Guest Blogger Daniel Sherwin

Awaken Mid-Life Magic: Discovering a World of Possibilities and Growth

A mid-life crisis, often seen as a challenging phase, can catalyze profound personal growth and transformation. This period offers an opportunity to reassess and rejuvenate, particularly through the lens of holistic health. This article explores seven key strategies that can guide you toward a healthier and happier mid-life.

Health as a Foundation

At the heart of a fulfilling mid-life is your health. Begin by incorporating yoga into your routine, a practice that improves physical flexibility and promotes mental calmness. Meditation complements this by offering a way to reduce stress and enhance mindfulness.

Adopting a diet rich in nutritious foods fuels your body and mind, while regular outdoor activities like walking or cycling connect you with nature and boost your mood, notes Verywell Fit. These combined practices lay a solid foundation for holistic well-being.

The Power of Gratitude

Practicing gratitude can revolutionize your perspective on life. Recognizing and valuing your life’s positive aspects fosters contentment and an optimistic attitude.

This intentional shift in how you view your circumstances can uplift your spirits considerably, yielding enhanced mood and increased overall happiness and fulfillment. Moreover, Reader’s Digest points out that this habit of gratitude can become a powerful tool in navigating life’s challenges because it gives you a balanced and appreciative outlook.

Look Into Meditation

Meditation during mid-life can be profoundly beneficial, serving as a powerful tool for managing stress and enhancing overall well-being. It aids in cultivating a sense of calm and balance, crucial during a period often marked by significant life transitions and increased responsibilities. Regular meditation practice can improve focus and mental clarity, helping to navigate complex decisions and tasks more effectively.

Additionally, it fosters emotional resilience, equipping individuals to better handle the challenges and uncertainties characteristic of mid-life. Beyond mental health, meditation also offers physical health benefits, such as lowered blood pressure and improved sleep quality, contributing to a healthier lifestyle in these pivotal years.

Lifelong Learning Online

The journey of acquiring knowledge is continuous and particularly vital during mid-life. Online learning platforms present an extensive array of courses, tailored to a variety of interests and professional aspirations. This commitment to ongoing education is not just beneficial but a key to success that keeps your mind active and agile. For example, you can consider this option when it comes to earning a master’s degree in nursing, which opens the door to advanced positions in administration and being a family nurse practitioner.

Travel for Transformation

Embarking on travel in mid-life can profoundly inspire and foster personal development. You can immerse yourself in diverse cultures, forge connections with a variety of individuals, and acquire new viewpoints.

Such journeys broaden your horizons while instilling a deeper understanding of the world and enriching your mid-life experience with newfound depth and perspective. Each trip serves as a unique chapter, adding meaningful layers to the tapestry of your life’s journey.

Entrepreneurial Adventures

Exploring entrepreneurial ventures during mid-life presents a unique and timely opportunity. It’s a period where starting a new business or transforming a hobby into a career can be both invigorating and fulfilling.

This pathway provides creative freedom and independence and serves as a journey of self-discovery and continuous learning. Embracing entrepreneurship at this stage can lead to significant personal achievements and a deep sense of accomplishment.

Volunteer to Make a Difference

Volunteering is a fulfilling way to give back and find purpose. Whether it’s environmental conservation, community service, or another cause close to your heart, volunteering offers a sense of fulfillment and connection. And it can enhance your personal growth and societal impact.

Balancing Work and Life

A healthy work-life balance is essential in mid-life. Establishing clear boundaries between professional responsibilities and personal life is critical to maintaining your well-being. Prioritize time for relaxation, hobbies, and relationships to ensure a harmonious balance that supports your overall happiness.

Final Thoughts

Mid-life is not merely a phase of life; it’s an opportunity for renewal and growth. Embracing a holistic approach to health and engaging in outdoor activities, gratitude, lifelong learning, travel, volunteering, entrepreneurship, and balanced living can transform this period into a time of immense fulfillment. This stage of life is a chance to rediscover yourself, pursue new passions, and lay the groundwork for a future rich in experiences and personal satisfaction.

This article was written by Daniel Sherwin. Daniel Sherwin considers raising his 9-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son both an adventure and a blessing. He created Dadsolo.com to provide other single dads/parents with information and resources to help them better equip themselves on the journey to parenthood.

