Fantastic visit to Goodyear Arizona…5 days and counting…

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Tom and his four sisters (two weren’t able to travel to Arizona). From left to right (back row);
Colleen, Tom, Mary Ellen with Rita, and Margie (front row).
The hour-long drive passed in no time at all, with five of us riding in Margie’s car while Tom drove. He drank only iced tea all day to ensure he could be the “designated driver” on the return drive after dark.
 
Laurie and Craig’s stunning house was a delight to see. Every room is exquisitely designed and decorated, and we oohed and aahed as we took the tour. 
Gorgeous lounge area on the veranda.
Afterward, I asked Tom if this gorgeous home reminded him of the beautiful home we’d left behind over seven years ago and if seeing this home caused him to wish we had never left our old life.
 
He laughed and said, mimicking my feelings, that it’s a pleasure to see Laurie and Craig’s home and admire every nook and cranny, but in no way did it make him wish we had a home and a different life. We both concurred that we were thrilled for them and their apparent success but didn’t feel an iota of longing.
Laurie and Craig’s home and veranda overlook the golf course.
Not only was the house exquisite, but the hosts had gone over the top to prepare a delicious meal consisting of many pre-dinner snacks, most of which I could eat, and smoked baby back ribs and chicken prepared on their outdoor smoker.
 
Craig kept aside a portion of ribs and chicken for me without the sweet sauce he added at the end of the roasting period. The rich smells of smoking hardwoods wafting through the air, leaving all of us looking forward to partaking in the delightful offerings.
Fifteen attended the barbecue, including some friends.
The beer, wine, and drinks flowed along with the conversation among the 15 of us, four of which included friends of the family while Tom faithfully sipped on his iced tea. 
 
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect at a sunny 74F (23C). We dined at both the indoor and outdoor tables. Once darkness fell when it continually cools off considerably in the desert, we all wandered indoors to continue our lively conversations.
The smoker in Laurie and Craig’s backyard with meats ready for the final cooking.
We’d arrived a little after 1:00 pm, and by 8:00 pm, those of us heading back to Apache Junction piled into the two vehicles and were on our way back to Apache Junction, arriving a little after 9:00 pm.
 
We didn’t continue the party as late as it was, and each headed back to our respective “park models” to spend a quiet remainder of the evening. Later today, we’ll all get together to play cards at Colleen’s home.
 
Soon, I’ll head out to the bank to get cash and a quick trip to the grocery store for a few items to hold us until we depart in a mere five days. 
 
Have a fabulous Friday! We’ll be back soon.
Photo from one year ago today, January 24, 2019:
It was hard to believe how quickly these ostrich chicks have grown from the tiny little things they were six months ago. For more photos, please click here.
 

Coronavirus…How does this risk impact us as we head to India?..6 days and counting…

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This photo taken in 2014 when we toured the Panorama Route was posted last year on this date. This handsome cheetah we met at Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre was recovering from poisoning due to an attempt to kill him for his hide. He won’t return to the wild due to the risk of being killed by his species. He’s been made an “ambassador” to represent the rehab center in saving his and other species from becoming endangered.  Watching him through the electrified fencing, we were anxious to get inside for “hands-on.” Here‘s the link from that post.

Of course, we’re concerned about the outbreak of Coronavirus in countries throughout the world. As of today’s stats, here is a breakdown of the countries impacted by this deadly virus: “The disease has also spread to at least seven other countries: Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and the US. 

At first, authorities suspected that the coronavirus — which most likely originated at a seafood market — could be spread to humans only from animals.”
Now, it’s been discovered that the virus spreads easily from human to human. This is a big concern for us. This morning we ordered more face masks certified to protect against viruses circulating from human to human.
We’ve decided to wear them non-stop for the almost 30-hour upcoming travel day and while at any public, crowded areas and, at all times, at airports. We don’t care how it looks. We’ll be diligent.
 

