Day #110 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Are there benefits to living in this lockdown?…Looking on the bright side!

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This scene took our breath away at the Cairns Tropical Zoo. This mother Koala with her “joey” in her pouch is the name for all marsupial offspring. A Koala joey is the size of a jellybean with no hair, no ears, and is blind at birth. Joeys crawl into the mother’s pouch immediately after birth, staying there until about six months old.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from July 11, 2015, while in Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia. See the link here for more details.

As stated in today’s heading, “Are, there benefits to living in this lockdown?” The seeming preposterous question may elicit head-shaking and laughter. But, when a reader wrote, commending us for our resiliency, they asked this very question, adding that perhaps some benefits contribute to our staying relatively upbeat. 

The natural bond between moms and their offspring is always precious to observe. Many visitors gathered around this area in awe of the experience.

These benefits generally are expected and relevant while living in most holiday homes. During the pandemic, we could easily have been deprived of these items, and based on the fact we have not been deprived, we are very grateful.

They were both checking out the action. Koalas eat as much as 1000 eucalyptus leaves per day. 

We thank the reader for their kind observation and comments. Without a doubt, some factors make this peculiar scenario tolerable, preventing us from banging our heads on the wall in sheer frustration. 

Jasmine, Tom and Koala’s mom, and joey named Violet after ten years devoted employee Jasmine’s daughter. 

With tongue in cheek, I’ll answer this question, asking Tom for input regarding his perceptions as well but will combine our answers in the following:

1. We have quality air-con, keeping the room cool and humidity-free day and night
2.  Strong signal Wi-Fi with rare issues
3.  We don’t have to do dishes, make the bed or clean the room
4.  The shower water is hot and dependable
5.  We have an electric kettle and can make coffee and tea using the included supplies
6.  Staff is friendly and competent, and quick to respond to issues or concerns
7.  We can easily stream media using our HDMI cord
8.  We can purchase toiletries and miscellaneous from Amazon India
9.  There are comfortable chairs for each of us
10. The food, although repetitive, is tasty is well prepared. We recently mentioned the temperature was not hot enough, and they now bring our food in a portable warmer. This helps.
11. Prescription drugs available without a doctor’s prescription
12. Fresh white bath towels, hand towels, washcloths, and toilet tissue are provided daily with fresh bedding every three days. Some toiletries are provided.
13. Comfortable bedding and mattress. No dust mites.
14. Long corridors enable us to walk long distances each day in air-conditioned comfort. I am now up to almost three miles/five km per day. Tom walks less of a distance, but he also does the stairs, which I avoid due to the risk of falling.

Ironically, one of our favorite wild animals at the Cairns Tropical Zoo was the Dingo, looking familiar to us as a domesticated dog.  However, Dingos are wild animals, and many attempts to domesticate them have failed. 

While refilling my monthly container with vitamins and three prescription drugs, I noticed I was quickly running out of medication for hypertension. I brought the empty package down to the reception desk to ask their assistance in getting enough of this particular drug to last for the next nine months. 

Prescriptions for such medications are not required in India. Within 48 hours, the pills arrived, 600 tablets of which I take two per day for INR 6000, US $79.83, considerably less than I’d pay in most countries. I have two more medications I’ll order in equal amounts before we leave India. This is an excellent benefit without the necessity of seeing a doctor, which during COVID-19 would be risky.

The Wildlife Wedding Chapel on the ground of the zoo is a popular venue for weddings.  Please click here for details.

Our ability to maintain a positive attitude in this confined situation is in part based on the availability of the above-listed points. But, in looking back, we’ve been in situations where we’ve had only a few of the listed items, and we managed fine. Of course, at those times, we had freedom, the outdoors, fresh air, home-cooked meals, and no thoughts or concerns about getting a life-threatening virus.

Stay safe. Appreciate. Adapt. Share. Keep moving. Social distance. Wear a mask. Eat healthy foods. Think good thoughts. Love. 

Photo from one year ago today, July 11, 2019:

Beautiful Connemara pony. For more photos, please click here.

Day #109 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Ongoing heartbreaking situation with my sister…

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We searched online but couldn’t find the name of this grass or weed. This is commonly found along the highways and country roads in this and other areas of Australia.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from July 10, 2015, while in Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia. See the link here for more details.

Many of our readers have written kindly inquiring about how my sister Susan is doing after I posted about her failing health while living in a nursing home in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

It sunny day at the beach.

This week, her daughter Kely and my sister Julie have been visiting her each day, sorting out all of her papers, end-of-life directives, and making her single room in the nursing home look more friendly by hanging some of her favorite pictures, family collages, and photos.

Digging through her storage space, they found many of her favorite things, many of which she’s been asking about for months. She moved into this 10-bed nursing facility many months ago, which provides exceptional care when it was impossible for her to continue to live in an assisted living facility.

The boat launch at Holloways Beach, leading to a river that leads to the sea. That’s not an animal hanging from the tree, just an unusual root clump.

At this point, she is bedridden and has been placed into palliative/hospice care with no hope for improvement or recovery. How long she will last is unknown at this point and seems to us predicated by how long she is willing to hang on.

Finally, her facility allowed masked, gloved, and face-shielded visitors. They have not had a single case of COVID-19. It has given me great comfort to know Kely and Julie could be with her now. The isolation all these months have been unbearable for her.

