Visit to a cheese factory with a lingering effect…What treats do we enjoy during the holiday season?

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It was necessary to take a detour off the main highway on our way to Penguin in order to stop at this popular cheese factory store and café, the Pyengana Dairy Company.

During the holiday season, many people enjoy a wide variety of special cakes, including biscuits, cakes, sweets and salty snacks. With our eating habits, we have few holiday options that will continue to keep our diet low in carbohydrates, sugar, cereals and starch.

However, there are a few things we can appreciate in moderation, including natural hard cheese, which usually contain the lowest amount of carbohydrates, lactose and insulin.

It is often perceived that we consume enormous amounts of protein. Our diet is called: low carb, high fat, moderate protein (no unlimited protein). For us, it maintains our weight, good health and sense of well being.

This coffee shop with its charming name is located inside the Pyengana cheese dairy in Tasmania.

That’s not to say we’re exempt from drooling over certain holiday treats or can avoid feeling as if we’re entitled to something special during this festive time of the year. Old traditions are hard to break.

I’ve been eating like this for 5 years. Tom, who didn’t get on board right away, has joined me in this type of diet for over four years, except for those times we’re on cruises and dining in restaurants when he goes “hog wild.”

Surprisingly, on this most recent 33 night cruise, he tempered his choices, making every effort to avoid bread and sweets. Consequently, he gained only a few pounds, which he will easily lose effortlessly before leaving Tasmania in two and a half months.

Charm was exuding from this delightfully decorated and appointed cheese sales and dining establishment located on a quiet country road in Pyengana, Tasmania.

Charm was exuding from this delightful decoration and named cheese selling and restaurant located on a quiet country road in Pyengana, Tasmania. Helens to Penguin, on our second leg of the road trip.

Only a short distance from the main highway A3, we veered off onto a country road C428 to easily find the Pyengana Dairy Company. Upon entering the café and shop, we were warmly greeted and offered to participate in the complimentary cheese tasting which was starting in moments.

We ordered our coffees and while it was being prepared, we tasted several excellent cheeses offered.  But, one particular flavor caught our attention, the caraway cheddar, a creamy, slightly tangy cheese infused with whole roasted caraway seeds.

We had a lot of ground to cover and didn’t sit down for coffee.  Instead, we purchased two coffees, sampled some cheese and heading back down the road.  At that point, we had no idea how “hooked” we’d become on their caraway cheddar cheese.

In general, we’ve found Australia to have some pretty amazing cheese, particularly their popular natural “Tasty” cheese, which is somewhat grainy, tangy and filled with flavor.

When grocery shopping these past two weeks, we purchased big blocks of tasty cheese, slicing it into bite sized strips which we keep handy in a plastic container. 

After finishing the one package of caraway cheddar we’d purchased in Pyengana Dairy Company a few days after arrival, we longed for more. After dinner, we often make a cheese plate with a variety of cheeses as a special dessert. With a few other cheeses we’d purchased locally, we were still thinking about the caraway cheddar.

After we’d sampled several cheeses, we couldn’t resist the caraway cheddar and purchased one package..

Last Thursday, we called Pyengana Dairy Company, asking if they’d ship the cheese to us in Penguin.  No problem. They were happy to oblige. Although the shipping and handling fee was AU 18.50, US $13.70 we didn’t hesitate to order 10 packages, the size shown in the photo included here today. 

The total bill for the cheese, including the shipping and handling fee was a total of AU 155, US $114.80 for the 10 packages which should last us through our time in Tasmania. In our old lives, I could easily spend more than this amount to bake Christmas cookies or other holiday treats.

Any other holiday treats on the agenda for us?  Today or tomorrow, I’ll be making a double batch of low carb fudge. For Tom’s upcoming 64th birthday on December 23rd, we have a dinner reservation at a highly rated restaurant in Devonport. For Christmas Eve, most likely we’ll make our traditional surf and turf. 

Longing for more of the delicious cheese, we called Pyengana Dairy Company to order 10 packages to be shipped to us in Penguin. Our shipment arrived yesterday morning. Since we don’t eat typical holiday treats, this will definitely work for us. 

On Christmas Day, we’re trying a new recipe we’ll share if it proves to be as good as it sounds, Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie, using almond flour for the top crust. We’ll see how that goes and report back here.

That’s it in the treats department folks.

It’s not much in the way of variety, but certainly satisfying for us.

We hope each and every one of our readers who participate, have a tasty holiday season.

Be well.

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

Fiji décor made from some type of small vines. For more photos, please click here.

A local annual holiday event in Penguin…Penguin Surf Club…Locally owned business…

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This health and wellbeing exhibit by Belinda at Natural Intuition caught my attention.
To contact Belinda, email her at:  naturalintuitionwellness@gmail.com The little case in the center of the display was filled with therapeutic grade essential oils. If I had space in my luggage, I would have wanted one. Again, practicality prevails. We had a chance to chat with Belinda. She was warm and welcoming and we enjoyed every moment. Had she not be going to Queensland for the holiday, we have no doubt we’d have been getting together. 
Another view of Belinda’s health and wellness display.

When Terry, our new friend and landlord, dropped off a flyer for the Penguin Surf Club Christmas Market occurring on Thursday evening from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, we were excited at the prospect of attending.

Upon entering the Penguin Surf Club we knew we were in for a treat.

Although we had no intention of making any purchases at this local annual holiday gift and arts and crafts sales event, we thought it would be fun to mingle with the locals and take photos.

Handmade aprons, pot holders and more filled this area.
We chatted with Leone, the local rep for Tupperware.  She was delightful and welcoming us to her town. There was an item here, I’d have loved to purchase, that red pull chopper. Again, no room in the luggage for kitchen gadgets. To reach Leone for Tupperware, call her at 040-921-7730. 

We’d already purchased all the Christmas gifts for our six grandchildren in the US. Long ago, we’d decided to forgo gifts between us and our adult children due to the inconvenience of receiving, shipping and purchasing items from around the world.

Adorable flannel its including baby blankets and bibs.
A variety of locally made olive oil and products filled this pretty table.

For the grandchildren, we always purchase items and gift cards from US vendors making returns simple and uncomplicated. Within 24 hours of our arrival in Penguin, I sat down and got to work and within a few hours our online shopping was completed.

Cute stocking stuffer items.

Yesterday, we made a late lunch of cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon (the best bacon we’ve found anywhere!) and a favorite; low carb, grain, starch and sugar free coconut pancakes. We’d found maple syrup sweetened with Stevia at Woolies to which we added to the glob of delicious grass fed Tasmanian butter.

There was a wide array of adorable handmade items on this table.
Several tables offer spa and bath products.

Each time we make this meal I always say I could have this meal every day and love it. But, in an attempt for variety we only make it every so often, especially since in many countries we can’t find coconut flour although, coconuts are commonly found in many warm climates.

Hand carved wooden toys and games filled this display.

Satisfied after the great meal, at 5:30 we headed out the door for the 10 minute drive to the edge of town to the Penguin Surf Club where Terry has been an active member for many years. 

I hadn’t seen a Mary Kay display in years.
As we perused the facility beyond the multitude of booths with holiday offerings, we noticed his name over and over again on many plaques and awards. Having lived in Penguin all of his life, he’s been actively involved in community activities and events.
Tom really got a kick out of these lighted glass blocks. Clever idea!
I flipped over these “map of the world” shoes.  But, practicality always prevails in our lives.  They weren’t meant for lots of walking and each of my five pairs of shoes are practical except one pair of dress shoes which I’m considering giving the heave ho.

At the entrance to the building, we paid a “gold coin” each for an entrance fee equivalent to one AU dollar (US $.75). The place was packed, the energy, uplifting and holiday-like and we couldn’t have been more thrilled to be a part of this small town’s special seasonal event.

Tie dye baby clothing.  Too cute!
This chair and cover were made to look like a toy stove.  Cute!
We began wandering from display to display, some containing homemade gifts, foods and holiday décor and others packed with more traditional commercial items. Many were unique as we both giggled over spotting the same items simultaneously.
I always loved these handmade dolls.
Wall décor made with rocks and wood found in nature.

If, we had a home or were living near family, there were many items we would have been tempted to purchase. But with the high cost of shipping items to the US none of it made sense, especially when our grandkids have no interest in craft items nor do their parents want their homes filled with more “stuff.”

Colorful scented Play Dough.  Fun!

Being able to chat with a few of the vendors was the highlight of the event. We took photos of their wares, offering to post photos on our site today. Had it not been so busy, we’d have had a greater opportunity to talk to more vendors to later share their products and information.

Scents and hand and body sets, perfect for holiday gifts.

Today, cool, windy and cloudy we plan to stay in, work on future travel related tasks. At long last, we’re making our low carb gluten, starch and sugar free pizza after finally being able to find all the ingredients needed for our recipe. We haven’t been able to make the pizza since we were in New Zealand almost a year ago. 

An oar we spotted in the food area where Terry was one of the crew for an event. 
The bar wasn’t busy yet, but give it a few hours and it would have been packed. Food was offered for sale in this area, including burgers, brats and hot dogs.
Watch a movie? Eat pizza? Yep! That’s fun too! Enjoy your upcoming weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, December 9, 2015:

Walkway from one area of the Arts Village to another while in Pacific Harbour, Fiji.For more photos, please click here.

A trip to Woolies turned into a sightseeing adventure…

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Many small islands lie near the shore.

Woolworths grocers, known as “Woolies” are popular in Australia. We went shopping at the Woolies in Trinity Beach during our 3 month stay beginning in June 2015. 

For our first big grocery shopping trip, we decided to forgo a farmers market and meat market for the purpose of getting the staples we’d need during our three month stay in Tasmania.  Anything left after this first six weeks will be taken with us to the Huon Valley for the second six week stay at the other end of the state.

View on the road to Ulverstone to do some shopping.

We realize that many of our readers are perhaps not interested in our grocery and/or food purchases and for that, please be patient with us. For us, with our way of eating it becomes very important and, for many of our readers who have written to us, they’re curious as to food products available in other countries.

With the winding narrow road, I had to take photos while we were moving.

I should mention that even in large market Woolies most vegetables are organic, most meat is grass-fed and chicken is organic and free range. The labels clearly indicate the origin of the products available for sale, including indications for farmed fish, which we do not consume. 

The head of lettuce we bought required a lot of washing and eliminating insects. What does it tell you? No pesticides. It was misshapen and uneven. There again, indicating true organic products. We easily found chemical-free eggs, free range, directly from the Woolies farm. In essence, we could, if we so chose purchase all of our food from this market.

A large house sits at the tip of a peninsula.

However, we plan to visit the upcoming farmers markets, mostly available on weekends, grass fed meat markets and locally caught fish markets while we’re in Tasmania. Doing so becomes a huge part of our enjoyment in an area giving us an opportunity to mingle with locals and hear about and see their farms. 

The beautiful road to Ulverstone.

Planning our meals and shopping for ingredients becomes an integral part of our desire and pleasure in living in rural areas, visiting farms, learning the culture and blending in as much as possible.

Our host and landlord Terry has been so helpful. Not only has he provided this impeccable property for our use over these six weeks, but he delivered three bottles of his homemade purified/distilled water for our use, although tap water is safe to drink in Tasmania.

Although we won’t be able to see sunsets from our location, the morning sun offers a stunning view.

The kitchen and property is so well equipped we avoided the expenditure of many staples we usually buy including many spices, quality olive oil, herbal teas, vinegars and toilet paper.  We created a grocery list with these items in mind and headed along the ocean to drive to the next town of Ulverstone where the Woolies is located.

Ulverstone is at a distance from this spot.

Penguin has a few markets, but they’re small and less well stocked. Also, the smaller local markets have higher prices, making it worth the drive to Ulverstone to the popular supermarket. 

In future visits, we’ll get out and explore this reserve.

Little did we know, the 20 to 25 minute drive was much more interesting than we’d anticipated. Terry suggested we take the coastal route if we were interested in some amazing scenery.  He was so right! With the bright morning sun shining on the sea, the scenic route took our breath away. For that reason alone, we’ll be looking forward to returning to Ulverstone for grocery shopping in the also quaint 7000 population town.

We’re excited to see the trains pass by our view several times a day. 

The temperature here is considerably cooler than we’d anticipated. With no warm clothing in our tiny inventory, we both needed to find something in the way of a sweatshirt or flannel shirts while in Ulverstone. In Australia, sweatshirts are called “jumpers.”

Parking on the main boulevard where literally all the stores are located, we found a few shops, one where we each purchased soft flannel shirts, both men’s sizes, Tom’s an XL, mine, a small for US $20, AU 27. I found a perfect hooded jumper in another nearby store for US $15, AU 20 which I’m wearing now, feeling cozy and warm on the chilly morning.

Historical Furners Hotel in downtown Ulverstone. There are many other small towns we’ll explore while in Penguin.

A visit to the pharmacy, a stop at a dollar type store for a pitcher for our iced tea and a few kitchen supplies including parchment paper, tin foil pans and environmentally friendly laundry soap rounded out our shopping. 

Then, we drove further down the same road to a computer store where we’d hoped to purchase a power cord for one of our laptops which quit working while on the cruise. They didn’t have such a cord available, but suggested we drive to Devonport where surely we’ll be able to make the appropriate purchase. In the next few days, we’ll make the 40 minute trip.

The main street in Ulverstone where all the shops can be found.

Lancaster House, another historical building in Ulverstone.

Back in the car, we drove to Woolies, finding every item on our list. Our total bill including enough groceries for eight days, totaled US $209, AU 280. In most new locations we’ve easily spent 30% more.

Back on the scenic road, again we stopped for photos when possible on the narrow oceanfront road. We can’t wait to make that drive again soon. Today, we’re sharing some of the photos from yesterday’s drive. In time, we’ll continue to share more photos from our two day road trip.

Again today, we continue to wash and hang our clothing after all the germs on the ship. It’s the first time in four months, we’re doing laundry. Tom helps with the hanging and heavy lifting while I sort and fold.

Tom’s busy catching up on all the Vikings games he missed during the 33-night cruise with the poor streaming signal on the ship. He’s catching up on several games he missed using his membership in NFL Game Pass. The WiFi is excellent in this property and he’s watching a game as we speak.

Tom commented that the gauge (the distance between the two rails) is considerably smaller in Australia than in the US.

We’re busy making plans for the upcoming few days/weeks, including an exciting Saturday night social event with our landlords which we’ll share in a future post. Thanks to all of our loyal readers for “traveling along with us.” It’s been delightful sharing our travels with all of YOU.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 6, 2015:

What can I say? This was my favorite photo we’d taken in Fiji. It so bespeaks a life in Fiji, the freedom of barnyard animals to roam, to thrive and grow. The fact that we find barnyard animals so worthy of mention only enhances our experiences throughout the world. For more details, please click here.

We made a booking error!…Final hotel expenses…Tonight’s the night!…We’re off to Sydney on the red eye…

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The hotel chef made a special spicy sauce to accompany my brochettes.

Gee, this week whizzed by considering how little we did, hanging out in our hotel room for days, content as we could be in air conditioned comfort with nary a fly in sight. 

As a matter of fact, having meals without having to bat off the flies was rather pleasant for a change. But, we know this cool comfort and fly free zone won’t last forever. 

Once the 33-night cruise ends on December 3rd, we’ll spend a total of three months in two locations in Tasmania, which is rife with wildlife and insects of all sorts, a fact that attracted us to this Australian island. 

Tom got another bowl of chips not shown in that photo.

Fortunately, we get used to the scary creatures we have encountered otherwise we would not have chosen to visit Costa Rica, South America and again Africa in the future.

As for our stay here at the Hilton Garden Inn Ngurah Rai Airport a most peculiar thing happened yesterday. We discovered we’d made an error when booking this hotel. Here how it went:

1.  First, we’d booked the hotel for Saturday, October 29th to Sunday, October 30th, although we’re checking out tonight at 9:45 pm when it will still be October 29th. With this late flight we preferred not to spend hours waiting at the airport so we booked the hotel for the one night with the very early checkout. With the low rate of US $50, IDR 652,874 it was better than the alternative.
2.  When we decided to leave the villa early due to the poor WiFi signal, we created an additional booking at the same hotel from Monday, October 24th to Friday, October 28th.

Is my booking error obvious? 

Each morning Tom had a few of the doughnuts shown on the right.

Based on how I booked this we’d be without a room between Friday and Saturday. I should have booked the added nights from Monday, October 24th through Saturday, October 29th and then, our extra night would kick in. 

Yesterday at noon, staff at the front desk called our room (we were wondering why our room hadn’t been cleaned) kindly explaining we needed to clear out of the room (duh) and return today for the 2:00 pm check in time. That would have been some predicament!

We wondered what the huge red pot contained. Was it decorative or a buffet item?

Well, safari luck kicked in, we rebooked yesterday’s one night at Hotels.com on our site for which rates, last minute had escalated, but the hotel was able to let us stay in the same room.  Thank goodness.

We apologized profusely for our error, had our WiFi and key cards updated and continued on with our day. We finished and packed our clean laundry and once again I worked out. Later we closed and weighed our bags to see if we’d be charged for overweight luggage. 

The gym was nicely chilled and spacious.  This guy of the left was the only person I’d seen in the gym in five days.

Virgin Australia charges per piece for economy (that’s us) and also for overweight fees. Each of our two clothing bags are within a kilo and of the 23 kg max with our third bags well under without an extra inch of space to stuff the slight overages. We’ll see how it goes. On this particular international flight paying online in advance for baggage isn’t allowed.

After a good breakfast, by dinnertime, we both felt hungry and decided to head down to the restaurant for a meal. The menu was tricky with many items that wouldn’t work for me. 

I ended up ordering a specially prepared satay dish without sugary peanut sauce, which consisted of two small skewers of chicken, one small skewer of beef and a skewered medium sized prawn. Knowing this would be ultra small, I also ordered two fried eggs and a half of avocado. It all worked for me.

It felt good to get on the cardio equipment. Over the six days I improved my endurance more than expected.

Tom, prepping for his “cruise diet,” ordered a bacon cheeseburger (with bun) with fries and extra fries.  Here he goes! He’ll be dining to his heart’s content while I’ve promised (as usual on cruises) not to say “boo” about what he eats until we’re settled in our next vacation home when I’ll start cooking again.

We’ll forego dinner tonight and grab a little something at the airport if we’re hungry or we may use our remaining IDRs to purchase nuts for the flight. After all, we’ll be awake all night, a little munching might be in order.

As for the hotel bill for these six nights including meals, tips and taxes:

Room rate for six nights:   IDR 4,989,658,  US $382
Meals not included:           IDR    806,242,  US $ 62
Total for six nights:        IDR  5,795,900, US $444
Average cost per night:      IDR    965,983   US $ 74

This flower is blooming on a tree by the pool.

Wow! This was reasonable, less than our average cost per night when living in vacation homes.  Sure, we forfeited six nights at the villa, but we’d already factored those costs into our budget and certainly received our money’s worth.

Tomorrow, as mentioned, we’ll be in Sydney staying overnight in the hotel.

Our post may be late if we didn’t sleep on the plane. If we were able to get some sleep on the plane and feeling alert in the morning, we’ll post at our usual time.

These are interesting flowers blooming on a tree by the pool..
See you from Sydney, one of our favorite cities in the world! Bear with us once again, since we’ll be posting photos of the amazing scenery of the Sydney Harbour.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 29, 2015:

We could only imagine how beautiful our photos would have been in Fiji had it been a sunny day when we went sightseeing. That’s life in the tropics! For more details, please click here.

News overload…Dreaded “red eye” flight upcoming…A cultural dining experience with photos and amazing prices continue…

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This fish soup sounded delicious, but contained a small quantity of flour to thicken.

Finally, we have access to US and world news. Although by no means have we been out of the loop as to what’s transpiring in the US and around the globe. Voraciously, we read daily news online to stay abreast of what’s going on all over the world that could impact our lives as we continue to travel.

This fried soybean aperitif was served at our table. Tom didn’t like it and I don’t eat fried foods and soy.

Some may assume that our lifestyle may dictate an “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy. We’re definitely not living “off the grid.” We may have been living outside North America for almost four years, except for a three day stay in Boston to see family two years ago, although we’ve never been out of touch with the state of affairs in the US and many other parts of the world.

The coconut water is served in the coconut with its tender meat. Tom and I haven’t ordered any.

Settled in this comfortable hotel in Kuta, Bali, we got active online while watching English language news on television in the background. After an hour or two, we’ll flip the channel to Nat Geo Wild, or another one of National Geographic series, many depicting places we have been thus far in our travels.  Less stress inducing, by far.

As the days quickly dwindle to our departure in three nights, I must admit I’ve had a little angst about the red eye flight, which departs around midnight Saturday (actually Sunday, at 12:05 am).

Tom’s and Egon’s lunch consisted of fried rice topped with bits of chicken, a fried egg and a few bites of vegetables. 

We’ll have to leave the hotel prior to 10:00 pm Saturday (we paid for an extra night for the late check out) to ensure we’re at the airport two hours in advance as required for international flights. Sometimes immigration may lead to lengthy delays.

Francoise’s grilled fish.

I suppose I wouldn’t feel any angst about the red eye flight if we could sleep well on a plane. It’s just doesn’t happen easily for either of us. We can dose for brief periods of time.  With my recent injury, sitting for long periods is most challenging at this time, as I experienced on the four hour drive from Sumbersari to Kuta.  With my recent injury, sitting for long periods is more difficult at this time, as I experienced on the four-hour drive from Sumbersari to Kuta. 

Searching online I found a few tips that may be helpful from this site. Regardless of tips and suggestions, the reality is, it’s only a six hour flight. In no time, we shall arrive in Sydney. 

Pioni and I shared this platter of boiled crabs, a little tricky to get out of the shells due to their small size but the flavor was good.

We certainly have had longer and more challenging flights, including many hours of stopover. At least Sunday’s flight is going to be non-stop, which is going to be a lot easier.

Continuing to think positive thoughts and focusing on the enthusiasm for the arrival in Sydney on Sunday morning with one hotel night in the hotel which is conveniently located across the street from the pier where our ship will await boarding passengers. 

Watermelon, a hearty crop in Bali was served at our table.

Watermelon, a bountiful harvest in Bali was served at our table. As “regulars” of this hotel and members of their priority club, I am certain they will welcome us.

From there, we’ll get a good night’s sleep and be ready to board the ship for our scheduled time at noon on Monday, October 31st, the day of our four year anniversary, certainly a day to celebrate.

Thanks Francoise and Egon for hosting our lunch. I asked that we take a picture of the bill and post it here. It was shocking that the five-person lunch was only IDR 198,000, US$15.22!

We’d hope to use this hotel’s pool over these several days.  The weather has yet to cooperate. Soon, I go to the hotel gym for my third workout, increasing the intensity a little every day. 

Sure, its quiet and low key for us over these several days, but we’re doing well, feeling cool and enjoying getting caught up on a number of tasks we weren’t able to accomplish over these past many months.

Please bear with us, dear readers. The action will pick up in only a few days! Take care!

Photo from one year ago today, October 26, 2015:

Typically in rainforests, we’ve observed insects and birds as more colorful than in less dense areas of vegetation. Tima, our guide to Vuodomo Falls, spotted this caterpillar we easily could have missed. For more details, please click here.

Busy day…Tomorrow, we’re on the road…An unexpected last minute social event…

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A beautiful scene in a roadside rest area about halfway through the four or five hour harrowing drive. Hopefully, tomorrow we’ll stop there once again. 

“Sightings in the Beach in Bali”

A colorful sunset photo taken while under the cabana.

After the considerable packing experience, we won’t become flustered or concerned about getting out the door on time tomorrow at 9 am, fully packed and ready to go.Five days later we’ll be doing the same after the necessity of wearing some of the clothing in our suitcases while staying at the hotel in Kuta.

Vegetables on display for a cooking class at Puri Bagus Lovina where we spent four nights during the five day visa extension process.

At the villa we’ve only worn swimsuits, all day and into the evening and have had very little laundry while here. We each alternated between two swimsuits, one always drying while the other was being worn. 

With a self service laundry at the hotel, we’ll be able to wash what we’ve worn to repack clean clothing for the 33 night cruise. Then, on the cruise, with our limited supply of clothing, we’ll be using a portion of our “cabin credit” of US $700, IDR 9,137,093, for the ship’s pricey laundry service.

Exquisite hand painted fishing boats at the pier in Negara.

While cruising it’s possible to change clothing four times a day depending on the events we’re planning to attend. From workout clothes in the morning, to swimsuits and cover ups, to shorts and tees for afternoon activities, to casual/ dressy attire for dinner. 

Each fishing boat has a unique design commensurate with the ethnicity of its owners.

With my clothing suitcase completely packed and only the third bag of supplies awaiting the final toiletries and miscellaneous items, we’ll have no problem getting out the door on time. Tom need only about 10 minutes to complete his packing.

Rambut Siwi Hindu Temple (Pura Rambut Siwi) in Negara.

Two days ago the property owners, Egon and his lovely wife Francoise, stopped by to say hello.  After a lengthy, interesting conversation among the four of us, we’d hugged upon departing with a plan to say goodbye in person before we leave.

Last night, we heard a knock at the door. It was after dark and quite surprising. During the day we leave all the doors wide open (no screens), only locking them at night. An evening visitor was quite unlikely.

We were honored to meet Gede’s parent at their home in Lovina during our first visit to Bali.

Egon had stopped by to invite us to a restaurant we’d known about and had seen when we had walked down the beach a while ago, but found no one in attendance and no posted menu. 

With the fabulous meals the cooks have prepared, we had little interest in investigating it further. Also, eating only one meal a day, the idea of walking back on the beach at night in the dark wasn’t appealing.

The skill required to create this work of art is typical among Balinese people.

Today, the enjoyment of the companionship will supersede any dietary or dining concerns and we’re off to lunch with Egon and Francoise at 12:30 pm. The next door neighbor, Peony, is joining us as additional guest at the party and to translate when none of us speak Balinese or Indonesian. It should be fun.

The patience of the buffaloes being “dressed” for the races surprised us as we gingerly walked by.

Today, we’ll be dining twice with scrumptious leftovers awaiting us for the evening meal. I guess we’d better get used to dining twice in a day when we’ll be doing so at the hotel over these next several days (complimentary full breakfast included) and then on the cruise, where we usually dine for breakfast and dinner.

Wearing sarongs at the Monkey Temple, which are required attire to enter any Hindu temple.

We’ll be back tomorrow with our post for the final expenses for the villa and the remainder of our favorite Sumbersari photos. Please check back as we wind down the remaining hours in this exceptional property.

Here’s the link to this wonderful holiday/vacation villa. We’re sure Egon and Francoise would love to see YOU here.

Photo from one year ago today, October 23, 2015:

In order to visit the Vuodomo Waterfalls, its expected that visitors bring the chief, (the owner of the land where the waterfall is located), a bag of kava, an intoxicating local drink made from kava leaves. Here’s the Fish Shop where we purchased the kava before we headed to the falls. For more details, please click here.

Winding down…Two days and counting…Favorite photos begin today!

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This local woman we met during our walks spent her days making small offering baskets out of these sheets. Note the basket in her hands. She always said hello as we walked by.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Watching the buffaloes walk along the beach has never ceased to give us a shiver. Where do you see that kind of thing? 

We can hardly believe we’re leaving the villa in less than 48 hours. The past four months (with a two month gap between where we visited Southeast Asia) have been an extraordinary experience leaving memories we will always keep with us. Prior to our first of two visits to Bali beginning on April 30th, we had heard passengers mention that they did not care about Bali. 

Now, after those many months, we understand their hesitation if they had just visited the congested Denpasar. Having spent this extended period far from the crowds, traffic, crime and commotion we have an entirely different perspective.

On both occasions of our arrival at the villa the staff presented us with chilled washcloths and sweet tea. Tom drank both glasses.

As we finalize the collection all of our belongings scattered around the house, it’s evident how settled, we’ve become during these past months. It’s been easy to meld into this peaceful and relaxing environment.

As always, we’re using any remaining groceries, we’ve accumulated, including the last of the mince (ground beef) we’d purchased in Denpasar upon our arrival. Last night, the two Ketuts made one of our favorite grain, sugar and starch free, low carb recipes, Mushroom Burger Scramble, which we found years ago at this favorite site. Thanks, Linda!

Mom and baby on the side of the road.

The leftover meat made enough for three nights, which we’ll have again tonight and tomorrow evenings, our last meals at the villa. The amazing two cooks have added considerable pleasure to this experience in many ways as well as their careful preparation of meals suitable for my way of eating.

Gede and the two Ketuts have asked when we’ll return. As we often say, “We have lots of world left to see.” It’s unlikely we’ll return to this location, although the 33-night upcoming cruise will dock for a day in Benoa, Bali, on November 11th, an area we’ve yet to see. Most likely, we’ll take the tender (small boat) to shore to check it out.

Evening view of the gorgeous cabana.  We spent many days under this cabana watching for sightings on the beach.

This upcoming cruise returns to several ports of call we’ve already visited. We’ll decide later as to which we’ll see again, perhaps some of those in the larger cities we’d previously visited in Australia and New Zealand. 

I suppose after a while there will be less and less ports of call throughout the world we haven’t visited at least once, but now, we’re a long way away from that eventuality, even after 14 cruises.

The beautiful hand painted fishing boats in the harbor in Negara.

This upcoming back-to-back cruise counts as two booked cruises. On November 16th we’ll arrive in Perth/Fremantle where we’ll meet up with friends Michelle and Carlo for the day. 

At that point many of the 2500 passengers will disembark entirely, while new passengers come aboard. Many of the booked passengers, we’ve encountered at the Cruise Critic message boards have booked the two cruises combined, as a back-to-back cruise, like us. What a fabulous opportunity to make more new friends!

The two Ketuts and Ribut were proud of the big tuna the girls had found at the early morning market. It was delicious!

At this point, we’re not concerned about our luggage weight and airline fees. Once we arrive and settle in at the hotel in Kuta we’ll review the contents of our luggage, weighing them on the travel scale and paying the appropriate baggage fees online. For now, we’re just packing neatly.

Mine is more stuffed than usual with the recent purchases of a number of Balinese items. I’ve decided to wait to determine which old items need to be tossed once we’re in air con at the hotel. Right now it’s so hot and humid, I have little motivation to tackle that task.

A Blue Kingfisher atop a palm tree on the villa’s grounds.

Today, we’re beginning to post our “favorite photos” which we’ll continue through Monday, the day we’ll post the final expenses for this second round in Bali. We’ll provide the link to the expenses for the first two months in Bali if you’d like to make the expense comparison. 

So far, as I prepare these numbers for both the final post in two days and to update our expense spreadsheet, it appears the totals will be similar, except for the recent four night stay in Lovina at the Puri Bagus resort and the recent clothing purchases both online and locally.

The worried look on his face made us laugh.

Heavy rain clouds are rolling in as we speak. Yesterday, we missed the pool time when it rained all afternoon.  Hopefully, today and tomorrow, we’ll be able to enjoy a little more time in the glorious infinity pool before we must be on our way.

Have a glorious day of your own!

Photo from one year ago today, October 22, 2015:

The entrance to the hospital in Savusavu, Fiji. Medical care is free to both citizens of Fiji and visitors. See here for more details.

It’s a hard act to follow…Is a second round worthwhile? Photo, last night’s American style dinner…

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Workers in the rice fields in Bali.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

These men were getting ready to go snorkeling with the aim of fishing with nets.

It’s almost like I can’t find words after yesterday’s post that got answers from around the world. We both received many comments and likes on Facebook, comments on posts and many emails wishing us well after posting our new 669 day itinerary. 

If you missed the itinerary yesterday, please click here to see where we’ll be heading over this next extended period.

Our friends in South Africa have made the upcoming return to Marloth Park in 16 months all the more exciting by their enthusiastic responses and arms opened wide to welcome us back to their little piece of heaven. 

One of our Ketuts sweeping the grass with a handmade broom.

We even went as far as booking Jabula Lodge & Restaurant in Marloth Park for the evening of my 70th birthday on February 20, 2018. Leon and Dawn, the owners who became dear friends during our last stay in 2013/2014 confirmed our reservation for the group of us or any more who’d like to attend. 

I can’t wait to feast on a big plate of Peri Peri Chicken Livers while Tom devours Espetada, a huge upright skewer speared with chunks of roasted meat. The food was always cooked to perfection for my way of eating.

The people, the food, the service, the ice cold drinks are exceptional at this fun restaurant where we’d previously dined a few nights a week and we’ll dine once again when we’re back in their midst. Maybe I’ll only have to cook a few nights a week when we return!

Our close up of a grasshopper. Each day while in the pool we rescue several grasshoppers and other insects who accidentally ended up in the water and appear to be drowning when they can’t get out.

There are so many aspects about Marloth Park that call to us.  There’s the people; friendly, warm and so willing to include us in their lives. Laughter and merriment come easily for these dual language citizens who speak fluent English and Afrikaans. Then, there’s a few gringos, like us, who possess the same outrageously welcoming persona.

But, then, dear readers, is the infinite delight when the wild animals visit us each day wherever we may live within the game reserve, who make our hearts race with excitement when each day they “come to call.” 

Adding to that daily joyful experience is visiting Kruger National Park, a short distance away, entering Crocodile Bridge to see the cross languishing on the shore and the hippos bellowing. 

Lovely beach scenery while driving along the highway.

Upon entering the massive reserve we’ll be spotting elephants, lions, cape buffalo, leopards and rhinos, the proverbial “Big Five” and more which we’ve been fortunate to see many times in our past visit to Africa.

Whether its my favorite warthogs with growing babies following moms close behind or a herd of male zebras who come to scratch their backs on the trees, drink from the swimming pool and look for a handout.

They all love the taste of the pellets we’ll have handy in 88 pounds, 40 kilogram bags that we’ll offer to every visitor, except the giraffes who can’t bend down to eat from our hands or from the ground. And yet, they, too, still “come to call.”

Temple and Hindu celebration on the beach.

From the best biltong (jerky) in the world and fresh meat at the local market, to the organic vegetables from the farmer next door, the tiny Marloth Park Shopping Centre is charming and fun to visit. Every other week, we traveled to Komatipoort to the supermarket and data store to add data to our devices. Again, we’ll do the same.

We haven’t selected a vacation home yet for either of the two stays in 2018. Louise and Danie, our hosts and landlords who also became dear friends, own and manage a number of properties (click here for their site with numerous options) and have promised we won’t have to sleep in a tent. 

Then again, in the nearby Kruger National Park, many tourists do exactly that. We aren’t slightly concerned, certain Louise and Danie will ensure we’re able to stay in wonderful homes in Marloth Park. We’ll surely pin something down as the time nears.

What a fine meal we had last night and will again tonight using the mince (grass fed ground beef) we’d purchased in Denpasar the day we began the drive to the villa;  a hard boiled egg stuffed, bacon wrapped meatloaf with homemade low carb ketchup, coleslaw and sautéed Balinese vegetables. The cooks did a fabulous job making our American style recipe.

Well, I suppose that’s enough about Africa for now. We still have “lots of fish to fry” in the upcoming months and years.  wo weeks from today, we’re leaving the villa to begin the two travel days required to make our way to Sydney, Australia for the 33-night cruise.

We’re cherishing every last moment of these two remaining weeks in Bali when now as we speak, we’re comfortably ensconced in chaise lounges overlooking the infinity pool and the sea, with little doubt that sometimes, maybe sometimes, a second round may be worth it all.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 15, 2015:
Horses on the grounds of Namale Resort in Fiji owned by the speaker/writer Anthony Robbins where we later visited on our three year anniversary on October 31st. For more photos, please click here.

The Joy of NOT Cooking…

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As mentioned in a previous post, we continue to share photos of our route from Denpasar to the villa. This picture and a couple of others were taken by our driver who stopped to receive a blessing from a local priest at a shrine along the way. Find out more in the photos below).

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

While lounging at the cabana, we noticed this guy take off his shirt and lie down in the sand.

In my old life, I loved cooking, baking and entertaining guests often making elaborate gourmet meals and desserts. Before commencing with this way of eating over five years ago; low carb, sugar, grain and starch free, our meals often included homemade bread, rolls and time consuming to prepare dishes.

From chopping, dicing and food prep to the final presentation, I was in my element in every aspect of cooking. Conscientious about cleaning and washing dishes while preparing meals, I was thrilled when Tom took over doing the dishes after the meals. 

A little later, he rose to begin throwing sand all over his body.    We never saw that before.

When we frequently entertained guests, we both shared in the cleanup after the guests had left, even going as far as washing the kitchen floor and starting a load of laundry containing linen napkins and cloth place mats. On some occasions, the cleanup kept us up to as late as 2:00 or 3:00.

In the morning after dinner, we wake up in a clean house, leaving us to relax for the day after finishing the laundry and emptying the dishwasher. We’d usually made enough food to keep enough aside as leftovers for the next night’s meal when at that point, we had no interest in cooking again for a few days.

This amount of cooking transpired over the years while I worked full time, often as many as 10 to 12 hours a day. Looking back, based on my painful spinal issues, I have no idea how I did it. By the time we decided to travel the world beginning an almost year of preparations, my interest in cooking had begun to wane.

He kept throwing sand all over himself. An unusual practice that can be used by many people who do not have access to a shower or running water.

Now, after all these years, I literally don’t feel like cooking. Of course, we love sharing a meal with others as long as someone else does the cooking.

How do we survive now with my apparent adversity to cooking? Luckily, this restrictive way of eating only requires a short period to prep veggies to be grilled, roasted or steamed, make a salad of one sort or another, depending on availability of appropriate produce (lettuce is not available in some countries) and prepare some form of protein; beef, chicken, fish or pork.  Often, we prep sufficiently to last over two or three days.

Finally, he entered the ocean to clean off the sand.

We haven’t cooked for ourselves since we left Phuket five weeks ago. We won’t be cooking again until we arrive in Tasmania on December 3rd, 56 days from today.

Calculating how many days we’ll have cooked for ourselves from January 2016 to December 31, 2016, it proved to be a week shy of 6 months. Thus, this year we’ve reduced our cooking down by 50%. Included in our calculations for the year in the total four months we’ll have spent in Bali with the two Ketuts cooking and the remainder spent on cruises.

Food, flowers and miscellaneous items were for sale at the site.

Fortunately, as advocates of intermittent fasting, we both eat only one meal a day when cooking for ourselves, although Tom may have a plate of egg salad during the day. While on cruises, we eat breakfast and dinner. Duh? Free food, no cooking required, hard to resist. 

Am I dreading cooking again in Tasmania beginning on or about December 3 when we arrive?  No, not dreading. I’m already making a list of possible new recipe ideas I’ve saved from the “low carb, high fat, moderate protein” community online. 

Parking space were readily available for those stopping for the ceremonies and blessings.

I joined a few low carb, high fat, moderate protein groups on Facebook that post amazing recipes almost daily, many of which I’ve already saved in the recipe file on my desktop. Using an online calendar, I’ve already posted recipes and ingredients to purchase for specific dates. 

With Tom’s birthday on December 23rd, when Christmas Eve and Christmas Day follows, I already have some interesting new recipes planned for our celebrations. Trying new recipes usually enhances my interest for a short period.

In our travels, we’ve often dined in restaurants on Christmas Day. We’ll see how that rolls out once we arrive in Tasmania after we’ve checked out local menus.

We were greeted warmly by those selling their wares.

As for the upcoming US Thanksgiving celebratory dinner on November 24th, we’ll be aboard the ship.  Most like, they’ll serve the traditional turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, other side dishes and pumpkin pie.

Of these options, I can only eat the turkey, leaving me little choice but to order off the regular menu. 

This doesn’t bother me at all. I’m long past longing for and thinking about foods I cannot have, instead focusing on those I can. I’m never tempted to even take a taste, after these five plus years of eating this way. It’s just not worth the potential repercussions.

