Quiet contemplation while winding down…Check out the senior version of photo taking using a tripod! One year ago at the river, a White Fronted Plover…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This bright ray of sunlight when captured by Tom’s steady hand this morning. Tom took all these sunrise photos this morning around 7:00 am. He’s getting better!

With a renewed sense of wonder after a day without spotting a single “blow hole” this morning we dashed out the door when Tom spotted two Humpback Whales breaching the surface of the sea. 

It impressed me that Tom took these sunrise photos. 

Grabbing the newly purchased $15.99 tripod, we set up the camera prepared to take a few more whale shots, dreaming of the full-body breach one may never capture in a lifetime. 

Based on current reports there’s been a tremendous number of whale sightings in Kauai at Hanalei Bay, where we’ll be in a mere six days. Although we’ll be living across the street from the bay, we’re prepared to buy two portable lawn chairs from Costco when we arrive to haul them along with the camera and tripod to the beach each day for whale watching.

The beaming rays of sunshine always warrant a photo. Good job, Mister!

It won’t be as convenient as it’s been living only 30 feet from the roaring sea here in Pahoa but, as always, we’ll revise our strategy to make it work. I’ve kind of grown attached to this cozy beach house as Tom and I have returned to our simple way of living alone together, having more fun than two seniors would ever imagine at our ages.

Although he took the sunrise photos using my camera, he adjusted the tripod and older camera hoping to get a few whale photos. Alas, they didn’t breach again for now. This pose made us laugh. Here’s the “senior” way to use a tripod, comfortably ensconced with one’s butt in a chair, (although the tripod raises up to a full height).

Again today, we prefer to languish at home beginning to think about organizing and packing. Plus, we have the empty cardboard box to fill with unused food and household products to take to the post office in Pahoa to mail to ourselves in Kauai. This time we’ll mail it only one day before arrival since it takes only one day for inter-island packages.

Salt resistant vegetation commonly seen along the shore.

In reality, we could pack it all in a matter of a few hours, but we’ve found planning ahead is a great stress reducer, making our departure seamless and uncomplicated which we thrive on.

Yesterday, staying in once again, we were at a loss for photos to post today. We’d literally used all the good shots we’d had in the “Next Day Photos” folder on my desktop and wondered, as we often do, what we’ll post for today. 

Last evening’s waves were breathtaking.

Alas, the beauty of our surroundings, as always, provides the opportunities we seek, and the worthy scenes are presented to us, begging to become a permanent part of our website.

A beautiful scene is our neighbor Yoko’s yard.

Today, in its simplicity, we cut our words short to share these photos and to allow us time to get back outside and see what else Mother Nature may have in store for us in the next 24 hours. She seldom lets us down.

                                            Photo from one year ago today, January 9, 2014:

It was a year ago today that we stood on the shores of the Crocodile River enjoying the various wildlife including the White Fronted Plover, quietly at rest.  For other photos of the wildlife we spotted that day, please click here.

Family has arrived…Absolutely wonderful!…Whale watching at home!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Our first whale in Hawaii, spotted by our grandson Jayden, 9. Good eye, Jayden. And Nik, 14 spotted the first sea turtles. Guess “safari luck” is hereditary.

At 6:00 am this morning we heard the animated sound of Jayden’s voice outside. Looking out the window, we saw our four family members outside on the patio staring out the sea, squealing with delight.

Last night’s moon rising over the sea.

Tom bolted out of bed to join them, only moments later hollering upstairs to me as I brushed my teeth, to hurry and get outside. In a matter of seconds, he handed me the camera as I stood on the lanai anxious to grab a good shot of a whale they spotted breaching the surface, the steamy blow hole presenting an awe-inspiring spray.

Last night’s moon high in the sky.

My heart leaped with excitement. Unfortunately, by the time I got outside, I’d missed a good shot but Sarah had the photo we’ve included today using her smartphone.

This morning’s sunrise.

I guess from now on, we’ll be up at 6:00 am looking for the spray of the whales, hoping to get more photos. We lined up six chairs on the patio facing the sea where we’ll all sit throughout the day looking for whales, turtles (which we spotted), and later basking in the sun.

A coastline view from our drive along the Red Road.

In 17 hours since they’ve arrived, they’ve seen the moonrise, sea turtles, a whale, and oddly, a hitchhiker which none of us had seen in quite a while. 

The moon early this morning.

After a great taco dinner, last night with a fresh batch made again tonight for dinner, we spent hours laughing and enjoying many of our photos of wildlife taken over the past 26 months since we left Minnesota.

Angel Trumpet flowers, the first we’ve seen in Hawaii.  We’d seen these on the island of Madeira, many months ago. Cheryl, one of our readers, wrote to inform us that these flowers are toxic. Stay clear…for looking only!

Honestly, it’s like never a day had passed since we’ve seen each other. Instantly, we fell in step, all talking at the same time, laughing and smiling as wide as the face will allow.

Bougainvillea on the Big Island.

This morning, they’ll watch the Minnesota Vikings game on the computer or if we can get it going, using our portable projector. In any case, it will be a great day, as it will be every day as this exciting month has begun. 

Chicken that wanders our neighborhood.

Enjoy our photos of the moon from last night and our solitary whale photo. But, without a doubt, more of each will follow. By the way, people photos will be posted tomorrow. 

Happy Sunday. It surely will be here.

                                            Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2013:
No photos were posted one year ago today, as we wrote about the death of Nelson Mandela which transpired while we were living in South Africa. For details of that post, please click here.

