No Super Bowl Sunday here…”Home is where the heart is”…Pricing for Khaya Umdani…The Safari Room…New wildlife photos…

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Louise suggested we put out some yogurt at night for the nocturnal bush babies. We placed a small bowl in a hanging wood birdhouse close to a tree. Unfortunately, we were distracted yesterday morning and forgot to remove the little plastic bowl of yogurt. Going inside to get beverages, we returned to find these Vervet Monkeys with the little bowl in hand, lapping up the yogurt. Tom scared them off (they can be destructive) and they dropped the bowl, running off.

Never much of a football fan myself and Tom being a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan with no interest in other teams, other than the unlikely prospect of the Vikings beating a team in a game, missing another Super Bowl didn’t have much effect on us.

It’s tricky taking photos of Vervet Monkeys.  They never sit still for a second. After Tom chased them the veranda, the hung around the braai area, without a concern.

However, we did discuss the time difference as to when the game would begin (it was 1:30 am this morning here in South Africa) and we wondered who won until Tom discovered the winner by opening Facebook first thing this morning and seeing the score this morning in an email from his brother Jerome.

This Vervet Monkey was trying to figure out how to lap up a few drops of the yogurt on the stones that the other had spilled carrying the bowl.

Although, we did think of our friends and family gathering together for the game, as we had done at times in the past with me making a football-shaped and decorated cake, along with a smaller football-shaped cheese ball with all the other nasty snacks we used to enjoy. How times have changed for us!

The moms are exceedingly protective of their babies making it difficult to get close enough for a clearer shot.

Nostalgic?  Perhaps, a bit, mostly over missing the “people” not the game or the food. But, this morning, when we threw open the entire glass wall of doors to the veranda at Khaya Umdani, we knew we were “home.” You know, “the place where the heart is.” 

And that place is the “home” that Tom and I had made for ourselves wherever we may be at any given moment. Isn’t that what “home” is, the place you gravitate back to at the end of the day, or after an outing to find the familiar comforts that embrace you the moment that you walk in the door?

For now, it is luxurious Khaya Umdani. In a few days, it will be back at Hornbill, the smaller house, where perhaps our warthog families are awaiting us, standing in the driveway at full attention with ears flicking back and forth when I speak in my high pitched voice in greeting. Even here, only four short days later, several moms already respond when I say, “Good morning, Ms. Warthog. Good morning baby warthogs.”

An outdoor adventure can be had in the Safari room on the second level of Khaya Umdani.

As for the rates on Khaya Umdani,* which we’d mentioned yesterday, that we’d post today, here they are:

December/January (per night)
(01 Dec ’14 – 31 Jan ’15)		 – – – ZAR 5000  US $469.58  EU$344.14
All other periods – – – ZAR  4000    US $376.66    EU $275.31

*Rates are subject to change and may vary based on the size of the group. Imagine how reasonable this would be for two families sharing this fabulous house as compared to each family tightly packed into two small rooms in a resort hotel? 

The Safari room is completely screened for an open-air experience, enjoyed by young and old alike.The sounds of the night are enchanting in this “sleeping outdoors” experience.

Restaurant prices are usually no more than US $25, ZAR $266.20 per couple, including cocktails, at the finest of establishments in the area. Groceries are usually 40% less than we’ve seen in other large cities. The most tender delicious filet mignon is usually no more than US $3.91, ZAR $41.67 per serving. 

Can you imagine how exciting this room would be for kids, especially, preteens and teenagers?

Although airfare from some countries is high and the time to travel is long, the experience is priceless; friendly people, wildlife in the yard, Kruger National Park a short distance for some of the most amazing safari experiences in the world and the unreal experience of the Bush Braai and Game Drive, hosted by Louise and Danie, an experience we’ll always treasure.

Yes, the posts of the past few days may have been a huge ad for this house and this area. And yes, we share these details on behalf of our wonderful hosts, Louise and Danie. But, folks, we’re experiencing the most unbelievable adventure of our lives. For nature lovers, nothing compares. 

The moms often look at me intently when I talk in my high pitched voice. They’re asking for pellets. I comply. No longer will I toss pellets near this small fence after yesterday’s incident when the baby crawled inside the fence and the mom went after it, almost knocking it over. Tom scared them off before the fence broke. (See yesterday’s post with photo).

When we’ll be in Hawaii beginning in eight months, we’ll spend most of our days whale watching and hopefully, we’ll swim with the dolphins. Maybe, sometime in the future, we’ll watch for moose in Alaska, crocodiles, and anacondas on the Amazon River or tigers in India. With continued good health, we hope to continue on and on.

Impalas, in this case, a male with the antlers, are rather shy. Their gentle nature and gracefulness make them a joy to watch, especially when they leap through the air.

But, being here, living in Africa and now in Marloth Park, which is at times hard and challenging, has been the best experience of our lives, one that has changed us forever and that we will carry into our hearts wherever we may be.

We often hear “people,” ask, that on one’s deathbed, what will they wish they had done differently? The answer will never be, “I wished I had worked harder,” nor “I wish I’d had more “stuff.” It will always be about “love” and “experience” of which, if it were all to end now, we can emphatically state, “We’ve had it all.”

For this, we are humbled. For this, we are grateful. We carry on…

“Small Things,” all new…A world of miniature vegetation and willife…All creatures today…Small things in life…

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How perfect can nature be to create this symmetrical creature we captured on the sliding glass door at night?

It’s the small things in life that may be among our most dreaded experiences; an unkind word, a lump found on our body, an email with bad news, a wasp sting, a lost piece of jewelry or at times or hearing the simple word “no.”

Impossible to shield ourselves from these seemingly “small” scenarios, most of us live with the intent of accepting these possibilities, not allowing them to immobilize us, keeping us from the joy of living. 

And yes, the “big things” loom heavily in our hearts at times in our lives; a life threatening illness or injury, the loss of a loved one, a divorce or separation, the loss of a job or financial stability and more.

A butterfly catches my eye on the long walk down the driveway.

A recent first sighting of a baby tree frog. Could this be a result of an earlier foam nest over the pool? He’s sitting at the end of the hose that we use each day to add more water to the pool which has a leak.

