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Cyprus In My Heart Forever

July 22, 2022

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This island. It will always hold a very special place in my heart. I truly love it for so many reasons. Cyprus in my heart forever.

How do I love thee? Let’s count the ways…

1.)Lockdown 2020

The day before lockdown…we had no idea what was coming in March 2020

In March 2020 after fleeing lockdown in Israel we landed in Cyprus. Our thoughts at the time were that we would sit tight for two or three weeks and wait out this crazy Corona thing. Five days later, we went into total lockdown which I always describe as house arrest. We could only leave our house once a day with permission from local Cyprus authorities, which we obtained through an app on our phones. What initially was presented as a ten-day lockdown became two months for us…and even longer for the Cypriot people.

The airport shut down with no flights in or out, and so we hunkered down for a long stay. It was March, still cool in the Mediterranean, but dry and sunny most days. All archeological sites and museums, all beaches, trails and recreational facilities were closed. As well as all shops and restaurants except for a handful of grocery stores and pharmacies.

My friend Patience who helped me stay sane during lockdown

Lockdown 2020 on Cyprus was definitely not something we had on our travel itinerary, but it became one of the most unique and memorable experiences of our life – putting Cyprus in my heart forever.

2.)Lemon Grove Villas, Argaka

Lemon Grove Villa in the middle of a citrus grove

Lucky for us, we were in an Airbnb called Lemon Grove Villas in the tiny village of Argaka. Argaka is on the far northwest corner of the island, about as far as you can get from the international airport city of Larnaca.

Not only was Lemon Grove Villa comfortable and spacious, but it also had one of the absolute best hosts we have had in all of our travels. Maria and Fytos were outstanding and made such an effort to make our unexpectedly long stay, unexpectedly comfortable.

3.)We Shall Return

When we finally left Cyprus after two months, we vowed to return – and we kept that vow, returning 26 months later this past June. We only had a week this time, but we spent the entire week back at our beloved Lemon Grove Villa, getting to see our sweet hosts Maria and Fytos. And this time, thanks to fabulous weather, enjoying the beautiful pool.

4.)Sunshine and Sand

If you have been to Greece, Cyprus feels just like that. But without the crowds or the price tag. Sunny skies, turquoise water, beautiful beaches. It’s surprising Cyprus is not one of the Greek islands, but most Cypriots consider themselves Greek and you will see the Greek flag everywhere. At least on the Greek Cypriot side (south side) of this island.

5.)Ancient History, Recent History

This island is said to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love. The island has been occupied by many civilizations dating back as far as far as the 12th century BC. Given its strategic position in the Mediterranean it’s no wonder so many wanted a piece of it over the millennia. Throughout the 140 mile long by 60 miles wide island you will find a fascinating array of ancient ruins and archeological sites all worth a visit.

More recent history has included a civil war in 1974 when Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, occupying and taking over entire cities including property and homes. Greek Cypriots fled south and Turkish Cypriots fled north, leaving everything behind. Still today Turkey has control of the northern part of the island but it is not recognized by the United Nations. It wasn’t until 2003 that a border crossing was opened. Today you can still see the sad remains of people’s homes and businesses abandoned and bullet ridden along the UN Buffer Zone.

Looking towards the former resort town of Famagusta, now a ghost town on the Turkish side of the occupied North

6.)Hiking and Running

We love to run and hike and Cyprus offered beautiful and safe places to do both. In Argaka we ran nearly every day, both during lockdown and in our recent visit. And we also enjoyed several hikes along the ocean, in the mountains and through some glorious slot canyons.

7.)Food Glorious Food

Kleftiko one of the island’s famous dishes made with lamb

Very similar to Greek food, Cypriot food is abundant with fresh and locally grown produce. Throughout the island and especially in Argaka you will find citrus, olives, nuts, and berries growing next to wheat, barley, watermelons, zucchini and tomatoes. Honey and breads are abundant as are candies and amazing coffee. You can find local wine that is cheap and delicious and recently a surge of craft beer. It is a breadbasket of the Mediterranean. The cuisine includes a lot of fish, lamb, beef and chicken as well as yogurt, feta and amazing halloumi cheese. Oh my goodness. I was in heaven. Learn more about Cypriot foods and cooking in this post In the Cyprus Test Kitchen.

8.) Kind and Hardworking People

And then there are the quiet and kind Cypriots. Some of the hardest working people I have ever met, yet always ready with a shy smile and a welcome.

Cyprus in My Heart Forever

What more could anyone want in a destination? It’s inexpensive, beautiful, delicious and great weather. There is interesting history and architecture, nature and views. Each city offers a wide variety of accommodations and restaurants. If I compare it to Maui it is half the price or less, with fewer tourists and traffic. For Americans it’s a bit difficult to get to, but there are lots of direct flights from London, so that’s typically the best way to get here. But however you get here, just get here.

The UN Border crossing between Cyprus and the occupied north

I am already working on a plan to get back to Cyprus for a long extended visit in 2024. Cyprus, in my heart forever.

Learn more about the Civil War and unrest in Cyprus through this beautiful book The Island of Missing Trees.

Read our post the Cyprus Test Kitchen here.

