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Mongoose mania…Wild and crazy visitors…A frog thing…

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“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

It’s not easy lying down and getting comfortable when you have big tusks.

By the time you see today’s post, we’ll already be in Nelspruit at the immigration office for our 11:00 am appointment to which we’re bringing a pile of printed documents inside a plastic bag as required. I don’t quite get the plastic bag thing but who cares?  We have plenty of plastic bags.

This won’t be the first time in our travels that we’ve had immigration issues. It was most challenging in Australia as described in this post in March 2017. Earlier in Bali, Indonesia we had to visit the immigration office every 30 days with a new pile of documents as shown here in this post.

We’d just fed the eggs to the mongoose and the green bowl remained on the ground. The warthog on the left was digging a hole, most likely in search of roots.

During our stay in Belize for 2½ months in 2013, we had to take a small rickety boat, called the Hokie Pokie to get to the immigration office on the other side of the bay, a 30-minute excursion. Here’s the link to that post.

Needless to say, we’ve had our fair share of immigration challenges. Now, as we’ve matured in our travel experience, we’ve begun to avoid long stays where it may be an issue, the exception, of course, has been our desire to stay in Marloth Park for one year, a rare occurrence.  

Last night, Bid Daddy stopped by in the dark.

It’s unlikely we’ll ever stay anywhere longer than 90 days in the future regardless of how much we love the location. This doesn’t mean we’ll avoid countries with 30-day visas.  

We’ll only stay 30 days or less in those locations. We’ve learned our lesson although we don’t regret the valuable time we spent in those countries, leaving us with exceptional memories with stories and photos to share.

As for today’s appointment, as mentioned, we’ll share the details as they unfold over the next many weeks.  

He stayed in this spot for quite a while deciding on his next move.

As for today’s video and photo, we continue to reel with excitement over the number of visitors coming our way. We particularly get a kick out of the mongoose who seem to hover nearby most days. We can hear their little squeaky little sounds, at times high pitched when they have a mission in mind.

Today’s video clearly illustrates how funny they are. They’ve come to know us quite well, Tom when he delivers the green bowl filled with raw scrambled eggs and my voice when I call them to announce eggs are on their way.  

This is our new favorite male pair, “Siegfried and Roy.”  They adore each other and are always close to one another.  

Once we spot them in the garden I keep them around by talking to them while Tom mixes up the eggs in the bowl.  No, we don’t give them pricier free-range eggs. Instead, when Tom goes to Lebombo for apples and carrots, he’ll purchase a five-dozen pack of their cheapest eggs.  

The mongooses go absolutely wild when he places the bowl of eggs on the ground as shown in the above video.  Each time, we can’t help but laugh with sheer delight over this unusual event.  

Although we posted a similar photo a few days ago, last night this frog returned to be near the thermometer.

It’s important to keep the mongooses happy when they are experts at killing snakes. Oddly, they’re immune to the toxic venom and can easily survive being bitten.  For an interesting post on mongoose facts, please click here.

Well, that’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back tomorrow with more photos and the story of our appointment at the immigration office in Nelspruit.

A few hours later he’d moved to the light fixture above the thermometer and was facing the wall supporting the fixture. When we stayed at the African Reunion house in Marloth Park in 2014, we had a similar situation where a frog visited every night hanging out in the same area of the veranda. 

Have a pleasant and fulfilling day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 5, 2017:

A hen and her chicks in the gated community in Atenas, Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here.

Reasonable prices in South Africa…What are we spending here?…All new photos from yesterday’s drive…

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The ostrich on the left, who may be the dad, says to the ostrich on the right, which may be his son, “Dad, I appreciate the good advice.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Baby elephant walking with mom, holding onto her tail for emotional security.

When we’d made a mistake in the date, we needed to leave South Africa for another visa stamp. This had an impact on our car rental by one day. Yesterday, we called the rental car company using the phone number on the documents to ask for a one-day extension.  

Although not visible in this photo, once again, we spotted the mom, dad, and seven chicks who were scattered in this home’s garden, close to the dad at a distance. Dad watched the chicks while mom stayed on the lookout for predators.
We were quoted only ZAR 225 (US $15.97) for the extra day, and we were pleasantly surprised. When we’d previously inquired about a one or two-day extension on a rental car contract in other countries, in most cases, the daily rate was an additional ZAR 705 (US $50) with little regard to the daily rate we were paying in the contract.  
Once again, we spotted ostriches on Vostruis Road (volstruis means ostrich in Afrikaans) next to this same vehicle where we’d seen them almost five years ago. Click this link here to see the post from December 7, 2013.  Funny, eh?

Although we’d never actually used an extension in this past almost six years, we didn’t hesitate to accept the above rate offered by Hertz (via their booking service Firefly).  

A casual stroll down Volstruis Road on a Saturday afternoon.

We’ve found many costs to be reasonable in South Africa, lower-priced than in many other countries, which were one of the many reasons we decided to spend a year in Marloth Park. We’ve been here six months with six months to go when we’re leaving as of yesterday.

The only area we found to be a little higher than in some countries is the cost of groceries, based on the types of foods we eat, high-quality meats and vegetables. Tom continues to eat some dairy while I gave it up a few months ago. Quality imported cheeses are expensive here.

Recently, we’ve seen elephants at the river every time we’ve gone for a drive as we carefully peruse the long span of the river from Marloth Park.

We’ve been shocked at the low prices on Tom’s brandy at ZAR 120 (US $8.52) per liter and my low-alcohol red wine priced at the grocery store at ZAR 49.99 (US $3.55) per bottle, the going rate for most bottles of wine. A similar wine in the US would easily be ZAR 169 (the US $12).  

This male elephant looks skinny and somewhat unhealthy.  Life is not easy for these majestic beasts when they are off their own, ostracized from the family structure. Male elephants spend their formative years with the herd leaving at around age 13 to 14 when puberty sets in. The male elephant will roam the savanna alone or team up with other males in a loose bachelor herd.

Dining out is inexpensive. We’ve paid the most at any local restaurant, ordering any main dish, drinks, and tips, ZAR 500 (US $35.49). Our dinner bill at Jabula is often around ZAR 450 (US $31.94), with drinks, tips, and taxes included.

This female was surrounded by her parade of perhaps 50 others.