Help for Healing is a warm and professional therapeutic environment where individuals, couples, and families can find assistance with their personal and interpersonal struggles. Contact us today to learn more! 716-912-8448

Jail or Tears

I HAVE TO VENT. I try not to post much (especially when it’s negative) but I literally am going to end up in jail one of these days. The absurdity that exists here is making me insane. I actually start crying out of frustration.

Without getting into the 500 words worth of details for the backdrop, let me start with going for the THIRD time to pick up the same script. After dealing with regulations around scripts, insurance, etc., my medicine is finally ready for pickup. Good thing because I am literally leaving the country and have to have it before I go. (By the way, this was NOT for Mounjaro, the controversial medication. It’s just a plain-Jane script.)

No, your doctor didn’t call in the new script. Yes he did, after hours, very kindly for me. No, he didn’t. Yes, he did. They figured out that there was a voicemail from him. Yes, he did. For some reason, the voicemail “icon” didn’t pop up on the screen so they didn’t get the message YESTERDAY. (I guess they don’t check messages unless their computer tells them to. Interesting that we now need technology for that.)

The script is ready though because when I came the SECOND time, they said insurance wouldn’t cover it so they tried to get me a coupon but it was still over $60. I decided to wait for the new script.

So there she is, standing there with a sealed bottle and bag with my medicine. Right medicine, right dosage. She can’t give it to me though because now it is considered a “new” order/script so she has to put the medicine back, update the computer, and then redo the medicine again with a new label. It’s going to be another 10 minutes. No, 15 because the pharmacist has to give an injection.

Are you kidding me? My medicine is in your hand. It has been properly checked by a pharmacist and it is in your hand, right in front of me.

I asked to talk to the pharmacist. She was nice/polite, but looked at me like she couldn’t understand why I was confused. She said, “People have no idea what has to happen behind here.” I told her I had an idea, but didn’t she get frustrated with absurd rules? Can’t she just put a new label on and hand me my medicine which has been a nightmare to even get? Well, she doesn’t know if her pharmacist colleague actually counted it correctly so how could she possibly do that? (Wow, that gives me a lot of faith in my pharmacy. Especially because counting is terribly difficult!)

So I went home and am now waiting to go back for the FOURTH time to get my medicine. The icing on the cake was that before I even got out of the parking lot I got a text message from the pharmacy stating that my medication was ready for pick-up. OMG- it’s not even true!!

I walked away from my prescription bottle. Completely ready. I could have paid the $60 for it, or I had to wait for them to put it back on the shelf and then put it back in the bottle. And then make another trip.

WHAT IS WITH THE ABSURDITY?????

AND WHAT IS WITH OTHER PEOPLE NOT SEEING THE ABSURDITY??

Don’t get me wrong. I know why regulations get put in place. I know that a lot happens behind the scenes that I don’t know or understand. But I also know I have been a medical advocate for over a decade now. And when common sense goes out the window for the sake of a regulation, I lose my mind.

I was just only starting to recover from my incident at the local post office where I was educated about the fact that a government building actually has federal regulations about the use of scotch tape.

Yep, we are a highly developed country here in the USA.

Thanks, I feel better now.

Well, I did. I just talked about this with a close friend who I admire. She totally disagreed with me about this. And she has good reasons. If someone could lose their job, they should recount. And the law is there because one extra pill could kill someone. I respect her and I respect her opinion about things.

So why am I crying again?

I guess this is really about a more profound problem within me. That of feeling alone. Of feeling isolated in my thoughts and experiences. Of feeling like I must be crazy because I’m the only one who sees things the way I do. Knowing I’m an extreme extrovert but find that interacting with people often causes me pain or frustration rather than filling up my well.

I know when you put something out on the internet, you open yourself up for disagreements and criticism and I think that is totally fair. But go easy on me…LOL

#26- The Final Chapter; Did You Get What You Paid For?

This is my last blog (I think). It is the hardest one for me to write. It is the recognition of the closing of one of the best months of my life. But it is also the most difficult one for me to articulate what I want to say.

Many of you supported me financially, prayerfully, and emotionally. I feel accountable to you, as I should. I want you to know where your support went and hope that you will not be disappointed.

