Four days, no sun…Cabin fever setting in?…Dogs, flowers and beaches…A little bit of “this and that”…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Simple, but delightful.

We’re anxious to get out to explore, but with rain over the past four days, most likely we won’t be doing so today. Neither of us sees any reason why we should get soaked on a walk in the rain (not our thing).

On a walk across the street which is lined with a wide variety of blooming flowers, we spotted this unusual plant.  Any comments from locals or flower enthusiasts?

Nor do we see any purpose in driving through the countryside with limited visibility, making photo taking annoying to say the least. There’s strong storm conditions in the Australian continent and we suspect we’re getting some of that inclement weather as well.

Instead, like many of you, on bad weather days, we choose to stay close to “home.” In our old lives, when we had to work, we never hesitated to go out when it was below zero or on rainy or snowy days. 

Note the purple/mauve borders and veins on the leaves. 

Now, in this life, we don’t have to go out in bad weather unless we have a definitive reason, such as a travel day; to catch a flight or when boarding a cruise. We love how flexible we are in this life!

Two dogs swimming in the ocean on Christmas Day, the last sunny day in Penguin.

Do we get cabin fever on days like this? Tom, who can easily occupy himself online for days at a time, has no problem to prevent cabin fever. For me, spending little time online after posting the day’s blog, conducting research or logging future travel plans and financial matters, I have little interest in using my laptop. 

Aside from vast expanses of white sand beaches in Tasmania there are rocky areas.

Somehow I find myself with plenty of tasks that easily consume part of each day, whether it’s preparing a meal, doing laundry or organizing and rearranging our “stuff” to make the next packing session all the more seamless.

Little bells.

Today, I’ll be rearranging our pill bag. I take three prescriptions, while Tom takes none. Recently, we received a shipment of a one year’s supply of my three meds each of which is wrapped in blister packs.  

Having used all the loose pills I had on hand, I decided today would be a good day to open all the blister packs putting the individual pills in the appropriately labeled plastic pill bottles from past purchases in Australia. 

Walkway along Penguin Beach on Christmas Day.

Yep, I must admit, as an old timer myself, I use a monthly pill container case since I take the three meds together once each morning. It contains space for 28 days. Thus, like many of who are taking multiple medications, it makes sense to use a pill case to ensure errors aren’t made. 

Looks like this possible Great Dane was looking for her/his owner to return from the shop. We took this photo on a very cool day.

Pressing the pills through the blister packs for an entire year’s meds could take a few hours. For three different meds for 12 months, that is 1095 “presses” in the blister pack. 

Dogs allowed.

I realize that keeping the pills in the blister pack may extend their freshness, but in an effort to eliminate excess weight, getting rid of the superfluous paper and plastic makes more sense due to our circumstances.

Also, today, I have to use a needle and thread to sew a few items. I don’t mind doing this, but have trouble threading the needle unless I use that silly little tin thing that is often included in a package of various sized needles. Its this thing:

Ever use this thingee when trying to thread a needle? I’m lost without it. Must be old age.

Yesterday, I made enough low carb, grain free, starch free pizza for several meals, leaving only a salad to chop for today’s meal. We left out enough pizza for two days, freezing three packages we can later reheat as  additional meals. 

Specifically, Penguin Beach.

Sure, I have a touch of cabin fever, but with plenty to do plus a few favorite downloaded/streaming TV shows we’ve been binge watching in the evenings I’ll be fine. We’ve been watching these shows: “This is Us,” “Victoria” and “The Crown.” We seldom watch TV during the day, although we may have local news or talk shows on in the background.

More of Penguin Beach.

We hope you have a great day today filled with a little “this and that” to keep you occupied and entertained.

Photo from one year ago today, December 29, 2015:

We’d been warned against purchasing locally caught fish in Fiji when it’s often caught close to the shore where bacteria is heavy in the waters from sewage disposal.  As a result, we never purchased any fish for four months. For more photos, please click here.

Eyes drawn to beach after beach…Is Tasmania as amazing as Hawaii?…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We took this photo from downtown Penguin. Wow!

Two years ago, at this time we were on the Big Island of Hawaii while 12 family members had visited us at the two vacation homes we’d rented next door to one another. It seems like a lifetime ago. 

We were watching from our front veranda as a massive flock of birds (most likely seagulls) were in a frenzy over a school of fish.

To view some of our photos from that period, please begin searching through the archives beginning here. Below is a photo of Tom in our “backyard” in the Big Island, taken the day after we arrived, awaiting out kids and grandchildren soon arriving. What a view!

Two years ago Tom stood in the backyard of one of two of the vacation homes we rented awaiting our family’s arrival for Christmas. Here is the link for this particular post, the same as indicated above.

Having spent a total of eight months in four of the Hawaiian Islands; Oahu, Maui, Big Island (aka Hawai’i) and Kauai we left the exquisite US state with fond memories of amazing scenery and experiences.

Scene of Penguin from a distance.

Now, after only three weeks in Tasmania, we’re finding ourselves entrenched in the beauty of this island not only for its amazingly friendly people and ease of living but also for its simplicity. Nothing feels rushed here.

Farmland view of the sea.

Is it possible to compare the islands of Hawaii with Tasmania with their expansive ocean views, white sand beaches, mountains, hills and lush vegetation? 

From of the ocean from a country road.

Tasmania offers the exact same features that make visiting this island state of Australia comparable in many ways to visiting some of the Hawaiian islands in the US.

This is a view from an elevated road in Penguin.

