No Particular Place

Soul Searching and House Hunting in Costa Rica

2013-06-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

We've spent the past few months searching for a new place to live. We love our current apartment, but it falls short on a few things. It's relatively small (500 sq ft), and it can feel very cozy with the three of us living, working, and playing in the same space. Also, as I look ahead to the coming months and years, Matty will start crawling and walking. Our current setup isn't exactly child-friendly, and I'd really like for him to have some green space to play in. (Unfortunately, there aren't any decent parks nearby, so if you don't have your own yard, outdoor play space can be hard to come by.) Finally, after spending some vacation time at the beach, we've realized just how hectic, noisy, and busy our current neighborhood is. It hard to go out for a relaxing stroll when you're dodging crazy motorists, pot holes, and other hazards.

We have looked at dozens of houses and apartments in the Central Valley, but, so far, all of them have fallen short. Some have very nice furnishings and ample space, but no yard. Others have a great yard, but a less-than-ideal landlord. We've also limited our search to furnished apartments, which seemingly cuts out 80% of the rental market. Unfurnished rentals aren't an option for us right now because they don't include any appliances. In other words, we'd have to buy a stove, fridge, washing machine, etc., in addition to beds, chairs, plates, towels, lamps, and everything else (you know, all of the stuff that we just sold back in the States!)

In Costa Rica, an unfurnished apartment means BYO stove and fridge.

We recently discovered a really cute beach town in Guanacaste with plenty of rentals in our price range. But, after a little research, I was heartbroken to learn that they don't have full-service hospitals in Liberia. There are a few private medical clinics and a 24-hour public hospital, but if you need major emergency care, you'll be flown to San Jose.

Of course, you can always make the 4-5 hour drive from Guanacaste to San Jose and pray that you don't get stuck behind this guy!

After struggling with this information for a few days and doing a little soul-searching, I've realized that I'm not the kind of person who's willing to take a chance on emergency medical care. It's the same reason why I carry insurance: even though it's unlikely that I'll need this service, I still want to have it because the results can be catastrophic. Financial devastation is one thing, but when it comes to risking our health, I can't accept that.

Medical care is something that I took for granted when I lived in a first-world country. I never worried whether or not there'd be a hospital closeby to treat me if I were in a bad car accident. But the reality is that, in the developing world, you have to seek out resources and services, as it's not a given that they'll be widely available.

I guess this means that we'll be staying in the Central Valley for a while, as it's the only area of Costa Rica with higher-level medical care. At least we can enjoy our vacations at the beach!

Drinking from the Fire Hose

2013-06-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

My poor, neglected blog! It pains me to see how long it's been since I've posted. It's not because I don't love you anymore, I have been a little busy lately. Ok, make that very busy. As my mentor WC would say, we've been drinking from the fire hose!

Yep, this is pretty much how I feel these days!

I'm not complaining about being busy. After all, we did set ourselves up for this... moving to a new country (where we barely speak the language), having a baby, applying for residency, making new friends, developing our contract work, and trying to squeeze in a little vacation time to boot. Somehow, we've managed to juggle them all, but it hasn't been easy. Sleep and sanity have taken priority over healthy eating and exercise. I have probably eaten more chicken strips in the past three months than I have in the last three decades (thank you, Pricesmart!)

We still find time for an occasional road trip!

But, I'm happy to report that we have weathered most of the storms and are looking forward to settling into some more peaceful, relaxing times ahead. For example, Jim and I have applied for permanent residency here in Costa Rica, so we don't have to make border runs every 90 days to renew our tourist stamps anymore. Baby Matty has received his birth certificate, social security card, and US passport, although we still need to apply for a special permit to take him out of Costa Rica.

Does he look more like A) a convict, B) an old man, or C) all of the above?

We are finally starting to make some strides in our Spanish again. The first month or so after Matty was born was very hard on our brains' higher processing centers. In other words, sleep deprivation made it challenging to even speak complete sentences in English!

We've also made some recent changes to our work/life schedules. It was exhausting for both of us to try and juggle work deadlines, taking care of Matty, and sleep, so, for the time being, I've become the primary breadwinner and Jim's the stay-at-home daddy. These roles aren't exclusive, but we are each getting more time to focus and no longer have to pass the baby back-and-forth like a hot potato. What can I say? The little one didn't nap as much as we'd hoped during the day! (But, thankfully, he's sleeping through the night!)

We have one last big task looming on the horizon: finding a new rental. Our current lease is up in July, and we're looking for a place that's a better fit for our needs. I've been searching for weeks now, and while a few rentals have come close, none of them have really matched what we're looking for. Stay tuned, friends, we'll keep you posted on our search!

In the meantime, please don't hesitate to hit me up if you're interested in coming down to Costa Rica for a visit. We're planning to stay here for a while (although I can't tell you exactly which town we'll be living in come July), and we'd love to share this experience with you. There are many beautiful places that we haven't explored yet, and we're happy to meet up for lunch or even a few days of vacation. You can send us a message through the "Contact Us" link at the top of the page!

Vamos a La Playa!

2013-04-09T10:31:00.004-07:00

We love living in Escazu. It's convenient, centrally located, and has a magnificent, spring-like climate. There's only one thing missing... a beach! With two coastlines, Costa Rica has plenty of playas to explore. So far, we've only checked out a few on the Pacific side. There are many more in the northwestern province (Guanacaste) and on the Caribbean coastline that are on our list!

Jacó
The closest ocean-front beaches are in a town called Jacó (ha-KO), which is about 60 miles from San Jose. Jacó has a reputation for being a party town, filled with surfers, drugs, and ladies of the night. It's also a popular weekend destination due to its proximity to the Central Valley.

We didn't have very high expectations for Jacó, but were pleasantly surprised by it! The town felt perfectly safe and family-friendly during the day. The beaches were also nice and wide, with beautiful views of the surrounding hills. There were only a couple of high-rise condos dotting the coastline, but the remnants of a former real estate boom were evident from the half-built complexes that were scattered around town. Jacó and its surrounding beaches seem like a very livable place, thanks to their good highway access and a nice variety of shops and restaurants. However, the only places you'll find us are on the beach (with our toes in the water) or at a soda (with a cold drink in our hands!) The weather's way too steamy for anything else!

The "overdeveloped" Jacó beach

Eating casado at a local soda

Nosara
We recently visited Nosara, a small village on the Nicoya Peninsula. Nosara is a 6-hour drive from San Jose, the last hour of which is on unpaved roads... the really bumpy, you-have-to-drive-5-mph-or-you'll-break-an-axle type of unpaved roads, complete with goats, sheep, cows, and more!

Nosara is known for two things: surfing and yoga. There are 3 beaches (Playas Nosara, Pelada, and Guiones) in the area. What a difference from the beaches in Jacó! Nosara was dusty, dry, and brown. I suspect that all of the tourist photos are taken during the rainy season, when the hills are alive with greenery!

Entrance to Playa Guiones

Surfer and the abandoned Nosara Beach Hotel

While there was plenty of beach to go around, it was largely exposed. The sun was too strong for baby Matteus (only 3 weeks old at the time), so he spent most of the day napping in our air-conditioned room.

Our little surfer dude

Thankfully, the temperatures dropped enough by sunset for a family trip to the beach.

