Its a new day!…Whew!…

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Thick Neck/Bad Leg with mud on his horns from digging for food.

If I had to judge how I’d feel based on yesterday, today would not be a good day. But, miraculously, I awoke this morning feeling great with no pain or discomfort at all! How could that be when yesterday, after returning from having my tooth pulled when the anesthetic wore off,  I was in agony and could barely write a word here.

As it turned out, the tooth wouldn’t come out. Dr. Siingh and his assistant had to hold onto me for leverage while he yanked and pulled, only to have a small portion of the tooth come out. This was a tooth that had a root canal a few months ago that continued to hurt. He assumed it was cracked, which didn’t show on the scan.

Several bushbucks were in the garden this morning.

While I lay there wondering what would happen, I could hear him pulling out each of the root canal pins one by one. It was unnerving. Luckily I didn’t feel pain, only lots of pressure and rocking back and forth. Finally, he had to use a drill and a laser to cut away the remnants of the tooth.

Before getting the tooth out, he seated the new crown in another tooth, which went well, requiring no anesthetic. Thank goodness, that is done! It was a relief to have that resolved after the temporary crown kept falling out every few hours over the past week. Eating, drinking, and talking were a challenge.

This morning, Stringy was lying down in the garden.

Finally, the cracked tooth was out, and we were back on our way to Marloth Park from Malalane, a 35-minute drive. I had a wad of gauze in the space, biting down to stop the bleeding. After returning to the house, I had made similar wads using paper towels when we didn’t have any gauze. It didn’t seem as sanitary as gauze, but the bleeding didn’t stop for about two hours.

Then, the numbing agent wore off, and the pain began. It wasn’t perfect. I was climbing the walls. I took the prescribed Advil-type (narcotic free) pills I’d been given but got little relief all evening until finally, exhausted from the ordeal, I konked out, only awakening in pain a few times during the night.

We had to pick up Frank’s seeds from the ground. Otherwise, the bushbucks will eat them.

I’d taken the prescribed medication again before I went to sleep, but it wore off during the night, and when I awoke, it was too soon to take another. Eight hours had to pass. At 5:00 am, I played a game on my phone and drifted off back to sleep amid the discomfort. I awoke at 7:00 am, and much to my surprise, the pain was gone.

Wow! I hadn’t taken the Advil-type tablet since 11:00 pm and haven’t needed to do so today. I guess I’m recovered, just like that! I am thrilled this is over. I was dreading it for days. I haven’t had a tooth pulled in more than 54 years, shortly after my son Richard was born. In “those days,” they said a woman would lose a tooth for each child born, which has since been proven to be a wive’s tale.

Spikey’s horns are growing as he matures.

Tom had a more leisurely first day when two teeth were pulled a few weeks ago, which has since healed. When we return to Marloth Park in 15 months, he’ll see Dr. Singh get implants for both missing teeth, which shows when he smiles. My tooth was the last molar in my bottom right which doesn’t show. There is no point in doing anything about that.

As they say, “It’s hell to get old.” These issues are a by-product of aging, often resulting in problems with teeth and other body parts. But, the alternative? Nah, not so good. It’s the way it is. All we can do is continue to strive to take good care of ourselves in every possible way, some of which are easier to do than others.

In one way or another, I’m looking forward to leaving for the US again in 37 days. The roads where we’ll be staying in Apache Junction are level, allowing us to go for daily walks easily. Also, it seldom rains in the desert, and the weather will be comfortable and sunny most days during the winter months.

Regardless of how hard it is to leave Marloth Park, I keep reminding myself of the good parts we’ll enjoy being back in the US for a total of four months. And, of course, we’ll be looking forward to our future itinerary as we now consistently add to the list.

Have a happy, healthy, and fulfilling day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 14, 2020:

One year ago, this photo was posted in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #175. We were fortunate to see many rhinos while in the Maasai Mara in 2013. For more photos, please click here.

Off to the dentist once again…Busy morning in the bush…The animals are hungry!…

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A rock for a pillow.

In a few minutes, we’ll be leaving for my dentist appointment when finally, I’m having that recently root-canaled tooth pulled. It just wouldn’t stop hurting, and there was no point in adding a crown to a painful tooth. Since it’s the last molar on the bottom left and won’t be visible when I smile or laugh, pulling was the best option.

Since I had the root canal only a few months ago, Dr. Singh explained it could require “surgery” to pull it out if it doesn’t come out quickly on the first try. I am not looking forward to this.

Thick Neck/Bad Leg hangs around most of the day and night.

My plan today was to start preparing today’s post, hoping to complete it when we return. Hopefully, I will feel fine and will be able to finish the post. If not, I will write a short update, add what I have written thus far, and be back with more tomorrow. I am hoping I don’t need to take more antibiotics. I’ve had enough of them in the past year with the teeth issues.

Once I am done today, if all goes well, I won’t have to return to Dr. Singh until we return in December 2022, when I still have one silver amalgam filling in my mouth. I want to be removed, once and for all. Over the years, I’ve had all of them replaced with white porcelain.

Kudus and bushbucks in the garden this morning.

This morning was quite eventful in the garden. At one point, we had no less than 20 wild animals in the garden. Without rain yet, the bush is so dry the animals have nothing to graze upon and are subject to people like us feeding them. Several bushbucks live in our garden, always looking at us for more food. It’s heartbreaking. We can’t possibly give them enough food to get them through the day.

