The Australian people…What’s the diversity? History to share of the growth of this nation…More photos of Palm Cove Beach…

A pretty restaurant on a corner.

Today, we include more of our photos from the Palm Cove Beach area as we explain a little information about the Australian continent.

The sidewalk along the beach in Palm Cove.

As we read more and more about Australia, we discover that it is one of the most ethnically diverse societies in the world. Not unlike many countries, many of its people were born outside the country. 

Many of the restaurants offer Italian cuisine.

According to recent records, one in four Australian residents were born outside the continent with many more being first or second generation many of which are the children and grandchildren of immigrants who arrived in the past several decades.

Prices at many of these resorts are surprisingly reasonable, such as at Mantra Amphora, as low as AUD $179, USD $136.47 for each of a three-night stay.

With diverse backgrounds and culture of indigenous Australians who have lived on the continent for more than 50,000 years have been highly instrumental in developing a unique Australian spirit.

There were diners enjoying an early lunch as we explored the area.

In 1778, before the arrival and onset of the British colonies, Australia was inhabited by its indigenous people, the Aboriginal people. The Torres Strait Islanders inhabited the island between Australia and Papua New Guinea, now named the Torres Strait.

Casual, affordable dining establishments line the boulevard.

At one time there were over 500 varying clans or nations throughout the continent encompassing many unique and distinct cultures, languages, and beliefs. Indigenous people make up 2.4% of the total of Australia which is approximately 460,000 out of a total of 22 million people.

Another exquisite resort in Palm Cove Beach, Oasis. If we were coming to this area for a typical two-week vacation, this particular area would be an excellent place to stay especially at any of these resorts.

The state of New South Wales was originally settled as a penal colony where Britain sent convicted criminals with their own prisons overpopulated. Many were sent to the faraway prison for minor offenses but the conditions in the new colony were improved over that in Britain although disease and malnutrition were widespread during the first decades of the settlement.

Pizza restaurants are never at a shortage in most countries we visit. 

The first migrants to choose to settle in Australia included men of certain financial status who were interested in the colony’s agricultural opportunities with the availability of convict labor. 

There are apartments and condos atop some of the shops and restaurants.

Also, the mid 19th century brought the gold rush which eventually changed the boundaries of new settlements by the end of the 1850s. At that point, there were six separate Australian colonies which remain today:

  1. New South Wales
  2. Tasmania (originally settled in 1803 but later separated from New South Wales in 1825)
  3. Western Australia (1829)
  4. South Australia, including the Northern Territory (1834)
  5. Victoria (separated from New South Wales in 1851)
  6. Queensland (separated from New South Wales in 1859)
Alamanda at Palm Cove, a resort along Williams Esplanade.

Those settlers in Australia in the 19th century lived at the forefront of a new society in their new land.

There’s never a shortage of pharmacies wherever we may travel. They are often referred to as “chemists” in many countries.

Our experiences on the recent cruise with 1400 Australians who excitedly share their history and their opinions on the politics, growth, and diversity of their country gave us an inside perspective of the general views of many of the people of Australia. 

A small grocer and “take away” food in this strip of shops.

Also, each day, during our quiet time, we have an opportunity to watch Australian news from many parts of the continent. One aspect rings true for us in our experience, however short and limited, that the Australian people have a commitment and love of their country and a willingness to share their thoughts and opinions on the future growth and development of their country in a manner we’ve found to be both dedicated and far-reaching into the future.

Palm Cove Holiday Park is across the street from the beach.

We’ll be sharing more on the history and diversity of Australia and its people in future posts. It’s easy for us to enter an entirely new country with our preconceived notions as to its history and its people. It’s especially meaningful to discover otherwise.

Today, we’re off to the fitness center and then exploring more of this fabulous area in Queensland.

Have a fabulous new day of your life!

                                                Photo from one year ago today, June 29, 2014:

Ironically, it was one year ago today that we booked our current location in Trinity Beach, Australia, and posted the photos and information. We couldn’t be more pleased with this property, the views, and the thoughtful owners. For more details, please click here.

We hit the road and found another fabulous area…The scenery never ends in Australia…

One of many quaint outdoor/indoor restaurants along Williams Esplanade In Palm Cove beach. More photos of the boulevard will follow tomorrow.

Midday yesterday after my stint at the fitness center, we decided to drive until we found more amazing scenery we’d yet to see. It wasn’t a difficult task to accomplish as we headed north on the Captain Cook Highway, beyond a point which we’d driven in the past.

A boat launch near the Palm Cove pier.
The beach with a few adventurous sunbathers.

At a long distance from our area, we’d seen a pier that piqued our curiosity. After asking Sylvie and Andy about it, they suggested it was definitely worth a visit.

When the sun peeked through the clouds, the views were especially appealing.

We couldn’t have been more pleased after we turned east down the road we’d guessed it might be to find the beautiful Palm Cove, a fabulous beach and resort area with restaurant-lined streets, shops, and tourist attractions.

The pier had been designed with various levels to allow those fishing to be out of the way of the walking visitors.

Surprisingly, on a busy Friday, we managed to snag a parking spot and were able to walk up and down the beach along Williams Esplanade soaking in all the quaint and interesting buildings. 

The view of Palm Cove beach from the pier.

Too close to the buildings and with the street crowded with tourists, it was difficult to take good photos from the sidewalk. After our walk, we slowly drove along the boulevard enabling us to get some decent shots to share here over the next few days.

Notice the white plastic holders on the posts. These holders are for the purpose of holding the fishing rods while those fishing can take a break from holding their rods.

The walk on the pier was pleasant on a sunny day and we were able to watch fishing enthusiasts avidly perusing a fine catch of the day. In our old lives, we enjoyed fishing but now without equipment of our own and prohibitive costs to buy or rent equipment, it’s not something we need to do. 

The long, fairly wide pier is a commonly visited spot for tourists.

The pier was packed with tourists armed with cameras, like us, along with families and kids enjoying the beautiful, albeit windy day. There were a few sunbathers lounging on the beach and a few in the water, oblivious to the danger signs posted everywhere in regard to the stingers and crocodiles.

A brave kayaker in the ocean with sharks, stingers, and crocs in these waters.

Palm Cove has numerous hotels and resorts and interesting history:

“The history of Palm Cove dates back to over 60,000 years ago when the Aborigines became the first settlers. The most famous landing at Palm Cove happened in 1873 when G.E. Dalrymple’s Northeast Coast Expedition landed to explore the beach. The expedition was met with hostility by the indigenous people and they opened a violent assault on the exploring crew which led to one of the largest beachfront invasions in Australian history. Shortly before World War I in 1918, the land that is today Palm Cove was bought by Albert Veivers from Archdeacon Campbell. Archdeacon Campbell had been known as a priest at Cairns church who experimented with bringing different agricultural crops to the Cairns region. Veivers was important in the advancement of Palm Cove by having the first road built. The creation of the road led property values in Palm Cove to increase dramatically, leading to more prosperity for the community. Shortly after World War II, in which Palm Cove was used as a training base for Australian soldiers, the number of people traveling to Palm Cove greatly increased. The opening of the Ramada Reef Resort in 1986 marked the first international hotel chain to be located in Palm Cove and the town has continued to increase in national and international recognition ever since.

