A long night…Family updates…Civil liberties…More from Hawaii, five years ago…

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While out to dinner in Fiji, we were entertained by dancers performing a Bollywood-type routine. For the post from that date in 2015, please click here.
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Yesterday, our daughter-in-law Camille had highly complicated cancer surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  Worried about the outcome, I kept checking my phone for text updates, for which my son Greg had created a text group of family and friends.

To stay updated, I kept the text notification vibration on, hoping I’d sleep a little here and there. Subsequently, I had little sleep, only about three hours, when around 3:30 am, I finally drifted off.

The outcome was good, but like most cancer surgeries, one must wait for the much-anticipated pathology reports to ease her future well-being. She’s a lovely, strong, and resilient person who’s handled this dreadful diagnosis with grace and dignity, a role model for many of us. 

Beach view in Kapaa, Kauai five years ago today at this link.

Between thoughts of our dear DIL, my mind did a number on me in the middle of the night, including worries about my sister into the mix. Since we last mentioned it here, the most recent development had been that she had to move from her much-loved assisted living facility since they weren’t equipped to handle her dire needs.

No facility was willing to take a new patient during the COVID-19 lockdown. Her caseworker made calls for days and was unable to find a place for her to go. We were all in a tizzy worrying about where she could live, offering the degree of care she required at this point.
 
Finally, yesterday, the management at her assisted living facility agreed to keep her in place, providing her with some added support until such time when the lockdown ends, and other facilities that can manage her care would consider accepting her as a patient. Whew! What a relief, albeit temporary.
A mountain view with a fire burning at the right.

My tiredness from last night’s lack of sleep is irrelevant compared to the challenges facing our loved ones, alone, without family at their sides due to the dreaded coronavirus.

As tired as I am, I will continue the hourly walking regime today, perhaps taking time out for a short nap in the afternoon. Not much of a napper. I rarely fall asleep during the day, but sometimes, just lying down and resting may be beneficial.
 
It’s heartbreaking to think about the patients throughout the world with COVID-19 and other medical conditions requiring hospitalization, leaving them without their loved ones at their side. 
Cloudy day at sea.

The toll taken on the emotional well-being of the world’s citizens is essential for each of us to consider during this trying time. Staying active, engaged in pleasurable activities, embracing a healthy diet, and staying in touch with family and friends via phone, chat, and face time.

Ultimately, making every effort to maintain an optimistic outlook for the future will surely aid all of us in getting through this unusual period of our lives. This could easily be a time when couples and family members could get frustrated and snappy with one another.
 
Fortunately for us, we’re used to spending a tremendous amount of time alone together, so staying pleasant and attentive to one another’s needs and interests is easy. We’re grateful to be healthy, safe, and with a roof over our heads. No complaining here.
Café along the Kuhio Highway, the main highway in Kauai, past the Lihue Airport.

So many are worried about the stripping of their civil liberties when they are being told by the government to stay inside their homes and wear masks. It’s easy to become distracted with such thoughts and thoughts of myriad conspiracy theories during this time. 

Instead, for now, if we all can focus on our responsibility to protect ourselves, our loved ones, our friends, and the rest of the world by staying indoors, social distancing, washing our hands, and wearing face masks, this plague will end a lot sooner than we might expect. At that point, we can access the balance of our civil liberties. Right now is not a good time for protesting in the streets.

Photo from one year ago today, April 15, 2019:

From this site:  The Katydid leaf bug: Katydids get their name from the sound they make. Their repetitive clicks and calls sounded like someone saying, “Ka-ty-did,” so that phrase became the common name. Both genders are capable of producing sound. Katydids are related to crickets and grasshoppers, with large back legs for jumping. Unlike grasshoppers, Katydids have incredibly long, thin antennae. Unlike crickets, their bodies are more rhomboidal, like a kite with four equal lengths. They have wings and will fly away from danger. Most sightings occur when they land on an object and linger. Some have even gone on car rides, clinging to the hood of the vehicle.”  Great photo, Tom! For more photos, please click here.

PM Modi explains new guidelines for lockdown as India’s cases escalate…

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A cultural day in Bali during a ritual buffalo race proved to be a fascinating experience.
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As I write here now, India’s Prime Minister Modi is speaking in Hindi to the people of his country, explaining that the nationwide lockdown will continue until May 3, 2020, 19 days from today. 

A gorgeous sunset in Kauai, Hawaii, from the veranda of our condo in Princeville. For more photos from that date five years ago, please click here.

This decision is not surprising when, as of today, there are 10,453 cases with 358 deaths. With a country of 1.3 billion people, it makes so much sense to maintain the lockdown for as long as it takes to avoid it getting out of hand, as it has in the US with its 587,155 cases with 23,644 deaths.

Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) | Twitter
Prime Minister Modi appears to be a kind and caring leader, dedicated to the well-being and safety of his countrymen.

India will be instituting stricter guidelines for lockdown with more arrests and consequences for failure to comply. Some relaxing restrictions may transpire on April 20th based on reviewing conditions at that time.

