Day #210 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Nothing has changed…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This is what I heard flying around in the empty second story of the house in Diani Beach, Kenya, which proved to be an owl, 

Today’s photos are from the post in 2013 after returning from safari to Diani Beach, Kenya. For more from this date, please click here.

Nothing has changed. We’re still in this hotel room, attempting to make the best of it every day. This morning, Tom’s omelet was overcooked, and his bacon was undercooked. He called the restaurant and asked for “crispy bacon,” a seemingly complex food item for Indian cooks to get right who don’t eat bacon. We try to be patient. They sent up a new batch.

The moon is a crescent on the bottom portion when this close to the equator. Who would have ever thought of this? No, we didn’t watch the toilet flush in the opposite direction as it does in the US. 

Each day, each evening, the identical items we’ve ordered are different than the day before. Tom finally gave up ordering dinner. Instead, he eats a big breakfast.  I haven’t been having much in the way of breakfast after becoming tired of the same things, day after day. I focus on my dinner of grilled chicken parts, broccoli, and sauteed mushrooms, periodically changing the vegetables for variety.

I’ll order the grilled salmon from time to time, but the portion is so small I end up hungry after the meal, often containing two hard-boiled eggs to round it out. We never realized how eating for pleasure was so crucial until this situation. We both long for variety to no avail. 

Diners at Madafoo, in Diani Beach, and most other resort properties are welcomed to sit outside, near the beach, and in some cases by their pool. 

This morning, I felt out-of-steam walking my first mile. Maybe today, I need to take a day off, the first time since I began in March. I slept well last night but wondered if the repetitive nature of this same old, same old, walking path in the corridors, hour after hour, may finally be getting to me. I’ll continue on tomorrow but need a change of pace today.

Often, I’m tempted to say this is comparable to being in prison, but I don’t, realizing prison would be much worse. The bed here is divinely comfortable, and we have a private bath. We have a flat-screen TV and can stream shows, although they stop every seven or eight minutes for a few minutes, to the spinning red wheel when the signal is poor.

While we sat near the ocean at Madafoo’s, a few vendors approached us, relentlessly trying to encourage us to make a purchase. Watching the windsurfers was fun but seemed more befitting the younger crowd. We only observed one person, possibly over 40, partaking in this activity.

Two days ago, I forgot to mention that when I left to get cash from an ATM for the package, it was the first time I’d been outside the hotel in seven months, except for a few occasions I stepped out the main door to collect an item from Amazon India when we’ve ordered basic toiletries and pharmacy items. Since then, I’ve asked the hotel staff to please collect our packages and bring them up to our room. 

The sunbathers left as the sun began to set, and we moved to the restaurant for dinner,

I would never have imagined not going to a market, a pharmacy, or any store for over seven months. How peculiar that is. During our last foray in the US, I stopped at Walgreens at least once a week for an item or two. Now, not at all. Amazon India has many things but different qualities, prices, and actual products. Also, each item is shipped individually, resulting in lots of monkeying around, including:

  1. Sending me a text with an OPT (one-time password)
  2. The driver waits for me to respond, and if I don’t respond immediately, they cancel the shipment.
  3. If I do respond immediately, I have to enter the OPT.
  4. Then, the package is left with the guard at the distant gate, who calls the front desk staff to collect it.
  5. Then, the front desk called our room phone to inform us the package had arrived, asking if we wanted to get it or have it delivered to our room. We always request, “Deliver to our room, please.
  6. Within 30 minutes, the item arrives at the room after the doorbell is rung. I get up to answer the door and take the package.
    This adorable guy, a part-time resort resident belonging to one of the windsurfing trainers, hung around with us during our dinner looking for morsels.  Once we gave him several bites and saw our plates were clean, he moved over to the table of other diners with full plates.

My single bottle of TUMS antacids didn’t arrive yesterday, falling short at item #3 above. I didn’t see the text until it was too late. The article was canceled, and now I have to reorder. Shucks! The nature of the beast. 

Ah, I don’t mean to sound down or sad. Yes, it’s better than prison, and for this, we are grateful. But, regardless of how busy we stay, how much we get done, how many shows we stream, and how many podcasts we listen to, this is not easy.,

The moon at Madafoo’s second night we visited upon returning from the safari, then on October 15, was almost complete.

Ultimately, we are grateful to avoid becoming infected with the rampant virus here in India, especially in Mumbai. In no time at all, India will surpass the US in the number of cases, and probably already has, with the poverty here and the thousands, if not millions, of unreported cases and deaths.

We remain safe in this cocoon, and for that, dear friends, we are grateful. Nothing has changed.

Thank you for being at our side, continually offering so much love and support, which means the world to us. 

Stay healthy and hopeful.

Photo from one year ago today, October 19, 2019:

Ken and Linda set up our camera timers for this photo of the four of us in front of Raglan Castle in Wales. For more photos, please click here.

Day #209 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Package delivery from hell…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 1 Comment
    Moments before, it rained in the Maasai Mara. Tom captured the clouds rolling in at precisely the right moment. Wow, Tom!

Today’s photos are from the post in 2013 while returning from safari to Diani Beach, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

In July, it all began when we ordered supplies from the US to be sent from our mailing service in Las Vegas, Nevada, to our hotel in Mumbai, India. Our new second passports are included in that box, which we’d applied for while in the US last November.

Upon arriving at the landing strip, this tiny plane was the only one in sight.  Then I knew this was Edwin’s plane, and we’d be flying in it once again.
 Note: On Monday, for those of our readers finally receiving the daily posts, we are in the process of changing the look of these emails to be more consistent with the look of our site and reducing the number of posts in each email from five to one, as we had in the past when using Blogger as opposed to WordPress which we’re using now. Only through your kind comments and support can we make our site as user-friendly and appealing as possible. Thank you for this, and of course, for continuing to share in our daily updates.

OK. Here goes. Another package from hell story and folks, as I’ve promised Tom, our last. We will no longer be ordering favorite items we need from the US, not now and not in our future travels, providing someday we can get out of here. The most recent and LAST package was sent from our mailing service on July 28, FedEx Express. 

For the first leg of the flight, Tom and I were on the plane with Edwin. Edwin prepared for takeoff while I was sitting behind the empty co-pilot’s seat. Tom sat behind me so he, too, could look out the window.

Since we had several items in the box of varying values, I insured the package for INR 73,443, US $1000, probably more than the value of its contents, but I rounded it off. We could recover the INR 29377, US $400, shipping fees, plus the contents if they were lost. That was my second mistake, the first being sending the package in itself. I shouldn’t have insured it at all, which I will explain going forward.

FedEx in India is not like the dependable, efficient FedEx in the US and perhaps some other countries. Here, you can call for help and be on hold for hours, never to reach a human being. I am sure part of this was due to COVID-19, but from what we’ve discovered, as businesses have now opened up here, the process for receiving a package is horrendous.

Approaching the landing strip to pick up seven more passengers, most complaining they hadn’t seen the Big Five. We kept our mouths shut when we’d seen the Big 5 in the first 10 hours on safari.

It was only about three weeks ago, after sending dozens of email messages, that we were informed we needed to submit several documents, including passport bio and back pages, a letter from the hotel, and our visa documents. Why all this to receive a package? It’s obvious. They certainly went through the box to view the contents. Why all this?

Then, while still in Delhi after 2½ months, it finally went through customs to determine a customs duty. Regardless of the contents, they assessed the contents for the insured US $1000, with a duty tax of INR 71364, US $974, including some arbitrary COVID-19 processing fee. In other words, we had to pay this horrific amount to receive the box based on my declaration of the insured contents. My faux pas, entirely.

Control panel of the single-engine plane.

Then, on top of that, there was virtually nowhere online that we could pay this amount in advance. The only way to pay was to do a bank transfer. While sitting in the lobby yesterday, with the help of the beautiful hotel manager, Umesh, I was on the phone with our bank in the US trying to do the transfer but, FedEx India’s SWIFT number wouldn’t work through a US bank account. 

Oh, good grief, I was sitting down there for over an hour with no air con in the open lobby, temperature around 90F, 32C, wearing a mask and gloves and sweating up a storm while the FedEx guy had the package in his truck and wouldn’t deliver it until we paid.

A breathtaking view from the plane.

