Yesterday, we got close to the lava flow with photos of the smoke!…An accidental scenic road trip with photos tomorrow…

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Looking closely in this photo, there are two National Guards with rifles manning the access to the lava flow, preventing curiosity seekers from nearing the flow. As we slowed to take this photo, they waved at us to get moving along.

Yesterday morning, we headed to the Pahoa Community Pool to check it out for our family’s arrival. We’d heard it was a huge, clean, and lifeguarded pool available to residents at no charge. 

As is the case around the Hawaiian Islands not all streets are marked. Although we had good directions on my phone, there were of little use when there are no road signs. Somehow, we managed to find the community pool. 

Further down this road, which is Apaa St., the road is closed after the lava had crossed the road weeks ago. Click this link for details and photos.

However, during our bit of wandering around the area, we saw the road that was closed off for the lava flow and the National Guards maintaining watch to avoid curiosity seekers from entering the dangerous area. Much to our delight we were able to take these photos included today of the area that we found most interesting including the smoke in the sky from the lava, once we arrived at the Pahoa Community Center to check out the pool.

Inset of a civil defense map posted on Dec. 4. The yellow dot is the location of the distal tip of the active flow front.
Yesterday, we were at the Pahoa Community Center as shown on this map. We were able to see the smoke in the sky from the flow. In the next few days the city plans to allow visitors to see the lava from the Pahoa Transfer Station also shown on this map.

We copied the above map this morning of the ongoing progress of the lava flow. Here’s a link to more information from the Hawaii County Civil Defense.

After checking out the pool (we weren’t allowed to take photos to protect the privacy of the few swimmers in the pool), we began the drive to Hilo to the Safeway store to buy groceries for our four family members arriving tomorrow. 

Numerous power poles located in the path of the lava flow have been covered in fire retardant materials to prevent the flow from destroying the power to the area which has worked.

Along the way, Tom spotted what looked like an interesting road which proved to be one of the most scenic roads on Big Island, the Red Road, Route 137. Go figure, how we ended up on that road. We couldn’t stop oohing and aahing along the way, stopping frequently to take photos which we’ll post tomorrow.

Here’s a link to the Red Road scenic drive.

The house in the background could easily fall prey to the lava should it continue on this path.

After the amazing drive we found our way to Hilo without a map considering that its almost hard to get lost if one follows the coastline on an island. Of course, we always have our personal navigator on board, Tom Lyman, Mr. Sense of Direction, who hardly ever disappoints.

The Pahoa Community Pool.  No photos were allowed inside so we shot this exterior photo.  The pool is huge and will provide hours of fun for our family.

The grocery store was a two hour, two cart, confusing ordeal. Buying foods others eat so different from our usual purchases, plus buying food for us, was quite a challenge. But I stayed “over bubbly” and much to my delight Tom wasn’t his usual “overly grumpy” while in a grocery store. He did well, stayed cheerful and we actually had a good time.

Behind this downed area of vegetation, lays the lava flow.  Soon, we hope to see the actual flow when an area is opened to the public at the Pahoa Transfer Station.

He brought everything inside when we returned “home” and I insisted on putting everything away. It didn’t appear there would be room for it all but, I managed to make space for everything in the small pantry and average sized refrigerator.

The smoke in the air from the lava flow.  We could smell it as we stood in the parking lot of the Community Center.

Once Tom and I move over to the house next door, we’ll be moving over the foods we usually eat making room for the foods in this house for the other two of our families. It will all work out, one way or another.

I haven’t decided yet if I’ll join Tom on the two hour drive to the Kona airport to pick up family tomorrow afternoon. I just may stay behind and prepare dinner, having it ready when they arrive.

There was a reddish tint closer to the ground as shown in his photo.  During this period the sky was otherwise relatively clear.

We’re waiting for the sun to peek through which looks hopeful after several days of clouds and rain. An hour of sunshine would serve us well.

Have a fabulous Friday!
                                        Photo from one year ago today, December 5, 2013:

When Okee Dokee drove us to the grocery store in Komatipoort, we marveled at the wildlife in our neighborhood in the bush. A sight such as this was to be found daily.  For details from that date, please click here.

Lava is on the move again, faster this time…Closer this time…Check out the year ago photo below! One of our favorites!

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Yesterday morning we took this video of the waves in our “backyard” in Pahoa, on the Big Island.

This morning’s news announced that the lava flow from Mount Kilauea has escalated in speed advancing toward the strip mall where we shopped on Monday afternoon.

Apparently, the gas station owner at that strip mall will be selling off the gas at discount prices so that he can drain his storage tanks to fill them with water to avoid explosions when the lava arrives.  

Oh, my. We’ve yet to see the lava since it’s illegal to go into the area where it’s flowing. A viewing area is being set up at the Pahoa Transfer Station that will soon be open to the public for viewing. As soon as that is available we’ll all be heading that way to take photos to share here. This is a phenomenon one most likely would never have the opportunity to see in a lifetime. 

The backside of the first house, where we’re now living, on the coast in Pahoa.

