Part 1…Balinese food prep and arrangement…Romantic Dinner on the cabana under the stars…

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During the daytime we stopped to see the two cabanas where the “romantic dinners” would occur. Many other decorations were still forthcoming as shown in today’s pictures below.

During our first meal of the four night stay in Puri Bagus Lovina in Lovina, Bali, we felt confident the chef had easily determined how my meals should be prepared to maintain the integrity of my restrictive way of eating.

The elimination of all sugars, starches, grains, potatoes, rice and starchy vegetables from my menu choices is not an easy feat when many Balinese dishes include some, if not all, of these items.

Even though the sun had vanished behind the clouds, we revelled in the beauty of the evening scene.

When I was introduced to my first dinner, I felt confident that we were in luck. The effort that the chef has made in recent days has been emphasized in the diligent and thoughtful preparation of each meal.  

I never had to remove delicious food from my dishes. Although Balinese meals may include rutabagas, 33 grams carbs per cup; turnips, 8 grams carbs per cup; and/or parsnips at 24 grams carbs per cup, none of these were in my meals. These types of vegetables have insulin spiking carbs comparable to a potato at 37 grams carb per one cup serving.

Before dark, the cabanas were adorned with flowers and candles for the after dark event.

Generally small amounts of starch and sugar don’t have an immediate negative effect as would gluten touching other foods, unless a person has an allergy to specific items in these categories. But, the chef at Puri Bagus Lovina was extra careful.

Sitting on the cabana mat while dining may not have been ideal for some.  But, it certainly looked appealing.

The previous night I was concerned about some delicious chunks of what appeared to be butternut squash, which contains 16 grams carbs per cup. I took a bite, realizing it was carrot, which I can eat, and immediately felt as if I’d taken a bite of a delicious dessert with the exquisite seasonings and preparation. 

Traditional Hindu decoration was used in creating the ambiance.

In most cases in fine dining, once a chef is aware of my restrictions they make every effort to accommodate. But, that rarely is the case in a casual restaurant/bar by the beach. As a result, we’ve never tried any other restaurants while in Lovina. In Sumbersari, there are only a few tiny on-the-beach type dining establishments at which we’d never considered partaking.

The flowers are easily picked from trees on the property.

In any case, we’ve had some of the best food we’ve had in our travels here in Bali both by the fabulous meals made by the two Ketuts at our villa, two hours down the road and then…here at Puri Bagus Resort & Spa in Lovina.

Carefully crafted fringe adds a final touch.

Not only has the food been delicious, but the presentation has been comparable to that which one would find in the most upscale dining establishments throughout the world.

The first course, a soup.

Last night was special when we had the opportunity to take photos of the meals served for the special menu option of a “Romantic Dinner” served under one of the oceanfront cabanas, exquisitely decorated with flowers and candles, presented course after course, while the romantic couple dines in luxury.

Surely, we’d have opted for such a special evening for ourselves but many of the food items didn’t fit into my diet and there was no way we’d expect the chef to modify each plate, bowl and platter of food to be befitting for my diet. 

Second course, crab and vegetable bruschetta.

Instead, Gede, the kindly resort general manager, arranged with the kitchen staff to ensure we’d be able to take photos of the extraordinary plates as they passed by us at our dining table on their way to the two sets of guests dining under two separate cabanas.

A starter, scallops with rice and (under the leafy cone).

Aptly named a “food voyeur,” a title Tom bestowed upon me long ago, I was totally enthralled with the smells and visuals as I took photos in the dark dining area as the foods were carried out by the enthusiastic servers, smiling all the while over the excitement of the photo taking and their part in the beautiful service.

Soon, our own platters of carefully crafted and displayed foods arrived while we found ourselves once again, pleased with our choices and the abilities of the chefs in this establishment of making each meal special in both design and taste.

The main entrée, one of these giant platters per person, included fresh seafood, a variety of meats and various vegetable and fruit dishes.

Earlier in the day and then again in the evening, we took photos of the decorations used to create the ambiance of the “Romantic Dinner” under each of the cabanas as shown in our photos.

The cost for the meal for two is a surprisingly reasonable IDR 1,350,000, US $104.33 (plus a 21% service fee for tax and gratuity) which includes a bottle of wine.

The average cost of our meals and drinks combined, including the 21%service fee hasn’t exceeded IDR 776,400, US $60, each evening.  Breakfasts have been included in the room rate.

The servers were obviously proud of their unique presentation.

Tomorrow, we’ll return to our final food and scenery photos of the lovely Puri Bagus Lovina and the total expenses for our four-night, five-day stay at this special property.

These servers squealed with delight when we shot this photo.

As for the immigration office visits so far, we’ve completed Monday’s and Wednesday’s requirements and tomorrow, Friday at 2:00 pm (the resort is providing us with a late checkout), we’ll return for the third and final visit to collect our passports and visa extensions and then to begin the harrowing two hour drive back to our villa. 

The dessert plate served to each party in the Romantic Dinner setting.

We’re both thrilled to have chosen this means of conducting this otherwise cumbersome process over the required five day period. We’ve had a fabulous experience, but we’re hardly disappointed to return to our breathtaking villa and attentive staff. 

In no time at all, we’ll be back outdoors situated on the chaise lounges overlooking the infinity pool and the sea under the shade of an umbrella and enjoying our last full day in this paradise at Puri Bagus Lovina.

Have a beautiful day filled with wonders!

Photos from one year ago today, September 29, 2015:

In Fiji one year ago, Badal, our neighbor Sewak’s dog, visited us almost every evening at dinner time. We always made him a plate of food, whatever we happen to be having.  Badal especially enjoyed chicken night.  For more details, please click here.

Yikes!…Crazy trip to Negara…So many cars, trucks, motorbikes and people…

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In Hanoi, a few months ago, we witnessed the craziness of over 5 million motorcycles. In Bali, we expect there are as many although we can’t find any stats.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

In Bali, we expect there to be so many, although we did not find any statistics.What?    A duck entered the pool!
Where do we begin? It’s not easy to describe our first foray on our own with Tom driving as we made our way to Negara, the biggest city closest to Sumbersari. We discover that the traffic and crazy roadways during the 30 to 40 minute drive was comparable in its complexity as the four to five hour harrowing drive to and from Denpasar.

Holding on for dear life, good driver that Tom is, I remained on constant alert, watching the road for possible hazards while Tom kept a watchful eye on the endless stream of fast weaving motorbikes. The local drivers are used to all of this, not us.

She seemed perfectly content until realizing  it could be tough getting out so she swam to the steps as shown and walked out. Animals are amazing!

It was not unlike Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, a favorite of mine as a kid when we’d go to Disneyland once or twice a year.While driving in Bali one must anticipate a log or other large obstacle that may have fallen off a vehicle, a motorbike or car darting out from a side road or an entire grouping of motorbikes coming at you when trying to pass a slow moving vehicle.

I supposed a considerable aspect of the stress of driving in Bali is the constant need to pass on the narrow two lane roads with little or no shoulder. If I was driving I’d stay behind the slow moving vehicle all the way to my destination. But Tom, like most aggressive and determined drivers, simply won’t tolerate moving at a snail’s pace.

It was nearly impossible to maneuver the trolley in the produce department.

Only a few times, I spewed, “Honey, we have all the time in the world.” He agreed but its not the time of day he’s focusing on.  Its his innate desire to keep moving at a reasonable pace. Of course, I’d have really been anxious if he wasn’t such a good driver. 

