Saturday night dinner party…we were the guests this time!

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Hans built a roaring fire to which he later added a grate in order to cook a full beef tenderloin without  the use of charcoal or lighter fluid. Check out that moon smiling down on us!

The last time we were invited to dinner was for a freshly caught fish dinner while we were living in Belize last March. Our then new friends, Nancy and Roger, had been fishing the prior day, landing a giant grouper and they were excited to share it with us, sending us home with a few pounds of grouper to cook for ourselves at a later date. 

Only moments before we left for Hans’ and Jeri’s home, we were finally able to snap a photo of the female to the little yellow birds that are so shy and quick that we’ve had trouble getting a shot.  Apparently, their reticence is due to the frequent attacks by viscous black birds.  Only a few days ago, Hans showed us where a black bird had snatched baby birds out of a nest. 
We arrived at their home before the sunset to find Hans preparing the fire.

We couldn’t have had more fun that evening as was the case on many more evenings of great food, drink and conversation that we shared with them and their friend Bill during our almost three months in Belize. 

Prior to sunset these flowers in their yard caught my eye.  The combination of the pink and peach coloration is truly a gift from Mother Nature, whom we dearly appreciate.


These bright white bougainvillea are also irresistible.

Living in the remote, although lovely location of Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy gave us little opportunity to make new friends, the language barrier as an obstacle. 

The dinner table for 4 was set on the grass, well lit with candles, beyond their inviting veranda.

In the almost three weeks we’ve been living in Diani Beach, Kenya, we’ve had the opportunity to develop a great relationship with Hans and Jeri, our landlords, next door neighbors and now friends that surely will continue when we’re on our way once again. 

The table was set on the well manicured lawn.  With the balmy breeze and the fire roaring, the mosquitoes stayed away, although we were well armed wearing our BugsAway clothing.

Having had such an extraordinary time on Friday evening, dining in the moonlight at the Blue Marlin Restaurant, located on the Indian Ocean, we hardly felt deserving of another extraordinary night last night. 

Their yard was aglow not only from candles scattered about the lawn but also by landscape lighting focusing on the exquisite vegetation.

We had a perfect evening dining in Hans and Jeri’s yard which they had exquisitely staged for our arrival. The brilliant moonlight in plain view only added to the  charm of the evening. With graciously considered delicious food befitting my way of eating, Gucci and Jessie at our feet, the free flowing beverages, the roaring wood fire on which Hans cooked a full tenderloin over a custom made grate, we couldn’t have felt more appreciative.

Tom was content with his big bottles of beer while I drank my usual homemade ice tea, which I’d brought over.  Few sugar free drinks are available in Kenya prompting me to bring my own beverage.  Since leaving the US we’ve noticed that ice is seldom used in drinks and when dining out a request must be made to get ice in any drink.

Exhausted from a night of poor sleep the prior night, I easily forgot my lethargic state and got into the festivities. They couldn’t have been better hosts. We couldn’t have enjoyed ourselves more.  Thank you Hans and Jeri for a memorable evening.

We our safari clothing, BugsAway pants and shirts to keep the mosquitoes at away. Plus, I’d previously lathered up with repellent on my arms and ankles. Sure, I’d rather have worn a “cute” outfit (of which I have only a few) but preventing bites has become more important than fashion. 

Jeri was the perfect hostess, stress free, at ease with serving her guests. The smoke from the fire is wafting through the air.  The wind kept changing often pushing a huge puff of smoke our way.

We’ve yet to be inflicted with a single mosquito bite beneath our short sleeve shirts and long pants. Oh, I wish I’d known about this clothing while living in the mosquito capital of the planet, Minnesota. 

This morning I washed my shirt again by hand hanging in our outdoor living room to dry, hoping it will be ready by 5:00 pm, when we “dress” for the evening, literally every night.  With it raining all day today and the usual high humidity, it often takes days for a single item of clothing to dry.