However, they will make it to the rainy season, from what we can tell. They all look healthy and surprisingly well-fed. On Friday night at Jabula, we met Gary, one of our neighbors, and he sees and feeds many of the same animals we see and feed. We laughed over their characteristics. Each animal has its unique personality, and it’s often easy to distinguish one from another. We all laughed about Broken Horn, This Neck/Bad Leg, and Holey Moley.

Lots of animals were looking at us this morning.

Gary wasn’t quite sure who Little is, but then again, he may not have been looking for his distinguishing marks and characteristics, which for me is hard to miss. When he approaches, he always heads to the side of the veranda, closest to where I sit. He’s very bossy and will come up onto the veranda if we don’t respond to his visit. Gosh, soon we’ll be gone, and he’ll have to find someone else to pester several times a day. (Not that I mind at all).

A few readers have written inquiring about how hard it will be on the wildlife when we leave. Once the rains come in the next month or two, everything will be green, and eating pellets and vegetables offered by humans won’t be necessary to survive. But, they are resourceful and will wander to other locations where residents are feeding.

We couldn’t toss out the carrots and pellets quickly enough.

At that point, any pellets tossed their way are comparable to treats one would give their pet, not necessary for survival but fun for us humans to show our love and devotion.

Last night, we cooked burgers on the braai, directly on the grates. This morning, a dozen or so mongooses climbed up the back of the braai and started nibbling on the remnants of the meat and fat. Soon, Vusi or Zef will arrive and clean the braai as they do each day after we’ve used it. But it’s always funny to hear the mongooses moving inside the gas braai. It’s another of those humorous experiences we discover in the bush.

As I looked out the window in the kitchen, I saw the kudus in the front garden.

Right now, three mongooses are drinking from Frank’s little container of water. As carnivores, they don’t eat seed or vegetables, but on occasion, they’ll run off with a piece of cabbage, celery, or carrots, playing with it but not eating it.

Right now, only 15 minutes before we depart for Malalane, Tom is watching overtime for last night’s Minnesota Vikings Game. If it’s not done in time for us to leave, he’ll watch it when we return later on.

When they heard the commotion in the back, they moved to the rear garden with the others.

We have returned from the dentist in Malalane. I’m not up to writing much now, but I’ll be back with more tomorrow. All went well, but right now, I think I’ll take it easy and watch the latest episode of Season 11 of The Walking Dead and lay low for the remainder of the day.

It’s a beautiful warm, not hot, sunny day. The animals returned when we did, and they were looking for pellets and seeds. We are attending to them now. Tomorrow is another day, and surely I will be fine by then.

Three kudus in the front garden munching off a little tree with greenery.

Have a pleasant day!

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

One year ago, this photo was posted in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #174. As we were sitting in our outdoor living room in Kenya that morning in 2013, while writing, seven goats jumped over their stone wall behind our garden directly into our garden, only a few feet from us. They decided to dine on the lush leaves of the hibiscus bushes in our yard. For more photos, please click here. For more photos, please click here.

Where in the world would such thoughts enter my mind?…

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Mongoose eating shrimp shells. They loved them, perhaps reminding them of eating crunchy scorpions.

Last night, as I stepped out of the car when arriving back at our house, from a delightful dinner at Jabula with Kathy and Don, I stepped in an anthill, or better yet, a termite hill, several of which surround the area of the carport and the garden. Over these past nine months, since we arrived in Marloth Park, Vusi and Zef have knocked them down, only to have them “grow” back within days.

Removing termite mounds is a pointless task, nor does it cause any issues in the house when there is no wood on the premises, only cement. We don’t get termites in the house. But, last night, when I accidentally stepped on the home of thousands of termites, I found myself feeling disappointed in myself for destroying a part of their home that now they must rebuild.

Where in the world would such thoughts enter my mind?

This morning, when I sat with Tom at the table on the veranda, sipping my coffee, one of our usual bands of mongooses arrived, chirping their funny little sounds, wondering what’s for breakfast. I ran into the house and grabbed two bags from last night’s dinner, one with bones from Tom’s rib dinner and the other with prawn shells left from Kathy and Don’s meals.

Kathy didn’t keep the shells, but now I will encourage her to do so since she and Don always have the prawns at Jabula and get several mongoose bands in their back garden None of us knew mongoose would love shrimp shells and the attached stringy legs. It was fun to watch them squeal and squeak over them when we placed them on the ground, grabbing one at a time and running off into the bush to eat in privacy. It’s funny.

Where in the world would such thoughts enter my mind?

This morning I went through the house, looking for any items sitting out over the winter months that may attract insects. It could be a flavored tube of lipstick, a moist rag left on the counter to dry, or a tiny bit of spilled sugar left when I made Tom’s blueberry muffins yesterday morning. It could be a morsel of food that missed the garbage can when I’ve been busy preparing food.

Where in the world would such thoughts enter my mind?

I’ve begun to think about packing and going through the clothing I may decide to toss before we leave here in 39 days. We’ll leave several items behind with Louise to store for our return, 14 months later. But the question becomes, which clothes require washing again when they’ll sit for several months unattended in a large plastic tote? Will they be a breeding ground for spiders, snakes, or other creepy crawlers while we’re away?

Broken Horn stops by at least two times a day, checking out what’s on the menu.

Where in the world would such thoughts enter my mind?