Now that we’re in the first house, we’re surprisingly less anxious about the lava flow than we were from afar.  If we have to leave when our family arrives, we’ll figure it all out. All that matters is the safety and well-being of our family and the citizens of the area.

At this point, the lava is several miles away. At its current rate of flow at 1200 feet per day considering how many miles we are from the current flow, it could conceivably reach the ocean where we are located in about 30 days. 

In 30 days, most of our family members will be on their way back to the mainland, leaving only two remaining, our daughter-in-law, and one granddaughter staying until January 9th. If there is a risk, we’ll certainly send them home earlier than planned and find other accommodations for Tom and me.

Of course, the rate of the flow could change at any time and all of our calculations would be a moot point. We’ll continue to watch the local news for daily updates.

The waves are amazing whether the tide is high or low, although high tide certainly adds to the excitement.

However, we can’t speculate any further than that which we know at this point. We choose not to worry or fuss over this. More so, we’re fascinated with this amazing fact of nature over which no one has control.

As for the house, we’re content. With screens on the windows, we have everything wide open for the amazing ocean breezes.  Last night, we slept with the window open for the first time in so long I can’t recall. It was so cool that we left the fan off and cuddled up under the comforter. There’s no AC in the house.

Yesterday, at high tide at 11:48 am, we spent considerable time outside in the rear yard of the house watching and taking videos of the huge waves. Neither of us had ever seen anything like it. With the windows open, we can feel the ocean spray while inside the house when standing near the windows.

The wear and tear on houses this close to the sea and surf is unreal. The house is well maintained but obvious signs of the destructive nature of the salty sea air are everywhere especially on the exterior of the house especially where there are any metal or wood surfaces.

On the inside of the house, the curtain rods, shower rods, faucets, and some window handles show signs of corrosion due to the salty air and spray. We’re sure this s a major concern for owners of properties in such close proximity to the ocean all over the world.

After the steps collapsed under our feet on our anniversary in Belize on March 7, 2013, during which we were injured, we hesitated to step out onto the lanai in the upper-level master bedroom. Click here for that story and photos we posted on March 9, 2013.

This morning I slept until 7:45 after awakening several times during the night while getting used to the sounds of the sea. This was what I saw the moment I stepped out of bed.

The lanai upstairs seems very sturdy but then again, so did the steps in Belize. We’ll proceed with caution and also advise our family members to do the same.

In the interim, we’re mesmerized by the roaring sea out the door. The roaring sound of the surf is almost earsplitting and we’re loving every moment. The house is relatively shaded by coconut and palm trees but there’s a perfect spot in the yard where we were able to languish in our usual hour in the warming sun.

As we lounged yesterday, we had a clear view of the house next door to which Tom and I will move on December 20th in a mere 17 days and then moving back to this house again on January 3rd when the contract on the second house ends as most of the family departs. Thus, we have to pack three more times (including the day we leave this island). 

Tomorrow, at last, we’ll post interior photos of the house. We have been a bit sidetracked with Mother Nature’s antics. She’s quite a gal, isn’t she?

                                            Photo from one year ago today, December 3, 2013:

Okee Dokee, our lovely driver and friend with whom we’re still in touch regularly, took this photo of us with a giraffe behind us on the road near our new home, of the day we arrived in Marloth Park. The wonder of it all continues to amaze us to this day. I can’t wait to return! For details, please click here.

“Another boring day in Paradise,” he says…Maui never stops giving…More photos…

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“Another boring day in Paradise.” Ha! No boredom here!

Then again, Hawaii never stops giving. Every morning, as soon as we awaken, we open the doors at either end of the condo, the sliding door in the living room, and the main entry door, for the trade winds to waft through for what feels like the most stupendous breeze on the planet.

Greenery at the Maui Tropical Plantation.

Who needs AC in Hawaii if this breeze is available? Surely, when we were in that tiny studio in Honolulu, we had the AC constantly running when we were perpendicular to the ocean with no chance of a cross breeze.

Cotyledon Flower.

The weather in Hawaii, although rainy at times, is the most perfect we’ve experienced thus far. In Belize, although wonderful while we were located on the ocean, it was hotter and more humid. In Madeira, on the sea, it was too cool, even in the summer often requiring that we kept the screen-less windows and doors closed. 

Tom was on the move searching for points of interest.

We’ve lived in many varying climates, these past two years, many of which were unbearably hot, without AC, and most without screens. Without a doubt, Maui has been our first perfect weather location, easily explaining why so many travelers throughout the world dream of living here.

Humor me! I can’t ever resist admiring any living being.

Is it doable to live here? The answer lies mostly in the cost of housing and utilities. Fuel, food, and sales tax are tolerable even though literally everything is taxed at a rate of:

The Hawaii sales tax rate is 4%, and the maximum HI sales tax after local surtaxes is 4.35%.
  • Counties and cities are not allowed to collect local sales taxes
  • Hawaii has 69 special sales tax jurisdictions with local sales taxes in addition to the state sales tax
  • Hawaii has a higher state sales tax than 86.5% of states
Haapala, an Orange Trumpet Vine.