A few differences we’ve observed during this short period in Tasmania:

  • Considerably less tourists in Tasmania due to it’s distance location to many countries. Hawaii is easier to get to from many countries in the northern hemisphere. Most of the popular islands of Hawaii are packed with tourists, creating traffic and commotion typical of life in many island communities, not necessarily bumper-to-bumper traffic, but  it may be difficult to find parking spots at popular beaches and venues.
  • It’s generally more expensive in Hawaii, perhaps a trade-off for the added time and transportation costs to travel to Australia from many other countries.  Rental cars were more expensive here.  Groceries are less expensive. Dining out is comparable.    (Continued below).
Many homes and farms in Penguin have beautiful ocean views.
  • The weather? It’s sunny and warm in Hawaii year round, although it may rain off and on, with most rain storms quickly moving through to returning sunny skies. In Tasmania, we’re experiencing three cloudy and rainy days in a row (which may be unusual during these summer months) with considerably cooler temperatures during the spring and summer based on its distant proximity to the Equator. Winter temperatures are cooler. Not all travelers care for warm climates. 
  • Friendliness factors in both locations? Comparable. We found the people of Hawaii to be outrageously friendly. Here in Penguin, in Tasmania, in general? The locals are equally friendly if not more.
  • Recreational activities: Scuba diving, deep sea fishing, diving, whale watching, shopping and the availability of tourist spots are readily available in both locations.
Tasmania has many roadside viewing areas on the highway.

In reality, for most travelers, it all boils down to cost, weather, proximity and crowds. If a traveler prefers a quiet, laid back experience with temperate weather and can travel the long distance, Tasmania may be preferred.  If one is looking for a more active location with nightlife, warm sunny days on the beach, Hawaii (on some islands) may be preferred.

Walkers exploring the beach.

As for the scenery, they’re equally exquisite in their own way and we treasure the opportunities we’ve had in visiting both states. The ocean and mountain views, the green grassy hills, the abundant variety of vegetation and wildlife and the cooler climate has made us feel we’ve come to the right place at this point in our travels. 

An early evening guitar playing session while sitting on a rock.  Photo taken from our veranda.

Have a beautiful day as we work our way toward the end of 2016. It’s been a good year for us. We hope it’s been so for YOU as well.

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

  • One year ago in Pacific Harbour, Fiji Tom was engrossed in watching a ski movie on the projection screen in Baku Blues bar/restaurant in the Arts Village. For more dining out photos, please click here.

A sunny day drive through the country…Nature at its finest…For the less experienced reader, how to use our archives…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This was our favorite photo of the day, a huge Billy Goat with quite the beard and defined facial marks.

Even today the weather is cloudy and overcast, but that does not bother us. We’ve been fortunate to have a lot of sunny days since we arrived in Tasmania more than three weeks ago.

By car across the countryside, you can see the ocean in the distance.

Each sunny day, we head out to take photos as shown in today’s post, photos from the countryside, the quaint towns, the ocean and the points of interest we’ve found to be most appealing.

Cattle are funny when humans come by.

In many locations around the world, living in more remote regions often leaves us looking for photo opportunities. We had assumed this would be a dilemma over the four months we spent in Bali (with a two-month break in between) as of April 30, 2016. 

Nice country sign, by the way.

But, the photo opportunities in Bali kept coming and coming as evidenced in our posts, easily reviewed if you missed them, by researching our archives located on the right side of this page below our advertisers.

Cattle on a hill.

As a matter of fact, here are the step by step instructions for using our archives.  For our more experienced readers, please bear with us as we review these instructions:

  • Scroll down the day’s home page, below our advertisers, to PREVIOUS POSTS 
  • Note the list of years since we began posting beginning in 2012
  • Click on the little black triangle of the year you’d like to research, that looks like this:  ► 
  • Once you click on this ► the entire year’s posts, month by month, will be displayed.
  • Select the month and search for headings, you like to see. If you’re looking for something in particular and are unable to find it, please don’t hesitate to send me or Tom an email and we’ll send you the link by email.
Highland Breed cattle.  See this link for details on this breed.

Many of our new readers find they are more easily able to grasp the nature of our continuing story by reading the posts from the beginning. Our story is a a continuing day to day journal of the lives of two retirees with no home, no storage and only a few bags in our possession, traveling the world for years to come. It’s less of a “travel and sightseeing” log one may find elsewhere and more of a personal account about living all over the world.

This annoyed male approached the fence when we stopped for photos.

Many have written to us explaining how they began reading our posts from the beginning to grasp the full intent and meaning of why we do what we do and how it impacts our daily lives. Could YOU do this? Some could, some actually do what we do, although few would choose this odd life.

Although this one mooed at us, she/he didn’t bother to get up.

Yesterday, we loved speaking to our family members on Christmas Day (in the US) and were reminded of how much we left behind. Any yet, after hanging up, we giggled with delight over the prospect of seeing them in a mere five months, spending six weeks in Minnesota and three weeks in Nevada.

The countryside in Tasmania certainly reminds us of New Zealand.

Will we run out of photo ops while in these two locations in the US? Hardly. We’ll be busy in our “home town” looking at it through new eyes and a new perspective. We’ll share the nuances of living in the US for our readers in other countries (and in the US) and perhaps a different perspective after having been away for almost five years at that point.

Old log house seen along the country road.

And, for now? We have hundreds of photos we’ve yet to share and the stories surrounding them.  There’s no doubt we’ll leave Penguin having many photos we’ll never have had the opportunity to post. In the interim, we’ll share our favorites, which we hope our readers find interesting.

The hills, the trees, the vegetation and the sea create a breathtaking scene.

Today, while the house is being cleaned, we’ll head to Ulverstone to shop for groceries. After discovering pesticides are used on most of the produce at Woolie’s we no longer buy their produce. Instead, we now purchase organic produce at the local Fruit & Veg market, a delightful five minute walk down the road. 

The views of farm fields, bodies of water and the sea is always stunning.

There’s nothing quite like a walk down the road to the veggie mart. Then again, there’s nothing quite like Penguin. Leaving in three weeks leaves us with a twinge of disappointment. It won’t be easy to say goodbye.

