Morning doesn’t come soon enough…The sights and sounds…Am I dreaming?

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The Warthog family comes to visit via a path that leads to the braai (barbecue).

Awake at 5:30 this morning, I  tried falling back to sleep with no luck. I could hardly wait to get up and outside. Today’s agenda is pleasantly busy with a trip at 11:00 am with Okee Dokee to the village of Komatipoort to pick up a few grocery items and to visit the Vodacom store for SIM cards for our MiFi’s. 

Later in the day at 4:30, Leon, the owner/guide of the local Jabula Lodge is picking us up for a private sunset game drive and subsequent dinner at his restaurant. For some reason, I think this may be a regular occurrence.  We’re looking forward and will share details tomorrow. But, goodness, our trip to the grocery store was eventful in itself with many great photos for tomorrow.

The Three Little Pigs stood directly in front of us as we took this photo. 

Louise had provided us with a MiFi loaded with several gigs, but it’s difficult for both of us to be online simultaneously. And, Tom was unable to load the Minnesota Vikings Game video from Sunday. We’re hoping it will download properly using our newer, higher-powered MiFis.

This morning as we sat on the veranda by the pool, this group of 9 warthogs consisting of seven babies and two moms, walked up the driveway toward us, happy to visit.

Hurriedly, I showered and dressed, inpatient in getting outside to check to see if we had visitors. (Yes, I’m already totally hooked on the prospect of welcoming visitors to our home in the bush). At first, I didn’t see anything. 

Sitting down at the outdoor table facing the driveway, I reviewed my email, checked and responded to blog comments, and the general perusing one does online in the morning, Facebook, etc.  Always, with one eye scanning the area as far as we can see with the thick lush summer bush.

This mom and baby were showing a little affection.  These photos are not zoomed.

A short while later, Tom joined me and only minutes later, we found this family of warthogs walking up the drive toward us. We could hardly temper our enthusiasm to welcome them to our new home.

This warthog walked along the veranda while we were inside the house last night, sitting on the sofa facing this door.

It’s a trade-off in Marloth Park, Kruger Park, and other game reserves in Africa. In winter, the leaves and greenery are gone, eaten by the wildlife, and ravaged by the dry weather. During that period everything is brown. Many travelers prefer to go on holiday during winter with easier wildlife viewing with less obstruction by greenery. 

This mom approached us with caution, checking us out before she let the babies get close to us.

For us, we love the vegetation and the wildlife, and, although much hotter now, we’re delighted to see the wildlife visiting to nibble on the greenery. The heat is less difficult for us to bear when at any moment we can go inside to turn on one of three AC units to cool off. 

Mama felt so at ease, she plopped down in our driveway to nurse a few babies.

There are no screens on any of the windows here. It would be an invitation for the monkeys (we’ve only seen a few thus far) to rip through the screens to get inside to tear everything apart looking for food. Without screens and the windows shut, it stays cool inside the house, requiring that we only turn on the AC in the sun of the late afternoon and in our room at night.

This termite hill on our grounds is approximately 10 feet, 3.05 meters tall.

It is imperative to keep exterior doors closed to keep out the bugs. We learned this lesson on our first night. With our bedroom door shut at all times, we don’t need a mosquito net over the bed. Louise offered to have one put up if we needed it, but not one mosquito has buzzed our heads in bed so far.

The nocturnal mini bushbabies live in two hollowed-out logs we have hanging over the pool.

It’s the rainy season now. Last night it rained all night. There hasn’t been much sunshine since we arrived, making it cooler. The humidity is as high as it was in Kenya. We’re surrounded by the Crocodile River and about an hour from the Indian Ocean. The ceiling and roof of the house are thatched, but surprisingly stays dry during the rainy season from what we can tell so far.

We have no doubt that many visitors will stop by besides the warthogs. We’ll try to keep the warthog photos to a minimum. But for now, we are enjoying their curious visits as we await other species popular to Marloth Park.

The sounds are amazing. Tom’s eldest brother Jerry has been completely blind since 1970. Without a doubt, Jerry would delight in the sounds we’re hearing. Yesterday afternoon, we held our breath at the clear, not too far away sound of a lion’s roar over a period of 20 minutes. We sat frozen in our seats on the veranda, trying to determine how far away it could be. It sounded close.

Devising a rapid escape plan should it come too close, we were unafraid and in awe of the wonder of nature.  Usually, lions don’t enter Marloth Park with the Crocodile River acting as a natural barrier. There are flimsy fences to keep out the animals. But, we were told by Louise and Danie, that on occasion, a lion has been sighted.

Soon, we’ll have time to figure out the species of this bird, but today is a busy day in the bush.

Jerry would also love the sounds of the hippos, a sound we loved hearing when we slept in the tent (OK, fancy tent) along the Mara River in the Masai Mara on safari. Depending on the wind, at times the hippo sounds permeated the air, allowing us to hear them when we are inside, even at night in bed with the AC is on.

Last night as we waited for visitors, we overlooked the small pool. This morning Tom scooped a few centipedes out the pool after last night’s torrential rain.

The bird sounds day and night often change minute by minute are many that we’ve never heard before. At night, the mini bush babies living in their houses hanging by our pool, come out making the sweetest sounds, music to our ears. Tom, hard of hearing after 42 years on the railroad, still can hear many of the sounds, relishing in the uniqueness each creature provides.

So, as we anxiously await more visitors, which surely will come to see us in the three months we’ll be in Marloth Park. We’ll treasure every moment, every sound, every singing bird, every chirping frog, the constant hum of the crickets, and of course, the sound of each other’s awe and excitement of sharing in Mother Nature’s wonderland.

P.S. Soon, we’ll post interior house photos as we continue to organize our stuff and clear off the shelves and counters for a less “cluttered’ look.

