Part 1…A cultural day…A mixed bag of pleasure and red tape..

Sorry for late posting. Wifi issues.
Gede with his gracious parents.
“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”
Every evening when we dine at the large table facing the pool and the sea, at least two. Sometimes four buffalos pass on the beach. We’ve never watched buffalo while dining. It’s quite entertaining!

Who are we to say that obtaining a visa extension should be doable in one stop? We’re from a one-stop society.  You stop at a market, cash, or credit card and walk out the door with your groceries in hand. You visit a doctor and walk out the door with a prescription. Isn’t that what most of us throughout the world expect in our daily lives?

Expectations? They don’t apply when traveling the world as we do. Each country has its own manner of conducting business and we’re the captive audience stepping in line to comply whether we like it or not.

On our walk down the narrow road to visit Gede’s family home, he pointed out this temple where his family worships.

Yesterday we headed out with Gede at 9:00 am, wearing long pants, in the hot weather, as required when entering a government building in Indonesia. With our passports in hand with copies made (they keep our passports over the three-step/visit process over the five-day period), we were on our way.

As we’ve traveled the world over these past 43 months we’ve come to the conclusion regarding what we like and don’t like. We’ve discovered since our arrival in Bali that we’re not keen on long road trips unless we’re traveling for a specific final destination, not a round trip excursion. 

We walked down this road to Gede’s parent’s home.  In Bali, most citizens don’t own the land on which their home is located but they have the right to live there for life, paying taxes, and upkeep.

What does this mean? For us, it’s simple. We prefer a road trip that doesn’t require us to turn around and return to our original destination. We like new scenery. 

I suppose in part it’s due to the fact that we’re always searching for new photo ops and material for our posts.  Heading back and forth to the same location provides little stimulation and excitement when we’ve “been there, done that!”

The entrance gate to Gede’s family home includes his parent’s home and his brother’s separate home.

Sure, we’re “mental stimulation junkies.” Otherwise, we’d be living in a retirement condo in Scottsdale, Arizona, looking for the next coupon for seniors for breakfast at Denny’s.

As we review the types of activities that “trip our trigger” we both agree that local culture, history, wildlife, and other animals, vegetation, and exquisite scenery fall into the category of our deepest interests and hunger for life-changing experiences. 

The kitchen in Gede’s parent’s home.

Due to my physical limitations of a precariously delicate spine and neck, physical adventures don’t fall within that realm. We’ve accepted this reality embracing the things we can do as opposed to the things we can’t

How often we explain ourselves when others suggest we scuba dive or try white water rafting. Even snorkeling has its risks when a sudden movement could put a fast end to our travels.

The bed where Gede’s mom sleeps and rests, day and night.

Instead, we embrace the endless array of other types of “adventures” that stimulate our minds, leaving us with some of the best memories we could ever dream of carrying with us in our hearts as we continue on.

Thus, in essence, yesterday’s somewhat painstaking visit to the Immigration Office in Lovina Bali proved to be an unusual, albeit annoying, interesting experience that befell us. 

Gede’s brother’s home where they’re building a cement wall.

Complain? We could have. Tom’s bubbling annoyance was palpable. Mine was tempered by my usual “overly bubbly” mentality that all will work out in the end, which in itself could be annoying to him, although he keeps it to himself. How does one criticize a relatively optimistic cheerleader?

When we were turned away at the Lovina Immigration Office for missing copies (we had no idea these were required) of our airline reservations for our route out of Bali, we had one choice but to head to a local “Internet-shop” where I actually struggled bringing up our reservations to enable us to print the required copies. 

The computer was old with a version of Windows I hadn’t seen in decades and I had trouble using a mouse with my obvious lack of dexterity. Unable to get into Expedia, I found my way to Gmail, where I was finally able to dig up the tickets we’d received by email when we booked the reservations months ago. 

A bird in a cage at his brother’s home.

We printed multiple copies of the tickets at a total cost of IDR $10,000, US $.74. Where else could one buy anything for 74 cents? That even included my sweaty 15 minutes (sitting outside in the heat) on the old PC attempting to get my Gmail account to pop up.

While I was sweating on the computer, Tom and Gede were nearby while Tom was also sweating while busy filling out a double-sided questionnaire for each of us that we also had to complete and return to the immigration office after they returned from lunch at 1:00 pm.

This photo of Gede’s grandfather on the wall in his family home.

With almost an hour to kill before we could return, Gede suggested we stop and meet his parents who live nearby. He grew up in Lovina. We couldn’t have been more thrilled. This is the kind of experience that we treasure as opposed to a visit to a local tourist-jammed attraction.

Minutes later, we were walking down a narrow road to his parent’s home as Gede pointed out the homes occupied by a variety of his relatives.  n Bali, the locals tend to live together in clusters of individual homes. 

I took these photos without flash to illustrate the darkness of the living area in Gede’s family home.

We were a little concerned to barge in on their day unannounced. Gede’s mom is suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and he had no doubt they’d be home and happy to greet us. As we entered the gates, his dad immediately approached us with a welcoming “hello” (the same English word used in the Balinese language) and a gracious bow with the meeting of his hands. We returned the same greeting as an added warmth washed over us. The grace of the Balinese people is breathtaking.

For us, it was an honor to be able to visit his parents, see where he grew up, and grasp a better understanding of life for the people of Bali. As Gede explained during the many hours in the car, in Bali, there are only rich and poor, nothing in between. The concept of a middle class is unheard of in Indonesia, particularly in Bali as we’ve seen on the many occasions we’ve been out and about.

On the narrow road, we walked to Gede’s family home in Lovina.

As it neared 1:00 pm, we headed out to return to the immigration office with heartfelt goodbyes and thank you’s.  Although his parents speak no English, the communication was clear, kind, humble people appreciating every moment of life, regardless of how tenuous it may be at times. It was a valuable reminder for us, especially on such a hot, humid, and at times, strenuous day.

Tomorrow morning, again leaving at 9:00 am, when we must return to the Lovina Immigration Office for Trip #2 once again we’ll post earlier than usual sharing the “rest of the story” and more sites we’ve seen in our full 9 to 5 travel days. Back to you soon.

Photo from one year ago today, May 24, 2015:

We posted this last video of the Laysan Albatross mating dance as we shared our final expenses for the four months we spent living on the Hawaiian island of Kauai as we prepared to leave for a cruise to Australia. For details, please click here.

Preparing a post late in the day…Time of day matters….

This was the highway in the small town of Negara, not Denpasar, jammed with motorbikes, cars, buses and constant traffic. 

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

The photo was taken at 4 00 pm of cloud reflection in our pool. 

Most days, I get busy preparing the post in the early morning, WiFi connection providing, starting around 7:00 or 8:00 am, depending on a few factors. Many days, we prefer to drink our coffee sitting in the cabana, chatting and looking out to the sea.

