In the realm of things, it just doesn’t matter…

Posted by worldwide-admin on July 30, 2018 with 0 Comment

This morning we opened the door to find 19 kudus in the garden, breaking our prior record of 17 at once. The one closest to the veranda is the girl that constantly licks my toes. She is identifiable by an oval notch in her right ear.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Yesterday, this “Grey Go-Away” bird stopped by. The name was as a result of the song this bird sings that sound like, “go-away.”

It’s imperative that one must temper their expectations when staying in Africa, especially when coming from cities throughout the world that are highly developed and have an abundance of literally everything, for example; in any big city in the US and other parts of the world.

There were all moms and babies some of which were males.

When we say abundance in the US, we mean going to a market, a superstore, or a shop and finding anything you may conceive of or anything special on your shopping list.

Do you have almond extract on your grocery list? No problem. You will find it in the first grocery store you visit. Are you looking for a particular brand or popular style of jeans? No sweat. You’ll find them in a number of locations in exactly your size and chosen fashion.

Tusker, last night in the dark of night, hung around for a few hours,

But, in Marloth Park and surrounding areas, certain items are difficult to find often requiring a more than an hour drive to be presented with a few less than ideal options.

A pair of hornbills sharing the bird feeder.

Sure, one could drive to Nelspruit, (where the airport is located) but still not find what they’re seeking, certainly not, the style, the price or the size. We don’t bother to make the long drive unless we’re flying somewhere as we will in 17 days to make the “visa run” to Zambia, required every 90 days.

In the realm of things, for us, none of this matters. There’s always a workaround of one sort or another. Last week, when we grocery shopped on Thursday, the Obaro store where we purchase pellets for wildlife was totally out of pellets.

In attempting to recognize different animals within a species, we search for variances in their markings. In this case, of Ms. Bushbuck, her lower facial marking is a round dot as opposed to an oval dot. Another identical-looking female bushbuck has two white dots similar to the upper dot in this photo. Now we can distinguish between the two females.

We usually purchase three 40 kg (88 pounds) bags which will last a little over two weeks with all the visitors we have here. There were other options if the stock never returned for a while. We could pay a higher price (as much a 30% more) where they were available at other locations.

Very distant photo taken a few days ago at the overlook entitled “Two Trees” across the Crocodile River and up the hill to Kruger.

We’re slowly doling out our last bag of pellets, instead focusing on tossing the carrots and apples. This morning, I called Obaro and the pellets are again back in stock. We’ll head out in a few days to purchase more.

One week there will be celery at the market. The next three weeks there won’t be any. It’s the ways it is. We’ve learned to accept these situations and be flexible in our meal planning.

Big Daddy was drinking from our cement pond.

Over the weekend, I opened two bottles of my favorite low-alcohol red wine, called Skinny Red by Four Cousins, a South African brand which also carries many wine options that aren’t low-alcohol, to find both bottles had gone bad (turned bubbly and vinegary). This has happened at least ten times in the past several months.

In each case, we’ve returned the bad bottles to the Spar Supermarket in Komatipoort where we’d purchased the wine and were quickly given a refund without a receipt, no questions asked. In the realm of things, it just doesn’t really matter. We’ll purchase more when we return to Spar in the next few days.

He seemed content after pellets and a few big gulps of water.

In certain instances, expiration dates have long past on some items in the market. No worries. We don’t purchase those. Also, most recently, we’ve been dealing with the fact that the package we had sent from the US on May 28th has yet to arrive.

Wildebeest Willies stops by almost every evening.

There was a strike slowing it down. Right now, it’s still “stuck” in Pretoria. We have no idea when and if it will eventually arrive. This is probably the situation most likely to cause a certain degree of frustration.

There are power outages every few weeks some lasting a short while and others lasting for several hours. In the realm of things, it really doesn’t matter, as long as our food doesn’t spoil. It hasn’t as yet.

We can always count on a visit from Tusker and friends.

However, we don’t forget that in the US during the stormy season, we could be out of power for days. We don’t forget that fe had trouble with the TV cable company for years, often requiring service once a month, never seeming to be resolved.

We recall dealing with incorrect statements for medical bills, utilities, and more. We easily recall the difficulty in handling specific insurance claims, often requiring tremendous time and effort.

Mom, babies, and Tusker seem to get along while nibbling on pellets.

Now, we don’t have medical bills (we pay cash when we have an occasional doctor or dentist appointment). We don’t pay for utilities or cable bills (we don’t watch TV). And, we don’t handle any insurance claims. In many ways, this life is easier even amid occasional incompetency and slow service.

Wherever one resides, there are inconveniences, annoyances, and frustrations. I suppose it is how we handle these situations that determine the overall quality of our lives. We chose to take an attitude of “it just doesn’t matter.”

If we have our health, well being, safety and financial stability (by sticking to our budget) and, each other, the rest is of little cause for worry or concern…in the realm of things.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago, July 30, 2017:

Tom’s Reuben sandwich with chips (fries) when we were out to dinner and movie with son Richard and friends on our last night in Henderson, Nevada. For more details, please click here.

Busy day in Komatipoort…Impressed with medical care, costs and prescriptions in small town in South Africa…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 29, 2018 with 0 Comment

“To graze on that many leaves, giraffes usually spend 16 to 20 hours per day standing and walking. Amazingly, giraffes don’t need much sleep despite their long days of exercising and eating. They often only get 30 minutes to 2 hours of sleep every 24 hours from the short naps they take throughout the day.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This rather large gecko was a new visitor, spending most of the day and evening on the veranda.

Many tourists and part and full-time residents choose not to have vaccinations, other than the required Yellow Fever mentioned in a prior post. We might have done the same if we were “regular” tourists visiting Africa for a two-week holiday/vacation.

Note the size of the gecko in relation to Tom’s water shoe.

However, as we continue to travel the world visiting many countries where certain diseases are rampantly escalating, we’d decided a long time ago to be cautious and keep vaccinations up-to-date as often as possible.

We’re thrilled to see birds stopping by our feeder. According to our friend, Lynne, these tiny birds are blue waxbills.

There were a few for which we’d fallen behind in getting boosters over this past almost six years. We met with Dr. Theo a few times over these past weeks (located at Rissik Medical Centre, 71 Rissik Street, Komatipoort, Komatiepoort, 1340, phone #27 013 793 7306), he diligently reviewed our vaccination records.

Each night I practice taking photos in the dark once the bushbabies arrive.

