The power outages continue…No power for many hours…Trying to stay positive…

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Here is a younger wildebeest who visits on occasion with what appears to be his dad. We call them “Dad & Son.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Little’s stopped by a few times today, including during the pouring rain.

We love this house in the bush. We love living in the bush, the wildlife, the people; it’s all beyond our greatest aspirations of spending time in Africa. But, with it, there are some challenges, for which we’re making every effort to stay upbeat.

The hardest part has been not sleeping for the past two nights when the power was out for 12 hours each night, the first night beginning at 2100 hours (9:00 pm) and the second night starting at 1930 hours (7:30 pm). In the past 18 hours, we’ve only had power for less than three hours.
 
If it hadn’t been so hot, it wouldn’t have been so difficult. But with no screens on the windows, no breeze whatsoever, and daytime temps in the 42C (107.6) with high humidity with nighttime temps only slightly less, sleeping was out of the question.
Big Daddy was eating pellets off the veranda’s edge.

We each took cold showers twice during the past two nights, but even the water temperature wasn’t cool enough to do any good.  Within minutes, we were soaking wet in sweat once again. I don’t recall any time in my entire life that I sweated so much.

After each shower, I had to load up again on insect repellent that works great without DEET but is sticky and smells awful.  It almost wasn’t worth taking the showers.

It’s easier for male kudus to eat this way instead of bending down with those giant horns. Wildebeest Willie waits in the background for his turn.

I’d considered the possibility of our leaving to stay at a hotel until the crowds in Marloth Park thin out, and less power is needed to accommodate the additional power usage. 

 Tom wasn’t enthused about the costs of spending on two rental properties simultaneously when we have huge payments upcoming in the next two weeks for future cruises and the final balance on the Kenya tour. I got that and didn’t press the issue.

Finally, Willie inches his way into the pellets on the ground.

For the heck of it, I checked online, and there wasn’t a single room available outside Marloth Park during the next week or two. After all, it’s still the holiday season that doesn’t officially end here in South Africa until well into January. My research was pointless.

 The aircon in our main floor bedroom has officially died. No matter what we do, it won’t turn on – new batteries in the remote – resetting the electric switch when the power is back on temporarily – nothing works.

At times, there are scuffles over dominance.

If we have power tonight and it’s still so hot, we’ll have to sleep upstairs for a working aircon. But that’s not the problem. Most likely, we won’t have power. As soon as everyone in Marloth Park turns on their aircon, the power goes out. There are just too many people here.

 We’ve heard that some holidaymakers have left due to the power outages and the heat. Whether or not their landlords/property managers have given them any refund or credit remains to be seen.  

It rained for a few hours today bit not long enough.

I suppose all Marloth Park rental agreements should have a clause stating, “It is possible, if not likely, that during your occupancy, the power, WiFi services, and water services may be interrupted from time to time.  No refunds will be provided in the event of such occurrences.”

 After all, this is Africa (known as TIA), and stuff happens here which may rarely occur in one’s home country.  It’s the price one pays to partake of the many wonders this continent offers, experiences that dreams are made of.

Each time it rains, the bush gets greener with life-saving vegetation for the wildlife.

And, as hard as it is right now to sleep and bear the heat during the days, we have the time to look forward to when the holidaymakers leave, and everything is right with the world once again.

Instead of counting the days until we leave, I’m counting the days until they leave. If predictions are accurate, this should be around January 9th – 12 days and counting.

 Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 28, 2017:

Orange.....more than just a colour!
This is exactly what we posted one year ago today: “The entrance to our new vacation/holiday home we’ll be renting in Marloth Park beginning on February 11th, aptly named “Orange…More Than Just a Colour.”  For the link to this listing, please click here.” For the entire post, please click here.

Oh, what a night!!!…Not so good!…But, it’s Africa…What did we expect?..

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Youngsters of varying ages comprise an integral part of the elephant family.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This photo was taken five years ago on this date when we discovered oxpeckers and why they land on the bodies of certain wildlife for the first time.  For more on this post, please click here.

Note:  Based on a lack of sightings these past few weeks, many of today’s photos were taken over the past few months.
For December, we expected exactly what we’d been given; power outages, heat; humidity; tourists; lots of bees, flies, mosquitos, and other insects, and fewer animals in the garden than at different times of the year.

Elephants were coming down the hill to the river.

But, when facing these types of challenges, our former expectations provide little relief or comfort.  When yesterday’s temps reached 43C (107.4F), the power went out at 2100 hours (9:00 pm), leaving us in a bedroom with no screens and not even a fan for relief.

 We both drifted in and out of sleep throughout the night, laying atop the top sheet and comforter. I can’t recall the last time I slept without at least a sheet covering me.  

They made it down to the river to cool off.

I spent most of my waking hours playing solitaire on my phone with the screen dimmed while continually aware that the battery was rapidly losing its charge. By the time I rolled out of bed this morning, sweaty and exhausted, there was a paltry 10% left. Thank goodness it made it through the night.

We try to avoid taking photos through the fence between Marloth and Kruger Parks, but it’s often unavoidable.

Showering in the dark bathroom this morning even left me hotter and more sweaty. My phone wouldn’t work to call Louise for a power update. Oh, good grief. So, we decided to drive to her house to see what she’d heard about the outages.

