Kitchen Ranch

Granada, Nicaragua

For people living in Costa Rica without residency, border runs are necessary every three months.  I have met many people that have been living this way for years.   In theory, one must remain out of Costa Rica for 72 hours, but this is rarely the case.  In fact, it is not uncommon to walk into Nicaragua, enjoy a cup of coffee, and return to Costa Rica.  

Honestly, I was dreading the border run.  I have always wanted to explore Nicaragua but I imagined the circumstances were going to be different.  We chose to visit Granada which turned out to be a lovely destination.  What a charming city!   

I felt as though everywhere I turned I saw beauty! 

And color!

  

Robert had his first Coke ever (in Nicaragua, the Coke is made with real cane syrup unlike stateside where the Cokes are made with high fructose corn syrup crap).

This sums up how not fun it is to actually cross the border.  See you in three months Nicaragua!

Getting Ready.

We are packing up and making plans.  In a few days we'll hit the road for an Aussie road trip through small towns and blue mountains.  After a couple weeks, we'll board a plane in Sydney and head across the water to Costa Rica.

The truth is, time spent here in Australia has been a mixed bag of goodness as well as big challenges. What we have loved most has also been what has been the most difficult. Let me explain, we have loved spending so much time together as a family.  We are driving each other mad because we are always together.  We love the nature we are surrounded by.  We are so isolated we are going crazy. Home schooling has been a great way to connect with the kids.  We are so tired of arguing with the kids about sitting down to do their work.  We love the fact that we can work from anywhere in the world.  Working in a different time zone and hemisphere has presented some big inconveniences.  We love this adventure.  We feel so far away, as if we are on another planet.    

See what I mean?

Additionally, the feeling of being in limbo has presented an emotional challenge: We are living here, but not living here.  Are we traveling or not?

After so many conversations, we have chosen to make a move to an old favorite: Nosara, Costa Rica. In Nosara, the older kids will attend a bilingual school (here is the school's website in case you are interested).  We will remain in Costa Rica until June or July and at that time discuss what will happen next.  

Being in Nosara will negate most (not all) of the challenging issues we have experienced in Australia. 

I will be checking in along the way and posting while on the road.

Checking In From Australia

We have arrived yesterday afternoon and the above picture is what I see from the front windows of our landing spot home. Just beyond those trees is the beach where the bigger kids now play. The little is snoring behind me having fallen asleep on the couch-he is adjusting to the time changes. 

The journey was very very long but the kids did great. We stopped over in Fiji to recharge for a couple days after the first 10 1/2 hour flight. From there, it was a quick 4 hour flight to Brisbane. In Fiji we remained close to the airport so there is not too much to report but we did wander through The Garden of the Sleeping Giant which was lovely. 

We really are still shaking the travel dust off with the assistance of espresso and ocean dips. Once we have settled I hope to post more pictures from the neighborhood we are staying in. 

In regards to food: I am very pleased that there is an Indian Diner located nearby...only a 15 minute walk from here. Might have to stuff my face with curry today (Fiji curries were not as impressive as I had hoped).

Djibouti and The Keeper

Djabouti's Flag

Back in December, one of my best girls Kirstin came around for dinner and cards. She brought along her friend Christine who was visiting from Djibouti where she works at an embassy. Following, "Hello"...I asked, "Where IS Djabouti??"

Djibouti (pronounced Ja-Booty) is a small country adjacent to Ethiopia.

Djabouti, aside from having a fun name to say, is not on Christine's recommended places to visit list. 

Kirstin handed me a Christmas present and announced that it was a gift I would love. Christine agreed. I unfolded the small package and held in my hands a curious item: A cup made of gum rubber called the Keeper. 

They were right, I do love it. Am I the last to know about this amazing invention?

In case you don't know-the Keeper replaces the need for tampons and/or pads.  

A few interesting facts taken from the Keeper website:

• Plastic tampon applicators from sewage outfalls are one of the most common forms of trash on beaches.
• Over 12 BILLION pads and tampons are USED ONCE and disposed of annually, adding to environmental pollution.
• For building owners, pads and tampons that are flushed down the toilet are the most common cause of plumbing problems.

I find it so liberating to not waste unnecessarily, to consume throw away goods and to simplify my life. 

Australia Update

The last time I mentioned Australia we were confirmed in our decision to move and about to jump into the visa application waters. 

We have successfully navigated those waters and all five of us now hold 1 year visas! We have booked our tickets and will make our exit from the United States June 17th. Things are all coming together quite nicely. We have arranged the renters who will live in the red house while we are away. I could not ask for a better family to occupy this space and funny but one of them is from Australia originally.

We cannot talk about much else around here. We have been reading, watching, studying everything Australia. There are charts hanging over the art table with sketches of poisonous spiders and snakes... the kids are over the moon with the Australian series H2O: Just Add Water (on play instantly Netflix)....after Bill Bryson's audio book In A Sunburned Country  we are all ready to explore.

There are lists of to-do's around the house, ads on Craigslist to sell unwanted items and plenty to prepare for in the next few months. 

So now you know what the conversation theme is as we munch on posted foodie.

Decision Made. Done.

After weeks of discussions and wrestling with details we have arrived at a decision: We are moving to Australia for 1 year. 

Spending a year in a different country has been on the table for years and years. It is a topic we have discussed on and off for as long as I can remember. Our trip earlier this year to Costa Rica was a bit of a trial run.

While we adore Costa Rica, we feel that at the end of the day the infrastructure lacks in regards to day to day for an entire year.

I have never been to Australia-nor has husband. Australia offers warm water and a tropical climate... we have our eyes on a small town on the beach called Byron Bay.... (South of Brisbane by an hour). The idea of getting around on a bicycle to do my shopping at the farmer's market makes me feel very happy. 

Now, to wade through Australian visa paperwork...

Step 1 in Project Undecided

Renew Passports..... While options around here are being discussed, step 1 is in the works.

Yosemite and San Francisco

We have returned! What beauty! 

Hetch Hetchy-

and a cycle ride over the Golden Gate Bridge....

 

WeekEnd Away

To celebrate the little lady's 9th birthday we landed in Palm Springs for the week end.....We had so much fun- We hiked an oasis, we visited kitsch dinosaur statues, we went to the Palm Springs Art Museum and also had plenty of chill time by the pool. It was: Perfect time spent together.

Pulling up Radishes.....

Recent radish harvest... spicy and delicious!

As you read this, We are landing in Costa Rica. We will be traveling throughout  Costa Rica for the coming 5 weeks....(working too and plugged in). I will be bringing you lots of photos along the way...(actually, I hope at least 1 a day)

Stay posted!