Traveling and working out…not always possible…Fitness stats…Tonight’s dinner date…

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Wherever we may travel water views always present a photo op.

It’s not always possible to find a fitness center nearby our vacation rental. Many remote areas we visit don’t have fitness centers at all when many of the locals don’t have cars and walk up and down steep hills all day and tackle varying degrees of backbreaking work in their jobs and day to day lives. They certainly don’t need to workout nor can they afford the cost.

I often wonder what fitness-minded ex-pats and foreigner temporary residents do for fitness, although many may scuba dive and partake in a variety of activities that may suffice during short visits.

A bridge across the pond.

Here are stats from the US from the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition:

  • Only one in three children are physically active every day.
  • Less than 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day; only one in three adults receive the recommended amount of physical activity each week.
  • Only 35 – 44% of adults 75 years or older are physically active, and 28-34% of adults ages 65-74 are physically active.
  • More than 80% of adults do not meet the guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, and more than 80% of adolescents do not do enough aerobic physical activity to meet the guidelines for youth.

Based on the above stats, many travelers and ex-pats may not be as interested in fitness as I am or as I may assume, making the availability of fitness centers less important in many resort areas.

Some resorts and hotels have workout facilities which would most likely be adequate for my needs with many “all-inclusive” resorts, unwelcoming to “outsiders,” even for a fee.

A walkway to another area of the Arts Village.  We toured every nook and cranny.

The more outsider-welcoming resorts and hotels with workout facilities in more remote locations require a taxi fare making working out not as feasible when added to the cost of the temporary membership. In Kauai, we had a rental car and could easily drive to the golf course we joined for the pool and fitness center. 

The cost for that fitness membership was USD $225, FJD $533 a month. If we’d had to add taxi fare, the total cost would be impractical for our budget. As a result, we decide on a case by case basis.

The last location where I had access to a fitness center was Trinity Beach, Australia, our stay ending in early September. Once we arrived in Savusavu with no fitness centers in the area and at only the all-inclusive resorts, options were non-existent. Living at the top of the steep mountainous road made walking in the neighborhood literally impossible.

Walkways are often uneven with potential tripping hazards, particularly for seniors.

Although seemingly less significant, I didn’t clean or do laundry with the included daily household help and spent considerable hours each day relatively inactive. This didn’t serve me well. I’m feeling out of shape, more so than I have since the onset of our travels.

Now that we’re living on flat ground walking is definitely on the agenda, daily if possible, weather permitting. In the mornings and at dusk the mozzies are in full force. After completing the day’s post a walk is definitely in order. 

Walking on rock covered roads is not necessarily a strenuous exercise while attempting to avoid falling or turning an ankle. Tom, having walked on rough terrain most of his life, is certainly more surefooted than I am.  In our travels, we’ve certainly done our fair share of walking on rough terrain and have been fortunate to avoid any major injuries. 

A hostel for backpackers or budget-minded travelers.

However, we never take for granted that we’re not exempt from tripping or falling while walking. The more fit we are, the less likelihood of a fall. A bad injury from a fall could put a fast end to our travels. How many seniors do we all know who’s been injured falling ending up in rehab centers and becoming immobile for the remainder of their lives?

In a little over three weeks, we’ll be on the ship where an ideal fitness center will get me back on track on my high-intensity interval training (HIIT). I can hardly wait for that reason along with all the other benefits of cruising we both so well enjoy.

Unique colorful lily pad flowers.

By the time we get off the ship, I’ll be on my way to restoring my former level of fitness, stability, and strength.  In most cases, I’ve found that I can recover a good degree of fitness in three weeks of HIIT training.

Luckily, the area we’ll be living in New Zealand and the fact that we’ll have a rental car will enable me to join a not-to-far-away fitness center. In researching online, we’ve found several fitness centers within a 25-minute drive of the farm.

The next big working out challenge will be in Bali where we’ll have a household staff of four including a cook.  Luckily, with the huge infinity pool, I’ll be able to swim and exercise in the pool. The pool at this house isn’t quite long enough for fitness based swimming although, pool exercises are easily accomplished.

Shops in Pacific Harbour at Arts Village.

Along with the many other challenges of changing our environment every few months, finding a fitness plan that works while on the move is crucial. I doubt I will ever allow myself to become as unfit as in Savusavu. 

Although, I easily maintain my weight through my way of eating, working out has had nothing to do with weight control. Working out for a least an hour a day for most of my adult life never contributed to any weight controlling benefits. It has always been the “hand to mouth” aspect of life that determined my weight. 

Tom on the walkway.

In the future, as we book more new locations, we need to do more research on the availability of walking in the neighborhood and fitness centers. I’m not unlike most of the rest of us…it’s hard to stay motivated to workout at home without the regime dictated by paying for and driving to a fitness center.

Today, I’m excited for tonight’s dinner date with my hubby which we haven’t done since October 31st, on our travel anniversary. We’ve chosen a popular local beachside restaurant planning to arrive before dark to ensure we’re able to get good photos to share here tomorrow. We’ll also take photos of our food and the menu.

Back at you soon. Have a great weekend wherever you may be and keep moving!


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

With cooler temperatures on this side of Big Island, there weren’t a huge number of bathers in the tide pool at Ahalanui Park but our brave family members tackled the cool water. For more details, please click here.

Its a small world, after all…

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This is the menu from the “roasted chicken store” where we’ll purchase two chickens each week. For a point of reference on pricing; FJD $10 is equal to USD $4.66 as of today’s exchange rate, changing daily. As shown, prices for whole chickens are somewhat high while many other items are reasonable. Other than the chickens, there’s nothing on this menu, we’d eat. Chickens were slightly lower cost at Helen’s Fiji Meats in Savusavu at FJD $20.

When the time was nearing for us to move to this island, Susan, the owner of the property wrote to us explaining a lovely newlywed couple, daughter of her best friend would be staying at her other house two doors down the road. She suggested we meet them since, although much younger than us, we’d all get along famously.

Yesterday, on our first walk in the neighborhood, which was both invigorating and interesting, we were reminded of our walks in the neighborhood on the Big Island of Hawai’i one year ago. It had a similar look and feel with a variety of styles of houses, many built years ago with a few newer homes and a few in the process of renovation at this time.

We took many photos which we’ll share in the days to come. On our way back home as we walked back down to the road, toward our temporary home, we saw a couple walking toward us; a young couple, wearing jogging clothes, looking happy. It must be the newlyweds!

Local handmade crafts in one of the touristy shops.

I spoke first saying, “Hello, where are you from?” 

With much enthusiasm, Samantha answered, “We’re from the US!”

They were indeed the newlyweds, Samantha and Danny, and, of all things, Danny’s from Minneapolis, where Tom grew up and Samantha is from Wisconsin, the state neighboring Minnesota. They now live in Seattle. Small world.

A lively conversation ensued as we shared our stories. We couldn’t have enjoyed them more. Having their wedding six months ago, they are taking a late honeymoon and had arrived the prior day from visiting India.  How exciting! Having considered India as a down-the-road option, we had many questions for them. 

The popular Fijian Lali, a wooden bowl, handcrafted from a single tree trunk, creates a pleasant sound used to announce events.

In the evening after dinner, they stopped by for an enjoyable visit. Again, the conversation was animated and entertaining and we had a wonderful time. I felt like a chatterbox, so excited to speak to others that so related to from-whence-we-came, not only the country but also the general area.

We don’t want to intrude upon their honeymoon and suggested they contact us if they’d like to go out to dinner or exploring. We’ll let them decide. Danny is a resident doctor with long hours and Samantha is a social worker.  They sure can use this time alone together.

By the time they left, it was 9:30 pm. We finished watching one show on the flat-screen TV using the HDMI. I stayed up later than usual finding overall I’d slept better. Hmm…maybe I amble off to bed too early and should stay up until 11:00 pm. With the furniture more comfortable here, it’s easier to stay up later than in the last house.

