Over five years ago, when we just opened the next chapter of our lives, it looked reasonable to start blogging.  (The first chapter of our lives was in the former USSR; the next – when we moved to the US).I thought that the blog would be a way to update our friends where we are and what we enjoy doing or seeing.

The time passed, and the new technologies opened so many new opportunities for the seamless communication.  The idea of maintaining the blog is outdated, at least in our case.  Maybe this is because we are not selling or promoting anything?

I dedicated some time to write reviews and post the photos on TripAdvisor.   I was surprised and proud at the same time to see that my reviews have been seen by over 640,000 readers.  By sharing our experiences I enriched over a HALF MILLION people!

Here is the link to all my reviews on TripAdvisor  Early Retirement Abroad reviews on TA

I also noticed that it is much easier for me to share the short posts on Facebook instead of publishing them on the blog.  Again, the short post could reach and enrich more people.

Facebook posts can be found here:  Early Retirement Abroad on Facebook

No Facebook login is needed to view the posts.

A few videos from our trips are posted on YouTube.  The videos have been created just for fun, and since I am not promoting anything, they have a limited exposure.

Early Retirement Abroad on YouTube

My last passion is to share on Instagram the food we taste or cook during our travel.

I promote our food preference (satvic vegan) and found support from the global vegan community.

Early Retirement Abroad on Instagram

Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and on TripAdvisor.

Our group of six has arrived to Paro, Bhutan, from Delhi and from Bangkok (a few hours apart) and after meeting the driver and the guide from Chen-Ray Travel & Tours, we have proceeded to Thimphu for the overnight stay at our hotel.

https://youtu.be/u6vMrV74otg

Accommodation.

If you plan to travel during the high season, then it is advisable to pre-book your hotels as soon as you select the tour operator.   We stayed three nights in Thimphu at the Thimphu Tower Hotel (highly recommend), then two nights in Punaka (Zhingkham Resort, hotel was very good with stunning view of the Punakha valley, but the food at the restaurant was below the average, especially for the vegetarian).  Then we stayed three nights in Paro at the Khangkhu Resort, a little bit away from the town’s center, but again, the view compensated everything.  The room was excellent; the food was much better.  All hotels are highly recommended.

Attractions and hikes.

We saw everything what we have selected plus what was offered to us by our tour operator.  If you are in good physical condition, incorporate as many hikes into your trip as possible. You can’t say that you experienced Bhutan without being in nature.

All tourists do the hike to the Tiger’s Nest.  Be prepared: sun screen, water, hat, snacks, start early, wear the layers and the trekking boots and ask your guide to rent a trekking poll(s) for you if you do not have your own.  Bring the camera and small change for the toilet(s).

Our favorites are:

Thimphu

https://youtu.be/cLFsrwgYLpA

• Tashichho Dzong (Thimpu Dzong or Fortress) during the day and at night

• National Folk Heritage Museum
• Hike to the Dodeydrak Buddhist Institute (We liked the hike even we did not make to the final destination – got lost and tired after the 5+ hrs of hiking)

https://youtu.be/83D9DB-cEa8

• Buddha Dordenma

• THE CENTENARY FARMER’S MARKET or other market

• Dochula Pass

https://youtu.be/UblhPrmAZSY

• FnB restaurant – a fusion cuisine restaurant

• Ambient Café – the best desserts, many of them vegan, good coffee (don’t go to the café on the Clock Tower Square)

Punakha

• Punakha Dzong

https://youtu.be/Oz-JIugXTOM

• Punakha Suspension Bridge

https://youtu.be/ZR8AxrBFHEQ

• Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup nunnery

• A hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten

https://youtu.be/c6FVm3BVwfA

Paro:

• Taktshang Goemba (Tiger’s Nest) (don’t do it on the first or on the last day of your trip)

https://youtu.be/EkfG1wuch_g

• Brioche Café (excellent desserts, some of them vegan, great coffee)
• Chele La Pass

• Tachogang Lhakhang Iron Chain Bridge an d Tachog Lhakhang Dzong

https://youtu.be/u4YxVD9PSXo

You can read all my Bhutanese reviews on TripAdvisor:

Thimphu (17 reviews, 48 photos)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/members-citypage/EarlyRetirementAbroa/g293845

Punakha (14 reviews, 55 photos)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/members-citypage/EarlyRetirementAbroa/g469429

Paro (14 reviews, 43 photos)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/members-citypage/EarlyRetirementAbroa/g321541

Selecting a tour operator.

