Here we go again!…Booking and planning for the future…

Image result for azamara journey photo
Most of the cruise ships we’ve sailed in the past have a capacity from 264 to 4100, although some ships are larger and continue to be built for more and more capacity. The Azamara Journey, smaller than most cruise ships, has a maximum passenger capacity of 690.  Our recent Antarctica cruise on Ponant’s Soleal has a passenger capacity of 264 (only 200 or less allowed to sail in the Antarctic). We prefer smaller ships such as this.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Frank, our resident Francolin, who’s decided to make our yard his permanent residence. Francolins are highly territorial and extremely noisy when other francolins invade his space, except, of course, for Mrs. Frank. They’ve been building a nest. Francolins are monogamous and mate for life. They nest in grass-lined low-lying shallows.  The incubation period is from 18 to 21 days carried out by the female. Once the eggs hatch, both parents tend to the chicks until their first winter.  We’re looking forward to Frank’s and the Mrs.’ chicks.

Last night, after dinner, while sitting at the big table on the veranda, we called Vacations to Go on Skype and booked the furthest-out cruise we’ve booked to date. With reasonable new-listing pricing only available until June 3rd at midnight in the US, we knew if we wanted to sail on this particular cruise, we’d like the best book in now to ensure we could choose a good cabin.

The cruise embarks on November 10, 2020, almost 2½  years from now, a very long time away. But, in this life of world travel, with our desires for specific itineraries, on occasion, it makes sense to book a cruise, holiday home, or a tour well in advance to ensure a good spot and pricing.

This is the furthest out we’ve booked a cruise since we began booking cruises in early 2012, shortly after we decided to travel the world. We weren’t thrilled about the ZAR 13,874 (US $1,100) deposit required so far in advance, but we had no options if we wanted to secure our preferred cabin. 

This cruise was almost sold out after only being posted online for the past week. It’s a good thing Tom stays on top of what’s transpiring in the cruise world on almost a daily basis. He’s the “cruise booking” enthusiast in this family. I’m too impatient to spend the time researching cruises as Tom does so regularly.

Why was this cruise so important to us? It brings us back to Africa, 22 months after we leave the continent this upcoming February 2019. We’ve finally come to the reality and acceptance of the fact that we can’t get this continent out of our hearts and minds to stay away too long.

The cruise embarks from Lisbon and ends 22 days later in Cape Town, South Africa. Finally, we’ll see Cape Town after Louise and Danie have enthusiastically encouraged us that we “must” see the stunning city and surrounding areas. 

Finally, when the cruise ends, we’ll be able to spend a few days in the sprawling tourist-popular city. We’re planning to meet up with Louise’s parents, Estelle and Jonas, who live in a nearby suburb. We enjoyed meeting them here in Marloth Park during their recent visit and would love to see them again.

After a few days in Cape Town, we’ll fly to Nelspruit, rent a car and once again make our way to Marloth Park, but this time for only a 90-day visit. The visa requirement of leaving South Africa to a non-bordering country can get expensive, and again, we’ll have to consider our budget.

We selected this cruise to return to South Africa and allow us to visit many other countries on the west coast of Africa where fewer tourists are inclined to visit. We’ve never sailed on Azamara in the past.  Owned by the same corporation that owns Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, our loyalty program will carry over to this cruise, enabling us to partake of several perks we’ve enjoyed on past cruises.

As always, we booked a balcony cabin with cabins above and below us to avoid noise from various venues on the ship.  Here are some details about the ship:

Azamara Journey

Ship Rating: 5
The Azamara Journey has all the modern conveniences that the discerning traveler demands. The Journey has an intimate atmosphere with only 690 passengers. With nearly 400 crew members, the staff is always there to offer a drink or a fresh towel. Azamara’s concept of Destination Immersion means that you’ll spend more time in ports, and when you’re on board, you’ll be able to sample the culinary classics of the ports you’re visiting. There’s plenty to do when you’re still on the ship as well, like gambling at the casino, enjoying live entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge, getting a work-out in at the fitness center, or kicking back in any of the ship’s many bars. When you’re ready for some well-deserved pampering, the spa is waiting with several signature treatments. You can visit your own private spa deck, indulge in Facial Glow services, get a massage or even relax in an all-day spa ritual. The cruise may not last forever, but the memories will last a lifetime. Azamara Journey
 Ship Statistics 
Year Built 2000
Refurbished 2016
Tonnage 30,277 tons
Registry Malta
Length 593 feet
Beam 84 feet
Passenger Capacity 690
Crew Size 408
Total Inside Cabins 26
Total Outside Cabins 320
Cabins & Suites w/ verandas 247
Suites 42
Maximum Occupancy per room 4
Age Restrictions One person must be 21 or older
Dinner Seatings 2
Seating Assignments
in Main Dining Room
Open
Dining Hours Dining
Dining Room Dress Code Dining
Tipping Expected? No
Tipping Guidelines Azamara includes the gratuities in your cruise fare.
Onboard Currency US Dollar
Services & Amenities
Spa Yes
Video Arcade No
Bars/Lounges Yes
Casino Yes
Elevators Yes
Cell Phone Service Yes
Laundromats (self-service) Yes
Movie Theatre No
Outdoor Movie Screen No
Onboard Weddings No
Shops Yes
Showroom Yes
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop Yes
Chapel No
Disco/Dancing No
Hot Tub Yes
Internet Center Yes
Wireless Internet Access Yes
Note: Available throughout the ship
Laundry/Dry Cleaning Yes
Library Yes
Fitness & Sports Facilities
Basketball Court No
Fitness Center Yes
Golf Driving Net No
Golf Simulator No
Ice Skating Rink No
Jogging Track Yes
Mini-Golf Course No
Rock Climbing Wall No
Swimming Pool Yes
Tennis Court No
Water Slide No
Water Sports Platform No
Cabin Features & Amenities
24-Hour Room Service Yes
Hair Dryer Yes
Safe Yes
Telephone Yes
Television Yes
Kids Facilities
Babysitting No
Children’s Playroom No
Kiddie Pool No
Supervised Youth Program No
Teen Center No
Water Playground/Splash Park No
Special Needs & Requests
Adjoining Cabins
(private connecting doors)
Yes
Kosher Meals Yes
Single Occupancy Cabins No
Single Share Program No
Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins 6

For details on pricing for this 22-night cruise, please click here. Cruises around the African continent are always pricey.  With this much advance notice, we’ll have plenty of time to budget for this higher-priced cruise.

It’s a long way off, but we’re still excited knowing this cruise is on the horizon, along with all of the other plans we have for the future.  We haven’t posted a new itinerary since we were in Buenos Aires, which may be found here.  Please scroll to the bottom of this post to see the itinerary.

We still have many gaps in our schedule to fill in, and we may be changing some other cruises we have booked into the future. But this cruise we booked last night, bringing us back to Africa, will definitely stand in place.

Today, we’re updating our spreadsheets with this new booking, and tonight we’re heading out to dinner with friends Linda and Ken, who returned yesterday to Marloth Park. We’re making “pizza night” for Kathy, Don, Linda, and Ken for another great evening with friends tomorrow evening.

Have a great weekend! 

