What??? We joined a golf club! One year ago…A stunning pot hole…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 21, 2015 with 0 Comment

The sign upon entering the Makai Golf Club in Princeville, Kauai. Its odd to think that we’re members although we don’t play golf.

We don’t play golf, neither of us able to do so with our bad right shoulders and, lack of skill. In a way, not playing golf is a good thing in our way of life. Imagine the additional expenses we’d incur in our travels when playing a round of golf is so expensive especially here in Princeville at over $350 per person with rented clubs and a cart.

But, we do love to do two things; for me, working out at a fitness center and for both of us, spending our token one hour in the sun soaking up vitamin D (vital for seniors) and catching a bit of tan preferably by a pool.

The fitness center although small had all the equipment I’d need for working out.

With no pool or easy access to a beach in the immediate area, we were looking for a double whammy. Where could we find a pool and a fitness center in Princeville, where there definitely wouldn’t be a community center?

We’re surprised that with all the seniors in this area that there isn’t a health club when in the past, I’d seen many seniors at various fitness centers in our travels and in our old lives back in Minnesota.

During my time working out not another person joined me.

After an extensive search, I was unable to find a single stand alone fitness center in the entire area. The only options available included pricey sessions by the hour with a fitness trainer.

Plus, the thing about working out, it requires a close proximity in order to commit to doing it. Its hard enough to do it, let alone having the necessity of driving far in traffic.

With a flat screen TV, hand weights, exercise bands, a locker room and AC, it was perfect for me.

Plus, after stopping by the St. Regis Hotel (pricey at $550+ a night) which we heard had a pool and fitness program, we were sorely discouraged to discover the cost at $250 per person/per day to workout and use the pool. Both the St. Regis and the Princeville Westin have an affiliation with the Makai Golf Club.

Back to the drawing board (pc) I went to work trying to find an option. Web searches kept bringing me back to the Makai Golf Club. Online, they advertised a $100 per person, per month program for both using their small fitness center and their huge lap pool.

Tom was rounded out his tan lying on his stomach on the chaise lounge by the pool at the golf club.

Calling to verify this information, I was told the website information was wrong. It would cost $125 per person per month to use both the fitness center and pool. We didn’t care for the fact that they wouldn’t honor the online price but when our options were so limited, we decided to accept this reality.

Tom doesn’t work out, nor does he care to start now no matter how much encouragement I might throw his way. However, there was no program offering a pool only membership.

Tom never naps in this position and provides a good bit of conversation to keep me entertained.

Yesterday afternoon, we decided to check out the golf club, a mere 1.8 miles from our condo, a five minute drive down the busy Ka Haku Road, the road that leads to everywhere in Princeville.

Hesitating to spend $250 a month for both of us, we entered the golf club with a bit of trepidation, thinking most likely, only I’d sign up, desperately needing to work out after a hiatus of many months, only walking during the absence which isn’t quite enough for me.

The pool is only 4 feet deep but a perfect lap pool.

No more than five minutes after we arrived and discussed the program with the staff at the pro shop, a kindly manager offered that we follow him in a golf cart the to the nearby fitness center and pool. Tom drove the cart with me sitting next to him as we followed Eric to see the facilities.

The golf course borders the pool and fitness area.

I couldn’t help but giggle all the way to the pool area when “overly grumpy” Tom made negative comments to me about the golf cart traffic while he was driving the cart. This made me laugh over and over.

After we saw the facilities I was certain we’d both join the club. It’s a fun playful atmosphere with friendly animated staff members. Once we entered the small fitness building, located in the pool area, we were both “sold.”

View from the chaise lounges at the pool.

In addition, our membership includes a social membership enabling us to attend parties and activities should we chose to partake. Back at the pro shop, we paid our first month’s dues, even reserving our spot for the Super Bowl party upcoming a week from Sunday. What a great opportunity to meet people! The only cost for the party is food and beverages purchased in the Makai Grill during the game if we so chose.

After we were introduced to more staff at the pro shop, we were excited to have made this decision. With our swimsuits with us and me already dressed in workout clothing, we grabbed the key and headed back to the pool area when, for the first time in many months I worked out, doing my usual HIIT (high intensity interval training).

We have our two new Costco chairs which we’ll keep in the car. If it so happens that the chairs are all occupied at the pool, we were told, we could bring in our own chairs.

There’s no doubt it will be many weeks before I return to my prior level of fitness. But, when it comes to working out, there’s not time like the present. I can’t wait to see those little muscles return to their former shape and size and find myself at a much higher level of health and fitness. How I’ve missed this after having worked out most of my adult life.

Add a beautiful blue sky and palm trees to the mix and the scenery is astounding.

After my workout, I struggled to get my swimsuit on. It was hot and humid and I had trouble drying off in the steamy ladies locker room that is attached to the fitness room. Trying to pull up the swimsuit was quite the challenge in my sticky state. Going forward, I’ll workout in my swimsuit and workout pants and rinse off in the shower with my swimsuit on.

It always seems to be hazy by the mountains here in Kauai, most likely as a result of the vegetation cover.

Tom waited for me in the shade reading a book on his phone. Once I was finished, we grabbed two comfy lounge chairs to languish for our hour in the warmth of the sun, enjoying the exquisite view, occasionally dipping in the pool to cool off.

We’d have been content with a pool with no views. But this, is beyond all of our expectations.

Joining the Makai Golf Club a perfect addition to our lengthy stay in Kauai. Most likely we’ll head together to the Makai Golf Club each sunny day, while I’ll go on my own to workout on cloudy days. With HIIT, its not necessary to workout everyday but visiting the pool itself will not be unlike other locations where we’ve had a pool drawing us in for a dip on sunny days. We’re thrilled.

Greenery to take one’s breath away.

Now, we feel the long four month stint in Kauai will be easier than we’d expected. Besides, its not hard to hang around Paradise for an extended period.

Hump day. Enjoy!

Photo from one year ago today, January 21, 2014:

Bourke’s Luck Pot Holes was an amazing sight to see on the Panorama Route in South Africa. For more photos of this exciting visit, please click here.

