A grand solitary visitor…Planning our upcoming departure…A goal of low stress travel…A funny photo…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Yesterday morning while writing on the veranda, I heard a “thump, thump” and alerted Tom, to look up, and once again, we had the most exciting visitor, a solitary giraffe. We’d assumed he’d stopped to munch on the treetops enabling us to take some photos. Alas, he dashed out of the yard so fast that we weren’t able to take another photo. It was the third time we’ve had giraffes in our yard. Heavenly.

It’s hard to believe that in 30 days, we’ll be leaving South Africa, heading to Marrakesh, Morocco, where we’ll live for 2½ months. Unquestionably, it won’t be easy to leave Marloth Park, to say goodbye to all of our friends both human and animals. 

These three baby warthogs, our familiar “Three Little Pigs” anxiously needed some liquid sustenance from mom after we shared some pellets with them.  Thirsty, they nursed with the one shown sucking a nipple from behind her butt.  We laughed at this tender sight.

Life in the bush with all of its challenges provided us both with a unique experience, one we’ll treasure forever.  But, “moving on” is the lifestyle choice we’ve made and we do so with excitement and anticipation of that which is yet to come. We have absolutely no regrets. 

On our way out to dinner last night at dusk. Wildebeest and zebra, who often hang out together.

The preparations to move on aren’t overwhelming by any means, but must be accomplished in an orderly and concise manner. Our motto remains forefront in our minds, “Wafting through our worldwide travels with ease, joy, and simplicity.” 

Stringent advance planning results in lower levels of stress, always our objective. Besides, the airlines create enough problems of their own without us adding more due to a lack of careful planning. 

We diligently prepare for the following, none of which is particularly time-consuming or difficult once the flights have been booked:

  • Flight arrangements/baggage restrictions
  • Packing, while complying with all baggage restrictions
  • Airport transportation arrangements at both ends, including the necessity of going to an ATM at the final destination for cash in the local currency
  • Online discussions with the owner/property manager to ensure everything we need upon arrival will be awaiting us: access/keys to the property, bedding, towels, bar soap, toilet paper, and bottled water. We require enough basic “hotel” supplies to get us through the first several days.
  • How do we arrange for meals and snacks as we settle in? Assessing nearby restaurants and grocery stores with a ready means of transportation.
  • Visa requirements. All of our previous visa requirements have been met at immigration upon entry to our final destinations with the exception of Belize, which required renewal every 30 days. Morocco doesn’t require a visa for US citizens entering the country for under 90 days. We’ll be staying for 75 days.   

Having booked our flight from Johannesburg to Morocco, a convoluted red-eye mess of multiple stops and layovers, today we’ll book the short flight from Mpumalanga/Nelspruit to Johannesburg, a portion of the flight that must be booked separately.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the details of the complicated and the only means of getting to Morocco from South Africa. It’s not comparable to the US, Europe, and other parts of the world where one can book a single flight from one big city to another big city.

It’s another scorcher today. We only lasted five hours on the veranda seeing no less the four Warthog families.  Plus, we had about 25 Helmeted Guinea-fowls hanging out with the warthogs. Lots of laughing over all of their playful antics. 

Tonight, we’re off to a birthday party in Marloth Park. Should be fun!

Happy day to all.

“Small Things,” all new, a world of miniature vegetation and wildlife…More small creatures tomorrow…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
It’s hard to believe that this is actually a flower on the Sickle Bush which we found in our garden a month ago. No longer do we see them “blooming” but we were grateful to have seen these two flowers.
Today, we’ll first share the “Small Things” in the vegetation category including some “Small Things” wildlife photos as you scroll down. Tomorrow, we’ll continue the most exciting of the all-new “Small Things,” wildlife photos. Please check back.
At first, I didn’t think these flowers on the Sickle Bush were real!

Since our first “Small Things” post on December 13, 2013, we’ve continued to search for wildlife and vegetation of the minuscule variety. With much excitement, we share these with you today, some beautiful, others frightening, and some merely curious.

After searching through no less than 1000 photos I could not find the name of this flower. If you look closely it appears to have a face toward the upper center. If anyone is aware of the name of this flower, please write.

There’s a miniature world that the human eye cannot see. If only we had access to the necessary equipment to explore that world freely. Perhaps, in time, technology will provide us with affordable digital equipment for the average user to see the smallest forms of life.

From research online, I believe this is a variety of the Aloe plant.
All of the photos we’ve posted here today were taken in our garden. Had I been brave enough to venture further into the dense bush without a trail, I’m certain I’d have found many more “Small Things” of interest. These were found in a short distance into the bush.
 Although I looked at hundreds of blue wildflowers growing in South Africa, here again, I wasn’t able to find the name of this wildflower.
As I take this walk often several times a day, my first consideration is to keep a watchful eye for snakes that may slither across the road. Once I feel assured that there are no snakes in the immediate area, I am able to stop to head into the tall grass to take photos.
These lilac puffs are gone now as of a month ago when summer arrived.  Now, that the heat of summer is here there are few flowers.
These past days, we had a considerable amount of much needed rain. This morning as we sit on the veranda, the sun peeked out shooting up the temperature in a dense layer of humidity.
 The simplest wild daisy stands out in the bush.

The heat from the single mug of coffee I have each morning, makes me feel all the hotter. But, at the moment we’re inclined to stay outside. Our current visitors consist of a mom and three fast-growing baby warthogs, a flock of 12 Helmeted Guinea-Fowl, another mom and four baby warthogs, all regulars. They co-exist rather well, as we often giggle over their innocuous interactions.

