Possible Covid-19 vaccination here in South Africa…What is “normal?”…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 25, 2021 with 0 Comment

Spikey, young male bushbuck drinking from the birdbath.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

9 warthogs
7 bushbucks
18 kudus
54 mongoose
20 helmeted guinea-fowls
Frank and The Misses

When Linda and Ken texted me last night to tell me they’d been notified by the South Africa website where we all registered for the Covid vaccine, I was hopeful. They live in Johannesburg, so they’d probably get theirs sooner than us, living in a remote area. Today, Linda sent me a text that they’ve had their first of two vaccines.

Bossy never misses an opportunity to let us know she’s in the garden. She prances right up onto the veranda, staring into our eyes.

With only 36 days remaining until we have to depart the country for a visa stamp, having the vaccine out of the way would be a huge relief, even if we only got the first of the two jabs, receiving the second jab after we return. If we cannot go to Kenya due to new lockdown measures, we’ll head to the US for a few weeks, see the family and get the second dose there.

It’s not easy having everything up in the air for so long for all of us. Both Tom and I agree that we don’t care for the expression “the new normal,” which has been grossly overused since the onset of the pandemic over 15 months ago. But, will life ever return to “normal?”

What is “normal” after all? Simply, we can say it was freedom of movement; lack of requirements to wear face masks; lack of a necessity of social distancing; shops and restaurants open during “expected” operational hours; public and private gatherings with no limitations on numbers of participants, other than space considerations; and, for us, most importantly, the ability to travel to most countries in the world without outrageous requirements, Covid-19 PRC tests, Covid-19 vaccines and additional documents to complete.

This pandemic has cost a fortune for most people due to loss of jobs/income; loss of businesses; loss of entrepreneurial opportunities in many fields of endeavor, and in many cases; loss of a sense of self-worth and hopefulness for the future.

Bushbucks in the garden on a sunny afternoon.

This is not to say that “normal” meant “perfect” in the past, before the pandemic. It wasn’t then, and it won’t be now going forward. It’s the nature of life itself. There will always be wars, political unrest, opposing political and social views, illness, disasters, and more. The list goes on and on. Was all of that “normal?” In its day and in days to come, that may be considered normal.

But, we’re not here to espouse the virtues or the lack thereof of the state of the world, the economy, or social unrest. Instead, our goal here is to share our thoughts, dreams, and ideas about world travel, particularly as retired seniors, to see as much of the world as possible, in whatever time God or a higher power has given us to continue life on this planet.

Big Daddy stopped by to check out the female visitors.

And, what is “normal” now, as opposed to the phrase “new normal.?” Many areas of life are the same as they’ve always been. We eat, drink, sleep, entertain ourselves in myriad ways, engage socially and psychologically with others.

We spend time on our phones and other digital devices in a constant search for answers to whatever is our flavor of the month, whether work-related, socially related, or on a mission to expand our interests and knowledge. We all share a commonality in many of these areas. That hasn’t changed. That may never change in this generation or this life as we know it. That sense of normalcy will most likely remain with us, as far as any one of us can see, well into the future.

Although the pandemic has changed so many lives, sadly lost so many lives, and altered the day-to-day of many lives throughout the world, in reality, it’s not a “new normal.” Instead, it’s a consequential and profound “glitch” in the cycle of life on the planet. Believe it or not, in time, I feel confident this will go away, sadly leaving in its wake, losing loved ones, and a loss of financial security in its destructive path.

This is a Thick Neck. He’s an older bushbuck with long horns and an oversized girth to his neck. He stops by daily.

But, we humans are resilient. After all, we’ve been here for the millennium, with varying scientific opinions as to whether it’s been millions of years or considerably less. Countless species have become extinct, yet we remain largely due to the size of our brains and perhaps by divine intervention. We may never fully know the answer with certainty.

In any case, normal will be what we make it. As that innate resiliency prevails in most of our lives and we’ll continue to make the best of it, in whatever form that takes.

May we all tap into our resiliency and form the lives we choose for the future…

Photo from one year ago today, May 25, 2020:

A room was offered for rent at this property in Bali for INR 834, US $10.97 per night! For more photos, please click here.

Out of sorts…Out of sight…Out of mind…Out of time…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 24, 2021 with 0 Comment

This mongoose must have been injured and lost hers/his lips. Possibly, due to inbreeding it could have been a birth defect. But she/he was as rambunctious as the others for some paloney and eggs.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

6 warthogs
6 bushbucks
4 kudus
38 mongoose
33 helmeted guinea-fowls
Frank and The Misses
2 hornbills

Last night was one of the worst night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time. Ironically, in yesterday’s post I’d posted that a bad night was not worthy of mention. Today, feeling like a wreck from a fitful night, I couldn’t help but bring it up. Surely, it will impact my entire day.

A pile of mongoose going after a pan of raw scrambled eggs.

Fortunately, all of the laundry is done and most of what we’ll eat for dinner is prepared. I need to respond to a zillion email messages and take a pleasantly anticipated WhatsApp call from one of our loyal readers, Otherwise, I can be as lazy as necessary to get me through the day.

