Part 2…Anniversary movie night at the extraordinary estate of new friends…Wow!…

Red Ginger plants overlooking an open area on the grounds of Bev and Sam’s property.

Before I continue with Part 2 of anniversary night’s visit to new friends Bev and Sam’s fabulous estate, I wanted to share the fact that my sister Julie is flying here on Thursday from Los Angeles for an eight day visit.

These organic, non-GMO, pesticide and chemical-free red grapefruit growing on Bev and Sam’s amazing property aren’t quite ready for harvesting.
How wonderful it would be to be able to head out to the orchard in the morning to pick a sumptuous red grapefruit for breakfast.

Although our condo is small, we’ll make it work. Julie will have the loft bedroom for herself and the three of us will share the one bathroom on the main floor. Our little dining table for four will work well as long as I don’t cook too many side dishes to pass. 

The former greenhouse has been converted to a movie viewing studio. We took this photo shortly after our arrival to Bev and Sam’s home before darkness fell.

Tonight, we’ll experience three people in our condo for the first time when friend Richard comes to dinner to watch the finale of “The Bachelor” with us. We’ve always enjoyed this show speculating on the outcome from the beginning.  So, like many other Bachelor enthusiasts, we’re having a little Bachelor party.

There was an area designated for the growth of papayas.
I’ve always been confused telling the difference between papaya and mango. Mangos grow on large trees whereby papayas grow on smaller trees such as shown here.

Our dear friend Richard, retired attorney, successful businessman, also enjoys watching every episode after which the three of us have shared comments and observations. 

The papaya trees were perfectly arranged and space in the papaya garden.

How appropriate that we’re getting together tonight at our place while I serve well seasoned barbecue ribs (no sauce), veggies, salad and low carb muffins.

There are thousands of varieties of orchids. Many can be seen here at this link and growing in Bev and Sam’s gorgeous property.
Purple orchids.

Now we’ll continue with Part 2 of Saturday’s movie night at the home of friends…

These white orchids are particularly appealing.

After our comprehensive separate tours of the expansive property, Tom and I reconnected at the greenhouse which Bev and Sam had converted to a tiered movie theatre with a huge screen, modern equipment and sound system.

This thick shag carpet-like grass was not only a different color than most grasses but was soft to the touch and very dense.
Banana trees from which Bev and Sam harvest each season for resale. With the help of their full-time gardener and groundskeeper, they are able to resell

Situated in comfortable chairs next to one another, high enough to easily see the entire screen, we gabbed with our immediate seatmates and shared a few tidbits of our respective tours of the property. 

Bird of Paradise, a favorite we’ve seen in many countries.

When we heard that the movie was “The Artist,” filmed in black and white with subtitles, we’d both cringed.  Neither of us cares to watch movies with subtitles and I’ve never liked watching movies filmed in black and white. Ugh, this was going to be a long two hours, we both thought. But, the opportunity to socialize was more important to us than the movie itself.

We’d never have guessed that this is a macadamia nut tree. 

Little did we know, that in the first five minutes, we were hooked! Honestly, “The Artist” goes on our list of favorite movies. Who would have thought? It is the most delightful, charming, heartwarming and smile provoking movie we’d seen in a long time. 

It will be mid summer by the time this avocado tree produces fruit.

The movie won five Academy Awards in 2012 including best picture and numerous other international awards.  The acting was beyond reproach. If you haven’t seen it, we highly recommend downloading it while serving some snacks to enjoy your own movie night. 

Aptly named a Bottlebrush Tree.  We’d seen a similar flower in South Africa which they call Sickle Bush.  Click here for the link.

Midway through the movie, Sam stopped the movie at an appropriate cliffhanging spot for an intermission allowing us ample time to meet and chat with other guests while many refilled their plates with the various pu pu’s.

An elephant statue in the tree as a reminder of Bev and Sam’s various trips throughout the world, able to see this magnificent animals.

When the movie ended well after 9:00 pm, we had another opportunity to chat a little more with the guests as everyone gathered their various pu pu platters and dishes, meeting several we hope to see again during our remaining over two plus months in Kauai.

More white orchids.

Thanking our gracious hosts, we made our way back to the car to head home with smiles on our faces. It couldn’t have been a more perfect night. Back at home, I nibbled on leftovers when typically the pu pu’s don’t include anything befitting my way of eating. I’m used to that and never give it a thought until returning home and feeling ravenous.

This beautiful Buddha type statue sits on Bev and Sam’s massive lanai.

It was a good anniversary. It was a good night. Our heartfelt thanks to Bev and Sam for including us in this fun event. We couldn’t be more appreciative to all of the friends we’ve made in Kauai, especially to our friend Richard. 

Moments before the movie began in the theatre.

Without his excellent “social director” skills, most of our socializing wouldn’t have reached this level. Thanks, Richard! See you tonight for our Bachelor party!

                                             Photo from one year ago today, March 9, 2014:

Our first night spent in the Medina as darkness fell. We were anxious to see the lights and festivities so typical in this popular area in Marrakech. The sounds, the smells and the energy was fascinating. We had dinner in a café overlooking the core of the activity. For more photos from that evening, please click here.

Today is our 20th wedding anniversary…Photos of us past and present and past anniversaries…

Waiting to board another cruise in January 2013. Look at all those bags and more don’t show in this photo. Thank goodness we’re now down to three suitcases, one duffle bag and one computer bag.

Twenty-four years ago Tom and I met in a bar in Bloomington, Minnesota, marrying 20 years ago today. We were polar opposites, him, a blue-collar railroad guy, and me, a somewhat stuffy white-collar type who lived a “linen napkin lifestyle” (per Tom). We had literally nothing in common other than the fact that we were humans.

“They,” say that opposites attract but, when I immediately noticed his slang language learned in North Minneapolis as a kid, I thought, “This is never going to last.” After all, I was the queen of proper language usage and elocution.

When I invited him to my house for dinner for our first official date and served blackened swordfish, mushroom risotto, baby asparagus and Caesar salad, I noticed a pained look on his face the entire meal as he suffered through his least favorite foods on the planet, included the dry red wine.

Another blurry photo of us aboard the Celebrity Century on January 14, 2013. We’d yet to purchase a real camera at this point.

Tom says, “That’s when I pulled up to her house in my four-wheel drive on a Saturday evening in June and saw the sprawling manicured lawn, blue water on both sides of the house, I thought, we’ve got nothing in common.  I’ll be out of here in no time and head back to that bar where we met to check out my other options.”