The wonder in South Africa continues…

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This giraffe didn’t seem to mind be included in the photo with us.  This photo was taken in our neighborhood. Louise explained that the giraffes will soon come to our house.
The warning regarding the monkeys is posted on the refrigerator door.
There’s so much to do here, it’s astounding. With safaris in Kruger Park to be arranged at any time we choose, game walks, bush dinners, trips to other areas, cultural experiences, and more, we’re absorbing the fact that we have three full months to plan and experience those we find most appealing.
For the moment, continuing to be thrilled with the bush around us and getting our equipment and supplies in order, we’re at peace with the decision to stay in this particular private home that has almost everything we need. 
A portion of the dirt road from the main road to our house. We’re isolated, but don’t mind.
With its two large bedrooms with two en suite baths, two living rooms, each on its own floor, and an open kitchen with almost every amenities (Louise is bringing us an electric coffee pot), including Tupperware, quality stainless steel pots and pans, dinnerware, we are more well equipped than we’ve been in a very long time.
This shot from our veranda reminded us of a scene in the movie, Out of Africa. But, this is the real deal, not a movie set in England.
Sleeping in a cool room with the covers over us in itself is an amazing treat. To take advantage of the two bedrooms, Tom and I each picked a bedroom and bath as our own, although we sleep together on the main floor. This way, we were able to unpack in our own chosen room and have the option to clutter our respective bathrooms. I picked the upstairs bedroom with the soaking tub. It was nice not to have to share a small cupboard space with our remaining sparse supply of clothing.
Our new home in the bush, far from the nearest house.  The house has a security system and all windows and doors have steel accordion-type safety gates to keep out any intruders, animals, or human.
Unfortunately, there was no hot water this morning so I opted for the shower in my bathroom, albeit with cold water. As of now, noon, there’s hot water again, which hopefully lasts until Tom shower’s before dinner. 
This large dirt driveway is befitting the property and easy to navigate including wildlife visitors and, human visitors, each of which we’ve had several.
Our new houseman is Zeff. This morning he and Louise appeared at our door at 8:30 so he could clean and, she could see if we needed anything. The price of our rental includes two weekly visits from Zeff, all of our laundry, towels, and changing the linen. If we want him for addition visits, we pay ZAR $50, US $4.90 per visit. We’re tidy and doubt we’ll need additional visits.
The braai is the South African word for a barbeque. This is in our massive yard, only feet from the veranda and the pool.
Having already used one large bottle of water, Louise took to the bottle to be refilled at the local water store, Credence Clear Water Revival, returning it refilled a short time later. The cost of this is included in our rent. 
The service is unbelievable.  Louise is unbelievable.
Another view of our 2 story house.
She brought us a jar of organic coconut oil as yet another welcome gift. Also, she explained how we can save money booking our own events since the company she represents requires they charge an “upcharge” for organizing safaris and tours. Giving us phone numbers of their preferred tour guides, we have begun contacting them on our own.
There are three verandas in this house.  We are free to move any of the outdoor furniture to fit our needs.  This second main floor veranda doesn’t provide as good a view for watching for wildlife, so I doubt we’ll use it.
Last night, Dillon, a suggested local safari guide, stopped by offering (without any prompting from us)  to contact us when he has two open spots for safaris, enabling us to get a discounted price. The last minute is fine for us. By throwing on the BugsAway clothing, hats, socks, and boots, we can be ready in five minutes, camera, and binoculars in tow.  After all, we don’t have much of a schedule to follow. Yet.
Yet to find the name of these birds, we were excited to get this shot of mom or dad feeding a baby. Look at those yellow eyes!
After all of our whining in Kenya about the heat and bugs, we continue to sit outside all day, fearful of missing  “visitors.” However, if we get hot or the bugs are annoying, which are present in abundance, we need only go inside the house to park ourselves in either of our two living rooms, one of which has a TV. We doubt we’ll ever watch it. Yesterday, I suggested that we watch the news. But, Tom said, “Why bother? It’s only frustrating.” I agreed.
Mom or Dad and baby looking out for food sources.  The baby is well protected by her parent. These birds kept flying about, but I waited patiently to get these shots.
Last night, we dined in the house. Tonight, we’ll dine outside paying special attention to never leave food on the table when we go indoors. It’s a necessary precaution with the monkeys we’ve seen watching us.
“I’ve got a bug for you, darling.  Come and get it!”
Our dining out routine begins tomorrow with the hope of dining out three nights per week. There are three restaurants in Marloth Park but a 40 minute drive each way to others. I’ve already begun contacting some of the all-inclusive resorts nearby to see if they’ll allow us to dine at their lodges with their guests. 
By explaining that we’ll post reviews and photos of their properties, the response has been very good. With our worldwide readership, this option for “free advertising” has been a benefit to us, getting some ‘extras,” not expected but none the less appreciated.
Tomorrow, we’ll post more wildlife photos of visitors to our property and photos of the interior of the house. Every day in Marloth Park is a new day. 

Marloth Park…A new home…A different lifestyle…We begin again…

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We were mighty close to be able to get this giraffe headshot. Love it!

Many of the sounds are similar minus the roosters crowing. The air is permeated with a vast array of bird songs we’ve never heard before. The steady hum of crickets and frogs quickly blend into our senses soon leaving us unaware of their constant chatter. 

On occasion, the sounds halt momentarily when they sense a potential predator in the area. We hold our breath, waiting, hoping to see a “visitor.” So far, we’ve had only a few as shown in these photos. We have no doubt that others will follow.

It’s hard to believe that impalas roam among the houses here in Marloth Park.

Our new driver, Okee Dokee (her nickname!), shared much information about the area during the hour and a half drive from the Mpumalanga Airport to the house. We stopped along the drive to buy a SIM card for my unlocked phone so we can make local calls as needed. One wouldn’t want to be in this area without a phone.

We didn’t need to see many wildebeest during the Great Migration. They are here in our neighborhood, hopefully making a personal visit soon. Love the baby!

Also, we checked out the huge grocery store and for the first time in nine months, we saw a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. The shopping area is a 25-minute drive from the house in the small town Komaatiport.

This baby zebra was on the move checking us out, playfully leaping into the air!
We didn’t know that baby zebras have fluffy hair and short bodies until seeing one up close and personal. Too cute!

