Today, another year older…Acceptance…Fulfilling a lifelong dream…A new visitor came to call…A previous visitor returned…

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Last night during our quiet dinner party for four on the veranda at the African Reunion House, we heard a sound in the distance. Moments later, we heard the “thump, thump” sound of hooves. Less then 20 feet, 6 meters, from us stood this adorable zebra.  Grabbing pellets and carrots, we all had an opportunity to interact with him, unable to wipe the smiles off of our faces. Without a doubt, he’ll be back.

Finally, I’ve begun to accept that we’re leaving South Africa, with the knowledge that we’ll still be on the continent of Africa for almost three more months. 

Our first zebra visitor at the African Reunion House was welcomed with open arms.

As a young girl, I dreamed of Africa hoping that someday this dream would be realized. At 17, ready to graduate high school, I longed to join the Peace Corps. Still underage, my mother refused to let me go. But, here I am today, enriched and fulfilled after spending the past almost six months in Africa with more time to be savored in the exotic Morocco, a world away from Marloth Park. 

Our friend Kathy got up close and personal with him, hand feeding him pellets. As a hostess gift for our dinner gathering, Kathy and Linda brought us a big bag of pellets, instead of the usual wine, flowers or candy. Nothing could have been more appropriate when we were running low. How did they know we needed pellets?

Almost 50 years is a long time to carry around a dream. Why was it so long in coming? Life. Kids. Work. Responsibilities. Time. Money. All of these.

Today, on my 66th birthday, I can only smile feeling grateful in many ways; to my husband for making this adventure possible and for his willingness to spread his wings to leave a lifetime of comfort and familiarity; to our family for accepting our decision to leave Minnesota and the US; to our friends for graciously supporting our decision; for our health which, without it, none of this would have been possible; and for the new friends we’ve made along the way that have opened their homes and hearts to us.

Tom feeding the visiting Zebra carrots.  I didn’t care if we ran out of carrots and couldn’t make our usual coleslaw.   

Gee, this sounds like an Academy Awards acceptance speech! However, birthdays, after age 60 years, seem to revolve around acceptance. It includes acceptance of changes in ourselves; the changes in our health, our bodies, our memory, our energy level and most of all, our motivation. 

One might think it’s just “too much work” to travel to Africa; the required inoculations; the malaria pills; the risk of illness, injury, disease; the necessity to become tolerant of the heat and humidity often with no air conditioning; dealing with the fears of snakes and insects; accepting the lengthy travel time and, the daunting task of finding the best place to live.

He was actually much taller than he appears in these photos. We were standing on the edge of the veranda while he was standing in a lower spot in the bush. I was so excited I paid no attention to my camera settings, resulting in the darkened shot.

All of these reasons and more may leave a prospective traveler with the sense that it’s just too much trouble to travel to Africa. Amid all of these reasons, somehow, we got ourselves here. 

Tom has surprised me. I thought he’d never want to visit Africa. And when we lived outside on that veranda in Kenya, not by choice but by necessity, in the blistering heat and drenching humidity, with the biting insects, with the almost daily power outages, he somehow made it through with dignity and grace. 

Kathy’s hand reaching out to feed him a piece of carrot that he loved.

And I, too, made it through, albeit with my raging fear of centipedes, sweating in the heat, knowing that complaining served no purpose, especially when I was the one that wanted to go to Africa.

And now, these past almost three months, outdoors on the veranda no less than 15 hours a day, often in the heat and humidity, at times with biting insects and snakes, yes and snakes, we haven’t felt it was a struggle.  Acceptance. It kicked in almost three months ago, when they came to see us. The animals. It came to us almost six months ago, when we arrived in Kenya, knowing a safari in the Masai Mara was imminent.

The discomfort wafted away, replaced by something magical, the likes of which neither of us has ever known and most likely, will never know again. The animals. The people. The environment. Amazing.

Mr. Tree Frog was gone during dinner last night, but reappeared for the fourth time this morning. We can’t figure out why he likes this particular spot. Most likely, he loves to eat and drink, perhaps swim in the pool, only to return to this exact spot. I looked for information on tree frog behavior, unable to find an explanation.

We’ve been given a gift by Louise and Danie by completing our remaining time in Marloth Park in the luxurious African Reunion House by, a gift we couldn’t turn down. Each day more and more visitors stop by as if welcoming us in their area, their home in the bush. 

With more visitors coming here, we have no reason to return to the little house, other than to stop over on Monday, pack all of our belongings to bring it all to one house to pack for the upcoming trip to Morocco next Friday.

We can now say goodbye, knowing that when and if our health and time is right, we can return to Marloth Park, perhaps to go on safari again in the Masai Mara, Kenya, to finally see Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and to travel to Rwanda to see the Gorillas and to once again embrace Africa and its wonders.

And, if for one reason or another we cannot return, we’ll always hold the memories of our time in Africa deep within our hearts, our minds, and our spirits.

Today, I celebrate my birthday, not as one more year of this life passing by. Instead, I celebrate the acceptance for all that I’ve loved, for all that I’ve learned, and for all that is yet to come. 

A rewarding final game drive in Kruger National Park…Tomorrow, we’ll share the most romantic bush braai ever…Photos and more photos…

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Yesterday, while waiting outside the African Reunion House for our ride to the Crocodile Bridge Gate for the upcoming game drive and bush braai, we spotted this Golden Orb Spider and her web which is gold in the sunlight. The colors in the background are the designs painted on the outside of the house.  Moments after taking this photo, Tom accidentally walked into the web, taking over half of it down. I was sorry for the spider but couldn’t help but laugh as he was flailing his arms to get the web off of him. Today, she’s still hanging onto her web, although, it’s considerably smaller. 

Error correction from yesterday’s post:  With the assistance of local friends, the photo I referred to as a Duiker was actually a Bushbuck. In addition, we’ve added the names of all the bird photos in the post, three of which we didn’t know. Thanks to Lynne and Mick once again!  Please check yesterday’s post which has since been amended, by scrolling down on today’s post if you’re curious about the bird names.

