No water yesterday…No electricity for 17 hours today…What?? Boredom? Nope, not us.

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Who can be bored when the playful antics of our temporary dogs, Jessie and Gucci never fail to entertain us?

Yesterday, late afternoon the power went out.  After 15 hours with no water yesterday, the power going out after the water came back on was an odd coincidence, none the less frustrating.

We were showering and dressing in preparation for dinner at a resort we’d yet to try, Diani Reef Resort and Spa (photos coming tomorrow).  Luckily, it was light enough to finish getting ready.  Our taxi driver, Alfred, was due to arrive at 6:30.  Darkness falls at 6:45 pm.

Gucci loving demeanor make us laugh when he’s so pushy about us paying attention to him.  He reminded us of our beloved Worldwide Willie (read Willie’s blog of the last days of his life, if you love dogs) who’d elicit a low bark if we made eye contact with him and then looked away. We love dogs.

As we drove away from the house, we both sat silently, not looking forward to returning to a dark house after dinner.  Since arriving on September 2, 2013, the longest power outage in Diani Beach had been an annoying 6 1/2 hours a few weeks ago. 

After a divine experience at the Diani Reef Resort and Spa last night (we’ll share details tomorrow), we’d hardly given the power situation a thought until at 10:00 pm we were back in the taxi with Alfred for the long drive back. 


Candles and lanterns to get us through power outages which frequently occur.

The moment we approached the main security gate  to our small neighborhood, which the guards opened upon recognizing Alfred’s taxi and waving “jambo” at us, we knew the power was still off.  Jeremiah, our security guard greeting us at our gate with a flashlight walking us to the dark house.

Within moments Jeremiah (our security guard) and Jeri (Hans’ wife) appeared with a above handheld candle lantern, two tabletop lanterns and extra candles.  With our plan to use an hour of the remaining battery power on my laptop, we settled in bed to watch a show.

With no overhead fan working, I was restless all night, overheated and uncomfortable.  Yesterday, it had rained off and on, torrential with wind that required that Tom moved the sofa in our outdoor living room to avoid us getting wet.  The sticky humidity remained into the night.

Just before falling asleep, Tom reminded me of the KES $28492, US $335 for two weeks of groceries we’d purchased the previous day, most of which was in the refrigerator and freezer.  Thinking about the possibility of throwing out all of the food, had a tendency to flutter through my mind during the night also keeping me awake.

For the first time, I put my little LED flashlight under my pillow in the event I had to get up during the night.  One must never walk around in the dark without checking the floors and walls for creatures.  Also, getting into bed, I used the light to check under the sheet, pillows and around the bed.  The rain drives the poisonous centipedes inside.

Another morning with no shower, the second in a row. (Thank goodness we showered late yesterday after the water came back on). Today, there was no power to heat the water.  A cold shower didn’t hold much appeal.  I got up at 6:30 am, exhausted but hopeful that in daylight the power outage would soon be resolved.

By 8:00 am, I found Hesborn (he lives on the property) to see if he knew anything about the power situation.  He’d heard from a neighbor that a transformer blew with the power outage effecting a huge area.  Again, we wait.

By 10:00 am, Hesborn informed us the power was back on, 17 hours after it had gone out. Surprisingly, the food in the freezer was still frozen solid and after tasting my ice tea from the pitcher in the refrigerator, it was still cold indicating that the refrigerator food also survived.  I’ll guess I’ll stop whining about the refrigerator’s minuscule size now that I see how well it stayed cold in a power outage.

As much as we’d love to have “safari quality” stories to share every day, reality dictates that at times, that our lives likes yours, may at times be mundane and relatively uneventful and, perhaps at times seemingly boring. 

We’ve asked ourselves why we seldom if ever, feel bored.  With two little adorable dogs hanging out with us most of each day, with a baboon running through our yard cautiously looking our way, with birds involved in a mating rituals before our eyes, with goats in the yard making hilarious sounds as if they’re being torturing (they’re not), we find pleasure and humor that easily entertains us.

When we know that tonight, a dining-in night, that we’ll have another delicious homemade meal, to later watch a few favorite shows while munching on locally grown nuts, we have no reason to be bored.  When we know that tomorrow night, once again we’ll dine out for what will most likely prove to be yet another excellent evening, again boredom is not within our realm.

In any case, last night we had a memorable evening at the Diani Reef Resort and Spa with the utmost of sophisticated atmosphere, the finest of gourmet food and the epitome of outstanding service which we’ll share tomorrow with several photos of both location and food.

Life continues on after safari…Tom gets a haircut…What is making noise upstairs in the house?…

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This is what I heard flying around in the 2nd story of the house, hard to access with a narrow steep winding staircase.

The afternoon after returning from safari, I told Tom I heard a peculiar noise emanating from the second floor of our Diani Beach house. Going partway up the steps he looked around, dismissing my concern, saying “I don’t see anything.”

A short time later, I heard it again, insisting we climb the treacherous stairs and check it out, taking the camera with me. Little did I suspect, we’d get this shot of an owl which could easily have been trapped since we’d been on safari.

Hesborn managed to steer it outdoors much to our relief. Who knows how long this owl had gone without food or water?  In any case, we were thrilled to be able to capture its beautiful plumage that looked like a short sleeve shirt Tom used to have in his closet.

The moon is a crescent on the bottom portion when this close to the equator. Who would have ever thought of this?  No, so far we haven’t seen the toilet flush in the opposite direction as it does in the US.  We took this photo on October 9th.

It’s a tough act to follow, those 13 posts with photos of our safari. In a funny way, writing about it all these days seemed to extend the safari time for us as, day after day, as we relived our varied experiences.

Diners at Madafoo, as well as most other resort properties are welcomed to sit outside, near the beach and in some cases at their pool. 

After considerable feedback from email and comments, we are filled with joy for the experience we’ve been able to share. Thanks to all of our friends, family, and readers from all over the world for “traveling along with us” adding to this special experience.

While we sat near the ocean at Madafoo’s a few vendors approached us, relentlessly trying to encourage us to make a purchase. Watching the windsurfers was fun but seemed more befitting the younger crowd. We only observed one person possibly over 40 partaking in this activity.