In the future, Okee Dokee will be our driver for all trips. At some point, we may decide on a rental car. But, at the moment, we’re fine. Louise, the hostess to end all hostesses and property manager, asked me to make a grocery list for everything we’d need for the first week. 

Dad kept a careful watch of the baby’s antics.

I’ve never had anyone do all my grocery shopping. She did a fabulous job. Going through the cupboards, refrigerator and freezer felt like Christmas. Every item was beautifully arranged in the cupboard, things we love all of which were quality products.

Mom didn’t miss a moment of baby’s youthful shenanigans

Louise spent a total of ZAR $2800, US $$274.43, leaving us with enough supplies, household products, and food to get through the week.We paid her back with the cash we’d collected from the ATM at the Johannesburg Airport.

Louise stocked the cupboard with nuts, seasoning, and other foodstuffs that we use. Gosh, I haven’t had use of a plastic container with a lid in almost a year. I’ll be spoiled!

Marloth Park is a game reserve, sandwiched between Kruger National Park to the immediate north of us and Lionspruit, another game reserve. Although the Crocodile River acts as a barrier, it generally prevents the lions (although lions have been seen in Marloth Park on occasion) and elephants from visiting us. 

At the house less than a half-hour, this warthog stopped by to welcome us to the neighborhood. He was our first official visitor.

Without a doubt, other wildlife most will wander into this lush vegetation (its almost summer here) seeking food and out of curiosity. It will take time and patience while being camera ready at all times.

We’ve been warned, as we already knew, not to feed the animals, other than the approved nutritional pellets available at the feed store in huge bags. With summer fast approaching the bush has plenty of nourishment for the wildlife, whether they consume vegetation or hunt for their food.

Scroll around this map to see the area is more detail.

Marloth Park was named after a German botanist, Rudolph Marloth. The Aloe (plant) Marlothi was named after him. There are aloe plants all over the yard and in the area. Over time, we’ll learn the various medicinal purposes of the Aloe plant and put some clippings to good use.

At the moment we are on the veranda watching and waiting for visitors. Currently, the temperature is 61F, 11C, with a cooling breeze. The biting flies, mosquitoes, and insects, although in abundance, are much less of an annoyance than they were in Kenya.

Last night, we slept under a lightweight down comforter covered in a fine cotton duvet with the air conditioning on, set at a low setting. It was wonderful, more appreciated than we’d have ever imagined. Ah, the simple things. 

Louise had purchased a MiFi for the house for us which works fairly well with both of us online at the same time. But, Tom was unable to watch the Minnesota Vikings game, even if I was offline. Tomorrow, we’ll purchase SIM cards for our two MiFi’s to see if they will work better. 

Most of South Africa’s citizens speak Afrikaans and English, although there is a total of 11 languages spoken.  The locals seem to have a strong accent comparable to a combination of British, Dutch and Australian. We’re making every effort to learn a few words if we can get Swahili out of our brains, which is not spoken in South Africa.

Although exhausted and bleary-eyed, we didn’t want to miss a photo op.

Are we comfortable? Yes. Do we like the house, the grounds, and the general area? Very much so. 

Tomorrow, we’ll share photos of the interior of the house and soon, we’ll arrange our first safari in Kruger Park.  But, for the moment, we’re content to continue to settle into our new environment as we tune our ears to the unbelievable sounds of the bush all around us.

Last night, we’d accidentally locked ourselves inside the house. All the doors and windows have steel accordion-type security gates to keep the animals out of the house. We’d closed up for the night but found we couldn’t open the doors after shutting them. 

Sending Louise an email, within minutes she and her husband Danie warmly greeting us once again showing us how to unlock the security gates, a tricky process, although the gates appear to be fairly new.

Moments ago, an armed guard from the security company stopped by asking if our power was restored.  Apparently, the power had been out for a few days last week as a result of a severe thunderstorm. Thank goodness it was restored prior to our arrival. 

However, with the power out, the water system didn’t work. When we arrived, the water was a mere trickle.  And, there was no hot water.  By this morning, I was able to soak in a hot tub for the first time in a year. Of all the houses we’ve lived in these past 13 months, not one had a tub until now. In addition, there are two large tiled shower stalls.

The security guard warned us about keeping the house gates locked and not leaving any digital equipment unattended. In recent times, burglars had been visiting houses in the area, stealing laptops and cell phones.  Without our own security guard on the property at all times as we had in Kenya, we’ll be especially careful.

Every location has its pluses and minuses. The hope is that we adapt to the minuses and revel in the pluses. It’s an ongoing process, undoubtedly filled with many surprises, of which living in Africa has in abundance. 

Goodbye Kenya…We’ll remember you always…A few favorite photos…

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Tom took this photo in the Masai Mara using the little Samsung camera. Wow!

It’s almost 10:00 am Friday. In a few minutes Tom will go with Alfred, the best taxi driver in Diani Beach,  Kenya (click here for Alfred’s email), to the ATM and to drop off the remaining empty water bottles for the refunds at Nakumatt.

We were so close.

The refund on the bottles is KES $1000, US $11.50 (the value of the US dollar declined $.28 since we arrived in Kenya three months ago). With the three jugs, we’ll receive KES $3000, US $34.50 back.

After an exhausting day in the bush, this older elephant was tired of holding up his trunk. So, he tossed it over a tusk to lighten his load.  Sounds like us, attempting to lighten our load.

The packing is almost completed except for the shorts and tee shirts we’re wearing today and the BugsAway clothing we’ll wear tonight for dinner at Nomad’s, our choice for our final night in Kenya. A driver from Nomad will pick us up at 7:00 pm for a leisurely dinner at their oceanfront restaurant. 

“OK, I’ll pose for you!”

Once we return, we’ll pack the clothing we wore to dinner, check our email, and go to bed, hopefully getting a good night’s sleep.

“It’s a birdie day!”

Today, we’ll say goodbye to Hesborn, our houseman for the past three months, Jeremiah, our security guard, and of course, our gracious hosts, Hans and Jeri. Then, of course, our borrowed pups, Jessie and Gucci, who will each get a hug as they offer up a round of “snappy kisses.”   

