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

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

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

Three girls stopped by to check out the pellet situation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And then, the sun began its final descent.

Thank you for continuing to sharing it all with us!

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

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

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

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What could be more fun than stopping on the way to dinner to let these magnificent beasts cross the road? Most likely, this was a mom and growing youngster.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Such beautiful and graceful animals.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stopping to check out the passing cars.

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

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

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

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

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

Have a fabulous weekend and be well and happy.

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

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

“Doctor Livingstone, I presume”…Entering Zimbabwe…Cash issue resolved…Happy Mother’s Day to all!

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The tourists were gathered close to the edge of the falls to take photos of this rainbow. We managed to squeeze in for this photo.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Of course, we’d see elephants crossing the road on our way to see the Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe. (Photo was taken from the rear window of Webster’s van).

We had a busy Sunday morning. After a pleasant buffet breakfast in the Protea Marriot’s main dining room, we decided we needed to tackle the “getting cash” issue. 

Crossing the border from Zambia to Zimbabwe was a little cumbersome but to be expected.

We decided to give another ATM a try, not the machine that “ate” our debit card but another at the same bank.  Yes, we’d lost one debit card but we have another and hoped to be able to get more cash today after yesterday’s paltry kwacha 800 (US $80.82) which is almost gone after paying for taxi fares, entrance fees to the falls, and tips.

Attendants managed the people and vehicles crossing the single lane Victoria Falls Bridge,

The hotel’s concierge arranged a taxi and off we went to a local strip mall. Another stop we needed to make was to find sunglasses for me after my only pair had developed such scratches in the plastic lenses, I couldn’t see a thing.

 We entered the Victoria Falls Zimbabwe National Park at this entrance.

I should have thought of this before we left South Africa but when I realized how bad they were but we didn’t feel like making the long round trip drive to Komatipoort for a pair of sunglasses.

At the same ATM, for some odd reason, we were able to take out kwacha 8000 (US $808.16) in two separate transactions. What a relief! Now, we can pay Chris for the balance of our tours and have cash left for more taxis and tips over the remaining five days in Zambia until we return to South Africa.

Breathtaking views!

Thanks to this morning’s good taxi driver, he took us to a nearby pharmacy he knew was open by 9:00 am on Sunday and alas, I found a pair of sunglasses for kwacha 199, US $20.10, that weren’t the best quality or the look I’d prefer but I wasn’t picky at this point. 

Henry Morton Stanley meets Dr. David Livingstone and supposedly says,” Dr. Livingstone, I presume.” That story remains here in Livingstone, Zambia, and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Photo from this site.
Tomorrow, we’ll be outdoors all day boating and on safari and although I don’t wear sunglasses when taking wildlife photos, I’ll certainly wear them in between. Thus, we were thrilled with this morning’s successful taxi ride.
The sights and sounds were unlike anything we’ve seen in the past.

There’s so much history regarding Victoria Falls, we could spend days writing the equivalent of historical essays.  But, we’ve found not all of our readers prefer a history lesson when reading our posts. We continue to provide plenty of links for that purpose. There’s no point in redundancy.

I told Tom he looked like a Teletubbie.  Cute, eh?

Instead, we’ll continue to post links and a few morsels of the history, geography, and geology of Victoria Falls while we’re here in this region. Please let us know if you’d prefer more details on these topics within the body of our posts as opposed to clicking on links. 

We’ve never seen so many rainbows in one day!

We attempt to provide a reasonable mix of our lives of world travel coupled with details of places we visit along the way. If you’d like to see something different, we’d be thrilled to hear from you.

This sign may be read by zooming in. 

Here are a few facts about Dr. David Livingstone and his discovery of Victoria Falls from this site:
David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary and explorer, is believed to have been the first European to view Victoria Falls on 16 November 1855, from what is now known as Livingstone Island, one of two landmasses in the middle of the river, immediately upstream from the falls near the Zambian shore. Livingstone named his discovery in honor of Queen Victoria of Britain, but the indigenous Tonga name, Mosi-oa-Tunya—”The Smoke That Thunders”—continues in common usage as well. The World Heritage List officially recognizes both names. Livingstone also cites an older name, Seongo or Chongwe, which means “The Place of the Rainbow” as a result of the constant spray.  The nearby national park in Zambia is named Mosi-oa-Tunya, whereas the national park and town on the Zimbabwean shore are both named Victoria Falls.

While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls is classified as the largest, based on its combined width of 1,708 meters (5,604 ft), at a height of 108 meters (354 ft), resulting in the world’s largest sheet of falling water. Victoria Falls is rough twice the height of North America’s Niagara Falls and well over twice the width of its Horseshoe Falls. In height and width, Victoria Falls is rivaled only by Argentina and Brazil’s Iguazu Falls.

I was happy to see Tom safely return from climbing to the top on the wet slippery bridge. Tom tackled this wet bridge without me. I’m not quite as surefooted as he is. It was slippery, the visibility was poor and I wouldn’t have been able to take photos in the heavy mist so I stayed behind with Alec while we awaited his return. I was getting worried when he’d been gone a long time.  Seeing him in his yellow poncho made me sigh with relief.

For a considerable distance upstream from the falls, the Zambezi flows over a level sheet of basalt, in a shallow valley, bounded by low and distant sandstone hills. The river’s course is dotted with numerous tree-covered islands, which increase in number as the river approaches the falls. There are no mountains, escarpments, or deep valleys; only a flat plateau extending hundreds of kilometers in all directions.

