How much are we spending to eat…Hurricane Milton left a path of destruction but our friends and family members are OK….

We browsed a few shops in Oahu but didn’t buy anything, primarily when all of the merchandise was related to home decor.

It’s been another busy morning prepping for tonight’s dinner. We cooked and seasoned six pounds of organic free-range ground beef using the oversized tin foil roaster in the oven. After draining the grease, I seasoned the meat with keto seasonings and other spices and mixed the meat thoroughly. There aren’t any large pots in this hotel room.

When done, I placed all the seasoned meat in a large mixing bowl with a lid and put it in the fridge. At dinner time, I’ll place the portion we’ll use for dinner and heat it in the microwave for our taco salads, which will include diced red onion, sliced green olives, sliced grape tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, and, for me, the contents of a mini guacamole cup with Pace Picante sauce and a dollop of sour cream.

We’ll have this same meal for three dinners. I have made at least one time-consuming dish for three meals each week. On the other evenings, we eat homemade meals we’ve frozen or other meats in the freezer. It’s been working out well.

Every other week or so, we order delivered meals from our favorite restaurants, primarily Chinese food for Tom and healthy Asian bowls from Bibibop for me. It’s a good system that’s been working well for us. Lately, we’ve been ordering groceries from Whole Foods through Amazon Prime, which has better quality products and is less expensive than the other local grocery stores.

For example, at Dave’s Market, where we originally purchased groceries, Fage Greek Yogurt, 32 ounces, was $9.39, whereas it is priced as follows at Whole Foods, using Amazon Prime:

FAGE Total Greek Yogurt, 0% Nonfat, Plain, 32 oz
17% off with Prime
$5.57
That’s a huge savings when I purchase three of these each week, and similar savings are available on many other food items. Not only do I eat a bowl of this unsweetened yogurt each day, but I use it to make fresh salad dressing daily. We can buy an entire week’s groceries for well under $200 per week, which includes some grocery items from regular Amazon, such as special keto spices, almond flour, etc.
Yes, we know grocery costs have increased over the past several years, but we can still shop for about $200 a week, the same amount we spent 12 years ago In Minnesota before we left to travel the world. Buying groceries online prevents impulse buying and overstocking supplies.
Living in a hotel, we don’t purchase paper products or cleaning supplies, saving about $30 a week. Thus, although we’re paying about 20% more to live in a residence-type hotel than we’d spend for a vacation/holiday home, overall, we are spending less to live, especially without a rental car, and here, the added costs for parking fees.
With plenty of time available in Cleveland, it’s more convenient to do a cost analysis to ensure we get the best possible prices on everything we purchase. We purchase non-food items directly from Amazon but occasionally find better prices at Walmart or Target. We consider shipping costs when buying outside of Amazon, where we get free shipping.
As for Hurricane Milton, we have been hearing from friends and family that they are safe and have sustained minimal damage to their homes from this second major storm of the season. With the news on in the background, we can see the devastation but don’t as yet have any details on the loss of life. The evacuations may have saved many lives. Our love and prayers continue for all the victims of these horrible storms and their loved ones.
Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 10, 2014:

The prior night’s sunset was at 6:15 pm at Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii. For more photos, please click here.

Worst storm in our travels, yesterday in Bali…Flooding in the streets…Photos…


We haven’t seen a flood like this since we lived in Minnesota, USA, a lot of moons ago. We took this shot from the front of the villa.

“Sighting on the Beach in Bali”

A rainbow at the end of the storm.

During our four years of world travel, we’ve experienced a tremendous number of storms, winds and hurricane scares, all of which we survived unharmed and without serious consequences, unlike millions who are suffering in the eastern seaboard in the US, Haiti and many other islands in the Caribbean Sea.

We extend our deepest sympathies for the loss of loved ones, their homes and all their belongings. Most are uninsured and can only pray for ways to sustain their lives as their shelters, towns and villages are rebuilt. 

The road facing our villa was flooded during the storm but had retreated this morning.

