Living large…Living small…Living in the moment…

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Close to the center of this photo is the compound where our current home is located as seen from across Savusavu Bay as we traveled on the opposite side.
We try to live in the moment.  Overall, we’re good at it.  Today, a bright, sunny day with clear blue skies makes it nearly impossible to do otherwise.  We’re in Fiji, a place we discussed many times as we planned our travels when tropical island holidays came to mind.


In this large life, in the large world, each day we strive to live “small,” wrapped up in the trivialities of our every day, appreciating the call of a mating bird, a determined crowing rooster, an annoyed mooing cow, or the stuttered baa we often hear from a lonely kid goat.


We could only imagine how beautiful our photos would have been on a sunny day which had started sunny and clear, turning to rain shortly after we left.  That’s life in the tropics.  We still had a fabulous day!

We watch the cruise ships, large and small, waft by each day in our magnificent ocean view. Often at night with their lights bright, we easily imagine the festivities and lively banter occurring on deck, knowing in a little over two months, we’ll be doing the same.

When we think of the future, its hard not to speculate, anticipate and become outrageously excited knowing full well what lies ahead of us.  Even after we’ll have visited each continent, there will be so much left to see: the Northern Lights from Norway, a Baltic cruise, the Black Sea, more river cruises, the USA and Canada, and countries throughout the world we’ll have yet to see. 


Our current home in Savusavu is located approximately 1/3 of the way in from the point in this photo.  A photo below illustrates a better perspective.

Perhaps someday, we’ll return to a few places we particularly loved such as Africa and Kauai, Hawaii.  While we were in Mykonos, Greece, I longed to return to live in the pristine streets with the white houses trimmed in blue on the steep winding roads or, in the walled city of Croatia, that easily took our breath away.

We try not to think of where we haven’t been.  The list is too massive.  But, as we discuss the future we can’t help but attach some dreams to the future.  With careful, budget minded living, there’s no where in the world beyond our reach, beyond our reality.  We’ll always find a way to make it work. 


The point, close to our home in Savusavu, from across the bay.

In our old life, my only dream of travel was to visit Africa and if, somehow we never find a way to return, my dreams have been fulfilled after nine months on the continent.  Is it greedy to long to return for one more life changing dose for that which we have yet to see and to return, to once again see that which we left behind?   While we can.

Now, as we languish, quietly and at peace in this exquisite tropical island paradise, without a worry in the world, we try to spend our remaining time in Fiji relishing in its unobtrusive lifestyle, its gentle people and its easy way of life, keeping our minds uncluttered with excessive planning and budgeting. 

We passed several small villages along the way.

Lifting my head from my laptop as my fingers fly across the keyboard, my brain and fingers seemingly one, I need only look up a distance of 15 degrees for my eyes to behold the sea in front of us.  To our left, we find the vast expanse of the open sea.

Across the bay to the distant opposite side of Savusavu Bay, where we recently traveled, we were able to see this property with a steady zoom of the camera.  We were in awe of being able to see the expanse of our neighbor Sewak’s recently graded steep road to the mountaintop, which we visited only weeks ago and the land where Mario’s new home was recently built.  It was magical as shown in these included photos.
 


Cows are always curious and we laughed when this grazing cow picked up her head to check us out.

Living in the moment should be easy. In my old life, I was always planning the next dish to be served to our guests at the outdoor barbecue on a warm summer afternoon or, the next event to be planned or, the next day, week’s or month’s endless list of planned and on-the-calendar activities.

In this life, awakening to this view, the sounds of nature, and the knowledge that these gentle people are scurrying about, striving to provide us with an idyllic environment, I am constantly reminded not to think ahead, to live in the moment.


How wonderful that this small island has this school for its people, the Montifort Technical Institute.

Here in Fiji as we research future locations, we often lift our heads that 15 degrees as a boat passes by, or to listen more intently to the pleasing sounds of farm animals or birds, all music to our ears.

And when a smiling face, a genuine soul, enters our door eager to please, when asked “What can I do for you today, Ms. Jessica, Mr. Tom?”  More often than not, we say, “Not a thing. We’re good.  Vinaka.”  They’ll make the low-to-the-floor bed, leave towels and toilet paper and once or twice a week do more.  We handle the rest on a daily basis.

Cherishing in this easy life is more than we ever dreamed possible.  We’ve experienced this all over the world, not so much as a result of having household help, but more from having no appointments, no backyard parties, no place we have to be at a certain time.  Our only strict adherence to the clock is on travel days or when shopping and sightseeing when we don’t have a rental car.


It was raining when we stopped to take photos of these fish ponds.

Tom says that he spent 42 years working on the railroad, constantly aware of the time of day. He, too, loves the freedom of our current lives, only wearing a watch on travel days.  We can go an entire day without checking the time, eating when hungry, sleeping when tired.

After a lifetime of “must do’s” these past three years has been filled with “want to do’s” allowing us to live in the moment.  In essence, for us, this is “living large” amid the small things and from time to time, thinking of where we’ve been and what, dear readers, is yet to come.

As we approach our three year anniversary of traveling the world on October 31st, we’re compiling a list of our stats; how many countries we’ve visited, how may vacation homes we’ve rented, how many cruises we’ve taken and much more, including the total dollars we’ve spent in the past three years.  Please check back as these details unwind.

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Photo from one year ago today, October 29, 2014:

The last time Tom purchased anything sweet for himself, was fudge from this shop in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii which he devoured within a day.  For more photos of our visit to Lahaina, please click here.

Part 2, Vuadomo Waterfall…A walk through the rainforest…Our photo together…To “selfie” or not to “selfie”…Botox injections?

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Rasnesh took this photo of us in front of the Vuadomo Waterfall. We were hot and sweaty but the long trek was worth it!

Many of our readers and Facebook friends have asked us to post photos of ourselves as we explore the world.  Not good at doing the “selfie” thing and usually, with only the two of us at many locations, we don’t have many photos to share of us together. 

Vuadomo Waterfall was larger than it appears in these photos.

We aren’t into “selfie” photos or silly facial expressions photos and as we’ve aged, we don’t believe that photos of ourselves are as appealing as they may have been in our younger years.

Perhaps, what I just said is an oxymoron. We don’t want to be vain in focusing on ourselves and yet, we don’t like how we look in photos as much as we did years ago. Let’s just go with the fact that vanity plays a role in photos of oneself, no matter how old one is, one way or another.

We didn’t see any other tourists walking to or from the falls.

We’ve noticed many of our Facebook friends are great at taking and sharing “selfie” photos. We admire them for that. But, whenever we try to take good photos of ourselves, they usually aren’t anything we’d like to post online and we don’t see the necessity of sharing our own persona in a photo when, if we want to look at ourselves, we can look in the mirror.

