TV problems…Tom needs a new laptop…

The Wildebeest family was in Kruger National Park last January.

Technology can fail, leaving us searching for solutions. I’m adept at figuring out most digital equipment, but recently, I have been baffled after multiple attempts to get the TV monitor in the condo to work correctly. For a while, the TV wouldn’t come on. I called Network and Samsung, but they couldn’t figure it out.

After hours of playing with it, I finally got it to come back on, but it went out several times after that, and my first fix didn’t work a second time. There was no point in spending hours on the phone with the two companies. I kept working with it and got it to come back on again. This time, I can’t even say what got it going again. It was a non-stop trial and error-process.

We need the TV to work to allow us to stream what we’d like to watch in the evenings. We don’t watch anything on Dish since we prefer to binge-watch streamed series, although we occasionally watch news if there’s a story we’re interested in. Otherwise, we read most news online.

For a few weeks, everything worked fine. Then, on Friday night, the sound disappeared for no reason. I spent the better part of the evening trying to get sound to work and finally gave up, and we didn’t watch anything. During the night, I reminded myself about our JBL portable Bluetooth speaker. Could that provide sound while my laptop is plugged into the TV via an HDMI? I thought it might be a conflict, but I decided to give it a try first thing in the morning.

Turning on the well-charged portable speaker and plugging the laptop into the TV, much to our delight, we had sound. This is what we’ve been using successfully since Saturday. However, the battery life on the Bluetooth speaker is only good for a few hours. We keep it plugged into its charging outlet to keep it charged while using it.

In any case, I thought it was important for the owner to know about this new issue, and he agreed to come out today, Tuesday, to see what he can figure out. He lived here for several years and may know something I can’t figure out. He wanted to come by around 5:00 pm today, but I asked if he could come closer to 4:00 so we could have dinner at our usual 5:30 or 6:00 pm. He could easily spend a few hours figuring this out, as we’d done in the past.

Then, a few days ago, when I helped Tom with something on his laptop, I realized his computer was outdated and running poorly. I could improve the “running poorly” aspect. Still, the cumbersome nature of his small monitor and the awkwardness of his small keyboard were issues that could only be improved by purchasing a bigger and better laptop, preferably one like mine.

We couldn’t remember exactly where and when he purchased his laptop. Today, I searched my email messages for “Asus Chromebook.” To my surprise, I found the original receipt when he bought that laptop in June 2021 from Takealot in South Africa as follows:

Asus Chromebook Celeron N4020 4GB 32GB 11.6″ HD Notebook – Grey R 6199.00
Subtotal: R 6199.00
Shipping: R 0.00
Total: R 6199.00

In today’s dollars, the price, as shown above in rand, would be $325.58 in US dollars. This morning, I perused Costco’s laptops since he’d like to use a rewards/shop card he’ll receive in his email soon from using his Costco credit card for buying fuel. The card’s value is only $44.00, but it will more than cover the tax and shipping for a new laptop. We’ve often used Costco to buy laptops since their prices are competitive, and they extend the warranty for a second year. Plus, they have a 90-day return policy.

After looking today, I found a laptop he’d like to buy with the following important-to-him features:

  • Touchscreen
  • Backlit (lighted) keyboard
  • HDMI outlet
  • Bluetooth capability
  • 14″ to 15.6″ monitor
  • Lower weight for travel and solid state for durability
  • Windows operating system (he’s ready to return to Windows after using a Chromebook for the past 2½ years).
  • Other standard features regarding storage, RAM, sound, screen acuity, and brand names

We’ll purchase as soon as the credit appears in his email. He’s already received an email alerting him that it will arrive quickly. Most likely, he’ll be spending about $500 for the new laptop plus tax and shipping, which is what we expect for the quality equipment he so well deserves.

We’ll be back with updates on these two technological issues. Have a wonderful day!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, January 23, 2014:

The “Three Little Pigs” are getting big. Mom is standing off to the side while they all wait for us to throw out a few pellets. Of course, we complied. For more photos, please click here.

Correction in yesterday’s post about Medicare, Plan G for foreign travel…

This restaurant, Luna Rossa, is about a one-minute walk once we get down one flight of stairs.

I made an error in yesterday’s comprehensive post about supplement Plan G, which I chose as an adjunct to Plan B enrollment. My insurance agent, Janet Mueller, at jmueller@teameip.com, noted the need to make a correction, which I’ve done on the post and noted today. See below for details:

  • Maximum annual $50,000, with $250 deductible, which pays 80%, on emergency medical services for foreign travel outside the US. Air and ground ambulance are covered. Here is a link with information on ambulance and air ambulance services for Plan G.
  • Tom sure loves bread.

Now that the Medicare information is posted and hopefully clear for those interested, we’re moving on to other topics, such as our first evening out to dinner last night in The Village, one flight down an outside stairway from the hallway on our floor.

We had a lovely time in the restaurant. We went to the Italian restaurant Luna Rossa, a one-minute walk once we got downstairs to the ground level. We’d thought of going to the Mexican restaurant but, at the last minute, decided against it when I’d planned to make beef enchiladas on Monday.

Tom’s delicious lasagne.

Only a few items on the Mexican restaurant’s menu appealed to Tom with some modifications. Most Mexican restaurants serve Spanish rice and refried beans with each entree, neither of which Tom will eat. Taking those two items away from a plate may leave little to eat. As a result, he only likes taco salad with beef, not chicken. Of course, he could ask for meat instead of chicken, but he doesn’t care to ask for special adjustments when he orders off a menu.

On the other hand, I’m always asking for special adjustments for my orders to ensure they are gluten-free, starch-free, and sugar-free. I always tell Tom, “We’re the customer paying the bill. It’s ok to ask for changes, especially if we’re willing to pay for upgrades that may increase the price.”

