We’re packing in the good times…Minnesota and Nevada law changes…Five days and counting…

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Tom and I dined here in our old lives. Dining here now doesn’t fit into the budget in this life.
It was over this past week that time began flying by at a pace we’ve only experienced in the final weeks of our favorite places in the world. With only five days remaining with the busy Fourth of July holiday in between, we continue to pack each day, spending time with family and friends.
Many buildings had changed or been added along Lake St. in Wayzata.

Shortly TJ and family are coming for breakfast, after which they’ll be dropping me at my dear friend Karen’s home in Eden Prairie, where I’ll spend part of the day on my final visit with her. 

This was formerly Sunset’s Restaurant and is now Cov.  Maybe we’ll try this for dinner one evening this final week.

Tom will drive to Wisconsin (a one-hour trip) with TJ and family, where they’ll purchase fireworks for the Fourth of July festivities. In the US (for our friends in other lands), the annual celebration of Independence Day is often commemorated with massive fireworks displays at both public venues and private backyards.

Outdoor dining at Cov Restaurant.

Minnesota is strict in many regulations, including prohibiting the sale of fireworks (beyond sparklers and ground snakes) for anything that makes noise or shoots into the air. Neighboring Wisconsin has no such laws, and many Minnesotans make the annual trip to shop at various stores close to the border.

Speaking of Minnesota laws, as of today, it will be legal to sell alcohol on Sundays, but only from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, at the discretion of liquor and wine shop owners. 

Another new building on Lake St.

Old laws on the books prevail in Minnesota, including that car dealerships must be closed on Sundays.  Oh, I won’t get into this topic any further; however, if your curiosity is piqued on “dumb laws,” click here for a few shockers.

Few boats were yet at the public docks in the cool early morning.

Now that we’re residents of the state of Nevada, we pay attention to what’s transpiring there. As of yesterday news, we discovered the following as quoted from this article:

“Sales of recreational marijuana kick off in Nevada on Saturday, July 1, and the state is expecting an onslaught of tourists coming to sample the local merchandise.”

The Lafayette Club private golf and country club is situated in Wayzata. As a popular and desirable wedding venue, I was married many moons ago (not to Tom).

Gee… many changes are occurring throughout the US and surprisingly here in Minnesota while we’re here and then in Nevada, where we’ll soon arrive in a mere five days. 

Yesterday was another busy day with the morning’s sightseeing and photo taking in Wayzata, which we’re wrapping up in today’s photos and midday shopping to round out our required purchases.

The owner of this newer 34-foot boat was busily washing the bow.  The upkeep of a boat is a constant and costly responsibility which we’re happy is no longer a part of our lives.  We both had boats before we met and for many years after that.

Last night was memorable, spending the evening with dear old friends and neighbors with whom we’ve stayed in close touch over this past almost five years. It was as if no time had passed at all when we all so quickly fell into step with warm hugs and animated conversations. 

A footbridge at the Wayzata Boatworks.

Tomorrow, we’ll post photos of our old neighborhood and Lake, including photos from our “happy hour” boat ride Jamie and Doug, who so generously hosted on their boat with fabulous food and drinks. 

After the boat ride, we all headed to a popular local restaurant where all of us had dined in years past. It was an evening we’ll never forget and look forward to repeating next time we return to Minnesota.

This was new…planter boxes with flowers at the boat docks. 

Tonight, we’re meeting more close friends, Lisa and Brian, at another restaurant frequented in our old neighborhood. Photos will follow for all of these meaningful events over the next few days.

Thanks to all our readers who’ve written to us expressing how they’ve enjoyed reading about our family-orientated visit to Minnesota. We’d expected our readership to decline during this period, but it has not. It inspires us to know that wherever we may be, whatever we may do, we always have YOU at our side.

Here is a small portion of the many expensive slips in Wayzata for Lake Minnetonka boat owners. There is an annual lottery for 100 residents only.  The remainder of boat owners must pay exorbitant fees at various locations, often priced well into the thousands of dollars.

In 30 days, the pace will kick up as we make our way to Costa Rica. I can’t wait to take photos of those colorful frogs, birds, and other wildlife indigenous to the wildlife-rich country. Back at you soon!

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

Lots of fresh fish are reasonably priced in Singapore. For more photos, please click here.

Tornado weather rolling through…Commotion, stress and pushing in line…Is this the US we remember?…

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Hand-carved wood houses.

It’s not the people…It’s the lifestyle, the traffic, the number of people, and…the sense of urgency; time constraints, digital and Wi-Fi issues, fender benders, meetings, playdates, softball games, and the hard-working, overbooked lives of many Americans and others throughout the world. For us, it’s glaring while here in the USA.

We don’t fit in. I ask myself the question, “Did we ever fit in?”  Looking back over our past lives, we too got caught in the hamster wheel of life, perpetually trying to get through the activity of the moment to get to the next. 

Flower samples of blooms in Butchart Gardens with notes naming each variety.

Living in the moment was nearly impossible. Rushing, speeding, and eating in the car with greasy hands on the wheel as the result of consuming the less-than-desirable quality of fast food or what we perceived as more healthy carry out in an attempt to get us through another long, painstaking day.

In our old lives, we counted on both hands the number of people we knew taking anti-anxiety drugs. Now it’s even more.  I spotted this article today in the New York Times, which may be found here about the rampant use of the drug Xanax and antidepressants in adults and children. It’s worth reading this story.

