Quaint and charming…

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Seagulls are prolific in this area.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”

    “Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle because of its lush rolling hills and vales of green. Poet William Drennan is thought to be the first to use the phrase in print in his poem When Erin First Rose.”
         

This morning while checking on ingredients for tonight’s low carb taco salads we realized we didn’t have any green olives, a vital part of the taco salad for Tom. I don’t care one way or another about olives in my salad, but Tom would be sorely disappointed without them.

This cow stopped grazing to check us out.

We contemplated driving to Carna but ran the risk they wouldn’t have olives in either one of the two tiny superette-type markets. We decided to take a risk to drive the further distance to Roundstone which is almost as far as Clifden (40 minutes) or perhaps further.

Roundstone is a popular tourist town, and lo and behold, we found olives in the second of two small markets. Also, we were low on fuel and didn’t see a petrol station anywhere.  

Ruins in the distance are covered with vegetation.

As we drove through the little town of Roundstone with a population of 214, per the census of 2016, I spotted two fuel pumps outside the post office, pointing this out to Tom.  

He filled up the car and was told by the postmaster thattoo pay for the fuel to cross the street to go to the little market where I happened to be looking for olives.  
A postman on a motorbike.
Alas, the shop owner showed me where the olives were kept in plastic deli containers in the refrigerated section. We paid for the fuel and three containers of olives and were on our way to take more photos of the quaint little town.

Now, bear with me. I, too, am tired of using the words “quaint” and “charming.” 
when describing small towns in Ireland but, that is precisely what they are. When searching the definition of “quaint,” here is what I found:
The climate in Ireland results in moss growing on many of the rocks.
 
Quaint
adjective, quaint·er, quaint·est.
  • having an old-fashioned attractiveness or charm; oddly picturesque: a quaint old house.
  • strange, peculiar, or unusual in an interesting, pleasing, or amusing way: a quaint sense of humor.
  • Skillfully or cleverly made.
  • Obsolete. Wise; skilled.
As you can see from the above, there aren’t many words in the English language as an alternative to quaint.  Then again, there’s the word “charming” with this definition from the same dictionary.com.

Charming
adjective
  • pleasing; delightful: a charming child.
  • using charm; exercising magic power
When a village has 214 residents with historic buildings, houses, and shops, one may search for hours looking for better words to describe such an area, all to no avail.  You get the picture. I feel compelled to use these two words as we wander through Connemara to check out one small town after another.
We hadn’t noticed the horse on the hill while taking the photo.

We took several photos and headed back to Glinsce. I wanted to start chopping and dicing vegetables for tonight’s meal and finally work on today’s post.

Soon, John, the fish guy, will be here.  We’re hoping he’ll have crab claws today.  We borrowed a nutcracker from the property owner, Eileen, and hope to put them to good use having crab claws as a fun and tasty happy hour appetizer.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos from Roundstone.  

Have a superb day!

                   Photo from one year ago today, July 9, 2018:
Such a handsome male lion.  These lions shown today are not necessarily the lions recently spotted inside Marloth Park. For more photos, please click here.

Volcanoes continue to fascinate us…Volcano found on an island we visited in Antarctica…

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Me and a few Gentoo penguins on Saunders Island, Antarctica, on January 26, 2018.  What an experience!

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“One of the most curious facts about Ireland takes place in the town of Killorglin in the Reeks District. Here, a festival known as the Puck Fair sees a goat crowned as King Puck for three days. The Queen of Puck, traditionally a local young schoolgirl, crowns the goat.”

When we noticed this news story from a popular news source in the UK, we researched to ensure this story was true. We all know how sensationalism is rampant in the press.

Having been to Antarctica on one of the most amazing small ship cruises, Ponant Le Boreal, heading out on Zodiac boats often twice a day was an experience we’ll never forget.  

The price was high for this cruise but, in the end, we understood the reasons for the higher cruise fare. It was truly a life-changing experience that will remain at the forefront of our minds about past and future cruises.

When we confirmed the story was true, we decided to share it here. Having visited Saunders Island on that Antarctica cruise, this story suddenly had special meaning for us.

Following is the story from the news source that we discovered a few days ago and this photo from the article:

Antarctica news: Saunders Island volcano
Not our photo (obviously). Antarctica: The active volcano sits on Saunders Island near Antarctica, as seen from space.
From this site:

“Antarctica SHOCK: Scientists have found a monstrous LAVA lake under a sub-Antarctic island

ANTARCTICA scientists have just discovered a never-seen-before lake of bubbling lava under an Island in the sub-Antarctic circle.

The shocking discovery was made by the British Antarctic Survey using powerful satellite imagery of the Southern Hemisphere. The Antarctic survey confirmed the presence of molten lava in the crater of Mount Michael, an active volcano on Saunders Island. 

The small island in the sub-Antarctica circle is part of the British Overseas Territory (BOT) in the Southern Ocean, near Antarctica’s icy continent. But the fascinating part of the discovery is the lava lake is the eighth of its kind to be found on Earth.

Geologist Dr. Alex Burton-Johnson from the British Antarctic Survey said in a statement: “We are delighted to have discovered such a remarkable geological feature in the British Overseas Territory.

“Identifying the lava lake has improved our understanding of the volcanic activity and hazard on this remote island, and tells us more about these rare features, and finally, it has helped us develop techniques to monitor volcanoes from space.”

The incredible findings were submitted to the latest issues of the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research.

