Randy and Robin's Roving Retirement

Krabi was a relaxing beach stay for our final stop on our SE Asia tour. The Krabi Tipa Resort was very centrally located near cafes,shops, 7-11’s, pharmacies, barbers,spas as well as being a block or two from the beach. Our room was close to the lesser crowded of the 2 swimming pools.

Our days were filled with pedicures, haircuts, massages, meals, beach walks, shops and swimming in the pools. Krabi is a hub for tourist travel, boat rides to other beaches, caves, formations and towns. We just chilled and appreciated a relaxing, romantic time together after a hectic several months of travel.

Yes, we would come back to Krabi, and even stay at the Krabi Tipa Resort again. The access to the beach, multitude of restaurants and vacation vibe were a relaxing way to end our SE Asia adventure.

Next stop… a break, as we head back to the US before returning to Panama.

Bangkok was a short 4 night stay. We explored our hotel, the Baiyoke Hotel, the tallest hotel in Bangkok. We did a river tour by boat and enjoyed the night market several times.

Bangkok is a busy, bustling city. Fun for a first time visit, but not on our list to return, except maybe as a layover in between stays.

Next stop Krabi, Thailand….

KL, as it’s known, is a fast paced metropolis with world class skyscrapers and a diverse population. We stayed in the city center area (KLCC), which reminded us of Beverly Hills, although our Airbnb was only $63 per nite. There was a Ferrari dealership, Gucci, Patek Philippe and more luxury shops in the KLCC mall. I figure it is probably the only place in the world, where you can eat for $3 USD within walking distance of a Ferrari dealership. Our Airbnb was across the street from the Petronas Towers and we could see them from our living room and from the rooftop pool.

Ficus Elastica trees in the KLCC Park

We did 2 free walking tours (one day, one night) through Guruwalk, a great app to help you learn about a city. The tour is free, but the guides rely on tips, so usually $10-20 per person. We were fortunate enough to get Hakim as our guide, a fascinating young man who could count in 120 different language and had memorized pi to 1500 digits. His night tour is one of the highest ranked in the world.

Some incredible realistic watercolors

The Negara Zoo was a worthwhile visit, with a very beautiful grounds and a few unique animals.

We had never been to a Bird Park before, so it was a new experience. The grounds were beautiful, with many birds wandering freely, while others were caged.

Kuala Lumpur was a great experience. We were there during Eid, the Muslim celebration, so it was pretty crowded. We never used the accessible public transit system as the rideshare, Grab, was so inexpensive. We really enjoyed our Airbnb location in its ritzy neighborhood. However, we don’t plan on returning to KL, unless it is for a stopover en route to another stay.

Next stop… Bangkok!

We only spent 5 days in Siem Reap, the main goal of our trip being a sunrise tour of Angkor Wat. We stayed in a hotel for a change, the Royal Crown Hotel and Spa, which came with a delightful breakfast buffet, all for $53 a night. We really enjoyed Happy Hour at the rooftop bar (6th floor) overlooking the busy streets below. We were a short walk from Pub Street as well. Some other Senior Nomads recommended the Hero Rats tour, which we found both fascinating and entertaining. Of course, we scheduled His and Her massages, as the hotel had its own spa. The swimming pools were also very pleasant with the hot weather.

Angkor Wat is a Theravada Buddhist temple complex and the largest religious complex in the world. Constructed in the 12th century, it was initially a Hindu temple complex. From the late 13th century onward, the complex was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple.

Hero Rats and the APOPO Tour

Believe it or not, they train rats to sniff out the TNT in land mines scattered through Cambodia. They use African Giant Pouched Rats. They don’t have pouches like kangaroos, but pouched cheeks. They are huge and you get to hold them on the tour as well as watch demonstrations.

Just down the road from the Rats is a Killing Field Memorial.

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We probably won’t return to Angkor Wat or Cambodia. We are glad to have experienced this once in a lifetime adventure, but are off to new adventures.

