Birthday party photos…Oh, what a night!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
We’ll never forget this birthday as a special event for both of us; celebrated life, health, our experiences, and the acceptable friends we’ve made along the way.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush

Colorful face shot of a helmeted guinea fowl, many of whom are frequent visitors to our bush house.

It’s after noon, and I’m just getting started on today’s post. There were a few diversions this morning, keeping me from getting a timely start. One delay was due to my sleeping in until 8:00 am after a long stretch of wakefulness during the night. I guess it was the two glasses of red wine I drank during my birthday party. 

Secondly, I had complicated computer problems this morning (I won’t bore you with the details) when I sat down at the big outdoor table to begin the post. After a few hours of working on it and staying calm, I created somewhat of a workaround, hopefully lasting until I fire up my new yet unused laptop. 

I‘ve been trying to use this three-plus-year-old Acer laptop until it’s on its last leg, and it appears that day may be imminent. Based on all the jousting around in our travels and excessive use, I’m surprised it’s lasted as long as it has.

Dawn had decorated the table beautifully for the party.  Thanks, Dawn!  By the time we were all seated, it was dark, cozy, and romantic.

The second distraction was when our housekeeper Martha, who lives in a tiny house on the property, asked to help fix her TV. We walked to her little place and played with the remote, attempting to get a signal.  Finally, we got it working, and the dear woman hugged us with gratitude. 

We could only imagine how hard it would be for her to be without TV during her free time. Although she works for us and a few other properties for Louise and Danie, she has idle time that could be lonely and difficult without the ability to watch her favorite shows.

The third distraction was to run to the little market in Marloth to see if we could find mushrooms for a dish I’m making tonight. The mushrooms are an integral ingredient in the recipe, and it just wouldn’t be the same without them. 

Wow! We were thrilled with the “cake of the world!”  Janine even made the two representations of Tom and me totally by hand.

We didn’t feel like driving to Komatipoort for mushrooms since we didn’t need to do any other grocery shopping right now.  The round trip drive is over an hour and certainly not worth it for only one item.

There are two superette-type markets in Marloth Park, one with about 30% more inventory than the other. Alas, we headed to the larger of the two and found fresh mushrooms. That was surprising!

Back at the house, I settled into my usual spot on the veranda to finally get started on today’s post about last night’s birthday party. A few visitors stopped, and again I was distracted from the task at hand. Oh, well, here we are now, pushing 3:00 pm and anxious to share last night’s event.

Closeup of Tom and I in fondant standing atop the world!  So fun!

Tom and I arrived at Jabula shortly before 6:00 pm, where we met with Jannine, the cake lady, her husband Vincent, and their two kids while they waited for us in the rain tucked under an overhang. They’d arrived earlier than planned, and fortunately, we’d done the same.

Although it was pouring rain when we arrived, they’d already carried the cake up the steep stairs to the restaurant. As soon as we stepped into the bar and spotted the cake, we both smiled from ear to ear. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

As shown in our photos, the cake was made round into the shape of the world, with each of the continents added utilizing fondant. The two minor characters she’d made to represent us couldn’t have been more adorable and befitting. 

Kathy, me, Tom, Lynne and Danie at the end of the table.

What a talent! Known as the “cake lady” in these parts, Jannine can be reached through Vincent’s email here should you live in Marloth Park or nearby and would like a unique and delicious cake.

Shortly after Jannine and Vincent left, our guests began to arrive. We mingled around the bar until it was time to be seated. We paid for our cake, reasonably priced at US $56.54 (ZAR 650), and hugged them both for their attention to detail and for delivering the cake to Jabula.

Dawn, the co-owner of Jabula with her husband Leon, set an exquisite table for our group and had the plastic-encased menus printed with the selections as well as the photo of us sipping champagne on the Zodiac boat only weeks ago in Antarctica. It couldn’t have been more perfect. (See image below).

Linda, Mick, and Louise, with Ken and Don standing.

The evening flowed with lively upbeat conversation, not only about the commonality we all share in our love for Marloth Park but also many other exciting topics. The time flew so quickly, when it was time to go, we felt as if we hadn’t had quite enough of this beautiful group of people.