 Before we headed out the door, John, the WiFi guy, appeared prompted by a thoughtful call from Louise, and a short time later, we had both electricity and Wi-Fi.

Dad ostrich and one growing chick.

At this point, we realized we’d better get to Komatipoort to do our shopping, or the crowds would be outrageous later in the day or tomorrow. With the upcoming New Year’s Eve party on the horizon, we needed to shop for ingredients for the dish we’ll bring to share. It was a good thing we grocery shopped when we did.

 As we drove back out of the small town when we were done, the roads were already backed up with holiday shoppers and locals preparing for the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations.

The dry ground seems to offer little in the way of nourishment, but somehow they manage to find enough food to sustain their growth.

While shopping, we ran into Kathy and Don, who informed us they’d love to join us (and Rita and Gerhard) at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant on Saturday evening, adding three more friends to our already booked party of six. Now, we’ll be a party of nine. I notified dear friend/owner Dawn to see if nine will work during this busy period. Most likely, she’ll find a way to make it work.

Back at the house by noon, we unloaded the groceries, and finally, I had a chance to sit down to get to work on today’s post. In the continuing heat, I wondered if I could muster up the energy to get it done before too late in the day. The hot weather has a way of slowing us down.

A darkly spotted giraffe was sitting in the bush, taking a break from standing on her long legs all day and night.

We lost some food overnight during the 12-hour power outage but not too much since it was time to shop again. We tossed it all away, and Vusi removed the garbage a short while ago. Rotting food certainly gets stinky in heat such as this.

 This morning when we pulled into the driveway, we noticed Mom and Baby warthogs, four to be precise, sitting in the cement pond. What a delight it was to see them here. A lone female bushbuck was lying in the shade at the edge of the garden, trying to stay cool. We can only imagine how hard this heat is for our wildlife friends.

Hopefully, tonight more will visit when we sit on the veranda while watching and waiting.

Have a cool day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 27, 2017:

We found these colorfully painted buildings interesting and befitting the somewhat flamboyant nature of Palermo, Buenos Aires.  For more photos, please click here.

The day after a special Christmas…Photos from two social events at Kathy and Don’s…Scorcher today, 43C, 109.4F with high humidity…

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Me, Tom and Kathy during the cocktail hour before dinner.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A hippo on the banks of the Crocodile River as seen from Kathy and Don’s third-floor veranda last night.

To say today is hot is an understatement.  With humidity ranging from 50% to 60% and temps as high as 43C (109.4F), it’s relatively unbearable.  Every so often, we come inside to recover in the bedroom’s aircon for a few minutes and then head back outdoors to sweat some more.

As always, Kathy and Don’s spread of good food was delicious and easy finger food for Saturday night’s cocktail party.
Last night, at Kathy and Don’s delightful Christmas night dinner, we made the best of the heat and had a superb evening.  The food, the decorative ambiance and the lively conversation among the six of us (including Rita and Gerhard) continued well into the evening.
The views from their third-floor veranda are spectacular.

Finally, we excused ourselves to head back to our bush house in order to call our kids, grandkids and other family members to wish them all a Merry Christmas.

Kathy and Don do a tremendous amount of hosting guests and always do so aplomb and ease.

When we entered the car after 2200 hours (10 pm) it was still 35C (97F).  Our clothes were soaked in sweat but the chatter amongst friends kept us delightfully distracted and we hardly noticed that fact throughout the evening.

Last night’s Christmas Day dinner was at Kathy and Don’s home once again.  There were six of us, including Rita and Gerhard.  

As always, it was wonderful talking to our family members.  With the time differences and everyone’s busy schedule, we don’t always talk as often as we’d like but with Facebook’s easy back and forth, we never feel as if we’re that far away.

The “pie day from hell” resulted in this pinwheel-looking pie when it was impossible to handle the piecrust dough in the heat and humidity. Don said he loved it although it wasn’t pretty.

By the time, we both finished with the Skype calls, it was nearly midnight and much to our surprise we both had a good night’s sleep.  Thank goodness the power was still on.  Five years ago we had no power in Marloth Park on Christmas Day.

Gerhard, Don, and Rita were busy mashing the ingredients in their drink, called kawa, a Kenyan tradition that requires mashing the ingredients together.  

Luckily, the power shedding hasn’t been excessive in December (thus far) and we’ll see how it goes for the remainder of the month and into January and February when we depart on Valentine’s Day to head to Nelspruit for our last night in South Africa, to be spent in a hotel for our early morning flight to Nairobi, Kenya.

A Merry Christmas hippo on the river’s edge.

With the outrageous heat, we don’t have big plans for today.  We have homemade pizza left for Tom and I’ll have hake (fish), cauliflower and salad.  This morning I already prepped the vegetables and salad and put together the leftover ingredients to make one last pizza.  

They had a few visitors while we were there, a few zebras and a wildebeest.

As we reflect on our wonderful Christmas season we’re still reeling over how grateful we’ve been for all of our friends who made this time of year (and all year-long) so special for us.

Kathy gave them pellets and they stayed around until the last one was eaten.

This week will be quieter than last. On Saturday, we’re dining at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant with Rita and Gerhard, and possibly with Kathy and Don and others before they take off to return to Pretoria.  We hope to see them again before we leave.


We’ll be attending a New Year’s Eve party in the bush when attendees bring starters and snacks and beverages of choice.  We already know many of the party-goers and much to our pleasure Rita and Gerhard are also included.  No doubt, this will be one more good time in the bush.

