What’s happened to our package?…Its stuck in customs!…

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Last night, this view at sunset took our breath away. 

The package. Oh, goodness. What a pain! We received packages in Kenya and South Africa without too much trouble. I guess that in Portugal, it’s a bigger deal. Yesterday, we went to the post office in Ribeira Brava with the tracking number for the package. 

After a 30 minute wait, while the rep went back and forth on the phone with the main post office in Funchal, we were told we have to find all the receipts for all of the items in the box and take them to the main post office in Funchal, the capital city of Madeira.

Last night as the sun began to set around 9:00 pm, it casts these beautiful lights and sky over the valley as shown from our veranda.

Luckily, reasonably good record keepers that we are, we had all the receipts in a folder in my email. Recently, our portable printer quit working. Printing the receipts is impossible.

Another view at sunset as the light quickly changed over the valley.

Instead, we’ll bring my laptop to the post office to show them all of the receipts which I placed, page by page, on a single long Word document to avoid searching through my email at the post office.

Today, Tom went alone to the ATM by the supermarket to get cash to pay the fees. (It’s the first time we’ve been apart in over three months when I went to a girl’s only lunch with Kathy and Linda in South Africa). 

The total value of the items in the package is US $593.64, EU $436.12. We’d better bring at least US $300, EU $220.39 to pay for the fees. With the 21% VAT (value-added tax) plus other taxes and fees, this could total the entire US $300.

Although we can’t see the sun as it sets we can enjoy the colorful sky at sunset each night.

Who knew? The most we had to pay for a package of which we’ve received a about four since we’ve left the US, was approximately US $25, EU $18.37 in South Africa when a prescription arrived through customs. I suppose we should have thought of this before ordering the products we needed. Most likely, we may have placed the order anyway. These types of expenses “go with the territory.”

The challenge when we go on Friday morning will be finding the post office in Funchal. With little to no help from any online map apps or working GPS finding anything in Madeira is tricky and time-consuming. It’s that part alone that will make the trip more annoying than the time we’ll end up spending at the post office. 

With strong winds off of the Atlantic Ocean, the sky changes before our eyes as the sun sets each night.

We’ll report back as to the outcome and subsequent costs of the duty fees we’ll be required to pay. 

Also, we haven’t been able to find the two restaurants located in our area. No one seems to be able to do more than point “up” in the general direction. With the winding, hilly, roads with multiple one-way streets and hairpin turns, there’s no easy way to explain where anything is located. Certainly, it’s no fault of the locals when even they can’t explain how to get to a specific location. 

A view at the top of a hill while we were in Ribeira Brava for the trip to the post office and dinner at Muralha.

The drive to Funchal is mostly highway making the trip easy until we get close to the busy city and confusing central road system. We shall see how it goes.

Last night, after the trip to the post office we returned to Muralha  Restaurant for the second time which is located across the street, for yet another fine dinner with extraordinary service, heading home well before dark.

Tom was ready for his large mug of beer on the far left bottom.

We’ll be relieved once this package thing is resolved and our stuff is in our hands. By the next time we need supplies, we’ll be living in Hawaii, USA, making the receipt of items easy and uncomplicated although with costly shipping. 

Our waiter brought this fresh fish platter to the table so I could choose my meal. I choose the seafood skewer with squid and prawns. It was amazing with the chunks of squid cooked to perfection and not as chewy as usual in most restaurants.

Ah, the trials of travel are frustrating at times, some of which could be avoided if our requirements were less.  But, in order to fulfill some of our creature comforts, medical, clothing, and supply needs from time to time, we ultimately make our own lives a little more complicated. 

There’s my gluten-free, starch-free, grain-free, sugar-free dinner. I had a side of steamed vegetables and a part of Tom’s salad (mainly the veggies he won’t eat). Once again it was a fabulous meal!

We always try to remember that in our old lives, for example, we drove to Costco on a snowy day, purchased a huge cart of stuff, loaded it into the car while our hands were freezing, drove it home, unloaded the car with freezing hands, hauled it into the house and then put it all away. This included a huge expenditure and a tremendous amount of time and effort.

Tom gave me the chicken legs off of his plate. He doesn’t eat the dark meat which makes whole chickens ideal for us. Check out those chips! I don’t make these at home. Ever!

I suppose in a way, our lives are easier now, even with the annoyance and cost of dealing with the receipt of a package three or four times a year, after placing the orders online. Life is always a series of trade-offs, wherever one may live or travel. 

At this point, there’s nothing I would trade for the life we currently live.
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Photo from one year ago today, June 4, 2013:

We were on our way to Barcelona, Spain from Dubai, UAE to sail on a cruise from Barcelona to Venice, Italy through the Mediterranean Sea. Our flight to Barcelona was on Emirates Airline, a first for us. We were fascinated with the handheld remote we had at our seats for viewing movies and for the first-class amenities at a coach seat. For details of that travel day when we ended up staying at the same hotel we’d stayed in Barcelona before the cruise to Dubai on May 5, 2013, please click here.

Missing package?…Future plans in the works…the South Pacific…

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Check out the busy bee on this Bird of Paradise.

While still in Morocco, we ordered a number of items we needed, including a few clothing items for me, Crystal Light Iced Tea, a pair of shoes, and a number of miscellaneous items we needed.

After placing the shipping order through our mailing service to be sent to Gina’s home address in Funchal, Madeira fearing it would arrive before us, it has yet to arrive. It was sent on May 2, 2014, via international priority mail at a cost of US $150, EU $110.27. We have a tracking number.

It shows on the inquiry from our mailing service that it went through customs on:

Date &
Time
Status of
Item
Location
May 14, 2014 , 10:43 am Customs Clearance
PORTUGAL

Why we don’t have this yet baffles us. Goodness, we received a package in Kenya without issue.

These flowers are growing outside our front door.

Last week, we stumbled across a post office in Ribeira Brava asking their staff what’s to be expected for arrival from the US when mail is sent in this matter. They said two to three weeks should be plenty of time. 