So far, during these first six months, including holiday home rental, car rental, groceries, dining out, trips to Kruger, and miscellaneous shopping, our monthly living expenses are slightly under ZAR 56,340 (US $4,000), considerably less than in other countries.

Even with the requirement of us leaving every three months for visa purposes and the cost of flights, activities, tours, hotel, taxi, food, and tips, it adds an average additional monthly cost of ZAR 14,090 (US $1,000), still leaving us at an average of ZAR 70,450 (US $5,000) per month.

I am at a loss as to the black band around this elephant.  Any ideas out there?

We’ll be posting the actual expenses at the end of our 12-month stay in South Africa.  Daily, we keep track of every expense, making it relatively easy to compile the data to post here.

As I write today’s post, Tom is watching the Minnesota Vikings’ first pre-season football game using NFL Game Pass, which he signed up for yet another year.  

Another lone elephant.

After last year’s excitement when the Vikings made it to the playoffs, finally, after all these years, I’ve developed an interest in watching football. So I’m looking forward to the new season along with Tom.

Currently, he plugged the HDMI cord into the hi-def flat-screen TV, and we’re watching with the clearest picture possible. See, even living halfway around the world we can enjoy some familiar activities enjoyed by others in many parts of the world.

We always swoon when we see the youngsters.

Still, animal visits are at a minimum with construction next door and the added tourist traffic during this holiday weekend. We didn’t have one visitor all day yesterday until last night when Little Wart Face showed up with Mr. Duiker. We were thrilled to see them and promptly tossed large handfuls of pellets.

Today, a tasty Sunday dinner is on the menu and dining outdoors on the veranda, a must. Hopefully, as some tourists head back to their homes today, the traffic will thin out, and more wildlife visitors will arrive.

Yesterday, we heard that the Crocodile Gate to Kruger was closed to anyone that didn’t have a reservation. Only so many cars are allowed into the park at any time if that’s any indication of how busy it is here.

May your day be rich in experience and fulfilling in love.

Photo from one year ago today, August 12, 2017:

Sunset from the veranda in Costa Rica was always stunning. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Harrowing, exciting and frustrating day in Kruger National Park…A staple gun dictated “safari luck!”

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Upon approaching this scene, we weren’t quite sure what was going on.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Vultures in a tree in Kruger are on the lookout for a meal.
Vultures were relaxing after a meal in Kruger.
After working on yesterday’s post for only a short while and, with the sun shining on a cooler day, we said, “What the heck! Let’s head out to Kruger for a few hours and see what we can find! We’ll finish the post when we return by 1:00 pm or so.”
By 10:00 am, we were on the road. On our past entries into Kruger, we found two to three hours was plenty of time to see some wildlife, take photos, and return to our entrance point, known as the Crocodile Bridge Gate.
Upon closer inspection, it was apparent; the boat trailer couldn’t fit across the Crocodile Bridge, our means of exit after a day in the park.

There are nine entrance gates to Kruger, each of which is many kilometers from one another. If one enters one location, unless they have plans for another area, they generally exit from the same gates. 

However, like us four years ago, on our way to the Blyde River Canyon, we exited from a gate considerably further north than our entry point at the Crocodile River, which is close to Marloth Park. 

Lots of lookie-loos stopped to view and comment on the situation. Based on this scenario, there was no way anyone was getting in or out of Kruger via this bridge.

Based on our current location, it takes approximately eight minutes from Marloth Park and another 12 minutes to reach the Crocodile River gate. This 20-minute drive seems to pass quickly while we chatter with enthusiasm over entering Kruger once again.

Since we recently purchased an annual pass that pays for itself after six uses, we have no doubt it will have been a worthwhile purchase during our remaining 12 months (off and on) in Marloth Park.

This was the first of over 30 elephants we watched cross the road.  In the distance, difficult to see, was the most enormous matriarch we’d ever seen. Had we been 10 minutes earlier, we may have seen her. 

Why would we go to Kruger instead of staying in Marloth Park when we have so much wildlife right before our eyes?  If you’re one of our many newer readers, we’ll explain. In Marloth, generally, we don’t have the big five; elephant, lion, cape buffalo, leopard, and rhino.

Had we been 10 minutes later, we’d have missed the entire parade of elephants crossing the road.
However, from time to time, lions enter Marloth Park as they have most recently, so all residents must keep an eye and ear out to ensure their safety. There’s always been a ban on walking in Marloth after dark, which is particularly important right now. 
There were numerous babies of varying ages in the “parade” of elephants. We were so close, little to no zoom was required to capture these photos.

Based on the lion attack story we posted this past week on March 11th, about Jonas, who was attacked by a lion years ago, one can never be too cautious. Click here if you missed that post.

By 10:20, we presented our “documents” at the Crocodile entrance gate. After the usual five-minute processing time, including inspecting the trunk for guns, alcohol, or harmful substances, the bar was lifted, and we gained access to the park.

At first, we thought there might be a dozen, but they kept coming and coming.

There are many roads one can choose in the park, but there are only a few paved roads, which to complete in a full circle may require a full day of driving to end up back at the entrance. As a result, like many others, we choose to embark upon some of the bumpy dirt roads.

Is the viewing better on the dirt roads?  Not necessarily. The wildlife may be close to the paved road or any of the myriad bumpy dirt roads. It’s not as if the animals prefer one road or another when they are often on the roads for only a short period, preferring to head back into the bush for food, shelter, and safety.

Only one other car enjoyed the experience with us.  We were on a very bumpy dirt road many visitors to the park might have avoided.

By about noon, after we’d seen only a bit of wildlife, mostly impala, of which we have many in Marloth Park, we felt that our usual “safari luck” may not be present. We accepted this fact, acknowledging that sooner or later, such a day would occur. For once, we were about to experience less than a successful day.

With a map in hand, we planned our route to make a complete circle leading us back to the Crocodile Bridge gate with a plan to get back “home” in plenty of time to complete the day’s post and head to Jabula in time for happy hour and dinner. 

We practically held our breath as they made their way across the dirt road.

Little did we know what lay ahead. First off, the bumpy dirt road we’d chosen for the route was in poor shape with what Tom referred to as a “washboard” surface. Oh, good grief! It was bumpy indeed.