Not that getting old is bothering us. It’s just that we wish we had more time and the promise of good health to ensure we could carry on for decades to come. I suppose everyone starts thinking about wishing they had more time as we approach 70 years old, for me a mere two-plus year away.

Tom, five years younger than me, isn’t quite there yet in his thinking. I don’t think about it much, only on the days when I haven’t slept well, feel sluggish, and have bags under my eyes. 

 Vuadomo Waterfall.

When we were in Australia and I had an appointment with a female doctor, after being given a clean bill of health, she asked if I’d like to have Botox injections. She had learned how to do them and said I’d be a good candidate. 

For three reasons I turned her down; one, if I were to have Botox injections, I’d see a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist; two, if I had Botox injections how and where would I have touch-ups…in the Amazon or living on a remote island? Three, I don’t want Botox injections or any type of plastic surgery. Give me a break…I’m trying my best to age gracefully.

An orchid growing in the rainforest.

That’s not to say I’m opposed to such measures if a person chooses to look younger or if one prefers to create an entirely different appearance. Who am I to judge anyone else when I put on some makeup and fix my hair each day? Does that require a certain degree of what may consider as vanity? I can justify it by saying I grew up in California and California girls always did their best to look “ready to go anywhere” at any given moment.

All of us have our routines to make ourselves look exactly how we’d like, our own personal routine and who’s to say or judge what one person does over another? Certainly not me.

The creek running from the waterfall.

Yep, when we go on a day trip, I bring a tube of lipstick. Yep, when we go on an overnight trip, I bring a little black bag with six items that I use every morning to look my best for the day. Does Tom care, one way or another? He hardly notices. At night, when I wash it all away, he loves me exactly the same way. I do it for me.  It makes me feel my best.

A few readers have written suggesting I ditch my cosmetics, cut my hair, and wear baggy tee shirts that I can buy in our travels (mostly with words on them) and baggy khaki shorts. In their well-intentioned suggestions, they think that would be “easier” for me. I thank them for their well-meaning suggestions. That wasn’t me 50 years ago and it’s not me now. 

The creek on the return walk.

I wasn’t a sweatshirt kind of girl, nor did I wear baggy sweatpants around the house on the weekends. Not that I dressed up to clean the house or cook. I’d wear jeans, shirts, or well-fitted tee shirts, comfortable and totally perfect for what I needed to accomplish. 

Now I wear shorts and long-wearing, short sleeve cotton tees with 5% spandex that last through many washings and wearings, purchased at a great online shop in the US, for which I order replacements each year to be shipped with our next box of supplies. 

The clean water was appealing as hot and sweaty as we were.  With shopping ahead of us, we decided against getting wet.

At the moment, I have six of those tee shirts in varying colors I’ve yet to wear as I repeatedly wear my older inventory until it starts becoming threadbare. I’m saving the new ones for the many upcoming cruises, preferring not to wear worn old clothing on a cruise.

In our old lives, I had closets filled with off-season clothing and my own walk-in closet in the bedroom filled to the brim with color-coordinated clothing all hung in the same direction, all on no-slip velvet hangers. 

Tima and Rasnesh, long time friends, after many hikes with tourists to the waterfall. 

Now, I have one suitcase with clothes. Now, I don’t have a clothes rod, only a few shelves for stacking. Now, I have three sandwich bags each with a few extra cosmetic items, just in case, I can’t find them at a local pharmacy. I don’t own a single face cream or skincare product, no body lotion, no hand cream, no self-tanning product, using coconut oil, and insect repellent as needed. 

Vain? Perhaps, in that, I still, and always will continue to prepare for the day as I have all of my adult life. And, I’ll always carry that tube of lipstick whether on a safari in the savanna or on a hot and humid hike into the rainforest. That’s who I am and will always be. 

The water was clear and clean with no signs of human visitors in the area.  We’ve seen no trash or liter in any area of this island. 

Taking a “selfie” and posting it online?  Nah, that’s not us.  We’ll continue to include photos of us together when we have someone along that can take the photo, as we’re posting today, and will again when we soon celebrate our three year anniversary of traveling the world.

A line from Popeye, the sailor man, “I yam what I yam and that’s all that I yam.” (Here’s the video from 1933).  Guess that line could apply to all of us.

Have a glorious day!

  Photo from one year ago today, October 27, 2014:
Front Street in Lahaina, Maui on a beautiful sunny day.  We enjoyed the walk along the popular beachfront boulevard.  For more details, please click here.

Part 1, Vuadomo Waterfall…A walk through the rainforest…More photos tomorrow…

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Typically in rainforests, we’ve observed insects and birds as more colorful than in less dense areas of vegetation. Tima spotted this caterpillar we’d easily have missed.

With Internet limitations and the difficulty of uploading photos at times, it’s necessary to break up the sharing of photos into “parts,” as has been the case in many places we’ve traveled.

We’d considered sharing fewer photos, instead, sharing just the highlights. For two reasons, we decided against that concept, preferring to break up our photos and stories into “parts” sharing those we find most appealing as we work our way through hundreds of photos we may take in a single outing. 

We giggled over this saying advertising a “10-minute” walk to the waterfall which may have been the case for young athletic types but certainly not for us old-timers, walking gingerly to avoid falling!

Our first reason for sharing as many photos as we can over a “series” is the fact that our readers have requested more photos. Secondly, it’s for the ongoing documentation of our travels at an online location that we hope will be available for generations to come. 

Today’s waterfall photos and story will consist of two parts, today’s and tomorrow’s. The trek through the rainforest to the Vuadomo Waterfall was in itself, quite an experience, stopping along the way to take many photos and to revel in the beauty of the exquisite remote jungle.

A short wooden ramp of three logs led to the stone path.  When we ventured across those three logs, I expected a wobbly hike once we were on the rocks.  Tima and Rasnesh waited for us while we loaded an extra battery into the camera.

Throughout the world, we’ve trekked through rainforest after rainforest. In essence, they are all similar in the vast amount of vegetation creating a canopy that at times blocks the view of the sky.This is where the similarities begin and end.

Here’s a definition of a rainforest:

“rainforest

/ˈreɪnˌfɒrɪst/
noun
1.
dense forest found in tropical areas of heavy rainfall. The trees are broad-leaved and evergreen, and the vegetation tends to grow in three layers (undergrowth, intermediate trees and shrubs, and very tall trees, which form a canopy) Also called selva.”

rain forest in Science 

rainforest

(rān’fôr’ĭst)  

A dense evergreen forest with an annual rainfall of at least 406 cm (160 inches).