Our fantastic hotel manager offered to pay out of his bank account, for which I could pay him, but that didn’t work either due to the SWIFT account issue. Frustrated, we both racked our brains. We needed INR 71364, US $974, in cash. Who carries that many rupees in their possession? Not us. That’s a lot of bills.

When we first arrived in India and tried to get some money, we had to go to several ATMs when they only dispensed INR 10000 maximum per transaction in India. We have two debit cards, and this would mean four different ATMs. Finally, after multiple sweaty attempts to figure this out, I told Umesh we had no choice but to go to ATMs to get the cash.

As we flew over Diani Beach, the smoke from burning fires clouded the view. In Kenya, there’s no ban on burning often resulting in toxic fumes filling the air.

Plus, when we got here many moons ago, we tried five or six ATMs on the weekend, and all of them were out of cash. I imagined yesterday, Saturday, we’d run into the same problem. Umesh and I took off in the hotel’s van heading to the closest bank ATM expecting more luck at an indoor bank facility, and they were out of cash!!!

We drove to another bank ATM, five minutes away in dense, noisy traffic. The walk up to the second bank’s ATM room was treacherous, with uneven clumps of cement in an undefined walkway. I hung onto Umesh for dear life.

The miracle of all miracles, the two machines in that tiny room, allowed me to make eight transactions, each at the cost of INR 200, US $2.72. I used both mine and Tom’s debit cards four times each. With the Africa bag in my possession, including a plastic bag to hold the enormous number of bills, a sense of relief washed over me as we made our way back to the hotel.

A final view of the King of Jungle. Thank you, lions. We were never disappointed, continually offering an opportunity for a close-up and the chance to observe their playful antics and instinctual behaviors.

Umesh called the FedEx guy to return to the hotel with the package, at which point I met him in the lobby while he counted out the money, gave me a receipt, and placed the 8.62 kg, 19-pound box onto the hotel luggage trolley. One of the staff members brought the package up to our room.

We’ve yet to open the box after waiting 48 hours to handle it. A sufficient amount of time would have passed if there was COVID-19 outside the box or the interior contents from inspection.

Enough about that! We won’t be writing any more posts about delayed packages in the future. We’re done ordering stuff from the US. 

Well, anyway, we’re emotionally recovered from that debacle and can now go back to the debacle on hand!

Be well!

Photo from one year ago today, October 18, 2019:

In this case, in Chepstow Castle ruins, the presence of vines created such a pleasing effect that it remained in place over the centuries. For more photos, please click here.

Day #208 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…A review of an exquisite first safari experience…Firsts!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
After the memorable stay and safari, it was hard to say goodbye to the Camp Olonana Sanctuary Retreat staff.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while on safari, staying at Camp Olonana in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

The lodge was an inviting place for us to sit, sip beverages and post our photos and stories. With no Internet access in the tents but available at no charge in the lodge, we spent most of our limited spare time here.

Seven years ago today, we wrote a comprehensive review of Camp Olonana Sanctuary Retreat in the Maasai Mara in Kenya, where we had the privilege to experience our first safari in Africa, forever emblazoned in our hearts and minds.

The dining room’s ambiance was easy-going and welcoming.

There’s a lot to be said for “firsts,” and without a doubt in our minds, that particular first left us reeling with sheer wonder and delight. Throughout our world travels, over and over again, we’ve had the opportunity to experience a wide array of firsts, that above all, stand out in our minds years later.

One evening, as we were busy posting after dinner, the staff and guests began dancing around the lodge to celebrate a couple’s anniversary. It was an intimate group with no more than 16 guests on-site while we were there. (The camp holds a maximum of 28 guests). With a bit of prodding from the staff, we joined in the line.

Whether it was our first transiting of the Panama Canal, the first in-person view of the Eiffel Tower, the first sighting of The Treasury in the hidden city of Petra, the first visit from a warthog in our garden in Marloth Park, or our first cruise, they all hold special meaning with us.

 Windblown, with hat hair, at dinner each evening, we wore our daytime safari clothes, feeling too tired to change. Also, arriving from safari between 6:30 and 7:00 pm, food was more important than fresh clothing.

Frequently coming up in conversations between us and others, firsts litter our itinerary, year after year, combined with the easy memories of the events surrounding such events. Isn’t it ironic how we all remember such times as our first date, our first kiss, our first airplane ride, our first bicycle, our first car, our first pet, and our first job?

The gift shop had a wide array of souvenirs and gifts, none of which we purchased with no room in our bags as we continued our world travels.

Traveling the world the past has provided us, old-timers, with a wealth of firsts we never imagined in our dreams, and yet, here we are, universally, worldwide, all experiencing our first pandemic, our first months in lockdown and our first times wearing face masks, as non-medical professionals.

On the second night at camp, as we were finishing up yet another safari, Anderson took what appeared to be a new route back over unpaved bush areas.  Bouncing about, we all giggled over the new course wondering why we were taking this route. With the gates to the reserve locking at 6:30 pm, we were late getting out. We’d assumed this new route was a way around going through the gates. Instead, suddenly we saw this campfire. To be surprised by everyone at camp, all guests and most staff were awaiting our arrival that tonight was the ritual “dinner in the bush” was a total surprise for the six of us.

Firsts are not always pleasant, as in the case of COVID-19, and many of us may prefer to have this event excised from our minds, which does nothing more than elicit painful thoughts and memories we wish had never happened. In our attempts at positivity, many of us strive to find meaning in even the most sorrowful of experiences to guide us through our lives, adding to our purpose and depth of character. 

The Maasai villagers were in attendance to sing and dance before or dinner as we all sat in a half-moon of comfortable chairs, enjoying appetizers and beverages, sharing our various safari stories. 

This period of COVID-19 still leaves me wondering what we’re supposed to learn from this. Each day, during the past seven months, as I walk the corridors, earbuds in my ears, listening to some informational podcasts, my mind wanders away from the voices I’m listening to that same question. “What am I supposed to learn from this “first?”

Once again, great job, Chef Ambrose! Look at my plate at the “bush dinner!” It was exciting to know that most of the meat and vegetables were within my dietary constraints, all prepared to perfection, seasoned with local spices.

Was it resilience? Patience? Tolerance? We both already feel we’ve had these bases covered after living without a home for the past almost eight years amid many stressful and challenging situations. We’ve often mentioned the need and commitment we’ve made to adaptability as, scenario after scenario, we were tested as to our ability to adapt. We not only managed, but most often, somehow, we thrived.

After the bush dinner, we posed for a photo, although I hardly felt photo-ready after a day on safari. Tom’s face was sunburned from the almost 8 hours we spent on safari that day, exposed to the elements, loving every minute. We couldn’t wait to put our clothing in the dirty laundry hamper to be washed, dried, and folded to perfection that was returned to our tent that same evening. This service was included in the all-inclusive pricing.

I suppose time will tell. Perhaps this query to ourselves on this topic will present itself somewhere in the times to come, once we’re blissfully removed from this confinement-type existence, purely predicated by an invisible toxin wafting through the world at a ravaging pace.

Ah, the naysayers who espouse this virus are a hoax! Those who have lost loved ones, young or old, don’t call this a hoax. 

On the first night, we both had the same entrée, a grilled sirloin steak atop a medley of sautéed vegetables. Tender, cooked exactly as requested. This steak required only a butter knife to cut it. Neither of us had appetizers or dessert that evening after having had lunch earlier in the day upon arrival.

As for today’s photos, they are a pleasant reminder of a “first” that we can easily determine its purpose, in its impact on our lives, the changes we’ve made, the adaptation we’ve embraced, and the awe and appreciation we gleaned from such a glorious and memorable experience.

My nightly dessert of fine cheese and Kenya is grown cashews and macadamia nuts. The night of the “bush dinner,” Chef Ambrose had remembered to bring these items for my dessert, as the only guest in camp unable to eat the traditional desserts. Wow!

Enjoy these photos with us, knowing our comments from the past event were heartfelt and passionate seven years ago today.

Enjoy your day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 17, 2019:

Coat of arms on shields at the entrance gate to Chepstow Castle in Wales. For more photos, please click here.

Medical Issues for World Travelers…A Comprehensive Synopsis…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This exquisite bloom which was the size of a soccer ball.
This exquisite bloom was the size of a soccer ball.

