Is Tom procrastinating?…Shopping, his nemesis…

Pelican resting on a log on a pond at Zoo Ave, the bird sanctuary.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

It was pouring rain when I took this photo from the veranda.  These two little Tropical Kingbirds didn’t seem to mind the rain.

There’s never been a time where I’ve seen Tom enjoying shopping, not in a store, not grocery shopping, and certainly not shopping online for clothing.  In most cases, I’ve purchased everything for him such as was the case when we replaced our entire wardrobes while we were in Minnesota.

We’ve known this daunting task of deciding on clothing for Antarctica was facing us and we’ve both procrastinated for some time.  Now, we’re down to the wire.
Spending only one night in a Fort Lauderdale Florida hotel on November 22nd, (US Thanksgiving eve), and the necessity of having of having everything arrive in one box, we’re having everything sent to our mailing service.

A police building in a small town on the mountain road.

Once it all arrives, the mailing service will pack it into one large box and ship it to the hotel with a plan for it to arrive about a week before our arrival, in the event of any mailing delays.  We’ll purchase insurance for the package and send it USP for a fast arrival. 

If anything does go wrong, we’ll have time to reorder everything to have it shipped to Buenos Aires where we’ll be for one month prior to the Antarctica cruise…backup plan in place.  We always have to consider contingencies when we’ve experienced plenty of shipping issues throughout the world over these past five years. 

Even some of the newer homes don’t have clothes dryers and hang their laundry outdoors. 

We both committed to getting the shopping done this week allowing plenty of time to receive it all in time.  None of the items required shipping fees.  The only shipping fees we’ll have to pay is for sending the box from Las Vegas to Fort Lauderdale which will be a lot less than we’ve paid for international shipping.

Having added other supplies and products we’ll need for our year in Africa, this will be one large package of supplies.  We’re hoping to avoid having anything shipped to Africa if possible.  No matter how hard we’ve tried, it’s not possible for us to exist with products offered in many countries.

Many homes are small single story styles.


In Australia which is a shopping haven, we couldn’t find a replacement laptop for Tom suitable for his needs.  We ended up paying US $400 (CRC 229,814) for shipping fees for the laptop from the US to Australia.  

I’ve been using my laptop since January 2015.  It’s still working with only one issue with the touchscreen.  I can’t swipe from the right to the left to access the “networks” screen.  With an easy workaround, this hasn’t been a problem for me.

Gated villa in Roca Verde, our neighborhood.

Tom is worried, we’ll be in South Africa and my computer will crash and I’ll experience the same frustrating situation as when I dropped it and broke the screen in in January 2014.

Okee Dokee and I drove the long distance to Nelspruit to purchase another laptop.  It was a disaster when my only option was an inferior HP which proved to be a dud. 

Here’s the post from the date I dropped it and here’s the post from the date Okee Dokee and I drove to Nelspruit to find another.

Many homes located outside of the planned communities aren’t gated.

I certainly don’t want to go through that again. But, I hesitate to replace this laptop that is working so well for me at this point.  It’s a decision I’ll have to make within a week or two prior to the shipment being sent to Fort Lauderdale. 

At the moment, Tom is finishing his order on Amazon spending a little less than I did.  By the end of today, he too will have it completed and we can put one more task behind us.

Corn growing along the road.

With the sun shining this morning, we’re hoping to spend time by the pool.  Yesterday was sunny and warm during which we stayed in the pool until our fingers were wrinkled. 

As always we swam, we laughed, we talked, and we shared stories of our lives long before we knew one another. We’re so grateful for this unusual life we live and the ways in which we spend it together.  Life is good.

May your live be good as well.

_________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, October 11, 2016:

In Bali, these smaller buffaloes than the scarier big males, present a huge task for these young boys as they walk them to the river and back.  For more photos, please click here.

Shopping online for Antarctica…Quite a challenge…

Ulysses dropped off these tangerines. Tom will eat them when they ripen.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Tom took this beautiful photo in the early morning as the moon was setting. Nice job!

It’s been nagging at us to get to work to purchase the clothing we’ll need for the upcoming Antarctica cruise.  These days, neither of us cares to shop especially considering we’re stuck with whatever we buy. Returning items that don’t fit isn’t an option due to our lifestyle.

On Friday, we talked on Skype to a lovely couple Tom had communicated with on CruiseCritic who’d already done a similar cruise. Al and his wife Donna gave us a list of everything we’d need for the many hours we’ll spend outdoors on the Zodiak boats and standing on ice floes and ice-covered islands.

A quiet side street in the center of town in Atenas.