He made excellent suggestions on how we can be up-to-date on all of those he deemed necessary based on our ages, health, and exposure through our travels and that we should be re-vaccinated in 2022.

A proud giraffe standing in the bush as we drove past one of our drives.

Yesterday was my turn for a grouping of vaccines compiled into two injections, one in each arm. One of the injections was slightly more painful than the other, and my arm was a little sore last night but is greatly improved today. Tom experienced the same scenario when he had his injections last week.

Epipens cost in the US is ZAR 7531.07 (US $600) for a pack of two. We purchased two yesterday for ZAR 2126.79 (US $169.44). (In either case, these prices are based on out-of-pocket costs, not insurance paid).

As for any other medical issues we needed to address, with caution to avoid jinxing myself (slightly superstitious, I guess), my gastrointestinal issue is improving. I am off all medication for this issue. I feel discomfort if I eat too much at any one meal or drink too much liquid in any one setting. But I am feeling better utilizing these limitations.

Yesterday, we purchased two EpiPens at the local pharmacy, requiring a prescription from Dr. Theo. See pricing on receipt posted here.

Based on the improvement and Dr. Theo’s observation at this point, there’s no need for several invasive tests. Let’s face it, as we age, most of us find we must adapt to some changes in our lives to accommodate medical issues of one kind or another.

Many of our readers have written describing how they’d love to travel the world but have knee, hip, and back problems that make travel difficult, if not impossible. Instead, they live vicariously through us, which means so much to us both.

My bill for multiple vaccines I had yesterday by Dr. Theo Stronkhorst in Kpmatipoort. Tom’s bill was identical last week. Our total cost for two office visits and vaccines for each of us was rand (ZAR) 1707.81 for a total of ZAR 3415.62 (US $272.12).

We only wish everyone who desired to do so could live this peculiar life, generally on the move. We continue to be grateful every day that we’ve been able to continue, even with some issues along the way. This gastro thing has plagued me for the past 2½ years.

Now, this morning I can sip on my organic herbal tea and not suffer any ill effects. This is a big deal. I really make miss morning coffee! I haven’t tried drinking coffee yet and have decided to give it several more months until I do, working my way up to one or two cups a day, if possible.

Tom’s favorite bushbuck, “My Girl,” is a frequent visitor.

During my doctor appointment, Tom went to Obara, the farm store in Komatipoort, to purchase two more bags of pellets. Now, we have an inventory of three 40 kg bags, enough to last for weeks. The animals continue to visit throughout the days and evenings.

This baby bushbuck has grown considerably over these past few months.

Today, the weather is perfect, with clear skies with a cool and comfortable breeze wafting through the air. We couldn’t be more content and at ease. Later today, a drive through the park may be on the agenda!

May your day bring you contentment and ease as well!

Photo from one year ago today, May 29, 2017:

Canadian geese are pretty birds but poop two pounds per day in the grass, a real nuisance for homeowners, particularly those living on a lake, as we did in our old lives. For more Minnesota photos, please click here.

Oh, oh, stuff happens… I dinged the rental car!… See below for damage… Seven days and counting…

Posted by worldwide-admin on July 25, 2017 with 0 Comment

This is the separation of the fender that transpired from the “ding.”

I’ve never claimed to be a good driver. Overall, I’m OK on the highway, paying strict attention to my driving. But, I’m a nightmare in a parking lot, parking ramp, or other such areas where there are posts or obstacles of any type.

In my 50 plus years of driving, I’ve probably caused a dozen or more “dings” in parking lots, some more serious than others. Why? I don’t know. Perhaps my judgment as to how close I am to obstacles is impeded in some manner by my depth perception.

There’s no doubt that at some point, I’ll give up driving may be earlier than some seniors. But, in countries where we have a rental car, it’s been nice to give Tom a break from sitting in the car waiting for me while I shop. He despises shopping, but he’s an excellent driver.

Also, it’s good to give him time alone while I head out to shop for groceries. I can easily spend a few hours dawdling in a larger market when I’m not familiar with the inventory placement. Learning a grocery store each time we move can take several trips.

The little white rental car after I’d caused the ding in the left front bumper.

In the smaller markets such as Belize, Kenya, Fiji, and others, I’d be done shopping in less than 10 minutes with only three or four aisles. We anticipate more of these types of markets in the future.

But it wasn’t at a market that I dinged the white rental car yesterday. I entered a parking spot at an assisted living facility not far from where my sister Susan currently lives. I was investigating the prospect of her moving into such a facility sometime in the near future.

As I pulled into a shaded parking spot, I thought I was paying attention. However, a square post was located at the end of the space defining the position of two spaces and acting as a support for the shaded overhead canopy. I barely tapped the post.

I tapped it so lightly; I wasn’t even going to look at it, figuring I hadn’t done a thing to the vehicle. When I decided I’d better take a look, with the utmost angst, I realized I had displaced a portion of the left front bumper which appears to have become disconnected from its joining points.

The pea-sized bit of paint came off the car.

I tried to push it back in place with my hands to no avail. It needed a rubber mallet or some other type of device to put it back in place. When I arrived at Susan’s an hour later, I couldn’t get my fender bender out of my mind. How could I be so careless?

I also wondered how the bumper could feel so soft and more like tin or plastic than the metal on cars made years ago. I had no idea it was so soft and pliable, seemingly responding to even the slightest ding.

Today, I’ll call the credit card company on which we charged the rental car. We have rental car insurance that covers such incidents. Hopefully, that will work out, or we’ll be paying for the repairs out of pocket, and there’s no doubt the rental car company will gouge us. Once we know what transpires, we’ll report back here.

So it goes…stuff happens. In the realm of things, it’s a minor incident. As we always say, if we have our health and we’re safe, we have no reason to complain.

It doesn’t appear to be that much damage, but who knows how it will go.

When I returned to Henderson around 4:00 pm, I was a little apprehensive about telling Tom what I’d done. The minute I walked in the door, he asked me what was wrong based on the look on my face.

In his usual style, he wasn’t angry at me for my carelessness and reassured me not to stress about it. At no time, we were our usual cheerful selves, enjoying the evening with a good meal shared with Richard as we began to wind down our final week in the USA.

By the way, right now, after 10:00 am, it’s overcast and rainy at a cool 75F (24C). Go figure.

May you have a stress-free day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 25, 2016:

Kong, our fabulous tour guide with Viking Cruise Line, took this photo of Tom and a tarantula served at dinner. He didn’t eat it. I would have tried it, but it was batter fried. For more photos, please click here.