Prime Minister Modi is taking responsibility for the “people” to become more diligent in following lockdown requirements to determine if relaxing of various business openings is possible. 

As the sunset progresses.

In addition, there will be a focus on hotspots such as the poorest, most densely populated area of Dharavi in Mumbai, represented in the movie, Slumdog Millionaire, described here as follows from this site:

“Dharavi is a locality in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, considered one of Asia’s largest slums. Dharavi has an area of just over 2.1 square kilometers (0.81 sq mi; 520 acres) and about 700,000. With a population density of over 277,136/km2 (717,780/sq mi), Dharavi is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Like the sunset, it dropped beyond the horizon.

The Dharavi slum was founded in 1884 during the British colonial era and grew in part because of the expulsion of factories and residents from the peninsular city centre and the migration of poor rural Indians into urban areas Mumbai. For this reason, Dharavi is currently a highly multi-religious, multi-ethnic, and diverse settlement.

Dharavi has a vibrant informal economy in which numerous household enterprises employ many of the slum residents—leather, textiles, and pottery products are among the goods made inside Dharavi. The total annual turnover has been estimated at over US$1 billion.

From the overlook across the street from our condo in Princeville. We’ve loved the area!
Dharavi has suffered from many epidemics and other disasters, including a widespread plague in 1896, which killed over half of the population of Mumbai. Though large sums of money have been borrowed by the Indian government in the guise of improving sanitation in Dharavi, none of these have materialized into any development on the ground.”
 
There was no mention of opening the airports for international travel. The reality that remains in our minds is that unless international flights can enter India, no outgoing international flights will be available. The airlines aren’t going to fly empty planes into the country to fly passengers out. Our wait is indefinite as we’d expected it would be for quite some time to come.
Cloudy day mountain view.

Tomorrow, more information will be posted with greater detail on the aforementioned restrictions and again on April 20th. We don’t expect any of these changes to have any impact on us.

We remain in place, with prayers and loving concern for my sister’s ongoing dilemma and poor health. Now, our daughter-in-law’s cancer surgery is at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, where no family can be with her at the hospital. 

Another cloudy day mountain view.

These are tough and heart-wrenching times, not only for those with COVID-19 but also for others facing hospitalization and isolation from loved ones during times of illness.

Today is an Indian holiday. “Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti is an annual festival observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of B. R. Ambedkar. It marks Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birthday who was born on 14 April 1891. Since 2015 it has been observed as an official public holiday throughout India.” No public celebrations will take place today.

The uniformity of this flower made it worthy of a photo.

May our Indian friends and hotel staff experience the celebrations in their hearts and homes with only their household family members with hope, blessings, and safety.

Photo from one year ago today, April 14, 2019:

We love this kudu photo after she’d stuck her head in the fresh bales of Lucerne we’d had delivered from Daisy”s Den. We call this lovely female “Cupid” based upon the heart-shaped marking on her neck. Cute! For more photos, please click here.
IMG_2494

Beautiful flowers brighten our day from Kauai, Hawaii, five years ago…Building a comfortable routine…

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The birth of an Alpaca “cria” while we had a fantastic opportunity to oversee the births while the farm owners were away. Please click here for the story with many photos, including the main image, one of our favorites.
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As we look back at posts from five years ago, our current source of photos since we, like you, are stuck indoors, we can’t help but smile over the beautiful experiences we’ve had in our travels over the past 7½ years.

It’s those very photos that we’re enjoying now, while in lockdown, more than ever before. They are a reminder of not only what we’ve cherished in the past but what we can anticipate for the future with enthusiasm and hope.

 I squealed when I spotted this gorgeous Rhododendron at the Princeville Botanical Gardens from this post five years ago. 

Thanks to our readers and Facebook friends for the many loving and encouraging messages we received yesterday on Easter and each day. Many have continued to suggest solutions to our situation, but we are pretty fine, both physically and emotionally.

With the number of cases rapidly rising in India, at 9240 cases with 331 deaths, we anticipate we could be here a long time. Even if the airport reopens, with more points here, we may be forced into quarantine anywhere we’ll go in the future unless we wait it out long enough.
In a shady area, we encountered these tiny mushrooms growing on the rocks.

No one knows for sure what the future holds and if we’ll be able to continue traveling for some time to come. Our hope and plan will continue to focus on leaving India at some point soon, whether it be in a month or four months. 

In the interim, we have no option but to patiently wait it out while doing everything we can to stay engaged, educated, and informed about what transpires throughout the world, not only inside our tiny world.

With many bees in this area, I chose not to move the green leaves for a better view of this exquisite bloom, a soccer ball’s size. All of us on tour was in awe of this exquisite flower.

One thing we know for sure, our lives and yours, will never be the same as it was before the virus hit. Not a single country has avoided the virus entirely, although a few have had under 10 cases. But, at this point, their peak may be on the horizon. Only time will tell.