They suggested the following items:

1.  Waterproof pants
2.  Waterproof gloves with liners
3.  Warm hat
4.  Gator (neck wrap)
5.  Warm socks
6.  Ski goggles
7.  Sweatshirts
8.  Sweaters
9.  Trekking poles 
10. Waterproof backpack
11. Long underwear

There are numerous one-way streets in town.

The cruise line provides a waterproof parka for all guests and boots sized upon boarding the ship. We can keep the parkas but return the boots at the end of the cruise.

We’ve decided to ship all the cold weather clothing back to our mailing service while we’re in Buenos Aires.  They’ll hold these items in our large box until we embark upon some adventures to the Arctic or other cold climates in years to come.

Kids are playing at the central park.

We were grateful for Al and Donna’s suggestions. They also mentioned long underwear, but instead, I’m purchasing a tall-sized pair of yoga pants to wear under the waterproof pants. This will keep me warm and be less bulky than wearing jeans underneath the pants. 

Tom never wore long underwear when working outdoors on the railroad for over 42 years, even when temperatures were as low as forty degrees below zero. Instead, he stayed comfortable with jeans on the bottom and sweatshirts and a jacket on the top. After all, we’re from Minnesota and know how to dress appropriately for cold weather.

As we walked through the park on a cloudy day.

The coldest periods in Antarctica will be the Zodiac boat rides out to the islands and ice floes due to the added wind chill factor from the fast-moving boats. However, once we’re situated, we should be comfortable when the temperature is typically in the “freezing” range, but not much less, based on the islands we’ll be visiting. (We’ve looked up each stop along to way to confirm this fact).

Over the past few days, I finally got to work making my purchases. Unfortunately, the only pair of women’s tall waterproof pants in my size (considering the bulk of the yoga pants underneath) was at Eddie Bauer at the cost of US $179 (CRC 102,853), much more than I wanted to spend. 

Grafitti on a wall on the way to town.

For the remainder of my items, I made most of my purchases at Amazon (here on our site at this link) with a few brand-new labeled items on eBay. So, besides the cost of the pants, I spent an additional US $250 (CRC 143,650) for a total of US $429 (CRC 246,504). 

Had I made the purchases through Ponant’s online shop, I’d easily have spent over US $1,200 (CRC 689,520).  The prices for the remaining items include all of the above-listed items except the poles and backpack (Tom is buying the backpack since we only need one) and the long underwear, which I replaced with yoga pants I’ll keep on hand and wear in the future.

More graffiti on the wall.

Today, as I write this, Tom clicks away on his computer and just purchased two much-needed dress shirts for the upcoming cruises. Once I’m done here, I’ll get to work with him to help him find his remaining items.

Hopefully, by the end of today, this task will be completed.  Once we receive the package with our clothing in Miami on November 22nd, we’ll take a photo of everything and post it here.

May your day be filled with accomplishments providing you with peace of mind. That’s what we’re striving for!

 Photo from one year ago today, October 10, 2016:

In Bali, while on a walk, we encountered this cow. She said, “What are you looking at?” “Your beauty and charm,” we replied. She smiled, and we continued on our way. For more photos, please click here.

Costa Rica’s devastation from tropical cyclone Nate with photos….

Although a few trees were lost on the grounds of the villa after Hurricane Nate, the many beautiful plants such as this Bromeliad and other flowers have survived, flourishing in the sun that’s finally appeared for a few hours each morning.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

A heartbreaking 11 souls perished in Costa Rica during Tropical Cyclone Nate over this past week.  Also, on October 6, the hurricane caused at least 38 deaths: 16 in Nicaragua, 7 in Panama, 3 in Honduras, and 1 in El Salvador.

From this site:
“Hurricane Nate was a tropical cyclone that impacted the Gulf Coast of the United States in October 2017. The fourteenth named storm and the ninth hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, Nate, originated from a broad area of low pressure over the southwestern Caribbean on October 3rd.

A red alert was issued in neighboring Costa Rica for the Central Valley, Pacific coast, and Huetar Norte Region, while the Caribbean coast was under yellow warning. In the canton of Oreamuno, Cartago Province, a bridge and part of a riverside house succumbed to the forces of a swollen river. Flooding throughout the country has been described as the worst in recent years and led to at least 11 deaths, with two people missing. Approximately 11,300 residents were being housed in shelters. President Luis Guillermo Solís declared a national day of mourning on October 6th.”

We are located in the Central Valley, as mentioned above.  We spent days hunkered down, indoors and safe high on a hill from the ravages of the storm. So many of our friends/readers and family members contacted us to ensure we were safe, which we were. 

Other than the inconvenience of a few power outages, we stayed safely indoors, frequently peering out the glass walls of this house as the storm moved through over several days. Our only concern for our safety during the storm was the possibility of landslides throughout the valley.  Fortunately, our immediate location was spared.  Never in our travels have we experienced such non-stop heavy rains with howling winds. 