But, Tom is capable enough that I was able to rely upon his good judgment and skills while I watched for other road hazards. We only encountered one log on the road during the round trip drive.

Our intent had been doing some sightseeing in Niagara before heading to the market. Although, last time we were there, a few months ago, we saw the major highlights. Repeats weren’t necessary. Instead, we’d planned to drive around the busy town to explore. That proved to be a pointless objective.

Customer service lines were jammed with shoppers.

With the heavy traffic, horns honking, blocked roads, people walking while texting and motorbikes everywhere it only took a while for us to change our minds about sightseeing.   

After ending up at a few crowded dead end roads with barely a means of turning around, waiting in long lines of cars that were barely moving, knowing Tom’s ‘traffic distress” I blurted out, “Let’s just find the market and ATM, do what we need to do and head back to the villa.” We didn’t need the stress. It’s not our thing.

Motorbikes are everywhere!

Luckily, Tom’s sense of direction always serves us well. Within 30 minutes after we’d arrived in Negara, he pulled into a surprisingly open parking spot near Hardy’s Market and the ATM. Little did we know what we’d encounter inside the store.

Never in our lives, even on the day before a holiday weekend, did we ever see so many people grocery shopping, anywhere in the world. Once we were entangled in the crowd attempting to push our small, lightweight trolley, we wished we’d grabbed a smaller handcart when it was nearly impossible to get around the people.

Incense is used frequently by the Balinese people not only during religious celebrations, but often in daily life.  The market carried numerous options at low prices.

Since the two Ketuts (I’ve been spelling their names wrong in past posts) don’t have access to purchasing regular lettuce at the open markets early in the morning, we were happy to find it in the packed produce department where each item must be weighed at a specific weighing station. 

Luckily, that line moved quickly. Without any other produce on our list we were thrilled to wrangle our way out of the busy produce section. Then we were off to find other items on the list; cheese, mayo, olives, coffee, paper towels and a few other items that can’t be purchased in the local markets here in Malaya Beach.

None of the store employees spoke English, nor did we find any other English speaking shoppers, we could ask to help us find the items on our list. Instead, we accepted the fact we’d have to scour every single row in every single narrow aisle to find the items on the list. Checking off the items on the grocery app on my phone, we were finally done and searched for the shortest cashier line. All registers were open with huge queues.

Beer, soda, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes at less than US $2, IDR 26,230 a pack are sold in the market.

With only 8 to 10 shoppers in front of us in our chosen row, none with a cart full like ours, we waited for no less than 30 minutes.  There are no moving belts, no scanning machines, no swipe-your-credit-card-machines since they only accept cash. There’s only a tiny space to load the groceries, contributing to the slow pace of the process.

Finally, we made it through the line, paying for our groceries and quickly headed out the door to escape from the dense crowds.  While I shopped, Tom left to go the nearby ATM. Once he loaded the cool box we’d brought along in the back of the van, we were on our way back to the villa. 

Whew!  We were both sweating from the lack of air con in the market and anxious to blast the cold air in the van for the return ride. But, getting cool was the least of it with yet another harrowing 30 to 40 minutes on the road.

 We graciously apologized when bumping into other shoppers as we waited in line to pay.

Happy to be back at the villa, we quickly put our groceries away, threw on our swimsuits and jumped into the pool as we do every sunny afternoon. In no time at all, the hectic scenario wafted from our minds as we languished in our peaceful villa overlooking the sea, thrilled to be back in paradise.

How do we travel the world, avoiding traffic and crowds? We don’t. We continue to be stuck in traffic or at a venue bumping elbows with strangers wherever we may go. It’s the nature of the beast. When traffic and crowds are avoidable without sacrificing too much, we’re all over it.

We’ll encounter lots more traffic and people elbow rubbing in 10 days when we head to Lovina for four nights in a hotel while we work on acquiring our visa extensions for our last 30 days in Indonesia. In the interim, we have no motivation to repeat yesterday’s experience any sooner than we have to.

We hope you have a stress free day! We plan on it!

Photo from one year ago today, September 16, 2015:

We couldn’t believe the beauty of Savusavu Bay as we overlooked Nawi Island. For more photos of Savusavu, Fiji, please click here.

Yikes!…Crazy trip to Negara…Soooooooo many cars, trucks, motorbikes and people…

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In Hanoi, a few months ago, we witnessed the craziness of over 5 million motorcycles. In Bali, we expect that there will be so many, although we have found no statistics.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

What?  A duck flew into the pool!
Where do we begin? It’s not easy to describe our first incursion into our own with Tom driving, as we made our way to Negara, the nearest largest city to Sumbersari. We discover that the traffic and crazy roadways during the 30 to 40 minute drive was comparable in its complexity as the four to five hour harrowing drive to and from Denpasar.


Holding on for dear life, good driver that Tom is, I remained on constant alert, watching the road for possible hazards while Tom kept a watchful eye on the endless stream of fast weaving motorbikes. The local drivers are used to all of this, not us.

She seemed perfectly content until realizing  it could be tough getting out so she swam to the steps as shown and walked out. Animals are amazing!

It was not unlike Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, a favorite of mine as a kid when we’d go to Disneyland once or twice a year. While driving in Bali one must anticipate a log or other large obstacle that may have fallen off a vehicle, a motorbike or car darting out from a side road or an entire grouping of motorbikes coming at you when trying to pass a slow moving vehicle.

I supposed a considerable aspect of the stress of driving in Bali is the constant need to pass on the narrow two lane roads with little or no shoulder. If I was driving I’d stay behind the slow moving vehicle all the way to my destination. But Tom, like most aggressive and determined drivers, simply won’t tolerate moving at a snail’s pace.

It was nearly impossible to maneuver the trolley in the produce department.

Only a few times, I spewed, “Honey, we have all the time in the world.” He agreed but its not the time of day he’s focusing on. Its his innate desire to keep moving at a reasonable pace. Of course, I’d have really been anxious if he wasn’t such a good driver. 

But, Tom is capable enough that I was able to rely upon his good judgment and skills while I watched for other road hazards. We only encountered one log on the road during the round trip drive.

Our intent had been doing some sightseeing in Niagara before heading to the market. Although, last time we were there, a few months ago, we saw the major highlights. Repeats weren’t necessary. Instead, we’d planned to drive around the busy town to explore Willy nilly. That proved to be a pointless objective.

Customer service lines were jammed with shoppers.

With the heavy traffic, horns honking, blocked roads, people walking while texting and motorbikes everywhere it only took a while for us to change our minds about sightseeing.   

After ending up at a few crowded dead end roads with barely a means of turning around, waiting in long lines of cars that were barely moving, knowing Tom’s ‘traffic distress” I blurted out, “Let’s just find the market and ATM, do what we need to do and head back to the villa.” We didn’t need the stress. It’s not our thing.

Motorbikes are everywhere!

Tom’s sense of direction always serves us well. Within 30 minutes after we’d arrived in Negara he pulled into a surprisingly open parking spot near Hardy’s Market and the ATM. Little did we know what we’d encounter inside the store.

Never in our lives, even on the day before a holiday weekend, did we ever see so many people grocery shopping, anywhere in the world. Once we were entangled in the crowd attempting to push our small, lightweight trolley, we wished we’d grabbed a smaller handcart when it was nearly impossible to get around the people.

Incense is used frequently by the Balinese people not only during the religious celebration, s but often in daily life. The market carried numerous options at low prices.

