Upcoming payments for vacation homes and cruises…How much is the rent here in Vanua Levu and the upcoming rentals?

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Junior, the thoughtful head maintenance and landscaping guy on the property explained how he nurtures the orchids by adding coconuts as the ” parasitic” to enhance the growth of the orchids.  See photo below.

Yesterday, we paid the balance of the payment due for the next house, when we move to Viti Levu, the main island of Fiji in a little over two months.  The USD $1,800, FJD $3,919 was the balance due on a total rent for one month of USD $2800, FJD $6,096. 

At the time we booked the second house, we hesitated a little over the price, higher than the rent for the house here in Vanua Levu at USD $2,000, FJD $4,354 per month for a grand total of US $6,000, FJD $13,063 for the entire three month period.

Based on the fact that we stay in most locations longer than the average traveler’s one or two weeks, we’re often given a discounted rate.  Although the owner may not bring in as much income from our rental period, they can’t ever count on having the property rented 100% of the time.  Also, there are additional expenses accrued in the turnover process.

It wasn’t easy finding a good house at an affordable rate near the ocean yet far from the hustle and bustle of Nadi, the capital city.  Once we arrive we’ll rent a car for the 95 mile drive from the airport.


We posted this photo earlier when we weren’t sure of its species.  Yesterday, when Junior stopped by to see if we needed anything, he explained that he’d tied this coconut to the orchid tree which enhances the growth and beauty of the orchids via the nutrients of the coconut. 

With the house a short distance to a beach we can walk at our leisure with hotels on either end it will be quite different than this house in Savusavu where its impossible to walk on the beach in the mountainous region, although there are beaches in other areas.

Also, the house in Viti Levu it has a pool and patio furniture outside the living room door. The pool here, although adequate for swimming, has no space for lawn chairs or chaise lounges, making it less appealing for us.  There’s nothing like a swim in the pool followed up by a drying-off while sitting in a chaise basking in the sun for a short period.

Every location has its pluses and minuses and the minuses are often only a matter of perception and lifestyle.  Undoubtedly, we have peculiarities and preferences that may not matter to the next visitor.  In essence, this house in Savusavu is ideal for many travelers who prefer a quiet location.

As for upcoming payments due by the end of 2015, having just paid the above mentioned balance, we only have two more payments due:

1.  USD $3,871, FJD $8,428 – 14 day cruise on the Celebrity Solstice – Sydney to Auckland (Total fare USD $4771, FJD $10,387
2.  USD $4,616, FJD  $10,050 – 3 month (88 days) rental for the alpaca farm in New Zealand (Total rent USD $5,615, FJD $12,225)

Badal, Sewak’s dog has been visiting us almost every evening.  We’d love to give him affection but in the pouring rain he’s been quite a mess.  Once it clears we’ll happily spend time with him.  He lives entirely outdoors but is well fed and cared for.  With Sewak and his wife vegetarians, we wonder what Badal eats. 

The thought of only having to pay out USD $8,487, FJD $18,478 by December 31st gives us a little peace of mind.  Also, the way my little brain works inspires me to figure out the daily rental (per se for the cruise fare, too) for the above mentioned 14 days and 88 days, respectively, which translates to USD $83 a day for “rent.”  Not too bad by our standards.

Of course, once January arrives, we’ll have a ton of expenses to shell out for several upcoming cruises and rentals in 2016.  We’ll get back to those costs in the new year.  I can’t think about that now.  We’ve carefully budgeted all of these expenses resulting in no need for worry or concern.

The rent itself is only a part of the expenses we bear each month:  groceries, dining out, transportation (car rental and driver as applicable), airfare, excess baggage fees, entertainment, shipping fees, insurance for health and belongings in our possession and a glob of miscellaneous items as we continue to replenish supplies and products we regularly use.

Keeping track of these expenses in quite a task that only works without stress when handled as the expenses occur.  Letting them pile up, which we don’t do, would certainly be instrumental is causing angst and frustration. 

As the rains continue, flowers are blooming throughout the yard.

If our website and travel writing small business weren’t subject to a small (and I mean, small) write-off each year, we’d still keep track of every expense.  How easy expenses could get out of control, beyond one’s means, putting a fast end to the affordability of continuing on?

With our careful and diligent planning and documenting of every last expenditure, we’re always at ease knowing we can afford the next month, the next leg and the next year.  That type of worrying wouldn’t fit well into our motto of “stress free” living. 

As a result, we have no option but to be frugal by our own self-determined standards; avoiding wastefulness, not choosing luxury over peace of mind, selecting affordable rentals and at times, forgoing convenience.

Beautiful colors.

For example, we could have rented a four wheel drive vehicle while in Savusavu which is required to make it up this mountain from the main road.  The rental fees for such a vehicle made no sense at all.  Were such a vehicle available the monthly rental fee would be in excess of USD $3,000, FJD $6,531. 

With Ratnesh’s hourly rates at USD $13.78, FJD $30 for driving to sightsee as opposed to USD $9.19, FJD $20, for round trips to the village, we could use his services for three hours a day for USD $41, FJD $90 and still get nowhere near the cost of a monthly car rental.  Plus, Vanua Levu is a small relatively low population island, not warrantying that amount of travel by any stretch of the imagination.

Thus, a sensible decision was made, especially since we’d would have hardly used a rental during these past three rainy weeks.  As we’ve mentioned in the past, we don’t feel trapped having been without a car on many occasions either walking (where applicable) or utilizing the services of a taxi or driver as needed.

Bananas growing in the yard.

Are we “tightwads” in the truest sense of the word?  Not at all.  We purchase any food items our tastes so desire when cooking or dining out (where possible), we generously tip the support staff and driver at the end of each stay, we pay substantial shipping and excess baggage fees (now with less cringing) and, we continue to book balcony cabins on every cruise our hearts so desires. 

These expenditures certainly don’t fall into the category of “tightwad.”  For us, these “extras” are a way of life that contribute to the ease of travel and above all, the degree of enjoyment we glean as we continue on.

Keeping track of all of this seems to add an another element of pleasure, one that we derive from knowing where we stand and the accompanying peace of mind that comes with it. 

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Photo from one year ago today, September 29, 2014:

One year ago, we were fast approaching the Hawaiian Islands, where we lived for a total of eight months during which our family visited us on the Big Island.  Its hard to believe in a few days, we’ll be sharing photos of Honolulu when our cruise ended on October 5, 2014. Where has the time gone?  For more details, please click here.

 

Booked three more cruises…Returning to US for a family visit…New beach photos…

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Surfboard menu at a local restaurant in Trinity Beach.

There was no doubt in our minds that sooner or later we’d return to the US to visit family. We visited my cousin and uncle when our cruise ended in Boston staying for three days last September. We’d chosen that specific cruise in order to see them with my uncle who’d recently turned 95 years old. Who knows when we’d ever be back in Boston? It was a wonderful visit and then we were on our way once again.

Holloways Beach.

At that point, we didn’t stop in Minnesota since most of our kids and all of our grandchildren were coming to see us in Hawaii for Christmas, only seven months ago. 