With the utmost of respect and condolences for the people of Costa Rica today, we share the photos from the CR Post, dated October 5, 2017. We pray for those who lost their lives and their families and for those who were injured and lost their homes.

With the rainy season continuing, we must admit we do miss entire days of sunshine. But, rather than focus on bad weather, we’ve become passionate about bird watching, more than anywhere in our past travels. There were too many photos from the CR Post to publish today, but we’ve included as many as possible.  (Wi-Fi limitations affect how many photos we can post).

Many times each day, we’re dashing from one spot on the veranda to another as we are beckoned by the call of a bird we may not have heard in past days.  We’ve found we have an automatic alarm clock, a yellow-breasted Social Flycatcher who descends on the veranda railing outside our bedroom door and makes so much noise we’re awakened every morning around 5:15. 

Of course, now we’re obsessed with spotting another Toucan when the owners of this property, Bev and Sam, and our neighbor Charlie both have stated they’ve yet to see one in the yard. Humm…safari luck. More of that yet to come!

May you have a safe day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 9, 2016:

A fisherman on the beach in Bali after pulling in his nets, most likely filled with squid.  For more photos, please click here.

Tom’s haircut in Costa Rica…


Tom before his haircut on Friday.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Yesterday, this pair of Inca Doves landed on the veranda railing and posed for our liking. These pretty birds mate for life and spending considerable time preening one another’s gorgeous feathers that appear to be small scales.

Tom often calculates when he’ll need his next haircut based on the date of the following cruise rather than the length of his hair. It makes me laugh. Of course, he prefers to look “tidy” when we are around other people. In the same way, I always do my nails and pedicure before cruising.

He was seated in a chair moments after we arrived.

In this particular case, with slightly over six weeks until we board the ship, his timing may have been off slightly.  He won’t need another haircut for another three months. His haircut in Costa Rica was a paltry US $6.97 (CRC 4000), including a 25% tip.

In Spanish, we explained what number adapter to use on the electric clippers.

As we’ve traveled the world over this past five years (anniversary upcoming on October 31st), we’ve found his haircut appointment to be a thing of great amusement for us anyway. From his first haircut in Placencia Belize in early 2013, where he sat under a tree, as shown in the photo below:

In  Placencia Belize, the barbershop was outdoors when Tom had his first haircut outside the US in 2013. The cost of this haircut was US $12.50 (CRC 7172). See the full story here.

Another haircut we easily recall was in November 2015 in Savusavu, Fiji, as shown in this photo below, including the cost:

In Savusavu Fiji, Tom explained his haircut preference to Kumar, who listened intently to ensure he got it right. The cost of this haircut excluding the tip was US $1.85 (CRC 1061.41), but Tom added an almost 50% tip at US $.93 (CRC 533.59) for a total of US $2.78 (CRC 1505). Tipping is not expected or required in Fiji, but Kumar was thrilled over the tiny tip. Click here for this post.

From time to time, I look down at my toes and long for a professional pedicure. However, I’ve found bending and stretching to do my own is not only cost-effective but also good for one’s flexibility.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to continue to do my own pedicures for a very long time.

The stylist used scissors to fine-tune the cut.

While in Kauai, Hawaii, in 2015, I tried cutting Tom’s hair with the electric trimmer, but he wasn’t thrilled with the result. We laughed through the entire process, which undoubtedly contributed to my not-so-steady hand. I’m good at cutting my own hair but not so much for him. Based on the low cost in most countries, it makes no sense for him to have a botched job like my feeble attempt.

In no time at all, he was done, happy with the result.  She used a #6 adapter.

Yesterday, for the first time in many days, we could get some sun and tentatively use the pool.  When there’s a power outage, the timer for the pool shuts off and comes back on when the power is restored. In this case, it was off for ten hours resulting in the most ice-cold pool we’ve ever used. 

There was a steady stream of customers while we were there.

Tom dove into the pool while I walked in. The ice-cold water was too much for him, and he got out immediately. I walked in staying for only five minutes when a cloud cover made me shiver all the more. A short time later, Marian showed up with the maintenance guy, Julio, who reset the pool’s heating system so it would run during the day.

The salon is Aberto Pase Adelante, located next door to the Macrobiotica (health food) store. It’s owned by a Columbian family, many of whom work on-site.

Marian was here to go over some maintenance with Julio and to inspect the tree trimming process.  It’s always amazing to us to the high-level maintenance for this lovely property to keep it in pristine condition. We don’t have a complaint in the world.

We hope you have a complaint-free day!


Photo from one year ago today, October 8, 2016:

While in Sumbersari Bali, one year ago, at that point, we hadn’t seen such flooding since we lived in Minnesota many moons ago. We took this shot from the front of the villa. For more photos, please click here.

