Sultry Sunday in the bush…Peculiar nighttime invader…

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An insect on the screen door that looks like a dried leaf or plant.

Since we wrote here yesterday, we’ve had three load shedding sessions of 7½ hours without power, an eight-hour session with no WiFi, and a five-hour session with some animal sounding as if they were trying to dig their way into our bedroom last night. Could it have been the porcupine Tom saw on two late-night occasions?

Neither of us cared to venture outside in the dark to see what it could have been. Even Tom, with his poor hearing, could hear the rambunctious scratching sounds coming from the bedroom’s exterior wall. I guess we’ll never know what it was unless we stumble upon it while we’re outside on the veranda in the dark.

Mr. Bushbuck was chasing around Ms. Bushbuck all day. Hmm, we wonder why?

Lately, mosquitoes have been so hungry for my flesh that we can’t stay outdoors after about 8:00 pm 2000 hours. They seem to get worse when it gets dark, even more so than at dusk. Once winter comes, we’ll be excited to stay outdoors much later.

Last night, when we returned from another fun dinner at Jabula Lodge & Restaurant in the dark, we found Ms. Bossy Kudu waiting for us at the edge of the driveway, along with her youngster and another female. No more than moments after we entered the house, the three of them were in the back garden waiting to see if we had some pellets. We did. We freely offered them a few good-sized portions, which they devoured with enthusiasm.

I should mention how grateful I am that Dawn and Leon, owners of Jabula, who have special ordered my low-alcohol wine, Four Cousins Skinny Red, and also have special ordered hamburger meat without the usual fillers that restaurants often include in their burgers in South Africa, such as sweet sauces and flour. Dawn ordered the plain mince (ground beef) and personally cooked the two unless burgers for me last night, topped with “real” cheese instead of processed cheese used on most burgers.

The mating hornbills continue to return, but no babies yet.

On the side, I had three perfectly prepared fried-in-butter (not oil) eggs, cooked to my liking turned over medium. It was a perfect meal. Rather than leave them with a partially used bottle of red wine which would spoil before we return in a week, we always purchase the entire bottle, bringing the remainder home with us. We so appreciate their friendship and their caring service with their thoughtful attention to detail.

Before too long, we headed to our bedroom, turned on the air-con, and settled in for a few episodes of BritBox TV series, Shetland, which friends Linda and Ken (now back in Johannesburg) recommended. Oddly, season two of this series is missing. If any of you know where we can find Shetland’s season two, please let us know. We searched online with no results.

Right now, we’re doing a free 7-day trial of Britbox through Amazon Prime, but we won’t be able to get through all the seasons (even without season two) when we only watch two episodes a night. We set up my laptop atop the wooden kitchen cutting board to keep it from getting too hot on the bed. We’re willing to pay for Britbox for the next month to complete the series.

Bushbucks are constantly on guard when other wildlife stops by.

Tomorrow morning, we’ll pack and head to Louise and Danie‘s house where we’ll stay over, for one night, while they fumigate the house until the regular service provider returns from his two-week holiday when he’ll come out and take care of a second treatment. We’d have to move out again for another 24 hours at that time too. Instead, we’re hoping he can come after we leave for Kenya in 25 days, on April 8, 2021.

Load-shedding is expected to start again soon. As all of you know, lately, many WiFi issues have impacted our ability to upload posts in a timely fashion. Most times, the WiFi stays active without the power running, which we’re hoping will happen again so we can continue this post, add some photos, and upload it in a reasonable time frame.

Taller animals drink from the pool, but now that the water in the mosquito breeding pond has been removed, warthogs and birds have nowhere to revel in our garden. Today, I put out a bowl of water.

Well, it’s after 11:00 am, and the power didn’t go off as expected. We can anticipate it will go off at some arbitrary time later today and tonight. It’s nice to know in advance, allowing us to plan accordingly, but that’s not always possible. With Eskom, the unreliable South Africa power company, such inconsistencies are typical.

That’s it for today, folks. We intend to post tomorrow after we move out of the house for 24 hours. So, please look for us then. We hope you have a pleasant Sunday, wherever you may be.

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

This kind man, Mr. Ganapthay of Cholan Art Village, made the experience of visiting his nine-generation family’s bronzing business all the more special to both of us. For more, please click here.

Hesitated to write about this…More of what?…

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dust mite medical 3d illustration - typical dust mite dust mite stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images
Yikes! This is a dust mite, un-seeable by the naked eye.. (Not our photo).

I hesitated to write this story today. Genetic health issues, primarily from my mother’s side of the family, left me with a variety of medical problems which I’ve struggled with most of my life. As a child, I had severe asthma beginning at about three years old. As I got older, I developed hay fever, which only exacerbated the situation.

In my 20s, I started taking cortisone tablets daily, which continued for 14 years, wreaking havoc with my health and well-being, but at least I could breathe.

In my 30’s I went through all those allergy tests and subsequent weekly injections to reduce my symptoms while at the same time tapering off the cortisone tablets, which took two years. Finally, the injections were completed, and I was truly free of symptoms for many years.

On top of that, as mentioned in the past, I suffered from metabolic syndrome causing high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and constant battles in attempting to maintain my weight at a healthy level. These issues have only recently been entirely resolved when I once again changed my diet, becoming more strict in a low-carb way of eating while in that hotel room in India. I no longer have high blood pressure (off all medication), and I am no longer pre-diabetic.

As I continue to learn about metabolic syndrome, I have realized that constant high blood sugar and high blood pressure caused me to develop cardiovascular heart disease, often a high-risk factor in diabetes and hypertension. Also, after 40 years have passed since I had those allergy injections, the positive effects have worn off. The allergies have returned and manifested in different ways.

Kudu, named Bossy, was surrounded by mongooses and didn’t seem to mind a bit as long as there were pellets around. The mongooses don’t care for the pellets.

Yes, after all my posts about my health over the years, I hesitated to write about it again today. But, over the past few months, I’ve thought that if perhaps my writing about this could provide one of our readers with a morsel of curiosity about their conditions, resulting in their pursuit of answers, it was well worth any potential retribution or criticism. I can only imagine many of our readers thinking and saying, “Here we go again.”

