Two New Year’s surprises!…Can’t stop smiling!…Fun New Year’s Day with friends…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We haven’t seen Noah since we returned from the US, most likely because Norman and Nina’s baby was born about six weeks ago. They sent him off to a new territory. Soon, Deidre, from Wild and Free Rehabilitation, will release a young female as a mate for him.

The first surprise was reader/friend Lisa contacting us yesterday, inviting us to join the four of them for dinner at Jabula tomorrow evening, January 3. She’d written to us quite a while ago that she’d contact us when they arrived in Marloth Park, prompted by our site and endless raves about the bush,

And there was Lisa, writing a comment on our site and contacting me by email to see if we could join them for dinner. We are thrilled to do so. Here again, is more of our readers coming to Marloth Park inspired by our enthusiastic posts about how blissful it is in Marloth Park. We are always delighted to meet more readers/friends.

Well, hang onto your chair for the second surprise we got yesterday while Dawn and Leon were here. I heard my WhatsApp phone ringing and jumped up to answer it. All of my contacts in WhatsApp are people we know, so I assumed it was a friend called to say Happy New Year.

Another dung beetle with his ball of dung in the garden.

An unrecognizable voice was at the end of the line. She explained she was from baggage handlers service, and I held my breath as she spoke. She was in Nelspruit and was on her way to bring us ONE of the lost bags, not both. We hope we’ll be lucky and receive the second bag.

Ninety minutes later, the delivery person texted me that she was at Louise’s office. Tom jumped in the car and headed there, picking up the bag she’d left with Louise. We have all deliveries sent to Louise’s office since our address is impossible to find with the inconsistent numbering of properties on the dirt road.

I was hoping the found bag was Tom’s, not mine. I had found most of the receipts from my stuff, but Tom’s was nearly impossible, making completing the insurance claim difficult and cumbersome. But, hoping that his bag arrives soon, we won’t have to file the claim. This makes life so much easier for me, especially with other tasks hanging over our heads.

This morning, I emptied my bag, and it appeared nothing was missing, which was surprising. I had a lot of nice clothes and toiletries in that bag. It was funny yesterday; I was about to place an order from the same online retailer that ships to South Africa, where I’d purchased about ten items about four months ago. Something stopped me, and I decided to wait a few more weeks before re-ordering the same items I’d bought. Hmm…safari luck.

Now I have plenty of tops to wear around the house and when going to dinner—what a relief. Before the return of my bag, I only had a few tee shirts to wear, along with a couple of very casual tops I’d purchased from Amazon when we were in Minnesota last month when we also had to buy winter clothes to wear while we were there.

We see Aggie, a resident agama, in our garden every few days. We’d like to interact with him, but he is very shy.

Anyway, New Year’s Day turned out better than expected. We had a fantastic day with Dawn and Leon. We ate early in the day, and by 5:00 pm, Leon was tired, and they needed to head home. It was wonderful to spend that time with them, as it always is, away from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant and frequent interruptions when the four of us are attempting to chat.

Tom and I stayed on the veranda for a few more hours, and when the mozzies began to attack, we headed indoors to stream a few more episodes of Peaky Blinders and eventually doze off to sleep. I didn’t sleep well and was awake for no less than three hours during the night. Perhaps, a nap will be on today’s agenda.

Everything is prepped for tonight’s easy dinner of ham and cheese sliders, one more time, salad, and rice. I’m wrapping up a few laundry loads and have emptied my “found” luggage. Now, I am scrambling to find photos to post for today. We don’t have a single image to post with a few animals visiting over the past few weeks. Right now, Tom is watching for photo ops.

No headache. No facial pain. I am very grateful. We’ll be back with more soon.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, January 2, 2022:

Thirsty after eating pellets, piglets needed a drink from mom. For more photos, please click here.

Missing bags…Today is the 25th day…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Last night, we found this bat inside the house near the front door. We opened the door and gently let her go back out. Bats eat mosquitoes. We welcome them as visitors.

Today is the 25th day since our bags were missing, the day Ethiopian Air said we could contact them to file a claim. When I called this morning, I was told two black bags had arrived, and they may be ours. If that’s the case, the only claim we’ll need to file is for the clothes we had to buy when we arrived in Minnesota on November 26, with only the clothes on our backs.

We’ll see how that goes. We’d be much happier to get the bags back than filing the claim for the entire contents since we’d need to find receipts for every item in those two bags, which, as mentioned earlier, would be a daunting task, requiring days to complete.

Although most of us think of cockroaches as vermin, they have a useful ecological role. Cockroaches are professional recyclers, chowing down about anything, including dead plants, animals, and waste. Last night, we spotted this one in the kitchen. They are commonly found in houses in the bush and do not necessarily mean the house is dirty or unkempt.