Spotting wildlife, such as this wildebeest in Kruger National Park is different from the Masai Mara where we could literally drive across the bush to get up close and personal. Kruger is a combination of paved and dirt roads. Off-road driving is forbidden often preventing closeup photos unless the animals are close to or on the road. Many visitors to Kruger are able to see the Big Five close to the road at times. We did the best we could from afar. But, we were having so much fun, we weren’t disappointed. 

We’ve decided that “safari luck” presents itself in many ways. It no longer revolves around seeing the Big Five on a game drive. For us, it extends to many areas of our lives:  a good time, safe travels, avoiding snakes and other poisonous creatures, meeting new people negotiating a good price on a future vacation home, or simply having a fulfilling day.

These two hippos popped up their heads as we drove across the bridge.

It may sound as if I’m rationalizing the fact that we didn’t see any lions on last night’s game drive. Perhaps I am. But, we had a great time beginning with the moment the driver picked us up at 3:30 pm for the drive to Crocodile Gate, the entrance to Kruger National Park, when we rode along with a delightful couple from Australia, Tiffany, and John, with whom we spent most of the evening.
 

This baby impala was no more than a few weeks old. It was alone, lost from its mother. We watched for quite a while, hoping the mom would return, only to be saddened when she didn’t. Hopefully, another mom would adopt her which often occurs.
This baby impala, only a few weeks old, starting approaching our vehicle and Excellent shooed her off, to avoid her learning that the road was safe.

Returning home close to midnight, we were shocked at how late it was after never asking Tom the time, indicating a fabulous experience was in process. As they say, “time flies when you’re having fun.” And fun, we had. That was “safari luck.”

From a considerable distance, we spotted this Goliath Heron.

A total of eight guests loaded into the game vehicle once we arrived in the park, all the rest of whom were residents of Marloth Park who definitely know how to have a good time. 

This muddy cape buffalo watched us approach.

Annoyed by our presence, he and a few other Retired Generals moseyed on down the road, taking their time.

Endless comments and laughter ensued in the vehicle during the three and a half hours of the drive. Our guide and driver, Excellent (yep, that’s his name) was not only informative but very entertaining. At times, we were all singing “oldies.

This giraffe’s cheeks were filled with vegetation she’d gathered from the treetops. What appears to be horns at the top of a giraffe’s head is called ossicones which are hairy at the ends in the female and bald at the ends in the male. The males use the ossicones in fighting during the mating season, which wears off the hairs.

Nope, we didn’t see lions or leopards, two of the Big Five. But, we did see three of the Big 5: rhinos (at too far of a distance for photos), elephants, and cape buffaloes, as shown in the photos here today. We were content with that. 

 Often birds sit atop high bare branches on the lookout for food.
Later, we’ll post the names of these birds after doing some research. 
 Although we enjoy taking photos of birds, we seldom know what they are which is frustrating. Our guide Excellent, pointed out many varieties. We’ve found it difficult to remember the names of each of the birds to match with our photos. Many bird enthusiasts keep paper and pen handy.

At around 7:30, we drove into the bush braai area for the one-day-late-due-to-rain romantic Valentine’s Day Bush Braai, hosted by Louise and Danie, an event we’ll always remember. 

As the sun began to set, we spotted these elephants and a baby.
In many areas in Kruger National Park, many of the trees have been taken down by the elephants. However, they leave the Marula tree intact since it bears fruit that they eat. In South Africa, a popular after-dinner liqueur is Amarula (the letter a is added to the beginning of the word to connote the liqueur, not the fruit) which was served last after the romantic bush braai. Laden with sugar, once again, I had to pass on this drink. Tom thoroughly enjoyed both of ours.

Tomorrow, we’ll post photos of what we’d imagine being the most extraordinary bush braai ever held in South Africa; the food, the décor, the guests, and the experience of being surrounded by lions, hippos, elephants and more, while “‘Lucky,” a military guard with a rifle and spotlight, continually scanned the perimeter to ensure our safety.

The vultures, checking for dinner at the end of the day.

A safe evening in the dark with wild animals all around us in itself is “safari luck” which surely we experienced on this special day!

This was only the beginning as the sun began to set giving all of us the opportunity to take photos of the most amazing sunset that we’ve seen in our almost three months in South Africa, all of which we’ll share tomorrow along with photos of the romantic bush braai. Amazing!

It pays to go outside early in the morning…

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This mom was looking out for her baby to the right as we watched from the road in front of African Reunion House early this morning.

It was 5:45 am and after our another great night’s sleep at African Reunion House, we were both awake and ready to get outdoors. The sun was up, the sounds of the birds wafted through the air, and nature was calling to us.

Shaded by dense vegetation and early morning sun hidden behind the trees, we weren’t able to get closer for better shots. Plus, giraffes are so tall, one can’t get too close in order to get a good photo.

I was in the other bedroom where I shower and dress to hear Tom yell out to me, “Giraffes! Hurry!”

This is the surprise room set among the treetops in African Reunion House, a fully screened Jacuzzi room on the second level. The temperature in this room is surprisingly about 20% less than the outdoor temperature. The surprise room is located off one of the two upstairs bedrooms, shown in the photos below.
One can imagine the charm of a glass of wine, the candles lit, surrounded by the sounds of nature while soaking in the relaxation of the whirling jets of warm water. Hum…seems like this may be a perfect end to Valentine’s night after the game drive and bush braai!

“Grab the camera!” I yelled back as I hurriedly threw on shorts and shoes, still in my sleep tee shirt. We were out the door in less than a minute.

One of the two upstairs bedrooms, this is the room off of which the surprise room is located which also includes an en suite bathroom with a double shower.

Tom was standing in the doorway between the house and the veranda checking out the status of the tree frog, still hanging out on a beam in the ceiling. He looked out toward the road to see a tail and tall legs.

This beautiful “nguni,” cow rug sets the theme of the room.

