Tally of our expenses for 75 days in Marrakech, Morocco…A year ago…A once in a lifetime experience…Check out the photo!

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This creative display is so Morocco, brilliant colors, beautifully presented.

With our massive spreadsheet opened, this morning I entered the final numbers for our expenses while living at Dar Aicha in Marrakech, Morocco for the past 2.5 months up to and including when we board the plane tomorrow.

These wristbands are marked “Lovely Price 20 dirhams,” which is only US $2.44.
The grand total including virtually every possible outlay came to a whopping US $14,028.63, MAD 15,0018.84, Euro 10277.11, GBP 8322.63. This averages to US $187.05 per day or US $5611.45 per month, within our monthly budget.
These little pots are often a tourist takeaway.

The stay in Morocco has been the highest cost per day for any two to three month period while living in a vacation home. The bulk of the reason for this increased amount is not due to our general expenses while here.  It’s a result of the higher cost of the rental, more than we’ve usually paid, at slightly more than US $8100, averaging at US $3240 per month.

Handbags, backpacks, and luggage and boots are often appealing to tourists at low prices.

We realize that some locations result in higher expenses. Dar Aicha’s rental rate included the expenses for a staff of four to which we added a 10% tip prorated to each staff member paid in two installments, based on the amount of work they’ve done for us. 

Morocco is known for its spices with Certified Spices a must!
Madame Zahra and Oumaima received higher amounts of the tips while Adil and Samir the lesser amounts. We paid the second half today again receiving warm hugs and kisses of appreciation. Ouch, it’s hard to say goodbye.
Chess, checkers, and Parcheesi sets are commonly offered for sale in the souks.
The costs for meals including dining out, the few snacks we purchased at the grocery store, bottled water, and dining out (including tips in restaurants) came to a grand total of US $2583.13 which is 18% of the total expenses, averaging at US $34.44 per day. 
Bangles and a variety of bracelets are a huge draw for tourists.

This amount is no more than our average monthly cost for groceries (which included paper products and cleaning supplies) in the US when we rarely dined out. In this case, we dined out 33 times with Madame Zahra cooking all the remaining meals. Dining out often cost close twice as much as dining in.

Silver-plated trays are affordable but bulky to pack.

None of these numbers are surprising to us. Overall, we were US $500 under budget. Wow! Budgeting certainly helps keep the expenses in perspective. There is no way one could travel as we do without a documented handle on expenses. It’s that budget that drives our expenditures, our luxury spending, and the occasional unexpected extras leaving us with peace of mind.

These scarfs were for sale for MAD 20, again only US $2.44.
It is that peace of mind that enables us to forge ahead, plan and look to the future with excitement and anticipation knowing full well that our journey can and will continue, health providing, long into the future.
Burberry knockoffs are a commonly offered item in the souks.
Tomorrow, with a plan in place to leave Dar Aicha at 2:00 pm to head to the airport we’ll again post as we wrap up the packing and say our goodbyes to the staff.  We will continue to post tomorrow before departure and again while on the two-hour layover in Lisbon, Portugal if we can find a WiFi signal. At least this is less than desirable laptop holds a charge long enough to last during the layover.
Yes, Marrakech had antique vendors with most items open for negotiation at reasonable prices. 

I get a lump in my throat over saying goodbye to Madame Zahra and Ouimaima who have graced us with their presence each day. We are grateful.

Very grateful.
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Photo from one year ago today, May 14, 2013:
Based on the fact that the trip to Petra was a 12-hour expedition, we didn’t post on May 14th, the day of the actual excursion. Instead, we posted over the next few days as we will here as well.

This was our view as we made our way through the narrow passageways in Petra. The three-hour walk to the Treasury in the Lost City of Petra, Jordan was long and arduous, downhill on the way in and uphill on the way back. This journey was definitely not for the faint-hearted. Visiting Petra was one of the most amazing experiences of our lives, contrary to our usual lack of interest in historical buildings. This was a once in a lifetime “must-see” that will remain with us forever. More photos will follow over the next few days. For details, please click this link.

Flight and car booked for Madeira…Spend! Spend! Spend!…Ouch!

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Our view from the salon (living room) looking into the center, open-air courtyard while writing each day. It’s cloudy today.

We’re at a point that the money will be flying out the window between now and the end of August. 

Yesterday, we spent US $795 for one-way airline tickets for two from Marrakech, Morocco to Funchal, Madeira which much to our delight,  is only a six-hour flight including a layover. We’d budgeted US $800 for this flight when we booked the house almost two years ago and yesterday paid US $795.

Thu May/15/2014
 –
Departure

1
stop
 Total travel time:

5 h 55 m
custom air icon Marrakech Lisbon 1 h 35 m
RAK
4:30pm
Terminal
1
 LIS
6:05pm
Terminal 1
TAP Portugal  243
Operated by
PORTUGALIA
Economy / Coach
(V)
|Seat

Layover:
2 h 35 m
custom air icon Lisbon Funchal 1 h 45 m
LIS
8:40pm
Terminal
1
 FNC
10:25pm
TAP Portugal  1639
Economy / Coach
(V)
|Seat

Most likely we won’t arrive at the house until well after midnight with the necessity of driving up the steep unfamiliar roads. This particular flight with TAP Airlines was our only option from Marrakech. 

As for the car rental, we’ve learned our lessons in our past travels. In order to avoid paying the entire two and a half month rental in advance plus the “excess” they charge to hold on the car, over $5000, as in the past, we booked one month at a time. 

If the car rental company won’t renew the rental for this same monthly amount, we’ll order another car close to the end of the first car rental period for the next month, dropping off the first car and picking up the second car.  It will be necessary to do this for one more time for the last two weeks of our two and a half month stay. The Funchal, Madeira airport is no more than 30 minutes from the rental house making this back and forth no big deal.

Here are the details for the first rental car:

Car: Alamo Rent A Car, Funchal, Portugal (FNC)
Driver: Thomas Lyman
Base price: €439.92
Taxes & Fees: €182.18
Car total: €622.10

Car Economy
Pick up: Thu 05/15/14
10:30 PM0
Funchal, Portugal (FNC)		 Drop off: Sat 06/14/14
10:30 PM
Funchal, Portugal (FNC)

The car rental is shown in Euros, not US dollars, which results in US $859.49 for one month. By the end of our two and a half month stay, we’ll have spent $2149 for the car rental for which we’d budgeted $2900 which included fuel, leaving us on target in this area as well. 

The next item we have to pay is the balance of our rent for Madeira which is in the US $2000 range. In June, we’ll pay for one of two upcoming cruises, US $3497 (cruise begins on August 31, 2014) and the second on US $3216 on July 1 (cruise begins on September 23, 2014). Many more outlays follow in August and there on which we’ll share later.

A part of the reality of traveling these days is the necessity of paying well in advance of receiving the product or service when attempting to get the “best deals.”

My dinner last night, a mixed grill with an extra side of veggies. 

