A frog symphony…Grateful, even with the heat…Mozzie time…

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Holey Miley visits each day.

As we are situated on the veranda with me sipping a delicious mug of iced coffee, we’re listening to the symphony from two frogs, one in the rafters of the veranda roof and the other on the edge of the birdbath. They go back and forth with their melodious chirps and then chirp simultaneously from time to time. It’s music to our ears.

Today’s a bit cooler with an expected midday high of only 93F, 34C. What a relief! We can handle that easily, compared to the fierce heat of the past many days, even weeks. Summer won’t officially begin until eight days from today. We’d better brace ourselves.

We are grateful to be here in South Africa rather than any other place in the world, even with the heat, the insects, and mozzies. As much as it’s rained in the past month, we’re surprised the mozzies aren’t any worse than they are. But, it’s early days. They will come.

Barbara and Lori (Shark Tank) frequently stop for a visit.

Three times a day, I reapply Tabard roll-on insect repellent. Without it, I’d be covered in bites. Although this product has DEET, the risks of which I am well aware, it is the only repellent that works for me. Over the years we’ve spent in South Africa, I have tried many “natural” repellents only to discover they don’t work for me. It’s a toss-up…risks of DEET or chances of contracting malaria. I chose to take the risk of DEET.

When applying, I don’t put it all over my body, only on the exposed skin such as my legs and feet when wearing short pants, hands and arms up to my sleeves, and the neck area. I wear closed shoes until bedtime, which prevents getting bit on my feet, after carefully applying the repellant to my ankles, where mozzies particularly love to bite. On a rare occasion, I get a bite under my clothes.

Kudus stop by almost every day.

Due to allergies, occasionally, I get red itchy patches on my skin, usually on my arms or legs.  Calamine lotion seems to be the only product that helps with that type of itching.

The inconveniences from the awful heat, humidity, insects, and snakes are incidental compared to last Christmas when we were stuck in a hotel room in Mumbai—living in a hotel room for ten months, never knowing when the international airport would open. Each day, we thought, maybe tomorrow? Each day, we were disappointed.

But now, we are content to be here, enjoying our animal and human friends, making great meals, having sundowners on the veranda regardless of the heat, while having little responsibility other than to cook, do dishes, wash laundry, grocery shop, and manage financial matters.

Little Daddy and two female kudus.

It’s reported on the news today that President Cyril Ramaphosa has Covid-19, most likely the Omicron variant, which is currently raging like a wildfire in all of South Africa. It is also reported that 27% of all Covid-19 tests are positive here. According to some reports, all people in South Africa and many other countries will test positive for Omicron in the next several months.

We are hoping Cyril will extend visas once again, which will prevent us from having to fly anywhere in the next few months. Only time will tell.

Mom, with lovely curved tusks and her three piglets.

After being in South Africa for almost a year (as of January 13th), we realize that our posts are redundant and relatively dull. We apologize for that. Of course, we’d love to have exciting adventures and stories to share each day. But, right now, like most of you, we’re living one day at a time. We are waiting to see when travel makes sense for us and the status of our upcoming booked cruises.

Have a pleasant week as we roll into the holiday season.

Photo from one year ago today, December 13, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #265. The locals performed their Bollywood routine on Saturday nights in Fiji in 2015. For more photos, please click here.

Hot! Hot! Hot!…Omicron on the rise in South Africa, and worldwide…

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A dung beetle and his mate atop the ball of dung while he pushes with his back legs to move the ball along. What a fantastic sighting!

I am in the bedroom at almost noon with the air con and the fan on, trying to cool down. I spent over an hour in the kitchen preparing tonight’s dinner while it was 97F, 36C with outrageous high humidity. It will top 100F, 38C, or more on a bright sunny day in an hour or so.

With no air-con anywhere in the house except for the two bedrooms, it is the only place to hide away to cool off. I’d never tackle such a cooking challenge in this heat without air-con in my old life. It would have warranted a dinner out, for sure. But, in Marloth Park, many of the restaurants don’t have suitable cooling with doors always wide open, so there’s little relief to be found there.

Mongoose hanging around the edge of the veranda..

The dinner I’m preparing today requires a trip to the little local market to purchase mushrooms, lettuce, and tomatoes. We’ll have a low-carb dish called Low Carb Mushroom Burger Scramble, a favorite, although it presents as one-pan winter comfort food. But, this morning, I made two pans, one for each of us, enough to last for three dinners.

Thus, regardless of continuing heat, I won’t have to cook for the next few days, only making a salad and rice for Tom. That’s a good plan, especially since we’d like to go to Kruger in the next few days, once the temperature drops, which is expected by Tuesday or Wednesday before all the holidaymakers arrive for the Christmas holiday when Kruger will be packed.

We drove past a few giraffes while out exploring.