The second showing of this photo for those who may have missed it, when we had dozens of grasshoppers hanging out in our driveway for almost a day.  They were munching on a piece of cabbage we’d left out.

It’s amazing that any of us can function at all with these possibilities facing us at any given moment. But, we do. Some of us with aplomb and a passion for living with nary a care in the world and others with a chronic sense of doom, stripping their lives of meaning and fulfillment.

Then, there’s the rest of us in the middle, gauging when worry and fear are necessary to inspire us to be cautious or occasionally being fearful when a situation is thrown in our faces.

For most of us at times “small things” monopolize our thoughts, more than the possibility of big catastrophes.  Awakening in the middle of the night for no reason at all, my mind wanders to a list I keep in my head of possible small worrisome things, ticking them off one by one.

This centipede has small insects living on it. Double the freakiness.
We discovered this colorful insect in the grass when we toured the Panorama Route a few weeks ago.
We found this bug in the house. We opened a window, sending her on her way.

“Is there a snake on the floor if I get up to go to the bathroom? Will the lightning hit the thatched roof while we fumble for the keys, left on the nightstand next to Tom in order to unlock the gates on every window and door to allow us to get outside? Did I forget to close the drain in the bathroom sink to prevent centipedes from coming in? When will I feel like doing the taxes for 2013?”

It goes on and on. But, somehow I fall back to sleep, awakening in the morning, full of energy, enthusiasm, and gratefulness for the opportunity to live yet another day. Bolting out of bed, I begin the familiar routine of preparing myself for the day all the while filled with a sense of lightness and anticipation. What pleasure and purpose will this new day bring?

The “one day at a time” philosophy adopted by many recovery groups easily applies to all of us, in recovery or not. In reality, we’re all “recovering” from something; a bad childhood, marriage or relationship, the death of a loved one, the loss of a dream or, the personal goals of letting go of anything that isn’t good for our bodies and souls. 

We discovered this insect on the veranda which was approximately 4 inches, 10 cm, long.

We’ve seen many varieties of geckos including this wider version. We ignore them when they’re inside the house. They leave white poop droplets everywhere.

Living one day at a time gives us peace and comfort, leaving behind our failings and mistakes from the past while embracing the possibility that tomorrow will be a better day.

Again today, we share more “small things.” Not insignificant. Not meaningless. It’s all a part of the life cycle that we share with endless generations of evolution, God (or whatever higher power you may believe or, not) and, Mother Nature.

“Small things,” whether in our environment or in our thoughts, are all a part of who we are, our purpose, and ultimately, who we choose to become at the end of the day. 

One morning, I discovered this live bat in the kitchen sink, perhaps injured. Tom scooped it up in the dustpan and let it outside. Bats no longer make me cringe. They eat mosquitoes.

OMG!…I dropped my laptop and broke it!!…What now?…Plus, a funny video!…Photos from the river at dusk…

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Sunset at dinner on the Crocodile River. Notice the Crocodile swimming across the river in the lower left. We watched for a considerable time, hoping he’d exit the river. Instead, he languished in the water, eyes revealed while waiting for his dinner.

Wednesday afternoon, while carrying my laptop from the first floor to the second-floor loft which we use as a living room on hot days, (it has AC), for no reason at all, the laptop fell from my hands dropping onto the stone floor.

This lower-right corner of my laptop broke when I dropped it, disabling the touchscreen feature. There are numerous hairline cracks throughout the remainder of the screen.

Horrified, I bent down to pick it up, as shards of glass skittered about the floor. Oh, oh. I felt sick to my stomach as it set it down to see how severe the damage and if it would still work.

The sky over the Crocodile River manages to be more beautiful than many other areas.

Immediately turning it on, I was amazed to find it working. The damage was to the touchscreen which no longer works and there are cracks across the screen affecting the viewing of the screen. It was clear that I’d need a replacement.

As the night fell, with the distance across the crocodile, it was tough to get clear shots. This was the first time we’d seen more than one waterbuck at a time.

Tom and I have each had our own computers since 1992, when we decided that sharing was not an option when we both enjoyed being online simultaneously, frequently talking, laughing, and sharing tidbits of information we gleaned in the process. 

Sorry for the blur. These photos were taken from a vast distance near dark.

Now, 22 years later, we are online at about the same time, ensuring neither of us is ever annoyed when the other is spending extended periods online. Currently spending a half a day, each day, writing here and posting photos, and, later working on photos for the next day, there’s absolutely no way we would or could share.

Luckily, this funny video intended to offset some of my angst over dropping my laptop on the stone floor, breaking the touchscreen monitor. 
Wednesday, when my 14-month-old Acer Windows 8, 15.6″ Touchscreen laptop hit the floor, the thought of having to share with Tom in order to continue writing our story, was the first thought in my mind. 

If it was completely destroyed, all of my files were backed up to the free cloud, Dropbox, leaving me with no worries about losing the 1000’s of photos and documents relative to our travels and financial matters.

View from the veranda of the Serene Oasis Restaurant as we watched the Crocodile cross the river from the Marloth Park side to the Kruger National Park side.

For Tom, as a part-time researcher and proofreader for our site, having to share his computer would result in our world becoming upside down until we could figure out a replacement. Looking online I panicked when a comparable replacement with fast international shipping would be well over US $1000, ZAR $10,921. 

A waterbuck and white bird hanging out on the river bank.

Our laptops serve as not only a source of writing about our world travels, but also as a means of staying in touch with family and friends, banking, financial matters, tracking our expenses, and current and future planning.  Plus, without watching TV, it’s a significant source of entertainment when we’re not out and about.

When one only cooks dinner four times per week, has the house cleaned by others twice a week, has all the laundry washed, dried, and folded by others twice a week, one must have a source of distraction for several hours each day rather than staring into space. These services were all included in our rental.

A pair of waterbucks, posing from afar.

Our primary source of entertainment each day since arriving in Marloth Park on December 1st has been the glorious experience of sitting outside on the veranda, waiting for wildlife to visit. Although much of our time is spent scanning the bush, we still have ample hours to peruse online while we wait.

Yes, we do go out no less than three or four days/nights each week, loving every moment. We all have some downtime to fill. Perhaps for us, with no household chores to tackle, no lawn to mow, no garden to weed, no snow to shovel, we have more free time than most. I’m not complaining. We love it!

