Aitutaki Atoll
6 - 10 December

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Paradise Found!

Well, this is our last blog of the trip--the encore, ‘the save the best for last’ portion of the journey. We made our way from Auckland to Rarotonga (one of the Cook Islands) on a late flight, spent the night, and then flew to the atoll of Aitutaki. As the plane descended to land, there was a collective gasp from all on board the small plane. The island scene was just breathtaking! Think of the most beautiful South Pacific Island of your dreams, and there we were. A huge shallow lagoon and coral reef surrounded the island, with crystal clear water in all shades of turquoise fringed with sandy beaches. The island itself is an intense green with forested hills.

The Lagoon - Aitutaki

We were met by our hotel representative and driven to the resort. It only took five minutes to get from the airport to the resort. We and another couple from New Zealand were greeted in the lobby with a refreshing drink in a coconut by Steve & Amanda, a young couple from Vancouver, who left careers on Windstar Cruise Lines to manage this resort. We later found out that Amanda was the cruise director on a Windstar cruise that we took in 1999 in the Mediterranean.

The resort is a small boutique type of hotel composed of 8 bungalows set on or near the beach. We are currently sitting in our beachside bungalow enjoying tropical breezes. Our view from the front porch is of the lagoon and coral reefs. Further out, waves from the ocean are crashing against the reef. Ah, paradise! The sky is an intense blue, bluer than we’ve ever seen, probably due to the lack of any pollution in the air. The colors of everything here seem to be on steroids—ramped up several notches.

Our Beachfront Bungalow

This is truly island living. Dave, always up early, was out on the front porch the next morning drinking coffee when a family of chickens climbed the stairs to the porch for a morning greeting. Last night, the reception office staffer had to call ahead for us to see which restaurants were actually open for dinner. She also called and learned that the taxis weren’t operating that evening, so she gave us the keys to the hotel van to go to dinner. There doesn’t seem to be much stress here, but rather a laid back, enjoy life type of philosophy. Works for us, but could be difficult for others used to the fast paced American life, with nary a minute to lose. Australia and New Zealand also have a degree of ‘enjoy life’ attitude as well.

We’ve been snorkeling every day. A short walk from the bungalow to the beach to the water and there is our snorkeling adventure. You could literally snorkel for hours around the coral observing all of the beautiful fish, blue starfish, giant clams, sea urchins and interesting varieties of coral. The water is quite shallow and protected, so you literally feel as though you are snorkeling in a giant aquarium. It’s so relaxing just to float along and watch the fish dart in and out of the coral. The only negative is the huge quantity of sea cucumbers on the ocean floor. The sea floor is literally covered with them. They don’t bother you or anything. It’s just unsightly to see these slug-like creatures all over the place. Well, there is one more negative. We had just started to photograph the life of the reef underwater when the underwater camera housing got water in it somehow. So, now, no photos of life underwater!

Blue Starfish in the Lagoon

We also kayaked in and around the reef and were able to see all of the life in the crystal clear water. Again, the area was so protected that even a novice kayaker would have had no problem maneuvering around. Our days were so relaxing and enjoyable that at times we felt as though we were revisiting our childhood. The swimming, snorkeling and kayaking were reminiscent of summers long gone when there were no adult responsibilities with which to deal.

Kayaker and Umbrella Lady

We met a really nice couple from New Zealand with whom we ended up sharing our adventure over meals and a tour of the island in their rental car. It was great to meet new friends and compare notes.

As all good things must end, we reluctantly prepared to leave the island at the end of our stay. This island was the perfect way to end our long 5 month journey.

EPILOGUE

Statistics: 16 countries, 54 flights, 73,662 air miles, 76 hotels/lodges, 11,405 land miles, and 6 rental cars. All together, the mileage equals 3.4 times around the world at the equator.