It is hard to spot much wildlife during ultra-hot days. Even our usual wildlife visitors to our garden are sparse on the hot days. This morning, several bushbucks, two sets of Mom and Piglets, and Broken Horn stopped by. But now, as the day wears on and the temperature rises, the only visitor we’re seeing is Frank and The Misses, who stop by once every three or four hours. They, like us, tend to stay undercover when it’s so hot.

After returning from the little market, they stood at the screen door to the veranda, looking inside the house, wondering where we’d gone. We always laugh when we see them there, walking back and forth impatiently from time to time. We love those birds! Who would think we’d adore these chicken-like creatures as much as we do?

Broken Horn is always welcomed in our garden.

A few minutes ago, Tom called out to me. The mongooses were here! Lately, they have been stopping by each day. We had bones left from Tom’s ribs from last night’s dinner at Jabula, which they always love and also paloney. Tom cut up the paloney into bite-sized pieces and tossed them into the garden, far enough apart to prevent them from fighting over the food.

Based on numerous reliable sources online, the variant Omicron is rising in South Africa, doubling every 2½ days. This is also occurring in many other parts of the world. It’s possible that soon, all cases of Covid-19 in South Africa will be Omicron. If that is factual, with lesser illness from this variant, this could be a good sign. We are hopeful but remain diligent in our efforts to stay healthy.

Giraffe’s legs and hooves are fascinating.

Today will be a quiet day for us. Most likely, we’ll spend the next few hours cooling off in the bedroom. By 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs, when the temperature begins to drop, we’ll head outdoors and enjoy a few hours on the veranda, although according to the weather report, it won’t get below 90F, 32C, until after 7:00 pm, 1900 hrs.

Tonight, we’ll hunker down in the cool of the bedroom, streaming a few shows such as Dexter, New Blood, and Yellowstone. We hope you have a pleasant Sunday during the holiday season and always.

Photo from one year ago today, December 12, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while we were in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #264. Just like that, the zebra was on the veranda at the Orange house in 2018. For more photos, please click here.

Two years of hell?…

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At first, we thought this was one centipede tangled around itself. But, when Tom moved it to safety in the grass, it proved to be two. Were they fighting, or were they mating? Centipede poop beside them. Did she squeeze the you-know-what out of him?

Without much of a social life these days after most of our friends have left the bush, our days and nights seem to roll into one another, and we easily lose track of time. Many Marlothians are concerned about Omicron and staying close to home rather than going out and about to socialize.

We haven’t heard of any new virus cases here in the park, But it’s entirely possible they aren’t being recorded. Today, I contacted the Marloth Park medical clinic to see if they’ll have the J & J boosters, and they will not. I am awaiting a response on if I can get a different booster which I’ve read is fine to “mix and match.”

This is One Tusk and who may have been his mate, Momm, and three piglets. The two warthogs in the background are hers from her last litter, Barbara and Lori. She chases them off now that she has the new piglets. Family dynamics. Funny.

At this point, I don’t think South Africa has authorized boosters for the general population, but finding accurate information online is tricky. Answers are vague and confusing. All we can do at this point is to continue watching the news for updates. Also, we continue checking the news to see if the President will do his “family meeting” to see if he will extend visas again for foreign nationals.

This was hilarious. One Tusk happily lounges on the ground while the three piglets are “giving him a bath.” He didn’t mind a bit. Surely, these must be his kids! Note: Barbara and Lori are looking on.

If he does not extend visas, we’ll have no choice but to return to Zambia again for the new visa stamps. Flights are still available to Livingstone, from Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger. This time, we’ll bring a copy of our flight cancellation and a newly purchased ticket to the US. South Africa immigration doesn’t approve of “border jumping” for visa purposes, although it is legal. In this case, we won’t have a choice.

If our cruise cancels, will we attempt to stay here longer, or will we book a new location? Fortunately, United Airlines now has a free cancellation policy that makes bookings easier. If we find out that our cruise is canceled after we’ve booked it, we’ll be able to change or cancel the flight after deciding what we’d like to do.

It’s fun to see the three generations getting along.

At this point, a new location is more appealing, providing the various countries we investigate will accept passengers from South Africa, which is a real dilemma, especially since the onset of Omicron. But, at this early date, we have no idea. Everything could change between now and March or April.

If we go to Zambia on January 24, 2022, and get another 90 days, and if the cruise cancels, most likely, we’ll stay here until the end of the 90 days. We’d be able to stay in South Africa until April 24, 2022. Our next cruise, sailing from Istanbul, isn’t until June 29, 2022. Hopefully, we could find somewhere interesting to stay for a few months in that part of the world while we wait for the cruise.

The piglets are hilarious. We never tire of watching their antics. One Tusk is a very gentle guy, even with the one vicious-looking task.

