A local resident with a venomous snake bite rushed to hospital…More favorite photos…

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Rhino, mom, and baby.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A bushbuck, duiker, and several helmeted guineafowls, sharing pellets in our garden.

A few evenings ago, we heard sirens in the area. It turned out that it was the Marloth Park Securicon ambulance transporting a local snakebite victim to the hospital in Nelspruit, the closest private hospital in the area where I recently had four surgical procedures.

Impalas the water hole in Verhami Dam in Kruger National Park.

Apparently, according to a post on Facebook, the resident or tourist was bitten by a stiletto snake in their garden, which according to the African Snakebite Institute, is as follows:  

“The Stiletto Snake (Atractaspis vibronic), previously known as a Mole Adder, is a highly venomous but harmless-looking snake that accounts for numerous snakebites during the summer months in Southern Africa.

More impalas at the Verhami Dam.

This fossorial snake spends most of its life underground where it hunts for other snakes and lizards. It does come to the surface, usually in the early evening and especially after rain. To effectively bite within the limited space of their burrows, the Stiletto Snake has particularly long fangs in which it can protrude independently and ‘stab’ its prey. 

Whereas most snakes can open their mouths up to around 170 degrees, this snake can only open its mouth as wide as 55 degrees. If gripped behind the head, the Stiletto snake protrudes a fang and twists its head sideways to inflict a bite from a single fang.

Here is a photo (not ours) of the stiletto snake:

A stiletto snake often appears to be one of many harmless snakes.

Though not generally considered potentially fatal, the venom of this snake is potently cytotoxic, causing severe pain, swelling, blistering, and tissue damage. Many victims lose a digit. As there is no antivenom, doctors can only treat for pain, rehydrate the patient and then wait a few days to see how extensive the tissue damage is. 

A southern ground hornbill in Kruger National Park.

In a paper on the treatment of stiletto snake bites, Tilbury and Branch cautioned doctors not to resort to surgical intervention in the first few days following a taste, nor to lance blisters, as early surgical intervention seldom has a good outcome. There is no evidence that the early administration of antibiotics has any benefit.

Rhino was resting under the shade of a tree.

This snake is quite challenging to identify and is often mistaken for one of the harmless snakes. There are a few features one can look for to identify a Stiletto snake. The body and belly may be the same dark brown to blackish color, but in many areas, the body is brown to blackish and the belly white.”

Certainly, this incident and others serve as a warning to residents and visitors to Marloth Park. At night, anytime we’re entering or exiting the car, I always remind Tom and any friends with us, “Watch out for snakes.”

A fish eagle was scouring the area for her next meal.

Often, snakebites at night result from not watching where one is walking in the dark and then stepping on such a snake. It’s imperative to use a flashlight or small LED keychain light when going from house to car and back.

 A rhino is on the move.

We haven’t heard how the victim of the bite is doing, but we’ll continue to watch for any report that may be posted on Facebook in the next few days and report back here.

This morning, once again, we headed back to Doc Theo in Komatipoort for further treatment on my legs, particularly my left leg, which has been the biggest concern.

Rhino was hanging out with warthogs.

After he’d slathered the wound with the burning honey-based cream and re-bandaged it on Tuesday, keeping me awake all night as it dissolved the dead tissue, the improvement was visible but not as much as we would have liked.

Again, this morning, he slathered the cream on both legs, and within about 30 minutes, the burning began as it had on Tuesday. Today and tonight will be long as I deal with the constant burning sensation.

A boat and trailer stuck while attempting to cross the Crocodile Bridge on its way out of Kruger.  That day, we had to drive to the Malelane exit, which took us an additional three hours.

However, knowing the product is working and is not a result of some other issue, the pain is tolerable. Again, I’m taking the Tylenol/Paracetamol-based pain medication every four to six hours to keep the discomfort at bay. It does seem to help.

Not much is required of me today. I’ll get back to work on logging more receipts/expenses today on the spreadsheet if I’m able. This is more of a hassle than expected when I have to convert each receipt’s amount from rand (ZAR) to US dollars and enter the correct amounts on the appropriate worksheet in the Excel workbook. I’ll be thrilled to be done.

May your day be pleasant.

Photo from one year ago today, April 25, 2018:

The well-equipped modern treatment room was the most sophisticated we’d seen in years with the latest and most professional equipment.  We have both been to Dr. Luzanne many times in this past year. For more details, please click here.

Flights booked to Dublin…Figuring out concerns for traveling right now…A little friend has returned…

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Ken, Tom, and Don are having a good time, as usual.  We’ll all be together again soon before we leave.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Last year about this same time, our little friend, this female toad (or perhaps another), came to live on this light fixture.  For months, every night, she ate many flying insects to fatten up. We’d leave the light on for a while to ensure she’d have plenty of options. In the spring, a small male joined her on the fixture, and they stayed there together for a few weeks and left, not to be seen again until she’s returned this week.  Another cycle of life in the bush…

Yesterday afternoon we booked our flights from Nelspruit to Dublin. Of course, we opted for the flights with the shortest overall travel time, which was 16 hours and 40 minutes.

A waterbuck at the Crocodile River.

The most extended portion of the flight is from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Frankfurt, Germany, at 10 hours and 35 minutes on Lufthansa Airline. It was this portion of the flight that precipitated most of our concern.

In a perfect world, we both could have sat together and flown via “business class” seated together. But, this time, it was different based on our concern of my developing blood clots due to the cramped spaces in the economy with little leg room and opportunity to change positions.

