Two more days, first four family members arrive…Interior photos of the house…

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This sign is in our driveway. One must park carefully to avoid coconut hitting the roof of the rental cars and, more importantly, one’s head which could be dangerous.

As soon as we’re done posting for today, we’ll be on our way to Hilo to grocery shop for the arrival of the first four family members arriving on Saturday, son TJ,  significant other Sarah, and two grandsons, Jayden, 9 and Nik, 14.

The living room looking down from the loft level. There are two sofas and plenty of chairs.

To ease the dining situation with the remainder of the family coming on the 20th and 21st, we decided to ask each family to make a list of frequently used food items for all meals. They all complied and each family’s preferences are considerably different.

The large kitchen table can seat eight by adding two more chairs.  Most meals will be buffet style.

In two weeks before the others arrive, we’ll make the two-hour drive to Kona to the Costco store to purchase another round for TJ’s family and for the remaining two families.

The sliding door and window in the master bedroom overlooking the roaring surf.

Since we no longer have a printer and with my illegible handwriting the only way I could figure out how to take this long lists with me to the grocery store was to use the grocery app on my phone, Grocery Tracker, which you can download here for free on your smartphone.

The house is a tri-level with this master bedroom on the upper level.

With every item we usually purchase for ourselves already in the app, I named each of TJ’s family’s items like this;  TJ Grated Cheddar, TJ Cheese Puffs. This way the list for TJ’s family would be together under all the TJs in alphabetical order. 

The king-sized bed in the loft bedroom.

Soon, I’ll add the other items under the names of our other grown kids; Tammy, Greg, Richard each specific to their own requests. Then, by carrying my phone, I have access to each family’s grocery list at any given time when we’re out and about. Easy. Otherwise, this could get very confusing.  

Making meals will also be easy. Each family will make their own breakfasts and lunches with all their preferred foods on hand and will have the option of joining Tom and me in dinner each night. Or, if they prefer, they can make their own dinner as well. They only need to tell us in the morning if they’ll be joining us.

Another view of the living room.
With many activities planned, some further away, some will join us and others will not. We aren’t concerned at all with this plan. It will all work out as it always did when they came to visit in our old lives.
It’s been cloudy these past few days, raining off and on, so we’ve stayed busy organizing things in the house, handling financial matters and accounting, taking videos of the huge surf, walking in the neighborhood taking more photos we’ll share tomorrow and enjoying our surroundings.

Yesterday, we had an unexpected surprise when daughter Tammy, significant other Tracy, and grandson Vincent, 8, had a beautiful Hawaiian Christmas bouquet delivered to the house. See the photo below. These should last through the holidays since many flowers native to Hawaii if properly care for, can last for days.

Although we’d told our kids, no gifts since we have no room for anything, Tammy, Tracy, and Vincent didn’t listen. As usual. These Hawaiian flowers are much more beautiful in person. On this rainy and cloudy day, they don’t appear as lovely as they actually are.

Our lovely property owner Liv also left us a beautiful bouquet. We are definitely well equipped with flowers for the holidays especially with only a little shelf and table space in this house.

With our first load of laundry going in the washer in the garage, the bed made, the kitchen cleaned, I’m chomping at the bit to get out after the wash is done. Tom, of course, is always content to lounge and listen to his radio shows and play with his computer, neither of which he’ll do much once the kids arrive.

There’s a walk-in closet in the master bedroom. As you can see, we don’t have much in the way of hanging clothes.

I will continue to post each day while our family is here including on Tom’s birthday on the 23rd, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day with many new photos of our daily lives, our meals, the lava flow which we’ll visit as soon as the viewing area opens in a few days, and our visits to many of the other local point of interest on the Big Island of Hawai’i.

For online security reasons, I prefer to keep photos of the young ones to a minimum. Plus, it’s easy to tire of seeing photos of other people’s grandkids. Right?

May your day be filled with pleasant surprises.

                                           Photo from one year ago today, December 4, 2013:

On our second full day in the bush, two moms and seven babies (one mom and baby not shown in this photo) became regular visitors to our house in Marloth Park. The moms would stare me down asking for pellets, for which I couldn’t ever resist providing. The moms would let the babies eat first. They were so sweet, I fell in love with the warthogs as those of our reader know from our three months in Marloth Park, beginning one year ago. Please click here for details as I wrote, “Morning doesn’t come soon enough.”  So true.

Aloha, Hawai’i! We’re settled in…What a view out the window!…Car rental wheeling and dealing…A fun photo from one year ago today…

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Tom was checking out the views, up close and personal.

Although yesterday’s flight was only 37 minutes long, traveling from Maui to the Big Island was still an all-day affair.

As usual, worried-old-man-mine, we arrived way too early at the Maui airport having no less than two hours of waiting time for the short flight. We left Maalaea Beach at 10:30 am, dropped off the rental car, and sat in chairs reading our books on our phones. 

The colors of the water is nothing like we’ve ever seen.

My android phone battery died in no time so I took out the broken screen unlocked phone and entertained myself reading unfinished books from long ago; dry, scientific stuff, that once I got started worked out well as I got into it.

Finally, we were situated in our seats for the short flight that literally went up and then back down. While onboard I busied myself writing the following.

“As always, we’ve said our prayers for another safe passage. This flight, only 37 minutes long, still had a bit of turbulence that always makes me a little jittery.  However, in no time at all, we’ll be on the descent of this island-hopping shuttle type flight.

The craggy lava rocks along the shore in front of the house is mesmerizing.

It’s odd to think that this time arrived so quickly. Either that’s a result of old age or we’ve been having so much fun that the time has flown. Perhaps, in our case, it’s a combination of both.

It was a full two years ago that we booked this first house in Hawai’i and over one year ago that we booked the second house next door. I remember finalizing the details of the second house on the day we left for the safari in the Masai Mara in Kenya, including my high-level of excitement over both events along with butterflies in my stomach over flying in the little airplane.

I took this photo this morning at 7 am from the lanai off of our bedroom.

Now, 14 months later, I have little fear, if any, of flying in a little airplane after all we’ve seen and done in these past two-plus years.

