We’re back!…First ever missed post due to illness…

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Big Daddy was stopping by a few weeks ago to nibble on the lucerne we had delivered from Daisy’s Den. The bush is much greener after recent rains, and the wildlife seems less interested in the lucerne.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Oxpeckers eating ticks and fleas off the hide of a kudu.

Update on yesterday’s missing post: On Thursday night when it was still very hot, we all decided to forego our usual Thursday night buffet dinner at Ngwenya. Instead, since Rita and Gerhard had never been there, we decided to go to Phumula, a nearby restaurant we’ve visited a few times since we arrived last February.  

We didn’t love the focal lodge and restaurant food, ut it was always fresh and acceptable and they had aircon in the main bar/dining area.  It was a good choice. I didn’t drink much wine, only having a few glasses of light dry rose with ice in the hot weather. I ordered beef, veg, and salad, nothing too exciting but proved to be fine although my meat was way overdone.  I prefer it rare.  It was medium but tender so I didn’t complain.  

The four of us were so deeply engrossed in our conversations, not having seen each other in a week, we didn’t pay much attention to the food. We’d arrived at 1700 hours, (5:00 pm) and were out the door by 2030 hours, (8:30 pm).

 Once back at the house, which was as hot as an oven, we decided the spend the rest of the evening watching “America’s Got Talent” on my laptop in air-conditioned comfort in the bedroom. 

Most of the wildlife groom themselves quite well.  Other than warthogs, they seldom appear dirty.

During the second episode I dozed off for a few minutes and Tom awakened me. A nap wasn’t good before going to bed for the night which would tend to make it hard to fall asleep later. I awoke from his gentle nudge with a shudder.  A wave of nausea washed over me that literally made me jump up and run to the bathroom. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I felt so dizzy I could hardly stand.

Something was terribly wrong. Was it food poisoning? What could it be? It was 2200 hours, (10:00 pm) and I knew I had a long horrid night ahead of me. I had never in my life felt so nauseated and dizzy.  

No doubt, I put Tom through hell with me when I was up and down all night, stumbling my way to the bathroom only to (gross, be prepared) have the dry heaves. I hadn’t puked in 20 years nor was I going to now.

 I even found myself groaning and moaning (how disgusting) when the dizziness and nausea were almost more than I could bear. What was going on? The night was so long. I literally watched the clock on my phone waiting for it to be over.  Things are always worse at night, aren’t they?

As much as the kudus eat the vegetation, they still enjoy pellets and an occasional marula that falls to the ground from the tree in our garden.

At certain points throughout the night,  I imagined having to go to the hospital in Nelspruit, over an hour’s drive away. But I couldn’t imagine sitting up and riding in the car.  It was entirely impossible to sit up.  The room was spinning.

 After a while, I took a Tylenol (aka Paracetamol or Panadol, here in SA).  It didn’t help at all. I knew I just had to wait it out.  

 In the morning, I contacted Rita.  She’d eaten the same meal I had but hadn’t suffered any consequences. Thus, it wasn’t food poisoning—more than anything, I wanted to know what was going on and why I was feeling this way. I was too sick to look it up on my laptop.

In the morning, still as awfully ill, I managed to shower and get into a comfy nightdress, heading straight back to bed.  Tom brought me my usual first-thing-in-the-morning lemon water and a large mug of iced Sprite Zero. No doubt, drinking a lot of fluids was important, regardless of the source of this scourge.

Kudus are good at making woeful eye contact indicating they are looking for pellets.

During the day, I had so much on my mind. On Monday afternoon, longtime friends Linda and Ken were arriving to spend the upcoming week with us, staying upstairs in the house. On Monday evening, we had Rita’s birthday dinner party planned at our house with an extensive menu for 10.

The weather predictions for Sunday and Monday were over-the-top, expected to be well over 40C, (104F). The thought of cooking all that food in such high temperatures was daunting particularly if I wasn’t going to be fully recovered from this awful bout of nausea and dizziness.

On Thursday night, unprompted by me, Rita suggested we move the party to later in the week when cooler weather was predicted. This thought stuck in my mind all day yesterday when I trashed about in bed in a dreadful dizzying state.

 I didn’t eat a morsel of food all day long. Tom had taken a container of great leftovers out of the freezer for his dinner with enough should I decide to eat. By 1800 hours, (6:00 pm) I knew eating was vital to my recovery. Not eating alone can cause nausea and dizziness.  

Recently, we’ve seen less helmeted guinea fowl in the garden. WTheymay has found better areas to search for grubs and worms than in a dry garden. with recent rains

Tom made each of us a bowl of the food, heated in the microwave and we ate in air-conditioned comfort. It was hard to sit up to eat so I managed small bites, using a spoon to get it down. Much to my surprise, I ate most of the food, leaving only about 25% which I managed to finish a few hours late. I began to feel a little better.

We watched a few episodes of the show, and by 2200 hours (10:00 pm), I took an over-the-counter Somnil and slept straight through for a full eight hours. I awoke this morning weakly and bleary-eyed, but nausea and dizziness were almost completely gone.

Today will be a resting day but at least I can write today’s post with my head up. That was the first time out of 2359 posts, over a period of 6 years, 9 months, 29 days, that I failed to do a post due to illness. We didn’t begin posting daily until sometime in the first year.  

 Thus, there’s been 2495 days past overall since we started doing the post on March 15, 2012, which may be found here at this link. But we didn’t leave Minnesota until October 31, 2012, with the link for that day’s post found here.

Frank and The Mrs. and some friends stopped by for a visit.  Frank is on the far right, the Mrs. on the left.

I deliberated over whether or not I should go into the details of my 36-hour illness but thought perhaps someone out there has experienced something similar and could offer some insight. Please feel free to write a comment at the end of this post or write to me via email.

 Had I had a heart condition or some other serious type of condition, surely I would have sought medical assistance.  But, I must admit, I’ve had similar occurrences in years past, although not quite as severe as on this occasion, and recovered just fine. I’ve had recent medical exams and blood tests and all is fine. Go figure.

 Tonight, we have plans to go to Jabula with Rita and Gerhard for dinner. Since it is so scorching, I have no desire to cook a meal. If I spend the rest of the day resting and recovering, I’m planning on being able to go out to dinner.  