Although most hotels don’t require advance payment unless booked through online services. (We book most of our flight, hotels, and cars via Expedia.com on our website.  Feel free to do the same at any time. We make a small token when any of our readers click our links, which help offset the cost of maintaining our website. No pressure. But, it doesn’t cost you an extra penny to use them).

Based on some great rates we received on a few of our future hotel bookings, we chose to pay a few in advance, such as the hotel stays upcoming in the next five months for Vancouver, BC; Boston, MA, and Paris, France. Booking these hotels are required as stopping points while we await the cruises.

The only hotel we haven’t paid in advance is in London on August 16, 2014, for the above-mentioned total of US $3216 (for a period of two weeks). London is pricey. Also, at the beginning of May, we’ll have another outlay of US $4500 for more tickets for our kids to Hawaii with only one more to go down the road.

All in all, we’ll be paying out $1000’s over the next four months, all of which we’ve budgeted. Undoubtedly, we must carefully watch our spending over the next several months.

Tom’s dinner, a grilled filet mignon with a side of mushroom gravy and three circles of mashed potatoes. Notice the lack of vegetables. That’s my guy!

I’d hope to purchase a new camera now to be included in our box of supplies being sent to Madeira next week. Based on these bigger expenses at this time, I’ve decided to wait until after some of these expenses are paid and behind us. Tom encouraged me to buy it now. But, my practical nature prohibits me from doing so.

Most likely, when we arrive in Boston on September 21, 2014, we’ll head out to purchase a new camera and two new laptops.  Tom’s screen is cracked and continues to crack as a result of a hinge problem. Mine? Well, we know the problems there! A cheap HP with a bad keyboard and other issues.

Yes, we cringe over this big expense that seems to come all at once. Living as carefully as possible, when all is said and done, we stay on track with our budget.

Today, we’ll stay in for another evening of Madame Zahra’s fine food, minus spices, continuing our comprehensive planning, and budgeting. And of course, a little bit of Gin playing is definitely in order, especially with me in the lead, a rare occurrence. Perhaps, I’ll be the winner in Morocco, logging my first “country win” with only 26 days to go.
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Photo from one year ago today, April 19, 2013:

The excursion offered that day was a visit to this cruise line owned beach in Turks and Caicos. There was no way we were interested in baking in the sun for three or four hours, paying for lawn chairs and umbrellas when we had the ship’s pools almost to ourselves. For details from this date, please click here.

Road trip begins tomorrow monring at 8:00 am…Atlas Mountains…Sahara Desert…Time change in Morocco…No clue…

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The pointy-toed shoes remind us of magic carpets and flowing gowns typical of the perception of Morocco which is not too far from reality…minus the flying carpet, of course.

This morning, Samir stopped by to discuss our upcoming trip. As a matter of fact, he asked if we knew there had been a time change by one hour, four days ago. We did not know! We wondered why we were called to dinner at 5:30 last night, an hour earlier than our usual 6:30 PM. We proceed to go to the table on several occasions mentioning how nice it was to eat while it was still so light! Go figure. How would we have known?

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 am, Adil will come to get us to lead us through the shortcut to Mohamed’s awaiting new white SUV who will be our driver over the next three days as we explore the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert.

These shoes looked comfy in soft leather, particularly the rounded toes styles. I’d certainly buy a pair if I had the room.

For two nights we’ll be staying in two different hotels, at varying elevations in the mountains. Although I have no interest in going to the highest points in the mountains at over 13,000 feet, we’ll certainly be at higher elevations than either of has traveled in many years.

Our hope is that we’ll have no trouble adapting to the elevation. But, “they,” say the elevation randomly has an effect on people, some with little consequence and others who become very ill with AMS (acute mountain sickness) when reaching altitudes above 8000 feet, 2400 meters.

This was the pile of belts from which I selected the black one on the top.  The shop owner installed a buckle that I’d chosen from a bag full of buckles. You’ll see me wearing this belt in future photos. I’ve found that a belt and a little costume jewelry can dress up an otherwise boring outfit.

At this point, with Samir making all the arrangements, we have no clue how high up we’ll be traveling.  Tomorrow, we’ll find out how high up we are able to travel. We’ve decided it we become ill, we’ll immediately return to a lower elevation.
 
This morning, it took me all of 10 minutes to pack with only the necessity to add the toiletries I’ll use in the morning. My current minimal wardrobe makes packing easier than ever for such a short trip. The same goes for Tom who is also down to a skeleton clothing supply.

This style of shoe is commonly worn by the locals, ideal for slippers but, there are very thin for walking any distances.

Getting away for a few days will serve us well, as we’re almost halfway through our time in Morocco, a time in all of our two to three months stays, that we decide its time to getaway. This is no different than the vast population who live in their permanent home most of the year, occasionally deciding to go away for a few days.

Over the past week or so we’ve begun booking flights for our 13 family members meeting us in Hawaii in December in less than eight months. With holiday season airline tickets selling quickly, we’ve worked fast and furiously to lock in the flights. So far, we’ve purchased nine tickets with four more to go. It will be a huge relief to have this part out of the way. 

These colorful bowls are often used for serving food.  One might be concerned about lead content when unsure of the materials used in making these.

Next week, we’ll book our flights to Madeira only a month away and also a rental car for our 75 days on the island. With “island” rates comparable to Hawaii (for which we’ll also book a rental car next week), we’ll pay a premium. The house in the hills of the mountainous island of Madeira would make using taxis impractical and cumbersome. 

Right now, we’re experiencing huge expenses: upcoming flights, cars, rental fees, and our trip away for a few days, all of which add up quickly. No less than three or four times a day, we consult our budget, adding new expenses as they occur, checking, and rechecking. 

Outside the Medina, in the new city, we encountered many ice cream shops. The flavors are appealing to me (viewing purposes only). If Tom were to order some, most likely, he’d choose boring vanilla.

Traveling as we do requires constant diligence in planning and documenting expenses, never for a moment feeling we don’t have a handle on our current financial situation. This is not unlike those budget-minded individuals, that may be in the minority, that keep track of expenses in their daily lives.

These creamy swirls made my mouth water.  Tom reminds me that I’m a food voyeur.

Honestly, in our old lives, I didn’t keep track of our day to day expenses on a separate spreadsheet, documenting every dollar spent in every category. I’d set up our bank account to record expenses but not to the finite detail we do now. 

Although, at many times in our old lives, I’d promised myself I would create a budget and stick to it. Ha! How many of us have thought about doing that? Many. How many have actually done it? Few. Very few.

Back at the Medina, we made our way to the souks for our return walk. 

We usually upload a post by noon, our time here in Morocco which may reach you in the morning, depending on your current location. While we’re away, you should be able to see a post by Thursday evening.

In the event there is no post on Thursday, please understand that it may be due to a poor or non-existent WiFi signal at the hotel. We’ve been told the signal will be fine but as we know from experience, it may not be able to upload our site with photos. Even in the remote Maasai Mara while on safari all day we were able to post with photos in the evening.

Hopefully, we’ll “see” you tomorrow!  Until then…
                                                  _________________________________

Photo from one year ago, April 9, 2013:

No photos were posted from one year ago today, April 9, 2013, our travel day from Belize to the cruise ship. Instead, we’re posting a photo from March 8, 2013, which we’d yet to repost. 

