Welcome again to a different month-to-month replace from Root of Good! This submit will cowl what we have been as much as throughout January and February of this yr. It was a busy two months, with a 16 evening cruise to Hawaii straddling the top of January and starting of February. We now have been house in Raleigh for about two weeks now, and can head out on our subsequent massive journey in Europe in one other two weeks.
As I discussed in my final weblog submit, I’m switching up the format of those month-to-month updates a bit. I’m de-emphasizing the detailed month-to-month earnings, spending, and internet price stories however will contact on these monetary features to some extent.
Monetary Replace
On the earnings aspect it was a reasonably regular two months. Some small dividends because it’s not the top of the quarter. I had a two hour early retirement life-style consulting session and made slightly from that.
So far as spending, we had two massive bills within the final two months. Our washer lastly bit the mud, so I needed to exchange it for about $650. I attempted to restore the washer a few months in the past however I broke the transmission case within the course of apparently. Who knew washers even had a transmission with oil inside it?
As a substitute of spending $180 on a alternative half and I made a decision to let cash repair the issue and exchange the entire washer.
The opposite massive expense was a brake alternative on our Hyundai Accent. This restore value just below $600 for brand spanking new pads and rotors on the entrance brakes and an adjustment and cleansing on the rear drum brakes.
These ~$600 “emergencies” aren’t emergencies in any respect, and in reality they’re baked into our $40,000 per yr early retirement price range. These “one time” bills occur fairly typically.
On the web price aspect, we’re above $4 million now, which is an thrilling milestone to hit. No cash worries in our future.
January Recap
Throughout January we spent a number of time with household at house. It snowed in Raleigh a few occasions up to now two months however we missed the second snowfall whereas we have been in Hawaii on the cruise. The primary snowfall was imagined to be fairly unhealthy with a number of anticipated energy outages resulting from ice accumulation. It turned out to be comparatively delicate and never many households misplaced energy.
Throughout January, the cross-country “Stroll for Peace” led by a gaggle of Buddhist monks made its approach by Raleigh. We braved the wintry situations and traveled a few blocks from our home to line up alongside their route. As we waited and watched, the monks marched alongside the snow-covered US 1 Freeway, as they continued on their journey towards Washington, DC.
It was an actual deal with to see the monks’ march, and doubly thrilling with the backdrop of the comparatively unusual winter climate right here in Raleigh.
February, and Our 16 evening cruise to Hawaii
In very late January, we flew to San Francisco the place we boarded the Ruby Princess for a 16 evening cruise to Hawaii.
We arrived in San Francisco round 3 pm, so we went out for a daytime stroll from our lodge right down to Union Sq.. Then we had a chew to eat at La Bodega, a Vietnamese restaurant, utilizing my Chase Sapphire Reserve eating credit score. I’m glad to report that the areas we visited have been comparatively tame and protected trying. Nevertheless, the realm a few blocks from our lodge appeared tremendous sketchy as we drove by there in an Uber simply earlier than arriving at our lodge.
As soon as aboard the cruise, we have been imagined to have 4 days in Hawaii however we missed our port name on the Large Island of Hawaii resulting from climate. On the way in which again to San Francisco, our ship stopped in Ensenada, Mexico for someday. We spent 4 days crossing the Pacific Ocean on the way in which to Hawaii and 5 days on the way in which again east heading in direction of Mexico.
We ended up docking in:
- Honolulu (Oahu)
- Kauai
- Maui
- Ensenada, Mexico
General, I assumed the cruise was nice. There weren’t a number of ports however the ports that we did go to in Hawaii have been wonderful. It was our first time in Hawaii so it was a very new expertise for us. Every day we picked up a rental automotive and drove everywhere in the islands.
Honolulu and Oahu
The primary port of name was in Honolulu. We caught an Uber to the airport and grabbed our rental automotive for the day.
After criss-crossing the mountains and heading to the east aspect of Oahu, then again to Honolulu, we began our counterclockwise circumnavigation of the island.
We stopped at a number of lookouts on the southern a part of Oahu.
We took a break on the He’eia State Park on the east aspect of Oahu for a few hours. We loved a easy picnic lunch by the water as we watched the navy planes touchdown on the base throughout the bay from us. This place was good and calm and tranquil with only a few vacationers apart from us. We have been positively outnumbered by the stray cats and chickens.
As we continued on our approach across the island, we arrived on the North Shore of Oahu, the place the waves have been fairly large. Plenty of surfers doing their factor. We additionally discovered the crowds of vacationers as we struggled (and failed) to discover a parking spot at one of many extra well-known surf seashores.
Our final cease earlier than dropping off the rental automotive was on the Dole Plantation. We arrived actually minutes earlier than they closed however nonetheless had a couple of minutes to go searching the gardens.