The easy things to articulate are the tangibles. One addition is the printer/scanner that was purchased for the on-site location where the volunteers live. This is also the site with a makeshift office where Saranne works and meetings are held. The $160 purchase is an item the foundation would not have likely invested in because it is seen as a luxury of sorts.

Before this, any printing had to be done at another location. Think about how many times a day an office would need to print even a single page. The volunteers sometimes need to print boarding passes and other things. And down the road, being able to scan documents vs. keeping binders and binders of information will also make things more efficient.

South Africa- new printer

The work that I did in the DuNoon Township school is also visible. Elizabeth has a wonderful curriculum with organized classrooms. However, her administrative area was in shambles. It is hard to think that an entire week’s work (including at night when I did the stack of work that I brought home) is boiled down to a few binders. But imagine these shelves completely filled with papers, from top to bottom. If she had ever been audited, she could have been in serious trouble not being able to properly show documentation. Thankfully, that never happened.

Some of these binders are also teacher resources. The year-long curriculum is now organized chronologically but also has all of the worksheets and resources along with it. Imagine trying to find something on those shelves before that.

South Africa; DuNoon school organization job

Here is the very small library we put together. It was a matter of weeding out torn and tattered books and donating books for older kids to appropriate places. It also involved collecting books that were randomly placed throughout the school.

South Africa; school library project

The rest of the impact of what I was doing in South Africa is hard to explain. I want to do so with humility. What I took away for myself was monumental for me. I was feeling invisible here. Ineffectual. Frustrated. And I experienced something in South Africa that I didn’t realize I needed desperately.

I was effective. I made a difference. I was respected. And I was very, very appreciated.

I don’t mean that I was needing a pat on the back. Or maybe I was? Is that so bad? I needed to feel like I was creating meaning out there in the world somewhere in order to feel like I had meaning for being in existence at all.

My last night in South Africa, Saranne hosted a goodbye thank you party. That isn’t usually done there so that in and of itself was very humbling. The staff was there as well as the volunteers. And the folks from SaltyCrax where I was staying were there too. Saranne said, “Because she makes friends wherever she goes.”

South Africa- goodbye party; Darcy, Saranne

Several people spoke and there was a card and gifts. I’m not sure how to express what was said without coming across as wanting to brag. Truly I don’t want that. The incredible part is if these things are accurate, I have been able to touch people around the whole world, not just South Africa. Their comments felt genuine and thought out rather than fluffy stuff.

Saranne (my deepest friendship formed) made me wear a unicorn hairband because what we accomplished in a short time was “unbelievable.” She told me later that she believed her mom sent me to her at a time when she needed it. Personally and professionally. She gave me a beautiful red stone that belonged to her mom. I couldn’t have been more touched.

Dumi said that he was grateful that when God sent me there, I said yes and came. He will raise his family differently because of knowing me. He told me to keep saying yes to God.

One intern said he noticed how hard I worked, even when no one else was working that hard. Even when they weren’t exactly cooperating with me. He believes he will go home with a better work ethic.

One volunteer said that she was always surprised when she was in a car with me and I always asked questions. I thought they found that to be extremely annoying but she said they were questions she would never think of and it has made her realize she wants to be a person who never stops learning.

One said she doesn’t hug people much but watched how I hugged everyone whenever I could. She wants to open up her heart more now.

Carla, the founder of SAVE sent me a personal message thanking me as well.

I responded at different times to all of them that the only reason why we could work so well together was because of their humble and open attitudes. Systemic change is hard and honestly, it rarely happens. Their willingness to even listen much less execute ideas was the key to everything. THEY are amazing.

So I’m hoping no one is disappointed. The actual work I did was not at all as I imagined it would be. But that doesn’t mean I was upset or disappointed. It exceeded my expectations with being able to use my skill set. The effects were not just in the moment, but have the potential to trickle down for a very long time.

Without realizing it, the investment was in my relationships. Not directly with the children, but with so many who serve the children.

It’s so strange to be back. My body is struggling with the jet lag. My brain and emotions are in overdrive. How bizarre to have such a life-altering experience but it doesn’t seem to be visible. I’m back in my routine (mostly) doing my computer work and seeing clients. Things bother me and make me happy like they used to before. Was the last month even real?