Ha!  Eight hours later we were still yakking up at storm finding reasons “why” as opposed to “why not.” Within the first hour, he told me the story about taking his mother on a month-long trip to Ireland and Rome to see the Pope before she went totally blind.” 

It was that story that peaked my interest. Any guy who’d take his entire year’s vacation from work to take his mother on a much dreamed of trip would definitely make a good partner. Either he was a “mama’s boy” or a good man and based on what I’d seen thus far, I had not suspected he was a “mama’s boy” for a moment.

Photo taken of us using my phone on October 28, 2012, the night of Tom’s retirement party.

In a funny way, I fell in love that night. I sensed he hated “hoity-toity” food, a passion of mine. He didn’t care an iota about red wine, another passion of mine at the time, and he rarely used a linen napkin, a must in my household.

It’s ironic that now I rarely eat hoity-toidy food, never drink wine, and mostly use a dishtowel as a linen napkin when there aren’t linen napkins in vacation homes.

It was a difficult courtship filled with doubt and mistrust, as often is the case in many relationships but in time we both came around to love, honor and trust one another when on this date, March 7, 1995 we were married by a judge in with our kids as witnesses at our side in downtown Minneapolis. 

Tom in front of the volcano, Mount Kilauea this December.

In time, the difference between us blended into a workable and agreeable “middle” and getting along beautifully was easy. For us, marriage hasn’t been a lot of work and compromise.  We rarely argue, mostly due to the fact that I don’t engage in arguments. I leave the room or don’t respond to argumentative comments. No one will fight if there’s no opponent in the room. You’ll never see anyone alone in a room yelling and screaming at themselves for too long.

Tom is your cave-dwelling kind of guy. He needs his space, his opinion and doesn’t like to be told what to do. I get this and grant him these needs mostly with my mouth shut. On the other hand, I’m a piece of work in my own right and he’s learned to tolerate me without a lot of fuss. 

Me in front of Mount Kilauea in December this year.

Also, there’s his “overly grumpy” personality at times when basically I ignore him and it passes quickly. And, I’m continually, “overly bubbly” which he tolerates day after day.

If I’m the person that has done these posts every morning to the point of over 900 individual posts. Can you picture the personality that precipitates that kind of commitment…shall we say, “a little obsessive?” 

So, we compromise from of a desire to make the other happy than to meet in the middle. If I want to travel to a location that’s important to me and he doesn’t care for that location, we go and vise versa. But, its more than just going along. It’s done with love, acceptance, and joy for the new experiences we’ll share together. 

In front of the White Mosque in Abu Dhabi in May, 2013.

Today, in the 20th year of marriage, we celebrate without cards, gifts, and hoopla. Tonight, we’re going to the home of new friends for their “movie night” again bringing a pu pu to share. 

Our anniversary photo from March 2013, the night we were injured on the collapsed steps in Belize. Click here for the link showing the steps that resulted in injuries.

Traveling the world and enjoying each other’s companionship, spending 24 hours a day together has proved to be nothing short of pure pleasure. We’ve loved the time together not only in experiencing adventures and also, but also the mundane aspects of everyday life.

Most retires couples occasionally go off on their own to visit with friends, shop, engage in tennis, golf, or walks in the mall. We are seldom apart for more than a few minutes while I work out or go to the grocery store. And yet, each time I walk in the door a warm hello and giggle over missing one another crosses our lips, along with a kiss.

In front of God’s Window in South Africa. Searching for photos of us made us realize that we need to take more photos of us together. We’ll do so going forward.

Happy Anniversary to my dear husband. May we have many more years together as we continue to revel in in this unusual life we’ve chosen. You are dearly loved and so am I.

On our first game drive in South Africa in December, 2013. It was very hot and humid.  We were dressed in our BugsAway clothing, sweating like crazy. By this point in time, we’d learned to tolerate the heat and humidity.

Happy Saturday!

                                             Photo from one year ago today, March 7, 2014:

Us on our anniversary one year ago today in Marrakech, Morocco.  For more photos from that date, please click here.

Clarification about our posts for new readers…One year ago, sick from a salad in Marrakech…

There it is, a section of Hideaway’s Beach we discovered when the sun appeared for a few hours, a few days ago.

When we were at the Full Moon Party a few nights ago, a few people we met mentioned they’d seen our site and were confused as to why people like us, traveling the world, we’re writing so much about Kauai, day after day.

For those of our readers who’ve been with us either from the beginning in 2012 or somewhere in between, it makes sense that we’re writing about Kauai every day. But, for those coming in at this point, it may not make sense as to why world travelers don’t talk about anything but Kauai.

The answer is simple, although we do understand why a new reader may have been baffled.  We always write about where we are at any given time. 

The final path down to Hideaway’s Beach, no longer paved.

On May 24th, we’ll begin writing about the cruise as it occurs on our way from Honolulu to Sydney for 18 days and then about Trinity Beach, Australia where we’ll live for 89 days. We’ll continue from there for our upcoming two-plus years in the South Pacific. Later, when we book beyond that period, we’ll post from wherever we may be at any given time

That’s how that works. At times, as you’ll see, we do mention other places we’ve traveled with links the reader can click to take them back to those other places and times.

For the new reader, we have archives of every single prior post from March 14, 2012, to the present, listed on the right side of the daily post, noting the years, months, and each post’s general topic. All that is necessary to read any of these is to click on the year, then the month, then the post. 

These above-ground roots are odd.

It’s easy to go back to the beginning and read, but you wonder how to note where you left off. You can bookmark the last post you read and scroll down to the next one when you return. If you have any trouble with this, please let me know and I’ll be happy to assist using bullet point instructions. Please don’t hesitate to ask.

As for the advertisers on our site, located on the right of any day’s newest post, we kindly ask our readers to click on any of the services provided if you have a need for any of these services or products. 

We use them frequently. The prices are the same as if you went directly to the advertiser’s website and we get a tiny commission if you book a trip, a hotel, rental car, or purchase products. Plus, you can use points, coupons, or any other discounts you may have available. 

Looking down from the last section of the path to Hideaway’s Beach.

We never intended to make a lot of money from these, nor will we, but the small revenue they generate helps pay a little of our web management costs. We appreciate any help we can get. Thanks to those of you who use them on occasion.

Posting comments is easy. At the end of each daily post, you’ll see what looks like a pencil after it says “Posted by Jessica” at so and so time of the day. Click that pencil and you’ll be able to post a question, comment, or tell us anything you’d like to share with our worldwide readers. If you choose, you can post anonymously without mention of your name. Of you may include your name. You decide.