A small temple along the highway? 

At other times, when we have projects to tackle or activities planned, I may begin earlier or later. With the huge time difference making calls on Skype is best handled early in the morning when it’s actually evening for our family members in the US with the 12 to 15 hour time difference.

A typical “strip mall” with vendors parked to deliver their products.

With business-related tasks requiring phone calls, we must determine the hours the business is opened to be able to reach a live person such as when we call our cruise rep at Vacations to Go. or deal with financial stuff. 

A small shop along the highway.  With cigarettes cheap here as low as IDR $25,515, US $1.87 per pack many Balinese people smoke. Tom, always struggling not to smoke, checked the prices and was tempted but didn’t buy.

Each time we’ve moved to a new location I create a time difference chart for our family members and email it to all of them, also having it for our own use making time difference calculations easier. Here is the chart we created for family in both Minnesota and Nevada:

Minneapolis, Minnesota time to Bali time converter    -13 hours
7:00 am CST in Minneapolis =
8:00 pm in Bali
                            10:00 am CST in Minneapolis =
11:00 pm in Bali
1:00 pm CST in Minneapolis =
2:00 am in Bali
4:00 pm CST in Minneapolis =
5:00 am in Bali
7:00 pm CST in Minneapolis =
8:00 am in Bali
                            10:00 pm CST in Minneapolis =
11:00 am in Bali
1:00 am CST in Minneapolis =
2:00 pm in Bali
                  4:00 am CST in Minneapolis =
5:00 pm in Bali
Las Vegas, Nevada time
to Bali time converter          -15
hours
7:00
am PST in Las Vegas =
10:00 pm in Bali
10:00
am PST in Las Vegas =
1:00 am in Bali
1:00
pm PST in Las Vegas =
4:00 am in Bali
4:00
pm PST in Las Vegas =
7:00 am in Bali
7:00
pm PST in Las Vegas =
10:00 am in Bali
10:00
am PST in Las Vegas =
1:00 pm in Bali
1:00
am PST in Las Vegas =
4:00 pm in Bali
4:00
am PST in Las Vegas =
7:00 pm in Bali

With three of our adult children and all of our grandchildren in Minnesota and our eldest son in Nevada, this chart has served us well. Each time we move to a new part of the world we edit this format and rename it accordingly.

In attempting to translate this yellow sign, it appears to be a bank.

Tom is great at making these calculations in his head.  I, on the other hand, have a part missing in my brain that can easily calculate time differences. Ask me to figure out a detailed expense analysis of our world travels over the past 43 months and I can rattle off these numbers in a flash. 

A tattered bus stops providing shelter from the hot sun while waiting.

Ask me what time it is in Los Angeles or Boston and I have to look at these charts or take time to do the calculations. Go figure. Maybe there’s some truth to the fact that the male and female brains work differently. 

 We were unable to decipher the type of business is conducted in this building.

No, my intent is not to be sexist with this type of comment but after watching animals in the wild these past years, there certainly are varying behaviors in the sexes as is also the case for humans, whether we like it or not.  OK, I won’t go there.

In certain areas the homes are less decorative, often one story, as seen anywhere in the world. Most Balinese people live in houses, not apartments, as we mentioned in a prior post. 

The point I’m trying to make, feebly at best, is that our state of mind when posting in the morning may vary from how we’re feeling and what we’re thinking in the late afternoon. Most certainly, I feel more creative in the morning.

A security building at a sardine factory near the beach.

Now, as I sit in our bedroom at 4:40 pm in air-conditioned comfort while we wait for dinner to be ready, I find myself struggling to write. Maybe all I need is some caffeine. Our iced tea is caffeine-free and I gave up drinking afternoon tea when I couldn’t find any I liked at the local markets in Bali. I have no interest in teeth staining Lipton.

A newer structure utilizing the Balinese/Hindu design and vibrant colors and of course, with a satellite dish on the roof. Modern technology is prevalent in Bali, although services may be slow in some areas.

Maybe I need to resign myself that this is a “morning thing” not a “late in the day thing.” We all have our times of the day when we’re at our sharpest. Hopefully, you’ll bear with this post when you think of your times of the day when you’re at your brightest and realize it does in fact vary based on the time of day or night.

May your day be bright regardless of how sharp you’re feeling at any given moment!

Photo from one year ago today, May 21, 2015:

Grass-fed bull in Kauai poses for a photo. Everywhere in the world, we find grass-fed beef at reasonable costs, and yet, in the US, it’s outrageously priced.  It’s all about money, money, money. Our health has a price tag on it. For details, please click here.

 

Unwanted Windows 10 update…Big trouble in Paradise…

Today’s late posting and lack of detailed information in captions is a result of today’s poor signal.  It appears we may have these issues resolved.  More on this later.

Decorative clock in the center of a roundabout.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Shells and debris on the beach.

With the slow WiFi we’ve experienced over these past years of travel we hadn’t considered updating to the free Windows 10 upgrade from our usual Windows 8.1. Many online comments for potential issues have been a huge deterrent.

While living outside the US far from familiar PC repair shops it made no sense to take the risk. Imagine if here in this remote location in Bali if something went wrong with either of our laptops, we’d have quite a challenge on our hands.

Upgrading to Windows 10 could be disastrous, to say the least. Besides, we’ve had few issues since we purchased these two Acer Aspire V touch screen laptops at the end of 2014 when both of our older models bit the dust at about the same time.

Huge statue located in town near the main highway.

We’ve come to accept that every few years we must replace our laptops not only for newer, faster technology but as a result of wear and tear and constant humidity. They aren’t intended for these weather conditions and rough treatment our devices experience while we’re frequently on the move.

This morning, as usual, I booted up my fully charged and still plugged-in laptop while I was getting ready to start the day. At one point, I walked past it sitting on the desk in the bedroom noticing a white box on the screen, choosing to ignore it, not giving it much of a thought.

Elaborate design on building in Negara.

As it turned out, much to my later surprise, it was the Windows 10 upgrade that is soon losing its free status, starting up on its own. This had never happened nor had I solicited this response at any point, always saying “no” to the upgrade when occasionally it popped up.

I guess today was different for some reason and although I didn’t approve the install of the upgrade, it started on its own. This angered me. With the slow connection here, it was an accident waiting to happen. 

Ceremonial spot at the temple.

All I could envision, after reading considerable negative reviews about installing the Windows 10 upgrade is that I wouldn’t be able to post today, find all of our files and photos and that we’d lose all of our 30.7 gigs of downloaded shows we use to entertain us in the evenings.

Luckily, a few days ago, I backed up everything on the pay-for OneDrive cloud and also on our external hard drive. But, the thought of restoring all the downloaded apps I’ve accumulated over these past 18 months and getting to know a new operating system wasn’t anything I was interested in doing while here in Bali.

Old tree supported with bamboo.

