Too wonderful for words…This five star hotel in Hanoi is over the top!…

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This clawfoot tub is just what I needed for soaking. The master bath is huge with double sinks, a private water closet and, a glass-enclosed shower.  Every possible lotion, potion, and amenity are provided.

First off, the flight on the jumbo jet on Singapore Airlines was superb. The seats were roomy, the bathroom was the biggest we’ve ever seen on a plane, the service was impeccable and the three-plus hours flew by (no pun intended).

With a lengthy slow-moving line at immigration the wait exceeded an hour, the longest we’ve experienced when checking in at a new country. By the time we made it to the baggage claim, our bags were waiting.

The king-sized bed in our Club Metropole is unbelievably comfortable with superb bedding. We both slept well.

By 2:00 pm we were checked in to Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, an absolutely exquisite hotel, built in 1901, as described on their website:

“Step back into history at Hanoï’s most storied 5-star hotel. A Grand Dame of Southeast Asia Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoï welcomes guests to experience her colonial grandeur and timeless elegance. Located steps from the Opera House in Hanoï’s French Quarter this legendary property brings guests into intimate contact with the opulence of another era.

Surround yourself in heritage as you stroll stately corridors and explore a dramatic past. Behind its classical white façade green shutters, original wrought iron details and stately wood paneling reside over a century of stories. Stand on the walkways that grace its lush courtyard lawn and immerse yourself in the hotel’s rich traditions.”

The desk soon became cluttered with our digital equipment.

Once we checked in, a beautiful young concierge escorted us on a tour of the hotel, ending at our prepaid booked room, a very lovely well-appointed king room. 

My biggest concern during checking in was that our room would have a bathtub. Soaking several times a day has greatly helped my painful situation during this past week in Singapore where we finally had a bathtub. 

It was good to confirm our travel scale is accurate with this included scale. The towels are thick and fluffy unlike any we had in a long time.

I was hoping to continue with several hot baths a day, which would be helpful in ensuring we’d be able to handle the upcoming tours beginning on Saturday, July 9th. I’m improving each day, quicker now than over the past several weeks. 

Once we saw our booked room, the concierge suggested an upgrade to the VIP penthouse level for the additional US $120, VDN (Vietnamese Dong) 2,676,780 per night. 

Not only are these two his and her robe included, but there are two additional silk robes in the closet.

By doing so, there are many extras including breakfast in three possible restaurants, high tea, and dinner in the VIP lounge each night, a buffet as well as tableside servings with offerings from the hotel’s other two restaurants. The meals and drinks alone, more than paid for the upgrade.

Also included is butler service with a pillow menu, free cocktails between 5:30 and 7:30 each night, complimentary all-day beverage service, including coffee, tea, mineral water, and snacks.

Tea and coffee service in the room, a nice touch.

Of course, this included an upgraded room on the VIP Club Metropole, the key-card-access-only seventh level.  In most cases to conserve expenses, we avoid “up-selling.” However, in this case, we decided a little luxury would certainly be befitting my continuing recovery.

Also, from reading menus from local restaurants, this five-star hotel is more suited to accommodate my way of eating. As a matter of fact, a huge number of the offerings are easily suitable for me; sashimi (raw fish) and other cooked meats, stir-fried and steamed vegetables, cheeses, and raw nuts. We’d never be able to find such options in any of the local eateries. 

The TV has premium movie channels and a number of English speaking channels including my favorite, Nat Geo. However, in an attempt to stop laying down to improve my recovery, we’ve spent little time in the room.  As we prepare this post, we’re seated in the Club Lounge.

The Club Metropole upgraded room immediately sold us its many amenities and we opted for the increased cost.  Over five nights the added cost would be US $600, VDN 13,383,900. We’d already paid the basic rate for the hotel a long time ago making this extra not seem as much. 

Last night while we languished over great food and drinks in the Club Metropole Lounge, I said to Tom, “Thanks, Honey, a little luxury is nice once in a while. I appreciate this.”

Another lounge area in the hotel.

He laughed and said, “It’s not as if we deserve it, Sweetie  Look where we’ve been over these past 44 months!” I laughed and agreed.

Sometimes, it all just works out and this was one of those occasions for which we’re very humbled and grateful. Once we’re done posting today, we’ll head out for a short walk to get me moving a little more to prepare for the upcoming action-packed days.

Have a beautiful day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 6, 2015:

One year ago today we posted this photo of the upcoming private house in Phuket, Thailand. We’ll be moving in another 16 days. Wow!  For more details, please click here.

We’re at the Changi Airport in Singapore…

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As a renowned international business center there are many high rise office buildings.

I was apprehensive about the long walk to our gate. Based on my Fitbit it was almost a mile long. I made it ok, albeit rather slowly, while Tom maintained the slow pace with me. Each day, I’m a little better.

Singapore has a wide array of interesting buildings, both old and new.