Palm Cove is located in Far North Queensland and is on the coast of Australia. It is guarded against the South Pacific Ocean by the Great Barrier Reef. Palm Cove is completely surrounded by the Daintree Tropical Rainforest and is close to Daintree National Park. Since Palm Cove is located in a tropical climate, the average summer temperature is between 24 and 33 degrees Celsius; the average winter temperature is between 14 and 26 degrees Celsius.

On our walk back to the beach.

Palm Cove proved to be an interesting and enjoyable spot for us to visit. Later, on our return drive to Trinity Beach, we discussed how different our lives may be then for those of tourists. Most tourists visiting this area would have stopped for a meal and/or drinks in one of the many dining establishments along the way. 

Catching Tom off guard on the Palm Cove pier.

Instead, we read and take photos of the posted menus for the restaurants we may return to down the road when the mood hits us. Dining out is less enjoyable for us when my restricted way of eating makes doing so complicated at many restaurants. But, we’re not complaining.  

The sand on the beach in Palm Cove is known not to be as fine sand as other beaches in the area.

Checking out the various locations is satisfying enough for us. It’s just not worth my ordering a steak for AUD $35, USD $26.80 when it’s being cooked on a grill where foods with gluten, starch, or sugar may have been cooked. We can easily purchase and cook fabulous grass-fed steaks for AUD $15, USD $11.49 each, with side dished we know I can have.

The sixth fish down in the left column on this list is the popular local Barramundi Cod, often found on menus in local restaurants. Apparently, according to this list (see photo below), the sign says, “No take,” perhaps indicating they cannot be kept if caught.

 Barramundi Cod as indicated on the fish identification sign in the above photo.

Neither of us feels any resentment even in the slightest manner by the virtue of the fact that “Hey…we’re traveling the world and we’re healthy. What more could we ask for?  Nothing, absolutely nothing!”

                                                Photo from one year ago today, June 27, 2014:

Ironically, it was one year ago that we booked our next location in our travels in Savusavu, Fiji as shown on the map of the smaller island in Fiji.  For more details, please click here.

Challenge at the grocery store…Adapting to food differences presents challenges…How much did we spend?

Aussies we met on the ship suggested we try kangaroo meat.  I haven’t convinced myself to try this yet.  Tom is definitely not interested.

For those of our readers who have little interest in food, the cost of food, the availability of food, and our ability to find foods appropriate to our way of eating, this post is not for you. Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more non-food related conversation.

Let’s face it, food is a big part of all of our lives. We may find pleasure in what we chose to eat. Food has the ability to provide us with good health. Some revel in the shopping and preparation of food. Food may accompany certain recreational occasions. Food and wine (or other drink of choice) may represent romance and celebrations.

We can’t escape from food, even if we want to. We have to eat to survive. We may choose to enjoy the process of figuring out our next meal or we can struggle with guilt and angst (or not) over a stop for fast food or other less than healthy pre-made and restaurant food. 

Ground beef is referred to as mince in Australia as we found in some other parts of the world such as in Africa, Italy and Portugal.

Some who prefer not to cook may have found excellent sources of pre-made or pre-cooked meals that fit both their survival and goal of good health. There are many who may choose ways of eating that have no rhyme or reason or may prefer a wide array of eating options to include: low carb, low fat, paleo, low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegetarian, vegan, and many more that have brought them to a point of good health. 

Wouldn’t all of us choose to eat in a manner that brings us good health, longevity and also a level of enjoyment in eating our chosen type of diet? For many younger people (and older as well), little thought is given to what they eat or the long-term consequences of their choices. That, too, becomes a choice in itself.

I’m not here to preach any particular manner of eating. If I’ve seemed to do so, as we’ve traveled the world, striving to maintain a level of health that will allow us to continue on for years to come, I apologize for “stuffing” you with our choices and opinions. The bottom line, what works for each of us?

You can easily enlarge this receipt to read the details of yesterday’s grocery shopping at Woolie’s. The AUD $227.57 for Woolie’s translates to US $175.86.  This total didn’t include the veggies at US $32.77, AUD $42.41, and Italian sausage at US $13.45, AUD  $17.40.

In the past few weeks, Tom has returned to my way of eating beginning back on the ship on the last few days when he’d had his fill of bread, sweets and starchy foods.  He’s since lost 15 pounds of belly fat. His shorts and pants now button easily. 

I look at him several times of day, in awe of the reduction in the size of his waistband, surely an indicator of future good health. Extreme amounts of belly fat has been proven, over and over again to have a bearing on health, well being and life span. 

I wouldn’t care about the appearance of a big belly if it was an indicator of good health. But, unfortunately, it is not. And nothing gives us both more joy than knowing that our continued good health is the primary reason we’ll have the opportunity to continue on our journey long into the future. It is only poor health or serious injury that will put an end to this life we live.

Fallen coconuts sprouting into what will eventually be coconut trees.

Yesterday, we headed to Woolie’s, a popular supermarket in Australia. Having visited a few other markets, we found that overall Woolie’s has the best selections. 

Over the past week, I’d made a list of several items we’d needed to purchase for meals that we particularly enjoy befitting our chosen diet that we’ve mentioned many times in these posts; one, our grain, starch, and sugar-free sausage, mushroom, onion, and olive pizza made with a cheese and egg crust and two, a staple for us, our “unwich,” a bread-free sandwich wrapped in parchment paper using large romaine lettuce leaves to hold it together. 

Here’s the link to our gluten-free pizza recipe.

Here’s the link to instructions and recipes for making our bread-less sandwiches.

We hadn’t had either of these meals in over a month and were looking forward to having them again, leaving leftovers for a few more meals. As I mentioned in the past, we have little room in the small fridge and freezer making it challenging to stock up for a week or more.

With metered wifi, we won’t be able to spend time online looking for names of plants and flowers. We saw this particular bloom in Hawaii but can’t recall the name of it. Any suggestions?

On our menu for the upcoming week, we’d planned for the following meals:
1.  3 nights:  Unwich, made fresh each night. The fresh deli meats only last four days before spoiling and thus it makes sense to have this for three nights
2.  3 nights:  Homemade pizza
3.  2 nights:  Homemade coconut chicken tenders
All of the above includes a side of vegetables and a salad, made fresh each day. This menu plan allows for eight dinners and few, if any, trips back to the market except for a few fresh veggies.

As I wandered through the market while Tom sat on a bench nearby ready to help me when I was done, I found myself at a loss when I couldn’t find many of the items necessary to make the above meals befitting my way of eating.

All of the pasta sauces necessary for making the pizza were loaded with sugar, starch, wheat and chemicals. At the deli, all but one type of the deli meats (a bland-looking ham) we typically use in making the sandwiches; roast beef, turkey, ham and salami had massive amounts of sugar, gluten and chemicals. 

Tropical flowers proliferate in tropical climates such as here in Trinity Beach in the northern part of Australia which is warmer year-round than many other parts of the continent. This is a bottle brush flower which we’d also seen in Kauai at the Princeville Botanical Gardens.

Deli meats should have no added sugar and less than one gram of carbohydrates per serving. Many of the meats were 5 carb grams per serving indicating large amounts of additives. Plain beef, pork, chicken, turkey have zero grams of carbs per serving.

