Coffee, cakes, and camaraderie… A special visit to a quaint local cafe… A perfect day and evening in Fairlight…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We walked quite a distance to reach the Forty Beans cafe, Bob’s daily coffee spot for a coffee, muffin, and local chatter. The cafe is located in Balgowlah, a nearby town. It was fun to meet his friends and meet the owners.

Since we arrived in Fairlight on March 13th, Bob has encouraged us to join him on his daily walk to the park and Forty Beans cafe. For years, he’s made this walk to meet with friends and their dogs when they too stop daily for coffee, cakes, and camaraderie. 

The shop is well appointed with an array of beverages and baked goods along with an ample breakfast, brunch, and lunch menu.

Having been under the weather for so long, I hesitated over the prospect of the long walk up and down many hills native to the area.  But determined to rebuild my strength and agility, we embarked on the journey at 2:00 pm.

A variety of books and local products are offered for sale in Forty Beans.

The post was done. I’d ordered a birthday gift for grandson Jayden’s birthday and began working on Easter gifts for the six grandchildren. And above all, I’d chopped and diced everything we needed to make pizza and salad for our dinner guests arriving at 5:30 pm.

The simple, uncluttered decor is pleasant and inviting.

We had plenty of time for the walk. Little did either of us realize how impressive the walk would be to Forty Beans through grassy knolls, the lush green local park often passing by expansive ocean views and the marina.  

Bob’s coffee and oatmeal cookie. All baked items are made fresh on-site each day.

It was impossible not to stop frequently to take photos gasping over the beautiful scenery along the way. We’ll share the photos over the next several days. At this point, we have enough photos we’ve yet to post to last over our remaining 15 days in Fairlight.

Dogs aren’t allowed inside the cafe but welcome at the outdoor seating. These two types of dog biscuits are for sale for AU $1.00, US $.75.  

We enjoyed the time at Forty Beans, located at 2/11 Lower Beach St, Balgowlah NSW 2093, Australia, meeting the staff and owner and reveling in the pleasant surroundings in a cafe that wasn’t an overly familiar chain or franchise establishment. The smells sent my taste buds into a frenzy, and I ogled the baked items in the case, well aware there was nothing there for me.

The exterior wall is hand-painted with these adorable scenes.

Even Tom resisted ordering anything. Finally, with pizza upcoming for dinner, he decided to hold off. Now that I’m avoiding coffee, tea, and iced tea for a while, ordering water wasn’t appealing. 

Forty Beans has its own painted bicycle advertising the business.  (Bob is holding the bike).

Instead, we focused on pleasant sounds, smells, and ambiance, which explains why customers frequent this popular establishment regularly.

Tom, Forty Bean’s owner Rebecca and Bob.

As Forty Bean’s 3 pm closing time approached, the three of us said our goodbyes and were on our way back to Bob’s lovely property in Fairlight. The return walk was mostly uphill. 

A dog water bowl is located in the outdoor seating area.

I surprised myself how well I did on the hilly roads after being relatively inactive for many months except for one or two long walks a week. It felt so good, and I couldn’t stop smiling.

Comfy banquette in Forty Beans

Now, I’m determined to get out more and walk as much as possible. Back at our place before 4 pm, we sat outside waiting for Ben to finish cleaning the apartment. He did a flawless job, and I appreciated not having to do the dreaded cleaning necessary before dinner guests arrive.

Bob and Tom were listening attentively to Rebecca’s mom, who was seated to their right.

The delightful day easily extended into the evening when Bev, Colin, and Bob arrived promptly at 5:30 pm. The lively conversation and laughter flowed with ease, and before we knew it, it was 9:30 pm.  

Last night, we had a wonderful evening with Bob, Bev, and Colin, renters in his bed and breakfast located upstairs from our apartment.  Sadly, they left this morning to continue on their holiday.  

We’d all had a busy day and were ready to unwind. But, it was hard to say goodbye to our new friends with whom we hope to stay in touch from time to time. We never stop appreciating the opportunity to make wonderful new friends along the way.

Tom did the dishes, and in no time, we were both plopped down on the sofa to watch a documentary on TV. By 10:30, I started fading and headed to bed with my new smartphone in hand. Read a little, snooze a lot. Life is good.

Happy day, dear readers!


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

While visiting the Taranaki Pioneer Village in NZ, I told Tom this could come in handy on “overly grumpy” days!  For final photos of our visit to the popular tourist spot, please click here.

Tom’s back in business…What a relief!…Fruitless doctor appointment…Visitors in more than one way…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
When they miss the bit of meat, it doesn’t hurt at all if they peck at me instead.

Yesterday around 11:00 am, Bob and I headed to the Stockland Mall for my 11:15 doctor appointment. I didn’t want another doctor visit after I’d already had two prior appointments with doctors for this gastrointestinal issue, one in Hobart and another in Geeveston, Tasmania. So now, it would be three appointments.

Having received a diagnosis from doctor #2 in Geeveston after a blood test determined I’ve been suffering from Helicobacter pylori, a bacterial infection I believe I contracted in Fiji eating squid and octopus about 15 months ago.

This particular infection may cause ulcers and may contribute to stomach cancer, nothing to mess with. As a result, I promised myself I’d have the test after four weeks to ensure its gone. The doctor in Geeveston stressed how important it is to have the test after taking the two rounds of high-dose antibiotics and PPI (proton pump inhibitors). 

Tom’s new Windows 10 Acer touchscreen laptop. We hesitated over Windows 10 for some time but now it seems to be a good operating system which Tom is learning quickly.

I’d love to have been able to do the test, get the results, and be done with it. But, health care laws in Australia require patients to have an appointment with the doctor who will subsequently order the test. 