Our Living Language   : Most of the world’s rainforests lie near the equator and have tropical climates. However, cooler rainforests exist in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and Canada. The world’s largest rainforest is located in the Amazon River basin. The Amazon rainforest has been described as the “lungs of our planet” because it continuously recycles carbon dioxide into oxygen, with a significant percentage of the world’s atmospheric oxygen being produced in this region. Besides helping to regulate the world’s climate, rainforests host an extraordinary diversity of life. Scientists believe that as many as half of the Earth’s different species of plants and animals are found only in the rainforests, which take up a mere 7 percent of the world’s landmass. By some estimates, more than half of the Earth’s original rainforests have already been burned or cut down for timber or grazing land, and more than 130 plant, animal, and insect species are thought to be going extinct daily as a result of the lost habitat. Currently 25 percent of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from tropical rainforest ingredients, and 70 percent of the plants with anticancer properties are found only in this shrinking biome.“

We often hear about rainforests in reference to the above described Amazon River basin and the fact that so much precious plant and animal life is dwindling daily having a profound effect on our planet; the loss of plant, animal, and insect species all vital to our existence in a myriad of ways.

Rasnesh pointing out a passion fruit tree, early in its blooming stages.

As we’ve seen and visited all over the world, there are many massive smaller rainforests in many countries, many we’ve visited in our travels, each with its own unique forms of life and vegetation, although each possessing a similar vital aspect to our world’s ecosystem.

I could spend days on this topic even in my limited knowledge, if only from personal experience over these past three years of world travel. And still, we’ve yet to visit the Amazon which is well on our radar, with our next visit to a new continent earmarked as South America, once we’ve completed our short visit to the US in the summer of 2017.   

A budding passion fruit.

Here is Savusavu, we need only to look out the window where we can easily feel a part of the ecosystem in this densely forested area overlooking the sea. Although our immediate surroundings may not be specifically referred to as a rainforest, living in this jungle-like area gives us a perception of doing so, especially when only across this expansive bay in front of us, we traveled by car to Vuadomo, entering a true rainforest on the trek to the waterfall on the privately-owned sacred grounds of the Vuadomo people.

To call the walk to the Vuadomo Waterfall a “trek” is by no means a misnomer. It’s indeed quite a trek. At certain points, I was reminded of the dangerous trek to the Queen’s Bath, (click here for the story and photos), one we foolishly insisted on doing, only grateful for the experience long after it safely ended.

A passion fruit flower.

The walk to the Vuadomo Waterfall was steep and unrelenting with a narrow rocky base at times interrupted by steep uneven steps to navigate to a higher elevation. After all, waterfalls are generally located at an elevation to some degree. At one point, our ears popped.

Rasnesh and Tima escorted us on the tour, steady on their feet in their familiarity with the trek. With Tima insisting on offering me a hand over the most difficult parts, I stopped periodically to wipe the sweat off my hand onto my pants. The heat and humidity were bordering on unbearable.

This time of year in the South Pacific, papaya is getting ripe and ready for consumption as it turns yellow.

As we walked in a single file, Tom and I spoke of the difficult long-ago trek to Petra, Jordan (click here for the story and photos) in the scorching heat of 40C, 104F. Although it was a dry heat, it literally dried the moisture in our mouths, making swallowing difficult. 

However, this trek through the Vuadomo rainforest with a temperature of 32C, 90F, and humidity at 100% (it rained on the drive), we were almost equally uncomfortable, sweat pouring off of our exposed skin.  Not one to sweat much, I was surprised by the droplets of sweat pouring off my face, dripping down my arms and off my hands. Tom was the same. 

These tony chilies are often for sale in the Farmer’s Market. 

At no point, did we consider turning back or complaining aloud. Over wet rocks and slippery vegetation, we continued on, anxious to see the waterfall we’d heard so much about from the locals. All we needed to do was get there and back without stumbling and falling.

We enjoyed the trek, stopping for photo ops that Tima and Rasnesh pointed out in their experience of many times over these rocks. Whether it was a tree with fruit, a caterpillar as shown, or a bird in flight, we stopped to observe, never feeling rushed, especially as Tima reminded us many times, of “No rush, this is Fiji. Nice and easy.”

These huge leaves which Tima referred to as elephant ears are different than the same-named common household plant in the US.

Her thoughtful assistance, insight, and educational comments made the journey all the more interesting and enriching. Finally, after about 20 minutes, we heard the waterfall shortly before it was visible. The sound of the rushing water sent a thrill through both of us.

Ah, Mother Nature, when did you create this treasure, by no means the biggest waterfall we’ve seen but, supremely beautiful even on the cloudy day? Through our research we haven’t been able to ascertain when this loveliness was first spotted by the human eye, nor was Tima aware of this fact.

The grass was wet here making it important to fit our feet onto the individual stone steps.

We could only assume that as long ago as the villagers first settled in Vuadomo they stumbled upon this exquisite gift from their God or higher power, lovingly nurtured by Mother Nature in her exquisite rainforest design, trees to the heavens of many varieties, many fruit-bearing, birds and small creatures each in their own way contributing to the ecosystem.

We were indeed in a rainforest and although it wasn’t the Amazon it was a place where we’ll always recall in the list of the many rainforests we’ve visited in our travels, each unique in its own way.

Still, at quite a distance, we gasped with delight over our first peek at the waterfall which is much larger than it appears in this photo.

The waterfall, although not huge, which we hadn’t expect, was as beautiful as rushing water can be.  With recent non-stop rains the water easily flowed with an intensity we found mesmerizing. 

At the final destination, Tima pointed out a wooden bench suggesting we stop to rest and partake in the magnificence of the waterfall while we recovered from the long trek. The cooling spray from the waterfall was more refreshing and soothing than sitting down, as we languished for a while, enjoying the view.

A creek flowed from the waterfall pool.

After photos, we were back on the trek to return to Rasnesh’s vehicle awaiting us at the entrance to the path.  We’d brought along only one bottled water which by then was almost hot when we each took a few much-needed sips.

Soon, we were back on the highway leaving the area located across the bay from our temporary home to return to Savusavu for our weekly shopping. We were hot, sweaty, and satisfied with the great experience, breezing through the shopping with relative ease, ending up in the air-conditioned supermarket, the only location in Fiji we’ve visited with AC.

Rushing waters in the creek below the waterfall.

Rasnesh had to pick up a traveler from the airport giving us more time in the market than we needed with its only three aisles. While shopping, we met a lovely couple our age, she was from Florida, USA and he was from Canada, who’d been sailing their catamaran in the world’s sea over the past eight years, soon to settle on the Big Island in Hawaii. A lively conversation ensued, making the wait for Rasnesh fly by.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with a new story which will include our final photos of the Vuadomo Waterfall including photos of us (at long last) and our guides. With many more yet-to-be shared photos from this and other outings, we don’t expect to run out. Especially, when in three days, we’ll be out again and in five days, we’re off to celebrate our three year’s long travel anniversary with many new photos of our upcoming celebration and tour of Namale Resort.

Happy day!