The village of Nosara has several restaurants, surf shops, and hotels. English is widely spoken, both by the businesses owners and its patrons. We couldn't remember the last time we'd been surrounded by so many English speakers!

Uvita
After our border run to Panama, we spent an afternoon in Uvita, a small beach village on the southern Pacific coast. There were heavy thunderstorms that day, but the rain cleared long enough for us to spend a couple of hours at the beach. Don't let the gray clouds fool you; the weather was warm and comfortable!

Aside from the surfers, we had the beach to ourselves!

A single trail of footsteps to the sea

So which of these beaches is our favorite? I'm not saying, but I'll give you a hint... it's just south of Jacó. Come visit us here in Costa Rica and we'll take you there!

6-Week Update

2013-04-06T12:31:00.003-07:00

Well, it sure has been a while since we've made a blog post. Life's been a little crazy since baby Matteus arrived 6 weeks ago!

Snoozing at 5 days old

We've finally gotten some traction and are settling into our new lives as a threesome. Time slips away quickly as we juggle eating, napping, running errands, meeting up with new friends, and working. Thank you all for your well wishes and for spoiling us with baby gifts. We are blessed to have so many generous people in our lives!

My new office and el jefe (the boss!)

Matteus has already outgrown some of his newborn clothes. At his 1-month checkup, he weighed 10 lbs and had grown over an inch! His legs, thighs, and belly are also filling in.

Long fingers, just like his mama!

He's also as strong and feisty as ever... the only time Matteus isn't moving is when he's asleep! This kid is going to be running circles around us as soon as he's mobile.

At the end of March, we started seeing our first smiles... what a treat!

Our smiley Easter bunny

Becoming parents has been a powerful and emotionally moving experience. We love this boy so much that it makes us cry just thinking about him! More than anything, we're grateful that our new life here in Costa Rica allows us to stay home together and enjoy every moment as a family. We may not have much, but we have everything we need to live a rich life.

Baby Matteus Has Arrived!

2013-02-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

He's here! He's finally here! Our baby boy, Matteus (ma-TAY-us), arrived on Friday afternoon. He was 20.5 inches long and weighed 7 lbs 4 oz.

We wanted to share some pics from our first days together. Enjoy!

Fresh out of the oven (leaves sold separately!)

Eyes wide open! Will they stay blue like Daddy's?

That's my boy!

Snuggling with Momma (who's happy, but a little loopy from the meds!)

Riding home from the hospital

Enjoying the soothing sounds of his first rain shower!

Laughing on the Outside, but Crying on the Inside: Tico Car Mechanics

2013-02-20T00:49:00.002-07:00

Posted by Jim

We've already re-christened our car. Its new nickname is "Leaks."

Ever since we brought it home, I've noticed the sickeningly sweet smell of engine coolant emanating from somewhere under the hood. Normally, I can't smell a mad skunk from 3 feet away, but somehow I can detect burning coolant within a 3-mile radius. For weeks, I searched the engine compartment for the leak, but until last week its location eluded me. Unfortunately, once I did find the leak, it progressed at an alarming rate. One of the tanks on the radiator was developing an enormous crack that promised to fail catastrophically at the moment that Natalie was in labor and needed to get to a hospital, stat. Without the tools to replace the radiator, it was time to try my luck with a Costa Rican auto mechanic.

Someone recommended a guy in the next town over who spoke a little English, so I figured I'd bring the car to his shop before our radiator exploded (we still had 4 days til the baby was due, after all!) I told him that I wanted a new radiator, but he insisted that he could replace the leaky tank for less than half of the cost. I paused. I’d come in determined to buy a new radiator, but the man’s earnest plea to save my money won over my cash-strapped wallet. I agreed. He promised the radiator would be fixed the next day, so we shook on it and I took a taxi home.

[Natalie's note: "I can fix that" and "it'll be done tomorrow" are generally regarded as pleasantries, not promises, in Costa Rica. In other words, people would rather appear polite and helpful than tell you, "you're screwed."]

The next day, the mechanic called me just as promised. “Buenas. Comó está? The radiator is fixed, but the head gasket is bad.” Ok, good, wait, what?! The situation had escalated from a minor part replacement to major engine work. He said, "I saw air bubbles in the radiator when the engine was running. It means your head gasket is no good." I told him,"Don't do anything. The engine is still under warranty from the dealer. I'm coming to get it right now!"

When I arrived at the shop and looked at the radiator tank, I felt a little sick. I was expecting a cheap plastic part, but what I saw was even more underwhelming. An optimistic person would call the work "custom" or even "hand crafted." I called it “craptacular.” It appeared that they had scrounged up random pieces of sheet metal (missing street signs?), bent them into the rough shape of a radiator tank, and brazed them together. The "new" tank, and everything around it, was dripping with copious amounts of black spray paint to give it that "factory-fresh" look. It was ugly and shoddy, but I convinced myself that if it didn't leak, then I didn't care.

The mechanic wanted to show me the air bubbles he'd seen in the radiator from the bad head gasket, so he fired the engine up and… nothing. No bubbles. We let the engine run and warm up, but still no bubbles. Finally he said, "Oh, I guess it was just air stuck in the cooling system and not the head gasket after all." If you're not familiar with the implications of misdiagnosing someone's head gasket, imagine a a doctor telling a patient that he has cancer and then saying, “Nevermind, it was just gas.” I was simultaneously annoyed and relieved by the flippant misdiagnosis. Confident the problem was "solved," he put the radiator cap back on and sealed up the system.

We were standing in front of the car watching the engine run (as men do), when suddenly a geyser shot forth from the craptacular radiator tank sending a 4-foot stream of coolant into the air. As it rained down upon us, the mechanic’s young daughter ran over and started splashing around like she was playing in a lawn sprinkler. The situation was so absurd that I started laughing. Not a real laugh (and certainly not a happy laugh), but that awkward kind of laugh that ends in sobbing. The guy said, "I can fix that. I'll call you tomorrow."

Buying an Overpriced Car in Costa Rica

2013-02-02T14:49:00.001-07:00

Posted by Jim

Before we moved to Costa Rica, we knew that we wanted to own a car here. At first, we researched buying a car in the United States and driving it down, but between the import taxes (up to 80% of the value determined by the government!), travel expenses (border crossings, gas, food, lodging, etc.), and the time (at least 10 days), we decided that it would be better to buy a car once we were in Costa Rica. While we know some Spanish, being able to say, "Where is the bathroom?" and, "Yes, I would like another beer, please." wasn't going to help us in this situation. We searched on the internet and found a couple who helps gringos like us find and purchase cars. We sent them an email describing what we were looking for, and they located a number of cars at local dealerships that met our needs.

On a Wednesday morning, we were picked up by our Tica helper. Our first stop was a tiny little dealership that had a number of early-2000 vintage Hyundai Accents that were fresh off the boat from Korea. Everything down to the warnings on the sideview mirrors was written in indecipherable Korean characters. We took the first car out for a spin to see how we liked it. Bad clutch, bad brakes, the steering wheel shook, and half the cylinders cut out under load. For a car like this in the U.S., I would have offered $500 and made the seller buy me lunch and a beer.

The next 5 cars we drove were not much better. Whenever I pointed out a problem to the salesman, the answer was always the same, "No problem! We'll fix that. No charge." There was something about the way he said it that didn't make me feel good. Perhaps it was because he also told me, "the brakes squeal because they're new," and, "the clutch barely engages because it's adjusted for personal preference." I think that the exact moment I stopped trusting him was when he promised that the air bags would still deploy in an accident, contrary to the position taken by the steadily illuminated warning lamp on the dash.