 This small aloe plant intrigued us with it’s “eye” in the center.

In the pouring rain on Sunday, the Helmeted Guinea-Fowl stopped by much to our surprise. Most of the wildlife stay undercover during severe weather. Their dripping wet blue faces and matted feathers elicited a sad moan from me. 

 Ms. Turtle scooting across the edge of the driveway. We’ve spotted her in the same general area of the garden on several occasions.

We humans are fortunate that we have the brain size to have overcome a life of living in the bush like animals. How we’ve evolved! Sadly, in the process of our evolution we’ve managed to reduce the available habitat for wildlife to continue to thrive. I could easily get out my soapbox on that topic but for today, I’ll remain quiet.

 Yikes!  What in the world is this?  We saw it while on the upstairs veranda on a nearby tree.
Watching it for several days without change, one day it was gone. Notice the tufts of hair growing
along some of the edges.

Today is an unusual day. At noon, Okee Dokee will pick me up for the almost half-hour drive to Komatipoort to purchase more data and a few odds and ends at the grocery store. This will be the longest time Tom and I have been apart since we left Minnesota almost fifteen months ago.

Gee…what will he do while I’m away?

Oh, what a night!…Way too much fun!…Tom’s South Africa haircut…at last! A rare visitor…a great dinner…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
“We’re not moving! We’re waiting on the others!” We didn’t mind a bit. We’d have gladly waited for any amount of time.

There are times I say to myself, “Oh, please, this is too much fun!” Then again, I realize that both of us are easily entertained. Really. 

An interesting insect or sighting of a turtle walking across the garden has the ability to captivate us to the point of squealing with delight once we can let out our breath.

“We’re coming! We need a few more bites before we join the others!”

We were always like this. Only then, we didn’t have access to this degree of almost constant stimulation.  Whether it’s the sound of Lions roaring, the pleasant bubbly sound of hippos as we lie in bed at night, or the shuffling sound of a creature atop the roof, the pleasure only seems to stop when we’re sleeping.

“Hold onto your shorts!”

It’s ironic that this constant state of being “on the alert” and the sheer engagement when we discover yet another wonder, by 10:00 to 10:30 pm, I’m practically falling on my face. Tom is not far behind.

And still, the others had yet to join them while they anxiously looked their way. At this point, traffic was backed up and as soon as there was an opening, we were on our way, our faces hurting from smiling.

Yesterday and last night, one of many days and nights, we had a particularly delightful time. The heat was unbearable as a storm brewed, the air was thick was visible humidity. We lasted outdoors for five hours finally throwing in the towel, heading indoors to the loft with AC.

Yet to visit our yard, a mom and baby Wildebeest watched us drive by.

Due to the excessive heat, the AC wasn’t able to keep up. The lines frequently clog with insects, caused water to start dripping into the house. When this occurred, we had no option but it turn it off. With AC in both bedrooms, I decided it was a good time to go into our bedroom, turn on the AC and read my book. That didn’t last long.

Definitely not pretty animals, but, all of them are cute to us.  Although it’s been very hot here in the summer months, we’re grateful we’ve come during the birthing season, seeing many babies.

Fearful of missing something, a short time later I turned off the AC, shut the door, and looked outside for visitors. What if we missed something else? We’d had a great morning as shown in yesterday’s post.

We were so excited to get this shot of one of the two monitor lizards living in our yard.  This photo was taken at the hottest point in the day.  Louise and Danie told us that they’ll swim in the pool from time to time. We’d have loved to see that!

Having left prawn shells (shrimp) and a raw egg for the mongoose (they eat snakes), I was thrilled to see the monitor lizard eating the last of the prawn shells and then taking the raw egg with her to the hole in which we occasionally see her and her mate slither in and out.

The monitor lizard, a rare visitor, headed to the ground on the opposite side of the pool to check out the eggs that she laid a few weeks ago. As mentioned recently, it may take up to 300 days for the eggs to hatch depending upon conditions such as weather and attacks by other animals.
This occurred so quickly that I had no time to get the camera. A half-hour later we found the monitor lizard contemplating a swim in the pool, the long tongue darting in and out of the water. As a result, we captured these photos from inside the house. These Lizards are very skittish. If they’d seen us they’d be gone in a few seconds. They move quickly.
Tom, outside the salon where he got a haircut on Thursday.

At 6:30 pm, as the sun began to set, Okee Dokee picked us up to take us to Jabula Lodge, our favorite restaurant in the area. Not only is the food fantastic, but Dawn and Leon, the owners, present every time we arrive, make our dining experience comparable to a party each time. The chatting and laughing between tasty bites adds a playful element that drives us back, time, and again for more.

Tom, awaiting his turn at the salon for his haircut appointment.

On the way to Jabula Lodge, we stopped many times to take these photos. Although not as clear as I’d like since taking photos from a moving vehicle at dusk is challenging with our type of camera. However, we couldn’t resist sharing these today. 

Tom with his new haircut getting ready to eat that huge vertical stick of beef known as Espetada. I wasn’t thrilled about him eating the chips (as they call fries in Africa). But, I kept my mouth shut and didn’t comment, as usual. He said the meat was delicious. I had perfectly prepared grilled chicken, veggies, and Greek salad (sans dressing).

