Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride…A leopard in the palace…

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The locals are doing their laundry in Lake Pichola, but no laundry soap is allowed. Nor are fishing and private boats permitted on the lake.

It would be possible to upload 20 posts with the information and photos available after yesterday’s fantastic tour in Udaipur, India. We visited places, rode in wild congested traffic in fast, expertly driven tuk-tuks (two motorized passenger rickshaws) to get Shiv Niwas Palace to dine in a fabulous nearby restaurant with exceptional food and service.

A structure on the grounds of Shiv Niwas Palace also known as the City Palace.

But before going further, we must provide an overview of what transpired yesterday to explain a change in the arranged itinerary (through the Maharajas Express train).

Tom listened to our tour guide and provided headsets with the five-star Taj Lake Palace in the background.

After a lovely breakfast on the train by 10:00 am, we wandered to our company-owned, assigned bus #2, of two, that follows the route of the train always to be available for passenger tours to various arranged venues from the several train stations where we stop along the route from Mumbai to Delhi.

The Maharajas Express provided us with many gifts, including scarves and hats.

In air-conditioned comfort in the luxury buses, the ride to the first venue of the day in Udaipur was pleasant and uneventful. We pulled into the guarded gates of the City Palace, also known as Shiv Niwas Palace. We headed to a veranda overlooking the famous artificial (1362) Lake Pichola for photo-taking and detailed storytelling by our guide.

Side view of the City Palace as our boat wafted past.

We’re posting several of those photos today with more following as time allows. About 40 minutes later, the 70 train passengers boarded a flat bottomed boat wearing mandatory life jackets for what proved to be about an hour-long boat tour of Lake Pichola.

Descendants of royalty still live in the Shiv Niwas Palace 

When the first segment of the boat ride ended, our guide explained the much-anticipated lunch venue in the City Palace would have to be moved to another restaurant. The reason?

The palace began being built in 1559 and is always under construction and renovation yet today.

A leopard had entered the palace overnight and had been seen in an area close to the original restaurant in an area that had been cordoned off to protect visitors as well as the leopard.

In recent times, the lake was bone dry during periods of little rain, as shown by watermarks.

Rangers had been called with hopes of tranquilizing and relocating the leopard back to the nearby mountain from whence it had come. Unfortunately, we never had an opportunity to see the leopard, nor did we hear if they had been safely relocated.

A shrine was built between the walls of the palace.

Subsequently, very last minute, the lunch venue was changed to another restaurant on the opposite side of the palace, which was way too far to walk, nor would buses be able to maneuver in the congested, traffic-laden area.

Lake Pichola was man-made in 1362.

After the boat ride, we all meandered to a nearby street within the confines of the palace to be driven by tuk-tuks for what ultimately proved to be an adventurous, heart-pounding 20-minute ride through the worst traffic one can imagine.

As is tradition, a bride and groom have photos taken before their wedding.

My favorite ride as a kid was Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, most like long gone from the park but memorable for those of us who remember this ride. Nonetheless, it was the wild ride of our lives. We both giggled over the excitement of it all, which reminded me of my childhood living in California and visiting Disneyland quite often.

Another stunning palace overlooking the lake.

The sights, the sounds, and the smells as we whipped through the city streets were a senses overload. The cows wandering through the streets, the smile on the faces of the adorable children as they waved to us, the shops, the street food, the endless array of motorbikes, the tiny tuk-tuk type trucks, and the people, all was a part of this glorious experience.

Jag Mandir Palace.

Tom couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as our driver rapidly darted in and out of traffic and tight spaces, unlike any ride we’ve ever experienced. We felt like little kids having the time of our lives.

We spotted a few green parrots on the grounds of Jag Mandir.

The lunch as the fantastic restaurant was an indescribable buffet of Indian foods like none other with many items I could eat. The head chef walked me through the buffet line, pointing to the safe things for my way of eating. Once back at our table of eight, I was in pure heaven eating the spicy and flavorful foods.

The tuk-tuks were lined up and ready to take us to the opposite side of the palace, which required a 20-minute wild ride through narrow streets and outrageous traffic.