As for our response to comments: Generally, we respond within 24 hours or less except on travel days when we may not have access to the internet for a day or so. Once we’re settled, we’ll respond promptly. We do not reply to negative ranting, politically motivated comments, or hate mail. This is a place of wonder and joy, and like my Facebook page (feel free to friend me) I avoid whining and complaining and never make negative comments, personal comments, or negative observations about others.

The seawater was so clear we could see little fish swimming in this tide pool.

Sending us email: Both of our email addresses are posted above the photo on the right side of the daily post, of us in Petra.  All email you send is kept confidential unless its something you’d like us to share. We always ask before posting specific email comments and await your response before mentioning them online. 

Receiving auto-email with our daily posts:  Below the “search” box on the right side of the page below the advertisers, is a box that says, ” SIGN UP TO NEWSLETTER.If you sign up here, you will receive each new post in your email each day. You’ll never have to look for our link again. You’ll click the link in the email and then delete the email. Easy. Also, you can use this email to send the link to a friend who may enjoy our site by simply forwarding the email to them with a short comment from you suggesting they read it.

The “Search” box on the right side of the page. Let’s say you are looking for every recipe or a specific recipe we’ve posted since the beginning. Go to the search box and type in “recipe.” You’ll see a list of every post we’ve written with the word “recipe” in it. Some may have been just a mention of the word recipe. But many will contain actual recipes. If you can’t find something, email us and we’ll locate it for you.

The few hours of sunshine was so exciting after days of clouds and rain. Today, the sun is peeking out and if it holds, we’ll soon head to the pool.

Please keep in mind that I’ve also posted some “not so good for you” old recipes of our that are not gluten, starch, grain, and sugar-free. Not everyone cares for our way of eating so from time to time we post an old favorite.

Copying our photos: On occasion, a reader asks if they can use one of our photos in one way or another. Feel free to do so but please, if possible, put a link to our site in case the observer is curious as to the source. This is not necessary for use of our photos as screen savers or for your personal use, only if you put it out there on the web for publication. We try to provide the same courtesy to other’s photos and videos we post, when possible.

Guest blogger: If you have a story to tell and would like us to post it, please let us know via email after you’ve written it and if you’d like it to be posted in a daily post rather than as a comment. We’ll review the story and if appropriate for our site, we’ll post it. The same with special photos you’ve taken or even videos you’ve made.  However, please don’t send us photos or videos belonging to others.

The waves were picking up while we were there.

Many new readers start at today’s post and continue from there, preferring not to go back to the past. However, some amazing experiences have been told and shown in photos in the past with many more yet to come. After all, health providing, we have an entire world out there we’ve yet to see which we’ll share every step along the way.

Some readers read several posts at once and come back weeks or months later to catch up or perhaps, not at all. It’s all personal preference and however, it works for you is fine for us. We often hear from readers saying that each morning they grab their cup of coffee or tea, sit down at their kitchen table, and read our new post.  Others have said they read it while doing cardio at the health club, or laying in bed at night reading it on their phone. We appreciate hearing how it works for you. Please, do tell.

Sharing our posts: Although our lives are not as “juicy” as a soap opera, the concept of a continuing story appeals to many. We’ve found that we prefer TV shows with a single story that continues through the season. 

These funny looking furry pods were all over the ground when we sat down on a bench overlooking the sea at Hideaway’s Beach.

As is the case with our posts, an ongoing dialogue, hence “blog” of the story of our worldwide travels without a home or a base to return to, owning no car, no storage facility and only three suitcases, a duffle bag (dirty laundry) and a computer bag. That’s all we physically own. 

This oddity may appeal to folks you know who are armchair travelers, curious as to the expenses of such travel, or world travelers themselves comparing locations and experiences. Please share our posts with those you know who may find it interesting enough for a single day’s read or perhaps a long term read.

Thanks to our experienced readers for letting us share that which you already knew from reading here and for reading here. And, thanks to our new readers for stopping by, whether for a day or for years to come. We appreciate every one of you.

It’s Friday, time to rev up for the weekend ahead. Whatever you may do, enjoy it with gusto. Tomorrow’s our 20th wedding anniversary but it will be like every other day, worth celebrating!

                                               Photo from one year ago today, March 6, 2014:

Foolish me. It was this salad I ate, the only item on the menu that fit my way of eating, in a restaurant in the Medina in Marrakesh, that caused me a dreadful intestinal illness lasting almost a month. Finally, I succumbed taking a round of Cipro. Within hours, as I felt my mouth become dry, I knew I was on the mend. Only a few days later I was totally well. Of course, I never ate another salad or raw vegetables in Marrakesh again. You’d think I would have known this when our prior six months were spent in South Africa and Kenya. But, in those countries, we only dined in fine resorts and never became ill. For details from that day’s story and some amazing photos, please click here.

Full Moon Party…Great outdoor turnout in the cloudy weather!…Pu pu’s…Social life continues…A trek down to Hideaway’s Beach…

Partway down the steep trail, we spotted this view, a few days ago when the sun came out and we headed down the path to Hideaway’s Beach. Wow!  Today’s remaining photos are of the trek down to the beach, not the Full Moon Party.

We thought the planned outdoor Full Moon Party would be canceled due to bad predicted rain.  When it was cloudy but not raining when it was time to go, we grabbed our beverages and our homemade “pu pu” (appetizer in Hawaiian), and off we went to Richard’s house to help set up a few tables.

We were surprised that the steep path was paved most of the way down. If a person has knee or back problems this would be too steep of a trek to the bottom. 

With our fabulous normal height Costco beach chairs, our beverages and dressed in warm clothes, we made our way to the ocean view vacant grass trimmed lot where the party was to be held.

We noticed that photos do a poor job of illustrating how steep a path may be.

Tom helped Richard set up the tables in the relatively heavy winds, while I stood bundled up trying to stay warm. At that point at 6:00 pm, as the darkness fell, I assumed few would show and we’d be packing up everything and heading home in no time. Hawaiian residents are hearty. Rain or shine they’re ready for a good time.

The clarity of the seawater below was breathtaking.

Some of these monthly parties are held at the homes of local residents and others are held on this beautiful vacant lot. Much to our surprise, by 6:10 other bundled up guests were making their way to the sheltered spot we’d selected. By 6:30 there may have been 25 party guests and the fun began. 

Turning around to shoot the path we just climbed, we laughed over how it didn’t appear as steep as it felt.