The story of life in Kenya continues on…

It’s Spring in Kenya now with the seasons the opposite of that in the US.  The subtle increase in temperature each day, oddly, is obvious to us, as we continue to live outdoors for 16 hours a day.  The rainy season has passed. Hopefully, a dryer climate will bring less humidity and fewer bugs.

We can see Tom’s head right after his haircut when I cut his head off in this shot.

Returning to our house in Diani Beach gave us a renewed sense of how much we need to get out more often during our remaining 6 weeks until leaving for South Africa.  With few nearby activities suitable for use with our bad shoulders, our obvious choice is to get as close to the beach as often as possible, which is literally across the street from our compound, albeit a long walk down a long narrow path we’d shown in an earlier post.

Madafoo’s is known for what they call “Kite Surfing.”  In checking out a nearby sign, it appeared the cost to rent the equipment was approximate, US $100 per hour. Lessons were less.

We decided that the solution is to visit the many fabulous resorts on the ocean earlier in the daylight hours rather than wait until darkness while still booking a reservation for 7:00 or 7:30 pm.  Hanging out for a few hours, taking photos, relaxing in their lounge chairs is exactly what we need. 

Reviewing our budget we’ve determined that we can easily visit three or four times per week. The cost of the cab plus food, drinks, and tips rarely exceed US$60 when ordering any main course off the menu. With our remaining budget of US$200 per week for entertainment and dining out, this is a no brainer.

Most of the resorts have resident dogs that keep an eye out for strangers approaching. The more upscale resorts/restaurants we’ve been visiting also have guards on the beach day and night.  These dogs are well fed and friendly to customers.  This guy looks like he’s been getting plenty of bites of food from diners.

We’d hoped that Madafoo’s bar and restaurant would fill this bill. Although their prices are lowest in the area plus they have free WiFi, we’ve found their food not quite working for my restrictive diet and, compared to other resorts. During daylight hours they have almost as many flies as we found at the Kenya Tanzania border.

Oh, heck, I’ll admit it, as you know, I’m not big on any bugs. Who is? Flies bite me leaving a swollen itchy mess for days. Let’s face it, we’ve been chasing scary biting insects away since the “no-see-ums” when we lived in Belize starting at the end of last January. 

As the sun went down at Madafoo’s, we enjoyed the views.

After arriving at our house in South Africa, we’ll have a reprieve with screens on all the windows, an indoor living room, and air conditioning which we’ll use from time to time. Surely, we’ll lounge outdoors by the pool most days watching the animals that will visit the house. But, when we need a break we’ll have the option of cooling off indoors while escaping the flying, crawling, walking, and slithering things that are also in abundance in both Marloth and Kruger Parks.

The first night we returned from the safari, Alfred, our taxi guy, delivered us to Madafoo’s for a light dinner and WiFi around 6:00 pm. Still wearing my now clean BugsAway clothing and hat, literally not a fly or mosquito bothered me as the sun soon went down.

The sunbathers left as the sun began to set and we moved to the restaurant for dinner,

After that positive experience, we decided to try it again this past week, this time wearing shorts and tee shirts, with me covered in repellent only to be bombarded with flies during the daylight.  The ocean was exquisite.  Watching the windsurfing was mesmerizing but batting off the flies caused us to decide we couldn’t return during daylight hours.  Once it was dark, the flies disappeared while the mosquitoes replaced them.

This adorable guy, a part-time resort resident belonging to one of the windsurfing trainers, hung around with us during our dinner looking for morsels.  Once we gave him several bites and he saw our plates were clean, he moved over to the table of other diners with full plates. 

Madafoo’s serves food all day as well as in the evenings. The constant flow of food attracts flies and mosquitoes. Many of the finer resorts only serve meals at certain times perhaps reducing the fly and mosquito population. Considering this fact,  plus my food issues, we don’t plan to return to Madafoo’s, although it’s a great spot for many tourists as both a resort and a restaurant.

With all of our clothes washed and neatly folded by the Olonana staff, we quickly unpacked upon returning from Madafoo’s that evening. We were anxious to grocery shop the next day and, to begin the process of telling our safari story online as we began sorting through over 600 photos.

The moon at Madafoo’s second night we visited upon returning from the safari, then on October 15th, was almost full.

The next morning, on October 9th, I walked onto the grass to the clothesline in the back yard to hang up a few items. Apparently, during that short walk, something (which I didn’t see) crawled up the leg of my shorts, biting the upper inner part of my thigh, leaving a stinger in place.

After sterilizing our tweezers in boiling water, I was able to remove the stinger. Luckily, I didn’t have an allergic reaction requiring the use of the EpiPen or further medical care. It was hot, red, and swollen for a week during which time I iced it several times a day. Finally, the pain stopped leaving an ugly bruise which is still visible 10 days later. I would have taken a photo but most girls wouldn’t like to take a photo of their upper inner thigh and post it online.  Right?

There’s something magical about the moon. 

Tomorrow, we’ll explain why we returned the XCom Global Mifi to the US on Tuesday this week, and the WiFi system we’ve implemented savings us $100’s per month that may work for you also when traveling. Also, what was in the box of supplies that resulted in our paying DHL a US$458 shipping fee? Please stop back!
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Here’s Tom Kenya haircut at US $19.98 including tax and tip.

Tom, before the haircut.
Ibrahim is chatting with Tom during the haircut.
The business card from the salon.
Josephine chatted with me while we waited.  Alfred, our cab driver, waited in a salon chair reading a magazine waiting for Ibrahim to finish so we could be on our way. 
 Tom’s final result.  Now he doesn’t have to think about a haircut again until we’re living in South Africa.

Friday night date night…An entire restaurant to ourselves on a moonlit night…

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Moonbeams over the Indian Ocean last night at the Blue Marlin Restaurant, reflecting off the ocean and lighting the sand.  Tiny sand crabs were scurrying about at our feet on we stood in the sand. 
 
The moon as it made it’s way from the fast moving clouds.
Ah, moonlight!
This spot was ideal for relaxing after one drank too many Margarita’s!

With a 7:30 pm reservation at the acclaimed seaside restaurant, the Blue Marlin, we were shocked when by 9:30 pm not another guest had arrived to dine.  We had the entire restaurant and staff to ourselves, receiving impeccable service and thoughtful attention on a perfect moonlit night. 