Next stop…. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Hoi An is just a short drive from Danang. Sometimes, we prefer just to keep our travels close and feel no urgency to explore an entire country. We did a fun tour of Hoi An, where I rode a water Buffalo, we made laterns together, and Robin made rice noodles. We also were fortunate to have met up a 2nd time with several Senior Nomads. We spent some time at the An Bang Beach and Randy got the haircut of a lifetime.

Randy riding “Say”

Senior Nomad Encounters

We generally reach out to Senior Nomad Facebook Group members to meet and share. This time, we met up for the 2nd time with 3 fellow nomads.

Randy got the all inclusive haircut, complete with shave, facial cleanse, exfoliation, facial massage, hot stone liver compress, shampoo, neck and shoulder massage, hot towel application, earwax cleaning, collagen face mask and steam facial, all for under $6.

Finished product

We enjoyed pleasant 2 weeks in Hoi An. It was a bit touristy and the traffic on certain streets was hectic. I don’t think we will return, but I’ll always remember that haircut.

Next stop… Siem Reap, Cambodia

Danang was definitely different from Chiang Mai. In Vietnam, they drive on the right side of the road, the opposite of Thailand, and Vietnamese drivers use their horns non stop. We get 26,000 + Dong for each dollar, so I pull literally millions from the ATM each week. Our 2 bedroom apartment in the Muong Tranh building is on the 18th floor, with a marvelous north facing view of the My An and My Khe beaches. Our neighborhood is outstanding, walkable with amazing coffee shops, rooftop bars, live music, happy hours, beach boardwalk, and incredible food, such as Vietnamese as well as Greek, Mexican, Chinese, Korean BBQ and more.

Our view from the 18th

Our visit to Vietnam was in time for Tet, the Lunar New Year. The city was brilliantly decorated in red and yellow flowers, as well as varied horse replicas for the Year of the Horse. For the eve of Tet, Feb 16th, we ended up at the Han River to watch fireworks and stumbled into a musical stage show.

Gorgeous evening view from our unit

Dragon Bridge over the Han River

Tet stage performances before the fireworks show

Lady Buddha and the Son Tra Peninsula

We took a tour in a vintage 1969 military Jeep around the SonTra Peninsula, stopping at some previous US military installations, ending at the Lady Buddha.

Ba Na Hills Sunworld and the Marble Mountains

The Ba Na Hills is an amusement park that you need to take an aerial tram to access. Our guide called it Vietnam’s Disneyland, though there are only a few rides, such as an alpine bobsled on rails, some 4D experiences, an arcade, cafes, gardens and entertainment. The Ba Na Hills cable car system holds several Guinness World Records, including the world’s longest non-stop single-track cable car line, stretching approximately 5,801 meters (19,032 ft). We are not into the rides, but the gardens, the architecture, the entertainment and the ride up were all awesome.

The Lava or Pink Castle

The Marble Mountains are a cluster are of 5 limestone and marble hills representing the elements. The Water Mountain is the only one open to tourists. Many shops nearby carve the marble into Buddhas and other statues as well as furniture.

All in all, we really enjoyed Danang, although we would probably avoid Tet if we return. The food in Danang was awesome. We enjoyed our location across from the beach. We would even consider spending a few nights at the Ba Na Hills Resort next time.

Next stop… down the road to Hoi An, Vietnam 🇻🇳.

We actually flew out of the Ontario Airport in California, after a fun experience with Katy, sitting in grandstand seats at the 2026 Rose Parade. Our 14.5 hour flight landed in Taipei,Taiwan, where we rested for 30 hours before our flight to Chiang Mai. Our Thailand Airbnb was about 15 minutes from the international airport. The first 5 days were challenging as we slowly adjusted to the time zones. Our home is on the 6th floor of building B of the Astra Condominiums. We are close to everything, 7-11, Big C Supermarket, cafes, massages, ATM’s, pedicures and more. If we need to go further, Grab (like Uber) is $2-$6 each way.