More flower samples.

Now there’s a stress-relieving device called a “fidget spinner” for use by those who can’t sit quietly and reflect, read a book, watch a movie or relax. When hands and fingers go idle after clicking on keyboards and screens day and night, such a distraction is needed by many to keep their digits active.

Tens of millions of “fidget spinners” have been sold. See this article for details. A few days ago, I noticed Tom twiddling his thumbs (for the first time) while we sat in standstill traffic, surely an anxious response to the stressful road conditions. 

The stress was evident in the lines in his brow, the scowl on his face. Yet, after almost five years of feeling calm 98% of the time, he maintained his cool, avoiding his occasional “overly grumpy” demeanor that may arise on busy travel days.

It’s always fun to see local handcrafted works.

As for me and my usual “overly bubbly” (and at times annoying) demeanor, I’m holding my own. Spending time with the people we love is a welcomed buffer and stress reliever, although traveling to them takes its toll, particularly on Tom.

Since we arrived 16 days ago, on no less than 10 occasions, we’ve been asked, “When will you move back to Minnesota or even the US?” We hedge, anticipating a reaction that may not be positive when we respond with “It’s not in the cards.”

Invariably, they continue with, “What about when you physically cannot travel anymore?”  We always remind ourselves of the beautiful 90 plus-year-old couple we met at dinner on our first cruise in January 2013. They’d been traveling the world for decades and still had no plans to stop, to settle down. 

Handcrafted sculptures.

Health provided, that could be us. And, if health fails, there are plenty of countries throughout the world where we can get the healthcare we need, stay until we’ve improved, and perhaps eventually stay until we can continue. 

But why worry about that now? Worry is the single highest cause of stress which ultimately has an impact on health. We don’t worry about the future. We plan it. We embrace it. We dream of it. 

Most of all, every day, we strive to “live in the moment,” cherishing wherever we may be, whatever we may be doing. At the moment, we’re calmly situated in the hotel’s “living room,” sipping great coffee with “real” cream, watching weather reports and maps on TV, illustrating where the storms and tornado warnings are headed. 

Metal sea sculptures for sale at the gift shop in Butchart Gardens, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Today will be a quiet day for us, barring the continuing thunder.  Satisfied after having spent considerable time with family and friends this past week, we’re laying low, maybe heading out for a little shopping for jeans for Tom. With no sales tax on clothing in Minnesota, it makes sense to shop here instead of in Nevada.

We continue to replace most of our clothing with new shorts, jeans, tee shirts, shirts, and underwear to avoid the cost of shipping items in the next year or so. We’ll bring the items we’re replacing to the local Goodwill store.

The abundance of selections, colors, sizes can be daunting.  Yesterday, when I spent 45 minutes in Macy’s purchasing shirts and jeans, I left before I’d found everything on my list. The waiting for assistance, the line at the fitting room when all were full, the processing time for a single sale only reminded me of how adapted I’d been in my old life to all the chaos and commotion. Now? Not so much.

The shop was bustling with tourists.

We’ll continue to enjoy these remaining 26 days in Minnesota and then will be off to Nevada for three weeks for more traffic and commotion, softened by the joy of spending time with son Richard in Henderson and sister Susan in Las Vegas. 

Then, we’ll be on our way back to new and familiar remote locations; quiet countryside, a barren desert, desolate Antarctica, and the exquisite savannahs, plains, and bush in Africa. 

May your day be free of stress!

Photo from one year ago today, June 11, 2016: (Please see paragraph below photo caption)

In Bali, a fisherman on a tiny homemade raft most likely fishing for squid which is caught close to the shore. For more photos, please click here.
P.S. It was two years ago today our ship arrived in Sydney, Australia.  We were both horribly ill with the worse virus of our lives (caught on the ship), each with a fever and feeling dreadful.  We barely remember the three-hour flight from Sydney to Cairns and the excruciating wait at the rental car counter. How we ever managed to find the house in Trinity Beach baffles us to this day.  It took us three more weeks to recover, but we were thrilled to be settled in the lovely holiday home and beach community. None of life is exempt from stress brought on by circumstances that befall us all. Even our usual relatively stress-free life may become stressful from time to time.

Tonight’s is our Minnesota Meet & Greet at 5:00 pm at Grizzly’s in Plymouth, Minnesota…Rundown of a typical busy day…

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Perfect pink orchids.

Before we arrived in Minnesota two weeks ago today, we’d anticipated we’d be visiting a wide array of sightseeing spots in Minnesota when we were with our family members during this extended visit. 

Waterfall incorporated into the landscape.

As it’s turned out, our time together has revolved around the usual activities that family members who live nearby do many things together. How often do you go sightseeing in your town, area or village? Not much, if any.

We’d assumed we’d be taking photos of popular tourist locations, which we’d post online with our many stories to tell. It hasn’t been that way at all. We’ve blended into daily life commensurate with that of most grandparents, driving grandchildren around town, attending ballgames, local events, activities planned at parks and lakes.

Lush-lined walkways and paths.

Sure, we have a few tourist-type events planned on our remaining online Cozi calendar and family organizer, which, no doubt, we’ll share in upcoming posts. But, we’ve hesitated to post photos during the flurry of activity at our family member’s homes and out and about at more specific points of interest.

