Settling in…Settling down…Adapting to the heat and other little challenges…Biltong…

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This is a typical street scene, with lots of trucks parked on the side of the road while the locals people stop in the various shops along the route.

Gosh, we’re happy here. The house is exceptional, perfect for us, with a plunge pool, a pool table, a comfortable bed and bedding, and the living room where we’ll spend most of our evenings nestled in the comfortable furnishings with the availability of a flat-screen TV (to which we can plug in our HDMI cord) to watch our favorite shows.

We couldn’t wait to buy “biltong” (jerky) in Komatipoort. It’s by far the best jerky we’ve ever had.  We purchased a bag of pork on the far left and a large bag of the traditional biltong, as shown in the center, for a total cost of US $17.29 (ZAR 206.23).  We don’t care for the greasy sausage sticks on the far right. There’s a shop owned by the Butchery, right here in Marloth Park, if we run out before heading back to Komatipoort.

There’s no dining room or dining table (space is taken up by the pool table), but we moved around a few side tables to make an ideal dining spot in the living room. This way, we can watch episodes of Shark Tank during dinner, if we’d like.

After selecting the type of biltong, we’d like the store clerk to grind it into bite-sized pieces making it easy to eat. Otherwise, the enormous amounts are too large to chew.

Louise and Danie, our friends and property managers, oversee the operations of many properties in the Conservancy and are on the ball for anything we may need. This morning we mentioned we needed an extension cord to be outside all day with our laptops. 

Within 20 minutes, they drove up to the house with a new, never-used outdoor reel extension cord. We couldn’t appreciate their thoughtfulness more, a scenario all of their holiday renters have enjoyed with the utmost in service and attention to detail.

Biltong hanging from a rack in the shop.

Now, as we sit at the long handmade wooden table on the veranda in the most comfortable padded chairs, we can relax, work on posts, future travel plans, and stay in touch with family and friends as we wait for Mother Nature’s African treasures to arrive.

If none come by today, before dinner tonight, we’ll take a drive around the park to see what we can find, a relatively easy task in the early evening, when wildlife come out from the shelter during the heat of the midday sun.

This batch is venison biltong which we don’t care for.

And hot it is…Today’s temperature is expected to be around 90F, 32C, and in the upcoming days, we could be looking at much higher temps. With air con units in the living room and bedrooms, we still prefer to be outdoors all day. So what if we’re hot and dripping sweat? 

It seems as if we’re already used to the heat, which we thought would be much harder to do after coming out of Antarctica.  Ah, Antarctica…we’re still reeling from experience and will for a very long time.

Next door to the biltong shop is the Butchery, where the finest cuts of meat are available at fabulous prices. We purchased six considerable pork chops, five large lamb chops, 4.4 pounds (2 kg) mince (grass-fed ground beef), and 6.6 pounds (3 kg) cheese sausages for a total of only US $55.30 (ZAR 660.14). In the future, we’ll purchase all our meat, pork, and chicken at the Butchery.

Sure, living in the bush in Africa has its challenges. Last night, we spent an hour dealing with ants in the kitchen after we’d prepared a simple meal of pre-cooked roasted chicken, green beans, and salad which we’ll repeat for one more night. 

Our way to shop in Komatipooert was reminiscent of seeing banana trees with blue plastic bags covering the growing bunches to keep the bugs and birds away.

Someone, perhaps a previous renter, had left a sugar bowl filled with sugar in the cabinet where dishes are kept. After dinner, I cringed when I saw zillions of ants scurrying about,  on all the dishes and all over the granite countertops.  

A small market where many of the local people shop.

We sprayed everything, and today Martha (pronounced Marta) washed all the dishes and the inside of the cabinet. Last night, I cleaned the countertops, sprayed the counters, and then rewashed the counters with water we boiled and soap to remove the residue from the insect spray. 

We are confident the ants will return, dealing with them as it occurs. Louise suggested we leave our dinner dishes for Martha to wash, but that’s not possible with the ants. Tom will continue to do the dishes while I do the cooking.

Tom, like me, was exhausted on the day we arrived, but we managed to unpack and go out to dinner.

And yes, we’ve found things that need to be repaired in the house; no hot water since we arrived; microwave not working; ice dispenser on freezer door not working, and items we regularly used not available in the kitchen cupboards. This is Africa, after all, not Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Phumula, the bush restaurant where we dined on Sunday evening.

Louise and Danie are so “on the ball” we have no doubt everything will be in working order within 24 hours. Danie came early this morning, after I was up and dressed, while Tom slept in and got the hot water working. Not that we minded taking cold showers these past two days as we adjust to the temperature differences.

My dinner of steak and prawns.  Grass-fed steak is often challenging. The price one pays for choosing this option. There were three prawns on my plate with heads still on. I had chilled white wine with my meal.

The water here comes from the Crocodile River, which is purified at a processing plant.  The locals are used to drinking it, but we won’t take a chance. Thus, the water dispenser in the fridge makes purified water, and we were provided with a large water dispenser. As soon as we run out of water, we’ll take the empties to the “water store” in Marloth Park to have them refilled for a nominal cost.

Tom had a side of mashed potatoes and gravy with this chicken schnitzel and for two beers. Our total bill was US $38.98 (ZAR 465), which we felt was reasonable.