Remembrances of the ocean awhile ago…The seafarers life awhile ago…One year ago today…We gave away 40% of our clothing and shoes…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Whale ship masthead rings that held the sailors to the mast.

Its funny how as time marches on, many memories flooding our minds have become some of the most treasured experiences in our travels.  Now, into our third year on the move, Belize, our first vacation home outside the US lingers in our minds for our close proximity to the ocean.


Whale blubber pot.

Early this morning I stared out the glass door to the sea feeling that same warm sense of comfort familiar from so long ago with the ocean at our door beaconing thought provoking gazes at the sea at every opportunity.


Blubber hook. 

The sea has held a mysterious attraction for sailors and land lovers alike since the beginning of time.  On Monday, as we wanders through the Whalers Village Museum the passion for the sea was evident in every artifact, painting and representation of sea life. 


Tools used in whaling.

Whaling was big business in centuries passed.  In today’s world and particularly in Hawaii, the love and the preservation of the life of whales is a profound aspect for oceanic devotees and the scientific community.


Replica of small whaling boat.

Although the museum depicted the long ago whaling business, it was evident that today’s profound sense and love of the whale and other marine life is in the forefront of the hearts and minds of the people of Hawaii.


Pilot whale blubber.

While at the museum we watched an amazing movie learning about the humpback whale, much of which neither of us had any awareness.  Many of these facts are depicted in the following site.


Scrimshaw, which is the use of bones and teeth of whales and other marine mammals, was commonly made into a variety of items the sailors later sold at port for additional income.  Also, there were many boring hours at sea and making scrimshow kept them busy.



Scrimshaw picture frame.

Please click this link to find an audio file of the actual sounds of the humpback whale.


Equipment used in making various artifacts.

The humpback whales come to the Hawaiian Islands and also to Maui in December on their long journey from Alaska.  We’re are only weeks away from their arrival, although we’ve heard a few have been sighted.  We’ve spent many hours gazing at the sea hoping to spot them.


Sleeping quarters of whaling boat from early 1900’s.



In getting close to these bunks, we could see how small they actually were, as short as five feet long and two feet wide, certainly inadequate sleeping space in today’s world.

The prevalence of the humpback whale is much greater in Maui than on the Big Island so we’re hoping to see them before we leave in five days. At the moment we’re awaiting a confirmation on what may prove to be a pointless expedition out to sea in hopes of spotting whales.  We’ll certainly post updates here in the next few days.  If “safari luck” prevails, we may have whale photos to share on Sunday.


Ship octant and charting tool.

Today, we share our photos of some of the memorabilia from the much maligned days of whaling in an era when extinction wasn’t given a thought.  Sadly, whaling continues in many parts of the world with little regard for the likelihood of extinction of the whale, perhaps in the lifetime of this generation.


Sailors would make this decorative canes from whale bones selling them in port to supplement their income.



A fiddle kept on the ships for entertainment for the sailors

We’ll be back tomorrow with more new photos and an update on our possible whale watching outing.


Rigger tools.

Have a lovely pre-Thanksgiving day.  In my old life, today was the day I’d make eight to ten pumpkin pies rolling the made-from-scratch dough for the crust of each pie. 


Actual photo of seamen on a whaling boat.



This interesting chart depicts the income earned for various positions aboard ship after a four year period at sea. 

Each of our families or friends that came for Thanksgiving dinner was given a pie to take home along with containers of leftovers.  I don’t miss making the pies but, perhaps, the eating them was worthy of mention.
__________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, November 26, 2013:

One year ago today, we completed boxing up 40% of our clothing and shoes to give away when we’d accepted the fact that further lightening our load was imperative to avoid continuing excess baggage fees.  More photos of the clothing we gave away are shown in this link.  Please click here.

The beauty of Maui continues in our photos…Sea turtles…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
A stop along the highway for a breathtaking view.

As we explore in Maui, we continue to be in awe of its natural beauty and how local businesses and points of interest, incorporate their love of Hawaii’s natural elements to become a part of the message they convey in their offerings.

This quaint coconut shop is an example of the simple pleasures in the Hawaiian Islands and love for vegetation.

Whether its a farm stand, a restaurant, a golf course, or a tourist attraction, the influence of the islands is grasped as a devotion to the way of life, the exquisite vegetation, the surrounding oceanic water and its treasures, its weather patterns, its volcanoes, and its lava rock foundation.

Through the limited explorations, we made driving throughout our area, we find ourselves drawn to these natural elements as opposed to the typical often crowded tourist attractions.

A worker at the coconut shop uses a machete type blade to open the coconut, selling them with a straw for drinking the milk and later enjoying the meat.

Our intent in Maui has been to relax from months of traveling while immersing ourselves in the local beauty surrounding us. It’s been easy to do both.

Yesterday afternoon, we wandered along the shoreline in the afternoon to spot no less than a dozen sea turtles their flippers wildly flailing and noses popping above the water for a breath of air. 

An old vehicle we spotted at the coconut stand along the highway after our visit to the plantation.

Here’s a link to surprising sea turtle facts including that sea turtles were land animals millions of years ago and have since adapted to life in the sea. The shell is called a carapace and the underside of a sea turtle is called the plastron.

Sea turtles don’t suffer ill effects when diving deep into the ocean and depending on their species can stay underwater from one to five hours without coming up for a breath of fresh air.

Yesterday’s sea turtle sighting, barely rising enough above the surface for a decent photo. For a video and more sea turtles photos, please see our link from November 6th here.

