We figured out how I became ill…See our many photos below in the second half of this post…

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Views across the Huon River.

There’s no doubt we’re running low on photos. Having been increasingly ill over these three months, I wasn’t feeling well enough to go sightseeing once we arrived in the Huon Valley, five weeks ago. I’ve barely been well enough to do much of anything. 

Tom makes the bed, does the laundry, washes the dishes, and helps make dinner. The cleaner comes once a week leaving us with not much more than tidying up after ourselves. 

I had mentioned that I wouldn’t continue to discuss this health issue. This was prior to having a diagnosis anticipating that our readers would tire of my whinging. But, now that I have the diagnosis of Helicobactor Pylori (the bacteria that causes ulcers and gastritis, we both felt it was important to share this information with other travelers. 

These conditions may become prevalent for travelers to certain countries and after eating certain foods. After all, to the best of my knowledge, I may only have exacerbated this condition while living in Bali for four months. 

These comments are by no means intended to criticize or berate the two lovely cooks, the property, or the diligence of the owners or managers. They were very conscientious to ensure our visit was safe and sanitary. 

Rolling hills in the Huon Valley which apparently were bright green in the spring, before we arrived.

However, certain climates with ultra-high humidity and rampant insects and ants may be a breeding ground for illness.  Also, one never knows the handling conditions when purchasing produce, fish, meat, chicken, and eggs from vendors in farmer’s markets which we’ve done regularly.

We often hear of infectious disease as a result of bagged lettuce and other produce purchased in the US and other highly developed countries in traditional chain supermarkets where one may easily assume everything is safe to consume, only to discover it is not, in some circumstances. 

When looking back and discussing where we’ve been these past few years and when in fact this illness may have started we reviewed many of our past posts. Most of us carry the H. Pylori bacteria which may be activated over a long period of time, often exacerbated by certain conditions.

Sailboat on the Huon River on a cloudy day.

When we received the diagnosis a few days ago, we both racked our brains trying to recall when, in fact, some of these symptoms began. Without a doubt, the symptoms started with an outrageous and uncomfortable sense of fullness after eating a normal-sized meal, once we arrived in New Zealand where we lived for three months on an alpaca farm.

Most of our meals consist of medium sized portions of protein, one or two cooked vegetables and a salad.  Eating none of this foods should or previously caused any intestinal distress. 

Previously while in Fiji, where we spent three months living on the island of Vanua Levu we literally cooked every meal.  During this period we didn’t consume a single portion of seafood when we’d discovered all local fish was caught close to the shore.  See this photo below and our post from December 29, 2015 for our mention and fears of eating fish in Fiji.

Photo and caption from December 29, 2015:  “We’d been warned against purchasing locally caught fish when its often caught close to the shore where bacteria is heavy in the waters from sewage disposal.  As a result, we never purchased any fish during the past four months (in Fiji).  I’m looking forward to cooking fish once we arrive in New Zealand.”  Eventually, I did eat the fish.  See text below for details.

At the end of the three months we left Vanua Levu to fly to Viti Levu where we stayed for one additional month.  This was during the busy holiday season that we dined out a few times, once on Tom’s birthday on December 23rd and again on Christmas Day.  On each of these occasions I ate shell fish and/or squid both of which meals were consumed in a five star hotel. 

Here’s my dinner on the night of Tom’s birthday in this photo below with more seafood.  Here’s the link to that meal:

My fresh plate of food on Tom’s birthday on December 23, 2015.

But, here’s the one that tops it all from Christmas brunch December 25, 2015:

This is what I ate for Christmas brunch at the five star hotel in Vanua Levu, Fiji; baby octopus all of which are caught close to the shore.  Please see this link for these facts.  Those heads were a bit tricky to chew.  I ended up eating four of them, less one head, never giving it a thought since we were dining in an upscale environment.

Once we left Fiji on January 4, 2016, we cruised from Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand where we lived on the alpaca farm for three months. It was during this period the bloating symptoms began, most likely the onset of full blown H. Pylori.

On January 11, 2016, I posted this story with a seafood photo on a cruise, here again exacerbating my condition by eating bottom feeding, caught-close-to-the-shore seafood.

This is the entrée I ordered for four evening meals in a row on the cruise to new Zealand, seafood on a bed of cooked cabbage and vegetables.  Here again, more high risk seafood.

How many times did I mention the risks of eating seafood caught close to the shore which is often infected with a wide variety of bacteria, including Helicobactor Pylori?  More times than we can count. 

Any yet, foolishly, I continued to eat squid and bottom feeding fish which seems to be the biggest culprit in causing my illness as shown in these photos. At the time, I made the assumption that dining in upscale restaurants and aboard cruises would eliminate these risks.  How wrong I was!

Today, as I experience some side effects of the massive doses of two different antibiotics, one of which includes 2 grams  (2000 mg) of Amoxicillin per day, twice the recommended dose for strep throat or penumonia.   The other antibiotic is Clarithromycin at 1 gram (1000 mg) per day.  The third drug is a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) always taken in combination with these two antibiotics is intended to reduce the acidity of the intestinal tract during the treatment and for two months thereafter (by continuing the PPI).

The course of treatment ends next Monday at 7 pm.  Thirty six hours later we’ll board the cruise in Sydney.  I can only hope I’ve learned something here:  that the cosumption of squid and other close-to-the-shore and bottom feeding fish will now be forbidden in my diet, eliminating one more of the foods I’ve enjoyed over the years. 

We’re grateful for our almost 1700 daily posts.  Through researching our photos, we were able to piece together why, when and how I developed this bacterial infection.

However, no food(s) is ever worth a serious health condition of any type.  We hope this post may have provided some insight into what may be recommended to eliminate from one’s diet while traveling.  One can never be too cautious, a lesson I’ve learned the hard way.

Be well.

__________________________________________


Photo from one year ago today, February 22, 2016:

These foals in NZ were hard to get close for more detailed photos when they’re very shy  If you click on this link, it will take you to last year’s post where, if you scroll to the bottom on the page, you’ll see a hysterical horse photo we’d taken in Hawaii.

Best birthday gift ever!…I got a diagnosis and hopefully good solution!…Happy day…

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Tasmanians seem to place various means of transportation atop buildings, as shown in several of our past photos.