Since we’d paid our hotel bill yesterday, checking out of the hotel was quick and easy, with the taxi van driver grabbing our bags. He talked all the way to the airport explaining laws in Singapore that its citizens are pleased to obey and have in place. His accent was thick and hard to understand so we only picked up bits and pieces.

Once we arrived we checked the three bags, only having to pay SGD 32, US $23.75. We couldn’t complain about that. We’d purchased a number of necessary vitamins and toiletries in Singapore that may have been hard to find in Vietnam or Cambodia surely adding to the weight. It’s the way it is.

The old and the newer.

We never went out for dinner last night after we decided I needed to rest. We ate the balance of the cheese and nuts, never giving it another thought. There’s a complimentary meal on the plane but most likely Tom will eat both of ours. 

The airlines can’t ever accommodate my multitude of restrictions. It’s either gluten free with lots of starches and sugars or sugar free with lots of fruit and carbs. No matter. I won’t have any trouble waiting until dinner in Hanoi tonight, hopefully somewhere close to the hotel.

Street after street with shops.

We’d planned to do some sightseeing on the first three days in Hanoi before the beginning of the cruise tour. Most likely, more rest and light walking will be all I’ll be able to manage in an effort to prepare for the intense walking and activity ahead of us when the tour begins. We both accept this reality. Wherever we may be when injury or illness strikes, we’d be missing out on something.

This reminded me of New Orleans.

Just wanted to post this short post to say hello to all of our loyal and thoughtful readers who continue to write with warm wishes for improvement. Depending on the time we arrive and get situated, this may be today’s only post.

For all of our family, friends/readers in the US, have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July and we’ll be looking for your fireworks videos on Facebook. We’ll be back soon! 


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

Viking Mekong Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review | CruiseMapper

The Viking Mekong. For more, please click here.

Working out the physical kinks from excess lounging…

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Two fresh-caught tuna for last night’s and tonight’s meals. Total cost for two fish? The only US, $5.65, IDR 75,000.  We pay the actual cost for food and tip the staff at the end of our stay in appreciation for their excellent service.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

These two women were walking on the beach carry dried vines on their heads. The one in front appeared more adept at balancing while the other kept reaching up to balance the load.

It was 8 am Tuesday when I began today’s post. The two Ketuts had just arrived to clean the villa while Ribud was busy working on the pool and yard. They each wear uniforms that read, “Beach House West Bali.” They always appear fresh, bright-eyed, and ready for the day.

This morning while we languished in bed a little later than usual in air-conditioned comfort, we had Tom’s perfectly prepared coffee. I spilled mine on the bed, later apologizing to the girls for the extra work to change the sheets. They were gracious as always.

The front entrance to another villa a few doors down the narrow road.

It’s cloudy today. We don’t mind at all. If it rains we’ll head indoors until it stops. This island has the best weather we’ve had living on any tropical island in our travels. It rains for short periods once or twice a week, often overnight.

The moment the raindrops begin to fall Ribud suddenly appears to bring in all the chaise cushions, chaise covers, and beach towels. No matter how fast Tom attempts to do this small task Ribud is quicker to take over. We don’t have to do a thing.

Tom had taken an extraordinary photo of Praying Mantis on the edge of the infinity pool.  This is my rendition of his reflection in the water.

Since our arrival, I’ve been sitting too much with all this wonderful household help doing everything for us, which isn’t favorable for my delicate spine. Days ago, feeling stiff and uncomfortable I started walking around the villa for 300 steps (using my FitBit) every 30 minutes during daylight hours. 

By the end of the day, I’ve been accumulating 6000 steps according to the Fitbit in addition to any steps we accumulate when walking on the beach or in the neighborhood. Also, after spending 40 minutes working out in the pool, I’m finally beginning to feel stronger and more fit. 

We have lots of walking ahead of us on the upcoming Mekong River cruise which begins on July 8th. Considerable time will be spent cruising on the river with the rest on tours to see the sites along the way. Sitting around for two months hadn’t prepared me for this amount of walking each day.

A section of the wall consists of this bamboo décor.

Sure, my restrictive diet has been highly instrumental in reducing pain from inflammation but the reality remains…my spine is comparable to a thin reed, ready to collapse at any moment. When we’ve been active I can walk fairly long distances but recently, I’ve been concerned.

This daily lounging had left me feeling relaxed but also concerned over my ability to “keep up” with the others on this relatively active upcoming cruise. In the past several days after instituting this “must-do” walking around the villa every 30 minutes, I’m hopeful I’ll be able to keep up.

Once we arrive in Singapore we’ll be walking every day, although with the three visas we’ll need to get at the three embassies, we’ll be riding in taxis as well. The embassies are too far from our hotel to reach on foot. But, we’ll walk to restaurants for dinner and be out each day to see the sites, taking a taxi or public transportation only as needed.

Decorative wall as we walk along the road to the villas.

When we arrived in Singapore on April 30th, we met a fabulous taxi driver whose card we’ve kept. We’ll contact him soon to pick us up at the airport and continue with him as needed.

