Why don’t we fly Business Class for these long flights?…One day and counting…Packing almost done..

Business Class seat configurations vary from airline to airline and type of aircraft. Often, paying so much more only provides a configuration such as this.

Note: Due to WiFi issues, we are unable to format the paragraphs in today’s post properly.

We are often asked why we don’t fly Business Class when flying to and from South Africa. Below, I’ve posted the best price I could find for the itinerary, per person, one way from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Nelspruit, South Africa. These prices were obtained from Expedia.com, representing today’s prices for a date further into the future, as short-notice flights can be higher priced.

“Minneapolis (MSP) – Mbombela (MQP)
Multiple airlines operated by Discover Airlines, Lufthansa, and Airlink
41h 50m • 2 stops
14h 15m in FRA • 7h 20m in JNB
One way per traveler”
If we’d opted for business class, the price might not have doubled, but it’d typically be around US $11,000 per person, totaling US $22,000 for this one round-trip from South Africa to the USA and back.
 
We decided, long ago in our world travels, that flying Business Class would not be an option when we’d much rather spend money on quality accommodations, adventures, dining out, high-quality groceries, and rental cars. 
Moments ago, Tom calculated that the total cost for our upcoming four cruises is $21,273.80, including deposits but excluding WiFi on the ships, always booking a balcony cabin. Neither of us has ever been interested in booking a lower-priced interior cabin when we enjoy having the sliding doors open to a veranda so much. 
Additionally, interior cabins lack windows, and although we don’t spend much time in the cabin, we appreciate the extra space and the exterior views. 
Thus, if we’d opted for Business Class for this one round trip from South Africa to the US and back, we’d have incurred an additional cost of about $18,000 over and above what we paid for our coach round-trip flights. 
Without question, flying Business Class makes the flying time much more comfortable when we can lie down to sleep. However, twice when we secured deals on Business Class, we were able to fly in Business Class, and even then, neither of us was able to sleep for more than three hours while lying down. When doing the math, it’s just not worth it.
On most coach flights, Tom can doze for a total of three hours sitting straight up, while I am lucky to get two hours of sleep, nodding off now and then while watching movies. Considering that our upcoming layover times are almost as long as flight times, it makes no sense. There’s no sleep expected during the nine-hour layover in London on the first leg. 
Upgrading to Business Class can often allow unlimited cocktails, beer, and wine for passengers. But, they are included on our upcoming flights with Virgin Atlantic. Besides, neither of us cares to drink alcohol when flying since it can have an impact on one’s ability to sleep.
One more day and tomorrow, we’ll head to the airport for our 11:00 pm start to the long journey. Leaving on Sunday, we’ll arrive in Marloth Park on Tuesday. Our hotel here in Minnesota, the Residence Inn by Marriott, provided us with a late check-out, as late as we needed for our 11:00 pm flight.
Most likely, we’ll leave the hotel tomorrow by 7:30 pm, as most international flights require arriving at the airport three hours before the scheduled flight. We’ll have to go through immigration, which may result in a long wait at times. 
Tonight, we’ll dine on the last of our Costco meats, along with egg salad I made this morning. We’ll be back with more tomorrow. 
Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 14, 2015:

This was the kitchen in the Trinity Beach, Australia house. The only workspace in the kitchen was near the sink. But, as long as I had room for the cutting board as shown, I could cook any meals. For more photos, please click here.

Summer Airline Deals in the USA…

When I stumbled across this article this morning, I felt it was imperative to share it with our readers today, rather than focusing on family events, while we’re here in Minnesota. There is plenty of time to continue to share what we’re doing with our family and friends.

From Travel + Leisure online magazine, seen here:

This Budget Airline’s ‘All-you-can-fly’ Summer Pass Is On Sale for $399—What to Know

Get unlimited flights for the entire summer while only paying taxes and fees. By Michael Cappetta Published on May 15, 2025

  • Frontier Airlines has officially started sales of its annual and summer “All-You-Can-Fly ” pass.
  • The pass provides unlimited flights on the discount carrier. 
  • Travelers are responsible for paying taxes and fees. 

The ultimate summer vacation just got cheaper.

