The 12 hour trip from the ship to Bali…

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Had we not been traveling the highway as such a clip, we’d have been able to take dozens of photos such as this, of famous Balinese gods, kings and queens.

There remains a sense of awe and wonder for this life we live. After our taxi whizzed through Singapore’s 7 km tunnel under a part of the city and the sea, we couldn’t help feeling charmed by the crisp cleanliness and beauty of the hot humid climate creating an exquisite environment in full bloom.

There are more motorcycles on the roads in Bail than anywhere else in the world.

We’ll return to Singapore for a week in a mere 59 days in a hotel booked and paid with our only upcoming expenses meals and transportation. In the interim, we look forward to life in Bali.

These types of stone statues are frequently included in new construction designs to maintain the integrity of the Balinese culture.

In our old lives, such a week’s long holiday that we’ll have in Singapore would have left us reeling with anticipation and excitement.  Now, entrenched in this peculiar lifestyle, we attempt to avoid taking it in our stride. If we ever lose that sense of wonder we still so passionately possess, it would be time to reconsider.

Interspersed with newer buildings many historical structures remain in Bali.

For now,  on occasion, we awaken in the middle of the night wondering for a split second where we are only to realize that we’re living this life. A smile washes over our faces in the dark and we know we are home…wherever that may be and… it still feels good.

The over two-hour drive (of a total of four hours) through the capital city of Denpasar (pop. approximately 856,412), has numerous shops and malls, some very old and operated by local merchants and others more modern as shown here.

The fact that we stand together in this passion remains a mystery.  How did we get here so united in our interests and desires?  How did this commonality fester and grow to provide such a strong foundation in both our relationship and our commitment to carry on?

Typical scene on the narrow highway; an old Balinese structure and the helmet of a passing motorcyclist.

Perhaps, the answer is irrelevant. Perhaps, like life itself, we acquire a quiet acceptance of our place in the world. Somehow, we’ve found ours.

These are typical shops along the main road as we traveled to Negara.

As I spew these thoughts aboard the flight from Singapore to Bali,  I’m reminded of our vulnerability and the need to let our future in part remain in the hands of hopefully qualified pilots and means of transportation.

Basket weaving is commonly seen in tropical climates as a means of adding to a vendor’s wares.

We can’t always be in control. In part, our ability to hand over the reins at times with dignity, grace, and ease becomes as much a vital part of this journey as when we have the potentiality of being in the driver’s seat.

Balinese architecture remains a constant in Bali.

And thus, as we’ve arrived in Bali after the harrowing four-hour drive through some of the worst traffic on two-lane roads, we’ve ever seen, we’re prepared for this leg in our journey. We’re unpacked, in our swimsuits and absorbing the exquisite views and property.

Pottery making is common in Bali, some plain, others highly decorative as shown in the far right.

We look forward to the adventure with the same degree of passion we felt 42 months ago. Photos and stories of tropical island life begin. Stay with us, stay beside us,  as we continue on, longing to share it all with you.

As darkness fell we finally reached the area of the road with an ocean view.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more photos of Bali, as a dream of paradise on earth is definitely in our midst. 

Happy day to you as well.

Photo from one year ago today, May 1, 2015:

Stunning Anthurium flowers in Kauai as we began to wind down the last weeks of our four-month stay on the Garden Island. For more details, please click here.

Moving right along…Can’t believe the number of posts…Errors along the way…

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There’s never a shortage of beautiful scenery here in New Zealand.

Today’s post is #1339, not necessarily a milestone number, but nonetheless a huge number in our minds. It’s hard to believe that on 1339 mornings, we’ve worked together, coffee in hand, to get yet another post uploaded.

Tom, busy “fact-checking” and answering the endless questions that pop into my head as I write, my fingers fly across the keyboard, making many typos along the way which both of us review and correct.

Tom can’t proofread the post until I upload it online so those of our readers who read it immediately upon upload may notice errors we attempt to quickly correct as Tom reviews each and every word. 

With recent rains, the hills are lush green.

As soon as he spots a typo, fact inaccuracy, or the exclusion of an important fact, immediately I return to “editing” mode and make the required corrections accordingly. 

We seldom disagree over any potential adjustments nor do I get defensive over Tom’s suggestions and corrections. It’s a flow that’s become natural for us. At times, I feel as if we’re in a conference room at an office working together harmoniously attempting to do a job done well. 

However, as hard as we may try we still leave myriad errors in our wake, some as innocuous as a missing apostrophe, comma or misspelled word. At times, we’ll read and reread the post and still miss the potentiality of a correction.

We tried to find out what this building once held to no avail.

In a way, it reminds me of those identical side-by-side pictures that ask one to find the differences between the two photos.  My lack of patience prevents me from finding any interest in these. Tom, on the other hand, can easily and quickly spot the differences in the same manner in which he discovers errors in movies and TV shows. 

It’s all in a matter of how differently our brains work, whether it’s a female or male thing or a difference in who we are as people, as thinkers. Most likely it’s a combination of both. These distinct differences serve us well in many areas of our lives.