She asked us, in good English, to bring the tracking number back to her and she’ll check online and give us an update. Today, we’re planning on walking out the door around 4:00 pm in order to get to the post office before it closes at 5:00.

Since we’ll already be out, we’ll stay in Ribeira Brave in order to have dinner again at Muralha. We’d hoped to try a new restaurant each time we go out but today, we’ll bring our laptops using their free WiFi while lounging by the sea to begin the research for vacation homes in Australia. 

More colorful flowers growing outside our door.

With only a year until we arrive in Sydney on June 11, we need to get on the ball, deciding the city in which we’ll live for the first 90 days.

Over the past several days, we’ve been researching visa requirements for Australia. They are clear and concise.  US citizens require a visa to enter the country and must leave on the 90th day or sooner. Visas may be applied for online and don’t require a paper copy. Once confirmed by email, the visa remains in their system. Nice.

The color blue is less common in nature than other colors.  These blue flowers are seen everywhere.

The difficult part is having to leave every 90 days when ideally with the massive size of Australia, we’d like to be able to stay longer while living in three of four cities over a period of a year. There is a possibility of a special “retiree” visa provided one buys a government-issued bond. We’d like to avoid that rigmarole.

After considerable discussion, we’ve concluded that the easiest and best solution will be to spend 89 days in our first chosen city (yet to be determined) and then leave Australia to visit another country in the South Pacific staying for 89 more days and then returning to a different city in Australia for another 89 days. 

 A pink house down the road from us. Most houses on the island are varying shades of pink, peach, white and beige. Most homes have orange tile roofs.

This plan enables us to visit some of the most desired hot spots south of the equator in the South Pacific.  Airfare between these locations appears to be reasonable. In addition, we’ll spend one of those time periods in New Zealand which has always been on our list of places to visit.

 Bora Bora is near to French Polynesia, a location we’ve dreamed of visiting, staying in those huts over the water. The trick will be to find one at an affordable price. 

In reviewing a map our options are many. For example, if we spend 30 to 89 days in Bora Bora, we’ll fly back to Australia to our next booked city, staying another 89 days, then fly to Vanuatu for a similar visit, then back to Australia and on and on. 

An attractive entrance to a nearby house.  We are located in a beautiful area.

Although this may sound confusing it’s no more confusing than a retiree living in the US, flying out for a vacation/holiday three or four times a year. For us, we won’t have the expense of paying for our “base station” while we visit the various other locations.

We’ll leave Australia when our vacation rental period ends, taking all that we own with us each time. This is not as big a deal as it used to be, as we continue to lighten our load. 

This a rooftop parking spot for a house that overlooks the valley and the sea, further up the steep hill from us.

Our only added expense is the cost of flights back and forth which appear to be rather reasonable, most of which fly out of Australia. In any case, we would have still had the added cost of flights flying within Australia between the various areas in which we’d like to live for the 89 days at a time. 

(BTW, we always plan to stay in a location for a maximum of 89 days in the event a flight is delayed or canceled to ensure we head out before our current visa expires).

All of this requires careful planning and timing which both of us are willing and excited to tackle. We look at it this way; we need a place to live. Where that will be is entirely up to our desires and budget. We do the work.  We get the desired results

The cozy bar, frequently populated opened day and night which is located at the top of the steep hill. My plan now that I’m feeling well is to walk this steep grade at least four times per week. It certainly gets the heart rate up meeting the aerobic criteria of my HIIT (high-intensity interval training) form of exercise. 

At this point, our enthusiasm is as fierce as it was in the beginning if not more. We now have experience, are less apprehensive and have pinned down the features and amenities most important to us:  an indoor living room, decent WiFi, a view of water (when possible), a relatively well equipped kitchen, working plumbing and electricity, AC in the bedroom in extremely hot climates and a property in reasonably good condition. 

We can handle bugs as long as we can buy repellent. We can handle daytime heat. We can live without a TV or a microwave. We can handle crowing roosters, cooing pigeons, baaing goats, church bells ringing outside our door, call to prayer six times per day, and an occasional snake at our feet as long as we don’t get bit. 

One of the four goats that live next door.

We’ve learned to wear the same clothes (clean, of course) over and over, never giving it a thought. We’ve learned to use bottled water for brushing our teeth and for all of our drinks and for washing vegetables. We’ve learned to communicate with gestures and hand signals and, also managed a few words in the local language.  

We’ve learned tolerance and acceptance of other cultures so far removed from our own. We’ve learned to be meticulous money managers with nary a moment of weakness in making an impulsive unnecessary purchase. 

We’d never seen vibrant red Gladiolus such as these while on a walk in our neighborhood.

We’ve learned to manage our health without the necessity of a single doctor appointment since December 2012. (Although we’d seek medical care if we felt it was necessary). 

We could go on and on as to what we’ve learned since we left the US on January 3, 2013. As we travel, we’ll learn more and more, embracing every adventure for what we can glean from it carrying it with us in our hearts and minds as we continue on…
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Photo from one year ago today, June 3, 2013:

Due to the fact that we were busy packing to leave for Italy, there was no post on this date one year ago today.  Soon, we’ll avoid mentioning that there are no posts for a particular date. At a certain point, we began posting every single day regardless of what we were doing or if we were on the move and, posting photos on every occasion.

Visitors to our home in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal…A procession on the Day of Ascension that was enchanting and memorable…

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The procession of all ages gleefully made their way into our house to sing in celebration of the Day of Ascension.
After making a delicious Sunday roast beef dinner with multiple side dishes, we decided to eat and clean up before our visitors would arrived. Unsure as to when they’d arrived, we were done with dinner and out of the kitchen by 7:30 pm.
We couldn’t have enjoyed their visit more, waving and expressing our gratitude as they made their way down the steep road to the next houses.

Gina had alerted us that as an annual local tradition, a procession of children and adults of all ages would be stopping to sing for us wearing their festive traditional attire, tossing candy and rose petals onto the floor at our feet.

The procession began at this local Catholic church in Campanario.