It was only a few days ago that we wondered how marine life survives drinking saltwater only to find the above link that explains that seas turtles have “salt glands” close to their eyes that filter out the salt from their bodies. 

Each living plant and creature serves a purpose in our environment including every aspect of their structure. It’s especially fascinating to live in an area in which we can observe some of these aspects in the natural habitat of Hawaii.

We’ve seen these red berries on several trees to discover they are Foxtail Palm Trees.

In our future travels, we’ll visit many other islands as in our upcoming extended stays in both Fiji and Bali where we’ll find the natural environment equally interesting and fulfilling as we’ve found in Hawaii.

As our time winds down in Maui, we anticipate the Big Island not only for the glorious time we’ll surely spend with our family but also, in the opportunity to share our love of nature with those we love. We’re all excited to see the lava flow…hopefully, not too close to where we’ll be living.

This photo illustrates the Foxtail Palm Tree seeds when unripe, green as shown on the left, later turning the ripe bright red.

We continue to share more of our new photos of Maui in our remaining time on this island.

Have a wonderful weekend!

                                           Photo from one year ago today, November 22, 2013:
As we prepared to leave Diani Beach, Kenya, one year ago, we didn’t post any photos on this date. Please click here for the story.

Further reducing the checked baggage load…Sightseeing in Maui…A wonderful afternoon…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Tom got a kick out of this old Ford “woody” that was on display at the Maui Tropical Plantation.

On Saturday, while at Costco, we purchased a 23″ semi hard-sided, lightweight expandable piece of luggage.  With the hope of further reducing the number of checked bags to three instead of four.

Tom at the entrance to the General Store on the premises.

Doing so reduces the extra $35 cost on three more flights in the Hawaiian Island; one, to the Big Island; another to Kauai; the third back to Honolulu for the cruise to Australia in May. 

Complimentary Hawaiian coffee was served in a shop.

With a combined savings of $105 and the price, we paid for the bag at $72, more than pays for itself while in Hawaii, and more on future flights throughout the world.

Our new 23″ lightweight bag that allowed us to dispose of two smaller bags.

Besides, the two smaller orange wheeling bags had begun to show serious signs of wear and tear, especially when the zippers had become corroded due to the humidity in Kenya over a year ago

The main building and entrance to the Maui Tropical Plantation.

We choose the blue color for easy spotting and the semi-hard sided for hopefully a little less wear and tear.  Yet at $72, who’s going to complain if it only lasts a year or two, as have all of our bags, now handling and weather-beaten? Not us.

This handmade log house was located by the entrance to the main building at the Maui Tropical Plantation.

We’ve come to the conclusion that the quality of luggage has a lot less of an effect on its ability to last for long periods, than the number of times it goes through typical baggage handling at airports and on cruises. Replacing bags from time to time doesn’t concern us a bit, especially when we can always find something durable enough to last for a while.

A display of antique hand-cranked coffee grinders.

Once we returned home from Costco on Saturday, I was anxious to empty the two smaller bags to see if the new 23″ bag would in fact hold their entire contents. With the careful arrangement, it was a breeze. 

A handmade cruise ship was on display.  The cruise ship industry has a substantial effect on the economy of Hawaii when thousands of tourists flock to its various attractions.

The next step was to determine its weight using our portable scale. At 45 pounds,  we were pleased knowing we won’t be charged for overweight baggage when most airlines accept 50 pounds, some 60.

An old fashioned coffee mill.

This leaves us with three bags, each weighing under 50 pounds, plus one duffel bag, one laptop bag, my handbag, and the pill bag as carry-on luggage. We can easily manage these without an airport cart, especially since we still have the luggage cart that will easily handle the new 23″ bag and all the carryon luggage, while one of us wheels the two large bags. 

A smaller version of a modern coffee mill.

When we start packing again in 12 days, I imagine at this point, we can be done in less than 30 minutes. Yeah!

The shelves were lined with locally made food products.

Yesterday at noon, with daily tasks and time outdoors under our belts we hopped in the car and took off for the Maui Tropical Plantation.  

After leaving the shop, we wandered into the grounds, excited to see the various farm animals and vegetation.

With our extra tight budget in place for the upcoming family visit, we’ve hesitated to pay for sightseeing and are excited to have a few events planned that don’t require expensive entrance fees and tour charges. 

Although the fall season is less noticeable in Hawaii by changing colors of vegetation, there were plants that had changed to typical fall colors.

We didn’t see entrance fees posted on their website and were expecting a $20 per person entrance fee which would have been in the budget.

A shaded building for viewing the expanse of the plantation.

Much to our surprise, there was no fee for entrance to the exquisite plantation. Instead, there were several lovely shops with locally made merchandise as an inducement for visitors to shop, shop, shop.

We stopped to watch the glassblower at work.

Had we been candidates for shopping, I could easily have gone nuts since there were many beautiful items on display in each of the venues. Although not disappointed that we’re unable to shop (Tom especially), we enjoyed wandering through the shops savoring their tempting displays ranging from local nuts, candies, and coffee to housewares, jewelry, homemade soaps, and locally made garments.

There were numerous pools throughout the plantation.

On a few occasions, I found myself checking prices and touching a few items noticing the fine quality and ingenuity. I still wasn’t tempted to make any purchases instead, content with our lighter load of bags.

Another symmetrical Bird of Paradise.

Then, we wandered throughout the unique and varied grounds of the plantation, spotting numerous photo-worthy scenarios many of which we’ll share over the next few days. With Tom’s good sense of direction, we never missed a single area of the grounds available to exploration.