On the other hand, Tom only had a few bites, claiming he was saving room for another great dinner on the train. But I knew him better. He politely tasted a few items, but these spicy items were not his “cup of tea.”

A cow and her calf were scavaging for food on the city street.

And, later on, we did have a fabulous dinner with Chef John Stone, preparing yet another memorable meal for me, often stopping at our table, hands pressed together in a gracious Hindu bow, seeking the knowledge that I was pleased.  I was.

Colorful shops lined the streets, many offering a variety of textiles and Pashmina scarves.

Tom even ate lamb last night, the first time I’d ever seen him do so, finishing every last bite. This morning I only had a bowl of plain yogurt since I was still full from yesterday’s eating frenzy.

Busy streets on which we scooted through traffic.

Tomorrow’s post will share some historical facts about the palaces and the fort we visited. There isn’t enough time to go through all of that today since soon lunch will be served, after which we’re heading out on another extensive tour which will include “dinner on the town.”

We were awaiting the name of the restaurant where we dined on delicious Indian food. We’ll add it later.

Need I say? Yep, we’re enjoying every moment of this marvelous adventure, and, undoubtedly, we’re loving India. We’ll be back with more…

Be well

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

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A hippo and a cattle egret have symbiosis in their relationship. For more photos, please click here.

Humm…Post or nap…Guess what I chose?…

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Both of us were excited to be on our way to the palace and Lake Pichola in Udaipur.

Udaipur, also spelled Udaypur, is a city in southern Rajasthan state, located in northwestern India was one of the fascinating cities we were anxious to explore after doing some research on the country many months ago.

Today, the Maharajas Express train made its way to the Udaipur train station. We disembarked to make our way to one of two comfortable air-conditioned buses owned by the train company to be transported to Lake Pichola, where a fantastic day of sightseeing and dining ensued.
 
We returned to the train close to 4:00 pm, and I was faced with a difficulty, either rush through the hundreds of photos we’d taken to get somewhat of a post uploaded before the 6:00 pm happy hour or take a much-needed nap.
 
Sorry folks. I chose the nap. It’s now 5:40 pm, and we must get dressed for the evening of lively conversations, food, and wine with some of the beautiful people we’ve met in the past 30 hours.
 
Tomorrow after breakfast will be a  perfect time to put everything we’ve discovered, sort through the photos, and share the wonders we experienced on this rich and fulfilling day. 
 
Please check back for some gorgeous surprises.  Need I say, we adore India, just like we thought.
 
Have a lovely day/evening. We’ll see you soon!

We’re on the Maharajas Express train speeding through the countryside of India…

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One of the two dining cars.

Note: We had many more photos we’d intended to post today, but the WiFi signal is too weak to upload more today. We’ll save all of our photos and upload them later when hopefully, the connection improves.

The magic of our non-stop global travels that sustains us through all the challenges, that never cease to amaze us as we traverse the world.

Here we are, today, on February 2, 2020, the whimsical day when reversing the date is 2020,02,02, and we’re traversing the countryside in India on a fast-moving luxury train.

An interesting vegetarian dish was served at lunch.

Comparable to the Orient Express, the Maharajas Express has every imaginable amenity and is known throughout the world as one of the finest coach experiences available to the most discriminating travelers.

Pinch me. Is this real? How many times have I said this in this past seven years of world travel? More than I can count. But this experience, along with others, leaves us breathless, grateful, and in awe.

Our cabin isn’t much larger than the queen-sized bed, but we’re excellent, especially having our en suite bathroom.

There are approximately 70 passengers on board with a crew close to 100, with each cabin assigned a butler who’s available 24 hours a day to fulfill each passenger’s every need and whim. Nothing is spared. Service is impeccable. Design is tasteful and commensurate with Indian culture and customs. 

And India…the country where so many warned us about the water, food, pollution, and crime rate…we see beyond all of this. We embrace its culture, people, and colorful existence entrenched in the Hindu beliefs of peacefulness, calm, and harmony.