Hans breezed through the cooking of the tenderloin mindful of ensuring the meat was cooked to the liking of his guests. Mine was perfect, rare with a warm center.  Tom’s was medium rare, as he likes it.

Spending from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm in our outdoor living room each day and evening, we’ve resigned ourselves to the necessity of wearing these same clothes night after night. During the day, we can wear other clothing provided I am covered with the non-toxic repellent. 

Tom rarely is bit during daylight hours.  Under the mosquito netting at night, we’re totally safe from the mosquitoes but not necessarily the crawling things.

 Each night, we check under the pillows and sheets for anything that may be lurking in wait of our succulent flesh. Each time we put on our shoes, we look inside, tipping them over and slapping them to ensure no creature lies in wait.

Our biggest annoyance here has been the same species of enormous black hornet (or wasps) that luckily warn us by their loud buzzing alerting us to take immediately take cover. We’d experienced what appeared to be the same “creature” in Italy and there too, both of us ran to hide when we’ve heard it coming. We’re both allergic to wasps, hornets and bees stings, carrying several Epipens with us. 

Twice today, we hid in the kitchen while the giant black buzzer tried swarming us. Finally, he flew out of range of our outdoor living room, surely to return as the day progresses.

Here I am, bleary eyed from not enough sleep wearing my every day powder blue BugsAway  shirt which is a definite lifesaver.  See my repellent on the table next to Tom’s beer? Its always at my side, just in case.

Oh, I get sidetracked with biting things. Non biting insects neither scare us or cause us concern.  But, in Kenya, with so many insects it’s best to stay as far away as possible if unsure as to whether it’s poisonous or not.

In any case, we had a memorable evening last night, adding to our repertoire of events that will remain with us year after year as we continue on our world travels.

The roof line in this photo is actually our house next door.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with details of all new future bookings we’ve locked up in the past few days, sharing details, photos and pricing with our much appreciated readers.

See you then!

Photos of our new adventure!…Unbelievable location!…

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The open courtyard of our small palace (good grief!) in Marrakesh, Morocco.
View from upper level overlooking courtyard.

It’s a “done deal,” our new vacation home named, Dar Aicha, the former residence and art studio owned by a renowned artist in the Medina district, walking distance to sites, smells, markets, and local entertainment. 

One of the dining areas.

(This song is an “earworm” I can’t get out of my head. To listen, click here).

The documents are signed and returned to the owner using our portable Prinstix printer and Doxie scanner.  Our deposit is paid via PayPal from which we’ve received a confirmation along with an email receipt from the manager of the property.

The traditional meal prepared by Madame Zahra.  An adjustment will be made to accommodate our diet, although, several items here will work for us.

The dates booked: March 1, 2014, to May 15, 2014, a total of 2 1/2 months, a little over 11 months from now.  We found the property at HomeAway, a vacation home rental site we’ve used for most of our bookings. 

Dining on the veranda.

For the full listing on Homeaway, click here. Please note, pricing is “per person” on the website, not per couple.  Although this pricing was higher than our vacation home rental average, we made adjustments in our budget. By flying as opposed to funds for cruising that we had already included in the budget, we were able to compensate for the difference, which ironically proved to be only an additional $150 total. 

The reading area overlooking the courtyard.

Yesterday, we made a few adjustments, a day here and there, with property owners on either side, leaving us with flying time, but no lags in the schedule that subsequently could have required us to stay overnight in a hotel, an unnecessary added expense. 

This meal would work for us, minus the bread.

We read all the reviews.  They were some of the best we’ve seen so far.  We checked the web for negative comments.  There were none.  Our minds are at ease.

The TV lounge. We’re not anticipating many familiar TV shows, but on quiet nights we’ll use our movies we downloaded.

The salon/living room.  We can each lounge on our own sofa.

We want to enmesh ourselves in new cultures.  Well, we’re getting a full-blown dose of cultural differences which we’ll embrace, which we’ll welcome with open arms, willing to adapt, willing to accept and to try to blend in as much as possible respecting and observing their clothing morays and customs.

