On the mend at long last…Last of the seashell photos, items for sale with some prices…New photos tomorrow!

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After we’d finished at the Phuket Sea Shell Museum, located in the lower level, we made our way back up to the main level to the shop where a variety of seashells and seashell related products were for sale.

Hesitant to jinx myself, I pause to emphatically state I’m on the mend. However, it’s beginning to feel that way now as I approach the three month mark since the injury occurred in Bali on June 1st.

The unique shell on the left is US $722, THB 25,000 with the shell on the right at US $808, THB 28,000. 

Having had time to rest here in Phuket has made all the difference in the world, exactly what I’ve needed to do after leaving Bali on June 28th when there was a whirlwind of activity up until we arrived on July 23rd.

Once we were settled in, planned meals and purchased groceries and taken a few photos, I knew it was time to work on my recovery. With a combination of an ergonomic  seating arrangement with two bed pillows on my lap to get my laptop at eye level while posting, pillows under each elbow to avoid strain in my shoulders and neck and with my feet planted flat and firmly on the floor, I’ve been able to sit for short bursts with a degree of comfort.

Seashell wind chimes.

Walking under 3000 steps daily in order to stay active, lying in bed on my side for 15 minutes every three or four hours to alleviate discomfort and, using a combination of ice and heat throughout the day as needed, I’ve been able to begin to see the benefits of my diligence and consistent efforts.

Cute little characters made of seashells.

Would a doctor have prescribed I do anything differently? Unlikely. I may have been prescribed pain killers and muscle relaxants. Although I did take about 10 pain pills we had in our emergency medical kit over this extended period, I only did so at the very worst times mainly while in Singapore and on the river cruise after painful activities. I haven’t taken any in quite a while.

Colorful seashell mirror.

Advil, Aleve, Tylenol, Paracetamol and aspirin had not helped at all, although I tried to find a balance over a period of a month of what may work. Nothing seemed to work. Now, I take nothing at all having lost a bit of faith in the efficacy of such over- the-counter meds which some people swear by.

Huge seashell hanging decorator items.

Without Tom’s help, this recovery effort would have been impossible. Other than chopping salad vegetable for each night’s dinner salad (he’s not a good chopper) while seated at the dining table, I haven’t done a thing.

Seashell serving dishes in varying designs and sizes.

I haven’t washed or dried a dish, washed or hung a load of laundry, made a bed or even, picked up my laptop to place on the pillows on my lap.  He does all of this for me regardless of how many times I get up to move about. Nor, have I poured my own coffee or iced tea. He does it all.

Now that I’m beginning to feel much better, he still insists on helping me to avoid bending, reaching inside the refrigerator or pulling up the covers to make the bed. It’s those types of motions that could set me into a tailspin causing a re-injury, the worst thing I could do at this point.

More wind chimes priced at US $16, THB 550.

As good as I’m beginning to feel I’ve gently begun to become a little more active until such time as I can begin doing some physical therapy type exercises which is not quite yet.

Wall decoration.

Living this life,often far from medical care which we’d feel confident in receiving, we’ve learned to care for ourselves as much as possible. This elicits questions such as the following:

1.  What conditions would prompt us to see a doctor or immediately contact emergency services regardless of the distance and quality of medical care?
2.  How much self-care makes sense when under these particular and peculiar life circumstances?

Answers to these questions aren’t easy and certainly wouldn’t apply to those who have easy access to medical care and a “regular” doctor or medical facility with which they feel comfortable. 

This shell is priced at US $5,197, THB 180,000 must be a rare find.

Of course, we do not recommend that anyone wait to seek medical care when they experience any new type of pain, discomfort, injury, bleeding or anomaly. Seek medical care immediately! 

Nor would we ignore such signs and avoid seeking medical care, if not locally, then by traveling to another location. We have high quality emergency insurance including air ambulance. 

Pretty shells for sale for US $8.37, THB $290.

But, after 30 years of back pain from a chronic spinal condition, I knew my body and like many of our readers with chronic pain, we didn’t always run to the doctor when it acts up when we’ve re-injured it.

Over these past five years, I’d had no pain while strictly adhering to the anti-inflammation way of eating. It’s only been since this injury  in June that again I’ve experienced debilitating pain.

A seashell inspired handbag priced at US $38, THB 1300.

In our old lives, I’d surely have gone to the doctor as a result of this injury. If nothing else but to have an x-ray, CAT scan or MRI to hear more of the same I heard in my old life over many years of tests, tests and more tests.

Able to walk, with no pain in my arms and legs, I felt hopeful that in time the injury would heal.  Tentatively, today, I can truly say I’m on the mend where in many of these past posts, I feel as if I was responding to many messages from kindly well wishers when I was more hopeful than confident in my recovery. 

Touristy trinkets.

If I continue to proceed with caution, avoid falling, avoid any high risk adventures and don’t overdo any activity in my often over-zealous manner, the recovery will continue. 

It could take many more months until I’m fully recovered. However, at this juncture, we can sigh with relief that we can carry on in our world travels, which all along up until this past week, I’ve been a bit fearful could come to an end.

Today, is shopping day requiring three stops; the pharmacy, the Seven Eleven (only place we’re able to find shampoo) and the supermarket. Along the way, we’ll stop for a few new photos  to excitedly share with all of you over the next several days.

We headed down this tile walkway back to the less-than-stellar rental car we’d parked behind this truck.

With only 13 days until we depart Phuket, we look forward to the future with a renewed hope and optimism that may not have been possible only a few short weeks ago.

May your day provide you with optimism for the future! Thank you for being “here” with us, as always.


Photo from one year ago today, August 19, 2015:

The most venomous Australian snake: the Inland Taipan or Fierce Snake
One year ago, we posted photos of dangerous snakes in Australia. (Not our photo). The Inland Taipan or Fierce Snake, reported as the most venomous snake in Australia. For more information and photos, please click here.

Part 1…An inquiry from an old friend and long time reader…

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Tall three story house and a stone yard in the neighborhood.

When I visited Facebook this morning for a quick peek of what’s going on with family and friends, I noticed a private message from my dear friend Cathy in Minnesota. We’ve stayed in touch now and then as we have with many of our treasured friends so appreciating the occasional back and forth communication.

Cathy wrote:
“So this is my question for you two. Honestly have you ever gone someplace and after about a couple of weeks wish the stay was shorter? With your back hurting the way it does sometimes do you wish you were closer to a doctor. I just know how painful back problems are from experience.  I read your blog everyday.”

Single story apartment building in the neighborhood.