After the laugh-fest at Jabula Lodge, we headed home, watched a few shows on my broken-monitor laptop, and headed to bed. The worst of the storm had passed, the temperature had dropped considerably and a good night’s sleep was imminent. Another good day.

An interesting frequent visitor..Too hot to handle…Kevin came to call…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Fairly frequent visitors, the Helmeted Guinea-fowl family stopped by yesterday afternoon. Check out the “fluff” around the neck. What a gorgeous shade of blue, not often seen in nature.

Perhaps, it’s the heat of summer. This is comparable to July above the equator. The heat and humidity are unbearable, especially in the afternoon. The flies are equally annoying. Our visitor population is down considerably in the heat when wildlife tends to stay undercover during the day hiding in the bush to stay cool.

On either side of the face are two hanging red-tipped hanging pieces of skin. When the Helmeted Guinea-fowl moves about, these swing around as would a pair of dangling earrings.

It’s early morning now. Our hot cup of coffee adds to the sweating, causing our skin to glisten with perspiration.  Having lathered myself with repellent each morning after a shower, I notice the accumulation of the white lotion and sweat in the crook of my arms no more than 10 minutes after getting situated on the veranda.

The adorable chicks are growing fast, but won’t exhibit signs of the blue skin on the heads for many more months to come. They run very fast, following the parents when they leave, who mate for life, unlike many of the animals.

This morning there will be no long walk down our driveway to the road, leaving a trail of pellets. The heat of the sun is more than I can handle this morning, especially when the flies swarm me as I walk down the path. I don’t think we’ll last long outside today. 

Yesterday morning we left out shrimp skin and tails for the carnivorous monitor lizard along with a raw egg.  This Helmeted Guinea-fowl checked them out but had no interest. Later in the day, I peeked out the door to find the monitor lizard eating the last of our offerings. But, she rapidly slithered away before I could get the camera. We’d seen her digging in the dirt by the braai as we were leaving for our road trip. Most likely, she was making a hole for her eggs, which won’t hatch for up to 300 days after fertilization.

As for inside, there is only one room, beside the two-bedroom that has AC where we can cool off, the upstairs loft. With the high vaulted thatched ceiling, it never cools down much.  But, it does cool down enough to make it bearable.

We counted eight adults and three babies Helmeted Guinea-fowl, two of which weren’t visible in this photo. We can’t freely move around when they visit since they will run off, and I mean RUN! They are fast on their feet! 

On days such as these, I remind myself of Kenya with no AC in the bedrooms, no living room to escape to, in order to cool off. I clamp my mouth shut and as always, we don’t complain. What’s the point?

This morning, I looked up to see Kevin, the largest kudu in Marloth Park, named by its residents, staring at us while standing by the braai. We couldn’t have been more thrilled. Not easily intimidated, we were able to freely move around the veranda to watch him and take photos. 

We still love it here. But, if we come back someday, it will be in their winter when it’s cool, almost every day. In the winter with no leaves on the trees, it’s easier to see the wildlife through the now dense bush. During that period the animals live off of the roots, digging into the hard soil for morsels of vegetation. I’m sure that the pellets are more appreciated during that time, than now, when their natural habitat is lush with food.

Kevin showed no interest in the mineral lick after a warthog rubbed himself all over it, as shown in the video we posted yesterday.

As we sit outside writing here, a welcome breeze wafts our way from time to time, sometimes hot, others cool.  But the stillness predominates. And, we sweat.

Kevin moved so close, to the railing on the veranda we had to back up to avoid being hit with his massive antlers.

On days such as today, we usually last outdoors until noon or later, packing up our laptops, power cords, pellet containers, repellent, mugs, phone  and camera. We can’t leave anything outdoors due to the monkeys. 

Kudus seem to seek out good photo opportunities.

In our old lives, we never sat outdoors on a 100F day, 38 C. Life is different now. We’re more tolerant, curious, and in awe of our surroundings. How we’ve changed!

Kevin is taller than the roof of the carport which lowest point is considerably taller than Tom’s reach.

So, of all things, just now, Kevin, the largest of the Kudus in Marloth Park, whom we’ve longed to visit us, has appeared in our garden. Lumbering his long legs through the braai (barbecue) area, stepping on the hose Tom has filling the pool, and cutting off the water supply momentarily, he makes his way toward us, totally fearless of our presence. Wow! Kevin!  

He stayed around us for 20 minutes or so and then wandered off.  A moment later a shy duiker appeared, one then two, now three.

One last pose before heading on his way.

Taking photos, enjoying their presence, makes our hearts sing. So what if we’re sweating. It’s all worth it!

Although we had three duikers in the garden, we were unable to get a shot of them together. They’re extremely shy requiring us to stay seated on the veranda.

Oh, oh. One of our regular warthog families of four has arrived. I’d better go say “hi” and get some pellets.

Wrapping up our trip to Blyde River Canyon Lodge…A treasured memory…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
The exquisite view from our room at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, Hoedspruit, South Africa, where we stayed for three nights while we toured the many sites in the area.

It wasn’t an easy decision to leave Marloth Park for three days. One, we’re already paying for one home and to leave it empty to pay for another place to stay, makes us think twice. Two, I was afraid we’d miss visitors while we were away. (Tom didn’t quite feel the same – a guy thing).

The veranda and casual dining area in the Blyde River Canyon Lodge overlooks the pool and the expansive grounds.