Had we chosen to live in one or two locations, taking a trip from time to time, as is the case for many retired people, we may never have had the opportunity to clearly define these innate differences in how we process facts and events in our daily lives, especially those in our daily posts that appeal to our worldwide reader population.

We often show only attractive buildings but now and then we find old dilapidated buildings as interesting as well.

Whether it’s in the planning for the future, managing our posts and photos, or deciding how we’ll spend the day, it always seems to revolve around our lives of world travel along with our desire to share it with readers.

Had we lived a more traditional life, we’d have looked at life in an entirely different manner which, if we didn’t know what we know now, we wouldn’t have questioned. 

The problem, if it is a “problem” is how we can ever “go back” to a life that isn’t on the move, doesn’t present the challenges, doesn’t offer the opportunities to push us beyond our “comfort zone” to research and to explore the world around us.

A huge part of this tree must have fallen during a wind storm.

There’s no doubt that someday we’ll have no choice…we’ll have to stop due to health constraints presented as we age. As much as we try to prolong this inevitability by managing our health to the best of our ability, it lies before us “down the road.”

In the interim, with our continuing goals of happiness and a sense of wellbeing, we live in the moment as much as possible. We leave a space deep in our hearts that when the time comes, we’ll hopefully carry our love of life and love of one another with us into the inevitable aspects and subsequent life of aging and possibly less-than-ideal health.

An old barn or house in ill repair.

For now, we can only hope that our errors, typos, and impossible-to-edit line spacing issues are of less importance to our readers than their personal sense of traveling with us.

As we “move right along” from country to country we never feel as if we’re “searching for something.” Instead, we always feel as if we’re “finding something” which ultimately we carry with us in our hearts and minds on to the next leg of our journey.

May you “find something” wonderful in your day!

Photo from one year ago today, March 30, 2015:

“Chicks in a Coconut,” a professional photo taken by a native Kauai artist, Alia DeVille, whom we highlighted with her photos one year ago today. For more of her beautiful photos, please click here.

Today is our 4th anniversary of posting…

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These beautiful tree clusters create a nice foreground for our photos at sunset.

Yesterday, as I was uploading the post, the date dawned on us as the upcoming anniversary of our first post.  As it turns out, it was four years ago today, on March 15, 2012, that we posted this site for the first time.

Here is the link to our first post on March 15, 2012.

At the time we began posting, we weren’t leaving Minnesota for over seven months until our departure date of October 31, 2012 with much to plan and handle in attempting to undo a lifetime in Minnesota and 26 years in our home.

Each room in our house was decorated and appointed with mementos, treasured and decorator items, all with a story and special meaning only to us. The two walk-in closets in the master bedroom, three upstairs guest room closets, and a large attic were filled to the brim with years of collection and accumulation. 

There’s a sliver of moon in this photo.

Certainly not, “hoarders” we still had our fair share of stuff. The thought of disposing of it all much of which our kids had no interest with their own house filled with their “stuff”, we made up bins of memorabilia for the each of the grandkids.

We arranged a professional estate sale for the rest, donating the items which didn’t sell. It was a daunting task I’ll never forget, along with the sale of the house and both cars.

In addition, we had to research and plan insurance, medical, immunizations, financial matters, digital equipment needs and of course, enough upcoming travel arrangements to give us peace of mind in knowing where we’d be traveling for the first few years.

Taking photos of sunsets is always tricky when the sky changes by the seconds, not minutes.

Tom was still working up until departure date. Being able to document the process was both therapeutic and rewarding, especially when people from all over the world began reading our posts, much to our surprise and delight. How did they find us? 

At the time, we did little promotion to acquire more readers. Magically, they appeared and continue to do so through “word of mouth” and our occasional promotion on other websites. 

When readers started writing to us about enjoying their “armchair experience,” reading our story on their ride on the train or bus ride to work, during a coffee break or at the kitchen table, our enthusiasm escalated to hopefully provide a worthwhile experience.

It was almost completely dark when we took this shot.

Many changes have occurred over these past four years.  Early on we hired a web designer, Brooke Woodall with http://www.smittenblogdesigns.com/ to help with the nuances since I have little time or interest in web development. 

Eventually, we added advertisers although we earn little revenue from the links but never did so with the intent in making enough to support us in any manner. Most likely, that will never occur. 

As time passed, around February, 2013, we found ourselves posting every day and attempting to perfect the quality of our photos. Since we began posting daily, we’ve hardly missed a single day, only due to internet connectivity or on travel days. 

With the mountains blocking our view of the actual sun setting we’re able to see the beauty in the sky at sunset on clear nights.

Over these past few years we’ve made an attempt to prepare the final day’s post to be scheduled to upload on travel day. That process seems to be working well preventing us from missing any days.

We realize that some days our stories are “thin” and not as content rich as others.  Its the “nature of the beast.” If someone told me I’d write a several page “essay” with photos every single day, I’d have said it wasn’t possible due to lack of content and/or motivation.

Nothing stop us, not lack of content, motivation, illness or planned activities. On cruises, we often go our on tours early in the morning. We either prepare a post the prior day or post upon return with new photos. 

Moments later it was pitch dark.