For us, staying busy while cooped up in a hotel room has been vital to maintaining a good state of mind and good health. We don’t overeat. We don’t drink alcohol (only because it’s not available!). We keep moving. We watch funny YouTube videos, including our own.
Jackfruit is known for its health benefits.  See this link for nutritional details. This photo was posted at this link on April 13, 2015.

We’ve developed a routine we find comforting. When we may become hungry in the afternoon, we drink the instant coffee in the room, no more than two cups each (mine is decaf), as somewhat of a ritual. 

We go to breakfast each day whenever we feel like it, sometimes as early as 8:00 am and others as late as 10:00 am. Each evening at 7:00 pm sharp, we head to the dining room for dinner. We’re often the only guests since most eat lunch and don’t have dinner until as late as 10:00 pm.

The Noni Fruit, known as one of the world’s most nutrient-rich fruits.  See here for details.

But, one of the most fun and enjoyable times of the day is after dinner when we get comfy on the bed with six fluffy pillows, and we set up my laptop on a tray to stream two episodes of our favorite shows. 

Usually, the two shows end by 10:15 pm, after which we play with our phones and then drift off to sleep. Most days, my Fitbit displays that I’ve slept seven to eight hours, which is better sleep than I’ve had in years, if ever. Tom sleeps less than I do, but on occasion will nap for 20 minutes during the day.
An Anthurium, gone wild.

This type of routine has brought us a sense of comfort and security as day after day, we awaken and repeat it. As of tomorrow, we’ll have been in this hotel room for three weeks. It feels like more. 

We’ll get through it. We’ll all get through it if we stay safe… If we social distance… If we avoid going out… If we wash our hands… If we wear face masks… If we take care of ourselves and our loved ones… If… If… If…

Photo from one year ago today, April 13, 2019:

Four baby warthogs were taking a rest together. For more photos, please click here.

Happy Easter, everyone…Not quite the same…Exceptional service at our hotel…

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This morning, this adorable Easter display was at our regular table. The staff is always thinking of us.

The daily videos we’ve been posting will continue tomorrow.

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Today, April 12, 2020, it’s Easter for over 2 billion people throughout our world (of almost 8 billion) as indicated here: “According to the 2011 Pew Research Center survey, there are 2.18 billion Christians around the world in 2010, up from about 600 million in 1910.”

But this is no ordinary Easter, not for children, parents, and families, who typically celebrate this spiritual day with prayers, attending church, colorful displays, Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts, candy-filled baskets, big dinners, and tradition-making experiences.

In our old lives, this was one of our favorite family days of the year when we made baskets for everyone, planned and played fun games for money-filled plastic eggs and toys. 

We dined on our homemade favorites, such as ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, whipped fruit salad (we called it “fruit whippie”), homemade buns along with many other side dishes, and desserts, including our favorite bunny rabbit cake I’d make each year. 

See our post with some of our favorite homemade cakes and pies here.
Those days are long past, and we accepted that reality many moons ago. Our children have gone on to create their own unique Easter memories with their families and friends.

Over the past years of world travel, we haven’t celebrated Easter and have instead thought about the spiritual significance in our lives and our faith, of which we share very little here. 

This morning Tom ordered a banana and received these four tiny ones, which are popular in India. 

(We always promised ourselves we wouldn’t discuss religion, sex, and politics on this blog, although we occasionally post photos and stories of wildlife mating rituals).

And today? In this challenging time of COVID-19 and worldwide lockdown, it’s different for everyone who honors this special day. With travel restrictions, social distancing, and the inability to gather with family and friends, this will be an Easter everyone will remember.

Sadly, many will remember losing loved ones who succumbed to this dreadful virus with great sorrow. And for those of us who’ve been fortunate to have avoided infection, we can all reflect on how fortunate we are to have learned methods to protect ourselves and our families during these stressful times.

We know the loss of work and income for many is devastating. Many throughout the world are struggling to put food on the table today and every day. This is heartbreaking. 

And today, we need to pray for those families, for the families who have lost loved ones, for the families with members sick with the virus, for those struggling to recover from the virus, and for our safety from the menacing virus which is generating a tremendous amount of stress in people everywhere.

Although we posted this same photo on the March 30th post here, we wanted to post it again, offering thanks and gratitude to the lovely staff who kindly and graciously attend to our needs every day at the Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport. We couldn’t be made to feel more welcome, especially with so few of us here with a staff that far exceeds the number of guests. This staff has sacrificed time and safety in their own homes with their own families to continue working and sleeping here to provide exemplary service and security for all of us. 

None of us are exempt from feeling the brunt of this pandemic in one way or another. Our prayers are with all of you. 

And, while we sit back in relative comfort, safe in the cocoon of this virus-free hotel, we are grateful to be able to have this place to live and the fantastic staff in the hotel who daily see to our needs with such good grace and dignity.

We also thank Marriott Hotels for keeping this hotel open because there are so few of us here now. We are grateful today and every day. 

May your God, your Gods, your Higher Power, bless us all and keep us safe.

Photo from one year ago today, April 12, 2019:

Female kudus were resting in the shade. For more photos, please click here.