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

We drove to Lahaina, the most popular tourist town in Maui, surprised by how few tourists we spotted on the streets. The Hawaiian Islands are most busy during the winter season in the northern hemisphere, especially closer to the holiday season. For more details, please click here.

Part 2…Unbelievable day in Fiji…A cultural experience filled with wonders!

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Upon arrival in Vuadomo, Tima,  standing on the right, came out to greet us warmly shaking our hands and leading us toward this structure where handmade crafts are offered for sale by the local women.

Nothing we do in our travels is more fulfilling than meeting the local people and having an opportunity to share the treasures found in their area, on their lands and in their villages, those which they hold in reverence and high esteem.

Most likely, these craftswomen of Vuadomo sit here all day waiting for tourists to arrive. It isn’t necessary to call ahead to let make them aware of our pending arrival. We didn’t see any other tourists while we visited, only one passing taxi on our way in.

Witnessing these treasures through their eyes and ours gives us a perspective, if only for a flash in time, of how they live among one another, cherishing the land and nature to provide them with everything they need.

As we entered the area of their marketplace, we were warmly welcomed and asked to sit and relax for a few minutes on the benches provided as shown on the right in this photo.

So is the case for the villagers of Vuadomo who have managed in their creativity, to utilize the beauty of their surroundings on the lands owned by their ancestors, to create a source of revenue to offset the costs for those aspects of life not provided by their gardens, their livestock and the seemingly endless sources of food from the ocean adjoining their lands.

Ratnesh explained he may bring tourists to see the waterfall a few times each week. He isn’t charged for entrance to the village on each occasion. Only the tourists are charged the token entrance fee of FJD $10, USD $4.64 per person, plus the gift of kava for the chief.

Yes, we were a little taken aback to see they had cellphones but, we saw no TV antennas, no satellite dishes, no cars, and no other motorized means of transportation. They do have electricity, septic systems, and well water.

The women were friendly hoping to sell their handmade jewelry.  Instead of making a purchase, we left a tip.

Many of the 80 residents, living in a total of about 16 modest homes, had small garden plots with plenty of chickens and roosters. We heard the sounds of goats but didn’t see them, although pigs and piglets were plentiful wandering freely throughout the property, most gathered by the water. We saw no cows in the immediate area.

A worn but adequate house in the village.

It’s a simple life with idle time spent in the evenings drinking kava, in the same manner, many others throughout the world gather for “happy hour” or enjoy alcoholic beverages with meals. 

Tom was equally fascinated as I was, as we wandered through the village with Tima.

Tima explained that drinking kava peaks the appetite. Often, there will be a variety of home-baked sweets available for “snacking.” It’s all a part of the ritual, a part of their everyday lives.

These chickens and roosters were outside the chief’s house (Tima’s grandfather).

Most of the villagers we encountered were rotund as a result of this pastime pleasure. Diabetes is rampant in Fiji, becoming worse each year. Ratnesh explained that with free medical care with accompanying free medications, many Fijians accept this condition as a part of life. Some Fijians have lost teeth due to years of drinking and chewing kava along with other health-related conditions.

Some of the homes were in ill repair while others were more up to date.

Comparable to overuse of alcohol, overuse of kava and addiction is not uncommon, especially in the male population. Apparently, women drink kava on social occasions and celebrations although not as regularly as men. These old traditions live on through generations.

This structure is used for ceremonial rites and kava drinking.  We’d seen similar structures when we visited the Masaai village in Kenya.

As Tima took us through the village, we had the opportunity, if only for a short time, to imagine the lives of these gentle, kind people. There’s never been a single moment since we arrived on this quiet island that we have felt unsafe. 

Breadfruit is abundant in Fiji. Tima explained the sweet fruit is commonly used in meal preparation.

Their joy for life at a slow pace with little anxiety is evident in almost every Fijian we’ve met, whether they are native Fijians or Indo-Fijians whose ancestors immigrated from India and who practice Hinduism. Please see this link for more on the Indo-Fijians who encompass 43% of the population in Fiji.

Tima showed us (me, Tom, and Ratnesh) the “lali,” a wooden drum in varying sizes from 2 to 3 feet which is used as a church service bell, alerting the villagers that it’s time for the service. With “Fiji time” it may not be at the same time each week.

The Vuadomo tribe are practicing Christians with a church located on their property as shown in the photos below. The pastor, who doesn’t live in the village, visits weekly or as needed to conduct services. We were both surprised by the size and beauty of the church as we gingerly stepped inside, careful not to tread too far into their sacred space.

This quaint small church is ideal based on the number of villagers in Vuadomo, named as a memorial to a former pastor.

We had no idea that the tour of the waterfall would include so much more. We couldn’t wipe the smiles off of our faces as we wandered about the property, in awe of these people and the home they’ve provided for themselves with resourcefulness, simplicity, and dignity.

There are no pews or chairs in the church. Sitting on the ground is common for Fijians of all ages. 

How fortunate and humbled we are to have this inside peek into the lives of others so far away from whence we came, not only in distance but also in lifestyle. They, too, like us, are eternally grateful for the treasures they’ve received through hard work and determination and ultimately, the gifts they’ve been given by the grace of their chosen higher power.

The houses vary in degrees of maintenance and care based on each owner’s preference.

In the realm of things, none of us are any different. We find our place in the world doing our best to survive and thrive with the tools we have available. We often feel sadness and angst over what appears to be poverty when in fact, many of those we perceive as poor look at our lives of over-abundance, thinking how rich they actually are.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more photos and stories of the resources in the Vuadomo village that provide sustenance for the villagers. Please check back!


Photo from one year ago, October 24, 2014:

We’re always happy to have a dining table and chairs as opposed to sitting at a countertop for meals. The condo in Maui had everything we could possibly want or need. And yet, we’ve found we do well without a TV, dishwasher, AC, or other modern conveniences. Even now, in Fiji, we manage with a less than comfortable bed and daily visits from armies of ants. For more details, please click here.

At long last, we have sunshine…Transportation…Safety…All new photos…

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This morning’s sunny day.

Yesterday, we called Ratnesh to pick us up tomorrow at 11 am for a dual purpose; sightseeing earlier in the day, shopping after sightseeing. We’re excited to be getting out.

We’d hoped to get out on Tuesday, but on Monday, he called and canceled when he had a long-distance fare to Labasa, where another airport is located, a two hour drive each way from Savusavu.

When we first arrived, we offered to request his services for specific dates, and at times when it was most convenient for him with our schedule wide open. If he has a fare where he’ll make more than with us to various sites and the villages, we’ve encouraged him to take it.

View from our veranda to the three-unit vacation home as a part of this four-unit resort. The lawn guy is here today, mowing and trimming.

