Thanks to many heartfelt responses from our readers via comments and email…

Parasitic plants growing on trees are a fascinating way nature provides for a plant that must “borrow” nutrients from thriving trees of many varieties.

What a pleasing response we had yesterday after our post concerning some negative comments from a reader.  We hope the many responses we received in the past 24 hours indicate a general consensus among our readers.

This is where we park the little red rental car.  The door to enter our property is slight to the right of the red car. Since we’re on ground level we have a full wall of windows overlooking the Coral Sea and the beauty of Trinity beach. Andy and Sylvie have two cars, one of which is their sports car shown here.  The open stairway to the right is access to their property above us.  (For security purposes I edited the photo removing the license plates).

If you’d like to read some of those comments, please check the end of yesterday’s post by scrolling down this page, bearing in mind that many readers prefer to remain more anonymous, preferring to send an email.  Either method of communicating with us is appreciated. 

Each day more and more of the leaves on these leaves turns orange. Although it’s winter now, the weather in Queensland is never cold enough for a feeling of a full fall season.

If at any time, you’d like to express an opinion or comment and prefer to do so privately, our email links are listed above the feature photo of the two of us at right top of the page. You can count on a response within 12 hours with the exception of our travel days.

In the US, we had houseplants of this type called Pothos, which were hearty plants that did well without much sunlight and only occasional watering.

Speaking of travel days, a few more are rapidly approaching. In a mere 17 days, we’ll be departing our comfy cocoon here in Trinity Beach to head for an overnight in Sydney, although we’ll be arriving in and out in the dark at 8 or 9 pm and flying out at 6 am with no time to revel in the beautiful city as we did when we arrived on June 11th.  Click here to see our photos of Sydney.

We aren’t disappointed to be unable to spend time in Sydney this time since, over the next 20 months, we’ll be back in Sydney seven more times! Surely, we’ll be able to see the city in more detail during a few of those between-cruises-overnight visits. Sydney is quite an exciting city and although we aren’t big city enthusiasts for the long term, it’s fun to see a big city in shorter stops.

Another tree similar to a houseplant growing on the trunk of a large tree, although the tree itself is of a different variety.

When our ship arrived in the Sydney Harbour early that morning of our arrival, we couldn’t get outside quickly enough. It was a breathtaking experience and most certainly, we won’t be able to resist posting more photos each of these upcoming seven times, the exception being this extra short eighth visit in a few weeks.

We weren’t able to get a direct flight to Vanua Levu, Fiji without waiting for many hours at a tiny airport on the mainland of Fiji.  Instead, we chose the overnight, albeit short, stay in a hotel in Sydney, located at the airport. We’ve found it less stressful and exhausting to try to sleep for a few hours in a hotel than try to sleep in a chair at the airport.

We spotted these red plants in Hawaii on all four islands called Ti Plants. From our loyal reader, Annie: “Cordyline fruticosa probably was native originally to SE Asia and Papua New Guinea, but was carried throughout much of the Pacific by early Polynesians who used the starchy rhizomes for food. Today ti occurs in eastern Australia and on many of the larger islands in the tropical Pacific, including the Hawaiian Islands. They seem to thrive in tropical climates.”  Thanks, Annie for the update!

We recall our intentions in our travels:  ease, joy, and simplicity, a part of our logo which should have included “low stress.” With all the most organized of plans, events may occur beyond our control. If the areas over which we have control are seamless, the unforeseen event will be more manageable. 

With upcoming plans to live in Bali beginning on April 30, 2016, we’ve stayed apprised of the numerous issues regarding canceled flights to and from Bali as a result of the continually erupting volcano, Mount Raung. These frequent eruptions have grounded all flights on countless occasions. 

We don’t recognize this plant with leaves green on one side, burgundy on the back of the leaf.

Should this occur when we travel to Bali, rather than spending days waiting at the airport, we’d prefer to get a hotel room wherever we may be and wait it out enjoying our time until we can board a flight avoiding feelings of stress and worry. 

That’s a luxury we’ve afforded, not due to willingness to spend the money but, more of a desire for stress avoidance which for us becomes a vital aspect of our health and well-being. Sure, there’s a price to pay for that option but we’ve budgeted for such occasions and don’t flinch when the necessity arises.

These sparse trees will be in full bloom once winter is over.

As we continue the remaining time in Trinity Beach, we’ve decided we prefer to continue to visit local sites as opposed to expensive boat trips or overnight mountain excursions. To date, we’ve seen quite a bit of the general area and would like to save a few activities for the future return to Cairns by cruise, hopefully planning an outing with other cruisers we meet aboard the ship or on cruisecritic.com.

It’s Friday here, Thursday for many parts of the world. Whatever day it is for you, may it be an excellent day that finds you well and content.

Photo from one year ago today, August 21, 2014:
Seeing this favorite photo again this morning made us smile when one year ago we visited Highclere Castle, the subject of the well-loved British TV series, Downton Abbey. Although no interior photos of the exterior were allowed with the owners still in occupancy, we took many photos of the gardens and exterior which can be found here. Tomorrow, in our one-year-ago photo, we’ll be sharing a photo and link of the quaint Bampton, the village where the in-town footage was filmed. Charming!

Hotel bookings…How to get free rooms!…Hotel nuances…One year ago, great last photo of Paris…

Note the wide beak on this beautiful duck.

There’s no magic, coupons, or complicated processes required to acquire free hotel nights when traveling. It’s a matter of a few steps to get the process rolling.

We have a link on this website to the right of what you’re reading now for Hotels.com. You may wonder why we suggest you use the link on our site. Simple answer. We receive a small commission (very small) for every one of our readers who uses the links on our site.

There were several bodies of water along the edges of the rainforest.

These small commissions help pay a tiny portion of the cost for maintaining our site on a year by year basis.  Using our links does not result in your paying higher prices for products or services than you’d pay to go directly to the web addresses for these various companies. It just helps us in a small way.

For those of you who use our links, we really appreciate you clicking on our site as opposed to clicking somewhere else. That’s all it takes. We thank our readers for participating in our links.  Also, we have multiple travel-related links on our site. For today’s purposes, we’re describing one of those which we used yesterday to book a hotel.