Don had placed various flags around their property including this US flag.

Tomorrow, we’ll head to Komatipoort for a few grocery and pharmacy items.  We won’t need to purchase pellets since we’ve had so few visitors over these past few days and currently we still have five 40 kg (88 pounds) bags.  Hopefully, in a week or so, our usual visitors will return when the holidaymakers begin leaving the park.


Have a pleasant day after Christmas!

_______________________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, December 26, 2017:

The Feria de Plaza Serrano outdoor market is open weekends and holidays from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.  For more photos, please click here.

Merry Christmas, everyone…It’s a good day in the bush…

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Little doesn’t disappoint. He stopped by this Christmas morning and began walking up the steps to the house. I found him on step #3 and encouraged him to eat outside. He complied. I tendered pellets, apples, and carrots. He ate the produce and left the pellets thinking about the human leftovers he could get elsewhere at a holidaymaker’s house, maybe chips, Christmas cookies, and marshmallows (not suitable for him).  But, after all, he is a pig, and he likes junk food, too.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Ms. Bushbuck (no baby for this one) stopped by today on Christmas morning. We rewarded her generously.

This is our seventh Christmas since we left Minnesota in 2012 to travel the world. We don’t have a Christmas tree, decorations, gifts, or a kitchen filled with baked goods and holiday treats.  We didn’t send Christmas cards. 

We didn’t awaken early this morning to make hot chocolate, coffee or savor the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. We didn’t listen to Christmas music, turn on all the tree lights and the switches for the animated characters scattered about the house. 

We didn’t look out the windows to see billowy puffs of snow atop the Weber grill, tree limbs sparkling with crystal-like coverings, and a frozen lake inviting ice skating, cross-country skiing, or ice fishing. Those days were over, eight Christmases ago.

Instead, this morning we awoke to intense humidity with the inside of the house feeling like an oven…it never seemed to cool off. Today’s expected high temperature should be about 40C (104F), and the thickness in the air leaves us sticky and sweaty.

The floors, washed yesterday, are sprinkled with live and dead insects that collected over the night. In the heat, the trash bin begins to smell from remnants of foods we cooked in the past 24 hours, but we can’t take outdoors for fear the monkeys or baboons will come. When the boys return to work tomorrow (after only one day off for Christmas), they’ll take it away as they always do. 

This Big Daddy stopped by for a visit on Christmas Day five years ago, at the Hornbill house. Tom said, “Here’s my Christmas gift for you…a reindeer.”  I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

I’d promised to bake Don’s favorite, a cherry pie, to bring to tonight’s Christmas dinner at his and Kathy’s bush home. But again, due to the intense humidity, I struggle with the pie crust.

Oh, oh, will this be another “pie day from hell” similar to my experience making pumpkin pies in the heat last month for our Thanksgiving dinner party?  (See here for details).

But then, we threw open the two large front doors, and there it was, the bush green and lush from recent rains, Ms. Bushbuck and Baby waiting in the wings for their turn at some pellets, Frank and the Misses, chirping from a tree and walking up the steps and so far, on step #3, was my boy “Little” who’d come to call on Christmas morning.

Suddenly everything is right with the world. This is where we’re meant to be on this seventh Christmas of our world journey. In only 51 days, our time in Marloth Park will come to an end, and off we’ll go on to new wonders, new experiences, and making new friends, as we revel in Mother Nature’s magical hold on this planet.

This Christmas and every day, we are reminded, as Tom would say, “We are humbled and blessed to be able to live this life.” And that we are. It’s another good day in the bush.
Merry Christmas (to those who celebrate) and a sunny day to those who do not.

Photo from one year ago today, December 25, 2017:

Here was our Christmas Eve dinner last year in Palermo, Buenos Aires,  which we repeated on Christmas Day when all the restaurants in the area were closed except for a few fixed-price menus served at 2100 hours (9:00 pm) with many foods I couldn’t eat. Instead, we stopped at a mini-mart deli to purchase this goofy meal. Nonetheless, we had a good Christmas as the only guests in the boutique hotel. For details of this and other Christmases in past years of world travel, please click here.

Busy social calendar over the holiday season…Link to two favorite holiday recipes from our “old lives”…

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It’s a sad time right now without enough rain to sustain the wildlife.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is one of our favorite pairs of warthogs, Mike and Joe, named after two US vice presidents, non-partisan of course, Mike Pence (current) and Joe Biden (last presidency). Tom always says, “The VPs are here.”

We had a busy social calendar in our old lives, most often with us doing the bulk of the entertaining. Scattered among our events were several parties and get-togethers, some work-related, some family events, and some with long-time friends/neighbors.

It was a festive time we always enjoyed, although, at times, it proved to be exhausting when I made too much work for myself while Tom continued to work long hours, day after day.  

Handsome male zebra.

As a business owner for most of my career, I’d take time off work during the holiday season when possible to plan and orchestrate holiday events, including decorating, shopping, gift wrapping, baking, and always sending hundreds of Christmas cards, each handwritten inside the card.

Each year we made over one hundred bottles (wine bottle sized) of Tom’s Homemade Irish cream with hand-designed and printed labels and delivered these in person as gifts to special people on our list. It was a daunting task, but we both participated in the process and loved sharing the holiday treat with family, co-workers, and friends.