Gosh, we were tan! Now, we’re pasty white without a single sunning day in months. This photo is from March 8, 2013, when we’d been in Placencia, Belize for over a month, after spending one hour in the warmth of the sun each day.  For details of that date, please click here.

OMG!…I dropped my laptop and broke it!!…What now?…Plus, a funny video!…Photos from the river at dusk…

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Sunset at dinner on the Crocodile River. Notice the Crocodile swimming across the river in the lower left. We watched for a considerable time, hoping he’d exit the river. Instead, he languished in the water, eyes revealed while waiting for his dinner.

Wednesday afternoon, while carrying my laptop from the first floor to the second-floor loft which we use as a living room on hot days, (it has AC), for no reason at all, the laptop fell from my hands dropping onto the stone floor.

This lower-right corner of my laptop broke when I dropped it, disabling the touchscreen feature. There are numerous hairline cracks throughout the remainder of the screen.

Horrified, I bent down to pick it up, as shards of glass skittered about the floor. Oh, oh. I felt sick to my stomach as it set it down to see how severe the damage and if it would still work.

The sky over the Crocodile River manages to be more beautiful than many other areas.

Immediately turning it on, I was amazed to find it working. The damage was to the touchscreen which no longer works and there are cracks across the screen affecting the viewing of the screen. It was clear that I’d need a replacement.

As the night fell, with the distance across the crocodile, it was tough to get clear shots. This was the first time we’d seen more than one waterbuck at a time.

Tom and I have each had our own computers since 1992, when we decided that sharing was not an option when we both enjoyed being online simultaneously, frequently talking, laughing, and sharing tidbits of information we gleaned in the process. 

Sorry for the blur. These photos were taken from a vast distance near dark.

Now, 22 years later, we are online at about the same time, ensuring neither of us is ever annoyed when the other is spending extended periods online. Currently spending a half a day, each day, writing here and posting photos, and, later working on photos for the next day, there’s absolutely no way we would or could share.

Luckily, this funny video intended to offset some of my angst over dropping my laptop on the stone floor, breaking the touchscreen monitor. 
Wednesday, when my 14-month-old Acer Windows 8, 15.6″ Touchscreen laptop hit the floor, the thought of having to share with Tom in order to continue writing our story, was the first thought in my mind. 

If it was completely destroyed, all of my files were backed up to the free cloud, Dropbox, leaving me with no worries about losing the 1000’s of photos and documents relative to our travels and financial matters.

View from the veranda of the Serene Oasis Restaurant as we watched the Crocodile cross the river from the Marloth Park side to the Kruger National Park side.

For Tom, as a part-time researcher and proofreader for our site, having to share his computer would result in our world becoming upside down until we could figure out a replacement. Looking online I panicked when a comparable replacement with fast international shipping would be well over US $1000, ZAR $10,921. 

A waterbuck and white bird hanging out on the river bank.

Our laptops serve as not only a source of writing about our world travels, but also as a means of staying in touch with family and friends, banking, financial matters, tracking our expenses, and current and future planning.  Plus, without watching TV, it’s a significant source of entertainment when we’re not out and about.

When one only cooks dinner four times per week, has the house cleaned by others twice a week, has all the laundry washed, dried, and folded by others twice a week, one must have a source of distraction for several hours each day rather than staring into space. These services were all included in our rental.

A pair of waterbucks, posing from afar.

Our primary source of entertainment each day since arriving in Marloth Park on December 1st has been the glorious experience of sitting outside on the veranda, waiting for wildlife to visit. Although much of our time is spent scanning the bush, we still have ample hours to peruse online while we wait.

Yes, we do go out no less than three or four days/nights each week, loving every moment. We all have some downtime to fill. Perhaps for us, with no household chores to tackle, no lawn to mow, no garden to weed, no snow to shovel, we have more free time than most. I’m not complaining. We love it!

Five waterbucks walked across this shallow area of the Crocodile River to visit this island.

We discovered that purchasing a comparable laptop online, presented its own share of issues: international shipping and customs fees, add as much as 25% to the price. Also, a mailed computer could easily get stuck in customs upon entering South Africa, never arriving before we leave in five weeks.

If anything were to go wrong with the replacement, dealing with it from afar would be cumbersome when Skype is our only means of making phone calls. 

After all this time, I still haven’t had the broken screen on my smartphone repaired after I dropped it on the cement by the pool in Belize last March. With the inconvenience of arranging for service from outside the US, it wasn’t worth the trouble. Yeah, I know. I’m clumsy, breaking both a phone and a laptop in one 12 month period.  Tom says I’m “a bull in a China shop.”

Finally, darkness fell and we went indoors for dinner.

Bless his heart, Tom didn’t say a negative word.He knew I was torturing myself enough for both of us.He offered to swap laptops with me, but I refused. Why should he have to deal with this? 

We contacted Louise, our lovely property manager, asking if there was a nearby computer store. Alas, we were in luck. She told us that there was a quality store in Komatipoort and to ask for her friend Jorge. We were heading there for groceries anyway, so this was perfect. 

Off we went at noon with Okee Dokee. She knew exactly where the computer store was located, tucked away down a long alley in the back of other stores. If we’d still had a rental car, we’d have had a heck of a time finding it.

Meeting with Jorge, I explained all the specs I wanted, basically a newer model replacement of my touchscreen computer which sells online in the US for around US $700, ZAR $7705.39. Jorge, a very kind man, said he’d call or text later in the day when he got a quote for the replacement.

A few hours later, Jorge sent a text with the price for the replacement, which proved to be twice our original cost, twice the current price online in the US. His price was US $1350, ZAR $14,860, all-inclusive. I flinched.  Yes, this would avoid shipping and some customs fees. And, we may have considered it, if it had been any other brand name than offered, not worthy of a bashing mention here.

Later, back at home, I decided to make a serious assessment to determine if I could live with the damaged computer. Last night, we watched a movie after returning home from dinner. After a while, we got used to the cracks in the center of the screen.

I can still use the computer using keystrokes to maneuver, as opposed to the ease of using the former touchscreen. I can get past the cracks and the continuous dropping of small shards of glass. I can make it work until we get to Boston in less than eight months where we’ll make a new purchase if it holds up until then.

At least it wasn’t a snake bite. Or, a centipede sting! In the realm of things, having to pay for a replacement laptop is merely an annoyance and unexpected expense. By the time we get to Boston, our laptops will be two years old anyway and we both may be due for a replacement. 

We’ve been very blessed in our travels these past 15 months. Who’s to complain? Not I!

A precious photo from a friend… Food prices in Marloth Park, an affordable place to live…

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Our new friend Ken also loves warthogs, as shown in his photo at his home in Marloth Park. Thanks, Ken for sharing this special moment. See, I’m not the only one that loves the warthogs in Marloth Park. These homely animals have adorable personalities making it possible to differentiate one from another, as they visit almost every day. The female in the background is on her knees eating pellets. As shown in the past, warthogs usually eat on their knees, adapted since birth with “built-in” callouses.