Traveling for extended periods always raises concerns over medical issues for world travelers. Notably, seniors and those with existing health conditions, regardless of age, have asked themselves if traveling for months or years makes sense when at any time, especially in remote locations, a flare-up of any underlying condition or injury can elicit worry, concern over a life-altering illness, or even death, let alone panic in some situations.

Today’s 2000 word post entitled “Medical Issues for World Travelers” will include suggestions on how we’ve managed such circumstances as world travelers for the past eight years. Below are the most commonly asked questions when discussing medical issues for world travelers for those considering long-term world travel:

  1. How will I receive my prescription refills and also, for some, “store insulin and other medications that require refrigeration?”
  2. What do I do if I run out of medication while traveling?
  3. How will I be able to receive my necessary prescriptions?
  4. What immunizations/vaccines will I need to travel the world?
  5. How do I handle everyday aches, pains, injuries, and illnesses that may have prompted me to visit my doctor in my old life?
  6. What do I do about dental care, colonoscopies, mammograms, and other recurring medical tests?
  7. What shall I do for medical travel insurance?
  8. How often should I seek a physical exam if my health is good and I’m feeling well?
  9. What do I do if a severe illness or injury occurs while I’m traveling? Do I return to my home country for surgery or treatment?
  10. How will I handle my protection in avoiding contracting COVID-19 and other such viruses that may be or become prevalent while I’m traveling?

During our past years of world travel, each of the above questions has been at the forefront of our minds at one point or another. As time passes, some of our suggestions and solutions for our situations may change as more and more travelers consider long-term travel once COVID-19 is under control. Today, following in the above questions as highlighted headings below, we will address each of these questions.

Regardless of our past experiences and observations, it’s imperative to discuss your health conditions or potential age-related conditions with your physician and medical professionals before embarking on any trip, if for a week, a month, a year, or longer.

We also suggest you assign a family member or close friend as your medical advocate if you as an individual or a couple are in an accident that may leave you unable to manage your care during severe medical treatment and recovery. It makes sense for couples to go quickly accessible notes on a smartphone with any medical particulars that may be crucial in their partner’s care (such as allergies, medications, conditions, etc.).

It’s surprising how often a spouse, companion, or partner may be oblivious to the health issues of their traveling companion. This may be one of the most critical medical issues of world travelers. So, let’s start working our way through the above ten questions. If, at any time, you have questions on topics we haven’t covered, please feel free to comment at the end of any post. You may do so anonymously if you’d prefer. Here we go:

How will I receive my prescription refills and also, for some, “store insulin and other medications that require refrigeration?”

One of the most frequent medical issues for world travelers is carrying sufficient supplies of necessary prescription medications and getting prescriptions refilled in other countries. Of course, the ideal scenario is to determine how long you’ll be gone and carry all of those prescriptions with you in a secure carry-on bag with copies of the prescriptions from your doctor.

Unfortunately, many travelers’ health plans do not allow a prescription for longer than three months. When we first left the US, the workaround that we chose was to pay for the drugs ourselves without claiming our insurance. We’d asked our doctor to write the three non-narcotic prescriptions for one year each. We’d even be able to negotiate the costs of my three prescriptions from a few pharmacies, who were happy to give us a year’s supply at negotiated rates.

As it turned out, our cost of the prescriptions was compared to the co-pays we’d have paid for the medications using our health plan. However, even if it had required more money out of pocket, we’d been willing to pay considering the convenience. If you plan to return to your home country to visit once a year, you can repeat the same process. Since we didn’t return to the US more frequently than once every two years, we developed another plan.

At the beginning of our travels, while in Belize, we met a couple, and the wife suggested we contact ProgressiveRX, a company we’ve worked with these past eight years, except for those times, we could purchase my medication at a pharmacy without a prescription, which is possible in many countries. For example, in India, where many US medications are manufactured, we don’t need a prescription for any non-narcotic drugs, none of which we use. One needs to write down their medication, dose, and quantity they’d like to receive for most prescription medications. This information is available online.

As for storing medications that require refrigeration, carry a stable cooler block and a small cooler bag to keep the medicine cold during long flights. Since most hotels and holiday homes include a refrigerator, it shouldn’t be a problem. We have what we call a carry-on “pill bag,” which contains copies of original or recent prescriptions and pills in their original packaging, which we don’t let out of our sight. It’s imperative, regardless of the medication, not to leave them in your checked baggage.

What do I do if I run out of medication while traveling?

First off, if you plan, you can avoid this situation while on longer trips by ensuring you have an adequate supply of medications you’ll need, including a few weeks of extra doses in the event of unforeseen delays. If you’re traveling for years instead of weeks or months, you must decide how to renew your prescriptions when most countries requiring medications do not allow you to use your home country physician’s prescriptions. It’s important to check this information in advance of traveling.

In the worst-case scenario, which we’ve accepted as a part of our travel responsibilities, is to make an appointment with a local doctor, bring along your existing prescriptions and containers, and ask the doctor to write new prescriptions for you for at least six months, a year if possible. Doing so is not as inconvenient as you may think.

Ask your landlord or hotel staff for the name and number of a local clinic to arrange your appointment and subsequent filling of your new prescription. Keep in mind, in many countries; prescription drugs are named differently than in your home country. Sure, this becomes a part of medical Issues for world travelers but doesn’t usually require more than a few hours of your time.

If you are on a cruise ship (hopefully possible again in the future), the ship’s doctor generally has the most common medications on hand. However, the cost to see them can be expensive. Being prepared before embarking on a cruise is imperative.

How will I be able to receive my necessary prescriptions?

Using such prescription services as ProgressiveRX may end up taking months to receive in regular mail. If you are staying in one location for many months, this may be possible. Also, depending on mail services available in some countries, you can request expedited service for an additional fee. This may be the case for most online pharmacies willing to use an old prescription as proof. In no case will narcotic drugs be mailed in any country?

For those with chronic pain issues, traveling long term may be a part of substantial medical Issues for world travelers. The only way you’d be able to receive such medications would be from a visit to a hospital, urgent care facility, or a doctor with you providing accompanying paperwork from your home physician describing your condition in detail and your need for narcotic medication. Since we don’t use pain medications other than those over-the-counter, that’s our best suggestion.

What immunizations/vaccines will I need to travel the world?

One of the many concerns over medical issues for world travelers is the necessity of immunizations before embarking on a journey that will include countries where certain diseases are rampant. Most medical clinics or groups have a travel clinic you can visit. It’s imperative to bring a list of the countries you’ll be visiting, illnesses, medications, allergies, and previous vaccinations to your first appointment.

From there, a nurse practitioner along with a doctor will determine what immunizations are recommended for your upcoming travel. We arranged for this appointment a few months before we left to ensure ample time for any necessary spacing of the vaccinations. In all, we each had about 15 immunizations in total. I won’t mention them here because your locations and personal health may be entirely different from ours. Also, we planned to be gone for years, not months, so we needed additional inoculations.

The travel clinic will know exactly what you need, but it’s your final decision as to which, if any, you are willing to accept. We accepted all recommendations. While in South Africa in 2018, we presented our immunization record to our local Dr. Theo, and we had boosters as needed. Our only reactions were from the yellow fever vaccine, leaving me feeling flu-ish for a few hours and Tom, lightly, over a weekend.

It is during this appointment. You may choose to get prescriptions for malaria pills. There are two types of these. The more expensive have fewer side effects. See your doctor for recommendations.

How do I handle everyday aches, pains, injuries, and illnesses that may have prompted me to visit my doctor in my old life?

Another primary concern over medical issues for world travelers is those who may have visited their family practitioner regularly, often monthly, for blood tests, exams, medications, and treatment protocols. If this process has been prevalent in your care, long-term travel may not be ideal for you. Perhaps, shorter trips would be more appropriate.

We’ve had flu, bad coughs, and viruses throughout this period, but we managed on our own in most cases. Otherwise, we have learned to self-treat minor injuries, aches, and pains with ice and hot packs and over-the-counter medication. This may not be appropriate for many travelers, requiring visits to local doctors. I’ve had a few injuries become infected. In those cases, we sought medical care.

What do I do about dental care, colonoscopies, mammograms, and other recurring medical tests?

