Moved in to our new home in Pacific Harbour, Fiji…All is well…Photos of interior of new home…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Flying over a river in Viti Levu, the main island in Fiji.

Each time we’ve flown in a small plane, I’ve found myself feeling compelled to write. Using the “notes” app on my phone, my fingers fly over the tiny letters finding a tremendous diversion against the less than comfortable environment.

Rainbow and coral reef below while flying over the many islands in Fiji.

The seats are tiny, the airflow is non-existent and based on the 12 other passengers crammed into the plane, it’s easy to feel outrageously cramped. Not claustrophobic as I was in my old life, I surprise myself over the steady rate of my heart and my overall lack of fear.

Lush green vegetation while flying over Fiji.

In our old lives, I never imagined flying on a small plane. At this point after flying in even tinier planes in Africa, the passenger size has become irrelevant. The whirring props, the noise, the sensitivity to each jolt of turbulence, no longer seems to make my heart skip a beat. 

Another view of the river.

The views below us were beyond description, but impossible to photograph, although I tried unsuccessfully a few times. The windows on small planes are often scratched and always bug-covered. Our camera can’t overcome those obstacles.

Suva International Airport is relatively small. This is the length of the terminal for both

The tremendous number of islands (over 330) in Fiji made the scenery below, breathtaking as we wondered while peering out the filmy windows, who live on those islands and what life may be like.

 A guest room in the house where I’ll use the chest of drawers for some of my clothes, most of which will remain in the suitcase.

As I wrote, it dawned on me that we’ve lived on islands 12 of the past 15 months; Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai, Vanua Levu, and now Viti Levu. In 27 days we’ll be off on a two-week cruise to visit yet more islands ending in another island, New Zealand where we’ll live for almost three months. It continues on and on.

Comfortable bed in the master bedroom with air conditioning if needed (we won’t use) with en suite bathroom.

Perhaps our site could be aptly named Worldwide Island Waftage or Worldwide Cruise Waftage when our inclination is to waft to islands and the sea. Although horoscopes aren’t my thing, does the fact that I’m a Pisces, the water sign, have a bearing on my personal affinity for the sea? Tom is the Capricorn sign and shares the same passion. So much for horoscopes.

Another guest room in our vacation rental where Tom is keeping his suitcase out of the way.

Once we landed, after only a 35-minute flight, our bags were at baggage claim in no time at all. Upon flight check-in at the minuscule Savusavu Airport, we’d paid FJD $220, USD $103 for overweight baggage even after we personally stood on the scale along with our bags.  Surely, had we each weighed more, we would have paid more. 

Sink in master bath.  It works for us.

Good thing Tom’s lost 22 pounds since our last cruise, following my way of eating with relative ease over these past six months, eating lots of fat, two meals a day, and a daily snack. 

Now, having lost his appetite, as I did long ago from eating very low carb, he’s decided to cut out one meal, to lose another few pounds before we go on yet another cruise. At least at a lower weight, we pay a little less for ourselves and our baggage at some airports.

There’s hanging space in this house. In a few weeks, we’ll wash our cruise clothing, hanging it outdoors and then in the closets to keep them as wrinkle-free as possible before the cruise.

As soon as we loaded our luggage onto two “free” carts, we walked a short distance to the greeting area, and there stood Sandeep, our driver with a sign with our name. Within minutes we were on our way to the market in Suva, the capital and largest city in Fiji. 

A second bath which we won’t use for showering.

As expected, Suva is different than Savusavu simply based on the fact that it’s a bigger city with a population of over 150,000, although not as modern as many other parts of the world. I’d have liked to take photos on the hour-long drive to Pacific Harbour but the heat inspired our driver to use the AC keeping the windows closed. 

This dining table is perfect for us.  We’ll often sit side by side as shown in the two-place settings and watch a show or a movie during dinner on my laptop.

Opening one window for a quick shot instantly heated the car to the point where I noticed Tom was uncomfortable although he didn’t complain. We’ll have plenty of time for photos as we venture out with the driver from time to time.

The kitchen has most items we use although there’s no cookie sheet to make our low-carb cookies for an after-dinner treat. We’ll purchase one next time we’re out.

The grocery shopping was difficult when we weren’t able to find half of the items on our list, many we’d occasionally found in Savusavu. Our driver knew the market we preferred but ended up taking us to another market as had been the case when we arrived in Savusavu. We always wonder if the drivers get some perks for bringing tourists to certain markets upon their arrival.

Decorator shelves at the end of the kitchen.  Oh, look, you can see me at the far end of the hallway in my sleep tee shirt taking the photo .

As we always say, we maintain a “no complaining” policy, and with both of us exhausted from a fitful night’s sleep, we didn’t ask him to drive the long distance to the other more out-of-the-way market. We were grateful for the air conditioning and comfortable ride in the new SUV.

This pristine kitchen however clean attracts ants.  That’s life in Fiji!

No streaky bacon, no garlic powder or salt, no sea salt, no tomatoes, no avocados, no cabbage, no lettuce, and the remaining items on our list requiring we shop again tomorrow hoping to find a few of these and other items.

Back on the road, we enjoyed the drive through the countryside, and before long we reached Pacific Harbour a cozy upscale mostly foreigner-owned and occupied neighborhood. Each house custom-built home on beautiful wooded spacious lots has its own personality. When we drove up to our new home, we were pleased with our choice even before opening the door.

The living room. We each sit in a chair while we work and share the sofa at night when we watch a show on the TV after we hooked up our HDMI cord to the laptop.  The furniture is made locally using coconut wood.

Upon entering the property, we were further pleased. The mahogany walls and pristine floors create a warm and inviting feel along with newer leather furnishings, three bedrooms, two full baths including an en suite bath in the master bedroom, spacious kitchen (no dishwasher, old oven in good condition, larger fridge than we’ve had in past two homes) and the usual friendly ants who come to call daily.

For more details on the listing, please click here.

It’s good to be able to watch world news while here although we’ve become quite comfortable without a TV.

Luckily, we planned ahead and purchased ant chalk and spray. Although the house and kitchen were spotless on arrival, the ants were in the drawers, plates, and on the appliances and countertops.  Before and after dinner we washed everything in hot soapy water.  This morning they were back and we had no choice but to spray. It’s OK. We’re used to it.

The bed?  Ah, the bed, pillows, and blankets are luxurious compared to the last futon bed on the springy mattress. It feels as if it’s a space foam bed and we both slept fairly well. The shower, heated with solar power is excellent with good water pressure and non-slip floors with built-in shelves for bath products. 

The mahogany floors and walls in this house are beautiful.

As always when we have multiple bedrooms, we each take a room in which to leave our opened bag on the bed.  While here, we’ll be washing all of our cruise clothing which has become wrinkled and musty in the bags these past six months. 

The grounds and yard are lovely with a pool, covered laundry area, spacious wraparound veranda with a four-person table and chairs, and a barbecue which we won’t use since it needs a huge cleaning and tank of gas, not worth the bother during this short stay.

Each room has windows with screens!  We couldn’t be more thrilled to be able to have all the windows open.  This means a lot to both of us!

With no drip coffee pot, Tom made coffee this morning using the French press, making the best mug of coffee I’ve had in a long time. This will continue to be his morning task while I busy myself on the day’s post.

Today, we’re posting interior photos with exterior photos tomorrow. The following day we’ll post photos from our first outing as we visit a popular tourist venue, a trip to the market, and the local farmers market.

We’re grateful to have arrived safely and to find this location and property ideal for our needs over the next 28 days. We don’t plan to do a lot of sightseeing here although we’ll certainly get out each week, posting photos along the way. 

It’s so comfortable in this new house, I’ll have a heck of a time getting Tom to go out but with many great restaurants and resorts nearby, we’ll definitely be heading out to dinner on several occasions.

Have a fabulous day! We sure will!

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

It was one year ago today, that the first of family began to arrive in the Big Island, Hawaii for the holiday season; son TJ, Sarah, Jayden, and Nik, who’s shared the first house we rented until the second house became available as the others arrived. Before their arrival, we drove the Red Road to take photos along the way. Please click here for details.

It was a very good day…The beauty of Fiji is astounding…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Ocean views never disappoint.

With Rasnesh scheduled to arrive at 1:00 pm, we were surprised when at 12:30 he called, saying he was already in the driveway.  We need to time our shopping to ensure we get to Helen’s, in ample time to pick up our meat after she returns from lunch and her daily trip to the bank. 

Usually, by 2:00 pm she’s back, flipping over the “closed” sign to “open” on the door of her tiny shop, Fiji Meats. We’ve learned our lesson in arriving too early for her return, having to go back home without meat, resulting in paying extra taxi fare for Ratnesh to later pick up our order to deliver to us, one of the nuances of not having one’s own transportation.

We asked him to wait a bit while we wrapped up a few things to get ready to head out the door to venture down the uneven path to the driveway on the steep hill where he waits. We’re never late.

