Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site in a few months, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you.
No more old videos will be posted at this time, although past photos will continue until we have new photos to post.
Today’s photos are from June 2, 2014, while living in Madeira, Portugal. See the link here for more photos.
I don’t know how we’re holding it together. This is not easy. If we knew when we could leave, that would significantly ease our minds with a plan for the future. But now, we don’t know when we’ll be able to leave Mumbai and where we’ll be able to go.
Many countries, considering opening their borders soon, are forbidding US citizens from entering due to the high number of cases of Covid-19 in the US. However, we’ve been in India since January 31st.
 |
| The procession began at this local Catholic church in Campanario, Madeira. |
This could result in our staying here until the virus dissipates sufficiently in the US that Americans are welcome to cross the borders of other countries. This could mean that India could open its borders and commence international flights, but we’d still have nowhere to go.
The only option will be those few countries that seem less concerned about who enters their country, which is far and few between. Such particular countries may hold no interest to us due to large numbers of Covid-19 cases and lack of adequate security and screening.
 |
| Without hesitation, the celebrants barged their way into our house. We couldn’t wipe the smiles off of our faces. |
As mentioned in yesterday’s post here, it’s conceivable we could be in this hotel in Mumbai until well into 2021. How will we emotionally handle this possibility? Sure, we always espouse “thinking positive” and staying “hopeful.”
 |
| It was apparent they’d practiced their songs as they harmonized in unison. |
Yes, this will pass in time. When I had open-heart surgery in 2019 with resulting life and limb-threatening leg infections from the grafts, requiring two additional surgeries and another hospital stay, somehow I prevented myself from feeling hopeless. In time, I recovered. But then, I didn’t know a timeline, nor did I know if we could continue to travel, not unlike our situation now.
Now, we ask ourselves such questions as:
1. Will we be able to continue traveling the world?
2. Will flying become so cumbersome and risky that we’ll have to limit ourselves to where we’ll be able to go?
3. Will we ever feel comfortable enough to sail on a cruise ship?
4. Will we still be able to acquire adequate travel insurance comparable to our current policy?
5. Will travel continue to be affordable as it has been during the past years?
6. Will holiday homes become less and less available when owners decide to sell in light of Covid-19?
7. Will we be able to wait this out?
 |
| The young accordion player was quite skilled. |
You may think we could put a quick end to our dilemma if we embarked on one of the rare flights offered from Mumbai to the US through the US State Department to return to the US.
We’re not ready to give up, not out of stubbornness, but more out of precaution in an attempt to avoid contracting the virus when and if we’d enter the US without adequate health insurance. This could bury us, financially and literally. Why take the risk when we’re so safe here?
 |
| In one fell swoop, they were out the door and on the way to their next house. |
So the question remains… How do we maintain a positive state of mind if this isolation, this quarantine, continues for six or eight months or more? Financially, we can continue indefinitely. Emotionally, we’re okay now. But what about in three, six, or eight months?
We’ve been in lockdown for almost three months, including time spent in the same circumstances in prior hotels with our self-imposed quarantine even before the official lockdown in India. We arrived at the Marriott on March 24th.
 |
| They left rose petals and wrapped candies on the floor. We left them with a well-earned donation. Of course, Tom ate the candy as I swept the floor. |
So, the question remains, can we do this for months to come? I believe we can if we continue to focus on these factors: we’re safe; we’re together: we have food; we have air-con; we have WiFi; we can afford to stay here, along with a huge factor that contributes to our state of well-being… We have all of you!
The love, support, thoughtful suggestions, and encouragement from our readers are highly instrumental in helping us maintain a positive state of mind while longing for the day when we can again share stories and photos of our ongoing travels.
 |
| A procession made its way down the steep road near our house to the next house around the sharp turn. |
We appreciate our circumstances for the above reasons, and we’re grateful to be safe, day after day, month after month. May all of you, along with us, embrace the concept of gratefulness for what we do have during times of Covid-19, as opposed to what we don’t have.
Photo from one year ago today, June 2, 2019:
 |
| Our favorite holiday home in the UK was the most expensive, but we couldn’t resist it. It was located in Cornwall, near Port Isaac, where Doc Martin, one of our favorite BBC TV shows, was filmed! On May 2, 2019, we selected this property for a two-week stay in September 2019 at the cost of Euro 2498.51, US $2707.94, an average daily rate of Euro 172.72, US $193.42, which was much higher than we typically pay. To compensate for this higher rent, we selected other properties at lower prices to balance the budget. To see details on the listing, please click here. For the remainder of our post, please click here. |