Sitting Kills…Moving helps with health and stress…

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While living in Atenas, Costa Rica, in October 2017, we experienced quite a tropical storm. Please click here for that day’s post.
 
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A waterbuck at the Crocodile River.

Today’s photos were all from our post from one year ago on this date. Again, we’re disappointed to be posting many photos we’ve already posted in the past, but right now, we have no other options when we never step out the door to take photos.

It would be nice to get some fresh air, but now the temperature in India is rising, and humidity is high and uncomfortable. At the moment, with our room being cleaned, we’re situated in the lobby on comfortable furniture, but it’s scorching in this area.
 

The ceilings in the lobby and dining room are very high, and to keep costs down during the lockdown, the aircon is turned off in all the common areas, including the corridors. We aren’t complaining. We are just happy to be here.

Hippos in the Crocodile River.

After sitting here in the lobby and the hot dining room during breakfast and dinner, we’re both hot and sweaty, looking forward to returning to our fabulous room. Our room bakes with the curtains open, and we often consider keeping the sun-blocking drapes shut during daylight hours.

But, it’s imperative to have sunlight in our eyes during the daylight hours to maintain our circadian rhythm to allow for a good night’s sleep. Thus, we keep the darkening drapes open until darkness falls.

A female lion on the prowl.

As I walk through the corridors once an hour, the warmth and humidity hit me the minute I exit the room. I’ve adjusted to this situation by walking once an hour instead of over long stretches. 

Besides, it’s beneficial to get out of a seated position once an hour, strongly impacting our health. Many years ago, I wrote a post about a book I’d read entitled Sitting Kills. Here’s the link to that story and information on the book, in case you’re interested in reading it. 

A parade of elephants kicking up a lot of dust in Chobe National Park in Botswana. Todays’ photos are from a year ago post. See here for details.

During this disastrous time of COVID-19, it may be of particular interest to those of you who are feeling a little guilty for sitting so many hours a day. Before I started walking, I felt angst each time I thought of walking but didn’t feel motivated.

Now that I am doing it, I can’t express how much better I feel and what a stress reliever it is during these challenging days of lockdown. Now that parks and walking paths are opening up worldwide as some restrictions are lessening, it may be the perfect time for many to start walking.

Unfortunately, due to ongoing lockdown restrictions in India, we can’t be seen walking outdoors, besides the fact that it’s too hot and humid. Also, we aren’t in an exceptionally safe neighborhood in the center of Mumbai.

These knobs on the head of giraffes are ossicones. Females have hair on theirs. Males have lost part of their hair from headbutting when vying for dominance.

I’ve promised to continue walking once we eventually leave here, whether it’s safe or allowed to do so outdoors. Walking is walking. Where one does, it is irrelevant, as long as it’s a secure location. Indoors is fine with me if that’s necessary. The steps are still tracked on my FitBit, and I continue to experience the benefits.

Yesterday’s post wasn’t my best effort. After days and days of writing with little to no new fodder, the content has been challenging. Thank you, dear readers, for staying with us during these boring times.

I’ve run out of sci-fi movies and Married at First Sight episodes, and I’m scrounging for some new content to watch during the quiet afternoon hours when Tom is busy on his laptop. He doesn’t care to watch shows during the day while I can easily get outside my head with a good series or movie. 

Mongooses were standing at attention while awaiting eggs. So cute! Note the little “arm” holding onto her friend.

I try not to watch any shows he may like to save those for in the evenings when we watch together. Yesterday, I signed up for Acorn TV on Amazon, a compilation of great British TV series, some of which we’ve already seen. 

We’re now watching a few suggestions from our friend Liz in Bristol, UK. She always makes great recommendations. Thanks, Liz! If any of our British readers have any suggestions for TV series they’ve liked, please let us know.

So here we are… another day without a huge amount of optimism. But, somehow, we’ll all get through this, regardless of how long it takes for some semblance of our former lives. It will never be the same. I believe we’ve all resigned ourselves to this reality.

Ken, Tom, and Don are having a good time, as usual.  We’d planned to all be together again soon before we left in May 2019.

The more we can do to use our time in lockdown for our benefit, both health-wise and emotionally, the better off we’ll be when it does come to an end, of one sort or another.

Hang tight, dear friends. We’re thinking of all of you, along with our family and friends.

Photo from one year ago today, April 23, 2019:

 
A mating pair of hornbills stayed around our garden each day, most likely a mating pair. When they wanted seeds, they sure let us know. For more photos, please click here.

A huge update and change in plans!!!…

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Locals were hitching a ride to the local festival.

If we had a home during the corona-virus crisis and had been touring India, most likely we’d have ended the lengthy tour early and headed back to the US, purchasing a fair amount of toilet paper to hunker down for a while.

As world travelers without a home, if we need to hunker down, where might that be? If we return to the USA, we have no health insurance other than Medicare Part A, and even if we signed up for Part B and a supplement, we’d be stuck with it once we were on the move again.

Plus, returning to live in the US is not an option for us at this time, even with this looming virus. We’re not about to “give up” this lifestyle we recently embraced with gusto after last year’s open-heart surgery and a long recovery.

But, now we have excellent, low co-pay health insurance through United Healthcare Global (Safe Trip) that we purchase every three months, good only outside of the US. This morning we bought more coverage until the end of July, when we’ll renew for another 90 days at that time.  

Crowds of people on their way to a festival.

Yesterday, when Viking Cruise Line informed us that the 29-day cruise we’d booked had been canceled long ago, we had to figure out what we’d do for the 29 days. So far, we only have one booking in Bath, England, and a cruise from Lisbon to Cape Town next November. 

With the number of virus cases rapidly escalating in the UK and Europe, we decided against keeping the UK booking. The house owner in Bath is arranging a full credit for us for the deposit that we paid only one week ago.

The cruise line is refunding the full fare we’d already paid, which easily covers a good portion of our costs for the next 12 months. 