We all completed a thorough research on the Internet and read at least a hundred reviews of the tour operators. Finally, we selected six finalists and send them our proposed itinerary and requested a quote.

Our group had a specific requirement – the short hike (2-3 hrs) must be incorporated into daily activities, a new hike almost every day! This means that we can’t buy a standard sightseeing package.  The hike difficulty should be from a light to a moderate; therefore we can’t go with the trekking tour operator because they hike 8+hours per day.   It should be a really customized tour.

For those who are just started thinking about Bhutan, please be aware that unless you have the Indian citizenship, you must travel with the tour operator. And you must pay US$ 250 per day per person during the high season, and if you travel in a group less than 3 persons, you have to pay a “small group penalty”.  Plus visa cost, plus air tickets, plus etc, etc, etc.

After interviewing six finalists and analyzing their responses, prices, response time, how they listening our requirements, we selected the Chen Ray Travel and Tour Company.  Clear and prompt responses, useful suggestion to modify itinerary, flexibility with the hotel selection to accommodate our preferences…  Even the cost of the trip is somehow fixed, Mr. Sonam was able to give us a small discount.

Our driver was excellent. The car was comfortable, clean and well maintained.  (We were told that all drives must past the yearly tests in order to stay in business.  Also, we were told that the majority of the tour operators in Bhutan select or sub-contract their guides from the “pool” unless you are a huge tour company and have permanent guides as their staff.)   This means that most likely, you will not know who your guide is.   The guides also have to pass the exams in order to obtain the license.

Our guide has the four years of the tour industry experience. He was knowledgeable to provide a standard set of information about the major tourist’s attractions, although his knowledge about the trekking/hiking was not as good as we would expect.  Our guide is a wonderful person and we greatly appreciate how he took care of all our demanding needs. We saw other guides during the trip – some were better and some were not.  Now, looking back, we realized that our guide was much better than other.

During our tour, Mr. Sonam, the owner of the Chen-Ray Travel & Tours, has visited our group in Thimphu and in Punakha to ensure that all is as planned.  We really appreciate his customer focus and recommend Chen-Ray Travel & Tours without any hesitation.

Almost forgot to mention, that Chen-Ray has a wonderful little shop next to the Le Meridian hotel in Thimphu. The quality of the goods is excellent.  So even if do not travel with Chen-Ray, still plan to do the souvenir shopping at the Chen-Ray store.

When I accidently saw the review of the MedSeaYachts.com on the web, we have decided to sail with them.  What did attract us?  A number of things: a boat, a semi-private (unless you book the entire boat) Turkish gulet that accommodates 12 guests, the positive reviews, and the photos published during the cruise by the other passengers.

Our biggest concern was if the crew can accommodate our “orthodox” vegan dietary requirements.  Eileen, the owner of the boat, ensured that our diet will not be a problem.

After doing some research, comparing the prices based on the route, boat size, etc. we booked the MedSea ES Canada gullet.  The cruise started and ended in Rhodes.  After a short stop in Turkey to complete custom formalities (the gulet sails under the Turkish flag), we started our voyage.

Symi, Nisyros, Tilos, Chalki, Alimia… the Dodecanese Islands of Greece … they are so spectacular and each of them has his own character… you can see them on the map below.

The weather was perfect (Sept 23-Sept 30), and everyone on the gulet had a great time.  We even saw the dolphin twice!

If you want to sail on a semi-private boat, I would recommend the MedSea ES Canada gullet and MedSeaYachts without any hesitation.   It was amazing experience and time and money well spent. And it is vegan friendly cruise, we all can certify this!

