Results from doctor appointments…Tom’s appointment is next…Cruise updates…

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Nothing is as beautiful as a sunny day at the beach.

Alive and well after three years without having a physical exam, I am relieved most of it is over. Aside from a few remaining tests that we expect to be fine, I am thrilled its almost over and all is well.

A huge contemporary house near the beach.

On Monday, Tom begins the process, with his first appointment at the clinic. When all is said and done, including all tests the cost will be under US $800, AUD $1031 for both of us, not bad considering all is paid out of pocket when we only have major medical/hospitalization insurance.

Actually, our fixed monthly budget included a monthly estimate for medical of US $50, AUD $68 which we’ve never used except for the trip to urgent care in Kauai. When all is said and done all of these appointments and expenses are covered by that estimate, almost to the penny.

A contemporary house at Holloways Beach.

With continued good health, we plan to wait for another check-up in three years from wherever we may be at the time. Most likely, it won’t be in the US when we’re there in the summer of 2017. 

Another large home at Holloways Beach.

Costs of medical care are approximately four times higher in the US (out of pocket) as compared to what we’ve paid in Australia. There are good medical facilities in most areas of the world where we’ll be living in the next three years so we have no concern at this point.

Yesterday, when we arrived for my 3:00 pm appointment at Apple Tree Medical in Smithfield, I was disappointed to discover my last physician Dr. Natasha was out sick. Instead, I met with Dr. Konny Komlovari whom I found to be equally competent, warm, and friendly. Their onsite lab makes blood tests easy to arrange and process.

A small park at Holloway’s Beach.

Next month, we’ll make our dental appointments leaving all of this medical stuff behind. Thanks to all of our readers who encouraged us to get all of these done and out of the way. It was good advice.

As for the three cruises we reserved over the weekend, last night at 10 pm we spoke to our new rep at Vacationstogo.com, Brooklyn Earnhardt, who is highly experienced and capable. We both felt comfortable and assured that she’ll do a great job for us for these three cruises and all future bookings.

Double Island makes us curious as to what it would be like to visit.  Here are details of visiting Double Island.

We’d gone ahead and reserved the three cruises with Royal Caribbean over the weekend. Now, we’re in the process of transferring them over to our new agent, Brooklyn which can be done within 60 days of booking with the cruise line. 

In transferring the cruises to VTG we are able to use our own agent and agency for receiving various cabin credits that the cruise line itself may not offer. Plus, they receive their usual commissions. This type of loyalty is important to us. Relationship building is vital to our success in booking various aspects of our travels.

Tom looking out the sea undercover at the beach.

In yesterday’s post, we mentioned sharing a little info on our itinerary for these three new cruises which we’re summarizing here. Soon, as we’ve mentioned we’ll include our new updated itinerary

1.  Sydney to Perth: October 31, 2016, 16 days

2.  Perth to Sydney:  November 16, 2016 (back to back above the same cruise, same cabin number) 17 days

The above 33-day back-to-back cruise circles the entire continent of Australia, with multiple ports of call enabling us to see considerable sites along the way.

3.  Sydney to Seattle:  September 22, 2017, 24 days, crossing back over the International Dateline, arriving in the US on May 15, 2017

During these above three cruises, we’ll visit such new cities as:

  • Brisbane, Australia
  • Darwin, Australia
  • Benoa, Bali
  • Geraldton, Australia
  • Perth, Australia
  • Esperance, Australia
  • Adelaide, Australia
  • Melbourne, Australia
  • Dunedin (Port Chalmers) New Zealand
  • Akaroa, New Zealand
  • Wellington, New Zealand
  • Picton, New Zealand
  • Il Des Pines, New Calendonia (we missed visiting this port on our recent cruise due to rough seas)
  • Noumea, New Calendonia
  • Mystery Island, Vanuatu
  • Cross the International Dateline (getting our lost day back)

The last of the three cruises breezes through Hawaii on the way to Seattle, Washington, USA, stopping at Kona (Big Island, Hawaii), Lahaina (Maui), and Honolulu (Oahu). By that time, it will have been almost two years since we lived in Hawaii. 

Park at the beach with a covered area.

Besides these three above new cruises we booked in the past few days, we previously booked three other cruises in Australia, details of which we’ve shared online in past posts. A few of the ports of call are repeated on these other cruises but here are some of the highlights of the new locations we’ll have yet to see:

  • Hobart, Tasmania
  • Tauranga, New Zealand
  • Bay of Islands, New Zealand
  • Auckland, New Zealand (where we stay for 90 days in a nearby village)
  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Singapore, Republic of Singapore
  • Lifou, New Caledonia
  • Lautoka, Fiji

These 23 ports of call plus some repeats of others we’ll have previously visited  (not listed here today) are all new to us in our world travels. This gives us an additional opportunity to see as much as we wanted to see in the South Pacific in almost two years including this relatively short period of time of 97 days aboard ship on these six cruises.  

This house near the beach could be anywhere in the world, utilizing the benefits of solar power.

During these periods we’ll be housed, fed, and entertained aboard the various ships with the opportunity to socialize each and every day. By the time we head to Seattle, we’ll feel confident we’ve thoroughly scoured the South Pacific to our liking.

Over the next year, we’ll be deciding on how much time we’ll spend during our relatively short visit to the US in 2017 and begin booking vacation homes and cruises for our next foray to an upcoming new continent. 

As always, we’re excited as to our future choices while we’re thoroughly “loving the one we’re with!”

Happy Monday or Tuesday to all!

                                                Photo from one year ago today, July 14, 2014:

Colorful steps at an elementary school in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal, one year ago today. For details and more photos, please click here.

Doctor appointments and medical tests…Funny things in our neighborhood…

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Mailbox in front of a house down the road from us.

We’re still busy with my medical appointments and tests. Our reader’s input encouraged us to make doctor appointments for each of us. We decided to do one of us at a time since mine is a bit more comprehensive than Tom’s. 

A sign in front of the house that is currently for sale.

Once my appointments are completed, we’ll get to work on his. The clinic, Apple Tree Medical is located a short distance down the road near the Smithfield shopping center, less than 10 minutes from our home. 

