Out to lunch with neighbors…Stopped by police for most peculiar reason…Check this out!…

This is the “warning triangle” found inside the case, as shown below that, without it, can get a lot of South African drivers in trouble.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is the tiniest warthog we’ve seen since returning to Marloth Park.  Two females and this piglet stopped by last night. The baby had already figured out to eat on her knees at such a young age.

Yesterday at noon, our next-door neighbors, Rina and Cees, picked us up in their bigger-than-ours rental car to drive to the far end of Komatipoort to a resort restaurant for lunch, the Border Country Inn.

On Easter Sunday, we dined there with Louise and Danie, and the food had been quite good. Yesterday, it was mediocre, but that won’t prevent us from returning sometime in the future. 
This is the case that contains the “warning triangle.”
Let’s face it, in this relatively remote area of South Africa. One can’t expect gourmet quality food when dining out. That’s why we continue to return to Jabula Lodge & Restaurant, where the food is always great, wonderfully consistent, and highly predictable.

Rina and I each ordered the chef salad, which was good but not exceptional.  Again Tom ordered the T-bone steak, ordering it rare this time for a medium finish. Cees ordered a burger. The prices are outrageously low as were our expectations, but the service was good. 
Another Fish Eagle shot in Kruger.
Rina and Cees insisted on buying us lunch which was unnecessary, saying we’d invited them for happy hour a few days earlier. Customarily in Marloth Park, reciprocating shortly after being guests at each other’s homes is the norm, and we’ve followed suit accordingly.  

Doing so keeps residents of the park socially active, going back and forth to one another’s homes for happy hour and/or meals or in dining out for those who prefer not to entertain in their homes. In this quiet and peaceful environment, this type of socialization adds a great deal to the pleasure of living in the park.
Muddy wildebeest tucked into the vegetation in Kruger.

After lunch on the return drive to Marloth Park, we encountered several police officers manning some type of a checkpoint. When asked, Cees promptly handed over his driver’s license. 

We all sat still in silent suspense, wondering why we’d been stopped. Tom reached for his wallet to produce our driver’s licenses, but the three of us weren’t asked to produce ID.

The Crocodile River provides a wide array of marshes, swamps, and waterways suitable for wildlife.

None of us had our passports with us. We’re seldom asked to present our passports in South Africa, except most recently when I had blood tests, purchased SIM or data cards, or picked something up from the post office or other government facilities. Fortunately, none of us, including Cees, was asked to produce a passport. 

Elephant munching on a spikey shrub.

The officer looked something up in his car and returned to our vehicle, asking, “Where is your “warning triangle?” 

We all had a hard time figuring out what he meant…what the heck is a warning triangle? The officer spoke to Cees in a very strong hard-to-understand dialect, further confusing all of us. Finally, Cees was able to figure out what he meant.

Several elephants grazing possibly after a dip in the water hole.

The officer was referring to a reflective warning triangle as shown in today’s photos, supposedly to be used in the event a vehicle was stopped for an emergency on the highway such as a tire change, accident, vehicle breakdown, or other such incidents.

Cees and the officer went through the rental car’s trunk, searching for the triangle.  Alas, it was found much to all of our relief. Failure to have such a device in a vehicle results in a fine of ZAR 500 (US $41.72), as described in this post.

Mom and baby elephant behind a bush.

Finally, after about 10 minutes, we were back on our way. Luckily, Cees was driving within the speed limits, and there were no other issues. Off we went, anxious to get back to the peace and comfort of Marloth Park.

We stopped to allow a few giraffes to cross the paved road in Kruger. This is a common occurrence in Marloth Park when they cross Oliphant (the main paved road).

At home, by 3:00 pm, we got back to work on a new heart-pounding booking we can hardly wait to share with all of you. It is one of the most exciting events we’ve booked over the years. It is comparable in excitement to Antarctica and fulfilling in content even far beyond our safari in the Maasai Mara.

An elephant using a tree to scratch his backside.

We’re gathering all the information now, and the post, with numerous photos, will be presented on Saturday, a mere three days from today. Yep, I love leaving our readers in suspense, and, yep, this could be a lot more exciting to us than to some of you. 

Giraffes and a youngster grazing on a tree.

We think most of our readers will be interested in this multi-faceted trip we’re planning commencing in February 2019, a mere 10 months from now.

Tonight, our new friends Gail and Mark Fox are coming for dinner, whose fascinating story we shared last month, found at this link. If you haven’t had an opportunity, check out this heart-wrenching and heartwarming story.

Kruger National Park is rife with sources of water accessible to a variety of wildlife.

Please check back daily to see what’s new as we continue to search for the unique and enticing.

Have a very special day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 18, 2017:

Prices in Manly, Australia, were high at the fishmonger’s. For example, the fish Tom caught in the ocean while fishing in the Huon Valley, Flathead Fillets, sells for AU $46.90, US $35.44 for one kilo (2.2 pounds). We prefer not to eat farmed fish, avoiding this pricey farmed salmon for AU $39.90, US $30.16 per one kilo. For more details, please click here.

Scar Face and Mutton Chops…A busy morning in the bush…

This morning Tom took photos of this injured or malformed warthog.  Empathizing with him, Tom gave him an abundance of pellets which he happily gobbled up. Whatever may have caused this anomaly retained the wart in its usual position, although it’s smaller. Hence his new name, “Scar Face.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Waterbucks are found near the river. Each has “target-like” markings on its hind ends.

Over these past few days, we’ve been busier with visitors coming by more than any other time since we arrived on February 11th or when we were here four years ago.

Side view of Scar Face. 

Whether we’re chopping carrots or apples, restocking the small yellow pellet container from the huge trash can container we keep in the living room, or filling the red plastic measuring cup with bird seeds we keep in the freezer, now that the tourists have wafted away, we’re practically busy all day long.

Scar Face visited with his friend whom we aptly named “Mutton Chops” for those of us who recall the expression  From this site:  Sideburns, sideboards, or side whiskers are patches of facial hair grown on the sides of the face, extending from the hairline to run parallel to or beyond the ears. The term sideburns is a 19th-century corruption of the original burnsides, named after American Civil War general Ambrose Burnside, a man known for his unusual facial hairstyle that connected thick sideburns by way of a mustache, but left the chin clean-shaven.”

