Sheep, Possum, Birds and Scenery

"Blossom, blossom, you're my possum." - Jethro Bodine's valentine greeting

As we make our way up the east coast of the north island, spectacular scenery is again the order of the day. In Wellington, we took a lengthy drive along the "storm coast"--a rugged and beautiful bay coast where many a ship has met its end. On one side, mountains rise up quickly to lovely peaks. On the other, waves lash the rocks in many spots, making "no swimming here" an obvious response. But at other points, families had come out to enjoy the day in the water at pleasant beaches. They obviously knew where to go and not to go.

The drive ended with a steep ascent to a sheep station atop one of the peaks. From there, we could see across Cook's Strait (where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet) to the south island. At the sheep station, we watched sheep dogs herd the sheep, and enjoyed a cup of tea by the fir.

The next day was more fabulous scenery. This time, we'd docked in Napier, and took a "safari truck" through more Lord of the Rings country, past more sheep and cattle, around winding roads and trails and up steep ascents. The ride would be reward in and of itself, but there was more reward awaiting--the nesting site of some 7,000 gannets (a bird in the booby family). They are white with yellow heads and what looked like blue eyes. And there they were, some flying, some sitting on eggs, some pursuing courtship rituals. We were told that soon they'd be leaving for Australia, and would return in 2-3 years.

This was all at a spectacular cliff, under which was another cliff where several thousand additional gannets were nesting. The "scent" was striking, and the shoes needed a good cleaning at the end of the day, but it was worth it all to take in this scene.

Afterward, we went to the town of Napier, a pretty city with an interesting history. In February 1931, the city experienced a 7.8 earthquake, which brought down many buildings and which started a fire that destroyed most of the rest of the city. With only a few of the old Victorian buildings standings, and in the midst of the Great Depression, the city rebuilt in the style of the era--art deco. So, the city is mostly art deco with a few Victorian buildings tossed in here and there. They preserve it well, and it was a nice place to spend an afternoon.

If one is in a city, what is the obligatory thing to do? Well, shop of course. And what does Napier offer by way of shopping? Craft shops, the major department store of NZ, Farmers, souvenir shops, book stores, the obligatory Starbucks, and much more. But the highlight had to be Opossum World. All I can say is that, while it was a rather odd store, it was not as odd as one would have thought. And I now know much more about the possum than I did before. But I will spare you the details.

Next: Rotorua and the Thermal Wonderland.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

"It takes an earthquake to remind us that we walk on the crust of an unfinished earth."
- Charles Kuralt

Visiting Christchurch, NZ in November of any year means taking in lovely gardens in full bloom--Christchurchians (is that a word?) apparently pride themselves on their gardens, and rightly so.

But visiting Christchurch in November 2010 also means looking at pockets of destruction, as we're here mere weeks after a 7.1 earthquake hit the city, and after weeks of constant aftershocks. Fortunately, no one was killed in the earthquake and only two people were injured. And, tooling around the city one starts to think that there was no damage. Then you come across a road that is closed because it has completely buckled, or a house or block of buildings that are either crumbling or are being razed because the damage is too severe. And telltale blue tarps on roofs are painfully common.

Christchurch itself is a lovely small city, with a lively town square and an active city life.

Beyond the city--actually, just opposite its airport--is an interesting Antarctic Center. It is from this area that a joint U.S./N.Z. project to study Antarctica is launched. And the Center provides exhibits and simulations to give an idea of what Antarctica is like. There we rode an ice truck over simulated Antarctic conditions. It's a massive truck that can climb, ride across crevices, float on water if the weather gets "warm" enough to weaken the ice, and generally cope in frigid conditions. We donned parkas and stood in a simulated storm. And saw a film of brilliant cinematography of the Antarctic.

We are now back on the ship, and bound for Wellington, which will be the next installment.

It's About the Journey

“The Road goes ever on and on down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow, if I can, pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way where many paths and errands meet." - J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings

Sailing into Milford Sound at daybreak, our cruise ship passed the majestic waterfalls and giant cliffs and peaks that surround this fjord, as we were led by some leaping dolphins and laughed at by some seals on the shore. Thirteen of us stood on a deck, waiting for a small boat to come alongside and let us step off into an entirely different journey. As our little boat chugged to a pier in the sound, the cruise ship turned and left us behind.

We boarded a van, and for the next two days, we made our way across the South Island of New Zealand, stopping frequently to take in one magnificent sight after another. We were in Lord of the Rings country, traveling through Fjordland National Park. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks and majestic mountains, my jaw stayed open for hours as I marveled at some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. The first stop involved a short walk in the woods, accompanied by the sound of roaring water. It wasn't until I turned a corner and looked down that I saw the source of the sound: a giant chasm in the earth, with water rushing through and around the rocks that the water had carved into amazing shapes.