The falls are formed as the full width of the river plummets in a single vertical drop into a transverse chasm 1708 meters (5604 ft) wide, carved by its waters along a fracture zone in the basalt plateau. The depth of the chasm, called the First Gorge, varies from 80 meters (260 ft) at its western end to 108 meters (354 ft) in the center. The only outlet to the First Gorge is a 110-meter (360 ft) wide gap about two-thirds of the way across the width of the falls from the western end. The whole volume of the river pours into the Victoria Falls gorges from this narrow cleft.

Tom returning from crossing the Knife Edge Bridge to the highest peak in the falls.  He was soaked and a few of his photos came out when taken through the plastic bag.

There are two islands on the crest of the falls that are large enough to divide the curtain of water even at full flood: Boaruka Island (or Cataract Island) near the western bank, and Livingstone Island near the middle—the point from which Livingstone first viewed the falls. At less than a full flood, additional islets divide the curtain of water into separate parallel streams. The main streams are named, in order from Zimbabwe (west) to Zambia (east): Devil’s Cataract (called Leaping Water by some), Main Falls, Rainbow Falls (the highest), and the Eastern Cataract.

The Zambezi river, upstream from the falls, experiences a rainy season from late November to early April, and a dry season the rest of the year. The river’s annual flood season is February to May with a peak in April,[10] The spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 400 meters (1,300 ft), and sometimes even twice as high, and is visible from up to 48 km (30 mi) away. At full moon, a “moonbow” can be seen in the spray instead of the usual daylight rainbow. During the flood season, however, it is impossible to see the foot of the falls and most of its face, and the walks along the cliff opposite it are in a constant shower and shrouded in mist. Close to the edge of the cliff, spray shoots upward like inverted rain, especially at Zambia’s Knife-Edge Bridge.

The spray was so intense we had to leave the camera in a plastic bag, resulting in this blurry photo of me dressed in a pink plastic poncho.

As the dry season takes effect, the islets on the crest become wider and more numerous, and in September to January up to half of the rocky face of the falls may become dry and the bottom of the First Gorge can be seen along most of its length. At this time it becomes possible (though not necessarily safe) to walk across some stretches of the river at the crest. It is also possible to walk to the bottom of the First Gorge at the Zimbabwean side. The minimum flow, which occurs in November, is around a tenth of the April figure; this variation inflow is greater than that of other major falls, and causes Victoria Falls’ annual average flow rate to be lower than might be expected based on the maximum flow.“

Should you desire additional information please click this link as mentioned above.

Another exquisite rainbow. 

Today will be a low-key day now that we’ve settled our cash issue. It’s already 1:00 pm and we’re content to be a little lazy today. Since it’s Sunday, the center of town is quiet so we’ll reserve our exploration on foot for another day. 

Tom with his back to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side.

We arranged all of our tours for every other day to ensure we’d have times in between to sort through our zillions of photos and prepare posts consistently for each of the seven days of this trip.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the story and photos of last night’s dinner in a local pub…very interesting. Being entrenched with the locals always adds so much to our experiences and we plan to dine at popular local spots as opposed to some of the typical tourist’s establishments.

There were countless rainbows over the falls.

We’ll be back tomorrow with a new post which we’re preparing today. Tomorrow, beginning at 7:00 am we’ll be off for an exciting full-day tour which we’ll be excited to post on Tuesday. We’ll keep the photos and stories coming!

Another stunning view of Victoria Falls in its full beauty.  May proved to be an excellent month to see the falls at the end of the rainy season.

To all the moms out there, may you have a spectacular Mother’s Day. We hope your loved ones make this a very special day you’ll always remember!

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

A reminder of cannibalism in the South Pacific.  For more island photos, please click here.

Busy morning in the bush…An infrequent visitor…Tomorrow, we fly to Zambia..

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Tom, looking over the edge of the veranda at night to see who’s come to call.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Last night’s sunset through the trees.

Our packing is almost completed. It’s been relatively easy. Marta ironed a few shirts for us after we washed all the clothes we wanted to bring, including all of our insect repellent “BugsAway” shirts and pants and appropriate items to wear to dinner.

A single mongoose is attempting to crack a fresh egg. They’re smart enough to know to bang the eggs on the ground or on tree roots to crack them open. 

With so little clothing, it wasn’t tricky selecting what we’d need for the seven days and nights we’ll spend in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, a relatively short trip for us.

We wanted to use a few dozen eggs we had left for the mongoose before leaving for our trip.  For the first time, we just placed them in the unopened bowl to watch the playful frenzy.

All we have left to pack are a few toiletry items we’ll need to use in the morning and our plethora of digital equipment; laptops, cameras, chargers, a tripod, phones, etc. 

At first, they weren’t quite sure what to do since we always scramble the eggs in this bowl.  But, it didn’t take them long to figure out they could grab one and run to crack it independently.

This time, it will be easy; only one checked bag and one carry-on each, a less than two hour non-stop flight from Nelspruit each way, and a short pre-arranged ride from the Livingstone Airport to our hotel.

Our only concern is will we be able to get back into South Africa after this short time away…immigration-wise, that is?  We won’t know until May 18th when we return to Nelspruit.  It makes no sense to worry. We have a great backup plan in mind should the requirement arise. We’ll share details later.

When the eggs were gone, the mongoose continued to investigate the bowl.  This one, with “egg on her face,” figured out the eggs were gone.

Honestly, I don’t feel like going on a trip, but then again, neither does Tom. It’s hard to leave when we’re so content here. It’s not as if we “need a vacation/holiday. Good grief! Speaking of “non-stop,” our lives are a non-stop vacation/holiday.

We were thrilled to see a wildebeest in the yard this morning, an uncommon occurrence.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’m sure once we’re situated in our hotel and begin the tours the following day, we’ll be perfectly content and thoroughly enjoy the experiences ahead of us. It always seems to go that way.

He opted for some pellets.

