Results from appointments with Dr. Candy in Atenas…

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The clinic has an ambulance, ready to go in an emergency.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Once back at the villa, the clouds started rolling in from the mountains.

Yesterday afternoon, with a bit of trepidation, we took a taxi for our appointment with Dr. Candy Midence Noguera, Medico Cirijano Cod, 7620, Consulta Medica – Ninos – Adultos (for children and adults). Phone: 2446-7440 or 2727-6868.

We’re posting the above information if any of our readers visit Atenas and its surrounding areas in the Alajuela Valley, Costa Rica, and need to see a physician. The delightful, bi-lingual Dr. Candy was the perfect choice for our needs. 

The reception desk at Dr. Candy’s office, Linea Vital de CR.

We couldn’t have been more pleased with the quality of service we received from Dr. Candy. She brought both of us (on time) into her office, conducting an exam, and walked through each question on the detailed forms with us. 

The cruise line, Ponant, requires the exam and accompanying documents to be completed anywhere between 40 and 90 days before the cruise date. This worked out perfectly for us when we’re leaving Costa Rica in 19 days. 

The waiting room at the doctor’s office.  A patient came out of an appointment with the doctor with an IV bag attached to her arm.  She sat on this sofa while the IV bag was hung on a small hook attached to the bulletin board.

As of today, we’ll sail on the Antarctica cruise in 82 days. (The upcoming 30-night cruise to South America sails in 21 days, for which we needed no such documentation).

Fortunately, we passed the exams without any issues. Neither of us has any conditions that might prevent a traveler from embarking on such a cruise that travels well outside the scope of air ambulance service while in one of the most remote areas in the world, Antarctica.

As usual, the afternoon sky was cloudy, and rain had begun to fall when we arrived by taxi from the villa. The round trip taxi fare with tip was US $7.03 (CRC 4,000).

Our total doctor bill for both of us was US $120 (CRC 68,297), not covered by our major medical insurance.  Had we been in many other countries, the bill could have been considerably higher. We paid with a credit card and were on our way after big hugs from Dr. Candy.

We now have all the completed documents in hand. Today, we’ll scan and email the medical forms and other forms we had to complete in this time frame, including passport and additional general information. It will be a relief to have this out of the way today, along with all the other “paperwork” we mentioned in yesterday’s post.

Now, during these remaining 20 days in Costa Rica, we only have to scan a pile of receipts, make one more dental appointment for me (something’s wrong with another crown), grocery shop on two more occasions, and of course, pack.

View across the street from the doctor’s office.

We’ve accessed the food on hand and what we’ll need to purchase as we’ve scheduled meals on our calendar for each of the remaining days. After I make tomorrow’s pizza (enough for three nights), we’ll only cook dinners for two more weeks. 

This morning it dawned on me that we won’t be cooking for another long stretch, this time from November 23, 2017 (sail away date) until we arrive in South Africa (on or about February 10, 2018), for a total of 80 days. 

This won’t be the most extended period we haven’t cook. When we left New Zealand on April 15, 2016, and eventually ended in Phuket, Thailand, on July 23, 2016, we didn’t cook a single meal for a total of 100 days.

Cows grazing in our gated neighborhood on the return drive from the doctor.

These long stretches seem to trigger my enthusiasm for cooking once we’re settled in a new location and have begun thinking about some of our favorite meals. Years ago, I loved to cook, but once we left the US, my interest seemed to wane due to the difficulty in finding ingredients we use for our cooking style.

Today, we’re hoping the sun will continue to shine long enough for pool-time, after which I’ll get to work on scanning all the documents and receipts. It will be good to have this task off my mind.
Have a peaceful day.

Photo from one year ago today, November 3, 2016:

View one of the 70 islands in the Cumberland group as we sailed by early in the morning. This is one of the main reasons we prefer a balcony cabin. For more photos, please click here.

Paperwork galore… Why so many errors?… Multitasking myths… More Managua photos…

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A colorful collection of hammock slings in the Market Restaurant at the Real Intercontinental Metrocentre Managua.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Tom got this distant shot of the Montezuma Oropendola, which is a New World tropical icterid bird. It is a resident breeder in the Caribbean coastal lowlands from southeastern Mexico to central Panama but is absent from El Salvador and southern Guatemala.

We spent most of the day yesterday working on paperwork. I prepared a new food list for today’s appointment, which must be reviewed by the doctor for the upcoming Antarctica cruise. We completed all the forms necessary for the appointment, leaving the remainder required for the doctor to enter.

The lunch buffet at the Real Intercontinental Metrocentre Managua Hotel in Managua, Nicaragua, was tempting. But, after the complimentary breakfast, neither of us was interested in lunch, a meal we rarely consume.

We must always do some paperwork for various world travel and financial matters, including gobs of forms to print, sign, scan, and email. Some documents require faxing. Who still uses fax machines?  Aren’t they obsolete?

Most of the items in this buffet were suitable for my way of eating.

When we must fax a document, we can either email it to son Richard in Henderson, Nevada, during business hours or email it to our mailing service, where they can fax whatever we need. This is only concerning documents in the US, where all of our document processing is done with various businesses.

Seafood, chicken, and ham are great additions to salads. 

Often, mistakes are made on the other end; lost documentation, failure to complete processing, and the necessity of frequently making phone calls using our Skype phone number to confirm everything are correctly done. 

This is time-consuming and disappointing. We’ve learned never to assume the paperwork was handled properly, and we tend to check and re-check many times to discover the task wasn’t completed. We could quote dozens of such incidents over these past five years, but…we won’t bore our readers with this.

A sushi bar at the hotel.  Tom doesn’t care for sushi which I used to love in my old life.  Now, without the rice in the sushi rolls, I have no interest.  Plus, I’ve lost my taste for raw fish over these past years of travel.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, we’re not exempt from making errors. In our old lives, I recall having to call when cable and other utility bills had errors. What’s the deal with this?  