The little car rattled more than I’d ever heard a car rattle, at a few points, even amid Tom’s careful driving, sounded as it was ready to fall apart and leave itself on the road in a pile of cheap metal. 

This elephant to the left turned to look at us, wondering if we were a threat.  We were prepared to back up at any moment.

But, oh, this wasn’t the worst of it. The fact we hadn’t seen much in the way of wildlife to fuel our enthusiasm, the car’s five-speed transmission, coupled with the outrageous road, made for one unpleasant drive. Wait, more is yet to come.

Finally, once we exited the gate and neared the bridge, we couldn’t believe the scene before our eyes. The narrow one-way bridge was blocked by a car hauling a boat. The trailer became stuck between the low support posts, intended to keep vehicles from driving off the bridge into the dangerous Crocodile River (hence, its name). The trailer’s wheels were wider than the bridge itself.

After several had passed, she turned to look at us directly. Had she started moving toward us, we’d have high-tailed out of there.  Elephants have been known to topple over cars, crushing them in the process.

When we arrived at the scene, we were one of maybe three vehicles hoping to cross. Within about 10 minutes, 12 to 15 vehicles lined up with drivers and passengers getting out to check out the situation and perhaps, offer their two cents worth of advice, none of which would be effective without some major equipment coming to the scene.

We waited, waited, and waited. There was no way any of us would be getting across this bridge anytime soon. We had a decision to make…sit here and wait for what certainly would be hours or attempt to get out of the park via another route, the closest gate being Malelane Gate, 60 kilometers (37 miles) from our current location. 

She kept watching as more came across the road.

On the slow unpaved roads, we expected the drive would take an extra 90 minutes. Plus, when we exited through the Malelane Gate, we’d have another 49 kilometers (30.5 miles) to return to Marloth Park. Most likely, we’d be back at our place by 2:00 pm or so. We decided to leave rather than sit for hours at the blocked Crocodile Bridge.

Then, of course, we had to regain entrance into the park. The person handling documents didn’t speak English well and had trouble understanding why we needed to get back into the park to exit via Malelane. 

Although not the matriarch, she may have been second-in-command. When she saw this tiny elephant and another baby crossing, she focused even more.

Finally, the gate agent figured it out, and he dug out our original documents but needed to staple the paperwork together. There were no staples in his staple gun, nor the next booth, nor in the next booth, and after about five or six minutes, he rousted up some staples. It was this delay…staples…that influenced an upcoming next experience.

Little did we know or anticipate that the dirt roads we had to take to get to the Malelane Gate were considerably worse than the bumpy dirt roads we’d experienced earlier. I can honestly say we’ve never traveled on a “washboard” road to this extent. If I thought the car was falling apart earlier, this wasn’t good. We couldn’t wait for the long ride to end.

Once she saw they were safe, she backed off, joining the others on the left side of the road. We’d practically held our breath during the entire crossing, thrilled and excited for the experience.

But then…amid our frustration (no, Tom didn’t get overly grumpy, but then, I wasn’t necessarily “overly bubbly” although we both were staying on an even keel), safari luck kicked in. Before our eyes, a scene we’d experienced four years ago and had dreamed of seeing once again lie before our eyes…the dozens of elephants crossing the road as shown in today’s photos.

Had it not been for the delay in finding the staples, we would have missed it.  We couldn’t stop smiling while rapidly taking photos as we watched this magical scene transpire before us. Of course, the first thing we said was, “Safari luck” rewarded us for the harrowing drive and the delays at the Crocodile Bridge.”

Mom and baby wildebeest were walking along the road.

The story doesn’t end here. But tomorrow, we’ll share the balance, a story of making mistakes, taking wrong roads, and choosing a ridiculous shortcut that only cost us more time and frustration, all of which, we must admit, was softened by this scene of the elephants, all due to a staple gun’s missing staples. 

We never made it to Jabula for dinner last night. We’ll go tonight instead. After all, I’m married to an Irishman and today is St. Patrick’s Day (also son Richard‘s birthday. Happy b’day Richard!), and indeed we’ll have some fun at Jabula tonight!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all who celebrate and be safe in the process!

Photo from one year ago today, March 17, 2017:

This cockatoo stopped by for a visit, alighting atop Bob’s medicinal Papaw tree in the yard. For more photos, please click here.

The countdown has begun…Five days until departure for Antarctica!…A landmark in Recoleta…Last photos of La Recoleta..

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We took this photo from the taxi wishing we’d been able to see it at the park. This work of art is Floralis Generica is described as follows from this site:  “Floralis Genérica is a sculpture made of steel and aluminum located in Plaza de las Naciones Unidas, Avenida Figueroa Alcorta, Buenos Aires, a gift to the city by the Argentine architect Eduardo Catalano. Catalano once said that the flower “is a synthesis of all the flowers and, at the same time, a hope reborn every day at opening.” It was created in 2002. The sculpture was designed to move, closing its petals in the evening and opening them in the morning. The sculpture is located in the center of a park of four acres of wooded boundaries, surrounded by paths that get closer, provide different perspectives of the monument, and be placed above a reflecting pool, which, apart from fulfilling its aesthetic function, protects it. It represents a large flower made of stainless steel with an aluminum skeleton and reinforced concrete, which looks at the sky, extending to its six petals. It weighs eighteen tons and is 23 meters high.”

With a mere five days remaining until we depart Buenos Aires to fly to Ushuaia, Argentina, to board the cruise to Antarctica, we’re busy as we can be. Not only are we wrapped up in preparing detailed posts each day, taking photos while walking through the neighborhood each day, but we’re now entrenched in the process of the upcoming confusing packing scenario.

On every other occasion, packing for our next adventure has been easy. It’s a no-brainer. We simply pack everything we own. This time, we have to sort through all of our belongings to determine what we’ll need during the 17- day cruise days and what we can leave behind, storing the balance at the Prodeo Hotel.

Highrise in Recoleta.

Yesterday, I began going through medical and other supplies contained in our third smaller checked bag, which we’re leaving here. Plus, we have the pill bag containing all types of emergency meds and over-the-counter items we may or may not need.

Sure, we could leave behind aspirin, Tylenol, cough drops, decongestants, and sinus wash, but what if we get sick and need these items, many of which may not be available on this smaller ship? 

