A compilation of life changing memories…Triggered by a stunning documentary…

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We took this photo of Mount Kilimanjaro from the window of our tiny plane on our way to the Masai Mara for a photo safari, one of many great experiences in our three years of world travel. 

With no TV and staying “home” on rainy days, it’s not always easy to entertain ourselves. Even with the number of books I consume each week from Kindle Unlimited at Amazon for USD $10, FJD $21.46, a month, the all-you-can-read, no-more-than-10-books-at-a-time program, I can only spend so many hours a day reading.

Not one to sit in one spot for hours on end, I find myself busy doing “this and that” when I’m not chopping, dicing, or cooking.  With no housecleaning or laundry to tackle, exterior windows to wash, or yard to maintain, the days we stay home can easily turn into a mindless blur of unimportant trivia. 

With the best of intentions yesterday, I never got around to working on the spreadsheet when more online research for our future foray to South America distracted me for hours. 

During those periods when our brains are deeply engaged in researching a location for which we’re very passionate, the time flies by. Before we knew it, 3:00 pm rolled around. 

We’d planned to watch a documentary we’d recently downloaded, Earth’s Natural Wonders at precisely 3:00 pm to take a break from the research to become entrenched in one more series that are literally mind blowing in their photography and content.

Most often, we watch David Attenborough’s phenomenal series about life and the mystery of our planet. With dozens more of his episodes downloaded, we stepped outside the box to check out this other documentary for which we’d recently downloaded two episodes.

In our old lives, we watched similar documentaries from time to time but, not with the fervor we do now. It was an episode of a Natural Geographic episode that eventually brought us to the Masai Mara and the Serengeti in Kenya to see the Great Migration, of which we only witnessed the tail end, off in our planning by a week. 

We were in awe of this herd of elephants on the road as we drove (self-drive) through Kruger National Park.  Seeing animals in the wild has truly changed our lives.

Instead, we spent the most exhilarating days of our lives on a photo safari, never for a moment regretting we hadn’t seen more of the Great Migration when nature’s bounty lies before us in the savanna, overlooking the flat topped acacia trees.

As if living in a dream, the Big Five was in our view and in our photos in the first 10 hours riding in the open vehicle with our dear friend and guide, Anderson with whom we’re still in touch yet today.

As we watched the documentary in high definition scanning the globe, our mouths were agape at how many of the locations and wildlife encounters we’ve had in our travels.

From seeing Mount Kilimanjaro from the scratched window of our tiny plane to the giant herd of elephants we encountered on a self drive through Kruger National Park to another larger herd walking by our open camp at night while having dinner in the bush, it all remains in our hearts forever.

The series showed the story of the giant California Condors from the egg to fledging the cliffs of the Grand Canyon, bringing to mind our months of taking photos of the growth of the Laysan Albatross in Kauai, an experience we’ll always treasure.

“Pinch me,” I said to Tom as the show ended, who was as equally entranced, “Did we really do all of this?”

He looked at me and smiled that same smile I recall from almost 25 years ago when we first met, “And just think, we’ve only just begun.”

After those few hours of searching (many more hours/days of research to come) for future explorations to Antarctica, the Amazon, the Pantanal, Machu Pichu, and more, watching the video further confirmed that this life we’re living is definitely for us. We long for more and more.

We have no regrets for the many years that came before our travels. Therein, lies almost a lifetime of experiences and memories. Leaving that life behind in itself elicits a memory, albeit it is painful in some parts, joyful in others. 

How did these two over 60’s individuals, living a relatively “average” life in Minnesota manage to break away from it all as if driven by some unknown force we mutually shared?

To go against everything we knew and loved, to face the dangers and challenges of life on the move, often to not-so-safe places, still baffles us. Was it in our DNA generations passed or was the wanderlust embedded in us based on our life experiences in our distant past? We may never know the answer.

From seeing the newly hatched albatross chicks from the parents sitting on the single egg to them almost ready to fledge by the time we left Kauai after a four-month stay, it was an extraordinary experience.

Perhaps, we’ll never need to know the “why” instead of focusing on the “how” and the “what” that we continue to find thrilling and exhilarating. 

As we quietly sit here in calm and relatively easy living on a beautiful tropical island, we know more is awaiting us down the road. After posting the photos of the house in Costa Rica yesterday, we also researched wildlife tours in that country of considerable wildlife and eco-diversity. Surely, we’ll explore while there.

For now, here in peaceful Vanua Levu, Fiji living in a quaint quiet village, with sounds from the rainforest, more than the sights, calling us to alertness many times each day, we easily languish knowing full well what lies ahead.