My FitBit says I slept 6 hours and 15 minutes, but I did not. It counted the time I lay there, quiet as a mouse trying to get myself to drift off. I listened to soothing music on my phone, using earbuds, in a desperate attempt to get to sleep and miracle of all miracles, it did work, about 10 times for short bursts of sleep. The FitBit shows I awoke 12 times from midnight on. As a result, I feel “out of sorts” today.

It’s rare to find a mongoose climbing a tree.

As for “out of sight,” I kept my phone on the nightstand and didn’t do my usual game playing during the night, thinking that avoiding the screen may help me get back to sleep. By 3:00 am, I was “out of my mind” doing the worst thing I could do…worry about not sleeping. It’s pointless to do this. Nothing good comes of it.

As for “out of time.” I awoke for the last time at 6:15 am and no matter how relaxed I pressed myself to be, it was hopeless, I’d truly run “out of time” and decided to get up and begin my day. Every usual morning routine took everything I had, but here I am now, showered, dressed and put together for yet another day.

The mongoose hover around us waiting for treats. We only give them foods suitable for their omnivore diet.

I even went as far as folding and putting away all of the dry laundry from the rack, fixed a broken fingernail and cut up some carrots for today’s visitors. Once I’ve uploaded today’s post, I have a few “business matters” to handle and of course, do no less than corrections on 10 posts, a schedule I’ve held myself to diligently over this past month. Yesterday, I passed the halfway mark.

We had a great day and evening, nothing that would precipitate a poor night’s sleep. The day was pleasant and entertaining with more visitors than we could have imagined. At 4:00 pm we headed over to Rita and Gerhard’s house on Hornbill, the same house we’d rented in 2013/2014.

Sitting on a rock, staring at us with those little beady eyes.

I only drank two glasses of low alcohol red wine at their house and when we returned a few hours later, I drank only caffeine free iced tea for the remainder of the evening, as usual. Once back home, dinner for me consisted of a few fried eggs and grilled chicken breasts. After dinner, still feeling a little hungry, I had a chunk of Emmenthal cheese…that’s it. No sleep disturbing foods or sense of fullness, and above all, no life changing thoughts on my mind.

Never once did I think about this upcoming, June 30th, when we need new visa stamps. We’ve resigned ourselves to that reality. We’re either going to Kenya for a few days or the US for a few weeks. That’s it. No other options are available with Covid-19 restrictions everywhere. Why worry about that?

They often stop for a drink from the birdbath where we keep fresh water.

It will be good when today is over and I can hopefully get a good night’s sleep. I have no doubt many of our readers have experienced such a poor night’s sleep and struggled the next day, like I am doing today. For me, the likelihood of a nap is slim when I am not a napper. Also, it would probably be best to stay awake and try to recover tonight.

It’s another beautiful and cool day. Although it’s likely we’ll have a few hot days in the months to come, this cooler weather, as we roll into winter, is blissful. There are less insects, less mozzies and typical for cool periods, less snakes mulling around our garden. Of course, with the almost daily visits of dozens of mongoose, who kill and eat snakes, its a mini insurance policy against the uninvited reptiles.

Helmeted guinea-fowls and warthogs in the garden.

At the moment, Tiny is drinking water from the birdbath, Chewy, our jaw-cracking bushbuck is munching pellets, his jaw, making noise with each bite, and two hornbills are banging on the kitchen window, their usual preoccupation. Fred and Ethyl are permanent residents here and hang around day and night. They are the first pigs we see each morning and the last to hunker down at night.

We’ll make the best of the day, regardless of how I am feeling, hoping tomorrow I’ll be back to my usual self.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 24, 2020:

These two cape buffaloes, close to the dirt road, with their horns stuck together made it easy for us to get these photos. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…A memorable evening at the Crocodile River with friends….

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 22, 2021 with 0 Comment

This is a red-backed shrike. We saw several of these birds while at the Crocodile River.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

1 wildebeest
7 warthogs
9 bushbucks
42 helmeted guinea-fowls
Frank and The Misses
74 mongoose (two bands)

It’s blissfully cool today. Tom is wearing a heavy zip hoodie, and I am wearing a long-sleeved tee-shirt. As always, we’re on the veranda savoring every moment in the bush. First thing this morning, I cut up apples, carrots, cabbage for the animals, small separate pieces for the bushbucks and duikers, and larger chunks for the wildebeests, kudus, and warthogs.

The shrike on a post on the fence separating Marloth Park from Kruger National Park.

When wildebeest, Broken Horn, stopped by, we tossed pellets and vegetables to him along with a few larger pieces of carrots. He ate everything but oddly left a big part of a carrot. We were concerned one of the lingering bushbucks would try to eat this oversized chunk of carrot.

Five red-backed shrikes next to our rental car at Two Trees location, which overlooks the Crocodile River.

Moments later, a warthog appeared and ate the majority of the carrots, leaving a small piece that fell out of his mouth that he didn’t happen to notice. Within minutes, a bushbuck appeared and managed to eat the small piece. Nature is amazing. We’ll never toss out vegetables for the larger animals unless we’re watching what’s going on to ensure there is no risk for the smaller animals choking on larger pieces.