Photo from one year ago today, June 1, 2017:

Last year at this time, we were in Minnesota for six weeks visiting family. At this point, we continued to share more photos from Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, our last stop before departing Canada for the US. For more photos, please click here.

Kruger National Park posted our video on their YouTube!!!…The reality of “haters” in social media…

Male kudu attempting to reach the seeds in the bird feeder.  He wasn’t successful.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Greater Blue-eared Starling.

Last week, after returning from Kruger, we posted the following video from our YouTube site of two cape buffalos whose horns became entangled during an altercation which may be found at this link. Fine and good. 

We didn’t think much more about it until after we’d searched YouTube and hadn’t found much in the way of a similar situation. We giggled at the prospect of getting lots of hits on the video and how fun it would be to track.

As mentioned in an earlier post, we don’t make any money on the video since we hadn’t “monetized it.” As we’ve often said, we share what we find worldwide with whoever would like to see or read it. That way, we prevent feeling like doing “this” is a job that would create stress and a sense of urgency we’d prefer to avoid in this amazing life we lead.

There are two hornbills in this photo.  The one was waiting her turn while the other was busy eating the seeds in the feeder. They may have been a mating pair but refused to share.

When Kruger National Park, SANParks (South Africa National Parks), contacted us asking if we’d allow them to post the unique video on their website, we agreed. We hoped we’d acquire more readers with whom we were going can share our world travels. However, we didn’t have a lot of expectations as to any particular outcome.

Before we continue, I must add that we’ve been blessed over the past six years since we began posting (start date, March 14, 2012) with very few negative comments or “haters,” those who look for opportunities to criticize anything they see online. 

Why don’t we get haters for our site? The only reason we can imagine is that we “tell it as we see it,” and we’re vulnerable, revealing our flaws and foibles. It’s hard to critique someone who’s critiquing themselves.  Avoiding haters was never intended to be “open,” but somehow, we believe this may have been instrumental.

Female kudus waste no time in letting us know what they want.

In our early days, a hateful commenter wrote, “How dare you spend OUR money traveling the world.” Duh, YOUR money? It was Tom’s 42.5 years of working on the railroad making contributions, along with the company, for his years of dedicated hard work. It was never “taken” from anyone else. 

After that isolated hater, we haven’t felt any comments or questions posed our way have been from “haters.”  We’ve loved and continue to love the interaction with our worldwide readers, which we receive every day. 

Once we agreed with Kruger National Park to post the video on their YouTube site (click here to see), we never gave it much more of a thought. Yesterday, we received an email that the video had been posted and is ready for viewing.

Last night, as darkness fell, these three zebras stopped by for carrots, apples, and pellets. Of course, there was a warthog in the background waiting for the leftovers.

We always reply to comments within 24 hours, except on travel days which may delay a response by a day or two. Thank you to all of you out there who write to us and also to those of you who lurk at their leisure without comments.

This morning we decided to check and see how many hits the video had. Less than 24 hours after posting it, it’s received over 2000 hits. It’s not millions and most likely won’t be, but it’s been fun for us.

Yep, the haters have arrived. A select few are knocking our video, and for the first time in over six years (except for the above-isolated case), we’re feeling the brunt of how impactful negative online comments can be. 

Kudus seem to be intimated by zebras due to their powerful kicks and, thus, won’t join in on the snacks.

Generally, we have thick skins. We have to live this unusual life on the move, especially after so much time has passed. But, like so many others who are subject to haters on various social media platforms, it stings a bit to read negative comments and see “thumbs down” on something we’ve done without an ulterior motive and for the love and passion for wildlife.

Of course, we won’t let this impact the joy in our lives, nor will it stop us from taking videos of situations we find exciting and unique. If you’ve never seen our YouTube page, please click here

We have dozens of fun, funny and unique videos with almost no negative comments or reactions. I can’t tell you how often people write to us when they see a video they find interesting, and always, we’re pleased and flattered by the positive response.

The zebras are aggressive with one another while snacking, often kicking and head-butting one another.

This is not unlike all the negative press worldwide about South Africa. Haters are impacting tourism in this beautiful country. Sure, there is a lot of crime in some big cities, but there was a horrific crime only 30 minutes from where we lived in Minnesota, which continues today. 

In evaluating crime in big cities throughout the world, one can evaluate the crime rates in big cities in their own country.  As Tom always says, “Where there are tall buildings and lots of people, there is criminal activity.” This is so true.

South Africa has so much to offer, and the negative comments one can read at many news outlets if often an exaggeration of a few unique situations. Let’s face it; we can’t believe the news anymore when the newsmonger’s goals are centered on sensationalism to make more and more money.

Little Wart Face was exhausted after chasing a female around the yard for about an hour, unfortunately for him, without any luck.

Well, anyway, I always promise not to get involved here in controversial topics, and today, as usual, I’ll back off on this topic. South Africa is a great country to visit, with most areas safe for tourists, especially if they stay away from the more crime-ridden areas. But this is true in London, Paris, Auckland, Lisbon, and New York. The list could go on and on. 

We all must do our research to discover what is best for our safety as we travel. Some of the best resources are other travelers who’ve visited these countries and have enjoyed exciting and worthwhile visits to lands they never imagined they’d get to see.

If you go to Kruger’s link to our site here, you may or may not agree with the negative comments about our video.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But behind every wildlife video is a human being who chose to share something they found worthy of sharing in one way or another, whether motivated by money, notoriety, or for the pure joy of it (as in our case).

We’ve loved to hear your comments on this topic. You may choose to post a comment at the end of today’s post or any post or write to us via email. We appreciate every one of YOU! Thank you for “stopping by” and sharing yet another little piece of our lives.

Photo from one year ago today, May 31, 2017:

This was my favorite photo from Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. For more photos, please click here.

Late posting today…Busy time in Komatipoort and Lombobo…

“Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, if you like than you should have put a ring on it!”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Mongoose are very clever little animals.  They stare at us to bring out some eggs which we often do.

OMG!  In a “notification” post I accidentally hit “Last posting today” when I meant to write “Late posting today!”  Good grief, that must have made those of you who read the short notification post wonder, ‘What the heck is going on?!!!”

No, this is not the last posting.  It’s a late posting.  It’s simply one more step the continuing documentation of our daily lives of world travel; some fascinating; some mundane; some educational; some adventurous and exciting and some, let’s face it, at times, totally uneventful.

We never tire of visits from Big Daddy kudus.

Today, was definitely not uneventful for us.  We’re back at the house at almost 2:00 pm and here I am just getting starting on today’s post.  Of course, I’m concerned about all of our readers throughout the world clicking on our link to still find yesterday’s post. 

Sorry for the inconvenience.  I’m typing as fast as my relatively uncoordinated fingers can fly across the keyboard in an attempt to explain why we’re changing the content of today’s story from that which we’d entered earlier today, discussing the issue of Bovine Tuberculosis in Marloth Park.

They are majestic animals, gentle and yet well aware of how powerful their big rack can be.

I must add that after this morning’s interactions with several wonderful people we received valuable information that changes our plan to post the Bovine TB story until we conduct further research which will be accomplished over the next week at the latest. 

This is a topic near and dear to our hearts based on our love and appreciation for the health and well-being of the wildlife in Marloth Park.  We’ll keep you updated on the progress of this upcoming story.