The pink bedroom.

No tank tops, no low cut bosom revealing tops, no legs showing above the knee.  Thank goodness the weather will be in the ’60s during our visit.  I’m your basis “cold a_ _ and won’t mind wearing skin covering clothing at that temperature.

Off we go to Marrakesh, Morocco, a city, a country rich in culture, history, winding streets with an endless array of colorful outdoor markets, shops, and vendors. Tripadvisor listed it as Travelers’ Choice®, 2012 Winner.

 The pink bedroom’s en-suite bath.

Why did we choose Morocco?  Note the proximity to Madeira, Portugal, our location after leaving Morocco. There are direct flights from Morocco to Madeira, making this an easy transition.  The airport is a mere 2 miles from the property, with a staff member driving us each way.

Beginning on September 1, 2013, we’ll spend 3 months in Kenya on the east coast of Africa until December 1, 2013, when we’ll fly to South Africa, staying until March 1, 2014, at which time we fly to Morocco. From there, we’re off to Madeira, Portugal, approximately 1200 miles west of Lisbon.  This new location was a logical “on the way” next stop.  See map here.

The property which will be ours exclusively includes a full staff, house manager, and full-time cook, Madame Zahra.  Speaking no English, the house manager, Samir, will translate our dietary needs to Madame Zahra.  On average for the two meals we eat each day (breakfast and dinners) it will be roughly $38 per day. 

The turquoise bedroom.

The many reviews indicated that MadameZahra’s cooking excelled as well as the local gourmet restaurants leaving many to prefer dining in rather than go out. This cost fits within our combined budget for dining in and dining out, still leaving us ample funds to dine out a few times per week to further add to our enjoyment.

Our laundry will be done for us, the property cleaned daily, towels and soaps provided and the utmost service at our disposal at any time. This will be interesting for us since neither Tom nor I are used to being waited upon, other than by one another. We will adapt.

The turquoise bedroom’s en-suite bath.

Due to Dar Aicha’s insurance regulations, we won’t be allowed to do our own cooking.  Most likely, we’ll dine out a few times per week.  We will be able to serve ourselves snacks, beverages, and prepared foods in the refrigerator as desired.

The third bedroom with an en suite bathroom.

As much as we enjoy our own home-cooked meals, this will be an enormous learning experience for us. Of course, we’ll share details and photos of the meals prepared for us.

The third bedroom’s en-suite bath.

The practicality of this location is only superseded by our excitement and enthusiasm for the opportunity to experience yet another culture so far removed from our way of life. Through this, we’ll learn and grow, sharing the stories along the way, enriching our travels, enriching our lives. 

Holes in our itinerary…

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The piece of driftwood decorates the beach by our villa. The sidewalk to the center-left is the sidewalk directly in front of our villa.

Yesterday afternoon while lounging on the veranda, swimsuits still damp from playing in the pool, we contemplated our upcoming itinerary. Having canceled the one month stay at the stone house in France for April 18, 2014, to May 17, 2014, left an almost three-month gap in our schedule to open up.

We had intended to use this gap to take a long term cruise out of South Africa on March 1, 2014, getting us back to Europe.  A number of such cruises had been posted for 2013 and we’d hoped they’d reappear in 2014.  So far, not the case.  Cruises appear to be posted approximately 18 months in advance. 

The only cruises available from Cape Town, South Africa during the time frame would cost $25,000+ for the two of us for a balcony cabin, not an expense we are interested in bearing for a mere 15 days.  There were a few less expensive options, but on lower-rated cruise lines which we’ve chosen to avoid in light of multiple negative reviews.

So, here we are, with a gap from March 1, 2014 to May 15, 2014, without a decision made.  With less than a year remaining, we knew we’d better get our butts in gear!” 

The shaded grounds of Laru Beya, all-natural vegetation planted in sand.