Sustenance is low in the bush right now.  Zebras often graze on the dry bush.

When we left Minnesota to begin our world journey, those days were over. There are no more Christmas cards to be sent, no more decorations, no more baking, no more handmade dog biscuits for our animal lover friends and family, and no more Tom’s Homemade Irish Cream. This part of our lives was over.

If you’re interested in Tom’s Homemade Irish Cream recipe and my 
Polish Poppy Seed Bread (Strudel) recipe, please click here.

Only hunger will bring a shy impala to our garden.  

The only shopping we do now is for gifts for our six grandchildren. We agreed with our adult children that we’d no longer exchange gifts or cards. It was too difficult to do so from afar.

Thus, when we “left,” we also left behind all of the festivities, social gatherings, camaraderie, and events we so much. This will be our seventh Christmas since we left Minnesota. Of course, we’ve missed the activities with family and friends, but oddly we don’t miss all the commotion and work.

Impalas are very resourceful in finding food. Plus, they are one species we see out and about on the hottest of days, whereby others find shelter from the sun and the heat.

Overall, we’ve spent the bulk of the past Christmases on our own except for the first in 2012, when we rented a holiday home in Henderson, Nevada, and spent Christmas with some of Tom’s siblings and spouses, my son Richard, my sister Julie, cousin Phyllis and daughters Robin and Wendy and a few friends.  

And then, in 2014, three of our adult children, spouses, and six grandchildren joined us on the Big Island in Hawaii for the Christmas season. During that time, all of us saw lava for the first time, flowing from Mt. Kilauea, and the festivities were many.

The symmetry of the bodies of impalas is a beautiful sight to behold.

The remaining Christmas eves (we spent 2013 Christmas Eve with friends Kathy and Don at their lovely bush home here in Marloth Park) and Christmas days, we were on our own, although we spent all of those in restaurants and hotels. In each case, we had a good time.

Last Christmas, we were in Buenos Aires, Argentina, awaiting the Antarctica cruise departing on January 23rd. Everything was closed, so we ended up eating cold cuts we found at a local minimart. We were the only guests in the hotel. Here’s the link and a photo of our Christmas Day meal. We had to laugh!

Our Christmas Eve dinner last year in a boutique hotel in Buenos Aires, which we repeated on Christmas Day.  We were the only guests in the hotel.

This year, everything is different. Here are our plans over the upcoming holiday season:

Thursday, December 20, 2018: Dinner-buffet at Ngwenya Lodge and Restuarant (we have a standing reservation)
Friday, December 21, 2018:  Dinner at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant (we moved our standing Saturday reservation to Friday)
Saturday, December 22, 2018:  Holiday sundowners and starters at Kathy and Don’s river-view bush home
Sunday, December 23, 2018:  Tom’s birthday dinner at Rita and Gerhard’s temporary home at Ngwenya is a fully equipped luxury on-site holiday home
Monday, December 24, 2018:  Christmas Eve at our house with Rita and Gerhard joining us 
Tuesday, December 25, 2018: Christmas Day dinner at Kathy and Don’s
Thursday, December 27, 2018: Back to Ngwenya with Rita and Gerhard for the Thursday night buffet dinner
Saturday, December 29, 2018:  Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for our standing Saturday night reservation with Rita and Gerhard
Monday, December 31, 2018:  New Year’s Eve party at a popular local resort, details to follow.

Usually, males stop by together while females also visit separately.  

As for New Year’s day, we’ve yet to make a plan, but surely something will be on the agenda. Whew! This busy schedule makes us smile and, of course, feel grateful for our beautiful friends who have included us in their inner circle.

Whatever you do (for those who celebrate), we hope you’ll have a festive and meaningful holiday season.

Photo from one year ago today, December 19, 2017:

Shipwreck in Puerto Madryn in Patagonia, Argentina, a town we toured as a port of call on the South America cruise.  For more photos, please click here.

We have to laugh…Our weirdest Christmas ever…Perils of world travel…

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Here was our Christmas Eve dinner last night, which we’ll repeat tonight, Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas to all of our readers, family, and friends!  May your lives be blessed with good health, contentment, and fulfillment of all your dreams. 

OK, let’s get into the details of this peculiar Christmas, like none other we’ve experienced since the onset of our travels. When we arrived in Buenos Aires on December 23rd, we knew we were taking a risk in not making reservations at one of the few open Christmas Eve or Christmas Day restaurants.

With the average cost of US $111 (ARS 2,000) per person for dinner plus beverages and tips, we’d have been looking at spending US $300 (ARS 5,360) for Christmas Eve and again for Christmas Day. The thought of spending this much for two meals didn’t appeal to us, especially when many items on the pre-planned menus didn’t comply with my way of eating.

Luckily, we purchased enough for both nights, not knowing it would have to be a “repeat.

When we arrived on the 23rd, we walked the neighborhood, stopping at many restaurants asking if they’d be open on either evening. The only restaurants open were those in this price range. Also, our hotelier Alessandro had spent considerable time researching before we arrived.

However, during our long walk, we stumbled upon “Rave,” which claimed they’d be open Christmas Eve from 12:00 pm to 12:00 am. We were thrilled and decided we’d head there around 6:00 pm for an early dinner.