However, if we had a permanent home, we’d occasionally take a three or more day trip out of town and the costs associated with owning the home would continue in our absence.

The door to our first floor guest room was conveniently located near the lounge, veranda and dining area.

What if the giraffes came to visit while we were away, maybe 12 of them as in the first time they wandered into our yard on a sunny morning in December? What if the wildebeests visited for the mineral lick, yet to occur in these almost past two months that we’ve been here?  What if Clive, our favorite Ostrich, lumbered down the driveway, proud and determined, while we were away?

We’d hope for time to use the pool, but our busy schedule made it difficult.

If any of these events occurred in our absence, we’d have never known. Yes, I did wander up and down our long driveway after returning on Saturday checking for animal tracks and piles of poop. There was plenty of both. 

The manicured grounds were a change after living in the bush these past almost two months.

Leaving Marloth Park wasn’t easy. The only way I could lessen my apprehension was to stay in an extraordinary place surrounded by nature. Blyde River Canyon Lodge filled the bill. We couldn’t have been more pleased. Need I say that we researched our option for several days?

On the grounds at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, as a part of the lodge, is a separate luxury two-story guest cottage with a full kitchen, two bedrooms, large living area and inviting décor.

Based on recommendations from the wonderful locals, we met, especially our friends Piet and Hettie, the Panorama Route was the thing to see, not too far away, a pleasant mountain drive with incredible scenery.

The lounge in the lodge was tastefully decorated with the finest furnishings and accessories.
Alternate view of the lounge area. There’s a small bar to the far left of this area where a wide array of drinks and mixes are available. 

With an abundance of attractions in the area we chose those most appealing to us as shown here over the past several days: the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, the Blyde River Canyon boat ride and a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary, and finally, the Panorama Route, leaving us busy and out and about each of the three days that we stayed at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge.

This was our table for all of our meals, breakfast (included) and dinner at the end of each of our three nights at the lodge. We had no issue with insects in the morning or evening. Notice the zebras visitors who stopped by daily. It was fun to see them racing through the huge expanse of lawn as shown in the background.

Another day to stay at the lodge would have been ideal. But, we had to return the little pink car on the return trip to Marloth Park via the airport in Nelspruit. (More on that frustrating story later). 

This was a young Vervet Monkey (photo from afar) that we’d see playing together at dusk.

We had little time to enjoy the beauty of the lodge’s surroundings. Much to our pleasure, there were visitors stopping by early in the morning and again late in the day, the few times that we were able to be at the lodge, savoring every moment.

The huge gnarly trees created the perfect amount of shade for lounging comfortably outdoors on hot sunny days. 

As for the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, we found it to be the perfect choice for us, conveniently located to everything we wanted to see, affordable, and most of all, absolutely enchanting.

Who needs a lawnmower when Zebras cleanly dine on the grass?

The service was “over-the-top” by every staff member. The attention we received from the owner Vicky and her assistant Portia was appreciated and unexpected. 

A zebra was scratching on the tree while impalas leaped through the air with the ample open spaces.

This was the first time we’d seen zebras mating when all that have visited us in Marloth Park have been males. The zebras courtship rituals resulted in animated playfulness that we found entertaining as they chased and ran through the open spaces on the grounds.

The food at both the included breakfast and reasonably priced dinner served outdoors, couldn’t have been more suitable for my way of eating and to our mutual liking, freshly prepared with the finest of ingredients. The chef didn’t hesitate to meet with me to discuss my dietary restrictions in order to prepare my food accordingly.

At each meal, the table was set utilizing a new color scheme.  We never saw the same place setting twice during our six meals at the lodge.
At each dinner, a starter, an entrée, and a dessert were served. The chef made this special starter for me when the starter for the evening wasn’t conducive to my restrictive diet. It was so delicious I asked for it the second night to which they complied.

Tom splurged and enjoyed this delicious Berry Compote Panna Cotta. We were having such a fabulous time at dinner, I failed to take photos of our entrees, all of which were wonderful.

Tom usually doesn’t care for cheesecake, but he managed to get this down! I must admit, this one was hard for me to resist which I did without even a taste.

Our room, although a basic hotel room, was situated on the ground floor, close to the lounge area and outdoor seating, was spotless and in excellent condition with no signs of wear and tear. The bed and covers were comfortable with the air conditioning working perfectly for a good night’s sleep. The shower had excellent water pressure, something we recall from a life long ago.

As the Vervet Monkeys played on the lawn and in the trees, this young impala stood back, occasionally joining in the play.

Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep well while at the lodge. I was so excited to get outdoors, awaking each day at 4:00 am waiting for the sun to rise. Also, with a slow WiFi signal, typical for the area with the surrounding mountains, I was chomping at the bit to post our stories and photos which had to be accomplished in the early morning and finished in the evening.

The Vervet Monkey on the right was no larger than the size of a small cat. The smaller, on the left, could easily have fit into the palm of one’s hand. 

Typical for me on our “side holidays,” I slept poorly, fearful of missing something. Yes, I know. It’s a flaw of mine, one of many, driven by a brain that just won’t shut off when I’m having fun. It’s during the quiet, less stimulating times that I can sleep for seven hours.

The simplest of naturally occurring vegetation, growing next to a piece of driftwood, created a pleasant scene.

Our total cost for three-night stay at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge including dinners, drinks, and tips was US $582.27, ZAR $6200. The total cost of the lodge and the cost of the fees for the stated activities was US $886.42, ZAR $9438.50, also including gas/petrol to and from the area.