Southport Tasmania…Australia’s southern most settlement…Getting my act together every morning…

Posted by worldwide-admin on February 9, 2017 with 2 Comments

This adorable coffee shop in Southport made us laugh. It appears to be a diving bell!

Our road trip of a few days ago left us with dozens of photos we’re excited to share over these next several days. Having had to opportunity to head south on a sunny day, we later realized it was the perfect day for such an outing when the weather has been windy, rainy, and cloudy since then.

Entering Southport, we spotted this sign, “Australia’s Southernmost Pub!” Southport is Australia’s southernmost settlement, closest to Antarctica.

In reviewing a map, Southport doesn’t appear to be the most southerly point of Tasmania, as shown in this map below:

However, in researching online, we noticed many comments repeatedly, stating that Southport is the most southerly “settlement” or town in Australia. So, for a frame of reference, we’re currently living in Forbes Bay, aka Castle Forbes Bay, shown north on the red marked highway.

“Southport, Tasmania (from this site)

Australia’s southernmost town

Southport is known as Australia’s southernmost settlement. It is now little more than a quiet holiday retreat and, looking at the shacks and small shops, it is hard to imagine that in the early 1800’s it was Tasmania’s second-largest town, and it was proposed as the capital of the colony. Then, it was a bustling and dynamic convict station, whaling station, timber town, and international port exporting timber to Europe. The modern appeal of the town lies in its away-from-it-all sleepiness. It is known for its excellent recreational fishing, and the journey to Roaring Beach and Lady Bay rewards the traveler with beautiful white sand beaches and bull kelp near the rocky headlands.”

Arriving in Southport, Tasmania, we couldn’t believe the brightness of the white sand beaches.

The roads to make it to Southport were paved for easy driving, although we observed that driving further may have required the use of some unpaved rock-covered roads.

Driving a rental car while responsible for rock damage, we often decide to avoid rock-covered roads for long distances, which may have been the case in heading further down to Cockle Creek and/or South East Cape.

With little use of the beaches in this cool part of Australia, the beaches are pristine as they may have been thousands of years ago.

We’re hoping to head to Bruny Island on the day of my birthday (February 20th), a portion of which will require a 15-minute ferry ride. However, if it’s a rainy or cloudy day, we already have a backup plan for an indoor venue near Hobart. We’ll get back to you on this.

We apologize for today’s late posting. Unlike me, I’m got out of sync with my familiar routine and fell behind in preparing the post promptly. Oddly, I never feel stressed or pressured to prepare the day’s post.

Wherever we drove along the beach, the scenes were breathtaking.

Every morning, regardless of where we are in the world, I awake with the intent that once I’m showered and dressed for the day, I’ll sit down at my laptop with news on the TV in the background to begin preparing the day’s post. Most days, this transpires seamlessly.

On travel days when we’re leaving early in the morning, I usually prepare the morning’s post the prior day to be automatically uploaded at our usual time, around 11 am (our time).

More spotless white sand beaches.

On occasion, when boarding a cruise ship, we won’t post in the morning; instead, of preparing and uploading the post after we’re checked in and settled into our cabin. In those cases, I’ll post a short notification earlier in the day, alerting our readers that the day’s post will be six or more hours later than usual, barring any Wi-Fi issues we may encounter.

Undoubtedly, this is a huge commitment, one we both take seriously. If it weren’t for our dedicated worldwide readers, this task could be daunting. Instead, rarely struggling with the prospect of the work required to prepare the post, we take upon the task with joy and our own sense of dedication.

Mountains at a distance.

We can easily watch the ticker for the number of readers we’ve had since the onset of our site, now well over 500,000 as of a few days ago and the activity hour by hour, day by day, month by month. This has a magical way of spurring us on, knowing somewhere in the world at any given moment, someone is reading our posts.

This morning was one of those days when I was preoccupied, lounging in bed reading news on Tom’s phone (the shipment hadn’t arrived yet with my new phone) until almost 9:00 am. Then, finally, I jumped out of bed, anxious to get the day going.

Pelican Island Conservation Area off the coast in Southport.

I was planning on making a multi-step meal with several side dishes requiring excessive chopping, dicing, and measuring for a new recipe. I needed to “get the show on the road.”

Failing to sit down until 9:30 am to begin the post after getting some of the chopping out of the way, now after 12:00 pm, I’ve finally got a good handle on the post.

Sandbars peeking through the sea at low tide.

Not only must we contemplate a topic somehow related to our travels (in most cases), but I must also go through hundreds of recent photos to select those befitting the day’s post (not always related to the written topic).

At times, a photo may need a bit of editing, although we make every effort to share them exactly as taken. However, if the scene is worth it, I may use an editing app to remove power lines or obstructions.

This reminded us of the spot where we sunbathed in Kauai, meeting a wonderful couple, Vicki and Jerry, with whom we had a great day. Please click here for details.

Posting 365 days a year is not a chore. On the contrary, it’s a labor of love every day as I begin with Tom near assist with research, fact-checking, and final edits (no, we’re not perfect at this, nor will we ever be).

Knowing YOU are out there, reading our often insignificant ramblings over a variety of “this and “that” motivates and fuels us to continue on each step of the way. Thank you, dear readers. YOU mean the world to us!

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

Nine baby alpacas, although it appears there are eight. Can you find the ninth? For more photos of our glorious time spent in NZ, please click here.

Day 19…Circumnavigating the Australian continent..Seven time changes upcoming!…More Perth photos…Sickness aboard the ship…

Posted by worldwide-admin on November 18, 2016 with 0 Comment

Carlo, Michelle, me and Tom at the cruise terminal building in Fremantle, Australia.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Beautiful artwork in the ship’s art gallery.

We’ve been on this ship for 19 days and there’s still two weeks before it ends. We have had a great experience so far, expecting that the good times will continue until we land in Sydney on December 3rd.

As the circumnavigation of Australia sails along, we’re at a point now where we’ll encounter seven time changes over the next few weeks with the requirement of losing one hour every few nights at 3:00 am, as indicated in the ship’s daily bulletin, the Cruise Compass. Also, as a reminder, they’ll be a reminder notice sitting atop our bed when we return to the cabin each of those nights.

The options in stores in Perth was the proverbial “abundance” we knew in the US.

Gaining an hour during the first week wasn’t nearly as noticeable as is usually the case for most travelers. Losing an hour over these nights, when we already haven’t slept much, will be all the more obvious. But, as always, we roll with time changes and time zones, giving little thought as to what effect this may have on us.