Guess where we’d headed, folks?

Yep, back to South Africa… to Marloth Park… to all of our animal and human friends and a vibrant social life. We’ll arrive at Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger Airport next Friday night, spend the night in a hotel, and on Saturday morning, make the hour-long drive to Marloth Park, where dear friends Louise and Danie will have a house waiting for us.

“Buffaloes are believed to have domesticated around 5000 years ago in the Indus Valley and thrive best in the areas of moderate rainfall as they require plenty of water for their daily bath.   Indian buffaloes are considered to be an important source of milk today. They yield nearly three times milk like cows. Interestingly, 47.22 million milch buffaloes produce 55 percent of milk, which is more than half of the total milk produced in the country. Whereas, 57 million cows contribute only 45 percent of the total milk yield.”

Of course, we’d love to get back into the Orange house, but that’s booked until May 1. At that point, we’ll move around in. In the interim, Louise will ensure we have great houses to stay in as we hop from house to house as she deems necessary for the remainder of March and all of April. We can live with this plan without hesitancy.

There hasn’t been a single case of coronavirus in Marloth Park, but of course, we’ll continue with precautions as we have here in India; avoiding crowds, lots of handwashing, no handshaking, and extra careful touching any surfaces or possibly infected areas. 

Yes, we’re excited to be heading back. But, Marloth Park is remote, with fewer and fewer visitors coming to stay due to fears of travel right now. And no, there are no unrealistic expectations that South Africa will be safer than in any part of the world.,

No, we won’t bore our readers with endless photos of warthogs. We’ll strive to focus on the fascinating little things, exciting people stories, and wildlife special moments. It will be an all-new angle for our time in Africa once again.

Buffalo is movin’ on down the road. “Buffaloes, also called Bubalus bublis to belong to the family Bovidae, sub-family Bovinae, genus Bubalus, and species arni or the wild Indian buffalo. They are classified into river and swamp types. The present-day domesticated buffaloes are the descendants of Bos arni found in North-Eastern parts of India especially in Assam and surrounding areas.”

How long will we stay? As long as they’ll have us, which our regular readers know is a tricky proposition. We’ll do everything we can to last as long as possible, even if we have to fly to other countries, stay for a while and return.

As for the balance of our India tour? It’s ending about 16 days earlier than planned. We didn’t make this decision lightly. The tour company is giving us a partial refund, which we’re grateful for, but such cancellations such as this are happening all over India, all over the world. 

Temples are closing. Sporting events have been canceled, public celebrations are fast coming to a halt, schools are closing, as is the case in most countries worldwide. It’s a frightening time regarding contracting the virus and the awful impact on workers and economic conditions worldwide.

We carry on… All of us do, in an attempt to make the most of this dreadful time in history. We extend our love and prayers for every one of our family members, friends, and readers worldwide. 

Workers were loading sugar cane onto a truck.

May you and those you love be safe as you exercise every caution. Wash your hands! Use hot soapy water when possible. Don’t cough or sneeze in anyone’s face! Don’t shake hands! Wear a mask if you are sick or stay indoors at all times.

Don’t touch surfaces others have touched! Even an elevator or lift button, a grocery store trolley, or the bank counter can carry the virus. When going to the doctor, dentist, or office, don’t lean on the counter when checking in. If you need a handrail to walk up or downstairs, get someone you know to help you instead of touching the railing.

Make everything and everyone suspect, but in the interim, we somehow must do our best to find ways in which to enjoy life, enjoy people and cherish every moment we have of this precious life. God bless.

Photo from one year ago today, March 13, 2019:

With ample vegetation after many days and nights of soaking rain, the zebras still love pellets. For more photos, please click here.

Lions on the loose in Marloth Park…We’re missing the adventure!…Photos…

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Two female lions were spotted in Marloth Park! (Not our photo).

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“Ireland ran under a democratic nation and established their present constitution in 1937.”

There’s no doubt about it…we’re missing the excitement over this past month when several lions were sighted in Marloth Park, walking about the streets in search of food. Surely, they’ve found plenty in the bountiful wildlife reserve.
It would have been quite an experience to be one of these drivers on the paved Olifant road when these two females, as shown above, sat leisurely on the side of the road, oblivious of the cars stopping to take photos.

There were several occasions in the 15 months we lived in the bush that lions found a way to get into Marloth Park via an opening in the fence, often dug up by warthogs. Unfortunately, we never had a chance to see them, although we went out looking for them, slowly driving from one dirt road to another.

During those periods, we could often hear their roaring at night. Many of our friends in the park are equally excited now, as they see and hear them. Of course, we could always hear Daisy and Fluffy, the two neutered lions who live in Lionspruit, the reserve within a reserve in Marloth Park.

Lionspruit was the location for many fantastic braais and parties we attended at Frikkee’s Dam with Louise, Danie, and many others.  We were aware of Daisy and Fluffy (male) presence in the area but hardly worried about it.

Now the workers, homeowners, and holidays renters are being warned to exercise the utmost caution when walking anywhere in the park or one’s garden. There is always an after-dark curfew in place which is difficult to enforce when there are no police in the park.  

Through the hard work of local volunteers, the park is “policed,” but they cannot arrest anyone. The three security companies in the park join in the “policing” but again cannot stop anyone.

Many may dismiss the fear of lions in the park as being overly cautious. But, while we were in the park, we did a story with photos of Jonas, a local worker, now 20 years later, a popular builder and friend to the park, who was attacked by a lion in Marloth Park receiving horrific injuries.  

Somehow, Jonas survived to share the story and go on to live a productive life. If you’d like to read the story of Jonas and see photos of his scars from the attack, please click here.

Here’s our photo of Jonas when he and Danie came to visit us so we could share his story along with photos:

Jonas has scars all over his body from the attack 20 years ago when he was a young man, riding his bike at night in the dark.

