Controversial thoughts to share…A new delicious recipe…Living life on our terms…Tom’s sunrise photos…

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An amazing sunrise over Trinity Beach, Australia.

Yesterday, we decided to grocery shop one day early when I needed a few ingredients to make a new favorite side dish (see recipe below) for dinner. I know. We make a new item that becomes a favorite and we make it over and over again.

When we tire of the item, we stop making it for a while to bring it up again in the future, perhaps months or a year later. Why not? Some may say, “Spread it out over time, savoring it each time.”

We do savor it each time until we don’t. Besides, we’re living life on our terms and if we want to eat the same side dish night after night, we can. That’s one of the aspects of our lives, we absolutely love. The only rules we follow are:

a.  Laws in our current location
b.  Filing and paying US taxes

Self-imposed rules:
a.  Follow our personal moral code: kindness, consideration, honesty, and integrity
b.  Health as a priority:  good food, good sleep, exercise, Vitamin D from sunlight, and a positive attitude
c.  Harmony in our relationship with one another, those we love, and all others
d.  Spirituality based on our personal beliefs, not imposed upon others
e.  Tolerance of each other and the lives and choices of others
f.   Making a difference in the lives of others less fortunate, not writing about it, bragging/talking about it. 

Of course, there are the obvious self-imposed rules of paying bills, keeping our environment clean and tidy, cooking meals, doing laundry. Those are a “given.”

In reviewing these “rules” in our lives, we see no rule that says we can’t eat the same salad, the same side dish or the same snack day after day, meal after meal. We like it that way.

I’m always impressed by how well he captures sunrises and sunsets.

So much of our old lives were dictated by expectations; some self-imposed, others imposed by others, and many imposed upon us by society either globally or locally. 

If we didn’t follow suit on some of these expectations, there were often some type of consequences; some imposed upon ourselves via guilt and bad feelings and others imposed upon us by rejection or the obvious disappointment of others, spoken or unspoken.

Example: What if we stayed inside on Halloween with the lights out? What if we didn’t buy the Christmas wreath from the neighbor’s son? What if we didn’t attend a friend’s daughter’s gift opening the morning after the wedding? What if we didn’t attend a family gathering at a campground that included a two-hour drive each way? What if we didn’t help a friend move?

It changes so quickly.

Does not doing these things make us selfish people? In our old lives, we thought so. Now, as we look back at all of these types of situations we realize we may have and could have chosen to respond differently, living life on our terms while still providing a modicum of love and caring to those around us. 

In essence, we did too much, at times as a result of love and desire to please and at other times due to a sense of responsibility. At other times, we didn’t do enough. Isn’t that really how it is? Aren’t we all similar in this manner and yet, we seldom, if ever, discuss it and most certainly, never write it down?

The magic is almost gone.

The simplicity of our lives now is difficult to describe. In step and in sync with one another, life is infinitely easy.  Guilt is not within our realm of feelings. The day to day responsibilities we bear are easy to fulfill with nary a moment or feeling of pressure or discomfort. 

Our biggest challenge is the upcoming two travel days beginning on September 7th, ending on the 8th when we land on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji. Sure, there are ups and downs, annoyances, flight changes, waiting in lines, and an occasional feeling of uneasiness and uncertainty. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t have these apprehensions.

And then, the sun appears.  Our world is truly magical.

Overall, living life on our terms wherever we may be is for us, the ultimate choice for happiness in these remaining years of our lives. Some have criticized us for making these choices. How could we leave those we love behind? We didn’t choose this life to leave those we love behind. We chose this life to move ourselves forward.

Here’s the above-mentioned recipe:

Jess’ Low Carb Mushroom Casserole  
15.6 carb grams for the entire recipe  
Easy prep 
12 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped onion  
1/2 stick grass-fed butter  
1/3 cup heavy cream  (not half and half)
1 large free-range egg  
2 large free-range egg yolks  
1 cup grated Swiss or, if not available grated mozzarella
Salt, pepper, garlic salt

Preheat oven to 375F, 190C. Line a medium-sized baking pan with parchment paper or coat generously with butter.

Saute the mushrooms and onion in the butter. Add the seasonings and cook for about 4 minutes., stirring occasionally.  In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Cool the mushrooms and onions for about 20 minutes and then combine all the ingredients.  Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake 30 minutes (sometimes longer). 

Once cooled, we cut this recipe into 6 squares each having one square with dinner each of three evenings. We add a protein, veggie, and salad for a fabulous easy low carb, grain-free, starch-free meal. Last night, I had lamb chops while Tom had pork chops. With this dish as a side and another side of steamed green beans with a small number of julienne carrots, large romaine lettuce, and diced celery salad, we had a wonderful meal. 

Later in the evening, for a sweet snack we each had homemade low carb coconut macaroons. (I used the remaining eggs whites from the above recipe to use in the making of the macaroons).

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

No photos were posted on this date one year ago in Paris when we had to catch an early train to Versailles. However, we had a very busy day on the 7th which included a fabulous museum visit we’ll share tomorrow and dinner at the highly popular gourmet restaurant, Les Ombres. For more details, please click here.

Further explorations of this amazing area…Holloways Beach…An exciting sighting…

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Finally, we were able to take photos of Cockatoos.

Yesterday, we took off after I worked out at the local fitness center. From now on, I’ll leave a pair of shorts in the car when my spandex workout pants are too hot to wear while walking outdoors.

Strait on the Beach, a café and store on the beach.

We started our tour for the day at Holloways Beach which is very close to Cairns, the big city where the airport is located. Having heard there was a cute café on the beach, it was worth checking out. 

The quaint outdoor setting at the café.

Perhaps, we’d stop for a beverage while overlooking the ocean or return at another time for a meal. We’d had breakfast before we left the house in the morning and wouldn’t be hungry again until dinnertime.

The interior of the café in Holloways Beach.

Unfortunately, the quaint café didn’t have anything on the menu that would work for me so we continued on, knowing that we had our iced tea in the car and a home-cooked meal ahead of us in the evening.

Few visitors were on the beach.

The restaurant required visitors to stand in line, place their orders, and then pay. With as seldom as we dine out, we prefer to have a server take our food orders deliver the food, and subsequently the bill. 

We checked out the neighborhood, the beach, and the rainforested areas and didn’t spot a thing until Tom immediately pulled to the curb when he spotted something exciting in a park and playground area as we drove through a quiet neighborhood.

There were no less than a dozen what is referred to as Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. Here’s some information on these popular local birds, at times known to be pests:

“In Australia, sulfur-crested cockatoos can be found widely in the north and east, ranging as far south as Tasmania, but avoiding arid inland areas with few trees. They are numerous in suburban habitats in cities such as Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, and Brisbane. Except for highland areas, they occur throughout most of New Guinea and on nearby smaller islands such as Waigeo, Misool, and Aru, and various islands in the Cenderawasih Bay and Milne Bay.

Within Australia, sulfur-crested cockatoos of the nominate race have also been introduced to Perth, which is far outside the natural range. Outside Australia, they have been introduced to Singapore, where their numbers have been estimated to be between 500 and 2000. They have also been introduced to Palau and New Zealand.