We saved these two chairs at our table for a lovely couple from Scotland we’d met earlier in the day. The four of us had a delightful lunch together.

The sacred cows, the exquisite temples, the powerful beliefs of its people leave us hungering for knowledge and experience, which surely over these next two months, we’ll capture every day in photos, stories, and rich experiences we can’t wait to share with all of you.

Leave your preconceived notions at the door and enter this magical world with us as we scour the country, hungry to learn, anxious to grow, and eager to embrace this heart-pounding adventure, like none other in our recent past.

As we’re situated in our tiny cabin with en suite bathroom, with a surprisingly decent Wi-Fi signal, while jiggling from the harmonic role of the cars meandering over the tracks, I’m practically lulled to sleep by the sensations.

Locals on a passing train.

Having worked on the railroad for over 42 years, Tom only knows this sensation too well, hardly giving it a thought. For me, the novice, I’m enraptured by it all. But the opportunity to share this adventure is indescribable and undoubtedly awe-inspiring.

After a fabulous lunch in one of the two dining cars, with a visit from the head chef, John Stone, an Indian man of excellent knowledge of food and catering, we’re confident he will compose meals for me befitting my strict dietary guidelines. 

As we passed a local train…

He didn’t waste a moment appearing at our table with a sincere goal to provide attention and enthusiastic support in preparing delicious and suitable meals for me. We were both impressed as my first meal proved to be exactly as prescribed. I’m content and at ease.

Over these next six nights and seven days, we’ll continue to post, as long as WiFi remains consistent enough to do so, sharing every last detail of this particular time in our world travels.

Please check back. There’s so much more to come.

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

Many refer to impalas as “McDonald’s “due to the big “M” on their backside and…how they provide ample meals for the big cats. For more photos, please click here.

Arrival in India…Long travel day…We survived with flying colors!…New month…New life…

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Typical scene on a busy street in Mumbai.

It’s nice. The hotel, the service, the views of the Arabian Sea, and the smell of fresh flowers everywhere are breathtaking. As most of our long-term readers are well aware, this isn’t how we usually travel.

We often live among the locals, frequenting their shops, cooking with their local ingredients, and dining in their favorite restaurants while living in pretty remote locations. 
An endless array of shops littered the sidewalks.

Although we will visit many remote locations while in India, we anticipate seeing life in this unique and highly cultural country. 

However, we’ll exist in relative comfort and luxury both while on the upcoming train, the Maharajahs Express, which we’ll board tomorrow, and the subsequent hotels and restaurants where we’ll stay and dine in the next two months, all four and five stars.

Despite living finely during our travels in India, doing so won’t necessarily provide us with the perspective we strive to attain. Instead, we’ll be observers rather than the usual participants. 
In many countries, these little vehicles for hire referred to as tuk-tuks, are known as rickshaws here in India.

We can live with this since the path we’ve chosen will be safer and more convenient during this leg of our worldwide journey, blissfully continuing after somewhat of a hiatus as I recovered from cardiac bypass surgery.

The 33-hour travel day was an actual test of my newly found endurance. I managed well, sleeping a little on the two-night flights while we both entertained ourselves well during the over eight-hour layover in London Heathrow Airport.
Rickshaws are ready and waiting for weary passengers.

During the second flight from London to Mumbai, I sat next to a lovely woman born in India, now living in London. She was on her way to visit friends and family. Daisy’s intellect and usual dry British-influenced sense of humor made the last flight more tolerable.

We flew on British Airways on both flights. The first was on a newer plane with many fine amenities, although we’d booked economy class. The second flight was on an older plane with an outdated video screen, no USB pugs-in for digital equipment and poorly tasting food. But, at least we were fed a few times during our over 20 hours of flight time.
This red car, which delivered the bride, was decorated with fresh flowers.

Yes, we were exhausted, but we both made a point of doing everything we could to keep our blood flowing; walking about the cabin every few hours, wearing compression stockings, drinking plenty of fluids, and sleeping whenever possible amid the crying babies and toddlers. 