And most of all, recalling the wonders of these first three years bestowed upon us by good health and good fortune, we continue to feel grateful for every moment of our world travels including these quiet times.

If it all had to end now, we’ve experienced more than we ever dreamed possible, more than we ever expected from our lives, as individuals and as a couple. For this and more, we are grateful and above all…in awe.

Soon, we’re taking off with Ratnesh, returning with new and fun photos tomorrow! Please check back.

Photo from one year ago today, November 5, 2014:

We’d made dentist appointments in Maui for teeth cleaning. But, once we arrived, Tom felt uncomfortable with the less than professional setup for the dental office. After asking us to wait for an hour for our two pre-booked appointments, we decided it was an omen that we cancel and find another dentist down the road. For more details, please click here.

An email that sent us over the moon…A special person we met in our lives of travel…

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Anderson, standing at the marker for the border between Kenya and Tanzania.

Yesterday morning, I discovered an email in my inbox from Anderson, our guide while on safari in the Masai Mara.  The email in his words:

“Jambo from masai-mara,Kenya.
Hi Jessica and Tom, how are you doing my friends?.long time since we meet at Maasai-mara at Sanctuary OLonana camp,where are you now?..since you told me that, you were traveling all over the world!..am sorry that i did not have time to visit you at Mombasa-Ukunda.
Concerning my employment, I resigned from Olonana a few months ago, and I bought a new safari land-cruiser to start my own safari business within Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. So please if happen that you want to do a safari, am always there for you,..and please recommend me to your friends for me. Thanks my friends, Best regards from Anderson ole Pemba.”

In October 2013, over 18 months ago, we went on safari in the Maasai Mara (aka Maasai Mara), situated in southwest Kenya as one of Africa’s most magnificent wildlife reserve. Connected to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania it is the world’s most popular safari game viewing environment.

We stress the fact that our expedition was game viewing, not hunting. We would never engage in the self serving slaughter of exquisite animals in the wild as their numbers dwindle based on the intervention of humans. 

How we got so lucky to have Anderson as our guide falls into the same “safari luck” category that seeing the Big 5 in our first 10 hours on safari seemed to fall into, all accomplished only due to Anderson‘s expert skills and keen eye. No one on the planet can drive across rough terrain with his expertise nor can spot a lion sleeping in a tree all the way across the plains.

Tom and Anderson really hit it off. This was within moments of arrival at the dirt runway airport in the Maasai Mara.

Not only was his warm, thoughtful and engaging personal a factor but his sense of adventure, willingness to literally “go the extra mile (kilometer) and his vast knowledge left us with a memory that will truly last a lifetime. 

An amateur photographer such as I with a less than ideal camera was able to take photos that will always stay in our hearts and minds and into infinity, located here on the Internet for generations to come.

Anderson‘s efforts made this lifelong dream of mine become a reality. As a child I dreamed of Africa, the Africa we experienced in the Maasai Mara, and Anderson helped make it a reality we’ll both always treasure.

When the short three day period as guests at Camp Olonana by Sanctuary Retreats came to a close my heart ached over having to say goodbye. Would we ever return to the Maasai Mara in Kenya with so much political unrest in the country and when there’s still so much world to see? 

I knew we were in good hands the moment we met Anderson. 

Yes, someday we’ll return to Africa to see Victoria Falls in both Zambia and Zimbabwe and to see the gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, although there are other locations where they are to be found. Plus, my heart longs to return to Marloth Park for a period of time as well. Someday.

Although we spent only three days with Anderson, for as much as eight hours each day, the time was never enough. Realistically, three days in the Maasai Mara is enough time during which with a great guide, one can see and take photos of many of the treasures in this extraordinary location.

Not only did he ensure we could see all that we longed to see, he left an indelible mark on our hearts not only with his skills but, with his delightful demeanor, sense of humor and passion to please regardless of the size of the group in his vehicle, at most six tourists. 

When we arrived at the dirt runway airport in the Maasai Mara, Anderson was waiting for us immediately taking me into the circle of his strong arms for a bear hug. At that moment, I knew we were in good hands. He’d take good care of us, ensure our safety and equally ensure we had the time of our lives.

Anderson had arranged a breakfast in the bush with the chefs preparing foods I could eat along with standards for the others. 

At the airport we had to wait for another couple’s plane arriving in an hour and a half. Instead of standing around waiting in the hot sun, Anderson suggested he take us out to see what we could find in that short period of time. 

And find, we did, as shown in the many photos in this post which we uploaded that first evening when we were exhausted after a quick meal having arrived too late from an sunset safari to shower and change for dinner. 

