Amsterdam doesn’t disappoint…We accomplished more than expected…Challenging but rewarding…Food photos…

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We were impressed by the stunning historic architecture on both sides of the canals in Amsterdam.

There’s no doubt I’m struggling to walk. I hope this pain will dissipate as I continue to wean off the awful medications, but a part of me is terrified it won’t go away. It takes everything I have to walk a block, let alone navigate stairs and ramps.  

We wished we could post the identity of all of these great highlights, but it wasn’t possible as the boat moved along.

My heart doesn’t struggle, or so it seems. It’s just the legs that could be entirely from the statins I stopped a few weeks ago.  Here’s the data on this situation from JAMA, and here’s the link to the report:

“Results  The mean (SD) duration of statin therapy before symptom onset was 6.3 (9.8) months. Resolution of muscle pain occurred a mean (SD) of 2.3 (3.0) months after discontinuation of statin therapy. Six patients (13%) were hospitalized for the management of rhabdomyolysis; 2 had reversible renal dysfunction, and 1 with preexisting renal insufficiency subsequently began lifelong dialysis. Hospitalized patients developed myopathy more quickly after initiating statin therapy (1.3 vs. 7.1 months; P = .048) and were more likely to be taking concomitant medications known to increase the risk of statin-associated myopathy (P = .03). Thirty-seven patients received another statin after an episode of statin-associated myopathy; 21 (57%) reported recurrent muscle pain, whereas 16 (43%) tolerated other statins without recurrent symptoms.
Conclusions  Patients with statin-associated myopathy experienced complete resolution of muscle pain on cessation of statin therapy. Although no deaths occurred, 13% of the patients required hospitalization for rhabdomyolysis. Recurrent muscle pain was common on statin rechallenge.”

The covered canal boat.

The above-highlighted comment about full resolution in 2.3 months makes me very hopeful. As we begin this big journey in our world travels, I do everything to stay engaged in our activities and avoid complaining to Tom.

The tour couldn’t have been more enjoyable.

He’s so helpful, guiding me across the uneven pavement, through crosswalks, up hills, and steps. Today was a real test of both of our resolve and determination as we walked almost 3.2 km, 2 miles, on the streets of Amsterdam, reveling in every moment, which was a good distraction for me.

What did we see and do? Firstly, all of my sandals and shoes to wear on the cruise had recently fallen apart. , My two pairs of long-wearing black and beige Clark sandals crumbled with pieces falling off in the suitcase. I’d been wearing them for almost seven years! Plus, the one pair of high wedge sandals I had were a thing of the past, and I left them behind in Ireland.

There’s a large hook hanging from the roofs that remain in place. Since most of the buildings in Amsterdam are so narrow, which results from a tax base determined by the width of a building, it’s impossible to get furnishings up the narrow staircases. Subsequently, these large hooks on the exterior of buildings are used to hoist the items to the appropriate floor.

Knowing we had to find a shoe store within walking distance was a daunting task, but I learned that trying to walk would be better than taking a taxi, forcing us to be out and about seeing a bit of this beautiful city.

Each building has its unique design.

After a very long walk, we stopped for breakfast along the way, we found a few shoe stores, and I was able to purchase two pairs of comfortable flat shoes, one a dressy flat black sandal and another, a very comfy pair of Sketchers slip-on shoes. I was thrilled.  

Surprisingly, the shoes weren’t more expensive than they’d have been in the US. Everyone talks about how expensive it is here. Yes, the hotel was twice as much as we usually spend, but we had accumulated points to use, which softened the blow.

Many elaborate former homes from the 17th and 18th centuries have been converted to governmental and diplomatic structures. Not this building’s construction year of 1843.

Dining out is comparable to the US from what we’ve seen so far. Last night we dined in the upscale hotel restaurant, Brasserie Flo, which turned out to be rated #720 out of 3736 restaurants in Amsterdam. I loved the food…Tom did not. He’s not the gourmet kind of guy. Here are a few photos of our meals.

Tom’s veal and mashed potato dinner.

This morning we had breakfast in a pub we encountered on our walk. They didn’t make eggs with butter or healthy oils, so I ordered a chicken Caesar salad. Tom had a ham and cheese omelet, which he said was “just OK.”  

My rack of lamb on a bed of assorted mushrooms was delicious.
Please understand, I am traveling the world with a picky eater, but then again, he has to live with all of my peculiar dining options. We figure it out as we go. It’s not perfect, but we’ve learned to live with these limitations, and now…others.
This seafood platter for two looked appealing, but Tom’s not a big fan of most seafood. It didn’t pay us to spend Euro $125, US $141 for this meal alone.

After we had breakfast and walked the distance to the shoe stores, on the way back, as we walked along with one of the 100 canals in Amsterdam, we spotted a canal boat tour starting in 15 minutes. This was ideal for us.  

As we walked down the narrow street, exploring and looking for a shoe store.

We’d hoped to tour the canals today anyway, and this avoided us going back to the hotel for more walking, only to find our way back to another tour boat.  It had been raining off and on all morning. It was sunny when we left the hotel.

The clock tower building.

This particular boat was fully enclosed with big glass windows we could open when the rain stopped. We were grateful that a few minutes into our tour, the sun came out once again, and we were able to take many photos, more than we can ever share here today.  

Ornamental pillars at one of the 1000 bridges in Amsterdam.