We’ll leave the villa in 13 days to spend one night in Denpasar after the four-hour harrowing drive. The next day to fly to Singapore at 2:15 pm on a relatively short 2 hour, 45 minutes flight.

The only tasks we do for ourselves here in the villa in Bali are to make coffee, refill the ice cube trays, pour iced tea throughout the day, and put together our nightly cheese plates. 

Beautifully maintained gardens line the wall along the road.

We don’t ask the staff to “wait” on us. As far as we’re concerned they do enough cleaning the villa and grounds, preparing our dinner and doing the dishes. How much easier could it be?

On July 22nd, we’ll arrive at the villa in Phuket. With only a weekly cleaner, we’ll be on our own to cook, clean, make the bed and wash dishes. Neither of us minds the prospect of taking care of ourselves again, but it certainly has been pleasurable to have others doing it for us.

We hope you have an easy day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 14, 2015:

As much as we’d have liked to leave these doors open in the Trinity Beach property, the flies and mosquitos were outrageous. Over this past year, we’ve become much more tolerant of the flies to the point that we may have been able to leave doors open in past locations. However, the flies in Australia are biting flies which makes all the difference.  For more photos of the house, please click here.

So much is on the horizon…Perusing culture on a walk in the neighborhood…All new photos…

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We spotted this friendly neighbor (no English) making bowls as shown in her hands that are used for offerings at the Hindu temples.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

This flat-bottomed fishing boat wafted by a few mornings ago.

OK, I’ll stop whining, or “whinging” as the British and Aussies say in this slang expression, about the wifi problems in Bali. Although no rep has been here to make repairs yet we were able to manage a weak enough signal last night to download today’s photos which took a few hours. The result? A workaround for now. 

I’ll shut up about it. If you don’t see a post at any time over the next 19 days, you’ll know why…no signal at all. We looked up the worst wifi locations in the world and Indonesia was #4. Now we get it. 

Each time we walk by her home, a few blocks from the villa, we find her working.

With few remaining suitable tourist venues for us to explore, we’ve decided to save these for our next period in Bali beginning in September. For now, most likely we’ll stay put other than embark on a few short road trips during these remaining 19 days. 

This is a temple in the neighborhood where locals congregate for prayer and meditation. 

We have plenty to do in the interim, especially if the WiFi comes back stronger (oops, sorry) after the supposed upcoming repairs. We have several future bookings to arrange which we’d planned to tackle while here, poolside in the shade of the cabana. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do as many as we’d hoped on the outstanding “to do” list.

One year from now we’ll be arriving in Minneapolis, give or take a few days. We’re hoping to rent an RV in Seattle, returning it in Las Vegas with approximately a five or six-week stay in Minneapolis in between. Once we arrive in Nevada, we’ll return the RV, rent a car and stay with son Richard in Henderson. 

Low tide from the second story of the villa.

With our US arrival less than a year away, we need to book one of these vehicles soon when many RV rentals are snapped up well in advance for the busy summer months in the US. 

An extended one-way rental contract requires a phone call to make the arrangements. We haven’t been able to remain on a Skype phone call long enough to make the arrangements. We’re hoping for a better scenario at one of our next locations to wrap this up before we head back to Bali.

Abandoned old barns and buildings may be tucked away behind vegetation.

Over the next few months beginning on June 28th we’ll be busy with many flights and experiences taking us to a multitude of locations in Southeast Asia, part of which is included in the Mekong River Cruise: 

1.  Fly to Singapore – stay 7 nights in a hotel (apply for three visas at various embassies)
2.  Fly to Hanoi – stay 5 nights in a hotel (cruise/tour starts on the 3rd day)
3.  Fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia – stay 3 nights in a hotel (part of cruise/tour)
4.  Mekong River Cruising to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – 7 nights on the riverboat until cruise ends
5.  Ho Chi Minh City – stay 2 nights in a hotel
6.  Fly to Phuket, Thailand – stay 41 nights in a vacation rental
7.  Fly from Phuket, Thailand back to Bali, Indonesia for another 59 nights beginning September 1st.

Most Hindu homes have an elaborate family temple on site.

Whew!  This all transpires over a period of 124 days. This may be one of the busier travel periods in a short duration we’ve experienced to date. Although, as I write this while discussing it with Tom, he easily rattles off an earlier busier period in 2013 when we were on six cruises over a 69 day period including only one flight from Dubai to Barcelona. 

When we look back at our past posts which we do almost daily, not only as we’re posting but, also for our personal enjoyment, we can’t believe what we’ve done so far. How did this happen?  How did we do this?

We enjoy walks in the neighborhood although early mornings are best before it gets too hot.

We’re undoubtedly mindful of possibly boring our readers with our lazy days by the sea and/or pool but we need only look back at where we’ve been, what we’ve seen, and what we’re yet to see in the future. Hang on, folks, the adventure continues…


Photo from one year ago today, June 8, 2015:

A year ago today our ship docked in Suva, Fiji. The Fiji Police Band played on the pier as a welcome to the ship. The band was undercover due to the pouring rain. We didn’t get off the ship when we had an upcoming one-month booking in Pacific Harbor, Fiji, later visiting Suva on a few occasions. For more details, please click here.