Not only is Marloth Park one of the most amazing places to live on the planet, but it is also surprisingly affordable. Based on our expenses to date, we expect to be under budget by US $2500, ZAR $26,620 for our three months here.

Most of the savings we’re seeing have been as a result of the reasonable cost of food, both at the grocery store, averaging at about US $150, ZAR $1597, per week and dining out two to three times per week at an average of US $30 per evening out including beverages, tax, and tips.

This small female warthog has been visiting with the huge camera-shy male who’s butt is to the left. She often stands looking at us, hoping for a pellet, while he stays back in the bush. They are always together. We’ve yet to determine their relationship since males leave the family unit once the female is impregnated. They may be courting, resulting in a rather long courtship. The impala in the rear was waiting to see what the warthog was going to do. 

Whether dining in or out, the cost is approximately the same. When budgeting for this 90 day period, we’d anticipated the remote location would result in higher food prices than most countries.  

Little did we know that the cost of food in South Africa would be affordable, as much as 50% less than we paid in the US. The produce is grown without pesticides, the meat is grass-fed and the chickens are free-range.

Duikers are loners. We’ve yet to see a baby, a pair, or a group.  Very shy, they rarely get close, preferring to observe us from afar.

Tom’s typical mixed drinks in most bars and restaurants, brandy and Sprite, are usually less than US $3.25, ZAR $34.61. My bottled water is usually US $1.13, ZAR $12. Tom says, “I can’t afford not to drink!” Two-liter bottles of a quality brandy at the local liquor store were priced at US $20.61, ZAR $220 including taxes. 

Since arriving in Marloth Park, we’ve purchased meat at the local meat market, The Butchery, next door to the Farmers Market where we buy our produce. It’s hard to believe the cost of these items. 

There are four packages of lean grass-fed ground beef in this batch, referred to as “mince” in Africa.  The total cost of these huge packages was US $17.23, ZAR $183.50. The forward huge T-bone steak is US $3.43, ZAR $36.47. In the rear of this photo is pork chops and lamb chops.  All of this meat will feed us for eight dinners, enough for two weeks considering our three-nights of dining out per week.

In browsing in a few local boutiques, we’ve found prices on clothing and accessories equally affordable. If we had room in our luggage, we’d most certainly purchase some much-needed items for our upcoming cruises in less than eight months.  

The total cost of meat for eight dinners for the two of us combined is US $37.04, ZAR $394.40, an average of US $4.63, ZAR $49.30 per dinner. Although the many familiar cuts of meat aren’t available, we’d been able to adapt quite easily.

Services are equally inexpensive as well.  Included in our rent is twice a week cleaning service. Zef, our house person, does a flawless job. Should we have wanted him for additional days beyond the included two times, the cost would be US $4.70, ZAR $50. He cleans the entire house and all three of the verandas and the pool.

As quickly as the mongoose moves about, making a delightful sound as they communicate with one another, it’s been difficult to take photos of multiples.  Yesterday, our yard was surrounded by a few dozen shy mongooses, happily chirping among themselves. They eat snakes making them welcomed visitors.

Our time in Marloth Park, including a few side trips, is proving to be more affordable than any country in which we’ve lived thus far. Add the beauty of the area and the ideal weather only hot a few months a year, temperate the remaining months. Of course, for us, the wildlife roaming freely around the house makes a return visit to Marloth Park in the future, rather tempting.

Photos of our house in Marloth Park… The nuances…How much is our rent?

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These photos were taken a few years ago by Louise and Danie. But the condition of the house has remained constant and these photos are exactly as we are experiencing this house. As a newer house, there is more vegetation close to the house at this time. The veranda to the right in this photo is where we spend most of our daylight hours.
There’s a veranda off of the living rooms on each level with another outside the kitchen door.

The only reason we’ve hesitated to post photos of our house in Marloth Park, South Africa is the same reason that most women will understand: Who wants to take photos of the interior of your house, room by room, without tidying every inch of space?

Dani takes care of finishing touches as they photographed the house, now all cluttered with our foodstuffs and miscellaneous supplies.

No, we’re not that messy. But, everything we own is strewn about the house in a reasonable state of tidiness, but by no means, to the degree that I’d love to have photos taken. 

It’s a pleasure to have use of all of the kitchen amenities, making cooking a breeze. 

We could take the time to go from room to room, of which there are seven, and organize it all, making it photo-worthy. Or, we could let the chips fall where they may and take “as is” photos. Not gonna’ happen! 

Currently, this bread keeper contains matches for starting the stove (required everywhere we’ve lived outside the US so far) and a few of our own kitchen gadgets.

Posting “as is” photos here isn’t as if only a few people will see them. With our rapidly growing worldwide readership, I cringe to think of how many readers would actually see our mess. No, thank you. I may be wearing socks with holes and only own a few items of clothing but my dignity is still intact. 

The stainless steel double sink has been a real boon for my favorite dishwasher, Tom. Having lived without a microwave for a year has made it of less interest to us now.

The first thing we’ll do when we get the rental car this Friday is to find a store to purchase socks. We’ve been told that they sell them in Nelspruit although selections are limited. Tom also needs socks. Who goes 14 months without buying a pair of single pair of socks or underwear? How weird is that?

We’ve moved some of the furniture to accommodate our needs, including the bar stools on which to set my laptop for movie viewing and some side tables to act as TV trays.  Thus, we can dine while sitting on the sofa, rather than on the backless bar stools.

Anyway, back to the house. We either had the choice to clear everything off of the shelves or, to use the photos Louise and Danie had used online that attracted us to this house and this location in the first place. We chose the latter.

Ah, a comfy sofa with ottomans. Indoors, none the less!

Thus, only a few of these house photos shown today were taken by us. As we’ve mentioned in the past, anytime we use a photo taken by others, we will disclose it. 

To the right in this photo are the sliding doors to one of the three verandas, two of which have the iron gates, as do all of the accessible windows, to protect us from animals entering the house or in the event of theft which is a rare occurrence in Marloth Park.
Here is the door from the living room to the master bedroom which we keep closed at all times to keep the insects out. Keeping the outside doors shut at all times is vital to keeping the interior insect population under control. There are no screens, but the three AC units make this less of an issue when inside.  Plus, we spend most of our day outside on the main floor veranda, fearful of missing any of the action.
The second-floor loft/living room.

This isn’t to say we won’t post photos that we’ve taken of the house of insects, creatures, and unusual situations we encounter indoors, for instance, the photo of the live bat, I found in the kitchen sink yesterday morning which has been saved for the next “Small Things” post for next month.

Our photo of the second floor bedroom which I use as a dressing room.  What a luxury!

 

The master bedroom on the main floor where we sleep is almost identical to the upstairs bedroom which I use for storing my clothes and as a dressing room. With two en suite bathrooms, we avoid bumping into each other. There are two beds in the master, full size and a twin size. We sleep in the full size which is the smallest bed we’ve slept in thus far.
Main floor en suite master bath.