We hope all of you who celebrate had a fulfilling Christmas as we anticipate the New Year rolling in.

Photo from one year ago today, December 27, 2015:

During a period of many cloudy and rainy days in Fiji, we visited the capital city of Suva. This photo is the top of the President’s house located in Suva. For more Suva photos, please click here.

A walk into town like none other…Penguin…A Norman Rockwell painting come to life…Tom’s Irish Cream recipe..

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Penguin statue on the beach made of penguin dressed with Christmas clothes and various locally inspired pins and decorations.

Moving temporarily to Penguin, Tasmania confirmed that we like small cities. Feeling at home with some of the most friendly people on the planet with a culture all their own has provided us with a powerful sense of being welcomed within only a few days of our arrival.

Penguin information signs posted at the beach next to the above Penguin statue.

Yesterday morning, a long walk through the whimsical main street, a few blocks from our six-week holiday home, left us shocked with a profound sense of belonging.    The theme of the penguin was everywhere as our pictures show.

Monument to WWI, the Great War in downtown Penguin.

As we entered the small eccentric shops, buying a few grocery and pharmacy items along the way, we were greeted as if we had been here our whole life. While walking on the sidewalk, each passerby made a kindly comment, “How’s it goin’ mates?, “Ga day to you both.” We couldn’t stop smiling.

We stopped in the Penguin Visitors Information Centre to take photos to be shared in another post.  Notice the penguin statue and the penguins on the trash bins.

The influence and population of Fairy Penguins in the area (we’ve yet to see any but surely will soon) are the influence of the name of this special oceanfront town with its own population of around 4000 residents, many who’ve lived here all their lives, including our wonderful and helpful landlord Terry.

Terry’s sister Linda owns the Gents Hairdresser where Tom will eventually get a haircut while we’ll visit with Linda.

Within a 30 minute drive, we can reach many larger communities where there’s ample shopping, dining and entertainment venues within easy reach by driving along the scenic ocean view route. 

A memorial  for Troopers Thomas William Barker and Geoffrey Hugh Brownm who died in South Africa in 1900.

About Penguin from this site:

“History of Penguin

Penguin first settled in 1861 as a timber town, and proclaimed on 25 October 1875. The area’s dense bushland and easy access to the sea led to Penguin becoming a significant port town, with large quantities of timber shipped across Bass Strait to Victoria, where the 1850s gold rushes were taking place. The town was named by the botanist Ronald Campbell Gunn for the little penguin rookeries that are common along the less populated areas of the coast.

Sulfur Creek Post Office opened on 1 January 1867 and was replaced by the Penguin Creek office in 1868. The latter office was renamed Penguin in 1895.

Penguin was one of the last districts settled along the North West coast of Tasmania, possibly because of an absence of a river, for safe anchorage. Nearly all travel in those days was by boat as bush made the land almost impenetrable. Many of the settlers probably emigrated from Liverpool via landing in Launceston then sailing west along the coast.

White sand beach in the center of town.

Trade began when the wharf was built in 1870, allowing timber and potatoes to be exported. Penguin Silver Mine, along the foreshore slightly to the east of the town opened in 1870 but failed a year later. Neptune Mine, a tad further along, likewise failed. The rail from Ulverstone arrived in 1901, after which trade by sea declined. Passing of the Local Government Act in 1906 saw Tasmania divided into 48 Municipalities. Penguin’s first Council was elected in 1907.”

Penguin’s rich history is evident in every aspect of its pleasing center of town, homes along the coast and inland and, its people, all seemingly happy and grateful to live in this charming coastal town.

Zen House Studio which includes Buddhist Arts & Crafts.

With the intent of a walk along the boulevard, one side of the street each way, we found ourselves engaged in conversation with shop owners and employees being asked where we’re from and why we’ve come to Penguin. Two hours quickly passed as we reveled in each interaction.

The pink building is the candy shop where Tom bought the fudge. The yellow building is Penguin Fruit & Veg, an organic produce and health food shop.

When hearing morsels of our world travel and how long we’d be in Penguin, consistently they smiled, offering a warm, “Good on you!” often followed with…”If you need help with anything at all, please stop by.” Wow! Could we have felt more welcomed?

Local bar with outdoor seating.

We purchased mushrooms at the Fruit and Veg shop, hydrogen peroxide at the pharmacy, double thickened fresh cream, shampoo and conditioner at the IGA market while Tom couldn’t resist a small package of homemade fudge at the candy shop.

Fairy Penguin shaped cakes in the bakery on Main.

Enjoy today’s and tomorrow photos and of course, many more photos we’ll continue to share during our remaining 40 days in this special location. Had we known how much we would have loved it here, we may have chosen to spend the entire three months right here at Penguin.

Penguin Fire Department.

Then again, we need to spread our wings and experience as much as we can as we continue on in our world travels. It’s easy to settle in, embracing a sense of “home” as we meander from location to location.

Christmas penguins are for sale in many of the shops.

With the holiday season upon us, Tom had promised many of our newly made recent cruise friends that we post his “Lyman’s Irish Cream” recipe (compared to Bailey’s Irish Cream). 

Beach in downtown Penguin.

It’s easy to make and is excellent for serving as well as bottled gifts. We don’t imbibe, but know many of our readers may enjoy making this easy recipe.  Here his recipe:

Tom Lyman’s Irish Cream (Comparable to Bailey’s Irish Cream)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint ½ and ½ or real whipping cream

3 pasteurized eggs (important for safety)

1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

1 cup Irish Whiskey or other bourbon or whisky

Blend all ingredients in blender for 2 minutes, then add 1 cup whiskey, measuring into the empty can of sweetened condensed milk in order to remove every last drop of the creamy sweetened condensed milk.