In New Zealand, the introduced populations may number less than 1000. This species has also been recorded as established in Hawaii and from various islands in Wallacea (e.g. Kai Islands and Ambon), but it is unclear if it has managed to become established there.

Holloways Beach in Cairns.

Their distinctive raucous call can be very loud; it is adapted to travel through the forest environments in which they live, including tropical and subtropical rainforests. These birds are naturally curious, as well as very intelligent. They have adapted very well to European settlement in Australia and live in many urban areas.

The flock of Cockatoos was busy foraging for food.

These birds are very long-lived and can live upwards of 70 years in captivity, although they only live to about 20–40 years in the wild. They have been known to engage in geophagy, the process of eating clay to detoxify their food. These birds produce a very fine powder to waterproof themselves instead of oil as many other birds do.

The sulfur-crested cockatoo is a seasonal breeder in Australia, little is known about its breeding behaviour in New Guinea. In southern Australia, the breeding season is from August to January, whereas in northern Australia the season is from May to September. The nest is a bed of wood chips in a hollow in a tree. Like many other parrots it competes with others of its species and with other species for nesting sites. Two to three eggs are laid and incubation lasts between 25–27 days. Both parents incubate the eggs and raise the nestlings. The nestling period is between 9 to 12 weeks, and the young fledglings remain with their parents for a number of months after fledging.

It was interesting to see how adept Cockatoos are with their claws.

A 2009 study involving an Eleonora cockatoo (the subspecies Cacatua galerita Eleonora) named Snowball found that sulfur-crested cockatoos are capable of synchronizing movements to a musical beat.

Species that feed on the ground are very vulnerable to predator attack. The cockatoo has evolved a behavioural adaptation to protect against this: whenever there is a flock on the ground, there is at least one high up in a tree (usually a dead tree), keeping guard. This is so well known that it has even entered Australian slang: a person keeping guard for sudden police raids on illegal gambling gatherings is referred to as a cockatoo or cocky for short.”

Stopping again to check the surroundings.

On numerous occasions, we’ve spotted cockatoos flying in the yard. By the time I’d grab the camera, they would be long gone. Cockatoos seem to alight in the trees for only seconds, but yesterday’s flock was busy foraging for food on the ground although they were well aware of us watching them at a distance. We never got out of the car to avoid disturbing them. As a result, our photos aren’t ideal, all taken from quite a distance.

This one stopped looking for food to look at us wondering if we were a threat.

After leaving Holloways Beach we headed to the Cattana Wetlands, a location we’ll soon visit again. Wearing those spandex pants on the hot sunny day, I felt as if I was encased in a plastic bag, sweating like a fool as we walked. However, we walked for about an hour, taking a number of exquisite photos which we’re excited to share tomorrow. 

Holloways Beach wasn’t quite as scenic as some of the other beaches we’ve visited in Cairns.

Upon leaving the Cattana Wetlands we returned to the fish market near Yorkeys Knob. We’d already run out of the fabulous smoked fish we’d purchased several days ago which had been a perfect accompaniment to cheesy scrambled eggs and bacon.

There were no less than 18 Cockatoos in the flock.

Today, we’re heading back to the travel agency to pick up the paperwork for the airline tickets we purchased on Monday and grab a few items from the market. Who knows what the remainder of the day holds for us? 

For our friends and family in the US…have a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July weekend!

                                               Photo from one year ago today, July 3, 2014:

One year ago today, we booked our upcoming stay in January in New Zealand, living on an Alpaca Farm while we tour the country by car. Of course, we won’t have to do any work on the farm with the owners living in another house on the property. For more details, please click here.

Barramundi…Tom bit the bullet…

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We stumbled upon the Preston Fresh Seafood Wholesaler on our drive to Yorkeys Knob which is a quick five-minute drive from our home in Trinity Beach.  With many more items I like to try, we’ll surely be returning soon.

While making dinner last night I was apprehensive for two reasons; one, Tom doesn’t like fish and two, it was the first time I was making Barramundi, a locally caught fish, popular in Australian restaurants which we mentioned on the day we visited the pier in Palm Cove.

Their colorful signs in the somewhat remote location made it easier to spot from the highway.

With my forgiving taste buds, I had no fear that I’d like the fish. Tom, on the other hand, is picky and normally won’t eat fish let alone a wide array of other foods and vegetables making cooking for him challenging at times. 

As a result, it’s not unusual for me to make two separate meals to allow myself variety and to try new foods befitting my way of eating. Yesterday, I’d offered to make Tom a steak and give him a small piece of fish to try, but he insisted he’d give the fish a try.

When we arrived at the wholesale fish market, we were intrigued by what could possibly be “cooked bugs.” Could this possibly be some type of sea “insect?”  Check out the photo below of “cooked bugs.”

Usually, for myself, I’ll grill fish instead of sautéing it with garlic, spices, butter, and olive oil. I knew Tom wouldn’t like it grilled. Last night I prepared a bowl of beaten egg with cream and a plate of seasoned almond flour, dipping the fish into the creamy egg mixture and then into the almond flour. 

I preheated the only skillet in this house with an equal mix of coconut oil and olive oil in a medium-sized non-stick type which I wouldn’t normally use if stainless steel was available, keeping it from getting too hot due to the pan’s coating.

Gee, we’ve never seen scallops in the shell. We can imagine a plate of six of these covered in almond flour and Parmesan-crusted buttery topping. Tom likes scallops so this will be a no-brainer.

The fish was so thick, it took a good 12 minutes, turning it once to ensure it was cooked thoroughly but not overcooked. Without a lid for the pan, it had to cook longer than usual while I kept a watchful eye.

Finally, I plated our meals and we sat down to dinner at the dining room table. I tried not to watch Tom’s face as he took the first bite, instead focusing on my own delicious plate of food. The fish was mild, cooked perfectly without a single bone to be found.

These are “large cooked bugs” which are similar to crab but according to the salesperson, they taste similar to prawns. Next time we visit, we’ll try a few of these.

After his plate was clean, he turned to me and said, “It was OK.” Oh. What an enthusiastic response. Then again, that’s a typical response for Tom or, shall I say for many men who a less inclined to “jump for joy” than us more enthusiastic women. Sorry, women, for the stereotyping but men are different than us in some ways, aren’t they?

Will I make this for him again while we’re in Australia?  Most likely not. I was grateful he tried it once. And, if I make it for me, most likely I’d grill it to avoid making such a mess on the stovetop especially when the oil spattered when I turned the fish with a less than ideal spatula and hot grease hit the stovetop and a few spots on my hand. No big deal.

We selected a filet from this batch.  Keep in mind, for those of you reading from countries not using the metric system, AUD $32.50 per kilo translates to 2.2 pounds which would be USD $14.77 per pound, not too bad for fresh (never frozen) wild-caught fish. We purchased about one pound of which Tom had 9 ounces and I had approximately 7 ounces.

As for the smoked fish shown in the photo, this morning we had scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, and smoked fish on the side. What a perfect way to start the day! 