Yesterday morning, while working on the post, I stopped for a moment to check my email. Since it was my birthday, it was fun to see how many email messages I received from family and friends, along with a variety of adorable online cards.

When I noticed a message from the doctor’s office I visited in Geeveston as recommended by Anne, I was shocked to see another blood test result had come in indicating it was positive. I was instructed to return to the office of Dr. Angela Retchford for a new prescription.

Yesterday, while at the pharmacy in Geeveston, we noticed this antique wagon atop the bakery/restaurant.

Honesty, I was thrilled. Who’s ever thrilled to get a positive test result? I was. After almost three months of suffering from an awful gastrointestinal issue that didn’t improve regardless of what I ate or what remedies I tried, I was excited to have a diagnosis.

Maybe now, with the new medication, I could improve. So last Tuesday, the doctor prescribed a PPI (proton pump inhibitor), which I was to take for 60 days, stop, and head to a gastroenterologist in Sydney if not improved. 

It was raining with the sun shining.  In South Africa, Okee Dokee taught us the Afrikaans expression, “Jackals trou met wolf se vrou.” In Afrikaans, this phenomenon, i.e., when it rains, and the sun shines, is referred to as Jakkals trou met wolf se vrou, meaning ‘Jackal marries wolf’s wife.”

With our plans to leave Sydney for the US on April 22nd, the 60 days will end about one week before we were scheduled to sail away, leaving little time for more tests and doctor appointments.

When the prior blood tests came in only two days after blood was drawn, with only one anomaly I’ll deal with later in the US when I have the test repeated; I assumed we were done until the doctor explained at my second visit that one test was outstanding. Then, after nearly a week had passed and I hadn’t heard a word, I assumed all was well. 

The doctor and receptionist explained that “negative” results on a test wouldn’t require communication with us, saving them time and money when avoiding contacting patients when all was well with tests. But, of course, with no local phone number, I asked for all communication to be accomplished via email.

The Pie Shoppe in Geeveston.  We avoided it.

As soon as I uploaded the post, Tom and I jumped in the rental car and headed directly to the doctor’s office, Geeveston Medical Centre found at this link, to discover the blood test resulted in a “positive” diagnoses of Helicobactor Pylori, aka, H. Pylori is a gastrointestinal bacterial infection as follows from this site:

“What Is H. pylori

H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) are spiral-shaped bacteria. H. pylori bacteria are unique because they produce the enzyme urease that allows the bacteria to live in the harsh environment of the stomach. The urease enzyme it produces reacts with urea to form ammonia that neutralizes enough of the stomach’s acid to allow the organisms to survive in the tissues.”

This is one of the possible conditions I’d researched online. In speaking with Tom over and over again, trying to figure out when in fact, the symptoms may have begun, we realized it was in Bali when I’d complained of bloating, which prompted me to stop drinking coffee, iced tea, and hot tea. Why was I getting bloated from drinking liquids?

In thinking back to our total four months in Bali, I’m now certain the symptoms began there. Not in control over the most sanitary of conditions under which I prepare meals, and with ants crawling all over the kitchen counters and dishware, I could easily have picked up the condition while there. 

“The Bears Went Over the Mountain” is a Geeveston boutique hotel with a cafe and tapas bar.  Click here for details. 

I was often in the kitchen wiping up when the girls weren’t there preparing meals, tossing out dirty-looking sponges and rags, and often concerned when food was left out longer than safe. During that period in Bali, I contracted an awful bacterial infection from eating squid.

Also, during this period, I took Aleve daily for the back injury, only exacerbating a potential breeding ground for H. Pylori. Thus, it was the right combination of circumstances to make me vulnerable for the full-blown infection, which was later exacerbated by drinking the wine on the ship.

After we left Bali the first time, we headed to Vietnam and Cambodia for the Mekong River cruise after a two-month stay, including multiple hotel stays. Unfortunately, we never ate anything off the street but could easily have made the situation worse, eating in various restaurants/hotels along the way. As a result, the bloating continued to worsen.

View of a farm on the Huon River.

I’d always joked that I had such a tough stomach that I could digest my shoe if I ate it. No longer is that the case. Traveling the world makes us all the more vulnerable to a wide variety of conditions and infections. Also, over the past few years, I contracted other infections requiring a few rounds of antibiotics.

By the time we got on the ship for the 33-night cruise, the infection must have been full-blown when I suffered from worsening bloating and the associated discomfort day after day, never connecting it with anything I was doing other than perhaps drinking too much liquid. 

I’d never had this problem in the past. Was it an “old age” thing I didn’t want to face? I’d noticed a lot of people my age with a distended abdomen, both women and men. 

Even driving along the roads in Tasmania is scenic.

I’d never discussed this with a doctor or even a friend. But, wouldn’t my “grain-free” lifestyle prevent me from a “Wheat Belly” when most of my life I’ve had a relatively flat stomach?

Now I know. What a relief! H. Pylori, a bacteria most of us carry harmlessly in our intestinal tract, was “brought to life” due to these myriad circumstances. With a prescription pack to treat the condition, which included two antibiotics and a smaller dose, I was taking a PPI to be administered once every 12 hours. 

This morning I took the first dose recommended by the pharmacist (since I’d already taken the PPI early yesterday morning). One day before our leaving from Sydney, I will have completed the one-week dosing. Then, in four weeks, it’s suggested I have another test to ensure the infection is gone. We’ll do this in Sydney during the 40 nights we’ll spend in Manly.

River views through the trees on a sunny day.

Need I say, this was indeed a divine birthday gift. Not knowing what was making it nearly impossible to eat without awful discomfort for the next five or six hours, I’d begun losing weight when finally I succumbed and started eating tiny meals, leaving me hungry all the time. 

It was a good birthday. Finally, finally, I’ve returned to my “old” (now older) cheerful self. Now, I must be patient and give the medication time to eat tiny portions to avoid discomfort in the interim.

So there it is, folks, hopefully, the culmination of my continuing health problems beginning this past June, almost eight months ago. We hope this resolves the problem and I can become more active while embracing the many exciting adventures yet to come. 

Thank you for all the kind and thoughtful wishes for good health and my birthday. You, our dear readers, be well, too!