We like this house. It’s small but has everything we need; two stories, two bedrooms, two en suite bathrooms, two living rooms, a well equipped modern kitchen, three verandas, a plunge pool, and fabulous bedding and towels. 

The second-floor soaking tub which I’ve only used once. Soaking in a bath has always appealed to me.  However, the brownish colored water, although safe for bathing, makes doing so unappealing. 

It’s clean and well maintained. A few odd items require a “workaround” such as;  the main split Dutch door from the kitchen to the veranda sticks, making opening and closing tricky; the pool has a slow leak which requires refilling each day; the location of the light switches and lack of easy access outlets is tricky; the kitchen windows are too high to see outside (to prevent monkeys from trying to get in) making it impossible to see the driveway from the kitchen. 

The veranda off of the second-floor living room.

Most homeowners often have a number of annoying items in their homes, many of which after a period of time are simply ignored.

Excellent views from this second story veranda.

Twice weekly, Zef arrives to clean the house, change the linen and towels, clean the verandas, the pool and take our latest batch of dirty laundry to be returned the following time. There’s always lots of gecko poop everywhere. Zef gets it all.

To the left are the steps from the kitchen to the main floor veranda we use most often.  We’ve yet to use the outdoor grill since most of the food we’ve made has required stovetop cooking.

The house aside, Louise and Danie are the most attentive, helpful, kind, and responsive hosts one could imagine. On a dime, they’ll rush over if we need assistance, as in the time we locked ourselves inside or, on the hottest day thus far when one of the three AC units quit. They were here in minutes from our reporting it. 

The small pool, although lovely, has more appeal to the wildlife than for us. 

Where does one get this type of service? Their dedication to all of their guests in the many properties they own and manage in Marloth Park is astounding. When they made the food for the Bush Braai after the game drive in Kruger Park, they cooked everything suitable for me. I won’t let this happen again!!!

As has been the case with most of our vacation rentals, we’ve been able to negotiate excellent rates for a couple of reasons; first, we usually stay for extended periods, and secondly, during the extended stay, we’ll continue to promote the property. 

This is a sizeable boon for a property owner with our extensive (and growing) worldwide readership, often motivating them to offer us a more reasonable price than the “going rate” which ultimately proves to be more befitting to our budget.

Here is our previous photo of the outdoor Braai area. With so much rain lately, we’ve yet to use it. It fills with rainwater from which the visitors drink. The hose is held in place by the rock on the ledge of the pool keeping it easily accessible for adding more water each day. I couldn’t resist including this photo without a photogenic visitor! 

The usual nightly rental rates for this house in Marloth Park ranges from ZAR $1500, US $147 to ZAR $2000, US $196, (during high season which is now). Most vacation homes are rented for shorter periods resulting in nightly “hotel’ rates.  

Almost two years ago, when working with Louise to determine this special “long term” pricing, we settled on a nightly rate of ZAR $350, US $34.30. This appreciated and affordable rate has resulted in a budget allowance sufficient for a rental car and the expenses for game drives, bush braais, and visits to other areas.

Included in the rent are the twice-weekly cleanings, paper products, cleaning supplies, laundry service, all utilities, cable TV, and the most attentive host and hostess in the land. And of course, included is the endless stream of visitors stopping by on a regular basis.  How can we ever put a price on that?

Counting our remaining supplies…Prepping to leave…No wastefulness here…Our food costs in Kenya for three months…

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We’re not as tidy as we used to be but there is no cupboard space for food. None of these items will be packed to travel with us. “Use ’em or “lose em.”

In a perfect world, we could pack up our equipment, clothing, and toiletries and hit the road in 15 days.  It is not that easy.  If money didn’t matter, it would be less of a concern. We’d “pack and go” leaving food and household supplies behind without a thought.

Money does matter and using up our supplies makes economical sense. Gosh, if money didn’t matter, we’d have a strong, competent helper traveling with us to pack, carry our bags with nary a thought of excess baggage fees.  In a perfect world.

Here we are, 15 days and counting until we board a plane for the necessary two days of travel to get us to Mpumalanga, South Africa. (It took us a minute to figure out how to pronounce that, “Puma, Langa”). 

As time flies at this late date, we begin to access our supplies, determining what to keep, what to toss, and what to give away. One biggest consideration is our remaining food.

In an effort to live as “normal” a life as possible everywhere we go we purchase basic foodstuffs and household supplies.  You know, all the food in the cupboards and on the door in the refrigerator plus paper supplies (baggies, paper towels, toilet paper, parchment), insect repellents (for body and air), bar soaps, etc.

We’ve discovered that approximately halfway through any of our extended stays, we begin to take note of what we need to use up before departing. Our lifestyle allows for no wastefulness, nor do the countries in which we live. Cautious use of power, water, and the accumulation of trash are a big concern for all of us in today’s world.  We’ve especially conserved power and water with the many outages over these past months.

Our budget is fixed and we make every effort to maintain the integrity of its intent. We have no allowances for wastefulness.  If I use a zip lock bag for a chunk of cheese, if it smells good when empty, I store it on the door of the refrigerator for one more use. 

When we order ebooks, we choose a few from the thousands of “free” ebooks to offset the cost of purchasing one for US $8.95, in order to bring the average cost down to US $3.00 each. Thank goodness we have no books to pack!

 
This is our tiny freezer.  We’ll easily use what we have on hand before we leave, unlikely purchasing any more frozen meat. We eat nuts for dessert every night. Tom likes peanuts and I prefer raw macadamia, almonds, and cashews, all locally grown. Keeping as much as we can fit in the freezer prevents the possibility of monkeys raiding the kitchen.

In our old lives, if a tee shirt had a stain, I would either try to get the stain out entirely or toss it. Not the case now. We save those for our “staying in” days, wearing nicer clothing when we leave the house. No longer can I jump in the car to drive to Old Navy to buy another batch of tee shirts for each of us.

Paper towels are flimsy in Kenya and still, I use one sheet at a time compared to my prior flippant use of sturdy paper towels. Tissues and toilet paper are equally flimsy but, we’re grateful to have any, using it sparingly. 

This morning we began counting the remaining nights we’ll dine in while checking our remaining supply of meat in the freezer and the food in the tiny fridge. 

With one more necessary trip to the grocery store to purchase water, cheese, nuts, and insect repellent, we’re contemplating the value of dining out for all of our dinners during the final week of November.  This morning, I calculated the cost of purchasing more “dinner” food as opposed to dining out (calculated through our final day here) in order to make a determination:

US $4500.00-Combined grocery and dining out budget for the entire three months in Kenya

US $184.46-Average weekly grocery expense x 12 weeks=US $2213.52

US $129.06-Average weekly dining out expense x 12 weeks=US $1548.67
(calculating an average of 3x per week, including the 6 days for the final week)

US $3762.19-Total food and dining out the expenses for the full 12 weeks

US $737.81- Unused balance remaining in the food budget, which in our minds,  covers the cost of our three day anniversary stay at the Diani Beach resort from October 29 to November 1, 2013. (We actually knew before we booked the resort that we’d have extra funds in our food allowance that would cover the resort expense).