Having stopped at the mall clinic to make the appointment a week ago, I collected the test kit (test to be conducted at “home.” Get it?) and brought it “completed” to the appointment. 

I’ll have the test results in one week. Unfortunately, these symptoms remain, although it’s better than it was four months ago. Hopefully, evidence of the infection will be gone, and I’ll continue to improve over time.

Specs on his new laptop, priced at AU 892.53, US $675.85 plus tax, plus shipping.

In a short time, after the 15-minute appointment priced at AU 125, US $94.65 plus the cost of the test, yet to be billed, Bob and I were on our way for a quick stop at the grocery store for a few items. I was anxious to get back to see if Tom’s laptop had arrived.

Alas, it had, exactly at 11:30 am as the thoughtful and kindly rep from Fed Ex had promised, arriving at the door to our apartment on the main level. By the time I walked in, Tom had the laptop charging waiting for me to assist him in the setup.

Sunny day view of the bay from our veranda.  Lovely!

It took no time at all, and everything was working well. His email and contacts uploaded in no time and he spent the remainder of the day becoming familiar with the minimal nuances and differences from his prior Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. 

Now, I’m looking forward to buying a new laptop when we’re in Minnesota although mine continues to work well enough with the exception of a few items for which I’ve managed a few workarounds. But, like Tom’s, mine could crash as his did 12 days ago. So, I continue to back up my data on the cloud and the external hard we carry with us. 

“Well, maybe a little more,” she says. This is because females are larger than the males in this species.

FYI, dear readers: If my laptop crashes, I’ll continue to post each day using Tom’s laptop until we get to the US and purchase a replacement.

Now that I’ve become familiar with my new phone and have it set up to my liking, having learned literally everything there is to know over the past few days, we’re currently set with technology. 

“No!  I’ve had enough!”

Tonight, we have fun plans on the horizon. Bob’s newest renters from a suburb in Melbourne are joining Bob for dinner at our “house” for homemade pizza (and salad). We’re making our usual low carb, grain, starch a sugar-free recipe with the crusts made from cheese and egg. 

Tom captured these shots, including this one shown with the two Magpies and a Kookaburra in flight. At one point, there were 10 “visitors” swarming around me. I was in heaven!

We’ve had Bob here for dinner, but it’s been a long time since we’ve had a small dinner party in a holiday home. Today, a housecleaner Bob ordered for us is coming at 2:00 pm when we’ll head to town and the local coffee shop with Bob to get out of the way. Having the housecleaner makes the dinner party all the easier when we don’t have to clean.

I started chopping and dicing at 6:30 am when neither of us could fall back to sleep after awakening around 4:30 am. So it made sense to get up and take advantage of the time to get the ball rolling with so many items to chop and dice.

If we thought we had a good time with “Birdie” in Kauai, I’m going nuts with the Kookaburras and other birds here who now come when I call.

We’ll be back tomorrow with photos and a story from our dinner party. Please stop back…

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 6, 2017:

Our favorite of the day! A face only a mother could love. We love it! Note the set of ears from an alpaca in the background. For more on the blissful three months we spent on the gorgeous alpaca farm in New Zealand, please click here.

One package arrived!!…Threatening note in the box from US Homeland Security…Yikes!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
These houses are all valued well over AU 3,000,000, US $2,269,500.  As we’ve mentioned in prior posts, home prices are high in Australia, more than we’ve seen in any country. This photo shows Bob’s house on the far left. Our apartment is located on the lower level, with doors wide open as shown. The house in the center is up for auction this coming Saturday. We’ll tour the house, take photos and post them here on Sunday along with the results of the auction. (Not our photo).

Yesterday around 3:00 pm, the package finally arrived with our supplies shipped from Nevada to Tasmania and then to us here in Fairlight, much to our relief. Every item was intact except one mentioned below, although it was evident they’d opened most of the things for inspection.

Surprisingly, a note was contained in the box stating that an “illegal” drug contained therein had been confiscated and could result in further action. Oh, good grief. 

Multi-million dollar houses line the shore with small lots.

It was a bottle of  generic Benadryl, an over-the-counter allergy medication we may use on occasion when we’ve have a bad cold, allergic reaction (we’re both allergic to bee stings) or an annoying runny nose. The bottle was in the box, emptied of its contents with the note below, warning of our illegal  shipment.

Had we known this is an illegal substance, we indeed wouldn’t have purchased it from Amazon.
The note we found in the box of supplies from the US Department of Homeland Security.

Gee…we hope the US Department of Homeland Security has better things to do than worry about our bottle of Benadryl. It was this same over-the-counter item that may have saved Tom’s life years ago when we were in Arkansas on our way to a convention when he was stung by a hornet. 

Homes nestled in the hills.

I had him put one of these pills under his tongue to buy time to get him to a hospital where he was further treated. This experience prompted us to ensure we always had a supply of Benadryl on hand wherever we travel throughout the world.
 
Otherwise, all items were in the box based on the checklist our mailing service had included. So to finally have our driver’s licenses, tax documents, my year’s supply of contact lenses, my new smartphone, a few items of clothing, a variety of nutritional supplements and more, was quite a relief.

Contemporary home facing the beach.  There’s no one architectural style that predominates homes in Australia.

We spent the remainder of the day unpacking the items, checking off the list and of course, I spent time setting up my new phone. Last night, it was quite a treat to be able to go to bed with my phone, read the news and wander off to sleep.

Bob will drive me to the Stockland Mall, where the medical clinic is located. In a few hours, Tom will stay behind and wait for his laptop to arrive. As it turned out, Australian Customs accepted our receipt for the purchase of the computer from Amazon. 

Homeowners continue to renovate their homes, adding significantly to the value.