Making decisions while in lockdown…Photos from a tropical garden, five years ago in Kauai, Hawaii…

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This video of Laysan Albatross antic in Kauai, Hawaii, always makes us laugh. They are such delightful and charming birds. See the link here for the date we posted this video.
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A few days ago, I inquired at the reception desk if there was a possibility of upgrading to a larger room in the hotel. I did so on a whim, hoping like some hotels in the past, they’ve given us a complimentary upgrade.

Last night, shortly before we headed the dinner, the friendly staff person called our room, suggesting a price for an upgrade to the suite next door to us. It was more than we wanted to pay, but we decided to look at it anyway.

Five years ago today, the drive on the way to the Princeville Botanical Gardens is in itself a breathtaking experience.

It was comparable to an apartment with a living room, two flat-screen TVs, a formal dining room, a large bedroom with a huge en suite bath, and a second bath near the living area. It was pleasant and decorated. 
When we did the math, converting from rupees to US dollars was too much considering how long we may be here. After a bit of negotiation back and forth, the best they could do was charge us an extra IDR 76,177, US $1,000 more per month over and above the IDR 226,626, US $2,975 per month we’re currently paying.

Everywhere we walked, the scenery was outstanding. Unlike many botanical gardens, the owners chose to leave some areas open with expansive green lawns, adding to its beauty.

My first reaction was that for that amount for such a substantial upgrade, this was a reasonable amount, especially since I was feeling a bit of “cabin fever.” But Tom, in his usual sensible and frugal way, convinced me it wasn’t worth it, even under these trying circumstances.

I rationalized it in my mind that along with food and tips, our total monthly expenses would still be less than we usually pay while living in a nice holiday home with a rental car, groceries, and dining out. 

Although Hawaii may not be the perfect climate for cactus to increase, many varieties of cactus seem to thrive, as this has that I spotted on tour.

As the family “numbers cruncher,” I tend to think in terms of totals rather than personal expenses as long as we stay within budget. But Tom, the more practical of the two of us, reminded me that, under so many unknowns, such a “frivolous expense” wasn’t necessary based on our current circumstances.

Sure, I grumbled a little under my breath, but overnight realized he was right. After watching the news this morning and reading yesterday’s speech by President Ramaphosa of South Africa, it’s conceivable we won’t get into South Africa for four months or more.
This red fruit caught my eye, although I was uncertain as to its identity.

As we mentioned, if the airport here in Mumbai reopens to outgoing international flights, we have some ideas about where we can go to stay, perhaps an island in the Indian Ocean, not too far from Africa. At the same time, we wait for South Africa to open its borders.

It would be a lot easier to live in a beach house overlooking the sea while we wait, as opposed to sitting in a hotel room for many more months to come. Then, of course, we’ll have the added expenses of flying to one of these islands, paying for a rental car and housing, and all the ancillary costs associated with such a location.

Lipstick bamboo.  Look at these colors!

We’re better off saving our funds for that trip than moving from one hotel room to another right now. I got over it. I’m fine. I can get sidetracked at times. Tom always steers me in the right direction.

This restaurant continues to add a few items from their regular menu, and tonight, I have salmon for the first time since we arrived here. This is quite a treat after eating two small chicken breasts every night for almost three weeks. 
Tonight, I’ll also pass on the paneer makhani and have a huge plate of steamed veggies. The chef came by and offered Tom Pasta Carbonara, which will be a nice change for him.
Shrimp plants are also known as Yellow Candles.

It’s funny how meals have become more important to us during this lockdown than ever in the past. By 4:00 pm each day, I start chomping at the bit, getting hungry and anxious to go to dinner at 7:00 pm. 

Boredom? Perhaps. I’ve read online that many are eating more during the lockdown. We aren’t eating more since we have no access to food other than the two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. But, we surely enjoy mealtimes which many of you may be experiencing now as well.

When we’re safe and have basic conveniences, it’s our thoughts that do a number on us. Keeping those in check, when possible, will help all of us get through these trying times.

Be safe. Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 11, 2019:

Tiny and a mongoose getting along. Mongooses don’t eat pellets, so no competition for food. For more photos, please click here.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Heartbreaking news for my sister…

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Our favorite bird, Birdie, sang for us each day to give him nuts.
Please listen to this song all the way through!
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Charles Dickens wrote in The Tale of Two Cities:

“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom. It was the age of foolishness. It was the epoch of belief. It was the epoch of incredulity. It was the season of light. It was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Five years ago, this adorable pair of Northern Cardinals visited us several times each day in Kauai, Hawaii.  He’s sharing the nuts we gave him with his mate that we leave on the railing each day.  How sweet is this! For that post on April 10, 2015, please click here.

And here we are, dear readers, in the worst of times as most of us are striving to survive with grace and dignity through this frightening pandemic. No one is exempt. No one is free from the fear, risk, and consequences of a world in lockdown for an indefinite period.

