Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Update #25 Valentine's Day--the Good, the Bad & the Ugly
> Headed back to Sydney with no plan for the day. Stopped at a McD to book a room about half way back and then stopped at a visitor center near Penrith...for such a big city, they sure didn't have much that we were interested in. Since it was hot, we decided to do the river walk & we were told we might see platypus. Bad & Ugly-River was muddy & banks were littered. Met a guy fishing in the river who told us he been fishing everyday for a month...no platypus. It was hot as an oven & no breeze. We crawled back to our car & went looking for lunch...all the way to the Outback...restaurant that is. Good!! Every bite like eating at the one home. Made another stop at McD to see if there was a movie near & then off we went to search for it. Bad. Traffic was thick & we didn't have accurate directions so had to turn around lots...which is hard enough when you are driving on the "right side" but totally screwed up on the other side. Finally found the theater but the movie we wanted was sold out. Bad. But decided on The Choice...which was a Good choice. Predictable but entertaining. Popcorn was blah...no butter or salt. Bad. Finding our hotel was easier...Good...but the hotel--BAD & UGLY!!! Had it not been after 10, we'd moved on and we are not too picky so you can imagine what kind of place it was...though I shouldn't complain...we actually had our own waterfall right in our room....air conditioner had a major leak...and our bed was on great rollers so every time we touched the wall, we'd go for a ride...though not too far cause the room was tiny! And to top it off, a slight screech from the AC grew with intensity until finally around 2 am, we pulled the plug...the heat was easier to endure. Sure made us appreciate all the other great rooms we've been in!! Good! So ends my story of the Valentine's Day Good/Bad/Ugly!!
Update #24 Ukulele Festival & Everglades Estate
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> After hiking on to see just "one more waterfall"...we headed to a Ukulele Festival...and what a treat! Ukulele groups...many with other instruments as well...from all over. Each got 30 min on one of the 7 stages from 10 am to 11 pm!! There was a whole lot of lively music, toe tapping and clapping going on. All pretty awesome. The crowd loved me and they totally loved performing. Only thing better would have been if some of our music, strumming friends were with us...like Terri & Ted who probably would have been up on the stage! Around 2 pm we took a break & headed to the Everglades Estate where we meandered around their extensive gardens filled with flowering shrubs, shady trees, ponds and of course, gorgeous flowers...many we have but also many we have seen in other countries even in rainforest & tropics. There was even a man made, rock-lined, creative creek & amazing waterfall complete with a pool. Again I was jealous of not just the variety of blooms but also the length of time they bloom. Something is blooming almost all year long. I'd work harder in my garden if that were the case in Michigan. Toward evening, we headed back for another fix of music & got it. Rog's favorite group what's a 4 man group with a terrific lead singer. Mine was a huge...may 30...high energy group that was having a blast entertaining us. All in all, a great day which ended in the cabin we've been staying in. There I popped some corn and we watched Robin Hood on TV.
> After hiking on to see just "one more waterfall"...we headed to a Ukulele Festival...and what a treat! Ukulele groups...many with other instruments as well...from all over. Each got 30 min on one of the 7 stages from 10 am to 11 pm!! There was a whole lot of lively music, toe tapping and clapping going on. All pretty awesome. The crowd loved me and they totally loved performing. Only thing better would have been if some of our music, strumming friends were with us...like Terri & Ted who probably would have been up on the stage! Around 2 pm we took a break & headed to the Everglades Estate where we meandered around their extensive gardens filled with flowering shrubs, shady trees, ponds and of course, gorgeous flowers...many we have but also many we have seen in other countries even in rainforest & tropics. There was even a man made, rock-lined, creative creek & amazing waterfall complete with a pool. Again I was jealous of not just the variety of blooms but also the length of time they bloom. Something is blooming almost all year long. I'd work harder in my garden if that were the case in Michigan. Toward evening, we headed back for another fix of music & got it. Rog's favorite group what's a 4 man group with a terrific lead singer. Mine was a huge...may 30...high energy group that was having a blast entertaining us. All in all, a great day which ended in the cabin we've been staying in. There I popped some corn and we watched Robin Hood on TV.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Update #23. Blue Mountains/Scenic World/Blackheath
We were at Scenic World when the door opened. Scenic World features 3 different rides down & over the mountains...the quickest way to "see it all." Our first ride was in a skyway car that glided 270m between cliff tops above the Jamison Valley. What a view...it would have been if we weren't in a thick cloud...so glad we got there so early! Not to be discouraged, we climbed aboard the railway which at a 52 degree incline quickly had us down to the bottom. There we walked the boardwalks that twisted & turned through the ancient forest while signs told us what we were seeing. So many different types of trees & evidence of past natural & manmade influence on their growth. For 15 years this area was mined for coal...which is how the whole Scenic World vision began...on the coal bin tracks. We took a cableway up 545m back to the base for lunch. Now with a clear sky, we got back on the skyway car and this time the valley way, way, way below was crystal clear! Back in our car, we headed for Blackheath...still in the Blue Mountains and still loving the various hues of blue that covers this entire area. Rog and I toured the Blue Ridge Mountains in USA on our honeymoon (spending a whole lot less) so memories are popping up. The blue here is much more pronounced because the oil that the Eucalyptus tree gives off. We spent about 10 hours today traveling the backroads pulling off often and searching for animals & we found them: lyre birds, 3-4' iguana like creature, cockatoo, kookaburras and lots of hopping, happy kangaroos!! What a riot to watch them! We drove from the top of cliffs to the valleys below where the land was pastured & only a few towns...on curvy, narrow, and steep roads...sometimes feet away from the edge of cliffs. Rog drove slowwwwly and carefullllly....and I just got to enjoy it!!