Five waterbucks walked across this shallow area of the Crocodile River to visit this island.

We discovered that purchasing a comparable laptop online, presented its own share of issues: international shipping and customs fees, add as much as 25% to the price. Also, a mailed computer could easily get stuck in customs upon entering South Africa, never arriving before we leave in five weeks.

If anything were to go wrong with the replacement, dealing with it from afar would be cumbersome when Skype is our only means of making phone calls. 

After all this time, I still haven’t had the broken screen on my smartphone repaired after I dropped it on the cement by the pool in Belize last March. With the inconvenience of arranging for service from outside the US, it wasn’t worth the trouble. Yeah, I know. I’m clumsy, breaking both a phone and a laptop in one 12 month period.  Tom says I’m “a bull in a China shop.”

Finally, darkness fell and we went indoors for dinner.

Bless his heart, Tom didn’t say a negative word.He knew I was torturing myself enough for both of us.He offered to swap laptops with me, but I refused. Why should he have to deal with this? 

We contacted Louise, our lovely property manager, asking if there was a nearby computer store. Alas, we were in luck. She told us that there was a quality store in Komatipoort and to ask for her friend Jorge. We were heading there for groceries anyway, so this was perfect. 

Off we went at noon with Okee Dokee. She knew exactly where the computer store was located, tucked away down a long alley in the back of other stores. If we’d still had a rental car, we’d have had a heck of a time finding it.

Meeting with Jorge, I explained all the specs I wanted, basically a newer model replacement of my touchscreen computer which sells online in the US for around US $700, ZAR $7705.39. Jorge, a very kind man, said he’d call or text later in the day when he got a quote for the replacement.

A few hours later, Jorge sent a text with the price for the replacement, which proved to be twice our original cost, twice the current price online in the US. His price was US $1350, ZAR $14,860, all-inclusive. I flinched.  Yes, this would avoid shipping and some customs fees. And, we may have considered it, if it had been any other brand name than offered, not worthy of a bashing mention here.

Later, back at home, I decided to make a serious assessment to determine if I could live with the damaged computer. Last night, we watched a movie after returning home from dinner. After a while, we got used to the cracks in the center of the screen.

I can still use the computer using keystrokes to maneuver, as opposed to the ease of using the former touchscreen. I can get past the cracks and the continuous dropping of small shards of glass. I can make it work until we get to Boston in less than eight months where we’ll make a new purchase if it holds up until then.

At least it wasn’t a snake bite. Or, a centipede sting! In the realm of things, having to pay for a replacement laptop is merely an annoyance and unexpected expense. By the time we get to Boston, our laptops will be two years old anyway and we both may be due for a replacement. 

We’ve been very blessed in our travels these past 15 months. Who’s to complain? Not I!

The excitement never ends… More surprising visitors… Like none before…Three days until road trip! Plus Big Boy and birds…

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Grasshopper video #1
Grasshopper video #2

Here are four videos we made yesterday while observing grasshopper behavior, as dozens walked along the ground from one tree to another on a ritual we found interesting.  
Watching them up close over a period of several hours was yet another experience of life in Marloth Park, its wonders never ceasing to amaze us. For the full progression of their hour’s long journey, please watch the videos in order as shown by the numbers in each heading.
Grasshopper video #3


Grasshopper video #4
This grasshopper appeared to be the leader as dozens followed his lead.

Every morning, after showered and dressed for the day, swathed in insect repellent (been doing this every day for the past 4 1/2 months), we open the door to step outside.

As the dozens of Grasshopper began their trek across the driveway.

With the intent of determining if sitting outdoors is imminent or better later in the day, we discuss the conditions:  

They marched in two groups.

How is the weather? It rains every few days saturating everything on the veranda. If the wind is blowing, we’ll get wet. Visitors don’t seem to come when it’s raining.

The bigger pieces of cabbage had a greater appeal to them.

How bad are the flies? The amount of flies is predicated by how many visitors we’ve had and how much poop was left behind.  But, oddly some days they aren’t bad. Yesterday, we purchased a fancy hanging fly trap to be placed far from the house. Don’t think it’s working yet.

Finally, they reached the larger pieces of cabbage and began eating.

How hot is it? When it’s above 90F, 32C, coupled with the high humidity, (the Crocodile River is a stone’s throw) it’s uncomfortable to sit outside, although on many occasions at very high temperatures, we’ve lasted from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm, drinking copious amounts of water and batting off the flies.

Five Helmeted Guinea Fowls, whom we hadn’t seen in a month, returned to our yard with these three chicks in tow. Now, we know why we hadn’t seen them for so long. They were hanging out near the grasshoppers but didn’t seem interested in them.
The chicks were so young, they had trouble walking, falling over at times.  Very cute!
The chicks were tentative, hanging close to mom and dad.  Helmeted Guinea Fowls mate for life and the dads take an active role in the upbringing of their offspring, unlike many animals we’ve seen in Marloth Park.

Most days, we start the day outside as early as 7:00 am, Tom hauls all of our power cords, converters, and adapters to the outdoor outlet and both of us haul laptops, phones, camera, pellets, and beverages.  (The big bags of pellets must stay inside the house due to the monkeys). Most days, nine out of ten, we stay outside all day.  

The grasshoppers had reached their destination after eating the cabbage, the vines of the shrub at the base of the second tree, approximately 20 feet, 6 meters.

It’s ironic. As much as I complained about spending every day outside in the “outdoor living room” in Kenya, we now are outside almost all day without complaining, just dealing with the natural realities of living in the bush. The good so much outweighs the annoyances, it is all worth it.

They marched on and on moving up the plant, the second group following suit.

The remaining days, such as today, we start the day indoors. It’s very hot, humid and the flies are in a frenzy.  Looking out the window for visitors every 10 minutes, always wearing my shoes and socks, a camera within reach, I can be outside in less than a minute.

Many days, we jump in the car to drive around looking for wildlife or head to the Crocodile River to check out any possible adventures awaiting us there. We’re seldom disappointed. Whether it’s another impala in the bush, a common sight to see, or a turtle crossing the road, we love it all.