With dust all over our clothes and with no Internet access in our tent, after dinner we sat on the sofa in the lodge with a wifi poor connection attempting to upload multiple photos and story, knowing our readers were waiting to hear from us. 

With wild animals all around us, we dined on a perfect breakfast without a moment of fear. We always felt safe with him even if we were only 15 feet from a hungry lion.

The posts were a mess with poor formatting and typos but, we knew once we returned to Diani Beach, Kenya, we’d have plenty of time to go back and make any necessary edits. 

At 7 am the next morning we were ready to go again although the gurgling sound of the hippos in the Mara River outside of our tent awoke us at 4:00 am. I fell back to sleep with a smile on my face relishing every aspect of this amazing experience.

Our first day out, Anderson explained that if we needed to pee to simple say, “I need to check the tire pressure.”  Within a matter of minutes, he’d find a rock or a bush appropriate for providing a modicum of privacy. 

That’s not to say that the trek to the rock or bush wasn’t fraught with a bit of trepidation for what may be lurking in the tall grass. Those breaks were vital to our experience as the daytime heat kept us sipping on bottles of beverages he kept on ice in a cooler in the front seat.

I took this photo of our group on safari that morning.  Its cool in the Masai Mara in the mornings, heating up considerably as the day worn on. That large rock to the right was the spot where we’d “check the tire pressure.”

I could go on and on. Instead, I’ll let our interested readers click back to the posts to read the remainder that continued over a period of over two weeks. The stories and photos seemed never ending, as did the memories with Anderson.

Yesterday, when we received the above email we were thrilled to hear from him. At the time, we’d given him our card knowing it was unlikely we’d hear back with lack of Internet access in the area. We’d invited him to stay with us in Ukunda (Diani Beach) when he’d hoped to make a trip to Mombasa although he was unable to come. 

If any of our readers knows of anyone interested in a safari in Kenya, Tanzania or Uganda, feel free to contact Anderson here at this link. We noticed that he’s working in Uganda. We only hope by the time we’re ready to see the gorillas, that we can be with him once again.

Notice my BugsAway hat wrapped around my lower face while we were in Tanzania in an effort to keep the flies out of my mouth.

Speaking of Tanzania, when Anderson was concerned that I was greatly disappointed that we’d missed the Great Migration by one week, on the last day, he drove us over some mighty rough terrain to the border of Tanzania.

There, we were able to see the tail end of the migration while batting off zillions of flies as a result of the dung from 2,000,000 wildebeest and other animals crossing the Mara River numerous times as it winds through the Serengeti, on this annual trek. Only he would try to please to that degree for which we’re eternally grateful.

Thank you, Anderson, for an experience of a lifetime, that in many ways changed our lives and in many ways enhanced our desire to experience more of the wild and its treasures that we’ve yet to behold.

                                                Photo from one year ago today, April 25, 2014:

A huge pile of yarn was lying on the ground in the souk, ready to be woven into an article to be sold. Notice the black cat cuddled up on the yard. At this point one year ago, we were three weeks from departing Marrakech, Morocco and we were ready to go. For details please click here.

Our new home in Waikiki…Photos…Views…Gruesome photo from one year ago…Life in the wild…

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Volleyball, sunning and funning on the beach.

The condo in Waikiki, south of Honolulu is small, spotless, and satisfactory for the next 11 nights we’ll spend in Oahu. Based on the price of $2197 for this period and the high cost of hotels in this area, we accepted the fact that this wouldn’t be an upscale rental.

Bride and groom crossing the street on Sunday morning in Waikiki.

When we booked our four vacation homes in Hawaii over the past few years, we realized that we’d need to stay within a tight budget considering our family’s upcoming arrival in December; the cost of their airfare, the two houses, groceries, transportation, and Christmas related expenses.

View from the balcony of the condo.

We decided long ago that if we kept our costs down for these 11 nights, six weeks in Maui, and four months in Kauai, we’d help balance out the high costs for the family get together on the Big Island over the holidays.

Tom is busy in the tiny kitchen making ice tea.
As a result, we won’t whine or complain that this clean, oceanview, one-room tiny space is less than our usual expectations. It has AC, an excellent fan, free high-speed Internet, laundry facilities in the basement, a flat-screen TV and a comfortable bed.
Small bathroom sink.

The lobby and hallways are tidy and well kept. It appears that this building was a hotel many years ago, later converted to a condo complex. Having already met a few permanent residents, they seem happy living here, and for 11 nights, so will we.

Another view of Waikiki beach from the balcony.