As meticulously planned by our travel agent Rajiv, a rep and a driver were awaiting us at the massive and beautiful Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport exit holding up a sign with our names on it, 

Yesterday afternoon, the hotel was prepping for a wedding held last night. We were able to watch the festivities from our hotel room window. It was a gorgeous and colorful Indian wedding, a sight to behold.

Immigration went smoothly. Tom had to have his fingerprints taken while I did not. The officer explained, “Visitors of your advance age do not have to leave their fingerprints.” Oh.

The drive from the airport to the hotel was not nearly as hectic as we’d anticipated. It certainly wasn’t any busier than Hanoi, Vietnam, Bangkok, Thailand, or Denpasar, Bali. There were many close calls, honking, and motorbikes darting in and out of traffic, but this was normal for us to see, and we weren’t taken aback or shocked by this, as some travelers may have been.

During the wedding ceremony…

Last night, in an attempt to avert jet lag, we didn’t eat dinner. To us, it was night, and neither of us was hungry. Instead, we went to bed early (after a short afternoon nap and shower). Although we both awoke several times during the night, overall, we both slept well. This morning we were refreshed and ready to continue.

The included breakfast in the hotel was delicious with many Indian favorites, some of which I tried when the chef explained what I could and couldn’t eat. They had the best-tasting spiciest chicken I’d ever had, along with chicken sausages and streaky bacon. Tom had two eggs Benedict (minus the sauce) and bacon. He was content.

We zoomed in for a better view of the wedding nuptials.

Now, as we wait for our room to be cleaned, we’re sitting in the lounge in the lobby. Once our room is cleaned, we’ll go through all of our stuff to decide how we can lighten our load sufficiently to comply with weight restrictions for the four upcoming domestic flights ahead of us during the 55-night private tour,

Tomorrow at 8:00 am, we’ll be transported from our hotel to a luxury hotel palace where the group of passengers for the upcoming Maharajas Express will meet for an introduction as to what’s ahead for our week-long train journey.

Most likely, tomorrow, I will upload a short post with some photos of the train and our cabin and begin the wonders of sharing the many wonders we’ll experience along the way.

Please check back. We can’t wait to share all of this with our readers/friends.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 1, 2019:

This gentle little soul is “Little’s Friend.” He stops by each day without Little to see what’s going on. He’s easy to spot with his extra tiny tusks, much smaller than Little’s from which he derived his name. For more photos, please click here.

We’ve arrived in Mumbai…33 hours from airport to airport…

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View from our hotel room in Mumbai, overlooking the Arabian Sea.

We arrived at our hotel, Sun-n-Sand, overlooking Juhu Beach on the Arabian Sea, and we couldn’t be more pleased. But, more on our trip tomorrow when we’re coherent enough to write a post.

A few-hour nap, a nice dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, followed by a good night’s sleep, and we’ll be good to go.

See you soon with the “rest of the story.”

Sweet dreams.

We’re at London Heathrow Airport after 10 hour red eye…Wow! Time zone difference from Phoenix to Mumbai is outrageous!!!…

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Four years ago, in 2016, we spent three months in New Plymouth, New Zealand, living on an alpaca farm. In the early evening, a group of the babies got together to play, running through the paddock, making us laugh over their playful antics. For more photos, please click here.

If shopping is your thing, Heathrow Airport would be heavenly for the shopping/spending enthusiast. Fortunately, that’s not us. We breezed by the designer shops without giving any thought of looking around, even if it may help us kill a portion of the eight-hour layover in between flights.

Now, while sitting in a restaurant called Wetherspoon, we’re reminded of modern technology. No servers attend to our table other than to deliver food and drinks. Instead, we place our food and beverage orders on an app on our phones which requires a download and registration, placing our orders in the online cart, and paying using a credit card or other payment app.

There were no special orders features to specify. I didn’t want croutons on my salad and the dressing on the side. Instead, I flagged down a server, instructing her to our order specifications. Tom ordered eggs, Benedict, without the sauce, and yet both of our orders arrived 10 minutes later without our specifications.