Since the two Ketuts (I’ve been spelling their names wrong in past posts) don’t have access to purchasing regular lettuce at the open markets early in the morning, we were happy to find it in the packed produce department where each item must be weighed at a specific weighing station. 

Luckily, that line moved quickly. Without any other produce on our list we were thrilled to wrangle our way out of the busy produce section. Then we were off to find other items on the list; cheese, mayo, olives, coffee, paper towels and a few other items that can’t be purchased in the local markets here in Malaya Beach.

None of the store employees spoke English, nor did we find any other English speaking shoppers, we could ask to help us find the items on our list. Instead, we accepted the fact we’d have to scour every single row in every single narrow aisle to find the items on the list. Checking off the items on the grocery app on my phone, we were finally done and searched for the shortest cashier line. All registers were open with huge queues.

Beer, soda, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes at less than US $2, IDR 426,230 a pack are sold in the market.

With only 8 to 10 shoppers in front of us in our chosen row, none with a cart full like ours, we waited for no less than 30 minutes. There are no moving belts, no scanning machines, no swipe-your-credit-card-machines since they only accept cash. There’s only a tiny space to load the groceries, contributing to the slow pace of the process.

Finally, we made it through the line, paying for our groceries and quickly headed out the door to escape from the dense crowds. While I shopped, Tom left to go the nearby ATM. Once he loaded the cool box we’d brought along in the back of the van, we were on our way back to the villa. 

Whew!  We were both sweating from the lack of air con in the market and anxious to blast the cold air in the van for the return ride. But, getting cool was the least of it with yet another harrowing 30 to 40 minutes on the road.

 We graciously apologized when bumping into other shoppers as we waited in line to pay.

Happy to be back at the villa, we quickly put our groceries away, threw on our swimsuits and jumped into the pool as we do every sunny afternoon. In no time at all, the hectic scenario wafted from our minds as we languished in our peaceful villa overlooking the sea, thrilled to be back in paradise.

How do we travel the world, avoiding traffic and crowds? We don’t. We continue to be stuck in traffic or at a venue bumping elbows with strangers wherever we may go. It’s the nature of the beast. When traffic and crowds are avoidable without sacrificing too much, we’re all over it.

We’ll encounter lots more traffic and people elbow rubbing in 10 days when we head to Lovina for four nights in a hotel while we work on acquiring our visa extensions for our last 30 days in Indonesia. In the interim, we have no motivation to repeat yesterday’s experience any sooner than we have to.

We hope you have a stress free day! We plan on it!

Photo from one year ago today, September 16, 2015:

We couldn’t believe the beauty of the Savusavu bay as we overlooked Nawi Island. For more photos of Savusavu, Fiji, please click here.

Yikes!…Crazy trip to Negara…Soooooooo many cars, trucks, motorbikes and people…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
In Hanoi a few months ago, we saw the folly of more than five million motorcycles. In Bali, there are expected to be as many, but no statistics were found.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

What?  A duck flew into the pool!
Where do we begin? It’s not easy to describe our first foray on our own with Tom driving as we made our way to Negara, the biggest city closest to Sumbersari. We discover that the traffic and crazy roadways during the 30 to 40 minute drive was comparable in its complexity as the four to five hour harrowing drive to and from Denpasar.


Holding on for dear life, good driver that Tom is, I remained on constant alert, watching the road for possible hazards while Tom kept a watchful eye on the endless stream of fast weaving motorbikes. The local drivers are used to all of this, not us.

She seemed perfectly content until realizing  it could be tough getting out so she swam to the steps as shown and walked out.  Animals are amazing!

It was not unlike Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, a favorite of mine as a kid when we’d go to Disneyland once or twice a year. While driving in Bali one must anticipate a log or other large obstacle that may have fallen off a vehicle, a motorbike or car darting out from a side road or an entire grouping of motorbikes coming at you when trying to pass a slow moving vehicle.

I supposed a considerable aspect of the stress of driving in Bali is the constant need to pass on the narrow two lane roads with little or no shoulder. If I was driving I’d stay behind the slow moving vehicle all the way to my destination. But Tom, like most aggressive and determined drivers, simply won’t tolerate moving at a snail’s pace.

It was nearly impossible to maneuver the trolley in the produce department.

Only a few times, I spewed, “Honey, we have all the time in the world.” He agreed, but its not the time of day he’s focusing on. It’s his innate desire to keep moving at a reasonable pace.  Of course, I’d have really been anxious if he wasn’t such a good driver. 

But, Tom is capable enough that I was able to rely upon his good judgment and skills while I watched for other road hazards.  We only encountered one log on the road during the round trip drive.

Our intent had been doing some sightseeing in Niagara before heading to the market. Although, last time we were there, a few months ago, we saw the major highlights.  Repeats weren’t necessary. Instead, we’d planned to drive around the busy town to explore Willy nilly. That proved to be a pointless objective.

Customer service lines were jammed with shoppers.

With the heavy traffic, horns honking, blocked roads, people walking while texting and motorbikes everywhere it only took a while for us to change our minds about sightseeing.   

After ending up at a few crowded dead end roads with barely a means of turning around, waiting in long lines of cars that were barely moving, knowing Tom’s ‘traffic distress” I blurted out, “Let’s just find the market and ATM, do what we need to do and head back to the villa.” We didn’t need the stress. It’s not our thing.

Motorbikes are everywhere!

Luckily,, Tom’s sense of direction always serves us well. Within 30 minutes after we’d arrived in Negara, he pulled into a surprisingly open parking spot near Hardy’s Market and the ATM.  Little did we know what we’d encounter inside the store.

Never in our lives, even on the day before a holiday weekend, did we ever see so many people grocery shopping, anywhere in the world. Once we were entangled in the crowd attempting to push our small, lightweight trolley, we wished we’d grabbed a smaller handcart when it was nearly impossible to get around the people.

Incense is used frequently by the Balinese people not only during religious celebrations, but often in daily life.  The market carried numerous options at low prices.

Since the two Ketuts (I’ve been spelling their names wrong in past posts) don’t have access to purchasing regular lettuce at the open markets early in the morning, we were happy to find it in the packed produce department where each item must be weighed at a specific weighing station. 

Luckily, that line moved quickly. Without any other produce on our list we were thrilled to wrangle our way out of the busy produce section. Then we were off to find other items on the list; cheese, mayo, olives, coffee, paper towels and a few other items that can’t be purchased in the local markets here in Malaya Beach.

None of the store employees spoke English, nor did we find any other English speaking shoppers, we could ask to help us find the items on our list. Instead, we accepted the fact we’d have to scour every single row in every single narrow aisle to find the items on the list. Checking off the items on the grocery app on my phone, we were finally done and searched for the shortest cashier line.  All registers were open with huge queues.

Beer, soda, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes at less than US $2, IDR 426,230 a pack are sold in the market.

With only 8 to 10 shoppers in front of us in our chosen row, none with a cart full like ours, we waited for no less than 30 minutes. There are no moving belts, no scanning machines, no swipe-your-credit-card-machines since they only accept cash. There’s only a tiny space to load the groceries, contributing to the slow pace of the process.

Finally, we made it through the line, paying for our groceries and quickly headed out the door to escape from the dense crowds. While I shopped, Tom left to go the nearby ATM.  Once he loaded the cool box we’d brought along in the back of the van, we were on our way back to the villa. 

Whew! We were both sweating from the lack of air con in the market and anxious to blast the cold air in the van for the return ride. But, getting cool was the least of it with yet another harrowing 30 to 40 minutes on the road.