And what will my new friendships look like? Will they just fade? Most of them I will never see again. That isn’t so bad with technology except the time difference makes it challenging. When they finish work, I’m already in bed. I could barely grab a phone call with Saranne when I was there working with her full-time. How will we chat now?

I can’t thank you all enough for the many, many ways you have supported me. Your interest in the blogs and learning things along with me encouraged me greatly. How about you go with me next time?

#25- Kirstenbosch

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is one of the most well-known gardens in the world. When Nelson Mandela was in his last weeks of life, he went there daily to walk.

Our tour guide was a 79-year-old woman who hikes every day. She is absolutely passionate about the gardens, the birds, and the flora and fauna. I thought about how lucky we were to have such an enthusiastic guide. At one point she asked if we wanted all the technical names for the flowers and I said, “Nah, that’s ok.” She hesitated and said, “Well, I’m gonna tell you anyway cuz I want to”. Fair enough.

About 45 minutes into the tour, I found myself lagging behind. My brain was getting tired of the constant stopping and long explanations. If I walked a bit slower I couldn’t really hear but could still see everything.

About an hour and a half into the tour, I broke off completely and ran into some other folks who had dropped out as well. They were impressed I stuck it out as long as I did. Seriously, she was a darling woman but my brain went into overload.

I did find out that Africa has songbirds that greatly resemble our hummingbirds. They are a bit bigger, but their wing action is the same. And they are as difficult to catch in a photo or video too. I couldn’t get either but I loved seeing them and having the reminder of Tim.

I’m sure I’ve seen the Bird of Paradise flower before but I couldn’t remember having done so. I think they are so fascinating!

South Africa; Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

One of the highlights is the canopy bridge. The idea was to be able to walk among the tree tops and that’s exactly what we did!

South Africa; Kirstenboch Botanical Gardens

South Africa; Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

South Africa; Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

South Africa; Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Mountain-view pictures never do it justice.

South Africa; Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

This was my last full day in South Africa. It was a beauty!

#24- Tidbits

I was on a tour with a couple from the Netherlands and their very cute 2-year-old boy. I heard them chatting with someone from New Zealand about how they better not ever lose their dummy. They seemed like really good parents to me so I was supposing they weren’t referring to their son. Parents, apparently all around the world, know the importance of never losing a child’s pacifier. I told them we call it a binky here, but in more than one part of the world, it’s a dummy.

Sometimes, especially with the many different languages spoken in Africa, it can be really difficult to understand what words are being said. Then sometimes it is an idiom on top of that. Sometimes it helps to spell it out. (Actually, this is true of any language other than your own. I met people from all over the world.) My buddy and I were having this difficulty. Finally, he said, “I know it usually refers to owls, but it’s for this too!”. HOOT. That was what he was trying to say. It was in reference to a car giving a hoot when they arrived. Ok, we say honk or beep. What a hoot. (Lame, I know.)

I noticed there is a lot of smoking. Vaping too, but more smoking. It was very true among the volunteers (who are from all over the world) and it is also not illegal to smoke inside bars and restaurants in South Africa. It’s not a judgment, just an observation. I think it caught my attention because I feel like I don’t see it in the States all that often anymore.

On a much more serious note, I was always astounded at how inexpensive things are in South Africa. Uber, in particular, was very cheap. I could take an hour ride and it would be under $10, including the tip. Of course, you could find pricier restaurants and hotels, but those were much cheaper as well. Sometimes I would look at a price and think yikes! because the Rand is such a high number. Then I would use my app and realize it wasn’t even 15 bucks.

And yet it is all quite expensive to the locals. I asked one of my drivers what the average person makes in South Africa. He said for those who don’t work, the government gives about 350R a month. That comes out to under $20. The average person who works full-time makes about 10,000R a month which sounds much better. But that’s only about $500 a month. That’s $6,000 a year.

That seemed crazy so I checked good ‘ol Google. It says the median salary is $21,000R, making it about $17K a year in USD. That is obviously much more in comparison to what the driver says, but still very little compared to the States. I suspect the truth is somewhere in between.

I wish I had asked more questions while I was there because I trust my actual conversations with people I know more than any other source. But obviously, that kind of information could be seen as intrusive so I waited til the end of my trip.

Again, hard to wrap around. It costs so much more here, but we make so much more. The thing that makes me sad, is that so many people in South Africa want to travel. And specifically, they want to come to the States. If they could somehow afford to get here, how on earth would they be able to afford anything once here?