Sunset view from our unit

Our Chang Khlan Neighborhood

We love our area! There is a lot of activity, yet not as touristy as the Nimman area. We took a walking temple tour through Guruwalk, with our fellow Senior Nomads, Ken and Laura. We met up with a group from Go With Less and met up with another Senior Nomads couple, Matt and Brenna, who we will see again in Danang, Vietnam next month. We connected with a friend of Monica’s, named Stuart, who has lived here for 7 years. We even managed to connect with Sean, a good friend of my sister,who has lived here for 20 years.

We found an A quality spa from a referral of a man who has lived here for years. We each have gotten a foot rub, a sea salt scrub, as well as his and hers massages in the same room. We have done pedicures, haircuts, and teeth cleaning as well. Dining options are phenomenal, from Pad Thai at the local food court, to delightful sit down restaurants, to the night markets.

Our pool, which we haven’t used much

Our walking temple tour in the old city

Inside the Silver Temple. Only men are allowed inside. Outside photos below.

The Wararot Market

We connected with Monica’s friend Stuart, who lives in Chiang Mai.

The interior walls of the Silver Temple

Sean flew for 24 hours and still managed to stop by to meet us before we left for Vietnam. He was a great resource and had lots of stories for us.

Chiang Mai Zoo

We spent one day at the Chiang Mai Zoo on the other side of the Old City. The zoo is very hilly with large gaps between several exhibits. We took the tram at several points. Some people rented a private golf cart, but the cost is more than the admission. The zoo was enjoyable, with most animals in decent habitats.

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

We did the morning half day tour and it was awesome. We were given education and safety instructions for interacting with the elephants. First we fed them watermelon. Then we watched as they ate grasses, sugarcane and bamboo I believe. We made a supplement ball to give the elephants to aid in digestion. Finally, the elephants got in the water where we threw water on them and after rubbed mud on them. When they were done, they walked off. Afterwards, we had a delightful lunch.

Sunrise tour with former monk to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

We were picked up at 4:50 am by our guide, Non. We then stopped and picked up Ken and Laura and headed up the mountain. It was still dark as we arrived at the temple.

Non was an excellent guide. He was a monk for 6 years and was a very kind soul. On our tour he brought food to pass out to the monks, food for the stray dogs, and even snacks for us.

We stopped at Wat Pha Lat, a Buddhist retreat on the way back. It was very Zen ☺️.

Chiang Mai was very magical for us and we plan on returning some day. We loved our location in the Astra Condos. Next time we will get to Chiang Rai for a few days.

Next stop…Da Nang, Vietnam

As it was cheaper to fly from Lisbon to Medellín, rather than to Panama City, we decided to spend a month in Colombia. Robin was still healing her broken wrist, so we kept a relaxed schedule, yet full of fun adventures. Our driver and tour guide, Juan, picked us up from the airport and took us on 2 tours later in the month. We met a man in the immigration line, Kristofer, from Texas, who we connected with for a few outings. We met locals, Michelangelo and his wife, Carolina,on an airport bus in Rome and they were kind enough to show us their hometown of Sabaneta, Colombia. We met new friends and Senior Nomads (Facebook group) Kenny and Wendy, who brought another friend, Bruce, and late in the month we reconnected with Rose and Bob (also Senior Nomads), who we first met in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

The view from our 6th floor unit was outstanding both day and night.

We were centrally located with a pharmacy on the ground floor, an ice cream store next door, Chinese food and barber shop across the street and grocery stores all around.

La Floresta Park was a few blocks away, with numerous cafes surrounding it.

Piso 10 rooftop bar (above and below) was a short Uber ride away. Great drinks and a scenic view.

Flower Festival Vintage Car Parade

The flower festival in Medellín has its full parade on Sunday, but on Thursday, we went to the car parade. It was a fun event which lasted for hours. It was a short and cheap Uber ride to the route. We purchased 2 small stools for $4 USD which made watching the parade far more comfortable.