Preferring not to leave him sitting there for a half hour, we packed up our shopping bags, putting on our shoes for the first time in eight days, the last time we’d gone out. 

With tropical storms almost daily and the desire to use the food we had on hand, we decided to shop Friday next week also, only two days before we depart. 

With most of the houses on the beach road overlooking the sea, most had long, steep driveways, none quite as steep as ours.

We’ll purchase two more roasted chickens for next Friday and Saturday nights, using any leftover salad ingredients or purchase new if necessary and then be on our way.  We’ve begun the process of winding down.  Yesterday, I folded all of my clothing in the cupboard which will take two minutes to place inside my solitary clothing suitcase.

Almost totally out of photos to share and with no particular points of interest we longed to see, we asked Rasnesh if he had time to drive along the beach in the opposite direction we’d traveled to the village each week. 

We’d asked him about that drive a few times in the past, but he dismissed it as “nothing new or interesting there” and we didn’t press.  Yesterday, I stated, “Let’s go to the left at the end of the steep driveway instead of to the right. We’d like to take some photos.” 

A bit surprised he smiled with a slight giggle, I’ve found endearing, not mocking us in any manner, but reveling in our desire to see scenery which we find exquisite and he may find repetitious and boring. After all, he’s lived in these breathtaking surroundings all of his life.

We weren’t disappointed. The drive along the beach was as enticing as any scenery we’d seen in these past three months. I continued to ask him to stop the car on no less than a dozen occasions, so I could get out to take photos. He readily stopped in a safe spot for me to exit while he and Tom engaged in idle chatter during my few minute absence. 

Although overcast, we were still thrilled to be out taking photos.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled, knowing I was taking ample photos to share over the next eight days until our departure.  Sure, we could have gone out and about, a lot more often. The bad weather, dark cloudy days, heat and humidity often left us with little interest in riding in the car.

Not wanting to press Rasnesh to use the AC made riding in the car sticky and uncomfortable on the most humid days, when the temperature was a moist 88F, 31C, with humidity hovering at 90% with no breeze. 

Its not something we’ve chosen to do when we don’t have to, although after these past three plus years, we’ve experienced it over and over again…the four hour drive (each way) from the airport in Belize City to Placencia in 90F, 32C with no AC, the many safari expeditions in both Kenya and South Africa on outrageously hot day and on and on, many times.

Long ago, we decided there’s no need to impress our readers with our resiliency in traveling on the roads in discomfort when we don’t have to do so. I have ants walking on my monitor as we speak and just swatted two off my left arm. We’re resilient enough. 

Again, today it’s a humid scorcher and my mug of warm coffee is preventing me from taking one more swig. The overhead and standing fans are operating at full speed. The occasional cool breeze wafting through the windows always inspires us to comment to one another as to how good it feels.

The beach along this area is mostly rocky.

When the long road ended at a resort we flipped around to head to the village for a trip to the pharmacy, the Vodafone store, the Farmers Market, the New World Market, finally ending at Fiji’s Meats located at the far end of the village, too far to walk. 

For the rest, we walk to each location along with all the other villagers who were busy with their own errands and shopping. Tom took off for the ATM while I visited the pharmacy. I’d had an idea to fill three prescriptions here when the pharmacist explained we didn’t need a local prescriptions and old US prescriptions or actual pill bottles would do.

My prescriptions from Minnesota were over three years old. He didn’t flinch, taking photos of each one with his phone. Asking how big a supply I preferred, hesitantly I suggested one year. He didn’t flinch.

In Australia, I was able to purchase six months of prescription meds and with what I had left on hand, with this new one year’s supply, it could possibly last for two more years. Since none of my meds are any type of controlled substances they can be readied filled. My three prescriptions are for the smallest possible doses for thyroid and hypertension (hereditary conditions).

The kindly pharmacist explained he’d order the smaller-than-usual doses and see what arrived within the week.  I may have to use my little blue pill cutter which has come in handy over these past years in the event he can’t get the small doses. Next Friday, they’ll be ready, giving him plenty of time to receive the order. Once we pick them up, we’ll happily share the prices.

The long steep driveways often lead to multiple properties.

Tom doesn’t take any prescription drugs since starting this way of eating. His mother Mary, who passed away at 98, didn’t either in her old age. He’s hoping for the same longevity and good health. My family’s medical history on my mother’s side is less forgiving with raging diabetes and heart disease.

Leaving the pharmacy, we walked across the road to Vodafone, made our usual data purchase of USD $69.61, FJD $150, (for 48 gigs) enough to get us through at least this next week. If we haven’t used it all by the time we leave, we’ll be able to use it during the 28 days on the next island. 

The Farmers Market was crowded on a Friday as we managed to work our way through the crowds to our favorite vendors. As we moved along, a lovely Fijian women, stopped me with a huge smile on her face.  Months ago, I’d asked her about avocados. At that time, she explained they weren’t in season. I was stunned she remembered that I’d asked!

We purchased two enormous avocados for USD $1.86, FJD $4 (for both) and now they’re resting on a pane of glass on the jalousie window in the kitchen while I’m hoping they’ll ripen in the next few days. 

I’m imaging a half of an avo filled with salmon salad made with chopped hard boiled eggs, diced celery, onions and our homemade dressing. That will be a refreshing treat for me while Tom has something else I’ll have prepared for him. 

As we approached the Farmers Market we couldn’t help but notice a band playing loud Fijian music. With the dense crowd hovering around the group we weren’t able to maneuver in position for a photo. Instead, I opted for a video when moments after we arrived the music ended and the group packed up their equipment. Not every moment is “safari luck” although, overall, it certainly feels as if it is!

Upon entering New World Market, looking forward to some AC while we shopped we were instantly aware their AC was out.  t was hotter in the market than it had been outdoors. 

There’s a wide variety of styles of homes in Fiji, no particular style standing out above the rest. Since most of these houses are built by foreigners, typically they reflect a certain aspect of the owner’s home country.

Luckily, we didn’t need much at the market as we wind down our time in Savusavu. Within ten minutes, I called Rasnesh to advise him we’d be ready to be picked up within five minutes, long enough to check out and pay for our few groceries.  Luckily, he was available, showing up outside exactly as we exited the store.

With the AC now on in his vehicle, the cooling effect was profound, especially for me sitting in the front seat while Tom happily languished in the backseat with nary a complaint. I always ride in the front seat on photo taking days, insisting he do so on other days.

We were off for the final stop, Fiji Meats. The “open” sign was posted on the door. Expressing multiple “bulas” between the three of us, she packed our hot chickens, mince beef and pork, chicken breasts along with two packages of sliced ham. 

She wasn’t able to get any streaky bacon this week so we opted for the sliced ham instead in order to make the last batch of Tom’s crust free breakfast quiche which is usually made using cooked streaky bacon.  I cook it and then freeze it in squares of three to ensure its fresh each morning.

When he uses the last of the three, he takes out another pack of three leaving it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Today, I’ll make enough to last through next Saturday, a total of seven pieces as well as one more batch of our favorite side dish, a tasty mushroom casserole to accompany any type of meat we may be having along with a salad, sliced cucumber and another hot veggie.

We hope all of our readers in the US had a fulfilling and filling Thanksgiving day! Wishing a great day to all of our worldwide readers!

Photo from one year ago today, November 28, 2014:

Skeleton of a humpback whale at the Whalers Village in Kaanapali Beach, Maui. For more photos, please click here.

Thanksgiving holiday approaching for US citizens…Pumpkin pies…Do we miss it all?

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Our condo in Scottsdale, Arizona in November, 2012 where we lived for a few months as we finished the final preparations for leaving the US.  We had the table set for company when two of Tom’s sisters and one brother-in-law were coming for dinner (not on Thanksgiving Day).

With tomorrow’s Thanksgiving holiday celebration, the second most celebrated holiday in the US, next to Christmas, in our past lives this would have been a busy day for me. Tom always worked and at times, based on his schedule on the railroad, he may have had to work on the actual holiday, missing all or part of the meal.

With Thanksgiving always occurring on the last Thursday in November, Wednesday would always be my pie baking day…pumpkin pies to be exact, making no less than eight pies, often more, depending on how many were coming for the holiday dinner the next day.

I rolled the dough for each of the pies, but typical for pumpkin pies, a doughy top crust isn’t included, just ample room for gobs of whipped cream for those who prefer to indulge.

Whether we had a houseful or not, which some years we did not, I made the pies. We’d eat a few and share the remainder with our family and friends. Never once did a single pie go to waste.

With the change in my way of eating in 2011, I still made all of the traditional foods on that last Thanksgiving before we left, making a few extra side dishes befitting my diet. Nothing was lacking in tradition or taste. 

We left Minnesota on Halloween, 2012 (October 31st) and I haven’t made a Thanksgiving dinner since. Many countries don’t offer turkeys for sale in the markets, although resorts and some restaurants may order them from their suppliers to fill the needs of tourists from the US on this special holiday.