Here is a map of the plantation:

Easy-to-print map HERE.
We borrowed this map from the Maui Tropical Plantation’s website.

With mixed reviews online at cruisecritic.com after some cruise passengers claimed that visiting the plantation was “underwhelming,” we could understand their comments as less than five stars when they paid upwards of $89 per person for the bus ride, the tour, and a light lunch arranged through the ship’s excursions.

Gears for the sugar cane plantation.

For us, driving on our own, wandering at our own pace, and with no interest in dining on the premises, it was easy to give it a good rating if not an excellent rating, especially for the tourists with several children or a group desiring a low-cost outing. The Maui Tropical Plantation appeals to all ages.

Hand-carved whale tail.

In addition, for adventure seekers, the largest zip line facility is located on the property. We saw several 20 something’s (all male) gearing up for the zip line. With our bad right shoulders, we realized long ago that ziplining is not for us or, for that matter, for seniors  (or others) with any mobility or medical concerns.

The artist was on the premises explaining various pieces to the shoppers.

Of course, a huge attraction for this amateur photographer was the ducks, geese, and especially the chicken which, for some odd reason, I’m always attracted to. Go figure. 

We loved this sea turtle.

Enough “words” for today. Sit back and enjoy our photos knowing that we thoroughly enjoyed every step along the way at the Maui Tropical Plantation, a simple but delightful experience

Please stop back tomorrow for more plantation photos with some close-ups of farm animal shots.

                                           Photo from one year ago today, November 18, 2013:

We’ve made an effort to watch a movie made purposely for the country or continent we’re visiting at any time as was the case, one year ago on this date, that we posted photos and a story of watching the movie, “Out of Africa.” With many more months in Hawaii, we’ve yet to watch a movie but we surely will when we get to Kauai. For details from that date one year ago, please click here.

More marine life photos from Tuesday’s boat outing…A year ago…a video of a wild ride in Tuscany…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Ah!  Now we’re talking! Safari luck! A Tropical Whale commonly seen in these waters, photo by Claudio, really got all the passengers “oohing” and “aahing.”

Today, we’re sharing more of our photos from our catamaran marine life tour. We’ll continue to identify which photos were taken by our kindly onboard photographer, Claudio Martin, and which we took. Tomorrow, we’ll share the final batch.

Two weeks from today we’ll be on our way to Paris. I know. Visiting Paris is far removed from the more laid back lifestyle we prefer in serene locals with the ocean, wildlife, and nature surrounding us.

Claudio got this excellent shot of this 16-ton Tropical Whale while I struggled as shown below.

I remember the day Tom asked how I’d feel about visiting Normandy, France to see the historical sites from World War II, one of his favorite topics. We were living in Kenya at the time sitting in our outdoor living room, batting off the bugs.

Another view of the Tropical Whale by Claudio.

He explained that our ship, Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas, will be spending a day docked at the pier in Le Havre, France on September 1, 2014. 

A couple on the Cruise Critic website was looking for participants for a small tour group who had asked if we wanted to join them on a private tour of Normandy. Tom knows I’m not a World War II history enthusiast as he is and this could be a long day for me. 

Tom on the pier after the boat trip.

As soon as he mentioned it, I knew I’d say “yes.” How could I not? I could be the tag-along photographer, preoccupied with taking photos for an easy distraction.

Me, on the pier after the boat trip.

In order to give him a hard time, I paused before answering hoping to make him squirm a little, knowing how much this meant to him. Before I had a chance to answer, he blurted out, “How about this idea? We  spend one day in Normandy and then we’ll spend two weeks in Paris for you!”

Good thing I didn’t answer so quickly. I literally jumped out of my chair in excitement. “Really?” I retorted.

“Yes, really!” he replied.

Beautiful scenery we shot along the coast.

Immediately, we went to work planning on how we could end up in Paris from our previously arranged plans.  Luckily, we had a four week opening before our cruise from the UK on August 31, 2014. 

We decided after careful consideration and planning to spend two weeks in Paris and the next two weeks in London taking the Eurostar (tickets purchased already), formerly the Chunnel, under the English Channel from Paris to London.

My pilot whale photo.

I certainly lucked out on that deal. Having studied French for four years in high school learning about many of the points of interest, I’ve always longed to see Paris. Who hasn’t dreamed of romantic days and nights in Paris? Perhaps, not Tom Lyman. Paris, here we come.

My not-so-good shot of the Tropical Whale.

As much as Tom and I have in common our interests in the arts are diametrically opposed. Although we both love the theatre, having seen many productions together over the years. Art for him? Not so much.

Another one of my less than perfect tropical whale shots. It was hard to maneuver between the other passengers when this Whale appeared on the opposite side of where we were sitting.

However, history buff that he is, I have no doubt he’ll be fascinated in Paris. In any case, he’ll support my interest in every aspect of Paris and I have no doubt that we’ll both love it.

My spotted dolphin shot.

As for London, how could we not spend time in London when our ship sails from the port of Harwich, England (a two-hour drive from London for which we’ve already arranged transportation).

We shot this pirate ship as it cruised past us.  We’d seen this boat when we were here in April 2013.

Two weeks from today when our travel day is behind us, we can relax and begin to enjoy our time in Paris staying at the Eiffel Seine Hotel, rated 4.5 stars on Trip Advisor and Expedia, from which we’ll be able to see the Eiffel Tower and have easy access to many of the sights.  

These are pilot whales, as shown in Claudio’s photo.

