See photo gallery for pictures of my potential new homes!

Time, as usual, seems to fly! For the last two months I have been visiting the USA and making some major decisions. First I visited all my friends in San Francisco, Portland OR, Claremont Ca, Washington DC and Berkeley and then I got to Hawaii which seemed to present me with the biggest recent challenge: what will the future hold?

While I was in San Francisco I saw a good orthopedic surgeon who told me he could try to fix my knee but it would take about six months till I was fully rehabilitated. In addition I have become aware of the deterioration of my second knee. (So much for skiing all my life) All this can possibly be repaired but it takes time and after all I am just about 81. In the meantime the doctor gave me a good brace and told me to think about it.

So that brought me closer and closer to a decision which I have been trying to put on the back burner: when and where will I spend my final retirement? During my stay in San Francisco I realized that the climate there is not what I have been used to during the past 16 years. This helped me make the decision that I should look for another place. There are many nice places in the world: Malaysia where I am now is good for a retiree's budget and warm and welcoming, In Australia I have a retirement visa which would allow me to stay However, both are far from my friends and few of them have expressed an interest in visiting either place. So all this led me back to my original dream of retiring in Hawaii. I had thought about this during the past few months and therefore was careful to arrange for a flight back to the US via Hawaii!!

My first inclination was of retiring on the boat and I therefore made a reservation at KoOlina Marina on Oahu, a nice new place in a more isolated area on the west coast of Oahu.

Then I thought about a place on land in case I could or would not want to continue living aboard or could not face the hard sail back to Hawaii from Malaysia. My first choice was the big island but local friends convinced me that it would not be the best of choice for a retirement home because of the pollution created by the spewing volcanoes and poor health care availability and general isolation.

So at the end I chose what I never thought I would: Honolulu, near Waikiki of all places! But the more I thought about it, the better it sounded. Close to entertainment, activities and shopping a good beach and health care (in addition to a friend who is a geriatrician for Kaiser and is developing On Lok in Hawaii!!!). So during my stay there I did two things: one make a reservation for the future at KoOlina Marina in case I get there by boat.... the other I bought a condominium (1 bedroom with good lanai and a pool on the roof) close to Ala Moana). Another advantage of that location is that I can easily rent it out while I am still underway. So it seems to me I have found solutions for all eventualities (except the unexpected ones!!!).

Now I am involved in all the shenanigans of the purchase of property while physically far away. It reminds me of 1970 when we were in Canada and bought the house in Mill Valley. In any case I have a good realtor and both the purchase and initial rental should work out.

Now I am back in Sebana on the boat and wonder how I can ever leave my familiar nice home. Next week I will participate in a Vipassana retreat and afterwards head by boat to Singapore for about a month. I will be visiting with people who are interested in starting an On Lok!!! Then I shall sail to Langkawi in the north and see how sailing goes with my nice good knee brace. It might then encourage or discourage me from attempting a sail back to Hawaii.

That trip would either entail a crossing from Japan, a sail through the southern ocean to Tahiti or a trip around South Africa. All major endeavors which would demand good crew. So if you are interested let me know!