Kauai and Waimea Canyon
The subsequent day, our ship docked at Kauai. We grabbed the rental automotive and headed out to the Waimea Canyon. The primary cease was the “pink filth falls” that’s alongside an unmarked pull-off on the drive as much as the Waimea Canyon State Park. Once we arrived, an influencer was recording video of himself bathing within the waterfall. I made a decision that merely scooping up some water could be a wonderfully sufficient option to benefit from the little stream.
The panorama was very martian-like with the pink filth and rolling slopes. I assumed the pink filth could be slippery like North Carolina pink clay, but it surely was not. Very grippy and straightforward to climb round on.
The drive alongside the Waimea Canyon was gorgeous. I believe it’s as spectacular because the Grand Canyon despite the fact that it’s nowhere close to as deep or vast.
Maui – The Highway To Hana on the “Again Facet”
We spent a day at sea after visiting Kauai. We have been imagined to drop anchor simply off the Large Island of Hawaii, however the waves have been too sturdy for our tender boats to convey us to shore. So we sailed round in circles all day.
After a day at sea, we then arrived at Maui. Our ship made a shocking entrance into port proper because the solar rose. A rainbow, deciding to not be outdone by the grandeur of the dawn, greeted us with a giant “aloha”.
In Maui, we set out early and picked up the rental automotive. They gave us a minivan, as a result of they ran out of compact vehicles.
We determined to keep away from the crowds and head out alongside the “Highway to Hana” on the “bottom” of the Haleakala volcano. It’s doable to make a full loop across the jap half of the island of Maui however we didn’t need to combat the visitors and crowds on the northern part of the highway.
We loved a quiet drive by the fog as we traversed the slopes of the volcano. Finally the sky cleared and we have been handled to some epic views of rolling grassy volcano slopes with the ocean within the distance. And a few wild goats.
I hiked right down to an previous church close to our turnaround level simply earlier than Hana. Whereas I used to be mountain climbing again as much as the automotive, Mrs. Root of Good made associates with an area, Sam Aina (“Aina” means “land” within the native Hawaiian language). Sam informed us all in regards to the historical past of that a part of Maui close to Hana and the way his household has been there for the reason that 1800’s (or longer). His grandfather was initially the pastor on the church that I hiked right down to. Sam talked about how his children have virtually all moved away and don’t actually need to return since that a part of the island is so secluded.
“There’s no McDonald’s and no shops out right here, so the children assume it’s boring!”, he mentioned. And there we have been, 5,000 miles from house visiting this stunning space in the midst of nowhere and considering it’s probably the most wonderful factor ever!
On the drive again to the cruise port, we stopped by the Ho’okipa Seashore to hopefully spot some sea turtles sunning alongside the shoreline. I counted over 75 surfers within the water, too. The ocean turtles did present up in massive numbers as effectively.
Ensenada, Mexico
We departed Hawaii, and sailed for 5 days till we reached Ensenada, Mexico. From what I perceive from west coast cruise veterans, Ensenada is the port the place you simply keep on the ship and don’t even enterprise onto land.
Because it was our first time in Ensenada, I made a decision to enterprise out and see why no person likes Ensenada. It was a largely good stroll by city, with a stroll alongside the Promenade adopted by a go to to the Historical past Museum.
Alongside the way in which we encountered the persistent touts promoting stuff on the road and attempting to steer us to enter their institutions. We scooted out of the primary vacationer avenue fairly rapidly and made our option to the extra stress-free grounds of the Cultural Middle.
The Historical past Museum and the Cultural Middle each had little reveals on the Spanish missions that “civilized” the west coast of Baja California and (current day) California all through a lot of the 1600’s and 1700’s. An awesome reminder that America is a comparatively new nation, particularly the western components of it.
Again on board
We departed the ship on Valentine’s day. The final evening of the cruise, they’d a mass wedding ceremony vow renewal ceremony for people who needed to take part.
Journey Prices (aka Final Excessive Journey Hacking!)
This sounds bizarre, however we paid principally nothing out of pocket for this trip. All informed, we spent lower than $100 out of pocket for a trip that may usually value round $10,000.
How did we do it?
Flights – Southwest factors with a companion cross in order that they have been purchase one get one free.
Meals – On land, Chase Sapphire Reserve eating credit score, plus some airport lounges. On the ship, the meals is all included.
Native Transportation – The rental vehicles have been all $50 to $75 per day however I booked each with a $50 off coupon from Chase. And the steadiness I paid with Chase Final reward factors (booked by Chase Journey portal at 1.5x redemption fee). I did put $10-20 price of gasoline within the rental vehicles every day.