No doubt in no time will the virus reach India, which is adjacent to China. However, in the article below, it appears India is proactive in screening passengers entering the country, although this one step is no guaranty the virus won’t enter the country. See this article below:

“India screens over 9,150 passengers for Coronavirus (from this site)

Updated: 22 Jan 2020, 06:25 PM IST

Neetu Chandra Sharma

  • The health and civil aviation ministries have issued a travel advisory and shared it on their Twitter handle for broader circulation.
  • The death toll from the coronavirus has risen to nine in Wuhan, China, with several cases reported across the country.
NEW DELHI: The health ministry has screened over 9,150 passengers of 43 flights for the Coronavirus disease at seven airports. After the outbreak of the virus in China, India has stepped up its preparedness to prevent the entry of the virus into the country.
“Till now, no case has been detected through these screening efforts. We are on alert … Passengers traveling from China are being requested to report to the nearest public health facility in case they feel any symptoms,” said Preeti Sudan, secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The health and civil aviation ministries have issued a travel advisory and shared it on their Twitter handle for broader circulation.
The health ministry has instructed airport health organizations at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Cochin to screen passengers coming from mainland China at these seven international airports.
“Signages have been put up at prominent locations in these airports for encouraging the public about self-reporting of illness. Immigration officers manning the counters have been sensitized at these airports. Close coordination is being maintained with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to coordinate the screening effort and dissemination of information to inbound passengers through in-flight announcements,” a health ministry statement said. “The Health Ministry is constantly reviewing the evolving scenario working closely with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Health Research, and the Indian Embassy in China.”
The ministry has consulted the World Health Organisation (WHO) for updates on technical inputs. “Series of meetings have been held to review the evolving scenario, preparedness in terms of disease surveillance, laboratory support infection prevention, and control, logistics, risk communication and, in particular, hospital preparedness and need for coordination and collaboration with other Ministries” said a senior health ministry official.
The health ministry has also written to all states and union territories to review their preparedness, identify gaps and strengthen core capacities needed to prepare for, detect and respond to possible outbreaks.
National Institute of Virology, Pune, and ten laboratories under the Indian Council of Medical Research’s Viral Research and Diagnostics Laboratories network has geared up to test virus samples. Medical stores have maintained adequate stock of equipment for personal protection, the health ministry said.
The death toll from the coronavirus has risen to nine in Wuhan, China, with several cases reported across the country. The US has also written a case of the virus, raising concerns across the world.
The World Health Organization convened an emergency meeting in Geneva on Wednesday to decide whether the fast-spreading outbreak is a “public health emergency of international concern” and what recommendations should be made to tackle it.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. The outbreak is that of a new, unknown form of pneumonia, which has infected at least 400 patients across central China, spreading from the city of Wuhan, where the first case was identified on 31 December and killing six. As per the latest reports, the deadly virus has also traveled to South Korea, and a case was reported in Thailand and Japan each.”

This puts a bit of a damper on our travels, especially after we suffered from the outrageous virus we contracted on our last cruise in October, which lasted for over six weeks, resulting in the worst cough either of us ever suffered. 

But, we continue with hope and prayers for a safe departure and for time spent in the next leg of our journey and the cruise from Mumbai on which we’ll embark on April 3, 2020. Will we need to wear face masks on the cruise? At this point, we don’t know.
From there, we’ll be in England, Scotland, Spain, and Portugal. Hopefully, strict precautions are being implemented in these and other countries. Some may say we’re foolish to continue traveling, but the virus has arrived in the US now. Nowhere in the world is exempt from the risks.
Today, we’re off to Goodyear, Arizona, to Laurie and Craig’s house. We’ll be back with photos for tomorrow’s post.
Have a safe and healthy day!
Photo from one year ago today, January 23, 2019:
We’d posted photos from 2014 on this date in 2019. Tom volunteered to feed the vultures raw meat.  He wore a leather sleeve on his right arm from fingertips to shoulder.  As soon as our guide put the raw meat into his hand, several vultures flew at him to grab it, leaving two to fight over it.  Exciting, to say the least. See the year-ago post here.

Finally, a new fitness watch and a bag…7 days and counting…

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One year ago, we posted this photo we’d taken in 2013 while on a road trip. Bourke’s Luck Potholes was our favorite photo of the day on our three-day tour of the Panorama Route and Blyde River Canyon. See the original post here.

Yesterday, after completing the post, I headed out shopping. I don’t care to shop for anything other than groceries which I find quite enjoyable. Browsing through any department store makes me cringe. 

I wasn’t this way in my old life, but with my limited wardrobe over the past seven-plus years, knowing I have to toss something from my one suitcase of clothing to maintain the consistent flight approved weight if I purchase something new. This fact makes shopping less than fun.