My mussels and clams in a tasty broth.

Oh well, we each do it our way. He’s a picky eater due to his taste buds, and I am picky only to ensure I don’t eat anything that isn’t suitable for my way of eating. If I didn’t eat this way, I pretty much like everything.

Once seated at Luna Rossa without reservation on a Saturday night, we felt at ease at the table for four with a crisp white tablecloth and lovely table setting. The service was fast and friendly, primarily by older Italian gentlemen with experience. More servers were in the restaurant than customers, but about half of the tables were occupied, which surprised us.

I can always find something to eat in Italian restaurants even when most of the dishes contain pasta, none of which I’ll order. Tom had the delicious lasagne, a good-sized portion, made to perfection. I ordered the mussels and clam in a delightful broth that I finished with a spoon. We each ordered one drink, a brandy and Sprite for Tom and a lovely Merlot for me.

The restaurant was surprisingly busy. We didn’t expect the eateries in The Village to be busy.

The wine glass was huge, and there couldn’t have been more than four ounces of wine in it, typical for somewhat fancier dining establishments. But the drinks and food were plenty for us. Tom enjoyed the basket of bread, which only came with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, neither of which he’d eat. He started eating the dry, unbuttered bread but didn’t ask for butter. When the waiter passed, we asked for butter, and Tom dug into the bread.

Our dinner bill was $98, including tax and tip. We could have easily had two nights’ dinners at Jabula for this amount, including drinks, tax, and tip. At these prices, we’ll only eat out once a week.

The short walk back to our place was refreshing in the cool air at only 40F. As I write here this morning, it’s only 46F, typical for the winter cool desert temps. I love this cool weather in Las Vegas, especially when it’s sweltering in the summer months.

I’m off to take the bedding to dry in the laundry room using the handy laundry app on my phone. As mentioned, we have a washer in our unit but no dryer. We dry everything else on the portable laundry rack we purchased at Amazon.

Today will be a football day. Last night, we watched an exciting game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins. No spoilers here if you haven’t watched it.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, January 14, 2014:

Baby warthog is sleeping in our yard, while mom and three other babies munched on vegetation. For more, please click here.

Part 2…Here it is…My Medicare Part B late enrollment, a supplement and possible drug plan…Important information for long term world travelers…

This is what’s called a “Bottlebrush Plant.” Greyia flanaganii, commonly known as the Kei bottlebrush, is a species of plant in the Francoaceae family. Greyia flanaganii is one of the related species of the taxonomically isolated and endemic southern African family, the Greyiaceae. Greyia flanaganii is endemic to the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.”

Four years ago today, we arrived in Marloth Park, South Africa, after 59 hours of travel from Mumbai, India, after ten months in lockdown in a hotel room near the Mumbai Airport. We were masked, gloved, wearing face shields, and flying tentatively, with Covid 19 still prevalent worldwide. We were so happy to finally be free.

Here’s what we wrote in a short post on January 13, 2021 from this link here:

“It’s after 7:15 pm on Wednesday, and we are exhausted. I’d hope to do a post tonight, but I don’t have the energy to put it together. We’ve already taken several amazing photos, and tomorrow morning, coffee in hand, we’ll look forward to sharing details about our new home and new life at Lovebird’s Nest in Marloth Park and some memorable wildlife photos from our garden. It’s heavenly.

Please check back tomorrow while we get back into our usual rhythm of posting daily,

Thanks for your patience, kind words, and encouragement. We are so grateful!”

It’s hard to believe it was four years ago when it seems like yesterday. We made a point of quarantining to protect our friends in the bush, and in no time, we could socialize with all the wonderful friends we’ve made in the bush over the years. It was an extraordinary time, although we continued to exercise caution to avoid contracting Covid-19.

It wasn’t until we left South Africa for a few cruises in 2022 that we were infected on a cruise, leaving us both with lingering, long-term COVID-19 symptoms. Tom coughed for months, and I had a sinus-related face and head pain for 18 months that only resolved a few months ago. Enough on that, but sharing this memory with all our readers was meaningful.

I will continue to share what we mentioned in yesterday’s post on the supplement plan I chose as an adjunct to enrolling in Part B Medica on January 2, 2024. I’ve yet to hear from the Railroad Retirement Board if my enrollment has been processed, but it should be in the next few weeks by February 1, when the supplement kicks in, and I will finally be insured.

Here is the link to yesterday’s Part 1, explaining in detail the penalty imposed upon me for late enrollment of Part B, for which I  opted out when I turned 65 in 2013 since there was no coverage outside the US. The supplement I’ve chosen covers me outside the US for a maximum of $50,000 annually for emergency medical treatment and services, not standard medical care such as doctor’s office visits and tests.

With doctor appointments under $50 in South Africa and tests even less, we will continue to see Doc Theo as needed while we’re in Marloth Park in five months.

My US Medicare insurance rep, Janet Meuller, mentioned in yesterday’s post, has been a fantastic resource of valuable information, answering many questions I threw at her over several phone conversations in the past several weeks. If you are in a position to consider supplements and drug plans, once again, you can reach her at jmueller@teameip.com. (Note: we are not involved in any compensation for recommending Janet. We only do so based on the quality of service I received, as we often do when encountering exceptional professionals). She can work with you on plans for any state in the US.

So here’s what we chose for me. (Tom wasn’t ready to sign up at this point).

There are several plans available from which to choose. I won’t list them all here since there are too many to list, which are based on your state of residence, your age, and other factors.

With Janet’s help, I chose Plan G with Aflac, priced at $157 a month (could change annually as any supplement can and most likely will) but enables me to implement the following.”