More photos will follow in tomorrow’s post, which we hope to finish before heading to the ship at noon. This is all happening so fast! This time tomorrow afternoon, we’ll be situated in our cabin and hopefully unpacked, ready for the cruise fun to begin.

Have a fantastic Saturday night, wherever you may be!

Photo from one year ago today, August 10, 2018:
Tom’s excellent new haircut. She cut his hair this time as opposed to using the electric clippers. Cost with a tip? ZAR 130, US $9.35 (includes tip). Wow! I love the beard! For more photos, please click here.

On the road again…Dublin, then Amsterdam, here we come!…

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Goodbye, Ireland.  Thanks for welcoming us and for being so beautiful!

We’d decided to prepare the post after we arrived in Dublin for the night. This was an excellent way to keep the morning free to finish last-minute packing, organizing, and putting things back in their place in the house.

When we move into a new property, we often move some of the furniture to suit our needs. We make every effort to move everything back to its original location before leaving, which we did this morning.

Eileen, our thoughtful owner, stopped by to say goodbye. It was a pleasure working with her for the past three months. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to have been hosted by excellent property owners and managers, and, of course, we’ve made every effort to be good guests.

Currently, we’re in Dublin. On our way, we stopped in Oughterard for Tom’s teeth cleaning appointment.  Previously, we’d made an appointment for me to do the same but decided to wait a little longer before having any dental work.

The total 3½ hour drive was seamless using “Maps” using the SIM card on my phone, which got us here without a hitch.  Once we arrived in Dublin, there were many turns and roundabouts, but somehow we never made an error. I often wonder why “she’ll” suddenly say, “Make a U-turn” when we’re on the freeway, and there’s no need for a U-turn. Go figure.

We’d decided to stay overnight in a lower-cost hotel close to the Holiday Inn Express Dublin Airport. The rates were reasonable compared to many other nearby options, and after seeing our room, we were satisfied with the amenities and cleanliness, including free Wi-Fi and breakfast.

This hotel doesn’t serve meals other than the included breakfast. Next door is a Crown Plaza with a decent restaurant, according to reviews online. The main dining room is being renovated. We’ll dine in the bar.  Tom walked next door and brought back a menu to ensure there would be suitable options for me. There were a few.  

I’ll have plenty of food options once we board the ship on Sunday. Their chefs always accommodate my dietary needs with enthusiast and precise care, often making beautiful meals the other guests at our shared table drool over.  

It will be nice to have someone else doing the cooking for a while. After 15 months of Tom or I cooking and the three months in Ireland, I’m looking forward to the usual good food and service.

Tomorrow morning, we’ll use the hotel’s shuttle to get to the airport. At the moment, Tom is dropping off the rental car, hoping to get a ride back to the hotel. Tonight, we’ll walk to the restaurant next door, and although my walking is still sketchy, it’s a relatively short distance.

How am I feeling? Tapering off the heart medications is taking its toll on me. It could be several more weeks until I begin to feel the benefit of being off the dangerous drugs with many side effects, including being on the drugs and getting off of them.  

But at least for now, I can keep my head up and eyes open during the day. I’ve gone several days without a nap and have slept through the past three nights, a significant improvement.

Like many of us seniors, a good night’s sleep is an elusive thing. Six good hours without awakening seems to do wonders. Tom sleeps even less, getting up at the crack of dawn and going to bed late. I don’t know how he does it.

Well, folks, that’s it for our last post from Ireland. Tomorrow, late afternoon, we’ll write a short post from Amsterdam.  Our hotel room is situated overlooking the canal. Photos should be good.

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, August 8, 2018:

Dad and his offspring posing for a photo we’d taken on a drive in Marloth Park. For more photos, please click here.

The Wild Atlantic Way…Nearing the end of five year ago Madeira, Portugal photos…

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Five years ago, on a walk-in Madeira, Portugal, we spotted this waterfall. For more details on the 2014 post, please click here.

Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland 
“Wild Atlantic Way is the longest coastal driving route in the world.

The Wild Atlantic Way, a stunning drive that stretches from the cliffs around County Donegal in the far north of Ireland down to the beaches of County Cork, is the ‘longest defined coastal driving route in the world.’ The 2,500 km, 1553 mile route passes through nine counties and three provinces. Can you name them all? If you’re planning on driving this famous route, then make sure you build in some time at Ireland’s best surf spots along the way.”
In the above “Fascinating Fact of the Day,” the Wild Atlantic Way is a 2500 km coastal drive that passes through nine counties (not countries) which includes the following route:

The Wild Atlantic Way in 14 Steps

Here is the map from this site indicating the counties in which the Wild Atlantic Way passes through:
 
This could be an exciting way for ambitious tourists to see a considerable portion of Ireland in only a few weeks. As mentioned in the above site, there are numerous bed & breakfasts, hotels, restaurants, and local points of interest along the route.

The 2500 km, 1553 miles, journey could take weeks, especially when stopping for overnight stays and sightseeing. However, with fuel costs, hotels, and dining, the price for such an adventure may well be less than a two or three-week stay in more expensive hotels in large cities.

As shown in these other photos, we walked through this short tunnel to reach the ocean at the other end.
We’ll be spending one night in a hotel in Dublin before we fly to Amsterdam in a mere ten days. We used priority points from Hotels.com on our site, but without our credits, the cost of the four-star hotel is Euro 121.35, US $135.