Recently, Tom has been having two meals a day, with me having one meal plus and an occasional light breakfast or afternoon snack. Due to my strict way of eating, a ketogenic diet, I have little appetite until dinnertime.

At AUD $64, USD $49.26, all of these items includes a huge Barramundi filet, two pieces of made-without-sugar smoked fish, and two containers of crab meat which we’ll use to make low carb crab cakes this weekend (lasting for two meals) will result in four meals for the two of us. As a result, the cost per entre results in a cost per day of AUD $16, USD $12.31, not bad for such delicious fish and seafood. We struggle to be motivated to go out to dine when we do so well at home and have just as good a time.

Yesterday, we headed out for our weekly trip to the grocery store which now entails a trip to Woolworth, the meat market, and the indoor vegetable stand (they call it “veg” here in Australia). Tom waited in the car while I shopped, reading a book on the Kindle app on his phone. I wasn’t gone more than 40 minutes, now that I’ve become familiar with the market.

There were a few types of fish that had been frozen but it was clearly marked.  We don’t purchase defrosted fish preferring to buy only fresh when available.

Luckily, the other shops are outside the door of Woolworth in the mall making accessing the other stops easy and convenient as I wheeled around the “trolley” that had an annoying wheel with a mind of its own. Making my way to the car was challenging when I had a hard time with the crazy cart while attempting to maneuver the speed bumps (sleeping policemen).

Last night’s dinner of lightly battered with egg and almond flour, sautéed in coconut and olive oil Barramundi, fresh organic green beans, homemade LC muffin, and salad on the side was a perfect meal we both enjoyed.

Today, we’re off to a local travel agency, again in the Smithfield Mall, to arrange a few upcoming flights.  Normally, we don’t use travel agencies but with the high cost of data using the SIM card why not let someone else do the looking when it won’t cost us any more using a travel agent?

Many more fabulous scenery photos are stacking up which we look forward to sharing each day. 

Have a lovely day!

                                               Photo from one year ago today, June 30, 2014:

With the summer season in Madeira, roses were blooming in almost every yard in the neighborhood. For details from that date, please click here.

Yorkeys Knob…An interesting visit provided a wide array of experiences…A few new favorite photos…

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After leaving the beach we drove to a high point in the area with this expansive view.

The Cairns area of Queensland has so much to offer. It’s highly unlikely we’ll ever run out of places to explore during our remaining few months in Trinity Beach. Sure, at some point we’ll drive further away. For now, we’re soaking in everything we can in the wide-area surrounding us that is jammed packed with interesting spots to visit.

We walked past a grove of palm trees and evergreens as we made our way to the beach.

Yesterday’s outing after my workout was no exception. Having heard about Yorkeys Knob as a community rich in history and diversity, we decided to check it out and by no means were we disappointed.

As we walked toward this crest which after crossing dipped down to the beach, wondering if any cross may be lying in wait. 

We found an enormous stretch of beach that was pure paradise. We met people along the beach with whom we talked for some time, we drove along the many streets and beach boulevard enjoying the differences of other beach roads we’d seen thus far. We gathered shells on the beach which we’ll share in photos soon. 

Yorkeys Beach was serene and pristine.

And, much to our delight, we purchased fish and seafood at a fabulous wholesale fish warehouse on the remote drive back to Trinity Beach. We timed the return drive from the fish market to our house to discover it’s a mere five minutes away. Of course, we’ll return in the future.

At certain points, it felt more like the desert than the beach with various vegetation shooting up through the sand.

That five-minute drive confirmed how close we actually are to getting away from the more populated, somewhat traffic-congested areas in the popular Trinity Beach. 

This view was to our left as we faced the ocean.

It’s the unexpected experiences that we stumble upon that make our travels all the more exciting, those we’d never know about had we not driven to an area that may not particularly be on “tourist’s radar.” Visiting many of the typical tourist venues may not appeal to us due to the commercialism, impatient crowds, excess fees for entry, and of course, the long lines. 

To our right, this was the view we stumbled upon.

Nothing about yesterday’s outing reminded us of the above. Quiet, uncrowded, vast expanses of unspoiled beaches brought us the kind of joy that makes our travels meaningful and memorable.

We spoke with this woman who is from Sydney and travels throughout the continent with her husband in their “caravan.” She, like us, was enthralled with the number of shells on the beach, not often found on many beaches that we’ve walked throughout the world.

Today, we’re quoting from a book on Yorkeys Know written by Mary T. Williams which was published in 1960 entitled, “The Know, A History of Yorkeys Knob” as follows:

“Behind the naming of any village, township, city, state or country lies a story. Some names are bland, negating any curiosity to pursue the derivation. Conversely, names can be provocative instantly stirring the imagination.
 
Yorkeys Knob on the eastern coast of Australia in the northern part of the State of Queensland is such a name. Westing from the Coral Sea – approaching land from the east, Yorkeys Knob sits very prettily on the hem of the Great Barrier Reef. To further enhance a natural beauty it edges into rich coastal flatland running from the foot of a marvelous range straight into the illimitable sea.

The Knob itself is the first headland north of the Harbour of Cairns, a cheeky headland layered in rock with a fuzz of timber. Its boulders tumble into the sea in arrow fashion forming a calm bay on its northern side and giving the surf full play to the south. The bay is called Half Moon Bay because of its crescent-shaped white beach and cradles a tidal river running up to and fed by the massive range. On earth level at any angle or off-shore, the lumpy and picturesque Knob invites an explanation why a man nicknamed Yorkey gave to this Knob a meaning.

It might be assumed that amongst the cosmopolitan insurgence of gold-diggers into Northern Australia during the mid-1800’s was a Yorkshireman called George Lawson. There is no factual information to support this assumption. It was only in the 1880’s that an adventurous hard-living beche-de-mer fisherman nicknamed `Yorkie’ was, by a series of incidents emerging as an identity in the northern waters off the harbour of Cairns.

On 10th May 1883 issued the first copy of a newspaper “The Cairns Post”. Thereafter this newspaper was published weekly until 1888 then bi-weekly until 1893. Despite disruptions, changes and upheavals to this date, the newspaper flourishes on a daily circulation. But it is to its romantic and uncertain first decade that we owe a faithful recording of time, date and incident relevant to the man George Lawson nicknamed Yorkie.

In early records Yorkey is referred to as `Yorkie’ or ‘Yorky’ and in one instance as being a Norwegian fisherman who lived on the ‘hill’ called the Knob. However, in all traceable registers the man Yorkey and the headland Yorkeys Knob rise unmistakably and territorially rock-like from misty legends of an extensive region strongly linked to the sea. The same registers disclose the man Yorkey’s great respect for life in a time of lust and survival, more impressive when human life weighed little in value.”

Today, we’re sharing some of our photos from yesterday’s visit to Yorkeys Knob and more will follow in days to come.  And tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos and the “steal” we got on the seafood we purchased. 

Another view of the barren beach.

A few days ago, when we posted photos of the pier in Palm Cove and the limitations on fishing for the popular local fish, Barramundi, we were intrigued by this fish. 