Lodge – I booked 1 evening pre-cruise utilizing Chase Final Reward factors
Cruise Fare – I received a reduced cruise fare and used Chase Final Rewards factors by the Chase Journey portal. I did should name in to Chase Journey to guide the cruise.
Uber/Lyft – I paid a couple of dollars right here and there however many of the rideshare prices have been coated by credit from United bank cards and Chase Sapphire Reserve bank cards. Every month, I get six credit starting from $5 to $10, and a few of these can stack collectively. Since this cruise straddled 2 months, I had 12 credit to make use of up.
Get free journey like us
If you’re concerned about getting free journey out of your bank card like I do, take into account the Chase Ink enterprise playing cards (my referral hyperlink). Proper now, the Chase Ink playing cards supply an above common $750-1000 price of Chase Final Rewards factors that may be redeemed immediately for $750-1000 in money (or much more for journey!).
Chase is fairly liberal in the case of “what’s a enterprise”. When you promote stuff on eBay or Craigslist or do some odd jobs sometimes then you’ve got a enterprise and will get a bank card as a “sole proprietor”.
I exploit the 90,000 Chase Final Rewards factors from my latest supply by transferring them to my Chase Sapphire Reserve card (additionally providing a 125,000 level join bonus proper now). I can switch these Final rewards factors to over a dozen journey companions’ airline/lodge packages like United, Southwest, or Hyatt. For instance, I transferred 6,500 Final Rewards factors to Hyatt and used them to guide a $300/evening room that sleeps 5 through the peak season within the Virginia mountains.
Capital One Enterprise X card
One other favourite journey card in my pockets is the Capital One Enterprise X card. The Enterprise X card is a “keeper” for me. First off, it comes with a $750 join bonus after spending $4,000 within the first three months. The bonus is paid within the type of 75,000 bonus factors you can redeem towards any journey purchases from wherever. Then you definately earn a strong 2 factors per greenback spent perpetually! The opposite massive perk is airport lounge entry. You get free entry for your self into Precedence Cross and Capital One airport lounges (visitors are further after February 1, 2026). Add to this major rental automotive insurance coverage protection and a bunch of different perks.
The Capital One Enterprise X card does have one catch – a $395 annual charge. However they reward you yearly with a straightforward to make use of $300 journey low cost plus $100 price of factors. Collectively, that makes $400 they offer you yearly which fully offsets the annual charge. For the reason that annual charge is offset in full by journey credit every year, I personally plan on retaining the Enterprise X card perpetually for the reason that card advantages are so nice.
Cruise Conclusions
The cruise was nice for me. Mrs. Root of Good received slightly bored on the 9 sea days we had attending to and from Hawaii.
I appreciated the nice and cozy climate, and forgot all in regards to the chilly winter climate again in Raleigh till I’d get a snow image from our children within the household group chat. Or pull out my laptop computer and see “It’s 16F in Raleigh proper now” on my pc house display. Brrrrrr!!!
Hawaii itself was wonderful. Crowded, however wonderful. I get the enchantment for people who love Hawaii and go to typically. I don’t assume I’m a Hawaii convert nevertheless. It’s a loooooong approach from Raleigh.
In actual fact, most of Europe is nearer to us on the east coast in comparison with Hawaii which is nearly 5,000 miles away. Locations like Poland, Finland, Morocco and Croatia are all nearer than Hawaii. If I lived in Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco and the flight was “solely” a number of hours lengthy I can see the way it’s a pleasant trip spot. From the east coast, it’s in the midst of nowhere!
The crowds in some areas have been an excessive amount of. Luckily we have been in a position to get away from the crowds for probably the most half however I positively should deduct some extent or 2 from my evaluation of Hawaii due to the extreme crowds. And sure, I notice I’m a part of the issue.
We do have one other cruise to Hawaii booked for subsequent yr, so we are going to get an opportunity to expertise the pure great thing about the islands a second time. I’ve to confess that I’m trying ahead to it!
Closing ideas
We had an amazing, stress-free, lazy fantastic January. Then we hopped on a calming cruise to someplace new to us. It’s exhausting to complain.
It’s good being house although. Our youngsters are busy with college or work most weekdays, however we benefit from the few hours we spend with them every day. Time flies, and earlier than lengthy our children could transfer out and we might spend even much less time with them.
So for now, we’re balancing touring loads with spending time at house with the children. Trip is a trip and house is a trip, I assume. Such is the early retired life.
We now have two extra weeks in Raleigh then we’re again on the highway. This time we’ll be crusing across the Mediterranean assuming the battle within the center east stays within the center east.
That’s it for me this month. See you subsequent time!
Ever been to Hawaii? What did you assume?
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