Hello, Kona, Big Island, Hawaii…We’ll be back soon…

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Sunset from our veranda.

After sailing all night, yesterday morning, we arrived on the opposite side of the Big Island to the city of Kona, the second largest city on the Big island with Hilo as number one.

This particular port requires passengers to board a “tender,” a smaller boat used to transport passengers to the shore when the ship is too large to dock at the pier.

Is this a houseboat, island or floating property? Once we can get a better signal we can figure it out.
They used the ship’s lifeboats as the tenders, as opposed to using locals tender boats that are often contracted to facilitate the needs of the various cruise ships arriving in the port.

Although we wanted to avoid the crowds on the tender boats knowing we’ll be on this island beginning on December 1st for a period of six weeks, we decided to go ashore to check out the city of Kona. 

View of a small portion of Kona’s shoreline.

Once we arrived at the pier we boarded the local trolley for a 90-minute ride around the Kona area, taking many good photos. Unfortunately, the poor WiFi signal on both the ship and the MiFi has prevented us from posting many photos. 

(It’s taken hours of persistence to post the few photos we’ve included here each day. We’ll catch up and post some great new photos once we get on land for a better signal. Thanks for your patience).

Again, Wednesday night was “formal” night, the third on this 12-night cruise, an unusually large number for this length of cruise. Of course, we no longer have formal wear or in Tom’s case, not a tie, dress shirt, or sports coat. Instead, he has worn his white long sleeve BugsAway shirt on each of the three formal nights.

Kona shoreline.

For me, formal night is easier. Wearing one of my three “roll-in-a-ball” long skirts with a tee-shirt, a long scarf, a belt, and a few pieces of costume jewelry and I’m as formal as I can be with what I have on hand. Many men were dressed in tuxedos and women in sparkly evening gowns.

When we were seated at the sharing dinner table for 10 with our less than formal wear, it only took a few minutes for us to settle in with the formally dressed others to become comfortable. 

When asked where we’re from and we explained our nomadic lifestyle, they all agreed that hauling a tuxedo and evening gown around the world made no sense at all. In moments, we were entrenched in delightful conversation and our attire, although clean and tidy, was quickly forgotten.

We took one of these lifeboats, used as tenders to get passengers from the ship to the pier.

Last night, Thursday, we dined with a fabulous couple we met earlier from Cruise Critic, Susan, and Mark, who hosted the slot pull last week. We took an instant liking to them and were excited to dine with them as a foursome in the dining room (casual, last night).

We couldn’t have had more fun, laughter, and also deep and meaningful conversation. How fortunate we’ve been to meet so many wonderful people on cruises, many of whom we remain in touch from as far back as our original cruise in January 2013.

Almost every morning at breakfast and every evening at dinner, we’ve met new people, each with their own interesting story to tell. We find that in many cases people are curious as to how we manage our lives without stuff or a home. They ask many questions that we happily answer candidly including the hard parts. 

I suppose if the tables were turned we’d be asking the same questions. At times, even Tom and I look at one another asking, “How in the world are we pulling this off?” 

A very dear friend from Minnesota wrote to me a few days ago, telling me I could share with her in an email “what it’s really like” as opposed to the relatively cheerful tone in most of our posts, which she reads almost daily.

I wrote back to her, unable to wipe the smile off of my face, telling her there is no “what it’s really like” other than that which we share here. Tom and I are not fighting in the background. We’re not running out of money.  We aren’t ill and hiding it. We aren’t wrought with worry and concern, keeping it to ourselves.

Our posts are presented in a vein of “what you see is what you get.” There’s no hidden agenda, no mask or veil from which we hide our true selves. Many wonder if we have an end date in mind that we don’t reveal. Not at all. Our answer to this query is simple, “We’ll keep going as long as our health is good enough to continue on.”

Maintaining our budget ensures we never run out of money, although with inflation, surely in time, we’ll have to trim some of our expenses to account for the differences. But, even that, doesn’t intimidate us. We know how to sacrifice and trim. After two years of living on a strict budget, we’re getting good at this, if we do say so ourselves. 

Tightwads? Maybe a little. Frugal? Maybe a lot. But, the motivation is sound and the result is rewarding. At the end of this month on October 31st, we’ll have been gone from Minnesota for two years. 

Time flies when you’re having fun.

                                               Photo from one year ago today, October 3, 2013:

When our driver Edmond drove us to the market in Diani Beach, Kenya, we usually spotted baboons on the side of the road. On this particular date a year ago, the power was out in the house in Kenya as we packed for our upcoming safari in the Maasai Mara, a few days later. Please click here for details.

Hello Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii!…An unexpected outing!…New photo of us in Hilo…

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Here we are at Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo. Sam, our overly friendly taxi driver, took the photo.

It was tempting to get off the ship to go see the two houses we rented on the Big Island for the holidays with our family. But, we’ve decided to wait in order to be surprised.

The scenery along the shores of Hawaii is lovely.

The pier in Hilo is located in a highly industrial area and we’d have had to walk for miles to get to any points of interest. 

As we entered the Port of Hilo, Hawaii.

Also, we’ll be back on the Big Island for six weeks in less than two months, saving sightseeing to do with our family members when they start arriving on December 6th.

The last time we went to a Walmart, a store we never visited in our old lives, was in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico on January 6, 2013, when we got off the ship, the Celebrity Century, to purchase our first camera. Here’s Tom in front of the Hilo, Hawaii Walmart. See below as to how we ended up at this store, an entirely unplanned outing.

However, we decided to take the free shuttle into downtown Hilo. Well, of all things, we accidentally got on the bus going to Walmart! We couldn’t have laughed harder. 

Leis for sale in a refrigerated case at the Walmart store.

After spending $126 in Walmart, we weren’t laughing quite as hard. We purchased nuts, a couple of shirts, self tanning cream, shampoo, toothpaste and a few odds and ends.

Our ship is behind the Pacific Princess in the foreground.

Tom got “overly grumpy” when we had to buy a cloth bag to carry our purchases since Walmart in Hawaii doesn’t use plastic bags. I couldn’t have been more thrilled with their concern for the environment. 

Near the Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo.

After we made our purchases, we found our way to the waiting area for the free shuttle to return us and others to the ship. The expected wait time was 15 minutes at most. 

At the Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo.

As we waited while sitting on a bench, a friendly-looking taxi driver asked if we wanted a ride back to the pier.  Did we have food stuck in our teeth proving we were passengers of the latest cruise ship to arrive in Hilo?

I asked Sam, “How much?” 

Sam answered, “$12.”

I answered, “Na, too much!”

Sam answered, looking at the camera hanging from my shoulder, “How about $10 with a stop at a gorgeous site to take photos?”

The park was lovely.

We couldn’t have jumped up quicker, taking Sam up on his kindly offer. As soon as we got into his air-conditioned minivan, we all engaged in animated chatter as Sam drove us to the Liliuokalani Gardens, an exquisite park on the way back to the ship.

Oddly, Sam told us he lives on “Lyman Ave” in Hilo, pulling out his driver’s license to show us. Serendipity.  We’re hardly wanted to say goodbye to Sam after an outrageously fun time with him during the drive and at the gorgeous park. Its funny how the least expected situations turn into the most fun of all. 

An enchanting footbridge in the gardens.