From there, we headed to waterfalls, mountains, mirror lakes, and other visions to a mountain where we rode up a gondola to see them all from above. We also watched while a young man bungy jumped from a platform next to the gondola. The piercing scream was how we knew he'd jumped.

From there, we settled for the night into Queenstown, a pretty resort town on a lovely lake. Were it not for the unique Remarkables mountains that surrounded us, it probably could have been a resort town anywhere in the world, but it certainly had its charms.

The next day, we set back out, this time through different terrain. We'd left behind the rugged peaks for green mountains and valleys, and herds of sheep, cows and deer (here in NZ, deer are raised like livestock, in large fenced areas where they roam and graze). We stopped to watch more bungy jumping, this time into a deep river gorge. We then made stops in a number of charming small towns, passing through idyllic countryside until we reached Dunedin, a lovely town on the east coast of New Zealand. After a stroll around town, we rejoined the cruise ship, where we set sail up the eastern coastline.

We'd crossed from the west to the east coast at a leisurely pace in only two days, to give some idea of the width of this island. It was a spectacular trip.

Next: Christchurch, New Zealand.

"A koala walks into a bar..."

"SYDNEY - A koala has caused a stir at an Australian pub, wandering inside during a stormy evening, and taking up a position above the bar before promptly falling asleep. The furry male marsupial stunned drinkers on Saturday night when he entered the Marlin Bar on Queensland's Magnetic Island, approached barman Kevin Martin and ended up climbing up a supporting wooden pole and settling on a beam. 'I asked him for ID and he didn't have any so that's when he got a bit disgruntled and climbed up a pole,' joked Martin on Wednesday." - from an Australia Today news story

Koalas, kangaroos, cockatoos, wombats and other creatures uniquely Australian marked the past three days. We saw very little of Melbourne in the two days that, officially, were our time in that city. The little we saw was of a clean, apparently vibrant, city of attractive architecture and lively lifestyle.

Our time was in fact spent in the surrounding countryside. Day one was spent on the Great Ocean Road, a coastal highway of hairpin turns, breathtaking beauty, and lovely coastal towns. Four of us had hired a driver/guide for the day. Neil turned out to be a gem, explaining all we saw, and taking us on whatever diversions he thought might interest us. Our excitement at seeing a group of kangaroos hopping amongst a copse of trees led him to conclude--rightly--that we were interested in wildlife. That led to a diversion to a golf course (that's right, golf course) to see some 'roos lazing in the sun on the third hole. The golfers simply played around them.

Our next stop was a country lane, where we stopped to look at the beautiful birds: cockatoos, parrots and others whose names escape me now. Once I am able to download photos (probably not until I get home), you will see what I mean. But the highlight here was a couple of koalas in the tree, one of which had her baby in her pouch. (I will admit that, at least on my camera's preview screen, that's my favorite photo of the trip so far). Koalas apparently sleep some 20 hours a day, so it was quite a treat to see one doing something else.

The ocean road itself was a trip of extraordinary beauty. It is somewhat along the lines of the coastal highway in California, but with its own special flavor. The beaches are rugged, and the rock formations off shore were astonishing. Best was the group of rock formations known as the "twelve apostles" (though there are only eight of them, and no one can remember when there were 12). Another highlight was a a gorge where a shipwreck had once claimed the lives of all but 2 on board. That two survived its sheer cliffs and brutal waves was the astounding part.

The second day of Melbourne was also not in Melbourne. This was a trip into the mountains known as the Dandenongs, and a ride on "puffing Billy," an antique steam train, through the eucalyptus and fern forest. This was followed by a winery visit, and then a trip to a wildlife park to see many of the animals native to Australia.

After this, we were back on board our ship, and set sail for Tasmania, where we have been today. What did we do in Tasmania? You guessed it--more critters. After a visit to the charming little town of Richmond, where preparations for Christmas are well underway, we visited a wildlife sanctuary devoted to the rescue and rehab of injured animals. Here we saw, in addition to the koalas, kangaroos, wombats, emus, wallabies, and other Aussie animals, a number of Tasmanian devils. These dog-like animals have some 20 tons of crushing capacity in their mouths, but are scavengers rather than hunters. Nevertheless, we saw no one offering their arms to a devil.

We are now back on the ship and getting ready to sail for New Zealand--a two-day voyage. Australia has been a wonder. My only complaint is that I did not have enough time here. I'll be back.

Sydney

I wanted so badly to study ballet, but it was really all about wanting to wear the tutu. -Elle Macpherson

Three days in Sydney is not nearly enough, just as three days at the great barrier reef were not enough. Particularly when those three days include getting from one place to another.