After driving the deli guy crazy asking him to look up the ingredients in the meats, which appeared to be freshly-sliced meat, we discovered that the meats were filled with grains and sugars of varying types, none of which I could or would be willing to eat other than the bland ham. 

Since Tom doesn’t react to small amounts of sugar or gluten, I purchased the usual items for him. Would I not be able to have an unwich, one of my favorite items, while we live in Australia?

The only solution that would work for me was to make my sandwiches with cooked uncured streaky bacon, avocado, natural Jarlsburg cheese without additives, the gluten, the bland ham, spinach, lettuce, tomato and onion, an alternative that proved to be delicious.

We’d never seen anything quite like these growing fruit or pods as in this tree in the yard.  Any ideas?

As for the pizza that we’ll make in a few days, I will forgo the sauce, instead spreading a bit of our homemade ketchup (I made this the first few days we arrived), seasoned with Italian spices. This will ensure I won’t be consuming gluten, additives, or sugar. Luckily, I found free-range organic chicken without added hormones and won’t have any trouble making our coconut chicken tenders. 

I must admit I scoured the market attempting to find more appropriate items. We use a few pre-made products. A few nights ago, I used a bottle of what was referred to as “American” mustard that I’d purchased, never thinking to read the label. American mustard is usually made with mustard seeds, vinegar, salt, and water. 

When I squeezed a glob of the mustard onto my plate and dipped my gluten-free sausage into it, taking a bite I was shocked by the sweet taste. It was loaded with sugar, one portion including four grams of sugar compared to a teaspoon of sugar. I wiped the mustard off my plate, later tossing the squeeze bottle into the trash.

We’ve yet to use the pool when its been cloudy or raining most days since we arrived, including today.

In all, my disappointment is over the long list of ingredients in many foods which includes chemicals, grains, starches, and sugar that are entirely unnecessary in our diets. This is not an Australian thing. It is universal in many countries throughout the world many of which we visited over these past few years.

As a result, I’ll stick to my usual “food in its natural state” as best as I can while avoiding items loaded with ingredients unsuitable for my way of eating. I’m certainly looking forward to a repeat of last night’s unwich. Of course, Tom was content with his giant bread-free sandwich.

Otherwise, I was thrilled over the mostly organic vegetables we purchased at the indoor farmers market which when I washed at home, made me smile over the worms and bugs I encountered. The uneven sizes of the produce and the bugs assured me that few if any, chemicals were used in the growing process.

These lovely gladiolas are growing in the yard.

Finally, when I wasn’t able to find Italian sausage of any type in the market, I was ready to give up the idea of pizza entirely. Tom doesn’t care for pepperoni or other meats on pizza. After we paid for the veggies at the farmers market and Woolies, I headed to the nearby meat market in the mall. 

They not only had the Italian sausage but it was gluten and sugar-free. The butcher explained that a small amount of rice flour was used in the preparation to hold it together which is a very small amount, won’t have a negative impact on me especially with the small portion I’ll eat. Also, this meat market had all the grass-fed meat, both beef, and lamb, that we could possibly want during our three months in Trinity Beach. 

Included today are photos of the receipts for the meat market, Woolie’s, and the farmer’s market. Overall, we spent US $238.66, AUD $308.88, an amount with which we’re pleasantly surprised. That averages at US $29.83, AUD $38.61, keeping in mind this included paper products and a few non-food items as well.

Today, we’re off to the fitness center where I’ll sign up for a membership and do my first workout while Tom waits for me, reading his book. Later, we’ll take a drive to check out more scenery in the area. Tomorrow, weather providing, a road trip may be in order. It’s raining today.

Have a day filled with wonderful surprises!

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

The soccer world cup was in full swing and the citizens of Madeira were excited and engaged in the process.  For details for this date, please click here.

One more day until departure!…Saying goodbye to friends and wildlife…Last Kauai photos…Links to other Hawaiian Island photos and total expenses….

We seldom are able to get a photo of us together without imposing it on others. On occasion, when appropriate we’ll offer to take a photo of a couple or a family hoping they’ll also take ours.

Yesterday, at noon we put on our swimsuits and headed to the beach at Hanalei Bay to sit in our Costco chairs, one last time, gaze at the sea and walk on the pier. The sun was shining when we arrived and, not surprisingly, gone by the time we left. We took some photos and languished in the beauty surrounding us. We’ll share those photos tomorrow.

This green anole has begun shedding its skin. We were excited to see this at the overlook across the street.

The beach was quiet, perhaps due to the fact that permanent residents may have gone to the mainland or other islands for the upcoming Memorial weekend. Other than a few tour vans that arrived loaded with tourists, it was peaceful and quiet except for our own endless chatter on plans for the future. It was perfect!

This partnership that we’ve watched daily between Birdie and Ms. Birdie reminds us of the partnership we share, always looking out for one another. This is a favorite photo.

In a prior post, we’d mentioned that we’d share some favorite photos from the three other Hawaiian islands we’ve visited over these many months. For expediency, instead, we’ve listed the links to the final posts that include some of our favorite photos from each island. Plus, these links include the final expenses for each location. Please click here to view:

Waikiki/Honolulu: https://www.worldwidewaftage.com/2014/10/hurricane-ana-on-its-way-to-hawaiian.html
Maui:  https://www.worldwidewaftage.com/2014/12/aloha-mauimaui-expense-totalssix-weeks.html
Big Island: https://www.worldwidewaftage.com/2015/01/final-expenses-from-big-island.html

Tomorrow’s post will include the total expenses and final photos of our time in Kauai. Please check back.

Another exquisite view from the hilltop at Princeville Ranch.

Communicating with the many friends we made over the past several months while living in Kauai continues up over these past few days via email and in person. This afternoon, we’ll visit Richard and Elaine at their home to say goodbye and give them our two Costco lawn chairs that we certainly can’t take with us. Who better than Richard to inherit these chairs who will undoubtedly use them at upcoming Full Moon Parties?

An ocean view from the highest point at the Princeville Ranch when we toured the property with Curlie, the owner.

This evening, we’re meeting Alice and Travis for dinner at Hideaways across the road, giving us the opportunity to say goodbye to them in person. We’d planned to eat leftovers, but when Alice asked if we’d like to meet for dinner via Facebook messenger, we were thrilled to be able to see them one more time.

We’ve gotten a kick out of all the feral chickens, chicks and roosters found everywhere in Kauai.

Yesterday, our new next-door neighbors followed us to the neighborhood so we could show them the albatross families and take a few final photos. To our delight, we ended up taking a hysterical video that we’ll be posting tomorrow on our final Kauai post, along with an expense breakdown. If you’d like a good chuckle, make sure you watch that short video in its entirety.

There are an estimated 1100 Hawaiian Monk Seals left in the world. Having the opportunity to see this one was pure “safari luck.”

I’m mostly packed. Tom will pack later today. Now, we’re doing our final loads of laundry. Today, Tom decided we should wash all of his shirts so they’ll be hanging all over the condo to get the wrinkles out before he packs.

At times, the wildlife staff will fence off the Hawaiian Monk Seals to avoid curiosity seekers from getting too close. The morning Julie and I spotted this one, she/he was comfortably at peace, longing on the beach without a fence enclosing her/him.

