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Cost of Living in the Tropics - The Basics


Really full garden

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I have lived in Guatemala for twenty years and am still amazed that my family and friends in the States believe that everything must be very inexpensive.Here are the costs of a few basics. Ive converted everything to US$.

Regular gas $3.62 gallon

Local beer $1.25

Electricity $0.22 kwh

Propane $14.50 25lb.tank

Real estate varies greatly but a house similar to one in the States in a nice neighborhood is very comparable to prices in Southern CA.Land is sold by the vara (32 inches by 32 inches).In nice areas of Guatemala City this can easily be $1,000.00 per vara!

                                                              Scott

El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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Very interesting facts about costs in Guatemala, thanks for sharing scottgt.

I live on O`ahu and bus and bike everywhere so I'm sorry I haven't taken notice of our latest gas prices.  Property values are really high here, I'm planning on moving to the Big Island in the next 4-5 years since I am currently a renter and I doubt my income will allow me to have much of a garden in any place that has the microclimate I'd like.  Rents are comparable with most major coastal US Cities like the Bay Area.  Although I wish my landlord appreciated all the palms I've planted (and paid to water), I am just thankful to be able to live without a car within city limits and have a garden!  What more could a student plant addict ask for?  :)

Does your electricity rate vary from month to month?  Our's does, and so does the cost of water and sewage treatment.  This summer I paid $300 extra for watering in the hot months.  It hurt.  But the palms and other plants grew!

If you are really interested I could look at our household bill and give you the per gallon/per kwh cost averages...

This also leads me to ask those on the Big Island (Hawai`i)  if they suspect their per gallon (H2O) and kwh (electricity) rates are lower or the same as that of O`ahu residents?

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I don't know what the water rates are in Hilo. Out here in Puna everybody is on catchment, so we're completely self sufficient and have no water or sewer bills.

Unleaded regular is $3.15/gallon, and I think locally brewed Big Island beer is about $1.50/bottle if you buy a sixpack (but there's cheaper beer!).

And Scott, a vara sounds like a square meter? And that's REALLY pricey! As I've mentioned elsewhere, the going rate right now for a one acre vacant piece of land here in Leilani Estates is right around $45,000. That'd be about $11.00 per square meter!!

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

 

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The price of living in USD has gone up quite a bit here in large part due to the devaluation of the dollar.  Three years ago the Brazilian Real was at 3 BRL to 1 USD.  Today the exchange rate is 1.75 BRL to 1 USD.  But, the price of real estate has increased substantially in Brazilian currency and therefore even more in dollars.

I don't know about the electricity right now because the power company still has not hooked our house up, so we pay nothing.

Gasoline is 1.33 USD per liter or 5.03 USD oer gallon.

My lot in a closed community with no house on it is now worth 107.00 USD per m2

A new upscale home runs from 300,000 USD to 800,000 USD and apartments are comparable.

A beer costs around 1.50 USD

We do not have a mortgage, so housing for us has no cost except up keep.  And, when the house was appraised by the city it was under the minimum for taxes.  And, they have not come back yet to change anything.  And,  I have no idea when that will be.  There are a lot of other factors to cost like, clothes, food, vehicles, and on and on.  I would not say that for the most part Brazil is a cheap place at this time.

dk

Don Kittelson

 

LIFE ON THE RIO NEGRO

03° 06' 07'' South 60° 01' 30'' West

Altitude 92 Meters / 308 feet above sea level

1,500 kms / 932 miles to the mouth of the Amazon River

 

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil - A Cidade da Floresta

Where the world´s largest Tropical Rainforest embraces the Greatest Rivers in the World. .

82331.gif

 

Click here to visit Amazonas

amazonas2.jpg

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That's pretty amazing.

I live in what might (or might NOT, depending on your perspective) be rural NOrth FL, where property values are supposed to be "reasonable" (for Florida, opposed to South FL ahem)

Gas here in Gainesville is "traditionally" the highest in the state. No one has an explanation for this. Its just "the way it is". Currently, with the price of oil at >$100 a barrel, gas has shot back up to summer levels and still climbing. 2 of our cars use Premium, and its at about $3.15/gal now

Propane, I only have for the greenhouse. As we live out in the County, outside the city limits, we don;t have access to the city natural gas hookups, so everyone has propane if they have gas. At the moment, its up to $2.07 a gallon. My tank is "full" at 80%. I was 10% low and when they topped it off last week to prepare for winter, it was $75. One of those little 25 gal jobbies you buy for your BBQ grill costs about $35-40

We pay nothing for water as we have a well

Electricity is expensive. Our house is all electric, and out bills in summer range from $300-450/mo; winter, $200-275.