We drove up the hills toward this resort, a distance from which we shot today’s main photo, looking back down at the beach.

As it turned out, we were able to purchase a fresh-caught over .5 kilo, 1.1 pounds, Barramundi filet which we’re having for tonight’s dinner, dipped in egg and dusted in almond flour to be sautéed in grass-fed butter and locally made extra virgin olive oil. 

We met this sweet puppy , Abby, on the beach as her parents took her for a walk without a leash. She playfully jumped up and down in the sand.

Of course, we’ll take photos of tonight’s dinner and share them tomorrow with our opinion on the firm fleshy fish. Even Tom, who doesn’t usually eat fish, agreed to give it a try.

Tiny wildflower growing on the beach.

Thanks for stopping by! We always appreciate your readership.

                                                Photo from one year ago today, June 30, 2014:

Unsure of why the village of Campanario was decorated and with the language barrier we could only guess at the purpose of the hoopla that many residents were busy preparing. As it turned out, it was a church festival that lit up the village that night. For more details from that date, please click here.

Out and about…Always discover something new and interesting…Joined Coast Fitness…

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This pretty restaurant, L’únigo (misspelled in TripAdvisor as L’Unico) is rated #3 of 16 restaurants in Trinity Beach. We’ll try this one also. The sun peeked out for a few hours yesterday!

With dense fog and pouring rain impeding the view of the ocean and the horizon, we’ve decided not to go on the road trip along the ocean that we’d tentatively planned for today. 

With the intent of taking photos of the scenery along the coastline to share here, we’ve decided to wait until the next sunny weekday. We prefer not to travel on busy weekends fighting traffic and crowds when we can just as easily travel on weekdays.

I stepped out of the car to take this shot. Tom reminded me that passengers on the ship had told him that the ocean is murky at most beaches in Australia, as opposed to the clear crisp blue waters of Hawaii and other islands. Here’s an article about the murky waters surrounding the Great Barrier Reef.

However, yesterday when we took off for me to join a fitness center, we took a drive and stumbled upon a fabulous area with photo ops we look forward to sharing here over the next few days. With wifi limitations and the overall poor signal, we can’t post as many photos as we had in some past locations when we had free unlimited wifi.

Coast Fitness is the closest health club and although modest, it certainly will do the trick. I’ve always found that a health club must be conveniently located in one’s place of residence. It’s hard enough to make oneself workout on a regular basis, let alone having a long distance to drive. 

View of the mountains from Trinity Beach.

Working out, although obviously beneficial, requires a degree of self-discipline that I’ve always found to be challenging. Once I’m there and warmed up, it’s all good. 

Unfortunately, Tom has to drive me wherever I’d like to go. The car rental required an extra USD $23.22, AUD $30 per day to add me to the agreement. It just wasn’t worth spending an extra USD $2066.58, AUD $2670.36 for me to drive myself to the grocery store and fitness center during the 89 days. 

There are warning signs along all the beaches in this area in regard to stingers and crocodiles. We’ve seldom seen anyone in the water or lounging on the beach.

It’s not like Tom has a lot to do to prevent him from having time to drive me around. He brings his phone loaded with books he’s reading staying entertained while he waits. Also, driving a stick shift left-handed and on the opposite side of the road wouldn’t have been ideal for me. In essence, I’m happy I wasn’t included in the agreement.  It would not have been pretty.

As we exited the car at Vasay Esplanade, we were excited to see restaurants along the street. Trinity Beach Beachfront Bar and Grill which we particularly liked for their menu is rated #4 of 16 in TripAdvisor. We’ll try this one soon.

It took no more than 10 minutes to pay the required US $177, AUD $230, for the next two months and get my membership card. Not wanting to pay for the third month, my membership will end two weeks before we leave Trinity Beach on September 8th. During that final two weeks, I’ll do the workout at home.

This morning’s view at 10 am.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to find a facility on the tiny island we’ll be living on in Fiji after we leave here. I’ve already begun searching, contacting various resorts for possibilities, hoping to hear back before too long.

We can’t see beyond the yard.

I hadn’t realized that I’d feel so out of shape when I started yesterday’s routine. I can only attribute it to the fact that I was sick during the final month in Kauai, never working out, and then did a less than stellar attempt on the ship when we were busy socializing each day. 

Now I’m totally committed to go to the fitness center frequently and give it everything I have. It’s amazing how energized and strong I’ll feel after a few weeks. 

The modest entrance to Coast Fitness.  Although unassuming, it has excellent equipment, everything I can possibly use.

As we left the fitness center, Tom, with his keen sense of direction, decided to take us on another drive toward the ocean. Little did we know we’d stumble upon a quaint oceanfront area of Trinity Beach we hadn’t yet discovered. I practically squealed with delight as we parked the car.

The pool at Coast Fitness wasn’t particularly appealing. With the pool here at the house which we’ve yet to use with the mostly cloudy weather these past few weeks, we won’t be using this pool.

Even Tom, who doesn’t get quite as excited as I do, couldn’t get out of the car quick enough so we could wander along the ocean boulevard, Vasay Esplanade, checking out the scenery and the various restaurants and their menus. We found enough restaurants in that one location to satisfy us for weeks to come.

The equipment is up-to-date and adequate.

However, we’ve yet to dine out since we arrived. What can I say? We’ve so enjoyed making our meals and, with Tom losing weight like crazy, it’s pointless to dine out and spoil the momentum. Perhaps soon, we’ll visit one of these appealing options.

We’re content, feeling settled in, enjoying the area. We’ve begun looking ahead to the future when we still have holes in our itinerary that we need to fill. We’ve waited long enough and currently are considering several options. Once, we’ve booked the next round, we’ll certainly be sharing the news here.

Have a warm and wonderful day filled with sunshine in your life, if not in the skies.

                                              Photo from one year ago today, June  24, 2014:

This was the first time we’d seen these Angel’s Trumpet flowers as we drove in the mountains of Madeira. Later, I saw these in Kauai when I toured the Princeville Botanical Gardens to discover that these flowers are used as a hallucinogenic by certain cultures. For more details, please click here.

Challenge at the grocery store…Adapting to food differences presents challenges…How much did we spend?

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Aussies we met on the ship suggested we try kangaroo meat.  I haven’t convinced myself to try this yet.  Tom is definitely not interested.

For those of our readers who have little interest in food, the cost of food, the availability of food, and our ability to find foods appropriate to our way of eating, this post is not for you. Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more non-food related conversation.

Let’s face it, food is a big part of all of our lives. We may find pleasure in what we chose to eat. Food has the ability to provide us with good health. Some revel in the shopping and preparation of food. Food may accompany certain recreational occasions. Food and wine (or other drink of choice) may represent romance and celebrations.

We can’t escape from food, even if we want to. We have to eat to survive. We may choose to enjoy the process of figuring out our next meal or we can struggle with guilt and angst (or not) over a stop for fast food or other less than healthy pre-made and restaurant food. 

Ground beef is referred to as mince in Australia as we found in some other parts of the world such as in Africa, Italy and Portugal.