Grateful? More than words can say. If we had to stop now, our lives have changed forever. In some ways, we’re still the people we were long ago, only more peaceful, less stress filled, less fearful, and more than anything, happier.”

Once we arrived at the Hilo Airport, we hurried to get our bags to walk them a few blocks to the Enterprise car rental counter. With one less bag, it was easier. No excess weight fees and the two of us can manage to wheel it all. 

It’s way too dangerous to swim off the shore.

I wheeled the new but heavy 23″ bag (50-pound weight) and Tom’s 30″ 50-pound bag. He wheeled the cart loaded with the duffel bag, the laptop bag, the pill bag, and my handbag and,  my 30″ bag also weighing 50 pounds. It was OK. It’s all manageable well into the future.

At the Enterprise counter, Tom sat with the luggage, while I worked on the rental car. We’d ordered a full-size car but it only had seats five. With TJ, Sarah, Nik, and Jayden arriving on Saturday, we’d never have been able to go out together with a full-sized car only holding five.

When we booked the car for the family gathering with two of our adult kids booking their own cars, we decided we’d figure it out. The trick was that TJ and family would be alone with us from December 6th until December 20th when the others begin to arrive. We’d end up with two full weeks with only room for five when there are six of us.

The waves were impressive.

In my mind, I’d never intended to take the full-sized car, instead, waiting until we arrived to see what we could do in person. We’d booked online for a great rate for 30 days although we needed the vehicle for six weeks.  Most car rentals car agencies won’t rent a vehicle beyond 30 days. 

We always have to return the car to extend the rental period for each additional period of 30 days or less, signing an entirely new contract. We’ve been able to get the same great online price as we originally booked. (Italy was the exception, resulting in charging us a higher rate for the remaining period).

The rep, Philip Mootmag, Branch Manager at Enterprise in Hilo not only agreed to carry the great price over to the final 15 days but negotiated a special rate for us or a seven-passenger minivan at only an additional $9.95 a day. Based on minivan rental prices, we were thrilled with the $1367 for the month. I’d budgeted $1800. We had great customer service and an excellent vehicle that we’ll all fit in comfortably.

Once on our way and with only a half-hour drive to the vacation home, we decided to stop at the Malama grocery store in the village of Pahoa, the renowned location of the lava flow, a 12-minute drive to the house. 

It appears that a neighboring house (to the left) is building on the property.

The store was comparable to the Nakumatt grocery store in Diani Beach Kenya; vegetables were touch-and-go, meat was pricey, and missing a few items we often purchase. Next time we shop we’ll head the 30 minutes back to Hilo for a larger supermarket. For a few items, here and there, Malama will do the trick. 

We purchased plenty of items to get us through for a few days. Before TJ’s family of four arrives on Saturday, we’ll have made the trip to Hilo to the Safeway store which if all like the one in Kihei, Maui, we’ll be thrilled.

Before the next round of family arrives, we’ll head to Costco in Kona, a two hour drive each way, and load up for the two weeks we’ll all be together. We’ll have to purchase a cooler while we’re there to store the perishables for the long drive back. 

We were settled in at the house loaded with groceries and luggage around 5 pm. We’d have arrived an hour earlier had we not run into major construction traffic on the road to Hilo.

Today and tomorrow, photos of the grounds and the interior of the house. Although this house isn’t nearly as well equipped as the condo in Maui, we’ll figure it all out as we always do. The views easily make up for the missing large mixing bowls and a decent iced tea pitcher.

We’re good. We’re very good.

                                           Photo from one year ago today, December 2, 2013:

This was our first visitor in Marloth Park, arriving 30 minutes after our arrival. Immediately, we fell in love with these playful and funny creatures, the warthog. For details from that date, please click here.

Hawaii’s favorite food…Unbelievable! Monty Python Spam video…

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It appeared that all 14 flavors of Spam were offered at the Safeway store in Kihei. The bottom shelf was selling out quickly yesterday in preparation for Thanksgiving, which I believe was the original Spam flavor.

Recently, we’d found that CBS Sunday Morning most current episode, a favorite TV show of our long-ago past is shown at noon on Sundays on the Smithsonian channel.

Click here for the video about Spam in Hawaii from CBS Sunday Morning

Spam flavored macadamia nuts we spotted on a visit to Lahaina.

Most often, we’re outside around noon, but on a few occasions, we’ve made an effort to come back inside to watch the show while I stand in the kitchen, able to see the TV while chopping and dicing for the next meal. 

Yesterday, a perfect day, we languished in the swimming pool contemplating going inside to watch the show.  After drying off, we returned to our condo 15 minutes after the show had started. Within five minutes after starting to watch the show, the story of Hawaii’s love of Spam started. 

We chuckled over our good timing and the fact that this was only the second time we’d managed to catch the show. Also, we giggled over the fact that when we’d shopped at Costco in preparation for Hurricane Ana, we’d purchased eight cans of Spam in a single typical Costco over-sized package and Tom has since eaten all eight cans. 

I never took a bite, although oddly, Spam is befitting my way of eating. Had we been stranded for weeks with no food, surely I’d have eaten some. In our cozy, well-equipped life here in Maui, I had no desire. Tom ate it cooked with eggs a few times. For the balance, he sliced it into thin pieces eating it with sliced cheese. 

Yesterday, during my last trip to the grocery store in Maui, I wandered over to the Spam aisle taking the above photo. I believe that the 14 varieties mentioned in the video were all represented but so many shoppers were clamoring to grab a can, I wasn’t able to count.

Here’s some of the dialog from Sunday Morning’s story:

“SPAM may come in 14 varieties, but as far as its detractors are concerned, it’s all just Spam. Not so in the place, our Lee Cowan has traveled to, where Spam always gets the warmest of receptions:

There is hardly more maligned meat than Spam. But if you think Spam is just a culinary punch line, you haven’t spent enough time in Hawaii.

Known for their trade winds and rainbows, the Hawaiian Islands are also a Spam-a-alcoholic’s paradise. In fact, no state eats more.

spam-musubi-244.jpg
Spam Musubi.
 COURTESY SPAM.COM

On the island of Kauai, at the Foodland Waipouli that Orlando Dutdut manages, Spam is as plentiful as sunblock.

