Catching Up after Traveling for 5 Months

Oct. 1-Present, 2007--San Antonio

It's now been 9 days that I have been back in San Antonio. They have been filled with chores related to dealing with problems and catching up on things:

1. I took the car to have the air conditioning repaired. It had started giving me problems just a few days before I departed on my trip.

2. I took the car to have the sunroof adjusted and its drain holes cleaned out. It had gotten out of alignment and was leaving a small gap where water was coming in. That water wasn't draining as it should and was runing down into the floorboard where the carpeting was soaking it up.

3. I tried to install new software/hardware on my computer, and it apparently changed some settings so that the machine would never completely load all its software. Zone Alarm in particular would not load, yet it kept recyling through the process of trying to load. That slowed the computer down to the point where I couldn't do anything. I uninstalled the software/hardware, but that did not change the settings back. I tried deleting Zone Alarm, but it couldn't be deleted because it was an active program (spending every moment the computer was on trying to open itself over and over again). I tried to reset the system settings to a date prior to the date when I installed the software/hardware, but the computer is just too slow to complete such a major task. I returned the software/hardware to the store and will probably have to get a repairman to work on the computer.

4. I went through 5 months of mail. I matched credit card receipts to credit card statements. I balanced my checkbook and put all the entries into it related to the automatic payments I have set up for all of my monthly accounts. I read back issues of magazines and newsletters from organizations.

5. I thoroughly cleaned my two toilets. The water in the bowls had completely dried up while I was gone, so that meant that I could use the cleaner full-strength to get rid of the calcium build-up (which is significant in San Antonio since our water comes from underground limestone caves). They are now both so smooth and shiny inside!

6. I went shopping for basic supplies (and for a few non-necessities such as cookies, cakes, etc.) for eating and to replace items I needed that were lost with my stolen suitcase.

7. I went to my insurance company and filed a claim for the stolen suitcase and the items inside it (a surprisingly high amount of $1800+) for a 21-inch mostly full suitcase. Fortunately, I had removed some things (including the gift items I had bought in Taiwan and India)and left them in Copenhagen, or the claim would have been even higher. When I get paid by them, I have to take the check and start buying everything (suitcase, sandals, travel pants, shorts, shirts, underwear, socks, windbreaker/raincoat, binoculars, flashlight, travel alarm clock, universal stopper [Don't laugh, Torben], battery charger for camera, battery for camera, memory cards for camera, usb camera card reader, international plug/electricity converter kit, chain and lock to lock suitcase in overnight trains and in hotels, suitcase locks, etc., etc., etc. The list was about 4 pages long when I wrote it up with links to indicate the replacement cost of them.

8. I bought a new laptop computer to have one that works for now. I will still get my desktop repaired and then will try to use it as a server so I can move the laptop around within the apartment and even as far away as the pool area.

9. I dusted and cleaned the floors inside the apartment.

10. I repaired my dishwasher when it wouldn't operate after being still for so long.

11. I went to the nearby bus station to get my senior citizen's pass, since I turned 62 while I was gone traveling. It will allow me to take local buses for 25 cents per trip with 1 free transfer for changing buses between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., for 50 cents at other times M-F, and for free on Saturdays and Sundays. I plan to start going downtown regularly by bus to attend concerts, eat lunch, etc.

But, it hasn't all been work. I spent 12 hours downtown on Friday. I ate lunch at MK Davis Restaurant, went to an organ concert at lunchtime at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, stopped at the library for a while, went by the insurance company, walked along the river, went for happy hour at Mexican Manhattan ($1 off drinks and free taco and tamale buffet with a seat on the edge of the patio overlooking the river), went to First Friday (a street fair along a street with lots of galleries who schedule their new shows to begin on the first Friday of each month) in Southtown, and saw "Mama Mia" at the Majestic Theater. The weather was great, I got lots of walking for exercise, and all of my activities were fun!

Last night (Tuesday), Merryl and I had free tickets to be a part of a focus group to preview a new movie at the Silverado Theater that is opening in two weeks--Dan in Real Life. (Note: The link will only work until Touchstone has a new movie coming out, then it will be necessary to go to another page to find the trailer for it.) It's a funny film that is much funnier than most romantic comedies have been in the past few years.

Life is slowly getting back to normal now. I am beginning to feel mostly caught up on critical things. It will be a while still before I get my complete backlog, but my list of things that need to be done is always growing and, therefore, keeping me behind constantly even when I have been here at home for months.

Final Spending Update for 2007 Travels: I traveled 140 days this year and spent $4611.05 for an average of $32.93 per day. That includes my dental expenses in Thailand and the purchase of 6 air tickets (two in India and four in Indonesia) via low-cost airlines. That does NOT include my around-the-world air ticket which cost about $3600. Add that into the picture, and I spent approximately $8200 with a daily average of $59. Even at that, as I have always said, I SAVE money when I travel. That's a monthly expense of only about $1800!