Fantastic 4th of July in the bush…Are we wildlife spotters?…

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The 4th of July invitation we received weeks ago. These two sure know how to put on a party!
Thanks, Kathy and Don, with lots of help from Linda and Ken, staying with them this week until Sunday when they all depart. Sadly, we won’t see them again for many months.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Last night’s sunset from Kathy and Don’s third-floor veranda overlooking the Crocodile River.

Leave it to Kathy and Don to once again host a unique evening in their lovely home in Marloth Park located on the Crocodile River. With 12 of us in attendance, it was the perfect number for their huge table on their veranda on the third floor.

Fern and Tony, otherwise dressed as Dolly Parton and Uncle Sam.

Arriving by 17:00 hrs., (5:00 pm) we had little time to take sunset photos until soon it became dark while the evening cooled during these chilly winter nights in the bush. We all bundled up in jackets we’d brought along, giving little thought to the chill as the drinks flowed and festive began to the point of pure delight.

Tom and Andrew.

Once again, Don and Ken displayed their singing and dancing talents performing as the Blue Brothers from the 1980s. We howled with laughter cheering them on as they danced many popular dances over the past five decades. 

Long-time friends Linda and Ken, originally from the UK, live in South Africa while they also travel the world.

The dinner was great as always, with plenty of items I could eat.  For dessert, Kathy and Linda presented Ken (his birthday was actually yesterday) with a lit birthday cake with those hysterical candles that won’t blow out resulting in yet another laugh fest.

Leslie won the 4th of July quiz, although she isn’t American.

Before we knew it the evening came to an end and we made our way home, mindful of the possibility that the lions could be nearby. We gingerly got out of the car, closely monitoring our surroundings until we were safely indoors.

Don had made Long Island Ice Teas for the hot dog and other starters.

Regardless of how practical we attempt to be, there’s no way there isn’t an emotional impact when we watch or hear of a predator killing and eating another animal. It’s exciting to many of us here in Marloth Park that lions are on the loose, only adding to the mystique and wonder of this unusual place.

Kathy, as always, had set a beautiful red, white and blue, theme-appropriate table for 12.

But most people here in the park also have become very attached to these beautiful creatures and it’s never easy to see one taken by a predator. In any case, we spent several hours driving through the park yesterday when notices came out (via Messenger) that someone had spotted the lions.

We didn’t have any costumes, so we wore red, white and blue.

Who knows how long they will stay in the park? There’s no competition here for food sources, and they could easily decide to wait for the long haul. 

Kathy, priming the audience for the upcoming “Blue Brothers” show.

We’d love to spot the lions to take photos. We’ll continue to head out each day on a mission to see if we’ll get lucky. In the interim, we’ve had several incredible sightings in the past 24 hours, which we look forward to sharing in a few posts over the next few days.

Don and Ken had practiced well for their performances, including lines to memorize and a wide array of dance steps. 

Tomorrow will be a busy day, posting and preparing a birthday dinner for Kathy, whose actual birthday is tomorrow. Our friend, Linda’s birthday is in less than two weeks. It’s cold outside. Since we really don’t have room at a table indoors for six of us we’ll make it work staying bundled up.

As always, we were pretty impressed with their performance.

That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back with more fun photos tomorrow. Please check back.

Photo from one year ago today, July 5, 2017:

 Miles, Madighan (front), with me, Maisie, Camille, and Greg. We were winding down to leave Minnesota to head to Nevada for more family visits. For more details, please click here.

Two lions sighted on our street last night!…Zebras and kudus stampeding in the driveway!..Video…

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We always attempt to zoom in efficiently enough to leave out the fence.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This happened so quickly that we only got the last few seconds of what appeared to be a stampede by zebras and kudus in our driveway.  Stunning, today on the 4th of July!

This morning our dear friend and property manager Louise sent out this message warning of two lions sighted late last night. Thanks, Louise, for always being on the ball on these important updates.

PREDATOR WARNING:
Good morning. 2 Lions were spotted late last night in the area of Swartwitpens, Hartbees, Pappegaai, Woodpecker, and Butterfly. Please take caution as they still might be in the area. Thank you.

Sent from Messenger



We hadn’t heard any more details about the lioness that had entered Marloth Park a few weeks ago, prompting everyone to believe she may have returned to Kruger National Park.

We spotted these elephants from Marloth Park across the Crocodile River a few days ago.