  • Maximum annual copay: $240. No other copays for any other Medicare-approved services.
  • After the $240 copay is met, there is 100% coverage for all Medicare-accepted services, doctor appointments, hospital stays, surgeries, tests, and more. Always check when making an appointment to see if the medical doctor or facility accepts Medicare and your plan, in my case, Plan G.
  • Maximum annual $50,000, with $250 deductible, which pays 80%, on emergency medical services for foreign travel outside the US. Air and ground ambulance is covered. Here is a link with information on ambulance and air ambulance services for Plan G.
  • No network constraints: I can choose any doctor or medical facility I’d prefer anywhere in the US, unlike many plans that restrict the patient to specific local networks, doctors, and facilities.
  • No doctor referrals are required for hospital care, and specialists
  • Chiropractic services are covered under these stipulations:” Medicare Plan. G covers chiropractic services, but only for medically necessary spinal manipulation, as Original Medicare covers. This means that additional chiropractic services or treatments, such as preventive visits or chiropractor-ordered tests, are not covered under Plan G.
  • No dental, vision, or drug coverage is included in Plan G. They must be purchased separately. We opted out of those coverages, which we can change during any open enrollment period. Penalties may be assessed due to late enrollment, as in our case.

Why didn’t we choose a dental, vision, and pharmacy plan? We have dental work done in South Africa, which is less than 20% of the cost in the US. We both had (and don’t have now) dental problems when our teeth were thoroughly examined before we left South Africa nine months ago. Also, we both see an optometrist in South Africa. Tom’s eyeglass prescription is current, as is my contact lens prescription. We will have exams again when we return in June.

As for a pharmacy plan, Janet reviewed all my medications with me. Based on plans available for a pharmacy plan, I am paying less than copays would be with a US plan. I continue to buy medicines from ProgressiveRX or many Canadian companies that ship drugs from countries where the manufacturing of worldwide generic medication is around 80%. See this article here for details. Also, I often get refills of my medications while in South Africa, with drugs costing less than copays would be on any of the available plans.

The costs I incur for my few medicines are less than buying drugs in the US with copays that I’d pay with a pharmacy plan. Please do your own research to decide what is best for you.

I can’t stress enough how most of these plans are based on your individual needs, not necessarily the same as mine. As world travelers, we needed to find what works best for our circumstances.

That’s it for today, folks. Hope you’re having a fantastic weekend. We are! We are heading down to the Village for dinner tonight at what appears to be an excellent Mexican restaurant. We will take photos and report back tomorrow.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, January 13, 2014:

Beautiful sunset over the Crocodile River. For more, please click here.

Tom’s flying out tomorrow without me…Tom’s Irish Cream recipe once again…Exciting new photos coming tomorrow!

This is the ground floor lobby we hadn’t posted yet.

Note: Today, after completing the post, we ventured out on an exciting walk in the area and encountered one surprise after another. In tomorrow’s post, we’ll share those photos and the story that goes with it. Please check back!

Tom decided to head to the annual United Transportation Union (UTU, Local 1000) Christmas party in Minneapolis. The last time he attended was in 2011 while he was still working, and we’d yet to plan our years-long world journey. At these parties that he always attended in our old lives, he had an opportunity to commiserate with retirees and current workers. It was always an enjoyable time for him, always hosted by law firms representing workers when injured or disabled.

For the past 11 years, he often talked about attending the party, but we were always too far away for him to make the trip. This time, while already in Nevada, he found a great flight with Sun Country Airlines, and the best price was if he returned around 24 hours later due to higher-priced holiday travel flights.

As a result, he’s flying out at 8:45 am tomorrow, December 19, and returns at 8:56 the following day, on December 20. Surprisingly, as a Platinum member at Expedia on our site, he arranged a rental car for that short period for only $1. That was a shocker! Having a car will allow him to see his kids for a few hours in the afternoon if they can work it out with their busy schedules.

Our current rental car contract doesn’t allow me to drive, which is probably for the best. I am not a good driver, nor did we want to pay an extra $30 daily to add me to the contract. It just wasn’t worth it. He’s taking an Uber to the airport and back on his outbound and return flight.

Sure, he could have left the rental car at overnight parking at the  Las Vegas airport for a lower cost than an Uber. But, at times, convenience supersedes cost. The party starts at 6:00 pm, and he’ll only have one or two drinks and stop drinking alcohol by 8:00 pm to ensure he’s safe to drive to the airport around 1:00 am. He’ll have a long wait at the airport until his flight at 7:15 am, but he’s used to that.

He’s bringing our portable phone charger to ensure he always has power for his phone, which he’ll surely use to entertain himself during the long wait.

I’ll be fine at the condo, working on tomorrow’s post and making phone calls to family and friends, which I haven’t done since we arrived three days ago. Most likely, I’ll see him on Wednesday morning around 10:30 am. He’ll most likely need a nap when he returns after being awake since Tuesday morning. We’ll plan for an easy, laid-back day.

This morning, I did our first load of laundry in the washer in our unit. Oddly, our unit has a washer but no dryer. Our floor has a huge laundry room with plenty of washers and dryers. But since we are used to drying our clothes on a line for less wear and tear, we didn’t want to haul wet clothing down the long hallway to the washroom. Yesterday, we received the clothes drying rack we ordered from Amazon for $20, and Tom quickly put it together.

The rack will pay for itself in two weeks since it costs $1.50 to dry each load in the washroom. We have about seven loads a week, which would have been $10.50 weekly. We’ll have recovered the cost in two weeks when we’ll be here for another 15 weeks.