So much is up in the air. But after spending ten months in lockdown in India in 2020, we are much more adept and patient in dealing with the unknown. As complex and challenging as those ten months were, we did learn a few things about ourselves and our ability to adapt and accept such a trying situation.

If anyone had told us that we’d experience such a difficult challenge for ten months during our first nine years of world travel, along with dealing with my open-heart surgery, all transpiring in a two-year period, we’d have wondered if we could handle this degree of strife. But, amid those difficulties, we had countless fantastic experiences. The two years weren’t, by any means, a total loss for us.

Eventually, Mom and the babies were left on their own, when of course, we tossed more pellets their way.

As those times have passed, we look back with gratitude for the personal growth and strength we gleaned, individually and as a couple, during those tough times.  It has only made us more resilient than we ever imagined. Waiting out this current scenario is a piece of cake,

We’re safe. We’re content. We have each other and the love from friends and family worldwide. What more could we ask for?

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 9, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #261. After arriving in Nevada to visit family in 2019, we were on our way to the Vegas Golden Knights game, guest of son Richard, a super fan. For more, please click here.

Moving right along…Happy December 1st, everyone!…More Kruger National Park photos…

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A yellow-billed stork with a refection in the water at the Sunset Dam near Lower Sabie in Kruger National Park.

Here it is, almost noon, and I am just now getting started on today’s post. Louise and Danie are visiting for sundowners at 4:30 pm, 1630 hrs, today, and I’ve been busy in the kitchen prepping food to serve for our get-together. Often, starters served with sundowners (appetizers) consist of potato chips, nuts, crackers, and cheese.

However, in our usual way, we have a tendency to serve starters that easily could be construed as a complete meal. Louise and Danie eat keto like us, so preparing foods, we’ll all be able to eat a little more fun for me than when I’m preparing several items I cannot enjoy with our guests. However, in either case, it’s undoubtedly fun and much easier to prepare starters than a regular full meal, which is usually accompanied by starters for the cocktail hour.

A giraffe was crossing the paved road in Kruger.

We already have a low-carb sweet treat after the starters since we’ve been keeping a regular supply of our homemade keto white and chocolate fudge. I put aside a little container for them to take home, knowing how much they, like us, savor an occasional low-carb sweet after dinner.

Keto enthusiasts generally espouse ridding oneself of a sweet tooth, but neither Tom nor I have been committed to forgoing savoring something sweet on occasion. There are a few recipes I make now and then that satisfy that urge after dinner. Generally, we don’t eat anything sweet during the day when it can send us into a tailspin of craving more and more.

Several elephants were eating the green vegetation along the Sabie River.

After dinner, a small portion of something sweet is manageable when we’re already partially full from a nice dinner. Last night we had bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, creamed spinach, salad, and rice (for Tom only), a substantial meal, but an hour later, the fudge was calling me.

I jumped up while watching an episode of the popular TV series Yellowstone and placed a few small pieces of each fudge (that we keep in the freezer) on little plates for each of us. It seems as if using a plate instead of a paper towel makes it seem more like a special dessert. I suppose craving such a treat is psychological. One certainly doesn’t need to ever consume a sweet treat for nutritional purposes.

A tower of giraffes dining on the treetops near the Sabie River.

Based on the way I eat, with so many items I forgo, something special now and then feels relatively guilt-free, especially when it’s only made with ingredients befitting my way of eating. Today, I tried a new recipe for almond flour hamburger buns which we’ll serve this evening with beef and pork, to make the equivalent of sliders.

If they prove to be good, I’ll post the recipe tomorrow for those who eat like us or who are gluten-free. We’ll certainly report back.

Otherwise, today is a quiet day. The weather is still very humid. Today’s dew point is slightly higher than yesterday’s at 70 degrees. When mentioning the dew point yesterday, I looked up how the dew point is determined when most often, I would check just the temperature and the percentage of humidity.

We’ll never tire of spotting giraffes.

From the US National Weather Service website here, the dew point is described as follows:

“Dew Point vs. Humidity
The dew point is the temperature the air needs to be cooled to (at constant pressure) to achieve a relative humidity (RH) of 100%. At this point, the air cannot hold more water in the gas form. If the air were to be cooled, even more, water vapor would have to come out of the atmosphere in the liquid form, usually as fog or precipitation.

The higher the dew point rises, the greater the amount of moisture in the air. This directly affects how “comfortable” it will feel outside. Many times, relative humidity can be misleading. For example, a temperature of 30 and a dew point of 30 will give you a relative humidity of 100%. Still, a temperature of 80 and a dew point of 60 produces a relative humidity of 50%. It would feel much more “humid” on the 80-degree day with 50% relative humidity than on the 30-degree day with 100% relative humidity. This is because of the higher dew point.

