Kruger National Park didn’t disappoint…More photos…

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Wildebeest in the bush.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A mom and her calf.

Today is US income tax filing day, although it’s tomorrow when it fell on a Sunday. Fortunately, our trusty accountant in Nevada completed our taxes, and they’re filed with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). That’s one less thing to think about. 

A vast expanse of the Crocodile River.

Over the past month or so, I’ve been gathering the data to submit after having forwarded all of our tax documents to him that had been arriving at our mailing service in Nevada since the first of the year. 

Giraffe crossing the paved road in Kruger.

We’re glad that’s behind us now as we begin to review and contemplate our upcoming itinerary. At this point, we’re considering some changes for 2019, which, once completed, we’ll post here. 

Tom says this looks like a “magistrate.”  I say it looks like a type of eagle.  Louise explained it was a Fish Eagle.

The certainty in our itinerary are the times we’ll spend in 2019 visiting family in Minnesota (our kids and grandkids), Nevada (son Richard and sister Susan), Arizona (Tom’s three sisters who spend their winters there), and California (my sister Julie and other relatives). However, the specific dates of our arrival may change slightly. 

Louise explained this is a saddled bulled stork. Thanks, Louise!

However, we’re considering swapping out a cruise for an adventure in Africa. We’ll soon share, providing it all works out. We’ve inquired with several questions and look forward to a response soon. 

Oxpecker eating insects off a giraffe’s neck.

As for the past 24 hours, we spent a glorious day and evening on the veranda. The wildlife visited us all day and evening while we reveled in taking more photos while observing their behavior.

We were excited to see this hippo and her baby. Waiting patiently, we hoped for more.

Each species has its personality traits and behaviors we find fascinating, including distinct characteristics of each animal. The longer we’re here, the more apparent this becomes and the more interested we become in discovering more and more about them.

A short time later, we were able to capture this shot.

At the moment, as we’re situated on the veranda, there’s a troop of baboons racing across the roof of our house. The noise is earsplitting. Tom is carrying an extension pole, used for cleaning the high spaces, and by holding this pole over his head and making some grunting noises, he can usually scare them off.

And then, this shot of her calf.

As much as we love all the wildlife in Marloth Park, the baboons are destructive as they can be. If somehow they manage to get inside a house, they’ll tear it to pieces in no time at all, leaving a poopy fiasco behind. 

This wildebeest was rolling around in the dirt.

We can’t leave anything outside when we leave since they won’t hesitate to destroy anything they find. This has happened once since we arrived, and although we left nothing for them to destroy, they left piles of poop and pools of pee on the veranda we promptly cleaned. Yuck. 

A southern ground hornbill.

The smaller Vervet monkeys aren’t as destructive, but they too can leave a mess behind. We often find them playing with Marta’s brooms and wet mops she leaves outdoors to dry in the side yard.

She was nibbling on vegetation.

Today, we’ll take a drive to see what wonders are awaiting us right here in Marloth Park. It rained for about 10 minutes this morning, but now it appears the sun will be coming out again soon. 

Have a bright sunny day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 15, 2017:

There’s a glitch in our system which doesn’t show a post for this date, one year ago, perhaps due to the International Dateline difference of one day.  We’re not going to try to resolve this issue.  As a result, today’s photo is from April 14, 2017:

A day at Manly Beach for school kids. For more details, please click here.

Capes, crocs and cattle egrets…Kruger National Park didn’t disappoint…Safari luck prevails…

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Seeing a crocodile in the wild is quite exciting. This croc sat there for a very long time with its mouth open. 

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Often a warthog is seen lurking in our bush photos. They’re smart. If they hang around long enough after they’ve had their fair share of pellets, we’ll throw pellets for other animals, and they can get in on the action. Tom says, “Pigs, what do you expect?” I love them anyway!

It’s 10:30 am, and I just finished loading the photos and writing the captions for the photos we’re posting today. Yesterday, during our foray to Kruger National Park, we managed to take many satisfying shots of a variety of wildlife.

Once we spotted this Cape Buffalo, we were determined to find more to take better photos. Safari luck prevailed, and a few hours later, we got the shots shown here.

Today, once again, it’s a gorgeous sunny day, not too hot, not too humid, with a slight breeze wafting through the bush every so often. As more and more visitors stop by our yard, adding to our enthusiasm, we revel in sharing the photos from Kruger we’re posting today and others we’ll include over the next few days.

Avid grazers, the Cape Buffalo can have its head in the grass for hours. It takes a lot of vegetation to satisfy the appetite of these monstrous beasts.

Here’s a list of what we found during the three pleasant hours we spent in the park: (not in any particular order)

1.  Giraffe
2.  Elephant
3.  Wildebeest
4.  Impala
5.  Kudu
6.  Duiker
7.  Crocodile
8.  Cape Buffalo
9.  Hippo and baby
10. Southern Ground Hornbill
11. Eagle
12. Vultures
13. Zebra
14. Variety of small birds

When we spotted this croc with an open mouth, we wondered what was inside. We zoomed in for the better shot, as shown in today’s main photo.

We managed to take photos of all of these species, and over the next few days, we’ll share those we found to be most interesting. Today, we decided to focus on the Cape Buffalo and crocodiles we’d yet to see since our arrival in South Africa on February 11th, after several trips into Kruger.

Another croc we saw on the opposite side of the bridge.

Kruger’s paved road runs through the massive 19,485 km² (7,523 square miles). We decided it was best to stay on this road with concern over a slow leak in one of the little blue rental car’s tires.