“It’s a staple,” said Dutdut. “Everybody eats it here.”
They sell 14 varieties of Spam. There’s Spam with cheese, Spam with Garlic, with Turkey and Jalapeno anndand nothing says “Aloha” quote like Spam-flavored Macadamia nuts.
In fact, the taste of Spam is so popular in Hawaii you can even order it at McDonald’s.
Here, Spam and Eggs beats out the venerable Egg McMuffin, says McDonald’s Ruth Johnson.
“We call it Hawaiian prime rib or Hawaiian roast beef,” she laughed.
Hawaii’s love of all things Spam started during World War II. Millions of pounds of the stuff were shipped to GIs in the South Pacific, largely because it didn’t spoil in the tropical sun.
But when the serviceman left, the Spam stayed — and it became part of the Island diet. By far the favorite local dish is a Spam Musubi, which looks a bit like sushi. Robert Kubata’s grandmother taught him how to make a Musubi the Island way. He bathes the Spam in teriyaki and then places the pink rectangles between layers of sticky rice.
After it’s pressed together, it’s all wrapped in seaweed. “It’s like Asian culture, Western culture, everything was mixed up,” said Kubata. “Put it all together, wrap it in nori, and here you go!”
Spam has even entered the kitchens of the touristy restaurants, like Tiki Iniki in Princeville, where ordering the Spam Burger has become as daring as the owner’s blue hairdo.
Cowan asked, “So what do the tourists think?”
Michele Rundgren replied, “Most people say that’s the best burger they’ve ever had. Or, ‘Oh my God, it was good! It was amazing!'”
“Well, the cocktails have a lot to do with it as well!” laughed her husband, music legend Todd Rundgren. (Remember, “Hello It’s Me?”) Mixing Spam with ground beef was his idea.
Rungren says he wrote that — and plenty of others — while eating plenty of Spam. “He has been eating Spam since he was little,” said Michele.
“Really? It’s no worse than a hot dog . . . ” said Cowan.
“No, it’s way better than a hot dog!” said Todd. “It doesn’t have any snouts or anuses in it!”
“Dude! You can’t say that on TV!” said Michele.
The good folks at Hormel Foods — an ocean away in chilly Austin, Minn. — tell us Spam is mostly pork shoulder and salt, and not much else.
Spam is cooked in its own can. They rattle through the plant at an astonishing pace.
“We’re running about 395 cans a minute,” said Donnie Temperly, Vice President of Hormel’s Grocery Products division. “So we’ve created a real Spam highway right here next to us!”
Since its invention in 1937, Hormel has sold eight billion cans. But marketing the food with the quirky name has always been a curious challenge. At first, Spam was touted for its canned convenience, then for its versatility.
But it was Monty Python who did more for Spam than perhaps any commercial ever could:

Man: “Well, what’ve you got?”
Waitress: “Well, there’s egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam spam spam egg and spam; spam spam spam spam spam spam baked beans spam spam spam spam; or Lobster Thermidor aux Crevettes with a Mornay sauce garnished with truffle pate, brandy and a fried egg on top and spam.”
Wife: “Have you got anything without spam in it?”
Waitress: “Well, there’s spam egg sausage and spam — that’s not got much spam in it!”

In the end, Spam’s marketing director Nicole Behne says Spam’s kitsch maybe its best selling tool. “People make up love songs about Spam,” Behne said. “We have a fan who actually created a rocket out of Spam cans. People make musical instruments out of Spam. So there’s a lot of fun that’s had out there with our brand.”
Not that everything’s funny. Hormel wasn’t laughing when “Spam” officially entered the dictionary as a word to define unwanted emails.
But Hormel’s CEO Jeff Ettinger says the company realized that having a sense of humor about its flagship product was really the only way to go.
“I think maybe our low moment with it was when we decided to sue the Muppets,” Ettinger laughed. “There was a movie they put out that had a Spa’am character that was an evil character. I think that was kind of a turning point to say, you know, I guess we really need to be with the joke.”
This seemingly indestructible meat has been matched by its indestructible image. It’s fed armies, helped America through recessions, and has endured as a true slice of Americana.” To watch the “Spam” sketch from “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” click here.”
We hope you enjoyed our Spam story.  Back tomorrow with exciting new photos!
                                           Photo from one year ago today, November 24, 2013:
On this date one year ago we dined at our favorite Sail’s Restaurant in Diani Beach, Kenya after a bad dinner out the prior night. For details of that story, please click here.
Tom, that same night with me at Sail’s Restaurant in Diani Beach, Kenya.

Grocery prices in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii including photos of products and receipt…

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Here I am driving down the road on my way to the Safeway store in Kihei., totally at ease. By the way, for safety reasons, I didn’t focus the camera while driving. I simply held it up and clicked.

Yes, driving a car is like riding a bike, one doesn’t forget. The moment I pulled out of the driveway, I instantly felt at ease behind the wheel. With the directions on my phone, I had no fear of getting lost. As it turned out, I remembered how to find my way from the last trip to the Safeway in Kihei almost a week ago. Although I kept the navigation on during the trip.

As I entered the store, my eyes darted everywhere in awe of all of the “stuff” for sale.

Twenty minutes later I walked into the Safeway market attempting to turn off the navigation on my phone when I realized that the grocery store has free WiFi! I’d never have imagined a grocery store having free WiFi. Only in the US!

Please keep in mind that using the navigation in many other countries is pointless when the directions are never correct. We’d tried on many occasions in many countries to no avail. 

Having not purchased any meat at this store on our visit almost a week ago, I was pleased to see the prices on meats was no more than we paid in our old lives.

It was those past experiences when navigation wouldn’t be correct that intimidated me when Tom and I tried to find new locations and “she” sent us driving around in circles, “Turn right, turn right, turn right,” she’d say over and over again. We became sick of her monotone.

I guess I forget that we’re in the US where everything, literally everything, is accounted for, available, user friendly, and accessible. It’s hard to believe and above all, it’s more excessive than it was when we left almost two years ago.

I needed one box of Ziploc freezer bags in the half gallon size that surprised me at only $4.49.

The beautiful grocery store illustrated a perfect example of excesses. Every possible grocery item that I could imagine or want for even the most obscure of recipes was available, fresh, wrapped well, and priced accordingly.

