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| The first time we started noticing Bougainvillea was in Kenya in 2013. They grow prolifically in the hot, humid climate. They aren’t relatively as abundant in Costa Rica but do thrive in this humid rainforest climate. |
“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”
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| The mountains impede our view of the final set of the sun, but we do get some gorgeous color in the process. |
As I began today, I noticed that this would be post #1850. To think that 1850 times I’ve sat at my laptop sharing morsels of our everyday lives of world travel, including the seven months before our ever leaving Minnesota in 2012, it seems overwhelming. The first post was on March 14, 2012, which may be found here. We left Minnesota on October 31, 2012, and that day’s post may be found here.
Yesterday, when speaking with my sister Susan (Las Vegas), she asked, “If someone hired you to write 1850 stories with photos, every few days at the onset and every day a short time after that, could you have been able to do it?”
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| As we continued on our steep walk, we spotted a small vineyard in the neighborhood. |
I contemplated the answer for only a moment to emphatically state, “There’s no way! The stress I would have felt to work at such a daunting task continually would have left me exhausted, stressed, and frustrated.”
Funny thing. Without a boss, along with the opportunity to write here at my own pace, in my own time, without pressure and expectations, this daily (seven days a week) undertaking never feels stressful or demanding.
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| In every direction, we’re surrounded by greenery. It’s breathtaking. |
Preparing for each day’s story and photos has become a full-time job in many ways. The actual writing of the day’s story takes little time compared to the required research and fact-checking (thanks, Tom!), the editing, the manipulation of the appearance of the story and photos, looking for photo ops, taking the photos, managing the photos and then putting it all together.
After completing the post, usually by noon or earlier (on days I have an early start), I respond to dozens of email messages and comments. (We receive many more email messages than comments on the posts). Many of the responses require additional research from our prior posts on the web.
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| Some of the homes in this gated community are not within the confines of a private gate. Nevertheless, it’s a safe area, and many residents aren’t concerned about an added layer of security. |
In many ways, it’s a full-time job, one we’re both thinking about and planning, along with all the details of planning our next move in our travels while living amid the location-of-the-moment. Over this past 65 months of doing the posts, it’s become as much of an integral part of our travels as the travel itself.
I explained to Susan that knowing we have readers worldwide “traveling along with us,” we never feel lonely or isolated. No, I don’t often “go to lunch with the girls,” and Tom doesn’t meet “the boys for coffee” amid railroad talk.
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| Photos don’t depict how steep a road is when walking. The road leading to our villa is a nearly impossible climb for the faint of heart. |
We also have readers contacting us every day with precious morsels of wisdom, suggestions, and assisting us in naming birds and flowers, as was the case of friend Louise from Kauai, who wrote that yesterday’s bird photo was a Hoffman’s Woodpecker. Thanks, Louise!
And then, of course, there’s Facebook, which I must admit I don’t spend much time working on, although I’m quite the lurker. Adamantly opposed to negative political talk, regardless of political affiliation, I love the playful and often funny videos, along with the more severe wildlife photos and videos.
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| Many homes have pools that are meticulously maintained. |
I’ve recently had considerable pleasure in watching “live” safari videos from Kruger National Park, where we’ll be in a mere six months, again living next door to the massive reserve in my favorite place in the world Marloth Park, South Africa. Soon…
As our saga continues, we often shake our heads in wonder over the vast number of readers who’ve followed us from the beginning. Who knew? We never planned it that way, and yet, here we are feeling so much a part of all of you in whatever small role we may play in your daily online reading.
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| We walked down this steep hill beyond the bend but then had to walk back up. Whew! |
We have all of our readers to thank for becoming such a vital part of our day-to-day lives, regardless of how quiet and mundane some of our days maybe, to the more adventuresome and entertaining aspects that other days present.
The next day, we’ll share an exciting and advantageous experience we’ll be adding to our repertoire of world adventures. Please check back!
Photo from one year ago today, August 19, 2016:
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| This martial arts ring in our neighborhood in Phuket, Thailand, was quite s surprise to find. Martial Arts is a highly regarded sport in Thailand. For more photos and details, please click here. |