The chalk board at the Blue Marlin listed the daily specials.



The Blue Marlin offered a relaxed comfortable environment for diners. Notice an actual blue marlin on the wall.



Tom drank two bottles of this local Tusker beer.  You’d have to carry me out if I drank two of these.  I’m often tempted to have a drink but having anything with alcohol, as seldom as I do, results in outrageous hangovers from two of anything.  Plus, one is no fun!

The strong breeze from the sea was refreshing, the food divine, the ambiance inviting, leaving us feeling relaxed and at ease.  The short 5 minute cab ride confirmed yet again, that within our reach are all the restaurants we could possibly want for our weekly dining our experiences. 

Yes, I know.  Photos of us often shows us wearing the same clothes over and over.  After ditching most of our clothing to lighten our load, we have no choice but to do so. We try to wear the same items frequently in order to wear them out for disposal, saving the newer items for the future.  So far, nothing has worn out.  With no clothes dryers available, the thinnest tee shirts “live” forever.

As we work our way through Trip Advisor’s list of the top 18 restaurants in Diani Beach, thus far we’ve tried 3 of the top 4 and will continue to work our way down.  

What a smiley guy! I’m lucky!

With our remaining time in Kenya, we’ll fall short of trying out the entire list, plus with our upcoming safari over a weekend, we’ll only be able to have tried the top 11.

The chef insisted we take a photo together!

The Blue Marlin’s fish and shellfish are caught each day in the Indian Ocean, a few short steps from their door, to be served that evening for some of the finest tasting seafood we’ve had in our travels. 


The waiters were anxiously waiting for more diners to arrive.  Why, they didn’t baffled us.

The aroma of garlic, butter and rich fish sauces permeated the air as we pulled into the guarded gate sending our appetites to “full on” mode.  With Tom’s finicky palate, I wondered if there would be alternate selections for him. 

The cooks at work  in the outdoor kitchen preparing our appetizers and main courses.

For appetizers, I ordered a gluten free crab salad prepared in a creamy seasoned mayonnaise sauce while Tom ordered bacon wrapped jumbo prawns.  Both were epicurean delights, pleasing to the palate. 

Tom’s appetizer of bacon wrapped jumbo prawns.  I pointed out the bulging eyes.  He asked, “Why’d you tell me that?”
 

My appetizer was a delicious creamy crab salad. 

Once again, my guy surprised me ordering a local fish dish referred to as Swahili Fish, most likely a type of snapper with special sauces and spices, served with coconut flavored white rice and vegetables.  He ate every morsel on his plate.

Tom’s dinner consisted of a sizable portion of Swahili Fish, most likely a type of snapper.  Bone free and lightly season with a rich buttery coconut sauce, he had no trouble devouring every morsel.

My dinner was grilled calamari rings from what must have been one giant squid. I could have worn them as bracelets as opposed to the usual small rings typical in fried and battered calamari. 

Look at the size of these calamari rings!  I, too, savored every morsel on my plate.

Usually chewy, (one of the reasons I like squid), they were prepared to perfection leaving the chewiness factor in tact.  The remainder of my plate was filled with slightly crunchy grilled vegetables, seasoned in local spices. 

Tom took this photo from the beach on the Indian Ocean as tiny sand crabs scurried around his feet. While we dined, the crabs were everywhere.  Our dog friend, Zaa Zaa couldn’t resist chasing the larger crabs that she found on the beach.

With the full moon rising in a spectacular display throughout the evening, on several occasions we walked the short distance to the sand to take photos.  It couldn’t have been a more perfect evening.

Two dogs lived outdoors at the restaurant, one a malamute and the other, a Jack Russell mix.  The JR, Zaa Zaa, never left our side, graciously soliciting a tidbit.  Tom fed her the bulgy eyed head of one of his giant prawns which she enthusiastically devoured. 

I chuckled to myself a few times thinking, “Gee, we have a moonlit night, extraordinary food, ideal weather conditions, quiet surroundings, an attentive adorable dog at our side, all the while engaged in lively and animated conversation with each other.

The total cost for the evening was US $75.53 which includes meal, cab fare, tax and tips.

Zaa Zaa, our friendly companion for the evening, lying at our feet as we dined.

Tonight, we’ll be dining with Jeri and Hans at their home.  Happy hour will be on their third floor veranda.  I wonder if we’ll dine at their cozy indoor dining table or outside on the veranda.  We haven’t had an indoor meal in almost three weeks.

How weird is that!

Dinner party at our Kenya home last night…An evening to remember…

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Last night as we greeted Jeri and Hans in the yard, Tom took this shot.

What a glorious dinner we had last night with our guests, Jeri and Hans!  We couldn’t have had a more perfect evening. The temperature in the 70s, by dark, with the mosquitoes at bay after my indulgent use of repellent and BugsAway clothing.

Only moments later he took this shot, but oddly, the sky appeared brighter.

Yesterday’s grocery shopping was a bit of a challenge with guests coming for dinner, with little idea as to what to make.  With limited ingredients available for our American way of cooking, we opted for a tried and true menu, easy to prepare in the tiny galley kitchen.

We pulled off a delicious dinner with the limited cookware on hand.  Yesterday, Hesborn brought us a bowl from Hans’ house which we will continue to use while we’re here.  We’ve been using cooking pots as bowls these past few weeks. I was so excited about the bowl that I feared Jeri and Hans could assume that we invited them for dinner for the bowl. 

Tom took this photo from the 2nd level of the strip mall as I was grocery shopping on Tuesday morning.  He was upstairs to purchase additional data for the borrowed Hotspot.

Here was our menu:

  • Marinated Fresh Garlic Filet Mignon: so tender that we cut it with our butter knives
  • Butter Sautéed Button Mushrooms
  • Eggplant, Zucchini, and Carrot Ratatouille (using available ingredients)
  • Steamed Long Grain White Rice
  • Coleslaw:  Our usual recipe
  • Garlic bread: made with the bread we purchased yesterday morning when it was still warm, to which I added unsalted butter, fresh diced garlic, garlic salt, all topped with Parmesan Cheese and placed under the broiler for 2 minutes

(I didn’t have any rice or bread due to my way of eating.  Tom splurged partaking of all but the veggies).