When I saw Cathy’s private message in Facebook it inspired me to write an answer to her questions in today’s and tomorrow’s posts as honestly and forthright as possible, never with the intention of complaining or diminishing the lovely property in which we’re staying. Today is about our response to the our current situation, not so much about the property itself.

In these many past posts I’ve been fully aware that every few days, I’ve whined about my condition for a few reasons; one, to explain why we aren’t out exploring and taking many photos; two, we promised early on we’d always “tell it like it is.” It bothered me to mention it as much as I have and I imagine some readers may have thought, “Enough already!” We understand this.

But, many thoughts come to mind when we’re telling it like it is, good or not-so-good, mainly prompted by my following statement.

Carved markers in a local cemetery.

Isn’t it disappointing when you thought you’ve been reading a memoir, only to find out later that the author embellished the story to make it appear to be more interesting? What about hearing that a favorite reality type show has scripted dialogue when at the time you enjoyed what appeared to be real and genuine conversation?

When we started these posts on March 15, 2012, never knowing how long we’d last, we decided to always tell it truthfully without embellishment or “fluff” to make it more interesting. Today’s post is #1474. Many have been mundane. Others have been exciting.

And even, during quiet times when our readership may decline for a period, we continue to stay on the path of our reality, as we see it, as we feel it, knowing that in times to come it will become more exciting and the readership kicks back up to exciting numbers.

Close up of markers at a local cemetery.

This is our lives. We don’t make it up as we go. We live it. We share it in as close to “real time” as possible, usually no more than one day later (except for posting lengthy tours over a period of days/weeks as we’d done for the recent Mekong River cruise).

We’ve often commented when we’ve noticed celebrities/politicians and public figures contradicting themselves, how it’s hard to remember falsehoods one has told. But, the truth is always easy to recall.

To quote Abraham Lincoln, “No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.”So true.

Low tide on a local beach.

The dilemma we always face is never devaluing the quality of a property and the often phenomenal customer service and care we’ve received from property owners and managers, as is the case here in Phuket. 

The owner has been prompted in responding to any of our needs. The property is impeccably maintained, the amenities are of good quality and the twice weekly four-person cleaning staff has been a godsend. Even the WiFi has been exceptional, something we may appreciate more than others.

Thus, in response to my friend Cathy’s inquiry, we share a few facts we’ve brushed over in prior posts, mainly to keep the complaining under control. in response to the first part of her question; “Honestly, have you ever gone someplace and after about a couple of weeks wish the stay was shorter?”

Statues outside a gated property.

The answer is relatively easy in regard to our current situation, a resounding “yes.” But, this affirmative answer is totally predicated by my current health condition. We have lived in many locations with what many would consider unbearable heat and humidity with nary a complaint from either of us.

We spend three months each in Kenya and South Africa sitting outdoors all day in some of the worst heat and humidity of our lives never giving the weather conditions much of a thought other than when we had to go indoors during storms. It is very hot in Bali but there, too we spent most of our time outdoors until my injury. 

It was a scorcher in Dubai, at times in Italy, in Marrakech and the list goes on and on. Somehow, here in Phuket, being in pain has made the heat inside the house unbearable for me. 

Seating configuration since we moved the two side chairs to the bedroom in order to stay cool.

The air con in the living area, dining room and kitchen doesn’t work well due to the vaulted ceilings.  There’s no breeze this far from the sea. The limited number of outlets makes it difficult to property position the two floor fans. Extension cords aren’t used much in many countries as they are in the US. 

Yesterday, we gave up trying to spend our days in the living room where the heat is unbearable. Tom moved the two relatively comfortable side chairs from the living room to the bedroom. Adding lots of pillows to my chair has made it all the more comfortable. The ceiling in the master bedroom is lower. The air-con works great. 

When I become uncomfortable sitting, I walk around the house  for a bit or move to the bed for a few minutes to lay on my side to work out the kinks. At the moment this plan is a good work around. Before we leave Tom will return the furniture to its original location.  

Fishing on the shallow beach at low tide.

When the cleaning/house management staff arrived this morning while I was preparing this post, we inquired as to having the air con in the living room fixed so we won’t be trapped in the bedroom around the clock. Promptly Pon, the English speaking staff member, contacted the air con company who will come out today to see if it’s fixable. If so, we won’t be trapped in the bedroom for the next three weeks. This would be an ideal solution.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with what transpired with the air con repair and also the answer to the second part of Cathy’s question “With your back hurting the way it does sometimes do you wish you were closer to a doctor?”

Cathy, thanks for your thoughtful inquiry. We both appreciate your kindness and your friendship.

Photo from one year ago today, August 10, 2015:

During our past visits, the kangaroos ran off.  On this particular occasion, they watched us for a while and then ran off. For more photos, please click here.

Our research for the future continues…Saddened by news from the US…

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Late yesterday afternoon during an uncommonly heavy rainstorm, I went out to the freezer in the garage to get some ice. I saw this long black thing, referred to as an omangomang in Balinese, moving along the garage floor. I called out to Tom to come see it. He grabbed the camera and came running. Creepy.  Was that an eye looking out at us?  
“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”
A perfect sunny day at low tide.

Is there ever a time we can sit back and not be concerned about the “next” location in our world travels? Its not likely at this point in our lives.

As we discuss short term goals (over the next few years) and potential long term goals (who knows where and when?) we realize that our travels are not only determined by cost and desirability but also the general safety of each location.

Suddenly, legs came out of the long black shell and the crustacean began dragging itself along the garage floor.  The two Ketuts explained this is an omangomang which may not be eaten.

Yesterday, Tom spotted this article about the “25 Safest Countries in the World.”  Click here for details.

Over these past several days, we’ve watched online news retelling the horrific story of the mass shootings in Orlando, Florida. Our hearts go out to all the families of victims of this devastation and pray for healing and peace for our nation and nations throughout the world.

An ocean view while the van was moving through traffic.

In the realm of things, our personal travels become small and insignificant amid such sad news. But, as we all know, we must each carry on with our lives with the hope and intent of doing so with love and harmony as our primary goals.

As we reach toward our future, we not only research places “we’d like to see” but also where we can feel relatively at ease if we walk through an open market or stop at a café. 

We have no delusions that anywhere in the world is 100% safe. However, we can improve our odds of remaining safe by considering each future location after considerable deliberation and research.

Gede, our kind, helpful and thoughtful house man, built this house some years ago. He’s been heavily involved with construction and renovation over the years although he’s under 40 years old and quite resourceful and capable.

Another factor we must eventually consider more seriously is proximity to quality medical care. Here in this remote area of Bali, far from any world-class medical facilities, we’d be in serious trouble if we had a life-threatening medical emergency. 