From this site: “The African buffalo is one of the most successful grazers in Africa. It lives in swamps and floodplains and mopane grasslands and forests of the major mountains of Africa. This buffalo prefers a habitat with dense cover, such as reeds and thickets, but can also be found in open woodland. While not particularly demanding about habitat, they require water daily, so they depend on perennial water sources. Like the plains zebra, the buffalo can live on tall, coarse grasses. Herds of buffalo mow down grasses and make way for more selective grazers. When feeding, the buffalo uses its tongue and wide incisor row to eat grass more quickly than most other African herbivores. Buffaloes do not stay on trampled or depleted areas for long.”

Some assume the only way to see the most wildlife is to get off the main road and onto the dirt roads. But we’ve found no consistency in where wildlife will be. They can be located on or near remote dirt roads, and they can just as well be found on or near the paved road. It’s the same thing here in Marloth Park.

Nor does a sunny or cloudy day seem to be determining factor as to what we’ll see.  Although, we have experienced fewer sightings during rain storms, especially with thunder and lightning. Even wildlife like to stay undercover during inclement weather.

From this site:  “The African buffalo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to Asia’s slightly larger wild water buffalo, and its ancestry remains unclear. Syncerus caffer caffer, the Cape buffalo, is the typical subspecies and the largest one found in South and East Africa. S. c. nanus (African forest buffalo) is the smallest subspecies, common in Central and West Africa forest areas, while S. c. brachyceros is in West Africa and S. c. aequinoctialis is in the savannas of East Africa. The adult buffalo’s horns are its characteristic feature; they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a “boss.” They are widely regarded as hazardous animals, as they gore and kill over 200 people every year.”

Yesterday’s beautiful sunny day enabled us to take many good photos, which we’re thrilled to share. We realize that our daily animal stories can be redundant, and some of our readers who may not be animal lovers may become bored with our site.

We attempt to divert from the magic of the wonders surrounding us, and from time to time, we do. In 28 days, we’ll be heading to Zambia and Botswana for more adventures. Although some of that trip will be about wildlife, more of it will include scenery and magnificent places to see in the wild; Victoria Falls, the Zambezi River, and the Okavango Delta.

These Cape Buffalos looked content lounging in the water at the Verhami dam on a sunny day with a few oxpeckers on their hides.

Undoubtedly, one week in that environment will result in weeks of photos and stories we’ll excitedly be sharing with all of you. Please bear with us in the interim as we continue to embrace our immediate surroundings, so rich and filled with the mystery of nature so abundantly provided.

We waited, hoping to be able to get a good photo of the Cape Buffalo’s faces.

For us, it’s a learning process along with the almost constant surge of feel-good hormones surging through our brains while we witness one heart-pounding experience after another. 

Finally, a full face shot of a Cape Buffalo, a “face only a mother could love.”

When we returned in the afternoon, we busied ourselves with a few household tasks (Marta on vacation for a week), including sweeping the veranda, which, once again was covered with soot from the burning in the sugar cane field that seems to cover everything.

On our return drive to the Crocodile Gate exit, we finally were able to get close enough while on a bridge to get some decent views of these majestic animals, one of the “Big Five.”

We invited our new next-door neighbors, Rene and Case (our ages), visiting renters like us (they’re from the Netherlands), for happy hour at 5:00 pm. It was delightful to chat with them to hear of their passion for Marloth Park, which they’ve visited regularly for many years. The commonality that we all share for this place is refreshing and heartwarming. 

We made a plan that the four of us will go to lunch on Tuesday at the Border Country Inn, where we’d gone with Louise and Danie on Easter Sunday. (They are in Cape Town now, returning next Friday. We already miss them!)

Cattle egret in a marshy area at the Crocodile Bridge exit.

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll be back at you tomorrow with more!   

Have a happy and fulfilling day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 14, 2017:

Surfers took advantage of the excellent surf in Manly, Australia. For more, please click here.

We’re off to Kruger National Park today…Exciting sighting from Marloth Park into Kruger…

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There’s nothing as heartwarming as any animal, and it’s young, especially baby elephants.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Last night Scar Face, Mutton Chops and Wart Face all showed up at the same time. We happily tossed them several cups of pellets.

Up, dressed, and outside by 6:30 am, we decided to hurry with today’s post and try to get going to Kruger early but got sidetracked doing some household tasks. It appears we won’t be out the door until around 10:30 am.

We were thrilled to see these fantastic scenes while standing at the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park.

Many assume that going into Kruger must be a very early undertaking, yet we’ve seen so much midday that we aren’t concerned about going in a little bit later than some prefer by starting as early as 5:00 am when the park opens.

Some of the young were born this season, while other slightly larger elephants may have been born last year. The young females may stay with their moms and the matriarch for life while males are tossed out by thirteen or fourteen years old.

Now that the holiday crowd is gone, it won’t be too busy in the massive park, although many newcomers will have arrived for the weekend. It won’t matter much to us since often, in a three or four-hour period, we may only see a dozen cars at most, along with a few safari vehicles.

A few days ago, we drove along the Crocodile River while still in Marloth Park to find this “parade” of elephants.

Not all spectators like to do the self-drive, especially those who’ve never been inside the park in the past. There may be a bit of trepidation in driving through this rough and wild terrain for possibly hundred of kilometers surrounded by massive wild animals, some of which could easily tip over a car, especially by elephants.

There were dozens in this sighting, but they were scattered along this lush area of vegetation on the river.

There are many rules posted about doing a self-drive in the park due to the risk of being attacked by wild animals. However, the chances are minimal if one stays in their vehicle and respects a distance when observing animals. For a full list of the safety rules, please click here.