Then, of course, there is the process of taking photos we feel may be worthy of sharing here.  Not all we take fit into that category. But as all you amateur photographers like us so well know, one can take dozens of shots to get the one worthy of sharing. (Tom took many of today’s photos).

Ms. Kudu munching on some tasty leaves on a tree closest to the veranda.

Add the daily meal prep, a little bit of cleaning (Marta does the bulk of it), and our almost daily drives in the park. Our days are packed with activity. One might assume our days sitting on the veranda are uneventful other than the occasional visit by animals or people. 

After Tom gave them many pellets, they both needed some moisture; one drank from the pond while the other munched on vegetation.

But, that’s not the case. The days fly by so quickly with the flurry of activity coupled with our intense enjoyment of our environment. It is almost as if we didn’t have enough time to embrace them thoroughly.

This uneven dirt road with ruts and bumps is typically found in Marloth Park. When we explore, most roads create a very bumpy ride.

In our own way, we take a breath and stop to capture the moment, not just with the camera but in our minds, hoping to recall every day to memory as the days march on in rapid succession,

Luckily, we have our past posts to fill us in when we can’t recall a date or specific event. Uploading our daily posts is not only well-worth sharing our stories and photos with all of you, but it provides us with easy and handy references to every single day of our lives.

Two male zebras didn’t seem to mind Marta walking out to the clothesline.

That, in itself, would be enough inspiration to keep us posting indefinitely. Do you recall each day of a holiday/vacation if it weren’t for your photos and observations posted on various social media sites? 

During the mating season, in full bloom now, the kudu’s necks and glans near his neck swell to enormous proportions. Kudus are also very muscular, year-round.

Most of us would not recall each day. Those memories would meld into a single instance of “taking a trip” while spending the time to relax and rejuvenate. One may recall specific activities, but idle time is what’s most difficult to remember and, it’s often during those times that we rejuvenate and refresh the most.

Big Daddy always appreciates early morning pick-me-up pellets. 

Does our busy life allow us time to unwind? We’ve made certain of that, especially now that we’ve incorporated a hectic social life into our routine. Quiet time is sacred to us and always has been.

Frank (our resident francolin) always stops by to see “what’s cooking.”

After completing the day’s post, it’s often 1:00 pm, occasionally later, such as yesterday’s late posting when we’d gone to Komatipoort to shop for a few items. Monday morning, we’ll do the same.

Early this morning, two male impalas checked out Tom, seated at the big table on the veranda around 6:15 am. A blue garbage bag flew into the yard overnight, which we tossed.

Today will be a quiet day. I’m dragging from a poor night’s sleep for whatever reason, hoping to get in a short nap later in the day. Sometimes it’s hard to shut off my brain. Do you know the feeling?

May your day be pleasant and quiet if you so chose.

Photo from one year ago today, April 12, 2017:

Sailing is popular in the Sydney area when conditions are right. For more photos, please click here.

Ten species visited us in one day…Check out who came to call….

These two zebra boys have now figured out it’s worth visiting us for some treats. We can hear the sounds of their hooves coming from the bush. They don’t like sharing with “Little Wart Face” (shown in the background) and can get very pushy with him and with Frank.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A single damaged feather from a guinea fowl I found on the ground.

The majority of the holidaymakers have left Marloth Park, returning to their homes in South Africa and many other parts of the world. Often, visitors come to Marloth Park for a mere three to five days. We can’t imagine how they can reap the benefits of being in this wonderland in that short period.

During the busy holiday season, wildlife may rarely wander into their yard or be seen on the roads in three to five days. They could come here and only see a few impalas, hornbills, and perhaps a kudu or two.

Male impalas showed up, which we don’t often see in the yard.
But, nothing compares to the activity residents of the park are experiencing now that the bulk of the tourists have left. Although this could be disputed and, I assure you, it’s a topic of conversation in the bush that wildlife may not wander into the yards of bush houses when so many humans are around.

Some tourists come to relax and unwind in this calming environment, staying up late on the verandas of their holiday homes, talking loudly, playing loud music, and drinking alcohol in excess. This type of noise is not appealing to wild animals. 
A forkl of kudus and a herd of impalas.
Other tourists come here to utilize whatever time they may be available to glean morsels of heaven found in this veritable paradise for animal lovers, sadly going away with having seen very little.

Even trips into Kruger, as we so well know, can be disappointing. There’s no guaranty one will see more than impalas and birds in a single day’s visit. Now that things have settled down here, we plan to go back to Kruger this week to see what we can find.
Several handsome impalas stopped by, which we seldom see in our yard.  More often, we see them on the sides of the road when driving through the park.

However, there’s no shortage of guaranteed entertainment right here on the veranda in the “Orange…More Than Just a Color” house we’ve rented for an extended period. If South Africa immigration allows, we’ll spend a year here until next February or March.

With the crowds thinned out and perhaps only 700 or so people living in the park right now, the wildlife is literally “pounding at our door” all day and evening. At times, we can barely keep up feeding them pellets, carrots, apples, and any raw vegetable scraps from our daily food prep.

Many helmeted guineafowls have become regular visitors.
Yesterday, we had ten different species visit us in one day, some multiple times, some in various groups as appropriately named in our above photos. As I busily prepared the food for Louise and Danie to join us for dinner,  I frequently stopped what I was doing to cut up apples and carrots for our animal friends.
We couldn’t believe our day when we had the following wildlife visit us in one day:
1.  Kudu
2.  Bushbuck
3.  Impala
4.  Warthog
5.  Mongoose
6.  Francolin
7.  Helmeted Guineafowl
8.  Zebra
9.  Duiker
10.Bushbabies
Frank, our resident francolin, doesn’t miss a thing!  Sometimes, he brings his girlfriend, but most often, he’s alone hanging out with the other animals. Francolins are territorial, and he won’t hesitate to scare off a warthog or kudu.

Of course, we didn’t include the dozens of birds that flew into the yard throughout the day. The most we’d ever counted, including when we were here four years ago, was a total of eight. We love all birds but mention the guineafowl and Frank (francolin) since they rarely fly, spending their days walking about the bush and our yard.

Last night’s dinner was a big hit. How could it not be when we were with Louise and Danie? We so enjoy time spent together and never hesitate to arrange another perfect day or evening in each other’s company.