See last week’s blog post about our trip to Israel, Visiting Israel – We Finally Made it Back.

See this week’s top performing pin Authentic Moroccan Food Tour

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Africa & The Middle East Travel

Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit

June 24, 2022

Laureen

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Why Senegal? I’m not exactly sure why, except I had heard it was one of the more progressive nations on the African continent. Having visited Burkina Faso in West Africa as well as several other nations in North, South and East Africa, I was curious about Senegal. It was an easy hop from Morocco where we had been to attend a wedding, so why not? We spent five days. Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit.

Dakar

The country of Senegal is home to 16 million people, and more than three million live in Dakar. Dakar, though more cosmopolitan than many African cities, is fraught with traffic and air pollution. Although a brand new international airport opened last year, other infrastructure is lacking and traffic is a mess. An incredible amount of construction of apartments and condominiums is going on. Our guide told us these are all privately funded and very expensive so not intended for the local people, who on average earn about $600 a month.

I don’t pretend to understand the government in Senegal (see Wikipedia on Senegal here), but from my brief observations there seems to be a disconnect between leadership and the people. Of course this is not uncommon in many nations, and especially developing countries. Although Senegal has never had a civil war or a coup, it’s not hard to imagine a ticking time bomb. During our visit teachers were on strike and had been on strike for several months. School children have nothing to occupy their days and…trouble ensues. Bored teenagers with no focus are the same around the world. Unemployment is 40%. Young men out of work wander aimlessly looking for fun and trouble.

How will this end? It was something on my mind as I pondered Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit.

Goree Island

We hired a guide from Senegal Odyssey Tours to help us explore the area. On our second day, Omour met us at our hotel and we spent a couple hours in the morning touring the city of Dakar, seeing colonial sites (Senegal was a French colony until 1960), and learning some history.

Next we headed to Goree Island via ferry, the most significant site in Dakar as far as history. The Portuguese arrived in the 1400’s to Goree and quickly secured it due to it’s strategic location for protection.

The door of no return where slaves loaded ships

Slave block where slaves were bought and sold

But in 1536 the Portuguese launched the slave trade, realizing the immense profitability awaiting them by trading human beings rather than goods. For the next 312 years, more than 20 million African people – men, women and children – were brutally captured, detained, raped, beaten, imprisoned and THEN loaded by the hundreds on tiny ships and sailed off to points west. Many would die before arriving. Many would survive but never see their families or children again.

Horrific.

Goree Island tells this story for the visitor by allowing visitors to see and feel the tiny prisons. Goree Island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. Learn more here.

Kayar

We took a day off between tours and just relaxed and did some catch up work on the computer, as well as a short walk around our neighborhood of Almadies near our hotel called La Residence. This neighborhood is “upscale” and home to several embassies including the US Embassy.

But then the next day bright and early Omour was there to pick us up again as we began the nearly two hour drive to the fishing village of Kayar. The drive was long and slow and Senegal was experiencing a significant desert dust storm and I was wondering if this would be worth it. Oh yes it was.

Kayar was an astonishing site, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. This is the most important fishing village in Senegal and we luckily arrived at the height of the morning catch frenzy. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. Hundreds of boats. Thousands of people. Millions of fish. Highly competitive, a bit frantic and a bit frightening. The catch of the day included tuna, snapper, herring and barracuda. Fish were being pulled out of the boats by the thousands, no bad smell as they were completely fresh. Some of the fish is used in payment to the workers, some goes to local regional restaurants while much of it is frozen for the Asian market.

Fascinating.

Lac Rose

I had heard about the Pink Lake, but Omour didn’t want me to be disappointed so he made sure I understood the lake was not always pink. In fact the pink/rose color, which is created by algae, is most prominent on clear sunny days. And honestly due to the air pollution and sand pollution a clear sunny day is rare.

On arrival we found more of a dirty brown lake, in some places a blood red color. We took a small boat out to see the salt being collected. Salt mining in the lake is what most the local people do for a living in this region. We learned that only men do the salt collecting because it was determined a few years ago that women were having miscarriages from the salt.

The men cover themselves in Shea butter and only spend four hours in the four foot deep water. Here they scoop the salt from the bottom with a shovel, into a basket they hold down with their feet. Then they dump the heavy load into a boat. The salt can be a grey color, but once exposed to the sun it turns white.

Until 1978 this spot was the culmination point of the Paris to Dakar car rally. We took a dune buggy ride to see some of what remains of that route, and to see the crashing Atlantic ocean as it breaks onto Senegal’s western shores.

Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit

Senegal is one of the most developed African nations and I hope for the people here who need jobs and education to help catapult them forward. There is so much untapped human potential. I hope the government and the people can make it happen. I am glad I came. Thank you for reading my post Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit.

Read last week’s post Morocco Three Day Tour Marrakesh to Fez

Next week I’ll share about Malta.

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Africa & The Middle East Travel

Morocco Three Day Tour Marrakesh to Fez

Amazing Morocco

June 17, 2022

Laureen

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It’s my second visit to the amazing country of Morocco, one of my favorite countries in the world. When I visited five years ago (pre-pandamit) we did a five day guided tour with desert camel night from Fez to Marrakesh. We loved it. This time, we only had three days available but we found a wonderful company Marrakesh Camel Trips who created an amazing Morocco Three Day Tour Marrakesh to Fez.