I’ve often left the camera behind when I’ve had the one-on-one days with the grandchildren preferring that my hands are free to engage with them instead of snapping photos. Plus, we’ve visited many kid-related venues where indeed parents and grandparents don’t want their little loved ones appearing in our images.

Every path was providing visual cotton candy.

Plus, I haven’t wanted to leave the camera in the car while at a movie theatre while I attended  this week’s three “kid” movies, including “Captain Underpants,” “Wonder Woman,” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the Long Haul!”

As a result, although I continue to be mindful of potential photo ops, we’re engrossed and committed to living and loving to the fullest during our six weeks in Minnesota, now with only 28 days remaining until we depart for Nevada.

The appealing restaurant at the gardens.

Speaking of photos ops…tonight is our Minnesota Meet & Greet at Grizzly’s Wood-Fired Grill at 220 Carlson Parkway, Plymouth, MN 55447. If you’ve found you can or cannot attend, please email as soon as possible. 

Space is limited at the restaurant. We’ve had a few cancellations, which we’ve been able to fill in the past 24 hours. But, it’s still not too late to notify us of a spot if you’d like to attend. Typical for most events, we expect a small percentage of “no-shows” and can easily overbook by a few more spots at this last minute. 

Appealing decor and menu. But, we seldom dine off the ship when on tour with concerns about the food would be challenging for my way of eating and the pointless expenditure when the ship’s food meets our requirements and budget.

Update on yesterday…whew!  It was a busy day as follows:

 8:00 am:  Pick up granddaughter Madighan from her home (40 minutes in traffic from the hotel)
 9:00 am:  Return to the hotel for self serve buffet breakfast, which the kids love (30 minutes in traffic)
10:30 am: Drive to Arbor Lakes to shop with Madighan (30 minutes in traffic)
11:30 am: Find the local Chuck E. Cheese so Madighan could play games (She doesn’t like their pizza and wasn’t hungry.  She only drank water while we played games)
12:30 pm:  Drove to a make-your-own frozen yogurt shop in Maple Grove (10 minutes in traffic)
 1:30 pm:  Drove back to Arbor Lakes movie theatre to watch the movie. She was full of frozen yogurt and didn’t want a movie snack or drink. (That was a short drive)
 3:30 pm:  Left the movie theatre, drove to a local craft store to purchase a coloring set for Madighan to stay occupied at Mary’s during the barbecue.  As it turned out, she played with grandson Vincent and great grand nephew David and was never bored for a moment.
 4:00 pm:  Drove to Coon Rapids to pick up two of Tom’s sisters, Patty and Sister Beth, and nephew, Jim. (60 minutes in traffic)
5:00 pm:  Drove to Tom’s sister Mary’s home (10 minutes on city streets) for the weekly barbecue.
8:45 pm:  Returned Patty, Sister Beth, and Jim to Patty’s home (10 minutes on city streets)
9:00 pm:  Madighan and I returned to her home in St. Louis Park (30 minutes in lighter traffic), where I dropped her off, visited with daughter-in-law Camille and grandchildren Maisie and Miles.
9:45 pm:  Returned to the hotel in light traffic (22 minutes)

Time we spent driving: slightly over 4 hours.

Building on the grounds of Butchart Gardens.

As for Tom, his day was equally busy. He’d borrowed one of son Greg’s pickup trucks to get around on our split busy days. He’s not here now for me to ask about the rundown on his day (he’s out with grandson Vincent) but, based on his visit to nephew Tim, lunch with his retired railroad buddies, and later visit brother Jerome in hospital and eventually meeting us at the barbecue at Mary’s, his day included almost as much driving as mine.

We do not doubt that our remaining days in Minnesota will be comparable to those as stated above. This level of activity may be typical for many grandparents who are actively involved in the day-to-day lives of their grandchildren, adult children, and other family members. We commend them for their dedication.

With no signs on this building, we expected this might be a residence for one of the families of this family-owned business.

But, love doesn’t always manifest in the “doing.” For us, once we’re gone again, the love will manifest in our “hearts and minds” for the precious time we spent in the past, in this summer of 2017, and at other times when we’ll visit in the future.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos from the Minnesota Meet & Greet and most likely many stories to tell about those who generously took the time to come and visit with us. We’re humbled and grateful for all of this!

Photo from one year ago today, June 9, 2016:

Each day in Bali, we rescued many grasshoppers who were drowning in the pool. Once we take them out, they dry off for a while in the sun and then fly off.  Some appear dead but often come to life a bit later. For more details in Bali, please click here.

Life in the big city… The people?…We love…The rest?…We can do without…

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This reminded us of Versailles in Paris.

At 8:00 am yesterday, I drove from the hotel to Greg’s house to pick up granddaughter Maisie for her special day. These days with the grandchildren, one-on-one, will continue through the upcoming four-plus weeks until it’s time for us to move along on July 7th.

We love being with our people..family…friends, and even those we don’t know, such as on this upcoming Friday night from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at Grizzly’s Wood-Fired Grill at 220 Carlson Parkway, Plymouth, MN, where we’ll hold our first Meet & Greet for a few dozen of our Minnesota readers. 

The colors are a feast for the eyes.

If you haven’t RSVP’d, please do so now by email (link on the right side of our daily homepage). We’re already fully booked based on the accommodations but may have space for a few more if there are last-minute cancellations.