Ironically, it was only yesterday, I started researching new laptop models to see of any improved technology over this past year or so that may appeal to our needs. We discussed our plan to replace these two machines when we arrive in the US next year, most likely making a purchase at Costco or elsewhere online.

Ironically, it was only after yesterday’s research that I mentioned to Tom, “There’s no point in upgrading to Windows 10 when we’re content with Windows 8.1, and next year we’ll replace these PCs.” Coincidence.

River bridge at a temple in Negara.

Alas, this morning Windows 10 was jammed down my unsolicited throat and starting downloading of its own volition. Go figure. Why did this happen? What could I, should I, have done to prevent it?  I guess going forward I won’t boot up my computer without it sitting in front of me so I can say “no.” 

At the end of July, the free version will no longer be offered and this will become less of an issue when surely I’d have to come up with a payment method to pay whatever fees MS will be charging. It’s not going to happen.

Hindu décor in the city.

So, once it started loading, I was stuck. It was too risky to try and stop it.  For almost three hours it ran slow and inconsistently attempting to grab at the weak WiFi signal to complete the process.

In the interim, Tom stayed offline although he had numerous tasks of his own to complete. At almost 10:00 am, almost three hours after the download started, several error messages appeared indicating a “system failure” and the inability of Windows 10 to complete the upgrade. Surely, it was a result of the slow Internet connection.

A decorative door at the archway at the temple in Negara.

In addition, on a few occasions, blue screens appeared indicating my computer was experiencing the possibility of a crash due to the failure. I had overseen this process by going in and out of the bedroom where I kept it plugged in hoping to complete the download without incident. 

Outside, it was so hot and humid I knew if there was trouble I needed to be inside in the bedroom in air-conditioned comfort. Possible computer crashes make me hot and sweaty.

School children heading home. Kids attend school six days a week and only have off one month during the summer (on this side of the equator) with many holidays off in between.

Luckily, after the half dozen or so scary blue screen threats and warnings, the system reverted to its former 8.1 version and it appears everything is working properly again at the moment. We’ll see how this transpires throughout the day as I, too, have multiple travel-related tasks to complete, once this is posted.

Tentatively, I forge ahead hopeful for a good outcome. In the meanwhile, the sun is out having burned off some of the hazy humidity, a balmy breeze has picked up and in a few minutes I can head outdoors to enjoy yet another “lazy day in Paradise.” Well, not quite that lazy!

We hope you have a pleasant day as well, lazy or otherwise!

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

One year ago we wrote about the movie, The Descendants, filmed in Kauai with scenes from this pool at the famed St. Regis Hotel which was a short walk from our condo. For more details, please click here.

Living off the grid…More photos from a road trip…

We were behind this dangerous situation in the rain on our return drive from Negara. If the truck in front of this motorbike driver stopped suddenly. Yikes!
“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”
Yesterday, this passenger ship sailed on the Bali Sea/Indian Ocean located in front of us.


The dream that many possess of escaping the stresses of everyday life in the big city or a metropolis to hide away on a tropical island may not be all that it’s cracked up to be.

In the short term, it may seem romantic with visions of lazy days and nights filled with hand-made arts and crafts, cooking fish on an open fire, and picking fruits from nearby trees. Find a huge bag of rice and organic vegetables from a local stand and a life of ease and leisure may be found.

For some lofty adventurers, this may work for a while and for others for a lifetime. But, for most of us, however, we might think we’d like to “live off the grid” the reality of such a life isn’t always pretty.

This motorbike loaded with products for sale is typical, in this case, coconuts. (Photo was taken through the windshield while moving fast).

There’s a TV show we’d watched a few times while in Australia called “Off the Grid Living,” amongst other such series produced throughout the world. Often, after participants spent a weekend trial period at their preferred off-the-grid property, particularly those with children, they’ve changed their minds deciding perhaps a few acres of land and a flock of chickens and goats would be more realistic.

When we fantasize about remote “roughing it” island living, we often don’t consider the basic elements of daily life most of us have taken for granted. Even here in Bali, the workers earning around IDR $1,997,714, US $150, a month have cell phones and access to the Internet as we’ve seen from our staff here at the villa.

They drive motorbikes they can purchase for around IDR $19,977,144, US $1500, on credit. They subsist on the most minimal of foods, mostly low cost locally grown white rice, and vegetables and they live in houses filled with multiple family members of many generations. (Seventy-five percent of Balinese people live in houses, not apartments).

Gede explained this outdoor stand is for church donations, comparable to a bake sale. Passersby purchase products to be donated to the church for poor families.

Gede also explained that family members care for the elderly since there is no such thing as retirement pensions or Social Security for the elderly. He and his siblings support his ill and aging parents who are old for their 60 years, having spent a hard life supporting their growing families, now fully dependent upon their children for survival.

There’s nothing romantic and enticing about such a lifestyle. It’s a life of hard work and never-ending hardship and responsibility. And if a person(s) coming from a traditional city or suburban life believes they’ll find ultimate happiness living off-the-grid, off the land, we admire their courage while wondering how long they’ll last. We’re all products of our environment.

We often wonder if the smiles on those beautiful faces of the locals are kindness and appreciation to those who visit their land providing jobs with minimal pay or if in fact, the simplicity of their lives truly brings them joy. If that’s the case, it doesn’t mean that those of us used to “more” of everything would find such a life easy and rewarding, peaceful and stress free.

Once we parked on the distant street we walked down this road to the biggest supermarket in Negara, Beli Lebih, which supposedly carries many “western” foods.  As hard as we looked we were unable to find many items on our shortlist.

Whenever we’ve lived on islands with less available amenities, we’ve met and come to know property owners who have transplanted from other countries to an island with a dream of a different life, stress-free and uncomplicated. Little did they realize what was ahead.

Once their vacation homes were built and occasionally occupied, they had a whole new set of concerns;  finances, power outages, poor Internet connections, storm damage, difficulty finding needed supplies and services, constant wear and tear on their property from humidity and salt air, inconsistent workers and problematic renters. The list could go on and on.

For those who dream of a tent on the beach under a palm tree with minimal amenities, we need only watch a few episodes of  the TV series “Survivor” to see how difficult that life could be for most people. And even on that series, the producers ensure there an adequate water supply and nearby medical care.

This colorful sign was posted regarding an event that occurred over the weekend.

Our words are not intended to squash anyone’s dream of living off the grid. If hard work and constant challenge are befitting one’s demeanor, by all means, go for it. 

If nothing else, it could prove to be a phenomenal life-changing experience for children and adults alike as they grow and mature while roughing it. And yes, there would be endless periods of great joy with a sense of adventure and accomplishment. 

Now, as we live in this exquisite upscale property with a household staff of four, even life here isn’t as easy as one might expect. The bugs, the flies, the poor WiFi connection, the constant heat and humidity and our inability to watch world news is by all means, an adjustment. 