Will I ever know what caused this? Probably not.  But, all I can do is move forward and pray this never happens again on a travel day! Traveling the world while taking good care of one’s health is no guaranty one won’t get sick or encounter situations such as this.

 Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, January 12, 2018:

Chef Ramsey would be proud of this perfectly cooked medium rare 800 gram (28 ounces) sirloin steak at La Cabrera Restaurant in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The ribeyes looked good but had more fat, and Tom prefers less fat on his meat.  For more great food photos, please click here.

Bookings for the near future…Still, lots more to do…

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This is Basket, the Bully, who scares off all the other warthogs, including Little and Little’s Friend.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Mr. & Mrs. Hornbill are very noisy around us, asking for seeds. They sure have us trained, says Tom.

Lately, we’ve been lazy about arranging bookings for the future. I can only attribute this fact to the heat and power outages which surely have had a bearing on our desire to spend hours online researching suitable arrangements.

Add all the activities and social events over the holiday season, and we hardly had the time or inclination to take the hours required to book hotels, flights, and holiday homes.

This has nothing to do with any lack of interest or passion for future travels. We’re as committed and excited for the future as ever. But, the time required researching for flights and hotels is not our favorite pastime, although we both enjoy searching for holiday homes for a new location.

The mongooses are back! Not as large as our usual band, but a good start.
Next week, we have another final cruise payment due for the upcoming cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Copenhagen, Denmark, on April 26, 2019, ending on May 12, 2019. At this point, we’ll fly from Copenhagen to Dublin, which we’ve yet to arrange.

In reviewing the post from December 5, 2018, we copied and pasted the list we’d made over a month ago of what we’ve yet to accomplish in booking and posted it here today, illustrating what we’ve achieved thus far.

Not only does this give our readers a realistic perspective of how challenging making all these arrangements can be, but it also reminds us of what we’ve yet to tackle over the next month or so. We have a long way to go to be able to stop researching for a while.  

Mom and Babies stopped by this morning for the first time in weeks. The babies sure are growing fast.
While in Ireland from May to August, we’ll have a huge task ahead to book well into the future since the house in Ireland is the only holiday house we have booked at this time. We know where we want to go and have listed those locations on our itinerary, but we’ve yet to tackle the daunting task.

When we first began booking travel arrangements, we often booked holiday homes two years in advance for fear we wouldn’t find suitable houses. We don’t care for apartments and prefer single-family homes when possible.

Now, with years of experience under our belts, we realize we can book homes closer to the periods we want them (although not last minute) and can still get reasonable pricing when property owners are willing to give us long-term rental discounts.

The piglets love to lounge and play in what’s left of the lucerne.
As we mentioned in an earlier post, we’ve made a firm commitment to one another that we’ll never rent a holiday home for longer than 90 days due to visa issues unless, of course, we’re required to stay longer for medical reasons, which could well transpire down the road.

Finally, this morning we booked the flight from Nairobi, Kenya to Santiago, Chile, and a hotel for 16 nights in Santiago. The process was thorough when hotels were pricey, even when combined with flights using the link on our site to Expedia.com.  

We ended up booking the flight separately on Expedia and the hotel from our link for Hotels.com for the 16-night stay. In this particular case, we ended up saving hundreds of dollars booking these separately, which is not always the case.  

She was napping piglet.
The cost per night for the modern hotel, in a great location with aircon, free wifi, and buffet breakfast, rated 8.2 (out of 10) (details will follow when we’re there in less than 60 days) was under ZAR 1394 (US $100) per night. Plus, we receive one free night for every 10 nights we book using Hotels.com.  This works well for us with several upcoming hotel bookings.

We make a small commission that aids in offsetting a portion of our site management costs. (Please feel free to use our links on the right side of the page. Doing so doesn’t cost YOU any more than if you entered the sites directly from your browser. We appreciate any assistance you can provide).

 Following from the above mentioned prior post, we have completed the bookings listed below as indicated in bold type:
  • DONE:  Hotel in Kenya for seven nights, arriving February 15, 2019, and departing for the booked photography tour on February 22, 2019  (tour ended on March 7, 2019
  • DONE: Flight from Nairobi to Santiago, Chile on March 8, 2019
  • Transportation from Santiago, Chile to San Antonio, Chile (the location of the cruise port) 
  • DONE: Hotel in Santiago, Chile from March 8, 2019, to March 24, 2019, when our 15-night cruise departs from San Antonio, Chile, and sails to San Diego, California
  • DONE: Flight from San Diego, California to Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 8, 2019
  • Rental car in Minnesota from April 8, 2019, to April 25, 2019
  • Flight from Minnesota to Fort Lauderdale to board the next cruise to Copenhagen on April 25, 2019, cruise departed on April 26, 2019
  • Flight from Copenhagen to Dublin, Ireland on May 12, 2019
  • Rental car in Dublin, Ireland on May 12, 2019, and drive to Connemara, Ireland, where we’ll stay in a holiday home until August 9, 2019 (booked and deposit paid)
Two snoozing piglets.

In the next 60 to 90 days, we’ll book the balance of the listed items and then be free to start booking holiday homes into the future, beyond the time we’ll spend in Ireland. We have no worries or concerns that all future bookings will work out well.  

 Today, the high heat and humidity have returned, and as we sit on the veranda, feeding the visitors, we’re drenched in sweat. We can only hope we’ll have power tonight to get a good night’s sleep.

 This evening, we’re headed to Nwenya with Rita and Gerhard for the Thursday night buffet, seeing them for the first time in a week. It will be such fun to catch up on our mutual experiences over this past week.

Ms. Kudu is pregnant and very hungry. She hovers in the garden and bush for hours, waiting for more to eat. We comply, but when we stop, she wanders into the bush and eats the new greenery from recent rains.

Have a spectacular evening, wherever you may be, staying warm or cool as you’d prefer.

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

An artist’s rendition on a wall on a side street as we made our way back to Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires, during an hour-long walk. For more details, please click here.

What we all need may vary…Making health decisions right for ourselves…

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Giraffes on a dirt road in Marloth Park.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

These birds are southern masked weavers. We took this shot at Rita and Gerhard’s veranda last Thursday night at their temporary Ngwenya condo. They’ve since moved back to the Hornbill house.  