The young, highly competent Dr. Natasha Cress was thorough and took a tremendous amount of time with me answering many questions, pleased that I’d brought along a comprehensive list on an app on my phone. 

Statue of a horse, a cart, and a man in front of the house.

Why would we be any less detail orientated when it comes to our health than we are when preparing a post or planning a new location? The same detailed procedures and doctor will be used for Tom’s upcoming appointments.

Interesting vegetation growing in the yard.  Notice Fred Flintstone on the left in the photo. Wait, more is coming.

This morning at 8 am, we headed back to the clinic for my blood tests on an empty stomach. With one remaining appointment for me with the doctor on Monday at 3 pm, we’ll be back here with the costs. I can’t wait to share how much less expensive medical care is here in Australia as compared to the US.

In Australia, they have their own form of Medicare, which provides insurance for all citizens generally without a co-pay. When charging us for appointments and tests they’ve only charged us what their Medicare would have paid making it very affordable.

Fairly large statues of Barney Rubble and Fred Flintstone.  Brings back memories!

With our medical insurance only covering “major medical” (hospitalization), we’re responsible for paying for outpatient tests and appointments at the time of service. Once everything is completed, we’ll both have peace of mind and be ready to continue on in the more remote locations awaiting us in the months to come. 

Even Dino from the Flintstones was there. This statue is most likely as tall as an adult human.

Of course, after not having medical exams or tests for three years, we have a little concern that everything will be fine. However, if feeling well is an indicator all should be fine. We never take good health for granted, knowing that it all can change in a moment, feeling well or not. 

A different house on the same side of the street with pretty landscaping.

As we all are well aware, once we reach a certain age the likelihood of issues only escalates no matter how hard we may try to maintain a good level of health through lifestyle; exercise, low or well-managed stress, good sleep, healthy foods, and good relationships, all of which are vital to our well being.

Horses and a peacock in the front yard.

Continuing on, we’re still working on the Cairns Tropical Zoo stories and will upload them in the next several days. In the interim, we continue to drive and visit some of the many points of interest in this magical place. 

A peacock with another bird we couldn’t identify. Could it be some type of turkey?

On a whim, we drove down the road from our house and discovered these sights in the neighbor’s yard. One can never know what fun little treasures lurk only a short distance away. Enjoy our goofy photos!

The mailman coming down the road.  It appears most letter mail is delivered on a motorcycle.

It’s cloudy and rainy today. Most likely we’ll stay put handling some accounting, laundry, cooking, and completing the future posts. Whatever we chose to do each day, in or out, we find ourselves cherishing every moment of this life we’ve been given.

Another horse in the front yard of the second house. Even on cloudy and rainy days such as this, we easily find ways to entertain ourselves from the car.

Have a wild and wonderful Wednesday on that side of the International Dateline and a terrific Thursday on this side of the world!

                                                Photo from one year ago today, July 9, 2014:

This is our second house in Fiji on the main island that we booked one year ago today. Our first location in Fiji in on the smaller island, Vanua Levu. For details on this booking, please click here.

A special day with some very special creatures, both human and animal…Stories coming soon…Doctor appointments?

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This adorable Kookaburra posed for me in the yard while sitting on the fence next to the rain gauge. These birds are much larger than appears in this photo.

No grass grows under our feet here in Australia. It seems that we’re out exploring every few days, more than we’ve done in other countries.

There’s so much to see here compared to many of the remote areas we’ve lived around the world. We’ve always stated here that sightseeing on occasion was befitting our lifestyle, but not doing so quite as often as we’ve done so in Australia.

After a while she/he relocated to the roof, looking down for a possible morsel of food. They are known to snatch food off of plates when cooking on the “barbie.” More on Kookaburras will be coming in a few days with our wildlife posts.

Who goes sightseeing, several times a week in their everyday life? And part of our lives is simply the “every day” not necessarily filled with typical tourist activities. However, we’ve found plenty to see several times a week, sharing it here with our readers.

While in Australia we’ve made a choice to avoid spending money on tourist attractions when possible when we’ve been busy pre-paying for vacation rentals and cruises as much as two years in advance. Tom is on one of his cruise booking frenzies and I don’t moderate what he chooses for us. 

Growing like crazy in the yard are these common Yellow Allamanda.

All I do is document the booked cruises in our master excel spreadsheet in a manner in which my brain is able to decipher dates and dollars. It’s from these calculations that we determine how much we can spend on “extras.”  At the moment, it’s limited. 

We’ve yet to dine out when groceries have been very affordable. If we can dine at home for US $30, AUD $40.28 a day as opposed to spending US $60, AUD $80.56, in a restaurant, it’s a no-brainer, especially when much of the food in restaurants these days have few items I can order.

Bottlebrush blooming in the yard.

We’ve been able to find a wide array of activities we can do without cost other than for gas to and fro. Also, writing stories and posting photos for a variety of tourist attractions in many countries with our vast and growing worldwide readership, we find our entrance is often hosted by the venue’s management, as in the case for any “journalist.”

As was the case yesterday, when we were provided an extraordinary experience at the Cairns Tropical Zoo.  Over the next few days, we’ll be preparing the story and hundreds of photos to present in a two-day story of our appreciated and educational tour, meeting many interesting and endearing Australian animals, we’ve never seen in our travels.

We drove up the mountain behind the market to Kuranda. When we began the steep and winding trek it was sunny. By the time we arrived at the first overlook, it was cloudy and rain began to fall. We turned back with a plan to return to see the village at the top on a sunny day.

Hold tight, dear readers. In the next week, our two posts about the zoo will be online with many details and some photos that make me swoon, recalling “meeting” the loved and well-cared-for animals in this magical place.

We could imagine how beautiful this expansive view will be when we return on a sunny day.

In the interim, we continue to drive to more and more special locations searching for the scene that swoops in and captures our hearts and well as our camera.

Today, with much encouragement from responses from many readers, I have a medical “check-up” at the local doctor clinic. Feeling well, I don’t know what to “complain about” but a check and blood tests are in order. 

The mountain and ocean view reminds us of Kauai, Hawaii.