As we look toward the future we’ll have periods when we won’t be cooking and others where we’ll have few other options than to do so. Carry out (takeaway) meals don’t usually work for my diet and dining out is sketchy at best. In any case, we have no angst about cooking. We simply prefer to keep the time spent in a kitchen to a minimum when possible.

As we continued on the drive, Butu had bits of flowers and rice in his hair after receiving the blessings.

Today is cloudy, although we expect it will be another glorious day in paradise. We’ll walk, we’ll swim, we’ll chat endlessly and we’ll continue the never ending research for future travels. This early evening at 5:00 pm, (we dine early here so the two Ketuts can get home to their families) we’ll dine on yet another divine meal lovingly prepared for us.

It’s highly unlikely that 6 months of each year we won’t be preparing our own meals. When we do cook for ourselves, we shift our thinking to a level of high enjoyment in shopping at local farmers, meat markets and often sparse and unusual grocery stores. In a funny way, it’s highly entertaining.

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, October 8, 2015:

These goats in Fiji were on the shoulder of the road, free to roam. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…Balinese food prep and arrangement…Expenses for four night resort stay…

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Bruschetta was served at our table each evening. Tom ate my share the way he often does when such items are served.

This morning, after we finished our final included breakfast we walked up the steep stone steps to the lobby to checkout and pay the balance allowing us to quickly be on our way by 1:45, hoping to be early in the queue at the immigration office.

This plate of mixed seafood was my favorite during the four dinners.

The fee for both visa extensions was IDR 710,000, US$54.63, which we paid for Wednesday’s tour. Our hotel bill at Puri Bagus Lovina in its entirety, including the room rate, two pairs of pants, one shirt and bottle of custom made Balinese body oil came to a grand total of IDR 10,313,030, US $793.49. 

Avocado salad with feta cheese.

We were pleasantly surprised with the total and couldn’t have found a more enjoyable and affordable alternative to driving back and forth to Lovina three times in five days for the required process. 

Although this doesn’t appear to be sweet and sour pork, it was indeed. Tom said it was wonderful to order it for two consecutive nights.    Notice what’s under the green cone on the following picture.

When we return to the villa we’ll pay for the rental fee for the van which will be IDR 200,000, US $15.39, per day for five days totaling IDR 1,000,000, US $76.94, plus fuel at IDR 200,000, US $15.39, bringing our grand total for the entire experience to IDR 12,223,300, US $940.47.

The server removed the green cone to display the rice beneath.

It was a lot easier than flying out of the country as some tourists may choose to do in order to get a new visa stamp allowing an additional 30 day stay, depending on one’s passport of origin. 

I ordered these roasted vegetable skewers along with the yellow tuna salad shown above and in the next photo below.

We’ve had an exceptional experience at Puri Bagus Lovina  with all the thoughtful attention we received from the management staff in appreciation for our four days of stories highlighting their exquisite property. We could not be more grateful for the many ways they have reached out.

That rare tuna salad I ordered was amazing.

Today we display pictures of delicious and beautifully presented meals during the four-night stay. Not only was the food in the superb category, but the gracious service and attention to detail further exemplified the objectives of this Balinese resort abundant in charm, ambiance and service. 

The western-style omelet bar where custom omelettes are prepared to perfection.

We were never disappointed with a single meal. Tasty, fresh and well-seasoned dishes were placed in front of us, of course afterwards, never weakening in perfect timing and courtesy. Drinks were served just as we prefer with plenty of ice (an American thing) and in large iced glasses. 

Tom and I both ordered the surf and turf platter. He gave me his prawns, squid and veggies while I passed him my fries, flat bread and onion rings, requested on a separate plate. The steak was a filet, cooked to perfection and the most tender we’ve had for a long time.

We were encouraged by management to inform them about any less than ideal food or service. Long ago, we accepted the realities of “island time” because we did not need or want to mention what is simply cultural in Bali… no rush, easy does it. 

There are several fixed price three course options on the varied menu. We were allowed to mix and match items we preferred. Tom ordered this salad, unbeknownst to me, with the intent of giving me all the prawns. What a guy! He’s always thinking of me.

Many tourists fail to accept such cultural differences when coming from a hustle and bustle lifestyle in their home country.They want something and they want it now. This is not to imply service was slow at Puri Bagus Resort & Spa. It wasn’t. It was gracious and done in a manner that never made us or the attentive staff feel rushed or stressed.

Tom’s said his French onion soup was divine.  He hadn’t had this soup in quite some time.

The Hindu culture centers around a gentle, low key sense of peace and well being. Puri Bagus Resort & Spa definitely exemplified this culture with ease and seamlessness in not only its good service but also in its traditional focus on nature, cleanliness incorporating the Hindu and the Balinese ways of life.

Last night I ordered this platter of three types of fish, including John Dory, halibut and snapper with a few prawns and grilled squid rings.  Fabulous!

We’ve packed our belongings and will be ready to head out the door in time to make the 2:00 pm appointment at the immigration office. Shortly, thereafter, we’ll change into our shorts for the long two hour harrowing return drive to the villa. It’s ironic the roads are so crazy when the people of Bali are so calm and peaceful. There again, its purely a cultural thing.

Tom’s Western style dinner last night; steak, onion rings and twice baked potato. Again, he passed me his veggies.

We’ve yet to share many other photos we’ve taken over these past days, which, as we continue with our stories in Sumbersari, Bali, we’ll incorporate into future posts. 

Tom’s dessert… crème Brule, around profiterole cookie with a white frosting base and bits of fresh fruit. He enjoyed every morsel.

Stay tuned, folks. We’ll be back tomorrow with lots more photos and new “Sightings on the Beach in Bali.”

A special thanks to all of our loyal readers for traveling with us wherever we may go! We always feel your presence at our side. Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 30, 2015:

Savusavu, on the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji is a busy little village. We loved going to town to shop at several locations for our week’s groceries. Many locals and some tourists take buses to other parts of the island. Our driver Ratnesh, took care of all of our transportation needs. For more details, please click here.