Marrakesh

Our quick visit to Marrakesh was really fun, especially the Marrakesh Food Tour we did on our second night. I love this city, and wished for more time, but alas our tour began early in the morning. Our guide Lhoucine came all the way to our hidden Riad and met us right at the door, assisting with our luggage and taking us to his vehicle.

Day One

Because we only had three days (instead of the five for the same route when we did this before), we spent a lot of time in the car. But it’s a beautiful country and there is a lot of area between sites. The car we were in was comfortable and had plenty of space for the four of us and our luggage. We stopped multiple times to enjoy the remarkable views and scenery before arriving at the ancient city of Ksar Ait Ben Haddou.

Ksar Ait Ben Haddou

This amazing and ancient Moroccan village is one of my favorite things in all of Morocco. I highly recommend you visit here, even if you aren’t on a tour. It’s astonishing. Ksar Aït Benhaddou is a historic ksar (loosely translates to castle) along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in Morocco. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Morocco is home to nine UNESCO sites…Ait Ben Haddou is one of the amazing ones.

Our guide who was raised in Ait Ben Haddou

Ouarzazate

This beautiful region of the Berber people is both ancient and modern. We made a brief stop to learn about the industry here of rose agriculture and rose oil and other rose products. During the rose season (now) people stand on the side of the road and give visitors wreaths of roses.

It had been a long day of driving and we headed to our hotel called the Sultan Dades near Ourazazate where we had very comfortable rooms with a beautiful view and a great meal too.

Day Two

This day will end with a sunset camel ride into a desert camp. But first we have a whole lot to see and do as our guide Lhoucine expertly takes us through this region. First, he has a special surprise for us. We go off road looking for nomads who live in caves. Not something I’ve ever done. Unfortunately nobody was home…LOL. Seriously, their campfire was still warm. Out tending the goats I guess. It was fun to see where they live during certain times of the year.

Todras Canyon

This amazing long narrow canyon is a must stop on your Morocco tour. I was here five years ago in the winter and it was chilly. But on this day my family and I had a lovely walk in the warm morning. You can stop and have a Moroccan tea and just sit enjoying the beauty of this unique geography.

Lhoucine took us on a little hike up the side of the Todras Canyon to see some more nomad caves and the view was great. Moving on we stopped at a Fossil museum and shop where we learned about how this entire region used to be under the ocean.

Erg Chebbi

After a few hours drive, stop for lunch and a few other sites, we ended up in the area known as Erg Chebbi. We are now near the place we will ride the camels, Merzouga, but first we will visit an amazing market. I love it when I can go to a local market, with a local. There was nothing touristy about this market. And this is the hometown of our guide Lhoucine. He knew everyone. It was a wonderful way to experience an authentic Moroccan Market.

Merzouga

When I did the overnight camel ride before, I thought it was never going to happen again. I was a little worried I would be disappointed on my second trip. No need to worry. The second time was even better than the first. It was a beautiful evening, I was with my family AND our camp was outstanding.

First, Lhoucine made sure we stopped to get our Berber scarfs for the camel ride, before meeting our camels.

The family in our Berber scarfs. This is the Berber flag.

Luxury Desert Camp

The camel ride takes about two hours, which includes a stop to watch the sunset. It’s a remarkable experience, stunning scenery in it’s simplicity. A bit magical. I think the photos describe it best.

That’s the Lund Family. Looks like our next Christmas card perhaps?

That’s me – the hubs took this photo from a top an adjacent dune

A lucky shot – took this over my shoulder while I was on my camel moving. Beautiful.

Arriving in camp I was overjoyed at how much nicer it was than the rough camp we stayed in before. The accommodations were comfortable, there was electricity and wifi and both breakfast and dinner were great. The evening was spent with music around the campfire before we all retired for a good night’s sleep.

Day Three

We had the option of either riding the camels back or having Lhoucine come out in the 4WD and pick us up in the morning. We chose to do the 4WD because we wanted to arrive in Fez in time to meet our friends for dinner. So after breakfast and lots of good Moroccan coffee, we began our final day, a very long drive to Fez.

Lhoucine made sure we stopped to enjoy as many panoramic views as possible, to break up the long day in the car. As a very special treat, we stopped in the Atlas Mountains at a beautiful pine tree park where Lhoucine made us Berber tea over an open fire and we enjoyed Berber Pizza. Lhoucine had bought the pizza in the morning and like a magician pulled it out at lunch to enjoy with the hot mint tea. What a nice way to end our amazing tour with our amazing guide.

Marrakesh Camel Trips

A special thank you to our guide Lhoucine and to Marrakesh Camel Trips for taking such good care of us and helping my family experience both the tourist and the hidden sites of Morocco on our journey.

Morocco Three Day Tour Marrakesh to Fez

If you have the time to do this trip in four or five days it would mean not such long days in the car. But it is doable in three days and we enjoyed it so very much. We highly recommend this tour company, who have many different tours, and I hope you too can enjoy Morocco Three Day Tour Marrakesh to Fez someday soon.