One cannot make a trip like this one without finding new perspectives and world views. It’s a mind expanding experience. Occasionally, our limits were tested, as in the grueling 9 hour vertical hiking experience to see the gorillas. More than once, there was a feeling of, “I don’t think I can do that.” Then, you do it, and discover that what you thought was impossible was actually possible. Some have asked, “Aren’t you exhausted from all of the travel?” They’re surprised when we say that we’re not tired at all, but energized. The experiences of seeing so many earthly wonders all in one trip is beyond amazing. We feel so privileged and fortunate to have been able to have this experience. And, we look forward to more adventures in the future!

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for New Zealand, please view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

New Zealand
17 November - 7 December

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Our first impressions of New Zealand include strong reminiscences of other places we’ve visited. The intense green of the landscape reminds us of the British Isles. The fiords bring back memories of Norway. The gentle slopes of the mountains have a feeling of Switzerland about them. The aquamarine alpine lakes and glaciers look like those of Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta, Canada. Geysers, hot springs and mud pots are similar to those of Yellowstone National Park. The beautiful turquoise shades of the ocean and sandy white beaches are similar to those on the Caribbean. But put all of it together, and it becomes uniquely New Zealand.

In large part, due to New Zealand’s geographical isolation, flora and fauna developed differently here, especially animal life. There were originally no mammals in New Zealand, except the ones that could swim here (seals and whales) or fly (bats). There were many indigenous species of birds and insects. The birds had no predators, so over time, they became ground animals, rather than flying ones. Then, humans arrived. The first Polynesians coming ashore brought rats and dogs. Later, the Europeans brought sheep, cattle, stoats (weasel like), deer, cats, goats, and many others. The end result was that the native birds were decimated; many became extinct. Therefore, we’re not expecting to see a great many animals and birds, as we have in other countries. The main attraction is the beautiful scenery.

To illustrate the point about the introduced animals wreaking havoc, there is an interesting story to relate. We haven’t done much shopping on the trip. But we knew that New Zealand was famous for its wool and wool products. So, we visited some local shops selling wool items. To our surprise, the products were all labeled as containing wool and ‘possum’. Now, we live practically next door to Appalachia, so the idea of taking a souvenir home and giving it to someone when it contains ‘possum’ is not really acceptable, no matter how nice and soft it is. Besides, Renee doesn’t buy items containing animal fur. When we asked in a rather frustrated voice, “Aren’t there any items without possum fur in them?” The saleslady’s answer was rather surprising. She said that killing the possums and using their fur was one of the most environmentally sound policies that New Zealand has. The Australians, at some point, introduced the possum here for the fur trade. Since then, they have multiplied exponentially until there are millions and millions of them. Possums have killed off the native birds and caused other damages, too numerous to mention. So, in attempts to eradicate them, New Zealanders are trapping them, killing them, and using their fur to enhance wool products. It makes sense for them to do this, but there is still a cultural disconnect when it comes to us buying possum and giving it as gifts!

The South Island

Nov. 17-19

We arrived in Christchurch late at night, so we decided to just take it easy the next day. After a good rest, we set out on foot to explore the town. A visit to the Botanical Gardens was first on the list. It was a really peaceful, beautiful place with huge trees, shrubs, flowers and birds. This is springtime in New Zealand, so the azaleas and rhododendrons are blooming, as well as roses, peonies, irises and many other flowers. We emerged from the gardens into the downtown area to find the serenity of the botanicals shattered by the damage visible from the February 2011 earthquake. It was really sad to see so many buildings damaged and destroyed. Whole blocks of downtown Christchurch are fenced off to the public. Rubble is still being trucked away; cranes are in the rebuilding process. We hope all goes well in the rebuilding process for these very warm, friendly, hospitable and resourceful people.

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Next morning, we headed 2 plus hours north along the coast to Kaikoura for a whale watching cruise. There are large whales here year round because the ocean currents converging in this area produce nutrient rich waters. As we reached the check-in counter, we learned that our cruise had just been cancelled moments before due to high winds and unsafe sea conditions. Darn! Oh well, no one can control the weather. Better to cancel than to have everybody on board sick!