As for Christmas Day, we were out of luck, and yesterday morning we headed to a local mini-mart to purchase deli meats, canned tuna, and cheese, just in case. Good thing we’d buy those items, or we’d have been without a bite to eat last night and today.

Yesterday, we showered and dressed for Christmas Eve dinner at “Rave,” making the five-block walk only to We headed back to the hotel to start preparing our meager fatty meal of tuna with mayo, deli meat, braunschweiger, ham, and a variety of cheeses. 

This is the restaurant where we’d hoped to dine on Christmas Eve but closed when business was slow.

Oddly, the only place to eat was in the tiny room in our hotel room with the bathtub, which included a table and chairs for two, facing the street. We’d never eaten in a room with a bathtub. Oh, well. We looked at one another, laughing out loud.  It was a small price to pay for the many otherwise beautiful days in our lives of world travel.

We had Christmas Eve dinner and will have Christmas Day dinner in this little bathtub room.

We’ll never forget this Christmas as memorable for its unique experience, along with the endless unique experiences we’ve encountered along the way. This is the sixth Christmas since we left Minnesota on Halloween, 2012. Here’s the rundown on where and how we’ve spent the past Christmases:

2012 – Family get-together at a vacation rental in Henderson, Nevada with three of Tom’s sisters and two brothers-in-law; my cousin Phyllis and her two adult daughters; my sister Julie; eldest son Richard; Tom’s nephew John and his daughter. We had a fabulous celebration! (In those days, we didn’t take many photos).  See the link here.

We made five giant Poppy Seed Strudels, rolling the dough with a tall bottle of water.  For the recipe, please click here.

On our way out the door on Christmas Day, we encountered this kudu. Tom said he ordered this for me for my Christmas gift. I couldn’t have been more thrilled! 2013 – We were in Marloth Park, South Africa, for Christmas and went to Jabula Lodge for Christmas dinner, the day we met and dined with new friends Piet and Hettie, whom we’ll soon see once again.

Our Christmas visitor on Christmas Day, 2013. The kudu’s neck will enlarge during the mating season. From the looks of our visitor, the mating season was imminent.  Look at the muscles on this big guy. Males can weigh as much or more than 700 pounds, 318 kg. This one was smaller than many we’ve seen, weighing perhaps in the 500 pounds, 227 kg range. Kudus can quickly scale a 5 foot, 1.5-meter wall. Soon, we’ll see more of these. For more details, please click here.

2014 – Our family of 12 came to visit us in Pahoa, Big Island, Hawaii, for the holiday season. It was during this period that the lava from Mount Kilauea was flowing toward the town. What an unbelievable experience it was for us and our kids and grandchildren to see lava.

We spent Christmas Day at the beach with the family. It was a great day, although cloudy and rainy. For more details, please click here.

2015 – We were in Pacific Harbor, Fiji, and went out to a buffet dinner at the five-star Pearl Resort. After eating this octopus, I began having issues with my gastrointestinal system, which only recently started to resolve. 

Yum, I said at the time, baby octopus. Those heads were a bit tricky to chew. I ate four of these, less one head. Now, as I look at this, it sickens my stomach.  Never again! For more details of that Christmas Day, please click here.

2016 – Last year at Christmas we were in Penguin, Tasmania. The adorable small town had decorated many of its Penguin statues, as shown in the photo below. Although we spent the day alone, we made a fabulous dinner and walked the town’s streets, enjoying the scenery and decorations. 

Penguin’s mascot, this giant penguin, is decorated for Christmas.  On Christmas Day, we walked through the charming town, enjoying the scenery.  For more details, please click here.

At the moment, on Christmas morning, we are seated in the lounge/lobby area of our boutique hotel. The meat and cheese breakfast didn’t appeal to me, so I stuck with my mug of tea while Tom ate a few hard-boiled eggs, meat and cheese, and coffee.

Adding to the peculiarity of our Christmas was the fact that we were the only guests in the hotel last night. I mean only guests…not one other guest was staying here! How odd is that? It’s another first for us!

Indeed today, we’ll head out for another walk to take photos and enjoy the sunny day in Palermo, Buenos Aires.  Later today, we’ll call and speak to family members on Skype.

May all of you have a spectacular day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 24, 2016
(due to the International Dateline, it was one day earlier):
Our Christmas Day meal.  The filet mignon was tender as it could be, the prawns sweet and delicious, and the plate of bacon and sautéed mushrooms, salad, and green beans were added treats.  For more details, please click here.

Merry Christmas to all of our readers…Its Christmas Day today in Tasmania…

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Finally, we were able to take a picture early in the evening of a high-speed train decorated with Christmas light. We’d hope for a nighttime train for a better shot. However, each time we heard a train coming in the dark, we quickly ran outside with the camera only to find that particular train wasn’t decorated. We’re pleased with this photo.

This marks the fifth Christmas since our departure from Minnesota on October 31, 2012. Each one has been unique in its own way, especially when living outside the US. There isn’t any snow. It’s usually warm and has even been hot in some locations. 

The penguin mascot, this gigantic penguin, is decorated for Christmas.

Over these years of world travel its made no sense to decorate a Christmas tree or our vacation home when we’d be required to purchase everything when we’d have to leave it all behind.

Only a few homes in penguin have elaborate Christmas decorations as this festive display.