Before the storms of the past few days, a blue sky inspired this photo of the cotton tree.

The last time Tom had a Thanksgiving meal was when we dined outdoors (the first time either of us dined outdoors on Thanksgiving) while we spent the last few months in Scottsdale, Arizona completing our “paperwork” and digital needs before leaving on our journey. 

There was much to do for the final preparations and we’d decided to spend it in a warm climate, close to Tom’s sisters in Apache Junction, Arizona, and no more than a five-hour drive from eldest son Richard in Henderson, Nevada, eldest sister Susan in Las Vegas and my younger sister Julie in Los Angeles, California.

We stayed in a lovely condo in the Old Town area of Scottsdale. With Tom’s car still in our possession which son Richard took off our hands at the pier in San Diego, the day we left the US, we were easily able to get around Scottsdale. 

When Thanksgiving approached, we decided to try a popular buffet known for extraordinarily great food at a local casino in Scottsdale, the Talking Stick. They didn’t take reservations so we decided an early meal might be advantageous.  Once we arrived at the casino, the line for the buffet was at least 200 deep. It would take hours in line. 

We left the casino, heading to a popular eatery in quaint Old Town, and somehow managed to snag a cozy table for two on the patio. It was a sunny, warm day. 

These red flowers continue to thrive in the rainy weather.

Tom ordered the Thanksgiving meal while I ordered a meal prepared to befit my diet. Apparently, in looking back at old posts during that period of time, I didn’t write anything about that day, at that point not as committed to our daily ramblings and photos as we are now. 

The Thanksgiving years from there on; 2013 was spent in Kenya, 2014 in Maui, Hawaii, and now, here in Fiji.  Last year in Maui, we opted out of making the meal, although all of the ingredients for making the big dinner were available in the markets.  

Last year, making a Thanksgiving dinner in Maui wasn’t worth the trouble when Tom was also following my way of eating. Plus, it wouldn’t be the same without the pumpkin pies which was equally meaningful as the turkey itself.

Do we miss it? We’ll always miss big family celebrations. But, not with tears in our eyes. We chose this life and have accepted the reality that we’ll only see family (in person as opposed to “face time”) every few years. 

With the holiday actually occurring tomorrow where it will be Thursday in the US (it will be Friday here) we hope to speak to everyone at some point. The huge time difference makes it challenging but we’ll figure it out. 

To all of our family and friends in the US, have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow, enjoy every last morsel of the scrumptious meal while we’ll be thinking of you with love in our hearts and smiles on our faces.

Today, our usual shopping day, we’ve postponed it to tomorrow. There a huge tropical storm (not necessarily dangerous). Neither of us sees any reason to go out in the high winds and pouring rain when tomorrow will be just as fine. We have plenty of food for dinner and with only 10 days until departure, we don’t mind using what we have on hand.

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

One year ago today, we visited Whalers Village in Kaanapali Beach, Maui, a favorite tourist attraction. We had a fabulous day, enjoying every moment. For more photos, please click here.

Another challenging day in paradise…More challenges to come tomorrow…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We drove through the village of Urata.

Our refrigerator died overnight. Luckily, it wasn’t the freezer that was packed with meat. Just the refrigerated portion. Two days ago, we purchased groceries and roasted chickens, much of which has now gone into the garbage having spoiled overnight. We can’t take a chance with any of it. 

We put everything we could in the freezer, packing the tiny space as tight as possible. Some items couldn’t be frozen and joined the rest into the garbage.

Upon arising yesterday, I commented to Tom that the fridge didn’t seem cold. It had been so hot and humid these past days we thought we may have overloaded the small fridge with the addition of the hot roasted chickens and piles of room temperature vegetables which may have caused it to cool down.

We kept checking the butter. As the day wore on, we knew it wasn’t going to get cold when eventually the butter was as soft as if it was sitting out. We didn’t have a thermometer or means of checking the temperature.

It appeared that the residents of Urata are into fishing as a primary source of income.

Around noon, we contacted Mario and within minutes Junior arrived to check it out. With the freezer working full speed, Junior adjusted some settings and said he’d check back by 2:00 pm at which point, we all agreed something had to be done to keep our food from spoiling.

By 4:00 pm, a serviceman was here much to our surprise.  At Fiji time, it could have been days. By this point, we’d begun tossing food, leaving items we knew would be safe to eat such as butter, cheese and sour cream.  Earlier, we’d already placed all the hard cheeses into the freezer, squeezing to make room.

He asked us to remove every item from the freezer which as tight as it was packed was a task in itself.  With Junior’s help we got it all removed and temporarily stored it in the insulated Costco bag.

We’d had no choice but to toss the recently made jar of our salad dressing and the remaining opened mayonnaise. Luckily, we still had unopened mayo and sour cream to use to make another batch.

The service guy got the fridge working again and waited along with Mario and Junior long enough to ensure it was working. The refrigerator was new when we arrived almost three months ago and shouldn’t be having problems this early. By 5:30, we were back in business, although cautiously optimistic. Today, it’s working again.

Although citizens of Fiji are often poor, living off the land and sea, they never fail to observe and appreciate the beauty surrounding them.

Having tossed our chicken dinner along with the mushroom casserole I’d made to go with it, we had few options for dinner this late in the day with everything frozen. We decided to take out a small portion of leftover cooked taco meat adding an extra package of beef mince for a meal of taco meat topped with pizza cheese, a side of cabbage salad which I chilled before dinner in the freezer in baggies, bacon and onion green beans and muffins. 

The dinner was fine although taco salad without tomatoes and lettuce, neither of which we had on hand made it less enjoyable than usual. We only purchase tomatoes when we’re having certain meals. Lately, quality lettuce hasn’t been unavailable. Cabbage has been our go-to salad vegetable in all of our travels since it keeps well for many days in the fridge but cabbage used for taco salad didn’t quite fit the bill.

My concern until the fridge was working again was a back-up plan. I’m the queen of back-up plans, not hysterical, not panicky, just desiring a plan. Mario managed to get the repair guy to agree to bring us a small hotel-sized refrigerator from his shop by dinnertime if he couldn’t get the fridge working again until we’d get a new fridge on Monday.

But, the day’s events didn’t end there. When Junior arrived around noon, he informed us there’d be an entire power shut down in Savusavu on Sunday (tomorrow) from 8 am to 6 pm. All businesses will be closed including all restaurants, markets, and shops. 

Handmade fishing and transporting rafts in Urata.

Today, I’m cooking enough Asian burger mix to make dinner for a few days, freezing any leftovers after tonight’s meal. The freezer, if left closed, should make it through the day without defrosting during the 10 hours. At 5:00 pm tomorrow, we take out more of the burger mix from the freezer for Sunday’s dinner. 

With the power supposedly returning by 6:00 pm making dinner should be fine. If not, I’m making a meal we can reheat on the gas stove lighting it with a match.

With no power, nowhere to go on Sunday (Rasnesh spends most of his day at church and with family) we have no choice but to stay put. In this scorching heat, without power, we won’t be able to use the fans. Even today, with the use of the overhead and standing fans, the heat and humidity is very uncomfortable.

With the mosquitoes on a frenzy after days of rain and humidity, its nearly impossible to sit outdoors right now. unless covered in DEET. We’ll remain indoors during the 10 hours power outage frequently showering to stay cool. Also, the ants have returned after the rains and with today’s cooking, we’ll be busy tonight washing everything to keep them under control.

The lush jungles surrounded every area are a constant reminder of the beauty Fiji offers its people.

No doubt, our laptop and phone batteries will die halfway through the day, even if we manage to darken our screens. I guess we’ll be playing Gin for the better part of the day.

Last night around 7:15 pm, the power went out for 20 minutes while we were watching an episode of the UK mini-series “Banished” (worth watching) on my laptop. We continued to watch the show in the dark.  I’d wondered if when the power is out the dongles will still work for Internet access. We tested it and, to our surprised discovery, that at least without power, the dongles may work.

However, if you don’t see us here tomorrow with the entire city’s electricity down, which may have an effect on Vodafone towers, you’ll know we couldn’t get online to post and we’ll be back the following day.

Whoever said living in Paradise doesn’t have its ups and downs, hasn’t stayed in Paradise for very long. We tend to look at it this way: We have our health, we have a roof over our heads, we have food and water and most of all we have each other. Our goal for tomorrow…staying cool, keeping our food safe, and no whining.

There it is folks. Back at you soon.

Photo from one year ago today, November 21, 2014:

The beauty of the Maui we know and love isn’t always only the sea and sand. The countryside and mountains create a picturesque scene. For more details and Maui photos, please click here.

Quite a day in the neighborhood…”Looking up”…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This seaweed was offered for sale at the Farmers Market for FJD $5, USD $2.32 for a kilo (2.2 pounds). We didn’t purchase this.

Where do I begin? Yesterday, was quite a day. First off, it was the hottest day we’ve had in Fiji to date. It wasn’t only the temperature, which hovered around 90F, 32.2C, it was the humidity that also hovered around 90% on an otherwise sunny day.