Nov 20 Queenstown
This was a stopover place for the trip to the Fiord Country. Queenstown is a beautiful town set on a lake overlooking the mountains. As luck would have it, the clouds and rain kept us from enjoying the scenery.

Nov. 21-23 Te Anau, West Coast
We came to the southwest coast of New Zealand to see the stunning scenery, namely the fiords in Fiordland National Park. These fiords comprise some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Interestingly, the fiords where we booked scenic cruises are named Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound. When the fiords were discovered, the only English word known to describe them was ‘sound’. They aren’t sounds, because sounds are carved out by rivers and then fill with seawater. Fiords, on the other hand, are carved by glaciers and then fill with seawater. Later, when the Norwegian word ‘Fiord’ was introduced to English, the error of the names was discovered, but the names had already stuck, so they weren’t changed. The national park, however, came later, and was named correctly.

We first cruised Milford Sound. Sheer vertical mountains, covered in verdant forest, plunge down into the water. Waterfalls are seen frequently; they too, plunge into the sea. This area is one of the wettest places on earth. Rainfall is measured in meters here. The frequent rain causes the waterfalls, as the water runs down the mountains. Some of the waterfalls are temporary, materializing after a shower and then drying up. Others are permanent.

We enjoyed the cruise and all of the beautiful waterfalls. We were able to see seals basking on the rocks and penguins coming ashore. The penguins were crested penguins—they were beautiful with long yellow feathers looking like eyebrows. On the drive to the ‘sound’ we spotted parrots called kea. They live in a very cold alpine environment. They look very hardy with heavy coats of feathers. They spend a lot of time in parking areas and will jump on cars or busses and peck at any rubber or plastic trim on the vehicles. We heard that they cause thousands of dollars worth of damage every year with their very sharp beaks.

Milford Sound Waterfall

We also had a cruise of Doubtful Sound which was a longer and more extensive boat ride. It was similar to the first cruise except that it poured rain the whole time so it was difficult to see much except rain and mist. On the way back, we stopped at an underground hydroelectric power plant. It was located about 600 ft. underground and was accessed by bus. There was a tunnel that ran the whole way down to the station and was wide enough for busses to drive into and turn around at the end. This plant may be the largest engineering feat that New Zealand has created. The plant uses water from the adjoining lake to create hydroelectric power. It might have been one of the first renewable energy plants built on a large scale. Speaking of renewable energy, New Zealand is able to get more than 70% of its electricity from hydroelectric and geothermal sources.

Nov. 24 Driving Day
We set out from Te Anau in the morning in order to reach our destination, Franz Joseph Glacier, by late afternoon. It was a sunny, beautiful day. As we started the journey, backtracking from a few days before, we noticed how different everything appeared compared to the day we drove the other way. The difference was due to the weather. The first drive was in the rain, mist and low clouds. This day’s drive in the sun was glorious. Before us the hills were carpeted in lush, green velvet. Sheep and cows were everywhere. New Zealand has many more sheep than people; the ratio is about 12 to 1. All of the animals look so clean and healthy in their pristine meadows and fields.

But the real difference in the drive was in the brilliant colors of the stunning alpine lakes that we followed for most of the day. The blues of the lakes combined with bright yellow wild flowers and intense greens of the grasses and trees. Take all of that and put it against a backdrop of multihued bluish mountains, some of which are still snow capped. Wow! What a gorgeous day we had! It’s no wonder that before you fly to New Zealand, you must present your airline ticket to leave the country. There would be a temptation to stay here otherwise.

