What’s the deal with a “REAL ID?”…Can I use a passport instead?…

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The precious Laysan Albatross chicks began to hatch in early February. We visited the site almost daily to savor the exciting events.

A few of our readers have asked about the requirements for US residents to provide a “READ ID” to travel domestically. As a result, the inquiries have prompted us to write about REAL IDs today to help clarify this US requirement.

How to Get a REAL ID

To obtain a REAL ID, follow these steps:

  1. Visit Your State’s DMV Website
    • Each state has slightly different requirements, so check your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website for specific details.
  2. Gather Required Documents (Original or Certified Copies)
    You’ll typically need:
    • Proof of Identity: U.S. passport or birth certificate
    • Social Security Number: SSN card, W-2, or 1099 form
    • Proof of Residency (2 documents): Utility bill, bank statement, lease/mortgage agreement
    • Proof of Name Change (if applicable): Marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order
  3. Go to the DMV in Person
    • REAL IDs cannot be obtained online. You must visit a DMV office in person.
    • Bring all required documents.
    • Pass any necessary tests (vision test, for example).
    • Pay the fee (varies by state, typically $10–$50).
  4. Receive Your REAL ID
    • You’ll get a temporary paper ID immediately. The official REAL ID will be mailed to you within a few weeks.

How to Use a REAL ID

  • Domestic Air Travel (Starting May 7, 2025): Use it to board flights within the U.S.
  • Federal Buildings & Military Bases: Present it for entry where REAL ID is required.
  • Driving: If it’s a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, you can use it just like a regular license.

Alternatives to REAL ID

If you don’t want a REAL ID, you can use:

  • U.S. Passport or Passport Card (Works for domestic & international travel)
  • Military ID
  • DHS Trusted Traveler Cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI)

Is a REAL ID required in countries other than the US?

No, the REAL ID is a U.S.-specific requirement. Other countries do not require or recognize REAL ID for travel.

If you’re traveling outside the U.S., a passport is the primary document you’ll need. Depending on your destination and nationality, some countries may also require a visa.

If you’re driving in another country, you may need:

  • Your U.S. driver’s license (REAL ID or not, depending on the country)
  • An International Driving Permit (IDP) (required in some places)

So, while REAL ID is essential for domestic travel within the U.S., it does not impact international travel.

We won’t be applying for a REAL ID anytime soon since we cannot provide residence verification as mentioned above. We are doing fine using our passports.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 8, 2015:

An early evening from our lanai in Kauai, Hawaii. For more photos, please click here.

Ten Best Luggage Brands, Tested and Reviewed…

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Travel Luggage And Suitcase Illustration - Graphics | Motion ArrayThis morning at Travel and Leisure, I stumbled across a great article about luggage brands, which I decided to share at this link. Over the years of world travel, we’ve had to replace several pieces of luggage, mainly damaged by poor airport handling.

Wheels breaking, rips and dents in exterior components, and excessive wear and tear require us to replace a piece or two every few years. Not only is the expense an issue, but there is also the lack of convenience in where and when to make new purchases.

While in the US, we often go to TJ Maxx stores to purchase reasonably priced brand-name pieces. Many of those pieces last for quite a while. However, the pieces we had to buy in other countries from unknown brands often failed after a few years.

Here’s the article from Travel and Leisure for more information:

(Please click the provided links for individual reviews).

“The 10 Best Luggage Brands, Tested and Reviewed

No matter what size or style you want, these are the best luggage brands to fit your needs. By Theresa Holland

“No matter where you’re going or how often you travel, luggage can make or break your trip. It helps with planning, packing, and staying organized while away — and sometimes determines whether you can bring back souvenirs. There’s a wide variety of checked suitcases, carry-on bags, duffels, weekenders, underseat bags, and backpacks on the market. Beyond that, you’ve got hardside and softside options with various organizational features. Amid what you might call the golden age of luggage, it can be hard to sift through your offerings.