Yet another baboon shot on our return cab ride from the grocery store. They approach the car when we stop, curious to see what food we may have for them.  We had none but a lot of tourists buy bananas to give to them.

Setting the table with what that which we had on hand, using paper napkins as shown in this photo, it all turned out to my liking, picky that I am when serving guests.

Our guests, Jeri and Hans, couldn’t have been more delightful.  The conversation flowed as did the drinks for Hans and Tom.  Jeri and I stuck with the non-alcoholic beverages. 

Quickly losing interest in us when we had no bananas, he meandered off for hers/his day’s tasks.

Even Gucci and Jessie, their two precious little dogs spent the evening with us, lying at our feet, hoping for a dropped morsel.  Jessie had disappeared Monday night. Jeri and Hans looked everywhere for her until, by sheer luck, she was returned moments before our dinner last night by a local resident after word got out that she was missing.  With our love of dogs, we too, worried along with them, fearing her fate.  What a stroke of kindness and good fortune!

At the end of our evening, Jeri and Hans invited us to their home next door for dinner on Saturday night.  We’d already made a reservation for dinner at a local restaurant, happily and easily changing it to Friday.  Offering to bring something to add to their meal on Saturday night, they both jumped in at the same time, “Could you bring that salad?”  We all laughed.  Darn, that coleslaw is good.  We never tire of eating it keeping a steady inventory of the necessary ingredients on hand.

Our glass table was set and ready for our dinner guests.  With no Windex or glass cleaner in the grocery stores, I’ve had a heck of a time cleaning the glass tabletop. I asked Hesborn how he is able to clean it so well with no streaks. He said he uses soap and water on a rag, drying it with a dry towel. I tried this method, only to end up with streaks. Guess I’ll watch him do it today.

Frequently entertaining guests in our old lives, doing so once again brought a new enthusiasm. We hadn’t had dinner guests since we lived in Belize from January 29 to April 9, 2013. The chopping and dicing were tricky with dull knives and no mechanical chopping devices.

Gucci, a male and larger of the two dogs and Jessie also joined us for dinner last night.

Soon, when our package arrives from the US, we’ll have our own Mezzaluna knife that we’d discovered in Tuscany, making chopping and dicing a breeze.

This is Jessie, who disappeared for 24 hours to later be returned by a kind local man after he’d heard that a small long-haired dog was on the loose.

Today, we’re going on an outing with Hans to see the properties he’s building in the area. Of course, we’ll take photos sharing the details here tomorrow, in the same manner, we’d done for Roger and Nancy on the fabulous house they’d built in Belize. 

We find it interesting to peruse real estate values in the countries we visit. Doing so provides us a better perspective of the local architecture, the culture, and the property values, adding to our repertoire of knowledge that we gratefully acquire traveling the world.

Jeri and Hans, our landlords, neighbors and new friends joined us for dinner last night.

Again today, it’s slightly cooler and less humid. This morning I hand washed my BugsAway clothing, dirty from all the cooking last night. Hopefully, they’ll dry by tonight to further arm me for yet another evening in our outdoor living room, which actually, folks, I’m beginning to enjoy much more than I’d expected only a few short weeks ago.

Tomorrow, we’ll share many photos and the story of visiting Hans’s construction site where 50 local workers diligently forged ahead in the blazing sun and humidity.  This offered us an interesting glimpse into the culture and lives of workers in Kenya, a true culture shock.

Critters…some scary…some not. Plus, photos all the way to the end of the post…

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Hesborn, our houseman, stopped by Wednesday morning, after a full night of rain,  to
show us this carnivorous, stinging, dangerous creature which actually has less than 100 legs, and yet is still referred to as a centipede.  He warned us not to walkin the grass after a rain.  A sting from this ugly creature will require a trip to an emergency room.  These not only walk but also climb up bedposts.  Oh.

The past few days have been interesting. On Tuesday morning our XCom Global MiFi wasn’t working, leaving us unable to post. Normally posting in the morning, the planned 10 am cab ride to grocery shop gave me no choice but to write in the early afternoon when we returned only at that point to have no connection.

Frustrated, we decided to stop at the Safari Com cellphone store, conveniently located above the grocery store, to see what options were available to purchase a global GSM unlocked HotSpot, comparable to that which Hans loaned to us.  Although less powerful than the MiFi, a portable hotspot requiring SIM cards, can at least provide us with connectivity.
Once past the armed guards (as mentioned in Wednesday’s post), the response to our question,  “Do you have a Global GSM Hotspot that will work for us after we leave Africa?”
This good-sized lizard came to call as we lounged in our outdoor living room.  Thanks for the nice pose, Ms. or Mr. Lizard.

The emphatic answer from the representative was a resounding “Yes!” as he pointed to a device, similar to that which we’d borrowed from Hans which we’d brought along with us in the event of a language barrier. He turned us over to a sales woman, who spoke very softly with a thick accent, difficult to hear and understand. Attentive and determined to be helpful we appreciated her efforts, continually thanking her for her efforts.

An hour later, Hans’ Hotspot no longer worked after the rep had removed the SIM card, disabling the device until Hans could late re-enter his PIN # which we didn’t have with us. Oh, good grief.

Hesborn referred to this as a millipede.  We didn’t bother to count the number of legs. Apparently, these are harmless, although if walking on a person, they leave a trail of “itchy liquid.”
Then, as we’re ready to pay after “being approved” by their system, once again I asked, “Are you sure this is a worldwide device?”
A millipede in relation to the tip of my shoe.  One wouldn’t want to snuff this out with their foot if discovered in the bathroom in the middle of the night“Wait

“Let me ask,” the rep helping us stated, moments later to return with an emphatic, “No, it works only in Kenya.”