We hesitated to settle in after dinner wondering when and if they’d arrive. Throughout the day, we heard the loudspeakers in the valley blaring the church services. On many occasions we stepped out onto the veranda listening for a procession, wondering when they’d arrive.

Without hesitation, they barged their way into our house to which we couldn’t wipe the smiles off of our faces.

Early in the morning, we rushed through our weekly grocery shopping fearful that we’d miss something back at home. Alas, they didn’t appear until after we’d cleaned up from dinner. We’d timed it perfectly.

It was obvious they’d practiced their songs as they harmonized with expertise.

We never heard a thing until the loud pounding on the door at 7:45 pm. Startled, we both jumped up, opening the door to the good-sized group of locals cheering, laughing, and pushing their way into the house. 

The young accordion player was quite skilled.

It was a good thing Gina had given us a “heads up.” It would have been weird to open the door to strangers, dressed in colorful clothes pushing their way inside the house without giving it a thought!

In one fell swoop, they were out the door and on the way to their next house.

Of course, we welcomed them with open arms as they immediately formed a semi-circle and began singing while a handsome young man, perhaps 11 or 12 years old, began competently playing the accordion. 

They left rose petals and wrapped candies on the floor. Of course, Tom ate the candy as  I swept the floor.

Camera in hand, I began taking a video. Flustered and excited, I totally messed up the first video which I later deleted. Luckily, I got two decent videos as shown here today, one inside the house, the other as they began the steep trek down the road to the next houses.

They made their way down the steep road near our house to the next house around the sharp turn.

We couldn’t stop smiling, even after they’d all left, as we ran to the veranda to watch them make their way down the road to the next house. Apparently, all of the locals expect their visit and stay home, cash in hand, to welcome them for this annual tradition.

As they approached the house around the sharp turn in the road.

It’s these types of cultural experiences that we love, the warmth, the laughter, and the traditions well embedded into a culture for many generations.

The Catholic church in Ribeira Brava.

To further enjoy local traditions early his morning we drove up a very narrow, steep road to the bakery at the top of a mountain that Gina had pointed out to us one day when she’d visited. It was one of those situations where you could see it but, how in the world would we get up there?

The interior of the church in Ribeira Brava.

Leave it to Tom and his competent driving and navigation skills, after only a few corrections, we made our way to the top finding the bakery inside of a bar. The baker, a hard-working local woman, starts baking in the middle of the night to serve bread and pastries to her local patrons.

The alter of the church in Ribeira Brava.

Tom purchased two items each stuffed with cream. They appeared to be some type of doughnut. Eating one when we returned home, he saved the other for tomorrow saying it was good but, not as good as the filled doughnuts he used to buy unbeknown to me at the SuperAmerica on his way to work in our old life.

The confessional at the church in Ribeira Brava. 

As it turns out, baked goods outside the US tend not to be as sweet making them less appealing to his taste buds. Ah, that my dear husband is conditioned to excess sugar and processing in his preferred snacks. 

Our Sunday dinner served well before our guests arrived. It’s wonderful to be cooking again. I didn’t realize how much we missed it until we started preparing it again. Dinner included roast beef with sautéed onions and mushrooms, grilled vegetables, steamed cauliflower for me, and green beans for Tom and, for both of us, side salads. All the produce is locally grown with flavors much stronger and more flavorful than we’re used to.

On the return drive, we stopped at the pharmacy for contact lens solution which they luckily had on hand, a tiny 100 ml bottle for US $7.09, EU $5.20, and then off to the little grocery store for a few items we hadn’t found in the supermarket yesterday.

This huge red pepper purchased from the produce truck has a stronger and more tasty flavor than we’ve experienced in the past. I cut and grilled this pepper along with chunks of carrots, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini tossed with olive oil and seasoned for a delicious side dish.

It was a good day and evening. My illness is now completely gone and I feel like a new person. The bed is made. The washing machine is washing. We have excellent leftover roast beef for dinner tonight with only a few new side dishes yet to prepare. The sun is shining. We’re as grateful and content as we could be.

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Photo from one year ago today, June 2, 2013:

On this date a year ago we were busy packing to get ready to head to Italy. As a result, we have no photos from that date. Please check back tomorrow. To read the post from June 2, 2013, please click here.

Continuation of photos from Ribeira Brava…

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Due to Internet connectivity issues today, we’re having spacing issues.  We apologize for the gaps between verbiage and photos.

Please click on the video in order to hear the mass reverberating through the mountains this morning.
A pretty walkway into a municipal building area.

We awoke this morning to the church bells ringing reminding us that today is the Catholic observance of Ascension, which used to be celebrated on Thursdays now changed to Sunday. 

These tall muffins are popular on the island.

With 81% of the population of Portugal members of the Catholic faith, today is another big day in Madeira. Gina told us to be prepared for a huge procession coming down the road today with parishioners stopping by our house to sing and pray, seeking donations for the church which we’ll gladly offer.

Doughy things.

Of course, we don’t want to miss potential visitors, nor do we want to miss the procession, comparable to the procession we experienced when living in Boveglio, Italy last summer for which we took a few videos posting them online. Here’s the link to that day in Boveglio.

Locally made merchandise is for sale in the shops along the boulevard.

During church services here in Campanario, loudspeakers blast out the service for those who aren’t able to attend. Last night, the service started at 6:00 pm and was still going when I went to bed at 11:00 pm. 

The charming boulevard along the ocean in Ribeira Brava.
 
Many little shops were to be found on the side streets as well.

We’d contemplated going to the services last night at 6:00 pm and returning home to dinner. Little did we realize, the service would continue for five hours. We’d have never made it home for dinner. 

Then, of course, there are popular and familiar items offered everywhere.
Embroidery is a centuries-old tradition in Portugal.

This morning, completely out of meat for today’s dinner, we’re heading to the Continente Supermarket in Ribeira Brava, hoping to return in time for the day’s activities which we expect will commence later in the day and we won’t miss it.