A stunning experience in the yard….Check out these photos!…

This was the first sighting we’ve had of a Toucan in the yard. Once the downed tree was removed, it opened up an area where Ulysses spotted the two birds and came to tell us. Notice the piece of fruit in their beak.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

A butterfly landed on this metal clip in the tile on the veranda. (The clip is used to anchor the hooks on the pull-down shades). Tom took these two photos.
Although not a perfect shot, Tom took this closeup of the beautiful coloration of this butterfly.

This morning’s late start resulted from us both staying busy in the kitchen cleaning and cutting vegetables and some fruit for Tom. He’s gained weight eating fruit and peanuts while here and will return to a low-carb diet a month before we depart for the cruise. 

With a 30-night cruise ahead of us and many tempting foods for Tom, starting a little lighter is always good. For me, it’s no difference one way or another. I eat the same foods at “home” as I do on a cruise. 

The Toucans were very high up in the tree, making it difficult to get a clear shot with our camera.  Soon, we’ll be purchasing a new camera for Antarctica and Africa. Keep this less expensive model so we can both take photos simultaneously. 

With the “feria” (farmers market) closed yesterday due to the storms, we purchased all of our groceries and produced them at the market, enough to last at least a week.

The taxi driver picked us up at the villa and dropped us off at the “barberia’ owned by a Columbian family, a popular spot for haircuts for the roughly 1500 ex-pats in Atenas. He paid CRC 4,000 (USD 6.97), which included a 25% tip!  Photos will follow in tomorrow’s post.  We’re both thrilled with the results.

The workers arrived in the morning and continued to remove the downed tree, as shown on the right in this photo.

We’d brought the golf umbrella with us anticipating more rain. Instead, the storm has moved toward the US, with Costa Rica no longer under “red alert.” But, it’s still the rainy season, and it can be sunny with a clear sky one moment and be raining in buckets 10 minutes later. 

Today at 10:30 am, the sky is blue and clear with hardly a white fluffy surge on the horizon.  Hopefully, we’ll be able to do our 30-minute dose of Vitamin D and also swim in the pool once we’re done with this post. Unfortunately, there have only been one or two afternoons since we arrived on August 1st that it hasn’t rained in the afternoon, generally by 1:00 pm. 

It took most of the day to remove the tree and debris.

After his haircut, we walked to the central park in Atenas when we’d heard that colorful birds may be seen in tall trees at certain times. We walked through the park with camera in hand, only seeing a few blackbirds pecking on the lawn. We assumed the birds may still have been undercover due to the recent inclement weather.

From the park, we walked to the “farmacia” (the pharmacy) to see if they may carry any of the few prescriptions I’ll be running out of before departing Costa Rica.  (Lesson learned…I hadn’t checked before we arrived to discover it’s against the law in Costa Rica to receive any shipped prescription drugs. This hasn’t been an issue in other countries where we’ve lived and purchased necessary prescriptions online).

Several workers came to remove the fallen tree due to Hurricane Nate that hit Costa Rica while it was a tropical depression.

The pharmacist said she’d check and see if she could get the correct dosage (very low) for the medication I’m most concerned about. Unfortunately, it wasn’t looking good. While there, I purchased more Omeprazole (it’s working!) to ensure I have enough on hand for the upcoming cruise. Running out of necessary meds on a cruise isn’t a good idea when cruise ships have a very limited pharmacy.

From the farmacia we headed to Coopeatenas to grocery shop. Tom waited in the cafe while I took my time searching for the items on the app on my phone. Then, in no time at all, he spotted me approaching the register and gently moved me out of the way so he could load the many items on the counter for checkout.

The workers were high in the trees clearing the debris.

A security guard called a taxi for us for the short ride back to the villa for CRC 2,000, USD 3.49, which included a 25% tip. Once back at the villa, the driveway was blocked with the tree removal guy’s truck and equipment, and Ulysses insisted on helping us carry the bags into the house.

Shortly after we put everything away, Ulysses came to the door in an uproar, waving his arms and rapidly speaking in Spanish. I will admit, I’m quickly learning Spanish, much to my surprise. I certainly can’t speak fluently in this short time, but when someone is speaking to us, I can pick up enough keywords to grasp the intent of the content. 

Tom was watching the tree removal while carrying bags for the market.

Tom is learning a few words here and there but often mispronounces them while I practically roll on the floor in laughter. But he’s a good sport and laughs right along with me.

Ulysses was trying to tell us a pair of Toucans in the trees behind the spot where the tree had since been removed. Tom ran out with the camera taking the first few photos while I excitedly took the rest. The thrill of it all was enhanced because one of the birds had a piece of fruit in his beak, as shown in the above photos. 