We set both orders back to be redone. Once we leave here, I’ll remove the app. I doubt we’ll attend a restaurant like this while we’re in England in a little over three months.

Perhaps, we’re foolish and old-fashioned to prefer a live server, taking our orders when in what appears to be a mid-range establishment. If it were a fast-food spot, we’d get it. But this is the first time we’ve encountered this scenario in all of our years of world travel.

I suppose this will be the wave of the future. No humans, only machines. However, on the British Airways flight from Phoenix, Arizona to Heathrow, we experienced exceptional service. 

The plane wasn’t entire, and I wandered about looking for three empty seats in a row for the possibility of laying down to get some sleep during the 10-hour overnight flight.

A kindly male flight attendant said, “No worries. I’ll arrange this for you.”

Moments later, he found me and escorted me to an empty row of three seats. He’d swapped out my existing aisle seat for a man sitting in a middle seat, enabling me to have an entire row to myself. Tom was left several rows behind me as opposed to us being across the aisle from me.

The three seats didn’t allow for comfortable sleeping with the seat belts jabbing in my side and back, but after grabbing some of the plane’s little pillows to cover them, I was able to get comfortable enough to sleep for about three hours. 

Tom said he’d slept a total of 40 minutes, not enough to ease the nagging discomforts of lack of sleep more prevalent at this age than ever before in our lives. He’s exhausted, and I’m not far behind him. The three hours of fitful sleep left me weary, especially now, and I am nodding off from time to time.\

We’d accidentally left our converters to be used with our adapters in the checked bags, and now, when the battery dies on my laptop, I’ll be out of luck. The clock is ticking down as I type fast and furiously. 

Had I known how well Tom’s old laptop would work once I reformatted it, I’d have ordered a new battery. Too late now. His new Chromebook should last all day, as he sits there busying himself to divert his attention from being so tired.

But, this is temporary. In another four hours or so, we’ll be boarding the final leg of this long journey and be able to rest a little better than sitting on a hard chair in a restaurant. 

In another 15 hours, we’ll arrive in Mumbai, and surely the excitement of being in this crazy busy city will get our adrenaline flowing. Upon arrival, we will
immediately attempt to adapt to the time zone by eating and sleeping at times consistent with our location. We’ve found doing so helps us to avoid jet lag.See this:
“Phoenix is behind Mumbai by 12 hours 30 minutes.”

This is halfway around the world. This will be the most significant time zone difference we’ll have experienced in over seven years. We’ll keep you updated as to how this goes.

As my battery dwindles, I need to wrap this up. Hopefully, we have time to check for typos. We’ll likely miss a few in our sorry states of being.

We’ll be back in 24 hours or so with more, at which point we’ll be settled in our hotel and have had a bit of rest.


Photo from one year ago today, January 30, 2019:

The littlest one followed the adults as they were on their way out of the Crocodile River next to Marloth Park. Take care, dear readers. For more, please click here.

Final expenses for 82 days in the USA!…We’re off for India today!…

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At lunch, that day, two years ago, one of the chefs on our Antarctica cruise, on Ponant Le’Boreal, was preparing a beef and vegetable stir-fry outdoors. We all partook of the delicious offering but decided to dine indoors. It was a little too cold to eat outside for our liking. For more photos, please click here.

Last night, we played our final round of buck euchre with Gene and Eugene. As always, it was pretty enjoyable. Tom and I speculated over how fun it would be to find players in our future travels.

However, that’s highly unlikely. That particular card game is popular in the Midwest and is seldom played in other parts of the world. When we return to the US in about two years, we’ll play cards again with his family.

Tom’s sisters and brothers-in-law only spend their winters in Apache Junction, Arizona, and Minnesota’s balance of the year. Most likely, next time we visit Minnesota, it won’t be during the cold winter months, and we’ll see his family and our kids and grandchildren in Minnesota, once again.

This morning, as I sit here preparing today’s post, I’m feeling at ease. Most of our packing is complete, and all I have left to do is restock my 28-day pill case and empty the food in the refrigerator. 