Yesterday, was one of those days with few visitors. An elusive duiker dashed through the yard, a few interesting birds alighted on the trees, but dashed away before I could take a photo and later in the day, “Big Boy,” (see photo below) the biggest, oldest warthog we’ve seen so far arrived late in the day with his submissive smaller buddy.  

“Big Boy” came to visit while we were making videos of the grasshoppers. He’s the oldest and largest warthog with the biggest tusks that we’ve seen so far.  He often visits alone and shows little interest in the pellets.  Also, he’s shy around us, thus we keep our distance. He may weigh upwards of 350 pounds, 158 kg.  

But midday, we had a new breed of visitors, the grasshoppers, as shown here today. We couldn’t have been more fascinated. We realize that not all of our readers are as enthralled with the smallest of creatures, especially insects so please bear with us. 

Not unlike human males, Big Boy’s hair is thinning on top.

As we’ve learned more and more about all of the creatures in Mother Nature’s wonderland, we’ve found that learning new information as a senior is vital to stimulating the brain and the senses. Our memories are better than ever in our lives from all of the “stimulation” from our environment. That’s a good thing.

The grasshoppers made their way up the second tree after munching on the shrub below. They rested on the bark for a few hours. A few minutes before dark, we checked and they were gone. I could hear them moving inside the tree. We figured that, most likely, the cabbage drew them out as well as the birth of the nymphs, who were mature enough to venture outside the tree.

Yesterday, when Tom spotted a large number of grasshoppers in the driveway, we immediately went on a mission to discover what we could about their behavior from multiple websites. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a lot of information about these grasshoppers, none of which explained their behavior in detail.

The Helmeted Guinea Fowl and their chicks headed to the rear yard where they seem to enter and depart.

We can only surmise, that the trek across the driveway on foot, leaving their offspring referred to as “nymphs” behind, was to forage for food. Firstly, they ate portions of the cabbage leaves we’d left on the driveway, and secondly, they ate the leaves on a shrub at the base of another tree.

Yesterday was a busy bird day.

Watching their journey, all on foot, was fascinating, eliciting absolutely no fear of either of us, in the close proximity of 60, 70, or more insects at one time, nor were they fearful of us as shown in these photos.

After seemingly staying in place for over two hours, we ventured indoors for the night. Before dark, we checked and every last one was gone. But, after hearing sounds coming from the second tree, it was apparent they were in the tree, moving about. Wow! Nature never fails to surprise us.

In three days we’ll leave for Blyde River Canyon  where we’ll stay at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge three nights, spending each day exploring the many wonders of the Panorama Route. With many tourists having left after the holiday season, we’ll especially enjoy the lack of crowds. Of course, we’ll share photos and stories of our experiences at the end of each day.

Could it be due to the presence of the grasshoppers that the yard was filled with birds all day?
This is a White Helmet Shrike, common in the yard.

Halfway on the five-hour drive, we’ll travel through Kruger National Park, hopefully with many sightings along the way. The size of the park from north to south, the direction we’ll be traveling, is 220 miles, 360 km long.  Although we’ll be exiting the park partway through to enter the Panorama Route, we expect to be in the park for several hours.  

Tonight, we’re going out to dinner once again to our favorite local restaurant Jabula Lodge, where owners Dawn and Leon, always make us feel at home. It’s a friendly place with great food, affordable prices, and a wealth of local ambiance.

Whether we stay indoors on a hot day, dine in or out, see lots of amazing animals or insects, we’re content, never bored or antsy, happy to be healthy and most of all, to be living this life together.

Zebras… They’re just like us… Hilarious zebra video…

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Curious, the zebras often checked out the braai (barbecue) area and the pool, occasionally drinking from the pool. They wander about the yard, checking out the vegetation and most often are curious as to what we’re doing.

With our eyes continually scanning the yard, suddenly, the black and white stripes grabbed our attention, making my heart skip a beat. Although very common in Africa and often seeing them along the road while walking or driving in the area, a visit to our yard is always special.

Click to start this enjoyable zebra video we shot on Wednesday in our yard.


In the 41 days that we’ve lived in Marloth Park, this is the third occurrence of a herd of male zebras visiting us in our yard. This particular visit from a few days ago was our favorite zebra visit.

As I threw out a handful of pellets, this guy tried to grab my hand, painlessly gumming my fingers. It’s apparent that they’ve frequently been given treats by tourists and residents alike, hopefully with items acceptable for their herbivorous diet. We give them a few handfuls of pellets and provide the mineral lick.

The zebras that appear in Marloth and Kruger Parks are Plains Zebras. Oddly, with their gentle nature, zebras have never been domesticated. It’s been apparent to us that they are intelligent, evidenced by the manner in which they interact with one another and with us, often mimicking each other’s behavior. In today’s video, this mimicking behavior is obvious.  

The mineral lick was getting lots of licks and Ms. Warthog was on her knees getting in on the pellet action. Our intent had been to stick to our beliefs that wildlife shouldn’t be fed anything in the wild. But a Field Ranger explained that the pellets are made specifically geared to the diet of the animals, as is the mineral lick.  We purchased both at Daisy’s Feed Store, here in Marloth Park. So far, most of the animals like the pellets, especially the warthogs and babies. Only the kudus and zebras seem to like the mineral lick.  A few days ago a warthog shoved it out of his way using his tusks putting a hole in it.

Similar to us humans, they develop routines. After three visits to our yard, a routine has already been established. They hang out at the veranda railing hoping for a few pellets and attention. After a while they head to the bush as shown in this video, to nibble on the vegetation.   

Zebras freely make eye contact and are less shy than most of the wildlife.

They walk toward the braai (barbecue) and the pool area, contemplating a drink from the pool. Zebras have a keen sense to detect toxins in water, as in this case, the chlorine in the pool. Although only a small amount, it prevents them from taking more than a quick sip when testing it the first two times they visited.  

This Zebra is looking into the bush beyond the pink car as Ms. Warthog wandered down the path on the opposite side of the carport, one of the many worn animal paths in the yard.

Zebras will naturally find a clean water supply and forage the general area, maintaining easy access to the water. On this third visit, they didn’t consider the pool water recalling that it wasn’t fit for their consumption. 