The researcher’s paper reads: “This is the first evidence for a lava lake within Mt Michael from data that can resolve the crater floor, and the first evidence for magmatic temperatures.

“As thermal anomalies were detected in all images showing the crater, we suggest that the lava lake is a common and persistent feature.” This is not, however, the first time scientists have suspected the presence of a magma lake in Mount Michael.

Mount Michael is an active stratovolcano on Saunders Island in the South Sandwich Islands. This small grouping of islands sits in the Southern Atlantic Ocean near Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.”

While on the Big Island in Hawaii in 2014, we were able to see the lava spewing from Mount Kilauea. Of course, we never knew of, nor did we see, the volcano. From our position close to the beach, it wouldn’t have been possible. 
This is a photo I took of a photo of when the lava crossed Apa’a Street on October 25th.
See this link for a news report. See our post from this date. Please click here.
 See our photo below, taken from the observation deck at Kilauea National Park.
This was my favorite shot from the evening with the backdrop of the glow from Mount Kilauea. For more photos, please click here.
Having had the opportunity to see lava up close and personal as we did in 2014 only adds to the adventures of our world travels. In one month from today, August 8th, we’re on the move again, seeking more outstanding experiences.

Even the quiet, uneventful days can bring adventure into our hearts and minds.  All we have to do is “Dream, Dream, Dream.”
               
Photo from one year ago today, July 8, 2018:
A calf is born weighing 100 to 150 pounds and measuring in at 6 feet tall. A calf will begin to forage at about four months old. For more photos, please click here.

Climbing a steep hill…A milestone day?…

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Seafaring boat on dry dock.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“Croaghaun in Ireland is the second highest cliff in Europe.“

There’s a steep hill from where the house is located up to the long gravel driveway, which leads to the main road. Many times over these past two months, I wondered if and when I could tackle that hill.

I set a target date of July 4th. This date would be easy to remember due to its significance in the US as the holiday, Independence Day. The closer the date approached, I knew I was going to tackle it.

After walking inside the house for almost two months on level surfaces, with one flight of stairs to the bedroom level, I knew it was unrealistic to think the indoor walking was comparable to walking outdoors on rocky, uneven surfaces.  
Another waterway at low tide.

And thus, outdoor walking, albeit at a slow progression, is my new mission as an adjunct to indoor walking, which I must also continue. Once I can work my way to the road. Hopefully, I’ll feel confident in partaking in tours during the upcoming cruise from Amsterdam in another month.  

We’ll spend two nights in a hotel in Amsterdam and will surely want to walk around the historic city and explore the sights. My ability to walk for more extended periods is vital to this and other upcoming visits to various cities and countries.

After the cruise, we’ll be heading to England, mostly in and around Cornwall and (think scenery from Poldark, Doc Martin, and Broadchurch, all filmed in and around Cornwall and the further away, Bristol).

Certainly, while in England, we’ll take advantage of opportunities to walk into town, which is possible at a few of the four rentals, including a two-night stay in Southampton before boarding another cruise that will take us back to the US for a family visit.
This bird was identified as a Hooded Crow, or Grey Crow in Ireland, as determined by a friend (who lives in UK and Marloth Park), Lynne, who, along with her husband Mick, are expert birders.  Thanks once again, Lynne!!!

Being on a cruise requires a tremendous amount of walking and going up and down steps. It’s often quite a distance from the cabin to any of the venues we prefer overall; the cafe, the restaurants, the bars, the theatre, and more.  

During the first evening’s required “muster drill,” approximately five flights of stairs must be navigated up and down. Since I don’t have any visible signs of recovering, I’d prefer not to draw attention to myself by stopping too often to catch my breath or rest my legs.

When I first had this major surgery, I’d been told to expect 8 to 12 weeks for a full recovery. I’m sure some patients do accomplish this goal, but I haven’t been one of them.  
A cattle family lounging together on a hill
With the two heart surgeries and two leg surgeries, I may be slower than many others but then again, faster than others. It’s a personal thing predicated by many factors.
Also, today is the first day in many months I have not worn the bandages on my left leg. Recently, as my leg has healed, the adhesive from the bandage has been causing a tremendous amount of itching, keeping me awake at night.
 

This morning I took a shower, patted it dry, and put on Capri length pants to avoid rubbing the still-open wound. I’ll have to cover it when I go outdoors to walk, but for now, as I sit here in the comfy chair, preparing today’s post, it feels good to have fresh air on the leg after so long.

Small seafaring vessel.

The incision in my right thigh is still black and blue and feels as if it has needles in it. At night, I have to put a pillow between my knees to avoid the pain. (I no longer take any pain medication).

What else is still painful and uncomfortable? The incision scar in my sternum is itchy, feels as if it’s pulling the skin, and remains raised. The hardest part is having trouble bending over to pick up something from the floor or looking for something in the tiny under-the-counter refrigerator in the kitchen.

Although comfortable while sitting, the chair I use is low to the ground, and I have trouble standing up from it. My legs are still sore from the surgeries, and I don’t possess the leg strength I had in the past.
There’s not a lot of crime in Connemara. The police department in Carna is located in a tiny building. Police officers are referred to as “Garda” in Ireland.

From time to time, my heart does weird things; too fast, too slow missed beats.  These can be unnerving, but I’ve decided not to worry about it when I know this is not unusual during the first year post bypass.

Nonetheless, I feel pretty good overall. I can perform most household tasks, cook, do laundry and make the bed. Tom continues to be helpful, but now I make a point of doing things for myself.