Read last week’s post about our Marrakesh Food Tour here.

Next week we will share about our visit to Senegal. Meanwhile, we love it when you pin and share our blog posts. Thank you for reading.

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Africa & The Middle East Travel -- Europe Travel -- Inspire -- Island Life -- North America Travel

And The Grand Adventure Continues

Travel is Back for My Fab Fifties Life

April 15, 2022

Laureen

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When we went to Iceland in June 2021 I thought travel was back. But then the Greek alphabet started to wreak havoc on our travel life. First Delta hit in the summer and then Omicron almost shut us down when we were in Mexico. That Pandamit refused to loose it’s grip. Now, more than two years since it started, we once again are cautiously dipping our toes into travel with a ten week tour. We are ready and The Grand Adventure Continues.

And the Grand Adventure Continues (Canva)

My word of the year for 2022 is caution. And although we always travel with caution, navigating a travel life today requires a great deal more preparation and caution than in the past. Changing rules for testing and entry requirements require constant monitoring. It requires patience. It requires time. And it also requires being a bit of a gambler.

Off We Go

So with all that in mind, we have spent the past several months planning, studying the CDC information and reading the US State Department guidelines. We have put hundreds of hours into our preparation to embark on this tour. The destinations listed below each are chosen for a specific reason – personal and cautionary…and the Grand Adventure continues.

New York City

Twice we have canceled a week long winter visit to NYC due to the Pandamit. When we decided to try again for a spring visit, it was because we were headed to Boston for a college reunion. But alas, the college reunion was canceled (sigh). So we added the days we were going to be in Boston to the days we had already booked for New York…giving us a nice long stay of eleven days.

We have been to New York at least a half a dozen times, but each time has always been only 2-3 days. Having eleven days gives us time to slowly see the city and all it’s fabulous museums, restaurants, neighborhoods and history. We have a full itinerary and are really looking forward to it. April 21-May 2.

Caribbean

When we first decided to head to the Caribbean after New York the other countries on our itinerary (see below) hadn’t totally opened up. So we decided to head to the turquoise waters of two islands we had never been to before. It’s been a long time since we spent time in the Caribbean and we are looking forward to ten days in Antigua (in an Airbnb with a car) and ten days in Turks & Caicos (a resort with no car). For us it’s incredibly rare that we stay in a resort, so this should be interesting. It’s not a super fancy all-inclusive, but it is nice and we expect it to be very relaxing and within our budget. May 2-May 21

Morocco

From the Caribbean we fly to Washington DC for a one night stay, where we will also do a Covid test for entry into Morocco. This is also where we will rendezvous with our two adult sons, who are joining us for the Morocco portion of this itinerary. We are off to Morocco to attend a wedding reception of a friend of our family…a party that has been canceled three previous times since the Pandamit hit. Before the wedding in Fes, our family will spend a week touring Morocco. This is my second visit to Morocco and I am really looking forward to seeing this beautiful country again, sharing it with my two adult children and attending a traditional Moroccan wedding. It should be an incredible experience. May 23-May 31.

Senegal

The West Africa nation of Senegal has been on my list for a long time due to it’s fascinating history, but we have never been able to squeeze it in. But it’s a short flight from Casablanca to Dakar so we will check Senegal off the bucket list. We have a brief visit (five days) and have hired a tour guide for two days to take us to some of the major sites. May 31 – June 5.

Paris

From Senegal we are headed to the island of Malta, but to get to Malta requires a flight and an overnight in Paris. Well Paris is always a good idea, right? Fingers crossed for good weather to spend one full day strolling around my favorite arrondissements of the city of lights and eating everything I can. June 5-6

Malta

The next three stops on this tour are three places Covid shut us down in, and we have been counting the days until we could return. So we begin with Malta.

We were supposed to spend three weeks on Malta in May of 2020…of course that didn’t happen. It’s a destination I have wanted to visit for years. Full of beauty and history and fascinating geography…if you don’t know much about Malta you would probably recognize it from the role it plays in many movies and TV shows including Game of Thrones. We are staying in the historic town of Valletta in an Airbnb and we will not have a car except for one day when we have a car to see the ancient city of M’dina. I’ve booked a food tour and a one day tour to the island of Gozo. The rest of the time we will explore on foot. June 6-15th

Israel

In March of 2020 after only five days of our 17 day itinerary in Israel we fled the country to avoid being put into a two week quarantine. We fled to Cyprus (more on that below) and I cried in the car as we drove to the airport. We had seen some amazing sites in Israel, but no where near all, including Jerusalem and Masada. I had waited to visit Israel since I was a child and learned about it from a Girl Scout leader. My heart was broken.

So let’s try it again. This time we will spend our entire 7 day visit in Jerusalem in an Airbnb. We have a Jerusalem tour one day, another tour to Bethlehem in Palestine one day, and we will rent a car and drive to Masada one day. We also have booked a Shabat dinner with a local family. These are all high on my wishlist. I love the food of this region too, and I can’t wait to eat all of it! June 15 – 22

Cyprus

Dear sweet Cyprus. It holds such a special place in my heart, after we spent two months in lockdown on this gorgeous island. But during that two months we did not see any of the amazing historic sites, enjoy any of it’s stunning beaches or eat in any of it’s amazing restaurants. Covid had everything shut down. We have vowed to return and now we will.