Utility costs are high although from what we’ve been able to determine it isn’t more costly than what we paid in Minnesota two years ago. Few residents of Hawaii use AC frequently to keep costs at bay.  So far, we’ve only seen window AC units and no central AC.

Zebra Dove Geopelia Striata.

Once we were settled in, we decided eating out in Maui wasn’t important to us. So far, after a little over a month, we’ve dined out twice at a total cost of $110 without drinks, appetizers, or desserts. It just wasn’t worth it to us to dine out when we could finally cook our own meals after a 77-day hiatus due to past travels and cruises.

Various ducks, so comfortable around humans at the plantation, that they didn’t mind our intrusion.
This guy was particularly friendly.
Our grocery bill will be approximately $1600 in total for the 6 weeks including all the excess products we purchased at Costco in preparation for Hurricane Ana, much of which we’re mailing ahead of us to the Big Island.
Another cooperative duck.
The actual cost for our food for this period, including some household goods, is closer to $200 per week, a similar amount to that which we’d spent in our old lives in Minnesota.
Another body of water on the grounds of the plantation.
Keeping in mind, that we purchase organic and free-range, grass-fed meat, eggs, and produce when available, we’re thrilled with how much we’ve spent on food here. We’ll end up at no less than $1600 under budget on food alone.
This restaurant on the right was in the process of being remodeled.
Housing in Hawaii is by far the most costly aspect. However, as we perused booklets with houses for sale, we’ve been surprised how a buyer can easily purchase a one or two-bedroom condo with ocean views in the $235,000 to $250,000 range in many lovely areas.
The roof on this building near the footbridge was covered in greenery.
Rentals (non-vacation rentals) are expensive from what we’ve perused online. Buying appears to be the most practical means of affording housing. 
I can’t resist admiring chickens and roosters.
This guy was checking us out, not happy we were walking across his road.
He wandered over to the dirt and greenery for some pecking.
Would we consider living here? If we were interested in buying and staying put, possibly. However, buying a home is not on the horizon for us. Neither is staying in one place. Sure, down the road, old age and bad health may require a less mobile lifestyle. 
The zip line store on the premises.  No thanks.
At this point, we prefer not to speculate that eventuality, although we’ve discussed emergency back-up plans at length. As far as we’re both concerned, this life, for now, is the life we choose.
Another view of the main pond with sugar cane gears.
And, as the days in Maui wind down to a mere 12, we look forward to our next adventure; Big Island, our family, the excitement of the lava flow, and seeing the whales that according to a news story daughter Tammy sent us today, have arrived in the islands. We were already watching for them and will continue to do so with considerable enthusiasm.
An old fashioned windmill that was pumping water on the premises.
The mechanics of the water pumping windmill.
Perhaps in 12 days, we’ll be sitting on the lanai at the first house in Big Island overlooking the ocean to see the whales breaching the water. That, dear readers, is why we live this crazy life!
The koi pond.
                                         Photo from one year ago today, November 19, 2013:
Colorful sky at night at sunset as we wound down our time in Kenya, one year ago today.  For details, please click here.

Lava flow on the Big Island takes its first house…

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The lava flow broke out again on the Big Island and took it’s the first house yesterday.
It’s hard to believe this finally happened, the lava flow from Mount Kilauea has taken its first house on the island. Still miles from the houses we rented on the ocean and with the lava flow otherwise stalled, we’ll be moving to the first of the two houses in less than three weeks.
Oddly, we aren’t worried. We’re paid up in full, hoping and praying all will go well and our family holiday will not be interrupted other than the detours required in order to get to the road to the houses.

We take possession of the first house on December 1st and the second house, next door on December 20th.  Worrying does us no good.  Our family members seem accepting of the potential risk that we’d have to evacuate, although highly unlikely.  The lava flow is still a few miles away.

Life continues on, as we so well know. Still worried about the health of my sister as mentioned in yesterday’s post, the last thought on my mind right now is sightseeing.
Here are a few links to videos of the house burning from yesterday’s lava flow:
 
 
With less than three weeks until we leave Maui for the Big Island, also known as Hawaii, we’ll have time if we so choose to see more of Maui than we’ve seen thus far. 
Honestly, with so much to begin preparing for our family member’s first arrivals beginning in less than four weeks, our heads are wrapped around the excitement and preparations for their arrivals.
Adding the current worrisome state of the health of actually both of my sisters, one has just come out of the hospital a week ago and the other soon going in with big surgery on the horizon (which will most likely transpire while our kids and grandkids are with us), we realize that no matter the quality of the lives Tom and I live, life still happens to have an impact on how we feel.

View across the ocean to another area of Maui.