The neighbor next door to our villa passed away a few years ago from a heart attack when he wasn’t able to get proper medical care in a timely fashion. He’d been taken to the hospital in Negara and the “doctor wasn’t in yet and not due to arrive for several hours.” Yikes. The man died while waiting.

On the left a restaurant and a data (SIM) card store on the right.

We’re not getting any younger. In less than 20 months, I’ll turn 70 years old (good grief!) with Tom lagging five years behind me. Regardless of how hard we may try to stay healthy, things can happen beyond our control.

Every so often, one of us feels a sharp pain or sense of discomfort that usually dissipates after awhile. Most likely, this occurs for most seniors (and those younger) from time to time. When we’re far from medical care, an added sense of concern washes over us, wondering what we’d do if one of us needed immediate treatment.

Motorbike drivers stop at the beaches along the highway for a lunch break or to purchase products from roadside stands.

Our health insurance provides for air ambulance to the closest world-class hospital paying 100% of major medical costs which gives us peace of mind to an extent although not entirely. It’s the getting there expeditiously that becomes the greater source of concern.

A few stretches of the highway can be less busy although shortly ahead at this location we encountered considerable traffic.

What? Me, worry? Sure, overall, maintaining good health is our primary source of concern. Do we fuss over it all the time? No. We only worry when there’s  a reason to, such as when there’s a lingering sharp pain or a sense of not feeling quite right. 

In the future, we’ve already booked a few more remote-type locations for extended stays and most likely we’ll continue to book a few more remote locations in the future. Many of our upcoming cruises including Antarctica in January, 2018 are considered remote. 

Commercial building along the highway.

The world is a big place. We’ve hardly explored the “tip of the iceberg” (but soon will!). Safety and well being will always be of our utmost concern and never will we take that safety for granted.

May your day provide you with a sense of well being and safety.

Photo from one year ago today, June 15, 2015:

The rainy view of what is aptly named, Double Island, as seen from our veranda one year ago in Trinity Beach, Australia where we lived for three months. For more photos, please click here.

Mastering cultural differences takes practice….Embarrassing outcome when I got it wrong…

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Here we are wearing saris standing at the foot of the steps at the Pulaki Temple in Singaraja. This isn’t the first time Tom’s worn a dress/skirt. Please see below. 

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

At quite a distance…a barge carrying coal, pulled by a tugboat.

On the return trip from Lovina to the villa, the second tourist attraction we visited was the Pulaki Temple as described on this website:

“Pulaki Temple or Pura Pulaki is a Hindu shrine located on the hill bank with a beautiful beach just in front of the temple located in the north part of Bali. It is one of the biggest Hindu temples in Bali situated in the coastal side west part of Singaraja town or 1-hour drive to the west from the town. This temple is set on flat land with a stone hill bank as a backdrop meanwhile the blue ocean is just in front of the temple. The holy group of monkeys is living around the temple and keeps the temple from the bad influences according to what the local people believe. These monkeys are coming from the Macaca fascicularis group or Long-Tailed Macaque. Pulaki Temple is one of the places appointed by Bali’s government as a tourist destination that you must visit when traveling to Bali in particular north part the island.”

Bat-like ears on this monkey.

We were the only tourists at the popular location during the entire visit. Our driver, Butu, escorted us through the temple having been there many times in the past with other tourists.  His English is limited, although he managed to communicate a few key aspects worthy of note. 

These two were sitting on a wall observing the activities of the others.

We were charged a nominal fee for the cost of the saris, IDR $50,000, US $3.69 (for both) which are required to be worn upon entering a Hindu temple. It was hot and humid but this level of dress wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as it was when I wore the “abaya” and Tom wore a “thobe” when we visited the White Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE as shown in this photo below, coincidentally about three years ago in the latter part of May. Here’s the link to that post in 2013.

In 2013, we stayed in Dubai for two weeks in a high-rise vacation condo. Unfortunately, I was ill during our entire stay in Dubai with an awful virus and sinus infection, which developed during the prior Middle Eastern cruise.  It was during this time while I was still ill, that we visited the White Mosque in Abu Dhabi.  The temperature that day was at least 40C, 104F. The black silky fabric over my long pants was uncomfortable. Tom was OK in the cooler, lighter fabric of the white thobe.

The attendant at the Pulaki Temple dressed us, over our clothes, in the sari with the accompanying waistband.  Tom had a bit of difficulty walking with the long skirt reaching to the ground. 

Many of us have worn our share of long skirts and dresses, easily able to walk without tripping. I laughed when he mumbled under his breath about the tangled fabric around his legs, making walking up the steps difficult. 

Nice teeth!

We were both fascinated with the design of the temple, taking many photos we’ll share over the next few days.  I was particularly excited to take photos of the Long Tailed Macaque monkeys who were relatively tame but nonetheless wild animals. 

In many ways, they’re so much like us.

At night, the monkeys live in the forest behind the temple, visiting the temple during the day when they’re fed not only by the religious personnel but also by the tourists. They weren’t as pesky as we’d expected although on a few occasions they wrapped their arms around our legs. 

A baby hanging on for dear life!  Notice the little point atop the mom’s head.

We’d read stories online about tourists being bite by monkeys at temples although not a common occurrence.  In any case, it made sense to stay back a reasonable distance as we’ve learned in our travels after spending considerable time in the presence of wild animals. They are “wild” after all. =And, even tame animals, especially monkeys, can attack unprovoked.

This monkey had lost an eye.

Now on to the embarrassing part…

After we were satisfied we’d seen all we wanted to see and do at the Pulaki Temple we’d handed back our saris.  I asked for “toilet” a word commonly recognized the world over as opposed to asking for a “restroom” or “ladies or men’s room.” In many countries, the letters “WC” for “water closet” are posted at the appropriate locations.

This fellow checked us out as we entered the temple.

We were pointed in the direction of the water closet, a short distance from the entrance area to the temple requiring we walk over uneven terrain and a grassy yard without a path. An attendant followed us to collect the payment for using the WC of IDR $2000, US $.15 which Tom handed her promptly.

Opening the door to the WC, I was stunned. This was a first for me in all of our world travels to date, keeping in mind, that I try to avoid using public facilities as much as possible.  here was no toilet so to speak, only this similar porcelain lined hole in the floor as shown in this photo I found online:

Not our photo. (I never take the camera into a WC with me). Some of these squatting toilets are raised a little. The one I used at the temple was flush (no pun intended) with the floor as shown.