Tom’s amazing photo for “Sightings on the Beach in Bali”…Impressive macro skills!…Small things…

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This is a common site on the road, a motorbike loaded with vegetation for the local’s cows and buffalo, which they harvest at no cost from the forests including designated locations in the national parks.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

This praying mantis actually looked at Tom while he took this photo. Good shot, Honey!  He was as big as the palm of my hand.

When life is so simple that we spent the better part of a day watching and taking photos of the interaction between a female and a male praying mantis positioned on the infinity edge of the pool, we know we’re in paradise.

As I spent my usual 35 minutes exercising in the pool, it was hard not to notice the two good-sized creatures seeming to be keeping an eye on one another over a period of hours, long after we got out of the pool and our short stints in the sun to take cover under the cabana.

The vegetation in Bali is breathtaking staying lush and green with fairly consistent short bursts of rain. We haven’t experienced one entirely cloudy day in over a month.

As they waded in the water on the stone edge of the infinity pool I made my way as close as possible. The larger of the two which I assumed was the male, seemed to look me in the eyes, totally unafraid of this huge being in his presence. 

While in the pool I asked Tom to get the camera and take a photo of the praying mantis from the ocean side of the pool, never expecting it would come out so well.  When he got this great shot, I couldn’t stop smiling.  h, nature. Even in its most primitive form of insects, there’s magic to behold.

It’s common to see these archways upon leaving a town or village. Selamat jalan means “have a good journey” in Indonesian.

In my old life, if I’d seen anything crawling, walking, or flying in my close proximity, I’d have screamed and run for cover. Now, in this life, I can’t grab the camera quickly enough to take a photo, whether it’s an ugly scorpion as shown in this photo I took in the bathroom or a butterfly we attempt to capture near the blooming flowers.

This scorpion was in the master bath, very close to the hanging bath towels. Since that time, we have been shaking out our towels and clothing before use.

No, we’ll never have the skills of a professional photographer using the relatively inexpensive lightweight cameras we replace every 18 months or less due to humid conditions. But, taking photos nonetheless provides us with some pretty wonderful memories we delight in sharing with our readers.

Yesterday morning when Gede stopped at a few choice spots on the trip to Negara. In this short period since our arrival, he’s come to understands how much we love taking photos of the simple aspects of life in Bali as opposed to the typical tourist locations.

On yesterday’s trip to Negara, Gede stopped so I could take this photos of workers planted rice for the new season.

Of course, we’re far from many of the typical tourist locations which for us isn’t disappointing. We still have hundreds of photos we’ve yet to share as we continue to explore a few times a week whether on a road trip or a walk in the neighborhood, both of which are equally interesting.

Yesterday as planned, we completed the paperwork for one more of our required embassy visits while in Singapore, the 60-day extension for our second trip to Bali beginning on September 1st.  As required by the Indonesian immigration department, we must provide proof of our flights both in and out of the country during that period.

The rice paddies are meticulously designed for perfect crops.

After completion of the necessary applications and printing them on the villa’s printer, we got to work on the flights we’d yet to book. September may seem like a long time from now but time flies quickly this needed to get accomplished before we depart at the end of this month.

Finding good flight times is always tricky when neither of us likes flying in the middle of the night. We don’t sleep well on a flight making the following day challenging while we’re in a state of sheer
exhaustion. 

Note the scarecrow in another area where the workers were planting rice for the new season.

As we’ve aged staying up all night isn’t as easy as it used to be in our youth.  On several occasions, we’ve traveled overnight which after one good night’s sleep we return to feeling well and energized.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the details of our required early departures, losing a few days of prepaid rent in order to accommodate our itinerary. We don’t expect or ask property owners to credit us for a day or two early departure (or late arrival). This isn’t always a scenario we can easily anticipate a year or two in advance when booking vacation rentals and flights much later.

Calamari and prawns over a bed of stir-fried vegetables, a wonderful meal made by the two cooks that we both enjoy.

Today, we’ll prepare yet another batch of “paperwork” for the third of our four required visa
applications. We can’t wait to be done with this stuff to be able to go back to our previous level of
mindless drivel as we continue to search our surroundings for more “small things” photo ops.

May your day present you with “small things” you find interesting.

Photo from one year ago today, June 3, 2015:

The waterfall in a park in Tahiti we visited with our friends, a popular tourist attraction. For more Tahiti photos, please click here.

The 12 hour trip from the ship to Bali…

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Had we not been traveling the highway as such a clip, we’d have been able to take dozens of photos such as this, of famous Balinese gods, kings and queens.

There remains a sense of awe and wonder for this life we live. After our taxi whizzed through Singapore’s 7 km tunnel under a part of the city and the sea, we couldn’t help feeling charmed by the crisp cleanliness and beauty of the hot humid climate creating an exquisite environment in full bloom.

