Update #19 Tom & Vanessa

A traveler we met once told me never say "Goodbye" but instead "Hope to see you later!" And she was right. Here in Sydney we met up with Tom who we met in India & Vanessa in the Philippines. Tom is an Aussie & works for McD here...yup we told him we want more good stuff offered at McD in USA. Over BBQ lunch at his apt we reminisced about our time in India & caught up a bit. Later we went to the beach with him & his daughter, Charlie where they & 800 other nippers (kids) were learning to swim & be safe in the ocean. Some of Tom's friends& Charlie's mom & stepbrother joined us after class and we had a lazy couple hours relaxing & conversing about life, US & Aus politics & travels. We felt like family. Tom has a good life here. Vanessa, a Filipino, has been just 4 months and is still in culture shock. Her Aussie boyfriend encouraged her to come here to get a job. She misses home but likes her job & the $$. She was so excited to see us and filled us in on all the All Hands/Leyte news. 

> We have noticed that while traveling in NZ & Aus, we see so many tourist and you just don't make the connections like when we traveled where tourist are few and far between. And locals, though very helpful & friendly, don't end up giving us their email addresses!! Even our Airbnb hosts are great for sharing their homes & having interesting conversations...but we are one of many and we are quickly gone & replaced. On the buses, trains & planes, we often can't start up a conversation like we have done in so many of the 2nd & 3rd world countries we've traveled...because the person next to us is on his phone or has earplugs in. We miss making those connections...like Tom & Vanessa.

Update #18 Sydney Sites

So much to see and do here...and we can jump on ferries to get from site to site!! We've enjoyed Darling Wharf with its Chinese celebrations and its Month of Love events...and since both love the color red, the Opera House & the Harbor Bridge glowed red. Luna Park's carnival was a fun setting. The Botanical Gardens had thousands of flowers & trees in bloom...many of the flowers we have at home but they have many more types of trees. At Watson Bay we walked the Gap Trail which led us out to the cliffs that protect Sydney. The ferocious Tasman Sea beat against the high vertical cliffs leaving only a small gap for boats to enter the Sydney harbor. One day we hopped on the train & took it as far SW as we could. We passed miles of suburbs crowded with small homes, tall apt buildings, large factories & commercial buildings until finally, quite near the end of the line, we came to open land & a few grazing cattle. Walking the many piers was always entertaining as musicians & performers try to earn a few coins. We especially enjoyed listening to the didgeridoo, an ancient instrument. This city is alive and well

Update #17 Sydney Opera House

> I'm sitting in a small park next to the apt building where Tricia, our host (born in AnnArbor!!) and we now live. Directly in front of me is the Harbor Bridge and the iconic Opera House...sailing by is a replica of a sailboat from the past...probably similar to the sailboats that inspired Ulzon's design!! He wanted it to be one with the sea...and it is. Learned so many fascinating facts on our tour of the the Opera House: Over 200 architects submitted plans & though Ulzon's was just 38 & unknown & had not consulted an engineer, his was picked; Ulzon was asked to leave the building site (political reasons) and never saw his completed masterpiece; all the roof pieced together would form a circle; the special made tiles that cover the roof are mostly tan but turn white when kissed by the sun & the roof itself seems to be in motion as the clouds pass over it due to the angles; it is built on a raised sandstone colored foundation because Ulzon was inspired as a young child when the feeling of height he got when he climbed an ancient temple...just like the ones we climbed in Guatemala & Mexico; though it took years to build, no one was killed; the theaters are built with a medley of woods & wool to absorb all echo so true clarity is heard in every seat; no mics or amplifiers of any kind are every used; 95% of the time the venues & theaters are fully booked. I can tell you all those facts but I can't explain the miraculous sound of the music. I'm sure Annie Klark & Elsi Sly's trained ears would have been in ecstasy. Even my untrained ear smiled. My minute background in operas & foreign language did little to keep me from being totally awed. Our show featured four Australian opera singers performing Ten Great Opera Hits and accompanied by a master piano player. What a glorious way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Sydney!!!
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Update #16 Sydney Day 1 & 2