We’re anticipating dinner to be approximately Euro 72, US $80, in a nearby restaurant, plus we’ll need to add another Euro 37, US $40, to our expenses for taxi fare and tip. Once we arrive on Thursday (next week), we’ll drop off the rental car and use the hotel’s free shuttle to the airport.
Nothing is as mesmerizing as the sea.
The total cost of the one night stay at the hotel near the airport is expected to be Euro 230.35. US $255. Sure, we could have chosen to drive to Dublin on the day of our 1320 hrs, 1:20 pm flight. It’s a 3½ hour drive from here.  
But, to keep stress to a minimum, we felt this short hotel stay was worth it. We’ll have an unrushed breakfast (included) at the hotel and then plan for a relaxed pace to arrive at the airport a few hours before the flight.
Two small waterfalls flow from the rocks in a natural rock wall.
If a tourist chose to drive the 2500 km Wild Atlantic Way route as their holiday in Ireland, most likely they could do it for the Euro as mentioned above 230.35. US $255 plus costs for car rental, extra meals, and tours.  
 
Multiplied accordingly, the anticipated two-week journey may incur a cost (excluding rental cars, tours, entrance fees to various venues, and additional meals and snacks). The total cost could be Euro 3209, US $3570.  
Clouds were rolling in.
Add approximately another 30% for car rental and extras as mentioned above. This could prove to be quite a holiday, especially for families, if the kids and adults typically enjoy rode trips.

Oddly, for world travelers, one would assume we look forward to long road trips, but as we’ve mentioned here in the past, neither of us enjoys long periods in the car. Tom is a relatively aggressive driver with little patience for traffic.
The preformed cement blocks aren’t attractive but serve a useful purpose.
Riding in the car can be stressful for both of us. Our lives intend to keep stress to a minimum, especially with my recent heart surgery. We’ve found we’ve been able to thoroughly revel in our travels without embarking on long road trips.

The 3½ hour drive to Dublin on August 8th will be a long enough drive for us.  When we arrive in England after the Baltic cruise ends, we’ll fly to Exeter, England, and over two months, we’ll be driving to our four chosen holidays rentals every two weeks or so as our address changes. These shorter trips will be perfect for sightseeing and enjoying the English countryside.

Have a great Monday!
Photo from one year ago today, July 29, 2018:
Male kudus have horns; females do not.  At about 15 months, the horns begin to take on the shape of the first spiral. For more photos, please click here.

Our upcoming bookings for Zambia…Photos of scenery and culture…

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Had Louise and Danie not taken us here, we’d have no idea this beautiful spot existed.

“Sightings of the Day on the Bush”

Full moon in the bush.

In 34 days, our South Africa 90-day visas expire. It’s not as easy as jumping across the border to get our visas re-stamped upon our return. As mentioned in an earlier post, it is now illegal to “border hop” to any of the countries bordering South Africa, as shown on the map below:

Image result for map of african countries
We cannot “border hop” (to re-do our visas for South Africa) to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Swaziland. There are many other countries in Africa, but we aren’t interested in visiting at this time.

Over the next 11½ months, we are required to leave South Africa four times, possibly leaving earlier in March if necessary. This all depends on how long we stay out each time we leave. We aren’t booking any plans during this remaining period, other than the upcoming trip to Zambia, to ensure we won’t have any issues upon re-entry.

It’s entirely possible, immigration will refuse our re-entry on May 18th and will give us only one week to leave the country entirely. We can only wait and hold our breath to see how it goes on May 18th.

Rapids run through this area, although it doesn’t appear to be navigable by rafting enthusiasts.

During this period, our second 90-day holiday home rental renews, but after addressing this possibility with dear friends Louise and Danie, they assured us we don’t have to worry. We won’t be charged if we have to leave. We’ll only pay for the extra nights we used from May 11th on.

Fortunately, we have this house where we can leave the bulk of our luggage, making the trip to Livingstone, Zambia, a lot easier. Also, the flight is only two hours long. That makes travel days so much easier. 

Rock formations in the Komati River close to the road.

On May 11th, our nonstop flight is at 11:35 am, and on our departure from Livingstone, Zambia, on May 18th, we leave at 1:35 pm, again another easy travel day for a two-hour nonstop flight. Yesterday, we booked the round-trip flight and also a hotel in Livingstone through Expedia on our website at this link.

Sure we’d have liked staying in a luxury tent at one of a few locations on the Zambia side of Victoria Falls. Still, most of the tented camps are located on the Zimbabwe side, where we cannot stay to accommodate the visa requirements as shown on the above map. Such camps in Zambia were already booked during the time slot we needed.

Living conditions such as these are commonly found in many parts of the world.

We should have booked this months ago, but we waited as we further researched immigration laws for American citizens in South Africa. When we were here four years ago, we could have gone across the border in any of the surrounding countries and reentered for a new stamp.

It wasn’t until we started doing research a few weeks ago that our perception of renewing our visas was entirely wrong after the laws changed a few years ago.  Most tourists don’t stay as long as 90 days, or more so there was no point in “asking around.” Everyone had a different perception as to what is acceptable under our circumstances.

Many locals sell wood, used merchandise and handmade wares, and a variety of other products.

Many of our local friends from other countries (outside Africa) own homes here and have “resident’s visas.” We can’t apply for such a visa since we don’t own a home.

Fortunately, we were able to book flights and a hotel. Although the traditional hotel, the Protea by Marriott, is highly rated and packed with modern conveniences, we’d have been happy to stay in a tented camp.