A band of mongoose comes by almost daily.  We feed them water mixed with raw scrambled eggs. Most likely, due to their presence, we won’t see too many snakes around here. 
The previous Sunday, we had a fabulous dinner and evening at Sandra and Paul’s home two doors down our road. The food was superb, and the companionship delightful. 

Whew! Our social life is astounding!  But, as typical here in the park, people come and go. Our friends Kathy and Don are gone now but should be returning in a few weeks. Ken and Linda are traveling and should be returning in a few months. Lynne and Mick won’t return until November. Janet and Steve have company from the UK, but we plan to see them soon.
And…here’s our girls…kudus, of course.
Even Louise and Danie will be gone for a week to visit family in Cape Town beginning on Friday. But, they’ll be back to continue to handle their very active holiday home rental and house building businesses. We’ll look forward to their return. 
Each night we put out the little cup of peach-flavored yogurt on the stand, and the bushbabies appear around 6:15 pm, just after darkness falls.

This doesn’t include all the other fine people we’ve met here who are permanent residents, all of whom we look forward to spending time with again soon. We can’t thank everyone enough to show our appreciation for including us in their busy lives. 

Where in the world is it like this? The only other place we’ve found so easy to make friends was in Kauai, Hawaii. Perhaps, someday we’ll return for another visit.

Duikers are extremely shy and seldom come near.
For now, we’re looking at our upcoming itinerary and any modifications we are considering. Today, we’ll be doing some planning and figuring out our best options for the future.

Have a great day enjoying your best options. Back at you soon! 
Photo from one year ago today, April 10, 2017:
This was a tile roof we spotted in Fairlight, Australia, one year ago.  For more photos, please click here.

Exciting night in the park…Immigration concerns for South Africa…


With a story of around 3.048 meters (10 feet), this bull giraffe is two stories
tall. Their legs are taller than the average adult male.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Bushbabies are loving the little cups of peach-flavored yogurt we put out for them every night at dusk.  They fly through the air so quickly it’s not easy to get a good photo in the dark.

Each night we spend outdoors, which is when it hasn’t been windy and raining, we experience something new and unique. Two nights ago, it was 30-minutes of screeching by the bush babies in the tree in front of our veranda. 

From this site:  “The cattle egret feeds on a wide range of prey, particularly insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets, flies (adults and larvae), and moths, as well as spidersfrogs, and earthworms. Cattle egrets often hang around large mammals such as this hippo, feeding off their scraps. In a rare instance, they have been observed foraging along the branches of a banyan tree for ripe figs. The species is usually found with cattle and other large grazing and browsing animals and catches small creatures disturbed by the mammals. Studies have shown that cattle egret foraging success is much higher when foraging near a large animal than feeding singly.”

Last night, bone-chilling sounds were leaving us bewildered and curious as to what it could be. Louise and I texted back and forth, trying to access what we were each hearing. Our properties are only a few blocks apart, and she and Danie could hear what we were hearing. They have many years of experience in determining these sounds, and it was fun to go back and forth with them via text.

Louise suggested at one point that it was hippos. We’re a good seven or eight-minute drive to the Crocodile River, but that’s over rocky dirt roads. As the crow flies, we may only be one or two kilometers from the river. Hippo sounds may be heard as far away as eight kilometers (five miles), so that might be what we were hearing.

Hippos spend most of their days foraging and lounging in the river.

Within about 10 minutes, the sounds changed while our ears were tuned to the curious sounds we were hearing. With his impaired hearing after years on the railroad, Tom could easily hear all these sounds along with me.

We heard sounds similar to the howling of wolves or wild dogs. We listened in awe for every loud outcry, uncertain as to precisely what it may be.  After about 15 minutes, those sounds ended, and different sounds commenced.

When driving through Kruger National Park, visitors seldom see hippos if they stay on the main paved roads.  One would need to venture off onto the dirt roads leading to the river. We took these photos from the fence between the Crocodile River and Marloth Park.

Lions have recently been sighted in Marloth Park. Of course, we’d be thrilled to be able to spot one, let alone take a photo. The new sound was clear and definitive…the roar of a lion. 

And yes, we know to be ultra-careful if a lion is nearby. There are several steps to reach the veranda, and it’s unlikely a lion would climb steps to get to us. Nonetheless, we’d most likely go indoors taking photos through the window. 

Often, when we spot giraffes, they are foraging in tall trees, obstructing a clear view for a photo.

However, many year-long residents of Marloth Park have never spotted a lion in the park, other than in Kruger. Over the years, numerous sightings have been observed and documented, including recently before and after our arrival on February 11th.

Many have ventured into Lionspruit, another reserve located within the confines of Marloth Park, and have never seen the two resident lions that remain inside.  A month ago, we visited Lionspruit, but the little rental car couldn’t handle the rough road, and we exited as soon as possible.

These leaves must have been delicious for this giraffe to be willing to bend “down” to eat when most often they stay at eye level or reach “up.”  They will bend down to drink.

Finally, the loudest of the nighttime sounds in the bush changed to the usual hum of crickets, frogs, and birds, and we wandered off to bed. Although few visitors stopped by in the dark last night, we thoroughly enjoyed the bush babies and the various sounds of the night.

This morning, at 5:40, am (of course I was awake), Louise texted me to let me know that seven hyenas were sighted in Marloth Park by Field Security (the rangers) at Oliphant (the main tarred road) and Wild Dog Road, quite a distance from us.

From this site: About Giraffes: The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is the largest rudiment and the tallest land mammal. We waited for an extended period in an attempt to get a full-body photo of this huge male bull. This giraffe is known to be the largest in Marloth Park. This is not due to its long neck alone. The adult giraffe’s legs are taller than the average human. The average height of a giraffe differs between males and females. Male giraffes (or ‘bulls’) can be up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) tall.”

Of course, we can’t help ourselves; we’ll be postponing today’s planned trip to Komatipoort tomorrow for grocery shopping to drive around the park to see if we can spot the hyenas. It’s doubtful we’ll see them, but it’s fun to go searching.  We do this almost every day anyway as if we’re on a daily treasure hunt…and treasure it is indeed!

This male bull is well-equipped for the current mating season if the size of his testicles is any indication.

As for immigration, a few years ago, one could drive less than an hour to the border to Mozambique, spend the day and re-enter South Africa for a new 90-day visa which is now illegal based on immigration law changes. As a result, we must leave South Africa by May 10 and cannot visit any bordering countries to get our visas stamped for another 90 days.