There’s no word yet on the gender of these two lions, but surely in the next few days, something will be posted on the Marloth Park Sightings on Facebook. We’ll keep an eye out for updates.

Last night, we didn’t take any photos when I was busy on Skype speaking to son Greg, daughter-in-law Camille and our three grandchildren, Maisie, Miles, and Madighan. 

This parade of elephants consisted of more than 30.

They were camping about an hour outside of Minneapolis, and it was fun when Miles carried the phone around to show us photos of their new fifth-wheel camper. In return, I showed Madighan the bushbabies by turning around my computer while she squealed with delight over how cute they are. Maisie had an opportunity to see a few warthogs in the yard, including Little Wart Face. 

It’s not easy taking photos through the narrow electrified fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park.

Having face-time with family is especially fun, although we don’t always have the opportunity to do so due to the big time difference. It’s hard to believe that in a mere nine months, in April, we’ll be back in Minnesota to see everyone. 

We got out of the car and moved as close to the fence as possible to get these shots.  In Kruger, exiting a vehicle is strictly forbidden.

This visit won’t be as long as last summer’s six-week stay with only 17 days in Minnesota, but we’ll focus on spending quality time with both sides of the family as we did last year. However, we plan to return in September 2020, which is 16 months later.

In between all of these dates, we have so much planned all the way into 2021, along with gaps we’ll fill during the next year. The itinerary is perpetually evolving as we acquire interest and enthusiasm for new and different locations. To see our most recent itinerary, please click here.

Such mysterious and fascinating animals.

Once we’ve uploaded today’s post, we’ll be heading out for our usual drive in the park, but this time with eyes focused on spotting two lions and the eight ostrich chicks seen with mom and dad on a nearby dirt road. Of course, that doesn’t mean we won’t stop to take photos of other wildlife we discover along the way.

As for today, the US holiday, Independence Day, the 4th of July, as mentioned in a prior post, we’re attending a holiday celebration here in the bush at friends Kathy and Don’s home beginning at 1700 hours (5:00 pm). 

The caring these animals feel for one another is always obvious when viewing them in the wild.

Tom’s busy reading up on Independence Day facts since Don will always have a relevant quiz.  Tom won last time (at their Easter party). We’ll see how it goes tonight.

May our American family and friends in the US and living in other countries have a safe and meaningful Independence Day.  Our patriotism and devotion to our country and each other are vital to our freedom, prosperity, and everlasting peace.

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

With the bright sun behind us, this photo didn’t come out too well, plus our plates of food look twice as big as they actually were. For more details, please click here.

Late post due to distractions…The proverbial observers…A bulb supersedes…

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Notice the pellet crumbs on her nose. Often, there are lots of crumbs in the huge bags of pellets. Most wildlife is happy to lap up the crumbs if we place them on the tile steps.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Big Daddy showed up, and then he and Wildebeest Willie let us know pellets were expected.

We love these animals. It’s hard to describe to anyone who hasn’t experienced the beauty and magnificence of wild animals in their presence daily.  Not only do we relish the opportunity to see them each day, as we patiently wait for the sounds of the rustling of leaves in the bush as they approach, but we’re literally entranced by their behavior.

Although they’re used to being around humans while we all share the rustic terrain in Marloth Park, they are still wild animals. They aren’t domesticated beings, like dogs and cats. They don’t want to be touched, nor should we attempt to touch them.

In the forefront is the baby bushbuck we’ve seen grow over these past months. To her left is her mom, as shown in today’s main photo. Behind her is “auntie,” who’s helped raise the baby.  The three of them visit together at least once a day. They prefer to eat pellets and vegetables from the stone steps as opposed to in the dirt.

They fend for themselves in this wild place; mating, giving birth, raising their young, and interacting with one another in ways we often find astounding as we, the proverbial observers, glean this unstoppable sense of somehow belonging to their world, if only in a minuscule way when they visit us.

They don’t belong to us. This isn’t a zoo. This isn’t a rehab center for wildlife, although at times, for the more endangered species, medical intervention may occur in specific cases. But, most of the animals here are subject to illness, injury, and recovery on their own, as they best know-how.

We’ve named him Wildebeest Willie, now that he’s quickly becoming a regular visitor.

A huge benefit for them is the lack of natural predators here in the park, save for an occasional lion, leopard, or wild dogs entering the park through a break in the dividing fence between Marloth and Kruger Parks.