Over the extended periods we’ll spend on each of three of the four islands we’ll have plenty of time to see everything that appeals to us. No paid excursion would have been more fun than our time with Sam.

As for Hilo, we searched for a bit of general information on the Hawaiian Islands and found the following. As time goes on, we’ll acquire knowledge that we’ll share with our readers as opposed to quoting other web sites. 

For now, we’re Hawaiian newbies and we prefer to be careful of that which we write until we become more knowledgeable over the next many months:

“The Hawaiian Islands (Hawaiian: Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from the island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. Formerly the group was known to Europeans and Americans as the “Sandwich Islands“, a name chosen by James Cook in honor of the then First Lord of the Admiralty John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. The contemporary name is derived from the name of the main island, Hawaii Island, as a pars pro toto.
The US state of Hawaii occupies the archipelago almost in its entirety (including the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), with the sole exception of Midway island, which is instead an unincorporated territory within the United States Minor Outlying Islands.
The Hawaiian Islands are the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the Earth’s mantle. The islands are about 1,860 miles (3,000 km) from the nearest continent.“

In these short few days in Hawaii, it’s odd for us to grasp that Hawaii is a part of the US, other than for its abundance of US products, services and of course, its economy. It appears comparable to other many other resorts/vacation/holiday island we’ve visited in other parts of the world.
 

Of course, we enjoy the easy availability of products and services from which we’ve been far removed for much of the past two years. Seeing the familiar products, chain restaurants, markets, and hotels is both refreshing and disappointing when we’ve found great pleasure is being detached from all the hype.
 
We’ll have ample time in the future to once again feel removed from the hustle and bustle of life in the US when again we take off for more remote locations in not too distant future.  
 
In the interim, we’ll enjoy every aspect of living in Hawaii, experiencing each of these  islands, each with its own unique persona. From what we saw on Tuesday in Honolulu, the prices may not be any higher than we experienced in the past locations.

With only five days and four nights until we disembark the ship, we have that wonderful feeling of not being disappointed that the cruise is ending, knowing that which lays ahead will be equally enjoyable.

                                          Photo from one year ago today, October 2, 2013:
 
None of our photos were posted on this date. However, we did post a story about “worrying” we loved to share with our readers who may have missed it. Please click here for details.

A flowerful walk in Honolulu…New photos…Preparing a post as opposed to uploading a post…

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Wow! The greenery and flowers in Hawaii amazed us as we walked the streets of Honolulu taking these photos.

Yesterday, we had mixed feelings about getting off the ship in Honolulu. The heat, the humidity, the lines at the ship’s security both coming and going, and the fact the port of Honolulu is located in a mostly business district, made it somewhat unappealing.

Add the fact that we’ll be on this island for a combined 20 days over the next several months, our plan has been to see the sites while we’re on our own, as mentioned in yesterday’s post. Why pay to see the city when we’ll be able to grab a free or low-cost bus directly outside our condo?

Many exquisite flowers bloom year-round in Hawaii 

With our family coming to Big Island, paying exorbitant fees to go sightseeing at this point becomes less of a priority when we’re watching our spending to a “t” in preparations for the upcoming big expenses for December/January.

In any case, we decided to “wing it” and head off the ship for a walk-in busy Honolulu, staying out for a few hours in the bright hot sun, stopping periodically to take photos.

We seldom find orange flowers but in Hawaii…

The location for taking photos wasn’t ideal when we’d have had to walk considerable distances to make our way to more “natural” areas away from the skyscrapers.

However, the time wasn’t wasted when the Hawaii I knew from 30 years ago, loomed before us with beautiful flowers growing at every turn. As our readers are aware, we both have a penchant for exquisite vegetation, particularly flowers.

Tom is thrilled to be in Hawaii.
Tom has become my expert “flower spotter” with a keen eye at long distances, often inspiring us to continue on an otherwise unlikely path for a single photo. Yesterday, was no exception as my “overly bubbly” self squealed with delight each time we stopped for a shot.

Too far away from good scenery photos plus, taking photos of skyscrapers holds little interest in finding flowers a most appropriate subject. We share these with our readers today, our favorites of the lot.

Beautiful!

I haven’t mentioned much about the new camera we purchased at a price of US $369 (duty-free) on our last cruise. It’s a relatively inexpensive Canon Power Shot SX50 that does everything we could possibly need or want. 

Why not purchase a higher caliber camera? The answer is simple. With constant travel, humid and hot weather conditions, we’d rather purchase a new camera every few years for the latest and best technology in a reasonable price range than cart around an expensive camera we’re fearful of losing, dropping, or having fall prey to rough handling and weather conditions.

These flowers so well depict Hawaii’s gorgeous colors.

Oddly, we still use the old Sony camera when we want to slip it into a pocket and not bear the weight around my neck. Since I don’t carry a handbag except on “travel days,” this newer Canon is heavier requiring a bigger commitment when carrying it around. 

So far, we’ve been pleased with the photos which don’t look a whole lot different than the photos we took using the Sony, minus the spots on the inside of the lens (which require I use an app to remove them). The new camera is usually a better option.

I can’t recall seeing yellow hibiscus.

Yesterday, when we walked around the immediate Honolulu area we’d brought the Canon resulting in some fairly decent photos we’re pleased to share here today.

Based on the time zone over the next eight months, we’ve found that it’s necessary to write each post the day prior to it being uploaded to our site. The web software allows us to upload a post at a specific date and time which we’ve set for 3:00 am Mountain Time.

This is the Hawaii I recall; hot, humid and hazy, and gorgeous.

The reason we’ve done this is for those readers who were used to seeing a new post when they awoke in the morning. When we were in Kenya, exactly one year ago, we were located in the East African Time Zone. The time difference between Hawaii which is located in the Aleutian Time Zone and Kenya is a whopping 13 hours. 

Along the way in our travels over these past almost two years, we’ve made an attempt to ensure that readers can expect to see our posts at familiar times of the day. It may not have always been perfect but, we try.  Please write to us if you have any comments or question regarding this topic

We’ve never seen this plant.

Thus, as I write this post it is September 30 in the afternoon. However, it will become available in the upcoming middle of the night here in Hawaii. As a result, we set it up to automatically post at 3 am. 

First thing each morning, Tom proofreads for errors while I make the necessary corrections which may not appear corrected until after you’ve already read the post.  Please excuse our errors. This is a reality of posting the equivalency of an essay each and every day, a perfect scenario for making errors that are easily missed by my own proofreading.

Vibrant color.

Today, as you read this, we’ll be on our way to Hilo on the Big Island as the cruise sails into Day #8, soon ending on Day #12, back in Honolulu. This particular cruise continues on to Sydney, Australia on October 5th, the day we disembark. On May 24, 2015, that we’ll board RC Legend of the Seas for our journey to Sydney, Australia.

We love cruising. We love life as homeless nomads. We’re both grateful and appreciative of this life we live. Please continue to share this journey with us. We appreciate and love that you do.  

                                            Photo from one year ago today, October 1, 2013:

Ironically, it was one year ago today, that we booked the condo in Club Intrawest in Vancouver, that we left only eight days ago to board this ship. For details from that date, please click here.

Arrived in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii…Photos…

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The city of Honolulu has grown into quite a metropolis.