So here is my most recent allergy dilemma. I am suffering from severe hives (or what appears to be insect bites) from dust mites. When I had the allergy tests 40 years ago, dust mites were the number one allergen I responded to, number two being grasses.

This house we’re in is impeccably clean. You’d have a hard time finding a speck of dust anywhere. Each day Vusi and Zef clean every inch of space. But the harsh reality regarding dust mites is that they live unseen in mattresses, pillows, stuffed furniture, and clothing. Dust mites, per se, don’t bite their victims. See below from this site:

Tom mixed ups yet another batch of raw scrambled eggs.

“What Are Dust Mites?

Dust mites are microscopic, insect-like pests that generate some of the most common indoor substances—or allergens—that can trigger allergic reactions and asthma in many people. Hundreds of thousands of dust mites can live in the bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets, or curtains in your home. They feed on the dead human skin cells found in dust.

Dust mites are not parasites; they don’t bite, sting, or burrow into our bodies. The harmful allergen that they create comes from their fecal pellets and body fragments. Dust mites are nearly everywhere; roughly four out of five homes in the United States have detectable levels of dust mite allergen in at least one bed.”

Here is information on rashes caused by exposure to dust mites, which I appear to be suffering from over the past few months. I do not see new rashes during the day or evening while outdoors. But, at night, when I go to bed, I start itching like crazy and discover new rashes all over my body in the morning, particularly areas that touch the mattress and pillows.

Utilizing extreme caution and the frequent use of DEET repellent several times a day, I no longer am getting many mosquito bites. For a while, I thought the rash might be a result of the harsh laundry soap. Louise had Vusi and Zef start using baby-friendly chemical-free laundry soap.

We rarely feed the impalas. There are so many of them, and we’d draw even more if we did so. Occasionally, they visit when there are already pellets on the ground. There is plenty of green vegetation for them to graze at this time.

We purchased the same type of laundry soap for our laundry, clothing, and towels.  Although there was a slight improvement, I’d still awaken in the morning with new outrageously itchy spots all over my body, particularly any exposed skin. A few nights, I wore winter pajamas with long tight pants and long sleeves. This helped, but it’s tough to wear these hot clothes to bed when temperatures are in the 100Fs, 40Cs, during the day. The air con in the bedroom couldn’t keep me cool enough to be able to sleep.

My arms are the worst, covered in inflamed, red bite-like spots that continue to itch for no less than three weeks once I have a new batch. My neck and face have been covered at times with the rash. When old patches recover, new ones occur. I try not to complain. My Fitbit shows how poor my sleep has been, often around four or five hours intermittently. I take antihistamines daily and use prescription cortisone cream several times a day and night. Nothing helps.

Last week, Vusi and Zef cleaned and sprayed all sides of the mattress and pillows with anti-dust mite spray. It lasted only two nights and then was back with a vengeance.

Yesterday, in dire frustration, I threw my arms in the air. I asked Louise to find a professional exterminator to come and fog the entire house, hopefully ridding us of this problem. We insisted we pay for this service. As it turned out, the only professional in this area is gone for two weeks. Instead, he told Louise and Danie how to fumigate the house and what products to use that will hopefully provide some relief until he returns and does the full-professional treatment.  I feel bad that they have to do this. But, that is how they are, always concerned for our well-being and the well-being of all their clientele.

Bossy always stares at me for more pellets. She has us both well trained.

Monday, we have to move out of the house for 24 hours while they come in the morning and do the temporary fumigation job. They insisted we stay at their wonderful current home while staying in another of their fabulous properties with family joining them for a few weeks’ visit. Monday morning, we’ll pack up an overnight bag and head to their beautiful house, only minutes away.

So there it is, another of my recent dilemmas. This same thing happened to me last time we were here in 2018 and when we stayed in a hotel in Minneapolis during a six-week family visit in 2017. There were no such issues during those ten months in India. Thank goodness.

Last night our friend Alan came to visit, and we had an enjoyable evening. Tonight, we’re going to Jabula for dinner. Soon, we’ll visit Kruger National Park once we wrap up this situation and complete a few looming tasks.

Happy day. Be well.

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

“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.” This is from the post one year ago, when we knew we had to end our 54-night private tour of India prematurely due to Covid-19. Please click here for more.

Visa documents finally submitted…Hotels booked…Carjackings…

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Female bushbucks are so shy.

Note: Late posting due to power and WiFi outage.

In only 27 days, we’ll be leaving Marloth Park to make our way to Nelspruit where we’ll stay overnight for our early morning flight to Johannesburg from Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger Airport. Based on the fact our flight is so early, we preferred not to be on the N4 highway in the dark.

Many carjackings occur on highways in South Africa at night (less so during the day) prevents us from ever driving to Nelspruit in the dark. As a matter of fact, there has been a 537% increase in carjackings in Minneapolis, Minnesota (our former home state) as seen in this news article.

Tiny and a friend, getting along well while sharing pellets.

This is alarming in the US and even more alarming in South Africa as described in this article. In this province of Gauteng,where Johannesburg is located, there were 9025 carjackings in 2020. This is sufficient to make road trips of any type during the night, considerably more dangerous.

As a result, whenever we have an early morning flight out of the small Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger Airport, we prefer to stay overnight in a nearby hotel. Also, when leaving Little Governors Camp in the Maasai Mara on April 13th, we’ll fly out from the Maasai Mara in a small plane landing at Wilson Airport, not too far from the major airport in Johannesburg where we’ll fly out on the next available flight back to Nelspruit the following day. This requires another hotel stay.

Tiny loves to nap in the garden.

Having accumulated so many “free nights” using Hotels.com on our site for those 10 months in Mumbai, India, we were able to use three of those many accumulated “free” nights for the three one-night hotel stays. The dollar value of the free night is based on the price we paid for each of those nights.

At many points during those 10 months, we paid less than US $100, ZAR 1496, per night, requiring us to pay the difference when using our free nights, for hotels priced above that amount. Thus, between the three hotels on all ends of the stay in Little Governors Camp, we had to pay an additional almost US $180.