Hippos in the Crocodile River.

Subsequently, we had to make a tough decision. Tom will fly coach class, and I’ll fly via business class which will allow more legroom and an opportunity to sleep in a flat position instead of sitting straight up in the usually uncomfortable coach class seats. 

Female lion on the prowl.

With the recent two leg surgeries on both legs, one surgery as recently as five weeks earlier (as of May 11th, our travel date), and 90 days since the coronary bypass surgery, my flying in business class was necessary, not construed by me as a luxury.  

After all these years of traveling, I have no qualms about flying coach, even on overnight flights. Neither of us does well sleeping in an upright position. We’ve done it several times, and we were no worse for the wear, other than being tired on arrival day from lack of sleep.  

A parade of elephants kicking up a lot of dust in Chobe National Park in Botswana.

In these circumstances, Tom may get two to three hours of sleep on the “red-eye,” while I felt lucky to sleep for an hour or so in most cases. But once we brushed our teeth in the morning, combed our hair, and tidied up a bit, generally, we did very well on the day of arrival.

Sunset over the Crocodile River.

We were surprised at how well we did the next day during these periods of little to no sleep. We could do this with relative ease in our youth, especially if we’d stayed up all night having a good time.

Flying is not a good time. Years ago, I recall it feeling more sophisticated and pleasurable with more legroom, more decent meals served, and more attention to detail for the passenger’s ultimate comfort, regardless of the class chosen for the flight.

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

Now it feels as if we’re sardines in a can, swimming in greasy swill amid germs, loud talking, kids kicking the back of our seats with no parental intervention, and frustrated and overworked flight attendants trying desperately not to “offend” anyone and to keep order in the cabin. Who knows what can break out at any moment soon to be uploaded to YouTube with millions of hits?

Two hornbills hang around our garden each day, most likely a mating pair. When they want seeds, they sure let us know.

Tom will fly coach in a row somewhere behind me, and from time to time, while I’m walking hourly as required by the doctor, we’ll touch base and say hello to see how the other is doing. When we finally get to Dublin, I’ll be glad to pick up luggage and the rental car to be on our way to the holiday rental, a several-hour drive from the airport.

Yesterday, we paid the final payment on the holiday home. Next, we’ll book a rental car for the almost three-month stay in Connemara. I can’t wait to walk in the front door of the holiday home, to see the ocean from every window, to relax once we unpack, buy some groceries and settle into our new home.

Handsome male impala.

At that point, we’ll begin our plan to further research Tom’s ancestry, one of the motivating factors in booking this period in Ireland. He’d hit a wall in the US using Ancestry.com, going as far back as the 1840s. It will be fun to see what we can find while in Ireland.

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

Tomorrow, we’ll return to Doc Theo when he’ll re-bandage the left leg using the painful cream that prevented me from getting much sleep last night. A nap will be on the agenda today, or at least an attempt at rest, often unsuccessful.

Have a pleasant day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 24, 2018:

When we’d given up hope of seeing a parade of elephants, safari luck kicked in, and once again, we were gifted with these elephants crossing the road. We couldn’t believe the baby’s determined stride! For more Kruger photos, please click here.

Flying high!!!…And we mean it!…We’ll be flying away on May 11th!….More favorite photos…

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When we had the pleasure of seeing a “blood moon” several months ago.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We tossed some small chicken pieces to the mongooses, and they went nuts over the treat! Note warthog, “Little’s Friend,” trying to get in on the action in the background.

This morning at 8:45, we had an appointment with Doc Theo to remove the remaining stitches in my legs and change the dressings. Since the two surgeries on my legs over three weeks ago, I have had to have Doc Theo change the bandages and treat the incisions in a relatively sterile environment rather than doing it myself with the risks of further infection in a non-medical setting.

When I got up this morning, I immediately knew something was better the moment I put my feet on the floor. The pain in my left leg, which was the most problematic of the two all along, was considerably less than it had been 48 hours earlier.

Yesterday, I’d noticed a slight improvement in the pain but nothing compared to the improvement I felt this morning. I practically did a cartwheel. I was hopeful that once he took off the bandages, we’d see a considerable change in the appearance of the wound. Well, not quite.

If we observe at night, occasionally, we’ll spot a genet. We leave bits of meat out for them but often the mongoose or warthogs get to it first. Warthogs aren’t carnivores, they’re pigs, but they’ll often eat any scraps.

The incision in my right leg is entirely closed for the first time since the bypass surgery on February 12th and the incision on the problematic left leg looked better than it had to date.  

Although the left leg incision is not totally closed as yet, it looked so much better and the amount of dead tissue was substantially less. The doctor said it could be three more months until it heals entirely, but there are definite signs of healing. for the first time

Giraffe in our garden drinking from the cement pond.

He sent one of his reception staff members to the pharmacy to get a special honey-based cream he’s begun to use that will reduce the scabbing and dead skin to reveal a pinker surface which will have a better chance of healing in the long run.

(Tom had dropped me off at the doctor’s office and was grocery shopping when the doctor realized he needed the special cream and thus Tom wasn’t able to bring it back with him). 

This particular cream is known to be painful once applied but once the stitches were out (a painful process) I didn’t notice a thing. I was so grateful knowing I wouldn’t need more surgery and that we’d be able to fly on May 11th. 

A proud ostrich was strutting down the paved road in Marloth Park.

Finally, today we’ll book our flights. We’ve decided for me to fly via “business class” while Tom will fly economy. We’ve lost so much money over the past many months, we decided this was the best way to go which would save us a few thousand dollars by him flying economy.