A trip to Hanalei Beach…Memorable day! How did we get so lucky? Hawaii population and tourism stats…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 20, 2015 with 0 Comment

Vicki, Jerry and me.

Tom and Jerry (ha!) really hit it off! We’d wished they’d been staying longer!

Kauai is different than the other Hawaiian Islands. One cannot drive all the way around it. Its population is the lowest of all of the major islands:

Hawaii State and County Population

Hawaii Population Density:

Oahu:	1,594.9 persons per square mile 615.8 persons per square kilometer
Big Island of Hawaii:	45.9 persons per square mile 17.7 persons per square kilometer
Maui:	187.1 persons per square mile 72.2 persons per square kilometer
Kauai:	121.2 persons per square mile 46.8 persons per square kilometer
Molokai:	28.2 persons per square mile 10.9 persons per square kilometer
Lanai:	22.2 persons per square mile 8.6 persons per square kilometer
Niihau:	2.5 persons per square mile 1.0 person per square kilometer Tourist Visits:

Adding the tourism stats makes us realize that during our four months on the island of Kauai, the likelihood of making friends is low based on its lower level of tourism and its remote nature as shown in the above pie chart.

This was our view, all day when we sat in a part shade, part sun area with Vicki and Jerry.

Tom and I headed to a beach, any beach, for some fun in the sun, and to take some photos. No more than two minutes after we picked a spot, a kindly gentleman, Jerry, helps us maneuver our new Costco purchased portable lawn chairs and our beach bag down the short but relatively steep uneven hill from the parking lot to the sand.

A one-lane bridge we’d traveled on our way to the beach.

Jerry seemed to be about our age and we were surprised he’d offered to help. Good grief, a person of any age would have difficulty maneuvering that drop off. (I banged my head on a tree limb going back up at the end of the day, although not seriously).

We’ve missed sandy beaches after the six weeks we’d spent on the Big Island where most of the beaches consist of black sand and lava rock.

Jerry, one of the most friendly people we’ve met while in Hawaii, is vacationing in Kauai with his lovely wife Vicki for a short period, sadly leaving today. Oh, how we wish we’d have met them when they first arrived. Surely, we’d have spent considerable time together.

Yesterday, Tom and I took off from the condo around noon determined to find a spot to sit on the beach when there’s no pool at this condo complex. We’d known there was no pool here when we booked the condo long ago. But, in our zealousness to stay at a beautiful yet affordable location to “lick our wounds” from the holidays, we were willing to forgo a pool when we knew there were sandy beaches on this island, some in immediate proximity.

A camping area along the beach includes a port-a-potty.

However, many of the beaches we’d researched online required dangerous treks down steep cliffs and over rough terrain to reach the beach. Not wanting to risk injury in our lives, which could terribly impede our travels, we tend to avoid high-risk activities. Well, some high-risk activities.

Too conservative? Perhaps. But, can you imagine how a broken leg or knee injury would affect us, homeless folks, not only time-wise but financially if we had to stay put to recover? We’d miss future bookings, losing deposits, cruises, flights, and on and on. It would upset the apple cart having a domino effect. Instead, we choose to err on the safer side based on our current ages and level of fitness.

An oceanfront house on Hanalei Beach.

Finally, we found this particular section of Hanalei Beach after driving through the absolutely charming town of Hanalei with shops and restaurants lining the boulevard, deciding we’ll surely return in the near future to dine out and walk along the streets. It couldn’t have been more appealing. Future photos will surely follow.

The traffic was dense on the narrow highway requiring we cross several one-lane bridges. The friendly people of Hawaii need no stoplight or stop sign to gain access to these several bridges. They politely let the next grouping of cars pass without giving it a thought.

The sand was soft under our feet as we walked along this section of Hanalei Beach.

Even Tom, the usual “overly grumpy” driver, stayed calm and cheerful as we crossed each of no less than four such single-lane bridges. When we spotted a seemingly adequate strip of sandy beach, a parking spot was awaiting us. Leaving our stuff in the car, we found a spot to get down to the beach to walk along its sandy shores to investigate, as shown in some of today’s photos.

There was a waterhole, most likely a result of high tide.

Back at the car, we decided to select the beach area closest to the car to avoid hauling everything over the fallen trees and branches. No more than one minute after we were loaded up, there was Jerry, at the ready, to reach up a helping hand. Who is this kindly gentleman, Tom and I asked in our eyes when we glanced at one another?

After chatting for several minutes, we decided we needed more time to chat and made our way toward his and Vicki’s perfect sandy spot, part sun, part shade. From that point on, the memorable day began and later sadly ended with hugs goodbye, and promises to stay in touch.

This beautiful dog, most likely an Alaskan Malamute, was tied to this tree and hardly noticed us passing by on the beach.

They own two homes; one in Pennsylvania and another in Scottsdale, Arizona where they travel back and forth, based on the seasons and personal obligations. They were surprised by our story; these two old-timers, homeless and traveling the world for who knows how long. How fun it was when they pressed us for the story after the story of our travels.

We felt guilty hogging the conversation but they, like others on occasion, are curious as to how we live our somewhat unusual lives. And, we were curious about how they managed to own two homes as many seniors do throughout the world.

The beach had many fallen trees and branches making it tricky to navigate at certain points.

Sadly, as the sun began to wane and with their upcoming departure back to Arizona today, we finally said goodbye. They’d kindly offered to take us out to eat but I’d already prepared most of the evening’s meal and we both felt dirty when we were covered with sand.

The trees on either side of us created a quiet beach. We were the only visitors in this particular spot.

We all packed up our stuff and hugged goodbye, knowing we’d stay in touch. This morning, opening my email, there was a charming email from Vicki and Jerry and we couldn’t have been more pleased. One never knows how paths may cross again someday.

It was a glorious day. May your Tuesday be the same.

Photo from one year ago today, January 20, 2014:

On a rickety pontoon with no less than 20 other passengers, we took off to explore the Blyde River Canyon in South Africa. Tom was thrilled to be back on a boat. No wonder he loves cruising as much as he does! For details and more photos on the river, please click here.