We hadn’t negotiated special rates with him when we arrived when the amounts he charges for trips to the village or for an hourly rate for sightseeing is so reasonable. As we’ve mentioned in the past, here are the costs of his services:

  • FJD $20, USD $9.39: Round trip to the village for shopping, dropping us off and picking us up when we call.  We add an additional FJD $10, USD $4.70 when he helps us carry our purchases to the house.
  • FJD $30, USD $14.09: Cost per hour for sightseeing. 

We’ve noticed when we do both, sightseeing and shopping on the same day, we’re charging for the trip to the village, plus the hourly travel rate. Ah, who’s to complain at these reasonable prices? If we’re gone for four hours at FJD $120, USD $56.35, it’s a very fair fare (no pun intended)!

When we recall paying for taxi fare in London in August 2014, when we visited the highly rated pub (Andover Arms) on two occasions, the round trip taxi fare was USD $50, GBP $32, FJD $106. In Fiji, that amount would give us almost four hours on the road!  

Colorful ocean view from our area.

Although four hours on the roads in Vanua Levu may sound exciting, on this remote island, it would be four hours of bumpy roads, dense greenery, and occasional ocean views, all of which we love and easily experience on shorter trips to specific destinations. We prefer aimlessly driving when we have a rental car, stopping as often as we’d like for photos and restroom breaks.

With the sun shining, we’re excited to get out more often, subject to the availability of the only driver in this village willing to tackle the steep road in this resort area. It would be impossible for us to walk down the long mountainous road. For mountain climbers and seriously fit hikers, it may not be a problem.

How easily we could feel trapped. But, long ago we decided, after realizing we’d need drivers in various countries, we accepted that there would be days we’d want to get out and weren’t able to do so, based on our driver’s availability. Sticking to the same driver or their designated co-driver has been important to us, particularly when safety has been an issue in several countries.

The bright blue of the bay is breathtaking from this elevation.

Upcoming in 46 days, when we fly to the next Fijian Island of Viti Levi, the larger main island, where we’ll stay for one more month, we’ll be renting a car at the Nadi Airport and driving two hours to our new location, again a private house. 

With high crime rates in the downtown Nadi area, when we booked Fiji long ago, we’d decided to stay in another more, remote location where the likelihood of crime is greatly reduced.

Many tourists stay in the Nadi area in resorts and hotels, generally insulated from criminal activities when on site. The risks for tourists escalates when out on the streets in the busy city, as we’ve been warned by the locals here who often travel to Nadi to visit family. Muggings, pickpocketing, and carjacking are not unusual.

Another ocean view from our area.

With our preferred choice of vacation homes as opposed to staying in hotels, we usually don’t have the safety net of on-site security as is often available in most hotels. Generally, one can feel relatively safe from crime in a hotel, although there are isolated exceptions.

Currently, we’re living in a resort but, in the only stand, alone vacation rental house on the property. Further up the hill behind us is a separate building with three apartments, including one penthouse type upscale unit on the top floor. Mario and Tayana’s private residence is off to the side as shown.

When Ratnesh picks us up, he pulls into the driveway of the three-unit building in this resort. The driveway near the steps down to our house below is too steep for stopping the vehicle, making getting in and out nearly impossible.

Junior is around during the day and Mario is on-site in his separate house to our left as we face the ocean. We feel totally safe and protected in this ideal location.

Criminal activity on this island of Vanua Levu is almost non-existent. When we’ve driven by the courthouse on several occasions, located on the edge of town, there are no cars in the parking lot. Most likely, they only open when they have a case. From what we hear, it’s a rare occasion.

Oceanfront view of Mario and Tatyana’s house, much larger than it appears in the photos.  We took this photo from the steep road.

The fact that we prefer living in smaller towns and villages in our travels has more to do with our lack of interest in crowds and the fact that we don’t shop other than for food and supplies as needed. We love the quaint charm and nature of small villages and the friendly, less harried lifestyle of their people. 

For the average tourist, staying in a more populous area in most countries provides endless opportunities to find that special item to bring back home, for oneself, and for gifts for family and friends. Also, easy access to restaurants is an important factor for tourists whereas, for us, it’s irrelevant.

Side view of Mario and Tatyana’s recently built house.

We don’t send our grandchildren trinkets from all over the world. Instead, we send gift cards or gifts that they’d like, not what we think they’d like from a foreign country. If we did, at this point, their bedrooms would be filled with useless touristy type items, eventually to be tossed away. 

Maybe we’re too practical in the minds of others. Then again, how practical is having no home, no stuff other than what fits into three suitcases, a duffel bag and a laptop bag and, changing countries and homes every few months or less?

Have a beautiful and meaningful day!

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

We were entranced by this colorful Gold Dust Day Gecko, commonly seen in the Hawaiian Islands, particularly in Maui where we were living one year ago.  This gecko was located on the wall by the pool but, from time to time, we spotted them inside the condo, certainly no big deal. Generally, geckos are harmless if not annoying, leaving droplets of white poop and making peculiar noises. In Fiji, we see new gecko poop in the house every few days. For more details, please click here.

The driving force…Commitment to what seemed impossible…

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Fiji’s version of a “quick and easy,” or a superette.

Five years ago, if someone had told me that every morning when I settled in with my mug of coffee, nestled into the comfiest spot I could find, that I would write an essay about my daily life including new photos, I’d have laughed out loud.

In my career when I prepared a letter, an advertisement, or an article for a publication, I labored over it for hours to ensure accuracy, correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Often, I’d reread the item dozens of times. 

Was the message clear and concise? Was the content open and vulnerable enough to appeal to most readers?  Did a professional persona encompass the content?

Until I was satisfied, the work drove me on until completion, rarely taking time out for anything other than grabbing another cup of coffee or tea. Seldom, did I ever leave a project unfinished for another day unless it was a lengthy training manual or proposal I was preparing, in which case I’d only end the day at the end of a chapter, diligently beginning again the following day.

This classic Billy Goat is tied up.

It’s different now. Adrenaline isn’t pumping through my veins nor is my heart racing. After my usual two mugs of coffee, I switch to water or caffeine free iced tea. I don’t need the push. 

My only concern for the day is having ample photos to post. Has inclement weather kept us from exploring? Are the readers tiring of photos of plants, trees, and flowers, my go-to when sightseeing photos are dwindling from our last outing? Bear with me, they will continue.

It’s not a task, writing each day. Nor is it in the category of brushing one’s teeth upon awakening, a habit one can tackle with little if any, forethought. I don’t awaken dreading what lies ahead, the job I undertake each and every morning when we’re not on the move on a travel day. Hardly.

Today’s post is #1174, not a milestone, just a number. How does a person do over 1000 of anything, other than the routines and habits we incorporate into our lives on a daily basis? It’s hard for me to grasp. Were they not numbered, I may have guessed at a lot less, had I not done them every day, year after year, with numbers rolling around in my brain.

Homes for Fijians along the highway. Most homes are this type, above the ground to protect from water seepage.