Of course, we’ll spend each morning as we have since the beginning of our travels almost two years ago. We’ll write here, posting photos from the prior day’s exploration, sharing our experiences in detail that we hope all of our readers will find interesting.

Happy day to all.

Photo from one year ago today, July 17, 2013:

Rather than post photos a year ago, we posted a video we’d found on Youtube of a motorcyclist driving the narrow winding road in our neighborhood in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. To see that video from that day, please click this link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8qEI5ehTzg

For the story from that day, please click here.

Whale and dolphin sightings!…Interesting day at sea…More photos tomorrow…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Claudio Martins, the onboard professional photographer, was kind enough to send me some of his photos from our outing. Although I attempted to get good shots, standing on seats, hanging onto poles for balance in the choppy waters,  I couldn’t seem to land any decent shots, as did Claudio.

Yesterday, we headed to the marina in Funchal, the capital city of Madeira. Arriving in plenty of time, we picked up our tickets at the Madeira Seekers window and waited with the other participants at the pier to be directed to the location of the huge catamaran.

We were grateful that only 54 of the possible 98 passengers were on board. As it was, it was crowded making it difficult to take photos and see over the heads of the equally anxious tourists with cameras in hand. We were reminded of how much we prefer not to engage in crowded sightseeing activities.

More Spotted Dolphins as one leaps through the air. It was a cloudy day.

With the rocking of the boat in the choppy waters and the manner in which whales and dolphins make only seconds-long appearances, it was nearly impossible for me to get any good shots. 

With my bad shoulder, I was unable to hold the camera long enough to maintain the necessary waiting position for marine life to breach the water. But “safari luck” was on our side once again and we were able to see both whales and dolphins. More photos will follow tomorrow.

A pod (or school) of Spotted Dolphins.

I became quickly frustrated fearing we’d end the tour without a single photo to share here today. As we passengers were graciously introduced to the staff on the well run and safety-first operation, I’d paid special attention to the onboard professional photographer, Claudio Martin, as to how he was getting his photos.

Standing high above the passengers at the raised helm Claudio had a better advantage than I did standing on the interior deck. (We’d decided not to sit on the net of the catamaran since it would make it difficult t stand to take photos).

It was impossible for me to take this quality of photo with my camera, my lack of skill, and from my poor vantage point. Claudio, a professional photographer had no trouble capturing these.

After the first hour passed with several sightings, I asked Claudio if I could speak to him. Showing him our business card, I explained that we would be posting online and could he kindly help us out by sending some of his photos from the outing. He happily complied. I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

Not only was the operation well run and professional but, we’d be able to share what our eyes beheld in wonder albeit my camera failed to capture. Thank you, Claudio! We are grateful!

A Spotted Dolphin.  All of these wildlife photos shown today were taken by Claudio Martin while we were on the catamaran yesterday.

Having been on safari in the Masai Mara, Kenya last October, writing and sharing photos of our adventures over many days and living in Marloth Park, South Africa where the animals roamed free around our house where we lived for three months, our expectations of sightings were high.

However, we learned yesterday that being out to sea provides little opportunity for extended gawking and fawning over nature’s wonders. They breached the surface in seconds, not minutes. 

My photo of all of the fishing boats in the village of Camara de Lobos.

I’m sure, as we’ve seen from many videos, there are periods of time when whales and dolphins make several more lengthy appearances with lucky and skilled photographers at-the-ready to capture the moments.  Not so the case yesterday.

In any case, we had a good time, especially as the boat maneuvered along the shore of the island which we’d seen 14 months ago from our ship when it docked here for the better part of a day. But now, seeing the island from the ocean after living here for the past two months, gave us an entirely different perspective.

I took this photo when the captain explained that this spot, Cabo Girao, is the highest cliff elevation from sea level straight up to the top of the cliff which was 580 meters, 1775 feet. 

Had we not been able to see any whales or dolphins, we still would’ve enjoyed the ride and the views of the massive rocky cliffs of Madeira. 

After the tour ended, we walked back to the parking ramp in downtown Funchal, checking out the digital equipment store thinking maybe now would be a good time to buy a new camera. With VAT (value-added tax) at 22% plus other taxes,  an additional 48% in total would be added to the already high prices. We passed. We’ll have to figure out another plan.

When the sun peeked out for a few minutes, I was able to capture the bright blue water as we sailed past this huge cave along the shoreline.

After the mall, we drove to the airport to return the blue car, switch companies, and pick up yet another car for our remaining 15 days on the island. We paid as much for the remaining days as we’d paid for each of the prior two full months, rates have increased due to the summer season.

We were home in time for dinner as I anxiously awaited the photos from Claudio. Early this morning, much to my delight, the photos appeared in my inbox leaving me excited to share them here today.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more of Claudio’s photos marine life photos including whales we were lucky to see and a few more of my shots. Stop back, if you will!

Photo from one year ago today, July 16, 2014:

We drove down the church across from our 300-year-old stone house to scope out the grounds when we spotted this old locked gate. For details from the date, please click here.

Honey Badgers…Looking back three months ago….A tribute to animal intelligence…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment

This video, presented by  Brian Jones and Africa Geographic is one of the most amazing examples of animal intelligence that we’ve seen without any training by humans. We were fortunate to see these Honey Badgers when we visited the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Center only three months ago. Last night this video appeared on my Facebook homepage.

While visiting the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre we were impressed by the opportunities for veterinarians, students, and volunteers whose passion revolves around wildlife. If you know of somehow who could benefit from this program, please refer them to this link where there is a wealth of information about the student and volunteer educational program. What an ideal segue into wildlife for future veterinarians! 