Nature and noise…What’s with all the feral chickens in Kauai? Video… A year ago, an awe inspiring experience for Tom!

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 19, 2015 with 2 Comments

The colors in this scene from our lanai left us breathless.

When we arrived at the airport in Lihue, we notice hens, roosters, and chicks wandering about the airport, on the street, and in the rental car parking lot. We’d heard there were feral chickens everywhere in Kauai but never gave it much of a thought until we arrived.

The Costco parking lot didn’t have as many chickens as elsewhere, but we’d read online that Costco attempts to keep them at bay in their lot, using legal harmless traps. However, when we stopped at Walmart, they were everywhere, including nesting in the tree planters scattered here and there in the lot.

A possible variety of Hibiscus.

I tried getting photos, but most often we spotted them while driving. Between the car’s movement and the fast run of both chickens and roosters, they were difficult to pin down for many photos. Then again, we all know what a chicken looks like.

Many roosters in Kauai have this coloration.

After reading several articles online as to why there are so many chickens on Kauai, we came to the conclusion that it may be a result of a few factors:

1. In 1992, Hurricane Iniki, the most powerful hurricane ever to hit the US, resulted in the destruction of many chicken farms and private chicken coops.
2. Sugar cane plantation laborers in the late 1800s and early 1900s raised chicken for the culturally acceptable sport of cock fighting (still acceptable in the islands today) and over the years, they got loose.

This video is more about the sounds than the scenes.

I was in Kauai multiple times in the 1980s (before Tom) and don’t recall seeing chickens at that time. However, on prior visits, I stayed in hotels where they may have been controlled at the time.

The walking path for the ocean viewing area across the street.

In Hawaii, it’s legal to catch and cook feral chickens although we’ve read several posts stating that the meat is tough and stringy. Many local residents have accepted their constant presence finding humor in their often quirky behavior and wouldn’t consider killing them, nor would we.

Pretty, oceanfront condos.

Besides, when one can purchase a meaty chicken to cook for around $10 here in Hawaii, it’s hardly worth, killing, cleaning, and plucking a chicken, a gruesome messy proposition that few would care to tackle unless they’re used to such activity from living on a farm.

Dolphins etched into the sidewalk.

Some locals have trapped them for egg production. One would think that would have an impact on the price of eggs in Kauai but prices are the highest we’ve seen anywhere in the world, as much at $9 for a dozen free-range eggs. In this case, Costco has better pricing at $8 for 18 free-range eggs.

Tom, checking out the view.

The most interesting aspect to us is the constant crowing of the roosters and occasional clucking of the hens. In many countries we’ve visited over the past two-plus years, we’ve been subject to crowing roosters in such locations as; Tuscany, Italy; Diani Beach, Kenya; Marrakesh, Morocco; Campanario, Madeira; Big Island, Hawaii and now, more than any of these others, everywhere on the island of Kauai, even in this planned community of Princeville.

What surprises us, now that we have chickens in our midst constantly, is the day-long crowing. They do settle down after dark but begin crowing again with fervor around 4:00 am, known as “anticipatory predawn crowing” according to this excellent article from National Geographic.

Evergreens grow on the islands.

Why do they crow? Based on our research, roosters crow for several reasons including territorial announcements, interest in attracting their hens and chicks, and defining the “pecking order.”

Are chickens stupid, as many believe? According to this study as shown here, chickens can be as cunning as humans in their bid for survival, food, and shelter. Who’d have ever given the chicken credit for being intelligent?

Yellow Hibiscus are in bloom during the winter months.

As we sit here at 10:00 am Monday morning, the crowing is occurring at least once every 30 seconds. This morning at 5 am, we heard it at least one crow every 15 seconds. It seems to slow down in the late afternoon, completely stopping after dark, other than an occasional crow.

But, come the early dawn, the roosters begin again, loud and persistent. As with the sound of the clock tower next door to us in Tuscany, clanging every 15 minutes; the baa of the goats in the yard in Kenya; the call-to-prayer chant six times per day including predawn in Marrakesh, Morocco; and the constant roar of the ocean waves hitting the lava rocks and also the coqui frog on the Big Island of Hawai’i; we’ve quickly adapted and become able to sleep through it all.

And, what a view it is!

Surely, it will be no different here as we find amusement in the sounds of the feral chickens on this glorious island of Kauai, for whatever reasons there happens to be so many.

Have a happy Monday!

Photo from one year ago today, January 19, 2014:

Tom, wearing a long leather glove covering his entire hand and arm, volunteered to feed this vulture when we visited the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa. For more photos of our interaction with these and other amazing animals including a cougar, please click here.

As we continue on our walks.

Beauty surrounding us from every direction…The cost of living in Princeville Kauai is off the charts…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 18, 2015 with 0 Comment

The area of Princeville was named in honor of an 1860 visit by Prince Albert Kamehameha, son of King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma. It was then a plantation owned by Robert Crichton Wyllie. He named another part of the plantation Emmaville, but that name never stuck. Originally the land was planted with coffee, which was not suited to the wet lowlands. Later sugar cane was planted with some success. Wyllie’s nephew inherited the land, but committed suicide in 1866. In 1867 it was purchased by Elisha Hunt Allen to later become a cattle ranch. It was sold for development in 1968 and became a golf course and resort called Princeville at Hanalei.

We’ve never seen anything like it. Every direction one turns, the views are unique and breathtaking. Kauai is truly a paradise. Princeville is exquisite.

Across the Prince Golf Club to the ocean (while driving with no possibility of stopping with the amount of traffic in this area).

Would we consider living here? No. The cost of living is too high, especially here in Princeville where high-end living and a degree of upscale opulence is the order of the day. That doesn’t fit our lifestyle. Plus, who’s thinking of settling down? Not us.

Statue at the entrance to Princeville.

Yesterday, while on a much-needed walk in the area, we visited a real estate open house. With no agent on the premises, we had free reign to walk about taking photos. When the agent returned after showing the grounds to prospective buyers, we explained that we are just “lookie-loos” not interested in buying.