We’ve found the less fuss we make over the potentiality of jet lag the less symptoms we experience. We’ve always discovered that one good night’s sleep, returning to our routines and a bit of sunshine is all we need to stay on course with our biological clocks.

We’re looking forward to shopping and cooking meals again after a hiatus of many months.

Speaking of feeling well, so far, so good. Neither of us have become ill on this cruise. I may be stating this way too early. After all, we still have the equivalent of a full cruise ahead of us.

Many of the approximate 500 passengers from the first leg, still sailing with us back to Sydney, are sneezing and coughing. Tom has had a runny nose for a few days, but we assumed it was allergies when no coughing or sore throat ensued.

This is something new to us, seeing prepared “meals to go” in a shop specializing in this concept. Wow I feel as if I’ve been living in a cave after visiting this huge mall in Perth.

We’ve been far removed from exposure to colds, flus and viruses for so long over this past year, living in areas where the air is fresh, clean and free from smog and dust. Arriving at all of these industrial ports certainly could trigger allergic reactions for some passengers, including Tom.

While in Perth a few days ago, we purchased some daytime, non sleepy antihistamines which seem to be helping to alleviate his symptoms. As preventive measures we’ve both been taking probiotics, 3 gr of vitamin C daily (spread throughout the day) and using our own bottles of Nasonex spray twice daily.

Oceanfront view of the Western Australia Maritime Museum in Fremantle.

We’re both diligent in washing our hands dozens of times each day, but continually observe others, even in the restrooms not washing after using the facilities.

If everyone would wash before and after meals and restroom visits and, after touching railings or any other public areas, covering their mouths and faces when coughing and sneezing and totally avoid touching or shaking hands, there’d be considerably less illness on cruises.

Across one of many entrances to the harbor in Perth/Fremantle.

If we get sick, it’s usually the “cruise cough,” a relentless virus of one type or another than can persist for months. The worst illness, we’ve experienced from cruising was after the 18-night cruise from Honolulu to Sydney in June 2015.

That illness was, by far, the worst either of us have experienced in our four years of world travel, lasting for many weeks long after the cruise ended. We were both so sick, we hardly remember arriving in Sydney, flying to Cairns, renting the car and finding our way to the vacation home in Trinity Beach.

Sandy beach in Perth.

Hopefully, we’ll make it through these final two weeks without incident, arriving healthy and fit for our upcoming three months in Tasmania, in two distinct locations.

People we’ve met have mentioned how they dread the cruise ending, the vacation/holiday ending to return to the “real world” often filled with stress, jobs, piles of bills and mail, tasks and responsibilities.

Quiet sandy beach in Perth.

We only receive a few pieces of mail each month at our Nevada mailing service, none of which is urgent since we pay insurance and credit cards online. As a result, we never face a “pile of mail.” We handle everything online with ease as the necessity arises.

Our “real world” is more world travel, blissfully heading to the next location, the next adventure, the next leg of our worldwide journey. We never forget for one day, how grateful we are to be together, living this fulfilling life filled with one wonder after another.

Main entrance to the Western Australia Maritime Museum.

We hope you have a wonder filled day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 18, 2015:

The Montfort Technical Institute in Savusavu which assists poor children academically and economically to gain skills to prepare them for a productive adulthood. For more photos, please click here.

Medical emergency aboard the ship…Today, right back where we were in 2015…

Posted by worldwide-admin on November 5, 2016 with 0 Comment

We stood on our cabin’s veranda awaiting the arrival of this medevac helicopter to transport a heart attack patient from the ship to an appropriate hospital.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Can of tomato soup. Hmm, what’s the significance here?

Yesterday afternoon, while at sea, shortly after I’d watched another silly movie, the remake of Ghost Busters, I headed back to our cabin. Tom was relaxing after he’d walked out of the movie only minutes after it had started.

I knew this wasn’t his kind of movie, but I stayed in the theatre to watch it on my own when my taste in movies is slightly more tolerant than Tom’s. It was a ridiculous plot, but I always get a kick out of the special effects.

No more than a few moments after I opened my laptop to check email, I mentioned to Tom that the ship wasn’t moving. Checking to see what was going on, in no time at all we discovered there was a medical emergency onboard that required a passenger be airlifted by helicopter to hospital.

As the helicopter approached the ship to land on the ship’s helipad.

A few hours earlier, we’d heard announcements from the bridge (in code) that something was amiss in the fitness center. As it turned out, from what we heard later, a man had a heart attack while working out. He had to be revived. Frightening.

On a previous cruise on RC Legend of the Seas, June 10, 2015, on its way to Sydney, a similar situation had transpired requiring the patient be lifted in the basket when high seas prevented the helicopter from landing on the heli-pad on the ship’s bow.

This is the third medical evacuation we’ve witnessed while cruising, twice by helicopter, once by the ship rerouting to Burmuda. Please see photo below for the first helicopter evac. Here’s the link to our story.

Photo we’d posted on June 10, 2015 while we were cruising on Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas when a passenger also had to be evacuated, but in the basket when rough seas prevented the helicopter from landing on the ship’s helipad. The patient was wrapped in an exterior covering the basket with paramedic holding on to the passenger. Scary.

With calm seas yesterday, the helicopter was able to land safely on the heli-pad which we weren’t able to see from our veranda, although we could see the touchdown from our TV that broadcasts a steady cam from the bow of the ship, as shown in this photo below.

It was heart wrenching to consider the worry and distress for the passenger and his spouse or travel companion with the necessity of being airlifted off the cruise. From what we’d heard, he’d been revived, but it was several hours later when the helicopter whisked him away to a hospital.

Based on the location of our cabin, we weren’t able to get close enough to the bow of the ship to see the helicopter land. Instead, we took this fuzzy photo of the TV display.

This further validates the value of travel insurance (which we have) when the cost for such evacuations can be outrageously expensive. When passengers pass away on a cruise ship, the body is not evacuated instead being stored in an appropriate facility that most ships have available.

In yesterday’s case, we can only pray for the passenger’s survival and return to health after being treated at whatever location he’d been transported. Of course, we’ll never hear and the scuttlebutt aboard the ship is unreliable.

Fortunately, the seas were calm and the helicopter was able to land. The ship had stopped during the rescue mission until the patient was safely in transit to the hospital.

We both researched online on a mission to discover how many cruise ship passengers are actually transported off ships for medical emergencies. We weren’t able to find any information or stats in this regard. Perhaps cruise lines are particularly lax in providing such stats to avoid scaring travelers away from cruising.