We visited a second dealership and their cars were just as bad, but shinier. Bad clutch, broken speedometer, check engine light, bad CV joints, and so on. I peeked into the mechanics' area, where I saw a transmission laying open in the dirt, half-filled with feral dog urine. This was likely the "new" transmission that the salesman promised for the car that I had just complained about... you know, the one that wouldn't stay in gear. Many people recommend buying cars that are recently imported to Costa Rica ("for inscription") because they haven't been exposed to the bad roads. Perhaps more importantly, newly imported cars haven't been exposed to the bad mechanics. At this point, I was getting pretty discouraged. I was on the verge of pulling Natalie aside and suggesting that we reconsider the idea of getting a car at all if these were the only options.

Respite finally came at the third dealership, where we found a 2002 Hyundai Elantra fresh from the United States. It wasn't beautiful by any definition, but, by this point, to say that we had lowered our expectations was a gross understatement. On the test drive, it felt like a normal car. It accelerated, stopped, stayed in gear, and went in a straight line. Amazing! Pure automotive genius! We drove a few other cars (12 in all), and finally settled on the Elantra. Curious why the car had been deported from the U.S., we ran a CARFAX report to check its title history. Thankfully, it came back clean (enough). After working out a deal to have a few things fixed, we settled on a price just under $8,000 USD! Remember those import taxes I mentioned? They're nearly $3,000 USD for a car that's over 10 years old!

Our "new" car has four wheels and goes forwards and backwards! Brilliant!

Before we could take the car home, we had to wait until the international money transfer cleared, papers were signed, government paperwork was filed by an attorney, inspections were performed, taxes were paid, insurance coverage was obtained, and plates were issued. Two weeks after selecting a car, we finally drove our prize home. I've since nicknamed the car "bad connection" for all of the wonky electrical issues. If you're in Costa Rica and you see a car with the headlights flashing with the blinkers, that's us. Please wave.

Costa Rica, Where the Streets Have No Name

2013-01-24T19:29:00.001-07:00

First off, let me start by saying that the Costa Rican lifestyle must be starting to stick. I woke up this morning with a great idea for a blog post, "The Top 5 Things that You Didn't Know about Costa Rica." I scrambled to type up a short list of fun facts on my smartphone. Would you believe that I actually came up with 11?!

Well, fast forward to this evening and my original idea seemed way too ambitious. Plus, who wants to be overwhelmed with so much information in just one blog post?

So, in light of my newfound laziness, I've decided to just pick one fun fact and talk about it here. Let me tell you about Costa Rican addresses, or rather, Costa Rica's lack of addresses.

Did you know that Costa Rica doesn't have traditional street addresses? Most of the roads are unnamed, making it muy difícil to assign street numbers. So how the heck do you find anything? You use a combination of local landmarks, rough distance estimates, and cardinal directions.

Por ejemplo, here is the address for Epson, the printer company, in Costa Rica:

In English, the dirección is: 100 meters south and 300 meters west of the American Embassy, San Jose, Costa Rica. Well, that's helpful, as long as you know where the Embassy is!

Does someone actually measure the number of meters in these addresses? Of course not! The rule of thumb is that 100 meters is approximately one city block.

Want to see a couple more? Here's the address for Unilever, another international corporation:

Translation: From the cross in Belén's San Antonio district, go 400 meters west and 800 meters north.

And here's my favorite! It's the address of a local potato chip company:

The company's located in Ciudad Colón. To find it, head to the old folks home (Hogar de Ancianos), then go 100 meters south, 400 meters west, and another 100 meters south. Apparently, the initial southbound road that runs next to the old folks home doesn't go through, since the directions tell you to go south twice.

Now, I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but rumor has it that some addresses are given in reference to landmarks that don't exist anymore, like the old fig tree.* Talk about confusing!

All I can say is that if it weren't for Google maps and our trusty GPS, we'd be totally lost. I think that the Costa Rican government should give each citizen a GPS, then implement a new address system using latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. On second thought, maybe I should be careful what I wish for... do I really want to say numbers like N9° 56' 37.84", W84° 7' 23.89" in Spanish?! Aye Dios mio!

* The old fig tree (Antiguo Higuerón) is marked on Google Maps. It's coordinates are N9° 55' 52.02", W84° 2' 48.07".

Our First Trip to the Escazu Farmer's Market

2013-01-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

Oh boy, today was the day that we've been waiting for! On Saturday mornings, there's a weekly farmer's market (feria) here in Escazu. It's located in Escazu Centro, the old town, near Iglesia San Miguel in the main square.

I knew that the produce prices at the grocery store were outrageous, so we've been holding out all week on buying any fruits or vegetables! The feria didn't disappoint us.

I had done a little research online and came prepared with plastic bags and plenty of small change (the coins here range from 5 to 500 colones, or $0.01 to $1 USD.) We also practiced our numbers in Spanish, just in case the prices weren't labeled!

All of the vendors were very friendly and patient with us, and it felt great to be buying produce directly from local farmers.

So how'd we do? For about $5, we scored 4 lbs of tomatoes, 2 lbs of carrots, 2 lbs of onions, 1 lb of peppers, 4 bananas, a bundle of spinach, and some cilantro! Muy bueno!

Our New Apartment in Escazu, Costa Rica

2013-01-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh, home sweet home... or at least our home for now. Jim and I are happy to report that we've found a wonderful apartment here in Costa Rica!

We're living in Escazu, an affluent suburb just west of the capital San Jose. We chose this neighborhood for several reasons, not the least of which is its proximity to Hospital CIMA (where I plan to deliver our son) and my new OB/GYN. It's also a very convenient place to live, as every amenity we could ever need is located within a few miles. We can even walk to several banks, cafes, and grocery stores.

Panoramic view of Escazu

To me, the only real drawback to living in Escazu is that it's Gringo Central. The area is a haven for wealthy American retirees as well as medical tourists. Now, as a gringa, I of course have nothing against my fellow norteamericanos. But the sheer number of expats living here has left an indelible mark on the neighborhood, raising the cost of living and clearly influencing local commerce. What do I mean by that? Well, if you look down the main boulevard, you'll find a McDonald's KFC, Pizza Hut, Quiznos, TGIFridays, Tony Roma's, and Mrs. Fields. There's also an Office Depot, Starbucks, and Walmart nearby, as well as the Multiplaza shopping mall with Lacoste, Oscar de la Renta, and Calvin Klein. Not exactly an authentic Tico experience.

In the end, we decided that the higher prices were worth the convenience, especially now that I am 8 months pregnant. We also felt very safe and secure in this neighborhood.

So, on to the details on our new apartment! We are living in a furnished 1-bedroom condo in San Rafael de Escazu. It has a covered parking spot and is part of a gated complex with 8 units. We're on the top floor and have a nice view of the neighborhood streets as well as the local mountains in the distance.

Our favorite feature is the patio-turned-living-room, which is a big, bright, open space. The north side of the room is all windows, letting in tons of light and a wonderful afternoon breeze. It's like sitting outside, but with a couch and flat-screen TV!

The kitchen is also great too. It's relatively small, but well-appointed with an American-sized fridge, gas stove, microwave, and drip coffee machine.