As I prepare today’s post offline due to another power outage, I remind myself of the wonders the bush provided us over the past year, and we have little cause for complaining.

It’s been challenging when many of the power outages had occurred in the past month when the holidaymakers came to stay in the park. Concurrently, with the summer season in progress, the heat has been at its highest peaks of the year, creating a somewhat trying situation.

A lone giraffe was perhaps looking for the remainder of her tower.

Fortunately, we had power last night, and with the help of the now-working aircon and over-the-counter sleep aid, Somnil (aka Unisom in the US), I was able to sleep through the night for a total of six hours.  

 No, it wasn’t eight hours, but who’s to say eight hours is what we all require? Our requirements may vary, and with a straight six hours, I feel pretty good.  

A dazzle of zebras in an open field.

I’m not convinced that the dictates passed down by governmental agencies are necessarily accurate.  Haven’t they recently changed some of their former directives, such as fat is bad for you to “now fat is good for you?”

 No, I won’t get into a political discussion here. I avoid that course whenever I begin steering down that slippery slope. Finally, it’s becoming popular “press” that a high carb diet may not be suitable for everyone after all and that a low carb sugar-free diet is best.

Zebras and warthogs have returned to our garden, although not in the numbers before the holiday season. Soon it will return to normal.

If the medical professionals and governmental organizations continue to change their minds, what are we to believe? The bottom line? What works for us!

 No, I don’t drink eight glasses of water a day. I wouldn’t say I like drinking plain water. Instead, I drink tea, iced tea and, a big glass of room temperature purified water with freshly squeezed lemon each morning upon awakening. It works for me in the same way six or seven hours of sleep works for me.

A hippo on a bit of island in the Crocodile River.

I eat lots of fat, and even now that I’m back to my former slim self again. Tom does the same and is at his lowest weight in years, feeling so much better without the bulging belly.  

 As for using over-the-counter sleep aids used on occasion…the medical profession bashes these products as unsafe. And yet, they’re willing to prescribe dangerous and addictive sleeping pills that may cause sleepwalking and outlandish behavior during the night. It’s all about pharmaceuticals and “lining the pockets” of those parties and the companies involved.

Waterbucks on a dry patch of sand on the Crocodile River.

Please understand, I am not a medical professional of any sort, nor am I “prescribing” what you should take or do for yourself. I take three prescription medications for hereditary conditions I acquired as I’ve aged, hypertension, and hormonal issues, all the lowest doses possible. And, they work for me. Pharmaceuticals can be of great value in certain circumstances.

It was recommended I take statin drugs at one point, but after beginning this way of eating in 2011, my lipids are fantastic. I was pre-diabetic (hereditary) at that time, and now those numbers are also normal, based on dietary changes.

 When Tom began this way of eating, he lost 20 kg (42 pounds) and got off of six pills a day. He takes no prescription medications at this point and feels excellent. He had three kidney stone surgeries three years ago and hasn’t had a recurrence since he began taking Vitamin B6 when the urologist flippantly suggested B6 may help prevent stones (after his third surgery). Why not tell him this after the first such incident?  

Two distant hippos on an island in the river bed.

I’m not saying the medical profession is incompetent as a whole. They work wonders under many circumstances, saving lives and improving the quality of life. But, what I am saying is, we need to do our research (from reliable resources) and decide what may work for us individually.

 There are no “magic bullets” out there but there are magical lifestyle changes that can dramatically improve the quality of our lives and the quality of our longevity. We’re suspicious of many new products on the market that promote and promise good health and well-being.

 But, we’ve learned over the years that taking charge of feeling well can be determined by how we live our lives;  through diet, activity, state of mind, stress reduction, and general personal care of every part of our bodies.

 Speaking of personal care of our bodies, I’m off to the dentist again as I continue to get every possible issue with my teeth resolved before we leave Marloth Park in a mere 36 days.

 Be well.
                   
                                             Photo from one year ago today, January 9, 2018:

What a view from our upcoming Connemara, Ireland vacation/holiday rental for 89 nights from May 12, 2019, to August 12, 2019. For more photos and details, please click here.

We’re back in Marloth Park…The Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria…An important part of South African history…

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The skyline of downtown Pretoria.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

On Sunday morning, we were surprised to see wildlife at the Groenkloof Nature Reserve we drove through in Pretoria with Don.
Wildebeest and their young lounging on the hill in the Groenkloof Nature Reserve.

The return drive from Pretoria to Marloth Park took us a little over four hours, with one pit stop along the way. In part, we traveled an alternate route that didn’t require more driving time but included stunning scenery along the way. We’d never driven this route in the past.

The Voortrekker Monument is an unusual-looking structure located in Pretoria, South Africa.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to stop for photos along the way due to traffic and lack of areas to safely pull over. Although, overall the traffic was lighter than we’d expected with the end of the holiday season approaching.

 Upon returning to the house, within minutes we had visitors, six warthogs including Mike and Joe, and some unfamiliar females. We looked for Little but didn’t see him all evening.  

After walking up many flights of stairs, we entered the Voortrekker Museum with a wide array of historical fart forms, including sculptures.

When we set up the veranda for the evening, nine kudus and a male bushbuck stopped by, along with several unknown warthogs. Two noisy hornbills hooted from a tree in front of the veranda, asking for seeds. We complied. 

 This morning the sightings have been sparse; mom and four baby warthogs who have grown since we saw them only days ago and a few others, none of whom we know. I’m confident that by this evening, more will appear.

 In the interim, the power went out again this morning but only for an hour. We just weren’t in the mood for an outage but then again, when would anyone welcome an outage?

Similar sculptures lined the walls of the museum.

Supposedly, in the next several days, load shedding will begin again. Oh. Need I say how annoying this is, especially when it’s scorching and humid? If you don’t see a post, please know we’re experiencing power outages and can’t get online during these periods.

Collections of artifacts are displayed in glass cases.

When Kathy and Don asked us to stay an extra day, Don took us out for some sightseeing on Sunday morning.  As shown in the above photos, we drove through the Groenkloof Nature Reserve with fantastic views of the city of Pretoria from a high elevation in the park.

 From there, we drove to the Voortrekker Monument. Don had been through the monument and its museum many times in the past and he decided to wander around the ground while we entered the unusual-looking structure.

Exquisite paintings and tapestries lined several walls at The Voortrekker Museum.

