Author: Peg

Actually, the needle fish look lots better in person. 

Plan B for Me. Except for health insurance – which I didn’t have for 25 years – and car insurance – which I still have – never mind that I don’t have a car. I don’t actually believe in insurance. As in: I am betting I am going to die and the insurer is betting that I am going to live. And, I am hoping that the insurance company wins.

Into my cheery irresponsible world comes reality. I know a woman who was medivaced from Alaska to Maryland a couple of years ago. She was with her husband and he was able to organize and pay for the evacuation. They were on a cruise.

And, a friend is currently in the ICU here on Big Island. She was on holiday in South East Asia. I don’t know what happened, by 5 days into the trip she was back here in the ICU.  She might have gotten herself back on a regular flight. I don’t know. She was solo-tripping.

So, my Plan B is a membership in Global Rescue. It doesn’t pay for lost luggage, missed flights, medical expenses. All they to is get you back home. These guys will go get you off of a mountain or out of a jungle. If you have a satellite phone. I felt deprived. I didn’t have anything to put is the Satellite Phone box. 

I was planning on leaving Forbin the Computer here in Kona. Then I wondered. What if I get shipped back to the Asylum. What would happen to my computer. As if that would really matter. But, hey, indulge me. 

Thought about shipping Forbin home before I leave for Australia. I don’t feel 100% comfortable shipping my computer. But, here is Forbin’s Plan B. I leave it here. Along with my address and $100. Then if I don’t show up to collect the computer – a friend can take it to UPS and they will pack it up and send it back to the Asylum. 

Now, isn’t that mature? And, I still might take Forbin with me. But, I am trying to make this a seriously downsized trip. (Take money, memories and photos. Not stuff.)

Went to the Old Airport for sunrise and a little walk. Then Billy and I went to breakfast. After that, I finished up my walking and started organizing the paperwork for my trip. Plan on stashing all the documents in Dropbox. But, I will need hard copies as well. So, I am knitting all the docs into a PDF. And, I’ll print it out. 

We may have a fashion emergency. Got this email today about one of my trip venues: “…and perhaps something a little more special for dinner. For ladies, relaxed evening wear…” Well, my idea of evening wear (relaxed or not)  is my nightie. 

Still much handwringing and general grief out here about the Nuclear Oops. I feel sorry for the guy who accidentally sent the message. Even after being asked “Do you really want to send this message.” The guy apparently realized what had happened 3 minutes later when he got the message on his cellphone. First, what was going on during those 3 minutes. Second, is there one among us who hasn’t clicked “yes” – when asked “Do You Really Want To Delete This?” And as soon as the click is recorded  “FUCK”…  

Sort of a lazy day for me. It was 4PM and I was short on my miles, hadn’t done yoga or been for a swim. I sent myself out to finish up my walking. 

Last night, the power went out here in Kailua-Kona. I slapped on my headlamp and the only inconvenience was I couldn’t make a cup of tea. But, it has been a hard few days for the hotel front desk. We had the nuclear attack thing in Saturday, and the hotel hot water went out, the hotel’s fire alarm system went off and last night – no power.  And no cable for 3 days. The nuclear attack and power failure were not the hotel’s fault. But, still the guests all end up at the desk. 

Time for a shower and some dinner. And some serious resting.

Oh one last thing – there is this strange old website – by old I mean it was around in the last century and hasn’t been changed. 

Conelrad – remember that?

Just finished getting all the major parts and pieces of the trip figured out.

There is only one back-track. From Sydney to Adelaide to catch the train to Darwin. Darwin, Where I almost got stuck. Who know that you couldn’t just get a hop a  flight Darwin to Cairns. I get into Darwin at 5:30 in the evening and will be leaving at 11:30 the next morning. The next available flight was 2 days later. There are two round trips. Perth to Geraldton and Cairns to Lizard Island. Think I did pretty good.

Little treats to me: rooms with harbor views in Darwin and Cairns. And, I am keeping my hotel in Brisbane an extra day. My plane leaves at 10:30PM. And, even paying extra for late checkout leaves me on the street at 2PM. An extra day – keeps me cool and off the streets for very little extra $$$. 

Major treat: 3 nights on Lizard Island. Hey, The Asylum has a “Scholarship” fund for folks who out live their money. I do not come from a long lived family – so, I think they will be safe! 

I’ll not even complain about the ocean being murky this afternoon. I did get one OK fishy foto. And, I caught a surge coming back in – almost body surfed back to the beach. 

Today, I decided to not go to Hobart to see their funky museum. I am not really that huge a fan of art museums. Even when one of the premier exhibits is a mechanical pooping machine. Decided that I really like trains and I’ll spend the museum time and money on the train. The whole point of this trip was to ride the train across Australia. Now I am going from bottom to top as well as west to east.

I still have 7 days left to “spend” in Australia. 