“OK.  Now that Ms. Warthog has left, what are you going to do for me?”

How did we know it was the same herd of males? The zebra stripe patterns are as unique as our own fingerprints. Having observed them for several hours, it’s been relatively easy to detect the unique patterns. Add the repeated behavior and we’re convinced this is the same male herd as in the past.

“Out of my way!  I’m first!”

Never tiring of repeat visits from wildlife, we can only hope we don’t have an encore from the Mozambique Spitting Cobra, now or in the future as described in yesterday’s post. Once was enough! 

The dominant zebra waited by the rear yard path. It was time to leave. Shortly, they all followed him down the path. They’d had a good visit with us.  Perhaps, the mineral lick makes them thirsty and it was time to head to the nearby watering hole.

But, the Zebras, they’re always welcomed!

Two visits to the river in one day…The rewards, outstanding!…A male lion is loose in Marloth Park…

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After diligent perusal of the book, “Newman’s Birds by Colour for South Africa”, loaned to us by Louise, we were thrilled to spot the White Fronted Plover that we’d captured from the banks of the Crocodile River.
This morning at 8:00 am, Danie stopped by on his motorbike to say hello and to tell us that a male Lion was spotted by a ranger at 3:00 am close to the river. Danie told us that from time to time lions make their way from the bordering Kruger National Park into Marloth Park, protected only be a few stands of wire fence.  
This White Fronted Plover caught my eye as we scanned the Crocodile River for wildlife. It was resting on a tiny island, not far from our vantage point.
Danie explained that a visiting lion may stay in Marloth Park for months at a time, spotted on occasion, mostly at night.  Residents are always alerted to the presence of a lion.This further explains why residents are not permitted to go for a walk after dark along with the danger of other nocturnal animals.
A male cape buffalo, referred to as “Retired Generals” by our guide Anderson in the Masai Mara.
A lone bird hangs out with the two “Retired Generals.”

The intent has been to keep elephants, rhinos, lions, and hippos form entering Marloth Park, potentially harming its residents.
Located in Marloth Park is a smaller park, Lionspruit, containing all the wildlife we see here, plus three Lions, one male, and two females. We intend to visit Lionspruit soon, staying away during the busy holiday season, now finally winding down. It’s unlikely that we’ll see the Lions in Lionspruit as explained by many of the locals we’ve met.  Lions tend to sleep during the day and hunt at night
 Hippos spend most of their time in the water, occasionally languishing in the sun in groups. Crocodiles and hippos co-habitat well.
 
During our second river visit, we spotted this hippo snorting water as shown in the photo as the sun went down.

With the abundant wildlife and vegetation on the Crocodile River, forbidden to human exploration other than viewing from its banks, dividing Kruger National Park and Marloth Park, it is a draw for us on a regular basis.

Safety in numbers, the Cape Buffalo take an afternoon rest together.

Midday yesterday, we took a long drive along the road that borders the river, stopping to look for several openings in the bush and trees, in the same area where the Lion was spotted during the night.  

The interesting white bulls-eye on the waterbuck’s behind. 
The waterbuck is an attractive animal staying close to the river for their food sources.

Later in the day, we returned to the public campgrounds to once again view the river and, to grab dinner-to-go from their popular overlook restaurant.

This crocodile was far across the river, making it difficult to get a good shot.

In the past 15 months, we haven’t purchased any carry-out-dinners, due to a lack of availability, along with the restrictions of my way of eating. With several recommendations to try the grilled chicken, we decided to make our usual coleslaw and two vegetable sides to round out the meal and eat in, the third night in a row.

The views of the river never disappoint.

We placed our order for two whole chickens after seeing guests carrying them to the picnic tables. While our chickens were cooking, we sat outside on the deck checking out the wildlife along the river. Once again, we weren’t disappointed, as shown in our photos.

Based on the fact that chickens in this area are free-range, not receiving any hormones or other drugs in order to grow meatier, the chickens were small and had little meat although the flavor was good. It wasn’t difficult to wipe out almost all of the two chickens in one meal.

Even on a cloudy day, the river views are breathtaking.

Tonight, we’ll dine at Ngwenya, a resort outside Marloth Park, which is also located on the river with what we’ve heard is a phenomenal close-up viewing. Hopefully, we’ll return with more photos to share.

Wherever we drive, walk, or even stay stationary, if patience prevails, “they will come.” Yesterday, we had another extraordinary day with two visits to the Crocodile River and visitors galore. 

Tomorrow, we’ll have an entertaining video to share epitomizing what we keep saying every day, “In many ways, the animals are a lot like us!” It is these similarities that make us smile and laugh again and again, often hours later, when we relive the wonderful events of the day.

As the sun began to set over the Crocodile River, we packed up our dinner-to-go and headed home having had yet another great day of viewing.

There are few recreational activities that bring so much anticipation, laughter, and joy as that which we’ve experienced here in the bush, living among the treasures that Mother Nature has graciously bestowed upon us humans, to nurture, to love, to protect, and respect.

The giraffes graced us with another visit to our yard…Never imagined they would return…Videos..photos…

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Similar to the main photo in this post of December 14th, once again,we looked toward the driveway to discover giraffes coming our way. What a glorious sight!

On December 14, 2013, two weeks after arriving in Marloth Park, 12 magnificent Giraffes visited us in our yard as described in this post.  No words can express how elated we were when we discovered their long gangly legs lumbering down our narrow driveway.

First of two videos, we took yesterday in our yard. The second video is below.


Male giraffes weigh as much as 4000 pounds, 1814 kg, and be as tall as 20 feet, 6 meters. Females are much smaller at 2500 pounds, 1133 kilograms, and be as tall as 14 feet, 4.27 meters. A male can weigh as much as a pickup truck.

The four giraffes kept a watchful eye on us as they wandered in the yard munching on treetops.

Giraffes have the same number of vertebrae as humans and must exercise caution when drinking. during which they spread their front legs to reach down to the water. They are especially vulnerable to predators in this position.

Please click here for more facts about giraffes.

Oxpeckers are the giraffe’s friend, eating ticks and other insects off of the giraffe’s hide.