Usually, each day we wash one load of clothing and towels. Once we board that ship, we’ll have to accumulate dirty clothes until the ship offers a deal on laundry, usually $30 for one grocery sized bag. This bag usually arrives after the first week. 

Another breathtaking sunset in Kauai.

It’ll be tricky waiting until that paper bag arrives when we have few clothes. In the interim, we’ll be washing underwear and swimsuits in the bathroom sink. We could have them done piece by piece, but at the ship’s cost of $5 for a single tee shirt, it makes no sense. Wearing most items more than once or twice will be necessary.  Then again, this is not unfamiliar to us.

View over Hanalei Bay.

Fortunately, our clothes never smell of body odor even if we wear the same item twice. Neither of us sweats that much and freshly showered a few times a day, in the morning and after the pool, our clothes stay fresh for a few days. 

Hanalei Wildlife Refuse.

The bigger problem is spilling food on our clothes, particularly Tom, who really doesn’t appear to be a messy diner. But, invariably he has coffee, iced tea, or food spots on the front of his shirts. I’m not exempt from this issue either.

This Jackfruit is known for its medicinal value. 

Packing and flying have a few nuances we have to consider, especially the no more than 3-ounce liquid rules.  Although the flight is less than 30 minutes to Oahu, all the rules still apply. Thus, we’ll pack our toiletries we’ll need overnight at the hotel and pack larger liquid containers in the suitcases which we don’t plan to open until we get to the ship.

I spotted this gorgeous rhododendron on the tour of the Princeville Botanical Garden.

Yesterday, I threw out my worn purse. It had heavy metal buckles. The only purses I have left are two tiny evening bags, one black, one beige, that I use on occasion when we go to dinner which I am planning to give away today. Otherwise, Tom carries my few items in his pockets. Why women’s clothing doesn’t have ample pockets baffles me.

This bottlebrush type of flower was a mystery to the tour guide and the owner of the Princeville Botanical Garden.

Instead of a purse in which to carry my small black cosmetic bags, a brush, and comb, my wallet and camera,  going forward I’ll be using the big yellow insulated Costco bag as a carry on which has multiple uses as a grocery bag or beach bag.

Another view of the Hanalei Wildlife Refuge. 

I can fit my purse stuff and the pill bag inside the Costco bag so it will appear that I have only one carry-on bag instead of two. Tom will carry one computer bag, a duffel bag, and the rolling cart. With this average of two items each, we’re good on all flights going forward. Minimize. It’s a way of life for us.

Could these orchids be more beautiful?

That’s it for today folks! We’ll be back tomorrow morning shortly before we depart for the airport. On Sunday, we’ll be posting in the morning from Honolulu as we wait for the appropriate time to grab a taxi and head to the pier. Yeah!

Happy Friday! Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

                                             Photo from one year ago today, May 22, 2014:

Zooming in to quite a distance from our veranda in Madeira, we could see this man on his roof near the clothesline. Dryers are unheard of in many other countries. Once again we were hanging our clothes outdoors.  For details, please click here.

One month from today…We’re off to Australia…Is this a lonely life?

The Wai’oli hui’ai Church in Hanalei which the congregation built in 1841.

Need I say to our readers that we’re ready to go, in that we’ve been counting the days? Don’t get me wrong, we love Kauai; its people, its beauty, and its charm. It’s just time to go. 

The church was made of lime and plaster which was made from coral dug at low tide.

Living in Hawaii these past almost eight months worried us. We were concerned that we’d lose many of our readers who’d tire of the constant Hawaii news, scenery, and our occasional ramblings about food.

Services are still held at this church today. The mission bell was acquired in 1843 and placed in the belfry behind the Mission Hall which is the oldest surviving church building on the island of Kauai.

However, we’ve literally gained thousands of readers in these past many months, many from across the seas and many from here in the islands, passed on from one to another from families to friends. We couldn’t be more grateful.

This morning when I look at our stats I squealed with delight to see our readership as higher than its typically been on travel days. It seems our readers are curious as to our safe arrival at the next location and perhaps curious as to how we’ve handled any travel day challenges along the way.

The church was adorned with several stained glass windows.

In a funny way, on travel days, I feel as if you’re all traveling along with us making me anxious to getting settled and online to let everyone know we arrived safely. 

At airports, we’re always looking for wifi so we can write a few words to post. At times, we’ve paid outrageous hourly fees to ensure we let everyone know how it’s going and where we are at the moment. 

The Mission School was also built in 1843 allowing children and adults to read the bible which the missionaries translated into Hawaiian. Abner and Lucy Wilcox arrived in 1846 to spend over 20 years as educational missionaries and pioneered vocational training as well.

Our friend Richard, a retired attorney from St. Louis, Missouri, USA, often nags us to turn this site into a highly profitable business, even offering to help us do it. We appreciate his kind intentions. But, making the effort to turn our posts into a highly profitable business would make it a “job.”

And, although this is a business based on having advertisers generating a small income and certain relevant expenses, right now, this feels only like a labor of love.

We assumed this lovely couple had just been married in the church.

There isn’t one morning that I get my coffee, plunk down onto the sofa or chair, never as comfortable as in our old lives, that my heart doesn’t race with enthusiasm. Most often, unless we’ve recently had a specific experience to share, I have no idea what to write.

Magically, as if beyond my control, a topic flies to my fingers more so than to my brain and those fingers fly across the keyboard with a mind of their own.

View along the road in Hanalei.

The topics, albeit less exciting at times, are presented with a pure passion and desire to entertain, amuse or merely whittle away time for even one reader out there who may also have a cup of coffee or tea on hand and sits down to see what’s happening.

Then, when I see that hundreds if not thousands of people are reading today, my heart flips in my chest with joy, not as braggadocio over our unique life but as joy in knowing we are not alone. 

Miniature flowers blooming on the church grounds.

This life we live could be lonely without all of you. Sure, we have one another who fills each other’s cup every single day with a potion that continually renews our love and interest in one another. 

And, we have the friends we’ve made along the way but not quite yet the friends we had in our old lives who we could say, “Hey, want to go to the farmer’s market with me this afternoon?” Or, “I made some soup and want to drop off a jar at your house on my way to the health club.” 

Surf shop in Hanalei.

It’s different now. But, we have YOU. Having YOU takes away any possible feeling of isolation or loneliness.  Having YOU motivates us to explore, to take photos, to get outside the safe cocoon we create for ourselves everywhere we go.

So, dear readers, hang with us for one more month in Hawaii and then hang onto your chairs because one month from today a new level of excitement will begin as we leave Kauai, head to Honolulu for one night to sail away on the 24th for 18 days and nights across the ocean to the South Pacific. 

The Ching Young Village, a quaint shopping mall in Hanalei.

We’ll live in the South Pacific for almost 22 months, moving at least as often as every 89 days (or as little as one month) discovering new lands, new adventures, new wildlife, and new scenery. 

There will be scary-looking insects, Funnel Web spiders, dangerous snakes, and inclement weather. There will be kangaroos, koala bears, and crocs, some of which we’ll love to the point of ad nauseam and others which we’ll cautiously fear. 

The Ching Young Store is a café and general store.

Once again, we’ll be using the app on our phones to figure out the metric system, figuring out how to use the outlets and appliances, learning the local lingo and dialect, and overall, trying to “fit in.”

All of this and more, we’ll share with YOU. 