As always, we’ll be back with more on life, living in the bush in South Africa, sharing the costs and details of grocery shopping, which presents particular challenges for my way of eating.

Have a glorious day! We plan on it.

P.S. As we’re about to upload this post, we have our first visitor. Photos were coming!

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

In Geeveston, Tasmania, We took this photo through the water-stained window to find this Black Faced Cormorant at the end of the dock. They stayed for a few hours in the rain. In Antarctica, we also saw these penguin-like birds. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…Bookings for South Africa…The “adventure” and it’s “paperwork” never ends…

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Orange.....more than just a colour!
The entrance to our new vacation/holiday home we’ll be renting in Marloth Park beginning on February 11th, aptly named “Orange…More Than Just a Colour.”  For the link to this listing, please click here.

Yesterday, much to our delight, we wrapped up the first 89-day vacation/holiday rental for Marloth Park. Louise had promised she’d find us a great property that would work for our budget and yet meet our criteria.

This property she chose for us more than met our criteria. It’s a virtual dream house in the South African bush, possessing all the features that make a living in the rugged terrain more comfortable and experiential.

In Africa, many houses have a name, especially in the Conservancy of Marloth Park. The house on which we paid a 50% deposit yesterday is peculiarly and perhaps aptly called “Orange…More Than Just a Colour.”

Fully equipped self catering kitchen
We’re looking forward to cooking again in this modern kitchen after an 80-day hiatus.

The exterior orange-based color certainly prompted the house’s name, but there is nothing gaudy or outlandish in its appearance or design. It is pure bliss by our standards, and we gratefully thank Louise, our friend, and property manager for Marloth Park, for making this happen for us.

Not only did she make this outstanding property affordable for us, but she also locked up our time slot from February 11, 2018, to May 11, 2018, a total of 89 days.  Once we arrive, we’ll work with Louise to wrap up this or other properties we’ll rent during our one-year stay in Africa.

We’ll travel in and out of the country to satisfy the immigration requirements of a maximum of 90 days while we visit many other countries on the continent to fulfill our goals of expanding our African horizons.

Outside pool under roof
Most of the pools in Marloth are plunge pools intended for cooling off instead of swimming laps.

Of course, we’ll share many more photos of this spectacular property located in our dream location during our lengthy upcoming stay, along with photos of our daily “visitors.”

Our inspiration to return to Marloth Park was precipitated by two aspects. One was the bush setting with wild animals walking around the house, and two, the amazing friends we made while there in 2013/2014, all of whom we’ll see when we’re there and have stayed in contact with during the four years since we left.

Today, here in Palermo, Soho area of Buenos Aires, once again, we’ll take off on foot and walk the streets of this fascinating area. Once the holidays end, we’ll do a bit of sightseeing.

Tomorrow, we’ll share most of our dining experiences over these past few days and more photos of life and culture in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

 Have a blissful day.

Photo from one year ago today, December 28, 2016:

On a walk across the street in Penguin, Tasmania, which is lined with a wide variety of blooming flowers, we spotted this unusual plant. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Bookings for South Africa…The “adventure” and it’s “paperwork” never ends…

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We find these colorfully painted buildings interesting and befitting the somewhat flamboyant nature of Buenos Aires.

Where do we begin and end? This outrageous lifestyle only knows an end when we “can’t do it anymore.”  Surely, someday this will come. But, for now, we keep planning and booking one adventure after another.

I used the word “adventure” based on our perception of what adventure may be. To many, experience connotes white water rafting, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, and other physically related risk-taking events.

There are many designer-type furniture shops in the area.

For us, an adventure may be defined as follows from the dictionary:

adventure
ədˈvɛntʃə/
noun
  1. 1.
    an unusual and exciting or daring experience.
    “her recent adventures in Italy”
    synonyms: exploit, escapade, deed, feat, trial, experience, incident, occurrence,
    the event, happening, episode, affair;

Well, not totally. We focus more on the above-stated, “an unusual and exciting” experience and less on the “daring.” Couldn’t “daring” be described as selling everything we owned, leaving our family and friends, as traveling the world for years to come; homeless, without a car, with no storage anywhere, no apartment/condo to return to, to repack and take care of things?  I guess so. 

Perhaps, for us, all of it is an adventure. We’ve never considered we must put our physical beings in harm’s way for our lives to qualify as an adventure. 

Colorfully painted buildings are a common trend in Buenos Aires.

Along that path is the future planning for what we consider the ultimate adventure…re-visiting Africa (we were there four years ago), which will transpire in a mere 46 days (with the cruise to Antarctica in between in only 27 days.) Good grief! Could it get more exciting for us in this short period?

Finally, yesterday, after checking prices for a few months, we booked our flight from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Nelspruit, Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga,  South Africa, a location other “adventurers” fly to embark on their journey on an insatiable quest for adventure.

Another colorfully painted building.

The cost for the one-way economy flight for two was shocking. We’ve never paid this high a fare for a one-way flight.

Here are the details:

Price summary
Traveler 1: Adult $1,754.66 Flight $1,301.00 Taxes & Fees $453.66
Traveler 2: Adult              $1,754.66 Flight $1,301.00 Taxes & Fees $453.66
Expedia Booking Fee $14.00
Total US $3,523.3
(ARS 64,934)
All prices are quoted in USD.
 