The specially printed menu added a nice touch.

The food was exceptional.  We hosted the meal, and both red and white wine was served during the dinner. Afterward, I cut the cake, which tempted me to lick my fingers, but I didn’t taste a drop.  

I’d thought about making an appropriate cake for me, but I didn’t feel a need for it.  I try to avoid getting back into a taste for sweet foods, which I’ve all but conquered over these past few years.

I’d asked our guests not to bring gifts, but they couldn’t seem to avoid doing so. When doesn’t a girl love a 50 pound (23 kg) bag of pellets, a bag of almond flour, bars of scented soaps, and a bottle of fine South African wine in a lovely African cloth holder beside all the beautiful cards and messages? 

A few of the guys had “espetada,” which is well-seasoned meat of a hanging skewer.  Gee, I might try this sometime, but I always have the same meal at Jabula; peri-peri chicken livers with a Greek salad.

A heartfelt thanks to all of our friends for knowing exactly what I’d love, none of which I’ll have to add to my luggage next time we fly away after blissfully using up all of the items.

Back at our inviting holiday home, referred to as “Orange…More than Just a Color” I checked my computer to find more birthday wishes than I’d ever seen in the past; from our readers, our Facebook friends, our family, and friends. I must say I was reeling from the love I felt from all over the world. 

After the dinner plates were cleared, the cake was delivered to the table. Thanks, Kathy, for bringing the candles!

Thank you with all of my heart for making the 70th birthday one I’ll never forget, not for the celebration of the “number” but for the people who made it so special. 

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

Views of the Huon River in Tasmania. For more photos, please click here.

My 70th birthday present, unwrapped and before my eyes…Nothing compares…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We’ve fallen in love with the female bushbuck who stops by for a visit almost every day. She doesn’t hesitate to eat from my hand and responds to my voice.
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
This purple crested turaco or purple crested lourie stopped by for a visit yesterday. After waiting a while, we spotted a mate.

While swimming in the pool in Bali in October 2016, Tom presented me with an exciting gift for my 70th birthday, which was 16 months away. Here’s the post from that date.  

I had been longing to return to Africa one day but never expected it to be so soon. Tom felt this milestone birthday deserved something special, and besides, what can a guy buy his girl when her one clothing suitcase is filled to the brim with its allowable 23 kg (50 pounds)?

Forget jewelry; not safe to wear in some locations.  Forget a box of chocolates; she doesn’t consume sugar. Forget any clothing items; as mentioned above, there’s no room. Forget digital equipment; she already has everything she needs or wants. Forget a trip to a tropical climate; she already lives life on holiday, mostly in tropical climates. And, the list went on and on. 
“The purple-crested turaco (Tauraco porphyreolophus) is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family. It is the National Bird of the Kingdom of Swaziland. The crimson flight feathers of this and related turaco species are important in the ceremonial regalia of the Swazi royal family.”

Otherwise, he couldn’t think of a thing. If he’d asked me for suggestions, I’d have been at a loss. I have everything I could ever want. I never walk into a shop or store and wish I could make a purchase, not for a personal item nor a household item. 

I‘ve learned to “make do” with what I have. I am perfectly content as long as I can replenish my few cosmetic items that fit in a few ziplock bags and clothing and shoes as they wear out.

In our old lives, I had every kitchen gadget imaginable. Now, as long as I have two good knives, a paring knife, a large chopping knife, a few large bowls, and if possible, a mixer, a blender, or a coffee grinder, I can prepare any of our favorite meals.

So, when Tom told me we were returning to Africa after the Antarctica cruise we’d booked eight months earlier, I nearly wept with joy.  We’d never returned to any location we’d previously visited, except Bali for a second two-month stay when we took a two-month hiatus to head to Southeast Asia, visiting Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia with a cruise on the Mekong River.

“This bird has a purple-colored crest above a green head, a red ring around their eyes, and a black bill. The neck and chest are green and brown. The rest of the body is purple, with red flight feathers.”