To our great surprise, we were not disappointed in any of that. Having long ago let go of owning “stuff” we’ve both acquired a perspective of what really matters to us. And, it has nothing to do with owning furnishings, pots and pans, flat screen TVs and Christmas decorations. 

More elaborate Christmas ornaments on a local house.

It has everything to do with embracing our surroundings, learning about varying cultures throughout the world, while taking time to stop to notice the song of a bird, a blooming flower or an expansive ocean view.

We are in awe of this elaborate display in Penguin.

Last night, Christmas Eve in this part of the world, we sat outside on the veranda in the front of the house sipping wine. We discussed how we don’t miss having an elaborately decorated home with twinkling lights, a variety of Santa displays, exquisitely wrapped gifts under the tree and the smell of cookies and other holiday treats baking in the oven.

Wild red flowers, perfect for the holiday season.

All we’re missing is being with people we love. In a mere 154 days, a little more than five months we’ll all be together again. There’s no making up for lost time, but there is such a thing as making new times together. To that end, we eagerly and enthusiastically look forward to our visit to the United States.

Decorated penguin outside a store in town.

As we waved to passersby last night, in cars, yelling out “Merry Christmas” or walking along the sidewalk in front of our vacation home, we were reminded of the warmth and friendliness of people of Penguin, Tasmania and Australia. 

St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in Penguin.

Even the conductor signalled and shouted “Merry Christmas” as the train went by. There are few places we’ve visited over these past four years that have been quite like this. We couldn’t love Penguin more!

Uniting Church in Penguin.

Today, we’ll walk in the neighborhood as we’ve done many days since arriving in Penguin three weeks ago today. During each walk we’ve found something new and interesting, only adding to our joy of spending this precious six weeks in this special little town.

This penguin house has been decorated indoors, making it difficult to take pictures at night through the window. Nonetheless, it was quite an exhibition.

May each of you who celebrate, wherever you may be, have a Merry Christmas filled with companionship, a world of wonders and an abundance of love. 

Another view of above display.  Breathtaking!

Photo from one year ago today, December 25, 2016:

A year ago today our power was out. We went for a walk in Pacific Harbor, Fiji to see this small boat heading down the Qaraniqio River.  For more details, please click here.

Celebrating Tom’s birthday last night…It’s Christmas Eve on this side of the International Dateline!! Traditions for world travelers?

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Mersey Beach bluff where we went to dinner last night.

Last night we made the 30 minute drive to the town of Devonport for a reservation we’d made at Mrs. Jones, a popular upscale restaurant located on the ocean near the mouth of the Mersey River.

Veterans Memorial in Devonport, Tasmania.

I made a reservation at 6:30 last week for a table by the window. After the pleasant drive through the ocean/riverfront town, taking multiple photos along the way, we arrived at the restaurant well before our reservation, planning on a drink at the bar and then seated at our table.

A historic house under renovation in Devonport.

As it turned out, all of the window tables were marked with signs stating “reserved.” None of those tables were assigned to our reservation, much to our surprise and disappointment.

Another historic house on Devonport.

When shown the other seating options for two located against a bare wall, none provided the romantic ambiance we’d hoped for. As far as I was concerned, I’d have been happy to sit anywhere had it been OK with Tom.

But, as we’ve learned so well in our lifestyle over these past years, we can decide what works for us.  I wasn’t upset at all when he said, ‘Let’s do something else!” 

A small lighthouse on the Mersey River.

There’s no doubt the food would have been good and we’d have written a great review for the establishment. We place no blame on the owners or staff for being unable to fulfill our expectations. That was our choice to say no.

Instead, we enjoyed our drinks at the bar, were as gracious as possible that we’d changed our minds based on choice of table and within an hour were on our way out the door.

Live entertainment at Drift Café on the beach.

A casual dining spot, Drift Café, is located downstairs from Mrs. Jones Restaurant where diners were enjoying live music, casual dining, seated at tables and on the grass, creating a lively and festive scenario. We decided to dine there and join in the festivities overlooking the Mersey Beach Bluff. Today, we’re sharing some photos of each establishment.

Entrance to Mrs. Jones and Drift Restaurants.

Tom ordered a juicy bacon cheeseburger with chips (fries) and I had a chicken and avocado salad.  The food was great, the setting was ideal and we had a great time.

Today, Christmas Eve, we’re making our usual tradition of steak and lobster, well, not quite lobster. We’d purchased the Filet Mignon from the meat market in Ulverstone after visiting Pedro’s Restaurant and Fish Market to see about purchasing the lobster. 

The restaurants adjoin a beautiful park and recreation area.

In Australia, lobster is called “crayfish” and is outrageously expensive. Since both of us prefer the tail only as compared the remainder of the body, it made no sense to pay AU $51, US $36.60 for a .11kg (4 ounce tail). 

Pedros Restaurant and fish market seemed to be a great spot for seafood most of which is battered, fried and wouldn’t work for my way of eating. The smell was intoxicating. We’d hoped to buy crayfish (Australia’s version of a lobster) here, but the cost was prohibitive for the small tails. 

Instead, we purchased jumbo prawns which will go well with the tenderloin. The menu: garlic butter sautéed prawns, Filet Mignon with sautéed portobello mushrooms, fresh green beans and side salads will make for a fine Christmas Eve dinner along with the bottle of wine we purchased for the occasion. For dessert? Homemade low carb, sugar-free fudge. 