In thinking of our loyal readers, all over the world, I often wonder if they read our posts as if its a newspaper article they fancy, in a similar way I’d search for Ann Landers in my old newspaper reading days, wondering what tidbits of wisdom I could glean from other people’s lives or perhaps reaffirm the simplicity of mine.

For reasons only imagined, our readers continue to read, through the mundane activities of our daily lives with the same enthusiasm as the excitement of major life-changing events. We marvel as we watch the stats daily, amazed how any one day’s content has little to do with the readership all over the world.

We see the excitement of but a tiny portion of our future; the Pantanal in Brazil, the Galapagos Islands, and Antarctica, all on our “to do,” list, all of which we’re researching now to be booked in the next year or so.  There’s so much world left to see. 

We’re not adventure seekers. We don’t snorkel, scuba dive, or bungee. We have limitations due to my health and yet now, gratefulness washing over me daily for what I can do, as opposed to what I can’t.

Clothes dryers aren’t common in Fiji as in many parts of the world. The humidity these past weeks has made line drying a few day process.

We love life, relishing in each day of good health, of another day to take a “crack at it” to shape and mold our existence to one of joy, freedom, and accomplishment.

The driving force behind this daily exercise in words and photos? To leave a legacy for generations to come? To document a once-in-a-lifetime experience for however long we are able to make it last? To keep our family and friends informed? All of these.

Above all, the thought that even one reader, wherever they may be, can enjoy a daily read that makes them smile, shrug at our foibles, become annoyed with our occasional whining, and say to themselves, “That crazy life is not for me!” This, dear readers, is the driving force. Thank you for the inspiration!

Photo from one year ago today, October 20, 2014:

We took this photo one year ago from the shore at our condo in Maui after police on jet skis had rescued a diver who’d been attacked by a shark. For details on this story and published press photos, please click here.

A day we’ll remember…Contact with the outside world…

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We can only imagine how frustrating it must be for sailors and tourists hesitating to partake in boating activities during this rainy period.

Yesterday was unlike any other day we’ve experienced in our travels. No, it wasn’t a typhoon or a hurricane, but it could have been. The winds whipped around this house shaking it on its stilts that hold up the ocean side of the house, the balance wedged into the steep hill. 

The rain came down as hard as we’ve ever seen, steadily, hour after hour. At one point Tom said, “Gee, I hope there’s not a landslide!” I hadn’t thought of that. Then, after he said it, I did think of how possible it could be living on the side of this mountain, after rain falling day after day with only a few exceptions since we arrived 39 days ago. 

(After today, we’ll stop writing about rain for a while unless, of course, if there’s a typhoon or we do in fact, float away. We’re tired of it too, as most of you are into reading about it. You’ll see it’s ended when we post sunny day photos).

On the last partially sunny day, we drove through Yaroi, a small village further down the road from Savusavu.

It was a good thing we shopped a day earlier, avoiding the worst of it. This morning, still cloudy and outrageously humid, the rain is stopped at the moment, for however long we don’t know. For the first time in days, we can see across the bay through a shroud of haze and humidity.

If the sun appeared today, we’d still have to stay put for a few days to let the roads dry, never expecting Rasnesh to make it up the steep incline on the dirt road which by now, is all mud. 

Houses of the local villagers lined the highway.

The house is still intact with only a little water seeping in through the jalousie windows which we kept closed during the worst of it, wiping it up throughout the day. This morning, we were able to open the windows again for fresh air and yet the windows remain covered in raindrops unable to evaporate in the humid air.

Four days ago, I did some hand washing, and today it’s still damp. This morning, when I grabbed my pill case to swallow a few prescriptions and vitamins, most of them had disintegrated into powdery dust. I salvaged what I could and replaced the rest. Now our pill cases will remain in the refrigerator which is already packed to its limits as shown in yesterday’s post.

School for special education.

Two years ago, we thought the humidity in Kenya was the worst we’d ever seen. The zippers on our luggage turned green from the humidity. Since that period, we’ve become smarter and regularly zip and unzip the bags at least every few weeks whenever we’ve lived in humid climates.

Yesterday, Junior, soaked through and through, stopped by to see if we were OK. That’s the kind of service we get here. And later than usual, Shalote came with fresh towels and sheets to change the bed. She, too, was soaking wet. I wondered how her slim, lithe body would manage walking in the strong winds.

Entrance to the school which didn’t appear to be in session.

Sure, we’re looking forward to getting out to see more of this island’s beauty and to take many more photos.  But, we’re easily maintaining an upbeat attitude keeping ourselves busy. 

This rainy period of time has given us the opportunity to investigate future travel options and slowly, we’re coming to a place where we’ll be able to pin down some decisions. Once we do, we’ll certainly share them here.

We weren’t able to determine if this old structure is occupied.

During food prep yesterday, I couldn’t seem to get my hands or the wood countertops dry no matter how many paper or cloth towels I used. By the end of the day, my fingertips were wrinkly comparable to spending a long period in water. 

Even the cloth furniture and our clothing felt damp. Thank goodness the temperatures remained cool enough to make the humidity a little more tolerable.

Most houses are on some type of raised structure in the event of inclement weather.

As for today, we continue to be housebound. With a 70% chance of rain hopefully dwindling over the next week, we’re content with the current situation knowing eventually, we’ll be able to get out and about. 

Tom’s been busy with his favorite pastimes; Ancentry.com, managing investments; connecting with his railroad cronies, family, and friends on Facebook; watching and reading US news; and listening to his favorite radio podcasts from Minnesota, KSTP 1500, “Garage Logic.” He used to wear earbuds when listening until recently when I’ve also enjoyed listening to the show.

Beaches are still eye-catching on cloudy days.

Yesterday, I downloaded 10 books in “Kindle Unlimited” at Amazon.com (USD $10, FJD $21 a month for all the books one can read, never having more than 10 “checked out” in any given time). In 24 hours, I’ll breeze through two books especially when my computer was busy downloading movies and TV shows on Graboid.com preventing me from doing anything else at the same time. In one day, I used five gigs of data, more than the average person may use in a month.

These online resources provide us with entertainment, information, and contact with the outside world. With our newly purchased Vodafone Internet dongles, we have a great connection, easily able to enjoy our pastime activities.

Have a peaceful or action-packed weekend, whichever suits your desires!

Photo from one year ago today, October 17, 2014:

A year ago today, we were settled into our new home in Maui, a beautiful condo overlooking the ocean with a pool and everything we could possibly need.  With the prospect of Hurricane Ana still looming, Tom decided he’d better check out the beach outside our condo before the deluge. For details, please click here.

Along the Hibiscus Highway with all new photos!…

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Digicel SIM card sales office and The Canteen, a quick and easy shop, used primarily by tourists and locals needing to purchase a few items when the stores are closed.
With cloudy weather continuing day after day, much to the surprise of the locals, we hesitate to explore with the prospect of rain. Many of the roads on this fairly remote island are rough and uneven, making rainy day travel illogical.