Some of the narrow streets weren’t populated with shops and tourists.
It’s interesting to note that each country has its own unique merchandise.

Today’s post is short with more photos from the quaint oceanside village of Ribera Brava. Hopefully, tomorrow we’ll have photos and videos to share of the day’s activities, provided they come our way.

Many vendors stand outside welcoming visitors to the area.
Beautiful flowers grow freely everywhere we go.

Have a warm and wonderful Sunday. Check back tomorrow for more.
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Photo from one year ago today, June 1, 2013:
We didn’t take any photos for the post on June 1, 2013.  As a result, we’ve included another photo from the prior day, May 31, 2013, as we drove past the largest roller coaster in the world, located n Dubai, UAE.

World’s largest roller coaster is located in Ferrari World in Dubai, UAE, Formula Rossa. Here’s the link to watch the seven minute video. For details of the story we posted on June 1, 2013, please click here.

Fabulous day out and about…Unreal photos from one year ago…Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world…A building anomoly…

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The view of the ocean as we explored the area and dined.

It was definitely time to get out after two weeks with a few outings due to my recent illness. Although not yet 100%, the fresh sea air, and sunshine were exactly what we both needed to freshen our enthusiasm and usually joyful spirits.

As summer approaches, we expect this area to be jammed with tourists.

Starting the day with our first walk in the neighborhood, we were enthralled with the sights and sounds as we made our way up the very steep hill. I was surprised how easily we tackled it after weeks of laying low. For me, this will become a daily occurrence as I rebuild my health stamina. Let’s see if I can get Tom to join me most days.

The Don Luis Restaurant is located on the right with many tables outdoors and inside. 

Later in the day we easily found our way to the boardwalk in Ribeira Brava and after parking the car in the modern ramp, we were enthused to stroll along the shops and narrow streets lined with a variety of vendors selling local wares.

The outdoor area of the restaurant, a popular tourist spot.

We felt liberated when it suddenly dawned on us how this beautiful island and lovely home made us feel comfortable and free of constraints and unfamiliar customs. We freely held hands and took photos with nary a vendor’s opposition. Our perusing presented no pressure to purchase.

We chose a table closest to the ocean under a bright red umbrella, casting a red glow on all of our photos.

It was interesting to see new merchandise as opposed to the common items we walked passed day after day in Morocco. Without a doubt, Morocco had its charm and unique persona. Madeira is more relaxed, moves at a slower pace, and provides the expanse of fresh cool ocean air, so appealing to our senses. 

Tom was more relaxed than I’d seen him in months.
It felts so wonderful to be out in the fresh ocean air.

During the later fabulous dinner at Don Luis which we easily found in the area, we discussed the possibility of returning to Madeira someday. Similar to South Africa, in the warmth of its people and magical surroundings we’ve easily embraced our surroundings in no time at all, feeling as if we belong.

My prawn and squid skewer.  Delicious! I haven’t had squid since we were in Kenya

Our house overlooking the sea feels like home with its views, spaciousness, and clean lines. Everything is comfortable from the L shaped leather sectional to the leather-bound dining rooms chairs to the fluffy down comforter on the bed (to which we’ve adjusted, sleeping well), to the easy to use modern kitchen, to the huge soaking tub, I use every morning. 

Tom’s mixed grill with a side of chips (they call fries “chips” here, too).

Dining last night was divine as shown in these photos. The price for our meal including one large beer for Tom, two bottles of sparkling water for me, a side salad, and our entrees came to a total of US $63.39, EU $46.50, similar to the cost of our dinner out a week ago at Muralha. 

A side dish of steamed veggies was seasoned to perfection with garlic butter and spices.

Based on our budget of US $1200, EU $880, for restaurant dining, we plan to dine out no more than twice every 10 days or so, choosing the nicer establishments. Most less expensive restaurants have few suitable options for my way of eating when many items include gluten and starch.

Had I realized the extra cost for this small salad I would have passed on it.  It was US $6.82, EU $5, not worth it. From what we’ve observed, salads aren’t served with salad dressings outside the US unless specifically requested which I don’t bother.

The service at Don Luis was superb and to our delight both of our wait staff spoke excellent English.  At the end of dinner, they poured us each a shot of banana liqueur. I handed mine over to Tom as usual.  He chugged them both down with a scowl of his face.  He’s not a “shot” kind of guy.
Ice cream cones and other ice cream bars are often seen in these freezer carts outside of restaurants and shops.

Last night when Gina stopped by she suggested we try two of the local less expensive restaurants here in Campanario.  She pointed us in the direction of the restaurants. The trick is finding them on these maze-like mountains.

GPS doesn’t help  in these mountains and turn by turn directions are confusing when many streets aren’t clearly marked.  Today, we may try to find them when we head out to the nearby local market.

View as we were leaving Ribeira Brava at 7:00 pm.

We had a wonderful afternoon and evening, settling in for the evening after dark with a few new shows to watch, hunkering down on the comfy sofa with a blanket on our laps and content to be “home.”  Life is good.

More photos of our trip to the village will follow tomorrow. 

Yes, even a pigeon holds our interest fluffed up and standing on one foot, in this relatively wildlife sparse area.
Hummm…the pigeon pair that hung around us as we dined managed a little action of their own while they too, enjoyed the romantic setting.

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Photo from one year ago today, May 31, 2013:

 Tom took this photo from the 124th floor observation deck of the tallest building
in the world, the Burj Khalifa, with a total 163 stories.

Oh. Here’s the most intentionally crooked skyscraper in the world in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the Capital Gate, built at a full 18 degree angle.

A weather phenomenon in Madeira that we followed by the hour….A year ago…the most amazing ATM in the world!

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We took this video on Wednesday as the low lying clouds rolled in. It was awe-inspiring.

We’ve been in Madeira for two weeks as of today, all of which I’ve spent being ill with an awful virus. Several days ago I reported that I was feeling better only to have the illness return later in the day. It’s still hovering in my sinuses slowly getting a little better each day. Tom continues to have signs of the virus lingering, almost a month later.