We have to leave for a bonafide trip, not just one or two days and spend time in another country in Africa beyond the bordering countries. We’re working on this now and hope to wrap something up in the next few days. Once we do, we’ll certainly post the details of where we’re going and what we’ll be doing. Please stay tuned.

Have a spectacular day!

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

When they miss the bit of meat, it doesn’t hurt at all if the kookaburras pecked at me instead. For more photos, please click here.

Construction next door…Breaking up the serenity of life in Marloth Park…

A mom warthog and possible aunt showed up last night, shortly before dark, with the tiniest baby warthog we’ve seen since our arrival.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Any comments on this bird’s species? I can’t seem to find the answer online.

It’s a good thing we aren’t here for only a one or two week holiday. The noise, dust, and disturbances resulting from the construction next door would have ruined an entire time away for most tourists.

Four years ago, the homes we rented were well secluded from other properties, and although sound travels through the bush, we rarely heard a thing. Now in this area, there are a few houses we can see from the veranda, which in essence wouldn’t bother us a bit.

We didn’t recall seeing a warthog this tiny since this post in Kenya in 2013 when a mom placed her babies in a hole to protect them from lions in place for the kill.

The benefits of a lot of wildlife stopping by to see us certainly outweighs the annoyances of the daily noise and commotion, which should be over with a few weeks. But now, it appears the neighbor or the other side of us just had a pile of materials delivered, and soon, they’ll startup also.

With all the workers around all day, less wildlife stops by. But the workday usually ends by 3:00 or 4:00 pm, and once again, magic happens, and visitors grace us with their presence within an hour or two.

It was surprising to us to see how adept the baby was at eating pellets. It may have been less than a few weeks old.

Last night was no exception. Now that we’ve adopted “happy hour” into our lives several evenings a week, where I have a maximum of two wine spritzers (no sugar added), and Tom has a few beers while dining outdoors every night, this routine has become quite enjoyable.

We close our laptops and put away our phones; no media, no distractions, just the pure pleasure of watching nature unfold before our eyes while engaging in the playful idle chatter that has become so “us” over the years.

The baby would wander off a bit from time to time, but a single grunt from mom and he came running back to her.

With the activity before us, we’re constantly busy. Now that we’ve got birdseed, apples, and a veggie scrap container, we’re often rushing outdoors to indoors to cut up another apple or carrot and refill the red plastic cup with birdseed or the yellow plastic container with pellets. 

We keep the birdseed in the chest freezer, which has proven to be quite a handy addition to our daily lives. We keep the birdseed in the freezer to avoid getting more insects inside the house. The fruit and veggies are kept refrigerated to ensure freshness and safety for the animals and to keep the ants away.

The kudus weren’t standing together, so we couldn’t get a photo of all 11.

Last night was a classic example of the perfect evening. Not only did we see the tiniest baby warthog we’ve ever seen, but we had the rousing interaction between guinea fowls and francolins reacting to one another while clamoring for the seeds we tossed onto the ground. It was a laugh-fest for us and seemingly fun for them.

Then came a “forkl” of kudu (yep, that’s their collective noun) for a total of 11 females, including a few youngsters. We’d seen this forkl in the past, and they seemed happy to see us, nibbling on cut-up apples and carrots fed from my hand, and handfuls of pellets tossed to the ground.

There’s one particular female kudu who’s come to know me, and she gently nudges my hand for more, looking directly into my eyes. Often, people underestimate the power of communication between wildlife and humans.  Sure, some are dangerous, and one must steer clear. 

It was almost dark, but this kudu approached me for a handout.

For example, I’d never feed a male kudu from my hand. His huge antlers could inadvertently cause great harm. We always keep a safe distance. Also, we don’t hand-feed warthogs. Their razor-sharp tusks are deadly, and they aren’t particularly gentle like female kudu and bushbucks. 

Not long ago, we posted a video of a warthog tossing a mongoose into the air, which can be seen here if you missed it. This split-second action appears about halfway through the short video.

We’re learning so much. Our hearts are filled with respect and admiration for the gifts Mother Nature, God, or whichever belief you may possess (or not) bestowed upon us lucky humanoids. It’s undoubtedly our responsibility to honor and revere all species on this earth, both human and animal.

Most of the time, mom and baby stayed close to one another.

As much as we have definitive opinions on conservation, we won’t get into the “politics” of this sensitive subject. Unquestionably, most of our readers can readily imagine where we stand on this topic based on our passion for wildlife. 

But, here, we choose to avoid highly charged politically motivated topics. At the same time, we maintain the integrity of living life on the move, primarily referring to our motto as shown on our homepage, which reads: “Wafting Through Our Worldwide Travels with Ease, Joy and Simplicity.”

“Mom, I need a drink after all those dry pellets.”

As a result, we choose to ignore the noise and commotion of the construction the best way we can during this off-season in Marloth Park when homeowners have work done on their holiday rentals. We’ll strive to maintain the positivity we find adds so much quality to our lives.

May your day consist of ease, joy, and simplicity.

Photo from one year ago today, March 27, 2017:

Bob, our kindly landlord, and a new friend had insisted on driving us to see some of the sights in the area, including the beautiful historic St. Patrick’s Estate. For more photos, please click here.

It’s all in the numbers…Laughing out loud…A day in the life…

This was the first time we’d ever seen Guinea Fowl sitting in a tree.
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
Our first tree frog, most likely a result of the white foam tree frog nest, is shown in this post.

Yesterday was quite an enjoyable Sunday. We started the day with the post, uploading it by 11:30 am. With dinner guests the night before and Marta and Josiah off for the day, we tidied the house, put away the dishes, and swept the floors and veranda.

