Hesitated to write about this…More of what?…

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dust mite medical 3d illustration - typical dust mite dust mite stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images
Yikes! This is a dust mite, un-seeable by the naked eye.. (Not our photo).

I hesitated to write this story today. Genetic health issues, primarily from my mother’s side of the family, left me with a variety of medical problems which I’ve struggled with most of my life. As a child, I had severe asthma beginning at about three years old. As I got older, I developed hay fever, which only exacerbated the situation.

In my 20s, I started taking cortisone tablets daily, which continued for 14 years, wreaking havoc with my health and well-being, but at least I could breathe.

In my 30’s I went through all those allergy tests and subsequent weekly injections to reduce my symptoms while at the same time tapering off the cortisone tablets, which took two years. Finally, the injections were completed, and I was truly free of symptoms for many years.

On top of that, as mentioned in the past, I suffered from metabolic syndrome causing high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and constant battles in attempting to maintain my weight at a healthy level. These issues have only recently been entirely resolved when I once again changed my diet, becoming more strict in a low-carb way of eating while in that hotel room in India. I no longer have high blood pressure (off all medication), and I am no longer pre-diabetic.

As I continue to learn about metabolic syndrome, I have realized that constant high blood sugar and high blood pressure caused me to develop cardiovascular heart disease, often a high-risk factor in diabetes and hypertension. Also, after 40 years have passed since I had those allergy injections, the positive effects have worn off. The allergies have returned and manifested in different ways.

Kudu, named Bossy, was surrounded by mongooses and didn’t seem to mind a bit as long as there were pellets around. The mongooses don’t care for the pellets.

Yes, after all my posts about my health over the years, I hesitated to write about it again today. But, over the past few months, I’ve thought that if perhaps my writing about this could provide one of our readers with a morsel of curiosity about their conditions, resulting in their pursuit of answers, it was well worth any potential retribution or criticism. I can only imagine many of our readers thinking and saying, “Here we go again.”

So here is my most recent allergy dilemma. I am suffering from severe hives (or what appears to be insect bites) from dust mites. When I had the allergy tests 40 years ago, dust mites were the number one allergen I responded to, number two being grasses.

This house we’re in is impeccably clean. You’d have a hard time finding a speck of dust anywhere. Each day Vusi and Zef clean every inch of space. But the harsh reality regarding dust mites is that they live unseen in mattresses, pillows, stuffed furniture, and clothing. Dust mites, per se, don’t bite their victims. See below from this site:

Tom mixed ups yet another batch of raw scrambled eggs.

“What Are Dust Mites?

Dust mites are microscopic, insect-like pests that generate some of the most common indoor substances—or allergens—that can trigger allergic reactions and asthma in many people. Hundreds of thousands of dust mites can live in the bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets, or curtains in your home. They feed on the dead human skin cells found in dust.

Dust mites are not parasites; they don’t bite, sting, or burrow into our bodies. The harmful allergen that they create comes from their fecal pellets and body fragments. Dust mites are nearly everywhere; roughly four out of five homes in the United States have detectable levels of dust mite allergen in at least one bed.”

Here is information on rashes caused by exposure to dust mites, which I appear to be suffering from over the past few months. I do not see new rashes during the day or evening while outdoors. But, at night, when I go to bed, I start itching like crazy and discover new rashes all over my body in the morning, particularly areas that touch the mattress and pillows.

Utilizing extreme caution and the frequent use of DEET repellent several times a day, I no longer am getting many mosquito bites. For a while, I thought the rash might be a result of the harsh laundry soap. Louise had Vusi and Zef start using baby-friendly chemical-free laundry soap.

We rarely feed the impalas. There are so many of them, and we’d draw even more if we did so. Occasionally, they visit when there are already pellets on the ground. There is plenty of green vegetation for them to graze at this time.

We purchased the same type of laundry soap for our laundry, clothing, and towels.  Although there was a slight improvement, I’d still awaken in the morning with new outrageously itchy spots all over my body, particularly any exposed skin. A few nights, I wore winter pajamas with long tight pants and long sleeves. This helped, but it’s tough to wear these hot clothes to bed when temperatures are in the 100Fs, 40Cs, during the day. The air con in the bedroom couldn’t keep me cool enough to be able to sleep.

My arms are the worst, covered in inflamed, red bite-like spots that continue to itch for no less than three weeks once I have a new batch. My neck and face have been covered at times with the rash. When old patches recover, new ones occur. I try not to complain. My Fitbit shows how poor my sleep has been, often around four or five hours intermittently. I take antihistamines daily and use prescription cortisone cream several times a day and night. Nothing helps.

Last week, Vusi and Zef cleaned and sprayed all sides of the mattress and pillows with anti-dust mite spray. It lasted only two nights and then was back with a vengeance.

Yesterday, in dire frustration, I threw my arms in the air. I asked Louise to find a professional exterminator to come and fog the entire house, hopefully ridding us of this problem. We insisted we pay for this service. As it turned out, the only professional in this area is gone for two weeks. Instead, he told Louise and Danie how to fumigate the house and what products to use that will hopefully provide some relief until he returns and does the full-professional treatment.  I feel bad that they have to do this. But, that is how they are, always concerned for our well-being and the well-being of all their clientele.

Bossy always stares at me for more pellets. She has us both well trained.

Monday, we have to move out of the house for 24 hours while they come in the morning and do the temporary fumigation job. They insisted we stay at their wonderful current home while staying in another of their fabulous properties with family joining them for a few weeks’ visit. Monday morning, we’ll pack up an overnight bag and head to their beautiful house, only minutes away.

So there it is, another of my recent dilemmas. This same thing happened to me last time we were here in 2018 and when we stayed in a hotel in Minneapolis during a six-week family visit in 2017. There were no such issues during those ten months in India. Thank goodness.