As a gust of wind came in from the sea, the density of the cloud escalated.
It was a picturesque setting.

Leaving the house requires driving on mountainous roads with many hairpins turns enough to make the toughest passenger’s stomach lurch and head spin. Add Tom’s somewhat jerky five-speed driving, none the less highly competent and safe, and one can easily become queasy when already sick with a dizzying sinus infection.

Every which way we turned, the view was beautiful.

As a result, we’ve stayed in except for a few short outings. We’ve dined out only once. Tonight we’ll try again heading to the village of Ribeira Brava to a different restaurant, a 15-minute drive through mountains, tunnels, and many turns. If that goes well, soon we’ll begin getting out more frequently.

Those who live close to the sea may have an opportunity to witness a day such as this.  But, for us, formerly from the US Midwest, far from the sea and mountains, it was a new experience.

After researching what’s to do in Madeira we’ve discovered most of it revolves around hiking, horseback riding, and scenery overlooking the sea, much of it high in the mountains and others out to sea. 

At this point, we could barely see the ocean.
For a short period, there was an opening making it possible to see the ocean.

The “out to sea” adventures appeal to us most especially when the weather warms over the next month. We’ll play it by ear.

We took the photos are various times of the day when it was like this for the entire day.
This hill is directly across from us.

We love being home with the ever changing views overlooking the valley and the ocean. It was two days ago that we witnessed an entire day of changing weather, clouds, and sky that literally took our breath away, a low cloud cover morphing into one amazing view after another. 

At times, the clouds moved close to us, wafting away a short while later.
Unquestionably, the close proximity to the ocean had an effect on the clouds.

The above video was taken on Wednesday as were all of the included photos. Perhaps some of them appear repetitious but, being amid this scenario was exciting as we were drawn to its magic, that we spent most of the day on the veranda.

When we lived in the mountains of Tuscany last summer, we had a few days of low lying clouds which we’d posted at the time.
It was fascinating how quickly the scenery changed.

Last summer we watched an episode of the Bachelorette where one of the “dates” consisted of visiting the top of a mountain in Madeira, the Pico do Arieiro, one of the highest peaks in Madeira where the same cloud cover occurred during the filming of the show.

We imagine that the locals are used to this.  For us, it was a rare treat.
An opening gave us a peek at the sun setting behind the mountain. With only a gentle breeze, the clouds moved quickly.

When we watched that episode, knowing at the time that we were coming to Madeira, we were amazed by the low clouds wafting around Desiree and her date. Wednesday, here at our home, we had a similar experience, much to our delight.

We were amazed as it inched closer to us.
Looking over the veranda at the house below us.

Visiting that particular mountaintop requires a 2 to 3-hour hike each way, something that I don’t believe we are up to at this point. But, when the experience came to us here at home, we began to wonder if “safari luck” may have in fact followed us to Madeira, minus the wildlife.

As darkness fell, our veranda became cloudy as well.

As I write this today, I see the hilltops begin to become shrouded in more fluffy clouds. Ah, Mother Nature, she certainly knows how to give!
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Photo from approximately one year ago today, May 30, 2013:

A pure gold dispensing ATM at the Emirates Palace Hotel which we toured a year ago., one of the most expensive hotels in the world. Insert a credit or debit card, select your desired amount of gold, and out pops the gold from the machine. Wow! We couldn’t believe it when we saw this. For the rest of the day’s activities, please click here.

Cruise to Australia details…Itinerary, cost, details, deck plan and how we chose a cabin…

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No matter how busy we may become in planning for the future we never fail to stop and notice the beauty surrounding us at the time, whether its a simple flower on our veranda or an expansive view.

Following is the information about the cruise we’ve booked in Sydney, Australia on May 24, 2015. Once we arrive in Sydney, we’ll stay for a few days to see the beautiful city and then take off for the first of several vacation homes in which we’ll live in various parts of the continent.

One of our top priorities will be to go on a wildlife photography safari which we’ll arrange to occur between vacation homes to avoid added costs. Australia has a wealth of wildlife and scenery we can hardly wait to see. 

When we leave Australia we’ll then move on to New Zealand where we’ll also live for a yet to be determined period of time taking advantage of what treasures this island will also have in store for us.

Once again we booked our cruise with Vacations to Go although we’re now working with a new rep when Joaquin our former rep is no longer employed. With a little work, we’ve found a new rep and so far we’re pleased with her assistance. Anna Urban can be reached by email at aurban@vacationstogo.com

Here’s the cruise to Australia that not only provides us with transportation to Australia but also interesting ports of call along the way. Scroll further down the page for the cruise itinerary.

