Diani Beach, Kenya, were seafood related, most of which Tom doesn’t enjoy.  He was thrilled to find some options that would be pleasing to his limited palate.

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Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013, while living for three months in Diani Beach, Kenya. Please click here for the full post from that date.

For me, the menu was purely delightful. It was difficult to decide when every option was suitable for me.

On to today’s story..

For those of you who’ve been following us from the beginning of our world travels, you may be aware that a factor contributing to our decision to travel the world came about when after years of suffering with full-body severe inflammation, due to heredity, I began an extremely low carb, grain-free, starch-free, sugar-free diet, now often referred to as the Keto diet.

The Keto diet consists of very low carbohydrate intake, no more than 20 grams per day, excludes all wheat, grains, starches, fruits and sugar with a moderate amount of protein and high amount of healthy fats only (as per the Mediterranean diet). What does this leave to eat: grass-fed meats, free-range chicken and eggs, quality hard cheeses, and many non-starchy vegetables.

This photo, from the Almanara Resort’s website is the lounge area adjoining the dining area. Our photo didn’t turn out so well in the dark. This area was empty when we arrived but full by the time we left a few hours later.

My typical meals would include:

  • Protein source: chicken, fish, beef or pork – moderate portions
  • Carbohydrates: a salad with a side of vegetables to include such vegetables as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach (no potatoes, rice, beans, peas winter squash, carrots (too much sugar), small amounts of dairy including cheese and whole cream. Yogurt is to be avoided due to its high sugar content.
  • Fats: Coconut oil, grass-fed butter, high quality olive oil, and fresh avocados. (Vegetable and seed oils are known to be toxic and must be completely avoided.
    These complimentary appetizers presented by the chef were out of the question for me. It was fried seaweed and stuffed puff pastries, all made with flour. However, much to my surprise, Tom ate all of it, finding it very tasty.  I think his limited taste buds “song and dance” is purely psychological when I see him enjoy new items.

Once I began eating this way, beginning in August, 2011, I saw no impact on the level of pain I was experiencing, until three months later when one morning I awoke to being 100% pain free. For the first time in 15 years I had no pain and my life changed exponentially.

Within a few months, with our enthusiasm and hopefulness over my improved ability to move about without pain. I’d worked out for years in hopes of allaying the hereditary factors prevalent in my family, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity and auto-immune diseases. (Working out provided me with endorphins, which relieved the pain for a few hours each day).

This amazing array of seafood was all grilled and seasoned to perfection. It contained lobster, prawns, octopus, squid, snapper and a few  chewy wormy looking items I didn’t recognize but ate anyway. Need I say that I cleaned this plate as well?

At this point, I should mention for those naysayers, I was told when I had open heart surgery, my diet and exercise may have saved my life. The hereditary cardiovascular disease I am plagued with, had been brewing for 20 or 30 years long before I changed my diet. (I could have had a heart attack at 40 years old instead of cardiac bypass surgery at 71). Prior to that change of diet, I’d stayed on a low-fat, high carb, near vegan, way of eating for most of my adult life in an attempt to avoid diabetes and heart disease. Little did I know…

Both the surgeon and cardiologist that performed the surgery, approved of my low carb way of eating to reduce inflammation and advised me to continue. Not all doctors agree with this way of eating, but  imagine in 10 years, that will all change.

Anyway, I continued my way of eating diligently all of these years of world travel, never experiencing the awful pain from the past. That’s not to say that pain from an injury, a shoulder or knee might not hurt from time to time. They did. But, once the injury resolved, once again, I’d be back to my pain-free way of living, continuing to follow my diet diligently. A few years ago I was able to include a moderate amount of red wine in my diet without incident.

 Tom’s dinner consisted of Fillet Mignon, fries, grilled vegetables. He kept insisting that I try a taste of his steak, finally taking a bite of tender well seasoned meat. He also ate every morsel.

And then, COVID-19 hit and we were struck in this hotel room with a menu and food options that included too many carbs for my way of eating. I decided to see how I’d do eating lots more vegetables and the red sauces associated with curry and Makhani, which included tons of tomato sauce, which is loaded with sugar and extra carbs, although free of any grains.

Night after night, I ate the same meals; either chicken curry, paneer Makhani or chicken Makhani (most recently) all of which are swimming in the tasty, spicy, red sauce along with an over-sized portion of vegetables sauteed in butter. The chicken was fine. The vegetable portion was too large and the amount of carbs I’ve been eating  via the sauces far exceeded the 20 grams a day I was meant to follow.

Over the past few months, keeping in mind, we’ve been eating here for almost 6 months with no avail meat other than chicken and tiny portions of expensive salmon, which I’ve ordered once a week, there was nothing I could do. The pain returned. Walking has become almost unbearable with horrible pain in my arms, legs, shoulders and back.

We borrowed this daylight photo from the resort’s website. It was dark as we were seated at this table. Our photo didn’t do it justice.

I finally accepted the fact that the pain has returned as it had been in 2011 and was due to the food I’ve been eating. This knowledge hit me over the head two days ago. I had to figure out something else to eat or give up dinners entirely. Sitting in this room, between walking each hour, is way too boring to only subsist on an omelet and two thin slices of bacon each morning. And, I couldn’t see how this meager amount of food would be healthful with all this walking I’m struggling to do.