As Alfred drove us to the stores, we passed many similar buildings.
That does us no good whatsoever. We’ll use Hans’ device while in Kenya which he so kindly offered to us, for which we ended up purchasing additional gigabytes, most likely to last for a month.
We left the store with only the extra “scratch offs,” used to reload the gigs on a phone or hotspot. We purchased US $72 of SIM cards, hoping they’d last long enough for us to continue recording our favorite shows on Graboid and, for Tom watching the Minnesota Vikings game.  
Wednesday, we ordered a new device online as we’re gathering supplies for a box to be shipped to us via DHL hopefully within a month. (We’ll share details of our inclusions once the box arrives).
Its these run down lean-to type shacks that depict the aspect of a third world country, many without running water and electricity.  And here we are,in the upscale resort community of Diani Beach.
Next, we attempted to visit the recommended travel agency in the same two story mall as the grocery store to determine which safari options were available during our three month stay.  They’d gone out of business. 
Next, we grocery shopped, spending yet another US $300, after shopping only a week ago, spending slightly more at that time. 
However, included in our grocery bill was a case of beer for Tom; US $4.85 for the 24 empty bottles, US $34.33 for the liquid in the bottles and US $3.83 for the crate holding the bottles with the liquid in it, for a grand total for the beer of $43.03.  Of course, we’ll eventually return the empties for a refund of US $8.68.
Few of us can relate to the hardships of daily life in these sparse habitat.

Next, we purchased two 18.9 liters of bottled water, the liquid at US $8.24, the empty returnable bottles at a total of US $23.79. All is all, we spent US $75.06 for beer and water out of the total bill US $301.12.

In a prior post I mistakenly stated that the VAT tax on groceries was 21% when in fact its 16%, the 21% applying to dining in a restaurant. Please excuse the misquote. Thus, the tax for our groceries according to the receipt was Kenya Shillings $3062 for US $35.04.

The Nakumatt grocery store is guarded with armed security who, for security reasons refused to be photographed.
Individually, no single food item was outrageously priced except for my medium sized bags of unshelled pistachio nuts for US $16.25. Add the tax for a total of US $18.85, not worth the price.  There are other less expensive nuts I’m happy to munch on such as Macadamia nuts at US $3.94 for a large bag. Many items in the grocery store weren’t clearly marked, making buying decisions difficult.
A good sized container  of “natural” insect repellent lotion was US $1.66. You get the drift.  Most products are inexpensive. Taxes and “extras” are high. Going forward, our goal is to be more mindful of the cost of items as we become more aware of the pricing while finding a comfort level with the exchange rate as we shop.
The parking lot as we waited the few minutes for Alfred to return to pick us up with our groceries.

In almost every grocery aisle is an employee, friendly and anxious to assist with purchases and, as mentioned last week, good little salespeople, pushing certain products. With their warmth and attentiveness, it’s difficult although at times necessary, to turn down their often pricier suggestions.

Our cab driver, was on the spot when we called to say we were ready to leave.  He insisted on loading and later unloading all of our heavy groceries. Once they were inside on the garage floor, Hesborn jumped in to help bring the boxes and bottles inside (no grocery bags here, only used cardboard boxes). Tom, with nary a lazy bone in his body, insisted on helping.
This mother baboon was carefully watching us with her babies in the background as we stopped for a photo. Tom quickly shut the window when she approached the car to peer inside.

Putting away the groceries was once again challenging in the small galley kitchen. I threw Tom out to tackle this on my own, having found a place for everything a short time later.

The kitchen door must be shut in order to open the refrigerator door. In essence, this is probably a good thing since monkeys have been known to race into a kitchen to begin grabbing food out of an open refrigerator door. Having a habit of leaving the door wide open while unloading perishable groceries, this reality is especially motivating for me to remember to shut the door.
Baby baboon searching for morsels of food in the grass.

With our shopping completed and put away, we had to begin figuring out why the MiFi wasn’t working and to find Hans to help us with his hotspot. A few hours later, now close to dinnertime, Hans arrived, easily getting the hotspot up and running. 

As for the MiFi,  I sent XCom Global a request to give the device a “hit” after listing multiple codes, serial numbers and device information into a lengthy email. With the time difference, we never heard back.  
The second baby baboon we excitedly observed as we stopped along the road on the return drive from shopping on Tuesday.
Wednesday morning, it was working again.  Apparently, the hit worked enabling us to switch back and forth between the two devices based on the amount of data we’ll be using for larger downloads. 
Technology issues in a primarily third world country can be frustrating, as we’ve so well experienced. The more we’re able to figure out solutions for our technology, the more time we’ll have to experience the reasons we choose to visit countries such as Kenya, as illustrated in these and other photos we’ve included here.
Mama baboon as she lost interest in us and returned to her children.  Oh.
We chose to experience Africa to witness its people, its wildlife and its vegetation, all of which we’ve already richly enjoyed with a modicum of effort while staying relatively close to home.  Soon, we’ll expand our horizons for the life changing thrills of a safari. If we get excited over seeing an unfamiliar insect, can you imagine our reaction to an elephant? A zebra? A lion?
Gucci, one of Hans’ two small dogs, came by for a few scratches this morning which we’re delighted to provide.  We love dogs.

Part 2…Holy Cow!…We had a great day!…Lots more photos…

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I squealed with delight when we encountered this pineapple growing in Ella and Ian’s Botanical Garden.  Tom looked at me smiling, “Gee, t’s a pineapple.  Hold it together!” But, he too, reveled in its beauty.

The theme of the Botanical Garden is orchids, but other plants and flowers abundant in Belize were also incorporated into the vast display.

Simple yet elegant, a single orchid.  There were hundreds of varieties, more than we call recall, but Ian knew them all.

Ian made a special point with meeting up with us again after our tour of the enchanting tree houses, to give us a tour of his botanical gardens, a horticulturist’s dream.   

Rich, thick greens surround the dainty flowers.
 All the flowers and plants had signs describing their species, origins and unique qualities.
Art in horticulture.
The scents throughout the garden were intoxicating.
This unique plant is sensitive to touch. Tom touched it and it recoiled.  He was impressed.
Ian purchased this fountain in Guatemala.  On his way back to the resort, he hit a speed bump causing it to fall apart in the back of the truck. Later, it was rebuilt to stand in its full beauty in the Botanical Garden.

At the end of our exhilarating visit to the massive garden his dear wife Ella had so lovingly created, he took us to a little unmarked hut to discover his soap making facility, where organic soaps are handcrafted using the finest quality essential oils.