The top of the tiny refrigerator has been used as a cupboard.  Spices are only available in these large containers. The enchilada sauce has no wheat or sugar. The local grocery store Nakumatt has some surprising ingredients, but is lacking in many familiar items for which we’ve learned to improvise, no longer giving it a thought. 

As a result of these calculations, we’ve decided to dine out each of the final six nights in Kenya while using the remaining food we have on hand, adding veggies from the produce stand on the road as needed. Any remaining food and household supplies will be given to Hesborn and Jeremiah (along with the last of the three months of divided tips we’ve given to each of them at the end of every month).

Now, back to the frustrating search for 11 nights in a hotel in Honolulu. Hopefully, we’ll have this resolved in the next few days to free us to begin the process of packing our boxes to be shipped to South Africa and the no-longer-overweight luggage we’ll be bringing aboard the plane.

Of course, at the end of our stay, we’ll share our total living costs in Kenya for the three full months, including the cost of our safari which by far was the best money we’ve spent so far!

At last…The elusive Bush Baby within feet of us…Cigars and seafood platters…

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A Bush Baby eating a banana next to us last night as we dined outdoors at the Leopard Beach Resort. A small platform was set up for the Bush Babies loaded with bananas to encourage them to visit the guests while dining.
Although extremely shy, Bush Babies aren’t tame and are very cautious around scary-looking humans. Their bulgy eyes cause the flash to reflect off their eyeballs presenting this eerie look. Little did we know, when we selected our table close to the trees that we’d be as close as we could get to their natural habitat.
They use their “little hands” to firmly grasp their food.  They leap from tree to tree so quickly that we were unable to get a shot in flight or on a tree.  Once they hit the tree trunk, they hide, blending in with their surroundings. Unbelievably, we saw one of them leap backward from this stance to a tree, never once looking behind them. Oh, Mother Nature, thank you!

Mother Nature has been kind to us. We saw The Big Five in the first 10 hours on safari. We’ve seen monkeys and baboons in our yard.  We’ve heard the chorus of a thousand frogs singing in the night. We’ve been an eyewitness to many of the scary and not so scary insects in Kenya. 

We didn’t move. Holding the camera in my hand, with my elbows on the table, using no zoom, we got this shot. For a moment, I wondered if she/he would jump on the table and steal my lobster tail.

We’ve watched and heard the mating calls of dozens of birds we’d never seen or heard before each day as we live in our outdoor living room now that spring is in full bloom in this part of the world.

I could have reached out and touched this Bush Baby but we both sat motionless, allowing her/him to check out the food on our plates. With no bananas in sight, it quickly moved on.  We felt fortunate to take the shots we’ve shown here. They are fast!

But, two creatures have eluded us; the curious dung beetle that we missed while on safari, the search motivated by our safari mate David, and in our own area, the elusive Bush Baby, a shy, nocturnal animal that expertly leaps from tree to tree during the night, eliciting sounds unfamiliar to most human ears.

Ordering the seafood platter for two resulted in a fabulous meal we both enjoyed, each receiving our own huge platter.

Last night, as our “safari luck” will have it, while leisurely dining at the Leopard Beach Resort in Diana Beach, one of our wishes was fulfilled, the Bush Baby made an enthusiastic appearance; snap, snap, snap. Thank goodness I always take my camera wherever we may go!

Tom’s platter included white rice.  He ate everything on his plate, except he moved the calamari, cauliflower, and broccoli to my plate. 

Long ago, Tom and I decided we would not write negative reviews of local restaurants and resorts if they didn’t meet our expectations. There are other sites and other reviewers who may choose to do so. We both agreed that a facility can have an “off” day or night and it would be unkind to tarnish their reputation over one of those days.

The staff at the Leopard Beach Resort and Spa must have had one of those “off” evenings last night as we toured the facility, arriving at 6:00 pm, finally leaving at 10:00 pm,, after dinner and a few unintended mishaps.  We’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.  Of course, the appearance of the Bush Babies made the dinner memorable in itself along with the excellent seafood dinner.

While at the bar, we noticed this cigar menu. Tom had hoped to order a Cuban cigar to enjoy in our outdoor living room, but for whatever reason, they were out. Not a cigar aficionado, he had no clue as to an alternative, so he passed.  (KES $1000 = US $11.76).

Their restaurant, The Chui Grill was excellent, the service impeccable, as our devoted waiter who ran circles around us to ensure a positive experience, which in fact, we had while dining, although the meal was expensive compared to the other resorts, KES $6389.30, US $75.13. 

With our new plan to dine out 3 times a week and, after careful calculations, this morning, of what we’ve spent on dining out thus far, as compared to our dining out budget, at this amount per time, we’ll remain within our projections. In reviewing the calendar, we’ll dine out 17 more times until it’s time to move on.

The grounds at Leopard Beach Resort were expansive, meticulously maintained, and well-staffed.

I seriously doubt we’ll spend this much since most of our dinners have averaged KES $4618.20, US $54.30, including beverages, taxes, and tips.  Taxi fare goes into the taxi budget of KES $85050, US $1000 which, at this point, we’ve spent under KES $25515, US $300. 

Based on the projected number of times we’ll use a taxi to grocery shop and dine out, we’ll be well under the budget, using the balance for the monthly tips for Hesborn, our houseman, and Jeremiah, our night guard. (There are day guards at the gate as well, day and night).

Once we add the tally of our final costs for the 3 months in Kenya we will share these with you, down to the penny.  From how it’s looking now, over halfway through, we’re rather pleased.

Today, after literally wiping out every morsel of food in our tiny fridge and cupboards, we’re heading out to grocery shop at 11:00 am with our usual driver, Alfred. 

With our new plan to eat out 3 times a week, we’ll grocery shop every 2 weeks as opposed to once a week purchasing only enough food to last for 8 days and water and snacks (mostly cheese and nuts) to last the full 2 weeks.

Gee…its fun calculating this stuff! I’m like a “pig in the mud” with an Excel spreadsheet!  Thank goodness.  Tom is not.

Note:  As for the dung beetle, we won’t see one in Kenya.  Hopefully, we’ll find one in South Africa while on safari in Kruger Park.  I assure you, within hours of our discovery, we’ll be posting our photos here.

Hawaii here we come!!!…New Big Island, Hawaii house photos to share…

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Aerial view of home (middle house).

Aerial view of both houses we’ve rented in Big Island Hawaii. The larger gray roof is the second house we booked the day we left for safari, putting our minds at ease.

Here is the link to this listing on the Homeaway website for pricing, more photos, and additional details. Once we are in the house, we’ll post additional photos.

Leaving Minnesota, after a lifetime for Tom and 42 years for me, was hard for only one reason, leaving family and friends behind.

We don’t miss the snow, the cold, the erratic weather in summers, the power outages from storms, the mosquitoes, or the traffic. We don’t miss house maintenance; snow blowing, house cleaning, window washing, or leaky basements.