Photo from one year ago today, February 21, 2016:

The cook at the Orangery in New Plymouth, NZ, fired up Tom’s Steak Diane Flambé using Pernot and white wine while taking this shot during my birthday dinner one year ago. For more photos, please click here.

Are birthdays for the birds?…Celebrating life, not age…A year ago birthday gift like none other…

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Roses in the garden.

Today, in this part of the world, it’s February 20th, my 69th birthday. Ouch!  Big number. Then again, I have no complaints. I’m grateful to be celebrating a birthday and, of course, living this amazing life with my loving husband and travel companion.

Although we have no big plans for today (my choice), we’ll head out for a short drive to Geeveston to pick up a prescription from the doctor I recently visited for my intestinal issue. 

Flower blooming on a zucchini plant.

We’d canceled the dinner reservation we’d made for the 17th when eating has just not been enjoyable for me recently. So instead, Tom went fishing with our landlords that day, and we enjoyed the flathead for a few meals.

I’m trying a new low-carb recipe, Low Carb Cordon Blue Casserole, that I found at this site for tonight. We’ll report back tomorrow if it’s worthy of mention. Lately, to shake things up a bit, I’ve been trying one new recipe a week, making enough to last for at least two meals. 

Not a perfect view of a sunrise, but some color is peeking through.

If the recipe is great, I’ll save it in the recipe file on my desktop and in the cloud. If not, I give it the “heave-ho.” There is no point in taking up space on my computer for anything less than what we consider to be outrageously delicious.

Last year, when we spent my birthday living on the alpaca farm in New Zealand, I was so excited when Trish and Neil named the baby girl “Miss Jessica” after me. Unfortunately, they were gone for a few days, during which we enthusiastically agreed to observe any births in the event of any problems. 

Huon River from the highway.

All went well, and Miss Jessica was born while they were away. Naming her after me was such a joy. Please see the one year ago photo below and the included link for that post.

Am I disappointed we aren’t doing anything special today? Not at all. We both feel that every day of our lives is a cause for celebration; traveling the world; being together; living in the moment, and reveling in the future.

And being 69? Ah, who cares? Perhaps, living life on the move has made me more accepting of aging. There’s no room in my luggage for anti-aging creams and time-consuming face masks and treatments I may have used had we not traveled the world.

White sand beaches are common in Tasmania.

Who knows? Maybe in my old life, I may have opted for a spot of Botox now and then to plump up my increasing lines and wrinkles. However, back in the US, I’d been invited to a Botox party but didn’t attend.

But now? How and where would a person go for “touch-ups?” In South America? Africa? No, thanks. Besides, I’ve let go of the concerns over aging, except regarding good health, the number one priority in our minds. 

Age gracefully? Well, one can age “gracefully” (whatever that means), or they can age while complaining/whinging over the unavoidable ravages of time or, like some, spend thousands of dollars on cosmetic procedures to stall the inevitable. 

The scene on a hazy morning.

No doubt, I still fuss over a few “girlie” things in an attempt to look presentable, for me, by my standards.  They’re easy, not costly, or time-consuming. I can purchase most products I use at any pharmacy throughout the world. But that’s just me and not necessarily for everyone. 

Today, without any specific plans for the day, we’re celebrating every single moment. My sister Julie sent me an online birthday card in which she wrote, “Who gets to spend their birthday in Tasmania?”

So true. So grateful. So filled with a passion for life!

Happy day to all of YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, February 20, 2016:

There I was, one year ago on my birthday with my namesake, Miss Jessica, when she’s only a week old. For more photos of this birth we monitored while the farm owners were on holiday, please click here.

Ten days and counting…More photos from Tom’s boating trip on the Huon River and d’Entrecasteaux Channel out to sea…

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Although overcast, Tom had a great day fishing and taking photos while boating with Anne and Rob.

Sure, it would have been great for me to go boating and fishing with Tom. But, I’m on a fast track to feeling better with only 10 days remaining until we depart Tasmania for Sydney to board another cruise on March 1st.

Huon Yacht Club along the shoreline of Huon River.

Speaking of feeling better, a special thank you to so many of our readers who wrote me offering kind and thoughtful wishes for my health. It means so much to both of us that our readers care for our well-being and health, knowing how relevant it is for our continuing travels.

Port Huon facility where farmed salmon are brought in for processing and shipping.

In presenting today’s photos, we decided to embark upon a little research regarding two facilities we’re posting today, Huon River Yacht Club and Huon Aquaculture Group, as shown below:

HISTORY OF THE HUON YACHT CLUB 

“For many years, the main form of transport in HuonValley was by boat. Small sailing ships would transport local produce and residents to the main markets in Hobart. Sailing skills were highly developed, which led to competition between the boats.

In 1852, the first Huon Regatta was held at Shipwrights Point. The undoubted success of this regatta is well recorded, and over the years, this regatta developed as the social event of the year. Up to 10,000 locals and visitors would enjoy the day’s activities on and off the water at the Shipwrights Point Regatta Ground.

The high diving tower has gone, and the rowing has moved to Franklin, but sailing and cruising are still very much part of the club’s weekly activities. Several yacht clubs have existed at various times on the banks of the HuonRiver, but the present club was formed on 29th October 1947. A resident offered a pickup boat, and racing started within a fortnight.  Since then, club members have enjoyed many successes sailing both at home and internationally.

The clubhouse was built by club members and was officially opened on 12th October 1957. The starter’s box, located on the top of the clubhouse, is a unique feature of the building, providing a perfect view for the officials on race day. The club has a strong future and looks forward to continuing its tradition of sailing vessels on the HuonRiver, D’Entrecasteaux Channel, and as far afield as the wind will take them.”

Salmon farming on the Huon River.
Huon Aquaculture Group

“Peter and Frances Bender commenced salmon farming in 1986 in the beautiful waters surrounding their farming property at Hideaway Bay. What began as a diversification to the family cattle and sheep farming enterprises soon grew into a highly successful business that would dominate their commercial lives and the Huon region.

Our area of southern Tasmania is renowned for its remote ruggedness. This is where water from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area flows into the Huon River and meets the Southern Ocean in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel.