The rep said she’d call me back in an hour with an update. I’ll give her a few hours based on the fact they rarely call back when they say they will, from what we’ve seen so far. It seems they’ve made it so difficult to file a claim that many passengers with lost bags will not follow up with the claim since doing so is confusing and cumbersome.

We are determined to do whatever it takes to get the bags back and, in the worst case, file the appropriate claims to be reimbursed for the contents. If the bags are found and sent to Nelspruit, we’ll have to arrange for a courier to pick them up or make the over three-hour round-trip drive ourselves. With all the traffic, accidents, and crimes on the N4, it’s worth it to us to pay a courier as we did when our bags were lost and eventually found last year after a trip to the US.

Tulip and Lilac stopped by. We hadn’t seen them in a while.

Many would say we should bring enough stuff to fit into carry-on bags. But with new carry-on bag fees and restrictions, it isn’t worth not having enough of our belongings with us. We’re not backpackers, and packing that light wouldn’t work for cruising and our varied travels. Plus, we like nice clothes for dining out and social events, not necessarily dressy but more upscale than what we wear casually when staying in.

Big Daddy was looking for treats, although he had plenty of nutritious vegetation he could eat.

After today’s effort to locate the bags, I will report back on what we’ve discovered. In the meanwhile, we’re staying at home today to have easy access to all the accumulated paperwork from the missing bag fiasco and receive a phone call when voice signals are poor right now with many visitors in the bush.

With so many people in Marloth Park, we cannot stream any shows after 6:00 pm, 1800 hrs., due to the poor signal. This will continue until about a week into January after the holidays officially end. Neither of us is into reading books right now, so come the evenings after dinner, when we are ready to be indoors; there is absolutely nothing for us to do. This is frustrating. I contacted Louise to see if the WiFi provider could do anything. We’ll see what they say.

Three Big Daddies in a little horn scuffle over pellets.

This morning, it was nice to see some animals in the garden, not a lot, but a few, and we were able to take a few photos here and there, which we’re sharing in today’s post. We’ll keep an eye out today since it’s a little cooler, not a lot, but more tolerable for sitting outdoors. We haven’t seen Norman and his family all weekend, although he did show up on a trail cam photo very early this morning. I have a big bowl of “Norman’s Lunch” ready for him, chilling in the refrigerator. We hope to see him today.

A Big Daddy was looking for even a single pellet that may have been missed but the other visiting wildlife.

This morning load shedding is from 7:00 to 11:30. I can only do some of the prep for tonight’s dinner when I can’t use the oven or microwave. Also, we try not to open and close the refrigerator often during these 4½ hour-long outages. This morning Tom placed the big metal bowl filled with ice into the main refrigerator, which should keep the food safe.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 19, 2021:

This photo is from visiting an animal rescue center in South Africa in 2014. The conscientious guide ensured our safety with this cheetah. But, we had no fear. For more, please click here.

Thinking about the future…Facing the facts…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Last evening, no less than 25 animals were in the garden, including kudus bushbucks, warthogs, wildebeests, and our precious nyala family.

My eyes dart toward the garden every few minutes in case any wildlife stops by. I sat indoors at the dining room table while Vusi cleaned the veranda. Another hot day prompted me to turn on the quiet portable fan to cool off while I sat and prepared today’s post.

A moment ago, I spotted a mom and four piglets dash by on a mad run. I wondered where they were headed. A few kudus wandered in and out but feeling stuck in the chair, for once, I didn’t bother to get up to offer pellets. Earlier this morning, Tom saw the nyala family on several occasions. Still, again, I slept late after not falling asleep until well after midnight, awakening during the night when the 4½ hour load shedding started and the aircon went off.

Moms and babies.

My Fitbit says I slept 8 hours and 57 minutes. It still feels like I am catching up from lack of sleep, but I feel good, rested, and refreshed over the past few days.;.

Today is Day 3, with no headache or facial pain. Could it possibly be over? I am tentatively hopeful. I feel the best I’ve felt since before I tested positive for Omicron last April. With all the meds I was on for the headache, some of which cause weight gain, I am now reducing my food intake to lose the extra 15 pounds. I will undoubtedly accomplish it in a few months, losing from one to two pounds a week, a realistic goal.

Big Daddy, Hoppy’s mom and two remaining piglets, and more.

But, my mind? It’s spinning in circles. We have so much to do in the next few months. We must renew our passports, apply for an extension for South Africa, and complete all the paperwork soon to receive compensation for our lost luggage, requiring receipts for every item in those two bags.

That process alone will be time-consuming. I’d rather that they find the bags. How will we remember every item in those bags and find receipts? Sure, most of the purchases were made online, which will help. Nonetheless, it’s quite a task. It could take a few weeks to complete.

Big Daddy and Stringy jumped the fence.