When my appointment and tests results are completed, we’ll schedule Tom’s similar appointment and then we’ll be done, except for the soon to be booked dentist appointments which we’ll schedule shortly before departing Trinity Beach in two months. Then, we can be off to Fiji, where medical care will be limited and perhaps uncertain.

This afternoon after the doctor’s appointment I’ll get back to work on the zoo stories and choosing our favorite of the many photos. 

The sections of land always create such an interesting view both from the air and overlook at higher elevations.

Yesterday, we had a tremendous response from our old friends in Kauai and our readers in regard to the story of the Laysan Albatross chicks fledging and Bob Waid’s fabulous photos. Thank you for sharing that meaningful event with us.

Have a wonderful day!

                                            Photo from one year ago today, July 8, 2014:

One year ago today, we booked and posted the cruise information for Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas for next April with its itinerary mostly traveling part of the perimeter of Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately, recently the cruise line canceled the entire cruise when the ship had been reserved for a private event. We found a replacement cruise and our deposit was transferred over. With Australia as huge as the US, cruising is the best way to see as much as possible.  Please click this link for details.

Figuring out the most simple things is often challenging…Feedback from our readers, please…How often do you go to a doctor when feeling well?

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Double Island is often shown in many of our ocean view photos.

At times, we find figuring out the seemingly simplest things becomes tricky while outside of our home country.  It’s not due to any difficulty generated by any other country in particular. It’s simply the fact that everything is different in each country.

Recently, I began searching online to order a year’s supply of my contact lenses. Should be relatively easy.  Unfortunately, my prescription is three years old and the familiar brand that I’ve used for years has been discontinued.

Trees and vegetation are often seen growing along the beaches.

In order to make a new purchase, I’d have to pay for a new eye exam here in Australia and start all over again.  I don’t feel like doing this nor do I want to purchase a brand that may not be readily available as we continue on our travels. Also, my prescription hasn’t changed. I can still see perfectly with my current prescription.

Scout Island doesn’t look too inviting and isn’t occupied.

I only have common age-related far-sightedness, resulting in difficulty in reading small print, corrected with bifocal contacts, a different prescription in each eye. It works great for me and has done so for the past 25 years without difficulty.

In the US, an eye exam prescription is good for two years and the same applies in Australia. Sticking my neck out, I asked my old optician in Minnesota to send me a year’s supply of a new brand with me taking the risk that they’ll work. 

A handmade swing at the beach.

Finally, they agreed and as of a call I made to them this morning, they’ve agreed to send me only a one year supply of a new brand that should work well when it matches my prescription. Rather than have them send them directly to me in Australia and in order to make it simple, I asked them to send them to our mailing service in Nevada.

Before we leave Trinity Beach, we’ll order a new box of supplies and have them mailed to us. In Australia, if the contents of a package shipped from outside the country into the country has a value of less than AUD $1000, US $773, no taxes or customs fees are required. We’ll keep close tabs on the value of the contents as we add to the items we’ll eventually have shipped to us.

Sandy beach on a cloudy day.

Once again, we must address the teeth cleaning issue after canceling our appointments in Maui when Tom didn’t feel comfortable with the odd scenario of the location and office setup of the makeshift dentist’s office. We’ll check with our landlords and also check online for reviews.

Recently, we’ve decided it may be time to make doctor appointments for both of us for a general check-up and blood tests which neither of us are excited to do when we’re both feeling so well. Our insurance doesn’t pay for office visits or tests and this could easily run into quite a bill. Its been almost three years since either of us had a physical exam. 

Double Island is privately owned.

We’d love feedback from our readers and you may do so anonymously at the end of this post by clicking on the “comment” link. How often do you see the dentist when you’re teeth feel clean and without problems? How often do you see a doctor when you’re feeling well?

Today, we’re off to the fitness center and for another exploratory drive in the area. There’s so much to see in our immediate surroundings as we continue to post photos. 

There are plenty of condo and apartment complexes in Trinity Beach and the surrounding areas.

One day soon, we’ll head out of town. For now, we’re so content that its difficult to become motivated to take a road trip especially when its been cloudy and rainy most days. We’re hoping that by next week we’ll be ready to take off for a day.

Soon, we’ll be leaving for the fitness center and another drive exploring this amazing area. Have a fabulous day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 26, 2014:

The small island of Madeira had many points of interest to explore within a short distance of our home. We certainly enjoyed our time on the beautiful, historical island. For more details, please click here.

The end of an era in paradise…How to make Kauai work for a vacation or holiday…Two days and counting…Favorite Kauai photos…

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The view from our lanai.

For those living in more beautiful places than Kauai, do tell me where you are and we’ll hope to visit someday soon.  For those living in barren, desolate areas, we appreciate the beauty of those places too.

The beach at Hanalei Bay.

Our hearts skipped a beat over the barren desolation in three countries in Africa, finding an indescribable beauty that will linger in our hearts and minds forever, hoping to return to Africa sometime in the future.

An albatross parent looking happy.

It isn’t always about ocean and mountain views, lush greenery, and blooming tropical flowers. It can be sand blanketed desert or rocky tumbleweed covered plains and the unique beauty is evident. 

An Eyebrowed Thrush we spotted in the yard.

Wherever we may travel, we find ourselves in awe of Mother Nature’s bounty of terrain and vegetation appropriate to a climate and elevation. How magical is that fact in itself? 

Anini Beach on a cloudy day.

As for Kauai, its truly a paradise and if scenery provides the traveler with a much needed respite from the rigors of daily life, Kauai is the place to visit. Many assume that it’s hard to travel to Kauai when in fact there are direct flights from some major cities. 

The dry caves at Tunnels Beach.

In the worst case, a short layover in Honolulu will result in a short 30-minute flight heading this way every few hours. Car rentals are reasonable, especially if booked online at such sites as rentalcars.com. We were able to rent a car in Kauai for under US $700 a month, surprisingly reasonable. (For shorter rentals, the rates may be slightly higher on a per-week basis).

Birdie added a lot of fun to our stay in Kauai.

Accommodations are plentiful in Kauai whether one chooses to stay in Princeville, Hanalei, Kilauea, Kapaa, Poipu, Waimea, or any of the other resort areas. Prices vary from as little as $120 a night to $1000’s per night.  Overall, most average rates are around $265 a night for a well-equipped condo that may include an ocean view. 