Unfortunately we only have seven days, but we know exactly what we want to see and do, and we can make it happen. Looking forward to staying in the same Airbnb we were trapped in for two months and we can’t wait to see our hosts who were so kind to us. We also hope to see our friend Leza who we met and spent a day with in a cooking class – the only thing we got to do before we went into lockdown.

Cyprus is a fascinating tiny country with a disputed border, fantastic food, ancient history (supposedly the birthplace of Aphrodite), mountains and beaches and so much more. Dear sweet Cyprus. We are coming. June 23-30

Ten Weeks and The Grand Adventure Continues

This itinerary is busy…much busier than we usually pursue. But we are taking a deep breath and tackling it, because life is short and due to the Pandamit we have some catching up to do! We will arrive back in the USA June 30th for the summer months before we go again.

We hope you will follow along on this blog and all of our social media sites (Facebook Group, Facebook Page, Twitter and Instagram) and of course here on the blog where I hope to have a post almost every Friday.

Be brave and get out there! Travel is back! And the Grand Adventure continues. Away we go.

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See last week’s post Travel Wardrobe for Multiple Climates.

See this week’s top performing pin here My Favorite Things Ogunquit Maine

All photos in this post by CANVA

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Asia & Oceania Travel -- Island Life

Bora Bora on a Budget

How to Visit This Beautiful Island Without Breaking the Bank

February 18, 2022

Laureen

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Location: Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Air Tahiti is budget friendly — Air Tahiti is the island to island option

Our two month visit to French Polynesia is now into it’s fifth week, and we recently hopped over to Bora Bora for five days. Despite how much we are loving living on the island of Mo’orea, we felt we needed to see what the fuss is all about on Bora Bora. But we travel on a pretty strict budget, so we approached this excursion in a thrifty way. Here are our Bora Bora on a Budget recommendations.

Why We Travel Budget Friendly

Because we have designed a life for ourselves that includes long-term travel, staying on budget is critical. The only way we can sustain long term travel on our retired income is to travel inexpensively. Although it looks attractive to spend a night in a $1200 over the water bungalow, we know through experience and research, we can spend twenty nights in our Airbnb on Mo’orea for the same price.

Blue Bora Bora Budget friendly beach — Bora Bora

To some people, a once in a life time visit to an over the water bungalow might be a dream come true, but I would like to convince more people to recognize how traveling in a budget friendly way will give you deep, authentic and meaningful travel experiences. I am living proof of that.

So, if your goal is that Instagram selfie on an over priced over the water bungalow, then this blog is not for you. Otherwise, please read on…

When to Travel

We always try to travel to popular destinations in the low or shoulder season. Our two months in French Polynesia is the low season, also called the rainy season. Although it poured rain for the first four days we were here in mid-January, the weather has been great ever since.

Bora Bora off season is budget friendly — Great weather

This is also one of the reasons we love Hawaii in September and October; no crowds, great rates and good weather. Off peak travel is the way to go when you are on a budget.

Where to Stay

We researched, for purposes of this blog, costs at a few of the over the water bungalows on Bora Bora. They range from $800 to more than $2000 a night, depending on the resort, the season and the location.

Bora Bora has a nice selection of Airbnbs under $200, and if you stay long term you can even find some closer to $100.

Budget friendly hotels — Hotel Royal Bora Bora

We spent four nights at the Royal Bora Bora, a really nice and comfortable hotel in the Matira Beach area on the south part of the main island. We paid $180 per night (off peak) for this property that included a fantastic private beach, pool and breakfast included. Our room was big and clean and comfortable with a nice lanai that overlooked a garden. And the staff was fantastic. We highly recommend this property, which was also within walking distance to a grocery store and four restaurants.

Breakfast included helps with budget — Omelet for breakfast at Royal Bora Bora

Things to Do

On Land

Touring the island by land requires a vehicle of some kind. Here are some options for your consideration as you think about Bora Bora on a Budget;

Guided Private Tour 4WD Land Tour $650

Guided Group Tour 4WD Half Day $75

ATV Private Tour $1100

Avis Rental Car – many options starting at about $120 per day

Scooter Rental available from many locations including Avis about $40 per day

Bike – our choice. For $17 per person we rented bikes from our hotel and spent half a day riding.

Budget friendly cycling — Cycling on Bora Bora

On Sea

Getting wet is one of the top things visitors to Bora Bora like to do. Here are some options so you can compare costs;

Whale Watching (seasonal)$200

Full Day Snorkle with Lunch $140

Rent Your Own Boat – multiple options of boats and prices starting at $180 for half day

Sunset Sail $300

Snorkle at Public Beach with your own gear – our choice. We brought our snorkel set with us that we purchased on Mo’orea for $60 and we have already gotten our money’s worth.

Self serve snorkeling is budget friendly — Snorkling at the public beach

And Way Up High

Birdseye view of Mo'orea — Our view from Air Tahiti as we left Mo’orea

If you want to see it from above…well if you flew here on Air Tahiti, which you probably did, you have already had the best point of view. But for your consideration, here are a few more;

Parasailing starting at $250 per couple

Helicopter Tour $200 per person

Hike to the top of the mountain – our choice. There are several hikes on the island, and depending where you are staying many are accessible from resorts and hotels. We enjoyed our hike and it was free!