Some who prefer not to cook may have found excellent sources of pre-made or pre-cooked meals that fit both their survival and goal of good health. There are many who may choose ways of eating that have no rhyme or reason or may prefer a wide array of eating options to include: low carb, low fat, paleo, low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegetarian, vegan, and many more that have brought them to a point of good health. 

Wouldn’t all of us choose to eat in a manner that brings us good health, longevity and also a level of enjoyment in eating our chosen type of diet? For many younger people (and older as well), little thought is given to what they eat or the long-term consequences of their choices. That, too, becomes a choice in itself.

I’m not here to preach any particular manner of eating. If I’ve seemed to do so, as we’ve traveled the world, striving to maintain a level of health that will allow us to continue on for years to come, I apologize for “stuffing” you with our choices and opinions. The bottom line, what works for each of us?

You can easily enlarge this receipt to read the details of yesterday’s grocery shopping at Woolie’s. The AUD $227.57 for Woolie’s translates to US $175.86.  This total didn’t include the veggies at US $32.77, AUD $42.41, and Italian sausage at US $13.45, AUD  $17.40.

In the past few weeks, Tom has returned to my way of eating beginning back on the ship on the last few days when he’d had his fill of bread, sweets and starchy foods.  He’s since lost 15 pounds of belly fat. His shorts and pants now button easily. 

I look at him several times of day, in awe of the reduction in the size of his waistband, surely an indicator of future good health. Extreme amounts of belly fat has been proven, over and over again to have a bearing on health, well being and life span. 

I wouldn’t care about the appearance of a big belly if it was an indicator of good health. But, unfortunately, it is not. And nothing gives us both more joy than knowing that our continued good health is the primary reason we’ll have the opportunity to continue on our journey long into the future. It is only poor health or serious injury that will put an end to this life we live.

Fallen coconuts sprouting into what will eventually be coconut trees.

Yesterday, we headed to Woolie’s, a popular supermarket in Australia. Having visited a few other markets, we found that overall Woolie’s has the best selections. 

Over the past week, I’d made a list of several items we’d needed to purchase for meals that we particularly enjoy befitting our chosen diet that we’ve mentioned many times in these posts; one, our grain, starch, and sugar-free sausage, mushroom, onion, and olive pizza made with a cheese and egg crust and two, a staple for us, our “unwich,” a bread-free sandwich wrapped in parchment paper using large romaine lettuce leaves to hold it together. 

Here’s the link to our gluten-free pizza recipe.

Here’s the link to instructions and recipes for making our bread-less sandwiches.

We hadn’t had either of these meals in over a month and were looking forward to having them again, leaving leftovers for a few more meals. As I mentioned in the past, we have little room in the small fridge and freezer making it challenging to stock up for a week or more.

With metered wifi, we won’t be able to spend time online looking for names of plants and flowers. We saw this particular bloom in Hawaii but can’t recall the name of it. Any suggestions?

On our menu for the upcoming week, we’d planned for the following meals:
1.  3 nights:  Unwich, made fresh each night. The fresh deli meats only last four days before spoiling and thus it makes sense to have this for three nights
2.  3 nights:  Homemade pizza
3.  2 nights:  Homemade coconut chicken tenders
All of the above includes a side of vegetables and a salad, made fresh each day. This menu plan allows for eight dinners and few, if any, trips back to the market except for a few fresh veggies.

As I wandered through the market while Tom sat on a bench nearby ready to help me when I was done, I found myself at a loss when I couldn’t find many of the items necessary to make the above meals befitting my way of eating.

All of the pasta sauces necessary for making the pizza were loaded with sugar, starch, wheat and chemicals. At the deli, all but one type of the deli meats (a bland-looking ham) we typically use in making the sandwiches; roast beef, turkey, ham and salami had massive amounts of sugar, gluten and chemicals. 

Tropical flowers proliferate in tropical climates such as here in Trinity Beach in the northern part of Australia which is warmer year-round than many other parts of the continent. This is a bottle brush flower which we’d also seen in Kauai at the Princeville Botanical Gardens.

Deli meats should have no added sugar and less than one gram of carbohydrates per serving. Many of the meats were 5 carb grams per serving indicating large amounts of additives. Plain beef, pork, chicken, turkey have zero grams of carbs per serving.

After driving the deli guy crazy asking him to look up the ingredients in the meats, which appeared to be freshly-sliced meat, we discovered that the meats were filled with grains and sugars of varying types, none of which I could or would be willing to eat other than the bland ham. 

Since Tom doesn’t react to small amounts of sugar or gluten, I purchased the usual items for him. Would I not be able to have an unwich, one of my favorite items, while we live in Australia?

The only solution that would work for me was to make my sandwiches with cooked uncured streaky bacon, avocado, natural Jarlsburg cheese without additives, the gluten, the bland ham, spinach, lettuce, tomato and onion, an alternative that proved to be delicious.

We’d never seen anything quite like these growing fruit or pods as in this tree in the yard.  Any ideas?

As for the pizza that we’ll make in a few days, I will forgo the sauce, instead spreading a bit of our homemade ketchup (I made this the first few days we arrived), seasoned with Italian spices. This will ensure I won’t be consuming gluten, additives, or sugar. Luckily, I found free-range organic chicken without added hormones and won’t have any trouble making our coconut chicken tenders. 

I must admit I scoured the market attempting to find more appropriate items. We use a few pre-made products. A few nights ago, I used a bottle of what was referred to as “American” mustard that I’d purchased, never thinking to read the label. American mustard is usually made with mustard seeds, vinegar, salt, and water. 

When I squeezed a glob of the mustard onto my plate and dipped my gluten-free sausage into it, taking a bite I was shocked by the sweet taste. It was loaded with sugar, one portion including four grams of sugar compared to a teaspoon of sugar. I wiped the mustard off my plate, later tossing the squeeze bottle into the trash.

We’ve yet to use the pool when its been cloudy or raining most days since we arrived, including today.

In all, my disappointment is over the long list of ingredients in many foods which includes chemicals, grains, starches, and sugar that are entirely unnecessary in our diets. This is not an Australian thing. It is universal in many countries throughout the world many of which we visited over these past few years.

As a result, I’ll stick to my usual “food in its natural state” as best as I can while avoiding items loaded with ingredients unsuitable for my way of eating. I’m certainly looking forward to a repeat of last night’s unwich. Of course, Tom was content with his giant bread-free sandwich.

Otherwise, I was thrilled over the mostly organic vegetables we purchased at the indoor farmers market which when I washed at home, made me smile over the worms and bugs I encountered. The uneven sizes of the produce and the bugs assured me that few if any, chemicals were used in the growing process.

These lovely gladiolas are growing in the yard.

Finally, when I wasn’t able to find Italian sausage of any type in the market, I was ready to give up the idea of pizza entirely. Tom doesn’t care for pepperoni or other meats on pizza. After we paid for the veggies at the farmers market and Woolies, I headed to the nearby meat market in the mall. 