It’s been 26 years since I’ve been to Hawaii. In my old life, BT (before Tom), I’d visited the islands on many occasions, each time enthralled by its beauty, reveling how each island offers its own unique environment and
charm.

Skyscrapers, office complexes, restaurants, hotels, and shopping line every major boulevard in Honolulu.

The Honolulu/Waikiki Beach area is a mass of people, vehicles, noise, and exorbitant prices, considerably more than I recall from many years ago. Nothing about this overcrowded area bespeaks the magic of Hawaii. The pace serves to remind us of why we prefer more remote locations.

The sky view is constantly changing when each of the islands has unique weather systems.

On October 5th, after visiting other islands by way of this cruise ship, as shown on this list below, we’ll return to Honolulu where we’ll disembark the cruise to stay for 11 nights: (See the list below for the dates we’ll stay in the islands)

Mon Sep 29 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 1:00 pm 

Tue Sep 30 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 8:00 pm 

Wed Oct 1 Kilauea Volcano, HI (Cruising) 

Wed Oct 1 Hilo, Hawaii, HI 11:00 am – 8:00 pm 

Thu Oct 2 Kona, Hawaii, HI 11:00 am – 8:00 pm 

Fri Oct 3 Lahaina, Maui, HI 8:00 am 

Sat Oct 4 Lahaina, Maui, HI 6:00 pm

Sun Oct 5 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 7:00 am  

Blue sky, blue sea, and vegetation depict Hawaii even in densely populated areas.

Here are our scheduled dates to remain in the Hawaiian Islands over the next
several months:

  • October 5 to October 16 – Waikiki Beach, Oahu
  • October 16 to December 1 – Maui
  • December 1 to January 15 – Big Island
  • January 15 to May 15 – Kauai
  • May 15 to May 24 – Honolulu, Oahu
Not unlike any other major city by the sea.

These extended dates on US soil will provide us with the opportunity to be with our family at Christmas on the Big Island, get medical checkups, have our teeth cleaned, do our taxes for 2014, renew our second
passports and any other necessary “paperwork” awaiting us. 

By the time we leave in May, we’ll be ready for the next exciting leg of our journey where we’ll spend over a year in Australia and the South Pacific.

They say driving and finding a parking spot in Honolulu is a nightmare. We’ll take taxis and buses while in Honolulu/Waikiki for twenty days, eleven on the front end, and nine on the back end of our almost eight months stay in the islands.

In all, we’ll be spending 20 days in the Honolulu/Waikiki area in the next almost eight-month resulting in a decision to avoid any tours during the ship’s short stays in the various ports of call. This island is the only one of four islands where we won’t have a rental car.

Several tourist boats were at the pier where the ship docked.

Surely, we’ll enjoy time on Oahu, seeing the sites and leisurely visiting points of interest with our condo in Waikiki as a base. Once we’re settled next week, we’ll be able to assess our location and means of public transportation which is readily available in the area.

Yesterday afternoon after the passengers disembarked for their tours, we found ourselves comfortably situated in chaise lounges by the pool. For once, it was easy finding a good spot for some fun in the sun.

Back at you tomorrow with more!

                                         Photo from one year ago today, September 30, 2013:

Flowers at the restaurant on this date one year ago. For details, please click here.

Hawaiian Islands, here we come…

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Sunset from the Sky Lounge through the window glass.

By the time this post appears, we’ll be only hours away from a noon arrival to the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands.

We chose this cruise as a means of transportation for us to get to Hawaii rather than flying. Why not have a place to live with meals prepared, entertainment, and every amenities at our fingertips? Add the opportunity to
meet many wonderful people and it sure beats the commotion at the airport.

Another sunset from our balcony.

As a result of that reality, we don’t feel compelled to do what other passengers may be choosing to do with their time, trying to “pack it all in” on a once or twice a year (or more for many) vacation/holiday.

By the time we arrive at our final destination at our vacation home in Waikiki Beach on October 5th, it will have been 35 days since departing Harwich, UK to board Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas and nine days later on Celebrity’s Solstice (which we’re on now). Of those 35 days, we’ll have spent 26 days at sea, 3 days in Boston, and 6 days in Vancouver.

We love the easy life of cruising, the ability to choose to do exactly that which appeals to us in a time frame we find pleasing. Although we’ve stayed busy most days, we’ve also enjoyed quiet time relaxing, visiting with other guests and each other.

Lounges in the Sky Lounge for a catnap, if needed.  We don’t ever lay down or nap during the day. It’s a nice thought, just not for us.

Yes, the seas have been rough but, it’s finally settled down and we barely feel the movement of the ship. Yes, we’ve had constant WiFi issues using the ship’s poor signal but later today, we’ll be able to use our MiFi for
a clear signal for the bulk of the remaining days on the ship. 

Yes, we would have liked to sit by the pool but, when people grab all the chairs by 9:00 am which we’d rather not do, we figured we’ll have plenty of time to sun and fun soon enough. 

Over the remaining six days of the cruise, most passengers will be partaking in ship sponsored excursions.  Since we’ll have rental cars on Maui, Big Island, and Kauai, we’ve decided not to go on the excursions when we
can create our own road trips over the many months on the islands.

The Sky Lounge is located on the 14th deck at the bow of the ship, an ideal quiet spot for us while posting. We’ve attended a few parties in this area.

We’ve already booked an almost all-day private tour to Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Oahu on October 13th
and surely others will follow. Oahu, a short 11-day stay is the only island where we won’t need a rental car with easy access to most venues and handy bus service outside our door.

That’s not to imply that we haven’t enjoyed many ship organized tours. We have immensely. They’re usually well planned, safe, and comprehensive. At times, the prices are reasonable. But, the 60-people-on-a-bus thing just doesn’t appeal to us. 

An art auction transpired in the Sky Lounge. Tom’s thrilled that we don’t own any walls” and can’t buy art on cruise ships.

As a result, we’ve resorted to smaller group tours of the same ship offered sites, often at a lower cost making the small group tours a no-brainer for us.

Over the next several days while most passengers are off the ship on excursions, we’ll be able to find chairs by the pool, relaxing at our leisure, knowing that our upcoming over seven months in Hawaii (10/5/2014 to 5/24/2015) will provide us with sufficient time to do everything we’d like to do, documenting every step along the way.
A photo of a painting at the art auction.
However, we will venture off the ship on our own into the various ports of call for exploration and photo-taking, all of which we’ll share with our readers over the next several days.


We’ll be back tomorrow morning with not only a better signal but, also some photos we’ll have taken of Honolulu, our first port of call in the islands, where ultimately, we’ll return to disembark on October
5th.

Stay tuned, dear loyal readers, it’s going to get exciting and colorful from here on!

                                        Photo from one year ago today, September 29, 2013:

A year ago, out to dinner in Diani Beach, Kenya. For details from that date, please click here.
Day #160 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…The frightening reality…

Total expenses for 15 nights in London…Leaving tomorrow morning for long drive to cruise pier in Harwich….Cheerio, London…Hello world…

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Its a beautiful area with most of the buildings well maintained in black and white.

Tomorrow morning at 10:00 am, the private shuttle we’d arranged long ago, picks us up from the hotel for the two and a half hour drive to Harwich, the cruise ship pier in England.  

