Day #242 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Where else could we go?…Favorite Costa Rica photos…

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View of Atenas from our veranda in Atenas, Costa Rica.

Today’s photos are from our post on this date in 2017 while living in a gorgeous home in Atenas, Costa Rica. For more details, please click here.

While reviewing photos from past posts on this date, I stopped looking when I found these from 2017 while we spent four months at the luxurious villa, La Perla, in the sleepy little town of Atenas, Costa Rica. The still-active listing for this fabulous holiday home may be found here.

This is a Rufous-naped Wren sitting atop the African Tulip Tree, captured from the veranda.

Recently, we contacted our friends, the owners, Bev and Sam out of sheer curiosity. Could we return to this property for 90 days to wait while more borders opened up, allowing us to continue on our travels thereafter? Surely, it would be a much better situation than we’re in now!

Unfortunately, it’s impossible for us to commit to a property at this point when we have no idea when we’d be able to fly out of India when international flights out of here limited to only a few locations, all of which, at this point are other locations in India and a few countries we aren’t interested in visiting. That doesn’t do us any good.

Frog visitor on the bumper of the rental car while at Supermercado Coopeatenas.

From this news story, flights that are available at this time, are as follows:

“India has entered into “bilateral air bubble agreements” with 18 countries. Under these agreements, two countries agree to operate direct passenger flights both ways in order to operate normal flights between them once things get back to normal after the pandemic.

Giant iguana at Zoo Ave.

The list of countries India has a travel bubble with is the US, the UK, Germany, France, the UAE, Maldives, Canada, Japan, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Bhutan, Kenya, Bangladesh, and Ukraine.

Traveling to Afghanistan from India can be done by Afghan nationals, Indian and foreign nationals with valid visas and passports, and the same for those traveling to India as mentioned by guidelines under the MHA. Similar criteria lie for Bahrain, Kenya, and Bhutan, Iraq, Japan, Maldives, Qatar, UK, USA, and Oman. The airline will have to finally ensure that there are no other travel restrictions for the people traveling under the particular visa permit before issuing their tickets and boarding passes.”

Stunning blooms, Pine Cone Ginger.

We could travel to Kenya but medical care there is horrific, making it unrealistic for us to return during the pandemic. We considered the Maldives but it wasn’t a good possibility due to poor medical care, only 30-day visas, and also very high prices for hotels and holiday homes, far beyond our budget.

The other countries don’t appeal to us due to political unrest, massive cases of COVID-19, poor medical care, and/or a lack of availability of the type of holiday homes we’d be interested in renting. We aren’t interested in traveling to Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar, Oman, Bhutan, and Bahrain.

An Owl Butterfly we spotted in the courtyard with what appears to be a large eye to scare off predators.

We have three cruises booked in and around Japan in 2022 and would prefer to wait until that time when we’ll visit various ports of call and possibly stay in a holiday home for a period of time. Hopefully, by that time, we’ll be able to cruise again and the pandemic will be under control.

Mom and calf in the neighborhood.

This is the way that it is. We wait.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 20, 2019:

While in Minnesota last year, we stayed with friends Karen and Rich when their beautiful property was listed for sale and has since sold. They are moving to a warmer climate. For more photos, please click here.

Day #238 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Are we still really in lockdown?…Refusal to fight…

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Mandatory Credit: Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times/Shutterstock (11008794b)
Crowded street of Ranade road for Diwali shopping at Dadar west, on November 8, 2020, in Mumbai, India.
Diwali Festival 2020, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India – 08 Nov 2020

Today’s photos (except the above main photo) are from this date in 2015 while living in Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji, as shown here.

One would think that with over 3000 posts, it would be easy to find photos to repeat that could be interesting and fresh to our new and long-term readers. But, each morning, as I scroll through the previous seven of eight years, it’s often challenging to find any that I find appealing.

A few boats docked at the pier in Savusavu, Fiji.

They must be photos from the exact day and month to maintain our preferred continuity, with only the year they were published being different. We’ll see how it goes if and when a year passes, and we have to start all over again. Good grief! That one-year event could be in a mere four months.

Technically, we are no longer in a mandated lockdown. That’s why the employees still sleep here and can’t leave during their month’s long shifts. We are free to leave the hotel, but they prefer we stay here to avoid returning with a case of the virus. Although the US appears to have more cases of COVID-19, we suspect there are more cases in India than in the US due to a lack of testing, rampant crowding, and poverty.

This boat navigates to the pearl beds.

Each time we look out of the only window at the end of a long corridor, we can see people in groups, and most aren’t wearing masks. If we were to go outside on foot, we’d be caught up in those crowds on the streets. The above main photo was taken during the five-day Diwali celebrations in the past few days. We can imagine how many new cases of the virus will result from these crowds.

Although the above photo is during Diwali, this crowd size is typical in Mumbai and other cities in India. We experienced it first hand while touring India eight/nine months ago. Why would we dare to go outside if we’re committed to avoiding becoming infected, possibly ending up on a cot in a parking lot? No, thank you.