I do not take lightly our frequent comments about “as long as we have our health.” Its everything. Add the love of the people in our lives and a reasonable sense of financial security and we have it all.  As far as we’re concerned, these are the “big three.” The rest is a bonus for which we are so appreciative and humbled.
No romantic full moon in the night sky or break of a wave on the sea or the joy of watching wildlife at play can have much meaning without the “big three.” At any time, any of these can change and suddenly our lives are upside down.
 Last night’s view of Maui just before sunset, as it makes an “L” shape from our vantage point.
Is it by chance that the three aspects may change?  In part, no. We have control in our relationships, our financial security, and our health to a degree.  And, yes, circumstances may prevail over which we have no control. We always have control over how we choose to respond to life’s challenges, however hard they may be.
None of us are exempt from loss of health, love, and financial security in varying degrees. Some people, although few, sail through life with little strife.  But, most of us, are faced with challenges.
As we age, at times, we worry over the mortality of those we love. And, of course, our own mortality and potential lack of good health as time marched on.
For us, that is a motivating factor…live life to the fullest…while we can.
 View of pool house and ocean from our lanai.
As we continue to travel the world we continue to make every effort to keep a tight hold on these aspects of our lives over which we do have control. That’s why we focus so much “conversation” on our health and our budget. 
Soon, we’ll get out and further explore Maui and be back with more of our photos.  Until then, we grasp the realities of life with hope, prayers, love, and aplomb!
Be well, dear readers.
                                              Photo from one year ago today, November 11, 2013:
 
 This was the only photo we posted one year ago, as we recalled our first cruise on January 3, 2013, on the Celebrity Century through the Panama Canal, a memory we’ll always cherish. For details from this date one year ago on the nuances of booking hotels worldwide, please click here.

More countryside photos…Lava update…

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Full moon over Maalaea Beach. Check out the shadows of that crazy trimmed tree in the condo’s yard.

Last night, we paid the balances on the two houses on the Big Island. The lava flow has stalled as indicated in this article and video from the local news, although it could begin again at any time.

The shoreline is a photographer’s dream.

We’ve decided to take our chances. Worse case scenario? While we’re all in the houses, the lava flow heads our way and we have to evacuate. However, there are numerous less disturbing scenarios that could occur as an alternate.  We’ll take our chances.

The Hawaiian Islands, like many other tropical islands, is an ever changing weather phenomenon.

Talking back and forth with our grown kids, everyone seems OK about forging ahead. In a mere 28 days, on December 6th, the first four of our family members will arrive. The remainder are coming around December 21st, most leaving by January 3rd with two staying until January 9th. 

Its hard to believe the time is almost here. It was two years in the making. It was last March that we began purchasing airline tickets as I was reminded yesterday when I found myself doing revisions for March while we lived in Morocco, mentioning the challenges of booking the many airline tickets.

The subtle colors in this hills is breathtaking.

Maybe now, for the next few weeks until Tom and I fly to Big Island on December 1st, we can relax in the knowledge that we’re moving ahead with our plans without a worry in the world. 

If the lava flow rears its ugly head again, we’ll deal with it at the time.  In the interim our goals are simple, spend quality time with our loved ones, maintaining our theme of low stress, easing our way through each day.

It’s odd at times to find lush vegetation in what appears to be arid and desolate areas.

Today, the revisions continue as I’m now midway through April 2014 with only seven more months to go. Doing this task has been painstaking in some ways but enlightening in others. I have had the opportunity to read back through every post since beginning mid March, 2012. 

The swirling ocean below the ravine where we stood and watched.

I’d assumed when I began this daunting task that I’d giggle over how naïve we were in the beginning. In some ways, we were. In other ways, we prepared ourselves well with the tremendous amount of research we’d done before ever leaving Minnesota, let alone leaving the US. 

The views of these hills is appealing to our desire for more remote locations.
It’s been rewarding to be reminded of where we’ve been, what we’ve seen and that which we’ll see and do in the future.
It’s raining now, an oddity for early morning in Maui and the sky remains totally overcast, another oddity. Usually, we can see the billowy clouds moving through the sky with the promise of sunshine on the horizon.
This orange buoy is a marker for a nearby scuba diver.
Rain or shine, we’re content with each day for the simple treasures we’ve been blessed to behold.

Have a happy weekend!


Photo from one year ago today, November 8, 2013:

The humidity in Kenya was so high that mold began growing on our deck of playing cards. For details on that date, please click here.

Almost two weeks in Maui…Sharks…Hurricane…Lava….Farmer’s Market visit…

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This smoothie truck was certainly eye-catching as we drove up to the Farmer’s Market.

Tomorrow will be two weeks since we arrived in Maui. There’s been more excitement here than since we lived in Marloth Park when the adventures occurred daily.

Surfers and swimmers on the beach near the Farmer’s Market.

Don’t get me wrong. We find quiet, uneventful times relatively pleasing. And, of course, we pray for the safety and well-being of everyone in all of these situations. 

Another beach view along Highway 30.

It’s hard to believe that in four weeks and four days we’re moving to the Big Island, possibly close to the lava flow to see a major geological event in the making.

A park at the beach on Honoapiilani Highway.

We never bargained for this. Perhaps, if we think long term for us and for our family, we can all feel at ease knowing that in a small way, Mount Kilauea had an impact on our lives, whether we ultimately have to choose other accommodations or not.

A free-range chicken at the Farmer’s Market.

We’re at peace in this knowledge, not panicky, knowing if and when the time comes, we’ll make a good decision, whatever that may be.