Oddly, there are no closets, only a bar, and hangers against a wall in the room. We’ve piled up our clothing on the counters that line two walls with shorts, tee shirts, swimwear, and underwear. Surely, this workaround will be sufficient for this short period of time.

“The unique profile of Diamond Head (Le’ahi) sits prominently near the eastern edge of Waikiki’s coastline. Hawaii’s most recognized landmark
is known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history.”

The bathroom is minuscule with the tiniest sink we’ve ever seen but, the shower is adequate and well stocked with towels, soaps, and basic supplies, all of which will suit our needs.

The Honolulu Zoo is across the street from the condo.  Having spent time in Africa among wild animals in their natural habitat, we’ll never be interested in visiting a zoo.

I doubt we’ll do any cooking here. The kitchen is no more than 3 feet by 3 feet leaving little room for preparing meals of any sort. We’ll dine out when this excellent location offers many restaurants within a 10 or 15-minute walk.

Today, we’ll take a walk on the pier in the right of this scene.

With no sofa or place to sit other than the bed, Tom hauled the patio table and two chairs inside giving us a sense of having a kitchen table where we can work on our laptops and if we choose, eat carryout meals (provided we can find anything that will work for me).

The bed is against the sliding door in the small room.

As I write this on Sunday afternoon, to be posted Monday morning, Tom is happily watching the Minnesota Vikings game to which he subscribes, while I’m content running back and forth to the basement doing laundry. 

Tom is munching on peanuts while watching the Vikings game on his laptop. Notice the piles of clothes on top of the counters and the makeshift closet behind Tom.

The front desk didn’t have enough change for us to wash all of our clothing so we left out the jeans and heavy items for another day after we get to change and more laundry soap.  

Closer view of the pier in Waikiki.

Today, we’ll find a post office to mail back the XComGlobal MiFi which we’ll no longer need to use, and to explore the areas after which we’ll start checking out the area.

Only steps from the beach, we’ll enjoy the time here as we often do, wherever we may be. With easy access to local transportation, getting around will be a breeze.

A park across the street from the condo-hotel.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more photos of Waikiki. Thanks to all of our loyal readers worldwide for hanging in there with us while we were only able to post a few photos each day while cruising. Now back on land with an excellent high-speed signal, we won’t miss a beat.

Happy day to all!

                                              Photo from one year ago today, October 6, 2013:

This Crocodile has an Impala he killed in his mouth. We shot this photo one year ago today on Day 2 of our safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. For details and more amazing photos, please click here. 

Road trip begins tomorrow monring at 8:00 am…Atlas Mountains…Sahara Desert…Time change in Morocco…No clue…

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The pointy-toed shoes remind us of magic carpets and flowing gowns typical of the perception of Morocco which is not too far from reality…minus the flying carpet, of course.

This morning, Samir stopped by to discuss our upcoming trip. As a matter of fact, he asked if we knew there had been a time change by one hour, four days ago. We did not know! We wondered why we were called to dinner at 5:30 last night, an hour earlier than our usual 6:30 PM. We proceed to go to the table on several occasions mentioning how nice it was to eat while it was still so light! Go figure. How would we have known?

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 am, Adil will come to get us to lead us through the shortcut to Mohamed’s awaiting new white SUV who will be our driver over the next three days as we explore the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert.

These shoes looked comfy in soft leather, particularly the rounded toes styles. I’d certainly buy a pair if I had the room.

For two nights we’ll be staying in two different hotels, at varying elevations in the mountains. Although I have no interest in going to the highest points in the mountains at over 13,000 feet, we’ll certainly be at higher elevations than either of has traveled in many years.

Our hope is that we’ll have no trouble adapting to the elevation. But, “they,” say the elevation randomly has an effect on people, some with little consequence and others who become very ill with AMS (acute mountain sickness) when reaching altitudes above 8000 feet, 2400 meters.

This was the pile of belts from which I selected the black one on the top.  The shop owner installed a buckle that I’d chosen from a bag full of buckles. You’ll see me wearing this belt in future photos. I’ve found that a belt and a little costume jewelry can dress up an otherwise boring outfit.

At this point, with Samir making all the arrangements, we have no clue how high up we’ll be traveling.  Tomorrow, we’ll find out how high up we are able to travel. We’ve decided it we become ill, we’ll immediately return to a lower elevation.
 
This morning, it took me all of 10 minutes to pack with only the necessity to add the toiletries I’ll use in the morning. My current minimal wardrobe makes packing easier than ever for such a short trip. The same goes for Tom who is also down to a skeleton clothing supply.