Unusual plants indigenous to Belize adorn the garden.

Of course, we couldn’t leave without six bars of soap. After the hot, humid day, we were anxious to shower back at our villa at Laru Beya using the naturally scented soaps.

Another flowering plant.

By the time we completed our tour, it was already 3:00 pm. Apprehensive about driving the scary road in the dark with a 2 1/2 hour trek ahead of us, we decided to return to Placencia. 

As we approached the exit to the garden, we spotted this locally crafted head.

When we returned to our villa, we had yet to grocery shop, visit the vegetable stand, refill the rental car (the gas station closes at 7 PM) and get ready to go out for dinner.  With the rental car in our possession until 9:00 PM, we’d plan to drive to one of the local restaurants that previously we hadn’t been able to visit on foot.

As we were about to depart, Ian wanted to show us one more of his venture. We walked the steps into this quaint building to discover it was where their organic soaps are made.  The aroma in the little hut wafted through our nostrils sending our sense of smell into overdrive.

Alas, when done with it all we were pooped, freshly showered, smelling of essential oils, still full from the cheese tasting and we decided to stay in, munch on leftovers, and watch the first episode of Dancing with the Stars.  Ah, another fine day and night.

Bins, bags, and containers were filled with handmade organic soaps. The plastic wrap, as shown in the above roll that is used to wrap the soaps, is biodegradable.

Are we disappointed we didn’t see waterfalls and ruins?  Not at all.  After all, our goal has been to do exactly what feels right to us, learning about the people, their food, their work and their dedication to the ecological preservation of their country.  

We chose six of our favorite scents.

With the production of environmentally favorable products for the people of Belize and their visitors all of whom gain as a result of the myriad health benefits coupled with the beauty of the land and sea.  Mission accomplished.

On the drive back to Placencia we counted seven single-lane bridges, none of which proved to be a problem. With no shoulder, winding mountainous roads, it was dangerous to pass other slow-moving vehicles. Tom was careful, but on a few occasions, I white-knuckled it.

Skinny cows. And this morning, I poured thick raw, fresh cream, locally produced, into my locally grown coffee. Tonight we’ll have taco salads, made with organic, locally grown lettuce, zucchini, tomatoes, and seasonings with ground steak from the grass-fed skinny cows, all topped with cheese lovingly crafted from the Cheese Factory at Cave’s Branch Jungle Lodge.

Thanks, Ella and Ian Anderson for a full and enriching experience. 

Part 1…Holy cow!…We had a great day!…Lots of photos!…

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Grazing cows on the bumpy road in the cozy town of Hopkins.  Notice how skinny they are as opposed to grain-fed cows.

Tom is an excellent driver, although he tends to be impatient, continually attempting to pass the car or truck in front of us.  Guy thing.  Yesterday, we went on a road trip.

There’s a Laru Beya in Hopkins.  We’re yet to discover if there is a connection to our Laru Beya in Placencia.

With the reputation of the Hummingbird Highway being a “death trap” and after hearing about four tourists dying on the highway a few years ago, I was anxious about traveling on the road. 

Cute flowery house on the main road through the town of Hopkins.
 
 

 This style of house is common in Belize when close to the ocean.

The most frightening aspect is the lack of emergency services in this part of Belize. An auto accident victim could easily die, with what wouldn’t have been life-threatening injuries in the US or other countries, during the possible four to six-hour wait to get to evacuated to an emergency hospital. This scares me. Tom, on the other hand, didn’t give it a thought. Another guy thing.

 We stumbled across this restaurant and condo development at the end of the road in Hopkins

Our plan for the day was to travel to Cave’s Branch Jungle Lodge near Belmopan, Belize (the capital city) to visit their gourmet cheese-making factory, perhaps spending an hour. Then we’d travel on to visit a waterfall, ruins, and a few cozy resort towns along the drive taking photos at random.

The laid back beach at the Hopkins Beachside Bistro Restaurant.

Our first stop was in the town of Hopkins about an hour’s drive from Placencia where we had an opportunity to snap a few photos.

The scene was breathtaking.
 We can’t miss a photo op!  We prefer scenery photos but family and friends insist on photos of us.  We comply from time to time.

On February 15th (see the post from February 16th for details of the party) we attended a cheese and wine tasting party at Mathieus Deli across the road from us. During the party, we met Ian Anderson, the owner of Cave’s Branch Jungle Lodge and the cheese-making factory founded by him and his wife, Ella.  Ian invited us to visit the cheese factory and resort in the future. 

The breathtaking canopied drive to the Caves Branch Jungle Lodge Resort
 Entrance to the Cheese Factory at Caves Branch Jungle Lodge.

After tasting and subsequently purchasing a wide array of the extraordinary gourmet cheese weekly at Mathieus Deli, we knew that a visit to the factory, worked by locals, exactly meets our criteria of learning about the work and culture of the local residents of Belize. 

Entrance to the resort.

The waterfall along the walkway toward the main building.

All proceeds from the sale of the cheeses are donated to fund the ‘youth at risk’ programs of the Belize National Youth Chess Foundation.  Ella and Ian Anderson’s commitment to this foundation and their ongoing dedication and hard work add a unique charm to what is according to our taste buds, the most delicious cheese we ever tasted. 

Clara Belle and Clara (yep, two Claras) were busy making cheese.
Purchasing their fresh raw milk products from a local Mennonite farm along with the organic ingredients and the utmost of sanitary hand processing attributes to the fine quality of their cheese.
Ian is an excellent educator taking considerable time with us
to explain the cheese making process.
Mozzarella making in the process!
í
 The platter of cheeses Ian set up for our tasting.
We could hardly wait to sink our teeth into the delicious cheese but Ian insisted we savor
the texture, aroma, and start with the smallest of bites. 
Although not a wine drinker due to my strict diet, I wanted to toast
Ian for offering us this delightful experience.
Tom and Ian both enjoyed their fine white wine with the exquisite cheese.
\
Rows and rows of cheese in the cooling room, many still in the aging process.

Roquefort cheese in the aging process.

More cheese in the aging process in the cooling room.  It was refreshing
to cool ourselves in the 52 degree room.