This is the exterior of the photo shop where we each had visa photos taken for a nominal price. The wait was less than 10 minutes overall.

The unavailability of food products we usually use: beef, bacon, unprocessed cheese, sour cream, celery, baking soda, sea salt, Himalayan salt, familiar spices or coconut flour reminds us of how fortunate we’ve been in many locations. 

Soon, we’ll run out of the full-fat sour cream we purchased in Denpasar on the first day of our arrival which we use to make our daily coleslaw salad (lettuce is hard to find but cabbage is readily available). It’s not worth the eight-hour round trip harrowing drive to go get it. At that point, we’ll stop eating salad each day when neither of us cares for coleslaw without dressing.

This fire station in Negara could have been a fire station anywhere in the world.
Unable to watch world news (the WiFi signal too poor to watch online news although we do read highlights each day) or an occasional bit of mindless drivel also presents a reminder of how spoiled we’ve been in many locations with English speaking TV when approximately 35% of our vacation homes haven’t had TV at allPerhaps, living off the grid, one wouldn’t want to know what’s going on in the world. Maybe that’s the idea, after all.

For us, for our continuing safety and world travels, for our future financial security, and for our health, we choose not to “live off the grid” instead preferring more remote locations which ultimately require we make some sacrifices.

The pharmacy where we stopped for a few refills.  No prescription required for non-scheduled items.  Good service and prices.

So what? No more coleslaw? No health food store? No Himalayan salt (we’re almost out of our supply)? No homemade toothpaste (requires baking soda and salt)? We’re managing just fine, occasionally noting what we don’t have but overall noticing what we do.

Could it be that essentially, that’s the answer to fulfillment and happiness? Accepting what we do have as opposed to what we don’t? Sure, I’ll go with that premise. It’s working for us. May it work for you as well.


Photo from one year ago today, May 17, 2015:

Our favorite bird in Kauai, aptly names Birdie, who lived in our yard with his significant other, waiting for us each day as we opened the blinds in the morning, visiting us and singing for nuts many times each day and looking at us as we dined each night. For more photos as we neared the end of our glorious time in Kauai, please click here. For the video we made of him singing to us, please click here.

A bit of a worrisome situation we had to figure out…It all “goes with the territory!”

We’re thrilled to be able to see sunsets from the veranda. The long stick to the right is actually the vine of a plant.

“Bali Sightings on the Beach”

With few tourists on the beaches here many interesting shells and mollusks remain on the beach which is nice to see.

We can only control so much in our lives. We try hard not to make errors when the consequences in planning our lives could result in added costs, time and undesired stress and frustration.

When we get into a “pickle” we reflect on what we could have, should have, done to prevent it. The lame excuse, “Well, I didn’t know,” doesn’t serve us well. We should have known every step of the way, especially as we become more experienced in traveling the world.

As we review the circumstances of our most current dilemma, in a quandary as to how to get a visa to Vietnam for the July 8th Viking Mekong River cruise, we can’t seem to embrace what we could have done differently.

The facts to accomplish this remain a hard reality: In order to apply for a visa for Vietnam with multiple entries in a 30-day period, one must send their actual passport to a visa service in the US or their home country or directly to the Vietnam Embassy.

As the sunset progresses, we’re in awe of its beauty.

How in the world would we allow ourselves to be in Indonesia without our passports in our possession, especially when in two weeks we have to drive two hours to another village to the Immigration office to extend the 30 day visas we have now, repeating this same action when we return in over three months?

Also, if we didn’t need to extend our Indonesian visas, we’d never allow ourselves to be without a passport in our possession while in a foreign country. What if one of us became ill and had to be airlifted out of the country or any of dozens of other possibilities? We’re never going to allow ourselves to be in such a position.

For citizens living in their home country, they can easily prepare the necessary documents, including their passports, mail them to a visa service and wait for the return of the packet with the new visa and their passport. 

Not us. Not only will we never leave ourselves in a foreign country without a passport in our possession but, we’re in a remote area of Bali. Receiving the return packet would take weeks to arrive, most likely never in time for our departure. 

Almost gone.

Nor would we have been willing to be without a passport while in New Zealand had we started this process earlier. Thus, we don’t blame ourselves for not starting this process sooner, two months generally is plenty of time to get a visa. In most situations, we’re easily able to acquire “visas on arrival” (VOA) at any given airport or cruise terminal.

Over the past several days we’ve made many phone calls on Skype: to Viking Cruise Line; to the river cruise representative at Vacations to Go; to the Vietnam Embassy in Vietnam; to the online visa company we’ve been using of late, CIBT. 

There is a such a thing as a “visa on arrival” at the airport in Vietnam through any of the dozens of unknown vendors online that provide a visa letter but the problem with this is twofold:
1.  Do we want to give such personal information online to what may be an unscrupulous company of which there are many? Of course not.
2.  “Visa on arrival” only applies to single entry visas for arrival exclusively by air travel at the airport. Our second entry will occur while we’re on the ship and the first visa would be useless.

The US State Department has considerable warnings and information about the difficulty of getting a Vietnam visa. Click here for details.

Me in the pool waving at Tom when he insisted on a photo. We spend lots of time in the pool, especially on days like today, hot, humid and many flies after last night’s heavy rain.

After hours of research, we came to only two possibilities:
1.  Take the risk on the “visa on arrival” single entry airport only arrival using what may prove to be an unscrupulous company and figure it out once we’re in Vietnam. Not an option.
2.  Wait until we get to Singapore on June 28th (late in the day arrival) and head to the Vietnam Embassy (a 40 minute drive from our hotel) the following morning, documents in hand and apply in person. A rush order takes three business days. Luckily, we’ll be within this window. 

The Singapore option provides us with peace of mind. No doubt it will have a bearing on our one week stay when we’ll certainly have a degree of concern over getting this accomplished. But, yesterday we called the Vietnam Embassy in Singapore and its sounds doable. They’re only open for visa applications from 9:00 am to noon weekdays.

We’re well aware of the fact that should we run into any unforeseen obstacles along the way, we could lose the IDR 92,989,424 (wow), US $6598, (plus the airfare we’ve already purchased) we prepaid at time of booking the cruise to take advantage of the “two for one/paid in full” promo at the time.

Yesterday afternoon, after we finally reached the Vietnam Embassy in Singapore, we sighed in relief knowing we had a plan in place. Once we arrive in Singapore we’ll stop at an ATM to get the appropriate amount of cash US $369, SGD 540 for both visas. 

Tom at the edge of the infinity pool while I took the photo.

Adding the cost of two round trip taxi rides to complete the transactions (returning in three business days to pick up the visas) which we hope to double duty to visit a few sites of interest along the return, its a much more expensive and time consuming proposition than we’d expected. 