Over the past three years, I have been using a blue cloth grocery bag as a means of carrying the necessary items with me when we’re going out for an extended period.

On shorter outings, I only bring lipstick to be stuffed into my or Tom’s pockets. (Many women’s pants don’t have pockets). Now that my flip-open RFID phone case has space for ID, cash, and credit cards, I no longer need a wallet.

Over the past three years, I’ve become tired of using the navy blue grocery bag. With the long and arduous upcoming flight to India, I reconsidered if I wanted to carry that blue bag one more time. I do not.

What I wanted to find was a cloth-type bag that can be squished enough to fit under the seat on an airplane and yet large enough to hold what I usually carry with me onto the plane: phone, camera, cosmetic bag, hairbrush, earpieces, and charging cords and a wide array of odds and ends.

(With this upcoming flight, we’ll need to bring along a few toiletries based on traveling for almost 30 hours, including an eight-hour layover. In checking information on British Airways, it appears they provide toothbrushes and toothpaste, our biggest concern).

As it turned out, I found the perfect item at TJ Maxx, a black Steve Madden padded, parachute material bag that zips with several pockets, all secure, leaving the contents relatively theft-proof. Sure, a thief could steal the entire bag off my arm, the reason I haven’t carried a prominent handbag all these years. This new bag is more of a carry-on type bag.

The next item I wanted was a fitness watch. I’d ordered one online in December, and it never arrived. I am now awaiting a refund. If I don’t see it come through in the next few days, I will contact the credit card company to remove the charge, especially since I have an email apologizing for their error in not sending out their product.

After the trip to TJ Maxx in Mesa (a 20-minute drive), I followed the road circled the mall to the Best Buy store. They had several models, but many included music and Amazon’s Alexa. 

Since Alexa doesn’t work in most countries, I saw no need to purchase the more expensive Fitbit Fitness watch. I selected the FitBit Charge 3 that suited my needs at a fixed price of $149. I’d shopped quite a bit online over the past week researching models and settled on this particular watch.

Yesterday, while wrapping up the completion of setting up Tom’s old laptop for my use, I also set up the watch itself and the app for the device on my phone and the computer. 

By dinner time, I had everything set up and was thrilled with the results. I love my new FitBit. Overnight, last night I downloaded all the photos from my old laptop onto our external hard drive, My Passport. 

Now, I can reformat the drive on my old laptop and offer it to Tom’s sisters if they’re interested. If not, we will recycle it at a proper facility, as mentioned.

Tom just left for the Mesa airport to pick up his sister Rita from South Dakota, staying with Margie for a week. It looks like some fun card playing is on the agenda! There will be nine of us, including Mary and Eugene’s son, Kevin, who’ll be leaving in three or four days.

Once Tom brings Rita to Margie’s home, we’ll pack up food for me and beverages for both of us. This morning Tom purchased a roasted chicken for me to bring today since they’ll all be having sandwiches and chips.

That’s all for today, folks. We’ll be back again tomorrow with more. 

Have a fantastic Wednesday!

Photo from one year ago today, January 22, 2019:

Basket, the Bully, was feeling sad after his right ear was nearly torn off in what must have been as a result of a fight he most likely provoked. We comforted him with pellets, apples, and carrots before he took his nap in the hay. For more photos, please click here.

Great time with Staci from Texas…Paperwork and haircut for Tom…8 days and counting…

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Staci and I by the entrance to the Red, White & Brew restaurant. The wine and food were excellent, and the companionship was spectacular. Hopefully, we’ll meet up somewhere in the future.

Yesterday, Tom decided to drop me off and pick me up after dinner with friend/reader Staci from Texas. She and I had been communicating back and forth over the years, and it was such a delight to meet her face-to-face.

Tom drove me to the restaurant and picked me up when I called later. The packed restaurant (we arrived at 4:00 pm) had excellent food, wine, and service. As a result, I was able to enjoy some fantastic red wine with Staci. 

The conversation was delightfully varied as we each reveled in the opportunity to talk to one another in person. Also, it was remarkable to share in some “girl talk” often missing from conversations when Tom and I are gabbing with other couples.

We feel so grateful for all the beautiful people we’ve met due to our daily posts. Meeting them in person is a bonus. Now, as we’re about to carry on in our world travels, many readers are writing to us, wishing us well. 