Yesterday, we walked down this road toward Bobo’s Bubbles to do our final two loads of laundry. 

It will be wonderful to see the ocean once again after leaving Madeira a month ago. While in both Paris and London we came to the decision that no matter how appealing big cities may be to many travelers, they are not for us. We’re loving the country, the bush, the ocean and anywhere far from the hustle and bustle of city life.

There are numerous old hotels in the Kensington area.

This gave us a new perspective in our travels, that we won’t want to spend a week or two in Sydney or any other big city in Australia or any other parts of the world. We’re certain they are filled with much to see and do.  But, that life is not for us. Plain and simple.

Many street lamps and building fronts are decorated with colorful flowers.
Occasionally, we spotted a brick building mixed among the white buildings.

We have three big cities ahead of us soon, one in Boston on September 14th for three nights; two in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 17th for six nights; and lastly, in Waikiki/Honolulu on October 5th, Hawaii for 11 nights. Boston will be a breeze when we’re busy with family. Vancouver is a relatively short stay until we board the ship to Hawaii and Waikiki. Well, it is Hawaii after all.

This was the shortest (height) car either of us has ever seen. I can only imagine that getting out of it would require rolling out the door onto the street and then standing up. 
South Kensington consists of one pretty street after another, parking always at a premium.

Today, as I write here, I’ll be flipping back and forth to our comprehensive Excel workbook to finalize our expenses for the 15 nights in London. As we share these expenses, one may assume these totals are realistic for any traveler to London, on a budget.

Tom’s haircut was only US $16.60, 10 pounds including the tip.  Not bad.
When we stopped at the market for a few items Tom decided on a haircut before the cruise.

We must admit that our total expenses may be misleading for the following reasons especially when dining out for all meals.  Here’s why:
1.  We only eat once a day due to our commitment to intermittent fasting for our health (two meals per day while on cruises).  A typical tourist dines in restaurants two to three meals each day, as we would have in years past.  Please take that into consideration when reviewing the totals. Also, we don’t order starters or desserts which I can’t have, and Tom doesn’t want, never liking the available options.
2.  Another factor in regard to restaurant dining:  Tom ordered one beer on four separate occasions.  Since I don’t drink alcohol I usually have tap water (when its safe to drink) such as in London and Paris.  By not adding cocktails and other beverages to our restaurant bill, we’re usually saving as much, if not more, than 40% on the bill. Tom rarely drinks alcohol when we’re dining in making this no sacrifice to him.  On the cruises, he’ll enjoy cocktails at the table during dinners (at an additional cost).
3.  No extra charges were added to  the hotel bill:  In the case at the Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate, they’ve waived our entire WiFi bill upon my request this morning based on the daily issues getting online.  We don’t order room service, have spa treatments, order cocktails, coffee or tea.  We use the complimentary coffee and tea in the room. 
4.  We save money by walking as opposed to taking taxis when the distances are manageable, using public transportation when possible.
5.  Keeping the cost of sightseeing and tours expenses to the budgeted amount.
6.  We’re willing  to pay a little more for better hotels with at least a four star rating which are in good neighborhoods, such as in South Kensington.  The hotel becomes our “home” for a period of time with comfort and convenience most important to us.

The street corner where last night’s restaurant is located.

Here are our expenses for the 15 nights in London:

Hotel:              US $3,312.26, 1,995.40 pounds
Transportation:          455.29,    274.28
Tours:                       451.81,    272.18
Groceries:                 240.34,    144.79
Restaurants:              850.46,    512.34

Grand Total:     US $5,310.16, 3,198.99 pounds
Daily Rate:         US $354.01, 213.27 pounds

In London, there are no large trash bins for residents in which to place their garbage.  Instead, they put the bags on the sidewalk or street where they’re picked up a few times a week from what we’ve seen. 

In this particular case, we’re under budget by 7%.  Having a budget helps us to curtail spending.  Although, we frequently commented as to how expensive dining out is in London, the only reason our daily average was this low was due to the facts above; no beverages, no starters and no desserts.  

Last night, we tried a new restaurant, Wildwood several blocks from our hotel.
Wildwood had a comfortable ambiance but, the food and service was mediocre.

Without a doubt, once we’re on the two upcoming cruises, we’ll be having breakfast and Tom will order starters and desserts (few starters will work for me). After all, our meals with multiple courses are included in the cost of the cruises (the actual costs hidden from our view).  We’re free to dine as we so choose, (cocktails are extra), although we’ll only do so twice a day, breakfast and dinner. 

Tom order Beef Bolognaise which he said was good.
I ordered this chicken Caesar salad, minus crouton adding avocado.  The chicken was fatty, poorly trimmed and hard to cut.  Had it contained boneless, skinless chicken breasts this would have been a great salad.

Now that our laundry is done at US $33, 20 pounds, to wash and dry two loads, we’ll be packing our bags as soon as we’re done posting.  We’ve reconfirmed with our driver for tomorrow’s 10 am pickup.  Our hotel bill is completed.  Tonight we’ll dine at Byron, one last time (included tonight’s dinner in totals above).

This was the lowest dinner bill we had in London at US $32, 19.30 pounds, plus tip for a total US $35.36, 21.20 pounds

Sunday’s post with new and exciting photos will be available late in the day after we’re checked in and we’re situated on the cruise. 

And tomorrow, we’ll be on our way.  Once again.
__________________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, August 30, 2013:

This pile contained all the clothing I owned one year ago.  Now, the pile is one half this size.
This photo was on the last few days we were in Italy preparing to depart on September 1, 2013 for Kenya.  For details from that date, please click here.

The cost of booking rental cars in Hawaii for almost 7 months…Two days until we “sail away”…

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This is a Pangolin, one of the most elusive animals on the planet, seen by very few.  Perhaps, someday when we return to Africa, we’ll have a chance to see one. These animals are poached for their scales believed by certain cultures in Asia to have medicinal properties which, after intense scientific research, do not provide any benefit to health. And yet poachers kill these interesting animals in the anteater family for-profits compared to the senseless slaughter of rhinos and elephants for their tusks. It’s heartbreaking. Soon, they, too, will become extinct.

When we first began planning our worldwide travels, we flinched over the cost of rental cars with all of the pumped-up fees, charges, and taxes. At the time, we anticipated it would feel weird not owning a car.  Now, it’s second nature. 

The Dodo bird, extinct for over 350 years.  Sadly, what’s next?

The points we consider for each specific location, each time we book a rental car are simple:
1. Is taxi fare reasonably priced and is it readily available making renting a car unneccesary?
2.  Will we feel trapped in a remote location without a car?
3.  Are there many places we’d like to visit in a specific area making a rental car worthwhile?
4.  Is the car large enough to fit our four suitcases, one duffel bag, one rolling cart, one laptop bag, and handbag?
5.  How safe is driving (in regard to crime, not road conditions) in a specific country?

This is the largest seed in the world from Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

For example, in Kenya, was safer to travel in affordable taxis than it was to drive on our own with the high rate of carjacking and theft, than in many other parts of the world. 

We saw live insects of this size while in Africa. 

In Belize, we used taxis. On an occasion, we rented a golf cart for a week, taking taxis the remainder of the time. The cost of a rental car for 30 days was more than US $3000,1809 pounds per month. The cost of a taxi to a grocery store or restaurant was US $5, 3 pounds each way. It was a no brainer for the two and a half months we spent in Placencia.