Before we left the US, we had many medical tests to ensure we were good to go. Once we started traveling, it was almost 2½ years before either of us made an appointment for a check-up and blood test. Contrary to most medical advice, we decided to forgo colonoscopies instead, conducting the home fecal monitoring tests checked by a lab. I haven’t had a mammogram since we left, but I do self-exams regularly.

As for dental appointments, we each had our teeth cleaned every six months in our old lives. Now, we’re lucky to have this done every two years. Not every country is suitable for dental appointments. Of course, generally, dental care would be necessary in case of an infection or abscess.

Based on having had emergency major open-heart surgery in South Africa in February 2019, dental care was ill-advised 12 months after the surgery. Once we return to South Africa, we will visit our favorite dentist in Komatipoort for cleaning and other dental care as needed.

While we were in Minnesota in November 2019, I visited a highly regarded cardiac facility to be checked after heart surgery. It was recommended I return next time we visit the US, which I’ll surely do. Of course, if any heart-related issues presented, I’d immediately seek appropriate medical care.

What shall I do for medical travel insurance?

Overall, the most frequent question regarding medical issues for world travelers is travel insurance. We have written dozens of posts on this topic which can easily be accessed by typing “travel insurance” in our search field on our home page. For purposes here today, I’ll briefly review our experiences.

When we began our world travels, we signed up with a worldwide travel insurance company, Healthcare International, based in London.  As typically the case, worldwide travel insurance doesn’t cover travelers in their home country unless they are willing to pay a much higher rate.

We had opted out of Medicare Part B since it nor its supplemental policies at the time covered medical issues for world travelers like us. There was no point in paying for Medicare Part B or a supplement, as much as several hundred dollars more each month, to cover us outside the US or even while in the US, when we were visiting for such short periods if we needed medical care. At the same time, in the US, which we have paid out of pocket on a few occasions.

We paid US $4000, INR 291,844, per year for the policy and never claimed until in February 2019 while in South Africa, I had to have emergency triple coronary bypass surgery. To make a long story short, the insurance company refused to pay, and we had no choice but to pay out-of-pocket for the expensive four surgeries, including three weeks in the hospital, that was ultimately necessary.

They claimed I had a preexisting condition. I had no idea I had heart disease. But to force them to pay would have required years of legal expenses and time, with the possibility of losing the case. We had no desire to make our lives all about a lawsuit, especially if we could lose the case.

From there, we researched online for a US company. We found UnitedHealthcareGlobal with no pre-existing conditions policy other than no effective medical treatment in the past six months. We qualified by the time we purchased the policy. There are more nuances of the policy, but I won’t get into that here. Click this link for more details. (Due to COVID-19, one must call for a quote, but recently, from here in India, we were able to renew our policy without a problem.

Since we travel full time, our needs are different from short-term travel policies. Also, now as time has passed, there are supplemental travel policies available to US citizens, but not applicable to us since we don’t have Medicare other than Part A.

Often, your travel agency, cruise company, or other travel-related businesses offer short-term travel policies. In light of COVID-19, we encourage you to do your research for such policies for short-term travel. Plus, many of the travel business policies are more expensive than you may find on your own.

How often should I seek a physical exam if my health is good and I’m feeling well?

It is essential to discuss your medical issues for world travelers with your physician before embarking on a year’s long journey. Based on your current conditions, or lack thereof, they will recommend how often you should arrange a check-up from a qualified medical professional in the countries you will be visiting. Also, they may suggest tests that are important for your state of health.

For us, every few years has prompted us to have a basic exam. It was only in South Africa that I had jaw pain precipitating an additional visit to Dr. Theo, whom we had already seen for exams and vaccination boosters, which under normal circumstances would never have predicted my cardiovascular issues when I had a normal EKG and heart sounds during the actual exam.

It was months later that I visited Dr. Theo, who suggested I had an exercise stress test when I was experiencing weird jaw pain. If he hadn’t done that test on me, I might not be here today to tell the story. His determination sent me to a cardiologist and thoracic surgeon only days later for immediate open-heart surgery. We are so grateful to him for “catching this.”

What do I do if a severe illness or injury occurs while I’m traveling? Do I return to my home country for surgery or treatment?

This is a common concern and medical issue for world travelers. I suppose my case was a perfect example. There was no time for me to return to the US for emergency surgery, nor would it have been safe to fly back to the US in my dire condition.

Also, if we returned to the US, the cost of the four procedures would have been around US $1,000,000, INR 72,961,200. Medicare would only have paid a portion, and we’d have been left with much more out-of-pocket expense than the entire bill we’ve had to pay in South Africa. In the end, it all worked out for the best.

However, many less severe conditions can make a traveler worried and stressed as to appropriate action for a travel-related illness or injury, not requiring urgent medical care that may be available by quality professionals in some, not all countries. One must assess the situation carefully and determine the safety of treatment in their current condition.

If anyone had asked me if I could have recovered from open-heart surgery and three other procedures, for three months in a holiday home in the bush in South Africa with no air-con in the living areas with temperatures in the 104F, 40C range, day after day, I would have said absolutely “NO!!!” But, with Tom’s attentive and loving care, we made it through. One never knows their strength and resiliency until faced with situations beyond their control. I wasn’t allowed to travel for three months and could not have returned to the US to recover.

How will I handle my protection in avoiding contracting COVID-19 and other such viruses that may be or become prevalent while I’m traveling?

There are substantial medical issues for world travelers in today’s world is COVID-19. What do I do if I become infected while traveling? Based on the infectious nature of COVID-19, returning to one’s home country would be impossible and risky for others if somehow you managed to get through the priority checking procedures at most airports.

If one becomes infected, it is imperative to immediately arrange for a test to confirm infection and to contact the local health authorities for contact tracing if you are indeed positive. If you are only a carrier without very mild symptoms, you will be required to quarantine for a definite period, most often for two weeks. At that point, you’ll be advised as to treatment based on the severity of your symptoms.

Some countries may require quarantine at a specific location. However, most will allow quarantine to transpire at a holiday home or hotel, never leaving the facility during the critical period. If symptoms are escalating, a hospital or urgent care visit may be necessary. The local health authorities will advise you in either case.

It’s essential to notify the property manager so the holiday home can be properly sanitized after you leave if leaving immediately after the quarantine ends. Stay for an additional, extended period. It may be possible for you to sanitize the location upon full recovery since the virus only lives so long after the infection has ended.

Here again, investigate this with the health authorities and the property owner. Hotels do this cleaning after quarantined parties can vacate. We see the special cleaners in the corridors every day, although we aren’t aware of any cases in this hotel.  But, it would be best if you let them know once you discover you are infected so they can commence proper protection for their staff and other guests.

Taking a test after recovery is equally important to ensure you are no longer infectious. In some cases, a positive test may be present more extended than the two weeks. Also, wearing an appropriate face mask, social distancing, and washing hands frequently always remain reasonable safety measures.

In conclusion, regarding medical issues for world travelers…

It would be possible to write an entire book on this topic. I have well surpassed the 2000 word requirement at well over 3500 words. In each case, we suggest you contact your doctor(s), your pharmacist, and a family member as an advocate before embarking on a years-long world journey.

Even those in the seemingly best health may fall prey to a severe and often life-threatening condition while traveling, especially those in later years. No one is exempt from such issues, regardless of excellent health at the beginning of their travels.

Of course, I am living a healthful life while traveling. Although no guarantee of avoidance of medical issues for world travelers, it certainly is an essential adjunct in predictive outcome in many cases.

Avoiding worry and concern is undoubtedly an essential aspect of enjoying world travel. Being educated on all of these topics, carrying appropriate medical information for health and prescriptions, and researching medical care in each country before visiting can play a vital role in ensuring a safe outcome in the event of an unforeseen injury or illness while traveling.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, October 13, 2019:

Shirenewton, Chepstow, Wales, the holiday property
In Shirenewton, Chepstow, Wales, the holiday property we rented is The Studio, but it is more significant than a studio apartment. The main floor consists of a living room, kitchen, dining area, and bathroom. The master bedroom is upstairs on a mezzanine level, a small loft room with a futon bed. For more photos, please click here.