There are ponds and statues at the entrance to Princeville.

View of tiers landscaping to the pond.

Not only is the cost of the unit high at $1,206,900 but, the taxes at $8000 a year and association dues at $11,400 year ($950/mo.) are as well. The property was unfurnished although many in the area are sold completely furnished as vacation homes. Plus, it appeared that particular property appeared to need some updating and renovation. (There was no active MLS listing available at this time).

View to the beautiful beach below the cliffs. How we’d get down to that beach appears to require cliff climbing. There are many nearby easy access to beaches to visit.

Building style at the Princeville Shopping Center.

As we researched, we did find many much less expensive properties, not oceanfront as the property we’d seen, that were priced in the $360,000 range for those choosing the Princeville location in a more modest range.

For photos of our condo in Princeville, please click here.

The living area in the “open house” we’d wandered into yesterday while on a walk.

We always get a kick out of checking on the local real estate, not due to possible future interest but, instead as a result of curiosity for an area in which we’re living at any given time, especially for extended periods. Familiarity with the area only adds to the level of enjoyment during extended stays.

The dining area in the house for sale in the neighborhood.

Back on the walking path again, with views in every direction, we didn’t know which way to turn. With many days and walks ahead of us, we have much to anticipate. On many occasions, we had to move out of the way for bikers and others walking along the designated walking path.

The kitchen had an unusual design.

After walking on the edge of dangerous roads throughout the road, it was a pleasant change to be walking along a path for the sole use of walkers, joggers, and bikers. Many times, we stopped along the way for photos of the sea and the beaches below the steep cliffs.

The full view of the bathroom was blocked by the stackable washer and dryer. The condo had two bathrooms.

Later in the day, we headed to the Princeville Shopping Center located in another elite area. The shops were upscale versions of those we seen in many tourist locations; pricey beautiful merchandise, often impractical and hardly suitable for our way of life.

The small second bedroom in the house for sale.

However, the Foodland grocery store, crammed with locals and tourists on a Saturday afternoon, was exactly what we needed to fill in the items we hadn’t been able to purchase at Costco in smaller sizes.

The master bedroom with a clawfoot tub in the en suite bath.

After spending yet another $226 we were out the door with only four of our cloth bags filled. So far, since arriving here, we’ve spent almost $1500 on groceries and household supplies.

The master bath had no shower.

Yesterday, we’d mentioned that we’d have a special post for today. As it turns out, we’ll need to do a little more research and hopefully a video if the opportunity presents itself today. Please check back tomorrow.

It was cloudy yesterday. In the future, we’ll have plenty of sunny day photos to share. We took this shot on a walk across the street from our condo.

For those of you who enjoy football in the US, have a great day watching it on TV. Tom is currently situated in his new comfy chair, eye peeled on the TV waiting for the game to begin. Have at it, Mister!

Photo from one year ago today, January 18, 2014:

We were visiting the Elephant Sanctuary in Hazyview, South Africa, we had an opportunity to interact with the elephants. It was an educational and enjoyable experience for both of us. For more photos and details, please click here.

Settling in…Paradise continues to please…A wonderful memory from one year ago…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 17, 2015 with 0 Comment

The Red Crested Cardinal is native to South America with this bright red head, crest, face, chin, and upper breast. The upper parts are gray with an incomplete white collar that nearly meets at the back of the neck. It has white underparts, a light gray bill and gray legs and feet. It mainly feeds on plant seeds, fruits, berries, and insects. It has an undulating flight. The sexes are similar. This is a common bird in the Hawaiian Islands and yet each time we see it, we’re in awe as we were when we took this photo from our lanai.

We must admit we were concerned. Four months in one location was a frightening thought. Not only had we decided on staying in Kauai for four months to “lick our wounds” from the holidays but also, the decision was based on our booked cruise from Honolulu to Australia on May 24th and subsequent plans in the South Pacific for the upcoming two-plus years.

Vegetation from the lanai of the condo. Hearing the birds singing from inside the condo is a pleasure!

Our original plan had been to stay in Princeville from January 15th to May 15th returning to Honolulu for nine days, staying in a hotel. After our 11 day experience in busy Waikiki/Honolulu, we reconsidered.

By the minute the sunset view changes, inspiring us to run back and forth outside.

The only way Honolulu would be appealing to us would be to stay in a hotel. Our last condo in Waikiki wasn’t our cup of tea and for only nine days it’s not worth booking a vacation home, having to stock groceries and household supplies.

The ever-changing view of the mountain from the lanai drives us outdoor to check frequently.

As a result, we’ve asked the considerate owner of this lovely condo if we can extend our stay until May 24th. With his booking calendar online, it appears these extra days may be possible. If not, we’ll head to Honolulu and as always figure out a solution.

A touch of blue sky brightened the view.

Speaking of stocking groceries and supplies, yesterday we drove back to Lihui, the town where the airport is located (45 minutes plus traffic) to go to Walmart to use up a $400 gift card and to Costco to use a $500 gift card from credits on two returned laptops neither of us found acceptable. We saved this gift cards to use for this specific purpose, stock the condo in Kauai with household products and groceries.

At sunset, the sun’s rays beaming on the ocean.

After spending $1249.75 combined at both locations, filling the tiny no-automatic-door-locks-vehicle to the brim we were back on the road to Princeville. This condo, although beautiful, has limited storage space.

As the sky clears we have a better view of the green mountains. That’s why Kauai is known as the “garden isle,” for its lush greenery.

Utilizing the utmost of creativity we’d both used filling the car, once again we did so in putting away all that stuff. Multiple rolls of toilet paper, paper towels, laundry supplies, cleaning apparatus, and even dish towels and an electric teapot, found their way into tucked-away places. The perishables easily fit into the refrigerator and freezer into the roomy new refrigerator.

Unfortunately, we have a little more organizing of ancillary “stuff” from our luggage in order to take interior photos of the interior of the condo. We’ll do this soon and post the photos.

This morning’s hazy view.