Last night our friend Alan came to visit, and we had an enjoyable evening. Tonight, we’re going to Jabula for dinner. Soon, we’ll visit Kruger National Park once we wrap up this situation and complete a few looming tasks.

Happy day. Be well.

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

“Buffaloes are believed to have domesticated around 5000 years ago in the Indus Valley and thrive best in the areas of moderate rainfall as they require plenty of water for their daily bath.   Indian buffaloes are considered to be an important source of milk today. They yield nearly three times milk like cows. Interestingly, 47.22 million milch buffaloes produce 55 percent of milk, which is more than half of the total milk produced in the country. Whereas, 57 million cows contribute only 45 percent of the total milk yield.” This is from the post one year ago, when we knew we had to end our 54-night private tour of India prematurely due to Covid-19. Please click here for more.

Impossible visa documents…Have to use the pricey option…Lion and a snake…

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We spent all afternoon for two days attempting to apply for an e-visa for Kenya from the government immigration website. No matter what I tried, changing and reducing the size and the file types of the photos and documents required to upload, it was all in vain. It simply would not work. I wrote to the immigration department and also called with no response.

We were both so frustrated. There were dozens of other sites from which to apply, but most of them were scam sites. It was too risky for us to proceed with one of those. Finally, we contacted the pricey US site, CIBT, which we’d used for a few visas in the past, mainly required for cruising. They are a reputable company, which must have less than a month left to leave for Kenya.

Had we known how difficult this would be, we would have started the process a week ago. But, with the awful heat and humidity, it’s been challenging to be motivated. Today, I resigned myself to stay in the bedroom and get this done. Last night, due to the time difference, I called CIBT, and they said I could email them the photos and documents for which they sent me a particular email address.

Their fees are high at US $179, ZAE 2672, per application plus the fee Kenya charges of US $51, ZAR 761, for a total of US $230, ZAR 3433 for each of us. If we could apply at the Kenya Immigration site, we’d only have to pay the US $51, ZAR 761 each.

We expect that the government offices in Kenya aren’t open due to the pandemic, and no one is attending to their website or office inquiries. There’s no other explanation. Then again, we’ve had experiences with governmental offices and often have run into issues in some countries, including in the USA. It’s not so unusual.

As soon as I upload today’s post, we’ll get to work on both of our applications simultaneously, following each step of the way together. This is usually somewhat of a stressful process, one neither of us cares to do. Hopefully, by the end of today, we’ll have peace of mind, and this will be done. We should receive the e-visa from CIBT within two weeks of submitting our application.

Over the past months, we’ve had several issues with our site. Our web people have been diligent in solving these myriad problems. Many of these issues don’t appear to you, our readers, but impact me as I attempt to post each day. Of course, over this past almost year of the upgrade, we’ve been down for many days, and many of you have been unable to read our new posts. We apologize for this inconvenience.

At this point, it’s looking as if most of the issues have been resolved, and all should be fine going forward. That’s not to say we won’t have WiFi problems or any problems with the site going forward. Please know that we are well aware of our site and have notified our web people if our site is down. WordPress sends me an email when there are problems.

The power just went out due to load shedding. We are currently in the bedroom (no air-con working) with a fan blowing on us. The fan works off of the inverter, as does the WiFi. We have the blinds closed to keep the heat out until power returns in 2½ hours. Last night the load shedding started during the night from 3:00 am until 5:30 am. Thank goodness we have the fan.

Currently, the temperature is 95F, 35C at 11:00 am. It is expected to be 101F, 38C by 2:00 pm, 1400 hours. The humidity is through the roof. Today, there are two more load shedding sessions, resulting in 7½ hours without power on such a hot day. Oh well, as we said, this goes with the territory. This is Africa, and we’re grateful to be here.

May you have a relaxing and safe day wherever you may be!

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

The town of Mahabalipuram is lined with shops with supplies for locals and also an endless array of tourist trinkets. For more photos, please click here.

The dreadful process of filling out forms…A zebra in a pool???…

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We’ve yet to have a single visit from a full-racked male kudu. They can only get into our garden by walking on the driveway when the bush is too dense. This young male could make it through the bush to stop for a visit during sundowners on the veranda.

We dread it each time we have to extend our visas, apply for permits, or apply online for any government-mandated process. Often, the forms are confusing, difficult to use, and don’t save partially completed forms. However, their website clearly states that returning users can easily find their partially completed forms. Ha! Not always the case.

Yesterday, we started the necessary process of applying for our e-visas for entry into Kenya on April 9th. On January 1, 2021, Kenya switched from the easy visa-upon-arrival process with a mandatory online application. With many of the questions translated from other languages, the questions in the form are often ambiguous and confusing.

A female kudu and a male impala were getting along well while eating pellets.

But, the worst part for us, mainly me, who will make both of our online applications, is now using a Chromebook instead of formerly using Windows. With Windows, all I had to do was find the appropriate travel documents in a folder on my desktop, and we’d be good to go.

It’s not so easy with a Chromebook, regardless of how and where I save documents, to easily find them to grab and attach to an uploader in an online application. I know how to do this. But when saving the documents needed, such as airline tickets, hotel reservations, copies of passports, and decent headshot photos, those documents I properly saved are often missing, and I can’t “grab” to upload them into the form.

Impalas are very shy around humans. We’ve been surprised to see so many visiting our garden.

Yesterday afternoon, I spent no less than two hours in dire frustration in the 100F, 38C, heat, and humidity, and will have to go back and try again today. Just now, as we speak, I looked for the documents and found them where they should be in the “download” folder.

But, I do not doubt that when I start working on the form again, re-entering all I’ve already entered on ten pages, they won’t be there. We often wonder how less experienced users could get through this process. Often, they have to hire a company to do this for them at an additional cost over and above the US $102 ZAR 1558, the fee (for both of us) charged by Kenya.

Impalas stay at a distance from the veranda.