Of course, one wouldn’t want to get a flat tire in the park and have to change it. That would be very scary. In those cases, it’s best to call for help at one of the emergency numbers listed in the map book.

We could see them in every direction, which was on the side of the Crocodile River, closest to us.

This morning Tom took the little blue car to the petrol station to fill the tires with air.  The little car’s tires are small and, for some reason, tend to get low on these bumpy dirt roads.

We were so close we hardly had to use any zoom on the camera.

Louise loaned us a dongle (a Wi-Fi hot spot) we can use during our remaining time in Africa. She loaded one gig of data which should last quite a while for emergency purposes. Plus, it’s excellent to use MAPS on our phones for navigation when in unfamiliar areas.

As for the past 24 hours, we’ve been having the time of our lives. At least once an hour, we have visitors, as many as eight to ten species in a day. We may see many repeat visits throughout the day of those species, enjoying them just as much when they return.

Hearing their sounds was music to our ears.

As time goes on, they’ve come to recognize us as we develop our precious means of communication by looking into each other’s eyes. One female kudu has come to know me as she approaches the veranda, begging me to pay attention to her. 

There were no less than six or eight babies in this sighting.

She’s one of few animals I’ll feed from my hand. She nudges me, insisting on it, preferring my hand to eat pellets, carrots, and apples off the ground. Of course, I scrub my hands afterward, each time. But this level of intimacy between us and nature is what brought us back to this magical place after four years away.

So now, as I quickly wrap up today’s post so we can take off for Kruger on a bright sunny day, after many days of clouds and rain, we’re as excited as if it was the first time. One never knows what one may discover.

This may have been a mom and some aunts watching over the baby. Their hides were dark from being in the muddy water.

And if we come back empty-handed, we need only park our butts in the comfy chairs at the big table and wait patiently. They’ll come. They always do.

Enjoy today’s elephant photos we took while cruising along the Crocodile River from the Marloth Park side of the fence.  See, we don’t even have to leave to have magic happen.

Have a magical day of your own.

Photo from one year ago today, April 13, 2017:
A pier in Manly, Australia busy with beach-goers and diners. For more details, please click here.

Protests in Kruger National Park…Easter and school holiday…Burning sugar cane results in ash everywhere…

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A hornbill in the bush.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A lizard-like gecko was found on the veranda.

We’d planned to go into Kruger in the next few days, but when we realized it’s Easter break and many tourists will be coming to the area for holiday and the school break (the equivalent of Spring Break but is fall, not spring here now), we decided to wait until the commotion dies down.

The Crocodile River has been rising due to recent rains.

Also, we’d read online that there are protests at various gates in Kruger, which will add to traffic and the very type of commotion we choose to avoid. We’ll be here a year. We don’t have to go now. 

Here’s an article we found regarding the protests in Kruger. Apparently, it’s peaceful at this point, but one never knows. We feel it makes sense to stay away.

These may be European Mergansers along the banks of the Crocodile River. Please comment if you know otherwise.

We didn’t do all of our grocery shopping for the next week since we need to shop on Fridays or Saturdays going forward when off. Late yesterday afternoon, we drove to Komatipoort for a few items we needed at the market. We find they’re out of many items we need, mainly in the produce department. 

A baboon in the bush.

New shipments come in on Thursday but often aren’t on the shelves until late in the day, making Friday the best day to shop. By Monday, most of the produce we use is sold out. Thus, in the future, we’ve chosen Fridays are our preferred shopping day. There’s no doubt this Friday will be packed with shoppers buying food for Easter weekend.

A solitary waterbuck on the river.

When we returned, the veranda was covered in black soot. Tom checked around the neighborhood but couldn’t find any fires. Could a neighbor’s thatched roof catch on fire? We didn’t smell smoke. Tom swept the veranda before dinner, but only minutes later, it was covered in soot again.

Animal footprints in the sand.

Tom had the idea that the soot resulted from the burning of the sugar cane fields, done before the harvest. This morning, as Marta swept piles of soot in the house, she explained it was, in fact, from the burning of the sugar cane.  Once again, (duh) Tom was right.

The sunset on our return from Komatipoort last night.

Here is an article regarding the burning of the fields before the harvest. Also, here is a quote from the article for those who prefer not to follow links:

“Sugarcane field burning is carried out before harvesting the cane to make the process easier and require less manual labor. It takes place during the harvest season.  The field is set to fire in the burning process, and the leaves are burned off of the stalks. About 80% of the “trash,” including straw, the tops, and green and dry leaves, are burned off. These components constitute about 25% of the entire sugar cane stalk. The burning kills microorganisms and burns the trash, both of which keep the soil rich when left in the fields. In place of burning the cane, the leaves could be removed and burned to create steam for electricity generation or be converted into fuel themselves.

The river is looking better but now, as we’re approaching the dry season.

Whoever thinks of this stuff? We learn something new every day.  So, between Marta, Josiah, and us, we’ll keep the veranda and house free of soot by sweeping it all away as it comes.

Female waterbuck lounging in the grass along the river.

We have no bigs plans for Easter. We’re going to Kathy and Don’s bush home on the river for Easter fun on Monday. They are returning from their home in Pretoria in a few days, and it will be great to have them back in Marloth Park. We’ll cook one of our favorite recipes as always and enjoy a quiet day in the bush.

Today is a gorgeous day, sunny and not too hot, a perfect day for another hopefully exciting drive in the park.

May your day be gorgeous and sunny! 

 Photo from one year ago today, March 28, 2017:

Surfboard shop in Manly Beach, Australia. For more photos, please click here.