This sign painted on the paved road at the boat launch says, “Be croc wise in croc country.” It would be terrifying to encounter a croc while launching a boat into the water.

Sadly, her memory is failing by the hour, and she can only recall snippets of her long-ago life and little, if anything, about recent events. Dementia/Alzheimer’s has set in gradually over the years but has become more evident these past few months.

Over the years of world travel, I have called her every week to touch base and share wonderful travel stories with her. As a former world traveler herself, we often laughed over the irony of the same places we visited and the stories that followed.

Unknown variety of flowers.

About a month ago, when I called, she could hardly speak and had little cognizance of who I was. This prompted Kely and Julie to visit her once again from their respective homes in San Diego and Los Angeles, California. 

The last time I saw Susan was in December 2019 when Tom and I visited Las Vegas for almost two weeks, during which we stayed with son Richard, and I called her nearly every day, making the two-hour round-trip drive from Henderson to North Las Vegas, Nevada. 

The pile of huge rocks appeared to have been placed at the edge of the rainforest to keep people out. 

During this week, Kely and Julie organized everything she needed to be prepared for life’s end and make her all the more comfortable. At this point, there’s no benefit from any additional medical care. She’s taking numerous medications that keep her pain-free and as comfortable as possible.

Of course, I wish I could be with her now. Even if she doesn’t recall that I’ve called her, I will continue to call every few days, just to say, “I love you.” She sleeps most of the day and only awakens for short periods to take a few bites of food. She’s at a point now, where she cannot lift a spoon or fork to her mouth.

An attractive beachfront house as we drove along the beach road.

As I write this today, many of you will relate to this sorrowful situation. Many of us have been through this in the past with loved ones and sadly will face it again as we age and care for aging parents, siblings, and other family members.

The process of working our way through this most challenging time in our history along with dealing with the sorrow of losing beloved family members and friends is heart-wrenching for all of us.

This root-laden tree is unusual, reminding us of Banyan trees in Hawaii, although with smaller roots.

May we all find comfort in the love and companionship we share with our loved ones and with one another during these times and into the future. Thank you, dear readers, for your compassion and concern.

Photo from one year ago today, July 10, 2019:

As we drove from Connemara, Ireland to the small town of Roundstone, with a population of 214, we were impressed by the design of the colorful properties on the main road. For more photos, please click here.

Day #108 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…What does it cost to travel the world?..Playful photos from Australia…

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Mailbox in front of a house down the road from us in Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from July 9, 2015, while in Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia. See the link here for more details.

A long-time reader recently wrote inquiring as to the monthly/annual costs of full-time world travel. As our regular readers know, we post “final expenses” at the end of each stay in a particular country and specific location, usually within 24 hours of our departure.

A sign in front of the house which is currently for sale.

We include the rental costs and fees for the holiday home, rental car, tips, groceries, dining out, entertainment, and miscellaneous shopping listed in a post. If you’ve never seen one of these charts, please click here (scroll down the page).

We also include the total expenses after the end of any cruise listing, including flights, cruise fare and taxes, WiFi, tips, and miscellaneous charges which may incur during the cruise, usually within 24 hours of disembarkation. To see our most recent final expenses for a cruise, please click here.

Statue of a horse, cart, and man in front of the house.

Although these expenses include a breakdown, including the “average daily cost” and “average monthly cost,” we have not posted an average annual cost mainly due to the variances from year to year.

The single most significant factor in determining our annual cost is based on the number of cruises we’ve sailed, with considerable variances in price. For example, in 2018, we embarked on the ultra-expensive cruise to Antarctica, which far exceeded our monthly budget and annual budget (we’ll get to that soon), as shown below in the chart from this post:

Expense US Dollar Euro
Cruise Fare  $             34,500.00  $                27,945.00
 Airfare – inc in the cruise fare  $             –                   –
Hotel Buenos Aires – 2 ngts $                    140.00 $                       113.40
Taxi – paid by hotel  $              –    $            –  
Cabin Credit  $                 (101.23)  $                      (81.00)
Wi-Fi on ship  $                   444.45  $                       360.00
Gratuities  $                   250.00  $                       202.50
Miscellaneous  $                    29.63  $                         24.00
Doctor visit on ship  $                  213.73  $                       173.12
Total  $             35,476.58  $                 28,899.02
Avg Daily Cost – 17 days  $               1,970.92  $                   1,605.50
Interesting vegetation is growing in the garden. Notice Fred Flintstone on the left of the photo. Wait, more is coming.

The likelihood of us booking such an expensive cruise in the future is slim. This cruise took a massive bite out of our preferred annual budget of INR 5621721, US $75,000, which has increased based on inflation since we began traveling.

As in the above case of the Antarctic sailing, following that cruise, we spent the next 15 months in Marloth Park, South Africa. At that time, still recovering from open-heart surgery, I didn’t take the time to post the final expenses for this extended period, although I did post them on our spreadsheet. 

Relatively large statues of Barney Rubble and Fred Flintstone. It brings back memories from when my kids were young!

What skewed those figures was the outrageous out-of-pocket medical expenses we paid, which our travel insurance company refused to pay. But, I can quote an average monthly expense for those many months, excluding the medical costs at approximately INR 299825, US $4,000. 