Today, finally, I figured out what to eat for dinner. Tomorrow, I’ll share my newly revised menu. It’s not easy to change anything with the chefs with a distinct language barrier, and their lack of knowledge of micro-nutrients, more commonly understood by chefs in the US and other countries.

Also, last time I started eating this way in 2011, it took a full three months to see any improvement. Hopefully, now, it won’t take so long.

No, I don’t particularly enjoy spewing my health problems over and over again. But, let face it, many of us seniors, (and others) have chronic health conditions that impact our everyday life. Finding solutions is always utmost in our minds. Some of us are fortunate enough to make lifestyle changes that can improve our health.

We’ll be back with “the rest of the story” tomorrow.

Be well.

P.S. A month after we left Kenya on December 1, 2013, this restaurant, Sails, was bombed by terrorists on a Saturday night. We always dined there on Saturday nights.

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Photo from one year ago today, September 8, 2019:

Many towns, villages, and countries throughout the world have these colorful buildings lining the streets in St. Ives, Cornwall, England. For more photos, please click here.

A step in the right direction…Domestic flights in India beginning on May 25…

Playful elephants on the Sabie River in Kruger National Park.


Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site in a few months, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you.

Today’s photos are from May 21, 2019, from Connemara, Ireland. Please click here for more details.

This morning’s news announced the reopening of some airports in India for domestic flights. This is a step in the direction for the same for international flights sometime down the road.

We love the reflection of clouds in the water as we drive through the countryside.

However, it’s impossible to predict when this may occur based on the original transmission of Covid-19 traced to passengers entering the country from other countries.

The US has allowed some domestic flights from the onset of the lockdown, but here again, it could be many months before international flights will begin. As for South Africa, our preferred next destination, there is no indication of its borders opening anytime soon.

As for Madagascar, it appears they may reopen their borders in the next 60 days. Tanzania will be opening its borders for international travelers within a week. This leaves us with a good option for staying in one of these countries, enjoying its vast array of wildlife while we await the reopening of borders in South Africa.

Yellow irises were growing wild in the countryside.  Please click here for information on the wild yellow irises in Ireland that often grow along the road. 

Madagascar and Tanzania allow a 90-day visa on arrival. Suppose South Africa’s borders aren’t open after 90-days or 180-days in these two countries (and others). In that case, we can visit other islands near Africa’s eastern border or other countries within Africa such as Namibia, Botswana, and Uganda, depending upon the degree of outbreaks in those countries.

In the interim, liquor shops have reopened in some areas in India for “home delivery” only. No pubs will be open, nor will bars available in hotels. Since we’ve gone so long without a drink, at this point, we won’t bother. 

Besides, having beer and wine delivered to the hotel in lockdown with a guard at a distant gate would be cumbersome. We’ve decided we’ll wait until we get to our following location, which could be many months from now. 

A little sheep family was resting near the road.

It’s interesting to read the comments our readers have sent. As we’ve mentioned in past posts, the most common word we receive is, “Why don’t you seek repatriation to the US and get out of this odd situation?”
We appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Another question we received yesterday was, “Can you fly to another city in India” while you wait?”

There would be no point in us considering either of these scenarios. No city in India would offer a safer, more comfortable environment than where we are staying now in this quality hotel. It would make no sense to fly any more than necessary to leave India when it’s allowed ultimately.

We anticipate the flight out of here with a certain sense of dread, as grateful as we’ll be to be on the move. The required five or six-hour early arrival at the airport, wearing a mask and gloves for such an extended period, the medical checks, the luggage fees, and of course, the long and laborious flight.

As we approached the town of Clifden, we noticed several apartments and townhouses on the inlet.  Clifden, our area to shop, only has a population of 1,597. “Clifden is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as “the Capital of Connemara.” Frequented by tourists, Clifden is linked to Galway city by the N59.”

But, there doesn’t appear there will be any other options. We’ve got into the possibility of an upcoming cruise on a small ship sailing out of Mumbai at some point, but only if it brings us closer to a destination we prefer. This is highly unlikely.

It’s not as if we are overly picky about where we choose to go from here. The country has to have open borders, adequate incoming international flights, and not be a hotbed of Covid-19 at the time. 

We accept the reality that we may be required to be quarantined for 14-days (or more) once we arrive in any country significantly since India’s number of cases is rising rapidly and…we are US citizens, the biggest hotbed in the world.

Ah, by no means is this situation manageable, nor will it be when we have some serious decisions to make. But, the one thing we know for sure, it would have made no sense for us to return to the US when flights were offered for stranded citizens.

This precious photo was my favorite of the day.

Where would we have gone? We have no home. Many holiday homeowners are refusing to rent their properties during the times of Covid-19. Hotels and meals are twice as expensive as we’re paying here or will pay in other parts of the world.

I’m high risk. We have no insurance in the US except Part A Medicare, which isn’t nearly enough to cover costs if either of us were to become infected. Our international insurance covers everything with only a $250 deductible.