Last night for dinner, we each had a giant slab of prime rib we’d purchased at Costco for a mouth-watering experience. Adding salad, fresh green beans and a half of an avocado (for me) stuffed with one of Costco’s delicious low carb dips, we were full and content.

And still today, after a walk in the neighborhood once this is posted, I’ll need to head to the local Foodland for the first time, located in the Princeville Shopping Center for yet more foodstuffs, when neither store was able to complete our lengthy grocery list, longer than usual with this extended stay.

These nearby billowy clouds reminded us of both Tuscany and Madeira where we spent five month collectively, surrounded by mountains and often these low lying clouds.

Ah, I bet our readers are wondering what we’ll write about for four months. We’ve already started a list of topics and its running wild. We plan to do a fare share of sightseeing, beach visits, researching plants and vegetation unique to this island, historical facts, cultural facts and an upcoming story for tomorrow that may make you smile.

Enjoy the weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, January 17, 2014:

It was quite the traffic jam in Kruger Park as we made our way to the Blyde River Canyon in South Africa for a three day mini vacation. For details and many more photos, please click here

We flew through the air and landed in Paradise…Pinch me…Kauai is heavenly…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 16, 2015 with 2 Comments

This type of scene we noticed along Highway 56 in Kauai could be found in many places on the mainland.

Without a doubt, Kauai may prove to be our favorite of the four islands we’ve visited in Hawaii. The four months, we’d anticipated that may be too long, will fly by too quickly.

We arrive in Kauai on a gorgeous day. Excuse the date stamps on some of these photos. I’d failed to remove it after taking photos of the existing damage on the rental car when we picked it up.

Upon arriving at the Lihue, Kauai airport, we hauled all of our bags to the shuttle bus stop for a ride to the Dollar car rental. We lucked out. They agreed to rent us the vehicle for the entire four months, preventing us from the necessity of going back once a month to renew.

There are many shops along the highway, an attraction for the tourists as shown here today in the village of Wailua.

Most likely they gave us the oldest and cheapest car on the lot with over 31,000 miles and no automatic door locks. When did automatic door locks become popular? Thirty years ago? At only $685 a month, we hardly complain.

There appears to be several Mexican restaurants in Kauai.

After all, this is Hawaii and rental cars are notoriously high here. Having booked online enabled us to get this great price. We took no less than a dozen photos of all of the dings and scratches on the car saving them in our Kauai file for future reference and we were on our way.

A pineapple and coconut stand.

We had to ditch our intent of shopping at Costco. There wasn’t room in that tiny vehicle for a single item sold at Costco when everything is the jumbo size and the car was packed with our stuff. Instead today, we’ll return to Lihui for a much-needed trip to Costco.

The ever-popular Bubba’s, known for their burgers.

Finding the condo was a little tricky although driving through upscale Princeville was delightful. We’ve landed in the most exquisite area we’ve seen in the islands or perhaps on any island we’ve visited thus far in our travels.

Traveling along a two-lane highway makes photo-taking difficult while driving.

Our condo is located in a well maintained four-unit building. We’ve already met everyone in each unit including permanent residents photographer Ted and vacation home manager Gloria and, vacationing neighbors from Toronto, lovely couple Sarah, Mario, and baby Kayden, staying only a few days. We have a sense that making friends in Kauai will be easy.

We stopped at a scenic overlook on the way to Princeville.

The condo, although smaller than we’d anticipated, is perfect for us. Newly remodeled, it appears new with lush finishes, quality workmanship, and pleasing design.

A proud rooster meandering with his family in the parking lot of the scenic overlook.

While moving in with the doors open a zillion mosquitoes entered the condo requiring we leave the AC on overnight. Mosquitoes hide in cool air. Today, the doors and windows will be wide open after we return from shopping.

Two hens were hanging out with the above rooster.

In a way, the condo is comparable to a two-bedroom hotel suite with a kitchen. The comfy memory foam bed, soft pillows, and covers created the best night’s sleep we’ve had in ages. The shower was ideal, an aspect we’ve really come to appreciate.

Views of the ocean are always appealing.

More than anything, the scenic views from our lanai and the front of the building are breathtaking as shown in these photos. A white sand beach is across the road where we can take beach chairs for whale watching.

Another scenic overlook.

Last night, we dined at a restaurant tucked away in a condo complex also across the road, the Hideaway, when neither of us felt like shopping and cooking. The food was mediocre, the ambiance was noisy and our table was wobbly. I doubt we’ll return with many other options in the area.

We stopped when we spotted this beach.

We’d mailed a package to ourselves with all of our leftover foodstuffs. To my error, I failed to ask the owner if we could do so and we simply used the address for the condo when we mailed it at the post office in Pahoa. Later, the owner informed us that only UPS will deliver to the condo.

A beautiful beach scene. The contrast between greenery and sand is particularly appealing.

As a result, this morning, we’ll head to the post office to see if the package has arrived. If it hasn’t, we may decide to wait to go to Costco to avoid duplicating some of the items in the packed box. Then again, with four months here in Princeville, duplication may not be an issue.

Since our arrival, we’ve taken many photos to share. From what we’ve seen so far, we’ll never run out of photos to share on this island. Known as the “garden island” the abundance of birds and vegetation is unlike anything we’ve seen since Tuscany in the summer of 2013.

A bar and restaurant along the highway.

This morning shortly after awakening we heard the pleasing crow of a rooster. More later on why Kauai is known for its many wild chickens freely roaming about. Yesterday, there were several in the rental car parking lot.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos of the condo and much more. Stay tuned, dear readers. The exploration of the garden island has just begun.

Photo from one year ago today, January 16, 2014:

On our way to the Blyde River Canyon for a three-day mini holiday, we drove through Kruger National Park. We stopped at a distance to watch this elephant. She was obviously annoyed with our visit, moving to the road to come toward us. Luckily, we were back far enough and Tom quickly backed out to get out of her way. Finally, she backed off, content that we weren’t a threat. For details and more photos of our ride through Kruger, please click here.

On our way to Kauai today…Good hotel and dinner…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 15, 2015 with 2 Comments

View from the lanai at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

With horrible construction traffic all over Hilo, we were thrilled we’d arranged a hotel near the airport for this morning’s flight at 10:30 am. The airport is no more than two miles from the hotel.