There are more motorcycles on the roads in Bail than anywhere else in the world.

We’ll return to Singapore for a week in a mere 59 days in a hotel booked and paid with our only upcoming expenses meals and transportation. In the interim, we look forward to life in Bali.

These types of stone statues are frequently included in new construction designs to maintain the integrity of the Balinese culture.

In our old lives, such a week’s long holiday that we’ll have in Singapore would have left us reeling with anticipation and excitement.  Now, entrenched in this peculiar lifestyle, we attempt to avoid taking it in our stride. If we ever lose that sense of wonder we still so passionately possess, it would be time to reconsider.

Interspersed with newer buildings many historical structures remain in Bali.

For now,  on occasion, we awaken in the middle of the night wondering for a split second where we are only to realize that we’re living this life. A smile washes over our faces in the dark and we know we are home…wherever that may be and… it still feels good.

The over two-hour drive (of a total of four hours) through the capital city of Denpasar (pop. approximately 856,412), has numerous shops and malls, some very old and operated by local merchants and others more modern as shown here.

The fact that we stand together in this passion remains a mystery.  How did we get here so united in our interests and desires?  How did this commonality fester and grow to provide such a strong foundation in both our relationship and our commitment to carry on?

Typical scene on the narrow highway; an old Balinese structure and the helmet of a passing motorcyclist.

Perhaps, the answer is irrelevant. Perhaps, like life itself, we acquire a quiet acceptance of our place in the world. Somehow, we’ve found ours.

These are typical shops along the main road as we traveled to Negara.

As I spew these thoughts aboard the flight from Singapore to Bali,  I’m reminded of our vulnerability and the need to let our future in part remain in the hands of hopefully qualified pilots and means of transportation.

Basket weaving is commonly seen in tropical climates as a means of adding to a vendor’s wares.

We can’t always be in control. In part, our ability to hand over the reins at times with dignity, grace, and ease becomes as much a vital part of this journey as when we have the potentiality of being in the driver’s seat.

Balinese architecture remains a constant in Bali.

And thus, as we’ve arrived in Bali after the harrowing four-hour drive through some of the worst traffic on two-lane roads, we’ve ever seen, we’re prepared for this leg in our journey. We’re unpacked, in our swimsuits and absorbing the exquisite views and property.

Pottery making is common in Bali, some plain, others highly decorative as shown in the far right.

We look forward to the adventure with the same degree of passion we felt 42 months ago. Photos and stories of tropical island life begin. Stay with us, stay beside us,  as we continue on, longing to share it all with you.

As darkness fell we finally reached the area of the road with an ocean view.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more photos of Bali, as a dream of paradise on earth is definitely in our midst. 

Happy day to you as well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 1, 2015:

Stunning Anthurium flowers in Kauai as we began to wind down the last weeks of our four-month stay on the Garden Island. For more details, please click here.

New ship photos…Managing travel days…

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A beautiful sunset as we passed the tip of Australia.

This morning at 7:00 am we crossed the equator.  There have been several time changes over these past several days, including two separate 30 minute time changes, a first for us. Now, we’re back on the hour as we continue toward Southeast Asia.

Time is moving quickly as our cruise winds down. With only three days until we disembark the ship to make our way to the Singapore International Airport to fly to Bali, we realized it was time to book transportation from the port to airport.

An elephant made from towels left on our bed at night during turn down service. (My reading specs).

Most often we aren’t able to get off the ship until 8:00 am or so. This time we made special arrangements to disembark earlier at around 7:30 am with the driver arriving to pick us up at the port at 8:00 am. 

The Flowrider, a fun activity for those who can participate.

Hopefully, this should leave us plenty of time to get through customs and immigration making it in plenty of time for our 10:45 am flight to Bali. Sure, its a tight schedule for our liking and Tom is a little worried. But, as always my rationale remains the same;  get there safely and in good health and the rest is incidental.

The miniature golf course.

Missing a flight is not something we’ve experienced as yet and of course, we hope we’ll never will be in that situation. The reality is, as inconvenient as it may be to miss a flight, we’d figure it out. It may cost time and money but as mentioned above, safety and good health always supersede all else.

At a distance, the rock climbing wall next to the sports court.

We’ll be anxious to get as far away from Denpasar Airport as quickly as possible. Listed as a high risk location, with attacks in Bali over these past few years, the further away we get from the big city, the more at ease we will be.

Once the pre-arranged driver in Bali picks us up at the airport, we’ll be on our way on a four hour drive to the house on the southern coast. If all goes as planned, we should arrive at the house around 6:00 pm with the household staff holding dinner for us.

Close up of the rock climbing wall.

We requested an easy dinner for our arrival; chicken, cheese, and veggies. Once situated we’ll be able to review our food restrictions, shopping list and future menu options with the cook and staff. 