Jonas speaks little English but speaks Afrikaans and Danie translated to English for our benefit on that memorable day. He was so kind to have taken the time to meet with us and retell his shocking story of living to survive a lion attack. We posted the story on March 11, 2018.

We’re hoping no one will be foolhardy and ignore the curfew and stay away from the lions who aren’t hesitant to be present during daytime hours. When such warnings were out during our long 15 months to stay, it wasn’t unusual to see children riding bikes and walking alone on the roads. Who are these people who would be so careless?
 
We’ll continue to check out what will transpire until the lions are darted and returned to Kruger. But, at this point, all efforts have been futile. We miss the park, always will, and hope to return someday soon.
 
Have a safe and fulfilling weekend!
                    
Photo from one year ago today, July 6, 2018:
Mom and Dad were very proud of their family. Ostriches mate for life. For more photos, please click here.

Today, we depart!…Love and understanding in two different worlds, yet in one…

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The second time he came up the steps he was a little more brazen and came right into the house, while we were sitting on the sofa and didn’t see him right away.  We howled.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Mutton Chops and Scar Face stopped by many times but we haven’t seen them in months after Basket chased them and Tusker out of our garden.  Now Basket visits with his new girlfriend with whom he actually shares the pellets.

It’s 11:00 am and we’re packed and ready.  All we have left to do is to close the bags and weigh them on our portable scale.  Once we sort out any overweight discrepancies, if necessary, we’ll remove some items and place them in the duffle bag along with a few odds and ends.

Little, tentatively climbing the steps to the veranda for a few pellets we gave him when we found him kneeling like this from the top step.

I’ve managed to fit all of my clothes in my one suitcase after giving Zef a huge plastic bag filled with clothing I’d never wear again, some too low cut for the big scar on my chest and others not appropriate for any of our ongoing travels.

Little, “Pig in a Pond.”

But, today’s story isn’t about packing or medical issues nor will future posts be about such over the upcoming months.  With the doctor confirming that my leg is healing sufficiently and that we won’t need further care at a wound clinic, we can manage the care on our own.  Yesterday, we purchased all the necessary supplies.  


Every other day, we’ll clean the wound, apply the cream and bandages and it should heal within three months or sooner.  It continues to be painful but I can live with that, as long as I know it’s on the mend.


Today’s story and photos brought tears to my eyes.  Last night when we were out to dinner with Kathy, Don, Linda, and Ken, Don asked me, “What is your best memory from the past 15 months, excluding good times with friends?”
I began to answer but the table of us became distracted by a young man from Holland who stopped by to say hello and share a drink with the boys.  

His feet were muddy and he made a mess but we didn’t care.  It was Little, coming to call.

Quietly, I sat at the head of the table with Kathy on my right and Linda on my left, my girls, along with Louise and many others, who kept me holding it together these past months.  (I toasted them, alcohol-free, on Thursday night at the dinner table with tears in my eyes).


The answer to Don’s question lingered in the air, unanswered but surely, this group of friends (including Tom) knew exactly how I’d answer.  My answer wasn’t necessary, especially knowing most of them will read this final post from Marloth Park.


It was Little.   


“Pigs are actually considered the fifth-most intelligent animal in the world—even more intelligent than dogs—and are capable of playing video games with more focus and success than chimps! They also have excellent object-location memory. If they find grub in one spot, they’ll remember to look there next time.”

He was nervous at first, as he wondered if this was acceptable.

Was it his intellect or sensitivity that attracted me to him from the first time we saw him over a year ago?  Most likely it was both.  When I looked into his eyes and spoke to him in a soft loving voice, in time he’d actually stop eating the pellets to listen to me.
                                             
His response so much reminded me of the amazing interactions we had with our dogs over the years.  They listened when we spoke, often tilting their heads from side to side trying desperately to decipher the meanings of our words, our tone, and our demeanor.


Over time and countless interactions, this very same behavior from Little became evident to me in many ways.  He’d often look for me, to the point, he’d climb the treacherous slippery tile steps from the garden to the veranda traversing the steps, back and forth in order to maintain a foothold. 
                                  

Video of Little in the house.

His spikey toenails are used for digging up roots, not necessarily for climbing on slippery surfaces.  He took the risk of stumbling down those dangerous steps to see me.  No doubt, pellets were also on his mind, but we’d gladly toss pellets to him in the garden, all he could eat.  It wasn’t necessary for him to climb the steps.


The look on his face when he stood in the doorway on many occasions, was sheepish, often like that of a dog that knew the possibility of reprimand was at hand. And in his intelligence, he chose to take the risk, knowing full well it would be worth it.  I’ll miss him.  He’ll miss me.

Once he realized he was welcome, he settled in for a long nap.

He wasn’t as attached to Tom since on a few occasions when he was very muddy Tom shooed him off the veranda, scolding him.  He didn’t forget this scolding but it didn’t stop him from trying over and over again.


In the past several days he’s come to call many times.  Does he know we’re leaving?  Didn’t our dogs and cats become anxious when they sensed we were going away?  Pigs are smarter and more sensitive than dogs and cats.  Why would they not sense such a departure, such a loss?


During his visits in the past week when I’ve finally been able to walk to the edge of the veranda to see him, (he heard my voice many times during my recovery but hadn’t laid eyes on me), those beady little eyes were so intent and serious when we made eye contact, that I found myself in tears, knowing we’d be leaving soon.

A few days after Little’s first visit inside the house, he brought a friend to show him the goodies.  We aptly named his friend “Little’s Friend” and he often visits on his own and now responds to his name.

As I spoke to him in familiar words I often repeated his shook his head from side to side, acknowledging our connection.  I’d say, “Is that you, Little?” or “Little’s a big boy?” or “How’s my boy today?”  And, if pigs could smile, he would have.  I smiled for both of us.


Now, we go, we carry on, with memories of this magical place, these magical and mysterious animals whom we’ve come to know and love and we leave nothing behind.