Our farms are located in this pristine marine environment and on the west coast in Macquarie Harbour – ensuring they stay clean and healthy – a key to the high quality of the Huon product. The strict control of feeding regimes, regular cages, and strategic fallowing of cage sites are among the many world’s best environmental management practices Huon follows to preserve and protect the aquatic marine environment while rearing superior quality salmon.

To this day, Huon attributes the quality of its salmon to the philosophy of ‘getting the basics right and attention to detail.’ Focused solely on the goal of growing the best quality in the world, Huon set a high standard from the very beginning to ensure everything else would fall into place.

The majority privately owned, the Huon Aquaculture Group produces over 17,000 tons of fresh salmon per year and is recognized globally as the premium producer of fresh and smoked salmon products. Huon currently employs over 550 multi-skilled staff in most states of Australia, and both Peter and Frances remain involved in all areas of the business daily.

From biologists to welders, the entire Huon team, divers to factory hands, accountants to truck drivers, and industry-leading sales and marketers all play their part and take pride in producing the Huon product. As a result, Huon prides itself on producing the world’s most love salmon. Our commitment is always to strive to do our best, produce the best, in the best place in the world.”

Another view of Arch Island.
  • Having the opportunity to learn about businesses in an area where we live adds an element to our experiences that enriches every aspect of our travels while exploring culture, way of life, economic conditions, and the diversity of people we meet throughout the world.
The Flathead fish were larger than they appeared in yesterday’s photos.

We remain in awe by our vast experiences as we move from state to state and country to country, as has been the case of our interest and exploration of many areas in this amazing continent of Australia and the South Pacific. 

Decorative “knot” display plaque on the wall in the boat.

We’ve barely touched the surface of this massive continent where one could easily spend a lifetime discovering its endless assets. Tasmania has also been a vital area in fulfilling our curiosity and interest in the continent over almost three months on the island.

Flathead in the bucket ready for cleaning. The diagonal of this bucket was used to determine if fish were large enough to keep.

In 10 days, we’ll be on the move again, back to the main continent, and once again returning to Sydney for the sixth time (with two more to go before leaving this part of the world) in these past almost two years. Thank you, Australia!

Barbecue attached to boat for easy cooking.

Have a fabulous day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 19, 2016:

This was our favorite cow to visit when on a walk in New Plymouth, New Zealand. She always stuck out her tongue and did a little dance when she saw us. For more photos, please click here.

Tom went fishing in the d’Entrecasteaux Channel!…What a haul!…More river photos tomorrow!

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Tom was proud of their big catch, all flatheads.
When Anne and Rob offered we join them for a fishing day in ocean waters, near the mouth of the Huon River in the d’Entrecasteaux Channel, Tom jumped at the suggestion. However, with the long day planned, I decided to stay behind for a quiet day.
Arch Island.
As it turned out, the day proved to be the longest Tom and I had been apart in so long we couldn’t remember. But, by no means did I find the “alone time” without him a necessary element to me. I’ve never been one to say I needed time to myself. Plus, we easily slide into quiet times engaged in our own activities in our day to day lives.
According to Anne and Rob, this was a typical catch that is quite adept at cleaning fish.

By 2:00 pm, I started looking out the window to see if they had returned.  We chuckled over how unusual it is for us to be apart for more than a few hours such as when we were living in an areas where I’ll shop on my own. That hasn’t occurred since we lived in Hawaii in 2015.  Not a good driver, I don’t trust myself to drive on the opposite side of the road.

Rob, an expert at filleting, cleaned all the fish while Tom bagged them.

Using a fishing line with three leaders, Tom caught two fish at a time on multiple occasions. So I can only imagine how excited Tom must have been when he pulled up his line to find two fish on two of the leaders. That was a first for him!

Anne drove the boat while Rob worked on the fish.

Flatheads are described as follows from this site:

“A flathead is one of several small to medium fish species with notably flat heads, distributed in membership across various genera of the family Platycephalidae. Many species are found in the Indo-Pacific, especially most pAustralia’spopular sport and table fish. They inhabit estuaries and the open ocean.

Flathead is notable for their unusual body shape, upon which their hunting strategy is based. Flathead is dorsally compressed, meaning their body is wide but flattened and very low in height.

Both eyes are on the top of the flattened head, giving excellent binocular vision to attack overhead prey. The effect is somewhat similar to flounders. In contrast to flounder, however, flathead are much more elongated, the tail remains vertical, and the mouth is large, wide and symmetrical. Flathead uses this body structure to hide in the sand (their body color changes to match their background), with only their eyes visible, and explode upwards and outwards to engulf small fish and prawns as they drift over, using a combination of ram and suction feeding thereby improving their chances to catch prey.

Flathead has two short spikes on either side of their heads and on top of their heads that contain venom. The venom, while not fatal, can cause pain and infection for no more than about 2 days. Some anglers believe the pain of the sting of the flathead fish can be reduced by rubbing the slime of the belly of the same fish that caused the sting on the inflicted wound, due to a particular gland in its belly.”

It was a hazy day, but it didn’t rain during their fishing trip.

Rob explained that flatheads have a toxin along the gills which he carefully avoids when fileting. Tom was careful to avoid cutting himself with the gills, doing so without incident.

Lighthouse along the Huon River.

Anne and Rob had brought along food for breakfast and lunch. They’d informed Tom not to bring along anything to eat as they had plenty for him as well. But, in an attempt maintain our usual low carb, interval fasting way of eating, he graciously declined, especially knowing I was preparing dinner back at the house.

Anne and Rob are a delightful couple, and Tom had a great day. They were out from 8 am to 3 pm.

Had I known he’d catch so many fish, I wouldn’t have made dinner and we’d have eaten fish. But, with fishing, one never knows. I often fished from our boat or at the dock at our former home. In our old lives, Many days, we ended up empty-handed, never planning fish for dinner. This is obviously not the case fishing with Anne and Rob.

Anne drove while Tom and Rob were fishing, although once they stopped, they anchored.

We’ll have fish tonight, freezing the balance to enjoy over the remaining 11 days until we depart for Sydney on March 1st.  Recently I’d purchased a batch of flash-frozen barramundi, an Australian favorite, leaving us with many upcoming fish dinners. 

“Sleeping Beauty” can only be seen in this area of the Huon Valley.