705 points
for this trip

Travel time:           16 hours total (3 flights)
Depart:                  12:50 PM, February 10, 2018
Arrive in Nelspruit:    9:50 AM, February 11, 2018
Layovers:       2 hours in Sao Paulo, Brazil,
1 hour 40 minutes in Johannesburg, South Africa

Airlines:         GOL Linhas Aereas S.A
                          South African Airways (last two flights)

We flinched paying this high a fare for coach but, we made up for it a little when we were able to rent a car at the Nelspruit Airport for a total of 89 days for only the US $1,750 (ARS 32,252), including all taxes, fees, and insurance which averages at US $583 (ARS 10,745) per month.

We plan to stay in Africa for up to 13 months and share more details as we book further into the future, much of which will be outside South Africa. But, we’ll continue to return to Marloth Park after satisfying visa requirements for a maximum of 90 days as required in most African countries.

There isn’t an abundance of flowers blooming at this time in the Palermo area.

Today, we’re finalizing our vacation/holiday rental details with our dear property manager friends, Louise and Danie Thiart, who can be reached at this site. We’re so appreciative of their friendship and assistance in finding us more outstanding accommodations in Marloth Park.

Tomorrow, we share details of what will be our new home beginning on February 11, 2018.

Thanks for stopping by!

Photo from one year ago today, December 27, 2016:

This was the view from our holiday home from an elevated road in Penguin, Tasmania. For more details, please click here.

Worrisome news about Madagascar and the possibility in South Africa…”Fake news” or reality?…

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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 illustrates where the high-risk areas for bubonic plague are located. We intend to be in South Africa beginning in February and in Mozambique and other countries to renew our visa status.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

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

When I stumbled across the headline below, we immediately began to research the accuracy and validity of such claims that the eastern coast of Africa would likely fall prey to the ravages of the bubonic plague over the following months. 

With our plan to arrive in South Africa on or about February 10, 2018, that’s only 98 days from today. With the outbreak affecting over 1800 lives on the island of Madagascar, as shown on the above map, of course, this is a concern to us.

Our concerns aren’t necessarily revolving around the time we’ll spend in Kruger National Park or in living in Marloth Park, which is remote and relatively isolated but more so in traveling through busy airports such as in Johannesburg, which is a required stopping point to fly to Mpumalanga/Nelspruit our destination.

Here is the article we first spotted setting the research in motion from this site:

A deadly plague epidemic in Madagascar is now at a ‘crisis point and could reach mainland Africa where it will be ‘difficult to control,’ warns expert as World Bank releases $5M of aid.

  • Cases of the plague have spiraled by 37 percent in less than a week, data shows.
  • The World Health Organization now states that there are 1,801 suspected cases. 
  • At least 127 deaths have been recorded, but experts warn this could also rocket. 
  • The ‘unprecedented’ outbreak has prompted warnings in nine nearby countries
  • World Bank released an extra $5 million (£3.8m) to control the deadly outbreak

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5046017/World-Bank-responds-calls-help-battle-plague.html#ixzz4xTb2JSg9
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

While we’re spending about a year in Africa, we plan to visit various countries to fulfill our goals of many yet-to-be-seen aspects of this vast and fascinating continent. Most likely, this will be the last time we’ll see the continent in our world travels. We still have more “fish to fry.”

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).

Visiting Africa is not for the faint of heart and maybe more challenging as we age. We’re saving all the less demanding locations in other parts of the world for the distant future, including several cruises we’ll easily enjoy well into our 80’s health providing. 

The research took us in many directions. Finally, we landed at the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in the US, which we’ve used on many occasions regarding health conditions in countries throughout the world.

Although we don’t necessarily believe what every governmental agency espouses, we’ve found the CDC less prone to exaggeration, fluff, and fake news. We found this recent article as to what’s transpiring in Madagascar and how it may affect travelers to Africa.

Based on this article by the CDC, at this point, we don’t see a reason to change our plans, although we have decided to purchase face masks to wear while at airports or public areas as we travel through the continent should the plague spread to countries we’re visiting. We’ll buy them today to arrive at our mailing service to be shipped to the hotel in Florida, where we’ll come on November 22nd.

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).

As we’ve often mentioned in past posts, no country, city, village our countryside in the world is exempt from the risk of one type or another. Whether it’s an infectious disease, crime-related threats, or heinous acts of terrorism, we always proceed with the utmost sensibility and caution, which in itself is no guaranty of safety.

May your day find you safe from harm.

Photo from one year ago today, November 4, 2016:

One year ago today, we stood on our cabin’s veranda awaiting the arrival of this medevac helicopter to transport a heart attack patient from the ship to an appropriate hospital. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…An old friend from Africa…Playing with my phone

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Lipstick Palm with a bright red base.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

This is unreal!  Ulysses “mows” the entire massive yard using this tiny weed wacker. He’s wearing protective gear, including a rubber apron and face mask.  It takes him a whole day to trim all of the grass.

This morning, I wrote an email to Marian asking her to contact Henry for us to explain we need a pick up at a specific time, 9:45 am, to meet the car rental guy at the cafe at Supermercado Coopeatenas to sign for and pick up the first of two rental cars. 

Today, we’re heading to the small town of Curridabat for our 1:00 pm dental appointments at the most prominent dental clinic in this part of Costa Rica, where English is spoken by nine highly regarded dentists. We’ll have our teeth cleaned and a few fillings repaired, one for me, three for Tom. 