Exploring the museum required walking up more steps than we’d seen in a long time, even after entering the building when we ventured to other levels to see the various displays.

 Here’s information from this site with details of the war is described as  follows:

 “The Battle of Blood River (Afrikaans: Slag van Bloedrivier; Zulu: iMpi yaseNcome) is the name given for the battle fought between 470 Voortrekkers (“Pioneers”), led by Andries Pretorius, and an estimated “10,000 to 15,000 Zulu on the bank of the Ncome River on 16 December 1838, in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Casualties amounted to over 3,000 of King Dingane‘s soldiers dead, including two Zulu princes competing with Prince Mpande for the Zulu throne. Three Pioneer commando members were lightly wounded, including Pretorius.

“The year 1838 was the most difficult period for the Voortrekkers since they left the Cape Colony, till the end of the Great Trek. They were plagued by many disasters and much bloodshed before they found freedom and a safe homeland in their Republic of Natalia. This could only be achieved by crushing the power of the Zulu King, Dingane, at the greatest battle ever fought in South Africa, namely the Battle of Blood River, which took place on Sunday 16 December 1838.”

 In the sequel to the Battle of Blood River in January 1840, Prince Mpande finally defeated King Dingane in the Battle of Maqongqe and was subsequently crowned as new king of the Zulu by his alliance partner Andries Pretorius. After these two battles, Dingane’s prime minister and commander in both the Battle of Maqongqe and the Battle of Blood River, General Ndlela, was strangled to death by Dingane for high treason. General Ndlela had been the personal protector of Prince Mpande, who after the Battles of Blood River and Maqongqe, became king and founder of the Zulu.“

The attention to detail by the artists is astounding.
From this site, the following was established to commemorate the Zulu soldiers who died in the battle:

“Finally, in December 1998, a memorial for the 3,000 Zulu soldiers who died in the battle, was inaugurated by Zulu Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi across the river from the Afrikaner monument. The historic anniversary of the ‘Day of the Vow’ has been renamed ‘Reconciliation Day’ in New South Africa.”


 As for the development of the Voortrekker Monument, see this section below from this site:

Voortrekker Monument

“The Voortrekker Monument is located just south of Pretoria in South Africa. This massive granite structure is prominently located on a hilltop and was raised to commemorate the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854.
 
The idea to build a monument in honour of God was first discussed on 16 December 1888, when President Paul Kruger of the South African Republic attended the Day of the Covenant celebrations at Blood River in Natal. However, the movement to actually build such a monument only started in 1931 when the Sentrale Volksmonumentekomitee (SVK) (Central People’s Monuments Committee) was formed to bring this idea to fruition.
 
Construction started on 13 July 1937 with a sod-turning ceremony performed by the chairman of the SVK, Advocate Ernest George Jansen, on what later became known as Monument Hill. On 16 December 1938, the cornerstone was laid by three descendants of some of the Voortrekker leaders: Mrs. J.C. Muller (granddaughter of Andries Pretorius), Mrs. K.F. Ackerman (great-granddaughter of Hendrik Potgieter), and Mrs. J.C. Preller (great-granddaughter of Piet Retief).
The Monument was inaugurated on 16 December 1949 by the then-prime minister D. F. Malan. The total construction cost of the Monument was about £ 360,000, most of which was contributed by the South African government.
 
A large amphitheater, which seats approximately 20,000 people, was erected to the northeast of the Monument in 1949.
A wide array of artifacts are available for viewing.

The Cenotaph, situated in the centre of the Cenotaph Hall, is the central focus of the monument. In addition to being viewable from the Hall of Heroes, it can also be seen from the dome at the top of the building, from where much of the interior of the monument can be viewed. Through an opening in this dome a ray of sunlight shines at twelve o’clock on 16 December annually, falling onto the centre of the Cenotaph, striking the words ‘Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika’ (Afrikaans for ‘Us for you, South Africa’). The ray of light is said to symbolise God’s blessing on the lives and endeavours of the Voortrekkers. 16 December 1838 was the date of the Battle of Blood River, commemorated in South Africa before 1994 as the Day of the Vow.

The Cenotaph Hall is decorated with the flags of the different Voortrekker Republics and contains wall tapestries depicting the Voortrekkers as well as several display cases with artifacts from the Great Trek. Against the northern wall of the hall is a niche with a lantern in which a flame has been kept burning ever since 1938. That year, the symbolic Ox Wagon Trek, which started in Cape Town and ended at Monument Hill, where the Monument’s foundation stone was laid, took place.

At the foot of the Monument stands Anton van Wouw’s bronze sculpture of a Voortrekker woman and her two children, paying homage to the strength and courage of the Voortrekker women. On both sides of this sculpture, black wildebeest are chiseled into the walls of the Monument. The wildebeest symbolically depicts the dangers of Africa and their symbolic flight implies that the woman, carrier of Western civilisation, is triumphant.

The flash of my camera appeared in the photo of this beautiful tapestry.

On each outside corner of the Monument, a statue represents Piet Retief, Andries Pretorius, Hendrik Potgieter, and an “unknown” leader (representative of all the other Voortrekker leaders). Each statue weighs approximately 6 tons.

At the eastern corner of the monument, on the same level as its entrance, is the foundation stone.

Under the foundation stone is buried: A copy of the Trekker Vow on 16 December 1838. A copy of the anthem “Die Stem.” A copy of the land deal between the Trekkers under Piet Retief and the Zulus under King Dingane.

In the years following its construction, the monument complex was expanded several times and now includes:

An indigenous garden surrounds the monument.
The Wall of Remembrance is dedicated to those who lost their lives while serving in the South African Defence Force.
Fort Schanskop, a nearby fort built-in 1897 by the government of the South African Republic after the Jameson Raid and now a museum.
The Schanskop open-air amphitheater with seating for 357 people was officially opened on 30 January 2001.
A garden of remembrance.
A nature reserve was declared on 3.41 km² around the Monument in 1992. Game found on the reserve includes Zebras, Blesbok, Mountain Reedbuck, Springbok, and Impala.
A Wall of Remembrance was constructed near the Monument in 2009. It was built to commemorate the South African Defence Force members who died in service of their country between 1961 and 1994.
An Afrikaner heritage centre, was built to preserve the heritage of the Afrikaans-speaking portion of South Africa’s population and their contribution to the history of the country.”