Running out the front door, we gasped when we saw them, four of them, nibbling on the treetops, on the road outside the house. We never cease to be amazed nor do the residents we’ve met in Marloth Park. No matter how long they’ve lived here they never stop feeling their hearts pound with excitement when they see the majestic giraffes, especially in their neighborhood.

Another view of that exquisite bedroom off of the surprise room upstairs.  The décor is lovely. Notice the matching vanity seat on the left under the built-in vanity table and the items on the bed.  An elegant African theme followed through the entire house.

And this morning we were given the treat to see them at African Reunion House reminding us when we first arrived at the little house that 12 giraffes came down the driveway to visit. Click here for the link. It was December 14th, two weeks after we’d arrived in Marloth Park, a day we’ll always remember. And four of them came another time. And one came alone racing through the yard on a mission.

Only Danie would think of placing a spigot inside of a tree.  Clever! Befitting!

This morning, although not as close as our past experiences, the excitement was palpable, our sensible caution, preventing us from getting too close, as we carefully approached the four giraffes this morning. Giraffes are gentle by nature but their sheer size can result in serious injury or in the case of a resident in Marloth park some time ago, death from an injury from getting too close.

The second late afternoon visit in a row, Mrs. Warthog was as happy to see us as we were her and her four babies.

They knew we were there as the mom kept a watchful eye on us as the baby stood nearby. After a few photos, they began to wander away, as did we. Our day was complete and it was only 6:30 am.  We’d seen giraffes.  What more could we want? 

With leftover cut-up fruit from yesterday’s breakfast with guests, the warthog family was thrilled to get fresh fruit which they eat off of the trees and bushes as they wander through Marloth Park. We’d removed all the pits from the apples, plums, nectarines, pears, and apricots.  The only fruit they didn’t eat was apricots which in the shrink-wrapped package I’d purchased at the grocery store, turned out not to be ripe. They’d take a bite only to spit it out.

We’ll take whatever comes our way, whether it be a tree frog as the same one from yesterday continues to observe us from the rafters, an unusual insect, a bird, a dung beetle, a warthog, or a zebra. We’ve loved them all!  Big and small.

See the slice of unripe apricot they refused to eat?  Mom and one baby were looking at us for more fruit that they would eat. We complied. How could we resist?

Tasks for today? A trip with Okee Dokee to pick up a few items at the little house and to the handy little nearby shopping center to buy beer for Tom. With Jabula closed while Dawn and Leon are on vacation in Cape Town, we’ve been making dinner. Once they return on the 18th, we’ll be anxious to return a few more times for the great food and festivities.

As for Valentine’s Day, around 4:00 pm, we plan to go on another four-hour guided game drive and nighttime bush braai in Kruger National Park all cooked and hosted by Louise and Danie. Dining amid the wildlife, once again, we’ll feel safe with armed guards (with rifles) ensuring our safety. The food, always delicious will include many items I can enjoy. What could be more romantic than being entrenched in nature with the person we love? Nothing. Absolutely nothing!

Oh, what a night!…Way too much fun!…Tom’s South Africa haircut…at last! A rare visitor…a great dinner…

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“We’re not moving! We’re waiting on the others!” We didn’t mind a bit. We’d have gladly waited for any amount of time.

There are times I say to myself, “Oh, please, this is too much fun!” Then again, I realize that both of us are easily entertained. Really. 

An interesting insect or sighting of a turtle walking across the garden has the ability to captivate us to the point of squealing with delight once we can let out our breath.

“We’re coming! We need a few more bites before we join the others!”

We were always like this. Only then, we didn’t have access to this degree of almost constant stimulation.  Whether it’s the sound of Lions roaring, the pleasant bubbly sound of hippos as we lie in bed at night, or the shuffling sound of a creature atop the roof, the pleasure only seems to stop when we’re sleeping.

“Hold onto your shorts!”

It’s ironic that this constant state of being “on the alert” and the sheer engagement when we discover yet another wonder, by 10:00 to 10:30 pm, I’m practically falling on my face. Tom is not far behind.

And still, the others had yet to join them while they anxiously looked their way. At this point, traffic was backed up and as soon as there was an opening, we were on our way, our faces hurting from smiling.

Yesterday and last night, one of many days and nights, we had a particularly delightful time. The heat was unbearable as a storm brewed, the air was thick was visible humidity. We lasted outdoors for five hours finally throwing in the towel, heading indoors to the loft with AC.

Yet to visit our yard, a mom and baby Wildebeest watched us drive by.

Due to the excessive heat, the AC wasn’t able to keep up. The lines frequently clog with insects, caused water to start dripping into the house. When this occurred, we had no option but it turn it off. With AC in both bedrooms, I decided it was a good time to go into our bedroom, turn on the AC and read my book. That didn’t last long.

Definitely not pretty animals, but, all of them are cute to us.  Although it’s been very hot here in the summer months, we’re grateful we’ve come during the birthing season, seeing many babies.

Fearful of missing something, a short time later I turned off the AC, shut the door, and looked outside for visitors. What if we missed something else? We’d had a great morning as shown in yesterday’s post.

We were so excited to get this shot of one of the two monitor lizards living in our yard.  This photo was taken at the hottest point in the day.  Louise and Danie told us that they’ll swim in the pool from time to time. We’d have loved to see that!

Having left prawn shells (shrimp) and a raw egg for the mongoose (they eat snakes), I was thrilled to see the monitor lizard eating the last of the prawn shells and then taking the raw egg with her to the hole in which we occasionally see her and her mate slither in and out.

The monitor lizard, a rare visitor, headed to the ground on the opposite side of the pool to check out the eggs that she laid a few weeks ago. As mentioned recently, it may take up to 300 days for the eggs to hatch depending upon conditions such as weather and attacks by other animals.
This occurred so quickly that I had no time to get the camera. A half-hour later we found the monitor lizard contemplating a swim in the pool, the long tongue darting in and out of the water. As a result, we captured these photos from inside the house. These Lizards are very skittish. If they’d seen us they’d be gone in a few seconds. They move quickly.
Tom, outside the salon where he got a haircut on Thursday.