Each day we wait to call Ratnesh to determine if the clouds will cover what appears to be an otherwise sunny morning. By the time we finish posting the clouds have rolled in for yet another cloud-covered day.

Boats at the marina in the village.

As much as we love getting out, we don’t mind the cloudy days, keeping ourselves busy at home as many retirees do some days each week. We don’t all get out every day. 

When living in a metropolitan area, one can wake up rain, shine or snow and decide to make a trip to Costco, Sam’s Club, Starbucks or have lunch with a friend or significant other, none of which are available to us in most areas of the world we visit.

An old structure that may or may not be utilized.

If we were still living in Minnesota as retirees, an experience we’ve never had, when we left on the day Tom’s retirement began on October 31, 2012, we’d be busy with family and grandkid’s activities, visiting with friends, going to Target, Costco and Home Depot. 

In addition, we’d be spending considerable time with maintenance and upkeep of our home both inside and out; snow removal in the winter, gardening in the summer, making endless repairs throughout the year. 

Greenery along the Hibiscus Highway as we head to other villages.

We’d have been busy like most retirees who are fortunate enough to have good health and a modicum of financial stability to be able to enjoy a variety of activities. 

Instead, here we are, living in the second-largest island of Fiji, Vanua Levu, a quiet, unhurried life with no Home Depot, no Costco, or familiar chain restaurants with a gluten-free low carb menu. Our new “friends” are the lovely Fijian people we’ve met and with whom we interact almost daily. 

Cows are often found grazing close to the highway.

Over these past three years we’ve learned to find joy and contentment in our simple, unobstructed surroundings, the beauty in a newly discovered plant, bird, or tree, or in idle chatter in communicating with our family and friends through the magic of the Internet. 

Life isn’t always about the next “big” thing, the next adventure, the next unique sighting, or the next life-changing experience. For us, it’s the simple aspects of life that bring us the most overall joy and fulfillment; love, companionship, good health, a roof over our heads, availability of fresh food, and the blessed opportunity to share our story with all of you.

Thank you for traveling along with us, in good times and not-so-good times, as we continue on this journey.  You all mean “the world” to us!

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

It was one year ago that we found ourselves worried about the flow of the lava from erupting Mount Kilauea heading in the direction of the houses we’d rented for the upcoming family visit in December. In the end, it all worked out but not without a bit of worry along the way.  The lava continues to flow at this time. For more details and maps, please click here.

The nuances of daily maid service…Its different for us…

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A glimpse of loveliness.

We’re a bit ambivalent regarding daily maid service which has been provided in many countries we’ve visited to date. We’re still uncertain if we prefer this often included daily benefit or not.

It may be surprising, but in most vacation homes providing housekeeping services, the renters have no alternative but to accept it. After all, this is how the staff earns a living.  To say we don’t want the service, or if we prefer it less frequently would create a dilemma for the owners or property managers with the potential loss of income for the staff, which we’d never want to occur.

They can’t reduce the employee’s wages commensurate with a renter’s preference for “less” service. The employee’s workdays are centered around servicing all the properties in a resort, such as in this property with a total of four units: the separate house called the Blue Banana (where we live), two units on the pool level, and a third top floor luxury unit located in the single building up the hill from us.

There are two housekeepers, Shalote and Usi, that alternate a three-day shift for a total of seven days of coverage. As a result, we have daily maid service.

Bananas growing outside our window.

For us, staying almost three months, it’s different than a two or three days or even two-week stay for most tourists. Our cleaning needs become more comprehensive over time as dust accumulates throughout the house which may usually only be attended to during the time of a turnover. 

The usual daily service includes; making the bed, adding fresh towels and toilet paper, and a quick wiping around the bathroom. Floor sweeping and washing are done based on request. Laundry service is provided at an additional charge, although this has been included based on our long-term stay.

Renters, in some properties, may be expected to do their dishes and keep the kitchen clean if used. From what we’ve heard over these past years, many may leave a mess in the kitchen for the staff to handle. Many other renters rarely use the kitchen, preferring to dine out for most meals, only using the refrigerator for breakfast foods and snacks, and rarely, if ever using the stove. 

When we lived in Marloth Park in South Africa at African Reunion House, a glorious upscale property, Zeff was our daily housekeeper. His job included not only cleaning and laundry each day but also washing, drying, and putting away dishes from the previous night’s meal and a comprehensive kitchen cleaning as needed. We never left dishes or a mess for Zeff.

Orchids blooming due to Junior’s green thumb.

Neither of us leaves dirty dishes in the sink overnight and we have always cleaned the kitchen after food prep and dining, regardless of the availability of housekeeping services.

Now, here in Blue Banana, we leave the kitchen spotless in the evening after dinner.  Tom washes the dishes, leaving them to drain. Later in the evening, I dry them and reset the table putting pots and bowls away. It’s a simple process requiring little time and effort. Neither of us can imagine leaving the mess for a housekeeper even if our visit was only for a short period.

In Morocco, we had a household staff which included a cook and support staff. We’re weren’t permitted to cook, do dishes or prepare anything other than coffee and light snacks that didn’t require cooking. We accepted this situation with the grace and dignity expected from the refined staff.

It’s a little ambiguous here in Fiji.  As we’ve noted in many other countries, including maid service although usually kind, responsible, and competent, is often inconsistent, not only in arrival time but in performing various tasks.

These lovely flowers emit a stunning fragrance.

Preferring not to “ask” for much based on the included daily maid service, we usually do most of the cleaning ourselves; the bathroom daily, the space where we sit in the living room including the glass coffee table and the entire kitchen including washing the refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, and countertops. 

We sweep the entire house almost daily especially after a busy day of food prep. With the tiny counter space, it’s easy to make a mess on the floor while chopping and dicing. With the ongoing ant situation, keeping all areas clean is crucial. 

While cooking a few days ago, I found hundreds of ants trying to get inside the refrigerator as on the indented handle (a groove) on the door for opening.  My hand must have been greasy when I opened the door, leaving the tiniest bit of grease behind, not visible to the naked eye. 

Opening the fridge, I found the entire gasket seal’s grooves filled with ants. Taking everything out of the tiny fridge, we washed everything, including the rubber sections in the gasket, using a rag over a top of a butter knife to gain access. We could hardly have left this for the staff to clean.

We’d love to be able to feast on these coconuts but opening them isn’t possible without a machete and an accurate swing.

Since that occurrence, I make a concerted effort to wash the entire exterior of the refrigerator after preparing meals to ensure this doesn’t occur again. This morning there were multiple long trails of ants on the bathroom counter, including a few in an empty contact lens case I had drying on a paper towel. 