Hiking is free and good for you — On the mountain top

Things to Eat

To save money, Airbnb is a great option for the ability to cook your own meals. There are only a handful of grocery stores on the island, the biggest on is a Super U in Vaitape. Other ways to eat on a budget include;

Hotel with Breakfast included – our choice. The Hotel Royal Bora Bora offered an incredible full breakfast every morning included in our room. It kept us full throughout the day and then we went out to dinner in the evening.

Take Out food from Grocery and Gas Station

“Snack” which is French Polynesia Fast Food

One splurge meal not budget friendly — We had one delicious dinner out

Bora Bora on a Budget

Before visiting the beautiful Polynesian islands take some time to consider what is the most important for you, and create a budget to make it happen. Whatever your budget is, Bora Bora is available to you, with a little pre-planning and prioritizing. Bora Bora on a Budget – enjoy the beautiful South Pacific.

Thanks for reading Bora Bora on a Budget. We love it when you pin and share our blog posts.

See our blog about The Flavors of French Polynesia

See this week’s top performing pin Mo’orea Musings Week One

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Inspire

What is Diverticulosis

My Diagnosis, Symptoms, Surgery & Recovery

April 23, 2021

Laureen

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Location: USA

Note – thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers. I am doing well.

It was six years ago that I ended up in the emergency room due to extreme pain in my abdomen and was diagnosed with acute diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is a flareup of the large intestine due to a disease called diverticulosis. The intestine creates pockets that become inflamed. This is different than polyps often discussed in the colon. The pockets occur for reasons unknown, usually in people over 50 years old. Most develop the pockets in the lower left quadrant of the large intestine. Diverticulosis is the name of the disease, and diverticulitis is what the flareups are called. A flareup can happen at any time and no one knows why.

Some studies have shown obesity as a cause as well as a low fiber diet. Diets in the Western world that are low in fiber and high in carbohydrates create a high number of cases. Usually people who are fit and do physical exercise don’t suffer from this disease. And then there is me.

My Diagnosis

The day I was rushed into the emergency room I had spent the entire day in bed unable to move or even get up. I couldn’t even walk. It was a horrible pain and it frightened me. On that day I had no idea what diverticulosis was. I was grateful to get a quick diagnosis and begin to understand some of the things my body was saying to me.

After diagnosis I realized that I had suffered from at least two, and possibly three diverticulitis flareups in the past. I had powered through those, but the one that sent me to the hospital was the worst.

Multiple “Episodes” Since

Over the past six years I have had seven additional attacks (episodes) of diverticulitis. Many of these while I was traveling abroad. An attack puts me to bed, makes me constipated, creates a loss of appetite and makes it difficult to move or even walk. The pain is that extreme – it feels like a knife to the gut, over and over. While traveling I carried Ciproflaxin, an antibiotic, and diagnosed and treated myself when necessary.

New Information

This past summer while we are on travel pause in the USA we got a new doctor. He provided me some new insight into this disease and showed a deep concern for my future health. He told me that most people require surgery after just two attacks and I can count 8-9. He also talked to me in-depth about the danger of continuing to throw antibiotics at the problem.

No one had discussed surgery with me before. I thought this was a disease I just had to live with. I clearly had more to learn about what is diverticulosis. So on receiving this new information I began some extensive research and met with two more doctors for more opinions.

Surgery

Although there is much information out there about treating diverticulosis with dietary cleanses and changes, I knew my diet to be very healthy and high fiber. My research provided me a clear picture that my current diet and my lifestyle was not the problem. I lead a healthy life.

So following all my study I decided it was time to do the surgery. It made sense to do the surgery while I was stuck here in the USA, even though I was not very excited about spending time in the hospital during the time of Covid. I originally scheduled the surgery for last December, but again Covid was raging. So I postponed until this week.

Over the past months I have made sure I continued to eat healthy, exercise and keep my weight down to be at my optimal health for surgery. Even so, while traveling in the American Southwest over the past two months I have suffered from almost constant pain. So, no more waiting to deal with this problem. And now that I have been vaccinated, I am more confident about spending five days in the hospital.

I had the surgery earlier this week. I am extremely tired but feeling ok. My doctor tells me I will feel totally normal by end of May, although I can’t start running again until June at the earliest.

Making the Decision

If we had not been forced into travel pause due to the PanDammit, I probably would have put this surgery off a few more years. My doctor worried that a future flareup could result in a dangerous perforation of the colon and spreading bacteria to surrounding tissue, which would require emergency surgery. I definitely did not want to find myself in that situation in a foreign country. And the emergency surgery can be much more invasive than the laparoscopic elective surgery. It can also be more dangerous.

I think I made the right decision for me. But each person needs to review their own situation, do the research and talk to multiple doctors. Each case is unique. If you suffer from this ailment I am happy to tell you more of my story if it can be useful to you. But most importantly, talk to your doctor.

I expect a full recovery, although it will take some time. Thanks for your concern.