You know the saying…”You can run, but you can’t hide.”  It’s so true. Regardless of the lifestyle we choose, we can’t escape the responsibilities of daily life; taxes to file and pay, paperwork to complete for general living, expenses to log, and bills to pay. For some reason, I feel lazy and unmotivated to do all this paperwork. But, somehow, I must get myself on track.

We love the bush so much; getting wrapped up in such responsibilities is not easy. It’s almost like being on a blissful vacation/holiday while here, and I don’t care to get wrapped up in piles of paperwork. Instead, right now, I am thinking toward the future, and with a good plan in place for what we’ll do after a 90-day extension is acquired through the law firm, tackling the paperwork will be easier.

My biggest thoughts for the day are now centered around enjoying the wildlife, cooking meals, and spending time entrenched in the beauty of nature and the bush. In the evenings, our goals are simple; listening to music using our JBL speaker, enjoying a refreshment while seated at the table on the veranda, and later in the evening, hunkering down to an excellent show to stream…all relatively mindless drivel.

Then, typically on the weekends, we love socializing at Jabula and attending or hosting parties and get-togethers. Um…it’s all lovely and indeed distracts us from the inconveniences of load-shedding, heat, humidity, insects, and snakes. Then, of course, there are the daily posts I still enjoy preparing each day, even after these past ten years. The constant search for photo ops also adds an interesting element to our lives.

Bad Ear stopped by for a quick hello.

We’ll figure it all out. Right now, we are talking about our options and what makes the most sense for us to do going forward. In any case, we must leave by June 1, 2023, but in this day and age, with everything that’s changed during the pandemic, we must plan as best as we can.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 14, 2021:

Yellow-billed stork. No text or other photos were posted on this date.

In shock after a night out to dinner in Minneapolis…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment

This giraffe didn’t seem to mind being included in the photo with us. This photo was taken in our neighborhood. Louise explained that the giraffes would soon come to our house, and they did then, and they do now. For the post from December 3, 2013, please click here.

Last evening, when we arrived early at restaurant Benihana in Minneapolis to celebrate our grandson Vincent’s 17th birthday, we sat at the bar and ordered two drinks. I ordered nine oz. of Pinot Grigio, a little less than two glasses in a small carafe, and Tom ordered one Michelob Golden Light.

The total bill for the two drinks was US $39.75, ZAR 697.84, not including a tip. Our mouths were agape when we paid the bill. We don’t spend that much on dinner, drinks, tax, and tips at Jabula on a typical Friday or Saturday night, ordering anything off the menu we could possibly want.

However, this was only the tip of the iceberg. The cost of the dinner was yet to come. Tammy, Tracy, Vincent, and Tracy’s mom Lena were in attendance for six of us. Of course, the concept of teppanyaki is fun and festive, and we all expected to pay a little more than in a typical mid-range restaurant.

We usually pay the bill when we go out to dinner with our kids and grandkids. But this time, Tammy and Tracy insisted on paying for their own meals while Tom and I would pay for the two of us. I’m glad we had that arrangement on this specific occasion. I don’t mean to be a “tightwad,” but the total bill for all of us, excluding our drinks (we never ordered more), was US $494.87, ZAR 8687.84. Had we paid for everything, the total bill would have been $534.62, ZAR 9384.10. Can you believe it?

Thanks, Tammy and Tracy, for paying for the four of you. Our bill, separate from the above total, was US $159.62, ZAR 2802.26. We’d already lost a ton of money with this Seychelles fiasco and surely would have flinched for this outrageous bill which included a 20% service fee, and yet the server asked us for cash for more tips. Oh, good grief! Don’t ask! Tacky.

All of us agreed we’d never return after those outrageous charges. Prices have obviously increased since the pandemic, and we appreciate the dilemma the establishments have had to face. But, goodness, consider diners’ reactions and interest in returning.

Yes, the food was good, but none of us ordered the most expensive items on the menu. Nonetheless, Vincent enjoyed his birthday dinner, and we all had a lovely time. We were out the door two hours from the time we arrived. It was windy, cold, and snowing, so we said our goodbyes and headed back to our hotel.

Tammy and Tracy are leaving for a week’s holiday in California while grandma Lena stays at the house with Vincent. We’ll be gone when they return, so our goodbye was for now, although we’ll be returning in nine months, spending time with everyone once away.

This morning, at 9:30, we’re driving to the town of Shakopee to meet up with Greg’s family for brunch at a popular restaurant. Hopefully, everyone is feeling well, and we’ll all be able to be together for the first time since we arrived one week ago today. We’ve been here for one week since we arrived last Saturday afternoon. It seems like a long time ago that we shopped at Target, exhausted and dirty after wearing the same clothes and underwear for 56 hours.

Hopefully, the return flight in five days will be easier than this most recent one. When we arrive in Johannesburg next Friday, we’ll be staying overnight. Otherwise, we’d have had to drive in the dark to Marloth Park, which is way too dangerous on the N4 at night due to “spiking,” carjackings, and murders.