Richard, bless his heart, is the coordinator and planner of many of these events. In his usual social director style which we all love and appreciate, he makes sure that all is in order and plenty of people are coming. 

We weren’t the only ones visiting this remote location.

We met many wonderful new people we hadn’t met last month and saw many we’d met in the past, spending considerable time with a new couple, Beverly and Sam who invited us to their home this upcoming Saturday for their twice a month “movie night.” They invite numerous guests to come to their home for a huge screen movie viewing event with guests bringing more “pu pu’s” to share.

Areas of Hideaway’s Beach are covered with lava rock but not nearly as much as the beaches on the Big Island, where there are few sandy beaches.

Saturday is our 20th wedding anniversary. Today, we’ll cancel the dinner reservation we made at a local restaurant, instead, going to the movie party. With many less than ideal reviews on most local restaurants, we surely won’t miss anything not dining out. What a great way to celebrate!

By the time we reached the bottom, we were warm.  With the sun peeking out, the temperature and humidity climbed considerably.

Again, thanks to our dear friend Richard for orchestrating and including us in these events which invariably result in us making more and more friends, many of whom are experienced world travelers, many having seen more world than we have in the past 29 months since we left Minnesota.

Almost to the bottom, we stopped at a level area designated for a picnic with tables and grill. It would be great to picnic here but carrying a cooler up and down would be tricky.

We never felt a drop of rain and after a while, the wind died down a bit making the event in the dark all the more enjoyable. Back home by 9:00 pm and hungry since there was little I could eat of the pu pu’s, I whipped up a quick bite to take off the edge.

The flat open space near the end of the path.

Today is a workout day. As soon as I’m done here I’m off to the golf club to work out with Richard whom we meet there many mornings after uploading the day’s post. We won’t use the pool today in the cool cloudy weather.

Finally, the sandy beach was before us.

There’s still no sun and the temperature is in the 60s, not Hawaii’s usual 70s and 80s. We’d lucked out with sun most days during our first month in Kauai and hardly feel frustrated at this point after two full weeks of rain and clouds.

The hardest part is the lack of desire to get out and do any sightseeing in the less than ideal weather. With 79 days remaining in Kauai, surely the sun will shine again.

Looking up, we realized how far down we’d come. More photos tomorrow.

Today’s photos are those we took a few days ago when the sun came out for about an hour. Immediately, we took off on foot to check out Hideaway’s Beach, a steep incline to the below the cliffs across the road from us.  We’ll share these photos over a period of a few days with too many to post at one time.

Have a happy day!

                                             Photo from one year ago today, March 5, 2014:

Hamoudi, the owner of a spice shop in the souk with Tom. We wandered around the maze-like souks, the most popular of which is the Jemaa el Fna, located outside the front door to our riad. For more details on that date, please click here.

Cloudy days, rainy nights and roosters crowing in the morning…Our Panama Canal expedition, 26 months ago…

We always feel fortunate to have the opportunity to embrace these special scenes.

The roosters start crowing around 4:00 am and continue throughout the day. Whoever said roosters just crow in the mornings didn’t know what they were talking about. 

It isn’t that they crow more in the mornings. It’s just that they, like us, sleep a few hours during the night and happen to be early risers, and then the fun begins. They no longer awaken either of us. During the day, we hear them and more often, giggle to ourselves at how prevalent it is here in Kauai.

The clouds often gather close to the mountains.

It’s a wonderful place, rain or shine. We’ve met travelers renting the unit next door (the same owner as our unit) coming and going these past few weeks and it rained the entire time they were here. Many have managed to have a great time, hiking, and exploring even in the wet weather.

And yet, here we are with plenty of time to wait it out to again see the sun in this magical place with exquisite greenery, outstanding views, and friendly people, of course with chickens clucking and roosters crowing in the background.

This Cattle Egret stopped by for a peek.  “Got any worms?”  Sorry, none today.

Then, there are the other birds, endless birds, many of whom come to call, sitting atop the railing on our lanai checking us out wondering what morsels we might toss their way. The chickens, roosters, and birds on this island are used to people leaving crumbs for them. On occasion, we leave a few bits of raw walnuts for the same visiting cardinals that visit each day.

Life is simple here in many ways. We’ve already seen so much of the island and we’ll see more when my dear sister Julie comes to visit us soon. The last time I saw her was in January 2013 when we boarded the Celebrity Century in San Diego, California for a 15-day cruise that would eventually traverse the Panama Canal.

A shoreline view from the cliffs above.

Julie and son Richard had come to see us off. What a day it was!  Here’s the link to our post on the day we left and also the link and the photos from the day we traversed the Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal was Tom’s dream. When planning our travels during Tom’s last 10 months of work before retirement, we booked the cruise through the canal right out of the chute. Why not start with his dream when mine was yet to come many months later when we’d arrive in Africa?

Neither of us ever dreamed about traveling the world. Nor did we ever mention it to one another in all of our years together. Never, did either of us say, “Oh, I’d like to travel the world someday.”

The colors of the ocean never cease to amaze us.

On a few rare occasions, I may have mentioned how much I’ve wanted to visit Africa since I was a child, longing to see the wildlife. When Tom was in grade school with history and geography as his favorite topics, he longed to see the Panama Canal. 

In early 2012, during our early planning stages, we decided to take the Panama Canal cruise when Tom was excited about the building of the new larger locks being built in order to accommodate larger ships. He wanted to traverse the old locks before the new locks were completed. Someday, we’ll return for the opportunity to traverse the new locks.

These peculiar above-ground tree roots are found in many areas on the Hawaiian Islands.

It was surprising to both of us how much I also loved seeing the Panama Canal. At that point, 26 months ago, it was the most extraordinary thing I’d ever seen, soon to outdone by other extraordinary places that came along the way. 

But, each event has been unique in its own way and who’s to say that Petra was more amazing than the Panama Canal. Here are the links to see our journey to Petra, Jordan, Part 1, and Part 2, a day emblazoned in our hearts and minds forever.

Cloudy days continue.

Ah, the memories we’ve built along the way and above all, having the ability to look back at our posts to see what we’ve done, where we’ve been and the unexpected adventures along the way. Wow!

If in fact we didn’t have several hundred thousand worldwide readers, only having this site for our own reference and as a legacy for our grandchildren and their children in generations to come, it all would have been worthwhile. 