Catching Tom grab a trolley for the market, unprepared for a photo with a toothpick in his mouth and no smile. Notice the trusty Costco bag.

The cleaning lady, Paeta has arrived. Early this morning, we washed the sheets and hung them to dry. As soon as they’re dry she’ll remake the bed after I explained how we like it; no excess folded sheet at the top, don’t tuck it in.

Normally, the cleaners stay all day cleaning, while waiting for the sheets to dry on the line. We’d prefer she leave as early as possible. There’s no way there’s more than a few hours of cleaning in this house. It almost looked spotless before her arrival barring a few crumbs on the floor and a little bit of dust here and there. We’ll happily pay the full day rate of FJD $30, USD $14, and let her leave as soon as the work is completed.

Currently, we’re in the process of washing, drying, and hanging all of our cruise clothing. After sitting stuffed in our suitcases for the past six months, although clean when we last packed those items, a good washing is definitely in order. 

The market in the Arts Village has few items suitable for our diet, but ideal for most tourists with lots of “western” snacks, chips, soda, and other processed and packaged items. They don’t sell “real” butter, only tub margarine, which we won’t buy. 

Once dry we’ll hang them in the closets.(Yeah for closets and hangers)! The humidity will take out the wrinkles over these next weeks. Soon, we’ll purchase garbage bags to wrap each item to keep it wrinkle-free after repacking, which we’ll wait to do the day before we depart for Sydney and the next day’s cruise.

Although it rained early this morning, the sun is shining for yet another beautiful day. Perhaps another walk is on the agenda, a swim in the pool with a short stint in the chaise lounge, or to sit at the outdoor table while we continue our ongoing, never-ending research.

We are so content it’s indescribable. In many ways, this lifestyle has been instrumental in our ability to appreciate the simple things in life, like umping for joy about hanging our clothes on hangers in a closet is a perfect example.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 11, 2014:

We visited the 442 foot, 135 meters, Akaka Falls in the Big Island with the family for another fine day. For more details and photos please click here.

The value of creature comforts…

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A resort in the area is in the process of renovation. This cute pool feature would certainly be fun for kids.

We often don’t realize how much some of the most basic amenities in a property can make life easier.  Let’s face it, we came from a life entrenched in creature comforts that when the least uncomfortable or annoying scenarios presented themselves there was usually a remedy that could it turn around.

Too hot? Turn on the AC. Bed uncomfortable? Buy a new bed or a foam mattress topper. Have a painful elbow?  Head to the doctor for an MRI, a diagnosis including a physical therapy plan along with a prescription for the pain. Bugs running across the floor? Call Terminex or Orkin for a full house treatment.

I could go on and on with the availability of solutions in our old lives, most of which we no longer have in the midst of this life. Bed uncomfortable? Suck it up. Bugs biting? Wear DEET. Bath towel scratchy after hanging outside? Use the towel to exfoliate the skin when drying off. No mushrooms at the market? Cook something else.

The specials menu at a local restaurant, the Water’s Edge. We’ll certainly visit this spot with many options that may work for me.

There’s always a workaround. Here in this well-equipped house, at 3:30 am I got up to go the bathroom to find an enormous cockroach running across the floor. Kill it? Nah, no shoes handy. Do my thing and head back to bed.

This morning while getting into the shower, an enormous gecko or lizard type creature ran up the wall.  Scream? No. Get into the shower and start my day.

Yesterday, midday, we had no water, not at any faucets throughout the house. Using the provided house phone I called Richard at the rental office. Moments later he called back to let us know the water was out all over the area and would eventually come back on. Did I  press him for “when?” No. We wait patiently. If we needed to flush the toilet we’d use a bucket of water from the pool. 

Most likely, with Tom’s recent buzz cut in Savusavu, he won’t need to visit this barbershop in Arts Village before we leave for the cruise.

An hour later the water was flowing once again, apparently a common occurrence in these parts, something to do with water pressure to the area. So far, there’s been no power outages but we expect it to occur during our remaining 25 days in Pacific Harbour.

No grocery store within an hour’s drive that has the basic ingredients we need? Pay the taxi fare of FJD $120, USD $56 to get to Suva to a market or make do with what we have on hand, which we’ll have done during the first third of our time in Pacific Harbour.

When the driver for the airport pickup took us to a market other than we’d  requested, we asked if this market had a lot of products. He insisted we’d find everything. Unable to find half the basic items on our list, we have to return to Suva once again. 

The interior of a shop with many locally made shirts, dresses and jewelry.

Did we complain? Nah, what’s the point? We were exhausted and didn’t make a enough of a fuss about going to the market Susan had recommended hoping this other market would have what we needed. It didn’t.  Next week, we’ll be more insistent on going to the correct market. Sometimes, we falter in our persistence and diligence.

In our old lives, if we stopped at a market that didn’t have what we needed, we hopped back in the car to drive to another market only a few minutes away.

This custom made deep bench is offered for sale for FJD $3,000, USD $1,396.

These past mornings, Tom’s been using an old French press for making our coffee. There are two in the house.  Neither works well when both are old and worn, yet he’s figured out how to make it work to the best of his ability. Our coffee is outstanding with few grounds remaining at the bottom of the cup.

Yesterday, we purchased this coffee filter online that will make perfect drip type coffee without an electric coffee machine. At US $16, FJD $34, it will serve us well. Thanks to sister Julie for her suggestions on using such a filter for making coffee that is easily portable.

Yesterday, we spent time by the pool. The plastic molded chaise lounges (in excellent condition) are meant to be topped with a cushy pad. Not the case here. We tossed a beach towel atop it, making ourselves as comfortable as possible. 

In our old lives, we’d have driven to the patio store to purchase thick pads for the two chairs, never feeling uncomfortable again by the pool. In most vacation homes, typically these pads aren’t included when many renters would fail to bring them indoors after use.

The Arts Village has a beautiful pond weaving in and out of the area.

With no baking pans, roasting pans or cookie sheets, we purchased flimsy throw away tinfoil pans that cause everything to stick. No parchment paper here. The flimsy tinfoil sticks. Heavily greasing the pans with ghee and coconut oil is the only solution. 

Yesterday, I baked our favorite low carb coconut cookies in two batches using one of the smallish tinfoil pans. We noticed the cookies were a greasy when we each ate two last night after dinner. We didn’t complain. We’ll figure it out.

With only a few adapters and two power strips in our possession, plugging in all of our digital equipment is tricky. Each time I use the flat iron, we have to unplug everything in one adapter so I can use it in the bathroom. We’ve had to do this everywhere we’ve traveled except in the US with 110V, as opposed to 220V in most other countries.

The natural habitat provides an environment for many species of birds. 

The kitchen has a double sink, a luxury, particularly for Tom who does the dishes after dinner. There’s even a dish rack for drying. We’re thrilled with these amenities.

With excellent wifi, a 32″ flat screen TV with Nat Geo Wild  or BBC news running in the background, our entertainment needs are met while we continue to watch our favorite shows on my laptop most nights after dinner. Next week, we’ll be sightseeing. Saturday night, we’re heading out for dinner.

Seeing these pink flower lily pads was a first. 

Lounging poolside on a sunny day reminded us of how fortunate we are. Swimming in the cool water in the pool, recently cleaned with only one hornet struggling to survive (we didn’t help since we’re both allergic), we both languished in the water. We hadn’t been in a pool since Kauai many moons ago after joining the local golf course for the fitness center and the pool. 

Are we content? Uncomfortable? Not at all. The bed is fabulous, the house is roomy and in meticulous condition.  The ants, gecko and cockroaches are all a part of life in the tropics. 

Sayings on the wall outside a restaurant in Arts Village.

Through the past 38 months since leaving our old lives behind workarounds have been a vital aspect of our lives. In many cases, we’ve simply forfeited the need or desire for certain comforts and amenities, never taking anything for granted or never making an assumption that the next house will be as good as or better than the last. 

In part, the anticipation of each new home adds to our adventures. As long as we continue to savor the positive, we can easily leave the less desirable in our wake. I won’t say its always easy but so far, we haven’t once said or even thought to ourselves, “Let’s pack it in.”