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas

One of Royal Caribbean’s Vision-class ships, the Legend of the Seas is well-equipped with many of the line’s signature features. The multilevel Centrum, an open atrium with gliding glass elevators, palm trees, panoramic windows, and gleaming brass, is the center of all the action and an ideal spot to gather for a pre-dinner cocktail and listen to live music. Other popular hot spots include the convivial Schooner Bar, the sophisticated Champagne Bar, and the Viking Lounge, which is an observation point by day and a pulsating dance club at night. There’s also a glitzy casino, a show lounge, and Solarium with a glass-enclosed pool area and retractable roof. Go for a seaside jog on the top deck, spend a few hours being pampered, or work out with a view at the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center. Kids will love the 18-hole miniature golf course and Adventure Ocean youth facilities located on the top deck. The Windjammer Café is a casual alternative to the formal, two-level Romeo & Juliet Dining Room. Staterooms amenities include a private bath, vanity area, and sofa, as well as a mini-bar, hairdryer, TV, and phone. Legend of the Seas
 Ship Statistics 
Year Built 1995
Last Refurbished 2013
Tonnage 70,000 tons
Registry Bahamas
Length 867 feet
Beam 105 feet
Passenger Capacity 2,076
Crew Size 720
Total Inside Cabins 327
Total Outside Cabins 575
Cabins & Suites w/ verandas 231
Suites 87
Maximum Occupancy per room 7
Age Restrictions One person must be 21 or older
Dinner Seatings 2
Seating Assignments 
in Main Dining Room		 Assigned
Dining Hours 6:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
Dining Room Dress Code Dining
Tipping Recommended? Yes
Tipping Guidelines Royal Caribbean will automatically add a $12.00 USD gratuity ($14.25 USD for Suite guests) to each guest’s onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis. 15% tip included on beverage orders.
Onboard Currency US Dollar
Services & Amenities
Bars/Lounges 8
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop Yes
Casino Yes
Note: The casino does not operate when sailing within the Hawaiian Islands.
Chapel Yes
Disco/Dancing Yes
Elevators 3
Hot Tub 4
Cell Phone Service Yes
Internet Center Yes
Wireless Internet Access Yes
Note: Available in certain areas
Laundry/Dry Cleaning Yes
Library Yes
Movie Theatre No
Outdoor Movie Screen Yes
Onboard Weddings Yes
Self Serve Laundromats No
Shops Yes
Showroom Yes
Spa Yes
Video Arcade Yes
Fitness & Sports Facilities
Basketball Court No
Fitness Center Yes
Golf Driving Net No
Golf Simulator No
Ice Skating Rink No
Jogging Track Yes
Mini-Golf Course Yes
Rock Climbing Wall Yes
Swimming Pool 2
Note: 1 Heated
Tennis Court No
Water Slide No
Water Sports Platform No
Cabin Features & Amenities
24-Hour Room Service Yes
Hair Dryer Yes
Safe Yes
Telephone Yes
Television Yes
Kids Facilities
Babysitting Yes
Children’s Playroom Yes
Kiddie Pool Yes
Supervised Youth Program Yes
Teen Center Yes
Special Needs & Requests
Adjoining Cabins
(private connecting doors)		 Yes
Kosher Meals Yes
Single Occupancy Cabins No
Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins 17
Single Share Program No

The D2 Balcony Cabin we chose was an upgrade from the prices listed below. Plus, there was a sale in progress until May 31, 2014, much to our delight that resulted in a savings of US $1700, EU $1250.4. Had this discount not been offered, we would not have chosen this cruise. It was only Tom’s daily diligence in checking possible cruises that presented this opportunity. Below are the charges, after the discount:

Charges
Cruise (includes port charges) US $5,308.00, EU $3898.49
Government Taxes US $294.64, EU $216.73
Prepaid Gratuities US $408.00, EU $300.11
Total Sale US $6,010.64, EU $4421.22
Total Payments: Deposit Paid 5/27/2014, US$ 900.00, EU $662.01 Balance Due March 5, 2015, US $5,110.64, EU $3759.29

 Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas
 18 nights departing May 24, 2015  
Cheapest Inside $1,762
Cheapest Oceanview $2,182

Cheapest Balcony $2,460
Cheapest Suite $3,165

ITINERARY

DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE   DEPART
Sun May 24 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 11:00pm
Mon May 25 At Sea
Tue May 26 At Sea
Wed May 27 At Sea
Thu May 28 At Sea
Fri May 29 At Sea
Sat May 30 Moorea, Society Islands 8:00am 5:00pm
Sun May 31 Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands 8:00am 9:00pm
Mon Jun 1 Bora Bora, Society Islands 8:00am 5:00pm
Tue Jun 2 At Sea
Wed Jun 3 At Sea
Thu Jun 4 At Sea
Fri Jun 5 Cross International Dateline
Sat Jun 6 Suva, Fiji 9:00am 5:00pm
Sun Jun 7 At Sea
Mon Jun 8 Ile des Pins, New Caledonia 7:00am 5:00pm
Tue Jun 9 At Sea
Wed Jun 10 At Sea
Thu Jun 11 Sydney, Australia 6:00am

Cabin Choice:

We chose the cabin based on several factors based on past experience:
1.  Avoid bars, restaurants, or discos above or below the chosen cabin.
2.  Avoid a cabin with the pool directly above due to the noise from the crew cleaning and moving deck chairs during the night.
3.  Avoid being too close to the bow or the stern of the ship. The center of the ship has more stability.
4.  Consider elevators, recreation areas and stairwells for possible noise.

The above listed prices for various cabins (before discounts) are based on the lowest prices, many of which may fall into the risks of our comments above.  We chose a D2 cabin as described below.  Each ship provides a deck plan from which to choose for example, as shown below, keeping in mind that each ship is unique:

Legend of the Seas Deck 7

Please scroll to the right for full view of the deck plan.
Superior Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony

Category D1

Category D2

Category D3

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, private balcony, sitting area with sofa bed, and a private bathroom. (190 sq. ft., balcony 37 sq. ft.)
Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom

Category PV

Floor to ceiling window. Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, sitting area with sofa, vanity area and a private bathroom. (220 sq. ft.)
Superior Interior Stateroom

Category J

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, vanity area and a private bathroom. (142 sq. ft.)
Large Interior Stateroom

Category L

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, vanity area and a private bathroom. (142 sq. ft.)
Interior Stateroom

Category N

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, vanity area, and a private bathroom. (132 sq. ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with sofa bed.
Stateroom has third Pullman bed available.
Stateroom has third and fourth Pullman bed available.
Connecting staterooms.
Indicates accessible staterooms.
Stateroom with sofa bed and third Pullman bed available.
Stateroom has four additional Pullman beds available.
Deck 7 (starts 4-29-15)

This is enough info for one day. We’ll be back tomorrow with more on Madeira for which will include photos of an interesting weather phenomenon that kept us outdoors most of the day on Wednesday, excited and in awe.

Happy day! 
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Photo from one year ago today, May 29, 2013:

Umer, our taxi driver, and tour guide took this photo of us before we entered the White Mosque. It was so hot! Tomorrow, we’ll be caught up on all the missing dates from the days we didn’t post while we were in Dubai. Watch for a great photo tomorrow! For the story and more photos from this date a year ago, please click here.

Plans for the future revealed!…A new continent…From Hawaii May, 2015 to ????