Note: Many English words are spelled differently in South African text such as centre, civilisation, etc. As such, these are not misspelled. 

A miniature model of the wagons was used to make their way across the rugged terrain.

After our sightseeing tour, we drove back to the house, where a short time later we took off for further celebrations of Don’s birthday which we shared in yesterday’s post as indicated here.

 Summing up the three days and nights we spent in Pretoria with Kathy and Don…it couldn’t have been better!  We look forward to seeing them one more time before we depart Marloth Park in a mere 37 days. Wow! The time is flying by!

 With the power back on, the temperature warm but not unbearable, we’re having a good day. Today, I’ll be working on the menu and grocery list for Rita’s upcoming birthday party following Monday.  

 Tomorrow, I have another dentist appointment at 9:00 am after which we’ll grocery shop; thus, the post won’t be available until later in the day.

 May your day be filled with wonders!
                  
                                             Photo from one year ago today, January 8, 2018:

This dish may have looked messy but it was the best meal I’ve had since we arrived in Buenos Aires at the Rave Restaurant. It included white salmon, prawns, mushrooms, zucchini, red peppers, onions, garlic, all cooked in real butter. It was perfect for my way of eating and delicious.  For more photos, please click here.

A lunch for 10 in a Mexican restaurant…What a fabulous time we all had!…

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We’ve had such a fantastic weekend celebrating Don’s birthday while staying at their gorgeous home in Pretoria.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Kudus came to call on Friday morning before we left for Pretoria.

As soon as we upload today’s post around 10:00 am, we’re on our way back to Marloth Park, planning to arrive around 1500 hours (3:00 pm). We’ll unpack, start a load of laundry and decide what to do for dinner.

How sweet!  Tom and Don were sharing a sip of a Margarita!

Most likely, we’ll dine at home if our food in the freezer survived the 17-hour power outage. The food in the chest freezer will be fine, but we’ll see how the items in the refrigerator survived. Luckily, we didn’t leave much in the fridge or its side-by-side freezer.

Don’s weekend birthday celebration continued through Sunday at Salsa Mexican Grill.

We considered dining out tonight, but Jabula is closed for three days, and, not surprisingly, I’d like to stay home to see our animal friends, should they be returning to see us.  

Our party of 10 consisted of (from left to right) Kathy, Linda, Tom,  Don, Keith, Ken, Cynthia, Robin and Karen with me taking the photo.

The holiday season isn’t officially over until a few more weeks, but many will have already left with school starting again today. Colleges don’t reconvene for the new school year (after summer holidays) until around February 1st here in South Africa, and some college students may still be vacationing here in Marloth Park. We’ll see how it goes.

Kathy had a chicken burrito. My mouth was watering when I saw this (former) favorite.

We’ve had a wonderful three days at Kathy and Don’s gorgeous home with the two of them and their friends and family. It was a pleasure to see Linda and Ken, who’ll come to Marloth Park following Monday to spend a week with us. There again, more good times are on the horizon.

Linda and Ken shared this tasty-looking plate of nachos with cheese and guacamole.

Plus, following Monday is Rita’s birthday party at our house. On the return drive to Marloth Park, I’ll be planning the menu and grocery list for the items we’ll purchase this upcoming week for the special day. 

Tom, who doesn’t like beans and spicy sauces, opted for these three mini burritos with cheese, chicken, beef, and pork. Don shared a piece of his quesadilla with him.

As for yesterday, we had another great day when 10 of us dined at an authentic Mexican Restaurant, Salsa Mexican Grill, located in Kyalami Corner Mall. There are 11 locations of this superb restaurant with information on their website.  

Keith’s seafood tostadas with a side of stuffed avocado.

Not only was the food hot, fresh and thoughtfully prepared, and delicious, the presentations, service, and ambiance were as authentic as any Mexican restaurant we’ve experienced anywhere in the world. The food was “designed” with the California “flavor” so well known in the USA.

Don’s giant quesadilla looked delicious.

This was especially appealing for us, having always enjoyed dining on Mexican dishes. Tom’s taste buds are picky, but he could find something great that fit his desires. Everyone else at our table thoroughly enjoyed their chosen meals.

My over-the-top chicken salad was with roasted fajita vegetables, cucumbers, grilled onions, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, and seasoned chicken. I’m going to try to duplicate this salad one day soon.

The menu is exceptional. We’re handed pens to tick off the boxes of the items and ingredients we’d preferred and place our names at the top of the page. The food arrived perfectly prepared for our choices, and even the bill came with a breakdown of the names showing who ordered which dishes and the cost.  

Tom was having a great time with “the boys” at one end of the table.

The service was exceptional, including the servers’ fuss over Don’s birthday, which only added to the festivities. Once again, this lovely group of people engaged in uproarious laughter and exciting conversation.  

We all were served shooters, hosted by owner Tony.  Tom drank mine. I’ve never done a “shot” in my life.

The drinks flowed as the participants savored the attractive drink menu options. I stuck with plain sugar-free tonic water since I prefer not to drink wine during the day.

 We didn’t get back to Kathy and Don’s home until around 1630 (4:30 pm), and at that point, none of us could imagine eating dinner. But, around 1900 hours (7:00 pm), we all pitched in and made an excellent dinner of pork chops on the braai, potato salad, green beans, cooked spinach, and salad with avocado and dined at their formal dining room.

Dining at this fantastic restaurant is well worth a drive if you’re anywhere near the Johannesburg’/Pretoria area or passing through on the highway. We chatted with the owner Tony, who ensured we had an extraordinary time. Here’s their link.

We’re grateful to Kathy and Don for hosting us so graciously. It was straightforward for the four of us to be together, and the addition of friends and family only added to our excellent weekend.

 Next time you’ll hear from us, we’ll be back in Marloth Park with only 38 days remaining until we leave Marloth Park. We’ll treasure every remaining moment we spend in the park, savoring the beauty of the bush, our wildlife friends, and of course, our human friends as well.

 Be well. Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, January 7, 2018:

A decorative pond with a statue at a botanical garden, Jardin Botanico. in Buenos Aires. For more photos, please click here.