As we age, this becomes more of a concern. Not only is there the anxiety associated with a life threatening illness or injury a passenger may incur during a cruise, but loss of time in getting treated also adds the stress.

Yesterday’s passenger wasn’t taking off on the helicopter until over five and a half hours later. We can only hope the doctor on the ship has sufficient knowledge and skill to keep the patient stable during this extended period.

The Medevac team preparing to land with medical personnel ready to get into action.

This is a reminder for all of us to have adequate travel insurance cover and to strive for the best possible health when choosing to travel. A high risk and/or elderly patient should seek medical advice prior to embarking on a cruise to ensure cruising is a suitable form of travel based on current health conditions.

Then again, many medical emergencies and accidents occur to passengers of all ages while on cruise ships, while on tours and when traveling to and from various points of interest. ‘This should be of the utmost consideration for possible travelers.

Today, we’re staying on the ship while it’s docked in Yorkeys Knob in Queensland, Australia. We lived in Trinity Beach adjoining this location for three months beginning on June 11, 2015. During that stay, we toured all the important sights, including many located in and around Cairns.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more new photos and stories as we continue on to Day 7 of this highly enjoyable 33-night cruise.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 5, 2015:

In the one year ago post, we re-posted a few memorable photos. We took this photo of Mount Kilimanjaro from the window of our tiny plane on our way to the Maasai Mara for a photo safari, one of many great experiences in our then three years of world travel. Please click here for more details.

Changes over the remaining 10 days in Sumbersari…Can YOU do this?

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 19, 2016 with 0 Comment

Fishing boats handmade out of plastic tubes.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

All family members participate in fishing, including the youngest members of the family.

With the owner’s arrival at their villa next door and their use of the Internet we no longer have the mediocre WiFi signal we’ve had over these past many months. We don’t have much signal. I cannot open my email or prepare for today’s post using the usual online application Blogger.

Instead, at the moment, I’m writing in Live Writer, an offline program that enables me to prepare the post minus photos to upload at a later time when we can get a signal if the owners aren’t online. The system at these two houses isn’t suitable for both houses be online simultaneously. We’ll just have to live with it for the next 10 days.

Hopefully, over this period, until our departure from the villa we’ll manage to upload a post each day. If you don’t see a post on a certain day, please know we’re trying and will be back online as quickly as possible.

This guy was standing on the beach with a camera waiting the motorcycle club to drive by.

Once I posted each day, I don’t mind being offline. I have plenty of books to read and mindless drivel type games to play on my computer and phone. For Tom, who can easily spend an entire day online, minus walks, talks, pool time and dining, it’s all the more frustrating.

Tom had hoped to call his brother Jerome today on his 88th birthday, but Skype won’t be working with this poor signal. Also, we’d hoped to stream the third presidential debate tomorrow morning, but that, too, may not be possible.

Posting photos will be especially tricky. We’ll do our best hoping to share new photos we’ve been saving for these last days at the villa. It’s hard not to find myself in a mindset where I have little interest in taking more photos when the prospects of being able to upload them is minimal.

The photographer crouched down when he realized the bikers were approaching.

Our use of the Internet is such a vital element as we travel the world sharing stories and photos each day. It’s unlikely we’d be traveling as we are if it weren’t for the availability of the Internet. It would be too difficult to plan to travel and live in so many locations utilizing various means of transportation from one country to another.

One may ask, “Are we prisoners to the Internet, more dependent on it than we “should be?” In our minds its as vital to us as our response would be if we were asked, “Are we prisoners to electricity or running water, more dependent on it than we “should be?”

Undoubtedly, we’re sensitive to the fact that many don’t have electricity or running water, many right here in this little village walking distance from the villa. And, our hearts go out to them as we fully appreciate how well they’re managed to thrive without such modern conveniences.

A group stopped to help when one of the bikers motorbikes quit working.

As “they” say, everything is relative. Many of us have been blessed with power and water all of our lives. Based on this fact, does that make us spoiled and uncompromising? Not necessarily.

We’re all products of our environment. It doesn’t make us any less the people that we are, by having been fortunate enough to have access to modern technology. That doesn’t have a bearing on the empathy we feel for others less fortunate who may never have a cell phone, a computer or a TV.

We can admire them for their fortitude functioning well in a world where they may feel deprived. In some of the more remote locations throughout the world they may have no concept of what they’re missing.

In my humble opinion, none of this requires us to feel ashamed or guilty for what we have, nor do we feel less compassion for those who do not. It’s the nature of the world we live in.

In no time at all, they make the repairs and the biker was on his way.

Am I attempting to justify our “need” for a good WiFi connection. Perhaps, yes. Many who do not know or understand our lifestyle would say we’re living a seemingly easy and affluent life of world travel.

We don’t believe nor have we ever intended to ever make this life on the move appear easy. It’s not. It’s required an enormous sacrifice that few would undertake even if it were affordable. As for affluent? That’s not us. We pinch every last penny, diligently keeping track of everything we spend and how much we can spend in the future totally determined by our income.

Sure, most retirees on social security only, paying for insurance required by Medicare and health care needs, cannot do what we’re doing. It is only through Tom’s 42 years of working on the railroad, saving chunks of money along the way, that has made this possible for us.

Add the reality of our careful planning, the constant negotiations for better pricing and refusal to spend endless sums on dining out, partaking in pricey tourist attractions and drinking alcohol at home, that makes this possible.

This may be this baby buffalo’s first walk on the beach.

Cooking all of our meals, two to three days at a time, saves us huge amounts on groceries. Not paying utilities, cable bills, phone bills, car payments, car and home insurance, property tax and household maintenance have an enormous impact on our ability to travel.

There are locations throughout the world where those who’d like to travel may do so for half as much as we spend, opening up possibilities that may be suitable within their means. But, for those at retirement age or with families, it’s a difficult proposition requiring all the more planning and diligence.

We’ve read numerous stories where expats live in Ecuador, for example, for under IDR 19,537,483, US $1500 a month including rent, utilities, groceries, medical and transportation.

If a traveler is young and fit backpacking and living in hostels may work, occasionally working at odd jobs, living for even less than the above example is possible. Those of us who aren’t affluent must ask themselves this question, “What am I willing to sacrifice to live such a life?” For many, its not even a remote possibility, or even of interest.

Coconut palms growing from abandoned coconuts.