At 6:30 pm, as the sun began to set, Okee Dokee picked us up to take us to Jabula Lodge, our favorite restaurant in the area. Not only is the food fantastic, but Dawn and Leon, the owners, present every time we arrive, make our dining experience comparable to a party each time. The chatting and laughing between tasty bites adds a playful element that drives us back, time, and again for more.

Tom, awaiting his turn at the salon for his haircut appointment.

On the way to Jabula Lodge, we stopped many times to take these photos. Although not as clear as I’d like since taking photos from a moving vehicle at dusk is challenging with our type of camera. However, we couldn’t resist sharing these today. 

Tom with his new haircut getting ready to eat that huge vertical stick of beef known as Espetada. I wasn’t thrilled about him eating the chips (as they call fries in Africa). But, I kept my mouth shut and didn’t comment, as usual. He said the meat was delicious. I had perfectly prepared grilled chicken, veggies, and Greek salad (sans dressing).

After the laugh-fest at Jabula Lodge, we headed home, watched a few shows on my broken-monitor laptop, and headed to bed. The worst of the storm had passed, the temperature had dropped considerably and a good night’s sleep was imminent. Another good day.

The majestic elephant… Surprising facts…. Up close and personal… Interacting at a sanctuary…

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We ducked our heads under Casper’s chin. Our faces hurt from smiling the entire time we were with the two Elephants at the Elephant Sanctuary. After our experiences the prior day in Kruger National Park, learning more about these massive animals was timely.

After the 5½ hour extraordinary experience in Kruger National Park, mostly with the elephants, it was a perfect segue to stop to the Elephant Sanctuary in the town of Hazyview before heading to the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, located near the town of Hoedspruit South Africa.

Every aspect of the Elephant anatomy was perfected created to be suitable for their massive size and environment. In many ways, their anatomical structure was not unlike humans. Males don’t mature for mating until 25 years old or more. They must develop size and stature in order to defend themselves in the pursuit of the female. Who knew?

Having seen so many elephants in Kruger National Park, we had numerous questions as to their behavior and this was the perfect place to have all of them answered.

I’d never held an elephant’s trunk. The trunk has nostrils and is used as straw or sucking water to be placed into the mouth. A valve keeps the water in place until released into the mouth.
Tom fed Casper a handful of pellets by dropping them into the opening in his trunk. He then placed them into his mouth. The trunk is used for breathing, placing food and water into his mouth, and as an appendage for lifting and holding. The Elephant is unable to breathe through his mouth.

Without a reservation for the Elephant Sanctuary, it was ironic that we arrived 10 minutes before the group tour was to begin, one of only two in the afternoons. Quickly paying a minimal fee, we entered the facility entranced by the exquisite vegetation, cleanliness, and organization of the staff and the grounds.

We both had an opportunity to take our elephant for a walk. Tom walked with Casper, the larger of the two while I walked with Gita, another male. Seventy percent of the elephant’s massive weight is supported by the front two legs. The back legs are for balancing. 

With many misconceptions about elephant behavior, the first step in the educational hands-on event was a classroom-like setting, outdoors, of course, to become familiarized not only with elephant behavior but also with their anatomy.  

Our Elephants “kissed” our necks. (My kissing photo was too blurry to post). They were “slurpy” kisses leaving mud and grit on our necks. But, we didn’t care. The female head of a herd of elephants is called the “Matriarch.” She will manage the mating of the younger females who give birth no more often than once every five years.

Our well versed and articulate guide didn’t waste a minute explaining every aspect of their anatomical structure, internal and sexual organs, mating rituals, the birthing process, and the growth and maturity cycles, all of which proved to be much different than we’d expected.

Tom, touching Casper’s tongue and mouth. Whoever does this? Casper seemed quite content with all of the attention. Large congregations of elephants occur more frequently in Africa. The purpose of the family units to feed, nurture, and protect the babies. This was evident in our photos of the huge number of elephants crossing the road in Kruger Park as shown in yesterday’s post.

Earlier in the day while in Kruger Park, encountering dozens of elephants crossing the road, we had the misconception that a lead male was included in the group of moms and babies when in fact it was a huge female, often the leader of the family, the matriarch. 

My elephant, Gita, a smaller male, hung onto Casper’s tail as they walked in front of us.

Once the male impregnates the female, he is no longer a part of the “family.” He’ll wander off to join with other males, to eat, to grow, and to fight for mating purposes. He has none of the nurturing instincts of the female. In a way, that knowledge was disappointing. We often have the perception that many animals mate for life and that’s simply not the case for a majority of species.

Tom touched the coarse pad of Casper’s foot. I had done the same. We both were impressed by the structure of the elephants, every aspect of their bodies having a distinct purpose.

After our “lessons” we walked through the dense jungle along a dirt path to an open area with benches where we would soon get up close and personal with two rescued elephants. With several locations in various parts of South Africa, the objective of the Elephant Sanctuary is to rescue elephants.  

Once returned to health and well being, they serve as ambassadors of education to inform the public of the need to respect and preserve their dwindling wildlife habitat throughout Africa, all due to man’s invasion of their space.  

The two elephants with whom we interacted, could easily return to the wild.  They aren’t caged or housed in any manner. But they have chosen the safety of this lush territory, eating off the land and enjoying the interaction with the people they’ve come to know and love. It was enchanting to be a part of this educational and interactive opportunity.

Interacting with elephants taught us so much about their behavior, their anatomy, and their life cycle proving that we had many misconceptions when observing them in the wild. Bulls will mate with as many as 30 females in a mating season.

As these photos so well tell the story of our time at the Elephant Sanctuary, we can only add that we wish we’d have had the knowledge we acquired in those few hours when we encountered the Elephants in Kruger National Park. We’d have had an entirely different perspective.

But then again, I imagine we’ll see the magnificent creatures another time before we leave South Africa. We hope so.