More natural vegetation highlighted the grounds.

Although this side trip wasn’t a bargain, we definitely felt that the quality of the experience was well worth the cost.  In our old lives, if we’d gone to Duluth, Minnesota, USA for three nights, we’d certainly have spent a comparable amount if including the cost of a four-star hotel, several attractions, meals, drinks, and gas/petrol.

Although a quaint, intimate facility, the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, with seven guest rooms plus the private luxury cottage, was offering the utmost amenities, service, and food, commensurate with a much larger high-end resort.

The private stand alone cottage was charming and well appointed.

The spacious living area and kitchen in the private cottage.

The master bedroom in the private cottage.

The second bedroom in the private cottage.

The master bath in the private cottage.

The view from the private cottage from the living room.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the frustrating story of the pink rental car which, by the way, we no longer have in our possession, or any vehicle for that matter and… What we’re doing for transportation over the remaining 38 days we’re living in Marloth Park. Plus, we have more new unseen photos to share.

Please stop back.

More up close and personal at another wildlife rehab facility in Hoedspruit…Lions, vultures, cheetah and more! Crazy photo of Tom!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Tom volunteered to feed the vultures raw meat.  He wore a leather sleeve on his right arm from fingertips to shoulder. As soon as our guide put the raw meat into his hand, several vultures flew at him to grab it, leaving two to fight over it. Exciting, to say the least!

Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, one of several in South Africa was definitely on our “to do” list when we spent three days in the nearby Blyde River Canyon, beginning on Wednesday, returning to Marloth Park on Saturday.

This handsome cheetah is recovering from poisoning, as the result of an attempt to kill him for his hide will be unable to return to the wild, due to the risk of being killed by his own species. He’s been made an “ambassador” to represent the rehab center in saving his and other species from becoming endangered.  Watching him through the electrified fencing, we were anxious to get inside and “hands-on.”
Both Tom and I were anxious to touch him. If we had any apprehension, which we didn’t the fact that he was “purring” welcomed our touch.  Wow!
We each had a turn at touching his tail after being warned not to pet his head.
The conscientious guide ensured our safety.  But, we had no fear.

We’d anticipated seeing an array of injured wildlife in various stages of healing. Little did we anticipate the education we’d receive about the dwindling of natural wildlife habitats in South Africa and all of Africa due to man’s intervention. It is down from 100% a century ago, to approximately 10% today.  Where is the wildlife able to survive?

This mating pair of honey badgers was kept together when one was injured.  It was delightful to watch their playful antics. In the wild, they are dangerous animals known to be able to rip the genitalia from any animal in a single bite. Yikes.

We were made further aware of the heartbreaking loss of rhinos (45 killed in Kruger National Park in the past three weeks) as well as elephants and the curious pangolin through their senseless slaughter by poachers for the purpose of selling them to religious zealots who wrongfully believe that their tusks and hides have mystical powers (the scales on the Pangolin sell for ZAR $1087, $100 each).

The small serval is a vicious hunter in the wild. We were not allowed inside her habitat.

The Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre’s mission is to not only medically treat injured, ill, or poisoned wildlife but, to prepare them to return to the wild in their natural habitat.

After we were allowed inside the vulture habitat, it was exciting to interact with them.
This adorable, yet  deadly eagle was more than willing to lower his head for me to pet her.

We learned that for some of the animals, returning to their familiar habitat is a certain death sentence. Thus, in time, many are returned to other areas, where they can begin anew. 

The birds of prey were beautiful up close.  Seeing them gave us an entirely new perspective of their behavior, their importance to the environment, their anatomy, and the colorful plumage, vultures, all species are being poisoned for their heart, liver, brain, and other internal organs. The fanatics believe that these organs will improve their ability to see into the future, based on the acuity of the Vulture’s vision.
The exquisite plumage on these two vultures was a complete surprise.

 

This vulture seemed a little shy as compared to the others. He bent his head when I approached to take his photo.
This is our usual perception of a vulture. This particular bird was involved in the scuffle for the piece of meat in Tom’s hand. Each Vulture species had a particular neck and body commensurate with which part of the body of their prey that they are known to eat. The longest neck vultures eat the internal organs while those with shorter necks go after the flesh.

In extreme cases, when their are virtually no options for survival in the wild, as in the case of an animal having lost a limb, a wing, or the ability to eat and thrive, they are kept in the facility as “ambassadors” aiding in the center’s goals of creating awareness for the preservation of the species. The loving attention and care for these various “ambassadors” were heartwarming.

We weren’t allowed to get face to face with this Vulture.  He offers tourists a stick with the appearance of being generous when in reality, if the gift is accepted through the fence, he’ll bite their fingers off!
Vulture headshot, one of my favorite vulture photos. He seemed to pose for me when I took this without zoom while standing directly in front of him. Our guide told us to move around frequently while in the vulture area. They eat “dead” meat, except for the above red and orange Vulture above who likes human fingers.

After the meaningful educational session that we experienced in a classroom environment, we were excited to get the opportunity to see the animals in person. 

This male lion leisurely recovering walked our way as we approached the electrified fence. I was able to take this photo through an open small space in the fence, using a bit of zoom. Of course, we weren’t allowed inside his area.

As he approached us, he seemed gentle and sweet.  We were warned that he is neither.