In five days, it will be five months since the bypass, and now it’s three months since the leg surgeries. For the first time in my life, I haven’t pushed myself to do more and more. Taking it slowly works best in this game.

Nearby ruins.  Many such buildings are found in the countryside.

So, maybe today is a milestone day…no bandages for now and…I can walk up and down the steep hill, which I am currently doing each day, walking further and further. I’m grateful to be alive and remind myself of this fact every day, and each time I feel a twinge of discomfort.

Today, another rainy day, we’ll stay in and revel in a quiet Sunday, the views of the bay, the wildflowers blooming all around us, and a great meal for dinner after a tasty breakfast of scrambled eggs with onions and cheese.

Enjoy your Sunday, too!

                    Photo from one year ago today, July 7, 2018:
We were busy inside the house preparing for last night’s dinner party. But, we knew the mongooses had arrived by the high-pitched cackling and squeals. Tom always drops a few uncracked raw eggs on the ground to keep them around while we make up the bowl of six to eight eggs (depending on the size of the “band”).  For more photos, please click here.

Lions on the loose in Marloth Park…We’re missing the adventure!…Photos…

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Two female lions were spotted in Marloth Park! (Not our photo).

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“Ireland ran under a democratic nation and established their present constitution in 1937.”

There’s no doubt about it…we’re missing the excitement over this past month when several lions were sighted in Marloth Park, walking about the streets in search of food. Surely, they’ve found plenty in the bountiful wildlife reserve.
It would have been quite an experience to be one of these drivers on the paved Olifant road when these two females, as shown above, sat leisurely on the side of the road, oblivious of the cars stopping to take photos.

There were several occasions in the 15 months we lived in the bush that lions found a way to get into Marloth Park via an opening in the fence, often dug up by warthogs. Unfortunately, we never had a chance to see them, although we went out looking for them, slowly driving from one dirt road to another.

During those periods, we could often hear their roaring at night. Many of our friends in the park are equally excited now, as they see and hear them. Of course, we could always hear Daisy and Fluffy, the two neutered lions who live in Lionspruit, the reserve within a reserve in Marloth Park.

Lionspruit was the location for many fantastic braais and parties we attended at Frikkee’s Dam with Louise, Danie, and many others.  We were aware of Daisy and Fluffy (male) presence in the area but hardly worried about it.

Now the workers, homeowners, and holidays renters are being warned to exercise the utmost caution when walking anywhere in the park or one’s garden. There is always an after-dark curfew in place which is difficult to enforce when there are no police in the park.  

Through the hard work of local volunteers, the park is “policed,” but they cannot arrest anyone. The three security companies in the park join in the “policing” but again cannot stop anyone.

Many may dismiss the fear of lions in the park as being overly cautious. But, while we were in the park, we did a story with photos of Jonas, a local worker, now 20 years later, a popular builder and friend to the park, who was attacked by a lion in Marloth Park receiving horrific injuries.  

Somehow, Jonas survived to share the story and go on to live a productive life. If you’d like to read the story of Jonas and see photos of his scars from the attack, please click here.

Here’s our photo of Jonas when he and Danie came to visit us so we could share his story along with photos:

Jonas has scars all over his body from the attack 20 years ago when he was a young man, riding his bike at night in the dark.

Jonas speaks little English but speaks Afrikaans and Danie translated to English for our benefit on that memorable day. He was so kind to have taken the time to meet with us and retell his shocking story of living to survive a lion attack. We posted the story on March 11, 2018.

We’re hoping no one will be foolhardy and ignore the curfew and stay away from the lions who aren’t hesitant to be present during daytime hours. When such warnings were out during our long 15 months to stay, it wasn’t unusual to see children riding bikes and walking alone on the roads. Who are these people who would be so careless?
 
We’ll continue to check out what will transpire until the lions are darted and returned to Kruger. But, at this point, all efforts have been futile. We miss the park, always will, and hope to return someday soon.
 
Have a safe and fulfilling weekend!
                    
Photo from one year ago today, July 6, 2018:
Mom and Dad were very proud of their family. Ostriches mate for life. For more photos, please click here.

Plastic bags and other garbage…

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Cows in the side yard as we drove down the driveway to the main road.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“Some Irish surnames begin with “O.” This translates to “grandson of” in Gaelic.”

This morning, we knew we had to drive the long distance to Clifden to shop for groceries. Usually a 45-minute drive, Tom can easily make it in 35 minutes on the narrow winding roads.  

He’s become quite adept at shifting the manual transmission with his left hand and driving on the opposite side of the road from which he was familiar in the US for most of his life. When he intends to use the turn signal, he hits the wipers.  (This is opposite from the US in most cases). Each time he’s done this, we laugh out loud.

Cattle are so busy grazing. They hesitate to look up a photo op.

I wasn’t feeling up to going out. It was drizzling. The skies were grey and, ominous-looking clouds hovered over the sea. Somehow I mustered up the energy, bathed and dressed for the occasion. By 9:38, we were on the road.

Shopping in Clifden is an experience in itself. The streets are busy with shoppers with many cars searching for suitable parking spots. The grocery store, the ever-popular worldwide, SuperValu has an accessible underground parking ramp.  

A Connemara Pony in the pasture down the road.

As is often the case, Tom dropped me off at the ground-level entrance to the big market. Although Clifden is a very tiny town with a population under 1600, farmers and country residents come from all over to shop at the well-stocked store.  