A water storage tank and shed are behind the fallen tree.

For hours, we were reeling with the excitement of seeing the birds. Today, Tom continues to head to the driveway every hour or so to see if they’d back. We may never see them again during our remaining time in Costa Rica. But, having seen and photographed them once was fulfilling. 

May you have a sunny and fulfilling day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 7, 2016:

This was a first sighting for us, a local taking a “bath” on the beach by tossing the sand all over his body. An unusual practice that may be utilized by many without access to a shower or running water. He later “rinsed off” in the ocean. Click here for more details.

Rushing to get to the market today with a short lull in the tropical depression…

Terraced farming in Costa Rica creates a lovely scene.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

View from the veranda during the tropical depression.  The clouds were so slow they were ground level in the valley.

These past days have been stormier than we’ve seen anywhere in the world during this past almost five years of world travel. Rain, wind, and constant humidity surround us as we’ve been safely situated midway up a mountain.

Terraced farming on a steep hill.

Over the past days, several stories of loss of life in Costa Rica have swirled around the news.  When house cleaner Isabel arrived a few minutes ago, she explained in Spanish that a 19-year-old young man, a close family friend, had been killed in a landslide a short distance from here. Heartbreaking.  She showed me his photo on her phone.

It’s easy for us to sit back and feel safe in this higher elevation, but even so, there’s a certain risk of more landslides for hilly properties. So this morning, it appeared we’d have a reprieve when the sun came out, and we ran around opening the many sliding glass doors.

After weeks of rain and clouds, a blue sky is a welcomed sight.

Over the past few days, we’ve been able to smell mildew and note dampness on everything we touch. For example, when we had to print a document on the in-house printer, the few sheets of paper in the printer were literally damp. Luckily, we’d recently purchased a block of paper, tucking it away in a desk drawer.  We’ve never experienced such constant humidity.


Luckily, the temperature is cool enough to avoid being miserable without air conditioning. One of the many overhead fans provides us with all the cooling we need. 

Lush greenery is found everywhere in Costa Rica.

Tom continues to “exercise the zippers” on our luggage that have metal zippers. The few new pieces we purchased in the US have plastic zippers, which greatly benefit us when we often live in humid conditions.

We’re grateful there’s a lull in the storm so we can get out soon to grocery shop. We haven’t shopped for food in two weeks, and we’re down to the “bottom of the barrel.” We’re out of vegetables and many staples. 

Pretty blankets for sale along the road.

When we shopped at PriceSmart two weeks ago today, we’d purchased enough meat and chicken to last for a month. But, with only 47 days remaining until we fly to Florida for the cruise, it makes no sense to purchase large sizes of anything.

We haven’t purchased any fish here. With an increased risk of eating farmed or shore-caught fish, my current gastrointestinal condition prevents me from any enthusiasm for overeating fish or seafood of any type. Unfortunately, this may not change when we are on the 30-night cruise.

Views from a recent road trip.

As I continue to prepare this post, the sun is gone, dark and ominous clouds rolling in. We’d better hightail out of here to get to the market for food, or we’ll be eating only meat and cheese for dinner.

Julio and the workers are here clearing the big tree that came down yesterday due to the storm.  Photos will follow tomorrow. 

Have a safe day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 6, 2016:

Notice the buffalo in the rear of this photo when we cautiously wandered down the road where Tom had his buffalo experience. For more details, please click here.

Late post today due to power outage during Costa Rica “red alert” tropical depression…Tropical storm Nate hits Costa Rica…

Although this area on the veranda where we sit most days has a roof over it, the cushions on the furniture are soaked after blowing around in the high winds.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Generally, pools have a system in place to avoid overflow due to heavy rains, which appears to be the case of the pool in the villa. But, unfortunately, it’s been raining non-stop for days!

At 12:30 am the power went out as Tropical Storm Nate made itself known to Costa Rica. It had been escalating over several days with heavy rains that prevented us from going out to shop.

We’d hoped to head out today, but it wasn’t possible with most stores closed due to power outages, mudslides, heavy rain, and relentless winds. As Tropical Storm Nate (soon to be Hurricane Nate) wreaks havoc in the Caribbean, Costa Rica quickly falls into the path of this storm.

This separate plunge pool becomes one with the main pool as the water level rose due to the pouring rain.

After the power went out, I awoke, aware the ceiling fan had stopped working and barely returned to sleep. Tom was the same, tossing and turning all night, often getting out of bed to check to make sure nothing was leaking into the house.

With this property newly remodeled in the past few years, everything seemed to be in order other than water leaking into the laundry room from an impossible-to-reach high window.

Fallen tree in the yard as a result of the storm.  We went outside with a golf umbrella to get this photo.