The most exciting aspect of our rainforest hike was spotting pelicans.

Today, we’re going to take you through the necessary steps to acquire free nights in hotels that may work for those who travel only a few times each year:

1.  Click on the hotels.com link on the right side of this page.
2.  Sign up for an account, saving your user name and password, keep in a safe place.
3.  Feel free to add a credit card to be saved for future use. This is a secure site and sure, things can happen, but we’ve felt comfortable doing so. 

If you prefer not to leave a credit card on file on the site, you can add it each time you book a reservation and you’ll still receive full credit. Suggestion for those worried about security: Talk to your credit card company asking their policy if your card number is stolen. They will explain that you are not responsible for any charges you did not make. 

A number of ducks hanging out in the freshwater lake at the edge of the rainforest.

Our credit card numbers have been stolen twice in the past three years and have been easily resolved by the credit card company canceling the old card and immediately shipping us a new card, usually overnight. We were not responsible for any of the unauthorized charges. 

We check all of our credit cards online by setting up a “favorite” with the link. Every few days we check to be assured that no charges are posted that we didn’t make. It takes less than one minute. 

Most likely, this was the mate of the pelican photos we posted today and yesterday, found in the wild.

It’s easy to set up a request with each of your credit and debit card companies to send you an email each time a charge is made if you prefer not to check it online. We live in a world that is high risk of identity theft. Taking the initiative to ensure your safety and security is entirely up to you.

4.  Once your account is set up, you can proceed to check for hotels entering your preferred dates and location.  If you choose to check at a later date, click on the link on our site to enter to check hotel prices at any time.  Once you stay 10 nights at a hotel you’ve booked through the site, you get a free night. Easy. You can easily access your Rewards status at any time by logging in and selecting the link on the site under “Your Account.”

When booking your free night, make sure, once you’ve selected the hotel and date for the free night, that you check the box that asks if you want to use the Rewards you’ve accumulated. Otherwise, your credit card will be billed.

Another unusual palm trunk.

Yesterday, we booked a hotel in Sydney on January 4, 2016, when we’ll have flown in from Fiji, spending one night in Sydney until January 5th when we leave on a cruise from Sydney Harbor.

The hotel is near the port, not quite walking distance but no more than a two-minute drive. Most likely the hotel will have a shuttle to the pier. If not, minimal taxi fare will get us there.  Our bags are too heavy to haul the several blocks.

Fallen bamboo

Hotels in Sydney are expensive. Using our Rewards credit toward a free night, which varies depending on how much you’ve paid for past reservations, required we pay a small amount as shown below in our receipt:

Hotels.com Confirmation Number : 123456789 (number changed for security)

Booked: Online – Friday, August 14, 2015 3:50:26 PM GMT+10:00

Booking Details

Guest Name:  Thomas Lyman Room Type: Standard Room, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking – Advance Purchase
Check-in: Monday, January 4, 2016 Check-out: Tuesday, January 5, 2016, Number of Nights:1, Number of Rooms:1
Hotel Details: Holiday Inn Old Sydney the Rocks
55 George Street
The Rocks
AU+61292520524
Charges: Monday, January 4, 2016: $248.99 (AUD $337.90)
Hotels.com® Rewards free night applied: -$202.43 (AUD $274.39)
Sub-total:$46.56 (AUD $63.11)
Total Price:$46.56
Amount paid:$46.56
Amount still due:$0.00
The sun peeking through the rainforests at certain times of the day plays an integral role in the growth and development of the forests.
Many hotels booking have the option of choosing a non-refundable rate or a fully refundable rate. If you feel there’s a possibility your plans could change, pay the slightly higher amount for the refundable rate. For us, we always choose the non-refundable rate based on our intent of getting the best rates. This fact is universal on all websites used for booking hotels. 
As shown above, yesterday we paid the excess amount, over and above our Hotels.com Rewards credit of US $202.43, AUD $274.39 which was the additional US $46.56, AUD $63.11. Had the hotel been a lower cost than the US $202.43,  AUD $274.30 we wouldn’t have had to pay anything which is usually the case.  But, as mentioned above, Sydney is more expensive than many cities, comparable to the rates we paid in Paris and London a year ago.
Soon, we’ll be booking 10 nights in a hotel in Vietnam to fill in a gap until the upcoming river cruise. Every 10 nights we book, pay for, and use, we’ve received one free night. In essence, this results in a 10% discount which may not seem like much. One doesn’t receive credit for the free night when it’s used, only for the paid in full nights.
The grounds of the swampy area were covered with fallen leaves and branches, suitable habitat for many small creatures.
However, travelers all over the world are booking hotel rooms with no credit. Of course, we always verify that this site is providing us with the best possible price plus…the accumulation of paid nights for an eventual free night.
If you have questions or need assistance with this, please comment at the end of today’s post. We will reply and share our combined comments with our other readers who may have the same questions.
We may not stay in any more hotels in a year than the average traveler. It may, in fact, be less often. We spend most of our nights in vacation homes or on cruises. 
A considerable part of rainforests consists of swampy areas.
Most years we don’t spend more than four or five nights in a hotel, usually between cruises or for long flights such as is coming up when we fly to Sydney, staying overnight in a hotel and flying to Fiji the next day.  Otherwise, we’d have had to wait at the airport for 10 hours, not our cup of tea.  
Whenever we encounter the possibility of knowingly spending more than eight hours in an airport awaiting a flight, we opt for a hotel stay, always considering our objective of reducing the possibility of travel stress. With easy hotel check-in and checkout these days, this usually makes sense for us.
The trunk of a species of a palm tree in the rainforest.
How picky are we in choosing hotels? Here are our criteria for selecting hotels:
1.  Location:  Convenient to modes of transportation, next flight, cruise pier, and activities we plan
2.  Reviews: In most cases, we don’t select anything under four stars unless it’s a short overnight stay awaiting a flight or cruise.  In these cases, we’ll consider a 3.5 star. As in the above-stated reservation, its list as a 4.5 star (out of a possible 5 stars). (Cleanliness and good repair are indicated in the star ratings).
3.  Availability of wifi: Preferably free although at times we’ve paid a fee when other good options weren’t available.
4.  Bed options: Tom and I do fine in a queen bed and for short stays that works fine. In many vacation homes, including here, we only have a double bed and somehow we make that work. However, we’d never chose that option in a hotel which may indicate a lack of replacing the beds and poor updating and maintenance. In many countries, bed size is a cultural thing. We don’t expect king beds as we travel.
Pelicans are beautiful up close.  Little do we realize their exquisite markings when seeing them at a beach.

Of course, there are many amenities we prefer such as complimentary coffee and tea service in the room, and an on-site restaurant when we’ll be dining. On a single night, hotel stay, a restaurant is less important to us when its nothing to us to miss a meal.

(I don’t eat breakfast except on cruises and when at a vacation home, Tom has a small serving of bacon and egg casserole I make and freeze in packets of three servings which we defrost one package at a time. Neither of us cares for lunch, even while cruising. Our way of eating causes a tremendous lack of appetite and we chose to eat only when hungry). 
This life of travel requires a tremendous amount of work and planning. For us, we enjoy the planning and details. If we didn’t plan well in advance life could be chaotic at times, a situation we prefer to avoid at all costs and efforts.
An ibis pecking on the grounds near the rainforest.
Neither of us succumbs to drama and chaos. Luckily, our personality types have grown to a point of avoiding confrontation, instead kindly asking for what we need and want. Complaining is not a part of who we are. 
If we book a hotel and don’t like it, we express our views in a review. If our room isn’t clean or appropriate, we’d kindly ask for another (which rarely occurs when booking 4 stars or more). If we booked a hotel for a longer-term, we explain why we don’t like it and work toward a refund after we’ve found other options. (This hasn’t happened).
Please feel free to ask any questions regarding this topic (or another topic if preferred) by commenting at the end of today’s post. You may do so anonymously if you’d prefer. We don’t see your email address and can only reply to you here. We usually respond within 12 hours.  We love hearing from our readers!Have a fun-filled weekend!
                                             Photo from one year ago today, August 15, 2014:
We both smiled when we downloaded this photo. It’s so Paris! Two weeks was a long time to spend in Paris and we were ready to head to London the next day, traveling on the Eurostar (the Chunnel train), excited for the first time experience of traveling under the English Channel on a train. For more photos, please click here.

First earthquake in Queensland in almost 100 years…5.7 magnitude…Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas photos…One year ago Paris photos…

Most of the beaches in Queensland are sandy.

Queensland is a large state. A 5.7 earthquake rattled the eastern coast of Australia near Frazer island, only after another quake of 5.3 magnitude hit the same area a few days earlier.

There’s no doubt that walking and biking enthusiasts would want to tackle the entire distance of the Four Mile Beach, the beginning shown here.  No thanks.

Geoscience Australia stated the earthquake stuck 119km northeast of Rainbow Beach at a depth of 10km at around 1:38 pm (AEST). This was apparently the strongest earthquake to hit Queensland since 1918 and is reported to be 10 to 20 times stronger than Thursday quake.

The sand at the beach is as fine and soft as silk.

We’re not very close to this area. It’s a three-hour flight from Cairns to the island which includes a ferry ride, too far for us to feel the quake. But, the news is abuzz with constant reporting on this unusual event.

As we entered Four Mile Beach.

We can’t help but pay attention to these natural events as we travel the world. Recently, we’ve paid special attention to the eruption of Mount Raung in Bali, which closed the airports off and on for weeks as it continued to erupt. This could easily affect us in our two future trips to Bali.

The views at the Four Mile Beach are breathtaking, as are most beaches we’ve seen throughout the world.

How ironic is it, that we’ll have been living on two islands with erupting volcanoes, far apart from one another 16 months apart?  Visiting Mount Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii was an extraordinary experience, especially when our family was with us witnessing this once in a lifetime experience together. Well, maybe seeing lava won’t be a once in a lifetime experience for us after all with Bail in near future plans.

Now that we’re not worried at all as compared to how worried we were a year ago when the lava could have overtaken the area in which we booked the two houses for our family visit last Christmas in Pahoa on the Big Island. That was quite a worrisome event. 

We took this photo the night we visited Mount Kilauea, which we visited with family in late December 2014. For more of our volcano photos, please click here.

Where would we have put 14 of us last minute in Hawaii over Christmas? Thank goodness it all worked out when the lava took a turn the last several weeks and our location was off the high-risk list.

This morning the news is reporting about last year’s horrific crash of MH370 Malaysia Airlines and finding a part of the plane on Reunion Island. Neither of us had heard of Reunion Island until we lived in South Africa. 

Tom lounging on the veranda at African Reunion House, where we lived for several weeks while in South Africa, thanks to our hosts, Louise and Dani.  For more details on this house, please click here.

At that time, we stayed in the above fabulous house managed by Louise and Dani, Reunion House, aptly named after the owner’s home base on Reunion Island. We pray that the balance of the wreckage is found to bring a little peace to those who lost loved ones in the awful crash.

On the return drive, we stopped to take photos of the end of the Four Mile Beach.

Oh, the world is filled with disasters and bad news. Sometimes I wish we’d stop watching the news which even in Australia keeps up updated on what’s going on in the US and all over the world. At the moment, on the Sunday morning news, we continue to hear about the tragic killing of Cecil, the lion which continues to dominate the news. 

It is a small world. The more we travel, the more connection we feel to many parts of the world when only three years ago we were preparing to explore as we prepared to venture into the unknown.

In no time at all, as we drove back from Port Douglas we were able to see Double Island once again.

Yesterday afternoon, we decided to walk the garbage and recycling down the very steep road to the bin rather than wait until we’d go out again, which is many times per week. Once we arrived at the road and placed the trash in the appropriate bins, we decided to take a walk on the road.

A few ambitious fishermen.

Looking to the left, we saw a huge steep hill, and then, looking to the right, we spotted another huge steep hill.  We opted for the right. Forty-five minutes later after walking up and down the hills in the hot sun, we were ready to tackle the huge hill back up to the house.

Although we walk a lot, mostly out and about at various points of interest, we don’t walk with athleticism in mind. (Tom doesn’t like going for walks although occasionally, he’ll humor me as in yesterday’s vigorous walk). By the time we reached our challenging driveway, we were ready to tackle it, and up and up we went. Surprisingly, we weren’t puffing as much as in the past. 

We stopped to take photos from a high point on the return drive from Port Douglas.

Perhaps, our walks and my working out again has contributed to our improved stamina. Perhaps, peace of mind over our good health reports has enhanced Tom’s enthusiasm to walk a little more often. We shall see how that rolls out.

Tom with the Four Mile Beach behind him. Gee, look how slim he is after eating homemade meals this past almost two months.
Me with the Four Mile Beach in the background.

Today, we’re staying put, making a Sunday dinner of bacon-wrapped hard-boiled egg stuffed meatloaf, a crust free mushroom quiche, green beans, and salad on the side. As soon as I’ve uploaded today’s post I’ll be making my way to the kitchen to begin preparing the food.

Have a great Saturday and Sunday, wherever you may be.

                                               Photo from one year ago today, August 2, 2014:
We arrived in Paris on August 1st and posted a few posts with the same date. Here is the first video we took in Paris at 10 pm the night we arrived. What a sight! What an experience! It was hard to believe we were in Paris. Click here for more Paris photos. 
My pockets were jammed with my stuff when carrying a wallet, phone, or camera in Paris is subject to pickpockets. We were at the City of Architecture in Paris as we walked for hours on August 2nd. Click here for more photos.


Tom on the steps of the City of Architecture and Heritage as we continued on our 5 miles, 8km walk that day.

The end of an era in paradise…How to make Kauai work for a vacation or holiday…Two days and counting…Favorite Kauai photos…

The view from our lanai.

For those living in more beautiful places than Kauai, do tell me where you are and we’ll hope to visit someday soon.  For those living in barren, desolate areas, we appreciate the beauty of those places too.

The beach at Hanalei Bay.

Our hearts skipped a beat over the barren desolation in three countries in Africa, finding an indescribable beauty that will linger in our hearts and minds forever, hoping to return to Africa sometime in the future.

An albatross parent looking happy.

It isn’t always about ocean and mountain views, lush greenery, and blooming tropical flowers. It can be sand blanketed desert or rocky tumbleweed covered plains and the unique beauty is evident. 

An Eyebrowed Thrush we spotted in the yard.

Wherever we may travel, we find ourselves in awe of Mother Nature’s bounty of terrain and vegetation appropriate to a climate and elevation. How magical is that fact in itself? 

Anini Beach on a cloudy day.

As for Kauai, its truly a paradise and if scenery provides the traveler with a much needed respite from the rigors of daily life, Kauai is the place to visit. Many assume that it’s hard to travel to Kauai when in fact there are direct flights from some major cities. 

The dry caves at Tunnels Beach.

In the worst case, a short layover in Honolulu will result in a short 30-minute flight heading this way every few hours. Car rentals are reasonable, especially if booked online at such sites as rentalcars.com. We were able to rent a car in Kauai for under US $700 a month, surprisingly reasonable. (For shorter rentals, the rates may be slightly higher on a per-week basis).

Birdie added a lot of fun to our stay in Kauai.

Accommodations are plentiful in Kauai whether one chooses to stay in Princeville, Hanalei, Kilauea, Kapaa, Poipu, Waimea, or any of the other resort areas. Prices vary from as little as $120 a night to $1000’s per night.  Overall, most average rates are around $265 a night for a well-equipped condo that may include an ocean view. 

African Tulips bloomed and not bloomed.

By staying for a week or more with a full kitchen one can keep the costs at a reasonable level by cooking some of the meals. Our average cost for groceries has been under $50 a day as opposed to approximately $200 or more (for two) who may choose to dine out twice a day. 

Beautiful, the name escapes

Many condos with full kitchens are equipped with basic spices and condiments. Being able to avoid purchasing paper products, cleaning supplies and condiments keeps the costs at bay. It may be worth asking if any of these items are included in the rent.

A newly hatched albatross chick, nestled under a parent.

With our long one to three months stays in mostly houses, we have no expectations of the owners providing us with paper products, laundry and bath soaps, shampoo and cleaning supplies. However, these items may all be included for the one to two-week stay in a vacation property.

A Princeville shore.

Dining out is sketchy at best in Kauai. It’s important to check the reviews on TripAdvisor for restaurants in Kauai to decide what will fit your budget and food preferences. For us, there were few good options, mainly due to my way of eating.

A waterfall on the treacherous path down to the Queen’s Bath.  We can’t believe we made that hike!

Will we ever return to Kauai? The answer would be “yes” if we didn’t have so much world yet to see. At this point, we’ve seen so little of the world and have many plans in mind for the future which doesn’t include returning to Hawaii.

During our visit to the southern shore of Kauai, this horse seemed happy to see us.

Would we ever live in Kauai, if and when health requires we settle down, which, let’s face it, most likely will occur at some point? If that occurs, most likely we’d prefer more convenient access to competent medical care.  Who knows?  Preferably, we’ll be able to stay fit and healthy and when our final days near we’ll be situated in a favorite location for a 90 day or longer stint.

The Spouting Horn in Poipu.

Kauai is not necessarily suitable for those with chronic health conditions who may need frequent access to treatment and facilities which, if needed can be found an hour’s drive from Princeville in Lihue or perhaps taking a flight to Oahu. 

Rainbow Eucalyptus tree. 

We’ve spoken to some locals that travel to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona for annual physicals and treatment and others who fly to Honolulu for care. That may be too cumbersome for long-term residents.

This Kauai sunset will remain a favorite.

If, as a traveler, walking is your preferred activity, Kauai offers the utmost in trails, designated sidewalks, beaches and tourist towns for some of the finest walking to be found anywhere. 

A clear pool of water at high tide.

If all one did when coming to Kauai was to walk, partaking in some of the many trails based on the level of fitness, and spent time gazing at the scenery, the sunrises, and sunsets, it would be an extraordinary and memorable experience. It isn’t necessary to spend much if any money on tours if one is on a budget and longs to visit Kauai.

This shot was taken on our hike down the steep path to Hideaways Beach.

We leave Kauai with happy hearts for an experience we’ll always cherish for its constant beauty and for the many friendships we’ve made and the memories we’ll always treasure.

                                                Photo from one year ago today, May 21, 2014:

We took this photo from a steep road on our way to Ribeira Brava in Madeira, Portugal. For more details from that date, please click here.

A visit to the Princeville Artisan Fair…Showcasing local artists….Getting along…

In the event of rain, the various outdoor vendors had tents under which they displayed their products.

Why in the world would we go to an artisan fair when most of the products they sell are either for the home, clothing, or jewelry, none of which we can or will purchase in our travels?

Without room in our luggage for one more item nor having a home in which to hang a painting or photo, none of the products in these types of fairs are suitable for us.

In some cases, vendors fear photos being taken of the products to avoid the copying of their unique designs.

However, over these past 29 months of traveling the world, we’ve attended a number of these types of events out of curiosity and for an opportunity to highlight a local artist or vendor. With our huge and growing worldwide readership, it’s an opportunity for a vendor to have a little more exposure.

As a business owner for most of my career, I certainly appreciate the importance of marketing and advertising.  As in the case of this website, we don’t accept any money or gifts in place of a good review, a product, or mention of any skilled craft. 

Jake, with a vendor, seemed to be enjoying the attention from passersby, including me.

However, on many occasions, we’ve highlighted local shops, restaurants, vacation homes, and vendors as a way of giving back for the blissful experience of traveling the world as we do. From time to time, we’ve received feedback stating this exposure has proved to be beneficial for them in one way or another.

Today, we’re showcasing a few vendors we encountered at yesterday afternoon’s Princeville Artisan Fair which occurs at the Princeville Community Center on the fourth Sunday of every month from 1 to 6 pm. Here’s an article from the local newspaper, TGI, The Garden Island with details about the fair.

Colorful fabrics with Hawaiian patterns are often found in various sarongs, scarfs, and dresses.

Although Tom has little interest in looking at merchandise we have no intention of purchasing, he decided to join me to ensure I got a parking spot, a kindness he employs on a regular basis, always looking out for my convenience. He drops me off, then drives around looking for a spot. In this case, the closest possible spot opened up as we pulled in and we chuckled. 

He had the choice of sitting in the car or wandering about with me. He chose the latter. But, leave it up to Tom to find a great spot to sit for people watching, and within minutes he and another retiree were busily engaged in idle chatter.

I was fascinated with this handloom this vendor was using in making scarfs, shawls, and wraps. It looked like to fun activity that I’d have enjoyed in my old life. Unfortunately, I’d never have room for such a loom in my luggage. The quality of the work was exceptional.  For more information, click here for Skywoven’s website.

He never rushes me at such venues; shops, fairs, and farmer’s markets. He waits patiently, never making me feel rushed or worried that he’s waiting. On the other hand, I’m sensitive to the fact that he’s waiting, inspiring me not to take a moment longer than necessary.

I suppose this mentality is one of the many reasons we get along so well and our travels are filled with pleasure, not only getting along but getting along lovingly. That’s us.

Skywoven‘s finished products were beautiful. 

Off I went to explore both the grounds of the Princeville Community Center which had myriad tents and displays set up not too far from the building and then, inside the building which housed some of the smaller displays. 

This vendor, Kauai Curators specialized in shell-made leis and various pieces of jewelry of what appeared to be scrimshaw. This artist was so busy, I didn’t have an opportunity to compliment them on their work.

It appeared that 80% of the visitors were seniors like us and the remainder, tourists with families, some with dogs and young children. We easily blended into the welcoming environment as has been the case in every activity in which we’ve participated here in Princeville. The people are friendly and quick to say hello.

This vendor, Rooster Exotic Woods, specializes in utilizing the local wood of the islands including but not limited to Koa wood to make a variety of products as shown here and in the photo below.

In reality, if a senior chose to live in Princeville as a single person or as a widow or widower having lost a spouse or significant other, of which there are many in this area, there would be no lack of social activities providing them opportunities to make friends and to feel a part of the community. 

More wood products from Rooster Exotic Woods.

The only difficult aspect to this scenario is taking that first step to engage in conversation and if all goes well, to encourage a future get-together. We find this to be the case even for us as a couple. 

Pottery design and manufacture is the product of this vendor, Love Fate Studios

Both last night and again tonight, we are out to dinner with two separate couples Tom has met across the street at the ocean lookout. He took to the initiative to start up or participate in conversation which ultimately led to finding the commonality of interests. From there, gradually plans were made to get together out to dinner.

Mugs and pots from Love Fate Studios. Some of the vendors didn’t have websites, which we encouraged them to develop in order to enhance their visibility and subsequent sales.

Last night’s dinner was with Cheryl and Paul from Minnesota (coincidence) at Kalypso, a reasonably priced bar and restaurant located in the heart of the town of Hanalei. 

Us old-timers had to maneuver carefully when walking on these tree roots in the display area, often found on trails in Kauai. No point in spraining an ankle or breaking a leg.

It proved to be a highly enjoyable evening for all of us. The food and service were acceptable and at under $50 with tip and drinks for each couple, it was one of the better-priced meals in this otherwise pricey area. 

The entrance to the community center’s building where recently Tom and I had attended a party for seniors.

With the high degree of a delightful conversation, I failed to take photos of our food but, our meals were similar to other such restaurants we’ve visited in Kauai thus far.

These hibiscus located at the Princeville Community Center are the largest we’ve seen. They are the size of a cantaloupe.

Tonight, we’ve invited Brenda and Pat for pu pu happy hour at our place. Then, we’re off together in their car to Hanalei once again to the same restaurant we visited last week with Julie and Richard, Bouchon’s. 

The food and service at Bouchon’s Grill and Sushi Bar warranted a positive review at TripAdvisor for which I received a pleasant response to our review from the owner. If you’d like to read our review and the owner’s response, please click here.

This vendor had adorable handmade cards on display but no business cards or website to promote their sales.

Today’s a sunny day and once I’ve uploaded today’s post we’re heading to the Makai Club’s pool. Each time we visit, we find ourselves enjoying the company of even more people, whether tourists staying at St. Regis or Westin Hotels which provide access to the Makai Club, or locals, like our friend Richard who uses the pool and fitness center for a fee as we’ve done these past months.

Happy Monday! Spring is in the air.

                                             Photo from one year ago today, March 23, 2014:

It wasn’t always the best quality of products and often items were “knockoffs” of brand names but, the tourists gathered around displays such as this anxious to negotiate great prices. For details from that date as we counted the days until we’d see our family in Hawaii in December, please click here.

Julie’s last moments in Kauai…Tender…Touching…Terrific…A brilliant sunset!…

Oh, sun, what you do to us in our perpetual pursuit of the perfect sunset.

Yesterday, Julie and I returned to several of her favorite spots before she had to leave for the airport to return to her home in Los Angeles, California.  We revisited several of her favorite spots; the town on Hanalei for another sushi roll at the fish market behind Dolphin restaurant; a visit to see the Laysan albatross chicks and their parents; a stop at the overlook on the road to Hanalei.

A view of few tide pools from the grounds of the condos across the street.

She went with me on her last trip to the Princeville Center to the Foodland grocery store to buy ingredients to make a pu pu to share for tonight’s movie night at Bev and Sam’s home.  It will be the last movie night for us with our pending upcoming departure in two months.

Hideaway’s Beach at dusk.

A trip to Foodland became a laugh fest for Julie and I with the parking lot always filled with hens, chicks and roosters scurrying about hoping for a crumb from shoppers and diners from the various nearby cafes and restaurants. 

In a good spot to see the sunset, we couldn’t help but relish this view.

We laughed a lot about the chickens which are found everywhere one goes in Kauai, whether the parking lot at a market, a farmer’s market, a roadside stand, the sand at the beach or on the side of the road as one drives in any direction.

Although some locals protest over their annoyance, most are tolerant and some even find them endearing as we do.  Their constant presence is another reason for Kauai’s charm, found in every direction, down every road.

What a view!

To add to Julie’s final day, I made a dinner of corned beef and cabbage which I’d hoped to make on St. Patrick’s Day when instead we went out to dinner, the three of us and friend Richard.  With her flight not until 10:00 pm, it all worked out well.

A week ago, Foodland had offered a coupon that could be used for a free uncooked corned beef, you know, the one in the plastic with the little packet of spices along with a head of cabbage.  Of course, I used my “accumulated points” on my rewards card for the corned beef and head of cabbage.

Every Friday evening around sunset, we can see Norwegian’s Pride of America at over a mile from shore, as it passes on it’s week long cruise throughout all of the Hawaiian Islands.

When Julie and I returned from the grocery store, we noticed extra pairs of shoes outside our door upon entering.  Opening the door we saw Tom sitting at our dining table with a couple he’d met across the street at the lookout when he was whale watching, somewhat of an obsession he’s taken up this past months.

There sat Cheryl and Paul, a lovely couple, a bit younger than us, who by coincidence were also from Minnesota.  Tom had invited them over when pelting rain suddenly poured from the sky as they all were whale watching.

Yesterday, it rained most of the day and dark clouds were still looming.

The lively conversation was easy to step into.  They stayed for another hour as we exchanged email addresses hoping to be in touch before they leave in another week.  How funny!  My hubby “picking up” a lovely couple and bringing them home in the rain.  That’s my guy!

Adding to last night’s dinner was the leftover homemade German Chocolate cake that both Julie and Tom savored over a few days.  I also included those giant Grands biscuits, a treat for Julie and Tom, boiled potatoes and rainbow carrots cooked in the pot during the last 90 minutes. 

As the sun makes it’s final descent.  Its hard to believe how quickly the sunset disappears from sight.

We savored the dinner at 6:00 pm to ensure Julie had plenty of time for last minute details and for us to take a quick trip across the road to see the sunset from the grounds of the condo complex.  This explains today’s sunset photos.

A stunning view of Holes 6 and 7 at the Makai Golf Course that overlooks the ocean.

Saying goodbye to Julie we wondered when we’d see each other again when our plans include two years in the South Pacific, a very long distance from the US.  I held back the tears in an effort to stay strong for my younger sister (eight years), but she succumbed, sad and bereft over what the future holds as to when we’ll see each other once again.

A long Kolea bird on the grass at our feet.

I’ve often reminded her that on occasion with her living in Los Angeles and us in Minnesota, there were many periods of time that we wouldn’t see each other for a few years, staying in close touch by phone as we do now.  But, she says, that’s different.  We’ll be so far away.  We understand.  Its the nature of our lives.

Shortly after taking the above photos, Tom quickly drove us over to his favorite lookout spot when we got these final shot.  We don’t know the guy in this photo.

Now, Tom and I are settled back into our easy routine, firmly ensconced in our pleasant day to day lives, free of stress and worry, filled with the joy of our exquisite current surroundings and possessing a twinkle in our eyes of what is yet to come.

Moments later, darkness fell and we wandered back indoors.

Today, we’ll clean our condo and I’ll make our pu pu for tonight, a apricot almond Brie en croute with a variety of crackers.  Its nothing I can eat but perhaps a bite of last night’s leftovers of tender corned beef, cabbage and carrots will be on the menu before we head out the door.

Its Saturday night!  Enjoy!
_______________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, March 21, 2014:

As we’ve traveled the world, we’ve made a point of watching movies about the country in which we’re living.  A year ago living in Morocco, we watched one of my favorite movies, Casablanca which was a first for Tom.  For details from that date, please click here.

Today’s a very special day in our lives to share with all of our readers…

This morning as I sat down to begin to prepare our daily post I had little awareness of today’s date. Busily writing and posting photos, something was nagging at me.

When Tom, Julie, and I gathered together in the cozy living room of our condo, coffee mugs in hand, we engaged in idle chatter. For no reason at all, today’s date popped into my head, March 15, 2015. 

With a delightful squeal, I announced, “I think today is the third anniversary of our first post on March 15, 2012!”

They both looked at me in amazement as my fingers flew across the keyboard to hurriedly peruse the archives for our first post. Yes, there it was, our post from three years ago today on this very date.

The three of us looked at one another in amazement. I could easily have missed this date and yet, there was something nagging at me. It was this very date. 

I read aloud the post to Tom and Julie with tears in my eyes, in part, from sheer gratefulness and in wonder over the fact that we’re doing exactly what we set out to do with a mission and state of mind that has remained constant. 

Rather than place a link to that original post, we’ve decided to “post the first post” to share with all of our readers, many of whom have joined us part way through our travels during these past years. We share this today with much love and joy in our hearts and appreciation to all of our readers who have traveled on this journey with us:

March 15, 2012:
Changing clocks…changing life…

Sunday morning we both jumped out of bed at 6 am with a peculiar sense of urgency to begin the painstaking process of changing the myriad clocks in our home. Daylight savings began during the night.  

 Over the 21 years that Tom and I have joyfully enjoyed life together, we seem to have assigned ourselves, which clocks we each change, two times each year. We scurried about the house, mumbling to ourselves as we adjusted one clock after another, realizing that this will be the last time we will change clocks in this house, in this state of Minnesota, and perhaps in this country.  

 In 7 months and 22 days from today, our journey will begin. Tom retires on Halloween after 42 years on the railroad (I retired 16 months ago) and off we go to the adventure of our lives, time being relevant to us in the future only in terms of the time of our next cruise, the time of our next flight, the time of the next ferry, or the time when we move into yet another vacation home.  

As we each finished our last clock, oddly about the same moment, I said to Tom, “We need a domain name for our future website and blog.”  

He chuckled, and said, “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.”  It’s equally odd how couples often have thoughts simultaneously.  We never cease to be amazed by this phenomenon.

 We had been mulling over some names the past month, as we booked our plans well into the future, knowing the time to document this process was coming near.

 Last year, I wrote my first blog, WorldWideWillie.blogspot.com as our beloved Australian Terrier, WorldWideWillie’s precious life came to an end, finding solace in the process.  With over 400 followers, we found comfort in their invisible, lurking presence as I wrote almost daily from Willie’s perspective, his final days, days filled with love, humor, and tears.  

When Tom returned home each night, I read him the daily postings, often crying a river through the sobs that welled up in my chest.  Tom cried with me, unashamed by his vulnerability, a charming aspect of his manly demeanor that which I have always adored.

We chose to honor Willie by using part of his name, WorldWide, by adding a 3rd word beginning with a “w.”  Sitting at our computers we looked up all the “w” words that may be available as a domain.  We stumbled across “Waftage,” a word that means “travel gently by water or air.”

How perfect a word when in fact this blog will be about us leaving our well-established lives here in Minnesota to travel the world, leaving our grown children, including our six adorable grandchildren, other family members, our longtime friends, our amazing neighbors, and all of our “stuff,” to be sold off at an estate sale… days before we leave on Halloween, 2012. 

This blog will document a journey that at this point knows no end, a journey meticulously planned to be affordable and yet rich in comfort, visually stimulating, surrounded by nature, filled with history, all the while enjoying that which we have enjoyed the most, simply being together.

We’re lousy photographers, but we’ll post photos. We don’t like tourist traps, but we will visit some. We don’t care to buy trinkets, but we’ll surely buy a few.  

Ironically, neither of us has ardently enjoyed “sightseeing” but, we will seek out those that appeal to us. We don’t like crowds, gridlocked traffic, loud noises, or waiting in line but, we will experience all of these.  

We are both gluten-free, wheat, grain-free, and sugar-free. We won’t eat bread, croissants, or pasta. I don’t drink alcohol, Tom drinks a little but doesn’t like wine. Tom doesn’t like to go for walks. I love walks.  Occasionally, we’ll walk.

Then why will we do this? 1. Because we have figured out a way to afford to make this possible with some creative planning, which we’ll share with you along the way. 2. Because we want to!  

More than the concept of world travel in itself, we relish in the concept of stepping outside the box;  getting out from behind our computers with fingers flying across the keyboard with our latest preoccupation; getting out of our comfy chairs while watching one of our big flat-screen TVs playing a popular premium hi-def series; playing another rambunctious competitive game of Wii Bowling or looking forward to the next great homemade meal.  

We have loved every minute of our lives, whether hanging out with family or friends or looking out the window for another delightful morsel Mother Nature throws our way: an eagle swooping into the trees outside our house, a beaver building a den along the shoreline, a pack of coyotes looking for “little dog lunch.” We have loved it all.

So…we registered our domain name early Sunday morning. We poured ourselves a cup of perfectly brewed coffee, topping each cup with a dollop of real whipped cream, and sat down at the bar in the kitchen. We both smiled, eyes locked on each other. The little crinkles around his eyes made a wave of something wonderful wash over me.

We both looked up at the same time to notice we hadn’t changed the time in the big clock in the kitchen. We both jumped up simultaneously and said, “I’ll get it!” We laughed. We have all the time in the world.

                                         Photo from one year ago today, March 14, 2014:
In the Big Square in Marrakech where the vendors and tourists gather for the sights, the sounds, the food, and the entertainment. Ironically, I’d failed to mention our two year anniversary of posting while wrapped up in life in Marrakech. For details from that date, please click here.

On our own, once again…Content and at peace…

Full moon, clear and crisp over the Pacific Ocean.

After an entire month of family living with us, today we are alone. Late yesterday, Camille and Madighan moved to Kona to be closer to the airport and to languish poolside at an upscale hotel until their departure in a few days.

After an emotional goodbye to the last of our family members to leave, Tom and I grabbed chairs facing the ocean to do our own languishing of whale watching before the sunset. 

Another view of the moon rising.

The whales were hiding and for the first time and we didn’t see a single blowhole. Disappointed? We were not.  We wandered back indoors for dinner, content to return to our usual evening routine. It was over.

Was the family visit perfect?  No, it wasn’t.  But then, family visits over extended periods are rarely perfect. We all have our own routines and day to day needs and behavior, often contrary to those of others. We’re all unique.

Let’s face it…who among us can live easily with our grown children over many days, if not weeks in our case?  Although harmonious, we all had to adjust in one way or another. And we all did. 

Moon rising at sunset.
When it came time to say goodbye, we all did so with love and respect, unsure at this point when we’d see everyone again. Our grown children, from almost 40 to 47, have their own busy lives, their own family lives. 

The only difference between us and the grandparents that move to warmer climates is perhaps fewer visits every few years. We make every effort to stay in close touch via Skype face time, email, Facebook, and now a phone number we’ve added that makes it possible to pick up their cell phones and ring us without access to Skype.

So now, here we are, Tom and I, content and at peace, as we live in the moment in beautiful Pahoa, the fourth sunny day in a row, looking forward to some final exploration on our own to wrap up our remaining nine days on the Big Island.

Yesterday, Madighan and I finally made the gingerbread house.

Once again, we’ll begin discussing our future plans, researching our options including dates, destinations, flights, cruises, and expenses, all a part of our everyday lives.

Although the upcoming four months in Kauai is a little intimidating in its length of time, we’ll lick our wounds from this pricey holiday season and spend as much time as possible getting to know the island. 

She was so excited that we’d made the gingerbread house.

While in Maui, we’d come off of being on the go for months; two cruises, Paris, London with Normandy; Stonehenge; Cork, Iceland; Faroe Islands; Boston’s family visit; and then six days in Vancouver before the cruise to Honolulu. 

Having been so busy for a few months, Maui proved to be a resting point and we had little interest in exploring.  Luckily, the fabulous condo and ocean view made staying relatively quiet extremely rejuvenating.

A pink Trumpet flower.

Living on the Big Island has kept us on our toes with the family visit and now, alone again, we easily slide back into our pleasing routine of traveling the world, albeit stationary for a period of time knowing the exciting experiences that await us.

In a little over four months, we’ll be on our way to the South Pacific; Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Bali with more countries and planning yet to come. 

Huge pods growing on a local tree.

The excitement and enthusiasm are no less today than it was over two years ago when we left the US to begin our new lives. In many ways, it’s greater than in the past. We are no longer apprehensive and fearful having acquired the knowledge and experience that have begun to make us seasoned travelers.

Thanks to our readers for sharing this journey with us, for your comments, feedback, and suggestions, and for taking the time to read about not only the exciting days of our travels but also the mundane days of simply living life on the move.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

                                             Photo from one year ago today, January 6, 2014:

Clive, whom we may now believe is a “she,” aptly renamed Clove, when we’ve later seen her with chicks on Facebook, came to visit our house in Marloth Park for the first time on this date, one year ago. It was a delightful visit.  She/he wasn’t shy about letting us get close for photos. For details from that date, please click here.

Fitful night…Worrying…Up at 5 am…A new beginning in a New Year…A year ago closeup of a visitor…

Late in the day yesterday, we spotted these whales. The much-anticipated fluke, the tail was the prize. Wonderful! 

Even an overly bubbly type has a bad night now and then. Last night was mine, worrying about my sister, unable to speak to her until this morning when she was able to take the call, somewhat awake and alert.

First, we saw the blowholes of these two whales.

We’ve always been very close, my sisters and I. The distance hasn’t changed a thing. We haven’t lived near one another for many years but, we’ve never missed a beat in each other’s life. On any given day, we could easily imagine what the other was doing, our plans for the day, our hopes, our dreams, our sorrows, our shortcomings; always accepted, always loved.

This morning at 7:00 am Hawaii time, 9:00 am in LA, we spoke and I was relieved to hear her voice, so relieved and comforted to know she’ll now begin the healing process. 

The dorsal fin appeared.

I am sorry that I couldn’t be with her. I had been in the past. This time, with family here with us, her partner, and friends of which there are many, were at her side, keeping me informed.

So the days continue on, in the Big Island. The three remaining family members were gone overnight to Kona for swim-with-the-manta rays late-night outing and overnight in the “big city” of Kona. 

Another whale’s dorsal fin.

In three days, they’ll leave the Big Island to return to Minnesota, and once again, we’ll be together alone. Are we sad? Not at all. We loved seeing them all and now as we all roll into the New Year, back into our “real lives.”

For us, our “real life” at the end of the family holiday, begins a new year in our travels which we anticipate with excitement and joyfulness…the vacation that sees no end. How couldn’t one be happy to begin again?

This morning from the lanai.

Over the next few months in Kauai (we leave for the island in 17 days), we plan to explore, learn the nuances of the garden island, lick our wounds from the pricey family get together, take care of insurance, taxes, investments and other such necessary “paperwork” and, most of all, take as many photos as we can to share with our readers each and every day.

Today, a trip to the village is in order for a few things at Island Naturals, the only open grocery store in Pahoa after the evacuation for the still moving lava toward the Pahoa Marketplace. 

The sun desperately tried to peek through this opening in the clouds.

I’m now writing on my new Acer, 15.6, touchscreen, 1 Terabyte, lighted keyboard, Intel Core, i5, 8 gigabytes, la la la…laptop I purchased at Costco on Sunday night for a reasonable $589 including tax at less than half the regular retail price.

Yesterday, I transferred all my data, installed all my apps and email folders, MS Office, and Outlook and I’m loving every moment. It’s been almost a year since my last Acer died due to my dropping it in South Africa and I’ve suffered using an international version of a not so good notebook with keyboard issues from the get-go that finally went kaput in the past two weeks.

Had I been there seconds earlier, I could have taken the rays from the sun reflecting on the ocean. This was the view by the time the camera loaded.

Finally, I feel at ease as I write here each day no longer struggling with the keys and look forward to sharing the future with all of you as we continue on…

Have a terrific Tuesday!

                                          Photo from one year ago today, December 30, 2013:

This kudu looked me in the eye, “You got any pellets this morning?” he asked.  I dropped a handful onto the ground and backed up so his huge antlers didn’t stab me. For details of this date, please click here.