We loved the second two-month stay in Bali and the first in the same exquisite holiday home in Sumbersari, a five-hour harrowing drive from the airport in Denpasar.

And now, back in Marloth Park with a plan to stay in Africa for 14 months, traveling in and out of South Africa with Marloth Park as somewhat of a base, we’ll visit many more exciting countries on the continent, which we’ll share in months to come.

The four years since we were last here went quickly, yet our memories of being here are so fresh in our minds. We recall every little nuance and almost every post we uploaded during those three short months. 

As we lounge on the veranda all day long, rain or shine, awaiting our next visitors, knowing full-well they will come as they have over these past nine days since our arrival, we’re at peace. For me, I feel like I am “home.” 

They live in moist woodland and evergreen forests. They eat mainly fruit.

This life here, albeit interlaced with certain challenges and discomforts, is truly where I belong. As a little girl, I dreamed of Africa, and to realize it took me 66 years to get here the first time and 70 years the second time, I am fulfilled.

And…when it’s time to go, I will accept it, hopefully with grace and ease, knowing a lifelong dream has been fulfilled, and it’s time to move on. Will we ever return? Who knows? Perhaps another four or more years will pass, and we’ll know we want to and are physically able to return. We’re good at planning two years out, but not much more than that.

Today will be a good day. This morning, I lay down the pellets on the soft dirt of the driveway after last night’s soaking rain, and within minutes, we had a female kudu, a male bushbuck, and a flock of helmeted guinea fowl. That was quite a treat! Before noon, friends Kathy and Linda unexpectedly stopped by to wish me a happy birthday.

This morning the bird, as shown here today, a purple crested turaco or purple crested lourie, stopped by the tree directly in front of us, displaying its beautiful plumage much too quickly for another photo. We’re grateful for the photos we captured yesterday afternoon.

Speaking of gratefulness, I must express my gratitude to my dear husband Tom. Without him and his never-ending desire to provide me with indescribable joy and fulfillment, life couldn’t possibly reach these heights. I never dreamed 70 years of age would be like this.

To all of our readers/friends/family…we thank you for traveling along with us.  We never imagined we’d have some many readers from all over the world. All of you mean the world to us, and your readership is a huge inspiration in every aspect of our travels. 

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

While at the pharmacy in Geeveston, we noticed this antique wagon atop the bakery/restaurant. For more photos, please click here.

Malaria risks…Big Boy is back!…The excitement continues…We can’t get enough!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Three-for-One….on the Crocodile River; a White Fronted Plover, a female impala, and a male waterbuck. We’d wish it had been a sunny day for this shot, but cloudy days can mean more rain, and rain is desperately needed.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A vervet monkey was sitting atop a lion statue in the yard of a house.

No, we won’t be spending this entire next 12 months in Africa sitting on the veranda waiting for visitors and posting photos of the same species over and over again. We have many exciting plans on the horizon.

Big Boy is easy twice the size of this other adult male warthog. We’re assuming this may be the same “Big Boy” we saw four years ago, as shown at this link. Warthogs have a lifespan of 18 years.  Once males mate, they don’t hang out with females, nor are they involved in the care of their offspring.  However, who knows, perhaps another male with whom they wander and graze may be an offspring.

But, after the last few months having sailed on two major cruises (30-nights and 17-nights) and spending 33-nights in Buenos Aires, we’re both thoroughly enjoying this time doing exactly what we feel like doing; relishing the quiet, the never-ending stream of “visitors” and time with our friends in Marloth Park.
 
Part of the joys of traveling the world is spending time, just like all of you, settling into a comfortable and pleasurable routine with minor requirements of our time. We can go out. We can stay in, sitting on the veranda. Our time is our own.

“A face only a mother could love,” and yet I find them so adorable with their quirky personalities.

Marloth Park and much of South Africa are often hot, humid with plenty of mozzies and other insects. We have to reapply insect repellent several times a day, especially during this second stay in South Africa. We aren’t taking malaria pills. 

The high-risk malaria season is ending in March or April, depending on the rains. It made no sense to be taking the pills for over a year where there are side effects and hazards in doing so over the long haul. 