Aside from the unexpected medical expenses, these lower monthly expenses helped offset the costs from the Antarctica cruise, an expense we’ll never regret after the fantastic experiences.

Even Dino from the Flintstones was there. This statue is most likely as tall as an adult human.

Our annual budget continues to vary based on the number of cruises of any type that we book along the way. Some years, we’ve sailed on six cruises, and others none at all, as was the case while we lived in South Africa.

As for the future, our expenses could change based on COVID-19, which may result in increased airfares, holiday home rentals, car rentals, and other products and services. As for cruising, at this point, we have no idea if we’ll continue to cruise. 

A different house on the same side of the street with pretty landscaping.

Most likely, if we continue to cruise, we’ll book fewer sailings, all on smaller ships, which will result in higher fares. Obviously, the smaller the ship, the higher the fare, a situation we’ve found to be universal across the board. 

Cruise lines seem to be working on ways in which to protect their guests from COVID-19 while sailing. However, many of these “adjustments” may remove the cruising features that most appealed to us, primarily centered around socializing nearby. Those days may have long passed.

Horses and a peacock in the front garden.

Not much new on the horizon here today. After I finish posting each day and Tom checks for errors, I’ve been watching sci-fi movies on my laptop, using my earbuds to avoid bothering Tom. 

There certainly are a lot of dystopian, end-of-the-world movies on Netflix and Amazon. Each afternoon, I watch one movie. Eventually, I’ll run out of options. In the interim, if they aren’t interesting enough, I’ll play Scrabble on my phone with other online players while the movie streams. 

The mailman coming down the road. It appears most letter mail is delivered on a motorcycle.

Also, once an hour, I stop to walk the corridors. I am now walking longer distances in shorter periods and getting done by 3:00 pm when Tom and I start watching shows together. In a few days, we’ll have completed the 230 (20-minute) episodes of the overly dramatic Irish TV cop drama Red Rock, a tremendous binge-watching series we’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

We’re good. We hope you are, too!

Photo from one year ago today, July 9, 2019:

Seagulls are prolific in Connemara, Ireland, close to the sea. For more photos, please click here.

Day #107 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…Birds over mammals?…

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This adorable kookaburra posed for me in the yard in Trinity Beach, Australia, while sitting on the fence next to the rain gauge. These birds are much larger than they appear in this photo.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from July 8, 2015, while in Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia. See the link here for more details.


Yesterday’s post included a remembrance of our time spent in Kauai, Hawaii, in 2015 and a little about the story of our exciting experiences with the Laysan Albatross on the Garden Island, as shown here. 

After a while, they relocated to the roof, looking down for a possible morsel of food.  They are known to snatch food off of plates when cooking on the “barbie.” More on kookaburras will be coming in a few days with our wildlife posts.

As I pursued past posts for today’s photos, I stumbled across photos of the ever-so-fascinating bird, the kookaburra, while spending time in Trinity Beach, Australia, in 2015. 

Contrary to our usual distaste for zoos, although we appreciate their existence as an opportunity for humans to learn about animals, while in Trinity Beach, we visited a local zoo when we didn’t see many animals in the wild, except for kangaroos and wombats.

These common Yellow Allamanda were growing like crazy in the garden of our holiday home.

It was hard to resist when we were welcomed to “do a story” on the Cairns Tropical Zoo, avoiding an entry fee and providing us with a personal tour with one of the zoo biologists.

Having an opportunity to learn about the indigenous animals the zoo housed exclusively certainly opened our eyes to possible future sightings of the birds and mammals we learned about on that particular day.

Bottlebrush blooming in the yard.

Three birds particularly caught our attention; cockatoos, pelicans, and kookaburras, of which we’ve included a few shots today. As we continue sharing photos from past posts, we’ll include photos of more of the stunning creatures we were fortunate to see on that tour in a few days.

In 2017, we stayed in Fairlight, Australia, close to Sydney, and were thrilled to have the opportunity to interact with these special birds by hand-feeding visitors to the garden of our holiday home when they stopped by each day. Those photos will follow soon.

We drove up the mountain behind the market to Kuranda. When we began the steep and winding trek, it was sunny. When we arrived at the first overlook, it was cloudy, and rain had started to fall. We turned back with a plan to return to see the village at the top on a sunny day.

When we began our travels, we didn’t realize how significant birds would become in our constant search for wildlife. Not only in Africa and Australia, but we also had many memorable experiences with birds in many other locations, as many of our long-term readers have seen.

No, we aren’t expert bird watchers like our friends, Lynne and Mick from the UK with a home in Marloth Park, Louise in Kauai, Hawaii, and our friends Linda and Ken from the UK and South Africa. But we certainly are bird enthusiasts, spending time learning about those we particularly enjoy. 

We could imagine how beautiful this expansive view would be on a sunny day.

Often, I’ll post a photo of a bird we don’t recognize, and our friends will jump in and help us identify the specimen. Bird watching and savoring the beauty of birds can be quite a hobby and, at times, a lofty obsession, coupled with excellent camera skills. 

For us, we love seeing everything that walks, runs, flies swims, and slithers. If it’s moving, we are curious about it, including a wide array of insects we’ve spotted in our years of world travels. Some of our favorite experiences and photos include close-ups of insects and spiders.

The mountain and ocean view reminds us of Kauai, Hawaii.