Here is some practical information about the trip.

The guests.  If you are not booking the boat for yourself, you will have other people (families, couples, groups) on the boat.  This is a nice opportunity to meet new people and learn something new from them.  We had three wonderful families, all adults, from Canada and Norway.  We blend nicely and had fun exploring the islands and during the water sports.

Accommodation.   All cabins have comfortable beds, private bathrooms that cleaned daily. Linens were changed a few times during the week but I do not remember the sequence.

https://youtu.be/cT94LJ3VPAo

All of us choose to sleep under the sky on the upper deck, at least a few nights during the week – unforgettable experience.  The gulet is large enough to accommodate all guests and the crew.   You even can have some privacy if you need without staying inside of your cabin. This is a beautiful boat, right size for us, well maintained, and  clean…exactly what we wanted for this type of experience.

The food.   The chef worked in the restaurant business for many years, so we were enjoying the freshly cooked vegan food, three times per day, plus the tea in the afternoon.  Coffee, tea, fruits, vegan local desserts, even vegan hot chocolate at 11:00pm for our son!  For those who are not vegetarian, the fresh fish, meat, etc. was served at another end of the dining table.  And unlimited local wine, beer, soda, water…

The service.   I don’t remember if we ever were so pampered in our life.   The cup of the Turkish coffee was served to the sofa, where I was resting and reading the book… a cup of the hot chocolate at 11:00 pm for my husband and son, unlimited tea any time during the day…

And what I will never forget is a cup of tea that was served to Eileen, the gulet owner, while she was swimming!  Here is the picture of her with the cup of tea in the water. 

The crew is a hard working team that makes you feel so special.

The weather and the dates.  The weather was perfect, a little bit windy on the first day.  Then the sea became calm and we enjoyed swimming and water sports in the turquoise waters.  I personally prefer a little bit warmer water, so the next time we will book either earlier dates or choose the Turkish Coast route.  For all other people on the boat the water’s temperature was perfect.

Thank you Eileen, Captain Cengiz and team for delicious food, for pampering us and for unforgettable experience!

The Georgian visa is the best visa we have seen during our four years of retirement: it is free and you can stay in Georgia up to one year!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Georgia

Where to live in Georgia?  We like Tbilisi.

It is a modern city with a good infrastructure and entertainment (museums, theaters, expos, parks & historical monuments, cafes & restaurants, etc.)

The medical service is affordable; the private facilities are good, even excellent.  Don’t know too much about the public medical service.

The cost of living… it is cheap.  The biggest expense is the rent.  You can rent the apartment through the various websites, local real estate agents or local contacts, which is better.

For the short term we usually rent via Airbnb, where we can read reviews. The rent prices, like everywhere else, are based on the location/area and the size of the apartment.  We like to stay near the Liberty Square &  Shota Rustaveli Ave.  This is a very touristy and the most expensive area, but everything is within the walking distance, including the metro (subway), taxis, minibuses, local produce markets and supermarkets.

Internet and mobile phones are cheap.  A free WiFi is available everywhere, even on the streets. We paid around $15 for two local SIM cards with unlimited local calls & 2GB internet on each card. This year we bought a SIM from the MAGTI provider. Beeline, the last year provider, did not have a good coverage in remote areas.

Tbilisi is safe, the tap water is drinkable and delicious, and people are friendly.  The young generation speaks English, and the old folks speak Russian, so the language barrier should not be the issue.

The weather is nice.  Even the +35C is more bearable because of the low humidity. We can walk and walk for a long time … can’t imagine walking like this in Asia.

The food.  The Georgian cuisine is delicious, although it could be challenging to be a vegetarian or even a vegan in Georgia. The key word for the vegans is “POSTNOE” (lean food).  During religious fastings, the Georgian people avoid eating meat, fish, dairy and eggs.   Although, they don’t fully understand vegetarianism and vegans, the word “POSTNOE” is well known. You can ask: “Is this POSTNOE?”  (This is how we discovered vegan pastries at the French bakery Entrée).