With us, always in our hearts, will be the memories that we’ll carry with us, tales we’ll share with others who  will look dumbfounded when we try to explain the power and meaning of Marloth Park and these special relationships.

Little has brought us so many laughs and so much joy.  When I talk to him, he shakes his head in acknowledgment, not unlike a dog or cat would do.  Pigs are listed to be smarter than dogs.  Why wouldn’t they relate to us in the way our pets do?

I realize I can’t hold the attention with tales of Little at a table for 10 during dinner on a cruise ship.  But I can always smile to myself as the tears well up in my eyes over the memories of this special friend, in this special place and during this special time.


Goodbye Little.  Goodbye, Little’s Friend, Frank, and the Mrs., Cupid, Big Daddies, Wart Face, Scar Face, Wounded, Basket, Tusker, Wildebeest Willie; Ms. Bushbuck; zebras, giraffes, lizards, Froggie, Mom & Babies, Sigfried and Roy, Mike and Joe, hornbills and many more.  We’ll miss you all.


It was Little.

______________________________________



Photo from one year ago today, May 11, 2018:

Around 2:00 pm on Friday, one year ago today, we arrived at the Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone, Zambia. For more photos, please click here.

Final social evening in the bush…Good news!!!…One day and counting…

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Tom’s favorite, Ms. Bushbuck is totally comfortable near him. 

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Toad peeking out from the ornamental mask.

Last night, Kathy, Don, Linda, Ken and Louise and Danie arrived at 5:30 loaded up with prepared dishes and meats to cook on the grill.  It was an easy night for me when everyone pitched in while I simply sat at one end of the table with the girls while the boys carried on at the opposite end.


What a great evening was had by all.  Kathy, knowing how much I love steak and lobster brought along fantastic lobster tails she’d purchased in Pretoria, filet mignon steaks and baked potatoes.  
Closeup of our toad peeking out from a hole in a decorative mask.


Linda brought along a wonderful salad to share and chicken to cook on the braai and Louise and Danie brought a home roasted tongue with a fabulous mustard sauce and a bacon cabbage dish.  Little did they know I love tongue but hadn’t had it in years. 


Our plates were filled with tasty treats and of course, as always, the conversation was lively and animated.  Tonight we’ll spend our last evening together at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant and this time, since I now can sit, I’ll be able to attend.

Eventually, we stopped giving mongooses whole eggs and beat up the eggs in the green dish  That way there would be enough for everyone.

This morning we headed back to the doctor’s office for our final visit for the treatment on my leg and Doc Phillip’s assessment as to whether I need to go to a wound clinic every other day in distant Galway, Ireland, a 90-minute drive each way.


Much to both of our delight, the wound in continuing to heal and we’ll be able to treat it ourselves since it doesn’t require any more debridement and only needs to be cleaned with a special antibacterial liquid, have a silver based cream applied along with moist treated gauze and fresh sterile bandages added, along with a freshly washed pair of compression stockings.

Interesting marking on zebras, each of which is so unique.

I will continue to wear the compression stockings until the wound sufficiently heals, for an additional one to three months, when it no longer requires treatment and bandages.  The purpose of the compression stockings is to prevent dangerous blood clots from forming and they must be worn around the clock. 


Finally, I’ve become used to wearing them at night and they no longer cause my feet to burn during the night, a huge relief.  Last night when our friends asked how I was feeling overall (although they’ve asked almost every day) and I said “I’ve been so preoccupied with my legs, I hardly noticed the ongoing improvement in the healing from the bypass surgery.

Big Daddy, of whom there are many, comes to call on a sunny morning.

In two days, it will be three months ago since the bypass surgery and I can say without hesitation that I am almost totally healed.  I no longer need a pillow for my chest when driving on bumpy roads and I can sleep on my side without discomfort in my chest.  I can use my arms without pain in my chest which took two months or more to change.

“Retired Generals,” cape buffalo males who hang together after being kicked out of the herd when they lost the battle for dominance and the right to mate.

Surprisingly, I am not tired during the day and generally feel well except for the ongoing pain in my left leg which in no time at all should be healing. I can walk 6000 steps per days and within a month should be up to 10,000 steps per day, to be continued for the long haul.


Last night our friends complimented me saying I made it through this with bravery and strength.  I didn’t.  I whined and complained to my girlfriends (not so much to Tom since he had his hands full) and at times, I wondered if I’d ever get well.  

The Mrs. (francolin).

Their love and support saw me through and I’m no braver or stronger than anyone else who’d go through this difficult surgery and subsequent two legs surgeries on both legs.


But, here we are leaving Marloth Park tomorrow, traveling for 24 hours to finally arrive at our next location in our continuing world travels, Connemara, Ireland where we’ll stay for the next 90 days.  

Frank, our resident francolin was a regular, making his loud noise day and night, was always welcomed.

In three months from tomorrow, we’ll be on our first cruise since Antarctica, ending in February 2018.  We’ll be sailing in the Baltic Sea and at long last be able to visit St. Petersburg, Russia and many other amazing locations. 


Grateful to be alive?  Immensely.  Grateful for the love and caregiving support of my husband Tom who never faltered in the quality of his care?  Forever.  Grateful to the fine medical care in South Africa, especially Dr. Theo Stronkhorst?  We’ll never forget.  Grateful to our friends who stood by me through this difficult period?  Always. 

A leopard tortoise visited our garden.

And, grateful to the animals who always put a smile on our faces, made us laugh and cry and reminded us of the delicate balance of the relationships with humans and animals as we share this world with them, their world with us.


Tomorrow will be our final post from Marloth Park, from South Africa.  We have a very special story to share, a story of love and understanding in two different worlds and yet, in many ways, in one.

______________________________________



Photo from one year ago today, May 10, 2018:

We were thrilled to see a wildebeest in the yard this morning, an uncommon occurrence.  We named him “Wildebeest Willie” and he’s been a frequent visitor since.  For more photos, please click here.