Life is not easy for all citizens of South Africa, living under challenging conditions.

Then, of course, there’s the cost for these four outings we must make in the upcoming year. For one week, many more excellent tented camps were ZAR 60,161.23 to 90,242 (US $5,000 to $7,500).  Our total cost for the highly-rated hotel, including air, is ZAR 31,633 (US $2,629). 

Staying at the Protea by Marriott, we’ll be on our own for tours but have located a highly rated tour company that can fulfill all of our expectations at reasonable prices we’ll post later. Some tours were included in the higher-rated camps, but many were al la carte. Breakfast is included, and we’re on our own for dinners.

A village on the side of the road.

Today, we sent the tour company an email with our flight info (to have them handle our transfers to and from the airport) and four tours they offer that we’d like to attend during that week.

Our old philosophy of booking everything well in advance will become prevalent as we move into the future. We are waiting until the last minute seldom works to our advantage. 

 After the rain, everything was a lush green.

However, we cannot book the remaining three trips in Africa until we know the 90-day visa was renewed upon our reentry into South Africa on May 18th. At this point, we wait to discover how immigration chooses to handle this.

We’re not worrying or panicking in any manner. We continue to enjoy every day to the fullest, imagining that we’ll be able to stay until next March by taking similar one-week trips to our preferred locations.

The Crocodile River flows into the Komati River.

Tonight we’re off to Jabula for dinner for six of us. Tomorrow at 10:00 am, we’re heading to a “bush brunch” in Lionspruit (Louise will drive us since the little blue car doesn’t have enough clearance for the rough roads).  Tomorrow night we are invited to dinner at Sandra and Paul’s home, who live only two doors from us. It’s a busy, fun-filled weekend!

We hope your weekend is filled with activities you enjoy as well!

Photo from one year ago today, April 7, 2017:

View from the dining room balcony of the lovely house next door to us in Fairlight, Australia, was scheduled to be auctioned on April 22nd. For more photos, please click here.

Planning and booking next USA visit…Late posting today…Tom

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An artist’s rendition on a wall on a side street as we made our way back to Palermo Soho, an hour-long walk.

It was a late start to the day.  We didn’t awaken until 8:00 am after a fitful night’s sleep. Tom showered and dressed first and then headed down to the lobby for coffee and a light breakfast of ham, cheese, and eggs while I stayed behind getting showered and dressed for the day.

By the time I sat down at my laptop in the lobby, my tea drink in hand, it was 9:00 am. Loading my computer (I’m still using the old one), I discovered I had three updates that required I wait patiently while they packed.

As we walked along Santa Fe Avenue in Palermo, we entered this church, Holy Eucharist Parish, taking some photos, saying some prayers, and thanking God for our health, well-being, and never-ending adventures.

The Internet is slow here, especially when there are several guests as there are now. The updates took a good 25 minutes to complete. Finally, close to 10:00 am, I began today’s post two hours later than usual.

With no big plans for today, I have plenty of time to get done, but I’m always thinking about our readers out there in cyberspace who may be waiting to read with their cup of coffee or tea in hand. 

Not unlike other visits to churches, we often see parishioners also in prayer.

Over these years, we’ve had many readers write to us explaining they have a ritual of reading our daily posts at home, at work, while on public transportation, or sitting in the park with their phone, iPad, or Kindle in hand.  We’re very aware of this fact and make every effort to get it done each day consistently.

Unfortunately, circumstances prevail, and as consistent as we’d like to be, sometimes it doesn’t come to fruition as readily as we’d prefer. I suppose that’s how life is, not always as we’d like it to be and certainly, not always on time.

A little-lopsided view of the altar at Holy Eucharist Church.

But, we’re here now and anxious to “get the show on the road” and share some details of our upcoming plans to see family in Minnesota in 15 months. Last time we visited the USA to see family, we started in Minnesota and ended in Nevada.

This time, we plan to visit each location at two entirely different time slots based on dates of cruises we’ve booked during these two periods, as indicated in our most recently published itinerary, which may be found here at this link.

Stained glass windows are culturally interesting in each country we visit.

We plan to visit Minnesota from 4/8/2019 to 4/25/2019 for 17 nights and Nevada, California, and Arizona from 11/8/2019 to 12/3/2019 for a combined total of 25 nights. We’ll spend a few days in California visiting my sister Julie in Los Angeles and a week visiting Tom’s sisters at their winter homes in Apache Junction, Arizona.  

 This schedule will leave us two weeks in Nevada. We’ll stay with son Richard in Henderson, visit sister Susan in Las Vegas, and renew our driver’s licenses, which require an in-person visit this time instead of the online renewal we did while in Bali in 2016.

Statues and lit candles along a wall.

In between these two USA visits, we have three cruises, a three-month stay in Ireland as shown in yesterday’s post, a three-night stay in Amsterdam, and a 62-night stay in a home in England, hopefully in the countryside.  

 All of the above are booked except for the three-night stay in Amsterdam as we await the Baltic cruise and the 62-night stay in England, where we’ll wait for another cruise from Southampton, UK back to the US.  

The Nativity scene was still on display after the holidays ended.

Once we’re settled in Africa, we’ll book the house in England, hopefully, close to the Cornwall area. 

 As for Minnesota, yesterday we booked the same hotel where we stayed for six weeks during our last visit in summer of 2017. I contacted the corporate rep who worked with us last time, and we were able to negotiate the same rate we paid in 2017 at US $107 (ARS 2,002) per night.