In order to dry off after showering, we used the fan in the bedroom to get the sticky moisture off our skin. With no AC in the house, by the time we headed out the door at 1:00 pm for our weekly shopping trip to the village we were sweaty and sticky.

In our old lives, we often suffered from such humidity amid the worst of Minnesota’s summer heat, especially before and after a bad storm when the power was knocked out, often for days at a time. Once we got the generator going, the first to power up was the refrigerator and the AC.

Since the onset of our travels over three years ago, we’ve either didn’t have access to AC or didn’t use it during the day. If we had AC, to avoid high electrical costs for the owners of the properties, we seldom used it. There were AC units built into the wall in the bedrooms of only a few houses we’ve rented along the way.

Are we used to the heat? If we didn’t get used to it in Kenya, we never would. To a degree (no pun intended) we finally were able to tolerate it without complaint, accepting it as a part of our new lives. 

Yesterday, I sat on a bench waiting for Tom to return from the ATM after I’d purchased data from the Vodafone kiosk. He’s on the sidewalk across the street wearing a white shirt, carrying the Costco bag on his right shoulder.

Living in Kenya was two years ago and yet today, this much later, we still feel the brunt of the heat and humidity although not as badly as in the beginning. It’s kind of like hunger, thirst, or the need for sleep, it’s constant. I suppose the tolerance comes when one makes a decision not to notice it or discuss it as often.

Without a particular plan in place, long ago, we decided to be as tough and resilient as possible, which over time has escalated bit by bit. We’re not totally mindless of physical discomforts, but we continue to strive toward that ultimate goal which may in fact never occur. After all, we are human. 

And, when Tom didn’t complain for days about his abscessed tooth and the resulting discomfort, knowing it was the weekend and there was nothing we could do or… When over the past several days, I was suffering severe pain in my neck from bending my head down for days working on my dysfunctional computer, I, too, kept it to myself until finally the ice pack came out of the freezer and I had no choice but to explain.

Of course, we each prefer to provide love, care, and support to one another during periods of discomfort or pain. But, we’ve found that our own tolerance level can be exacerbated by quietly figuring it out on our own for at least a short period of time.

With the ice pack as my giveaway, I told Tom the issues with my computer which appeared ready to crash, and the resulting “pain in the neck” over the past several days.

My neck joins in with the horrible spinal condition I’ve had for 25 years for which the pain in my back has been remedied by a diet in reducing inflammation. But, the neck, with overuse, seems oblivious to the diet, and every six months or so I find myself hardly able to move my head for a few days.  

The sunny day’s heat in Savusavu was one of the hottest and most humid to date. It felt great to enter the New World Market, which is located across the street at the furthest corner.

My solution to the neck pain is clear; stop looking down…ice often for 20 minutes every few hours…and much to my dislike, take Aleve (after eating) for a few days. This morning I’m greatly improved after ramping up my usual treatment plan.

Yesterday, when we headed out with Ratnesh, I was uncomfortable, in pain, and feeling the heat and humidity more than ever. 

“Let’s get this shopping over as quickly as possible,” I told Tom and also Ratnesh particularly with the intent of alerting him that it wouldn’t be a good day to leave us waiting outside New World market in the heat while he took another distant fare, leaving us to wait for 40 minutes. He readily agreed to pick us up within minutes of our call.

Luckily, the shopping zipped along quickly and easily with no queue at the Vodafone store; the vegetables we wanted were readily available in the Farmers Market; New World grocery had 90% of the items on our list, and Helen at Fiji Meats had returned from the bank and our meats and roasted chicken were packed in minutes.

A mere 75 minutes after we left we were back home. The AC in Ratws34wnesh’s car helped cool us off for a while and although still uncomfortable, we unpacked the groceries and I started the time-consuming process of washing the many bags of vegetables. 

With no pesticides or preservatives used in growing produce in Fiji, cleaning produce is a laborious process ensuring each and every bug is removed and the dirt is carefully washed away. With only 24 inches (.61 meters) of kitchen counter space to work with, the task is particularly challenging.

Yesterday morning, we posted an early photo of Sewak’s garden. In the afternoon, they brought us a bag of produce. Today, I’ll roast some of these for tonight’s dinner.

In many countries produce is sprayed with water and preservatives. When purchased it looks bright and fresh. In most countries we visit, produce isn’t washed arriving at the market straight from the fields, dirt, bugs, bug eaten leaves and all. 

Overall, we love this fact. Yesterday, with bags and bags of dirty, bug covered vegetables in front of me, the heat and humidity at the peak of the day, and my inability to “look down” into the sink, I decided to only do what I could, finishing the rest today.

Tom offered to do it. Since I’ve always handled this task, I knew his frustration level and the time it would take wouldn’t be worth the angst it would cause him (and me).  Luckily, earlier in the day, I’d made dinner’s side dishes; salad and mushroom casserole. With the roasted chickens we’d picked up at Helen’s, dinner would be easy.

Before tackling the task, Tom poured me a fresh mug of iced tea while I changed into one of my cool long sleep shirts. As I cleaned the veggies with my head up, never looking down, I thought about the problems with my laptop. I’m a big user. I usually download no less than 40 gigs of movies and shows a week utilizing many added downloaded apps. None of this should be an issue.

The simple fact is that Windows 8.1 touchscreen is an unstable operating system, plain and simple. After reading about upgrading to Windows 10, we decided against it when it still has numerous bugs yet to be resolved. “Love the one your with,” so I say. Next time we purchase we’ll have few options but for now, we do.

The facts were clear. I had to “refresh” my computer which would remove all my downloaded apps from various websites but would save all of my files and photos (all of which are backed up on a cloud and external hard drive). It would be a time-consuming fix, putting everything back in order and hopefully starting fresh. I started the process after I cleaned the bulk of the veggies.

Tom’s midday snack includes streaky bacon and slices of Haloumi cheese sautéed in ghee.

Sweating like crazy, still “looking up,” hair in a bundle, wearing my “pajamas,” I cringed when I heard voices along the side of the house approaching our veranda. Sewak and his wife, Lita, whom we’d yet to meet, who’d been visiting family in Australia, stopped by for a visit with Badal, our friendly nightly visitor, wagging his tail as they approached.

“Oh my goodness,” I whispered to Tom under my breath, “We have company.” There was nothing I could do but greet them in my nightshirt, sweat pouring down my temples and still “looking up.”

They’d brought along a bag of produce from their garden; white eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini. They also offered us a bag of leftover sweets from Diwala, the Indian holiday celebration for which we posted a story last week. I sadly stated I can’t eat sweets or grains but was grateful for the kind offer. Tom grabbed the bag out of my hands saying, “I’ll eat that!” 

Offering them cold glasses of iced tea, they sat on the sofa and chatted for about an hour. Never mentioning my neck problem or discomfort, I cringed when I had to attend to my laptop a few times that required my attention as the “refresh” process continued. I apologized for the few moments I took my eyes away to attend to a few required clicks.

Then I cringed again when Sewak mentioned they were having trouble getting Skype to work on their ancient laptop which I’d fixed a few months ago. But, not unlike many seniors in today’s world and especially with technology relatively new to Fiji, they didn’t have a clue what to do when they couldn’t seem to be able to call their daughter.

Of course, I offered to fix their computer today at 1:00 pm. Hopefully, by then, the pelting rain will have stopped and I’ll be able to “look down” long enough to walk the treacherous path to their house and to be able to get their laptop working properly. If necessary, we’ll bundle up in our hooded jackets to make our way up the steep walk up the hill to their home.

My laptop is back in business, happily humming along with its “fix” along with the hours I spent late yesterday putting it all back in order. In the heat, I stacked two-bed pillows on my lap to raise it high enough that I only had to divert my eyes, not my neck downwards.

Today, again hot and humid the two pillows are still on my lap and after a fairly restful night, things are finally “looking up.”

Photo from one year ago today, November 20, 2014:

Maui never disappointed with mostly sunny days, perfect warm weather, and gorgeous views. For more details on this date one year ago, please click here.

Trip to town…Nuances in a small village…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
A mooring spot for the locals.

Each Thursday Rasnesh picks us up to take us to go to the village to shop after we’ve completed and uploaded the day’s post.  In most cases, we’re done by 11:30 am.

Timing is everything.  We can’t choose just anytime to go when Rasnesh
takes off for lunch each day around noon and Helen is gone from the her store, Fiji Meats, usually between noon and 2 pm.   Fiji meats is always our last stop after the Vodafone kiosk (data), the Farmers Market and New World Market.

If we wait to go after 2 pm, the Farmers Market had thinned out for the day and its difficult to find items on our list.  Each week, we carefully plan the meals before shopping.  Although its often subject to change when we can’t find basic ingredients such as lettuce, which is never available at New World and is hard to find at the Farmers Market later in the day.