The risk of blood clots is high for recent patients of surgery, especially to the heart and legs. If I can keep my feet up for the bulk of the several flights along the way to Ireland, the risks will be reduced considerably.

Male kudu lounging in the bush in our garden.

Tom and I are thrilled to know the healing process has begun.  In the interim, I can now sit in a chair which I was told to avoid after the surgery to my legs to avoid swelling.  

This is exciting! I had no idea how restrictive lying down with feet up, unable to walk other than to the bathroom and back to lying down, and unable to sit in a chair could be. At least now, we can eat and watch wildlife while sitting at the table on the veranda.

Mom and tiny baby bushbuck.

The pain from the coronary bypass surgery itself is all but gone except for tenderness in my chest requiring a small pillow under the seatbelt when riding in the car.  

Soon, before we leave Marloth Park, we’ll be able to ride on the bumpy roads to search for wildlife. I’m especially looking forward to heading over to Volstruis Street (volstruis means “ostrich” in Afrikaans) which coincidentally, is where many of the park’s ostriches seem to reside, to see the newest eight chicks of a proud mom and dad. Photos will follow soon.

Linda, Kathy, and me at one of many social events.

Then, of course, I’ve already made a reservation for dinner at Jabula on Saturday night since I can now sit in a chair.  It will be our first time out to dinner in almost a month. We certainly are ready for some lively socialization which is easy to accomplish at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant.

No words can express the gratitude we feel for the endless stream of prayers and well wishes we’ve received from our readers, family members, and friends from all over the world. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

May your day bring you good news!

Photo from one year ago today, April 23, 2018:

We couldn’t resist sharing this mom and her baby hippo. For more photos, please click here.

Tomorrow is a big day! …We’ll be back with the news after doctor visit…

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This is one of my top five favorite photos of the least desired sightings in Kruger National Park, the prolific impalas. 

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Note the triangular head of the praying mantis as Tom took this photo yesterday when Leslie and Andrew stopped by for a visit.  
Tomorrow morning at our 8:45 am appointment with Doc Theo. He will decide if I need more surgery or if we can continue with our plans. If the news is good, we can finally book the flights to Ireland and proceed with our travel plans, which will be in 18 days.

Nothing like “down to the wire.” When I recall how we always had bookings as far as two years out, I laugh at how we rarely book such distant venues in our journey any longer.
Sunset from AAmazing (correct spelling for this restaurant) River View Restaurant.

After this most recent medical situation, most likely we won’t be booking places to see, countries to visit, more than six months in advance, other than cruises which offer great deals for booking early.

After losing almost ZAR 281723 and US $20,000 in necessary cancelations due to my hospitalization and recovery, we don’t want to put ourselves in that position again. Also, we incurred thousands of dollars in medical expenses. Most likely, we won’t get reimbursed by the problematic insurance company.  

A face only a mother could love.

We currently have a highly experienced outside rep associated with the company working on resolving the issues with the insurance company. At this point, after everything we’ve done to attempt to fix it, we’re at a dead end. Either they pay, or they don’t. If they don’t, we can report them to insurance ombudspersons, but there’s no guarantee of reimbursement even if we do so.

Suing them is not an option. Located in the UK, the costs associated with a lawsuit against an insurance company would far exceed any monies we could be awarded. It’s the way it is.

Chris, Tom, and a black mamba at snake school.

I wish I could say we’ve learned a lesson. Duh, I don’t have medical issues while living outside the USA. There was never any indication that coronary bypass surgery and its complications would have an impact on me. I still shake my head and ask, “How did this happen?”

We also had no idea the insurance company would say I had a pre-existing heart condition when I wasn’t aware of my clogged arteries. At the time of the application, I disclosed that I take a low-dose medication for hypertension that has been entirely under control for 20 years. Hypertension itself is not a cause of arteriosclerosis.

View of the Crocodile River from Aamazing River View.

We would never have traveled the world if we’d known I had three coronary arteries 100% blocked. We would never even have conceived of the idea to travel the world if my health was so precarious. Who would unless they had a death wish?

Good grief, we climbed the treacherous Queen’s Bath in Kauai, Hawaii, walked the three hours uphill climb in the country of Jordan in 40C, 104F to see Petra?  We’d never have considered these events had we known I had such a dangerous heart condition.

A zebra was contemplating his next move.

These are all good points for a court case if it ever came to that, but we know it’s not possible to pursue this option due to lifestyle and the likelihood of an insufficient settlement.

A distant elephant from across the Crocodile River

Nor, we want the negativity of a lawsuit impacting our lives. It would so much defeat the very purpose of the life we’ve chosen to live per our motto in our logo, “Wafting Through our Worldwide Travels with ease, joy, and simplicity.”
There’s nothing easy, joyful, or simplistic about filing a lawsuit.

And so, dear readers, we continue with hope in our hearts that soon, in a matter of days, we’ll be moving on to continue this dream life that we are all the more grateful for these days.

Baby zebra frightened by all the commotion from the dazzle of zebras nearby.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter holiday. Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 22, 2018:

As mentioned in prior posts, the males are kicked out of the herd (parade) when teenagers. When we see large numbers, it’s unlikely any are males except for youngsters yet to reach maturity at 13, 14, or 15 years of age.  For more photos, please click here.

Happy Easter…A typical Easter Day in our old lives…What will we do today?…More favorite photos…

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An elephant in the bush was watching us take photos. 