You can see a short video about fruits and vegetables in Tbilisi:

https://youtu.be/PmckeM7H1hg

From Tbilisi you can make a few short trips to see historical monuments and natural wonders.  The trips booked on the Internet are more expensive than if you book them locally.

You can book your radial trips from the Pushkin or Maidan Square areas.  The prices would be the same, so select the more reliable operator (individual drivers also offering excursions, but make sure that the car is in good condition).

Here are a few videos from ur trip to Kazbegi:

The taxi scam does exist.  The taxi drivers do not use the meter or  A/C, even at +35C.  Make sure that you know the cost of your ride and offer that price before jumping into the car.

We like Georgia and Georgian people.  This is why Tbilisi is on the list of our favorite retirement places where we can live comfortably for at least 5-6 months (from April till September – October).

The first one was the Malaysia Coffee Fest – a celebration of the wonderful and vibrant coffee culture.  Top baristas, local and international artisan roasters, independent coffee shops, and much more … The innovative tea shops were also well presented at this event.

The latest and greatest machines, gadgets and tools for making that perfect cup of coffee or tea were well presented at the EXPO.  We stopped almost at every booth and tasted every type of coffee that looked interesting.  Surprisingly, we did not see any coffee house or did not taste any coffee from Vietnam.

https://youtu.be/Zz47vJMrch0

Actually, we were more impressed with the selection of teas at this EXPO, than with the coffee we’ve tasted.  Overdosed with the caffeine, my husband went home and I moved to the next hall, to visit the Beauty Expo.

The  suppliers, manufacturers, dealers, wholesalers, professionals, and consultants from Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China,  Singapore and other countries brought to the show the latest trends and products in the Beauty, Cosmetics & Skincare, Hair & Nail , Spa & Wellness, Health & Nutrition& Weight Management areas.

This short clip is from the Beauty Expo at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.

https://youtu.be/1BR9Sez1J_8

There are two noticeable themes that surprised me at the show:

The label “Made in Korea” makes everyone very exited; it is like a stamp of approval of the highest quality cosmetic products.  Although I saw many booths with the cosmetic from France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, but the level of excitement was almost zero.

The second trend is ampoules, serums and essences.  While I was well familiar with the serums and essences, the ampoules was a new discovery for me.  I was overwhelmed with the huge selection of ampoules at the show. Needless to say, that it was the main product every Asian woman brought home from this Expo.

Note:  Ampoules are from the same family as essences and serums. Actually, they are supercharged serums with the higher concentrations of active ingredients.  Ampoules and serums come in the small bottles with a dropper.

We started a New Year in Sri Lanka, at the small serene hotel on the beach. This is exactly what we need after the spending a full month in India at the yoga and meditation retreat. No loud music, just ocean, palms, sunsets….Our son was with us all the time and we enjoyed family time together.

The last few days in Sri Lanka were amazing! We stayed with our friends at their wonderful house, went to buy some local fruits and veggies, cooked delicious meals that we would never discovered ourselves, even participated in the pet grooming activities (they have 4 dogs and 2 cats!)

We concluded our Sri Lanka’s trip at a little gem – a small home-stay villa near Colombo airport – West Dene (highly recommend!).

And now we are back at Kuala Lumpur, settled at the same apartment complex we lived in 2015. We planned to stay in KL for at least four months here.

“What you gonna do in Kuala Lumpur for four months?” our friend asked us when we informed her that we are back in KL.

“We will live here and enjoy affordable luxury!” was our answer to her.

We rented a nice 3 bedroom (and 5 bathrooms – LOL!) apartment just 500m from the famous Twin Towers. The views from the balcony are stunning (see below)!

Apartment is also a nice one; it is spacious and well equipped with everything we need – fast internet, gym, pool, security, walking distance to the major attractions … plus KL has the cheapest in the world taxi rides (average $2 per ride).