Since we’ll be leaving Atenas by 10:30 am, and the appointment isn’t until 1:00 pm, we’ll have plenty of time to stop along the way for photos (roadway providing) and to find the dentist’s office.

Hazy morning view of the valley.

We’ll return this first rental car at Surpermercado Coopeatenas on Saturday. Then following Monday, Henry, the taxi driver, will transport us to San Jose, near the airport, to pick up the second car we’ll keep until we leave on November 22nd. 

Why rent two different cars? It worked out that way when we first booked the dental appointments keeping the car for five days, allowing us time to get out sightseeing a little.

When we stumbled across the excellent rate for our remaining time in Costa Rica, we locked it in when we couldn’t get the great rate if we added the extra week. Go figure. We jumped all over the great rate. Please click here for more details on the pricing, and good luck getting a fantastic rate.

This palm tree’s silver base is flat, not rounded.

As for the continuation of yesterday’s post about our dear friend Anderson, our safari guide in Africa, here we go:

Over these past four years since Anderson was our guide in the Masai Mara, Kenya, at Sanctuary Retreat’s Camp Olonana along the Mara River, he’s stayed on our minds. We all hoped that somehow our paths would cross again. Staying in touch via Facebook chat, occasionally, we said hello and exchanged heartfelt wishes for good health and well-being. 

Once while on a cruise, we heard other passengers talking about him. We politely interrupted and shared how much we all appreciated having him as our guide. His knowledge and skills far surpassed our expectations, especially when he has a magical way of endearing past guests to him forever.

This plant has an interesting leaf pattern.

Once Tom surprised me while we swam in the pool in Bali, with our upcoming return to Africa for my upcoming 70th birthday in February, I messaged Anderson that we’d be returning to Africa in 2018. At that point, it was a long time away, and we weren’t 100% certain of what our plans would be. 

After many discussions between Tom and me over this past year, we decided to see the gorillas in either Rwanda or Uganda, both countries highly regarded for these experiences.

Another variety of Bromeliads.

As it turned out, when Anderson and I chatted on Facebook in the middle of the night when I wasn’t able to sleep, I explained we’re returning to the Kruger Park area of South Africa for our first three months with a plan for several side trips when we’ll need to leave the country for short periods for immigration purposes and to fulfill our dreams of more to see on this great continent.

Anderson explained he is again working for our favorite tented resort company, Sanctuary Retreats, who facilitated our safari and stayed in the Masia Mara in October 2013. It was very pricey but worth every last dollar spent. It was at that time we were assigned Anderson. 

Partial view of the center courtyard at the entrance to the villa.

Now, we discover through our Facebook chat that Anderson is also working for Sanctuary Retreat’s Gorilla Forest Camp in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where gorilla treks of only eight guests are undertaken daily. With Anderson as our guide for yet another life-changing experience, the prospect of this adventure is taken over the top.

Suddenly, the concept of this experience took on an entirely new demeanor. We love the attention-to-detail and adequate care that Sanctuary Retreats provides each of their guests, and coupled with the fact that Anderson will be our guide, it’s over the top.

After three takes off and three landings, we finally arrived to meet our guide, Anderson, who’s lived in the Masai Mara region all of his life. What a guy!  We loved him the moment we met him!  Click here for the post from October 5, 2013.

It was our time in the Maasai Mara that we came up with our frequently used “safari luck” since it was with Anderson, during our first 10 hours on safari, that we saw the “big five” indeed an outrageously fortunate opportunity. 

So here again, “safari luck” prevails, and we get the double whammy; Sanctuary Retreats and, of course, Anderson. We couldn’t be more thrilled.

Soon, we’ll need to book this event since so few guests are allowed to see the gorillas each day due to strict guidelines to protect their wild habitat. We can hardly wait for this experience.

We were both excited to meet Anderson, our safari guide who’s stayed in our minds these past four years, and now, we’ll meet again when he is our guide for the gorilla trek in Uganda.  Click here for the post which included these two photos and MUCH more.

So, now back to the moment on a beautiful day after last night’s major thunderstorm and pouring rains. Hopefully, the rain will hold off until we return to the villa later today after our long drive into the countryside, mountains, and rainforest. 

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with details of our day and, hopefully, lots of great new photos. As I’m sitting here now on the veranda, I can see a huge brown cow across the way mooing up a storm. Maybe I’ll get up and take a photo!

Happy day!Photo from one year ago today, August 21, 2016:

Before entering the grounds of Friendship Beach Waterfront Resort, we asked permission to tour the property to take photos. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1 of 2…An old friend from Africa…Playing with my phone…

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Are these Daffodils?

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Click on our video of a fast-moving weather phenomenon in Atenas.

Playing around with my phone when we have a good Wi-Fi signal keeps me occupied during quiet times of the day and night. There are a few foolish games I play, one of which is a “jelly” thing that cuts me off after about 15 minutes requiring I wait for more opportunities to play or…pay. I don’t pay. I wait, entertaining myself elsewhere in the interim.

Then, of course, there’s email, Facebook, and various news apps I’ll read day or night, keeping me informed of what may actually be embellished, untrue, or blatant out-and-out lies. Oh, I won’t get into that.

Long driveway to a villa in the neighborhood.