Our return flight from Cairns took the better part of Saturday, leaving time for little more than a happy hour visit, an early dinner and bed. On Sunday, our friend Lee came downtown to show us more of her city on a picture-perfect day. We spent the morning strolling around The Rocks, one of those waterfront neighborhoods proud in its Victorian heyday, later gone to seed, and now brought back to vitality as a shopping, eating and drinking mecca. The architecture was interesting, and it was market day so there were many stalls to be browsed. We capped our Rocks morning with lunch at an apparently trendy spot called Pony's. Because it had embraced the small plate concept, it had the unusual-in-Sydney benefit of being reasonably priced.

The afternoon was given over to a harbor cruise, with a highly entertaining narration devoted more to which were the homes of the rich and famous, and where the nude beaches can be found, than to history. The ticket office for it was also the hot spot for U.S. visitors, and so we ran into several people we "knew" via the internet. It was funny that we instantly recognized one another even though we'd never actually met.

The next day greeted us with a drizzle that soon turned into an all-day downpour. But trooper Lee braved the wet to join Beth and me once again, this time for a visit to the aquarium. The great benefit to this was that we got a good explanation of much that we'd seen at the great barrier reef. It also was all under cover, which was great for a rainy day.

The afternoon was spent at a wildlife park, notably extensive for an urban setting. I finally saw some live kangaroos (having only seen one dead one by the side of the road in Palm Cove--those kangaroo crossing signs are no joke). The koalas were out in the rain, and so we saw little of their cute faces, as koalas curl up in the rain to let the water run off of them.

Other animals also were on hand, including crocs, large birds, and teh wide variety of things that can kill you in Australia.

Monday evening was a long-time dream of mine come true: attending a performance at the Sydney Opera House. No opera was on, so Betty and I attended a ballet in the opera hall. Arriving was spectacular, as our taxi brought us to the back of this icon. Across the harbor, we could see the ship docked that we'd be boarding the next day. Getting into the hall involved a series of dramatic staircases, with some hidden-away lifts for the sore of knee. The interior of the hall was spectacular, with the soaring angles that the House's exterior would suggest.

The performance itself was comprised of three vignettes, the first two of which could have benefited from further rehearsal. The third, however, was wonderful. It was a comic ballet--so much so that the audience was laughing hard throughout. It also was beautifully danced. Quite the topper to our Sydney adventure.

Tuesday morning was without ambition, as we spent the morning re-packing and getting ourselves to the cruise terminal in Circular Quay. Lee met us there, and had a special pass to join us on the ship for lunch. Too soon, she had to disembark, and away we sailed out of Sydney Harbor to the tune of bagpipes, as Sydney faded in the distance.

Tomorrow: Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road.

Well, Does It?

"[Australia] has more things that can kill you than anywhere else. -Bill Bryson, "In a Sunburned Country".

Things I love about Australia:

* the people. Really, the friendliest, most helpful, best-humored people on earth.

* the language. It's English, but not really. I ate yabbies for dinner last night, am now in the Big Smoke, dodged the bities in the rainforest, and had some dead horse with my chips.

* the coffee. A cup of coffee here is more like a triple espresso. Mmmmmmmm!

* the food. Anything that once swam is fair game for dinner, and is delicious.

* The pace. Nothing is worth worrying about. The phrase I've heard most is "no worry". And that's about right.

* the beauty. The terrain, the sea, the underwater, and the overland are breathtaking.

* the infrastructure. This country has the greatest bus system, even in the smaller towns, and has built a tourism infrastructure that makes one feel like a guest and not a cash cow.

things I don't love so much:

* the cost of things. Between runaway inflation and a bad exchange rate, it's an expensive place to be. When we first planned this trip the exchange rate was 78 cents US to the Australian dollar. The rate is now one dollar to one dollar.

* the many things that can kill you.

Obviously, the good outweighs the bad. And nothing has killed me yet.

And, for the big question: does the water really drain clockwise (as opposed to the U.S., where it drains counterclockwise)? Danged if I can tell. It just goes down.

Above the Tree Tops

"I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of drought and flooding rains,
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me."

-Dorothea MacKellar, "I Love a Sunburnt Country"

The legendary heat of Australia made itself known today as we ventured to the tropical rainforest at Kuranda. This one was all about the journey. The trip up to Kuranda was via an antique train that wound its way through multiple hairline turns, high vistas, and some 15 tunnels, built over a century ago by the sweat, toil, and sometimes death of many men bearing pick axes and shovels.

Today we enjoyed the fruits of their labors by railroading past one breathtaking vista after another. Waterfalls, rivers, distant towns and a beautiful coastline, as well as flora of all varieties marked the trip up a steep mountain. At the top was Kuranda, a village that could have been a tourist town anywhere in the world, but for the prevalence of aboriginal art throughout the town. Other than the art and the history and culture surrounding it, the town was not the point. The trip there and back was it.