Our dedication and commitment has never wavered mainly due to our loyal readers commitment to continuing to stop by to see “what’s happening.” We are eternally grateful for our readers. 

It’s all of YOU who drive us to get out, see more, have more experiences, create more stories to write and take more photos to share. This, dear readers, even after four years never and I mean never, leaves us feeling pressured or stressed to prepare the next day’s morsel.

We enthusiastically continue to share our lives of two somewhat daring, somewhat crazy, sometimes boring seniors citizens of the world dedicated to living life to the fullest for as long as we are given the gift of good health.

Thank you for these past amazing four years.  Thank you to our readers who’ve stepped in along the way.  Thank you to our new readers who may be here for the first time today.  Each of you inspires us to continue on…

Photo from one year ago today, March 15, 2015:

We didn’t post a photo one year ago today when instead we wrote about our original post on March 15, 2012.  Please click here for details.

Busy sports weekend in the countryside…Sports and interests…

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We never figured out the source of smoke in these photos when the road was closed for a bike race.

We’re not much in the way of sports enthusiasts. Tom’s only sports passion is for the Minnesota Vikings football with no interest in other teams or sporting events. I’ll watch a few Vikings games when we can hook the HDMI into a flat-screen TV, but not when he has no choice but to watch it on his laptop.

We’ve attempted to get into watching golf, tennis, soccer, and other sporting events. But, during half of our time spent living in vacation homes, we have no TV, nor could we depend upon being able to watch any potential favorites when they may not be on in any given location.

Watching sports and finding great pleasure in doing so seems to revolve around having a favorite team to cheer on. That’s difficult to embrace when we’re always on the move.

To the left, there’s was a distant freighter. There’s a relatively inaccessible sandy beach in this area.

Tom’s allegiance to the Minnesota Vikings surely is predicated by having been born and living in Minnesota all of his life except for the past 41 months. He’s a staunch fan, preferring not to watch the game with others fearing distracting conversations. I’ve learned not to distract him when he’s watching a game.

As it turns out, being able to watch the Vikings is a costly undertaking when games aren’t available in most parts of the world requiring he pay an annual fee for the online NFL Game Pass service in order to watch the games, plus the cost of data to stream it online.

In total, the cost of NFL Game Pass (only viewable outside the US) has been NZ $251, US $169 per season not including playoff games. With 16 games, that’s an average of NZ $15.55, US $10.56 per game plus another approximate NZ $14.83, US $10 for data.

Driving along the ocean, we spotted these cyclists, participants in a local race on Saturday.

When watching totals NZ $30.38, US $20.56 per game, one thinks twice about adding any other video streaming sporting events. It all adds up. Luckily, with our lack of interest in other sports, we’ve avoided incurring such additional costs.

With each of us with distinct interests in different areas, we find ourselves easily entertained on the days such as today when it’s raining and we have no interest in heading out to explore. 

Although I read most of the downloaded books on my phone when in bed, I can easily spend the better part of the day researching my favorite topics; wildlife, nature, health, food, science, space, technology, and travel, while Tom wraps his brain around communicating with friends and family on Facebook, future travel/cruises, investments, history, and ancestry.

Outside a refinery, the bikers stopped to converse during the race.  Mount Taranaki is in the background.

Of course, I’m very interested in seeing how family and friends are doing on Facebook, but spend only a short time doing so each day. As a fast reader, I breeze through the recent posts in no time at all.

The most amazing part of our diverse interests is the fact that we can easily share interesting tidbits with one another, expressing genuine interest in what one another discovers. We’ll watch the US and UK TV series “Who Do You Think You Are” (as one of Tom’s interests) as readily as we’ll watch a health-related documentary.

It appeared a number of teams were participating in the bike race. There was also a motocross race occurring at the same time, although we couldn’t get close enough to see anything.

On other occasions, we may watch an old episode of Stephen Hawking’s theories on science and space which on his own, Tom may not be interested in watching. Living together 24/7 we automatically gravitate toward sharing our interests while reveling in one another’s passion.

Sure, he’d rather not visit a botanical garden, nor do I have a great interest in visiting a military armory. We do both of these and many more never feeling as if we’ve had to compromise.  Its this innate willingness to bring joy to our peculiar lives of travel that we easily participate in each other’s interests.

While I was inside the health food store, Tom took a photo of this passing decorated truck, most likely with a connection to the local sports events.

May someone special present you with an opportunity to share in their interests, whether it be a sporting event, a science fiction movie, or an episode of World War II on the history channel.

Photo from one year ago today, March 14, 2015:
No photo was posted one year ago today.  Tomorrow, on March 15th (here in the South Pacific), we’ll elaborate.  Click here for that post without photos.

We lost a friend…Richard in Kauai…Little did we know…

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Richard joined us for dinner on St. Patrick’s Day at a local restaurant.

Our hearts are heavy today. We lost a friend. Our dear friend Richard Turner, who stuck-like-glue from the moment we met him on January 24, 2015, the day we joined the Makai Country Club only days after our arrival in Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii. (Please click here for the link to the day we met Richard).