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

An adorable duiker was resting in the bush.
Easter was a big deal for our family in our old lives, along with the spiritual significance of this memorable holiday. On Saturday, we’d attend church in the tiny town of Victoria where we were members for many years.
Lounging lions.

We’d leave Sunday for the festivities with our kids and grandkids. I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss the fun times we all had together; the filled and decorated Easter baskets for each family member and their pets; the monstrous bunny rabbit cake (Tammy always wanted the bunny’s tail) covered in fluffy frosting and coconut; the games we played to find the plastic eggs with varying amounts of money in them (Greg always won the most); the Easter Egg hunt for the little ones and of course, the continuous laughter.

A tower of giraffes crossing the paved road in Kruger.

As the years passed and our kids had kids of their own and often “the other side of the family” to also spend time with, we spent the morning and early afternoon together, enjoying a great brunch I’d prepared ahead of time to avoid being rushed during all the fun events.

A parade of elephants on the move.

After they left, Tom and I did the dishes, tidied the house and put everything back in its place. For Easter dinner, we often ate brunch leftovers, just the two of us. It was a good day.

Now, we don’t engage in any of these activities, other than today, Tom baked a loaf of homemade coconut banana bread and made one of my low carb favorites, almond flour coffee cake, not made with coffee but with many excellent common carb ingredients.

Oxpecker on giraffe’s leg.

Tonight, our dinner will be a repeat of last night dinner of Low Carb Costco Copycat Stuffed Chicken loaves, a favorite of both of us. With a side salad and pile of fresh green beans, we’re content.

Tonight, after dinner we’ll watch a few of our favorite TV shows: Billions, Ray Donovan and Homeland since today we’re signing up with Showtime for a few months.  We do this a few times each year with various streaming services, watching the shows we love until we’ve completed the season’s series.

Elephants playing in the water.

Then, we cancel the first service and move on to another. Once we’re done with Showtime, we’ll switch to HBO for a month to watch the remaining episodes of Game of Thrones.

It’s not possible to watch certain streaming services outside of the US, UK or Australia, etc. Thus, we use a VPN, a virtual private network, that we can set to the country where the shows are being broadcast, and we avoid the message that says, “You cannot view this show outside of the US (for example).

I was taking a muddy break.

Recently, we switched from HotSpot Shield to Express VPN, which provides us with more options, although it’s more expensive. Whenever one is attempting to stream, the service picks up the country in which you’re currently residing. By using the VPN, we can set it to appear we’re steaming from the appropriate country.

Hotspot Shield was ZAR 422, US $29.95 a year, and Express VPN is ZAR 1392, US $99 a year. Some may consider this a huge expense, but since we don’t pay for cable, WiFi, or TV services, we find it is worthwhile. Also, for example, we’ll pay for Showtime at ZAR 154, US $10.99 a month.  

We had to wait quite a while for this elephant to move to continue on down the road. 

We continue to use Graboid, at ZAR 280, US $19.95 a month, a service from which we can download shows and we’ve used since the onset of our travels.  Our maximum total monthly expense, including the VPN, adds another layer of security, is ZAR 436, US $30.99 plus. The costs for paying for any special shows we can’t get at any of these streaming services.

In our old lives, almost seven years ago, our month cable bill was ZAR 3303, US $235. We don’t flinch at the ZAR 436, US $30.99, comparatively.

The size of an elephant’s foot is astounding.

We never turn on the TV at any of the holiday homes we rent, during the day or evening. We find watching a few shows at night on my laptop relaxing and enjoyable, especially lately as I convalesce from surgery while it requires me to keep my feet up around the clock. 

If I didn’t have to be off my feet, we’d be dining on the veranda, often staying outdoors to watch and feed the wildlife until 2100 hours, 9:00 pm, then going indoors to watch one or two favorite shows on my laptop. 

A tower of giraffes in the bush in Kruger.

Of course, we have a few nights each week when we’re socializing with friends, which came to an abrupt end when I could no longer sit in a chair. It’s been almost three weeks without much socializing other than dear friends who’ve stopped by for a visit as was the case this morning, a delightfully pleasant surprise.

In a few weeks, Kathy and Don and Linda and Ken will be back, close to the time we’re supposed to fly away. Fun activities and gatherings are already planned during that last week, health providing.

Regardless of how you spent your Easter Sunday, we wish you the very best. Thanks for sharing it with us!
               

Photo from one year ago today, April 21, 2018:

Can you imagine having this photo op? (Photo was taken at Giraffe Manor in Kenya). It was one year ago today, we booked the exciting tour to Kenya which included a visit to Giraffe Manor. Unfortunately, we had to cancel due to my heart surgery. Perhaps someday?? For more photos of what we missed, please click here.

Its fun to see others following in our footsteps around the globe…More favorite photos…

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Mongooses on the veranda looking for eggs.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Nature is amazing! Wildebeest males have blondish hair on their heads until they are fully mature. This keeps the older males from fighting for dominance as they assume they are females who permanently have blondish hair.

Over the years of our world travel, we’ve encountered many couples curious about our lifestyle. On occasion, we’ve met a few couples who have sold everything they own, but often they have storage, only travel for a year or two, or have an apartment or home somewhere in the world for when they decide to call it quits.

Female lion checking out her surroundings.

Our example of having no home, no apartment, no storage, no cars, and traveling for many years is somewhat unusual but is becoming less so over the next few years as more and more people find ways to retire early or as seniors in good health, take the plunge and go for it.