Day #203 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…More exciting safari photos from Kenya into Tanzania…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Breakfast in the savanna, wild animals were surrounding us. Our guide Anderson presented croissants, cold cereal, pancakes, eggs, sausage, and a wide array of fruit. Although I could only eat the eggs and sausage, I was content.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while on safari, staying at Camp Olonana in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

A cool morning in the bush.

Today’s old post from this date in 2013, made me swoon with delight. Memories of our glorious experience in the Maasai Mara continued, which, as shown in today’s photos, a stop for breakfast in the savanna, topped off the adventure in an indescribable manner.

A cool guy in the bush.

To be outdoors in the crisp morning air, in plain sight of lions, cheetahs, elephants, and more, while we both and our safari-mates were in awe of this exquisite event, simple in its concept, magnificent in its enactment. The thought of being so exposed to nature, most of which were always on the hunt for the next morsel of food, there we were dining on human food befitting a fine Sunday brunch with its many choices.

As we left the area of Camp Olonana, cows were in abundance. In the Maasai, Mara. Cows serve as food for the Maasai tribes. (A story follows soon about their lifestyle and their low carb, grain-free, starch-free, sugar-free diet)!

Of course, my way of eating was considered in the chef’s breakfast preparation with a few items I could eat, including scrambled eggs,  sausages, and real cream for our coffee. Seated on cloth camping stools, we all savored every morsel of our meal while sipping on the still-hot perfectly brewed coffee.

Hot air balloon rides are common in the Maasai Mara. We’d considered this option but decided we’d rather spend the time on the ground with better up-close photo opportunities with the wildlife.

Our surroundings were blissful as we relaxed in the cool morning, knowing full-well that later in the day, the sun’s baking would heat the air along with the vegetation spewed humidity to accompany the heat, for yet another day of scorching temperatures.

The eland antelope, reasonably common in the Maasai Mara, posed for us in the morning sun.

The six of us, determined adventurers, never complained about the outrageously bumpy rides across the savanna when Anderson spotted a point of interest at a distance to race across the uneven terrain, crossing over rocks, potholes, and bushes of all heights and sizes. At the end of each day, we were surprised we weren’t achy and in pain, having exercised rarely used muscles as we bounced about on the morning and afternoon hours-long safaris each day, except for a lunch break back at the camp midday.

Mom and baby eland.

Later in the day, we made an exceptionally bumpy two-hour drive to Tanzania to hopefully see the tail-end of the Great Migration, as Anderson described, which presented some exciting challenges and surprises we’ll share in tomorrow’s post.

Anderson busied himself setting up our breakfast, only allowing any of us to set up the camp stools. Notice his well-equipped picnic basket. The stainless steel containers were filled with our still-warm breakfast, thoughtfully prepared by Ambrose, the chef, very early in the morning.

As I write here now, Tom is watching yesterday’s Minnesota Vikings game on NFL GamePass, the service he pays for each year to stream the games from any location in the world, providing we have a decent WiFi signal. The game transpires during the night while we’re sleeping, so each Monday morning, he’s excited to hook up his laptop to the TV using the HDMI. I do the post, looking at the game’s highlights as I prepare the post while he’s glued to the screen.

Anderson took this next photo of us, a little blurry but worth keeping, the only shot we had of our group of safari mates.

He makes a point of avoiding the news and Facebook on Sunday nights since he doesn’t like to know the final score in advance of watching the game. It would take away the anticipation and excitement.

This hyena was curious as to our intentions.

Yesterday, I finished the fifth and final 2000 word post, which was over 3600 words. It was an article about how to travel long term with or without medical issues, insurance concerns, prescription refills, emergency solutions, and seeking medical care while abroad. It’s a comprehensive post centered around our personal experiences after all these years. It will be available tomorrow or the following day.

Cheetah blocking the road.

Now I can get back to editing old posts, which easily will take many more months. It’s become a part of my daily routine, which honestly I don’t look forward to, but do nonetheless.

Such a relaxing day. We were lounging with the family!

As for the package, this morning, I received an email from FedEx stating the parcel would be delivered by Wednesday. We’ll see if that will transpire.

Most likely a mom and a maturing baby, butt to butt, in quiet repose.

Have a great day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 12, 2019:

We walked in the pouring rain under the Chepstow Town Gate in Chepstow Wales to a restaurant for lunch. We stayed for 11 nights in a holiday home in the nearby village of Shirenewton. For more photos, please click here.

Day #202 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Lovely lions…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Mom growled over her successful hunting day without a single male in view, confiscating her kill.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while on safari, staying at Camp Olonana in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

Seeing lions in the wild will always be magical for us. Having the opportunity to take photos of these majestic animals in their natural habitat only exemplifies this blissful sensation. Some of the most exciting moments while on safari over the past seven years, since our first safari in 2013, left us reeling with excitement with a divine sense of satisfaction.

Life is good for this female.

After all, isn’t the safari enthusiast, especially in Africa, on the hunt for that specific opportunity? This is not intended to negate the exquisite joy in watching a herd of elephants crossing the road in the wild or a pair of rhinos lounging under the shade of a tree on a hot sultry summer day.

It all matters. It all elicits a rush of endorphins that few sightings in nature are capable of providing. Right now, as I write here, we have NatGeo playing Destination Wild in the background with penguins in CapeTown, South Africa, and I can’t help but stop to look, that same rush of enthusiasm washing over me.

The cubs took a break to relax.

Thoughts of Antarctica flood my mind every time I see or hear anything about penguins, elephant seals, killer whales, and seals, reminiscent of our incredible experiences in 2018, never to be forgotten. But, observing lions, more readily accessible in Africa, will always remain an objective when we return to Africa, hopefully shortly.

The lion photos we share today, each of which were taken and posted in one day on this same date seven years ago. Each shot is easily recalled, my arms tired from holding up the camera for hours at a time, and my enthusiasm tempered to avoid making any sounds of excitement that could easily distract our subjects.

Moments later, they were back at their meal again.

As time went by, we both learned more and more about taking advantage of the opportune moments for taking good photos. As explained in our recent 2000+ word post of a few days ago, found here. No, we aren’t technologically advanced and expert photographers, but we did learn to capture shots that appealed to us, as shown here today.

For any of our new readers, we must emphasize that we DO NOT go on “hunting” safaris where wild animals are brutally murdered for “trophies.” I have no problem hunting for food, especially when animals need to be culled to save the remaining population. But, hunting and killing endangered animals is far beyond my comprehension.

The cubs enjoyed the meal while mom stayed back, keeping an eye out for danger.

In Africa, there are countless such safaris for “trophy” hunters and many so-called “farms” that breed wildlife for this very purpose. Who are these people that get a thrill from these killings? Who would want to shoot and kill an elephant, a giraffe, or a lion? Honestly, I couldn’t befriend such a person, especially after our joyful photo safaris over the years.

While here in India, we had the opportunity to see tigers in the wild while on safari. Of course, this was thrilling and fulfilling. But, somehow, lions remain in our hearts as one of our favorite sightings and subsequent photos, perhaps because they will be more readily available for our viewing in times to come.

Tom, on safari, drinking a beer in the late afternoon, in awe of what we’ve experienced, having never expected it to be so rewarding and fulfilling in many aspects.

We won’t be returning to India in our future travels. During the first seven weeks that we were here, we scoured essential sites throughout the country, satisfying our desire to learn as much as possible in a short time, only cut short by COVID-19. If we could continue, we would have had an additional almost three weeks, which we forfeited when lockdown began.

This morning, I received an email from FedEx stating that our package cleared customs and moved. We’ll see how that rolls out.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, October 11, 2019:

While in Torquay, England, we spotted this impressive design being made by a skilled sand sculptor. For more photos, please click here.

Day #199 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Has it really been 199 days?…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Tom nudged me to turn around when I had the camera pointed in the opposite direction. I gasped when I saw this, a gift from the heavens. Thank you, Kenya.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while on our first safari experiences in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

As I wrote the heading for today’s post, “Day #199 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel,” I flinched. Has it really been 199 days that we’ve lived in this one room? Has it really been 199 days since we’ve gone for a walk in the fresh air, free to wander at our discretion, window shopping, stopping for a beverage at an outdoor cafe, or even wandering into a restaurant for a meal?