Do we sound like tightwad? Perhaps, but we always make an effort to save every penny, especially when we’re in the US. This time, we’re paying more for this condo than any other holiday home in the past 11 years. We don’t mind penny-pinching to save a little here and there. It’s so much more expensive to be in the US than any other country we’ve visited in the past.

We can use plenty of coupons here and certainly take advantage of those opportunities when possible. Soon, we’ll drive to our mailing service to pick up my prescription and a few other items waiting for us there. I’m thrilled I was able to make the pills last long enough to receive the prescription. It all worked out well. I worried for nothing until I came upon a good solution to order the drug from ProgressiveRX to arrive when we got here, which it did after I reduced the dose to one pill a day for a week while we were in Ecuador.

That’s it for today, folks. More will follow tomorrow after Tom is on his way to Minnesota. See his Irish Cream recipe below:

Tom Lyman’s Irish Cream (Bailey’s)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint half and half cream

3 pasteurized eggs (important for safety)

1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

1 T. chocolate syrup

1 cup Irish (or other type) whiskey

Blend in a blender for 2 minutes, then add the 1 cup whiskey. Blend for another 30 seconds. 

Pour into a clean glass bottle with a tight-fitting cork. (Use your empty wine bottles after they’ve been washed in the dishwasher).

Make 1 1/2 wine bottles, enough for sipping while making. The recipe doubles easily.

It must be refrigerated. Keeps fresh for 30 days in the refrigerator.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, December 18, 2013:

With no Poinsettias for us this year, we revel in the beauty of this flower that we encountered in Marloth Park, South Africa. For more photos, please click here.

Daytime get together with Tom and a few guys from work…Another evening with family…

Last night, grandson Vincent, daughter Tammy, and daughter-in-law Tracy joined us for dinner and trivia at Pizza Luce, walking distance from our hotel.

Tom didn’t order dinner last night when we met Tammy, Tracy, and Vincent at Pizza Luce for dinner and trivia. He could have ordered dinner since he ate the entire plate of garlic bread that accompanied my dinner, as shown below. My guy sure loved bread.

He’s loading up now, knowing eating bread will come to a quick end by the end of the month when we arrive at our holiday home in Ecuador, and I start cooking again. No bread is served with our homemade meals unless we have guests for dinner, and bread is an appropriate accompaniment.

My meatball meal was topped with sugar-free sauce and mozzarella cheese. No pasta. It was delicious.

However, bread and doughy things are popular with meals in Ecuador, so dining out will allow him to enjoy the local flour-laden flavors. We may dine out on Fridays and Saturdays as we’ve done in the past, but that will depend on the foods offered at the local restaurants. We shall see.

At this point, we are leaving the US in eight days on October 11. We are getting everything we can ready for our departure next Wednesday. We both ordered hiking boots this morning after the cruise line reminded us we’d need them for the Galapagos. They will arrive from Amazon by Thursday.

The plate of bread that came with my meal, which I handed over to Tom, knowing he’d love it even though he was still full from lunch with the guys.

Also, this morning, I ordered a swimsuit since a few years ago, we accidentally left all of our swimwear at the top of a closet on a cruise. There were three or four swimsuits I liked, and I had to order one today for the pool at the upcoming house in Ecuador.

At this point, we have everything we need. We’ve ordered quite a bit, replacing worn-out adapters, plugs, earbuds, and miscellaneous items we use. I was thrilled to be able to replace a worn-out pair of white leather Keds slip-on shoes, which are hard to find online.

Also, we took many old clothing items to Goodwill, and if they were worn, we tossed them in the trash, including my suitcase, which was now cracked and unusable. Tom hasn’t found a taker for his railroad memorabilia and is taking it to the Minnesota Transportation Museum, Jackson Street Roundhouse, to donate the entire lot. We’ll receive a tax-deductible receipt for the items.

Vincent’s large pizza.

Yesterday, at 1:00 pm, Tom met up with a few of his railroad buddies at a restaurant in Roseville and enjoyed the time with the guys. Tomorrow, we’ll post those photos.

Besides Tom dropping off the railroad stuff at the museum, we don’t have big plans today. Tonight, we’ll dine out at Champps, where we can always depend on fresh and consistent food. This morning, we had a light breakfast in the hotel restaurant, but my choices are limited. The only things I can eat are scrambled or hard-boiled eggs. I prefer the hard-boiled eggs since I know what I’m getting.

Tammy’s lasagne.

Soon, when I’m done uploading today’s post, I’ll be heading to a lounge area in the hotel to call my dear old friend Cathy, whom I didn’t get to see this time. I usually speak to my girlfriends from that room so Tom can continue to watch football games and listen to podcasts on his laptop.

I will post the photos from Tom’s afternoon with the guys tomorrow. But that’s it for today, dear readers. Enjoy your day!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, October 3, 2013:

There were no photos posted on this date ten years ago. Instead, we posted about what we needed to bring on our first safari in Africa. For details, please click here.

Day 6…Greenland Cruise…Amazing scenery in Greenland…

This iceberg was much more enormous than it appears in this photo.

We are in Greenland! Wow! What a place! Late yesterday afternoon, we arrived at a magical wonderland known as Prins Christian Sund, named for Prince Christian VIII of Denmark. The area is a dramatic fjord separating the southernmost islands of the rest of South Greenland, a land of jagged mountains and green pastures where sheep farms border icy fjords and Norse history intersects with modern communities.

Prins Christian Sund presents exquisite scenery for cruising, with mountains reaching nearly 4,000 feet, glaciers inching toward the sea, and tidal currents that limit ice formation.

What an interesting iceberg floating by this glacier.