This morning kept us rather busy, with five species of visitors crowding out one another in the yard. We had “My Girl,” my favorite kudu, who is easily identifiable by a notch in her right ear, most likely due to an injury or congenital disability, stop by several times today. 

“The head of the wildebeest is large and box-like. The body looks disproportionate, as the front end is heavily built, the hindquarters are slender, and the legs spindly. Both males and females have curving horns close together at the base but curve outward, inward, and slightly backward. , The wildebeest is gray with darker vertical stripes that look almost black from a distance.”
Then, we had “Tom’s Girl,” an adorable bushbuck, as shown in today’s photos which loves him and waits for him at the edge of the veranda, barely able to see over, while he gets treats for her. It’s the cutest thing! We can always see her perky ears peeking up over the white ceramic tiles, waiting for him.
Tom’s favorite bushbuck is the baby who visits each day with her mom and a friend (or an aunt).

With numbers of bushbucks, kudus, Vervet monkeys (whom we don’t feed), an infrequent visit from a wildebeest, and dozens of guinea fowl monopolizing all the dirt surfaces, it was a great start to the day. It was only in the past few minutes that things settled down, and now it’s quiet again.

The little one is finally interested in the vegetables, apples, and pellets.  This mom is “Tom’s Girl.”

Tonight will be a quiet night. We’ll finish the food we have planned and stay outside enjoying the sights and sounds of the bush until it’s time to head to bed, perhaps a little earlier than usual, to get a good night’s sleep for tomorrow’s big adventure.

Tomorrow, we won’t be posting in the morning. Instead, we’ll prepare a post once we’re situated in our hotel, which should be uploaded by 5:00 pm, our time, five or six hours later than our usual upload time.

Last night, we counted 12 bushbabies coming down from the trees to partake of the cup of strawberry yogurt.

Next time you “see” us here, it will be from Zambia, another country we’ll be adding to our world travel map as shown on the right side of our homepage, underneath the photo of us in Petra. Also, during this trip, we’ll be adding Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Stay well and happy until soon…we meet again!

Photo from one year ago today, May 10, 2017:

New friends with whom we spent a lot of time aboard the cruise: Ray, Terry, Ulla, and Julie. We’ve all continued to stay in touch via Facebook. For more photos, please click here:

Two days and counting…Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana…Here we come!…

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An ostrich by himself walking along the road near the river.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

There’s a round, fenced-in area in the driveway filled with a variety of vegetation. The intent was to keep the monkeys out, but they always find a way inside.  It’s fall now in this part of the world. Leaves rapidly fall from the tree, and only a few forms of vegetation change color, such as this palm frond.

In two days, we’ll make the 90-minute drive to Nelspruit to the airport to fly to Livingstone, Zambia, for our one-week getaway. We see Victoria Falls has always been our goal since our first visit to Africa over four years ago.

When we were here in 2013-2014, we’d hoped to see the falls, but once we became entrenched in life in Marloth Park, we couldn’t bring ourselves to leave when we loved it so much.

It’s always such a joy to see elephants on our local drives.

Now, with our 90-day visas ready to expire in a few days, it was time to make this important trip which includes a stay in a hotel near the falls, and embark on a variety of tours we’ve already booked for the week away. We’ll be returning on May 18th.

The elephant’s trunk is comparable to a human’s hand in its dexterity.

I wish I could say we’re excited about leaving, and I’m certain once we arrive in Livingstone, we’ll be thrilled to be there. But, this blissful routine we’ve established in Marloth Park isn’t all that easy to leave.

Only this morning, we’ve had kudu, bushbuck, Frank, and a band of mongoose, and who knows what the remainder of the day will bring our way? Oddly, we haven’t seen Scar-Face in several days, and I’m concerned something has happened to him.

Taking a drink.

Last night, we stayed outdoors extra late while several other warthogs came to call but not Scar Face. The mating season is stirring up many interesting behavior patterns between the males and females, which we’re especially enjoying but without Scar Face, it just isn’t quite the same. Hopefully, he’ll appear in the next two days before we have to leave.

Another elephant was heading down to the Crocodile River.

Yesterday afternoon, we made our usual every-other-day drive through the park. The quiet and the lack of other vehicles were noticeable. We may have encountered only three or four other cars as we drove along the Crocodile River, checking out the action.

It was a gorgeous sunny day, as most have been these past few weeks now that the fall season is upon us. As is the case most mornings now, this morning, we have to add extra layers of clothing to stay comfortable outdoors. By 9:00 or 10:00 am, it begins to warm up to ideal conditions suitable for shorts and tee shirts.

“Elephants may spend 12-18 hours a day feeding. Adult elephants can eat between 200-600 pounds of food a day. As herbivores, elephants consume grasses, tree foliage, bark, twigs, and other vegetation daily. Elephants can also drink up to 50 gallons of water a day about as much as a standard bathtub holds.”

As chilly as it may be in the mornings and evenings, we’re thrilled with the coolness and are grateful we kept a few warmer items to wear during these cooler periods.

Yesterday Josiah, our pool, veranda, and yard maintenance man, spent a few hours raking the leaves that have accumulated in the dirt (no lawn here) that had fallen from the trees. This way, when we feed the wildlife, they don’t have to dig through piles of leaves to find the pellets and vegetables.

Little Wart Face was sniffing one of the two moms who come by each day with their two fast-growing piglets. He was making the train-like noise while sniffing, but she had nothing to do with him. Mating season is upon us.

Now, as we sit here on the veranda on this perfect day, the leaves are falling in big swooshes as each gust of balmy wind wafts through the yard. The bush is a mixture of green and brown and, in itself, isn’t particularly pretty. Few flowers or colorful blooms are visible this time of year.