Our house is on 5 acres of wooded land that includes a creek. Its 4200 sq ft with a 900 sq ft detached garage and a pool. When we bought it 5 years ago it was in the $500K range. Now, its value is probably lower due to the mortgage crisis.

Houses across the street in the deed restricted subD with a HOA that are comparable square footage with a smaller pool on zero lot lines go for $750K-950K. SO we feel we got a much better deal, LOL. But the median price for a nice older home in this area is $250-300K.

Since this is a university town, the market for student housing is competitive. APartments here are what I consider expensive, with rents from $800-1500/month. They were convertine everything to condos and building a lot of new condos, but with the housing crisis, they weren't selling a lot, so nit thy have started converting condos BACK to apts! Go figure.

A leaf of bread here is $2.50-2.75

Limes are seasonal, sometimes 3 for $2, sometimes 10 for $1

I don't drink beer, but my husband buys what I call "designer beer" (microbrew) and it runs about $2.50-$3 a bottle. Its Dogfish something or other.

"You can't see California without Marlon Brando's eyes"---SliPknot

 

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I live in Palm Beach County in Florida.  It has probably the most over-valued housing in the state.  We bought our house on 1.3 acres in 2001 for $187K.  It is CBD construction with 2000SF under air with a 2 car garage on a canal.  We had a 24x36' CBS barn built in 2002 for $37K.

We live on a dirt road off a dirt road and there are 5 vacant lots on the street - all selling for $190+ for 1.3 acres.  When we bought our house, they were around $25-$29K!

I think the median price for a 2000SF 3/2 house in Palm Beach County is between $315 and $330K.

Our electric bill runs around $250 in the summer and $150 in the winter.  Our house is all electric.  We have 2 well pumps - 1 for the house and 1 for irrigation.

We have a well and septic system so we don't have a water bill.

Gas is around $3.08/gallon for regular.

I buy as much local produce as possible so it is variable.  Milk is over $4/gallon.  I paid $4 for 1 dozen of organic eggs yesterday.  I buy organic bread and it was $2.99 for a loaf yesterday.

Hay for my horses is around $17/bale with grain around $11 for 50 pounds.

I think living where Bo does is cheaper than here!  I think almost anywhere in the US except California is cheaper than here!  Next stop - Hawaii.  I'll find about 10-20 acres so I can have all the palms I want and room for my horses!

Palmmermaid

Kitty Philips

West Palm Beach, FL

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This thread is really an eye opener.  I am surprised at the prices in other places.  My costs are similar to Gina's and Kitty's so I won't go into those things like gas and so on.  What are your local property taxes like?  In Floriduh, there is a controversey about rates here.  I have two properties that are similar in assessed valuation at about $450K.  One is homesteaded, which qualifies for a discount, and the tax is over $4,000 a year, the other with no discount is $9,300.  To insure these properties cost between $5K and $7K a year.  I think that Florida is a moderate or cheap place to live except that taxes and insurance throw it way over the line to very expensive.

Jerry

So many species,

so little time.

Coconut Creek, Florida

Zone 10b (Zone 11 except for once evey 10 or 20 years)

Last Freeze: 2011,50 Miles North of Fairchilds

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In Guatemala land is measured using the old Spanish measurements.A vara is 32x 32 inches and there are 10,000 varas in a Manzana = about 1.2 acres.

Land in Guatemala City is extremely expensive because it is in a valley and there is no where to go.I think land prices in our country are extremely over valued and this is due in part to the incredible amout of drug money that is being invested and laundered. We have expensive developments that rival any in Miami.

From what I have read electricity costs are highest on the Big Island and Maui and lower on Oahu.I might retire in Hawaii so I am investigating costs etc.

                                                                                   Scott

El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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Jerry, we have Homestead exemption, and out taxes are still $8000/year. Its crazy.

Florida was really, REALLY inexpensive compared to Los Angeles when we moved here in 1992. Housing here was so cheap, we could have bought a much larger house then we did initially (we bought a 3400 sq ft historic home for $169K, when we sold it 5 years ago we sold it for $315K.)

About the only thing I think is still less expensive than So Cal is car insurance.