Oh, I can’t wait to get this done and behind us. Tom, a less experienced user of Chromebook’s weird nuances, will be able to re-enter his personal information, which was lost upon “save. Hopefully, after he re-enters it today, it will all be there for me to log into his Kenya visa account and upload the documents from there also.

Talk about sweating in this weather! It’s only 10:30 right now in Marloth Park, and it’s already 90F, 32C with high humidity, all of which is rising rapidly. It won’t be until after about 5:00 pm, 1700 hours, that we’ll feel the temperature drop slightly. Yesterday Tom read that the “wind chill” was 110F, 43.3C. We had no idea wind chill factors were considered for hot weather as well as for cold temperatures.

Adorable young male bushbuck checks out the grassy area in our garden, waiting for Tom, in the red shirt, to toss him a few pellets.

Last night, the air-con in our bedroom couldn’t keep up with the heat. It was also necessary to use one of the two standing fans in our bedroom, aimed directly at us. It never really cooled down much during the night. Even our wildlife friends stay away during the heat. They hunker down in the shade of the bush, close to water holes. It must be so hard for them.

Yesterday there was a Facebook story under Marloth Park Sighting Group that was mind-boggling as follows:

“ATTENTION POOL OWNERS: Last week Thursday, driving up Berghaan Rd, I was flagged down by a resident/visitor of a house with a newly built swimming pool. The gentleman was FRANTIC, and I soon learned that he was deaf, as is his partner, neither could speak either. Turning into the driveway, I was greeted by the sight of an adult zebra, in the pool, but exhausted, his neck and head out of the water, hanging over the side, as the gentleman, who was EXHAUSTED, and two young builders from the next-door house had managed to get zebra to the side of the pool. I don’t know how long it was going on before I arrived, but I jumped into action, looped my bakkie (a pickup truck) tow strap around zebra’s neck, and with the help of the builders, directed zebra around to the shallow end where it could stand, and where we could lead it to the steps. This worked!! Three minutes after I arrived, the zebra was out of the water and on its feet…..
Firstly, the pool was too deep for adult zebra to stand. Secondly, the pool should be fenced. Should it not just be common sense to fence a pool in a nature reserve?? Hate to think what would’ve happened had I not driven by when I did. Occupants of the house were inside, both deaf, with no idea about the drama outside. Luckily the builders were awake…”
Bushbucks have such adorable faces!
Fortunately, the zebra was rescued by the kind and creative people who immediately went into action. The zebra seemed fine and dashed off. And yes, there are pools at most houses in the bush, mainly splash pools used to cool off in hot weather, days like today, and few, if any, are fenced.
That’s a matter for another day. Fences are frowned upon in the bush, preventing the wildlife from freely foraging as they wander about the park. But, circumstances under which a wall may be sensible, providing safety for humans and animals alike.
Tiny is sitting in front of his favorite tree stump.
Our pool, yet to be used by us, is shallow, above ground, encased, and surrounded by a cement wall. It would be unlikely an animal could fall in without climbing over the fence, tricky to do at best. Plus, it’s shallow, as is the case of most splash pools in the bush. We’re thrilled to hear the zebra was safely rescued. Life in the bush has always been exciting and often unusual.
Have a lovely day.
Photo from one year ago today, March 10, 2020:
“Krishna’s Butterball (also known as Vaan Irai Kal and Krishna’s Gigantic Butterball) is a gigantic granite boulder that rests on a short incline in the historical coastal resort town Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu state of India. Since it is part of the Group of Monuments at Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built during 7th- and 8th-century CE as Hindu religious monuments by the Pallava dynasty, it is a popular tourist attraction. It is listed as a protected national monument by the Archeological Survey of India. It is best viewed at sunrise from northwest to southeast or at sundown from northeast to southwest when the panorama is bathed in magical golden hues.” Our guide explained that at one time, centuries ago, the locals tried to move this boulder using elephants, but it wouldn’t budge. For more photos, please click here.

More social time in the bush…Will we be able to get the “jab?”…

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Giraffes are such beautiful animals, especially in how they relate to one another. On occasion, there may be fighting by necking among males. But, overall, they get along well, sharing the bounty of the bush.

What a wonderful anniversary we had! Not only did we receive countless warm wishes, but we spent the evening again with dear friends Linda and Ken, who are leaving Marloth Park tomorrow to return to their home in Johannesburg. They are planning to return for other visits during the next several months.

Both parents are diligent in looking after their youngsters.

After almost a year of being unable to socialize, as has been the case for many throughout the world, it is fantastic to be able to spend time with Louise and Danie, Linda and Ken, and all of our other friends who are currently in Marloth Park with many more to arrive in the next several months after they can get their Covid-19 vaccinations.

They are often curious about humans but make a point of not getting too close. Of course, we don’t feed them when their diet mainly consists of trees and plants.

When we may be able to get vaccinated is up in the air. As non-residents of South Africa and with a limited supply of the vaccine, we may not be able to get vaccinated for a long time to come. However, we found this encouraging article online that gives us hope that we may be allowed to get the jab at some point.

What an adorable face!

We’re hoping this country can provide some certificate stating we’ve been vaccinated when the time comes. It certainly wouldn’t make sense to be immunized without such a document to use going forward, especially when and if the time comes, that we can go on any of the cruises we currently have booked, well into the future. We are confident that in the future, cruise lines will require proof of vaccination for all passengers.

They manage to sustain themselves in areas with room for them to navigate. When the bush is too dense for freedom of movement, they’ll often forage from the roads.

This morning before posting for the day, we headed to Komatipoort for a few items. With Easter upcoming on April 4th, President Ramaphosa may impose a new alcohol ban around that time. Thus, we decided to stock up on my wine and brandy for Tom.

Another adorable face!

My wine is ZAR 49, US $3.23 a bottle. Tom’s brandy, the popular liter of Klipdrift, is ZAR 229.99, US $14.85. With prices like these, it doesn’t take much forethought to stay well-stocked, especially during lockdown periods when bans are possible. It’s no wonder South Africans enjoy “sundowners.”