Up the steps he goes, to see what we’ve got in the way of pellets!

Taking the risk of getting malaria or taking the risk of possible side effects from taking the medication for an extended period was a toss-up.  With a diligent repellent application, primarily with DEET, the only sure-fire ingredient, there’s another round of risks.

Warthogs tend to eat on their knees due to their long legs and short necks, making foraging for food more accessible. They have special knee pads that make this possible.

We didn’t take these considerations lightly. After speaking to several of our local friends, we opted to do what they do…stay protected with strong repellent and don’t kid ourselves that “natural’ repellents are strong enough to prevent bites. We know this from experience after trying several natural repellents, and yet, we still got bit, Tom, less than me.

“Whew,” says Big Boy. “I need a rest after eating all those pellets.”  He has to comfortably position his head with those razor-sharp tusks used for digging up roots and for his personal defense.  Warthogs aren’t naturally aggressive but will defend themselves vigorously if need be.  Females will become very aggressive in protecting their young.

Plus, taking malaria pills is no guaranty one won’t contract malaria. They aren’t 100% effective. Many tourists coming to Africa for a few weeks begin taking the drugs a week or two before they arrive, during their stay, and a few weeks after leaving the area. Generally, this provides good protection.

After about 20 minutes, Big Boy perked up and was ready to continue his day with his male friend, who hung around waiting for him while he napped.

But, our circumstances are different. After considerable research and speaking with our friends here in Marloth, we feel comfortable with our decision not to take the pills with a few adaptations.

Roadside shop with potatoes, onions, and miscellaneous items.

One way to reduce the risk of mosquito bites is to remove these “tire chairs” from our proximity, as shown in the photo below.  These tires can easily hold water where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.  Yesterday, after it rained, Tom tipped them all over to remove the water. Today, when our pool and groundskeeper Josiah arrives, we’re asking him to move these chairs in a distant area in the yard,

Visitors are checking the ground for pellets near the “tire” chairs.

As pointed out on Saturday night by our friend Don and longtime resident of Marloth Park, these tire chairs could easily provide an ideal hiding place for a deadly black mamba. Four years ago, Don told us a terrifying story about finding a black mamba in his storage room the last time we were here. 

Don escaped unharmed, but it was an incident he’ll never forget and a story we easily remembered after hearing it so long ago. One can’t ever be too careful in ensuring their safety from potential risks in specific environments, and there’s little room for foolhardiness.

This is the bush house we first rented when we arrived in Marloth in December 2013.  We prefer the house we’re in now due to its easier view of the yard indoors (for checking on visitors). However, we’re spending every hour of the day outside as we’d done at that property.

The weekend was spectacular for both human and wildlife visitors.  At one point on Sunday, we had eight large animals in front of us. We do not doubt as they become used to our presence, we’ll see more and more.

Today, we’re finalizing a few details for my upcoming birthday party at Jabula tomorrow night. We can’t wait to share photos from the party and the most unusual birthday cake prepared by the “cake lady” here in Marloth Park. 

Life is good, even better than we’d expected. We hope yours is as well!

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

Huon River from the highway in Tasmania. We were nearing the end of our six-week stay. For more, please click here.

A little about Marloth Park… Fun with the locals…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Zeff was here with us four years ago.  It was wonderful to see him again. 

What is Marloth Park? Over these past four years since we were last here, we’ve mentioned it more times than we care to count, over and over again, ad nauseam, perhaps at times to the disdain of our readers. For this, we apologize and hope we haven’t bored you.