We met a lovely couple, LeaAnn and Chuck, while on a 24-night cruise from Sydney, Australia, heading to Seattle, Washington. They were thinking about traveling when retiring this year but hadn’t, at that time, begun the laborious process of changing and unloading everything in their lives.  

Two female lions far across the Crocodile River.

In the past few days, they’ve taken off to begin their world journey, having spent the past year preparing for this unique lifestyle. They are our ages and, like us, worked until retirement allowed for this substantial change of lifestyle.

Mom and baby zebras in the bush.

Over the past year, we’ve spoken to LeaAnn and Chuck a few times on Skype answering questions and sharing some of the issues we’ve encountered along the way. There’s been a steady stream of email messages and, of course, well wishes from them as of late.

One of the most frequently asked questions future travelers have asked is, “What happens if one of you becomes ill? Without a home, how do you manage?”

Oddly, most recently, with the necessity of me have coronary bypass surgery in a foreign country, we’ve experienced this first hand, and in the future, we’ll be able to describe exactly how we handled this trying situation.

When we don’t have the birdfeeder up due to the Vervet monkeys, the hornbills squawk at us until we give them seeds. They often sit atop the door frame or peck at the glass on the window.

In this post of May 10, 2017, we’d met another couple, Sue and Scott, also close to our ages, who’d also embarked on such a journey, leaving most of which they owned behind. We haven’t heard from them lately but wonder how they are doing and still traveling. We’ve met and communicated with dozens of other couples on a mission of seeing the world in various ways.

After a year or two, people often discover that this life isn’t for them for the long haul, and they find a home or apartment at a location that particularly appeals to them, often close to family and friends. This would be the norm, not the exception.

A zebra determined to get our attention for pellets.

If anything had stopped us from traveling, it would have been my current medical issues, but as each day passes, we feel more and more confident that we’ll be able to continue. After all, I only have a wound on my left leg that needs to heal, and surely over the next few months, while we’re in Ireland, it will heal with diligence and continued care.

Gee, sorry, I wasn’t going to mention my health this weekend, but it seemed relevant to today’s topic and many other topics we discussed.

So, now, as LeaAnn and Chuck begin their journey, we wish them the very best as we celebrate with them their courage and their resilience and the bravery required to start such a life of non-stop world travel.  

Mom and baby duiker.  Duikers usually weigh around 16 kg, 35 pounds. The steenbok, which we have yet to see in Marloth Park but Kruger, is slightly smaller.

It’s been such a joy to share this with the two of them and with the many others we’ve met along the way, who’ve written to us, and many who have stayed in touch with us via Facebook as to where they are at any given moment. How fun it is for us to see them visiting places we’ve been or places we’ve yet to see.

Three weeks from today, we’re hoping to leave South Africa to head to Ireland, our next stop in our travels. We’ve yet to book our flight (many options still available) until we are assured I won’t need more surgery on my leg. 

Enjoy your Easter holiday weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, April 20, 2018:
We call him “Little Daddy.” He’s about 30% smaller than Big Daddy.  There are two types of kudus in Marloth Park, the Greater Kudu and the Lesser Kudu, smaller with smaller antlers. This appears to be a Lesser Kudu. For more photos, please click here.

Sadness over “Notre Dame Cathedral…Over 30 flights of steps to navigate…

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We took the following photos of Notre Dame at dusk while on a Seine River dinner cruise.  See this link for photos of the extraordinary meal and scenery.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Duikers are incredibly cautious around warthogs, especially when there’s food being offered. Tom makes a special effort to ensure the smallest of the antelope in Marloth Park is given pellets when no pigs are nearby.

We were in Paris. On August 8, 2014, we embarked on a fantastic cruise on the River Seine for a night we’ll never forget. We posted the story and photos the following day at this link.

If you are a foodie, you may enjoy seeing some of the foods we feasted on that particular night. I particularly recall the foie gras, but at the time, I wasn’t aware of the cruelty inflicted upon ducks and geese to produce the delicacy.  Since that discovery, I will no longer partake.

See here for details on how this is done:
“Foie gras is considered a luxury food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. By French law, foie gras is defined as the liver of a duck or goose fattened by force-feeding corn with a feeding tube, a process also known as gavage.”

Few people worldwide aren’t aware of the recent fire at the historic gothic church, which will be restored within a few years and once again open to the public. 

At the time, I wasn’t drinking alcohol of any type, including wine (which may be my fate in the future, after recent events). Tom consumed both his and my glasses of French champagne,  an entire bottle of white wine and half of the bottle of red wine served with the meal.  

He never drinks wine but seemed to enjoy it that night when his usual cocktail wasn’t available. He hasn’t had a glass of wine since that night, although it’s been offered to him on many occasions.

We’d booked two weeks in Paris at a lovely hotel close to the Eiffel Tower when we realized it’s not practical to “travel the world” and never see Paris or London.  Afterward, we took the Eurostar, aka “the chunnel,” to London after our two weeks in Paris had ended and stayed in another great hotel in South Kensington.

Neither of us had been to Paris, and for years I longed to see the historical and romantic city. For Tom, who consented to my desire, Paris wasn’t on his radar.  But, as we often do, in our world travels…compromise. As it turned out, we both had a good time visiting many of the popular tourist attractions.

The historic structure was impossible to capture in one photo, especially at night from the river.

Included in our Paris itinerary was a tour we booked online to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, which included climbing the 30 plus flights of stairs, and, as mentioned above, have few, if any, places to stop to rest.

After we booked the tour of Norte Dame, I couldn’t stop thinking of all of those steps. At the time, I had no idea that I was suffering from severe coronary artery disease.  