Subsequently, we don’t have to pay any customs fees or taxes. As the day progressed I “chatted” back and forth with a rep at Fed Ex who kindly agreed to oversee the process to ensure we’d receive the package today. 

Many homes have long steep driveways.  Since it doesn’t snow or often reach freezing temperatures in Sydney, these steep driveways are navigable.

The Fed Ex rep mentioned he’d noticed the link to our site at the bottom of my email and started reading our posts, thoroughly enjoying our story while anxious to read more in his free time. We’ve found it always helps to build some commonality with people from whom we may need some assistance. 

I have no doubt the package will arrive today, especially when we noticed the tracking information had been updated this morning, indicating it will arrive by 6:00 pm.

Many homes are built into the hills making full use of nature.

We apologize for the frequent mention of the pending arrival of these two packages. Hopefully, our readers have been patient with the regular comments over these many past posts, with the contents being essential to us. 

In our narrow little world, a laptop, an unlocked phone, our drivers licenses and tax documents become very important to the quality of our lives. Perhaps, these items are more important than booking o flight, a holiday home, or a cruise.

Small watercraft lined the beach in this area.

Speaking of cruises, in 17 days, we’ll be leaving on the voyage back to North America. As much as we’ve enjoyed this great continent and part of the world, we are looking forward to the next leg of our journey.

Back at you soon! Have a meaningful day filled with beautiful surprises.

Photo from one year ago today, April 5, 2016:

It was this photo that prompted us to notify Trish and Neil when we suspected something was wrong when tiny Mont Blanc (on the left) was attempting to nurse from his mom while another born-that-season cria nursed from her as well, an uncommon scene. Even Mom Giselle looks surprised by this event. Click here for the post on that date. It was at this time that we all knew little Mont Blanc’s life was nearing an end. For the rest of the story, please click here.

Not yet!…Kind of frustrating…The wait continues…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Almost every day, our new “Birdie” stops by for bits of meat he’ll eat from my hand.  Already, he responds to my voice. It was fun to capture him sitting atop this small stature.

No, the computer hasn’t arrived, which according to Fed-Ex tracking, it was due to arrive yesterday by 6:00 pm.  We’d anticipated a customs check but didn’t expect it to stop the package’s movement totally.

When we spotted this notice on the tracking website, we moaned in frustration over yet another wait. The website states, “Clearance Delay.” No scheduled delivery date available at this time.”

This magpie wanted in on the action.

Soon, we’ll call the Mantraville Fed Ex processing center located about 17 km from Sydney to ask the status of our shipment. According to online customs information, there are no customs fees collected if the item’s value is under AU 1000, US $760.74.

The cost for the laptop without tax was under AU 920, US $700, so this shouldn’t be an issue. If we do have to pay customs fees, we may qualify to return to us once we leave the country. We’ll see how it rolls out today.

With his mouth open, he welcomes a bite to eat.

Even if we discover the package is back in motion, most likely, we won’t receive it until tomorrow or later. Tom’s holding up well without a computer which surprises me. 

He entertains himself with his smartphone, reading and responding to the zillions of email messages he receives daily, Facebook posts, and can access Ancestry.com and Cruise Critic, two sites he particularly enjoys.

The second package is due to arrive today. Based on the fact it was shipped from Tasmania, an island in Australia, we’re hoping we don’t experience any customs issues. Most likely, that package’s contents were examined somewhere along the way.

Kookaburras are carnivorous; thus, we feed them tiny raw pieces of meat.

Tomorrow, I have a doctor’s appointment to get a prescription for the four-week post-antibiotic regiment for the Helicobactor Pylori test to determine if it’s been eradicated by the two rounds of two antibiotics I took last month. 

In Australia, a patient cannot order their own tests making a doctor visit mandatory in most countries. I have no desire to see a doctor, but it’s imperative to have this completed now, hoping to discover the infection is truly gone.

Plumeria is often used to make leis in Hawaii.

I’m still not feeling 100%, but I have read it can take months for this particular condition to heal, long after treatment has ended fully. I’ll report the results once I know. In the interim, I may request a few more tests to determine if, along the way, I may have contracted any other intestinal bugs contributing to the slow recovery.

Gee, it sounds as if we’re “whinging.” That’s not my intention. In our continuing efforts to be real and open, we share our experiences exactly as they occur. 

Pretty pink flower.

On occasion, situations transpire over which we have little or no control. It’s during those times that we may feel frustrated. Surely, our readers could easily lose interest in our posts if we were always upbeat, cheerful, and “overly bubbly.” We all know “that person” who is way too cheerful at all times. Their demeanor may eventually become boring and monotonous.

Rainbow at dusk during the storm from Cyclone Debbie.

I stopped while preparing this post, long enough to call Fed-Ex. Unfortunately, our package was at a complete standstill, waiting for us to call. They didn’t read the included invoice, which stated the laptop’s purchase price was under AU 920, US $700. 

The rep advised me to send the actual invoice, which I prepared as a PDF and sent promptly to her email. So now, back to the waiting game as she determines that we do not owe any Australian custom taxes or fees based on receipt of our invoice.

Cloudy day at the beach.

Back to our obsessive checking of the Fed Ex tracking page to see when it’s on the move once again. As for the second package, that is supposed to arrive today, according to this morning’s Austalia post tracking page.

A few determined surfers on a rainy day at the beach.

We shall see what transpires. We wait.

Hopefully, you don’t have to wait impatiently for products or services today!

Photo from one year ago today, April 4, 2016:

Tom got a kick out of how many chickens and roosters began to follow us during our visit to Taranaki Pioneer Village in New Zealand one year ago. Please click here for more photos.