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Yesterday, we’d planned for dinner in Ribeira Brava, a 20-minute drive through tunnels and mountains. With my equilibrium still whacked from the recent illness, I had to back out of our dinner plans and head back home, to dine in.  However, we managed to make it to this beautiful garden in Campanario. 

In the past year, we’ve spent many hours looking at the world map trying to decide where we’d ideally like to travel after our last booking in Kauai, Hawaii ending on May 15, 2015. 

After tiring of long flights and thinking back to our original plans of cruising to destinations, first, we picked a country or continent we’d like to visit. Then, we began the search for possible cruises that could take us to our chosen continent/country, even if it meant a fight in between.

How handy that a Honey Bee stopped by.

We worked on this premise for a while as we contemplated our options. The problem needed to be revolved due to the fact that we had more than one possible preferred location. Over these past months we had three options:

Our choices included:
1. Alaska
2. South America
3. Australia/New Zealand

The beauty of the terraced hills and garden in Madeira. Astounding!

A huge factor in the location we’d ultimately choose is the cost of living including the rent for vacation homes.  As it turned out, as hard as we tried, we couldn’t make Alaska work in the summer and there was no way we’d consider Alaska during at any other time of the year.

For a decent house, condo, apartment, resort, or lodge, the lowest rent for a property we’d find suitable started at US $5000, EU $3668.91 a month. Let’s face it, living in a less expensive run down the basic cabin for months in Alaska was not our cup of tea. Plus, Internet accessibility is an issue in many areas of Alaska.

We were unable to get a clear shot of the worn verbiage on this sign which we’d hoped to later translate.

With the size of Alaska, we’d have to move no less than three times to get a fair sampling of the huge state. With only three months of good weather, we’d feel rushed.

Through our travels, we’ve determined that our goal is to rent a house with a lake or an ocean view if possible.  Doing so in Alaska made it all the more unaffordable. 

Love these!

Based on our lengthy research these past few years, so far Alaska and Switzerland were the two locations in the world that we found to be the most expensive in which to live.

A month ago, we decided to let go of our hopes for Alaska at this time, which continues to have much appeal for us with its considerable wildlife. We’ve decided to save Alaska for the future when we hope to eventually tour the US and Canada.

It is surprising that cactus can grow in this cool climate that rarely tops 78F, 25C at the hottest point of summer in August and September.

Next, we went to work on South America, starting in Ecuador in order to visit the Galapagos Islands to see the wildlife, eventually settling in Ecuador for three months after discovering that many US ex-pats live in certain areas. 

We were able to find affordable housing in Ecuador on the ocean that fit our criteria. At one point, we’d also considered a trip to Machu Picchu in Peru but with the masses of tourists now traipsing through the lengthy trek, we lost interest.

Oh, that I wish I knew names of flowers to share here. Never the gardener, always the admirer, we’ve never learned the names of many flowers. To research each of these and to post them here, is not a task I care to undertake with “other fish to fry.”

After Ecuador, we’d move to another South American country, staying up to three months in each of several locations over perhaps a period of a year. Of course, a cruise on the Amazon River has definitely been on our list of desired future experiences. 

No matter how hard we’ve tried, we couldn’t get excited about South America at this time in our travels. At some point, we will. Also, we hope to return to Africa to visit Victoria Falls, go on another safari, see the gorillas in Rwanda and return to Marloth/Kruger Park, South Africa. (My heart sings as I write about returning to South Africa).

We do know this is a rose.  Wow!

In reality, we only have so much time. I’m 66 years old, Tom is 61. Will our health hold out? We can reasonably envision another 10 years of traveling Beyond that, who knows?

So folks, with much enthusiasm, we’ve decided on Australia and then later, off to New Zealand! Last night, we booked an 18-day cruise from Honolulu, Hawaii on May 24, 2015, heading to Sydney, Australia arriving on June 11, 2015, where we’ll stay for a few days (very pricey big city) and then move to the first of several homes we plan to rent on the continent. 

Could this be a poinsettia?

We’ll have an extra nine days “to kill” in Oahu, Hawaii, most likely in a hotel while we wait for the cruise to depart from Honolulu.

Now, we’re excited! Wildlife, the outback, the ocean, the friendly Aussies, and with many affordable houses by the sea in the smaller communities, we couldn’t be more thrilled.

Tom, overlooking the sea. Nice shot of him wearing the same shirt he often wears in an attempt to wear it out.  No such luck!

Checking out the weather, possible safaris, and vacation rentals, we’ll soon continue our search for where we’ll live, locking them up with deposits as we make our selections. 

We’ve already found several excellent options. However, this is a time-consuming process that will take months to accomplish. As we book each property, we’ll list them here with details and photos.

The warmth of the sun made it possible to take off my jacket as we perused the garden. I’ve been wearing my warmest long-sleeved BugAway shirts while feeling cold since we arrived.

Traveling the world is comparable to having a “job” requiring diligent research and planning. As anyone with a “job” we have free time to enjoy spending time where we are living at the moment. Mix it all together and we love all the parts; the research, the planning, and most of all, the living.

Having this decision resolved for the moment, we can sit back and “love the one we’re with,” the beautiful island of Madeira!

Tomorrow, we’ll post the details of the cruise to Australia, the ports of call, the cost for our balcony cabin, and the details as to how and why we chose our cabin. With eight cruises under our belts since January 3, 2013, we now have three more cruises to anticipate over the next 12 months.  Stay tuned.
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Photo from approximately one year ago today, May 28, 2013:

A side view of AIDer HQ, an office building in Dubai, UAE. This photo was posted on May 30, 2013, when we toured Dubai and Abu Dhabi the prior day. For the story for that day, please click here.

Memorial Day for all of you…A year ago…An unusual photo of us…See below…

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Wild flowers growing in our garden

As most Americans celebrate Memorial Day today remembering our fallen heroes, families and friends gather together to enjoy the outdoors, cook on the grill and perhaps celebrate their first outdoor spring activity. 