Even while in Minnesota, we discovered I’d booked our flight to Nevada on the wrong date, and it cost us over US $700 (CRC 398,574), never to be recouped. It was the first significant booking error I’d made that couldn’t be reversed or revised in some manner.

Comfortable seating in the sushi bar.

We, humans, are undoubtedly responsible for the words “human error.” It’s rampant. And, even the most meticulous of us can find ourselves in a pickle from our errors. Why does this happen?

After careful consideration of my own errors, I’ve come to realize it always occurs when I’m multitasking and not paying enough attention. There’s no excuse. 

The outdoor sports bar.

Since my flight booking error, this past summer occurred while we were so busy in Minnesota, I’ve carved out specific time without distractions to handle anything that could potentially cause us a problem. Tom and I now review bookings together, checking and re-checking each other’s work in booking events to ensure we have no errors.

In my youth, I was always proud of my ability to multitask. But, as we’ve aged, I’ve discovered doing so is not a benefit at all. Being able to focus on a critical task at a time is more fulfilling in the long run.

We sat in the lobby when we prepared the day’s post.

Recently, I’d read this article, The Myth of Multitasking, and completed the test shown in the report. There’s no doubt that multitasking doesn’t achieve one’s original intention of getting two or more tasks completed at one time in less time. 

Sure, I can multitask when cooking a meal; boil the water, stir fry the veggies and cook the bacon in the oven simultaneously. But, that’s cooking, not handling important financial and other matters that can result in chaos if not caught in time.

Bread items are offered at the complimentary breakfast buffet.

Today, we have tunnel-vision in getting our medical forms signed by the doctor, hopefully finding us both in good enough health to embark on the upcoming expedition cruise.

May you be able to focus on what must be completed in your life today! Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 2, 2016:

Tom, during breakfast in the main dining room on Radiance of the Seas 33-night cruise circumventing the Australian continent. For more details, please click here.

Caring for one’s health while traveling the world…More historical railroad photos..

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An old Telegraph machine.

“Sighting from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Yesterday morning Tom spotted this massive insect in the pool.
He scooped it out of the water with the pool net placing it next to his foot for a frame of reference. If it revived, we would have put it back into the garden, but, alas, it did not recover.

As we’ve mentioned in prior posts, we’ll continue to share photos we’d had yet to post over our remaining days in Costa Rica. With only 29 days until we depart for Florida and two nights upcoming in Nicaragua this weekend, we’ll have plenty of photos to get us through until our final departure.

We apologize if some of the photos we’ll be posting during our remaining time in Costa Rica are similar to others. In each case, they are “new” versions of scenes that may be familiar. We do the best we can with photos keeping a specific filing system that prevents repeats day by day. Of course, “favorite photos” posted during our last few days at any location are always repeats.

An antique printer.

With only four days until we depart for Nicaragua, I’ve begun gathering a few items we’ll bring on the weekend trip.  We won’t be checking any bags for this short trip, only carry on; the computer backpack and one wheeling duffel bag. 

Traveling so light will seem weird when we always carry “literally everything we own” with us from country to country. As much as we’d like to be those people who can travel with only backpacks, that’s not us. Typically, those travelers aren’t traveling non-stop for five years (so far).

Juan Ramon wanted us to watch a video on an old computer of the festival on the last day the trains would arrive and depart Atenas.

As the month winds down, we’ve begun thinking about upcoming tasks once we return from the weekend trip to Nicaragua. Next week, on November 2nd, we have the physical exams required by the Antarctica cruise line to be certified by the physician that our health is sufficient enough to embark on such a cruise in such an isolated location, impossible-to-reach by medical evacuation.

Toy trains on display at the museum.

As always, I’m hesitant about going to a doctor. If it weren’t for the necessity of doing so, I’d continue in this lengthy recovery period of this gastrointestinal thing. It’s not gone, and, I’ve concluded, this may be a chronic reality of my long-term health.  

Miscellaneous railroad equipment.

I’d already seen three doctors in Australia for this condition and am now convinced I’m like many seniors worldwide with a stomach problem that requires mindfulness about what, when, and how much is eaten and drank.

Some fuel gauge.

The biggest problem is the bloating in the morning which if I don’t drink anything but plain water, improves throughout the day. I’m fine after eating a normal-sized dinner. It’s rarely painful, especially now that I’m still taking the PPIs. 

More odds and ends.

I continue to eat lots of vegetables, healthy sources of protein, small amounts of full-fat dairy, eggs, and herbal teas. I’ve tried eliminating many foods, but nothing changes. It’s the way it is. I must learn to live with it and stop waiting to wake up one day to find it totally resolved. It’s not going to happen.

A variety of jacks were used on the railroad.

Thus, like many of you, I’m re-framing my thinking to accept this reality and maintain the positive outlook that has been my “m.o.” all these years. By no means has this condition prevented Tom and me from having a wonderful time every day? We all have aspects of our lives we must learn to accept.

Insulators for telegraph of electric wires.

Based on the fact I have no pain, am completely and fully mobile and able to do everything I’d been able to do prior to this condition, I can’t complain. As always, we’re both so grateful for the quality of our lives and the blissful experiences we encounter every day.

May you find many aspects in your life giving you a sense of gratefulness.

Photo from one year ago today, October 24, 2016:

On our last full day in Bali, owners of the villa Francoise and Egon took us out to dinner at a restaurant on the beach. It was finally time to leave Bali after a total of four months (in two separate two-month stints). For more photos, please click here. 