But, this place is unlike any other world, a little developed, a lot natural. Oh, some may say this is like “Disneyland in the bush,” but that’s far from the truth. 
Our first male kudu visitor.
Marloth Park is adjacent to Kruger National Park, that this 3000 hectare (11.5 square miles), developed as a town in 1972, became a holiday haven for wildlife enthusiasts who wanted to experience living in the bush (bushveld in Afrikaans, the local language), being able to interact ever so gently with the many animals that have naturally habituated this area.
We’ve heard that 4000 lots had been divided over the years, and there are varying opinions on how many houses have actually been built in these past 46 years. Our host, Danie, a builder, presumes there are about 2300 houses in Marloth Park.
Mr. Kudu certainly enjoyed his share of pellets after he finished off everything we’d left on the dirt driveway.  Once he left, we restocked.
Other than the houses in the area and a few minimal-offering shops and a petrol station, Marloth Park remains pristine in its attempt to maintain a less touristy-feeling environment while providing its homeowners and visitors with a life-changing experience.
Sure, we could find a home in the savannah, somewhere in the bush in Africa, where wildlife roamed about the house. In that case, we wouldn’t have the ease of living all of us expect in our day to day lives; electricity; air-con for sleeping; Wi-Fi, running water, sewer systems, garbage pickup, and all those amenities many of us have come to anticipate as a part of everyday life.
What a muscular animal!
We’re not 20 years old, hauling a backpack and sleeping in a tent for the rich experience one of this age might find enticing in their pursuit of personal growth.
However, even in our age group, we reap the benefits offered by this stunning environment, of peacefulness, wonder, and the sheer joy of our surroundings and yet have all of the above conveniences we’ve come to expect and, maybe at our ages, need to be comfortable to some degree.
This adult female bushbuck stops by several times a day.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s not a piece of cake living here. It’s a half-hour drive to a supermarket or pharmacy. And if one needs emergency medical care, it’s still that same 30-minute drive which would be a matter of life or death in the event of a bite from a black mamba (snake) even we had seen in these parts only four years ago (and most likely will see again).

It’s hot and humid most of the time. There are insects like none others we’ve seen anywhere in the world. The power goes out more often than in most places, often due to careless tourists failing to be mindful of the size of the limited power grid in this area. 

While at the shopping center yesterday, these students were cheering and singing after a fabulous photo safari in  Kruger Park as part of a school project.

And, the mozzies come out at dusk bringing with them a rash of dangerous diseases. This time we aren’t taking malaria pills. None of our friends take them that live here off and on throughout the year.  

The possible fourteen months we’ll be in Africa is just too long to be taking the drugs. Instead, we’re using repellent day and night with a maximum of 35% DEET, which has been determined to be safe.

When this pretty young lady spotted us with a camera, she asked if we’d take her photo.  When we handed her a card with our web address, she thrilled us to post her photo.  Her name is Sonto Zwene. We hope she has an opportunity to see herself here. What a lovely girl!

The staff in Marloth Park come from many surrounding areas. Many arrive each day by bus or sharing the  Rarely do any of them live in the park. The exception is those who may be live-in support staff.  Even Martha, our full-time housekeeper who lives in a little house on the property, frequently leaves the area to visit family and friends.  

These kindly, warm and friendly people definitely enhance the quality of our experiences living in Marloth Park. A warm hug is as common as a hearty hello. Although most speak Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu, many speak English sufficient to communicate easily.

More Helmeted Guinea Fowl. We love these turkey-like birds with colorful heads.

Yesterday, we drove to Komatipoort for the second time since our arrival to find a few groceries items we hadn’t been able to find the first time. Also, we replaced the HDMI cord, but we’re still having trouble with the signal from my laptop to the TV. We’ll work on this later today.

While in town, we stopped at a pharmacy to discover I won’t need to order refills of my few prescriptions from afar. They carry each of my three meds over-the-counter, without a new prescription, making the process convenient.

“The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to a declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching. The greater kudu is one of two species commonly known as kudu, the other being the lesser kudu.”

Yesterday the temperature was a high of 100F (38C). In the evening, after our delicious dinner, we stayed indoors. The two air con units in the high vaulted ceiling living room couldn’t cool it down. It was toasty, but we managed. Today, it’s partially cloudy and much cooler.

We’ve already had several visitors this morning and look forward to more as the day progresses.

Have a beautiful day! 

Photo from one year ago today, February 16, 2017:

Boats in the bay on the Huon River in Tasmania. For more photos, please click here.