The falling leaves make us sad…Today is the first day of fall in South Africa…Socializing galore!!!…

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I was indoors preparing dinner while Tom noticed this mongoose digging a hole in the yard.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A grasshopper we found on new friends Janet and Steve’s veranda. Four years ago, we’d written a story with photos of hundreds, if not thousands, of grasshoppers in our yard. For videos and details, please click here.
Today, south of the equator, it’s the first day of fall. This morning, out on the veranda as always, we both noticed leaves falling from the trees and low-lying brush. 

Perhaps we noticed the leaves falling to the ground in the gentle warm breeze simply due to our awareness that fall has arrived. As we mentioned in earlier posts, fall and winter may not be good times for the wildlife in Marloth Park, most of whom are dependent upon the green vegetation on the trees, plants, and bushes.

It appeared they might have found something.

We’ve never been here in the fall. Four years ago, we left on February 28th while summer was in full bloom. February is comparable to August in those countries located north of the equator.

Of course, today is the much revered first day of spring when those living in cold climates jump for joy at the prospect of warmer weather for our family and friends in Minnesota.
More digging.

There’s no shortage of warm weather here. Today is expected to reach 95F (35C), dropping to a high of 79F (26C) tomorrow for a huge weather change. That’s South Africa for you. But, it’s these big weather variations that affect foliage.

In our old lives, we’d never stay all day and evening outdoors with temperatures in the 90’s. But, here it’s the course of life in the African bush. The locals have adapted, and we have as well. The only air con we use is in the car (a must) and while sleeping.
Francolins are commonly found in the bush.  They don’t fly much but are fast walkers and very noisy.
We’ll watch and see how winter in the bush will be for the wildlife, hoping only for the best for them while praying for rain. Winter is the dry season in this part of the world.
This week has been and will continue to be a busy social time for us. Sunday, we visited Gail and Mark (their story will be posted on Friday). Last night, Wednesday, new friends and neighbors Sandra and Paul (two doors down on the right) came for 5:00 pm happy hour and stayed until almost 10:00 pm…we had a blast!
Helmeted Guinea Fowl often hang around the yard.

Today, Wednesday, our dear friends  Louise, and Danie, who happen to be our property managers, come for dinner. On Saturday,  Janet and Steve (whose home we visited for dinner a few weeks ago) and Lynn and Mick are coming for dinner, with both couples leaving Marloth Park at the end of March, who’ll be gone for a few months, later in the year. We’ll see them all again since we’ll be here (in and out for visa purposes) until March 24, 2019.

On April 2nd, we’re attending an Easter party at Kathy and Don’s MP home on the Crocodile River, after they’ll have been staying at one of their other homes located in Pretoria, South Africa, returning to Marloth Park for a while. Surely, we’ll socialize regularly with that wonderful couple as well.
It appears there are more ostriches in Marloth Park than four years ago when we were here. We’re enjoying everyone we encounter.

Friendly, fun, and welcoming people have taken us into the fold of their social lives as many come and go between other homes in other locales, often other countries. We’re looking forward to Linda and Ken returning in a few months for plenty of good times with the two of them.

When we look back at all the countries, we visited where it wasn’t easy to make friends. We’re so grateful to be here among our human and animal friends. Last night, during our fun evening. Big Boy (warthog) stopped by to check out the pellet situation. 
 At “our house,” the pellet situation is good and will remain so regardless of our social activities, the time of the day, and of course, the season of the year.
We spotted these two zebras on the side of the road on our way to the market.

Today’s heading reminded me of Nat King Cole’s song, “The Autumn Leaves,” a favorite song of many of his fans.  Here’s the link to the song on YouTube with the beautiful lyrics below:

“The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold

Since you went away, the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all, my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

Since you went away, the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all, my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall.”
May you have an exceptional season, whether today is the beginning of spring or fall for you.
Photo from one year ago today, March 21, 2017:
The sun peeked out for a few hours while we were in Manly, Australia making our way to the ferry to head to the immigration office regarding our “illegal” status. For more details, please click here.

Part 2…Harrowing, exciting and frustrating day in Kruger National Park…A staple gun dictated “safari luck!”

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This baby zebra leaned into mom as we stopped for a photo. For all we knew, we could have been the first humans she’d ever seen.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Shortly after we returned, several kudus stopped by to say hello.

To make heads or tails of today’s story, it is essential to read yesterday’s post, which may be found here. Today’s post is a continuation of our harrowing and yet exciting day in Kruger National Park, and yesterday’s post explains the comment in the heading, “a staple gun dictated “safari luck…”

In one of yesterday’s closing paragraph’s we wrote: “But tomorrow, we’ll share the balance, a story of making mistakes, taking wrong roads and choosing a ridiculous shortcut that only cost us more time and frustration, all of which we must admit, was softened by this scene of the elephants…”,

Zebras and baby were wandering down the dirt road.

And mistakes we made that day, one of which was venturing out on those awful dirt roads in a highly unsuitable little car which was designed to take the battering of the washboard roads, not unlike its passengers during the harrowing drive.

At several points on the dirt roads, we heard a rattling in the car, even at the low speeds we were traveling, that sounded as if something was going to fall out or off of the vehicle. 

A male zebra posing for a photo.

We both stayed as calm as we could but were thinking the same thing…what if the older little car broke down and we were stranded on this remote road?  Yes, we had a SIM card in my phone, which was almost fully charged (the phone charger outlet in the car doesn’t work).  And there was an emergency phone number we could have called in the back in the park’s map book.