From the ship’s brochure:

“At approximately 4:00 pm, Celebrity Summit will be reaching Prins Christian Sund. The duration of viewing will be influenced by prevailing weather conditions. Our Celebrity Activities Speaker, Brent Nixon will provide updates to our navigation to Prins Christian Sund and some narrations about the history and importance of this symbolic place. 

Announcements can be heard in public venues as well as open decks around the ship and on your stateroom TVs on Channel 1. Please turn the volume up. If weather permits, we will open the helipad in order to enhance your scenic cruising/viewing experience. Please listen for announcements via the PA system to advise you accordingly.”

We encountered one amazing glacier after another.

Here are some essential facts about Greenland from this site:

1. World’s Largest Island

Let’s start with the basics. Greenland is actually the world’s biggest island – by area – that is not a continent. The total area of Greenland is 2.16 million square kilometers (836,330 square miles), including other offshore islands. Almost 80 percent of the land mass is covered by an ice cap. The ice-free area may be a minority, but it’s still around the size of Sweden. With a population of 56,480 (2017 estimate), it is one of the least densely populated countries in the world.

2. Greenland Was Green

The Arctic nation is mostly white since most of Greenland is covered in ice, snow, and glaciers. So how did it get its name “Greenland” when it’s not really green? It actually got its name from Erik The Red, an Icelandic murderer who was exiled to the island. He called it “Greenland” in hopes that the name would attract settlers. However, scientists say Greenland was quite green more than 2.5 million years ago. A new study reveals that ancient dirt was cryogenically frozen for millions of years underneath about 2 miles of ice.

They couldn’t have been more awe-inspiring!

3. Greenland is an Autonomous country

Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark. Although Greenland is geographically a part of the North American continent, it has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for about a millennium. Since 1721, Denmark has held colonies in Greenland, but the country was made part of Denmark in 1953. In 1979, Denmark granted Home Rule to Greenland, and in 2009, expanded Self Rule was inaugurated, transferring more decision-making power and responsibilities to the Greenlandic government. Under the new structure, gradually Greenland can assume more and more responsibilities from Denmark when it is ready for it.

4. 4,500 Years of History

According to historians, the first humans were thought to have arrived in Greenland around 2500 BC. The group of migrants apparently died out and were succeeded by several other groups who migrated from North America. At the beginning of the 10th century, Norsemen from Iceland settled in the uninhabited southern part of Greenland, but they disappeared in the late 15th century. The Inuit migrated here from Asia in the 13th century, and their bloodline survived to this day. Most Inuit Greenlanders are their direct descendants and continue to practice some of the centuries-old traditions.

“Humans have inhabited Greenland for more than 4,500 years.”

Deep-sea sediment cores from northeast Greenland, the Fram Strait, and the south of Greenland suggest that the Greenland Ice Sheet has continuously existed since 18 million years ago.

5. Inuit Culture

Today, 88% of Greenland’s population are Inuit (predominantly Kalaallit) or mixed Danish and Inuit. The remaining 12% are of European descent, mainly Danish. Truth be told, Greenlanders actually don’t appreciate being called ‘Eskimos’; the proper name for them is Inuit or Kalaallit, which actually means ‘Greenlander’ in the native Inuit language, Kalaallisut. The Inuit Greenlanders identify strongly with Inuits in other parts of the world, like Canada and Alaska, and they actually share some similarities in their languages as well.

6. A Multilingual Nation

The majority of the population in Greenland speaks both Greenlandic (mainly Kalaallisut) and Danish. The two languages have been used in public affairs since the establishment of home rule in 1979. Today, the young generation learns both languages, as well as English, in school. The Greenlandic language is an interesting language with a long history, and it’s closely related to the Inuit languages in Canada, such as Inuktitut. “Kayak” and “igloo” are Greenlandic words that have been adopted directly by other languages.

Another interesting iceberg.

7. No Roads In Greenland

Despite having a land size of 2.16 million square kilometers, there are no roads or railway systems that connect settlements to one another. There are roads within the towns, but they end at the outskirts. All travel between towns is done by plane, boat, helicopter, snowmobile or dogsled. Boats are by far the most popular mode of transportation, and you’ll often see locals out cruising the fjords every summer.

8. Whaling & Fishing

Fishing is a major industry in Greenland. The country imports almost everything except for fish, seafood, and other animals hunted in Greenland, such as whales and seals. Each administrative area has a certain quota of whales, seals, and fish assigned to it, ensuring that there’s no overfishing. Certain species, like the blue whale, are protected and thus cannot be fished. No export of whale and seal meat is allowed — they are only consumed locally.

Another interesting iceberg.

9. A Vibrant Capital City

Almost one-quarter of Greenland’s population lives in the capital city of Nuuk. Vibrant and funky, the city is the biggest, most cosmopolitan town on the island and it packs in quite a lot of museums, hip cafes and fashion boutiques for its small size. To get an introduction to the country, be sure to visit the National Museum of Greenland, the Katuaq Cultural House as well as Nuuk Art Museum. Backed by a panorama of mountains, the city is perched at the mouth of a giant fiord system, making for easy day trips into the fiords and surrounding nature.

10. Midnight Sun

Every year, the sun does not set from May 25th to July 25th, and it stays visible throughout the entire day and night. The midnight sun, as it is called, is a pretty cool natural phenomenon that everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. June 21, the longest day of the year, is the summer solstice and a national holiday in Greenland. You’ll find locals out basking in the sun or enjoying a barbecue out in nature.”

More views of a glacier.

We had such a fantastic time yesterday afternoon, taking photos and commiserating with passengers over the wonder before our eyes. The captain did a great job rotating the ship to accommodate our viewing. We took tons of photos. In many ways, it was similar to being in Alaska, which we did in 2017, and then to a much more expansive experience, Antarctica, in 2018.