Our photo from this January while we visited the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre in Hoedspruit, South Africa, a day we’ll always remember. 
Last night, as I gave Facebook one last look before heading to bed, I noticed this video had been posted on my home page by Africa Geographic, one of my favorite “likes.” (Feel free to “friend me.” I’m easily found by my email address:  jessicablyman@gmail.com).
When I clicked on this video about these two Honey Badgers, we both watched with bated breath. After less than 15 seconds into the video, Tom says, “These are the Honey Badgers we saw at Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre when we traveled to Blyde River Canyon (which we’d coincidentally mentioned in yesterday’s post).
We realized that the familiar voice was that of the renowned Brian Jones, manager of the facility and world naturalist and advocate for saving the rhinos. While we visited the facility, Brian spoke to the group of visitors in a classroom environment where we were mesmerized by his knowledge and passion for wildlife.
On January 19, 2014, we wrote a story with several photos of our visit to Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre which was without a doubt, a memorable experiences in many ways as shown in our photos; seeing these same Honey Badgers, interacting with a Cheetah, Vultures, and other animals as shown in our post. If you’d like to review those photos, please click on this link below:
Retracing our steps from such a short time ago has made us realize how little time we actually had to learn about the in-depth characteristics of many of the wildlife we’ve seen in our travels.
It was only while living in Marloth Park for a full three months that we had the glorious opportunity to live amongst the wildlife, observing and studying their behaviors, often on a daily basis, that we actually felt we had a chance to get to know them to some degree.
As for Morocco over the past 24 hours, we had quite a day and night. Before noon each day, Adil stops by to see if we’d like Madame Zahra to cook our dinner, giving her ample time to shop and prepare our dinner. 
The wet floors of the souks required walking with caution as we made our way to a restaurant for dinner.
Yesterday, we declined, after decided to stay in all weekend due to the huge tourist crowd in the souk due to spring break and Easter weekend. Itching to get out, we didn’t give our idea of declining dinner a second thought until a wild rainstorm ensued in the afternoon. 
Lighting and thunder flashed through the air as the pelting rain poured into the riad’s open courtyard. Keeping in mind that riads are built and furnished with the possibility of rain, the house suffered no ill effects. But, when we wanted to go to the bathroom or to refill our iced tea, we had to carefully walk around the edges of the courtyard to avoid getting wet while in the house.
This reminded us of the outdoor living room in the house in Kenya where we lived for three months from September 1, 2013, to November 20, 2013, where we had nowhere to go during rainstorms, other than by moving the outdoor furniture out of the way of the incoming rain to avoid getting wet.
Staying in the salon all day, we waited for the rain to subside so we could leave to go out to dinner. Rain pours into the slats in the souk’s roof leaving the shop owners no alternative but to cover their wares in huge plastic sheets.
By dinnertime, we decided we may as well head out. It appeared the rain would continue well into the evening.  Putting on our hooded jackets, we walked erratically through the souk in a feeble attempt to avoid huge puddles, stepping on grates, and the splashing from the fast-moving motorbikes. 
It was almost an athletic event, as we wove in and out rapidly making our way to the closest restaurant on our favorites list, Arabe. Holding hands as we always do when walking through the souk, watching each step over slippery surfaces, we made it up and back without incident.
Without the opportunity to cook our own meals based on the conditions of the rental, yesterday was a perfect example of a time it was more difficult. We’d never chose to go out on a night when the pouring rain, thunder, and lightning were at full force.
All in all, we made it, after a pleasant dinner returning none the worse for the wear. Tom turned on the little heater in the salon, we bundled up, staying warm as we watched a few of our shows. 
Again, the crowing rooster awoke me at 5:00 am along with the call-to-prayer. Hearing them both at the same time made me chuckle over the irony. In Boveglio Italy, in only a matter of two nights, we adapted to the sound of the bell tower ringing twice an hour. Here, I haven’t yet adapted to the crowing of the rooster. Go figure.
_______________________________________________
No photos were posted from one year ago today, April 22, 2013, but the post included a warning from the captain of the ship we were on at the time. 
On occasion, in the past, we didn’t post any photos on some days.  Now, we do so each and every day. On this date a year ago, our ship made a detour to drop off an ill passenger in Bermuda. It was due to this detour that our ship, the Norwegian Epic, ending up in the eye of a storm lasting for three days as told in tomorrow’s year ago story. Please check back tomorrow. For details of the written post for April 22, 2013, with the captain’s warning, please click here.

A night sleeping in a tent on the exciting Crocodile River…An unexpected sojourn…”safari luck” prevails once again…Six day old baby elephant!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Sunset over the Crocodile River in Kruger National Park. The power lines have become a necessary addition to the tremendous amount of security and tourism, a mainstay of survival of this massive wildlife area. This photo was taken from the veranda of our pleasing accommodations at the Crocodile Bridge Safari Camp where we slept in a tent last night.

Wow! This unbelievable ray of light captured our attention. Sunsets in Africa have been out of this world!


The clouds opened after the rain and presented this view.

The thought of spending a night away from the African Reunion House so close to leaving for Morocco, with the packing hanging over our heads, didn’t appeal to us at first. But, when Louise and Danie had taken the time to arrange this complimentary overnight stay for us in a tent at the Crocodile Bridge Safari Lodge, we could hardly refuse.