Has it really been 199 days since we prepared a meal, opened a refrigerator for a snack, or even sat at a table to comfortably consume a delicious homemade meal? Has it really been 199 days since we had a steak, a hamburger, or a pork chop? Or, yet a glass of wine or cocktail?

This female lion, like all animals in the wild, is constantly on the lookout for the next meal to feed her cubs, who were also lying under this tree as shown in the photo below.

In actuality, it’s been more than 199 days since we did any of the above. We left the US for India on January 29, 2020, a full 253 days ago. But, for our purposes here today, we’ll discount the first period of time up until lockdown in India on March 24, 2020, when those prior days were spent sightseeing in India as a part of our previously glorious world travels.

Has it really been 199 days since we began handwashing all of our clothing in order to save US $400, INR 29319, a month in laundry fees if the hotel washed and dried all of our clothing?

And now, that liquor is served in the rooms as of a few days ago, we’ve decided to further abstain since neither of us enjoys drinking in a hotel room. But more so, the cost of the average glass of wine or cocktail with 38% in taxes will cost around US $15, INR 1099. If we each had one drink per night, one month later, we’ll have spent an additional US $900, INR 65968. It’s just not worth it to us, not even for the cost of an occasional drink. We’ve waited this long…

The female lion is at leisure with her cubs under the shade of a tree.

And then, I ask myself, are the same meals we’re eating day after day made with healthy ingredients? Are the eggs free- range? Is the chicken we’re consuming every single day free-range or laden with antibiotics and chemicals? Are the ample portions of vegetables I consume night after night, pesticide-free? We have no idea and, asking such questions, with the language barrier, makes answers impossible. Long ago, I gave up asking questions about quality and food sources.

Most travelers stay in a hotel for a few nights, a week at most. None of these issues are a concern for one night or one week. However, 199 days later, these concerns are unavoidable, even in a nice hotel, like this. Of course, they are always considering cutting costs. It’s the nature of business especially for a huge conglomerate like Marriott.

The three guys in our safari vehicle laughed when us girls said that hippos are cute. They are actually responsible for the most deaths of humans than any other animal in the wild.

Yes, we are safe in cool comfort with great WiFi, a comfortable bed and bedding, and two quality chairs we sit on day after day. Yes, we can stream popular TV shows and movies from a variety of streaming services. In total desperation, we start watching in the late afternoon until bedtime, when there is literally nothing else to do. (I walk the hallways, starting first thing in the morning, every hour, and then between shows in the afternoon. I’m finished by dinnertime having accomplished my goal of 10,000 steps per day, roughly 5 miles, 8 km). Tom walks and does the stairs in the morning.

Has it really been 199 days that somehow, we’ve both maintained our sanity, continued to be able to laugh, get along with one another with nary a blip, and stay motivated to continue to write here each and every day? Yes, it has really been 199 days.

The acacia tree, usually flat on the top is a common tree in Kenya.

The question we ask ourselves is, “Can we take another 199 days?” That remains to be seen.

Be well.

_________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, October 8, 2019:

High Street in Torquay, Cornwall, England, many towns and villages have banners flying indicating the main shopping area. For more photos, please click here.

Travel Tips for Wildlife Photographers around the World….

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Maasai Mara in Kenya
How did we get so close, so lucky to get this shot?  We ended up calling it “safari luck” when we saw the Big Five in the first 10 hours on safari. The photo was taken in the Maasai Mara in Kenya.

Note: Today’s lengthy post is #4 of 5 required for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Today’s post is not intended to be a photographic instruction piece. Your equipment isn’t a point of discussion for our purposes here. Also, I will preface that I am not a photographic expert by any means. Preparing 3000 posts over these past years has been our primary focus. As much as we’ve loved sharing our photos, becoming experts in photo-taking wasn’t a goal of ours. Others may say it should have been.

Sure, excellent photography skills would have been an asset. Somehow, my interest in acquiring those skills has not been at the forefront of my mind. But, our worldwide journey has been wrapped around our goal of doing and being whoever we chose to be, at any given time, as we’ve scoured the world, not necessarily doing and being what is expected of us. We are merely typical travelers, who happen to hold a camera in our hands, excited to share what we see through our eyes, not a perfect, perhaps edited version of what treasures we behold.

More so, our somewhat simple goal has been to share with our family/readers/friends inspirations that which we’ve gleaned from our eight years of non-stop world travel (barring the over six months we’ve been stuck in a hotel room in Mumbai, India, while in lockdown, due to COVID-19). Thus, our topic of travel tips for wildlife photographers around the world is more about the “where,” the “what,” and the “when” to take photos of wildlife, as opposed to the instructive mode of “how.”

older elephant resting his trunk on his tusk
In most cases, we were within 25 feet of any of the animals in our photos. Notice this older elephant resting his trunk on his tusk. Our guide assumed this old male to be around 60 years old, close to his life expectancy. The photo was taken in the Maasai Mara in Kenya.

Undoubtedly, some of today’s travel tips for wildlife photographers worldwide will include a portion of the “how” when positioning yourself and your subject for the ideal shot, not necessarily the perfect image. It may be a shot that bespeaks your passion, as it has with us, for animals in the wild and then those that may not be in the wild, which are equally fascinating and photo-worthy.

Why write travel tips for wildlife photographers around the world?…

Unable to take photos these past many months, we’d decided early on in this confinement to take advantage of the thousands of photos we’ve posted throughout the past eight years and share them once again. This provided us with fodder for our daily uploads while fulfilling the expectation of our years-long readers throughout the world. Only early in our journey in 2012, we failed to post photos when we had virtually no experience in using a camera and little interest in learning to do so.

Over the years, we bought a few upgrades from the first purchase we made while at a port of call on our first cruise at a Walmart store in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. . No more than a few days into our journey, we realized, a few shots here and there, taken using our phones, weren’t going to be sufficient. We purchased a small-sized Samsung point and shoot when I thought it was kind of “cute” since the exterior was pink. Oh, good grief! We had no clue how to use it!

Oxpeckers can dig into the flesh of animals to extract parasites
Oxpeckers can dig into the flesh of animals to extract parasites, ticks, and other insects that may burrow under their skin, as is the case of this kudu. Sadly once the insect is extracted, the oxpecker may continue to peck at the injured site, making matters worse. The photo was taken in Marloth Park, South Africa.

Had other world travelers written such a post describing travel tips for wildlife photographers worldwide, we may have checked it out. But, in 2012, there were few people online doing what we have been doing; traveling the world for years to come, without a home, without storage, with only the items in our then overweight luggage (we’ve since improved that scenario), intent on finding appropriate wildlife subjects in most countries in their itinerary.

Had we discovered such a site that emphatically stated we had to learn all the camera features and how to use them, I may have looked the other way, Tom included. Comparable to our lack of interest in bungee jumping, learning the nuances of a camera wasn’t in our wheelhouse. We just weren’t interested.

So, today, for the first time in almost 3000 posts, which we’ll achieve in less than 30 days (within two days of our eighth travel anniversary), we’ll be delighted to share what we’ve learned for the where the what. The when of taking photos that may not be perfect, but will hopefully fill your hearts with blissful memories of places you’ve been and wildlife you’ve been blessed to see and experience, both in the wild and elsewhere.

wildlife photographers around the world
Finding the rarely seen Colobus Monkey put me on a photo-taking frenzy. The photo was taken in Diani Beach, Kenya.

The “where” of travel tips for wildlife photographers around the world?

It’s been these very photos that prompted us to write travel tips for wildlife photographers around the world, that may include the more experienced photographer and also those who, like us at one point, could barely figure out how to use the flash or the zoom, let alone more complicated settings.

When we decided to travel the world early in 2012, we were ready to go ten months later, having sold every worldly possession while booking two years into the future to provide us with peace of mind in knowing we had a place to live wherever we traveled. In the process, we kept in mind our preferences regarding the type of life we wanted to live, the type of property we wanted to live in, and the surroundings we craved.

wildlife photographer in Kruger National Park, South Africa
We waited patiently, and mom stood while the baby sat up on their hind end, nose touching mom. The photo was taken in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

What appealed most to our tastes and desires were a few vital factors:

  1. Beautiful surroundings and scenery, when possible
  2. An abundance of nature within easy reach
  3. Access to experiencing wildlife and other animals daily, if possible
    wildlife photographer in Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
    This Laysan Albatross parent and chick sit close to one another until the chick becomes more confident and the parents feel more at ease. In time, the chick will be left behind on its own to fledge, most likely five to six months later. At five years of age, they will return with a mate and begin the life cycle all over again. The photo was taken in Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii.