Recoleta is a much larger neighborhood from Palermo and is home to many more modern office buildings and apartment complexes.

Instead, we’re packing some of these items since Tom caught a cold on the last cruise and used all of them.  Why pay exorbitant fees to see the doctor when in most cases, we can treat ourselves? Plus, we’ve added items appropriate for exacerbating my gastrointestinal thing, which does rear its ugly head from time to time.

Then, of course, a girl needs her cosmetic items, which means one duplicate for every item in my little black cosmetic bag. What if I lost or broke an item? I don’t use creams, lotions, and potions, so to speak, other than an organic facial wash and eye makeup remover, so there’s not much packing there.

A steeple in the park in Recoleta.

Add a razor with a new blade for each of us, our crystal deodorant, a small bag of my nail stuff, hair products, and we’ve got it covered. After spending an hour or more gathering the items we’ll need, that part of the packing is done.

Today, I’ll go through the box of cold-weather and water-resistant clothing and start packing my suitcase.  Tomorrow, we’re having the final bag of laundry done (there are no laundromats in this area) and will add whatever we need from the laundry when it’s delivered on Saturday.

There are also many historical hotels and buildings in the area.

Yesterday, we printed 21 pages of documents and vouchers that Ponant requires in paper format and more copies of my food list. I added them to the litany of health certificates and other documents we already have ready to go in a large manila envelope. 

Another task I completed yesterday was setting up “bill pay” payments in our bank account due in February. At the first of each month, we pay off all of our credit cards in total to make room for the next barrage of significant payments towards vacation homes, cruises, rental cars, and other living expenses.

Tom is quite a history buff and is particularly fascinated with older structures.

If we were to experience a poor signal aboard the ship (which we expect), preventing us from getting into our accounts, the payments could be late, a risk we can’t ever take. Entering the costs in advance, sooner than we usually do at the end of the prior month, allows us to be entirely free in thinking about this during our adventure.

Also, today, I’ll be working on sending the grandkids a little something for Valentine’s Day. We’ll already be in South Africa by February 14th, arriving on the 11th. However, some of the items we order require planning, and a two or three-day window isn’t sufficient.

A broader perspective of Evita’s family (Duarte) mausoleum.

Once we’re done posting here today, we’re off to the health food store to purchase five bottles of unsweetened coconut cream for my morning turmeric tea drink. I decided I’d given up enough things I like to eat and drink that I wasn’t willing to forgo this healthful morning concoction during the cruise.

Also, since I’ve found I feel my best when I don’t eat breakfast, only the drink, there’s an amount of nutrition in this drink that can get me through the first Zodiac boat outings in the morning. When we return midday for lunch, I’ll eat enough to hold me until the anticipated late dinners on the ship that we read are usually after 8:00 or 9:00 pm, typical European-style. Ponant is a French cruise line.

Me, in front of an old structure at La Recoleta.

We heard from past Ponant travelers to whom we spoke on Skype while in Costa Rica, most passengers dress up for dinner each night. We can accommodate this to a degree, but I don’t have evening gowns, and Tom doesn’t have a tuxedo or even a sports coat. We can’t be carrying those items with us!

Having even one such set of clothing items would be ridiculous when we’d have to wear the same outfit over and over, which in itself is preposterous. Instead, we make do with what we have, Tom with two dress shirts and dark pants and me with a few dressy tops and pants. 

A mausoleum with statues on the top, commonly found at La Recoleta.

Occasionally, we may get a few looks here and there for our “casual chic” attire, but we can’t get worked up over this. With only 200 passengers on this upcoming cruise, in no time at all, they’ll discover why we don’t have dress-up clothing and never give us another glaring look.

Last night, we headed to Diggs (ironic name, Minnesota fans?) for dinner but they were closed when they’re usually open. This has been the case for many restaurants we’ve visited, inspiring us always to have a backup plan.

Another ornate mausoleum.

The past two nights, I’ve slept at least seven hours and feel better than I have in weeks. Tom had a good night last night and is equally chipper, leaving us both prepared to tackle (no pun intended).

Also, the better we feel, the more we have done, which frees us up mentally for the upcoming Minnesota Vikings football game on Sunday night! We couldn’t be more excited about this event!

Happy day to all!

 Photo from one year ago today, January 18, 2017:

A decorative item in Anne and Tom’s garden, owners of the vacation home in Huon Valley, Tasmania. They suggested we take whatever we’d like at any time, and we gladly did (in moderation, of course).  For more photos, please click here.

Day 29…Cruise to South America…One Buenos Aires task accomplished aboard ship…Scary email about upcoming Antarctica cruise…

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The end of this small island off the coast of Punta Del Este, Uruguay, looked unusual with the tall trees.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

View from the veranda of the town of Ushuaia, our favorite port of call on this cruise.

The time has flown quickly, which is typical while cruising. Seemingly, suddenly, it’s coming to an end. In a mere 48 hours, we’ll be off the ship and on our way to our hotel in Buenos Aires.

We’ve hardly noticed that it’s Christmas time, although the ship is decorated in many areas. It’s time to get ourselves into the holiday spirit, but over these past five years of travel, it seems to have alluded us to a degree with no home, no tree, no gifts, and no family, with whom to celebrate in person. 

Instead, we focus on the spiritual meaning of this time of the year and find our own unique ways to make it memorable for both of us. Magically, as is the nature of the holiday season, opportunities present themselves, and somehow we find our hearts filled with the merriment of the season in one way or another. This year will be no exception.

Punta del Este is a popular summer holiday location.

Of course, there Tom’s birthday on the 23rd. Although we don’t exchange gifts, we each find a way to make our birthdays memorable for one another. This year will be no different as we settle into our boutique hotel in the Palermo area of Buenos Aires on the day of his birthday.

Last night, we eliminated one task we had planned for Buenos Aires when we used the balance of our cabin credit of US $210 to purchase another duty-free camera. Yes, I’d have liked to upgrade to a higher quality camera, but with the 21% VAT tax imposed on all purchases in Buenos Aires, we felt buying it duty-free on the ship made more sense economically.

A small uninhabited island off the coast of Punta del Este.