Ms. Hornbill abandoned her nest in the bushbaby house, but returns often. We wonder where her new nest is located.

Why three hotels for a six-night departure from Marloth Park?

  1. April 8, 2021 – Nelspruit, South Africa overnight awaiting the early morning flight
  2. April 9, 2021 – Nairobi, Kenya overnight awaiting the net morning’s early morning flight from Wilson Airport, a short distance from Jomo Kenyatta International in  Nairobi
  3. April 10, 2021, to April 13, 2021 – Little Governors Camp (3 nights)
  4. April 13, 2021 – One overnight in Nairobi before the early morning flight back to Nelspruit followed by the return drive to Marloth Park upon arrival.

As much as we tried to reduce the number of required overnight stays, in order to avoid driving in the dark, this was our only option. Others may have been able to eliminate some of this “monkey business.” But also, delays due to Covid-19 could result in delays or cancellations of flights. This way we protect ourselves in more than one way, reducing potential travel stress.

Cute bushbuck walks daintily.

No, we don’t like all the additional exposure at three airports (both coming and returning) and three hotels and one camp stay. But, we had to carefully weigh our options and make choices that work for us. As you can see, booking all of this is time-consuming and at times, frustrating.

As of yesterday morning, we hadn’t booked any of the hotels. When we began the e-visa process with yet another company, after the company in Washington, DC, required the e-visa to be snail-mailed which didn’t work for us, through considerable research, Tom found yet another company we could use, that is reputable that will email our e-visa within the next five days.

Tiny and a friend.

While again, while filling out the application, and submitting our documents, their system stated our dates didn’t match up from the dates at Little Governors Camp with our entry and exit dates. This prompted us to realize we’d better get to work booking the two hotels in Nairobi so the dates would match up.

Finally, after hours in the bedroom with the fan on, (load shedding occurred during this period while we used the inverter to run the fan), sweating like pigs in the heat and humidity, our documents were accepted from IVisa and our five-day wait began.

Whew! That was challenging. Now, all we have left to do which we’ll take care of over the weekend is booking a rental car for three more months which we’ll pick-up upon our return to Nelspruit/Mpumalanga on April 14, 2021, for our return drive to Marloth Park.

Little, attempting to get on the veranda. He’s so bossy!

Then, perhaps, we can relax for another 90 days in South Africa until July when the visas will expire once more. Next time, we’re hoping to apply for an extension which will take us to October, at which point we’ll have to leave South Africa for an upcoming cruise (which may or may not happen) in November. That is up in the air, as is so much due to Covid-19 and immigration laws.

Tonight, our friend Alan and his adult niece Kristen will be joining us for sundowners and appetizers. Thank goodness, it’s a little cooler today, although not cool enough for my liking with the high humidity. But soon, we’ll begin to head toward winter and eventual cooler temps.

May you have a pleasant and healthy day! Oh, oh, load shedding just started again! No power for the next 2½ hours. Oh, well.

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

Lakshmi was so sweet and welcoming. I patted her thick trunk and looked deep into her eye. More here: “This Ganesh Chaturthi, you can visit the extraordinary Manakula Vinayagar Temple situated approximately 400 metres away from the Bay of Bengal in White Town, Pondicherry. Read on to know why devotees, photo fanatics and experience seekers flock to this special temple of Lord Ganesha.” For more, please click here.

The dreadful process of filling out forms…A zebra in a pool???…

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We’ve yet to have a single visit from a full-racked male kudu. They can only get into our garden by walking on the driveway when the bush is too dense. This young male could make it through the bush to stop for a visit during sundowners on the veranda.

We dread it each time we have to extend our visas, apply for permits, or apply online for any government-mandated process. Often, the forms are confusing, difficult to use, and don’t save partially completed forms. However, their website clearly states that returning users can easily find their partially completed forms. Ha! Not always the case.

Yesterday, we started the necessary process of applying for our e-visas for entry into Kenya on April 9th. On January 1, 2021, Kenya switched from the easy visa-upon-arrival process with a mandatory online application. With many of the questions translated from other languages, the questions in the form are often ambiguous and confusing.

A female kudu and a male impala were getting along well while eating pellets.

But, the worst part for us, mainly me, who will make both of our online applications, is now using a Chromebook instead of formerly using Windows. With Windows, all I had to do was find the appropriate travel documents in a folder on my desktop, and we’d be good to go.

It’s not so easy with a Chromebook, regardless of how and where I save documents, to easily find them to grab and attach to an uploader in an online application. I know how to do this. But when saving the documents needed, such as airline tickets, hotel reservations, copies of passports, and decent headshot photos, those documents I properly saved are often missing, and I can’t “grab” to upload them into the form.

Impalas are very shy around humans. We’ve been surprised to see so many visiting our garden.

Yesterday afternoon, I spent no less than two hours in dire frustration in the 100F, 38C, heat, and humidity, and will have to go back and try again today. Just now, as we speak, I looked for the documents and found them where they should be in the “download” folder.

But, I do not doubt that when I start working on the form again, re-entering all I’ve already entered on ten pages, they won’t be there. We often wonder how less experienced users could get through this process. Often, they have to hire a company to do this for them at an additional cost over and above the US $102 ZAR 1558, the fee (for both of us) charged by Kenya.

Impalas stay at a distance from the veranda.

Oh, I can’t wait to get this done and behind us. Tom, a less experienced user of Chromebook’s weird nuances, will be able to re-enter his personal information, which was lost upon “save. Hopefully, after he re-enters it today, it will all be there for me to log into his Kenya visa account and upload the documents from there also.

Talk about sweating in this weather! It’s only 10:30 right now in Marloth Park, and it’s already 90F, 32C with high humidity, all of which is rising rapidly. It won’t be until after about 5:00 pm, 1700 hours, that we’ll feel the temperature drop slightly. Yesterday Tom read that the “wind chill” was 110F, 43.3C. We had no idea wind chill factors were considered for hot weather as well as for cold temperatures.

Adorable young male bushbuck checks out the grassy area in our garden, waiting for Tom, in the red shirt, to toss him a few pellets.