With the pace with family and friends at “full board,” we’re finding ourselves moving from one scenario to another at lightning speed. We flop into bed late at night and bolt upright early in the morning, ready to take on another busy and enjoyable day.

What a view!

I told Tom this morning it’s not unlike being on a cruise (except that we’re with those we already know and love) when every moment of each day is occupied in pleasurable and meaningful activities. Who’s to complain about being tired when every day is memorable?

The rest? The traffic? The road construction? The long lines? And a sense of urgency in public venues that we haven’t experienced in a long, long time. The easy peasy laid back lifestyle awaits us for another day.

Garden statue.

This is the here and now, and we’re gathering all of our tolerance and patience to live in this hustle and bustle lifestyle while spending these nine weeks, now almost down to seven weeks with four and a half weeks remaining in Minnesota and three weeks upcoming in Nevada.

For Tom, the traffic is his biggest frustration, a factor that he’s especially enjoyed living outside of the US. We rarely encounter traffic in any remote areas in which we’ve lived over these past several years. The pace is slow and uncluttered, the people in less of a hurry to move on to the next thing. 

Unique pond configuration.

However, in our usual manner, we adapt, as I find myself remembering my way around, the shortcuts, the times to shop, and to explore that enable me to avoid stressful situations. I’m holding up well to the pace, better than I ever expected I would. 

This pond garnered a lot of attention at the Butchart Gardens.

Tired?  A little. But, more so, I’m feeling energized by the events stacked up, one after another, each presenting its array of new experiences we haven’t had in so long we can barely remember.

Over these past years, as we’ve watched time flash before our eyes, eluding a sense of anticipation or even boredom, we do not doubt that this time, like all others, will soon pass, leaving us with the memories we’ll always carry in our hearts well into the future.

It was a perfect cool sunny day.

Ah, the present is excellent, the past is exceptional, and the future holds a compilation of who we’ve become in this process, in this life we’ve chosen, far beyond our wildest dreams.

Photo from one year ago today, June 7, 2016:

Most mornings in Bali, we’d see one of the local workers walking on the beach to a nearby temple with a platter of colorful flower offerings. At first, we thought she was bringing food to a neighbor, but when we asked Gede, he explained this ritual. For more details, please click here.

Request for family photos…Grandson’s 5th grade graduation…Dinner at Benihana…

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Grandson Vincent at his 5th-grade graduation from SEA, School of Engineering and Arts.

When Adele and Wally, a lovely couple we met at a hotel in Barcelona before boarding a cruise through the Middle East in 2013, wrote yesterday suggesting we include some family photos during our six weeks in Minnesota, we decided it made sense. In the past week since we arrived, several other readers have written suggesting the same.

Vincent is receiving his graduation certificate.

As they explained, we always share photos of what’s transpiring in this life of world travel, and why would we exclude our family members? I suppose we intend to protect their privacy, so we’ll ask for their permission each time we do.

I’ve always hesitated to share many photos of our six grandchildren when anyone of questionable nature could be browsing for images of young children for unsavory reasons. 

Vincent and his friend Rowan giggling after the graduation during this photo op.

Now that the kids are getting older, I’ve relaxed my fear a little but still hesitate to do so. But today, after an amazing day yesterday, we decided to share some photos of grandson Vincent’s 5th-grade graduation and include photos of the other grandchildren soon.

Our Teppanyaki chef prepared the meals on the grill.

I don’t recall significant graduation ceremonies for anything other than completing high school as having much significance in a child’s life, requiring not much more than congrats from parents, family members, and friends. Seldom was a gift rendered or a party held for the child’s moving on to another grade or school.

Times have changed. Any opportunity to celebrate is a welcome aspect of life for many throughout the world.  That’s all good in our minds. And we looked forward to participating in Vincent’s special day without hesitation.  How fortunate that we are to have been here during this important time for him.

Tracy and Tom all smile.

The celebrations began on Wednesday during a picnic and played day at a local park where the kids frolicked in the grass when a local fire truck sprayed a stream of water into a field, enabling the kids to have fun getting soaked.  It was a good day.

A flaming tower of onion rings.

Yesterday was the actual graduation ceremony for his 80 member 5th-grade class at “SEA,” the School of Engineering and Arts. The gym was packed with enthusiastic and animated parents and grandparents anxious to see their loved ones graduate from this unique and highly acclaimed school.

After the commencement exercises ended, we headed to the lunch hall for cake and beverages. I declined the cake while Tom couldn’t resist a piece of white cake with lots of frosting. 

In order to avoid contamination from vegetable oils (which I don’t eat), my meal was prepared in the kitchen instead of at the table—seasoned well. It was pretty good.

After that party ended, we made our way to Benihana, a popular local Asian Teppanyaki restaurant, for dinner with Tammy, Tracy, Vincent, Tammy’s mom Lynda (Tom’s ex-wife), and Tracy’s mom Lena, where we all had a nice dinner.

Tom and I with Vincent.

Later on, Tom and I headed back to our hotel for a relaxing remainder of the evening to unwind and catch our breath. Again, it was a pleasant day and evening, and we were reeling with gratefulness for the experiences with our family members.

We’ll be back with a few more family photos over the next weeks as we continue to relish every moment spent in Minnesota with our family and friends.