New hobby…Obsessive package tracking…Is today the day?…Sightseeing…Arabanoo…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
The shoreline is packed tight with pricey apartments and condos.

As creatures of habit with a few obsessive behaviors interspersed, Tom and I are a perfect match. He tends to be more ritualistic than I, but most certainly, I can easily get sucked into copying his behavior. I suppose this happens when a couple is together around the clock.

Recently, while awaiting the package from the US, sent on February 10th, we both began obsessively watching the tracking information for the US Postal Service based on a tracking number provided us by our mailing service in Nevada. Unfortunately, the package never seemed to move much after that date.

Property prices are outrageous in Australia, especially close to the larger cities such as Sydney. with hilly terrain; many have oceanfront and ocean views.

Until we requested our shipper conduct a search for the package and the requisite 12-day process passed, the package finally was in motion again. We couldn’t have been more thrilled to see it on the move again, especially when the contents include all of our tax records for 2016, the renewal of both of our driver’s licenses, my new smartphone, and other items.

Finally, it arrived in Tasmania last Wednesday, and our prior landlord, Anne, shipped it to our address here in Fairlight. For over 72 hours, it never moved from Hobart. Finally, this morning, we noted it was shipped to a processing station near Sydney. If all goes well, it will arrive tomorrow. We’re both tentatively excited about its arrival.

A peek through the trees.

Secondly, last Monday, we ordered Tom a new laptop from the US, having shipped to our mailing service (free shipping from Amazon) since none of the companies that had that particular item would ship via international express. It made it to our mailing service on Wednesday.

After paying AU 528, US $400 for Fed Ex international express shipping plus the cost of the laptop at AU 956, US $730 (including sales tax), our total cost for the laptop is AU 1,480 US $1,130. 

Apartments, condos, and small coop-type properties are the main focus for rentals with high rents in most areas.

After checking for a similar product in Australia, we’d never have been able to purchase that particular item, brand, and features Tom preferred for anywhere near the price we paid. Based on what we found, it would have been higher priced at 30% to 40%.

Rooftops in Australia decades ago were all red clay tiles. Now that homes have been rebuilt to include second stories, spotting a red roof is less common.

Need I say that every hour (or more often), we’ve obsessively checked the tracking information on these two packages, with a tile on my laptop (which we’ve been sharing for 10 days) and links on Tom’s phone (which we’ve been sharing for months).

Today, with bated breath, we wait with a note encased in plastic taped to the mailbox, hoping sometime in the next several hours the laptop with arrive.  Tomorrow, perhaps the other package will arrive as well. 

A few areas along the coast are undeveloped or included private homes nestled in the trees.

In the interim, we’re sharing more photos from our recent outing with Bob. We’re grateful we’d gone out on a sunny day. Unfortunately, it’s been cloudy and raining every day since. This morning, on the news, we heard this had been the third most rainy season in history in New South Wales (NSW). Go figure…while we’re here. 

Views of bays and the open sea create a breathtaking backdrop.

But, no complaints here. We’re happy to be dry, safe, and immigration-ready for our cruise in 19 days. So, let’s see how the next few days roll out, which we’ll happily report here.

As for today’s photos…they were all taken from this popular tourist spot in the nearby hills. The below photo includes a portion of the story of the origin of Arabanoo, an Aboriginal man kidnapped by marines in 1788, with more below.

Interesting story. More may be found here or below.

From this site, the story of Arabanoo…

“Arabanoo (1759–1789)

by Eleanor Dark
This article was published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, (MUP), 1966

Arabanoo (d.1789), the Aboriginal man, was captured at Manly on 31 December 1788 by order of Governor Arthur Phillip, who wished to learn more about the natives. Arabanoo was taken to the settlement where a convict was appointed to guard him; he was at first pleased by a handcuff on his wrist, believing it to be an ornament, but became enraged when he discovered its purpose.

Then a severe epidemic of smallpox broke out among the Aboriginals in April 1789; several who had been found in great distress were brought to Sydney where Arabanoo helped to care for them; he caught the disease himself and died on or about 18 May. He was buried in the governor’s garden.

One contemporary account gives his age as about 30 and another as about 24. He was not tall but ‘robustly made,’ with a thoughtful face and a soft, musical voice; his disposition was mild and gentle, but ‘the independence of his mind never forsook him. During his brief sojourn among the colonists, he became a general favorite, and Phillip records that he gave them much information about the language and customs of his people.”

May your day meet all of your expectations!

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

Tom stood on the witness stand in the old courthouse at the Taranaki Pioneer Village, a style that may be seen in more modern-day courthouses throughout the world. See the story and more photos here.

Sightseeing continues…So much to offer…Dobroyd Head…Daylight saving time ended in this part of the world…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
On the 25 minute ride to Circular Quay in Sydney, It takes about 10 minutes from the Manly Wharf for the Manly Ferry to reach this spot with its rough waters. The ride is usually rough for only about 10 minutes until we reach Sydney Harbour.

Yesterday we didn’t go out after all. As the clouds picked up and it appeared it might rain, we decided a long walk wasn’t appealing. However, regardless of today’s weather, we have no choice but to get to the market since we’ll be staying “home” awaiting the two packages due to arrive Monday or Tuesday. Clouds are rolling in now, so we should head out before too long.

Once the ferry reaches this point in the bay where it meets the open sea, the ride becomes rough on most days.

We’re thrilled we’d been sightseeing with Bob a few days ago during a bright sunny day, and today, we continue with more scenic photos. Once we’re done uploading today’s post, we’ll be off to accomplish what we intended to do yesterday.

We love the simple times in our lives when we can go out or not, choosing to embark on whatever appeals to us at the moment rather than be predicated by some arbitrary schedule over which we have little or no control. 