This cub was at one of the ends of a culvert under the road.  When she got tired of our photo taking, she got up, walked across the road, and re-entered at the other side. What a site!

It hasn’t been easy for us here. Nor was it easy in the heat of summer with the awful biting flies and bees in the mountains of Tuscany, Italy either. But, Tuscany certainly served as preparation for our more trying time in Kenya. How we’ve changed.

Lions in the Masai Mara seldom climb trees.  Anderson spotted this cub and raced across the bush to get as close as possible.  The mother lion and more cubs we lying under this tree.

Had we known how trying it would be, would we have done it differently?  Perhaps. But, we still would have done it. Nothing, and I mean, nothing, will ever match the experience in the Masai Mara on safari or even our three-day experience with the monkey and the snakes at the seaside resort. That is what brought us to Kenya in the first place, the hope of seeing the Great Migration. 

This lion was sleepy after his big zebra meal (behind him).

Not having seen the Great Migration was incidental to the life-changing adventure we had in its place. At this point, we have no need to see it in the future. When Anderson, our guide, took us to the border of Kenya/Tanzania to see the end of the Great Migration, the flies were so bad that we had to cover our eyes, mouths, and faces. You know how I feel about flies.

Only once for a period of 30 minutes, did we have an opportunity to watch the antics of the Colobus monkeys. Many people living in Kenya have never seen a Colobus.  Getting this shot made me want to swing from trees.

And now, we move on to more heat in South Africa (where it will be summer soon), with more bugs (wildlife results in more bugs), and a new sense of caution for the wild animals in our midst at every turn. Tougher now, we aren’t afraid. Instead, we’re mindful and cautious, and, more than anything we’re excited and curious.

Within minutes of entering our ocean cottage at The Sands Resort for our anniversary, holiday, this monkey was peering into the window wondering what we were going to do with our complimentary fruit plate. Many guests feed them putting them on alert each time a new guest arrives. We didn’t feed them.  This photo was taken through the glass window.

Earlier in a post, I’ mentioned that we’d share our total costs for our three months in Kenya. This total includes every possible expense: rent, food, transportation, entertainment, safari, resort stay, taxes and tips, fees and airfare, and overweight baggage fees to travel here. Every expense, however small, was included, such as a KES $260.85, US $3.00 trip to the produce stand, a beverage purchased at the airport, a tip handed to a bellman.

This photo was also taken through the glass (notice reflections) as this young mom came by hoping for some tidbits for her babies.

Our grand total for living expenses for the three months in Kenya was KES $1,388,746, US $15,971.78 which averages to KES $462,916, US $5323.93 per month. We are very pleased with these numbers, especially when it includes the high cost of the safari, our anniversary holiday, and the frequency of dining out.

This winking chameleon made us laugh, especially his funny little mouth.  He appears to be made of quality beadwork. We met him at the Snake Show at the resort. Tom is holding him.

Goodbye, Kenya. Thank you for your friendly people, for your exquisite vegetation, your breathtaking scenery, and for the wildlife that freely exists in your natural environment which your citizens so adamantly protect with grace and reverence. Thank you for welcoming us with open arms, as you proudly release us to send us on our way.

Our minds play tricks on us…Learning to avoid disappointment…

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Thank you, loyal readers, for taking the time to read the relatively mundane storytelling of the process of preparing to leave yet another country. At this point, if we didn’t share this process, our alternative would be to avoid posting for many days with little else to tell.

Nothing pleases us more than sharing photos and accompanying stories that seem to pique the interest of most of our readers. What’s to show or tell when the packing in itself is repetitious and boring?

But, wait! A week from today we’ll be lounging on our new veranda with a tower (see chart below) of giraffes only feet away nipping at the tree tops or a sounder (see chart below) of warthogs getting comfortable for an afternoon nap in the yard or a crossing (see chart below) of zebras staring at us in wonder as they contemplate a drink from the swimming pool.

Animal
A group is called a –
Cobras Quiver
Crocodiles Float
Elephants Herd
Giraffe Tower
Gorillas Band
Leopards Leap
Lions Pride
Rhino Crash
Warthogs Sounder
Zebra Crossing or Herd

Click! Click! Click! Will the camera be smoking’ then or what? 

With much to do to prepare, to hopefully arrive safely in Marloth Park, South Africa next Sunday by late afternoon, as soon as we have an Internet connection, we’ll be posting photos and the story of our arrival. 

If, for some reason you don’t hear from us by then, please be patient. Our flight may have been delayed. We may be delayed at immigration or customs. Who knows what delays may present themselves? We don’t worry about possible delays as long as we arrive safely, hopefully with our luggage.

Of all the places we’ve visited thus far, I can honestly say, I’ve anticipated South Africa the most, mainly based on the opportunity to live in a wildlife reserve, bugs, heat, and all. 

Invariably, when entering the new locations, we’ve discovered some disappointments that the house isn’t exactly as we’d imagine. Human nature. You know how we get a picture in our mind, even with accompanying photos of what something will look and feel like, only to find something different upon arrival. 

This isn’t to imply that the property description was inaccurate or dishonest in any manner. It’s just the fact that our brains play tricks on us, helping us paint of picture of “what we’d like it to be” as opposed to “what it is.”  Moving as often as we have in the past 13 months, we’ve come to accept this fact as simply a part of the process. In a few days, we’ll be settled in, accepting the differences, but oddly never forgetting the image we’d conjured in our minds. I guess this is true in life in every area.

So now, I imagine the plastic “vacuum sealed bags” containing all of our clothing, securely closed in our luggage with zippers working and walking out the door of the house in Diani Beach, Kenya five days from today. 

Carrying with us will be the memories of safari which in this case, were more breathtaking than any vision we may have had in our brains long ago.

Three weeks from today…Off we go again!…We’ve only just begun…A typical Saturday morning in Kenya with animals in the yard…

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Look at those “bedroom eyes!” This was shot without zoom when I visited the goats in the backyard this morning. I was afraid to move in order to get a better shot. Sudden movements cause them to skitter off.