Fantastic days and nights in Pretoria…

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Tom and I hid in the bedroom, and once the others arrived, we suddenly appeared, surprising everyone. In the background are Keith (Don’s brother) and Ken, with Don and Linda in the center and Robin and Karen in the foreground. It was a fun surprise.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Two hippos we spotted when visiting Rita and Gerhard’s temporary condo at Ngwenya on Thursday evening.

The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity and socializing. It couldn’t have been more fun. Kathy and Don are perfect easy-going hosts, and every moment with them and friends has been an over-the-top experience.

 For the first time since we can remember, we’ve slept in comfortable twin beds with exceptional bedding. We got some much-needed sleep last night after a fun-filled day for Don’s birthday.

 In attendance were Karen, Keith’s daughter and his adult granddaughter Robin (Don’s niece and grandniece, respectfully), friends Linda and Ken, who’ll be staying with us in Marloth Park for a week beginning on the 14th, and Don’s brother Keith and the four of us for a total of nine. 

The lovely table setting on Kathy and Don’s veranda.

The birthday party began at noon for a birthday lunch and continued well into the evening. By 2100 hours (9:00 pm), the others left, and we stayed up chatting with Kathy and Don in their comfortable living room until we all drifted off to bed.

Kathy had prepared a delicious lunch of prawns on the braai, chicken wings and chicken pieces, potato salad, and an excellent avocado lettuce salad. With plenty of leftovers, in the evening, we finished off the remaining food.

The champagne and drinks flowed with ease, and the conversations around that table on the veranda were a mix of somewhat controversial subjects and world travel experiences. It was fun watching and hearing Tom and Robin’s hands flying as animated voices expressed their views on many topics.

The beautiful pool in Kathy and Don’s garden.

Linda and I chatted enthusiastically, anticipating their upcoming visit. Later, after she and Ken left to tend to their dog at their home about 40 minutes away,  Keith and I got in a huddle and chatted for hours. 

This morning, I was up, showered, and dressed for the day by 7:00 am, and Tom slept in a little longer, which is unusual for him. Kathy and I took off for Click’s Pharmacy this morning when I needed a few cosmetic items I hadn’t been able to find in Komatipoort.

Soon, we’re taking off for a bit of sightseeing, and then at 1300 hours (1:00 pm), we’re heading to a Mexican restaurant a 30-minute drive from here. The entire group, the nine of us, are meeting for lunch. 

View from their top floor veranda.

We haven’t been to a Mexican restaurant since we were in the US in 2017. We’re both looking forward to savoring Mexican food, much of which I can eat, such as the meat, veggies, and guacamole.

Tonight, we’ll dine at the house again, and tomorrow morning, we’ll be returning to Marloth Park. It’s been a fast and fun several days, and yet, we look forward to returning to Marloth Park. We’ve seen on Facebook; there were some fires in the park and power outages.  

May your Sunday be filled with good friends and good food!


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

One year ago, there were no photos when we described the upcoming cruise on which we sail on March 24, 2019, from Santiago, Chile. Instead, we posted the itinerary as shown below:

 San Antonio, Chile to San Diego, California
15 nights departing March 24, 2019, on Celebrity’s Celebrity Eclipse
Our price:  ZAR 54252.98 ($3,885.68 tips included) 
(Prices listed here are for both of us included taxes and port fees)

Date Port Arrive Depart
Sunday, March 24 Santiago (San Antonio), Chile 9:00pm
Monday, March 25 La Serena, Chile 10:00am 6:00pm
Tuesday, March 26 At Sea
Wednesday, March 27 At Sea
Thursday, March 28 Lima (Callao), Peru 7:00 am 5:00pm
Friday, March 29 At Sea
Saturday, March 30 Manta, Ecuador 10:00am 6:00pm
Sunday, March 31 At Sea
Monday, April 1 Puntarenas, Costa Rica 7:00 am 4:00pm
Tuesday, April 2 At Sea
Wednesday, April 3 Huatulco, Mexico 10:00am 8:00pm
Thursday, April 4 At Sea
Friday, April 5 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 9:00 am 5:00pm
Saturday, April 6 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 9:00 am 5:00pm
Sunday, April 7 At Sea
Monday, April 8 San Diego, CA 7:00am

What???…We’re where? …Five hour road trip?…

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Don, on his birthday, knocking lemons off the tree in their yard for us to take back to Marloth Park.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Zebra butts on the side of the road when we left Marloth Park yesterday morning.

It’s odd that, as world travelers, we don’t care for long road trips. What can we say? Tom despises traffic which causes him considerable angst and stress.

For us, driving long distances, even for a day, doesn’t hold much appeal. Sure, we often embark on shorter trips to investigate various points of interest, but all-day trips inspire us to fly as an alternative.

Tom, at dinner at MooMoo Restaurant at the Brooklyn Mall.

Last Saturday night, with the nine of us at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant, Don suggested we drive from Marloth Park to Kathy’s home, Pretoria, for his 66th birthday party. I looked across the big table. I said to Tom, ‘Want to go to Don’s birthday party in Pretoria next weekend.”

 I looked to Kathy, hoping she was OK with Don extending the invitation before discussing it with her. She was smiling from ear to ear, making us feel at ease, knowing this was a good idea for her as well.

My already-tasted fabulous filet mignon, cooked rare, with roasted vegetables and a small side salad.

Tom, engaged in lively conversation with his talking hands flailing about, stopped chattering long enough to look at me and state an emphatic “Yes!” without hesitation. 

That night on the way back to our bush house, I asked him if it was OK about the long drive. Our friendship with Kathy and Don was motivation enough for him to make the long drive.

Interior of MooMoo Restaurant.

We left the house at 10:20 am and arrived at the security gate to their home at 1640 hours (4:40 pm), and they warmly greeted us as they opened the large metal gate.

Their home is stunning, exactly as they expected. The grounds, the décor, and the ambiance is warm and inviting. Tomorrow, we’ll be posting photos of their house here in Pretoria, which happens to be listed for sale currently. Of course, we’ll include the link for the price and the listing information. 

The name of this shooter is a “Soweto Toilet.”  Tom gulped it down in one fell swoop.

Kathy and Don own a gorgeous bush home in Marloth Park, overlooking the Crocodile  River and several homes in Oahu, Hawaii. By selling this house, it allows them to spend more time in Marloth Park and Hawaii.