One morning I awoke to find a dead ant swimming in the saline solution along with a contact lens (I tossed the lens and sterilized the case). We can’t expect or wait until housekeeping arrives to handle these scenarios, nor do we even mention it to Mario. The ants?  It’s life in Fiji. 

The longer we’re here, we learn ways to keep them under control without the use of toxic chemicals. We purchased a small spray can of a toxic chemical using it only when washing with hot soapy water won’t suffice, removing all food, dishes, and appliances in the area and staying outdoors until the fumes have fully dissipated.

Our bed is made daily, sheets changed every three days. We receive two fresh towels every other day which we’ve learned to use twice when in our old lives we used bath towels only once. We also received a few kitchen towels upon request but never quite enough as I continue to hand wash the towels almost daily.

These exquisite flowers are easily spotted by peeking over the veranda railing as we look out to the sea.

We certainly don’t mind doing some housekeeping. It keeps us moving, as opposed to sitting on our butts all day. Fortunately, cooking everything from scratch does require a fair amount of time standing in the kitchen keeping me active most days. With no fitness center anywhere to be found, days spent cooking keep me from sitting too long.

The laundry service provided is working well. Usi provides same-day service while Shalote delivers the neatly folded items the next day. Either way works for us. Other than underwear (I hand wash mine), we wear most of our tee shirts twice and shorts several times, hoping a little less washing will extend the life of our clothes.  

In a perfect world, we like having a comprehensive cleaning once a week. Whenever we’ve had that service, we’ve paid for it ourselves when in many vacation homes, it’s not provided.  When we move to Viti Levu in less than two months, we’ve asked the owner to arrange a weekly cleaner for us, for which we’ll cover the expense for the one month stay.

The aspect we continue to enjoy the most with household staff is the interaction with these lovely people including occasional visits from Junior. All locals, with deep roots in Fiji, continue to offer us history and insights into their daily lives which we’ll continue to share over these next months.

Happy day to all.

Photo from one year ago today, October 11, 2014:

Tom was smiling at the menu at the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant in Waikiki one year ago. The food was excellent and we returned night after night for dinner. I ordered a perfect Cobb salad every night with the big chunks of well-seasoned chicken and ripe avocado. Tom had the burger, fries, and onion rings since he splurges in restaurants and on cruise ships  For more details, please click here.

Oh no, not again!…

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This popular “island with three trees” is mostly underwater at high tide.

Technology is vital to our way of life. It is imperative for us as a means of transportation or a place to live.  Without it, we can’t research. We can’t manage our finances. We can’t source entertainment. 

Unless, we were willing to do it the “old way” the way it was done in years past when travelers wrote letters or sent telegrams to homeowners in various countries asking if they could rent a room, apartment, or house for a long term holiday.

Cross atop a distant rock on the shore at low tide.

As time progressed, most travel arrangements were often made through travel agencies. But for those seeking a vacation home, one was basically on their own. It’s only been through the magic of the Internet that short term rentals of fully equipped properties have evolved into a major industry, allowing travelers such as us, the luxury of using technology to connect “us” with “them” all the way across the world.

No, we’d never have been interested in this degree of travel by researching the old ways, via letters and static riddled long-distance phone calls. No, thank you. Also, the means of transportation have vastly changed over the decades, making it possible to fly to at least within a day’s car ride to almost anywhere in the world, so to speak.

We drove by the runway our plane used when we arrived at the tiny airport in Savusavu.

Thus, when you read, day after day, our ongoing struggle with attaining a sound Internet connection, please know, it has a tremendous effect on us. Do we spend a small fortune to call our bank when we’re overcharged for getting cash or do we go online, send an email to receive an adjustment within hours? Then again, how would we know we were overcharged? By waiting up to three months to receive a bank statement via snail mail? 

The backside of the tiny Savusavu airport.

How would we get cash? Walk into any bank expecting them to hand over cash from our account in the US?  Hardly, we’d have to set up special communications between the banks after weeks of waiting to be able to get cash for daily living. Not the case today, with technology. Yesterday, Tom slipped his debit card into an ATM machine to walk away one minute later with FJD $600, USD $283, thanks to technology.

Without this, without technology, our hands would be tied.  This life we live requires constant diligence is researching the next phase of our journey, maybe not daily, and at times, not weekly.  However, everyday we handle some aspects of our upcoming travels.

A large  inflatable raft for use of guests of nearby resort.

Everyday, we look up exchange rates.  Everyday, we research numerous web pages to assist us in accurate representations in our posts.  Everyday, we post, uploading photos and stories we’d surely never write without technology .  Instead we’d be using a paper journal with my scratchy inept handwriting, nearly impossible to decipher.

No crocs are to be found in these waters in Fiji.

Photos would have been a nightmare to handle.  Would we carry scrapbooks or photo albums with us all over the world?  We take approximately 10,000 photos a year.  How much would it have cost to have them printed in those days?  Technology.  For us, the answer is clear.

Far across the bay as we drove on the highway.

When we continually mention issues with technology, we anticipate our readers may cringe upon noting the post’s topic and say, “Oh no, not again!”  For this, we apologize.  But, we made a promise when we started this life, documenting our daily lives as we go that we’ll always tell it like it is.  No fluff, no embellishment, no painting of an unrealistic picture of pure bliss.  Telling it like it is, isn’t always interesting and glamorous.

Yesterday, when we visited the village, we purchased two wifi dongles at the Vodafone store for FJD $88, USD $41.51 including 10 gigs each of data, the local cell phone and Internet provider.  When we returned home, we had a strong signal up until around 7 pm. 

Low tide presents some interesting islands.

Today is a holiday, Fiji Day, the celebration of the nation’s independence.  As a result, Fijians are home for the holiday weekend and getting online on their phones and making calls.  The already congested Internet was so poor this morning we had no signal at all.  Now, we’re back up, perhaps temporarily, hopefully long enough to upload this post.

We have no doubt that once the weekend ends, we’ll be online again with more ease, using the technology available to us, conducting necessary banking and checking credit card balances, making free Skype calls to family and friends, posting photos and stories and resuming the search for the next opening in our itinerary, as we continue on our journey.

We never tire of ocean views.

So, after today, we’ll put an end to our endless comments about wifi during the remainder of our time on this island of Vanua Levu.  If you don’t see a post on a particular day, please accept our apologies and know, baring any unforeseen incident, most likely, we were unable to post due to a lack of signal and we’ll be back as quickly as possible.

Thanks to all of our loyal readers and followers.  If you’d like to receive each day’s post in your email, please enter your email address in the box provided on the main portion of any day’s post.  You will not be contacted by us or any other entity by doing so. 

Have a fabulous weekend!

_________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, October 10, 2014:

Waikiki Beach and Honolulu are a photographer’s dream as shown in our photo at sunset one year ago.  For more details and photos, please click here.