Instead, we say, “Let’s pack it up…to head to the next location.”


Photo from one year ago today, December 10, 2014:

Family day at Akaka Falls on the Big Island with Jayden, Sarah Nik and TJ.  For more details, please click here.

Trip to the Arts Village…

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Ponds with gorgeous lily pads surround the Village Arts area.

Prior to visiting most venues we diligently check online reviews, mostly on TripAdvisor, taking negative comments lightly (except for flights and hotels) knowing full well our expectations may be less than others on a one or two week vacation/holiday.

When we read reviews about the Arts Village in Pacific Harbour, a round trip taxi fare of FJD $10, USD $4.67, we realized it certainly warranted a visit regardless of the comments from online reviewers.  Here are few reviews we read:

“Mediocre 😐”

3 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 weeks ago

“I think it was originally designed for big things when Pacific Harbour was expanding, but seems a little run down. It’s a mix of tourist shops and local businesses. Worth visiting just to get out of the hotel for a day.”

“Not much here”

3 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 weeks ago

“But not much in Pacific Harbor anyway, so if you’re in the area, it’s worth doing for lunch or coffee. There is no real “art” in the Arts Village…Just a couple of touristy shops and some cafes.”

 

A view across the lake of the Arts Village.

Sure, it’s a touristy location with many local wares, handmade crafts and flower printed shirts and dresses.  Sure, it was run down and unlike any mall, one would find in more modern communities. However, we found it charming and befitting Fijian culture.

Inside the courtyard of the Arts Village in Pacific Harbour.

The shop owners were hungry for business when we only spotted a dozen or so other visitors in the two hours we spent wandering about the fairly good-sized open-air mall, wandering in the shops, sharing-friendly and warm “bula” with every passerby. 

We purchased two decks of playing cards for a total of FJD $16, USD $7.47, the only items other than a few food items we purchased at the Indo-Fijian market which was our final stop in the Arts Village.

This is the Fijian bell, the lali, carved from the trunk of a tree often used to alert villagers to church services and other events.

Susan, the property owner, had suggested we stop at the vacation home rental office located in the Art Village for the company that manages this property in her absence. We needed to schedule the weekly cleaning person, discuss the rate, and thought it would be good to say hello. 

We met with Richard, who has lived in Fiji all of his life. We took a seat in his office in air conditioned comfort and chatted for a bit. We arranged for the cleaning person to come this and each Friday, adjusting for the date when Christmas falls on a Friday. The cleaning rate is FJD $30, USD $14 (the exchange rate changes daily) for the full day from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. 

Spas and salons are plentiful and affordable in Fiji.

At most, the cleaning person will be here for three hours since we keep it clean, but we’re thrilled the pay the full rate. Goodness, in the US it was USD $30, FJD $64 an hour, not the full day! The longer we’ve lived in Fiji, the more we understand why many retired foreigners decide to settle here with free medical care, reasonable priced restaurants and groceries, and low cost for most services. 

Here’s the buffet offered for Christmas day lunch.  We’re dining at this restaurant on Saturday. If we like this establishment, we may book it for Christmas day as well. At FJD $55, USD $26, this may be an option for many in the area.

Hoping to fill in the blanks in our grocery list, we were disappointed but not surprised to be unable to find 10 basic food items on our list. The bottom line is that we’ll have to travel the long drive to Suva once every 10 days to buy groceries. Good public transportation and low taxi fares could easily eliminate the need for a car.

Another dining option for Christmas day which has few options suitable for my diet but may appeal to Tom for its “basic” holiday meal. I’m always willing to compromise. Priced at FJD $95, USD $45. 

The taxi fare for the round trip (an hour each way) to Suva is FJD $120, USD $56 which includes a two-hour tour of the city and one hour of waiting time at the market. At most, we’ll make two trips during our remaining time here, taking advantage of the touring time seeing many of the sites in the bigger city. 

With apartments above many of the shops, this occupant is airing pillows on a sunny day. We spotted a few clotheslines on the grounds.

Once we were done at the Arts Village market, we still had to find tomatoes. We’d driven by a few vegetable stands to no avail. Once in the market, a kindly helper pointed to a nearby stand outside the Art Village where he assured us we’d find tomatoes. 

Most products were reasonably priced including handmade crafts.

After filling our Costco bag with three heads of brown and beginning to spoil head lettuce at the market we’d hoped to find more lettuce elsewhere. Lettuce is not a popular item in Fiji. Overall, we’ve had to forgo lettuce salads with dinner since our arrival over three months ago.

Koi in the pond.

After calling our new driver Freddie to pick us up, who requested a 10 minute lead time, when we didn’t get an answer, we wandered across the road to the vegetable stand purchasing 10 perfect medium tomatoes for FJD $5, USD $2.33.

When we made our way to the bench at the taxi waiting area, we called again. This time Freddie answered arriving in 15 minutes apologizing for the wait. Fiji time. No complaining. 

The walkway from one area of the Arts Village to another.

Overall, we found the Art Village charming and worth a visit for anyone in this area. Most likely we’ll return weekly to purchase roasted chickens from the “roasted chicken store” and to dine at one of the several casual restaurants. Checking menus at each restaurant we discovered many options suitable for my diet.

Upon entering the above walkway, this coconut fell from a tree landing in front of our feet. Good thing we weren’t further along and didn’t get hit in the head, always a concern when walking near coconut trees.

The recently cleaned pool on yet another sunny day is calling us. Once done posting and hanging the laundry outdoors, we’ll lounge and finally swim in the pool, the first time since our arrival. 

Aside from the difficulty in finding some food items and the ants which we continue to work on, we’re content. The house is ideal and is as comfortable as we’d hoped. 

Photo from one year ago today, December 9, 2014:

Here’s our visiting family of four from left to right, Jayden 10, Nik 15, TJ, and Sarah. We couldn’t stop laughing when we took this shot at a local stop in Pahoa one year ago. For more details, please click here.

Photos of the beautiful grounds…Pool…Booking dinner reservations…Outing today…Back tomorrow with photos…

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A bouquet of these scented flowers awaited our arrival.

It feels good to be settled in, unpacked, and becoming familiar with our surroundings. After posting today, we’ll be heading to the Arts Village, a local arts and crafts area with a variety of shops including a farmers market and grocery store. 

Right now, we need to fill in our grocery shopping when we weren’t able to find a number of important, although basic, food items necessary for our way of eating. Hopefully today, we’ll be able to pick up what we need.

Table and chairs on the veranda. 

We’ve arranged with the driver to pick us up today at noon. Again, we checked out car rentals in Pacific Harbor hoping to rent a car for a few days. At USD $80, FJD $171 a day, it’s just not worth it when the cost of the driver is less overall. 

We booked with the same tour company (by email) for today’s outing and Saturday night’s transport to a popular local restaurant. We’ll be back on Sunday with photos and details of our first dining out experience since the day of our travel anniversary on October 31st. Both of us are excited to be dining out after such a long haul. 

The veranda winds around the entire house.

Generally, dining out in Savusavu was tricky with few food options that worked for me. Here in Pacific Harbour, there are many resorts that welcome “outsiders” to dine in their restaurants whereby in Savusavu, the resorts were all-inclusive and less amenable to outsiders. 

We’ve always found resorts more able to accommodate my way of eating than local restaurants when they often have guests staying at their facility and must accommodate the religious and health preferences of many cultures.

These doors lead to the master bedroom, but with no screens, it’s unlikely we’ll use them.

As a result of this availability in Pacific Harbour, we’re thrilled to be able to dine out at least once a week if not more. By purchasing two roasted chickens each week we’ll only have to make the sides dishes to accompany them, resulting in making only four complete meals a week. Less cooking. Less ants. Life in the tropics.

In some countries and vacation homes with pools, we’ve noticed the pools aren’t regularly cleaned and may not have adequate filter systems. Dumping a dose of chlorine and sifting out a few leaves doesn’t indicate a thorough pool cleaning. 

