Back to my old ways…Inspired by Khaya Umdani, a look inside the cupboards…Food photos…Visitors…and more…

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Hand carved African decorator items are tastefully displayed in Khaya Umdani.
Vegetation native to South Africa grows freely without little care or maintenance.
There in the side yard, outside the master bedroom door, was this lovely Bird of Paradise that had bloomed since we arrived on Thursday. This morning we noticed a second bloom.
Less than 48 hours ago, we temporarily moved into this exquisite six-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Marloth Park, known as Khaya Umdami (houses are named in Africa and some other parts of the world), and instantly I fall back into my old patterns of thinking, “Shall we invite company for dinner?” and, “What shall I wear?” These are two questions that haven’t crossed my lips in a very long time. 
Besides, I don’t have enough clothing left to make what I wear ever an issue. I wear what is clean and available. Style is out the window!
When Louise and Danie renovated Khaya Umdami, this sixth bedroom was a part of the renovation. During the construction period, baby warthogs entered of their own volition and slept in the en suite bathroom’s shower at night. In the morning, they’d have to scoot them out. Thus, the name of this bedroom accessed via the veranda.

The warthog room as all of the other five bedrooms has its own unique décor and stone en suite bathroom. Amenities include its own refrigerator as shown in the far right.

In our old lives Tom often referred to my “linen napkin lifestyle” which obviously, I’ve let go since the beginning of our world travels. Not only have I let it go but I’ve found myself content with the dishtowel on my lap as we dine on the same 10 things we cook for dinner, over and over again. 
Nope, there were no hippos visiting this room. But, at night one can hear the gurgling sounds of the hippos emanated from the nearby Crocodile River.
Mosquito netting  as shown in the hippo room is commonly placed around beds in Africa. Although, after two months in Marloth Park we’ve yet to use the netting. Keeping the bedroom door closed during the day prevents insects from entering. Plus, the bedrooms have air conditioning, which further reduces the presence of mosquitoes.  I recall being concerned about mosquitoes when booking with Louise and Danie for Marloth Park. They haven’t been an issue, using a bit of repellent each day, even for me, a mosquito magnet.
This soaking tub in the hippo room is appealing after a bush braai (fabulous food!) which includes a game drive in the late afternoon, hosted by Louise and Danie. We know from personal experience!

My lifetime interest as a “foodie” has all but disappeared as we’ve discovered that special ingredients conducive to my way of eating become more and more difficult to find as we’ve traveled the world. A former dessert baking aficionado, I’ve since given up grains, starch, and sugar, leaving few options for desserts so we stick to nuts, nuts, and more nuts, which are prolific in Africa, some of the best in the world.

The Kingfisher room is named for the frequent sighting of the Kingfisher bird, often seen through the window of this room on a nearby tree. Our eyes are peeled in that direction.
The Kingfisher room has a bathroom with a stone shower a few steps outside the door which may be used as its own private bath or shared with guests while mulling on the main floor.

With planning last night’s dinner imminent, it didn’t take long for me to search the cupboards and drawers in Khaya Umdami in search of linen napkins, suddenly no longer content with a dishtowel in place of a neatly pressed linen napkin.

The well-stocked kitchen was calling me as I began searching through cabinets and drawers to enhance last night’s dinner place settings.
The only mess in this cupboard is our stuff on the middle shelf which we brought over from the smaller house.
The beautiful dinnerware made an attractive place setting possible for our dinner.
This organized cupboard holds a wide array of wine and beverage glasses.
With little access to plastic containers for over a year, this tidy cupboard held particular appeal.
More pots, pans, and baking and cooking supplies, more than we’ve had anywhere we’ve lived since leaving the US. Look! There are even two graters!

So, last night, we grilled the two chickens we’d brought with us on the spit of the traditional, non-braai, gas grill so readily familiar to us for a wonderful nostalgic dinner on cloth placemats with linen napkins, proper place settings and the peculiar knowledge that here in Khaya Umdami we need not even wash our own dishes, leaving them for household staff to handle the next day. How decadent!