As it turns out, Vietnam is one of few countries that makes it difficult for US citizens (and others) to obtain a visa which includes such countries as China, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and others. Click this link for more detailed information if you’re planning to travel or simply curious. It’s rather interesting.

The difficulty of acquiring certain country’s visa is totally predicated by reciprocal agreements between the two countries.  As a result, Vietnam is on that “difficulty” list.

In the past few days, we also applied and received the renewal of our one year visas for Australia where we’ll be in and out of over the next year on many occasions (only can stay 90 days per visit). 

The back of Tom while in the infinity pool at high tide.

Today, we’ll apply for yet another required visa for Cambodia (easy online application) again for the Mekong River Cruise  and then we can put this out of our minds until we arrive in Singapore in 48 days, except of course, for the upcoming trip to the immigration office here in Bali within a few weeks.

Gede, our houseman and driver is out of town for a religious holiday returning late Friday. We’re scheduled to go sightseeing with him on Saturday morning at 10:00 am. We’ll prepare and upload the post before we depart and look forward to sharing new photos the following day.

We hope you aren’t faced with dilemmas today. But, if so, we hope you find solutions that put your mind at ease as well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 11, 2015:

Could this Yellow Candle flower we spotted in Kauai be more exquisite with its white blooms? For more photos, please click here.

Part 2, the villa’s menu options…Food around the world…

Tom’s plate with Blue Fin tuna made with a tomato, lemongrass sauce, spicy vegetables with a side of coleslaw.

“Bali Sightings on the Beach”

Each day when the tide comes in before noon, the sea is as close as 10 meters to the edge of our pool. When it recedes, it leaves behind ocean refuse and trash. Each day but Sunday our pool and landscape guy, Ribud, cleans the beach in front of the house. Yesterday, (Sunday), we captured these three dogs playing after the tide had gone back out, leaving a muddy play area for dogs.
Yesterday, we enjoyed the quiet Sunday at home with the staff off for the day. I made the bed. Tom made coffee (as always) and did the dinner dishes. The only food prep necessary was to make the salad, heat the veggies and fish and we were good to go. Swimming in the pool and doing research while lounging  in the cabana, out of the scorching sun, has totally entertained us.
My plate with fish and veggies.
Of course, food made fresh that day is always the most desirable. The precooked tuna was a little dry after we reheated it in the microwave, but, we ate it anyway, happy to have a good meal without much effort. I think I’ll become spoiled with the thought of not cooking until July, only reheating a meal for Sundays when the staff is off.
The daily stir fried veggie platter laden with Balinese spices, is a dish we both love.

In a way, the heat, humidity and ants have made cooking less interesting for me over these past years of living on several tropical islands where these three factors are always to be expected. Add the difficulty of finding some ingredients we use in cooking “our way,” it makes the process even less appealing. 

Each day, the Ketuts present us with this itemized list of the cost of the ingredients to make  the meal(s).  The “petrol” at the bottom of the list is the daily cost of fuel for their motorbikes, IDR 10,000, US $.75.  For two meals for both Saturday and Sunday the total cost was IRD 185,000, US $13.87  Unreal, eh?
Over these past many moons of travel, we’ve talked to more and more people who prefer not to cook.  Either they’re busy while still working, often with young mouths to feed or, like me, simply have lost interest in spending long periods in the kitchen. 
Dinner menu, Page 1.
It’s no wonder prepared meals are readily available in the markets, along roadside stands (in many countries) and a wide variety of fast food and other dining establishments to suit the needs of most diners. Unfortunately, such meals aren’t an option for us, other than occasional pre-cooked organic chickens made without wheat, sugar or starch.
Dinner menu, Page 2.
My lack of interest provides me with little excuse not to cook. Our way of eating requires homemade meals while we’re living in most countries. I have no excuses. Always on a mission to spend as little time cooking as possible, when we’re preparing our meals, we have a few dozen options we tend to repeat over and over again.
Dinner menu, Page 3.
Here in the villa in Bali, it’s not a lot different for the cooks. In perusing Part 2 of the menu, posted today with choices of dinners and desserts, it’s easy to determine the options suitable for us are few. As a result, we’ve all been creative in designing the perfect meals. None of the desserts are adaptable.
Dinner menu, Page 4.
Thank goodness we purchased the mince (ground beef) that Gede picked up in Denpasar this past week or we’d be alternating chicken and fish, night after night. That could get boring for these two months. So far, it appears the only fresh fish available is Blue Fin tuna and small prawns.  Perhaps, there will be more variation in time.
Dinner menu, Page 5.
Today, Monday, we devised the menu for the week, although the two Ketuts don’t require that we do so. Monday and Tuesday, it will be chicken, veggies, salad; Wednesday and Thursday it will be hamburger patties with bacon, cheese, onion, salad and veggies; Friday and Saturday it will be prawns with veggies and salad; Sunday we’ll have our pre-made leftover ground beef dish which is in the freezer along with sides of veggies and salad. 
Dinner menu, Page 6.
In actuality, we’d be happy to repeat this weekly menu over and over. As long as the meals are befitting my way of eating, more variety is hardly necessary. The cooks seem fine with our repeats understanding the degree of limitations.
Dinner menu, Page 7.
There are no restaurants or resorts nearby and if there were, we doubt we’d be able to dine out when most Balinese meals contain lots of carbs, starches and sugar.
Dessert menu, Page 1.
Tom’s sunburned feet are healing and soon we’ll get out to take more varied photos and get more cash. In the interim, we’re having so much fun watching the activity on the beach in front of us and swimming in the pristine pool, we’re supremely content. 
Dessert menu, Page 2.
During these past few days, we’ve been busy applying for visas for our upcoming Mekong River cruise and booking many flights necessary over the next several months.
With the slow signal, this is a time consuming process.
Dessert menu, Page 3.
Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there. May your day be filled with love and wonderful surprises.
Photo from one year ago today, May 9, 2015:
View of the drive to the Kilauea Lighthouse in Kauai when it was closed on a Sunday. For more photos of this popular historic location, please click here.

Life in Bali continues…New house photos…Second floor photos yet to be posted…

These two stone elephants spew water into the two Koi ponds on either side of the entrance walkway. We’ve yet to share photos of the massive second story which we’ll soon post.

“Sightings on the Beach In Bali”

Two teenage boys walked this young white horse down the beach to play in the river next to our house. He seemed to love cooling off in the water.

We chose this remote location for several reasons. We’d read there was a lot of crime in Bali, close to the popular resorts. Secondly, cost was a factor as always and we wanted the most “bang for the buck” which we accomplished ten fold. 

Pretty flower arrangements and decorative items tastefully fill the house in the Balinese style. The green tube in the corner is actually a light fixture.

Thirdly, with the awful traffic in and within hours of Denpasar, there would have been awful stress each time we ventured out, especially for Tom who despises traffic defeating the entire purpose of being in a paradise-location.