 We graciously apologized when bumping into other shoppers as we waited in line to pay.

Happy to be back at the villa, we quickly put our groceries away, threw on our swimsuits and jumped into the pool as we do every sunny afternoon. In no time at all, the hectic scenario wafted from our minds as we languished in our peaceful villa overlooking the sea, thrilled to be back in paradise.

How do we travel the world, avoiding traffic and crowds? We don’t.  We continue to be stuck in traffic or at a venue bumping elbows with strangers wherever we may go. It’s the nature of the beast. When traffic and crowds are avoidable without sacrificing too much, we’re all over it.

We’ll encounter lots more traffic and people rubbing elbows in 10 days when we head to Lovina for four nights in a hotel while we work on acquiring our visa extensions for our last 30 days in Indonesia. In the interim, we have no motivation to repeat yesterday’s experience any sooner than we have to.

We hope you have a stress free day! We plan on it!

Photo from one year ago today, September 16, 2015:

We couldn’t believe the beauty of the Savusavu bay as we overlooked Nawi Island. For more photos of Savusavu, Fiji, please click here.

Today’s the day, the four or five hour harrowing drive to Sumbersari…

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By far, this is the best bargain in a hotel we’ve experienced in our travels.

With Butu picking us up at 10:00 am this morning after our included breakfast at the excellent and outrageously affordable Hilton Garden Inn Bali Ngurah Airport, with room rates around US $50, IDR 663,300, we had a little time to complete this post, pack a few items and be on our way.

As for the flights from Phuket to Bali, we found comfortable seating at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Singapore for the three hour layover. We signed up at the information desk for free Wi-Fi after showing our passports and boarding passes, purchased tea for me and bottled water for Tom and there we were comfortably situated, writing to our loyal readers.

A bubbling oval rock in the hotel lobby.

The drive from the villa in Rawai to the Phuket airport was a solid 60 minutes in rush hour traffic, although nowhere near as frustrating as the traffic in Bali. By the time you see this post, we’ll be in Egon’s air conditioned van, pillow behind my back, prepared to tackle the day ahead including a stop at an ATM and the big supermarket in Denspasar, a harrowing event in itself.

The first flight from Phuket to Singapore was relatively painless, smooth and uneventful and not too uncomfortable for me during the two plus hours in the air. 

Ninety percent of the Balinese people observe the Hindu faith and their lives are steeped in the rich history and traditions.

Unexpected meals were served during both SilkAir flights (owned by Singapore airlines). Tom had already eaten a Reuben sandwich at the Phuket airport when we had to use our remaining Thai baht and had no idea meals would be served when online stated that no food was served.  I’d purchased two bags of nuts with the remaining baht to munch on in the event none of the food worked for me.

An hour into the first flight lunch was served. Tom ordered the “free” beer (I ordered a second beer for him) but declined the food especially when it consisted of dark chicken meat. I ate a little of the chicken that didn’t appear to have sauce on it, knowing it would be a long time until we’d eat again. 

I’d considered having a meal at the Singapore Changi Airport but couldn’t find anything suitable in the terminal for my way of eating when most of it is Asian with sugary sauces, batter, flour and rice. No problem. I’m used to it.

The pool at the hotel.

If I was up to walking a longer distance than necessary to reach our designated gate, we probably could have found a more suitable restaurant. I wasn’t about to push my luck when so far, halfway through our day, we’d walked almost 7500 steps (per the FitBit).

Having spent the last six weeks resting with minimal walking, after yesterday’s long walks I may be able to start walking a little in Bali, maybe a few short trips each day; one on the soft sand of the beach in front of the villa and the other, on the soft surface of the smooth road in the quiet neighborhood.

The dining room at the Hilton Garden Inn Ngurah Airport Hotel, a great place to stay when being close to the airport is useful. 

After walking on hard marble surfaces inside both the Bali and Phuket villas, I’ve come to the conclusion that walking on marble floors in detrimental to one’s spine health. In Phuket, we didn’t have the option of walking in the neighborhood when the roads were filled with potholes and uneven surfaces.

By 4:00 pm, we boarded on the second flight with SilkAir. The huge plane was fairly comfortable with personal video screens, although neither of us could find a movie we liked or hadn’t seen. The time went quickly, although the flight was longer than the first. 

Fresh orchids in the hotel lobby.

By 8:30 pm, we checked in the hotel provided with a free upgrade to what proved to be a great night’s rest after the bad prior night. (Neither of us sleeps well on the night before travel day, hardly able to get in three hours).

There’s seldom an exception to this. We have a tendency to associate travel days with feeling exhausted, more from the lack of sleep the prior night than the activities of the day; the long walks in the terminals, the commotion, the taxis, the lines at immigration, customs and baggage pickup (none of which I’m handling) never seem to make us weary. 

Light fixtures in hotel lobby.

Today will be a little more challenging when we’ll be sitting for so many hours during the long harrowing drive. I must admit I’m having a little angst over the prospect of stopping for a restroom break when all of the toilets are flush on the floor. This is nearly impossible for me to navigate with my current condition as noted in a prior post. 

We’ll be back tomorrow with the four or five hour harrowing drive behind us, our groceries stocked, our bags unpacked and looking forward to enjoying 60 days and nights in the beautiful oceanfront villa in Bali’s countryside.

Life is good. Hope it is for you as well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 2, 2015:

Midday sunlight filtering through the trees in Trinity Beach, Australia with only a few days until departing.  or more photos, please click here.

Martial arts in Thailand…Right in our neighborhood…Who knew?…Great new photos and video…

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Adam, a martial arts trainee from the UK, tells his story of visiting the Kingka Supa Muay Thai, training and performance facility located down the road from us. Click here for the interview.
Each time we’ve traveled down the bumpy road in the less-than-stellar rental car we’ve both been preoccupied in observing the depth of the potholes in the road. 

While I hold on for dear life, Tom navigates each rut in the road with the greatest of care.  While in this process, until we reach the smoother main highway, neither of us has paid as much attention to the neighborhood as we would under different circumstances.

Having shot a few photos along the way as we maneuvered down the road, I’d noticed a few points of interest. I hadn’t asked Tom to stop to investigate, until yesterday, preferring to stay on course to get the bumpy road out of the way.

This martial arts ring reminded us of the facility shown in the excellent Showtime series, Ray Donovan, which we’ve been watching lately (season 4). 

Yesterday, on our return drive from shopping, I asked him to stop so we could get out of the car to check out a particular scene I’d noticed during a few of our comings and goings over this past month. More on that in a moment.

With only one more shopping trip required before we depart Phuket on September 1st and based on my slight improvement in mobility, yesterday was an ideal day to get out of the car to scope out some scenery for photos to post on the upcoming days in Thailand.

With beefed up security at the supermarket, we felt safe while shopping but with the recent 11 bombings in Thailand, some nearby, we stayed on alert as much as one could in the circumstances.  We knew with certainty, there was no reason to visit any highly populated tourist areas.

Having never been to a match, this was all new to us.

Not surprisingly, we noticed a considerable reduction in traffic on the highway. Could it be a result of the fact that many tourists had decided to end their holiday/vacations earlier than planned, as was reported on the local news subsequent to the horrific bombings? And, were the locals being more prudent in getting out, only when absolutely necessary? 

We left the house around 11:30 am, usually a busy time of day. It was Friday here in this part of the world which is often a busier day on the roads. We stopped at the Seven Eleven for a few toiletries that aren’t available at supermarkets. 

According to this site, “taking part in a real Muay Thai bout is just about the most dangerous thing you can do without holding guns.” Click here for more details.

Once we arrived at the Makro superstore which doesn’t accept credit cards (nor do many of the other markets we’ve visited in this past month) Tom stopped at the ATM for cash. 

With lower prices than we’d experienced while living on most tropical islands (Hawaii is the exception) most shops refuse to pay the credit card fees and only accept cash for payment. 

While in Fiji, we paid a 2.5% surcharge at the markets when using a credit card. During that period we determined which was more cost effective; paying fees at ATMs or paying the surcharge. In Fiji, the surcharge was the lower cost option. 

Gloves are lined up at the edge of the ring.

Here in Phuket, we don’t have that option to choose when cash is required at most locations. Each time we’ve used the ATM we’ve paid a flat fee of US $5.77, THB 200, regardless of the amount of the withdrawal, charged by the local banks providing the machines (not our bank in the US). 

Also, most ATMs restrict how much cash you can withdraw at any given time requiring the user to have to get cash more frequently paying the fees over and over again. Its the nature of the beast. 

After spending US $154, THB 5323 at the grocery store and US $3.44, THB 119, at the Seven Eleven for toiletries we were content with the “bang for the buck.” 

Heavy punching bags.  Living quarters on the premises in the background.

We purchased all the food items needed for the upcoming week; tons of organic vegetables, full fat dairy including a variety of gourmet cheeses, baby back ribs enough for two nights, ground steak (mince) enough for two nights, and yellow fin tuna for two nights. 

Included in the above total were the three delicious gluten free roasted chickens, which although small, (free range chickens are usually small) would see us through two evenings. 

Anyway, back to the photo taking on yesterday’s outing. We stopped at a few locations where we both got out of the car and walked for a bit, seeing an exquisite local beach and a lovely resort. 

More heavy punching bags.

Then when closer to our villa, we visited the scene I’d noticed on the road where we live, a local martial arts facility, as we’ve bounced along the bumpy road on several occasions.

Tom parked the car while we got out gingerly walking on uneven terrain to make our way to the martial arts boxing ring with equipment scattered about, on the grounds of the Kingka Supa Muay Thai. 

The site is not only is a training and performance facility but also a clean, well appointed camp for the participants many who travel from all parts of the world to train as described in the above video.

The buildings on the premises at Kingka Supa Muay Thai appear to be well maintained and spacious which are used by those in training  and participating in the dangerous sport from all parts of the world.

Today, we’re including our photos from the Kingka Supa Muay Thai. There’s a match tonight. If I were able to sit on bleachers (not quite yet) it might be interesting to attend but the degree of violence is off-putting.

We have many more new photos to share over the next several days. Please check back!

Photo from one year ago today, August 20, 2015:

Sunrise over Trinity Beach, Australia. One year ago today, we wrote about a negative comment from a reader. Please click here for details. 

Exploring expenses in Phuket…Only a few more stories from our cruise/tour on the Viking Mekong River Cruise…

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There was enough food here to last a week.  Check out the amazing total cost below!

As we live in many countries throughout the world its impossible not to imagine what it might be like to live permanently in the particular country as a retiree. Are prices reasonable? 

Check out the size of the fish and steak portions. Tom was craving peanuts adding a few packages to the stash.  The brats in the bottom right of the photo are gluten, grain and sugar free.

Is good health care available? How are food prices both at the markets and dining out? Are prices for housing and utilities affordable for those on a fixed income? Fuel prices? Vehicle ownership? Insurance? Satellite or cable TV and Wi-Fi? It goes on and on, the usual expenses for daily living for those who settle in one location must bear on a daily basis.

 Using this app to convert the Thai baht (THB) 3,803.25, we discovered we’d only spent US $109.38.  We were shocked to say the least. (See the photos of everything we purchased).

For many seniors living in an assisted living facility, nursing homes and certain senior complexes, many of these expenses are factored into an often outrageous monthly rate.

Our cost of living observations begins the day we arrive in any new location and continue through the day we depart. Unfortunately, the rent we pay for a vacation home is not necessarily a good barometer for rents one may pay as a permanent resident. 

We purchase so many items, it took several photos to include all of it.

Vacation homes often include all the above expenses, except food and transportation and, may include some form of household help as is the case here in Rawai, Phuket with cleaners coming twice a week to clean and change the bedding and towels.

Free range eggs, beef and celery rounded out our purchases. 

In most locations, our first exposure to the cost of living is when we shop for groceries. However, we aren’t necessarily educated on our first foray to a grocery store when on that first occasion we usually spend as much as 50% more than when we’ll shop in future weeks to replenish our food supply.

The fresh produce department is packed with locally caught treasures at reasonable prices.

That first trip includes staples such as laundry soap, sink soap, bar soap, paper products, insect repellent, cleaning supplies and other household goods we may seldom replace during the one, two or three month stay.

Looks like Sam’s or Costco, doesn’t it?

Its the second grocery shopping trip, usually a week after we’s arrived when we’ve become more familiar with locally available products that we can shop, as you do, for weekly groceries getting a better perspective of what it would be like as an expat or retiree.

Row after row of frozen foods.  We don’t buy much in the way of frozen foods when most contain additives.

When two days ago, we walked into Makro Food Service store, located within minutes of the vacation rental, we knew we were in the right place.  As we perused the aisles, starting with the produce department, we immediately began loading up our cart. 

Little neck clams. 

Typically, Tom pushes the trolley while I select the items. When we’ve found everything on our list in the produce department, he brings all of it to the weighing station to be priced and receive a sticker.  It’s an efficient system we’ve mastered over these past years. 

We weren’t able to determine which type of seafood this might be.

In our old lives he rarely grocery shopped with me. When we were still eating fruit (5 years ago) he thought watermelon was US $.09 if including a page of Holiday gas station stamps. When we started shopping together after leaving the US, he was shocked at what he thought was high prices while I was excited to see how much less groceries are in other countries.

Squid, yet to be cleaned.

Over these past almost four years, he’s become familiar with some prices, but not as I have with my innate fascination with food and its pricing. As we made our way through the Costco-like aisles and with our growing grasp of the Thai baht (THB 1000 equal US $28.75) as opposed to the US dollar, I was pleasantly surprised over the prices.

(Photos from this point are those from the Mekong River cruise/tour, although the Phuket story continues on).

The sign as we approached the brick factory by sampan boat.

We tossed every item from our lengthy weekly grocery list (on an app on my phone) into the trolley after first deciding on our meals for the week based on availability and quality of a variety of protein sources. 

Upon entering the brick factory we had to walk over planks and rough terrain. Once inside it was an easier walk.

Generally, we don’t allow prices to dictate our purchases. Only consuming one meal a day plus an evening cheese plate snack, we find we can choose almost anything that strikes our fancy and stay well within our monthly food budget.

Most of the employees in the brick factory are women.

We’d include the entire receipt from Makro but its written in the Thai language which uses special characters that aren’t easily translated.  Instead, for today’s purposes, we’ve included a photo of the total on the amount charged to our credit card when we checked out.

It was toasty inside the factory especially this close to a kiln.

When Tom placed all the loose items in the trunk of the car, I used my phone’s app to calculate the total bill, shocked by how little we spent for the amount we’d purchased. I even went as far as counting all the items when we got “home” thinking they must have not charged us for half the items. 