We never leave a dirty dish in the sink overnight. If we did, we’d awaken to find some nasty-looking critters in the sink or on the countertops. Any spills on the floor must be cleaned up immediately, or within an hour, the crumbs or fragments of food may be covered in ants. Where do they get inside? It’s hard to say.

Where in the world would such thoughts enter my mind?

I just heard a fly buzzing around my head while I was inside the house. How did it get inside? My task for today will be to find that fly and escort it outside by quickly opening a window. They most likely enter from the veranda door that doesn’t close appropriately unless we lock it, which is annoying considering how much we go in and out all day and evening. We try to avoid using insect spray any more than necessary.

We keep most windows closed, day and night, in winter and summer, to avoid insects entering the house. It’s not that we’re afraid of them. They can keep us awake at night, buzzing about our heads and the bedroom. Who needs insect bites? I’ve had my share.

Where in the world would such thoughts enter my mind?

Such thoughts as these only enter my mind while we’re in Africa. When we arrive in the US once again, none of the above will be a consideration. There will be no termite mounds to navigate, no mongoose to feed, no insects to keep at bay, and no repellent to apply to all exposed skin three times a day, including bedtime.  We’ll be able to throw open the windows and screen doors without giving it a thought.

“It’s not easy taking a nap with my tusks in the way!” says The Imposter.

This is Africa. Those who choose to come to the continent are fully aware of the risks, the challenges, and the unusual occurrences perhaps not found in their home country. Amid all of these minor inconveniences, we’re returning in December 2022, during the busy Christmas season, in the heat of summer, when temperatures may rise to 45C, 113F, when snakes are prolific, and insects and creepy crawlers are a normal part of each day. Are we nuts? No, we love the bush.

Yes, we love the bush.

Be well, everyone!

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

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in a hotel in Mumbai, India, on day #173. Hesborn, our houseman in Kenya in 2013, stopped by Wednesday morning after a whole night of rain, showed us this carnivorous, stinging, dangerous creature with less than 100 legs yet is still referred to as a centipede. He warned us not to walk in the grass after rain. These not only walk but also are known to climb up bedposts. A sting from this ugly creature will require a trip to an emergency room. For more photos, please click here.

Twenty year anniversary of 9/11…

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No photo we could post today would be of any significance on this sorrowful day.

This morning, as I stepped outdoors to see at least eight wild animals in the garden, I was reminded of how fortunate we are. Thoughts of 9/11 flooded my mind as I sat at the table and reminisced with Tom as to where we were that day in 2001, and the moment we discovered the news, and how devastated and angst-ridden we were for many days and months to follow.

No, we didn’t lose anyone we loved in the devastation, but surely each of us in the US and many throughout the world felt the immense sorrow coupled with fear for the future. Now, as we’ve traveled, we’ve found that many in other countries have expressed the impact it had on their lives as well.

And for those who lost loved ones, co-workers, and friends, we offer our heartfelt condolences over your loss and the lingering sorrow you must still be feeling 20 years later. That type of grief never leaves us, imprinting an image we can’t erase, even as the years pass.

Glued to the TV for weeks, none of us could escape the horrific scenes, replayed over and over, each time, creating more profound wounds while escalating the fears associated with this terrible event in history. Time doesn’t heal these wounds, especially for those who lost someone they loved or even knew.

And for the first responders, many of whom have passed away from the ravages caused by their heroic involvement and support during the nightmarish event, and many with lingering and devastating health consequences, that have taken away their quality of life, as well as that of their loved ones and caregivers.

We offer condolences for the loved ones, co-workers, and friends and the children, now grown, who were never allowed to know their parent who was snatched away on this date, 20 years ago.

And now, today, we are entrenched in another disaster of epic proportions, whether you “believe” the numbers of lost soles or not, to Covid-19, an entirely different kind of devastation that has impacted millions throughout the world. These lives are no less significant and meaningful to loved ones than those lost on September 11, 2001.

When we were in lockdown for ten months in Mumbai, India, we watched in horror footage on the news of intubated Covid-19 patients lying on army cots in parking lots when all the hospitals were filled, and there was no alternative for these sick patients. This was a devastation that, in my heart and mind, impacts me very similarly to 9/11. People were lost. People loved them.

Today, it was impossible to post a few animal photos and share the infinitesimal details of our lives when we were experiencing this profound date…9/11 and the past 20 months with the loss of 4,632,374 people worldwide Covid-19. We can believe these numbers or choose not to, but the reality remains that now, few of us have not been personally impacted by the loss of life, the changed manner in which we live our lives, and the uncertainty of times to come.

Regardless of an illness, an accident, a crime, or an injustice, every lost life matters to someone who knew and loved them. Today, we bow our heads in quiet contemplation over the loss of those souls. At the same time, we all thank God, our higher power, the universe, or whatever one believes, for the gift of life, the opportunity to heal, and the realization of our purpose in this world and to one another.

May we all find peace in this “touchless’ society in which we now live and reach out to one another in our hearts.

Photo from one year ago today, September 11, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in hotel lockdown for ten months in Mumbai, India, on day #172. We spotted these flowers in Kenya in 2013, known as Plumeria, also known as Frangipani, also grown in Hawaii, where we were 15 months later. For more photos, please click here.

Busy weekend in the bush…

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Tom was tossing pellets to Broken Horn and a young male kudu we call Medium Daddy.