As always, we looking forward to being unpacked, organized and checking out the quality of the wifi.  If the wifi proves to be problematic, we have a backup plan to rent an unlimited hotspot from a company that is located two hours from the house that charges a small fee to deliver it to us at the house. We’ll report the fees if this proves to be necessary.

View from upper deck of the hot tubs by the pool.

As I write today’s post, once again we’re sitting in the Promenade Café. So far over the past two hours new friends of Tom’s have stopped by to sit with us over a cup of coffee. 

As I continue to write, one ear is directed to their lively conversation as they make every effort to include me in the idle and pleasant chatter. Gosh, this is almost too much fun, interacting with people hour after hour.

I suppose we’ve handed out no less than 150 business cards to ensure our new friends can easily reach us after the cruise, reading our posts old and new, and be able to contact us and we them, when we return to Australia and eventually Tasmania. How fortunate we’ve been to meet so many wonderful people!

May someone new cross your path today and bring you joy!

Photo from one year ago today, April 27, 2015:
Due to a poor internet signal, we’re unable to post the one-year-ago photo.

Five hour drive and four hour flight, …Saturday morning Rocks Market…Boarding day!…

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The aft of Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas. Soon, we’ll be boarding this ship for a 14-day cruise.

Yesterday, once we arrived at the beautiful airport in Auckland we checked our bags, purchased beverages, and sat at a table to wait for the flight. We’d prepaid the excess baggage fees online of US $270, AUD $350. Luckily our trusty little travel scale was accurate resulting in no additional fees.

In a few hours, we’ll board the ship across the street from the hotel.  To speed up the boarding process, passengers were given “appointment” times to get to the pier.  Our time is 2:00 pm. The ship leaves the port of Sydney at 5:00 pm. In the worst-case scenario, we’ll have to wait in line to board for a few hours.

Flying on Emirates Airlines to Auckland, NZ to Sydney, AU was less exciting this time around than on other occasions at the beginning of our travels. Sure, we get our own remote and TV screen with current movies to watch.

A glimpse of the Harbor Bay Bridge from the hotel rooftop.
(Tom watched Revenant and I watched Star Wars, The Force Awakens, a movie Tom wouldn’t be interested in watching with me. He didn’t care for his movie, but I loved the story and CGI in mine).
Vendors were busy preparing their wares for sale at the market.
And yes, we were handed menus from which to order dinner, but I’d pre-ordered a gluten-free meal much of which I avoided when it mostly contained gluten-free starches and sugars which I don’t consume. Even the baked salmon was covered in a sugary sauce. 
Most restaurants have outdoor dining.

Salmon doesn’t need sugar. I laughed to myself when I saw they’d put a GF fruit bread on the tray with a packet of margarine. Who designs these meals assuming passengers would prefer chemical-laden margarine over real New Zealand butter? Go figure.

It was fun to see the various handicrafts at the farmer’s market.

The huge plane, an Airbus 380, was packed extra tight which appeared to be due to the addition of extra seats.  We didn’t remember the aisles being so narrow on our last two Emirates flights. 

I’m always drawn to these exquisite smelling soaps but we have no room in our bags for such things.

Overall, other than finding humor in the contents of the meal it didn’t matter to me. We’d brought along an appropriate lunch of egg salad and smoked cheese which we stopped to eat at a picnic table in a small town on the five-hour drive from New Plymouth to the airport in Auckland. 

This is a large market extending over several blocks.

By the time we arrived in our hotel, the Old Holiday Inn the Rocks of which we’re “members” it was 9 pm (it was 11 pm to us), I had no interest in eating out as Tom had suggested, not for himself but for me. I passed on his offer. 

The smells of good food from a variety of cafes wafts through the air as we wandered through the streets.

Plenty of food will be available when we board the ship later today. This morning neither of us is interested in breakfast. There’s tea and coffee in the room which we both enjoying now as we’re online.

A charming building along the boulevard next to the Rocks Market.

This is the second occasion we’ve stayed in this particular hotel and we’ve found it to be an excellent choice.  The service is great, the bed is comfortable and the room has free wifi for members, perfect for our tastes.

We noticed the sign reading “free-range egg and bacon roll” which sounded great!

The port is across the street from the hotel.  The last time we boarded a cruise from this location was on January 5th when we hailed a taxi to drive us to the port. Today, Tom is bound and determined we can get our heavy bags down the ramps and steps. After checking out the ramp this morning during our walk, it looks as if we can do it.

We’ll need to get our luggage down this ramp with steps. We’ll figure it out!

Yesterday morning, as we drove away from the alpaca farm, tears welled in my eyes as I hummed out the car window like their hum. Instantly, they all turned to look at me as if they knew we were on our way. 

Amaranta Designs presented a unique product at the Rocks Market which is opened every Saturday and Sunday in Sydney in the “Rocks” area near the pier.
We were particularly fascinated with the flat handcrafted candles. The owner, Louise designs each candle which then are made by hand in Lithuania.  For her website, click here.
These beautiful flat candles took our breath away.  It was easy to appreciate the designs.
Moments later, we waved goodbye to our favorite brown cow and she too looked our way, licking her lips and kicking up a leg or two as soon as she recognized us. 
Lucky Penny Keyrings.