Recently, with the influx of tourists and, unfortunately, some residents, 13 animals have been killed on the roads by speeding and careless humans, not driving their vehicles with “them” in mind. 

Wildebeest are notoriously shy. The more he sees us, the more at ease he is hanging out in the garden. He stayed for several hours last night, unusual for a wildebeest.

Sure, occasionally, an unsuspecting driver may be unable to stop when an animal dashes into the road, day or night. But, then, we all should be driving at a snail’s pace to avert even those situations. 

Since the holiday season began, we’ve seen three cases where young children ranging from five to 12 years old have been driving SUVs, the youngest on the parent’s lap and the older on their own. 

When the pellets ran low, Wildebeest Willie didn’t waste any time approaching the veranda.

Who could think it is wise to let a child drive a vehicle in this place or anyplace, for that matter? They aren’t experienced or equipped to handle a massive vehicle if a wild animal suddenly jumped onto the road. 

And even if the parent had the child on their lap, the adult’s response time would be greatly hindered by the situation, unable to react quickly enough to avoid hitting an animal, let alone a person walking or riding a bike. What are these people thinking?

When we didn’t jump up right away, he held his ground at the edge of the veranda, waiting for us to respond.  We did.

We especially question this when day after day and night after night, we’re blissfully blessed to see these amazing creatures grace us with their presence, accepting our intrusion into their space, their terrain, their world.

Last night, we were in awe of them when we experienced one of the best wildlife watching experiences since we arrived in Marloth Park on February 11th. Not only did we have no less than eight playful and funny warthogs, but we had Frank and the Mrs. (francolins) in attendance, a loud chirping bullfrog for background noise, Wildebeest Willie, and Big Daddy adding to the entertainment factor.

He seems to get along well with the warthogs, which are nightly visitors. At this point, he and Little Wart Face shared pellets without incident.

And during the evening hours, bushbucks stopped by; mongoose visited, duikers delicately danced through the garden, along with a continuing stream of hippo and bullfrog sounds wafting through the air. 

We hardly had time to eat our dinner when every few moments we jumped up to toss another slew of pellets, a fistful of apples or handfuls of cut carrots to our “guests.” They couldn’t have been more pleased. We couldn’t have been more pleased.

And when later in the evening, as the “crowd” thinned out, the bulb in our garden light burned out. Subsequently, when we usually shop for groceries on Thursdays, we were off this morning to the Obaro Hardware store in Komatipoort for another bulb (we actually purchased two) when we couldn’t dare miss one evening of festivities. 

They seemed to get along well.  Only once did Big Daddy tap the ends of his giant antlers on the ground to let Willie know to back off?

We purchased groceries for our upcoming dinner party on Friday night and for us for the next week. After we put everything away, I asked Tom to please make sure the bulb worked so I could have peace of mind while preparing today’s post that nothing would hinder the joy of yet another evening on the veranda.  It worked, and we now have a backup.

Today, folks, it was a bulb. That’s why today’s post is late by no less than four hours due to going to Komatipoort to purchase the bulb and grocery shop while there.  For us to miss posting by our usual time, it must be a very critical situation; a drive into Kruger, a road trip, a special event, or a travel day.

Thanks for your patience, and enjoy your evening listening to the sounds of nature wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, July 3, 2017:

One year ago today, we dined with our old neighbors/friends. From left to right, Doug, Jamie Tom, me, Sue, Nelleke and Dave.  For more details and photos, please click here.

Contemplating continuing a life of world travel….

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In the past almost five months, we’ve only seen one wildebeest run through the garden. Last night two visitors were quite a thrill.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

What a pose!  What was she thinking?  Females’ feathers are brown, and males are black.

In the past several days, after celebrating our 27 years together, we’ve found ourselves reviewing the time we’ve spent together. Like most couples, some of it was easy, and other times were challenging. But, the one constant has been our love for one another.

Elephant viewing from the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park.

Yesterday, while driving through Marloth Park, we raised several questions regarding “what ifs” and how we handled them at this point in our lives. Most likely, this is a conversation some couples dare to discuss from time to time, especially as we age.