But, the thought of sitting in a broken-down rental car waiting to be rescued was not appealing to either of us.  Even while Tom slowed to a snail’s pace, the rattling continued. So we continued, stopping only when we finally made it to the gate after driving for hours, to travel the mere 60 km (37 miles) to reach the Malelane Gate. Turning in our paperwork and getting on a paved road couldn’t have been more of a relief.

After we spotted the elephants crossing the road after we’d decided to head to the Malelane Gate when the Crocodile Bridge was blocked for hours by a stuck boat trailer, we encountered this lone giraffe.

We’d never entered or exited Kruger at the Malelane Gate. We hadn’t been to Malelane since our arrival in South Africa over five weeks ago. Four years ago, we had a great dinner there while chickens wandered about the interior of the restaurant. We remembered that about Malelane. (See that link here from December 22, 2013)

Once outside the gate, we watched for roadsigns indicating how to return to Marloth. We saw one sign that read Komatipoort, and that seemed the right direction for us.  Somehow we missed the sign for N4.

A warthog family on the rough dirt road on the way to the Malelane Gate.

After the awful drive, we were exhausted and distracted.  Plus, there are very few road signs that point to Marloth Park. Why we stayed on the main highway R570, we’ll never know, when in fact, we needed N4.

We drove for over 32 km (20 miles) one way in error before we realized, in the pouring rain, that we didn’t recognize any of the names of upcoming towns such as Pig’s Peak and Jeppe’s Reef.  We’d driven almost to Swaziland! We had to backtrack the 32 km to return to Malelane to get to N4 and Marloth Park.

This warthog appears to have been rolling in mud as she hangs out with male impala.

Suddenly, it dawned on me that we did have a map in the glovebox. Oh, what a day! For some reason, we thought we only had maps for Marloth Park and Kruger. In checking out the map, we realized our error.

We noticed on the map that we’d pass Hectorspruit, a small town between Malelane and Marloth. Big mistake! Once on the road heading back N4, we encountered a sign indicating a route to Hectorspruit, a shortcut, according to the map.

The rough washboard road seemed as if it would never end. It took us hours to get out of the park.

If we thought the washboard dirt roads in Kruger were terrible, we were in for a big surprise. The road from R570 to Hectorspruit to N4 was, by far, the worst paved road we’d ever driven on of all of the above. 

Talk about potholes!  There were deep potholes every meter (every few feet), many we couldn’t see until a tire dropped into one after another, with nowhere else on the road or the shoulder to drive, and for us, after the harrowing day, no turning back.

More elephants were spotted at quite a distance.  We continued on the road.

During that horrific half-hour drive, we bounced, rattled, and practically rolled in the pothole clusters that occupied the entire road. Only our friends and readers in this area can grasp the severity of this road had they ever had the misfortune to travel on it.

 Yes, we know this is Africa, and indeed, our comments aren’t tendered as complaints. However, they are tendered as to our failure to find our way back to Marloth Park more diligently.

A few more elephant photos we’d yet to share in yesterday’s post.

Finally, we reached N4 and easily found our way back to Marloth Park. By the time we pulled into the driveway, it was almost 4:30 pm. We’d yet to put a dent in the day’s post. We still had to shower again and clean up to go out to Jabula for dinner as intended.

We decided to ditch our dinner plans, stay in and make bacon and eggs for dinner (nothing was defrosted), and spend the evening on the veranda. At one point, the much-needed rain and wind drove us indoors. But a few hours later, we had finished and uploaded the post, cooked our feeble dinner, and were able to dine outdoors during the balance of the soaking rain.

We couldn’t believe how many there were, as many as 30 to 40.

Whew!  We were grateful we’d seen the elephants crossing the road, which most certainly softened the blow of the remainder of the day. We’re curious about when and how they got that boat and trailer stuck on the Crocodile Bridge moving again. If you’ve heard anything, please let us know.

Last night in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day (Tom is Irish), we headed to Jabula for an enjoyable evening, running into friends, making new friends, enjoying the chatter with owner Dawn and helper Lynn, suddenly finding ourselves retelling this story, only to find locals practically rolling on the floor in laughter over our mishaps on the road.

A hornbill in a tree.  We spotted dozens of hornbills in Kruger.

We’re both easily able to laugh at ourselves and laugh we did along with everyone else.  Could the complex parts of these scenarios have been prevented? Should we have waited at the Crocodile Bridge for what may have been hours to have been able to get through? We’ll never know.

Should we have paid more attention to where we were in the rainstorm when we exited the Malelane Gate? Sure. Should we have avoided the pothole detour and driven further back to Malelane to get to N4? Absolutely.

A lone male impala stares as we pass by.

So here’s our story, folks. Today at 2:00, we’ll visit the home of locals we’ve met that have quite an account to share, which we’ll be posting here in a few days. Tonight, on this perfect weather day, we’re making pizza and look forward to dining on the veranda while we wait for visitors to stop by.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, March 18, 2017:

Visitors were sitting on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, enjoying the view. We had taken the Manly Ferry to come to see the opera we’d booked but arrived one day too early. At that point, we were preoccupied with our illegal immigrant status, possibly attributing to the error. Thank goodness it wasn’t one day too late. For details, please click here.

Part 1…Harrowing, exciting and frustrating day in Kruger National Park…A staple gun dictated “safari luck!”