Note: Tonight, we’ll be back in Marloth Park having ended our three day holiday. The next story in this sequence to be posted on Sunday will be our visit to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre with more up close and personal photos of lions and other wildlife rescued when injured, poisoned, or suffering from an illness, including a photo of Tom being bombarded by two enormous vultures while trying to feed one of them a piece of raw meat! Unreal.

Unusual sunset over the Crocodile River…A cape buffalo herd on the move and more…

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This doesn’t appear to be a sunset. But, it was, exactly as it appeared at 6:33 pm behind this odd opening in a cloudy sky as we sat outside Ngwenya Lodge on Thursday night. It was hard to believe what we were seeing. The following are a few photos leading up to this view. 

Tom was watching the sunset from the deck at Ngwenya Lodge, alerting me when to take a photo, as I perused the Kruger Park side of the river for wildlife.  Together, we got these shots.

Sunsets are exquisite everywhere in the world. Unfortunately, in some of the locations in which we’ve lived, we had to leave the house in order to take sunset photos with the proximity of the house inadequate for good views.

This view was taken at 6:04 pm.
We took this photo at 6:15 pm from the deck at Ngwenya Lodge overlooking the Crocodile River.

Here in Marloth Park, there are a few tall trees blocking the view, even from the second story veranda. This fact doesn’t deter us from jumping in the car and head to the Crocodile when it appears there will be a great sunset.

This photo was taken at 6:31 pm as the peculiar formation began to take shape

The magic of heading to the river for sunset views is enhanced by the possibility of sighting wildlife along the river. Thursday night, we tried a new restaurant outside of Marloth Park, Ngwenya Lodge, a huge resort a short 20 minute drive from our house.

 This appeared to be a river of lava, but was in fact it was a break in the clouds during the sunset, occurring at 6:32 pm, Thursday evening. This photo is different from the above photo, taken one minute earlier.

Most often, we drive only five minutes to the public park and campground located on the Crocodile River with the best views of the river that we’ve found thus far. Today’s photos are a combination of two visits to the river on Thursday, the nearby location, and at Ngwenya Lodge, both of which proved to be very rewarding.

A small herd of Cape Buffaloes, “Retired Generals” were resting on the Crocodile River close to sunset.

Our Sony Cyber-shot Exmor camera has several limitations when taking photos of wildlife across the Crocodile River. As I’ve mentioned in the past, my bad right shoulder prevents me from using a camera with a large lens and subsequently, more weight. It’s a limitation I’ve tried to overcome as much as possible. 

A crocodile was swimming in the river at sunset most likely on the lookout for a meal.

Using a tripod is impossible based on taking photos on the move from vantage point to the vantage point. Wildlife doesn’t stand still for our use of a tripod, in most cases. Hauling a tripod has as little appeal, adding more weight to our problematic baggage issues.

With the sun rapidly setting, the cape buffaloes began the trek back to land for safety. In the past, we’ve noticed that they don’t stay near the water at night, preferring to stay out of sight of predators.

Thus, we work with what we have to the best of our ability. In addition, a spot has appeared on the interior of the camera’s lens, which is evident in certain shots, not in others. We believe it’s a result of the gross amount of humidity in Kenya or dust from all of our treks in dusty locations.

Part of their trek requiring a short period in the river.

At this point, we’re terrified of attempting to repair it for fear of damaging the camera. With little time to receive a package here, we’d be lost. We’ve decided to wait and purchase a new camera in the future, either outside the US over the next several months or, back in the US when we arrive in Hawaii in October.

Far from us and after the sun had fully set, we saw them make their way to the safety of the bush in Kruger National Park, where they reside.

Yes, we do have a photo editing software that can remove the spot. However, as I now spend half of each day working on this site and uploading the many photos, I have little interest in spending more time editing photos, instead preferring to spend the remainder of our day searching for more photo ops. 

A White Fronted Plover couple taking a dip in the river, eyes peeled for predators.

This morning as soon as we opened the door at 7:00 am, we quickly realized that we had visitors, impalas in the rear yard, and a mom and four baby warthogs, one of our usual families. Today may prove to be a good day. 

Holding the camera steady using maximum zoom for this far away shot, required a steady hand, not easy for me to accomplish. The sacrifice is clarity, as seen in this shot. I believe this is a Saddle Billed Stork, we’ve often seen at a distance on the Crocodile River.

Cooler and cloudy, we’re outside on the veranda, dealing with the flies, once again excitedly awaiting our next round of visitors.  

Now that the tourist crowds have dissipated, some of the local restaurants are closed on Mondays, leaving us to fend for ourselves for tonight’s dinner which we always enjoy as much as dining out.

A male, on the left, female on the right, White Fronted  Plover, common to the river as also shown above.

Tomorrow, we’ll pack for our road trip on Wednesday. The prospect of driving through Kruger Park on our way is as exciting as the upcoming three nights in Blyde River Canyon. Ah, life is good, as long as no snakes make an appearance or any scorpions or any centipedes.

Yellow-billed storks resting on the bank of the river.

The excitement never ends… More surprising visitors… Like none before…Three days until road trip! Plus Big Boy and birds…

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Grasshopper video #1
Grasshopper video #2

Here are four videos we made yesterday while observing grasshopper behavior, as dozens walked along the ground from one tree to another on a ritual we found interesting.  
Watching them up close over a period of several hours was yet another experience of life in Marloth Park, its wonders never ceasing to amaze us. For the full progression of their hour’s long journey, please watch the videos in order as shown by the numbers in each heading.
Grasshopper video #3


Grasshopper video #4
This grasshopper appeared to be the leader as dozens followed his lead.

Every morning, after showered and dressed for the day, swathed in insect repellent (been doing this every day for the past 4 1/2 months), we open the door to step outside.

As the dozens of Grasshopper began their trek across the driveway.

With the intent of determining if sitting outdoors is imminent or better later in the day, we discuss the conditions:  

They marched in two groups.

How is the weather? It rains every few days saturating everything on the veranda. If the wind is blowing, we’ll get wet. Visitors don’t seem to come when it’s raining.