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> We made it to Sydney...a sprawling, upbeat port city filled with almost 5 million Aussies...plus what seems like thousands of Chinese tourist. Our Airbnb is near Chinatown and Sydney is gearing up to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Our flight got us in around 5:30 pm and by 7:30 we were getting acquainted with Ethan, our host. He's Taiwanese and here studying. We settled in and spent time planning our next couple days. Got an early start the next am.m and since it was misting, we headed to the Australian Museum. I loved the room filled with ornate, whimsical, colorful, unique and fascinating face mask...most from Papua New Guinea...which increased our excitement for our visit to PNG coming up! Other amazing exhibits: extinct section with the Demon Duck of Doom...the size of a camel--a 600 lb giant kangaroo--the Hobbit...nickname of short human like mammal recently found. St Mary's Cathedral was our next stop. Gigantic arched pillars showcasing glorious stain glass windows and intricately carved main altar. Massive. We walked to the Circular Quay harbor to get a good view of the Opera House...Ahhh! Then off to the Rock Museum where we learned the history of Sydney which was built on the rugged rocky coast. The. Aborigines lived here about 30,000 years before the British landed. Next boat loads of convicts were dumped here by the British. Soon Sydney became quite an important trading port. Australia has made a concerted effort to assimilate the Aborigines into the mainstream without squelching their culture. Another neat exhibit showed the rise and fall of sea levels over the last 60,000 years and its effect on this area's landscape. Many of the early stately buildings are still here so we spent the next while looking for them. Saw many after climbing to the top of the Sydney bridge. Had a fish & chip dinner overlooking the bay before heading "home." After a break & enjoying some of the stir fry Ethan fixed, we went for a walk to Darling Bay...a hot spot for food, bars and evening entertainment. Liking Sydney!!
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Update #15 Good to Know About NZ

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> Here's a few last Good to Knows About NZ
> 1. Don't compare a North NZer to a South NZer...it's like calling a New Yorker a Californian!
> 2. Avoid NZ around Chinese New Year. In that 10 day period about 60,000 Chinese descend on NZ.
> 3. Use Connectabus--great and efficient way to get around and most of the drivers are a wealth of info and love talking to you.
> 4. Big plus for NZ: no snakes!
> 5. Most electricity for NZ is generated using hydropower in SNZ.
> 6. 65% of NZers live north of Hamilton.
> 7. Lots of cheese and lamb selections on menus.
> 8. Need lots of $$$ for a trip to NZ!

Update #14 Back to Queenstown to Relax

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> After a host bike ride along the lake, we were headed back to Queenstown where we'd booked an Airbnb with Megan and Richard. Their condo overlooks Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables (name of the twin peaks). They've traveled lots using Airbnb so said--why not offer our extra bedroom?? We went to town for dinner and got some groceries for next day. We visited with Megan & Richard talking about our upcoming US elections and the Flint water mess. It always amazes me how much people halfway around the world know and care about US news! Megan set out a nice selection of breakfast food for us before she left for work which we ate leisurely enjoying the view. I put a load of wash in and did more later so we'd have clean clothes again. Then I caught up on emails & updates while Rog caught up on the world news. We'd bought salad stuff & a broasted chicken so made a big salad...ate half saving the rest for supper. Rog went to town for a bike ride while I finished up my writing sitting on the balcony. Late in the afternoon I felt caught up so I finally started reading the book I'd brought. We needed this relaxing, catch up day. Tomorrow we fly to Sydney!

Update #13 Off to Noy Zylan by Rog

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> 'Allo all U.S.ers,
> Off to Noy Zylan wi' me gal....jus' a trampin' 'roun the trees and bushes like scorched rabbits we are! Seein' some great sights! Enjoyin' how they pronounce me name-Ro' jur. Almost as good as India where they called me Rah' jah and treated me like a king!
> We have come across a few idioms that reveal a bit of the humor and joy of life that we have experienced here.
> Describing a notable rugby player..."he walks like a washing machine".
> Talking about some who had passed away..." 'e got on the big ship!"
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> Many older people seem to be driving bus or taxi...it seems that they are finding it difficult to replace drivers with younger people because the job requires a life style that most young people do not want. Long hours, poor or unhealthy food choices,little opportunity to pursue activities like hiking, tramping, hunting, fishing,biking,etc.
> Ahh! The South Island, or Mainland as those that live here like to say, is a bit cooler and much lower in population so those that live here feel somewhat superior to their countrymen to the North (even though they are inferior on the globe). Hunting and fishing is pretty big here along with lots of extreme sports. Oh, and the speech here is easier for us to understand.
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Update #12 Locked Out