This morning, we awoke to our usual band of mongoose looking for meat and fat, which we’d cut up into bite-sized pieces after last night’s beef roast Tom had for dinner. I have been eating soft foods until the loose temporary crown gets replaced on Monday when we return to Dr. Singh in Malalane.

Moments later, Broken Horn arrived in his ceremonious manner, scooting every other animal in his path to leave a clear spot in the garden for “his” pellets and carrots. A mongoose grabbed a big chunk of carrot, carrying it to the cement on the side of the pool, banging it over and over again, assuming he could crack it open to see what was inside. This always makes us laugh.

There are about 24 helmeted guinea-fowls that occupy our garden most days and in the early evening until they take off to hunker down for the night.

After a while, a warthog approached him and snatched the chunk of carrot, eating it while making loud crunching noises. It’s a laugh and fun fest every hour of every day. Now, as the days dwindle to our departure, I can avoid feeling sad about leaving, knowing we’ll return 14 months later.

Now, with this peace of mind, I can allow myself to embrace our upcoming trip to Arizona while we stay put for three months in Apache Junction until we fly to Florida in February for Karen and Rich’s wedding.

There were nine kudus in the garden, certainly not the most we’ve seen at once but enjoyable to see.

While we are in Arizona,  I plan to meet up with my sister Julie (who lives in LA) to spend a few days in Scottsdale. We will drive to the airport to pick her up when she arrives, head to our planned hotel where he’ll drop us off. He’ll return to Apache Junction to spend time with his sisters while I am away and then pick me up when it’s time to drop Julie at the airport to return to LA. Julie and I hadn’t had much alone time together except when she came to visit us in Kauai in 2015.

We wish we could go to Minnesota, but it will be the worst of the winter there while in the US, so we may not head there this time. However, we may be returning to the US at the end of the booked cruise from Tokyo to Seattle in the spring, a much better time to go to Minnesota. As always, we have to wait and see what happens with Covid-19.

This “forkl” of kudus consisted of eight females and one young male shown in the forefront.

While cases of Covid-19 escalate to some of the highest-ever levels, we’ll be somewhat isolated in Arizona in the retirement community. Few “snow-birds” will have arrived while we’re there, and many, with fears of Covid-19, may stay away during the upcoming winter. There are still many cases of Covid-19 in Arizona, which is in the #10 position of the most cases of all states in the USA.

Of course, while in Arizona,  we’ll avoid crowds and large gatherings and wear our masks anytime we go shopping or to public places. We hope to be able to get vaccine boosters while in Arizona at some point, based on the fact we had the one-jab Johnson & Johnson on the first of July, which means six months will have passed since the original jab by the end of December while we’re still in Arizona. Such a booster for J & J has yet to be determined.

Kudus are gentle and relatively non-aggressive, but caution must be exercised. They are wild animals and rather large, with males possessing massive, dangerous horns.

Tonight, as always, we’re heading to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for dinner. We usually arrive at 5:00 pm (1700 hours) and hang around at the bar, chatting with owners Dawn and Leon and any other guests who happen to stop in. We are careful to maintain safe distances from other guests, particularly those we don’t know who may not have been vaccinated. A few hours later, we head out to the veranda to sit at a table for our meal at dinner-time. On occasion, we may eat at the bar.

Tomorrow night, Kathy and Don will join us for yet another evening at Jabula. Again, we’ll arrive at 5:00 pm, but they usually arrive at 6:00 pm. They are less inclined to sit at the bar and prefer having drinks and food at a table on the veranda. This works fine for us, giving us a little schmoozing time at the bar ahead of their arrival.

After most of the females wandered off, this lone young male and Broken Horn hung around for a while.

Sunday will be a low-key day.  We’ll stay in, make Sunday dinner while I’ll continue to spend the better part of the day working on corrections. I am on a roll right now, getting through a full page of 20 posts each day or more. At this rate, I have 48 pages of 20 posts to complete. As of today, there are 41 days until we leave for Arizona. I am hoping to be done by the time we go here on October 21st. It’s a lofty goal but doable.

Well, folks, not much excitement around here right now, but we are content. We have power, WiFi, lots of visitors, lots of friends, and the weather will be cool, up until next Tuesday, according to the 10-day forecast. I have a few itching mozzie bites at this time, and we haven’t seen any snakes or many venomous insects in the house. What more could we ask for, living in the bush?

Oops, I have to go! Frank is back looking for his seeds, and Broken Horn is barking from the garden, looking for pellets and carrots! I’d better get this show on the road!

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 10, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in hotel lockdown for ten months in Mumbai, India, on day #171. As we wandered through the busy local farmer’s market, open daily, it was hard to decide which vendor to choose for our purchases. We purchased the following for FJD 22, $10.12: two red bell peppers (also called capsicum here); six medium-sized aubergines (eggplant); three heads of cabbage; and eight large carrots. For more photos, please click here.