From left to right, he was beginning at the back row. Tracy and Lynda and Lena (Vincent’s two other grandmas), Tom, Tammy, and Vincent. As a graduation gift we gave Vincent a family heirloom chess set including the board on his lap.

Have a beautiful day!

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

Hamburger night in Bali, Tom had homemade burgers with cheese, fries, veggies, coleslaw while I had everything minus the fries. We’ve noticed he coughs from acid reflux at night after eating fries. No fries?  No cough. Humm…what does that tell him? For more photos, please click here.

Memorable dinner with a loyal reader in Vancouver…

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Tom and I with our friend Sheila, a Vancouver reader and resident.

Several weeks ago, we received an email from a loyal reader and Vancouver resident, Sheila, who’d found us long ago due to Tom’s frequent posts on Cruisecritic.com. On many occasions, including the 24-night cruise we just completed, we’ve met many members/passengers who’ve seen Tom’s posts.

We invited Sheila to join us for dinner at our hotel in Vancouver, the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown. She was able to arrive at the Showcase Restaurant by 6:15, arriving by public transportation from work.

We became fast friends with Sheila and hoped to see her again someday.

Seeing her warm, friendly smile and hearty welcome warmed our hearts. Seated at a comfortable booth in the pleasant surroundings was conducive to our spending almost three hours engaged in animated travel chatter.

Sheila, an experienced cruiser/traveler, was rife with her own experiences we found varied and exciting. We giggled when she explained she felt she’d known us for a very long time, having read almost all of our posts over these past years.

This bed and bedding were outrageously comfortable. For the first time in weeks, we had a good night’s sleep.

Over these five years of posting, I’d hadn’t given much thought to how readers may come to know us from reading our posts; our quirks, our views, our foibles, along with the nuances of our nomadic lifestyle. 

She reveled in our openness and vulnerability in sharing such finite details of our daily lives. Still, She insisted she’s much more private about her personal life and would never be able to “spill the beans” as we do daily.  Although, Sheila didn’t hesitate to express how she enjoys our revealing candor.

Functional and comfortable lounge area in our hotel room.

It interested us to hear this perspective, and we paused for a moment that perhaps we may “overshare” at times. But, as we’ve watched our worldwide readership grow, we’ve come to realize that part of which may most appeal to readers throughout the world is that very vulnerability. 

We’re all human and seldom have an original thought, expression, or emotional response. For the same reason, many can’t stop watching reality TV (which is often scripted in parts); they may be curious to follow our posts.  The difference, though, is that nothing  about our lives is “scripted.”

View from our hotel room at the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown.

Every day, we tell it like it is; no exaggerations, no embellishments, and no fluff. As lived by these two senior citizens traveling the world, it’s simply real life because we can because we love it…a story told in a world of words and photos.

By 9:30 pm, we’d taken today’s photos, said goodbye to Sheila with hearty hugs and promises that, if and when we ever return to Vancouver, we’ll surely get together again. It was a memorable evening. Dinner wasn’t too bad either!

Thank you, Sheila, for taking the time and effort to come to see us, to share your thoughts, your vast travel stories, your warm demeanor, and your kindness. You’ll always hold a special place in our hearts.

May all of our readers find themselves in the company of someone as delightful as Sheila!

Photo from one year ago today, May 16, 2016:

This appeared to be a Balinese boat, called Madurai, one of many designs that we spotted in the fishing harbor in Negara, which is quite a sight to see. For more beautifully decorated boats in the harbor, please click here.

Making new friends..A couple, like us, traveling the world…

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Sue and Scott, our new world travel friends from the US with whom we spent the evening.

We’re not so unique when traveling among passengers on cruise ships. Many passengers are enthusiastic world travelers with many more years of experience and often having visited more countries than we have to date.

Sure, most have homes and a lifestyle that includes trips to Home Depot-type stores on weekends, planting gardens, mowing the lawn, and a wide variety of household tasks we forfeited years ago.

The lighting was poor for photos of the tango dancers at the party.

Many have the day-to-day interaction with friends and family that they may see in person regularly, whereby our interactions with family are conducted online through Skype calls and face time.

As we continue to cruise and travel this vast Earth, we find ourselves building many relationships that may prove to last throughout the remainder of our lives with fine people we stumble across along the way, many on cruise ships such as this most recent experience.

There was a show for Crown and Anchor members in the ice skating arena last night.

The speed with which these relationships grow is astounding. Still, when the interactions may almost be daily, it’s not difficult to escalate into a deep relationship in a relatively short period of time, such as the day/weeks spent cruising together, spent in idle hours of conversation and activities.

Such was the case last night, and over these past three weeks, we’ve spent sailing on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas since April 22nd, soon to end in four days on May 15th. We’ve made as many new friends as the time allows when we’re not watching a movie or hanging out for short periods in our cabin.

Last night’s dinner table included Sue and Scott’s friends John, Susan, and their son Jonathan,

Whether we’re in one of the several bars, the main dining room, or preparing a post in the Diamond Club, there’s always an opportunity to make new friends if one so chooses. And, we so choose when the situation is right.

Several days ago, while waiting in a lengthy immigration queue in Salon B, the ice arena, we met a lovely couple Susan and Scott, who, like us, are traveling the world. We couldn’t wait to have an opportunity to hear their story and share mutual experiences and details of how and why they, too, travel the world and have been doing so for the past 13 months.