While in Kruger, it would be impossible to see these elephants by the Crocodile River based on the terrain. But, from Marloth Park, we often spot these magnificent beasts.
One may ask, “What if I became ill and couldn’t take care of the day-to-day tasks I’ve so easily handled in the past? Would we expect that I’d go to a nursing home or assisted living facility? Would you go with me if that was possible?”
Almost every time we’re out driving through Marloth Park, we spot elephants beyond the fence.

These are tough questions none of us likes to contemplate. The answers don’t come easily if one is honest with their partner. And sure, it’s essential to have a plan in mind as we age, as to what our best options may be in these difficult situations.

There may be one elephant or 40. However many there may be, we’re always thrilled to see them.

Since we have no home, answers to these questions become all the more difficult to answer. Of course, we’ve discussed many possible scenarios and, like you, have ideas in mind what we may do in such a situation or the case of an unforeseen emergency; injury, surgery, or debilitating illness.

An ostrich on a leisurely walk in the park.
But, yesterday Tom brought up a point we’ve never discussed to the degree we did in the car, which we continued once back at the house: What would we “really” do if one of us wanted to stop traveling, not as a result of a medical situation but instead, simply due to being tired of living this peculiar life on the move?
When we initially decided to travel the world in January 2012, we made a pact: That if one of us grew tired or bored with this life, the other would agree to stop. Plain and simple.
This flock of ostriches is often found in a particular area near the river we often visit when on daily drives.  Note the chick on the far left.

Tom’s question, posed with the utmost of love and concern, was, “What if one of us wanted to stop and the other did not want to?” Wow! That would be a challenge, wouldn’t it? We recalled our pact. 

Tom is feeding kudu girls and boys from the veranda. 

However, a lot has transpired in the past number of years, and we both are so committed and dedicated to this blissful life, we can’t imagine ever changing our lifestyle unless we physically could carry on no more (which in the realm of things, most likely will eventually happen).

So let’s assume for clarity, what if I wanted to stop, get a permanent home, stock it with stuff, to live out our remaining years in a warm climate somewhere in the US or elsewhere?

A group of kudus is a “forkl” and often females and males are together in a family unit referred to as a “harem.”

At this point, we were situated on the veranda setting up for the evening’s wildlife watching, a glass of wine or cocktail, and eventually the fabulous dinner I’d spent the better part of the day preparing before we embarked on the late afternoon drive.

We were both perplexed about how we’d answer this difficult question, now with so much experience behind us and our acquired passion for world travel. We never dreamed this would be us, now or ever, for that matter.

He ate a few pellets, looked at us, and was on his way, the other following close behind.

We agreed that the next possible question would be, “Could we talk the “disenchanted” into changing their mind?” At that point, we both decided that we’d be open to discussion as the next logical step.

Tom always says, “It’s a good thing we found each other. Otherwise, we’d be screwing up two other innocent people.” 

In other words, neither of us can imagine, now or at any time in the future, ever become bored or disenchanted with our lives together as it is now. We even laughed at the incredible nature of this concept.

And so…we carry on, fulfilled, content, and hopeful for the future, together as a determined team to see the world, on our terms, in our own time for however long we’ll be blessed to do so.

May your dreams be fulfilled as well. 

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

Tom and I dined here in our old lives. Dining here while we were in Minnesota last year didn’t fit into the budget in this life. For more details, please click here.

An afternoon at the fair…Marloth Park Honorary Rangers Winter Fair, that is!….

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At the entrance to the Marloth Park Honorary Rangers Winter Fair.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This was a first…three warthogs sleeping in the yard, from left to right, Tusker, Little Wart Face, and Ms. Warthog, who the two boys were both interested in courting.

Yesterday, Saturday afternoon, we drove the short distance to Henk Van Rooyen Park located on the Crocodile River to attend the annual Marloth Park Honorary Rangers Winter Fair. We had no idea what to expect.
Each year the Honorary Rangers work hard to present this festive fundraiser and social event for the residents and visitors of Marloth Park. The entrance fee was a paltry ZAR 20 (US $1.46) per person, paid at the entrance gate.

Marloth Park Conservancy display with educational information about wildlife.

Once inside the gate, we didn’t have trouble finding a parking spot that had Tom concerned a few days before the event. He always worries about traffic and parking. It must be a “guy thing.” I never give either a thought. With attendees coming and going to the day-long event, it was easy to slide into a convenient spot without concern.

A display of a variety of plant and animals items.