After an exquisite and memorable hour-long visit on December 14th, we both wondered if they’d ever return. Our ‘safari luck” had given us more than we’d ever imagined. At times, we’ve giggled over how skeptical we’ve been to leave the house in the event they return when we aren’t at home.

With many of their preferred acacia trees in our yard, the giraffes were happily munching, able to reach the tops of the trees impossible for other wildlife.

While most wildlife visits seem to last an hour or less, it would be relatively easy to miss an event, never knowing that we missed. The hope that giraffes would return was held with a somewhat sad acceptance that we’d been lucky they’d visited us once. Why would we be so lucky for a second visit?

Here is the second video we took yesterday. If you watch the beginning carefully, you can see the giraffe rocking the tree in an effort to bite off a big cluster of leaves.
We weren’t certain why this giraffe was bending down.  Unless drinking they seldom lower their long necks. Again, we see oxpeckers hanging on.

Alas, yesterday morning, while busy taking videos of 70-80 Impalas having visited us, then making their exit along a worn animal path in the yard (which we’ll share tomorrow), I turned to look back toward the driveway for any stragglers. 

There they were; leggy, colorful, and laden with oxpeckers picking at insects in their chosen habitat on the giraffe’s hide.  

Whispering to Tom I mouthed, “Check out the driveway!”  Turning his head away from the path of the impalas at the far end of the yard, an even deeper smile came across his face, as we both held our breath in anticipation.  

While the impalas were here, we’d remained seated fearful that moving would scare them off with their skittish nature. After an hour of hardly moving, the giraffes’ appearance prompted further caution, although they appear to be less nervous around people. Although, given a loud noise or sudden movement, they too will quickly wander off into the bush.

A few more nibbles close to the carport and they were on their way.  Instead of walking on the driveway, they wandered away through the dense bush.

Finally, we were able to stand as we excitedly took the two videos included here today and the accompanying photos.  With their enormous height, it’s difficult to take photos of several in one shot unless they’re tightly packed when arriving or departing, walking along the driveway or road.   

At one point we quietly ventured indoors to the second-floor veranda from which we took the shorter of the two videos.

There were only four of them. Last time there were 12. We weren’t disappointed by any means. How could one be disappointed when the tallest creature on the planet comes wandering into their yard? Not us!

After a while, they departed via the bush preventing us from getting a photo of the four of them together as we’d done in the past. 

Tomorrow, we’ll share photos and a video of the 70 to 80 Impalas that visited en mass for the first time, although we’ve seen a few in the yard and literally hundreds along the roads. 


Wonder what today will bring? Whatever it may be, they are welcomed!

Happy New Year!…Two lively nights in a row…Fun with friends…How’d we get so lucky?…

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Last night at Jabula Lodge bringing in the New Year.

Neither of us can recall a time when we made friends with a couple “referred to us” by a couple we met in a restaurant and then another couple we met in a restaurant, of all things, on Christmas Day. 

Our new friends, Hettie and Piet, with whom we shared Christmas day dinner and again last night’s New Year’s eve celebration.

First, we met Lynne and Mick at Jabula Lodge, only three days after we arrived, ending up spending two great evenings with them before leaving to return to their second in Jersey, UK.

Leon, the owner of Jabula Lodge, and also a new friend will scream when he sees that we posted this photo of him from New Year’s Eve. He joined right into the fun with us and all of his and Dawn’s guests for the night.

They suggested to good friends Kathy and Don, who own a gorgeous home on the Crocodile River, to meet us for which they invited us to their home on Christmas Eve and then a second time a few days ago on December 30th.

To the left is Don’s cousin Sandy. Kathy, to the right, was, with her husband Don, our hosts for the pre-New Year’s braai at their lovely home overlooking the Crocodile River. It was our second visit to their home since Christmas Eve when they’d kindly and bravely invited us before we’d ever met.

Then on Christmas Day, we met Hettie and Piet (Pete) at Jabula Lodge, after which we’d planned to bring in the New Year together, again at Jabula Lodge, one of the very few restaurants in Marloth Park.  

From Tom on the left is Don, husband of Kathy and host. Next is Linda and Ken, friends of Kathy and Don’s who’s house in Marloth Park is currently rented over the holidays resulting in them staying with Kathy and Don for several days in their home. To the far right, is again Sandy, Don’s cousin, also from South Africa as was everyone but us.

This upcoming Friday, we’ll celebrate both Hettie and Piet’s birthdays, a few days apart, at a Portuguese restaurant in Komatipoort. After lunch, we’ll grocery shop and purchase more data for our SIM cards. Perfect!

After three days of rain, it was great to see a colorful sunset from Kathy and Don’s third-floor veranda, where we dined and conversed at length.  
More color in the sky from Kathy and Don’s veranda on Monday evening.

Unfortunately, all of these wonderful new friends are leaving, or already have, returned to their other homes, leaving us to make more new friends, a relatively easy proposition in the friendly Marloth Park. 

The Crocodile River before the three days of torrential rain, taken from Kathy and Don’s third-floor veranda on Christmas Eve.
The Crocodile River after three days of torrential rain also taken from Kathy and Don’s third-floor veranda.

































One would think we’d make friends with other tourists as we travel the world. But, this only occurred on cruise ships, several of whom we’ve stayed in touch. The remainder of the friends we’ve made has been homeowners and residents of the areas in which we’ve lived.  

This was my T-Bone steak purchased at the Butchery in Marloth Park, which was ZAR $440, US $4.41. Tom’s was the same approximate size. Cooked for me by Ken, it was moist, tender, and delicious.  Often when hosting a braai, the guests bring their chosen cut of meat while the hosts serve beer and other beverages,  side dishes, salad, and dessert. 
After adding delicious sauteed onions and mushrooms and an avocado Greek salad, my plate was complete. Of course, as always I ate every morsel.

We’ve assumed that the ease in making friends is due to the extended periods we’re living in vacation homes during which, in a sense, we become local residents. Regardless of the reason, we’re loving our busy social life.

We shot these kudu photos from Kathy and Don’s third-floor veranda.

Spending 24 hours a day together, which I might add, we thoroughly enjoy as well, we do find it refreshing to socialize with people with whom we enjoy much in common. Each of these three couples has traveled extensively, often to places we’ve already visited in our own travels, making for lively conversation.