Happy Thursday. Today is 5% off for old-timers at Foodland. Think we’ll stop by.

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

Although we never so much as tasted any of the scrumptious looking pastries in Marrakech, looking at them was almost as much fun. Our time was winding down and we were looking forward to our next stop, Madeira, Portugal located off the coast of Morocco. For details please click here.

Part 2, National Geographic has done it again!…Life…its astounding…

It was exciting to touch the vultures. We were told to keep moving while around the vultures. They only eat what appears to be dead meat.

Part 2. Please spend a few minutes watching this exquisite video from National Geographic. You won’t be disappointed and doing so will further explain the nature of today’s and yesterday’s posts.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hodomt6bBOw

After posting all the photos yesterday, I suffered a few moments of trepidation. Every time we post, we attempt not to be repetitious.  However, a by-product of posting daily is a certain degree of repetition.

An eagle on the mend at the rehabilitation center.

After all, we’re fast approaching a milestone number of posts which we’ll share in 10 days, a number that is hard for us to believe. After so many posts, we accept the fact that many new readers may not have seen many of our most exciting adventures to date and repeating them from time to time in the photos is the easiest and best way to share them.

For those of our readers unfamiliar with the archives by year and by month located on the right side of the home page each day, please take a look at them. They are under our row of advertisers, under the field that says “SEARCH.”

Tom donned a huge leather hand and arm protector and wad handed a huge chunk of fresh meat to feed this vulture at the rehabilitation center. It was quite a thrill to get this photo. I love the look on Tom’s face!  As their injuries healed, these vultures would soon be returned to the wild.

Every post from March 14, 2012, to the current date, is listed in the archives. If you’re looking for a particular post or a recipe, by typing the words into the “SEARCH” field a number of options will pop up that you can choose to read, not unlike performing a Google, Yahoo or Bing search when looking for a particular topic. The difference here is that you’ll be searching through our 100’s of posts as opposed to the entire web.

These two badgers are at the rehabilitation center to recover from injuries and had become good companions. Badgers are known to be viscous animals feared by others in the wild.

We understand that some of our readers may not be web savvy, mainly using the Internet for their email and an occasional search. Please don’t hesitate to email either of us if you’re having trouble with the archives or searching for a specific post or photo.  We’re always happy to help.  

We had an opportunity to interact with a cheetah at a wildlife rehabilitation center. The particular cheetah wouldn’t ever be able to return to the wild due to injuries sustained in the wild for which he was rescued. 

A link to our email is listed on the home page in the upper right under the photo of us in Petra, Jordan.  (Gee, that seems like such a long time ago when it was only two years). 

Although we were parked at a considerable distance, this lone elephant started approaching us. Quickly, Tom backed up the car and finally, the elephant backed off. There have been many instances in which elephants have been intruded upon by tourists getting too close, resulting in cars being tipped over injuring the occupants.

In selecting photos to share of some of our past wildlife experiences, prompted by our viewing the above amazing National Geographic video, I struggle a bit, when originally I hadn’t hesitated for a moment. 

The fifth animal in the Big 5, (Leopard, Cape Buffalo, Rhino, Elephant and Lion) this herd of elephants blocked the road as we drove through Kruger National Park.  Notice the babies are kept protected in the middle of the herd. The largest elephant, the Matriarch, is often twice as large as the other adult females, holds up the rear with a keen eye ensuring their safety. Seldom are elephants attacked in the wild based on their pack mentality of safety in numbers and their massive size.

In the past few years, my photo taking skills have improved and it was both frustrating and encouraging at the same time to see the changes in the photos. So please bear with my occasional lack of skills in some of these photos that we’re sharing over this two day period. 

There was one day we were visited by an entire troupe of baboons who can be very destructive. Tom held a broom handle over his head to show them that he was bigger than they are.  These monkeys have no respect for women who are known to feed them, which is never a good idea. However, they have fear of men carrying a big stick. They stayed most of the day, finally taking off all at once through the bush.

From time to time, readers contact us to tell us that they’ve gone back to the first post to begin reading as if its a book, albeit a very long book, and found it more entertaining following the full course of our travels, seeing how we’ve changed, our ups and downs and the endless lessons we’ve learned.

A Vervet Monkey and her baby peering at us one morning while we were sitting at the table on the veranda. Check out that thin pink ear of the baby.

Gone 30 months to date, we’ve only traveled the tip of the iceberg, (yes, we’ll go there too), with much ahead of us, health providing. We’ve seen so little of the world and yet in another way we’ve seen so much, as shown in these photos.

We howl every time we look at this photo of a monkey in Kruger National Park kissing the ground. Too cute!

Yesterday afternoon, we took a one hour walk, mostly talking about the future and further committing to one another our dedication in continuing on with a high level of enthusiasm and excitement. 

This photo was taken through the window of our cottage when we stayed at a resort on the Indian Ocean in Diani Beach, Kenya to celebrate our one year anniversary of traveling the world. The monkeys were hanging around as soon as we moved in. They knew we’d have the complimentary fruit plate provided to new guests at check-in which many guests often fed them. We didn’t eat the fruit nor did we give it to the monkeys who need to forage for their food.

We discussed that we’ve spent too much time in Hawaii, as much as we’ve loved it and are ready to move along. Who’d have ever thought anyone would say, “We’ve spent too much time in Hawaii?” 

A leopard, the fourth animal of the Big 5, all of which we’d seen in the first 10 hours on safari in Kenya.

It’s not about Hawaii. It may be one of the most beautiful places on the planet and we’ve loved it, especially our time in Kauai. However, as we’ve passed the 90-day maximum period we usually stay in one location, the wanderlust has kicked in for both of us. We’re ready to go. 

This Barn Owl was trying to figure a way out of the attic of our house in Kenya. Hesborn, our house man, helped it escape.

With a variety of social activities ahead of us, plenty of sorting and packing to tackle, a box of supplies for the next two years yet to be shipped, in about three weeks we’ll begin the preparations to depart Hawaii.

The White Fronted Plover, a bird often seen along rivers in Africa.

We always giggle to ourselves when someone we meet says, “Enjoy your vacation or have a good trip.” Although, we have a similar sense of excitement that one has when anticipating an upcoming vacation, holiday or trip, as we navigate our way from one location to another it never feels like a vacation. It feels like a glorious life for which we are grateful, humbled, and never take for granted.

We spent an entire day watching the activities of a group of thousands of grasshoppers as they moved from one tree to another.
Close up of one of the above grasshoppers dining on a cabbage leaf we’d left on the driveway.

It could all change in a minute by unforeseen circumstances. We choose not to worry about that possibility, perhaps that eventuality. As we discussed on our walk yesterday, we’ll always have the option to figure it out. 

The Golden Orb Spider web was located in the carport in South Africa.
This frog hung out in the rafters watching us each day during our entire time at the African Reunion House in South Africa.
Male frogs fertilizing the egg-laden foam nest made by the female frog overnight. Seeing the progression of this event occurring in our yard in South Africa was an amazing experience.

As we neared our condo we encountered a couple, a few years older than us, most likely tourists based on the camera hanging around his neck and the binoculars in her lap. She was in a wheelchair and he was pushing her along the same path we’d taken.