#23- Cape Town Proper

I actually arrived home yesterday! I use the word “home” to mean Clarence, NY but right now I feel a bit displaced. I’m sure it will pass.

Anyhow, there were a few things I didn’t post and I was going to skip them at this point but I had some people ask me to write them anyway so here goes.

I created another tour day of my own after I discovered a bunch of places were within walking distance of each other. They were all in what is called the Town Proper.

The first stop was Green Market Square. My friend Sylvia loved it there so I decided to go. It was indeed a brilliant amount of African vendor goods and this non-material items gal bought more than she intended. It was a bit uncomfortable if you don’t like to be approached. Folks were much more persistent than any place I have experienced (including Belize) to get you to look at their wares. Besides not liking being pressured, there is also feeling crappy because you know these people have very little money and they work very hard on the items they sell. You wish you could buy everything just to support them.

South Africa; Green Market

South Africa; Green Market

St. George’s Cathedral was next. Desmond Tutu was the first black bishop here in South Africa. There were many, many events that started on the steps here to stop Apartheid and other types of oppression. I could again feel the somber air as I did on Robben Island.

South Africa; St. George’s Cathedral

South Africa; St. George’s Cathedral

Out in the yard, there was a labyrinth. My friend Linda loves labyrinths and is especially passionate about ending racism. I couldn’t help but think of her as I walked it, knowing she would have been very moved by the significance of this place.

South Africa; St. George’s Cathedral

Walking to another destination, I heard joyful singing that I could recognize a mile away as the traditional, soulful music of Africans. It was an amazing show. I watched for quite a while until I was grabbed along with a few others to come and dance with them. Definitely worth checking out the videos on FB.

South Africa; Cape Town proper

I was looking for The Castle of Good Hope and thought I had found it. I discovered it was City Hall. Looks like a castle to me…?

South Africa; City Hall

The Castle of Good Hope is one of the oldest colonial buildings in South Africa. It was built as a bastion and similar to Robben Island, was like a small village inside its walls.

South Africa; Castle of Good Hope

It was a good day. I didn’t get to see everything I had hoped, but I definitely ubered home feeling like I had another sense of the history and culture here.

#22- Robben Island

So the island where the seals are is Duiker Island. I thought it was also referred to as Seal Island. (I can’t really imagine what made me think that.) But I discovered that Robben Island is the place referred to as Seal Island.

South Africa- Robben Island

Robben Island is where Nelson Mandela was held as a political prisoner. It was one of the most important things I wanted to see while I was here and I almost didn’t get to. I missed my ferry and it’s sold out for days at a time. When I started the blubbering, the manager booked me on a later boat.

It was a very somber day for me. There was a bit of history about some of the tragedies that occurred that spurred the rebellion against Apartheid. It’s in some ways, of course, reminiscent of our own history and the various movements that have occurred to stop slavery, oppression, racism, etc. And change is bitterly slow and incredibly complicated.

There were those who were born white who opposed what was happening and put themselves at risk to stop it. And there were those who were interviewed at the time that were so hardcore sure of their horrifying beliefs it makes you cringe to listen to them.

It is a very strange place. People actually lived on the island. There were fascinating commercials interviewing children who lived on the island saying they lived in paradise and didn’t ever want to leave.

I am very uneducated about Apartheid but I plan to do some reading when I get back. When did it start? When did it end? (Not that it ever really does.) When were all the prisoners from Robben Island actually released?

One of the exceptional things about the tour is that the guides are former political prisoners. They were there with Nelson Mandela. They were there on “terrorism” charges. Here is Peter. I will post a video on FB where he introduces himself.

South Africa- Robben Island; Peter, former political prisoner

Prisoners were issued these two items. That was all they had to sleep with. No beds, concrete floors. And as I am fully aware, it’s very cold here in the winter.

South Africa- Robben Island; all they had to sleep on including the winter; no beds

South Africa- Robben Island

The men were taken to this quarry every day. The work was simply for punishment. The small monument of rocks you see is in honor of 38 prisoner bodies that were stolen. To this day, no one knows where they are buried.