Fidelina’s, our favorite meetup spot

We first discovered Fidelina’s over a year ago on our first visit to Medellín, when David and Valerie took us there for Sangria. Since then we have met up with other Senior Nomads as it is a fun and comfortable venue to have a drink and get acquainted.

We first met Rose and Bob in San Miguel de Allende 3 years ago.

A lovely evening with Kenny and Wendy, who brought Bruce along. Followed by a lovely dinner at La Pampa Argentine Grille across the street.

Flower Farms and Silletero Tour

Our driver and tour guide, Juan, took us to Santa Elena to see a flower farm and meet a Silletero. A silletero is a craftsman and bearer of a floral chair, a structure carried on the back with flower arrangements. It is a cultural symbol and heritage of the Antioquia region in Colombia. Every year, they participate in the iconic Silleteros parade in Medellín during the Flower Festival. We enjoyed the informative tour and a typical lunch.

Juan plans multiple stops in his tour, to pause and try a local drink and snack.

The front of the farm and house and the ribbons won over the years.

Santa Fe Mall Displays

Connections with Kristofer

We met Kristofer in the immigration line when we landed in Medellín. He was from Lubbock, Texas, but was spending a few months in Colombia. We walked through Comuna 13 one day together and Laureles on another.

Tour to Guatapé and El Peñol

Juan took us on an amazing tour to Guatapé. He likes to stop and show us local sights along the way, so the first stop was for strawberries and cream. The next stop was Alto del Chocho, a petting zoo where you can feed llamas, alpacas, sheep, pigs and horses. Finally we made it to El Peñon, an enormous rock (721 ft) with a built in stairway. At 700+ steps, we decided to pass, but enjoyed taking pictures and admire the views. We ended up in Guatapé, a fun, touristy town and took a boat ride around a section of the man made lak, admiring homes previously owned by Escobar and Griselda Blanco.

Michelangelo and Carolina in Sabaneta

We met this couple on an airport shuttle bus in May at the Rome airport as it ferried us to the terminal. Turns out they live in Sabaneta area of Medellin, so we exchanged information and told them we would see them in August. Robin and I took the Metro south to the very last stop. Michelangelo met us and gave us a walking tour. We met up with Carolina a bit later and we all had a delightful lunch at a restaurant on top of a hill overlooking the area.

We really enjoyed Medellín again and plan on returning in the future. Our Airbnb in La Floresta really worked for us with its location and view. We love the zoo, the Metro, the dining options, the affordability and Juan, our personal guide. Next time we want to return to the Botanical Garden, Parque Arvi and the Metrocable, Piso 10 and Fidelina’s for drinks. We want to take a tour to both El Retiro and Jardin (an overnight). We need to visit Envigado on a day trip as well as visit the Casa de Memoria, a museum dedicated to the victims of Colombia’s armed conflict. We also look forward to spending a week or so in Sabaneta, to visit our new friends and to explore.

Next, a quick stay at our home base in Playa Blanca, Panama before going to the States for Thanksgiving. Our blog will continue with Chiang Mai, Thailand in January 2026.

Happy Holidays to all of you.

Yes, we have stayed in Almada before, just across the Tagus River from Lisbon. We are actually in part of the Cacilhas area, close to the waterfront. We were scheduled to stay in the same 13th floor apartment, but the remodeled 12th floor unit was available, so we stayed there instead. We really love this area. We have an amazing view, loads of restaurants, wonderful public transportation, Lisbon a short water taxi ride away and cheap prices.

We have a good friend in Lisbon, named Kendall, who we make a point to see every visit. We met our new neighbors, Tom and Janny, who showed us some lovely sunset viewpoints. We now have an excellent dental clinic as well as an orthopedic surgeon if ever needed again. We ran into our Stanley Tucci doppleganger again, João, who greeted us every time we passed his cafe.

View from our 12th floor unit.