Although the walls of our accommodations had tent material  on three sides, it was made to appear as a cottage. The veranda is on the opposite side within feet of the electrified fence to Kruger National Park, keeping tourists safe from the big game. Allen and Scott showed us a video of elephants that had come directly up to the fence. 
We were impressed with this bed and quality sheets and covers. A long night’s sleep would have been possible if we weren’t so anxious to go back outside early in the morning. (The white line running vertically through Tom is actually a pull string for the overhead light).
The communal dining, bar and entertainment areas. Bed and breakfast options were available for a small additional fee. We had perfect mushroom and onion omelets with “streaky” bacon this morning, a real treat!
In the first 15 minutes after unpacking our duffel bag, computer bag, and a cloth bag filled with power cords, we knew we’d made the right decision. Spending one of our three remaining nights in South Africa, situated on the shore of the wildlife-rich Crocodile River while viewing the action in Kruger National Park is hard to beat. 
See the entire African Tulip Tree with more of these blossoms below.

 

Beautiful vegetation is abundant along the banks of the Crocodile River, some, natural to the area, others imported over the years by foreign property owners.

Perhaps, in a way, our 19 hours at the camp is a perfect way to wind down our time in South Africa while sleeping in a tent with AC (which we didn’t need to use), with a comfortable bed and an almost-outdoor shower. Add the divine pleasure of listening to the sounds of one of the largest natural bird sanctuaries in the world and the bubbling hum of the hippos only enhanced the richness of our experience.

Scott explained that last Tuesday over an extended period they heard the cries of this mother elephant as she gave birth. Over the next few days, they saw this baby. By far, this was the tiniest baby elephant we’ve seen in all of our travels. 
Our camera doesn’t have a powerful enough zoom for a clearer photo from this range with its 20X Zoom. In the next few weeks, we’ll be purchasing a new camera after testing Allen’s  powerful and lightweight 50x Zoom. Most likely, we’ll make the purchase and have it shipped to us while we’re in Morocco.

Louise dropped us off at the Crocodile Bridge Safari Lodge late yesterday afternoon, on the absolute hottest day we’ve experienced in South Africa. The sky was rapidly shifting as ominous-looking clouds wafted in. We needed rain and we needed it fast to defray the scorching heat and uncomfortable humidity. 

So sweet.
The baby nursing. Check out the gigantic size of the matriarch of this family in comparison to the younger females. She may be the grandmother of the baby. Females only give birth once every five years with a gestation period of 22 months. The calf begins to nurse at birth and may continue to nurse for up to two years.


As shown there were two larger babies in the herd of six elephants.

Allen and Scott, the co-owners warmly greeted us and helped us get situated in the clean, comfortable tent which is more like a cabin than a tent with it own veranda situated well above the ground providing expansive views of the riverbank.

The varied bird species could keep an bird enthusiast busy for many days.
This appears to be the same bird as above with more fluffy gray feathers. Note the elephant in the background of this photo. 


There were four of these colorful birds hanging out on the electrified fence, obviously not triggered by their light weight. This is the White Fronted Bee Eater.
Although I was anxious to start taking photos, I was so hot and sweaty that I didn’t know what to do with myself. The thought of turning on the AC and sitting in the tent was hardly appealing. After chatting with Allen and Scott, I put on my bathing suit and Tom stripped off his shirt which seemed to help as we sat at the table and chairs on the veranda and diligently began to scan the river for signs of life.
Cape buffalo from afar.

Then, “safari luck” kicked in, as it often does as we spent the next few hours with our eyes glued to the river bank as evidenced in these photos. In no time at all the wind picked up and with it came a cool breeze and rain. Relief.  t only rained for a short period, leaving behind a cool evening which we spent at the communal lounge/kitchen area, a short walk from our tent with both owners and their lovely wives, Caron and Michelle.

The Crocodile Bridge Safari Lodge is intended to be self-catered, but, last night as their dinner guests they prepared a well rounded and delicious meal, paying special attention to my dietary needs. 

The evening flew by as the eight of us, including another South Africa couple, Amy and Dudley, engaged in lively and animated conversation well into the evening. What’s with South African people being so kind and such fun?  We’re grateful to have encountered this amazing level of warmth and hospitality over these past three months.

Hippos lined the river frequently making their pleasing sounds.

Awakening after a comfortable, albeit, short night’s sleep, to the sound of the hippos at 5:30 am, we could hardly wait to get outside. The morning in Kruger National Park had begun. As light filtered through the clouds, we could see the Crocodile Bridge at a short distance, where we had entered the park on numerous occasions over the past three months.

We were in fact amidst the wild animals lurking along the river’s edge protected by an electrified fence as is common in areas where humans and wildlife intermingle.  South Africa and the park boards are diligent about avoiding life threatening injuries or death from attacks to humans from predatory animals in the wild. 

Tom’s good eye spotted this large crocodile lounging on a sandbar.

The accommodations were more appealing than one might expect from a moderately priced tented camp.  All of the common hotel amenities were in place:  soaps, bottled water, ample fluffy white towels, quality bedding, a power strip for electronics, and soft lighting for night reading. 

It is an ideal location for nature lovers, interested in river viewing, safari walks, bush braais, and game drives in Kruger National Park.  The close proximity to grocery shopping and restaurants made this an easy location. 

View to the pool from the communal dining area.

The singing of numerous bird species was practically ear splitting at times, causing us to laugh. Nature at its finest. We couldn’t have enjoyed it more.

After our hosts served us a delicious hot breakfast, and after engaging in more interesting travel conversations (South Africans are well traveled), we were ready to return to the African Reunion House to begin the looming task of packing for the next leg of our journey.