We also have a cozy bedroom with a wall of floor-to-ceiling storage space.

The apartment is less than 550 sq ft, but feels very spacious and open thanks to its high ceilings and many windows. It's just big enough for us... and hopefully a baby too!

While we don't have a guest room, we are happy to offer you a spot on the living room couch (which is actually a sofa bed) if you'd like to come visit us here in Costa Rica!

Our Big Plans for 2013

2013-01-01T18:39:00.002-07:00

Happy New Year, all! 2012 was a wonderful year for us. Really wonderful, in fact, a dream-come-true kind of year. We left our professional jobs in January and made the transition to "underemployment," or working below our expected employment potential. Instead of long hours, constant stress, and never-ending business travel, we traded our big fat paychecks for a big fat lifestyle. Now we feel like we're living our full life potential.

One of 2012's biggest lessons has been realizing that we can successfully live a frugal, nomadic lifestyle. It's actually easier than we originally thought; most days, it feels downright normal. It might seem like we're on permanent vacation (and compared to being chained to a desk, I guess we are), but much of our time is spent doing pretty uneventful things, like taking dogs for a walk, cooking dinner, grocery shopping, and reading books. It might be more fair to compare our lifestyle to semi-retirement than a vacation.

Coming back to the States after 7 months of traveling has been an interesting experience for us. Even though we've both lived in Phoenix for 10+ years, it didn't feel as much like home as we had anticipated. Sure, we know how to get around, have a great network of friends and family, and are familiar with the local hangouts, but it doesn't feel like we belong here any more than a "foreign" country. This visit has been another wonderful chapter in our nomadic journey, which is still very much alive and kicking.

Which brings me to some exciting news: our plans for 2013! It's going to be an eventful year for us, starting next week, when we board a plane for COSTA RICA!

But, wait, there's more... we're also EXPECTING A BABY! Yes, you read that right. I'm currently 31 weeks pregnant with a little boy.

If you count back the weeks, you might be surprised to learn that I've been pregnant since June. In other words, I've been pregnant almost the entire time that we've been traveling. Remember that doctor's visit in France? That was actually my first ultrasound appointment. Since that time, I've been receiving exceptional medical care all around the world, including France and South Africa.

We have decided that, rather than staying here in the United States, we would like our son to be born in Costa Rica. There are several reasons for this. First, Costa Rica is a well-known medical tourism destination, offering affordable, high-quality care to norteamericanos. There are also immigration benefits to delivering in Costa Rica. Our son will be a dual Costa Rican/US citizen (due to jus soli, or "right of the soil") and Jim and I will be eligible for permanent residency. This opens up many opportunities for us, not only now, but also in the future. Lastly, Costa Rica is a lot closer to home than you might expect. It's only a 5-hour flight from Phoenix or from New York. They're on Central Standard Time. And, most importantly, Costa Rica has a large, established expat community that's already paved the way for newcomers. Would you believe that there's even a website for having a baby in Costa Rica?

So, friends, I'd like to propose a New Year's toast for 2013: may you be blessed with new adventures, fulfilling life experiences, and the courage to follow your heart and your dreams!

A Short (But Sweet) Stop in Zagreb

2012-12-01T21:46:00.001-07:00

Due to an unfortunate flight delay, we only spent 2 nights in Zagreb, Croatia. But we're sure glad that we got a chance to visit this often overlooked destination.

Zagreb (pop. 800,000) is the capital of Croatia. It's located about 3 hours from the coast, at the crossroads of Central Europe. We were impressed by its large city parks, beautiful museums and monuments, and pedestrian-friendly city center.

Fall in Zagreb's "Green Horseshoe," a large city park

Croatian National Theater

Rooftops and Zagreb Cathedral

Tkalciceva Ulica, a cafe-lined street in Zagreb's Upper Town

The tiled roof of St. Mark's Church

Zagreb also has a daily market, featuring fresh produce and flowers.

Dolac market

Several vendors were also selling Christmas centerpieces and advent candles.

The city was decked out in lictar hearts, the symbol of Zagreb ("the city of a million hearts").

One of Jim's favorite attractions was the funicular connecting Upper and Lower Town.

Possibly one of the shortest funicular rides ever.

But for me, the highlight was our visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships. The Museum features a variety of objects that people have donated in memory of their failed relationships. Some were uplifting, some were depressing, but they all gave an interesting glimpse into the messiness of love.

Would I go back to Zagreb? Absolutely! It was a compact, clean, and safe capital city. But you don't need more than 2-3 days to explore most of its sights. On my next visit, I'd use Zagreb as a home base for exploring the rest of inland Croatia.

Gute Nacht from Frankfurt!

2012-11-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning started off with a panic. I had a rough night’s sleep due to my ever-growing list of things to do before we left for the airport. Do laundry. Collect our VAT receipts. Take a shower. Pack away our carry-ons. Stuff our backpacks. Send last-minute emails. Return the vacuum to our neighbors. Sweep up the dog hair. Strip the bed and collect our towels. And, most importantly, spend at least 5 blissful minutes savoring the sweet afternoon sunshine whilst listening to the ocean on our back patio.

I’m pretty sure that the pet menagerie knew something was up, as they’ve never seen me rush around so frantically before. Pella hid under the coffee table, her trademark “you can’t kick me out and leave if I’m here” move, Biscuit looked up at me sadly with his big brown eyes, not even bothering to ask for a belly scratch this morning, and Mugwa the cat just got the heck out of my way.

Five hours later, we finished the list. “Wow! You’re done really early -- nearly an hour to spare!” Jim exclaimed. (Given my notorious history of last-minute packing, this actually was a pretty remarkable achievement.) “Yes, but I knew it was going to be a big push today. I haven’t been this stressed in months!” I remarked.

Before we knew it, a bare-footed bear of a man (the incoming housesitter, who somehow maintains his imposing build on vegetables alone) was at our door to take us to the airport. We rushed through check-in, VAT refund, security, passport control, and currency exchange with just enough time to arrive at the gate for “boarding.” I use quotation marks because while the airport monitors said “boarding,” passengers at the gate were clearly *not* boarding. A few minutes later, the monitors refreshed, indicating a 2-hour delay…

About 2 hours and 30 minutes later, people were starting to get restless. We could see the plane on the tarmac, so knew that we weren’t waiting for another flight to arrive. It also couldn’t be the weather, as a Lufthansa flight had just recently departed for Munich. “The flugzeug fliegt nicht,” I told Jim. Then, moments later, the captain and co-pilot appeared at the gate and approached the boarding desk. A crowd gathered around, and the captain began to speak:

“Guten tag, hindelkassen wergarhdtsstadf kndergrautenze flugzeug scweischertrschlizt groschlisnghaus mechanisch gwentwizerbosch…[5 more minutes of indecipherable German]… Danka.”

(I have only completed Unit 1 of Rosetta Stone German, which thankfully includes a lesson on basic greetings and a boy sitting under an airplane.)

The captain then said,

“Oh, is there anyone here who doesn’t understand German?”

A handful of Anglo passengers sheepishly raised their hands.

“I will repeat for you the interesting parts. The flight is delayed. We have booked accommodation for you for tonight. You will get a slip of paper under the door of your hotel room in the morning with information on our new departure time.”