We try to respond to each message, but please bear with us if we fail to do so due to the volume of email messages. Please know that we read every message we receive and, in most cases, respond within 24 hours.

Once we leave Arizona next Wednesday, heading to India, we’ll be traveling for almost two days to reach Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Then, on the train, a few days later, most likely, WiFi will be sketchy. 

By February 8th, after the Maharajas Express (train) ends, our 55-day tour begins, again with unpredictable WiFi. Please bear with us if we’re unable to post or reply to messages as we usually would.

However, we’re hoping to upload posts and photos, which, based on information online, looks like a good possibility. We’ll have to hurry to get it done when our days and nights will be so full. But, as always, we somehow find the time to stay in touch with all of you.

This morning we ventured out in the rain to OfficeMax to print, sign and scan a few documents to send back to the immigration attorney. Once completed, we found the closest Great Clips, where Tom had hoped to get a haircut. 

The place was so packed. The wait would have been at least one hour. Neither of us cared to wait that long. Tom looked online for other facilities only to be told the wait would be one or two hours.

Instead, he decided to show up early tomorrow morning, hoping to be their first appointment. I’ll stay behind and work on other projects, which are many at this point, with departure day looming.

Today will be low-key. I’ll run out for a few last-minute items. Tonight, we’ll dine in. I have completed the transfer of my data to Tom’s old laptop, and all is working well.

In rearranging the items on the start menu and the desktop, I have made Windows 10 work for me which I am using now as I prepare today’s post. I have a lighted keyboard, touchscreen, and one terabyte of storage, and all the features work. It feels good to use a faster machine after dealing with my slow, fast-fading laptop. 

We hope you have a meaningful and productive day and that all is well your way!

Photo from one year ago today, January 21, 2019:

On many occasions, we’ve seen several bushbabies on the stand. For more photos, please click here.

Defining our digital needs going forward…9 days and counting…

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An Egyptian Goose on the far shore of the Sunset Dam in Kruger National Park. For more photos, please click here.

Tom purchased a Google Chromebook with an entirely new operating system. He was sick of Windows 10 on the Acer 15.6 laptop he’s been using for over a year. I understood his concerns.

Although I tried to help him figure out “workarounds” for the features he didn’t like, (as opposed to Windows 8.1, which he did like), unless a person is using the system day by day, it’s challenging to determine exactly what changes need to be made. Also, a part of this is about personal preferences.

His laptop was running very slow but otherwise seemed to be in good shape. My Acer 15.6 laptop (5 years old) has been showing signs of a possible crash at any time. (I’ve backed up everything, of course).

Our current plan was to purchase two new smaller (11.6) Chromebooks since neither of us cared for Windows 10, nor are we Apple people, and we appreciated the smaller, lighter size of Chromebooks.

Recently, we purchased one Chromebook with the plan to get it up and running before leaving Arizona. If we both liked it, we’d buy another for me this week. 

After setting up Tom’s compact-sized unit, I noticed several features (or lack thereof) that would make it difficult for me to keep records and to do the daily posts. It simply isn’t the most sophisticated device for my needs but works great for email, Facebook, Ancestry, web browsing, managing financial apps, and syncing with his Google phone.

After considerable discussion and the fact that I thought by “restoring” Tom’s laptop to basically “clean it up,” I could start using his with a clean slate. 

Of course, this was subject to its functioning as a new computer. Otherwise, we’d have no choice but to purchase a new Windows 10 laptop for me, which with all the features I need and want, could run $700 or $800.

After the all-day-long process of restoring his laptop and bringing it back to the original Windows 10 operating system, I started entering my information to determine if the restore brought it back to out-of-the-box condition. It did! I was thrilled.

Over the next several days, I will continue to set up my apps and transfer my files. Then, I will restore my old laptop to wipe everything out to see if one of Tom’s sisters can use it. If not, before we leave, we’ll take it to a computer recycling facility.

It will be a significant relief to have this behind us, adding to our peace of mind in leaving the US in a mere nine days. There’s yet much to do to be ready by a week from Wednesday on January 29th, but as always, we’ll get there.

I am looking forward to today’s 4:00 pm get-together with friend/reader Staci in Mesa.

Have a fantastic week!

Photo from one year ago today, January 20, 2019:

The hippo’s skin is gray to brownish-red with pink areas around their ears and under their chin. They have very few hairs on their body but do have stiff whiskers on their broad lips that feel like a broom and a small amount of fuzziness around the edges of their ears and on their tail. For more photos, please click here.