They can be playful with one another.

While I visited the pharmacy, wearing a mask, a face shield, and rubber gloves, I was able to purchase a bottle of 1000 vitamin B6 tablets for Tom at the cost of ZAR 97.41, US $6.29 plus, an allergy medication for me along with a variety of odds and ends. A woman is stationed outside the shop, spraying hand sanitizers onto the hands of entering customers, and takes everyone’s temperature.

We took these photos a few days ago against the backdrop of a blue sky with white fluffy clouds.

As often is the case, my temperature was 36C, 96.8F, instead of 37C, with an average temperature of 98.6F. I have always had a low temperature which is no big deal, one way or another. From the pharmacy, I walked to Spar Market, where Tom met up with me. He had gone ahead on his own after dropping me off to get petrol for the rental car, a bag of pellets from Obaro Hardware Store, and the wine and brandy from TOPS liquor store.

Their sense of hearing is acute, and when another animal or human enters the scene, they are quick to investigate.

In no time at all, we’d purchased the few items we needed from Spar to round out our groceries for the week. With social plans for five nights in a row, we still have plenty of food on hand, quickly enough to last for another week.

One of the most delightful scenes in Marloth Park is when giraffes wander down the road.

Tonight, as mentioned, we’re meeting Linda and Ken for dinner at Amazing Kruger View restaurant that overlooks the Crocodile River. Hopefully, we’ll be able to take many good photos of wildlife while outdoors on their wide-open veranda. Of course, I’ll load up on plenty of insect repellent, hoping to keep the mozzies at bay while dining outdoors.

It’s scorching and humid again today. By 4:00 pm, 1600 hours, we’ll head indoors to shower for the second time today and get ready to go out once again for more social fun. We certainly love life in Marloth Park.

We hope that a reduction in Covid cases in your area allows opportunities for more visits with family and friends while always taking necessary precautions to social distance, wearing face masks, and washing your hands. Regardless of vaccines, these precautions must be adhered to diligently with no margin for error.

Please have a great Monday, and thanks for all the well wishes for our anniversary. We appreciate every one of YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, March 8, 2020:

There are numerous temples in this one location. Many come to pray here every day. We weren’t allowed inside the temples since we weren’t Hindu. For more photos, please click here.

We’re baaaack!!!…Sorry for the disappearing act!…Still unable to upload new photos…

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This blind priest prays in this position all day, standing outside the  Eklingi Temple. As a functioning temple, no photos are allowed. Silver was used in embellishing the interior and it was stunning.

Please know how frustrating it is for us when we’re unable to upload a post and new photos. During the past year, we’ve had numerous occasions when our site was down during the upgrade and thereafter due to one issue or another. Then, over the past few days, there was some type of WiFi issue making it impossible to upload photos, let alone the text content.

We’re always in awe of the detailed carvings, many of which required decades of diligent work to complete.

But, now we’re thinking it is an issue with WordPress which is being worked on now as I prepare this post without new photos. Instead, we’ve added some photos from last year on this date.

As a result, yesterday morning, I threw my hands up in the air after trying for two days, to take a break and wait until today. So far, I still cannot upload photos.

Yesterday, we were preparing to entertain friends for sundowners for eight of us and we had a busy day preparing for our guests, making a wide array of snacks and treats for happy hour.

Sacred cows kept safely on the grounds of the temple.

Actually, it’s less time-consuming to prepare a meal than a wide array of starters (appetizers) but entertaining this way is traditional in South Africa, although cooking on the braai is the next favorite option. Unfortunately, in this smaller house, we don’t have the number of serving items, space, and dinnerware to accommodate a sit-down dinner for eight. But, we did fine last night with Louise‘s help in providing us with serving pieces of various types including adequate numbers of wine glasses.

South Africans love their wine and rightfully so when some of the world’s finest wines are produced in this country, with many vineyards close to Cape Town. Of course, I only drink my favorite, Four Cousins, Skinny Red, which is 33% less alcohol and only a few carbs.

Nagda Temple is not a functioning temple, but the Gods contained therein are attended to on a daily basis. They are symbolically brought food, flower offerings, and bathed each day. No visitors are allowed when the Gods are sleeping.

Last night, Lesley took photos of us, speaking of red wine, and I didn’t smile much in the photo of Tom and I when I knew my teeth were red after my first of two glasses of red wine. That’s the only thing I don’t like about red wine, the awful staining of otherwise white teeth. A good brushing later in the evening gets rid of “that look.” But, but “they” say not to brush until a few hours pass after drinking red wine, something to do with the acidity not being good for the enamel if brushing while still drinking.

I don’t know. I don’t always believe what “they” say when over the years, we’ve discovered “they” were wrong about so many things.

In any case, we had a lovely evening with Linda and Ken, Lesley and Andrew and Louise and Manie. The conversation was lively and we both enjoyed their appreciation of our sundowner spread of various snacks and treats. It’s always a joy for a host and hostess to see guests enthusiastically partaking in the foods we prepare, The only thing missing was many of our other friends who’ve yet to get the vaccine to become able to travel here.

Tom takes a photo of me taking a photo of one of several beautiful temples.

The mosquito issue doesn’t end when darkness falls. If anything, they get worse in the dark. As a result, most sundowner parties end by 7:30 or 8:00 pm, rarely later. This is disappointing since it’s at this point when a party is in full swing, but everyone has to wrap it up and go home. Some diehards will sit by a bonfire and tough it out with the mozzies. But, this mature group, us included, weren’t prepared to deal with the darned mosquitos. The reality of entertaining in South Africa is that most social events occur outdoors. Here in Marloth Park, this is especially true when most houses are not built for indoor entertaining including at restaurants. Well, this is all good except for the reality, that at dark by about 7:30 pm this time of year, the mozzies come out in a flesh-eating frenzy.