It takes a lot of time and effort to cut up carrots into tiny pieces. Regardless, I will cut up a small batch for the bushbucks and a larger batch for the others each morning. Timing is essential, especially when the pigs arrive when everything is wiped out in minutes. We wait and watch for them to leave, enabling us to feed the other animals.

Mom and baby giraffe stopped by the area where we’d set up our chairs.

It’s been a busy morning so far. Just now, as I write this, Frank and The Misses arrived for a late breakfast. I jumped up to fill their two little containers with seeds and the other with water. A second ago, we heard a lion’s roar from either Dezi or Fluffy, who live in Lionspruit, located at the far end of our garden.

When I went indoors to fill Frank’s water container, I noticed Broken Horn resting in the driveway only a few meters from the car. Warthog Lonely Boy is sleeping in the garden while two bushbucks wander through the dense bush, waiting for the warthog to leave so they can have more food. It’s a constant

Mom and baby were checked for their safety.

Now, again as I write this, the helmeted guinea-fowls are back, and so is the mongoose that only 30 minutes ago, we’d given them Tom’s bones from his rib dinner at Jabula last night and also enough pieces of paloney (yep, not a typo), sufficient for all of them to get a bite or two. Ten of them drank from the birdbath simultaneously. What a scene!

Speaking of Jabula Lodge and Restaurant, we certainly enjoyed ourselves last night at dinner with Rita and Gerhard. Tom and Gerhard had the ribs, and Rita and I had the delicious lamb shank, my new favorite at this fabulous restaurant. The Friday night ambiance was playful and fun, with music from Dawn and Leon’s excellent playlist.

Another lone giraffe stopped by to see what was going on. There were about 15 of us savoring the view.

After dinner, the local hardware store owner, Erica, a long-time resident of Marloth Park, joined us for a lively and animated chat about places to visit in South Africa. As much as we love hearing about resorts and camps we “should” visit in South Africa, with the immigration factor always hanging over our heads, we hesitate to leave the bush where we are already so happy and fulfilled.

We’ve already stayed in many stunning resorts throughout the world, and honestly, right now, we aren’t in the mood to stay anywhere that reminds us of a hotel unless we have to. Also, after a morning like this, it would be hard to break away for any reason other than getting our visas stamped.

Before darkness fell, this shrike made herself at home on the side mirror of our car.

Tonight, I am making taco salad for Tom. He’s lost all the weight he needed to lose and certainly enjoys a special, although still low carb meal on occasions, including the vegetables that go with it. Tonight, I’ll have chicken, a little ground beef without the taco seasonings and three eggs cooked in butter. No tortilla chips or hard-shelled taco bowls will be included.

Tonight will be a “movie night,” and we’ll hunker down after dinner on this very cool day and evening.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 22, 2020:

At every turn in Connemara, Ireland, the scenery was breathtaking. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…A memorable evening at the Crocodile River with friends…Our new chairs…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 21, 2021 with 0 Comment

It was quite a sight to see when this elephant sprayed water from his trunk.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

1 wildebeest
13 warthogs
9 bushbucks
7 kudus
89 helmeted guinea-fowls
Frank and The Misses
1 duiker

A pair were walking along the bank of the Crocodile River to their following grazing location. Some elephant species, such as the African elephant, will eat up to 300 kilograms of food every day to sustain themselves. In comparison, a human adult will consume around 1.5–2 kilograms of food per day. In the wild, elephants eat mostly grass, wild fruits, twigs, shrubs, bamboo, and bananas.

I forgot to take photos of the new camping/folding chairs that Rita and Gerhard picked up for all of us in Nelspruit. We arrived at the river where I’d intended to take the photos once the chairs were unwrapped and set up, but no more than minutes after we arrived, the wildlife photo ops were so many, I forgot.

We were all busy spotting wildlife and were distracted. Of course, we love the chairs they selected with human-sized chairs for the boys and smaller, more “girlie” chairs for Rita and me. Now, we have chairs we can take anywhere when at some social events, we’re asked to bring our own.

However, I just recalled that Rita had sent me photos in WhatApp from the store in Nelspruit so now I have added them here, as shown below. I love the little tray on my chair on which to put food and drinks. In our old lives, purchasing such chairs would not be noteworthy. But, in this life, given what little we buy, it was rather fun.

This style is perfect for Rita and me, comfortable, lightweight, and the small table to the right.

It is an ideal chair for men, more comprehensive, and suitable for longer legs.

Once we were all situated, we were squealing with delight over the elephants we spotted across the river. The distance, although quite far from us, allowed me to take the photos included here today. The most incredible thrill of all was when the elephants crossed the river (which we didn’t see) and started munching on vegetation only a short distance from us.

As you peruse today’s photos, it’s easy to determine which of our photos were taken across the river and which were taken nearby on our side of the river. Not only did we see numerous elephants, but we also saw several other species, which we’ll share over the next few days.

The trunk is versatile in its ability to serve the elephant’s needs in many ways.

We were so busy checking out the wildlife that by the time darkness fell, we’d hardly had any time to chat. Tonight is Friday, and the four of us are heading to Jabula for dinner for our usual Friday night reservation. Gosh, it’s fun to have a more active social life and continue to enjoy some quiet evenings at our bush house.

Elephants are such majestic animals, mysterious and intelligent.