Traipsing around the town…Why visit Atenas?…

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This morning when I perused through our photos to see what to post, I stumbled across this funny photo showing my hands and camera in the rearview mirror while taking the photo of this rug vendor walking along the street. Vendors don’t pester passersby, asking only once if interested.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Cattle sheltered under the shade of a massive tree during a sunny morning in Atenas.

Walking through the town of Atenas is quite entertaining. The endless array of shops lining the streets, many worn and tattered on the exterior but bustling with energetic business on the interior, creating a fascinating peek into the daily lives of “Ticos,” the acceptable and unoffensive nickname for the locals.

Few tourists are to be found when walking through the town although it’s reported there are about 1500 expats in Atenas of its population of about 5000.

Although an older comment, this quote from a contributor on TripAdvisor provides a reasonable explanation about Atenas. We can’t imagine it’s changed much over the past six years. (See selection below this photo).

A sign was announcing at the Patron Saint Festivities from October 14 through 24. 
Re: Things to do around Atenas
Oct 07, 2011, 11:43 AM
Atenas is a quiet town, authentic Costa Rica, and it could be used as a home base.
Many “well-to-do” Ticos who work in San Jose choose to live there and commute. Kind of like folks living in CT and commuting to New York in the USA.
No crime to speak of, lots of farms, some great locally grown coffee. The area produces five different varieties, only 3 of which are exported (they save the best for local consumption)
I dig it. I used to live in a bustling tourist town here. When I left the coast, Atenas is the town I moved to for a time. I was looking for a city that had zero tourism and found it. I then bounced over to Grecia, but now live in between the 2.
IMO an interesting choice but a good one. No tourist crowds, down-to-earth pricing compared to towns more tourism-oriented. Not much in the way of local attractions, Poas mentioned by ex-beachers is probably one of the closer ones, the metal church in Grecia is something to see and not far away, also there is a great little central park full of green parrots in the town center of Atenas. 
If you are looking for an authentic Costa Rican experience, then it is a good choice.
Cheers”

This is our kind of town, quiet, attractive, friendly and filled with a variety of treasures that easily keep us entertained and engaged (including many birds) during this extended 113-night stay. 

In almost every case, when we chose an extended stay over 90 days, we encounter visa issues.  We’re inclined to avoid such extended stays when possible. But, when we opt for an extended stay, we do it for a reason, often to accommodate the next leg of our travels.

However, the time spent here has definitely been worth the hoopla of having to leave in nine days to fly to Nicaragua to get our passports stamped. Besides, with our five-year anniversary on October 31st, we’ve usually done something special to celebrate…a mini vacation…a special night out, etc. The two-night stay in Managua will fill the bill.

Don Juan Pharmacy where I purchased a bottle of contact lens solution for US $20, (CRC 11,401) usually priced at around US $7.95 (CRC 4,932).

We’ll be back at the villa on the 30th, most likely staying in and celebrating here at the estate on our actual anniversary date on October 31st. It will be easy to celebrate in this outstanding property which far exceeds any five-star hotel we’ve seen to date. 

Would other travelers be content in this small town? Yes, in many ways. Its central location makes it a good base for sightseeing and if one enjoys traveling on mountainous roads the scenery is exceptional as we’ve shared in many posts. 

Atenas is conveniently located near the airport. There are seven hotels listed in Atenas, at this link with more in surrounding areas, some modest and unassuming and others more deluxe (none are five-star rated). Most are well under US $75 (CRC 42,752) per night. 

We’ve heard parrots may be seen in the trees in the park.  We’ve visited several times to no avail.  We’ll keep trying.

There are 39 restaurants listed in Atenas which may be found at this link. These restaurants don’t work for my way of eating but for most, they’ll be ideal with fresh local ingredients and flavors commensurate with local tastes and customs.

Of course, for those interested in the privacy and convenience of a vacation/holiday villa, nothing can beat this exceptional home with three large bedrooms, each with an en-suite bath, plenty of storage space, ceiling fans, and ultra-comfortable beds and bedding. We love the “screening room” with a large flat-screen TV, surround sound, and comfortable seating.

The granite and stainless steel gourmet kitchen with a second “clean up” kitchen is over-the-top with every imaginable amenity and kitchen tool and gadget.  Well, I could go on and on but most of you have read our comments in past posts about how much we’ve loved this property and location.

Nothing is as pleasant as a blue sky during the rainy season.

The downsides are few in this area. However, if dancing until dawn is your “thing” you may be better off staying in the “big city” of San Jose which has every type of nightlife one can imagine.

Although there are a number of clothing, souvenirs and “sports” shops in town in the area, if shopping is high on your list of priorities, a trip to San Jose would satisfy even the most enthusiastic shopper. Atenas lacks in this area.

Also, for the more extended stay, one must consider that its best to arrive in Costa Rica with every possible item you’ll need during your stay. Prescriptions cannot be mailed into the country, although non-narcotic items can be purchased at several pharmacies without a prescription. Keep in mind that brand names and many ordinary doses for many things are impossible to purchase.

There are many tall trees at the central park.

Shipping supplies into the country will result in long delays due to customs with high tariffs on items that may not be worth shipping into the country with the added expense. From what we’ve been able to perceive to date, Costa Rica is very protective of what enters their land for a few primary reasons.

One, they don’t want any hazardous products entering their country possibly affecting the delicate ecological system. Two, they prefer to sell locally grown and manufactured products offered by their vendors. Three, they can collect taxes on locally sold items.

As a result, expats, used to shopping on Amazon, for instance in their former lives, may become frustrated knowing they have to return to the US or their home country to load up on supplies. 

A water fountain at the park.

We particularly understand these restrictions when we realized I’d run out of my one of my regular prescriptions (I take three) while we were here when unable to purchase an alternative in any close proximity to the original dosage. Thus, I am spreading what I have left, missing one pill every fourth day to no ill effects so far. This plan will get me to Florida where my prescriptions will be waiting in our box of supplies at the hotel.