The often “raining” leaves create a scene that is enchanting in its way as we anticipate the coming of winter in this part of the world, never cold enough for snow although we can see our breath some mornings.

Young male visit stopped by in the dark to see what we had for him. We complied with pellets, apples, carrots, and lettuce.

It’s hard for us to believe three months have passed since we arrived on February 11th, most definitely some of the most pleasurable months in our world travels.

Coming off the trip to Antarctica could have been a big letdown. As Tom always says, we went from seeing elephant seals to seeing elephants in less than one week. What more could we ask for?

Today, I’ll pack for the trip. Tom lifts and carries the bags for me. Tom prefers to wait until the day before leaving. We each have our preferred packing routine, with neither of us putting on any pressure for the other to do it any differently. The only thing I help Tom with is folding his shirts. It works.

Such handsome animals.  We welcome them almost every day.

We won’t be posting any final expenses for South Africa since we’ll be coming back.  At the end of the upcoming week, we’ll post the costs for the trip. We hear the WiFi at the hotel is good, and we’re hoping to post each day, although we have a few all-day safaris and excursions that may prevent us from doing so on those days. In any case, we’ll let you know.

The next few days until we depart, we’ll be staying in, getting things done, packing, making excellent meals before we leave, and then by this time in two days, we’ll already be at the tiny Mpumalanga Nelspruit Kruger International Airport, getting ready to board the non-stop flight to Zambia.

Stay tuned, folks. Lots more is yet to come. 

Have a pleasant day!

Photo from one year ago today, May 9, 2017:

A view of Honolulu from the ship as we made our way back to mainland USA. For more details, please click here.

Keeping it fresh and current, a daily challenge…Elephant viewing from Marloth Park…

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A mom and her calf with the possible huge matriarch in the background.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Most weekdays, Josiah comes by in the morning to wash and sweep the veranda, rake the yard and clean the pool. No more than an hour after he’d done, the veranda is dirty again with leaves from the trees, pellets residue, and lately, soot from the sugar cane burning transpiring at this time. Tom is always sweeping in order to keep us from tracking the dust, dirt, and debris into the house. By the end of each day, the bottom of our bare feet is so dirty we have to shower again before getting into bed.

Yes, we know…it appears many of the photos we post are repetitious. How could they not be? We’re living in the African bush surrounded by wildlife. However, we make a point of not sharing repeats of the same photos.

There were dozens of elephants in this marsh area in Kruger which we were able to see from the Marloth Park side of the fence.

The way we manage this is by placing the day’s photos in the “Today’s Photos” folder on my desktop. Once we post those photos, we move them to the general “Marloth Park” or another appropriately named file.  This keeps us from using the same photo over and over again, but we may post a similar photo over time.

Then, for the next day, we review recently taken photos we’ve yet to post taken from another named folder.  Keeping track of all of this is relatively easy but does require a considerable amount of time each day.

If we’d been in Kruger National Park, we wouldn’t have been able to gain access to this area.

At times, we are concerned we may be losing readers when we’re posting one animal photo after another, day after day. We’re hoping that our readers will remain with us during the remaining months in Africa even with these ongoing wildlife photos.

Taking photos through the electrified fence is tricky so we get what shots we can. At times, we’re pleasantly surprised at the finished product.

If nothing else, we hope you’ll check back from time to time to see what’s new as was the case in yesterday’s post when we described a fabulous trip we’ll be taking to Kenya in 10 months, an exciting tour of “bucket list” venues we only imagined in our dreams. 

If you missed yesterday’s post with the detailed itinerary, please click here for the exciting details. This tour will be a “photographic” expedition which hopefully gives us both an opportunity to hone our photo-taking skills which we both need. 

As mentioned in prior posts, the males are kicked out of the herd (parade) when teenagers. When we see large numbers it’s unlikely any are males except for youngsters yet to reach maturity at 13, 14, or 15 years of age.

I’m particularly at an impasse in the learning process and look forward to working with Greg Harvey, who’s organized the expedition and will be on-site during the entire adventure.

This darker elephant had just come out of the muddy water.  Once dry, she’d be the same gray color of the others.

Two weeks earlier on April 7th, we posted the information about our upcoming trip to Zambia, required to ensure we can get our passports stamped for another 90 days in South Africa and part of our plan as to what we wanted to see while we are in Africa for this extended period…in this case Victoria Falls and more.

If you missed that post, please click here for the details. Once we return from that trip on May 18th, we’ll begin a new search for a location for the next visa renewal due another 90 days later which will take us into August and from there, another trip taking us well into November. 

A mom fussing over her offspring.

That will leave us with a final 90 days between the time we return from our plans for November until it’s time to leave South Africa to head to Kenya for the final African adventure.

Researching, booking, and presenting stories and photos from all of these many events will provide us with plenty of fodder for continuing stories over the next many months. 

Although they were scattered throughout the area, they gather together when its time to return to their favorite areas in Kruger.

In the interim, until our upcoming adventure begins on May 11th (in 19 days), we’ll continue to search for new topics to share along with the day-to-day we so much love; stories about people, wildlife, local venues, and on and on.

Neither the elephants of the waterbucks seem to mind one another’s presence.

Writing a new story with photos on a daily basis is a daunting undertaking. As we’ve mentioned many times in the past, at this point, we have no intention of changing how and how often we do this. 

After the rain, there’s some rich vegetation for the elephants.

We equate this process to writing a newspaper story each and every day. However, in those cases, the news is happening all around the reporters to provide fodder for stories.  or us, our stories are predicated on what is happening in the lives of us, two senior world travelers. It’s not always exciting and newsworthy. Who’s daily life is anyway?

Can you imagine how close we were able to get in order to take this photo?