African Tulips bloomed and not bloomed.

By staying for a week or more with a full kitchen one can keep the costs at a reasonable level by cooking some of the meals. Our average cost for groceries has been under $50 a day as opposed to approximately $200 or more (for two) who may choose to dine out twice a day. 

Beautiful, the name escapes

Many condos with full kitchens are equipped with basic spices and condiments. Being able to avoid purchasing paper products, cleaning supplies and condiments keeps the costs at bay. It may be worth asking if any of these items are included in the rent.

A newly hatched albatross chick, nestled under a parent.

With our long one to three months stays in mostly houses, we have no expectations of the owners providing us with paper products, laundry and bath soaps, shampoo and cleaning supplies. However, these items may all be included for the one to two-week stay in a vacation property.

A Princeville shore.

Dining out is sketchy at best in Kauai. It’s important to check the reviews on TripAdvisor for restaurants in Kauai to decide what will fit your budget and food preferences. For us, there were few good options, mainly due to my way of eating.

A waterfall on the treacherous path down to the Queen’s Bath.  We can’t believe we made that hike!

Will we ever return to Kauai? The answer would be “yes” if we didn’t have so much world yet to see. At this point, we’ve seen so little of the world and have many plans in mind for the future which doesn’t include returning to Hawaii.

During our visit to the southern shore of Kauai, this horse seemed happy to see us.

Would we ever live in Kauai, if and when health requires we settle down, which, let’s face it, most likely will occur at some point? If that occurs, most likely we’d prefer more convenient access to competent medical care.  Who knows?  Preferably, we’ll be able to stay fit and healthy and when our final days near we’ll be situated in a favorite location for a 90 day or longer stint.

The Spouting Horn in Poipu.

Kauai is not necessarily suitable for those with chronic health conditions who may need frequent access to treatment and facilities which, if needed can be found an hour’s drive from Princeville in Lihue or perhaps taking a flight to Oahu. 

Rainbow Eucalyptus tree. 

We’ve spoken to some locals that travel to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona for annual physicals and treatment and others who fly to Honolulu for care. That may be too cumbersome for long-term residents.

This Kauai sunset will remain a favorite.

If, as a traveler, walking is your preferred activity, Kauai offers the utmost in trails, designated sidewalks, beaches and tourist towns for some of the finest walking to be found anywhere. 

A clear pool of water at high tide.

If all one did when coming to Kauai was to walk, partaking in some of the many trails based on the level of fitness, and spent time gazing at the scenery, the sunrises, and sunsets, it would be an extraordinary and memorable experience. It isn’t necessary to spend much if any money on tours if one is on a budget and longs to visit Kauai.

This shot was taken on our hike down the steep path to Hideaways Beach.

We leave Kauai with happy hearts for an experience we’ll always cherish for its constant beauty and for the many friendships we’ve made and the memories we’ll always treasure.

                                                Photo from one year ago today, May 21, 2014:

We took this photo from a steep road on our way to Ribeira Brava in Madeira, Portugal. For more details from that date, please click here.

Turning the corner?…Time to get busy…New photos…One year ago, a photo of our fabulous final meal in Marrakech…

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The chicks were born in early February and will fledge in the next month or so. It’s been amazing to watch their fluff fall away as their feathers suitable for flying grow in.

It’s only a subtle change after 10 days of being ill. I didn’t lay in bed often during the day over this period doing so for only short stints. I showered and dressed every morning, doing laundry as needed, and preparing our meals. It felt good to move about rather than lounging all day long.

Never hesitating to post I scrambled for good new photos to share. I never dreaded posting during this period. The words may not have flowed as easily as on better days but, they came nonetheless, and as long as I could roust up new photos, I was content. Bear with me over the lack of creativity during this time.

An un-banded Albatross out for a walk. It’s impossible to determine the albatross’s gender without a DNA test. There are no obvious markings or physical definitions. Since both parents equally share in sitting on the nest and the care and feeding of the chick, perhaps nature has made them visibly indistinguishable. 

Now, on day three of the second round of antibiotics, yesterday I noticed a slight improvement, enough to inspire me to get out. Needing more probiotics and anxious to see how the Laysan Albatross chicks were progressing, I asked Tom to drive me to the nearby neighborhood to see them, take photos and then head to the grocery store for the six items on the grocery app on my Windows phone.

All of the chicks now have both fluffy and new feathers, as shown in this napping chick.

As soon as we got into the car, it started to rain. In the two minutes it took to drive to the albatross, most of them were tucked inside their own proliferating new feathers as shelter from the downpour. We were able to get these few shots although it was difficult to do so with their heads tucked away.

Tom is absolutely the most patient photo spotter on the planet. He backs up six inches, moves forward nine inches, and repeatedly backs up to provide me with the perfect angle for a shot. Never complaining. Never once. Without his patience and perseverance, we’d miss so much. 

This banded albatross appeared to be a parent when she or he was hovering near a chick.

As the sun began to wane with a decent sunset appearing on the horizon, at 6:30 pm, we wandered across the street to gather with the crowds at the overlook that both walk and drive to this location to take photos and gawk at the impending beauty.

This chick has been a favorite of ours with his nest fairly close to the road and her/him often checking out the scenery.

As it turned out the sunset wasn’t as profound as we’d expected. We returned home at 7:10 for a quiet restful evening. Again today, the improvement is still small but enough to give me hope that I’ll be feeling better soon.

Our plan for today was for both of us to head to Lihue to return the rental car and pick up another car we’d reserved. Originally, we’d intended to leave Kauai on the 15th to spend the remaining nine nights until the cruise in Honolulu. After our unimpressive 11 nights in Waikiki, once we got settled in Kauai we decided to stay here until the 23rd, spending only one night in Honolulu.

Here are two chicks approximately six feet apart although they look closer in this photo. Here again, they are tucked away napping during the wind and rain. The parents lay one egg and thus these two are not related or, perhaps in some way, they are.

As a result, when we were unable to extend the remaining nine days over the phone and a trip to Lihue was necessary today on the 15th.