Tom in the Tavern bar waiting with me to see Sue and Scott.

Susan and Scott also sold their home and downsized their lives considerably. Although they have storage with a plan to own another home somewhere down the road, they’re always on the move to explore new lands during this period of time.

Years ago, Scott survived a horrifying bout with cancer changing their perspective on how they wanted to enjoy retirement down the road.  Now, both having retired, they’re free as birds to fulfill a lifelong dream of traveling the world. 

Tom and his two Diamond Club bar buddies.

With a decades-long plan in place, they’ve been able to “step outside the box” of traditional life in the USA and, like us, pursue this seeming adventurous life of world travel and exploration. They’ve done it well over these past 13 months and plan to continue until they’re ready to settle down once again. 

Last night, we met Susan and Scott in the Tavern Pub for happy hour, later attending a Crown and Anchor Welcome Back party at the ice rink and finally meeting three friends they’d made at dinner over these past many nights aboard the ship, another Susan, husband John and adult son Jonathan. 

Last night’s photo of friends Ray, Terry, Ulla, and Julie when I walked past them on the Promenade deck on my way to meet Tom and new friends Susan and Scott.

The seven of us met for dinner at the Sapphire Dining Room for an 8:30 pm dinner reservation. Seated at a round table, the conversation flowed with an intoxicating level of enthusiasm, myriad questions regarding ours and  Susan and Scott’s lifestyle of “living in the world” and general chit chat. It couldn’t have been more fun.

The highlight of the evening heard about Susan and Scott’s worldwide adventures. Although, unlike us, staying in countries for extended periods of time, they may stay as little as one to three days, seldom staying more than one week.

At the beginning of our planning, we decided against short stays of less than a few weeks, when we felt we’d become tired of constant travel days. That’s worked for us. For them, it’s been enriching, although they’re now expressing interest in staying for longer periods.

Captain Rick and other staff presentation to top Pinnacle Club members (pictured center), the top tier in the Crown & Anchor Society, requiring considerable cruises over many years of sailing to acquire.

We shared various tidbits of information between us, including; tours in Africa, international health insurance, VPN benefits, etc.  The conversation couldn’t have been more enjoyable with this delightful couple with whom we have no doubt; we’ll stay in touch as we continue after this cruise ends.

Yesterday, we met two women who’d sadly lost their husbands at breakfast, now traveling together. As it turned out, they’ll be sailing with us on May 17th on the Celebrity Solstice nine-night cruise to Alaska. We look forward to seeing Diann and Helen (another Helen) on this upcoming cruise.

Tonight, most likely, we’ll share the evening with friends Ulla, Ray, Julie, and Terry, with whom we’ve spent many evenings, always having a fabulous time. Tomorrow night, we’ll spend the evening with new friends Alice and Nate, another world-travel-experienced couple much younger than us. Here again, we love sharing the mutual stories of our adventures.

This towel monkey made by our cabin steward Mira (the best cabin steward we’ve had to date) was on display when we returned to our cabin last night.

Whew!  It’s been fun. With only four days remaining until we disembark the ship to head to Vancouver, British Columbia, where we’ll stay for two nights, we’re soaking up every moment relishing in the companionship of interesting and entertaining people.

May your day bring you face to face with interesting and entertaining people…just like YOU.

Photo from one year ago today, May 11, 2016:

Me in the pool waving at Tom when he insisted on a photo. We spent lots of time in the pool in Bali, especially on days like that, hot, humid, and with many flies after the previous night’s heavy rain. For a similar photo of Tom, please click here.

Wonderful night with friends…Fabulous restaurant…One day and counting…

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Christine, Tom, and I huddled together for a photo.

When Bob dropped us off in Manly, parking in a local ramp, we walked out to the Corso outdoor mall. We had a bit of shopping in mind. We parted ways with Bob while Tom and I headed to the pharmacy for a few last-minute toiletries.

I was on a mission to purchase a suitable black skirt. Since I don’t own a single dress and recently tossed my raggedy worn black skirt, I was determined to find something a little dressy that I could wear on the many formal nights on both upcoming cruises.

Tom with Christine and Colin, the fabulous friends we met on the last cruise.  We were thrilled to see them again.

Although I don’t own any dressy “tops,” a dressy skirt could help me feel slightly more appropriate on formal nights. Once we got everything we needed at the pharmacy, we wandered along the lengthy boulevard in the Corso while I visited a few women’s shops.

Prices are high on clothing, shoes, and many items in Australia. As I perused a few things, I winced over how expensive everything was but remained determined to find what I wanted. 

Finally, at the popular Sussan store, I found the perfect skirt but again cringed over the price of AU 89.95, but when converting it to US dollars at $67.70 (tax included), it didn’t seem so bad after all. So I handed over my credit card and made the purchase.

As a big slab of bacon oozed out of Colin’s burger, he couldn’t resist taking a photo.

Then, of course, in typical enthusiastic shopper style, I longed for an appropriate pair of shoes that would work well with the knee-length “pencil” skirt. Stopping at a few shoe stores as we continued the walk on the Corso, my mission appeared hopeless. 