They not only had the Italian sausage but it was gluten and sugar-free. The butcher explained that a small amount of rice flour was used in the preparation to hold it together which is a very small amount, won’t have a negative impact on me especially with the small portion I’ll eat. Also, this meat market had all the grass-fed meat, both beef, and lamb, that we could possibly want during our three months in Trinity Beach. 

Included today are photos of the receipts for the meat market, Woolie’s, and the farmer’s market. Overall, we spent US $238.66, AUD $308.88, an amount with which we’re pleasantly surprised. That averages at US $29.83, AUD $38.61, keeping in mind this included paper products and a few non-food items as well.

Today, we’re off to the fitness center where I’ll sign up for a membership and do my first workout while Tom waits for me, reading his book. Later, we’ll take a drive to check out more scenery in the area. Tomorrow, weather providing, a road trip may be in order. It’s raining today.

Have a day filled with wonderful surprises!

                                              Photo from one year ago today, June 23, 2014:

The soccer world cup was in full swing and the citizens of Madeira were excited and engaged in the process.  For details for this date, please click here.

Finally out and about photos…And, of course, .the anticipated kangaroos! Clifton Beach…

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Our second kangaroo sighting of the day at a nearby field.  The first, we saw in a flash while walking in the rain forest, unable to take a photo in time.

I must admit that one of the factors inspiring us to visit Australia has been the prospect of seeing wildlife.  Wrongfully, I’d anticipated that we’d see wildlife running about everywhere. 

Perhaps, it was wishful thinking as I can’t seem to shake memories of living in the game reserve, Marloth Park in South Africa, where one only needs to walk outdoors to spot a visiting wild animal.

Warning sign at Clifton Beach.

It’s just not the case in Trinity Beach, although there are areas nearby where wallabies and kangaroos may be found lounging, wandering, and jumping in the fields and in dense rainforest areas.

Finally, yesterday rain or shine, we decided to get out and explore. Of course, the minute we got into the little red car the rain began to pelt the windshield. Shrugging and looking at one another, we decided, “Let’s go anyway. If it gets too awful, we’ll head back.

Clifton Beach.

For a while, the rain came down in buckets, dying down a while later. For a short period, the sun peeked through the clouds as we absorbed the sudden warmth, quickly noticing how hot it became. We’ve yet to soak up a bit of Vitamin D since we arrived one week ago today with the constant clouds and rain.

Hopefully, soon, we’ll experience sunny days to encourage us to head down the steep hill to the pool awaiting us beyond the required fence in the yard. With the sun stronger here than in many parts of the world, we’ll proceed with caution never staying in the sun more than 20 or 30 minutes, the amount necessary to absorb Vitamin D without wearing sunscreen, divided in half by flipping over once.

A
We’ve been warned not to go in the sea with the high risk of stingers and crocodiles, often spotted on the beach.

As we drove toward the direction of the ocean, we knew a part of our trip would be to check out the open field that Sylvie and Andy explained where there are numerous kangaroos and wallabies known to hang out in a certain nearby field, most days around 4:00 pm.

Although we took off around 11:00 am, we decided that if we didn’t see anything, we’d make of point of returning to that popular field later in the day. However, the early day visit didn’t disappoint.

Scout Island, named for its boy scout type hat shape is located at a distance.

With no way to park along the busy Captain Cook Highway, Tom pulled into a bus stop, pull off, while I jumped out of the car to walk quite a distance down a bike path in order to get close to the kangaroos. 

I told Tom if a bus came, he could drive down the highway to the roundabout and return to get me after the bus was gone. I’d wait for him on the bench at the bus stop if I was done taking the photos. It all worked out. I got close enough to take these photos and he never had to leave.

We’ll return another day soon hoping to see more kangaroos and wallabies taking turns watching the car so each of us will be able to see them. In any case, we’re certain we’ll see plenty of wildlife as we drive to many other areas since animals heavily populate the countryside. We’re within a short distance from the more wild areas.

Walkers on the beach carrying a parasol to protect them from the rain or potential sun.

On our journey, we noticed another strip mall with perhaps 40 stops including a Target store. Surely, Target would have some type of coffee making device. Not the case. The Target store surprised us as we walked inside.  It was no larger than a specialty clothing shop one would find in a shopping mall, for example, the size of a Gap or Old Navy store. By far, it was the smallest Target store we’ve ever seen.

We giggled as we headed to the tiny kitchen wares department…no coffee machine to be found here when “small electrics” only occupied two sides of a short row, none of which had anything to do with coffee. 

Another scene at Clifton Beach.

Ah, we get a kick out of our typical US expectations, although diminished greatly after 32 months of travel, still lingering in our minds. As we wandered through the mall, we marveled at how different the shops are here in Australia. 

In reality, the shops have almost everything one could want or need; popular clothing and shoe styles, digital equipment, food in abundance, and a wide array of locally grown and manufactured items of varying types.

We stopped at Cole’s grocery store in Clifton Beach to find a huge section of affordable grass-fed meat. The Cole’s at Smithfield mall doesn’t sell grass-fed meat other than a few small pricey steaks. In the future, we head to this location to purchase the meat which was very reasonably priced. With little room in the freezer for more than a few packages, I’ll plan to eat the grass-fed beef only once or twice a week.

Flowers blooming on a tall tree.

After walking along the beach and taking photos, a few hours later we headed home to excitedly review our photos and make dinner. We’ll continue to explore every few days and report back on our experiences. We’re feeling confident that we’ve chosen an ideal location for our base while here in Australia. 

It’s Thursday here, one week since our arrival.  We’re feeling settled in, returning to our “old” selves, sleeping better, eating better, and working our way into a comfortable life, albeit temporary life, here in Australia.

                                               Photo from one year ago today, June 17, 2014:

This interesting plant caught our eye on a drive in the mountains of Madeira. Zooming in, we saw how amazing these flowers actually are. Check out the photo below.
A close-up view of what looked entirely different from the above photo of a plant we spotted in the mountains of Madeira, Portugal. For more details, please click here.

What we’re missing so far in Australia…Guess we need to accept and adapt…

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The seafood is offered by the kilo (2.2) pounds in AUD. As a result, these prices are not bad. For example AUD $20 is USD $15.51.

Every country has its nuances and its lifestyle commensurate with centuries of history and tradition. We try as much as we can to adapt to these differences that we find wherever we may travel.

As our long term readers know we’ve sacrificed many aspects of our lives in order to have the joy of traveling the world, few of which we ever find difficult to change after a few weeks have passed.

These sacrifices may include many items of which we become glaringly aware the first few weeks in a new location. Here in Australia, a few items stand out that may take some getting used to such as a lack of international news on TV (we’re news junkies). 

At first glance, these also look pricey when in reality, they are lower priced than we paid in many countries, especially in Hawaii. All the fish is wild-caught.

We like to stay abreast of international news, which keeps us in touch with the outside world as well as keeping us aware of where we shouldn’t travel due to intense political unrest.

On a lesser scale, Australians don’t drink much coffee. We can’t find an electric or appropriate stove top coffee pot. Arriving here last Thursday, we’ve scoured several stores, (no less than five) to discover that Australians don’t brew coffee as we know it, in a pot with or without a filter.