This long pier leads the Fiji Pearls boat, where tourists can visit the pearl beds, after which tourists typically purchase pearl jewelry. 

I can’t tell you how many people have suggested we go sightseeing in Mumbai instead of staying stuck in this room. We appreciate their concern for our mental health, but at this point, our physical health is of the utmost importance. Our mental health is surprisingly in good order.

Yesterday, again, we laughed out loud about being in this hotel room for today’s 238 days. Tom reminded me of how I’m not particularly eager to fight. In the past, before COVID-19, when he became “overly grumpy,” I’d leave the room. I’m always willing to discuss issues, but I am not interested in having a pointless argument.

The heavy rains and cloud-covered sky prevented us from much sightseeing.

Those who say fighting is healthy are kidding themselves. Impassioned discussion is quite acceptable to me, but nasty fighting is not. On the other hand, Tom seems to enjoy a hearty row with certain expletives flying through the air. I don’t get this, so when he’d start, I’d leave the room. No one will continue to fight when no one is within earshot to suffer the consequences of oral toxicity.

I’d leave the room long enough for him to cool down (not very long) and then proceed to have a problem-solving issue-handling mature discussion. Well, guess what? There’s no other room for me to hide in right now. The bathroom isn’t far enough away. Plus, I don’t want to stand in the bathroom for 20 or 30 minutes.

Steam escapes from underground hot springs in this area near the village.

So, under these circumstances, what have we done? Much to my surprise and delight, he rarely gets his “hair in a bundle.” Perhaps, he’s aware of my dilemma and exercises some self-control. On a few rare occasions, when he’s snapped (not necessarily at me), I ignore him and don’t respond or go out the door for my upcoming walk.

I understand we each have our ways of coping in difficult times. This is one of those times. Somehow, we’re managing to get through this period unscathed by toxic vitriol between us and hopefully will continue on this path for the duration and, of course, in hopefully in less stressful times in the future.

When we have more “rooms,” he can be “overly grumpy” on occasion.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 16, 2019:

Out to brunch with Tom’s family one year ago today. From left to right beginning at Jacoby, Tom’s grandnephew; Vincent, our grandson; Kathy, Tom’s niece, daughter of brother Jerome to her left; then Patty, Tom’s sister at the right end of the table, then Tammy, Tom’s daughter: Tracy, Tammy’s partner; Colleen, Tom’s sister and her husband, Gene. Tom and I were seated and the end of the table and not seen in the photo. For more, please click here.

Day #230 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Guests not wearing masks…Frustrations…

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Full moon over Maalaea Beach. Check out the shadows of that crazy trimmed tree in the condo’s yard.

Today’s photos are from this date while staying in Maui, Hawaii for six weeks. For the story and more photos from this date, please click here.

After another fitful night, awakening at 1:30 am and not falling back to sleep until 4:00 am, it wasn’t until 8:30 that I finally got out of bed to begin my day, feeling sluggish and unmotivated to begin the daily walking regiment. Forty minutes later I was out the door to begin the first mile. I never finished it.

The Maui shoreline is a photographer’s dream.

While walking in the corridors on our floor, no less than 12 new guests arrived, searching for their rooms. I stood at a distance of no less than 15 feet, (5 meters) from each group when I spotted no less than five people not wearing face masks. In addition, I spotted two room attendants wearing their masks below their noses. What’s the point of that?

With people checking in from the toxic outside world in Mumbai, who haven’t necessarily been tested in the past 24 hours, the risks of contracting the virus from such people could be high. At no point did I get close to any of them. This hotel has been meticulously careful in avoiding a single case of COVID-19 all these months. But, with this rash of new guests arriving and staying on our floor while not wearing face masks, that could change quickly.

The Hawaiian Islands, like many other tropical islands, has an ever-changing weather phenomenon.

While Tom was walking, passing by me from time to time, he took a photo of a guest waiting who’d come from his room, heading to the elevator from our floor without a face mask at all. Once I was back in our room, I sent the manager-on-duty an email with the photos explaining the situation. Not only is this type of negligence and arrogance dangerous for us, but what about the other guests and hotel staff?

A Covid-19 outbreak in a hotel certainly wouldn’t be good for business, let alone the risk to many hard-working people who’ve continued to live here, away from their families, to protect the hotel guests and other staff members.

The subtle colors in these hills are breathtaking.

After sending a very polite and diplomatic email, I ran into the manager in the corridor who’d come up to inspect the floor. He graciously apologized to me stating from here on, a staff member will guard the floor off and on throughout the day, to ensure no one is violating the face mask policy which requires a mask in all public areas. He asked that we inform him if we see any infractions.

In the meantime, the restaurant is open to the public as well as the hotel guests. Although the tables are socially-distanced, there is a lunch buffet seven days a week. There’s no way in the world we’ll ever eat in the dining room under these circumstances.

It’s odd at times to find lush vegetation in what appears to be arid and desolate areas.