Having an opportunity to see an endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal on the beach in Kauai was a thrill.
We weren’t ever able to get a photo of a full breach of a whale. Once we get to Australia, we may have better luck.

We said hello in passing with both of us in quiet contemplation for several moments afterward. At the same instance, we turned to each other and spoke simultaneously in almost the exact words, “That could be us one day.”

We love the Helmeted Guinea Fowl. They visited every day, many with their chicks.
Look at the colors in this close up of the above Helmeted Guinea Fowl. Tom referred to these birds as Guinea Hens.

We agreed, “Yes, it could be us and if it is, we’ll carry on, one way or another.”

Enjoy the weekend! We’re off to explore today. Back tomorrow with all the new photos!

                                                Photo from one year ago today, April 18, 2014:

Le Jardin restaurant in the souks of Marrakech was a favorite we often visited. Two turtles wandered about the floor providing a degree of entertainment.  Please click here for details.

A robust social life on the island of Kauai…Making new friends…

From the overlook across the street from our condo. We’ve loved this area!

Who would have thought that living on the island of Kauai, known for its lush greenery and quiet reflective lifestyle would result in our having a great social life? Not us.

When we first arrived and met dear friend Richard at the Makai Golf Club pool and fitness center, we thought that his kindness and eagerness to include us in social events was a fluke. 

As the sunset progresses.
It was no fluke. His warmth and friendliness have been repeated over and over again in other people we’ve met at some of these social events and also, many people we’ve met on our own.

Not only have we made new friends from our attendance at local events but we’ve met many tourists, who generally aren’t eager to make friends during a short trip.

What a sunset!

The overlook across the street from our condo has been the most social setting of all in meeting other travelers, many here on long stays, others here for a few weeks at a time. It seems that most tourists second and thereafter visits to Kauai may be extended to weeks, not days, some even to months.

Kauai isn’t the type of place one can easily visit for a few days and leave. Not only is there a considerable number of activities for sports enthusiasts and adventure seekers, but the calming effect of the laid back lifestyle is also intoxicating.

As the sunset dropped behind the horizon.

Kauai has a magical way of lowering one’s level of stress and creating a sense of peace enhancing a desire for quiet, the likes of which few vacation spots offer. One only needs to sit back and enjoy the sound of the surf, the birds, and the gentle breeze wafting through the trees with the almost daily trade winds.

The climate is ideal, although rainy at times and often cloudy for part of each day. Alas time passes and the sun shines, the sky clears and the intense colors of the mountains, the sea, and the surrounding vegetation almost develop to a point of “pleasure on overload.”

Look at those clouds at the mountains.

As I sit here now, writing to our readers, I look out the glass door to see the clouds, the vog, and rain in the nearby mountains, and yet the sun is shining on the lanai at the moment. The roosters are fully engaged in their morning ritual, crowing at a fevered pitch while the chickens do their fair share of clucking in response.

The bird sounds make us laugh especially when we hear the distinct sounds of our favorite visitors, Mr. & Ms. Birdie and two other birds, all cardinals, two different species who will soon alight on the railing singing that specific song that says, “Give me nuts, please!”

Colorful pods abound on most vegetation in the Hawaiian Islands, typical of most tropical plants.

And quickly one of us jumps up in response to that request, grabbing the little bowl containing the nuts I hand chop every week, placing bits of nuts on the lanai railing for them to happily peck at until they’re gone. 

The same breeds share with one another. The opposing breeds fight over the nuts. We make every effort to ensure fairness at times separating our offerings into two distinct areas which sometimes works and other times doesn’t.

It was surprising to see these tall evergreens. growing in this tropical climate.

In a way, at this point, we both feel a little lazy. We’ve seen and done so much on this island, experienced more than we’d ever anticipated, made more friends than we’d made anywhere except in Marloth Park, South Africa, an equally friendly environment.  

If we didn’t have one more social activity planned, we’d be content. However, that’s not the case at all.  We have many more social events planned and without a doubt, more will suddenly appear as it often has. We’ll be the first to chime in to say yes to an invitation, if not taking the initiative for inciting the invitation ourselves.

The uniformity of this flower made it worthy of a photo.

This life we live has no room for shyness. In our old lives, we’d seldom made new friends. In a social setting, we hesitated to ask people we met for the first time for their email or a phone number to set up a time to “get together.” We didn’t want to appear to be stalkers.

In this new life, we have no concern that we’ll appear to be stalkers. We simply love having the opportunity to ask, “How about if we all go out to dinner soon?”

A water hazard on the golf course.

On each occasion, the response is immediate and warm, “We’d love to.” We exchange business cards. If they don’t have a card, we give them ours asking them to email us their email. Who carries a pen and paper these days? 

Otherwise, if we have one of our phones in our possession, we’ll enter it there, keeping in mind, we don’t have cell service on the phones and wifi service only when we’re “home.” (Once we arrive in Australia, we’ll be able to load SIM cards into our phones for service).

On a walk in our neighborhood, these condos have excellent views of the Makai Golf Course.

If we don’t hear within a few days, we don’t assume for a moment that they don’t want to get together (Tom says that sound cocky). We assume they may be like us in our old lives, not taking the initiative to make new friends.

Overall, we hear from the other couple 50% of the time and make the effort for the rest. After a dinner out, such as this past Friday night with Alice and Travis, we’re so happy we all enthusiastically made the effort. We had a fabulous time and plan to see them again before we leave. 

Not only is there amazing vegetation in the Princeville Botanical Gardens, it abounds everyone one goes on the “garden island” of Kauai.

Our dinner plans for Saturday night were postponed to this Wednesday due to an injury incurred by our host and we look forward to seeing this wonderful couple again this week at their home for dinner.

It’s been hard to say goodbye to the many lovely couples we’ve met in Kauai, many here for short stints, others longer. With many, we continue to stay in touch via email often hearing they are following along with us here.  To each and every one of those lovely people, we say, “Thank you” for sharing a bit of your precious holiday/vacation time with us.

Cloudy day mountain view.

Today, it’s raining off and on as the sun also appears off and on. A drive may be on the agenda but if the weather doesn’t cooperate we may stay put once again. After highlighting the Princeville Botanical Gardens for the past three days we continue on with other photos and stories. If you haven’t had a chance to see those posts, please scroll down after today’s post to see all three of them with many photos.

Our Nevada accountant has completed our taxes as of this morning to be filed electronically today. Having that behind us gives us peace of mind, leaving our minds free to soak up our remaining “40 days and 40 nights” on the beautiful, peaceful, and social island of Kauai.

                                            Photo from one year ago today, April 13, 2014:

A Kasbah on the road to the Atlas Mountains. I had done a little whining one year ago on this date. For details on why, please click here.

52 days and counting…Two years upcoming in the South Pacific…Has our stay in Kauai been too long?…Mindless dribble…

Finding bananas and any fruit growing while on a walk is always delightful.

It’s hard to believe that in only 52 days we’ll be leaving Hawaii. As of today, we’ve been in the Hawaiian Islands for exactly 180 days when our ship, the Celebrity Solstice, arrived for a tour of the islands.

The pods from which bananas grow. We saw these in Madeira but they were a different variety.

It was on October 5th, that we disembarked the ship when it docked in Honolulu, Oahu, where we spent 11 days in a condo in Waikiki Beach. Next, we spent six weeks in Maui, six weeks on the Big Island of Hawaii, and now, the time is passing quickly as we make our way into the final days of over four months in Kauai.