Yesterday, in Lebombo, we shopped at the market where many locals shop and prices are ultra-low on produce. We purchased two enormous heads of cabbage, two bags of red apples, and a giant bag of carrots. As the bush becomes less abundant for the wildlife, supplementing their diets with fresh fruit and veg is a nice treat.

This could be two siblings born in different years.

Ms. Bossy, our most frequent kudu visitor, was over the moon for all the fresh produce, so much so that she walked right up to me on the veranda while I was seated at the table and stared into my eyes pleading for more. She’s hard for me to resist as she repeatedly licked her lips.

Beautiful bright white, healthy-looking tusks with years of growing to come.

Then, Little showed up, anticipating pellets and looking pleasantly surprised to see the apples and carrots I tossed his way before ever throwing him a single pellet. Warthogs don’t eat cabbage, regardless of how hungry they may be. But, they love carrots and apples, which I cut up into bite-sized pieces.

After feeding the bigger game, including more kudus and wildebeest, I cut up a particular batch of even smaller bits for the bushbucks, who, with their little mouths, can’t handle more significant pieces. Once the pigs leave, hopefully soon, we’ll be able to feed the bushbucks, which the pigs always chase away.

This mom and baby were grazing together on our side of the river.

The hard part is that there is seldom a time there aren’t pigs in the garden, often napping, with one ear tuned to the sound of food hitting the ground. They’ll be on their feet in a matter of seconds when the possibility of food is presented. Tom always says, “That’s why they are called pigs.” I suppose he is right.

Once we returned home last night, we quickly prepared an easy dinner of cheese omelets and bacon when anything else we had on hand would have taken too long to prepare. Since we have no interest in food during sundowners, although we provide snacks for visiting guests, we were starved when we returned.

Later, we watched a few episodes of the Australian series Janet King and finally dozed off to sleep.

It was a good day and an enjoyable evening.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 21, 2020:

We love the reflection of clouds in the water as we drive through the countryside in any country. For more photos, please click here.

Trying to figure out what to do in 44 days…Life up in the air…Vaccine hesitancy?…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 18, 2021 with 0 Comment

We hadn’t seen Torn Ear for over a week and were worried about something happening to him. Last night, he appeared on the trail cam, much to our relief.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

1 wildebeest
15 warthogs
12 bushbuck
8 kudus
12 impalas
59 mongoose

With a third wave of Covid-19 being acknowledged in South Africa, it’s still up in the air as to what we’ll do in 44 days when our current visa extension expires on June 30th. Many other people in the world find themselves in the same situation. Our position is not unique.

We still have the booked flight to the US on June 30th, but if visas are extended again for foreign nationals for another 90 days, we’ll have no reason to leave South Africa on that date. We may or may not be able to move that flight one more time when twice. We’ve been notified of changes in the departure times of the various flights in that itinerary on Lufthansa Airlines.

This young male bushbuck has to eat his pellets on the veranda when pigs wouldn’t let him partake.

There is no question that this is a dilemma we are grappling with every day. In addition, it looks like the launch of the vaccine for South Africans over the age of 60 could begin in this province over the next 30 days. If we can get the vaccine while we’re here a few weeks before we have to depart, it will give us peace of mind if we have to travel for 40 hours or more to return to the US, or visit another country, if visas aren’t extended.,

We’re doing just fine with the challenge. This uncertainty is “foreign” to us in our years of worldwide travel. However, the past 14 months have taught us a great deal. Never take our “freedom of movement” in our world travels for granted. Those ten months in that hotel room in Mumbai, India, have certainly rearranged our thinking in that respect.

Kudus drinking in the birdbath and the pool. There’s some chlorine in the pool, diluted enough to be safe for them.

Like most of us throughout the world, uncertainty about any form of travel, including taking vacations/holidays or even short weekend getaways, is not as easy as it was in the past. COVID-19 changed all of this. Travel has been only one of many areas of our lives, and yours, that has changed in the past 14 months.

Many have suffered life-changing financial loss, loss of jobs, and the sense of self-worth and confidence that goes with being active in the workforce. The most horrific loss of all has been that of loved ones and friends who’ve lost their lives due to this dreadful virus.

Kudu’s mom is suckling her young in the bush.

Like my sister, Julie, many are suffering “long-haul symptoms” and can’t seem to shake a variety of debilitating symptoms that impact their everyday lives. Covid-19 rehab clinics for “long-haulers” have been opening all over the US in an attempt to rehabilitate those affected by this lingering illness.

Do we have hesitancy about receiving the vaccine? I suppose many of us do to some degree. It’s a big decision for those of us with comorbidities and allergies, wondering if we’ll be subject to a life-threatening reaction. Even those without any known medical conditions may be concerned about side effects.

With our intent to continue to travel in the future, we have no choice but to be vaccinated. With four cruises booked in the future, some of which may be canceled, we know cruising won’t be possible without a vaccine in the next few years. When and if “herd immunity” is achieved, this may change in years to come. But, for now, and at our ages, we feel we must get vaccinated or stop traveling entirely.