> We decided to eat in tonight so we picked up some sandwiches, chips, apples, a Diet Coke and a rather large highly rated beer. You can guess who drank what. We ate in the living room of our suite which had 3 private bedrooms surrounding it. After a bit, Rog went into our bedroom to read & I stayed in the living room to write. Two girls from Jerusalem and a boy from Chile & an Australian girl who I assume was his girlfriend, soon joined me as they were in the other 2 bedrooms. The Ausie went to bed early. The rest of us sat around swapping stories and learning a bit about each other. The girls told me how they loved Israel and felt very safe there & had a deep feeling of connection with all their countrymen. The Chile guy was studying English here. Quite a bit later, we said good night. Our bedroom door was locked so I knocked...no answer...only loud snores...I knocked harder...no answer...I called "ROGER"...no answer. The Ausie came out of her room wearing not much and saying she could hear loud snoring...I said I'd offer her earplugs but they were locked in the room. I went out on our balcony and tapped on the window...then pounded....harder. No answer. I walked to the check-in desk. Closed for the night. I came back and one of the girls beat on the door while I pounded on the window...until a guest down stairs shouted, "Hey Matey, keep the noise down!" We tried all the others' keys. No luck. It was late so the girls gave me their extra blanket and I tried to make myself comfortable on the small couch in the living room where I could hear Roger snoring through the wall between us. A few hours later, a confused Roger opened the door. He owes me.

Update #11 TeAnau Glowworm Cave

Why TeAnau...Glowworm cave. The word TeAnau in Maori means cave with rushing waters. Though kept secret for many years as it the Maori believed the cave held the eyes of their deceased, the name encouraged a British explorer to search until he found it...and of course it soon turned into a tourist attraction. We don't usually gravitate toward tourist attractions unless they involve nature. And this one was cool. A catamaran took us across the gigantic Lake TeAnau to the cave opening. Ducking low, we entered...more dark and damp with each step...and surprisingly noisier as water rushed by us. We climbed metal stairs lit up by tiny lamps passing waterfalls that were carving unique sculptured rock formations and whirlpools. On the top of one of the falls, we climbed into a small boat. No more lights. Just pitch black. We glided into a silent grotto and barely above us were the glowworms. Picture thousands of fire flies constantly lit up. Like a clear night sky with bright iridescent green stars. Extraordinary! Back at the info center, we learned what we were really seeing was glow larvae begging for food and under each were dozens of long sticky strings just waiting to catch an insect. Isn't nature amazingly cunning!!!
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Update #10. Fjord National Park/Milford Sound

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> Our guide for the day, Nijal in his BBQ bus picked us up at 7:30 a.m. Along with 7 others, we headed for Fjord Nat'l Park. It took us 7 hours since Nijal stopped often along the way so we wouldn't miss some fantastic views, waterfalls, Mirror Lake, and other short hikes where we spotted foxgloves, lupines and Mt Cook lilies--which are actually the largest buttercups in the world. While we were hiking a trail through a eire, deep & dark, moss covered woods, Nijal was cooking up a scrumptious lunch on his BBQ. We set out folding chairs next to a babbling, crystal turquoise blue stream..really never seen a stream this color...and devoured our lunch and the view. At Nijal's encouragement, we drank the icy cold water right from the stream. Back on bus, Nijal continued filling us in on info which made everything so much more interesting. Abundant rain is why the beech, lancewood & loblolly pine trees, ferns and shrubs (all native) are so thick and lush. Rog, of course, loved seeing the many geological features: sedimentary rock at 90degree, glacier till, moraines, glacial striation and massive rock slides. We were so awed by so many gorgeous views on the way...and then we loaded a boat and headed into the Milford Sound. You know the saying--you won't believe it until you see it! But it was more than seeing it. It was being in the middle. The 360 degree panoramic effect. The wind. The immenseness of the shear cliffs. The clarity of the deepest blue water. The fuzzy brown fur seals sprawled out on the boulders. The waterfalls making rainbows with their spray. When we reached the Tasmanian Sea, we turned around. The wind stopped and stillness took over. Incredible. Unforgettable.
> Back on the bus Nijal chatted on about all we asked about: Schools- 6-16 compulsory/ University costly, difficult to get into & through. Prime Minister Key-self made millionaire/donates salary to charity/NZers think he's selling off too much of NZ to foreigners. Tourism-growing leaps and bounds. Farms-mostly privately owned though many corporate owned/ dairy farmers hurting right now due to low prices/not enough sheep shearers & few young ones. Soon enough it was time to get dropped of in TeAnau right in front of The Lakeside Backpackers Hostel...home for the night.
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Milford Sound

