Our new itinerary…
| Sydney Hotel | 1 | 4/15/2016 – 4/16/2016 | |
| Cruise – Sydney to Singapore | 14 | RC Voyager of Seas | 4/16/2016 – 4/30/2016 |
| Bali House | 59 | 4/30/2016 – 6/28/2016 | |
| Hotel Singapore | 7 | 6/28/2016 – 7/5/2016 | |
| Hanoi Hotel | 3 | 7/5/2016 – 7/8/2016 | |
| Cruise – Hanoi to Ho Chi Min City | 15 | Viking Mekong | 7/8/2016 – 7/22/2016 |
| Phuket House | 41 | 7/22/2016 – 9/1/2016 |
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| Bali House w | 59 | 9/1/2016 – 10/30/2016 |
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| Sydney Hotel | 1 | 10/30/2016 – 10/31/2016 |
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| Cruise – Sydney to Perth | 16 | RC Radiance of the Seas | 10/31/2016 – 11/16/2016 |
| Cruise – Perth to Sydney | 17 | RC Radiance of the Seas | 11/16/2016 – 12/3/2016 |
Late yesterday afternoon, as we lounged on the deck overlooking this vast farmland and the sea, each of us sipping on a glass of wine (more on why I may be occasionally drinking wine in tomorrow’s post), it dawned on me that we won’t have to do much housework up until December 3, 2016 when we arrive in Tasmania.
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| These unusual mushrooms appear translucent. |
Mentioning to Tom that we hadn’t been able to do laundry for days due to rain which finally stopped around 4:00 pm, it dawned on me that over the next many months, hanging laundry won’t be on our radar.
Once we leave New Zealand in less than a month, we won’t have to wash a dish, make a bed or do our laundry with the exception of the 41 days we’ll live on the island of Phuket, Thailand where we won’t have household help other than a weekly cleaner.
We started recalling our itinerary, as Tom easily recalls from memory long into the future. A month from today, we’ll board Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas after spending one night in the Sydney Hotel. Then the lazy days begin.
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| An unusual “mushroom” in our yard fell over from its weight. |
Upcoming in Bali on both occasions as shown in the itinerary, staying at the same property, we’ll have a full staff. There, if we choose we won’t have to cook if we’d prefer not to do so.
Although I need to have a close handle on how food is being prepared, the owners explained we can shop, if we’d prefer and the cook will chop, dice and prep food while I put it together seasoning and finishing.
The staff in Bali will serve our needs throughout the day handling all household tasks, later setting the table, preparing the meal and cleaning up after dinner, later departing for the evening.
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| We never stop noticing a pretty flower. |
What will I do with myself when I spend the better part of most days running about the house engaged in various household tasks most of which I don’t mind? Also, preparing our meals requires a little time each day.
We easily recall this similar scenario when living in Marrakesh, Morocco for almost three months beginning in March, 2014; never washing a dish, cooking a meal, making the bed, cleaning or doing laundry. It took some getting used to.
We discovered that we easily navigate being around people all day never failing to treat them kindly, respectfully and often with a degree of warmth and affection when appropriate.
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| We think these are Rhododendron. They have a velvety texture. |
We generously provide tips when its time for us to go as will be the case going forward with hotel staff, cruise cabin steward and other cruise staff and various household staff members.
A lot of daily walking and swimming in the pool in Bali will be in order during these many months when we could easily become lazy with this lifestyle over these many months.
Fortunately, during the 62 days of cruising, using the health club (me, only) and lots of walking are great options to keep us active and moving about along with the many tours we’ll be on during these periods.
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| Roses continue to bloom in the cooler weather. |
Regardless of the situations we encounter as we continue to travel the world, we make every effort to not only adapt to our surroundings at any given time but to also find ways to stay active and busy whether we have household help or are on our own.
We hope your day is filled with that which you find appealing, that which works for YOU, whether its reading a book, watching a favorite TV show, taking a leisurely walk or pounding it out at the health club.
Photo from one year ago today, March 16, 2015:
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| The beaks of the Albatross are used for preening and for signs of greeting. Or, they may be used in aggression if an intruder threatens them or the nest. One year ago, we spent considerable time at their nesting site. For more details, please click here. |