Nothing new is on the horizon here at the moment. The hotel continues to be fully occupied. The monsoon season is in full force, with raging rain and floods almost daily. Covid-19 continues to infect more and more each day, and the prospects for leaving anytime soon diminish as the contamination escalates.

We’ve concluded that this is our life now and spend less time searching for travel options than we did in the past few months. We’ll know when we can leave and make decisions from there. All the speculation, expectation, and anticipation won’t change a thing. 

The sections of land always create such an exciting view both from the air and scenic overlooks at higher elevations.

The more we accept this as our fate, for now, the less stressful this scenario may be. It is entirely possible we could be here for a total of a year or even more. Laughter is our best panacea. Hope is our salvation.

Stay safe.

Photo from one year ago today, July 8, 2019:

A repeated photo of a few Gentoo penguins and me on Saunders Island, Antarctica, on January 26, 2018.  What an experience! For more photos from the year-ago post, please click here.

Day #106 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…A stunning memory from Kauai, Hawaii…

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The remaining fuzz doesn’t deter Nash from being ready to go. Only five months old, he’d yet to shed his chick fluff, but the dark-lined eyes are very grown-up. There is no way other than a DNA test to determine the sex of an albatross. Most of the chicks are banded and tested while still in the nest.

The last of many videos we made of the Laysan Albatross in Kauai, Hawaii, was in 2015. Enjoy this for a good chuckle.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from July 7, 2015, while in Kauai, Hawaii. See the link here for more details.
Vinny awoke this morning and decided, “Today’s the day,” and began the long walk to the edge of the cliff. He waited 18 days for his parents to return with more food. When they did not return, knowing it was time for their chick to fledge, Vinny took it upon himself to head out and begin his year’s long journey until the day would come for him to return with a mate and begin the process all over again. Albatross waddle when they walk.

One of our favorite memories during our years of world travel was the exquisite stay in Kauai, Hawaii, beginning on January 16, 2015, and ending in mid-May. In October, we’d arrived in the islands, spending time in Oahu; Maui; Big Island, where the family came to visit for the Christmas holidays; and ending up spending the final four months on the island of Kauai known as the Garden Island for its lush greenery.

It was a long walk for Vinny and the other chicks from the nest to the cliff’s edge.

Those four months will remain in our minds for many reasons. We made many friends and enjoyed an active social life, many with whom we are still in close contact. 

Nash begins to hike from the nest to the cliff’s edge.

We lived across the street from the sea in the beautiful community of Princeville with incredible sunrise and sunset views with great walking paths, easy access to grocery shopping, restaurants, and breathtaking scenic drives.

“This looks scary,” says Nash. “It’s a shame I’m having a bad hair day for my first journey.”

One of Kauai’s many charms includes the thousands, if not a million, of feral chickens that are everywhere, thriving in the gorgeous year-round weather with rich soil providing plenty of food sources for their pecking. 

Also, with Kauai as one of Hawaii’s popular tourist attractions, visitors often take delight in feeding the chickens, roosters, and chicks. The influx of the chicken population resulted from hurricanes that wiped our chicken coops throughout the island, leaving thousands of chickens free to roam at their leisure.

“So what if I don’t look very grown up!  I can do this!”

A simple trip to the grocery store resulted in maneuvering one’s way through hundreds of chickens in the parking lot scrounging for any food tendered by shoppers and outdoor diners. Their presence left us in stitches over and over again when they aggressively pursued humans for food at every turn.

“I’m almost there.”

Each morning we were awakened by the sounds of dozens of roosters crowing, and in no time at all, we slept right through it. The rambunctious little chicks scurrying along following their moms and dads were also swoon-worthy.

Beside all these delights of this exquisite island was the indescribable joy and excitement we experienced while observing the life cycle of the Laysan Albatross that nested within a short distance of our condo in a beautiful neighborhood of single-family homes where many of our newly-made friends lived.

It’s a big commitment worthy of contemplation.

Our dear friend Richard, who lived in that neighborhood, introduced us to the 15 mating pairs of Laysan Albatross, who were taking turns sitting on their single egg in perfectly formed nests in many homes’ front yards. 

“I can do this,” says Vinny.

From that point in January, we visited the neighborhood almost daily to see how everything was progressing and to observe the loving and nurturing nature between the mating pairs. They diligently shared the responsibilities of sitting on their egg, taking turns to head out to sea for food, returning days later, enthusiastically greeting one another. In contrast, sharing squid, they’d found on their journey.

“Hey Ma, hey Pa! Are you watching me? Look what I can do!”

We’ll never forget February 4th, when dear friend Richard, who has since passed away, called to let us know the chicks were “pipping.” We couldn’t get there quickly enough to experience the unique joy of watching these little chicks come to life.

What a gorgeous young Laysan Albatross, moments before fledging!

Over the next several months, we shared videos and photos of our almost daily experiences with these magical birds, which may be found in our archived from February 2015 to May 2015, when we were scheduled to cruise to our following location, Sydney, from which we traveled to Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia.

Vinny was leaping off the cliff to his new life.

We left Kauai only weeks before the chicks fledged off the cliffs in the neighborhood, but our dear friends sent us photos of the incredible experience. As a result, many of today’s photos were taken by our friends and sent to us to savor, as the precious creatures finally ventured out to years at sea, where one day, they too, would return to nest in this very same neighborhood. Such joy!