The Buddha fountain stopped working.  We mentioned this to Ribud and today, he cleaned the hoses and filters and now its running again, creating a pleasant sight and sound.  The maintenance here is impeccably performed by dedicated staff.

Most tourists stay in the many lovely resorts south of Denpasar, close to the airport, restaurants and most tourist venues. We have no doubt we’ve done the right thing staying in the quiet area as we languish in the pool hours each day, enjoying hours of mindless entertainment with one another.  

We don’t even mind there are no English-speaking TV stations. Instead, late in the day we plug in the HDMI cord to the TV and watch online news through various media outlets. After all, we still prefer to stay informed as to what’s transpiring in our home country as well as throughout the rest of the world.

Usually, a vacation home’s kitchen is my domain spending pleasant time preparing meals. Now, I spend no time prepping food when both Ketuts chop, dice, cook and clean up. Tom’s enjoying not having to do dishes. We attempt to clean up the table after dinner but they insist we relax.

We have no interest in visiting caged non-indigenous animals in zoos, bungee jumping, or scuba diving.  Physical adventure type attractions could put a quick end to our travels if I injured my spine which remains as delicate as a toothpick, although pain free. I haven’t spent five years eating this way and taking care of myself to have it all fall apart.

Of course, we’ve had our fair share of adventure type activities that we’ve been able to do along the way, feeling fortunate all turned out well. As a long-time reader of our site, you’ll have seen many of such photos.

 Gede explained we’re coming into the blooming season. We look forward to seeing many more flowers in Bali.

In Bali, dining in restaurants would be prohibitive for my way of eating, although we have no doubt the food they prepared could be delicious with the local spices we’re savoring in this villa with our two Ketuts cooking each night.  (Now, I’ve discovered once again I’ve been spelling their names incorrectly.  Plus, the pool guy is Ribud, not Libud). 

The two closets in the other bedroom on the main floor with the en suite bath to the right. Our bedroom has identical closets with the en suite bath to the left. We each have plenty of storage space for our limited wardrobes.

Dining here is comparable to dining in a fine restaurant with the extensive menu we’ve been able to adapt to work for us along with the skills of our two cooks. We couldn’t ask for more. 

Besides, we’re able to dine in our swimsuits to stay cool and face the infinity pool and the sea while dining engaged in idle chatter. Luckily, after all these years together, we still can spend an entire day engrossed in what we consider interesting conversation. Our lifestyle is an easy segue to endless pleasant and often productive planning and discussion.

The bed is very comfortable with perfect pillows, bedding, and duvet. Although we each sleep less than seven hours each night, we’re feeling refreshed.

Without laundry, cooking and cleaning, we’ve resorted to swimming in the pool and walking on the beach each day for a degree of exercise. I’ve even instituted an additional 30 minute a day exercise program in the pool, adding more movement to my otherwise lounging day. 

A vast array of Buddha representations are found throughout the house and on the grounds of most properties.

Last night around 10 pm, Gede arrived with our 10 kilos of mince (grass-fed ground beef) packed in ice in a “chill box” arriving perfectly chilled. At a cost of IDR $1,700,000 (including gratuity), US $127, the 22 pounds translates to IDR $77,188, US $5.77 per pound. This will last for the remaining time in Bali, (this time around) giving us a few more dining options.

Unusual bedside lamps in the second main floor bedroom, typically colorful for the Balinese style, comparable to those in our bedroom.

Yesterday, a heartbreaking situation occurred on the beach which we’ll share tomorrow including a photo.  Paradise isn’t always perfect and these realities we encounter along the way, although at times sad, add to the depth of our experiences in seeing the world in a clear perspective.

May your day be clear and bright!

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

Tom walked to the shore in Kapaa, Kauai to check out the views at the beach located in the small town. For more details, please click here.

Unusual currency requirement in Indonesia…We’re figuring it out, as always…

Gede stopped at the side of the road when he spotted this monkey and baby  We had no idea we’d see much wildlife here. Of course, we were thrilled!

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Our new feature for Bali leaves us wondering which photos to post first as we continue to be amazed by the activity on the beach both day and night. Last night we took this photo from the veranda of our cabana, with the beach in the background. 

Each day brings a series of surprises we never expected in Bali. Sure, we anticipated lots of sunshine, hot, humid weather, balmy breezes and an endless array of colorful vegetation and people.

Little did we know we’d encounter wildlife, especially on a drive to the village or by staring out to the sea from our veranda.  The camera is always close at hand.

Archway over the road intended to welcome visitors from the local harbor.

Arising no later than 5 am these days we’re often out of bed while it’s still dark. This morning, I was antsy to get up and online during the better signal periods of day on the very slow signal to complain to one of our credit card companies that their two cards weren’t working. 

Once again, they assumed the cards were stolen when we used them in many locations. They put a temporary hold on them. Why didn’t they email and tell me instead of leaving us embarrassed when they were declined at a register in Denpasar? 

Another mom and baby.  Note the funny hair pattern on the baby’s head.

We accept the reality that few card holders, other than business travelers, use credit cards in such a variety of locations. After the call, the two cards are working again but will be of little use here in Sumbersari, Negara, Bali, a relatively remote location with none of the local shops accepting credit cards.

As a result, using cash is the only way to make purchases in this location including some of which we’ve paid in cash thus far:

1.  Prepayment for food the cooks purchase from local vendors each morning for our meals which is usually under IDR $132,680, US $10, per day
2.  Pre-payment for any items we want picked up for us in Denpasar (the harrowing four hour drive). At the moment, we’re awaiting the delivery of 10 kilos of ground beef to last for these first two months at an estimated cost of IDR $3,000,000, US $211 which we gave Gaday in advance unsure of the actual cost.  He’ll either bring us change or require more cash to cover the cost.  We’ll report back later when he returns today with a cooler filled with the meat, packed in ice for the long journey.
3.  Transportation to the ATM, sightseeing or shopping, usually no less than IDR $100,000, US $7.54, for up to an hour outing; IDR $250,000, US $18.84, for a half day;  to a maximum of IDR $500,000, US $37.68, for a full day outing.
4.  Payment to the “tourist police” for protection at the house. (We just paid a one time fee for these first two months of IDR $60,000, US $4.52).
5.  Laundry charges twice a week for our clothing only. (No charge for bedding and towels). Last night we paid both Ketuts IDR $54,000, US $4.08 for two loads of laundry.

This photo is blurry when taken while moving when it was captured.  Check out the look on his face! He looks worried. We keep our distance. Wild monkeys are known to bite humans and carry many diseases including Zika virus which has been prevalent in Bali for many years, not only just recently.

The funny aspect to these charges is the low cost for all of these products and services along with the huge amount of local currency required to make these purchases based on the exchange rate. The required denominations for the currency is astounding and was confusing the first day or so.