Tom will return the car without me with no necessity for me to be sitting in the car for two hours for the round trip to the airport and back. Tom loaded his favorite podcasts on his phone for the drive and the time will fly quickly for him.

By the time we left the area, the sun was shining and we spotted this typical lawn mowing scenario. A Cattle Egret hovers near the mower hoping for morsels the process may unsettle. This always makes us laugh.

With a little catching up on departure tasks such as paying in advance for our luggage on the upcoming flight to Honolulu and logging a few receipts on our spreadsheet, I’ll make good use of the time.

Yesterday, we took enough photos to share over the weekend. Hopefully, by Monday, we can escalate our activity level and visit a few remaining sites before departing Kauai. Have a wonderful Friday and upcoming weekend!

                                               Photo from one year ago today, May 15, 2014:

A year ago, Madame Zahra had lovingly made our last meal at Dar Aicha, the lovely riad in which we lived for the prior two and a half months. With utmost respect, we didn’t take photos of the household staff.  Saying goodbye to Madame was tearful and emotional for her and me. With a total language barrier somehow we managed to communicate with one another during the entire period.  For details of that final day, please click here.

Counting down the days with a bit of trepidation…What do world travelers like us do without a primary care doctor?…This morning’s new photos….

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This Cattle Egret is sitting atop a tree in the backyard, a usual sight to see. Most often, they are on the ground near where there is landscaping, grading, and excavation in the process. They seem to know that such scenarios are excellent opportunities for foraging for bugs and worms.

After a fitful night of listening to science podcasts, at 6:00 am, I literally rolled off the edge of the bed, exhausted and wishing I could lay back down for a few more hours.

My mind was doing a number on me. I had to get up and try to call the doctor again with no response after yesterday’s call.  ER doctors don’t usually participate in any aftercare for patients they’ve seen on an emergency basis.

We no longer have a primary care doctor. It’s simply been too long since we last visited our former doctor in Minnesota, which was in September 2012, a month before we left. 

The egret couched down watching me open the door to take the photo.

I knew he wouldn’t participate in any health care questions at this late date when several months ago, I inquired to the Minnesota clinic with an online request for a relatively innocuous medication refill, never receiving a response. At that point, I knew he was no longer in our court. Too much time had passed. We get this. They have “rules.” 

Travelers maintaining a home base would have no difficulty contacting their primary care physician for advice.  Although in Hawaii, prescriptions can’t be “called in” from an out-of-state physician.

It’s a little late to establish a relationship with a doctor in a private office or medical clinic in Kauai. Besides, none of the testing equipment required for a diagnosis is readily available at any of the local clinics and a trip to the Wilcox Memorial Hospital in Lihue would be required. 

This morning’s view from our lanai while it rained off and on.

From what we’ve discovered most doctors refer patients to the hospital if their condition can’t readily be treated with meds. I suppose this is not unlike many clinics worldwide, let alone in the US.

Finally, this morning at 7:00 am I reached the ER doctor I’d seen on Friday asking for a different, perhaps more effective antibiotic. This is often necessary with a variety of infections, which don’t respond well to a particular drug which seems to be my case at the moment.

Ah, the perils of world traveling without a home base!  We knew this going in. We also knew that having only major medical insurance (which pays 100% of any hospital stays, doctors, tests, and medications rendered while in the hospital) would be a risk. 

I edited this photo to be dark in order to show the two rainbows that developed after the rain.

By purchasing the international policy, we chose the option of major medical only or paying outrageous fees to include doctor visits. However, if we had made a choice to include doctor/outpatient services, the policy still didn’t include any necessary medical care as long as we’re in the US, as we are now. 

Since Medicare doesn’t pay outside the US, we opted out of Medicare’s Plan B which pays doctor visits with a copay of as much as 20% for which most seniors purchase an additional policy. This would not be a sensible option for most senior travelers especially those who periodically return to a home base. They can easily purchase a specific travel policy for their trips, event by event.

This individual trip policy was also not available to us when our lives consist of one continuous “trip.” No such policy exists for us other than the 12-month international policy that we purchased almost three years ago and renew each year.

It was raining when we got this rainbow shot. If the hill and the trees hadn’t been in the way we’d have been able to see the end of the rainbow in the ocean.

When we consider the potential out of pocket costs for tests at a hospital, we cringe but fully accept that potential no matter where we may be. We’ve dodged a bullet to date but, we knew sooner or later the scenario could change on a dime.

In any case, the ER doctor refused to “call-in” a different prescription without my having additional tests. We understand her dilemma. As an alternative, I presented her a list of all of the antibiotics we currently have on hand and she suggested Cipro, the “big guns” for infections. 

She emphatically stated that if I’m not better 48 hours after taking Cipro which will be Thursday, we’ll be heading to the hospital for more tests. Both Tom and I agree that this is our only option. At that point, it will be only 10 days until we depart on the cruise. 

It’s hard not to appreciate the seeming magic of a rainbow.

What do ex-pats do in these cases? They either purchase insurance available in the country in which they live, purchase international insurance such as ours, or in some cases, pay for medical care out of their pocket when medical costs in some “retiree friendly” countries are surprisingly inexpensive. 

From what we’ve read online to date, a typical doctor’s office visit in Australia may be around US $50, as opposed to $100’s in the US. Once we arrive in Australia, we won’t hesitate to see a doctor if we deem it necessary at the time.

These berries on this plant remind me of Christmas.

If this illness had occurred a few months ago I would have followed the doctor’s instructions and not given it much of a thought. The current time constraint is weighing heavily on my mind at the moment.

My sister Julie worriedly reminded me of how many times we’ve been sick since we left the US, more often me than Tom. I must admit that at least twice a year I’ve picked up some type of infection, viral or bacterial.

With a history of inclement health for most of my life (mostly due to heredity and inflammation), my immune system continues to remain vulnerable regardless of how hard I’ve tried to offset it. It was equally precarious when we lived in Minnesota, still contacting some type of virus, sinus infection, or respiratory infection once or twice a year. 

Sunset from the front lanai.