And the trip back was something to behold. It was via skyrail--a truly amazing gondola trip over the tree tops of the rainforest. The beauty of the flora was matched only by the sounds of the tree life. Frogs, birds,and sounds I couldn't identify, meshed with vistas of coastline, rivers and waterfalls, combined for a memorable trip home.

The only downside of the day was its intense heat and humidity. Washington in the summer is nothing next to a spring day in the Australian rainforest. The clothing I word today will be walking home on their own.

Tomorrow: back to Sydney,.

The Poseidon Adventure

“Don’t worry, they usually don’t swim backwards.” Steve Irwin's last words, when stung by a stingray at the Great Barrier Reef, before dying from the sting. Video footage confirms that the stingray was swimming backwards.

Unlike Steve Irwin or the ship in the movie, I survived my experience today snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. Beth and I (and about 60 others) set out on the Poseidon catamaran for the storied reef on a perfect day--the sun was bright, but not too bright, the weather warm but not too warm and the breeze refreshing but not too strong.
Our first reef made one wonder what the fuss is about. It was no different from any number of threatened reefs anywhere in the Caribbean.

Turns out that was the practice reef. The ship then proceeded to another reef, filled with fascinating coral formations, fish of many descriptions, and a lively life under sea. As if that was not enough, we proceeded to a third site, this one filled with a whole other slice of life in the sea. This undoubtedly was the best snorkel experience I've had. The 5-foot clams, the colorful fish, the colorful coral, the wild formations, and the weird sea life were fascinating to behold.

The snorkel boat was great--a terrific crew that bent over backward to make sure divers and snorkelers alike had a great experience. Because the water is getting warm as summer approaches down under, there is a risk of stingers--exceptionally toxic jellyfish. So we all were equipped with stinger suits. Essentially, head to toe spandex. Remember the old Woody Allen movie, "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Sex"? Remember the characters dressed as sperm? Well, that's pretty much what all the snorkelers looked like (and, no, you won't be seeing a picture of me in it). But, gotta say, I came to love those suits. Protected against stingers, protected against the sun, and kept me warm in cooler waters.

The Great Barrier Reef was one of my life-long dreams to see. Now I've seen it. It did not disappoint.

Tomorrow, the rain forest of Queensland.

Here to See the Wizard

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kans-as anymore." -C'mon, you know who said that.

Yes, I'm really here in the magical land of Oz. I am told that Australia is so nicknamed as a shortened version of the term Aussies and because there really is something magical about the place. Both seem about right.

We arrived in Sydney around 7:30 am yesterday, and after a lengthy slog through immigration and customs, emerged to a lovely, temperate climate outside a bustling airport. An easy ride into Sydney via shared shuttle took us past many backpacker accomodations to our hotel, The Grace. Alas, my backpacker days are long past, but some of those backpacker places looked rather nice. But no complaints on The Grace. It was once a department store, now converted to a hotel in the center of the business district.

The day was spent doing a little overview exploring. Lee, our friend who lives just outside Sydney, took the bus in to meet Beth and me, and show us her town. We then met a friend from Houston, Betty (who had arrived a couple of days before), for lunch across from the harbor. Lee then clued us in on the Central Business District bus, which is (a) free and (b) makes a loop around the center of town. What better way to get one's bearings! We then went up to the top of the Sydney Tower for an 80-story, 360 degree view of the city. Wow!

That was about it for us for the day. A 24-hour journey to the other side of the world really takes it out of you (though, in truth, it wasn't too bad a flight--it just fouls up the body clock).

This morning Beth, Betty and I were up early to catch yet another flight--this time to Cairns (pronounced Kans), the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. We settled in to a wonderful rental apartment called The Alassio in the resort town of Palm Cove. The rest of the day was spent exploring the town. A word about the Alassio--it is pleasant, spacious, and well-situated. The owners, Sue and Daryl, could not be nicer and just can't do enough for you. We're feeling very welcomed here. There's a nice pool on the site: a true cement pond. It's a salt water pool with a cement bottom and fed by a warm waterfall. Needless to say, a swim was in order after a day of exploring.

Tomorrow is what I've been looking forward to for the longest time: snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Forbidden

"To ensure travelers' security, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) may determine that an item not on the Prohibited Items List is prohibited." --TSA website

Things I can't bring in my carry-on:

meat cleaver
spear gun
baseball bat
gun powder
cattle prod
brass knuckles
gel shoe inserts

But, with the exception of the gun powder, I can put them all in my checked baggage. Nice to know.

Getting Ready

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." -Charles Schultz

In 2010, November 8 will not exist for me. I depart the U.S. on November 7, and land in Australia on November 9. Will I be flying over November 8? Will there be a blink, and November 8 comes and goes? Will I sleep through it? No. It simply will never happen in my life.