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Upon approaching this scene, we weren’t quite sure what was going on.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Vultures in a tree in Kruger are on the lookout for a meal.
Vultures were relaxing after a meal in Kruger.
After working on yesterday’s post for only a short while and, with the sun shining on a cooler day, we said, “What the heck! Let’s head out to Kruger for a few hours and see what we can find! We’ll finish the post when we return by 1:00 pm or so.”
By 10:00 am, we were on the road. On our past entries into Kruger, we found two to three hours was plenty of time to see some wildlife, take photos, and return to our entrance point, known as the Crocodile Bridge Gate.
Upon closer inspection, it was apparent; the boat trailer couldn’t fit across the Crocodile Bridge, our means of exit after a day in the park.

There are nine entrance gates to Kruger, each of which is many kilometers from one another. If one enters one location, unless they have plans for another area, they generally exit from the same gates. 

However, like us four years ago, on our way to the Blyde River Canyon, we exited from a gate considerably further north than our entry point at the Crocodile River, which is close to Marloth Park. 

Lots of lookie-loos stopped to view and comment on the situation. Based on this scenario, there was no way anyone was getting in or out of Kruger via this bridge.

Based on our current location, it takes approximately eight minutes from Marloth Park and another 12 minutes to reach the Crocodile River gate. This 20-minute drive seems to pass quickly while we chatter with enthusiasm over entering Kruger once again.

Since we recently purchased an annual pass that pays for itself after six uses, we have no doubt it will have been a worthwhile purchase during our remaining 12 months (off and on) in Marloth Park.

This was the first of over 30 elephants we watched cross the road.  In the distance, difficult to see, was the most enormous matriarch we’d ever seen. Had we been 10 minutes earlier, we may have seen her. 

Why would we go to Kruger instead of staying in Marloth Park when we have so much wildlife right before our eyes?  If you’re one of our many newer readers, we’ll explain. In Marloth, generally, we don’t have the big five; elephant, lion, cape buffalo, leopard, and rhino.

Had we been 10 minutes later, we’d have missed the entire parade of elephants crossing the road.
However, from time to time, lions enter Marloth Park as they have most recently, so all residents must keep an eye and ear out to ensure their safety. There’s always been a ban on walking in Marloth after dark, which is particularly important right now. 
There were numerous babies of varying ages in the “parade” of elephants. We were so close, little to no zoom was required to capture these photos.

Based on the lion attack story we posted this past week on March 11th, about Jonas, who was attacked by a lion years ago, one can never be too cautious. Click here if you missed that post.

By 10:20, we presented our “documents” at the Crocodile entrance gate. After the usual five-minute processing time, including inspecting the trunk for guns, alcohol, or harmful substances, the bar was lifted, and we gained access to the park.

At first, we thought there might be a dozen, but they kept coming and coming.

There are many roads one can choose in the park, but there are only a few paved roads, which to complete in a full circle may require a full day of driving to end up back at the entrance. As a result, like many others, we choose to embark upon some of the bumpy dirt roads.

Is the viewing better on the dirt roads?  Not necessarily. The wildlife may be close to the paved road or any of the myriad bumpy dirt roads. It’s not as if the animals prefer one road or another when they are often on the roads for only a short period, preferring to head back into the bush for food, shelter, and safety.

Only one other car enjoyed the experience with us.  We were on a very bumpy dirt road many visitors to the park might have avoided.

By about noon, after we’d seen only a bit of wildlife, mostly impala, of which we have many in Marloth Park, we felt that our usual “safari luck” may not be present. We accepted this fact, acknowledging that sooner or later, such a day would occur. For once, we were about to experience less than a successful day.

With a map in hand, we planned our route to make a complete circle leading us back to the Crocodile Bridge gate with a plan to get back “home” in plenty of time to complete the day’s post and head to Jabula in time for happy hour and dinner. 

We practically held our breath as they made their way across the dirt road.

Little did we know what lay ahead. First off, the bumpy dirt road we’d chosen for the route was in poor shape with what Tom referred to as a “washboard” surface. Oh, good grief! It was bumpy indeed.

The little car rattled more than I’d ever heard a car rattle, at a few points, even amid Tom’s careful driving, sounded as it was ready to fall apart and leave itself on the road in a pile of cheap metal. 

This elephant to the left turned to look at us, wondering if we were a threat.  We were prepared to back up at any moment.

But, oh, this wasn’t the worst of it. The fact we hadn’t seen much in the way of wildlife to fuel our enthusiasm, the car’s five-speed transmission, coupled with the outrageous road, made for one unpleasant drive. Wait, more is yet to come.

Finally, once we exited the gate and neared the bridge, we couldn’t believe the scene before our eyes. The narrow one-way bridge was blocked by a car hauling a boat. The trailer became stuck between the low support posts, intended to keep vehicles from driving off the bridge into the dangerous Crocodile River (hence, its name). The trailer’s wheels were wider than the bridge itself.

After several had passed, she turned to look at us directly. Had she started moving toward us, we’d have high-tailed out of there.  Elephants have been known to topple over cars, crushing them in the process.

When we arrived at the scene, we were one of maybe three vehicles hoping to cross. Within about 10 minutes, 12 to 15 vehicles lined up with drivers and passengers getting out to check out the situation and perhaps, offer their two cents worth of advice, none of which would be effective without some major equipment coming to the scene.

We waited, waited, and waited. There was no way any of us would be getting across this bridge anytime soon. We had a decision to make…sit here and wait for what certainly would be hours or attempt to get out of the park via another route, the closest gate being Malelane Gate, 60 kilometers (37 miles) from our current location. 

She kept watching as more came across the road.

On the slow unpaved roads, we expected the drive would take an extra 90 minutes. Plus, when we exited through the Malelane Gate, we’d have another 49 kilometers (30.5 miles) to return to Marloth Park. Most likely, we’d be back at our place by 2:00 pm or so. We decided to leave rather than sit for hours at the blocked Crocodile Bridge.