This morning Marian (property manager) called on my phone (loaded with a local SIM card) to see how we’re doing. After she and her husband AaD have lived here for 10 years, she explained they’d never seen a storm like this. They lived across the valley and had been without power since 9:30 last night. So at least our power outage hadn’t occurred until after we’d both gone to bed last night.

As always, during power outages, our biggest concern is the safety of our food in the refrigerator and freezer. But, lately, Tom had been storing extra ice in a large plastic bag at the bottom of the freezer. So, this morning, we loaded the large cooler with ice and the items in the fridge of the most concern. But, unfortunately, everything in the freezer was still frozen solid.

The tree behind this smaller tree toppled during the continuing tropical depression. We heard it fall earlier today.

Of course, our second most significant concern is being unable to post here. Luckily, I still had 60% of my phone’s battery left and would have been able to post a short blurb explaining the power outage and our inability to post.

As Tom and I sat in the living room chatting over recent worldwide events (a common source of conversation between us), the power came back on. Quickly we got to work taking care of the food, the wet pool towels we’d brought in from the veranda, the towels we’d used to mop up the floor in the laundry room, and our bath towels.

This photo can’t possibly illustrate how fast the rainwater is running down the slope of the driveway.

Generally, to save on wear and tear and costs for the owner, we use bath towels three times, leaving them to hang in the bathroom to dry for the next day’s use. However, recently, with the humidity at 90 to 100%, they wouldn’t dry. So, as a result, we’ve been washing them every day over these past few days.

The storm is expected to continue over the weekend. With shops closed, roads closed, and many mudslides, we’ll have to make do with the food we have on hand until it settles down enough for the shops to re-open.

A fallen banana tree also as a result of the storm.

For now, we’re hunkered down, safe indoors, and grateful we have power for the moment. However, it won’t surprise us if we have another outage over these next several days. So, if you don’t see us here at our usual time, please know we are thinking of you and be back online as soon as possible.

Have a dry, safe day filled with sunshine!


Photo from one year ago today, October 4, 2016:

A pig, pink and dirty, we encountered on a walk in Sumbersari, Bali. For more photos, please click here.

Considerable planning for the upcoming year…Health issue improving…

We had mozzarella balls stuffed meatballs with a sugar-free Italian seasoned tomato sauce with mushrooms for three nights, topped with grated mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. There’s also one ball inside each meatball, along with one on each top. On the side, steamed veggies and salad.
“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”
A new visitor to the tree by the veranda. It’s a Rufous-naped Wren, a common bird species in Costa Rica.

The thought of spending a year in Africa beginning in February 2018 can be daunting considering the number of supplies we’ll need to bring with us, many of which cannot be found locally or shipped.

Also, there’s a risk of theft of imported packages and also the possibility of lengthy delays. We learned this when we spent almost a year in Africa in 2013/2014 when shipments took months instead of weeks to arrive, including requesting upgraded shipping.

Many streets in business districts are one way, and it’s tricky to spot the warning sign that says, “Do Not Enter,” No Play Paso in Spanish.

I take three low-dose prescriptions, none of which are available over the counter here in Costa Rica (as mentioned in an earlier post) with the brand or generics names for the dosages I need. Also, Costa Rica doesn’t allow the import of any prescriptions, supplements, or over-the-counter medications.  

Many countries throughout the world have McDonald’s.  We never eat there.

Subsequently, I recently placed an order for the maximum supply allowable in one specific order (a six-month supply) from ProgressiveRx. I’m awaiting the package’s arrival at our mailing service.

We couldn’t determine what type of store this may be.

This morning I placed an order for contact lenses, enough to last until we returned to the US in 2019. A few days ago, we ordered Tom enough Crystal Light Ice Tea to last for the next six months, enough to get him to South Africa, after which he’ll order more to be shipped. 

Many apartment buildings throughout the area are similar to that one might find in other countries.

I gave up drinking Crystal Light when my gastrointestinal issues escalated, only drinking plain water.  As I continue to improve, I’ve been drinking a morning beverage which I hadn’t been able to do for months over these past several days.

To make the coffee drink, I use a ½ mug of brewed coffee with a ½ cup of organic cocoa, 3T. Unsweetened coconut cream, 1 tsp. Organic cinnamon,½ tsp organic powdered turmeric with a dash of fresh ground pepper (pepper enhances the bioavailability of turmeric) with a few drops of liquid Stevia. This drink tastes extraordinary and has no ill effects on my stomach.

A Lexus dealership in San Jose.  Cars are more expensive here than in the US.

Based on the lack of any negative effects of this morning beverage (after many months without drinking coffee), I’ll have to make sure I have all these ingredients on hand when we board the cruise on November 23rd. It will be inconvenient to bring the coconut cream, which I can replace with real cream, which should be available on the ship.