 
My sister, Susan’s situation is indicative of these stressful and unusual times. She’s back at the assisted living facility in much worse shape than she was before she fell. 
He’s so cute.  And he sings as nobody knows! See the above video of him belting out a tune for our attention for more nuts.
Not one nursing home, palliative or hospice care facility, or rehab center in Nevada would accept her as a patient due to COVID-19. Not one. Subsequently, she was sent back to her assisted living facility, which does not provide the type of palliative/hospice care she requires at this time. 
 
She literally cannot get into her wheelchair to get to the bathroom or attend to any of her personal needs. She can barely feed herself. She’s trapped. The assisted living facility has agreed to do what they can to help her, but they have many patients who require attention, especially when no family members can visit.
 
But, these facilities don’t offer the degree of help she requires now and most likely will require for the remainder of her life, which may be shorter thane anticipated under these dire circumstances. It breaks our hearts to know how she is struggling to get through each day.
Birdie, contemplating his day.
I call her every morning, which is nighttime in Nevada, USA, but I’m having trouble keeping the call from cutting off. Thank God, my sister Julie, niece Kely, and Susan’s ex-husband Tom are all also calling her frequently providing considerable emotional support and encouragement.
 

Based on lacunar infarctions, of which she’s had many, her memory is fading by the day. Lacunar infarction is described as follows: “Lacunar stroke or lacunar infarct (LACI) is the most common type of ischemic stroke, resulting from the occlusion of small penetrating arteries that provide blood to the brain’s deep structures.”

No doubt, many of you have experienced a similar diagnosis in your aging parents and family members. On top of this frequently occurring situation in her brain, as mentioned earlier, she has COPD, congestive heart failure, and a chronic pain condition. Also, she was injured in a recent fall. Oh, good grief, this is unbearable for her.
The male Red Crested Cardinal also came to visit each day, but he and Birdie didn’t get along well.
Susan was a brilliant and successful businesswoman for most of her life with an illustrious career. She, too, traveled the world and we often share stories of places we’ve been and the experiences we’ve had, especially while on safari in Africa and India. 
 
To lie in bed for 12 years withering away is unthinkable for any individual, as the quality of life fades away, day after day, as do the memories of a life well-lived. 
 
She asked me is she should “let go” and do what our mother had done at 81 years old in 2003, stopped eating and drinking, refusing all treatment until 17 days later she drifted away with all of us at her side. What could I say? Fight to live under these dreadful circumstances?
A showdown between Birdie and his competition.

I could only offer my love and support for whatever path she so chooses. Only she can make that decision. Many of us can make such a decision when and if the time comes, and if we hopefully still possess a modicum of mental resources to make such a dire decision.

 
The sorrow this virus has bestowed upon all of us worldwide has placed so many in the horrifying position of making life and death decisions for ourselves and for those we love.
 
Thank you to our readers for the love and support you send our way in thoughts, messages, and prayers. We extend the very same to every one of you.

Photo from one year ago today, April 10, 2019:

Mr. Nyala likes it there. It was a delight for Tom to see him again that morning and to be able to take these photos. For more photos, please click here.

Six British hotel guests are flying home today, releasing four hotel rooms…What would be nice at this point?…

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Giraffes visited our yard in January 2014 in Marloth Park, South Africa.
Hanalei Bay from an overlook in Kauai, Hawaii. For more photos from our post on this date, April 9, 2015, please click here.
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Each time a hotel guest checks out, I can’t help but worry that the hotel will close. There are very few hotels open during the lockdown and beyond in Mumbai except those housing suspected COVID-19 cases. As we’ve mentioned, we’ll never stay in one of those hotels.

Tonight at 9:00 pm, five hotel guests who’ve been utilizing four hotel rooms are heading to the airport to board a chartered flight to the UK. The airport here is still closed except for the few flights arranged by various country’s state departments to repatriate citizens to their home countries.

Hanalei Bay on a sunny day, taken from our condo in Princeville in Kauai, Hawaii.

We are happy for these people, some of whom we’ve communicated with (at quite a distance) who’ve been here as long as we have, today at 16 days. They are excited to return to their homes. 

According to today’s news from what appears to be a reliable source, 50,000 US citizens have been returned home who’ve been stranded abroad in 90 countries. It could have been 50,002 (sic) if we’d chosen to head to the US.
Instead, we’re locked down in this lovely hotel, comfortable and feeling safe until we can move on to our next location. But, of course, it would be natural for some concern when the number of rooms occupied in this 334 room hotel diminishes as guests find a way out of India.
A juice bar on wheels in the quaint town of Hanalei.

This morning I spoke to my brother-in-law, Tom, my sister Susan’s ex-husband, who’s been a constant in her life for many years, helping her more than one could imagine. Tom explained how eerie it is in Las Vegas with all the lights off on the strip with all the casinos and hotels closed due to COVID-19.

He said it reminded him of those “end of the world” movies that he, like me, always enjoyed watching, never thinking for a moment that our world would be so similar, in lockdown and that the business world would come to a standstill with every town appearing like a ghost-town.