Without a doubt, it was hard to witness some of the animal’s injuries. On the other hand, it was comforting to see how each species was treated with such care, the natural habitat created for them, eating food they’d hunt or forage in the wild, and housed in a manner conducive to their environmental needs. 

Our guide explained that male Lions are the laziest animals on the planet.  They watch the female lion or other animals catch their prey and then he steals it away with his massive strength. While in the Maasai Mara on safari in October 2013, we witnessed this behavior when we saw a lion steal from a female hoping to feed her cubs. Not unlike humans, through past generations; women cooked, men ate. 

The vast size of Kruger National Park is the source of many of the injured and ill animals. As soon as the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is notified of an injured animal, they initiate a process that will get the animal to the center as quickly as possible with the least amount of harm.  Imagine, capturing an injured lion to transport it, often by plane or helicopter with medical staff on board, to the center to return it to health. We were impressed.

This female lion showed little interest in our visit. She was more interested in the bucket of raw meat our guide had in his hands.

Our photos here will illustrate how special this experience was for both of us. Once again, we had a new perspective of the life cycle of many species and the dedication of many people to ensure the various forms of wildlife survive and not become yet another endangered species.

Other wildlife meandered the open areas of the rehab center, which is located in the bush including many vultures, eagles, impalas, and other species.  This young impala was enjoying quiet time in the shade.

For us, traveling the world is not about luxuriating in comfort and convenience, although at times, such as the three glorious nights we spent at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, we were exquisitely comfortable and at ease. 

The opportunity to expand our horizons with a greater understanding of the world around us, through the eyes of those that came before us, makes our travels all the more rich and meaningful.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos and stories of our boat ride on Thursday on the Blyde River. Thank you for sharing in our ongoing adventures.

Talk about “safari luck!”…Knock us over with a feather….We’ve arrived in Blyde River Canyon. What a first day!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
After stopping at a was rest stop in Kruger National Park, there was a Vervet Monkey atop our pink rental car when we returned. It was one of many very entertaining experiences we had during our 5 1/2 hours in the park this morning.

At 6:15 am Wednesday morning, we were on our way for the full day’s drive to the Blyde River Canyon for a three-night stay, commencing at the Crocodile River entrance to Kruger National Park.

This is the narrow single-lane one must cross over the dangerous Crocodile River in order to enter Kruger National Park. One wouldn’t want to fall into this river!

We’d decided to take the longer route through the park to experience our first “self-drive” safari. After watching a video posted on Facebook a few days ago, as an angry male elephant toppling a car onto its side with a foolish driver at the wheel, we were especially cautious.

At the entrance gate, we showed our passports and paid the fee of  US $45.90, ZAR $500 and we were on our way.

We entered the park with determined caution, hoping that once again our “safari luck” would prevail. But, after having seen only a family of Helmeted Guinea-Fowl with adorable chicks on the road, we considered that perhaps, “safari luck” had run out. Ha! How wrong we were!

The first sign of life we encountered was this flock of the familiar Helmeted Guinea Fowls who tend to pick through and eat the dug of the elephants who only digest 40% of their food leaving the remainder undigested which is often eaten by birds.

The intent was to spend a few hours maneuvering our way through the park to exit at the famous Paul Kruger exit, not far from the town of Hazyview, to then follow along the renowned Panorama Route.  

The Guinea Fowl gathered all their chicks together as we slowly drove by.

Little did we know or expect to spend 5½ hours in the park, extending our exiting route to the more distant Numbi Gate.

After seeing several impalas and more guinea-fowl (as Tom calls hens), we were worried “safari luck” wasn’t with us for once. After an hour had passed and we hadn’t seen much, we resigned ourselves.

Taking over 100 photos during our drive, we couldn’t have been more thrilled if we had seen the Big 5, of which we found two. We’d had that glorious experience 3½ months ago when on safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya in the first 10 hours in the bush. Experiencing it again was no longer important to us. 

Then, there he was. Tom spotted him first from afar.  He was on the right side of the car, the driver’s side (opposite of the US and other countries). Tom angled the car, enabling me to get this shot with the car window open.  

What has been important to us has been to have fun, to talk, to laugh, and to fill our hearts with the love of nature and our surroundings, which has proven to be a relatively easy task here in Africa, barring some scary crawling things we could happily do without.  

Little zoom was necessary for these photos. We were at a safe distance and Tom was prepared to back up in a hurry if necessary if the elephant became agitated.

But, it all has been a part of the adventure; the good, the great, the stupendous and, the occasional not so nice. 

He was well aware of us in the road, Suddenly, he decided he had enough of our prying eyes and camera. We took a video when he turned toward us appearing angry and clearly wanting us to leave. We’ll post the video as soon as we can get a strong enough signal to download it to YouTube.

The next morning at breakfast we’re comfortably situated in the outdoor dining area in the exquisite resort, The Blyde River Canyon Lodge, as I attempt to complete this post with a slightly improved WiFi signal when closer to the main office of the resort.

The elephant had enough of us and backed up onto the road at a good pace in our direction. Tom quickly responded, backing up as fast as possible. Although we were at a safe distance (so we thought), it was time to get out of his view. Our upcoming video will more clearly explain what transpired.

Our photos of the drive through Kruger Park will illustrate the magnificence of our “self-drive” safari.  Going at our own pace, stopping for as long or as little as we chose, backing up on the road if we missed something, stopping to check the tire pressure” behind a bush, all contributed to the quality of the experience.