Fantastic new cruise bookings…

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  1. Azamara
    10 Nights – Azamara (Athens/Piraeus – Lisbon)
    Cruise Line: Azamara
    Ship Name: Azamara Journey Star Rating
    Cruise Length: 10 NightsDeparture Date: 11/19/2022
    Embarkation Port: Athens/Piraeus, GreeceReturn Date: 11/29/2022
    Disembarkation Port: Lisbon, Portugal
Sailing Itinerary
Date Port of Call Arrival Departure
11/19/2022 Athens/Piraeus — 05:00 PM
11/20/2022 Cruising — —
11/21/2022 Valletta 08:00 AM 10:00 PM
11/22/2022 Trapani 11:00 AM 07:00 PM
11/23/2022 Cagliari 08:00 AM 06:00 PM
11/24/2022 Cruising — —
11/25/2022 Cartagena/Spain 08:00 AM 05:00 PM
11/26/2022 Malaga 08:00 AM 10:00 PM
11/27/2022 Gibraltar 07:30 AM 02:00 PM
11/28/2022 Lisbon 01:00 PM —
11/29/2022 Lisbon — —

When we booked the cruise listed below, and Tom noticed the above cruise for a back-to-back, starting in Athens on November 19, 2022, a mere 14 months from now, he suggested we also book this cruise, adding ten more days our itinerary.  It may not seem like adding ten days is a significant benefit, but with our desire to cruise as much as we can afford over the next few years, added some cruise ports we’ve yet to visit, it made all the sense in the world.

On this same ship, on 11/29/2022, we’ll change cabins and continue on the even more exciting second leg of this cruise, Lisbon to Cape Town, enabling us to return to South Africa and Marloth Park for a possible six more months with one visa stamp required for each of us, after the first three months.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, this cruise, which we’d booked in the past and was canceled due to Covid-19, now has a slightly different itinerary but still fulfills our goals of visiting more countries in Africa and, above all, ending in Cape Town, South Africa on December 20, 2022, where will stay for a few nights and then head back to Marloth Park.

Here is the price summary of this first cruise. Notice the high amounts for taxes and fees.

Price Summary
Traveler 1 Traveler 2 Total
Cruise Package $3,439.00 $3,439.00 $6,878.00
Taxes and Fees $175.97 $175.97 $351.94
Total Package Price $3,614.97 $3,614.97 $7,229.94

Based on previous bookings, we’ll need to change cabins between the two cruises. This isn’t a problem for us. We can pack and unpack in a matter of about 30 minutes. Below is the itinerary for the second cruise on the same ship:

Azamara
21 Nights – Azamara (Lisbon – Cape Town)
Cruise Line: Azamara
Ship Name: Azamara Journey Star Rating
Cruise Length: 21 NightsDeparture Date: 11/29/2022
Embarkation Port: Lisbon, PortugalReturn Date: 12/20/2022
Disembarkation Port: Cape Town, South Africa
Sailing Itinerary
Date Port of Call Arrival Departure
11/29/2022 Lisbon — 05:00 PM
11/30/2022 Cruising — —
12/01/2022 Funchal 08:00 AM 06:00 PM
12/02/2022 Tenerife 01:00 PM 10:00 PM
12/03/2022 Cruising — —
12/04/2022 Cruising — —
12/05/2022 Dakar 08:00 AM 08:00 PM
12/06/2022 Banjul 07:30 AM 03:00 PM
12/07/2022 Cruising — —
12/08/2022 Cruising — —
12/09/2022 Abidjan 01:30 PM 07:00 PM
12/10/2022 Takoradi 08:00 AM 06:00 PM
12/11/2022 Cruising — —
12/12/2022 Cruising — —
12/13/2022 Cruising — —
12/14/2022 Luanda 08:00 AM 04:30 PM
12/15/2022 Cruising — —
12/16/2022 Cruising — —
12/17/2022 Walvis Bay 06:30 AM 10:00 PM
12/18/2022 Cruising — —
12/19/2022 Cruising — —
12/20/2022 Cape Town 06:00 AM —

Here is the price summary of this first cruise.

Price Summary
Traveler 1 Traveler 2 Total
Cruise Package $7,439.00 $7,439.00 $14,878.00
Taxes and Fees $351.04 $351.04 $702.08
Total Package Price $7,790.04 $7,790.04 $15,580.08

This second cruise is more expensive, based on its 21-nights as opposed to the first cruise’s ten nights.

Also, for each of these two cruises, by booking through Costco, using our US $60/year (ZAR 878) membership card we’d purchased while in the US only a few months ago, we are receiving the following Costco gift cards: the first one for  US $545 (ZAR 7743) and the second for US $1210 (ZAR 17192).
So far, after booking five cruises through Costco, we’ve accumulated US $4390 (ZAR 62047). We still get all the perks offered by the cruise line as if we’d booked directly through them or another agency. The gift cards are added perks only offered by Costco. As mentioned in an earlier post, gift cards cannot be used for future cruises, rental cars, and airfare, although some package tours may be possible. We have no doubt we won’t have trouble finding products for which we’ll use the gift cards. Also, customers won’t receive the gift cards until a few weeks after each cruise has sailed for apparent reasons.
These two cruises each offer US $1000 (ZAR 14137) cabin credit to be used at our discretion during the cruises. Premium drinks are included, along with taxes and gratuities. Most likely, we’ll use a portion of the cabin credits for unlimited  WiFi for two devices.
Of course, all of the above is subject to the status of the pandemic at the time of sailing. One never can plan anything for sure during times of Covid-19.
There they are, folks, our two new bookings. At this point, we have eight cruises booked, but we are questioning if the first three cruises around Japan, upcoming in February 2022, will be canceled due to Covid-19. As always, only time will tell.
Dare to go for the adventure! We’ve all sat around too much!
Photo from one year ago today, September 9, 2020:
This photo was posted one year ago while in hotel lockdown for ten months in Mumbai, India, on day #170. This batch of vegetables was KES (Kenya Shillings) $150, US $1.72. The more we travel, the more we are amazed by, the lower cost of food in other countries compared to the US. For more photos, please click here.