To figure out what brands stand out from the rest, our Travel + Leisure team has tested more than 680 pieces of luggage ranging from compact carry-ons and spacious checked suitcases to duffels, weekenders, garment bags, and other types of travel bags — assessing capacity, maneuverability, durability, and design through a series of tests and simulations. We’ve rolled suitcases through obstacle courses, thrown them off tables, and hit them with baseball bats to see how well they’d perform in different travel scenarios, like amongst rough baggage handlers. We even recreated an airplane set in our New York City lab to lift bags into overhead bins and underneath seats. We continue testing each bag in our real-life travels for a minimum of six months to ensure it stands up to planes, trains, automobiles, and anything else life throws at it.

Our team has tested bags from many different brands, and below, you’ll find our current favorites. We will continue to update this article as we test even more luggage brands and new bags.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Samsonite at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best Overall, Runner-up:

Travelpro at Amazon

Jump to Review

Most Durable:

Briggs & Riley at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best for Staying Organized:

Away at Away Travel

Jump to Review

Most Spacious:

Delsey at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best Design:

Beis at Beis

Jump to Review

Best Splurge:

Tumi at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best Style:

Paravel at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best Colors:

July at July.com

Jump to Review

Best for Smaller Bags:

Calpak at Calpaktravel.com

Jump to Review

Best Overall: Samsonite”

One of our suitcases has a broken wheel, but we’ve decided to use it to get to Marloth Park. Once we return to the US for Maisie’s graduation in June, when we have a rental car, we will purchase the new bag and fill it with supplies we may need to bring back to South Africa.

When we fly out in May, we’ll only bring one large bag to share since we’ll only be in the US for two weeks and can manage with a minimum amount of luggage.

We’re heading out to dinner tonight with my two sons and their girlfriends to an upscale Brazilian Barbecue restaurant in Las Vegas. Of course, we’re looking forward!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 7, 2015:

One of three pools at the Princeville Westin, where we met dear friends Elaine and Richard for lunch. For more photos, please click here.

75F, 24C, warm day in Lake Las Vegas today…

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There are roughly 450,000 feral chickens on Kauai, Hawaii, more than the island’s human population. Chickens are the unofficial mascot of Kauai.

We couldn’t ask for nicer weather today. As always, the sun is shining, and the temperature is fast approaching 75F, 24C, today. It isn’t always this warm in Las Vegas in the winter months when we’ve seen it as cold as 30F, -1.11C in the past almost two months since we arrived here. There have even been a few days when it’s been colder here than in Minnesota.

It’s not as if we’re spending much time outdoors. Occasionally, we head out for a walk in the Village during the day. But, most often, we’re outdoors when we walk the short distances to dinner every Friday and Saturday night.

In 25 days, when we arrive in Marloth Park, it should start cooling off from the hot summer season. Coincidentally, it was also 25F, and 24C in Marloth Park today. But on Saturday, it will be 94F. 34C. In March, the high is usually under 90F, 32C, which is easy to take for Africa. As time passes, during our first 90-day stay, the temps will continue to drop, keeping in mind the seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are opposite the Northern Hemisphere. Winter is from June to August.

Since we’re returning to Minnesota for granddaughter Maisie’s graduation in June 2025, by the time we return to Marloth Park in June, winter will be at its coldest with a high of 81F, 27C. We love winter in the bush, but other than that, there’s a lack of vegetation for the wildlife in the winter months when the residents ramp up feeding the wildlife pellets, lucerne (hay), and various fruits and vegetables.

In those winter months, I’ve often spent a few hours each day cutting fruits and vegetables into bite-size pieces, befitting the size of the animals we’re feeding (never by hand…they are wild animals). Many disagree with humans feeding the wildlife and prefer to “let nature take its course,” but turning away starving animals is pretty tough. We often order hay bales to spread in the garden and the animals come in droves to dine on the fresh lucerne.

For us and many other residents in the bush, the cost of feeding the animals is merely a related expense in enjoying the conservancy and its endless stream of wildlife to our gardens. Plus, the cost of fruits, vegetables, and lucerne is about 80% less than those items in the US.