A highlight of playing with my phone is at night when I can’t sleep. I attempt to avoid the bright screen facing Tom while he sleeps and stay huddled on the edge of the king-sized bed, facing away from him. It’s during those periods when sleep escapes me, often for a few hours during the night that my phone brings me much solace and entertainment. 

Over these past few years, I stopped worrying about being awake in the middle of the night.  If one studies anthropology and early humans, you’ll discover that millennium ago, humans often were awake in the middle guarding their camp, tending to the fire, and handling the myriad tasks required for basic survival. 

This is referred to as a “first” and “second” sleep. It may not be in our DNA to lay down and sleep for eight hours or more. Information on this topic may be found here at this site and many others.

Villa in the neighborhood.

Knowing this gave me peace of mind in not worrying about being awake at 3:00 am. Of course, the typical working life of citizens in many countries and its subsequent stressful lifestyle may require that they pack in as many hours of sleep as possible in order to manage the upcoming day.

Now, as a somewhat retired person, I rarely need to be concerned with how much consecutive sleep I accrue during the night. Although not much of napper, (neither is Tom) we both, with the same habit of waking up midway through the night, seem to do fine staying awake and alert during the day.

Hibiscus.

Most nights I fall back asleep at some point ending up with about six to seven hours of sleep, all I seem to need, especially when we’re having lazy days at the villa without a huge amount of physical activity. 

Oh, I’m no couch potato. Each day I end up putting thousands of steps on my Fitbit, at times as much as 10,000 only from moving around the villa. This is a huge house and I’ll have 2,000 steps knocked off before 8:00 am from just getting the day started. That’s a good thing.

There must be some type of solar panels on this roof.

Anyway, back to the phone at night…With friends all over the world, it’s not unusual for me to get a message on Facebook during the night. I keep the sound notification off to avoid waking either of us while sleeping. 

But, it’s kind of fun to begin chatting with a distant friend during those wide wake middle-of-the-night stints. I take my contact lenses out at night and need to use reading specs to read anything on the phone during the night. I keep a sturdy pair under my pillow for just such occasions.

Lavender Bougainvillea.

A few nights ago, I found myself chatting in Facebook Messenger with our safari guide, Anderson, with whom we’ve stayed in close touch since we worked with him in 2013. He left an indelible mark on us with the hope that should we return to Kenya, we’d definitely have him work with us again.

As we’ve contemplated future travels and our return to Africa we came to the conclusion that we won’t be returning to Kenya. We have other plans for Africa when we return in a mere six months. As a matter of fact, six months from today will be my 70th birthday which we plan to celebrate with our many friends in Marloth Park, South Africa.

Pretty little purple flowers.

The date is set for my party at Jabula Lodge in Marloth on February 20, 2018, and many of our wonderful South African friends already have it on their calendars. Thank you to my dear husband for offering me this extraordinary 70th birthday gift, a return to my favorite place in the world. 

I can’t wait to dine on Peri-Peri Chicken Livers at Jabula’s fabulous restaurant and spend time with owners Dawn and Leon with whom we became great friends. It was at this very location that we met and became friends with so many amazing people who taught us the ways of life in the bush. To see their faces in person, once again, is  truly a treat we look forward to with considerable enthusiasm.

These orange flowers were often seen in Hawaii. My friend Colleen who lived in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands for decades, wrote and explained that this flower is an Ixora. Such an unusual flower and name. Thanks, Colleen!

Tomorrow, before we head out to pick up the first rental car, we’ll complete this story, particularly as to how it relates to our dear old friend Anderson, our guide in the Masai Mara, Kenya, and how and if we’ll meet again.

May your day be fulfilling and pleasant. Ours certainly will be. We’re sitting here on the veranda now listening to one noisy cow or bull obviously suffering some degree of discontent or another. Along with all the sounds of the birds singing, the roosters crowing and the water bubbling in the pool, it’s all music to our ears.

Photo from one year ago today, August 20, 2016:

Colorful shrine in front of a private villa in our area in Phuket Thailand. For more photos and our story of how I dropped my phone in the toilet and the end result, please click here.

Today is post #1850…In touch with the world in a small way, matters in such a big way…

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The first time we started noticing Bougainvillea was in Kenya in 2013. They grow prolifically in the hot, humid climate. They aren’t relatively as abundant in Costa Rica but do thrive in this humid rainforest climate.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

The mountains impede our view of the final set of the sun, but we do get some gorgeous color in the process.

As I began today, I noticed that this would be post #1850. To think that 1850 times I’ve sat at my laptop sharing morsels of our everyday lives of world travel, including the seven months before our ever leaving Minnesota in 2012, it seems overwhelming. The first post was on March 14, 2012, which may be found here. We left Minnesota on October 31, 2012, and that day’s post may be found here.

Yesterday, when speaking with my sister Susan (Las Vegas), she asked, “If someone hired you to write 1850 stories with photos, every few days at the onset and every day a short time after that, could you have been able to do it?”

As we continued on our steep walk, we spotted a small vineyard in the neighborhood.

I contemplated the answer for only a moment to emphatically state, “There’s no way! The stress I would have felt to work at such a daunting task continually would have left me exhausted, stressed, and frustrated.”

Funny thing. Without a boss, along with the opportunity to write here at my own pace, in my own time, without pressure and expectations, this daily (seven days a week) undertaking never feels stressful or demanding.