Little did we know…that meeting this special man would turn our four-month stay in Kauai into a whirlwind of an enriching and highly enjoyable social life with friendships we made for life including with him and his dear wife Elaine.

Little did we know…the friendship with Richard would be so short when yesterday, 13 months later, he passed away in his sleep, never to awaken to see the face of beloved wife Elaine and treasured cat, Daisy Mae. 

Elaine and Richard joined us for lunch at the local Westin Hotel where we languished in their company engaged in delightful conversation, as always.

He leaves in his wake a plethora of those who loved him;  family, friends and neighbors, and a world of clients with whom he diligently worked for decades as an attorney in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all who admired his generosity of spirit and time as breathtaking in today’s hurried world. 

About eight years ago, he, Elaine, and Daisy Mae moved to Kauai to the home they’d owned for years and planned for eventual retirement. Overlooking the ocean, Richard was proud of his lovely home and shared its many treasures with us only days after we met. (Please click here for Part 1 of the tour of Elaine and Richard’s lovely home and here for Part 2 when he introduced us to the nesting Laysan Albatross in his neighborhood).

Little did we know…that meeting Richard would provide us with the pleasure we experienced from the many people we met at an endless array of parties and social events that we’d be gifted with the joy of regularly visiting the albatross and their eventual chicks, another of our favorite memories of Kauai.

Richard had finished off his garage to hold his magistrate’s desk he’d shipped from Missouri to Kauai. He was excited to share this favorite possession from his life as an attorney in Missouri.

Yesterday, I wrote the following in a Facebook comment with a photo we’d taken shortly after meeting Richard when he invited us to his home to meet Elaine: “We spent many hours together with Richard and his wife Elaine. He will be dearly missed by many who had the privilege of knowing this kind and caring ambassador of friendship and love.”

That was Richard, an ambassador of friendship and love. He had a magical way of bringing people together with a sense of pride in doing so as a parent who’d step back to watch the progression of friendships among the people he loved the most.

After we left Kauai on May 23, 2015, four months later, our hearts filled with appreciation for his love and friendship. He called us, “blue eyes and the Irishman” an endearing term that addressed every encounter and every precious email after we left. We often referred to him as “Ricky” and he never flinched. 

Tom and Richard had an instant bond, one he’ll always treasure.  They equally loved sharing their corny “guy” jokes and stories.

We never lost touch with Richard in this past year for more than a few days at a time, as he continually teased us to give up our world travels and move to Kauai to live in his neighborhood.

Little did we know…that had we ever decided to give up our continuing life of travel which began 40 months ago to live in Kauai, we’d have done so more to be close to him, Elaine, and the many people he introduced us to, than any other reason in the world.

However short our friendship, he’ll remain in our hearts forever. Rest in peace, dear friend. Little did we know…you’d leave us all so soon…

Photo from one year ago today, March 1, 2015:

With little wildlife in Kauai, other than chickens and roosters, we find ourselves more attracted to birds than we’ve been in the past.   These Zebra Doves are commonly seen in Kauai although not native to the Hawaiian Islands. Click here for more photos of Kauai.

Is it true that “time flies when you’re having fun?”…Last day, new AmeriCARna photos…

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Street rod. We weren’t certain as to the model or year.

When we recall living in Kauai, Hawaii a year ago at this time with yet another three months until we were scheduled to depart on the cruise from Honolulu to Sydney on May 24, 2015, it seems like years ago.

Although not an American-made car, Tom got a kick out of this Volkwagon Beetle, similar to Herbie from the movie, the Love Bug, on the street in Opunake.

Many memories of the eight months we spent on four islands in the Hawaiian archipelago remain fresh in our minds, when we consider the past nine months since leaving Hawaii, it feels as if we’ve had a wide array of experiences.

There were dozens of hot rods in the annual AmeriCARna procession.

Yesterday, Tom received an email from a friend, he’d made in Kauai, Pat from Wisconsin, with whom he’s stayed in touch via email. Pat and his wife had recently returned to Kauai for their annual vacation/holiday, sending Tom a new photo of our temporary home in Princeville during our four-month stay.

The local children got a break from school to visit the car show.

A pang of pleasant memories washed over me in seeing this photo. As long as the four months living in Kauai seemed at the time, we loved every moment, in the same manner, we’re feeling during these three months in New Zealand.

1949 Mercury as shown.
There’s no doubt that a year from now, we’ll look back at our post from these current three months on the farm in Taranaki with a similar sense of awe and appreciation over the exquisite time we experienced.
1959 Cadillac.

Yes, time does “fly when you’re having fun” as evidenced during these exceptional days and nights in New Zealand.  We always ask ourselves the question, “If we could live here long term, would this location appeal to us?”

A classic car.
1942 Ford or Mercury??? Any comments?

The answer is clear to us…we don’t want to live anywhere permanently unless it becomes absolutely necessary due to poor health which logically will occur at some point. Although, we do hope to return to a few favorites down the road for shorter periods, health providing.

Mid 60’s Cadillac.

The dream of continuing in our travels until the very last days of our lives is lofty if not impractical. What percentage of seniors in their (hopefully) 80’s and 90’s or more, continue to be able to travel on a regular basis, away from medical care and able to haul luggage, often spending hours in airports, boarding cruises, and visiting points of interest requiring hours of walking and standing?