And then, the next thing happened, and although seemingly a small issue, most hotel guests may never think of, we were both furious, still maintaining a sense of diplomacy and kindness when bringing it to the attention of our room attendant and the wandering manager-on-duty. You may think we’re too picky bringing this up, but please think about it. Here goes:

After our room was clean, when Tom did the usual inspection to ensure we had plenty of everything provided, (towels, toiletries, coffee and tea supplies) he noticed a partial toilet paper roll was placed on one of the two toilet paper holders, one of which we knew was empty, Where did this partial roll come from?

The swirling ocean below the ravine where we stood and watched.

Certainly, it was from another room. There is no way we’d want a “used roll” of toilet paper taken from the partial use of another guest, Covid-19, or no Covid-19. Good grief! Under what circumstances would this ever be acceptable in a hotel or public facility?

I put my mask back on and walked the corridors searching for our attendant and once again, kindly explained, “We do not want partial toilet paper rolls placed in our bathroom, please).” Immediately, he replaced the “used” roll with a new one, removing it from our room.

This orange buoy is a marker for a nearby scuba diver.

Oh, dear, we sound like nags. But, our health and well being are at the forefront, not only now, but as we continue to travel the world, should we ever be able to begin again.

Today, in dire frustration, we discussed the possibility of returning to the US until things improve. But, with a record-breaking 124,390 new cases in the US in the past 24 hours, which is three times more than they had in India yesterday. We’d prefer to stay put, feeling safer here than anywhere else we could be at this time, of course, providing everyone wears face masks in the corridors.

We continue on…

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

The digital display on our table at Qzine Specialty Restaurant on the ship left us totally in awe over not only the visuals but also the fine food. For more photos, please click here.

Day #226 in lockdown in Mumbai, India…Election results day…Bubonic plague in Africa, two years ago…

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More than 1,300 cases have now been reported in Madagascar, health chiefs have revealed, as nearby nations have been placed on high alert
This map of Africa in 2017 illustrates that there was a high risk for bubonic plague. At that time, we were planning to be in South Africa beginning in February 2018 and other countries to renew our visa status. We, ultimately, stayed in Africa for 15 months at that time.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2017, during the news on the bubonic plague impacting the east coast of Africa. See the link here.

After a solid 5½ hours of uninterrupted sleep, I bolted out of bed at 5:00 am, anxious to shower, dress, and get ready to start the day, watching US news on the elections. While getting dressed, I had the news on my phone in the bathroom, but the results were only dribbling in at that time.

Tom’s early morning view of the moon setting on the horizon, taken from the veranda.

Not wanting to awaken Tom, I decided against turning on the news on the TV to one of the few English-speaking channels in India. My phone is a perfect resource for information and at the moment, at 6:00 am, I’m dressed for the day, sitting in my comfy chair, earbuds in my ears, listening to the news on my phone while I’m preparing today’s post.

My goal is to complete today’s post by the time Tom awakens and be able to plug in my laptop to the TV with live broadcasts of US news available to stream. I don’t mind not working on my laptop today. Instead, use it to see what’s transpiring with the election.

We’ve often been asked if we pay attention to what is transpiring in the US as we’ve traveled the world, and without a doubt, regardless of our fears and frustration over recent events, of course, we care deeply about our home country. We always stay in close touch via the news and read a variety of publications online.

A boy covers his mouth as a council worker sprays disinfectant during the clean-up of the market in the Anosibe district, one of the most unsalubrious districts of Antananarivo.
Street scene in Madagascar during the plague. (Not our photo).

Over these many months in lockdown, we are paying particular attention when we’ve had news on, in the background,  most days, switching between the few English speaking stations, most of which are international news which also has a significant impact on our lives. There are one or two English-speaking Indian news channels which we also watch for updates on COVID-19 and the possibilities of the opening of international flights.

As for today’s photos, on this date in 2017, news broke about the bubonic plague (ironic, eh?) hitting the eastern coast of Africa. It caused us concern with our plans to head to South Africa in February, three months later. Fortunately, the virus was contained by the time we arrived in Africa. We headed to Marloth Park to celebrate my 70th birthday at Jabula with friends and hopefully stay for an extended period.

By traveling in and out of South Africa by visiting other countries in Africa, we were able to stay for 12 months with only applying for one visa extension by traveling to other African countries and returning to South Africa for another 90-day visa stamp.

People queue at a pharmacy in downtown Antananarivo, Madagascar to buy protection masks against infections and medicines against plague on Monday, October 2.
Locals outside a pharmacy in Madagascar. (Not our photo).

When I had open-heart surgery in South Africa and couldn’t travel for three months, we overstayed our last visa by 90 days. Tom was too busy taking care of me to spend days working on another visa extension. We were told we couldn’t return for five years when we left the country, described as “undesirables.” We had letters from doctors and proof of payment for medical bills to prove the reason why we’d overstayed. Still, we were banned.

While in Ireland after leaving SA, we hired a South Africa law firm to help us acquire a waiver to allow us to return sooner than in five years. After considerable legal fees, it was granted months later, and now, ironically, we can’t get there. So much has changed for us and people all over the world in 2020. I don’t believe this will be over with the new year.