This style of shoe is commonly worn by the locals, ideal for slippers but, there are very thin for walking any distances.

Getting away for a few days will serve us well, as we’re almost halfway through our time in Morocco, a time in all of our two to three months stays, that we decide its time to getaway. This is no different than the vast population who live in their permanent home most of the year, occasionally deciding to go away for a few days.

Over the past week or so we’ve begun booking flights for our 13 family members meeting us in Hawaii in December in less than eight months. With holiday season airline tickets selling quickly, we’ve worked fast and furiously to lock in the flights. So far, we’ve purchased nine tickets with four more to go. It will be a huge relief to have this part out of the way. 

These colorful bowls are often used for serving food.  One might be concerned about lead content when unsure of the materials used in making these.

Next week, we’ll book our flights to Madeira only a month away and also a rental car for our 75 days on the island. With “island” rates comparable to Hawaii (for which we’ll also book a rental car next week), we’ll pay a premium. The house in the hills of the mountainous island of Madeira would make using taxis impractical and cumbersome. 

Right now, we’re experiencing huge expenses: upcoming flights, cars, rental fees, and our trip away for a few days, all of which add up quickly. No less than three or four times a day, we consult our budget, adding new expenses as they occur, checking, and rechecking. 

Outside the Medina, in the new city, we encountered many ice cream shops. The flavors are appealing to me (viewing purposes only). If Tom were to order some, most likely, he’d choose boring vanilla.

Traveling as we do requires constant diligence in planning and documenting expenses, never for a moment feeling we don’t have a handle on our current financial situation. This is not unlike those budget-minded individuals, that may be in the minority, that keep track of expenses in their daily lives.

These creamy swirls made my mouth water.  Tom reminds me that I’m a food voyeur.

Honestly, in our old lives, I didn’t keep track of our day to day expenses on a separate spreadsheet, documenting every dollar spent in every category. I’d set up our bank account to record expenses but not to the finite detail we do now. 

Although, at many times in our old lives, I’d promised myself I would create a budget and stick to it. Ha! How many of us have thought about doing that? Many. How many have actually done it? Few. Very few.

Back at the Medina, we made our way to the souks for our return walk. 

We usually upload a post by noon, our time here in Morocco which may reach you in the morning, depending on your current location. While we’re away, you should be able to see a post by Thursday evening.

In the event there is no post on Thursday, please understand that it may be due to a poor or non-existent WiFi signal at the hotel. We’ve been told the signal will be fine but as we know from experience, it may not be able to upload our site with photos. Even in the remote Maasai Mara while on safari all day we were able to post with photos in the evening.

Hopefully, we’ll “see” you tomorrow!  Until then…
                                                  _________________________________

Photo from one year ago, April 9, 2013:

No photos were posted from one year ago today, April 9, 2013, our travel day from Belize to the cruise ship. Instead, we’re posting a photo from March 8, 2013, which we’d yet to repost. 

Gosh, we were tan! Now, we’re pasty white without a single sunning day in months. This photo is from March 8, 2013, when we’d been in Placencia, Belize for over a month, after spending one hour in the warmth of the sun each day.  For details of that date, please click here.

Part 2, An unexpected cultural experience…Rich in content…Profound in its core…

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This worker was making the smaller rebar pieces to be used in the ongoing construction.
Little did we know that we’d receive a valuable education on life in Kenya when visiting Hans‘ construction site only a 12 minutes fast drive down the road. Feeling like school aged children on a field trip, we reveled in each aspect of the hard work and construction methods used by the creative and hard working people of Kenya, including Hans, his supervisors and more than 50 workers.
 
The pricing on the two bedrooms units, fully completed:  Kenya Shillings $9,900,000 (US $113,298) and for the penthouse:  Kenya Shillings $15,000,000
(US $171,664). 
 
A Maasi guard at the property.  Often the Maasia are the subject of photos taken by tourists.  This can be annoying for them.  Some tourists may offer a smalltoken of cash for the opportunity to take their photos. This guard had no exception to the photo since he was on duty working for Hans.  As Hans’ guests he made no objection.
 
 A quote from Hans‘ Flametree Beach Homes
Brochure (photos too large to load):
“It’s like living in paradise. Be enchanted by the
white beaches, the palm trees and the African way of life. The holiday resort
is situated on the Indian Ocean in Diani Beach, 30km south of Mombasa. The
proximity to the beach makes this property extremely desirable. On a beautiful
5000 sqm big plot in the heart of Diani Beach this apartment resort is
developing.”
 