That was the case here last night. By 8:00 pm, our guests had left. Tom and I had cleaned everything up, the dishwasher was running and we headed into the bedroom to watch a show on Amazon prime and wind down. After an hour or so, we took out some of the leftovers for a late-night treat. It was another lovely evening in the bush.

Tonight, we’ll return to Jabula Lodge & Restaurant for dinner again, after our visit on Thursday with Linda and Ken. Soon, they’ll be leaving the bush to return to their home in Johannesburg. We’ll be spending both Sunday and Monday evenings socializing with them once again, always a great pleasure.

The temple structures were made of marble which is abundant in India but over the years the white color has changed to this light brown coloring.

Please know we are totally aware of the photo issues and are working hard to resolve them. It may not be resolved for a few more days. Have a great weekend.

Photo from one year ago today, March 6, 2020:

All of the above photos are from one year ago, Please see the link here.

Planning for the future…Uncertainty in times of Covid-19…

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It’s surprising how well they get along when sharing the raw scrambled eggs.

Ah, it’s a new day, and it’s more perfect than it’s been in a while. The sun is shining. The temperature is moderate with low humidity. Late yesterday, our site was down for a few hours, but now it is working again. Why this happens is beyond me. All I know is our web people quickly respond to resolve it.

My question? Is WordPress unstable? Is our web hosting company Hostinger, a substantial worldwide provider, dangerous? I can’t seem to get a definitive answer to these questions. But, this continues to happen from time to time. If you see we’re down, please check back later, knowing our web people are working to find a permanent solution. We always know when this happens since WordPress sends me a message. Immediately, regardless of where we are and what we’re doing, we report it.

Our site is huge, with well over 3000 posts and 40,000 photos. This may be a contributing factor. One may say, well, Amazon is a thousand times larger than us, and they don’t go down. Well, they are spending millions of dollars a year to maintain their site. We are not. Since we make so little revenue from our site, recently, we added more advertising to offset some of our web-related expenses.

This mongoose must have stared at us for an hour, watching our every move.

Also, we are in the process of monetizing our YouTube page. We’d hoped we’d never have to do this, but with all these added web expenses, we had no choice. Of course, none of this impacts our readers, other than an occasional click to rid yourself of the necessity of viewing an ad. You aren’t obligated to use our advertisers (but we appreciate it if you do), nor do you have to pay to access our site. This won’t change.

You can access our YouTube videos at this link. It’s easy to sign up if you’d like to become a subscriber. You may enjoy going back and seeing our old videos from all over the world. In the future, we’ll be making a concerted effort to upload more and more videos.

Right now, as I prepare today’s post, Tom is researching flights for our exit on April 9th for the much-needed visa stamps when our current visas expire on April 12th. We have to leave a few days earlier than our visa ends since the car rental facilities at the local airport, Nelspruit/Kruger/Mpumalanga, are closed on the weekends. Thus, we’ll leave before and after a weekend.

Tom brought out the pan with the raw scrambled eggs, and of course, they gobbled them up in a matter of seconds.

As for what we’ve chosen to do when required to leave South Africa, we should have a plan in place by tomorrow, and we’ll share all the details here.

The sun has become hidden behind white fluffy clouds as we’ve sat here over the past hour. We’ve been watching the weather and the condition of dirt roads to embark on a drive through Marloth Park and eventually to Kruger National Park. It may rain after all.

There are no public restrooms in the park other than resorts, camps, and restaurants. The outdoor restaurant at Lower Sabie, the Mugg & Bean, has been closed for the past few months. When traveling to Kruger, it’s a suitable spot to stop for a bathroom break and brunch. Spending several hours in the garden without a bathroom break can be a challenging premise.

They are so cute, playful, and funny. We always enjoy their visits. Besides, they are a deterrent to snakes since they may attack them and are resistant to the venom.

Plus, it’s enjoyable to be on a self-drive in this massive national park and be able to stop at a restaurant overlooking the Sabie River, often rife with wildlife, a view to be savored while dining. Photo ops are abundant in this area. Soon, we’ll go on a day’s outing as the dirt roads dry up more and more, not only here in Marloth Park but also in Kruger.

Today, we’ll spend the bulk of the day booking plans for April 9th, firming up all the details. A vital aspect of booking any travel plan at this point is to become well aware of Covid-19 requirements and restrictions. Upon arriving in another country, no traveler would want to discover that a 14-day quarantine was required. This would be a fiasco.

They tend to rest piled atop one another with an occasional little head peeking out from under the pile.

Otherwise, all is well. We’re cheerful, although zeroed in on booking the upcoming travels, and will feel a great sense of relief once we’ve completed booking every aspect of this upcoming trip.

Enjoy your day!

Photo from one year ago today, March 2, 2020:

The bulky gaur, a rare type of buffalo, is found in India. For more photos, please click here.

An old friend comes to call…Sheer delight…

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It only took me a split second to realize it was Little, not only by how he looked at me but by his funny-shaped little tusks.

Note: We’ve yet to receive the link for the stream of our interview on Lowveld Radio on Saturday. Once we receive the stream for the podcast, we will upload it in the next day’s post. We’ve returned from Malalane after seeing Dr. Singh, the dental surgeon, and for the first time, leaving a doctor’s office, I was on Cloud 9.

There is no abscess, nor is there any issue of any kind with any of my teeth or gums. His sophisticated scanning equipment revealed every aspect of my mouth. He stated emphatically that I had the teeth of a much younger person who’s cared for her teeth all of her life. This news made me smile.

The pain I had in my check resulted from a sinus infection, which the antibiotics I’d taken may have resolved. What a relief! I was anticipating bad news, not such good news. We’re both thrilled. After we left the dental office, we headed to Click’s Pharmacy, a store comparable to a CVS or Walgreen in the US. Tom waited in the car while I shopped.