Party planning in the bush…More new exciting photos…Hot today!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
As the sun was waning during our evening drive. Sunsets in Africa seem to be the most spectacular we’ve seen in our travels.

The last time I planned a party was when we were about to leave Marloth Park on February 28, 2014. It’s customary when someone is leaving South Africa to host their going-away party. 

As darkness began to fall, we squealed with delight when we had to slow down for this ostrich walking down the center of the road. Could it have been Clive or Clove or one of her offspring from our four-year-ago visit?

We invited a small group for dinner shortly before we left. The friends we’d made were in two groups, one related to our rental in one way or another and other friends we’d met along the way. 

We dared to get a little closer to take this shot through the windshield. We didn’t want to scare her away.

At one point or another, we’d had everyone over for dinner, and now as we plan my birthday in five days, I realized we hadn’t planned a party anywhere in the world since that time, and this time, we include both groups. We’re so excited.

Finally, she moved over so we could pass, but we watched her in the rearview mirror, stay on the road for quite some time. What a treat!

This morning, we ordered a regular birthday cake from Jannine (correct spelling), the Marloth Park “cake lady.” I’ll bake a small coconut flour cake for me, and we’ll be able to celebrate eating cake together. 

I’m so excited to be celebrating this milestone birthday with these fine friends. Turning 70 can be daunting, but I’m looking at it as a celebration of life, love, friendship, and the non-stop joy of experiencing the world every day of this unusual lifestyle we’ve chosen to live,

Mr. Kudu was on the side of the road as we passed on the way to the little market in Marloth Park. Now, these stunning males are visiting us in the yard. Photos will follow!

Last night we went to Jabula Restaurant & Lodge to see our old friends, Dawn and Leon, restaurant owners and had a fabulous time. They’d set up beautiful outdoor tables with Valentine decorations, reserving one for us. 

After wine and beer at the bar, we took our table and chatted with a party of three sitting next to us, after our exceptional dinner, which including two red wines for me and four beers for Tom (little lushes we are when out, not at “home”) our total bill including tip was US $47.82 (ZAR 586).

We spotted three wildebeests when we went for our evening drive in the park.

Of course, I ordered “my usual” (from four years ago) peri-peri chicken livers and a substantial grilled Greek chicken salad. Tom ordered barbecue ribs, chips (fries), and salad. We couldn’t have enjoyed it more.

Today, I’m busy cooking one of our favorite homemade recipes, the first full meal I will have prepared in 85 days. We both longed for our favorite low-carb dish, Chicken Pot Pie to which we’ll add a green salad. 

A thought-provoking pose with a bot of vegetation in her mouth.

Although this seems like a cold-weather dish, when we spend most of our lives in warm or hot weather, we don’t let the weather dictate what we’d like to eat. This dish could be classified as comfort food and most certainly, we don’t require much more comfort than we’re feeling now, but it will be fun to sit down with this fine meal tonight.

Wildebeests are commonly seen in Marloth Park and neighboring Kruger National Park.

Once we’re done posting today, and I finish chopping and dicing, we’ll head back to Komatipoort to purchase a few more items we hadn’t been able to find on Monday and hopefully find an HDMI cable.  Like many cables, eventually, they wear out, as was the case with ours. 

Impalas are often referred to a “MacDonalds” when they are the chosen meal for many predators.

We’re thrilled to be getting visitors several times a day, feeding them the nourishing pellets, and talking to them in my usual high-pitched voice. Hopefully, soon, some of the regulars will recognize my voice. So far, no warthogs. I wait patiently.

Today’s high temperature is expected to be 97F (36C), and yet we still sit all day outdoors, sweating up a storm, content as we can be. 

Be content today and always!

Photo from one year ago today, February 15, 2017:

In the Huon Valley in Tasmania, we enjoyed the fresh-picked organic vegetables from owners Anne and Rob’s garden. For more photos, please click here.