Rice as shown here is used in the brick making process.  It was very dusty as we toured the facility.

The receipt was indeed accurate prompting us to take photos of the items we purchased before putting everything away to share with you today. How could we not share this? This isn’t the first time we’ve done this, nor will it be the last. 

We couldn’t imagine the hard work required of these employees in such a heavy duty and hot environment.

Are we going to experience “price shock” when we visit the US in a little over nine months? It’s entirely possible when at that point we’ll have been gone for almost five years.

First the kiln is filled with the clay bricks and the kiln is sealed.  Then the fire is started to maintain the heat.  Depending on the size of the kiln, it can takes weeks for the bricks to cure.

Could a retiree or expat live comfortably in a country like Thailand? It’s too soon for us to make such an assessment but we did see many people from all over the world shopping at the market, hearing a variety of languages and dialects that indicated our presence in this village is not so unique after all.

Our guide let us enter inside a still warm kiln.

It appears the produce is pesticide free based on the insects I’m encountering when washing each item (using the bottled water only). The steak Tom had last night definitely was grass fed (we’ve learned to detect the difference in grain fed as opposed to grass fed beef). My salmon fillet was fresh and moist and couldn’t have tasted better. 

Tom took this photo of the vent at the center top of the kiln.

Tonight, Tom will have freshly cooked steak again and I’ll have yellow fin tuna. Our sides will include a huge salad with homemade dressing, fresh whole sautéed portabella mushrooms, buttered green beans and hard boiled eggs, a perfect meal by our standards. More on cost of living in Phuket as we experience more during the next month…

Neatly stacked tiles ready to be transported.

As we continue to wind down our Mekong River cruise/tour, today we’re including photos (sorry that they’re interspersed with Phuket photos above) from what proved to be an interesting visit to a brick making factory in Sa Dec. Situated on the banks of the river, we arrived by sampan boat and walked up an easy ramp to the property. 

As much as a variety of brick making supplies were littered about the facility, it was very organized.

We still have a few more stories to share over the next several days.  Looking forward to continuing to see our loyal reader/friends here each day. 

Our sampan was waiting for us to finish the tour of the facility and moved the boat close to the shore so we could take off once again.

Enjoy the weekend as we roll into August.

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

This enormous Banyan Tree in Port Douglas, Australia reminded us of the tree across the street from our condo in Honolulu. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…Exotic foods and shopping in Cambodia and Vietnam…Street food and market…Rats?…Easy life in Rawai, Phuket…

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Skinned rat.  Oh.

Lazy as we can be right now as I continue to improve in baby steps each day finds me relatively inactive as I’m experiencing some recovery by not bending and walking more than absolutely necessary at this time.

This area is where we’ve spent most of our daylight hours. There’s one English speaking TV news channel.

Although I gently perform familiar stretching exercises each day, I do so with the utmost of caution. I’d considered going to a hospital for x-rays once we arrived in Phuket but what would “they” prescribe? Rest with light exercise? Done! Pain meds? No, thanks! Surgery? Not going to happen!  What would be the point?

The master bedroom we’re using with AC, comfortable bed and bedding, vanity desk and chair and an en suite bathroom.

If I’d been unable to walk (I am able) or having outrageous radiating nerve pain (none) I’d have checked it out. Years ago, I had a spinal compression fracture. This feels exactly like that, only more painful over a longer period.  It’s almost been two months. Typically, a compression fracture can heal in three months. If so, I’m right on track, progressing a little each day.

What type of fish is this?  Any comments?

Our first five days in Phuket have been low key. Tomorrow morning at 10:00 Gregory delivers the rental car. Then, we’ll head out to take photos and shop, over which we look forward to with considerable enthusiasm. 

Soft shell crab.

The Rawai, Phuket house is not on the ocean, a circumstance of which we were aware  when booking this property. Although we love being situated directly on the ocean or with ocean views we have no problem choosing a better house over a view. 

We didn’t recognize some of these items used in Asian cooking.

Certain popular tourist areas make choosing oceanfront or ocean view properties prohibitive cost-wise.  With all the ocean views we’ve had in our travels, living inland doesn’t bother us a bit.  It’s not as if we’re at any given location for the long haul. There’s always the “next one” as Tom says when asked as to his favorite location.

Chicken feet, toes, toenails.

Now, we continue with more exotic foods and shopping while on the Viking Mekong River Cruise:

Huge produce displays.

On Tuesday, July 17th we decided to join the tour group when Kong explained there wouldn’t be many steps to climb or overly strenuous walking. The morning’s tour would board down a steep ladder directly from the cruise ship for a ride along the Mekong Delta.

Live fish.

The tour included a stop at a brick making factory which originally we thought might be of little interest to either of us or our readers. But it proved to be fascinating after all. Photos and story will follow soon. Today, we’re sticking with the food theme.

Crab.

After a tour of the bay with many war related historical buildings (more of those later too), the two sampans made their way to the shoreline where once we navigated a stairway we were on the street of the quaint town of Sa Dec where we had two stops of interest, one, the historic site of the aristocratic home filmed in the controversial Vietnamese made movie which we watched on the ship, The Lover (more on that later), and two, the fascinating Sa Dec Market.

Live eel.

No doubt, it was sweltering in the high heat and humidity which had been the case during each and every tour. We were fine with that, having spent most of our time in hot, humid climates over these past years.

Fish heads commonly used in Asian cooking.

The time spent walking was more noticeable than the humid heat. We’d hoped to attend the afternoon tour to visit a small factory in yet another village, but after the several hours on my feet in the morning, we chose to stay behind.

Chickens and parts.

Once we arrived at the outdoor market, we were thrilled to have managed to see this amazing venue. Expecting to see more tourists than locals, we were pleased to find that the Sa Dec market was the popular choice for the locals.

Cleaned squid (calamari).

Tourists, who generally don’t cook, unless staying in the area for longer periods, don’t purchase much in the way of foods from a local “farmers markets.”

Prawns are kept in ice cold water since they spoil quickly.

The biggest surprise in visiting this enormous outdoor market wasn’t necessarily the unusual foods offered but the fact that considerable amounts of meats were displayed without ice or refrigeration for long periods of time.

Pork is more prevalent than beef in Southeast Asia.

We hadn’t arrived at the market until around 10:00 am and the meats could easily have been sitting out for hours when the markets open very early in the morning. Had we been residing in that area, there’s no doubt we’d wanted to be among the first shoppers early in the morning to hoping the meats had been properly stored overnight and hadn’t sat out the prior day.

Offal… intestinal parts of animals are commonly eaten in Southeast Asia.  No part of an animal is wasted.

Local shoppers have probably figured out what works safely for them and surely we gringos would require education on what meats would be safe for human consumption based on current methods in handling.  

We wondered how long these pork would sit out in the heat.  Kong warned us about consuming street food when it was prepared from sources such as this.  He stated that locals occasionally get sick, but many are able to tolerare the consumption of some un-refrigerated foods, compared to us westerners.

In any case, seeing this market was a significant part of the Mekong River experience and we’re grateful we were able to visit this amazing market in Sa Dec. Here’s some information on the village with a population of 152,500 (continue below this photo):

Walking through the markets is tricky amid all the motorbikes passing through.

“Sa Đéc is a provincial city in Đồng Tháp Province in the Mekong Delta of southern Vietnam. It is a river port and agricultural and industrial trading center. During the Vietnam War in 1966 and 1967, it was the site of an American PBR (Patrol Boat, River) base. Later on, it became a Swift Boat base, as well.