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Island Life

My Favorite Islands Around the World

Just Call Me Island Girl

November 20, 2020

Laureen

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Enjoying my time on Maui I’ve been thinking about all the island’s I have been blessed to visit. It’s a long list. My favorite islands around the world are usually remote and small. But I have also loved some larger, populated and sometimes touristy islands. We are doubtful we will travel international in 2021, but as soon as we can we will be heading to some of the world’s best islands. So many islands, so little time.

Our sudden disruption to our 2020 Grand Adventure last spring due to the virus, eliminated our visit to many islands we have long desired to see; Malta, Guernsey, Jersey and the archipelogos of Finland. We spent seven unexpected weeks on the beautiful island of Cyprus, but in total lockdown and so nothing more than our tiny neighborhood in the village of Argaka. So each of these islands remain on our to visit list.

Over the past five weeks we have been living on the island of Maui, and have just extended our stay another four weeks. So in 2020 we spent six weeks on Mauritius, seven weeks on Cyprus and will have a total of nine weeks on Maui. A total of 22 weeks on islands in 2020. It’s one of the few good things about 2020.

So in today’s blog I thought I would share some of my favorite islands around the world, and a brief description of why they make my fav list. There are several other islands we have visited I don’t mention here…I had to narrow it down. But if you have ever considered traveling to any of these – here are my recommendations;

Langkawi Malaysia

Visited in October 2019 for 26 days
Average Temperature 84 F
25 miles long by 12 miles wide
Population 65,000
Best time to visit November -February
Where we stayed Airbnb
Quiet and super inexpensive. Beautiful, clean beaches, lots of restaurants and great sunsets. Grocery accessibility is average. Very friendly people.
Don’t miss sunset at Cenang Beach
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Praslin Seychelles

Visited in May 2017 for 33 days
What we wrote
Average temperature 80 F
15 miles long and 7 miles wide
Population 7500
Best time to visit April, May, October, November
Where we stayed Airbnb
Very quiet but also expensive. Beaches are nice but having a car at least part of the time is a must if you need to shop. Groceries are very expensive and produce is difficult to get. The people are quiet but nice and it is just beautiful. Boats available to visit other islands.
Don’t miss swimming at Gold Beach Anse Volbert-Côte D’Or,
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Antiparos Greece

Visited in October 2018 for 21 days
What we wrote
Average temperature 70 F
Size 23 mi diameter
Population 1190
Best time to visit April to October
Where we stayed Airbnb
In October Antiparos was really quiet as the season ends in September. But we had exceptional weather. Some restaurants and businesses in the tiny town were closed for the season but we found everything we needed at reasonable prices. Ferries available to surrounding islands.
Don’t miss hiking out to Panagia beach
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Huraa Maldives

Visited in February 2018 for 21 days
What we wrote
Average Temperature 85 F
Size 1 mile by 0.5 mile
Population 550
Best time to visit November to April
Where we stayed Airbnb
By far the tiniest island we have been on, this very low lying Maldivian island is actually an atoll, made up of coral. The weather was incredible and we had the most relaxing three weeks of our life here. Best one day snorkeling of my life off of Huraa. Very little to do, and nearly no shopping. Note that there is no alcohol on this Muslim island!
Don’t miss snorkeling at Sand Island
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South Island New Zealand

Visited in February 2017 for three weeks
What we wrote
Average Temperature 55 F
Size 150 X 500 miles (12th largest island in the world)
Population 1.3 million
Best time to visit December to May
Where we stayed – we rented a caravan and traveled around
New Zealand is downright amazing. We loved both the North and South Island and we would really love to go back and visit again. This is not a laying in the sun island. Rather it is an island for all things recreational: hiking, walking, cycling, bird watching and more. Absolutely stunning. And ridiculously expensive.
Don’t miss hiking the Abel Tasman Trail
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Mackinac Island, Michigan USA

Visited twice in the late 1990’s
Average Temperature 60 F
Size 2 x 3 mile
Population 500
Best time to visit May through September
Where we stayed Hotel
It’s been a long time since I visited magical Mackinac and I sure would love to go again. It is so unique, especially in the USA, to find a place with no motor vehicles. Both times I was there in the summer with beautiful weather. Renting bikes and riding around the island is a highlight.
Don’t miss a romantic horse drawn carriage ride
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Maui Hawaii USA

Visited more times than I can count, and currently spending nine weeks here
What we wrote
Average Temperature 80 F
Size 25 x 50 miles
Population 145,000
Best time to visit Year Around
Where we stayed Condo
I’m lucky to count myself as one who has visited every Hawaiian Island that isn’t privately owned, and hands down Maui is the best. It is expensive but beyond that everything about it is perfect – the weather, the water, the beach, the food, the activities and the fact for people who live on the west coast of the USA, it’s really easy to get to.
Don’t miss whale watching for humpback whales in the winter months
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Lombok and Bali Indonesia