There’s a forest-like area behind the Foodland grocery store in Princeville. a habitat for hundreds of chickens and roosters. Notice, how the female’s colors blend into the background. I suppose its nature’s way of protecting her young. Of course, whenever we see a female, there’s a rooster lurking nearby.

Adding the absolutely exquisite knowledge that readers from all over the world are traveling along with us, means so much. With our reader’s daily perusal and comments on our posts, we’ll never feel alone. 

Thank you, dear readers, for your loyalty, for your acceptance of our mundane days, for our boring recipes, and discussions of food (for the non-foodie types). You stay with us day after day, as we always stay with you…

                                               Photo from one year ago today, March 4, 2014:

The riad, (a house with a central courtyard open to the sky), located in the Medina in Marrakech, steps out the door to the souks was a beautiful well-built property with a full staff of four (included in the rent) a cook, Madame Zahra and her assistant, Ouimama, Adil and Samir, both housemen attending to our needs.  For details and more photos of the riad, please click here.

Perfect day with friends…More rain predicted…Nothing like a comfy chair and friends…

It’s no wonder the chicken proliferates and hang out at the beaches when surfers and bathers can’t resist feeding them their lunch. No one seems to mind the chickens and roosters, instead finding humor in their presence, as we do.

Yesterday, we spent the entire afternoon at friend’s Elaine and Richard’s home meeting a new couple, Carol and David. Oh, good grief, we all had so much in common and many stories to share.

We told Richard he was the best matchmaker of people in the world, a true proverbial social director and people connector. It requires tremendous self-confidence to be able to step back from the limelight in a friendship to introduce one’s friends to new people. Not everyone can do this. Richard is an expert in this area and we appreciate both he and Elaine.

At times, on clear days, a perfect stretch of beach is unoccupied such as shown here.

They set a beautiful table and their gorgeous home was, as always, impeccably appointed and inviting. Sitting in the beautiful living room after our delicious meal all of us relaxed while the animated conversation continued.  Richard insisted I sit in a comfy chair next to his favorite chair.

As I reclined, finding the soothing comfort in the chair, I was reminded of my comfy chair in our old life, a chair that offered cocoon-like ease that allowed my mind to flow with thoughts, plans, and ideas as I sat there for 11 months, day after day, planning our worldwide travels. 

Alternate view of a section of Anina Beach.

I‘d stop only long enough to head to the health club for my workout, a quick trip to the grocery store, a fast meal preparation, or a visit with family or friends. 

Day after day, I sat in that beautiful Flexsteel chair, two of which we’d had made specifically for that room many years prior, each slightly different. Writing here, documenting, calculating, and planning every possible element of the first two years of our travels, now since the past was spent in that chair. 

Bathers continue to visit the sandy beaches on overcast days.

I know I’ve mentioned this in past posts but, for those who’ve come in partway in reading our over 900 posts to date, that chair held a special meaning for me, far more than any item we had in our home that we’d acquired together over the years. That chair.

In October 2012, when the estate sale professionals came to our house for four days, (we’d moved out to live with my friend Karen) in order to sell our belongings, my heart ached over the eventual sale of the chair.

Anini Beach shoreline on a cloudy day. 

At the end of the first day of the sale, the estate sale company owner asked me to stop by to see how the first day had gone and to discuss price reductions for the next day. I arrived too early. The sale was still in progress.

As I walked around the house, I saw my chair in the dumpster. That chair. Apparently, someone had purchased it and when moving it out a leg broke. It was placed into the dumpster. Who’d buy a chair that couldn’t stand on four legs?

One of our favorite dinners consists of meatloaf stuffed with hard-boiled eggs, wrapped in bacon, green beans, coleslaw, and our homemade coconut biscuits, all low carb, grain-free,  gluten-free, starch-free, and sugar-free.

My heart ached as I stood at the dumpster looking at that chair and for the first time, asking myself, “What in the world are we doing, selling all of our worldly possessions, leaving everyone we know and love for some elusive dream?”

Not one to cry easily, I returned to my car parked out of sight and cried my heart out. “Let go!” I reminded myself, “Just let go!”

There’s another grocery store in Hanalei, Big Save. Unfortunately, their inventory is less robust than the Foodland in Princeville which is lacking in some products we use frequently, requiring us to drive 30 minutes to Kapaa where there’s a health food grocer and a larger Safeway.

After 20 years of pain and poor health, totally at bay due to the dietary changes for over a year at that point, we could finally travel, see the world, spread our wings, and stretch ourselves beyond the self-imposed limits of a lifetime. 

“Don’t cry over “stuff.” I told myself. I “pulled myself up by my bootstraps” as they say and went back to meet with the estate sale guy. I can’t say I never cried again before we left. After all, leaving everything and above all, everyone, wasn’t easy.

We continue to encounter one-lane bridges in Kauai. A posted sign states, “No more than seven cars may pass at one time.” Drivers are courteous in complying, counting the cars as they pass.

But, like the fulfillment of all dreams, sacrifice is a necessary element. Nothing worthwhile comes easy, a painful lesson we all learn in life as we mature into adults.

Agave plants can grow these snake-like protrusions.

So, yesterday, as I nuzzled into Elaine and Richard’s comfy chair, surrounded by friendship and love, a wave of divine happiness washed over my heart in such a way, it almost felt as if it rolled over in my chest. 

These types of signs prevent lifeguards from answering endless questions.

No, we don’t own a house or have an apartment somewhere. We don’t have a car tucked away in a friend’s garage. We don’t have storage space with “stuff” awaiting a time we’ll settle down. And, we don’t have a comfy chair we call our own.

A sign posted at Tunnels Beach.

What we do have travels well, isn’t heavy, and doesn’t require any special handling. Its passion, enthusiasm, optimism, and hope. Its curiosity, a sense of adventure, awe, and wonder. For this, we are grateful. With this, we are “home.”

                                                Photo from one year ago today, March 1, 2014: 

No photos were posted on this date one year ago. Finally, after an overnight and day of travel, we’d made it to Morocco and we busy getting situated. Tomorrow, we’ll share our first photos of our arrival in Marrakech. Please check back

The challenges of posting daily with photos…One year ago today we left South Africa for Morocco…A sad goodbye…

With little wildlife in Kauai, other than chickens and roosters, we find ourselves more attracted to birds than we’ve been in the past. These Zebra Doves are commonly found in Kauai although not native to the Hawaiian Islands.

When we first started posting in March, 2012 we seldom posted photos. During the early period, I posted every few days, occasionally adding a photo as we were in the early stages of planning to travel the world. 

The marina in Port Allen, Kauai.