This isn’t a position I find required in our daily lives. And, at my age of 68, not one I can easily maneuver purely from lack of practice, although now I may start working on this particular stance.

Angry statues at Hindu temples are intended to keep “evil” and “bullies” away.

Recalling how well I mastered peeing in odd situations referred to as “checking the tire pressure” as our guide, Anderson described during our safari in the Maasai Mara in October 2103, I wondered how I’d manage this.

But, I ran into a few obstacles; one, I was wearing long pants; two, I couldn’t take the pants off without removing my shoes and the floor to the small enclosure was very wet. There was no way I was going to stand in bare feet on that floor. Plus, my pants would undoubtedly get wet as I removed them.

Cats are often depicted at temples.

As fit as I attempt to be, considering my precarious spinal condition, there was no way I could keep my pants on without getting them soaked from the floor while attempting to “check the tire pressure” which over the long drive and sipping on my iced tea definitely had become an urgent situation.

Holding onto a pole while thinking.

I challenge any of our dear female readers to undertake this position with your pants still on. If you can do this, I’d love to hear from you and how you accomplished it. Keeping in mind, there was no place to hold onto for support. Had there been, I may have been able to accomplish it.

We didn’t want to disturb the monks to discover what they were doing.  For more on Hinduism, please click this informative link.

Alas, “checking the tire pressure” resulted in my peeing all over my light tan pants. Oh, by the way, there was no light and no window in the little room. It was completely dark. I couldn’t even see “where” to aim, let alone be in an appropriate position while aiming.

Not wanting to draw attention to myself when I exited the WC, well aware my pants were entirely soaked, Tom walked back to the car close behind me. Luckily, I had a pair of shorts in the bag which I’d intended to change into at some point but never had. 

Looks like a teenager with that hairdo.

Both the immigration office and the temple require visitors to wear long pants. I changed in the car while Butu and Tom waited outside. With the seat pulled forward all the way for Tom’s legs in the backseat, even getting changed wasn’t all that easy. At this point, I was hot and sweaty from both experiences.

I placed my pants on the floor in the backseat for the remaining one-hour drive back to the villa, hand washing them with laundry soap in the bathroom sink when we returned. Whew!

Watching and waiting for action.

Was I the first female tourist that had such an experience at that or other “squatting required” toilets? Probably not. Nor will I be the last.  Embarrassed?  Certainly not in front of Tom and I doubt Butu or the temple staff noticed me. I supposed it was a “foolish me” moment, one that I’ve already found myself chuckling about. 

However, it was a lesson learned about cultural differences. Guess I’d better start working on those deep knee squats…with pants on and pulled down of course. 


Photo from one year ago today, May 27, 2015:

Tom’s miniature lemon meringue pie for dessert on the first night aboard the cruise from Honolulu to Sydney. For more cruise photos, please click here.

An unusual event in the paddock!!…Check out these photos!…Correction from yesterday’s insurance post…

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Is that a smile on the face of the “stuck” alpaca? 

Correction from yesterday’s post:  The bereavement coverage in our policy with Healthcare International does include coverage for both of us to return to the US (or your home country) in the event of the death of an immediate family member. I had stated based on my incorrect assumption it would only include the actual relative of the deceased.  However, the policy provides for both of us to return to the US for the NZ $7502, US $5000, benefit. Any excess beyond that amount would be our responsibility.  Thanks to the staff at Healthcare International for reading our post and informing us of this correction.

Now, on to yesterday afternoon’s adventure in the paddock. It’s practical to state that I spend several hours each day observing the alpacas. With two patio chairs with footrests on the veranda and the often warm sun, it’s easy to become lost in watching the adorable antics of both the female adults and the adorable youngsters.

Growing so quickly, it’s becoming more difficult each day to decipher the difference between the one-year-old cria and those born shortly before we arrived. Those born since our arrival three weeks ago are getting tall seeming to nurse less and graze more.

The larger alpaca was getting annoyed with the situation and was making lots of noise. The others, always concerned for one another, looked on with concern over the tricky situation. The tan-colored baby of the stuck mom approached, wondering “What the heck?”

Males are kept in a separate paddock. We’ll soon be posting our amazing video of the mating process with is orchestrated by Trish and Neil when they decide the time is right. More on that later!

Late yesterday afternoon with the sliding doors wide open, I heard the sound of an alpaca cry. Grabbing the camera on my way out the door, I was shocked by the situation at hand. I wish I’d taken a video. However, I was more concerned they’d need help to become untangle and was preoccupied watching if they’d be able to resolve the tricky situation.

Tom came outside when I called him and he too was shocked by what we were watching, hoping they’d soon resolve the situation on their own. It appeared if they’d both lay down, they could untangle. 

Finally, to our great relief they untangled. Having taken two photos and knowing they were both safe, we couldn’t stop laughing over the peculiarity of the situation. Apparently, those long necks can be a hazard!

The young bulls always seem happy to see me. 

Once back inside and feeling relieved over the two alpacas seeming to be fine, I downloaded the two photos and laughed over and over again, especially with what appears to be a smile on the face of the alpaca caught on the bottom of their tangled bodies.

I hope Trish and Neil don’t think we’re awful finding humor in this situation. We only laughed after we saw they were fine. Having observed wildlife over many months in Africa, we often found wildlife getting into predicaments that elicit laughter from us humans, often reminding us of our own foibles.

Let’s face it, all of God’s creatures (including us) may find ourselves in tricky situations simply from living life.  We can only hope that somehow we can maneuver our way out of the situation with a positive result as in the case of the two adult alpacas managing to do so yesterday.

The lily pond in a stone basin.

We’ve stayed in most of this week. Tom’s been a bit under the weather with an intestinal thing with a fever since Sunday. He’s improving each day without the necessity of a doctor visit. 

Traveling the world with good health doesn’t make us exempt from occasional viruses or bacterial infections. It’s easy to pick something up when we out and about around people. 

We considered the possibility of a bacteria from something he ate at home. However, we’ve both eaten exactly the same meals and I’m feeling fine. We took special precautions during the past several days, including sleeping in separate bedrooms. 

These alpaca sculptures are also located at the “y” in the road, one road leading to our home and the other leading to Trish and Neil’s home.

We hear that a number of couples sleep in separate rooms when sleeping together impedes the quality of their sleep. That’s not us. We both tossed and turned all night sleeping in separate beds, hoping I wouldn’t “catch” whatever it is he’s had. So far, so good. We look forward to getting back to normal.