I could go on and on about Atenas and add more information over our remaining days in Costa Rica until we depart on November 22nd. For those considering moving to Costa Rica, we’ll discuss more on this topic in future posts.

Have a lovely day! 

Photo from one year ago today, October 19, 2016:

In Bali, a large visitor came to call after high tide during the night. Check out those eyes! For more photos, please click here.

Another inconvenience…Life in the world…

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We jumped for joy when we came across this Iguana, especially when taking photos without a chain link fence impeding the view.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

One of these cows moos so loud several times a day it’s ear-splitting, which also makes us laugh out loud.

A few days after our dental appointments on August 21st, while eating a relatively easy to chew casserole-type dinner, I gasped when I felt something metal in my mouth. Much to my surprise, one of my dental crowns fell out from the last tooth on the bottom left.

This is an Emu we spotted at Zoo Ave, the aviary we visited in the Central Valley.

I put it aside until after dinner when I read online about how to handle such an incident. At that point, I remembered I’d initially been packed a small tube of dental glue/adhesive used for these exact types of situations. Over these past years of world travel, we’d never had a reason to use the glue.

He posed nicely for us, seemingly unperturbed by our proximity.

Immediately, I opened our blue medical/dental/supplies suitcase to find the little tube unopened in its original packaging with instructions. Perfect. I brushed my teeth and the crown and attempted to fit in its place, as instructed before placing the glue on the crown. This was to prevent the possibility of putting it in the wrong way while using the glue.

As soon as I attempted to fit it in place, it became so stuck. I couldn’t pull it back out. Humm…I’d read that sometimes you can re-seat a crown without glue, and it will stay, possibly for years to come.  I liked that idea. As much as I tugged and pulled, it wouldn’t come out. OK, leave it be, I thought.

A face only a mother could love. But for us, we love every creature, finding beauty in their often peculiar appearances.

It felt as if it was seated correctly, fitting comfortably. Within a few hours, I forgot all about it. Most likely, we assumed, it had been jarred loose during the strong teeth cleaning on the 21st. 

Last night, Alas was eating meatloaf, again, an easy to chew item, it fell out once again. This time, I decided to follow the instructions on the package and glue it back in myself. After dinner, I brushed my teeth and cleaned the crown. This time, I’d open the box and poke a pin into the tinfoil opening of the tiny tube when reversing the cap, and using that piercing tool didn’t seem to work.

An Emu at rest.

After poking at it several times, I discovered, much to my dismay, that the glue was completely dried out. It wasn’t surprising it had dried out entirely. After all, I’d had the thing since 2012. At this point, I had two options; one, to re-seat it once again, hoping it would stick or, go to a dentist to get it done professionally. 

I had no intention of returning to the dentists in San Jose. It was too far away, hard to find, and required a long wait. We’d try to find an appointment with one of the few dentists here in Atenas. It wasn’t as if I’d need lots of skilled dental work to glue this back on. I could have done it myself if I’d had the proper glue on hand.

This chick’s fluffy, molting feathers made us smile as we recalled the Laysan Albatross chicks in Kauai, Hawaii, in 2015.

The next challenge was to communicate with the Spanish-speaking only receptionist when I called one of the few dentists here in Atenas, one that had more activity in google and no seeming bad reviews, actually no reviews at all. 

I looked up the Spanish words for “crown fell out,” which translates to “la corona de cayó” and managed to figure out that I have an appointment today, “hoy,” at 2:00 pm, “dos en puento.” Whew!

Another Emu in the natural habitat.

We sure took the simplicity of our old lives in the USA for granted!  Crown falls out? No worries. Call, email, or text the dentist’s office for an easy and quick appointment. When there’s any type of medical or dental issue in a non-English speaking environment, a solution becomes tricky.

Besides, we didn’t have to use the navigation to find our dentist’s office in our old life. We’d been there at least twice a year for cleanings and whatever other miscellaneous procedures we had performed over the years.

At around 10:00 am this morning, we’ll call a taxi to pick us up and take us to Supermercado Coopeatenas to grocery shop. We’d had enough food on hand to last for nine days, and now it’s time to restock. While I shop, at 11:00 am, the Thrifty car rental guy will arrive at the market’s outdoor cafe to drop off our five-day rental car, which we’ll return to the exact location at the same time on Saturday morning. 

What a large and beautiful hawk.

At that point, we’ll run the groceries back to the villa, unpack and put it all away while I get a bit of a head start on making tonight’s low-carb lasagne. At 1:30 pm, we’ll head back out for the 2:00 pm dental appointment leaving ourselves ample time to find the clinic and park the car in the congested downtown Atenas area.

We’d hope to go sightseeing today, but we’ll save it for tomorrow, weather permitting, and other days over the remainder of the week based on the timing. So there it is, folks, another minor issue in the lives of these world travelers. But, as many of our readers often say, it’s the trivialities of our daily lives that pique their curiosity as well as the “big” memorable events.

Have a great Monday or Tuesday (depending on where you are in the world)!

Photo from one year ago today, September 4, 2016:

The morning view in Bali, as I worked on the post by the cabana by the pool. For more photos, please click here.

Warning to all tourists taking prescription drugs…Could result in a Costa Rica nightmare…

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Yesterday we shared a photo of an Owl Eyed Butterfly, and today, we have a winking Barn Owl.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Ulysses was creating a perfect trim on the hedges at the villa.

After yesterday’s scathing tongue lashing on Monday’s less than a pleasant attempt at renting a car, we hesitated to go down a somewhat negative path two days in a row.

For the majority of tourists, today’s post will have little significance. You book a vacation/holiday in Costa Rica, staying at a resort for a week or two. If you take prescription meds, you bring along a sufficient amount for your entire stay. If innovative, you bring enough for an additional few weeks in the event of some mishap or delay in returning to your home country as initially planned.