That’s no problem for me since I especially enjoy fish and Tom, only slightly less interested in fish dinners, will hopefully join me in the pursuit to use everything we have on hand.

Closer view of “Sleeping Beauty’s” brow, nose and lips from right to left.

Of course, Tom enjoyed the lively conversation. When I asked him if he enjoyed time away from me, he replied, “I missed eating sunflower seeds and smoking cigarettes while fishing. You? No so much!”  We laughed. That’s my guy!

We’ll see you tomorrow with more of Tom’s photos from his fishing expedition. Thanks to Anne and Rob for Tom’s enjoyable day and our supply of flathead!

Enjoy the day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 18, 2016:

The botanical garden we visited in New Zealand was creatively designed with colorful groupings such as this. For more details, please click here.

Part 2…Time to come clean…A medical issue over the past almost three months…

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Pointy mountain top view from Southport, Tasmania.

As shown in this link in yesterday’s post, three factors contributed to my current medical issue, which included the following, beginning last June. Quoted from that post, the following was included:
“That was my mistake #1…long term use of NSAIDS (For back injury last June).
That was my mistake #2…consuming high-risk seafood from an unknown source (in Bali months ago).
That was my mistake #3…drinking two glasses of white wine every night during the 33-night cruise beginning on October 31, 2016.”

Why I feel slightly embarrassed to share these details baffles me. But, unfortunately, we all make mistakes that can wrongfully affect our health.  None of us are exempt from this reality regardless of how hard we strive for health and wellness.

Then again, I may have higher standards for myself of striving for healthfulness coming from a family on my mother’s side with a plethora of hereditary health issues, many of which have plagued me in one way or another over the years; hypertension; diabetes (pre-diabetic in my case); heart disease (I had already had heart surgery in 2005); painful spinal conditions (requiring my current way of eating to reduce inflammation); thyroid issues (my eldest sister had her thyroid removed. I take medication); cancer (my youngest sister had two horrific rounds of cancer).

On top of it all, obesity has been prevalent in many of the lives of my family members, which inspired me as a young person to watch every morsel I put into my mouth in hopes of avoiding poor health. As a result, I’ve exercised and maintained a healthy diet in one form or another for most of my life.

Boats in the bay.

Regardless of how hard we may try, many of us cannot avoid falling prey to heredity conditions. As a result, I question myself while taking full responsibility for my recent painful and distressing gastrointestinal situation presented during the first week upon our arrival in Penguin, Tasmania, after the end of the 33-night cruise.

In reviewing each of my above mistakes, I believe they contributed to my becoming vulnerable to the raging gastrointestinal issue, particularly the wine drinking on the 33-night cruise. In all of my life, I’d never drunk wine or any other form of alcohol so many nights in a row. 

Add the fact that overall over the past 20 years, I’d been a non-drinker before the cruise. But, unfortunately, I’d built no tolerance to alcohol and basically burned my intestinal tract pouring the two glasses of wine down my throat for 33-nights in a row which ultimately proved to be toxic.

During the cruise, I suffered no ill effects at the time. Overall, I stuck to the two glasses a night, spreading them out over an extended period, although on a few occasions where we stayed up late, dancing and carrying on, I may have consumed a third. However, I found that staying at around the two glasses of wine would prevent me from feeling hungover.

Mountains at a distance.

As we settled in Penguin, after about five days, I started noticing a burning sensation down the entire length of my intestinal tract. I had no specific heartburn near my esophagus or a sensation of GERD. Instead, it occurred from the chest down.

On a mission to self-diagnosis, I read copious reports and documents on what was plaguing me and how to treat it. I literally tried everything available from the local pharmacy, and still, the symptoms and discomfort continued. Each time I ate or drank anything at all, I could feel it going down, burning all the way.

When I attempted to eat my one main meal a day, I became bloated and outrageously uncomfortable, unable to go out or do anything until the food slowly digested. After a few days of this, I cut my meal into two small portions to no avail. Even the smallest amount of food hurt.

Bright white sand beach in a cove, off the beaten path while on a dirt road.

There was no way I wanted to go to a doctor only to have to experience endless tests. In our old lives (around 2007), we easily recall when Tom had awful IBS and suffered through one invasive test after another while we spent five miserable days and nights (he couldn’t eat anything during this period) at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He was sent home with prescriptions that ultimately didn’t help and had the potential for long-term side effects. 

It was only after we devised a severe diet change that his symptoms were gone six months later, and he stopped the seven pills a day. But I’m already eating that same way, and still, the burning and bloating persisted. So certainly, diet alone is not the cure-all for that which ails us.

Continuing to try everything I could, once we arrived in the Huon Valley, where better medical care was available in the capital city of Hobart, I made a doctor appointment at a well-known and reviewed integrative medicine clinic in hopes of a solution.

The doctor diagnosed me with gastritis and/or IBS and prescribed an herb to soothe the intestinal tract while it healed, slippery elm, and the vitamin zinc. He said to return in three weeks if it hadn’t improved. I must say the slippery elm helped, an herb that, when added to water, thickens, providing a coating along the intestinal tract. I was to drink this off and on all day and did so diligently.

Low tide at the beach.

Within a week, the burning was gone. I was ecstatic. But, the pain and awful bloating continued after eating, to a point making me fearful of eating, going out, or riding in the car when impossible bowel issues accompanied the condition. I struggled to eat enough to avoid losing weight which would only exacerbate the problem.

At three weeks, I realized the slippery elm was no longer necessary, but something had to be done. So, as much as I’ve resisted traditional medicine, I bit the bullet and made an appointment with our landlord’s recommended traditional medicine physician located down the road in Geeveston.

I couldn’t get an appointment for several days but went ahead and booked it for Tuesday this week. There were a few nights I was so miserable. We might have to go to the hospital in Hobart. I persisted in avoiding this option.

The only time I felt relief was immediately upon awakening before eating or drinking anything. After that, even organic, caffeine-free herbal tea would cause problems. So instead, I sipped small amounts of tepid water throughout the day to avoid becoming dehydrated.

As soon as I met with the traditional medicine doctor, she was convinced I had gastritis or possible IBS, depending on how soon it would resolve. She gave me a prescription for a PPI (proton-pump-inhibitor), a drug to which I’ve been strongly opposed due to its potential for long-term side effects. 