Within moments of entering the fair, we started running into people we knew, which surprised and pleased us both. We knew we’d met many beautiful people in the past almost five months in Marloth Park, but until many were assembled at the public venue, we had no idea how many we’d come to know.

Many locally made handicrafts were offered for sale.

We purchased raffle tickets, played a game, and Tom enjoyed a big glass of beer for only ZAR 25 ($1.82).  Wandering by and stopping at many of the kiosks, we engaged in lively conversations with people we knew and many new people we met. We’re always amazed by how friendly the locals are here in the park. We’ve been made to feel so welcomed.

This lovely Honorary Ranger was equally friendly as all of the others we encountered at the fair.

It’s not always easy for local people to readily welcome strangers to their special place. Often, new people are left feeling like “outsiders,” but this has never been the case here.

Of course, there’s always jewelry for sale at fairs.

We realized that as of late, we’d posted a few “controversial” stories that could make particular residents uncomfortable. Never for a moment did we feel any strain or judgment from any participants at the event or otherwise.

A band played during the festivities.

Let’s face it, and this is a tiny town. There are currently 4355 properties in the park, including yet-to-be-built “stands” (lots or plots of land). These stats may be found at this demographics site here.

Picnic tables were available for those eating, drinking, or chatting.

In speaking with locals since we arrived on February 11th, we’ve heard that there may be less than 1000 property owners in the park at any given time. Of course, there are always several hundred tourists staying in holiday homes, such as us, although not necessarily for as long as we do.

Three of our friends were operating the beer kiosk from left to right in the center, Paul, John, and Sandra.

Many homeowners have homes in other locations, many right here in South Africa in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, and many other cities. Then, many homeowners from the Netherlands, the UK, and many other parts of the world.

Our friend Evan was selling soda and water.

Overall, most of the people we’ve met are native South Africans or have become residents/citizens of South Africa from other parts of the world. Oddly, as we’ve mentioned in prior posts, other than friends Kathy and Don, we’ve yet to meet any residents, property owners, or tourists from the US. 

There were several old telephones on the top shelf in this display, along with other antique-type items.

We assume few Americans here due to the long distance and the high cost to fly back and forth between any US state and Marloth Park. There aren’t many. As of today, the round trip fare to fly from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Nelspruit/Mpumalanga, South Africa, is (as of today’s best rate) is ZAR 38,441 (US $2800) per person, and the flight is over 34 hours. 

Handmade beaded wildlife characters.

Can you imagine how costly and time-consuming it would be for US citizens to fly back and forth to their “vacation/holiday” in Marloth Park three or four times a year? Few people choose this type of location for a second or third home due to these facts.

More jewelry…

We’ve yet to go to Kruger with all the holidaymakers here right now. I’ve seen a few videos from sightings in Kruger, and the cars were backed up on the tar road. As mentioned above, we prefer to go to Kruger when the traffic dies down a little. Perhaps, we’ll attempt sometime this week between planned social events or the following week.

Artist’s renditions of wildlife along with an array of skulls, horns, and tusks.

The “school holiday” for South Africans ends on July 17th. Then, there will be many more Europeans and others coming to Marloth for their summer holiday.  All of this should taper off by mid-August. By the time we return from Zambia on August 23rd, it should be quiet again in the park, at least until Christmas, when it is packed with tourists once again.

This was my favorite.  For ZAR 20 (US $1.46), a participant could pull one of the tangled strings to see which bottles they pulled as their prize.  We took two tries for ZAR 40 ($2.92).  See what I “won” in the photo below.

A special thank you to all Marlothians who’ve made us feel so welcomed in your magical place and, thanks to all of our readers for sharing it all with us!

Here’s what I won, a large bottle of tomato sauce and bottled water, both of which we’ll certainly use.

May your day be as bright and sunny as we expect ours to be.

 Photo from one year ago today, July 1, 2017:

Wayzata Bay is only a tiny portion of huge Lake Minnetonka with over 14,000 acres and 140 miles of shoreline where we boated for many years. For more details, please click here.

Stars and Stripes…And, more stripes….Finding ingredients…Off to the Marloth Park Honorary Rangers Winter Fair…

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This particular “dazzle” of zebras was all female except for a youngster.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A zebra attempting to climb the steps to the veranda.

We’ll be attending a US holiday 4th of July party at Kathy and Don’s home, overlooking the Crocodile River, in four days.  Twelve guests will be in attendance, with only four actual US citizens; us and Kathy, and Don.