Somehow, after booking the tour of the Notre Dame Cathedral for the three days before the scheduled date,  for which we’d spent a non-refundable ZAR 3264 US $116, I had terrible angst over the prospect of climbing all of those stairs.

Tom’s eyes were also riveted on the beautiful scenery.

I was hesitant to say anything to Tom about not going. After all, we’d paid for the tour, and both wanted to see the historical and magnificent gothic church.  What first-time tourists to Paris don’t visit Notre Dame (especially after they’d already paid for the tour in advance)?

As I continued to read about the tour, I became more and more hesitant to go. The monies we spent became irrelevant because I realized there was no way I could climb 30 plus flights of stairs. Was it a hunch on my part that I don’t dare climb those stairs when doctors recently explained my arteries were blocked for decades, not for months or a few years?

Perhaps, it was. I took a deep breath in the morning as we were getting ready to go and suddenly blurted out, “I don’t want to go.” Tom looked at me with his head slightly tilted, “No problem. We won’t go if you don’t want to.”  

A wave of relief washed over me. I had worried about telling him for nothing. He never presses me to do anything I don’t feel comfortable doing, even if it cost us a non-refundable ZAR 3264 US $116.  

We didn’t go. It nagged at me for a few days that I’d been afraid to go, but at the time, I didn’t know why I didn’t want to other than fear of the stairs which I didn’t mention to Tom at the time.  I didn’t want him to worry, nor did I understand why I was worried. Now I know.

Tom was undoubtedly enjoying the included two bottles of wine plus two glasses of champagne served when we were seated. He prefers white over red.

From this site:
“You can explore the cathedral’s belfry and climb another 147 steps to the top of the south tower. The total climb is 387 steps, and there aren’t a lot of places to rest along the way, so we recommend climbing the towers only if you’re in reasonably good shape.”

I felt in reasonably good shape. There was a day we walked over five miles while in Paris (according to my Fitness watch), and I did ok, although exhausted at the end of the day. And, we walked a lot in our world travels up to that point and beyond. But, never so many flights of stairs at one time.

We continued with our remaining tours without incident and ultimately had a good time in Paris. We loved seeing many other points of interest you can find in our archives for August 2014. It’s hard to believe that we were there five years ago.

As for the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, we’ve been reading many articles about how this fire may have been started. It’s a hot topic of conversation right now and will be for years to come. We won’t get into the varying views and opinions as we may draw our conclusions. 

Whether it was accidental or perpetrated by humans committing heinous acts of arson won’t be known for quite some time. The early reports are conflicting and uncertain.

For whatever reason, we’re pleased to know that enough of the magnificent structure was spared to allow for renovation and restoration. Perhaps, I too was limited to allow for renovation and restoration from which I continue to recover each day. 

Ironically (or not), this is Holy Week, and it will be Easter on Sunday. We offer our love and prayers for all who celebrate.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 19, 2018:

Notice this little three-point design on this zebra’s upper leg. Each zebra has a unique pattern of stripes. Each animal has its distinctive markings and distinguishable features making it easy to identify repeat visitors. For more photos, please click here.

Stuck in my own reality…Telling it like it is…

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Lion showing off her tongue.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Too cute for words…mom and baby duiker have been stopping by each day.

Once I started sharing details here of my ongoing recovery from triple coronary bypass surgery on February 12th,  I backed myself into a corner, not one I can’t easily extricate myself from.


If I abruptly stop mentioning how I’m doing, we’ll receive an insurmountable number of emails inquiring how I’m doing.  I love this about all of you…your kindness and concern are more than I ever dreamed possible.


If I sugarcoat it, when and if it takes a turn for the worse I have to wriggle my way out of “lie of omission” to ensure regardless of what happens, I’ve updated our readers with the truth.

We love piglets.  They are such fun to watch.

We always strive to tell it like it is, even if the facts are unpleasant, disappointing, repetitious or tiresome.  In this particular scenario, I cringe at the thought of becoming repetitious and tiresome.  

Good grief, we’ve shared the gruesome details for the past almost three months.  When are we getting back to the business of world travel and all that it entails, the breathtaking scenery, the enticing people, the heartwarming wildlife, the sights and sounds of another country, another culture?  Soon, we hope.


Today, reality prevails over all else, all of my hopes and optimistic expectations are tossed aside for sharing real life with our worldwide readers, and sometimes, it’s just not pretty.
Closeup of hippo face.  Charming.

Keep in mind, as I share today’s latest news, that often readers write expressing their experiences, the experiences of people they know and even experiences from people they don’t know.  At times, the news is daunting and terrifying although I appreciate their good intentions.


Mostly, the content of these emails revolve around trying to convince me to seek medical care elsewhere when many have a perception that medical care in this country is no better than its unstable infrastructure…you, know, no electricity, no water, no wifi for hours at a time.


But, generally speaking, that’s not the case here.  Overall, medical care in South Africa is as good as in any developed country and in many cases, better.  Doctors come from all over the globe, to fine-tune their skills, offering free services (such as Doctors-Without-Borders) to those who cannot afford it or aren’t a part of, nor have access to, the national healthcare system.

Mom and baby wildebeest in Kruger National Park.

Like many countries with national healthcare systems, long waits and less than ideal scenarios exist within that system.  And for that reason, there are private insurance companies, self-funded options and added co-pay options for those who choose.


With private insurance ourselves, we visited a private hospital and those physicians/specialists associated with that type of facility. That’s not to imply in any manner that the national healthcare system and its hospitals, staff and facilities offer inferior care.  