Frontier Airlines announced the return of its GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly Annual Pass and Summer Pass, and both passes are now on sale. The subscription provides access to unlimited flights on the discount carrier with no extra charge for airfare. However, passengers are responsible for paying the taxes, fees, and a $0.01 processing fee for each segment of the booking.

The annual subscription pass has become popular with spontaneous and frequent fliers who value a variety of low-cost travel adventures.

“Turn your flexibility into unlimited flights,” Frontier shares about the pass on its website.

The annual pass is valid from May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026, at a rate of $599 annually. The summer pass is valid from May 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2025, at a rate of $399.

For travelers looking to try the service, Frontier is offering a limited-time monthly pass for $99 the first month and $149 thereafter. All plans automatically renew, so travelers should carefully review the terms, conditions, and renewal dates before subscribing. Travelers can purchase the pass on the Frontier website at flyfrontier.com/deals/gowild-pass.

While the pass can be helpful for flexible travelers, there are certain restrictions, such as blackout dates. For the remainder of the 2025 calendar year, for example, blackout dates include: May 22-23, 26; June 22, 26-29; July 3-7; Aug. 28-29; Sept. 1. Oct. 9-10, 12-13; Nov. 25, 26, 29-30; Dec. 1, 20-23, 26-31. Popular holidays such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Eve are excluded from the program.

The fares also do not include seat assignment, carry-on suitcase, or checked luggage, which means the cost could grow if travelers select these extras.

The budget carrier also notes on its website that both the annual pass and seasonal pass “will automatically renew for successive one-year terms unless you cancel.” For potential destinations, Frontier has been on the move, adding new routes that travelers could visit. The airline has expanded operations from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) with service to San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP) and Aruba (AUA).”

Yesterday, we attended granddaughter Maisie’s graduation party at her mom, Camille’s, home. The house was filled with friends and family members intent on celebrating Maisie’s graduation from Chanhassen High School. The decorations, the food, and the photos of Maisies scattered throughout the house were delightful and made grandpa and grandma proud.

Photo of our granddaughter, cheerleader Maisie, the graduate.

We had an excellent time at the party that started at noon and ended at 4:00 pm. However, we lingered until after 5:00 pm and then headed back to our hotel. We’d had plenty to eat from the fantastic array of foods and didn’t have dinner. Instead, we parked ourselves in front of the TV while we streamed a few shows on Netflix.

By 10:00 pm, I was ready for bed and ended up having a good night’s sleep. Soon, at 10:30 am, we’re leaving to meet daughter Tammy and family for brunch at Dolittle’s, where, last week, we’ve already enjoyed a lovely dinner for Greg’s girlfriend Heather’s birthday.

The rest of our day is free, but we’ll see how it rolls out after brunch with Tammy’s family.

We’ll be back with more.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 1, 2015:

We are on the bridge overlooking the sea in French Polynesia. For more photos, please click here.

Wait until you read this story!…

The sunset after leaving Mpumalanga/Kruger/Nelspruit Airport yesterday afternoon.

Note: We are at Heathrow Airport in London as we put together today’s post. We wrote the content yesterday after the event occurred.

I don’t know where to begin.

We’d decided to leave early for the airport in case of issues on the N4. I’d downloaded an app on my phone that provides up-to-the-minute notifications if there are problems along the highway on our route.

Everything was going smoothly until about 20 minutes before we arrived at the Mpumalanga/Kruger/Nelspruit Airport. We stopped, as usual, at the same petrol station we’ve used dozens of times to refuel the rental car at this last petrol station on the way to the airport.

Tom had the fuel topped off. As we were leaving the station, an employee, one of many employees who were wearing high-visibility vests with “security” emblazoned on the front and back, approached us and said the following:

“There’s been a bad accident on the road to the airport, and the road is closed. But they are letting people heading to the airport get through using a token. You must return to the petrol station to buy the token.”

Patrons stood in line at a bank of four ATMs while these “supposed” employees assisted them in getting the token using a credit or debit card.

Tom didn’t know our South African SIM phone number, and the two cards he tried didn’t work. At this point, he became very suspicious.

Suspecting it was a scam, he left the station to find me waiting in the car, as worried as I could be, for at least 30 minutes. I was so relieved when I finally saw him walking toward the car.