South Africa- Robben Island; the rocks that represent the 38 missing prisoner bodies

This was Nelson Mandela’s cell. The biggest thing is the smallest thing. Such a tiny space. I guess with no bed or toilet you could manage it.

South Africa- Robben Island; Nelson Mandela’s cell

While there was still beauty here, the somber feeling never left me.

South Africa- Robben Island

I love the profound meaning of this. I think it might be missing in the States. Yes, remember the past. But the point isn’t just to honor the suffering or to focus on it. It is about overcoming, about strength, about the resiliency of the human spirit. So much I want to keep alive in my mind when I return home and get caught up in my routines.

South Africa- Robben Island

#21- How to Fix the World

The ongoing struggle to understand. When on a longer-than-usual drive, I saw some of the bigger townships. It was crazy. It felt like the shacks went on and on and on for miles. Probably because it did. And some of the areas were stacked three high.

Our driver was asked what was being done about the situation. I got information I hadn’t heard yet. He pointed out that at the end of the stream of shacks, there was on occasion a set of small houses. These were put up by the government. The first families that were moved in received their houses for free.

Now the government pays 80-90%. These folks are upset about that. They deserve the houses for free, especially if others had received them for free. There are also complaints about how close together they are. No room for gardens or anything like that.

Sylvia and I talked about the incredible complications of this. Of course, people have every right to demand what was cruelly, unjustifiably, and brutally taken from them. And they shouldn’t have to pay a cent. Yet wouldn’t this at least be a step in the right direction? At least these houses are better than the shacks they are living in?

But the number of houses is also so ridiculously small compared to the literal thousands of shacks that are there. A couple of houses is truly only a drop in a very large pond.

Plus they get a couple of families moved in, and more move into the townships. More refugees come, fleeing even worse situations.

It hurts your head to try and even wrap around it.

One of my new friends here and I went out the other day. The conversation turned to the issues of Apartheid. The reality of the horror, the struggle to know how to rectify as a society. Affirmative Action is in force here and it runs into the same issues as in the States. You have to break the prejudice, but then others are kept from jobs as a result. How the hell do you fix it?

In that conversation, she gingerly approached talking about America. She didn’t want to offend or step on my toes. I told her not to hold back.

She said that I was one of the few Americans she has met (she meets folks from all over the world at the hostel) who she likes. She said I am not anything like most of them. I told her I actually found that to be a compliment. In fact, a big one.

I pushed her to say more. I expected her to say that she found Americans to be selfish, or at least self-absorbed. She said that wasn’t what she was thinking. For lack of a better word, she came up with “dumb” but she didn’t mean it like it sounded. She meant it more like “unaware”.

The people she has met, see the world as America. And then there is the rest of the world. Kind of like whites and non-whites. Even though there are literally countless numbers of races, it is either white or non-white.

And while there is a great big world, it is America, and not-America.

I told her I didn’t think that was far from selfish or self-absorbed. Not trying to hate on my country, just an opinion on what I see and experience.

But before I get too comfortable on my high horse, I found a magnet with a quote from Nelson Mandela. I think it was exactly the right thing at the right time. I left the States with so much confusion and disgust with the state our society is in.

I came here and have struggled to understand this society and its poverty. How do you fix it?

Then I saw this:

Maybe that is why I came here. To be reminded that where I need to sink energy in, is me. Whether I’m in South Africa, Belize, or Clarence, NY. I need to grow.

#20- Elephants

There was an extra excursion to walk with the elephants. Um, yes! Walking through mud and elephant poop to do it? Um, yes!

I learned a lot about elephants. For starters, they eat about 21 hours of the day. I actually could get into that. Interesting though, it’s not because they are so huge. It is because they only absorb about 40% of what they eat. They have to keep eating to get enough nutrition because their digestive system is so poor.

That leaves the other 3 hours to sleep. Younger elephants might sleep lying down, but most of them sleep standing up. That one I can’t imagine. That IS because they are so huge. It’s too hard for them to get back up. I actually totally identify with that.

An elephant never forgets? Actually true. They remember about 70% of what they experience. So if someone is unkind, they won’t forget it. The opposite is also true. I’m going to come back someday and see if I’m part of their 70%.

There were 3 siblings that were part of this walk. Two brothers and a sister. Of course, you know who is the one in charge. You go, girl! They were rescued when they were very young after their parents were killed by poachers. They have spent their lives there at the reserve ever since.