Zebras love pellets, carrots, and apples.

The rest are native South Africans from the UK, all of whom love a reason for a party. Kathy and Don will do their usual “over the top” celebration, often including games, prizes, and unique entertainment and festivities.

As soon as Kathy mentioned this upcoming event, I chimed in, offering to make my former 4th of July US flag cake which I’d make each year in our old lives. I made the offer, which Kathy accepted, starting to “make it small” since most in this group aren’t into desserts as Americans may be. 
In our old lives, I made this US flag cake every year on the 4th of July.

 Plus, with a few of us avoiding sugar or gluten, there’d be lots of cake left even if I made the small version.  Then, Tom would end up eating the leftovers. Not necessarily a good idea.

Of course, there’s often a warthog on the scene, in this case, one of our favorites, Little Wart Face.

The offer of the cake was more for the festivities than the eating, but I was bound and determined to make it, never giving it much thought after my offer. We planned to shop the day before the party to ensure the berries as shown on the cake were fresh. I’d planned to bake the cake the morning of the party.

Three weeks ago, I saw fresh strawberries and blueberries in the market, thinking, “no problem.” But over the next few weeks, there were no strawberries. One week later and there were no blueberries. The markets in Komatipoort receive stock on Thursdays and Fridays for the weekend. They don’t keep. By Tuesday, there’d be no chance of buying fresh berries. 

Zebras don’t stay around too long unless there’s a constant stream of pellets, fruits, and vegetables.

It’s not like the US or many other countries here when there’s usually exactly what one needs regardless of the day of the week. We always shop on Thursday afternoons, but even then, many items haven’t been put on the shelves, and the more popular items are already gone, purchased by the morning shoppers. We’ve learned the drill.

Often, zebras come to visit at night, making us thrilled for a daytime visit.

This may sound disgusting to health enthusiasts out there. Still, to taste exceptional, this particular cake requires Cool Whip, a non-dairy topping heavily sweetened with real sugar that tastes exceptionally good. We’ve seen videos from the US of people eating bowls of the chemical-laden stuff as a treat.

This zebra was licking pellet dust off the veranda tiles.

I must admit that in our old lives, either of us may have at one point or another taken a taste or two with a spoon directly from a plastic container of Cool Whip in the fridge. It was perfect, then. I used to put it on my ice cream with caramel syrup. Oh, good grief! Stop! My mouth is watering!

Well, anyway, this cake requires Cool Whip, which is not available in South Africa, certainly not anywhere we checked in Komatipoort. It made no sense to drive far away, hoping to find it.

This zebra started climbing up the steps to the veranda, but they’re slippery, and she backed off.

A few days ago, I let Kathy know I wasn’t making the cake. There were no berries, no Cool Whip at the market. Since no one in the group was particularly gung-ho for sweets, Kathy said, “No worries, don’t make a cake.” I felt bad since it’s not my nature to offer to do something and then “backpedal.” In this case, I had to let it go.

These two were scrounging for any stray pellets.

Two days after the 4th of July, we’re hosting a dinner party/birthday celebration for Kathy who’s birthday is on the 6th, and Ken’s (of Ken and Linda) will have been on the 4th. Lots of fun reasons to celebrate life in the bush!

As I’m sitting here now, on yet another perfect-weather-day, nine kudus stopped by, all girls, all looking for pellets, apples, and carrots. My favorite kudu, who I can identify by a “u-shaped” notch in her right ear, walked right up to the edge of the veranda and licked my bare toes, as usual. She makes me laugh! 

A third joined them in the search.

As soon as we upload this post, we’ll be heading to Henk Van Rooyen Park for the annual Honorary Rangers Winter Fair. This is the same location where Aamazing River View restaurant is located, which we wrote about in yesterday’s post.

Tomorrow, we’ll return with our experiences and photos from the fair. No doubt we’ll run into some of the many wonderful people we’ve met in Marloth Park over this past almost five months. What a ride it’s been so far!
May your day be bright and sunny!

Photo from one year ago today, June 30, 2017:

Look at all that luggage we had back in January 2013 as we prepared to board our second cruise in Fort Lauderdale. We posted this old photo one year ago today when we had purchased two new bags. We no longer have any of the pieces shown here when we’d seriously unloaded “stuff” during our first year or two. For more, please click here.

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: