Search Results for: Vacation Homes

How do we decide where to go and holiday homes…Most frequently asked suggestions……

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After returning from Kruger on a Sunday, we headed to Amaazing River View, Serene Oasis, to watch the sunset and wildlife on the Crocodile River. This waterbuck was busily grazing on the vegetation as we captured his reflection in the river.

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site in a few months, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you. 

Today’s photos are from June 12, 2018, while in Marloth Park, South Africa. See the link here for more.

As we reviewed the plethora of comments when we requested input from our readers at this “Foraging for fodder” post” the most common responses we received were, “How do we decide on where we’ll travel next and how do we find holiday homes in those locations?”

Over the years, we’ve posted snippets in various posts about the resources we’ve used to find holiday homes once we’ve decided on a location.  Let’s start with “deciding on a location.”

This elephant with only one tusk was standing at the Verhami Dam in Kruger leisurely tossing dirt over herself. 

Please bear in mind. These responses are based on normal times, not times of Covid-19 when everything is different, especially regarding where we’ll go when that decision isn’t entirely up to us. 

Instead, it will be predicated entirely as to which countries will be opening their borders to US citizens and those coming from India, a double whammy since immigration at airports won’t take the time or effort to review our itinerary over the past several months. 

If US citizens are banned, we won’t be allowed entry. If those coming from India are banned, we won’t be allowed access. That is why we anticipate it being a long time until we can travel to another country.

It was fascinating watching her from our close vantage point.

In normal times, we chose a country based on the following factors in order of preference:

1. Which areas/countries have we yet to visit that piques our interest?
2. When and where will our next cruise sail that a particular country provides us with the best proximity without us having to fly long distances, if possible?
3. What is the cost of living in a particular country, allowing a one or two-month stay or longer, befitting our budget and expectations? What is the cost of potential holiday homes?
4. Where are we most likely to attain a high degree of pleasure due to excellent views, wildlife, or unique and exciting nearby areas to visit?
5. Can we rent a holiday home in a less busy area, away from a big city?
6. Is the location safe based on crime rates, current political unrest, or potential civil unrest?
7. Which properties include the features most important to us such as location, cleanliness, and appeal, including WiFi, air-con, full kitchen with oven, comfortable seating areas and bedroom, dining table, towels, bedding, and utilities included, proximity to grocery shopping, a convenient parking area, and a cleaner either provided by the property owner or one which we can pay?

She devoured some vegetation while we waited patiently for her next move.

As we peruse various holiday/vacation home websites, we search for the above criteria to discover what ultimately will serve us best. There are numerous websites online, many owned by Expedia, which include: 
1. HomeAway
2. Vacation Home Rentals
3. VRBO
4. Stayz 
There are numerous holiday rental sites online. To search, type in; holiday rentals and the name of the country you’d like to visit. You’ll find dozens of sites. Please be cautious with smaller areas and with each listing. 

Many listings may be scams. It’s imperative to read reviews and, if possible, speak to the owner before booking and ask for references. Ask as many leading questions as possible. Proceed with caution if it’s a new listing with no reviews.

Suddenly, she lifted the end of her trunk and scratched her right eye.

Many ask us if we use Airbnb. We do not. We’ve found their payment policy of requiring full payment at the time of booking, along with many poor reviews, a deterrent. Also, many of their listings are unsuitable for our needs, including “shared,” rental, hostels, and various forms of group housing, which doesn’t meet our objectives.

Sites such as booking.com and hotels.com, and TripAdvisor.com offer numerous quality listings. Look for guarantees provided by the providers.

Also, keep in mind that property managers, such as our dear friend Louise in Marloth Park, have their site with several listings as indicated here. In this case, we can confidently provide her link, but if the manager is unknown to you, proceed with caution.

What are the risks of encountering a scam holiday home listing?
1. The property address doesn’t exist when you arrive
2. The photos are not as represented in the listing
3. The property belongs to someone other than whom you placed the booking and paid the funds
4. The property is in poor condition, hidden in photos listed

Urgent Note: Do not use a bank transfer of funds directly from your bank account unless you know the party personally or someone who can attest to their integrity and reliability. Verify cancellation policies.

Over several minutes, she reached up, scratching her eye again.

If a credit card is used for payment, you’ll have recourse if you run into difficulties. If you do a direct bank transfer, YOU’LL HAVE NO RECOURSE to recover your funds. 

Most reliable holiday home sites have a money processing app that handles the payment via a credit card. Check online for reviews on these services. For example, we’ll use such sites as PayPal and Google Pay without hesitation. Plus, such sites as HomeAway have their reliable payment processing feature. But still, in doing so, it could be a scam that some arbitrary company has set it up with fraudulent intentions.

Back at the house, Tom’s favorite, Ms. Bushbuck, and her friend were to his right while my favorite, Ms. Kudu, was standing to his left.

Of course, with Covid-19, all of this may be different going forward. As we continue to book locations in the future, we’ll certainly keep you updated on the situations we encounter along the way.

We hope today’s information has provided you with answers to some of your questions. If we’ve missed anything, please don’t hesitate to inquire further.


Have a pleasant day.

Photo from one year ago today, June 12, 2019:

We stopped at the Glinsce pier to check out the boats in Connemara, Ireland. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…What does it cost to own and maintain a gorgeous vacation villa in Sumbersari, Bali? Photos, pricing and expenses!

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The front of the property is located at the end of the road, resulting in no passing traffic. This villa is priced at EU 249,000, US $279,017, IDR 3,616,896,723.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Local boys playing soccer at the beach use a floating fishing net instead of a balloon.

While living in vacation homes around the world, we are often curious about the cost associated with ownership in the area. No, it’s not that we’re interested in a possible future purchase for ourselves. We’re not. 

This tree in front of the house is called a “palm bottle” based on his bottle as form.

However, from time to time, we hear readers asking if a particular place would be ideal for their eventual retirement and/or vacation/holiday home. With the prospect of renting the property at certain times of the year as an adjunct to their personal use, it’s an appealing concept for many.

This permanent sign posted on the exterior of the villa illustrates the villa is licensed as a vacation/holiday rental.

As we have observed, prices are generally more affordable in the most remote locations such as the scenarios here in Sumbersari, Bali. Buyers can pay up to 40% less for a property in a remote location than for those close to major cities and more populated tourist places. 

View from the veranda to the sea. Gede explained that the unused satellite dish depicted in the photograph will be removed.

On the flip side, holiday/vacation villa renters in remote locations often pay less for their stay than in the more expensive resorts and homes closer to the airports, bigger cities and popular tourist areas. There are always compromises of some kind.

Pristine pool ready for its first swimmer.

We’ve obviously discovered there are many benefits of being “far from the maddening crowd” resulting in more opportunities to blend into the local flavor, shop in their more affordable shops and markets and experience a wider range of cultural experiences which may not necessarily be geared to the average tourist.

Outdoor and indoor furnishings are included in the price.

When we attended the local buffalo races, we didn’t see any tourists. When we’ve shopped in Negara, we’ve yet to encounter a tourist (from what we’re able to determine) while having difficulty finding a single English speaking person who could tell us where to find olives. 

We like these nuances. Some of our readers can’t imagine why we’d live without air con all day in the heat and humidity with insects swarming us at times with sweat pouring down our faces. Many resorts have multiple air conditioned areas for the needs of the resort crowd and have insect control procedures in place.

The villa has 3 1/2 baths (half bath on main floor), one en suite bath in each of its three bedrooms.

This life isn’t for everyone. Knowing we’re able to wander indoors to turn on the air-con in the bedroom for a cooling break or merely jump into the pool, it easily makes the occasional discomfort dissipate.

The bunk beds, bedroom  (with en suite bathroom) is located on the main floor as well as an other larger bedroom which could be used as a master bedroom with en suite bathroom. On the second level there’s a living room, master bedroom and en suite bath.

A few weeks ago we had two wonderful visits with Pia and Thomas, neighbors down the beach, (originally from Germany), it was easy to observe how they’ve adapted to the minor discomforts as we have over these past months and years of world travel.

Dining area on the main floor next to full service kitchen. Note bunk bed bedroom (with en suite bathroom) in rear with additional half bath to the right.

Most likely this would be the case for the majority of travelers who eventually decide to purchase a vacation home in a more remote location. Get over the four or five hour harrowing drive (we’re working on it)! Get over the ants, flies and mozzies at sunrise and sunset!  Get over the relatively slow Wi-Fi (we’re finally there)! 

Then, get down to enjoying Paradise, which in itself supersedes any possible necessity to adapt required to live in a more affordable, more private, peaceful and less crime laden location. We’re loving it. Many others do as well. 

Well appointed granite countertop, kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Dishwashers generally aren’t used in Bali when most villas employ household staff.

After staying in the lovely Puri Bagus Lovina resort last week, we certainly grasp the easier and simple life of a tourist after living in a vacation home. But, the cost is prohibitive over the long haul when one decides to make Bali their “home away from home.”

Main floor laundry/storage room with laundry hookup.

Today, we’re sharing half of the information and photos of a new, never-lived-in villa that Egon and Gede built that is now for sale. Yesterday morning, we walked with Gede down the road in front of our villa to the property which we then accessed via a stone stairway providing the new villa with expansive ocean views.

There’s an easy access road directly to the villa from the highway.

Located directly off the kitchen this ample space is ideal for kitchen and food storage.

The beautiful new villa is not only situated atop a hill with expansive ocean views, it exhibits fine quality workmanship and design befitting even the most particular of holiday home buyers and ultimately, if chosen to accommodate the needs of future renters as a holiday villa.

Quiet lounge area off the kitchen on the main floor.

Tomorrow, we’ll include the remainder of the photos and costs for utilities and property taxes and staff, including cooks/cleaners and groundskeeper/pool man. Please check back for more.

Double sink, bathroom with large shower located on the main floor in the second bedroom.

For more information on this property, contact Gede at his email address at
gedesiska@gmail.com allowing 12 hours for a response to the time differences from most parts of the world.

Main floor bedroom with en suite bathroom as shown above.

At the moment, as I’m preparing today’s post, we’re watching the Minnesota Vikings football game which started at 8:30 am (Tuesday) and is shown in the US at the new Vikings stadium at 7:30 pm on Monday Night Football. Go Vikings!

Photo from one year ago today, October 4, 2015:

Ratnesh, our driver in Bali, took us on a drive to tour some interesting natural scenery in Vanua Levu, Fiji. This area of rock formations was one of the stops. For more photos, please click here.

Exciting new vacation home location…Photos and more..

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Its easy for us to imagine how much we’ll enjoy time outdoors at our new three month booking in Costa Rica while on our way to South America after visiting family and friends in the US.

Twenty one months from now may seem like an eternity to some. For us, its a hop, skip and jump along the way in our world travels. Otherwise, we may not have booked this new vacation property as quickly as we did, shortly after it hit the vacation home market.

Based on its beauty and fair pricing, we figured it would be snapped up quickly when at times we’ve noticed, especially lovely vacation listings booked as far out as two years in advance in popular locations.

Another view of the pool and veranda.

In late May 2017, we’ll arrive in the US (18 months from now), arriving by cruise ship to Seattle, Washington where we’ll rent a car to make our way across the northern part of the US, across Yellowstone National Park, which Tom has yet to see. (I can’t wait to see his face when we drive through this amazing area, my personal favorite US location).

We’ll continue on making our way to Minnesota, where three of our adult children, their spouses, and our six grandchildren reside along with most of Tom’s siblings, other family members, and many of our friends. It will be a busy period and we’re considering accommodations for the weeks we’ll spend in Minnesota. 

We’ll certainly enjoy the hot tub on a moonlit night!

After leaving Minnesota, we’ll fly to Nevada, to visit eldest son Richard in Henderson and eldest sister Susan in Las Vegas, where we’ll stay for another week. As Nevada residents, we’ll renew our driver’s licenses and take care of any “business” matters best handled in person. Then, we’re off again.

We’d hoped for an Alaskan cruise at this juncture, but listings haven’t been posted this far in advance. We’ll see if it’s a possibility in the near future.

The spacious, comfortable living room overlooking the pool.

Hovering in our minds, knowing the above trip to the US is definitely on the itinerary, we’ve been considering possible plans when we’ll leave the US, no later than August 1, 2017. Serendipity. Safari luck. It all comes into play during our world journey.

Whether it’s good luck or fortuitous, we always grateful for the opportunities as they enter our lives.  n part, we always feel we play a role in “safari luck” in that our assertiveness and determination play a role in “being in the right place at the right time.”

Most likely, we won’t use this formal dining room, instead dining outdoors or at the granite kitchen counter as shown in this photo.  The property also includes an outdoor kitchen.

Thus, is the case of our newly booked vacation home with a deposit paid this morning for August 1, 2017, through October 31, 2017 (the day of our five year travel anniversary). We’re renting an exquisite house in Costa Rica, on our way to South America from the US.

How this property materialized is the magical part. While living in Kauai for four months, each month we attended friend Richard’s Full Moon Parties. At the second such delightful party, we met a lovely couple, Bev and Sam with whom we had an instant connection. They’ve traveled the world extensively with many exciting stories to share. 

One of two master bedrooms in the three-bedroom house.

Later, they invited us to their breathtaking home, located in a former botanical garden, for “movie night” in their outdoor “screening room” in a separate building on their grounds established as a technologically advanced movie theatre. 

On another occasion, they invited us to dinner at their home when sister Julie was visiting and we had another enjoyable evening with Bev and Sam. After we left Kauai, we’ve stayed in touch by email occasionally sharing tidbits about our lives and travels. 

Click here for link one and link two to Bev and Sam’s gorgeous home in Kauai for which we included two day’s posts.

The huge en suite master bath with large shower, soaking tub, double sinks and bidet.

From these several interactions with Bev and Sam, a friendship was born that we’ll always treasure, along with many others with whom we’d become close during that special, highly social four month period in Kauai.

Before we left Kauai, Bev and Sam had mentioned their recent purchase of another home in Costa Rica. We were happy for them in their obvious enthusiasm and asked them to send us photos when they could, allowing us to revel along with them in their excitement. Never did we think, for a moment, that their new home in Costa Rica would impact our lives of travel. 

A few weeks ago, I sent Bev an email to say hello. While chatting back and forth, she explained they’d recently listed their new home in Costa Rica on vacation rental site VRBO, (owned by HomeAway, the company we most often use for booking vacation rentals). 

View from the veranda to the valley below.  We don’t mind not having an ocean view on this occasion.

As we opened the link to their new home in Costa Rica, we did so as friends sharing in their joy in reviewing the listing, never thinking it would apply to us. Knowing their fine taste and the magnificence of their home in Kauai, it wasn’t even on our radar as remotely within our budgeted price range.

Once we saw the photos, we fell in love with the property; the location, the house and the grounds, each possessing unique qualities seldom found in vacation homes within a manageable price range.

Click here for the pricing and detailed listing for the home in Costa Rica on VRBO.

Expressing our interest in the property to Bev and Sam while curious if somehow it could work for us, they kindly proposed a three-month price for us that fits exactly into our range of affordability. 

As of early this morning, we paid the deposit and signed the agreement online for our negotiated price and entered the deposit with the management company they’ve employed to handle such matters. Its a “done deal.” We couldn’t be more thrilled to have this over-the-top property as our home for a full three months after leaving the US while as we begin our segue to South America.

The gorgeous grounds are professionally maintained.

It’s a reasonable flight from Las Vegas which after checking online shouldn’t be too difficult. Although the rental period is for 92 days, the visa stamp provided ton US citizens at the airport is 90 days. We’ll ask for the extra two days at the immigration counter at the airport and if unable to receive it, we’ll depart two days earlier. Our rental agreement is based on the month, not a daily rate.

We’re grateful to Bev and Sam for making this work for us, as well as excited to be able to spend three months in this special property, treating their home with the same care as we always do for any vacation rental we’ve rented throughout the world.

Costa Rica, known for its abundant wildlife and vegetation particularly appeals to our senses. Able to speak a little Spanish and definitely able to read the written word, it will be relatively easy communicating while there and later in South America. 

Today, we share a few of the photos of this fabulous home and will include many more once we arrive in Costa Rica. Also, today we’re updating our itinerary and budget to include this fine property. With several gaps to fill in our upcoming schedule, our work is cut out for us as always, an aspect of our travels we both find interesting and fun.

Enjoy the day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 4, 2014:

As the sun began to set, Tom wandered out to the jetty in front of our condo in Maui. With almost a month remaining on the island before departing for the Big Island, we leisurely enjoyed each day in Maui. For more details, please click here.

Obrigada, Gina, for a memorable day, seeing next year’s vacation home!…What a pleasure!

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View from the Garden Café this morning as we waited to disembark in Madeira, Portugal.
Gina and I in the kitchen. We can’t wait to sit on the barstools drinking coffee and enjoying the view of the sea from almost every room.
Another view of the wraparound veranda.
The drive as we left the house in the Riberia Brava area.
We entered one narrow tunnel after another on our drive around the island.

Today, reminded us why we chose to travel the world. Enmeshed in another culture while driving through the winding mountainous roads of the quaint villages of Madeira with expansive views of the ocean around us, we felt enriched and in awe.

Gina, owner of the home we’re renting next year was excited to show us the house.The 20 minute drive on the winding mountainous road was breathtaking.
The winding barely traveled road from the house was easy to navigate.
Gina said we are welcome to pick the fresh organic vegetables daily from the garden her fathers tends to each day. He’ll also deliver free range chickens to our door.

Our future home for almost three months beginning May 15, 2014, we looked at this port of call with different eyes than one would look on an excursion from the ship.

Another view of the garden from our future home.

Comfortable living room with leather sofa, WiFi, TV with some US stations, sound system and extraordinary view will make us feel right at home.

Cozy working fireplace in living room.  Unlikely, that we’ll use it during the spring and warm summer.

Gina, owner of our future home, albeit short term, met us promptly at the pier welcoming us in broken English with universal hugs while giddy with enthusiasm.  Warmth and charm exuded from Gina in a manner that captured our hearts as we all chatted on endlessly while listening intently to decipher the meaning of her words.

The well appointed kitchen had everything we need, including a bottle of fine red wine Gina will save for us.
The kitchen was well equipped with dinnerware, pots and pans, serving pieces, wine and beverage glasses along with many utensils.  Gina lives across the street and offered to bring us anything else we may need.  Of course, we’ll invite her and her husband Carlos for dinner. Carlos speaks no English, but perhaps by then, we’ll speak a little Portuguese.
Nook area off the dining room.

Somehow, we managed to communicate well enough to enjoy the hours we spent together in and out of her Citroen, touring the 35 mile long island, crossing its many bridges, traveling through its multiple narrow tunnels, all the while reveling in the unique design of its homes and buildings, entrenched in rich history and tradition.

Didn’t see too many of these in the US, although quite common in other countries. The home has three full bathrooms. Perhaps, I will select one exclusively for me, the one with the Jacuzzi!
Oversized bath with Jacuzzi. 
With three bedrooms, either of two could be the master with two en suite bathrooms as well as a third guest bathroom.
All areas are modern and well equipped.

As we maneuvered through the narrow winding roads on a 20 minutes drive, Gina took us to see “your house” as she frequently referred to the awe inspiring home we’ll be renting next year. 

Plenty of room for guests!
View from the veranda.
Third bedroom with king bed, private veranda and Jacuzzi bath.

Pulling into the tiny driveway, she steered us to the wooden front door to reveal the home exactly as it had been pictured on the rental website, that in person, illustrated a warmth commensurate with her charming demeanor. 

Intriguing stairway to second level.
Every turn presented an interesting view, The opposite side of the island was less desirable with cloudy and rainy weather.
The colorful narrow roads held one interesting view after another.
We’ll never tire of the quaint neighborhoods.
An outdoor restaurant in Funchal, known for its fresh local seafood was recommended by Gina.
We walked along the boardwalk in the town of Capanario, near “our house” as described by Gina.
More narrow roads, lined with upscale homes on the road to Funchal.
Many of the road were one-way and driving was on the US standard on the right side of the road.  There were many round-abouts, tunnels and bridges throughout the island.
The road, as we neared the Port of Funchal.
Our future home.  Perfect for us. I wanted to move in today, but we cheerfully tucked it away for yet a year to come with so much to anticipate in the interim;  a cruise to Dubai including a 13 night stay, a Mediterranean cruise, two to three month stays in homes in Tuscany, Kenya, South Africa and Morocco, all before we return to Madeira.
Colorful buses and tourist vehicles busily moved through traffic.

Ah, please pinch me.  Tom, on the other hand, easily settles into the reality of our lives on the move, while I engage in childlike wonder at the prospect of it all.  Together, we make a good pair of world travelers, filling in the blanks for one another while tempering the excitement to a manageable level.

View of our awaiting ship, the Norwegian Epic. 

Yes, obrigada, Madiera, for welcoming us to your little piece of the world.  Next year, we’ll share our stories with our loyal readers from all over the world. Obrigada dear readers, for sharing this journey with us.

Back to our current home, the Norwegian Epic, for seven more nights.Then, one night in a hotel in Barcelona. Then on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
For more information on this wonderful vacation home, please visit Gina at her Facebook page.  She’s quick to respond to email inquiries and uses Google Translate for English translations.

Our Las Vegas vacation home! Photos included…

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After searching the various vacation home websites for several hours, we found this house in the Green Valley Ranch area in Henderson Nevada, a highly desirable location, about 20 minutes (10.5 miles) to the Las Vegas strip and about 10 minutes (5.6 miles) to the airport.  

Based on requesting a rental for this prime season dates, December 21 to December 28, 2012 (our “vacation within a vacation” since we’ll still have the Scottsdale condo, soon to be posted), we didn’t make any effort to negotiate the price.

Why did we choose a vacation home as opposed to a hotel room on the strip? Cost was the major motivator.  Also, its more conveniently located to our family and friends, great shopping at The District (.4 miles), restaurants and theaters, all of which we will particularly enjoy during the holiday week.   

There were few affordable homes available in this prime area during the holiday week due to the fact that many owners preferring to spend their holidays in their own vacation property. 

Although not as exciting as many of our future rentals, this house will serve our needs, provide room for our visiting family members and keep us from the necessity of dining in restaurants each day.

Here are the estimated costs for one week, house verses hotel, assuming the nightly rates are the same:
     Vacation Home____                    __________Hotel___________
Rent:            $1,330.00                   Rate:                      $1,330.00
Groceries:          600.00                   Hotel Taxes & Tips:       332.50
Dining Out:        275.00                   Valet Parking:               280.00

Total:          $2,205.00                   Dining, Tax, Tips:       1,820.00
                                                      Total:                    $3,762.50   

Total Potential Savings:      $1,557.50  

Having calculated dining out for two dinners for the two of us, we factored in the cost of groceries for five of us (or more) including the additional expense of Christmas Eve (traditionally, steak and lobster) and a special (yet to be determined) Christmas Day dinner.

Yes, there is the ease of staying in a hotel with the prospect of feeling pampered. As we plan for the future, our desire to be pampered has “wafted” away as we look forward to our world travels over the next number of years.  

Both Tom and I have thoroughly enjoyed pampering one another over these many years together and this, I assure you, we’ll continue to do so wherever we’ll live.

Did I mention the $1000’s we’ll save without easy access to the gambling tables and slot machines???

Charming House with Pool, Spa, Bbq, Wireless InternetGreen Valley, Henderson, Nevada Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 301335http://www.vrbo.com/301335

Pool and SpaPool and spa
Master bedroom
Living room
Living room
Casual spot
First bedroom
2nd Living room
2nd Living room
3rd bedroom
3rd bedroom
Pool Table
Pool Table
Kitchen
Kitchen
Living room
Living room

An exciting new booking…What a hassle sending money internationally these days!…

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Large open Lounge with ocean views
This is the living room at Sunrise at Penguin in Penguin, Tasmania, which we’re renting next year, returning after a nine-year absence. This location is Tom’s favorite in the world, and it’s about time we return.

We knew as time marched on that, we needed to begin booking some of the gaps in our most recent itinerary, first posted on Christmas Day here.

After  nine years and the number of times we’ve been asked, “What are your favorite places in the world?’ to which I always answer, “Marloth Park, South Africa,”  Tom always answers, “Penguin, Tasmania.”

And yet, after nine years, we are finally returning to Penguin from March 1 to April 13, 2026. We would stay longer, but we are boarding a cruise in Brisbane, Australia, on April 14, 2026, and it just worked out this way. Besides, we will have been in Australia on cruises, and their strict visa requirements make it essential that we leave the continent around that time.

Thus, yesterday, we contacted the owner, Terry, who was happy to hear from us and excited for us to book his lovely house in Penguin, across the street from the ocean, the Bass Strait. It”s comforting to know we’re returning to a home we found to meet our criteria easily.

Since we contacted Terry directly, we didn’t have to go through any booking company, incurring added fees for each of us. But the tricky part was getting the funds to Terry for the deposit and eventually the balance on our 43-night stay.

We decided we wouldn’t do bank transfers to foreign countries when we first began traveling. We’d encountered many stories about lost funds, errors, and the inability to receive funds if something went wrong. Over these past 12+ years, we’ve used vacation homes/holiday homes booking services or PayPal to transfer funds. It’s been easy in the past

But, nowadays, with so much fraud, it’s not so easy to send funds internationally without using a bank transfer, which many use freely, without giving it a thought.

However, in this case, booking directly through Terry, who doesn’t use credit card services for his bookings, prompted me to explain PayPal to him and send the deposit to him, which, after processing, he’d received in an email that would prompt him to enter his banking information securely and efficiently.

Using PayPal for this type of international transaction isn’t as easy as a few years ago. After researching details, we discovered it would take 21 days for the recipient, Terry, in this case, to receive the funds. That isn’t acceptable when he may have been able to book it with other people during those 21 days. We understood and respected that asking him to wait three weeks wasn’t appropriate. We didn’t ask. Instead, we looked for other options.

Many of us use various apps, such as Venmo, PayPal, Cashapp, etc., when we purchase products and services that may not directly accept a credit card or prefer to be paid via these apps. When researching these other options, the fees and restrictions made it costly and inconvenient to process the payments for the deposit and future payments.

Plus, using any of these apps using a credit card as opposed to cash, which we didn’t want to do (we get lots of points using credit cards), results in a credit card payment referred to as a “cash advance” with many fees incurred by the credit card company. I called a few of our cards to determine the best route, and it proved that using Western Union and a credit card was our least costly and easiest route.

Terry will have the funds in his bank in 2 to 4 business days. No problem with that. We all saved hundreds of dollars, and it worked out fine. I sent him the confirmation I received today that the transaction was completed. Who knew that old-fashioned Western Union would be a good option?

If we’d booked through an agency, none of this would have been relevant since apps like VRBO and AirBnB have their own payment processing services. But, there can be hefty fees to use these services, and if we can avoid them, all the better. We were able to use PayPal to pay our rent here in Lake Las Vegas since the transaction occurred in the US. When it’s an international transaction, it gets tricky.

That’s our news from today. Tomorrow, we’ll share photos from our delightful dinner at the Speakeasy. We’ve decided to go to The Pub again tonight instead of the long walk to the hotel.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, January 11, 2015:

Beautiful pods growing on a palm tree in Kauai, Hawaii. For more photos, please click here.

US Government health warnings for cruisers…Are hot tubs at travel venues dangerous?…

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Cruising Hot Tube Cruise Ship Passengers Enjoy Hot Tub Travel — Stock Photo, Image
A cruise ship hot tub. Not our photo.

Over the past many months, we’ve been posting “news-type” stories of information that may (or may not) interest some of our readers, especially those who travel, whether seldom or frequently. For those of our readers who don’t travel often, don’t cruise, or travel internationally, much of this information may be dull and unappealing.

For those readers, we apologize for continuing to post stories that may only impact traveling readers. However, as we spend this quiet time in Cleveland without recent photos and stories to tell, we are using these morsels of information to fulfill our goal of preparing a post every day.

As you’ve noticed, we’ve been taking off about one day a week, most recently. This is not due to my lack of interest in writing to you but rather the lack of fodder that can be sufficient for a new post. Most of you have figured this out. Of course, we can’t wait to be on the move again and to be able to share exciting and engaging real-life stories with photos.

Thus, we continue in hopes of holding onto our readers, both new and long-term, for the next 120 days until we can leave Cleveland, Ohio, and recommence our travels to more exciting venues with less focus on my health, medical tests, and procedures.

We thank all of you for staying with us during this lengthy stay in the US. By leaving in early March 2025, we’ll have been in the US for 15 months, which is way too long for world travelers like us.

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In the past 12 years of world travel, we have sailed on 34+ cruises, all of which had hot tubs, except for river cruise ships. We’ve also rented several holiday/vacation homes with hot tubs. In either of those situations, we have not used the hot tubs. The only times we’ve used a hot tub are part of a swimming pool at a private residence we’ve rented.

We have not used hot tubs at community pools, condos, townhouses, apartments, or hotels we’ve rented along the way. Not once.

Here’s a new story we received by email last night from this publication:

“Come Cruise With Me

US government issues serious warning for cruise passengers

Veronika Bondarenko

While many turn to cruise ships for a relaxing and luxurious experience, having that many people in an isolated and, except the deck areas, the primarily confined environment creates a heightened risk of disease outbreak.

That is why outbreaks of norovirus, measles, and different types of gastrointestinal illness are more common on cruise ships. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regularly warns about contagions that may be a small and calculated risk for healthy travelers but pose severe dangers for more vulnerable populations.

Related: This cruise line officially has the most unsanitary ships

Certain parts of the cruise ship can also carry higher risks. The latest report from the CDC found approximately a dozen outbreaks of Legionnaire’s Disease tied to private hot tubs aboard ships between November 2022 and June 2024.

Legionnaire disease is a term for a specific type of severe pneumonia that causes severe coughing, high fevers, and risk of lung damage.

Hot tubs offer favorable conditions for growth and transmission.

While not naming specific cruise ship companies, the CDC said that various “sampling results identified private hot tubs on selected cabin balconies as the most likely exposure source” on the outbreaks it studied.

Private hot tubs are those within the cabin or on a suite’s balcony. While viewed as extremely luxurious and a major upgrade of one’s cruising experience, the CDC warns that they may not always be cleaned as thoroughly as public hot tubs in the deck and pool areas, which many fear are disease carriers.

“Hot tubs offer favorable conditions for Legionella growth and transmission when maintained and operated inadequately, regardless of location,” the national health agency writes in the report. “Private hot tubs on cruise ships are not subject to the same maintenance requirements as are public hot tubs in common areas.”

One analysis found six of the ten samples from private balcony hot tubs on a given cruise ship contained Legionella bacteria. On a different cruise ship, 10 of the 12 passengers who fell ill from the Legionella bacteria experienced symptoms so bad they had to be hospitalized.

You need to know this about cruise ship cleanliness and hot tubs…

The study authors who examined the outbreak numbers warned that it is “important” for cruise ship staff to “assess and adapt public hot tub maintenance and operations protocols for use on private outdoor hot tubs.”

A running list from the CDC also identifies cruise ships based on cleanliness examined over the last two years; last month, Carnival was identified as having the most cruise ships at the bottom of its cleanliness rating.

The cruise line’s Elation, Miracle, and Breeze ships scored a respective 89, 88, and 86 points, while anything below 85 is considered non-satisfactory by the agency. That said, the ratings are still relatively high considering that Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Hanseatic Inspiration ship received the bottom score of 62 — Carnival’s Panorama and Spirit ships also scored a perfect 100.

In response to these scores, Carnival issued a statement saying that it “continually strives [s] for the highest sanitation standards and implements [s] immediate corrective action [from] the outcomes of these inspections.”

We hope this hot tub warning to our travelers, especially those who have used hot tubs on cruise ships, will heed this potentially life saving information.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 1, 2014:

Plumeria flowers are often used to make leis. For more photos, please click here.

Impacted travel after horrific Hurricane Helene ravages Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee….

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Men inspect the damage from flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 28, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Men inspect the damage from flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 28, 2024, in Asheville, North Carolina. Sean Rayford | Getty Images News | Getty Images
We apologize for failing to discuss the horrific loss of life and property resulting from Hurricane Helene, making landfall in Florida on September 26 and continuing on a path of destruction through several other states, killing almost 300 people (and countless more yet to be found) destroying billions of dollars of property. The total loss of life is yet to be determined as rescuers, family members, neighbors, and friends rifle through the rubble looking for survivors and victims.

It’s been on our minds each day, and we decided to wait to write about it as we’ve learned more and more. No doubt, like you, the daily news updates are disheartening and devastating, knowing how many are continuing to suffer from a lack of resources to help survivors make their way through this life-changing event.

One can’t even imagine losing loved ones from the devastation, let alone their homes and all of their possessions. Many have lost their jobs, businesses, and livelihoods.

Of course, there are innumerable politically motivated perceptions and opinions regarding recovery. We won’t share any of that here. At this point, all we know from various media sources is that many people aren’t being helped, and FEMA funds and resources aren’t coming in quickly enough to aid recovery.

We commend all the selfless military, emergency services personnel, and citizens worldwide who have traveled to the areas to assist.

We’ll now share what we read about flights impacted by the hurricane from this news resource.

“With Hurricane Helene disrupting travel, here’s what fliers need to know*

Greg Iacurci@GregIacurci

As the Southeast U.S. recovers from Hurricane Helene’s destruction, experts say consumers looking to change their air travel plans to or from affected areas without taking a financial hit may be out of luck.

“The big-picture issue that happens in U.S. air travel: When there is a significant disruption, air passengers have very, very limited rights” regarding compensation, said Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at AirHelp, an online service that assists airline passengers.

Catastrophic damage

Hurricane Helene made landfall Thursday in Florida as a Category 4 storm, leaving a swath of wind- and flood-related damage across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.

The storm killed more than 120 people, knocked out power for millions of people, and left many stranded without necessities like running water.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation urged people to avoid unnecessary travel in the western part of the state due to hundreds of road closures caused by downed trees, landslides, and “catastrophic damage.”

What airlines owe passengers

Amid that destruction, travelers hoping to change flights for free or cancel their plans for a refund may find airlines unwilling to grant that financial flexibility.

Airlines generally owe “prompt” refunds to passengers if they cancel or make a “significant change” to a flight, regardless of the reason, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That’s true even for consumers with non-refundable tickets.

However, experts said weather-related events like Hurricane Helene are generally considered to be outside an airline’s control, meaning passengers have relatively few rights to compensation.

Napoli said the airline’s duty in such cases generally depends on a passenger’s specific fare, such as economy or business class.

He said, “There’s nothing [airlines] will do for you” if your conference was canceled and you didn’t have a ticket granting free cancellation or without fees for changes.

Airlines make concessions in some cases

Some airlines are making concessions tied to Hurricane Helene, though they vary by carrier and geography.

“All the rules are different,” said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet.

She said that many major U.S. carriers have dedicated web pages for travel alerts that outline their policies regarding specific events.

For example, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines have alerts about flooding in the Southeast. Many focus on areas around Asheville, North Carolina, and some parts of Georgia, like Valdosta.

United is waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers whose flights were affected by flooding and who choose to reschedule their flights, for example.

United’s policy has parameters: Passengers must have purchased their ticket before Sept. 26 for travel between Sept. 30 and Oct. 31, 2024; the new flight must be a United flight leaving by the end of 2024 and between the same cities as originally booked. Those who cancel can get a full refund.

American Airlines is also giving leeway to passengers scheduled to travel through Augusta, Georgia, between Sept. 29 and Oct. 4. They must book changes by Oct. 4.

Delta passengers scheduled to fly through Asheville or Valdosta must travel on rebooked flights by Oct. 18 to avoid paying a fare difference. Change fees would still be waived past that date, however.

Read the specifics of insurance policies.

Experts say travel insurance isn’t always a fail-safe in the event consumers can’t get reimbursed from the travel provider for a flight, hotel, or other travel expenses.

If you didn’t purchase a cancel-for-any-reason policy, your trip problems typically have to fall under specific, covered reasons. Plus, policies bought after Helene became a named storm generally won’t cover claims related to it.

“Make sure you read the fine print and what the insurance covers,” Napoli said.

French said that consumers who purchased their trip with a credit card may get certain travel reimbursement benefits from their card issuer, sometimes even in the case of severe weather. Credit card companies generally require a “quick turnaround” on a claim, often within 21 days.”

Photo from ten years ago today, October 6, 2014:

We made a mistake booking this suite for 11 nights in Oahu. With outrageous prices on vacation homes, we chose this small unit but immediately regretted it due to the lack of amenities, size, and condition. Tom was munching on peanuts while watching the Vikings game on his laptop. Notice the piles of clothes on top of the counters and the makeshift closet behind Tom when there were no drawers or closets. For more, please click here.

Great service by Marriott and others…Tipping in today’s world…

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Billowing cloud view from the Madeira house, overlooking the sea.

Yesterday afternoon, I received an email from a Marriott manager asking if we needed anything during our extended 70-night stay at this Residence Inn. If we think of something, we’ll let her know. She also asked why we are staying so long, requiring a lengthy explanation.

It made me realize why we like Marriott hotels so much. After all, we spent ten months in lockdown in Mumbai, India, during the pandemic and have stayed at many other Marriotts worldwide, never disappointed by the facility or the quality of the service. We are members of their rewards program, Marriott Bonvoy, and it was through that program that we got a better price for this current two-month stay.

Overall, we’ve had considerable success with quality service from all the rewards programs we use for credit cards, cars, vacation homes, and hotels. Even as Costco Premium members, we recently received a check for almost $200 for Tom’s upcoming hearing aid purchase.

Another recent example is that we used some reward points on a credit card to pay for the expensive hotel in Milwaukee this past weekend. During those times, it’s easier to digest paying premium rates using rewards points when few other options are available.

Speaking of good service, overall, we’ve found that service in the US has been excellent in most situations. That’s not to say that the service in other countries is inferior. It is not. We’ve had excellent service throughout the world from country to country, but we’ve noticed a variance in the expectation of servers receiving tips.

We have no problem tipping for good service. We consider ourselves good tippers, but we investigate what tipping customs and expectations are before heading to a new country. In Australia, for example, service people are paid a fair wage. Early on, when we embarked on numerous cruises in Australia, Tom attempted to tip the baggage handlers at the cruise terminal. In each case, they refused the tips, saying, “Sir, in our country, we make a living wage and don’t accept service tips.”

We spent two years in the South Pacific and found this true throughout Australia, including Tasmania (part of Australia) and New Zealand. In some tropical islands, the expectation for tips was comparable to the US, especially when wages were low in many island nations. We understood and complied accordingly. Then again, prices were low in many venues, whereas prices are higher overall in Australia.

In the past five months in the US, we’ve observed that tips are not only expected but often added to the bill with suggestions for the amount of tips based on the bill. But, on bills in some restaurants, we’ve also observed add-ons for the following:

  1. Credit card use fees as much as 3.5% of the total or more
  2. Health insurance and employee welfare as much as 3.5%
  3. Employee retention fees as high as 3.5%
  4. Tips are expected on the tax on top of the the basic food and drink items

We don’t calculate the tip amount on these extras. We only tip a percentage for the food and beverage amount, not these add-ons, nor do we tip on the sales tax or VAT. For instance, when dining in Minneapolis and other cities, there are city taxes, stadium taxes, and others. We don’t tip on top of these amounts. Why pay a percentage twice?

We may seem tightwads, but living on a fixed income that allows very little for cost of living increases with the current inflation rate, we must consider what works best for us. Of course, if one is wealthy and money is no object, they may never question this process.

This is not to say we don’t appreciate excellent service for food and beverage and the hard work of many servers throughout many fields of endeavor. We tip generously when the service is good, but only, as mentioned, for the service, food, and beverages provided to us.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 18, 2014:

When we went for a walk in Campanario, Madeira, we took this photo of the back of our holiday home. It was a fantastic home. For more photos, please click here.

Loving the new place for several reasons…Booking for the future

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Fresh seafood was available in a market in Madeira.

There’s no doubt we enjoyed Hyatt Place during several stays over the past years when we came to Minnesota to visit. The drawbacks were the lack of laundry facilities, the tiny bathroom, and a limited kitchen area with only a small refrigerator but no microwave. This resulted in us dining out most nights since few ready-made options suited us, adding to the cost of staying there. Management, maid service, and staff were excellent.

Also, the included breakfast at Hyatt was marginal, at best, with only processed eggs and no other options for me other than to eat a few hard-boiled eggs. Tom liked the donut holes. Plus, we liked the easy access to our streaming services with the smart TV with casting for all streaming services

Now, here at Residence Inn by Marriott, after only 48 hours, we’ve been pleased with several features that appeal to us, including:

  1. Easy-to-use laundry facility close to our room.
  2. We’ve seen an excellent breakfast with new offerings daily, which we’ve enjoyed over the past two mornings.
  3. Massive bathroom with walk-in shower.
  4. A coffee table is in front of the sofa, which is ideal for keeping our feet up, which is vital for me right now when my feet swell by the end of the day.
  5. Full kitchen with all amenities.

Drawbacks to Residence Inn: (None of which is a big issue)

  1. A queen-sized bed as opposed to a king at the Hyatt. Only king beds are located in units on the second floor, accessible only by stairs, which is unsuitable for me.
  2. There are no drawers or storage space other than a tiny closet. We’ve left our belongings in the shared large suitcase on a luggage rack for easy access.
  3. Smart TV only has Prime and Netflix, not Hulu or Paramount+. Instead, we have to hook up the other streaming services to our laptops using our HDMI cord.
  4. We must walk outdoors to the reception desk, breakfast kitchen, and laundry facilities. It’s been raining a lot lately.

Otherwise, we are happy with this facility, and only moments ago, we booked it for another 28 nights for when we return from Milwaukee after Sister Beth’s Jubilee celebrating her 70 years as a nun. The booking dates will be June 16 to July 14. While we’re here during the newly booked period, we’ll decide if we’ll stay for the final month before we head to Cleveland Clinic in August and book it accordingly.

When we booked Residence Inn months ago, we got a special rate of $84 a night. With summer here and hotel rates soaring, we had to commit to $134 a night for 28 nights, plus tax, for a total of $4092, which translates to $146 a night, with taxes. We used a credit we had an Expedia/Hotels/VRBO of $135 to get the price down a little.

This is more than we usually pay for long-term hotel stays, but there weren’t any affordable vacation homes or other hotels as nice as this in this convenient location. Also, we could book the next period for fully refundable rates if we have to leave up to three days before the commencement of the booking. That’s particularly important to us right now.

Last night, we had a good time at Billy’s Bar and Grill in Anoka and returned to the hotel in time to watch the basketball game with the Texas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Sadly, Minnesota lost, but it was fun to watch the game. We had a good night’s sleep and awoke refreshed and ready for a new day.

Soon, we’ll head to Cub Supermarket for groceries for the upcoming week. We’ll make our first dinner tonight since we left Apache Junction on May 1.

We’ll be back with you soon.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, May 25, 2014:

Would that I could! Pastries for sale in Madeira. Oh, how we find comfort and pleasure in such treats! It’s funny that eggs are also sold in this case. For more photos, please click here.