Today, we’ll forgo our usual shopping day since Tom’s not up to getting out yet and I have no interest in driving to the grocery store myself on the opposite side of the road. I’m an awful driver as it is. Plus, when we rented the car for three months, we didn’t pay the extra fees to include me as a driver. Tom’s hardly eating and we have enough on hand for several more days.

Back at you tomorrow with more…

Have a fabulous day wherever you may be!

Photo from one year ago today, February 11, 2015:

One year ago today, we’d driven by this nesting site many times not seeing any chicks. And yet, we returned once again to see this adorable chick safely under the shelter of her/his parent. This was the beginning of one of the most enjoyable wildlife observation experiences we had in our travels. Click here for more photos.

What are the benefits of our international health insurance?…

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On a cloudy day, beachgoers still took advantage of local beaches.

We’ve written about international health insurance in past posts. As we acquire more worldwide readers including an increased number of ex-pats and baby boomers retiring and deciding to travel long term, we felt it was time to review this once again, especially in light of yesterday’s annual premium payment.

We paid NZ $5855, US $3745 for the upcoming 12 month period. This insurance doesn’t cover us while in the US. I’m not quite certain, why not, but with little time spent in the US during these past 40 months, with only a few months to be spent in the US upcoming in the summer of 2017, we aren’t worried about it at this juncture.

We drove to Wairau stream to check out the scenery.

Tom will continue to be covered by the health insurance from his prior work until he turns 65 in December 2017. In the interim, we’ve both been covered by this annual ex-pat policy with Healthcare International.

What happened to Medicare for me when I turned 65 almost three years ago? Every US citizen is entitled to Plan A which covers hospitalization in part. See here for details.

Why didn’t we just go with Part A for me?  Simple answer: It doesn’t provide coverage outside the US in most instances. Plus, monthly payment for Plan B is required at NZ $158, US $105.  See here for details. 

Most beaches in this area are rocky, but this popular location is preferred by many surfers and sunbathers.

As a result of this monthly expense, useless in our case, while traveling the world long term, we opted out of Part B by signing a waiver document explaining why we weren’t willing to pay. There are penalties for opting out which will result in a higher premium should we decide to activate it at some point. There again, we aren’t concerned about penalties at this point.

Plus, most Medicare recipients add a “supplemental policy” to cover some deductibles and ancillary costs, here again, an unnecessary expense for us considering none of these would apply to our out-of-the US needs. Had we included these, we’d have been paying as much “out of pocket” annually as we’re currently paying for our annual policy with Healthcare International.

Surfing and kayaking are popular in both New Zealand and Australia.

These drastic measures would not make any sense for those living in the US or US territories where Medicare would pay. Such action is only beneficial for those with very good health who don’t visit doctors frequently, take a lot of medication, and often have medical tests and treatments, since none of these are covered by our current policy.

If we visit a doctor, regardless of the reason, we pay out of pocket as we do for my few prescriptions. Such payments have proven to be approximately 25% of the cost for the same services in the US in most countries as we experienced in our 2015 medical exams and tests in Australia.

This is a first for us, spotting a tractor hauling a boat along the beach.

Our situation is unique and does not apply to most travelers nor to most Medicare recipients in the US. Even those US citizens embarking on a one-year trip outside the US are best to keep their existing insurance (including Medicare Part B and supplement) in place, adding emergency travel insurance as an adjunct.

Our policy with Healthcare International includes coverage for both of us for hospitalization with NZ $3014, US $2000 deductible per hospital stay, emergency evacuation, and bereavement expenses for travel in the event of death of an immediate family member only (sibling, child, parent) covering up to NZ $7536, US $5000 in travel expenses. 

We were intrigued by the stone roof on this oceanfront home.

This benefit is only available for those who are the physical relative of the deceased family member.  In other words, if one of Tom’s family members passes away, the benefit would cover his costs to return to the US, not mine, and so on.

Our decision to choose this type of policy was wrought with considerable research and consideration over an extended period. Each year we’ve researched other options but, to date, this plan makes the most sense for our needs and appears to be the most cost-effective.

  Many homes in New Zealand have metal roofs helping maintain warmth in the cooler winter season reducing heating costs. For the warmer sunny days, as we’ve experienced, it gets hot indoors requiring the opening of screen-less doors and windows.

Of course, when we soon file our taxes for 2015, we must provide “proof of insurance” to avoid paying penalties to the US government. I have a copy in our tax prep file which we’ll soon forward to our accountant along with other pertinent documents.

This can be confusing. Finally, we feel we have a handle on it although it took time to decipher the various options.  If any of our readers have questions, most of the links we’ve provided here will assist you. If you have questions we can answer please post a comment at the bottom of this post and we’ll be happy to answer to the best of our ability and/or provide you with resources to aid in your decision.

Energy efficiency is exercised by most residents in New Zealand from what we’ve seen thus far.

We realize this topic is dry and relatively boring especially for those who aren’t living outside the US for the long term.  For those in other countries, we can only suggest you contact your home insurance, your government-provided insurance, and Healthcare International or another such company. Most likely they’ll be able to assist you based on benefits you may currently have available.

We’re staying in today watching the political caucuses in New Hampshire, USA which is on TV during the day here based on the time difference, although it’s Wednesday here in lovely New Zealand.

Have a great day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 10, 2015:

One year ago, this albatross is sitting on an egg. Both the male and female sit on the nest, the other heading out to sea for food. For more details and map of our location while in Kauai, please click here.

Zika Virus…A bearing on our future travels? Photos from a trip to the beach…

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Many signs and names of towns are based on the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand, the Māori whose’s language has had official language status, with the right to use it in legal settings such as in court, since the Maori Language Act 1987. There are around 70,000 native speakers of Maori out of a population of over 500,000 Māori people, with 161,000 of the country’s 4 million residents claiming conversational ability in Māori.”

The Zika virus is rapidly spreading throughout the world with the majority of cases in South America, particularly in Brazil with over one million cases and growing out of control. 

Here’s more information on the Zika virus from the US’s Center for Disease Control (CDC).

It’s easy to expect beaches throughout the world to be sandy, and pristine with blue waters.  Many beaches such as in New Zealand and Australia aren’t blue due to the interaction of light and particles present in the water. When there are mineral sediments lights from the blue spectrum are absorbed by the particles, thus the water appears to be brown.  Also, not all beaches have the soft, fine sand, we found in Belize and Hawaii.

No doubt this virus will spread to other countries in South America and throughout the world unless drastic measures are taken to control it. What those measures may be at this point are unknown and under research in many laboratories worldwide. 

Low tide is more evident on many beaches, but not all.

Will a vaccine, cure or remedy be available by 2017 when we head to South America? At this point, we have no idea, but continue to watch the news for updates. Will we change our plans to spend as much as two years in South America from 2017 to 2019?