Tears welled up in my eyes as we drove away, not from sadness but from the joy for having had this amazing opportunity to experience this magical place with the mystical creatures. Thanks to Trish and Neil for their kindness, generosity and love.

Luckily, we arrived early enough to avoid big crowds. We chatting with a couple who’d just come off the ship we’ll soon be boarding. They had a fabulous time!

Now, we continue on with enthusiasm for what the moment brings, for what is yet to come and for the memories we’ve accumulated along the way. We’re so grateful…

Photo from one year ago today, April 16, 2015:

The waning sun on a less cloudy evening in Kauai taken outside our condo door.  For more photos please click here.

Favorite photos..Leaving for Auckland tomorrow morning at 10:00 am…

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This cria who’s birth we were able to attend when we first arrived on the farm was born only 30 minutes earlier. 

Normally, a five-hour drive to get to an airport would be too long in our perspective. But, New Zealand is so beautiful, we have no qualms about the long drive, especially when we’re leaving early enough we won’t feel rushed. 

When we first arrived and the flowers were still blooming, we particularly loved this photo of Mount Taranaki.

On this return trip to the airport in Auckland, we won’t feel compelled to stop to take photos when we’ll have completed all of our NZ photos unless, of course, we see an irresistible sight.

A one-day-old cria nursing.

Upon arrival in Auckland, we’ll make our way to the car rental facility, drop off the vehicle taking their free shuttle to the airport. Our flight isn’t until 5:55 pm.

Our favorite neighborhood cow who’d walked up to the fence to see us when we were on a walk.

We’ve finished most of the packing except for the clothes we’re wearing today and the few toiletries we’ll use through tomorrow morning. Staying overnight in Sydney, we’ll both will wear the same clothes tomorrow and again on the day, we board the cruise, only changing underwear. 

This photo made us laugh over and over especially with the shorter alpacas ears down and other alpaca’s ears at full attention. 

Spending two weeks on a ship with limited wardrobes along with the cost of having laundry done by the ship’s laundry service (necessary mid-cruise) getting two sets of clothing dirty before we even board the cruise makes no sense. If we spill on ourselves, we’ll haul something clean out of a suitcase.  

Grapes growing at the OkurkuruWinery which we visited on two occasions.

Once on the cruise, we have enough to wear to avoid frequent repeats. Jeans and khakis are allowed in the main dining room except on dress-up nights. Shorts and nice tee shirts are acceptable everywhere on the ship during the day.

This peculiar occurrence, never observed by Trish and Neil, had us ready to go into the paddock to help these two tangled alpacas.  The larger alpaca wasn’t too happy with this situation. Fortunately, they managed to break apart.  Once we knew they were OK, we couldn’t stop laughing. 

We weighed our bags moving items around to reduce the baggage fees we’ll pay later today for the third checked bag. It’s tricky weighing the bags on our stand-on travel scale. Tom weighs himself first and then weighs himself again holding the bag. 

We visited the Taranaki Cathedral Church of St. Mary in downtown New Plymouth on its last open day when it was closing permanently due to earthquake instability.

The only way we could weigh the bags is in the upstairs bathroom with a solid surface floor with the remaining floors carpeted. Once Tom lifted the large bags he barely had room to stand on the scale and not bump into something. 

This photo, taken through the glass in the kitchen window, was the first of many times she peered inside watching me prepare dinner. Love this!

It all worked out when both of our larger bags weighed under the allowance of 30 kg, 66 pounds. The remaining third bag, based on our reshuffling everything should weigh under 20 kg, 44 pounds, resulting in fees of NZ $522, US $362. It’s frustrating to have to pay so much for the extra bag but as hard as we try we can’t dispose of one more item in our possession. 

Tom at Taylor Dental in New Plymouth on the day he had his abscessed tooth pulled a painless and inexpensive experience at NZ $170, US $115.

Today, when all is done, including both today’s and tomorrow’s post, we’ll spend time with the alpacas, hand-feeding those interested and laughing over the playful antics of the youngsters. 

There are countless creeks and streams in New Zealand.  We’d hope for sunny day photos but many times when we went out for the day it started sunny and clouded over within the first hour.

It’s not easy leaving here. We have many memories we’ll carry with us, some of which we’re sharing in today’s and tomorrow’s post as our favorite photos. Tomorrow, we’ll share the expenses for our 87 days in New Zealand.

We visited Plas Mawr, a historic architecturally interesting home by invitation of its owner June, whom we met while grocery shopping.

Unfortunately, the Internet signal here doesn’t allow the posting of as many photos as we’d have preferred and, with the many photos we took while here it was difficult to pick and choose favorites. Many others were left behind that our less frequent readers may have missed and possibly enjoyed.

When Trish and Neil went on holiday, we watched over the birth of two crias, an extraordinary experience for both of us.