Regardless of today’s US election results, we pray for the safety and well-being of our fellow US citizens and citizens of the world.

Be well. Be safe.

Photo from one year ago today, November 4, 2019:

The travel anniversary cake was hosted by Murano, a specialty restaurant on the ship. Tom didn’t eat any of it. We handed it over to the neighbors from Minnesota in the next cabin for them to enjoy. For more photos, please click here.

Day #221 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Kenya anniversary holiday, seven years ago…

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A morning view of our tucked-away ocean cottage at The Sands at Nomad in Diani Beach, Kenya.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while living in Diani Beach, Kenya, when we embarked on a mini-vacation to celebrate our first anniversary of world travel. Tomorrow is our eighth anniversary of embarking on our world journey. For more from this date, please click here.

The restaurant has opened in the hotel. If we so chose, we may now dine there. As we’ve settled into a comfortable routine, sitting in our comfy chairs in our hotel room, with trays on our laps, I doubt we’ll change our routine. I think this may be the case for the duration, for however long that may be.

Finally, we were able to take photos of the elusive Colobus Monkey. Note the long sideburns. 

What a fantastic three-night stay at The Sands at Nomad Resort! They treated us like royalty, knowing we’d be documenting our entirely unnecessary experiences. Today’s photos bring back many pleasant memories, which bring a smile to our faces during this challenging time.

Many times we ask for special pricing for several reasons:

  1. We’ll be promoting the business, not only while we’re on the premises, but also for years to come via our website
  2. In most cases, we’ll be staying longer than most guests
  3. We have acquired a five-star rating as renters from past property owners and property managers
Another Colobus with the long swatches of hair. Not all of them had these particular markings.

As in the case of those mentioned above short three-night stay, our special pricing included a discount of 30% off the regular room rates. We were happy with that at the time. But, now, after researching online, their prices have increased by 40%. Today, their room rates range from a low of US $329, INR 24551, to a high of US $418, INR 31192, per night. Such prices would be beyond our reach if we could return to Kenya anytime soon.

We had such a good time during those three days. During our three months in Kenya, other than the apprehension we felt for our safety due to high crime risks, Our favorite restaurant, Sails, which we visited many Saturday nights, was bombed by terrorists a month after leaving.

After returning from the pool where the umbrellas provided too much shade, Tom did a quick 20 minutes in the sun on one of the chaise lounges in our front yard.

We were ill-advised about renting a car while in Kenya, even in the more upscale area of Diani Beach, due to the high risk of carjackings. Instead, our landlord provided us with the name of a reliable local man who drove us everywhere. Based on these facts we didn’t go sightseeing as much as we have in other countries.

It was while we were in Kenya that the horrific attack transpired at a shopping mall in Nairobi. Even at the grocery store, the taxi was searched by military staff carrying rifles, and we were searched upon entering the market or the phone store where we purchased data. Military personnel was stationed at every ATM.

The chaise lounges at our ocean cottage, where fresh towels are delivered each day.

Our family members and many friends/readers contacted us to ensure we were ok. But, Diani Beach is an almost 10-hour drive from Nairobi. The fact our house and the owner’s house next door were guarded by two guards in two 12-hour shifts seven days a week provided us with a modicum of peace of mind, especially at night.

We had a red emergency button next to our bed, and the windows throughout the house had steel bars on all windows. At night, we had to close the windows due to the mosquitos and other insects when there were no screens on the windows. The house became a hotbox during the night with only a slow-moving ceiling fan over the bed.

Early this morning as we left our cottage for breakfast in the main restaurant.

Why did we go to Kenya? To be able to visit the Maasai Mara for our first safari experiences. But, we are grateful for the time we had in Kenya, which toughened us up. The fantastic local people we met, who were warm and kind, and the rich cultural experiences were presented to us in one way or another, day after day.

Kenya is now open for tourists, and occasionally, there are a few odd flights out of Mumbai. But, based on the above scenarios, neither of us feels it makes sense to return at this time. We long for the freedom of movement, driving, shopping, and dining out, all of which will be possible when and if we can return to Marloth Park, South Africa.

A sunny view from our veranda to the sea.

Don’t get me wrong, Johannesburg and other cities in South Africa have very high crime rates, as shown here:

Countries with the Highest Crime Rates (from this site)

The countries with the ten highest crime rates in the world are:

  1. Venezuela (84.36)
  2. Papua New Guinea (80.04)
  3. South Africa (77.29)
  4. Afghanistan (76.97)
  5. Honduras (76.65)
  6. Trinidad and Tobago (72.43)
  7. Brazil (68.31)
  8. Guyana (68.15)
  9. El Salvador (67.84)
  10. Syria (67.42)

Marloth Park, in itself, a five-hour drive from Johannesburg, has its share of crime from time to time, mainly burglaries of the bush homes, occupied by both locals or tourists. Let’s face it, many cities in the US are not safe right now either.