Queen Emma Giant Spider Lily.

We’re confident that we visited the islands in the correct order. Kauai has been the perfect island on which to spend the longest period as mentioned in a zillion previous posts. 

When we originally discussed spending four-plus months in Kauai, we cringed over the concept of such a long stay which proved to be the longest period in any one location since we began our travels almost 30 months ago. Looking to the future, we have no intentions of staying in any one location for longer than 90 days with the exception of Bali, where we’ll stay twice for 59 days with a two-month gap in between.

The condos on the right have a fabulous view of the sea and sunset, but the walk down to the beach can be difficult for some. We’ve done it once and may not tackle it again.

The fact that we could take a cruise to Australia, rather than fly, making the journey itself an extraordinary experience, greatly contributed to our desire to stay in Kauai for this extended period. 

Another influential factor was our desire to stay put for a while after the expense of the family holiday on the Big Island over Christmas. Staying in one location provides us with an opportunity to financially recover when moving about always ups the expenses.

Overlooking the ocean on a sunny day.

Having paid, in part, as stipulated in various upcoming rental agreements and for upcoming cruises, we have less than $20,000 outstanding for rentals for the remainder of 2015, greatly putting our minds at ease. These sums are spread over a series of months as we near arriving at the various locations, making it not such a hard pill to swallow, all at once.

As the days quickly pass, in another month, we’ll begin thinking about packing, including the products we’re accumulating at our mailing service in Nevada that we have yet to be shipped. We continue to contemplate and research the availability of items in the South Pacific.

There’s always “vog” in the mountains, although, the stunning coloration of the hills can be easily be seen. 

Tom’s three pairs of jeans, cargo shorts, a staple in his limited wardrobe, are threadbare. We tossed one pair a few days ago and once the three new pairs arrive, we’ll probably toss the rest. Jeans are heavy, adding greatly to our baggage weight. 

Several of my tee shirts are being beckoned by the garbage can as well as some of my old shorts. When recently, I’d purchased and had shipped, four new pairs of shorts from Old Navy I ruined one in the laundry when I’d left two gel cap magnesium pills in the pocket which I take with dinner each night.

On a walk by myself, I was enthralled by the view as I approached our condo (not shown in this photo).

We’d gone out to dinner and I’d stuck the two pills in the pocket, hoping to remember to take them at the restaurant. We were having such fun that I forgot to take the pills. When checking the pockets before washing, I didn’t reach deep enough into the pocket to take them out.

Alas, the pills ruined the shorts in a bleach-like manner. Thank goodness, they didn’t ruin the remainder of the dark-colored laundry. Gee, and I swallow these? 

Pink Ginger plant with colorful leaves.

I’m stuck wearing these ruined shorts around the house almost daily in hopes of wearing them out enough to give them the “heave-ho” before we leave. I’m not about to pack a pair of ruined shorts in my luggage when space is limited.

With more supplies yet to arrive in the next package from our mailing service, we continue to search online and consider the availability of certain products we frequently use in our travels that may not be available in the South Pacific; our special toothpaste, a few cosmetic items, a few adapters suitable for the upcoming locations (lessons learned from burning out the old adapters).

This was the first time we’d taken photos from this side of the Pali Ka Kua condos in our area.

Tom is still wearing his original batch of tee shirts. He, unlike me, will wear the same tee-shirt over and over again (while I wash it every other day), until it finally bites the dust.  You’ve probably noticed this in the photos I’ve taken of him. 

In our old lives, we’d only wear a tee shirt one time and wash it.  Now, we wear them twice, extending the life of the shirt by 100%. It’s the washing and drying that wears out clothing. In the South Pacific, our clothing will be hanging outside to dry, again extending their life by about 25%. Clothes dryers are seldom used outside the US.

The Makai Golf Course runs through many areas of Princeville, creating beautiful scenery.

Whoever thinks of this stuff but us? None of this ever entered our minds in our old lives; the long-term preservation of clothing. If a sock had a hole, we tossed it and the entire pair if it didn’t match any others. 

All of our socks are of the same brand and style. If one sock is tossed, we save the mate which goes into the flow with the others, eventually finding a mate.

Considerable amounts of lava rock exist in Kauai, although most beaches are sandy.

This may all appear to fall into the mindless drivel category. For us, what may appear to be trivial and unimportant falls into a category of mundane conscientiousness that somehow, we both manage to address in our daily lives.

Today? Soon we’ll be off to the pool and fitness center and later, the market. Saturday night is yet another outdoor Full Moon Party, hosted by dear friend Richard. We plan to show early to help Richard set up the tables and chairs in the vacant lot used for this event, the second month in a row.

We’ve seldom seen such bright colors as there are in Hawaii. These appear to be a type of Plumeria, flowers used in making leis.

We’re deciding on which pu pu we’ll prepare to bring to the party. Many of these events stipulate that guests bring a pu pu to share, I’m running out of ideas. I love it that my big challenge of this week is which pu pu to make! Any suggestions?

                                              Photo from one year ago today, April 2, 2014:

Taking a cab in Marrakech, we wandered through a neighborhood with many shops and restaurants. For details from that date, please click here.

Part 2…Why would YOU want to visit Kauai?…Today, the flip side…Any reasons, “why not?”

Overcast days at the beach still present a pleasant experience.

Whenever we make suggestions or recommendations we consider that many people may not be candidates for our suggestions for any number of reasons. Under certain circumstances, travel may not be an option due to health issues or concerns, personal finances, or merely a distaste for the nuances of travel of which there are many.

We also understand that a certain faction of our readers have no interest in travel itself but enjoy following our day to day activities. Our vast number of readers are somehow inspired to follow our day to day posts for which we are very grateful for their interest. 

These downed trees not only provide shade but also a habitat for insects and small critters of which there are few in Kauai.

As a result, we feel it is only fair for us to disclose our perceptions on the flip side of any suggestion we may make. What are the drawbacks? Within that framework, if only one reader decides against following our recommendations and chooses an alternative path, then we’ve done our job by showing both the good and not so good.

Isn’t all of it about perception anyway?  If someone had told us, “Kauai is mostly for serious hikers with many dangerous trails and tide pools from which many tourists are killed each year,” we may have stayed away.

There’s always a chicken on the beach.

Instead, we came to Kauai, safely experiencing a few of the more difficult trails realizing that tough trails aren’t for us. However, Kauai offers so much more than tough hiking trails and dangerous tide pools as shown in our past  months of daily postings with hundreds of photos.

Please click these three links for disheartening news stories on injuries and deaths that incurred on the rough trails in Hawaii, not exclusively in Kauai:

News story #1
News story #2
News story #3

What are the drawbacks to visiting Kauai from our perspective which, please keep in mind, maybe very different from yours after staying here for this extended period of time? (However, we’ve yet to meet one person who doesn’t love Kauai).

These billowy white clouds are seen almost daily.  There’s rarely a time of solid blues skies in Kauai for longer than a few hours.