Our simple place setting fulfilled all of my expectations for a dinner outdoors last night. 
There is was our first outdoor grilled dinner since leaving the US. None of our past vacation/holiday homes had outdoor grills that we’ve found suitable. This was a rare treat. Wrapped in foil on the side grate is the chicken gizzards and livers which I’ll eat with tonight’s repeat dinner. Tom only eats white meat and I like dark meat, making a whole chicken perfect for us. Zeff cleaned it this morning and, did all the dishes! Oh, good grief!
This was Tom’s plate of food.  Mine was identical except piled high with the various bones and dark meat parts. We’d cooked the chickens for 90 minutes, on high for the first 20 minutes, and on low for the remaining time. The chicken was moist and delicious. As usual, we had our favorite low carb, sugar-free coleslaw, a daily staple which we love.

Soon, we’ll return to the smaller house, and once again, we’ll return to using dishtowels as a linen napkin and to my bigger concerns expressed to Tom dozens of times each day, “Did you hear something?” or, “Did you see something?” Of course, these questions revolve around our intense interest in seeing more wildlife, any wildlife actually! Pigs, striped horses, or poop rolling beetles! We love them all!

This was a first for us, a mom warthog with long brown hair. She was kneeling to eat after I tossed some pellets. Their knees are particularly calloused so they can easily kneel when eating. Their snouts make it difficult for them to eat fully standing.

For now, as we languish in this special property, we revel in its stories, its amenities, it’s a magical way of being incorporated into the bush, its lush vegetation and, its wildlife, offering a cocoon of comfort and wonder that only Marloth Park, South Africa can offer.

A young male impala checked us out before venturing to Khaya Umdami‘s private watering hole.

Yesterday afternoon, Danie stopped by offering that he and Louise teach us to braai on the open wood fire here at Khaya Umdami, the true South African way, a lesson we must learn before departing in 27 days. We heartily agreed with considerable enthusiasm and an abundance of appreciation for yet another amazing experience in the bush.

We held our breath waiting for him to take a drink, not to disappoint.

Ha! It looks as if company may be coming for dinner after all!  Get out the linen napkins! And, if only for a little while, take me back to my linen napkin ways!

Note Tomorrow, the unbelievable master bedroom befitting a king and queen, the “outdoor” bedroom, and more wildlife photos we’ve taken in the past few days at Khaya Umdami.  Our driver, Okee Dokee, is out of town for the weekend. But, we’re so content that we have little desire to leave.

Khaya Umdani…An exquisite opportunity…A respite in another area in Marloth Park…Our temporary new home…

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Khaya Umdani is a six bedroom, five bathroom stunning bush home fully embracing the integrity of African culture while providing a luxury environment befitting the expectations of both the seasoned traveler and those less traveled, seeking the comforts of stylish and easy living.

It’s not that we weren’t happy in the other house. We were rather content. But, our fabulous hosts, Louise and Danie suggested we experience a few of their other properties to review and share with our worldwide readership. Over the next several days, we’ll share our experiences as residents of Khaya Umdani.

We couldn’t have been more thrilled and appreciative of this opportunity, especially after we arrived at 10:30 yesterday morning for Louise’s expert tour of this upscale home, most likely one of the most desirable properties in Marloth Park.

This veranda is where we’ll spend our time for easy viewing of the massive grounds, a combination of the dense bush with a few open spaces for wildlife to run. This shot reminds me of a scene in the movie “Out of Africa” which we watched a few months ago while in Kenya.

Nothing was spared in the design and décor of this luxury home with six bedrooms, five of which have en suite bathrooms. Each bedroom is aptly named befitting this unique bush location and in some cases, includes a story surrounding past wildlife experiences on the property which we’ll share soon.

Packing yet again, including clothing, toiletries, food for meals, drinks, snacks, and digital equipment was challenging in yesterday’s heat and humidity apparently typical as South Africa moves into February, comparable to August in the northern hemisphere. Today, it’s cool and pleasant after last night’s rains.

This is the oversized eight-person table where we’re sitting as we write here now, overlooking the ‘double pool” with a shallow and deeper depth suitable for all. Chaise lounges to the left await us as soon as the sun appears after a much needed rainy night. 