Unlike in some other parts of the world, the grocery stores sell wine, beer, and spirits, and thus, there are few actual liquor stores, although they exist in the larger cities.

Since we arrived almost two months ago, this brown colt seems to be growing up quickly.

Before heading to SuperValu, we stopped to check out the specials at the Aldi supermarket at the edge of town. I’d first visited an Aldi in the US, finding prices good but with many fewer options from which to choose than the many popular grocery stores in Minnesota. We found the same scenario to be the case here in Ireland.

We made a few purchases on competitively priced items, mainly vegetables, and meats and were on our way. We still use our insulated bags when we shop, including the yellow Costco bag we’d purchased in Maui in 2014. It’s held up well along with a few others that have traveled with us all these years.

Recently, we read the following from this site: “Bangladesh was the first country to ban plastic bags in 2002. China, Israel, South Africa, the Netherlands, Morocco, Kenya, Rwanda, Mauritania, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Albania, and Georgia have since implemented similar bans.  New Zealand is the latest country to ban toxic bags.  

At low tide, many inner waterways appear boggy and muddy.

When we’ve seen plastic waste in the oceans (and on land) as we’ve traveled the world, we wonder why it took so long for countries to begin looking at this serious issue. Surely, many of us have watched heartbreaking videos of wildlife encased in fishing lines and various plastic refuse, struggling to survive. 


As nature lovers, this is particularly disturbing for us. Although our contributions are tiny compared to the big picture, we’ve been traveling for 348 weeks, shopping at least once per week but often twice to pick up extra items in between.  

We would have used 15 plastic bags per week, including all shopping trips. We would have used 5220 bags. With over 7 billion people on earth, if only 2 billion shopped and used 15 loads a week during this same period, 10,440,000,000,000 (yep, that’s over 10 trillion) bags would have been used. It’s no wonder the earth is choking from plastic.

This morning’s view across the bay to the Twelve Bens mountains.

Thus, we’ve carried our several reusable and mainly washable bags with us for all these years. As they’ve worn out, we purchased more, preferably cloth, recyclable bags. 

We’re not heroes for doing this. It’s merely a sense of responsibility most of us possess. For us, it’s similar to not throwing trash out the windows of our cars, and yet, people still do this today.

Ah, I could get on my soapbox on this topic and others. But, our intent here is not to preach, not to shame but merely share the nuances of our everyday lives, some of which may include our sense of responsibility.

Be well. Be happy.
                                           Photo from one year ago today, July 5, 2018:
At a 4th of July party at Kathy and Don’s third-floor veranda overlooking the Crocodile River. For more photos, please click here.

Happy 4th of July to all our friends in the US…How do I get health insurance now?

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Bay view on a sunny morning in Connemara.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“Many Irish names begin with “Mac,” which translates to mean “son of.”

Firstly, let’s start today with wishes for a safe and festive July 4th weekend to all of our friends and family members in the US. With the holiday falling on a Thursday, it may be a four-day weekend for many workers.  
 
In our old lives, we celebrated the Independence Day of America with considerable enthusiasm. We had 300 small flags lining the lakeshore, which Tom had put in place the previous night; I baked an American flag sheet cake using strawberries and blueberries for the stars and stripes, and we often had a party for friends and family.
 
Today, here in Ireland, this is another lovely Thursday in Ireland. To celebrate the day, early this morning, we took a drive in the countryside, taking photos along the way.
We spotted lots of cattle on a morning drive but few sheep.

It is still a cool day at 10C, 59F, but the winds were light and the sky sunny. Now a few hours later, the clouds have rolled in, and there isn’t a spot of blue in the sky.  But the weather doesn’t keep us from reveling in the scenery we see out any window in our vacation home, constantly reminding us of this beautiful country.

As I had promised myself over a month ago, on the 4th of July, I’d be able to walk up the hill from the driveway on my own with no help from Tom. This morning, I gleefully accomplished this task and have decided to repeat it at least five times a week to build my stamina for walking up steep hills.

That is not to say my healing is complete. At a little over 4½ months from the bypass surgery and three months since the two-leg surgeries, I’d be deluding myself to say the healing process is complete. I still have pain and discomfort in my sternum and legs. I’ve read that some patient’s chests don’t heal for over a year.

Flowers blooming on the side of the road.

I don’t think it will take me a year, but I will progress considerably by the six-month mark. The wound in my left leg should be closed within a month. The other already-closed incisions are still tender to touch and feel painful at night in bed.  

The hematoma in my right thigh is starting to look a little better but requires a pillow between my legs at night to avoid keeping me awake from the pain. I’m hopeful, and when I think we’ll be on a cruise in 5½ weeks, I continue to exercise, try to get enough sleep, and eat a healthy diet.  

While on the upcoming cruise from Amsterdam to Amsterdam, we have a very busy and active two-day small group tour to St. Petersburg, Russia. I’m working hard to prepare myself for this tour. In the evenings, we’ll return to the ship for the night meeting with the van at the pier the following day.

The online translation of this monument was tricky to accomplish. Can any of our new readers in Ireland translate this for us?  If so, please send an email or comment at the end of the post.

Speaking of my health situation once again (apologies for the repetition), we’ve been busy the past several days searching for a health insurance policy that accepts pre-existing conditions. We weren’t hopeful.