On May 15, 2014, we’re scheduled to arrive on the island of Madeira, Portugal to stay until July 31, 2014, with another open spot until October 26, 2014 when we board a cruise onto our eventual destination of Hawaii for the holidays when our kids and grandkids will visit for Christmas, staying until May 15, 2015. Beyond that, we haven’t decided where we’ll go, but we will continue on. It’s just too early to secure vacation homes.

Many laughed about our advance planning beginning in January 2012.  We didn’t.  As we’ve experienced life on the move, we realized it was none too early.  When most travelers plan a two-week vacation, it is not unlikely to plan a year in advance to ensure preferred reservations in preferred locations.  (Airlines, won’t allow booking reservations prior to 330 days before travel, not an issue that’s been a concern to us).

We learn as we go.  We’ve accepted the reality that we will not be able to cruise to all of our locations for a few reasons  1).  Cruises aren’t necessarily available when and where we’d like to travel; 2). The cost may be prohibitive if they do.  With 9 cruises booked ahead of us over the next 20 months, we’re satisfied with our choices. 

Based on future plans, we’ll be required to fly no less than 7 times over the next few years.  We’ve accepted this reality, determined to gain a more cavalier attitude about airports, baggage fees, and the actual flying. 

Ditching the three large suitcases to be shipped to my dear sister Julie in California on April 13th while we’re in Miami for one day, we’ll be left with two regulation-sized large suitcases and the usual carry on bags. We’ll then meet the airline baggage restrictions in both weight and size. The most we’ll pay is the standard fees for two checked bags, where applicable. 

On May 21st, we’ll fly back to Barcelona, Spain from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Emirates Airlines, which allows two checked bags per person in coach at no additional charge.  Many other airlines we’ll use, charge $50 per bag or, only $50 for the 2nd checked bag.  Prior to flying, we’ll check the weight of our bags as we’re packing on our trusty mini travel scale to ensure we won’t incur outrageous overweight fees.

I know, reading this may be confusing. But, it’s no more confusing to us than anyone planning a busy schedule whether working, retired, have children at home, grown children, grandchildren, or are caring for senior parents and relatives.  Somehow, we manage to keep it all straight.

It’s surprising how heartily vegetation grows in sand.

Back to the veranda…we researched, we talked, we laughed, we consulted our budget, we calculated foreign exchange rates, and much to our surprise, we discovered not only a viable option for March 1, 2014, to May 15, 2014, but a particular option causing me to do my usual “jumping up and down.” Tom, of course, has the usual non-assuming smirk on his face.

Contacting the owner with a proposal, we anxiously awaited a response. With a six-hour time difference between Belize and the owner’s location, we anticipated it could be a few days until we received a response. 

This morning, hearing back from the owner, we negotiated an acceptable arrangement for us all, much to our delight.  Today, we’ll receive the contract via email subsequently paying the reasonable 15% deposit by PayPal.  Once this is completed, hopefully by tomorrow, we’ll tell you all about it with photos and all the delicious details. 

Of course, we don’t want to “jump the gun” until it’s a “done deal!”

Please check back tomorrow!

Big Itinerary change!…Part 2…

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Here is the fabulous condo we will be renting for 13 nights, after arriving by cruise ship (as listed in the last post on November 12, 2012) in Dubai on May 21, 2013. 

With only six months until our arrival date, we felt it was imperative to lock in a location, having noticed that many of the properties we’ve chosen thus far seem to get snapped up quickly as vacations are planned all over the world.

Prices are high in Dubai.  When we began looking at our favorite vacation rentals sites (before we booked the cruise to ensure it would be an affordable month), Vacation Home Rentals and Home Away, we became discouraged that maybe this cruise wasn’t right for us at this time.

Many of the properties, in great locations close to the notorious Palm Island as shown on the map, were $300-$500 a night or more, way out of our budget.  As always, a little negotiating and perseverance prevailed.  We found this ideal property at the newer Elite Residence Tower, the 2nd tallest residential tower in the world at 91 stories.