We were surprised to see this store in Costa Rica.

With our priority status as Elite Members on Celebrity Cruises, I’ll be able to order bottles of quality bottled water during the free happy hour to drink in the evening and throughout the day. I won’t be drinking wine or any alcoholic beverages on cruises or any time in the future. After years of not drinking alcohol, it’s simply too hard on my digestive tract.

There are numerous warehouse-type stores throughout the country of Costa Rica. This is the front entrance to PriceSmart. There’s a Pricesmart store opening near Atenas on October 6th we’ll visit soon.

Since I begrudgingly started taking daily 20 mg Prilosec (Omeprazole) about five weeks ago, my ulcers (resulting from having had Helicobacter Pylori for 18 months) have improved tremendously, finally able to eat without pain or experience burning pain when I don’t eat. I can’t tell you how excited I am as I continue to improve a little each day!

Small shops line the highway.

There are numerous other products we’ll be ordering over this next month, including clothing for Antarctica to be shipped to our hotel in Florida, where we’ll stay one night on November 22nd. The next day, we’ll board the chip.

A typical scene along the highway to San Jose, the capital city.

For now, with the vast storms we’re experiencing, we’re still staying put. Tomorrow, we have to head to town to make several stops, take photos and hopefully get Tom a much-needed haircut.  We’ll see how it goes.

Enjoy your day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 4, 2016:

View from the second-story veranda of a villa that was owned by our landlord in Sumbersari Bali. For more photos and details, please click here.

What type of security have we experienced at hotels as we’ve traveled the world?…A little bird’s story…

This is the lounge on the veranda where the hummingbird landed after flying into the glass wall behind it. See the story below for more photos.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

The pretty little hummingbird was stunned after hitting the glass wall and landed on the round chaise lounge.

Yesterday, another rainy day, we stayed indoors watching the news with our thoughts constantly on the horrific shootings in Las Vegas.  Heartbreaking, frightening, and beyond belief, the events and stories surrounding the attack continue to wrench one’s heart.

Having family living in Las Vegas, including son Richard and sister Susan and family, and Tom’s nephew John and family coupled with the fact we’re residents of the state of Nevada, made us feel a special affinity as the details rolled out.

We were impressed with how first responders, medical professionals, and private citizens rallied to assist, resulting in many heroic events. No doubt, thousands of lives may have been saved by their selfless, efficient, and fast responses.

Tom noticed the red coloring on their chin.

We discussed security measures at hotels we’ve encountered throughout the day in our world travels that may have been instrumental in preventing this particular type of attack as perpetrated by this heinous human being. 

We concluded that in only one hotel over these past five years of world travel, we have seen security that may have been instrumental in preventing this particular type of attack.  Although, the shooter may have arranged a different location from which to exact this attack.

When we stayed in Denpasar Bali, close to the airport on three separate occasions at the Hilton Garden Inn Bali Ngurah Rai Airport, we were surprised to note that no one was allowed entry into the hotel lobby without going through security, both the walk-through scanner and the scanner for all bags and belongings. 

Spreading their wings to see if flying was possible.

Here’s one of our links from the Bali hotel. The security station is located to the right and not shown in these photos.  (Most security guards don’t allow photos taken of the scanning equipment).

At first, we thought the scanners were a little off-putting, based on the inconvenience, comparable to security at an airport. After discussing it, we realized it would make sense at all hotels and hadn’t given it another thought until the news broke on the events in Las Vegas a few days ago, on October 1st.

Regardless of any potential security measures, there are endless means of bringing harm to others, even excluding the use of weaponry. I won’t go on a rant about “gun control,” one way or another, since we prefer to keep our political views from imposing upon this travel-related site.

Soon, an attempt to fly may be possible.

Questions remain as to the “why” this attack occurred. But, as mentioned in yesterday’s post, the answer may never be found.  We all wait, watching the news hoping an answer comes forward, giving us some sense of relief that it wasn’t premeditated “murder” from what may have been enacted by a “sane” person. But, would a sane person perform such an outrageous act?

Can it be justified by some form of mental illness or a brain tumor?  Or do we long to hear it due to an affiliation with a radical group either inside or outside the US?  As above, most likely, we’ll never know. But if we do, will we discover a sense of relief to know the “why”? Most likely, we won’t. The deed is done. The horror remains.

Shortly after this photo, they flew away so quickly Tom couldn’t get a photo. But, he saw them fly to the nearby tree and then back to the feeder for another “sip” of our homemade nectar.  Whew!