If all goes well and we arrive in Marloth Park after driving during daylight hours from Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger airport to Marloth Park, we should arrive in the afternoon. If we’re well rested, we’ll head to Jabula for dinner. We’re looking forward to seeing our friends, Leon and Dawn, and any other locals who may have stopped by for sundowners and dinner.

Of course, amid all this travel, we’ll be searching for the status of our missing baggage. We’ll keep you updated on the results.

That’s it for today, folks. It’s time for us to head out for breakfast with Greg’s family. We’ll be back with more tomorrow.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 3, 2021:

Hippos aren’t necessarily the cutest of animals, but it’s fun to take their photos. For more, please click here.

One day and we’re off!…We’re busy getting ready…Male lion warnings!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
This Big Daddy visited early this morning, wondering why he didn’t see us yet. Too early for us!

Last evening, we had intended to visit Louise and Danie for sundowners before taking off on our Thursday trip. When we returned from our pedicure appointments, there was a message from Louise on Whatsapp stating that Danie had come down with the flu overnight. It made no sense to expose ourselves to germs with this upcoming trip.

We appreciated her letting us know. She’d insisted on stopping by before dinnertime to drop off a special treat she’d made for our intended visit. We certainly didn’t want to take any risks, especially since I am already working on recovering from this long-term acute sinusitis.

Wearing a face mask, Louise approached the veranda’s railing, handing off a warm pan of prawn skewers and a fabulous dipping sauce. I’d already prepped a dish and a salad for dinner but decided the prawns would be perfect for tonight, our last night before leaving. We only chatted for a few minutes, and then she was on her way.

Since Tom’s not a big fan of seafood, except lobster, Oysters, Rockefeller, and escargot (which he likes to eat on cruises ships), we could take a few pork chops out of the freezer for him while I eat the prawns tonight. Of course, last night, I couldn’t resist eating a few of the skewers; they were delicious.

Last evening, there were many insects on the veranda, so we decided to eat at the dining room table with the doors closed. Four zebras stopped for remnants of the day’s pellets during that time.

This morning, I prepped Tom’s pork chops after they defrosted overnight in the fridge, made a big salad, and got Tom’s rice ready to cook when we put the chops on the braai. I’ll quickly reheat the prawn skewers and enjoy them with the sauce and the salad on the side.

Tom just returned from Daisy’s Den, where Tracy is a seamstress. Tom left this morning to pick up a pair of jeans. I had  Tracy cut off to hem for long shorts. Over the past few years, I wore that pair of jeans so often, I wore holes in the knees. There was no way I’d wear jeans with holes in the knees. Although it’s cute for young people to wear jeans with holes, I don’t find it attractive on older individuals.

I need to get over myself about the scars from the heart surgery. Since I don’t own a pair of shorts, all of which I’d tossed a few years ago with all the scars on my legs from the surgeries, I knew this tropical trip would require at least one pair of shorts to wear when we go out to the islands on our upcoming Seychelle cruise. This is a step in the right direction.

I’m even bringing the one swimsuit I own. But, the antibiotics I am on, specifically state to avoid the sun due to a high risk of sunburn. Since neither of us has tanned for so long, we must be cautious. We’re bringing organic sunscreen with an SPF of 30, which should serve us well. The cruise line requires all sunscreen, shampoo, and conditioners to be environmentally safe for coral reefs. Fortunately, we were able to find such products at Takealot.

Tom didn’t get outside until around 7:00 this morning and missed this handsome visitor.

On another note, warnings about lions in Marloth Park are posted on Facebook a few times daily. There are two males on the hunt. “And another warning! Here is today’s warning:

 🦁🦁🦁🦁
‼️ VERY URGENT CARNIVORE ALERT‼️
November 23, 2022
The Carnivore Team has released a VERY URGENT WARNING that two substantial male lions are on the move and hunting! They are active and moving fast between Gate 1, East of Olifant and Oribi! The situation is extremely dangerous, and the status could change anytime, so PLEASE be vigilant!
If you encounter the lions, please get in touch with the Carnivore Team! DONT POST IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA for safety reasons!
The Carnivore Team and Security are patrolling and monitoring the areas and situation and will report any variances for safety reasons!
Everybody needs to be highly cautious, especially if you are having a braai outside tonight; make sure the area is well-lit and sit with your backs to the wall!
This an urgent alert for joggers, hikers, and cyclists along these areas throughout the day!
Please do not allow children alone in these areas, period – as the lion could be hiding anywhere! 😳
Unfortunately, the warnings are not taken seriously, but the onus is on everyone to adhere to the alerts and warn others of the dangers.
Should you spot any lions, please get in touch with one of the following persons at all hours:
Rangers 082 802 5894
CPF/ Nadine 082 672 4545 Gerrie Camacho 082 353 9097,
Ernst Röhm /MTPA 083 626 6309,
April Lukhele: 082 807 1057. Jan Koekemoer 063 053 7601.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding – Carnivore Team, Rangers, MTPA, CPF, Security, and the Vet.”
We can only hope that visitors and locals will heed these warnings and be diligent when outdoors, whether near their braai, bonfire, walking, or biking on the roads and to and from their vehicles when out to dinner, bars, and shops. We’ve heard several stories from locals who’ve seen the lions and heard the roar of these lions but, as yet, we have not. We are very careful.
That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back with a post tomorrow as we prepare to head out the door by 3:00 pm, 1500 hrs., for our 6:30 pm, 1830 hrs. flight from Nelspruit to Joburg.
Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 23, 2021:

An Egyptian goose was fluffing her feathers while on an island on the Crocodile River. For more photos, please click here.

Four days and counting…Saving more money on future cruises…Blood on the veranda…What could that be?…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We were shocked to see the blood on the veranda, but there was no evidence of its source.

We had a busy morning. We rushed off to the doctor at 9:15 am to get a few more prescriptions. This will be my third round of antibiotics for the acute sinusitis I got when I had Covid-19 in April. The other medications I am currently on have been adjusted, lowering some doses, and adding a nebulizer treatment. I tried to avoid taking more antibiotics but this needs to go away once and for all.

Once back at the house, Zef was here cleaning and changing the linen. There was a problem with the bathroom sink over the weekend and it was tricky trying to do six nasal flushing treatments a day in the bathroom sink when we knew it wouldn’t get fixed until Monday. We didn’t tell Louise about it until this morning since we didn’t want to disturb their short holiday in Mozambique. over the weekend.

We put a large bowl in the bathroom sink and used that each time I did the nasal treatments or washed our hands, dumping the water onto the shower floor and rinsing the bowl each time. That worked. TIA. This is Africa. Stuff happens. Then again, stuff happens wherever we’ve lived in the world, including back in the USA.

When Tom stepped onto the veranda this morning, he spotted this trail of blood with no indication of its source. There are a few leaves in the center but aren’t of importance.

The extra refrigerator we use that’s on the veranda died over the weekend. We emptied everything out and moved the items to the main refrigerator in the kitchen. I’m sure while we’re gone, Louise will arrange to have the refrigerator repaired since we use it often, especially when doing a two-week grocery run or having guests.

Tom is currently on his way to Komatipoort to get my prescriptions filled so we’ll be good to go on Thursday. Fortunately, he was willing to drive up and back on his own as he’d done last Friday for the same purpose. This enabled me to work on some projects around the house; folding laundry, prepping for dinner, and writing a schedule for all of the medications which require my attention every two hours.

I contacted Louise to send the link for our next three months’ rent due at the end of this month and immediately paid that, taking one more item off of the “to-do” list. Yesterday, I set up bill pay for upcoming credit card payments due in December in the event we have poor WiFi on the ship which we’re expecting. We entirely pay off our credit card balances each month unless we’ve charged a huge amount for a pricey cruise or trip, which we’ll pay over two months.

The animal (or human, for that matter) walked along the side of the house where the blood droplets continued.

Speaking of money, Tom discovered another price drop, a Black Friday special, on Cruise Critic, for our upcoming cruise next August. He called Costco Travel that evening and we received another price reduction of US $1100, ZAR 19175…plus an additional US $1000, ZAR 17432, cabin credit which added to our existing US $300 cabin credit, ZAR 5227 for a total of US $1300, ZAR 222652, that we can use for purchases of drinks, WiFi or purchases in the shops which are always fun for me when we have unused cabin credit. The cruise lines do not refund leftover cabin credit.

Our total benefit for that one call to Costco on November 18, resulted in us saving US $2100, ZAR 36588, less the reduction on the complimentary Costco gift card, which we can’t use until we get back to the states. The last such gift card we had, we used toward the purchase of this new Lenovo Windows 11 Ideapad Flex 5 which I am very happy with. Using a Chromebook, for all we do wasn’t ideal for me but works well for Tom.

A hornbill stopping by for some birdseed we place on the bushbaby ledge.

Of course, this price reduction reduced the amount of the gift card Costco provides for booking travel with them. Originally, before all the price reductions we’ve got on this cruise with credits for canceled cruises and price drops, we only owe US $2996, ZAR 52161 as compared to our original price for that cruise US $16275, ZAR 2834406.

It’s imperative that we stay on top of all of these posted price reductions. The cruise seller/agents don’t watch for the price drops on cruises. It’s up to us to keep an eye out and then ask for the benefit of the reductions and perks.

Earl stopped by last night for some pellets on the bench which he prefers to eating off of the ground.

This upcoming cruise in Seychelles didn’t offer any price reductions or perks. Once we set sail or at the end of the cruise, we’ll be posting the cruise fare and added expenses.