Then again, how many of us don’t “catch” something once or twice a year? Tom would push through such conditions and continue to work as did many of the guys he worked with on the railroad, often infecting one another while working in close quarters on a train. 

Having a home base has what we now refer to as “luxuries” that come with it; easy access to medical care, cable TV, working cell phones, appliances such as a clothes dryer, quality Internet services, shopping centers, and grocery stores with familiar products and services.

We don’t share this personal story to elicit sympathy, although bless the hearts of many of our readers for sending their good wishes. We continue to tell our story for the purposes of sharing both the good and the bad of what it’s like to be traveling the world without a home base. 

And, we appreciate the beauty of flowers blooming in the treetops at a distance from the lanai.

The vulnerability we express here at times even surprises us when in our old lives, we only shared a degree of personal information with our close family members and friends.

How foolish we’d be to hide the realities of our daily lives only sharing the details of the most exciting of locations and adventures. With that, we’d only be a travel log, extolling the virtues of where we’ve been, and what we’ve seen, a place for a degree of braggadocio. The manner in which we share our lives is done so with a much bigger intent; truth and reality.  

We have no doubt that at times, some of our readers may become bored with our truth, reality and mindless drivel. Then again, daily life for most of us is mundane at times, isn’t it?

We’ve come to appreciate the simplest of life’s amenities, never taking for granted that which is available to us, including the potential of more medical care in Hawaii. If we must go, we will. If we luck out and I’m well again in a few days, it will be time to rejoice and start packing!

Have a superb day!

                                             Photo from one year ago today, May 12, 2014:

A year ago today, we were three days from leaving Morocco. We were definitely ready to be on the move. For details on that day, please click here.

Oh, oh!…First trip to a doctor in almost three years!…An expensive medical appointment…

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Tom waited with me in the exam room at the urgent care center in Kapaa. Photo taken with my phone.  Notice our Africa bag on the floor that we purchased for $2 in Kenya many moons ago.  Its holding up quite well.

Traveling the world for years without a home base to return to for doctor and dentist appointments, is challenging at times. Somehow, over these past two and a half years since leaving Minnesota, we’ve managed to figure out health concerns on our own.

Before my health was renewed almost four years ago, via an extremely low carb, grain, starch, and sugar-free diet, often referred to as a ketogenic diet, I’d often seen our local doctor once every month or so. (For the detailed documented science on ketosis, please click here. We are in no manner associated with the sale of this book).

I was a mess of pain and chronic illness, all precipitated by the hereditary inflammatory disease often becoming further ill with infections, viruses, and myriad symptoms.

Three months after embarking on this restrictive way of eating, never faltering by ingesting a grain of sugar or rice, I awoke to good health, pain-free, symptom-free, and feeling better than I’d felt in decades.

Since that day, I’ve felt wonderful almost every day, continuing to be pain-free and healthy. Occasionally, I fall prey to a virus or infection, most often when exposed to other people’s germs or bad food. In our travels, I’ve been ill twice a year, not unlike many of you. 

As for Tom, he’s been ill a few times, once in Morocco, once after a cruise but seems to recovery more quickly than I do. I suppose my immune system may take a little longer to recover from a lifetime of illness. I’m patient in the interim, knowing that without this miracle (for me) way of eating, we wouldn’t be traveling at all. Who’s to complain?

So, on Tuesday when I developed a horrible pain in my left groin that neither Tylenol nor Motrin would help, we became concerned. What would it be? Of course, I spent hours online looking for possible causes and came to the conclusion I either had a kidney stone on the move or a UTI (urinary tract infection).

In my research, I discovered that on a daily basis I consume an inordinate amount of oxalates especially drinking lots of brewed tea and spinach, both huge contributors to the formation of kidney stones. 

Just in case, I immediately stopped drinking tea switching to plain water, and tossed out my remaining container of organic baby spinach, knowing no matter what, I may have done so too late. The pain continued and worsened over the next few days and nights, resulting in little sleep.

Oh gosh, I was thinking to myself, trying not to worry Tom, we have to be on a cruise in a little over two weeks. What if I needed surgery? What if we couldn’t go on the cruise and lost our $6010, non-refundable at this late date? Where would we stay? What about our upcoming 89 day rental on June 11th in Australia for which we’ve already paid in full? 

Rather than do a number on myself worrying, I became proactive drinking tons of water, moving about as much as possible, and praying for a speedy resolution.

Yesterday morning, after three nights of this dreadful discomfort, it dawned on me that it could be a UTI. It felt like a UTI which I hadn’t had in many years. Looking online, I realized that if it was a UTI it was unlikely it would resolve on its own.I can’t drink cranberry juice with all of its sugar. By noon yesterday as the pain escalated, I told Tom who of course was very worried, we needed to do one of two things:

Option 1:  Drive to the hospital in Lihue (one hour drive) which would result in a urine test and a pricey CAT scan.
Option 2:  Drive to the urgent care center/tiny hospital in Kapaa (30-minute drive) and get a urine test. If it wasn’t a UTI, I’d wait for the kidney stone to pass at least for a few more days, and then if it didn’t, we’d have no choice but to go to the hospital in Lihue.

We waited for the test results and the doctor in this typical exam room.

The cost of option two would be considerably less than option one. We only have major medical insurance that only pays for hospital stays (80%), not urgent care or doctor visits. 

Yesterday afternoon at 1:15, we headed to the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital (more of an urgent care facility than a hospital) in Kapaa, easily finding it, by taking a right turn near the end of the Kauai Path which we visited a few days earlier before the pain developed.

The process was easy with prompt service, a kindly male nurse, and an amazing female doctor, Dr. Betty Dilley.  Within a half-hour of our arrival, as we sat in the exam room awaiting the test results, the doctor entered telling us I did in fact have a UTI and that one week on the antibiotic Keflex would take care of it.

We both smiled, relieved that it wasn’t more serious, We then had a laugh-fest with the doctor and in no time at all, we were on our way to the business office to pay our bill and then head back to Princeville to the pharmacy at Foodland. 

The receipts for the two prescriptions we purchased yesterday. Pricey.