Lounge/bar area in Mrs. Jones Restaurant.

Today, the warmest day since we arrived in Tasmania three weeks ago, we’ll spend time outdoors on the front veranda overlooking the sea while waving and saying Merry Christmas to passersby who walk and jog along the sidewalk in front of our vacation home.

Life is good. We pray it is for all of you as well. Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate and happy day to those of you who do not.

Photo from one year ago today, December 24, 2015:

A year ago at Tom’s birthday dinner in Fiji my rumpled lobster juice soiled clothes were a sight to see after dinner. Click here for details.

A local annual holiday event in Penguin…Penguin Surf Club…Locally owned business…

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This health and wellbeing exhibit by Belinda at Natural Intuition caught my attention.
To contact Belinda, email her at:  naturalintuitionwellness@gmail.com The little case in the center of the display was filled with therapeutic grade essential oils. If I had space in my luggage, I would have wanted one. Again, practicality prevails. We had a chance to chat with Belinda. She was warm and welcoming and we enjoyed every moment. Had she not be going to Queensland for the holiday, we have no doubt we’d have been getting together. 
Another view of Belinda’s health and wellness display.

When Terry, our new friend and landlord, dropped off a flyer for the Penguin Surf Club Christmas Market occurring on Thursday evening from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, we were excited at the prospect of attending.

Upon entering the Penguin Surf Club we knew we were in for a treat.

Although we had no intention of making any purchases at this local annual holiday gift and arts and crafts sales event, we thought it would be fun to mingle with the locals and take photos.

Handmade aprons, pot holders and more filled this area.
We chatted with Leone, the local rep for Tupperware.  She was delightful and welcoming us to her town. There was an item here, I’d have loved to purchase, that red pull chopper. Again, no room in the luggage for kitchen gadgets. To reach Leone for Tupperware, call her at 040-921-7730. 

We’d already purchased all the Christmas gifts for our six grandchildren in the US. Long ago, we’d decided to forgo gifts between us and our adult children due to the inconvenience of receiving, shipping and purchasing items from around the world.

Adorable flannel its including baby blankets and bibs.
A variety of locally made olive oil and products filled this pretty table.

For the grandchildren, we always purchase items and gift cards from US vendors making returns simple and uncomplicated. Within 24 hours of our arrival in Penguin, I sat down and got to work and within a few hours our online shopping was completed.

Cute stocking stuffer items.

Yesterday, we made a late lunch of cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon (the best bacon we’ve found anywhere!) and a favorite; low carb, grain, starch and sugar free coconut pancakes. We’d found maple syrup sweetened with Stevia at Woolies to which we added to the glob of delicious grass fed Tasmanian butter.

There was a wide array of adorable handmade items on this table.
Several tables offer spa and bath products.

Each time we make this meal I always say I could have this meal every day and love it. But, in an attempt for variety we only make it every so often, especially since in many countries we can’t find coconut flour although, coconuts are commonly found in many warm climates.

Hand carved wooden toys and games filled this display.

Satisfied after the great meal, at 5:30 we headed out the door for the 10 minute drive to the edge of town to the Penguin Surf Club where Terry has been an active member for many years. 

I hadn’t seen a Mary Kay display in years.
As we perused the facility beyond the multitude of booths with holiday offerings, we noticed his name over and over again on many plaques and awards. Having lived in Penguin all of his life, he’s been actively involved in community activities and events.
Tom really got a kick out of these lighted glass blocks. Clever idea!
I flipped over these “map of the world” shoes.  But, practicality always prevails in our lives.  They weren’t meant for lots of walking and each of my five pairs of shoes are practical except one pair of dress shoes which I’m considering giving the heave ho.

At the entrance to the building, we paid a “gold coin” each for an entrance fee equivalent to one AU dollar (US $.75). The place was packed, the energy, uplifting and holiday-like and we couldn’t have been more thrilled to be a part of this small town’s special seasonal event.

Tie dye baby clothing.  Too cute!
This chair and cover were made to look like a toy stove.  Cute!
We began wandering from display to display, some containing homemade gifts, foods and holiday décor and others packed with more traditional commercial items. Many were unique as we both giggled over spotting the same items simultaneously.
I always loved these handmade dolls.
Wall décor made with rocks and wood found in nature.

If, we had a home or were living near family, there were many items we would have been tempted to purchase. But with the high cost of shipping items to the US none of it made sense, especially when our grandkids have no interest in craft items nor do their parents want their homes filled with more “stuff.”

Colorful scented Play Dough.  Fun!

Being able to chat with a few of the vendors was the highlight of the event. We took photos of their wares, offering to post photos on our site today. Had it not been so busy, we’d have had a greater opportunity to talk to more vendors to later share their products and information.

Scents and hand and body sets, perfect for holiday gifts.

Today, cool, windy and cloudy we plan to stay in, work on future travel related tasks. At long last, we’re making our low carb gluten, starch and sugar free pizza after finally being able to find all the ingredients needed for our recipe. We haven’t been able to make the pizza since we were in New Zealand almost a year ago. 

An oar we spotted in the food area where Terry was one of the crew for an event. 
The bar wasn’t busy yet, but give it a few hours and it would have been packed. Food was offered for sale in this area, including burgers, brats and hot dogs.
Watch a movie? Eat pizza? Yep! That’s fun too! Enjoy your upcoming weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, December 9, 2015:

Walkway from one area of the Arts Village to another while in Pacific Harbour, Fiji.For more photos, please click here.