This male has been chasing after this female for weeks.

So here’s how the morning rolled out:  Tom’s laptop has been having monitor issues over the past few weeks after we’d returned from Zambia on the 18th.  Every so often, for no apparent reason at all, his monitor turns into a rainbow of colors and he’s unable to bring up his home screen.

Me, as somewhat of a geek, got to work trying to figure out a solution by utilizing online information some of which indicated it could be a loose ribbon cable.  Tom unscrewed all 18 tiny screws after we’d tried a number of suggestions, including a Windows 10 “system restore,” all to no avail.

These two young ladies stop by making intense eye contact, surely looking for pellets.

Opening the back of the laptop seemed a logical next step to see if we could tighten the loose cable.  No luck.  A total waste of time.  After several hours, we resigned ourselves to the fact that we needed to head to a tech store for help.  Ugh!  Usually, we’re able to resolve our own technological issues.  Not this time.

With Tom’s dentist appointment scheduled at 11:00 am with Dr. Luzaan Du Preez, one of the best dentists in the land, located in the little strip mall near Wimpy’s in the Spar Centre, we needed to stay mindful of the time. 

He needed two fillings replaced.  We’d decided to leave early to go to the market in Lebombo (10 minutes from Komatipoort) to purchase carrots and apples for the wildlife.  Before we walked out the door, we had an unexpected visitor, Kerstin, a new friend I’d spent a few hours with yesterday here in Marloth Park at her bush home.  

A banana farm the road on the way back from Komatipoort.

Kerstin had contacted me to get together to discuss our mutual world travel experiences when she’d seen a post on Facebook on the Marloth Park Honorary Rangers’ page a week ago when we’d done the story on alien invasive plants. (See this link for details). 

This morning Kristin delighted us with an unexpected visit but unfortunately, we were heading out the door when she arrived.  Surely, we’ll get together another time soon to continue our intriguing conversation.  She has quite an illustrious story of world travel.

In no time at all, we were on our way, first to the computer store, then to Lebombo, then to the dentist, then to the supermarket, then to the meat market and then, returning to Marloth Park, most likely a two-hour turnaround at most.

It’s always a pleasure to see one of our striped friends on the road.

At the computer shop, we were warmly greeted by staff member Samantha who immediately introduced us to Nico who looked at Tom’s laptop to inform us it wasn’t sensible to fix or replace the monitor.  Instead, he showed us yet another workaround which so far, since we returned to the house, seems to be working.  Tom merely has to press the screen with his fingers in a specific location and the screen returns in full.   


Nice people, thoughtful people, honest people.  What more could we ask for?  Where does one find service such as this?  If you need a computer repair anywhere near Marloth Park, Komatipoort and a number of surrounding towns, this is the place to go:

the TechSHOP
Office: 013 013 0310 / Fax: 0866 529 491
Shop 19, Komati Spar Centre
Rissik Street, Komatipoort
http://www.techshops.co.za


Arno Joubert

0722614324




Nico Joubert

0815782334

Yet, our visit to the Tech Shop wasn’t over.  As we packed up the laptop to head out the door, Arno stopped us saying he remembered us from “movie night” in the bush some months ago. A conversation ensued and somehow got around to the topic of Bovine Tuberculosis on which we’re hell-bent on getting our information “right” before we post the story.  He directed to Deidre who is the director of “Wild and Free” rescue, rehabilitate and rescue centre. 

Impalas are very shy around humans seldom visiting us in the yard.

He explained she’s currently involved with considerable research and study on Bovine TB and this was who we should see.  Once this post is uploaded, we’ll call Deidre and set up a time to meet with her at her facility and learn more about this important topic.

Once we were out the door of the Tech Shop, we were reeling from the kindness and consideration of people we’ve met along the way.  Off we went to Lebombo market where we purchased eggs for the mongoose, free-range eggs for us and carrots and apples, all at excellent prices.  Time was running short.  We headed to the dentist’s office.

Tom was taken in promptly for his appointment.  I joined him for a few minutes and then took off to grocery shop.  We’d parked the car close to the supermarket so once done shopping, I could put everything in the car and then walk the short distance to the dentist’s office which is coincidentally located next door to the Tech Shop.

Two males checking available treats.

While I’m grocery shopping, our dear friend Don (of Kathy and Don) approached me with a hearty hug and welcoming kiss.  They’d just returned a few days earlier from Pretoria and were excited to accept our invitation for homemade pizza at our house this upcoming Saturday night. 

Joining us will be Linda and Ken, our mutual dear friends from the UK who are returning to Marloth Park in the next few days.  I was thrilled to hear they all could make it but I was especially thrilled to discover this while at the supermarket in order to buy the items I’d need for the dinner party for six.

Well, wouldn’t you figure, Kathy had a dentist appointment, the same dentist, right after Tom’s appointment was completed at noon?  Another coincidence.  Moments later we spotted Kathy also shopping and the three of us engaged in delightful chatter.  When does one have such fun at the market.

Obviously, warthogs aren’t quite so shy near humans other than an occasional few.

By the time I’d gathered all the items to round out the upcoming meal, I loaded the groceries onto the check out counter, paid for the groceries and began walking toward to car to find Tom entering the market, done with his appointment and ready to load the car for me.  He was thrilled with the ease of his dentist appointment and was very relieved and cheerful.

After loading the car, Don found Tom in the parking lot and the two of them chatted enthusiastically.  Afterward, we drove the car across the lot to the meat market and made purchases to last for about 10 days.  After adding the bags of meats to the car, we ran into Kathy and Don again.  Her appointment was done and she too was thrilled with her first appointment with the good dentist.

They invited out for a drink at the bar at the golf course but with all the perishables in the car, we needed to be on our way.  We’re looking forward to seeing them all again on Saturday.

Male impala drinking from the cement pond in the yard.

Finally, we were on our way back to Marloth, anxious to put everything away while still reeling from the day’s interactions with the wonderful people we encountered along the way. 

Whether it was the sweet cashier at the market, the friendly meat market owner who helped with our order, the staff at the computer store or our friends adding a special touch to the day’s activities, it was a spectacular day. 

After years on the move often without nearby friends or at times, overly friendly shopkeepers, we appreciate every moment of kindness and generosity of spirit we stumble upon in our day-to-day lives.

Every evening the bushbabies entertain us.

No more than a minute after we returned, we had more visitors, this time of the wildlife kind.  We put down the grocery bags and immediately got pellets ready for our animal friends.

Tonight, we’ll cook a nice dinner and prepare the veranda for another blissful evening in the bush.  Is it any wonder we love it here in Marloth Park, here in South Africa…here on the African continent and here, on this planet?

May you love it wherever you may be!

__________________________________


Photo from one year ago today, May 30, 2017:

Our two new pieces of luggage in easy-to-spot colors.  Tom chose the purple while I chose this peachy color.  Each bag is expandable and lightweight with four double-wheel rollers. (As it turned out these bags are holding up well after one year’s use).  For more details, please click here.

Mating season in the bush…A memorable dinner party at the bush house…

Wait until you see how many animals came to call last night in this video, including Wart Face, who’s pictured here.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Tom set up our new bushbaby stand on a tree close to the veranda.  We purchased a Daisy’s Den for ZAR 100 (US $8). Now they’re sufficiently close for better photos. 