Today, the temperature and humidity are moderate and we’re quite comfortable which is a welcomed relief. There are many hours of load shedding but we are fine with that, as long as our inverter is working and provides WiFi, the ability to recharge our equipment, a fan in the bedroom, and the light from one lamp.

May you have a pleasant Monday! Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 21, 2021:

It was great to see this elephant from Amazing Kruger View restaurant while out to dinner with another couple the previous night. For more photos, please click here.

Finally, a photo of us!…Getting ready for special guests on Monday on our 10-year travel anniversary…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Yes, we know Tom needs a haircut. He’ll get one next week. This photo was taken yesterday at the phone store using Tom’s new phone.

We only post a few photos of us. If it weren’t for our readers, who often ask us to post photos of us, we’d post them even less. But, when we look back years later, we’re glad we posted a few here and there.

The only tricky part is looking back and seeing how we’ve aged in the past ten years since we began traveling the world. In our upcoming 10th anniversary post, we’ll include some of those photos from the past ten years. But, a month ago, we’d mentioned posting a new itinerary.

Norman took a rest in the garden, very unusual for him.

But, as it turned out, as much as we tried, we hadn’t booked anything yet beyond the two upcoming cruises next August 2023, less than a year out, after which we’ll spend about a month in the US visiting family, which we missed doing this past May when we both ended up with Omicron and were too sick to see our family while we were in Minnesota and Nevada.

Hopefully, in September 2023, we won’t have Covid-19 again, and we can spend the month enjoying our loved ones in the two states. We have a tentative plan of where we’ll go from there, which we’ll share in the upcoming anniversary post.

Yesterday, I managed to get Tom’s new phone set up. Since the new phone wasn’t another Google Pixel we both prefer, he was okay with purchasing the new phone for US $307, ZAR 5575. As mentioned in a prior post, he’ll use this phone until we return to the US in September and can each purchase two new Google Pixel phones, which don’t come out until October 13, 2023.  We’ll have to play it by ear to see how long we are in the USA.

Norman’s son Noah, also took a rest, along with his dad.

As for our upcoming special guests coming to stay at one of the two little cottages on our property, our dear friends, owners of Jabula, Dawn, and Leon, are coming for a special Asian dinner we’re making with some of Leon’s favorite dishes. Since they are always waiting on us, Monday and Tuesday will be days we’ll be fussing over them.

Leon has been stricken with a horrific terminal illness, details we’ll share later with their permission. We are heartbroken and will do everything we can to be there for them during this sorrowful time. Life is hard. There’s no easy answer as to why these things happen. Lately, our lives have been surrounded by the illnesses and loss of friends we’ve cherished over the years.

Each day, Noah is looking more and more like his dad. Soon he will have the dark brown coat and mane which makes Norman so handsome.

All we can do as friends is provide love and support in any way that works for them. This isn’t about us. This is about the loved ones and dear friends who have been at our sides over the years and how we can support them during sorrowful times. We will share the special menu for Leon and Dawn with food photos.

Load shedding just ended and the washer restarted where it left off. Soon, I will be able to hang the second load that stopped over two hours ago when load shedding started. It appears there won’t be any more outages today but that can change in a minute. Tonight, we’re off to Jabula to be with our friends, at the friendliest and most fun bar on the planet with over-the-top fantastic food.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, October 28, 2021:

One Tusk is becoming quite popular around here. Perhaps, a replacement for Tiny, who never returned after we visited the US in July 2021. For more photos, please click here.

Finally, off to Komatipoort after two weeks…Out to dinner last night…We are lucky to know so many locals…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
We were thrilled to see a dung beetle with its mate a few minutes after we spotted one without a mate!

When we realize we’ve spent 3½ of the past ten years of world travel staying in Marloth Park, it’s not surprising we’ve met so many people. We’ve met single-visit tourists, frequent tourists, and countless locals who live here part-time or full-time. Since we meet many people when we go to Jabula each week, it has been a fantastic means of meeting new people.

Never in our old lives did we make new friends when out to dinner. Unless we were part of a group and were introduced, occasionally, we may have exchanged a few words with other diners who were seated near us, never to see them again. But, here in Marloth Park, we’ve become friends with many people we’ve met.

First, we saw a dung beetle rolling his ball without a mate.

Last night when we went out to Giraffe, a local restaurant a short distance from here, we ran into several people we know, mostly locals. South Africans are very affectionate when greeting people they know and, sometimes, people they’ve just met. Absent during the pandemic, warm hugs and kisses are now tendered with warmth and enthusiasm.

We’ve invited Gerhard to join us at Giraffe if he can after he is done with his vehicle sale details. After we were seated in  the outdoor dining area, Gerhard joined us, sharing the details of his exciting day working with the dealership and how they would send him the funds from the sale of his “bakkie.” Getting money in and out of South Africa is not an easy task requiring many documents.