Here is the link to the rental property. Notice the location of this property on the map in relation to Palm Jumiera, the world famous man made island represented with palm fronds of exclusive properties.

The owner writes, in describing the location:

“This location is in the middle of most of the tourist attractions of Dubai. Such as Palm Jumeira, Atlantis Hotel, JBR Walk, beach, Mall of Emirates, indoor ski resort, Wild Wadi, Burj Al Arab, Dubai Marina Mall, etc.  There are an array of restaurants serving multi-national cuisines such as Chinese, Italian, Indian, Persian, Lebenese, Japanese, Pakistani, Mexican, Continental, etc.

Read more at http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p3484936#rkgAyAl7uPtKmT9l.99 ”

Need I say we are pleased with our “home body selves” for taking on this added adventure.  “What’s happening here,” some family members ask?  “Have you gone completely mad in your advancing age?”

No, not at all.  Each day while living in Scottsdale until the end of the year, we complete paperwork, taxes, digital equipment needs,  Nevada residency, new driver’s licenses and our 2nd passports (will explain that soon), we stretch to challenge ourselves in little ways we never attempted in the past, such as:

  1. Attending a Windows 8 computer class.  Stubborn that we were, we always took more time to teach ourselves, rather than go out to a class.
  2. Going to a sports bar in the morning to watch the Vikings Game.  Only once in our years together, did we ever go to a bar to watch a game.
  3. Dining out and trying new foods (that comply with our way of eating, of course).
  4. Jess, drinking beer when we’ve gone out to dinner. Getting drunk after one beer I’ve hesitated to drink.  What the heck?  Live it up!  So what if Tom has to carry me out to the car after drinking one Michelob Ultra (low carb)!
  5. Walking, actually going for a structured walk.  All these years I asked Tom to go for a walk with me.  Never did he walk further down the road than to our friends Chip and Sue’s home for happy hour or dinner, only four doors away.  Now we go for walks in our temporary neighborhood.  After all, when we’re traveling, we won’t have a car most of the time.  Walk, we shall!  (Tom can’t believe he’s walking.  I knew he eventually would!)
  6. Shopping together.  I can count on one hand how many times over the years that Tom has gone into a grocery store, let alone a department store.  Yep, we do both together now.  That’s change.

Some of our family members ask, “Are you doing anything different than you did before?” (Which meant for us, staying home and enjoying every minute of our lives).  Yes, we are family!

Yes, we are sitting at our new computers in our temporary home, fast and furiously doing tons of preparation necessary to travel the world without a home for the next 5-10 years.  It’s a daunting task. 

We spend about two hours each day doing research for upcoming trips, locations and cruises, one hour of paperwork, two more hours setting up and learning our new laptops (Windows 8), two hours in household tasks (laundry, cleaning, doing dishes, etc.), two hours out and about shopping and researching our digital equipment, one hour walking, two hours a day dining, and one hour of happy hour commiserating over the previous 13 hours, totaling 14 hours plus…

Yes, family, at night after dinner, pooped from the days activities, we do the dreaded, sit in a chair (definitely not comfy as our old chairs) and “veg out” snacking on sugar free candy, nuts and low carb protein bars and…the most awful…watching mindless drivel on TV, all the while with a smile on our faces, often looking at one another with a new found intrigue while excited, grateful and in love.

Belize;  get your lawn chairs ready. Egypt, we’ll ride camels on the way to see your Great Pyramids and Dubai, we’ll research your history.  Tuscany, we’re ready to walk your open markets, living amongst your citizens for an entire summer.  Africa, we’ll live with your animals in Marloth/Kruger Park, we’ll go to see the Great Migration as it crosses the land to the Masai Mara, perhaps in a hot air balloon.

The south of France: we’ll drive along your coast to Cannes, staying overnight in a fancy hotel and then, we’ll live in a little stone house in Cajarc where there are few tourists.  The island of Madeira, Portugal; we’ll live in a huge contemporary house overlooking your sea for the an entire summer and ride bicycles in to your town filled with history.  Hey Europe, we’ll spend five months roaming around without a plan until we leave for our five scheduled months in Hawaii.