I’m sorry. But those of you who believe grocery prices are so high in Hawaii are mistaken. They are no worse than the prices we paid in Minnesota over two years ago at the local Cub Foods where I shopped each week. None of the items I perused or purchased were more outrageously priced than prices in over half the countries in which we’ve lived.

I purchased this 3.32-pound package of three New York Steaks for $26.93 at $8.98 a serving. That was an excellent price!

To prove my point today, I’m sharing pricing and photos of some items I purchased yesterday including a copy of the receipt for the total bill. For those considering a move to Hawaii, unless you live in Africa, Belize, or Madeira, Portugal, our perception is that you’ll pay no more in Hawaii for groceries than in any other country we visited thus far. Although in some highly popular tourist locations, prices are higher.

I can’t speak for the cost of utilities and housing. Hopefully, while we’re here we’ll be able to explore these costs and share them. As far as fuel is concerned it maybe 20% more in Hawaii based on the prices we’ve seen at the pump, around $4.25 a gallon, certainly less than many other countries.

Upon returning home, I used the Ziploc bags to individually wrap each of the three steaks which Tom will eat while I’ll have the rack of lamb.

In Maui County, the sales tax on most items is 4%, not the 6.875% in Minnesota (as an example), 7.875% for the maximum local surtax, and a maximum of 10.775% on prepared foods. And yes, there’s a tax on items in Hawaii not taxed in Minnesota such a groceries and clothing. (We’ll discuss prices and taxes on both the Big Island and Kauai after we’ve shopped on each of those islands).

Of course, one must take into consideration the types of foods one purchases. We don’t buy pricey snacks (other than nuts) and processed food. I noticed the cost of numerous brands of cold cereal at no more than $4.50 for a large box, certainly no more than in other states in the US and other countries.

I cut this free-range rack of lamb into three portions which I’ll have when Tom has the above steaks. At $20.15 for the entire package, it is $6.72 per serving.  We’ll cook the lamb and the steaks on the outdoor grill that overlooks the ocean, which we’re anxious to use.

I wish I’d been more diligent in taking photos with prices. I was so busy trying to find the items on my list, I was distracted. Figuring my way around a new market has always taken a few trips to get it under control. After yesterday’s second trip to Safeway in Kihei, I feel comfortable that I’m able to find most products.

Last week, when the cashier encouraged me to sign up for a Safeway Club Member card I shrugged it off. This time I decided to go for it when she explained I’d save quite a bit, which I did, saving a total of $15.16 as show on the receipt. 

This receipt is not easy to read resulting in my listing the items above for details and clarification.

I didn’t feel comfortable holding up the line when I filled out the form. I offered to step aside to complete it but the cashier explained it was necessary to do it now in order to get the offered discount on my items. I apologized to the others in line as I hurriedly filled in the form with name, address, and email in my illegible handwriting.

When I realized how much I saved, I was thrilled, saving a total of 7% on my entire bill. Please keep in mind that I purchased several non-food items when I was excited to find a few items that hadn’t been available in any other grocery stores in our travels; a few cosmetic items at $22.67, Crest Whitening Mouthwash at $8.49, two small paring knives at $4.29 (last week I’d purchased a larger knife that disappointingly wasn’t sharp enough). 

Tom’s gluten-free, low carb, starch, and sugar-free pizza with fresh mushrooms, green olives, onions, and Italian sausage, topped with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.  This will last for three delicious nights.  We never mind repeats three dinners in a row.  The crust is made with cheese and egg.

These non-edible items totaled $35.45 excluding tax. Taking this amount off the total bill of $215.58 leaves $180.13 for the remaining grocery items with tax.

When food shopping I tend to consider, “How many meals will we get out of a trip to the grocery store?” In this case, I purchased enough meat and produce to last for more than a week, in the following manner:
 
Protein                                   Total Cost           
3 New York Strip Steak             $ 26.93                     
Rack of lamb                            $ 20.16                     
2 packages Italian Sausage       $ 12.00 (for Tom’s LC, GF pizza)                     
1 4lb package ground beef        $ 19.06                      
2 package nitrate free bacon     $ 13.98                     
Chicken Sausage                      $  6.00 (for my pizza – LC, GF)
Total                                       $ 98.13

Of course, I purchased vegetables and other items to accompany the above meats including:
 
Vegetables
Zucchini                                   $  2.57
Eggplant                                  $  1.79
Tomatoes                                 $  5.50
Cabbage                                   $  6.85
Romaine lettuce                        $  6.99
Bag Bell peppers                        $ 6.00
Total Cost                                $ 29.70

Miscellaneous Items 
Black pepper                            $ 6.29
Anchovies                                $ 3.09
Enchilada sauce (GF, SF, LC)     $ 3.69
Taco sauce (GF, SF, LC)            $ 4.09
Pork rinds – 4 bags                   $ 9.56
LG. grated cheddar cheese        $10.49
LG. Ziploc freezer bags (20 ct.)  $ 4.49
Bleach                                     $ 2.99
Total cost                                 $44.69

Total of above                       $207.97
Tax                                               8.62
Grand Total                            $216.59

Based on the receipt, the total bill was actually $215.58. After carefully perusing the receipt I can only assume the $1.01 difference must have been an additional discount I couldn’t find on the receipt or a tax adjustment on a particular item. In any case, it’s close enough to illustrate the point.

We already had a few ingredients on hand to accompany the above items in making full meals but, overall this list is comprehensive. From the above products, we’ll be able to make the following meals (for two) which we began last night, starting with making with our LC, GF, SF pizza:

Pizza –  3 dinners
Steak – 3 dinners (for Tom while I’ll have the rack of lamb on those three evenings)
Ground Beef – 3 dinners (taco salad for two nights, Italian meatballs with pasta sauce and mozzarella for one night)

My pizza made with free-range chicken sausage, anchovies, onions, olives, mushrooms, red and yellow bell peppers, organic zucchini, eggplant with mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. This crust is also made with cheese and egg and is low carb and gluten, sugar, and starch free.  Love it!