This morning this song was running through my head. When I mentioned it to Tom, he immediately found the YouTube video while I researched the lyrics. Tom, with his cup of hot coffee (yes, we have power) and me with my hot tea, sitting at the big glass table in our outdoor living room, are loving the sunny day after another night of pouring rain.

Each day as I write the post for the day, Tom is only a few feet from me. We share the process, me, writing,him, researching, us…talking, during the entire process. Never am I alone in a corner, typing away. It’s a tremendously enjoyable shared experience.

The babies were more curious about me. Most of the others, not so much.

Once completed and posted, Tom proofreads from the perspective of a reader looking for possible errors. He usually finds several which I promptly correct. We easily miss other errors as well, mostly those that spellcheck interprets as acceptable, some a result of our simply missing it. We don’t worry about it. We have a story to tell, photos to share, and writing every day means we’re going to miss some.

So, today, our story reminds us of this song, released in the summer of 1970, 43 years ago, a busy year for Tom, the year he graduated high school, the year he started working on the railroad, the year daughter Tammy was born.

Dad or utter? I say Dad. Tom says utter. Any input?

We didn’t meet until 21 years later, in 1991, each divorced with grown kids, ready to embark on a new life together.This song rang true for us in 1991 and is befitting again in our lives today. We’re sure many of our readers will remember and relate to this song as well.



We’ve Only Just Begun (video link)

by the Carpenters

We’ve Only Just Begun Lyrics

Songwriters: NICHOLS, ROGER S. / WILLIAMS, PAUL H.
We’ve only just begun to liveWhite lace and promises

A kiss for luck and we’re on our way

We’ve only begun

Before the rising sun we fly

So many roads to choose

We start out walking

And learn to run

And yes! We’ve just begun

Sharin’ horizons that are new to us

Watchin’ the signs along the way

Talkin’ it over just the two of us

Workin’ together day to day, together

And when the evening comes we smile

So much of life ahead

We’ll find a place where there’s room to grow

And yes! We’ve just begun

Sharin’ horizons that are new to us

Watchin’ the signs along the way

Talkin’ it over just the two of us

Workin’ together day to day, together, together

And when the evening comes we smile

So much of life ahead

We’ll find a place where there’s room to grow

And yes! We’ve just begun

In a perfect world, a few days before departing we’d start packing. Although the world is quite amazing, it’s not perfect. This is about the time we start thinking “packing.” 

One might think it’s no big deal. Fold the clothes, throw in the shoes, and miscellaneous items, and be done. Not so fast! Virtually, every physical item we own is in our possession!

Determined not to pay excess baggage fees this time, we’ve made a plan. When grocery shopping at the local Nakumatt the customer’s items are packed into cardboard boxes which we’ve been saving these past several trips.

When we grocery shopped yesterday, Alfred pointed out the local post office, which we’ll use to ship the packed cardboard boxes to our new home in South Africa, which will be a huge portion of our stuff, to ensure we don’t get slapped with excess baggage fees this time. 

This goat was definitely not camera-shy, practically stepping on my foot as she approached.

The risk of our belongings being confiscated or stolen is high. We’ll insure it, and let the chips fall where they may. By primarily packing clothing and shoes, if it is “lost” it won’t be anything we can’t live without. The cost of shipping within Africa will be considerably less than excess baggage fees between continents. Of course, we’ll send it the slowest possible way which we speculate we’ll receive the boxes within a month of our arrival.

All of our safari clothing, hats, and boots, everyday clothing, shoes, electronics, prescriptions, everyday toiletries will be in our possession. Our goal is to ship everything else to South Africa a week before we leave Kenya, in the event, it arrives quicker than anticipated. We’re able to receive packages at our new home much to our delight.

Mother and kid.

In the past, I’ve started sorting and packing at about this point. But, I’ve changed my mind, preferring to continue to enjoy our time here, to begin the process a few days prior to the trip to the post office. 

This is one more example in my own mind of “letting go,” of always working hard to be done with tasks way before it is necessary. Chill. The new me. It’s this same “freedom” mentality that allows us to not necessarily have everything booked more than a year in advance.

Many laughed at our pre-planning two-plus years in advance, imagining we were limiting ourselves by committing out that far. But, leaving our home, our family, our friends, and everything we knew and loved behind was a monumental undertaking. 

After days of rain, the flowers are blooming.

Many embarking on years of world travel have a storage facility or condo somewhere for peace of mind. Not us. 

Planning the first few years gave us a sense of comfort and peace of mind. Now, with a number of holes in our itinerary over the next 18 months (as far out as we’re booked so far) we no longer need the reassurance that we have a “home” in place for every single day of our travels. 

At this point, our motivation to book travel arrangements well in advance is predicated by how fast properties, flights, and cruises are booking up. At that point, we don’t hesitate in locking in locations and times.

Beyond, May 2015 when we leave Kauai, Hawaii, after having spent time visiting many of the Hawaiian Islands with hopefully lots of whale watching, our upcoming time is free. 

We’re considering many options that appeal to us in order to take us on our chosen path for our love of nature and wildlife. With continued good health, we have no desire or plans to stop. After all, we have only just begun. 

Today is the one year anniversary of leaving our old lives behind, to begin anew traveling the world…How are we getting along in this 24/7 lifestyle a year later? …

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Only a mother could love this face!

In many ways, the first year of our lives traveling the world went by quickly. When we review what we’ve experienced in this first year, it’s hard for us to imagine that we managed to see so much. In essence, it’s comparable to being on vacation for 52 weeks, a lifetime of one-week vacations for many.

Any regrets? Overpacking. But, we understand and accept that we had no concept of how hard it would be to travel with so many bags and, how much we’d actually need to have with us. Many warned us. 

This affectionate camel leaned on his owner’s shoulder when I approached.

We had to learn on our own, as with many life lessons, donating and dumping along the way with only one large suitcase, one carry on and one laptop bag remaining for each of us. And yet, it’s still too much with 30 additional pounds to unload before we leave Kenya in a month. We’ll figure it out.

Any other regrets? None. We both know for sure that we picked the right person to travel with! We get along so well; making decisions together, laughing as much as possible, still enjoying romantic evenings and magic moments together, more often than one might imagine. 