As we’ve traveled continents, island nations, and many countries we’ve heard of a variety of viruses that may infect locals and travelers alike. We don’t take any of these illnesses lightly. That’s what precipitated our having as many as 18 vaccinations before we left the US which we’ll update as needed over time.

With many surfers attracted to this area, a lifeguard is on duty, well equipped for rescue.

However, new viruses continue to develop throughout the world and our exposure is no doubt enhanced as we traveled to potentially infected countries. We’ve already visited several of the countries on the currently “infected” list. 

Surfers awaiting an opportunity.

Now, as we’ve begun to book travel to South America, there’s no doubt we’ve given the Vika virus consideration as to the impact it may have on us visiting such countries as Brazil. 

How else might we travel the Amazon River in Brazil and eventually, the top priority on our list…the Pantanal, the most wildlife diverse wetlands areas in the world (talk about mosquitoes!). 

Pretty cloud formation on a very cloudy day.  Note distant airplane and boat in left of photo.

At this point, after considerable discussion and information gathering, we’ve decided to continue with our plans.  It’s not as if we can say, “Oh, let’s wait and go in 10 years?” In twelve years I’ll be 80 years old and Tom will be 75.  Will we have the health and stamina we now have to continue? There’s no way of knowing.

Campgrounds are located at the end of the road at Oakura Beach with an onsite office for booking space.

If we were young, putting off South America would be practical. We’re not. The clock is ticking, whether we like it or not, as it is for everyone. It just so happens we’re closer to the final hour along with all the others our age throughout the world, many of us who have “things to do” and “places to see” before it’s too late.

There are permanent and temporary sites for caravans (motorhomes) and travel trailer type homes.

Continuing with our desire of visiting each continent before it is too late, doesn’t dissipate with news of a virus that based on information to date, is not life threatening for adults who aren’t pregnant. 

If this virus was comparable to the deadly Ebola virus, we’d definitely change our plans. If at any point the virus is considered life threatening to older adults, we’ll certainly reassess our views, changing plans if necessary.

Small sleeping tent sites are available for a fee which includes multiple facilities.

For now, we trek on, with hope in our hearts for a resolution for those living in infected countries and for our ongoing safety as we continue our journey.

Have a lovely weekend.

Photos from one year ago today, January 30, 2015:

The colors in the tunnels at Tunnels Beach were varied when we visited the Napali Coast in Kauai. For more details, please click here.

Cranking out the plans…Acquiring visas for the not-so-savvy-Internet users…

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Fiji décor made from some type of small vines.

Everything about our lives requires planning. Oh, I’m not complaining. It just “goes with the territory.” At times, we chuckle over the irony. One cannot settle back and let the days roll out, one after another, routines firmly in place, comforting and easy.

This morning, Tom held up the contents of the remaining ground coffee he’d put into a Ziplock bag and said, “This looks like enough coffee left including the one unopened bag to last us, doesn’t it?” 

Looking at the bag, I shook my head, “No, Honey, we’ll need to buy one more bag of coffee.”

They don’t sell ground coffee anywhere in Pacific Harbour. Tomorrow, we’re heading back to Suva where the airport is located, for sightseeing and shopping, a 70-minute taxi ride each way, FJD $100, USD $46.83 (cost for the round trip).  It would be worth buying one more package. If we ran out it wouldn’t be worth the time and taxi fare to drive back to Suva only for coffee.

A cloudy evening at the beach.

Yesterday, I completed our menu and accompanying grocery list for the 19 remaining days in Pacific Harbour, a combination of cooking and dining out. We scheduled dining out on six occasions, one including Tom’s birthday on December 23rd at the #1 rated (Trip Advisor) restaurant in Pacific Harbour, Seduce at the Pearl, a luxury resort.  

On Christmas Day we’ll return to the Pearl for the Christmas lunch buffet at the Riviera Restaurant. Yesterday, I booked the reservation, paying the required 50% deposit over the phone. We haven’t decided on New Year’s Eve with no specific festivities as yet posted. 

Leaving us with approximately 13 nights to cook, six of which we’ll have roasted chickens for which I’ll prepare a variety of side dishes, our grocery list really boils down to the equivalent of two week’s grocery shopping. Each week, we’ll head to Arts Village to pick up the chickens as we’re doing today with a stop at the nearby vegetable stand to fill in what we’ll need.

With every day’s meals and dining out plans on my online calendar, it’s easy to ensure we’ll have enough on hand, leaving little unused food behind. In Fiji, steaks and roasts are tough. Mince beef and pork, chicken and canned Pacific wild-caught salmon (for me) and tuna (for Tom) from which we make two separate salads with celery, onions, hard-boiled eggs, and homemade dressing. These are the only main dish options that work for both of us. The mince works well with other ingredients for a dozen or so recipes we alternate depending on available ingredients.

We often spot the lali in Fiji, the wood hand carved ceremonial announcement bell.

We don’t purchase locally caught fish when we’ve heard and read online that much of the fish caught is done so in the toxic reefs close to the shore. Considerable sewage disposal goes into the ocean here.  No, thank you for the fish. (Most restaurants purchase seafood from suppliers which are often imported).

With the limited cooking options for our way of eating and the availability of great restaurants in this area, we’re happy to dine out a few times each week. 

On Saturday night, I felt like a kid in a candy store when we dined out, not due to the fact that I didn’t have to cook, but more so due to being out among people, the fanfare, the special meals prepared for me, and the pleasant surroundings. 

Other than Tom’s upcoming birthday dinner at the fancy restaurant which will be more expensive, I doubt we’ll spend more than FJD $100, USD $46.83 on any single occasion dining out even with a beer for Tom and Fiji water for me. With taxi fare relatively low cost, it’s a no brainer for us.

Pool table and bar at the Uprising Beach Resort.

With the grocery list on a handy app on my phone for tomorrow big shopping trip and today’s return trip to Art Village to wander about and to pick up the two roasted chickens, (we called yesterday and placed the order) we’re feeling comfortable that the food situation for our remaining days is in place. 

Of course, if opportunities arise that we decide to dine out on additional occasions, we can forgo one of the chickens on any given day.  We always like to keep our options open with a goal of flexibility.

Another area of planning during this remaining period centers around clothing for the upcoming cruise.  Mine are all washed, hung to dry, and wrinkle-free on hangers in the closet. Thursday, I’ll begin washing all of Tom’s clothing and bleaching all of his “tidy whities” which become greyish when the washing is done by household help.