Last night, the air-con in our bedroom couldn’t keep up with the heat. It was also necessary to use one of the two standing fans in our bedroom, aimed directly at us. It never really cooled down much during the night. Even our wildlife friends stay away during the heat. They hunker down in the shade of the bush, close to water holes. It must be so hard for them.

Yesterday there was a Facebook story under Marloth Park Sighting Group that was mind-boggling as follows:

“ATTENTION POOL OWNERS: Last week Thursday, driving up Berghaan Rd, I was flagged down by a resident/visitor of a house with a newly built swimming pool. The gentleman was FRANTIC, and I soon learned that he was deaf, as is his partner, neither could speak either. Turning into the driveway, I was greeted by the sight of an adult zebra, in the pool, but exhausted, his neck and head out of the water, hanging over the side, as the gentleman, who was EXHAUSTED, and two young builders from the next-door house had managed to get zebra to the side of the pool. I don’t know how long it was going on before I arrived, but I jumped into action, looped my bakkie (a pickup truck) tow strap around zebra’s neck, and with the help of the builders, directed zebra around to the shallow end where it could stand, and where we could lead it to the steps. This worked!! Three minutes after I arrived, the zebra was out of the water and on its feet…..
Firstly, the pool was too deep for adult zebra to stand. Secondly, the pool should be fenced. Should it not just be common sense to fence a pool in a nature reserve?? Hate to think what would’ve happened had I not driven by when I did. Occupants of the house were inside, both deaf, with no idea about the drama outside. Luckily the builders were awake…”
Bushbucks have such adorable faces!
Fortunately, the zebra was rescued by the kind and creative people who immediately went into action. The zebra seemed fine and dashed off. And yes, there are pools at most houses in the bush, mainly splash pools used to cool off in hot weather, days like today, and few, if any, are fenced.
That’s a matter for another day. Fences are frowned upon in the bush, preventing the wildlife from freely foraging as they wander about the park. But, circumstances under which a wall may be sensible, providing safety for humans and animals alike.
Tiny is sitting in front of his favorite tree stump.
Our pool, yet to be used by us, is shallow, above ground, encased, and surrounded by a cement wall. It would be unlikely an animal could fall in without climbing over the fence, tricky to do at best. Plus, it’s shallow, as is the case of most splash pools in the bush. We’re thrilled to hear the zebra was safely rescued. Life in the bush has always been exciting and often unusual.
Have a lovely day.
Photo from one year ago today, March 10, 2020:
“Krishna’s Butterball (also known as Vaan Irai Kal and Krishna’s Gigantic Butterball) is a gigantic granite boulder that rests on a short incline in the historical coastal resort town Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu state of India. Since it is part of the Group of Monuments at Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built during 7th- and 8th-century CE as Hindu religious monuments by the Pallava dynasty, it is a popular tourist attraction. It is listed as a protected national monument by the Archeological Survey of India. It is best viewed at sunrise from northwest to southeast or at sundown from northeast to southwest when the panorama is bathed in magical golden hues.” Our guide explained that at one time, centuries ago, the locals tried to move this boulder using elephants, but it wouldn’t budge. For more photos, please click here.

A little Little in the morning…What a great way to start the day!…

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Less than three feet, one meter, from me, Little settled in this spot at the edge of the veranda, napping from time to time.

This morning, only minutes after Tom stepped out onto the veranda, he called out to me, “Little is here!” We hadn’t seen him in a week.

With holidaymakers coming to Marloth Park over the past holiday weekend (Women’s Day in South Africa), the influx of humans kept many of our favorite animals away. An exception to that has been Tiny, who visits each evening within minutes of 4:30 pm, 1600 hours, regardless of what’s transpiring in the park.

Occasionally, he’d get up onto his knees or stand when he’d hear a noise or see something moving in the bush.

As for Little, he’d last visited about a week ago. Tom is not as attached to him as I am when he considers that Little is like a “bull in a China shop.” but Tom shooed him away from eating Frank’s bird seeds, and we hadn’t seen him until today. I genuinely believe he decided to let go of feeling rebuffed and return to see me.

Little came into the living/lounge room in the Orange house last time we were there. After all, Little tore the screen to the lounge door, which has since been repaired. It was Little who languished in the cement pond on hot days. Little precipitated our post entitled, “Pig on the Porch, Pig in the Parlor, Pig in the Pond.” See here for the post.

He rested his chin on the ground or the edge of the veranda.

Little brought a friend into the house to share in his bounty of pellets, as seen in this link. The laughter and amazement we experienced in 2018/2019 are now repeated in 2021 by the intelligence of this bossy and yet charming warthog who continues to bring us great moments of awe and wonder over his ability as a wild animal to communicate with us humans to this degree.

This morning, was it love he exhibited when he nestled on the ground only three feet, one meter, from me after having his fill of pellets and the forbidden birdseed, as I sat in my usual chair at the table on the veranda? He couldn’t take his eyes off of me. I couldn’t help but laugh in sheer wonder.

When Zef and Vusi arrived to clean the house, Little stood up, checking out the visitors. Moments later, he settled back down to his former position, lying down next to the veranda.

Some may say he was looking at me to give him more pellets. But it’s been Tom who’s tossed him the pellets when he’s better at throwing them into the garden than I am. But, even Tom is amazed by how Little responds to my voice and interacts with me. We always loved our dogs and their ability to communicate in loving ways with us. Pigs, much more intelligent than dogs, certainly can do the same. It’s not always about “the food.”

We see a tremendous amount of loving behaviors in the bush. The moms and babies of most species exhibit an enormous amount of love toward one another. We often see friendly and loving behavior among the kudus, giraffes, warthogs, zebras, bushbucks, and other species. Why would it be so unusual that a wild animal could, under certain circumstances, express caring behavior for us human animals?

Last night’s sunset from the deck at the Amazing Kruger View Restaurant, we dined with Linda and Ken, who left today to return to Johannesburg.

As far as wild animals are concerned, most likely, we are simply another species they encounter in the wild with whom they may choose to interact or not. We often find ourselves gifted with a response that warms our hearts and fills us with great joy for those of us passionate observers who choose to interact with the wildlife in subtle ways, such as through eye contact, voice tones, and appropriate food offerings.