Two passing Manly Ferries as seen from Dobroyd Head overlook.

We particularly enjoyed the recent visit to Dobroyd Head, a popular tourist spot in Balgowlah Heights. Details of this scenic area are listed here at this site and below as indicated:

“Dobroyd Head is a point or headland in the Northern Beaches local government area, in the suburb of Balgowlah Heights, New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Sydney Harbour National Park, which contains examples of ecosystems at risk, such as coastal heath. Tania Park is located to the immediate northeast and contains the 2MWM 90.3 transmitters. A lookout sited on the headland named after Arabanoo, the first Aboriginal man to live among European settlers captured in Manly Cove in 1788. (Continued below)

Tom took these photos over a railing after crawling over huge rocks and down a precarious walkway.  Bob and I stayed behind.

History

In January 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip noted Aboriginal people living in caves at what is now Wellings Reserve, Balgowlah Heights, and there are several Aboriginal sites recorded in the area, including a midden at Reef Beach, which was partly eroded by a storm in May 1974, when human remains were exposed. What is now Dobroyd Head was originally named “Dobroyd Point” (which is now the name of a locality in Haberfield in the Inner West) by Simeon Lord (1771–1840), a landowner in the district in the early 19th century. Dobroyd Castle, its namesake, was his mother, Ann Fielden, before her marriage in 1764. On his death in 1840, he gifted the land to the Crown with a stipulation that the name must be kept.
 

In 1871, the Secretary for Lands, John Bowie Wilson, set aside 100 hectares comprising the Dobroyd headland as a defense reserve but excluded all privately-owned lands, such as Reef Beach, Forty Baskets Beach, Grotto Point, Castle Rock, and Clontarf. On 14 August 1874, prominent surveyor and hydrographer Commander John Thomas Ewing Gowlland was drowned in an accident of the headland. In August 1963, the Manly, Warringah, and Pittwater Historical Society unveiled a plaque at Dobroyd Head commemorating him. In 1914, the government steamer, SS Kate, was struck and sunk by the Manly ferry Bellubera off the headland. The Dobroyd Scenic Drive, funded by the council, was opened in 1938 by Manly mayor Percy Nolan. (Continued below)

Houses located on Dobroyd Head…

Between 1923 and 1963, various small cabins and shacks were built around Crater Cove on the headland. They were for use as weekenders and retreats and remained occupied until the 1980s.

Various subdivisions for the development of Balgowlah Heights occurred throughout the next 80 years until 1959-1960 when Manly Council learned that land near Cutler Road and Tabalum Road was to be subdivided and objected to any development and sale of land below Cutler Road.

Alderman Frank Preacher led this movement to preserve the lands of Dobroyd Head for public recreation. On 17 October 1960, Lands Minister Jack Renshaw met representatives of the Manly Council on the site. Renshaw later approved removing these lands from the sale of land and transferred responsibility for its preservation to the Manly council. In 1975, responsibilities changed again when the area was proclaimed as part of the Sydney Harbour National Park. A 2015 article in the Manly Daily later revealed that Manly Council had voted in June 1997 to erect a plaque to honor Renshaw, alderman Preacher, and Manly Council’s role in preserving the headland. But no action has since been taken to carry it out.” (Continued below).

Dobroyd Head sign, located at the lookout point.

We hope today’s photos give our readers a perspective of this gorgeous location typical of many scenic overlooks in this breathtaking continent.

Another house without utilities used as cabins at one time. They may or may not be occupied at this time.

During the night, “daylight saving time” ended in New South Wales, Australia, as shown here from this site:

“Daylight saving

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of advancing clocks one hour during the warmer months of the year. In Australia, Daylight saving is observed in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory.

Daylight saving is not observed in Queensland, the Northern Territory, or Western Australia.
Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 am on the first Sunday in October, when clocks are put forward one hour. It ends at 2:00 am (which is 3:00 am Daylight Saving Time) on the first Sunday in April, when clocks are put back one hour.

During Daylight Saving Time (first Sunday in October – first Sunday in April)
Time zone State or territory City
Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) Queensland Brisbane
Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) New South Wales (except Broken Hill), Victoria, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra
Australian Central Daylight Time (ACDT) South Australia and the town of Broken Hill in western New South Wales Adelaide, Broken Hill
Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) Northern Territory Darwin
Australian Western Standard Time (AWST) Western Australia Perth

Where Daylight saving is observed:
AEDT is equal to Coordinated Universal Time plus 11 hours (UTC +11).
ACDT is equal to Coordinated Universal Time plus 10.5 hours (UTC +10.5).”

The expansive view from Dobroyd Head.

As of today, we’re halfway through the 40 night stay in Fairlight with only 20 remaining nights until we’ll board the 24-night cruise to North America.  

With all the challenges we’ve faced since arriving in Tasmania on December 3rd, when I became ill, we’re attempting to embrace our remaining time in this lovely area without too much anticipation for upcoming exciting events in the future.

Gorgeous cliffs are often referred to as “heads” in Australia.

In other words, we’re doing our best to “live in the moment,” not always easy to do in this lifestyle. However, regardless of one’s lifestyle, it’s always challenging to live in the moment when it’s our human nature to consider what is yet to come.

May your day capture good thoughts “in the moment” today and always.

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

Kiwi Rail locomotive we spotted in Eltham, New Zealand, one year ago. For more photos from the charming town, please click here.

Sightseeing in the exquisite surroundings…Welcoming the sunshine…Clontarf Reserve…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Moreton Bay Fig Tree highlights the entrance to Clontarf Reserve. Click here for details on this type of tree.