Property insurance is so convoluted, with the hurricane deductibles, its crazy. Our deductible is about $20K for hurricane loss, and we live in an area LEAST LIKELY to get hit (yeah right, tell that to Frances and Jeanne, LOL)

I think that the cost of living is getting high all over, no one is exempt, and in many cases the US is probably cheaper than some other places.

"You can't see California without Marlon Brando's eyes"---SliPknot

 

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(amazondk @ Nov. 06 2007,06:03)

QUOTE
The price of living in USD has gone up quite a bit here in large part due to the devaluation of the dollar.  Three years ago the Brazilian Real was at 3 BRL to 1 USD.  Today the exchange rate is 1.75 BRL to 1 USD.  But, the price of real estate has increased substantially in Brazilian currency and therefore even more in dollars.

Don:

That's unbelievable what's going on in our economy ! What happened to almost bankrupt Brazil, not very long ago?

The price of real estate has more than doubled here lately although the inflation is being kept very low for almost a decade. Commodities exporters are making piles of cash and seem to be pushing the rest...Fuel prices are still very high here, no matter how much the production has increased...I guess the cost of living in Brazil is still very low comparing to Europe or US... Food, labour and rental prices still make all European folks feel like millionaires down here. The local small paychecks are of course the main problem... :D

Sirinhaém beach, 80 Km south of Recife - Brazil

Tropical oceanic climate, latitude 8° S

Temperature extremes: 25 to 31°C

2000 mm average rainfall, dry summers

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Salaries are very low in Guatemala as well.I would say maybe 75% less than in the US.

This makes the cost of living very high for most people.

                                                                                           Scott

El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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I also live in South Palm Beach County. I bought my house originally for my dog :Dm half an acre in a gated community (near my elderly in-laws). All expenses are as high as everyone else in South Florida. Since I bought last year my taxes are $9,000+!  Interesting thread.               Randy

"If you need me, I'll be outside" -Randy Wiesner Palm Beach County, Florida Zone 10Bish

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Gileno,

I sure don't know where this exchange rate situation will stop.  I never thought we would be where it is.  And, it is impacting our export business.  On the other hand I have never seen the economy here in Manaus so strong.  Buildiings are popping up all over the place and there seems to be a lot of money circulating around town.  But, I have no idea how people could live on 380 reais, 218 USD, per month at todays exchange rate.  And, many people do.

dk

Don Kittelson

 

LIFE ON THE RIO NEGRO

03° 06' 07'' South 60° 01' 30'' West

Altitude 92 Meters / 308 feet above sea level

1,500 kms / 932 miles to the mouth of the Amazon River

 

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil - A Cidade da Floresta

Where the world´s largest Tropical Rainforest embraces the Greatest Rivers in the World. .

82331.gif

 

Click here to visit Amazonas

amazonas2.jpg

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Real interesting facts guys!

Many people come here to Fiji thinking that it is also cheap but get a shock when they want something of quality if something imported.

1 FJD = approx .65 USD. Now that is OK if one earns USD or Euros or almost anything better. But when ever we leave here and buy another currency it really sucks big time.

Fiji has so many differences in various locations that it is not just to generalise. Some areas are cheap real-estate but you are really isolated on an island and really have to be selfsuficient. Now that seems a beautiful ideal for some naive city folk until you do it for some time, full time.

Basically i can say if you want to live like a native it is cheap but you want imported stuff that most of you take for granted get ready to be ripped off in a big way. In our local supermarket brocoli is $16 /kg; imported tomatoes are $10/kg; olive oil from oz is $20+/ litre.

Petrol or gas or benzine is $2/ liter, that is 3.8 litre to 1 US gallon or 4.5 litre to 1 Imperial gallon and it is poor quality from rusty transport tankers with salt water leakage also.

The cost of a new Toyota Hilux 4WD twin cab is around 60 thou.

Land costs vary greatly depending on the neighbourhood and other factors but once you own it there are no land taxes YET. About 10% of Fij Islands land is designated as freehold ( can be bought and sold by anybody including forigners). About 10% is Crown land A or B owned by the state but some is able to be leased and 80% is Native owned and some is also able to be leased but with complications.

In many ways we do live in paradise here but there is a cost.

Jim

Located on Vanua Levu near Savusavu (16degrees South) Elevation from sealevel to 30meters with average annual rainfall of 2800mm (110in) with temperature from 18 to 34C (65 to 92F).