Yes, we know. That’s not our intent. They are wild animals, and we shouldn’t attempt to domesticate wild animals. Instead, we find ourselves in a state of awe and appreciation over the gifts of life so blissfully bestowed upon us by Mother Nature to enable all of us to live in harmony on this earth.

Yes, Little, and now also Tiny, each in their way, teaches us the importance of their existence and how to cohabitate in this unique environment. For this, we are grateful, as we spend every day living in the bush continually reveling in their very existence, let alone in an opportunity to somehow communicate with them.

We’d intended to post this photo from Friday evening’s sundowner party on our veranda, but WiFi issues prevented us from doing so at that time. We had a great evening, which ended when the mozzies came out with a vengeance.

Tonight, after spending five evenings celebrating life with local friends, we’re staying in. The heat and humidity continue to be outrageously uncomfortable. But, we’re managing well, especially when the air-con in the bedroom allows us to get restorative sleep at night. We sweat on the veranda during the daylight hours, occasionally taking a break to come into the bedroom to turn on the AC for a short reprieve. Knowing we can do this helps tremendously.

We’ve had several days without WiFi or power outages which have been delightful. But, as we discussed with Linda and Ken last night at the Amazing Kruger View Restaurant, after all, this is Africa. It’s a hot, dusty, humid, bug-infested continent with snakes, wild beasts, and dangers in many directions. If one cannot adapt to these conditions, visiting Africa may not be for them.

For us, with all its challenges, we feel right at home while continuing to stay on guard for any potential risks. By the way, in 30 days, we’ll be on our way to Kenya.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 9, 2020:

Sundowners on the beach at the Ideal Beach Resort located in Mahabalipuram, India. For more, please click here.

More social time in the bush…Will we be able to get the “jab?”…

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Giraffes are such beautiful animals, especially in how they relate to one another. On occasion, there may be fighting by necking among males. But, overall, they get along well, sharing the bounty of the bush.

What a wonderful anniversary we had! Not only did we receive countless warm wishes, but we spent the evening again with dear friends Linda and Ken, who are leaving Marloth Park tomorrow to return to their home in Johannesburg. They are planning to return for other visits during the next several months.

Both parents are diligent in looking after their youngsters.

After almost a year of being unable to socialize, as has been the case for many throughout the world, it is fantastic to be able to spend time with Louise and Danie, Linda and Ken, and all of our other friends who are currently in Marloth Park with many more to arrive in the next several months after they can get their Covid-19 vaccinations.

They are often curious about humans but make a point of not getting too close. Of course, we don’t feed them when their diet mainly consists of trees and plants.

When we may be able to get vaccinated is up in the air. As non-residents of South Africa and with a limited supply of the vaccine, we may not be able to get vaccinated for a long time to come. However, we found this encouraging article online that gives us hope that we may be allowed to get the jab at some point.

What an adorable face!

We’re hoping this country can provide some certificate stating we’ve been vaccinated when the time comes. It certainly wouldn’t make sense to be immunized without such a document to use going forward, especially when and if the time comes, that we can go on any of the cruises we currently have booked, well into the future. We are confident that in the future, cruise lines will require proof of vaccination for all passengers.

They manage to sustain themselves in areas with room for them to navigate. When the bush is too dense for freedom of movement, they’ll often forage from the roads.

This morning before posting for the day, we headed to Komatipoort for a few items. With Easter upcoming on April 4th, President Ramaphosa may impose a new alcohol ban around that time. Thus, we decided to stock up on my wine and brandy for Tom.

Another adorable face!

My wine is ZAR 49, US $3.23 a bottle. Tom’s brandy, the popular liter of Klipdrift, is ZAR 229.99, US $14.85. With prices like these, it doesn’t take much forethought to stay well-stocked, especially during lockdown periods when bans are possible. It’s no wonder South Africans enjoy “sundowners.”

They can be playful with one another.

While I visited the pharmacy, wearing a mask, a face shield, and rubber gloves, I was able to purchase a bottle of 1000 vitamin B6 tablets for Tom at the cost of ZAR 97.41, US $6.29 plus, an allergy medication for me along with a variety of odds and ends. A woman is stationed outside the shop, spraying hand sanitizers onto the hands of entering customers, and takes everyone’s temperature.

We took these photos a few days ago against the backdrop of a blue sky with white fluffy clouds.

As often is the case, my temperature was 36C, 96.8F, instead of 37C, with an average temperature of 98.6F. I have always had a low temperature which is no big deal, one way or another. From the pharmacy, I walked to Spar Market, where Tom met up with me. He had gone ahead on his own after dropping me off to get petrol for the rental car, a bag of pellets from Obaro Hardware Store, and the wine and brandy from TOPS liquor store.

Their sense of hearing is acute, and when another animal or human enters the scene, they are quick to investigate.

In no time at all, we’d purchased the few items we needed from Spar to round out our groceries for the week. With social plans for five nights in a row, we still have plenty of food on hand, quickly enough to last for another week.

One of the most delightful scenes in Marloth Park is when giraffes wander down the road.

Tonight, as mentioned, we’re meeting Linda and Ken for dinner at Amazing Kruger View restaurant that overlooks the Crocodile River. Hopefully, we’ll be able to take many good photos of wildlife while outdoors on their wide-open veranda. Of course, I’ll load up on plenty of insect repellent, hoping to keep the mozzies at bay while dining outdoors.

It’s scorching and humid again today. By 4:00 pm, 1600 hours, we’ll head indoors to shower for the second time today and get ready to go out once again for more social fun. We certainly love life in Marloth Park.

We hope that a reduction in Covid cases in your area allows opportunities for more visits with family and friends while always taking necessary precautions to social distance, wearing face masks, and washing your hands. Regardless of vaccines, these precautions must be adhered to diligently with no margin for error.

Please have a great Monday, and thanks for all the well wishes for our anniversary. We appreciate every one of YOU!

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

There are numerous temples in this one location. Many come to pray here every day. We weren’t allowed inside the temples since we weren’t Hindu. For more photos, please click here.