A new male warthog visitor to our yard who’d arrived yesterday with a small female, neither of which we’ve seen in the past. The mating ritual had seemingly been in the beginning stages.  He was the largest warthog we’ve seen so far, difficult to determine in the photo. Hopefully, they’ll return.
She kept nudging him for attention.  But he wasn’t quite ready for the big event, at least not in our yard.

In addition, each of these three couples, still find themselves enraptured by the wildlife in Marloth Park. What stories we’ve all shared about our experiences with visitors! And the laughter…Ah, the laughter, is the best part of it all.

Shortly after the courting couple left, this young mom appeared with her four babies, the smallest babies, we’ve seen thus far, perhaps only a few weeks old.
Suddenly, mom decides it’s time to nurse, stopping dead in her tracks. Immediately, the babies know it’s feeding time and they happily latch on to one of her four nipples. Female warthogs rarely give birth to more than four offspring based on the availability of only four nipples. Nature provides for itself.  Amazing!

So, we welcome the New Year filled with the hope of making many new friends as we continue on our travels.  It’s hard to imagine that in two months from today, we’ll arrive in Marrakesh, Morocco, switching gears from a divine wildlife experience to a profound cultural experience in the hustle and bustle of one of the most diverse and interesting cities in the world.

Yesterday, a lone kudu stopped by, nibbling on the lush vegetation after the three days of rain. He stuck his head in between these small branches near our braai, next to the pool.  What a majestic animal!  We never tire of their visits. Female kudus rarely make an appearance in our yard, although we’ve seen a few.  Males and females don’t hang out together once the mating is complete. We often wrongfully assume that most animals mate for life when actually few we’ve seen in Marloth/Kruger Parks do so.

For now, we’ll put future travels aside to continue to embrace this magical place as we patiently await the next batch of visitors in our yard. I wonder who it will be today. The anticipation itself is a divine part of the adventure.

This same kudu in the above photo stood at the railing waiting for “people food.”  Many tourists over the holidays go nuts giving the wildlife “people food” which, unless fresh vegetables, is generally ill-advised. However, the rangers in Marloth Park suggest providing nutritional pellets or mineral licks, which we’ve done.  Notice the notches in the Kudu’s ear, either from fighting with other kudus during the mating season or in combat with other wildlife.  Kudus are non-aggressive animals and herbivores.

Thanks to all of our new friends in Marloth Park for freely welcoming us into this unbelievably fulfilling and joyful location which we’ll always remember as being the most friendly we’ve encountered in our travels.

Happy New Year to all of our readers. May each one of you find a way to “step outside the box” if only for an hour or a day, to reach for your dreams, whatever they may be.

Fear is to protect us from harm, not a useless emotional response…Happy New Year to all!

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The Southern Yellow Billed Hornbill.

Upon awakening this morning at a late, 7:30, I bolted out of bed, scanning the bedroom walls and floors for my most dreaded creatures – The poisonous centipede.

Sunset over the Crocodile River at our newly discovered overlook. Thanks to Louise and Danie for pointing us in this location.

Since arriving in Marloth Park, one month ago as of tomorrow, we’ve seen only a few small centipedes. We have seen many other poisonous insects, so far.

Sunset over the Crocodile River at we relaxed on the deck of the restaurant at Marloth Park Public Campground.

In our minds, the centipede doesn’t deserve such reverence, although they certainly serve a purpose in nature as does every creature on the face of the earth.

Last night, after returning from another delightful braai evening at the home of our new friends, Kathy and Don, their friends Linda and Ken and cousin Sandy, we moseyed off to bed. By the time, we crawled under the comfy covers it was 11:30. It took me no more than 15 minutes of reading a book on my phone to begin to nod off.

At the overlook as elephants roamed the Crocodile River.

At around 1:10 am, I awoke to hear Tom moving around the bedroom. Groggy, I asked him what he was doing. He said, “I didn’t want you to see this and hoped to take care of it without you waking up.”

Sitting up in bed, I saw what he meant. There was a giant centipede, the biggest we’ve ever seen, on the wall near the doorway to the en suite bathroom which he’d discovered when he attempted to quietly go to the bathroom, using his flashlight, hoping not to awaken me. My thoughtful guy.

Our first sighting, albeit it at quite a distance, the ring tailed Waterbuck.

Instantly, I got that disgusted look on my face. I could feel my mouth turn down into a face only a mother could love – one of sheer disgust. Jumping out of bed, as Tom stood next to the centipede, ready to sweep it into the dustpan with the brush, I said, “Wait, let me get the camera!

This centipede on the wall by the bathroom door made us cringe. Tom as always, dispose of it. Sleep didn’t come easy the remainder of the night, fearful that the rains of the past few days may have brought more of these inside the house.

I got the shot and seconds later Tom, brave soul that he is, swept it up and tossed it into the toilet, flushing several times. Years ago, I’d seen an online photo of a snake coming up through a toilet. At that moment, I imagined the centipede coming back up, when we least expected it, while we were on the toilet. Most likely this is a preposterous fear.  

This ugliness may have been as much one foot, 30 cm, long.

But then, fear doesn’t always make the most sense. In the past few days, I’ve been reading a book, entitled, “The Paleo Manifesto, Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health” by John Durant, a fascinating read.  

As we watched the sunset, this Elephant crossed the river.

This book quotes scientific studies on both humans and animals in captivity and their horrible physical response resulting in much illness from eating conventional modern day foods, as opposed to what our DNA dictates, that which is readily available in nature in our surroundings. Well, you know I could spend days on this topic but I won’t.

In the easy-to-read scientific book, he discusses fear which we all experience each day of our lives, fear that is ingrained into our DNA over the estimated 200,000 years that man/woman has been on earth (opinions vary on this length of time).  

He explains that fear is not a pointless emotional reaction over which we have to “pull ourselves together.” Fear is in our DNA to protect us from harm.  

We fear heights since we aren’t intended to fly and harm could come to us. We fear flying in an airplane since we’re confined with no chance of escape. We fear dangerous creatures since they have the ability to cause us serious injury or death.