He explained what happened and said, ” It was a scam. Let’s head to the airport. There won’t be an accident or a road closure. ”

He was right. We breezed down the road for the final 20 minutes to the airport, but he kept saying we needed to call those two credit card companies and cancel the cards.

When we checked in for the flight, we finally had time to call both credit card companies. One of the cards was charged over US $2745, ZAR 48985, to an investment company. However, the credit card company suspected it was a fraudulent charge, and they put a hold on it, waiting for Tom to call to see if we’d approve of the charge.

Fortunately, Tom called both cards in time to cancel them. The two new cards will arrive in the mail in the US while we are there.

This post is a warning to all travelers on their way to or from the Nelspruit Airport. But this type of scam could happen anywhere in the world.

Tom is not naive and is a very savvy traveler. But as tourists, we aren’t always aware of how things are done under certain circumstances in a foreign country. At first, it was easy to think that such a token was a normal process on a busy highway.

We’ll be back at our next opportunity.

We board the next flight from Heathrow to Minneapolis for another nine-hour flight. The flight to London was over 11 hours. We didn’t sleep more than a few hours off and on. Now we are waiting with a five-hour layover, with only two more hours to go. We both feel surprisingly well.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, May 25, 2015:

Balcony view of our cabin on a Royal Caribbean ship heading from Honolulu to Sydney. For more photos, please click here.

Making lists…How much did we lose so far?…One day and counting…

This is a Blue Waxbill, a common bird in this area.  

Today is packing day. Since we’re leaving for only three weeks, packing is relatively easy, as I’ve run around the house collecting items we will need for this short period.

When the mongoose appeared for their usual morning meal, I used the last piece of paloney. They’ll likely visit again tomorrow morning, but I’ll dice bite-sized pieces of cheddar cheese and beat the remaining two eggs after I make breakfast for Tom. As carnivores, they can also eat dairy products.

To make grocery shopping easy when we return, while still experiencing a bit of jet lag, I have already made a grocery list on the app on my phone since my memory may not be sharp until we recover for a few days.

When we arrived here from Mumbai, India, during COVID, after traveling for 59 hours, I easily recall how impossible grocery shopping was when we went to Komati the next day. I told Tom we’d have to return another day when my thought process was more focused. Not sleeping for three days made it impossible to focus on shopping.

When we return in three weeks, we’ll have traveled for over 36 – 40 hours, and again, shopping must be put off for a few days.

However, with the new market here in Marloth Park at the Marlothi Centre, we can pick up a few items to get us through the first few days, entirely avoiding a big shopping trip to Komatipoort as soon as we arrive.

Also, I made a short grocery list in the Cub Foods online app for some basic items we’ll want to have on hand in the Minnesota hotel room, including a kitchen. We won’t be cooking dinners in the hotel room. Instead, we’ll dine out for dinner, or on those few nights without plans, with family or friends, we’ll order GrubHub delivery using our delivery-free membership with Amazon Prime.

Tom decided he’d rather eat two plain old-fashioned donuts from Cub than the complimentary breakfast at the hotel. The hotel’s scrambled eggs are processed with unhealthy ingredients, and their bacon is deep-fried in awful oils. I offered to make him bacon and eggs daily, but he chose to have two donuts with his coffee rather than eat the homemade breakfast.

He can’t get plain old-fashioned donuts here or in many countries, so he loves to have them while we are in the US. I guess the donuts are the lesser of two evils, says the Food Poice. I’ll be happy if he doesn’t buy ten pounds of those awful jelly candies, shown below, that he loves from Fleet Farm. He’ll go through ten pounds in a week. See the story about this at this post:

Tom ate all of these candies in one week and gained ten pounds.

Since we arrived in Marloth Park at the beginning of March, he has lost 15 pounds, 6.8 kg. It would be a shame if he gained it all back while we were in the US. If he eats the two donuts and a reasonably healthy dinner, he should be able to maintain what he’s lost and then begin the low-carb lifestyle again when we return.

We’ll see how it goes for him. I’ve lost 23 pounds, 10.4 kg, and need to lose another 7 pounds, 3.2 kg, to fit into those jeans I have been carrying for the past few years. I was taking heart medication that causes weight gain and other horrible side effects, which I no longer take it as instructed by the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic.