It’s easy for us to be insulated from these realities other than what we see and hear on the news. We haven’t ventured outdoors in these past 16 days and don’t plan to do so anytime soon.
These handcrafted plates for sale in Hanalei were pricey, many over INR 7615, US $100 each.

This morning at breakfast, we were thrilled to see the restaurant had a shipment. Tom could have strawberry jelly with his toast, and I could have chicken sausages with my omelet. This was a nice change we both appreciate.

As for dinners, no changes will be coming there. Most of the food items they offer are spicy Indian dishes. Tom will stick with his chicken penne pasta with white sauce and a side of potatoes (not healthy, but all that’s available that he’ll eat). 
 
I continue to order the same meal each evening consisting of Paneer Makhani (a spicy tomato-based Indian dish infused with cubes of paneer, a cheese similar to feta but more dense and creamy), with two small pieces of grilled chicken and steamed veggies. 
These quirky glasses were almost INR 7615, US $100 each.

Still, no wine or beer is allowed in India, with all bars and liquor stores closed indefinitely. Gosh, a drink would be nice at this point. Gosh, lounging with friends with a glass of red wine in hand would be nice at this point. 

Gosh, going outdoors would be nice at this point. Gosh, we’ve surprised ourselves as to how well we’ve been holding up without any of these at this point.
 
We’ve been holed up in hotel rooms for almost a month, but like most of you, we’re making the best of it. Continue to hunker down and stay safe.
Photo from one year ago today, April 9, 2019:
Lone elephant crossing the road in Kruger. For more photos, please click here.

Medical concerns mount, worldwide and “at home”…

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Elephants on the Crocodile River in Kruger National Park in 2013. 
Five years ago today, we continued to be wrapped up in the growing albatross chicks nesting in the yards of homes in the neighborhood. This was our favorite Laysan Albatross chick, named “Joy,” who usually sat facing the wall.  She was practicing clacking when we stopped by the previous day, although we were at least 15 feet from her.  On this particular day, she wasn’t facing the wall, as she often does, as did her parents.  For the post from that day five years ago today, please click here.
Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site in a few months, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you.

For those who may have missed the post with SW News Media’s article on our story, please click here.

My sister’s situation has escalated over the past 24 hours. She now has no choice but to go into a rehabilitation center or, even worse, a nursing home, many of which are dealing with cases of COVID-19. 

She cannot care for herself sufficiently to return to her assisted living facility, which only offers minimal care for its residents, such as dispensing medication, health checks, meals, and cleaning. At this point, Susan is being prescribed “palliative care,” which focuses on improving their quality of life.

This cannot be accomplished while living in an assisted living facility. If the fears of the virus weren’t prevalent at this time, this entire scenario would be much easier.

It’s hard to believe that these fluffy balls will eventually grow into the adults’ beautiful pristine white and gray feathers.

I’m doing what I can from afar, but it’s a difficult situation with several family members involved, each trying their best for a good outcome that doesn’t look promising.

It breaks my heart to think she could be permanently separated from her beloved Yorkie, Chase. This will be the most challenging part for her. Little dogs are often allowed in assisted living facilities but never in rehabilitation centers or nursing homes. In the next few days, we’ll see how this all rolls out.
 

I have no doubt many of our readers have been faced with these types of situations. Both Tom and I experienced it with our aging parents, who now passed away long ago. Overseeing even a part of their care is disheartening and sorrowful for all family members.

Could this chick be any cuter?

On India’s national news, there are considerable speculations on how India will go forward when the lockdown ends on April 14th. Numerous options are being presented; including the extension of the lockdown based on the fact, there has been no reduction in the number of cases in the country of 1.3 billion people.

Today, India has 5356 cases and 160 deaths based on this report which is considerably less than the US with 400,500 cases and 12,857 deaths. South Africa has 1749 cases and 13 deaths. These numbers will not be accurate since reporting is limited in some countries.

It appears we won’t know what India will do for several more days but, even if the lockdown ends and the airport reopens, there isn’t a country with its borders open we’d care to visit. Subsequently, we will stay here until there are possibilities that work for us. This could be months away. We are prepared for this eventuality.

A Brown Gecko is hanging out in this plant with sharp thorns, a safe hiding spot for sure.

The hotel routine continues day after day. We go to breakfast between 8:00, and 9:00 am. While our room is being cleaned, we sit in the lobby with our laptops and return to the room. 

I walk the corridors of the fourth floor once an hour until we go to dinner. We each listen to podcasts, the news, or stream shows on our respective laptops during the daytime.
 

Back in our room after 7:00 pm dinner, together we watched two episodes of Showtime’s TV series: Homeland, The Affair, Ray Donovan and then tried to sleep. Usually, by 11:00 pm, we’re drifting off to awaken the following day to do it all over again.

This peculiar tree was growing in the neighborhood where the nesting albatrosses were located.

As much as we’d like to shake it up a little, there’s no real opportunity for change. Although many of you housebound have similar restrictive activities, you have the added concerns when venturing out to shop. We haven’t left this hotel once in the 15 days since we arrived. 