Feel free to go through the archives on the right side of our daily homepage to see any posts you may have missed for this location or any other locations, all the way back to 2012 when we first began posting. To access each year, month or day, click on the little black triangle to open that period of time.

The front dining room at the Table Restaurant where we dined on Valentine’s Day.

We’ll be back tomorrow with the final expenses and a heartfelt goodbye to this special location and superior experience.

Beautiful flowers when we visited the Pukekura Botanical Garden near the mountain.

May your day bring you a superior experience as well!


Photo from one year ago today, April 14, 2015:

Sunset in Kauai, one year ago.  For more photos, please click here.

Wrapping it up!…Four days until we leave New Zealand…Fun videos…

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Video #1, of the alpacas coming down our driveway
on Friday morning. 
I started today’s post at 7:30 am.  Up at 5 am, my new automatic wake up time, I bolted our of bed, folding and packing more items that have since dried indoors after the past few rainy days.

Today, when it started as a sunny day I started the washer as soon as I made it downstairs. With no clothes dryer, we have to take advantage of sunny days if we prefer to leave here with entirely clean clothes. 

 

Video #2 as the alpacas entered the paddock in our yard.
This past week I’ve been washing and wearing the same two outfits over and over, knowing I’m giving the shirt the heave-ho before leaving. Having purchased some new items here in NZ, there’s no room for any questionable or worn items I seldom wear. Tom is doing the same. 

Generally, our individual clothing suitcases (one each) weigh about the same. This time, we plan to be completely packed, able to weigh our bags by Wednesday, and pay for any excess online. 

On Friday morning, Trish and Neil gathered the alpacas in the smaller mating paddock. Some needed injections to keep them healthy and Neil, a physician, can easily handle this process without calling the vet.

We’re flying on Emirates Airline, our favorite airline to date. Their baggage allowance for one “free” bag each is 30 kg., 66 pounds. This helps us tremendously on the flight from Auckland to Sydney this coming Friday. Emirates provides a 10% discount if excess baggage is paid in advance online. Many other airlines don’t offer ‘free” checked bags.

They all look on as others got their injections.

When the upcoming cruise ends on April 30th, we’ll fly from Singapore to Bali on Jetstar Asia. They too have a “free ” allowance for one 20 kg, 44 pounds, checked bag. In this case, we’ll have considerable excess baggage fees and reorganizing our stuff the night before the cruise ends.

In both cases, we’ll have to pay extra for the third bag (between us) that contains shoes, toiletries, powers cords, business cards, and medical supplies. 

Sure, it would be great not to have a third bag, but as often as I go through that bag there is nothing we can eliminate.  After all, our bags contain every physical possession, we own and duh, we don’t have anywhere we call “home” to regroup and repack, unlike most other travelers.

Finally, they were done and releases the alpacas into the paddock.

We always get a kick out of seeing cruise passengers with more luggage than us. That used to be us in our old lives on the few occasions we traveled over the years – way too many heavy bags. As we’ve learned in our travels, at times, it’s a painful and expensive lesson.

Through the glass at the kitchen window, sleeping while standing.

Now, we accept the reality that what we have is what we have. Eliminating many items isn’t practical when many countries don’t have what we’d need to purchase to replace certain items during a short-term stay. 

Trish and Neil left for their three-week holiday in South Africa on a 17-hour flight on Friday. Early that morning they moved 47 of over 100 alpacas to our yard now that the grass has regrown. Also, they wanted us to have one more amazing week to interact with them.

Being an alpaca mom is an exhausting job and many naps on occasion during the day. The adult alpacas are tagged through their ears. The cria (newest babies) wear collars with nag tags until they later receive their permanent tags. It’s imperative to tag them for health and mating reasons.

A local woman they employ as a farm helper stops by a few times a day to add the extra nutrients the alpacas need, lined up in colorful bowls along the inside of the fence of the paddock. It’s hysterical to watch their enthusiasm when they see her coming with the bowls as they hover in one massive group close to the fence.

Today, our two videos include one; when Trish and Neil walked them up to our driveway, and two; as they entered the paddock outside our back door. Have a look! 

They’re funny and so adorable.

Most afternoons many will rest at the side of our house.  On sunny days most will sit in this location with shade, providing a break from the heat of the sun.

Since they arrived in the yard, we’ve spent hours outdoors watching their playful antics, treasuring every moment knowing soon we’ll say goodbye. Last night only minutes before dark, the antics of the young ones running and leaping through the air, left us laughing again and again.

Now, it’s time to stop “playing” and get “down to business” with laundry, packing, scanning receipts, and reorganizing the house to put everything back in its place.  We always attempt to leave the property as tidy as it was when we arrived.

May your day be productive as well!

Photo from one year ago today, April 11, 2015:
Although Hawaii may not be the perfect climate for cactus to proliferate, many varieties of cactus seem to thrive as this has that I spotted on the tour of the Princeville Botanical Garden. For more photos, please click here.