The doctor suggested a two-month course of the drug. Also, I had several blood tests for numerous possible conditions, all of which were normal.  Thank goodness.

Oceanview from Dover, Tasmania.

At this point, I had to let go of my soapbox stance on drug side effects. I needed relief, and I needed it fast. Although the drug doesn’t promise immediate results when it may take weeks to become effective, I noticed an improvement in the first 24 hours. After that, I could actually eat a medium-sized meal with slightly less discomfort.

Although I’m still suffering from the bloating sensation after drinking and eating, it’s not as painful and debilitating as it was. I can only hope and pray for continued improvement. In only 13 days, we’re boarding a 12-night cruise.

Guess I won’t be drinking the “free” wine on this upcoming cruise.  Actually, after this experience, I’ve decided to return to my former “no alcohol at all policy.” I never minded not drinking and could be just as content with iced or hot tea.

If it’s not fully resolved by the time the cruise ends in Sydney, I may decide to see a gastroenterologist for some of those unpleasant tests.  Time will tell.

Huon River view from Highway A6.

As for experiences in Tasmania, I’m grateful for those I pushed myself to do.  In each case, it’s been a struggle, but there was no way we’d stay in the entire time. As you’ve seen, some of our photos may not have been as interesting and exciting as during other periods of time in our travels. We did our best.

Adding the five months of severe back pain and now over two months of this current issue, I’ve had a painful and difficult past many months.  However, through it all, we remained hopeful, embracing our surroundings as much as possible and always feeling grateful to be experiencing the world and happy to be together.

Thank you for “listening” to my story. I share it only in an attempt to be “real” in our daily ramblings of living life on the move. It’s not always easy. It’s not always joyful. But, we continue with love and hope in our hearts and minds for the future yet to come.

Enough about that!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, February 16, 2016:

Our favorite photo of the day when we visited Puketi Gardens in New Zealand. Zoom in to see this bee’s facial features. Amazing! For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Time to come clean…A medical issue over the past almost three months…

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There are patches of green grass in the Huon Valley which aren’t quite as green as they were in Penguin which may be due to weather and soil conditions.

Its not always easy living one’s life on display for literally the world to see.  Our mistakes, our foibles and our vulnerabilities come into play on a daily basis. At times, to avoid appearing redundant or as a complainer/whinger we may not mention every single ailment that filters our way. 

After all, this is a “travel blog” isn’t it?  Or, as we often say, “Its a real life story of two senior citizens traveling the world with the nuances of living a life on the move, without a home, without storage or stuff to call their own other than that which is contained in three suitcases and a few carry on bags.

At times, we struggle with the definition. However, based on the fact we’ve had so many worldwide readers, perhaps the definition has been irrelevant to our readers who’ve followed along with us all this time, now fast approaching 52 months since we left Minnesota on October 31, 2012.

Pool and river view from our veranda on the second level.

Based on our intent to tell it like it is, today, I’m sharing something I’ve contemplated sharing over these past months shortly after we arrived in Tasmania on December 3rd after a 33 night cruise.

Several things transpired to result in this illness, most of which was entirely my own fault. In part I became ill as a result of a lack of caution when I knew caution should have been forefront in my mind and also, a series of events that transpired contributing to this condition.

I supposed when we think about it many of our ailments can be prevented with knowledge and self-care. But, I like so many of us, throw caution to the wind when somehow we think “that won’t happen to me” or in many cases, we aren’t even aware of the potential risks.

Pretty farm in the country.

I have to go back a way to fill in some of the blanks here. Please bear with me. It’s not a pretty story. Somewhere around June 1, 2016, while living at the fabulous villa in Sumbersari, Bali, I injured my back while in the pool. 

I’d backed up with walking and exercising and hit my spine, from neck to tailbone of a sharp stone corner at the bottom of the steps. At first, it felt like the same pain one would experience banging one’s elbow.  Ouch, ouch, ouch. 

Thinking the cool water would do good, I languished in the pool for a while, moving gingerly, when eventually the pain subsided. During the remainder of the day and evening after which I iced it off and on, the pain was somewhat under control. But, at bedtime, I couldn’t find a comfortable position to sleep.

Huge daisies!

Having previously had a diagnosis with a horrible spinal condition due to a heredity condition eventually in 2011 I found tremendous pain relief from a change of diet due to a massive reduction in inflammation. However, no way of eating could reduce the pain of an injury to this degree.

I didn’t see any reason to go to a doctor in the remote area of Bali, a four-hour harrowing drive to get to a good hospital. At that point, I couldn’t conceive of that drive bumpy long ride. It was hard enough when we went back and forth from the airport to the villa, a total of four times.

I’d have to treat it myself. Besides, what would “they” do? Pain killers?  A back brace? (Not good to use over the long haul). Surgery? Not possible or desired in Indonesia (or any other country for that matter).  I hoped in time it would heal.

Flowers blooming mid-summer in Tasmania in Tasmania.

During the following five months, I used ice and heat packs, walked daily to maintain strength, didn’t lay in bed during the day, and took over-the-counter NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Aleve with breaks every few weeks. That was my mistake #1…long term use of NSAIDS.

From there, a few short days later, I asked the two cooks to make us a seafood dish with prawns and for me, added grilled calamari. Let’s face it, sometimes favorite foods are comforting. My back was hurting but not my appetite. 

Twelve hours after eating the calamari, I had the worse case of diarrhea, known as “diare” in Balinese, a common traveler’s illness in many parts of the world. Here again, I should have known better than to eat this type of seafood in this part of the world. That was my mistake #2…consuming high-risk seafood from an unknown source.

We’ve so enjoyed the fresh-picked organic vegetables from Anne and Rob’s garden.

After suffering for a few days, Gede, our wonderful houseman took us to the Apotek (pharmacy) where we purchased an over-the-counter drug that got it under control within a few days. 

At that point between the diare and the back pain, I was a mess although, not a complainer, I didn’t burden Tom with hearing about it all the time.  He even berated me at times to encourage me to tell him how I was feeling throughout the difficult days and again most recently.

By the time we left Bali on June 27th, my back was so bad, I didn’t know how I’d get through the necessary week in Singapore while we applied for necessary visas plus spending several days in Hanoi awaiting the upcoming Viking Mekong River Cruise beginning July 8th. 