We purchased an identical camera to our current camera, a Canon Power Shot SX60 HS, for several reasons:
1.  We’re both comfortable using it
2.  It takes excellent photos.
3.  We already have four batteries (the new purchase makes it five batteries). We have three battery chargers.  (We easily recall running out of batteries while on safari in the Masai Mara over four years ago.  This will never happen again)!
4.  The price online at Amazon was the same price we paid last night on the ship at US $429, but we avoided US sales tax, shipping costs, customs fees, and VAT tax. It was a no-brainer.
5.  With the remaining non-refundable cabin credit of US $210  to use toward the camera, we are left with a balance of US $229 on our cruise bill for this second leg.  This made sense to us.

With this task out of the way, we’re greatly relieved. Once the holidays end, we’ll tackle the remaining tasks; travel clinic for vaccination updates, new epi-pens, and malaria pills; dentist for my tooth; and purchase a few toiletries for the Antarctica cruise.

View from the ship of yesterday’s port of call, Punta del Esta, Uruguay.

Speaking of the Antarctica cruise, yesterday we were shaken when we received an email from our rep at Vacations-to-Go, stating she received an email from Ponant stating they never received any of our vital documents (including passport copies, ID info, and medical documents), which we’d sent by email on November 3, 2017.

In searching through my “sent” email, I found the original message we’d sent that included everything they’d requested well within the range of their required dates. 

How did this happen?  Most assuredly, it was lost on their end. I ran into trouble trying to resend the 19 PDF pages with the ship’s poor Wi-Fi signal. After several attempts, I decided to send them in five small batches.  After patiently waiting for each one to “go,” we finally received confirmation from Ponant that they’d received everything. Whew! That could have been a nightmare!

Christmas display on deck 10.

Here again, we could kick ourselves for not confirming they received the documents once we sent them. We should have learned our lesson when a few months ago, the same thing happened when Railroad Retirement (for Medicare) said they hadn’t received Tom’s waiver of Part B. At that time, we also had confirmation the document had been sent as required. Again, we had to resend the document.

Oh, well.  I guess we live in a world where one must check and recheck, never making assumptions about the efficiency of a variety of systems within our realm. So it goes.

Today, our ship is docked in Montevideo, Uruguay, and once we’ve uploaded today’s post, we’ll be disembarking the ship to check out the big city. Tomorrow, we write about our experiences and share many photos we’ll take during our visit.

Christmas display on deck four outside the Trellis restaurant.

Tomorrow, we’ll pack and begin sharing favorite photos from this cruise and prepare the “final expenses” to share on the 23rd. If you’d like to see where we’ve traveled thus far in South America and throughout the world, please click on the link under the map on the right side of our main page, under the photo of us in Petra, Jordan. 

It even shocks us when we see where we’ve been.  And, it scares us even more, when we realize how much more there is yet to see. The world is a vast place, and we’re happy all of you, our dear and loyal readers, are with us along the way.

Continue to enjoy your holiday festivities if you celebrate this occasion and if you do not, enjoy your every day as if it was a holiday!

Photo from one year ago today, December 21, 2016:

The wind causes a rippled pattern on the white sand beach in Binalong Bay in Tasmania. For more photos, please click here.

Results from appointments with Dr. Candy in Atenas…

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The clinic has an ambulance, ready to go in an emergency.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Once back at the villa, the clouds started rolling in from the mountains.

Yesterday afternoon, with a bit of trepidation, we took a taxi for our appointment with Dr. Candy Midence Noguera, Medico Cirijano Cod, 7620, Consulta Medica – Ninos – Adultos (for children and adults). Phone: 2446-7440 or 2727-6868.

We’re posting the above information if any of our readers visit Atenas and its surrounding areas in the Alajuela Valley, Costa Rica, and need to see a physician. The delightful, bi-lingual Dr. Candy was the perfect choice for our needs. 

The reception desk at Dr. Candy’s office, Linea Vital de CR.

We couldn’t have been more pleased with the quality of service we received from Dr. Candy. She brought both of us (on time) into her office, conducting an exam, and walked through each question on the detailed forms with us. 

The cruise line, Ponant, requires the exam and accompanying documents to be completed anywhere between 40 and 90 days before the cruise date. This worked out perfectly for us when we’re leaving Costa Rica in 19 days. 

The waiting room at the doctor’s office.  A patient came out of an appointment with the doctor with an IV bag attached to her arm.  She sat on this sofa while the IV bag was hung on a small hook attached to the bulletin board.

As of today, we’ll sail on the Antarctica cruise in 82 days. (The upcoming 30-night cruise to South America sails in 21 days, for which we needed no such documentation).

Fortunately, we passed the exams without any issues. Neither of us has any conditions that might prevent a traveler from embarking on such a cruise that travels well outside the scope of air ambulance service while in one of the most remote areas in the world, Antarctica.

As usual, the afternoon sky was cloudy, and rain had begun to fall when we arrived by taxi from the villa. The round trip taxi fare with tip was US $7.03 (CRC 4,000).

Our total doctor bill for both of us was US $120 (CRC 68,297), not covered by our major medical insurance.  Had we been in many other countries, the bill could have been considerably higher. We paid with a credit card and were on our way after big hugs from Dr. Candy.

We now have all the completed documents in hand. Today, we’ll scan and email the medical forms and other forms we had to complete in this time frame, including passport and additional general information. It will be a relief to have this out of the way today, along with all the other “paperwork” we mentioned in yesterday’s post.

Now, during these remaining 20 days in Costa Rica, we only have to scan a pile of receipts, make one more dental appointment for me (something’s wrong with another crown), grocery shop on two more occasions, and of course, pack.

View across the street from the doctor’s office.

We’ve accessed the food on hand and what we’ll need to purchase as we’ve scheduled meals on our calendar for each of the remaining days. After I make tomorrow’s pizza (enough for three nights), we’ll only cook dinners for two more weeks. 

This morning it dawned on me that we won’t be cooking for another long stretch, this time from November 23, 2017 (sail away date) until we arrive in South Africa (on or about February 10, 2018), for a total of 80 days. 

This won’t be the most extended period we haven’t cook. When we left New Zealand on April 15, 2016, and eventually ended in Phuket, Thailand, on July 23, 2016, we didn’t cook a single meal for a total of 100 days.

Cows grazing in our gated neighborhood on the return drive from the doctor.

