Well, we're here! We've been enjoying Penang, Malaysia for about a week now, and while we've mostly spent the time getting settled, cleaning and organizing the house, and trying some delicious food, it's been a great adventure and in this post I'll share my first impressions and some pictures.
First of all, it's a lot hotter and more humid here than I expected. It reminds me of Tokyo in August....
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I love Asia! From the moment we stepped into the ticket area for China Airlines in the Honolulu airport, I felt like we were in another country. Surrounded by short people with black hair, treated with the most respectful politeness by the staff, being apologized to repeatedly for having to wait 90 seconds to be led to a ticket counter, I felt very well taken care of.
I don't usually enjoy the ...
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It's been two weeks since we left Costa Rica for our new home in Malaysia, and even though we're not there yet (we'll be there in a few hours) we've been loving the journey. After leaving Costa Rica, we stopped to visit friends and family in Utah, Washington, and Hawaii. Here are some recent pictures and a summary of the past two weeks.
First, before we left Costa Rica, we had a flock of parro...
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Last week we went with some friends to the Osa Peninsula -- a very remote part of Costa Rica accessible only by boat where there is no Internet access, no cell phone service, and no electricity unless you have your own power source. And we had a fabulous time!
Below, I'll be sharing some photos and videos h...
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Recently, American Family Insurance conducted a survey to determine if the American Dream is still alive. They discovered that 90% of Americans still believe in the American Dream, but only 14% feel l...
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We've now been to most of the tourist hot spots in Costa Rica, including many that are less well known. But that hasn't stopped us from having fun and finding other enjoyable activities to do. During the past few weeks, we've had a great time doing more local activities and being with our friends. I didn't dedicate a blog post to any one of these activities, but I do want to remember them, so I th...
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About two years ago, we sold our house and got rid of most of our possessions. Doing so gave us a feeling of relief and lightness. Since then, we've been living out of what could fit in one carry-on suitcase, and one backpack each. I wondered if our kids would miss all the toys, or if we'd miss certain decorations or other items. I'm pleased to report that we are happier than ever to be living wit...
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We frequently hear the question, especially from those looking to move abroad, "What do you guys do about health insurance?" My answer: "We don't have any type of health insurance, and I think it's a waste of money."
While many of my international friends will nod in agreement, or at least understand this statement, those back in the U.S. are most likely cocking their heads wondering how I can ...
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It's official! We'll be leaving Costa Rica at the end of October, and heading half-way around the world to Malaysia, which will be our homebase for the next year or two. We still love Costa Rica, and will probably return here again, but we're excited to experience something new, and Asia has been calling to us. Malaysia should be a great hub from which to explore that part of the world, and it was...
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Last week we enjoyed a fun visit from my wife's parents who came down for nine days. This is the third time we've had family visit since we've lived in Costa Rica, and while we really like having visitors, we've gotten kind of tired of showing the same sites over and over again, especially when they're expensive tourist spots. Yes, La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Monteverde Cloud Forest, and the beach a...
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KL Bird Park
The Batu Caves
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Welcome to Kuala Lumpur
Cameron Highlands, Ipoh, and Orang Utan Island
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