The reasons are apparent. But, we thank everyone who has taken the time to write and offer suggestions and will continue to respond to your requests.

Yesterday, we crossed this single-lane bridge on the way to Clifden. We can take a few different routes from here to Clifden and will change it up each week.

The weeks seem to fly by quickly, especially from weekend to weekend. Often, when we comment on what day of the week it is, we’re both surprised it’s Friday or Saturday once again.

Regardless of all of this, we continue to have hope for the world, India, our own country, fur readers/family/friends, and for ourselves that eventually this too shall pass and a new world will begin to emerge.

Stay safe. Stay hopeful.

Photo from one year ago today, May 21, 2019:

Donkeys are highly regarded in Ireland to the point there are special programs available to adopt and a specialized Donkey Sanctuary in Cork, Ireland. For more photos, please click here.

Conspiracy theories…Alarming news…

From the rooftop of our riad in Marrakesh, Morocco, in 2014. 

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site in a few months, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you.

I made an error in yesterday’s post. The photos included were actually from today’s date one year ago. Since it would take me to make the adjustments, I will leave them in place. No big deal, right?

Today’s photos are from our post on April 24, 2014, while we lived in a riad (a three-story house with a substantial open-air courtyard) in the souk in the Medina, known as The Big Square Marrakesh, Morocco. It was quite an adventure. We hope you enjoy the photos.

As we walked the souks deciding where to dine, these varying roof lines of a courtyard caught my eye. For this post from April 24, 2014, please click here.

As for today’s heading, I must admit, as an information junkie, I am somewhat obsessed with reading information on COVID-19, which also includes opinions from health professionals, universities, medical institutes, and individuals with expertise from over the world.

Realizing that exploitation is the name of the game when it comes to the news media, it’s a challenge to fetter out the truth from lies and exaggerations. When I hear or read something that rattles my cage, I do my research, often for hours, seeking the reality of a claim that may sound farfetched.

We were curious about what lies behind the many doors like this, similar to ours, in the Medina.
Today, I intend not to express my personal views on any of the wide array of conspiracy theories that are flooding the news and social media. Some may include a few morsels of truth with a lot of “spin” on it, and some may be accurate or false, which may frighten and increase fears of what has transpired and what is yet to come in light of COVID-19.

My truth which I willingly share today, is that censorship of our opinions, however farfetched they may be at times, violates our civil rights and freedom of speech. 

There are endless styles of rooflines throughout the Medina.

No, I don’t advocate rioting and toxic vitriol spewed out at random by vehement individuals with little knowledge or expertise. But, we are interested in hearing the opinions of those who may be qualified to espouse their views and have firsthand knowledge and exposure to truths being discovered at this time.

This morning, while on the first of my hourly walks, I was listening to a podcast by an individual I trust to gather and share information.  What I heard made me walk faster to return to our room so I could verify the facts.

This kitten was tiny, no more than 60 days old, on its own to search for food and shelter. The locals are fond of cats so most likely someone was feeding her.

Effective immediately, YouTube will no longer allow videos by anyone, regardless of their expertise and affiliation, to express views contrary to those stated by WHO, the World Health Organization. Please see this video here from YouTube’s CEO stating this restriction.

Like most of us as Facebook users, we’ll be seeing fewer and fewer posts on varying views on COVID-19 (and other topics) that don’t concur with their (Facebook’s) ideas, as mentioned in this article.

After hundreds of years of wear and tear, the stones crumble in certain areas, leaving an open spot for trash and debris.  Overall, the souks are very clean.

On the other hand, Tom has told me for years this was coming…censorship by social media of what we can and can’t see. This infuriates me. When we see information such as this, we can easily fall prey to conspiracy theories. In essence, deciding what we can and can’t say, hear and read may appear as a conspiracy theory in itself.

If those who weren’t aware of this censorship heard about this, they might say, “Hogwash. We have our constitution to protect us!” 

To this, I say “hogwash!” As COVID-19 proliferates throughout the world, we see more and more governments dictating our actions, thoughts, and right to voice our opinions.

Shades of pink and orange are seen throughout the Medina and souks.

Lockdown is a tough situation for all of us. We understand the necessity of this, and most of us have willingly complied. We hope that doing so has ultimately reduced the number of deaths worldwide. 

But now, people need to get back to work, exercising extreme cautions, or our countries as we knew them would be changed forever, while our freedoms may be significantly impacted in the process.

I could take out my soapbox and go on a rant about all of this for months to come. But I won’t. I can only encourage those interested in knowing more to conduct their research (as long as we can) to determine where you stand on these matters. Perhaps, sometime in the future, the collective will “have a voice.”

In the interim, please stay safe.

Photo from one year ago today, April 24, 2019:

This same time the prior year, our little friend, this female toad, (or perhaps another) came to live on this light fixture on the veranda wall.  For months, every night, she ate many flying insects to fatten up. We’d leave the light on for a while to ensure she’d have plenty of options.  In the spring, a small male joined her on the fixture, and they stayed there together for a few weeks and left, not to be seen again until she’s returned this week. Yet, another cycle of life in the bush. For the post from one year ago, please click here.