Chill out, family.  We’re not bored for a second and don’t think for a minute, that we’re sitting here doing a thing

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Big itinerary change!…Part 1…

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Without a doubt, an itinerary change was inevitable. When we began this process, we decided that any major changes would not be on our part unless an unforeseen health issue or misrepresentation of the situation occurred. 

If we found a better “deal” elsewhere after paying a deposit on a vacation home or cruise, we agreed that we would stand behind our original decision.  Good health providing, we decided that if we arrived at a vacation home, finding it dirty or in ill repair or, not as represented, we would never force ourselves to stay for what could prove to be uncomfortable, dangerous in any manner or unbearable.

In the past, I was the person that would check out the hotel room to ensure it was to our liking before committing.  If it wasn’t, I would gently and kindly request an alternative, rather than ask for a price adjustment. 

At times, this resulted in an upgrade.  This was never intended to be a case of whining to “see what one could get” but more a situation of exercising the privilege of getting that which one pays for.  Fairness. 

Over the past several years, finally maturing in my 60’s, I became less picky, expending my energy on more important issues.  With Tom at my side, I could live in a tent.  Of course, the cotton inside the sleeping bag would be 600 pt. Egyptian cotton and the tea would be loose leaf Pouchong from Taiwan.

Our original plan had been to spend from May 4, 2013, after a cruise from Barcelona to Mallorca, staying until June 4, 2013 in the lovely property, high on a hill overlooking the sea, the beautiful historic island of Mallorca, Spain (also spelled, Majorca). 

It was a good plan, to be followed by a Mediterranean cruise from June 5th to June 16th which would end in Venice, Italy, where we’d take a train to Florence, spending the remainder of the summer in a renovated 17th century farmhouse in Tuscany.  Ah, what a plan!

Shortly before we left Minnesota 12 days ago, we were informed that the property in Mallorca may be sold.  Rather than leave the owner, a dear friend and neighbor in Minnesota, in a tough position we graciously agreed to bow out and find other accommodations for this time period while leaving all of our other plans in place.

The new challenge, to fill this odd time period from May 4th to June 4th with something especially daring and exiting, rather than filling the spot with a
month in a residence hotel.  Compared to our planned two to three month stays in various locations, this to us, was a short period to fill.

And fill it, we did. This weekend we wrapped up our plans:

May 5, 2013 – May 21, 2013- Aboard this 15 day cruise from Barcelona to Dubai:


FastDeal 10789
15 nights departing May 6, 2013 on
Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas
Cheapest Inside $959
Cheapest Oceanview $1,049
Cheapest Balcony $1,499
Cheapest Suite $2,649
$$$ Early booking bonus! Book now and receive a FREE $50 per cabin on board credit on select categories.
Royal Caribbean – Mariner of the Seas, departs 5/6/13, 15 nights
 Mon May 6 Barcelona, Spain 5:00pm
Tue May 7 At Sea
Wed May 8 At Sea
Thu May 9 At Sea
Fri  May 10 Cairo / Giza (Alexandria), Egypt 7:00am
Sat  May 11 Cairo / Giza (Alexandria), Egypt 3:00pm
Sun May 12 Suez Canal, Egypt (Cruising)
Mon May 13 Luxor (Safaga), Egypt 7:00am 10:00pm Tue May 14 Petra (Aqaba), Jordan 9:00am 10:00pm Wed May 15 At Sea
Thu May 16 At Sea
Fri   May 17 At Sea
Sat  May 18 At Sea
Sun May 19 At Sea
Mon May 20 At Sea
Tue  May 21 Dubai, United Arab Emirates 6:00am

With taxes the total was $3900, averaging at $260 per day for both of us, higher than our preferred $200 per day including meals. Plus, another $900 total for our return flight to Barcelona on June 4, 2013, yet to be booked. 