Many hours and several German-only announcements later, we had collected our bags, were corralled through immigration, and hopped charter buses en route to our hotels. While I had hoped to return to Cape Town someday, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.

Southern Sun Hotel in Cape Town

The next morning, the front desk gave us an early wake-up call to inform us that the buses were leaving at 8 AM. Not wanting to push our luck with German punctuality (have you ever ridden their trains? I swear they are timed to the second!), we hurriedly packed, showered, and scarfed down a gut-busting breakfast with our new German freunden.

Back at the airport, we repeated the check-in process (except this time it was performed en masse with 300 passengers) and claimed our usual seats at the gate. Finally, after a 17-hour delay, we boarded our flight from Cape Town to Frankfurt.

But weren’t we headed to Croatia? Yes, we were (and still are) heading to Zagreb. But we arrived too late in Germany to catch a connecting flight. This means a second night at a hotel on Condor’s nickel. Not ideal, but it’s much nicer to sleep in a bed rather than a cramped economy seat or an airport bench.

Sheraton at Frankfurt Airport

I may have jinxed us on Sunday by proclaiming, “Next stop, Zagreb!” in my Facebook status. So, this time, I’ll just say “Guten nacht from Frankfurt!”

Low-Down on My Favorite Travel Gear

2012-11-22T11:29:00.000-07:00

It's packing time again! We will be back at the airport in a few days on our trip back to the States.

After 7 months of travel, I've got a better feel for which items I couldn't live without, which ones were missing from my initial packing list, and which things I should have left at home.

I've listed the highlights below, along with links to websites (such as Amazon.com) where you can find out more information. You should know that we're a part of the Amazon Affiliates program, which provides a small commission for any sales that come through our links. It doesn't cost you any extra; it's just a perk that Amazon.com provides for referring customers to their site. I'm describing these products because I like them, not because I'm trying to rack up the advertising dollars.

The 10 Most Useful Items in My Backpack
Most of these items aren't specific to long-term or international travel, but they're all compact, multi-purpose and helpful if you're trying to save on space.

A mini power strip.
One gadget that we can't live without is our Monster Outlets to Go Powerstrip. It's a 4-outlet extension cord with a compact design (less than 5" long). When you're traveling internationally, it's really nice to be able to charge multiple items on only one outlet. Then you only have to worry about bringing one travel adapter!

Monster Outlets to Go Powerstrip with 4-outlets and a wrap-around cord, about $9
Amazon Kindle e-Reader.
Even though I'm not a big reader, I still love my Kindle. We have one of the lower-end models with WiFi but no keyboard. What makes this product so great? It's really light (under 6 ounces) and you can download books on the fly. This is particularly helpful when you're in a non-English-speaking country, as your book selection can be limited. Between Amazon.com's Kindle eBook Store and the Phoenix Digital Library, we can usually find whatever we're looking for. Make sure to download free samples if they're available; it's nice to flip through a book before you buy it!

Kindle with WiFi and 6" display, around $70
A USB memory stick.
A USB stick is another highly versatile device for travelers. We use our USB stick to backup photos, keep electronic copies of important documents (like scans of our passports), and transfer files between computers. If you're going to keep personal information on one, make sure your drive is encrypted or password protected.
A multi-tool.
I have a tiny Wenger Multi-Tool that I carry with me on my travels. It's about 2.5" long and has scissors, a file, a small knife, a toothpick, and tweezers. For more heavy-duty fixes, Jim swears by his Leatherman New Wave Multitool. Just remember to pack these items in your checked luggage!

Wenger Multi-Tool, around $20
A plastic, legal-size envelope.
Call me old-fashioned, but I like to carry around hard copies of my boarding passes, hotel confirmation, itinerary (if I have one!), and important travel documents. I highly recommend buying a snap-closure plastic envelope for organizing and protecting your documents. I prefer a legal-sized envelope since A4 paper (used in Europe) is larger than the standard 8.5" x 11" used in the US. Also, a snap closure is neater than Velcro, which always seems to collect lint and fuzz.

Plastic Snap Closure Envelopes, set of 12 for $24
Pens and a notebook.
This might sound obvious, but I find that it's always useful to have a stash of pens in each of my bags. Why? Because when you're traveling, there's no shortage of forms that need to be filled out. Bring some paper too, preferably in a notebook with removable pages. When faced with a language barrier, it can be easier to give your cabbie a piece of paper with an address, ask a local to draw you a map, or have a cashier write down prices rather than rely on only verbal communication. I also like to take notes on things like must-see attractions or local delicacies.

A jacket with removable layers.
I'm crazy about coats and jackets, but when you're traveling, it's not really practical to bring along a pea coat, a fleece, a down jacket, and a windbreaker. That's why I love my Marmot component jacket. The inner layer is snuggly and warm, while the hooded outer layer makes a great windbreaker. Wear both layers together, or zip them apart and wear each one separately. It's 3 jackets in 1! I usually bring my jacket on board the plane for use as a spare pillow or blanket (and to save room in my luggage!)

Marmot Madison Component Jacket, available from Second Ascent for around $200

A travel-friendly cardigan and skirt.
I decided to bite the bullet and invest in a really nice black cardigan and travel skirt by The North Face. Normally, I don't believe the hype of specially-designated travel products. However, in this case, it was important to me to find something that could be easily washed by hand (if needed) and could withstand a lot of wear. I chose black since it's easy to dress up or down. Both pieces are comfortable and conservative, which means that I don't mind wearing them multiple days a week and can wear them just about anywhere.

The North Face Crystal Wrap, available for $65

The North Face Abby Skirt, available for $22
Stretchy tank tops in neutral colors.
I just love my Gap Pure Body tanks. They're stretchy, soft, and maintain their shape after many rounds of wash and wear. I like layering these tanks under t-shirts, wearing them as a nightshirt, or using them as a coverup at the beach.

Gap Pure Body Tank, available for $14.50

Too Faced's Glamour-to-Go makeup palette.
While I wear makeup, I am not a big makeup person. The Too Faced Glamour To Go compact palette suits me just fine. It has more eyeshadows than I need, a bronzer, blush, and several shades of lip gloss. It's incredibly convenient to have all of these items packed into one set. But be sure to pack your own makeup brushes, as they're not included!

Too Faced Glamour to Go II, available for $15

Stuff That I've Bought Along the Way
Forgetting to pack something isn't the end of the world, as you can usually buy it at your destination. But if you're particular about style or price, keep in mind that your options might be limited during your travels. It can also be tricky to figure out your international clothing or shoe size!

Jeans. I resisted bringing jeans because they can be a real pain to wash on the road. But there's few pieces of clothing that are as comfortable and versatile as a great pair of jeans. Do yourself a favor and pack your favorite all-around pair.
Small purse or daybag. I thought it was totally impractical to bring a purse. How could I pick just one to suit every occasion? Instead, I should have put more thought into a suitable day bag to carry our wallets, camera, GPS, and other small items. I recommend that you avoid tote bags with an open top, as they offer less security against pickpockets. I like one that has an interior zippered pocket (for my most valuable items) and can be carried in front of my body.
Travel-friendly microphone and earpiece for my laptop. We make a lot of calls via the internet. To improve call clarity, we purchased a wired headset that's similar to the hands-free devices that are sold with cell phones.
More t-shirts. I only brought 2 t-shirts with me. This wasn't enough! I wanted to wear t-shirts every day! The trick is to get t-shirts that are generic, as in, they don't feature prominent labels or words on them.