In the worst-case scenario, we’ll have nine dinners for the above $180.13 averaging at $20.01 per day (includes the cost of non-edible grocery items, not toiletries). 

This amount is slightly less than our daily average in our old lives. Also, for us, we don’t eat starches, lunches, and desserts, although I’ve made breakfast every other day this past week since we arrived (thus, the bacon purchase) in Maui.

Gosh, I’d love to see how others manage their groceries and how much they spend. It’s not a topic that readily entered into the conversation as if what one spends on food is sacred or in some cases embarrassing and private.

For us, it’s all a part of the process of making our lives work with delicious homemade meals befitting our way of eating which Tom has joined with me during our time in Maui. Every item listed is low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free, and starch free. As much as possible the foods are organic. (Grass-fed meat wasn’t readily available all of the cuts we desired).

The gorgeous Maui scenery on the return drive to Maalaea Beach.

I hope this provides our readers with a perspective while dreaming of living in Hawaii at some point. We certainly understand the passion for this dream as we languish in Maui feeling relaxed and somewhat lazy, not yet up to getting out and about.

Although, at the moment the pool and two chaise lounges are calling us on this beautiful sunny day in paradise.

                                          Photo from one year ago today, October 22, 2013:

Aerial view of home (middle house).
It was a year ago today that we posted the second house that we booked for Big Island for our family reunion upcoming in December. For more photos and details, please click here.

It’s official!…Hurricane Ana is a Category One hurricane…A year ago…A ride in a single engine airplane…

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We’re in awe of the ocean views as we stopped along a beach on our way to Kihei.

As of news reports this morning, overnight, Hurricane Ana decided to hit the Hawaiian Islands with less intensity than expected. As I write now, weather warnings continue to pop up on the TV screen for flash flood warnings on the Big Island which Ana is approaching.

Hurricane categories.

Big Island has been hit by heavy rains, winds, and high seas in the past 12 hours, resulting in considerable flooding but not to the degree as in higher category hurricanes.

We purchased more food and water than we can possibly use, but as mentioned yesterday, we’ve decided to ship a box to ourselves for when we arrive on the Big Island on December 1st, the food we can use when the family arrives. 

The sandy beach in front of our building.

Yesterday afternoon, we drove eight miles to a regular grocery store to purchase a few smaller items we weren’t able to buy at Costco. You know how that goes at Costco, not all products are required in “jumbo” sizes. That was always the case (no pun intended) when we shopped at Costco in our old lives, an imminent trip to a regular grocery store was required to fill in the blanks.

Bird of Paradise, definitely an appropriate name here in Hawaii.

Although it takes a good 20 minutes to drive to the Safeway in Kihei most likely that’s where I’ll grocery shop going forward. A lesson I finally accepted in the Safeway was to do not to expect Tom to go grocery shopping with me ever again! Overly grumpy!

As the tide went out we searched for signs of life, at time fooled by the large boulders that appear at low tide.

With no sense of direction, I paid special attention to the return drive as to which turns to take to get back to Safeway next time I need to shop. The rental car company included me as a driver at no extra charge. I have not driven a car since December 2012. I hope it’s like riding a bike.

When we were outside the US, driving stick shift vehicles often on the “wrong” side of the road, Tom would drive me everywhere, waiting in the car reading a book on his phone while I shopped.

On our way to Kihei, we stopped at a roadside area on the beach to find this sign.  We didn’t see any turtles.

I know how to drive a stick shift but not with my left arm when the driver sits on the right side of the vehicle, also driving on the “wrong” side of the road. It goes against everything my brain is willing to process.

In any case, after the rushed moody shopping trip I couldn’t get out of there quick enough. Luckily, they had everything on the list, an app on my phone. How exciting it was to see ingredients I haven’t seen in almost two years. There was nothing on my list that couldn’t be found.

Another gorgeous sandy beach at the Turtle Nesting Area.

As for pricing, next time I do a complete grocery shopping trip, I’ll take a photo of the receipt for those of our readers who may be considering a move to Hawaii and are concerned about grocery prices.

Using the app on my phone for the past five years or more, I’ve become very familiar with prices. Honestly, from what we experienced yesterday and at Costco on Thursday, prices are not much higher than they were in Minnesota over two years ago. – an 8oz package of Philadelphia cream cheese at $2.99, the same price back then; a can of unsweetened coconut milk was $1.79, slightly less than in Minnesota long ago.

Moss growing on the rocks along the shoreline.

Could we ever return here based on what we’ve seen so far?  If it was to Maui, we’d say yes, perhaps someday, if we’re able to rent vacation homes comparable to where we’re living now. It’s beautiful, people are friendly, the weather (usually) is ideal and the vegetation is exquisite. 

The only aspect we’ve yet to discover is wildlife. Last night before dark, we wandered along the shoreline searching for the sea turtles we’ve heard often visit in the early evening. It’s a little early for whale watching but, the season will soon be upon us. We can hardly wait.

As for the next few days, staying put makes sense as the storm maneuvers its way to Maui. The surf is picking up this morning as we watch surfers taking advantage of the ever-increasing waves as the effects of Hurricane Ana gradually arrive.

Late yesterday, the surf had yet to pick up with Hurricane Ana still hundreds of miles away.

Without a doubt, we’re safe based on the local news reports. It won’t be as devastating as the media had feared. Costco made a lot of money this week when shoppers were in a frenzy filling multiple carts with supplies. We certainly fell prey to that mentality.

Tom’s back in his usual good mood and of course, I’m overly bubbly. Wait! Am I supposed to go back to worrying about lava flow?

                                                     Photo from one year ago, October 18, 2013:

For the return flight from the Masai Mara to Diani Beach, Kenya, I was no longer fearful of the small single-engine plane as Tom and I sat behind the pilot.  For details of that day, 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.

Peacefulness and tranquility…A small price to pay for inconsistencies…One year ago…Traffic jam on the canals of Venice

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Another gorgeous day.

Not everyone needs peace and tranquility. As we’ve traveled we’ve discovered how important it really is for us.  Soon, when we’ll spend two weeks in Paris and two more weeks in London, we realize that for those four weeks we’ll relinquish the peace and tranquility that we usually desire for the experience of visiting these two big cities.

Vegetables growing in our yard.