As a result, we’ve chosen 1 pm as our pick up time.  We usually arrive at the Vodafone Kiosk at about 1:20.  The time awaiting our turn varies.  Yesterday, we waited in the queue for at least 15 minutes with only two customers ahead of us.

A fishing boat we’ve often noticed on the road to the village.

Even our turn at the kiosk takes a good 15 minutes when the lovely rep we’ve come to know works quickly to upload the data onto our SIM cards.  Yesterday, we added a total of 48 gigs between our two dongles at a cost of FJD $150, USD $69.40, enough to last another week.

We always purchase data using a promo she provides of 8 gigs for FJD $25, USD $11.57 which is available via a scratch off card.  She enters each scratched off PIN into her phone to activate it.  Yesterday, we purchased six cards.  We could easily purchase the cards, take them home and load the data ourselves.  But, she does is quickly so we wait.  By the time we walked away from the kiosk, it was pushing 2 pm.

Upon entering the Farmers Market, we noticed many vendors had already left for the day.  The pickings were slim but we managed to find everything on our list.  The good looking green beans were long gone.  We settled for what we could get, a single somewhat withered batch for FJD $2, USD $.93.

Finding cabbage and cukes was easy.  We lucked out finding six small bunches of lettuce at a total cost of FJD $9, USD $4.15.  As we headed toward the door, the egg man still had a dozen or so of the 2 1/2 dozen eggs flats. We purchased one flat at FJD $12.50, USD $5.77; fresh, free range and antibiotic free brown eggs, always perfect upon cracking.

Yesterday, this cruise ship we often see from our veranda arrived into port. Passengers were brought into the village via tenders.  Displays of handicrafts were scattered throughout the village to accommodate the ship’s passengers as they shopped for trinkets.
With our yellow insulated Costco beach bag filled to the brim, which on ccasion a few Americans have noticed along the way, we headed to New World Market.  Rasnesh informed us he’d be getting a call around 2 pm to transport another customer, another 40 minute round trip.  There was no way we could avoid waiting for him to return.  As we walked from the Farmers Market to the New World, we saw Helen walking quickly rushing to get back in time for us.  It was a long walk back to her store from the center of the village.  We’d called her earlier in the day saying we’d be there between 2 and 2:30 pm to pick up our standing order.  After the long wait at the kiosk later for Rasnesh, there was no way we’d make it in time.

Arriving at the New World Market we were excited to find they had thick fresh cream, sour cream and cheese ensuring we’d be able to make our salad dressing and various dishes planned throughout the week.  They even had fresh mushrooms but we’d recently had our fill and had decided to take a break.

This boat off the back of the ship was most likely taking passengers snorkeling.

As always, we called Rasnesh as we entered the checkout line only to discover he wouldn’t be back to the village another 40 minutes.  We could either wait outside in the heat or stay inside the market air conditioned comfort,  We found an out-of-the-way spot to wait with our trolley and our purchased and bagged items.

Rasnesh finally arrived apologizing for the wait.  Since he’s the only driver in town that can make it up the steep hill to Mario’s properties, we had no choice but to wait for him. Last week, he’d sent a friend to pick us up when he couldn’t make it back in time.  The drive up the hill was a difficult when the unfamiliar driver struggled with a front wheel drive vehicle. We didn’t complain, although deciding we’d never use a another driver again.Once we arrived at Helen’s, she casually mentioned how she’s rushed to get back by 2 for us.  We apologized profusely for being late when the delays at the kiosk and the 40 minute wait for Rasnesh left us behind schedule.  What could we do?  As regular customers spending around FJD $150, USD $69 each week, she’s always happy to see us regardless of the time.  She understood. 
Leftover fireworks from Diwali celebration were on sale at the market.

Back home by almost 4 pm, I spent the next few hours putting away the groceries and sorting and washing our produce.  In all, we spent a total of FJD $416, USD $192 for groceries plus the cost of the data.

Overall, we’ve spent no more than this amount on any given week, which for living on a island where all food products arrive by ferry, is reasonable.  We don’t purchase laundry products, most cleaning supplies (other than dish soap and toilet bowl cleaner) or toilet paper which are otherwise provided.  Based on expenditures to date we expect to be under our budgeted allowance for groceries while in Fiji by a few hundred dollars.

As compared to other shoppers throughout the world, we don’t purchase snacks, breads, baked goods, chips, ice cream, potatoes, rice or any type of packaged processed foods which cuts down on the grocery bill.

We were facing this candy display as we waited for Rasnesh.  Tom hasn’t purchased candy or junk food since he purchased fudge in Maui last year.

If we consumed those products, we could easily spend FJD $650, USD $300 per week.  Overall, prices are reasonable in Fiji but, we purchase some more expensive imported cheeses, butter and dairy products, mainly from New Zealand.

At 5:30 pm Junior stopped by to replace our only table lamp which had burned out the previous night.  We’ve used this lamp as opposed to the bright overhead lights when dining and watching our shows in the evening.

By 6:30 pm, we were at the table enjoying our meal of Helen’s roasted chicken, green beans, the last of the mushroom casserole, salad and a low carb homemade muffin slathered in that fabulous New Zealand butter.

A pretty yellow flower on the grounds.

As always, Tom did the dishes.  Unfortunate, a gecko fell into his hot dish water and died.  I scrubbed the table with hot soapy water and Tom washed the plastic placemats.  We’re still holding back on the ants.

In our old lives, I’d have jumped into the car leaving Tom behind driving a short distance to the grocery store.  I’d purchase food for the week, load the car and drive home.  In the house, the cable company provided all the data we could use and all the shows we wanted to watch on Demand or DVRs.  Our cellphone contracts provided calls and data as needed. 

There was no gecko poop in the house and ants rarely visited.  But, somehow we love this life, its nuances, its challenges and its never ending rewards and purpose.   Thanks to all of you for sharing this journey with us.

______________________________________

Photo from one year ago, November 13, 2014:

There were high surf warnings in Maui.  Not our photo but a good shot of an expert surfer.  For more details, please click here.

Tom’s haircut in Fiji…Deal of the century…A weird day with some glitches…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Tom, standing outside Kumar’s Hair Salon which generally attracts more men than women. We awaited Tom’s turn while sitting on the bench to the right.

Tom hadn’t had a haircut since July when we were living in Trinity Beach, Australia. It was a typical haircut in a chain type shop not unlike one would find in many major cities that offered both women’s and men’s cuts.  There are no chain-type shops, restaurants, or fast food establishments here in Vanua Levu, Fiji.

A few days ago, Junior decided it was time to fumigate our house after we’ve already been here a full two months. Insect control is often handled in between guest’s coming and goings. After these two months, we’d begun to find black fruit flies with the nastiest bites, comparable to bites from the sandflies in Morocco. 

With dozens of red inflamed bites on my hands, arms, legs, and feet we didn’t hesitate to have Junior fumigation the house. I didn’t ask what chemicals he uses. There was no point in making a big deal. It simply had to be done. With a plan to be shopping part of the day on Thursday, the fumigation at 11 am would be ideal.

View of Savusavu Bay lagoon while we waited for Ratnesh.

He’d planned to run the floor fan for hours afterward ensuring the air was cleared as much as possible.  Considering we don’t even have fruit in the house, it was odd we had fruit flies. 

The only reason we could surmise was from the veggies we continually purchased at the Farmers Market each week. Although I always wash everything as soon as we were home, it’s possible fruit flies could nest in the house.

These insidious creatures are nearly impossible to swat and when I was able to kill a few on my skin, my blood gushed out of them onto the bitten spot. Yuck. When we returned home we could already feel the difference in the air. As much as we’d prefer to live a low chemical lifestyle sometimes we have to weigh which scenario is ultimately more harmful. We opted for chemicals over bloody fruit flies.

Shoppers walked along the short strip mall.

Most often when Rasnesh drops us off in the village, we can plan he’ll be able to pick us up outside the door of the New World Market within 10 minutes of our call to let him know we’re ready. 

The grocery trolleys aren’t able to go outside due to a flight of steps and we have no choice but to carry all of our groceries outside to wait under the overhang in the shade while we wait. This would also include all the produce and eggs we’d purchased earlier at the Farmer’s Market.

After he collects us and our many bags at New World Market we then head a kilometer down the road to Fiji Meats where Helen keeps our standing order under refrigeration. It’s a good plan.

The strip mall is next door to the side entrance to the Farmers Market where we stopped for veggies after the haircut.

I started shopping at the Vodafone kiosk to purchase data while Tom ran across the street to the ATM.  Our only credit card purchases in the village are at the modern grocery store and the pharmacy. The rest, including Vodafone, require cash.  

In most cases, we can complete our litany of shopping stops in about an hour; Vodafone, Farmers Market, and New World in that order. With plenty of cash on hand, we headed to the barbershop Ratnesh had recommended seeing his friend Kumar, the most popular barber in the area. Rathnesh alerted us to the cost for a cut and suggested we let Kumar know we were friends. It helps to “know someone.”