In every direction, we’re surrounded by greenery. It’s breathtaking.

Preparing for each day’s story and photos has become a full-time job in many ways. The actual writing of the day’s story takes little time compared to the required research and fact-checking (thanks, Tom!), the editing, the manipulation of the appearance of the story and photos, looking for photo ops, taking the photos, managing the photos and then putting it all together. 

After completing the post, usually by noon or earlier (on days I have an early start), I respond to dozens of email messages and comments. (We receive many more email messages than comments on the posts). Many of the responses require additional research from our prior posts on the web.

Some of the homes in this gated community are not within the confines of a private gate. Nevertheless, it’s a safe area, and many residents aren’t concerned about an added layer of security.

In many ways, it’s a full-time job, one we’re both thinking about and planning, along with all the details of planning our next move in our travels while living amid the location-of-the-moment. Over this past 65 months of doing the posts, it’s become as much of an integral part of our travels as the travel itself.

I explained to Susan that knowing we have readers worldwide “traveling along with us,” we never feel lonely or isolated. No, I don’t often “go to lunch with the girls,” and Tom doesn’t meet “the boys for coffee” amid railroad talk. 

Photos don’t depict how steep a road is when walking. The road leading to our villa is a nearly impossible climb for the faint of heart.

We also have readers contacting us every day with precious morsels of wisdom, suggestions, and assisting us in naming birds and flowers, as was the case of friend Louise from Kauai, who wrote that yesterday’s bird photo was a Hoffman’s Woodpecker.  Thanks, Louise!

And then, of course, there’s Facebook, which I must admit I don’t spend much time working on, although I’m quite the lurker.  Adamantly opposed to negative political talk, regardless of political affiliation, I love the playful and often funny videos, along with the more severe wildlife photos and videos.

Many homes have pools that are meticulously maintained.

I’ve recently had considerable pleasure in watching “live” safari videos from Kruger National Park, where we’ll be in a mere six months, again living next door to the massive reserve in my favorite place in the world Marloth Park, South Africa. Soon…

As our saga continues, we often shake our heads in wonder over the vast number of readers who’ve followed us from the beginning. Who knew? We never planned it that way, and yet, here we are feeling so much a part of all of you in whatever small role we may play in your daily online reading.

We walked down this steep hill beyond the bend but then had to walk back up.  Whew!

We have all of our readers to thank for becoming such a vital part of our day-to-day lives, regardless of how quiet and mundane some of our days maybe, to the more adventuresome and entertaining aspects that other days present.

The next day, we’ll share an exciting and advantageous experience we’ll be adding to our repertoire of world adventures. Please check back!

Photo from one year ago today, August 19, 2016:

This martial arts ring in our neighborhood in Phuket, Thailand, was quite s surprise to find.  Martial Arts is a highly regarded sport in Thailand. For more photos and details, please click here.

Fabulous get together and lunch in Sydney with friends from South Africa!…Small world…

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Tom and I and Ken and Linda, great friends from Marloth Park who happened to be in Sydney simultaneously as us! Small world!

When Linda and I chatted on Facebook over these past few months, we could hardly contain our enthusiasm over the prospect of her and her husband Ken meeting us in Sydney on March 15th.

Our wonderful friends, Linda and Ken, whom we met in Marloth Park in 2013. We look forward to seeing them again next February when we return to South Africa.

How ironic after staying in touch over these past years since the onset of our friendship in Marloth Park in 2013/2014 that we’d happen to be in the same part of the world simultaneously, Sydney, Australia.

Our mutual time frame in Sydney only overlapped by a few days making the 15th the ideal for getting together. Although we hadn’t rented a car during this 40-night stay in Manly (hopefully, immigration situation allowing), we needed to begin using the local transportation.

Ken, Linda, and Tom, in front of Fortune of War pub, also known as First Fleet Bar & Bistro, the oldest pub in Sydney, circa 1828.

After spending over AU 150, US $115 for three taxi rides to and from Sydney for the required visit to the immigration office, we decided using public transportation is a must while in this area.

Ken and Tom toasting “James Squire, the Swindler” summer ale in the pub!

With the use of the popular Manly Ferry and the free Hop, Skip, Jump bus that has a nearby stop with only a few block walk to the holiday home, we were easily able to make our way to Circular Quay in Sydney to meet Linda and Ken right on time at the Observer Hotel Pub at noon sharp and then to return “home” with ease.

Our fabulous landlord and new friend Bob insisted on driving us to the Manly Ferry wharf for our first ferry experience. While showing us around, Bob pointed us to the bus stop where we’d catch the bus upon return later in the day.

Linda and I were toasting the special occasion.

Bob had given each of us an Opal card, a local transportation card to which money is added at most news stands and “top-up” machines, which is then used to pay for ferries, buses, and trains easily. Bob escorted us to a news stand at the wharf, where we topped up the cards. 

My grilled chicken salad included a side of avocado.

The round trip cost for the Manly Ferry to Circular Quay is AU 28, US $22, but there’s no charge for the bus. It’s too far to walk to the Manly Ferry from here in the Fairlight area. 

By car, it’s a ten-minute drive to the ferry station. The free local bus makes this trip relatively easy and affordable, especially compared to a rental car which is pricey in Sydney. We’ll share details and a video of the Manly Ferry in an upcoming post.