I have always wanted to ride a camel but the bad shoulder would leave me holding on one-handed, too risky up that high for an old-timer like me.

Only in a rare instance does Tom get grumpy. I ignore him and his occasional grumpiness goes away in minutes. He says I don’t get grumpy. But, now and then I may “think grumpy,” usually keeping my mouth shut and, it goes away. I suppose grumpiness boils down to this…keep it to yourself and it goes away.

For us, other aspects of getting along are; the willingness to admit to being wrong; apologizing when necessary; complimenting and appreciating each other, and sharing equally in tasks and responsibilities. And, we’ve found that if we don’t like elements of our surroundings, say it once, either fix it or if it can’t be remedied, “shut up.”  Complaining provides no benefit to our lives.

Tom spotted them coming and alerted me to grab the camera.  I ran like crazy to catch up with them to take these photos. The cost for a ride, up for negotiation, was Kenya Shillings $2000 each, US $23.56 for two. Darn, I would have negotiated it down by half.

Most of my whining can be accomplished right here!  I don’t need to get Tom wrapped up in it!  Besides, he reads the posts every day so there’s never a doubt about what’s annoying me, which in most cases, is about biting or poisonous creatures.

So, Happy Halloween to those who engage in Halloween activities!

Little did we know that our relaxing mini-vacation would behold such wonders for us. Little did we know that our three-day stay at a the beachside resort of The Sands at Nomad would catapult us back into “safari mode,” constantly on and the search for yet another treasure, giggling with delight over every find.

We’d imagined considerable time reading, lying by the pool, dining, walking the beach, and lounging in air-conditioned comfort at will. We’ve done little of any one of these. 

Instead, we’ve been on “the hunt” for the next sighting of wildlife with the same enthusiasm and passion we shared while on safari, only weeks ago. Our eyes continually scanning the sea for a glimpse of perhaps a dolphin, a jumping fish,  or a huge fisherman’s catch.

Walking on the beach yesterday afternoon, Tom shot this appearing footless photo of me. Actually, I was wearing those ugly water shoes, grateful they were hidden in the surf.

Responding to every sound we hear, we quietly slither into action seeking its source in the hope of being lucky one more time in order to witness another of Mother Nature’s magnificence. But at this point, halfway through our time, if we don’t have one more opportunity to spot a creature, we’d feel fortunate for our sightings thus far, more than we’d ever imagined for three-days at a resort.

I suppose I should have zoomed in as he did when taking mine. Look! You can seemy shadow as I’m taking the photo. Too busy to edit photos right now!
The pristine beach, the fine clean sand of the Indian Ocean made for a pleasant walk on the beach after 4:00 pm yesterday, as the day cooled.

Yes, we were this same way in our old lives, running wildly to see a moose swim across the lake, a coyote standing in the yard, the baby wood ducks being thrown by the parents from the wood duck house to the ground, or a blue heron struggling to swallow an over-sized fish. We loved it then. We love it now.

Living in a third world country has its hardships. However, the vast majority of its land and resources are untouched with wildlife living free in a natural habitat, not at the hand of man. In Kenya, it’s the local people who continue to work hard to keep their wildlife free and we, as visitors, have been blessed with the opportunity to relish in all that they’ve worked so hard to achieve. Thank you, Kenya!

And, thank you, The Sands at Nomad Resort for honoring the integrity of the land, it’s creatures, it’s people, and the preservation of its resources in the manner in which this exquisite property is maintained.

Finally!…Our own photos of the Colobus Monkey…Taken poolside…And, more photos…

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Finding the Colobus Monkeys beside us at the pool put me on a photo-taking frenzy. No more “borrowed” Colobus Monkey photos for us!  Could this guy have given a more appealing pose?
Note this Colobus’ long white sideburns. 
I felt like a kid in a candy store while taking these Colobus Monkey photos.
Another Colobus with the long swatches of hair.  Not all of them had this particular marking.

When we first arrived at Diani Beach, Kenya on September 3, 2013, within our first several days we’d posted several baboon photos. There were monkeys in the yard, along the highway, and swinging from trees.

After returning from the pool where the umbrellas provided too much shade, Tom did a quick 20 minutes on one of the chaise lounges in our front yard.

On September 8th, a monkey ran through our yard that, most certainly, was a different breed than a baboon, with its distinct black and white hair. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the camera handy to capture this fast-moving monkey. Researching online, we found that most likely, it was a less common Colobus Monkey.

The chaise lounges at our ocean cottage where fresh towels are delivered each day.

With no photo when we posted on September 9, 2013, as you’ll see clicking on this link, I copied a few photos to post, noting in the caption that these were “borrowed” photos and not our own. 

Grass in Kenya is an odd variety of grass, tough underfoot, appearing as crabgrass. With most of the soil imbedded with coral with only a shallow layer of dirt, allowing only this type of grass to grow.

Since our original sighting, we hadn’t seen another Colobus. Nor had we seen any while on safari in the Masai Mara where we saw a few baboons with babies but no other breeds. 

In the late afternoon, while on the veranda this Sykes Monkey came to call.

Having seen and photographed so many baboons since arriving in Kenya, we’ve become used to seeing them, as have the locals, hardly giving them any attention. I suppose it’s comparable to of us in other countries paying little mind to dogs unless, of course, they’re dog lovers.

Stopping for a nibble before getting too close to us.

Shortly after checking in at The Sands at Nomad Resort yesterday morning on a three-day anniversary celebration of our traveling for one year, we knew we were in for a treat when not only Sykes monkeys frequently appeared on our veranda, but we ran into several families of Colobus Monkeys while we lounged by the pool in the afternoon.

Outside the cottages, these troughs are kept filled freshwater and flowers, enabling the guests to rinse their feet when coming in from the beach. This trough also provides fresh drinking water for wildlife. This visiting monkey took a hearty drink before making the official appearance.

Apparently, the proximity of many dense trees surrounding the pool provides a natural habitat for the Colobus.  No more than 5 minutes after we were situated in the padded shaded lounge chairs, Tom said his usual, “You better get the camera ready!” as he pointed in the direction of multiple Colobus Monkeys playfully swinging in the trees. I squealed with delight, putting my hand over my mouth to avoid disturbing them.