Yellow and white orchids.

How in the world was I going to get through the activities and walking on uneven ground on many tours and several flights through Vietnam and Cambodia? Somehow I managed to participate in many of the tours as shown in our photos beginning here at this link and continuing for many days.

In our posts, I made every effort to avoid complaining which I knew would bore our readers with frequent mention of my painful condition.  We did absolutely everything I could manage to ultimately have an excellent experience albeit the few tours we had to forego. Our many photos and stories at the following link clearly illustrate how much we were actually able to participate. 

From there, we went to Phuket, Thailand from July 22nd to September 1st.  Looking back, that six-week period was almost a blur. I was in terrible pain resulting in our doing very little while there. Other than a little exploring, photo-taking, grocery shopping, and visit to several beaches we stayed in while I attempted to recuperate.

From there, we returned to Bali for two more months to fill a gap in our schedule while awaiting the 33-night cruise circumventing the continent of Australia. Once we boarded the ship the back pain was finally gone after a full five months of pain.

It was during that 33-night cruise I decided to start drinking a few glasses of white wine when our drinks were “free” due to our recent inclusion into Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Diamond Club which provides complimentary cocktails from 4:30 to 8 pm each night. Why not? I had no specific reason when I could easily enjoy a few glasses of dry white wine and still maintain my diet. However, I’d had no more than a few glasses of wine each year over the past 20 years. That was my mistake #3…

Today’s story is simply too long to continue today. Tomorrow, we’ll present the balance of this story including my current medical issue, medical diagnosis, and subsequent treatment by a highly competent and recommended local doctor.

Be well

Photo from one year ago today, February 16, 2016:

Our favorite photo of the day. Zoom in to see this bee’s facial features.  Amazing! For more photos, please click here.

Local points on interest…Two more weeks in Tasmania…Foggy morning in the valley…Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Statue in Franklin commemorating World War I soldiers.

When our cleaner became ill and could not do our place, Anne arranged for another cleaner to come by at 1:30 pm. As a result, we waited to go out for our usual weekly grocery trip and plan to take photos along the way.

Cute pizza shop in Franklin.

As the time rapidly winds down until we depart Tasmania for the cruise from Sydney on March 1st, we’re now looking at only two weeks until we’re on our way to the second to the last of our seven cruises in the South Pacific over an almost two year period.

Tavern/hotel in Franklin.

Then on April 22nd, after spending 40 nights in Manly (a suburb of Sydney with harbor views), we’ll embark on the seventh and final cruise. Six of the seven cruises have embarked from the Port of Sydney, with the first in the series had departed from Hawaii in May 2015 when we made our way to this part of the world.

Boats moored in the inlet on the Huon River.

Having spent this extended period in the South Pacific, we feel comfortable with what we’ve seen in and around Australia. But have no doubt very little, in comparison to what Australia has to offer overall. 

After all, Australia and its surrounding islands could literally keep travelers on the move for a lifetime. When we finally embark on the final cruise to the USA, we’ll post all of the islands and areas we’ve visited during this 22 month period since our arrival.

Tour boat serving customers at Petty Sessions Restaurant and park.

Going forward, it’s unlikely we’ll spend this much time in and about one continent. But, the long distance from this part of the world to most others prompted us to stay for this extended period. 

We don’t anticipate we’ll ever return to the South Pacific when we still have many continents to explore or…explore further, including our own North America, which we’ll tackle down the road at some point.

Petty Sessions Restaurant.

As for our Valentine’s Day, as mentioned in yesterday’s post, we kept it low-key. With few restaurants in the immediate area, most of which are more casual where it isn’t easy to accommodate my way of eating, we enjoyed yet another homemade meal and evening together after returning from our drive and shopping trip.

This popular tourist spot, Petty Sessions, has a gallery, restaurant, playground park, and boat tours.

We weren’t disappointed. How could we be when we so love our surroundings here in the beautiful Huon Valley? Although it’s cooler than we’d prefer, with us frequently bundled up in warm clothing, the area is still a feast for the eyes.

This morning’s fog was so dense we weren’t able to see across the Huon River.

In fact, all of Tasmania provides some of the most exquisite scenery we’ve seen. For the first time, when we were about to leave Penguin, Tom actually said, “Of all the places we’ve visited, I could see living in Penguin.”

But, in reality, it’s all just “talk” when either of us makes such comments. We do not envision settling down anytime shortly. And, as we traveled, we’ve found our perception and opinions as to that which may be ideal for our “older age” may change from time to time.

This is the most fog we’ve seen since arriving in Tasmania. However, by 9:00 am, it began to clear.

For those on the opposite side of the International Dateline, where it’s February 14th today, have a lovely Valentine’s Day with those you love. We’ll be thinking of you with love.

Photo from one year ago today, February 14, 2016:

A portion of the outdoor dining area where we dined on Valentine’s Day at Table Restaurant in New Plymouth, New Zealand, one year ago. For more photos, please click here.

Happy Valentine’s Day!…A special day for many throughout the world…How are we celebrating this year?…

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A pretty pink rose with Happy Valentine’s Day wishes for all of our readers both today and tomorrow, depending on which side of the International Dateline you’re residing.

As the years of world travel literally fly by, the special occasions and holidays become less important to us. Instead, we focus on the exquisite joys of daily life, simple in their execution and complex in the layers they represent in our world journey.

View from the car while driving on Highway A6 in the Huon Valley.

Valentine’s Day is another of those special occasions that we’ve gradually lost interest in celebrating with gifts, flowers, or lavishly prepared meals. Tonight, we have delicious leftovers, which are quite fine with us.

In our old lives, it was an entirely different scenario. Tom would always come home from work with a big bouquet, an embellished greeting card with handwritten loving words contained therein. 

Apple ripening, ready for the picking.

I’d bake a heart-shaped cake (yes, I had two heart-shaped baking pans), decorated with a loving touch (no, I wasn’t the best at decorating cakes) along with the special dinner, a beautifully wrapped gift, and of course, a card.

Church in a small town.

Around this “holiday” and others (seemingly perpetrated by Hallmark) lie a certain number of expectations. Easily, these types of celebrations may result in a degree of disappointment and heartbreak if one or the other of a couple doesn’t hold up their end of the deal. 