Third cruise in and around Japan…10 days and counting…

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On our way to the alpaca farm in New Plymouth, New Zealand, on this date in 2016, we stopped at a few scenic overlooks in the rain. For more photos, please click here.

Saturday was yet another fun day and evening. Around 4:00 pm, we grilled New York steaks on the grill at Colleen’s home. I’d brought a salad and broiled the butterflied garlic shrimp under the broiler in her oven.

Colleen made potatoes, gravy, and garlic bread, and a fantastic dinner, sitting inside at two tables for the eight of us, away from bees on the patio.

After dinner and cleanup, we started yet another round of Buck Euchre, but we set up two tables this time, and most of us played for hours. There was endless laughter, teasing, and banter among all of us. 

This morning was relatively uneventful. I prepped everything for tonight’s dinner, which we’ll have some time during the football games. By 9:30, I was fading and headed back to our place to unwind and relax. Tom joined me around 11:00 pm, and by midnight we were fast asleep.

By 1:00 pm, Tom was settled in front of the TV to begin watching the NFL football playoffs. With little interest in teams other than the Minnesota Vikings, who now are out of the running, I kept busy doing laundry and other household chores.

Today is a good day for me to research our future travels. As we’ve lined up these three cruises in Japan, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific, it gives us a point from which to backtrack for locations that appeal to us before the cruises in 2022.

This week will be busy. Tomorrow evening I meet with friend/reader Staci in Mesa for dinner. On Thursday, all the family is driving an hour to Tom’s niece (Mary and Eugene’s daughter) Laurie and her husband Craig’s home in Goodyear, Arizona, where we’ll all spend the day.

No doubt, in between, there will be more “happy hours” celebrations in the neighborhood as we wind down our time in Apache Junction. And, before we know it, we’ll be completing our packing to be on our way to India.

Here is the information on this third and final cruise in and around Japan. We’ll be back with more later.

12 nights departing April 24, 2022, on
Celebrity’s Celebrity Solstice
Brochure Inside $1,988
Our Inside $784
You Save 61%
Brochure Oceanview $2,248
Our Oceanview $914
You Save 59%
Brochure Balcony $2,548
Our Balcony $1,064
You Save 58%
Brochure Suite $6,848
Our Suite $3,274
You Save 52%
Date Port Arrive Depart
Sunday, April 24 Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan 7:00 pm
Monday, April 25 At Sea
Tuesday, April 26 Hakodate, Japan 7:00 am 4:00 pm
Wednesday, April 27 At Sea
Thursday, April 28 At Sea
Friday, April 29 Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, Russia 8:00 am 7:00 pm
Saturday, April 30 Cross International Dateline (Cruising)
Sunday, May 1 At Sea
Monday, May 2 At Sea
Tuesday, May 3 At Sea
Wednesday, May 4 At Sea
Thursday, May 5 At Sea
Friday, May 6 Vancouver, BC, Canada 7:00 am 

It’s blissfully warm here today, in the 70s! It’s about time it warmed up!

Carpe diem!

Photo from one year ago today, January 19, 2019:

A rhino beetle we found on the veranda on Thursday. They are harmless to humans and don’t bite. They have a horn in the center of their foreheads comparable to a rhino. Thus the name “rhino” beetle. For more, please click here.

Another cruise booked in and around Japan…Great times at birthday party yesterday afternoon and evening!…More today!…

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One year ago today, we visited Kruger National Park to see this elephant family crossing the road with a few babies protected by the parade. For more photos, please click here.

As we’ve decided on future cruises, we’ve decided that three cruises in and around Japan make sense. The prices are good for these highly coveted ports of call, and after spending 28 days living in the country plus three cruises, we feel we’ll have scoured Japan as well as possible.

Subsequently, we’ll be in the area of Southeast Asia from February 27, 2022, until May 6, 2022, for a total of 68 nights. We love that we will have time to explore Japan and gain a more expansive perspective of the country and its culture.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the details of the third and final cruise in and around Japan. At this point, we don’t have plans as to where we’ll go when the cruises end other than to visit family in the US, (as mentioned in yesterday’s post) when the third cruise ends in Vancouver, British Columbia.