For those of you who entered our site somewhere in between, here is our first post from March 14, 2012, posted without any photos.

As time marched on, I began to write more frequently. When we realized that adding photos was to be an integral part of this site, gradually we added photos, more and more as my skills reach a level where it wasn’t embarrassing to include my feeble attempts at photo taking.

A view from a single lane bridge we crossed along Highway 56.

In March 2013, a full two years ago as of tomorrow, we began to post daily, including photos, only missing a few days here and there due to a poor wifi signal, power outages, or travel days. Although on most travel days, we’ve posted something, albeit short and without photos.   

It’s ironic that there were milestones in March in both 2012 and 2013 but it’s a mere coincidence. Sometime this upcoming summer we’ll hit our 1000th post. It’s hard to believe I’d consistently do one thousand of anything, let alone write every single day. We’ll certainly mention that day when it arrives in July.

The mountains, a few days before the rains.

I’m not tired or bored with doing this nor is Tom with his fact-checking, research, and proofreading. It’s a labor of love coupled with a passion for sharing our sometimes exciting, sometimes mundane, lives with those who will listen. I suppose if I started reading such a continuing story I’d always be curious as to what happens next.

We’ve thought about whale watching tours such as this but after spending over $400 on such tours with no sightings, we tend to hesitate to book another.  Perhaps, we’ll wait for whale watching in the South Pacific.

No words in this amateur writer’s vocabulary can possibly express the gratitude we both feel for our loyal readers who follow along with us even on the dull days with few exciting photos or with photos they may find less interesting. 

A hazy zoom to houses built into the side of a mountain.

My photo-taking skills continue to grow but can only grow as fast as the quality of the camera we have at any given time. On our third camera since we first left the US on January 3, 2013 (we left Minnesota on October 31, 2012), we still have a long way to go. When does an amateur photographer ever feel they can stop learning or improving their equipment?

Rock gardens always baffle us as shown at Russian Port Elizabeth. Of course, in August, 2014 we visited Stonehenge, the premier rock garden of them all.

One of the biggest challenges has been having enough photos to share each day. Its on our minds daily, where shall we go to take more photos? At times like this, when its been raining for three solid days, neither of us have much desire to get out and walk or even drive looking for photo ops.

Not all beaches in Kauai are sandy and pristine. 

At any given time, I have no less than 50 photos I’ve yet to post which I keep in a folder on my desktop, each day moving the photos I’ve used that day to a permanent file. On occasion, when we do post the same photo more than once, I say so in the caption. That’s not to say I don’t make an error from time to time. Gosh, try to write an essay with photos everyday and not make mistakes.  It goes with the territory. 

If perfection were the objective, one would tire of doing this rather quickly. Knowing our readers give nary a thought to our occasional error, I go at it each morning between 7:00 and 11:00 am (our time) with a passion only I can explain. Its been almost three years since the first post, two years since posting daily.

A breakwater with a warning light and a small fishing boat.

This morning as I perused our remaining yet unseen 78 photos, I contemplated the nature of a theme in the photos, which invariably I attempt to include although not always mentioned. 

Today, I’m at a loss so please bear with me. There is no theme, no rhyme or reason to these photos and perhaps those over the next several day’s photos as the predicted week-long rain continues.

One day we stopped by the Kilauea Lighthouse which was closed for the day, hoping to see whales. We’ve yet to tour the lighthouse with it been so crowded on the days it’s open, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. We didn’t see whales but will return for a tour as the tourist season wanes in a few months.

Once the sun shines again, we’ll be back out walking and driving enjoying the wonders of Kauai, telling our story in both words and photos, sharing them with all of you the next day.

Luckily, although its raining, we still have a social life. Today, we’re off to friends Richard and Elaine’s lovely home for a midday party with another couple we’ve yet to meet. There’s no doubt it will be a delightful day, although indoors, as we revel in the privilege of having friends in Kauai.

A craggy shoreline in our area of Princeville, where most beaches are located below a steep and treacherous cliffs, often inaccessible. A mere 10 to 15 minute drive will take us to exquisite sandy beaches as shown in past posts.

As soon as I’m done here, I’ll make the second dish I’m bringing to share upon my own insistence. Yesterday, I prepared the first dish. Since our cozy condo is simply too small for entertaining anyone other than ourselves, we feel highly motivated to bring a dish (when appropriate) when visiting other’s homes.

Rain, snow, or shine, we all tend to find ways to keep ourselves entertained and hopefully, engrossed in whatever we choose to do. Happy Saturday!

                                             Photo from one year ago today, February 28, 2014:

We took this photo, our last sunset in South Africa, as our plane headed out of South Africa. Tears welled up in my eyes not only when saying goodbye to our many friends but also to the many visitors that oddly came to call over the last several days as if they knew we were leaving. (Oh, well. Its romantic to think that anyway). Someday, we’ll return. In the interim, our hearts are filled with memories we’ll carry with us for the rest of our lives. For details from that day as we made our way to Morocco, please click here.

Rain predicted for a week…It’s still paradise…More new photos…A year ago mascot as time to leaving South Africa neared…

Before the week-long predicted rain, it was clearer than we’d seen since our arrival, with considerably less “vog.”

It’s been sunny in Kauai almost every day since we arrived over six weeks ago. One of our new friends has said we brought the sunshine with us. Many locals have mentioned it rains a lot in the winter months as shown in this chart, but until these past two days, we haven’t had much rain.

Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI Weather
Temperature (Fahrenheit)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
High 78 78 78 79 81 83 84 85 85 83 81 79
Low 65 65 66 68 70 72 73 74 73 72 70 67
Temperature (Celsius)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
High 26 26 26 26 27 28 29 29 29 28 27 26
Low 18 18 19 20 21 22 23 23 23 22 21 19
Precipitation
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Inches 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 5 5 6
Centimeters 13 10 10 8 8 5 5 5 5 13 13 15
Precipitation Days
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Days 15 13 17 17 16 16 19 18 16 18 18 17
Humidity
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Percent 82 82 81 81 81 80 80 81 82 83 82 81

Many times it rains only at night or for a few minutes during the day. On Tuesday, while the sun was shining we headed out for our walk only to find it raining when the sun is shining, not unusual in Hawaii. With the fear of getting the camera soaked, we went back inside. It’s been raining since.

Yesterday, when I headed to the club, I got soaked from the car to the fitness center and again when I stopped at the Foodland market for a few items. I never see a local using an umbrella, only the tourists. In an effort to fit in during our extended stay and the fact that we don’t have an umbrella, I was soaked along with everyone else.