Two days and counting…Favorite photos from Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe…Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls,

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Alas, we arrived at the magical splendor of Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Kudus is stopping by for a bit of breakfast.

Gosh, it’s hard to believe it was a year ago that we left South Africa for Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe for sightseeing and a possible visa extension. To get a visa extension, travelers must depart to a country that isn’t bordering South Africa at any point.  

In the shallow area of Victoria Falls, we were gifted with a rainbow, but this was the first of many we saw throughout the day.
Zambia was a perfect choice, and from there, we visited Zimbabwe and Botswana. We had the opportunity to see Victoria Falls from both Zambia and Zimbabwe, which were two entirely different scenarios. We enjoyed every moment of finally being able to see the famous waterfalls.
I was happy to see Tom safely return from climbing to the top of the wet slippery bridge he tackled without me.  I’m not reasonably as surefooted as he is. It was slick, the visibility was poor, and I wouldn’t have been able to take photos in the heavy mist, so I stayed behind with Alec while we awaited his return. I was getting worried when he’d been gone a long time. Seeing him in his yellow poncho made me sigh with relief.
From this site:  “While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls is classified as the largest, based on its combined width of 1,708 meters (5,604 ft.) and height of 108 meters (354 ft.), resulting in the world’s largest sheet of falling water.”

Also, we’d heard so much about Chobe National Park and the Chobe River. For years, I’d longed to do a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, and as it turned it, we did it all, thrilled we had an opportunity to see so much.
The sights and sounds of Victoria Falls from both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides were unlike anything we’ve seen in the past.

We spent a week on these trips, details and more of which may be found in the archives beginning on May 12, 2018, and continuing for several days. Please check out the links for more exciting photos and adventures during this fantastic trip.

After this elephant dug a decent-sized mud hole, he decided to try to lay on his side. Digging the hole must have been exhausting for this big fellow in the heat of the sun.  Please click here and scroll down to the videos for four stunning videos of him swimming in the Chobe River.

As it turned out, once again, we needed a visa extension, and we returned in August for more exciting tours.  More on this later. In any case, it was fun to see other African countries. To date, we’ve been to nine countries on the African continent, which is nothing compared to its total of 54.  

There are no less than a dozen countries in Africa it’s unlikely we’ll ever visit, which present enormous risks for tourists. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed being in Africa but don’t want to take any unnecessary risks.  
The best snorkeling apparatus on the planet…his trunk. His huge feet were no longer touching the river bottom, and he was buoyant.

We’re often asked if we’ll return to Africa, and that’s definitely on our itinerary, especially when we’ve booked a cruise to Cape Town in two years. However, what will transpire at immigration in Johannesburg will determine when we’ll be allowed to re-enter the country. We’ll see how that goes and report back during our upcoming lengthy travel day.

During our sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, we spotted these bee-eaters making nests and burrows into holes they made in the river bank.

As for posting on our upcoming long travel day, Saturday, May 11th, we will upload a post in the morning before we depart for Nelspruit airport. We’ll arrive in Connemara on Sunday afternoon, and if time allows, we’ll upload a short post indicating we’ve arrived.  

Sunset on the Zambezi River.

If you don’t see a post on Sunday, it will be due to an arrival later than we’d expected, and we’ll wait until the following day. At that point, we’ll have been traveling for 24 hours or more and maybe too tired to do so.

Riding the ferry is free for people but not for vehicles between Zambia and Botswana but, to disembark requires removing one’s shoes and walking in the water.

I’m going from recuperating in a mostly lying-down position to a 24-hour travel day. I have no idea how well I’ll feel when we arrive. But, please rest assured that after some rest and one night’s sleep, we’ll be right back here writing to all of you.

Of course, I’d be lying if I said I was totally at ease in anticipation of this long travel day. My number one objective will be to walk every hour on the various flights except when fully reclined in my business class seat in the middle of the night.

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

Ah, let’s hope it all goes smoothly. There’s only a 90-minute layover in Johannesburg, and that’s where we’ll have to deal with immigration. If the process is lengthy, we could miss the flight. My being in a wheelchair will hopefully speed up the waiting time in the lines at immigration.

That’s it for today, folks. We’re hoping you all have a peaceful and stress-free day!

Note:  Due to a WiFi signal issue this morning, the line and paragraph spacing are “off,” preventing me from correcting the situation.

Photo from one year ago today, May 9, 2018:

An elephant taking a drink from the river. For more photos, please click here.

Three days and counting…Getting it all together…Favorite photos and videos…

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Big Daddy seems happy as he watches his girlfriend eat pellets.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Mating time for kudus and other antelopes.  From this site: “Male kudus may form small bachelor groups, but they are more commonly found as solitary and widely dispersed individuals. Solitary males will join the group of females and calves (usually 6-10 individuals per group) only during the mating season (April–May in South Africa).”

After spending 15 months in Marloth Park, except for a few weeks away when we visited Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, we’ve accumulated more “stuff” than we ever have at any other holiday home in the past over 6½ years we’ve been traveling the world.

                 
Elephants at the Vurhami Dam helping a newborn stand for the first time.
 
As I gingerly began packing (favoring my painful leg in the process), I’ve found it challenging to sort through the various products and items we’ve acquired, many of which are medically related due to the four surgeries of the past three months; three pairs of compression stocking in various strengths; a variety of bandages; a sheepskin to prevent bedsores; special slippers; and protein powders (which I am still using daily).  
   
This video has had more hits than any other of our videos, with, as of today, there have been 1,441,145 views.  Go figure.  For more of our videos, please click here or type my name, Jessica Lyman Videos, in google search or YouTube.
 
Add the six months of eight different medications I have to take for my heart, and the formerly lightly packed pill bag is brimming to the top. As always, I’ll place the pill bag in the yellow Costco bag as one of my two carry-on bags. I particularly don’t want to let this out of my sight this time.
 