A 50-pound bag of carrots costs only a few dollars, and apples aren’t much more.  We often drive to Lobombo, about 30 minutes from Marloth Park, to buy giant bags of carrots, pears, and apples at ridiculously low prices. There’s no doubt that inflation has increased the cost of food products in the past two years since we’ve been gone. We’ll report back as to what we pay when we shop.

Greg and Heather arrive today, but we told them to enjoy their first night without us since the two brothers hadn’t seen each other in quite a while, although they’ve stayed in close touch. The six of us will have fun together tomorrow night and the other nights while they are here.

Today will be another pleasant day as we go about a day’s typical tasks and pleasures in Lake Las Vegas. Soon, I’ll have to start preparing 2024 tax info for our accountant, lightening our load, and start packing. After all, we leave three weeks from tomorrow. Wow…the time has flown by!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 6, 2015:

We spotted a cattle egret while out and about in Princeville, Kauai. For more photos, please click here.

25 days until we depart Las Vegas…27 days until we arrive in Marloth Park…

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We howled when this horse we encountered on a drive in Kauai made this face when he saw us, accompanied by hysterical noises.

This morning, I did my share of the house cleaning since we don’t have house cleaners here in Lake Las Vegas. We were quoted $250 for a complete cleaning for two hours, and there was no way we were willing to pay that much. Instead, we’ve kept things clean as we worked through each day, leaving the dusting, vacuuming, and floor washing for every other week.

After dinner, I clean the kitchen counters each night while Tom does the dishes. Thus, cleaning the kitchen this morning didn’t take long for me to do a thorough cleaning. Then, I dusted every surface and cleaned the bathrooms. It took me less than 45 minutes, and it feels good to be done. Soon, Tom will vacuum and wash the floors.

It’s good that I fully recovered and have worked out for the past nine days to rebuild my strength and stamina. The bottom line is that I don’t enjoy house cleaning, although the end result is gratifying. In my old life. I had the lovely Teresa clean our house once a week for many years. She was wonderful.

Even though we had her help each week, when cooking and entertaining, I did a lot of cleanup afterward, including daily cleaning after meal prep. Then, of course, those two precious little dogs, Ben and Willie, brought in plenty of dirt and dust, especially during the messy, snow-melting winter months. Eventually, I taught them both to “wipe your feet, get a treat.”

But Ben abused this concept. Once he came inside, wiped his feet, and got his treat, he’d stand at the door whining to go back outside to repeat the process for another treat. This became tiresome, but we laughed nonetheless. Having dogs resulted in lots more cleaning.

Here in Lake Las Vegas, life is simple. We make a mess; we clean it right away. Luckily, both of us are equally tidy and organized, making our daily lives easy. We don’t leave clothes, towels, glasses, or plates of food sitting around. In a way, I suppose it’s one factor that makes our lifestyle of being together 24 hours a day easy and getting along a breeze. Many couples get into scuffles about household tasks. We have no such issues.

Once we arrive in Marloth Park, we’ll have Zef and Vusi come to the house five days a week to clean, make the bed, sweep, wash floors, and dust everything. The dust in the bush is outrageous, requiring daily attention, let alone all the insect residue and gecko poop. We are grateful to have them help us. They are off on the weekends when we make the bed and clean up after ourselves.

We clean up after meals (no dishwasher, except Tom) and do our laundry. Zef and Vusi would do our laundry, but it usually takes two or three days until they can bring it back neatly folded. With our limited clothing supply, we prefer to do our wash. As is typical in Africa, there are washing machines but no dryers. Thus, we hang the clothes on a rack on the veranda. In warm weather, it is usually dry by the end of the day,

Even here in Lake Las Vegas, our condo only has a washer. Tom hauls the bedding down the hallway in a large laundry bag to the laundry room, where we dry it in a dryer using the laundry app on my phone. We hang wet on the indoor laundry rack in the condo twice weekly to add moisture to the air. It’s very dry in Nevada.