Then, of course, we had to regain entrance into the park. The person handling documents didn’t speak English well and had trouble understanding why we needed to get back into the park to exit via Malelane. 

Although not the matriarch, she may have been second-in-command. When she saw this tiny elephant and another baby crossing, she focused even more.

Finally, the gate agent figured it out, and he dug out our original documents but needed to staple the paperwork together. There were no staples in his staple gun, nor the next booth, nor in the next booth, and after about five or six minutes, he rousted up some staples. It was this delay…staples…that influenced an upcoming next experience.

Little did we know or anticipate that the dirt roads we had to take to get to the Malelane Gate were considerably worse than the bumpy dirt roads we’d experienced earlier. I can honestly say we’ve never traveled on a “washboard” road to this extent. If I thought the car was falling apart earlier, this wasn’t good. We couldn’t wait for the long ride to end.

Once she saw they were safe, she backed off, joining the others on the left side of the road. We’d practically held our breath during the entire crossing, thrilled and excited for the experience.

But then…amid our frustration (no, Tom didn’t get overly grumpy, but then, I wasn’t necessarily “overly bubbly” although we both were staying on an even keel), safari luck kicked in. Before our eyes, a scene we’d experienced four years ago and had dreamed of seeing once again lie before our eyes…the dozens of elephants crossing the road as shown in today’s photos.

Had it not been for the delay in finding the staples, we would have missed it.  We couldn’t stop smiling while rapidly taking photos as we watched this magical scene transpire before us. Of course, the first thing we said was, “Safari luck” rewarded us for the harrowing drive and the delays at the Crocodile Bridge.”

Mom and baby wildebeest were walking along the road.

The story doesn’t end here. But tomorrow, we’ll share the balance, a story of making mistakes, taking wrong roads, and choosing a ridiculous shortcut that only cost us more time and frustration, all of which, we must admit, was softened by this scene of the elephants, all due to a staple gun’s missing staples. 

We never made it to Jabula for dinner last night. We’ll go tonight instead. After all, I’m married to an Irishman and today is St. Patrick’s Day (also son Richard‘s birthday. Happy b’day Richard!), and indeed we’ll have some fun at Jabula tonight!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all who celebrate and be safe in the process!

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

This cockatoo stopped by for a visit, alighting atop Bob’s medicinal Papaw tree in the yard. For more photos, please click here.

Reasonable cost of living in South Africa…Could we have forgotten our upcoming wedding anniversary?…

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This female bushbuck flipped into the air after something bit her!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A grey heron in Kruger National Park.

We arrived at Jabula for dinner last night at 6:00 pm. We’d hoped to mingle with other customers who may be sitting at the inviting bar in the restaurant.

With only one other patron in the restaurant, we found ourselves engaged in pleasant conversation with Lyn, a friend of owners Dawn and Leon, who recently started working in the popular local establishment.

This time, little Ms. Bushbuck had Helmeted Guinea Fowl join her for a visit. They also like the pellets but have to break them up to fit in their beaks.

It’s the low season now in Marloth Park, but soon, when Spring Break begins, many tourists will arrive for one or two week holidays. Few stay as long as we do. At that point, the few restaurants in MP will be busier. But, last night’s quiet experience at Jabula on a Saturday night was an isolated case.  

There was only one other couple dining while we dined at around 7:30. We moved from the bar to sit outside on the veranda, enjoying another delicious meal. Tom ordered the mixed grill with chips (fries) while I had my usual peri-peri chicken livers and a Greek salad.

Tossing pellets to three females kudus who stopped by.

Our total bill was ZAR 478 (US $40.09), which included tax and tips. Instead of ordering a glass of wine, I accidentally ordered an entire bottle of Pinot Grigio while Tom had a few bottles of Castle beer. 

Knowing I’d never drink an entire bottle of wine, I ended up taking half of it “home,” which I’ll finish tonight when our friends Lynne and Mick come for dinner. Where in the world can one go out to dinner, order an entire bottle of wine and several bottles of beer, order meals and, tender a tip for this amount?  

Female kudu eating pellets out of my hand.  They’re very gentle, but any sudden movements send them on their way.

We decided to return to Africa for a few reasons: primarily to fulfill my dream of returning to Marloth Park, my favorite place in the world, and two, to “lick our wounds” after the expensive Antarctica cruise. Our mission is fully being realized. 

The cost of living here is more reasonable than anywhere we’ve lived in the world. By the time we leave Africa next March, we’ll have recovered the entire cost of the Antarctica cruise by spending so much less on our monthly expenses.

She stopped eating from my hand and decided to go after the container!

There will be the added expenses of the tours we’re planning in the next few months when we’ll visit a few other countries on the continent, after which we’ll return to Marloth on each occasion.

Last night, as we chatted in the bar, we remembered that our wedding anniversary is coming up on March 7th. We’ve been having such fun. Lately, we could easily have forgotten the anniversary! Ironically, this anniversary is less critical than the October 31st anniversary we celebrate with enthusiasm each year. 

We adore this large full-grown male who stops by every few days.  He likes eating the pellets off the edge of the veranda, which prevents him from having to bend down with his heavy “rack.”

It was on that date in 2012 that we began our journey…a day of liberation from “stuff” and “work” and a day to celebrate our “stepping outside the box” to live our retirement years to the fullest. But, this coming Wednesday, March 7th, we will celebrate our wedding anniversary with plans we made this morning and will share on Thursday with photos.