It takes about 4 years for them to bond. (And I thought humans were slow to trust!) The caretakers of the elephants also live there. They said the elephants come home and sleep in the room next to them every night.

Sylvia was again the one who got me thinking. Do they really like this? Are they as happy as they say? Supposedly they “love being loving” but the bottom line is, that these guys make money off them. They really aren’t actually showing affection but obeying the commands they are taught. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they are unhappy either. They didn’t seem unhappy, but then what would an unhappy elephant look like exactly?

I was catching video when we first started walking and one of the male elephants was walking toward me. I was told to “give him space” so I did. But then he seemed to come toward me again. I was told to step aside again. I thought, “Wow, I think he really likes me. He wants me to hug and pet him I bet!” Later, I asked the trainer what would happen if I didn’t move. Would he have just trampled over me like I was a bug? He said no. But he also said he would have taken his trunk and tossed me out of the way. Hmph. So much for wanting to cuddle.

Got some videos on FB for sure.

South Africa Safari

South Africa Safari

South Africa Safari

#19- Safari Time

Before I get to the big/popular items, I’ve got to tell you about the “sociable weaver”. I got obsessed with this bird before the actual safari even started. I’ve never seen anything like these nests. They cover a tree and it looks like a group of bee hives. The male birds build these round nests. The birds climbed in from the bottom which looked crazy to me.

The females come and inspect the nests. If she likes it, she moves in and starts having those babies. If the nest isn’t up to her standards, she destroys it and the poor guy has to start all over. I’ve included a video on FB.

The first day of the safari, our guide was named…. wait for it… Simba. No shit.

South Africa Safari

I met a super fun friend named Sylvia who is from Italy. We both agreed it made the entire weekend more fun to hang together. We also agreed that the safari was great, but not at all what we expected.

These reserves are just that. It wasn’t like on TV (imagine that) where there are herds of animals. Both places had a handful (if that) of the big guys. For example, both had three elephants. And of course, on day 1 it was very cold and it rained most of the time. It was still a great experience, just not what was in your head.

We had a conversation about poaching because they apparently cross right into the reserves. The guide was pleased that a law recently passed that you can now shoot poachers on sight. The group was happy about that because of the cruelty to animals. Sylvia was brave enough to speak up. While poaching is cruel, do you deserve to die? Do you take a human life for an animal life?

The guide explained that he didn’t want to put it so graphically, but poachers also shoot humans. He had lost 4 guide friends because they were all shot, along with a number of animals- upwards of 20 or so. Sylvia said, “Ah, I get it now.” I respected her for being willing to work it out against the tide of the group. And she was also humble enough to alter her position when given more facts.

Cheetahs are unusual to find but we saw a mama and her 3 babies. That made up for not really seeing the lions. They were just white spots on a far-away mountain that looked just like… white spots.

South Africa Safari

The rhinos were characters for sure. One was playing chicken with the jeep but eventually decided to get out of the road.

South Africa Safari

South Africa Safari

The only animals we didn’t end up seeing were the hippos. We did see their tracks so hey, that’s almost the same thing, right?

Anyhow, one of our guides was quite yummy to look at. (Not saying Simba was ugly, but…) He was also extremely knowledgeable as is typical with these guides. He bent the rules a bit here and there to give us better angles and views. Besides Sylvia and I, the rest of the group was a group of American doctors here on their annual mission tour. South Africa was a bit of vacation for them. (I can’t remember what country their mission was going to be in.)

I heard the docs behind me talking (who were my age or possibly a bit older) and I spun around. Are you talking about our guide? Yep. Even though he was probably in his mid-30s, the comment I heard was, “Why don’t you take off your clothes and let me examine you?”. Yep, we may be old but we ain’t dead yet.

Later, Jain (pronounced John) said our driver was gonna kill him because he was like 20 minutes late returning us. I told him I had his back. When we pulled in, I told Girard that we had a flat tire. Then a rhinoceros tried to attack Jain and I had to save his life. Phew. Jain was off the hook because, of course, Girard believed every word I said.

The rest of this is photos. More videos on FB. Of course I didn’t forget the elephants. They are getting their own blog… Enjoy!

South Africa Safari

South Africa Safari

South Africa Safari

South Africa Safari