They do use a few pricey apparatus such as the French press machine which we did find at a pricey kitchen store for US $54.31, AUD $70, which based on its small size would be cumbersome when we each may drink three cups in the morning. Pressing for this amount of coffee would not be worth using the small press.

Some of the fish products are pre battered.  If we use a batter, we’ll make it using coconut or almond flour both of which I’d been able to purchase at the Woolworth’s grocery store.
We both like our coffee hot and this style of coffee making leaves it greatly cooled by the time it’s served. We used such a press in Morocco but found it made the coffee too strong and subsequently cold.  Neither of us wanted to spend that amount of money on a device we didn’t like using. Even K-mart didn’t have many possibilities. They didn’t have a coffee machine section nor could the rep suggest where we’d find such a thing.

We could send for a coffee maker from Amazon.com but, by the time we receive it after paying high shipping costs, we’ll be used to living without it and nearly be ready to move along. At the grocery store, there was a small coffee section with bags of beans, none of which works for us. We’ve decided not to drink coffee in Australia and may encounter the same scenario in other locations in the South Pacific.

As I scurried about K-mart, looking for an electric coffee machine, Tom reminded me to stop asking for an electric coffee pot. He assumed such questions and ancillary comments would make me appear as the “ugly American.” I stopped asking now that I understand that primarily, Australians drink tea. When we saw many Aussies drinking coffee on the ship, we assumed this was a popular morning beverage.

Next time, we shop for groceries, I’ll be purchasing some of this fresh fish from this local fish market located in the mall.

Since I like tea, giving up coffee won’t be too difficult for me. Although most mornings I like to drink coffee, I usually have tea at 4 pm each day, not unlike the British way. Maybe it’s harder for Tom, who doesn’t like tea as an alternative. For some reason, I can’t seem to get the coffee out of my head. Perhaps it due to the fact that we have one bag of delicious Kauai coffee with us and no way to brew it.

On the ship to Australia, I never had coffee when it was made too strong for my liking. Tom drank it using half decaf, half regular, adding real sugar and fake cream (no real cream was available). 

At least now he won’t be consuming six teaspoons of granulated sugar each day, hardly befitting our way of eating a low carb, starch-free, grain-free, and sugar-free diet. The lack of coffee for me is only psychological since I haven’t had a cup since we were in Hawaii, 24 days ago. “They,” say it takes three weeks to “break a habit.”

Speaking of “cruise food.” Tom has already lost all the weight he gained on the ship. In reality, he didn’t go overboard (no pun intended) eating starchy, sugary, carb-laden foods. He never had an ice cream cone and had few desserts. Instead, he ordered margaritas and Mai Tai’s which were included in his drink package. 

An indoor farmer’s market in the mall.

I didn’t gain an ounce and as a matter of fact lost a few pounds although I had a substantially large breakfast each morning along with a cup of homemade hollandaise sauce served with each dinner to keep my fat consumption at high levels which is a requirement of my diet, referred to as LCHF (low carb, high fat with moderate protein).

Cooking again has been good. Last night, we made organic burgers (no grass-fed ground beef available so far) with avocados, homemade ketchup, sautéed mushrooms, onions, organic sliced tomatoes topped with fine cheeses, and some of the best “streaky” bacon we’ve had in a long time. 

We haven’t seen bacon referred to as “streaky” bacon since living in Kenya, almost two years ago. Streaky or not, the deli is the only area in the grocery store the bacon can be purchased. There is none of the expected pre-packaged bacon. The streaky deli bacon is smoky flavored and delicious.

Yesterday’s grocery shopping trip worked out well. With only a tiny space in the freezer, we can’t purchase meat other than that which we’ll consume in a few days, another challenge and change from what we’ve done in the past.

Although I don’t eat fruit, this red dragon fruit certainly looks appealing.  Here again, prices are per kilo (2.2 pounds). 


Today returned to the Telstra phone store. The SIM card we purchased wouldn’t work on either of our hot spots devices. Much to my delight and surprised when they couldn’t get our devices to work, they gave us a loaner to use while here in Trinity Beach. 

The rep didn’t require me to pay a deposit or sign a form for the “loaner.” How unusual is that? He stated that he had no fear that I’d return it before we eventually leave.  Where in the world does this happen? We’re both in awe of the trust the rep exercised in letting us walk out the door with the pricey device.

That’s the nature of the Australian people; kind, friendly, and trusting. So, if we have a few inconveniences, they are more than balanced out by all the pluses of living in this wonderful country.

To sum up a few of the new sacrifices we’ve discovered for life in Australia:
1.  No morning coffee  (there are a few coffee shops but not something we’d spend money on each day).
2.  No purchasing protein beyond what we’ll use in a few days.
3.  No international news unless we watch news online.  With the poor wifi signal, this isn’t a good option.
4.  No screens on doors and windows.
5.  No grass-fed beef other than a few steaks offered at US $34.87, AUD $44.95 per kilo (2.2 pounds).  Mostly I’ll focus on the huge selection of wild-caught fish and free range chickens, having beef only occasionally.

This glorious life we live requires changing our needs and wants almost every few months, finding “workarounds” that suit us in the interim. Oh, one more workaround for Tom that he’s experienced many times in these past 32 months…he’s now driving on the opposite side of the road and shifting using his left hand (he’s right-handed).  

Now, my big challenge is walking up to the correct side of the car to open the passenger door and get in. In three months, I should be able to get this under control.

                                              Photo from one year ago today, June 16, 2014:

The fog rolled in while Tom stood on our veranda in Madeira, Portugal. It was quite a sight to see. For details from that date, please click here.

It’s June 6th for us today!…How unusual!…Unbelievable entertainment!…Totally unexpected…

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As soon as our ship docked at the pier in the port of Suva, Fiji, the marching band began to play welcoming us.
Note:  For all of our non-Australian readers, please note that many English words are spelled differently in Australia. In respect to their use of the English language, any information we provide from other sites will contain the Australian spelling which we will not change to the Americanized version.
 Last night we crossed the International Dateline and it’s now June 6th. Plus, there was an additional two-hour time change occurring overnight. When we awoke this morning the time difference was 22 hours.
As a result, sleeping last night was a bit confusing. We went to bed around midnight when it was about to become 10:00 pm. As it turned out I didn’t get much sleep, although Tom did well for seven hours.
We just docked at the pier in Suva, Fiji in a highly industrial area. We’d considered taking a private tour but after checking online to mixed reviews regarding safety and possible scams with taxi drivers, we decided to go out on foot. 
We appreciate the welcome reception.
Once the ship arrived at the pier, it was evident that going out on foot wasn’t a good option with nothing but industrial buildings in the area and the falling rain. Living on two different islands in Fiji starting in a little over three months, we decided to save the sightseeing until we’re here which will be more sensible and sensible.
 Yesterday, we attended a live show with the world-renowned performer, Danny Elliott from Australia. After missing his first show a few nights ago when we were having fun at our dinner table, we were anxious to see what all the hoopla was all about.
We’ve never seen such a reception at a port. It makes us feel good about our upcoming time in Fiji.