Check out the amazing ice formations where the glacier meets the sea.

Seeing glaciers and icebergs was exciting again, and we loved every moment. Finally, when we moved along, we headed to dinner in the main dining room at another shared table and dined with three lovely women with great stories.

Stunning scenery.

After dinner, we headed to the Rendezvous Bar for live music and to visit with our new friends, Tracy and Sean, whom we’ve had much fun with since the cruise began. They are newlyweds, 30 years younger than us, and quite a fun couple.

Glaciers running toward the sea.

Soon, we’ll be heading to a tender to go ashore to the small town of Nanortalik, Greenland, with less than 1200 residents. Tomorrow, we’ll share photos from that experience.

Be well.

.Photo from ten years ago today, August 23, 2013:

We sure have plenty of tomatoes (Pomodoro) to last through our remaining eight days of cooking before we travel to Africa. Yesterday, I had none, and we have more than we can use today. After Santina left this morning, I discovered this glass bowl filled with tomatoes in the kitchen. We’re well stocked with tomatoes with the substantial batch Lisa picked for us yesterday in the steep yard. For more photos, please click here.

Day 17…Norway Cruise…Disembarkation day!…In Amsterdam and then off to Reykjavik Iceland!…

35 Cool Things to Do in Reykjavik, Iceland's Funky Capital
Not our photo. Reykjavik, Iceland.

The ship is docked in Amsterdam, where most passengers will disembark (some are staying onboard and doing a back-to-back), grab their luggage and head off on various means of transportation. For us, it’s a shuttle to the Schiphol International Airport for a 2:10 pm flight to Reykjavik, where we’ll spend less than 24 hours before boarding Celebrity Summit to Greenland and beyond.

We are as excited now as we were when we boarded Azamara Journey from Edinburgh to Amsterdam only 17 days ago. This has been a fantastic cruise. Edinburgh, Scotland, and all those quaint villages in Norway were spectacular, let alone all the wonderful people we met during the cruise, many of whom we’ll stay in touch with in times to come.

At the moment, we’re situated in the Mosaic Cafe, having finished our last cups of coffee while carefully watching the time when we have to get to the luggage storage area where our three bags await us. Tom is in the cabin now, packing up all the electrical cords.

I just remembered I left a long power cord plugged into the lamp outlet beside my side of the bed. As soon as Tom gets down here, I’ll run back up and get it. I doubt Tom will notice it as he gathers up all the other electrical stuff. It’s hard to believe how many cords and devices we must continually haul with us. Over and over, we’ve tried to reduce the bulk and weight of so many cords, but at this point, we need every single item we have.

Tom just returned to the coffee shop, and he noticed the cord I’d forgotten and grabbed it. There’s no need for me to return to the cabin. He’s certain he got every last item, and I feel confident he didn’t miss a thing. In about 30 minutes, we’ll head down there, and then I will complete this post at the airport while we await our flight. Back soon.

We are back, now at gate 59 for Icelandair. We will board the flight to Reykjavik in about 45 minutes. The Schiphol Airport is a mess with long queues in every direction.

Once we arrived by shuttle bus to the airport four hours before boarding time, we realized we could be waiting awhile to get checked in. Little did we know that Icelandair’s check-in counter wouldn’t open for 2½ hours requiring us to wait around with our bags. all that time. This had never happened to us in the past, and I must admit, we became quite somewhat annoyed.

There wasn’t a good spot for us to hang out and wait, with limited seating available with the crowds waiting to check-in. I have trouble standing for long periods, which made the hours of waiting challenging.

Finally, the check-in counter opened, and we could check our bags and go through security. Our passports had been stamped by immigration at the pier when we disembarked. Little did Tom realize that when we went through security, he’d left the passports and boarding passes in the security tray, and after we finally made our way to gate 59, he had to retrace his steps and find the passports and boarding passes.

Thank goodness he found everything, and after showing his ID, he was able to return to the gate to wait with me for boarding time. By 1:30 pm, we were seated on the plane for a pleasant under-three-hour flight. But from there, it all went to hell in a handbasket.

Tomorrow, I will share the details of our awful day in Reykjavik. Please check back. In two days, we’ll start posting new photos from our Greenland cruise.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 17, 2013:

Due to a travel day, there was no post on this date ten years ago.

Day 2…Norway Cruise…Bad WiFi…Sorry for late post…

Note: Due to the poor WiFi signal aboard the ship, I am unable to add a single photo today. Once we arrive in Nevada in early September. we’ll be able to post our photos from  Edinburgh and this cruise. Of course, we’ll continue to try to add photos each day! We are sorry for the inconvenience. Perhaps, when this cruise ends, we’ll be able to start posting photos while on the upcoming Celebrity cruise in 16 days. We’ll continue to take photos and write text each day, if possible.

We felt bad we couldn’t post when we boarded the ship yesterday afternoon, although we’d signed up for the $319 unlimited internet package for one device. We usually can get a package for two devices, but on this particular cruise line, they didn’t have more reasonably priced packages for two, and we didn’t want to spend another $319 for a second device.

Besides, the signal is so weak that spending more on another device makes no sense. As a result, we’re switching back and forth between our laptops and phones as needed. This morning was the first time I got a sufficient signal to get online on my laptop when I couldn’t get into the editing site for our blog on my phone.

As a result of these difficulties, I may not be able to post when we arrive at some ports of call when the signal is always at its worst. If you don’t see a post, please do not be alarmed. It simply means we aren’t able to post. Please know we will post as soon as we are able.

Once, we left the Bay Hotel in Burntisland with our excellent driver Mo, accompanied by his lovely wife, Shaziia Hassen, our tour guide. At the same time, MO manuevered many narrow and winding roads in the center of Edinburgh; we felt excited to finally see some of the highlights of the stunning city of Edinburgh, rich in history and culture.