I’d gained 30 pounds, 13.6 kg, from that drug, hoping that when I stopped taking the medication, I’d automatically begin to lose weight, but that didn’t happen. When we arrived in Marloth Park, we both began cutting back on how much we ate and how often we ate… and just like that, we lost weight.

I lost more than Tom because I didn’t eat unhealthy food when dining out and stuck to a strict keto diet, eating less food, less often. It worked.

Now, I will pack, and I should be done in no time at all. Tonight, we’re off to Jabula for dinner.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, May 23, 2015:

Our final video of the Laysan Albatross as we prepared to leave Kauai after our four-month stay. For more photos, please click here.

What’s happening at the Newark Airport in New Jersey, USA?…

Two hornbills were enjoying the seeds from the above-ground tray in the garden.

With many of our worldwide readers traveling this summer, we felt it was imperative we post an update on what is transpiring at Newark Airport in Newark, New Jersey, USA, that may impact travel plans. When flying back to the US from anywhere in the world, we may have a layover in Newark.

There are quite a few mongooses in this particular band who visit almost daily.

Fortunately, for our upcoming flight in 12 days, our layover will be in London, but unfortunately, it will last nine hours. We’d rather have such a long layover than be stuck in an airport due to technical or infrastructural issues, especially when we don’t know when we’ll be in the air again.

Thus, today’s less-than-exciting post aims to alert those who have booked or are booking travel plans to be aware of potential delays and, if possible, reroute to other airports. This may be an added issue with many flights booked as non-refundable/non-changeable, but it never hurts to check to determine your options. As the Travel and Leisure online magazine article indicates below, “Some airlines are offering free flight changes for travelers who are nervous about flying into the hub.”

“Newark Airport Faces Another Radar Outage (Again)—What Travelers Should Know

By Michael Cappetta, Published on May 9, 2025

Back to our lives of two…Lisa is still flying after leaving 18 hours ago…Is it safe to fly on a helicopter?…

Sunsets over the Crocodile River can be stunning.

It was hard to say goodbye to Lisa after such a fantastic time together. The month she was here sailed by so quickly, with many memorable activities, that we hardly had time to catch our breath. We gave her the option of visiting us anywhere in the world we may be in the future. Most visitors to Africa often say that once Africa gets in your blood, you can’t wait to return. I imagine this notion will befall her as well.

Sunset at Ngwenya.

We had a lovely evening last night. I made a big pan of our favorite dishes, Keto Chicken, Sausage, Mushroom, and Cauliflower Bake, with a Greek salad and keto blueberry muffins, which we enjoyed around 6:00 pm. After dinner, we sat outdoors and headed to our bedroom to stream a few shows on my laptop.

A lovely female bushbuck is resting in the garden. She recently gave birth, and her baby is nearby.

Although I awoke a few times during the night as usual, I slept for eight hours overall and feel fantastic today. Tom did the same. As we’re sitting outdoors at the table on the veranda now, it’s raining in buckets. Besides a flock of helmeted guinea fowls, no animals are nearby, who seem not to mind getting wet.

Today is an easy day. We’ll drive to the Butchery at the Bush Centre to buy more biltong, which we’ve both enjoyed eating while still on our diets. I didn’t lose weight while Lisa was here since we dined out so often. But now, I can focus on home-cooked meals that suit our way of eating.

A cute little yellow bird checks out the seeds in the basket.

Tom is doing great. He has lost 14 pounds, or 6.4 kg, since March 4. His clothes fit better already. He plans to lose another 10 pounds, or 4.5 kg, in the coming months. We’re both feeling better without the extra weight.

On another note, we stumbled across the following article about flying in a helicopter. Many tourists embark on helicopter tours while traveling to embrace the beauty of a particular country/area from the air. Here are some stats from Travel and Leisure that may help you decide on helicopter tours or general travel. Remember that these stats may be very different in countries other than this US.

Hornbill swinging on the seed basket.

“Is it Safe to Fly in a Helicopter? Here’s What the Data Shows

Photo from ten years ago today, May 2, 2015:

This Bird of Paradise is the best example of a bloom that appears to be a bird’s head. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…32 tips for making a long-haul flight more comfortable…Delightful dinner at home of a friend in Marloth Park…

Sunset view from Frits’ veranda.