“Finally, I’m free!”

It is these types of memories that help us get through these challenging times during lockdown and uncertainty. Perhaps, someday, we’ll return to Kauai to again be a part of this life-changing experience.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, July 7, 2019:

Seafaring boat on dry dock in Connemara, Ireland. For more details, please click here.

Day #105 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…A memorable time spent in Hanoi, four years ago…

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This clawfoot tub is just what I needed for soaking. The master bath is enormous, with double sinks, a private water closet, and a glass-enclosed shower.  Every possible lotion, potion, and amenity is provided.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from July 6, 2016, while in Hanoi, Vietnam. See the link here for more details.

Each time we discuss our experiences in Hanoi, Vietnam, we can’t wipe the smile off our faces. It was a spectacular five days and nights and remained a memorable aspect of our time in Southeast Asia in 2016, and our world travels.

The king-sized bed in the upgraded Club Metropole is unbelievably comfortable with superb bedding. We both slept well.

While in Southeast Asia, we visited Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. Earlier, we visited Singapore (and as mentioned in the July 3rd post here) and Malaysia on a cruise. We thoroughly love that part of the world, mainly due to its exceptional historical and cultural treasures, many of which we explored during our time in those countries.

But, Hanoi was special unto itself. With the over 5 million motorbikes congesting the roadways, the intoxicating smells of delicious fried food, the eye-catching flower displays and designer shops (many with knockoffs), the aggressive street vendors, and the pleasant demeanor of its locals, the city had a unique appeal unlike any other we’d seen.

The desk quickly became cluttered with our digital equipment.

We walked for hours, rode in tuk-tuks and bicycle rickshaws, and spent endless hours dining in high-end restaurants as part of the beginning of our Viking Mekong River cruise, which included seven days on the river and another seven days touring the many cities along the way.

We arrived in Hanoi three days before the tour began, deciding to stay in the same hotel included in our cruise/tour package. This resulted in our paying for three nights for the upgraded room we selected over and above the cost of the cruise.

It was good to confirm our travel scale is accurate with this included scale. The towels were thick and fluffy, unlike any we’ve had in a long time.

Choosing the upgrade was a no-brainer when so much was included in the additional total of INR 8952, US $120 per night. Since the final two nights of five nights were included in the cruise fare, we only had to pay for the upgrade for three nights and could stay in the same room for the entire stay.

Today’s photos brought back memories of the beautiful experiences we had in the hotel and the fantastic city of Hanoi before and after we joined the tour group on day four of five.

Not only were these two his and her robes included, but there were two additional silk robes in the closet.

We posted a description of the five-star hotel on our post of July 6, 2016, as follows:

“Step back into history at Hanoï’s most storied 5-star hotel. A Grand Dame of Southeast Asia Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoï welcomes guests to experience her colonial grandeur and timeless elegance.  Located steps from the Opera House in Hanoï’s French Quarter, this legendary property brings guests into intimate contact with the opulence of another era.

Surround yourself in heritage as you stroll stately corridors and explore a dramatic past. Over a century of stories reside behind its classical white façade, green shutters, original wrought iron details, and stately wood paneling. Stand on the walkways that grace its lush courtyard lawn and immerse yourself in the hotel’s rich traditions.”

Tea and coffee service in the room, a nice touch.

If you ever have an opportunity to travel to Hanoi, we highly recommend the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi as one of the finest and most historical hotels in which we’ve stayed in our world travels. It’s a little pricey with the upgrade but a worthwhile experience for its luxury and benefits.

This morning while preparing this post, I asked Tom, “Would you ever be willing to return to Vietnam?” He answered an emphatic, “Yes!” to which I enthusiastically agreed. Who knows what the future holds?

The TV had premium movie channels and several English-speaking channels, including our favorite National Geographic. But, we spent little time in the room instead of enjoying the Club Lounges.

And that very question remains in our minds every day, “Who knows what the future holds?”

Staying safe, active, and patient are the common denominators to determine what our future holds down the road. Yes, we may have to wait holed out here for many months to come, and we both agree that we can do this, especially with the hope that we’ll be able to continue in time.

One of several lounge areas in the upgraded area.

May your future promise travel and adventure when this challenging time in history passes, hopefully sometime shortly. Stay well.

Photo from one year ago today, July 6, 2019:

Two female lions were spotted in Marloth Park! (Not our photo). Today, in 2020, there are still lions and cubs wandering about in the park and wild dogs. For more, please click here.

Day #104 in lockdown Mumbai, India hotel…More walking???…No, we’re not in Australia…

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Cows in the side yard as we drove down the driveway to the main road in Connemara, Ireland, one year ago today.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from July 5, 2019, while in Connemara, Ireland. See the link here for more details.

Starting today, in our heading, we will be listing the number of days we’ve been in lockdown in this hotel in Mumbai, India. As noted above, today is day #104, although we’d spent another 12 days in lockdown in other hotels in India before we found this Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport.

Luckily, we are close to the airport. It’s less than a 10-minute drive to the international terminal. By the time we’re able to leave here after the airport opens to international flights and travel to a country that will accept us, the roads will again be busy with traffic.

Cattle are so busy grazing. They hesitate to look up a photo op.