These long stretches seem to trigger my enthusiasm for cooking once we’re settled in a new location and have begun thinking about some of our favorite meals. Years ago, I loved to cook, but once we left the US, my interest seemed to wane due to the difficulty in finding ingredients we use for our cooking style.

Today, we’re hoping the sun will continue to shine long enough for pool-time, after which I’ll get to work on scanning all the documents and receipts. It will be good to have this task off my mind.
Have a peaceful day.

Photo from one year ago today, November 3, 2016:

View one of the 70 islands in the Cumberland group as we sailed by early in the morning. This is one of the main reasons we prefer a balcony cabin. For more photos, please click here.

Paperwork galore… Why so many errors?… Multitasking myths… More Managua photos…

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A colorful collection of hammock slings in the Market Restaurant at the Real Intercontinental Metrocentre Managua.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Tom got this distant shot of the Montezuma Oropendola, which is a New World tropical icterid bird. It is a resident breeder in the Caribbean coastal lowlands from southeastern Mexico to central Panama but is absent from El Salvador and southern Guatemala.

We spent most of the day yesterday working on paperwork. I prepared a new food list for today’s appointment, which must be reviewed by the doctor for the upcoming Antarctica cruise. We completed all the forms necessary for the appointment, leaving the remainder required for the doctor to enter.

The lunch buffet at the Real Intercontinental Metrocentre Managua Hotel in Managua, Nicaragua, was tempting. But, after the complimentary breakfast, neither of us was interested in lunch, a meal we rarely consume.

We must always do some paperwork for various world travel and financial matters, including gobs of forms to print, sign, scan, and email. Some documents require faxing. Who still uses fax machines?  Aren’t they obsolete?

Most of the items in this buffet were suitable for my way of eating.

When we must fax a document, we can either email it to son Richard in Henderson, Nevada, during business hours or email it to our mailing service, where they can fax whatever we need. This is only concerning documents in the US, where all of our document processing is done with various businesses.

Seafood, chicken, and ham are great additions to salads. 

Often, mistakes are made on the other end; lost documentation, failure to complete processing, and the necessity of frequently making phone calls using our Skype phone number to confirm everything are correctly done. 

This is time-consuming and disappointing. We’ve learned never to assume the paperwork was handled properly, and we tend to check and re-check many times to discover the task wasn’t completed. We could quote dozens of such incidents over these past five years, but…we won’t bore our readers with this.

A sushi bar at the hotel.  Tom doesn’t care for sushi which I used to love in my old life.  Now, without the rice in the sushi rolls, I have no interest.  Plus, I’ve lost my taste for raw fish over these past years of travel.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, we’re not exempt from making errors. In our old lives, I recall having to call when cable and other utility bills had errors. What’s the deal with this?  

Even while in Minnesota, we discovered I’d booked our flight to Nevada on the wrong date, and it cost us over US $700 (CRC 398,574), never to be recouped. It was the first significant booking error I’d made that couldn’t be reversed or revised in some manner.

Comfortable seating in the sushi bar.

We, humans, are undoubtedly responsible for the words “human error.” It’s rampant. And, even the most meticulous of us can find ourselves in a pickle from our errors. Why does this happen?

After careful consideration of my own errors, I’ve come to realize it always occurs when I’m multitasking and not paying enough attention. There’s no excuse. 

The outdoor sports bar.

Since my flight booking error, this past summer occurred while we were so busy in Minnesota, I’ve carved out specific time without distractions to handle anything that could potentially cause us a problem. Tom and I now review bookings together, checking and re-checking each other’s work in booking events to ensure we have no errors.

In my youth, I was always proud of my ability to multitask. But, as we’ve aged, I’ve discovered doing so is not a benefit at all. Being able to focus on a critical task at a time is more fulfilling in the long run.

We sat in the lobby when we prepared the day’s post.

Recently, I’d read this article, The Myth of Multitasking, and completed the test shown in the report. There’s no doubt that multitasking doesn’t achieve one’s original intention of getting two or more tasks completed at one time in less time. 

Sure, I can multitask when cooking a meal; boil the water, stir fry the veggies and cook the bacon in the oven simultaneously. But, that’s cooking, not handling important financial and other matters that can result in chaos if not caught in time.

Bread items are offered at the complimentary breakfast buffet.

Today, we have tunnel-vision in getting our medical forms signed by the doctor, hopefully finding us both in good enough health to embark on the upcoming expedition cruise.

May you be able to focus on what must be completed in your life today! Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 2, 2016:

Tom, during breakfast in the main dining room on Radiance of the Seas 33-night cruise circumventing the Australian continent. For more details, please click here.

Exceptional anniversary day…Preparing for tomorrow’s big day…More Managua photos…

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Coconut residue under a tree.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Last night’s view of Atenas from the veranda.

After a wonderful anniversary day with pool time cut short due to rain, we had a delicious dinner and evening lounging in the electricity-restored screening room. The power in the room had gone out before we left for Nicaragua, which was repaired by Julio while we were away.