Homemade banana bread for sale at the Farmer’s Market at $10 each.

As for now, we’re content while I’m busily working on corrections of this site going back from the beginning of over 800 posts. At this point, doing it every day since we arrived, I’m only up to July 12, 2013, almost halfway through since the first post in March 2012.

A wide array of fruit was offered at the Farmer’s Market.  Since we can’t eat fruit, we didn’t buy any.

It’s a huge task. Once I’ve uploaded the day’s post and Tom’s removed the photos in order to send it to his blind brother Jerome who listens to it on his talking computer, we head to the pool for a short time. 

Returning indoors, I usually start chopping and dicing for dinner which, depending on what we’re having, can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Then, after any cleaning and laundry is completed, I start the revisions which take the remainder of the day, usually until shortly before dinner. It’s easy to see how the day easily flies by.

It would have been fun to purchase raw macadamia nuts but they require a special device to open them.

I’m anxious to complete the revisions to free up time for other things. But, the more time passes, the harder it will be to go back and do this important task. I’m anxious to complete this task. If we have to find other living arrangements for the family to get together, it will be great to have this time-consuming task completed.

We don’t grumble about these types of tasks. They are a part of our lives comparable to keeping our budget updated and keeping future travel plans on track. It’s all a part of the experience that we fully accept. In the realm of things, it’s good that we don’t mind these kinds of tasks or we’d be in big trouble.

                                           Photo from one year ago today, October 29, 2013:

A year ago today, we took a 3-day “vacation” to celebrate our one year anniversary of leaving for our travels on October 31, 2012. We stayed at a beautiful resort on the Indian Ocean in a gorgeous air-conditioned hut. As soon as we arrived, this Vervet Monkey appeared at our window assuming that new guests will feed her when they always get a fruit plate upon moving in. We didn’t feed her but certainly got a kick out of her looking in the window. For details of this first day of on “vacation” please click here.

More lava updates…Back to Lahaina photos…A link to one of our favorite recipes…

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When we were at the park, we spotted this bird, a Red Crested Cardinal. 

Yesterday, we were a little sidetracked from posting more Lahaina photos when we reported on the lava flow from Mount Kilauea. We’re constantly watching local news for the latest updates. It looks like the first house in the village of Pahoa will be taken by the lava today, miles from the houses we’ve rented which will be shown on the local and world news.

Tom couldn’t resist buying fudge. But, would you believe he purchased the plain fudge when all these fabulous flavors were available? He ate it in one day (it was a small piece). Now back to healthy eating.
Tom drooled over the saltwater taffy but resisted when he spotted the fudge.

The local officials will allow the homeowners to stay to watch their home be consumed by the lava and go up in flames, enabling them to make peace with the process. How heart-wrenching! The people of Hawaii are very sensitive, spiritual, and thoughtful. The local news is informative, tender, and caring, not sensationalizing this situation at all.

I walked past this store without the slightest interest in looking around. Living simple is a learned art. I’m learning.
A popular restaurant in Lahaina, Bubba Gump.

We feel fortunate that we have the time to make a decision by November 15th at which point we’ll have to decide if we’ll pay the balance of our deposits. If we decide to go forward and if the hazard continues to the houses, we have no doubt we’ll be refunded the entire monies we’ve paid if we have to bail closer to move-in dates. The two owners are lovely people and would never take advantage of us.

Many restaurants in Lahaina are “open-air” as is the case in most of Hawaii.

In a way, this is yet another part of the amazing experiences that we’ve added to our ongoing world travels. Who, in their lifetime, has to face the ravages of volcanic lava upsetting their plans? Our grandchildren will speak of this for years, as well as many of the other challenges we’ve met.

Here’s a familiar spot!

For us, the inconvenience is nothing compared to the homeowners who’ve had to move everything they own out of their houses, find other places to live, and watch their homes destroyed by this situation over which they have no control. 

On the return drive to Maalaea Beach, we stopped at a park and campground.

Many of these homeowners live in homes owned by generations of family, many have rented homes for years, treating them as if they were their own. Even if the homeowners are insured, it may be prohibitive to rebuild when not only will they lose the house, but they’ll also lose the land to the lava, which becomes a permanent resident for centuries to come.

The beaches on the return drive are beautiful.

We’ll figure it out. And, we’ll continue to keep our family members and readers updated on the latest developments as they transpire. Again, we thank our readers for thoughtful email and comments with your kindness and concern.

We continue on…

                                           Photo from one year ago today, October 28, 2013:

Last year, we posted this photo of our dinner plates made with low carb, grain, sugar, and starch free coconut chicken including the complete, easy recipe.  Please click here for the recipe and details.

What we love about this condo…What?…We done our own cleaning for the first time in two years! Third shark attack!

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The sky at sunset.
We don’t have access to the sunset view from our condo in Maui. There’s a monstrous hill blocking the view which would require a lengthy drive. However, we are able to see glimpses of the sky at sunset which is a good alternative.

Without a doubt, this condo is one of the most well equipped vacation homes we’ve rented in two years, so much so that we haven’t minded being “house bound” during Hurricane Ana and now recovering from our recent virus.