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I sold my soul to the palm devil, met him at the crossroads about 6 years ago, everything else is inconsequential.

What price a man's soul ?

Happy Gardening

Cheers,

Wal

Queensland, Australia.

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Jim,

It sounds like a Toyota HiLux is about the same price as here.  Living in paradise is a relative thing. I think many people who like the idea, but do not live in a truly tropical place may not be able to cope if they had to spend all their time there.   Especially when it is not the same culture as that where they are from.  The cultural differences are more than the climate and cost of living in many respects.  Then there is the how to make a living problem.  It is one thing if you have an income based on an American or European salary, another thing if based on local salaries.  I have been fortunate enough to be able to keep my income pegged to US salaries for the most part.  And, more recently have been able to reduce my cost of living overhead drastically.  And, therefore the need to draw on our company.   I think that as long as you are able to do what you want where you want the cost should off set other factors.  I love to go back to the States to go to Best Buy , Home Depot and other stores.  But, after a  week or so and after having spent what ever money I have available for such things I am ready to head back to my part of the tropical world and eat some fish by the side of the river.

dk

Don Kittelson

 

LIFE ON THE RIO NEGRO

03° 06' 07'' South 60° 01' 30'' West

Altitude 92 Meters / 308 feet above sea level

1,500 kms / 932 miles to the mouth of the Amazon River

 

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil - A Cidade da Floresta

Where the world´s largest Tropical Rainforest embraces the Greatest Rivers in the World. .

82331.gif

 

Click here to visit Amazonas

amazonas2.jpg

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It is very possible to live very cheaply in rural Guatemala.There are tracts of land about 20 acres for $25,000-$50,000,but this is in very isolated areas,dirt roads etc.

Beach front property is about $40 per 32x32inches and it is complicated to buy.Non Guatemalans cannot own land within 2km of the coast and most is owned by the Govt.and is leased.If you are a non Guatemalan and own a company in Guatemala your beach property can be purchased(leased)in the companies name.

Security is a very major concern for us.We have to live like we are under attack.

I must live behind high walls with razor ribbon.We have ten armed security guards 24hrs a day.This is a major downside to life in the Third World tropics.

                                                                                        Scott

El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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Scott,

Things do not appear to be too secure around there.  Manaus has it's problems but for the most part you are pretty safe.  One thing that I really do not like that has become very common is electric fencing on top of walls.  I am not sure that is needed as much as it is used.  I don't like the look as it is sort of an agressive deal.  But, depending on where you live it may provide some security.  Where did they come up with the 32 x 32 inch deal?  I am looking at a lot on the other side of the Negro River with about 3,000 m2 which I may be able to purchase for about 2,000 USD.  Virgin forest land here in Amazonas runs for a around 50 USD per hectare.  The trick is to find land with clean title as the titles are often messed up.

dk

Don Kittelson

 

LIFE ON THE RIO NEGRO

03° 06' 07'' South 60° 01' 30'' West

Altitude 92 Meters / 308 feet above sea level

1,500 kms / 932 miles to the mouth of the Amazon River

 

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil - A Cidade da Floresta

Where the world´s largest Tropical Rainforest embraces the Greatest Rivers in the World. .

82331.gif

 

Click here to visit Amazonas

amazonas2.jpg

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Don,

I agree with what you say about the different ways to live in 'paradise'.

For sure one needs to enjoy the local culture and food and if the earnings compensate for the higher costs of imported materials it is a double plus.

Generally it is ok like that for us here and the biggest drawback is the ons and offs with developments due to the political instability.

Every few years when the previous coup has almost faded from memory we have a big rush in development and foreign investment and we make plenty. Then the sh*t hits the fan again (mostly due to financial and the power issues of a few but under the guise of  tribal and race issues) and everything goes dead.

However when we are lucky enough to be up on our finances it is a good time to travel.

We are fortunate that there is no real crime on our island, unlike on Viti Levu around the cities. Here everyone knows each other and it would be hard to get away with most things as most people do not have much else to do but talk and tell story (talanoa) around the kava bowl.

So all in all I would not trade life here for the western world and also really enjoy the changes that travel gives as well as our return home to our own sanctuary.

Jim

Located on Vanua Levu near Savusavu (16degrees South) Elevation from sealevel to 30meters with average annual rainfall of 2800mm (110in) with temperature from 18 to 34C (65 to 92F).