So if you want a real judge of just how “dry” or “humid” it will feel outside, look at the dew point instead of the RH. The higher the dew point, the muggier it will feel.

Giraffes were cautious and curious and looked our way when we pulled up to the side of the road for this shot.

General comfort levels USING DEW POINT that can be expected during the summer months:

  • less than or equal to 55: dry and comfortable
  • between 55 and 65: becoming “sticky” with muggy evenings
  • greater than or equal to 65: lots of moisture in the air, becoming oppressive.”

Based on this information, today’s dew point of 70 is truly oppressive. But after a few days of this, we’re starting to get used to it. We’d better get used to it! Summer is officially starting this month on December 21st, the opposite of summer beginning in the northern hemisphere.

Stay cool. Stay warm wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, December 1, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #253.The shoreline from our condo in Maui in 2014. For more photos, please click here.

Kruger National Park visit this morning…Many new photos…Back and busy…

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Two elephants flappped their ears as we passed.

This morning upon awakening, we decided to head to Kruger National Park and take advantage of our Wild Card entrance pass, which ends about the time we’re scheduled to leave South Africa in January (at this point, anyway). We’re always looking for a sunny day, not too hot, that will bring the wildlife out from hiding in the bush.

If the weather is terrible, rainy, and possibly stormy, they hide. If the weather is too hot, they hide. This morning was perfectly sunny and clear with moderate temperatures not expected to be too hot until afternoon in the 90Fs, 30Cs. We were excited to be on our way.

A colossal elephant from a distance.

But, once on the way, I realized we needed to stop at Spar in Komatipoort on the way home for a few items (which isn’t too far from the Crocodile Bridge entrance gate), get back in time to work on today’s post, and meet new American friends, Carrie and Jim at 2:00 pm, 1400 hrs, to see the property they’re purchasing here in Marloth Park.

Can you imagine, they found Marloth Park from our website, made their way here, and fell in love with it so much, they are now buying a fabulous property here, where they’ll live part of the year and continue to travel for the remainder of the year?

We saw dozens of hippos but few coming up for great shots.

We just returned from seeing their new house for which they’ve already made an offer which has been accepted. The house was fantastic, only four years old, and of a beautiful design and functionality. The house would easily have cost four or five times more in the US. They are so excited, and we share their joy.

When we first came to Marloth Park, we considered the prospect of owning a house here for a second, but, after a short period, we realized that our vision of freedom and mobility wouldn’t make homeownership desirable for us. We’ve never regretted that decision.

We love the low gurgling sounds of the hippos.

This lovely couple is 30 years younger than me (not quite Tom, who’s five years younger than me), and they have a full life ahead of them. They have time to make such decisions and later change their plans again if they so choose. But, we couldn’t be happier for them making what seems to be a logical decision for them at this early point in their retirement. They’ll still be able to travel the world and have this fabulous home to return to at any time, in the bush, they love so much.

Today’s visit to Kruger went well, but we didn’t see as much as we usually do. We didn’t see any cats, rhinos, or Cape buffalos. Nonetheless, we had an excellent time driving through the park, visiting our favorite turnoffs along the way, spotting a few more wildlife here and there. But, we weren’t disappointed. Our goal isn’t always seeing The Big Five.

I was on the lookout for a “sausage tree” which grows these massive blooms in the springtime.

On several occasions, we spotted wildlife we often see here in Marloth Park. We didn’t mind that at all. A giraffe can easily turn our heads with enthusiasm, as do zebras, wildebeest, and kudus. Of course, we always love seeing elephants which we only see along the Crocodile River close to the fence between Kruger and Marloth Park. We saw several elephants today.

Over the next several days, we’ll share our photos from today, along with any exciting opportunities that present themselves in the next few days. As the day wears on, I still have some prep left to do for tonight’s dinner when soon, we’ll be on the veranda visiting with our animal friends during sundowner time.

A clo0ser view of a “sausage” growing in a tree.

Last night, we had a surprise visitor for dinner; our friend Lyn, the hostess at Jabula, stopped by to drop off some blood sausage for me, which a friend from Scotland had brought her. Tonight, I’ll cook a piece to go with our roasted chicken dinner. I have had any of this favorite of mine since we were in Ireland in 2019. What a treat that will be!

Wow, Marloth Park is such a fabulous place to socialize. It couldn’t be more rewarding! When Lyn arrived, we invited her to stay for dinner, and the three of us had a great dinner and evening on the veranda.

Have a pleasant evening!

Photo from one year ago today, November 29, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while we were in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #251. The Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal, which we’ve been through twice on two separate cruises. For more photos, please click here.

Differences between ordinary travel and world travel…Photos from the Crocodile River…

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We spotted these two elephants on the far bank of the Crocodile River as we drove to Two Trees.   