There’s always the plain, the mundane, and the predictable. We kindly ask all of our loyal readers to stay with us through these many months in Africa and if possible, to forward our link to family and friends who may be curious to read about our peculiar lives and to see our endless photos.

We so much appreciate all the wonderful email messages we receive from many of our readers each day and we’ll continue to make every effort to respond to each and every one of those messages within 24 hours. 

Each day these two females stop by several times with two piglets, most likely several months old. The two females, maybe sisters, maybe mother and daughter from a prior litter or who knows, maybe another relative of one sort or another. This morning the two of them were playing a nose-to-nose game while the two piglets busied themselves with pellets.

We also encourage you to post comments at the end of each post. You can do so anonymously if you so choose and here again, we’ll always respond with 24 hours. 

Thanks to all of you who post a comment or send an email. And also, thank you to all of you who quietly read without comment or email in your own time and at your own pace. You all mean the world to us!

Photo from one year ago today, April 22, 2017:

I started shooting a few photos before we made a mess unpacking our bags on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas for last year’s cruise back to the USA.  We had a few more immigration issues at the Port of Sydney when checking in but worked it all out. See here for details.

A new heart-pounding adventure on the horizon in Africa..

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Due to yesterday’s power outage, we couldn’t upload yesterday’s post dated April 20, 2018, until this morning.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  Also, none of today’s photos are ours except for “Sighting of the Day in the Bush.”

Giraffes were joining diners at Giraffe Manor.  Oh, my, this looks fun!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Ms. Kudu was munching on a tree near the veranda.

Last week when Louise sent me this safari/tour event in Messenger on Facebook, I gave it a severe look, noticing that several aspects of it make my heart skip a beat about the prospect of returning to Kenya.

The thought of returning to the Masai Mara, the most highly regarded and wildlife-rich game reserve in the world, stirred my memories from our visit in 2013, one of the most incredible experiences of our world travels.

Giraffes were looking for treats at Giraffe Manor.

Next, the prospect of visiting Giraffe Manor, which I’d heard a lot about, sent me into a tailspin of excitement. Also, adding the concept of touring the world-renowned David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which has been of dream of mine since we first visited Africa, made my heart skip a beat.  (Daphne Sheldrick, David’s wife, was the world’s most renowned elephant rescuer, passed away last Thursday at age 83. Click here for details).

Then, the idea of a stay at Little Governor’s Camp after I’d watched this video many times, dreaming of having such a once-in-a-lifetime experience, sent me to the moon with sheer delight.

Can you imagine having this photo op? (Photo was taken at Giraffe Manor in Kenya)

How could such a package be presented by any other than well-known Canadian wildlife photographer and “tour designer extraordinaire,” Greg Harvey of Harvey Wildlife Photography?  His exceptional passion for wildlife coupled with the finest of skills and experience made this event particularly appealing.

This was not going to be a standard safari, but as Greg calls it, “a bucket list” experience few seldom add to their repertoire of wildlife adventures. Instead, the February 22 to March 7, 2019, the event can round out our African experiences beyond our “wildest” dreams before we leave the continent (after 13 months) on March 7, 2019, the day of our wedding anniversary.

A scene at Little Governor’s Camp.

We’d intended to stay in South Africa until around March 21, 2019, but since we’re embarking on this tour, we’ll be leaving one month earlier than planned. Luckily, our schedule has some flexibility to make changes at this point.

No doubt, this is a pricey expedition, mainly when it includes only 14 guests. It certainly isn’t as expensive as Antarctica was but higher than our preferred price range for tours and cruises at ZAR 87,149 per person for a total of ZAR 174298 (US $7200 per person for a total of US $14,400). Not only does this expedition offer such exciting venues, but it will also give us both the opportunity to hone our photographic skills.

Elephants were wandering through Little Governors Camp, a common occurrence.

For these very types of opportunities, we remain frugal in our daily lives of world travel; low rents when possible, inexpensive rental cars; less dining out than most travelers; and minimal purchases besides groceries and essentials. Even with this extra expenditure, we’ll be able to stay within our budget.

After many email communications with Greg Harvey, we firmed up our reservation, paid the deposit (the balance paid in two installments between now and then), and we’re set to go. We have yet to arrange the long flight to Nairobi, Kenya from South Africa, which previously the reverse had been one of the longest travel days in the past 5½ years, and the flight when we leave Kenya.

Sign at the entrance to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Orphans Project.

Here’s the itinerary for this upcoming adventure we’ve booked, leaving in a mere ten months from now as taken from Greg’s website:

“Masai Mara, Kenya Safari – February 22-March 7, 2019.

The “Bucket List” African Safari Adventure…Who’s In?

In February 2019, Greg from HW Photo & Safaris took another group of safari guests to Kenya. We call it the “Bucket List African Safari Adventure.” Whether it be having breakfast with Rothschild giraffes at Giraffe Manor, watching elephants walk by your tent, or floating 60 feet above the Mara River in a hot air balloon (hot air balloon rides are optional and an extra cost), all of these activities are indeed “bucket list” events.

Kenyan Itinerary:

February 22 & 23- Ololo Safari Lodge. Ololo Safari Lodge is located on 20 acres on the south edge of Nairobi National Park. Only half an hour after we leave the airport, we will already be in Nairobi National Park on the way to the lodge. There we will recover from the international travel. For the early risers, the next morning, we will have the opportunity to go on our first official game drive in the park. This will give us the chance to scrape the rust off our photography skills.

Daphne Sheldrick’s love, passion, and dedication to elephants were like none other in the world.  Sadly she passed away last week.

February 24-28- Zebra Plains

Zebra Plains is located in great leopard and cheetah territory. As the name suggests, the area is very densely populated with massive herds of zebras.