As for yesterday’s events, we headed to Mary and Eugene’s house at around 3:15 pm to find no less than 20 local residents in attendance. As the day progressed, more and more people arrived.

The decibel level was ear-splitting but festive and fun. Eugene appreciated the attendance be so many of their friends. Word got out through the neighborhood and by evening’s end, there was well over 25 well-wishers. 

“Any cause for a party” is the motto around here and we jumped right into it shortly after arriving in Apache Junction over a month ago. I’ve been carefully monitoring my wine intake, and after a few glasses, I switch to sparkling water which takes me into the late evening.

After most of the guests departed, we wandered across the street to Margie’s house to play more Buck Euchre. It was Tom and me, Kevin and Margie who lasted well after midnight playing the fun game. 

We didn’t get to sleep until after 1:30 am but managed to get in a total of six hours leaving us both feeling okay. Today, the festivities begin again around 3:00 pm, when we dine at Colleen and Gene’s for steak and shrimp. 

I never got around to making the butterflied garlic butter broiled shrimp last night and decided to save it for today’s big meal for the eight of us. I have no doubt, at some point, we’ll play cards again today rotating players so those of us interested are able to have a turn.

Most of the group of us have been up past 1:30 am for the past four nights. I bowed out a few nights, knowing I needed to get some sleep. But the rest are a little raggedy from staying up so many late nights in a row.

At our place, we continue to work on setting up items and sorting and organizing supplies we’ve received in the past few weeks. This morning Tom installed a glass screen protector onto my phone. 

When we recently purchased the two Google world phones, Tom had installed a similar screen protector on his phone. But, since I’d bought a phone case that closes, I didn’t think I’d need one. As time has gone on and yet to scratch the screen, I decided it would be best to add the extra protection.

As mentioned above, here is the information on the above-mentioned second cruise in Japan. Our costs are slightly different based on our cabin selections, but we’ll post those costs after we sail on each of the cruises:

14 nights departing April 10, 2022, on
Celebrity’s Celebrity Solstice
Brochure Inside $4,998
Our Inside $2,269
You Save 55%
Brochure Oceanview $5,698
Our Oceanview $2,609
You Save 54%
Brochure Balcony $6,798
Our Balcony $2,999
You Save 56%
Brochure Suite $13,698
Our Suite $6,799
You Save 50%
Date Port Arrive Depart
Sunday, April 10 Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan 6:00 pm
Monday, April 11 Shimizu, Japan 7:00 am 5:00 pm
Tuesday, April 12 At Sea
Wednesday, April 13 Kobe, Japan 7:00 am 9:00 pm
Thursday, April 14 Kochi, Japan 8:00 am 6:00 pm
Friday, April 15 Hiroshima, Japan 9:00 am 6:00 pm
Saturday, April 16 At Sea
Sunday, April 17 Nagasaki, Japan 7:00 am 5:00 pm
Monday, April 18 Busan, South Korea 7:00 am 5:00 pm
Tuesday, April 19 At Sea
Wednesday, April 20 Hakodate, Japan 8:00 am 7:00 pm
Thursday, April 21 Aomori, Japan 7:00 am 6:00 pm
Friday, April 22 At Sea
Saturday, April 23 Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan 8:30am
Sunday, April 24 Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan Disembark

That’s it for today, folks! Gee…we are only 11 days from departure, looking forward to the next leg of our journey.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, January 18, 2019:

The baby elephant is at play with family members. For more photos from Kruger, please click here.

In our world, two years is not a long time, New cruise booking…A year ago birthday party…A birthday party today…

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Ken set up the camera on a timer to take this photo of all 10 of us! Fantastic! For more photos, please click here.

Two years may seem like a long time away, but in our lives, two years fly by in a blur. The past seven years have passed so quickly. We can hardly believe it. When we now recalled two years ago, we were in Argentina six days away from flying to Ushuaia, Argentina, to board Ponant’s Le’boreal to sail to Antarctica.

So now, as we book cruises well into the future, we realize how quickly that time will come up, and we’ll be on our way from Singapore to Japan. Recently we booked three cruises around Japan in 2022 that ultimately will provide us with excellent experiences in this part of the world.

Today, we’re sharing details of the first three cruises that sail on February 27, 2022, 25 months from now. This cruise has four ports of call in Vietnam, with three ports we hadn’t visited in the past. The only city we’ve seen in the past is Hanoi, and we loved it so much, we won’t mind returning.