Yesterday afternoon, Bob popped down to see us, as he does several times each day, asking if we’d like to venture out on some sightseeing to the North Beaches area, which we can see from our veranda, which appears difficult to get to from across the bay based on our view.

Zoom in for hours of operation at Clontarf Reserve.

As it turned out, the access to the area was easy and, although hilly, was a pleasant ride in Bob’s comfortable newer car. So please leave it to Bob to ensure we had another great experience.

In no time at all, we were out of the car enthralled with some of the best scenery Sydney has to offer with expansive views and photos ops we could hardly believe.

Lots of fluffy clouds enhanced our photos.

The area we’re highlighting today is Clontarf Reserve and Beach, one of the many areas we visited during yesterday’s outing. In fact, upon returning, we found numerous great reviews online including these following comments at TripAdvisor.

Clontarf Reserve and Beach include the following amenities that many visitors and tourists may find pleasing for a day at the park and beach, including these comments below from this site for both individual and group use for such events as weddings, reunions, and parties:

“Facilities

  • Toilets: Amenities Block with disabled access and toilet
  • BBQs: 4 double electric & 2 single electric
  • Playground: Yes undercover, shaded suitably for 0-12 age group
  • Carparking: Carpark and street parking
  • Carpark entry fees – Metered parking – charges apply, Ratepayers / Residents with designated car stickers have free entry; disabled parking:   2 spaces.
  • Applicable: Monday to Sunday 8.00am to 6.00pm
  • Lighting: Park lighting only
  • Power: Upon request.
  • Seating/Tables: Both
  • Shelter: 2 gazebo type shelters/ seating for 16 and shade trees
  • Water/Taps: Taps and bubbler near swimming pool and at amenities block & 1 outdoor shower
  • Passive/Active Recreation: Passive (continued below)
There are hundreds of sailboats and motorboats in the marina. Construction is in process as shown on the left but doesn’t seem to impede any of the activities.
Availability (for group events, only)
  • Anytime up to 10:00 pm
  • Tentative bookings must be confirmed within 1 week.
  • Community Facilities Co-ordinator will email confirmation of your booking.
  • Fees must be paid within two weeks of request of booking.

Bookings are required for group events, and fees are applicable.

Weddings

For information (including fees) about booking Council venues for a wedding ceremony function, please see the page:

Other facilities

  • Clonny’s Restaurant: (02) 9948 2373
  • Kiosk, enclosed swimming baths, sailing, boat access ramp.
  • Manly Scenic Walkway Access.”
We can only imagine the cost of the one of these boat slips.

Clonny’s Restaurant is located on the premises, with information found here including pricing and menu options.  Nearby, as mentioned above, is the Manly Scenic Walkway, a 3 hour, 30 minute 10 km walk (one way) with information located at this site.  

Not only did we enjoy visiting Clontarf Reserve and Beach on the sunny, albeit windy day, Bob drove us to several choice locations which had us dashing out of the car to seeing yet another gorgeous expanse in the horizon.

Hills surrounding the bay.

Please check back over the next several days as we’ll continue to post breathtaking scenery photos we’re excited to share.  Soon, we’re off to catch the Hop, Skip, Jump bus to Manly where we’ll embark on a long walk and to grocery shopping for a few items we’ll need to last until after our packages arrive.

Hopefully both packages will arrive on Monday and/or Tuesday, as per the online tracking for Tom’s new laptop and our formerly missing box from the US.

This reminds us both of our boating days in Minnesota many moons ago.

We plan to “stay put” on Monday and Tuesday (or longer, if necessary) until we have those two packages in hand. We’ve made a sign for both Fed Ex and Australia Post which Bob will post by the mailbox early Monday morning to ensure the delivery personnel know to walk down the side of the house to bring the packages down to us. Our fingers are crossed.

Have a beautiful weekend! 

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

The Fonterra Cheese Factory with a retail store across the street in Eltham, New Zealand.  For more details on this quaint town, please click here.

Counting down the days until our next adventure…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Earlier this week, while on the Manly Ferry, we were finally able to take sunny morning photos of Sydney Harbour, a cruise ship, another ferry, and Harbour Bay Bridge.

There’s an app we often use to calculate between two dates.  I must admit I probably use it everyday for one reason or another. So if this free app, Time and Date, could be of use to you, please click here. Enter the dates you’d like to calculate and voila!  Easy.

The Sydney Opera House appears to be a floating island.

This morning, contemplating upcoming travels sent me into a tizzy of unbridled enthusiasm, especially now that prior worrisome factors are behind us. Here’s a few calculations made from today’s date of March 31, 2017 that we’re anticipating for the remainder of 2017 using the above app:

22 days –  Cruise from Sydney to North America (24 days)
48 days –  Cruise from Vancouver to Alaska (9 days)
57 days –  Flight from Seattle, Washington to Minneapolis, Minnesota
99 days –  Flight from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Las Vegas, Nevada
124 days – Flight from Las Vegas, Nevada to Costa Rica
237 days – Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Valpareso, Chili on to a back-to-back cruise to Buenos Aires, Argentina (30 days combined)
268 days – Buenos Aires, Argentina (30 days – ending January 23, 2018)

Lighthouses always create an interesting photo opp.

Of course, of all of the above dates, we’re most excited to head back to the USA to see family and friends. By the time we arrive in Minnesota on May 26, 2017, it will have been (again using the app) as follows since we left Minnesota on October 31, 2012:

“From and including: Wednesday, October 31, 2012
To, but not including Friday, May 26, 2017

Result: 1668 days

It is 1668 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date.

Or 4 years, 6 months, 26 days excluding the end date”

Wow! That’s hard to believe! We won’t have seen our three adult children, their partners, and our six grandchildren since they visited us in Hawaii during Christmas time in 2014, a total of 875 days (as of January 2, 2015, when most of them left Hawaii). That’s a long time.