Tom noticed this artistic wall art in an obscure location as we walked along the boulevard.

The cost of staying in hotels and generally staying in the Minneapolis area is very expensive for travelers, often as much as US $200 (ARS 3,741) to the US $300 (ARS 5,612) a night for a hotel and well over US $100 (ARS 1,868) a day for meals.  

 Rental cars are also more expensive in Minneapolis than we’ve paid in most countries. We’ve budgeted over US $5,000 (ARS 93,423) for the 17-nights in Minnesota, even with the great hotel rates.

A colorful historic building, most likely with apartments.

In Las Vegas, since we’ll stay with Richard for two weeks of the 25 days, cooking most of our meals, our overall cost will be considerably less. In Los Angeles, we’ll bite the bullet and pay outrageous rates for a hotel near Julie. I’m allergic to cats and she has two making it impossible to stay with her.

 In Arizona, most likely, we’ll stay in a vacation condo or hotel for a week in Scottsdale or Apache Junction. At the same time, we visit Tom’s sisters, preferring not to impose on any of them other than Richard. As we’ve mentioned in the past, we prefer not to stay with family or friends. We have our own routine, spend lots of time online, and have this way of eating, not easy for a host to accommodate.

The Argentine people love color and design.

When staying with Richard, he’s at work all day, and we cook dinner most nights. We stay in a separate area of the house with its own bath. This avoids stumbling over each other, and it’s relatively easy, especially when we don’t screw up the alarm system!

 That’s it for today, folks. After a while, we’ll head out for a walk through this diverse and interesting town of Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires, enjoying every moment.

A bright green corner shop.

May you have a happy and fulfilling day!

                   
Photo from one year ago today, January 10, 2018:

This scene made us “squeal” with delight at the Gnomon Pig Farm in Penguin. Check our link here for the video above to see and hear! Tasmania, mainly when we listened to the pigs squealing over their right to occupy the mud hole. 

Merry Christmas to all of our worldwide readers…Settling in for 31-nights in Buenos Aires…Not as easy as it may seem…

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Happy 65th birthday to my darling husband, lover,  travel companion, and forever friend who has made this special and unique life of world travel possible.  

Now that the cruise has ended, we won’t be posting photos from “Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising.” Instead, over the remaining 31-nights, while we’re staying in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires at the Prodeo Hotel, we’ll be posting photos and stories of our day-to-day lives while living in a boutique hotel in this lovely neighborhood, known for its charm and eclectic persona.

We sat at the banquette in the lovely restaurant in Palermo, Lo De Jesus.  It was only ranked #322 of 4,422 restaurant reviews in Buenos Aires on the TripAdvisor site.

We didn’t expect luxury accommodations at a corporate rate of US $2,560 (ARS 45,878) for this extended stay. We needed a few adjustments when we were situated in our spacious room at the impeccable Prodeo Hotel. We made a list for our hotelier Alessandro, hoping he would help resolve the few concerns, which included:

  • Is there ice for our beverages?
  • Is the water safe to drink?
  • How to use the safe?  Directions were unclear.
  • How to use the free phone in the room (local calls only)?
  • Can we get another luggage rack since there are no drawers or ample storage space in the room, allowing us to unpack?
  • Can we have more hangers for the small closet behind a drape? 
  • There’s no small refrigerator in the room. Is it possible to get one?
  • One screw to the toilet seat is missing making the seat slide around. Can this be fixed?
  • Where we’d dine for Tom’s birthday, walking distance from the hotel?
  • Where is there an ATM at a bank?  Fees are generally less at a bank ATM than at a local machine.
    The restaurant’s decor is understated and pleasant.

After taking a much-needed short nap and uploaded yesterday’s post, we headed out on foot for an ATM. We weren’t surprised to discover that each time we’ll use an ATM, the fees will be US $10 (ARS 179) for each transaction, charged by the local machine, more than we’ve paid anywhere in the world.

From what we’ve seen thus far, many restaurants also offer a wide array of Argentinian wines for sale.

We won’t need much cash here since most restaurants accept credit cards. We’ll only need cash for taxis and local mini-marts. It’s a pricey area, so we’ll see how it goes.

Tom couldn’t resist the delicious bread.

Over the next few hours, Alessandro handled each of our concerns with the greatest ease and generosity. We now have a small refrigerator in our room: ice is available at the hotel’s bar upon request (no charge); we now can use the safe and phone; we received many more wooden hangers; the toilet seat is repaired; we enjoyed Tom’s birthday dinner at a fine local restaurant (see photos below); we got cash from the ATM, and all is good.

Two complimentary glasses of dry champagne were presented at our table.  

All we need is another dozen or so hangers which Alessandro will provide for us when he arrives later today and, we’ll be set. Tom has yet to unpack, but somehow we’ll manage to find a spot for everything when there are no drawers and few shelves in the room.

A big sturdy knife was placed on Tom’s table setting for his Argentine steak.

With all of our requests handled, we now feel at ease and confident we’ll enjoy our time in Buenos Aires. Dining out may be somewhat of a challenge for my eating when most meals center around doughy type dishes such as empanadas, tortillas, pasta, bread, and sweets. But as always, we’ll figure it out, one meal at a time.

My main dish was a Provolone cheese baked with bacon, onions, and red peppers, which was delightful.