This adorable cat came to visit daily as we sat on the veranda of our beach cottage.

The bottom line is, “you can run, but you can’t hide.” Of course, with COVID-19, that becomes another consideration for which countries will accept us and their subsequent restrictions for US citizens and those arriving from India. In time, it will all come to fruition, won’t it?

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, October 30, 2019:

Bartenders are performing tricks at the Ice Bar on the ship. For more photos, please click here.

Day #219 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Living large, living small, living in the moment…

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We could only imagine how beautiful our photos would have been on a sunny day, which had started bright and clear, turning to rain shortly after we left. We still had a fabulous day! That’s life in the tropics.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2015 while living in Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji. For more from this date, please click here.

Today’s heading above, “Living large, living small, living in the moment” from this date in 2015, prompted me to use it once again, five years later. Could it ever be more appropriate than now?

Our then home in Savusavu was located approximately 1/3 of the way in from the point in this photo. 

In that post, so long ago, I wrote:

“We try to live in the moment. Overall, we’re good at it. Today, a bright, sunny day with clear blue skies makes it nearly impossible to do otherwise. We’re in Fiji, which we discussed many times as we planned our travels when tropical island holidays came to mind.

In this meaningful life, in the big world, each day, we strive to live “small,” wrapped up in the trivialities of our every day. We appreciate the call of a mating bird, a determined crowing rooster, an annoyed mooing cow, or the stuttered baa we often hear from a lonely kid goat.

The point, close to the home in Savusavu, from across the bay.

We watch the cruise ships, large and small, waft by each day in our magnificent ocean view. Often at night, with their lights bright, we easily imagine the festivities and lively banter occurring on deck, knowing in a little over two months, we’ll be doing the same.

When we think of the future, it’s hard not to speculate, anticipate, and become outrageously excited, knowing full well what lies ahead of us. Even after we’ve visited each continent, there will be so much left to see: the Northern Lights from Norway, a Baltic cruise, the Black Sea, more river cruises, the USA and Canada, and countries throughout the world we’ll have yet to see.”

We passed several small villages while sightseeing.

And now, while here during this ongoing lockdown in Mumbai, India, certainly not as scenic and culturally interesting as Fiji, and yet, there still are moments we find ourselves stopping to treasure a small thing; a bird alighting on our window sill and singing a song; the fireworks on the eve of a Hindu holiday celebration; the kindness of a staff member; and often, the caring and thoughtful messages from our readers from all over the world.

As for “living large,” this is not that time. If any of us stopped relishing “living in the moment,” life would have little meaning. Perhaps in years to come (if we are so blessed), telling this peculiar story to strangers on a cruise ship, or that we meet somewhere along the way, will find us feeling grateful for this life experience and how it may have changed or enriched us in one way or another.

Cows are always curious, and we laughed when this grazing cow picked up her head to check us out.

Every day, I stop my mind from spinning to appreciate that as hard as this may be, I am alive; where had I not had emergency open-heart surgery 20 months ago, I may not be here today to tell this story. If, at the time, I was offered a choice of life, living in a hotel room for a year with my love and companion Tom or, death, most certainly, I’d have chosen the hotel room. There is much to be grateful for.

So, perhaps, this time is all about “living small,” knowing that tonight, after eating dinner on our laps, we’ll watch three more episodes of The Walking Dead (we’re now wrapping up season five). Last night, we laughed out loud, saying how grateful we are to be stuck in this room and not fighting zombies due to that type of pandemic.

It was raining when we stopped to take photos of these fish ponds.

A cup of coffee or tea, a meal prepared exactly as expected, a hearty chuckle from a podcast, or the glint in our eyes when we look at one another, knowing full well, someday, this small existence will change and once again we’ll have the opportunity to “live largely.”

Stay healthy, dear readers, as we all look forward to the future while we continue to strive to “live in the moment.”

Photo from one year ago today, October 28, 2019:

The digital 3D presentation on our table and plates at Qsine Restaurant aboard the ship. What a delightful experience. The tabletop is a plain white blank canvas, making such colorful presentations possible. For more photos, please click here.

Day #187 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Lockdown weight gain?…

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At long last, we reached the end of the path. We were thrilled to have the sea in front of us once again. We didn’t take the time to take photos of each other. Pouring sweat in the excessive humidity and heat, neither of us was “photo-ready.”

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013, while we lived in Diani Beach, Kenya. For more on this date, please click here.

It’s Saturday morning. We didn’t wake up until 9:00 am, which is unusual for us. With breakfast out of the way and 2 of 5 miles already tackled from walking the corridors, we’re both ready to take on another day. What the day holds remains to be seen.

As we approached the exit gate from our neighborhood, Nancy, the daytime guard, greeted us both with a warm hug. At night security is beefed up when more security risks are prevalent.

Today, I’ll spend more time working on the third 2000 word post, which I promised our web developer I’d have done by Monday. After that, there are only two more to go. This next post revolves around how we’ve traveled the world living a low carb/ketogenic diet, a request from many readers who’ve written over the past year.