808AM in the 808: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

This was a totally bad way to start my Sunday. In all my years working with the military… “This is no drill” the scariest of all words. And if anyone who lives in Hawai’i and got this cell phone alert says that they were not terrified for an instant … well, they are lying.

Apparently this message not only came over the cell phones, It also came over the TVs and radios. 40 minutes later messages were sent out saying OOPS. I live less than a block from a very reliable warning siren. And since it didn’t go off – within two minutes I figured that it was a mistake. 

But as Carlton would say: It was a “Check up from the neck up” for me. What if it were real? I am all good. Nothing needs to be done. I would have gone and sat on the end of the pier and waited.

I am not a surviver. And, if anyone thinks they are a surviver type – well, read the saddest book on the planet. The Road by  Cormac McCarthy. After the first  page you know it is going to end badly. Note to Barb: He wrote this just after he returned to El Paso. 

Did my walking, swimming and yoga. 

Yesterday was busy. Today not busy. 

Three weeks from now I will be on my way to Australia. I keep reminding myself that I am no longer young and that I must schedule downtime into my travel schedule. Especially when the weather is hot. I have positioned myself in Sydney near the ferry terminal and a major transfer point for the local trains. So, I can easily get to lots of places. Or just go for a boat ride. And, it will be easy to get to the airport or any other way out town. 

Sometimes I just think I want to give into this getting old shit. Just tuck into the  Asylum. Buy a really finest kind walker. Stock the closet with elastic waist clothes. Eat and drink anything I want. Retire the Fitbit. And, just wait. 

No. I am not about to go quietly into the good night. Time to do some yoga. Then dinner. 

Fun busy day. Walk, breakfast, Costco, Kaloko Ponds, afternoon meeting, little rest, dinner at Kona Inn. 

Started the day off with 2 long exposure shots from my lanai.

But now I am tired. So, I am going to have a cup of coffee and go nite-nite.

I did not even think about going in the water today.

But, I did go see Surfer Dentist. He patched up my tooth – and said that there was a really good chance that it wasn’t my sinuses bleeding down the back of my throat – but the gums around my damaged tooth. And, I think he was right. 

Went to dinner at a friends house tonight. Lovely, but chilly time. It was so cool. She has black cows in her back yard. Turkeys roosting in her tree. And a flock of parrots flew over. Since she is “aging in place” she is having an elevator installed. Her house was built so an elevator could be installed when needed, but it is still costing 60K. 

I never quite understand why people get off their big boat just to pay extra money to bounce around in these little boats. But they do.

 

First, the problem of the day. I developed a posterior nosebleed this afternoon. I am no stranger to nosebleeds. But, posterior nosebleeds are much more serious. Another joy of aging. Rest assured that I am taking this seriously. Not seriously enough to take myself to the local ER. But, seriously. No swimming. No inverted yoga postures. Hopefully, it will stop by itself. 

Second, the progress of the day. I figured I should not lay down and nap. So, I finalized my Australia plans up to Feb 14. The train will deposit me in Sydney at about noon on the 14th. But, I all manner of plane, train, bus and hotel reservations. All good until I get off the train. One of my hotel rooms is called a “matchbox”.  No, I didn’t do the Air BnB thing. I am sort of old school. 

Enjoying some fine coffee and a little toast this morning – when out popped a crown. It wasn’t 100% unanticipated. Fortunately, I was able to get an appointment to see Surfer Dentist early Wednesday. Only in Hawai’i do you need to check the surf report before going to the dentist. Actually, he is more responsible than that – but if the surf is good, the chances of him showing up early are slim and none.

Sorry Perth: You got short changed by Geraldton. I have a friend from the Merkel Cell Carcinoma support group who lives about 250 miles north of Perth in Geraldton. I’ll fly up early on Friday AM – spend the day and then take the bus back to Perth on Saturday morning. I’ll get to Perth mid-afternoon. Good news is the bus terminal is within a mile of the train station. Sunday morning it is on the train for my ride across the country. Hey, this whole trip is just one great big adventure. I’ll still have enough time in Perth to do some sightseeing – if the body holds up.

There will be plenty of time to rest after I am dead. Or on the 65 hour train ride from Perth to Sydney – which ever comes first. 

Had a hard time with getting my exercise in today. You know you are in trouble when you check the fitbit every 2 blocks. Are we there yet? Can I turn around now? Finally made a deal with myself. Sushi for lunch, after I hit 5 miles.

I failed to mention that I drove a car the other day. I only crashed four times. Now, you know why Carlton made me promise to never buy anything with wheels under it. Fortunately, the car was Billy’s remote control Mustang. It is about 12inches long.  I think the car survived. But, it would be fun to run one up and down the passageways at The Asylum. I suspect that soon “remote control cars” would join “candles” and “working firearms” on the verboten list.

I know there are things that I should be doing. But, today, I am not doing. Maybe I’ll make a list!