Greg and Heather will arrive tomorrow evening. They are staying at Richard’s house. Most likely, we won’t see everyone until Friday, after they are settled. I can hardly wait.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 5, 2015:

At this point, while we were walking Kauai, the path became incredibly steep.  For more photos, please click here.

Easy life with an easy appetizer recipe for Super Bowl Sunday…

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Tom was sitting with a scarecrow at the Kauai Coffee Company, which we toured ten years ago.

It’s exciting that son Greg and his girlfriend Heather will be here in two days. I can hardly wait to see them and for all of us to be together for the first time in years. I am not planning anything and leaving the planning to them. I am so happy that I feel great after finally recovering from the three-week flu, leaving only an occasional cough.

It was fantastic going out to dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. We had a great time each evening. It’s disappointing that we can’t get out the door for under $100, regardless of how casual a restaurant may be. We don’t order more than a few drinks each, no appetizers or desserts. It’s not because we are “cheap.” We just don’t care to eat that much.

Even when preparing our meals, we don’t bother with appetizers (starters) or desserts since we are committed to losing a few pounds. In the past, we’d enjoy a little something after dinner, but we have stopped that bad habit since the first of the year. There’s no need to eat between meals or after dinner. Doing so only adds weight and certainly doesn’t improve our health.

Of course, treats may be on the menu for special occasions, such as the delicious recipe I listed below instead of a photo in the “Photo from ten years ago today.” However, I don’t eat that appetizer because the sweet jam contains lots of sugar. Lately, I’ve tightened my belt and lost some weight by reducing my daily carbs. I feel so much better doing so.

My exercise program is back in full swing as of last Monday, and now, a week later, I’m back to where I left off before I got sick four weeks ago. It feels good to vigorously exercise after being relatively immobile over the past 18 months.

This morning, I chatted with my dear friend Chere from Minnesota. Her busy, semi-retired lifestyle brings her much joy, but I cringe when I hear how much she has to do daily with ten balls in the air at any given time. That used to be me, but not now. How I spend my free time is totally up to me, and my freedom without many obligations is ideal for our unusual lifestyle. We love it this way.

That doesn’t mean we don’t love spending time with family and friends. We do. But, as we travel, our social life is simple and uncomplicated, and our free time is truly treasured. I suppose, in part, the fact we enjoy being together is a huge factor. Neither of us is ever bored with one another or when engaged in our preferred individual activities.

All I have yet to do today is finish prepping for tonight’s dinner and do my exercises. The condo is tidy, and the bedding and other laundry are done. We had bacon and eggs for breakfast and won’t eat again until dinner. Tom is seated at the kitchen island, listening to Garage Logic. We love this easy life.

We hope you have a lovely week, and we will continue to stay in touch even after Greg and Heather arrive.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 4, 2015:

Ten years ago today, we posted the following easy recipe: a great dish to bring to a party or serve on Superbowl Sunday. This recipe is from our dear friend Sue (husband Chip, who has since passed away), our beloved neighbor in our old lives.

Sue’s Lone Star Grill Salsa Dip

8 oz. cream cheese

1 jar Lone Star Grill Raspberry or Pineapple Salsa (or any other sweet salsa)

 3/4 C. cheddar cheese, grated

3/4 C. Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 C. sliced black olives

Spread cream cheese in a baking dish or 8″ pie plate. Spread salsa over the cream cheese. Combine the grated cheeses and sprinkle over the salsa. Top with onions and olives. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes.

Serve with taco chips or crackers.

We’re back…Busy days…Exquisite trees and flowers…

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A Rainbow Eucalyptus tree found in Hawaii. What a fantastic tree trunk!

Rainbow eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus deglupta) are some of the most strikingly colorful trees in the world, and Hawaii is one of the few places in the U.S. where you can see them in all their vibrant glory. These trees, native to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, are known for their unique multicolored bark, which naturally peels away in strips to reveal layers of green, blue, purple, orange, and red underneath.