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Yesterday afternoon, on our way to the Two Trees overlooking the Crocodile River, we spotted a pair of elephants playing on the river bank. Tom repositioned the car to ensure I’d have a good angle for taking photos. Unfortunately, as we waited, we couldn’t take photos of their faces other than in today’s main photo as shown. They were either playing or engaged in some confrontation. It was difficult to determine from such a distance.

We arrived at Two Trees shortly before 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs, and Carrie and Jim arrived shortly after that. We set up our camp chairs, poured ourselves a drink, and settled in for what we hoped would be great sightings on the river and, as always, lively conversation with this couple who, like us, is traveling the world without a home.

While the four of us sat in our chairs talking and watching for activity on the river, we spotted these elephants less than 10 meters from us.

Soon, they’ll be leaving for their next adventure, but it’s been delightful sharing stories and travel tips between the four of us. It’s so interesting to learn that many of our mutual travel processes and procedures are similar, almost to the point of being oddly coincidental.

As we mentioned in a prior post, we met Carrie and Jim from their long history of reading our posts. Our enthusiastic description of Marloth Park brought them here and the next opportunity to meet. Well, of course, we hit it off with them, as we had with Rita and Gerhard, who also came to Marloth Park from reading our posts, as have many others over the years.

It was exciting to watch the three elephants crossing in front of us beyond the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park.

It means so much to us knowing that somehow, even in a small way, we’ve had the opportunity to provide information for our readers that may impact their travel decisions. This has been a huge motivator for us in continuing to post consistently. No, not all of our suggestions may appeal to all travelers. Nor do all of our suggestions prove to be beneficial for everyone.  It’s highly subjective.

Due to time constraints, we can’t really assist those embarking on traditional one or two-week vacations/holidays. We are not a travel agency, nor do we have any interest in becoming so. But, we encourage our readers to contact us if we can be of assistance should you decide to embark on a journey such as ours, without a home base, without storage, and with an intent to travel for extended periods, as we have done.,

No doubt, it was quite a thrill to be so close to the elephants.

If you have specific questions for traditional short-term travel, you may find suggestions by using our search box at the top right of our home page.  However, traveling the world full-time is very different from taking a vacation/holiday. Based on the fact we often stay in locations for extended periods, our perspective may be very different about a  specific location for many reasons, including:

  • Cooking our own meals, shopping in local markets
  • Renting cars for extended periods
  • Renting holiday homes for extended periods
  • Using cruises as transportation
  • Visa extension issues and concerns
  • Access to quality medical care if necessary
  • Negotiating with property owners for extended stays
  • Ensuring WiFi, aircon, and essential utilities are included in the rent
  • Safe drinking water
  • Proximity from the airport to the holiday home, to shopping and touring
  • Clothing needed for seasonal weather changes during extended stays

    One by one, they wandered away.

The differences between short and long-term travel are many and become evident once a world travel journey begins. We’ve encountered many challenges along the way, and we’re always happy to share our experiences and insights with other world travelers.

Have a fantastic weekend wherever you may be!

Photo from one year ago today, November 26, 2020:

No photo was posted on this date one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India

A stunning sighting in the garden…Thanksgiving in the US tomorrow…Thankful in the bush every day…

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This was the total size of the foam tree frog nest before it rained. After it rained hard for hours, it was half the size as shown below. We aren’t sure if the rain destroyed it or if the male tree frogs will fertilize it.

Yesterday afternoon, while situated on the veranda on a rainy day, we happened to look toward the right to the rainwater-filled cement pond. Hanging in the tree was something extraordinary we’d first seen in December 2013 during our first foray to Marloth Park…a tree frog foam nest.

For the details of that sighting, check out our link here, which includes a fascinating video that we’d made when a dozen male tree frogs arrived at the foam nest to fertilize it after the female tree frog made the nest, laying thousands of eggs inside it overnight. How unusual is that?

The foam tree frog nest after the rain.

We were enthralled by this event eight years ago, and we’re equally enthralled now. If we’re fortunate to capture the males fertilizing the foam nest again, we’ll make another video and share it here. We keep checking every half hour or so. But, we could easily miss it if it occurs overnight.

The female makes the nest over a body of water. In 2013, she made it over the splash pool. The tadpoles didn’t survive when they landed in the pool due to the chlorine in the water, although we spotted one that survived. This time, the nest is over the cement pond, filled with rainwater. The tadpoles could very well survive when they drop out of the nest to swim in the water as they mature.

The mating sounds, particularly after dark, over the past few weeks, have been earsplitting, continuing well into the night. For some odd reason, although the female frog, the tree, and the pond are outside our bedroom window, they haven’t kept either of us awake. Somehow the sounds of nature, however loud, don’t seem to disturb our sleep.

It was hard to get this photo while sitting at the table on the veranda. Each time I grabbed the camera, it flew away. Finally, I got this blurry photo of what we think is a lilac-crested bee-eater.