Street view as we drove through Managua.  There are security guards at every intersection.  If you’re traveling to Managua, Nicaragua, we had a fabulous taxi driver. He has a college degree in “travel” and conducts tours. Jeffrey Ocampo at phone: 7782-3211, email: ocampojeffrey136@gmail.com.
We watched a downloaded episode of Shark Tank, Australia Survivor, on Australia’s TenPlay channel and on Netflix, two episodes of season five MadMen, which series we plan to finish before departing Costa Rica. 
Second-hand clothing shop with cola sign.
Before leaving Costa Rica three weeks from today, we’ll cancel Netflix until we’re settled in South Africa in a little over three months. We use various mediums for entertainment at night when we hunker down after dinner.
Shoes store on the highway during a half-price sale.
I often fall asleep during the last show, but Tom keeps waking me up so I won’t miss anything and also so I’ll sleep better without taking a “nap” at 9:30 pm. Since I awaken at 4:00 to 4:30 most mornings, by 9:00 pm or so, I’m nodding off.
Statues and artifacts at the entrance to a building.
Today, I’m committed to staying up later and sleeping later in the morning. It won’t work for me to be nodding off at the dinner table, dancing at the “silent disco,” or watching productions in the theatre. 
Veterinarian’s office.
Tomorrow is a big day for us. Yesterday, we printed all the necessary documents required for the January 23, 2018 cruise to Antarctica, which includes a litany of medical forms completed by a physician and sent by email to Ponant in the next two weeks.
Tom by the pool at the hotel.
Weeks ago, we booked appointments at 2:00 pm with Dr. Candy, a popular bilingual doctor located close to the center of Atenas. Many ex-pats have recommended her and our property managers, Aad and Marian, and owners, Bev and Sam.
Tom opted for pasta last night at the hotel, knowing he’d be back to healthy eating when we returned to Atenas.
I’m always apprehensive about doctor visits, but this is a must-do.  The forms are long and complicated to ensure we are fit for this expedition cruise, which has no means of evacuating sick passengers from the remote Antarctic.
My side order of sauteed vegetables at The Market Restaurant at the hotel.
Although there will be two doctors and a nurse or two on board, the small ship of only 200 passengers doesn’t have the more comprehensive medical facility found on huge cruise ships. 
As a result, Ponant doesn’t want high-risk patients on the expedition cruise. Also, getting on and off the Zodiac boats may be difficult and subject to injury by passengers with limited mobility.
I ordered grilled salmon on a bed of thinly sliced zucchini with gluten and starch-free sauce. 
We don’t expect any issues to prevent us from getting these documents completed as needed after an exam.  On Friday, we’ll post information as to the exam and the results. 

 Next, we’ll forward the completed forms by email to Ponant along with the “passenger information” forms with copies of our passports, credit card information (for incidentals on the cruise), etc.

 I’m rushing a bit today, so we can get outside in the sunshine before the afternoon clouds roll in and the rain begins to fall. Swimming and lounging in the pool is a favorite daily activity that we’ll miss tomorrow afternoon when we head to the doctor’s office.
Be well, dear readers!  We’ll be back tomorrow!

Photo from one year ago today, November 1, 2016:

One year ago, almost every evening during the 33-night cruise, we played pool at this self-leveling (for rough seas) pool table in The Colony Club.  For more photos, please click here.

Checking and rechecking…Errors are to be expected from governmental agencies…Waiving Part B Medicare…

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New sprouts on a coffee bean plant.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Although this Flame Tree appears to sprout bananas, these yellow pods are the flower before blooming. It’s a favorite spot for birds that stop for a visit, including another variety of the popular Flycatcher.

Three weeks ago, Tom contacted the Railroad Retirement Board (opposed to Social Security or Medicare) as required for retired railway workers. The intent was to inform them of his intention to waive Part B Medicare which would automatically kick in on his upcoming 65th birthday on December 23rd.

If he didn’t do this, there would be a deduction from his pension on the first of every month in the amount of US $109 (CRC 62,113), which may vary based on certain circumstances. But, unfortunately, Medicare doesn’t provide us with any benefits outside of the US (with a few rare exceptions).

Nor do we purchase the additional “supplemental” insurance to cover that which Medicare doesn’t cover. Please keep in mind. This is a generalization. Individual cases may vary. Please contact Medicare via this link if you have questions.

I was driving along a mountain road.

Many tourists can purchase “trip insurance” when they travel. However, this type of insurance is not available to us on an annualized basis since we don’t go on “trips” per se but are continually moving from one location to another outside of the US.

We’ve spoken to other long-term travelers who’ve stated they have purchased trip-by-trip “trip insurance” to receive the benefits of the more comprehensive coverage than we have on our “major medical” annual policy. For us, this would be an outright fabrication. But, this requires informing the insurance company that we are taking individual trips instead of living outside the US.

The problem with doing this is, if they discover a traveler has been traveling non-stop, they could refuse to pay a considerable claim, leaving the traveler with a monstrous bill to pay out of pocket. So we chose not to “lie” to the insurance company or run this type of risk.

In Costa Rica, many homes are located beyond entrance gates.

Instead, we have less coverage that doesn’t pay for doctor visits, prescriptions, or vision care. In most countries, we’ve found doctor visits usually run under US $100 (CRC 56,985), if not less. This works for us. 

If we needed to visit an emergency room or stay in a hospital, have surgery or treatment, our policy covers 100% of the cost. To date, thank God, we’ve never filed a claim, although we’re well aware it’s entirely possible at some point in the future. 

Our policy provides no coverage while we’re in the US, which leaves us with only Medicare Part A, which covers only a portion of a hospital or emergency visit. However, we choose to take that risk when visiting family rather than pay thousands of dollars per year for coverage in the US we cannot use in other countries. I hope this all makes sense to our readers. 

Arriving at the end of a paved road, we turned around and retraced our tracks.

In any case, we called and asked Railroad Retirement to send us the appropriate form to waive Part B. This is a government agency. They were unable to email us the single-page form. Instead, they stated the only way to receive the blank form was to receive it via snail mail. Go figure.

So, three weeks ago, when our mailing service in Nevada received the snail mail from Railroad Retirement, they scanned it and sent it to us via our file in their system. We printed it on the villa’s printer, and Tom promptly signed it. At that point, we used our portable scanner and sent it back to the mailing service via email. Within 24 hours, the mail service had snail-mailed the signed form to Railroad Retirement. Thus, the envelope would take one or two days to arrive from Nevada to California.

Yesterday, three weeks after the snail mail was sent, we called to see if the waiver was processed with our usual mistrust of any governmental agency and certain other types of businesses. Alas, not surprisingly, they had no record of it. 

With no shoulders on most roads, we’ve had to search for a spot like this when attempting to turn around.

A similar scenario occurred when Tom applied online to renew his Nevada driver’s license. All the documents we’d sent never showed in their email. We’d forwarded them a copy of the email we’d sent with all the records, and still, they explained it was never seen and subsequently never processed. Go figure. Eventually, the second batch of documents resulted in Tom receiving the renewal.

Yesterday, we contacted our mailing service asking them to fax the document to Railroad Retirement, at an expense to us, since Railroad Retirement would allow a fax in this particular case instead of waiting for “another” snail mail. Later in the day, the mailing service notified us to say the fax was sent, and they received a confirmation stating it was received.