We don’t see that happening anytime soon. Instead, we continue to make every effort to ease the current situation for however long it may last. Cases of COVID-19 in India are continuing to escalate at astounding rates. India is in the #4 spot globally for the number of cases and deaths, only surpassed by the USA #1, Brazil #2, Russia #3.
In the next 24 to 48 hours, India will easily surpass Russia to move into the #3 position. India already has over twice as many deaths as Russia. For more details on the statistics on world cases, please click here.

And still, when I peer out the window at the end of one of the corridors when I walk once an hour, I typically see a dozen or more men at a nearby location where motorbikes are parked without wearing masks or social distancing.

The careless attitude of some individuals throughout the world will prevent the lessening of cases in months, perhaps years to come. Some may consider that extended family gatherings are safe since, after all, they are family. But, if they haven’t been living in the same household, they too can spread the virus.

A Connemara Pony in the pasture down the road.

There is nothing we can do to change these facts unless one or two of our worldwide readers see today’s post and decide to protect themselves and their loved ones further. Please excuse our “nagging” on this topic. 

As time passes, we all hear of more and more people we know have contracted the virus, some who have passed away, others who have struggled to survive, and others who are relatively symptom-free, able to pass it on while out and about and in group settings.

The majority of our family members and friends have remained safe, continuing to observe lockdown restrictions while taking this pandemic seriously. In reality, it’s all about personal responsibility. 

This is no time for defiance or expressing any political or social view by refusing to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. Regardless of what our leaders may say or do, we must take it upon ourselves as kind and caring individuals to take maximum precautions.

Since we arrived almost two months ago, this brown colt seems to be growing up quickly.

Speaking of walking the corridors, a few days ago, I upped my walking to two full treks per hour, exponentially doubling my number of steps and walking times.

It hasn’t been easy since I have leg pain due to bad arteries in my legs classified as a peripheral arterial disease (PAD), all a part of my poor heredity condition of cardiovascular disease. The best treatment for this condition is walking at regular intervals.

I am pushing on hour after hour. This lofty goal gives me hope for future travel expeditions where I have often struggled to walk fast or long distances. One of my dreams for the future is to travel to Rwanda to see the gorillas. Doing so may require a long and arduous incline walk into the mountains. The only way this is remotely possible for me is if I continue with this mission.

At low tide, many inner waterways appear boggy and muddy.

A dear old friend wrote and asked why we were in Australia when she glanced at our most recent post, where we’d included several repeated photos from our time in Australia from 2015  to 2017. I explained in a reply that we’ve been posting old photos from our past travels since we have no new photos to post.

If you aren’t a “regular” reader, please keep this in mind so that our posts with past photos make sense if you happen to “drop by” for a moment or two to see where we are at the moment. This prompted us to start listing the number of days we’ve spent in lockdown in Mumbai, India, in our heading each day to clarify where we are at any given time.

Tom is now doing 380 steps on the stairs and walking several routes in the corridors. This is a first for him to exercise independently, although he and I have regularly walked together in most locations we’ve visited over the years. 

Hopefully, when we get to South Africa, it will be safe to walk the roads when recently, many lions have been spotted both day and night. If not, we’ll need a big enough house to walk indoors. 

Have a pleasant and safe day, dear readers. We’ll all get through this!

Photo from one year ago today, July 5, 2018:

This morning’s view in Connemara, Ireland, across the bay to the Twelve Bens mountains. For more photos, please click here.

Happy 4th of July for all of our USA readers!…Happy Saturday to our readers from all over the world!..Australia photos…

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The Cattana Wetlands in Cairns, Australia, offered exceptional, expansive views.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site shortly, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from July 4, 2015, while in Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia. See the link here for more details.
Vegetation growing in the lake at the Cattana Wetlands created this view.

Happy Independence Day (4th of July) to all of our family and friends in the US! Unfortunately, based on the continued rise in COVID-19 cases in the country, few of the usual festivities will be transpiring.

Numerous signs were warning of the possibility of crocodiles as we entered the Cattana Wetlands, none of which we’d seen as yet.

For our readers outside the US, this holiday is typically centered around cooking outdoors, bonfires, firework displays, flag-waving, and gatherings of family and friends.

Who knew what creatures might lurk beyond the vegetation?

Sadly, this year’s activity will be tempered for most, based on fears of spreading the virus outdoors in large groups. We only hope everyone will proceed with caution by wearing masks, social distancing, and frequently washing their hands during any festivities they may be attending or hosting.

The sun reflected in the wetlands creating this orange glow in the water.

As for us, it’s just another mention to one another upon awakening, a less-than-usual-exuberant, “Happy 4th of July.” Since we left the US in January 2013, we’ve rarely celebrated any US holidays other than Thanksgiving on a few occasions with family in the US while visiting, friends in South Africa, and friends in Australia.

The Cattana Wetlands are well arranged with paved walking paths and marked areas.

Speaking of Australia, today’s photos are from a sightseeing visit to the Cattana Wetlands in Queensland, Australia, five years ago today. As we’ve mentioned in many past posts, we spent two years in Oceania /South Pacific/Southeast Asia visiting such locations as Sydney, Tasmania, Trinity Beach, Cairns, Australia, including a cruise circumventing the entire Australian continent; New Zealand; Indonesia; Thailand; Vietnam; Cambodia; Malaysia; and many more.