I’m now the household laundress don’t mix whites and darks if I can help it. At the moment, I’m otherwise totally caught up on laundry with virtually no ironing on the horizon. I haven’t ironed in over three years.

Its common to see “parasitic plants” where coconuts are attached to an earthy structure eventually grow a coconut palm.

Besides food and laundry, we’re in the process of reviewing the required visas we may need over the next year making notes on the calendar as to dates we need to apply online using the cruise line’s recommend CIBT service. 

It costs a little more to use this and other such services than applying on our own but we’d be highly concerned about shipping our passports while living in a foreign country as opposed to doing it easily online, scanning, and sending documents by email.

Sadly, many senior travelers, unfamiliar with using the Internet burden themselves with copying and mailing all their documents including their passports to various consulates in order to acquire visas when any of it may be lost in the mail or stuck sitting on someone’s desk. 

If any of our readers find they need help using such a service, asking anyone of the younger generation could easily solve the problem when they’ve grown up with iPads, smartphones, and computers on their laps. In today’s world, it’s astounding what even a six-year-old can accomplish online.

Tom, at dinner, looking forward to his first beer in many months. Although, finally having some “starch” including bread and fries was more on his mind.

Also, if you need further reassurance from us, please don’t hesitate to contact us by posting a comment at the end of any day’s post or by clicking the email link at the top right of the post. Other than travel days, we’ll reply within 12 hours at most (due to the time difference).

In an hour, our driver will collect us for the drive to the Art Village. It’s a 45-minute walk each way which we could manage but who wants to carry two greasy chickens and a few other items in the heat and humidity attracting flies and mosquitoes? At a taxi fare of no more than FJD $10, USD $4.68 for the round trip, it’s worth it.

Living this life requires planning.  Moving every one to three months is a daunting task. Moving on and off every two or fewer weeks on cruises is also challenging. 

Although we don’t have to move furniture and household goods it does require forethought and careful planning. It’s necessary to condense every material item we own to fit into three suitcases, one duffel bag, one computer bag, and one yellow Costco bag. 

As we peruse everything sitting out at this point, we’re always in awe of how it manages to fit in those few bags. My cruise clothing consisted of one medium load washed in cold water with one hand washed item. Tom’s won’t be much more. For us, our limited supply of “stuff” elicits a sense of satisfaction over what we’ve been willing to let go of. How we’ve changed that way!

We’ll be back tomorrow with more new photos posting before we depart at 11:00 am for the day in Suva, the capital city of the Fiji Islands. For those of you on the other side of the International Dateline, have a fabulous Monday and for the rest of the world, enjoy Tuesday! 

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

Grandsons Jayden and Nik checking out the roaring surf outside the vacation rental in the Big Island of Hawai’i. For more details, please click here.

Good luck or rightful circumstance?…Accepting old age…Choices we make…

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A rusty sailboat remains on the shore.

With only 29 days until we depart Savusavu to fly to the largest island of Viti Levu, in the Fiji chain of over 330 islands, we’ve started to feel as if time is flying faster now. 

The grocery store where we shop for a few items each week.

Living life in chunks of three months or more, or at times less, seems to have an effect of speeding up our sense of time, more than at any time in our lives. Perhaps, its as simple as old age creeping up on us interspersed with a lifetime of varied experiences that has a tendency to feel as if each day flies by way too quickly when little time is needed for thoughtful consideration of what comes next.

As one ages, generally, we know what’s next, barring any of life’s curve balls which often come hard and fast. In our youth, each day was a new challenge and we often felt we needed “good luck” to move through the paces.

We walked along a side street after spending time at the lagoon.

Now older, we realize that good luck is nice for fantasizing but pointless to expect. Our lives are what we make of them.  As much as we extol the virtues of “safari luck” much of it has occurred due to our efforts to be in the right place at the right time due to careful and diligent planning.

Did that unbelievable sunset photo magically appear for our photo taking?  Or, had we been watching for days to get the perfect shot?  Most often, it’s the latter. Serendipity is lovely. Coincidence is thought-provoking. None of it would transpire unless we made the effort to put ourselves in an advantageous position to grasp all of their benefits.

The reflection of the blue sky on the still water in the Savusavu lagoon.

The rest? Such as good health? Is that luck? Is it luck that the person who ate junk food all of their lives lived to the ripe age of 95, quietly passing in their sleep? Is it bad luck that someone like me who made a concerted effort all of my life to avoid illness and attain good health spent many years with illness and disability?

With my bad health reversed for over four years from a drastic change of diet, do I live on the precarious edge in anticipation of the “other shoe to drop?” I can’t. My newer, healthier self knows full well that stress can easily exacerbate any condition regardless of diet or lifestyle adaptation. It’s not luck. It’s a choice. And even then, with all my best efforts, it could change in a single minute.

A skinny nursing dog scrounging for food among the rocks.

As Tom walks this course with me varying only when dining out and aboard ship, he too knows the fragility of good health. For him, he’s developed a certain sense of confidence in the fact that good genes may play a role when his mother was 98 when she passed away in May 2008. I remind him he can’t count on his genes alone.  Lifestyle dictates the greater influence.

How do I know this? I’m no expert. But, it doesn’t take an expert to look around a roomful of seniors at a retirement community to see those enjoying life the most are active, conscientious about diet, and possessing a positive outlook on life. 

We often wonder who owns these boats?  Are they ex-pats, living in Fiji or visitors stopping for supplies after being out to sea?

Sure, in old age the skin may sag, the faces become lined with a lifetime of expression and sunlight, and the teeth yellowed if they’re still their own. But, the smiles are still the same, the love and hope in their hearts are still the same, and the desire to live every moment of life to the fullest remains constant, however much time is left.

Do we all naturally come to some peaceful acceptance that at some point, we’ll no longer be on the earth?  Yes, to those of us who find a spiritual path along the way which we particularly hang onto as the time nears, giving us hope that when “the fat lady sings” (please, excuse the expression), we’ll see the white light as the doors open to welcome us inside.

Some of the sailboats are in pristine condition.

For us, these thoughts and realities mean one thing…live to the fullest. And if that means working in a soup kitchen to feed the poor, delivering meals to the informed, or taking photos to share the treasures of this bountiful earth with others, we all have a privilege of making choices befitting who we are and who’ll we’ll eventually become. 

For those unable to reach out, perhaps sitting in a chair day after day, watching the latest talk show, old reruns on TV, or listening to the radio, unable to go out without help or not at all, they too are deserving of life’s bounty, if only in recalling and if possible, sharing those times of their lives that held meaning and purpose.