Visited in March and April 2018 – two weeks on Bali and one week on Lombok
What we wrote
Average Temperature 80 F
Size Bali 40 x 90 miles Lombok 50 x 50 miles
Population Bali 4.2 million Lombok 3.1 million
Best time to visit May through September
Where we stayed Airbnb
We loved our time on both of these beautiful islands. Bali is very popular with tourists for its beauty, beaches and vibe. Lombok on the other hand is a unique, tiny and non-touristy island where we spent six glorious days doing nothing but laying in a hammock.
Don’t miss an authentic Balinese Cultural performance in Ubud
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Zanzibar Tanzania

Visited in September 2009 for five days
Average Temperature 90 F
Size 20 x 50 miles
Population 1.3 million
Best time to visit June through December
Where we stayed Lodge
I visited Zanzibar with my sister after spending a week on a safari in mainland Tanzania. It remains one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It is also the second worst sunburn I have got. The white sand beaches are amazing. The people are quiet and kind. The seafood delicious.
Don’t miss a ride in an authentic Zanzibar Dhow Boat
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Rapa Nui, Chile (Easter Island)

Visited in January 2015 for six days
What we wrote
Average Temperature 75 F
Size 7 x 15 miles
Population 5761
Best time to visit April to June or October to December
Where we stayed Lodge
Definitely one of the most interesting places I have ever been. This tiny island out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is difficult to get to and expensive but worth it. We loved our time here learning about the Moai and the history of Rapa Nui. I highly recommend.
Don’t miss touring with an authorized tour guide to understand the amazing statues and history of this island
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Rapanui Easter Island Chile — Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Chile

Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

Visited in January 2018 for three weeks
What we wrote
Average Temperature 81 F
Size 120 x 250 miles
Population 21.44 million
Best time to visit December to March
Where we stayed Airbnb
We did a five day tour with a guide around the major sites of Sri Lanka seeing some of the most amazing things including the astonishing Sigiriya ancient mountain fortress. Then we kicked back for more than two weeks in a tiny hut on the beach in Hikkadua, which ended up being “interesting” but super fun and the weather and the beach were perfect. The Sri Lankan people are some of the kindest on the planet.
Don’t miss Sigiriya Fortress one of the most incredible things I have ever seen
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Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Visited in May 2010 for one week
What we wrote
Average Temperature 75 F
Size 50 x 80 miles (Isla Isabela, the largest of the archipelago)
Population 25,000
Best time to visit January to June
Where we stayed – we were on a small 12 person cruise
My first dip into my bucket list was this trip to the Galapagos Islands to celebrate my 50th birthday. Living on a boat for five nights we saw many islands and the most amazing collection of wildlife and sea life. We loved every minute of it and although it’s expensive, we recommend it to anyone!
Don’t miss swimming with sea lions
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Galapogos Islands — Wildlife is abundant on the Galapagos Islands

Singapore, Singapore

Visited in February 2018 for three days
What we wrote
Average Temperature 81 F
Size 721.5 km
Population 5.6 million
Best time to visit February through May
We only had a couple of days in Singapore, the teeny island city/state that is one of the most expensive places in the world. It is also one of the cleanest and most colorful, particularly at night. I hope to return.
Don’t miss the Singapore Gardens by the Bay at night and the amazing Singapore Botanic Garden
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Nantucket Island, Massachusetts USA

Visited in April 2002
Average Temperature 55 F
Size 5 x 12 miles
Population 11,229
Best time to visit May through October
We only had a couple of day on Nantucket but we were traveling with our young children at the time and it was a great little place for a family vacation. We were there in spring before the hoard of tourists descend in the summer and it was peaceful and beautiful and historic.
Don’t miss a Clam Bake and riding bikes around the island
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Prince Edward Island, Canada

Visited in July 2007
Average Temperature 50 F
Size 30 x 100 miles
Population 157,000
Best time to visit July and August
We drove up to the Maritimes from Boston and enjoyed the drive as much as the islands. Prince Edward Island was still at that time very quiet and we enjoyed riding bikes, eating lobster and learning about history.
Don’t miss searching for sea glass at Souris Beaches
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Honshu Japan

Visited in 1999 for five weeks
Average temperature – Honshu is a big island with multiple climates but Tokyo average summer high is 80 F
Size 150 x 500 miles
Population 104 million (2nd most populous island after Java Indonesia)
Best time to visit – March to May and September to November
We spent five weeks exploring the island of Honshu. Our kids were little and it was a magical time for us as a family. Japan is one of the most unique and beautiful places in the world. I hope to go back some day.
Don’t miss Tokyo, Hiroshima and Osaka
Learn more

San Juan Island, Washington USA

I have visited these islands many times as they are in the backyard of where I grew up
Average Temperature 55 F
Size – there are nine islands in varying sizes. The two largest are Orcas and San Juan
Population 6900
Best time to visit – Summer months
We have traveled to nearly all of the islands over my lifetime growing up in the Pacific Northwest. The islands are a great place for family camping or romantic getaways. Hiking, cycling and kayaking are popular.
Don’t miss getting up close and personal with the famous J-Pod of Orca Whales on a whale watching tour.
Learn More

San Juan Islands USA — San Juan Islands Washington USA (photo from Canva)

And that’s our list! We hope you have been inspired to find your own “island time” adventure. You might enjoy this article about The 26 Largest Islands Around the World.

We thank you for reading and for sharing our blog! You might enjoy our post about our favorite things on each Hawaiian Island.

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