Another classic car we weren’t able to name. 
Often we encounter seniors of advanced and varying ages using wheelchairs, walkers and rarely, if ever, hauling half of their luggage load through airports from one area to another, as we’ve often done these past years. This is a reality we must face every day in our travels as we look to the future, attempting to do so with grace and acceptance.
A ’67 Pontiac GTO, one of Tom’s favorites.
Side view of ’67 GTO.

Also, it may seem as we’ve aged as if time flies more quickly since we retired and no longer awake to an alarm clock in order to get to work on time. Perhaps the daily maintenance of our lives becomes less cumbersome as we choose to no longer spend endless hours engaged in strenuous tasks we undertook in our younger lives without giving it a thought.

’60 Cadillac convertible.

Many give this “winding down” process more credit than it deserves. Maybe the quality of our lives is extended by staying active and engaged in the many tasks and activities we enjoyed in our younger years. 

’59 Cadillac, two-door hardtop.

Is it possible if we stay active, stopping to embrace many of the most simple pleasures in life as well as the heart-pounding profound experiences we often find in front of us, that we can enhance those later years taking advantage of every seeming fast-flying moment in time? 

1933 street rod with a license plate, HER33.

We’re making every effort to capture those types of moments in our hearts and minds through preserving the fine memories in our posts and our photos living every moment in time to the fullest in the process. 

As the cars entered the venue, they were parked in neat rows.

Instead of spending a lot of time recalling past experiences as the basis of our existence, as seniors often do, we’re attempting to live in the moment as much as we possibly can and, of course, looking to the future in order to continue the process.

We wandered up and down the rows in case we missed any of the American-made vehicles.

This moment, a sunny day on the farm, I’ll soon step outdoors to perform the simplest of tasks, hanging the laundry on the clothesline, finding it to be a pure pleasure with the soft grass under my bare feet and the gentle humming sounds of the alpacas, music to my ears, as times seems to standstill.

Another street rod.

May every moment of your life stand still long enough for you to stop and embrace its magic.

Photo from one year ago today, February 28, 2015:

Spring flowers began to bloom as spring came early in Hawaii’s tropical climate one year ago. For more photos, please click here.

Carving out time for other things?…Should we be doing more?…

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Traditional Maori meeting house near Oakura Beach. Visit this site for more information.

In speaking on Skype with my sister Julie yesterday, an avid reader of our site, she asked, “When are you guys going to travel the country and visit some other gorgeous areas? Don’t your readers want to see you traveling?”

My answer to my sister allowed me to say aloud something we’ve both thought and spoken only to one another and now to all of you. We love sharing our story, our story of living in different locations all over the world embracing our surroundings, and learning to live in a manner comparable as to how the locals may live, not as a tourist.

The Maori had set up tents for a special event.

No, we don’t visit a lot of tourist attractions, although we visit some. No, we don’t eat out a lot, although we do on occasions. No, we don’t go on lengthy road trips staying overnight in hotels, spending budgeted dollars on attendance at popular venues that tourists often flock to, rightfully so, when they travel for short periods of time.

We don’t consider ourselves tourists. Instead, we’re visitors, temporary residents, respecting the laws, culture, and traditions of the locale, the people, and the surroundings while we live life on our terms. 

Is defining our lives important? For us, not so much. As committed as we are to providing interesting stories and photos for our readers, it would be unrealistic to say that our personal desires don’t come first. For true happiness, one must consider the ways in which to choose to navigate life, not always an easy task. 

We’ll continue to return to this site of Oakura Beach in hopes of spotting blue penguins.

We appreciate every one of our readers but we truly believe based on responses we continually receive from those treasured readers, that they accept the fact that they are following the simple story of our daily lives.

We’re an older couple, unencumbered with “stuff,” as we move from country to country sharing the nuances, challenges, and joys of our surroundings which may not appeal to some. We don’t expect everyone to find our story interesting. 

We looked for the blue penguins but doubted we’d see any with people in the area.

Long ago, when we decided to travel the world, part of our motivation was to feel free to live how we choose.  After spending the majority of my adult life with chronic pain from which I am now “free” we decided we’d live life to the fullest spending each day doing exactly what we feel like doing. It could all change in a day or an hour.

Some days, we feel like getting out to see what’s around us. Other days, we don’t feel like doing anything other than hanging out together, outside as much as possible, taking walks, taking short drives to explore the area, and visiting our “temporary” town or village.

On each drive through the country, we find many rivers.

In essence, this site is not as much of a “travel log” as it is a “lifelog.” Should we ever decide to write a book (which we’re not interested in doing at this time), it wouldn’t be entitled, “A Guide to Traveling the World to See the Most Popular Sites.”  That’s been done over and over again in books and websites.

It may be entitled, “Wafting Through our Worldwide Travels with Ease, Joy, and Simplicity,” as indicated in our mission listed at the top of each page in our heading. 

We hadn’t seen a pinecone in a long time.