Huumm…another vehicle atop a roof of a fuel station. It must be a trend here in the Huon Valley.

We’re way beyond setting ourselves up for such potential disappointment. Besides, in many parts of the world, particularly less developed countries where we’ve spent considerable periods of time, it’s simply not possible to shop for such items when Valentine’s Day isn’t celebrated worldwide.

Splendid scenery.

As in this statement from The History Channel at: (click the link for the origins of Valentine’s Day:

“Typical Valentine’s Day Greetings    

In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century.

By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology.

Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions when direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine’s Day greetings.”

An unusual fishing boat.

As it turns out,  Valentine’s Day, my birthday (February 20th), and our wedding anniversary (March 7th) fall within a three-week period.  Were we to make a fuss over each of these occasions, we’d be in a predicament. 

This fuzzy fruit left us curious. What could it be? Shaped like a pear, fuzzy like a peach. Any suggestions?

A warm embrace, a kiss, and a loving smile are all either of us needs or wants on these otherwise celebratory occasions. Besides, neither of us has any room in our luggage for any superfluous items. Therefore, we strive to keep it “light” in every way possible.

We took this photo through the water-marked window to the end of the dock to find this Black Faced Cormorant. She/he stayed at the end of the dock for a few hours in the rain.

By no means does this diminish our love and devotion to one another, which we revel in each day. How many couples spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week in each other’s company and still adore each other after almost 52 months of traveling the world (and together, almost 26 years)? We’re blessed. We’re grateful.

However you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not, have a loving, fulfilling, and meaningful day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 14, 2016:

Love comes in many forms. This year ago photo was posted on Valentine’s Day in 2016. For the birth of a new little cria, please click here for the story.

Update on stranded pilot whales in New Zealand…A bit of “this and that”…Balance of Home Hill Winery photos…

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The work and effort to create these perfect rows of grapes are astounding.

The mass stranding of over 600 whales is the largest in New Zealand’s history, as shown from this source:

“More than 600 pilot whales have washed ashore New Zealand’s South Island over the past two days. Officials and volunteers are working to return the ones still alive back to sea, but many have already died or were euthanized because of their injuries.

On the morning of February 10th, more than 400 pilot whales were discovered on a crescent of land on New Zealand’s South Island called Farewell Spit, according to a Department of Conservation news release. Unfortunately, close to 300 of them had already died.

Volunteers with whale rescue organization Project Jonah and DoC officials managed to send 100 or so whales back to sea on February 11th, only to have 20 wash ashore again. The remaining 80 joined another nearby pod and appeared to be safe. However, that second pod then stranded itself on Farewell Spit that evening. The New Zealand Department of Conservation sent out a call for more volunteers, warning that it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to rescue all of the beached whales.”
The beauty of the neat rows of grapes in the vineyard is a breathtaking sight.

Hopefully, over the next few days, more whales will be saved as volunteers continue to work around the clock to assist in helping more back out to sea. 

Over the past almost month since we arrived in the Huon Valley, the weather hasn’t been ideal. In total, there have been about five sunny and warm days, all of which got us out to explore. Unfortunately, the remainder has been rainy, cool, windy, and cloudy, none of which is ideal for photo taking.

Here’s today’s forecast, similar to over these past several days:

“Forecast issued at 5:40 am EDT on Monday 13 February 2017.

Forecast for the rest of Monday
Summary

Max 16C

Shower or two. Wind easing.

Chance of any rain: 50%
South East area

Cloudy. High (80%) chance of showers in the far south, medium (60%) chance elsewhere. Winds west to southwesterly 35 to 55 km/h decreasing to 20 to 30 km/h in the late evening. Daytime maximum temperatures between 11 and 17.

Fire Danger – High

Sun protection recommended from 9:50 am to 5:20 pm, UV Index predicted to reach 9 [Very High].”

Alpacas grazing at the Home Hill Winery in the Huon Valley, Tasmania.

For those only familiar with Fahrenheit, this 16C translates to 60F, which at the highest for the day made for a considerably cool morning with the winds and overcast sky. 

This may sound warm to our family and friends in ultracold Minnesota and other parts of the country, but for us, having experienced mostly above 80F, 27C for the past four years, it’s very cool to us.

Those chubby cheeks must be filled with grazed grass.

Yesterday, staying in on a rainy day, we couldn’t seem to warm up. So both of us bundled up in socks, long pants, and flannel shirts layered over tee shirts. Unfortunately, my feet never warmed up, and I ended up wrapping them in a blanket.

There is a space heater kept in the bedroom, but we try to acclimate to the temperatures and possible without the use of heat or air-con. Also, we both make every effort to save on power when possible. 

This adorable alpaca approached the fence to check us out.

In most cases, landlords have provided us with discounted rental prices for our long-term stays and the added promotion of their listing through our site. As a result, we pay special attention to keeping the costs of owner-paid utilities under control. 

We’ve yet agreed to pay for utilities for any vacation homes. We feel these costs should be included in the rental. On the few occasions we were asked to pay the costs for utilities at the time of booking, we’ve always “negotiated” the cost of electricity/water/cable TV/Wi-Fi be included in the rent. 

Beautiful rows of grapes.

Last night, when we began watching season four of Game of Thrones, we wrapped ourselves in extra blankets to stay warm. We’d signed up for a one-month free trial of HBO (through Amazon), during which we’ll have watched the entire six seasons of Game of Thrones and season one of The Young Pope. 

By the time the trial ends, we’ll have seen all the episodes, and we’ll cancel the subscription, rejoining sometime in the future after we visit the US during which we won’t have time to watch shows while visiting with family and friends during the combined nine-week stay in both Minnesota and Nevada.

Bottles of wine ready for customers to take home.

Tomorrow, regardless of the weather, we’re heading out for more photos and grocery shopping. With over two weeks remaining until we fly to Sydney for the upcoming cruise, we’re beginning to wind down using the foods we have on hand.

Have a lovely day, stay warm, stay happy.

Photo from one year ago today, February 13, 2016:

On a drive in the New Zealand countryside, we stumbled upon this Billy Goat tied to a tree. He seems interested when we stopped for the photo. For more photos, please click here.