Being here at their modern, gorgeously decorated home in a lovely suburban area reminds us of being in the USA. There are few insects, no dust covering every surface, the temperature is less humid and considerably cooler, and the availability of shopping and services is overwhelming.

Tom was reaching to grab lemons off of the tree.

Last night, we headed to the Brooklyn Mall for dinner at the famous restaurant MooMoo for a fantastic meal. We all ordered delectable steaks cooked to perfection with attractive and deliciousness. After dinner, we assembled in their beautiful bar area for more lively chatter and nightcaps after returning to their home.  It couldn’t have been a perfect afternoon an

We’d intended to drive back to Marloth Park on Sunday morning, but Kathy and Don asked us to stay until Monday. So tomorrow, Sunday, they will show us some of their favorite sites in the big city.  

Kathy’s birdhouses. Without the wildlife in Marloth Park, Kathy spends time feeding many birds that visit the garden.

We enthusiastically agreed to stay, and Monday morning, we’ll head back to Marloth Park, thrilled for the time we’ll have had with Kathy and Don and excited to return to see our wildlife and human friends who’ll hopefully be returning to our garden. 

Today is Don’s birthday party, and friends Linda, Ken, and Don’s brother Keith have no idea we’re here. We saw them constitute a fun surprise for the birthday party when we all enjoyed

their friendship.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back, as mentioned above, with photos of Kathy and Don’s beautiful home and details. Please stop by once again.

Happy day to all!

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

Tom ordered a barbecue pork sandwich at La Panera Rosa in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, with three onion rings. It was as dry as it looked. For more photos, please click here.

Getting back into the groove after the holiday…Thinking about good health in the New Year…

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Zebras were running around a circular path playfully chasing one another.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

See the zebra foal nursing on the opposite side of her mom.

We were rushing a bit today. It’s a gorgeous day, less humid than usual, and we are anxious to get out for a drive. We rousted up a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs with onions and cheese, which seems to be our favorite quick breakfast of late. I can whip this up in about five minutes.

 

We eat many eggs, eight jumbos to be exact, split between us with about three for me and five for Tom. Our way of eating this breakfast will hold us all day without a hunger pang or thought of food.

We saw no less than 17 giraffes in the parkland.

It isn’t until around 1800 hours (6:00 pm) that we start to think about our low carb, grain, starch, and sugar-free dinner, usually having it all ready to enjoy by 1900 hours (7:00 pm). After dinner, neither of us eats a thing. The exception to this is when we’ve had dinner guests, and Tom may finish off a dessert.

By following this routine, we both can keep our weight and health under control.  It was a wonderful feeling not to have gained weight over the holidays, and yet we had many excellent meals along the way.

Staying healthy isn’t always easy. We’re not exempt from occasional discomforts, colds, flu, and viruses that we may be exposed to. Then, of course, there’s exposure to a wide array of insect bites (on me) that may become out of control and difficult to deal with.

There were no less than two dozen zebras in the same area as the giraffes.

Each day, every four hours, I load up on repellent. Now that I’m using a non-toxic, non-DEET product, I feel better about having to reapply so often. I go through one entire tube of OnGuard and a half bottle of the pump spray, doing touch-ups after cooking and washing my hands frequently.  

It’s is awful getting bites on my fingers and hands, which are often neglected when applying lotion, later to rinse off one’s hand. Also, my feet are particularly vulnerable, especially around the toes and ankles. It was awful to be awakened during the night with an itching toe that I may have missed when applying repellent before bed.

The giraffes were enjoying the fresh greenery from recent rains.

Tom doesn’t care to use the mosquito netting, which I understand. Subsequently, we always keep the bedroom door shut, day and night. This helps tremendously.

If we encounter a single fly or mosquitos or another insect in the bedroom, we immediately get to work to eliminate it. My conscience doesn’t bother me to kill a mosquito or fly. However, many other insects are vital to the environment. Those we attempt to catch in a cup or dustpan and send them outside to live their lives as intended.

For the first time in almost 11 months, yesterday, we noticed a big pile of poop in the driveway. Many forms of wildlife are ruminants with several stomachs, and their excrement is small and pellet-like, even giraffes. Being around all these animals attracts certain insects.

Such majestic animals.

On the other hand, Zebras have one stomach and are loudly gassy, and have enormous piles of poop. We often giggle when they visit and pass loud gassy sounds (for the sake of not using the “f” word…gross) when they kick at one another in competition for food.

Living in the bush is not a sanitary situation. We have to wash our feet before going to bed and constantly wash our hands from dust on our laptops and all over the house, which is cleaned well daily. I frequently wash the kitchen counters with Windex to keep the flying dust and bug matter under control.

In the past few days, zebras have returned to the garden. Finally!

We go barefoot all day when staying in but wear shoes when walking out into the garden or on the dirt.  All of this is the price one pays for being in a magical environment.

As the days of the new year move along, we’re looking forward to seeing and interacting with all of our usual wildlife friends. As a matter of fact, we can’t ever get enough.

Ouch…41 days and counting.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, January 4, 2018:

This sticker-decorated refrigerator in the barbershop in Buenos Aires was filled with Budweiser beer for patrons. What a great idea! For more photos, please click here.

A few days relief at last…The value of a good night’s sleep…

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A single bottle brush flower blooms in the bush.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Tom took this photo of two hadeda birds on the roof of a neighboring property. They are known as the loudest birds in South Africa. Click here to hear the sounds they make, which result in their name.

No words can describe the relief we feel after the temperature has dropped after the rains of the past 24 hours. Currently, at 10:00 am, it’s a comfortable 25C (77F).

What a pleasant surprise for Tom early this morning! There were three duikers, one male and two females, and two female bushbucks in the garden sharing pellets.

Although the aircon in our main floor bedroom won’t be repaired until after January 1st, we’ll manage just fine if it stays this cool for the next few days. If it heats up to 40C (104F), we’ll be back where we were when the power went out when the company can’t handle the extra load of holidaymaker’s use.

Several locals have made comments on various Marloth Park pages on Facebook, such as “We wouldn’t lose power if you idiots don’t use aircon when it’s hot.”

This is a male giraffe due to the lack of hair on the ends of his ossicones—the pointy protrusions atop his head. The coat has worn down from competition for dominance with other males.