For our long-term readers, you will have read this information over and over again. But, over the years, we’ve acquired countless new readers, many of whom are curious about this way of eating regarding their health and well-being and if this may work for them. It’s not a diet. It’s a lifetime commitment.

On the walk to the beach access, these two women were carrying what appeared to be heavy loads atop their heads, a common site in Kenya.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned I’d been eating too many carbs with the red sauces I was ordering on my chicken. With boredom at the forefront, the supposed sauces were gluten-free, starch-free, grain-free, and sugar-free. But I was deluding myself. The excess carbs were causing the very inflammation and high blood sugar that not only caused the pain to return but also caused me to gain weight, a sure-fire way to determine my blood sugar was high. I could barely walk.

Three weeks later, by avoiding the thick red sauces, the pain is diminished by 65%, but I still have a way to go. I feel confident that I’ll continue to notice an improvement in time, maybe a month or more. In the interim, I’ve lost the extra pounds I’d gained from eating the curry and makhani sauces over five months, both of which must have had ingredients I cannot eat.

Reaching the beginning of the beach access, it was impossible to see how far we’d have to walk to get to the sea. This lonely stretch would be dangerous to travel at night, which of course, we won’t do. We always took a cab to dine at any of the restaurants along the coast.

With the language barrier, it’s been challenging to explain my way of eating to the cooks. The only solution has been to change my food orders, the past few weeks to the following:

  • Breakfast: two hard-boiled eggs, two pieces of crispy bacon
  • Dinner: two slices of grilled, boneless, skinless chicken, basted with butter and sauteed mushrooms and broccoli (I change the vegetables I select every few days)
    In places, the path to the beach was filled with flowers.

That’s all I eat each day. Not much food. I should be losing weight like crazy, but after the heart surgery, I gained 20 pounds and have struggled to lose it. Now, I have hope that I’ll lose it. Walking 5 miles, 8 km, a day hasn’t been attributed to any weight loss whatsoever. This doesn’t surprise me. I never lost weight from working out alone.

My goal is to fit into the few items of clothing I have left and feel more fit and healthy. Now with only 15 pounds to go, I feel more confident I can accomplish this while continuing to reduce the degree of pain while walking over the next few months while still in lockdown.

The sea, the clouds, and the mystery of ominous clouds rolling in left us in awe with our mouths agape.

Of course, when we can get out of India and cook for ourselves, I’ll have more options and control over what I’m eating. Here, it’s not been easy with so few appropriate options. Tom has been eating a relatively unhealthy dinner each evening, and he too looks forward to some home-cooked meals sometime in the future.

I’ve read over and over again. Many people have struggled to maintain, or improve, their health while in lockdown. Thank goodness we have had no access to snacks or treats during these six months in lockdown. It sure is easy to overeat while bored.

Miles of sandy beach stretched in front of us on the Indian Ocean. The white sand was the softest sand we’d ever walked, our feet sinking in several inches with each step. As a result, walking was laborious, especially in the heat and humidity. This didn’t deter us. We forged ahead.

Now, as I wrap this up, I’ll head to walk my next mile, and then when back in the room, get back to continue working on that tricky 2000 word post.

Have a pleasant Saturday and weekend!

Photos from one year ago today, September 26, 2019:

In the rain, Tom was using the wheelbarrow to bring the wood to Pond Cottage in Devon, England. For more photos, please click here.
Day #171 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Is a donut a fair trade-off?

Day #171 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Is a donut a fair trade-off?…

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The ferry docked at the edge of Savusavu, Fiji, makes a daily trip to Viti Levu, the largest island in the Fiji chain. It’s an overnight journey, arriving at 4 or 5 am. Since we’ll spend our last month on that island, we saw no reason to take the ferry and will again fly on the commuter plane when it’s time to leave.

Note: I started out doing the edits, starting at the oldest of almost 3,000 at page #148, with 20 posts per page. I noticed a number of the posts had varying font sizes in the text. This resulted during the conversion from Blogger to WordPress as my operating platform. The extra time it would take for me to change the font to a universal size would be doubled.

This is a daunting task in itself, and I have no interest in doubling the time it takes to do the other necessary edits. As a result, I will be leaving them as they are. Sure, I’d like every one of the 3,000 posts to be perfect. But, for the sake of time spent, I decided I must leave it as is. Today, I am on page #131, completing one page each day, taking a bulk of my free time.

The dock is available for the use of boats in this small harbor.

Today’s photos were from this date in 2015, when there was no post on this date in 2013. When we first landed in Fiji on the small island of Vanua Levu in the village of Savusavu. See the link here.

On to today…

As the proverbial optimist, I try to maintain a positive attitude throughout the day and spend little time thinking about our difficult situation. Yesterday was a hard day for Tom. I couldn’t avoid feeling frustrated when I saw and heard how frustrated he was. He’s tired of this. I am so busy with tasks, I think about it less.