Baby zebra suckling.

Money laundering is a severe problem in this country, and the government has made it difficult to move money in and out. That’s why we never opened a bank account here and only use an ATM card to get cash and use credit cards to pay for products and services. We don’t want to deal with the red tape.

It was fun to have dinner with Gerhard one more time. Most likely, he’ll begin the long return flight to Bali to be with Rita at the beautiful holiday home where we stayed for four months in 2016. We missed seeing Rita too but knew it made no sense for both of them to come for the vehicle sale.

It’s sweet to watch the connection between the mom and her baby.

We’re taking off for Komati right now and will complete this post when we return in a few hours. Tom’s cell phone died, and he’ll buy a basic smartphone at the Vodacom store a few doors from the Spar Market. Once we return to the US next fall for a visit, we’ll both buy new smartphones. Since he barely uses his phone, whatever he buys will suffice for the next several months.

We just returned from Komati. We bought Tom a new Samsung A31 smartphone, the newest phone they had in the store which came out in the US in 2020. But, TIA, “This is Africa” and what is new to them may not be new to us in the US and other countries. Nonetheless, this phone will suffice for Tom’s needs when all he’ll use it for is a few online games he plays.

This mom and baby stood in that one spot for an hour, resting and perhaps sleeping standing up.

He doesn’t make calls or text on his phone and often uses it for internet searches. As Tom always says, if it weren’t for me, he’d “still have a rotary phone on the wall with a party line!” As a result, I handle all his phone needs, including setting up this new phone today as soon as I upload today’s post and helping him with any texts or phone calls.

This mom and baby also stood still for an hour, never moving.

We did all the grocery shopping after, refilling some prescriptions at the pharmacy. As I sit here now at 12:45 pm, with load shedding starting again soon, all the food is put away and I’m ready to get back to my walking and his phone setup.

Have a great day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 27, 2021:

There’s our boy, Broken Horn. He was so happy to see us. He was shaking his head and moving his feet up and down. Funny, boy! For more photos, please click here.

Nice evening out with readers/friends at Amazing Kruger View…Photos!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
What a fine specimen of an enormous crocodile resting on the riverbank as seen yesterday during sundown from Amazing Kruger View.

Yesterday afternoon, at 4:30 pm, 1630 hrs., we met up with readers/friends from California who made a week-long stop in Marloth Park /Kruger National Park to conduct volunteer work through their church in the US, in other African countries over the next several weeks. It’s always enjoyable for us to meet readers when they stop in Marloth Park, often inspired by our overly enthusiastic posts about how amazing it is to be here in this magical place.

A crocodile was lounging on an island in the Crocodile River. Crocs don’t have sweat glands and thus breathe through their mouths to cool down.

Pam and Elden are a lovely couple, married a few years longer than us, who have extensively traveled the world, some for Elden’s work in construction, some for volunteer work, and much for the pleasure of experiencing many of the fantastic places to visit in the world. We had great stories to share of countries we’ve mutually visited over the years.

As seen from Amazing Kruger View, Egyptian geese were fishing on the Crocodile River.

We shared many similar experiences in countries rich in culture and history, and they also savor the unique and unusual over the typical tourist traps. Of course, they were enthralled with the wildlife and had some stunning Kruger game drives, including spotting a rhino. We were happy for them. After all the horrific poaching that has transpired, we haven’t seen a rhino in Kruger in a few years.

A waterbuck near the river.

The food at Amazing Kruger View doesn’t hold a candle to Jabula, where we’ll head on out tonight and again tomorrow night. We thoroughly enjoy our new plan to dine there twice over the weekends as of a few weeks ago. We’ll leave our schedule flexible for other social events as they pop up on weekends, and if something comes up, we’ll reschedule Friday or Saturday for another day of the week.

We’ve found the cost of dining out is not much more than what we spend on groceries. Currently, with inflation and increased costs of quality meat, poultry, and fish, which we eat the most, instead of sugary, starchy foods. With the rand’s devaluation awful over the last several months, we’ve been able to eat out at Jabula for no more than US $34, ZAR 624 per night.

Three waterbucks grazing on the riverbank.

Our average daily grocery bill right now is US 27, ZAR 496.39. The bills for Jabula include food, drinks, tax, and tip for the two of us. Considering we may have sundowners at home on the veranda, the actual difference may be as little as US $4, ZAR 73.50. Do you see why it makes sense for us to dine out, especially when it’s hot with load-shedding issues?

Besides, we get a massive dose of love from Dawn, Leon, and David, the rest of their staff, and of course, all the locals who stop by to chat and hang out at the bar. It’s a very special time for us each week.

Pam and Elden, from California, found us through our site, visiting Marloth Park while heading to do volunteer work in other African countries.