Over 100 scientists work full time at London’s Natural History Museum. 

In Morocco, we could walk to most locations. The grocery shopping and cooking were done by Madame Zahra (I think of her often) and the few times we dined outside of the Medina and the souks, the cab fare was fairly reasonable. Also, there was no available parking where we lived in the souk.

A scientist at work in the research area of the museum.  What a fascinating field.

In the remote Tuscan location of Boveglio, Italy we had no choice but to rent a car for the two and a half months we spent in the mountains.

In the Charles Darwin wing of the Natural History Museum, there were many interesting displays of insects, butterflies, and small creatures.

In South Africa, we had a rental car for a month, with Okee Dokee driving us everywhere for the remaining two months. No rental car could possibly replace the pleasure and laughter of riding with her day after day.

Photos through the glass are less vivid.

In that particular case, we chose to forgo the rental car simply since we loved being with Okee Dokee, constantly laughing as we bounced around on the bumpy roads in Marloth Park. It was an emotional decision when none of the above points fell into play.

After many car rental experiences, we’d yet to book rental cars for three of the four islands on which we’ll be living in Hawaii over a total period of seven months. 

This is an actual bee and its size as shown.

Excluding the necessity of a car in Waikiki (Honolulu) for the first 11 days when everything is within walking distance, we knew we’d need cars in Maui for six weeks, the Big Island for six-plus weeks, and Kauai for four months.

Insect displays in the Charles Darwin research area of the museum.

Having budgeted for each of the three islands where we’ll need a rental car, both of us were worried that the actual cost would far exceed the amounts we budgeted. Yesterday, we finalized the bookings for each of the three islands, expecting the cost to average at approximately US $2000, 1206 pounds a month. 

Hawaii is often considered one of the most expensive places to visit in the world when everything other than the fruits and nuts grown in the islands, must be imported as is the case on other islands throughout the world.

Flying insects.

After reviewing many online sites for the best rates in Hawaii (which we’d browsed many times over the past few years), we were able to confirm rates for each of the islands as follows:

6 weeks  Maui          US $1,124, 678 pounds (economy car)
6 weeks  Big Island  US $1,526, 920 pounds (full-sized car)
17 weeks Kauai        US $2,886, 1741 pounds (economy car)
Grand total –          US $5,536, 3339 pounds
(over a period of 120 days at the US $46, 28 pounds, per day). 

There were numerous paintings of animals from artists throughout the world.

We’re thrilled with these prices, expecting to spend thousands more, and relieved to have this piece out of the way at long last. Our flights between the four islands are the only items we’ve yet to book for Hawaii. With frequent flights between islands each day, we can easily wait to book the flights a month before departure in each case.

Had it been 10 months from now, when we’ll be in Australia, we’d already have seen kangaroos!  We can hardly wait!

As soon as we upload today’s post, we’ll be heading out for our final trip to Bobo’s Bubbles to do the laundry. It will be a full two weeks until we can do our laundry again in Boston. In Madeira, I purchased what appears to be a bar of soap which in fact is a bar of laundry soap, used for handwashing. Surely, that will come in handy on the two cruises in September.

In 10 months when we’ll be in Australia, we hope to see koala bears.

Last night, we returned to Byron, a burger restaurant we’ve found to be good with reasonable portions. Although it was over US $50, 30 pounds for a burger and fries for Tom and a salad for me, the salad portion is ample leaving me feeling as if I’ve actually had a meal. 

This is a Genet which we saw in South Africa in the bush.

When we see the price for a burger and fries is US $25, 15 pound, and a Cobb salad is also at US $25, 15 pounds, one can easily understand why we’re “chomping at the bit” to get on board the cruise and dine at our leisure without the added expense of having eaten out every meal for a month.

The fossils from prehistoric times were interesting.  But, we expected these as shown above were also manmade.

It’s hard to believe we’re only two days from sail day. In many ways, it seems as if those past eight cruises were so long ago when the last cruise ended on June 16, 2013. Here we go, another transatlantic crossing. How exciting!

In a way, it left us cold, seeing the manmade animals when we’d seen so many in the wild.

Have a lovely weekend as summer winds down in the northern hemisphere and winter winds crank up in the southern hemisphere. 

The museum itself was worthy of note in its exquisite design.

                                             Photo from one year ago today, August 29, 2013:

As we busied ourselves getting ready to depart for Kenya and with ongoing WiFi issues in Boveglio Italy, we didn’t post on this date. However, we did a post on the following date. Please check back tomorrow.

Day #158 in lockdown in Mumbai, India Hotel…Cleaning up old posts…

Winding down London…Three days and counting…Post #750 today!…Food photos from last night’s dinner at Daquise…

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Various ferns look like marine life.

We’re done sightseeing in London. With the crowds, the daily rain, the waiting in queues (“lines” per British speak), we’ve basically made a decision to stop. Yes, we’re here and yes, we could easily get to other points of interest.  

Prehistoric creature.

However, as we’ve often mentioned, we do exactly that which “trips our trigger” and fits our budget, as opposed to doing that which might be “expected” of a traveler in a big city. That’s the nature of our lives. That’s why we’re happily living life as we choose.

Man-made replica.

There’s a price to pay for living life on our terms. We gladly pay it. We pay it in the knowledge that others may be annoyed or disgruntled by our choices. Where are the photos of Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and on and on? We never intend to disappoint. 

Various reptiles.

But, the difference in our travel writing as opposed to what others may write, is simple, we tell it like it is. This life we live is not a honeymoon or a two-week vacation. This is our day to day lives and the greatest joy we find is when we’re living on our terms.

Prehistoric creature.

With two cruises and several small group (8 to 10 travelers) tours scheduled, we’ll have many exciting photos to share in the next few weeks on the first cruise, including Normandy, Stonehenge, Cork, Ireland (Blarney Castle), Klaksvik, Faroe Islands, and Reykjavik, Iceland. Our readers will be bombarded with photos. Sit tight, dear followers. More will come.

We’d seen a few of these snakes on the road in Africa and one on our veranda in South Africa, the Mozambique Spitting Cobra.

As for London, we’re done spending money other than for the three remaining dinners and the long drive to Harwich to the pier.  The cost of everything is at least 70% more than one would expect to pay. With our family coming to Hawaii for Christmas (14 arriving in December), the cost of two houses, airfare, food and incidentals we need to continue to carefully monitor our budget.

A prehistoric Amphibian.

Months ago, we paid for all of the above upcoming tours, the cruises, the hotel in Boston, the flight and hotel in Vancouver. We’ve prepaid in full, the first two months in Hawaii, on Oahu and Maui and also the four months on the island of Kauai. 

Fish from lakes and streams.

Soon, we’ll pay the balances on the two houses on the Big Island and the more substantial chunks will be out of the way though May 15, 2015. But, the small stuff when traveling can cut deep into one’s planned budget if not careful. 

This is referred to as a Football Fish.

Are we hypocrites when we don’t like crowds and yet we love cruising? I suppose we may appear to be. Sunday’s upcoming cruise holds 2501 passengers. 

More fish from rivers, lakes, and streams.