As we wandered through the busy local farmer’s market, open daily, it was hard to decide which vendor to choose for our purchases. We purchased the following for $22, US $10.12;  two red bell peppers (also called capsicum here); six medium-sized aubergines (eggplant); three heads of cabbage; and eight large carrots.

For me, if we were living in a house overlooking the sea, right now, I’d be wrapped up in the necessary edits on the old posts that would take up most of my days and parts of my evenings. I might stop from time to time to savor our surroundings, take walks on the beach, do laundry, and prepare meals.

Every few days, we’d head out to the grocery shop and go sightseeing, taking endless photos along the way. As is the case when handling hundreds of photos, a tremendous amount of time is required to sort, edit, and manage the photos. In reality, I’m probably better off not taking new photos right now while I’m busy with the seemingly endless revisions.

These are breadfruit often used in curry dishes, popular in Fiji.

As a result, this time in lockdown is not so bad for me. That’s not to say it isn’t boring. Especially the walks and the repetitive meals for Tom, who spends most of his day on his laptop researching ancestry, reading social media posts, and listening to podcasts. He’s bored.

He wants a doughnut. India is not known for its donuts. He’d tried a few Indian donuts before the lockdown, but after a few bites, he stopped eating them, preferring the taste of a good donut from SuperAmerica in the US (if they even exist these days). He’d liked the freshly baked donuts from the baked goods case or bakery in any supermarket on occasion in other countries. His donut days are non-existence, and he’s feeling frustrated. Oddly, he prefers plain donuts without frosting or filling.

These are the sizes of the aubergine we purchased. These adjoining bowls contain a variety of hot peppers, which I’d love to try, but Tom doesn’t care for spicy food.

If I could eat a donut, it would be creamy, sticky, nutty, and oozing with something in the middle. I haven’t eaten a donut in over nine years. Right now, I’d be happy with a piece of meat with fat on it instead of a dry chicken breast which I never liked anyway, unless it was cooked on the grill with the skin and bone.

No, this isn’t easy. But, without a doubt, it’s easier for me than for Tom, and on a rare occasion, he expresses his frustration, and I listen with caring and compassion. Two weeks from today, we’ll have been in this hotel room for a full six months. I wonder how long we can last before we “give up” and return to the US until this COVID-19 disaster passes.

These are some types of sweet potatoes.

Our risk of infection is almost zero in this hotel. Returning to the US, flying on several flights through several airports, and finding a place to stay, live, and shop while we “wait it out” is risky, particularly for me. Would we end up sitting in a chair all day, occasionally walking and not being any better off than we are now? We’d have to be very careful and avoid being around others, not unlike what we’re doing now. Those are the questions we ask ourselves now.

We’d pay thousands of dollars more a month to live, to rent a car, to grocery shop, and our risks of COVID-19 would be exponentially higher. But, one reality remains. Tom could eat a donut.

Coconuts with peeled outer shells were readily available in the market. If we had a machete, we’d buy a coconut for the delicious meat inside.

Stay safe. Stay healthy.

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

The first animals we encountered in the paddock in Treddarup, Cornwall, England, were pigs. As our readers know, I love pigs. However, as cute as they are, they can’t match the appeal of a handsome warthog. For more photos, please click here.
Day #169 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Part 1…A necessary change in diet…

Day #169 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Part 1…A necessary change in diet…

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Although most of the items on the menu at Sails Restaurant at the Almanara Resort in Diani Beach, Kenya, were seafood related, most of which Tom doesn’t enjoy.  He was thrilled to find some options that would be pleasing to his limited palate.

Note; We are seeing more and more readers signing up to receive our new daily posts in their inbox by clicking the link at the top right of our homepage, “SIGN UP TO NEWSLETTER.” As mentioned earlier, we will never use your email address for any purpose other than replying to any inquiry you may make of us directly to our email. This way, you don’t have to search for the link each day and can simply see it in the inbox. Thank you for staying with us during this challenging time, including the transition to the new site and the COVID-19 lockdown.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013, while living for three months in Diani Beach, Kenya. Please click here for the full post from that date.

For me, the menu was purely delightful. It was difficult to decide when every option was suitable for me.

On to today’s story..

For those of you who’ve been following us from the beginning of our world travels, you may be aware that a factor contributing to our decision to travel the world came about when after years of suffering with full-body severe inflammation, due to heredity, I began an extremely low carb, grain-free, starch-free, sugar-free diet, now often referred to as the Keto diet.

The Keto diet consists of very low carbohydrate intake, no more than 20 grams per day, excludes all wheat, grains, starches, fruits and sugar with a moderate amount of protein and high amount of healthy fats only (as per the Mediterranean diet). What does this leave to eat: grass-fed meats, free-range chicken and eggs, quality hard cheeses, and many non-starchy vegetables.

This photo, from the Almanara Resort’s website is the lounge area adjoining the dining area. Our photo didn’t turn out so well in the dark. This area was empty when we arrived but full by the time we left a few hours later.