Today is the continuation of Part 2, 32 tips for making a long-haul flight more comfortable. Please see Part 1 here if you missed yesterday’s post..

“Charge your electronic devices.

The last thing you need is for your iPad to run out of juice one hour into an 11-hour flight. This is especially true if your in-flight entertainment system isn’t working. Remember to keep your charging cables and a power bank nearby as well.

Load up on podcasts.

Listening to podcasts uses less battery life than watching a movie, and they can be more entertaining than listening to music. You can get through an entire flight on podcasts alone.

Frits built a bonfire, referred to as a braai in South Africa.

Stay healthy.

Sitting in a cramped metal tube for the better part of a day, or more, is not suitable for you. Fight off dehydration and blood clotting — your two biggest enemies in the sky — by regularly drinking water, stretching, and walking around the cabin.

Bring what you need to freshen up.

This is for everyone else’s sake as much as your own. Bring toiletries in your carry-on so you can brush your teeth, apply deodorant, or even change your clothes in the lavatory. Also, try to stick to your bedtime routine. Wash your face in the bathroom before you go to sleep.

Get creative.

You rarely get the chance to sit down for such a long time, more or less distraction-free, so why not make the most of it? Bring a notebook, a sketchpad, or whatever else you need to exercise the right side of your brain. Switching activities throughout the flight instead of focusing on just one thing will also keep you feeling fresh.

Frits had a good setup for providing fruit for the bushbabies.

Be productive.

If you have your laptop with you, this might be a good opportunity to catch up on any tasks that need attention. Plus, everyone else on your flight will think you’re a sophisticated jet-setting businessperson. Just remember to download any necessary documents beforehand, in case in-flight Wi-Fi is unavailable.

Befriend the crew.

Simply not being horrible to the flight crew is a given, but you could always go one step further and actively make an effort to be nice. You’ll not only be doing something lovely for the folks who look after you up there, but also increase your chances of preferential treatment.

Pack extra snacks.

Airline food is often scarce, even on long-haul flights, and it’s essential to stay nourished. No need to overdo it, of course, but no one was ever sorry to find a couple of pieces of fruit or granola bars in their carry-on. Ensure the food you bring is not only nutritious but also easy on the stomach, so you’ll feel your best upon arrival.

Bushbaby heading in to get the bananas.

Moisturize your skin.

The dry, recycled air on a plane has a way of making your skin look and feel parched and lackluster. In addition to drinking plenty of water, slather on a bit of extra moisturizer. Use your thickest night cream — the one you reserve for winter. And reapply it throughout the flight.

Elevate your feet.

Sitting with your legs bent and feet on the floor for an extended period can cause pain and swelling in your ankles and feet as the fluid in your body naturally flows downward. If possible, prop your feet up on a special contraption, such as a portable footrest, or even your under-seat carry-on if it’s sturdy enough.

Wear compression socks.

Compression socks help minimize swelling on and after your flight by increasing blood circulation. At a minimum, they can keep you more comfortable, but more importantly, reduce the risk of developing blood clots during a long flight.

Frits was prepping the braai for cooking our steaks using dried used tea bags soaked in lighter fluid. Great idea!

Pack a nasal spray.

Have you ever noticed a generally icky and dry feeling in your sinuses while flying? That feeling is caused by a shift in air pressure and the low humidity in the cabin. Experts recommend using a decongestant nasal spray in each nostril before takeoff and descent to alleviate those symptoms.

Adjust your watch.

It’s essential to adjust to the time zone you’re flying into. As soon as you board the plane, change your watch to the local time of your destination, and then adjust your routine accordingly.

Be selective about your drink choices.

Some passengers enjoy a glass of wine or beer (often free on international flights) to accompany their in-flight meals and entertainment. That said, you probably shouldn’t treat booze as a way to fight boredom or cope with your flight. You’ll end up using those tiny bathrooms far more frequently than you’d like, plus alcohol is dehydrating and could mess up your sleep pattern. Soda can have a similar effect due to the caffeine, and the bubbles can cause you to feel gassy and bloated.

Bring your best conversation.

Many people dread sitting next to a chatty seatmate, but don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with your neighbor if the opportunity arises. You could be seated next to a genuinely interesting and friendly fellow traveler, and talking makes the time pass more quickly.