We spend the majority of our days in outrageous heat and humidity; living with insects often crawling on us (I found a slew of ants on my toothbrush a few mornings ago); having no TV in our language or no TV at all; missing family and friends; no access to good medical or dental care; limited availability of foods we like and can eat; a possibility of an uncomfortable bed or furniture every few weeks or months, and never having anything we can all our own other than that which is contained in a few pieces of luggage. It’s not easy.

Then, why do we do it? Because we love the adventure. Because we love the sense of freedom. Because we love the culture, the local people, the vegetation, the scenery, and the wildlife. Because somehow we fit in, we’re accepted.

If something isn’t working, we discuss it, analyzing our options, discussing it with a positive attitude to those who may be able to assist. But, the most important aspect for us living this peculiar life is simple…don’t complain…not to staff, not to locals, not to people we meet along the way, not to property owners or managers, not to shopkeepers and service providers and…above all, not to one another.

And so, we have lousy Internet? We live with it. We find other ways to entertain ourselves while hoping for a moment when we can get online, upload a post, say hello to family and friends and hopefully stream a show; the debate (tomorrow) and the Minnesota Vikings game (next Monday).

Be well. Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, October 19, 2015:

One year ago, we posted this story. The gentleman on the front right is Tom’s brother, Jerome, who celebrates his 88th birthday today. He’s blind and each day, Tom removes all the photos from our posts and send Jerome only the text which he “hears” on his computer. Tom’s mother, shown in front row center, wrote a book, “Memories of Muggs,” of the family’s history. On the date of the “book signing” the family got together to celebrate the special occasion. This family photo was taken in 1997 by Tom, his mother Mary and his siblings. From left to right front, seated: Rita, Mary, Jerome; middle row: Mary Ellen, Margie, Patty and Sister Beth. Back row includes Colleen, Tom and Jim. The book is listed at the Minnesota Historical Society. For the rest of this story, please click here.

Cultural differences abound…The proverbial WC (water closet), the beach and more…Far removed from our own reality…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 14, 2016 with 0 Comment

At this beautiful stopover, we walked halfway to the ocean, but we didn’t spend much time. We were looking forward to returning to the road behind all the vehicles we had already passed. It was Tom’s rationalization, not mine. (Previously we posted a similar photo at this place).

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Sunset from the veranda.

We knew so little about the lives of those living in poverty until we began to travel the globe almost four years ago. Yes, we saw homeless people living in some less-than-desirable areas as close as 30 minutes away from our home in Minnesota.

However, over these years we’ve traveled through countless impoverished areas, at times a short walk from our vacation home. Today’s post is not a “political piece” on our views on poverty throughout the world. Clearly, it speaks for itself.

Instead, it’s an eye-wide-open observation of how many people must function in this world without the benefit of indoor plumbing and electricity, often living in makeshift three sided shanties with barely any protection from the elements.

The restroom areas are unisex. When we opened the door and looked inside, we wrongly assumed this one was missing a toilet.

Others may live in the streets without a permanent place to rest their heads at night, while in richer areas, may reside in their cars, public shelters and camps. Every public space becomes a possibility, far away, isolated or not.

In many countries like Fiji (where we lived for four months and Bali (where we’ll have spent another total of four months) from what we’ve understood from the locals, most citizens care for their own, whether family members, friends or neighbors. But in doing so they too can live in poverty without the conveniences and comforts that the rest of us easily take for granted.

In neither country does the government provide financial support to the poor, people with illnesses and disabilities, or the elderly. In Fiji, healthcare is free. In Bali, one must pay (prices are relatively low for medical care as compared to other parts of the world) or obtain pricey insurance which is beyond the reach of most.

After further inspection, we realized that the narrow bowl was really the toilet. The bucket of water and scoop were for tidying up, not washing hands. Fortunately, we keep antibacterial wipes handy at all times. This facility was clean in comparison to the other facilities we encountered.

In Bali, there is no such thing as government provided food stamps, no welfare, no unemployment benefits and no Food Shelf. The Balinese people aren’t waiting for a handout from anyone. Their joy of life clearly illustrates their independence and fortitude. They work, they share and they’re resourceful.

Beyond all the challenges of the poor maintaining some form of shelter and finding sources of food, they have the reality of such basic human functions as finding a place to go to the bathroom when perhaps half or more of the population don’t have a toilet in their place of residence.

In yesterday’s post we touched a local tradition of cleaning the entrails of a cow in the river next door and thus contaminating the water, but, also the deification of humans and buffalo in this same body of water.

Apparently, there was some type of museum here, but we continued on the long drive rather than take time to see it.

Seeing both children and adults swimming, bathing and playing in the toxic water is disheartening and yet they do so with considerable joy and laughter. Our personal concern for their contracting a disease is irrelevant. Most likely, their bodies have adapted to the bacteria. Most likely, they don’t give it a thought.

Yesterday afternoon, as we lounged under the cabana, our eyes scanned the beach in hopes of finding more interesting “Sightings on the Beach in Bali” a daily activity we’ve found to be quite enjoyable, not unlike searching for unusual seashells on our walks along the shore. We’ll excitedly share what we’ve found in an upcoming post.

Tom’s eyes widened and then squinted as he attempted to focus on a man, pointing him out to me, who was on the beach several paces from the water as we observed him removing his pants and underwear in plain view of us and others. It only took a moment to determine what was to transpire next.

A hut on the property, purpose unknown.

Not that far from us, we watched him, bare from the waist down, digging a hole in the sand to use as a toilet. Once he was satisfied with his handmade toilet in the sand, he proceeded to use it with nary a thought of being observed in the open space.

At first, we were a little taken aback. We’d seen people using the river as a toilet, but not the sand on the beach. The man stayed “seated” on his sand toilet for some time, occasionally pushing the sand around and tossing sand in the air. After about 15 minutes, he arose, covered the hole with sand, put on his clothes and went on his way.

Click here to see the video of beaches in India used for the same purpose.

Another statue.

At first, our normal human reaction was, “Oh, how dirty, how unseemly!” But, then as we spoke to one another of the sighting we came to understand and appreciate that such a use of the sand on the beach may not be unusual in an impoverished country.

Surely, if the man had a home of his own with indoor plumbing, most likely he wouldn’t have come to the beach for this purpose. Then again, could a taxi driver unable to find a restroom, choose this option? Possibly. In a desperate situation anyone could possibly choose this option, although perhaps more discretely.

What a lovely rest stop halfway through the long drive!

There are few places to stop for a restroom on the highway, as we experienced in the four to five hour harrowing drive from Denpasar to the villa. It was halfway through the long drive that we found a place to stop which was originally the basis of today’s cultural story. It was only yesterday’s coincidental sighting of the man on the beach that inspired us to also include the man’s choice of toilets.