We’re bringing all the remaining non-perishables and perishables over to the sisters to see if they can use anything. If not, their friend Margie (another Margie) will bring everything to the local Food Shelf where she volunteers. 

We’ve weighed all of our bags except for the supplies bag, which is always questionable in meeting the weight restrictions, in this case, 50 pounds (23 kg) per bag.

Assuming we won’t have easy access to a pharmacy for toiletries, I’ve had to pack enough to last for three months; two months in India and 29-days on the following cruise from Mumbai to London. Once we arrive in the UK, and then Europe, we’ll easily find the products we use.

Last night’s six hours of sleep was filled with crazy dreams and frequent periods of wakefulness. Tom experienced the same. But this morning, upon awakening, I felt fine and ready to tackle the remaining tasks for the day.

Our new friend, Jodi, kindly volunteered to take us to the airport. This is so appreciated, especially since we must leave during rush hour at 5:30 pm. With the traffic, we should arrive by 6:15 pm with our first flight departing at 8:40 PM.

We’ll fly all night for 10 hours, and as mentioned, we’ll spend 8 of the daytime hours at busy Heathrow Airport. We’ll attempt to find a place to plug in our equipment and busy ourselves online.

Here are our combined final expenses for our 82 days in the USA, beginning on November 8, 2019 and ending today:

Final Expenses USA  US Dollar 
Vacation Home  AZ   $ 3,626.00
Gifts & Misc.   $    325.00
Airfare    $    872.00
Rental Car  $    996.78
Groceries  $ 4,100.32
Dining Out   $ 2,082.00
Supplies & Pharmacy   $ 1,674.05
Total Cost (82 days)   $13,675.83
Average Daily Cost (82 days)   $    166.78

We did not include the cost of new digital equipment and clothing, but we did have the cost of supplies we purchased for the next three months.

Also, we paid no rent while staying with friends Karen and Rich for three weeks in Minnesota, nor did we pay rent during the 11 nights we spent with son Richard in Nevada. Of course, we hosted several dinners out in sincere thanks for their hospitality.

Here in Arizona, we paid the rent as mentioned above from 12/09/2019 to 1/31/2020. The property manager gave us a discount to compensate for our early departure, today on January 29th.

Most likely, we’ll upload a post tomorrow during our 8-hour layover, providing we have access to wifi and a place to plug in our equipment. If not, sit tight. As soon as we get settled in the hotel in a few days, we’ll prepare a new post.

Thanks for all the warm wishes from many of our loyal readers/friends. We so appreciate your kindness and words of encouragement.

We’ll be back at you soon! Take care and be well!

Photos from one year ago today, January 29, 2019:

We could only guess why this particular lioness hadn’t been hunting and eating. For more photos, please click here.