Finally, she was ready for a photo, not hesitating to make eye contact.

Although used to seeing humans in this busy resort, they are not willing to allow anyone to get too close including familiar staff members. With strict rules to avoid feeding them due to biting risks and to maintain their natural foraging instincts, they remain wild animals, not domesticated playthings intended to entertain tourists.

Early this morning as we left our cottage for breakfast in the main restaurant.

Keeping this in mind as we’ve learned, I kept my distance, gingerly stealing close enough to take these shots.  They didn’t seem to mind at all but refused to be complacent by giving me more than I deserved of their time. 

Our time here at The Sands at Nomad Resort is heavenly; the service, impeccable; the food, divine; the scenery, breathtaking; and the ocean, constantly changing colors, tides, waves, and winds, our eyes affixed to its mysterious wonder.

A sunny view from our veranda to the sea.

Three days will go quickly, but leaving here will not be filled with “end of vacation dread.” Our mail is handled, our bills are paid, our house is clean. After a 10 minute trip to the produce stand, we’ll be stocked with food for another week, having planned well in advance. 

A morning view of our tucked away ocean cottage.

Our two little temporary dogs, Jessie and Gucci, will be waiting for us and once again in no time, we’ll be settled in,  finding contentment wherever we may be for our last month in Kenya.

Thank you, Colobus Monkey! Now I can go back to my search for the Dung Beetle!

This cat came to visit today as we sat on the veranda of our beach cottage.

We’re on vacation!…Come see…More wildlife photos tomorrow…Lucky on our first day on “vacation” for excellent close ups…

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Within the first half-hour in our cottage, unpacked, dressed in our swimsuits, this guy stopped by for a visit outside the window of our indoor living room.
Most likely she/he, a possible Sykes Monkey knows there is a welcome fruit plate given to new guests.  Giving food to the monkeys is a bad idea, reducing their interest in foraging for their own food, which is plentiful here. We had no trouble resisting the temptation.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve visited many of the resorts in Diani Beach hoping to find the perfect spot for our three-day one year anniversary of leaving our old life behind to embark on a new life traveling the world. 

Tom spotted this monkey outside the window.  I couldn’t grab the camera fast enough. Surprisingly, he didn’t move when he saw me.  Apparently, they have become used to humans at the resorts.
Look at her/him looking for our fruit plate!

Carrying the love and support of those we left behind with us, we’ve found this experience to be a bounty of learning experiences, life-changing lessons, all enriched with endless surprises.

When we arrived at The Sands at Nomad Resort, we were welcomed with flower leis and orange mango juice. (I politely declined, but Tom enjoyed his).

This morning, after moving into a private beach cottage on the beach of the Indian Ocean at The Sands at Nomad, we knew we’d selected the resort that most fulfills our desires for this special celebration.

This pool bar is open 24-hours a day for the middle of the night drinkers.
The sun so close to the equator is scorching. We spent 2 hours by the pool with only 20 minutes in the sun. The remainder of the time it was comfortable in the padded lounge chairs under the shade of a giant umbrella.

We were heartily welcomed to out beach hut.
The window to our view of the ocean.  We’ll take a better shot soon with less of a glare.
The bathroom is well-equipped with plenty of towels, toiletries, robes, and a bidet, of course.
Our new living area with comfortable furniture and a TV!
Side view window of the living area.

Our plans for our three-night stay is simple; relax, walk the beach, lounge at the pool where there are many shaded areas, take scenery, food, and wildlife photos, stay cool in AC from time to time, dine in the fabulous outdoor restaurants, meet new people, and celebrate the first year of our “stepping outside the box” to explore countries we’d never dreamed possible.

This is the beach in front of our cottage.
The varying shades of blue of the ocean and the sky make a colorful contrast. This photo was taken as the tide was going out.
Tom, catching a few rays in the scorching sun. Not too much though. We’ve seldom lounged in the sun these past 5 months for our former “usual one hour” since arriving in Italy on June 16th due to the bees and flies. In Kenya, the only sunny areas are directly on the grass where the likelihood of a bee sting is greater. (Both of us are seriously allergic to hornets, certain bees and, wasps. A bite can be life-threatening which surely attributes to my skittishness of being around biting insects. More than once I’ve been rushed to an emergency room as a result of a sting. Tom’s only been stung once, but also had to go to a hospital for treatment. Thus, our excessive caution).
Every so often, we look at one another and say, “Can you believe we are in Kenya?’ We shake our heads and smile, never taking our current location for granted.
Lounge, with WiFi and a reading area. The WiFi is actually high-speed at no charge which we found to be the best connection we’ve had in Kenya thus far. Thank you, The Sands at Nomad.

First time posted safari photos… Dinner on the town…Plus we’re going on “vacation” in three days… Details coming…

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This mom had a baby on her opposite side.  We waited, hoping the baby would appear. The mom, seemed aware of us, never allowed the baby to make an appearance.
Although this croc looks small in this photo, Anderson our guide, speculated he was no less than 15 feet long. Although less than 20 feet from us, we cautiously stood on a steep embankment, impossible for him to climb with his size and girth.
Another hippo is swimming in the river while this one was sniffing for breakfast.
Anderson chuckled when we zoomed in to get this shot of an impala during our first few minutes in the Land Cruiser after he’d picked us up at the airport.  He said we’d see so many of these and other animals in the antelope family, we’d soon lose interest in taking their photos.  How right he was, although these graceful animals are enchanting to watch.
Young lions lounging under a tree on a beautiful morning.


Mom keeping out a watchful eye while her brood lounges. From time to time, she nodded off, quickly startling herself awake.
Grunt.  Life is hard for a “Retired General.” This one may have been newly banished as he’d yet to meet up with other such males. He looked forlorn and miserable. 
We took at least 10 shots of this exquisite male lion looking satisfied and sleepy with the remains of his zebra meal behind him. Anderson said that most likely a female killed it and he took it from her. The male’s MO is to watch females hunt in order to steal their catch, although when desperate, they’ll hunt for their own meals.