Christmas while on the move…Very different…

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Colorful trees blooming in the neighborhood.

As we roll into the holiday season, we wish every one of every nationality a happy holiday season for their appropriate holidays throughout the world whatever they may be.

For us, Christmas and New Year’s are the holidays we’ve celebrated all of our lives with a passion for their meaning and for sharing it with our family and friends. Life is different now. 

We don’t have family nearby and for the short time we’ve been in Fiji, we haven’t made many friends as we’d done in  Marloth Park, South Africa during the holidays. 

Access to the Qaraniquo river in the neighborhood.

So easily we recall, only two years ago, the wonderful times we spent during the holidays and after, even spending Christmas Eve at the home of people we’d never met until that night, Kathy and Don, including their friends Linda and Ken all of whom we got together on many other occasions. 

That year on Christmas day we made new friends, Hettie and Piet, when we shared a table at Jabula Lodge later getting together again who continue to warm our hearts with great memories.

There are many more we could name, friends we made in Marloth Park…Okee Dokee, who has married a few days ago, much to our delight. And, Louise and Danie, our hosts during our stay, who will always be in our hearts and minds. And Dawn and Leon, the owners of Jabula who always welcomed us with warmth, hugs, and open arms. 

What’s happened to this tree?  It appears there’s been a human intervention.

We had a going-away party before leaving Marloth Park for the friends who remained in the area into February when on the last day we were heading to Morocco for our remaining two and a half months of living on the African continent.

Making those types of relationships, all of which we happily maintain through Facebook has remained with us as special memories we’ll always treasure. But, many locations don’t provide the unique opportunity to make friends as readily as was the case in Marloth Park.

Then, of course, there are the countless friends we made due to our friendship with Richard while in Kauai.  Although our four-month stay on that exquisite island wasn’t over the holidays, every occasion together with our new friends felt like a holiday to us.

Flowering shrubs line the boulevard.

We’re rather gregarious. We easily reach out to start conversations with others and having done so has left us with valued memories from many cruises throughout the world, one of the main reasons we’ve loved cruising as much as we do.  

Boarding another cruise in Sydney in less than three weeks is exciting knowing how friendly and welcoming the Australian people and other cruisers from all over the world will be in this environment.

Yesterday, Tom received an email from a lovely couple we met on a cruise, simply “stopping by” to say hello.  Each time we hear from people we’ve met along the way, we more thrilled than we can describe.

We’ve never encountered this particular flower.

Of course, we miss family and friends. Yesterday, we spoke with grandson Vincent on his 10th birthday. It was wonderful to hear his voice. It’s always meaningful and emotional to speak with our kids and grandkids. 

When we think it was a year ago that 12 of our family members were with us in Hawaii during the Christmas season, it seems so long ago, and yet, in many ways, as we review the “year-ago photos” it feels as if it was only yesterday.

Now, the holidays? Over these years, we’ve reframed our thinking. The spiritual aspects remains in our hearts and minds. The Christmas tree, the lights, the decorations, the gifts for each other, the baking, the hundreds of mailed cards, the parties…are all things of the past. We don’t miss any of that.

A dock on the river appears to be shared by neighbors.

Always the proverbial host and hostess, we now relish in our quiet times and events we plan for ourselves; a holiday dinner out, a birthday or anniversary celebration…no gifts, no cards…content to be together, content to live this life. 

Selfish? Perhaps. But that’s ok. We all have the right to make choices for our lives. As the clock seems to tick faster now than at any other time in our lives we’ve chosen to “live life on our own terms,” a decision many desire to make but few seldom do, fearing recrimination, criticism, and disdain from loved ones. Fearing guilt.  We bear no guilt for our decisions.

And bless the hearts of those who happily live their lives in loving care and service of the needs of their family members and friends. We lovingly and thoughtfully did that all of our lives with aging parents and other family members who are no longer with us, having passed long before we left.

Its only a short walk from our house to the river.

Our kids are all in their 40’s. They’re all mature and responsible and take good care of their lives and their families.  Although not easy for them, they had to let us go live the dream we never knew we had until after my 25 years of bad health was reversed due to a change of diet and for the first time, I was well enough to travel feeling healthy and strong.

Grab life while you can! It can change on a dime. In one day’s time, something could happen and I’d no longer feel as well as I do today, able to continue on. And the inevitable…old age. Good grief. 

In 26 months I’ll be 70 years old. Tom will be 65. How many 70 year old seniors are hauling their share of baggage, traipsing all over the world without a home base, without storage, with only a few possessions in their current location, without a family doctor, without familiar stopping/resting/repacking points to “call their own” and tackling adventures they never imagined possible?

We’re happy. We’re happy during the holiday season, Christmas and New Year’s, friends at our side or not. All that we have loved, all that we continue to love, and all that we will love in the future is in our hands. 

May your holiday season be filled with happiness and fulfillment in all you chose to embrace.

Photo from one year ago today, December 15, 2014:

The swimming area at Isaac Hale beach which we visited on a sunny day, meeting a delightful woman from Colorado. Kathy was a college professor and moved to the island 13 years ago to lighten the load of a stressful life. She seemed happy and fulfilled. For more details, please click here.