A two week stay in Minneapolis can easily run over US $5000, AUD $6734 with the high cost of hotels, rental cars and meals. With the cost of bringing 12 family members to Hawaii, we had to tighten our belts and stick with the budget and the itinerary (as we always attempt to do) preventing us from any other stops along the way at that time.

House on a hill in Yorkeys Knob.

It will be wonderful to see our family and friends and most assuredly, our stay will be a flurry of non-stop activity however long we may stay. As time nears, we’ll pin down the dates we’ll be in Minnesota, Nevada and Los Angeles.

Planning this far in advance is crucial for us when we notice cruises posted as “sold out” or cabins we may have wanted to book already taken. Early booking is vital, especially around the South Pacific, where all of these newly booked cruises will be sailing. Aussies love to cruise.

A sunbather on the beach.

Not counting the upcoming Vietnam cruise next year we have six cruises booked in the South Pacific. After considerable research, we discovered that Australia is too huge to tour by car with visa restrictions preventing us from staying more than 90 days. 

With Australia the size of the US with the major points of interest around the perimeter, driving for foreigners like us is not a likely nor affordable way to see this massive continent. Cruising is the ideal way to see it. Two of these cruises we booked over the weekend, visit the entire perimeter of Australia.

A camping area in Trinity Beach.

We’ve seriously investigated renting an RV but the cost, is outrageous, more than the daily cost of cruising.  And, honestly, driving an RV for months no longer appeals to our way of life. We don’t liked feeling locked in for so long.

As much as we prefer not to bring up expenses as often as we do, the reality is clear…there’s no way to do what we’re doing long term without constantly being aware of the expenses. 

Camping and caravanning is popular in Australia.

There’s no way we’d want to put ourselves in a position of “worrying” about finances. Currently, the way we budget and carefully follow that budget, we have nothing to worry about. We remain concerned and diligent neither of which elicits a sense of worry in our case.

Rather than list the finite details of each cruise here, which can be less interesting for those who don’t cruise, tomorrow we’ll post a brief synopsis of these three new cruises. 

This sign is posted outside a restaurant in Trinity Beach.

Soon we’ll be posting our general upcoming itinerary which encompasses over 600 days, including two gaps we’ve created by booking these cruises which we’ll fill in time, most likely staying in Australia or its surrounding islands. 

The interior of Lunico restaurant in Trinity Beach.

Tom has been busy for weeks planning all of these cruises busily typing away on his laptop on Cloud 9.  He loves doing this. On the other hand, I have little interest in booking cruises. Point me in the direction of a cruise ship and I’m content.

This reminds us that we could dine out on occasion.  But, with my restricted way of eating its not so appealing.

Thus, the total number of cruises we have booked at this time, including the Mekong River cruise is a total of seven. This reminds me of our early days when we had eight cruises booked right out of the chute even before we originally left the US. 

Sitting outdoors at the restaurant overlooking the ocean is appealing now that it’s not raining almost every day as it has since we arrived one month ago.

We’ve loved every single cruise each with their own unique merits, including the experience of three days and nights of raging seas, on the Norwegian Epic in 2013.  It’s all been a part of our vast experiences of traveling to see the world.

There are lots of pizza and pasta restaurants along the beaches.

What better way is there to see a lot at one time than cruising? Yes, there are crowds, germs, mediocre food and occasional periods of waiting to board and disembark. 

We always giggle over seniors partaking in “early bird specials.” Now that we’re in that category, we totally get the benefit of early dining, often finding ourselves at the dinner table by 6:30 at the latest. We’ve haven’t tried the 5:30 dining time yet but most likely its in the future.

Overall, cruising has provided us with many memorable experiences of making new friends and seeing so much of the world which far surpasses any potential annoyances. Plus, we had a blast with the Aussies on this last cruise to Sydney and we can’t wait for more social interactions with these warm and friendly people in this highly conducive environment.

The sky will be blue as shown in some of these photos and in a short period its raining again. Many days, I’ve put on my swimsuit in the morning, hoping the sunny day will continue and we can sit outdoors for 30 minutes (sun too hot here for longer) for a dose of Vitamin D. Invariably, by the time I upload the post, its cloudy or raining and I change into my clothes.

This afternoon, we’ll head back to the doctor for my test results and then get to work on Tom’s upcoming exams and tests. Hopefully, all will be good and we can continue on with added peace of mind.

We’ve been here over a month and how the time has flown. We like it here.  It’s an excellent place to live and we’re content. What more could we ask for?

                                               Photo from one year ago today, July 13, 2014:

Tom always says I don’t post enough photos of myself. I’m not your basic “selfie” type person obsessed with photos of myself. There’s a lot more interesting scenery than me posing for one of Tom’s less than stellar photos, many of which I’m compelled to delete. Here I am in front of a decorated tree trunk in Ribeira Brava, Madeira last year. For more details, please click here.

Upcoming cruises with visits to many locations…A year ago…interesting new visitors…

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Another of Tom’s exquisite sunrise photos.

Yesterday, as we sat in the lawn chairs whale watching with fervor, we realized that in only a few days, we’ll no longer be this close to the ocean, able to watch for the gentle giants when we see signs of life whether we’re peering out the window or sitting outside.

In our new home, a condo in Princeville, Kauai, it will require we walk across the street, carrying lawn chairs in order to get close enough to take photos of the whales.  We’ll have views of the sea from the condo but it will just be too far to see from what we can determine from the photos.

We’ve been spoiled these past months since we arrived in Maui on October 16th when our close proximity to the ocean made every view exquisite.  Now, three months later, we move along to live on the last of four Hawaiian Islands arriving in Honolulu on October 5th, off the Celebrity Solstice after a 12 day cruise from Vancouver.


Its winter in Hawaii and yet the hearty Hibiscus flowers continue to bloom.

And again, as we mentioned in the past two posts, we’ve now booked two more cruises on this same ship, one we’ve found ideal for our liking.

Today, as promised we’re listing the five upcoming cruises we’ve booked, each of which offers its own unique ports with only a few repeats here and there.

Let’s face it, the major cruise lines only take so many routes worldwide.  Although it may appear they travel all over the world, they do not.  They have specific routes, repeated over and over again.  Frequent cruisers are aware of this fact, often experiencing similar cruises several times, including visiting the same ports of call.

At this point, we’re satisfied if a new cruise takes us to two or three new ports of call.  When we visit ports we’ve previously experienced, we usually stay behind, enjoying the quiet on the ship, choice of chairs by the pool and the good WiFi signal for posting using the rented MiFi.  In any case, we enjoy it all.

As promised, here is the information on our five upcoming cruises including the cost:














































Honolulu
to Sydney		 18 days 5/24/2015 6/11/2015   $  6,010.64
Sydney to
Auckland		 14 days 1/5/2016 1/19/2016   $  4,771.32
Sydney to Perth 16 days 4/12/2016 4/28/2016   $  4,714.20
Singapore to Sydney 14 days 10/31/2016  11/14/2016 $  4,143.81
Sydney to
Sydney		 12 days 3/1/2017 3/13/2017 $  4,820.36


Total for five above cruises:          $24,460.33
Average cost per day for 74 days: $     330.55 (for both of us)

Our usual average cost per day while living in vacation rentals is approximately $200 per day including meals, dining out and rental cars.  In this case, cruising is $130.55 more per day plus additional charges for WiFi and beverages at an average of $78 per day for an additional total of $209.55 per day x 74 days, equals an additional $15,506.70. 

As a result of the added expenses of cruising, we’ve managed to find vacation homes, buying groceries and rental cars at reasonable enough prices to bring down the average daily costs around the $200 each.  The magic of diligent planning enables us to cruise and to live comfortably all over the world.


A palm tree, a Hibiscus plant and a blue sky.  Many days are cloudy on this island, as much as 60% from what we’ve seen over these past six weeks.  A sunny day is glorious!

As I write this, Tom suggested we list the ports of call for all of these cruises to illustrate how much of the world we have an opportunity to see while cruising, adding considerable value to the process.

Here’s the complete list some of which may include more than one stop at a specific location as mentioned above, that ports of call may be repeat visit on various cruises:

  1. Moorea, Society Islands
  2. Papeete, Tahiti, Society Island
  3. Bora Bora, Society Islands
  4. Savu, Fiji
  5. Ill des Pins, New Caledonia
  6. Sydney, Australia
  7. Melbourne, Australia
  8. Hobart, Tazmania, Australia
  9. Milford Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
  10. Doubtful Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
  11. Dusky Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
  12. Dunedin (port Chalmers), New Zealand
  13. Akaroa, New Zealand
  14. Wellington, New Zealand
  15. Tauranga, New Zealand
  16. Bay of Islands, New Zealand
  17. Auckland, New Zealand
  18. Picton, New Zealand
  19. Adelaide, Australia
  20. Perth, Australia (Fremantle, Australia)
  21. Singapore, Indonesia
  22. Benoa, Bali, Indonesia
  23. Darwin, Australia
  24. Cairns, Australia
  25. Airlie Beach, Australia
  26. Brisbane, Australia
  27. Nounea, New Caledonia
  28. Lifou, New Caledonia
  29. Mystery Island, Vanuatu
  30. Lautoka, Fiji

Only approximately six of these are repeats for us.  How in the world would we have every been able to visit these 30 locations without cruising?  The time, the cost and the effort would far exceed the glorious 74 days of cruising which we so thoroughly enjoy?

Add the facts that cruising enables us to meet so many fabulous people, many of whom we’ve stayed in touch with over these past two plus years, enhances the experience beyond our wildest dreams.  These are the reasons we choose to cruise.

The tiny cabin, often around 194 square feet, the risks of rough waters, the difficulty of managing my way of eating, the constant WiFi issues and the lack of dressy clothing for the formal nights, the crowds at certain venues, all are manageable for us.  We don’t complain.  When weighing the pros and cons of cruises, the pros win for us.  We love every moment, rough seas included.


We’ve noticed this peculiar drooping plant on the past three islands we’ve visited.

Today, perhaps a little organizing, a little tossing of worn clothing and a little time in the lawn chair whale watching.  Tonight and tomorrow night, we’ll fire up the charcoal grill to make the last of the frozen hamburger patties we’d made and we’d stored in Ziplock bags in the freezer.

We’re happily using most of the perishable food, leaving some non-perishable foods for the next occupants of this house and sending the remainder to ourselves in Kauai.

It’s all good.  Good as it can be.

Happy Monday to all!
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Photo from one year ago today, January 12, 2014:

It was exciting one year ago, for the visit of hundreds of these grasshopper visitors in our driveway in Marloth Park.  Everyday provided an exciting new experience.  We spent the day watching and videotaping the activity of this “family” of grasshoppers including their babies.  To see the videos from that date, please click here.

End of cruise…Final cruise bill…Hello, Boston!…The city where I was born…Three days until we depart for Vancouver…

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On our last day at sea, the sun peeked out. The photo was taken using my new camera! Yeah!

The fare for both of us for an upgraded balcony cabin for the 14-night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas was US $3976.70 including taxes and gratuities.

Always on top of the fare is the bill for items not included in the fare. For the 14 nights, our bill was US $939 which included: Tom’s drinks, one of four (at US $379) excursions three of which we’d paid in advance for private tours, one US $399 Internet package for Tom’s computer and the cost of dining in specialty restaurants on three occasions. 

We were cautious with our spending staying well within our budget of US $1200 for extras aboard the ship. As a result, the grand total US $4915.70. For the 14 days, the average daily rate was US $351.12, certainly no more than the average cost per day for a hotel, transportation, and meals.

It’s hard to believe the cruise is over. We’ve had a fabulous time meeting new people, hanging out with other fans of CruiseCritic, and engaging in several planned fun activities including Meet and Mingle, Slot Pull (58 of us won US $1 each), the Cabin Crawl, a special luncheon, dining in specialty restaurants with new friends and more.

We’ll stay in touch with our news friends whom we hope to see in the future. 

A sunny morning at the pier in Boston.

Somehow, with the annoying WiFi issues, we’ve managed to post for most of the 14-day cruise.

We didn’t become ill on this cruise by beefing up our sanitation methods including wrapping cloth napkins on our hands when using tongs and salt and pepper shakers in the buffet restaurant.

When walking up or down stairs we avoiding touching handrails and made every effort to avoid shaking hands which when unavoidable, prompted us to immediately wash our hands. We washed the exterior of our mugs several times daily.

Neither of us suffered from seasickness on several days of rough seas. Nor did either of us get carsick on the 4×4 off-road adventure in Iceland.

We visited Normandy, France, soaking up the emotional historical facts and stories. We walked around Stonehenge in England and visited the Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland, and sites in the port of Cobh, Ireland, the last port of call for the Titanic, a hundred years ago. We dined in an authentic pub in Ireland.

We toured barren Iceland, fascinated with its geothermal activity where the most active volcano is currently hinging on a major eruption. We traveled in a crazy beefed up 4×4 vehicle on a fast running river and up mountains with no roads. We never saw the Northern Lights in the two days in Iceland when it rained constantly nor the volcano which was too far away.

We dined, we laughed, we slept well including on the nights of rough seas, of which there many. We experienced seven-time zone changes, flipping our digital equipment and biological clocks back and forth.

We purchased a new camera aboard the ship, tax-free, at a competitive price, and learned to use it when lounging in the cabin. More on that later when we post our first photos.

The port in Boston.

We attended a few shows, a few seminars, and listened to a welcoming speech by the ship’s captain. We dined in specialty restaurants on three occasions at a total combined cost of US $128 with excellent food and service.

As I write this now, it’s Sunday morning on September 14th. We’re waiting to be the last off the ship as we usually do, to avoid standing in line with our luggage, the MiFi keeping us online. 

Soon, we’ll disembark the ship to grab a taxi to the airport to pick up the rental car to head to our prepaid hotel in Stoughton, Massachusetts, close to where family members reside. 

Most likely, we’ll arrive too early for check-in but, we’ll use the time wisely to run a few errands while we wait including a much-needed trip to a laundromat where we desperately need to do laundry. We’ve placed all the dirty clothing in the duffel bag, making doing so easy.

It’s our first time on US soil in 17 months when we were in Florida for a cruise. Shopping in a US store will be a novelty which I anticipate with childlike wonder.  

It’s been a good cruise. As always, we’ve reveled in each moment, all the while knowing what lies ahead is exciting, carrying with us the memories of everyone we’ve met, everywhere we’ve been and, everywhere we’ll be in the future.

Of course, we excitedly anticipate seeing our loved ones in December as we work our way to the next leg of our journey, the cruise to Hawaii where we’ll live for seven months on four different islands.

The other night, I was engaged in a conversation with a passenger who asked what we’ll do in Hawaii for seven months. I paused for a moment, looked into her eyes, and said, “We’ll live our lives, our lives of simplicity and ease, cherishing all the exquisite gifts the islands have to offer all the while sharing our story in words and photos about life in Hawaii. 

Buildings at the busy port of Boston.

We’ll share the beauty of each island, its natural wonders, its vegetation, its wildlife, and the expenses one might incur living full or part time in the islands. We’ll research its rich history, mingle with its people, embrace its authentic culture, hoping the avoid the typical tourist attractions. 

With ocean views at each location, we’ll spend many hours exploring and many more hours gazing at the sea whale and other wildlife watching. 
 
And now, over these next few days, we’ll be in Boston, where I was born many moons ago, where my father passed away when I was 12, when we lived in Massachusetts for a mere two years, only to lose him while living there. 

In the next few days, after we visit his gravesite, we’ll share photos and the story of losing him through a horrifying tragic accident in 1960.

Life is filled with many joys and many sorrows. We’ve all been blessed with the exquisite opportunity and privilege of choosing the course of our lives and how we handle the challenges along the way. We’ve chosen ours, dear readers, which we’ll continue to share with all of you each and every day.

                                          Photo from one year ago today, September 14, 2013:
Due to WiFi problems in Kenya and multiple power outages, we weren’t able to post on this date one year ago.

Packing day…Eurostar to London tomorrow morning…Goodbye, Paris!…Tomorow post with more photos and final total costs for the past 16 nights…

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When we finally had a relatively clear night we got this shot from the balcony in our hotel room.
The progression of the sunset in Paris.

Our time in Paris is coming to an end. Tomorrow morning we take a taxi to the Eurostar station. Causing Tom a little bit of angst is the fact that one must be able to carry their luggage onto the train in order to board. 

Many historical buildings line the boulevards.

With our two heavy large bags, two heavy small bags, one duffel bag, my handbag, and the one computer bag, we have quite a load. All of them have wheels so we’ll see how it goes. 

As we walked down a side street.

We’re putting a plan in place, testing it today. Shortly, once I complete today’s post, we’ll walk the several blocks to the laundromat where we’ll spend an hour and a half getting two tightly packed loads washed and dried. 

Tom didn’t order a single pastry from a boulangerie (bakery).
 
As the proverbial food voyeur, I’ve always reveled in looking at pastries, especially in Paris.
Good thing I can’t eat any of this. We’d have spent a fortune and I’d have gained so much weight I wouldn’t fit into my clothing. As it was, we each lost a few pounds while here.

We’ll pack everything once we return to the hotel wearing the same clothes for the rest of the day today that we’ll wear tomorrow, hand washing underwear tonight before bed.

In our travels, we often try to stay close to water, such as the River Seine, which is walking distance from our hotel. In London, we’ll be within walking distance of the Thames River.

These 16 nights in Paris have been one of the shortest periods we’ve stayed in one location, except for past cruises most of which have been in the two-week range and a few single nights in hotels in between flight. 

Renovations on an archway over the River Seine.

It’s hard to be packing again. At least at this point with the lesser amount of stuff, it doesn’t take too long, less than two hours at most. Recently, we’ve been asked if we’ve lightened our load so much, why do we still have such weight?

A street view of the restaurant we visited on Tuesday night, we’d yet to post.

My only response to that is this: If you had to pack everything you needed for the next year into one large and one small bag, could you do it? 

Earlier, I posted a similar photo.  We’ve loved this scene as the sky became blue.

With 12 pairs of shoes between us, two jackets each, everyday clothing, very few casual dressy clothes, two swimsuits each, two beach towels, emergency medical supplies, dental supplies, prescriptions, toiletries and cosmetics, and vital digital equipment. We have nothing we don’t need.

A bee was inside these flowers working on the nectar in the pistil.

As for Paris…have we enjoyed it?  I must say, I’ve loved every moment. For Tom, not as much. He’s only interested in certain sightseeing but, he graciously tagged along with me to see many of the sights I’d longed to see most of my life.

This was the window in a tailor shop we spotted on one of our long days of walking.

When I sensed he’d had enough, we slowed down over the past few days dining out by taxi a few times, otherwise staying close to our hotel taking walks, and enjoying the area. I am no way disappointed in not seeing more. 

These “hop-on, hop-off”  tourists buses are a good way for those who prefer not to walk, to see many of the sights of the city. We’d intended to do a three-day pass. But with the rain on and off almost every day, we never booked it fearful we’d pay and then be stuck inside the bus.

We exceeded our budgeted amount for tours and sightseeing and for me as the budget police, I have little room to complain. Nor did Tom complain about the day-long walks and lines at venues. 

Dogs are allowed in restaurants in Paris. This well-behaved guy was next to us one evening during dinner.

Paris is a complex city. One could spend years and never know it all. For the time we’ve spent here, we feel comfortable that we’ve seen all we’ve wanted to see, getting a feel for its charm and appeal, it’s dark dangers lurking under train stations at night, and its wide array of place to dine.

So typical Paris, motorbikes, and motorcycles parked along a narrow one-way road.

My favorite aspect of Paris, as it is for many, has been the Eiffel Tower both during the day and at night. The light show on the hour after dark made my heart pound with excitement. I’ll never forget that and we’re happy to have two videos of this breathtaking event. 

Cafes and bistros can be found on many corners inviting passersby to stop for a glass of wine or cup of coffee or tea.

It’s unlikely we’ll return to Paris. Yesterday, upon entering where we’ve been into my Trip Advisor profile, using the map to mark cities and countries we’ve visited, it appears we’ve seen so little. We have a lot of world left to see. 

In Paris, there have been restrictions as to the height of buildings in Paris which may soon be lifted. The height limit is 590 feet, 180 meters for office buildings and 150 feet, 46 meters for apartment buildings.

For us, it’s not a sprint nor is it a marathon. It’s a long walk. We work our way from location to location, choosing those which we find most appealing and interesting, from which we’ll hopefully continue to grow and learn. 

Many bridges in Paris have decorative ornamentation.
This artwork on the bridges in Paris is definitely worthy of note.

We stumble along the way, making mistakes, encountering obstacles, and having good days and bad. Life is a life wherever one may live. It just so happens that we’re experience life in locations all over the world.

This appears to be a variety of hibiscus.
A rose growing near the entrance to a bridge.

We’ll be back tomorrow with the final costs for 16 nights in Paris, posting before we leave for the train. And on Sunday, our first glimpses of London.

An orange tree for sale outdoors at a flower shop.

Be well.

                                              Photo from one year ago today, August 15, 2013:

Two weeks before we were leaving Italy for Kenya, we started assessing how much stuff we had to pack. At that point, we had considerably less than when we left the US but still had to unload much more. which we eventually accomplished. For details of that post, please click here.

Final total costs for 77 days in Madeira…A year ago…the walled city of Lucca, Italy…Two more days until departure…

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While on foot we spotted this waterfall.

Finally, we have the tally of our total expenses for the 77 days we’ve lived on the island of Madeira, Portugal. The grand total includes the following expenses:

  • Rent
  • Airfare from Marrakech, Morocco to Madeira, Portugal including excess baggage fees
  • Car rental, fuel
  • Entertainment
  • Restaurants (including tax and tips)
  • Groceries including laundry soap, cleaning supplies, paper products, toiletries purchased at market
  • Housecleaning service and tips
  • Parking fees
  • Shipping fees (for the package we received)

The grand total:    $10,720.51, EU $7,978.77
Monthly average:  $  4,234.83, EU $3,151.78
Daily Average:      $     139.23, EU $   103.62

We walked through this short tunnel to reach the ocean at the other end as shown in these other photos.

With respect to the property owners, we don’t post the rental amount unless we’ve paid close to the asking price. Living in vacation rentals for these extended periods often enables us to negotiate a rent considerably lower than the price posted on the owner’s listing. If we were to post these prices, other future short term renters may expect these lower prices. 

Nothing is as mesmerizing as the sea.

If anyone is interested in the rental amount for the extended period in Madeira, please contact me directly at jessicablyman@gmail.com. For short term rentals, please refer to Gina’s listing at Homeaway by clicking here. 

Two small waterfalls flow from the rocks in a natural rock wall.

Not surprisingly, the cost of the rental car was almost as much as the rent. Undoubtedly, we could have easily saved quite a bit if we’d used a taxi three or four times a week. In this case, the freedom of coming and going at our leisure proved to be worthwhile.

Clouds rolling in.

We don’t always rent a car. At times, it makes more sense to use taxis or public transportation, especially when we’re walking distance to restaurants and markets. In Paris and London, public transportation will be outside the door of the hotel making getting around easy from what we can determine so far.

At times, the clouds appear as if they were smoke. At times, there is smoke wafting through the hills when residents are allowed to burn off their terraced gardens.

Food costs, including dining in restaurants, can be high depending on the country as was the case here in Madeira.

Our total food costs while in Madeira including dining out:
Grand total:          US $2,329.60, EU $1,733.81
Monthly Average:  US $   920.23, EU $   684.88
Daily Average:      US $     30.25, EU $     22.51

These giant cement forms are used in some areas to protect the beaches.

We’re pleased with the totals especially since early on we determined that dining out was too expensive to do regularly. As a result, knowing we’d be dining out for months to come, we opted to eat in after spending US $65 to US $70, EU $49 to EU $52 for each of the three times we dined out, although the food was excellent.

The preformed cement blocks aren’t attractive but serve a useful purpose.

When one is constantly traveling and with my restrictive diet, dining out is not as huge a treat as one may expect. Although it will necessary to dine out until after mid-October and surely we’ll experience amazing food, we always find our home-cooked meals to be the most rewarding. There’s something appealing about spending 25% of the cost of dining out in order to dine in. 

In Ribeira Brava, we walked through a tunnel to an area where local residents anchor their personal watercraft.

Today, we’ll finish up the laundry, pack the smaller bags and I’ll do my manicure and pedicure. With excellent leftover pizza to pop into the oven, cooking will be at a minimum today, and tomorrow when all I have to do is prepare is a salad and bake the already put together uncooked pizza, ready for the oven.

In Ribeira Brava, we wander into a needlepoint and craft shop finding a new zippered bag as a carry-on for our prescriptions and vitamins when the handle on the old bag broke.

The more often we move, the quicker and more organized we become as departure time approaches. Also, the lightened load is a huge factor in making the task relatively easy.

Back tomorrow with updates as we wind down our final photos. Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, July 29, 2913:

A year ago today on a very rainy day, we visited the walled city of Lucca. Once inside, we dashed through the city in the rain to see as much as we could, stopping to look at this clock, The Pretorio Palace Clock. For many more photos of the walled city, please click here.

How much will we spend dining out in Paris and London… A year ago…Link to photos with step by step instructions for making a gluten free, low carb bread free sandwich…

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Midday clouds create a pretty sky.

With only eight days remaining in Madeira we realized that we won’t be cooking another meal until October 16th when we arrive in Maui, Hawaii for our six week stay. 

From July 31st, our departure date until arriving in Maui when we’ll make our way to a grocery store, it will be no less than 77 days without cooking a single meal. This is even longer than the 75 days we spent in Morocco when we either dined out or dined at home with lovely Madame Zahra making our meals.


Clouds rolling in at the end of the day.

First, we’ll be arriving in Honolulu on October 5th by way of cruise ship when we’ll spend 11 nights in Waikiki in a vacation rental fully equipped with cooking facilities.  However, as we mentioned earlier, we’ve decided to mostly dine out while in Waikiki rather than purchase an the required inventory of basic cooking items in order to prepare our meals.

As a result, currently, we’re making some of our favorite meals, knowing full well, it will be a long time until we can do so again.  Each time we move to a new location, its at this point before departure that we take stock of all the  remaining food stuffs, making our meals utilizing everything we have on hand.


Some flowers continue to bloom over the summer months.

Here’s our menu for the next eight dinners: all low carb, gluten, starch and sugar free:
7/23  Taco salad (no shell), side of roasted vegetables
7/24  Pork chops with sautéed mushrooms, side of roasted vegetables, steamed green beans, small side of tuna salad on a bed of lettuce, green salad
7/25  Same as above in order to finish off pork chops in freezer
7/26  Filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms and onions, steamed green beans, side of roasted vegetables, side of coleslaw
7/27  Italian meatballs in sugar free pasta sauce, topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, side of green beans (only veggie Tom will eat), side of roasted vegetables, side salad
7/28 Portuguese sausage omelet (using remaining fresh eggs) with onions, mushrooms and leftover cheeses, side salad using all leftover vegetables
7/29  Dine out
7/30  Dine out
7/31  Fly from Madeira to Paris, leaving in the morning


These low clouds have wafted in over the last few days.

By following this menu, we’ll use all of the remaining foods except for some basic inventory items (olive oil, butter, seasonings, etc.) which we always leave behind for the next occupants.

While in Madeira, we’ve dined out only a total of five times, mainly due to the cost.  As we booked more and more vacation rentals far into the future, all requiring deposits (some as much as 50% of the rent) and, with our upcoming “Family Vacation” in Hawaii in December and, with the necessity of dining out over the upcoming 77 days, we decided to tighten our belts.


This is one of the kids that have grown over the summer.  They’re fairly far into the yard next door which with our camera, we can’t get a clearer shot.  The markings on her head are amazing with the white ears and black markings on her face.  When I yell out “baah” to her while I’m standing at the railing, she looks up at me and “baahs” back.  It’s not quite as fun as talking to a warthog but, is fun none the less.

As a result of our frugality, we’ll have saved over US $1200, EU $891, on the food budget for our 75 days in Madeira.  This savings will offset some of the high cost of dining out in Paris for the 16 days we’ll be living in a hotel. We budgeted US $1600, EU $1188 for those meals a relatively small amount for Paris. 


Tom is always spotting interesting cloud formations.  In this case at dusk, he spotted a seahorse in these clouds.  Do you see it?