Little kneeling on his knees for some pellets. He was in heaven. Me, too.

I loaded up on some much-needed cosmetic items. After all, I hadn’t been to such a store in over a year, back in the US at the end of 2019. It was fun to load up on some of my favorite items. In my old life, I usually used department store cosmetics. In the past eight years plus, I’ve been content using drugstore items when I can find such a drug store in any given country. It’s not always possible.

After Click’s, we drove a short distance to the massive Spar Market, which is twice the size of the Spar store in Komatipoort with many more options and, again, reasonable prices. It was more like Sam’s Club or Costco store. I felt like a kid in a candy store, squealing with delight each time I found something new, befitting of our way of eating.

From there, we headed back to our bush house, anxious to unload our “haul” and get to work preparing today’s post with the intent of getting it uploaded before 4:00 pm. Tonight is a cause to celebrate. But, then again, a lot of evenings are worthy of celebration. It’s comfortable and cool today. The WiFi and power are working. We have a great dinner planned, and we couldn’t be more content.

Perhaps a nap was on the agenda, not uncommon for Little.

However, something extraordinary happened yesterday afternoon while we lounged on the veranda in the early afternoon. A warthog came up to the veranda looking for pellets. Immediately, Tom said, “Oh, that’s the pig that tore a huge hole in the screen door a few days ago,” while I was indoors. He was trying to make his way into the house.

The moment I looked at him, I recognized him. It was, unquestionably, without a doubt, my boy Little. My heart skipped a beat with sheer joy. It was easy for me to recognize his unique features, particularly his girth and his flint-shaped little tusks, the reason I’d named him “Little.”

I couldn’t grab the camera quickly enough. But first, pellets were on the menu. Tom tossed him several containers while, happily, I took one photo of him after another. To confirm it was him, for which I had no hesitation, Tom looked up old photos of him for comparison, and he too agreed. It was, in fact, our boy Little. Sadly, I’d surmised that perhaps he’d been culled during the last culling  2020.

Napping was elusive when there were more pellets on the ground.

The big question remained… Did he remember me from 22 months ago, the last three of which I spent very little time outdoors while recovering from open-heart surgery? I’d been stuck lying on the sofa in the lounge room until I was able to walk after the two-leg surgeries began to heal. He continued to visit each day during those long three months. When I could muster the strength and energy, I’d occasionally get up to greet him.

Keep in mind that science states that pigs are even more intelligent than dogs and, we all know dogs remember those they love years after they’ve been separated for whatever reason. Why wouldn’t a pig? And Little did. He stopped eating pellets while I called him by name, talked to him, and looked into his eyes. If a pig could smile with that goofy snout, he would have been smiling.

But, I smiled for both of us. It took over six weeks for him to come here and find us, and I accept the reality that I may not see him for many more weeks or even months to come. Having seen him once was magical. Any more times will be a bonus. I doubt he and Tiny will get along, and one could scare off the other permanently, as happened at the Orange house with Tusker and Basket. The basket came after Tusker and dominated the garden. Tusker never returned after having been a regular in our garden for many months.

When we were gone today, Vusi was cleaning, and Little returned and tried to get inside again. Vusi suggested we move the big bags of pellets from the lounge to another area. We’ll do this tomorrow.

Ah, yes, I am a died in the wool animal lover. Some may say I am an “animal whisperer” when I quickly build relationships with animals, as has always been the case throughout my life. I love them all, big and small, but especially those where eye contact becomes a relevant means of communication, coupled with their response to my high-pitched yet gentle voice.

We had a great day out, and we plan to spend the remainder of today on the veranda, appreciating the cool, rainy weather and the visitors who come to call, hour after hour. Whether it’s Tiny, who usually arrives each afternoon around 4:00 pm, Little, whom we don’t know will return, or the 24 impalas who graced us with their presence only minutes ago. It’s all magical and will continue to be so for every moment we spend in this life-changing environment.

Currently, we are working on travel options for getting out of South Africa on or about April 12th, when our 90-day visa expires. It doesn’t appear there will be a “free” automatic extension for foreign visitors when President Cyril Ramphosa spoke last night, dropping COVID-19 restrictions down to Level 1 from Level 3, easing some restrictions, none of which impact us at this time. As a result, we’ve decided to take a trip out of the country with some exciting possibilities in the works. We will report back once these plans are confirmed, sometime in the next few days.

That’s all, folks! Stay safe. Wash your hands. Social distance and for those who can and are willing, get vaccinated.

Happy day.

Photo from one year ago today, March 1, 2020:

The outdoor dining room at Tuli Tiger Resort. It was very cool at night, and we had to bundle up for dinner. For more, please click here.

Part 2 …An exciting opportunity in the bush…Postponed until tomorrow…Great evening with friends…

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In Sydney, Ken and Tom toasting “James Squire, the Swindler” summer ale in the pub!

We won’t be posting Part 2 from yesterday’s radio broadcast. The stream won’t be available until Monday. The broadcast was live, but apparently, the stream hasn’t been set up yet. Tomorrow when we return from Malalane after my dental surgeon appointment and some grocery shopping, we’ll be preparing that post, providing the stream will be available online by that time.

In Sydney, Linda and I toasted to the special occasion.

Sorry for the incorrect information in yesterday’s post here. This is South Africa, not the US. Things move a little slower here. For some reason, I assumed once the live broadcast was presented, the stream would be available.

As for last night’s first dinner party for four since we arrived in Marloth Park, we had a fabulous time with Linda and Ken. It was astonishing to see our old friends. The last time we were together was in 2019 in Wales, UK, when we all explored the ruins of famous castles. See the photo below. See that post here.

In Wales, Ken set up our camera timers for this photo.

Before that time, we saw them many times in 2018/2019 while we were in Marloth Park. And, before that, we got together in Sydney. Australia and met up at the Fortune of War Pub, the oldest pub in the city, had a few drinks, and walked around the fabulous city, and ended up having lunch at a cozy restaurant. See that post here. They, too, like to travel and are feeling disappointed about travel restrictions at this time due to Covid-19.