We could potentially be saying the same thing in one, two, or three months from now. We shall see. Tolerating this situation is a mindset we hope to maintain for as long as we stay ensconced in this (or another) hotel.

Here’s a new tidbit of information we discovered: Close the toilet’s lid when you flush, at home or when out (avoid using a bathroom when out). COVID-19 spores can spread through the air from toilet contents when flushing without the lids closed.

Stay safe.

Photo from one year ago today, April 8, 2019:

Little’s Friend…His tusks are even tinier than Little’s. For more photos, please click here.

Closer to home than we think…A personal story…Five years ago, a little shop in Kauia, Hawaii…

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We could watch and hear the church bells when we lived in Boveglio, Italy, in the summer of 2013. This particular video is viral on our YouTube page. Click here for the post on which we included this video.

As I wrote today’s post, starting with the headline, I smiled. “A personal story?” All of our stories are personal in one way or another. Today is no exception.

At times, people ask, “How do you feel comfortable revealing so much of your personal life online?”

My answer is always the same, “One of the reasons people all over the world read our posts is due to this very fact. If this were just a travel blog with photos of tourist locations, hotels, and restaurant reviews, we wouldn’t have kept the interest of readers for so many years.”

It’s the raw reality of our daily lives that inspires us to keep writing each day, that so quickly comes from the heart, enabling my fingers to fly across the keyboard with barely a moment of concentration or forethought. “Writer’s block” doesn’t dwell herein.

This is the only health food store, Healthy Hut, within a half-hour drive of our holiday home in Kauai, Hawaii. The inventory is ripe with fresh, locally grown organic produce, grass-fed meats, free-range chickens and eggs and food and health supplies one would find in a much larger location in a big city. Pricey? Yep! For the full story from five years ago today, please click here.

Yes, many of our prior posts suggested where to go and what to see in various parts of the world. We love sharing those tidbits of information with associated photos and links.

But, now, in isolation, without being “out there” sightseeing, shopping, socializing and feeling a “part of the world,” an entirely tunnel-vision-type approach has overcome me. It’s all about us and what we’re thinking, feeling and experiencing while locked down in a hotel room in Mumbai, India for an indefinite period.
Certainly, most of our readers can relate to our isolation when you, too, are literally trapped in your homes, facing the complexity of myriad problems, which include emotional, physical and financial concerns.
I was surprised to find many of the products I needed to make my recently posted recipe for Low Carb High Fat Protein Bars, my new favorite recipe. Click this link if you missed the recipe.

In many ways, it’s easier for us. Sure, I’d like to be able to cook a meal, have a glass of wine, do laundry and stay busy around the house. But, we have little responsibility other than staying active, eating two meals a day, and paying for our hotel and dinners (breakfast is included). 

Financially, this lockdown doesn’t impact us one way or another. We’d be paying rent for a holiday home, groceries, supplies and the occasional dinner out. Our hotel bill here is no more than we’d have paid for a holiday home and the dinners, not much more than we’d have paid for groceries and dining out.

But, for those of you out of work as you continue to incur household and living expenses, this dreadful time can only be worrisome and frightening, along with fears about the virus impacting your family and friends. Our hearts go out to all of you.

Of course, we worry about our family and friends, but based on frequent communication it seems everyone is hunkered down to the best of their ability, wearing masks, social distancing and frequently washing their hands.

Although our situation is not dire at this point, we aren’t exempt from worry and concern. My dear sister Susan, who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada who’s been bedridden for many years with various severe medical conditions, took an awful fall a few days ago, one of many she’s experienced over the years.

Seeing pumpkins and squash reminds us of crisp, cool fall in Minnesota as I stood admiring this at a comfortable 82 degrees.

She is now a coronavirus-free hospital after hany tests that determined she has been suffering numerous small strokes, causing her to fall over the years, often incurring brain bleeds and injuries. In addition, she has COPD, congestive heart failure, and severe chronic pain syndrome. (Bad genes in my family).

For the past nine months, she has been living in a lovely assisted living facility in Las Vegas, which, to date, hasn’t had any cases of COVID-19. I spent many delightful afternoons with her when we stayed in Nevada in November 2019. 

I baked a few of her favorite desserts (from our childhood) at son Richard’s house in Henderson and brought them to her when I visited each day. We laughed and told stories while cherishing every moment together. On December 9th, when we left Nevada it was hard to say goodbye, not sure we’d ever be together again.

Based on US Medicare requirements when a patient/senior is hospitalized and still a bit unstable, they require the patient to go to the rehabilitation center before they can return to their former living arrangements.

With all the news of COVID-19 impacting rehab and nursing facilities, my dear sister is terrified of being forced to go to one of these facilities before she can return to her assisted living facility where she’s been content and comfortable.

The shelves were packed with beauty products, snacks, and treat, none of which we purchase.

My sister Julie, my niece Kely, Susan’s adult daughter, both of whom live in California, and I, have been on the phone trying to attend to her care the best way we can. No visitors are allowed in the hospital to avoid the risk of spreading the virus. She was injured during the fall and is in considerable pain along with the chronic discomfort of her other medical conditions. This is heartbreaking.