In no time at all, the fire was roaring.

Pack lots of activities for your kids.

Traveling with children? Make sure you have plenty of activities to keep them entertained throughout the flight. Bring the gaming systems, iPads preloaded with their favorite shows (and headphones), as well as coloring and sticker books. Plus, don’t forget their favorite snacks.”

As for last night, we joined our local friend Frits for dinner at his bush home overlooking the Crocodile River. He asked that we arrive by 3:00 pm to watch for wildlife on the river, and later, at precisely 5:45, as Frits had predicted, the precious little bushbabies arrived to eat bananas he had placed in and around his veranda on the second level.

We were thrilled for Lisa to finally see the little bushbabies, since she had already seen the larger thick-tailed bushbaby in our garden and at Jabula on their veranda at about the same time.

It was a joy to finally see the bushbabies, as we had yet to spot the little ones on our veranda at night. We will try again tonight by placing bits of bananas on the perch for them to eat.

Tom just left to pick up Lisa at the Crocodile Gate after her three-hour bush walk, accompanied by two armed guides and guards. Our dear friend Danie, the husband of Louise, who had booked all the events for her over the past few days, kindly offered to pick her up this morning at 5:00 am to drive her to the gate, as he and Louise get up at 4:30 each morning to begin their busy days.

Today is a national holiday in South Africa, Freedom Day, which is described as follows:

“Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa celebrated on 27 April. It commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994 and the day on which the new constitution was introduced.”

Tonight we’ll roast two whole chickens on the grill with veggies and a side salad while we enjoy more time on the veranda. With holidaymakers here for today’s holiday, we don’t expect to see a lot of wildlife, but we can hope, can’t we?

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 28, 2015:

It took considerable time to get this video. Finally, Tom suggested that I keep the camera open and ready, so that when I stood up to take the video, he would stop singing. As a result, part of this video shows the view through the screen door to the lanai, from where I was sitting at the time. Enjoy this simple video with us for the magnificence of Mother Nature and the world around us, whether it’s a little bird or a Goliath rhino. It all matters. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…32 tips for making a long-haul flight more comfortable…

A hornbill brought a treat to her reflection in the kitchen window.

With more dear friends, Karen and Rich,  coming to visit us from the US in July, we started thinking about how the flight can be more comfortable for those traveling long distances. Today, and tomorrow, we’re sharing this article from Travel and Leisure online magazine;

“32 Tips for Making a Long-haul Flight More Comfortable…

These in-flight hacks will help you enjoy the journey and feel more relaxed upon arrival.

An exciting nocturnal visitor…Soon, Tom leaves for Nelspruit to pick up Lisa at the airport…Tom’s fun night out without me…

Last night, our trail cam picked up this photo of a genet. We’ll start putting meat out for him. “A genet is a member of the genus Genetta, which consists of 17 species of small African carnivorans. The common genet is the only one in Europe, and it occurs on the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, and France. Genet fossils from the Late Miocene have later been found at sites in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Morocco.”

What a delightful sighting on the trail cam last night while we slept. This genet stopped by inspiring us to leave meat out for her or him in the future. As carnivores, they’ll eat any meat, raw or cooked.

Most nights, the trail cam picks up sightings of the same wildlife we take photos of during daylight hours. As a result, we only post unusual sightings from the trail cam.

With no luck finding meat, he ended his search and jumped off the railing. Genets are carnivores, like other feline species.

At the moment, Lisa is in a long immigration queue in Johannesburg, unsure if she’ll make the Airlink flight to Nelspruit. Tom won’t leave for the airport until we hear from her that she made the flight. If not, she’ll have to take the 4:00 pm flight, arriving at 4:50, which is cutting it close for driving on the N4 before dark. The sunset is at 5:50. Driving on the N4 in the dark is too dangerous.

We’ll wait to hear from her about whether she will make the flight. As of this writing, the flight leaves in 40 minutes.

At this table, from left to right, is Sidney, his wife Patty Pan, Lorraine, Michael, friend Don’s cousins, all of whom we know. Tom played trivia with this group.

Last night was unusual for us. Tom went out without me. I would have gone to “Trivia Night” at Giraffe, but I was suffering from a gastrointestinal issue, which resolved overnight. We had committed to Patty Pan, who coordinates the event each week, that we’d both come since there were limited seats. It made sense for Tom to go without me.