There was no time to go to a mall. My only hope was to wait until our ship docks at a port of call on the upcoming cruise, maybe in Hawaii on May 9th. In the interim, I’ll live with what I have on hand, one pair of high wedge sandals I purchased in Hawaii in 2015, the last pair of shoes I’d bought (except for one pair of Keds white leather slip-on shoes I seem to wear more often than not). 

Tom and Colin ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

Once we approached the Manly Wharf, we found a comfortable place to wait until Christine and Colin’s ferry arrived from Circular Quay in Sydney. Based on the schedule and our early arrival, we had a 30-minute wait.

Both the people and bird watching entertained us sufficiently for the time to pass quickly, and before we knew it, we spotted Christine and Colin searching for us by the entrance to the Wharf.

 Hugging affectionately, we were all happy to see one another. We’d said our goodbyes the day the ship disembarked in Sydney on March 13th. At that time, we were preoccupied as we were faced with dreadful concerns about our “illegal immigration” status after we’d received a worrisome call from the Australian Department of Immigration while aboard the ship.

Tom, Christine, and Colin enjoyed their burgers.  Christine had ordered a similar burger with Halloumi cheese.

We walked across the road to the Italian restaurant Crinitis where we spent the next almost four hours engaged in lively conversation, laughter, and memorable good times. None of us ordered wine or cocktails. Instead, I drank mineral water while the three of them ordered sodas.

We shared the story of our immigration issues with Christine and Colin, who were shocked by our peculiar experience. After all these years of travel, none of us had ever experienced such a scenario and hopefully never will again in the future.

The grilled Barramundi and vegetables sauteed in olive oil and butter were delicious. A red pepper, aka capsicum in Australia, was particularly delightful.

The time passed so quickly. We were all surprised when we finally realized how late it was getting. With limited bus service for bus and ferry service, we decided to say goodbye and head back to our respective “homes.”

It was a beautiful day in Manly.  We arrived at 2 pm and were scheduled to meet Christine and Colin around 3:45 pm.

Our bus arrived nine minutes after we approached the stop, and minutes later, we arrive at our rental and embarked on the steep path to the house. With his usual thoughtfulness, Bob had turned on all the lights for us. 

In no time at all, we were hunkered down on the sofa in time to watch yet another fantastic David Attenborough wildlife story. It was impossible to wipe the smiles off our faces over the enjoyable evening of good friends and good food. But, of course, watching wildlife in Africa didn’t hurt either. Hmm…

This swing activity for kids looked fun with an attendant on site who strapped the kids into a harness.

This morning, we did a little more packing comfortable that we’ll be set to go by noon tomorrow when our taxi arrives. So instead of preparing tomorrow’s post today, which I usually do on the final day, I’ll have plenty of time to do it in the morning. Easy peasy. Life is good.

May life also be good for YOU!

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

One year ago, Tom’s dinner aboard the ship including tender steak, broccoli, and fried potatoes. In addition, he ordered a starter and a dessert. For more details, please click here.

How did we get so lucky?…People and wildlife…Our favorites…Eight days and counting…

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A pier in Manly, busy with beach-goers and diners.

When we received an email message from Christine and Colin, whom we met on the last cruise at the two parties we attended in the two Penthouse Suites, we couldn’t have been more thrilled.

Undoubtedly, Magpies are scavengers, but like all creatures in nature, they have a purpose. This one now visits with a spouse and chick who is the noisiest bird in the neighborhood. We feed them bits of raw meat. Although not adorable like the Kookaburras, we welcome their visits as well.

Their warm and friendly demeanor was hard to resist, and we discussed the possibility of getting together sometime during the 40 days we’d be in Sydney, now coming to a quick end.

With other travels behind them, they contacted us promptly to arrange a date we’ll all meet for dinner. With the suggestion that they’ll take the ferry to Manly and meet us at the Corso next Thursday, we were delighted. 

The Manly Yacht Club building.

At that point, we’ll be busy packing for the upcoming cruise on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas departing from the Port of Sydney a mere two days later. 

As we discussed our enthusiasm to see Christine and Colin once again, we giggled over the fact that people and animals bring us the greatest moments in our world travels.

Boats moored near the Manly Wharf.

Here in Fairlight, we’ve had a good dose of wildlife “hanging out” with our local favorites birds, kookaburras, and magpies who come to visit almost every day, putting big smiles on our faces. 

No, the “wildlife fix” is not as satisfying as it will be when in 10 months, we’ll return to Africa, but we’re finding birds can bring that blissful rush of emotion that we’ve cultivated over these past few years.

Boat launch area.

There’s no doubt the experiences we gained with the Albatross and Red Cardinal “Birdie” in Kauai were both highly instrumental in our interest in our aviary friends. 

Swings by the bay.

Even Kauai’s zillions of feral chickens brought us laughter and enjoyment when they were literally everywhere to be found. When we parked at the lot at the market, hundreds of feral chickens were wandering about; hens, chicks, and roosters. It was quite a sight, one we’ll never forget.

But, along with the chickens in Kauai, we were also reminded of all the friends we made on the Hawaiian Islands’ loveliest (in our humble opinion). Yesterday, we received another email from Louise and Steve, whom we originally met at a Full Moon party at their home.

The Corso, early in the day before the crowds appear.

Staying in touch since we left Kauai in May 2015, we hope to return someday to see Louise and Steve and all the wonderful friends we made and, of course, the Albatross and even the masses of feral chickens. 

Many restaurants line the foreshore.