Lots of gadgets along with our own stash.

We continue to cough all night (Tom more than me) making us feel exhausted during the days and we’re anxious to get out and do a little exploring in Maui. Soon, we’ll feel well enough to get out and share lots of new photos with our readers. Please bear with us and our current lethargy.

The condo feels like a home with artwork and decorative items on the walls and tables in each room.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the casual ease of everyday living which we find to be pleasant. This morning, after only about four hours of sleep, we decided it was time to clean having arrived one week ago today and it was time.

We flipped when we saw this tidy “junk drawer,” a must in every home.

We washed and dried the bedding and remade the bed, swept and washed all the floors, dusted, cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, and “windexed” every glass surface in the entire condo including the table on the lanai.  Tom swept the floor of the lanai while I washed the sliding glass door inside and out.

Memories of our old lives with a drawer designated for plastic bags. Nice.

As we busied ourselves with the cleaning, it dawned on me that the last time we didn’t have a cleaning person(s) or service was two years ago when we spent from November 3, 2012 to January 1, 2013 in Scottsdale, Arizona finishing our paperwork and digital needs. 

There’s plenty of kitchen utensils.

In every other location in which we’ve lived (except Waikiki), someone else has cleaned and scrubbed our surroundings with us only tidying up after ourselves from day to day, periodically doing laundry, and washing dishes.

High quality dinnerware.

Comparable to driving a car, one doesn’t “forget” how to clean and we breezed through the process with ease and good humor. In no time at all, we were done.

Tiled showered with great faucet, plenty of fluffy towels, drawers and spotless countertops.

In a funny way, we kind of like doing our own cleaning after this long hiatus. I’m always cleaning before the cleaning help arrives to avoid embarrassing myself making it a welcome break to be unconcerned about preparing for their arrival and getting out of their way.

A table and chairs for dining wasn’t always available in every vacation home.  This is ideal for our meals. 

However, part of our rental agreement of this lovely condo includes one complimentary mid-rental cleaning by a professional company hired by the kindly owner. That’s two weeks from now. If we clean at least two times after the mid cleaning, we’ll have it covered.

With the cupboards filled with dinnerware and supplies, there’s literally not a single cupboard for food supplies. In this case, we’re messy, leaving everything in easy reach on the kitchen counter. Tom wanted us to buy Spam for Hurricane Ana which now he’s eating a little each day. It’s gluten-free and low carb so I don’t complain.

When the cost of a cleaner here in Maui is $100 to clean this small space, we opted to do it ourselves. The most we’ve paid for a full house cleaning in the few countries where it wasn’t included in the rent, was $25 for about three hours.

The owners went over the top including these high cotton count Charisma sheets and so comfortapillowcases which I used in our old lives. Comfy bed and covers.

Although some of our photos appear that we are messy, we aren’t. At times, we don’t have ample storage for all of our stuff, especially those items we often use. We don’t leave dishes in the sink and we clean the kitchen each day. We make the bed everyday. We frequently empty the trash and we clean the bathroom everyday.

The owners explained this is a new bed. It is the most comfortable bed we’ve had in a long time, perhaps over two years.

In other words, it may be a little cluttered with our stuff but it’s always clean. The exception to that may have been that little condo in Waikiki where we spent 11 nights which was nearly impossible to keep it clean with no broom, cleaning supplies and it was old and worn. It’s hard to clean “old and worn.” 

This large sturdy chest of drawers was a delight to fill with our clothes.  Tom took the bottom three drawers, leaving me the top three (as he always does).

On another note, yesterday afternoon, a third shark attack occurred in this area of Maui. Click here for the article. With this news as in the case of the last two incidents, we continue to have no interest in entering the ocean once the beaches are reopened after yesterday’s temporary closing. 

Neither of us particularly cares to swim in the ocean especially when each time we lived walking distance to the beach there’s either been sharks, stingrays, or jellyfish, none of which we care to bump into. 

There are actually four chairs for this table.  These are comfortable swivel chairs.  Plus, the view is amazing.

The lava flow on the Big Island continues to advance toward the main road in Pahoa after a few day break in its movement. For details, please click here. We continue to keep a watchful eye on the lava flow hoping it won’t be an issue for the two houses we rented in Pahoa in the Puna District on the Big Island for our family for Christmas.

Have a happy day, dear friends.

                                            Photo from one year ago today, October 23, 2013:

We were excited while living in Kenya to finally see the elusive Bush Baby while dining outdoors at a resort. For details and more photos, please click here.

Changing posting time…Heavenly…Settled into domestic life…

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A snail we found on an exterior wall.

We’ve tried to accommodate early morning readers in the US, other countries and for those in all time zones throughout the world by scheduling automatic uploads at 3 am mountain time. The problem with continuing to do so requires me to write today for tomorrow’s post.

This boat takes tourists out for various adventures.

Life happens as it happens and we prefer to post each morning immediately after we’ve written a new post. As a result, today, you’ll see two posts. Going forward you’ll see a new post each day. You can continue to read each morning to see a new post from the prior morning.