New bookings…We’re excited for the future!…To vaccinate or not…

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Flowers bloom in the front garden on a cloudy day.

Right now, there is nowhere in the world that appeals to us more than the countries we’ll see on cruises we’ve never sailed on in the past. For us, visiting new countries adds so much to our worldwide experiences. During the pandemic, seeing countries via cruises might prove to be easier and more sensible than flying all over the world.

Although some cruise lines are allowing a certain percentage of unvaccinated passengers, looking at the future, that option may be a thing of the past. No vaccination? No cruise! The long delays at airports, layovers, and packed airplanes seem riskier than mingling about a cruise ship, especially if every passenger must be vaccinated.

In essence, whether we agree with this philosophy or not becomes irrelevant in today’s world. The bigger question is; how badly do we want to participate in specific venues allowing us to experience a wide array of travel options? Or, would we rather stay put and let this pandemic dictate what we can and can’t do regarding travel?

These look like gladiolus. Spring is in the air.

If we wanted to continue with our journey, we had no choice but to be vaccinated. We weren’t going to deny ourselves the opportunity to continue with our travel dreams to make a social point that no one would care about anyway. As many stand firm, avoiding the jab, they may just be preventing themselves from engaging in the world’s vast offerings. And for what? To rally for personal freedoms?

We’d feel more like prisoners if we weren’t allowed to fly on an airplane, attend a concert, or, in our case, keep traveling the world. Life is short. We are old. We don’t want to spend the “golden years” locked down, in quarantine, and unable to participate in the activities we’ve chosen in the past.

Are there risks in getting vaccinated? Yes, most certainly. But the risks for us are no more significant than the risks we’ve taken over our almost nine years of world travel, being vaccinated (along with boosters) for dozens of potentially lethal illnesses that could occur to us while traveling from country to country. Although minor, we had a few reactions to some of them that never required medical care. We never felt the government of anyone else was trying to “control us.”

Peculiar bulbs were growing out of a cactus plant.

As my favorite motivational speaker, Anthony Robbins, always stated in his seminars and books:

“THE POWER OF REFRAMING

Perspective is a powerful thing. When you can reframe a particular experience or interaction, you can often change what happens as a result.” 

This message hit home with me when I attended many of his seminars in the 1980s and 1990s. It’s not always easy to change our perspective, but it becomes our only option if fulfillment and happiness are our primary objectives when we seek a different outcome.

So, as world travelers, we decided to toss aside the temptation to surround ourselves with conspiracy theories and do exactly what makes us the most fulfilled and happy. For now, it was being vaccinated and continuing our exquisite world journey.

These look like inpatients, which are popular for shady areas in the US.

With our changed perspective, we’ve decided that cruising provides us with the highest degree of satisfaction during times of Covid-19 and, as we’ve done most recently, spend precious time in one of our favorite places in the world Marloth Park, South Africa.

Thus, in achieving this perspective, yesterday we booked two more cruises, the second of which sails to Cape Town, South Africa, arriving on December 20, 2022, a mere 15½ months from now. From Cape Town, where we’ll spend a day or two, we’ll fly to Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger Airport and drive the 90 minutes back to Marloth Park.

No words can express how thrilled we are with this new plan. Yesterday, we informed Louise we’ll be back before Christmas in 2022 and save this house for us. We hope to stay another six months, with only one side trip required to renew our visas. No, we don’t know how the pandemic will roll out over the next few years. But we choose optimism. We choose hope. We choose not to allow this pandemic to hold us back any further.

Spending ten months in lockdown in a hotel room in Mumbai, India, taught us something that remains profound today…seek to live every day to the fullest, strive to accept situations over which we have no control, and seek to embrace each other and the gift of travel we’ve chosen as our fate during these waning years of life.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the pricing, itinerary, and information on these two new bookings. Thank you for being here with us.

Photo from one year ago today, September 8, 2020:

This photo was from Almanara Resort’s restaurant in Diani Beach, Kenya, in 2013, posted one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #169. This fantastic array of seafood was all grilled and seasoned to perfection. It contained lobster, prawns, octopus, squid, snapper, and a few chewy wormy-looking items I didn’t recognize but ate anyway. Need I say that I cleaned this plate as well? For more photos, please click here.

It didn’t turn out quite the same as expected…More new exciting bookings…

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Broken Horn and Hal in a bit of scuffle over pellets this morning.

For days I was dreading the prospect of having my tooth pulled, only to discover that Dr. Singh decided to wait until next week when he seated a crown on another tooth that needed a crown replaced. That way, I wouldn’t have to have the anesthetic injections all over my mouth.

I appreciated his consideration. He prepared the bicuspid with the old crown, leaving me with a temporary crown until following Monday when he’ll seat the new crown and, afterward, pull the molar resulting in the necessity of only one injection. He had decided on a good plan suitable for me. A little over an hour later, I was out the door to find Tom waiting in the car for me. All seemed OK.

A closer view of Broken Horn and Hal.

After returning home, while preparing dinner, I felt an odd sensation in the tooth with the temporary crown. It reminded me of when I was a kid and a baby tooth was loose, ready to pop out. Oh, goodness, the crown was loose. There will be no Tooth Fairy these days.