Things That I Shipped Home
Packing for longer trips is an art; bringing just enough stuff to stay comfortable, but not too much to be burdened down by extra gear. The following things never made it out of my backpack, so I shipped them back to the States.

iPod. I really like listening to tunes while I'm strolling along snapping photos, but I haven't used it very much on this trip -- I'd rather talk to Jim! If we want to listen to music at home, we just stream it over the internet.
Dresses. Dresses are great because you just throw them on and get out the door, right? True, but it's harder to re-wear them multiple days in a row. I preferred having separates that I can mix-and-match.
Belts. Never really wore 'em. Most of my shirts were long enough to cover my belt loops, anyways.
Jewelry. There haven't been many occasions where it was worth the trouble to sport earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. I recommend a few cheap pairs of earrings that you can wear with many outfits (and won't be devastated if they get lost along the way).

So that's the highlights! What items are on your must-have list?

No Particular Place is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Countdown to Departure

2012-11-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

We still have a week to go here in South Africa, but I've already checked out!

Our housesit in the Western Cape has been good to us. We've been enjoying some down time, hanging out with laid-back, lovable pets, and meeting lovely, interesting locals. But I can't help but get excited about what's to come. We have quite an adventure planned as we make our way back to Arizona for the holidays.

We decided to break up the long trip back to the States with a stopover in Europe. Where are we going? Croatia, of course! We loved our earlier visit to Croatia so much that I can't wait to go back. This time, instead of visiting the coast, we'll be spending a few days in Zagreb, the capital. It should have a completely different vibe than the sun-drenched shores of the Adriatic. Think cafes, museums and an Austro-Hungarian influence. I just love an urban atmosphere and am already salivating at the thought of getting out and exploring the city on foot. The only hitch is that the weather might be a shock to our systems: the average highs for November are in the 40s (5-10 C).

We might be picking up a pair of these at the airport to stay warm!

After Zagreb, we head west to Las Vegas. We got a smashing deal on Condor Airlines, which offers several non-stop flights from Frankfurt to the US. I think that Vegas makes a great landing spot for our return to the States. (If you're gonna get in the pool, might as well dive into the deep end, right?) Actually, practically speaking, Vegas is a really convenient stop-over city. The airport is only 5 miles away from a slew of competitively priced hotels and, as an added bonus to jet-lagged travelers, the city is open 24 hours a day. This is a good thing when you're coming off of a 10-hour time difference!

We're spending a night in Vegas to recuperate from our long day of travel. Then, we'll drive back to the Valley (rather than take the 45-minute flight) so that we can move at our own pace. When you add in the check-in time at the airport and pick-up at the other end, it's pretty much a wash anyways!

Once we arrive in Arizona, we expect the time to pass quickly... too quickly! After 7 months of travel, being in a familiar place is about as awesome as putting on your favorite pair of slippers. Knowing how to get around, where to eat and shop, and having friends and family to hang out with will be a real treat. Oh, and everyone will be speaking English. Not South African English or Franglish or British English, but American English! It will be music to our ears!

We're also working on our travel plans for 2013. There's still a few more details to arrange, so stay tuned for our big announcement!

Happy Feet at Boulders Beach

2012-11-13T15:44:00.001-07:00

During our travels, Jim and I have naturally fallen into some designated roles. One of the things that I enjoy doing is coming up with a short list of must-see sights... then it's up to Jim to get us there! (Do two people really need to endure the challenge of learning to drive on the left-hand side?)

Some of my top picks for Cape Town have been viewing the spring wildflowers, visiting Stellenbosch (a famous wine-growing region), admiring the view from atop Table Mountain, and sticking my toes in the Indian Ocean. We've been slowly chipping away at my list, usually taking one day trip each week.

The dramatic mountain views and vineyards in Stellenbosch.

You've probably heard of South African wine, but did you know that they also have an indigenous penguin population? Once I caught word of this, I just had to see them for myself.

The Boulders Beach penguin colony was established in the 1980s. It's part of the South African National Park system, charging 45 Rand (about $5) per person for admission. Worth every penny, if you ask me!

I must say, these penguins have some pretty sweet digs. The beach is surrounded by massive granite boulders, dramatic mountain vistas, and La Jolla-style luxury homes. Oh, and the Indian Ocean's not bad, either.

The African penguins themselves are relatively small, only coming up to your knee caps. They were formerly known as Jackass penguins due to their distinctive call... do they sound like a donkey to you?

There's just something mesmerizing and inherently charming about watching these little guys toddle around. The penguins were swarmed by a paparazzi of international tourists, myself included. I must have taken over 100 photos of them.

What did Jim think of the visit? All he said was, "I can't wait to tell our friends that this is what we were doing while they were at work."

The Expense of Travel: October

2012-11-05T05:50:00.004-07:00

When it comes to saving money, house sitting is a close second to moving back in with your parents! The final numbers are in for October, and while it wasn't our most frugal month, it cost us a meager $747. The only surprising thing about this result is that we're spending as much here as we were in France. Our expectation was that South Africa would be a price break compared to Western Europe, but that hasn't turned out to be true in our case.

Last month, we spent $100 more on groceries than our monthly average in France. I guess the food here is more expensive (reports of us eating more are unconfirmed). I've started making pasta because it's priced like caviar in the stores. We've taken out a home equity loan on our house sit so that we can afford instant coffee. Decaf is out until one of the dogs sells, so I'm typing this twice as fast as usual.

Now, I've been wondering for a while if we're really coming out ahead with house sitting. In other words, does the amount that we're saving in housing expenses offset the added cost of flying around every few months? After crunching the numbers, the answer is YES! Even though we paid for apartments and hotels between house sits and spent $4,600 on flights, we'll still save about $5,000 compared to our old cost of living. In fact, by the time we finish this house sit, we will have spent about $16,000 less than if we had stuck with our day jobs and lived in the townhouse! Based on this result, the next logical step would be to move in with our parents...

As always I present to you the graphical representation of our tabulated expenses to date.

Holidays Away from Home

2012-10-31T01:11:00.000-07:00

I never knew how much holidays meant to me. I mean, I've always had a penchant for cutesy holiday-themed treats, but this runs deeper than that. I miss the tradition of celebrating with friends and family. I miss the fireworks, the pumpkin carving, and the holiday lights. I miss the intoxicating smell of the Thanksgiving turkey cooking in the oven, sneaking a taste of prime rib before it's served on Christmas Day, and drinking green beer on St. Patty's Day. There's a strange void when these events vanish completely.

Gobble, gobble!

Today is Halloween and it's one of my favorite holidays. I've been surprised to see a few costumes pop up in stores here in South Africa, as well as special features like "Nightmare on Elm Street" showing on TV. I could certainly go buy a pumpkin at the grocery store, carve it, and display it on the doorstep, but it doesn't have the same impact when you're the only one celebrating!

Violence is never the answer. Not even for zombie nurses.

We have another big holiday coming up during our stay in South Africa: Thanksgiving. Jim and I are hoping to find a turkey (we haven't seen one yet!) and host a proper feast for our neighbors. We'll probably be making the stuffing and pumpkin pie from scratch, as I don't think they're going to be available in a box or pre-made. And the cranberries? I guess we'll have to improvise. They seem to be a New World thing!