Stars in our eyes…Stripes in our garden…It’s our 26th wedding anniversary today…What does it cost us for food in South Africa?…

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As of today, we’ve been married for 26 years. Last year in India, we celebrated our 25th, but now, that seems so long ago. We are blessed to have this great union, two people of opposites that somehow meet in the middle to find love, companionship, friendship, and harmony. Who knew we’d be able to travel the world together for over eight years and see so much joy in our everyday lives, regardless of where we may be at any given time?

We waited quite a while to pick up their heads for a photo, but they were preoccupied.

If anyone had asked if we could spend ten months in lockdown in a hotel room in Mumbai, India, we may have laughed, uncertain if our usual state of harmony and love would survive. And, it did. Not only did we survive, emotionally intact, but all the stronger for it. Happy anniversary, Tom Lyman! May our lives together continue to be enriched in years to come.

They often head-butt one another when the pellets get low.

Last night, we headed to Jabula Lodge & Restaurant for our anniversary dinner, dining outside on the veranda and enjoying, as usual, a fine meal. It’s often surprising to us how affordable it is to dine out in Marloth Park. We dined at Jabula twice this week, on Thursday with Linda and Ken, and again last night.

The cost for each evening was approximately US $40, ZAR $615, which included taxes, tips, cocktails for Tom, and a bottle of my favorite Four Cousins Skinny Red Wine which I drank from on both occasions, with another glass or two left in the bottle that we brought home last night. There is nowhere in the world we’ve been able to enjoy such good food at such reasonable prices.

Zebras with their heads down only interested in the pellets.

Our total grocery bill since we arrived here on January 13th with enough food to last us for another week was US $1081, ZAR 16609. This averaged US $136, ZAR 2074 per week. Our entire dining out bill for these eight weeks was US $251, ZAR 3856. The total for food thus far was US 1332, ZAR 20465, averaged US $167, ZAR 2566 per week.

This was the first of the zebras to take a drink from the pool, and the others followed suit.

When we lived in Minnesota, shopping for groceries in 2012, we spent an average of US $225, ZAR 3457 per week. Dining out typically was US $100, ZAR 1536, and thus we didn’t go out to eat in the US as readily as we do here. As we’ve always said, it’s good for our budget to be living in South Africa, let alone all the other beautiful reasons.

As you can see from today’s photos, we were thrilled to see zebras in the garden finally. It was funny how it happened. One of the four zebras snuck up from the side of the house and peered out at us on the veranda, checking out the situation. Moments later, the four of them were busy munching on pellets, rarely taking a second to look up.

They seem to copy one another’s activities.

Zebras aren’t like kudus, wildebeest, warthogs, and bushbucks, who make eye contact and respond to our voices. They never look us in the eye. Although it’s pretty enjoyable to watch them interact with one another, pushing and shoving one moment and cuddling the next, they have little interest in us humans. Nonetheless, a visit from them is always welcomed.

Tonight, we are getting together with Linda and Ken to celebrate our anniversary. And, tomorrow night, their last night in MP, we’re meeting for dinner at the Amazing Kruger View Restaurant, formerly known as AAmazing River View. The restaurant overlooks the Crocodile River for some often exciting views. Bubbly is on the menu for sure.

Although there is chlorine in the pool, here, they use so little. It’s not harmful to the animals to drink from the pool.

Today, it is sweltering and humid. It’s so much so that I decided to stay inside in the bedroom to cool off for a bit while I finish today’s post.

We hope you’ve been having a good weekend. We certainly have enjoyed this four-day run of social activities with our special friends in Marloth Park. We never tire of the people or the wildlife and can’t imagine, we ever will.

Be well.

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

In an old vehicle located at the Best Exotic Marigold  Hotel, Us is referred to as a Willy/Jeep. For that post, please click here.

We’re baaaack!!!…Sorry for the disappearing act!…Still unable to upload new photos…

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This blind priest prays in this position all day, standing outside the  Eklingi Temple. As a functioning temple, no photos are allowed. Silver was used in embellishing the interior and it was stunning.

Please know how frustrating it is for us when we’re unable to upload a post and new photos. During the past year, we’ve had numerous occasions when our site was down during the upgrade and thereafter due to one issue or another. Then, over the past few days, there was some type of WiFi issue making it impossible to upload photos, let alone the text content.

We’re always in awe of the detailed carvings, many of which required decades of diligent work to complete.

But, now we’re thinking it is an issue with WordPress which is being worked on now as I prepare this post without new photos. Instead, we’ve added some photos from last year on this date.

As a result, yesterday morning, I threw my hands up in the air after trying for two days, to take a break and wait until today. So far, I still cannot upload photos.

Yesterday, we were preparing to entertain friends for sundowners for eight of us and we had a busy day preparing for our guests, making a wide array of snacks and treats for happy hour.

Sacred cows kept safely on the grounds of the temple.

Actually, it’s less time-consuming to prepare a meal than a wide array of starters (appetizers) but entertaining this way is traditional in South Africa, although cooking on the braai is the next favorite option. Unfortunately, in this smaller house, we don’t have the number of serving items, space, and dinnerware to accommodate a sit-down dinner for eight. But, we did fine last night with Louise‘s help in providing us with serving pieces of various types including adequate numbers of wine glasses.

South Africans love their wine and rightfully so when some of the world’s finest wines are produced in this country, with many vineyards close to Cape Town. Of course, I only drink my favorite, Four Cousins, Skinny Red, which is 33% less alcohol and only a few carbs.

Nagda Temple is not a functioning temple, but the Gods contained therein are attended to on a daily basis. They are symbolically brought food, flower offerings, and bathed each day. No visitors are allowed when the Gods are sleeping.

Last night, Lesley took photos of us, speaking of red wine, and I didn’t smile much in the photo of Tom and I when I knew my teeth were red after my first of two glasses of red wine. That’s the only thing I don’t like about red wine, the awful staining of otherwise white teeth. A good brushing later in the evening gets rid of “that look.” But, but “they” say not to brush until a few hours pass after drinking red wine, something to do with the acidity not being good for the enamel if brushing while still drinking.