How could we possibly have traveled the world and not seen Paris and London? As for London, our cruise on August 31st sails out of Harwich, a two and a half-hour drive to the pier. It was necessary to travel to London anyway with no airport in Harwich.

Not much of a gardener, I believe this is cabbage. That will work!

If one does visit London, Paris offers a great starting point with relatively easy access via the Eurostar (formerly known as the Chunnel), another interesting experience. How exciting it will be to take a train in a tunnel under the English Channel from Paris to London!  How could we not?

The hills of Madeira produce a wide array of colors.

Throwing peace and tranquility out the window, we brace ourselves for the hustle and bustle of the upcoming two months from the time we leave Madeira on July 31st until we arrive in Hawaii on October 5th, where again in Oahu and Maui we’ll be among crowds when out and about, less so when we live on the Big Island and Kauai.

Cabbage, up close?

But here, in Madeira, we find ourselves entrenched in the peace and tranquility of a low-stress life in a sleepy little village, mostly occupied by homeowners, generations deep. It’s easy to lose oneself in the easy pace of tranquil living, caught up in the “small things” that bring us a sense of belonging, coupled with a profound sense of comfort.

Wildflowers growing in our side yard.

This morning, both of us up and dressed early, we’ve left the sliding glass door ajar letting in the chilly morning air, again waiting to hear the loud music of the vegetable guy whom we very much desire to see this morning, on Tuesday, his occasional day in our neighborhood.  His arrival is not consistent.

Every time I walk, I find something new.

This life of tranquility is not always consistent. That’s part of the magic of tranquility. No rush. No urgency. No stress. The local markets have a particular product one week but not the next, or the next. One doesn’t complain to the manager.

At dusk, the look of the ocean changes.

I recall in my old life that the local Cub Foods usually carried a favorite organic butter that I used. One week, they were out of stock. Rousting up the dairy manager, I kindly asked when it would be in. Nervously, he said, “Oh, I’ll get it here for you tomorrow.” The next day, I returned and it was there. 

Lots of steps with no handrail, common throughout these steep hills.

I remember thinking to myself that the poor guy was stressed when he was out of a product that a regular customer such as I, was unable to purchase. For those of us who have worked with the public, we recall the angst we’ve felt when we couldn’t quickly fulfill the expectations of a customer. I don’t miss those days…on either end.

When I was growing up in California, we called these “shrimp” trees.

The little market here in Campanario and the bigger supermarket in Ribeira Brava have unsweetened full-fat Greek yogurt one week but not the next. I don’t mention it. It’s all a part of life here. Peacefulness breeds inconsistency. It’s a small price to pay.

Overlooking the road while on my walk.

The produce guy may not show today. And when he does on another day, we may have already gone to the little market to buy the farm-fresh produce we needed. But, neither he nor us gives it a second thought when he drives by on another day and we aren’t waiting for him on the side of the road.

In Minnesota, these were called begonias, a flower that grew well in shady areas.

One thing we do know for sure. We’ll love Paris and London. We’ll see the sites, take endless photos, and dine in fabulous restaurants. Perhaps, at times, we’ll even be in awe of the crowds, their passion, and enthusiasm for these big cities and their treasures.

The temperate climate is ideal for flowers.

In our hearts, wherever we may travel, we’ll always recall the tranquility of Campanario, Madeira; Marloth Park, South Africa; the Maasai Mara, Kenya; Boveglo, Italy and Placencia, Belize where the simplicity of daily life and its curious inconsistencies, ultimately have brought us the most joy.
                                              ______________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, June 17, 2013:

We’d hoped to ride in a gondola but when there were lined up like this, bumper to bumper hardly moving in the canals, we opted against getting into this “traffic jam.” Instead, we walked for several hours. For details from that date, please click here.

Running as fast as we can… One year ago today, Dubrovnik, Croatia…

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The sky continues to captivate us. The billowing smoke is from a fire burning next door.

Hardly a day passes that we don’t hear or see something, including on the days we stay home, that makes us laugh or smile. We are grateful for the time we’re spending in Madeira which is moving too quickly for our liking.

This morning, checking today’s weather from the veranda, I see the four goats next door, the mom, dad, and two kids. I holler out a loud “baa” to which they all turn, looking at me, all “baaing” back in response. This happens each day.

Blue sky, blue ocean.  Beautiful.

Moments later, the rooster crowed for the first time today to begin his day-long litany of crowing to his heart’s content until sunset. A few minutes later, we hear the quarter-hour church bells ringing as the sounds bounce back and forth in the hills surrounding us. We love these sounds.

But, the musical sounds of the various vendors of fresh foods echoing through the hills is a sound unlike any we’ve experienced in the past. Anticipating it with the same fervor as a child awaiting the ice cream truck’s musical foray into the neighborhood, both Tom and I await in wonder.

Mom goat, sitting and hugging a branch.

On Thursday morning as Judite ran about the house cleaning, we heard the approaching music, hoping it was the produce guy. When able to clearly hear the sounds, we have to hustle. He zips through the neighborhood with a fervor barely giving a prospective customer time to get out their door. With our shoes on, the door unlocked and Tom’s wallet on hand, we’re always ready to run.

In a matter of seconds, not minutes, he was on the street while our fast response enabled us to flag him down after he’d actually passed our house. Backing up, he got ready for us. Unlike the fish guy, he turns off his music when he has a customer, making taking a video less interesting.

Mom goat hanging out with the two kids.

We’re never certain when he is coming when his timing doesn’t appear to be consistent. Thus, we tend to purchase small amounts of the produce we’ll need for several days at the nearby little market which is also farm fresh. All we needed on Thursday was lettuce and carrots.

It was the same 20’s something produce guy from whom we’d purchased in these past four weeks. We always try to shop from the local vendors when possible. After all, they’ve welcomed us with open arms, especially in this quaint village of Campanario which is less of a tourist area and mostly occupied with locals.

The produce guy coming toward our street with music blaring.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled when we saw he had avocados which I’ve been unable to find at either the supermarket or local market. We purchased four avocados, two heads of Bibb lettuce, and a kilo of carrots. 