Creatures in Costa Rica are colorful, including this massive spider in her web.

However, suppose travelers like us plan to stay for an extended period. In that case, it’s an entirely different scenario when no prescription drugs (including non-narcotic meds) may be shipped into the country. Also, no vitamins or supplements may be shipped into Costa Rica and will also be confiscated.

Why is this? These are stringent drug laws, coupled with Costa Rica’s intent to create a revenue source from selling their prescription medications in the local and chain pharmacies. As a result, other than prescribed narcotics, mood-altering, or brain function medications, most medicines are sold over the counter without a prescription.

I take low doses of three non-narcotic meds for the following conditions (bad genes); hypertension, thyroid, and a hormone…fairly innocuous items, all typically requiring prescriptions from a doctor in the US.  (Other country’s laws may vary).

It was frustrating, taking photos through the fences, but these birds weren’t ready to return to the wild after their rehabilitation.

When I noticed my supply dwindled these past months, I decided to purchase over these next few months from ProgressiveRX, where I’ve been buying refills regularly over these past five years through their online service, comparable to buying from any online pharmacy in Canada.  

Easy as always? So I thought. This has never been an issue in any country in which we’ve lived over these past years. So I’d make the online purchase well before I needed them (slow delivery times) and have them shipped to wherever we may be at any given time. 

Although one shipment was lost while we were in Italy, the company happily replaced the lost items at no additional charge. Luckily, I’d planned the shipments months before I needed the pills and never missed a dose through the lengthy process of replacing the lost items.

Three Barn Owls at Zoo Ave, the bird and animal rescue facility in the Alajuela Valley.

While in Australia, for the sake of convenience, I received new prescriptions from a doctor we’d visited for physical exams while in Trinity Beach. But, unfortunately, I couldn’t get more than a six-month supply, which is typical, even through online pharmacies. 

Thus, again with a several months supply on hand, I ordered more from ProgressiveRX, which we had shipped to us in a box of supplies from the US from our mailing service.

I’d also considered making the purchases of a few month’s supply while here in Costa Rica since both of us must have physical exams no more than 60 days before the upcoming cruise to Antarctica. So we’d have the necessary exams and purchase my meds while here at any pharmacy.

Three Barn Owls were sharing a tree branch.

On Monday, the day of the rental car fiasco, I’d brought along the pills in the bottles with clearly marked labels to the Walmart Pharmacy. As it turned out, I’ll run out of two of the meds before the time we leave on November 22nd, thinking they could easily be replaced by some Costa Rica versions of the same frequently prescribed drugs for these conditions, common throughout the world.

Oh, foolish me. Walmart could not supply me with any of the three meds without changing doses and brand name components. One of the meds required the brand name when I tried alternates to no avail in years past.

After the pharmacist and I counted what I had left, we discovered I’d run out before leaving. “Local pharmacies don’t carry what you need,” explained the kindly pharmacist. So it’s a lost cause. I contemplated my options which included taking wrong doses and wrong meds and decided against it.

These birds were too high up to get clear shots without a tripod.

During the last month, when I’ll run out of two of the three meds, I’ll take doses every other day.  Doing so should not be life-threatening, although it may create some unpleasant symptoms. I’ve experienced worse. I’ll be fine.

In the interim, I’ll place an order from ProgressiveRX to arrive at our mailing service in September or October (at the latest) and have them shipped in a box of other supplies we’ll be sending to our hotel in Miami, where we’ll stay one night before boarding the 30-night cruise to South America.

How will we ensure the proper timing? We’ll have the shipment arrive from Nevada to Florida at least two weeks before our arrival on November 22nd. The hotel will hold the package for us until we arrive. 

Parrot sitting atop a perch at Zoo Ave (Ave means “aviary” in Spanish).

At that point, I’ll have enough to hold me for a few months until I place another order for a shipment to South Africa. That will work. We received a shipment while we were in Marloth Park in 2014 without incident.

The result…bring enough medication with you when you come to Costa Rica unless you’re confident you can purchase refills from a local pharmacy of the products/brands/doses you typically use. You are allowed to bring a regular supply into the country commensurate with your stay, plus extra for unexpected events.

Did I learn a lesson? I suppose regarding Costa Rica, I sure did. And, of course, in the future, I will check if there will be an issue receiving medication by mail from countries where we aren’t quite sure. But, after five years of world travel, this is the first time we’ve run across such a situation. 

A bit blurry from afar but a pretty parrot nonetheless.

But, like the rental car situation (BTW, we did get a refund from rentalcars.com for which we’re relieved and pleased), one never knows what may be encountered in unfamiliar territory. Neither of these scenarios would be an issue for a typical short stay by most travelers. 

Our unique nomadic lifestyle can be challenging at times. And we continue to learn as we go.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, August 30, 2016:

Shorter than he’d usually prefer, Tom’s buzz cut in Phuket Thailand held through the 33-night cruise, which began on October 31st. For more details, please click here.

Trip to the dentist in Curribatat…Good toll roads…GPS issues…

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Tom, walking toward the dental clinic. It didn’t seem to be in a great neighborhood with bars on windows and doors, but we felt comfortable.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

We couldn’t see the eclipse of the sun here in Costa Rica, but we sure had a lovely sunset.

We’re never thrilled with the necessity of visiting a dentist. Who is? I suppose, in a way, we use our world travels as an excuse to postpone dental appointments based on the inconvenience of finding an English-speaking dentist and finding a clinic we find suitable. No doubt, it’s undoubtedly a case of avoidance in one way or another.

When we made plans to stay in Costa Rica for over three months, we knew we’d have a hard time coming up with an excellent excuse to avoid going to a dentist when this country is known for its good dental care at reasonable prices. So what reason would we have now?  None.