After a few minutes of waiting outside the tiny shop, Ratnesh appeared explaining he had a fare that would take a few hours. He explained he’d return to pick us up as quickly as possible. 

Tom explained his haircut preference to Kumar, who listened attentively to ensure he’s getting it right.

At that point, the later pickup seemed inconsequential. It was a little after 11:20 am and he expected to be back by 1:30 pm, more time than we needed to shop. We’d find a way to stay busy.

There were a few men ahead of Tom. We sat outside the shop on a wobbly wooden bench people watching. The village is packed with the locals doing their shopping. We seldom observe travelers from afar. 

Many coming to Savusavu are staying in resorts and hotels, dining out for most meals requiring only tourist type shopping in the clothing and trinket shops. Seldom do we see tourists in the markets other than those who may be sightseeing.

Kumar assessing how he’d cut Tom’s hair.

As we sat outside awaiting Tom’s turn, we chuckled over the irony of our lives.  Who’d have thought years ago, that we’d be sitting on a wobbly bench in the sweltering heat after living on this fairly remote island for two months so far, absorbing the fascinating sights, sounds, and smells as we embrace the local culture and customs? 

For some odd reason, we feel right at home, sweaty clothes and all, swatting off the flies and frequently extending a heartfelt “bula” to a local passerby. Many in the village may have seen us over and again perhaps assuming we’re here for the “long haul” as newly implanted ex-pats. In this small village, everyone knows one another.

When Tom’s was beckoned into the shop, I followed behind finding a cozy spot to sit. Kumar didn’t mind if I took photos and I took these shown here today.

Kumar did a great job of trimming.

Tom opted for the buzz cut, as Kumar took one swipe after another of his long locks as I watched them fall to the floor. It had been four months since his last haircut.  His rationale for his shortest cut to date was simple. In two months, almost to the day, we’d be on our next cruise and his hair would be the perfect length. 

Kumar performed a meticulous cut. With 13 years in business, he easily knew what he was doing. We were impressed by his attention to detail. Here’s the odd part…the cost…for the haircut taking almost 20 minutes as he fine-tuned his work, it cost a paltry FJD $4, USD $1.85! Tom left another FJD $2, USD $.93 tip which Kumar greatly appreciated. Tipping is not expected or required in Fiji. Total haircut expenditure: FJD $6, USD $2.78!

By the time we wandered through the Farmers Market, it was shortly before noon. Making our purchases, we were out the door in less than 10 minutes. With a shortlist for New World Market which wouldn’t take more than 15 minutes, we decided to kill some time wandering along the shore, taking photos.

The tiny shop contained two makeshift barber chairs.  Zoom in for the price list in Fiji dollars.

It was hot, humid, and “buggie.” After sitting in the shade for a while, we made our way to the pharmacy for band-aids and then took off for the market. The cool air-conditioned air was a welcome relief as we wandered as slowly as possible through the three aisles filling our trolley with the few items we needed. 

At 1:10 pm, I called Rasnesh telling him we were checking out and would be waiting for him outside the store in five minutes. He was still one hour away, having picked up a customer across the island in Labasa at another airport.  How we’d keep our food cold standing outside the store escaped us. Ratnesh suggested he’d send a friend to pick us up within 10 minutes.

That worked for us. Ten minutes later Mickey arrived and we loaded the trunk with our purchases. Now, we’d head to Helen’s to pick up our roasted chickens and meat and we’d be done. 

The shop was clean, although tiny including the sale of products including sunglasses.

“Oh, oh,” Tom said, “There’s Helen walking down the road on her way to the bank!” The meat market would be closed in her absence. When we drove up to her shop, there was a note taped to the door that read, “Back at 2 pm.” It was 1:25.

We could hardly ask Mickey to wait for 35 minutes. We asked him to take us home and we’d figure it out later.  As we approached the house, groceries in hand, we heard a loud irritating noise. 

As it turned out Junior had left the fan on high oscillate mode to clear the air after the extermination and the fan broke from the housing causing it to rattle against the cage. We shut it off.

The hot, humid weather inspired Tom to go for the shortest cut he’s had yet.

OK.  We had no dinner prepared when we’d planned to eat one of the two roasted chickens we weren’t able to pick up. The fan we move back into the bedroom at night wasn’t working and we were hot and sweaty with no relief in sight by bedtime.

Once we put away the perishables, I sat down at my computer and notified Mario explaining the fan dilemma.  Then, I called Ratnesh asking if he had enough cash on him to pay for and pick up our meat and bring it out to us before Helen closed the shop at 5 pm. He agreed. Then, I called Helen, who’d returned to the store, letting her know Ratnesh was picking up and paying for our meat.

Within minutes, Junior arrived taking the fan with him to make the repairs. By 5 pm, Ratnesh arrived with the meat. We reimbursed him for the meat, asking him how much extra he wanted for picking up the meat. We agreed to an extra FJD $5, USD $2.36. By 5:20, junior returned with the fan, in tip-top shape after his repairs.  We were thrilled.

Boats in Savusavu Bay lagoon.

By 5:30, the produce was washed and refrigerated, the dinner salad was chilling, the huge bag of green beans was cleaned and washed and we sat down to play Gin for an hour before dinner.

Amid these relatively innocuous inconveniences, we stayed calm and optimistic that all would work out. We were more concerned over the fan than any of it. We could have easily whipped up something for dinner. 

View of Savusavu Bay lagoon.

The biting fruit flies were gone. Tom won the Gin game and we have a lovely dinner of roasted chicken, salad, green beans, and a low carb muffin slathered in New Zealand butter. We watched a few shows after dinner and had a restful night. Life is good.

Photo from one year ago today, November 6, 2014:

Overall, groceries were more expensive in Hawaii. However, with the fact, as shown here that we purchase no junk food, we can get by for less cost than others may. We used the unsweetened chocolate for making low carb fudge made with cream cheese, butter, and chocolate. We’ve been unable to find the ingredients to make fudge in Fiji. For more details on grocery shopping in Maui, please click here.

Part 2…Best anniversary day imaginable!…Reeling from a memorable experience at the world famous Namale Resort & Spa!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Namale Resort & Spa spares nothing in providing the ideal tropical holiday.

Again this year, Namale Resort & Spa has been the winner of the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame Award and has earned a Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years in the categories of accommodation, romance and luxury.

One of the two pools available for all guests. Some of the villas have private pools.

Whether a guest desires an adventure hike through a rainforest to a hidden waterfall, a horseback ride along the beach or a heart-pounding scuba dive into the Koro Sea, it is all available at Namale Resort & Spa.

Frog statue at one of the pools.

For more low-key activities, a private, secluded meal can be arranged anywhere on the grounds, inside the guest’s bure, villa, or a quiet picnic on the beach or at the deck overlooking the blow hole.

There was a pumpkin carving event scheduled in this recreational area in the afternoon, based on our tour day as Halloween in many countries.  It would be an adult-only event when Namale is an adult-only (16 and over) environment.

For the sports inclined, there’s a nine-hole golf course, fitness centre, volleyball and tennis courts and an indoor basketball court. At the Kava Bowl indoor entertainment center, there’s a golf simulator, two bowling lanes, billiard tables, ping pong, and darts and of course, wifi available in the cool, comfortable surroundings.

Bana, the scuba dive master/instructor and host.  We enjoyed our chat with him as with several other staff members.

As we wandered through the property reveling in one artfully built building after another, it was easy to imagine oneself in this inviting and relaxing environment. Celebrities from all over the world come to Namale Resort & Spa for a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of life in the public eye.

Filo is the perfect tour guide and hostess for our extensive tour of the property.

Then again, those who select Namale for their wedding, anniversary or much deserved respite from everyday life can easily float amid its lush and inviting surroundings to escape the rigors of everyday life.

Guests are encouraged to write their names and date of their visit on these individual stones to remain on-site for years to come. When enough accumulate, they are made into a walking path. How enjoyable it would be to return years later to find one’s stone remaining!  What a unique personal touch while overall signifies the message at Namale.

Let’s face it, we’ve visited numerous resorts throughout our travels, many in the five star category, even one designated as seven-star (go figure) in Abu Dhabi, UAE that we visited in 2013, the Emirates Palace Hotel (click here for our post and photos). 

Tennis courts available for day or night use with equipment on-site, easy to access. 

No other resorts appealed to our tastes more than Namale Resort & Spa, not for its opulence but for the manner in which it embraces nature, and the manner in which every staff member strives to fulfill the needs, desires and interests of each guest for their recurring holiday/vacation or a once-in-a-lifetime visit to this perfect getaway.

This beach scene with comfortable chaise lounges in the sand reminded us of resorts we visited on the Indian Ocean in Kenya.

Our lunch was far beyond our expectations. Having perused many restaurant menus in Savusavu, we decided dining out here (as was the case in Trinity Beach, Australia) would be difficult with my highly restrictive diet.  With good health paramount to our travels, straying from my way of eating is never an option, even in doing so by accident. 