There were few clothing items I purchased while here; two pairs of warm pajamas, a sweater, and a sweatshirt-type jacket for the cool winter nights, all of which I’ll be able to use in Ireland.  
                                                  
This elephant dug a hole in the soil at Vurhami Dam, searching for water during the dry season. He succeeded and was soon drinking.  What a joy to see this!
In the summer months, the temperatures range between 18C (64F) and 20C (68F). There are 18 hours of daylight. It doesn’t get dark until 2300 hours, 11:00 pm. The evenings will be relaxed, and no doubt, we’ll need to bundle up after the hot temps we’ve become accustomed to over these past 15 months.
With our recent package on-the-move from the US, arriving at the house within a few days according to DHL tracking (it’s going through customs in Shannon at this time), I’ll have a few more sweaters, long-sleeved tee shirts, and two pairs of jeans I’d ordered from Old Navy in the US.  
And then there were more…

Tom, who doesn’t get as cold as me, has a few sweatshirts, a flannel shirt, and a few long-sleeved shirts, which will serve him well. We’ll be set for the upcoming cooler climate.

I am looking forward to the cooler weather. Wearing the heavy compression stockings for the past three months has left me sweating during the hot and humid days. I’ll only have to wear the compression stockings for a few more weeks after we arrive in Ireland or when we go on long car rides and future flights.
Lots of mongooses in the garden.

Tom has yet to pack but will do so soon. I no longer remind him to get packing.  He knows we’re leaving, and as far as I’m concerned, he can do it whenever he likes. I fold his dressier shirts for him since he doesn’t do it quite as neatly.  

Throughout the day, I’ve continued the walking, which seems to be having a somewhat beneficial effect on my legs, although not as profoundly as I’d like. By Friday morning’s doctor appointment, we’ll know if I’ll need further treatment at a wound clinic in Ireland. If we don’t have to make a three-hour drive every other day, we’ll be thrilled beyond words.  

The dark coloration on Big Daddy’s neck is a result of sex hormones.  It changes to the color of the remainder of his body when the mating season ends.

Today, we’re sharing a few videos along with a few favorite photos, some of which we’ve taken in the past few days. Our wildlife friends continue to visit hour after hour, especially in the early morning and early evening. Tom opened our last bag of pellets, which should last until we leave on Saturday.

Tonight, we’ll cook our last flattie on the braai and enjoy a quiet evening.  

May your day and evening be rich and fulfilling.

Photo from one year ago today, May 8, 2018:

We were so close to this giraffe it was easy to get this photo. For more photos, please click here.

The falling leaves…Lion sighted in MP!…More visitors come to say goodbye…Four days and counting….

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I was looking through the fence at the Crocodile River from the Marloth Park side.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Elephants were grazing in this lush area.

It’s fall here in South Africa. With the slightest breeze, the leaves fall and then scatter in the garden and onto the veranda. I’d hoped we’d experience cooler weather this last week as it rolls into fall. But alas, it’s still been hot and humid, most days around 32C (90F) which feels cooler than many other days over the past summer months.

One of our favorite experiences in Marloth Park in the past 15 months was that this mom and a single chick were looking for dad.

The water was returned to service on Monday. Fortunately, we were only out for a short period when we turned on the surplus tank and pump.  When the water returned, the faucets spewed a brown dirty looking flow.  

I’m still doing “sponge baths” with purified water each day. I haven’t been able to shower since my legs became infected for fear the less-than-ideal water contained bacteria which may have contributed to the source of the infections.

They began to hike down the road, Volstruis, which means ostrich.  Go figure.  They are often found on this road.

Surprisingly a good head-to-toe scrubbing with a rough washcloth and antibacterial soap has served me well each day, certainly as good as a shower. Plus, it has enabled me to keep the bandages and wounds dry, which, if wet, would be detrimental to the healing process.

The ostrich has the largest eyes of any land animal.  The giant squid has the largest eyes of a marine animal.

Yesterday, wearing my new BFit device on my wrist, I managed to get in 6000 steps for the day.  I can now see it won’t be too hard to get to 10,000 steps a day or more once we get to Ireland, and I’m further along in recovery.  

Wearing the device made all the difference in the world to my motivation and kept the boredom of walking indoors to a minimum. Unfortunately, my cheap smartphone (to be replaced when we get to the US in six months) cannot sync with the app for the device on the phone.  

Mom stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted him a long distance down the road.  Look closely to see him.

And the app can’t sync on my PC either, making it a bit frustrating to only read the stats on the face of the device itself. Because it won’t sync by Bluetooth to my phone, the time on the device is off by over an hour.  

They all picked up the pace as they got closer.

I got ambitious today and loaded the app on Tom’s newer Samsung phone to get the correct time and date. Also, if I wanted to look at a more detailed readout, I could use his phone when he’s not using it.  It didn’t work on his phone either.

We’ve learned to improvise when we live, where access to the newest technological devices is limited. The fitness watch is a South African-made device, as is my difficult-to-use cheap smartphone.  

The chick was anxiously heading right for dad.

That’s not to imply all products made in this country are inferior. They’re not. But, less expensive off-label brands in any country may easily be inferior, and in both cases, that’s what I’m dealing with.

Yesterday, we received a message and read on Facebook that a female lion had been seen on the loose about three blocks from here. Of course, the already existing nighttime curfew was reminded to all locals and visitors with vigilant daytime precautions.

Note dad and chick were playing in the bush while mom kept watching from the road. Amazing!!!

There’s no way of knowing if the lion has returned to bordering Kruger National Park unless someone specifically sees her crawling back under the fence that enabled her to escape in the first place. That is highly unlikely. As time passes and no sightings are reported, one can assume she’s returned to her usual territory, which is likely.  Lions are highly territorial.  