Once we were unpacked, securing all of our food supplies from a potential monkey invasion, Danie stopped by to ensure all of our needs and comforts were met, showing us how to use the first gas grill we’ve had access to since leaving the US many moons ago. 

We brought along two frozen uncooked chickens and we were delighted to see an “American” type grill over which we all laughed as Danie removed the cover. The convenient modern kitchen has every possible amenity including a wine cooler, a dishwasher and a wide array of small kitchen appliances, few of which we’ve had in any of our vacation homes outside the US.

To the left is the open braai (fire pit) suitable for cooking or a bonfire with a stone seating area. To the right, is an enclosed wood-burning braai with a stainless steel sink and every possible rack and utensil. The yard is this area is “gently” fenced to keep nosy visitors from occupying this area while preparing meals.

In addition, the cupboards were impeccably stocked with spices, coffee, teas, and every imaginable dish, knife, flatware, bowl, container, and pot befitting the most ambitious cook. 

Tomorrow, we’ll share photos of the well-stocked interior of the cabinets, an unbelievable sight to see.(We’re waiting for the sun to appear for brighter interior photos). Only Louise‘s fine taste and detail orientated demeanor could create such pleasing and useful spaces. 

And for the less savvy braai cooks, here is the “traditional” and delightfully, familiar gas grill on which we’ll cook tonight’s dinner, roasted chickens on the electric spit. 

In South Africa, the wood-fired open braai (fire pit) is a daily means of cooking that for most citizens, is more of a tradition than a necessity, a reason for friends to gather to partake of the local beer and wine, for which South Africa is known. Add a variety of delicious grilled and stewed grass-fed meats, a few starchy side dishes and a South African meal is ready to enjoy.

Khayi Umdani offers features we experienced, in part, during our past two months in Marloth Park, including daily maid service, dishwashing if desired, laundry service, and maintenance. Every possible means of providing relaxation and comfort are afforded by it’s guests. 

The attention to detail in the finest of amenities is reflected in the lovely locally made table on the veranda.

Louise suggested we leave our breakfast or prior night’s dishes for the staff to handle the next morning. We never leave dirty dishes overnight. But, the staff is on hire in any case and prefer to be kept busy than standing around from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm each day as they work about the house attending to every detail. They are unobtrusive, quiet, and respectful, never causing us to feel that they are underfoot.

With Zeff only, coming to the other house twice a week, we were more than satisfied. Knowing how much we’ve liked him, Louise and Danie ensured he’ll be here for us during our time in Khaya Umdani. What service! The quality of service provided by Louise and Danie and their staff fined tuned to perfection, is comparable to that which one would find in the finest of five-star resorts and hotels. That quality of service follows through from our smaller house, all the way to Khaya Umdani and other fine properties owned and managed by Louise and Danie.

The natural stone pool is meticulously maintained daily.  The water is crystal clear.

Already scheduled to dine out when we moved in on Thursday, I had wished we were dining in. The moment we feasted our eyes on the massive dining room table with seating for 10, we knew a home-cooked meal was imminent. Also, the square oversized dining table for eight on the veranda holds an enormous appeal for us, where we’re seated now as we write here. The temperature has cooled and we’re blissfully relaxed.

Today, we’re sharing exterior photos of the house with interior photos following over the next several days.  Tonight, once the beautifully appointed dinnerware is filled with our homemade “grilled chicken,” veggies, and salad, we’ll take photos to share in Saturday’s post along with more photos of this exquisite vacation/holiday home as we experience the endless areas offering the utmost of comfort, style, space, and amenities. 

These sturdy swing chairs are actually very comfortable.

So far, we’ve seen a number of warthog families, tentatively approaching us curious as to our motives. Soon, they’ll see that we respect their environment and that they need not fear our presence.

The private watering hold attracts wildlife from all over the area. During heavy rains, this “creek” is filled with water.

As always, our eyes continue to scan the grounds for even the slightest movement, anticipating full well, that more visitors will arrive in these surroundings. Although we’re only a few miles/meters from the other house, perhaps a few of our favorites will wander our way. One never knows!