It’s all good…Releasing apprehension…

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Two years ago today, this elephant seal on Steeple Jason Island didn’t care for our photo-taking antics. For more photos, please click here.
This trip to India will be my first foray into testing my “new normal” after having open heart surgery almost one year ago on February 12, 2019. Of course, there’s a little apprehension about the prospect of the long upcoming flights and the busy days in India where we’ll be on a guided tour for 55 days, doing something new and different every day.
The past year was spent with considerable downtime, allowing me to heal at my own pace, rarely feeling rushed or imposed upon with responsibilities and obligations I couldn’t easily handle.
Now that we’re facing a very long flight of almost 30 hours, this time in coach, not business class, which includes an 8-hour layover and two overnight flights on either end, no doubt, I am a little apprehensive.
Neither of us can sleep sitting up. Sure, once in a while, we nod off while watching a show, perhaps dozing for five or ten minutes at most. Also, the seats on a plane aren’t nearly as comfortable as a recliner or sofa in any of our past vacation/holiday homes.
Oddly, this flight includes two overnight flights. That transpires due to the fact of the various time changes and the 8-hour daytime layover in London. I’m not looking forward to it. Then again, neither of us ever looks forward to flying, mainly due to layovers, lots of waiting, and uncomfortable seating.
As for the priority lounge, we’ve decided to check them out once we arrive at Heathrow Airport. We’ve been reading varying reviews on these lounges and feel it’s essential to see what they’re like before spending the extra fees, some of which are close to $200 for the two of us. We shall see.
As for today, we’ll slow down the socializing, although this afternoon, after we’ve done the laundry and packed what we’re keeping into our respective suitcases, we’re meeting up with Eugene and Gene for one final round of buck euchre.
After playing cards, we’ll head back to our place to have dinner and do any last-minute packing. Although we don’t have to leave for the airport until late afternoon on Wednesday, we’d like to have almost everything handled by the end of today, leaving us free for a few last-minute tasks such as returning the furniture to its original positions tidying up the park model.
Tomorrow, we’ll post the final expenses for our 82 days in Minnesota, Nevada, and Arizona in the US, which began on November 8, 2019, and ended on January 29, 2020. I’ve already put together all of the numbers but didn’t include the cost for new clothing and digital equipment we’d purchased while here.
Regardless of a smidgen of apprehension, I’m mentally and physically prepared for the challenge ahead, as is Tom. Once we are settled into our hotel in Mumbai we’ll be greatly relieved to have this long journey behind us. From there, it should be pure pleasure, and we’ll share every moment.
Happy day and evening to all!
Photo from one year ago today, January 27, 2019:
This was an exciting sighting for us, the elusive Nyala which we’d never seen during this past year in South Africa.  From this site:  The handsome slate-brow marked with white vertical stripes and spots on the flanks. Rams appear more charcoal-gray in colo from this site. The rams have long inward curved horns 650 mm (26 inches) and a white chevron on their face. They have a ridge of long hairs along the underparts, from behind the chin to between the hind legs, they also have a mane of thick, black hair from the head along the spine to the rump. Rams weigh 115 kg (254 pounds) and measure 1.05 m (41 inches) at the shoulders. Ewes are much smaller and do not have horns, and weigh 59 kg (130 pounds) and stand 900 mm (35 inches) at the shoulders. Ewes are chestnut-coated with even more prominent white stripes on the flanks. For more photos, please click here.
 

The flurry of activity has begun…2 days and counting…Not freaking out about Coronavirus…

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Two years ago today, we wrote: “This is unreal…the Black Browed Albatross on Steeple Jason Island, remove tall grass from these massive “pod-like” structures, adding mud and vegetation to make it a freestanding pod on which they can nest. Here’s a young chick making a little noise while atop their elevated nest.  That’s amazing!” See the post here.

This morning I headed out to Safeway one last time for a few grocery items to fill in the blanks over the next few days. I received a $10 credit on the things I purchased from using up my rewards points. Tonight, we’ll eat breakfast again for dinner to use the remaining bacon and eggs we have on hand.

Tomorrow morning, we’ll do the laundry and finish packing our clothing bags and weigh them. We’re allowed two checked bags each, weighing a maximum of 50 pounds (23 kg) each. This should work fine for both of us.

We removed the duffel bag in Minnesota and replaced it with a good quality wheeling carry-on-sized bag. We’ll pack our heavy jeans and coats in this bag. Here’s what we currently have for luggage, including carry-on bags:

1. Tom’s clothing: 50 pounds
2. Jess clothing: 50 pounds
3. Small carry-on bag: 40 pounds (we’ll check this)
4. Carry-on backpack computer bag: 20
5. Carry-on bag (doubles as a handbag): 15 pounds
6. Carry-on yellow Costco bag which holds medications and prescriptions, my small pillow and blanket: 15 pounds 

We’ve tried to reduce this load, but after these seven-plus years of world travel, we don’t see how we can narrow this down any further as hard as we’ve tried. Thus, we’ll continue as always.

As mentioned in an earlier post, while in the hotel in Mumbai for two nights, we’ll reduce our load to eliminate some weight and leave a bag behind at the hotel for two months.