Mining the coral from the property’s ground by hammer and chisel method is backbreaking work in the heat but a necessary method to keep costs down.
For additional information about these fine properties, feel free to contact Hans at this link and he’ll be delighted to answer any questions.
On the second level, we shot this photo of the future verandas, again supported by tree trunks and branches derived from the land when it was cleared for construction. This wood won’t be destroyed at completion of the project but re-used in a multitude of ways.

The raw materials for making the rebar needed during construction.
The workers were enthusiastic to show us how they make the rebar, ensuring they were in proper position as we took the photos. Check out that smile!



Pride in their work was evident in every aspect of the construction site.
Notice the bar was straight in the prior photo, now bent to accommodate the use of the bar in the construction.  Brute strength was employed as is evidenced in these photos.
 
 
One of many final rebar structures, carefully crafted by hand.
The beginning of the future septic system.  It was much larger than it appeared in this photo.  There is no city sewer and water in Kenya



Tom bent over this hole for the future well while I stood cautiously behind him.  In a prior post, I’d mentioned a shortage of water incorrectly.  Hans explained that Kenya is rich in an underground water supply which homeowners and business owners are able to tap into.  Apparently, the private well water is drinkable, although salty from the sea.  Thus, we’ve chosen to use bottled water for drinking, cooking and brushing our teeth.  The  well water is clear and clean for showering, laundry and washing dishes.



This long narrow building will house security personnel,  a spa with private massage and treatment rooms and various storage areas for maintenance.
The septic system.
As a few details near completion we were able to see this partially completed window. Every aspect of building, results in higher costs due to added security features.



As we pulled away from the project, Tom alerted to me to grab the camera.  The battery almost dead, I was able to get this parting shot of cows walking along the road, a common occurrence in Kenya, new to us.
We’d hope to have included architectural renderings of the units but with their huge data size, we were unable to upload them.  In any case, our experience gave us an opportunity to observe first hand the work ethic of many of the local citizens, eager to provide for their families and to build a life for themselves.
 
Unfortunately, the unemployment rate in Kenya exceeds 25%, the majority of which is young people. These stats may  be higher due to the unreliable nature of determining the stats of tribes that provide for themselves living off the land. 

To see firsthand that one person, such as Hans, has the ability to create a work opportunity for the lives of 50 or more local workers, although small, reaches out to the lives when including their family members.

 
Wages are low but its obvious that the Kenyan people, when given an opportunity, are creative and resourceful.
 
Thanks Hans, for sharing this day with us and ultimately, our readers.
 
 Busy weekend upcoming.  We’ll be back with more stories and photos.
 
 Thanks for reading!

Adaptation in Kenya…A required must…We’re learning…

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Partial view of the yard from the second level.
Different view of the veranda than yesterday’s posting.  With a huge room upstairs without frniture and no living room on the main floor, we’ll have no choice but to spend most of our idle time outside both day and evening.   Finally, it was appropriate for me to wear my Africa pants last night, just spraying my arms and feet.  Gee…those pants work well!  Wish I’d known about BugsAway clothing while living in Minnesota. The bugs are bad.

If we thought for a moment that life in Africa would be comparable to life in other countries we’ve visited since leaving the US last January, we’d have been fooling ourselves. As we’d mentioned in a past post, we came here with no delusions. We’re working hard to adapt.

The sink in the galley style kitchen.  I should move Tom’s bottle of Courvoisier out of the window so the monkeys don’t knock it over when he comes to visit.

Our house in the resort community of Diani Beach, although vastly more convenient and comfortable than many other areas of Kenya, has limitations and peculiarities for which we must adapt or we’ll be miserable.

This stove and refrigerator are much smaller than they appear in the photo.  Here, we’ll grocery shop once a week with the reasonable price of cab fare.

In itself, there nothing wrong with the house or the grounds, which are maintained constantly and thoughtfully by various staff members on the premises 24 hours a day, provided us with considerable peace of mind.

The master bedroom.  The mosquito netting is very secure around the beds leaving little opportunity for any flying insects. Bugs that walk may find their way to the bed from below. Let’s hope not!  The bed was comfortable and we slept well last night.
The guest bedroom with two beds and two separate mosquito nets.

The gate entrance to the small collection of homes is guarded both during the day and at night. Plus from dusk to dawn, we have a guard, Jeremiah, who canvasses the grounds between our house and the owner’s house next door. Last night, our first night of sleeping, we heard the comforting sounds of quiet conversation among the guards, lulling me back to sleep.

Partial view from the upper level veranda.

After Hans, the owner, warned us about possible scorpions in the house, which he sees from time to time and may be deadly, we’ve become careful of watching where we walk wearing shoes in the house except when in bed.