The various ponds and lakes were marked.

A significant part of our perspective of Australia developed during the long periods we spent in and around Cairns, Sydney, and Tasmania, each unique in its way. If you’d like to peruse some of our experiences, check out our archives for 2015/2016/2017, where every post is listed.

She was peeking through the trees to the main lake in the Cattana Wetlands.

The visit we’re sharing in photos today of the Cattana Wetland is a good representation of the types of scenery we find most appealing, consisting of gorgeous and unique vegetation, nature, and bodies of water against the backdrop of a blue sky on a sunny day, the perfect combination of pure paradise.

Areas were marked with maps and descriptions.

The tour through the wetlands consisted of a long and leisurely walk on the well-planned and easy paths that wove through the property, allowing the utmost of photo-taking and scenic views. We enjoyed every moment.

We expected a beaver to pop up at any moment. 

And now, what a treat such a walk would be, to be in the sunshine, in the warmth, and surrounded by nature. How easily we could have taken that simple mobility and scenery for granted in times past. 

This small island was located in the middle of the lake.

However, as we review past posts, as in the case of today’s photos (click here), we come to realize how much we appreciated it then, as we would appreciate it now. Nothing in our vast world, under any circumstances, has left us taking anything for granted.

 A close-up of a lily pad on which some creature enjoyed lunch.

We will always remain humble and in awe of the world around us, never assuming what we’ve seen in the past and that which we experience now or in the future as being expected or taken for granted.

The lakes were covered in parts in lily pads.

When, in the unknown future, we are gifted with the opportunity to “be out there” once again to relish in the sight of exquisite nature, wildlife, and people, we will embrace it with the same passion we’ve carried with us along the way.

One of the many more paths to explore.

For now, we have so much to appreciate; having air-con and WiFi; a clean and safe environment; healthy meals prepared for us; and above all, the companionship of one another as we work our way through this most unusual time in our lives.

From a distance, we thought these were flowers when in fact, they were colorful leaves.

May all of us, regardless of these challenging circumstances, find comfort in taking a few minutes each day to appreciate what we do have, as opposed to what we don’t. With that in mind, we’ll all make it through this trying time with grace and dignity. Stay safe.

Photo from one year ago today, July 4, 2019:

Bay view on a sunny morning in Connemara. For more details. Please click here.

Four years ago in Singapore…Escaping each other in a small space?…

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The Chinatown Point mall in Singapore contained more restaurants than apparel shops.

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Today’s photos are from July 3, 2016, while in Singapore. See the link here for more details.

We’d traveled to Singapore for one week at the end of June 2016 with a plan to apply for visas for upcoming trips, which, for us, required in-person applications at the two embassies, including Thailand and Vietnam.
Most food items contain starches, sugar, and grains.

We’d hoped to apply for an Indonesian visa while in Singapore. Still, since the Thailand and Vietnam embassies required that we leave our documents with them for a few days, we ran out of time, ultimately figuring out the Indonesia extension once we arrived in Bali, which later worked fine.

Our upcoming Mekong River cruise was fast approaching making the Vietnam visa most important, followed by Thailand, where we planned to stay for 40 nights following the river cruise. 

As it turned out, everything went as planned. We had the two most urgent visas in hand one week later by the time we left Singapore. We could have applied for the visas online, but we’d have had to send our passports to the embassies via snail mail. 

Of course, we stopped to eyeball the sweets. Tom didn’t buy a thing. He’s always looking for donuts which few countries outside the US offer.

When we first began traveling, we committed never to mail our passports to any visa service or embassy outside the US. If they were lost in the mail, we’d be in big trouble in a foreign country without our passports.

Subsequently, we had no choice but to go to Singapore, the country closest to Vietnam where we were headed next, knowing we’d enjoy the ultra-clean and safe country while handling the visa applications. 

We stayed in a lovely boutique hotel in the center of downtown, close to restaurants and Chinatown, and each day we were able to get out and walk to check out the local flavor and restaurants. Taxis were reasonably priced and reliable, making getting around easy and pleasant.

The displays with menu options are meant to whet the appetite.

We’d been to Singapore once before, earlier in 2016, when we disembarked a cruise to catch our flight to Bali. At that time, we were rushing and couldn’t explore. The one week we spent in June/July was ideal for sightseeing in the unique country.

Although we enjoyed our week there, we weren’t interested in returning for a more extended stay. Most of the country’s holiday homes consisted of high-rise buildings and apartments, which weren’t then, and aren’t now our ideal holiday/vacation home environment.

In May 2013, in Dubai, UAE, on another occasion, we experienced condo/ apartment-living in a high-rise building on the 47th floor (of 87 floors). Again, this is not an ideal scenario for our tastes. See our photos here.

There were several appealing sit-down restaurants in Chinatown Point.

Over the years, at times, we’ve had no choice but to stay in condos when our options were limited based on availability and pricing. Preferably, as has been the case in the majority of situations in the past, we’ve stayed in houses.

I assure you, once we can leave Mumbai in many months to come, regardless of where we may go, we’d prefer a private house over other possible options. We’re longing for space!

Yesterday, when we disagreed about a tiny thing, I said, “I’ll go into the other room until you cool off.” Since I don’t like to argue and prefer to avoid confrontations, I’ve always used this tactic in the past as a simple means of avoiding a heated altercation. 