It’s difficult to compare the joys of engaging with humans as opposed to animals. But, for us, in each case, either provide us with a great sense of joy, wonder, and fulfillment. 

Sure, we like to see historic structures, a towering mountain range, a flowing river, or an expansive sea view. Unfortunately, these are often what most tourists seek to fulfill their expectations of a holiday/vacation.

Condos and apartments with views of the bay across the street.

But, our lives are a perpetual holiday/vacation, and it’s within that framework that we’ve discovered that which provides us with the most meaning and memories…people and animals.  Bring it on…more of each is on the horizon!

Photo from one year ago today, April 14, 2016:

This photo, taken through the glass in the kitchen window in New Zealand, was the first of many times she peered inside watching me prepare dinner. We laughed each time we saw her there, loving every moment.  For more favorite NZ photos as we approached the three-month stay coming to an end, please click here.

Ten days and counting…Phones…contemplating technology for the USA…A kindly and thoughtful expression…

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We loved this area of the Manly Scenic Walk.

This morning, we created our grocery list for meals for the remaining days until we depart on April 22nd. Unfortunately, I’d uploaded a suitable grocery app on my Android phone when I could not find the same apps I’d used in years past.

Pelican in North Harbour Reef Bay.

After the new phone arrived in the “missing” box a week ago, I’ve spent considerable time setting up apps I like to use. My last phone was a Windows device which overall I prefer over Android. 

When I ordered the new unlocked phone online, I was willing to sacrifice Windows over Android when prices for purchasing an unlocked phone were high, primarily when they’re not associated with a service contract. 
Exciting trees and vegetation line the walkway to the park.
Having paid around AU 173, US $130 for the unlocked smartphone with options for two SIM cards and suitable storage for my needs without a contract, I didn’t complain.
When it first arrived, and I began loading my “stuff,” I was concerned I’d be dissatisfied with the operating system. Now a week later, with all my preferred apps loaded, I’m pretty content. I’m one of those geeky types that obsess over learning every aspect of a device by monkeying with it for days.
The playground at the park is often busy.

The only part I’ve yet to learn is making phone calls. Ha! That’s ironic…we have phones and don’t make calls.  However, once we arrive in Minnesota on May 25th, one of the first things we’ll do is purchase US SIM cards for each of our phones to be in touch with family and each other as we plan activities with family members and friends. That’s a must!

Boats are moored throughout the inlets of North Harbour Reef Bay.
Tom’s new laptop is set up, and he’s learning the nuances of Windows 10 over the previous Windows 8.1.  The differences are many, but he’s figuring it all out. I’m impressed by how little he’s asked for assistance over this past week. Perhaps, he’s becoming computer savvy after all this time.
Kookaburras are found everywhere. 
Yesterday, we paid the balance for the hotel in Minnesota, AU 4,818.60, US $3,615.88, after we’d already paid a 25% deposit almost a year ago. So the total for the six weeks is AU 6,424.25, US $4,820.76, not bad for a lovely hotel in a convenient and safe area that includes two pools, free WiFi, daily breakfast, and a free shuttle to specific regions.

It’s hard to believe how quickly the time has flown since we began planning the family visits to Minnesota and Nevada. We’ll arrive in Minnesota in 43 days and Nevada in 87 days.
The lush green lawn in the park.
In the interim, we’re continuing to thoroughly enjoy our time in this beautiful area, greatly enhanced by our kindly and thoughtful landlord Bob. He wrote an email to us in the past few days, which we’ve posted below.
Homes, apartments, and condos are tightly packed into hillsides to take advantage of exquisite views.
It appears that most of our readers prefer to avoid using the sign-up feature on our web page to receive a daily email containing each day’s posts (no spam, no solicitation, no ads of any type when signing up). 
All public areas we’ve visited in Australia are meticulously maintained.
As was the case with Bob when he started to post a comment at the end of a post but found he preferred to write directly to us, although we see him in person several times a day.

Please feel free to email us directly if you’d prefer not to post a comment on the site. If we post your email message in a future post, we’ll ask your permission before we do so and exclude your email address and name (if you’d prefer). However, posting a comment is easy.  We love hearing from our readers!

Locals take advantage of the sunny day.
Bob wrote the following, which he was happy to share here today:
“I am overwhelmed by your excellent website as you travel all over the world to the most fantastic destinations that most of us only dream about visiting.

The daily updates on where you are presently residing, and the exciting photos give us readers an insight into places that we can only dream of visiting one day.
Reading back over your daily blog since you first started your worldwide journey inspires us to see the place you have already visited from a much bigger perspective.

As you travel the world, may you continue to keep all those who loyally follow you informed of where you are, and may good health be your companion along the way?

Kindest regards

Bob Reed – Fairlight NSW Australia”
An exciting plant we found at the park.  Last time we saw one of these was in Kenya in 2013.
Thank you, Bob…for your kind words, for all your diligent attention in ensuring we have an exceptional experience in your property, your charming town, and the many beautiful areas of Fairlight, Manly, and Sydney.  

No doubt, it’s been more memorable than we ever expected based on the generosity and love you’ve shared with us every day. We’ll certainly miss you!

Happy day to all!
Photo from one year ago today, April 12, 2016:
Ah, bull in the road. We stayed in the car while I took the photo through the windshield. For more photos, please click here.