Satisfied that we were out of his way, he completed his goal of moving to the left side of the road. We waited for several minutes and then continued on our way.


He never took his eyes off of us as we drove past him continuing on our way. We both agreed that having this experience alone would satisfy us for the day.  Little did we know what was yet to come an hour further down the road, all of which we’ll share tomorrow.

Adding Mother Nature’s cooperation and “safari luck” to the mix, you’ll see from these photos what I’m talking about. We didn’t need a “Big 5” experience. We only needed to have fun and that, dear readers, is exactly what we did.

No more than minutes later, we encountered this family of monkeys playing in the road with their offspring.  Their playful antics made us laugh.

Again, as we enjoy yet another three-day trip we’ll produce lots more photos that it will most likely take many days to share. So please bear with us, as we work our way through. The slow WiFi signal definitely impedes our ability to post dozens of photos in one post.

Nothing like a baby monkey kissing the ground. LOL.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back to more of the adventures of our lives, lived to the fullest, including more Kruger Park photos and, taking a walk with an elephant’s truck in our hands, an elephant “kissing” our necks using the end of his trunk and much more.

Thanks for your patience.

Horrifying visitor!..Biggest scare of Tom’s life!…Postponement of today’s intended post to tell about this frightening experience!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 4 Comments
These yellow lines were from the portable clothesline located in the corner of the veranda where the Mozambique Spitting Cobra was heading. Little did I know that this snake has the ability to spit venom as far as 10 feet, 3 meters into the eyes of its victim. Hands shaking, I took this blurry photo standing only 3 feet, 1 meter, from the snake.

No words can express the look of terror on Tom’s face when this Mozambique Spitting Cobra, shown in these photos, slithered toward his bare feet as we sat on the veranda yesterday around noon. I was sitting at the table approximately three feet, about one meter, from where Tom spotted the dangerous snake.  

This is the corner where the snake headed to hide.

Where did that come from?  Were we so busy looking for animals in the yard that we failed to look down near our own feet?

It had come within inches (centimeters) of his bare feet. Later, we discovered that this type of snake presented less of a risk of biting than “spitting into one’s eyes” possibly blinding or killing the victim.

Without a moment to think he bolted out of his chair while warning me of the location of the snake, so close to his bare feet. Looking in the wrong direction, I had trouble spotting it for a few seconds. Immediately, I reminded Tom to put on his shoes. At that point, neither of us realized what type of snake it was.

When it comes to Mozambique Spitting Cobras, their size was insignificant compared to the dangerous, life-threatening venom they inflict upon their victim.  This snake was approximately 1.5 to 2 feet long, 45 to 60 cm.

As it hissed and raised it’s suddenly wide face at us, we instantly knew it was a Cobra, unsure if it was a Spitting Cobra. A few nights ago, we’d watched an episode of The Amazing Race showing the participants eating cooked Cobra as one of their challenges, while traveling through Indonesia. 

During the show, there was a live cobra on display in a glassed enclosed box. Neither of us gave it much of a thought while watching the show, except to observe the shape of the head when half of its body was raised in defense mode, ready to strike.

The head of the snake was in the grabbers, not in the hand of the security guy.  He was very cautious and had obviously handled these snakes in the past.

We’ve all seen photos, watched TV shows and movies, or caged cobras in a zoo. But in person? Not so much.

Well, folks, there we were on the veranda as an angry Mozambique (the country only a short drive from here) Spitting Cobra slithered its way to a corner near the house, not toward the driveway or garden. Tom grabbed the long-handled pool net in an effort to steer it away from the house. How horrifying it would be if it somehow got inside! But how much more horrifying it would be if it attacked Tom!

My biggest fear was Tom getting bit so I kept warning him to stay away. You know how guys like to take charge in a crisis, right? This was no time for heroism, my dear husband. 

The snake was close to the door to enter the house. I was determined to get inside to call Field Security, whom we were instructed to call for any type of emergency, including snakes. Gingerly, I maneuvered inside the house while Tom managed the snake. This was definitely one of those emergencies worthy of calling Field Security!

The snake wrapped itself around the grabber while its head was still clamped.  I cringed when the security guy got his hand this close.  By no means, was he careless, but even he was surprised and jumped back when the snake jumped out of the bucket after it was placed inside.

Digging through the instruction notebook Louise and Danie left for us, it took only a few seconds to find the phone number and place the call. Giving them our address, they explained that they were on their way.  

We could have gone inside the house and let the snake maneuver to his liking, but we wanted it GONE! GONE! GONE!

Using the pole and net, Tom kept it cornered while we waited. It was curled up ready to strike, laying underneath a stringy mop. The pole Tom was using was no less than 10 feet long, three-plus meters, which he carefully managed as we waited long 10 minutes for Field Security to arrive.

Carrying a “snake grabber,” one of the two security guys arrived ready to remove the snake. Moving the mop off the snake in the corner, the security guy jumped back stating loudly, “That’s a Mozambique Spitting Cobra! It’s very dangerous!” 

We both stepped back while he and his co-worker (who was carrying a large plastic bucket with a lid) readied themselves to grab the snake. Of course, I mentioned, “Please let me take a photo once you have it secured.” My camera was already in hand. They also proceeded to take a photo with their phones.

As soon as they placed the snake into the bucket, it jumped back out!  We all let out a spontaneous, “Oooh!” Luckily, their reflexes were quick. After a few more attempts they got the snake back into the bucket with the lid firmly in place.