Uber, taxi, and rail (Monorail or LTR) is our preferred method of moving around Kuala Lumpur. Uber and taxis are so inexpensive, sometimes even cheaper than the public transportation.

While we are enjoying a cheap ride, we also learn about local life from our drivers.

Below is a fragment of our conversation with the local taxi driver.

Driver: “Where are you from?”
Me: “From the US”
Driver: ” America… good country. I read that the US now sending the space ships to the Mars with the passengers. It is too expensive, more than $ 1 million dollars…”
Me: ” If you would have many-many millions of dollars, would you go to Mars?”
Driver: ” No! It is too dangerous there …”
Me: ” Why do you think it is too dangerous?”
Driver: “How it could be not dangerous if there is no government there?”

Our bliss is spreading, and our friend from the USA has decided to visit us in Kuala Lumpur. We made a trip to Malacca (Malay: Melaka). Melaka is a state in Malaysia and located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Straits of Malacca.

The capital, Melaka, is one of UNESCO world heritage sites in Malaysia, therefore there are so many tourists here… Food and local culture of Melaka is unique.

Because of the hot weather, we would recommend anyone to hire a car with the driver and go there through Putrajaya and enjoy this unique city.

• Traveled to our favorite countries and visited new places in Thailand, Vietnam, Armenia, Georgia, India, USA, Israel, UAE, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka.
• Reconnected with the old but never forgotten and always loved friends and relatives.
• Spent the wonderful summer in the US, NY and NJ, the first time in a three years. Again and again, we realize how lucky we are to take our early retirement and move outside of the US.   Saying that, the time spent with our son and the cat is priceless.
• Attended two indescribable month-long transformational meditation/spiritual retreats in India that changed us forever.

Wishing you and your families a very Happy New 2017 Year from Sri Lanka!

Below are my husband’s notes about our 10 days trip to Israel in September 2016.

Sunset in Tel Aviv

“Our trip to Israel is over… such a marvel! A tiny startup country in the middle of the dead desert without water or natural energy resources… Actively hated by the much bigger neighbors denying its very existence? What can possibly become of it? A mere survival seems to take a miracle…

History lesson in Tel Aviv

Instead, they turned the ancient desert into the blooming garden by own sweat and blood and became a totally water and energy independent, powerful democracy. 

They responded to hate and terror by celebrating life and creation and leading the world in cutting edge technology, science, innovation, medicine and security. Even comparing to 10 years ago, when I was last here, the level of growth and optimism is unlike any other country.

They say there are very few Jews in Israel, which I thought was just a local joke. But walking the streets I saw that it is actually true! The variety of the mix is such that even Martians wouldn’t look out of place. First time felt like I could live and belong here… 

Israel offers an automatic citizenship to any Jew moving in, along with some $15,000 worth of startup help regardless of one’s net worth. Applications for citizenship are best filled ahead of time in the country of residence, with processing time around 3 months.  Health Care is free for citizens and world-leading.

Old Jaffa

Israel is hardly a place of abundance or exuberance. Competition for jobs is fierce and cost of living is quite high by any standards. But creativity, sense of unity and optimism are everywhere and palpable.

Upon our return, Shimon Peres died … a great leader of peace, vision, substance and character of a tiny country.  Maybe only young countries produce the leaders of great caliber, as a survival mechanism and then preserve the quality material for the time of real need? If a few world powers had such leaders at the same time, world would certainly be in a much better place today.” 

I saw many excellent hospitals in Asia, but this time I was speechless and could not proceed to the emergency unit for some time – I thought I am at the upscale hotel or shopping mall.

Anyway, we followed the cute footprints and arrived to the reception area.

In five minutes or less I was registered and moved to the registration nurse who took a few initial basic measurements. Then immediately I was escorted to the emergency unit where doctor in duty came to interview me and discuss the tests.

Then blood was taken. It was an interesting experience.  I was told how to breathe so blood will go smoothly without me feeling any pain or discomfort. The male nurse instructed me “inhale, hold the breath, breath normally,  etc. ” and guided me till he finished the blood withdrawal.  Wow! Of course, I did not feel anything.