He left the house at about 5:30 and returned at 9:30. They started playing at 6:30 and continued until just before he returned. I stayed in the bedroom watching movies while he was gone. He said he had a great time during the game. Since it was April Fool’s Day, many participants wore hilarious costumes and hats, as shown in today’s photos.

We don’t recognize anyone at this table since the men are dressed like women due to April Fool’s Day!

We just heard from Lisa that she made it through immigration and picked up her one piece of luggage. She’s now waiting in the security queue, which is also long; Tom won’t leave until we know she made the flight. Oh, dear.

I’ll start chopping and dicing once Tom leaves for the airport and I upload this post. For dinner, I am making a chicken peanut stir-fry with rice and a salad. I’m making enough for two nights, and then on Friday, we’ll all go to Jabula for dinner.

Tom recognized some of these participants but not necessarily by name.

It will be a fun month with Lisa here with us. It’s so enjoyable for us to share the wonders of the bush with friends. No word from her yet. Will update her arrival tomorrow!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 2, 2015:

On a walk in Princeville, Kauai, I was enthralled by the view as I approached our condo (not shown in this photo). For more photos, please click here.

Exciting airline WiFi changes…Our friend Lisa is on her way, after several delays…

While driving along the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park, we spotted this lone elephant, which is included in all of today’s photos.

The following is an article from Breaking Travel News found here.

“United Receives FAA Certification on Starlink Aircraft and Schedules First Commercial Flight for May

United announced that the FAA had approved its first Starlink-equipped aircraft type and that the first commercial flight was planned for May, less than eight months after the deal was first announced.

The FAA issued a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the Embraer 175, and the airline expects the first commercial flight to be onboard a United Express Embraer 175. United’s rollout of this new technology continues to accelerate, with approximately 40 regional jet installs planned monthly and the expectation that the entire two-cabin regional fleet—more than 300 planes—will be completed by the end of the year.

She seemed content to lounge in the water rather than swim, which elephants often do. They are excellent swimmers.

In addition to securing the STC, United will also run a beta test of the new technology on select flights between now and the first customer flight in May to ensure all aspects deliver an incredible onboard experience for passengers.

“We know customers are going to love this experience, and we think it will give them yet another reason to choose United,” said Grant Milstead, United’s Vice President of Digital Technology. “We’re working closely with Starlink and the FAA to finish installs on our regional fleet this year and bring the best inflight experience in the sky to more and more people.”

United will work with Starlink to secure an FAA STC to install Starlink on every United aircraft type, getting the new equipment (e.g., Embraer 175)—more than 16 regional and mainline aircraft models in total. According to the FAA, the process to secure each STC can include design, installation, testing, and submitting the package for FAA approval.

With the hot weather, we were surprised we didn’t see more elephants in the river.

Earlier this month, United unveiled the Starlink install process, underscoring the technical operations benefits of the equipment, including size and weight and ease of installation and maintenance. The Starlink system, when compared to non-Starlink equipment, allows for a faster and simpler install, is lighter, requires less fuel to operate, and is more reliable and weather-proofed.

Starlink access will be free for all MileagePlus® customers and include game-changing inflight entertainment experiences like streaming services, shopping, gaming, and more, thanks to Wi-Fi speeds up to 250 megabits per second (Mbps), which is 50 times faster than current regional aircraft speeds. Membership to MileagePlus is also free, and people can sign up now at united.com/starlink.”

She was at quite a distance, which impacted the quality of the photos.

Surely, other airlines will follow suit by upgrading their systems to offer the same benefit to their customers. This would be a big bonus since we’d love to be online during long flights without paying outrageous fees. Of course, I imagine the airlines will increase costs over time to compensate for this change. That’s what they do.

Today and tonight, we’re following Lisa’s flight path, hoping she makes her connections and arrives as planned. She had a rocky start, with a three-hour traffic delay on her way to Orlando Airport and a flight delay for her first flight from Orlando to Frankfurt. She is staying in close contact with us. It’s her first time in Africa, and we hope for a seamless experience.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 1, 2015:

This sunset in Kauai made us squeal with delight! How magical! For more photos, please click here.