The fitness centre with the latest and greatest equipment.

We must admit that dining at Namale Resort & Spa was our first meal in a restaurant since our last cruise ended on June 11th when we dined aboard ship on the final night in a specialty restaurant with our newly made friends, Renee and Geoff. 

The Kava Bowl (no kava served here, although cocktails are available) is the full service recreational building including two bowling lanes, game tables and golf simulator. 

We’ve had tremendous good fortune with meals on our past 11 cruises with chefs readily accommodating my diet although I must carefully monitor the process at each meal to ensure accuracy. In a single visit to a local restaurant such diligence is not to be expected or likely.  

The second shared swimming pool.

We’ve missed dining out, not so much to give me a break from cooking which I don’t require but, more so for the enjoyment of sitting together in a new setting, enjoying the surroundings and hopefully good service and food.

Namale’s name is derived from the name of this tree, located outside the basketball courts and sports building.

Then again, there’s Tom, who eat whatever he wants on cruise ships and when dining in restaurants with no complaint or evil eye from me.  n fact, I go as far as encouraging him to take advantage of the opportunity and to eat and drink to his heart’s content when he only partakes of my diet when we dine at “home.”

Shivani, the spa director was delightful as she toured us through the exquisite spa.

That’s exactly what he did at Namale Resort & Spa. The bread basket was his first foray into his perception of the ultimate dining experience, replenished once by our lovely and attentive, server Topou, who couldn’t have provided more perfect service. 

An extensive menu of services is offered by the spa including “couples” massages and services.

He didn’t stop eating the soft “squishy” buns until after the fifth and still had room for a frosty banana Pina Colada, his delicious three-course meal, including the addition of my dessert to his dessert plate.

The view beyond the massage tables in the couple’s massage room.

The chef easily accommodated my food restrictions with a perfectly cooked plate of steak fajitas, minus the usual tortillas, and the starter of a grilled shrimp salad, all well within the range of my restrictions.

Villi, our friendly driver, who ensured we had a bit of riding time during the tour of the expansive property which encompasses 525 acres.

The flavor, presentation and service for each of the three courses of our meal couldn’t have been more to our liking as shown in these photos. The timing, an important element in fine dining and multiple course service, was extraordinary, leaving us never feeling rushed or in want of a plate being cleared.  Even my unsweetened iced tea was flavorful with lots of ice, as I prefer.

Tom was thrilled with his first cocktail, since June 10th on our last cruise. He was working on the first of his delicious warm buns slathered with butter.

Whether it was the spa, where we met and were toured by the spa director Shivani through one of the most amazing spas we’ve seen, to the drive in the golf cart by Villi or the walks among the many pathways with Filo to hidden treasures at every turn, we were continually impressed by the staff. 

We both had this refreshing shrimp salad as our first course, all of which worked for my diet.

One of our most enjoyable conversations was with Bana, the scuba dive master who’s warmth and personality kept us longing for more idle chatter with him. Nowdla, the co-general manager, in her obvious love for Namale Resort & Spa and Fiji, couldn’t have been more delightful and thoughtful in providing us with an ideal visit to this special place.

Tom’s beer-battered fish, chips and red cabbage which he thoroughly enjoyed stating he hadn’t had fried fish this good in years.

At the end of our day, we wandered back to the reception area where we again thanked the staff. While Tom sat in the cooling breeze in the outdoor lobby, I wandered through the gift shop wondering, if I was a “usual” tourist, what would I bring “home.” The offerings were many, all of high quality as expected, with many especially intriguing options.

My fajita meal was three good-sized chunks of tenderloin cooked to perfection on a bed of grilled vegetables and salsa. It couldn’t have been more wonderful.

Soon, Ratnesh arrived to return us to our temporary home in Savusavu. The almost four hours from door to door experience had flown by, leaving us with smiles on our faces for an experience and anniversary celebration we’ll always remember.

We’ll continue to post more Namale photos over the next few days. However, we have new stories awaiting upcoming posts that we’re excited to share as we continue on.

Tom’s double  portion of lemon merengue pie with blueberry coulis included my portion which I had to decline.

At the moment, as I prepare this post, Tom is in the chair next to mine as we overlook the sea, while he’s watching the Minnesota Vikings game on his laptop that aired on US TV at noon on Sunday, Minnesota time, which was 7 am here in Fiji this morning, Monday (after yesterday’s time change).  You can take the boy out of Minnesota but you can’t take the Minnesota out of the boy, including eating the five delicious rolls at Namale Resort & Spa.

Photo from one year ago today, November 2, 2014:

This must have been pretty before it began to fade away. For more details from the post one year ago, please click here.

Part 1…Best anniversary day imaginable!…Reeling from a memorable experience at the world famous Namale Resort & Spa!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments

Inside the reception building, we asked a staff member to take our photo at Namale Resort & Spa as we celebrated our three year anniversary of traveling the world with a tour and lunch at the world renowned resort. 

Where do we begin?  It’s nearly impossible to describe the wonderful day we had yesterday on our third anniversary of traveling the world at the world renowned Tony Robbins Namale Resort & Spa, only a 30 minute drive from our current home in Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji.

The drive on a private road into Namale Resort & Spa, situated in a dense rainforest, gave us only a glimpse of the 525 acres of paradise which lie ahead.

Here are a few accolades regarding this upscale resort:

“#1 Most Romantic Resort in the South Pacific”
TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards

“One of the top 50 most romantic places on earth.”
Luxury Magazine

“All time winner of the resorts and great hotels of the world connoisseur choice award.”
Architectural Digest cover

The list of awards and recognition for this outstanding resort are as expected as the memorable experiences made for travelers who visit from all over the world, unsurpassed in many ways in its exquisite beauty, situated on 525 acres of rainforests, ocean cliffs and pristine beaches.

Throughout the grounds, there is minimal structured landscaping as often found in five star resorts, instead taking advantage of the natural beauty and vegetation which provides a backdrop to the many aspects of the resort.

Recently in June, Namale Resort & Spa celebrated its 25th anniversary while it continues to be heralded as one of the finest in the world in its service, amenities and unique design, more than any other resorts one may have visited in the past.

Sure, we could spend this entire post espousing the attributes of this upscale resort but, as our worldwide readers are well aware, we tend to share our personal experiences included into a review of any type of property.

As we neared Namale Resort & Spa, a sense of excitement washed over us both, having heard many positive comment about this property over these past few months we’ve spent living in Vanua Levu.

Over the next few days, we’ll excitedly share many photos and experiences we enjoyed at Namale over an almost four hour period we spent onsite, observing as much as possible of its endless offerings, its exemplary staff and its abundance of natural beauty so thoughtfully incorporated into its unique surroundings.

Its not easy to grasp the magnitude of 525 acres as we rode on a six passenger golf cart with our tour guide and hostess, Filo and friendly driver, Villi.  On occasion, Villi was radioed to attend to other guests and we continued joyfully on foot with Filo. 

Filo was gracious and thorough in her tour of the vast property.  With full occupancy, we weren’t able to see the interior of any of the villas although more detailed photos may be found online at Namale Resort & Spa.

It was a hot and humid day but with nary a complaint we wandered about the vast property on foot able to easily gain access to the many ocean scenes that mesmerized guests who’ve found this astounding resort for their honeymoon, an anniversary, or a quiet therapeutic get away, most certainly at a premium cost.

Many travelers from throughout the world choose to visit Namale Resort & Spa for its seminars held a few times each year, held in its onsite seminar facilities.

The views are varied in their breathtaking beauty.

With rates beginning at approximately USD $1,400, FJD $3017 per night and up, depending on choice of accommodations, this resort isn’t for many travelers. Unfortunately, an overnight stay at Namale Resort & Spa didn’t fit into our world travel budget, although we were appreciative to have had the opportunity for our visit. 

The all inclusive resort is closed to outside dining guests but, accommodations were made for our visit, tour and lunch, all of which far surpassed our expectations.

A few weeks ago, we shared a glimpse of this swimming raft available exclusively for Namale’s guests when we visited the Blue Lagoon from the opposite side of the bay.

As explained by our host, Nowdla Keefe, co-general manager, who’d arranged our visit and stopped by our table during our meal,  80% of guests are from the US, many of whom may have been familiar with its owner and creator, the highly regarded personal and business motivational speaker and finance strategist, Tony Robbins.

Having personally attended several of his US seminars over my business career, many of his philosophies still remain embedded into my brain yet today as is the case for many who followed his wisdom and career over the decades. 

With accommodations for 44 guests, the marina is small but situated in a quiet cove.  Many tourists visit for snorkeling and scuba diving in the coral reef surrounding the property.

However, we visited Namale Resort and Spa with a scrutinous eye, not blinded by past experience, intended to examine its many offerings with our three year’s of non-stop world travel experience, no longer enthralled with opulence as a definitive medium of excellence and integrity.

Each narrow pebbled path leads to yet another pleasing view.