Blend for another 30 seconds. Pour in a glass bottle with tight fitting cork.

Keeps refrigerated for 30 days.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions regarding the preparation of this recipe. We’re happy to assist! Enjoy!

Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2015:

It was one year ago today we moved from Vanua Levu, Fiji to Viti Levu, Fiji the main island in Fiji, flying in a small plane to from the tiny airport. For more details and vacation home photos, please click here.

A trip to Woolies turned into a sightseeing adventure…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Many small islands lie near the shore.

Woolworths grocers, known as “Woolies” are popular in Australia. We went shopping at the Woolies in Trinity Beach during our 3 month stay beginning in June 2015. 

For our first big grocery shopping trip, we decided to forgo a farmers market and meat market for the purpose of getting the staples we’d need during our three month stay in Tasmania.  Anything left after this first six weeks will be taken with us to the Huon Valley for the second six week stay at the other end of the state.

View on the road to Ulverstone to do some shopping.

We realize that many of our readers are perhaps not interested in our grocery and/or food purchases and for that, please be patient with us. For us, with our way of eating it becomes very important and, for many of our readers who have written to us, they’re curious as to food products available in other countries.

With the winding narrow road, I had to take photos while we were moving.

I should mention that even in large market Woolies most vegetables are organic, most meat is grass-fed and chicken is organic and free range. The labels clearly indicate the origin of the products available for sale, including indications for farmed fish, which we do not consume. 

The head of lettuce we bought required a lot of washing and eliminating insects. What does it tell you? No pesticides. It was misshapen and uneven. There again, indicating true organic products. We easily found chemical-free eggs, free range, directly from the Woolies farm. In essence, we could, if we so chose purchase all of our food from this market.

A large house sits at the tip of a peninsula.

However, we plan to visit the upcoming farmers markets, mostly available on weekends, grass fed meat markets and locally caught fish markets while we’re in Tasmania. Doing so becomes a huge part of our enjoyment in an area giving us an opportunity to mingle with locals and hear about and see their farms. 

The beautiful road to Ulverstone.

Planning our meals and shopping for ingredients becomes an integral part of our desire and pleasure in living in rural areas, visiting farms, learning the culture and blending in as much as possible.

Our host and landlord Terry has been so helpful. Not only has he provided this impeccable property for our use over these six weeks, but he delivered three bottles of his homemade purified/distilled water for our use, although tap water is safe to drink in Tasmania.

Although we won’t be able to see sunsets from our location, the morning sun offers a stunning view.

The kitchen and property is so well equipped we avoided the expenditure of many staples we usually buy including many spices, quality olive oil, herbal teas, vinegars and toilet paper.  We created a grocery list with these items in mind and headed along the ocean to drive to the next town of Ulverstone where the Woolies is located.

Ulverstone is at a distance from this spot.

Penguin has a few markets, but they’re small and less well stocked. Also, the smaller local markets have higher prices, making it worth the drive to Ulverstone to the popular supermarket. 

In future visits, we’ll get out and explore this reserve.

Little did we know, the 20 to 25 minute drive was much more interesting than we’d anticipated. Terry suggested we take the coastal route if we were interested in some amazing scenery.  He was so right! With the bright morning sun shining on the sea, the scenic route took our breath away. For that reason alone, we’ll be looking forward to returning to Ulverstone for grocery shopping in the also quaint 7000 population town.

We’re excited to see the trains pass by our view several times a day. 

The temperature here is considerably cooler than we’d anticipated. With no warm clothing in our tiny inventory, we both needed to find something in the way of a sweatshirt or flannel shirts while in Ulverstone. In Australia, sweatshirts are called “jumpers.”

Parking on the main boulevard where literally all the stores are located, we found a few shops, one where we each purchased soft flannel shirts, both men’s sizes, Tom’s an XL, mine, a small for US $20, AU 27. I found a perfect hooded jumper in another nearby store for US $15, AU 20 which I’m wearing now, feeling cozy and warm on the chilly morning.

Historical Furners Hotel in downtown Ulverstone. There are many other small towns we’ll explore while in Penguin.

A visit to the pharmacy, a stop at a dollar type store for a pitcher for our iced tea and a few kitchen supplies including parchment paper, tin foil pans and environmentally friendly laundry soap rounded out our shopping. 

Then, we drove further down the same road to a computer store where we’d hoped to purchase a power cord for one of our laptops which quit working while on the cruise. They didn’t have such a cord available, but suggested we drive to Devonport where surely we’ll be able to make the appropriate purchase. In the next few days, we’ll make the 40 minute trip.

The main street in Ulverstone where all the shops can be found.

Lancaster House, another historical building in Ulverstone.

Back in the car, we drove to Woolies, finding every item on our list. Our total bill including enough groceries for eight days, totaled US $209, AU 280. In most new locations we’ve easily spent 30% more.

Back on the scenic road, again we stopped for photos when possible on the narrow oceanfront road. We can’t wait to make that drive again soon. Today, we’re sharing some of the photos from yesterday’s drive. In time, we’ll continue to share more photos from our two day road trip.

Again today, we continue to wash and hang our clothing after all the germs on the ship. It’s the first time in four months, we’re doing laundry. Tom helps with the hanging and heavy lifting while I sort and fold.

Tom’s busy catching up on all the Vikings games he missed during the 33-night cruise with the poor streaming signal on the ship. He’s catching up on several games he missed using his membership in NFL Game Pass. The WiFi is excellent in this property and he’s watching a game as we speak.

Tom commented that the gauge (the distance between the two rails) is considerably smaller in Australia than in the US.