We anticipate that in time, proof of vaccination may be required to board an airplane, a train, a cruise ship, or any other form of travel when crowds may be a reality of a specific mode of transportation. Will proof of vaccination eventually be required for entrance into arenas for sports and concerts? That could happen.

Mongoose waited at the door for food before we’d even gone outside in the morning.

At this point, we don’t know what the future holds. Then again, do we ever know? We look back at our lives over the past few years and see how oblivious we may have been about potential changes in our lives, many of which can change everything, as we knew it.

All of us can decide on the risks we’re willing to take in getting the vaccine or not. It’s a personal decision that should be exempt from criticism or bullying. Trying to convince others that our decision is the right decision is pointless. We all have the privilege of doing our research, checking with our healthcare professionals, and making an informed decision suitable for our health, well-being, and lifestyle.

A Big Daddy was reaching for a bit of vegetation.

We pray for good health and well-being for all of our family/friends/readers, now and into the future.

Photo from one year ago today, May 18, 2020:

The rice paddies are ready for planting. See this site for more details. “The Balinese system of irrigating their rice terraces is known as Subak. It is such an important part of Balinese culture that in June 2012, it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status. This method for irrigating the land was inspired by ancient Hindu philosophy, and it has been used since at least the 11th century. Using this method, the rice fields were built around temples, and the allocation of water was the responsibility of priests. For this irrigation management to work successfully, it has required that members of each community cooperate and work in partnership. Each community member takes responsibility for maintaining the system’s integrity, which is why the terraces tend to look so well maintained. The rice farmers work as a unit to create appropriate canals and dams. Another important element of the Subak system is the religious festivals that mark the cycle of the year.” For more photos from the year-ago post, please click here.

It’s great to have our human, and animal friends back in the bush…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 17, 2021 with 0 Comment

Kudus stopped by for pellets at sundowner time.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

1 wildebeest
16 warthogs
17 helmeted guinea-fowl
12 bushbuck
2 kudus
1 duiker
Frank & The Misses (francolins)

A few minutes ago, there were eight bushbucks in the garden. Unfortunately, Mom & Babies (2), the only warthogs that annoy us, heard Tom toss pellets, and they chased all the bushbucks away. This particular mom has a nasty personality, and she scares off Tiny and Little and other warthogs, large and small, when they see her.

The pecking order is easily evident in the bush. Bushbucks, gentle and non-combative antelopes, compete for pellets with the larger animals. At times, kudus and impalas will share with bushbucks but not wildebeest and warthogs. We’re always trying to figure out ways to feed the bushbucks without problems from the other animals.

Two young hornbills on the ground by the veranda.

Some locals use a raised trough to feed the various animals, to avoid the pigs from scaring them off. But, as mentioned in past posts, using a trough is dangerous for the animals, a breeding group of diseases, including tuberculosis, which seems less prevalent in the bush right now than when we were here in 2018.

With the busy weekend over and tourists leaving the park, we’re seeing many more animals this morning. It’s a great start to the week. Speaking of “great starts to the week,” our dear friends Rita and Gerhard arrived as planned yesterday, and the four of us met at 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs, at Jabula for dinner. It couldn’t have been more fun to see them. The conversation ran smoothly as if we had been together recently.

In the coming months, our dear friends Kathy and Don will also return after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. It has been over two years since they left Marloth Park earlier than planned to return to the US when a close friend had passed away. We were so used to socializing with them, it was sad to see them go away, but we understood. Having them here, maybe for the next few months, is such a joy.de

As the winter progresses here (the opposite season in the northern hemisphere), more and more of our mutual friends, most of whom we met through Kathy and Don, will also return to the park, providing that new lockdown measures don’t impact flights coming to South Africa.

Walter, William, and Willard in the garden.

The news reports the third wave of Covid-19, which could easily impact travel to and from the country. Of course, we do not wish for more Covid in South Africa, with very few vaccinations yet. Of course, we don’t want to see more cases of COVID-19 in South Africa, with very few having ever been vaccinated. We can only wait and see.

Last night, we all enjoyed our dinners, with lively conversation. We had been in contact through WhatsApp for a few years, so it was as if we hadn’t been separated at all. Rita and I have a special sister-like kinship, and we couldn’t have been happier to be together once again. Of course, Tom and Gerhard had no lulls in the conversation either when the four of us sat at the bar before dinner.

Other locals joined in on some of our conversations, making the evening all the more memorable. We are so blessed and grateful to be in Marloth Park among our human and animal friends. No complaints here.

Have a fantastic Monday!

Photo from one year ago today, May 17, 2021:

A Belted Galloway cow. From this site: “Belted Galloway cattle originated from western Scotland, a region whose weather is strikingly similar to Ireland’s damp climate! This makes Belted Galloways perfectly suitable for the wet, cold winters and the soft boggy terrain of Irish farms. Their long, curly outer coat is ideal for rainy weather, as its coarseness deflects moisture from the animal’s skin. They also have a soft undercoat to keep them warm in colder temperatures. The head of the Belted Galloway has long hair around its ears, preventing frostbite in a case of an extreme Irish freeze. Common nicknames for these cattle are ‘Belties’ or even ‘Oreo Cows’ due to their peculiar resemblance to the popular treat!” For more photos from the year-ago post, please click here.