The other three locations in Vietnam and those in the balance of the itinerary listed below are new to us, and we’re excited to be able to see these locations.

After today’s posted cruise ends, we’ll have a total of 28 days to spend in Japan. What an excellent opportunity to experience this exciting country! In the future, we’ll search for a holiday home that we can book for this period, hopefully in the countryside away from the crowds, smog, and traffic. From there, we’ll board a back-to-back cruise around Japan and Korea ending in Vancouver, at which point, we’ll visit the family in the US once again. By then, it will be April, and we may avoid too much bad weather in Minnesota. We have no idea how long we’ll be in the USA at that time. We’ll figure it out in the future.

Here is the information on the first of the three cruises. For ease, I copied and pasted it, which often causes issues. Please excuse the formatting.

      14 nights departing February 27, 2022, on
Celebrity’s Celebrity Solstice
Brochure Inside $3,698
Our Inside $1,619
You Save 56%
Brochure Oceanview $4,298
Our Oceanview $1,919
You Save 55%
Brochure Balcony $4,898
Our Balcony $2,079
You Save 58%
Brochure Suite $10,598
Our Suite $5,149
You Save 51%

 

Date Port Arrive Depart
Sunday, February 27 Singapore 6:00 pm
Monday, February 28 At Sea
Tuesday, March 1 Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam 7:00 am 6:00 pm
Wednesday, March 2 At Sea
Thursday, March 3 Chan May, Vietnam 7:00 am 5:00 pm
Friday, March 4 Hanoi (Halong Bay), Vietnam 10:00 am
Saturday, March 5 Hanoi (Halong Bay), Vietnam 1:00 pm
Sunday, March 6 At Sea
Monday, March 7 At Sea
Tuesday, March 8 Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan 6:00 am 6:00 pm
Wednesday, March 9 At Sea
Thursday, March 10 At Sea
Friday, March 11 Kyoto, Japan 7:00 am 5:00 pm
Saturday, March 12 Shimizu, Japan Noon 8:00 pm
Sunday, March 13 Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan 7:00 am

As for today’s birthday party, it’s brother-in-law Eugene’s 82nd birthday. At 3:00 pm, we’ll all be getting together at his and Mary’s home along with several neighbors to partake in the celebration of this special man.

Yesterday afternoon, and well into the evening, we all met at Colleen and Gene’s home to play the card game Buck Euchre. I hadn’t played in years and fumbled through the first game, but I was thoroughly enjoying it by the second and even won, much to my delight.

Most likely, with all the guests at today’s party, the celebration won’t include card playing until much later in the evening when it’s back to the eight of us. It will be another fun social time.

Ironically, one year ago today, we hosted and celebrated our friend Rita’s birthday at our house in the bush. Great memories were made that day too.

Thus, the socialization continues as we’ve begun preparing for our upcoming departure. Yesterday, I set up Tom’s new Samsung Chromebook, and it appears all is going well for him. He loves not dealing with Windows 10.

May every one of our readers enjoy a festive weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, January 17, 2019:

One year ago today, we celebrated our friends Rita’s birthday at our bush home in Marloth Park. The boys from left to right are Danie, Leon, Tom, Gerhard, and Ken, toasting a good evening. For more photos, please click here.

Two weeks from today and we’re off…Fun night last night with new arrival, another family member…

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Two years ago, Tom and I sat in the hotel bar in Palermo, Buenos Aires, watching the Minnesota Vikings playoff game. We were the only patrons in the bar but had a wonderful evening together.
Last night, Tom and Eugene picked up Kevin (Mary and Eugene’s son and Tom’s nephew) at the airport. Kevin retired a few years ago from a lifetime career as a police officer and wanted to spend some time with his parents for 11 days.

While they were gone, I finished the final details of the meal we were bringing over to their home to share with everyone. Tom dropped Kevin and Eugene off, and when he returned here to load up the hot food into Margie’s car, we continued to use it.

By 8:00 pm, we were having dinner amid non-stop talking and laughter. By 10:30, I pooped out and drove myself back to our place, falling into bed. It was a busy cooking day and a good night’s sleep was on the menu at that point.

In minutes I dozed off and awoke at 1:30 am when Tom came in. In no time at all, we both dozed off. Today won’t be as busy a day. All I have to do is go to OfficeMax to have the India 26-page itinerary printed and stop at a local outlet store to buy a few more items.