Today, the news reverts to some of the other horrible events globally, including the aftereffects of Hurricane Maria that ravaged Puerto Rico. How will the ravage born by this natural disaster ever reconcile? Lives lost, homes lost, and an entire country reeling, wondering how they’ll ever put their lives back together—sad stories.

Also, today, we share several photos Tom took yesterday afternoon of a precious little hummingbird that had flown into the glass wall after hovering not far from the bird feeder we keep well-stocked with sugar water. The poor little thing was stunned but miraculously survived and flew away a short time later. Great photos, Honey! They brought a smile to my face on an otherwise sad day.

May your day bring you wonders, however small, putting smiles back on your faces!

Photo from one year ago today, October 3, 2016:

The front of the property is located at the end of the road, resulting in no passing traffic. Last year this villa was priced at EU 249,000, US $279,017, IDR 3,616,896,723 CRC 159,388,461. For more details, please click here.

Sorrowful day in Las Vegas Nevada…Our home state of residency…

These appear similar to Begonias in the US which thrive in shady areas.
“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”
Colorful sky at sunset.

At 12:30 am, I awoke with a start, wondering why I was awakening at this odd hour. Most nights, I don’t awake until after 4:00 am, often staying awake for the remainder of the day.

I try to avoid taking a Tylenol PM, Melatonin, or any other over-the-counter sleep aid when sleep often alludes me, a common scenario for many seniors as well as the younger population.

Keeping my phone on the bed with the earpiece plugged in seems to help put me back to sleep. But, at the same time, I listen to various podcasts that aren’t necessarily stimulating and overly interesting.

Lime tree in the yard.

Yes, I know the many comments made by sleep experts that taking your phone or tablet to bed is a cause for one’s inability to get a good night’s sleep. But, how many of you, as you read this, are guilty of the same behavior?

However, last night was unique. I awoke four or five times during the night, finally giving up at the 4:00 am awakening to check the news on my phone. I was shocked at what I found, knowing I’d never fall back to sleep realizing the horror that occurred at a concert last night at the Mandalay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Eldest son Richard lives in Las Vegas and was on the strip last night for a pre-season hockey game for the new Vegas Golden Knight’s.  After the game, he ended up at New York-New York Hotel and Casino, which was only a block away from the attack at Mandalay Bay.  He left one hour before the attack.  

Pretty flowers in the yard.

It was a relief to see his comments on Facebook this morning that he was safe. So grateful he is fine, we couldn’t help but feel grief and sorrow for those who lost their lives and were injured and, of course, their family and friends. The trauma of this experience will remain with the thousand attending the concert for the remainder of their lives. Survivor’s guilt? Why did I survive and not others?

There’s no doubt that many of those attending the country music concert were visitors from all over the world. Las Vegas is one of the most popular places to visit globally, attracting over 42 million tourists a year.

Plants flourish in humid and rainy climates.

Here’s an article from the Las Vegas Sun with tourism stats for 2016:

Published Tuesday, March 14, 2017, | 1:29 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, March 15, 2017, | 9:45 a.m.
A record number of tourists visited Southern Nevada last year and spent a record amount of money, according to a report that economic analyst Jeremy Aguero presented today to the board of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Some 42.9 million people visited Southern Nevada last year, spending $35.5 billion — 16.3 percent more than in 2015 when they left behind $30.5 billion, Aguero said. Per person, Las Vegas visitors spent an average of $827, up from $721 in 2015.
Convention attendees made up 14.7 percent of all visitors to Southern Nevada last year, up 7.1 percent from 2015.
The presentation highlighted the impact of tourism on the local economy. Among the report’s findings:
• One in four people in Southern Nevada is directly employed in the tourism industry.
• Tourism wages and salaries total $11 billion, or 26.2 percent of the $41.9 billion earned by Southern Nevadans.”

To continue this article, please click here.

As soon as I noticed Tom stirring, I told him what had transpired, and we both bolted out to bed to the TV room to turn on the one English-speaking news channel. Now, as I write this, we’re transfixed over the details of this horrific event. It will be hard to look away for days to come.

How does this happen?  Will we ever know what motived a 64-year-old to commit such a heinous act? Why did he feel so removed from a moral and purposeful life to inflict such savagery on others, let alone people he didn’t know…strangers…innocents…? Most likely, we’ll never know.

Purple Petunia.

We continue to soothe our sadness with the stories of first responders and good Samaritans who immediately took action to assist those who fell prey to this attack. It is good in this crazy world. There is hope that the human spirit strives for goodness, kindness, and the well-being of our future.

We can only watch the details with heavy hearts and pray for those who lost their lives and heal the hundreds injured. Peace? At what cost? Is it even possible?

Photo from one year ago today, October 2, 2016:

Upon closer inspection, we’ve been thrilled to see the intricate beauty of a red dragonfly that visits each day. For more photos, please click here.