I don’t know. I don’t always believe what “they” say when over the years, we’ve discovered “they” were wrong about so many things.

In any case, we had a lovely evening with Linda and Ken, Lesley and Andrew and Louise and Manie. The conversation was lively and we both enjoyed their appreciation of our sundowner spread of various snacks and treats. It’s always a joy for a host and hostess to see guests enthusiastically partaking in the foods we prepare, The only thing missing was many of our other friends who’ve yet to get the vaccine to become able to travel here.

Tom takes a photo of me taking a photo of one of several beautiful temples.

The mosquito issue doesn’t end when darkness falls. If anything, they get worse in the dark. As a result, most sundowner parties end by 7:30 or 8:00 pm, rarely later. This is disappointing since it’s at this point when a party is in full swing, but everyone has to wrap it up and go home. Some diehards will sit by a bonfire and tough it out with the mozzies. But, this mature group, us included, weren’t prepared to deal with the darned mosquitos. The reality of entertaining in South Africa is that most social events occur outdoors. Here in Marloth Park, this is especially true when most houses are not built for indoor entertaining including at restaurants. Well, this is all good except for the reality, that at dark by about 7:30 pm this time of year, the mozzies come out in a flesh-eating frenzy.

That was the case here last night. By 8:00 pm, our guests had left. Tom and I had cleaned everything up, the dishwasher was running and we headed into the bedroom to watch a show on Amazon prime and wind down. After an hour or so, we took out some of the leftovers for a late-night treat. It was another lovely evening in the bush.

Tonight, we’ll return to Jabula Lodge & Restaurant for dinner again, after our visit on Thursday with Linda and Ken. Soon, they’ll be leaving the bush to return to their home in Johannesburg. We’ll be spending both Sunday and Monday evenings socializing with them once again, always a great pleasure.

The temple structures were made of marble which is abundant in India but over the years the white color has changed to this light brown coloring.

Please know we are totally aware of the photo issues and are working hard to resolve them. It may not be resolved for a few more days. Have a great weekend.

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

All of the above photos are from one year ago, Please see the link here.

Finally, we found the ostrich family of many…

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Only a few members of the large ostrich family we’ve been longing to see.

Every few days since we arrived, we’ve driven around Marloth Park looking for the ostriches. We’d heard the chicks were huge already but still glued at the hip to their parents.  Here’s some information on ostriches from this site:

“Ostrich Facts: The World’s Largest Bird

Ostriches are large, flightless birds that have long legs and a long neck that protrudes from a round body. Males have bold black-and-white coloring that they use to attract females. Females, on the other hand, are light brown.

Ostriches are bigger than any other bird in the world. They can grow up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall and can weigh up to 320 lbs. (145 kilograms), according to the African Wildlife Foundation, and an ostrich’s eye is 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter — the largest of any land animal. The ostrich is the only bird that has two toes on each foot. All other birds have three or four toes, according to the American Ostrich Association.

Several fast-growing chicks close to a house in the bush.

Where do ostriches live?

Wild ostriches live in the dry, hot savannas and woodlands of Africa. They once roamed all over Asia, Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula, but because they have been hunted so extensively, wild ostriches’ range has been reduced to sub-Saharan Africa. However, ostriches can be found in captivity all over the world.

What do ostriches eat?

Ostriches are omnivores, which means they eat both vegetation and meat. Although they prefer plants — especially roots, seeds, and leaves — they also eat locusts, lizards, snakes, and rodents. They also eat sand and pebbles, to help grind up their food in their gizzard, which is a small pouch where food is crushed and ripped up before it reaches the stomach.

It’s difficult to get preferred photos with ostriches with their heads up when they are constantly pecking on the ground. These are two of the dozen or more chicks.

Mating habits

Male ostriches are called cocks or roosters, and females are called hens. A group of ostriches is called a flock. Flocks can consist of up to 100 birds, though most have 10 members, according to the San Diego Zoo. The group has a dominant male and a dominant female and several other females. Lone males come and go during mating season.

To get a female’s attention, males bow and flap their wings outward to display their plumage. When they are ready to mate, the male’s beak and shins will turn bright red. Sometimes, his neck will change to a red color to match. Females also change color when they are ready to mate. Their feathers will turn a silvery color, according to the American Ostrich Association.

The larger dark feathered ostrich on the right may be the dad. Females have lighter-colored feathers.

Ostrich eggs & baby ostriches

Ostrich eggs are 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter and can weigh up to 3 lbs. (1.3 kg). Eggs are laid in a communal nest called a dump nest, which can hold about 60 eggs at one time. Males, as well as females, sit on the eggs until they hatch, which can take 42 to 46 days.

Other facts

It may seem amazing that an ostrich’s thin legs can keep its large body upright. Their legs are perfectly placed so that the body’s center of gravity balances on top of its legs.  Their thin legs give them great speed and maneuverability, too. They can run up to 40 mph (64.3 km/h) for sustained periods of time, according to the American Ostrich Association.

Contrary to popular belief, ostriches don’t bury their heads in the sand, but they do lie down with their heads against the ground when they feel threatened. It only looks like the ostrich has buried its head because its head and neck blend in with the color of the sand.

Ostriches fight with their feet. They kick forward because that’s the direction in which their legs bend, according to the American Ostrich Association. A solid kick can kill a lion.

Ostrich feathers look shaggy because they hang loosely and don’t hook together like feathers on other types of birds.”

It’s such an oddity, that an ostrich’s eye is the largest of any land animal in the world. We often notice their large eyes when we get up close and personal with these peculiar birds which are abundant in Marloth Park, Kruger National Park, and other areas of Africa where they flourish in the wild.

There’s always one or two on the lookout to ensure their safety from predators.

Yesterday afternoon, when the ceiling in our bedroom was being repaired along with the screen door to the veranda, that “Little” had damaged on a recent visit, we decided to embark on what proved to be a two-hour drive over bumpy dirt roads, recently made more difficult to navigate due to the weeks of heavy rains. Now that the skies seemed to have cleared and the road graders have been working on the dirt roads, the roads are better than they’d been a few weeks ago.