Tom’s steak sandwich with grilled onions and chips.

Close to noon, we spotted Linda and Ken sitting outside of the Observer Hotel Pub, beers in hand. We couldn’t have been more thrilled to see one another, embracing in a warm hug among the four of us.

Linda’s burger with avocado and “chips.”

After chatting and catching up a little on our mutual world travels (Linda and Ken are avid travelers like us), we decided to head to the popular historic First Fleet Bar & Bistro, where Linda and Ken recommended we take photos of our get together.

The conversation was lively and animated when we all have so much in common, including past experiences in Marloth Park over which we easily recalled and giggled. We’d had memorable experiences in Marloth Park and look forward to more upcoming next February.

Beautiful orchids at our table.

By 5:00 pm, after our fabulous meal at the bistro, we headed back to Circular Quay and Wharf #3 to make our way back to Manly. The ferry ride was delightful when I sat next to a 90-year-old woman, who migrated to Australia almost 70 years ago, a published author and patron of the arts. 

The pub was packed throughout the day, with lively locals enjoying themselves.

Once again, I was engaged in an enlightening conversation that reminded me of how much we thrive on interacting with others, including those from our past and those we meet along the way.

We continue to concentrate on the immigration issue, yet we can enjoy ourselves in the process. In a few nights, we’ll be heading back to Sydney to the Opera House, to which we purchased tickets almost a year ago. I can’t wait for that!

Have a great day filled with lively conversation that stimulates your mind.

Photo from one year ago today, March 16, 2016:

Roses continue to bloom in the cooler weather in New Zealand. For more photos, please click here.

Interesting and appreciated comment from a reader…Worries of risks when traveling…

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Hillside scenery.

Over these past several years, we’ve received many excellent comments on various of our past posts. As a result, some readers may read our posts out of chronological order or start from the beginning on March 15, 2012, when we first began to write about our lives of world travel.

Now, 1674 daily posts later, we’re often amazed by how readers from all over the world continue to read our old posts, often commenting on any given post or sending us a thoughtful email.

Many of our readers write into the easy-to-use “comments” section at the bottom of each post and may stay anonymous if chosen.  However, we find many readers don’t hesitate to leave a first name (and occasionally their full name) when they post a comment.

If you’ve never commented, please feel free to do so. We reply within 24 hours (at the latest). And, your comment remains on that post for all of our readers to see for years to come.

Caravans parking in Franklin for Australia Day festivities which we attended last month.

For many, with more personal comments in mind, they prefer to email us at the links provided on our home page, on the right, above the photo of us in Petra, Jordan. Clicking either of these links takes you directly to the email app on your device, and you can write as you would in writing any email message. But, of course, we won’t post your email message without your specific approval.

Most often, your email will reach us promptly, providing we have a good Internet connection. We check our email throughout each day, but a response may be delayed, if it arrives while we’re sleeping.

Before posting each day, I take a peek at my email but seldom respond until after completing the day’s post. I awake on a mission to get the “ball rolling” as soon as I’m showered and dressed for the day.

During this past almost three months since we arrived in Penguin, Tasmania, on December 3, 2016, I’ve maintained my usual posting schedule regardless of how I may have been feeling during this period. 

Houses are scattered throughout the countryside in the Huon Valley.

Of course, as mentioned in a post a few days ago, the exception to our posting and/or replying to comments and email may occur on specific travel days, especially when we don’t have access to Wi-Fi while awaiting a particular means of transportation.

Yesterday, we received this lovely comment from one of our readers who’s apparently begun reading our posts from the beginning. 

Laura wrote:

“Ah, Jess…I know I am reading them years after the fact, but your posts and photos are breathtaking!! I love them! I’ve been trying for years to convince Ernie to agree to an African safari – he’s too concerned with our safety to try it, but I’m still working on him!!”

Upon reading this short comment at the end of this post, I could hardly wait to write back to Laura to thank her for her kindness in complimenting our posts and photos. 
But, the comment Laura expressed over her husband’s hesitation to go on an African safari reminded us of five years ago when Tom was equally concerned over the safety of a safari and, even more so, living in Africa for almost nine months.
Our family was even more worried that we were getting in over our heads when they’d read and heard of countless stories about horrific events occurring in many parts of Africa, some as a result of animal encounters and other incidents. But, they were more concerned as to our vulnerability of becoming victims of crime.
A neighborhood in the Huon Valley.

We’ve never taken these facts lightly, but, as has been the case for most travelers, there are always precautions and concerns over traveling beyond the comfort zone of their home environment. 

Nowadays, there is no place in the entirely safe world;  from the elements, terrorism, crime, accidents, illness, and wildlife. Back then, before we began traveling, we’d discussed these concerns in depth. 

Mainly, I was trying to assure Tom that although the risks were higher in some parts of the world, such as Africa and the Middle East, we’d exercise the utmost caution. For example, in Kenya, where carjackings are common, we used a local driver to take us wherever we desired, thus reducing the risks.
Kayaker on Huon River near a moored sailboat.

As we look back at our old posts, we can’t help but experience the most profound emotions over the fact that we took those risks to see parts of the world previously only in our dreams.

When a year from now when we’ll return to South Africa (with more other African countries on the horizon during our extended stay), our hearts thump with enthusiasm.
This will be the first time we’ve returned to a country for an extended stay hiatus to explore Southeast Asia. As it turned out, we really enjoyed the second two months in Bali at the fabulous villa on the ocean.
Franks, a small cider restaurant and shop.