Of course, I went to Dr. Google to find solutions on a reputable US national dental site to see if it was no big deal if the temporary falls out, preferably, not swallowed. I contacted Dr. Singh this morning, and he said, no worries, push it back in. It seems I have to do this every few hours but again, no big deal, until the following Monday. He said if it ultimately falls out, do not use dental glue. Either keep it out or push it back up there.

Moments later, they were getting along quite well.

Well, based on the placement of the tooth in my mouth, if it falls out, I will be pushing it back again. I don’t want to look like a “snaggle tooth” when I smile. I told Tom I could wear my mask when we are around people. See, those masks can be handy for more than Covid-19!

I’m OK with the new dental plan and hope to put all of this behind me soon. I only have one more tooth in my mouth with a silver filling and will have him replace that with white porcelain before we return to the US on October 21st. I wouldn’t say I like having dental work, but I have spent my entire life taking good care of my teeth, and I’m not stopping now. It will be a significant relief to have all of this done here soon. The total cost for the crown was US $318, ZAR 4560, a far cry from what it would cost in the US.

Several female kudus stopped by for a snack.

In the past few hours, Tom booked two more cruises. We are so excited and will share the details in tomorrow’s post. I can’t tell you how enthused we are to be building an itinerary once again. Before too long, we’ll make a new itinerary list to share here. It’s been a very long time since we’ve done that!

It’s been a hectic morning in the bush. I didn’t get started on todays’ post until three hours later than usual. But, it’s been worth every moment. What awoke us this morning was a barking sound coming from the garden. I jumped up to look out the bedroom window, and there was Broken Horn, asking for his pellets and carrots breakfast.

There are always several bushbucks hanging around in our garden.

We both jumped up to ensure he got his requested meal laughing all the while. A short time later, while we were both in the kitchen, we heard the funny chirping of the mongooses, only to find two they had stuck their noses in the door and managed to get inside the house. We scooted them back outside while Tom proceeded to cut up paloney for them. They were thrilled. Again, we found ourselves laughing out loud.

Four kudus, eight bushbucks, six pigs, Frank, and dozens of helmeted guinea-fowls later, we got back to the business of figuring out our future travels. As you can imagine, getting back to Marloth Park sometime in the future was certainly on our minds. Tomorrow, we’ll share if, how, and when we may return in the next few years. It makes me smile from ear to ear.

A mongoose was drinking from a puddle on the veranda floor after Vusi had hosed it down.

That’s the news for today, folks. We hope every one of you stays healthy and hopeful for the future, whether it’s travel plans you are longing to book or peace of mind into the new year. We are always thinking of you and appreciating how you’ve stayed with us throughout the years.

We’re not done yet!!!

Photo from one year ago today, September 7, 2020:

This photo was from a  post from one year ago while in lockown in Mumbai, India, on day #168. The kingpin goat at the holiday home in Diani Beach, Kenya, in 2013. He nuzzled up to Hans when we entered the gate, remembering his early days when Hans fed him with a baby bottle. For more photos, please click here.

Off to the dentist for a tooth extraction…

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Pretty female kudu at Frikkee’s Dam.

Sorry, but no new photos today. We’ve been preoccupied with online research and will get back to taking photos soon.

I wouldn’t say I like going to the dentist, especially when the appointment is about anything more than a standard cleaning, which isn’t too bad. Today, my last molar on the bottom right will be extracted after an unsuccessful root canal that wouldn’t heal. Each time I brushed my teeth, it hurt, indicating the tooth had to go after two months had passed since the root canal was done, along with a recent round of more antibiotics.

Soon, at 10:15 am,  we’ll make the 35 to 40-minute drive, depending on Monday morning traffic which can be a real issue on the N4 due to an endless stream of trucks and never-ending road construction.

Thank goodness I didn’t allow myself to fuss over this upcoming appointment during the night, and I had plenty of sleep for a change. It was only about a month ago when Tom had two teeth pulled that were beyond repair. His fast recovery is encouraging, but then again, everyone is different.

The last time I had a tooth pulled was in 1967, after the birth of my first son. They said women would lose a tooth for each child they carried in those days, which proved to be a “wives tale.” They assumed the growing fetus depleted the calcium in the mother’s body during pregnancy resulting in the loss of a tooth.

In the realm of things, having one tooth pulled is no big deal. Can we even imagine how horrible having a tooth extracted was a hundred years ago or more?  I shouldn’t give it another thought. But, as a borderline dental phobic, I don’t go into this procedure with ease and confidence.

Yesterday, I prepped tonight’s dinner for Tom and planned to have scrambled eggs or something similar for myself. We’ll see how it goes. As for the remainder of the day, I hope to feel well enough to proceed, as usual, working on more corrections as soon as today’s post is uploaded.

At this point, I have 50 more days required to complete the corrections, which will be finalized just about the time we arrive in Arizona. After doing these for over a year, I can’t tell you how thrilled I will be to have this behind me. Almost every afternoon during the past year, I’ve been working on them. After all, there have been over 3300 posts since we began posting in March 2012.

Right now, I have about 1000 left. Recently I increased the pace and can manage to do 20  post corrections per day, an increase from my previous 10. Sure, I’ve missed some days here and there and don’t fuss about it, but it’s often on my mind after uploading the new daily post.

Since I don’t have to concentrate quite as much while doing the corrections, as opposed to preparing a new post, I usually have a podcast or movie in the background on a split-screen. It helps me to stay entertained during the tedious process. I can’t imagine how wonderful it will feel in the future to have my afternoons free to do whatever I’d like.