By posting twice on October 17th, it enables us to avoid missing one day’s post as we strive to maintain continuity.

Tom walked toward our private beach near the breakwaters.

We apologize for the inconvenience but we’ve found it better to post in “real-time” as opposed to 24 hours before it is seen.  The news will be newer, the events more relevant time-wise. Thank you for your understanding.

The post you saw this morning was written last night on Thursday. As I write this now it’s early Friday morning.  Not much has transpired since last night other than at 9:30  pm we hunkered down to watch an episode of Hell’s Kitchen on my laptop. Perhaps boring to some but, it was fun for us!

The beach for our building only.  As nice as this is, we prefer to sun and fun by the pool.

Finally falling on our faces we headed to bed after 11. Oddly, the bedroom has no AC and the single unit in the living room is too far away to have any impact on cooling the bedroom. With the threat of Hurricane Ana still looming, supposedly heading our way tonight or tomorrow, the air is thick with heat and humidity.

We anticipated that sleeping would be difficult after 77 nights in AC comfort. In Madeira, the last vacation house in which we lived, the temperature rarely was higher than 75F, 24C during the day cooling down considerably at night.  With Maui daytime temperatures as high as 88F, 31C, it was still 79F, 26C when we went to bed, leaving us anticipating a fitful night.

Aside from our occasional fits of coughing, we slept well, finally cool enough to pull the covers over us in the middle of the night. Perhaps, once this storm passes it will cool down a few degrees.  Here are the average year-round temperatures for the general area:

Annual averages temperatures in Kaanapali Beach, which is approximately 20 minutes from our location

Awakening this morning, I was impatient to get up and get the day going. First things first, I turned on the burner for the whistling teapot, an item I drooled over when we first walked inside the condo. I haven’t had a real teapot to use for so long I can’t remember. 

We know we should be drinking Kona coffee while in Hawaii but with Tom cutting out sugar, starch, and carbs as of today, he has no interest in coffee without two spoons of sugar per cup. 

Views from the private beach.

In support of him, I won’t drink coffee as he’s supported me in my diligent observance of this way of eating.  Tea is a fine substitute for me. Of course, when the family arrives for Christmas, we’ll certainly have Kona coffee available. (I doubt Tom will stick with the plan over the holidays and will join in on the Kona coffee).

Another aspect of an easy life in this lovely condo is the ice. Although the freezer’s ice machine doesn’t work there are six ice cube trays. This means we’ll only have to make ice once per day. Add the huge pitcher we found, we’ll only have to make iced tea once a day

As we roamed the grounds at our building, we spotted this warning sign.

I couldn’t get the washer going fast enough. With only enough dirty laundry for one load, I was excited to use the stackable washer and dryer in the unit. We haven’t had a dryer in a vacation home since November 2013 in Scottsdale, Arizona as we busily prepared to leave the US. 

In a little over 75 minutes, the laundry was washed, dried, and put away. How wonderful! Ah, the simple things. They mean so much.

The surf outside our door.

As for Hurricane Ana, some of the news people are still calling her Tropical Storm Ana while others say, Hurricane Ana. Her winds are 70 MPH, heading our way. Once it hit 75 MPH which is expected today, she will officially be called Hurricane Ana. She has yet to hit the Big Island, her first target in the chain of islands. 

Also, the lava flow continues on the Big Island with little hope that the torrential rains will have any impact on the flow. 

A closer view of the flow front courtesy USGS HVO, burning vegetation at its flow margin.
The lava flow is currently 150 yards wide heading toward Pahoa, where we’ll live beginning December 1st. Helicopter operations to view the flow have been suspending due to Ana.

There’s always the good and the bad, the yin and the yang, and the ups and downs in life. Hawaii is no different in that manner than anyplace else in the world. We chose to spend this period of time on these lush tropical islands. With that comes a price to pay, as is the case with almost everything in life.

Happily, we pay that price, hoping in the long haul, the benefits outweigh the worrisome aspects. We’ll continue to stay in touch sharing what we discover along the way.

Have a safe and happy weekend.

                                                Photo from one year ago, October 17, 2013:
In today’s earlier post we included a photo for this date. With the above-described readjustment of uploading time, we included another photo from that date. For details of that post, please click here.

The chef at Camp Olonana made every effort to prepare delicious well-seasoned meals for me. He succeeded beyond expectations. For details from that day’s post, please click here.

Hurricane Ana on its way to Hawaiian Island…Lava, hurricane…Oh, my!…Final expenses for Honolulu! One year ago photo with Chief Richard…

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Sun set over the Pacific Ocean.

Today, we’re on our way to the island of Maui where we’ll spend six weeks in a first-floor condo on the beach.  With more space than we’ll have had since July 31st when we lived in Madeira, Portugal in a three-bedroom house. With closer proximity to the sea than in Honolulu, we’re excited to move on.

We’re grateful our flight is today as opposed to Friday or Saturday when Hurricane Ana is on her way to the Hawaii Island expected to reach landfall over the weekend.

Another evening’s sunset over the beach.