Update #22. Katoomba/ Blue Mountains/Aboriginal Centre
Woke up early to get take in the morning views of the vast and breathtaking Blue Mountains...the vertical sandstone cliffs reaching the sky and the endless valley crowded with vegetation, rainforest area and the largest eucalyptus tree forest in the world...so many Gum Trees (their nickname)....no wonder the koala & kookaburra...and now us...love it here!! And truly blue! Slowly driving the Blue Mountain Drive , we stopped at every pull over to be awed over and over. In the heat of the day, we went to the Waradah Aboriginal Centre. Members of the Gundungarra group performed for us beginning with their smoking ceremony. A brief history of the area, introduction of some of the many groups & their languages as well as an explanation of their body paintings gave us a good background making the skits/dances much more meaningful. A reenactment of the story told of how the didgeridoo was found was especially interesting...the sounds he could make to imitate animals & nature were great. History: At one time, most of Australia was home to about 250 family clans...each with their own language & customs. For over 20,000 years (some think 30,000) they lived peacefully together. No you or me...only us. No mine or yours...only ours. And the bush was cared for and was relatively in pristine condition. When the Europeans arrived about 200 years ago, things changed drastically and quickly...the ways of the Aboriginals ended as their land was taken away. Sadly the same story repeated in so much of our world. The good news is a revival of their culture and a recognition of their rights...and the Aborigines are showcasing their culture and making $$ doing it! We wandered around some more before ending the day watching the sun set...in the SW...over the Blue Mountains...the blues, yellows, oranges, pinks painting a masterpiece before our eyes.
Update #21 Featherdale Wildlife Park
We left the big town of Sydney behind...and headed to the country...in a rental car...driving on the "wrong side"...and Rog with white knuckles!! First stop was the Featherdale Wildlife Park--home to lots of Australian native animals. The park is uniquely designed so many of the animals can roam as they please with certain areas marked Animal Refuge area. So we got up close and personal with the koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and lots of birds & ducks. Other animals were caged in very natural settings: squirrel bats, emu, echidna, blue penguins, dingo, Tasmanian Devil, wombats, lyre birds, kookaburras, many species of cockatoos & owls & parrots...and lots more. The staff was busy feeding the animals, giving them meds, and lots of TLC. They obviously loved their jobs! We spent most the day being entertained by all the animals' antics. Finally around 5, we went looking for Katoomba and our beds for the night.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Update #20 Sydney Snippets
-Woke up to the laughing sound of a kookaburra!! Gotta look for a gum tree now!!
-Spotted this poem & dedicate it to Rog's Mom:
-10:30 a.m. Monday 2/8: we heard rowdy cheers & saw a huge crowd pouring out of a bar...walked in to see the Super Bowl on the big screen! A day late here but just as exciting!
-Spotted this poem & dedicate it to Rog's Mom:
I think that I shall never spy
A poem as lovely as a pie.
-Saw a Woolworth with a cafe so had to eat there for nostalgia sake...Rog's mom's egg run lunch stop. It was serving Chinese food and seemed to be for seniors only. We were the young ones!
-Saw a Woolworth with a cafe so had to eat there for nostalgia sake...Rog's mom's egg run lunch stop. It was serving Chinese food and seemed to be for seniors only. We were the young ones!
-10:30 a.m. Monday 2/8: we heard rowdy cheers & saw a huge crowd pouring out of a bar...walked in to see the Super Bowl on the big screen! A day late here but just as exciting!
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
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
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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> Sent from my iPad
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> Sent from my iPad
Thursday, February 4, 2016
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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> Sent from my iPad
> 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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> Sent from my iPad
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 $$$ for a trip to NZ!
> Here's a few last Good to Knows About NZ
> 1. Don't compare a North NZer to a South NZer...it's like calling a New Yorker a Californian!
> 2. Avoid NZ around Chinese New Year. In that 10 day period about 60,000 Chinese descend on NZ.
> 3. Use Connectabus--great and efficient way to get around and most of the drivers are a wealth of info and love talking to you.
> 4. Big plus for NZ: no snakes!
> 5. Most electricity for NZ is generated using hydropower in SNZ.
> 6. 65% of NZers live north of Hamilton.
> 7. Lots of cheese and lamb selections on menus.
> 8. Need lots of $$$ 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!
> 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!
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
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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> '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!"
>
> 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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> Sent from my iPad
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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> Sent from my iPad
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> Sent from my iPad
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
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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> Sent from my iPad
> 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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> Sent from my iPad
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