Having placed less emphasis on our wedding anniversary doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not essential to us. All of our readers know we are a very happy couple and love every moment we spend together. But, the full realization of the depth, magnitude, and meaning of our relationship didn’t fully come to fruition until we began to travel the world.

When he finishes the pellets, we put them down, and he stares at us for more.  It’s impossible to resist his request.  He’s so handsome.

It’s been through this process during the past 5 1/3  years that we’ve come to fully appreciate how compatible and loving we are as a couple. It was easy to put aside our needs as a couple in the hustle and bustle of our past lives, loaded with responsibility and stress. 

In this magical life, sharing every morsel of our day-to-day lives, our level of admiration and appreciation for one another has catapulted to a level we never dreamed possible. So, yes, we will celebrate on March 7th, as we hope and pray for many more such years to come.

Tom, coming back up the steps after he lay down a raw egg for the mongooses.

Be well.  Be happy. 

Photo from one year ago today, March 4, 2017:

We had a great time with new friends, Christina and Harold, with whom we enjoyed dinner in their Penthouse Suite the previous night. For more details, please click here.

Yesterday’s wondrous adventure…In a span of one month…From elephant seals and elephants…Who would have thunk?…

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The lines in this photo are the electrified cables separating Marloth Park Conservancy and Kruger National Park. There were 17 in this photo, but later we counted 20, including a male clearly “told” by the matriarch that he couldn’t stay with the herd. See the photo below as he wanders off.
Part 1 video.
Part 2 video.
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
Yesterday, another “band” of mongooses stopped by looking for eggs.  Of course, we complied. This mongoose decided to rest their chin on a log to take a break from the frenzy of activity.
Yesterday afternoon as we stood at the electrified fence in Marloth Park delightfully watching a 20 member “parade” (another word for a herd of elephants) at the Crocodile River, an interesting thought popped into Tom’s head…we went from observing elephant seals in Antarctica to observing elephants in South Africa in a month.
In Antarctica, one month ago, this “arrangement” of elephant seals found comfort sleeping together in a ditch. Now, here in South Africa, we are blessed to see elephants. Here’s the post from that date.
Not only did we ooh and aah over the scene before our eyes when we were out on one of our almost daily drives through the Conservancy, but we were also totally awestruck by “safari luck’s” continuing presence in our lives.
In ones and twos, they meandered down the hill to the Crocodile River.
Tom often mentions how humbled and blessed we are, not only to live this peculiar and amazing life on the move but also in the heart-pounding experiences we encounter along the way that continues to surprise us daily.
Most likely, the majority of the elephants were females.  Males are kicked out of the herd by their 12th birthday when puberty sets in.

Perhaps our enthusiasm is slightly higher than some in our attentiveness as we always strive to get the very most out of every day of our world travels, knowing full-well that someday it will end.

Female elephants stay together for life.
This may prove to be the last period we’ll spend in Africa, and of course, Antarctica was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Comparing the two experiences is tricky when they each are unique in their particular way. 
Three elephants of varying ages drinking from the river.  Check out the baby in the background!
But the reality remains, they’re very similar in producing a surge in the feel-good hormones that course through our bodies day after day. Perhaps, we’ve both become addicted to this feeling coupled with a sense of adventure we never imagined possible during these senior years of our lives. 
Perhaps, for us, it’s not unlike the surge of adrenalin that those who seek high adventure sports and activities. They don’t do it just because it “sounds fun.” They do it for the “rush.”
A youngster stopped to nurse.
We don’t need to climb Mount Everest or bungee jump for the rush. We need only to stand at the electrified fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park, as we did yesterday, fully engaged in the scene before our eye, unable to wipe the smiles off our faces. At the same time, we took distant photos and videos.
As they began to make their way back up the hill. 
No, our photos aren’t as clear as we’d like, but we were no less than 800 meters (2625 feet) from the magnificent animals, and our paltry little camera did its best to capture as much as we could, albeit shakily at times while making the two videos, we’re posting today.
After spending about an hour at the river, they began the trek back up the hill as soon as the matriarch trumpeted a loud sound.  Seeing and hearing this was beyond description.
Sure, it would be great if we had a more sophisticated camera and if I were a better photographer, but we have what we have. We are what we are, content with the small size and weight of our two identical cameras and our abilities as amateur photographers.
For short periods, smaller groups would wander off, only to connect with the more significant herd moment later.
So, today, we share what we captured yesterday with such enthusiasm and joy, hoping those of our readers who embrace wildlife and nature will find this interesting along with us.
This male was pushed aside by the others since most likely the time had come for him to go off on his own, now that he’s reached puberty.  He may find other males he’ll join or may stay alone seeking to mate. Elephant parents typically don’t stay together with their offspring. The babies stay with the moms, sisters, aunts, and matriarch.
If not, bear with us. We’ll have many more stories to tell during our extended period in Africa over this next year, with our plans to leave by next March. During this year, we’ll be moving to other properties in Marloth, visiting other countries in Africa, and continuing to meet new people and see more wildlife.
The others followed suit and make their way back up the hill.

Today, we’ll stay put during the day.  Tonight, we’re off to Jabula for dinner and easy socializing when other patrons are outrageously friendly. Tomorrow night, friends Lynne and Mick are coming for dinner. It will undoubtedly be a great weekend.  

May you have a great weekend as well!

P.S. Today, March 3rd, is World Wildlife Day. For more information, please click here.

Photo from one year ago today, March 3, 2017:
Baby Grand player piano in the living area of the Penthouse Suite on Celebrity Solstice.  The lovely couple who had booked this suite invited the two of us for a private dinner, served by the shop’s “butlers.” It was a sensational evening. Please click here for details.