More of our favorite visitors have come to call. For me, the most exciting was Little when he dropped by yesterday afternoon for quite a lengthy visit. He ate pellets lying down as he prefers, listened intently while I spoke to him, had a drink from the cement pond, and rested in the garden. I stayed on the veranda watching him for some time, thinking about how much I will miss him.

This morning, Mike and Joe (named after US vice presidents), Basket and his girl, One Tusk,  Frank and The Misses., Big Daddy,  Little Daddy, Cupid, dozens of helmeted guineafowls, and many more stopped by. Surely, sometime today, the large band of mongooses will cackle their way into the garden.

At 11:00 am, we’re heading to the home of the lovely woman who loaned us a walker, which we’re returning with a few bottles of sundowner beverages as our thank you.

For the remainder of today, we’ll continue organizing and sorting items to be packed, stopping each time a new visitor comes by, offering them treats when soon Tom will open our last 40 kg (88 pounds) bag of pellets. There’s enough in the bag to get us through the next few days until we leave early afternoon Saturday to make our way to Nelspruit to the tiny airport to begin our journey.

Tomorrow morning, it’s back to the doctor to hopefully get good news that the wound is on the mend to avoid the necessity of driving three hours a day, three times a week, to a wound clinic in Ireland.

Oops!  Did I hear the roar of a lion?  Hmm…

Happy day!
                                               Photo from one year ago today, May 7, 2018:

A baby kudu found comfort standing at the base of this tree when there was lots of action in our yard. For more photos, please click here.

Sorting the details…They are all coming to say “goodbye”…Five days and counting…Today’s photos and more favorite photos

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Nyala wasn’t taking any guff from a zebra trying to abscond with his pellets. He need only tap his horns on the ground one time to get the message across, which we’ve often seen Big Daddies do as well.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We’re always in awe of the beauty of a waterbuck, in this case, a female who doesn’t have horns.

It may sound not very smart to think that our favorite wildlife is coming to say goodbye to us. However silly it may sound, we’re humoring ourselves to believe it’s true. Over the weekend, we had a giraffe in the garden, all of our favorite kudus and zebras, warthogs, duikers, and bushbucks.

This morning it was a menagerie with Frank and The Misses, Cupid, the kudu with the heart-shaped marking on her neck, Basket and his new girlfriend, Sigfried and Roy, Wildebeest Willie, five zebras, 11 kudus, and again more mongooses (more than 60) and helmeted guineafowl, more than we could count.

White dots on the right side of nyala’s head.

Now, I wait patiently, this lovesick-pig-lover I am, waiting to see Little one more time. He hasn’t been around in over a week, and I wonder what has kept him away.

Yesterday, on Facebook, we saw a photo of Tusker taken many blocks from us. Basket had scared him off several times in the past months, and he finally gave up visiting us since Basket tends to come by several times a day.  

It’s good to see Basket being lovely to his girlfriend.  He’s quite the bully, but he certainly enjoys when I talk to him and, with those tiny beady eyes, looks intently into mine.  I often wonder what he’s thinking.
We couldn’t have been happier than to see nyala coming by one more time.

It’s arrogant of us humans to assume animals don’t think and purely react utilizing instinct. After spending almost two years (total) in Africa, most of our time watching wildlife behavior, we’re convinced that although they don’t speak (our language), they certainly know how to communicate with us.

Undoubtedly, such behavior requires a fraction of thinking, and we’re convinced that we aren’t superior to wildlife. We’re just different, and they have a right to be here on this earth as much as we do, if not more.  They were here long before us humans.

Friends have asked if it will be hard to leave here. Now with only five days remaining until we depart, I am feeling a bit of melancholy knowing we are leaving behind our animal and human friends. 

A male bushbuck was relaxing in the garden.

But, these past three months have been difficult, and I can’t help but associate this environment with the many challenges.  I’m sure, in no time at all, I’ll be longing to return as memories of the wildlife and our social life flood my mind.  

This morning at 9:00 am, we returned to the medical clinic for treatment on my leg. Doc Theo had left for a much-deserved 10 day holiday, and now we see Doc Phillip in his absence. Unexpectedly, there was a slight improvement in the size of the wound, maybe as much as 20%.

Although painful, I sincerely believe the walking has been instrumental in increasing the blood flow and thus aiding in the bit of healing. If this continues through the week, there is a slight chance we could avoid driving three hours a day, every other day, to a wound clinic in Galway.

This morning’s zebra visitors.

We could treat the wound at “home” wearing latex gloves, using the healing cream, and re-bandaging it every other day as is being done now. By the end of the week, we’ll forward the photos to Theo, and if he approves, we can bypass the necessity of the long drive.  

He insisted we stay in touch with him while he’s still on holiday and, after that, sending him photos each time we removed the bandages. In the interim, Doc Phillip is sending him photos every two days. He will assess the photos and determine if other professional care is necessary.

I’m not going to get overly enthusiastic yet. I’ve done this several times to be sorely disappointed when it took a turn for the worse a few days later. It’s been sweet when many of our readers have written to congratulate me on the improvement, only to find myself writhing in pain a day later. Tentatively, I mention this slight improvement.

This morning, I figured out how to use my new fitness watch, which Tom purchased for me while I was in hospital. It was highly motivating to see the results of my walking on the digital readout. My goal shortly will be 10,000 steps per day.

An elephant family was drinking from the sparse amounts of water in the river during the summer months.

From this site:  “How far are 10,000 steps? An average person has a stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet. That means that it takes over 2,000 steps to walk one mile, and 10,000 steps would be almost 5 miles.”  

Of course, this will include general walking about the house, going outdoors, and performing usual household tasks, cooking, shopping, and the like. But, this goal of 10,000 steps per day will be good for my heart and as my legs continue to heal fully. Wearing this device is highly instrumental in motivating me.  

I’ll have completed half this amount since walking is still challenging and painful by the end of today.  Hopefully, by the end of the first month in Ireland, I’ll be able to fulfill my goal.  

They willingly share.