We’re busy making plans for the upcoming few days/weeks, including an exciting Saturday night social event with our landlords which we’ll share in a future post. Thanks to all of our loyal readers for “traveling along with us.” It’s been delightful sharing our travels with all of YOU.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 6, 2015:

What can I say? This was my favorite photo we’d taken in Fiji. It so bespeaks a life in Fiji, the freedom of barnyard animals to roam, to thrive and grow. The fact that we find barnyard animals so worthy of mention only enhances our experiences throughout the world. For more details, please click here.

Vegetation abounds in Bali…Recovery continues with hope…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Upon closer inspection, we’ve been thrilled to see the detailed beauty of a red dragonfly that visits each day. More below.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Bonfire over the river near the beach.

As I wrote today’s heading as shown above, I’m reminded about how “life” and its quality and quantity rules our daily existence…not only our own lives but the beauty and essence of life surrounding us, in creatures big and small and in that which is growing around us.

The endless varieties of “growing things” Mother Nature bestows upon our earth is astounding.

It’s easy to forget to appreciate the exquisite varieties, in numbers beyond our comprehension, of living plants, trees, flowers and creatures we encounter in one form or another every single day when we step outdoors and at times, living amongst us indoors.

Numerous varieties of coconut palms are present worldwide. This is a different variety than we’ve seen in other countries with softer flesh.

Billions of life forms, therefore are infinitesimal that we are unable to see to the naked eye and others so massive, we run in fear for our lives. In every case, they all serve as food in the food chain and to protect the integrity of their race. 

This frog is not unlike the frog visitor, we saw almost every day in South Africa in 2014.    She/he would disappear for several days, only to return to exactly the same place.  See this link at the end of the post for that photo. Even the smallest creatures have their own routine.  As I write here today, she’s sitting in the same spot by the Koi pond as when we took this photo a few days ago. 

None are insignificant, even those we fear, incapable of imagining what purpose they accomplish upon this earth when they so frighten us. The vilest venomous snakes and insects, bushes and thorniest trees all occupy an essential place on this earth.

Plumeria is often used to make leis in Hawai. Here in Bali, they are also used for offerings and decorations as we have shown in our recent station photographs.

I could get into our responsibility in maintaining a status quo of that which thrives and is becoming extinct in this world. But in a way I believe that the comings and goings of certain species (by natural causes only) is part of the “big plan”. 

Its the sorrowful destruction of our wildlife and vegetation perpetrated by humans that leaves us bemoaning the desire for more money, personal comforts and power over this earth and its inhabitants. Much of this is impossible to comprehend. A great deal of that is beyond comprehension. 

From the bougainvillea in Kenya three years ago, to the same here in Bali, we’ve found these pretty flowers throughout the world.

From the bougainvillea of Kenya three years ago, to the same thing here in Bali, we found these lovely flowers around the world. Instead, I choose to embrace that which we have before us at this time in our own lives that has the ability to bring us considerable joy and appreciation in ways we never imagined possible.

In our old lives, before traveling the world, we easily found ourselves stopping to appreciate a bird, a fish jumping in the lake, a coyote hovering near our property seeking a tasty “little dog lunch.”  All of it caught our attention.

The smallest and simplest of flowers can be awe-inspiring.

Now, as we explore our surroundings with camera in hand, able to preserve the memory of life’s treasures, we’ve come to observe each encounter with a more curious eye and an open heart while selfish longing for more.  If we take a photo of one amazing praying mantis, the next day, we look for another, bereft it hasn’t returned.

In the case of the photo below and in today’s main photo of this red dragonfly, we’ve been gifted with an almost daily appearance in the very same spot near the villa’s front entrance. I ask, “Dear Dragonfly, how long will you continue to return to this very same spot? And, what inspires you to return day after day?” 

And what inspires you to come back time and time again?”When we first arrived for our second stay in Bali about one month ago, I noticed this red dragonfly as shown in today’s main photo, fluttering around the two Koi ponds by either side of the front entryway. Much to my delight, it returns almost every day to the exact same location. 

My heart sings each day when I find her/him fluttering near the vegetation in the two Koi ponds on either side of the front steps. The mystery, the uncertainty is intriguing to me and also to Tom, who is equally fascinated by life surrounding us.

And, speaking of life, I’d like to share the quality of my own since we’ve had many readers writing to us inquiring as to how my spine injury from June 1st is healing. I’ve hesitated to say much over these past few weeks, you know, that goofy perception many of us possess that if we say something too soon, we’ll jinx it.

How can leaves be so symmetrical?

I’ve been pain free for three straight days.

It’s not to say I’m no longer aware of the delicate nature of my spine as it’s healed, but I can literally walk, sit and maneuver about my day without giving it much thought. 

This has transpired over the past two weeks when I’ve had an intermittent days of relief during any given week, never two days in a row. Now, with three pain free days in a row, I’m more optimistic than at any time in the past four months since the injury occurred in the pool here in Bali. 

This flower reminds me of zinnias. With the slow Wi-Fi here, it’s difficult to research the names of plants and flowers. We love seeing them none the less.

It’s been a long, tough haul, the worst period of back pain I’ve ever experienced. My fear of it ending our journey was foremost in my mind. Over these past weeks, I’d decided to let the fear waft away and to focus on feeling well and free of worry. Most certainly, fear and worry may have exacerbated and ultimately extended the discomfort of my lengthy painful scenario. 

However, during this entire four months, we’ve continued to enjoy our lives, to laugh, to treasure our surroundings and of course, to take endless photos of the wonders of the world around us.

These remind us of the popular shady area flowers, impatiens, we often planted in Minnesota.

May your days be filled with life’s wonders!

Photo from one year ago today, October 3, 2015:

The marina in Savusavu , Fiji is used by many part-time and year round residents. From our veranda we were often able to see these sailboats heading out to sea. For more details, please click here.