March 1-5

Little Governors’ Camp- Little Governors’ Camp is located in the Northern area of the Masai Mara National Reserve. The site is home to the famous Marsh Pride of lions. This area also has vast numbers of elephants. It is common to see between 100-500 elephants in the Marsh area just a few minutes away from camp.

March 6- Giraffe Manor & Private Tour of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (Elephant Sanctuary)

Rhinos are also rescued at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The wildlife in all of these adventures is not trained to perform “tricks’ for humans.  Those rescued at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust are done so with the intent of returning them to the wild, except those who could not survive on their own.  More on this later.

After our private tour of the elephant sanctuary, we will return to the Giraffe Manor for high tea, where we will have the chance to interact with the giraffes. Dinner is at 8 p.m.

After we check out from Giraffe Manor, we’ll go to Mat Bronze to visit their gallery and have lunch. After lunch, we will see a wood sculpturing gallery and store, Kazuri Beads, and an open-air market for some beautiful souvenirs. From there, we will go to the Four Points Sheraton, where we will check in to a day room to freshen up, re-pack if necessary, and have a farewell dinner. Then it is a five-minute drive to the Nairobi International Airport for our flights out at 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on the next day (March 7, 2019).”

How does Tom feel about all of this? Honestly, he’s not as excited as I am. But, like most experiences over which he hesitates, he too will have an exceptional experience once we’re there.   

 Now, we have two exciting trips planned in the next ten months, and with immigration requirements in South Africa, we still must leave two more times. We’ll keep you posted on those two adventures as well! 

 Enjoy your weekend doing something extraordinary!

Photo from one year ago today, April 21, 2017:

Tom’s shot of a stunning sunset in Fairlight, Australia, as we wound down our last few days. For more photos, please click here.

The neighborhood in Marloth Park is even more charming than imagined…Our visit to Daisy’s Den…

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The bird feeder with two sections, into which we placed the two different seeds. So far, no birds. But as they say with bird feeders, one must be patient. 
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
We visited Gail and Mark on Sunday to discuss a story we’ll be posting later this Friday about the stunning and heartwarming book Gail wrote, “Her Name is Missy,” of their time in Liberia during the worst of the Ebola epidemic and her heroic rescue of a chimpanzee named Missy.  Please check back on Friday for the story.  We loved seeing the birds they feed at their home and holiday lodges across a small river road.  The visit prompted us to purchase a bird feeder and seeds.
Yesterday afternoon, we decided to purchase a bird feeder after our Sunday afternoon visit to Gail and Mark Fox at their holiday lodge and a lovely home overlooking the Crocodile River in Marloth Park, as we flipped over all the birds that visited their property.
 
After our exceptional experience with birds at our holiday home in Costa Rica many months ago, we were thrilled with the idea of attracting birds to our Marloth Park holiday home.
This decorative fountain is outside the door of Daisy’s Den, a feed store in Marloth where we purchased the bird feeder and seeds.  The owner told us that some patrons would try to shut off the water!  Hahaha.
Once Josiah arrived to wash the veranda and clean the pool, during which we always get out of the way, it was a good time to hop in the little car to head to Daisy’s Den, where Mark and Gail purchase their seeds and supplies.
Daisy’s Den and Wildlife Centre carries a wide array of animal feed and outdoor and indoor products appropriate for life in Marloth Park.
Our lives aren’t always about the “big things.” We often find great interest and joy in the “small things,” such as in our visit to Daisy’s Den. Tucked away at the end of one of a few shopping areas in Marloth Park, we remembered this shop from four years ago where we purchased pellets during our three-month stay, which at the time had different owners.
 
Now with Mark (not Mark Fox) having purchased the property a few years ago, we were delighted to make purchases in the well-stocked and organized shop in an attempt to support local businesses. This is always very important to us.
Another Mark has owned the popular shop for the past few years with his son John working with him.
Sure, at times, prices may be higher in local shops than those in the bigger cities and towns. Still, when considering time, fuel and convenience is often a priority to us to play whatever small role we can in not only buying products from local shops but also in writing a little about them in the process, as in today’s story.
 
Marloth Park is a small town, a Conservancy, distinct in its wildlife, people, and politics. We chatted with owner Mark and his son John, both of whom we’d met at the snake handling course on March 10th. At the time, we had no idea they owned Daisy’s Den and were delighted to see them again.
Daisy’s Den also carried handmade crafts, many made by locals.  We spotted Gail’s book, “Her Name in Missy,” also for sale in the charming shop.

Yes, even in this remote natural setting, politics becomes a factor among many of the locals.  Opinions vary on how this unique environment should be managed and handled, and at times, like most townships, not everyone agrees.

The shop carries a few items found in a pharmacy (including a few souvenirs) since it’s a long drive to the pharmacy in Komatipoort.
However, during our overall year in the park, we choose to stay out of local government and its highly charged politics. We’re here to learn about the wildlife, enjoy the companionship of the local people and immerse ourselves in other areas of Africa we’ll visit from time to time.
There are household goods and a variety of lawn and garden chemicals and products.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Daisy’s Den but w we were anxious to get back to our holiday home to hang the bird feeder. Although there’s a ladder here, I discouraged Tom from using it.  Instead, he used a long pole he’s been using to scare off the baboons and gingerly placed the feeder on a branch, as shown in the above photo.
We purchased two types of seeds hoping to attract a variety of birds.
In no time at all, the feeder was situated on a tree close to the veranda with easy viewing from our usual spots at the big table. We won’t miss a thing. Hopefully, soon, we’ll be able to enjoy more bird visitors than we’ve seen flying through the bush thus far. We’ll see how it goes.
We purchased the wooden bird feeder and two bags of seed at the cost of ZAR 215 (US $17.94). We couldn’t wait to get back to set it up.
Sharing our stories and photos along with way enhances our experiences in a way no words can describe. We only hope our readers continue to enjoy the less-than-astounding aspects of life in the bush, the small stories, and the simple pleasures that we encounter almost every day.
Located immediately next door to Daisy’s Den is Mark’s wife Tracy’s sewing and embroidery shop.
May your day’s simple pleasures bring you much joy.