And, not surprisingly, we cannot find insurance for me that would include anything to do with my heart and arteries. In the worst case, I may qualify 12 months after no further treatment was required. This 12-month period would begin on May 10, 2019, when I no longer needed any medical care.

We still have coverage with the company that isn’t paying our claims, and until they provide us with formal notification, everything else is covered. The rate is almost Euro 709,  US $800 a month, which doubled after the surgery.  

A bull in a field with lots of what appeared to be pregnant females.

There’s nothing we can do at this point, short of returning to live in the US to get Medicare, Part B, and a supplement (they don’t pay outside the US). We are not willing to do this at this time and forfeit this wonderful life.  We’re eager to take the risk.

You may think we’re nuts for not moving back to the US for this reason. But, we all have to make choices for our own lives. This works for us. Quality of life is an essential factor, motivating us to continue joyfully. I could make myself stressed thinking of this, but I choose not to. Instead, we’ll continue to dream and make plans for the future.

As mentioned above, may all of our readers in the US have a safe and fulfilling holiday weekend.  And may the remainder of our readers have an equally good day and upcoming weekend.

Photo from one year ago today, July 4, 2018:
This parade of elephants consisted of more than 30. For more photos, please click here.

We have to let it go and move on…You may not agree…How to identify fake scallops…

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Chef Ramsay might be pleased with the color from browning these scallops in butter. “Inside, you will also find a vivid orange roe (also called coral), which is often discarded but is edible. Rinse (don’t drench) several times in cold water to remove sand or grit. Once shucked, scallops can be cooked. If scallops are mushy to the touch, they’re undercooked. If they’re firm, they’re overcooked.” They are delicious!  For more on “fake” scallops that are often sold throughout the world. Please click here.  Scroll to the end of this post for details on this topic.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“The guillotine was used in Ireland before it was used in France. The earliest use
dates back to 1307.”

The battle with the insurance company is coming to an end. We’ve concluded they aren’t going to pay, nor will we be reimbursed for any of the bills we paid out-of-pocket.  

The stress of dealing with this has the potential to harm my future health. It simply isn’t worth it. At times, we all have had to face the reality that we’re losing money we shouldn’t have had to lose. Such is the case here. We need to move on.

We considered a lawsuit but here again, more stress and focus on the negativity that not only may affect both of us but also prevent us from truly enjoying our plans with this hanging over our heads.  

We can only imagine the endless conversations with a solicitor/attorney in the UK, where the company is based, and how those calls would impact the quality of our experiences. These types of phone calls could transpire while we’re on a cruise or touring. We need to move on.

A Connemara Pony a few doors down from us.

Why do they deny the claim? In 2007 I had a cardiac ablation in the cath lab (in Minnesota) by an “electrical” cardiologist to remove a genetic tiny extra electrical valve which suddenly caused tachycardia.  

Once he removed the tiny valve (no replacement necessary), he explained I wouldn’t need further treatment, medication, or any follow-up. I didn’t have a “heart” condition. I was not a heart patient.

Less than a week later, I was back at the health club pounding it out, feeling great with no residual symptoms. It was over. During this period, I was on a low-dose hypertensive drug that kept my blood pressure totally under control.  I still wasn’t considered a “heart” patient.

When we applied for the insurance, I knew it would be construed as a heart condition if I disclosed this. The doctor who did the ablation told me specifically not to make a deal of this when applying for insurance. I didn’t have a heart condition.

Another Connemara Pony and her colt.  The dad was nearby, and he was a dark brown like the colt.

When our current annual travel insurance discovered the ablation, they denied the claim, stating I had a pre-existing heart condition. During all the tests I’d had before the bypass surgery, I was told over and over there was nothing wrong with my heart itself.  

From a lifetime of working out, my heart was comparable to that of a healthy 35-year-old. My arteries are the issue, and I did not know, no prior treatment and no medication for this genetic condition, inherited from both sides of the family.  Heart disease, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, spinal disorders, and other inflammatory diseases were rampant on my mother’s side of the family.

One can argue I should have disclosed this when applying for the insurance because I had no known heart disease. I saw no reason to disclose it.  Would one admit every sprained ankle, every infection, and injury when applying for insurance, only to have those recovered body parts excluded from the policy?

I had disclosed I’d had back surgery in 1995, and they excluded any possible claims for anything to do with my spine, neck, and vertebrae even though I no longer had pain or was on treatment for any of this. My restrictive diet rid me of any pain, and at the time of application, shortly after we began traveling the world, I disclosed this condition in the application.

This insurance is not Medicare and has nothing to do with insurance in the US.  Medicare doesn’t pay outside the US, nor is it possible to be reimbursed for any claims. The policy was “major medical” only and didn’t cover doctor visits, dental, vision, or prescriptions.  

We had so few doctor appointments over the years of travel, up until the recent surgery.  Prices were so low for office visits in other countries, such as Euro 30.44, US $40 for an office visit. There was no need to cover office visits.

So there it is. Right or wrong. Delusional or realistic. This is the situation, and we have to live with it to avoid the above stress.

But, a new problem comes out of this. How do we get insurance for me now with the recent four surgeries?  We’ll share what we’ve discovered in tomorrow’s post.

Authentic scallops with the orange roe connection piece, which in itself is delicious!

Moving right along…tonight, we have scallops again. We can’t get enough of these. Although I’ve reduced my beef consumption to once a week, we have the scallops with steak for a quasi “surf and turf” dinner. It’s no special occasion.  We’re just enjoying good food along with coleslaw, baby asparagus, and cooked spinach (for me). Tom will have rice with his dinner.