With the savings we’ll have incurred in Madeira which we’ll split between Paris and London (budgeted US $1500, EU $1114, for 15 days) our combined total dining budget total for Paris and London is US $3100, EU $2302. 

By splitting the above budgetary savings in Madeira of US $1200, EU $891 between the two cities over 31 days we’re left with a total of US $138.71, EU $103 per day. 


Ominous looking cloud at dusk from our veranda.

Although this amount won’t get us into the finest of restaurants every night, if we choose casual dining every other night, spending under US $50, EU $37 we’ll be left with US $227.42, EU $169 to spend on the alternate night’s dinner in nicer restaurants.


Gladiolas growing in a pot on our veranda.

Since I don’t drink alcohol and Tom doesn’t drink wine, usually ordering only a few cocktails and, we don’t order desserts, we’ll have enough to otherwise spend on a menu.  Of course, there are restaurants in Paris where a couple can easily spend US $800, EU $594 for dinner in a fine dining restaurant.  That won’t be us. 

A dog looking down at us as we stood on the road.

Traveling the world as we do requires careful and diligent budgeting and planning.  Both of us have learned to avoid a “laissez faire” attitude when researching our options as to what appeals to us.  We have learned to utilize a strong sense of self control which is necessary for us to continue on, enjoying our lives without worrying about finances.

There are plenty of other aspects of travel one can worry about, if they so choose.
_______________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, July 23, 2013:

One year ago to the date we shared the making of our bread-free gluten free, low carb sandwich including step-by-step instructions with photos.  For the remaining details, please click here.

Part 2…Booking cruises, competitive prices…How we book our cruises…

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Even a cloudy day has some appeal.

Yesterday, we described two important elements to booking cruises, one, “determining the starting prices” and two, personal preferences that determine the final cost of a cruise. Here’s the link to yesterday’s post, in case you missed it.

Over the past several days, as in the past when booking cruises, these factors come into play, as we just so happen to be in the process of booking two cruises to be finalized today receiving the booking confirmations by the end of the day.

View of the ocean as we drive further into Sao Vincente.

Here’s some of our “why” and “what” of cruising:

1.  We enjoy cruising to various locations that we’ll either visit for a short term or stay for as long as 89 days or longer, visas permitting. In most cases, we choose one-way cruises staying at the new location, rather than taking a “round trip” cruise which usually works best for most travelers.
2.  Appealing itinerary: Hopefully, with ports of call we’ve never visited in the past.
3.  The length of the cruise: Befitting our preference for longer cruises as opposed to those three or four-day cruises crowded weekend tourists.
4.  The quality of the ships and cruise lines: Often based on past experience. We’ve never chosen a ship rated under 4 stars, in this case, Celebrity Solstice is rated a 5.5 and Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas is rated a 4.5 (older ships, although often remodeled within the past 5 to 7 years usually receive a lower rating than if new or newer).
5.   The final cost: Including the opportunity that most agencies offer at a price reduction if the actual cost of the basic cruise which is reduced prior to paying the final payment, usually up to 90 days before sailing. Since we left the US on January 3, 2013, we’ve been able to be credited US $2000, EU $1468 on booked cruises on our first of eight* cruises. It is the customer’s responsibility to watch for price reductions promptly reporting them to the agency for a credit. More than one price reduction is accepted. But, if not reported promptly and the price goes back up, the credit is no longer available. Check the free popular cruising site, www.cruisecritic.com for updates on price reductions. Another site we use, for a small fee, automatically notifies the customer by email of a price reduction. For this check www.cruisefish.com which charges are based on the number of cruises booked. 
6.  Cabin selection: Each ship has a “deck plan” that clearly illustrates the placement of all cabins, stairwells, elevators, and venues by number. Before we attempt to book any cruise with our chosen agent and agency, Anna Urban at Vacations to Go, we decide on 3 choices of cabins, in order of preference, which we provide to our agent, hoping to pin down one of the three which is relatively easy when booking early.
7. Researching prices at other agencies: While in the process of preparing to book a cruise, we research other pricing offered by other agencies by using this free website:  www.cruisecompete.com which once we enter the cruise and our preferences, within hours we receive “bids” from other agencies. Once we receive several bids, we request that our agency match the lowest bid which they do.

Many areas may look the same as we post photos here, but as we drive to various villages, we note distinct differences.

*(An error correction from yesterday’s post: I miscounted past cruises, accidentally including two upcoming cruises in the next three months. I stated that we’ve been on 10 cruises when in fact we’ve been on eight with two more upcoming shortly which are not the same two cruises that we’re booking today).

More hillside farming.

Many have asked us, “Why do we like cruising when we vigorously avoid crowds?” 
1.  We use cruising as a fun means of transportation, not a vacation. It’s easier than flying when we’re in no rush. We plan our vacation home bookings around cruises, not vice versa. Cruising is relaxing and relatively stress-free as opposed to flying.
2.  The are no fees for overweight baggage.
3.  We’re housed, fed, and entertained. In most cases, when calculating the cost of flying, meals, and daily rates in vacation homes or hotels, the cost becomes more affordable.
4.  As for the crowds, we plan our time carefully avoiding venues at the busiest times, when possible. Within a day, we settle into a comfortable routine we’ve found to be extremely pleasurable. Plus, at night when dining in the main dining area, we chose “table sharing” where we are able to join a table for 6 to 10. In most cases, we have a fabulous time meeting new people often making new friends. On occasion, we dine alone in order to experience the specialty restaurants, usually at an additional flat fee per person.
5.  The small cabin, often under 200 square feet, 18.58 square meters, isn’t problematic for us. We spend as little time as possible in the cabin.
6.  The chefs on all cruises have been 100% cooperative in complying with my way of eating.
7.  Attending educational classes and seminars have been a highlight on many of our cruises, often centered around historical and geographical topics concerning our itinerary. If a movie theatre is available, we may attend an afternoon movie. We don’t nap. Instead, a movie is an excellent form of relaxation for us both.

Although the roads are often steep and winding, the roads are in excellent condition.

Based on the above criteria, last night we notified our rep at Vacation to Go with the following on the two cruises we’d like to book, both in 2016, January and April:
1.  Preferred cabin numbers (three for each ship)
2.  Choice of offered packages: Celebrity Solstice has a 1-2-3 promotion now which includes the choice of one, an onboard credit of $300 or, two, prepaid gratuities at US $24, EU $17.82 (in this case 14 days includes both of us) for a total of US $336, EU $246.68; three, identical beverage package required for both us at US $98, EU $71.98 per day for a total of US $1372, EU $1007.70. 
Although I don’t drink alcohol or sweetened beverages, it made economical sense for us to choose the free for two beverage package if Tom had four cocktails per day at the usual US $9, EU $6.61 (including tax and tip) the total for 14 days would have been US $504, EU $370.17 for the entire cruise. Comparing this cost to the other choices, it made sense to choose the beverage package. Plus, with my having the beverage package, my bottled water is included throughout the day. It was a no brainer for us.
3.  Charge the US $900, EU $661 deposit per cruise to our credit card number on file.

Weathered house situated in the hills.