Late yesterday afternoon, we took off for Two Trees on the Crocodile River to meet with Carrie and Jim, our new US travel friends. By the time we arrived at the meeting point, it was pouring rain, preventing us from getting out of the car. When they came a few minutes after us, we all decided to get together at this same site on Thursday (tomorrow) as a quasi celebration for the US holiday, Thanksgiving, which will be observed tomorrow.

Some of our readers have kindly written to us, asking what we’re doing for Thanksgiving, if we’re making pies, and the traditional turkey dinner. First off, we can’t buy canned or fresh pumpkins here in the bush. The few pumpkin pies I’ve made here have been using canned pumpkin Kathy brought here from the US in her luggage. There will be no pumpkin pies this year.

As for a turkey, they may be found in Nelspruit at one or two of the big markets, but we saw no sense in driving for three hours to buy a small turkey, no larger than a good-sized chicken. Then, the ingredients for side dishes aren’t available here either; no fresh cranberries, no marshmallows for the sweet potato casserole, no canned onions for the green bean casserole, no Cool Whip for the fruit whippy, and it goes on and on.

Another cute little bird we spotted last night.

In 2018, we did a Thanksgiving meal for friends, using chickens, as detailed in this post, and side dishes for which Kathy had brought other ingredients from the US, making it all possible. Please click here to see our menu and food photos from that Thanksgiving for 12 guests at the Orange house.

It was so hot during those days, while I prepared many pumpkin pies, rolling the dough in the heat, an impossible task. I’ll never forget my “pie day from hell,” found at this link. Heat and rolling dough for pies don’t go together. It was an experience I’ll never forget, but I got through it.

Much to my surprise, as I sweated up a storm in the heat, I did so with three of my coronary arteries 100% blocked. Less than three months later, I had open-heart surgery, being told it was a miracle I could function at all with only one artery pumping blood to my heart. Lucky, I guess. Grateful, I know for sure.

Frank and The Misses still stopped by during the rainstorms of the past few days. She waits patiently for him to finish.

Sure, the traditional foods and festivities were always fun and rewarding, spending time with family and friends. But, now Thanksgiving has a very different meaning for us. It’s not about the food, the wine, and the festivities. It’s all about being thankful. And that is what Thanksgiving is all about.

Without a doubt, we are thankful for so much; our loved ones and friends, our good fortune to be able to continue to travel the world, our health, and of course, each other to revel in the treasures Mother Nature has to offer every day in the bush or wherever we may be at any given time, together, living this extraordinary and exciting life.

For those of you celebrating Thanksgiving in the US, have a blessed holiday and long weekend. For everyone else, may your days be filled with joy and wonder.

Photo from one year ago today, November 24, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago today while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #246. My dinner at Sails  Restaurant in Diani Beach, Kenya, in 2013 was too heavy with oil, very different from the first time I’d ordered this entrée. For more photos, please click here.

It’s a new day!…Cool, comfy and feeling good!…

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As always, Broken Horn stopped by for a visit.

What a glorious morning! It’s cool enough outdoors that I’m wearing a long sleeve shirt, and Tom is wearing jeans instead of his usual shorts. If only we could have weather like this every day, especially as summer approaches. But, TIA (this is Africa) and hot weather is the norm except for a few short months in the winter when days like this are more prevalent.

Last night, after taking two 25 mg Benadryl, each four hours apart, I ended up getting sufficient sleep to feel pretty good today. The leg is still painful and itchy, but I’m doing well taking long-acting Tylenol (Paracetamol) every eight hours. Doc Theo had offered pain killers, but I refused, preferring not to feel dopey with a busy social weekend planned.

Zef and Vusi are here now, cleaning the house. Other than preparing today’s post, I don’t have much to do today. Dining at Jabula tonight, as we always do on Friday nights, I won’t spend any time in the kitchen. It’s so wonderful to have completed the corrections; I’m still reeling over the availability of my afternoons to do whatever I feel like doing.

Broke Horn, checking out who’s trying to take his pellets.

Of course, right now, having shingles, my free time can easily be spent resting the painful leg until the meds kick in. But that won’t keep me down this weekend with guests coming tomorrow for sundowners/dinner and a few other fun activities planned for the upcoming week.

Last night, we made an excellent dinner. Tom had bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin made on the braai with rice and salad, and I had sauteed liver and onions, fresh steamed asparagus, and salad. Later in the evening, I had a handful of macadamia buts, and Tom had two homemade lemon poppy seed muffins I’d made early in the week.

Usually, I don’t make him sweet treats but, after his dental surgery, thinking he’d be in pain and feeling like some comfort food, I made 24 muffins. But, less than six days later, the muffins I froze to keep fresh are almost gone. Soon, I will make a few low-carb treats as he works his way back to healthy eating.