The remembrance of those lost in defending our country is forefront in the hearts and minds of those who not only lost a loved one and for all the men and women who gave their lives with honor and dignity. 

Today’s view welcoming us to another glorious day in Madeira.

Once again, it feels peculiar for us to be so far removed from the observation of yet another holiday. However, with US news (English speaking) playing on the TV all day today, we can observe the holiday in our own way, watching stories and noting various gatherings throughout the country.

In our old lives, we too would have gathered with family and friends, cooking up an array of delectable foods to hopefully be enjoyed outdoors on a lovely day. 

More wildflowers in our yard.

Instead, it’s another lovely Monday here in Campanario, Madeira. We have laundry going in the front-loading washer and we’re showered and dressed for the day, looking forward to dining out tonight.  

Still under the weather, having decided not to use any antibiotics, I’m unable to do any serious walking yet leaving us staying close to home for now. 

Colors in nature never cease to amaze us.

It’s always surprising to us that we don’t get bored with a few household tasks to keep us busy each day other than laundry, cooking, dishes, making the bed, and picking up after ourselves. 

The garden in our yard has a way to go. It will be fun to watch it progress and to partake of its treasures.

Now that we’re doing all of these household tasks again after the two and a half month reprieve in Marrakech, Morocco, we’ve found that we actually enjoy being in charge of running our household, each of us sharing an equal load. 

Several times each day we walk out onto the veranda to breathe in the fresh ocean air, swoon over the view of the sea and the hills, and to embrace the ease and comfort we feel here on this beautiful island.

Terraces in the hills planted and ready for the season.

Have a safe, enjoyable, and meaningful day together with family and friends!
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Photo from one year ago today, May 26, 2013:
With a story without photos posted on this date a year ago, we have included a photo from the next day, May 27, 2013. Coincidentally, I was ill then with the same illness I have now and we had no choice but to cancel our plans to go sightseeing. However, a few days later, we did go sightseeing in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Here is a photo taken at that time with more to follow in the days to come.

OK, have a chuckle on me. My sister Julie and I laughed so hard on Skype over how goofy I looked in my abaya.  Tom looked rather handsome in his thobe.  It was 108F, 42.2C. I was still sick from the virus I got on the ship and was miserable wearing the hot silky black fabric while we toured the largest mosque in the world Sheikh Zayed Mosque located in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the richest city in the world. See this article for a list of the richest cities on earth. For the story from one year ago today, please click here.  Some amazing photos will follow over the next several days from our tour of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

‘The view of the ocean…Changes by the hour…We’ll never tire of this…

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The sunset can only be seen in its entirety behind a nearby hill. Last night, we were able to see a mere touch of it with the pink color on these clouds.  Breathtaking!

Interesting fact about Madeira:

“Christopher Columbus came to the Madeira Archipelago in 1478, marrying Filipa Moniz, the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, the first governor of Porto Santo. She died shortly after giving birth to their son. Their house has been made into a small museum in Porto Santo.”

We will continue to add more “interesting facts about Madeira” from time to time. Porto Santo is one of only two inhabited islands in the Madeira Archipelago, which we hope to visit this summer.

The beginnings of the partial sunset view.

As we lounge most of the day while I await recovery from the illness, we only need to lift our eyes from the task of the moment and there it is, the view. 

Throughout the day the view changes as fluffy white clouds roll in, at times tinged with gray, all laced within the bright blue of a cloudless sky begging to appear and rule the horizon. 

The pink clouds were quite a vision.

An island, in the sometimes rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean has a rapidly changing climate. We’ve excitedly observed these changes over this past week  each time we’ve looked up from the task of the moment whether it’s washing dishes, researching for the future or writing to you here.

Waffle like clouds fill the sky.

Several times each day we open the heavy glass doors in order to savor the views of the changing scenery before us, at times the hills shrouded in shadows from the ominous clouds or sheathed in sunlight when it clears. 

It’s interesting to watch the progression of the clouds as they cast shadows on the island and the ocean.

Its difficult to distinguish the ocean from the sky, the blues melding into one huge mass of color. At times, white caps are clearly visible in the sea and at others, its as calm as glass. 

We only know too well about the rough seas of the Atlantic Ocean when we made the crossing last April with 50 foot, 15.24 meters swells lasting for three full days.

The billowing smoke to the right was from an outdoor grill.

In a little over three months, on August 31, 2014, we’ll again make the crossing when we sail from Harwich, UK to Iceland to Boston, MA, USA where we’ll stay for three days visiting family. 

With a lack of trepidation, we anticipate this next crossing with a sense of excitement and enthusiasm to once again be at sea which has proven to be one of our favorite elements of our travels. 

The gray clouds cast a shadow on the sea.

Of course, cruising is most enjoyable when we can avoid the common occurrences of becoming ill with Norovirus, which neither of us has ever had or a respiratory infection which we both caught last May on Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Sea.

As for my recent illness, I haven’t quite turned the corner. But, I’m grateful it isn’t nearly as bad as the bout a year ago while we were in Dubai, UAE for two weeks.  

Suddenly, huge clouds roll in to disappear from the island a short time later.

Desperately, trying to avoid taking antibiotics, I’ve been taking Tylenol for the fever and head pain while resting most of the day, only taking time out to cook an easy dinner. Tom has offered to get carryout food until I’m feeling better but I’m finding the moving about the kitchen has been good for me. 

Tom does everything else including waiting on me. Good care, good sleep and good food will surely aid in reducing my down time. I can hardly wait to feel well again.

A cloud cover over a part of our area presented an opening where the sun shone through on this point on the hill.

Soon, we’re leaving for a short stint to the local grocery store. Tom would gladly go without me but, an short outing will be a nice break after being cooped up these past several days.

Have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend. Gee…I’ve almost forgot the taste of a brat.
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Photo from one year ago today, May 24, 2013:

Shopping in Dubai, one of the richest cities in the world was indescribable. This fresh fish, flown in daily wasn’t as expensive as one might think in the exotic city. For details of the story on this date, please click here.