View across the Savusavu Harbour to Nawii Island where property is currently under construction.

Who are we to judge anyone’s choices? We live in a world of “political correctness” to the point of ad nauseam leaving us bereft of what we can and can’t express in our next breath when all that’s really required is dignity and respect ingrained into our beings, not all this rhetoric about “who’s right and who’s wrong.” 

We, Tom and I, are judged by others on occasion for our lifestyle…how could we possibly leave family behind to fulfill our own dreams? We could spend hours “defending” our choices. But, we choose not to do so. We simply chose a powerful overriding sense of adventure that we somehow had to fulfill…while we can.

View of Nawii Island across the harbor.

No luck is involved here. No good fortune was required for us to live this life on the move. It was earned. It was nurtured. We sacrificed a lot to achieve it, none of which we regret. It all revolved around choices and a desire for happiness and fulfillment in our older years that when we “stepped outside the box” was staring us in the face. We merely followed the path.

We can’t and don’t judge those who choose to spend their retirement sitting on a barstool in a local pub gabbing with old friends or hovering over the next episode of Dr. Phil. We all have the privilege of defining who we are through our daily lives and actions. 

If happiness is on the menu, choose it at your own discretion when, in doing so, there’s a price to pay. Hand over your cash or credit card without regret, knowing every moment was well worth every last penny spent.

Photo from one year ago today, November 7, 2014:

Every afternoon the sea turtles swam to the shore outside our condo in Maui. To see a video we shot of the turtles and more, please click here.

Sleep…elusive?…Are we willing to change?…

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These are so beautiful.

For those lucky people whose head hits the pillow for a straight seven or eight hours of blissful sleep, this post is not for you.

Please read on for the rest of us who thrash and turn fitful most nights, awakening many times, often sleeping no more than four to six hours or even less.

Note the moth or butterfly on the flower in the center of the photo.

Sleeping well became an issue for me many moons ago. In the days when I used to drink alcohol, a few glasses of red wine could easily put me to sleep but cause me to bolt awake during the night, heart racing, unable to sleep. 

When I decided to stop drinking all alcohol quite some time ago for health reasons, I was left with a bad habit, an inability to sleep through the night without waking numerous times or, in more recent years, awakening too early in the morning. 

I believe this is a papaya tree growing in the yard.

Knowing I’ll feel exhausted if I arise at 4:00 am, I struggle to fall back to sleep, if only for an additional hour. On occasion, I do fall back to sleep, but only after I’ve read a book on my phone for an hour or so.

Tom has been plagued with a similar issue, awakening around 4:00 am. He hasn’t had a drink since our last cruise ended on June 11th, when he’s been unable to find his favorite at any of the stores. Thus, our current sleep issues have nothing to do with a few cocktails, which can easily impede good sleep.

These red flowers with a white bloom appear to be in the poinsettia family.

We’ve read considerable information about poor sleeping habits, referred to as “sleep hygiene.” Give me a break! It’s hard to relate to sleep as hygiene! But, we can relate to sleep as a habit, one that we do have the power to change if we’re willing to go through the necessary steps repeatedly. 

Sleep “Hygiene” Tips

The promotion of regular sleep is known as sleep hygiene. The following is a list of sleep hygiene tips that can be used to improve sleep.

The CDC and the National Sleep Foundation recommendations:

  • Go to bed at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning.
  • Make sure your bedroom is a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, neither too hot nor too cold.
  • Make sure your bed is comfortable and use it only for sleeping and not other activities, such as reading, watching TV, or listening to music. Remove all TVs, computers, and other “gadgets” from the bedroom.
  • Avoid large meals before bedtime.

This is not to say we believe everything we read online. However, the above mantra is repeated time and again.

Looking up the names of plants and flowers uses lots of data. Thus, many of the plants and flowers we post remain nameless for now.

Item #5 is missing from the above: No overthinking and worrying in bed.

One of the most significant factors for us in our travels is the lack of a comfortable bed and bedding. Overall, most vacation homes don’t have comfortable beds. Plus, it’s hard not to think that other people have slept in this bed over often years and used this same bedding pulled close to their heads and faces.

These same thoughts can plague us when staying in hotels, where in many cases, many more travelers have slept in that bed and used that bedding than in a vacation home. Most of us try to avoid thinking about this reality by assuming that everything is washed and clean. We’ve had to let such thoughts waft away long ago.

These plants are often found in tropical climates.

Now in Fiji, the bed is outrageously uncomfortable. It’s a single odd-shaped mattress with little padding, lots of springs, all sitting atop a wood futon-type bed frame. The bedding doesn’t fit properly, causing it to bunch during the night. Of course, we’re very grateful that Mario immediately replaced the mattress when it was infested with ants on which we slept the first night.

In the village, we don’t see any household goods or bedding stores. The owners of vacation homes in more remote locations such as this make do with what’s available locally. We appreciate what we have. After all, we live in a sleepy little village on a relatively low population island in the middle of the ocean, far removed from many conveniences.

Then again, we never slept well in Kauai, where we had the best bed and bedding of any vacation home in our travels. The roosters awoke Tom each day, and I couldn’t wait to get up to see “Birdie” and his wife stop by for a song and a visit, nuts provided.

These gorgeous red flowers are growing in the shade beneath our veranda overhang.

Poor sleep is all about us. If exhausted enough, they can sleep in a chair, on the floor, or in an airplane.  It’s the tricks our minds play on us that generally keep us awake, and although we don’t worry and overthink our lives while in bed, we do think about one thing, why we aren’t sleeping?

In itself, it’s this contemplation about lack of sleep that becomes the nemesis, the driving force behind the middle-of-the-night angst and discomfort, noticing every bunched bottom sheet, every stabbing spring in the mattress, every sound in the background. It’s us. Entirely.

Are we willing to make the necessary changes to break the bad habit? For both of us, it’s the reading on our phones when we’re in bed and avoiding thoughts about our inability to sleep. I’ve tried several nights to no avail, surely not trying long enough to affect a change. We aren’t “willing” to do the work. 

Bananas continue to thrive in the rains.

We’re entirely “capable” of making the necessary changes. With all of the adaptation, we must exercise in each new country. We don’t seem to have the “willingness” to do what is necessary in this regard, such as stop reading books on our phones while in bed and stop thinking about “not sleeping.”

For many of us, it’s not unlike going on a diet to lose weight. We’re capable. We aren’t willing.

Photo from one year ago, October 18, 2014:

A Hawaiian Tree Snail, the size of the palm of a hand, was attached to a wall by the pool in the condo in Maui. For more details as we settled into our new home, please click here.