I just took a break from doing today’s post so we could head to the Marlothi Centre to buy lettuce, carrots, cabbage, and bananas. We’ve decided not to grocery shop until next week since we have enough food to get us through the next several days. After the little store, we stopped to see Louise and Danie, which was a delightful hour of lively conversation.

Back at the house at 1:00 pm, 1300 hrs., load shedding just started and will last a few hours. Before we know it, we’ll be getting ready to go out tonight. I just took the last dose of the antibiotic.

Last night’s sunset, as seen from Amazing Kruger View Restaurant, where we had dinner with Pam and Elden.

The head pain is gone, but the facial pain is only when I gently touch my left cheek. Weird. It’s got to be nerve pain from the long-term sinus infection. For now, I prefer to see if time will resolve it. I am tired of being on medication and feeling out of sorts. I still have two more days of Prednisone. But the low dose I changed to a few days ago, has allowed me to sleep well once again, which is therapeutic in itself.

We hope you are having a good day and are feeling well and cheerful.

Photo from one year ago today, October 21, 2021:

Baby bushbucks tend to sit down on the ground when the dad or another male is nearby, a submissive behavior. For more photos, please click here.

We haven’t really changed…Photos from nine years ago…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Moments before the rain, Tom captured the clouds rolling at precisely the right moment. Today’s photos are from this post here.

With our 10th travel anniversary fast approaching on October 31, we can help but reminisce over our adventures of the last decade. Of course, some of our best experiences centered around wildlife, nature, and scenery, which always fascinated us the most and continues to do so.

Each day brings a new sighting of one sort or another. Even today, a quiet, cool weather day in the bush leaves us reeling over the simple things. For example, at this moment, seven kudus are in the garden munching on the remnants of yesterday’s lucerne delivery. Moments later, two zebras stopped by, and our boy Norman, as well.

The King of Jungle never disappointed, continually offering an opportunity for close-ups and the opportunity to observe their playful antics and instinctual behaviors. Thank you, lions.

Noah, Norman’s son, has been hanging around the garden for hours, munching on more lucerne and fast-ripening bananas. The animals must love the day before we shop when we clean out any leftover vegetables from the refrigerator and any leftover fruit we purchase for their dining. We don’t eat fruit other than blueberries in homemade keto scones, and as mentioned, Tom likes bananas.

Typical for the bush, with the heat and humidity, produce doesn’t seem to last long, even in the refrigerator, making it a treat for the visiting wildlife before it spoils. We don’t feed them rotted or spoiled food. Who would?

This cheetah photo was taken from afar after a group of three had a successful kill. Notice the bloody face.

As I’ve continued to recover, albeit slowly, the past few days, I’ve had ample quiet time to reflect on the past decade, only to realize that we haven’t changed much since we started on October 31, 2012. Sure, we are more easy-going and adaptable, less inclined to complain about inconveniences and disturbances, but overall, we appreciate little nuances in our daily lives.

A good night’s sleep, a delicious meal, a pleasant evening together or with friends, feeling well, and an exciting sighting are all that is required to up our happiness level another notch. Even during the last six months, when I have suffered from an awful post-Covid headache and facial pain, we’ve had countless wonderful experiences. I’ve made every effort to avoid my situation from postponing joy.

“Retired Generals” hanging out together in the Maasai Mara. Male Cape buffalos are often forced out of the herd when a more robust male-dominated the herd. These males wander together for the remainder of their lives, never to mate.

As I’m getting better each day, based on the drug cocktail Doc Theo put together for me, which is working after almost a week, I am hopeful for the future. After six months of feeling awful, is it possible that we’ll be able to fly to Seychelles for the island cruise on a 40-passenger yacht , and I’ll feel great during the experience? I certainly hope so.

I have one month to work on building my strength after spending half of each day resting, often lying in bed after I’m done with the post. It was impossible to exercise with that much pain in my head and face. My legs are weak and will require lots of walking to return to a suitable level of strength.

We were approaching a dirt landing strip to pick up seven more passengers for the flight to the Maasai Mara.

As soon as I am off these meds and feel better, I will begin walking again. It’s been a Catch-22, taking antibiotics and Prednisone, which causes side effects while healing the chronic sinus infection I seemed to have had all these months since we got Covid-19 on April 20th.

Today, at 4:30 pm, 1630 hrs., we’re meeting a new couple for dinner at Amazing Kruger View, who came to Marloth Park after reading our posts. Once again, meeting more of our readers will be a pleasure. Tomorrow, with their permission, we’ll post photos of our new friends and share some details of their travel adventures.

Have a fantastic day wherever you may be!

Photo from one year ago today, October 20, 2021:

The oxpeckers went after Thick Neck. He got a glazed look on his face when they started cleaning off his hide. We haven’t seen Thick Neck since we moved to this house in May. For more photos, please click here.