The produce from the truck is not as much of a bargain as it’s been in other countries in which we’ve lived. The total was US $8.12, EU $6, a none-the-less great price by US standards. 

We didn’t recognize some of the produce and didn’t ask when the driver speaks no English.

As I later cleaned the lettuce, I picked off worms and bugs, smiling all the while as I was reminded that no pesticides were used in growing this produce. And the carrots of peculiar shapes and sizes, also illustrated that the growing process was as natural as it would be if I’d grown them in the yard.

As a matter of fact, produce is growing in our yard, planted and cared for by Gina’s dad, Antonio. I’m sure as it matures, we’ll be the recipients of some of his gardening expertise.

The first avocados we’d seen in Madeira.

Last night we made pizza, one for each of us based on our topping preferences. Tom had his usual mushrooms, olives, onions, sausage, and cheese while I made mine with anchovies, a small amount of sausage, piled high with cubes of carrots and zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, onions, mushrooms, and cheese. 

Of course, for the base, we made our usual cheese and egg crusts, made in earlier in the day in order to harden into perfect crusts. As always, the pizza was fabulous with enough leftovers for another round tonight with a huge side salad using those farm carrots and Bibb lettuce.

These green summer squash are similar to zucchini.

Today, we’re scheduled to return the blue car which we plan to return in plenty of time by 3:00 pm.  On July 15th, we’ll return the second rental car to pick up the third and final rent. We have an outing booked that morning on a 70-foot catamaran for whale and dolphin watching. That way, we’ll be at the pier in Funchal for the booking at 10:30 am, returning the car later in the day after the boat trip. 

Last night, the full moon alluded us with a cloudy sky. We’d decided not to dine out last night as we’d mentioned when we realized we needed to use the produce we had on hand including fresh mushrooms we’d purchased on Monday. 

Although I can’t eat fruit (due to sugar content) and Tom doesn’t like it, we both were amazed by the size of these grapes.

We’ve so enjoyed the fresh food and cooking again after our reprieve in Morocco that we’ve hardly dined out, only three times since our arrival. With the average cost of dining out at US $65, EU $48 range, we’ve found that doing so holds less interest for us while we’re here. 

We’ll be dining out for over two months, beginning on July 31st when we leave for Paris until we end up in Oahu, Hawaii on October 5, 2014, after the two booked cruises and four hotel stays. 

What are these green things? Does anyone know?

By then, we’ll have had our fill of dining out especially when dinner for two on any of the four islands on which we’ll live in Hawaii, typically costs over US $100, EU $74, without wine or cocktails. 

That’s all for today folks. See you tomorrow with photos from today’s trip to Funchal, the capital city of the island of Madeira.
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Photos from one year ago today, June 14, 2013:

We took a tender from the ship to the small pier in the walled city of Dubrovnik, Croatia. Our ship was scheduled to go to Athens but political unrest prevented it. Instead, they chose Dubrovnik which I believe we loved all the more. (I had added the date feature for the camera that day but changed it later).
Once again, walking the narrow alleyways between buildings in Dubrovnik held tons of charm. For details of that date, please click here.

Exploring the island with a change in terrain…Making errors, a fact of our lives…A year ago…Unrest in Izmir Turkey…Did we go in light of this risk

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We finally arrived at Boa Morte, a small neighboring village.

Last night Gina stopped by with some documents she had to complete with our travel and passport information as a regulation for property owners and managers when renting properties to foreigners on the island of Madeira.

When doing so, her records indicated that we were leaving on July 31st as opposed to August 1st our intended date of departure. Thank goodness, we’d had yet to book our flight out of here. 
We headed out on the good roads through the heavily treed area. With no place to stop, I had no choice but to take this photo through the windshield glass.
Now, we’ll have no choice but to arrive in Paris one day early. Shucks! One extra day in Paris.  It will cost us another night, but one must pay for such errors. Once again this was my error, the second this week. 
No, I’m not suffering from dementia. I make errors from time to time, two coming to light this week with a total of three (two for me, one for Tom) since leaving the US. Actually, we’ve probably made many more errors than we take credit for!
As beautiful as the trees were, we wanted to get a peek to see the villages at a distance.
Booking and documenting every single aspect of travel month after month, year after year is challenging.  Making errors is inevitable, as I say this to myself to justify my error, once again.

Any error we made sure is fixable, no matter the complexity. However, fixing an error always requires time and most often, money. Tom made an error while we were in Kenya, paying in full for the hotel in Paris when all we needed to do was reserve our room. The two weeks (to become 15 days after we’ll book July 31st later today) booking was US $3124, EU $2308, and it made no sense paying in full 10 months in advance.

On occasion, we’d find an opening enabling us to take a photo.

I wasn’t upset or even annoyed when he’d made the error. It easily could have been me. Unfortunately, Tom made himself crazy worrying needlessly for days with frequent reminders from me that it was no big deal. 

As the time nears, we’re thrilled to have paid in advance, lessening the outlay for the combined total month we’ll spend in Paris and London, from July 31st to August 31st. Our added expenditures will be for the London hotel which is comparable to the rates for the Paris hotel, meals, entrance to tourist sites, cab fare, and tips. 

With towering trees cast shadows on the roads.

My error will result in our paying for one more night in the Paris hotel which will be US $223, EU $164. Today, as I researched at the rental agreement for this house in Madeira, I see that the rental did in fact end on July 31st.  If this was a “job” and I had a “boss” this would have kept me awake at night.

Tom doesn’t so much as squeak, as I didn’t when he prepaid for the hotel. We only have to deal with self-recriminations for our occasional incompetency which I’ve done and will let go.

The dense forest reminded us of Boveglio in Tuscany, Italy.

Yesterday, we drove through a long tunnel we’d yet to enter to see where it would take us. The further we drove, the more it reminded us of Boveglio, Italy where we spent last summer from June 16 to September 1, 2013. 

The winding roads, hairpin turns, dense forests with towering trees, and drive up higher and higher into the mountains was interesting and a lot less unnerving than in the past. From the scary four hour drive in Belize to the winding roads here in Madeira, we’re becoming more comfortable on these less than ideal roads.

The billowing clouds are ever-present on Madeira.