But, the reality is, people will use aircon when temperatures are so high. Many people living and visiting Marloth Park are seniors, have health problems, children, and everyone in between. 

Male elephants are excluded from the family during their teenage years to live and fend for themselves. This is done to preserve the integrity of the gene pool and prevent the male from mating with his siblings and other female relatives.

When the temperature is over 40C, it’s doubtful anyone will be willing to sacrifice being cool, at least at night, when sleeping is nearly impossible. It’s a catch 22.

Plus, you can’t single out healthy mid-age residents to avoid using aircon, so others less fortunate may use it.  That’s not going to happen. Thus, with high temps in Marloth Park right now, the power goes out. Plain and simple.

At times, we’ll see two or more males hanging out together.

It should become more accessible within a week when many holidaymakers leave the park after New Year’s Day. By January 9th, we should be back to “normal” with sufficient power to handle the park’s needs in most cases.  

When we spot a herd or “parade” of elephants, it often comprises a matriarch, moms,  offspring, other females who’ve yet to give birth. and young males who’ve yet to be ostracized from the family.

That’s not to say we’ll be free of outages. Load shedding is supposed to continue in January, but right now, the Eskom website states, “We are currently not load shedding.” We’ll see how that goes.

Three lions were lying…

Last night, I had a great night’s sleep. Although we both awakened many times during the night, I easily fell back to sleep, getting a total of eight hours of rest. On the other hand, Tom was out of bed by 6:00 am and may need a 20-minute nap today. I feel like a new person.

Last night, we decided to go out for dinner, and we showed up at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant without a reservation, although a group of nine of us will be dining there tonight. I was so tired I couldn’t imagine putting a meal together.

A male lion was perusing the area near the Crocodile River.

With the fabulous restaurant booked, we knew we’d be willing to eat at the bar rather than request a table. We arrived at 1700 hours (5:00 pm), and by 1930 hours (7:30 pm), after another beautiful meal, I was ready to head back to our house.

Tonight, Kathy and Don and three friends/family members and Rita and Gerhard will join us for dinner as mentioned above for what surely will be another enjoyable evening with friends.

A male lion on the move.

As for today, if it doesn’t rain, we’ll try a drive in the park, hoping to spot some of our wildlife friends. If there’s too much traffic along the river, we’ll turn around and come right back. This place is all about low stress and a powerful sense of calm. We prefer to keep it that way.

Have a peaceful and calming day!
                    
                                          Photo from one year ago today, December 29, 2017:

Tom ordered a local beer while I had a Malbec at La Cabrera Restaurant in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, one year ago today. For more photos, please click here.

The power outages continue…No power for many hours…Trying to stay positive…

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Here is a younger wildebeest who visits on occasion with what appears to be his dad. We call them “Dad & Son.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Little’s stopped by a few times today, including during the pouring rain.

We love this house in the bush. We love living in the bush, the wildlife, the people; it’s all beyond our greatest aspirations of spending time in Africa. But, with it, there are some challenges, for which we’re making every effort to stay upbeat.

The hardest part has been not sleeping for the past two nights when the power was out for 12 hours each night, the first night beginning at 2100 hours (9:00 pm) and the second night starting at 1930 hours (7:30 pm). In the past 18 hours, we’ve only had power for less than three hours.
 
If it hadn’t been so hot, it wouldn’t have been so difficult. But with no screens on the windows, no breeze whatsoever, and daytime temps in the 42C (107.6) with high humidity with nighttime temps only slightly less, sleeping was out of the question.
Big Daddy was eating pellets off the veranda’s edge.

We each took cold showers twice during the past two nights, but even the water temperature wasn’t cool enough to do any good.  Within minutes, we were soaking wet in sweat once again. I don’t recall any time in my entire life that I sweated so much.

After each shower, I had to load up again on insect repellent that works great without DEET but is sticky and smells awful.  It almost wasn’t worth taking the showers.

It’s easier for male kudus to eat this way instead of bending down with those giant horns. Wildebeest Willie waits in the background for his turn.

I’d considered the possibility of our leaving to stay at a hotel until the crowds in Marloth Park thin out, and less power is needed to accommodate the additional power usage. 

 Tom wasn’t enthused about the costs of spending on two rental properties simultaneously when we have huge payments upcoming in the next two weeks for future cruises and the final balance on the Kenya tour. I got that and didn’t press the issue.

Finally, Willie inches his way into the pellets on the ground.

For the heck of it, I checked online, and there wasn’t a single room available outside Marloth Park during the next week or two. After all, it’s still the holiday season that doesn’t officially end here in South Africa until well into January. My research was pointless.

 The aircon in our main floor bedroom has officially died. No matter what we do, it won’t turn on – new batteries in the remote – resetting the electric switch when the power is back on temporarily – nothing works.

At times, there are scuffles over dominance.

If we have power tonight and it’s still so hot, we’ll have to sleep upstairs for a working aircon. But that’s not the problem. Most likely, we won’t have power. As soon as everyone in Marloth Park turns on their aircon, the power goes out. There are just too many people here.

 We’ve heard that some holidaymakers have left due to the power outages and the heat. Whether or not their landlords/property managers have given them any refund or credit remains to be seen.  

It rained for a few hours today bit not long enough.

I suppose all Marloth Park rental agreements should have a clause stating, “It is possible, if not likely, that during your occupancy, the power, WiFi services, and water services may be interrupted from time to time.  No refunds will be provided in the event of such occurrences.”

 After all, this is Africa (known as TIA), and stuff happens here which may rarely occur in one’s home country.  It’s the price one pays to partake of the many wonders this continent offers, experiences that dreams are made of.

Each time it rains, the bush gets greener with life-saving vegetation for the wildlife.

And, as hard as it is right now to sleep and bear the heat during the days, we have the time to look forward to when the holidaymakers leave, and everything is right with the world once again.

Instead of counting the days until we leave, I’m counting the days until they leave. If predictions are accurate, this should be around January 9th – 12 days and counting.

 Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 28, 2017:

Orange.....more than just a colour!
This is exactly what we posted one year ago today: “The entrance to our new vacation/holiday home we’ll be renting in Marloth Park beginning on February 11th, aptly named “Orange…More Than Just a Colour.”  For the link to this listing, please click here.” For the entire post, please click here.