The bigger pieces of cabbage had a greater appeal to them.

How bad are the flies? The amount of flies is predicated by how many visitors we’ve had and how much poop was left behind.  But, oddly some days they aren’t bad. Yesterday, we purchased a fancy hanging fly trap to be placed far from the house. Don’t think it’s working yet.

Finally, they reached the larger pieces of cabbage and began eating.

How hot is it? When it’s above 90F, 32C, coupled with the high humidity, (the Crocodile River is a stone’s throw) it’s uncomfortable to sit outside, although on many occasions at very high temperatures, we’ve lasted from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm, drinking copious amounts of water and batting off the flies.

Five Helmeted Guinea Fowls, whom we hadn’t seen in a month, returned to our yard with these three chicks in tow. Now, we know why we hadn’t seen them for so long. They were hanging out near the grasshoppers but didn’t seem interested in them.
The chicks were so young, they had trouble walking, falling over at times.  Very cute!
The chicks were tentative, hanging close to mom and dad.  Helmeted Guinea Fowls mate for life and the dads take an active role in the upbringing of their offspring, unlike many animals we’ve seen in Marloth Park.

Most days, we start the day outside as early as 7:00 am, Tom hauls all of our power cords, converters, and adapters to the outdoor outlet and both of us haul laptops, phones, camera, pellets, and beverages.  (The big bags of pellets must stay inside the house due to the monkeys). Most days, nine out of ten, we stay outside all day.  

The grasshoppers had reached their destination after eating the cabbage, the vines of the shrub at the base of the second tree, approximately 20 feet, 6 meters.

It’s ironic. As much as I complained about spending every day outside in the “outdoor living room” in Kenya, we now are outside almost all day without complaining, just dealing with the natural realities of living in the bush. The good so much outweighs the annoyances, it is all worth it.

They marched on and on moving up the plant, the second group following suit.

The remaining days, such as today, we start the day indoors. It’s very hot, humid and the flies are in a frenzy.  Looking out the window for visitors every 10 minutes, always wearing my shoes and socks, a camera within reach, I can be outside in less than a minute.

Many days, we jump in the car to drive around looking for wildlife or head to the Crocodile River to check out any possible adventures awaiting us there. We’re seldom disappointed. Whether it’s another impala in the bush, a common sight to see, or a turtle crossing the road, we love it all.

Yesterday, was one of those days with few visitors. An elusive duiker dashed through the yard, a few interesting birds alighted on the trees, but dashed away before I could take a photo and later in the day, “Big Boy,” (see photo below) the biggest, oldest warthog we’ve seen so far arrived late in the day with his submissive smaller buddy.  

“Big Boy” came to visit while we were making videos of the grasshoppers. He’s the oldest and largest warthog with the biggest tusks that we’ve seen so far.  He often visits alone and shows little interest in the pellets.  Also, he’s shy around us, thus we keep our distance. He may weigh upwards of 350 pounds, 158 kg.  

But midday, we had a new breed of visitors, the grasshoppers, as shown here today. We couldn’t have been more fascinated. We realize that not all of our readers are as enthralled with the smallest of creatures, especially insects so please bear with us. 

Not unlike human males, Big Boy’s hair is thinning on top.

As we’ve learned more and more about all of the creatures in Mother Nature’s wonderland, we’ve found that learning new information as a senior is vital to stimulating the brain and the senses. Our memories are better than ever in our lives from all of the “stimulation” from our environment. That’s a good thing.

The grasshoppers made their way up the second tree after munching on the shrub below. They rested on the bark for a few hours. A few minutes before dark, we checked and they were gone. I could hear them moving inside the tree. We figured that, most likely, the cabbage drew them out as well as the birth of the nymphs, who were mature enough to venture outside the tree.

Yesterday, when Tom spotted a large number of grasshoppers in the driveway, we immediately went on a mission to discover what we could about their behavior from multiple websites. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a lot of information about these grasshoppers, none of which explained their behavior in detail.

The Helmeted Guinea Fowl and their chicks headed to the rear yard where they seem to enter and depart.

We can only surmise, that the trek across the driveway on foot, leaving their offspring referred to as “nymphs” behind, was to forage for food. Firstly, they ate portions of the cabbage leaves we’d left on the driveway, and secondly, they ate the leaves on a shrub at the base of another tree.

Yesterday was a busy bird day.

Watching their journey, all on foot, was fascinating, eliciting absolutely no fear of either of us, in the close proximity of 60, 70, or more insects at one time, nor were they fearful of us as shown in these photos.

After seemingly staying in place for over two hours, we ventured indoors for the night. Before dark, we checked and every last one was gone. But, after hearing sounds coming from the second tree, it was apparent they were in the tree, moving about. Wow! Nature never fails to surprise us.

In three days we’ll leave for Blyde River Canyon  where we’ll stay at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge three nights, spending each day exploring the many wonders of the Panorama Route. With many tourists having left after the holiday season, we’ll especially enjoy the lack of crowds. Of course, we’ll share photos and stories of our experiences at the end of each day.

Could it be due to the presence of the grasshoppers that the yard was filled with birds all day?
This is a White Helmet Shrike, common in the yard.

Halfway on the five-hour drive, we’ll travel through Kruger National Park, hopefully with many sightings along the way. The size of the park from north to south, the direction we’ll be traveling, is 220 miles, 360 km long.  Although we’ll be exiting the park partway through to enter the Panorama Route, we expect to be in the park for several hours.  

Tonight, we’re going out to dinner once again to our favorite local restaurant Jabula Lodge, where owners Dawn and Leon, always make us feel at home. It’s a friendly place with great food, affordable prices, and a wealth of local ambiance.

Whether we stay indoors on a hot day, dine in or out, see lots of amazing animals or insects, we’re content, never bored or antsy, happy to be healthy and most of all, to be living this life together.

Zebras… They’re just like us… Hilarious zebra video…

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Curious, the zebras often checked out the braai (barbecue) area and the pool, occasionally drinking from the pool. They wander about the yard, checking out the vegetation and most often are curious as to what we’re doing.