How do we tolerate those crowds? We avoid lines. We find cozy, quiet spots where we feel as if we’re in our own little world. If the theatre at night is booked at the 8 pm show, we’ll choose the 10 pm show. 

Fish found in the ocean.

After eight cruises in the past 2o months, we feel we have it fairly well figured out. We love the sea, making new friends at dinners for eight or ten, the gentle rocking of the ship. We even found the storm at sea on the Norwegian Epic commencing on April 20, 2013, to be an adventure.  

More ocean fish.

We wandered about the ship for those three stormy days with nary a moment of seasickness with swells as high as 50 feet, 15.24 meters, when many passengers and crew were hunkered down in their cabins for days. We’ve loved it all.

A Lizard that puffs up the frill around the neck to scare off predators. This could be intimidating, to say the least.

In essence, we may contradict ourselves at times. We can avoid a 300 person deep line at a venue and then stand in line 300 deep line to get off the ship for a tour. All of us love what we love whether it’s the award-winning rose in full bloom or the lowly dandelion spewing pollen into the air. One may not be connected to the other.

“Jaws!”

Yesterday, we embarked on our final sightseeing stint by visiting London’s Natural History Museum. Having avoided hour(s) long queues both mornings or midday, we chose to enter around 4 pm. There was no line at all, although it was fairly crowded inside. 

Komodo Dragons are found on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Flores. We’ll be spending four months in Bali, Indonesia in 2016, where tourists have spotted Komodo Dragons on occasion. Komodo Dragons are of the species of Monitor Lizards, two of which lived in our yard in Marloth Park, South Africa. Please see this link to see our photos when they made a rare appearance by the pool. 

Little did we think how odd it would be for us to see animals in either a state of taxidermy or man-made to look lifelike. Having seen most of today’s animals alive while on safari in Kenya or surrounding our home in Marloth Park, seeing them in these lifelike forms held little interest to us, except when we spotted a Warthog.

More marine life.

We took many photos focusing on the thousands of replications of the live animals that we’ve yet to encounter in our travels. For those that may never see a live lion other than in a zoo, this museum and those like it are an alternative. 

Seashells.

After our two hour tour of the museum, we wandered off to try a new restaurant, the popular Polish restaurant, Daquise. My portion of meat consisted of five tiny bites with a side of green beans and a few boiled vegetables. 

We saw a smaller version of similar crabs at the beach in Kenya, which is on the eastern coast of Africa. They moved so quickly, we couldn’t get a photo.

Tom’s dinner of veal schnitzel with mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and, bread was satisfactory for him. Had I been able to have starch and gluten, I would have enjoyed the food. 

Many of us lobster enthusiasts would appreciate a lobster of this size on a platter.

The staff was stumped as to what would work for me so I chose the meal they suggested based on a recommendation by their chef. We’ll write a positive review on TripAdvisor later today. Our dinner with tax and gratuity, without beverages, sides, or desserts was a total of US $66, 40 pounds.

After many visits by Zebras in our yard in South Africa, seeing this lifelike rendition made me miss them. Click this link to see Zebras that visited us in South Africa.

Today, we’ll be working on financial matters, booking vehicles in Hawaii, and taking a walk later in the day if it’s not raining. 

Some of the displays of Rhino were taxidermy. There was a sign stating that the horns had been removed and replaced with man-made materials. We saw Rhinos in the wild in Kenya. Please click here for a few of our Rhino photos from Kenya.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the balance of the museum photos and take the long hike to do our final loads of laundry. 

This is the actual fossil of a boar as shown.

On Saturday, we’ll wrap up our total expenses for London sharing the details and breakdown of the costs for the 15 nights we spent in this fine area of South Kensington, London.

We weren’t certain if these are actual fossils or man-made representations.

On Sunday, departure day, we’ll post later in the day after we arrive on the ship sharing photos from our 2½ hour drive through the English countryside along with the ship’s boarding process including photos of the ship and our cabin.

These Elephant tusks are the real deal.

Each time we board a ship early in the day, most often the cabins aren’t immediately available. Usually, there’s a few hours wait. As is the case with most passengers waiting to gain access to their cabin, everyone heads to the restaurant for a late lunch, the first inclusive meal. 

Ah, my heart did a flip flop when Tom spotted this warthog. The first time either of us had ever seen a warthog was last October in the Masai Mara, Kenya while on safari. Of course, later in South Africa, we joyfully saw them each day. Click here for the first time we saw a live warthog (scroll down the page).

It is during this period, that I’ll upload and prepare Saturday’s post with photos (barring any WiFi issues), which most likely will be available approximately five hours later than usual. 

The view from our table last night at Daquise.
The pleasant place setting at Daquise.
Tom’s Veal Schnitzel topped with an egg, mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots. He didn’t eat the egg. He doesn’t eat egg and meat together unless it’s bacon or sausage. He has lots of “food rules.”
Those thin pieces of beef hardly filled me up. The cream sauce was made without flour.

Have a happy day!

                                     Photo from one year ago today, August 28, 2013:

On this date a year ago, as we busily prepared to further lighten our load, we packed and made a pizza for ease of eating leftovers on the remaining nights, which we now find easy to do at the end of a two or three-month stay in a vacation home.  Also, I wrote about the benefits of eating nuts in moderation.  While in Paris and London, with small portions at restaurants, nuts have been a much-needed lifesaver for me when I’ve been hungry after a tiny meal.

No photos were posted on that date. Instead, I posted this nutritional chart on various types of nuts. For more on the story, please click here.

Carbohydrates and Fats in Nuts and Seeds (1 Ounce Unshelled)

Cal Tot. Carb Fiber Net Carb Sat. Fat Mono Fat ω-3 Fat ω-6 Fat
Almonds 161 6.1 3.4 2.7 1 8.6 0.2 3.4
Brazil Nuts 184 3.4 2.1 1.3 4.2 6.9 0.05 5.8
Cashews 155 9.2 0.9 8.1 2.2 6.7 0.2 2.2
Chestnuts 60 12.8 2.3 10.5 0.1 0.2 0.03 0.22
Chia Seeds 137 12.3 10.6 1.7 0.9 0.6 4.9 1.6
Coconut* 185 6.6 4.6 2 16 0.8 0 0.2
Flax Seeds 150 8.1 7.6 .5 1 2.1 6.3 1.7
Hazelnuts 176 4.7 2.7 2 1.3 12.8 0.24 2.2
Macadamia Nuts 201 4 2.4 1.6 3.4 16.5 0.06 .36
Peanuts 159 4.5 2.4 2.1 1.9 6.8 0 4.4
Pecans 193 3.9 2.7 1.2 1.7 11.4 0.28 5.8
Pine Nuts 188 3.7 1 2.7 1.4 5.3 0.31 9.4
Pistachios 156 7.8 2.9 5.8 1.5 6.5 0.71 3.7
Pumpkin Seeds 151 5 1.1 3.9 2.4 4 0.51 5.8
Sesame Seeds 160 6.6 3.3 3.3 1.9 5.3 0.11 6
Sunflower Seeds 164 5.6 2.4 3.2 1.2 5.2 0.21 6.5
Walnuts 183 3.8 1.9 1.9 1.7 2.5 2.5 10.7
Day #157 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…A lovely meeting in London in 2014…Terror in our favorite place in the world…

An online friend visits us in London!…What a wonderful day!…

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Tom took this blurry photo of Liz and me. Sometimes he gets it right and others, not so much.