Tom and I and Ken and Linda, great friends from Marloth Park who happened to be in Sydney at the same time as us! Small world!

We felt comfortable being with them in light of Covid-19. They, like us, are cautious in avoiding contact with possible exposure to the virus. Still, we did our best to be socially distanced as much as we could, until finally, we went indoors to have dinner at the round dining room table to escape the enthusiasm of the awful mosquitoes who have been on a rampage since the recent rains.

One can never be too cautious, whether it’s concerned about getting the virus or possibly contracting malaria from mosquito bites, even when covered with repellent 24/7. I have found it necessary to spend each day indoors to reduce my exposure to the bites. At night, it’s even worse, so we end up going indoors shortly after darkness falls when it becomes even worse. Every four hours, I load up on the DEET repellent to no avail.

In Sydney, friends Linda and Ken, whom we met in Marloth Park in 2013.

In a few months, as it continues to cool down as winter approaches in June, there won’t be as many mosquitoes. Plus, the cool weather is delightful when sitting outdoors or sleeping. In any case, we’re still enjoying every moment of our time in Marloth Park.

The socialization, the wildlife, the scenery, the people, and the unique environment we’ve ever lived in our years of world travel. In a perfect world, the visa situation wouldn’t be such an issue. Soon, we’ll need to start looking again for some options for a new visa stamp. We have to leave here in only 43 days.

Today, we’ll lay low. The weather is ideal, not too humid and cooler than usual. The Wifi and power are working.  Tonight, I hope for a night of better sleep than last night when I tossed and turned, awakening for hours during the night. I want to be well-rested for the unknown of what is yet to come for tomorrow’s dental appointment at 9:00 am.

Tomorrow’s post will be later than usual since we don’t expect to be back in Marloth Park until 1:00 or 2:00 pm. Have an excellent Sunday!

Photo from one year ago today, February 28, 2020:

The spacious veranda outside the door to our lovely suite at Tuli Tiger Resort in Kanha Tiger Reserve in India. For more, please click here.

Part 1…An exciting opportunity in the bush…

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Duikers are shy and elusive, rarely coming close for pellets. This adorable male has stopped by a few times, checking us out but not quite ready to partake of the pellets.

Last night, while out to dinner at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant in Marloth Park, while laughing and chatting with owners, Dawn and Leon, Leon got a call on his phone from Louise, who had been trying to call me my phone but I failed to answer. For some reason, I’d turned off the ringer. But, knowing Louise, she knew where to find us.

She told Leon she had an urgent message for us. We couldn’t imagine what it could be. Quickly, we listened to what she had to say and were surprised when she asked us to come to their Marloth Park Info Centre at 7:30 am tomorrow, Saturday, to be interviewed for a radio station in Nelspruit, Radio Lowveld, 100.5 FM.

When Louise and Danie, who provide a fantastic resource for tourists at their Marloth Park Info Centre located at 3043 Olifant Drive, asked us to come to the center at 7:30 this morning to interview Radio Lowveld, at first, we hesitated. It was early to get up, shower, dress, and be out the door.

This is newly named Peter, Paul, and Mary. They have become quite regular visitors to our garden.

But, when Louise explained that the purpose of us being interviewed was to promote tourism in Marloth Park, we jumped at the chance. The early morning time would work fine for us if we managed to leave Jabula early enough to get back to our bush house and get a good night’s sleep after getting to be at a decent hour.

We continued schmoozing with Dawn and Leon, ate our usual delicious dinner, and left before 8:00 pm, with me even leaving an unfinished full glass of red wine, something I’d rarely do. More on my mind was being fresh and sharp for the early morning interview. As it turned out later in the evening, Louise texted saying we could arrive at 8:15 am instead of 7:30. That helped.

This photo was taken from the car window when we drove along the Crocodile River yesterday afternoon.

Once back at the house, we settled in, watched a Netflix series on my laptop, and by 10:30 pm, I was asleep, Tom shortly after that. With no time to prepare an agenda for the interview, we realized we’d have no choice but to “wing it,” focusing on the reasons why we continue to return to Marloth Park, now for the fourth time, for a total of 20 months, when repeat stays anywhere in the world weren’t on our radar when we decided to travel the world, beginning on October 31, 2012.

Early on, Tom and I made a pact that we’d never return to the exact location, other than to visit family in the USA, to ensure we continually expanded our horizons by seeing more and more countries and points of interest along the way. After all, the world is a vast place.

Hopefully, soon, zebras will come to see us in the garden.

Anytime one does a broadcast interview or a public speech, it’s easy to think back, wishing we’d said “this or that.” In this case, I wished I had focused more on promoting tourism to Marloth Park than on our reasons for coming here again and again.

But, perhaps, that’s what listeners want to hear…why a typical couple, like us, keeps returning to a favorite vacation/holiday spot, regardless of travel goals and aspirations, simply because they want to, as opposed to what one “should do” when traveling. For us, the reasons we love Marloth Park are uncomplicated:

  1. The access to viewing animals in the wild, up close and personal, is a rare experience in this world. Who wouldn’t love a traffic jam with six or more giraffes blocking the road? When have you ever had a zebra, kudu, warthog or wildebeest, in your backyard or garden? Who wouldn’t love some of the best bird watching in the world while sitting on your holiday home’s veranda?
  2. Meeting some of the friendliest and most welcoming locals on the planet, based on our past worldwide experiences which provide us with an extensive social life.
  3. Easy access to the Big Five in a short 25-minute drive to enter the massive Kruger National Park at the Crocodile Bridge entrance gate, which covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west.”
  4. Conveniently located to many other stunning tourist activities, too many to mention here. But Louise and Danie have tons of information available at the Info Centre, conveniently located in the center of Marloth Park on the main paved road.
  5. Fantastic restaurants with great food, conversation, and warm, welcoming
  6. Local shops for supplies, food, biltong, liquor, with a post office, hair salons, ATMs, hardware, feed shop, fantastic water park ideal for kids and families, and so much more, contained in two easy to access shopping centers
  7. A short minute drive from any direction to see the Crocodile River, which separates Marloth Park and Kruger National Park with viewings of lions, elephants, cape buffalo
  8. Endless options for holiday rentals, including private houses, lodges, resorts, and hostels with prices suitable for all budgets, all right within the borders of Marloth Park. For us, Louise and Danie are our chosen hosts for the holiday homes we’ve rented during our four visits over the years providing exemplary services and properties. There are countless other properties you may choose offered by other property owners and managers.
  9. Visiting a game reserve, Lionspruit, located within Marloth Park with lions, whose roars often fill the air at night, music to our ears.
  10. A leisurely-paced, quiet environment offered the utmost of holiday options in a unique setting unlike anywhere else in the world. This magical place leaves every visitor with stories and photos to share for a lifetime.
Kudus were stopping by for some treats and a drink from the pool.

The above reasons are why we chose to return again and again to Marloth Park for some of the finest experiences we’ve had in over eight years of world travel. This visit right now is by no means our last. We will continue to break our pact of not repeating locations in our worldwide travels and return to Marloth Park over and over again.

Please check back tomorrow when we’ll share a link to our interview with Radio Lowveld, 100.5 FM. We’re excited to share it with all of you.

Now I need to get back to work preparing tonight’s dinner for friends Linda and Ken, who will be arriving in about four hours.

Have a safe and pleasing day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 27, 2020:

The photo was taken while on a road trip to our following location on our private tour of India. Please click here for more photos.

Busy weekend plans in the bush…

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Ms. Mongoose is expecting. Note her wide girth.

It’s another late start to the day. It’s almost 1:00 pm, and we’ve been busy this morning, leaving little time to post. Now that we have power, once again, and I am feeling better, I’ve been able to resume working out on the borrowed/rented treadmill. It feels good to be working out.

Another post from pregnant mama mongoose. She proved to be fast on her feet when we offered her a few whole eggs. She had no trouble ensuring no one else would grab them.

Each hour, I set my phone’s timer to remind me that it’s time to go into the second bedroom, turn on the AC five minutes in advance and get back to work. It’s comparable to the walking I did in Mumbai during those ten long months, striving for 10,000 steps, 5 miles, 8 km, per day.

Tiny never fails to stop for a visit, pellets, and a rest.

Unfortunately, my Fitbit doesn’t read how many steps I have been doing on the machine since I don’t swing my arms. I keep my hands on the rails to record my heart rate to ensure it doesn’t go too high. The reading seems fairly accurate when I compare it to the reading on the Fitbit.

We call this male bushbuck Torn Ear. His left ear had an injury, leaving a flap of hair and skin. He often visits several times a day.

Another reason to keep my arms on the rails is for safety. Since the two operations on my legs 22 months ago, I am not as steady on my feet as I used to be. It’s for that reason we don’t walk on the dirt roads in Marloth Park. They are uneven, rocky, and riddled with potholes that could easily result in a fall.

Mongoose is attempting to drink from the swimming pool. There’s a pond in our garden that most animals use for drinking. But, some insist on drinking the chlorinated pool water. After a few gulps, they realize it’s not an ideal water source.

Then, this morning we headed out to the little market in Marloth Park for a few items for tomorrow night’s dinner when Linda and Ken will be joining us. Before we made our way to the market, we drove around the park, searching for wildlife sightings. We were able to spot only a few and jumped at the opportunity for a few new photos.

A dung beetle with his ball of dung, rolling it across the garden.

A short time later, gingerly, I made my way around the crowded little market, trying desperately to avoid getting too close to other shoppers. They didn’t have a few items on my list, so I had to do what they had on hand. One of the items I was looking for was toothpicks for the few bite-sized starters I’m serving with our sundowners.

Appetizers, called “starters” here in South Africa, are traditionally served with cocktails before dinner to avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. I suppose this is the reason. This is also a common practice in the US. Tom and I, when it’s just the two of us, never have starters, fearful we’d get “full” even before the main meal is served.

One Wart has become a regular visitor, although he and Tiny don’t necessarily get along.

But, over the years, we’ve made an effort to repeat this tradition with our dinner or sundowners/happy hour guests. Also, for just the two of us, we didn’t/dodon’t need to consume any more food than what we had on the night’s menu, which would ultimately result in added weight we always struggled to avoid.

This morning, Tom weighed the same as he had when we were in Belize in early 2013. We’ve both been striving to take extra care of ourselves and to drop some unnecessary poundage. It’s been going well. I’d still like to level 2 or 3 more kg, five to six pounds, and this last bit is going very slowly. The number on the scale won’t budge for me, but my clothes fit, so I’m not complaining.

A yet-to-be-named female we’ve only seen a few times.

Tonight, the two of us are returning to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for another dinner after last Saturday night’s birthday dinner. When we saw how careful they are regarding Covid-19, we felt comfortable returning so soon. We’ll sit outdoors on the main veranda and avoid spending any time sitting at our favorite spot, the bar.

Those days of gabbing while standing or sitting at a bar may be long gone, not only for us but for others all over the world, at their favorite pubs and dining establishments. We’ve always found bars a great place to commiserate with the locals in any giver town or city. It’s no different here in Marloth Park. Sadly Covid-19 has changed many forms of entertainment for all of us.

That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back with more tomorrow. Stay safe.

Photo from one year ago today, February 26, 2020:

This baby elephant was being prepped for humans to ride him in search of tigers. Riding an elephant is a custom in India, but as most of our readers know, we wouldn’t ride one, nor do we approve of elephants in captivity (or other animals, for that matter). For more, please click here.