Shortly after we arrived three weeks ago today, we made our appointments with a dental clinic with nine highly trained and qualified dentists, most of whom were trained in the US and recommended by our property manager, Marian.

Two of the dentists contemplating a patient’s treatment.

Many foreigners travel from the US and other countries to have their dental work done at prices as low as one-third the cost in the US. This makes sense for seniors on fixed incomes, especially when flights are reasonable from the US to Costa Rica, along with affordable hotel rates and costs for meals.

No more than a minute after we arrived (early, of course) at the Costa Rica Dental Clinic Lab found at this site, we felt comfortable and at ease that we had come to the right place. 

We met an American from Texas who was completing an entire mouth restoration, priced at US $50,000 (CRC 28,823,500) for which he was paying only US $15,000 (CRC 8,647,050) at the Costa Rica Dental Clinic Lab. He’d been flying back and forth over the past many months to have the massive amount of work done and was thrilled with the quality work and competent dentists.

This is the dentist who did a fine job on my filling and cleaning.  I’ve always dreaded dental appointments but did fine without numbing injections.

A short while later, we met a woman from Maryland, US, who’d also been flying back and forth to have considerable work done at reasonable prices. In each case, the “tourists” enjoyed their time in Costa Rica whenever they returned for more dental work. This made sense to us.

The last time we had our teeth cleaned was on July 30, 2015, as shown in this post, for which we were content with the results. The pricing and details are described at the above link.

While in Maui for six weeks, we’d booked cleaning appointments for November 4, 2014, for both of us. Once we arrived at the facility, Tom felt surprisingly uncomfortable. Something just wasn’t right.  They’d moved our appointments around, requiring a long wait.  We canceled, unwilling to wait for the extended period, especially when Tom was so hesitant. See here for details.

This is the lovely Geovanna, who works with patients in the office, appointments, and billing and makes arrangements for hotels and transportation.

Later Tom had the abscessed tooth situation in Fiji in November 2015, requiring treatment on two separate occasions which resulted in the necessity of the tooth eventually being pulled in New Zealand in early 2016.  As a result of all of the above, we hadn’t had our teeth cleaned in 25 months, and it was long overdue. 

Yesterday morning after picking up the rental car at the outdoor cafe at the grocery store, Supermercado Coopeatenas, promptly at 10:00 am as Aad had arranged for us for a total of five days. Although we were a little surprised by the US $1250 (CRC 720,588) deposit required, the paperwork went quickly and smoothly. 

It seemed like a huge deposit for a five-day rental. However, with our appointments set in Curribadat for 1:00 pm, we accepted the terms and paid the US $167.50 (CRC 96,559) plus the deposit.

The dental office has a pleasant modern decor.

In no time at all, we were on our way, paper copies of directions in hand plus GPS directions on my phone using the SIM card. I don’t know if this has ever happened to any of our readers, but once we were within a few miles of our destination, the GPS kept changing, telling us to go another way, after another, and then another.

Poor Tom was driving and trying to stay calm. I’d say, “Turn left here! No, turn right in two kilometers at Calle 42!  No, turn right in 400 meters! No, make a u-turn now!” Later we discovered that google maps had an error regarding the clinic, showing it has two locations when it only has one. Most likely, that contributed to the crazy directions.

Oh, good grief, I don’t know how he maintained his cool while I went helter-skelter with the directions. The paper map was useless.  Finally, 30 minutes later than we expected to arrive, we found the dental clinic. Good thing we’d left as early as we did for the 1:00 pm appointments.

Geovanna stays busy ensuring each patient’s dental experience is top-notch.

In any case, the dentists were great, speaking excellent English.  The receptionist and dental assistant, Geovanna, was fabulous; warm, friendly, and inviting. The clinic was impeccably clean and organized, and from the two patients we spoke to, we were totally at ease.

I had one filling repaired, and both of us had our teeth cleaned with better results than either of us had ever experienced, even in the US. The total bill for both was US $250 (CRC 144,118), certainly much less than it would have been in the US or many other countries.

The drive back to Atenas was easy, and once we returned to our gated community, we drove up the mountains to see the many areas we’d been curious to see which were too steep to walk. This area is lovely, more than we’d expected from our comfy world in the exquisite villa overlooking the valley.

We ran into lots of traffic on the return drive.  Curridabat is close to the capital city of San Jose.

Today, as soon as we’re done uploading today’s post, we’re off to the market to get the remaining ingredients needed for tonight’s meal, Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie (please email me if you’d like the recipe), a favorite of ours and, to purchase groceries we’ll need for the balance of the week.

Tomorrow, after posting and weather permitting, we’ll be heading to an exciting and popular tourist venue. We’ll be back with more new photos.

Have a fabulous day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 22, 2016:

We took this photo at a local resort in Phuket. The placement of hands, Mudras, 
as gestures in Buddhism is explained here. For more details from that day’s post,
please click here.

All new photos of the interior of the villa…Making appointments and taking care of business…

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The view of the main pool from the master bedroom. These sliding doors and others on the adjacent wall open wide with fine screens to keep out insects. It’s such a treat for us to have screens! The louvered slats above the sliding doors allow cool air to enter the room when the doors are closed.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

This morning at 6:00 am as the clouds continued to roll in.

Since taking the above photo at 6:00 am this morning, the clouds and fog have rolled into a greater degree and we can’t see across the valley at 7:30 am as I sat down to begin posting.  The temperature is in the low 70F’s, (21C) but the humidity is high and everything feels sticky.

Other than the moisture we feel under our feet while gingerly walking barefoot on the somewhat slippery-when-wet tile floor of the veranda this type of weather doesn’t bother us a bit. 

The sauna/steam room is accessible via a door in the master en suite bathroom which also has a door leading out to the veranda to the cold plunge pool.