Tom doesn’t miss pulling out all of the heavy lawn furniture from the garage in the spring or putting it back in the fall or hauling the dock into the lake in the spring and taking it out in the fall or, constantly making repairs (he was diligent and an expert at all of this).

We don’t miss cable TV problems, huge heating and electric bills (we pay no utilities in vacation homes), enormous property taxes, or paying over $500 a month for a car, house and umbrella insurance. We don’t miss car payments, maintenance, and gasoline expenses.  Nope.  None of that.

The first of the two houses that we booked over a year ago.

Panoramic view from the living room.

 We’ll stay in this house by ourselves until we move over to the other house on December 20, 2014, returning back here from January 3, until January 15, 2015

Here’s the link to this listing on the Homeaway website for pricing, more photos, and additional details on this house that we booked over a year ago. Once we are situated in the houses, we’ll post additional photos

Surprisingly, I don’t miss the endless cooking for entertaining guests; the hours of shopping, the hours standing in the kitchen, a menu in hand while cooking often printed on pretty paper to be placed at each guest’s elaborate place setting, for a multi-course gourmet meal, at the time lovingly prepared, now so far from my reality that it’s all but a distant memory. Nope. None of that either. 

We miss the people.  Period.  The people.  Our family.  Our friends.  We chose missing them to be free of angst or sorrow, instead, a simple fact, a warm memory of their faces, their laughs, their smiles.

In December 2014, a mere one year, one month, and 28 days from today we’ll see our grown kids, their spouses, and our grandchildren once again. Comparing it to the period we’ve been gone from Minnesota (it will be 1 year, in 9 days from today), it will be here in no time at all. 

But, when we think of all we’ve done in the past year, the countries we’ve visited, the places we’ve lived, the sites we’ve seen, the 8 cruises we’ve taken, and the people we’ve met, it seems much longer.

With the size of our group, 13 of them, we decided that we needed to rent 2 houses, not one. Coincidentally, (similar to our safari good luck) we found 2 houses next door to one another, one we’d booked over a year ago and the other on the day we left for safari on October 5, 2013, paying the deposit, wrapping up the details. The luck of finding this scenario of 2 separately owned houses, directly next door to one another, is uncanny.

Over a year ago, we shared the photos of the first house we’ve booked.  As time moved on and more and more of our family members were able to arrange time off work during Christmas 2014, we came to the conclusion that one house wouldn’t be big enough. 

A month ago, after they all discovered they could in fact come to Hawaii, the search began.  Go figure.  We stumbled on the house next door, available during that same two week period. Tom and I and a few of the adults will be in one house, the remainder in the other house.  It will all work. 

Covering the expense of airfare, one car, and groceries on one house had been an expense we’d entered into our budget long ago.  Now, the budget has been revised for the 2nd house, the 2nd car, and the added groceries. The kids will cover their own baggage fees, activities, excursions, sightseeing, and dining out costs.  It will work out well for all of us.

Today, for comparison purposes, we’re including photos of both houses, including an aerial view of both.

As it turns out, our cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii arrives in Honolulu on October 5, 2014, less than a year from now, where we plan to stay for no less than one week in order to visit the local sites including Pearl Harbor.  

On December 1, 2014, we’ll be moving into the 1st of the 2 houses. We have yet to book the week in Honolulu or the remaining 50 days between finishing up the week in Honolulu and moving into the Big Island house on our own.

With each of our own WiFi devices up and running with no less than 25 gigs of remaining data until we need to purchase more, we have the necessary data to begin searching for that time period. “Searching” uses tons of data due to the tremendous number of photos popping up on the various vacation rental websites.

Also, having completed the time-intensive process of logging and posting all of our safari photos and stories we now have more available time to begin the search. We’re almost ready to begin.

Sure, we don’t have maintenance, snow blowing, yard work, or window washing. But all of that has been replaced by a litany of responsibilities for constantly logging our expenses, budgeting for the future, booking for the future, searching, searching and more searching. 

The difference? We like searching for more than blowing snow and washing windows and, more than anything, we love living in other people’s houses all over the world. 

Now dining out 3 nights a week…One of our new favorites, The Sands at Nomad…Lots of photos…

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No, this was not a creature that we found in our bathroom during the night. It was my delectable entrée, delicate grill calamari with an octopus topper at dinner a week ago Saturday at the divine The Sands at Nomad.
My dinner plate in its entirety, 7 skewered grilled garlic buttered calamari atop a plentiful portion of grilled non-starchy vegetables. I didn’t try the sauce fearing it may contain sugar. 
Tom’s pork chop dinner that same evening with fried potato wedges and sautéed vegetables.
While we were busy thinking, sleeping, and writing safari, life continued on for us in Diani Beach, Kenya these almost past two weeks since our return from the Masai Mara.
Tom was looking forward to dining while the cool ocean breezes washed over us.

I must admit, after that profound experience, everything we do in the future has the potential to be anti-climatic comparatively. 

The menu offered many selections, all reasonably priced.  For a frame of reference, KES $1000 equals US $11.76. 

We’ll have to shake loose that feeling. We will, especially when in less than six weeks we’ll have the opportunity to go on safari as often as we’d like living in Marloth Park, on the edge of Kruger Park, one of the largest game reserves in the world for a full three months. The company that owns several properties in the adjoining parks arrange game drives, day and night (and day walks) and we can participate at will.

With my shoulder painful after taking over 600 photos on safari, I fashioned this sling using a scarf. Keeping it immobile since we returned has been helpful.  Luckily, it wasn’t painful until the day after our return.

I can’t comprehend this option when at the end of our 4 days, 3 nights in the Masai Mara, all I could think of was, “I want more.” Living amid many of the animals in Marloth Park in itself will be greatly fulfilling and of course, fodder for endless photos to share here.

One of the many lounge areas in The Sands at Nomad, not only a resort and restaurant but a welcoming stopping point for thirsty visitors seeking a spot to relax and unwind either inside the bar or at the tables on the beach where food is also served.


Another lounging area.

It’s odd to admit that I’m dreaming of the next location while still in Kenya.  We promised ourselves we’d live in the moment. The safari spoiled us. It’s not unusual to feel a sense of longing after such a life-changing experience. Wanting more. That’s us, humans. Always wanting more.

The lavish décor, embracing the genuine African theme, is pleasing to the senses throughout the property, including the guest suites as shown in the below photos.

Realizing this dilemma, as we’d mentioned a few days ago, we’ve decided to start getting out more often, dining out three times a week, buying only enough groceries to last for four days, trying at least one new resort each week.

This past Saturday night, the 19th, after the complimentary taxi ride, we walked the short distance to the restaurant, we were enthused to see the property in daylight. Although shortly after 6:00 pm, we’d still have an opportunity to see a few of the suites and peruse the remainder of the property while still light.


Beachgoers lounged at the outdoor tables, drinking and eating pizza.


There were numerous outdoor tables, but we preferred to dine to the left of this area, still outside, still with views of the Indian Ocean but a more elegant environment that we preferred.