There are many dedicated physicians and support staff whose sole purpose is to provide quality medical care for all.  But, none of these systems, whether as part of the national healthcare system or privatization are infallible.

Dead tree in the middle of a dirt road in Kruger.

However, during my recent medical issues, never for a moment did either Tom nor I feel my care was less than exemplary, as good as, if not better than I’d receive in my home country or any other country in the world.


With this in mind, it never occurred to us to return to the US for further medical care.  Plus, I wasn’t able to fly at that time.  Plus, our insurance policy only covers us while outside the US.  Of course, if we felt the medical care was inferior, we’d have figured out a way to go to another country for treatment, regardless of the out of pocket expenses.


To make a long story short (shorter), the news on my still healing left leg is not where we’d have preferred it to be at this point.  The fault doesn’t lie with my doctors or the quality of care.  

This is a European Roller who will soon leave South Africa to head back to Europe and then return next season.  Such a pretty bird.

It lies within the reality that I still, even after bypass surgery, have inferior blood flow to my legs.  I knew this when I got a bad leg infection in 2017 when I’d walked into the sharp edge of a cardboard box while were in the US.  After three rounds of different antibiotics and considerable care, it took months to heal, not unlike what I am experiencing now.


No doubt, at that time, I had poor circulation in my legs.  I suspected that whenever I got the smallest scratch or nick on my legs, the inferior circulation was the contributing factor in becoming infected and resulting in an outrageously slow healing process.  This is my reality whether I like it or not.  And here I am again.


Today, Dr. Theo removed many of the stitches in my legs but not all.  They just weren’t healed enough to do so.  In my healthier right leg, he left seven stitches intact to be removed in a week and he left many more in my painful left leg. 

This playful baby elephant we spotted in Kruger hangs on to her mom.

He noticed an area with the same type of dead tissue I’d experienced weeks ago when I had to have two surgeries on each leg, once on March 29th and the second on April 1st to remove all the dead tissue.  Now there’s a new batch, a scenario that often requires surgery.


What’s going to happen next?  I don’t know at this point.  We’ll know more next Tuesday when we return to Doc Theo.  Today, as he’d done at each appointment he’s sent photos and a report to the plastic surgeon who operated on me.  Tuesday, we’ll know more.


And so, here we are in medical limbo once again and as much as I’d like to be able to focus on the worse situations others have experienced before me, I’m stuck in my own reality, making every effort to stay hopeful and positive.


I’m meticulously heeding doctor’s orders and keeping myself busy with upbeat activities one can do while lying down with feet up.  We’ve engaged in pleasant chatter, enjoyed healthful meals and watched some fun shows on my laptop at night to ensure I sleep with positive thoughts on my mind. 


We’ll stop these medical posts/discussions over this holiday weekend, and focus on other topics over the next few days.  We’ll report back after Tuesday’s early morning appointment with hopefully better news.


For those who celebrate, may you have a joyful and fulfilling Easter weekend, sharing tasty morsels and endless stories with those you love.  For those of you who do not celebrate Easter, may you also share tasty morsels and endless stories with those you love.


Happy day!

__________________________________



Photo from one year ago today, April 18, 2018:

Mom and baby elephant behind a bush  For more photos, please click here.



Getting back into a “travel state of mind”…More favorite photos…

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A trio of vultures looking for their next meal.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is the first time we’ve seen a baby kudu sucking in our garden. What a lovely scene!

As I sit here on the sofa in the lounge room, feet propped up on a pile of pillows, walker at an easy reach for when I get up, I’m trying to wrap my brain around leaving South Africa in 24 days.

Even if none of this medical stuff had transpired, it would be challenging to think about leaving after living so long in the bush. Did I get it out of my system? I wish I could say I had.

But lying here week after week, unable to go out onto the veranda, has made me wish I could have spent more “up close and personal” time with the wildlife that has visited us over these past 14 months.

A trio of giraffes drinking from the little pond remaining in the Verhami Dam during the heat of summer.

I envisioned, before the medical crisis, that I’d somehow say my goodbyes to my favorites on the last few days before we’d leave. But, now this isn’t likely, and thus my goodbyes will be from inside the house.

It makes me sad to think that they’ll stop by day after day and night after night looking for pellets and animated attention from us and, we won’t be here. Fortunately, they no longer need the pellets and our other offerings to survive with a good supply of vegetation in the park. We’re grateful for that.

I don’t know when holidaymakers will be occupying this house after we leave. Still, surely, they’ll reap the benefits of attracting so many visitors to the garden after this extended stay.

Two female lions were contemplating their next move.

However, regardless of the limitations of my still painful left leg, we’re moving on.  Surely, by the next few weeks, I’ll be able to handle the dressings independently. But, if need be, we’ll find a good doctor nearby that will assist in the ongoing treatment of my leg.  

 Perhaps after tomorrow, when the stitches are removed, I’ll feel some relief and will be able to start walking again. I’m grossly behind on the necessary walking regime after coronary bypass surgery, but as soon as I’m able, I’m looking forward to rebuilding my strength and muscle tone.

Lying around all day (and night) has a deleterious effect on one’s strength and conditioning. I will have to start all over again, beginning at walking a mere 10 minutes a day and progressing from there.  

A young male whose mane has yet to grow fully.

We’ve decided, no matter what, we’ll arrange a wheelchair for me at the various airports along our journey to Ireland. It’s unrealistic to assume I’ll be able, in a mere 24 days, to walk the long distances required in most airports.