As usual, an exquisite morning in the bush…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 15, 2021 with 0 Comment

He ate pellets, left, walked around the house, and returned to the garden, thinking we might assume he’s someone new and offer more pellets. The warthogs and bushbucks are good at this maneuver.

Note: Due to the number of tourists in Marloth Park over the weekend, the WiFi is slow, and we’re unable to load any photos.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

2 wildebeest
2 warthogs
38 helmeted guinea-fowl
4 bushbuck
9 kudus
2 duiker
4 hornbills
1 impala

Finally, after many nights of extended visits from two wildebeest, we selected names for this persistent pair, William and Willard. They spent most of the night sleeping in our garden on Friday, resulting in 1073 photos taken by our trail cam. Tom spent some time going through them.

Big Daddy comes to call, checking out the females in the garden.

The camera takes three pictures as it is triggered by the movement. If we were only to display one photo per activity, we would miss too much. But each time William and Willard moved an ear or adjusted their position, the camera took three pictures. Although we enjoyed their presence, the eight batteries in the camera, only a week old, drained that evening. Fortunately, we had more batteries left in the package we’d purchased last week.

From now on, we will have to buy batteries whenever we go shopping. Thank goodness, they are relatively inexpensive here, unlike the high cost in the US and other countries. We looked at rechargeable batteries, but the cost of rechargeable batteries and recharging was prohibitive. In addition, we could never carry it with us with the South African plug that might not work with our adapter and in other countries.

Last night was another great night at the Jabula Lodge and Restaurant. It was fun to see Dawn and Leon again after our previous fun night at our place for dinner on Thursday night. We also sat next to Patty Pan and her husband Sydney and loved their company. It was great to see the restaurant filled after so many of them were absent due to COVID-19.

It’s a long way down to pick up pellets, but he easily makes an effort.

Dawn made something special for me last night, a roasted lamb shank. It was divine. I could not believe how moist and tender it was in a glass of red wine, with juice, instead of a saucer filled with flour which is usually served. Thanks, Dawn! I have one more thing to order from Jabula every week.

While in Jabula, a man sitting next to us described a local man who died of COVID-19 a few days ago. This is of concern to all of us, and we must remain vigilant. Apparently, according to media reports, the rollout of the vaccine for people aged 60 and over will begin in the coming weeks. Given the lack of funds and organizational insight, this may not happen soon. We need to wait and see.

Right now, our dear friends Rita and Gerhard are in the midst of their 40 hour travel day to arrive here in Marloth Park tomorrow afternoon. We made a reservation for dinner at Jabula for the four of us for Sunday evening, hoping they would come on time. If not, Tom and I will go on our own since we won’t have anything planned for dinner.

When we came here in January, we chose a self-imposed quarantine for two weeks before we started seeing our friends. They both were vaccinated several weeks ago and will have had Covid PCR tests to fly. As a result, we aren’t worried about them being around us when they arrive without a quarantine period which is not required in South Africa.

That won’t be necessary for those who’ve completed the vaccine at least two weeks ago. I can’t wait until we can get our jabs and put our minds at ease.

As for today, we’ll continue to sit outdoors on the veranda, watching nature at its finest. Tonight, we’ll cook bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin on the braai, and Tom will finish up the potatoes and corn on the cob from Thursday night. The weather is lovely, warmish, but not hot, sunny with a slight breeze. Perfect.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, May 15, 2020:

Finally, after waiting patiently, we got a good shot of this pair of cows in Ireland, most likely a mom and baby. For more photos, please click here.

A fine evening in the bush with friends..Fun new video!…Check it out!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 14, 2021 with 0 Comment

Please take a look at the new video we filmed yesterday morning.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

2 wildebeest
6 warthogs
11 helmeted guinea fowl
5 bushbuck
22 mongoose
2 kudus
1 duiker

It’s a glorious morning. The sun is shining. The temperature and humidity are mild, with a slight breeze. The animals have come and gone over the past few hours, and we couldn’t be more content. Right now, they’re all gone, but that’s going to change in a couple of minutes.

Two Go-Away birds were drinking from the birdbath. Unlike many brighter forest-dwelling turacos, these are birds of an African open country and have drab gray and white plumage. In southern Africa, these birds are known as kwêvoëls, but they are also referred to as loeries with other turacos. The go-away birds are named for their raucous “go away” call.

Last night’s dinner with Dawn and Leon was a great time. The food was good, the company superb, and the three wildebeest in the garden all evening added to the entertainment. I’d made an easy steak dinner with sides and spent little time in the kitchen while our guests were here, having prepared everything earlier in the day.

It’s a busy weekend in the bush with many holiday homes booked with guests from other parts of South Africa and a few overseas due to pandemic travel restrictions in many countries. A band of 22 mongooses just stopped by, and we offered them some leftover meat which they devoured.

Three wildebeests were lying in the driveway shortly before Dawn and Leon arrived.

Some novice holiday renters have been fed mongoose bread, which is not appropriate for their diet. In one instance, I watched a guinea fowl steal the mongoose’s bread and escape. We noticed that three of the mongoose had whole pieces of white bread in their mouths, which they weren’t eating, but carrying around in somewhat of a frenzy, wondering what to do with it.