Then right away, the doctor came and told that they heed about 1.5 hrs to complete blood work. He has advised us to have breakfast and relax.

You can see from the photos of the cafeteria that it looks like a nice restaurant.

There are a few good coffee shops in the lobby, so we finished our breakfast with a double shot cappuccino.

I also wondered around and took a few photos.

The 1.5 hr passed, and not a minute later, we entered doctor’s office. He went through the test results, explained all in details. Then we discussed what other tests he performed and covered other possible concerns. It was the longest doctor’s visit I have had in a years!… and he was not in a rush, and would stay as long as we need…

Then we went to registration, where I settled my bill $153, including antibiotic and other medicine.

Finally, I went to the pharmacy, located in the lobby, to receive my medicine. See the picture  of the pharmacy – don’t remember seeing this in New Jersey.

By 11:30 am (2.5 hours later) I was done, fully diagnosed and with the medicine  – all for $153!

I compare this visit with the latest experiences of seeking medical help in NJ.  We spent over 4 hrs on a call trying to find a doctor and schedule appointment.  I was rejected so many times because I did not have the referral from the primary physician…. And you should see the medical and pharmacy bills!  $200 charge for being a new patient!  I still can’t believe that I paid $258 for the 7 ml eye drops and to discover on the next day that I was resistant to it!

By the way, here in Kuala Lumpur, they also change a new patient fee, but it is $10 vs. $200 in NJ.

I feel so sorry for my fellow Americans …

Ten days in Israel, then 4 days in Dubai, and now we are in Bali.   What a contrast!

We feel that the Balinese people bless everything that they see and as many times as they see it.

They bless deities at the temple, people, houses, roads, intersections … even the garbage containers  

From Ubud we visited several touristy sites – rice terraces, coffee plantation, waterfalls…

The pictures and video were taking around Jatiluwin Tabanan rice fields, the UNESCO World Heritages Site, in Bali, Indonesia.   It is a famous tourist destination site (you can see how many cars at the parking lot).   When we arrived, it was a pouring rain.  After the 30 minutes or so it was over and we slowly walked into the rice field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lnBZjeLfo0

While doing sightseeing, we stay focused on the Hindu Temples in Bali.  All Hindu temples do not allow non-Balinese Hindu entering the prayer area, so no pictures from inside the temples.   The temples featured in this video are:  Goa Gajah or  Elephant Cave,Tanah Lot, Pura Tirta Empul or Holy Water Spring Temple, Pura Taman Ayun, Pura Batu Balong and Pura Ulun Danu Bratan.

https://youtu.be/GrzVkqyz5fk

The five days in Ubud was more than enough for us and we moved on to the North of Bali.  On a way there we admired the pictures Mt. Batur and  the Lake Batur.  Per Wiki,  “Mount Batur is an active volcano located at the center of two concentric calderas north west of Mount Agung on the island of Bali, Indonesia. The south east side of the larger 10×13 km caldera contains a caldera lake“.  Lake Batur is the largest lake of Bali.  The local people consider the Lake Batur as a sacred site.

The video/photos were taken from the touristy observation deck at the nearest village.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE8iQ-lwxk8

Finally we have arrived and slowed down at the beautiful resort in the North part of Bali, right on the beach of the Bali Sea at our private villa.

We are so thankful to our friend who has introduced us to the owner of this paradise.

What an amazing evening we had yesterday! So much was covered…So wonderful to be in the field of high vibrations.

https://youtu.be/E_7vY3SHL6E

Shambala Retreat Center is a preferred name.  It is also knowns as ShagriLa OceanSide Retreat & Spa; it is a beautiful property located on the North shore of Bali at the Bondalem Beach.  It is also a perfect place for meditation and spiritual growth. The staff is amazing and their food is delicious!
For more info visit http://baliseminars.com/

So far we did not have time to pay the close attention to the “retire in Bali” topic.  We’ll share with you our thoughts later.