In Arizona, the roads are evenly paved, and I will begin walking outside each day. I may do it comparably to the process I did in India while in lockdown by getting up and walking every hour, rather than one long walk. I will listen to podcasts as I’d done in those long corridors. Plus, it helps to get up out of a chair and move every hour instead of going out once a day.

I am looking forward to walking again, which I haven’t done much while in Marloth Park with the uneven pothole-ridden dirt roads. The cool crisp air in Arizona in the wintertime is pleasant for walking outdoors.

So, that’s it for today, dear readers. We hope you have a pleasant day. We’ll be back with updates tomorrow.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 6, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while we were in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #167. There we were, at last, in Kenya, Africa, on this date in 2013. We were hot and sweaty as we embarked on our first walk outside the gated complex, onto the main road, definitely a daytime-only event. For more photos, please click here.

This morning’s first ever event in the bush with photos!!!…Wow!…

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We scurried indoors when this Big Daddy came right up to the door from the house to the veranda.

To all of our friends/readers in the US, we wish all of you a safe and pleasurable Labor Day weekend. Please drive safely, observe local Covid-19 restrictions and enjoy time with family and friends, cooking outdoors, fishing, boating, or whatever you choose to do during the long holiday weekend.

It was shocking to see how brave they were in approaching us. We stayed clearly out of range the entire time they were here.

As for the weekend here in the bush, Marloth Park is relatively quiet with some holidaymakers, mainly from South Africa, who have come to escape life in the big city and relax peacefully in the bush. Nowhere in the world have we’ve ever been offered the depth of serenity and peace than Marloth Park.

There wasn’t a lot we could do when he approached us, other than getting behind the door. If we tried to scare him off, he could have used his massive horns on us.

Although from time to time that may vary due to visit by those select few who see this magical place as a “party town” where there is minimal police presence with many opportunities to go wild, drinking, to drive fast, and to have little regard for others seeking the peacefulness of living among the wildlife.

I accidentally dropped a carrot which he couldn’t quite reach. He came around to the other side to get it.

Fortunately, where we are located, the property backing up to Lionspruit, we rarely hear any noise other than the weekday construction work on a house across the road. In Marloth Park, there are strict regulations about weekend and evening construction noises to avoid disturbing visitors and the wildlife. Most comply or face fines.

He was contemplating how to get the carrot before he came onto the veranda.

This morning, as I struggled to get out of bed after staying up until after midnight with only about 5 hours’ sleep, Tom came to the bedroom, hoping I hadn’t gone back to sleep to tell me to hurry and come outside. He didn’t want to awaken me if I dozed back off. But, I was wide awake playing a fun word game on my phone.

Such beautiful and majestic creatures! See how he was checking out the bag of carrots.

I bolted out of bed to head directly to the veranda, and there they were…four mature Big Daddy kudus, seeing what we had for breakfast. We couldn’t have been more thrilled. Sure, we get one or two Big Daddies from time to time. But, four was something we’d never seen.

There they were, the four adult male kudus munching on pellets we tossed into the garden.

Quickly, I ran to the kitchen for the remaining carrots from the considerable bag we’d purchased at the market last week, and we both started tossing thick, whole carrots in their direction. They gobble them up in minutes, leaving us grabbing for pellets to throw onto the ground. As always, we never feed wildlife by hand, especially not Big Daddies with their enormous horns that could easily eviscerate a human in seconds.

Kudus are not violent animals, but they can startle easily, push one another, or lunge unintentionally. Besides leopards, the occasional lion, or warthogs with razor-sharp tusks, they are the most dangerous wildlife in Marloth Park. Even the adorable male bushbucks who visit us all day and night are extremely dangerous with sharp and long horns. One can never be too careful around any wild animal.

Broken Horn was in the background, but he seemed to get along well with the Big Daddies.

It was quite a delightful experience to be among them. We felt very fortunate to be privy to this amazing visit. And even if they never return together again, we are grateful for the opportunity to witness such magnificence.

Last night, our friends Fiona and Alan came for dinner. Alan is a prolific writer of outstanding published books on Marloth Park. He is a wealth of stories and information about this magical place after living here for 20 years, and the time spent with the two of them is rife with fantastic wildlife and human stories.

They rarely picked up their heads for full-face photos.

We had a lovely evening on the veranda with them, with our new speaker spewing out music to highlight the evening. We kept the speaker indoors (not too loud) to avoid making too much noise in the bush. The dinner turned out well, and the evening flowed with ease. As always, I was glad I’d prepared so much of the meal in advance.

We had various visitors while they were here, primarily warthogs, bushbucks, and many mongooses, who’ve been hanging around with us for days. Once they arrived, we savored the starters. We then put the meat on the braai, cooked the rice, reheated the roast vegetables, and tossed the salad with the homemade dressing. We sent them home with a “doggy bag” of leftovers.

Hmm…another lovely weekend here in Marloth Park. Tomorrow morning, I have an appointment with Dr. Singh to have that problematic tooth pulled. If we haven’t posted before leaving here at 10:15 for the long drive, hopefully, I’ll feel well enough to wrap it up when we return.

Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today. September 5, 2020:

DSC03486
We posted this photo one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #166. We visited Blarney Castle as a port of call on a cruise in 2015. For more, please click here.