We have much more to face in the way of inclement weather in the many months to come, particularly in Antarctica and Africa upcoming in the next many months. 

As we observe today’s date of August 9th, we predict we’ll be landing in Mpumalanga Nelspruit-Kruger Airport six months from today or tomorrow, depending on which flight we choose.

This short walk from the sauna/steam room toward to the cold plunge pool for a refreshing event after the heat.

Now, reveling in this peaceful, relatively uneventful period in Costa Rica, as we spend time bird watching over the lush canopy of trees surrounding us, we’re on a mission to get a number of tasks accomplished that we’ve put off for awhile. 

Although neither of us is procrastinators, the nature of our lifestyle often leaves us prioritizing based on its level of importance and/or urgency.  Spending the last over two months in the US, left us little time or motivation to work on some of the project’s we’re mentioning today.

Even this hallway between the living room and screening room has ample closets and decor.

In the past 24 hours, we’ve handled the following appointments:
1.  Friday’s upcoming phone meeting with our accountant in order to get 2016’s taxes completed before October’s due date (we had to get an extension when the box of our documents was lost and later found).
2.  Dentist appointments for both of us on August 21st (a 45-minute drive from Atenas.
3.  A car rental for five days beginning on August 21st enabling us to drive ourselves the long distance.
4.  Found a hotel for the 31-nights in Buenos Aires from December 23, 2017, through January 23, 2018, plus one additional night when the Antarctica cruise ends on February 8th (after which we’ll fly to South Africa as indicated above).

Once the hotel booking for Buenos Aires is wrapped up at the corporate rate, we’ll share the details and the excellent pricing in what appears to be an ideal hotel for our needs over this extended period. 

The villa is not only tastefully decorated but has many useful special areas.

We don’t love staying in hotels for a month or more but we needed to be able to store our luggage since the round trips flights to Ushuaia Argentina where we’ll board the ship, have serious weight restrictions (smaller planes).

As for the dentist appointments, they’re long overdue.  The last time we had our teeth cleaned and checked was in Trinity Beach in July 2015.  Since that period, Tom had an abscessed tooth pulled (a wisdom tooth) in New Plymouth New Zealand in 2016.  At the time we couldn’t find a dentist that did cleaning or we could have had it done then.

This courtyard creates a pleasing entrance to the property!

Not only do we both desperately need a cleaning but Tom’s lost two fillings and I’ve lost one.  Neither of us cares to have more dental crowns so we’re hoping they can refill the teeth. 

Yesterday, we called and spoke and spoke to an English speaking staff member who explained it would be no problem to refill/repair the broken fillings.  They have nine English speaking dentists in the clinic and are highly rated by the expat community in Costa Rica.  This was quite a relief.  We’ll report back how this goes.

Fountain in the center courtyard.

It feels good to finally be addressing these issues.  That’s not to say we don’t have plenty of work ahead of us to get these items wrapped up but at least the ball is rolling after a lengthy period of distractions.

At the moment, Tom’s sitting in the screening room watching US news he found on the TV while I’m comfortably situated outdoors on the veranda on this cloudy damp day.  Perhaps, I’m preparing myself for spending entire days on the veranda as we contemplate doing the same upcoming in Marloth Park.  Bugs?  Snakes?  Heat?  Humidity?  Bring it on, baby!

Plants and flowers in the entrance center courtyard.

Enjoy the beginning of a series of interior photos of this amazing villa in Atenas, Costa Rica!

Happy day to all!

_______________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, August 9, 2016:

Memorial markers at a local cemetery in Phuket Thailand.  For more photos, please click here.

Meeting with a medical researcher and presenter aboard the ship for helicobactor pylori…

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How many times a day should we poop?
Dr. Peter Dingle’s latest book.  See his website here.

Most mornings, we don’t attend any of the “enrichment lectures” aboard the ship when our primary goal is to get situated to complete and upload the day’s new post, after which we’re free to spend the day and evening as we choose.

After hearing comments from other passengers that Dr. Peter Dingle’s 9:00 am lectures on health and wellness were more than enriching and highly entertaining with his effortless style, we were intrigued.

As it turned out, we decided to prepare the post later in the day to attend Dr. Peter’s presentation on “gut health” of particular interest to me. With residual effects remaining after the two-week antibiotic treatment ending in March due to 16 months of discomfort with the helicobacter pylori infection, we were both anxious to hear what he had to say.

Keeping in mind that I’d seen three doctors in Tasmania and still suffering, I was desperate for some new advice that might set me on the right path. Oh, yes, I know…I wrote I was getting better. But on the days I posted such comments, I may have been feeling a little better and subsequently more hopeful.

Plus, after many comments on the topic, I assumed our readers might be tired of reading about it. But, alas, since we boarded the ship 16 days ago, I’ve struggled with the food, experimenting through a process of elimination which hasn’t been easy with my already restrictive diet. Layering one strict diet over another is challenging.

On several occasions, we watched the replay of Dr. Peter’s other presentations on the TV in our stateroom while getting ready to go out for the evening. In each of those presentations, we saw a pattern mimicking the way of eating and lifestyle we’ve adopted over the years. Could this fine man have a solution for me beyond what I’ve tried thus far?

After watching the informative presentation live with several mentions of the h pylori infection, I longed to meet with him face to face. Writing a short email informing him of my lingering condition, he agreed to a meeting in the cafe while he met with a few other attendees who had a similar request.

I was determined that if it took hours for him to get to me, I’d wait patiently in the Cafe Promenade. So, shortly after his presentation ended, I headed to the cafe bringing along my laptop to work on the day’s post. At no time, I was seated at a booth/table with three other passengers with questions while we each shared our stories.