We had returned to Bali due to its proximity and easy flights to Sydney, Australia, where we’d booked several cruises. However, our return to Africa next February is for an entirely different reason…we wanted to return while we’re still able, young enough, and hopefully healthy enough to embrace the many exciting opportunities awaiting us. 

So, today, I thank Laura for writing and inspiring today’s post, which included our own past concerns, which ultimately ending with the gift of great memories that we gleaned from the extraordinary experiences.

Have a memorable day and be safe.

Photo from one year ago today, February 24, 2016:

Tom standing outside the shopping mall in New Plymouth, New Zealand, last year. For more photos, please click here.

It’s a hard act to follow…Is a second round worthwhile? Photo, last night’s American style dinner…

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Workers in the rice fields in Bali.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

These men were getting ready to go snorkeling with the aim of fishing with nets.

It’s almost like I can’t find words after yesterday’s post that got answers from around the world. We both received many comments and likes on Facebook, comments on posts and many emails wishing us well after posting our new 669 day itinerary. 

If you missed the itinerary yesterday, please click here to see where we’ll be heading over this next extended period.

Our friends in South Africa have made the upcoming return to Marloth Park in 16 months all the more exciting by their enthusiastic responses and arms opened wide to welcome us back to their little piece of heaven. 

One of our Ketuts sweeping the grass with a handmade broom.

We even went as far as booking Jabula Lodge & Restaurant in Marloth Park for the evening of my 70th birthday on February 20, 2018. Leon and Dawn, the owners who became dear friends during our last stay in 2013/2014 confirmed our reservation for the group of us or any more who’d like to attend. 

I can’t wait to feast on a big plate of Peri Peri Chicken Livers while Tom devours Espetada, a huge upright skewer speared with chunks of roasted meat. The food was always cooked to perfection for my way of eating.

The people, the food, the service, the ice cold drinks are exceptional at this fun restaurant where we’d previously dined a few nights a week and we’ll dine once again when we’re back in their midst. Maybe I’ll only have to cook a few nights a week when we return!

Our close up of a grasshopper. Each day while in the pool we rescue several grasshoppers and other insects who accidentally ended up in the water and appear to be drowning when they can’t get out.

There are so many aspects about Marloth Park that call to us.  There’s the people; friendly, warm and so willing to include us in their lives. Laughter and merriment come easily for these dual language citizens who speak fluent English and Afrikaans. Then, there’s a few gringos, like us, who possess the same outrageously welcoming persona.

But, then, dear readers, is the infinite delight when the wild animals visit us each day wherever we may live within the game reserve, who make our hearts race with excitement when each day they “come to call.” 

Adding to that daily joyful experience is visiting Kruger National Park, a short distance away, entering Crocodile Bridge to see the cross languishing on the shore and the hippos bellowing. 

Lovely beach scenery while driving along the highway.

Upon entering the massive reserve we’ll be spotting elephants, lions, cape buffalo, leopards and rhinos, the proverbial “Big Five” and more which we’ve been fortunate to see many times in our past visit to Africa.

Whether its my favorite warthogs with growing babies following moms close behind or a herd of male zebras who come to scratch their backs on the trees, drink from the swimming pool and look for a handout.

They all love the taste of the pellets we’ll have handy in 88 pounds, 40 kilogram bags that we’ll offer to every visitor, except the giraffes who can’t bend down to eat from our hands or from the ground. And yet, they, too, still “come to call.”

Temple and Hindu celebration on the beach.

From the best biltong (jerky) in the world and fresh meat at the local market, to the organic vegetables from the farmer next door, the tiny Marloth Park Shopping Centre is charming and fun to visit. Every other week, we traveled to Komatipoort to the supermarket and data store to add data to our devices. Again, we’ll do the same.

We haven’t selected a vacation home yet for either of the two stays in 2018. Louise and Danie, our hosts and landlords who also became dear friends, own and manage a number of properties (click here for their site with numerous options) and have promised we won’t have to sleep in a tent. 

Then again, in the nearby Kruger National Park, many tourists do exactly that. We aren’t slightly concerned, certain Louise and Danie will ensure we’re able to stay in wonderful homes in Marloth Park. We’ll surely pin something down as the time nears.

What a fine meal we had last night and will again tonight using the mince (grass fed ground beef) we’d purchased in Denpasar the day we began the drive to the villa;  a hard boiled egg stuffed, bacon wrapped meatloaf with homemade low carb ketchup, coleslaw and sautéed Balinese vegetables. The cooks did a fabulous job making our American style recipe.

Well, I suppose that’s enough about Africa for now. We still have “lots of fish to fry” in the upcoming months and years.  wo weeks from today, we’re leaving the villa to begin the two travel days required to make our way to Sydney, Australia for the 33-night cruise.

We’re cherishing every last moment of these two remaining weeks in Bali when now as we speak, we’re comfortably ensconced in chaise lounges overlooking the infinity pool and the sea, with little doubt that sometimes, maybe sometimes, a second round may be worth it all.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 15, 2015:
Horses on the grounds of Namale Resort in Fiji owned by the speaker/writer Anthony Robbins where we later visited on our three year anniversary on October 31st. For more photos, please click here.