Our first warthog visitor with two babies, the mom giving me “the look” that says, “Did you bring any pellets with you?”  “Yes,” I said, “We certainly did,” as I ran to the kitchen for a handful.  Khaya Umdani, heavenly!

There’s the hard part too…More visitors…More photos…Life in the bush…

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Mr. Kudu came to call!

We’ve never intended to imply that living in the bush is easy amid all of our nearly constant entertainment from the wildlife and with the people we meet. In many ways, it’s definitely not for the faint at heart.  

Giraffe in the neighborhood that we spotted on the way out of the driveway to go to the store.

Perhaps living in the mountains of Italy in the summer and then Kenya in their late spring for three months toughened us. I assure you, had we gone directly from Minnesota to either of these locations, we may have turned around and gone back to the US.

Notice the Kudu’s head tipped up to grab a leaf from the tree near our carport.

Perhaps it was our good fortune to have “worked our way” into tougher living conditions that brought us to where we are now, at peace and at home in the bush, but mindful of potential risks facing all visitors to this rough terrain.

This is the mineral lick we purchased for visitors that is recommended by the rangers as an excellent adjunct to the visitor’s natural diet of greenery. So far, the kudus are the only visitors that have tried it. The others sniff and walk away. We’d hoped this would attract wildebeests, yet to spend time in our yard, only running through on one occasion.

Below are the adjustments that we have freely become accustomed to living in Marloth Park that others may find uncomfortable and unbearable. For us and many other tourists, the choice to visit Africa comes with the acceptance of challenges that one can choose to accept for the joy that Africa can bring in so many ways.

Kudu closeup was taken while I stood directly in front of him, behind the veranda railing.

1.  Gecko poop – It’s everywhere, including in the house. The thatched roof provides easy access for the Geckos to enter. Although harmless, they can be annoying, when last night one ran across the kitchen counter during the preparation of dinner. We see no less than six of them a day inside the house. Outside on the veranda, they are everywhere.  We don’t care.

Our warthog friends visit frequently, now so, at ease, they’ve started napping in our yard.
In the same manner, as beloved pets do, even warthogs tuck their chins onto their front “paws” when resting.  

2.  Heat – It’s summer in South Africa.  It’s not uncommon for the temperature to be as high as 100 F, 37.78C or more and humidity to be in the 80% range. In this house, there is AC in both bedrooms and the upstairs living room/loft. There’s no AC in the kitchen or main floor living room. We spend most of the day outside and only come inside to the loft when we need to cool off.

The family of nine still stops by almost every day. The other mom and one more baby were off to the side when taking this photo. The babies love looking at us almost as much as the moms. Each time they arrive, we take a headcount ensuring all nine are still there.

3.  Rain – It’s the rainy season now. Since we’ve been here it’s been cloudy five out of seven days a week. For those that require lots of sunshine, this may be an issue in the summer. We no longer have a tan or bother to try. The sun when it does shine is so hot it’s unbearable to lounge in a lawn chair. This is of little concern to us when neither of us bothered by rain or cloudy days. We do miss the visitors who seem to stay away on rainy days.

Upstairs in the loft with AC, in the awful heat a few days ago, we took kudu photos from the second-floor veranda as they looked up at us. Kudus can weigh 700 lbs., 317.5 kg, or more.

4.  Insects – They’re everywhere, zillions of them, though not inside the house as much as they were in Kenya. With no screens here, we keep the doors and windows shut constantly and keep our bedroom door closed at all times. With no mosquito nets here (Louise offered but we declined) we’ve found keeping the door shut helps. It’s still necessary to inspect shoes and clothing before dressing to ensure nothing lurks inside.

Kudus never seem to miss a photo op.

5.  Power outages – Although not as frequent as in Kenya, it does occur for short periods an average of once a week. We’ve learned to keep all of our equipment charged at all times allowing us to watch movies during a power outage. 

The pink inside their ears, the one line across the bridge of their nose, the white mustache, and the white stripes on their bodies, make the kudu a particularly beautiful animal. Females kudus don’t have horns, the mustache, or the white stripe on the bridge of the nose.