With our eyes continually scanning the yard, suddenly, the black and white stripes grabbed our attention, making my heart skip a beat. Although very common in Africa and often seeing them along the road while walking or driving in the area, a visit to our yard is always special.

Click to start this enjoyable zebra video we shot on Wednesday in our yard.


In the 41 days that we’ve lived in Marloth Park, this is the third occurrence of a herd of male zebras visiting us in our yard. This particular visit from a few days ago was our favorite zebra visit.

As I threw out a handful of pellets, this guy tried to grab my hand, painlessly gumming my fingers. It’s apparent that they’ve frequently been given treats by tourists and residents alike, hopefully with items acceptable for their herbivorous diet. We give them a few handfuls of pellets and provide the mineral lick.

The zebras that appear in Marloth and Kruger Parks are Plains Zebras. Oddly, with their gentle nature, zebras have never been domesticated. It’s been apparent to us that they are intelligent, evidenced by the manner in which they interact with one another and with us, often mimicking each other’s behavior. In today’s video, this mimicking behavior is obvious.  

The mineral lick was getting lots of licks and Ms. Warthog was on her knees getting in on the pellet action. Our intent had been to stick to our beliefs that wildlife shouldn’t be fed anything in the wild. But a Field Ranger explained that the pellets are made specifically geared to the diet of the animals, as is the mineral lick.  We purchased both at Daisy’s Feed Store, here in Marloth Park. So far, most of the animals like the pellets, especially the warthogs and babies. Only the kudus and zebras seem to like the mineral lick.  A few days ago a warthog shoved it out of his way using his tusks putting a hole in it.

Similar to us humans, they develop routines. After three visits to our yard, a routine has already been established. They hang out at the veranda railing hoping for a few pellets and attention. After a while they head to the bush as shown in this video, to nibble on the vegetation.   

Zebras freely make eye contact and are less shy than most of the wildlife.

They walk toward the braai (barbecue) and the pool area, contemplating a drink from the pool. Zebras have a keen sense to detect toxins in water, as in this case, the chlorine in the pool. Although only a small amount, it prevents them from taking more than a quick sip when testing it the first two times they visited.  

This Zebra is looking into the bush beyond the pink car as Ms. Warthog wandered down the path on the opposite side of the carport, one of the many worn animal paths in the yard.

Zebras will naturally find a clean water supply and forage the general area, maintaining easy access to the water. On this third visit, they didn’t consider the pool water recalling that it wasn’t fit for their consumption. 

“OK.  Now that Ms. Warthog has left, what are you going to do for me?”

How did we know it was the same herd of males? The zebra stripe patterns are as unique as our own fingerprints. Having observed them for several hours, it’s been relatively easy to detect the unique patterns. Add the repeated behavior and we’re convinced this is the same male herd as in the past.

“Out of my way!  I’m first!”

Never tiring of repeat visits from wildlife, we can only hope we don’t have an encore from the Mozambique Spitting Cobra, now or in the future as described in yesterday’s post. Once was enough! 

The dominant zebra waited by the rear yard path. It was time to leave. Shortly, they all followed him down the path. They’d had a good visit with us.  Perhaps, the mineral lick makes them thirsty and it was time to head to the nearby watering hole.

But, the Zebras, they’re always welcomed!

Two visits to the river in one day…The rewards, outstanding!…A male lion is loose in Marloth Park…

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After diligent perusal of the book, “Newman’s Birds by Colour for South Africa”, loaned to us by Louise, we were thrilled to spot the White Fronted Plover that we’d captured from the banks of the Crocodile River.
This morning at 8:00 am, Danie stopped by on his motorbike to say hello and to tell us that a male Lion was spotted by a ranger at 3:00 am close to the river. Danie told us that from time to time lions make their way from the bordering Kruger National Park into Marloth Park, protected only be a few stands of wire fence.  
This White Fronted Plover caught my eye as we scanned the Crocodile River for wildlife. It was resting on a tiny island, not far from our vantage point.
Danie explained that a visiting lion may stay in Marloth Park for months at a time, spotted on occasion, mostly at night.  Residents are always alerted to the presence of a lion.This further explains why residents are not permitted to go for a walk after dark along with the danger of other nocturnal animals.
A male cape buffalo, referred to as “Retired Generals” by our guide Anderson in the Masai Mara.
A lone bird hangs out with the two “Retired Generals.”

The intent has been to keep elephants, rhinos, lions, and hippos form entering Marloth Park, potentially harming its residents.
Located in Marloth Park is a smaller park, Lionspruit, containing all the wildlife we see here, plus three Lions, one male, and two females. We intend to visit Lionspruit soon, staying away during the busy holiday season, now finally winding down. It’s unlikely that we’ll see the Lions in Lionspruit as explained by many of the locals we’ve met.  Lions tend to sleep during the day and hunt at night
 Hippos spend most of their time in the water, occasionally languishing in the sun in groups. Crocodiles and hippos co-habitat well.
 
During our second river visit, we spotted this hippo snorting water as shown in the photo as the sun went down.

With the abundant wildlife and vegetation on the Crocodile River, forbidden to human exploration other than viewing from its banks, dividing Kruger National Park and Marloth Park, it is a draw for us on a regular basis.

Safety in numbers, the Cape Buffalo take an afternoon rest together.

Midday yesterday, we took a long drive along the road that borders the river, stopping to look for several openings in the bush and trees, in the same area where the Lion was spotted during the night.  

The interesting white bulls-eye on the waterbuck’s behind. 
The waterbuck is an attractive animal staying close to the river for their food sources.

Later in the day, we returned to the public campgrounds to once again view the river and, to grab dinner-to-go from their popular overlook restaurant.

This crocodile was far across the river, making it difficult to get a good shot.

In the past 15 months, we haven’t purchased any carry-out-dinners, due to a lack of availability, along with the restrictions of my way of eating. With several recommendations to try the grilled chicken, we decided to make our usual coleslaw and two vegetable sides to round out the meal and eat in, the third night in a row.