With the doors wide open all day and evening with no screens, many insects enter the house and are found wriggling around on the floor and elsewhere.  It’s a daily task to clear them off, usually sweeping them outside off the edge of the veranda.
They are sitting proudly on the tree while overseeing the pecking on seeds below.
With rain expected today, yesterday I did two loads of laundry rather than wait for Marta, which I’ve been doing regularly, leaving the towels and bedding for her to do on sunny days since she hangs everything outside. No one uses clothes dryers here in Africa.
I hesitate to hang the wet clothing outdoors on the clothesline when each time I’ve done so both in Kenya and here, I’ve been viciously bitten by insects in the grass in and around the clothesline. Instead, I hang the clothes on hangers and top of the granite countertops inside the house. In no time at all, they’re dry.
As soon as we tossed some birdseed on the ground, the Helmeted Guinea Fowl came running.
I decided to make a huge pan of roasted vegetables, saving all the fresh veggie scraps for the wildlife. Some will eat them; some will not.  Warthogs don’t like cabbage or lettuce but will eat zucchini and carrots but always prefer pellets. Zebras and kudus seem to like any fresh veggies along with pellets, of course. Always pellets.

Once the veggies were done cooking and cooling, I popped them into the fridge, and we were off to friends Lynne and Mick’s home to see their new thatched roof, stay for a short visit and say goodbye before they’re off to their home in Jersey, UK. 
The word got out, and more started coming from the bush.
Tom was out of cream for his coffee. By the time we left Lynn and Mick’s home, the little markets were closed. We didn’t want to drive the distance to Komatipoort just for cream. 
I suggested he try using some of my unsweetened coconut cream instead of the whole cream to see if he likes it. I use it in tea and find it rather delicious. Much to my surprise, he liked it and will use it in the future. This makes life a little easier since we can store many containers of coconut cream, which is shelf-stable, instead of whole cream spoiling in the refrigerator in a week or two.
There were about two dozen here, but more were lurking nearby.
Upon returning to our place by 4:30, we were in for a pleasant surprise. Dozens of Helmeted Guinea Fowl appeared in the yard, looking for a handout.  How quickly they learned that we now have birdseed. Ironically, as I write this now, they’re back!  I jumped up to fill the red cup with seeds and tossed it their way.
Clucking and pecking, they’re thrilled we’re tossing birdseed their way. Next time we head to Daisy’s Den, the feed store, we’ll have to purchase bigger bags of seeds.
Tom calls them Guinea Hens, making me laugh.  They cluck a bit like a combination of turkeys and chickens.
Last night, we had a bigger crowd of guinea fowl than we’d seen to date. We entertained ourselves for an hour while taking photos and tossing seeds. It may not sound like that much fun, but for us, it’s a pure pleasure. I don’t recall ever seeing four dozen wild turkeys in our yard in our old lives, but on occasion, we may have seen a dozen. This is fun.  Well, for us anyway.

At 5:00 pm, our next-door neighbor stopped by to ask if we’d like to join him at his house for “happy hour” at 6:15. His home has been undergoing some noisy construction work, and he kindly wanted to make it up to us with an invite. It hasn’t bothered us much (we never complained), and they’ll soon be done.

They fight and peck at one another over the birdseed.
At 6:15, we headed over to Ruud’s home and sat outdoors in lawn chairs on the grass with him. After the rains, the mozzies were on a rampage, and even with plenty of repellent on, I was getting bit, including on the bottom of my foot with shoes on! Since we’re not taking malaria pills, we tend to be more careful than ever.

Our veranda is approximately over one meter (about four feet) above ground level. As a result, it’s much easier for us to be outdoors all evening sitting at the big table, getting little attention from the insects. If we were to sit on ground-level dirt or grass, it’s an entirely different scenario.

One Helmeted Guinea Fowl are sitting in a tree.
By 7:00 pm, we returned to make dinner consisting of excellent leftovers from Saturday night. By 7:30, we were seated at the outdoor table, enjoying a delicious meal to which I added the roasted vegetables. We no longer watch a show during dinner since we began dining outdoors each night.

The sounds of nature are all we need to entertain ourselves.  After dinner and before bedtime, we wander indoors and may watch one downloaded show on my laptop.

And then, there were three sitting in a tree.
It’s an easy life in many ways. Knowing it will be like what we’ve shared in these past six weeks with occasional trips away gives us a sense of peace and comfort, coupled with the adventure of what is yet to come while we’re here.

Soon, we’ll begin planning our trips to other countries in Africa, but for the time being, we’re “living in the moment,” finding each day a magical wonder.

Please check back for more.  We appreciate every one of our readers!
Photo from one year ago today, March 26, 2017:
Our kindly and thoughtful landlord, Bob, with Tom. What a great guy! For more and the results of our immigration issues in Australia, please click here.

Part 2…Harrowing, exciting and frustrating day in Kruger National Park…A staple gun dictated “safari luck!”

This baby zebra leaned into mom as we stopped for a photo. For all we knew, we could have been the first humans she’d ever seen.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Shortly after we returned, several kudus stopped by to say hello.

To make heads or tails of today’s story, it is essential to read yesterday’s post, which may be found here. Today’s post is a continuation of our harrowing and yet exciting day in Kruger National Park, and yesterday’s post explains the comment in the heading, “a staple gun dictated “safari luck…”

In one of yesterday’s closing paragraph’s we wrote: “But tomorrow, we’ll share the balance, a story of making mistakes, taking wrong roads and choosing a ridiculous shortcut that only cost us more time and frustration, all of which we must admit, was softened by this scene of the elephants…”,

Zebras and baby were wandering down the dirt road.

And mistakes we made that day, one of which was venturing out on those awful dirt roads in a highly unsuitable little car which was designed to take the battering of the washboard roads, not unlike its passengers during the harrowing drive.

At several points on the dirt roads, we heard a rattling in the car, even at the low speeds we were traveling, that sounded as if something was going to fall out or off of the vehicle. 

A male zebra posing for a photo.

We both stayed as calm as we could but were thinking the same thing…what if the older little car broke down and we were stranded on this remote road?  Yes, we had a SIM card in my phone, which was almost fully charged (the phone charger outlet in the car doesn’t work).  And there was an emergency phone number we could have called in the back in the park’s map book.

But, the thought of sitting in a broken-down rental car waiting to be rescued was not appealing to either of us.  Even while Tom slowed to a snail’s pace, the rattling continued. So we continued, stopping only when we finally made it to the gate after driving for hours, to travel the mere 60 km (37 miles) to reach the Malelane Gate. Turning in our paperwork and getting on a paved road couldn’t have been more of a relief.

After we spotted the elephants crossing the road after we’d decided to head to the Malelane Gate when the Crocodile Bridge was blocked for hours by a stuck boat trailer, we encountered this lone giraffe.