Utmost in our travels, access to wildlife became more and more important to us as time continued. We’d seen all the historic buildings, churches, and structures, to satisfy a lifetime. We’d dined in excellent restaurants befitting my way of eating. We shopped in unique local markets, adapting to available foods and resources. We experienced the nuances of cultural differences from what we’d known in our old lives and met countless people everywhere we traveled.

But, as far as travel tips for wildlife photographers worldwide, where one chooses to go is of the utmost importance. In Dubai, we were disappointed with little wildlife, other than camels, available for photo-taking, as well as in Morocco. We went wild with delight over the vast array of birds in Costa Rica. We loved shepherding sheep on a farm in England. And, we giggled at a pig farm in Tasmania, Australia.

wildlife photographer in New Plymouth New Zealand
Alpacas are excellent photo subjects. The photo was taken on an alpaca farm in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

In Madeira, Portugal, we saw dolphins and whales while on a catamaran tour out to sea. In Hawaii, the birds, whales, and other sea creatures were in abundance. In Antarctica, we were in heaven with the sheer numbers of penguins, killer whales, elephant seals, and birds, let alone the scenery beyond our wildest dreams.

It all boils down to what you’d like to accomplish in your travels. If wildlife is your top priority, it’s essential to research to determine if the location you’re hoping to visit has an abundance of wildlife. Many countries we’d assumed would be rife with wild animals were not necessarily the case when the only means of taking photos of very elusive animals was while on a planned safari.

No doubt, we’ve been on safari no less than 100 times over the past years; some guided tours, some with a private guide, and many of our own as “self-drives” through national parks. In each of these cases, one must be prepared to be patient and accept the reality that, at times, you may not be able to take a single photo of the more elusive animals and only see the usual plentiful antelopes and birds.

wildlife photographer in the Maasai Mara in Kenya
The photo was taken in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. We were in a Toyota Land Cruiser with open sides, 25 feet from the lion. Much to our surprise, we never felt frightened or at risk at close range to any of these giant animals, including this massive male lion who gave us a great show. In the background, in the carcass of a zebra, this lion savored for lunch.

For birdwatching enthusiasts, almost every country has a plethora of birds presenting countless photo ops. Taking photos of birds in flight requires superior camera skills, which not every amateur photographer possesses, as has been the case in most scenarios. However, some of our favorite photos are of the Laysan Albatross in Kauai, Hawaii, and of course, in the millions of penguins in Antarctica, a photographer’s dream come true.

In researching possible destinations, essential travel tips for wildlife photographers worldwide determine how critical multitudes in photos are to you or if a select number will satisfy your needs and curiosity. With our daily posts taking tens of thousands of images each year, the numbers of decent shots are essential. For the average traveler, returning home with 100 good photos may be fulfilling. It’s essential to decide where you are on the spectrum.

The “what” of travel tips for wildlife photographers around the world?

Amid all the decisions in deciding on locations, one must define what is most vital for you to see and photograph. If lions are at the top of your list, Africa is, by far, the most suitable continent to visit, especially if you choose to stay for a while. But, not every country in Africa is safe to see, nor is there an abundance of lions easily accessed in some countries in Africa.

wildlife photographer in Atenas, Costa Rica
Tom’s photo. What a shot of the classic “Froot Loops” cereal (per Tom) Toucan, technically known as the Rainbow-billed Toucan, aka the Keel-billed Toucan. The photo was taken in Atenas, Costa Rica.

We chose Kenya and South Africa as one of our many goals in seeing lions. We were never disappointed in each of these countries. When it came to tigers, we knew India was our best option. There are 13 countries where tigers may be spotted, but for us, India proved to have the best opportunities to encounter them in the wild.

We should mention that animals in zoos and wildlife facilities do not fulfill our objectives. If that were the case, one could visit a zoo in their hometown or home country. The wild aspect has been a top priority for us when we have distinct opinions we won’t share here today about wild animals locked in cages or small enclosures.

That’s not to say, many rehabilitation centers throughout the world may have excellent open spaces for wildlife with the intent of eventually releasing them back into the wild when possible. We have visited many of these, some of which we’ve found rewarding, providing excellent photo ops as shown in our past posts.

wildlife photographer in Kruger National Park
Impalas have exquisite markings on their faces and bodies. The photo was taken in Kruger National Park.

We’d never have seen a Tasmanian Devil in Tasmania if we hadn’t visited a rehab center, other than the sad roadkill we observed in the mornings. We’ve yet to see one of the more elusive nocturnal animals in the wild, the endangered pangolin. Hopefully, someday we’ll have that opportunity.

Each traveler(s) must decide for themselves, “the what” is most befitting their goals and objectives when returning home, or in continuing on a year’s long journey such as ours with a litany of photos exciting and memorable to savor over the years to come.

The “when” of travel tips for wildlife photographers around the world…

There are three important questions one may ask themselves regarding the “when” of taking photos of wildlife. For most, they include:

  1. When is the best time in life to embark on such a journey? Only each individual, couple, or family can make that determination based on specific lifestyle, travel budget, work constraints, and worthy of mention, general health. It’s important to note that embarking on a safari for hours at a time on bumpy dirt roads with potholes with surprising fast turns could be difficult for some. Also, climbing in and out of the jeep-type vehicles may be highly challenging for those with certain physical conditions, advanced age, or lack of mobility. This is not an experience for those who could become distressed during a “rough and tumble” experience. Also, individuals with severe back or neck problems could find a safari unbearable. If time is limited, the experience may equally be little. Many choose a one or two-day safari as part of a more extensive trip and find themselves disappointed, unable to see and take photos of some of their personal favorites.
  2. When is the best time of the year to see and photograph wildlife? This varies by the area of each country you choose to visit. Research is imperative to determine the best seasons for viewing wildlife. Most often, the best seasons are during the heat of the hottest time of the year. Often rainy seasons are less desirable. This is important to know if you are sensitive to the thought of sitting in an open-air vehicle while on safari. However, many safari companies have enclosed air-conditioned cars that may be more suitable for those individuals, although taking photos will be restricted in such vehicles. Suppose you’re interested in the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania. In that case, that eventful experience only occurs in the fall months. It must be timed perfectly to witness the five million animals traversing the Serengeti and the Mara River over and over again. Here again, research is imperative.
  3. When is the best time to snap the shot to acquire the best possible photo? When it comes to taking pictures of wildlife, timing is everything. This has been an area we both feel we have found most rewarding, as our skills increased over the years. Patience and perseverance are the keys to this aspect. At times, we’ve sat still quietly for 20 or 30 minutes to acquire the best photo. Also, knowing when to click the shutter is vital for the best possible photo of your chosen subject.
    the pellet crumbs on the nose of this adorable bushbuck
    Notice the pellet crumbs on the nose of this adorable bushbuck. The photo was taken in Marloth Park, South Africa.

In conclusion…

Many of our photos posted here today will illustrate, in part, our use of travel tips for wildlife photographers around the world. They aren’t perfect, but for us, they have fulfilled our desire to create a memory that will easily endure through our lifetime and for those that follow us, for theirs.

If, as a photographer, you’ve been able to learn and develop comprehensive photographic skills, it will only add to your pleasure and fulfillment. Perhaps, in time we may choose to fine-tune our skills. Still, for now, the spontaneous and heartfelt representations of those animals we’ve discovered in the wild, on farms, and in rescue facilities have provided us both with precisely that which we hoped to achieve as we traveled the world over the past eight years.

________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, October 7, 2019:

ocean in Torquay, Devon
It was wonderful to see the ocean once again in Torquay, Devon. For more photos, please click here.

Day #197 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Seven years ago today…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This is a Topi, only found in the Maasai Mara.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while on our first safari experiences in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

Please bear with us as we share repeated photos as we work our way through October 2013. It was that single experience while on safari many times in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, living in a luxury tent (photos of the tent will follow in a few days), that everything changed for us.

We could sit for hours and watch the antics of the hippos. Their sluggish movement and playful personalities are a pleasure to behold.