This morning’s included breakfast was good with hard-boiled eggs, meats, and cheeses. I hadn’t had breakfast once on the cruise, but I had a small bite of ham and cheese to hold me until dinner this morning. We found a nearby restaurant that will be open tonight for dinner, and later today, we’ll figure out what we’ll do on Christmas Day.

I added two fried eggs to my meal to round out my protein requirements of 60 grams per day.

Most days, while on the ship, I had salad midday, but I won’t be doing that now as I work my way back to eating one meal a day which seems to suit me best. Unfortunately, I must always be considering what foods will be suitable for my way of eating. 

Tom’s Argentine steak was a little fatty for him, but the flavor of the meat was otherwise excellent.

In the realm of things, it’s insignificant. After all, it was changing my diet that made it possible for us to travel the world. As a result, I never feel deprived or “sorry” for myself, unable to eat the gorgeous bread, pasta, and desserts offered here and in every city in the world. It’s a small price to pay for this glorious life.

Many buildings in the city have colorful and unique exteriors.

Speaking of “glorious lives,” may we wish every one of our worldwide readers, family, and friends, a joyous holiday season filled with love, happiness, and merriment.

This is where we’ll be dining tonight, Christmas Eve, one of the few restaurants open tonight.

Throughout the year, we never hesitate to feel grateful for this blissful life we lead. Now with the holiday season upon us, we have the further opportunity to reflect on our good fortune of health and well-being, which without, this life wouldn’t be possible.

Another colorful building exterior.

May those of you who celebrate this time of year experience the utmost of good health and well-being as you make your way through this special holiday season and New Year.

Entrance gate to an apartment in Palermo.

Photo from one year ago today, December 24, 2016:

Finally, we were able to take a photo in the early evening of a fast-moving train decorated with Christmas light. However, each time we heard a train coming in the dark, we quickly ran outside with the camera only to find that particular train wasn’t decorated. We’d hope for a nighttime train for a better shot. We’re content with this shot. For more photos of Christmas in Penguin, Tasmania, please click here.

Managua Nicaragua…New to us and yet familiar in many ways….

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Fruit for sale atop this woman’s head.

The Avianca (LACSA) flight, with a late take-off, on a 68 passenger prop plane from San Jose Costa Rica to Managua, Nicaragua, was relatively pleasant and uneventful. During the short flight. They even served sandwiches Tom ate mine as well as his own. 

There was one short flight of steps to enter the 68 passenger propr plane.

Having left the villa at 8:00 am for a one-hour flight, we didn’t arrive at the hotel in Managua until almost 3:00 pm. The long taxi rides on either end, the waiting time at the airport, the bus ride from the terminal to the plane all added to the delays and the wait to board the aircraft up the narrow, steep steps, contributing to the added time.

The plane appeared to be reasonably new, with a different propeller style than we’d previously seen.

Once arriving at the hotel, Real Inter-Continental Managua at Metrocentre Mall, with a slow check-in process, we entered our room at 3:45. I unpacked our duffel bag while Tom dozed for a few minutes. At 4:30, we wandered about the hotel checking out the various restaurants, two of which are highly rated on TripAdvisor.

Upon entering the Managua Airport, we noticed a nurse taking entering passenger’s temperature with this device.  Many were asked to stop for the test, but we weren’t.

It was already getting dark and too late to embark on a sightseeing trip. We showered and dressed for dinner. By 7:00 pm, we wandered down to the main restaurant for dinner, The Factory Steak and Lobster.

Roasted chickens for sale.

Tom had decided not to order a cocktail, and of course, I’m alcohol-free, most likely permanently due to this outrageous gastrointestinal thing. It was after the 33-night cruise when I’d consumed two glasses of wine at “free happy hour” that the symptoms exacerbated, making me terrified of drinking any alcohol anytime shortly. 

I miss the red wine and always will. Giving that up is more complicated than giving up bread or pastries. I liked that slight warming buzz from the wine, but I was never one to get up and dance on the tables, although at times, I may have contemplated it when a great disco song was playing in the background. Oh, well. 

More roasted chickens for sale along the road.

Life is filled with sacrifices and challenges. Unfortunately, mine seem to center around food and drink, both of which I’ve always found rather pleasurable. Over these past years of avoiding food and drink, it seems my other senses have become more highly tuned and appreciative of my surroundings.

La Perfecta milk processing plant.

This was particularly evident on the long taxi drive from the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in Managua to the hotel. My eyes darted back and forth across the busy streets filled with traffic noise, people, vendors, shops, and barnyard animals. 

Many vendors approach vehicles offering their wares for sale. This guy was selling portable seats.

It reminded me of the day we arrived in Mombasa, Kenya, on September 3, 2013 (here’s the link to that day and our photos), when we both were in awe of the sights, smells, and sounds as we drove through the village. I felt the rush of endorphins pumping through my body with sheer excitement over the cultural scenes that lie before our eyes. 

Buses are packed with locals and ex-pats.

Yesterday, we felt similar sensations when we found the streets of Managua aren’t entirely different from those we witnessed in Kenya so long ago. (Oh, the joy of being able to quickly search our archives to find a past post reminding us of profound past experiences. Wow!) this has added so much fun to our lives, especially knowing we’ve been able to share it with all of you.

A huge bull on his way to…

Now, as we sit in the hotel lobby preparing today’s post, the decent complimentary breakfast behind us, we’re sharing some of the photos we took on our short journey. In 24 hours, we’ll be back in Costa Rica when our flight arrives around 10:00 am, the only flight available that worked for us.