Tom is one of those picky eaters who find great comfort in eating certain foods, mainly sweets. Many people are this way. Sure, I can look at certain foods, and my mouth waters. I am not. I eat when I’m hungry and only what fits within the realm of my chosen method of eating.

He doesn’t care for vegetables, like cabbage or carrots. But he sure loves his pellets.

But even when I bake an occasional treat for Tom, I have no problem resisting it. For me, continuing to make a concerted effort to maintain my health is a huge motivator. On the other hand, with his robust good health, Tom can afford to indulge from time to time. If I eat sugar, gluten, or starch, my blood sugar and blood pressure go through the roof. It’s not worth it to me.

This morning, we’ve seen a number of our wildlife friends in the garden, including wildebeest Broken Horn, bushbucks Sylvia and Spikey, warthogs Lori and Barbara, One Tusk, Mom (without her three piglets), Narrow, mongooses, and of course, Frank and The Misses, all of whom we’ve fed pellets, cabbage, and Paloney (for the mongooses).

Sorry, we don’t have any exciting news right now. Like all of you, some of our days are simple and relatively uneventful. But, tonight, the action will ramp up at Jabula, where we always have a great time, and tomorrow, entertaining friends at our bush home.

Have a splendid day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 19, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day#241. Elephants and storks on the Crocodile River. For more, please click here.

Off to the dentist again!…They’re back!…The greening of the bush…

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Stringy has a little plant growing at the end of his left horn. Too cute or words.

This morning, I awoke early and had to get out of bed. I was itching so severely from dust mites in the mattress I couldn’t lay there any longer. I contacted Louise, and she’s going to hire an exterminator. Today, after we leave for our dental appointments, Zef and Vusi will change the bedding, spray the bed thoroughly with a dust mite eradicator, and install a new mattress cover.

Years ago, when I had skin tests for allergies, dust mites were the worst reaction. We’ve only experienced them a few times during our travels, in Morocco in a holiday home, in Minnesota in a hotel, and here in this house in Marloth Park (but never in other properties we’ve rented in the bush). It’s seasonal and unpredictable.

Such an adorable face!

Dust mites don’t bite as described here:

“Unlike other members of the mite family, dust mites do not bite. Dust mites do not feed on the blood of humans as some other mites do. Although they may “hitchhike” on clothing, it is a myth that dust mites live on people. They feed primarily on dander, or flakes of dead skin that fall from humans and animals.”

Either we are shedding a lot of skin, or the proximity of the wildlife to the house is a contributing factor. Hopefully, I will get a good night’s sleep by tonight after Zef and Vusi do the treatment, which has helped in the past. Last night, I slept atop the covers using an extra blanket. But, the allergic reaction happened a few days ago.

Bushbucks are such pretty animals. They are hard not to love.

I may not have gotten new itchy welts last night, but the ones I awoke to several times during the night to add more cortisone cream to my left side, the side on which I sleep every night. There wasn’t a single welt on the right side. What an annoyance!

Speaking of annoyances, in a short while, we’ll head to Dr. Singh in Malelane for our two dental appointments. Tom is finally having his implant bases inserted. I am having a bone spur removed that appeared at my recent tooth extraction site, which only adds to the frustration over the problems with that tooth and eventual socket that’s given me one problem after another.

Hal stopped by this morning. We’ve yet to see Broken Horn today, but surely he’ll stop by.

Oh, I don’t like to whinge. And yes, we are grateful we are otherwise healthy, and all is well. Like most people, including senior citizens, this kind of “stuff” must be dealt with from time to time. Just because we travel the world doesn’t make us exempt from dealing with such issues.

I have no idea if Tom will be in pain and unable to eat dinner tonight, so that we will play it by ear. As for my bone spur, most likely, it will require surgery to remove. Yuck! I can’t wait to get that out of the way.

Notice the green bush after many rainstorms.

This morning when I got out of bed shortly after Tom, he was busy in the garden with dozens of visitors. Either the lions moved on, or from reports we read last night, they are staying in the area of Gate 1, which is far from us. We always use Gate 2 to exit and enter the park. The two gates are several kilometers apart. Lions, like most wildlife, are territorial, as stated here:

“Lions are highly territorial and have occupied the same area for generations. Territory size depends on prey abundance, as well as access to water and denning sites.’

At one point, we had bushbucks, wildebeest, impala, warthogs, helmeted guineafowls, and Frank and The Misses and their two kids.

They left Kruger National Park when they determined hunting would be more prolific in Marloth Park on this side of the Crocodile River. Last night, an observer mentioned on Facebook they’d seen eight lions in Marloth Park. Wow!  Of course, that could be inaccurate. No photos have been taken as yet. It’s not easy to take photos of lions at night, especially when you can’t get out of the vehicle for a decent shot. Time will tell.