Mo proved to be a fantastic driver, thoughtful of our wishes as to what we wanted to see, and, along with Shazia, made our few-hour experience a pure delight. If and when you ever come to Edinburgh, we highly recommend him. He can be reached at mahmood_hassan@sky.com, phone: 00447931772188.

Mo stated he’d be happy to arrange regular transportation and, if desired, tours of the fantastic city of Edinburgh and its surrounding areas. He explained how he has embarked on a few day-long trips with tourists who wanted to travel far from Edinburgh.

The conversation flowed easily with Mo and Shazia, and by the time we were at the pier, they invited us to stay with them at their home in Edinburgh the next time we came to Scotland. Also, they have a home in Pakistan, and they offered this to us as well. What wonderful people. Who knew we’d connect so well with our Uber driver and his lovely wife?

Our dear friend Don in Hawaii, whom we met along with his beloved wife and my precious friend Kathy in Marloth Park in 2013, has been ill for some time. Don had mentioned he attended Fettes College in his youth, located in the heart of Edinburgh, and we thought it would be fun to drive by there and send photos to him.

Unfortunately, the college was closed, and we weren’t able to enter the gates, but we took a few exterior photos and sent them to him and Kathy yesterday afternoon when we had a signal for a few minutes. Also, they suggested we visit Edinburgh Castle, but we never ventured into the castle. We had a schedule to follow to get to the port of Leith on time to board the ship at our designated time.

Also, the venues in Edinburgh were packed with tourists since there were two festivals upcoming in the next few days, and Edinburgh was more packed than ever with worldwide tourists and visitors from throughout the UK. The quaint and narrow streets were filled with people shopping, browsing, eating, and drinking at endless shops, restaurants, and pubs. What a delight to behold!

We could see a lot more from the car than we would have had been on foot. Also, with my difficulty walking long distances, this was a perfect solution for us with limited time to get to the pier. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Once we arrived at the port of Leith, we exchanged warm hugs and goodbyes with Mo and Shazia. Moments later, our bags were whisked away, and we could check-in for the cruise in minutes. We were handed two glasses of sparking wine, which we never drank when it was too sweet for me, and Tom doesn’t like anyway.

In a matter of less than an hour, our bags were at our cabin. We had a few drinks by the pool and ran into the lovely couple we met at the hotel, Cheryl and John, and ultimately had an enjoyable dinner with them last night in the main dining room.

Finally, by about 10:00 pm, we returned to our cabin. We’d unpacked earlier in the day and were thrilled to be all set and organized. The cabin is small, with the tiniest bathroom and shower we’ve ever seen, but we are okay. I will take photos of the ship and share them here in the next few days. Today and tomorrow, we’ll focus on posting the photos from our time in Edinburgh.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 2, 2013:

Concerned about maintaining good dental health, we have always used these Brushpicks, which have been instrumental in reducing tooth decay and gum disease. They can be purchased at some pharmacies and also on Amazon. For more, please click here.

Three days and counting…Getting things done…

Locals were walking on the steep roads during the procession last night. The woman on the far left in navy blue is our own, Santina, our precious cleaning lady.

Note: Today’s photos are from this date in 2013 while living in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. For more details, please click here.

It is so busy around here. This morning we finished your order to have the suitcase shipped to the hotel in Minnesota, waiting for us when we arrive on September 9. I contacted the hotel’s general manager that the briefcase will arrive in a few days, asking him to store it for us until we arrive. I also included a photo of the bag with the message.

As we stood on the road outside our house, the procession stopped for a few minutes for prayer. There’s Santina again in navy blue. Notice the heels on her shoes!

Then, we headed to the postal station, but three items I ordered from Amazon weren’t in the mailbox, nor was anyone at the postal station, so I could inquire if they had the packages. Now, we’ll have to return later on Wednesday or Thursday. There’s a huge rainstorm occurring right now with lots of wind, thunder, and lightning. We’re not going out in the golf cart in this weather.

Tomorrow is my much-needed pedicure appointment at 11 00 am. While I’m busy with that, Tom will fill up the tank on the golf cart at Walmart and buy a dozen eggs to get us through the remainder of the week.

This patio is where we suntan a few times a week. These impatiens attract the bees, as do most flowering plants requiring us to pay special attention during our hour in the sun, quite close to the planters.

Once back at the house, I’ll finish the post, upload it, and then return to packing. We already arranged transportation through Groome from The Villages to the Orlando International Airport, which picks up for the international flight at 5:50 pm for our 10:30 pm international flight. It’s over an hour-long drive, especially with rush hour traffic at that time of day.

We’ve gone through all our remaining food, and we need one more dinner to wipe out everything we have. Thus, after my pedicure tomorrow, we’ll stop at the Mexican restaurant in Colony Plaza and order food for tomorrow night’s dinner.

The second of the two planters. As you can see, the giant leaves belong to the zucchini. We’ll see more zucchini over the remaining summer as well as the abundant herbs we’ve been using.

For Thursday evening, we have frozen burger patties for Tom with bacon, cheese, onion, and canned tuna for me, which I’ll make into tuna salad using the remaining eggs, onions, and celery, using sour cream for the salad dressing. This will be the best we’ve ever used up our remaining food. In the past, we were happy to leave food for the household staff but with no household staff here, there was no one to leave it with.

Speaking of household staff, yesterday I got a wonderful message from one of our housemen in Marloth Park, Vusi. When we left, I had reformatted my old laptop, which worked well except for one key on the keyboard. I cleaned the exterior, screen, and keyboard so it looked brand new. Vusi was thrilled, hugging me several times, saying, “Oh, thank you, Madam.”