On Monday, we’ll call Railroad Retirement again to confirm it’s done. But, of course, one can’t ever be sure without confirmation. Over the past five years of world travel, I can’t possibly describe all of the scenarios when errors have been made in handling our “business-related” transactions. 

This fast-growing tree on the coffee plantation shot up this tall in only a few years.  Variety unknown.

Antiquated systems and incompetency are often the cause of such extra work we experience in handling everything from afar. When one dreams of traveling the world for years to come, it’s always essential to consider handling transactions of any type.

Whether we find PayPal is blocked in a particular country, have forms to be signed for financial matters, or are required to change passwords periodically. In addition, on certain accounts, they require we have a text number to send us a code. 

We don’t have a cell phone contract with access to a US phone number that allows texts other than through Skype or Facebook Messenger for these purposes. Businesses don’t use these mediums for communication. We often have to figure out a frustrating, time-consuming workaround.

Mountains are prevalent in most areas of Costa Rica.

In years to come, this may be easier, but for now, as we continue on our otherwise blissful journey, we remind ourselves we chose this lifestyle, and with it comes several challenges. 

Once such a cumbersome task is re-done or completed, we sit back and smile for a second time, grateful we figured out a solution and get back to swimming in the pool or searching for photo ops.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 20, 2016:

In Bali, the view changed dramatically as the tide rolled in.  For more photos, please click here.

How much do we pay for health insurance?… Technology issues… Patience prevails…

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Elephant topiary on the church’s grounds.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

We can’t take our eyes off these adorable tiny birds.
Early this morning, we were sighting of a hummingbird partaking of our sugar water.

Regardless of how far away we may travel from the US, there’s no escaping the responsibility of paperwork required for life in general and more related to our lifestyle of world travel.

With Tom’s 65th birthday fast approaching on December 23rd, it was time for him to waive Part B Medicare, which would result in an automatic deduction from Railroad Retirement for his monthly pension income if he didn’t handle it on time.

Pretty ceiling and chandeliers in the church.

Medicare doesn’t pay for medical care outside of the US (with a few exceptions, here and there) long ago; we purchased  “major medical” international insurance coverage through Healthcare International in the UK.

No more expensive annually than paying the required amount for Part B Medicare and a supplement, our plan doesn’t cover doctor visits. So in the past almost five years, we’ve spent very little for the few doctor office visits we’ve made, the most for physical exams and tests we had over two years ago in Trinity Beach, Australia.

Shrine on the grounds of Iglesia Catolica de Zarcero church in Zarcero Costa Rica.

In total, over this extended period, including the comprehensive exams in Australia for both of us, we haven’t spent more than US $2000 (CRC 1,150,510), averaging at US $400 (CRC 230,102) per year.

Our annual insurance payment to Healthcare International is US $4,000 (CRC 2,301,020) plus the average US $400 (CRC 230,102) for doctor visits, totals US $4400 (CRC 2,531,122) per year.

Faces in the shrubs.  Amazing.

The required payments for Medicare Part B plus a supplement plan, plus all the necessary co-pays, would ultimately be much higher than what we’re paying annually. But, of course, we hardly ever go to a doctor, reserving those for situations where we feel we have no alternative. Thus, it’s difficult to compare “apples to apples.”

As a result, Tom won’t be signing up for Medicare Part B, which required he contact Railroad Retirement (as opposed to Social Security) since he worked for the railroad for over 42 years.  Instead, Railroad retirement (and Medicare) require that the potential recipient complete a form requesting to waive Part B.  I’d done this almost five years ago when I was approaching 65.

More faces.

A few weeks ago, Tom called Railroad Retirement and requested the necessary documentation to sign to waive this option. Unfortunately, it took several weeks to arrive at our mailing service in Nevada, Maillink Plus.

When we receive snail mail at the mailing service, we’re sent an email message that snail mail has arrived. So we log into our account at their site and see who sent the mail but not its specific contents. At that point, we can request the mail be scanned at US $2 (CRC 1151) per page.

This spot may be used for weddings and other celebratory occasions.

Of course, receiving mail from governmental agencies may result in the necessity of having many pages scanned to get to the page(s) were looking for, as was the case here. 

Once the document is scanned (always within hours except for Sundays), we can view or print the copy (if we have access to a printer), which we do here in Costa Rica in this fine villa. Since the document required completion with a signature, printing it was a necessity. We also needed to print the cover letter, which included coding and secure ID numbers. Thus, we ended up with two pages to print.

Not every topiary was indicative of a specific animal or item but, it is still interesting.

Once Tom completed the form, the next step was to get the two pages back to Railroad Retirement. Unfortunately, they don’t accept email for such conditions. That means we’d have to pay for a taxi to go to a post office, pay the postage to the US and also plan it could take upwards of a month to arrive.

But not for us! Our mailing service will handle that for about another US $2 (CRC 1151), preparing an envelope with our return address and a stamp. Then, all we’d have to do is scan the two pages and email both of them to the mailing service. 

Colorful stonework on a wall near the entrance to the church.

This morning I printed the two pages, after which Tom filled out the form, handing them back to me to scan and email. Sound easy, eh? Not so much. For some goofy reason, the software I’d downloaded for the new Brother Scanner we’d purchased from Amazon and received while in Nevada wasn’t working.

The application I needed and had used extensively when I’d done tons of scanning while in Nevada had somehow disappeared from my laptop, nor could we find the actual installation disk I’d used at the time to install it. 

Rainy day view from the church entrance to the topiary.

Sure, I could go online to Brother and install what I needed to complete the process, but I was bound and determined to figure out a solution to avoid doing this. Furthermore, I’d yet to start today’s post and didn’t want to spend an hour fooling around with an install.

Patience was not high on my priority list, but a determination was often the case. After about an hour, I figured out a workaround and got the documents to scan and into my email. Finally, I prepared the email message to Maillink, which they’ll receive and process tomorrow (Monday), confirming that the task has been completed.

Painting of Jesus in the interior of the church.

Today, while Tom watches the Minnesota Vikings game, I’ll work on installing the software if we have a good enough signal for streaming the game and performing a download. We shall see.

Have a wonderful Sunday or Monday wherever you may be in the world.

Photo from one year ago today, September 24, 2016:

In Sumbersari Bali, we met neighbors who invited us for a visit. This is their infinity pool. For more photos of their lovely property, please click here.