There’s never a day that passes without something magical occurring in our surroundings, whether it’s the appearance of a bird we’ve never seen before, a visit from our favorite wildlife friends, making new friends, or spending time with old friends. It all matters to us.

Yesterday and last night fit right into this premise when we had a mind-blowing day and early evening in the bush, later topped off by the warmth and love we felt at our hosted six-person dinner party.

Warthogs make a train-like noise when they approach a female during the mating season.

Meeting Louise‘s parents, Estelle and Johan, was as easy as it could have been. This kindly couple who live near Cape Town felt like old friends. Not only did they already have a nickname for us, even before they met us face-to-face of “Tom and Jerry,” they easily slipped into the comfort zone of playful banter and teasing.

As shown in today’s photo, Estelle had beautifully crocheted a sweater vest for me, having never met me, and it was perfect. Tom called it “sexy” when I tried it on, wearing it for the remainder of the evening. I sometimes forget how old I am, and being called “sexy” is all a girl can ask for from her beloved mate.

It’s evident when male warthogs are ready to mate.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget about how meaningful and precious a little love and attention from friends we make along the way can have such a profound of our psyche. 

It was quite a night. We all enjoyed the meal we prepared but more than anything, the easy laughter, the rich-flowing conversations, and the warmth toward one another set my heart spinning as it always does when we spend time with our friends here in Marloth Park and, in other parts of the world as we continue on our journey.

Yesterday morning, four “Big Daddy” kudus stopped with one female, all vying for her attention. They were more interested in her than pellets.

And then, them…the animals, they came in droves as if to say, “We’re here to dine but also to gaze into your eyes,” hoping to show whatever morsel of connection one can glean from a wild animal, maybe more than we can ever imagine.

When Tom’s “Little Girl” bushbuck shows up daily at the edge of the veranda, we both feel a special affinity with her, in the same way when “My Girl” kudu stops by several times each day. Sure, they’re motivated by food.  Aren’t we all?

Kudus sniff the female to ensure she’s ready to mate.

Isn’t that, in essence, why we plan a dinner party, an evening event centered around a good meal? But it doesn’t end there. It’s really just the beginning of the connection, and we don’t believe for a minute that it’s a whole lot different with the wildlife. 

They, too, share some magical connections with us, humans, not only revolving around the food. Sure, we respect they are wild animals and must be treated as such, but who’s to say we can’t embrace a special connection?

This male was the “kingpin” and kept the three other mature males away. Check out the size of his neck, which enlarges during mating season.

Dreamer, that I am some may say I’m a fool for nurturing such a belief. It takes living in an animal kingdom, such as this, grasping the full meaning while accepting such a premise. I’m not the only one around here.

This was particularly the case when last evening, shortly before our lovely dinner guests arrived, that we had 13 warthogs, 30 helmeted guinea fowl, a handful of mongoose, and a mating pair of francolins, whom we affectionately call “Frank and Mrs. Frank” all in the yard simultaneously.

Even Frank and Mrs. Frank have been working at building a nest in the bush in our yard.

We were excited by the display, some of it centering on mating, some of it celebrating our handfuls of tossed pellets, seeds, carrots, and apples, and some of it, just for fun. 

I must admit, I took the above very jittery video. I don’t have the steady hand required for great videos, mainly for emotional reasons instead of physical limitations. I get so enthused I can hardly focus on my subjects. So be it. It’s been almost six years, and I’m still struggling with videos.

Louise’s dear mom Estelle crocheted this lovely vest for me. I couldn’t love it more.  It will look great with a safari shirt or a tee shirt and jeans! Thanks, Estelle! You’re the best!

However, I keep making them. I can’t help it. Occasionally, I get lucky as I did with the horns-stuck-together video from a few days ago in Kruger National Park. Click here for that post

As a matter of fact, Kruger National Park, SanParks (South Africa National Parks) contacted me to post our video on their site. Once it’s live this upcoming week, we’ll post a link here.

This adorable male duiker visits, eats a little and hunkers down for the night in the dark.

For today? Feeding the seemingly endless flow of visitors, working on Tom’s computer that’s having monitor issues, enjoying some delicious leftovers from last night, and, if it doesn’t rain, a drive in the park searching for more and more and more.

May your day also be filled with wonders!

Photo from one year ago today, May 27, 2017:

Historical government building in Victoria, British Columbia. What a beautiful city! For more details, please click here.

Exciting Kruger visit with astounding video…Play on words…

Please watch our video of a very unusual cape buffalo occurrence.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This warthog’s tusks are almost a full circle.

Yea, I know. We’re running out of adjectives to use to describe our experiences. Or, perhaps, we ran out long ago. I look up words on a variety of online thesaurus’ searching for new or different words to use. 

These two cape buffaloes, horns stuck together, were close to the dirt road, making it easy to get these photos.

Alas, all I see are the same adjectives we repeat, such as; stunning, spectacular, sensational, unbelievable, unbelievable, heart-stopping, heart-pounding, breathtaking, astonishing, surprising, and on and on.

The anguished look on the faces was disheartening.

What can we do to describe over-the-top adventures we encounter almost on a weekly, if not daily, basis? Not much unless anyone out there has a better idea.

They could have been stuck for minutes, hours or days for all we knew when we stumbled upon this dreadful scene.

Even if we ranked an experience on a rating system from one to ten in a short period, it would be as redundant as the above over-used adjectives in almost every one of our daily posts.

“Guffaw,” I say (nice word to use), I’m going to stop thinking about my overuse of these adjectives and go with the word(s) including all of the above and more, that most effectively describes what we’ve seen and done.

They tried desperately to become un-entangled to no avail.

So here we go again…attempting to describe yesterday’s self-drive in Kruger National Park in search of a unique wildlife experience. Oh, I’ll admit, a nice giraffe, zebra, or elephant photo op does get the blood pumping through our veins, eliciting a certain degree of enthusiasm. 

We felt helpless. There was nothing we could do other than report it and our location at the time. Would something be done, such as tranquilizing them to get them free? But, most likely, this wouldn’t be safe when there were dozens of other cape buffaloes in the area. They can be very dangerous animals.  “It is widely regarded as a very dangerous animal, as it gores and kills over 200 people every year. Also known as Black Death, the Cape Buffalo can be extremely dangerous and is said to have killed more big game hunters than any other animal in Africa.”

However, a large “parade” of elephants excites us more, as does a “tower” of multiple giraffes, as does a “dazzle” of a dozen or more zebras. For us, “onesies” aren’t quite as stunning as numbers have the potential to be. 

It seemed hopeless until another buffalo came along. Check the above video as to what the other buffalo did to help.

The exception to the above may be in spotting rhinos; leopards, cheetahs, and of course, the often-sought lion or lioness and cubs. Then again, mysterious creatures such as the pangolin, porcupine, aardvark, and wild dogs, including many more nocturnal unlikely-to-spot animals even the most experienced guide seldom spots.

Another buffalo approached, wondering what was going on. Check the above video as to what the other buffalo did to help.