This spiral staircase to the second level is very steep with the steps far apart. There’s no reason to go upstairs when there’s no furniture except on a second veranda. 

There’s a red button above the bed that goes directly to a manned security company that we’ve been instructed to use in case of any emergency:  intruder, health, animals. With guards on the premises, they’d have called for backup had there been intruders. But we’d also push the button.

The vanity area of the single bathroom in the house.

The bugs: Surprisingly so far we’ve seen no flies or bees. Yeah to that! The mosquitoes are rampant day and night.  Strange crawling things are everywhere, mostly spiders (some dangerous), many lizards of varying sizes, numerous centipedes, some small, some huge. Most aren’t dangerous and don’t bite. Many are dangerous, so we’ve heard.

Yesterday, when visiting next door without my camera, my hand brushed a giant insect appearing to be a wide Praying Mantis. It didn’t move when I touched it. I didn’t scream.

The interior of the shower.  It works better than the shower in Tuscany which had poor water flow.  We flip a switch in the entryway for hot water.  Fifteen minutes later the water is hot.  We’ve were instructed to turn off the switch as soon as we’re done showering.

The monkeys: There’s a local baboon that hangs around this property that is known to get into the kitchen via an access through the thatched roof, making itself at home munching on non-perishable foods sitting out. Hesborn, our houseman, suggested we keep the kitchen door closed at all times, since that’s the first place he’ll go. He said to expect to see him inside at some point during our stay. OK.

The coconut trees: We’ve been instructed not to stand or sit in the lawn chairs directly below the coconut trees due to a high risks of being hit by a falling coconut. Makes sense to us. We’ll find other spots to lounge to recover our now lost tans. (The horrible amount of bees on the patio in Tuscany kept us away from lounging in the chairs after trying for the first few weeks). Hesborn  will crack open the coconuts using the machete upon our request. Natural coconut is allowed on my strict diet.

The weather: Right now, it’s spring here, close to the equator. Summer begins on December 21st when we’ll be in South Africa (we arrive on December 1st depending on our soon-to-be booked flight). Its warm, mostly in the 80’s but is seldom above 90 this time of year. Without air conditioning and an overhead fan in the bedroom, the bed covered in only a sheet, we’re fine both during the day and at night, so far but it will get hotter as each day passes..

The floors: All the floors in the house are stone, including the bathroom and kitchen. With the sand blowing from the ocean at about 300 feet away and the residue from various trees and plants, the bottoms of our feet were black last night. Before going to bed, we washed them once again then scooting our feet on a towel toward the bed.  This morning, I asked Hesborn to wash the stone every few days. Going forward, we’ll be wearing shoes until crawling into bed.

The Internet: Having asked Hans long before booking our stay in the house as to the WiFi situation, he assured me that he’d provide Internet access at no charge. Little did he know (and we have no animosity about this) how much usage we actually incur on a daily basis. 

Plus, the MiFi from XCOM Global hadn’t worked since we arrived in Boveglio, due the proximity of the mountains surrounding the house.  With the help of tech support via email, we never were able to connect in Italy even after we arrived in Venice on September 1st.

Partial view of the ceiling in the second story.

Last night, Hans informed us that he’ll provide us with a SIM card to use to “by the kilobyte.” With our usage, this would end up at twice the cost of the use of our MiFi at $395 a month, a figure we’d incorporated into our budget. 

Unfortunately, the use of XCOM Global‘s MiFi prevents us from downloading videos and perhaps, Tom ability to watch the NFL’s weekly videos of the Minnesota Vikings game for which he recently paid $167 for the season. 

Today, after utilizing downloaded software XCOM Global had sent us in June, miraculously, I got it going, much to our surprise. During the night last night, I found myself waking from time to time worrying about how we’d have Internet access.

Now, we wait to hear back from XCOM Global as to our ability to Skype with video, continue to download TV shows along with Tom’s ability to watch the Vikings. With literally no TV on the premises, we’re dependent upon watching downloaded shows on our computer in the evenings. 

If the event that XCOM Global‘s responses to our inquiries affects our ability to download TV shows and movies, (including Tom’s Vikings games), we’ll have no alternative but to use Internet SIM cards for those purposes only. No doubt doing so will quickly burn GBs requiring us to  pay accordingly. We do accept the possibility.

The upstairs veranda is much smaller than the main floor but a lovely breezy spot where we’ll very little time due to the steep spiral staircase.