Photos of road trip continue…One year from today…Fulfillment, happiness and knowledge…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This appears to be a Balinese boat, called Madurai, one of many designs that we spotted in the fishing harbor in Negara which is quite a site to see.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

  At first, we thought this might be a log or debris, but when we saw it moving quickly from left to right, we knew it was a sea creature.

Our lives are filled with milestone dates as we continue to travel the world. Whether it’s an anniversary of the date we first left Minnesota, first left the US, embarked on our first safari, walked the hills of Tuscany, wandered the lost city of Petra, or sailed in the dangerous waters of the Gulf of Aden in the Red Sea.

As our journey continues, we find the true meaning of our passion and purpose to become one with the world in ways we can maneuver based on our personal desires, our ages, our health, and our financial considerations.

This appears to be a Muslim Madurai boat design.

In our minds, we’re doing it well, better than we anticipated, better than we dreamed possible. It’s not a case of flattering ourselves for a job well done thus far. 

A similar design is common on these Madurai boats located in the fishing villages of Pangambengan and Perancak.

It’s merely a matter of acknowledging to ourselves and to one another that we’ve reached the pinnacle of our intent…fulfillment, happiness, and knowledge of a world we never knew existed until 43 months ago. How naïve we were. How educated we’ve become, and yet, with so much more to learn in the future.

Today is a milestone that in one year we’ll be back in the US, arriving in Seattle, Washington after a 24-day cruise from Sydney, Australia. For the time being, we’ll have scoured the South Pacific as much as we desired and may, with so much world yet to come, never return. 

Smaller boats docked along the breakwaters.

We’ll stay in the US for two months visiting family and then, off we go again, bookings and plans already intact with the same degree of excitement we’ll have begun, at that point, almost five years ago.

As we peruse our travel map located to the right of today’s post (feel free to click on it for details), good grief if the completion of seeing the world were our entire objective, we’ve only experienced the “tip of the iceberg” so to speak…and that, too, coming up on January 23, 2018, on our booked Antarctica cruise.

Its hard to conceive of the time and effort to create these detailed decorations.

But then, seeing the entire world is entirely impossible, even if one began decades before us. It’s a big place.  Does spending time in a few cities in a country, on a continent constitute really “seeing” it? Or, does living there for two or three months at a time determine how well we’ve come to know the life, the culture, and the treasures it offers for us to behold? 

Many of the boats are similarly designed with attention to religious detail.  Some are of Hindu design and others are of Muslim design.

To us, none of this matters. What matters is the fulfillment, happiness, and knowledge we glean along the way, at times with a degree of angst and discomfort and even, at times a degree of disillusionment and disappointment.

This appeared to be a maintenance/utility boat.

Then again, even these types of perceptions are all part of the process of learning and growing as human beings, of stretching our wings to soar above these vast lands with grace, humility, and awe.

The number of fishing boats in the harbor is astounding.

Yes, we are in awe of it all even with the biting flies, the relentless mozzies, the muddy paths, the steep roads, the hours-long harrowing drives, the scorching heat, the suffocating humidity, and at times the seeming to never end cloudy and rainy days and nights. It’s all a part of the experience.  If it were perfect, it would have little meaning after a while.

We couldn’t believe how much creativity was required for the designs of these fishing boats.

So, yes, we’re in Paradise here and again in Paradise wherever we may be at any given time, for the experience, for the selfish joy, for a starlit night like none other where we need only reach to the sky for a handful of stardust we sprinkle in our own eyes as we smile in pure wonderment.

Some of the boats in the harbor were small and less decorative.

Today, we share more photos of that joy we’ve encountered here in Bali, Indonesia in a remote location far from the popular tourist points of interest making our own way to see that which becomes closest to our hearts, a simple beauty, a profound opportunity, to discover what life is really like in faraway lands. 

Gratefulness. It prevails.

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

As we were winding down our time in Kauai, the albatross chicks born in early February would begin to fledge within a month. It had been an amazing experience to watch them grow over the many months and finally to see their fluff fall away as their feathers suitable for flying grew in.  For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Road trip…Many new photos on a perfect day!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
The sign outside the Fonterra Cheese Factory and retail store in Eltham, New Zealand.

With many cloudy days over these past few months, getting out to explore on a sunny day has been limited.  When any particular day started sunny, we’d plan to head out as soon as we finished posting. Invariably, by the time we’ve completed the post around 11:00 am, the clouds would start rolling in and we’d change our plans, hoping for another day.

As I’ve mentioned on many occasions, I don’t like taking photos on cloudy days. I’m just not that good of a photographer to do a great job, nor do I have an interest in spending hours editing dark photos, as more talented photographers may choose to tackle.

There are several refrigerated cases with a wide array of New Zealand made and Fonterra Cheese Factory made cheeses. We only purchased cheese made at the factory when we can easily purchase the others at the local grocery stores.

Based on the fact that we take over 10,000 photos a year, spending time editing photos could take a few more hours each day. When we don’t usually finish posting until around 11:00 am seven days a week, adding a few more hours editing photos each day would definitely cut into the time we prefer to spend doing other things.

Yesterday morning, awakening to a totally clear sky without a single cloud in sight, we knew it was a good day to get out. I hurried through the post using all new photos (most often all of our photos are new unless referencing a past experience), hung a load of laundry on the line and we were out the door before 11:00 am.

We’d never seen these “fruit pastes” which most likely are jam type items.

Over the past few months, we’ve had a few places in mind, we hoped to visit; the Fonterra Cheese Factory in Eltham and also the town of Stratford, fashioned with a Shakespearean theme. As it turned out we saw much more which we’ll share over these next several days.

Small jars of a variety of locally made chutneys, mustards and sauces.  In reviewing the ingredient’ list on these items, most contained sugar or starches.

Actually, over a month ago, we headed out with the same two towns in mind getting sidetracked, which resulted in a visit to Mount Taranaki which took most of the day. We decided we’d visit Eltham and Stratford another time, but only on a sunny day.