Argus, Ian’s female bull mastiff waited outside for Ian while he was in the cheese factory with us.  The photo is deceiving.  Argus weighs 180 pounds!

After our cheese tasting and cheese making education, Ian arranged a tour of his Cave’s Branch Jungle Lodge with Larry, which gave us an opportunity to yet another of his employees, all locals, all of whom expressed enthusiasm and appreciation for employment at this fine establishment. 

After climbing numerous flights of steps to see a few of the jungle lodges high above the resort, Tom and I both sweating up a storm, panting like dogs, to relax with beverages in the bar, meeting both staff and resort guests. Lively conversation ensued with the delightful staff.

 The inviting pool beckoned us to jump in.  We didn’t.
 The entrance into the main dining area and bar.
 The river running through the 50,000-acre resort.
 The bar in the main dining room. Jason, one of the bartenders is from Placencia, now living near the resort.
The outdoor shower in one of the jungle lodges.  The water runs through a metal bucket with holes in the bottom.  Tom turned it on allowing me to get this photo of the water flowing.
 The screen room in a jungle lodge high above the complex.
Locally crafted wood carvings abound in the resort.
 The screened veranda in a jungle lodge with expansive treetop views.
Another living area in a jungle lodge embraced by the jungle.
Elegant indoor shower.

While at the bar we met a guest from the resort who’d just completed a horseback tour. Toward the end of the event, she ending up removing the horse’s saddle to embark upon a trek across the river that runs through the property while hanging on to the horse’s mane. She was grinning from ear to ear. The resort offers a multitude of unique adventures that meet the abilities of any age guest.

Beautifully appointed fixtures and amenities utilizing natural material.

Stop back tomorrow for Part 2 of our day trip to Cave’s Branch Jungle Lodge including our tour of Caves Branch Botanical Garden and soap making factory.

Reading books on Kindle app…Mindless drivel..

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Today, we met Cody, a Maltese, while lounging at the pool as he was having his swimming lesson. 

Constantly busy in my “old life” I seldom took the time to get outside my head long enough to read a novel. I always felt compelled that reading time “must” be reserved for educational nonfiction books.

I learned a lot but never allowed myself the luxury of curling up in a comfy chair, legs wrapped in a soft fluffy afghan along with a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea at my side. Would those days ever come?

As you can easily gather from reading this blog, which many of you relate to, that the pace of my life was comparable to being in a race, a continuous mission of beating my last record. Ultimately in time, frustration surpassed endurance, and frustration won. The record could not be broken.

We saw this iguana today.  It was about 3′ long.

That life was full but surprisingly rich with love, times of great pleasure and a general sense of contentment. I assumed “this is who I am” and “this is who I will always be.” 

Not the case.  Everything has changed.  I read novels.  Which novels?  Irrelevant. I simply read novels on the Kindle app on my Android phone, by the pool, in bed at night, when awakening too early in the morning to get up and often while sitting on the veranda in the shade, the sound of the sea, nary a distraction.  Tom reads novels on his phone as well.  How did this happen?

Away from the self imposed flurry of excessive activity, I am finally free to indulge myself in this seeming luxury. I will admit, I’ve recently enjoyed reading mindless drivel, not necessarily novels of great esteem but novels that merely hold my interest, able to release me from the endless stream of thinking and planning, analyzing and studying and sorting and categorizing. 

As a fast reader, I could easily consume an entire novel in three or four days but I choose to savor it, spreading it out over six or seven days, to avoid the average $10 per downloaded book resulting in over $100 a month, not a practical expenditure in our current lifestyle of ongoing world travel.

No books to haul around the world, no bookstore to drive to, no tax to be paid, no bookcase to fill with completed or partially completed books to eventually be sold at a garage sale. The drawback? Not easily returned. 

The solution to avoid partially read books? Taking advantage of the “free sample” of the books offered at online bookstores (I use Amazon.com), reading the story line to ensure its to one’s liking and most of all, reading some of the 100’s of reviews online. Yes, I know, every one’s taste is different. But, if a book is rated at “one star” by 600 readers, the handwriting is on the wall. Don’t bother.

The past several days while recovering from our near disastrous fall on the collapsed steps, my most recent novel, has made the required icing and resting easy at best. Still able to read on my newly cracked phone, has not held me back. 

Mindless drivel? Yes! The resulting relaxation, stress reduction and escape from my overactive thought process has brought considerable pleasure as well as this new way of living, in the world, on the move with my equally well read travel companion, husband and friend. 

We read different books but we’re on the same page.

Barefoot and lazy…Easy life…No shoes…

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A newlywed couple, we’re dining with tonight took this photo of us.

With the exception of an occasional sick day, I’ve hardly ever had a lazy day. Except for now. 

I have no house to clean (maid service is included). I have no dishwasher to unload (no dishwasher except Tom).  There is no pile of laundry awaiting my attention as a result of no washer or dryer (laundry service, wash, dry, fold will cost us about $50 a month). 

There’s no way we can use this Hobey Cat with our bad shoulders.

Wearing our bathing suits all day, I don’t even have “what to wear” planning until the two nights we’ve decided we’ll go out to dinner, Tuesdays and Saturdays, both buffets (no doggie bags).

Our days now consist of changing the roll of toilet paper as needed, whipping up a mere five easy meals a week, making a pot of coffee in the mornings, tea in the afternoons.  No more multi-store grocery shopping, coupons to cut, trips to Walgreen’s, or stops at the post office. 

No more stops for gas on 10 degree days, hands freezing holding the nozzle.  No more car washes, oil changes, or auto insurance cards to put into the glove box twice a year. No more car.

First time I’ve ever let Tom take a photo of me in a swimsuit. 

No more coffee with friends at Caribou or Starbucks.

No more walks to “Poop Park” with the neighbor’s dogs or our own.  Our precious Worldwide Willie died almost two years ago, prompting me to write my first blog, from his perspective, for the remaining 17 days of his life.  (Feel free to read it, hankie handy, if you’ve ever lost a dog). 

“Are we bored,” you ask? 

“No, not at all,” we both say in unison. “Will we get bored?”

“No, not at all.”