We aren’t left with much time for touring but plan to take off soon to check out the area and take more photos which we’ll continue to share over the next several days.

Trash on the sidewalk.

These two days will have gone by in the blink of an eye. But, as always, we’re reveling in each other’s companionship and our new surroundings. Funnily, I’m looking forward to returning to the villa. Upon entering, most likely, we’ll look at each other and say, “Gee, honey, it’s good to be “home.”

We hope you have a good day at home, wherever that may be.

Photo from one year ago today, October 29, 2016:

One year ago, we were sentimental about leaving Bali. We’re grateful for the beautiful experience.  For the story of our final day in Bali, please click here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is my booking error obvious? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This flower is blooming on a tree by the pool.

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

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

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

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

Happy day!

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

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

What is the cost of a typical hotel on the beach in Phuket…Why bother to travel? Astounding pricing!

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Prior to entering the grounds of the Friendship Beach Waterfronof esort we asked permission to tour the property to take photos.

In light of the recent bombings in Phuket, it may seem ironic that we’re writing about how reasonable it is to stay in Phuket for a holiday/vacation for the cost conscience traveler.

The entrance to the spa on the opposite side of the parking lot at Friendship Beach Waterfront Resort.

It only takes watching a bit of news to see that murder, terrorism and other heinous crimes are occurring everywhere in the world, not just in Phuket, which statistically has had less murders than many major cities throughout the US.

With this knowledge one can easily say, “Why bother to travel?” 

The resort has a good sized pool and Jacuzzi facing the ocean.

The answer for those with the “travel bug” is clear, no where in the world is free of risk. If one is to fulfill their dreams of world travel, we can only anticipate that now may be better than later.

Alternate view of the pool.  It was a cloudy day, but plenty of guests lounged by the pool.

With soaring prices, airline rate and luggage hikes and failing economies worldwide, waiting for some magical period sometime in the future may leave those hungry for the adventure sorry they didn’t push themselves to do it now. Who knows what the future holds in this uncertainty surrounding us? 

When we traveled to certain parts of the world in 2013, 2014, we sensed an element of heightened risk at the time. We’d never have chosen to visit many of those countries at this time when so much has transpired over these past few years.

An outdoor Thai massage area.

And yet, looking back, we’re grateful for the experiences, many we discovered as life changing and enriching in ways we can hardly describe, having added an element to our world travels like none other that we’ll ever experience in the future.

A waterfall and pond on the grounds of the resort, next to the spa area.

Sure, at the time we were on alert and highly sensitive to the risks we faced, with such situations as a security guard on our bus in Egypt wearing a black Hugo Boss suit with a collapsible Uzi in a holster underneath his jacket. Now, we’d hardly consider such a trip.

We were excited to see a Koi pond.

Then again, here we are in Phuket, Thailand and the risks may be as many as where we’ve traveled in the past. Do these facts impact our future travels? Only in regard to specific areas in countries we’ll visit. We all know from the media, no place is safe. 

Even the most secluded of country villages fall prey to horrific crime and devastation. Sure, we felt safer living on an alpaca farm in New Zealand as opposed to riding on a bus in Egypt or Turkey. 

As we approached the pond, the fish swam close , mouths open, hoping for food.

As we’ve mentioned on many occasions, we prefer remote areas away from most big cities with a more  quiet life, reduced traffic and with less outrageous commotion in the streets. And yet, next March we’ll spend 40 days in Sydney, certainly a big city with little fear. Although even that seemingly safe city has also fallen prey to terrorism over these past years. We can’t live in a bubble.

Soon, as is the case for this resort guest, we’ll be lounging in a chaise by a pool and the ocean.

As for Phuket, we decided to do a little research about the area for anyone who may consider this location at some point in the future. The best way to do this was to select a popular resort in the area and check it out which we did a few days ago.

The spa lounge.

We chose what we thought was a mid-range resort located directly on the ocean, Friendship Beach Waterfront Resort when most of the more upscale resorts require a reservation and passports to get beyond the guarded gates, neither of which we had at the time.

We easily gained access to the property after we showed our business card and explained to the reception staff we were preparing a story about the property and would be taking photos. They happily obliged. Security was at a minimum as we perused the property. (Had the 11 bombings in Thailand not occurred recently, most likely, we’d never have noticed a lack of security).

Another decorative pool on the property.

The resort was packed when we later learned it was promoted as “Phuket’s lowest waterfront room rates” which after a little online research we discovered starts as low as US $25, THB 868 per night!

An exercise and lounge area by the spa.

Moments ago, I checked the link for Hotels.com on our website to find a rate for
Friendship Beach Waterfront Resort for only US $19, THB 659! That’s less than the cost of a low priced hostel!  (These rates may be seasonal and higher priced during peak holidays, etc.).

These rates include free WiFi free parking, air con, daily maid service and more. Had we not visited the property in person, we’d have thought the online photos were deceiving. But, after our visit, before we knew the prices, we both admitted we’d happily have stayed at such a property. It was a surprising experience, one we’re glad we took the time to investigate.

Walkway back to the reception area.

Today, Monday, we’re staying put as I continue in my recovery, some days up, some days down, each day providing us with enjoyment as we live our lives in appreciation for the present and ultimately, for the future.

Happy day to all!