Side view of the house.  The landscaping is lovely with many nice shrubs and flowering plants.

Having grown up in California with a pool and me designated as the “pool guy” I remember only too well the work required. Sure, that was many years ago and equipment has greatly improved.  Still, pool maintenance requires a pool service or homeowner dedicated to conscientious attention to detail. 

As a result of some pools not properly being cleaned regularly, we’ve avoided using them. Can you imagine the bacteria that lurk in stagnant pool water? When we arrived here the pool looked a little murky, mostly due to leaves and bugs floating on the service. 

Rearview of the house with the pool hidden behind the bushes. No fences are required to enclose pools in Fiji.

We wrote to Susan, the attentive owner asking as to the pool maintenance. Within five minutes of my inquiry, a pool guy appeared spending several hours tending to the pool, leaving it impeccable.

A short time later she replied assuring us that regular pool maintenance comes by a few times a week. I apologized for “jumping the gun” explaining the pool frustration in some prior vacation homes.

Front view of the house.

Today, the lawn maintenance person is here and the smell of fresh-cut grass is wafting through our senses, actually a pleasant smell. It amazing and actually quite wonderful that none of this work is up to us. We need only to make the bed, clean up after cooking and eating and do our laundry.

The washing machine is outdoors as shown in this photo with clotheslines and plenty of clothespins to handle however much we may have. After living in Savusavu I finally accepted the fact of how unimportant it is to do laundry daily when laundry was handled twice a week presenting no issues for us. We certainly have enough clothing to last three or four days. 

View of the pool and patio from the veranda.

In this house, there are enough bath towels and kitchen towels (including our own we carry with us) that we can make it several days without doing laundry. The hardest part is keeping the dish towels away from the house after use during food prep. 

The ants love the kitchen towels I use to wipe food off of my hands or clean up spills while cooking when attempting to keep the use of paper towels at a minimum for both ecological and financial reasons.

This roofed area is where the washer and clotheslines are located, perfect for drying clothes on rainy days.

As I sit here now in a relatively comfy leather chair, the overhead and two-floor fans cooling us while we enjoy the French press coffee Tom has meticulously made again today, we have the TV on in the background to Nat Geo Wild, with one interesting wildlife series after another. 

How enjoyable this is while I work frequently lifting my head to check out the story! I guess we’ve missed having a TV these past three months. When we return late in the day from our outing, we’ll turn on BBC world news, keeping us well abreast of what’s transpiring in the US and throughout the world. 

Another view of the pristine cleaned pool.

It’s important for us to see which countries may be unsuitable for future visits at this time while it’s saddening to see what’s transpiring throughout the world. We don’t watch any other programming when we have plenty of our own shows and movies to watch in the evenings. 

Tom was able to watch Sunday’s disappointing Minnesota Vikings game on the TV instead of the laptop using the HDMI cable.  Last night we watched two shows using the HDMI before heading to bed, The Blacklist (season 3) and Scandal (season 4). I use an app on my phone to track the last episodes we’ve watched for every series we’ve seen referring to it nightly to ensure we watch episodes in the correct order. Lots of record-keeping in this life.

A suitable deck area allows for sunning near the pool.

After logging many expenses and upcoming destinations into our Excel document with many worksheets, we’re entirely up-to-date. Now caught up, we need only to log expenses as they occur over this next month or, any other bookings we may make while here. 

Yesterday, we paid the balance for three months’ rent in New Zealand. In the next several weeks, we’ll pay the balance for the first stay in Bali. We’ve already paid the balance for our upcoming cruise in 28 days. 

Two comfortable chaise lounges await our use providing both sunny and shady areas.

At this point, we’re paid for rent, car, and cruises through April 15, 2016, including the upcoming flight and one-night hotel, stay in Sydney on January 4th, the cost of the cruise on January 5, 2016, the three-month rental car in New Zealand, the three month’s rent for the alpaca farm in New Zealand. 

All we left to pay during this time period (between now and April 15th) is for one more night’s hotel in Sydney, another cruise on April 16th from Sydney, and the rent for Bali. It’s comforting to know we’ve paid so much in advance although, at times, we cringe at the prospect of deposits paid for rentals well into the future.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos from today’s outing which we’re both excitedly anticipating. Please check back for more.  Happy day!

Photo from one year ago, December 8, 2014:

Our first whale sighting in Big Island, Hawaii, spotted by our grandson Jayden. Good eye, Jayden. And Nik spotted the first sea turtles. Guess “safari luck” is hereditary. We were having a fabulous time with the first of our family to arrive. For more details, please click here.

Moved in to our new home in Pacific Harbour, Fiji…All is well…Photos of interior of new home…

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Flying over a river in Viti Levu, the main island in Fiji.

Each time we’ve flown in a small plane, I’ve found myself feeling compelled to write. Using the “notes” app on my phone, my fingers fly over the tiny letters finding a tremendous diversion against the less than comfortable environment.

Rainbow and coral reef below while flying over the many islands in Fiji.

The seats are tiny, the airflow is non-existent and based on the 12 other passengers crammed into the plane, it’s easy to feel outrageously cramped. Not claustrophobic as I was in my old life, I surprise myself over the steady rate of my heart and my overall lack of fear.

Lush green vegetation while flying over Fiji.

In our old lives, I never imagined flying on a small plane. At this point after flying in even tinier planes in Africa, the passenger size has become irrelevant. The whirring props, the noise, the sensitivity to each jolt of turbulence, no longer seems to make my heart skip a beat. 

Another view of the river.

The views below us were beyond description, but impossible to photograph, although I tried unsuccessfully a few times. The windows on small planes are often scratched and always bug-covered. Our camera can’t overcome those obstacles.

Suva International Airport is relatively small. This is the length of the terminal for both

The tremendous number of islands (over 330) in Fiji made the scenery below, breathtaking as we wondered while peering out the filmy windows, who live on those islands and what life may be like.

 A guest room in the house where I’ll use the chest of drawers for some of my clothes, most of which will remain in the suitcase.

As I wrote, it dawned on me that we’ve lived on islands 12 of the past 15 months; Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai, Vanua Levu, and now Viti Levu. In 27 days we’ll be off on a two-week cruise to visit yet more islands ending in another island, New Zealand where we’ll live for almost three months. It continues on and on.

Comfortable bed in the master bedroom with air conditioning if needed (we won’t use) with en suite bathroom.

Perhaps our site could be aptly named Worldwide Island Waftage or Worldwide Cruise Waftage when our inclination is to waft to islands and the sea. Although horoscopes aren’t my thing, does the fact that I’m a Pisces, the water sign, have a bearing on my personal affinity for the sea? Tom is the Capricorn sign and shares the same passion. So much for horoscopes.

Another guest room in our vacation rental where Tom is keeping his suitcase out of the way.

Once we landed, after only a 35-minute flight, our bags were at baggage claim in no time at all. Upon flight check-in at the minuscule Savusavu Airport, we’d paid FJD $220, USD $103 for overweight baggage even after we personally stood on the scale along with our bags.  Surely, had we each weighed more, we would have paid more. 

Sink in master bath.  It works for us.

Good thing Tom’s lost 22 pounds since our last cruise, following my way of eating with relative ease over these past six months, eating lots of fat, two meals a day, and a daily snack. 

Now, having lost his appetite, as I did long ago from eating very low carb, he’s decided to cut out one meal, to lose another few pounds before we go on yet another cruise. At least at a lower weight, we pay a little less for ourselves and our baggage at some airports.

There’s hanging space in this house. In a few weeks, we’ll wash our cruise clothing, hanging it outdoors and then in the closets to keep them as wrinkle-free as possible before the cruise.

As soon as we loaded our luggage onto two “free” carts, we walked a short distance to the greeting area, and there stood Sandeep, our driver with a sign with our name. Within minutes we were on our way to the market in Suva, the capital and largest city in Fiji. 

A second bath which we won’t use for showering.