We’d never entered or exited Kruger at the Malelane Gate. We hadn’t been to Malelane since our arrival in South Africa over five weeks ago. Four years ago, we had a great dinner there while chickens wandered about the interior of the restaurant. We remembered that about Malelane. (See that link here from December 22, 2013)

Once outside the gate, we watched for roadsigns indicating how to return to Marloth. We saw one sign that read Komatipoort, and that seemed the right direction for us.  Somehow we missed the sign for N4.

A warthog family on the rough dirt road on the way to the Malelane Gate.

After the awful drive, we were exhausted and distracted.  Plus, there are very few road signs that point to Marloth Park. Why we stayed on the main highway R570, we’ll never know, when in fact, we needed N4.

We drove for over 32 km (20 miles) one way in error before we realized, in the pouring rain, that we didn’t recognize any of the names of upcoming towns such as Pig’s Peak and Jeppe’s Reef.  We’d driven almost to Swaziland! We had to backtrack the 32 km to return to Malelane to get to N4 and Marloth Park.

This warthog appears to have been rolling in mud as she hangs out with male impala.

Suddenly, it dawned on me that we did have a map in the glovebox. Oh, what a day! For some reason, we thought we only had maps for Marloth Park and Kruger. In checking out the map, we realized our error.

We noticed on the map that we’d pass Hectorspruit, a small town between Malelane and Marloth. Big mistake! Once on the road heading back N4, we encountered a sign indicating a route to Hectorspruit, a shortcut, according to the map.

The rough washboard road seemed as if it would never end. It took us hours to get out of the park.

If we thought the washboard dirt roads in Kruger were terrible, we were in for a big surprise. The road from R570 to Hectorspruit to N4 was, by far, the worst paved road we’d ever driven on of all of the above. 

Talk about potholes!  There were deep potholes every meter (every few feet), many we couldn’t see until a tire dropped into one after another, with nowhere else on the road or the shoulder to drive, and for us, after the harrowing day, no turning back.

More elephants were spotted at quite a distance.  We continued on the road.

During that horrific half-hour drive, we bounced, rattled, and practically rolled in the pothole clusters that occupied the entire road. Only our friends and readers in this area can grasp the severity of this road had they ever had the misfortune to travel on it.

Yes, we know this is Africa, and indeed, our comments aren’t tendered as complaints. However, they are tendered as to our failure to find our way back to Marloth Park more diligently.

A few more elephant photos we’d yet to share in yesterday’s post.

Finally, we reached N4 and easily found our way back to Marloth Park. By the time we pulled into the driveway, it was almost 4:30 pm. We’d yet to put a dent in the day’s post. We still had to shower again and clean up to go out to Jabula for dinner as intended.

We decided to ditch our dinner plans, stay in and make bacon and eggs for dinner (nothing was defrosted), and spend the evening on the veranda. At one point, the much-needed rain and wind drove us indoors. But a few hours later, we had finished and uploaded the post, cooked our feeble dinner, and were able to dine outdoors during the balance of the soaking rain.

We couldn’t believe how many there were, as many as 30 to 40.

Whew!  We were grateful we’d seen the elephants crossing the road, which most certainly softened the blow of the remainder of the day. We’re curious about when and how they got that boat and trailer stuck on the Crocodile Bridge moving again. If you’ve heard anything, please let us know.

Last night in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day (Tom is Irish), we headed to Jabula for an enjoyable evening, running into friends, making new friends, enjoying the chatter with owner Dawn and helper Lynn, suddenly finding ourselves retelling this story, only to find locals practically rolling on the floor in laughter over our mishaps on the road.

A hornbill in a tree.  We spotted dozens of hornbills in Kruger.

We’re both easily able to laugh at ourselves and laugh we did along with everyone else.  Could the complex parts of these scenarios have been prevented? Should we have waited at the Crocodile Bridge for what may have been hours to have been able to get through? We’ll never know.

Should we have paid more attention to where we were in the rainstorm when we exited the Malelane Gate? Sure. Should we have avoided the pothole detour and driven further back to Malelane to get to N4? Absolutely.

A lone male impala stares as we pass by.

So here’s our story, folks. Today at 2:00, we’ll visit the home of locals we’ve met that have quite an account to share, which we’ll be posting here in a few days. Tonight, on this perfect weather day, we’re making pizza and look forward to dining on the veranda while we wait for visitors to stop by.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, March 18, 2017:

Visitors were sitting on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, enjoying the view. We had taken the Manly Ferry to come to see the opera we’d booked but arrived one day too early. At that point, we were preoccupied with our illegal immigrant status, possibly attributing to the error. Thank goodness it wasn’t one day too late. For details, please click here.

Part 1…Harrowing, exciting and frustrating day in Kruger National Park…A staple gun dictated “safari luck!”

Upon approaching this scene, we weren’t quite sure what was going on.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Vultures in a tree in Kruger are on the lookout for a meal.
Vultures were relaxing after a meal in Kruger.
After working on yesterday’s post for only a short while and, with the sun shining on a cooler day, we said, “What the heck! Let’s head out to Kruger for a few hours and see what we can find! We’ll finish the post when we return by 1:00 pm or so.”
By 10:00 am, we were on the road. On our past entries into Kruger, we found two to three hours was plenty of time to see some wildlife, take photos, and return to our entrance point, known as the Crocodile Bridge Gate.
Upon closer inspection, it was apparent; the boat trailer couldn’t fit across the Crocodile Bridge, our means of exit after a day in the park.

There are nine entrance gates to Kruger, each of which is many kilometers from one another. If one enters one location, unless they have plans for another area, they generally exit from the same gates. 

However, like us four years ago, on our way to the Blyde River Canyon, we exited from a gate considerably further north than our entry point at the Crocodile River, which is close to Marloth Park. 

Lots of lookie-loos stopped to view and comment on the situation. Based on this scenario, there was no way anyone was getting in or out of Kruger via this bridge.

Based on our current location, it takes approximately eight minutes from Marloth Park and another 12 minutes to reach the Crocodile River gate. This 20-minute drive seems to pass quickly while we chatter with enthusiasm over entering Kruger once again.

Since we recently purchased an annual pass that pays for itself after six uses, we have no doubt it will have been a worthwhile purchase during our remaining 12 months (off and on) in Marloth Park.