Today, we’re planning to return the walker to the kindly local homeowner who graciously offered it a no cost. Of course, we have a gift bag for her with many thanks and appreciation. 

I made a concerted effort not to use the walker over the weekend, and now, although I’m still limping, I can get around unassisted. It’s still difficult to stand from a sitting position or get out of bed when I only have the use of my arms to support me, but finally, they, too, are getting stronger.

I’ve completed more packing, organizing, and sorting at this point. If I had only an hour to get ready to go, I could pull it off. The task of scanning and logging receipts is completed.  

Ms. Toad, already fattening up for mating soon. We turn on the light each night to attract flying insects for her to eat.

Our paperwork for immigration is in an envelope, ready for their reviewal. A rental car has been booked at over twice the cost we paid in South Africa (we’re expecting everything to be more expensive in Ireland). 

The directions to the Connemara house have been printed, and a wheelchair has been arranged for me for all flight legs. All that is left is for Tom to pack and a few odds and ends for me. I’m at peace that I’ve done all I can at this point.

Mom is teaching her baby a little about headbutting.

We’ll be back with more tomorrow as we continue to count down the days until we leave Africa.


Be well, dear friends. Thank you for “hanging in there” with us!

Photo from one year ago today, May 6, 2018:

Although they all had their backs to us, it was great to see these elephants. For more photos, please click here.

Happy hippos…Lounging lions and more in favorite photos…Six days and counting…Still no water…

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When visitors first come to Africa, they often confuse cheetahs and leopards. Cheetahs are easily recognized by the dark “tears” coming down their faces.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Yesterday afternoon, we couldn’t have been more thrilled to see a giraffe in our garden. He took off quickly when he saw us, so this was the best photo I could take.

Thank goodness we have a JoJo tank in our garden that provides water from a tall tank and pump. Otherwise, this would be our second day without water. It’s unfortunate for those who don’t have a tank and must use bottled water for all their needs over these past few days.

For new visitors, male lions have the big mane surrounding their faces, whereas the females do not, as shown in the photo we took in Kruger.
A water main burst on Oliphant Street, the main and only fully paved road in Marloth Park. With it being the weekend, most likely, it won’t be repaired until later tomorrow.  
Two females and one male enjoying the shade under a tree in hot weather.

Of course, we’re grateful for the tank, and it does provide heated (not drinkable) water for anything we need.  Tom goes outside to turn it off when we go to bed. It makes a loud motor sound every few minutes and is located close to the bedroom window.  It’s loud enough it would keep us awake.

I believe this is a bateleur we spotted in Kruger.

The aircon makes various loud noises throughout the night, but we’ve had plenty of time to become accustomed to these sounds, and they no longer awaken us during the night. Speaking of awakening during the night…oh, I had a rough night last night.  

I was awake from shortly after midnight until 4:30 am and finally dozed off, awakening every half hour or so until I finally gave up and got up. I suppose I can blame my thoughts on keeping me awake. I couldn’t seem to shut off my brain while thinking about the upcoming long travel day with three flights and two layovers.

Last October, Tom and I were at Aamazing River View when friends Lois and Tom visited for three weeks.

I also thought about our immigration issue and if we’ll have trouble exiting the country when we never got a response from the immigration department regarding our requested extension. Most likely, we’ll have to pay a stiff fine if they won’t allow our accompanying documents to support the reasons for overstaying.

Lois and Tom, friends from the US who came to visit us for three weeks last October. We had a fantastic time when they called and stayed with us.  We hear from them often.

Then, of course, I was thinking about the issue of further treatment on my leg when we get to Ireland. After considerable research, it appears there are no wound facilities within a 90-minute drive from where we’ll be living in Connemara. The closest such clinic is in Galway, and we’ll have to make the drive every other day for treatment which could last for a few more months.

Three elephants on the river.

The doctor says the wound is too severe for us to handle it on our own. Only the next few days will determine if there is even a remote possibility we could take the care of the wound on our own if, based on some miracle, it’s improved since Friday, which I doubt. 

I want to be optimistic enough to say these three scenarios don’t worry me, and I can sleep like a baby. Still, until we have the three more doctor appointments here in the days before we depart and finally arrive in Ireland, our minds won’t be at ease. That’s the way it is.

Lilies are beginning to bloom in the river.

Yesterday, hobbling about the bedroom, I packed all of my clothing from the drawers and closet into my one large suitcase. There still is plenty of additional packing to tackle, but I feel I have a good handle on the most challenging part, my clothing.

Shortly after I was done, we had two surprise visitors, Sonja and Rob, the owners of this house. It was delightful talking to them and sharing stories of beautiful experiences we’ve had in their lovely home and garden. 

Lounging lion laying low…

As renters for the past 15 months, we had plenty to share as they did as well for their lives in Africa, living in the bordering country of Mozambique. We thanked them profusely for letting us stay so long and especially for designing the perfect veranda for wildlife viewing.

Hyenas are necessarily handsome-looking dogs but are fun to see in Kruger.

Most homes in Marloth Park have ground-level verandas, and some require walking up a flight of stairs or two to get a glimpse of the wildlife.  It has been perfect here, a scenario that served us well.

Today, I’ll do a little more packing of only a few items in the cupboards we can take with us. After all the unexpected expenses we’ve incurred as a result of the surgeries, there’s no way we’re willing to pay for overweight luggage by taking food products with us.

Happy hippos…

It’s hard to believe that we’ll be settling into our new home in Ireland a week from today. Although we have these various items on our minds that we must deal with over the following months, we’re hopeful for the quality time we’ll spend reveling in the peaceful and exquisite environment of Connemara, Ireland.

May your day be spent reveling in your surroundings wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, May 5, 2018:

This gorgeous feta, onion, and lettuce salad served by Louise and Danie was enhanced with edible flowers, indicative of the attention to detail and creativity these two fine hosts possessed when we joined them for dinner at their home. For more photos, please click here.