Our visit this time included a lot of doctor appointments, as Robin had broken her wrist in Orvieto, Italy, and needed surgery in Portugal to install a plate. The Metro was amazing as it took us almost to the front door of the hospital in Lisbon. Our Airbnb owner, Susanna, gave us an orthopedic surgeon referral,so everything went smoothly. Robin was in a lot of pain for most of our birthday month,but Almada and Lisbon were a great place to chill out and enjoy little pleasures of day to day life.

Our favorite waiter João, Stanley Tucci lookalike.

Lisbon Excursions

Since the water taxi is only about 2€ and 8 minutes to Lisbon, we had a few adventures over there.

Praça do Comércio

Great get together with Kendall and Sueli.

The Earthquake museum was quite an adventure on Randy’s birthday.

Sunsets with Tom and Janny

Tom and Janny were our next door neighbors, who warned us about the crazy screaming neighbor. They were from Brazil, but have lived in Portugal for 3 years. They took us out to watch the sunset, once to Costa da Caparica overlooking the beaches and once to Espichel, by a lighthouse on the edge of Europe.

Overlooking Costa da Caparica beaches

Espichel

Cape Espichel, is on one of the westernmost points of Portugal, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The lighthouse was built in 1790.

Costa da Caparica

The beaches on this side of south side of the Tagus are beautiful. We spent only one day trip this time.

We just love Almada, especially the Cacilhas area. We have everything we need, prices are low, great transit options, we have a lot of contacts and we just enjoy the slow pace.

Next stop… Medellín, Colombia

The Duomo was spectacular both inside and out.

We really loved Orvieto, the medieval town elevated above the surrounding area. Our Airbnb was perfectly in the center of the village, with excellent access to historical sites, groceries, cafes and pharmacies. We were witness to the Corpus Domini celebration including a parade and performance. Unfortunately, Robin broke her wrist here, but did receive prompt medical care.

Building just behind our Airbnb in the Piazza del Popolo

A glass of Orvieto Classico

The Incredible Duomo of Orvieto

The duomo construction began in 1290 and went through many building phases, completing in 1591.

Exterior sculpture on front facade of duomo

The Necropoli of Etruscan Tombs

We enjoyed a lovely walk one morning, seeing very few people on the trail to the tombs and back around to the center. The tombs (over 200) date back to the 8th century B.C., so close to 2800 years ago. You can even read the names inscribed on the headway of the tombs.

It was a very pleasant walk down this trail.

Overhead view of the tombs

Corpus Domini

This festival was fortunately during our short visit to Orvieto. It is a historic and religious event with a historical parade of medieval costumes.

Interesting characters appearing medieval

The Albornoz Fortress and St. Patrick’s Well

One of the benefits of longer stays, is the opportunity to see more of the less popular sites. We took a pleasant walk through the Albornoz Fortress, majestically situated above the surrounding region. The St. Patrick’s Well was built in 1527 and is 53 meters deep. It was built with 2 spiral staircases, permitting mule-drawn carts carrying water bags to descend on one side and ascend on the other without colliding. There are nearly 250 steps on each staircase.

The well entrance

Orvieto Underground

We took an interesting tour of the Orvieto Underground. It was a large area where homeowners could store wine and also keep house pigeons. They would be able to sell the eggs and pigeon meat. They had no overhead costs as the pigeons would leave, feed themselves and always return.

Pigeon hole nests in the walls and stairway to enter the home above ground

” The Accident”

We made it to the top of the Torre del Moro, the clocktower built in the year 1200 in the center of town. We were admiring the view from the observation deck, which was totally flat on 3 sides, but the 4th side had a few steps down. Robin was filming the glorious view when she missed a step, almost caught herself, then went down hard and broke her wrist. I helped her down 170 or so steps to the elevator, and took it the remainder of the way down. We had an ambulance called and rode to the local hospital. Robin had multiple Xrays and got a cast put on, but there are no real pain meds in Italy, just Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen. At our next destination, Portugal, she would get surgery to place a metal plate in her wrist.

Before

View from the top.

After

Robin is one of the strongest people I know and has a extremely high pain threshold. She was amazing during and after this traumatic experience. The story continues in our next location…

…Almada, Portugal!