It’s a good thing we chose yesterday for the visit to these two towns since this morning, it was again cloudy as shown in this morning’s photo below. We weren’t disappointed when it stayed clear and cool all day, a perfect day for an outing.

We were happy we decided to go on yesterday’s road trip when this morning, it was cloudy and now raining.

The furthest of the two towns is Eltham where the well known cheese factory is located. Keeping in mind that cheese is one of the few treats I can eat, a plan to visit a factory with a wide array of locally made cheeses has been of particular interest in our worldwide travels.

This was only the third such occasion when we visited a cheese factory/specialty store; one in Belize as shown in this post and on another occasion when we visited Rusty’s Market, a huge farmers market and tourist attraction in Cairns, Australia, to find an extensive cheese vendor on site which prompted us to purchase a huge amount of exotic cheeses as shown in this post.

If we had more time before leaving New Plymouth, we’d surely have purchased one of these avocado oils.

Its not as if we can make an outing for food items other travelers may find worth a long drive; a special restaurant, a popular ice cream parlor or a bakery known for its sweets and bread. 

For our way of eating only these specialty venues work for us including a farmer’s market for fresh produce; a grass fed meat market; a fish wholesaler open to the public; a cheese factory or distributor; and a health food store.

Locally made oils.

When there’s an opportunity to visit any of these types of shops we’re as excited to do so as others may be when there’s “food on a stick” at a state fair or visiting a special restaurant known for foods that don’t work for us.

Yesterday, was no exception when we entered the Fonterra Cheese Factory. Although many of their options in the refrigerated displays were New Zealand made cheeses one may find at the local grocery stores, we asked the staff person to point out the cheeses that were made exclusively at their factory. No tours are offered or we’d definitely have participated.

Old newspaper articles about the cheese factory in Eltham.

After spending NZ $41, US $28, we were surprised how much we actually purchased. We didn’t go overboard in our purchase considering we’ll be leaving New Plymouth two weeks from tomorrow. 

Our day consisted of many more surprises delightful experiences as we continued on our day long tour of the exquisite countryside. We even encountered some funny animals during our fun filled day. More on that yet to come.

We purchased five packages of cheese including that huge round of Brie. I ate part of the smoked Havarti in the car while Tom ate this mint ice cream bar.  We were “out and about” when there are no “rules”  or comments from me on what he chooses to eat. He said it wasn’t that good after all.

May you share experiences with others, whether big or small, with enthusiasm and joy in your heart.

Photo from one year ago today, March 31, 2015:

A lazy day sitting under a tree with a cold beverage and good book is all many visitors to Kauai require for a glorious vacation. Not everyone is into adventure hikes and sightseeing. Many tourists come to the islands to get away from a “must do” lifestyle preferring to relax and unwind. Lounging on the beach, dining in a popular restaurants and drinking Mai Tai’s is all some travelers need for the perfect vacation. For more details, please click here.

Each day bring more wonders, more laughter and more surprises…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Trish and Neil recently acquired these two pink cockatoos, a mating pair, from an elderly couple whose health is failing. This pair is living in a chained link cage on the grounds with lots of space and plenty of food. To get this photo, I placed the new camera, touching the closely woven chain link cage. Our old camera would never have been able to capture this photo through the wire.  More photos of these gorgeous birds will follow on sunnier days.

In an attempt not to think too far ahead, I’ve avoided checking how much time until we leave New Zealand.  Why do we ever count the days? Often, we have necessary steps in the process of moving to a new location that require advance planning.

Also, when we’re in a location which we won’t be disappointed to leave, counting down the days seems to make the transition and remaining time easier. It’s never that we want LIFE itself to move along more quickly. 

We treasure each day in its content and length, both arising early and staying up until sleepiness overtakes us; me, always before Tom. We never lie down or nap during the days, never wanting to miss a moment.

The alpacas sleep in this tree lined area of the paddock at night.  We took this photo very early this morning. As the day warms, they move close to our house, where we can observe them all day.

Living in this glorious location, the alpaca farm in the Taranaki Region of New Zealand, leaves me a feeling a little sad over the prospect of its eventual end.  In an attempt to stay in touch with reality, today for the first time since our arrival, I checked this “date to date” calculator to see how much time we actually have left here, although we both had a good idea in our minds.

When the calculator indicated only 41 days until we depart on April 15th, my heart sank. Only 41 days left on this farm. It will be hard to leave. Plus, from what little we’ve seen of New Zealand, this amazing country has wrapped its arms around us making us feeling welcomed and included.

Sorry, readers. We haven’t traveled much to share the endless scenery and tourist attractions. In essence, we’re chasing joy however it may come our way. We’ve found it right here. And, if staying close to New Plymouth has given us joy, we don’t question it for a moment.

From time to time a family member mentions, perhaps even criticizes that we don’t travel about enough. Maybe that’s what “they” would do in our circumstances.  

Yesterday, we walked down the road to visit the cows at the adjacent farm. This mating pair were “necking.”

With our goals of “living” throughout the world, we find ourselves living exactly as we’d like, as the locals, in their environment and in their world of simple pleasures surrounded by the treasures they appreciate each and every day.

The difference for us is that eventually we have to leave behind that which we’ve come to embrace, the beauty of this simple life with few responsibilities other than life’s daily maintenance of a healthy existence and a warm and loving environment with one another, with our surroundings and with nature. 

It’s a simple prescription for happiness by our standards, one we don’t question, one we find works for us. Even Trish and Neil who have the daily responsibility of managing this 35 acre farm and over 100 alpacas who require daily tasks and attention in order to maintain their good health and well being, are fulfilled and happy in their lives.