Following is the article we found online about “fake” scallops, which we’d wondered about for years. After eating the scallops here, delivered each week by fish guy John, I doubt we’ll ever trust scallops in other countries, including the US. I never recall them tasting so delicious or having the little reddish/orange pouch on its side.  Wow!  Unbelievable flavor and texture.

“Identifying Fake Scallops (from this site)

While you can’t always trust labels, you can trust your eyes. Here are a few tips to help you decipher if scallops are authentic or fake.

Scallops from nature will vary in size and never have a perfect cylinder shape to them. Fake scallops have an identical circumference because they are made using a cookie-cutter device. Also, if you see one edge thicker than the other, it’s either stingray or skate wings that taper significantly from one side to the other.

*Look at the texture. Genuine scallops have distinct grains or fibers running lengthwise, as the edible part of scallop meat serves as a muscle that holds the two scallop shells together. A fake scallop will have fewer fibers and appear more solid and dense.

And finally, look at the thickness and see if it’s the same on all sides. If it’s made from a stingray or skate, it will be thicker on one side because their wings taper significantly from one side to the other.”

Next time you purchase scallops, you may want to check for authenticity. Enjoy the day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 3, 2018:

Notice the pellet crumbs on Ms. Bushbuck’s nose. Often, there are lots of crumbs in the enormous bags of pellets. Most wildlife is happy to lap up the crumbs if we place them on the tile steps. For more photos, please click here.

And life goes on…Knowing or not knowing…

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Whenever the sky is pretty straightforward, we look forward to the sunsets.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“The Irish perform in the Tailteann Games, Ireland’s version of the Olympics.”

After all the excitement over the past week by finalizing several bookings for the upcoming year, we’ve now settled back into our day-to-day lives. The itinerary is almost filled in with only a few gaps for hotel stays. To see yesterday’s posted itinerary, please click here.

Not only has it been exciting for us, but it’s also been a huge relief. Not knowing where we’ll be in six months is daunting, especially as I continue to recover from open-heart surgery.

A glimmer at a distance.

That is one of the essential aspects of world travel after all these years…knowing where we’ll be a year from now and perhaps the following year. This fact has been instrumental in our booking so far out over the past almost seven years.

Without a home, apartment, condo or place we can go to repack and regroup, this process must be completed while in the midst of our travels. This could be unsettling for many.

In the beginning in 2012, we were booked out over two years since we were well aware of the fact about the human condition is to be rooted in one (or more) locations.

The sunsets occur late here in Ireland, especially at this time of the year.

Now, with experience, we’ve found if we know where we’ll be in a year is all we need to feel comfortable. However, we both acknowledge that most likely we’ll never be in a position to land in a new country without reservations. If we’d did, we’d figure it out and not panic.

But why put ourselves in that position? We’re not 20-year-olds backpacking it and staying in hostels along the way. We have certain expectations as to the creature comforts we require;  a clean and well-maintained property; WiFi, heat, and aircon (if necessary), electricity, running water and a kitchen suitable for preparing most meals. A comfy bed and bedding is a bonus.

Anything beyond that is a plus we never fail to appreciate. We aren’t snobs and don’t require “fancy” and “modern.” While we stay in Apache Junction in the same neighborhood as Tom’s three sisters and significant others, it will be a fun for us.

What a sight!

We chose to stay in Apache Junction near his family a few reasons, but mainly since Tom is the youngest in the family and wanted to have valuable time with his sisters, which we haven’t done in years.  

Many of our travel experiences include what I suggest and would like to do.  Good grief, do you think he wanted to spend over a year in South Africa, something we’ll never do again for such an extended period? He did it for me and ultimately enjoyed himself in the process.  

When he suggested we visit his sisters for two months (a time we had to fill) in Apache Junction, Arizona living in their neighborhood in our own place, it sounded like a good idea. This is a collaborative adventure. Besides, I thoroughly enjoy hanging out with his sisters.

Old cement house along the highway to Oughterard.

With a bit of time and effort and assistance from his sister Colleen, we were able to book a place within walking distance to his sister’s places. It is inexpensive compared to many houses we’ve rented at Euro 1327, US $1500 a month (includes WiFi and all utilities) and will give us an opportunity to recover some of our losses over the past year.

We’re both good with this.  We didn’t want to spend the cold winter in Minnesota when we have no cold-weather clothing, can’t stand the cold or afford a hotel for such an extended period. It’s costly to stay in Minnesota. 

Another man and a boy are fishing in front of our house.

We didn’t want to impose upon son Richard by living in his house for two months (instead we’ll stay with him for 10 days). It’s a five-plus-hour drive from Henderson, Nevada, to Apache Junction, Arizona.  

We’ll rent a car in Nevada, use it while in Nevada, drive to Arizona and return the car either to the airport in Nevada or Arizona, depending on our plans at the time.  Tom has done some research and it appears the price will be the same if we pick it up in Nevada and drop it off in Arizona since both airports are very busy.

So much planning goes into each location. Fortunately, we continue to find research fun, rewarding, and not a chore. Should this ever change, we’ll have to rethink our lifestyle.

We hope you have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 2, 2018:

This flock of ostriches is often found in a particular area near the river we often visit when on daily drives. For more details, please click here.

Here it is at long last!…Our newest itinerary!…

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One of the many excursions on the Maharajas Express train includes a visit to the Taj Mahal. (Not our photo).