This was the first of over 30 elephants we watched cross the road.  In the distance, difficult to see, was the most enormous matriarch we’d ever seen. Had we been 10 minutes earlier, we may have seen her. 

Why would we go to Kruger instead of staying in Marloth Park when we have so much wildlife right before our eyes?  If you’re one of our many newer readers, we’ll explain. In Marloth, generally, we don’t have the big five; elephant, lion, cape buffalo, leopard, and rhino.

Had we been 10 minutes later, we’d have missed the entire parade of elephants crossing the road.
However, from time to time, lions enter Marloth Park as they have most recently, so all residents must keep an eye and ear out to ensure their safety. There’s always been a ban on walking in Marloth after dark, which is particularly important right now. 
There were numerous babies of varying ages in the “parade” of elephants. We were so close, little to no zoom was required to capture these photos.

Based on the lion attack story we posted this past week on March 11th, about Jonas, who was attacked by a lion years ago, one can never be too cautious. Click here if you missed that post.

By 10:20, we presented our “documents” at the Crocodile entrance gate. After the usual five-minute processing time, including inspecting the trunk for guns, alcohol, or harmful substances, the bar was lifted, and we gained access to the park.

At first, we thought there might be a dozen, but they kept coming and coming.

There are many roads one can choose in the park, but there are only a few paved roads, which to complete in a full circle may require a full day of driving to end up back at the entrance. As a result, like many others, we choose to embark upon some of the bumpy dirt roads.

Is the viewing better on the dirt roads?  Not necessarily. The wildlife may be close to the paved road or any of the myriad bumpy dirt roads. It’s not as if the animals prefer one road or another when they are often on the roads for only a short period, preferring to head back into the bush for food, shelter, and safety.

Only one other car enjoyed the experience with us.  We were on a very bumpy dirt road many visitors to the park might have avoided.

By about noon, after we’d seen only a bit of wildlife, mostly impala, of which we have many in Marloth Park, we felt that our usual “safari luck” may not be present. We accepted this fact, acknowledging that sooner or later, such a day would occur. For once, we were about to experience less than a successful day.

With a map in hand, we planned our route to make a complete circle leading us back to the Crocodile Bridge gate with a plan to get back “home” in plenty of time to complete the day’s post and head to Jabula in time for happy hour and dinner. 

We practically held our breath as they made their way across the dirt road.

Little did we know what lay ahead. First off, the bumpy dirt road we’d chosen for the route was in poor shape with what Tom referred to as a “washboard” surface. Oh, good grief! It was bumpy indeed.

The little car rattled more than I’d ever heard a car rattle, at a few points, even amid Tom’s careful driving, sounded as it was ready to fall apart and leave itself on the road in a pile of cheap metal. 

This elephant to the left turned to look at us, wondering if we were a threat.  We were prepared to back up at any moment.

But, oh, this wasn’t the worst of it. The fact we hadn’t seen much in the way of wildlife to fuel our enthusiasm, the car’s five-speed transmission, coupled with the outrageous road, made for one unpleasant drive. Wait, more is yet to come.

Finally, once we exited the gate and neared the bridge, we couldn’t believe the scene before our eyes. The narrow one-way bridge was blocked by a car hauling a boat. The trailer became stuck between the low support posts, intended to keep vehicles from driving off the bridge into the dangerous Crocodile River (hence, its name). The trailer’s wheels were wider than the bridge itself.

After several had passed, she turned to look at us directly. Had she started moving toward us, we’d have high-tailed out of there.  Elephants have been known to topple over cars, crushing them in the process.

When we arrived at the scene, we were one of maybe three vehicles hoping to cross. Within about 10 minutes, 12 to 15 vehicles lined up with drivers and passengers getting out to check out the situation and perhaps, offer their two cents worth of advice, none of which would be effective without some major equipment coming to the scene.

We waited, waited, and waited. There was no way any of us would be getting across this bridge anytime soon. We had a decision to make…sit here and wait for what certainly would be hours or attempt to get out of the park via another route, the closest gate being Malelane Gate, 60 kilometers (37 miles) from our current location. 

She kept watching as more came across the road.

On the slow unpaved roads, we expected the drive would take an extra 90 minutes. Plus, when we exited through the Malelane Gate, we’d have another 49 kilometers (30.5 miles) to return to Marloth Park. Most likely, we’d be back at our place by 2:00 pm or so. We decided to leave rather than sit for hours at the blocked Crocodile Bridge.

Then, of course, we had to regain entrance into the park. The person handling documents didn’t speak English well and had trouble understanding why we needed to get back into the park to exit via Malelane. 

Although not the matriarch, she may have been second-in-command. When she saw this tiny elephant and another baby crossing, she focused even more.

Finally, the gate agent figured it out, and he dug out our original documents but needed to staple the paperwork together. There were no staples in his staple gun, nor the next booth, nor in the next booth, and after about five or six minutes, he rousted up some staples. It was this delay…staples…that influenced an upcoming next experience.

Little did we know or anticipate that the dirt roads we had to take to get to the Malelane Gate were considerably worse than the bumpy dirt roads we’d experienced earlier. I can honestly say we’ve never traveled on a “washboard” road to this extent. If I thought the car was falling apart earlier, this wasn’t good. We couldn’t wait for the long ride to end.

Once she saw they were safe, she backed off, joining the others on the left side of the road. We’d practically held our breath during the entire crossing, thrilled and excited for the experience.

But then…amid our frustration (no, Tom didn’t get overly grumpy, but then, I wasn’t necessarily “overly bubbly” although we both were staying on an even keel), safari luck kicked in. Before our eyes, a scene we’d experienced four years ago and had dreamed of seeing once again lie before our eyes…the dozens of elephants crossing the road as shown in today’s photos.

Had it not been for the delay in finding the staples, we would have missed it.  We couldn’t stop smiling while rapidly taking photos as we watched this magical scene transpire before us. Of course, the first thing we said was, “Safari luck” rewarded us for the harrowing drive and the delays at the Crocodile Bridge.”

Mom and baby wildebeest were walking along the road.

The story doesn’t end here. But tomorrow, we’ll share the balance, a story of making mistakes, taking wrong roads, and choosing a ridiculous shortcut that only cost us more time and frustration, all of which, we must admit, was softened by this scene of the elephants, all due to a staple gun’s missing staples. 