The water: The water is not potable, although Hans explains that he drinks it. After living here 20 years, most likely he’s developed an immunity to the various parasites in the water. With no reverse osmosis or purification system in place, we’ll use bottled water including when brushing our teeth and for drinking. This morning we made coffee using the huge jugs of purified water we’d purchased yesterday at the grocery store.

The trip to the grocery store will be told in tomorrow’s post. The grocery stores are very different from the US and even Italy. To our delight, we did find a few ingredients we’d been searching for the past seven months. 

There’s much more to follow, many more stories to tell and photos to share. Soon, we’ll book our safari and look forward to sharing the experience and photos with you.

How are we doing with all of these adaptations required of us thus far? For Tom, who normally takes a little while to adapt, says “So far, so good.” 

Window in the second level.

For me, I’m fine, not worrying, especially now that we’ve safely arrived, that the MiFi is working, enabling us to reach family and friends and to write and post photos for our readers. (No video, though. Besides, I wasn’t good at making videos anyway. I won’t miss that). 

The bugs that don’t bite don’t concern me a bit.  Those, that do bite? Screaming may occur.  I’d better learn my bugs so I’ll know when to scream.  The monkey, we’ll keep you informed if it comes inside the house.

With these two beds on the second floor is the only furniture upstairs other than on the veranda. With this space, the house has room for a total of six guests with a possible two more sleeping on the sofas on the 2 verandas.  This is the railing at the top of the spiral staircase. 

Remember the movie, “Out of Africa” and the living conditions?  Its not unlike that living here, simple;  water we can’t drink, bugs everywhere, creatures around us, sounds new to our ears, limited hot water, dirt and dust everywhere and on and on. 

Partial view of the yard from another second story window.

In the near future, as we learn more, we’ll share the joys we’ll discover in Kenya which we anticipate without a doubt, will be many. Please stop back tomorrow for more house photos.

They refused to give me the dreaded shots!

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A weird thing happened to me yesterday. I usually write in this blog every other day but yesterday was a weird day, a very weird day and I didn’t post at all.

Upon awakening in a foggy blur, I felt unfamiliar in my own surroundings. The light filtering through the various window coverings in our home appeared eerie and muted.

As I mindlessly wandered off to the kitchen to perform a series of ritualistic tasks, a wave of uncertainty washed over me. As many of us old-timers, both Tom and I toss back a small handful of prescription meds each morning and a big handful of a variety of vitamins throughout the day. 

My routine was broken, when I didn’t put in my contact lenses before going into the kitchen, a habit I seldom break, now thrown off by the peculiar feel of the day.  Pouring a quarter cup of purified water into my usual plastic tumbler I emptied the dose of the Tuesday morning prescriptions, tossing my head back with one big gulp.

Something was wrong!  My brain had taken a quick snapshot of the handful of pills and in an instant, I realized that the chunky pills drifting down my throat didn’t feel like the usual sensation.  Eyes blurry with no contacts, I looked at the one week pill case and realized I had just taken Tom’s pill, not mine!

My heart began to race as I ran into the bathroom to insert my contacts, made difficult by my shaking hands.  I needed to look again to confirm I had taken the wrong pills.  I had.  Oh, dear.

Since I am the official pill case packer in our household, familiar with all of Tom’s meds, my mind raced through the possible consequences of having taken his medications and the possible side effects.

OK, nothing horrible will happen to me I deduced upon deciding against taking another single pill the remainder of the day, letting these medications work their way out of my system.

By the time I arrived at the Immunization Clinic, I was experiencing full-blown side effects:  dry mouth and gurgling stomach.  In jokingly explaining to the nurse what I had done, I was sent away.  No live vaccines on the day I was having side effects of Tom’s drugs.  Ha!  That confirms how dangerous this yellow fever vaccine really is.  I have not worried needlessly! 

I was disappointed and relieved at the same time.  This temporary relief was short-lived when they made another appointment for today at 10:45.  

As I sit here two hours before my appointment in my usual chair, writing this blog, surprisingly I am less terrified than I was yesterday.   

Most likely neither Tom nor I will become ill from our immunizations.  Most likely, we won’t get bit by malaria or yellow fever carrying mosquito.  Most likely, we won’t get mugged in Mombasa, Kenya, or anywhere else in the world.

Most likely, a warthog won’t attack us in our kitchen in Marloth Park in South Africa.  Most likely, we won’t have to pay $1400 for each of two extra bags when we fly on Emirates Airlines.  Most likely, all of the properties we’ve rented all over the world will actually exist when we arrive.

Most likely, I will still be writing this blog, 28 days from today, when the risk of reaction to the yellow fever vaccine has passed. Whew!