We realized this month long trip was higher than our budget allowed for any one month. But, averaging our total daily budget over the extended period of 945 days booked thus far, we’re still within our daily budget of under $200 per day including every known expense: health insurance, emergency evacuation, personal insurance,  XCom Global for MiFi Internet, incidentals, my lipstick, haircuts, booze aboard ship, tips, taxis, ferries, planes, car rentals, boat rides and on and on).

Giza and the Suez Canal become a dream come true only a short four months after we’ve experienced the Panama Canal on our cruise beginning on January 3, 2013, the date we first leave the US.  Tom loves the idea of seeing two of the largest waterways in the world, history buff that he is. 

Yes, we may ride a camel to see the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. And yes, photos will follow.

Please read this about Giza from Vacations to Go’s website:

“Highlights in Cairo include the Ibn Tulun Mosque, which dates to the ninth century, and the Citadel, a medieval fortress. Many passengers choose to visit the Great Pyramids of Giza, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World; the Sphinx is nearby. Tours of these sites are offered on foot, horseback or camel. The port city of Alexandria is set on a strip of land between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mareotis, and serves as the gateway to Cairo and Giza. In Alexandria, a tour of the harbor and Montaza Palace or lounging on the beach are favorite activities.”And this about the Suez Canal:

“The Suez Canal runs 100 miles between the sand dunes of the Sinai Peninsula and the Nile River delta. Cruise ships often dock toward the canal’s north end at Port Said, a gateway to Cairo. From the port of Safaga at the south end, passengers are offered shore excursions to the ancient city of Luxor, where Tutankhamen was entombed.”

And this about Luxor:

“This small port city on the western shore of the Red Sea is a gateway to Luxor and all of the splendid Egyptian temples, tombs and ruins found there. After experiencing the sights on the east bank (including Karnak and the Luxor temples and Luxor Museum) cruise across the Nile to the west bank (where sights include the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Queen Hashepsut). Although most people head straight to the ancient architectural treasures, scuba diving and windsurfing are popular activities in Safaga itself. “

As on our previously booked seven cruises (this being the eight cruise), we once again chose a Balcony Cabin with the assistance of our fabulous cruise professional, Joaquin Contreras from Vacations to Go, truly the king of cruise planning himself!  Thanks, Joaquin!

Here’s the link to the actual cruise with more details. 

Next post, we’ll share with you how we ‘ve booked the remaining 13 nights in Dubai from May 21st to June 3rd, after which we’ll fly back to Barcelona for the next cruise in our itinerary, the following day. 

There is never a moment that we don’t marvel in our willingness to take the risk of selling everything we owned, leaving everyone we love behind to embark on this adventure, in this perfect time in the economy, in this particular time in our lives; with one another, full of love, full of joy, full of wonder and full of gratitude. 

Fine tuning the itinerary, continued…

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When I finished the post on Friday, Tom and I discussed our options for the ten-day gap in Belize (two on the front end, eight on the back end). We decided to contact the owner of the little beach house in Placencia asking her if we can extend our stay from 2/1/2013 to 3/31/2013, changing to 1/29/2013-4/8/2013.

When we originally discussed this with her, she suggested we’d most likely want to explore the country for those ten-days to see the many tourist areas.  If this were a typical vacation for us, most likely we would have been attracted to this prospect.  

After all, sitting outside the little beach house in beach chairs, overlooking the sea, will get boring after two months. Ha! Are you kidding me? We will happily want an additional ten days!

Those suitcases!  Our nemesis!  Yes, they will inhibit us from freely moving from location to location on a whim. We accept this reality.  We are not the adventuresome twenty-year-olds who bravely travel the world with a single backpack they haul, hunched over, with no reservations, no cruises, no fear, and a willingness to sleep in a tiny tent in a bug-infested jungle. Yeah for them!  Not us!