Over the past years, we’d received several comments from one of our readers, Liz. She wrote beautifully, posing interesting comments and questions that I’d upload at the end of the particular post. 

Those of our readers who have signed up to receive the daily posts receive the questions/comments and our replies to the email, the only email received through our site other than each new daily post. Those readers who don’t sign up must look at the end of each post to see if there are any comments and replies.

My lunch salad in the hotel dining room on a very small plate was US $10.77, 6.50 pounds.

Tom and I both share in the replies, enjoying the opportunity to “speak” to our readers. On occasion, we may receive comments from “haters.” We don’t bother to respond to such types. Our site is not intended as an arena for angry and hateful protestations. 

However, we always welcome expression of views regarding travel or life in general that may be contrary to our own. Lively banter makes the “world go round.” Hatefulness does not, in our view.

Liz’s vegetarian lunch in the hotel dining room.

When we receive a comment or question from a reader we enthusiastically reply online posting both at the earliest possible opportunity, often within 12 hours. Posing comments may be done so anonymously if one so chooses. We aren’t able to determine the writer’s email address or name.

Anyway, back to Liz. After awhile, we began to write privately via email and a genuine friendship came to fruition. As many of us are aware, non-romantic relationship are often born out of the Internet and has escalated over the years as more and more become entrenched in online communication.

How thoughtful of Liz to give me this useful set of organic products to prevent and treat insect bites, always my nemesis.

Liz and I had previously discussed many topics online. I always smile when there’s a message from her as is the case for many other readers with whom we’ve come to know online. For Liz, Pat and all the others, we are eternally grateful.

The fact that Liz lives in a charming village a 90 minute train ride from London, was a perfect opportunity for us to meet. Yesterday, she arrived on what was yet another rainy day, meeting Tom and I in the hotel lobby where we excitedly awaited her arrival.

Precisely on time, not surprising for Brits, I was thrilled to see her lovely face yesterday at 12:35 pm. The plan was for a “girl time” lunch, taking as long as we wanted and then she’d head back to the nearby South Kensington Station for the return train to her home.

Everything fit into the tiny bags except these two larger items which I can easily fit into our toiletries suitcase.

After warm hugs with both of us, a short chat with Tom, Liz and I decided on lunch in the hotel’s restaurant With it still raining and Liz’s walk from the station staying indoors made sense. Quiet during the day, the hotel’s restaurant was the perfect venue for conversation with few interruptions for our shared candid chatter on our lives, our views and our varied experiences.

We were seated in the quiet dining room, eventually ordering a light lunch. The seeming endless conversations began. Liz and I have a lot in common. My birthday is one day after hers on February 19th and 20th. But, the similarity of our views, values and lifestyles are concurrent in many ways.

Liz’s husband Dave sent along this bottle of beer for Tom.  Tonight, we’ll chill it on ice and he’ll drink a toast to Liz and Dave for their thoughtfulness.

It had been a long time since I’d had any “girl time.” It was toward the end of our three months in South Africa, close to my birthday, that friends Kathy and Linda took me to a birthday/goodbye luncheon at a gorgeous resort in South Africa. That was six months ago.

In my old life, I had a number of treasured girlfriends, some who knew one another and some who did not. Often, we’d gather for lunch which ultimately turned into hours of robust conversation and laughter. I’ve missed that these past almost two years since we left Minnesota.

Tom’s calzone last night at Bella Italia.

To have that experience again yesterday, meant the world to me. To have that experience with vibrant, also “overly bubbly” Liz only added to my pleasure.

I don’t know how it happened so quickly but suddenly it was 5:30 pm. We were shocked that so much time had flown by. We wandered up to our hotel room to inform Tom that the three of us were going to dinner after which we’d walk her to the station to catch the 8:30 pm train.

Once in the room, she took a bag of gifts out of her handbag, handing it to me to open with gifts for both of us.  Neither of us had received an actual gift to open in almost two years.

My dinner at Bella Italia of two small chicken breasts in a pot of red sauce with a side of grilled vegetables. 

Included here are photos of the gifts for me and the other for Tom. How thoughtful of her especially when she learned what we’d need and want based on reading our past posts. 

With no restaurants that we love in the area, we felt it was safe to go to Bella Italia, where there’d be options for her vegetarian way of eating, my restrictions and Tom’s picky taste buds. It worked out well. Tom had a beer, Liz had a glass of wine and I had a cup of tea. Our dinners were “good but not great” but again, the conversation was lively and animated. 

Liz’s dinner of vegetarian cannelloni and a side salad.

Again, the time passed quickly and it was time to go. We had a wonderful day spending almost eight hours together. Saying goodbye was bittersweet as we hugged in the rain outside the station with a deep sense of friendship and appreciation for a day well spent.

Thank you, dear Liz. Your kindness, friendship and thoughtfulness will stay with us as we soon leave London in a mere four day as we’ll commence on our worldwide journey with more wonderful memories in tow. Gosh, how lucky could we be?

                                            Photo from one year ago today, August 27, 2013:

The weather had begun to cool in Boveglio, Italy after a hot and humid summer. With only four days until we were leaving for an overnight in Venice awaiting our next day flight to Kenya, we were busy packing and preparing to leave. For details from that date, please click here.
Day #156 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…A special thank you to our web developers in India…

Pouring rain in London…cancelled tour…Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate review…issues…Five days until the cruise…One year ago,…easy recipe…

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You can see Tom’s head through the flowers where we sit each morning as I write the daily post. Sitting here gives the maid service time to clean our room which we’ve requested be done by noon each day when our laptop batteries die. We go back to the room to leave the laptops charging when we go out to explore for the afternoon.

The thought of going out in the pouring rain on Monday, getting on and off a bus, walking long distances for hours, and ending the day on a boat ride held little appeal for either of us. We’ll take the tube as soon as there’s a clear day to the area near Buckingham Palace. Today, Tuesday it’s still raining.

The rain had been predicted over the past several days for early this week. As weather reporting goes, we’d hoped it would be comparable to many other days in London where it rained for a few hours and then stop. Not the case

The staff at the reception desk are helpful and friendly maintaining their cool when disgruntled guests complain about the WiFi charges.

After the horrible rainy day in Versailles a few weeks ago, spending hours outside in the wind and rain is hardly our idea of a good time. 

Yesterday at noon, we took the hotel’s (London Regency, Queen’s Gate)provided an umbrella for a trek to a pharmacy for a few items we needed for the upcoming cruises. With the umbrella covering us the entire distance, and our hooded jackets pulled tightly around our faces, we still returned soaked. 

Although our room is larger than a ship cabin, it’s small as shown in this photo.

Deciding to stay indoors at the hotel would be fine if it weren’t for the fact that the Hotel’s WiFi was down Monday morning as it has been at least once each day since arriving ten days ago. How can a hotel that caters to both tourists and business travelers, not have working WiFi for often as much as half of each day? We’re baffled.