We weren’t sure what was in these bags.

Before the nineteenth century, it was the capital of Dong Khau Dao, and it was known as one of the largest cities in the Mekong Delta There are three industrial zones in this city, designated by the codes A, C1, and C. They attract a large number of businessmen from the Mekong Delta region.”

Fruits, veg and flowers.

Back on the sampan by 11:00 we returned to the ship in time for lunch, yet another delicious, somewhat more traditional meal. The other cruise passengers were as equally enthralled with the morning tours as we were.  

Produce for sale in the market in Sa Dec, Vietnam.

At that point, July 19th was the last night aboard the ship. We all paid our final bills in the Saloon Bar, paid tips for the staff and began packing for the next part of the journey, a lengthy bus ride which would take us to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) for the final two nights in another hotel.

Western vegetables.

More stories will continue over the next several days, not necessarily in order of the journey but more in groupings based on topics. See you soon!

Ice being delivered to some of the shopkeepers who use it.

Have a blissful day!

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

We’d seen these gorgeous orchids in our neighborhood in Kauai, Hawaii and found them as equally breathtaking in Australia at the Cairns Botanical Garden. Many of the plants, trees and flowers are similar in both areas due to the tropical climate. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Exotic foods and shopping in Cambodia and Vietnam…Did we eat insects? An issue in Phuket?

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Kong took this photo of Tom and a tarantula!

First, we begin our post with a few points regarding our stay in Phuket.  With 37 remaining days on the island, we want to make the very best of our time here considering my current circumstances. 

After analyzing the higher cost of taxi service here, we reconsidered the possibility of renting a car. As it turns out a short trip for shopping will cost approximately THB (Thai Baht) 700, US $20 with more for sightseeing and dining out.

The kitchen is spacious and relatively well equipped. We certainly appreciated the size of the refrigerator, the drip coffee pot and the double sinks.

As a result, the kindly local owner of this house, well aware of high taxi fares, offered us a rental car for the balance of our stay for a total of THB 9000, US $256. Gregory will deliver the car on Thursday morning, the first day we’ll need to use it.

It’s an older car, but has AC, seat belts and works well which is fine. For our local exploration and shopping this will be fine regardless of how old or worn this car may be.

As for our past day, we were a little worried when there was no running water yesterday afternoon.  Within minutes of reporting this to Gregory, two workers arrived at the house, spending several hours repairing the issue. This reminded us of similar issues we’ve encountered without water and electricity in less developed countries throughout the world.

We dine at this table.

There’s a bottled water dispenser here, which would have seen us through the night if necessary. Unfortunately, the water quit while Tom was in the shower after soaping up. 

When he appeared in the living room, covered in soap, I suggested he take some bottled water to get the soap off until we had water again. He did so, but felt dirty and sticky until hours later when the water was working and he was able to finish his shower. 

We won’t be using this sofa, preferring to spend time in the living room. Photos will follow tomorrow.

We postponed dinner when the workers were attempting to resolve the issue right outside the dining room door. Finally, they were done. The water was running again and we were able to quietly enjoy our meal, most of which we’d prepared earlier in the day. 

Here are a few more photos of the house taken from the listing here.  We’ll be back with Phuket photos as soon as we get out and about later this week. Thanks for your patience.

Back to the Mekong River Cruise: With all the heart wrenching photos we’ve shared over the past many days, we decided to lighten it up a bit and share some food photos we’d taken over the 17 days we spent in both Cambodia and Vietnam.
First off, I must espouse the virtues of the popular Vietnamese soup, known as “pho” which is pronounced as “fuuuuur” in Southeast Asia not the commonly pronounce “Foe” in Vietnamese restaurants in the US and other countries throughout the world.
Delicious pho without noodles.

In my old life before my special diet, pho was a favorite Vietnamese soup which I often enjoyed with son Greg at a local Minneapolis Vietnamese Restaurant. At that time I was able to have the wide noodles added to the delicious broth along with the vegetables and basil. 

In Cambodia, they don’t use basil but other types of greens. In Vietnam, depending on the region, basil is an available option to be added to the delicious soup at one’s option. 
Everywhere we traveled in the 17 days, I tried the pho, (without noodles) often for breakfast instead of eggs or as a first course with dinner. I was never disappointed although the flavor of the broth varied from region to region. Many other passengers raved about the pho along with me anxious to try it at each new location in our journey.
The server passed this plate of appetizers…tarantulas, tiny whole frogs and crickets.
One night at dinner on the cruise, we were served insects as a first course.  Unfortunately, to add to the less than desirable taste, we discovered that such creatures are usually marinated in a sugary broth to enhance the flavor and/or dipped in flour before frying. Had this not been the case, I’d have happily tried any of these.
Tom, on the other hand, took a few small bites making some awful faces after doing so. Many passengers opted for the full experience eating some of each of the items presented. 
Eating a variety of insects including grasshoppers, crickets and small frogs is an inexpensive source of protein for citizens throughout the world. Of course, it was the tarantulas that captured our attention the most.  We were only served these items on one occasion on board the ship during our travels.
I made up this plate for this photo although I never took a bite since they’re soaked in sugar to make them more palatable.

The remainder of the meals on both on the ship and at a number of restaurants included in the cruise/tour were varied and overall excellent. Most of my meals were good, especially on the ship although, a few restaurants had a more difficult time often presenting me with overcooked steak, boiled fish and steamed bok choy for a bland and unseasoned meal. 

We had such a great time dining with our co-passengers, food became of little importance to me. Tom, on the other hand, fully enjoyed most of his meals, especially when they included bread, potatoes and sweet desserts.
Tom took a few small bites.

Tom gained back 10 of his recently lost 20 pounds in Bali but now since our arrival in Phuket he’s already rapidly dropping those pounds by eating homemade meals befitting my way of eating based on what we were able to find at a local market.

Even I had gained a few pounds since I wasn’t used to eating three times a day. I’m feeling good to be back to my regular intermittent fasting regime, no longer hungry all the time from eating too much, too often, although I totally stayed on track of acceptable foods during the 17 day period. I’ve since lost the few pounds.
Food is a huge appeal for travelers, many who dine two to three times each day. Most parts of the world offer their own unique style of cuisine that makes dining out irresistible. 
A tarantula leg was resting on my tooth making me look like I was missing a tooth in this goofy photo.
Being able to experience tastes of the spices and methods of cooking becomes appealing and interesting for me as well. Southeast Asia provided a number of options that fit my criteria at times with some adjustments by conscientious chefs and cooks who made considerable efforts to enhance my dining experience. Kong took personal responsibility for each of my meals to ensure they were properly prepared.
Tom ate his fair share of local meals along with “western” options found on many menus. With warnings from Kong about street food, we stayed with the foods offered on the ship, the three hotels and the several restaurants where we dined.
Overall, it was a great dining experience and look forward to our readers enjoying the many photos we’ll share over the next few days. Our list of future stories and photos will continue in days to come as an adjunct to our daily quips on life in Phuket, Thailand.
Be well. Be happy. Eat insects when available. I guess.
Photo from one year ago today, July 26, 2015:
A beautiful bouquet already made by nature at the Cairns Botanical Garden in Australia. For more photos, please click here.