Photo from one year ago today, March 20, 2017:

Painted performers at Circular Quay in Sydney, Australia. For more photos, please click here.

Health update…Figuring out solutions…

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A kudu was nursing her baby in our yard.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A White Helmetstrike perching near an unknown species of a blackbird.

Since we settled in South Africa, we’ve had many of our readers inquiring as to how I’ve been feeling after the awful knee injury in Buenos Aires and my continuing gastrointestinal issues. We both appreciate the inquiries and concern, constantly feeling our readers are so kind and in touch with what’s going on with us.

First off, I don’t particularly appreciate sounding like a medical mess. Who does? We all prefer to present a degree of health and wellness when we’ve made a concerted effort to be healthy, taking a certain amount of pride in good results.

One of many in the area, this termite mound s over 2 meters (6 feet) tall.  A variety of animals eat the termites from the mound.

In a perfect world, we can waft into “old age” with a modicum of good health. However, due to heredity, history and past injuries, many of us are plagued with certain conditions that, regardless of how hard we may try, continue to be a presence in our lives. Most of these “conditions” so to speak, only worsen as we age.

Since we began our travels almost 5½ years ago, I’ve been subject to three health situations, that regardless of how hard I tried, had to be dealt with the best way I could:  one, the problem with my gastrointestinal health from eating octopus in Fiji on Christmas Day, 2015; two, the injury to my spine in the pool in Bali which took five months to fully heal (no recurring problems); and three, the injury and subsequent infection in my knee from a fall in Buenos Aires in January, 2018, (since fully healed).

Ms. Warthog rolling around in the hay pile.

The only remaining issue has been gastrointestinal which initially became a case of H. Pylori (Helicobacter Pylori), gastritis and eventually ulcers which have plagued me consistently for over two years.   

The H. Pylori resolved after having had a blood test in Tasmania and being prescribed the usual “triple therapy” of significant doses of two types of antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI).  In many cases, even after this extensive treatment, one can end up with ulcers, which may require the continuation of a PPI indefinitely.

A  single mongoose gets an egg.  We purchased a container of 60 eggs for this purpose.

As a result, when I stopped taking the PPIs (omeprazole) while we were in Costa Rica I still was experiencing ulcer pain and knew I had to continue them for an extended period which is now over six months ago. 

After reading about serious side effects of taking PPIs long term, I’ve been determined to stop taking them when I wasn’t explicitly feeling any ulcer pain although I still had bouts of bloating, discomfort and other symptoms you can well imagine which can be a result of side effects of the pills. 

These tall cone-shaped structures act as scarecrows to keep birds away from banana trees.

Recently, I decided to stop the PPIs and see what happens. Now, that we’re settled here in South Africa and not traveling until May, this was a good time as any. 

As it turns out, stopping long-term (or short-term) treatment with PPIs causes a “rebound effect.”  The gastrointestinal tract has been signaled by the drugs to stop producing stomach acid. Without adequate stomach acid (hydrochloric acid, HCl) food is difficult to digest, causing bloating, pain and diarrhea,  constipation or both. It’s a catch 22.

With the grounds of our rental consisting mainly of low-lying bush, we don’t expect giraffes to come into the yard unless they wander down the dirt driveway. Giraffes prefer to graze where they don’t have to be continually ducking trees and branches. Subsequently, we drive around Marloth Park to find them.

Two weeks ago yesterday, on March 4th I abruptly stopped the pills. A week passed, no pain, no issues. During the second week, the burning started which I must admit has been almost unbearable. The reason for this is, without the drug, the stomach begins pumping excessive amounts of HCL to compensate for the lack of the drug. With the way the pills are made, there’s no way to taper the dose.  

Eventually, the amazing body will generally correct itself and a normal and adequate amount of acid will be produced, sufficient enough to handle the assimilation and digestion of food. Via comments on many medical sites, this process can take from two to six months to fully resolve.  I’m two weeks in.

Francolins often visit us.  They are shy, run very fast, fly very little and make lots of noise during the day and early evening.

It hasn’t been easy but I have to stick with this. After seeing three doctors for these issues in Tasmania, all with varying opinions and treatment options, I felt getting off this drug is of utmost importance, especially since I no longer feel any specific ulcer pain. 

The burning sensation of the excess acid my body is pumping to compensate for no longer shutting down acid production from the medication, comes and goes throughout the day and night. In the past week, I haven’t slept more than five hours at night and often find myself pacing in an attempt to stop the discomfort.

We may not see them each time we take a drive but we’re always thrilled when we do.

Nothing I eat or drink makes any difference although I am trying a low acid, bland diet within the framework of my usual way of eating. Last night, I had mildly seasoned sauteed liver, onions, mushrooms and steamed vegetables for dinner while Tom enjoyed homemade low carb pizza.  We’ll have leftovers tonight.

Hopefully each day it will become a little easier. I’m hoping it won’t require the two or more months to work itself out. In the interim, we’re staying upbeat and busy with many social events and activities, all of which are a good distraction. 

We’ve only had one wildebeest visitor to date but have seen others in Marloth and Kruger.

No words can describe how much I’m looking forward to being free of this. But there’s no better place to be during this time…loving life in Marloth Park, among our animal and human friends, all of whom provide a plethora of “feel good” hormones that certainly aid in the recovery.