Blue waters.

It was funny to see all the soaked hair and clothes while grocery shopping including my own. Oh well, I was dry shortly after returning home and my hair was resolved by a quick swipe or two of the flat iron.

Today’s photos are from our last walk on Tuesday when the sun was shining.

With our extended stay of four months, with less than three remaining, we find ourselves feeling more and more like locals than ever before. At the grocery store, I found myself buying the quaint local newspaper, The Garden Island, later reading it from cover to cover, savoring every word as if it all mattered to me. Somehow it did.

The vibrant greenery with the sea as a backdrop creates an appealing scene.

This happens to us when we stay in a locale for three months, more so than a stay of six weeks to two months.  Perhaps, that feeling of inclusion is self imposed by some innate desire to “belong” as we’ve observed in the wildlife kingdom where familiarity is the foundation of feeling safe and secure. We, humans, are like that too.

Traveling down the cliffs to get to this cozy beach is too treacherous for us old-timers.

I suppose that’s why those of you who are armchairs readers of our posts, for whom we are very grateful, find yourself only dreaming of traveling the world unable to conceive of letting go of that which you know and love.  We get that.

Tom and I are the “weird” exception to the instinct of nesting. We often wonder if it’s due to a few facts; one, we both had kids as teenagers and faced responsibility so early in life, and two, my years’ long illness prevented us from traveling. 

The craggy rocks and vegetation are common along the shoreline in the Hawaiian Islands.

Neither of us had ever dreamed of traveling, let alone unencumbered with “stuff.” Four years ago, before we ever conceived of this idea, I couldn’t have imagined giving up my comfy chair in the family room, the various artwork on the walls, or my four colored sets of Fiestaware.

The colors are of the sea are breathtaking.

We were like most people who feel proud of the various items we’d discovered throughout the years incorporating them into our lives as treasured possessions. 

As the tide rolls out…

Besides all the obvious challenges of leaving all the people we love, we left the neighborhood where we’d spent 26 years for me, 21 years for Tom; the familiar walks in the neighborhood, the sounds of the loons calling to one another a distance from the shore, the giant owls hooting in the trees at night and what Tom affectionately called Big Bird, the blue herons that often stood on the end of our dock while we oohed and aahed each time they came to call.

Spring flowers begin to bloom as spring comes early in tropical climates.

Do we miss all of that?  Surprisingly, only for a moment when we’re reminded of something special. Instead, we’ve found new treasures, not a comfy chair or a hand-carved lamp made from downed trees in the yard.  We’ve found other treasure, none of which we can take with us.

Cattle egrets are common in the islands.

This morning, another rainy day that isn’t predicted to clear, I sit here in a less comfy chair with the sounds of roosters crowing in the yard. My little “birdie” friends will soon arrive chirping at me for yet another morsel of the raw walnuts I put outside on the veranda railing every day.

Soon, I’ll head back to the grocery store when last night I realized I’d forgotten an important ingredient for the dishes I’m making to bring to a luncheon at the home of friends tomorrow. And, once again, I’ll get soaked in the rain and once again, I won’t mind.

                                            Photo from one year ago today, February 27, 2014:

The caption I wrote last February 27th, on the day before leaving South Africa holds true today in regard to the small things: Thank you, Mr. Tree Frog for serving as the mascot for all the “small things” that brought us so much pleasure during our time in Marloth Park. Even you will be remembered.” For photos of other visitors that came to say goodbye on our final days in Marloth Park, please click here.

The end of our trip to the southern coast of Kauai…A sunset like none other…A year ago, human and animal came to say their goodbyes…

A little strip of clouds added to the view of the setting sun in Poipu Beach, Kauai.

After we spent time at Spouting Horn as described in yesterday’s post, it was time to head to our hotel, the Sheraton Kauai in Poipu Beach. With valet parking only, we took our few bags out of the car on our own and headed to the registration desk.

The sunset started like this, bright and relatively clear.

With only one guest in front of me at the desk, we expected, we’d be checked in quickly. Their computers were down. Well, up and down. After 20 minutes it was finally my turn. Tom waited in chairs with the bags while I handled the check-in, our usual procedure.

Then, it progresses to this point, giving us hope the cloud would provide an amazing view.

Again with their computers up and down, the wait was annoying, but, I stayed calm and friendly, especially since I was asking for a free upgrade to an ocean view room. Another 20 minutes later, key cards in hand we were headed to our upgraded partial ocean view room on the VIP level (whatever that is).

It was getting more interesting by the second, not the minute. Note the streak at the bottom right.

When we realized we had to cross the street to get to our room, I was tempted to go back and ask to be closer to the main pool and the ocean. I decided to forgo this option realizing it would be another wasted 20 minutes. 

Off we went on an at least 10-minute walk to our room, frustrated as we crawled around tarps scattered all over the walkway floors. There was construction occurring in almost every area. This stuff usually doesn’t bother us.  But, at $300 a night, it would have been worth a mention when we checked in and perhaps provide us with a quieter area.

Here’s the link to our review in TripAdvisor.

When it progressed to this point, we knew we were in for a treat.

As always, we chose not to complain. Low stress is a part of our motto. The room did have a nice view overlooking the pool and the ocean at a distance. The king-sized bed was comfortable and the décor and furnishings were of high quality and tasteful. The over-sized bathroom was well appointed with amenities including two fluffy robes hanging in the closet. We were content.

After spending a bit of time relaxing and making a reservation for dinner at the popular Merriman’s Fish House Restaurant located in a new nearby center, Kakui’ula Village, a shopping mall in Poipu Beach that would appeal to avid shoppers.

As darkness fell, it presented this view.

Leaving the hotel for dinner before sunset, we wandered over to a lookout area to take the sunset photos we’re sharing today. Other guests were equally enthused snapping photos with their cell phones. It’s amazing how quickly the sun makes its final descent, quickly changing if one so much as looks away.

Eyes peeled at the display on the camera, I stood in place, careful attempting to avoid making a single movement to ensure a clear shot of the breathtaking scene before us. We couldn’t have been more excited to add yet another sunset photo to the dozens we’ve accumulated over the past few years of travel.

View from our fourth-floor lanai.

The only available dinner reservation at Merriman’s was for 7:30 which can be a problem for me. Since I exercise what is called “intermittent fasting,” I only eat one meal a day during which I am never hungry based on my high fat, moderate protein diet which kills my appetite for 24-hour increments. 