As expected, Suva is different than Savusavu simply based on the fact that it’s a bigger city with a population of over 150,000, although not as modern as many other parts of the world. I’d have liked to take photos on the hour-long drive to Pacific Harbour but the heat inspired our driver to use the AC keeping the windows closed. 

This dining table is perfect for us.  We’ll often sit side by side as shown in the two-place settings and watch a show or a movie during dinner on my laptop.

Opening one window for a quick shot instantly heated the car to the point where I noticed Tom was uncomfortable although he didn’t complain. We’ll have plenty of time for photos as we venture out with the driver from time to time.

The kitchen has most items we use although there’s no cookie sheet to make our low-carb cookies for an after-dinner treat. We’ll purchase one next time we’re out.

The grocery shopping was difficult when we weren’t able to find half of the items on our list, many we’d occasionally found in Savusavu. Our driver knew the market we preferred but ended up taking us to another market as had been the case when we arrived in Savusavu. We always wonder if the drivers get some perks for bringing tourists to certain markets upon their arrival.

Decorator shelves at the end of the kitchen.  Oh, look, you can see me at the far end of the hallway in my sleep tee shirt taking the photo .

As we always say, we maintain a “no complaining” policy, and with both of us exhausted from a fitful night’s sleep, we didn’t ask him to drive the long distance to the other more out-of-the-way market. We were grateful for the air conditioning and comfortable ride in the new SUV.

This pristine kitchen however clean attracts ants.  That’s life in Fiji!

No streaky bacon, no garlic powder or salt, no sea salt, no tomatoes, no avocados, no cabbage, no lettuce, and the remaining items on our list requiring we shop again tomorrow hoping to find a few of these and other items.

Back on the road, we enjoyed the drive through the countryside, and before long we reached Pacific Harbour a cozy upscale mostly foreigner-owned and occupied neighborhood. Each house custom-built home on beautiful wooded spacious lots has its own personality. When we drove up to our new home, we were pleased with our choice even before opening the door.

The living room. We each sit in a chair while we work and share the sofa at night when we watch a show on the TV after we hooked up our HDMI cord to the laptop.  The furniture is made locally using coconut wood.

Upon entering the property, we were further pleased. The mahogany walls and pristine floors create a warm and inviting feel along with newer leather furnishings, three bedrooms, two full baths including an en suite bath in the master bedroom, spacious kitchen (no dishwasher, old oven in good condition, larger fridge than we’ve had in past two homes) and the usual friendly ants who come to call daily.

For more details on the listing, please click here.

It’s good to be able to watch world news while here although we’ve become quite comfortable without a TV.

Luckily, we planned ahead and purchased ant chalk and spray. Although the house and kitchen were spotless on arrival, the ants were in the drawers, plates, and on the appliances and countertops.  Before and after dinner we washed everything in hot soapy water.  This morning they were back and we had no choice but to spray. It’s OK. We’re used to it.

The bed?  Ah, the bed, pillows, and blankets are luxurious compared to the last futon bed on the springy mattress. It feels as if it’s a space foam bed and we both slept fairly well. The shower, heated with solar power is excellent with good water pressure and non-slip floors with built-in shelves for bath products. 

The mahogany floors and walls in this house are beautiful.

As always when we have multiple bedrooms, we each take a room in which to leave our opened bag on the bed.  While here, we’ll be washing all of our cruise clothing which has become wrinkled and musty in the bags these past six months. 

The grounds and yard are lovely with a pool, covered laundry area, spacious wraparound veranda with a four-person table and chairs, and a barbecue which we won’t use since it needs a huge cleaning and tank of gas, not worth the bother during this short stay.

Each room has windows with screens!  We couldn’t be more thrilled to be able to have all the windows open.  This means a lot to both of us!

With no drip coffee pot, Tom made coffee this morning using the French press, making the best mug of coffee I’ve had in a long time. This will continue to be his morning task while I busy myself on the day’s post.

Today, we’re posting interior photos with exterior photos tomorrow. The following day we’ll post photos from our first outing as we visit a popular tourist venue, a trip to the market, and the local farmers market.

We’re grateful to have arrived safely and to find this location and property ideal for our needs over the next 28 days. We don’t plan to do a lot of sightseeing here although we’ll certainly get out each week, posting photos along the way. 

It’s so comfortable in this new house, I’ll have a heck of a time getting Tom to go out but with many great restaurants and resorts nearby, we’ll definitely be heading out to dinner on several occasions.

Have a fabulous day! We sure will!

Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2014:

It was one year ago today, that the first of family began to arrive in the Big Island, Hawaii for the holiday season; son TJ, Sarah, Jayden, and Nik, who’s shared the first house we rented until the second house became available as the others arrived. Before their arrival, we drove the Red Road to take photos along the way. Please click here for details.

Today’s the day!…We’re on the move again!…Final expenses for Savusavu…

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A worker on the road after a grueling morning’s work headed home for lunch during the heat of the day to return to work later on for another shift in the fields. He had time to stop for a heartwarming “bula.”

Overall, did we like Savusavu, Fiji? We did. The accommodations were good barring a few glitches on our first night with the ants in the bed and the pillows which Mario promptly remedied the next day with a new mattress, pillows, and bedding. We lost one night’s sleep.

The ants continued to present a challenge, especially after rain, but we learned how to address them with frequent washing of every food surface. Still, they came, only not as many or as often. We never saw them in the bed again, only a few times in the bathroom. They walked on our laptops and chairs in the living room and often on our arms and legs. We flicked them off.

What can I say?  This was my favorite photo. It so bespeaks life in Fiji, the freedom of barnyard animals to roam, to thrive, and grow. The fact that we find barnyard animals so worthy of mention only enhances our experiences throughout the world

The mosquitos were always present requiring I use DEET repellent, the only product that seemed to work anytime I ventured outdoors. I didn’t go out as often as I’d have liked nor sat on the veranda as much as I’d have liked. We only saw a few flies, no snakes, and few, if any, dangerous insects. At night, we didn’t carry a flashlight to go to the bathroom in the dark.

Each week we stopped to say “bula” to our favorite vegetable vendor, a kindly lady who always picked out the very best produce for us.

The power was out for eight hours or more for three or four days always coming back on by 6:00 pm. The fridge quit working once and after a technician’s visit, it too was back on. We lost a few days of food.

We enjoyed visiting the Viodomo waterfall, requiring quite a hike through the rainforest.

It rained at least 40% of the days, if not more. We didn’t mind especially when it cooled down with the ocean breezes. The heat and humidity were bearable for us overall, with only a few tough days. The nights were always comfortable.

Rafts ready for fishing in the bay at the Vuodomo village.

At the beginning of our stay, the Internet issues were challenging until we finally purchased the two dongles which have provided us with a relatively good connection most of the time. We continued to purchase data every week at the Vodafone kiosk in the village. (The cost for the data is listed below).

Buying jewelry and other homemade crafts is popular with tourists from cruise ships and staying in local hotels and resorts.

The people were amazing, kind, friendly, and always warm and helpful wherever we’d go. The support staff here in Korovesi was wonderful, Usi, Vika, and Junior, always quick to smile and help in any manner. 

What a view of Savusavu Bay!

Mario and his wife Tatiana were helpful, gracious, and always “Johnny on the spot” with any issues which overall were few.  As usual, we didn’t ask for much, only those items mentioned here today plus a can opener, frying pan, a chaise lounge, and few light bulbs, all of which were promptly supplied.

The property was ideal for us; the right size, the right amenities and we easily made it befitting our needs. The views? Over the top. Based on where we sat in the living room we only had to pick up our heads 20 degrees to see the expanse of the ocean, Savusavu Bay, mountains, and passing cruise ships, sailboats, barges, and the boats of local fishermen.

These handmade rafts were used as income producers for the locals, selling produce, fish, and a variety of other products easily transported in the waterways.

We loved the sounds of the roosters crowing, the cows mooing, the baby goats baahing, the birds singing and the screeching of the huge bats at night, referred to as “flying squirrels” in the islands. The trees, the plants, and the flowers were a daily joy to behold ever-growing and changing before our eyes.