The good news is that we'll be home for Christmas. That's right, we're coming back to Phoenix in December! As you can see from our travel map, it's going to be a long trek back across the Atlantic. We're breaking it up with a stopover in Europe (more time in Croatia!), and will arrive in Arizona at the beginning of December.

Have we decided to quit traveling? No, not yet. Our trip to Phoenix is only an extended visit. After the New Year, we want to change course and head south for a while. We've got an urge to flex our Spanglish muscles... and we miss tacos and hot sauce.

We are both very excited to be coming home to Arizona. It will be so wonderful to be surrounded by a comfy, familiar world again, full of awesome friends who we've missed hanging out with! So mark your calendars, and let us know when you're around. We can't wait to see you!

Lessons from France

2012-10-26T03:18:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly 2 months since we left France, and I think it's finally safe to say that enough time has passed that most of my negative feelings about the experience have passed -- at least my blood doesn't boil at the first thought of it anymore! So I figured that now's a good time to start talking about what happened.

While it was clear from my posts that I wasn't exactly into the country life, the larger issues ran much deeper than just our physical location. They had to do with two key aspects of life: mixing business with pleasure and personal insecurities.

I've always found it challenging to do business with friends. This experience hasn't come up often, but when it does, it sets off some inner turmoil. To me, business is very cut and dry, matter-of-fact, durable and efficient. (Perhaps that's my German heritage speaking!) It's usually easy for me to distance myself from interpersonal feelings and make rational decisions when it comes to business. Does this make sense? Is it the most effective use of resources? How can we do this better?

The struggle occurs when there's personal relationships involved. While I've always enjoyed being friends with my co-workers, if we're especially close outside of work, then it's tough to balance the needs of a business with sensitivity towards the person. How can you remain unbiased when someone you care about might get hurt?

In France, Jim and I didn't see eye-to-eye on our roles and expectations as housesitters. I felt that we were overextending ourselves beyond the original expectations, and wanted to establish clear boundaries with all of the parties involved (the homeowners, rental agency, guests, etc.) But the catch was that Jim and I didn't necessarily agree on those boundaries. It's hard to put up a unified front when one half isn't committed to the same cause.

We were able to make compromises on smaller, everyday occurrences. For example, the needy local rental agent once asked us to put together a gift basket for the guests on behalf of her company ("just sign the card with my name and I'll pay you back"). The thought of doing this, for free, on behalf of a paid employee sitting at a desk 15 minutes away from the property (who's earning a nice commission thanks this arrangement) seemed completely ludicrous. When I found out that Jim had agreed to do it as a favor, I flipped... and that's putting it mildly.

Clearly, this wasn't a time when I was willing to sit back and let it go, and Jim realized that too. He quickly called her back and explained that we weren't going to be able to help her out.

What's the lesson in this? It's that sometimes, depending on the situation, it's vital to put your relationships before business. Jim may never understand why that gift basket was such a big deal to me, but he sure could tell that it was more important to respect how upset it made me rather than do a favor for the local agent.

So what were the bigger issues we faced? A lot of them boiled down to our individual thoughts on being "fairly compensated." I tried desperately to keep my responsibilities in line with what I thought was fair, whereas I felt that Jim gave way too much for way too little in return. In the end, as much as it pained me, I was forced to let it go. I wish I could say that I did this gracefully, but avoiding battles led to a lot of sulking. It was hard to overlook what felt like an unjust arrangement. All I could do was manage my own circle, and let Jim be. I was only causing more distress by being upset for him.

The second major hurdle that I faced in France was a very old demon: my own personal insecurities. As part of our housesitting commitment, I had agreed 6 hours of weekly cleaning. This included 2 days of "tidying up" (making beds, picking up towels, wiping down the sinks) and helping the housekeeper turn over the rental on Saturdays, our change over day. I had absolutely no problem with doing this work; I willingly accepted these chores, and didn't have any resentment over some light housekeeping.

The guests treated me pleasantly, too. Since we had already interacted several times before I'd pop into the house to clean, I was never really labeled as "the maid." Except for one unsavory guest, who demanded that I make him coffee (not a chance, buddy! I've worked with surgeons and attorneys, you don't intimidate me!), most of the time the guests went out of their way to keep things tidy and would tell me not to bother with fussing over the bed pillows.

So if I didn't resent the work, felt adequately compensated, and was treated well by the guests, why did I feel insecure? It was all in my head.

For some reason, I felt very compelled to justify that I chose to do this work (i.e., I chose to be an unemployed housesitter and travel the world) and, more critically, that I was an intelligent person.

I am by no means implying that someone who cleans isn't smart or even well-educated. But to me, the worst feeling in the world would have been to be mistaken as a flake.

I have a t-shirt that perfectly captures this sentiment. It's baby pink and features a '50s housewife, apron strings and all, with her hands in the air, exclaiming, "and to think I have a Ph.D."

From Cafe Press.

I really wish I had brought that shirt with me to France. While it seems like a lighthearted poke at filling a traditional female role (despite being overeducated), it also serves another purpose. In my mind, it screams, "I am a smart, educated, and independent woman, and am doing this activity because I choose to do it! I can even make a joke of it!"

While you may not find the humor in this slogan, I'm sure you can agree that it's broadcasting another message: it advertises proudly that I have a Ph.D. Little did I know, that's really what I was looking for in buying this shirt.

Once I finally realized why I felt so insecure about doing housekeeping, it brought back a stream of emotions related to why I went to grad school in the first place. It was what all of the top students were doing. I had to do it because I wouldn't be satisfied with "only" a Bachelor's degree; I had to get the highest degree in my field. Earning a Ph.D. would clearly establish that I was an intelligent person. Wow, I sure spent a lot of years dedicated to supporting my ego. Now that I wasn't getting any recognition for it, I felt vulnerable and exposed.

So now what? I'm not quite sure. But it's clear that I need to start taking pride in things besides my academic achievements. I've heard that defining yourself in terms of your job is a very American concept. Maybe our continued travels will open my eyes to things that other cultures regard as valuable. Perhaps the first step is not being so hard on myself and taking pride in trying to be a good person every day. Sounds smart, doesn't it?

West Coast Wildflowers

2012-10-24T14:50:00.001-07:00

We arrived in South Africa just in time to catch the annual wildflower season (remember, it's spring here in the southern hemisphere!) The Western Cape has designated Flower Routes for budding floriculturists to enjoy nature's colorful display.

We combined flower viewing with a visit to West Coast National Park, located about 75 miles north of Cape Town. Spring flowers are a lucrative attraction for the park; they open a special section for two months of the year and double the cost of admission (88 Rand per person, or 10 USD).

Only a limited palette of orange and yellow flowers were still blooming during our visit, but, to be fair, it was the very last day of the season.

DCH, these made me think of you!

Does this scream Claritin commercial or what?

Thankfully, the wildflowers weren't the only eye candy in the park. There were also some nice panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean.

But I'd have to say that my personal favorite was catching a glimpse of the local wildlife!

Bontebok

Mountain zebra

Springbok, like the rugby team!

Another highlight was our lovely lunch at Geelbeck Restaurant, which is located inside the park. The restaurant is housed in a historic Cape Dutch building built in 1744. The brochure advertised "traditional South African fare prepared by local Malay women," so it sounded too good to pass up!