We didn’t take photos of the man on the beach. However, we found this interesting video on YouTube about how this is common in India and perhaps, more often than we’d expect, here in Bali and other parts of the world.

Monkey faced statue.

When we were in Bali during May and June this year, we shared a story and photos of an embarrassing experience I had, using a WC at the Monkey Temple. It was a lesson learned about cultural differences that I’ll always remember.

Today’s photos illustrate a separate experience we encountered only 12 days ago when we stopped to use the restroom at a beautiful spot on the way to the villa only this time, experiencing an entirely different type of toilet as shown in these photos.

The young cow on the right with her newly born calf checked us out, surely concerned for her calf’s well being. Zoom in to see the tiny calf at her side.

Soon, we’re off to Negara, drinking minimal liquids in the interim, preferring not to bring any beverages with us, other than a bottle of water for a few sips during the heat of the day.

We remain in awe and humbled by our surroundings, grateful for our lives of relative ease while becoming all the more profoundly aware of the lives of those throughout the world.

Be well on this day and always.

Photo from one year ago today, September 14, 2015:

After we arrived in Fiji one year ago we shopped at this tiny grocery that didn’t have much of a selection for us with only three grocery aisles. But, as always, we figured it out and managed to make good meals during the three month stay. For more details, please click here.

Exploring expenses in Phuket…Only a few more stories from our cruise/tour on the Viking Mekong River Cruise…

Posted by worldwide-admin on July 30, 2016 with 2 Comments

There was enough food here to last a week. Check out the amazing total cost below!

As we live in many countries throughout the world its impossible not to imagine what it might be like to live permanently in the particular country as a retiree. Are prices reasonable?

Check out the size of the fish and steak portions. Tom was craving peanuts adding a few packages to the stash. The brats in the bottom right of the photo are gluten, grain and sugar free.

Is good health care available? How are food prices both at the markets and dining out? Are prices for housing and utilities affordable for those on a fixed income? Fuel prices? Vehicle ownership? Insurance? Satellite or cable TV and Wi-Fi? It goes on and on, the usual expenses for daily living for those who settle in one location must bear on a daily basis.

Using this app to convert the Thai baht (THB) 3,803.25, we discovered we’d only spent US $109.38. We were shocked to say the least. (See the photos of everything we purchased).

For many seniors living in an assisted living facility, nursing homes and certain senior complexes, many of these expenses are factored into an often outrageous monthly rate.

Our cost of living observations begins the day we arrive in any new location and continue through the day we depart. Unfortunately, the rent we pay for a vacation home is not necessarily a good barometer for rents one may pay as a permanent resident.

We purchase so many items, it took several photos to include all of it.

Vacation homes often include all the above expenses, except food and transportation and, may include some form of household help as is the case here in Rawai, Phuket with cleaners coming twice a week to clean and change the bedding and towels.

Free range eggs, beef and celery rounded out our purchases.

In most locations, our first exposure to the cost of living is when we shop for groceries. However, we aren’t necessarily educated on our first foray to a grocery store when on that first occasion we usually spend as much as 50% more than when we’ll shop in future weeks to replenish our food supply.

The fresh produce department is packed with locally caught treasures at reasonable prices.

That first trip includes staples such as laundry soap, sink soap, bar soap, paper products, insect repellent, cleaning supplies and other household goods we may seldom replace during the one, two or three month stay.

Looks like Sam’s or Costco, doesn’t it?

Its the second grocery shopping trip, usually a week after we’s arrived when we’ve become more familiar with locally available products that we can shop, as you do, for weekly groceries getting a better perspective of what it would be like as an expat or retiree.

Row after row of frozen foods. We don’t buy much in the way of frozen foods when most contain additives.

When two days ago, we walked into Makro Food Service store, located within minutes of the vacation rental, we knew we were in the right place. As we perused the aisles, starting with the produce department, we immediately began loading up our cart.

Little neck clams.

Typically, Tom pushes the trolley while I select the items. When we’ve found everything on our list in the produce department, he brings all of it to the weighing station to be priced and receive a sticker. It’s an efficient system we’ve mastered over these past years.

We weren’t able to determine which type of seafood this might be.

In our old lives he rarely grocery shopped with me. When we were still eating fruit (5 years ago) he thought watermelon was US $.09 if including a page of Holiday gas station stamps. When we started shopping together after leaving the US, he was shocked at what he thought was high prices while I was excited to see how much less groceries are in other countries.

Squid, yet to be cleaned.

Over these past almost four years, he’s become familiar with some prices, but not as I have with my innate fascination with food and its pricing. As we made our way through the Costco-like aisles and with our growing grasp of the Thai baht (THB 1000 equal US $28.75) as opposed to the US dollar, I was pleasantly surprised over the prices.

(Photos from this point are those from the Mekong River cruise/tour, although the Phuket story continues on).

The sign as we approached the brick factory by sampan boat.

We tossed every item from our lengthy weekly grocery list (on an app on my phone) into the trolley after first deciding on our meals for the week based on availability and quality of a variety of protein sources.

Upon entering the brick factory we had to walk over planks and rough terrain. Once inside it was an easier walk.

Generally, we don’t allow prices to dictate our purchases. Only consuming one meal a day plus an evening cheese plate snack, we find we can choose almost anything that strikes our fancy and stay well within our monthly food budget.

Most of the employees in the brick factory are women.

We’d include the entire receipt from Makro but its written in the Thai language which uses special characters that aren’t easily translated. Instead, for today’s purposes, we’ve included a photo of the total on the amount charged to our credit card when we checked out.

It was toasty inside the factory especially this close to a kiln.

When Tom placed all the loose items in the trunk of the car, I used my phone’s app to calculate the total bill, shocked by how little we spent for the amount we’d purchased. I even went as far as counting all the items when we got “home” thinking they must have not charged us for half the items.

Rice as shown here is used in the brick making process. It was very dusty as we toured the facility.

The receipt was indeed accurate prompting us to take photos of the items we purchased before putting everything away to share with you today. How could we not share this? This isn’t the first time we’ve done this, nor will it be the last.

We couldn’t imagine the hard work required of these employees in such a heavy duty and hot environment.

Are we going to experience “price shock” when we visit the US in a little over nine months? It’s entirely possible when at that point we’ll have been gone for almost five years.

First the kiln is filled with the clay bricks and the kiln is sealed. Then the fire is started to maintain the heat. Depending on the size of the kiln, it can takes weeks for the bricks to cure.