Shopping each week was a delightful experience as we came to know the vendors in the Farmer’s Market, grocery store, and Helen, from Fiji Meats supplying us with the finest organic, chemical-free foods the islands have to offer. 

The ferry at the Port of Savusavu ready for vehicles to people to travel to other islands.

We’ll miss the thick cream for our coffee, thick enough to require pushing it off the spoon, the perfect coffee, the streaky bacon (no nitrates) and the minced beef and pork and of course, Helen’s roasted chickens the best we’ve ever had which we’ve had the past two nights as we finished our leftover side dishes and veggies.

These gorgeous flowers are always blooming under the veranda.

As for the expenses for this entire period in Savusavu from September 8th to December 6, 2015, we were pleasantly surprised. Here’s the breakdown:

Rent:      USD $6,000, FJD $12,832
Airfare:   USD $2,758, FJD $5,899  (This total includes five flights to get us here from Cairns, Australia and back to Sydney, Australia).
Food:      USD $2,293, FJD $4,904  (includes all groceries and household supplies)
Dining:    USD $165, FJD $353
Taxi:       USD $393, FJD $841
Tips:       USD $200, FJD $428
Postage:  USD $213, FJD $456
ATM fees:USD $234 FJD $500
Vodafone USD $495, FJD $1,059

Grand Total*:  USD $12,751, FJD $27,271
Monthly Avg:  USD$  4,250, FJD $  9,090

* This total doesn’t include additional costs we incur for health insurance, prescriptions, luggage insurance, gifts for family, federal taxes, clothing, supplies, and digital equipment.  We keep those expenses up-to-date on a separate spreadsheet.

So there it is folks. Late this morning, we’ll arrive in Viti Levu after our one hour Sunday morning flight at 9:20 am and we’ll be greeted by a driver with a sign at the airport in Suva who’ll take us to the grocery store in Suva and then on the one hour drive to our final destination in Pacific Harbour. 

Every night, Badal stopped by at dinnertime to check out what’s on the menu.  We never failed to make him a plate with some delectable morsels.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with details of the trip, the shopping, and photos of our new home for the next 28 days. 

Be well.  Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, December 6, 2014:

Numerous power poles located in the path of the lava flow have been covered in fire retardant materials to prevent the flow from destroying the power to the area which had worked well. As we worried that the lava was flowing in our direction, we continued to be fascinated by this natural event. Who has had an opportunity to see lava flowing in a lifetime? We felt fortunate for the experience as we prayed for the safety of the residents of Pahoa and our own.  Please click here for details.

New booking to share…Packing day is upon us…

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On our three years of travel anniversary, we visited the Namale Resort for a tour and luncheon celebration. It was a great day!

Yesterday, I told Tom that if we had to pack with short notice in 20 minutes, I could do it. That’s how uncomplicated the process has become. I’ve already refolded all my clothes in the cupboard and with nothing on hangers (no closet bar here), it’s a breeze.

Add the bathroom items, power cords, digital equipment, and the few toiletries in the bathroom and we’re good to go. In the early days when we had so many bags, I had to begin a week in advance. It’s easy now that we have it narrowed down to three bags and a variety of carry-on bags. 

Tima and Ratnesh when they took us on the tour of the waterfall.

Over these years, I’ve become used to having such a small amount of clothing, although it’s a bit challenging on cruises when there’s a certain expectation for attire, especially for dress-up nights. Some cruise lines are lightening up the dress code for formal nights. This works for us.

Speaking of cruises, yesterday we booked another cruise, leaving us with 8 booked upcoming cruises. Since January, 2013 we’ve sailed on 11 cruises. Yep. We like cruising as we’ve mentioned countless times in the past. 

The egg guy at the Farmers Market where we purchased 2 1/2 dozen free-range organic eggs for FJD $12.50, USD $5.82 each week.

Our budgeting revolves around our ability to cruise as a top priority resulting in living relatively frugally in affordable vacation homes and in renting cars only when necessary. We enjoy cruising enough to make some sacrifices. But, we’ve hardly diminished the quality of our lives to do so. One only needs to check out the photos of the vacation homes we’ve been fortunate to find and make work for us.

So, here’s the new cruise upcoming on May 17, 2017, after we arrive in Seattle (from Australia) by a cruise on May 15, 2017, when we’ll get to Vancouver (a three-hour drive) where we’ll stay in a hotel for two nights and then board the Celebrity Solstice.

View from one of many overlook points in Namale Resort on the day of our anniversary visit.

Once again, we’ll spend a few nights in Vancouver as we did on September 17, 2014, to September 23, 2014, when stayed in a wonderful condo complex overlooking the harbor. This next time, we’ll stay at a hotel close to the port based on it only being two days.

Then off we go to fulfill another item on our to-do-list, a cruise to Alaska, while we happen to be in North America in 2017. This cruise will transpire before heading to Minnesota to see family and friends for about a month, planning that the grandkids will be out of school for the summer, allowing us to spend more time with them.

Bana, the Dive Master, at Namale Resort.

This new cruise ends in Seattle on May 26, 2017, at which point we’ll rent a car and begin the drive through the northern states toward Minnesota, taking our time with a plan to arrive around the end of the first week in June. 

Most Alaskan cruises are for 7 nights only. This particular cruise we selected on the day it was posted is for 9 nights. The early-in-the-season sailing in these frigid waters constitutes a better price but doesn’t limit what we’ll be able to see. We’ll bundle up with sweatshirts and jackets and be able to watch the wildlife and ice floes from the deck. 

Filo, our tour guide at Namale Resort provided an amazing tour.

Here are the cruise details for those who may be interested. We selected an upgraded balcony cabin, which price isn’t listed here. The prices listed are for the lowest priced options in each category. 

The cabin and class selection we’ve made brings our total to USD $4,452, FJD $9,495. Our rep at Vacations to Go is working on adding perks. As Celebrity adds more perks over this extended period, we’ll be able to add them to our cruise package but it’s up to us to frequently research when such options are added based on a “best price guarantee.” Here are the details:

9 nights departing May 17, 2017 on
Celebrity’s Celebrity Solstice
Cheapest Inside $1,399
Cheapest Oceanview $1,649
Cheapest Balcony $2,049
Cheapest Suite $4,099
Click for additional rates: Singles Rates
No brochure rates were provided by Celebrity. The prices shown are US dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. They include port charges but do not include airfare or (where applicable) airport or government taxes or fees.
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE   DEPART
Wed May 17 Vancouver, BC, Canada 5:00pm
Thu May 18 Inside Passage, AK (Cruising)
Fri May 19 Ketchikan, AK 7:00am 4:00pm
Sat May 20 Juneau, AK 9:00am 8:30pm
Sun May 21 Skagway, AK 7:00am 6:00pm
Mon May 22 Hubbard Glacier, AK (Cruising)
Tue May 23 Sitka, AK 7:00am 4:00pm
Wed May 24 At Sea
Thu May 25 Victoria, BC, Canada Noon 8:00pm
Fri May 26 Seattle, WA 7:00am

Perhaps in years to come, we’ll return to Alaska for a long summer stay. For now, the prices are simply too high to book a long term vacation home during the short summer. We’ve done considerable research to no avail, deciding a cruise would be a better option for now. 

We’ve heard many avid cruisers extol the virtues of an Alaskan cruise and we couldn’t be more thrilled to add this cruise to our itinerary. As for the Celebrity Solstice, we’ll be on that ship in a little over a month sailing from Sydney to New Zealand. 

The beach for guests at Namale Resort on the Koro Sea.

Over a year ago, we sailed on the Solstice from Vancouver to Hawaii. The boarding process was the longest and most frustrating of any boarding process, we’d experienced due to US immigration taking almost three hours from the time we arrived at the pier until we entered the ship. At least this time, we’ll be prepared for the waiting time.