As usual, Tom will leave me at the airport after checking our baggage while he returns the rental car and meets me after he returns to the terminal when we will make our way to the gate. Hopefully, all goes as smoothly as our past two inter-island flights.

View of the beautiful grounds at the hotel.

The Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, although dated from the ’80s is located on the ocean is clean and otherwise modern. WiFi is free in the common areas with a $10.60 charge for use in the room which was slow with only one of us able to be online. With as little time as we spent in the room, it didn’t matter.

Notice Tom’s red face and forehead from too much sun on Tuesday when visiting with the new neighbors.

The hotel’s rate of $158 for a king room was reasonable for Hawaii. When we checked in at 1:00 pm, two hours before their specified check-in time of 3:00 pm, we were able to get a room with two double beds if we didn’t feel like waiting for two hours.

Having slept in a double bed recently at the “birdhouse” we had no trouble taking the room with two double beds. We had dinner in the hotel’s restaurant which we’d read was good and the reviews were right.

Views of tide pools near the hotel.

We only brought the duffel bag, pill bag, and computer bag into the hotel, leaving the big pieces in the car which we wouldn’t need to use overnight. We parked close to the main entrance feeling relatively safe leaving our larger bags in the trunk of the car overnight in the lighted parking lot.

On the way to the hotel, we stopped at a recycling facility to drop off my old laptop with the bad keyboard. I’d removed everything I could including the battery and power cord which we’ll have the hotel recycle.

With the sunburn on Tom’s forehead from chatting with neighbors on Tuesday afternoon by the pool and the cloudy day, we had no interest in the hotel’s pool.

We decided to have dinner at the hotel since the traffic around this area is outrageous. No need to stress my DH who has a tendency to become “overly grumpy” when driving in traffic. We each had a delicious dinner of rib steak with shrimp and scallop scampi for $66.29 including tip, without cocktails, and with only hot tea for me. The meal easily accommodated my way of eating with a side salad in place of the potatoes.

On Monday night, back at the birdhouse, we met a fabulous couple that had moved in next door to the house we’d also rented in Pahoa. Jenny and Bruce were from New York and were staying for a week. On Tuesday, we spent the entire afternoon chatting by the pool with them enjoying a lively and animated conversation. We couldn’t have enjoyed it more!

Inside the hotel lobby area.

Afterward, we fired up the grill to make our last dinner using what we had left in the freezer which included two burgers for Tom and one small burger and an organic chicken brat for me. Lo and behold Tom dropped my chicken brat on the ground when he was taking it off the grill. At that point, my entire meal consisted of one small burger.

Then, I’d forgotten to take out the bacon I’d cooked earlier in the day to top the burgers. Tom ended up giving me half of one of his burgers. Then, my entire meal consisted of one small burger (of course, no buns), cheddar cheese, and some iceberg lettuce. It didn’t matter. There were some nuts left for snacking after dinner and I’d be fine.

Banyon tree outside the hotel lobby.

After cleaning up the house yesterday morning, washing the sheets and towels, and loading up the car, we were on our way to Hilo by 11:30 am.

We’ll miss the whale watching from the yard, the roaring sound of the ocean beating against the huge lava rocks only feet away, and the easy convenience of the house. But, moving on is always delivers a fair share of anticipation and excitement.

The expansive hotel entry driveway reminded me of hotels on the strip in Las Vegas.

On a few occasions, Tom’s mentioned, in a concerned voice, if we’re going to feel “stuck” in one spot for four months. Neither of us would ever want to stay put any longer. If the condo is as nice as it appears and Kauai is as beautiful as I recall from my last visit over 30 years ago, we’ll be fine. The owner informed us that he’d recently done $90,000 in renovations we’ll surely appreciate.

With ocean views and the ability to merely walk across the street for closer proximity, the endless white-sand beaches, the convenience of grocery shopping, and a health club (for me only), I’m sure we’ll feel right “at home.”

The road leading to the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos of our new home, the beach, and hopefully a story of yet another uncomplicated bit of travel.

Have a tremendous Thursday. See you soon.

Photo from one year ago today, January 15, 2014:

No photo was posted on this date one year ago after we’d arrived at the resort at Blyde River Canyon for a three-day mini holiday. The poor WiFi signal made posting tedious, although we eventually were able to post. A photo will follow tomorrow.

Final expenses from the Big Island including family reunion…Favorite scenes from Hawai’i…Heading to Hilo for an overnight…Flying tomorrow…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 14, 2015 with 0 Comment

Sunrise reflections are taken from what Tom referred to as the “birdhouse.”

We’re packed. The house is cleaned. After all the stuff we had here for the family get together, it was a bit more challenging than usual. But, now, the sheets and towels are in the laundry, our bags are in the entryway ready to go into the rental car.

This was one of my favorite photos, the chair where neighbor Yoko sits each day whale watching. The waves were huge that day.

Once the laundry is done and our post is uploaded, we’ll load the stuff into the car and take off to begin the painstaking drive on the highway through the construction zone. Expected transit time to Hilo, two hours, an otherwise 30-minute drive.

Our nighttime visit to Mount Kilauea. Amazing!

Another shot of Mount Kilauea as visitors overlooked the massive crater, at the mouth of the volcano.

Arriving in Hilo, we’ll stop at a computer recycle store to drop off my old laptop with the bad keyboard (and other issues), to be recycled. Then we’re off to the hotel where we’ll stay overnight getting up early in order to take our 10:33 am flight tomorrow morning to Kauai.

Where else but in Hawaii would one find such exquisite beauty of vegetation.

Hopefully, this short trip will be as seamless as had been our flights from Oahu to Maui, from Maui to the Big Island. Tom finally accepts the fact once we drop off the rental car, we don’t need to be at the airport more than an hour before our flight when flying inter-island in the Hawaiian Islands.

A Golden Day Gecko enjoying a rest on a flower.

Lava created bridge over the sea at a shoreline in the neighborhood.