We never made it to Jabula for dinner last night. We’ll go tonight instead. After all, I’m married to an Irishman and today is St. Patrick’s Day (also son Richard‘s birthday. Happy b’day Richard!), and indeed we’ll have some fun at Jabula tonight!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all who celebrate and be safe in the process!

Photo from one year ago today, March 17, 2017:

This cockatoo stopped by for a visit, alighting atop Bob’s medicinal Papaw tree in the yard. For more photos, please click here.

The miracle of life in the bush…What a wonder!…

And, there she was, Ms. Bushbuck, on the bottom step of our veranda with her precious newborn, proudly showing her off.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This newspaper article appeared in yesterday’s local paper, definitely befitting a “Sighting of the Day in the Bush!

It’s 4:30 pm, and we just returned from Kruger National Park after an exciting and harrowing day which we’ll share in tomorrow’s post. WoW! All I can say is…

We recognized this mom based on her “dots” formation and how readily she approached us. She’s been visiting us every day over the past several weeks.
As for today’s story, I wished I’d have prepared and posted it before leaving for Kruger since now, as the evening wafts in, I’m a little bit off-kilter by writing this late in the day. 
We opted for the latter when Tom and I discussed whether we’d go to Jabula for dinner tonight or stay in, get the post done, and cook something easy for dinner. After sitting in the car for hours, the thought of getting ready to go out after I finish here isn’t particularly appealing.
The baby wasn’t quite sure what to do when she had never seen a pellet before.   She didn’t partake, only watching her mom take them from my hand.
As we’re sitting on the veranda, lightning, and thunder filling the skies above us, after it finally cooled after days of excessive heat, we’re content, especially after we came “home” to nine kudus, four warthogs, and one male bushbuck all waiting for us. 
Now, for today’s little story…a story of love and a wonderment…a story of nature at its finest for us humble animal lovers who can’t miss an opportunity to share a tender story of a birth, a life, and devotion.
She was curious as to what was transpiring and showed no fear.
It all began about three weeks ago (we’ve been here almost five weeks) when the most beautiful and friendly female bushbuck came into the yard to introduce herself. Keeping in mind, most of the animals in Marloth Park of a species are hard to differentiate when they often have almost identical markings and features.
But, this lovely young lady has some specific “polka dots” on her body that has made it easy for us to know it was her each time she’s come to visit over these many weeks.
Another special aspect to “Ms. Bushbuck” has been her willingness and eagerness to eat the pellets from my hand even more readily than taking those we’ve tossed onto the ground, as we do for most species. She lifts her head and makes eye contact with me as if asking, “Will you feed me?” How can I possibly turn her down?
When we fed mom the pellets, the baby hung around but soon lost interest and wandered a few meters away.
Unlike some female animals, she welcomes Tom equally and doesn’t skitter away when he comes close. She relates to him feeding her pellets as well but not quite as up close and personal as I do. 
Several times each day, she’s stopped by, and each time, we’ve both smiles at one another, happy to see her return. About a week ago, we noticed she’s stopped by around the same time each early evening while we sit on the veranda winding down for the day with a glass of iced tea, wine, or beer (for Tom).
Mom stopped eating to check on the whereabouts of her infant.
I fed her a few pellets, which she accepted gingerly, but without the usual enthusiasm she exhibits during daylight hours. After a few handfuls, she moseys off to the same spot in the bush in our yard where she settles in for the night, nestling into what appears to be the same spot each night, almost as if she’s built a comfy spot to sleep.
Once darkness falls, we could no longer see her there, but we’ve sensed she still is. We haven’t wanted to startle her by taking a light out there to check. In the morning, when we’re finally outdoors by 6:00 and 6:30 am, she’s been standing near the veranda waiting for us to come out.
By 9:00 or 10:00 am, she returns to see us, enthused for more pellets and a sip of water from the cement pond in the yard, not far from where she nestles at night.
We were thrilled and surprised to see Ms. Bushbuck returned with her tiny newborn.
One morning, while I was getting ready for the day, Tom was outside with her, feeding her pellets.  The warthogs tried to drive her away. She nestled in, close to Tom’s legs while he sat on the edge of the veranda, looking for protection from the aggressiveness of the warthogs. He didn’t hesitate to make her feel safe.
Often, she returns a few more times during the day, only to repeat this same pattern in the evening over the past week. We assumed she’s become comfortable with us and sleeps nearby, most likely up and about in the mornings long before us.
We never saw her return for the night on Wednesday night but assumed we’d see her again soon. Last night, after a 24-hour absence, she returned, but this time…she wasn’t alone…our hearts melted…at her side was the tiniest and I mean tiniest…little bushbuck we’ve ever seen.
At first, as they approached, the baby was a little hesitant.  But, mom, knowing she needed to nurse, wanted all the sustenance she could get.  She ate her fair share of pellets.
Sure, we can make all the assumptions we’d like about wildlife and their patterns and behavior.  And most times, we’d be wrong. But, somehow, this time, we feel confident we are right. Ms. Bushbuck returned to show us her precious tiny newborn.
Of course, we oohed and aahed over her shy baby, which undoubtedly she’d given birth to in that 24-hour time span we hadn’t seen her and her response was to enthusiastically accept countless handfuls of pellets from me, all the while keeping a watchful eye on her little bundle of joy.
Periodically, the baby would wander a few meters away, but mom never failed to take note and gather her baby back into the fold. Together, they stayed with us for hours, mom nibbling, baby suckling, and us smiling from ear to ear.
She’s a proud and happy mom, very young herself.
Tonight, it’s blissfully raining in buckets, and we don’t expect to see them in this downpour. But I assure you, we have no doubt they’ll return while we have the joyous opportunity to watch this little one grow and this loving mom nurture her along the way. 

Safari luck? Perhaps. Or, maybe we happen to be in the right place at the right time. However, in our heart of hearts, we’d like to believe that somehow, just somehow, our love of nature has put us in these divine situations because we belong here.

Thank you, dear readers, for sharing this magical place with us. We couldn’t be more appreciative and humbled.

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

The Esplanade, a walkway along the shore in Circular Quay in Sydney, Australia. For more photos, please click here.

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

Four waterbucks are sunning on sandbars.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A lone elephant at quite a distance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A female waterbuck stands to check her surroundings.

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

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

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

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

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

May YOU have a stupendous day!

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

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