Another confusing part is the fact that we, nor any other traveler, can get more than about IDR $4,000,000, US $301 at any given visit to an ATM. This is based on rampant illegal activity in Bali.  As a result the machines are set only to dispense a certain amount of cash from each ATM which varies from location to location.

An ornate house along the road to the village.

This requires that we’ll need to get cash much more often than in the past when we freely used credit cards for most purchases. We’re figuring it out as we go. Most tourists come to Bali, staying in resorts where none of the above cash expenditures would be necessary. 

The beautiful difference for us as opposed to staying in a hotel or resort is we have an exquisite house all to ourselves, professionally prepared meals, a daily pool and landscape guy, a driver and two lovely dedicated housekeepers and cooks who serve our every need. 

This house, owned by a local property tycoon is elaborate in its Hindu design.

(No, we don’t ask the staff to “wait” on us. We make and serve ourselves beverages and still “pick up” after ourselves. Although, if we don’t fold a bath or beach towel neatly, they discretely do so when we’re not looking).

Could be a family…

In a few days, we’ll need to get more cash and plan to do some sightseeing in the process, stopping at an ATM along the way to reload several more millions IDRs (Indonesian Rupiahs). 

Again this morning as I write here, we’re sitting in the two comfy chaise lounges, sipping our coffee while facing the pool and the sea, a short distance from the edge of the infinity pool. The sound of the surf, the birds, the geckos and on a clear day, the sight of Java across the sea, makes this one extraordinary experience we’ll never forgot. 

This is the closest ATM which only dispenses IDR $4,000,000, US $301 per customer per day.

Knowing we’ll be back again on September 1st is no longer a concern as it was before we arrived and is now laced with thoughts of this treasure to which we’ll look forward to returning for an additional 59 days. Pinch me! Are we really in paradise? I think so.

Have a beautiful day wherever you may be and thank you for sharing this life with us. Without all of YOU it would be difficult to document our daily lives to this degree. Knowing YOU are there drives us to experience more, observe more and of course, take more photos. If YOU’LL keep coming back, we’ll keep going!


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

I gave Tom this haircut one year ago. This was him before the cut.  After my cut, he had professionals do it. I suppose I don’t blame him. For more Kauai photos, please click here.

Sydney in its full glory at night…Attempting to avoid repetition…

A partial moon, boats in the bay and the Sydney Opera House.

There’s something magical about Sydney. Whether its the Harbor Bridge or the Opera House, both of which highlight the city and all of its charm and splendor, it has it all.

Last night, our ship Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas was almost 90 minutes late, heading out to sea, which with the fabulous views from our veranda, we couldn’t have been more thrilled.

With more photos than we can possibly share today with the slow wifi signal aboard the ship, we’ve decided to post them over the next several days. At times, we find taking photos of ships challenging. But, getting off at ports of call? Easy.

Let’s face it, there are only so many photo ops on a cruise ship. In some ways, they all look alike. That’s not to say that our enjoyment is diminished by familiarity. It’s not. We thoroughly enjoy the familiar aspects of many cruise ships.

Many of our long-time readers have seen it all based on our photos from the past 12 cruises (this is the 13th) over the past 42 months. As a result, we’re carefully pursuing more unique photo ops. Bear with us. It’s a work in progress.

The Sydney Opera House after dark.

It’s not easy to avoid repetition in life itself, let alone in our world travels regardless of how many new experiences we encounter along the way. Of course, our intent is to always provide a fresh approach with accompanying photos.

But that’s not always easy to accomplish, especially when we prefer to spend only the first half of each day posting, as opposed to the entire day. If we spent more time seeking photo ops surely we’d widen our scope.  Then again, having “free” time is as important an element in our lives as travel itself.

As it turned out yesterday was somewhat of a tough day. We both were awake at 3 am, unable to sleep a moment longer. To us, it was 5:00 am our usual wake-up time, due to a two-hour time difference from NZ to AU. As a result, we were exhausted all day.

I suppose as we’ve aged, sleeping only three hours leaves us dragging our feet. During the muster drill when we had to walk down and then back up several flights of stairs, we both struggled to make it. Today, after six or seven hours of restful sleep, we maneuvered the steps with ease. What a difference a day makes!

Last night, as we sat on the veranda, knowing after the ship set sail, we’d head to dinner, we’d yet to receive the balance of our luggage in our cabin. Usually, the bags collected at the port arrive well before dark. Not the case last night.

The skyline near the bay.

After a while, the only item missing was my suitcase with all my clothing except what I was wearing, a blue shirt and jeans. I started imagining that the bag would never come and although we’ve insured all of our belongings in our possession, it would be a challenge not having my shoes and clothing during a two-week cruise.

In an effort to stay positive, we remained on the veranda awaiting the bag before we left for dinner, taking photos of the exquisite views of Sydney. By 7:00 pm, my bag arrived. We were too exhausted to unpack until this morning and now everything is neatly put away for the next almost two weeks.

We never hand over our computers, phones, overnight toiletries in small sizes, or medications, just in case our bags are lost or stolen. In a way, we’re surprised we’ve never lost a single bag, nor do we leave items behind in vacation homes. We are as careful as we can be, reminding each other to check and re-check.

This morning, refreshed and renewed, we headed back to the main dining room for a delightful breakfast sitting at a shared table with six other passengers. The conversations were lively and animated. All were Aussies, which appear to be the bulk of the passengers. We’ve yet to meet an American passenger which doesn’t bother us one way or another. 

As the ship began to maneuver away from the pier, the views of the Opera House changed.

At the moment we’re situated in the Pig & Whistle Bar on the Promenade Deck which is like a “street” running the length of the ship, lined with shops and restaurants. It’s a fun and busy place to hang out. Soon we’ll move to another location with more comfortable seating.

At 2 pm, we’ll head to the Conference Center for a lecture about the upcoming ports of call. The next stop is tomorrow in Brisbane from 7 am to 4 pm during which we’ll get off the ship on our own. 

We’ve had our fill of ship-sponsored tours with the crowded buses and the outrageous costs. We’ve even lost interest in the small group tours. We’ve found over these past many cruises that ultimately we prefer to go at our own pace and do exactly what we’d like to do without time pressure and constraints.

This leaves us plenty of time to socialize and meet plenty of people. It made us laugh when we ran into two unrelated passengers at the cruisecritic.com meeting with whom we sailed on the cruise from Honolulu to Sydney last May. It is a small world.

Luna Park in Sydney, close to the Harbor Bridge.

This morning at breakfast I discovered that the lovely woman sitting next to me, currently living in Australia, is from New Plymouth, NZ, and even knew of Trish and Neil and their beautiful alpaca farm. It truly is a small world. 

At 3:15 pm, Tom will attend the first SHED meeting while I entertain myself elsewhere, which at the moment, I’ve yet to decide. No doubt, we’ll both have a good time, which is easy to do aboard a ship of “overly friendly” people.