For us going into Kruger is all about our so-called “safari luck” or, as one may say, “pièce de résistance” when we have the opportunity to encounter something very special to us, which may be mundane to the more experienced participants in safaris throughout the world.

Then again, we’re no slouches in having had animal viewing experiences over the years. One need only peruse our site’s 2124 posts (as of today) to see how much we’ve actually seen in these past 5 years and 7 months since we began our journey.

They have sad faces when content.  But under these circumstances, they looked more miserable.

So, after driving through Kruger yesterday, having no safari luck whatsoever other than sighting lots of impalas (typical), a few wildebeest (a little less specific), and a few zebras (always lovely to see but more common), we resigned ourselves to the fact that for once, and only once so far in our numbers of trip to Kruger, we’d leave with few exciting photos and videos.

Alas, as we began the return drive on a dirt road back to the Crocodile Bridge, forgoing the paved road with the more decent little rental car, we stumbled upon today’s highlighted story, the entanglement of two cape buffaloes whose horns must have become stuck during an altercation over supremacy.

After they were free, they immediately started grazing. Who knows, maybe they hadn’t eaten in days?

Upon returning from Kruger, I checked YouTube to see how many other videos had been posted with cape buffalo horns entangled in one another, let alone when another buffalo came to their rescue. There were none.  This must be unique. This is the kind of sighting we long to discover.

Dear readers, revel with us in today’s video for which there is a lack of redundancy (at last) and, I doubt I can come up with any appropriate adjectives to describe this sighting. I’ll leave that up to you. 

Turtle crossing the road in Kruger.

Please pass this post and/or video on to your family, friends, and neighbors. Maybe, we can get it to go viral. We won’t make money from it going viral. That’s not our intent. But we can add to the list of “amazing” readers we have throughout the world.

Have a stupendous day!

Photo from one year ago today, May 24, 2017:

Busy port in Skagway, Alaska.  For more photos and Alaskan cruise final expenses, please click here.

An exciting drive in Marloth Park…Back from Kruger…Great day…Lots of safari luck…

This was our first sighting of a good-sized herd of cape buffalo we spotted from Marloth Park yesterday on the banks of the Crocodile River. There were from 24 to 30 in the herd.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Tom’s “Little Girl” bushbuck has been so happy he’s back, she comes to see him each day.

After yesterday’s massive response from our readers on our story on invasive alien plants (please see our post here if you missed it), we’re making every effort to expand our knowledge through education about biodiversity in Marloth Park.

We captured these photos through the electrified wires in the fence that separates Marloth Park from Kruger Park.

Of course, we’ll continue to share photos of our visitors as they arrive, our trips to Kruger National Park, and any other areas we may visit on occasion. But, conservation issues are constantly in our minds as we revel in this magnificent place.

We waited patiently while attempting to get a few face shots.

We often ask ourselves, “How long can this keep up?” Will the animals always be here, or will the effects of the human footprint eventually impact the number of animals in Marloth Park? 

Yesterday was hot and humid, so it’s not surprising they congregated near the water.

We’re on a mission to discover more, and currently, we’re working on a new story we’ll share in the next week that may surprise you. It certainly surprised us. Please check back for more.

Instinctively many wild animals rest close to one another as a defense from predators.
After this great sighting, we continued on our way content we’d had a good day.

In the interim, we’re having a blissfully busy week since our return from Zambia last Friday evening. The days are flying by so quickly we can hardly keep track. Isn’t that typical when you’re having the time of your life?

Hornbills spend a lot of time on the ground as well as flying and in trees.

This morning, after preparing tonight’s dinner to be later baked in the oven, we decided to take advantage of the exquisitely sunny morning and head to Kruger National Park.

Of course, it’s equally exciting to see ostriches.

Now that we have our “Wild Card,” which we purchased for one year, we can enter the park as often as we’d like at no additional fees. We try to go at least once every two weeks and are seldom disappointed, especially when “safari luck” kicks in. Today was no exception. Tomorrow’s post will contain some fantastic scenes we captured.

An ostrich’s mouth stays open to cool off since they have no sweat glands.  They can tolerate high heat.

As for the rest of the week, yesterday, Tom had his haircut and is happy with the outcome. Tomorrow, we go to Dr. Theo in Komatipoort for the balance of our vaccinations and boosters. We’ve invited Louise and Danie along with Louise’s parents from Cape Town for dinner at our place on Saturday evening.

It’s always such a joy to see the giraffes in Marloth Park.

Tomorrow, we’ll grocery shop for the first time since we returned, managing to dine on items we already had on hand in the deep freeze, adding a few things from the Marlothi Center’s mini-mart. Plus, we’ll head to Obara to purchase more pellets, the pharmacy for odds and ends, and a quick stop at the biltong (locally made jerky) store.

Female giraffes have tufts of hair on their ossicones where males do not, mainly since they use these small horns in combat for dominance.

Our friends Kathy and Don return this weekend, and indeed we’ll see them soon once they are settled in. Well, the list could go on and on. Need I say, we’re content with the activity level since we always make time to relax and unwind.

Mostly Egyptian geese on the distant shore of the Crocodile River.

The evenings are incredibly relaxing while sitting outdoors on the veranda waiting for a wide array of visitors to arrive and, of course, the dependable arrival of the dozen bushbabies living in the trees in the yard.  No, we haven’t seen Scar-Face yet, but we continue to remain hopeful. 

May you have a pleasant evening as well. We’ll be back at you soon!   

Photo from one year ago today, May 23, 2017:

This day, one year ago, we arrived in Sitka, Alaska. We were the only ship in port, and the crowds in the town weren’t wrong. For more photos, please click here.

The bush continues to deliver…They’re back but not all of them…

We returned on Friday evening.  These were our visitors on Saturday afternoon.  We’re back!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This morning, Miss Kudu was on the road by our house after a pleasant visit, after which she wandered down our driveway. What a glorious morning!

It appears we’ve exhausted sharing our photos of Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, Chobe River, and the Zambezi River. What a fabulous experience we’ll always treasure. Not only did we love every moment but we had such fun together with never a dull moment.

My favorite, “Miss Kudu,” didn’t waste any time stopping to see us.

Now, back in Marloth Park, we’ve had an opportunity to see some friends, and more social gatherings will follow soon. Yesterday afternoon we visited Gail and Mark at their home along the Crocodile River. 

It took a few days for the mongoose to realize we’d returned. Of course, scrambled eggs were on the menu.

We’d written a post about Gail’s heroic experience with an abandoned chimpanzee in Liberia and subsequently had written a book, “Her Name is Missy,” which is available for purchase here. They’d joined us for dinner last month, and we look forward to spending more time with both of them.

This afternoon we’re visiting a new couple we met who are both Marloth Park Honorary Rangers.  We’ll be preparing an exciting story we’ll share in tomorrow’s post after we interview them further.

The two “boys” are back with “Little Wart Face” in the background.

This morning, Louise stopped by to bring me a choice of a variety of tea filters to use for the delicious loose tea we’d purchased at the Livingstone Airport from the new little shop, as mentioned in a post of a few days ago which can be found here. Of course, I couldn’t let her leave without sharing some of my outstanding tea for her to take home.

Tom’s favorite “Little Girl” bushbuck came to see us the first morning we were back from Zambia.