Soon, our cruise confirmations will arrive in my email with the document as a web page. I convert this to a PDF, placing a copy into the cruise folder on my desktop, saving it on the cloud and external hard drive, and sending a copy to Tom’s email. Once we both have a copy we review it together for accuracy. We’ve yet to find an error.

Once we arrived in the village of Sao Vincente, we drove through the neighborhood of well-kept homes.

Over the next few days, we’ll be posting the details, final cost, and itinerary of each of these cruises enabling our readers to see the completion of the booking process.

This may seem complicated but, it has become a normal course of action as we strive to receive the best possible pricing, terms, and accommodations ensuring a great experience, barring any unforeseen obstacles or incidences over which we have no control.

Peculiar tree.

Please check back tomorrow for the details and prices of these two exciting cruises. At this point, we have 5 upcoming cruises. This may seem to be a considerable number but, they are broken up as follows:
2 cruises in 2014
1 cruise in 2015
2 cruises in 2016

Of course, our primary concern in all of our travels is the budget and estimates and later, the final cost per day.  Our goal is to secure affordable vacation homes to ensure that we stay within the budget in order to be able to include cruises in our travels. So far, we’ve stayed on target. And, it’s entirely our responsibility to engage in diligent planning as we continue on this journey.

Photo from one year ago today, July 6, 2013:

The entrance to many of the old stone houses in Boveglio, Italy were often decorated and appealing to the eye as in this house in the neighborhood. For details of that day when we visited the local pub, please click here.

Road trip begins tomorrow monring at 8:00 am…Atlas Mountains…Sahara Desert…Time change in Morocco…No clue…

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The pointy-toed shoes remind us of magic carpets and flowing gowns typical of the perception of Morocco which is not too far from reality…minus the flying carpet, of course.

This morning, Samir stopped by to discuss our upcoming trip. As a matter of fact, he asked if we knew there had been a time change by one hour, four days ago. We did not know! We wondered why we were called to dinner at 5:30 last night, an hour earlier than our usual 6:30 PM. We proceed to go to the table on several occasions mentioning how nice it was to eat while it was still so light! Go figure. How would we have known?

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 am, Adil will come to get us to lead us through the shortcut to Mohamed’s awaiting new white SUV who will be our driver over the next three days as we explore the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert.

These shoes looked comfy in soft leather, particularly the rounded toes styles. I’d certainly buy a pair if I had the room.

For two nights we’ll be staying in two different hotels, at varying elevations in the mountains. Although I have no interest in going to the highest points in the mountains at over 13,000 feet, we’ll certainly be at higher elevations than either of has traveled in many years.

Our hope is that we’ll have no trouble adapting to the elevation. But, “they,” say the elevation randomly has an effect on people, some with little consequence and others who become very ill with AMS (acute mountain sickness) when reaching altitudes above 8000 feet, 2400 meters.

This was the pile of belts from which I selected the black one on the top.  The shop owner installed a buckle that I’d chosen from a bag full of buckles. You’ll see me wearing this belt in future photos. I’ve found that a belt and a little costume jewelry can dress up an otherwise boring outfit.

At this point, with Samir making all the arrangements, we have no clue how high up we’ll be traveling.  Tomorrow, we’ll find out how high up we are able to travel. We’ve decided it we become ill, we’ll immediately return to a lower elevation.
 
This morning, it took me all of 10 minutes to pack with only the necessity to add the toiletries I’ll use in the morning. My current minimal wardrobe makes packing easier than ever for such a short trip. The same goes for Tom who is also down to a skeleton clothing supply.

This style of shoe is commonly worn by the locals, ideal for slippers but, there are very thin for walking any distances.

Getting away for a few days will serve us well, as we’re almost halfway through our time in Morocco, a time in all of our two to three months stays, that we decide its time to getaway. This is no different than the vast population who live in their permanent home most of the year, occasionally deciding to go away for a few days.

Over the past week or so we’ve begun booking flights for our 13 family members meeting us in Hawaii in December in less than eight months. With holiday season airline tickets selling quickly, we’ve worked fast and furiously to lock in the flights. So far, we’ve purchased nine tickets with four more to go. It will be a huge relief to have this part out of the way. 

These colorful bowls are often used for serving food.  One might be concerned about lead content when unsure of the materials used in making these.

Next week, we’ll book our flights to Madeira only a month away and also a rental car for our 75 days on the island. With “island” rates comparable to Hawaii (for which we’ll also book a rental car next week), we’ll pay a premium. The house in the hills of the mountainous island of Madeira would make using taxis impractical and cumbersome. 

Right now, we’re experiencing huge expenses: upcoming flights, cars, rental fees, and our trip away for a few days, all of which add up quickly. No less than three or four times a day, we consult our budget, adding new expenses as they occur, checking, and rechecking. 

Outside the Medina, in the new city, we encountered many ice cream shops. The flavors are appealing to me (viewing purposes only). If Tom were to order some, most likely, he’d choose boring vanilla.

Traveling as we do requires constant diligence in planning and documenting expenses, never for a moment feeling we don’t have a handle on our current financial situation. This is not unlike those budget-minded individuals, that may be in the minority, that keep track of expenses in their daily lives.

These creamy swirls made my mouth water.  Tom reminds me that I’m a food voyeur.

Honestly, in our old lives, I didn’t keep track of our day to day expenses on a separate spreadsheet, documenting every dollar spent in every category. I’d set up our bank account to record expenses but not to the finite detail we do now. 

Although, at many times in our old lives, I’d promised myself I would create a budget and stick to it. Ha! How many of us have thought about doing that? Many. How many have actually done it? Few. Very few.

Back at the Medina, we made our way to the souks for our return walk. 

We usually upload a post by noon, our time here in Morocco which may reach you in the morning, depending on your current location. While we’re away, you should be able to see a post by Thursday evening.

In the event there is no post on Thursday, please understand that it may be due to a poor or non-existent WiFi signal at the hotel. We’ve been told the signal will be fine but as we know from experience, it may not be able to upload our site with photos. Even in the remote Maasai Mara while on safari all day we were able to post with photos in the evening.

Hopefully, we’ll “see” you tomorrow!  Until then…
                                                  _________________________________

Photo from one year ago, April 9, 2013:

No photos were posted from one year ago today, April 9, 2013, our travel day from Belize to the cruise ship. Instead, we’re posting a photo from March 8, 2013, which we’d yet to repost. 

Gosh, we were tan! Now, we’re pasty white without a single sunning day in months. This photo is from March 8, 2013, when we’d been in Placencia, Belize for over a month, after spending one hour in the warmth of the sun each day.  For details of that date, please click here.

An evening outside the Big Square…

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Karim, the owner of the French restaurant, Cheese Me, suggested we take a photo together.  He was also a world traveler which we discovered after our taxi was ordered. Next time, we’ll spend more time with him sharing world travel stories. No longer carrying a handbag, I stuff my pants pockets with girl stuff, as shown in my zipping right pocket. Although we’ve seen few insects in Marrakech, my two pairs of lightweight insect repellent pants come in handy.

In a perfect world, traveling the world would result in being “free spirits” able to do exactly what was most appealing. In the “real” world we have budget constraints that have a distinct effect on how we spend our time and money. From time to time spending a little more than usual is inevitable and last night was a perfect example.