Since neither of us had been to a doctor in almost three years, we asked the doctor to renew our Epipen prescription which had long ago expired. We’re both allergic to bees, wasps, and hornets. Australia is filled with these buggers (as Australians would say). At the end of our appointment, Dr. Dilley handed us a prescription for both the antibiotic and the Epipen.

On the way to the business office, we discussed the reality that this was going to be one pricey doctor visit.  Compared to the $1000’s it would have cost to go to the hospital, whatever it was, we would be fine. Let’s just pay and get out of here!

I suggested Tom wait for me in the car while I took care of the bill. I started up a lively conversation with friendly Brenda the billing clerk. We heartily laughed and commiserated while she figured out our bill. 

The moment I sat down at her window she warned me that the fee would be outrageous. She explained that today we’d pay the hospital charges and later we’d be billed (to our mailing service) for the doctor’s intervention which would most likely be under $300.

When she mentioned the total of $456 (excluding the doctor’s fee), I cringed. She looked at me and smiled, saying, “I like you so much I’m going to give you a discount.” However small it may be, I was appreciative.  After a 35% discount (more than I’d expected) the bill was down to $296.40! 

The bill from the urgent care facility in Kapaa, Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital. Notice the discount we received which was appreciated.

I was so grateful I offered her a  tip which she refused, warmly grabbing my hand and thanking me for our business and the friendly chatter. Wow! That’s Hawaii for you! These people are amazing! We’d never have received a discount at the urgent care in our old lives.

Back in the car, I shared the good news with Tom as we headed to Foodland to fill our two prescriptions. The antibiotic was a reasonable $32.41 and the EpiPen two-pack was $485! I almost fell on the floor when I heard that. There was no way we couldn’t buy it. It’s a matter of life and death.

Overall the costs for the day including hospital bill, estimated doctor bill at $300, and two prescriptions totaled $1113.81 plus, while at Foodland, although I wasn’t up to par I quickly purchased groceries spending another $232.34 for the day’s grand total of $1346.15. 

Now, we have groceries for the next week while I recover. Taking my third dose of the antibiotics upon awakening this morning, I can already tell that I’m on the mend. Thank goodness. 

Once again, “safari luck” prevailed and this relatively innocuous illness, easily remedied, will be long gone by the time we board the ship, two weeks from tomorrow. We’re leaving Kauai two weeks from today.

Laying low for the next few days, we’ll cover our previously mentioned story of sugar plantations in Kauai and before too long be back out and about for more photos.

May all the moms out there have a fabulous Mother’s Day!

                                              Photo from one year ago today, May 9, 2014:

We posted this photo last year that surely resonates with our lifestyle. For details on this post, please click here.

Trip to a doctor?…What about a dentist?..How does this work in foreign lands?…

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The path that we’ve walked these few rainy days where we’ve found many beautiful plants and flowers.

This morning, I was responding to an email to our dear friend and 26-year neighbor Sue in Minnesota. She has homes in both Florida and Minnesota and will soon return to Minnesota now that the horrific winter has finally ended.

As I reported that we’re feeling well and healthy, I was reminded by the fact that neither of us has been to a doctor in a long time, me in September 2012 and Tom in December 2012 (he had tests while we were in Scottsdale) when we both received a clean bill of health.

It wasn’t as if we never intend to see a doctor. We simply decided that we won’t do so unless we can’t manage an injury or illness on our own. With plenty of antibiotics in our possession, we feel relatively secure, never taking them unless absolutely necessary.

These pretty pink flowers, Double Hibiscus, have begun to bloom right outside our door.

We’ve only used the antibiotics on a few occasions since we left when I couldn’t kick a three-week old sinus infection and again in Morocco a year ago when I had tried to recover for two weeks from a horrible intestinal infection I’d picked up from a salad on our first day there. I never ate a salad or uncooked item in a restaurant again while in Morocco.

There have been a few occasions that seeing a doctor came to mind, especially when we were injured on the collapsing stairs in Belize on our anniversary in 2013. Please click here to read about and see photos of what transpired.  

I had hurt my back and neck so badly, I thought I broke something. It took over a month to recover with self-care. To see a doctor in Belize required a four-hour drive each way. We didn’t go based on my insistence.

Chi’a Flower blooms in many colors.

In our old lives, especially when I was suffering from chronic pain and abnormal blood tests, it wasn’t uncommon for me to visit the doctor once every month or so. Once I began my way of eating in August 2011, within three months I no longer had the abnormal blood tests nor any pain, resulting in only visiting the doctor before we left Minnesota for a general physical and multiple immunizations in preparation for traveling to Africa.

Tom, who’d followed along on the diet with me and is doing so now, had lost 40 pounds, dropped seven medications a day, and no longer had IBS, GERD (heartburn), or Barrett’s Disease (an inflamed esophagus). To this day, he has no symptoms and in December 2012 when he had his final tests everything was normal.

Sure, a physical check-up, mainly for blood tests, would be good to do at some point. For now, we feel no need to do so other than to get a new prescription for our two Epipens which have both expired. Both allergic to bees (hornets and wasps) and with the huge bee population in Australia, we may need to make a doctor appointment in Cairns, shortly after we arrive.

This is the ever-blooming Ixora a widely used plant in landscaping in Hawaii.

My insurance doesn’t pay for office visits since Medicare doesn’t work outside the US. Plus, I waived Part B when discovering it won’t pay. Instead, we purchased international major medical for me and a policy for Tom as well, although he still has insurance that may or may not pay outside the US. Once he turns 65, his insurance drops and he’ll continue on with our international policy which offer emergency evacuation as well.

The fact that we don’t have insurance to pay for doctor visits has had little effect on our decision to avoid doctor visits other than consideration of the cost in Hawaii. We’d have gone here for the Epipens but, from what we’ve read online, the required office visit will cost considerably less in Australia than it would in the US, let alone Hawaii.

The bark on this live tree was peeling making us wonder if it was a seasonal thing.

We aren’t concerned that we haven’t been to a doctor all this time. We both feel wonderful healthy. Why would we? When we were kids we hardly ever saw the doctor unless we had a high fever or couldn’t shake an infection after many days, often weeks of waiting for it to subside. Those of you in our age group can relate to this.