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“Abortion is illegal in Ireland unless keeping the child would put the mother’s life at
risk.”

There’s no doubt we’re tentative about booking into the future, especially when there is no certainty about my health going forward. To date, we haven’t booked anything where we’d lose the entire cost of the venue, just deposits.

Even paying deposits is risky. After we’ve paid out so much in medical bills, our insurance company refuses to pay and to lose so much for prepaid travel events we couldn’t attend, flights we had to cancel, and bookings we had to forgo, it’s not surprising we’re cautious.

The unexpected cardiac bypass surgery could easily put a quick end to our travels, which neither of us wanted to stop. Instead, we strive to continue living life to the fullest.  

None of us knows how much time we have on this earth, and yes, my situation may mean I have less time than many. But, it’s no reason to stop living. What would we do if we lived in a condo in the US? Stay home and do nothing? 

The travels we have ahead will require some days at the airport, waiting in a long queue to board a ship and lots of walking. Would it be a lot less active if we lived in the US (or some other country)? Besides, being active is the number one prescription for improving one’s health after cardiac bypass surgery.

Walking? Yep. I’m on it every day, keeping track of my fitness watch to ensure I get in enough steps each day. It’s not easy to do, walking around the house all day.  Right now, I have a timer set to walk every 30-minutes.


I shake it up every few days.  Sometimes, it’s for long periods or several times a day, once every hour.  On some days, I do half or more of the walking at one time.  Why don’t I walk outside?  It’s cold, windy and it rains a lot.  Also, there are no sidewalks on the very narrow winding roads. The driveway to the road is rocky and uneven. It defeats the purpose to risk injury.

Itinerary 2019 – 2020
Ireland – Connemara – house rented 89 5/12/2019
– 8/8/2019 
Hotel Dublin, Ireland 1 8/8/2019
– 8/9/2019
Hotel Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2  8/9/2019 – 8/11/2019 
Cruise
– Baltic – Amsterdam to Amsterdam 		 12  8/11/2019 –
8/23/2019 
England
– Falmouth, Cornwall, UK		 14  8/23/2019 -9/6/2019 
England
– St. Teath, Bodwin, Cornwall, UK		 14 9/6/2019 – 9/20/2019
England
– Witheridge, Devon, UK		 21 9/20/2019 – 10/11/2019
Wales –
Chepstow, Monmouthshire, UK		 11 10/11/2019 – 10/22/2019
Hotel – Southampton, England 2 10/22/2019 – 10/24/2019
Cruise
– Southampton to Fort Lauderdale 		 15  10/24/2019-11/8/2019 
Hotel – Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA 14  11/8/2019 –
11/22/2019 
Henderson,
Nevada, USA		 9 11/22/2019 – 12/1/2019
Holiday
Rental – Apache Junction, Arizona USA		 61 12/1/2019 – 1/30/2020
Flight
Phoenix, Arizona to Mumbai, India*		 2 1/30/2020 – 2/1/2020
Hotel –
Mumbai, India		 1 2/1/2020 – 2/2/2020
Train –
Maharajas Express -Mumbai to Dehli		 6 2/2/2020 – 2/8/2020
Safari
– India		 5 2/8/2020 – 2/13/2020
Hotels
Udaipur, India 		 30 2/13/2020 – 3/13/2020
India –
to be booked		 21 3/13/2020 – 4/3/2020
Cruise
– Mumbai to London		 29 4/3/2020 – 5/2/2020
Total days planned 359 5/12/2020 – 5/2/2020
It does not include cruises beyond this date in the event we make some changes. * All distant locations include flights – the only flight more than a day is from Phoenix
to Mumbai.

Walking around the house at a good clip is not that bad.  I have a route I vary every few minutes rather than stick to one path. Boredom is the biggest problem.  My cheap South African-purchased smartphone doesn’t have enough memory to add a podcast app which would help tremendously.  

At one point, I added an SD card, but it couldn’t store any data. It’s the phone.  Nothing I can do about that until we purchase new phones in the US when we arrive in November, a mere four months from now.  

We’ve already selected the phones we’d like but won’t order them until closer to the time of our arrival in the US. In four months, newer models could hit the market, and prices may change.

In preparing the itinerary we’ve included today, we didn’t include the cruise we’ve booked to Cape Town, South Africa, long before my illness, based on hearing from immigration as to our “undesirable” status after overstaying for three months my recovery. As mentioned a few days ago, we’ve applied, re-applied, and called several times, requesting a response. None yet. We’ll continue trying.

Also, as mentioned, we have a few more cruises we’ve booked and may not take. These are not shown in the itinerary.  We’re able to move the deposits at any time with no losses. Having chosen a few costly cruises, considering our budget, we won’t be cruising as often as we had in the early part of our travels.

Cruises are highlighted in the itinerary in turquoise. We’ll be taking the cruises listed on the itinerary. Everything we do in life is subject to good health. For some oddball reason, I wrongfully thought that saying “health providing” in dozens, if not hundreds of other posts, as if provided some insurance, nothing terrible would happen. It did happen anyway. I am done saying that!

After further research and comments from kindly readers who’ve been to India, it appears we can stay up to 180 days. That’s great! We didn’t want to deal with more immigration problems.

Gotta go! My timer just went off for my next round of walking.  

Enjoy your day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 1, 2018:

One year ago today, we attended the Honorary Ranger’s Annual Fair in Marloth Park.  Artist’s renditions of wildlife along with an array of skulls, horns, and tusks. For more photos, please click here.