The cool ocean breeze off the Indian Ocean had me chilled on a few occasions, definitely something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

These past two Saturday nights, we had the pleasure of dining at The Sands at Nomad, once after dark and the second time at 6:00 pm hoping to take photos while it was still light and of course, see the beach on the Indian Ocean.

On our walk to see the suites, we couldn’t resist stopping to inspect this tree.
Here’s the information about the unusual tree.
Felix, the host for our tour of the suites, took us along a path parallel to the ocean to see the interesting and appealing grounds, a part of which included these private cottages.


These executive cottages couldn’t have been more appealing.

With the help of Claudia, Assistant Manager via email, on both occasions were seated the same perfect ocean front table, now “our table.” Delightful Claudia came to greet us, chatting for a considerable time the first Saturday and this Saturday, her husband Richard, a charming gentleman, stopped for a chatty visit as well.  We couldn’t have felt more welcome.

With our plan to arrive at 6:00 pm, Claudia had arranged for us to have a tour of the property with Felix showing us four suites from the more basic to the finest, photos of which are included here today.

The executive cottages were exquisite, pricey for most travelers but well worth the opportunity to see the interior.
This stairway led to a loft area in one of the executive cottages.

The ambiance of the resort is calming and welcoming, the service impeccable, and the food is fresh, seasoned to perfection with local spices, and presented with the utmost finesse and decoration, befitting the best-schooled chefs.

The appealing grounds inspired a lounge chair, a book and a cool beverage.

A complimentary appetizer is served at each seating consisting of a plate of fried potato skins with a delectable sweet and spicy sauce on the side. With my restrictive diet, I don’t eat potatoes (or any starch) but enjoyed watching Tom eat them (I’ve learned to live vicariously through his eating foods that I cannot).

The suites were lavishly decorated with every possible amenity, including air conditioning, free Wifi and TV’s. 


Nothing was spared in The Sands at Nomad in creating a lush environment for its guests.


A private Jacuzzi was in each of the suites we visited, at varying price ranges.


There were bars and casual dining spots scattered around the complex.


The more luxurious cottages had a private yard and outdoor Jacuzzi, although the less expensive suites also had private Jacuzzis.
An outdoor shower in one of the cottage’s private yards.


African artifacts adorned the suites enhancing the homey feel.
 
Locally crafted woodwork, all made by hand was breathtaking.
Another cozy lounge area available to resort guests added to the ambiance of this exquisite property.

The first Saturday night, we ordered off the menu. I ordered the most delicate and flavorful grilled calamari of my life, a favorite, as shown in the above photo. Tom ordered a piled high grouping of thin-sliced pork chops atop a bed of grilled vegetables with fried potato wedges on the side.

On Saturday night, our second visit to The Sands at Nomad, we both ordered the buffet as shown on this menu with no limitations on portions.  I passed on the pasta, starches, and desserts, but was able to dine on their many other offerings, all delectable. The price of the buffet at KES $2000 is US $23.52 per person. In Belize, the buffet at Robert’s Grove, which we had most Saturday nights, although overall excellent, was US $35 per person.

This recent Saturday night, the 19th, after our tour of the property, we had beverages at the bar. I had the best unsweetened ice tea ever; frothy, foamy, and refreshing, ordering a second glass once we were seated at our table. Of course, the first night of the waning full moon gave us a mesmerizing ringside seat.

The cooks at the grill were friendly and helpful in assisting us to make our decisions.

This time, we both tried the nightly buffet, a changing cacophony of epicurean delights, predicated by the local catch of the day, seasonal vegetables, and an ever-changing menu. 

Having selected literally every offered julienne vegetable, this was my stir fry with shrimp, calamari, and snapper, topped with a few dashes of soy sauce, the only sauce on the list of 10 that I surmised was truly sugar and grain-free. Regular soy sauce may contain a small amount of wheat that may trigger serious reactions in those with Celiac’s Disease. Since I consider gluten intolerant, the small amount didn’t seem to bother me.  Overall, I’m opposed to consuming foods made with soy, based on its GMO status. But at times, one may choose to go with the flow when little else is available.

The main meat station consisted of a choice of meats and seafood, as much as desired, stir-fried with the wide array of julienne vegetables lined up at the cooking station for our selection.  In essence, it was a Chinese/Japanese type stir fry, cooked to order with a list of no less than 10 sauces from which to choose.

My stir fry with a side of snapper and buttered steamed vegetable. My mouth is watering as I write this. I can’t wait to go back for more of The Sands at Nomad’s fine food.
My salad bar plate with more calamari and octopus, plus a cheese salad, inspiring me to make this for us, plus marinated eggplant, zucchini, and more.

We didn’t partake of the offered beef kabobs, made fresh on the huge Teppanyaki grill, along with the stir fry. We simply had no room. The cooks were attentive and diligent in preparing our dishes exactly as preferred. 

This is the two-sided salad bar with little doors, leaving food chilled and free from flies containing local dishes, none of which contained gluten, grains, starch, or sugar, I had a field day. To order the salad bar as a standalone was KES $700, US $8.23 but it wouldn’t work for me as it was lacking in protein, which I must include with each meal.

In addition, there were two tables filled with more options, including soup, potatoes, rice, noodles, grilled vegetables, Kenyan barbecue pork, and chicken. I tried the chicken to announce to Tom, that if that alone had been my entire dinner along with the vegetables I would have been content.  It was moist, flavorful, and fell off of the bone. 

The most interesting salad bar closed behind individual, easily opening little doors at a glass-windowed cooling station, was irresistible, most of which fit in well with my dietary constraints. (Flour based sauces are seldom used in Kenya by fine chefs. They’ve learned the value of a good reduction sauce which in most cases, I am able to order as a side).

Tom’s plate, including his stir fry with no veggies other than onion and celery, barbecue pork, a side of roasted potatoes, and white rice. He didn’t try the included salad bar, but did go back for seconds and a small dessert consisting of custard with chocolate sauce along with a few mini cream puffs.

Another feature offered by The Sands at Nomad is the complimentary taxi service, which, on both occasions, Gabriel showed up promptly at our guarded gates to pick us up.  The return after dinner was equally seamless.  Of course, we left a good tip. 

As for the cost for both dinners, ordering off the menu on the first Saturday night, our total bill, including tax, tips, and service fees was KES $3932.70, US $46.24. This past Saturday, by ordering the buffet at KES $2000, US $23.52 per person, plus Tom ordered two cocktails as opposed to two beers the first time, our total including tax, tips, and service fees was KES $6650.10, US $78.18. 

This photo was taken from our table at 8:00 pm this Saturday night while dining.

The buffet, in its uniqueness and varied options, maybe a choice we’d made on occasion, with a desire to try other items off of the menu. For me, on our next visit, I must repeat the grilled calamari and octopus as shown in the photo. It was divine.

Overall, The Sands at Nomad has proven to be much more than a restaurant and hotel, but a fine establishment for tourists and locals to visit for a relaxing and luxuriating respite from daily life. 

We offer a special thank you to Claudia and Richard for making us feel welcomed, pampered, and at ease.

We’ll be back…