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Fiord Nat'l Park

Begin forwarded message:

From: Jane <janeboyce@live.com>
Date: January 31, 2016 at 3:35:59 AM EST
To: Bekah Boyce <bekah_boyce@hotmail.com>
Subject: Fiord Nat'l Park

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Queenstown

Update #9. McDonalds

> I'll admit it...we've been to McD quite a few time cause NZ have the best we've ever seen! Not only are many huge & glamorous ...some with kiosks where you place your order...the menu is amazing & abundant: hamburgers with guacamole, salsa, BBQ, bacon, beans & cheese choices; fries with guacamole & salsa; Georgie pies of meats, veg and/or eggs (like pot pie), deli sandwiches, tarts, cakes, cheesecakes, huge selection of muffins; specialty coffees & teas; slushy floats and my personal favorite: chocolate waffle cone filled with hot fudge sundae!! Really--I demand equality!!!

Update #8 Queenstown SNZ

> Guess I'll carry on...left Seb's after fixing our breakfast using eggs he'd just collected from his hens. Headed back to Queenstown using a day bus pass so after dropping our bags at Southern Laughter hostel...we bussed all around the area which couldn't be more spectacular! It's like a 4D effect with the dark, ragged peaks of The Remarkables in the background, the golden rounded mounds with lush pines creeping up them all surrounding the most crystal turquoise lake! (Imagine an immense Torch Lake cradled in this setting.). Crazy that just 150 years ago only a few Maori lived here...today almost 30,000 residence host an average of 5000 visitors a day!! 60% coming from China. This place is crawling with young kids 'cause it's also know as the center for dozens of ways to scare the crap out of ya! From the top of the huge mountains you can skydive, paraglide, zip line, canyon swing, ride a luge or gondola and of course, bungy jump. Then there's the lake where you can speed through the canyons, ride in a skidoo like machine that dives under water & then flies in the air, white water raft, and parasailing. Bike trails have jumps so you can fly there too! Or our choices: a relaxing, calm boat ride and a tour of Kiwi Birdlife Park (thanks Karen for a heads up on that one). Both informative and exciting to hear about the progress NZ is making to revive their native plants and animals. 40% of their animals are on the extinction list another 40% close to it. When the Maori came only 2 types of mammals lived here...both bats and a huge number of birds. Quickly the largest bird, the Moa was hunted to extinction as it had no fear of humans. When other mammals & plants were introduced, it wrecked havoc. Today NZ is spraying pine trees with canola oil to stop the spread and replanting native fauna so many birds have returned. Deer which quickly became overpopulated are actually being plucked up by helicopters & raised. Meat is sold to Germany and the velvet horns to China & used for medicinal purposes. (USA take note--it's big $$ here). Another problem solved: the opossum's fur is being made into hats, gloves & shoe liners. Many large areas are being eradicated of non-native mammals (rats, rabbits, stoats, etc). Most programs have been very successful...especially for the kiwi! The water quality of Lake Wakatipu is 99.9% pure...better than any bottled water...and 2nd only to a lake in Antartica. (Fact checking is encouraged as most of what we hear is from the tour guides, boat captains, bus drivers or locals!)
> Last night we went for a stroll in Queenstown's botanical park which was quite lovely...and we were treated to a medley of Shakespearian plays with snippets being performed throughout the park. Us lucky blokes!! Tonight we're catching up on writing...obviously...trying to plan a bit ahead...and gazing at the views & soon the night skies at 45 degrees S latitude...half way between the equator and the S pole!
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Tuatara!