We’ll stay in air-conditioned comfort (most of the time), take $5 a day malaria pills (so we don’t have side effects), wear Exofficio Bugs Away Clothing, drink purified water, watch movies and TV online at our leisure and keep an otherwise very tight budget to make such these seeming luxuries possible.  

We patiently await hearing back from the owner of the cute little beach house in Belize, hoping to spend the additional ten days at the rental. If she is unable to accommodate these dates, we will have no alternative than to find hotels on either end.  We will write back about the outcome.

We have another itinerary change.  Yesterday we added Cruise #7 with Joaquin at Vacationstogo.com.  On 4/9/2013, this cruise, previously booked that picks us on and brings us back to Miami.

7 nights departing April 6, 2013 on
Carnival’s Carnival Liberty
Brochure Inside $1,669
Our Inside $429
You Save 74%
Brochure Oceanview $1,969
Our Oceanview $539
You Save 73%
Brochure Balcony $2,194
Our Balcony $719
You Save 67%
Brochure Suite $2,669
Our Suite $1,039
You Save 61%
The prices shown are US dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. They include port charges but do not include airfare or (where applicable) airport or government taxes or fees.
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE   DEPART
Sat Apr 6 Miami, FL 4:00pm
Sun Apr 7 At Sea
Mon Apr 8 Cozumel, Mexico 7:00 am 5:00 pm
Tue Apr 9 Belize City, Belize 8:00 am 5:00 pm
Wed Apr 10 Roatan, Honduras 7:00 am 3:00 pm
Thu Apr 11 Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 10:00 am 6:00 pm
Fri Apr 12 At Sea
Sat Apr 13 Miami, FL 8:00 am

 

Now listen to this crazy plan!  As you can see, we will arrive in Miami on 4/13/2013 at 8 am with a seven day lag in Miami, awaiting our cruise to Barcelona on 4/20/2013. During this lag we can stay in a mid range hotel, rent a car and dine in restaurants for all meals for an estimated cost of $2800 or pester friends, living in Miami to stay with them.  

We are the worst house guests in the world when by feeling overly grateful to stay with friends that we tend to go overboard cooking, cleaning, shopping, buying wine, and gifts. The cost in time, money, and effort becomes greater than a relaxing time in a hotel. Dear friends, please forgive us for this peculiarity!  
Thus, we have decided to stay on the above ship, the Carnival Liberty,  in the same Balcony Cabin, on the same day and continue on its seven-day cruise to the Caribbean which leaves at 4 PM, not only enjoying another cruise but as you can see from the Balcony Cabin price, save ourselves about $1200.
7 nights departing April 13, 2013, on
Carnival’s Carnival Liberty
Brochure Inside $1,669
Our Inside $479
You Save 71%
Brochure Oceanview $1,969
Our Oceanview $599
You Save 70%
Brochure Balcony $2,194
Our Balcony $814
You Save 63%
Brochure Suite $2,669
Our Suite $1,139
You Save 57%
The prices shown are US dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. They include port charges but do not include airfare or (where applicable) airport or government taxes or fees.
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE   DEPART
Sat Apr 13 Miami, FL 4:00 pm
Sun Apr 14 Half Moon Cay, Bahamas 9:00a m 5:00 pm
Mon Apr 15 At Sea
Tue Apr 16 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 9:00 am 6:00 pm
Wed Apr 17 San Juan, Puerto Rico 7:00a m 3:30 pm
Thu Apr 18 Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands 11:00am 5:30 pm
Fri Apr 19 At Sea
Sat Apr 20 Miami, FL 8:00 am


This cruise arrives at the Port of Miami at 8 am on 4/20/2013.  Our next cruise, the Norwegian Epic, departs on the same exact day, at the same exact Port of Miami at exactly 5:00 pm.  In time, as more information is posted, we will know how far we will have to maneuver those dreaded bags to get over to the pier where the Norwegian Epic is docked, to begin our eleven-night journey across the sea to Barcelona Spain.  

In total this leg of our journey is 22 days at sea. Who’s complaining?