Sure, animals love “human food,” but it’s not safe for them to eat in most cases. It’s always disheartening to watch that. Feeding wildlife, especially now that vegetation is diminishing by the hour, is good if it is appropriate for eating. The best feed to supply the animals is game pellets. Fruits and vegetables humans eat may contain pesticides and other dangerous chemicals to animals (and humans too).

Wildebeest Willie is drooling over the veranda table, begging for pellets.

We occasionally offer them carrots and apples, which we wash first and cut into bite-size pieces. Imagine a bushbuck or a tiny duiker choking on a big chunk of a carrot or apple. It would be horrifying to witness it, but it could easily happen.

This is a hot issue here in Marloth Park with many different opinions and perspectives. Many don’t believe in feeding wildlife. Based on the fact that they are fenced in, living in this conservation without being able to wander towards greener pastures, we feel compelled to feed them.

A hornbill was eating out of Frank and The Misses container of seeds.

To cull or not to cull is also a frequent point of contention. We avoid controversy and do what our conscience dictates: feed wildlife food appropriate to their species. We don’t hand-feed or use troughs, breeding grounds for TB, and other wildlife diseases and illnesses that are always prevalent in the bush.

Last night we had good news that Rita and Gerhard will be arriving at Marloth Park on Sunday afternoon, and we will all be heading to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for dinner. Gerhard has been chomping at the bit over the prospect of ordering their spare ribs, which Tom eats each time we go for dinner. We always go to Jabula on Friday nights, which we’ll be doing again tonight and then again on Sunday night.

A wildebeest, resting in the garden, a common phenomenon of late.

We’re so thrilled to see Rita and Gerhard. We hope they will stay for a few months, and of course, we hope to be able to survive or return after June 30th, when our current visas expire. Only time will tell.

A Go-Away bird was sitting at the edge of the pool.

That’s it for the day, dear readers. Be safe. Be happy. Cherish every day of life!

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

A small lagoon between Anini Beach and Ke’e Beach while we were in Kauai, Hawaii, on this date in 2015. Please see that link here. For the year-ago post, please click here.

Part 3…Kruger National Park…It never disappoints…Adding a new feature for Africa…Tom’s trip is over…Dinner guests tonight…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 13, 2021 with 0 Comment

On the way back from Kruger, we encountered this intentional fire in the sugar cane fields.

Effective this morning, we are adding a new feature to our posts in Marloth Park. The feature will be entitled: “Who is in the garden this morning?” which will consist of all wildlife visitors to our garden when we prepare the day’s post. Here it comes!

Who’s in the garden this morning?

9 warthogs
13 kudus
3 bushbucks
1 duiker
7 helmeted guinea-fowl
39 mongoose
Frank & The Misses (francolins)

Thus, while we continue to prepare the post, we will add to the list, keeping in mind that typically it takes about five hours from start to finish, considering managing photos, writing the text, editing the text with occasional short breaks to do a household task, prep for a meal or other breaks necessary during this period.

We will not count regular visitors if we can recognize who is here, which we can do in most cases. Otherwise, it’s fun for us, at any rate! For instance, just now, warthogs, Mom & Babies (2) appeared, but they weren’t counted earlier. We hope that our readers will find these figures amusing.

We had to make it through the thick smoke of the fires.

This afternoon at 4:00 pm, 1600 hours, we’re having guests for sundowners and dinner, Dawn and Leon, Jabula Lodge, and Restaurant owners. We always have such a good time with them at the restaurant, but it will be nice to have time with the two without all the restaurant’s distractions.

A wildebeest (gnu) on the side of the road near Vurhami Dam in Kruger.

This morning we prepped some of the items on the menu which when done here, I will wrap up the balance. Zef is here cleaning the house, which makes entertaining so much easier when we don’t have to clean in preparation for company.

Rapids under the bridge at the Sabie River.

All we have to do is prepare the food and clean up after ourselves. When we entertained more frequently in our old lives, it’s easy to recall how much time was spent cleaning before the guests arrived and later when they left. It’s a lot easier now. Plus, I am not as picky about preparing fancy foods for our guests.

Giraffe walking down the middle of the paved road.

Louise always suggests that we leave our evening dishes for Vusi and Zef to wash the following day as they are accustomed to doing for the guests at other houses. But, we don’t feel right leaving a sink full of dirty dishes when we can easily put them into the dishwasher. In addition, leaving dirty dishes can draw ants and other creeping crawlers overnight, which we do not want to do.

The giraffe walked toward us as we waited patiently.

Simple appetizers (referred to as starters) and simple meals are typical in South Africa, usually consisting of meats cooked on the braai with a few starchy sides, which I am making tonight for our guests. I will limit myself to biltong (delicious South African beef jerky), cheese, and steaks and not be tempted by starchy items.

I am easily maintaining my now medication-free former hypertension and high blood sugar, all of which are normal, day after day. That’s a small sacrifice from my perspective. I’m not missing any of it. Well, maybe a few things, but I never indulge myself in those items, which could result in a “slippery slope.”

It’s funny, but I crave “low carb” items, not sweets and starches from my old life before 2011 when I went low carb. Now, I’ve also been zero carbs since last October while in lockdown in the hotel in Mumbai, India, when I conducted hundreds of hours of research on this more strict version of low carb, never looking back.