The views of the river never disappoint.

We placed our order for two whole chickens after seeing guests carrying them to the picnic tables. While our chickens were cooking, we sat outside on the deck checking out the wildlife along the river. Once again, we weren’t disappointed, as shown in our photos.

Based on the fact that chickens in this area are free-range, not receiving any hormones or other drugs in order to grow meatier, the chickens were small and had little meat although the flavor was good. It wasn’t difficult to wipe out almost all of the two chickens in one meal.

Even on a cloudy day, the river views are breathtaking.

Tonight, we’ll dine at Ngwenya, a resort outside Marloth Park, which is also located on the river with what we’ve heard is a phenomenal close-up viewing. Hopefully, we’ll return with more photos to share.

Wherever we drive, walk, or even stay stationary, if patience prevails, “they will come.” Yesterday, we had another extraordinary day with two visits to the Crocodile River and visitors galore. 

Tomorrow, we’ll have an entertaining video to share epitomizing what we keep saying every day, “In many ways, the animals are a lot like us!” It is these similarities that make us smile and laugh again and again, often hours later, when we relive the wonderful events of the day.

As the sun began to set over the Crocodile River, we packed up our dinner-to-go and headed home having had yet another great day of viewing.

There are few recreational activities that bring so much anticipation, laughter, and joy as that which we’ve experienced here in the bush, living among the treasures that Mother Nature has graciously bestowed upon us humans, to nurture, to love, to protect, and respect.

Making friends while traveling…A local friend’s birthday celebration…A social life…Please scroll for more visitors…

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A photo of a lovely painting on the wall of the restaurant, Tambarina.
How lucky we’ve been to befriend local Marloth Park residents, some living here year round and others who have homes in other parts of South Africa or other parts of the world.
At lunch last Friday with our new friends, Piet and Hettie, with whom we celebrated both of their birthdays over a fabulous lunch at the Tambarina Restaurant in the town of Komatipoort.
The commonality of the interest in wildlife creates an easy segue into lively conversation. Add the combined travel adventures to the conversational mix, the unbelievable friendly nature of the citizens of South Africa and friendships bloom with gusto.
Hettie’s lunch of prawns from Mozambique, a neighboring country we’d love to visit. Due to political unrest at this time, we’ve been advised to stay away.
We won’t take any credit for this pleasing friendship-making other than the enthusiasm we share for meeting people along the way in our travels.
Piet T-bone steak platter which he said was excellent.  We were so busy chatting I forgot to take a photo of Tom’s meal.
While cruising we were again lucky to meet many wonderful people from all over the world, many of whom we stay in touch via email. Once we landed in Belize for 2½ months, we made friends with neighbors on either side of us, who happened to have their other homes 35 minutes from our old home in Minnesota. We stay in touch regularly.
My prawn salad was perfect for lunch.  Next time I’ll order the plate of prawns that Hettie ordered and enjoyed.
There’s no location that we’ve lived in the past 15 months have the locals been so welcoming and open to befriending these two vagabonds, who’s three months stay in Marloth Park is rapidly waning.
The elusive monitor lizards occasionally honor us with an appearance. Recently, one of the two of them ate an egg we’d left out for the mongoose family living in our yard, which occurred so quickly we were unable to take a photo.  

In a few weeks, I’m going out to a “girls only” lunch date with two lovely women with whom we’ve socialized as couples. It’s been 15 months since I’ve had a “girls only” lunch with my dear friends from our old neighborhood; Nelleke, Jamie, and Sue, when they planned a get together one last time before we left on Halloween 2012. 

Although not daily visitors, we can count on the kudus to stop by once a week. The wildlife grazes on a rotating basis to ensure they don’t “wipe out” any single area of vegetation. How clever, Mother Nature!

Last Friday, our friends Hettie and Piet invited us to lunch as their guests to one of their favorite restaurants in Komatipoort, Tambarina, a quaint Portuguese restaurant. Offering the freshest of ingredients and known for their jumbo prawns imported from the neighboring country of Mozambique, their menu was diverse and appealing, the resulting food absolutely delicious.

If we lived here, we’d never tire of the graceful beauty of the kudu or for that matter, of any of the wildlife that comes our way with the exception of poisonous insects. Whether a dung beetle, a tree frog, a mongoose, a turtle or the yet-to-visit wildebeest, we love seeing them.

With both of their birthdays early in the month, we celebrated, enjoying yet another excellent time together.  We look forward to their return by the end of this month as well as the return of other friends, we’ve been fortunate enough to make in Marloth Park.

The mineral lick hasn’t garnered as much attention as we’d anticipated.  A few days ago a warthog pushed it out of his way with his snout, showing no interest whatsoever. Thus far, a few kudus have nibbled at it. Guess we won’t need another one of these.

Of course, Louise and Danie, our hard-working hosts, are much more to us than “landlords.” They frequently stop by to see if we need anything but more importantly, for both of us, is the time they spend visiting with us, as we all get to know each other. They are very special people.

The center kudu was nudging the kudu on the left with his massive horns. We seldom see a female kudu in our yard who protect their young in secluded locations during their infancy.  Once impregnated, the males permanently avoid the females and the offspring. A dominant male may mate with many females, leaving other males without a mating opportunity. Later, the boys hang out together, the dominant male heading up the herd.
Not unlike Minnesotans, many homeowners here have a house elsewhere and a house in Marloth Park, as one would have a house and a cabin on a lake in Minnesota. After lengthy holiday stays, many return to their other homes for a period of time with plans to soon return to Marloth Park.
Both of us have always been “social butterflies” making a concerted effort to nurture and cultivate relationships with friends. In the past, we frequently entertained as well as being entertained in the homes of friends. Having left all of those friends behind, making new friends has been such a pleasure.

With only 53 days remaining in Marloth Park, we plan to cherish every moment with our new friends, both human and animal, which apparently are in abundance in this glorious location.