Beautiful scenery.

As for son Richard who lives in Henderson, Nevada, we won’t have seen him since January 3, 2013, when we sailed away on our first international cruise. So it’s been a total of four years, six months, and four days since we’ve seen Richard, and it’s slightly longer for sister Susan who lives in Las Vegas. So, unfortunately, Richard wasn’t able to join us in Hawaii, but we’ve all stayed in close touch over these years as with the others. 

Sandy beach on a sunny day wasn’t populated early in the morning.

Between Skype phone calls, interaction online, and chat in Facebook and email, we’ve been able to stay in touch with all of our family members and friends. Had the Internet not been available, a journey such as ours would have been heart-wrenching, if not impossible.

Across the bay from the ferry.

Instead, we anticipate seeing everyone and spending as much quality time together as their schedules allow. Of course, we’re excited, as is evidenced by our frequent calculations of the number of days until we arrive.

In the interim, with the sun finally shining here in Fairlight/Manly with the after effects of Cyclone Debbie hitting our area last night. The cyclone has since passed leaving a wake of destruction in its path. Also, check out this video of a shark that made “landfall” during the cyclone, which Aussies are now calling “sharknado!”

The Sydney Opera House took on an entirely new look in the sunshine, especially after our own opera experience at the world famous venue.

On a more serious note, please click here for details regarding Cyclone Debbie. We pray for the safety and recovery of the many citizens who suffered the ravages of this destructive storm that hit Queensland this week.

Perhaps this was a tourist helicopter ride?

Today brings us partially cloudy skies with snippets of sun peeking through. Should this continue through the day, a sightseeing expedition may be on the horizon.

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, March 31, 2015:

There were several refrigerate cases with a wide array of New Zealand-made and Fonterra Cheese Factory-made cheeses.  With cheese suitable for our way of eating, we often seek to visit cheese factories when we travel. For more details, please click here.

Taking care of business…It’s not always easy but we get it done!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
A sunny day view of a portion of the Sydney skyline.
We’ve certainly been busy over these past many days.  Between the immigration issues, missing package, ordering Tom a new laptop, and some added supplies from Australia, every moment of our days have been fully occupied.
Navy base in Sydney Harbour.
Yesterday, we made a bus trip to Manly to a pharmacy and health food shop for a few items. Without a car during these 40 nights in Fairlight, we haven’t wanted to bother Bob for every little trip we need to make. We’ll be here another 23 nights.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Bob would take us anywhere we’d like to go, but we haven’t wanted to take advantage of his kindly nature. It’s enough he’s taken us sightseeing and grocery shopping on several occasions. He’s insisted.
Amphibious navy ship in Sydney Harbour.
Public transportation is easy in Sydney. With the free Hop, Skip, Jump bus plus the paid bus and the Manly ferry, it’s been fun getting around so quickly, only using a taxi on a few occasions, such as on Monday’s appointment at the immigration office, which required a taxi for a portion of the trip.
We added plenty of money to our OPAL cards used for payment for buses, trains, and ferries. It worked out quite well for us and is so convenient.
There’s a restaurant, the Sydney Tower Restaurant, at the top of this space needle for 360-degree viewing of the city.
Yesterday afternoon, our “missing” package finally landed at the Geeveston post office. Anne, our thoughtful past landlord, immediately turned it around using the funds we’d left to forward it to us here in Fairlight. It’s expected to arrive in four or five days, most likely by next Tuesday.
Late yesterday, Tom’s laptop arrived at our mailing service in Las Vegas, Nevada. This morning, Eric, our rep, informed us it would be AU 521.85, US $400, to ship it Fed-Ex overnight, which isn’t really “overnight” when there’s no way it will arrive tomorrow when it has to go through customs once it comes.
Garden Island Jetty in Sydney Harbour.
Most likely, it will arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday next week.  In the interim, we’ve adapted as best as we can. Tom spends time on his smartphone while I busily work on our posts, photos, and future travel plans. 
His lack of a laptop right now has made me realize how dependent I am on helping me with research daily. It will be great to have him jump in and help at will, instead of handing him my laptop to look something up while I busy myself with cooking and household tasks.
Manly Municipal Council building in downtown Manly which we visited yesterday, on a sunny day.
We haven’t had a house cleaner since our arrival although we’ll have someone next week. I haven’t scrubbed floors and bathrooms in so long I can’t recall and look forward to Bob’s cleaner coming next week. We like to keep our living quarters clean, so we have both been running around tidying, sweeping, and trying to keep our current “home” as spotless as possible.
Today, it’s raining again, and we’ll stay put. We do make a point to explore every sunny day but have little motivation to get out in the rain. I’m trying a new recipe today and bit off more than I can chew with the multitude of required chopped ingredients and steps in the preparation and cooking.   
View from our veranda, late yesterday afternoon of the Carnival Spirit leaving Sydney Harbour and heading out to sea.

Since there’s no rush, it doesn’t feel stressful, as I’ll do it in stages as the day progresses.

Hopefully, your day is low stress! Be well.
Photo from one year ago today, March 30, 2016:
There was never a shortage of beautiful scenery in New Zealand one year ago. For more details, please click here.

Tom’s new laptop order in process…News on lost package…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Surfboard shop in Manly Beach.

Whew! We’re on a roll! “Safari luck” has kicked in! Immigration issues are solved, we found Tom a new computer which will be shipped today and much to our surprise, our package missing after a February 11th shipping date from Nevada, has arrived at the post office in Geeveston, Tasmania as of this morning. 

Anne, our former landlord in the Huon Valley, Tasmania will forward it to us tomorrow. It should arrive within five days. We couldn’t be more thrilled and relieved.