Almost with gritted teeth, yesterday morning at 7:30 am, I informed the front desk that they’d need to credit us the entire WiFi fees of US $13.25, 8 pounds per day for our entire 15 days at this hotel. Sheepishly, they agreed. Their usual daily rate is US $16.56, 10 pounds. (Oddly, they quoted us $16.69 per day, when we checked in).

The lobby lounges are pleasant and comfortable.

They’d given us the WiFi corporate discount at US $3.31, 2 pounds less per night when their website indicated WiFi was included. As far as we’re concerned, it’s trickery. With our room rate at US $220, 133 pounds per day, one would think the WiFi could be included.

As we’ve sat in the lobby writing here each day, we’ve heard one guest after another while checking in, totally disgruntled when they discover there’s a fee for the WiFi. When there are no less costly nearby hotels they, like us, they have no alternative but to agree to the fees. Trickery.

The hotel’s exit to the street.

As a result, we’ll be posting a less than favorable review in regard to their promise of WiFi on their website which appeared to be complimentary and, above all, working!

In a way I blame myself. There were several reviews in TripAdvisor (click the link to read reviews for this hotel) mentioning  the problematic WiFi, but I wrongfully assumed the issues would be resolved by the time of our arrival. Not the case. Apparently, this has been a long term issue.

An additional lounge area in the lobby.

In my desperation to find a decently priced hotel in an upscale area, I chose the Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate.  If WiFi wasn’t an issue I’d give it a four-star. It’s elegant in its décor, staff demeanor, cleanliness and amenities. 

Although the rooms are small, ours is larger than the room we had in Paris, having the common amenities; comfortable bed and linens, robes, flat screen TV, plug in center (burned out three of our plug ins), quality maid service, and adequate furnishings and storage.

The lower level dining room in the hotel where we’ve yet to dine.

In a way, I feel sorry for the front desk with the constant complaints the staff receives in regard to the WiFi fees and the fact that it was seldom working. 

And yet, now, as I sit in the lobby writing when today, the WiFi is working, I hear new guests checking in one after another obligated to the usual US $16.56, 10 pounds per day required to be online. It’s hard to keep my mouth shut and not warn them. But, I don’t say a word.

The bar and lounge area adjacent to the dining room appears comfortable and inviting. The bar and restaurant staff have been kind and helpful in providing us with ice as we requested.

What I write here will surely reach our few hundred thousand readers worldwide and millions of reader when I write a review on TripAdvisor before we depart.

No, we haven’t complained about the fact that it takes a 600 pound weight lifter to flush the toilet, or there’s no ice machine anywhere in the hotel other than downstairs in the bar several times each day to get it from the staff or, the lack of bar soap with only stinky smelling pump soap. 

Luckily, guests can enter through the front of the building as the work is being done.

What about the fact that the bottom of the tub is so slippery one must put a towel down to keep from falling?  What about the dangerous faucets that make it very easy to get scalded when the on and off system is confusing and unpredictable? What about the fact that the fire alarm system went off Sunday when Tom was naked after a shower and hurriedly dressed to get out the door? (False alarm).

What about the fact that the entire exterior of the hotel is being renovated and one must walk under scaffolding to gain access? We wouldn’t care if the noise wasn’t associated with the work, beginning early in the morning continuing until the end of the day.

You can see workmen in this photo taken today, waiting for the rain to stop to continue their work.

The restaurant has a pleasing ambiance but, a simple breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, and pastries is no less than US $30, 18 pounds, or more. The dinner a la carte menu is no less US $36, 22 pounds per person excluding beverages, appetizers, side salad, or dessert, although that is not unlike many restaurants in the area.

At this point, we haven’t added a single cup of coffee or tea to our bill. With both available in the guest rooms at no charge (usual procedure at most hotels), I find myself running back to the room to make a fresh mug of hot tea. I refuse to pay US $6.63, 4 pounds for one tea bag with a small pot of hot water. 

The scaffolding on the exterior of the hotel close to the entrance. The sight of this doesn’t bother us nor does the noise. But, we heard guests complaining about the noise during daylight hours.

I supposed when all is said and done, our biggest complaint is regarding the WiFi issues. The rest we could easily manage with no complaint. Had that not been a problem we may not have paid much attention to the remainder.

Once a hotel has an established good décor, a high level of cleanliness and, and an attentive staff, it’s the small things that determine the final review. Don’t we all recall a hotel where the small things were over the top, as an extraordinary memory? 

The lobby is decorated with exquisite flower arrangements, kept fresh daily.

Years ago, long before I met Tom, I visited Bangkok, Thailand for several days before heading to the island of Phuket.  I stayed in the Le Meridian Hotel, at that time (1980’s) one of the most highly-rated hotels in the world. 

One day, after lunch by the pool I discretely reached into my mouth to pick at something stuck in a tooth, probably lemon grass. Within 30 seconds a kindly hotel employee dressed in a black suit (in the heat), handed me a pouch containing several flat wooden dental picks. The pouch was leather embossed with the hotel’s logo.

The busy street in front of the hotel is easy to cross at the crosswalk with push buttons command for the pedestrian green light. These are at every corner.  Arrows are painted on the pavement to alert pedestrians as to which direction the traffic flows. This is helpful when driving is on the left side in the UK. Steering wheels are on the right side of vehicles.

Goodness, I thought, was he watching each person at the pool looking for an opportunity to give them whatever they could possibly need or want? Certainly, there was an expectation of a tip which I freely handed to him.  That experience is memorable 30 years later.

With hotels, we tend to recall the great experiences while the less positive seem to waft away. As for Regency Hotel, Queen’s Gate, I doubt our poor WiFi experience will easily be forgotten, especially with this modern age of technology and review writing, where one is so easily able to document their experiences that will remain online forever.

Level one in the hotel is marked as level 12 in the elevator. Go figure.

In any case, the location has been superb. South Kensington is a fabulous upscale location that is safe, friendly and easy to explore. As of today, Tuesday, August 26th, we’ll be staying here another five nights.

If you don’t see a post in any of the upcoming five days I assure you, it’s entirely due to the fact that we’re unable to get online. Posting yesterday morning was a fluke when I was able to get online for a few minutes, long enough to get publish the post.

London in the much expected rain. Yesterday, we went out in the rain for s short while. Returning an hour later we were soaked although we’d worn our hooded jackets and used the hotel’s umbrella.

Long ago, we stated, in our naivety as travel newbies, that we’d try to avoid posting negative reviews. As we’ve become more experienced, we realize we owe it to our worldwide readers and others to be candid about our experiences.

Seldom, do we write details here of specific negative dining experiences, other than on TripAdvisor? As we find ourselves reading the reviews daily as we search for restaurants, we now feel we must also take the responsibility, as others have done, in posting good and bad reviews. 

As we stood inside a mall area, we waited for the rain to lighten up until we hit the street again.

That’s enough whining for today. Hopefully, the rain will stop enabling us to get out to further explore London. 

Happy Tuesday to everyone. Be well.

                                             Photo from one year ago today, August 26, 2013:

There was no post of this date one year ago as we busily prepared to leave Tuscany to travel to Kenya.  However, here’s a photo we posted on August 27 of dinner I’d prepared Italian style, using local ingredients and produce from the garden.

These tomatoes and basil were grown in the little garden on the veranda. After drizzling olive oil over this, adding salt, pepper, and garlic, I baked it in the oven for 35 minutes. Delicious!