Then, besides packing, we’re thinking a little about the Coronavirus but not as much as some may. There have been only a few cases so far in India, and they’ve been testing all arriving passenger’s temperatures at all major airports. So far, they’ve sent 12 passengers back to China, refusing them entry. Hopefully, this diligence continues.

This morning I purchased more wipes, not only for our hands but also for surfaces that we’ll wipe down wherever we go, including the armrests and tray tables on both planes and all characters in our hotel room, including phone, remote, door handles, etc.

Today, our 100 disposable face masks will arrive from Amazon. I had a hard time finding these online, including at the Amazon site. We’d seen a news report in China where people were lined, hundreds deep, at a pharmacy hoping to be able to purchase face masks when they were almost sold out.

We’re taking every precaution we can, and we are striving to be sensible and practical. However, if we’d had plans to visit China at this time, I am certain we would have felt it necessary to change our plans.

Last night, we hosted a happy hour for our neighbors and Tom’s family. We gathered around the outdoor table and enjoyed a few hours of lively conversation, snacks and drinks.

Worrying is pointless; precautions make sense. We continue with hope in our hearts that all will be well. 

Have a meaningful Monday!

Photo from one year ago today, January 27, 2019:

This was one of the youngest kudus we’ve seen this season. For more photos, please click here.

Moving right along…3 days and counting…

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In Kauai, Hawaii, on this date in 2015, our friend Richard, who sadly has since passed away, sat behind the impressive magistrate’s desk, gave us a feeling as to how it would have been to visit his office in St. Louis, Missouri might have been, before he and wife Elaine moved to Kauai. For more, please click here.
It was another enjoyable day spent with family and friends. Friend Jodi had made dinner at her home hauling everything over to Colleen and Margie’s home (whose backyards are adjacent), leaving only the pork chops for Kevin to cook on the gas grill.


The weather was ideal at a high of 74F (23C) inspiring all of us to spend the majority of the day outdoors in the much-appreciated warmth and brilliant sunshine.


We didn’t play cards since visiting sister, Rita doesn’t play and we wanted to spend time with her, not distracted by our card games. We arrived at 2:30 pm and by 9:30 pm I wandered back to our place, leaving Tom time to chat with his sisters.


With us leaving in a mere three days, each moment spent is worthwhile. Upon his return to our place at midnight, Tom knocked on the door for me to let him in. With only one set of keys, I’ve had to let him in each time he’s returned late at night after visiting with the family and playing cards.


The dinner was fantastic with marinated pork chops (we brought our own, our last package of meat to ensure I wouldn’t be eating any sugary marinade). Jodi made green beans, roasted potatoes, salad, and garlic bread.


Everyone dined outside except Tom and I. There’s a huge bush in the yard that is filled with bees. Since Tom and I are both allergic to bees and bees are attracted to food, he and I chose to eat dinner in Colleen’s dining room. 


Once everyone ate, we headed back outdoors and all of us stayed outside until well after dark bundled up in jackets, hoodies, and blankets. At around 5:30, Tom, Eugene, and Kevin headed to the Phoenix airport to drop Kevin off for his upcoming flight, returning 90 minutes later.


We are officially out of meat in the freezer. Tonight, we’ll have omelets with mushrooms, onions, and grated cheese with sausage and bacon on the side possibly repeated a similar meal tomorrow. 


Today, we’ll load the supplies suitcase onto the dining table while I decide what items we’ll pack and ship back to the mailing service to hold for us for our next shipment, along with some warm weather clothing we won’t need over the next several months.


Later this afternoon, we’re planning on happy hour with our friendly neighbors, Linda and Fred, and then, will have a quiet evening at “home” having dinner and perhaps streaming a few shows.


We’re excited about commencing the next leg of our journey, looking forward to two months in India. Of course, we’re not looking forward to the almost 30-hour journey to Mumbai, but now, we’re looking into booking a priority lounge for the 8-hour layover hoping there will be a place we can nap for a few hours.


Have a lovely Sunday!
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Photo from one year ago today, January 26, 2019:
“Hot tub by candlelight” with Little lounging in the cement pond on a hot evening in the bush. For more photos, please click here.