So, there it is folks. Now, we’ll concentrate on the packing for tomorrow’s departure as soon as Vika arrives to make the bed, the only spot in this house suitable for opening and loading the suitcases. Gosh, we’ve become lazy, not wanting to make the bed ourselves. That will certainly change at our upcoming location with a cleaning person only once a week over the four weeks.

Tom at the dentist’s office located in the hospital parking lot.  He was happy with the good service and the improvement in his tooth abscess which cleared up after taking the “free” antibiotics.

We already prepared tomorrow’s post with more great photos and with our final expenses for the almost three months we’ve spent in Savusavu which will be available online a few hours earlier than usual based on our early morning departure.

The day after tomorrow, Sunday for some of you, Monday for us, we’ll be back with photos of our new home in Pacific Harbour, Fiji! See you tomorrow and again the next day. 

Have a fulfilling weekend. Go Vikings.

Photo from one year ago today, December 5, 2015:

The first of two houses we rented in Pahoa on the Big Island had fabulous ocean views.  But, its close proximity to the raging surf created moisture problems in the house, contributing to wear and tear not visible in the photos. Overall, it worked out fine with a few adjustments and help from the cooperative owners.  For more photos, please click here.

Tricky aspects of booking flights and cars…Favorite Fiji photos begin today…

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Savusavu Bay and Nawi Island, a site atop a hill in the village.

Generally, we book flights using the Expedia link on our website. It doesn’t know us from anyone else and with prices no more or less than using Expedia through the web, it puts a few extra pennies in our coffers in the small amount of commissions we may earn on some bookings.

Many travelers use the various flight booking apps offered online many that bring up multiple web pages at a time with a wide array of quotes for the flights. After trying many of these over the past years, we’ve found the pricing we get through Expedia is no different than anywhere else. 

The hot springs where many locals cook their potatoes and root vegetables.

The airlines will charge the highest possible fares and although rates can change by the hour/day/month, with all the flights we booked we prefer not to spend days researching to save only a few dollars, if anything at all.  

Saving USD $10, FJD $21 for a flight is nowhere near as important to us as in savings the $1000’s we can often save on vacation home rentals or for cruises by spending hours on that type of research and subsequent negotiations.

The view from our veranda in Korovesi, Savusavu, Fiji.

It’s an entirely different scenario for the average traveler when booking hotels and airfare. Most hotels don’t negotiate and airfare is their only way of saving a few dollars, resulting in the fervent desire to save on the airfare.

Unless we’re staying for an extended period in a boutique hotel, we seldom ask for special pricing other than those offered via promotions, coupons, corporate discounts, and senior citizen pricing. 

The bay where many sailors moor their sailboats.

We’re thrifty but we don’t embarrass ourselves in asking and asking for special treatment and pricing when none is necessarily warranted.  Of course, when we write stories and do reviews about a particular property arranged in advance, we may ask for special room and meal rates or comps which are generally provided based on their desire for the additional publicity. 

In most cases, it’s happily provided once they have an opportunity to investigate our site to see how serious we are in documenting our experiences available to our vast numbers of readers worldwide (for which we’re very grateful).

The busy village hops with business most days.

When a few days ago, we were in a booking frenzy, not to be picked back up until we’re situated at our next location, we not only booked the hotels in Singapore and Hanoi but we also booked the flights from Singapore to Bali on April 30th after our cruise ship arrives. 

Then we booked the return back to Singapore from Bali on June 28th at which point we’ll be staying in Singapore for a week. This was not accomplished as easily as one may think with many airlines with poor ratings as indicated on this site which we check each time our flight options include airlines we don’t know as safe.

Tom, in front of a giant palm frond on the property.

In today’s world, no air travel is entirely safe. Choosing an airline with good ratings for maintenance and no recent disasters at least provides an added layer of peace of mind. Also, reading reviews from travelers on the more obscure airlines can add another layer of comfort.

Bail is an Indonesian island that has many fewer unregulated airlines prompting us to be especially careful. It’s easy to take for granted that most country’s airlines are managed and inspected regularly when this is not always the case. Of course, there are always exceptions.

View of the coral reef from the highest point in the neighborhood.

With the airline rating site opened as an additional page on our laptops, we both went to work with safety as the priority, as well as price. Non-stop flights are always a top criterion when possible. We’ve already spent endless hours waiting for connecting flights in less than ideal airports and prefer to minimize this necessity when possible.

If we had our way, we’d cruise everywhere. Unfortunately, geographically, this just isn’t possible. As a result, getting to and from Bali on two separate occasions is tricky. 

Badal joined us when we took photos from atop the highest point in Korovesi and continues to visit us each night during dinner.

We spent hours researching and finally, when we found a good airline, Jetstar Asia (with the highest rating of 7) at a reasonable price for the round trip fare (for our first of two visits to Bali) we quickly booked it. Prices can change on a dime. We’ve yet to book the second trip to Bali where we’ll return two months after we leave (visa restrictions).

As we booked the round trip, it took the first leg of the flight without issue (we paid each leg separately as required by that particular airline). Then, the Internet went “limited” and the return flight showed an error. Expedia took us directly to the airline’s website per their regulations as opposed to allowing us to complete the booking at Expedia.

Taken at the chicken lady’s home which proved to be too difficult to access regularly for eggs.  Subsequently, we purchased our eggs in flats of two and a half dozen at the Farmers Market.

We had trouble booking the return flight when the signal kept slipping in and out, resulting in the necessity of us calling the airline directly. To avoid long-distance charges, we used Hotspot Shield as our VPN with an US web address and Skype avoiding any long distance charges. Thus, being on hold for 10 minutes wasn’t as annoying as it could have been.

A competent rep came onto the line with a thick accent somewhat hard to hear and decipher on Skype but we managed to book the return flight plus pay for our reserved seats at USD $10, FJD $21.  No free seats were offered. The cost of the roundtrip flight Singapore to Bali was USD $586, FJD $1251 for both of us including the costs for our seats on both legs.

Two curious baby goats checking us out. 

The rep encouraged us to pay for our luggage, movies, and other perks but we declined. We have no idea what our luggage will weigh by next June when it’s changing as we restock supplies and clothing. We can do this later either online depending on the quality of the wifi signal at the time or by phone if necessary.

After that was resolved, we decided, while we were “on a roll” we’d go ahead and book the rental car for three months in New Zealand. In a little over one month on January 5, 2017, we’ll be boarding a cruise from Sydney to New Zealand, a perfect example of “using cruising” as a means of transportation as much as we can. 

Everyone in Savusavu works. These fishermen catch fish to resell and for their families.

We were able to book a suitable rental car for the 88 days in New Zealand for a total of $1836 with the best rates from rentalcars.com, a site we frequently use. Oddly, the better-priced vehicles didn’t have air conditioning. 

In checking the weather in New Zealand during that period, it will be cool, not cold, mostly in the 60F’s, 15.6C’s and 70F’s, 21C’s. If we didn’t have a manual transmission with the car jerking around, I’d be OK without AC. 

The Blue Lagoon’s beautiful waters.

The constant jerking of a manual transmission makes me carsick and the AC helps tremendously. Thus, we opted for no AC and an automatic transmission with which I won’t get carsick.  Having not driven a manual transmission in 30 years and with the car rental company adding me as a driver at no extra charge, this works well for us. Tom won’t have to grocery shop with me each week.

Tomorrow, we’ll have another new booking to share as we work on it today. We prefer not to post information about a future booking until we’ve actually paid the deposit and wrapped up the pricing and details, thus avoiding confusion. 

The beach at the Blue Lagoon.

Of course, from time to time, we can’t help but share our “dreams” of locations for the distant future that are too far away to book. It’s nearly impossible to book anything further than two years out.

Soon, we’re heading on our final trip to the village without the necessity of a visit to the Farmers Market or the grocery store. We’ll pick up my prescriptions at the pharmacy, purchase a new phone SIM card and pick up our final two roasted chickens at Helen’s Fiji Meats. Over the next few days, we’ll continue to consume our remaining foods on hand, leaving anything new and unused for the staff.