After a lifetime of continually running around like a “whirling dervish” (whatever that is), I’m done “trying to do it all.” Tom is done trying to recover from 12-hour workdays, feeling exhausted on his days off, feeling unmotivated other than to do the mundane tasks of home maintenance which he completed faithfully without being asked twice, which he finished with aplomb.

We were happy in that life. Now, we’re happy in this life. But,  it’s coupled with a profound sense of freedom that is hard to describe.  No end-of-vacation blues, no piled up mail to anticipate, no Mondays, back to work.

With nothing to worry about in this simple existence, only occasionally interrupted by a move to a new location, we can focus on the little things; what and when to eat, where and when to explore, with whom to engage in conversation as strangers mull around during our one-hour daily visit to the pool. “Shall we go in the water or shall I continue sitting in the lawn chair reading my online book on my phone?”

Sitting in the lounge chairs on our veranda, we’re contemplating going inside soon to shower and get ready for dinner out tonight at Habaneros with a lovely newlywed couple we met outside, Pam and Jerry.  We’ll all take the short walk down and across the road, dine outside on the water’s edge, the no-see-ums armed and ready for fresh meat, mostly mine. I’m getting used to the sting, the itch, and the three nights of scratching using my newly toughened heels on my legs during the night. 

The bottoms of my feet are toughening-up after being barefoot all day;  walking to the pool, strolling along the beach, stopping at the office with questions (no phones in the villas here). 

Our sweet Belizean maid Gloria mentioned as I was picking flowers this morning, “Miss Yessica  (that’s how they say my name), “You finally get into the Belizean way, easy life, no shoes.”

“Yes, Gloria,” I responded, as the smell of the fresh bouquet wafted into my senses.   “Easy life, no shoes.”

Getting used to our new home…

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Sure, when most people hear our story of our world travels they think, “How fabulous!  You’re going on a perpetual vacation!  How exciting!”

Yes, it is exciting and we are fortunate for this amazing experience.  But, it’s living life in a new environment every few weeks or months (as few as thirteen days in Dubai in May 2013 and as many as five months in Hawaii in 2015). 

If there were no bags, no laptops, no vitamins, no prescriptions, no digital equipment, no camera, no cords, no toiletries, no documents, no shoes, no clothing and boots for Africa for going on safari, no clothes including dressy clothing for formal nights on six more upcoming cruises, no bathing suits, no Pouchong tea, no Crystal Lite, no bug spray and on and on, it would definitely be easier.

The reality?  We need these items.  As we’ve traveled thus far, we find that we can’t even buy many basic grocery items, let alone any of the above items we’ll use along the way.  A can of Crystal Lite Iced Tea priced at $2.99 in the US was $12.50 in Belize.  We’re glad we brought a small portion that will hopefully last until we get to another country. 

We don’t eat snacks or junk foods so the few food items we brought aren’t taking much room: Tom’s little packs of sunflower seeds (to help keep him smoke free), a few bars of sugar free dark chocolate and a few packs of gum. 

We also packed a bag of coconut flour, a jar of coconut oil and baking powder in a tiny container so we can have our GF Coconut Flour Pancakes (the recipe can be found by typing in the “search” box on our homepage) which I made for breakfast yesterday.  I used these ingredients plus the lightweight measuring cups and spoons I’d packed. They weren’t stocked here in the little house. 

Luckily, I found the unsweetened coconut milk for the recipe.  Belize is known for its coconut groves. The other ingredients were not to be found at the Maya Beach grocery store where we stopped shortly before arriving.  

We have no means of transportation.  We’d hope to rent a golf cart twice a week but the facility is so far away, one has to figure out how to get there to pick it up and return it.  When we booked this property, I checked on the location of the golf cart rental. They said they were walking distance from our beach house. Well, its five miles each way.  Hardly a short jaunt in 90 degree weather.

Rental cars are $3500 a month, for the smallest sized car.  Golf carts were advertised online at $10 for a half day to find out they are $58 including lots of state and local taxes, ending up over $75.  A cab ride to downtown Placencia,  the five mile ride, is $40 each way plus tips. 

There’s bicycles here but I haven’t been on a bike in 50 years.  Do I dare upset the delicate balance of my new found pain free existence with a potential fall? I hesitate to try.  Then again, part of me, wants to give it a whirl.

Tomorrow, we’ll take the bus for $1 Belizean (about $.50 US) each to downtown that runs twice a day, walk the world famous beach side sidewalk, check out the local sites, dine in a highly recommended restaurant and end up our day with grocery shopping in the bigger grocery store. 

We’ll haul six jugs of purified water and all the groceries back with us in one of our wheelie duffel bags and several of the nice cloth bags my niece in San Diego gave us when we stayed at her home for two days before boarding the Celebrity Century on January 3rd.  It seems so long ago.

We’ll boil water in a giant pot to use for washing dishes.  We use our bottled water to make ice in the little ice cube trays I packed that held my costume jewelry while in the bags. We’ll brush our teeth and wash our faces with bottled water. 

Yesterday, with poor water pressure it took nearly all day to wash two loads of laundry.  There’s no clothes dryer.  We hung our clothes outside on the clothesline provided using weathered clothespins (hadn’t seen those in years) while standing in sand, a few feet from the sea.  They were wrinkled but smelled good, taking almost all day to dry in the humid weather.

There’s no AC.  There are numerous fans. We sweat during the day.  We sleep through the night.  Surprisingly.  We sit outside by the sea all day, walk along the beach, playing with the dogs.  By 5:00 pm, we have to come indoors.  The no-see-ums arrive in swarms.  They can whittle their way through the screens.  We shut all the windows, awaiting it to get dark to reopen them. They fly across my computer screen as I write this.

Theft is a problem here.  We have to lock the doors when we walk the 50 feet to the water.  Computers and all types of electronics are often stolen out of houses including in this resort town.  We’re being very careful. 

During the first 36 hours, we often looked at each other wondering if we’ll be OK.  As I write this tonight, Thursday, its 48 hours since we arrived.  A few hours ago, while hunkered down inside away from the bite of the bugs during dusk while sitting on the uncomfortable sofa, Tom writing in Facebook, me reading reviews for restaurants downtown, our fingers touched.

He said while squeezing my hand, “We’re going to be OK.”

“Yes, Honey,” I said squeezing back, “We’ll be OK.”