Food, food, food, everywhere in Chinatown Point. Neither of us was hungry, so we decided to wait until dinner.

We both laughed out loud when we both realized there was no other room for my usual escape. This returned us both to a positive state of mind when we could laugh over our peculiar situation, living in one room, 323 square feet, 30 square meters (including bathroom, closet, and hallway) for over 100 days so far.

It’s no wonder we both make an effort to get along so well! Over the years, we’ve stayed in small cabins on cruise ships and, most recently, a train with a considerably smaller space. Fortunately, we spent little time in the cabin during those periods other than to sleep, shower, and dress.

Many dishes are prepared with noodles which I don’t eat.

Again, the hotel is entire. We noticed the rates for this hotel have increased by almost IND 747, US $10 a night, since we’d booked for July a week ago. From now on, we’ll check prices daily to see if we can again get the lowest possible prices for August. We’re accumulating lots of “free nights” through our Hotels.com rewards program (using the link on our site) and will use them soon.

Have a safe and fruitful day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 3, 2019:

While in Connemara, Ireland, one year ago, we learned how to recognize authentic scallops with the orange roe connection piece, which in itself is delicious! In markets and restaurants, “fake” scallops are often served that are “plugs” from other types of fish. For more, please click here.

A year ago post…”Knowing and the not knowing.”…Our views then and our views now…

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What a pose! What was she thinking? Female feathers are brown, while males are black.

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Today’s photos are from July 2, 2018, in Marloth Park, Mpumalanga, South Africa. See the link here for more details.
It was a treat to see multiple wildebeests visiting the garden at night.
Ironically, one year ago, we wrote the following, taken directly from the post here on July 2, 2019:

“After all the excitement over the past week by finalizing several bookings for the upcoming year, we’ve now settled back into our day-to-day lives. The itinerary is almost filled in with only a few gaps for hotel stays.  

Not only has it been exciting for us, but it’s also been an enormous relief. Not knowing where we’ll be in six months is daunting, especially as I continue to recover from open-heart surgery.

After all these years, that is one of the essential aspects of world travel, knowing where we’ll be a year from now and perhaps the following year. This fact has been instrumental in our booking so far out over the past almost seven years.

Without a home, apartment, condo, or place we can go to repack and regroup, this process must be completed amid our travels. This could be unsettling for many.

Now, with experience, we’ve found if we know where we’ll be in a year is all we need to feel comfortable. However, we both acknowledge that most likely we’ll never be in a position to land in a new country without reservations. If we’d did, we’d figure it out and not panic.”

Elephant viewing from the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park.

Funny, isn’t it? And now, not knowing where we’ll be in a week, a month, let alone a year. Next time, down the road, when we broach this topic we’ll undoubtedly look at it in a different light.

While on cruises or socializing in any country, we’re often asked, “How far out do you book your travel?”

We always answered, “As far out as it takes for us to feel comfortable, usually about two years.” 

There may be one elephant or 40. However many there may be, we’re always thrilled to see them.

At the beginning of our world travels, we only felt at ease with bookings out as far as those two years. But, as each year passed, we became less stringent about this, generally dropping it to about a year as time moved on while always having some cruises booked into the distant future.

Here we are now, with nary an idea of where we’ll be at any point in the future and oddly, we’re still ok. We aren’t afraid. We aren’t stressed. We aren’t uncomfortable. 

This flock of ostriches is often found in a particular area near the river we often visit when on daily drives. Note the chick on the far left.
Our goal is to stay free of the virus and to be able to stay in a country where we can resume somewhat of everyday life, in a house with a view, with a kitchen, cooking our meals, doing laundry, going out sightseeing, and sitting outdoors on a veranda. 
 
We may not be able to visit crowded venues, but we’d always avoided typically crowded tourist hotspots. However, we’ve loved the opportunity to take a drive to find fascinating scenery, wildlife, and nature, all the while taking photos to share with all of you here. 
Tom was feeding kudu girls and boys from the veranda. 

I can’t wait to be taking photos again, even imagining that first trip to a grocery store to stock up, with a camera in hand. Most likely, our first photos will be of a new holiday home, its view and immediate surroundings, and a trip to the market to revel over the food options…hmm…even some beef will be a treat.

At this point, we haven’t been inside a grocery store in six months! We haven’t cooked a meal in six months! We haven’t had a chunk of quality cheddar cheese or a handful of nuts when we’ve been hankering for a midday or evening snack! 

Wildebeest Willie ate a few pellets, looked at us, and was on his way, the other following close behind.

And, at this point, we haven’t had a glass of wine or a cocktail in 100 days! Wow! I’ll certainly take a photo of that first glass of wine, that first homemade meal, and that little plate of imported cheese to savor as a treat. 
We’d love a side salad, an olive, a pickle, natural cream in French press coffee. Yesterday, while we watched an Irish cop series, Red Rock, Tom had to wipe the drool off his chin when he saw a plate of donuts.

A group of kudus is a “forkl” with females and males are together in a family unit, also referred to as a “harem.”

It’s all different now, one year later, the knowing and the not knowing, and most of all, the profound uncertainty of the future. May we all stay safe.

Photo from one year ago today, July 2, 2019:

Whenever the sky is mostly clear, we look forward to the sunsets. For more details, please click here.