My typical meals would include:

  • Protein source: chicken, fish, beef or pork – moderate portions
  • Carbohydrates: a salad with a side of vegetables to include such vegetables as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach (no potatoes, rice, beans, peas winter squash, carrots (too much sugar), small amounts of dairy including cheese and whole cream. Yogurt is to be avoided due to its high sugar content.
  • Fats: Coconut oil, grass-fed butter, high quality olive oil, and fresh avocados. (Vegetable and seed oils are known to be toxic and must be completely avoided.
    These complimentary appetizers presented by the chef were out of the question for me. It was fried seaweed and stuffed puff pastries, all made with flour. However, much to my surprise, Tom ate all of it, finding it very tasty.  I think his limited taste buds “song and dance” is purely psychological when I see him enjoy new items.

Once I began eating this way, beginning in August, 2011, I saw no impact on the level of pain I was experiencing, until three months later when one morning I awoke to being 100% pain free. For the first time in 15 years I had no pain and my life changed exponentially.

Within a few months, with our enthusiasm and hopefulness over my improved ability to move about without pain. I’d worked out for years in hopes of allaying the hereditary factors prevalent in my family, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity and auto-immune diseases. (Working out provided me with endorphins, which relieved the pain for a few hours each day).

This amazing array of seafood was all grilled and seasoned to perfection. It contained lobster, prawns, octopus, squid, snapper and a few  chewy wormy looking items I didn’t recognize but ate anyway. Need I say that I cleaned this plate as well?

At this point, I should mention for those naysayers, I was told when I had open heart surgery, my diet and exercise may have saved my life. The hereditary cardiovascular disease I am plagued with, had been brewing for 20 or 30 years long before I changed my diet. (I could have had a heart attack at 40 years old instead of cardiac bypass surgery at 71). Prior to that change of diet, I’d stayed on a low-fat, high carb, near vegan, way of eating for most of my adult life in an attempt to avoid diabetes and heart disease. Little did I know…

Both the surgeon and cardiologist that performed the surgery, approved of my low carb way of eating to reduce inflammation and advised me to continue. Not all doctors agree with this way of eating, but  imagine in 10 years, that will all change.

Anyway, I continued my way of eating diligently all of these years of world travel, never experiencing the awful pain from the past. That’s not to say that pain from an injury, a shoulder or knee might not hurt from time to time. They did. But, once the injury resolved, once again, I’d be back to my pain-free way of living, continuing to follow my diet diligently. A few years ago I was able to include a moderate amount of red wine in my diet without incident.

 Tom’s dinner consisted of Fillet Mignon, fries, grilled vegetables. He kept insisting that I try a taste of his steak, finally taking a bite of tender well seasoned meat. He also ate every morsel.

And then, COVID-19 hit and we were struck in this hotel room with a menu and food options that included too many carbs for my way of eating. I decided to see how I’d do eating lots more vegetables and the red sauces associated with curry and Makhani, which included tons of tomato sauce, which is loaded with sugar and extra carbs, although free of any grains.

Night after night, I ate the same meals; either chicken curry, paneer Makhani or chicken Makhani (most recently) all of which are swimming in the tasty, spicy, red sauce along with an over-sized portion of vegetables sauteed in butter. The chicken was fine. The vegetable portion was too large and the amount of carbs I’ve been eating  via the sauces far exceeded the 20 grams a day I was meant to follow.

Over the past few months, keeping in mind, we’ve been eating here for almost 6 months with no avail meat other than chicken and tiny portions of expensive salmon, which I’ve ordered once a week, there was nothing I could do. The pain returned. Walking has become almost unbearable with horrible pain in my arms, legs, shoulders and back.

We borrowed this daylight photo from the resort’s website. It was dark as we were seated at this table. Our photo didn’t do it justice.

I finally accepted the fact that the pain has returned as it had been in 2011 and was due to the food I’ve been eating. This knowledge hit me over the head two days ago. I had to figure out something else to eat or give up dinners entirely. Sitting in this room, between walking each hour, is way too boring to only subsist on an omelet and two thin slices of bacon each morning. And, I couldn’t see how this meager amount of food would be healthful with all this walking I’m struggling to do.

Today, finally, I figured out what to eat for dinner. Tomorrow, I’ll share my newly revised menu. It’s not easy to change anything with the chefs with a distinct language barrier, and their lack of knowledge of micro-nutrients, more commonly understood by chefs in the US and other countries.

Also, last time I started eating this way in 2011, it took a full three months to see any improvement. Hopefully, now, it won’t take so long.

No, I don’t particularly enjoy spewing my health problems over and over again. But, let face it, many of us seniors, (and others) have chronic health conditions that impact our everyday life. Finding solutions is always utmost in our minds. Some of us are fortunate enough to make lifestyle changes that can improve our health.

We’ll be back with “the rest of the story” tomorrow.

Be well.

P.S. A month after we left Kenya on December 1, 2013, this restaurant, Sails, was bombed by terrorists on a Saturday night. We always dined there on Saturday nights.

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

Many towns, villages, and countries throughout the world have these colorful buildings lining the streets in St. Ives, Cornwall, England. For more photos, please click here.