Let’s take each point, one by one:

1.  Price of vacation rentals: Renting a modest single-family house under $10,000 a month is difficult if not impossible to find.  However, if two couples shared in the cost of a multi-bedroom house for a few weeks it becomes more affordable, certainly no more costly than a hotel. For an average condo rental, small such as ours at 700 square feet, the rental rates vary from approximately $150 to $200 per night. Many offer special weekly and monthly rates.  In our case, due to our frequent mention of the condo here on our site, providing great exposure for the landlord in addition to our long-term stay enabled us to benefit from a significantly reduced rate which is often the case for our long-term rentals. You know…a bird in the hand. Having a condo with a full kitchen cuts down on the necessity of dining out for each meal.  More on that in a moment.
2.  Price of hotels: St. Regis in Princeville starts at about $550 per night, the Westin Princeville at $337 per night, and the Hanalei Bay Resort at $199 with numerous other options in between. Other areas such as Lihue, Kapaa, and Poipu Beach have prices beginning at $175  a night on up. Of course, staying in a hotel adds to the rate when including WiFi fees when not included, tips, taxes, resort fees, meals, and tempting purchases.

Zooming in on a tiny bud.


3.  Cost of meals in restaurants with tax and tips: Considering each time we’ve dined out, each at mid-range restaurants, we’ve spent an average of $72 per restaurant visit, keeping in mind I don’t drink alcohol and Tom never ordering more than one cocktail. Also, we don’t order appetizers or desserts.  That’s for one meal for two people. If one had two or three meals out per day at mid-range local restaurants the cost would be from $125 to $200 per day or more depending on alcohol, sides, and desserts. However, these costs may be typical for most resort type areas. Dining in the hotels is considerably more costly, as much at 100% higher.

4.  Cost of groceries for dining in: In reviewing our Excel spreadsheet with the cost of literally every expense for food including trips to Costco, farmer’s markets, health food stores, produce stands, and grocery stores, we’re currently averaging at $47 per day. Considering that I only eat one meal a day (intermittent fasting) and Tom has one main meal and two light low carb snacks/meals, the cost for three meals a day could reach the $80 per day range. The fact that we eat no processed or packaged foods, soda, fruits, or snacks also reduces costs.  In part, our costs may be slightly heightened by eating mostly organic locally grown foods which are approximately 10% higher than mass-produced foods. The grass-fed meat we’ve been purchasing at the gas station from Curly’s Princeville Ranch is no more expensive than the grain-fed meat at Foodland. These figures may not be considered high for some travelers but for many, they could be prohibitive.

These pods are less than one inch long.

5.  Cost of airfare: Let’s face it, Hawaii is not conveniently located. From most locations, it requires multiple layovers and high fares. The average cost for each of our 12 family members that visited at Christmas was $1300 per person, round trip. In the off-season, the fare is as much as 40% less. For senior travelers with medical concerns, multiple layovers and long flights may present a problem. Also, fees for checked baggage and overweight baggage is a factor to consider.6.  Recreational Activities: If we were to list the most popular tourist activities in Kauai, as much as 85% require some level of fitness, especially the treacherous and difficult hiking trails. Many resort areas throughout the world have museums, art galleries, historical buildings, and sites easy to navigate. Hawaii, especially Kauai, is mostly about nature, although there are a few small museums. Yes, there are many tours in vans and buses but, many of these include getting out of the vehicle to view the scenery. For some seniors, this may be an obstacle and result in frustration. Many of the boat tours include rough waters with considerable bouncing about which may be difficult for some.

It’s not unusual to see many downed trees still showing signs of life along the beaches.

7.  Medical care: Most residents of Kauai with whom we’ve spoken, young and old, fly to Oahu for medical care at a cost of around $150 or more, round trip per person, for a daytime flight. If one requires frequent doctor visits, this cost and inconvenience can add up. When adding the cost of taxis, tips, and meals when arriving in Oahu, for those on a fixed income, these only increase the expense. Of course, emergency medical care and medical clinics are available on the island but, from what we’ve determined one may be more inclined to head to Oahu, if possible. It isn’t unusual for a patient to be airlifted from Kauai to Oahu for medical care. This type of insurance is vital for average travelers. (Our insurance policy includes these fees).

These downed trees are perfect on sunny days for those seeking a respite from the bright sun.

8.  The weather: Kauai is the garden island. It rains a lot. We’ve seen our next-door neighbors arrive for a week’s vacation and never experience a sunny day. For us, this is fine. For those spending upwards of $3500 for a week’s vacation, this could be very frustrating. Many of our neighbors haven’t minded the rain and have still spent every day exploring the island. But, for serious hikers, which many are, the trails are slippery and dangerous when wet. A few of our neighbors have experienced minor, non-life-threatening injuries on the trails on rainy days. For us, rainy days as for many retirees is a good day to stay home unless we’re committed to attending a social event. We’ve also experienced several sunny days in a row. During our 75 days on the island, it’s been the rainy season. With spring in full bloom, we expect we’ll see more sunny days. But, even the summers in Kauai may be rainy. If one is looking to lounge in a lawn chair by a pool, drinking tropical cocktails, occasionally walking along the beach, and dining out in fabulous restaurants, Kauai may not be a perfect choice.  Maui and Oahu may be better choices during their prime seasons with less rain. Of course, it can rain in the morning on any of the islands and become sunny for an hour or more, which is more common than not. The trade winds result in drastic weather changes in a matter of minutes. Many days, we put on our swimsuits hoping for a visit to the pool, only to change out of them a short time later when a dark cloud cover has suddenly appeared. 

The rope of this tree is ideal for a swinging splash into the water.

9.  Long drive to Lihue from many locations for shopping: Princeville has a small shopping center. One may purchase a good pair of walking shoes for $195, a dress or men’s shirt for a special occasion for $175 or more, and a pair of costume jewelry earrings for $65. The shopping center in Princeville is not unlike shopping centers in other pricey resort towns. For a 35 minute drive, one can head to Kapaa where there’s a more well-stocked larger grocery store, Safeway, Long’s Drug, and a GNC, and more, none of which are located in Princeville. If one desires to make a trip to Costco, Walmart, or a regular mall with chain type stores, a trip to Lihue, a long hour’s drive in traffic, is necessary. We’ve been to Lihue on two separate occasions to go to visit Costco and to Kapaa three times. 

None of these “flip side” observations should prohibit most tourists from visiting this glorious island of Kauai. If only to drive around the islands as far as the roads go, only occasionally getting out of the car, one would see scenery the likes of which they’ve never seen before. 

A downed tree on Anina Beach.  Children were playing off to the right.

Even sitting on the quiet, easily accessible Anini Beach on an overcast day is a pleasing experience that Julie and I enjoyed when she was here. Add the friendly people everywhere, and there’s no place on earth that we’ve seen so far that compares to Kauai.

Oops, although I’m dressed for the day, the sun just peeked out. Should I change into a swimsuit? We’ll keep an eye on it and perhaps a trip to the pool and a walk later in the day may be on the agenda. If not, we’re still content.

After all, we’re in Kauai and the view from where I am sitting at the moment is unbelievable.  Check out these two photos below for that view.

This is the view with the screen door open from my seat on the sofa as I post each morning.
By standing up and walking a few feet we’re on the lanai for this view.  It’s obvious why we love Kauai.
 

Photo from one year ago today, April 1, 2014:

Tom’s eyes scanned the interesting décor in the restaurant. For more photos, 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.