The island with three trees.

Beginning today, we’ll be posting our favorite Fiji photos and on Sunday, our departure date, we’ll upload a short post with our expenses for the three months we’ve spent in Savusavu. Two days and counting.

Happy weekend to all wherever you may be!

Photo from one year ago today, December 4, 2014:

It was at this point one year ago that we became even more worried about the lava flow on the Big Island as it moved closer to our area of Pahoa. Would we have to move to another location to accommodate our soon to be arriving 12 family members? For more details, please click here.

Part 2…New destinations and travel arrangement booked!…Exciting planning for the future as we fill in gaps in the itinerary…

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It seemed we couldn’t ever coordinate sunny day outings. As a result, most of our photos were taken on rainy, cloudy days.

As we continued with our bookings a few days ago, we had to consider a gap in the itinerary between June 28 to July 8, 2016. First, we’d filled three days at the tail end of the 10 days by increasing our booking time at the Hanoi Sofitel Legend Metropole as mentioned in yesterday’s post.

This left us one week to fill from June 28 to July 4, 2016. With Cyber Monday in full force here on Tuesday (we’re one day ahead of the US), we decided to book the remaining seven nights in Singapore when we had trouble finding good non-stop flights from Bali.  Most ended in Singapore.

We thought if we had to fly to Singapore, “Why not stay a week?” Having heard from other travelers over these past years that Singapore was one of their favorite destinations, we couldn’t help but think seven nights would be perfect for us.

We often say we attempt to avoid staying in big cities. Overall, we prefer not to spend long periods in a bigger city, preferring quiet, country life and its quaint and charming ways. 

This was the area of “split rock” where snorkeling is popular with some tourists.

When we think in terms of the many big cities we’ve visited in these past three years, all short term, we have no regrets. A week in Singapore falls into the category of “How can one travel the world leaving out some of the most interesting and varied cities?” In our ongoing desire to “expand our horizons” this week-long stay will surely enrich our experiences.

Luckily for my diet, Singapore’s steamed food is popular which is perfect for me while Tom will be able to find dishes he’ll enjoy. It will be during this period that we’ll have no choice but to dine in restaurants (or on a ship) for a total of 26 days when later (as shown below) we’ll be on the Mekong River cruise from July 8 to July 22, 2016.

If this seems confusing, here’s a small section of our itinerary that further explains the dates and locations (Please note. In the US, we place the month first when writing dates with slashes, with the day of the month following. It’s the opposite in most other countries).

 Sydney to Singapore  14  4/16/2016 – 4/30/2016 
 Bali House  59  4/30/2016 –
6/28/2016 
 Hotel Singapore -The Scarlet Singapore  7  6/28/2016 –
7/5/2016 
 Hanoi Hotel – Hanoi Sofitel Legend
Metropole 		 3  7/5/2016 –
7/8/2016 
 Hanoi to Ho Chi Min City  15  7/8/2016 –
7/22/2016 
 Phuket House  41  7/22/2016 –
9/1/2016 
 Bali House  59  9/1/2016 –
10/30/2016 
 Sydney Hotel  1 10/30/2016 – 10/31/2016 

The items marked in blue are cruises during this period and the listed numbers are the number of nights. 

From there on October 31st we’ll be back in Sydney as shown staying one night in a hotel, where we’ll be off on two back-to-back cruises boarding in Sydney on the day of our four-year anniversary of traveling the world.  More on that in the future.  What a great way to spend the next anniversary in our travels, all of which is coincidental.

With the Savusavu area located on a mountain, steep roads are required to access most properties.

The above small section of our itinerary includes a total of 199 nights, a good chunk of 2016. At this point, we’re almost completely booked through October 31, 2017 (ironically, that anniversary date again).

Finding a great hotel in a central location in Singapore was important to us as we perused the options. With the Cyber sale still occurring, we researched dozens of hotels. When researching hotels we always seek the best location, the highest-rated befitting our budgetary concerns, and the availability of free wifi. 

Another factor comes into play such as proximity to the port and the airport in an effort to avoid high taxi fares.  The Scarlet Singapore with its 4 plus star rating easily fit the bill and with the Cyber sale we couldn’t have received a better price at USD $144, FJD $309 per night including taxes and fees for a grand total of USD $1005, FJD $2284 for the week.

Here’s a tidbit on the hotel:

“Vivacious and uninhibited, The Scarlet Singapore, nestled amidst the vibrant Club Street community of creative agencies, specialty shops, boutique spas, trendy restaurants and cafes, wine bars, antique shops, and art galleries, made her debut in December 2004. Renowned for being Singapore’s first luxury boutique hotel, the 80-room property pulsates with an eclectic tension. Historic Erskine Road leads you to a row of 1868 Early Shop Houses and an original 1924 Art Deco building, whose architectural detailing has been expertly retained and lovingly restored.”

Savusavu isn’t necessarily geared toward the tourist with the majority of tourists preferring to stay on Viti Levu, the main island.  Occasionally, we’ve spotted benches and rest spots for tourists, but they are few.

Adding meals, tours, tips, and transportation, it will prove to be an affordable week in this exciting clean and low-crime city.  We won’t chew gum which is illegal in the ultra-clean city. Read this blurb:

“Chewing Gum

Chewing gum is banned in Singapore so leave it at home when packing your bags. Importation of chewing gums into the country, even if it is not for trading, is illegal. The current set of regulations does not have provisions for carrying gum for personal use. Improper disposal of gum and carrying large quantities of the banned product will cost a hefty fine of up to $1000 for first-time offenders.

A proposal on the ban of chewing gums has long been in place, stemming from maintenance problems in high-rise housing flats (gum stuck inside keyholes, in mailboxes, and on elevator buttons). Chewed wads left on seats of public buses, the pavement in public areas, stairways, and floors were also considered serious problems. Regarded as a drastic measure, the initial ban was not successful. The tide turned when the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) began its operations. The $5 billion project was the biggest public project implemented in the country, bringing high expectations with it. When vandals started sticking gum on the door sensors of the MRT trains it was the last straw, especially when it started causing malfunctions and disruption of services. The chewing gum ban earned its merit and was finally enacted.

Urinating in Elevators and Not Flushing the Toilet

Not flushing the toilet is more than just a breach of propriety in Singapore, you will be breaking the law if you do so. Expect to pay a fine if you get caught. Don’t even think of urinating in elevators, as they are equipped with Urine Detection Devices (UDD). These devices detect the scent of urine, setting off an alarm and closing the doors until the police arrive to arrest the offender.”  (Hm…guess we won’t be peeing in the elevator)!

The Importance Of Discipline

Singaporeans place a lot of importance on discipline, and corporal punishment is widely accepted. Caning is not only used to punish criminals but also as a disciplinary measure in schools, the military, and the domestic scene. Do not be surprised to find canes sold in grocery stores. They usually cost around 50 Singapore cents and are made of thin rattan with a plastic hook at the end to serve as the handle. They are made for the sole purpose of parental caning. Make sure you respect the local culture and adhere to their strict standards of proper behavior.”

Many beaches are rocky with little sand although most of the resorts and hotels have sandy beaches.

There are other laws and restrictions we’ll share upon arrival and of course, we’ll pay special attention well in advance to ensure we comply with all their laws and regulations. We certainly wouldn’t want to fall prey to a “caning” for a seemingly innocuous infraction.

In any case, this clean and relatively safe country will be our home for a week and we look forward to the experience in a similar manner as one would anticipate a holiday/vacation in a new and mysterious place. 

With many tourist attractions available we look forward to exploring the city each afternoon once we’ve posted the latest photos and stories of this exciting big city and country.

That’s it for today folks. Be well. Be happy. 

Three days and counting…

Photo from one year ago today, December 3, 2014:

The view from the first of the two houses we rented for the upcoming family visit to the Big Island, Hawai’i was breathtaking.  The roaring sound of the surf was constant. We could whale watch from the yard.  More on our arrival at this house may be found here.