At 4:00 pm today, we’ll walk to the pool area, where the usual Wednesday evening fire pit get-together will be held. Most likely, we’ll spend the remainder of the evening in, dining on leftovers and relaxing.

There are several social events over the next several days, and most likely, we’ll attend most, if not all, of them.

Our long-time reader/friends Pat and Dan referred their adult daughter Christina to discuss suggestions for a single woman traveling to South Africa alone to spend a few weeks in Marloth Park.

Christina called yesterday afternoon, and we chatted for quite some time. It was delightful talking to her. She is a ranger in Yellowstone Park, and the thought of Marloth Park is a dream come true for her. Plus, she spent two years in India as a missionary, and it was fantastic to hear her enthusiasm for India.

Many people have stated concern about overstaying in India for so long, all of whom have never been there. Yes, we’re well aware of the pollution (and other issues) in the country. A few days ago, our two high-tech filtered face masks arrived. We don’t care how we look wearing them, which we’ll do when appropriate in big cities.

On Monday afternoon, Tom will drive me to Mesa (and pick me up later) to meet up with another dear reader/friend, Staci, with whom we’ve been conversing for several years. She’ll be in Scottsdale for a business trip and carved out time to meet up with me so we could get together for dinner and “girl talk.” 

I am so excited to finally meet Staci after chatting back and forth online for these past years. Hopefully, I’ll take photos and post them here the following day.

That’s it for today, folks. May you all have a fabulous day.

Photo from one year ago today, January 15, 2019:
Tom was sitting at the end of the big table on the veranda. It was such a happy time for both of us. For more from that date, please click here.

A year ago memories…That never happened…

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She decided to look at her reflection in the glass of the little red car, assuming it was another hornbill, perhaps a possible mate. For more, please click here.

As I read the year-ago post, I felt a little melancholy. It was a post about how we assumed we were leaving in one month on February 15, 2019. See the post here.

We were getting ready for an upcoming birthday dinner party for our friend Rita (husband Gerhard), whom we’d met from our site, who ended up living in the same house in Marloth Park where we’d lived for three months in 2013/2014. 

They rented the house when our site-directed them to Louise, our dear friend and property manager who’d rented the Hornbill House to them and us, and then four years later rented the Orange House to us. 

Rita and Gerhard became friends fast enough to host Tom’s birthday party on December 23, 2018, and reciprocate joyfully. We decided to host Rita’s birthday party several weeks later. 

The same wonderful group of friends was coming to the party. Linda and Ken from Pretoria were coming to stay with us for a week, adding to the excitement and fun.

In the interim, we were all headed to Tambarina Restaurant for dinner that night for the first celebration of Rita’s birthday. We all loved a reason to celebrate, and then again, we didn’t always need a motive other than the pleasure of sharing time.

Kathy had arranged a going away “girl’s day” for me on February 5th to include pedicures and lunch. That never happened.

Kathy and Don were hosting a going away party for us on Friday, February 8th. That never happened.

The next night on February 9th, our last Saturday night in the bush, we were all getting together for dinner at Jabula. That never happened.

Leaving for Kenya for a fantastic tour and numerous safaris was on the schedule, with our intended departure date on February 15th, the day our visas ended. That never happened.

Eighty-four days later, we were supposed to be in Minnesota. That never happened.

On Friday night, February 8th, after the heart disease diagnosis with the subsequent emergency open-heart surgery scheduled for February 12th, Kathy and Don invited all of us for dinner at their house. I’ll never forget that night when we all sat around the fire in their garden, sharing stories and our deepest feelings.

The next night, February 9th, we all met again for my pre-surgery dinner party. It was a bittersweet evening with loving friends. I’ll never forget these times with heartfelt gratitude and devotion.

So, reading yesterday’s post reminded me of all of these events, which will permanently be emblazoned in our hearts and minds, grateful for our friends and for Dr. Theo, who discovered my condition on a hunch.

Yes, as we look forward to heading to India in 15 days, we’ll never forget what we’ve left behind and prayed for the days we’ll all be together again.

May you enjoy good health and loving friends.

Photo from one year ago today, January 14, 2019:

“Pig in a pond.” Mom opted for a sitz bath on the steamy hot day while the youngsters played nearby in the bush. For more, please click here.