This magical place is a plethora of fascinating people, each with their own unique stories to tell. Over these next few months, we’ll be adding more stories and photos about local citizens and their contributions to Marloth Park, its wildlife, and its surroundings. 

Kudus along the side of the road on our way to the little market.

We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to meet so many beautiful people and hear about their lives and their motivation for living in this magical place. Tom always asks the question, “How did you discover or hear about Marloth Park?

Nature…amazing! All zebras have those black spots on the inside of their legs. This spot is naturally callused, so when they’re lying down, they can place their sharp hooves on this spot and prevent them from injuring themselves.

 The answers are varied and ultimately interesting. No two stories are alike. “And how did we find it?” we’ve been asked. 

In 2012, shortly after we decided to travel the world, I sat in a chair in our family room for nearly 12 hours each day, searching for where we’d live in Africa, my dream continent to explore. It was via a photo Louise had posted on her website, as shown below. 

Warthog in the kitchen was doing “crumb patrol.” See this post from the day we originally posted this photo.

This photo so bespeaks what triggered our passion for being here. Those of you who’ve followed us for years surely understand. Speaking of warthogs, sadly, we have not seen Scar-Face in over two weeks. We’d heard a warthog with a massive hole in his face had been “culled” while we were gone. My heart sank. He was doing so much better, we thought.

Scar-Face was small, so we’re hoping it wasn’t him. But, now, after speaking with several locals, they say there were two warthogs with holes in their faces, one large and one small. The larger of the two was culled.,

This bushbuck mom and her baby have been visiting for months.  The baby certainly has grown, hasn’t she?

This morning, we spoke to the above-mentioned Honorary Rangers, and they stated they’d seen a small warthog with such an injury that appeared to be healing in the past week.  We hope he’ll return and we have the opportunity to see him again.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up with certain animals here in the bush. It’s funny how many of us get the same “visitors,” We each have our names for them. We’ve been able to interact with many of our “regulars” since we’ve returned but not Scar Face, Wart Face, or Frank so far.

Last night after dark, “Mom, Two Piglets and Auntie” came back to see us along with another boy group of four zebras.

 We’ll be sitting outdoors day and night waiting for them to appear, except for the few times we leave to tour the park or go shopping. We’ll post updates and photos here, of course.

That’s all for today, folks! Please check back tomorrow for our new story as mentioned above.

Have a meaningful Monday!

Photo from one year ago today, May 21, 2017:

Photos don’t do Hubbard Glacier justice. It was stunning. It’s hard to believe we were there a year ago today! For more photos, please click here.

We’re back in Marloth Park…Immigration shocker!…Recap of Victoria Falls…All new photos…

There were endless openings at Victoria Falls that excellent allowed viewing.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We shot this photo on the Chobe River. We’d have preferred a better view of the inside of the hippo’s mouth.  Hippos open their mouths wide to show how mean and powerful they are. No doubt, we were spotted and told to take off.

It was a dark and dreary night as we drove to Jabula for dinner after arriving back in Marloth Park around 6:00 pm. On the way, we encountered three giraffes, two zebras, two bush bucks and one dead puff adder snake on the paved road. We were “home.”

The rushing water came up to the edge of the viewing area.

After weeks of me worrying about our immigration issue of having used all of the 90-days allowed in our visa and the possibility of not being let back into the country other than to pack and leave, no words can describe our delight when we arrived in Nelspruit/Mpumalanga airport and received a new 90-day stamp in our passports…no questions asked.

One might think that leaving the country for a week to a country not bordering South Africa would be a sure bet we could return. But, after considerable research, we discovered leaving to visit a non-bordering country doesn’t ensure a new 90-day visa.

Rainbows from the spray.
Beautiful!

We could easily have been refused the visa and told we had to return to our “home country” in order to return to South Africa for another 90-days. Arriving in Nelspruit helped. Had we traveled through Johannesburg, there’s a strong possibility we’d have been refused. The law states they can give us seven days to “clear out.”

In checking the cost of returning to the US, it would have been over ZAR 127,714, (US $10,000) to return to Minnesota, including round trip airfare between South Africa and the USA, a cheap hotel and a rental car for a paltry nine days. During that period, we’d still have been paying for the house in Marloth Park. 

Adding in the cost of meals and expensive miscellaneous items in Minnesota and we’d have been looking at quite a chunk of money. At this point, we have plans including cruises to take us back to the US in 2019 which ultimately is a lot less expensive.

The power of the falls left us in awe.

Our other option was considerably less expensive, which was to fly to New York, stay two nights in a hotel, turn around, and fly right back to South Africa.  We could have accomplished this for around  ZAR 38,314, (US $3,000) which we may have to consider in three or six months in the event we’re asked to leave.

The sound of the rushing water was deafening. 

In the meantime, we have the next 89-days to revel in our busy and happy lives in Marloth Park with the unique wildlife and our equally impressive human friends, many of whom are coming back and forth from homes in other parts of the world.

When we arrived at the airport after the pleasant flight from Zambia, my heart was in my throat o head directly to the only immigration officer on duty. Tom was as cool as a cucumber, not even slightly concerned.  Usually, it’s the other way around.

The magnificence of Victoria Falls.

But, I was the one that spent almost three hours in the middle of the night, reading everything I could find on South Africa’s immigration laws. Based on our situation, the outcome didn’t look good. It appeared we’d have to leave, return to the US, and return to South Africa, which was not a good option.

Teletubbies. 

Well, we have been approved to re-enter, and we practically skipped to the rental car desk to get yet another long-term rental car that will see us through until August 15th, when the visa period ends once again.

We’re aren’t sure where we’ll go next time, but most certainly, it will be a non-bordering country on the continent of Africa. We have a few ideas and will share them once we decide and book the next trip.

There were many rainbows at the falls.

Hertz gave us a free upgrade, and we got a slightly larger car, a VW something, that has power door locks and windows. What a treat that is! The tires look good, the AC works well, and it even has a clock. (Some of the cheap cars we rent have none of the above). 

The return drive to Marloth Park was long when we encountered a bad accident in Malelane that tied up traffic for no less than 30-minutes. Also, there were many trucks on the single lane N4 (highway) and Tom’s who’s an inpatient driver, insisted on passing every truck in our path. It was great to get back into Marloth Park at the security gate and head to our bush home.

The charming shop is Big Hippo Love, located at the Livingstone, Zambia airport.

While we were gone, Louise had arranged for deep cleaning of the house. When we walked in the door to find the TV working, lights left on for us and the house has been totally “spring cleaned” and beautifully “detailed” we couldn’t have been more appreciative.

One thing we’d like to mention is a beautiful experience we had with two lovely shopkeepers at a newly built tea shop at the Livingstone Zambia airport where we were able to sit comfortably while I sipped on exquisite organic herbal tea. (Tom surprised me and purchased two packages of the tea I loved, enough to last for a few months).

The girls were so kind and thoughtful.

We chatted with the two adorable shopkeepers and had a fabulous time. If you ever get to Zambia, stop by and say hello to us. We’ve included a few photos of our visit to the shop.

Soon, at around 11:00 am, Tom will drop me off at Jabula for a remarkable women’s “tea” event to watch the Royal Wedding on TV. There will be about 12 of us girls in attendance, and it should be fun. I can’t recall the last time I did a “girls only” get together. 