We walked through the uncrowded outdoor Corco in Manly, a pleasant area to visit.

This past Sunday, if you’d have asked us how we’re doing, we’d have said we were a little worried over all of the above. Then when we had a awful experience trying to purchase a new laptop online for Tom, an unfamiliar feeling of stress escalated. 

It wasn’t as simple as finding the right product and having it shipped to Australia. We contacted most of the major digital equipment suppliers in Australia and were unable to find the make, model and specs for the laptop he preferred; an Acer 15.6″ touch screen with backlit keyboard and one terabyte of storage, hopefully with Windows 10. As for other specs, he had some flexibility. 

On Saturday, numerous booths lined the walkway through the Corso mall.

Adding to the difficulty in searching online was the fact that we only had one computer to use for the search, taking twice as long as usual. Considering the fact that certain aspects of Australian products have variances from our more familiar US-made products, buying locally wasn’t all that appealing. No offence intended for Australia. This is true in every country.

When I dropped my laptop in Marloth Park, South Africa, in 2013, breaking the screen, I had no choice but to purchase an HP, the only touch screen we could find locally only to discover the “new” model was missing many familiar aspects vital to my use and had trouble with a letter on the keyboard which drove me nuts. I only kept it until we got to Hawaii in 2014 when I replaced it for an Acer model with similar specs as indicated above for Tom.

Rather than shopping, many spent time at the beach for the volleyball competitions, which we’d visited earlier in the day. That day, walking 10,000 steps came easily.

Let’s face it…we all like what we know and find familiar. It will be tough enough for Tom, not an especially savvy user, to adjust to the newer Windows 10 operating system. 

But, it made no sense to purchase an aged new-in-the-box model with Windows 8.1, now an outdated operating system which I still have until we get to the US when I, too, will make a new purchase. My laptop’s functionality is rapidly declining.  Hopefully, it will last for another 60 days.

Many types of handmade crafts are on display each Saturday.

Since the onset of our travels we replaced our laptops about every 18 months. The constant traveling has taken its toll and no doubt, the constant use has a bearing on the life of these products. Plus, with the reasonable cost of laptops over the years, its makes no sense to adopt workarounds from issues that develop over time.

In Tom’s recent situation when only a few days ago on Saturday morning, his laptop died. As mentioned in a prior post, we took it to a repair shop only to discover there was literally nothing that could be done to repair it.

Monument in Manly.

After we exhausted the prospect of making a purchase in Australia (plus, prices in Australia were about twice as much as in the US, even considering shipping costs), we decided to make a purchase in the US and have it shipped to us here in Fairlight/Manly.

We strolled through an outdoor market in the Corso shopping area in Manly.

This wasn’t as easy as one would think. Most suppliers in the US don’t ship internationally and if they do, they only offer the economy rate which would be unlikely to arrive in time before we leave on April 22nd. Also, we wanted Tom to have a laptop in hand within a week or two, if at all possible.

Right now, he’s using his phone with the house’s Wi-Fi connection and is able to access his email, Facebook and his usual favorite sites. When I’m not posting or doing some work for our travels, he uses my laptop. Not ideal; it’s our only option at the moment.

This display caught Tom’s eye, and we stopped to check it out.

Finally, late Monday afternoon, after deciding we’d use Amazon for the purchase from the link on our site, we found what we were looking for, spec-wise, not shipping-wise. But, unfortunately, even Amazon, a global shipper, couldn’t get it quickly enough.

Tom insisted on buying me this silver necklace (in the event he becomes forgetful in his old age). I thought it would be perfect to wear on cruises when its hard to remember names when meeting so many people. I’m often called “Jennifer” instead of “Jessica.” This cute necklace should help.

Subsequently, we ordered the laptop with our Prime membership’s free shipping feature to be sent to our mailing service in Nevada, expected to arrive tomorrow. Eric, our mailing service rep will turn it around and ship it to us using insured express 3 to 5 day international shipping. That cost will be high but at this point, we feel this is our best option.

Sure, we could have waited until we arrived in the US in 60 days, but Tom without a laptop with the upcoming 24 night cruise and the nine-night Alaskan cruise, this would not have been appealing to him, especially since we’d have to purchase VOOM Wi-Fi for the 24 night cruise for my use anyway.

Casino and bar in the Corso.

Yesterday, when Royal Caribbean was offering a 30% discount on VOOM Wi-Fi, we purchased the high speed service for two devices at the cost of AU 691, US $527.76. If we waited to get on the ship to make the purchase we’d have paid 30% more.

Tom before yesterday’s haircut in Manly.

This particular sailing from Sydney to Seattle is a “repositioning” cruise which offers numerous discounts when the cruise line has to move a ship from one location of the world to another. However, all services and events remain the same.  \The cruise fare is considerably less than the usual fare but such extras as free WiFi, free gratuities, free beverage packages and large cabin credits may not be included. 

Yesterday, Bob took us grocery shopping and for Tom to get what proved to be a great haircut. Ironically, as indicated below in the one-year-ago-photo, he had a haircut at the same chain salon, Just Cuts, on exactly the same date in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Go figure. Coincidences do happen.

Tom, this morning, after yesterday’s haircut.

But, safari luck…hmm…we’re grateful and flying high with how so much can change in a few short days. 

Be well. Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, March 29, 2016:

Tom’s hair had grown unruly since his last haircut in Savusavu, Fiji in early November, almost five months earlier. This haircut took place at Just Cuts in New Plymouth, New Zealand on March 29, 2016. Coincidentally, Tom had a haircut on March 29, 2017, at Just Cuts Salon in Manly  which we’re posting today. Ha! For more details, please click here.