Another cria born in the “pregnant moms” paddock. We missed the birth of this one! The mom and cria were located in the far rear of this paddock. With out old camera, I wouldn’t have been able to get this distant shot.

With outside jobs and coming home nightly to many tasks, they never complain and seem to relish in every aspect of this monumental responsibility. They easily dismiss the amount of work to choose happiness instead, to embrace the quality of life they’ve chosen with grace and dignity.

Many throughout the world talk of feeling “overwhelmed” a word we frequently hear as common in the harried lives of those in the US and other countries. In our old lives while we were working, at times, we felt as if it was “too much,” too much stuff, too much responsibility, too much obligation.

We sent this photo to Trish indicating something they’d never seen, two cria nursing from one mom simultaneously, which may determine why the smaller of the two isn’t thriving as it should. Today, she thanked us for keeping an eye out to bring such an anomaly to their attention which may result in separating the mom and baby from the others.

Now, we are free of those feelings, never feeling overwhelmed. Well, maybe once…when we first arrived and the newly born cria, Mont Blanc, had escaped the confines of the fence and couldn’t get back to his mother while both cried loudly. We didn’t know what to do. Now, we’d pick him up and place him on the other side with his mother. 

Life is good. No complaints here.

Photo from one year ago today, March 5, 2015:

Our old camera took good photos in Kauai one year ago.  We think it was the high humidity after four months in Fiji that finally caused the issue. For more photos, please click here.

Photos of a popular architecturally interesting Taranaki landmark…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
There were numerous birds flying in the area most likely due to visitors feeding them when picnicking.

Yesterday morning, upon completion of the post, the sun was shining and we headed out to check out a few popular attractions. One of those that held particular interest to us was the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge.

The easy walkway to the Te Kewa Kewa bridge was pleasant.

From the “100% New Zealand” website, here’s their description:

Where functionality meets fine art – New Plymouth’s Te Rewa Rewa pedestrian/cycle bridge is an impressive illustration of innovative local engineering.  The tied arch bridge has a clear span of almost 70 meters and is part of the award-winning New Plymouth Coastal Walkway.

Spanning the Waiwhakaiho River, its iconic form represents the sacred relationship between the land, sea, and wind with the Ngati Tawhirikura tribe.

Te Rewa Rewa Bridge opened on June 5, 2010, as part of the extension of the Coastal Walkway, making possible a 10 kilometers off-road route for cycling, walking, running, skateboarding and rollerblading.

The bridge has quickly become a proud piece of Taranaki with a couple of international awards already to its name:

Footbridge Awards 2011 – Aesthetics Medium-Span Winner (for bridges with spans between 30 meters and 75 meters).

International Bridge Conference: Bridge Awards 2011 – Arthur G. Hayden Medal (for a single recent outstanding achievement in bridge engineering demonstrating innovation in special use bridges such as pedestrian, people-mover, or non-traditional structures).”

The unique architecturally interesting Te Kewa Kewa Bridge.

No more than 10 minutes down the highway toward town, the clouds completely covered the previously blue sky. We decided to check out the downtown mall, the modern Centre City Shopping Centre (yep, that’s the name) to kill some time hoping the skies would clear. Tomorrow, we’ll share photos of the modern mall complex.

Tom at the beginning of the bridge a short walk over the Waiwhakaiho River.

Spending a short time in the mall (Tom’s not a mall kind of guy) we headed out to The Rewa Rewa Bridge in hopes of taking some decent photos to share. The skies hadn’t cleared, but we decided to proceed with our plans.

The expanse of the Waiwhakaiho River to the sea is beautiful, most likely more so on a sunny day.

We were pleasantly surprised when we easily found the exquisite bridge built over the Waiwhakaiho River to find paved walkways, beaches, picnic areas, and fishing spots. 

The Waiwhakaiho River views with the ocean at a distance.

With the possibility of rain, it appeared few were enjoying the surroundings. With the tail end of summer in this part of the world, there have been few days where outdoor activities have attracted a lot of locals to the parks and beaches. Later, we discovered the reason why few visitors were in the water (see below).

There were bicyclists on the bridge.

We walked along some of the trails, stopping for photos finally making our way to the bridge as shown in these photos. The contemporary bridge is an obviously important work of art to the people of New Zealand that also is a well-built functional means of crossing the Waiwhakaiho River, which flows to the sea.

View from the bridge.

The activity on the bridge was busier than we’d anticipated with the few visitors seen in the area. There were walkers, runners, bicyclists, and tourists with cameras in hand. 

Many birds populate the area of the river and the Lake Rotomanu

Later, we discovered online that the sparse crowds at the Lake Rotomanu were a direct result of a recent notice of Escherichia coli or E Coli in the lake and river in this area. 

From this link, “The council tested for fecal coliform, E Coli, and enterococci bacteria. Almost all samples which returned a high count were caused by birdlife such as seagulls, ducks, and pukekos.” The number of birds is evidenced in our photos which at the time, we had no idea their presence was an issue.

Warning signs are posted in the area.

We took our time in the well-planned area. New Zealand is not unlike the US and other countries with numerous lovely parks, lakes, beaches, and recreational areas, all well marked for dangers, rules, and regulations. 

More Lake Rotomanu photos will be posted another day.

The difference we find in New Zealand is their sense of humor that follows through on road signs, informational signs, news broadcasts, and any other means by which the city or country stresses a particular point to the public, often making following regulations more palatable for some visitors. We continually giggle over that sense of humor the longer we’re here.

View of the bridge from a distance.

Today, we’re staying in to catch up on laundry, visit the alpacas who are now moved to the far-from-the-house paddock for a week or so, and take the usual walk in this astoundingly wonderful neighborhood.  I’m looking forward to visiting our favorite cow.

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, February 23, 2015:

One year ago, Tom and a scarecrow at the Kauai Coffee Company.  For more photos, please click here.