We saw some tuatara at the bird life park today.  They were living at the time of the dinosaurs...and they are still here in NZ today (well, their descendants are still here).  
Love to all,
Gpa and Gma

Can you find Milford Sound on a map?  We will be there tomorrow.

Update #7 Arrowtown, SNZ

Time to move on so said goodbye to Beryl...who told us of all her guest, only one other couple seemed so calm & relaxed & it bit her abit at ease. We headed back to Auckland for a quick night stay near the airport, jumped on an early flight to Queenstown, SNZ then bussed to Arrowtown.  We spent the afternoon exploring this old gold rush town where they'd preserved most of the original buildings and today they are filled with places to eat or fancy clothing, art & jewelry stores.  Their museum was amazingly authentic ...right down to an outhouse with a guy sitting inside and flies buzzing all around.  When you opened the door, he shouted "Hey Matey...can't ya give a guys some privacy??"  We also walked through the remains of the Chinese settlement where hundreds of these hard working Chinese came hoping to get rich.  Most died poor.  The gold rush only lasted a few years but fortunately, the town figured out how to find "gold" other ways...tourist!  Reminded me of Traverse City in the summer.  Star Wars was showing at the tiny cinema where you could bring your own wine & order a cheese platter.  Since we'd hope to see it, we went.  Movie was great...popcorn not.  Next morning, we were off biking a trail along the Arrow river.   Up, down, over long suspension bridges, past spectacular scenery, gigantic cliffs & gorges, waterfalls, deer & Swiss goat farms, grapes vineyards and the famous Kawarau Bridge where we only watched crazy people buggy jump the 120 feet bouncing just barely above the river.  We were both glad neither of us were THAT crazy!  After 12 or so km, we plopped down at a creamery and ate our fill of fresh made cheese and bread & fruit...and Diet Coke and a flat white coffee (Rog's favorite drink here).  Then we headed back...now with the sun brightly lighting up the countless hues of greens.  Tired?  Yup!  Ready to hit the sack--we're staying with Seb who after work biked 28 km with 500m grade.  Show off!!  

Update #6 History Lesson

 A short history lesson: NZ is a baby as it has only been inhabited by people for 1000 years! Maori came first...from Polynesian area & 400 years later Captain Hook & the Dutch arrived. Here North points to the equator and south winds bring cold weather. Gardens are gorgeous on the North island as it doesn't freeze...so a little effort last all year!! South Island is much colder & they get snow. Homes are very modest with huge windows and extremely expensive...$550,000 is considered "affordable" but few are available. Lots of foreigners are buying homes for investment which is driving the market up. Many homes are sold at auctions which also drives prices up. Price of dining out is at least 2x as much as USA. Luckily, Rog & I often share a meal and it's plenty and also the US dollar is strong here....$1 NZ = $1.40 US. NZ are friendly and proud of their beautiful country...and rightly so!

PS I stand to be corrected on a previous update: Jurassic Park was filmed in Hawaii.

Update #5 Farming...by Rog

This place is a beautiful spot with friendly people that all seem to enjoy telling us about their country.  

As one said, "We are a bit removed from many of the troubles of the world!" 

The grassy fields bordered by neat fences or hedgerows seem to go on and on. Cows and sheep appear to all be healthy and clean as they are rotated to fresh pastures often.  We see very little farm equipment and even the milking sheds are hard to find.  No big red barns.  Our bus driver told us average number of dairy cows per farmer is around 250 but he knew one who milked 2200!!  With all of the animals it seems that there might be many flies or other bugs, but the pests are few. 

Doors and windows are left wide open to allow the breeze through-with no worries that flies or mosquitoes might invade the house.  Even with lights on at night the screenless windows can be open...amazing.  Beryl, our Bnb hostess in Rotorua, was shocked to hear that we sometimes get many mosquito bites in a day.  She got one once and didn't like it at all. 

Penguins

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