So, there it is dear readers, the answer to the thoughtful inquiries many of you have kindly sent our way, the answers in one fell swoop. Tom, as usual, is lovingly supportive and has the uncanny ability to keep me laughing, living in the moment and looking optimistically to the future.

Vervet monkey are prolific in Marloth Park and are considerably less destructive than baboons.

May each of you enjoy good health and a sense of well-being. As we all know, above all else, nothing is more important than making every effort to maintain good health.

Photo from one year ago today, March 19, 2017:

Cloudy night at the Sydney Opera House when we attended an opera we’d booked well in advance for excellent seats. For more photos, please click here.

The Crocodile River rarely disappoints spectators but, may disappoint wildlife…

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Four waterbucks are sunning on sandbars.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Big Daddy Kudu was resting in the shade on a hot day.

Every few days, we jump into the little car to drive to the Crocodile River. Along Seekoei Street ( I dare you to try to pronounce that street name), several stopping points offer views of the Crocodile River, which separates Marloth Park from Kruger National Park.

The river is a lifeline for wildlife that needs to drink and cool off in the often low water riverless rainy. Now, still in the rainy season, it isn’t nearly as prolific as we’d seen when we were here for years ago.

Here’s a photo we took yesterday of the Crocodile River (below). It’s been scorched these past few weeks:

In a good rainy season, these sandbars may be covered and the river may be flowing. We took this photo yesterday from a sheltered brick overlook on Seekeoi Street. Now it stands almost entirely still awaiting the next rains.

Here’s a photo we took four years ago of the Crocodile River from a similar location shown on our link here:

 We took this photo on December 28, 2012. Note how much more water there was in the Crocodile River than in yesterday’s picture above.

From this site: “The Crocodile river is 1000km long and it spans over 4 provinces and through Botswana & Mozambique. It originates north of Dullstroom, Mpumalanga, in the Steenkampsberg Mountains Downstream of Kwena Dam, the Crocodile River winds through the Schoemanskloof and down the Montrose Falls. It then flows eastwards past Nelspruit and joins the Komati River at Komatipoort.The Crocodile River in Mpumalanga has a catchment area of 10,446 km2. Upstream it is a popular trout fishing place. It flows through the Nelspruit industrial area, the Lowveld agricultural area and borders the Kruger National Park. The decrease in the flow of the river is probably due to water abstractions for irrigated fruit farming.”

One male and two female waterbucks resting on a sandbar.
Before we know it we’ll be rolling into fall and winter here when it rains even less than in the current-soon-to-be-ending summer months. We can only pray for rain to keep the wildlife thriving and in good health. That’s why, here in Marloth Park and Kruger National Park (and other parts of Africa) locals rejoice when it rains.
Of course, tourists may be disappointed when they come here in the summer months for a mere three or four days to discover it raining almost every day. Fortunately, for us, we jump for joy along with the locals during a fruitful soaking rain.
Several oxpeckers are nearby as she lounges on the sandbar.

With the rains, comes the most valuable benefit of all…the growth and proliferation of green grasses, plants, and trees that many animals in this environment require for the sustenance of life itself.

For the first time, we’ll be in Marloth Park during the dry season which we hear can be devastating for the wildlife. Many homeowners in the area make a point of trying to feed the wildlife as much as possible during this period.  This is both good and bad.

A lone elephant at quite a distance.

Many homeowners in Marloth Park have homes in other parts of South Africa or other parts of the world. If they come for a few week holiday, feed the animals and then are gone for many months to come, the wildlife who’ve become accustomed to their generosity while they’re here, are left confused and deprived when their “supply” is no longer available.

With the best of intentions, we’ll be gone a year from now and hope there will have been plenty of rain for those dear creatures we also favored with food while we were here. There’s no perfect solution.

The elephant is eating the lush green vegetation on the sandbar.

Most animals here in the park are omnivores thriving on the vegetation of one sort or another. It’s with this knowledge that all of us provide some nourishment when we can. But, sadly its never enough and culling becomes a disheartening reality when there isn’t enough to go around.

Yesterday, as mentioned above, we made our usual jaunt to the Crocodile Rive every other day, always hopeful we’ll get a glimpse of the magnificent visitors to this scenic environment.

We always feel fortunate to see one of these stunning animals.

We stopped along the Seekeoi Street many times ending up at the brick lookout and for the first time since our return to Marloth, there were tourists there enjoying the scenery. It isn’t long before most visitors hear of this particular spot, and we’ve been surprised not to see others there before us, most recently.

A group of perhaps a total of 12 people, with iPads, tablets, phones, and binoculars in hand, busily took photos of the scenic surroundings which included a lone elephant and several waterbucks, who seem to frequent the river more regularly than many other species.

A female waterbuck stands to check her surroundings.

We stayed for awhile, chatting with the others people while taking several photos of our own. No doubt, we were at quite a distance from the wildlife but made every effort to keep a steady hand while shooting the images.

Back on the road, we spotted more wildlife, surprisingly out from under-cover on the extremely hot and humid day. Overall, as usual, it was a good outing in Marloth Park. 

A type of goose we spotted, too far to identify.  Any comments from our bird enthusiast friends?

Soon, we’ll be heading to Kruger again but we’re hoping to do so after this extreme heat passes. The AC in the little car isn’t that good and we’re more likely to see more wildlife on a day with more moderate temperatures.

Soon, we’re off to Komatipoort to shop which will require five stops at various shops; the Spar Market, the pharmacy, the biltong shop, the meat market and the liquor store. 

May YOU have a stupendous day!

Photo from one year ago today, March 15, 2017:One

e year ago today, we got together with dear friends Linda and Ken, from the UK and whom we met four years ago in Marloth Park. We’ve since seen them here again, much to our delight and will see them again when they return from a cruise and other travel. For more details, please click here.