That’s it for today, dear readers. I have to get back to work on tonight’s food prep and, when done, work on the post corrections. My goal is never to miss a day making the corrections unless it’s a travel day. So far, so good.

Be well.

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

Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas. Will we ever be able to cruise again? For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Kruger National Park photos…It never disappoints…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 11, 2021 with 0 Comment

A mom or matriarch was crossing the road with a youngster.

Visiting Kruger National Park is a mixed bag. There may not be an animal insight for long stretches, and with the maximum speed of 40 km, 25 miles per hour, the drive may be slow and tedious with dense vegetation along some roads. Often, vegetation impedes the view of what may have been exciting sightings in more open spaces.

The dangers are many. When more than two visitors are engaged in a self-drive, unless they’re riding an open vehicle or large SUV with huge back windows, the rear seat passenger’s views may be disappointing at best. Strict rules and regulations prevent passengers from hanging out of windows or standing up in sunroofs.

This was one of the first elephants we spotted on Sunday.

In a moment, any of the wild cats could leap atop a vehicle resulting in a severe or fatal injury. Their reaction time is far superior to ours. Also, it is forbidden to get outside of any vehicle on a self-drive. However, on a few occasions, on guided safari/game drives, there may be instances whereby meals or snacks are served in the bush, or a guided walking safari is conducted by an experienced guide leading the walk, carrying a weapon.

As for what we consider the best way to see game in any wildlife-rich national park is riding in a raised, open-sided safari vehicle as high up as possible, enhancing the possibility of distant sightings. To think that wildlife necessarily stays close to a road is unlikely and unrealistic.

That’s why we particularly enjoyed the Maasai Mara in Kenya and Chobe National Park in Botswana, both of which resulted in off-road dashes to reach distant wildlife. Ultimately, it was all the more exciting. But, in Kruger, staying on the few paved roads and the numerous side dirt and gravel roads is amazing when visitors can see almost every form of wildlife that inhabits the park.

Lowering one’s expectations about the “Big Five” as a prerequisite for a fulfilling day in the park is vital for embracing what the park is all about. It’s not a zoo and hopefully never will be. Kruger is described as follows here:

“Why visit the Kruger National Park? The world-renowned Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary with nearly 2 million ha (4.9 million acres) of unrivaled wilderness and wildlife land, and home, not only the Big Five but more species of large mammals than any other African game reserve.”

An elephant preparing to cross the road is wary of vehicles.

Of the top 10 safari parks in the world, at this juncture, we’ve visited five of the 10. Here is the link with detailed information. As we peruse this link, our interest is piqued to see more of these at some point in the future. But, at this point, time is not our friend.

With the pandemic in mind, and the ability to travel unknown in the future coupled with the realities of aging, we can’t predict what the future holds. At this point, we don’t know where we’ll be in 50 days from today when the visa extension granted to foreign nationals by South Africa President Cyril Ramphosa ends on June 30th.

It’s wonderful to watch the elephants feed. A typical African elephant consumes 300 pounds, 136 kg per day.

Before Covid- 19, we often had the next two years booked in advance. Recently, a reader inquired about our upcoming itinerary. Other than the four upcoming cruises we have booked, the first scheduled for November 2021, none of them may ever set sail. Subsequently, we don’t have an upcoming itinerary. We promise, when and if we do, we’ll certainly post it here.

Enjoy the new Kruger National Park photos we’ll be sharing today and over the next few days. No, they aren’t necessarily unique from what we’ve shared in the past, and yet, we’re still thrilled with what we’d seen only two days ago.

Today is an excellent and sunny day, typical for fall in the bush. At the moment, four warthogs are hovering in the garden, including Little, who is napping close to the veranda. No less than a dozen helmeted guinea fowl are pecking at the seeds we tossed on the ground.

Another elephant was crossing the road. We always wait patiently while often some cars may quickly zoom past.

Go-Away birds are making their hysterical sounds while four hornbills are pecking at the bedroom windows, the dining room window, and the windows on the car. A few minutes ago, we fed about 50 mongooses some leftover meat. They are staying around, making their adorable chirping noises.

Although difficult to determine in this photo, this elephant was giant, old, and very wrinkled.

One of our favorite bushbuck, Thick Neck, is hovering in the dense brush, waiting for the pigs to leave since they don’t allow the small antelope to get a single pellet. Three wildebeest are drinking from the birdbath and the pool, and of course, we’re as content as we could be.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, May 11, 2020:

“Pig in the parlor.” Two years ago today, we left South Africa and posted more of our favorite photos. This was the second time Little came up the steps and into the house while sitting on the sofa and didn’t see him right away. We howled. We always love seeing this photo! Now, it is so fun to have him visiting us here. He’s still quite bossy, but we’re managing fine with him. Does he remember us? It appears so when he tries to get very close to me. But, we keep him at a safe distance. For more, please click here.

Tag: world travel

Who’s in the garden this morning?

Who’s in the garden this morning?

Who’s in the garden this morning?

Who’s in the garden this morning?

Who’s in the garden this morning?

Who’s in the garden this morning?