Part 4…New bookings…A new country…A new lease on life!…Tomorrow, our new itinerary!…

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Mumbai.

“Fascinating Fact of the Day About Ireland”
“The longest river in the country is the River Shannon. The river is 360 km, 224 miles long. The River Shannon (Irish: Abha na Sionainne, an tSionainn, an tSionna) is the longest river in Ireland. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of 16,865 km (6,512 sq mi), one-fifth of the area of Ireland.”

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we hesitated over spending so much on this cruise, especially after the cost of the Maharajas Train on which we’ll embark on February 3, 2020.  

We have two months to travel while in India while we look forward to this upcoming cruise embarking on April 3, 2020, ending in London on May 2, 2020, 29 nights later.

We’ve yet to decide where we’ll go when we arrive in London. We have plenty of time for that, a little over 10 months. We may plan to stay around Europe for a few months. With the Schengen visa restrictions, we can only remain in most European countries for 90 out of 180 days.

There are several countries that aren’t part of Schengen. For more details on Schengen visas, please visit this site.

According to visa regulations listed on many sites for India e-visa, a traveler from the US and many other countries may only stay for 60 days. We’ll be in India for 63 days. If necessary, we’ll apply for an extension through the Indian Embassy through the consulate in San Francisco, the location we must use as residents of Nevada.

However, at the governmental e-visa site for India, the following is clearly stated as follows:

“Stay:
Continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days for countries except the USA, UK, Canada, and Japan. For the USA, UK, Canada, and Japan, continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days.

Today, I sent them an email asking to clarify if a 90-day stay is accurate. After all our visa issues these past few years, we aren’t taking any chances. Nothing spoils a visit to a country like immigration issues.  
 
Anyway, back to the cruise fare…We weren’t thrilled that Viking requires payment in full so close to the time of booking and far from the time of sailing. In this case, the final payment, as shown below, is due in full on July 24, 2019, a little over three weeks from now:  
 
Cruise Fare $19,998.00  
E-Check Discount ($633.53)       
Past-Passenger Discount ($800.00)            
Grand Total: $18,564.47   
Total Deposit Paid: $483.50    
Total Balance Due: $18,080.97  Final payment due July 24, 2019 

Tips/Amenities Included: 
Jessica Lyman: $300.00 Onboard Credit 
Thomas Lyman: $300.00 Onboard Credit 

We justified this expensive cruise based on the fact that we have three cruises we’ve booked with deposits we can transfer to later cruises, most likely to 2022, giving up plenty of time to recover the considerable expense.  

In the interim, we’ll wait and see if we can sail on the cruise from Lisbon to Cape Town on November 10, 2020, on Azamara, which visits many ports on the western side of Africa, a very rare cruise.  

We’re waiting to determine if the five-year ban from returning to South Africa is lifted for medical reasons.  We applied for the waiver almost seven weeks ago and have inquired several times to no avail. They don’t respond to our inquiries by phone or email.  

On Friday, we inquired again and will do so every Friday until we get an update. If we don’t receive the waiver, we’ll lose part of the deposit we paid and miss this exciting itinerary and plan when and if we’ll get back to Marloth Park.  When and if we do, we won’t stay longer than 90 days in South Africa.

Today, we’ve added photos and information about dining options on the Mumbai cruise with Viking, including the complimentary specialty restaurants. Please see below for details.


FastDeal		 21770
29 nights departing April 3, 2020, on
Viking Cruises Viking Sun
Brochure Balcony $9,999
Our Balcony $9,999
You Save 0%
Brochure Suite $16,749
Our Suite $15,999
You Save 4%
Prices include select shore excursions and unlimited internet.
Book select categories by June 30 and pay a reduced deposit of $250 per person.
Promotions may not be combinable with all fares.
___________________________________________________________

Dining options on Viking Sun:
“The Restaurant
Cuisine: Continental
Dress Code: Elegant casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
Breakfast: 8:00am – 10:00am
Lunch: Noon – 2:30pm
Dinner: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
The Chef’s Table
Cuisine: Continental
Dress Code: Elegant casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: Yes
Hours
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:30pm
Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant
Cuisine: Italian
Dress Code: Elegant casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: Yes
Hours
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:30pm
World Cafe
Cuisine: Variety
Dress Code: Elegant casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: Yes
Hours
Breakfast: 7:30am – 10:00am
Lunch: 11:30am – 2:00pm
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:30pm
Viking Deli
Cuisine: Scandinavian
Dress Code: Casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
Check onboard for hours
Aquavit Terrace
Cuisine: Al fresco options
Dress Code: Casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
Check onboard for hours
The Kitchen Table
Cuisine: Cooking school and restaurant
Dress Code: Casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
Check onboard for hours
Mamsen’s
Cuisine: Norwegian breakfast and lunch
Dress Code: Casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
Check onboard for hours
In addition to the restaurants mentioned above, the Viking Sun also features afternoon high tea in the Wintergarden, a pool grill, and 24-hour room service. “

Last night, our dinner for guests was canceled due to an unexpected illness of one of our guests.  We’re hoping she will recover soon.  We ended up thoroughly enjoying the dinner we planned and spent a quiet evening at “home.” 

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with our new itinerary. Please stop back to see it!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 30, 2018:

The particular “dazzle” of zebras visiting that morning was all female except for a youngster. For more photos, please click here.