In tomorrow’s fourth 2000 word post (only one more to go), we’ll explain this further regarding taking photos of wildlife. It’s a long post to which we’ll be adding more repeated images but will illustrate how being amateur photographers have enhanced our world journey.

It was seven years ago today that we were entrenched in the splendid glory of being on safari twice a day while never disappointed. Throughout my life, I swooned over photos of animals in the wild, wondering when and if I’d ever had a good fortune or be brave enough to embark on such a journey.

A lone hippo was searching for a morsel on the ground.

Little did I know at the time that bravery wasn’t a necessary element in experiencing the joys of safari. Instead, it is a sense of adventure, which with a professional guide and later on, as our guides, presented little risk with a multitude of thrills. At one point in our posts, I equated it to having an “E” ticket at Disneyland (remember, old-timers, like me?), and the thrills were seemingly never-ending.

Looking back at the photos now, primarily while outrageously confined in lockdown in a hotel in India for 6½ months, these photos still send a rush of endorphins through my bloodstream, making me realize how addicted I’ve become to this incredible rush after all of these years.

We realize that this gruesome photo may be difficult for some to see. But, it’s a part of the food chain which we decided we would accept on such scenes as a reality of the life cycle in the wild. This crocodile was consuming either an impala or gazelle.

Each day on Facebook, I peruse dozens of photos from various safaris in Africa and countless wildlife photos in Marloth Park from the many friends we left behind. Many of us belong to different Marloth Park FB groups, and the photos make me long to return in a way I can barely describe.

I think that perhaps someday soon, we can return to see our animal and human friends, shop in a grocery store, cook our meals, savor a glass of red wine or cocktail at happy hour, and move about freely in open spaces. My heart skips a beat.

The Mara River. Our tent was located on the shore, where sounds of hippos filled the air beginning around 4:00 am as they awoke.

On top of that, at any time we’d like, we can make the 20-minute drive to the Crocodile Gate to enter Kruger National Park to search for the next big rush excitedly; elephants, lions, cape buffalos, cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, most of which we don’t see as readily in Marloth Park.

The well-rounded experiences of that location are all we could ever dream of and, without a doubt, were where we had the most exciting, enduring, and blissful experiences in our almost eight years of world travel (as of October 31). Whether it was dinner at Jabula Lodge & Restaurant or dinner at our table or theirs, with friends, sitting by the braai (bonfire), or even those special times alone on the veranda, just the two of us, reveling in every visitor that graced our garden during the day or evening, it all was extraordinary.

No swimming in this river!

Will we appreciate it more now than we did then, during the entire 18 months we spent in Marloth Park in 2013, 2018, 2019? I don’t think so. We treasured every single day and night, just like we’ll do once again, sometime in the future. When? We don’t have a clue. But, we wait patiently for news on the horizon when borders open, and we can be on our way.

It won’t be easy getting there. It’s a long flight, and most likely with COVID-19 protocols, it will be 35 hours or more from airport to airport and then a five-hour drive from Johannesburg to Marloth Park. The closer (one hour drive) airport of Mpumalanga/Nelspruit/Kruger won’t be opening for some time. Time will tell.

“Please pinch me,” I told Tom at that time. “I must be dreaming!”

Right now, our biggest concern is getting that package delivered. The hotel manager is helping us and working directly with FedEx. Hopefully, today, we’ll hear something. In the meantime, it’s the status quo, same old, same old.

Have a peaceful day, and please stay safe and healthy.

Photo from one year ago today, October 6, 2019:

A goose with a knot on her head on the farm in Devon, England. For more photos, please click here.

Day #196 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Photos from Kenya in 2013…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Anderson, our safari guide in the Maasai Mara, took us on an unplanned 90-minute safari rather than wait at the airstrip for another couple to arrive on a later flight. This was one of the first photos we took along the Mara River. Our tent was located on the river banks where the hippos awakened us with their hysterical morning calls. We couldn’t believe our eyes or ears.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while on our first safari in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

Anderson referred to these ostracized male cape buffaloes (one of the Big Five) as Retired Generals. They’ve lost the battle for dominance and are forced out of the herd to fend for themselves for the rest of their lives. Sad. He gave us a nice pose, hungry not only for vegetation but also for attention.

It was seven years ago today, we embarked on our very first safari, in this case in the wildlife-rich Maasai Mara in Kenya. This life-changing adventure will always remain in our minds as the stepping stone into a world we only dreamed about, never imagining that safaris would become such an integral aspect of our world travels.

I love warthogs. Generally, herbivores stroll around for the tiniest morsels. They are delightful to watch.

Also included in today’s post are photos from my first experience of flying in a small airplane. I was terrified, but our pilot, Edwin, reassured me when he spotted the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro when I had an opportunity to take the photo shown here today. Ironically, this event cured me of my fear of flying in small planes.

According to Tom’s recollection of history, I was nervous when I saw them, adding fuel to our small plane, fueled by a hand crank, typically used in WW2.

In our enthusiasm to share these experiences, we’ve probably posted many of these photos on many past posts. Yesterday I finished writing the fourth of the five 2000 word posts I had to do for our web developers who’ve been working on our SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to provide us with a better presence in searches on the web, ultimately bringing more readers to our site.

View from the plane after leveling off.

When that particular 2000 word post is uploaded this coming week, I’ll be adding more of the same photos you’ll see over the next few days, as we re-share photos from the Maasai Mara experience as it occurred in 2013. Please bear with us for the repetition.

We were seeing Mount Kilimanjaro changed everything for me. The inside of the plane was so small. It was challenging to get a good shot maneuvering around the other passengers since we were opposite.

During these circumstances of COVID-19 lockdown, it’s not easy to avoid repetition, when we have nary a new photo to share of anything in our present-day lives, which, like many of you, consists of the routine and repetition of many functions and activities of daily life.

Look at the reflection of our plane on the ground! What a sight! I couldn’t believe we were inside that tiny thing! This appeared to be some horse farm.

This morning, I spoke to the hotel manager, who has personally taken on resolving our package situation. We are so grateful for his help and kindness. He’s even got his wife, who doesn’t work for the hotel, involved in trying to figure a way for us to pay the customs taxes and fees. We’re hopeful.

As I type, Tom has his laptop plugged into the TV and is watching the Minnesota Vikings game from yesterday. With the considerable time difference between the US and India, he can’t watch it until Monday mornings since the game plays while we’re sleeping. I enjoy watching the games, so I keep an eye on it as it’s playing. But, the disappointment over their losing record is discouraging, making me less interested.

After three takes off and three landings, we finally arrived to meet our guide, Anderson, who’s lived in the Masai Mara region all of his life. What a guy!  We loved him the moment we met him, spending the next several days with him.

Last night, my dinner was a huge improvement. Most nights, except for the once-a-week tiny piece of salmon I order, I have chicken breasts that I don’t care for. I asked for other chicken parts since I prefer dark meat, and they served me a good-sized plate of deboned dark meat in a decent-sized portion. Why didn’t I ask for this in the past?

Well, I tried. In the past, I’ve asked for the dark meat to include chicken thighs and chicken legs. They always stated they didn’t have them, just breasts. Last night when I ordered, I said, “I’d like chicken but NO breasts.” Somehow, with the language barrier, this made sense to them, and a plate of deboned chicken thighs and legs arrived, well-roasted and moist, along with a good-sized portion of sauteed mushrooms.

My knees were still a little shaky from the flights. I was thrilled to be on the ground, meeting our guide Anderson for our time in Onolana. At that point, I knew I’d be less fearful of the return flight.

I’ve been saving two hard-boiled eggs from my breakfast to eat with my dinner since it never was enough. Last night I didn’t eat the eggs when I was packed for the first time since I gave up the curried chicken and paneer makhani several weeks ago to reduce the number of carbohydrates I’d been consuming. The pain in my legs has improved but is not gone. Yes, it could take another month or two until I get complete relief.

Today, I’ll begin working on the 5th and final 2000 word post. It will be great to have this obligation behind me.

Have a good day filled with hope for the future!

Photo from one year ago today, October 5, 2019:
That morning, at the farm in Devon, when the rain stopped for a few minutes, we walked in the mushy grass to the greenhouse to collect these vegetables and berries we used for dinner. For more photos, please click here.