Although the news is reporting that the Big Island will be hit first, the other islands including Maui is in her path. Between the lava flowing to the neighborhood of the houses we rented on the Big Island and this hurricane, the adventure has picked up the pace.

Who knows what will transpire over the next several days?  With Hawaiian residents “batten down the hatches” in preparation for the hurricane, our plan is to pick up the rental car at the airport, drop off our luggage at the condo, and head directly to the grocery store.  Will it already be low on food when area residents are preparing for the hurricane?

The dilemma is, do we buy lots of food to see us through or a small amount?  If the power goes out, we’d lose the perishable food. After careful consideration, we’ve decided to be optimistic and purchase enough groceries to last for a few weeks, much of which will be non-perishable which we’ll use in six weeks in any case.

Sunset Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii.

We don’t eat processed foods. Once we’re situated in a vacation home doing our own cooking we usually don’t have to be concerned about keeping non-perishable foods on hand in case of an emergency. 

We discussed the possibility of a power outage in Maui and came up with the following items for meals which can be prepared without power. When we shop today, we’ll be purchasing these:

1. Canned ham (small sizes) with canned veggies
2. Canned tuna with celery, onions, and mayo (we’ll purchase several small jars of mayo since it won’t keep without refrigeration once opened) and canned veggies
3.  Herring in a jar with canned veggies
4.  Nuts and salmon, beef and turkey jerky
5.  Bottled water

We had all of these sunset photos in Oahu accumulating, deciding to share them on our last day on this island.

We’ll purchase enough of the above to get us through two weeks without power. At this point, we’re not worried. We continue to watch news updates on the progression of Hurricane Ana.

We aren’t thinking beyond two weeks without power. Of course, if the power is out, the WiFi won’t work and we won’t be able to post. 

Cloudy evening sunset Waikiki Beach.

If you don’t see a new post for Saturday, Sunday, or Monday one can assume that we’re unable to post. Please keep checking back. As soon as the power and WiFi are working again, we’ll immediately post an update with our hurricane experiences and photos. 

Our three camera batteries will be fully charged, easily lasting for a week or more. And yes, if the hurricane hits, we’ll be taking many photos. If it doesn’t make landfall,  we’ll still be taking many photos in our new location, the beautiful island of Maui.

The sky looked as if lights were turned on.

Yesterday, we did the laundry and packed, leaving out clothing and toiletries for the morning. At 10:30 am, we’ll grab a taxi to head to the airport. We’ve weighed all of our bags and they comply with the maximum 50-pound weight. We’ll see how that goes.

Of course, this sky was more unreal in person.

As for our final Honolulu expenses, here are the total expenses:

Vacation rental:  $2,137.00
Airfare to Maui:       218.58
Taxi fares:                55.00
Tours:                    165.74
Laundry:                   19.74
Meals & Groceries     598.99 

Total:                $3,195.06

Waikiki Beach on a cloudy evening.

The average cost per day (11 days) was $290.46. When looking at these numbers it’s important to consider the reasons why our cost per day may be less than the average tourist visiting Hawaii:

1.  Low airfare – We’ve only included our cost to fly from Oahu to Maui since we arrived by cruise ship.  Most tourists would be flying in and out from much further away increasing airfare costs considerably.
2.  Low taxi fares – We only dined in restaurants we could reach on foot and explored the general area.
3.  Low sightseeing costs – With the upcoming family reunion in December, we chose to keep our costs to a minimum.
4.  Meals and groceries – Here again, with a goal of eating in restaurants that work for my way of eating. When we found one, particularly, Cheeseburger in Paradise, we stuck with it for over half of our dinners when they have the best Cobb Salad and bacon cheeseburgers on the planet which we each enjoyed. Also, we only eat one meal a day and don’t order appetizers, beverages, or desserts with our meals, keeping the cost as much as 50% less. If a couple were to eat three meals a day, with beverages and an occasional appetizer of desserts, they’d easily spent a minimum of $150 a day, dining in the most economical restaurants.

Although the sun wasn’t visible its impact on the clouds was breathtaking.

We’d estimate that the average couple would spend no less than $7,000 for 11 nights in Honolulu (depending on their selected hotel), including extra airfare, tours, shopping, and dining expenses.  A Hawaiian vacation/holiday is definitely expensive.

Washington Place, the Governor of Hawaii’s residence.  For details, please click here.

In no way did our budget impede the quality of the experience for us. Other than being sick for four days (during which time we continued to go out for dinner each night), we’ve had an excellent time in Oahu, easily anticipating our return in May to be equally pleasurable.

Iolani Palace, the only palace now a part of the United States.  Click here for details.

Look for us tomorrow with Maui photos, the results of our first trip to the grocery store, our new accommodations, and of course, updates on the hurricane.

Aloha.
                                                 Photo from one year ago today, October 16, 2013:

We were inside one of the mud huts in Chief Richard’s Maasai village. It was really hot that day.  We were wearing our BugsAway clothing when the mosquitoes and flies were heavy in the village with the abundance of livestock. For details on the peculiar diet of these healthy people and more information about their lifestyle, please click here.