We are trying to avoid her going to the rehab facility, which emotionally would be devastating for her. Although we are grateful she doesn’t have the virus, ishe wouldn’t survive f she did become infected  

Many of you are experiencing similar situations throughout the world with family members alone in the hospital without the possibility of visitors and other medical conditions that require care and treatment during this difficult time.

These are challenging times for all of us in our own ways. We pray for toursafety and well-being fnd all of our loved ones wherever they may be. May this devastation soon end.

Photo from one year ago today, April 7, 2019:

This morning, this Hornbill stood on the top of the door to let Tom know it was time to eat. Tom came running outdoors to comply with his fervent request. For more photos, please click here.

The kindness of friends with the best intentions.. Can we stop writing about it?

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As mentioned in yesterday’s post, each day we’ll include one of our videos along with the link when we originally posted the video. Here’s the link to the post in which we had the above video with the whole story, from December 29, 2013 with another video and more photos regarding the female’s making the tree frog’s nest, and the mating process. 

Note: To all of our readers visiting our site via a smartphone, please click the “View web version” tab under the word “Home” at the bottom of the page to access the web version enabling you to access all of our archives on the right side of the page. We’ll be updating our site in a few months, making these extra steps unnecessary. Thank you.
Please click here for those who may have missed the post with SW News Media’s article on our story.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post here, in the future, during the lockdown, we will include one of our past videos as the “main photo” each day with a link to the date the video was initially posted. 

We’re adding videos from the furthest dates, eventually working toward the present day. We may not include every video, but instead, use those we’ve deemed may be of most interest to our worldwide audience.
 
It’s fun for us to add this feature during lockdown which once it’s over and we’re on the move again, we’ll return to posting one of our favorite photos of the day. As you can well imagine, we aren’t taking any photos right now. We’ve already posted hotel and staff photos leaving us no options from there since we cannot go outside.

On another note, many of our friends/readers have been sending us links and information regarding how the US State Department is assisting American citizens in getting out of India via chartered flights from Delhi, Goa, and Mumbai.Gosh, we appreciate everyone’s concern and also, we are well aware of the State Department’s efforts to repatriate US citizens who are in lockdown all over the world. We spend all day, every day, watching local and world news and reading copious amounts of news online. No new facts about the virus pass by us in our heightened state.
Beautiful orchid we spotted in our travels from this post.
This flower baffled me with nothing online similar, making it possible to identify.  How unusual. Any ideas out there?

For us, the fact remains consistent. We have no intention of returning to the US to live while waiting out the virus. There are many other countries we’d head to once the international travel bans are lifted, none of which include the US and its territories.

In many weeks or months away, our goal is to head back to South Africa, a military intervention to prevent its citizens and residents from movement beyond lockdown. Some harsh punishments have been enacted, including imprisonment, impounding vehicles, and being shot at with rubber bullets.

The people of India are also being arrested and jailed for disobeying the lockdown. Of course, this type of punishment is harsh, but the president is determined to keep the virus cases at bay. Only time will tell if these stringent tactics are effective.

We feel safe here. We would not feel safe flying to the US to face the 336,830 cases (as of today) with almost 10,000 deaths. As of today, India has 4314 cases and 118 deaths. India is one-third the size of the US in square miles but has four times the population.

Also, in this scenario, locked down in a hotel, we don’t have to go out to shop or make any purchases. We needed a few toiletries, and yesterday. I placed an order with Amazon India for a May 4th delivery date. We have no doubt we’ll still be here in May.

Suppose the airport opens in Mumbai for international flights and South Africa is not accepting incoming international flights. In that case, we have several other countries in mind that we’d fly to while we wait it out, again, with many fewer cases per capita. 

With the help of the internet, it’s easy to determine which countries continue to keep their borders closed. In the worst-case scenario, if none of the walls open, we’ll stay here in Mumbai until they do. 

Everything is predicated on the fact that we continue to have a place to stay in Mumbai while waiting it out. We’re feeling this hotel won’t “put us on the street” if they close and will find an alternative for all of us remaining here.

It appears that five guests from the UK will be getting out on a UK government-chartered flight sometime in the next few weeks. We appreciate their desire to return to their homes. 

But, with the national healthcare system on dangerous overload in the UK, along with the high number of cases, as eighth-highest in the world with 47,806 points and almost 5000 deaths, we’d undoubtedly stay put here rather than travel to the UK.

Plumeria, found in many tropical locations throughout the world. We took this photo in Hawaii.

For us, the bottom line… One, where are we the safest? And two, where are we the most mentally, physically, and financially most comfortable? For now, it’s Mumbai, India, staying at the Courtyard Mumbai International Airport for as long as we are allowed. 

Each new day I ask myself, “Can I stop writing about COVID-19?” I wish I could. But, like all of you and the rest of the world, it’s hard to get it off our minds and in our lives.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 6, 2019:

Mongooses pose in cute positions in hopes their adorableness will inspire us to feed them. It always worked. For more photos, please click here.