Could a retiree or expat live comfortably in a country like Thailand? It’s too soon for us to make such an assessment but we did see many people from all over the world shopping at the market, hearing a variety of languages and dialects that indicated our presence in this village is not so unique after all.

Our guide let us enter inside a still warm kiln.

It appears the produce is pesticide free based on the insects I’m encountering when washing each item (using the bottled water only). The steak Tom had last night definitely was grass fed (we’ve learned to detect the difference in grain fed as opposed to grass fed beef). My salmon fillet was fresh and moist and couldn’t have tasted better.

Tom took this photo of the vent at the center top of the kiln.

Tonight, Tom will have freshly cooked steak again and I’ll have yellow fin tuna. Our sides will include a huge salad with homemade dressing, fresh whole sautéed portabella mushrooms, buttered green beans and hard boiled eggs, a perfect meal by our standards. More on cost of living in Phuket as we experience more during the next month…

Neatly stacked tiles ready to be transported.

As we continue to wind down our Mekong River cruise/tour, today we’re including photos (sorry that they’re interspersed with Phuket photos above) from what proved to be an interesting visit to a brick making factory in Sa Dec. Situated on the banks of the river, we arrived by sampan boat and walked up an easy ramp to the property.

As much as a variety of brick making supplies were littered about the facility, it was very organized.

We still have a few more stories to share over the next several days. Looking forward to continuing to see our loyal reader/friends here each day.

Our sampan was waiting for us to finish the tour of the facility and moved the boat close to the shore so we could take off once again.

Enjoy the weekend as we roll into August.

Photo from one year ago today, July 30, 2015:

This enormous Banyan Tree in Port Douglas, Australia reminded us of the tree across the street from our condo in Honolulu. For more photos, please click here.

More photos of the Pulaki Temple in Singaraja…Deciding on which photos to post…To do “good works?”

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 28, 2016 with 0 Comment

Tom said, “Oh, here we go again…me wearing another “dress!” We’ve found that men all over the world wear “skirts” and “dresses” as everyday wear.

“Sighting on the Beach in Bali”

This little hut is located in front of a villa down the beach. A swim platform of some sort?

Often, when we visit a specific site, we may take 100 or more photos. Although I’m still, and most likely always will be an amateur photographer, I rarely take more than one photo of a specific scene unless I want “insurance” for an unusual sighting.

More experienced photographers may take dozens of shots of a similar scene to later spend time sorting, editing and choosing their favorites. I can’t take the time to do this every day or, all of my days would be spent managing photos. Few photographers, professional or amateur, post photos online daily for the world to see on their own websites.

This obvious fellow was gingerly picking over an orange.

Sure, millions, if not billions worldwide (approximate world population of 7.4 billion) post daily photos on social media. At this point, I’ve had little interest in spending more time each day posting dozens of photos on a variety of social media platforms.

Another adorable mom and baby.

Although, almost daily, I post one or two photos on my Facebook page for friends to see, most certainly as an inducement for them to visit our site. We’d love for even more readers to stop by here each day. Feel free to “friend” me on Facebook by searching for me at Jessica Lyman, Sumbersari, Indonesia. There are many with a similar name. Each time we move, I update our location at some point on Facebook.

The Pulaki Temple is diverse and interesting.

We encourage and kindly ask our readers to help promote our site with their Facebook and other friends if they’d so kindly do so on occasion, as we continually strive to increase our readership throughout the world.

The monkeys seemed to spend a lot of time in quiet reflection when they weren’t eating perhaps inspired by the spiritual surroundings.

Increasing our readership is not about the potential income which ultimately is minuscule in the realm of things, not even covering the costs of managing our site. It’s about the opportunity to share this somewhat peculiar lifestyle with people all over the world who may find a few minutes of enjoyment or merely satisfy their curiosity as to the ins and outs of our world travel experience.

Adventurists may choose to tackle this hill. Instead, we enjoyed the view and blue sky.

It’s not that we’re all that interesting, but for those who’ve never traveled, for those who’ve traveled a little or for those who’ve traveled a lot, they may find a morsel of information we share appealing in one manner or another.

A nun worked in this caged area intended to keep the monkeys out.

Yesterday, I received a beautiful email from a young Australian man (20’s or 30’s) we met in the Windjammer Café on our latest cruise from Sydney to Singapore. We’d started chatting and he expressed an interest in our way of eating. We’d given him and his partner our business cards hoping we’d touch base sometime in the future. Alas, I smiled when I saw his message in my inbox.

It made no sense to attempt this stairway beyond its first eight steps when they were uneven and precarious, especially wearing the long saris.

As I often do when people we’ve met or readers inquire about our way of eating, I sent him a list of books to read and online resources, suggesting he find a physician he can work with that has had education in new science surrounding nutrition (not all doctors know anything about nutrition and are still promoting high carb, low-fat diets when recent study after study proves otherwise).

Scary-looking statues to ward off bullies and evil spirits.

In his own way, he’ll do diligence and find what may work for him and his lifestyle. But, for us, having the opportunity to point a reader in the direction of all this emerging science in order to encourage them, along with their medical provider, to find a path suitable for their health and needs, gives us added purpose and considerable joy.

The main entrance to the temple.

Our travels aren’t about the seeming hedonistic personal enjoyment lounging in a cabana, living a life of leisure. Any of our regular readers are aware that our lives stretch far beyond that.

The bell tower.

And, in this life, we’ve been gifted with the opportunity to “to do good works.” However, our humility prevents us from boasting about that which we may do for others along the way. Not everything is a “photo op.” The greatest donation of time and money are those done quietly and/or anonymously without fanfare, “tooting one’s horn” or looking for recognition or accolades.

The staff at the Pulaki Temple provide food for the monkey as an incentive to keep them on the grounds during the day for tourist viewing. Bags of feed were available for sale, but we didn’t want the monkeys climbing all over us, although a few grabbed onto our legs.

The exception to this is when we promote a small, locally owned business that requires online exposure to possibly build a better online presence from our well-intended endorsement.

Blooming plants highlighted the beauty of the Pulaki Temple.

As our friends and family members in the US roll into the Memorial Day weekend, we wish everyone a safe and meaningful long weekend. For the rest of the world, stay safe and be well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 28, 2015:

Part of the “sexiest man aboard the ship” competition was to do pushups. This passenger did the most number of pushups, 66, and eventually won the competition with his excellent dancing skills. For more photos and details, please click here.