When shooting multiple shots of one scene, many shots may look similar or at times almost identical. Luckily, I have access to a link where I can review all of the photos I’ve already posted to ensure I don’t post lots of duplicates since each photo has its own unique number. Although on occasion, as mentioned in the past, I may make an error or simply want to repost a shot.

While on safari, we kept took over 600 photos, keeping approximately 500. We posted many of those 500 over a 13 day period at about 20 per day, leaving us almost half of them that our reader hasn’t seen, mainly due to the appearance of many being duplicates. From time to time, we’ll post a few of these as we’ve done today.
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Dinner on the town…

The elegant lobby at the Diani Reef Resort and Spa.
The elegant offerings at Diani Reef Resort and Spa were breathtaking.
A coy pond and glass floor in the reception area were only a few of the highlights at the
Diani Reef Resort and Spa.
Our intent had been to arrive in daylight for the benefit of better photos.  Perhaps, we’ll return during the day to partake in the several additional restaurants, the offered pool lounging, and the free WiFi.
Dining out three times a week has made a world of difference to us. Yes, it’s a pain to getting ready to go out each time;  the heat, the repellent, plus trying to figure out what to wear. But, we’ve found that once we’re on our way in the taxi, we’re always happy to be on our way. 
Tom standing in front of the popular local Baobab trees located in the lobby area of the resort. That’s my purse, not his, although on occasion he does carry it for me.

In our old lives, we seldom dined out. Many of our friends lived in our neighborhood making staying in dining with them easy and fulfilling. Plus, we’d had our fill of nearby restaurants, preferring to dine at home.

Although this appears to be an exterior photo, it was actually taken from inside the massive courtyard in the lobby area.

Now, with a multitude of amazing resorts with phenomenal restaurants within a 20 minutes drive costing no more than KES $1500, US $17.69 for the round trip drive including tips, dining out certainly has its appeal.

As we approached the bar area where we had drinks and excellent service. 

With many highly rated standalone restaurants nearby, we’ve been tempted to try them. The problem has been my restrictive diet. The standalone restaurants mainly have “cooks” managing the preparation of the meals. But the fancier resorts have trained “chefs” who totally “get it” when I say: no starch, no gluten, no grain, no sugar. 

A view down the hall as we sat on the bar stools. There is one fabulous seating area after another offering privacy or socialization with easy access to MiFi.  Although appearing empty,  the huge property had many guests enjoying the facility’s wide array of areas.

Still, with most of the professional “chefs,” I must explain the fact of “no rice, no corn, no corn thickeners, no potatoes, no potato thickeners” which is often difficult for them to understand when most gluten-free diets do include corn, potatoes, beans, rice, and gluten-free grains, none of which I am able to consume due to the high carb content.

At 7:30, the hostess arrived at the bar to alert us that our dinner reservation was ready, carrying our drinks on a tray as she escorted to Sake, the Japanese restaurant

Some may say, “Gee, take a break. Enjoy a few bites here and there.” I appreciate this mentality. But, 26 months ago, I was a near invalid in constant debilitating pain. At that time, I would never have considered traveling the world, let alone going on a day’s outing.

This was Tom’s dinner, tempura pork loin with a Japanese seasoned side salad.

Now pain-free after over two years of eating this way, I can sit in a bumpy safari vehicle for eight hours a day with nary a moment’s thought of pain, or walk many miles for hours on the uneven pavement to see Petra in Jordan, walking up and down steep cobblestone walkways in Mikonos, Greece and on and on. 

The rice, miso soup, and sauce was included in Tom’s meal. We shared a delicious appetizer before dinner but were so hungry we forgot to take a photo before devouring it!

Need I say more?  No type of food is worth the pain returning and never will be. Thus, the fancier restaurants, although more costly, are worth it to us. 

Most likely, the restaurant/resort we visited on Thursday night was the most expensive thus far. The total for dinner, drinks, and tips at Diani Reef Resort and Spa at Sake Restaurant, was KES $7566.70, US $89.23 which included some cocktails for Tom at KES $763.20, US $9.00 each. As is the case in most of the resorts, the cost of cocktails is high with soda and beer less so. 

My dinner.  Yea, I know that my ongoing calamari meals look repetitious but there’s nowhere in the world we’ve visited thus far that offer this un-battered tender calamari.  I can’t seem to get enough!  It’s caught locally served fresh the same day.  How can I resist?  I’d rather have it than lobster although, the fresh locally caught lobster is firm and flavorful from the Indian Ocean.

Tom worked for 42 years to earn this retirement. He can have all the cocktails he wants, although overall, he’s a lightweight drinker. I don’t drink any alcohol. Instead, I order bubbly water with lemon or lime.

The moment we entered the gorgeous resort, we anticipated an enjoyable evening and we were never disappointed for a moment. From the welcome reception we received upon entering, to being greeted and chatting with Susan, the assistant GM, and Mohammad, the GM when departing, we were enthralled with the quality of service.
 Our table after our entrees were served created an eye-catching presentation. I requested a sauce made without gluten or sugar and this sugary sauce was removed.

The ambiance was over the top, one of the most beautiful resorts we’ve yet to see.  The design and the décor were developed and embellished to the utmost of creativity, with a theme of a warm elegance unsurpassed in the resort industry. 

After an exquisite dinner in the Japanese restaurant Sake, Susan and Mohammad invited us to return for a full day’s enjoyment at their pool where they’ll reserve a padded lounge chair for us. We’ll be able to use their free WiFi and dine in another of their several restaurants at our leisure. We look forward to taking them up on their offer soon. 

Yes, folks, we’re going on another three-night “vacation” starting on Tuesday, October 29th, returning on Friday, November 1st. Some might call it a “vacation within a vacation” but for us, it is the perfect way to celebrate on October 31st, the anniversary of our first full year of travel after leaving Minnesota on Halloween, October 31, 2012.

Tomorrow, we’ll share our plans and of course, next week amid our “vacation” we’ll we writing and posting stories as they occur.