6.  Bumpy roads – If a person had a medical issue that made driving on bumpy roads a concern, this environment would not be appropriate. Few roads are paved in Marloth Park. Driving around looking for wildlife is one seriously bouncy experience. We don’t give it a thought other than possible damage to the tiny pink car.  Had we been willing to spend four times more than we paid, a 4 x 4, would have been a better option.

Zebra by the local watering hole.  Others were nearby as we observed on our way to the store.

7.  Wild animals – The very essence of the joy of Marloth Park is the wildlife over which one must exercise consideration and caution around them.  They are wild after all and could carry disease, attack if provoked or in the case of a few snakes and other creatures could inflict life-threatening bites and injuries. The closest medical clinic is a 30-minute drive.  

Had we not experienced the four-hour rough and dangerous road in Belize, the hairpin turn roads in Tuscany, the bumpy roads in Kenya, we may have been less tolerant. Had we not been exposed to the endless noisy geckos in Belize, batted off the flies and bees in Tuscany, danced around the centipedes and other insects in Kenya, or experienced day-long power outages, we’d be less tolerant.

But, experience is a powerful teacher and by learning, we continue to glean something new and meaningful each and every day in one manner or another.Each day brings new challenges but with it, comes the exquisite opportunity to embrace life in the bush, so far removed from the life we lived only a short time ago. For this, we are eternally grateful. For this, we will never forget.

Missing…

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Last Saturday as I was getting ready to head out the door to a family member’s baby shower, Tom said, “Move slowly and look out the window to your right.”

As usual and to our delight, there was one of Mother Nature’s delectable morsels in our yard. I moved gingerly toward the window to my right. 

A wild turkey lumbered around the stone patio with eyes darting fervently for a possible intruder. As I moved to grab my phone’s camera, which proved to be too quickly, he spotted me and scurried away. A wave of sadness came over me, not over missing the shot, but after missing the frequent sightings of God’s precious creatures, abundant here in Minnesota, abundant here on the lake.
I will miss the coyotes, their grace, their piercing eyes, their hunger for the little dogs here at the point, along with the caution we’ve exercised all these years to avert their consumption of own little wonders. I will miss the eagle that swooped into our yard to settle high up on a favorite tree, the glaring stance, the perfectly poised talons, easily able to grab a fifteen-pound unsuspecting furry pet in seconds.
Early spring this year, the loons appeared. With their pointy beaks, banded throats, and musical calls they flirt with one another primping for the prospect of little chicks yet to come, who will somehow know that shyness is quite appropriate in this land of predators and humans. I will miss that sound.

We will miss the adventure of the one-day event of baby wood ducks being mercilessly tossed from the wood duck house by their parents, hoping they’ll survive the long fluttery jump to the ground, the short trek to the water.
They scurry about the yard frantically, unsure of which way to go, a few wanderers ending near the house, only to be coached along with us humans, careful not to touch and leave our scent. The cheep, cheep, cheep of the fluffy little puff balls will be hard to forget in the days to come.  

The heron, so playfully referred to as “Big Bird” by my husband, to our long lost WorldWideWillie who enthusiastically ran to the end of the dock to chase this leggy character, unfazed by its disgruntled roar as it flew away. With the utmost curiosity, he’d sniff its remains. I will miss “Big Bird.”  

Of course, I will continue to miss Willie. No longer will we be able to stand by his little grave marker in the yard. Willie inspired me to write my first blog, a blog that will end on April 9, 2012, the one year anniversary of the day he died. Each night after writing that blog, I’d read aloud the day’s writings to Tom holding back the tears. 

It’s sad and ironic that when losing a beloved pet, we not only cry for the loss of their companionship, we cry for the loss of their peculiar habits, their tricks, their ticks, their characteristics, and their rituals all of which bring us humor, familiarity, and comfort.  

And sometimes, when we cry for the loss of our pet, we cry for all the losses of our lives at the same time; the loss of people, the loss of relationships, the loss of meaningful work, the loss of success, the loss of hope, the loss of health and the loss of a dream, whatever that dream may be.

Yes, we will miss Mother Nature’s gifts here in Minnesota, but the nice thing about her is, she goes wherever we go, even if we only stop for only a moment to we breathe in the fresh air, to look and to listen. She will be there.