Hansel and Gretel style…Dropping pellets in the yard…Visitors have arrived….Happy Valentine’s Day

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
There she was yesterday,  a pretty kudu, standing by the watering hole in the yard of our holiday home. She nibbled on pellets and hung around for some time. Female kudus usually weigh about 463 pounds (210 kg), while male bulls may be well over 661 pounds (300 kg).  Only the males have long spiral horns. Tomorrow, we’ll share male kudus we spotted while out on our nightly drive.

Over four years ago, when we lived in Marloth Park, we purchased the approved pellets residents can feed the wild animals.  With the recent drought resulting in less vegetation for the wildlife to eat, the pellets are a nutritious food source.

Kudus are muscular, agile, and strong.

Louise had picked up a 50 pound (23 kg) bag of pellets, which were waiting for us when we arrived.  She dumped them into a giant trash bin with locking handles which we’ll keep indoors to avoid the baboons from getting into them. 

The baboons are very crafty and could quickly figure out how to unlock the interlocking handles.  Although many tourists “get a kick” out of seeing the baboons, they are an awful hazard and can tear up the interior (and exterior) of a house in minutes if they manage to get inside or on the veranda.

She was enjoying the pellets we’d left on the grounds surrounding the property.

It’s our responsibility to ensure they don’t get close to the house by not eating outdoors, feeding them pellets, or making them welcome in any manner. They are the only animals we’ll avoid in this Conservancy.  The others are more than welcome to stop by.

And stop by they have, especially after we began dropping the pellets, Hansel and Gretel style, while walking up and down the dirt driveway and around the house, scattering the pellets as we go. 

This was one view of her from the table and chairs on the veranda. As shown, we have two grills, one gas and another wood burning which we’ll take advantage of soon. Notice the chairs made of tires encircling the fire pit on the ground.

Well, wouldn’t you know, no more than an hour after we laid down the first batch of pellets, we had our first visitor, shown here today in our photos, a lovely female kudu?

Kudus may travel in groups referred to as a “forkl” or herd, particularly the females. The males are often loners, although they may be seen in herds of two, three, or more. We’ll share all of these instances as we move along.

At times, she stopped nibbling pellets and looked directly into our eyes.  What a sweet experience!

This morning as soon as we got situated at the long table on the veranda, I loaded up a plastic container with pellets to begin my twice daily “pellet dropping,” once upon awakening and another around 2:00 pm. 

Doing so should keep the visitors coming. Of course, we’re thrilled to be able to provide them with a bit of sustenance. Once they become used to our offering, they come by regularly during our three months in this house. Most likely, during our second three-month stint and beyond, we’ll repeat the same process, regardless of which holiday house we occupy in Marloth Park.

Although a little cautious near us, she wasn’t intimidated by the little rental car parked in the driveway.

We’d mentioned discussing our recent grocery shopping trip at the Spar Supermarket in Komatipoort. Not unusual in Africa, we had trouble finding some everyday items (to us) such as celery and Parmesan cheese. 

We spent US $317.08 (ZAR 3,760.88) at Spar plus, after the meat market, the biltong shop, a 12-pack of beer, three bottles of wine, and the total grocery bill to get us started was US $401.46 (ZAR 4,761.71). 

She was a lot bigger than she appears in this photo, although we suspected this female might be only one or two years of age.

We have enough beef, chicken, pork, and lamb on hand to last for the next two weeks, and we’ll only need to return to Komatipoort for vegetables and incidentals. We plan to return tomorrow to check out the Shoprite store to see if we can fill in the blanks for our upcoming planned recipes. 

Tonight, we’re planning dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day at Jabula Restaurant and to arrange for my birthday party next week on Tuesday. It will be fun to return and see owners Dawn and Leon and get the party planning underway. I don’t want a big fuss. We’ll be hosting several appetizers and cake and utilize a cash bar for the drinks.

Our first helmeted guinea hen (take from afar, resulting in a little blur).

As for Valentine’s Day, we wish all of our family, friends/readers a very loving day filled with reminders about how to share this special day with those you love. We won’t have any trouble figuring that out around here!

Photo from one year ago today, February 14, 2017:

Cute restaurant in Franklin, Tasmania. For more photos, please click here.

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

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
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…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
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…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
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?…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
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.