 And now, as the time nears, I’m working on psyching myself to return to my previous “travel state of mind.” The enthusiasm, the excitement, and the fervent anticipation are feelings that had alluded me since the end of January when all of this began.

Lazy days…

I am bound and determined to get myself there well before we depart. These same feelings drive a person not only to emotionally prepare for the journey but to become enthused enough to start packing.

The thought of looking out the window of our next holiday home in Connemara, Ireland, and seeing the vast ocean before us may be inspirational enough to drive me forward to this next phase of our lives.

Naptime in Kruger.

Be well. Be happy. And dream of what is yet to come.

Photo from one year ago today, April 17, 2018:

Tom took this photo one year ago that still makes me laugh…Mutton Chops on the left and Scar-Face on the right, already on his knees in prime position for eating pellets. Of course, we complied. We love it when these two stop by, often twice a day. We haven’t seen these two in six months and hope they’ll return before we leave in 24 days. For more photos from that date, please click here.

Hurried trip back to Doc Theo…More favorite photos…

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Mom and Babies. Look how small they were!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This handsome male bushbuck has become a regular visitor to our garden.

Ironically, it was one year ago today that we visited Dr. Theo in Komatipoort for the first time. We needed to update a few vaccinations based on our intended long-term stay in South Africa and other countries we’d visit while in Africa. The link to the year-ago post may be found here.

 We wouldn’t have been concerned about updating our vaccines if we had only been here for a month or two. But, close to wildlife, we were particularly interested in updating the rabies vaccine.  

Beautiful waterbucks were resting on islands in the river.

We felt we weren’t overly cautious with all the feeding we do and our frequent exposure to mongooses who are known to carry rabies. It was this day, one year ago, that we met Dr. Theo for the first time.

 Little did we know at the time that he, this general practitioner in the small town of Komatipoort, South Africa (population around 5000), would ultimately be the man who saved my life.

An elephant eating vegetation in the Crocodile River.

Yesterday afternoon, for no reason I could determine, my left leg became so painful that nothing I could do would put an end to the pain; not the non-narcotic pain pills, not putting it up on pillows where it has been each day for weeks; not taking deep breaths and trying to work through it.

 Had the infection returned? Had I caused the wound to open further on my short walks from the sofa to the bathroom and back or what? After a few hours with no let-up, I called Dr. Theo’s office to find they’d had a cancellation, and he could see me in a few hours.  

The first time Ms. Bushbuck brought her calf to visit. What a joy it’s been to see her grow.

This wasn’t the first time we’d made a same-day appointment with the doctor when the pain became almost unbearable. There have probably been three times this painful scenario transpired, leaving us both wondering if something drastic had changed.

 In each case, including yesterday’s visit, it was more of the same… severe ulceration in a surgical wound that, although it is no longer infected, still causes awful pain based on its proximity to my ankle bone.  

A male and female waterbuck on the river.

When I get up off the sofa or bed, this delicate and sensitive area and its inflamed bundle of nerves at the ankle bone go into a frenzy of pain. It’s not so much that I’ve been scared of what’s going on but more as a precaution to ensure the infection hasn’t returned and needs to be addressed.

 I’ve heard stories of people with diabetes having a wound that won’t heal, and perhaps, as much as I don’t like this possibility, this could be my case for many months to come. Most often, these slow-healing wounds are the result of poor blood flow to the legs.

This frog lived on the light fixture on the veranda for many months.  A mate joined her, and a few weeks later, they were gone, never to be seen again.

But, I wonder…since the bypass surgery, shouldn’t the blood flow to my legs have improved? Over the past two years, I had two other leg infections that didn’t entirely heal for months, but I blame those on the lack of blood flow when I had three (of four) coronary arteries 100% blocked.

Have any of our readers out there had a similar experience? If so, please write and let me know the details and ultimately what caused the wound to heal, other than “time.” No doubt, in time, it will heal.

An expansive view of the Crocodile River from Marloth Park.

Dr.Theo re-bandaged the leg and noted it didn’t look any worse than it had when we were there last Thursday. However, he did remind me that the inflammation in my nerves at the ankle bone was most likely responsible for the extreme painfulness. 

We left with encouraging words and hugs from Doc Theo. His brother, Mel, stopped in to say hello and said, “You certainly have been to the brink of hell and back lately!” Yes, I agreed. I certainly have.

How I’ve held it together has not been a stroke of bravery or courage, by any means.  Many of our readers have written to us praising me for being strong. But, the truth is, I did nothing spectacular through all of this other than trying to get through each day with determination, dignity, and hope for the future. 

A hornbill was watching Frank take a dirt bath.

I’ve whined here, which has proven to be a good outlet for my frustration thanks to the patience of our loyal readers who’ve stood beside me. And, although not frequently, I’ve whined a bit to Tom, my loving husband and caregiver, who has experienced his frustration seeing me struggle through this lengthy recovery.

I’ve also whined to my local friends Kathy and Linda, who have tirelessly remained at my side in person, in spirit, and via text for those times they’ve been away. And to all my family and friends out there in the world who have offered encouraging words, love, and support.

This has been a long process, but it has never been a lonely process. I have so much to be grateful for, and don’t forget this for a moment.  Life goes on, and in time, the pain and discomfort will be a distant memory.

Enjoy your day and evening. 

Photo from one year ago today, April 16, 2018:

After the rain, we drove to the river to find this scene…An adorable baby hippo with mom. For more photos, please click here.