A zucchini that grew in the garden box on the patio.

Thus, yesterday when checking my email, there was a sweet message from Vusi that warmed my heart. He wrote:

“Morning, madam, hope everything is good there, I just wanted to say we (the animal, us) miss you, have a great day🍹🙏may God bless you

And thanks for the laptop. It’s still working good. I really appreciate 🙏Vusi.”
Immediately, I wrote back to Vusi, thanking him for his thoughtful message and how much we’re looking forward to seeing him in less than 11 months from now. We have so much to look forward to.
That’s it for today, folks. We have lots to do and look forward to being on our way soon.
Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 25, 2013:

Here’s a Ziplock bag half-filled with water and a few Euros to ward off house flies. See the story for the results of using these well-placed bags over the past 48 hours. (BTW, it didn’t work). For more photos, please click here.

Questions from a long time reader…

Old-fashioned community washing pool, where locals gathered to do their laundry in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. The larger pool is for washing. The smaller sink is for rinsing. Of course, they’d bring their laundry home to dry outside their windows. For more photos, please click here.

Today’s photo is from our three-month stay in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. See the post here.

Yesterday, I received the following message from a long-time reader, Pam,  as follows:

“Dear Jess & Tom,

My husband and I are 70, and I’m beginning to think that cruising may be our best travel option as our mobility is becoming more limited. The research and planning are also mostly done by me, which can be a bit exhausting. We flew to Vegas in April and rented a car for an 8-day road trip to Bryce, Zion, Monument Valley, and Grand Canyon. We saw some amazingly beautiful sights, but walking even short distances was very difficult for me, especially in the higher altitudes. We spent much time just touring from the car and the tour buses. So I think that cruising may be easier for us. We have only cruised twice. The first time was 1999 (eek!!! Really that long ago?) Western Caribbean, which we aren’t interested in doing again. The second was in 2012 (wow, time flies!) to Alaska, which was wonderful. Both on NCL. We aren’t fancy and kind of like their freestyle cruising.

I know that you have recommended Vacations To Go in the past, so just wondering if you still do. Also would welcome your thoughts on Costco Travel, United Cruises, or just booking directly with the cruise line. I also recall that Tom has a website that alerts him when prices go down, but I can’t remember which one. Could you kindly remind me? We would love to cruise the Med, but I read a comment on a YouTube video that said if you have any mobility issues, it may be difficult.

Just wondered if you would be willing to share your thoughts. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Happy sailing!

Pam”

Thank you, Pam, for writing! It’s lovely to hear from you, and we’re thrilled to hear you are considering cruising again. I am relisting your questions below (for ease of reading), and we will answer them individually.

  1. I know that you have recommended Vacations To Go in the past, so just wondering if you still do. Also would welcome your thoughts on Costco Travel, United Cruises, or just booking directly with the cruise line.

Answer: We prefer using Costco to book cruises and car rentals. (Annual membership is required). Their prices and perks for cruises are the same as most other cruise booking agencies. However, through Costco, you will receive gift cards (shop cards) each time you book a cruise, which motivated us to use them. Unfortunately, reaching them by phone to book a cruise or ask questions subsequently is awful. You can wait on the phone for an hour or more; contacting them by email is sketchy at best. This fact alone prompted us to return to Vacations to Go, which we’ve used for years. Our rep is Heather. She can be reached here:

“Heather Thompson
Master Cruise Counselor, Luxury and Multi-Cabin Specialist
Vacations To Go (16 Years)
hthompson@vacationstogo.com
My office hours: Mon-Fri: 11 am-8 pm (US Central Time)
US and Canada: 1-800-338-4962 ext. 7317
For toll-free numbers from other countries, click here.”

With us booking cruises while out of the country with huge time zone differences at times, having easy access to our booking company is important to us. Heather is very responsive and quickly responds to emails and phone calls. Please tell her we sent you. We don’t receive any remuneration for referring you to her, but we love sharing good service with our readers.

We’ve never used United Cruises and rarely have booked directly through a cruise line. They are also hard to reach and don’t have better pricing or service.

2. I also recall that Tom has a website that alerts him when prices go down, but I can’t remember which one. Could you kindly remind me?

Answer: Mainly, Tom has used Cruisecritic.com at this link that takes you directly to their cruise roll call, where you can enter the cruise you’ll be taking and see if there have been price drops. If there is a price drop (only applicable to passengers from the US and Canada), only prior to the final payment, you can find the information there and then contact your cruise booking company and ask them to lower your price. This has saved us thousands of dollars over the years. But you must carefully analyze if the price drop is beneficial for you since you may lose some perks if you take the price drop. Your booking agent will provide you with this information

(You must sign up for a free account at Cruise Critic here to see the roll call for each cruise. It’s straightforward to do so).

3. .We would love to cruise the Med, but I read a comment on a YouTube video that said if you have any mobility issues, it may be difficult.

Answer: We sailed in the Mediterranean on three occasions. At many ports of call, walking can be long and up and down hills at times. However, many easy-access “Hop On Hop Off” buses are available at the various ports, taxis, and vans you can arrange to take you to see the highlights. It’s essential to negotiate a price for taxis before you embark on such private means of transportation. “Hop On, Hop Off” buses have a fixed price for passengers, which is usually reasonable. In these cases, you can decide if you want to get off the bus or taxi and walk around or not. You will still see plenty.

We hope these answers help you decide what may work for you. Please feel free to contact us at any time with more questions. We’re always happy to help!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 19, 2013:

The flowers of Tuscany never ceased to amaze us. The colors, the smells, and the varied designs make them appear more artistically rendered than real life itself. For more photos, please click here.