When we arrived at Merriman’s Fish House at 6:45, we asked if we could get in earlier. They were booked although, downstairs on the lower level, they had a casual burger and pizza restaurant. We decided to give it a try when the kindly hostess called to discover they did in fact have an available table.

Here’s the link to the review we posted on Merriman’s Pizza and Burger Restaurant at TripAdvisor for details.

With little sun remaining by the time we got to our room, we decided to spend an hour by this uncrowded smaller pool in the area of our distant room.  Oddly, we had to walk to the main pool to get beach towels. That made no sense.

For those of you who don’t click posted links, the food was mediocre but the service was impeccable. The chef made a good effort to accommodate my way of eating which included a tiny salad, plain burger on the side, and an extra order of avocado. Tom had a burger and fries. Our dinner was under $50 with a tip. 

Back at the hotel by 9:00 pm, we settled in for a good night’s sleep and an early morning exit with a plan to head to Costco and Walmart in Lihue. More on that tomorrow.

Thanks, dear readers, for stopping by. It means the world to us.

Photo from one year ago today, February 26, 2014:

Louise and Danie came to pick up after our overnight at the Crocodile River Safari Lodge. As we approached our home, we spotted these giraffes, necks in a tangled mess. We all howled with laughter and joy for this scene. It was getting to be time to say goodbye to our human and animal friends as departure day loomed. For more friends that came to say goodbye including Clive and the returning Mr. Frog, please click here.

Barking Sands Beach…Spouting Horn…Amazing finds along the way…

The view as we walked toward the Spouting Horn.

Low stress, easy travel. It defines us in our ongoing worldwide travels. A plan as to where we’re going to spend from weeks to months gives us peace of mind. Having no plan as to how we’ll spend that time in each location gives us joy.

This trip to Poipu Beach a week ago, although over a span of only 30 hours was a perfect example. The only plans we had in place when driving into the sunrise early last Thursday morning was to visit Waimea Canyon proving to be a dud in the vog. On the return trip, we went to Costco as planned and as always, was fruitful and spendy (an acceptable word according to the dictionary, mostly used in the northwest portion of the US).

The sea was relatively calm as we near Spouting Horn.

The overnight at the Kauai Sheraton was somewhat disappointing. We’ll share the details with photos in tomorrow’s post. The dinner at a local popular venue was equally disappointing. More on that later as well.

As we’d reached the end of the paved highway after passing Barking Sands Beach, we had no choice but to turn around and head back to Poipu Beach. Many of the interesting sites we visited along the way were shared in the posts of the last few days.

Our mouths were agape when we saw the water spout through the lava rocks along the shore at Spouting Horn.

Remaining in the sites we visited along the way is our few photos of Barking Sands Beach and the unexpected Spouting Horn. We’d seen the sign as shown in the photo below, having no idea what Spouting Horn could possibly be. 

The sign we spotted point to Spouting Horn.

Was it a resort community? Did it have something to do with a horn using spouted water for sounds? Did it have something to do with water and the sea? It proved the be the later in our speculations. 

With only an arrow pointing us in the direction of Spouting Horn we knew were in the right place when we saw a busload of tourists, most likely from the island hopping cruise ship that tours the islands week after week, Norwegian’s Pride of America. 

There were several openings in the lava from which the ocean spouted as the waves washed in and out to the shore. We could only imagine how majestic it would have been on a day when the waves were more aggressive.

Having toured the islands by cruise ship on our way here in October we had little interest in this cruise especially when rated a 4 out of 6 possible stars. Plus, it’s pricey for the seven days seldom offering any discounts or perks).

Our jittery video of Spouting Horn.

Tom was especially relieved to see the tour bus most likely with 60 patrons on board pulling out of Spouting Horn’s parking lot as opposed to pulling in. As long as I had a good spot from which to take photos of whatever brought about all of the commotion from the crowds didn’t bother me one way or another.

One of the smaller spouting openings.

We parked the car and were stormed by no less than 10 chickens of varying ages, gender, and size. “Food for us?” they asked in the under-their-breath clucking. “Nope,” we replied as we scurried out of sight to head toward the walkway requiring us to walk through two perpendicular rows of local wares and handicrafts.

We didn’t purchase a trinket, but I did take the photo below of a cat sleeping in a hand-woven basket that intrigued an adorable toddler as shown below.

A cat sleeping in a woven basket, admired by a toddler, in a handicraft shop in Spouting Horn.

Another 50 yards beyond the tourist shopping area, we approached a chain-link fence. Maneuvering my way in between the other lookers I managed a perfect spot and found myself almost squealing with delight when we beheld the scene below.

Each spout was different from the last, some spraying straight up comparable to a geyser, others creating a wider spray. The crowd roared with excitement.

In concept, it was no big deal…water spouting between lava rocks as the waves washed up and back to the shore. But, in observation, it was a feast for the eyes, nature at its finest. 

Luckily, the fence was low enough to allow me to shoot the included jittery video, difficult to take when I had tourists at my elbows rocking me to and fro. Ah, perfection isn’t what we offer here. Real-life is. So jittery it will be. Please try to enjoy it anyway.

Barking Sands Beach is located on the west side of Kauai on the grounds of the Pacific Missile Range Facility. This beach is part of a 17-mile long stretch that extends from Polihale Beach to Kehaka Beach close to the end of Highway 50.

After a few photos and gleeful expressions between us, we sensed our time at the fence was coming to a quick end when others were obviously hankering for my good spot. I acquiesced stepping back for them to hungrily move in.

Back in the little car, we’d yet to find our hotel and although we’d used accumulated hotels.com points for most of the $300 plus rate, we wanted to spend a little time enjoying the easy comfort of feeling pampered. Well, forget that. We’ll tell that story with photos in tomorrow’s post along with one of the most exquisite sunsets we’ve seen to date.

Although the sand at Barking Sands Beach was a deeper color, this expanse of perfection reminded us of the Indian Ocean when we lived in Kenya. Click here for our photos of the white sand beaches in Diani Beach, Kenya.
Few bathers were to be found on this beach. 

See, Mother Nature seldom disappoints.

                                             Photo from one year ago today, February 25, 2014:

One year ago, only days before leaving South Africa after three months in Marloth Park, we were asked to spend a complimentary overnight in a tent along the Crocodile River at the Crocodile Bridge Safari Lodge in order to write a review. While seated on the veranda, we spotted these elephants, baby, and the huge matriarch holding watch over the herd. For details, please click here.