As for the dentist, we tried once in Maui. But, Tom didn’t feel right when we arrived at the peculiar office arrangement to be told we’d have to wait an hour for our appointment. Somehow, red flags popped up for him.  We canceled and left, especially after we were told to wait for our appointment at the senior center across the street. 

More stunning anthurium flowers.

I would have been OK going ahead with it. Long ago, we agreed that if one of us doesn’t feel comfortable with an activity, we won’t do it, avoiding any argument, feelings of being pressured or shaming one another.
 
In the interim, we continue to spend tremendous effort in caring for our teeth. Currently, neither of us has any issues with our teeth or gums. At some point, we’ll arrange a cleaning in another country.

A Brown Gecko is commonly seen in the Hawaiian Islands.

This philosophy continues to work out well for us. It also works the other way around as well; if one of us longs to see a certain part of the world, then we’ll go. It’s always about safety and passion, safety first, passion second.

Again today, it’s raining off and on as it had for over a week. Although I’ve continued to work out at the Makai Golf Course’s fitness center and pool, we’ve only lounged by the pool on one occasion in the past week. 

A pair of Myna Birds on the hunt for food.  Not too much available in this parking lot.

When the sun peeks out for a bit and it often does, we head out for a stroll in hopes of getting a dose of Vitamin D, considerably important for the senior population. Here’s an excellent article on a study on the benefits of Vitamin D for both seniors and the younger population.

With a busy social weekend ahead on both Friday and Saturday night, we’re looking forward to seeing many of our friends once again. We’ll report back on these two events.

Be well and enjoy a wonderful Wednesday!

                                            Photos from one year ago today, April 29, 2014:

These clumps of yarn were hanging outside to dry on this railing outside the souk creating this scene. For details from this post, one year ago, please click here.

Part 2, The Queen’s Bath, a beautiful and terrifying place…The balance of the return hike back up the cliff…A year ago celebration at a “girls only” lunch…

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This was as far as I could get to the edge at the Queen’s Bath without slipping off.
Tom stopped to access if he’d go further.  He decided to continue to the bath without the camera but didn’t go into the water. With the heightened risk in winter of the sea grabbing an unsuspecting victim and carrying them out to sea, no photo or view is worth it to us. Tom returned 10 minutes later while I waited on the shelf, so relieved to see him with a big smile on his face.

By the time you see this post, we’ll be well on our way to Waimea Canyon, a three-hour drive to the furthest end of the canyon to the lookout point. Hopefully, the weather will be good allowing for clear photos. 

Had I been brave (or foolhardy) enough to descend further, I would have had better photos of the Queen’s Bath itself which is shown here through the trees.
The color of the water was heightened by the crisp clear blue sky and the clean ocean water.

The weather in Kauai is unpredictable and often rainy this time of year. We’ve been lucky to have mostly sunny days since our arrival over a month ago. Tomorrow’s weather in Poipu is expected to be sunny with rain on Friday, when we’ll be heading back home.

The Queen’s Bath from the last point until descending into the water.

On Friday, when traveling through Lihue (where the airport is located) on the return drive, we’re planning to stop at Costco to once again stock up on household goods, supplies and groceries. With the high cost of food at the local and farmer’s markets in Princeville and surrounding areas, Costco provides an excellent opportunity to save a little. 

Quickly this seeming level path is disrupted into dangerous terrain, making passage difficult.

Buying in bulk is not a problem for us with three months remaining in Kauai. Over time, we’ve learned to gauge the quantities to purchase to ensure we don’t have much in the way of “leftovers” when its again time to depart. 

There were various signs along the way with few mentioning the dangers of navigating the path and the Queen’s Bath. With the number of deaths over the years, many locals are pushing that this “attraction” be closed to public access.

It would be great if we could mail a box of foodstuffs to Australia when we depart Kauai. But, the cost of mailing a package of food outside the US is prohibitive when the package would have to go through customs, resulting in added fees. 

We stayed away from that alternate route which may have been easier but since has been abandoned due to the loss of many birds.

We’re traveling to Australia by cruise ship with minimal baggage restrictions, but we’ll still have a few flights in order to get to our first rental in Trinity Beach, nears Cairns; the flight from Kauai to Honolulu, Oahu where we’ll board the ship and then again, the flight from Sydney where the cruise ends, to Cairns, a flight equivalent to flying in the US from Georgia to New Mexico, a fairly long distance with baggage weight restrictions.

I cringed when looking up at the path which was much steeper than it appears.

From what we’ve learned about Australia thus far, the items they carry aren’t unlike many items we’ve been able to purchase in Hawaii, only at a slightly lower cost.  With our restrictive diet there are items that aren’t easily found in certain counties such as avocados,  coconut oil, unsweetened coconut milk, unsweetened raw coconut, coconut flour, almond flour and raw nuts. 

Neither of us had yet to see a chicken in a tree.  This hen was about 20 feet from the ground, easily flying to perch on this branch.

We won’t know if these items are available until after we arrive and shop. If not, we’ll figure out a means of having them shipped to us from inside Australia to avoid the high customs and shipping fees.

One more view of the waterfall on the climb back up the cliff.

Today, we’re sharing the balance of the photos from Tuesday’s visit to the Queen’s Bath and the treacherous hike back up the sea cliff. We’ll excitedly be back on Friday, the actual day of my birthday, anxious to share the details of our mini vacation. 

As we neared the end of the hike back up the cliff, I was relieved we’d made it back safely without falling.

Perhaps, we’ll have steak and lobster for dinner on Friday night, purchased from Costco, for a celebratory dinner. Then again, I’d be content with an avocado stuffed with salmon salad. Tom? Not so much. He doesn’t eat avocadoes or salmon, or any fish for that matter, or any veggies except salad or green beans…Better stick to the steak and lobster!

Back at you soon!

                                          Photo from one year ago today, February 19, 2014:

Two of my new girlfriends in South Africa took me to lunch for my birthday last year. Here is Linda and me at a fabulous resort for lunch.
And here is Linda and Kathy, my Marloth Park, South Africa friends with whom I’m still in touch on a regular basis. We have a great lunch! I miss them both. For details of that date, please click here.