May you have a good time today as well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 17, 2015:

In Kauai, spotting these yellow-tipped stamen on this Anthurium was a first for us. For more photos and the year-ago post, please click here.

Heading out soon…Final expenses for New Zealand…Saying goodbye…The cycle of life on the farm..

Me and Miss Jessica. I was flattered that Trish and Neil named this sweet girl after me.

Checking and rechecking, I confirmed our final expenses for 87 days in New Zealand. It’s important we keep accurate records for our ongoing world travels.It was a relief to see how reasonably we lived in this lovely country on this equally enchanting alpaca farm.

Then, they named a new male, Minnesota. 

When we originally booked the property, it was evident Trish and Neil gave us special pricing based on our long-term stay. Also, with the added worldwide exposure our landlords receive when we’re frequently posting links for properties in which we live, this becomes an additional factor in providing us with an excellent long-term rate.

Considering the reasonable cost of fresh organic produce, grass-fed meat, and free-range chicken and eggs, we’ve been pleasantly surprised with the cost of groceries.

One of our favorite scenery photos of the shore close to the town of New Plymouth.

Dining out was also reasonable, although we only dined out on four occasions. Do most people dine out a lot more often than we did here on an average of once every three weeks? We’ve been gone from the US for so long, we don’t have a clue what others may do. 

Most certainly working people purchase ready-made and carry out (takeaway)meals when busy and/or disinterested in cooking. Furthermore, most tourists dine out for most meals except perhaps one meal a day when they a kitchen or facilities in their hotel or vacation rental.

Trish and Neil’s two adorable pink cockatoos.

Then, again, we aren’t tourists. Dining out just isn’t important to either of us nor has it ever been. Even when I wasn’t eating this restricted diet, we seldom dined out, preferring to enjoy homemade meals and to entertain at our home. 

With these two above points in mind, most likely we spend less than most travelers would spend in this time frame. Also, the fact that Tom seldom orders a cocktail when we do dine out (except on cruises) and the fact that I haven’t been ordering wine or a cocktail for many years, that’s another area where we’ve saved tremendous sums over these past years on the move.

This face is too cute for words.  Is she smiling?

Recently, I had some wine while here at the farm, but once the two bottles we shared were gone, a red and a white, we had little interest in purchasing more.  I get drunk too quickly. I‘d have to build up a tolerance to the alcohol in the wine. Is that something I really want to do after my diligent efforts to improve my health?

The Rewa Rewa Bridge in New Plymouth was quite a sight to see.

As a result, we spend less in many areas, one of the reasons we’re generally able to stay within our budget each year. Of course, the pricey Antarctica cruise is an exception we’ve chosen to make for the beginning of 2018 which we’re already considering in our future spending as we continue on.

In the photo booth at Everybody’s Theatre in Opunake.

To avoid prolonging the suspense a moment longer, here is the breakdown of our expenses in New Zealand:

Expense US Dollar New Zealand
Dollar
Vacation Rental  $  4,701.00  $ 6,855.00
Auto Rental & Fuel  $  1,999.00  $ 2,884.00
Airfare (arrived by ship)  $         0     $      0                              
Taxi  $         0                        $      0                              
House Cleaning  $       442.00  $     645.00
Wifi  $       528.00  $     770.00
Groceries  $    2,547.00  $  3,673.00
Dining Out  $       163.00  $      238.00
Clothing  $       263.00  $      384.00
Camera  $       404.00  $      589.00
Pharmacy/ Dental  $       564.00  $      814.00
Total  $ 11,611.00  $ 16,749.00
   
Avg Daily Cost –
87 Days
 $    133.00  $    192.00

Surprising? Perhaps to some, perhaps not to others. For us, we’re pleased. We certainly got our money’s worth out of this extraordinary experience. On numerous occasions, we’ve espoused the virtues of this beautiful, perfectly built, and well-equipped house, let alone the magnificent surroundings, views, sounds, and smells.

A bee on a flower at the botanical garden.

Tom mentioned a few days ago that he’d hesitated over the concept of living on a farm fearing annoying biting flies and the smells one encounters in close proximity to farm animals. Not the case here. 

Tom standing next to a Minnesota State Trooper vehicle when we were at the AmeriCarna show in Opunake.

The smells of the fresh green pastures, the clean air, the blooming flowers, plants, and nature itself were almost intoxicating. I’ll miss that. The alpacas don’t seem to have an unpleasant smell and walking through the paddocks doesn’t present any offensive aroma. 

The lily pad pool on the grounds was always blooming while we were on the farm.

The sounds? Music to our ears. The gentle humming sounds these precious creatures make, which we’ve been able to easily mimic to gain their attention, is unlike any sound we’ve ever heard in nature. I’ll miss that sound.

This Optical illusion photo made us laugh when we stopped to visit the Belted Galloways.

And them?  If a person can miss a razor-sharp-tusked warthog in the bush, can you imagine how easy it will be to recall the joy of the tender nature of alpacas? When people heard we’d be living on an alpaca farm, they warned that they spit and could be nasty. We never saw that, never once. 

Tom, my happy guy, when we were out to dinner on Valentine’s Day.

We laughed over their playful antics, whether young or mature, and the beautiful way they so lovingly relate to one another, even when competing for a handful of special grasses or bumping into one another. 

This is perfect for “overly grumpy” days which could prove to be today on travel day. We shall see how it goes.

In all this time, we never wrapped our arms around an alpaca other than in today’s photo of me and my namesake cria, Miss Jessica, a tribute to my love of them that Trish and Neil quickly discovered through our daily posting and stories.

Our favorite cow and her offspring separated by a fence often stood side by side.

And later, a male was named “Minnesota” which equally warmed our hearts as our home state from many moons ago. These namesakes were a gift handed to us on a silver platter. 

This face…so precious.

And then, Mont Blanc…we never once held him in our arms or scratched his head when alpacas prefer not to be touched by humans. But, the look in his eyes, said it all, and I fell in love with him from the moment he escaped the paddock. And then, he was gone. Tears well up in my eyes over the loss of his little life. He tried so hard to make it.

Alpacas mating.  The male is called the “macho” and the female, the “dam.”

So now, dear readers, we carry on. We learn we grow, we change in the process as we acquire a new perspective of an area of life we’d never imagined or experienced before. 

Mont Blanc and his mom Giselle on the day they were reunited after he’d escaped from the paddock.

We say goodbye to this wonderful life on the alpaca farm where we saw the creation of life, the birth of the cria, and the loss of little Mont Blanc. Once again, we say hello to the world…in awe, in love and eternally grateful.  There’s so much more yet to come.

Photo from one year ago today, April 15, 2015:

The sea across the street from our condo in Kauai always presented gorgeous views. For more photos, please click here.