Our hosts explained that this little bird or one similar hangs out in this area on the grounds of the lodge on a regular basis.

Two days until we depart. Two days remaining in what has been a heavenly experience. Two days until another chapter in the lives of two crazy seniors who left everything behind to see the world. Two days, then on to the rest of our lives, that after only 16 months, has only just begun…

Busy day…One more trip to Komatipoort, after all..Six days and counting…A little whining is in order…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Baby warthog, standing by the braai. “What’s on the menu?” he inquires. “Pellets, I hope!”

One week from today, at 5:45 am, after a full night of flying, we’ll be getting off the plane in Cairo, Egypt for a three and a half hour layover until we board another plane to Casablanca, Morocco for another six-hour flight with almost a two-hour layover. Then another flight to Marrakesh, arriving at 3:35 pm.”

I can only hope we’ll have managed to get enough sleep during the eight-hour red-eye to avoid feeling awful. Oh, we can’t stay up all night as well as we were able when younger.

Tom is fussing as the time to depart nears, today only six days away; the 29 hours from leaving this house to arriving in Marrakesh; waiting times at the various airports; handling our luggage at every layover at least three times; the actual time on the flights, the longest eight hours, next six hours, and two for shorter periods.

Mom and four babies eating the pellets we left for the zebra, whom we hope will soon reappear. We’d left a few carrots for him also, but this group had no interest in the carrots.

Whether I’m Clive, the Ostrich, with my head in the sand, I prefer not to worry, my only concern being a safe arrival. Between us, we have all the possible worries covered. Good grief. We don’t like this part.

As a matter of fact, this upcoming week is the hardest part of our travels. This time, we have the added element of going to the little house to pack everything still there to bring here to the African Reunion House to begin the painful process of packing it all together.

With our upcoming “goodbye party” on Monday at 5:00 pm, we’ve postponed the dreadful job of clearing our stuff from the little house until Tuesday morning. If we picked it all up now, we’d have our stuff strewn all over the main floor, not a pretty sight for a dinner party. Tuesday, it will be. 

Good thing I no longer drink alcohol (due to the high sugar content) or I may have been agonizing with a hangover, a common occurrence in my old days even after only a few glasses of red wine. Tom, on the other hand, never suffers after a party if he imbibes in a few too many, a rare occurrence in itself.

I told Tom that if warthogs had been our only visitors in the three months in Marloth Park, I’d have been happy.  As a young child, I had an imaginary character with me at all times, “Piggy.” At five years old, as we drove across the US from California to Boston, Massachusetts to visit my beloved grandmother, my mother made my father stop on the highway in Sweetwater, Texas, to let “Piggy” out of the car. It was time for me to grow up. I cried all the way to Boston. This memory, emblazoned in mind 60 years later, left me fascinated with pigs. 

In a perfect world, we’d take all of this in our stride. But, let’s face it. We’ve taken quite a lot in our stride and this isn’t it. If Tom wasn’t feeling angst-ridden, I’d be fine. No matter what I say or do, I can’t seem to help lessen his frustration that there was no such thing as a direct flight from Johannesburg to Marrakesh.

So there it is. Our temporary, albeit, frustrating state of being over the next week, a price we pay for choosing this otherwise glorious life. There’s no “free lunch.” We can only find comfort in the reality that a week from tonight, we’ll be situated (most likely not totally unpacked) in our new home, called Dar Aicha, with Madame Zahra preparing and serving us our first meal.

I find comfort in recalling our painstaking over 24 hours travel time to Kenya from Italy, arriving in Mombasa at 6:00 am then boarding a rickety van to cross the river on a ferry and drive over an hour to Diani Beach to our awaiting home. We rested for a few hours, later heading out to the grocery shop. 

I remember how tired, but excited we were, defraying the feelings of exhaustion. Hopefully, these 29 hours won’t be much different and, after a good night’s sleep, the next day we’ll head to a grocery store for snacks. It should be easier that we don’t have to shop and cook when we arrive.

Late yesterday afternoon we discovered this insect which is over 4 inches, 10.6 cm long.

Now, getting back to the moment, my goal over the next several days is to stay calm while savoring our last days in Marloth Park. With the pelting rain over the last few days, the only visitors we’ve had is the skinny warthog mom with four fast-maturing babies. The larger animals stay under cover during the heavy rains. 

Last night, before dinner, we were driven indoors when it was too wet on the veranda to stay outside. We hunkered down in the cooled-down bedroom, watched a weird, yet the well-acted movie, “Her,” with the last third left to finish tonight. 

Overall, we’re good, with the enthusiastic anticipation of our upcoming dinner party on Monday night and a quiet weekend at home in the African Reunion House, a blessing until we leave.  Perhaps, more visitors will come by now that the rain has stopped. 

In the meanwhile, we wait for Mr. Tree Frog to return for a fifth time to his favorite perch on the rafters of the veranda. I heard some croaking in our immediate area on the veranda as I write this, wondering if it’s him.

I realize that all the photos of Mr. Tree Frog look-alike. But this was taken at 6:00 pm yesterday after his fourth return after leaving for 12 to 24 hours over the past week. His continued return visits have been a source of curiosity for us.

Soon, Okee Dokee will arrive to take me to Komatipoort for groceries for the upcoming party. Had we not arranged the party, we’d have had plenty of food to get us through the next several days while dining out a few times. But, an opportunity to say “thank you” to more of our local friends supersedes our desire for “easy.”

It’s the simple things that have made life in Marloth Park amazing and memorable and we hope to continue to embrace every moment of our remaining time in its midst.