In the interim, our unusual animals are back, and it’s lovely to see them munching on the new vegetation in the bush. It is filling in quickly as leaves on the trees and ground vegetation grows, as shown in today’s photos.

We’ll be back tomorrow with updates.

Be well.

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #237. Mr. & Mrs. Ostrich were trotting down the road. Moments later, they took off on a fast run into the bush. Ostriches can run up to 70 km (45 miles) per hour. For more photos, please click here.

A long ago memory with relevance today….Four lions spotted in Marloth Park…Are the animals hiding?..

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On a walk in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2012, shortly before we left the US to travel the world, we stumbled across this saying on a large slab of stone.

Around this date in 2012, Tom and I went for a walk in the Old Towne area in Scottsdale, Arizona. We were staying there in a lovely condo for a few months while we wrapped up all the seemingly endless details of preparing to leave the US for our anticipated years-long journey.

We chose Scottsdale in an attempt to determine if and when, in the future, we may decide to settle somewhere. Would Scottsdale be an option? After spending two months there, we found it wasn’t quite for us. But during those two months there, we enjoyed ourselves as our first foray away from Minnesota, where Tom grew up, and I’d lived for over 40 years.

A male waterbuck at sunset on the bank of the Crocodile River.

During that time, we set up all of our new digital equipment, continued making bookings into the future, and handled insurance and other business matters that required attention before we left the US on January 3, 2013, from San Diego, California, on our first cruise. Oddly, the memories of that time are as fresh in our minds today as if it was yesterday.

Today’s main photo popped up from one of the clouds we use as a “memory.” It made us laugh when we remembered encountering this message on a stone slab during the walk that day in Scottsdale. At the time and even now, we perceived it as an omen that we would enjoy our travels together in the upcoming years, knowing the depth and quality of our relationship. We’ve never been disappointed.

Sunset from Kathy and Don’s third-floor veranda.

At that time, nine years ago, we had no idea how long we’d travel, if we’d enjoy it for the long term, after facing many of the challenges we’ve encountered along the way. We knew our desire and commitment were firmly in place along with our established criteria which we’d fined tuned during the ten prior months that we’d spent conducting research.

If you find the sign difficult to read, the quote from Mark Twain reads: “I have found that there is no surer way to find out if you like people or you hate them, than to travel with them.”

How true that’s been for us and surely is for other couples who travel, whether they are partners or friends. Never once in the past nine years have either of us questioned we are with the “right traveler,” the “right companion,” or the right “love partner.”

A crocodile on the move on the river.

After hearing about our ten months in lockdown in India, many have commented that they’d be at each other’s throats being stuck in one room for so long. We comforted each other and provided support and encouragement to one another during the challenging time. In the end, it only made us stronger individually and as a couple. Go figure. Who knew we’d spend 10% of our travels stuck in a hotel room? We are very grateful we didn’t get Covid-19 and that we came out in good spirits.

As for the lions in Marloth Park, four have been sighted over the past several nights by rangers and others. Two males and two females are obviously on the move and hunting for food, which is plentiful in Marloth Mark, perhaps even easier to find than in massive Kruger National Park.

A male impala grazing on vegetation on the bank of the river.

A weird phenomenon we’ve observed these past three days since the sighting has been the lack of wildlife visiting our garden, less daily than we’ve seen since we arrived last January. While in the national parks in India searching for tiger sightings, the rangers explained that the various antelopes, particularly the Sambar deer, give off bark as a warning sign for all animals when a tiger is in the area.

Is it possible our antelopes here in Marloth Park have given off such notice to all wildlife that their lives are in danger with the nearby lions roaming through the park? We feel confident this is the case. Not even Little, other warthogs, or our usual 10 to 12 bushbucks are stopping by. We’ve only seen bushbuck Gordon Ramsay each of the past three days, but he is very skittish and nervous, constantly looking around.

Frank and The Misses don’t seem concerned about the lions in the park. They aren’t much of a meal for a lion.

Word is out not to feed the animals since it will cause them to gather in groups making easy prey for the lions.  With no animals in the garden except for the mongooses, that’s not a problem for us. We haven’t tossed pellets in days while we wait for this scary time for the animals to come to an end.

Hopefully, the lions who’ve arrived from Kruger, from the other side of the fence between the two parks, will return from whence they’ve come. But, if they find the pickings are good here, they may not leave for quite a while. In the interim, we all must be diligent about being outdoors at night and during the day. Lions may prefer to hunt in the dark, but we’ve seen them with “kills” during daylight hours.  Of course, we are being cautious when outdoors, day and night.

Well, folks, that’s our news for today.  Please stop by again tomorrow for more.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 13, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #235. This photo from Maui, Hawaii, almost looked like a scene from New England by the sea. For more photos, please click here.