As we walked through the Big Square toward the street, the sun was setting. This area is close to the street outside the Medina and was less crowded during this time.

It was obvious to me over the past week that Tom was needing a more familiar meal with fewer vegetables, fewer spices, and something he could dig his teeth into. After spending the morning posting here and the early afternoon working on tax stuff, I quietly searched online in an effort to find a restaurant for last night’s dinner more befitting his limited taste buds.

The simple décor was pleasant and welcoming.

Fingers flying across the sticky keys on this new laptop (yes, now more letters stick than the letter “i”), I was looking for dining options at TripAdvisor.com and other websites. Screaming out at me over and again was a peculiarly named restaurant, “Cheese Me,” a required cab ride from outside the Medina.

Tom, with his observant eagle eye, noticed that this chandelier was made of upside-down wine glasses. Not only does Cheese Me offer many cheesy dishes, but they also have an extensive wine list. 

Using Google Maps, I found the location, set it up on my phone, sent in a request for a 7:00 pm reservation for two, telling Tom the good news when he came back downstairs after his shower.  He was set and ready to go.

The casual nature of updated daily specials adds a nice touch to any dining establishment.

With it raining off and on all day, with a break at 6:00 pm, we began to make our way outside the Medina to the street where we grabbed a “petit taxi” to take us to our destination. It’s a long walk to the street from our riad, including walking through the Jemaa el Fna souk, then across the Big Square through hoards and hoards of people. 

Tom really enjoyed this flavorful French Onion soup, usually served in a cup. At Cheese Me it’s served in a nice-sized soup bowl.

By the time we reached the street, it was 6:25 pm. The traffic on the street was crazy with fast-moving cars, tuk-tuks, horse-drawn carriages, motorcycles, and bikes seeming to go in different directions at once. While scanning the area for a taxi, a driver approached us. 

My watercress salad, although simple, was fresh and crunchy with a delicious tangy homemade vinaigrette.

Showing him the address and a map on my phone, I asked him, “How much?” to which he says, “70 dirhams.” (US $8.62). Tom flinched and started to walk away.  I started negotiating. Once we were down to 50 dirhams, US $6.16, I waved at Tom, “Let’s go!”  He yelled out to the taxi driver, “40!” The taxi driver began to walk away, waving his arms in the air saying, “No, no, no!”

Tom savoring his French Onion soup.

Oh, good grief! Ten dirhams is US $1.23. “Let’s get going!” I bellowed to Tom over the noise of the crowd. (I am not one to yell by any means, but the situated required a loud voice). The traffic was awful with horns honking, sirens blowing, pedestrians scrambling to cross the street to avoid getting hit, and I thought for US $1.23, we should get going. 

it would be fun to return to Cheese Me, sit at this cozy bar to chat further with Karim.

Tom wasn’t thrilled when we piled into the little car. Later, Karim, the restaurant owner, told us we shouldn’t have paid more the 40 dirhams, US $4.93 for the ride from the street outside the Medina. So, once again, Tom was right. 

Back inside the walled city, the night’s festivities were in front of us as we made our way back to our riad. It had begun to rain again.

But, my rationale is always the same, circumstances prevail. It made sense to get into the taxi at that point.  Fortunately, Tom and I don’t argue over such incidences. We let it go. Next time, we’ll say 30 dirhams and settle for 40. We learn as we go. In any case, the extra US $1.23 was not that big a big deal.

Tom suggested I turn around to take this shot of the mosque’s lights.  What a sight!

Arriving at “Cheese Me” a few minutes before 7:00 pm, Karim welcomed us at the door. Upon entering the cozy French restaurant we were comfortable and at ease as we settled into the molded plastic chairs, noisy to move across the floor, comfortable for sitting. The menu offered a wide array of simple options, dishes that incorporated fine cheeses in one way or another, exactly what the doctor ordered.

Tom ordered their highly acclaimed onion soup, based on a review I read in TripAdvisor.com while I had a plain watercress salad with a homemade vinaigrette as a starter. For the entrée, we both ordered the bacon cheeseburgers, mine without the bun. I gave Tom my included homemade French fries.  hey even had ketchup which Tom appreciated.

We had to watch carefully while walking as the horse-drawn carriages stopped for no one.

When our burgers arrived, we were both so hungry that I forgot to take a photo. Sometimes our appetites supersede our desire for a photo op.  Taking the first bite, both of us were in heaven. I hadn’t had a bun-less burger in a restaurant since Kenya and the taste sent me reeling. The bacon was actually pork bacon, an oddity in Muslim countries, smoky and perfectly cooked.

The presentation, the ambiance, and the friendly conversation and suggested photo with the owner, Karim, put the final touch on a delightful experience. The cost of the meal, the most we’ve spent dining out in Marrakech so far was, MAD $350, US $43.03 including tax and tip, without cocktails but with other beverages. We didn’t flinch. 

Yes, it was a little pricey for “soup, salad, burgers, and fries” but, the service, the presentation, the quality and taste of the food, the ambiance, and the special attention paid to us by the owner, made it worth every penny.  Maybe, we’ll return, but Tom seemed a little hesitant with the high price for burgers.

Once back inside the souk, we noticed that many of the shop owners had closed for the night, although this butcher still had his products on display.  Humm..I always wondered how meat could sit out so long without spoiling.

The waiter called our petit taxi cab driver when it was time to go, for the return 50 dirham trip to the Big Square for a total cost for the evening of MAD (same as dirham) $450, US $55.41. Most often, our meals inside the Medina have been half of this cost, but dining at Cheese Me was well worth the added expense. 

Dining out three to four times each week with Madame Zahra cooking for us on the nights in between, requires us to pay attention to how much we spend each week when dining out. Don’t we all? The cost for each meal Madame Zahra prepares for both of us is MAD $200, US $24.62. (The US dollars for this amount may vary from day to day as the value of the dirham changes). 

The dark alleys of the souks are cluttered with litter at night, all of which will be cleaned up for the opening time in the morning.

Each Tuesday, we pay Samir for Madame Zahra’s meals to ensure she isn’t out of pocket for the cost of the groceries for long. Each time we dine in, she shops in the souk for the ingredients in areas the locals frequent as opposed to where the tourists shop. (We’ll be including tips for the four household staff members halfway through our stay and again before we leave).

Last night convinced us that one or two “special” dining out experiences each week is well worth the added expense and fits into our budget, considering that the other evening’s costs are lower.

By the time we unlocked the door to our riad, the floor in the courtyard was covered in rainwater. Luckily, we’d returned in time to avoid getting ourselves soaked. When walking from room to room on the main floor we have to walk around the edges in order to stay out of the water. This morning, when  the rain had stopped, this area is still wet. Oumaima and Madame Zahra used a squeegee to move the standing water to the drain.

Back at Dar Aicha by 9:30, after another exciting walk through the Medina in the dark with the activities in full roar, we were content to watch a few shows on my laptop and head to bed for yet another good night’s sleep in the comfortable bed. 

Today, more work on the taxes and another walk through the souk. We’ve yet to shop for our jogging suits. Neither of us is excited about shopping, knowing our luggage is overweight as it is. Anything we purchase results in disposing of something we already use. At this point, I can’t imagine what that might be.