I had Cape Malay Chicken Curry and Jim had Bobotie, a spiced meat casserole with an eggy topping. They were both delicious! Our meals were served with local veggies and homemade pumpkin pie (apparently that's not just an American thing!)

That's bobotie!

No antelopes or zebras were harmed in the preparation of our lunch... at least we don't think so. But we did pick up a nice animal hide as a souvenir! Just kidding! We only brought back photos, I swear.

To Catch a Tortoise

2012-10-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

After 30 minutes of running in circles around the backyard, Jim was able to capture a few pictures of our tortoises! Those little guys are surprisingly quick!

What do you think? Are they cute or what?

Driving Backwards

2012-10-15T03:53:00.003-07:00

During our time here in South Africa, we've had the privilege of using the owner's car. Here it is:

Blast from the past!

Is that a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit? Why no, it's a 2006 Volkswagen Citi! The Rabbit was produced in South Africa from 1984 to 2009 with minor face lifts here and there (The Internet, 2012). Apparently, there is a little problem with car theft around here, so while it doesn't have power steering, power windows, or airbags, the Citi does have the most obstinate factory car alarm that's ever been installed. The unlock button disarms the alarm for approximately 1.3 seconds, in which time you must enter, sit down, and shut the door before it re-arms and detonates. Once we're in, we sit in fear of touching anything lest we set off the alarm. Don't touch the radio! It's rigged!

Driving the car is a whole other matter. Here in South Africa, they drive on the left side of the road. I think they started doing this in the '60s when The Beetles were really big (The Internet, 2012). Before arriving, several people told me, "Don't worry about it. Driving on the opposite side is easy. Five minutes and it will be totally natural." After experiencing it, I have come to the realization that these people are either:

Supremely gifted ambidextrous drivers.
Total liars with good intentions.
BSers who have never driven on the opposite side of the road in their lives.

As it turns out, driving on the opposite side of the road in a backwards car is wicked hard! Something that I can normally do in my sleep (but try not to), has become an experience that ranges from mentally exhausting to completely terrifying. If I manage to get into the car on the correct side, I reach over my left shoulder for the seat belt, but it's not there. Then, I grab the window crank with my right hand and try to shift. Once I realize that the gear shift is on my left, I grope for it blindly until I'm convinced that it's gone missing.

The fun doesn't end there. Once we've made it out of the driveway, it takes me about 30 minutes to realize that the rear view mirror is on my left side, not the right. Also, much to Natalie's dismay, the left side of the car doesn't exist to me, making for a thrilling passenger experience. So far, I've managed to run over several obstacles on that side. Cyclists and traffic cones, beware! I have also manged to hit the brake pedal instead of the clutch. That would wake you up if the brakes weren't complete rubbish...










Hover over different parts of the picture to learn more!

Then, there is the mental challenge of driving on the "wrong" side of the road. I live in fear that cars are coming from every possible direction, because they are! I can't take a right-hand turn without looking over my right shoulder in the unnerving belief that someone is coming up behind me. If someone isn't in front of me at a red light to guide me through an intersection, I just aim for anything that isn't headlights. In other words, nothing is automatic. If it is automatic, then it's a good sign that I'm driving into oncoming traffic.

Like most travelers, I generally strive to fit in and avoid drawing attention to myself. Well, the other day, every one of the aforementioned challenges clearly outed me as the guy who's "not from around here." We stopped for gas at the petrol station where the local fishermen were refilling their boats and exchanging fish stories (cuz that's what fisherman do (The Internet, 2012)). While the attendant filled our tank, the car determined that more than 1.3 seconds had elapsed without engine operation and re-armed the alarm. When I started the car to leave, the alarm detonated, blasting the horn and flashing the lights. I tried pushing the disarm button, but to no avail. In my panic, I turned on the windshield wipers, which up to this point I'd never learned to activate (or for that matter, to deactivate). As I fumbled around, I could sense the annoyed looks of the fisherman penetrating through my freshly cleaned windshield. Thinking it would be best to leave the scene and deal with this down the road, I bucked and lurched the car out of the station with horn blaring, lights flashing, wipers wiping, and driving down the wrong side of the road. I'm pretty sure that no one noticed.

Lazy Days and Long Walks on the Beach

2012-10-11T15:21:00.002-07:00

We've become quite lazy here in our South African beach house. There's something about this place that instantly puts us at ease. Maybe it's sound of the waves, the sea breeze, or the laid-back atmosphere of this small fishing village. It's all wonderfully relaxing.

Even the internet connection is reminding us to take it slow. For me, this has resulted in endless games of Mahjong while I wait for webpages to load, whereas Jim has really embraced his inner bookworm. He's reading anything he can get his hands on, from Nelson Mandela's autobiography to how-to manuals.

One of our favorite pastimes has been taking long walks on the beach with our two favorite blondes, Pella and Biscuit. We thought you might enjoy a few photos of our stroll along Pearl Bay, the local beach. I already have that I'm-gonna-miss-this-place feeling...*sigh*

That's Table Mountain in the distance!

The Expense of Travel: September

2012-10-07T12:46:00.001-07:00

Well my friends, the month of September cost us a massive $3,820 and broke our streak of frugal living! So what happened?

First off, we bought flights to leave South Africa in late November. We're far from pretty much everywhere that isn't Africa or Antarctica, so it cost $2,100 for both of us to arrive at our next destination. At least we'll get a couple of frequent flier miles out of the deal.

So what about the other $1,700? How did we go from spending $700/month on daily expenses one month and then rack up $1,700 the next?! Simple.We went to England...and rented an apartment near London. In 12 days we went through $1,040. To put that into perspective, the same amount would have lasted us 40 days in France! The other $700 went to expenses once we arrived in South Africa. We stayed a few days in Cape Town where we paid for a guesthouse and did touristy things (the aquarium was pricey, but I'd still recommend it. They have a shark tank.). We also had to buy groceries and other sundries to outfit our new home. The first grocery shopping trip is always a big one.

So there you have it. As a result of September, our monthly average increased to about $1,200/month. Still under our original $2,000/month estimate and sure to subside as we house sit for the next two months. As always, I present to you the monthly expenses chart for all the time we've been on the road. We spent so much on September lodging that I had to move the title block!

For a better explanation of the categories, go here!

Our New Digs in South Africa

2012-10-02T23:50:00.000-07:00

We've just finished our first week as housesitters here in South Africa. Things are starting to fall into place (we've found the grocery store, unpacked our bags, and have even done laundry!) and we're feeling a bit more settled in our new home.

It seems to take us about 2 weeks to get our bearings. I think that's pretty good, considering each move constitutes a change in not only living arrangements, but also countries, languages, and currencies!

The house we're staying in might best be described as a beach cottage. That's not to say we're roughing it here -- this is a proper year-round home with modern amenities -- it's just a very simple, relaxing, and homey place that makes you feel like you're on vacation. It's even close enough to the ocean to hear the waves crashing on the beach. How wonderful is that?

Our backyard, with native fynbos vegetation

We also have our very own pet menagerie: a pair of lovable Labrador Retrievers, a savvy kitty, and countless tortoises (who've unofficially taken up residence in the backyard).

Mugwa the cat and Pella the Lab

Old man Biscuit, whom I've affectionately dubbed "Brutus"

All in all, we're feeling really great about this housesit. A laid-back beach town is just what we needed!