Ironically, many of our conditions and symptoms were similar, and collectively we learned possible solutions befitting our needs. After the group presentation, Dr. Peter focused on my dilemma, leaving me with a litany of potential answers to this ongoing issue.  I was very grateful.

Upon returning to the Diamond Club lounge where Tom was waiting for me, I made of list of his suggestions on my phone on a variety of supplements that were one step above what I’d been doing thus far. I’d already been taking some of his suggestions but in doses inadequate to have any effect upon improvement, particularly in the case of probiotics.

I won’t list his suggestions here right now to avoid attempting to offer medical advice when I’m not a medical professional. However, many of them may be found on his website and Facebook page.

No words can express how grateful we are to have received what we perceive as valuable and meaningful advice. So, once we arrive in Kona, Hawaii, tomorrow, we’ll be heading to a local health store to purchase some added products that hopefully will get me on the right path to healing.

Thank you, Dr. Peter Dingle. Surely your informative and valuable suggestions will inspire many passengers to rethink their lifestyles and adopt a cleaner and more beneficial manner of eating, exercising, reducing stress, and dealing with a wide array of physical conditions. 

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 6, 2016:

Sorry, this Bali photo wasn’t clear. We were too far away, and my hands were unsteady after witnessing the dog shot being shot. This guy picked up the dead dog by one hind leg and placed him in a laundry bag as he carried him away. Wild dogs are often shot for rabies control in Bali. For more details, please click here.

Ten days and counting…Phones…contemplating technology for the USA…A kindly and thoughtful expression…

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We loved this area of the Manly Scenic Walk.

This morning, we created our grocery list for meals for the remaining days until we depart on April 22nd. Unfortunately, I’d uploaded a suitable grocery app on my Android phone when I could not find the same apps I’d used in years past.

Pelican in North Harbour Reef Bay.

After the new phone arrived in the “missing” box a week ago, I’ve spent considerable time setting up apps I like to use. My last phone was a Windows device which overall I prefer over Android. 

When I ordered the new unlocked phone online, I was willing to sacrifice Windows over Android when prices for purchasing an unlocked phone were high, primarily when they’re not associated with a service contract. 
Exciting trees and vegetation line the walkway to the park.
Having paid around AU 173, US $130 for the unlocked smartphone with options for two SIM cards and suitable storage for my needs without a contract, I didn’t complain.
When it first arrived, and I began loading my “stuff,” I was concerned I’d be dissatisfied with the operating system. Now a week later, with all my preferred apps loaded, I’m pretty content. I’m one of those geeky types that obsess over learning every aspect of a device by monkeying with it for days.
The playground at the park is often busy.

The only part I’ve yet to learn is making phone calls. Ha! That’s ironic…we have phones and don’t make calls.  However, once we arrive in Minnesota on May 25th, one of the first things we’ll do is purchase US SIM cards for each of our phones to be in touch with family and each other as we plan activities with family members and friends. That’s a must!

Boats are moored throughout the inlets of North Harbour Reef Bay.
Tom’s new laptop is set up, and he’s learning the nuances of Windows 10 over the previous Windows 8.1.  The differences are many, but he’s figuring it all out. I’m impressed by how little he’s asked for assistance over this past week. Perhaps, he’s becoming computer savvy after all this time.
Kookaburras are found everywhere. 
Yesterday, we paid the balance for the hotel in Minnesota, AU 4,818.60, US $3,615.88, after we’d already paid a 25% deposit almost a year ago. So the total for the six weeks is AU 6,424.25, US $4,820.76, not bad for a lovely hotel in a convenient and safe area that includes two pools, free WiFi, daily breakfast, and a free shuttle to specific regions.

It’s hard to believe how quickly the time has flown since we began planning the family visits to Minnesota and Nevada. We’ll arrive in Minnesota in 43 days and Nevada in 87 days.
The lush green lawn in the park.
In the interim, we’re continuing to thoroughly enjoy our time in this beautiful area, greatly enhanced by our kindly and thoughtful landlord Bob. He wrote an email to us in the past few days, which we’ve posted below.
Homes, apartments, and condos are tightly packed into hillsides to take advantage of exquisite views.
It appears that most of our readers prefer to avoid using the sign-up feature on our web page to receive a daily email containing each day’s posts (no spam, no solicitation, no ads of any type when signing up). 
All public areas we’ve visited in Australia are meticulously maintained.
As was the case with Bob when he started to post a comment at the end of a post but found he preferred to write directly to us, although we see him in person several times a day.

Please feel free to email us directly if you’d prefer not to post a comment on the site. If we post your email message in a future post, we’ll ask your permission before we do so and exclude your email address and name (if you’d prefer). However, posting a comment is easy.  We love hearing from our readers!

Locals take advantage of the sunny day.
Bob wrote the following, which he was happy to share here today:
“I am overwhelmed by your excellent website as you travel all over the world to the most fantastic destinations that most of us only dream about visiting.

The daily updates on where you are presently residing, and the exciting photos give us readers an insight into places that we can only dream of visiting one day.
Reading back over your daily blog since you first started your worldwide journey inspires us to see the place you have already visited from a much bigger perspective.

As you travel the world, may you continue to keep all those who loyally follow you informed of where you are, and may good health be your companion along the way?

Kindest regards

Bob Reed – Fairlight NSW Australia”
An exciting plant we found at the park.  Last time we saw one of these was in Kenya in 2013.
Thank you, Bob…for your kind words, for all your diligent attention in ensuring we have an exceptional experience in your property, your charming town, and the many beautiful areas of Fairlight, Manly, and Sydney.  

No doubt, it’s been more memorable than we ever expected based on the generosity and love you’ve shared with us every day. We’ll certainly miss you!

Happy day to all!
Photo from one year ago today, April 12, 2016:
Ah, bull in the road. We stayed in the car while I took the photo through the windshield. For more photos, please click here.