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Don,

land measurement is in the old Spanish Colonial measurements,Varas,Manzanas and Caballerias.1 vara =32x32 inches ,10,000 square varas = 1 Manzana and 64 Manzanas= 1 Caballeria.

I do not like all the security measures,guards razor ribbon etc.and wish we could live a "normal" life.It is an unfortunate fact that Guatemala is one of the most violent places on earth,We have had nearly 6,000 murders so far this year.Only about 1% are ever solved.My gardens are an escape from this reality.

                                                                                           Scott

El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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It can be cheap in some parts of OZ , I got my 3 acres close to town for only AU $160k it has a small block house with a flat roof . Rates are about 1500 that includes water . No air-con 4 me , electricity is about 150 a  quarter .

Insurance for the house is only 50/month . petrol is 1.25 liter .

Down on the beach prices are over the top , new estate on Clump point , 1 acre starting at 500k land only .

Michael in palm paradise,

Tully, wet tropics in Australia, over 4 meters of rain every year.

Home of the Golden Gumboot, its over 8m high , our record annual rainfall.

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Scott,

What is the main reason for the violent crime there?  Here it is to a large degree drug related, especially in the major cities like Rio and Sao Paulo.  Unfortunately this is a problem around Latin America.  It looks like Colombia has made some major strides in violent crime reduction lately.

dk

Don Kittelson

 

LIFE ON THE RIO NEGRO

03° 06' 07'' South 60° 01' 30'' West

Altitude 92 Meters / 308 feet above sea level

1,500 kms / 932 miles to the mouth of the Amazon River

 

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil - A Cidade da Floresta

Where the world´s largest Tropical Rainforest embraces the Greatest Rivers in the World. .

82331.gif

 

Click here to visit Amazonas

amazonas2.jpg

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Don,

 we have a culture of violence.This is due to the 30 years of civil war that ended

in 1998.More than 200,000 people died.Our murder rate also is due to drugs.We are a mini Colombia.Most public officials are corrupt. Five percent of the population owns more than 70% of the resources.

Despite all these negative facts Guatemala is still the most beautiful country I have ever seen.The volcanoes and mountains spectacular.We have every climate except arctic.Anything can be grown here.There is a dazzling array of fruit and produce grown here.

Everyplace has its problems.I think paradise is more a state of mind rather than a GPS location.

                                                                                           Scott

El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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Scott,

I agree with you totally about state of mind as a definition of paradise.  And, it has  a lot to do with what we do with what we have where we live.  The cost of living in many respects is more what we are prepared to trade off for living in one place or another rather than what the cost of living in financial terms is.  I have lived off and on in Brazil since 1974 spending more of half of my time here.  During this the cost of living has been from expensive to cheap in USD terms.  I have lived directly in Manaus since 2000 and have worked with the Manaus market since 1989.  After spending 4 years on Florida from 1996 to 2000 I decided that I preffered to live here and the trade offs have been worth it.

Yesterday the goverment announced that Petrobras the state oil company had found reserves of light crude oil equal to half of the known reserves of all oil in Brazil.  Brazil is already self sufficient in petroleum and this means that the country could actually turn into an oil exporting nation.  Brazil is a tremendously rich country and in spite of how much the people tend to mess things up continues to grow and move forward.  I am also here because I believe in the country's future and that it is a place where my children will have opportunity.   And, I live in a beautiful place where I never ever have to worry about wearing a jacket.

dk

Don Kittelson

 

LIFE ON THE RIO NEGRO

03° 06' 07'' South 60° 01' 30'' West

Altitude 92 Meters / 308 feet above sea level

1,500 kms / 932 miles to the mouth of the Amazon River

 

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil - A Cidade da Floresta

Where the world´s largest Tropical Rainforest embraces the Greatest Rivers in the World. .

82331.gif

 

Click here to visit Amazonas

amazonas2.jpg

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Don,

I too returned to the States(Florida) briefly from 1997-8.I had a fantastic salary and found that money is not enough.I feel we should all strive for quality of life rather than quantity.

Guatemala has been the land of opportunity for me.I could have never afforded a beach house in Florida.

It does take patience and passion to live in the Third World.

                                                                                                  Scott

El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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Hear hear to the previous 2 posts.

And here also.

Jim

Located on Vanua Levu near Savusavu (16degrees South) Elevation from sealevel to 30meters with average annual rainfall of 2800mm (110in) with temperature from 18 to 34C (65 to 92F).

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