Not only do they carry delicious healthful teas but also a wide array of interesting African inspired merchandise.

Since we’ve been gone a week, it may take a few days for our usual group of visitors to realize we’ve returned. Although so far this morning we’ve had two kudus, two bushbucks stop by and an ostrich walking down the dirt road. Tonight, just the two of us will do a braai while we set up our nighttime routine in hopes of seeing more visitors. We’ll wait patiently.

Tomorrow, we’ll continue sharing more photos we’ve yet to present here from our outstanding trip to Zambia. 

Have a happy weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, May 19, 2017:

The Ketchikan sign over the boulevard as we wandered about the historic city. For more Alaskan photos, please click here

Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River…A dream fulfilled…A romantic night we’ll always remember…

Of all the boats available for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, we chose the Lion King, which had the highest reviews of all the options. We thoroughly loved the experience.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We could heat the loud bellows from the hippos, but most of them were tucked away under the vegetation along the banks of the Zambezi River.

Today is our last full day in Zambia. Tomorrow at 11:00 am, Alec will pick us up for the ride to the airport for our return flight to Nelspruit, South Africa. Of course, we’re excited at the prospect of returning to Marloth Park, South Africa.

We boarded the Lion King by 4:00 pm and were back at the hotel by 6:30 pm.

Always a happy reality of our world travels…we never feel we have to end our holiday/vacation to go “home” to return to work, tend to piles of snail mail, or handle piles of dirty laundry. No doubt, Marta will insist on helping us get our clothes washed, on the clothesline, and neatly folded.

Bee Eaters make nests and burrow into holes they create in the river bank.

We’ll unpack, sort the dirty laundry for washing, put away the toiletries, and in no time at all; our stunning routine will be firmly back in place. A quick trip to Komatipoort for groceries sometime over the weekend, and we’ll be set. Most likely, tomorrow night, we’ll dine at Jabula or stop at Hamilton’s in Malelane on the way from Nelspruit to Marloth Park.

Somehow the bee-eaters know how high they should build their burrows above water level.

Last night’s sunset cruise on the Zambezi River was a perfect end to our amazing tours while staying in Zambia. We couldn’t have been more thrilled with the boat, the gorgeous weather, the staff, the included food and drinks, the views along the river, and the fabulous live music played on the “marimba,” a popular African instrument. See here for details.

The boat staff on another cruise, the African Queen, was relaxed with so few passengers on board their boat. The Lion King carries 105 passengers, but there were only 10 of us. Tom and I had the entire upper deck to ourselves during the two-hour cruise.

With the entire upper deck to ourselves, along with a few staff members, we were really able to freely enjoy ourselves, being silly and playful, moving around the deck as we pleased when taking photos without anyone’s heads in our way. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Last night, we spotted this resting crocodile on the banks of the Zambezi River.

The average cost for the Lion King, which includes basic appetizers, wine, beer, and cocktails were kwacha 702 (US $70) per person and was well worth it.  Overall, the cost of the tours was not cheap. 

Check out those teeth! Crocs can replace each of their 80 teeth up to 50 times in their 35 to 75-year lifespan.

One can plan to spend close to kwacha 10,030 (US $1,000) for quality tours in Zambia.  We write more on this in tomorrow’s post when we list our total final expenses, including tours, dining out, hotel bills, taxis, taxes, and tips. 

“Photo op over, humans! I’m outta here!” he said.

We paid a little less by booking through Chris Tours than we would have through the hotel, but when booking through the hotel, the traveler can put the cost of the tours on the hotel bill and subsequent credit card, whereby we had to pay in cash as mentioned in an earlier post. 

The friendly staff served us drinks and snacks included, most of which I couldn’t eat. As usual, Tom ate mine, and I had a bite back at the hotel later in the evening.

In the end, it all worked out well for us. Some travelers prefer to work through the hotel since they feel more comfortable knowing the hotel will stand behind the quality of the tour. But, if paying in cash is not an inconvenience, it may be worth saving about kwacha 1,003 (US $100). 

Enjoying the sunset over the Zambezi River was a special treat and a great end to our time in Zambia.

In our case, we lucked out in several ways; in finally getting the cash from an ATM, in getting the ATM card back from the bank where the machine “ate it” on Saturday morning, and in having great service from Chris Tours in coordinating all of our activities. Safari luck, again.

It was surprising how many boats were on the river for sunset.

Now, as we sit in the restaurant, preparing today’s post on another perfect weather day, we can’t stop smiling over the fabulous time we’ve had. Not only was last night’s sunset cruise a delightful experience, but we’re continuing to revel over the other tours we’ve done during our time in Zambia.

And soon, the sun started to wane.

We leave tomorrow with the utmost respect and admiration for the Zambian people, many of whom make a living in the tourist industry and handle their clientele with the utmost dignity and care. 

We moved about the upper deck we had to ourselves several times while taking photos.

Today, we’ll start working on tomorrow’s post’s final expenses and the review of the hotel. We still have many other reviews to complete at TripAdvisor for restaurants, tours, and venues we’ve experienced during our time in Zambia.  We hope to complete all of this in the next 24 hours.

Some cloud cover helps create a stunning sunset.

By the time we leave tomorrow, we’d like to have completed all of these necessary components, including updating our spreadsheets with the figures.  Thus, when we return to Marloth Park, we can focus on getting back into the groove of our wonderful life with the animals and humans living in the glorious bush!

And then, it was gone, and our boat, the Lion King, headed back to the starting point.

May your day bring a smile to your face to see you through the day and evening.

The evening ended too quickly. We had such a great time on the peaceful cruise but continued our good time at the hotel.

Photo from one year ago today, May 17, 2017: 

As one might think, it wasn’t cold outside on the decks as we cruised to Alaska on the inside passage. We wandered outdoors without jackets, and it was cool but comfortable. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…Chobe National Park safari and Chobe River cruise…Interesting geography, culture and much more…

A small but substantially packed ferry was arriving in Zambia from Botswana while we waited. This reminded us of the ferry boat when we come to Mombasa, Kenya, in September 2013. Click here for that post.
Riding the ferry is accessible for people but not for vehicles between Zambia and Botswana but, to disembark requires removing one’s shoes and walking in the water.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A kingfisher and his catch-of-the-day.  Not a perfect shot, but we were thrilled to get this while on the move.

At the moment, as I begin today’s post, I’m sitting alone outdoors at the hotel restaurant while Tom has gone with Matthew, our regular taxi driver, to the bank where one of our debit cards was swallowed by the ATM on Saturday.

This is where we stood and waited for the little boat to take us across the Zambezi River. A bridge is being built to accommodate the crossing, which could be completed by the end of 2019.

Yesterday our free day, Matthew drove us to the bank only to find the bank manager, the only person who can release the card, was out and none of the staff knew when he’d return. We couldn’t wait around all day for him to return.  We returned to the hotel.

Alec told us this truck broke down on the cement ramp on the river bank. It was shoved off into the river two years ago to get it out of the way and remains in this spot.

Matthew and the hotel concierge got to work to try and reach the bank manager, and a few minutes ago, Tom left to head back to the bank, where the manager was finally available. There’s no guaranty he’ll return the card to Tom, as explained by a bank official. It’s entirely up to the manager’s discretion.