As we mentioned in the past, from time to time, when we find that a venue, an artist or performer, a restaurant or hotel is exceptional, we like to highlight them in a post, as we’re doing today for performer Danny Elliott.

After watching the hour-long matinee, we are convinced the hoopla was warranted for this fine performer. He ran out of CDs during his first show. 

We were glad we hadn’t decided to go on a ship sponsored tour.

As a result with our now growing Australian readership, we decided to post the links to Danny’s website enabling our readers to easily find where they can read more about him, watch a video and order his CDs. (We are in no manner involved in the sale of any of his products).

More band players, standing in the rain.

Please click here for a free video of highlights of Danny’s performances.

Please click here for the link to Danny’s website where CDs may be purchased.

“Danny Elliott was awarded the 31st “Mo” Award for the “Peter Allen Australian Variety Entertainer of the Year”. This is the premier award for various artists in Australia and is proudly sitting alongside Danny’s other “Mo” Awards for Versatile Variety and Vocal Instrumental Performer received in previous years. Danny has also been recognized by the “ACE” Awards and has received two gongs for versatile variety performers.

Watching Danny Elliott play one instrument after another during his high-impact performances, it’s not hard to believe that his natural talent for music has been evident from a very early age.

Last night, we attended an invitation-only party on the 9th deck by the indoor pool.

When a pre-school teacher discovered a distinct aptitude for music in four-year-old Danny his parents quickly helped the budding musician explore his creative impulses with piano lessons. Then taking up the flute at just eight years old, Danny has spent years expanding his musical expertise and now plays more than 12 instruments.

Danny first performed for an audience as a teenager at a local talent quest. His unique ability impressed the organizers and the young musician quickly became a favorite mainstay on the talent quest circuit. Leaving high school to focus on his promising music career, Danny spent time developing his repertoire and was soon being booked by local clubs for his acclaimed solo show.

Passengers sitting around the pool enjoying the party.

But his real break came when 23-year-old Danny was signed to play aboard the world-famous cruise ship, the QEII. Infamous for its cultured, demanding audience, Danny’s unique ability to play successive instruments in a single show drew standing ovations from the tough crowds and glowing reviews from the ship’s entertainment director.”

Once again, we’re seated in the Schooner Bar with friends, Reene and Jeff at our side. The guys are chatting while I’m busy writing. Today will be a low key day, hanging out with new friends, attending shows, and playing trivia games. 

A ferry boat going to other nearby islands.

In five days, we’ll disembark to continue our years-long journey to everywhere. Please stop back for more with many new photos yet to share.

It’s Saturday here. Happy day to those of you where it’s Friday!

Today, we’re posting two “year ago” photos, one for June 5th which we missed entirely, and the other for today, our June 6th. Confusing.

                                                                  June 5, 2014 photo:

     
View of the house we rented in Madeira, Portugal which we loved for the two and a half months we spent on the island. We took this shot when we walked the neighborhood’s steep hills.  For details from that date, please click here.

  June 6, 2014 photo:

Having the opportunity to purchase this entire tuna from the fish truck that drove past our house in Madeira was a memorable event.We shared the fish with Gina, our friend and property manager, and Judite, our cleaning person. Please click here for details.

Out to sea today…Another time change tonight…Festivities continue…Questions about our future stay in Fiji…

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The pilot boat. A pilot boards the ship to assist in getting the ship away from the pier, a common occurrence in most ports.

Last night, we took an evening off the usual dinnertime festivities and ordered room service which proved to be a bad decision with my dietary restrictions. We were both a bit tired from the 22 hour time change, deciding to lay low one evening and catch up on a few shows we’d previously downloaded in Kauai. We plugged the HDMI cord into the TV in our cabin with no trouble watching a few favorites instead of watching on the small laptop screen.

The seemingly good plan to lounge in our cabin was challenging in regard to the food and delivery times. We placed the order in the afternoon, asking for my prearranged dinner that was logged into the main restaurant’s system. It shouldn’t have been an issue.

The police department marching band.

But, it was.  We’d requested the food be delivered at 6:30 pm making the assumption the food wouldn’t arrive until 7:00 pm. How wrong we were. The meals didn’t arrive until 8:30, two hours later than requested, mainly due to a miscommunication between my food and the restaurant. 

Annoying? Yes. In the realm of things, it was no big deal to me, but Tom got a little “overly grumpy” mostly over worrying about me, not himself. That wasn’t necessary. I didn’t care one way or another. It’s just food and as much as I like talking and writing about food, long ago I gave up the significance as to “when” I eat, as long as the “what” I eat is correct.

The port at Suva, Fiji.

Last night around 5:00 pm as the ship pulled away from the pier in Fiji to head back out to sea, while we watched the band playing once again as a final goodbye to our ship, a sense of comfort washed over us. It seems as if Fiji will be a very friendly place that appreciates tourism more than many other island countries.

Tom was waving at the Fijians on the pier as our ship pulled away.

During this cruise, when Australians have asked where we’ll be living in the South Pacific, we’ve noticed a number of negative responses to our upcoming four months on two islands in Fiji. Many made negative comments as to safety in the islands of Fiji. None of those who commented had stayed in the Fijian island more than a week at most.

A tug boat pulling into the pier area.

Staying in a hotel is very different from living in a location for the long haul. Able to cook our own meals, doing no shopping other than groceries provides a very different perspective. 

Police department employees hanging around the pier as the festivities wound down.

Once settled in, generally, we feel safe and at ease. Even in Kenya with armed guards at every intersection and shop, once we were settled into the vacation home, we were able to relax and enjoy our time there which was a full three months. 

The police bus to pick up the band players.

We’re certain that Fiji will be no different in that we’ll adapt to the way of life available to us on the two islands. Lack of air conditioning in hot weather, no TVs in some locations, and lots of insects, poisonous and not, have all become familiar to us. We’ll manage as we always have and will continue to do so as we continue in our world travels.

No, it’s not always ideal  If we wanted a semblance of perfection we’d have chosen a different path at this time in our lives, moving into a condo somewhere in the US in a warm climate with a relatively predictable life. 

As we pulled away from the pier heading out to sea.

That’s not to say anything negative about that life of leisure and familiar creature comforts one may acquire living in a nice condo in their home country. For most retires that type of life fulfills all of their needs and goals. 

Puffy clouds in the mountains, a familiar sight.

For many reasons we chose a different path that few would desire or attempt to tackle with the endless nuances and adjustments necessary to make it work and, most of all, to be happy. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Being happy?

And, we are happy living this peculiar life on the move never doubting for a moment, that we did the right thing.

Finally, we made our way out to sea.

Tonight, we’ll be back in the main dining room sitting at a shared table with at this point, a few people we may have already met and those we haven’t. In either case, it’s all rather fun.

A person standing on the reef far from the shore.

It’s Sunday here now on June 7th, June 6th for many of our readers. Whatever day it may be we continue to wish each and every one of our readers, the very best. Thank you for traveling along with us.

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

Dense fog rolled in once we returned home from the trip to Funchal to pick up our box of supplies.  For details from that date, please click here.