Rainbow eucalyptus trees thrive in Hawaii’s warm, humid climate, particularly on Maui and the Big Island. One of the best places to see them is along the Road to Hana on Maui, especially near mile marker 7 in the Ke‘anae Arboretum. Some groves are near Hana, where the damp environment helps the trees maintain their vivid colors. The Big Island also has scattered rainbow eucalyptus groves, often found in botanical gardens and private lands.

In their native environment, these trees can grow up to 250 feet tall, but in Hawaii, they typically reach around 100-125 feet. Although they were initially planted for paper production, they’re mostly admired for their beauty and serve as popular photo stops for travelers.

The bark’s colors appear as the tree sheds layers at different times throughout the year, creating an ever-changing natural masterpiece. The bright green inner bark is newly exposed, and as it matures, it transitions through shades of blue, purple, orange, and eventually brown before peeling again.

Because they are non-native, some environmentalists monitor their spread, but unlike other eucalyptus species, they aren’t considered invasive in Hawaii. If you visit, remember to appreciate them without damaging the delicate bark—taking pictures is highly encouraged, but taking pieces of the bark is not!

As for orchids, as shown below in the “Photo from ten years ago today,”…

Orchids are a stunning and diverse part of Hawaii’s flora, thriving in the tropical climate and lush landscapes. While orchids are not native to Hawaii, they have become deeply intertwined with the islands’ culture, gardens, and even leis. With thousands of varieties growing across the state, orchids are found everywhere—from botanical gardens and forests to roadside stands and hotel lobbies.

A Brief History

European botanists and plant collectors introduced orchids to Hawaii in the 1800s. The warm, humid environment proved perfect for many species, and orchids quickly became a beloved part of Hawaiian horticulture. Over time, the islands developed a thriving orchid industry, with many local growers cultivating unique hybrids.

Where to See Orchids in Hawaii

  • Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden (Big Island): This lush botanical garden is a paradise for plant lovers. It features a variety of orchids growing in their natural rainforest setting.
  • Akatsuka Orchid Gardens (Big Island): A famous orchid nursery near Volcanoes National Park, where you can see (and even buy) rare orchids, including the high-priced and fragrant volcano mist orchids.
  • Foster Botanical Garden (Oahu): One of Honolulu’s hidden gems, featuring a stunning collection of tropical plants, including native and exotic orchids.
  • Maui and Kauai Botanical Gardens: Various gardens, such as the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai, showcase rare orchid species in beautifully curated environments.

Notable Orchid Varieties in Hawaii

  • Dendrobium Orchids: These are commonly used in Hawaiian leis and have delicate, vibrant petals in shades of purple, pink, and white.
  • Cattleya Orchids are large, fragrant, and bold in color. They are often associated with classic tropical orchid beauty.
  • Vanda Orchids: Known for their bright blues and purples, these orchids thrive in Hawaii’s warm climate.
  • Oncidium Orchids (“Dancing Ladies”) flourish in Hawaii’s humidity. Their small, intricate blooms resemble dancing figures.

Orchids and Hawaiian Culture

Though orchids are not as profoundly tied to Hawaiian traditions as native plants like maile or plumeria, they have become a favorite for leis, floral arrangements, and even weddings. Purple dendrobium leis are most commonly given to visitors and at celebrations.

Orchid Growing in Hawaii

If you love orchids, Hawaii is an ideal place to grow them. Many local nurseries sell plants, and some even provide shipping services. The key to growing orchids successfully in Hawaii is good air circulation, filtered sunlight, and the right amount of humidity.

Orchids in Hawaii are more than just flowers—they symbolize the islands’ natural beauty and resilience and how different cultures have influenced the landscape.

We are grateful for our experiences in Hawaii and other countries, where we have visited countless botanical gardens worldwide. Now, we look forward to taking photos of unusual flowers that bloom in the bush in South Africa when we arrive in a mere 28 days.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 3, 2015:

What’s more beautiful than an orchid? This photo was taken at the Kauai Botanical Garden. For more photos, please click here.