With a 35 minute layover in Honolulu, we’ll later arrive at the Lihui airport in Kauai at 12:10. Upon arrival, we’ll pick up the new rental car at Dollar Rent-A-Car and off we go for the approximate 50-minute drive to the condo in Princeville.

A cave as we stood of the shore of an overlook area on the road to Hilo.

This relatively easy move didn’t prevent either of us from sleeping last night, knowing we’re moving out today, leaving tomorrow. It’s only those terribly long upcoming flights with a move from country to country, hard roads to the airport, and expected delays that cause us restless sleep the night before a travel day. We take it in our stride as a fact of traveling long distances at times.

Lava as it began to cross Apa a’ Road in Pahoa. (Not our photo).

Electric posts wrapped in lava proof material in Pahoa to minimize outages when the lava progresses.

This morning, I completed our expense report for the six weeks we’ve spent in Hawai’i, the Big Island. Of course, included in this total is the time we spent here on our own which totals approximately 18 days, usually at an average expense of $200 per day, for an estimated total of $3600.

Tom’s exquisite sunrise shot.

The grand total for all of the expenses is as follows from December 1, 2014, to January 15, 2015:

Rent for both houses:                                                 $11,226.25
Car rental:                                                                    2,147.62
Airfare for us and 12 family members:                           15,924.49
Entertainment and misc.                                                   660.99
Dining out:                                                                      576.91
Groceries & household supplies                                       3,767.09
Grand total                                                                $34,302.36

We’d budgeted $40,000 for this period of time. The fact that the totals came in under $34,301.36 was in part based on the fact a few family members weren’t able to come due to illness and, overestimating on the balance. Plus, we’d anticipated renting two cars for the family’s use, only renting one minivan when two of the families preferred to rent their own cars.

Tom captured this unusual moon shot.

Pac-man moon over the Big Island.

In all, it has worked out as planned. Now, with the four upcoming months in Kauai with the entire rental fee paid in full many moons ago, we have only our groceries and household supplies, car rental, fuel, and entertainment expenses (which we’ll keep to a minimum) as we start paying off two more cruises and future rentals with balances due in full by the end of the four-month period.

Whale watching from the shore at the two houses we renter in Pahoa.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with updates for our day in Hilo including the hotel, restaurant, and process of recycling the old computer.

We’d hope to get a full breach shot while whale watching. This is a close as we could get.

There is little wildlife in the Hawaiian Islands. Most animals we spotted were on farms.

Have a wonderful Wednesday. Back at you soon!

Photo from one year ago today, January 14, 2014:

This young warthog found a shady place to rest in our yard in Marloth Park. The two families of two moms along with their seven babies visited so often that they’d become comfortable around us. For details of that date as we prepared for a mini holiday, please click here.

Strange action in the sea in front of us…Human and animal…A year ago…an astounding sunset!

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 13, 2015 with 0 Comment

It’s interesting to see the notched rough edges along the fluke of the whale that obviously have been injured in their long-distance travels often from Alaska to Hawaii.

Yesterday, as we’ve often done while living in this house on the ocean in Pahoa, we sat outside most of the day with our usual hour in the sun and the remainder of the day in the shade, whale watching, and seeing some unusual action in the sea in from of the house as shown in these photos.

The dorsal fin of one of yesterday’s spotted whales.

Oh sure, interspersed throughout the day was a load of laundry, prepping for dinner, a wonderful conversation on Skype with my cousin in Boston, and a delightful chat with the new couple that moved in next door (into the house we lived in over the holidays).

In addition, I completed packing the box of non-perishable foods we’ll soon take to the post office which we’ll mail to ourselves in Kauai.

We spotted these peculiar items in the sea in front of the house in Pahoa wondering what it could be. Upon closer inspection we realized it was a person snorkeling.

This morning, I completely packed my clothing suitcase, leaving out everything I’ll need for tomorrow and Thursday when we’ll drive to Hilo to stay in a hotel near the airport overnight to fly to Kauai in the morning.

For ease, we’ve learned that wearing the same clothing two days in a row (with fresh underwear, of course) when staying overnight in a hotel and flying away the next day, makes the most sense. In the event that our clothes get dirty or sweaty, we can easily open our clothing bags to grab a new shirt or pants, if necessary. Easy.

The helmet appeared to be military when we noted the camouflage design.

All of our toiletry items, under three ounces per airline regulations, will go into the side pocket of our duffel bag which we’ll carry on as usual, containing the heaviest of our clothing, jeans for both of us.

Thus, by tomorrow morning after using the few toiletry items, we’ll be fully packed and ready to go. Today, I threw away a few worn-out items, a swimsuit and two of my tee shirts, in an effort to continually lighten my load.

Back to the whale watching. Yes, we saw a number of “blow holes” capturing the few photos. Although none were extraordinary in a photo, some were astounding to the naked eye.

This photo of the snorkeler was somewhat confusing. Could they have been conducting some type of research?

Sharing a conversation with the new couple next day made us realize how much we enjoy interacting with others in our travels. Often, the people we meet are experienced travelers making it especially fun to share travel stories, many times discovering we’ve been to some of the same locations. Of course, we also enjoy meeting those “less traveled” who share stories of daily life we also relish in hearing.

For many, the far away locations are beyond the reach of travelers who are still working and have time constraints. For us, our upcoming opportunity to spent over two years in the South Pacific was beyond our wildest dreams. Its hard for us to believe that in a mere four months, we’ll be on our way.

Let’s face it, time moves quickly. Its hard to imagine that on the upcoming cruise from Singapore on October 31, 2016, that we described in the posts of the past few days, that the day we embark will be the four year anniversary of our leaving to travel the world on October 31, 2012.

Upon closer inspection, we noticed there were two such snorkelers.

Tomorrow, we’ll be posting the final expenses for our entire time on the Big Island for all of the expenses for our alone time here and the family visit including the cost of airfare for our 12 travelers.

Hold onto your seats, dear readers. Its a BIG number, a number that precipitated the upcoming four months in Kauai, to “lick our wounds” as Tom would say, living modestly without fanfare.