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

The sign outside the huge permanent farmer’s market in downtown Cairns, Rusty’s Markets, a popular tourist attraction as well as a favorite shopping site for locals. For more photos, please click here.

Singapore, here we come!…Exceptional hotel and meal in Denpasar…Photos!

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Charming Chef Suhaimi spent considerable time discussing my menu options and creating a meal I’d have loved even if my restrictive diet wasn’t necessary. Also, we shared travel stories with him when coincidentally, he’s from Singapore where we’ll be arriving later today.  He also lived in Thailand (where we’ll be in three weeks) and then in Dubai which we visited in 2013.

Our expectations for the Hilton Garden Inn in Denpasar, close to the airport, were few. At IDR  817,705, US $61 per night, we assumed it would be as basic as a hotel room could be. 

My crab and avocado salad was crispy and tart with a lemon,garlic olive oil dressing Chef Suhaimi made especially for me.
My buttery dish of salmon and vegetables with a tangy tarragon sauce Chef Suhaimi had prepared was flavorful, fresh and seasoned to perfection.

The fact we’d be at the hotel for less than 24 hours, it wasn’t necessary to stay in an upscale hotel. If it was clean, with free WiFi comfortable bedding and a few amenities, we’d be content.

Tom, 21 pounds slimmer than when we arrived in Bali two months ago, couldn’t wait to tackle this bread. 

Little did we know that we’d find ourselves in a hotel befitting a nightly IDR 2,681,000, US $200 or more price tag for the low price we’d booked at this Expedia link on our website. 

Tom’s mushroom soup with a Tepenade Crustini.

We left the villa at 9:45 am, stopped for fuel and for Butu to purchase a SIM card for directions on his phone, as well as one quick restroom breaks (yep, that on the floor toilet again which I figured out how to use this time!)  We didn’t arrive at the hotel until 2:45. It was a long five hours in traffic.

Tom’s lemon chicken entrée with mashed potatoes, and roasted vegetable.

What a relief it was when we finally pulled into the hotel to see it was considerably more appealing than we’d expected. With security checking both us and our bags and only a few short minutes at the check-in desk, we were on our way up to our room on the second floor.

Tom’s Oreo Raspberry Cheesecake dessert.

After we settling into our room, we explored the property taking photos and checking out the dinner menu. After the many hours on the road, we had no interest in taking a taxi to dinner and hoped we’d find good options in the hotel.

We were surprised the reasonable bill for our dinner. Tom had the fixed price meal, the “Set Western” which included a cocktail of his choice. He chose a frozen Marguerita. This total of tour dinner was IDR 744,150 was US $51.50 including 21% in taxes and gratuity. 

We’d read several excellent reviews at TripAdvisor for both the hotel and restaurant inspiring us to give it a try. We weren’t disappointed at all, especially when Chef Suhaimi couldn’t do enough to make an exceptional meal for me. 

Outdoor dining area.  It was cloudy and we opted to dine indoors.

He also spent time chatting with us as we each shared some worldwide experiences. He made the suggestion that we take a photo together as shown here today. We gave him one of our cards so he can check out today’s post.

Interesting artworks are highlighted throughout  the hotel.

The courses were well paced by a conscientious wait staff, the food fresh, seasoned well, hot and beautifully presented. We never felt rushed or, a sense of waiting too long for the next course.  Timing is such an integral aspect of a finely served meal. Without this element, even great food can seem mediocre. 

The swimming pool is much larger than most hotel pool.

This morning, we decided to try the hotel’s buffet breakfast with made to order omelets, eggs, bacon, waffles and a variety of Balinese dishes. Tom was in his glory when they had donuts, white toast and pastries along with pork bacon and fried eggs. 

View from second level to the bar.

Of course, Tom has no intention of staying with our way of eating over these next weeks until after we settle in Phuket on July 22nd when I’ll begin cooking again after a three month hiatus. I zipped it up and didn’t say a word.

The hotel hosts business events providing many ample seating areas for conversations.

For breakfast I had a delicious fresh egg omelet with veggies, chicken and cheese with a side of bacon, a few bits of gourmet cheeses and steamed broccoli. Once again, we were thrilled with an excellent meal and good service.

I reached out to touch these beautiful orchids in the lobby to ensure they were real.  They were.

The total bill for breakfast was IDR 242,000, US $18.30 including tax and gratuity. Having prepaid the hotel for our reservation at time of booking all we had to cover was the cost for the two meals at a total of IDR 986,150, US $69.30.

The hotel’s public areas are tastefully decorated.

With plenty of Indonesian rupiah remaining, this morning after breakfast I visited the desk to pay the balance in cash and confirm our free shuttle to the airport at 11:45 am. 

The king sized bed is comfortable with fluffy pillows and quality bedding.

Although we’ll be back in a few months, there is no point in carrying rupiahs to other countries.  We have enough rupiah remaining to pay for beverages at the airport during the wait for the flight. 

The bathroom is well appointed and designed with upscale soaps and lotions.

Tomorrow’s post may not be available until approximately six hours later than usual since we’ll be leaving our hotel by 8:30 am on our way to the Vietnam Embassy to apply for the first of three visas.  However, if we find we have time tonight it will appear at our usual time. Please check back! See you soon!

Photo from one year ago today, June 28, 2015:

This was one of our favorite spots located on William Esplanade in Palm Cove Beach in Australia. The vivid colors reminded us of the village in Placencia, Belize from so long ago. For more details, please click here.