We wrote that motto in 2012. It remains the same for us today. Nothing has changed in our beliefs. Everything has changed in how we respond to our surroundings; adapting, accepting, learning, and growing.

Sure, we have quiet days without a smidgeon of excitement or adventure. Who doesn’t? But, here on the Alpaca Farm in New Plymouth, New Zealand, and in many other parts of the world we’ve only needed to step outdoors to find our hearts soaring with a sense of pure pleasure and joy. 

A river under a bridge when we drove down an unmarked road.

Being able to share that joy with all of our readers, each and every day only enhances the experience.  If in a small way, we bring a smile to the face of one reader a day, we’ve been gifted with an opportunity we never imagined possible. Thank you for sharing “our world” with us.

We smile with you…there’s so much more yet to come.

Photo from one year ago today, February 16, 2015:

One year ago, in Princeville Kauai, where we lived for four months, an albatross chick safely nestled in the grass under mom or dad’s legs. It’s these kinds of experiences that make our travels especially meaningful. For more photos please click here.

New life in photos!…Today’s Valentine’s Day in this part of the world…Happy lovers day to all!

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Love comes in many forms.

One never knows for sure when they get married, live together, or commit to a long-term relationship how it will manifest after a number of years. We can only hope that the relationship will continue to grow and thrive. Many almost “leave it to chance” in hopes of it surviving through good times and bad.

However, like a garden, it needs to be cultivated and cared for on a daily basis and the treasures harvested will be hearty and constant. Most certainly, weeds will grow from time to time, and occasionally we ‘”forget” to nourish it with water in times of drought. 

Then, we watch it begin to wilt as we rush to set it right, perhaps even overwatering, drowning it with attention and adoration. This is love. Not perfect and, not always romantic but always a part of who we are as individuals and as a couple.

As the mom cleaned up the baby alpaca, another mom and cria born two days earlier came to help and observe. The two-day-old appeared excited to have a playmate. Wait until she/he sees the fifteen babies in the paddock in our back and side yard!

To think that one special day of the year, Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or an anniversary can cement the depth of such love is foolhardy. Celebrating these special occasions need only be a gentle reminder of that which is already firmly implanted into the hearts and minds of the participants.

When Tom was sick this past week, each day I considered canceling our dinner reservation for tonight, worrying he wouldn’t feel up to going out so soon after a week’s illness. He continually insisted we leave the reservation in place. 

Had it been necessary to cancel I wouldn’t have been disappointed to be unable to “celebrate” this Hallmark promoted occasion. I’d only been disappointed that he still wasn’t feeling well. Neither of us requires a special day to express our love and devotion to one another. 

The goal is to get the cria on its feet within 20 minutes of birth to ensure the highest neurological functioning.  If, she didn’t stand, we’d brought along a towel to help as we saw Trish and Neil had done for an earlier birth we witnessed.

As it turns out, he’s totally well again and tonight we’ll head out for our dinner reservation at the positively reviewed restaurant, the Table, according to these reviews on TripAdvisor located in downtown New Plymouth. 

Tomorrow, we’ll post photos of our food, a link to our newly written review on TripAdvisor, and an overall review of our experience, our first night out to dinner since our arrival on January 19th.

A few minutes ago, I walked to the far paddock to see if more of the six remaining pregnant alpacas are in labor and to check on the two new babies. I zoomed in with the camera to check if any of the six were in labor and to observe how the two new crias were doing. All was well. 

We laughed as we watched it tentatively struggle to get on its feet approximately 22 minutes after birth. We decided to continue to watch to ensure all was well.

We’ve been checking every few hours since Trish and Neil left for the weekend, enjoying a little sense of “babysitting” dozens of alpacas, although the neighbors come to feed them bales of hay and bowls of grassy meal scattered about the paddock.

As I walked past them on the short trek down the driveway to the “y” in the road, they approached the thin wire fence chomping on the grass and raised hay containers, happily picking up their heads to look at me. 

They no longer move away as I pass. Their eyes twinkle with acknowledgment and familiarity, shy creatures that they are, as my heart feels a pang of love for these gentle animals. It will be hard to leave them in two months.

A short time later, the cria was on its feet, frequently plopping down to rest as they seem to quiet down a bit in their first 24 hours of life.

Love comes in many forms and for us in our ongoing worldwide travels, we’ve been gifted with the love of one another, the love of wildlife, the love of nature, and the love of the special people we’ve met along the way. We don’t need a heart-shaped box of chocolates or a red card to express our love.

When I came downstairs this morning to find Tom making coffee, his eyes twinkled with acknowledgment, familiarity, and love as he wished me a happy Valentine’s Day…in the same way they do each and every morning of our lives. Grateful..in awe…in love…never taking our lives and each other for granted is the essence of our blessed lives.

Have a beautiful Valentine’s Day today and tomorrow for those in other parts of the world, and have a loving special day each day of the year!

Photo from one year ago today, February 14, 2015:

In Kauai, we discovered this unusual plant which reminded us of sweet corn which appears to be covered in a velvety cloth. It is called the Zamia Furfuracea. Vegetation all over the world is often surprising.  For more photos, please click here.

A simple life in the country…

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Sunset at the alpaca farm.