These locals, situated on the side of the road, were selling cold beverages.

Humm…what about Tom will determine whether or not he is credible enough to get his card back? He’s wearing a nice shirt and shorts but then again, so are all the locals and tourists we see. I guess we’ll find out soon enough when he returns, which, when he does, I’ll include the result here as I continue to work on today’s post.

Alfred, our BushTracks guide from Botswana.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, we don’t hold this against Zambia in any manner.  We’re in Africa, and clean-cut scammers are coming up with the most unbelievable means of scamming people and institutions like many other parts of the world. I suppose they’re just following protocol.

Locals were walking on the road from Zambia to the ferry to head to Botswana.

Yes, we know we can order a new card from our bank in the US, but the inconvenience of collecting the card by snail mail is frustrating and time-consuming. We’ll see how it goes soon enough.

Anyway, today’s photos and stories include various scenes from the trip to Botswana. First, Alec, our trusty driver and tour guide inside of Zambian border (with Chris Tours), picked us up at the hotel at 7:00 am for the 45-minute drive to the Zambia immigration office near a busy pier on the Zambezi River where four countries intersect as follows:

“There is a place called Kazungula, where four countries meet at the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers intersection. Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and a tiny strip of Namibia all come together in one spot.” 

These women around this table all looked up at me and smiled, and gave the thumbs up. What this meant, I’m not sure, but I responded with a big smile and thumbs up as well.

That’s interesting,” we both commented simultaneously. In reviewing the map below, we started in Zambia and crossed the Zambezi River. Once we were on the other side, we were in Botswana. Here’s a map showing these points:

“African “Quadripoint” Only Place on the Earth, Where Four Distinct Territories’ are Touched.” 

Matthew went inside the bank with Tom as his local advocate, and a short time later, he and Tom walked out of the bank with Tom’s debit card safely back in his wallet. (Tom just returned from the bank. He got the card back! Whew! Tom generously “thanked” Matthew when they returned to the hotel).

At every border, vendors promote their wares by asking for purchases multiple times. We say, “No, thank you.”

Once passports were stamped indicating we were leaving Zambia, Alec walked us to a makeshift pier area where we’d have to walk over piles of pier-related construction materials toward the cement ramp where we’d board a little boat to cross the river. 

A very large hornbill, one of our favorite birds in South Africa.

Alec stayed behind in Zambia for the entire day, awaiting our return at 4:10 pm. We felt empathetic about his long day of waiting, but he said he manages to busy himself while waiting for his customers to return after the Chobe day trip.

A troop of baboons in a tree.

Crossing from Zambia into Botswana isn’t as easy as showing a passport crossing a vehicle. Alec took our passports while exiting and returning to the Zambian immigration office to get them stamped.

Albert, our guide with Bush Tracks Safari company, who drove us in the safari vehicle through the Chobe National Park and later drove the boat on the Chobe River, handled our passport stamps at the Botswana immigration office.

We saw no less than a dozen crocodiles during our busy day.

When we finally left Botswana at the end of the day, we had to make a personal appearance at immigration. As mentioned above, Alec again handled our passport stamps as he’d done upon entry back in Zambia. 

All of this takes time, but somehow we breezed through most of it while we were in the good hands of our guides. Our four safari mates were interesting to talk to, and we easily entertained ourselves while we waited.

Friend Louise in Kauai, Hawaii, identified this bird as an African Darter. Thanks, Louise!

Once on the Botswana side of the Zambezi River, Albert greeted us and told us a great story (while we waited for the four other guests) of how, when he was 12 years old, he became lost in the bush in Botswana. 

Female giraffes have hair at the top of their ossicones (horns). Males have worn off their hair from fighting for dominance. “The ossicones are what distinguishes the male and female from one another. Stereotypically, the female giraffe has tufts of hair on the top of her horns, while the males are bald on top. Some males develop calcium deposits on top of their heads, which creates the illusion of the animal having more than two horns.”

His grandfather had taught him valuable bush survival skills, which came into use during his three-day ordeal when he was finally found by his family and a search party. He translated this experience into his masterful skills as a safari guide, both on land and on the river. He provided an exceptional experience for all of us.

Another beautiful bird that is included in the “Ugly 5.”  It didn’t look so ugly to us. Thanks to friend Louise in Kauai, Hawaii, and niece Kari for identifying this bird.

Once the four others arrived, we all jumped into the safari vehicle and began the short drive toward Chobe National Park. Shortly before we entered the park, Alfred stopped the car and set up “tea time” with coffee, various teas, and homemade muffins. I sipped on Rooibos tea, the caffeine-free popular local tea, while Tom had coffee and a muffin. 

Albert prepared our “tea time” before we entered the Chobe National Park.

This pleasant tea time reminded us of when we had breakfast in the Masai Mara when our guide Anderson set breakfast in the savannah where the animals roamed around us. 

The photo from our breakfast in the savannah in the Maasai Mara in October 2013. See the post from that date here. 

We can’t believe we’ll be back in the Masai Mara in February, this time with a new guide since Anderson now works in Uganda with the gorilla tours. We’ll see him when we do that tour in the future.

Check out the muscles on the front quarters of this giraffe.

After tea and coffee, we headed directly into Chobe National Park to begin our land safari, which would last less than three hours. Our expectations were low during such a short period. 

A pair of giraffes at a distance.
Giraffes seldom bend down other than to drink water. This position makes them vulnerable to attack by predators.

As typical during most safaris, the dirt roads were uneven, and passengers must expect to bounce around as if on a ride at an amusement park. But, this is way more exciting than a manufactured ride. This was nature at its finest.

Monitor Lizard on the shore of the river.

During the first 45 minutes, we didn’t see much more than we were used to seeing in Marloth Park; impalas, warthogs, and some pretty birds. Then, the magic began as safari luck kicked in, as usual.  When we hadn’t seen much, I was tempted to tell our safari-mates, “No worries. We have safari luck. We’ll see something soon!” But, I kept quiet, not wanting to disappoint anyone if it didn’t happen.

An elderly group of four were stuck in the sand in their rental car. There is no way they’d have extricated themselves from this situation. Alfred used a tow strap/rope from another vehicle stuck behind this car and towed them out. They insisted on going through the sand again, but Alfred discouraged them, telling them to turn around and go back. We don’t know what ultimately transpired for this group of four seniors. Can you imagine being stuck in such a location overnight, stranded in a vehicle?

And safari luck indeed transpired as hoped as we had a spectacular morning in Chobe National Park. Over the next several days, we’ll continue to share photos from the land and Chobe River safaris.

Elephant skull on the side of the dirt road.

Today at 3:30 pm, we’ll be picked up by yet another tour company to take us on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River on the beautiful, newer “Lion King” catamaran, where drinks and appetizers will be served. It will be fun to meet more travelers while we all share the remarkable stories of our time in this unique part of the world.

Please check back for more and more and more…

Photo from one year ago today, May 16, 2017:
Vancouver is comparable to many cities with many skyscrapers and business centers but is impeccably clean and friendly. We boarded the Celebrity Solstice to Alaska later in the day. Please click here for details.