Off we go to the ship…Long drive through the Cambodian countryside…Mode of transportation

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Local danger and musicians greeted us with a ceremonial dance as we entered the hotel.
In Cambodia, US dollars are tendered for most purchases, receiving Cambodian money, the reil for change which can be confusing especially when one US dollar is KHR 40,973.50. The cost for the drive back to our hotel was US $3. The driver was so grateful when we gave him a US $5 bill. Tipping isn’t expected in Cambodia but greatly appreciated based on low wages.
Fountain in the lake at the hotel, taken last night in the dark.

As much as long drives in cars, vans and buses are not our favorite mode of transportation, I’m looking forward to the almost five hour drive through the Cambodian countryside as we make our way to the awaiting boat on the Mekong River.

As we approached the entrance to the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra in Siem Reap, Cambodia, another five star hotel.

These past tour portions of this cruise/tour have been rich in history and highly entertaining including the extra three days we spent on our own in advance of the cruise in Hanoi when we arrived from Singapore over a week ago. I did my best to keep up, only missing a few days of touring, having participated in the remainder.

The first night in the hotel in Cambodia we were entertained by local dancers performing in the dining room.

Last night, the final night at the Hotel Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia it dawned on me that we’d yet share any photos of this five star hotel and its surroundings. It’s been a glorious hotel stay once again, with the past two Sofitel Hotels providing the utmost in both ambiance, amenities and service.

Upon entering our beautifully decorated hotel room with a full veranda overlooking the river, the table was set with fresh flowers, complimentary linen napkins as a gift to keep, baby bananas and cookies (all of which Tom consumed).

I’d never paid much attention to Sofitel Hotels other than occasionally dining (in my old life) at the hotel’s restaurant in Bloomington, Minnesota for business type lunches. 

It was a long walk from the lobby to our hotel room down several long bridges such as this over the lake on the hotel property.
Each walkway to the various buildings provided a lovely view of the hotel’s massive grounds.

Now that we’re signed up as members, we’ll certainly pay the Accor hotel chains a little more attention when we’re wondering where to stay for a night or two on occasion.

A portion of the hotel’s lake.

We had the opportunity to chat with one of the hotel’s managers, Sam Sorn who, along with the remaining staff have provided exemplary service and attention to detail. 

This sign is posted along one of the walkways in the hotel.

From the complimentary handmade linen napkins left in our room as a gift from the hotel, to the baby bananas, fresh flowers and chef’s perfection in seeing my menu, the hotel nor the other two restaurants where we dined in Siem Reap, left a stone unturned. 

Its unfortunate the mosquitos are so bad and the heat and humidity uncomfortable or many guests would have spent more time outdoors.  Instead, everyone stayed inside the air conditioned comfort. 

From the gentle-hands-clasped-bow elicited by each Cambodian we encounter, whether it was the pool man or the tuk tuk driver, each individual made us feel supremely invited as guests into their country. I could easily return here for an extended stay, although, practically speaking, it may not be possible with so much world left to see.

A bicycle rickshaw on display.

Last night’s dinner for 54 guests at Malis Restaurant, ranked #4 of 622 in TripAdvisor, excelled beyond most restaurants when they prepared entirely different meals for me than those offered on the menu. They went as far as making a totally sugar free mousse/flan dessert than surprisingly was quite delicious without any form of sweetener.

These gorgeous flowers are commonly seen on display in hotels and restaurants in Cambodia.

Of course, the conversation was indescribably delightful as we’ve continued to get to know one couple after another, never disappointed, always enlightened by the stories of others as they freely ask question after question about our peculiar lifestyle. I suppose if it was the other way around, we’d be curious as well.

One of several seating areas in the hotel’s lobby.

We try to temper our enthusiasm and ask about their lives. Most of the participants on this type of cruise are well traveled with equally fascinating stories to tell. Most of the passengers are within our age range with a few much younger and equal number, a bit older. 

A shrine in the hotel lobby.  Most Cambodians are Buddhists.

Age seems to be no barrier in keeping these adventurous folks from continuing to travel well into their 70’s and 80’s. Some have obvious disabilities and yet forge ahead with the excitement of 20 year old, seeking to fill their lives with new experiences. 

This talented young man played peaceful music in the lobby.

A few stayed behind like us on the more difficult excursions over the past few days while others returned exhausted and hobbling with aching joints, hips and knees commensurate with older age. 

Fresh flowers are frequently replenished.  This humid climate in Cambodia is a perfect environment for growing flowers.

As for my continuing recovery, its still a work in progress. In reviewing the calendar we tried to recall the exact date of the injury and we believe it was around June 1st. Most likely it’s been almost six weeks. If I blew out a disc (or two)  or whatever, it could be several more weeks until I’m pain free once again. 

A humidor with a variety of cigars for sale including Cuban.

My only fear is that the pain won’t go away and this will be my lot in life, not unlike my life before I started this way of eating. I will no longer be pain free as I’d been two months ago. Could I continue on at this level of discomfort? I think so. 

Elaborate desserts such as these are offered in the buffet as well as at “high tea” in the bar where we worked on the posts. Tom was only interested in the doughnuts on the bottom right.

As we mentioned in the post on July 11th, “In the past two weeks we moved into four different hotels in four different countries, flown on three international flights, taken over 1000 photos and posted each and every day.

We sat at the left corner of this banquette in the bar each day while posting.

As you’ve seen, we’ve been able to continue on. If we were living a “fixed” lifestyle and this injury occurred, I’d still have the discomfort and life would go on. It’s not a whole lot different now other than the hours of moving from one location to another which generally isn’t quite as often as its been lately.

Sam Sorn, the hotel’s second in command, worked his “way up” after 16 years of employment at the hotel, originally working in maintenance. His kindly demeanor and interest in each guest is delightful.

However, we both remain hopeful that soon I’ll be back to my “old” self once again, able to walk longer distances and manage more steps and rough terrain. I remind myself how grateful we are that it wasn’t totally debilitating where I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) get out at all. Sheer will and determination have kept me moving. 

With rain each day, we never took advantage of the hotel’s enormous pool.  We have plenty of pool time upcoming over the net several months.

As soon as we upload this post, we’ll head back to our hotel room to leave the already-packed and ready-to-go three checked bags outside our hotel room door to be picked up by staff and delivered to the two buses for both Group A and B (we’re A) and off we’ll go at 11:30 am for the long journey to the ship awaiting us in Kampong Cham, Cambodia. 

Last night on our way to dinner on the bus, we tried to take a few photos through the glass.

Once we’re all onboard and checked in, we’ll be offered complimentary welcome aboard cocktails (along with cocktails included  at no charge at both lunch and dinner) and be introduced to the ship’s captain, other officers and support staff. Then, we’ll set sail.

Siem Reap is filled with a multitude of shopping options from expensive galleria type malls to strips centers such as this.
Many building copy the design of the Angkor Wat temple.

We’re as excited as always to be back on the water, this time on our first river cruise which so far the land portion, has proven to excel our expectations. Back at you tomorrow with photos and updates! Stay tuned!

The entrance to last night’s restaurant, Malis. It was absolutely exquisite for me although Tom found some of the unfamiliar spices less appealing to his taste buds.

Have a glorious day!

Bob and Tom having a great time, sitting across from Tina and I We arrived at the restaurant at 5:45 while it was still light.  At 8 pm, some of the group were headed to a local circus with bleacher-type seating.  , there was no way I could sit on bleachers for any length of time. Instead, we had a fabulous time returning to the hotel in a local tuk-tuk.

Photo from one year ago today, July 13, 2015:

Holloways Beach, near Cairns Australia. For more details and photos, please click here.