It’s hard for us to believe we’ve been here for 50 days so far. Somehow, the time flies so quickly when we’re here, enjoying the many amazing aspects of this wildlife conservancy along with the blissful social aspects. Speaking of which, we have a few busy upcoming social events in a row over the next several days.

Tonight, Thursday, we’re heading to Jabula Lodge & Restaurant for dinner with friends Linda and Ken, who will be returning to their home in Johannesburg next Tuesday. Tomorrow night, Friday, we’re hosting sundowners at our house, for eight of us for which we’ll set up another table on the veranda to ensure social distancing. Included in that group are Linda and Ken, Andrew and Lesley, Louise and Manie (a different Louise), and the two of us.

On Saturday night, we’ll be going to Amazing Kruger View Restaurant, formerly known as Aamazing River View, for sundowners to celebrate our 26th wedding anniversary, which is actually on Sunday, March 7th.  After enjoying the views of the Crocodile River, we’ll again head to Jabula Lodge & Restaurant. On Sunday, the actual day of our anniversary, Linda and Ken invited us for some “bubbly” and a nice meal cooked on the braai.

  • As a result of all of these social plans, we’ll be busy over the next four nights. By Monday, once again, we’ll prepare our dinner on the braai and revel in the beauty and magic of the bush, as we spend each day and evening on the veranda watching stunning wildlife in the garden. Life is good.

We hope life is good for you!

Photo from one year ago today, March 4, 2020:

The entrance to the Raaj Bagh Restaurant, which facilitates guests of the hotel and is located across the street. For more photos, please click here.

formerlyat a previous timeMore (Definitions, Synonyms, Translation)

We’re leaving on an exciting expedition in 37 days!…

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This elephant was a frequent visitor
This elephant is a frequent visitor to Little Governors Camp. Not our photo.

It was a painstaking process to figure out where we could go during the pandemic to have our visas stamped for a new 90-day stay in South Africa. The restrictions were frustrating and prohibitive for many locations. Many countries couldn’t accommodate us under any circumstances.

After extensive research over the past few weeks, it was in the past week that we considered returning to Kenya. The last time we’d been there was in 2013 when we’d longed to experience our first photo safari in the Maasai Mara.

From this site:

“Maasai Mara, also sometimes spelled Masai Mara and locally known simply as The Mara, is a large national game reserve in Narok, Kenya, contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It is named in honor of the Maasai people, the ancestral inhabitants of the area, who migrated to the area of the Nile Basin. Their description of the area when looked at from afar: “Mara” means “spotted” in the local Maasai language, due to the many short bushy trees which dot the landscape.

Regularly, elephants enter Little Governors Camp in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, often at mealtime, looking for a morsel to savor off the plates of the guests. Not our photo.

Maasai Mara is one of the most famous and important wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Africa, world-renowned for its exceptional populations of lion, African leopard, cheetah, and African bush elephant. It also hosts the Great Migration, which secured it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, and as one of the Ten Wonders of the World.”

A few years ago, while in South Africa, we booked a fantastic tour in Kenya for which we’d prepaid the entire cost well in advance, at a then cost of ZAR 223225, US $15,000. It was only a few months later that I had to have emergency open-heart surgery when we were only days away from departure for the extraordinary experience.

On such short notice, we lost the bulk of the fare. Thanks to Louise for helping us get a partial refund while I was still in the hospital. We understood that the short-term cancellation had put the host of the tour in a tough spot when it was impossible for him to resell our spot on such short notice. We were grateful to get back the 30% she arranged for us.

We can only imagine the excitement of being back in the Maasai Mara, let alone with elephants visiting the camp. Not our photo.

But, it never left our minds what we missed on that trip. The one venue of most interest to us was a stay at Little Governor’s Camp in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. Nor, did it ever leave our minds how much we enjoyed many safaris/game drives in the Maasai Mara, unlike anywhere we’ve visited since that time in 2013.

At that time, we stayed at Camp Olonono another luxury tented camp where we had an extraordinary experience as we anticipate we will once again. We went out on two game drives each day and couldn’t have seen more wildlife than we did. At Little Governor’s Camp, we’ll embark on two game drives each day, hanging around the camp for what we hope will be a recurring experience that Little Governor’s Camp is known for, elephants visiting the resort/campgrounds, even at times, entering the dining area and picking food off the plates of the guests. Oh, gosh, this will be the epitome of “safari luck” if this occurs while we’re there.

Of course, as always, we’ll prepare ourselves the elephants may not stop by while we’re at the camp. Instead, we’ll revel in the outstanding experiences we’ll surely have while out on the game drives. If someone were to ask us how many times we’ve been out on photo safaris after all these years, it would have to be well over 100. We never tire of the experience.

Governors' Camp | The Masai Mara, Kenya | The Africa Specialists™
We’ll be staying in a luxury tent with an ensuite bath and many amenities. Not our photo.

We still have a lot to do to complete the requirements for this upcoming trip; apply for online e-Visas, apply online for the complicated COVID-19 form required for entry into Kenya, arrange for hotels on either end, get Covid-10 PCR tests before we depart South Africa and arrange a rental car for three months for our return.

So far, all we’ve done is book the multiple flights and book and pay in full for Little Governor’s Camp required this close to arrival time. The camp has arranged for our small-plane round-trip flight in and then out of the Maasai Mara from a small airport in Nairobi.

We’ll report back later as we work our way through the process of wrapping up the tasks required to complete this upcoming adventure. If we had to leave South Africa for this visa thing, we decided that doing something wonderful was the way to go. We’re both thrilled to have this figured out!

Today, we left the house while a few repairs were being made on our bush house. “Little” had made a massive hole in the screen door to the veranda, trying to get into the house and a ceiling panel in the master bedroom had started coming down after weeks of rain and humidity. While the workers were here, we drove around the park, taking some exceptional photos which we’ll begin sharing in tomorrow’s post. Also, we took exciting photos in the garden early this morning, which we also can’t wait to share.

See you here tomorrow! Have a great day!

Photo from one year ago today, March 3, 2020:

We loved this sign, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, for the Elderly & Beautiful.” For more photos, please click here.