I asked them some questions, such as, “Where the snake will be deposited and how many of these snakes have they removed lately?”  The snake would be deposited near the Crocodile River. (Oh. We’re going there again tonight)! This was the second Mozambique Spitting Cobra they’d removed from a house in Marloth Park so far this week! That wasn’t very comforting.

In addition, they answered a few more of my questions regarding how likely it is this type of snake would enter the house? Answer: very likely. And also, how far can this snake “spit?” Answer: up to 10 feet, three meters. 

Then the scarier questions came, such as:  How likely is this snake to blind a person. He answered, “If you’re lucky!” That wasn’t very comforting either.

After they left, Tom, who’d put on his shoes, stated, “That was the biggest scare of my life.” It hadn’t scared me as much as the black Centipede that he found a few weeks ago on the wall near the bathroom, only feet from our bed. That really freaked me out. None the less, the snake was scary.  

Then again, we are in Africa, in the bush. Wildlife is all around us. Whoever said “safari luck” was only for the animals we love to see. Perhaps “safari luck” includes the scary ones too!  

At least now, when I walk down the long driveway each morning to leave a trail of pellets for the warthogs (it works), I won’t be thinking of the lion that’s loose in the neighborhood. Instead, I’ll be watching more diligently for snakes!

On a more cheerful note, this baby tree frog stopped by today, one of several we’ve seen the past few days.  Is it possible these are the product of the earlier of the two white foam nests hanging over our pool?  More on that later as we continue to watch.

Note: Today, we’d intended to share the fun zebra video and story which now will be posted tomorrow, Saturday, January 11th. 

Zebras came to call…Interesting zebra facts…A circle among the stripes…Photos…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Not all wildlife requires a daily supply of water, but the zebra does, never staying further away than 10 meters from a safe water supply, Picky drinkers, they taste the chlorinated pool water, only taking a sip, detecting the chemicals.

Nothing can compare to the appearance of multiple visitors of a species. The excitement of watching them approach our veranda is indescribable. This isn’t to say that we don’t enjoy the “onesies” although it appears that a single animal is more hesitant to approach than several, based on “safety in numbers.” 

Zebras are fascinating but may be taken for granted in the wild for those frequently in their presence. Finding animal behavior interesting to us, having the opportunity to observe them has been more rewarding than we could have imagined.

When we first arrived, we noticed that zebras have a dark circular patch on the inner forelegs which are designed to accommodate the sharp end of the hoof when lying down. The zebra sleeps around 7 hours a night, lying down and these circular patches provide protection for their legs from injury when they’re at rest.


Please click this link for more interesting zebra facts.

Having never been so close to zebras in the past, we were curious as to these black spots on the interior of their front legs.
When we first arrived in Marloth Park, over one month ago, we noticed the circular spots on every zebra, assuming they certainly had a purpose. After researching online, we were pleased to see how these spots protect the zebras from injuring themselves at rest.  
The zebra’s unique stripes are comparable to an individual’s unique fingerprint. The black spots, protecting the legs from injury when at rest are equally as unique.
When this small herd of zebras arrived yesterday, we couldn’t have been happier to see them. Their playful personalities and obvious acceptance of humans in their terrain, make them fun to watch and highly welcomed visitors to homes in Marloth Park.
The mineral lick has been appealing to the zebras and Kudu, so far. Warthogs and other smaller animals have little interest in it.
It’s evident they are used to being around humans. Like many other wildlife, they are quick to run off if frightened by a loud noise or sudden movement. They don’t hesitate to come right up to the railing on our veranda being vocal and making overt motions indicating they are looking for attention and food.
Waiting their turn for a sip of water from the pool, occasionally kicking each other for dominance. All of the zebra visitors we’ve had thus far have been males.
“My turn!”
We don’t hesitate to throw a few handsful of the nutritional pellets, approved by the game reserve rangers, are suitable snacks for the wildlife. With the increased tourist population in Marloth Park during the holidays, it’s evident they’ve been fed, nudging at us for food.
They couldn’t be more adorable.
Hopefully, the tourists have been sensitive in understanding that nature provides an ample food supply during the rainy summer month, lush vegetation for their easy foraging. Any foods other than the mineral licks, fresh vegetation, and pellets aren’t doing the animals a favor. Nature provides for the general diet.
The Zebras seem to like munching on the greenery around this little tree. We’ve learned that wildlife doesn’t graze an area with the intent to “clean it out.” Instead, their instincts guide them to forage in an area for a short period and then move on to another area. Doing so, provides a continuous supply of food, especially during these rainy summer months. In the sparse winter months, the Zebras will dig up the roots of vegetation.
Yesterday, we noticed back leg kicks flying at one another when vying for a spot at the mineral lick or a drink from the pool. Moments later, they’re playing with one another, seeming to hug and groom each other. Watching them is mesmerizing. 
When at last they wander away with the herd intact, we feel grateful they’ve stopped to visit, hoping to see them again in our remaining 56 days in Marloth Park. How quickly the time flies when we’re having fun!


Note:  Typically, the holiday tourists begin leaving the area by January 10th at which point we’ll begin visiting some of the sites in the area. All the sites we’d like to visit are still swarming with tourists. 

Also, it was one year ago today that we left the US (although we did return to various ports in Florida to wait to change ships to continue on our multiple cruises). Click here for the post from the day we left on January 3, 2013, writing about it on January 4, 2013.