Thinking in terms of the caveman, these fears protected him/her and their offspring, protecting the development of the human race. Thus, we don’t have to be ashamed of having fear. It’s a by-product of being human, deeply ingrained in our DNA.

Why are many humans less fearful? They’ve mentally chosen to overcome the natural instincts due to a motivating factor that supersedes the fear. The remainder of us remains fearful in varying degrees. After all, we are different from one another.

Observing wildlife surrounding us, we see their fear to protect themselves and to preserve their destiny. As humans, we don’t criticize their fear, and yet, we mock and criticize our own, often dismissing the seeming pointless fears belonging to others.  

If we accept that fear at times may be unfounded, but that most often it has a basis for our self-preservation and the preservation of those we love, perhaps we can become more tolerant of those with fear, embracing their natural instincts.

The author pointed out in the book the following, “Why do many people have a visceral fear of snakes, which kill only a few people each year, but not of automobiles, which kills tens of thousands of people each year? Evolutionary theory points out that snakes were a real and deadly threat to our ancestors – but automobiles were not.”

We don’t walk outdoors each morning, looking at the little pink car and feel fearful. And yet we become fearful over the appearance of a centipede. How ironic. Then again, there were no automobiles in the days of the caveman from which our DNA developed.

Animals have an innate fear of snakes as do most of us. Animals we’ve observed in the wild, have many fears; from us, from one another, from being confined or trapped, and many from forces beyond their control.  


With sensible caution, we continue on, fear being our friend, as we strive to embrace the instincts that ultimately provide us with a safe environment.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the details of last night’s braai at our new friend’s home on the Crocodile River and tonight’s New Year’s Eve party at Jabula Lodge where again, we’ll gather with more new friends.  

May all of you have a safe and enjoyable entry into the New Year! And, thanks for sharing our first full year of world travel with us

Holiday postings update…Please stop back by tomorrow…Something very strange occurred while writing today…

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Of nine members of this warthog family, there are two moms; one with four babies and the other with three babies. From watching this family almost daily over a period of 18 days, we believe the mom shown above is the mom of the three babies, which if you look closely are all nursing. (It’s hard to see the third). Thus, the baby on which she is resting her chin belongs to the other mom who is nearby and seems comfortable with this situation. We couldn’t have laughed more when the fourth baby, whether hers or not provided this neck resting spot.

With the holidays imminent, we imagine that most of our readers are busy with preparations and events, leaving little time for our daily musings and photos. We will continue to post each day presenting an abbreviated version that can easily be perused and caught up after the holidays if you so choose. 

The “three little pigs” quit nursing and took off following the other mom as she’d had enough of us for one day.

However, tomorrow we’ll pick up our rental car, and with that, begin exploring, offering what hopefully will be exciting new content as we venture out beyond Marloth Park. Also, we’ll commence on our own game drives in the area, including Kruger Park (which we’ll visit after the holidays).

Notice the size of the anthill behind Tom, located in our yard where there are several.

The thought of entering Kruger Park in a tiny, economical vehicle is a little intimidating when we’ve seen photos of elephants knocking cars on their sides. But, we certainly won’t antagonize any of the wildlife which is often a precipitating factor in any angry animal behavior.

On our way out to dinner on Tuesday night, these wildebeest were hanging out in the front yard of a house.

We’ve heard that Kruger has increased the vehicle limits over the holidays due to the increased number of tourists in the area from 500 per each of the 11 entrance gates to 700 per gate. Over the holidays, vehicles will be backed up on the narrow roads inside the park. We prefer to wait to visit Kruger until after the first of the New Year.

The fees for “internationals” to enter Kruger Park are ZAR $248, US $24.31 per person, per day.

One of the first things we’d like to do shortly is to return to the Crocodile River overlook. Alcoholic beverages are allowed and Tom can enjoy a cocktail while I sip on my ice tea for a delightful “happy hour,” as often as we’d like. There is no fee to enter the overlook area.

Why all these zebra butts were facing the wildebeests escaped us.

The prospect of freedom of driving ourselves is refreshing. After we pick up the rental car, run a few necessary errands in the larger city of Nelspruit, we’ll dine at the popular Hamilton’s located in the cozy town of Malelane (pronounced mal-e-lawn). The distance from Hamilton’s back to Marloth Park is 42 km, 26 miles.

Nothing is close to Marloth Park. Okee Dokee is driving us to Nelspruit from Marloth Park tomorrow at 12:30 pm at a distance of 95 km, 59 miles. Stopping for wildlife sightings certainly lengthens the normal 75 minute driving time.

Tomorrow will be a busy day of driving, which we don’t mind at all. With our newfound ability to stop and take photos along the way at our leisure, we’re both looking forward to being out.

More wildebeests gathered around the clump on the ground.  There was harmony with the zebras.

This past almost three weeks of waiting and watching for visitors has been glorious. Now, with Marloth Park jammed with holiday tourists, we’ve noticed a decline in the visitors over the past four days.

Danie explained that the animals roam from spot to spot foraging along the way. As the rains come (it’s rainy season now as summer begins on December 21st) and more vegetation grows, they move on to the next prolific location, returning to past locations in a period of time.  

This makes sense to us, but I wouldn’t be surprised if all the extra cars driving on the roads and people at the resorts and vacation homes could certainly have a bearing on the wildlife moving about as freely, considering how cautious they are around us, humans.

It appeared that the zebras and wildebeests were sharing some tasty morsel on the ground.
Over these past few days, the warthog family of nine continues to visit, playful, and funny as ever, while an occasional duiker stands ground, staring at us or a baboon skitters by checking out the status of food on the veranda. The birds, including the three Helmeted Guinea-fowls, make a daily appearance. 


Again this week, we got a glimpse of the elusive monitor lizards whose home is near the pool, as they slither in and out of their holes, much too quickly for another photo. 

Tomorrow morning, before taking off for Nelspruit, we have an exciting story to share of an anomaly we found in our yard this morning after writing today’s post, with photos, of course. Please stop back later!

On Saturday, we’ll be sharing photos of our travels outside of Marloth Park, our first big trip to a grocery store, the much-anticipated purchase of socks and the dinner at the popular Hamilton’s. Our course, we’ll include all of the costs, including the car rental.

Enjoy the holiday festivities!