We’re excited to be on the move tomorrow, anxious to begin this next period in our travels, as life continues on…

Photo from one year ago today, January 13, 2014:

A year ago, while visiting a lovely resort overlooking the Crocodile River in South Africa, we had the opportunity to get this shot of the sunset, one we’ll always treasure as the sun made a path not unlike the flow of lava. How ironic at this point! For other great photos on the Crocodile River, please click here.

Upcoming cruises with visits to many locations…A year ago…interesting new visitors…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 12, 2015 with 0 Comment

Another of Tom’s exquisite sunrise photos.

Yesterday, as we sat in the lawn chairs whale watching with fervor, we realized that in only a few days, we’ll no longer be this close to the ocean, able to watch for the gentle giants when we see signs of life whether we’re peering out the window or sitting outside.

In our new home, a condo in Princeville, Kauai, it will require we walk across the street, carrying lawn chairs in order to get close enough to take photos of the whales. We’ll have views of the sea from the condo but it will just be too far to see from what we can determine from the photos.

We’ve been spoiled these past months since we arrived in Maui on October 16th when our close proximity to the ocean made every view exquisite. Now, three months later, we move along to live on the last of four Hawaiian Islands arriving in Honolulu on October 5th, off the Celebrity Solstice after a 12 day cruise from Vancouver.

Its winter in Hawaii and yet the hearty Hibiscus flowers continue to bloom.

And again, as we mentioned in the past two posts, we’ve now booked two more cruises on this same ship, one we’ve found ideal for our liking.

Today, as promised we’re listing the five upcoming cruises we’ve booked, each of which offers its own unique ports with only a few repeats here and there.

Let’s face it, the major cruise lines only take so many routes worldwide. Although it may appear they travel all over the world, they do not. They have specific routes, repeated over and over again. Frequent cruisers are aware of this fact, often experiencing similar cruises several times, including visiting the same ports of call.

At this point, we’re satisfied if a new cruise takes us to two or three new ports of call. When we visit ports we’ve previously experienced, we usually stay behind, enjoying the quiet on the ship, choice of chairs by the pool and the good WiFi signal for posting using the rented MiFi. In any case, we enjoy it all.

As promised, here is the information on our five upcoming cruises including the cost:

Honolulu to Sydney	18 days	5/24/2015	6/11/2015	$ 6,010.64
Sydney to Auckland	14 days	1/5/2016	1/19/2016	$ 4,771.32
Sydney to Perth	16 days	4/12/2016	4/28/2016	$ 4,714.20
Singapore to Sydney	14 days	10/31/2016	11/14/2016	$ 4,143.81
Sydney to Sydney	12 days	3/1/2017	3/13/2017	$ 4,820.36

Total for five above cruises: $24,460.33
Average cost per day for 74 days: $ 330.55 (for both of us)

Our usual average cost per day while living in vacation rentals is approximately $200 per day including meals, dining out and rental cars. In this case, cruising is $130.55 more per day plus additional charges for WiFi and beverages at an average of $78 per day for an additional total of $209.55 per day x 74 days, equals an additional $15,506.70.

As a result of the added expenses of cruising, we’ve managed to find vacation homes, buying groceries and rental cars at reasonable enough prices to bring down the average daily costs around the $200 each. The magic of diligent planning enables us to cruise and to live comfortably all over the world.

A palm tree, a Hibiscus plant and a blue sky. Many days are cloudy on this island, as much as 60% from what we’ve seen over these past six weeks. A sunny day is glorious!

As I write this, Tom suggested we list the ports of call for all of these cruises to illustrate how much of the world we have an opportunity to see while cruising, adding considerable value to the process.

Here’s the complete list some of which may include more than one stop at a specific location as mentioned above, that ports of call may be repeat visit on various cruises:

Moorea, Society Islands
Papeete, Tahiti, Society Island
Bora Bora, Society Islands
Savu, Fiji
Ill des Pins, New Caledonia
Sydney, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Hobart, Tazmania, Australia
Milford Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
Doubtful Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
Dusky Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
Dunedin (port Chalmers), New Zealand
Akaroa, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand
Tauranga, New Zealand
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand
Picton, New Zealand
Adelaide, Australia
Perth, Australia (Fremantle, Australia)
Singapore, Indonesia
Benoa, Bali, Indonesia
Darwin, Australia
Cairns, Australia
Airlie Beach, Australia
Brisbane, Australia
Nounea, New Caledonia
Lifou, New Caledonia
Mystery Island, Vanuatu
Lautoka, Fiji

Only approximately six of these are repeats for us. How in the world would we have every been able to visit these 30 locations without cruising? The time, the cost and the effort would far exceed the glorious 74 days of cruising which we so thoroughly enjoy?

Add the facts that cruising enables us to meet so many fabulous people, many of whom we’ve stayed in touch with over these past two plus years, enhances the experience beyond our wildest dreams. These are the reasons we choose to cruise.

The tiny cabin, often around 194 square feet, the risks of rough waters, the difficulty of managing my way of eating, the constant WiFi issues and the lack of dressy clothing for the formal nights, the crowds at certain venues, all are manageable for us. We don’t complain. When weighing the pros and cons of cruises, the pros win for us. We love every moment, rough seas included.

We’ve noticed this peculiar drooping plant on the past three islands we’ve visited.

Today, perhaps a little organizing, a little tossing of worn clothing and a little time in the lawn chair whale watching. Tonight and tomorrow night, we’ll fire up the charcoal grill to make the last of the frozen hamburger patties we’d made and we’d stored in Ziplock bags in the freezer.

We’re happily using most of the perishable food, leaving some non-perishable foods for the next occupants of this house and sending the remainder to ourselves in Kauai.

It’s all good. Good as it can be.

Happy Monday to all!
_______________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, January 12, 2014:

It was exciting one year ago, for the visit of hundreds of these grasshopper visitors in our driveway in Marloth Park. Everyday provided an exciting new experience. We spent the day watching and videotaping the activity of this “family” of grasshoppers including their babies. To see the videos from that date, please click here.

Month: January 2015

Hawaii State and County Population