It wasn’t easy taking photos with narrow roads without a shoulder. Plus, the dense forest made it difficult to see through the trees. We drove a long distance to find a turn around spot with no road returning to Campanario, other than the road in which we drove into the village.

After our few hour drive, we returned to Campanario for a stop at the local grocer where we purchased two free-range chickens that had been delivered that morning. As we noticed in our travels chickens aren’t as meaty as they were in the US. 

We spotted a lush green valley in an opening on the road.

Without the use of chemicals and grain-based feed, chickens don’t grow as meaty and plump. The two chickens we purchased for US $10.83, EU $8, were well cleaned with little fat when not fed grains and are allowed to roam freely to peck at the ground for food sources.

Finally, we spotted an expansive view.

I guess it further proves that we were created to take advantage of unprocessed foods readily available in our environment for our hunting and gathering or in the modern age, for others to hunt, breed, and gather. 

Oops! We hear music coming our way. Tom is on the veranda saying that he can see and hear the music of the produce guy coming down the road. Gotta go!

These tall flowers grow wild in Madeira, are often blue and occasionally white.

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Photo from one year ago today, June 11, 2013:

The night before our ship was scheduled to enter the port of Izmir, Turkey, the following letter was on our bed when we returned from dinner causing us to question if we should go on the excursion. Determined to see the ancient city of Ephesus we decided to continue with our plans.  We returned safely after a full day’s outing and a number of unusual experiences. For details on that date, please click here.  More on the tour tomorrow.
This letter was in our cabin the night before we docked in Izmir, Turkey where we were scheduled to go on an excursion to the ancient city of Ephesus. For the story and photos of Ephesus please click here. Photos of the tour will follow in this section tomorrow.

Venturing out to another village on the steep and winding roads…A year ago…A photo from Mykonos, Greece…

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This fenced garden we passed on a steep road.

Yesterday, we drove up to a few other villages to gain perspective of the views from another vantage point. At times, we were within a foot, .3 meters, of an unprotected edge that a slight wrong move could result in falling off a steep cliff.

We drove the steep, winding roads to Barreiro yesterday.

Luckily, I stayed preoccupied taking photos and not looking over the edge. There was a haze of fog in the air preventing a clear view in some of our photos, although the sky was blue and clear. We’re constantly looking for changes in the weather that can occur in a matter of minutes.

Cactus growing out of a stone wall.  With the temperate weather in Madeira, it’s surprising to see cactus growing wild. One expects cactus to grow in desert climates.

As we drove through the steep winding roads, we realized that the roads that appear risky to us is everyday driving to the locals. They zip around the curves, hairpin turns, and up and down steep inclines at full speed, never giving it a thought.

Looking out at this view, we notice the point in the upper left.

There aren’t any police cars in Campanario and few in other areas. The locals don’t worry about getting a ticket, only about getting around quickly and hopefully safely.

Zooming in we got a better view of the craggy point.

Without a doubt, Madeira feels like the safest place in which we’ve lived in our travels. Of course, we’re still cautious in locking doors at night and when leaving, more out of habit than fear.  t’s a far cry from living in Kenya with gun-toting guards everywhere. How far we’ve come.

Homeowners often have to walk up or down elaborate stairways to get to or from their homes that are built on the steep hills.

Speaking of Kenya, last night we went through many of our photos from our travels that are stored in Google+.  So far, since January 3, 2013, we have almost 10,000 photos stored. Considering that we seldom took photos in our old lives, we sure have made up for the lost time.

I have an app that allows me to remove wires such as these shown here.  But, Madeira has wires everywhere in an effort to provide great service to its residents. We have the best WiFi connection here included in the rental, that we’ve had since we were in Minnesota, 20 months ago. Who’s to complain?

Looking back, had we known we’d be traveling, I wish I’d have learned to take photos on a decent camera instead of my phone. As a person with reasonable digital skills, the camera alluded me, intimidated me and I struggled along. Now, the ease and enjoyment of taking photos remind me of how many magic moments we missed that could have been documented in photos.

There we are in the sunshine one minute and then the fluffy clouds roll in. The wonders of this gorgeous island continue to astound us.

Oh, well. One can only go forward as to wasting time with what “could have” or “should have” been. Although I love taking photos, I don’t take it seriously enough to want to let it turn into an obsession or to try to present more professional-looking photos with editing and enhancements. Most often, we take only one shot of each sighting unless it’s a classic shot of a special location or moving target. If it comes out, great. If not, we delete it.

View over the rooftops.

The only editing I ever do on a photo we present here is to remove the spots that appear in some of the photos from dirt or lint located on the lens of our camera. I haven’t removed those spots today, as we hope to head out the door soon.

Whatever the angle or the view, the beauty of the ocean is worthy of a shot.

When we arrive in Boston in three months, we’ll purchase a new camera or will pick one out online and have it shipped to Boston. Our Sony Cyber-shot is showing signs of wear and tear after 10,000 photos especially when held in my sweaty palms over many miles with hot and humid climates. 

The car was moving when we took this blurry shot. We were on a dangerous curve and couldn’t stop.

Today, we’re waiting for the produce guy’s musical truck to appear before we head to the supermarket to shop for the week. We’d rather buy produce from him as opposed to the grocery store. 

The dedication to farming and gardening is evident everywhere on the island.

He doesn’t always have everything we need making it tricky to go to the grocery store without buying produce, hoping to catch up with him later. We’ll wait for him until noon and then we’re off, having no choice but to purchase some of the items we need, filling in with him later in the week.

The blue sky makes for a blue sea.

Oh, we love the mindless drivel in our lives at times, the simple decisions, the time spent observing a flower, a passing bird, or a wafting cloud. Then, when the hard parts are imminent we know that soon they too will pass and we’re back to the joyful ease of living this pleasing life we’ve chosen.

Few homeowners miss the opportunity to grow gardens on the hills.

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Photo from one year ago, June 9, 2013:

The island of Mykonos, Greece was beyond our expectations. So beautiful. Due to a poor WiFi connection, we were unable to post photos from the ship. The next day, the 10th, we were in Mykonos Greece where we took many photos of the exquisite island. Here is a photo from the 10th. For more please check back tomorrow for more. For the link to the post on the 9th, please click here.