Finally out to dinner last night…What the heck have we been doing since we left Marloth Park 23 months ago?….

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Here was the sunset we spotted while outside of our Kauai condo. Wow!

It had been almost three weeks since we went out for dinner after I’d been sick for 2½ weeks. It feels great to be back to myself exercising again, feeling well, and finally able to go out to dinner last night at the Speakeasy.

Although we spent every day and evening together, there’s something magical about dressing up a little and getting out of our usual environment. Without any distractions from podcasts, TV news, and streaming, we had each other’s undivided attention and, surprisingly, found ourselves catching up as if we had been apart.

It’s not as if we don’t chat all day and evening. We frequently engage in conversation and with little snippets throughout the day. But based on our together-all-the-time lifestyle, we often give one another “space” to engage in activities during the day that we each enjoy on our own.

For Tom, this may be updating Ancestry, watching sports, listening to podcasts, and researching topics he enjoys, which may not appeal to me. Once I finish the daily posts, I exercise, prepare the evening meals, and work on financial matters. Before I know it, the day is more than half over. In the evenings, we spend our time together streaming movies and TV series we mutually enjoy. We just finished a new favorite on Netflix, the astounding “Shogun,” a memorable series.

Lately, I’ve been awakening at 3:00 am, staying awake for an hour or two, and then falling back to sleep for a total of eight or more hours. I used to get by with six or seven hours at most, but in the past few years, I’ve found I function better with eight hours. Thus, I may not get up at 6:00 or 7:00 am, like Tom.

Getting up late is no problem. There certainly is no specific necessity to get up early most days. I guess this is a part of enjoying retirement. When we fly out on March 1, our flight isn’t until after 10:00 pm so that no rushing will be required. Of course, we won’t sleep for almost 54 hours from the time we awake on March 1 until we go to bed in Marloth Park on March 3,

That’s the most challenging part about getting there: it’s far away, well over 10,000 flight miles. We’ve learned not to dread the flight and to accept it as part of the opportunity to be in this magical place. I can’t believe we’re leaving in a month!

Initially, we’d planned to be away from Marloth Park for 13 months. Now, after my health issues, it will be 23 months since we left in April 2023. It’s been a long haul over these past 23 months interspersed with great experiences and some not so much. Here’s the breakdown of where we’ve been in the past 23 months:

  • April 2023: left South Africa
  • April 2023 – July 2023: The Villages, Florida
  • July 2023 – Scotland
  • August 2023: Cruise, Norway to Amsterdam
  • August 2023: Cruise Iceland, Greenland, Canada, to Boston, then back to the US
  • September 2023: Boston to Las Vegas, Nevada (we needed to renew our driver’s licenses)
  • September 2023: Las Vegas, Nevada to Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • October 2023: Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Quito, Ecuador
  • October 2023: Quito to cruise The Galapagos Islands back to Quito, Ecuador
  • October, November, December 2023: Holiday rental in Ecuador
  • December 2023 to April 2024: Ecuador to Lake Las Vegas, Nevada
  • April 2024: Lake Las Vegas, Nevada to Apache Junction, Arizona
  • May 2024: Drove from Apache Junction to Los Angeles, California, to Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • May, June, July, and August 2024: Minneapolis, Minnesota, waiting for appointments at Cleveland Clinic
  • August, September, October, November, and December 2024: Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
  • December 2024, March 2025: Lake Las Vegas. Nevada
  • March 1, 2025: Fly from Las Vegas to Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger Airport
  • March 3, 2025: Drive from Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger Airport to Marloth Park

Wow! After seeing this in writing, we realize how much travel we’ve done in the past almost two years. It’s exhausting just reading this! We had a lot of fun in some ways, but it was tedious and stressful in other ways. But, in any case, we are excited to be on the move again in one month!

Thanks to all of our readers for spending these long months with us. In a short time, the excitement will begin again. We are very grateful.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 1, 2015:

Suddenly, while driving, we stopped in Kauai for such a scene as this. For more photos, please click here.