The house has a metal roof and it’s a veritable hot box on hot days. We have no choice but to leave the sliding doors open. The flies and sand flies are bad. I wear repellent round the clock, re-applying it three times a day. 

This alpaca, Amber Rose, who recently gave birth, often looks at me through the kitchen window while I’m preparing meals at times pressing her nose on the glass.

Last night, a dragonfly was flying around the bedroom making noise as it bumped into the walls keeping me awake most of the night.  With no screens on any of the doors or windows, we can’t open any of the bedroom windows at night to cool off the hot room. 

The fan moves the hot air around but doesn’t seem to cool it down. We’ve only used the comforter on a few occasions. 

The WiFi is metered and we can’t download as many of our favorite shows as we’ve often been able in other locations. We’re in a tough position when we know we won’t have good enough WiFi in Bali to download shows.  We’d hoped to download everything we’ll need while we’re here to later watch in Bali. That may not happen.

Each sunny afternoon, the alpacas crowd to the side of the house to find shelter in the shade.

I love it here. Tom loves it here. Adaptation.  It’s a simple life in the country.

There’s a lot to love; the alpacas; the many comforts in the house; the ever-changing exquisite scenery surrounding us; the sound of the flowing nearby river; the kind and helpful owners, Trish and Neil; the New Zealand people; the ideal shopping fulfilling all of our needs from the health food store to the grass-fed only meat market to the weekly farmers market with the best eggs in the South Pacific.

The number of alpacas in the shade from our house grows with the heat of the sun.

Yes, there is a lot to love. Yesterday, I filled a bowl with a special grass mix for the alpacas and hand-fed it to them as my feet dangled over the edge of the veranda.  I couldn’t take photos while my hands were otherwise busy. It didn’t seem to matter at the time. Sorry about that. Sometimes the experience supersedes all else.

Hanging the laundry on the clothesline is a pleasant experience in itself as is each time I step outdoors in my bare feet to check to see if it’s dry. The feel of the soft neatly trimmed grass under my feet sends my senses reeling, reminding me of the yet unproven philosophy of “earthing” or “grounding.” that may have some truth to it. (See here for details).

The grouping of cria started with these four.  They love sitting in this dirt, rolling around, and getting dirty.

The rental car sits in the driveway, used only three times a week for a variety of local trips. We don’t want to leave more often. Everything we could possibly want is right here within a few hour’s drive. 

In minutes, the group of cria grew to eight.

Yesterday, I walked alone when Tom didn’t feel like joining me. As I approached the cattle, my favorite pregnant female immediately spotted me heading to the fence. She literally danced she was so happy to see me, lifting one leg at a time as she rocked in place, shaking her head back and forth, slobber flinging from her mouth in the process. 

My favorite cow separated from who may have been her last offspring.  We often find them close to one another sneaking affection through the fence.

She moaned in frustration as I walked away. Had anyone seen this they would have laughed at this crazy woman communicating with a cow. I’ve often wondered if I should have lived on a farm when I’ve always been drawn to barnyard animals, rolling dough, and baking bread (in my old life when I could eat gluten).

Last year’s young bulls.

Instead, for now, we live this simple life, outdoors a lot, cooking good meals, mingling with the life in the country, taking photos of precious moments with the ongoing joy of sharing them daily with all of YOU, as we’ve shown today.

This mom and son, Mont Blanc, are the pair that were separated by the fence when Mont Blanc had crawled underneath and escaped. Later, Trish and Neil picked him up, placing him over the fence, not an easy task. We often see them in close contact perhaps remembering they were once separated. Although Mont Blanc, the only blue eyes cria in the now group of 12, loves playing with the other youngsters.

For those in the US, may you have a fun-filled Super Bowl Sunday. (We’ll be watching it here). And for our friends in New Zealand, enjoy the remainder of Waitanga weekend. For details of this holiday, please click here.

Have a happy day in the country, city, desert, mountains or plains or, wherever you may be…

Photo from one year ago today, February 8, 2015:

My delicious lunch, a year ago, at the Kauai Westin Hotel with friends Elaine and Richard included a grass-fed burger with cheese, grilled onions, bacon, and a side salad.  For more photos and details, please click here.

Romance at sea…A night to remember…

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Last night, in the Martini Ice Bar on dress-up night.

Often the most memorable of occasions are those which we don’t plan or anticipate. Last night, was such a night, one we’ll always remember as special and meaningful.

Is it possible for a couple, together 25 years, constantly in each other’s presence 24 hours a day without any time apart, to find romance especially living a life as complex as ours?

The answer is a resounding “yes!” Last night was hardly the first time and will hardly be the last. Without forethought or active speculation, we each may contemplate the following points from time to time:

1. How do we manage to keep the spark alive in a long-term relationship?
2. Is keeping the romance intact necessary for happiness?

In response to the first question, we consider the facts that all couples have their own unique dynamic. Some thrive on chaos, disharmony, and ultimately making up and others flourish in a state of calm and consistency.  Then, there are all of those in between.

The Martini Ice Bar has an ice-covered bar top intended to keep drinks cold.