We were never disappointed as Filo wowed us, time after time, over the care and consideration exercised throughout the design, development and the maintenance of this fine property, which in its 25 years, never appeared dated or tired as many five star resorts many may succumb to over time.

Technology was at its most current, as was each of its many recreational areas, utilizing the most up-to-date equipment and amenities. Nothing was spared in presenting an appearance and sense of what would expect to find in an upscale resort built today, even in this remote island paradise.

There is one inviting seating area after another near restaurants and activity areas.  The palm laying on the deck are being used to make a variety of decorative items used in the resort.

Above all, we were most impressed by the gentle, calming nature of the extraordinary conscientious staff, eager to please at every point. 

In tomorrow’s post, we’ll share photos of a few of the fine staff members we had the opportunity to meet and engage in conversation, truly one of the highlights of our special day.  Plus, we’ll be including photos of the many recreational and amenities buildings located on this fine property and of course, our memorable lunch.

See you soon with much more!

__________________________________________


Photo from one year ago today, November 1, 2014:

Last year’s two year travel anniversary was relatively uneventful with a disappointing dinner in a local restaurant in Maui, although we were happy and grateful to celebrate another year.  For details, please click here.

Response to requested shopping photos, cars…Preparing for the next location…Three year ago photo from Tom’s retirement party…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We now purchase all of our eggs from this vendor at the Farmer’s Market closest to the door when the local egg lady, Kusma, was too hard to get to up the steep mountainous road, even for Rasnesh’s vehicle. The tray of two and a half dozen tray of chemical and antibiotic-free eggs is FJD $12.50, USD $5.36.  To date, we haven’t encountered one bad egg.

A week or so ago, one of our readers posted a comment requesting we include more photos of the village of Savusavu, the cars, and the stores where we shop each week. We hadn’t paid much attention to the types of cars in Savusavu. With the suggestion from our reader, we made an effort to notice finding they are the same types of cars and trucks found in any city, nothing unusual. 

This is the Vodafone kiosk where we purchase data almost every week. There is a friendly and fun rep in this store that we’ve come to know, a young woman in her 20’s, very adept and knowledgeable making the experience enjoyable. Usually, there’s little waiting.

Based on what Mario explained all vehicles imported to the island may be as much as 20% higher than the cost in larger countries. Then again, most vehicles are imported to their final destination in today’s day and age.

We spotted no American models with the steering wheel on the right-hand side. Most were models manufactured in Asia and Europe. Few native Fijians drive. Most cars and trucks are owned or driven by ex-pats, rentals, farmers and taxis, local businesses including resorts and hotels, police, and medical services.

This tiny chemist shop has more inventory packed into this tiny space than imaginable. One need only ask for an item and they happily scrounge around until they find it. The owner, of Muslim heritage, refused to allow interior and staff photos which we’ve encountered and respected in Morocco and other Muslim countries. 

As we’ve mentioned, we didn’t rent a car here when the steep dirt road to the house requires a four-wheel-drive including in dry weather. With the outrageous cost of renting a four-wheel drive for three months, well into the $1000’s per month, we opted for highly regarded and never disappointing Rasnesh.

In the past several days, we began researching our next location in Pacific Harbour, Viti Levu.  It’s hard to believe that in 39 days we’ll be leaving Savusavu and flying out on the little airplane to Nadi. We were checking on whether we should rent a car there or not.

This is an example of cars we’ve seen in Fiji, not necessarily including the exterior décor.

Contacting Susan, the owner of the house, she suggested a shuttle company for the 95km drive from the airport to the house and local drivers as opposed to renting a car for local trips. 

The Hibiscus Highway runs through the village.  It was quiet when we took this photo last week.

Checking rates online, the lowest we were able to find was USD $1,400, FJD $2,988 for a one-month rental, plus taxes and fees, most likely ending close to USD $2,000, FJD $4269. Also, many of the shops and restaurants are within walking distance of the house or only a short ride. For the reasonable prices of drivers in Fiji, if we went out every day we’d never spend half as much as we would for a rental car. 

The front door of the Farmer’s Market.  No signage is posted at this entrance.

Apparently, Pacific Heights shopping and tours will be comparable to what we’ve found in and about Savusavu.  For our grocery needs; meat, veggies, and some dairy, even the smaller markets will be able to accommodate us. Susan explained there are a few vegetable stands within walking distance.

A side entrance to the Farmer’s Market. To the far right are the freezers when fresh-caught fish is stored.

As for the local shopping in Savusavu, we’ve managed to find everything we could possibly want or need between the meat market, Farmer’s Market, and the three aisle grocery store as shown in today’s photos. In reality, my way of eating makes grocery shopping easy. What location doesn’t have a source of animal protein, vegetables, and dairy?

The Farmer’s Market is huge with dozens of vendors offering fresh produce. Most of the vendors purchase the produce directly from the local farmers to sell here each day.

Recently, we were asked if we eat dairy. Many have chosen to avoid dairy entirely for health reasons. Were either of us sensitive to it, we’d do the same. We aren’t. We use thick whole cream for coffee and cooking; full-fat cheese, full-fat sour cream (for salad dressing recipes), and full-fat cream cheese (when available), mostly in cooking as opposed to eating individually. 

A vendor stocking his freezer with fish. We’ve chosen not to purchase this fish when most of it is “reef fish” which can cause bacterial infections when sewage flows to the sea, staying in the reef areas.

Neither of us has any issues with digestion. We avoid yogurt when most have added sugars, even in the plain full-fat version. Cultured full fat sour cream provides good probiotics without added sugars. Many sour cream brands sold in the US are not cultured unless specifically stated on the label.

This vendor has been our first stop each week. Typically, we purchase cabbage and tomatoes from her. Last week, we passed on the tomatoes when they weren’t ripe enough for our immediate use.

Many may say, why do we consume dairy when we basically consume a very low carb, starch-free, sugar-free, and grain-free “paleo” type diet?  The limitations of the way we eat including full-fat low carb dairy in moderation have added much-desired variety avoiding boredom from eating a slab of protein, a veggie, and a salad night after night.

These Fijian women were sitting on the floor while one gave the other a massage.

With many recipes in a folder on my desktop including various combinations of the above items including some dairy, we’re able to enjoy a varied and fulfilling diet, many of which can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, including chopping and dicing time. A few take longer but, what else do I have to do with my time?

Taro, a popular starch product commonly used in Fijian cooking.

With Shalote and Usi handling the cleaning and laundry, I have the second half of each day to do as I please. The only cleaning I tackle is sweeping the floor after preparing meals and cleaning the kitchen and bathroom after use. 

Almost daily, I hand wash kitchen towels hanging them outdoors to dry mainly as a means of keeping the ants under control. With a few newly implemented procedures we’ve successfully kept the ants away over the past several days. 

As mentioned, the New World Market has three grocery aisles and is often out of products we use. There’s been no “plunger” coffee for the past three weeks.  We buy celery and carrots here as opposed to the Farmer’s Market.  For some unknown reason, these two items are fresher here.  The woman leaning against the produce bin assists with bagging the produce and then weighs it on a hanging kilogram scale. Tom always pushes the trolley.

After dinner, Tom does a thorough cleaning of the dishes, the countertop, and washing the placemats while I scrub the dining table with hot soapy water to ensure not a single crumb remains. By washing the exterior of the refrigerator each day and washing the handle after each opening, we haven’t seen an ant on the fridge in days.

We don’t purchase much in this aisle, the center of three aisles in the market. It contains laundry and cleaning products on this end and soda and chips on the other end, none of which we use.

It’s taken a while to figure out this ant thing but now, we think we’ve got it covered. We have a small can of ant killer spray which Tom uses outside around the trashcan after a thorough washing in hot soapy water. Daily trash removal is vital to keeping the ants under control.

We purchase little in this aisle when it contains toiletries, candy, paper products, and canned goods. At the far end is another small section with baking supplies, and freezers with frozen meat and vegetables, ice cream, and miscellaneous items, none of which we purchase.

Today and over the next several days, we’re including all new photos of outings and road trips we’ve taken in Vanua Levu, not necessarily related to one another. We’re coming up to two outings, one tomorrow (Thursday) and another on our upcoming three-year anniversary on October 31st (Saturday) with many new photos to share. Please stay tuned.

Have a fabulous day! 

Photo from one year ago today, October 28, 2014:

A lava flow advances across the pasture between the Pahoa cemetery and Apaa Street, engulfing a barbed wire fence, near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii on Sunday.
A year ago, we were worried about the flow of the lava from Mount Kilauea which at the time was heading directly to the neighborhood where the two houses we’d rented for the upcoming family visit over Christmas. Luckily, after arrival in Pahoa on the Big Island, the lava diverted its flow and we could stop worrying. Please read here for details.

 Photo from three years ago, taken at Tom’s retirement party, only days before we left Minnesota:

At that point, we were using my cell phone for photos. Oh, how times have changed. Please click here for details.