With the toxic water supply after such catastrophes, the lack of food and medicine, the suffering lived by these lost souls can only be imagined in our worst nightmares. May the souls of the world’s genres come together to help bring some semblance of stability and security to their lives as soon as possible. We pray for the safety and well-being of these people.

Based on the latest online news report 13 died in the United States as a result of Hurricane Matthew with 900 deaths reported so far in Haiti.    The numbers keep increasing as more and more news comes in. Millions of people have no electricity with a lot of houses under water. Many view their personal belongings and the debris of their homes floating away.

View to the lawn from the kitchen window.

Nothing we have experienced over the past few years of traveling the world can be compared to the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew and other natural and human-inspired disasters. Our hearts break for the suffering of other people around the world.

But, as we continue to share the details of our lives in our daily posts, which under the above circumstances seem trivial and unimportant, nonetheless, with the utmost of respect, our lives and yours continue on. 

The details of our experiences seem to be the driving force to bring back our faithful readers day in and day out for both the exciting and surprising, the mundane. 

Another view of flooding on the road into the next door neighbor’s gate.

In fact, I often feel like we all enjoy the mundane. Everyday life, as such, for most of us is relatively mundane. We humans, more or less like animals, find great comfort in the familiarity of our routines. 

Judge us, you may, you constant-adventure-seekers… You are the exception to the rule. We admire you for your bravery and sense of wonder that takes you on one exciting trek after another, one life endangering adventure after another as you explore your surroundings with a passion that few of us know or fully understand. Go for it! Be as safe as you’re able! Share your stories and photos with us!

For the rest of us, we’re able to find excitement and adventure in other ways, based on our level of desire for challenge, our age, our limitations (at times, self imposed) and above all our fear.    We all have the right to choose where we fit into this realm.

Last night, the two Ketuts walked in bare feet in this rain flooded road to the villa to make our dinner, leaving their motorbikes elsewhere on higher ground.

Overall for us as world travelers, we’ve opted on the safer side. After all, we decided long ago that this adventure would be on our own terms, not what others may do or expect. We don’t feel we have to prove anything to anyone as to how brave and fearless we are, we have been and we may be in the future.

One needs only to be investing our archives to find endless risky experiences we’ve consistently embarked upon along the way with many more such adventures yet to come. It’s only been during these past four months we’ve been hindered by my recent spinal injury (on June 1st) which continues to improve each day.

As we share yesterday’s storm experience, it is in no way intended to imply we were in any danger or could possibly grasp the magnitude of the devastation to the lives of those having experienced Hurricane Matthew and other such heart wrenching disasters.

We’re here to report the mundane, the exciting and the adventures of our lives, of world travel whether its an interesting insect on the veranda, a beautiful flower blooming on the grounds or an angry buffalo in the river anxious to chase my husband at his earliest convenience. 

This monstrous beetle was hunkered down on the veranda during the storm.

We report it all here for our readers to decide (if in fact, deciding is relevant) which aspects of our lives appeals to them and which do not. We easily can decipher from our stats which topics seem to attract more readers as we strive to appeal to many readers at any given time. 

We appreciate each one of you whether you like certain topics or not.

For those of our regular readers, you well know, we’re only one day away from a new topic which may prove to be more appealing to your interests than the current day’s post.

At any time, please write to us if you like us to cover topics appealing to your senses. Although, we tend to shy away from highly controversial and politically charged topics on this site, we aren’t exempt from sharing some thoughts and opinions. Otherwise, our posts would read like a dictionary.

This morning we found this leach type creature in the house, after yesterday’s storm.

This site in not intended for us to spew our perhaps one-sided opinions on certain delicate topics. That’s not to say we’ve never espoused opinions on the healthful growing of produce and meat along with the efforts we make in hoping to maintain good health through what we perceive as good nutrition and quality of life. We have… And most likely will continue to do so as our travels carry on.

May your day bring about a lively conversation or a quip you’ve read or heard that holds your interest! Be safe.

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

In Savusavu, Fiji, tourist information was available at the local police station. For more photos, please click here.