For us, the mix of an occasional visit by Mr. Overly Grumpy (rarely directed at me specifically) and my Ms. Overly Bubbly (always lurking), seems to create enough tension to make the relationship challenging and exciting, never knowing for sure what the day will bring. 

The lack of knowing moment by moment exactly what to expect has a magical way of presenting opportunities for lively banter, playfulness, including hilarious name-calling and frequent laughter precipitated by our own foibles and occasional self-deprecation.

Humility plays a big role for us, but oddly, it’s coupled with a keen sense of confidence while feeling secure, safe, and revered.  Trust is omnipresent, never faltering. How do relationships survive without trust? They don’t.

In response to the second question; many couples say they are utterly happy without romance. I’d assume, most often, they are couples who never made romance a priority early on in the relationship. Many lifelong partnerships are happily maintained without romance with only an occasional celebratory situation bringing it back into the forefront.

For us, the eyes locking across the room while we’re at a social occasion has always made our hearts flutter.  Tom, who swears he’s not romantic, has a side few others can detect, where he makes “overly romantic” me know I made the right choice in my remaining-years-of-life love and companion.

For me, romance is not about the occasional bouquet of flowers or a gift, wrapped in pink tissue in a “Victoria’s Secret” bag. It has nothing to do with a candlelit dinner with a crisp white linen tablecloth, fine dinnerware, and a fancy meal. 

Patricia, the lovely woman we met last night at the bar traveling with her 18-year-old daughter.

It has everything to do with a state of mind encompassed in finding your partner appealing both in both their imperfect physical state of being and their imperfect mental state of being, whatever that may be and however that may fluctuate as the years waft by and everything changes.

Can we love and accept the wrinkles and belly fat wrought by age and lifestyle and still see the beauty and handsomeness of what appealed to us in the first place so long ago? If yes, that’s romantic in itself. 

From this perspective, last night we found ourselves late in getting to dinner on “lobster night” after engaging in a lengthy fabulous conversation with a delightful woman we met from Costa Rica (where we’ll be living for three months in 21 months), at the Ice Bar on Deck 4, our usual hangout before heading to usual reservation-free dinner (never wanting to feel pinned down to a specific time).

Realizing we should arrange a reservation for the lobster night, the only available times were 5:30 or 8:45 pm.  We chose the latter, preferring not to dine so early in the evening.  (I’d actually had a light breakfast anticipating a late meal knowing food wouldn’t arrive until 9:15 or later).

After considerable fun at the bar, we said goodbye and headed to check-in for the reservation at 8:30, hoping to get in a little earlier. Given a pager, it was impossible to get a “shared” table so we decided to wait for the beeper.

My dinner last night; a Cobb Salad with chicken and two lobster tails.

By 9:00 pm, we were seated as the only patrons at a table for seven. As always, in consideration of others, we decided to wait to order until the table was full. Our usual playfulness and banter had started between us while at the bar, if not earlier in the day.

As we sat alone at that table with not another person or couple seeking a shared table entering the restaurant after us, we finally resigned ourselves along with our wonderful waiter Kundeep, that we should order dinner and proceed with the evening. 

From there, the fun between us escalated, the compliments flew back and forth, the knee grabbing under the table elicited fits of laughter, all the while holding hands, staring dreamily into each other’s eyes. I don’t drink alcohol and Tom had very few cocktails. It wasn’t alcohol talking. It was happiness. It was love. It was romance.

We hardly noticed our food although it seemed to disappear off our plates. The cruise line’s head food manager stopped by to say hello and giggled when he asked if we were newlyweds and we answered that we’d been together almost 25 years but are happier now than ever, in this life we live.

Tom’s dinner last night of Beef Wellington and lobster tail with veggies.

Our wonderful waiter gabbed with us. The hostess that oversees my food stopped by along with several other staff members and managers, perhaps noting we were alone at the big table needing some attention. We didn’t. We appreciated it nonetheless. 

The hours whizzed by and finally, it was time to leave. It was late and we decided to head back to our cabin, unable to wipe the coy smiles off our faces. No one ever joined us at our table. We didn’t care.

This morning, renewed and refreshed after a great night’s sleep, we still can’t stop smiling. Perhaps, the special evening further reminded us of how lucky we are, how blessed we are, and how much we appreciate each other and this peculiar life we live. 

It’s ironic that one of the most fun evenings we’ve had aboard the ship was spent alone at dinner together, reveling in this gift we’ve been given to enjoy our lives, fully engaged in the moment and…in the next moment to come. Who could ask for more?

For today, with only two days to disembarkation, once again we’re enjoying every moment left on the ship with the same enthusiasm we expect we’ll be feeling in a few days living in our new home in the Taranaki Region of New Zealand. Life is good. And, at times, life is romantic.

Darn, I should have saved this story for Valentine’s Day which is four weeks from today! Then again, we don’t need a Hallmark-inspired day to make us happy!

Photo from one year ago today, January 17, 2015:

We were excited to arrive in Kauai, Hawaii for a four-month stay in Princeville. Little did we know how much we’d love the island with a robust social life thanks to our new friend Richard Turner, whom we met only a few days after arrival. For more details, please click here.