Lake Wakatipu, near Queenstown

Nov. 25-27 Fox and Franx Josef

We came here to see and hike to 2 glaciers: Fox and Franz Josef. The unique thing about these glaciers is their geographical location. They are near the mid coast of western New Zealand. This area receives meters of rain each year, thus, the vegetation takes the form of a temperate rain forest. As you emerge from the rain forest, there is a virtual gray wasteland of rocks and stones which goes right up to the glaciers. Also because of the abundant rainfall, the adjacent mountains receive the precipitation in the form of snow at the higher elevations, lots and lots of snow. Hence, the glaciers were born and exist still. The terminal ends of the glaciers are found at only about 800 feet above sea level, making them easily accessible to the public. We took a short hike to each glacier. One can appreciate the sheer size and mass of the glaciers as one approaches closer. The ends of the glaciers visible on our walks were primarily white and black—white ice, black debris and a very little blue color showing through some of the fractures. Together with the gray of the rocks, it could easily have been a scene of black, white and gray without any other colors.

Next day, we heard about a wildlife sanctuary that offered tours to see the white herons’ nesting colony. This nesting area is the only one in New Zealand for white herons, so we thought it would be a good idea to check out the tour. We traveled about a half hour north of our motel to a town called Whataroa. From there a minibus took us to a dock (about an 8 mile trip on a dirt road). At the dock, we boarded a jet boat which took us on a 20 minute ride down a shallow river, through a bay next to the ocean, and then to the bird hide in the Westland rain forest long another river in the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve.

As we walked the boardwalk to the birds’ nesting area, the rainforest flora unfolded before us. There were white pine trees that were 900-1,000 years old, looking all gnarly and covered in epiphytes. Small native green hooded orchids were blooming along the sides of the boardwalk. And tree ferns, which reminded one of the dinosaur era recreations, grew in profusion around us.

Then, we reached the bird hide. As the wooden sides of the hide were opened for us, a dazzling array of brilliant white herons in their wispy, feathery breeding plumage awaited us. As one looked more closely, the more one saw. The herons had nests with chicks of varying ages in them. Some were quite tiny; others looked like they were ready to fly soon. So, we kept looking and the next thing we saw were the royal spoonbills, which also nest here. They, too, had beautiful breeding plumage, not wispy and feathery like the herons, but perched on the tops of their heads. They were bright white with black spoonbills. Their nests were built in the trees above those of the herons. Also present and nesting were some little cormorants, called “shags”. It was a very busy place with lots to see, observe and photograph. It was well worth the trip out there.

White Heron with breeding plumage

The North Island

Nov. 28 Auckland

We arrived in Auckland in the afternoon after a short flight from Christchurch. As we were pondering what to do for the rest of the afternoon, we recalled seeing directions to a winery that was featured in the Air New Zealand magazine. Hmmm! Sounds good! So, we went to the winery to have a late lunch at their café. We drove through an industrial area with huge warehouses, a very unlikely place to find a winery. But, as we made the turn from the main road, the scenery quickly changed from industrial park to vineyard beauty. The vineyards were fresh and a lovely green in the spring sun. We sat outside and ordered lunch.

While waiting for our order, Renee went inside to peruse the wine selections. A wine employee working behind the counter called her over to a tasting. Not wanting to leave Dave out, she called to him to come and join in. We tasted some wines, then participated in a research and development project of tasting some blends that are being considered for bottling. The food was good; the wine was even better! A great afternoon was had by all. It looks like we’ll be enjoying the north island!

Nov. 29 Coromandel Peninsula
We left Auckland and headed south. There was plenty of time to get to our next destination, and it was a nice day, so we detoured for a drive around the scenic Coromandel peninsula. It was a lovely drive with lots of coastal scenery, huge, old trees, gently rolling hills and mountains--everything to make a picture perfect day. Around lunchtime, we drove by an area that had oodles of mussels and lots of oysters. Naturally, we stopped at a little roadside stand and got oysters on the half shell and mussel chowder for lunch. It was all fresh and delicious!

Nov. 30 White Island Volcano
We spent the night in Whakatane in preparation for a morning cruise out to New Zealand’s most active volcano, White Island. It was touch and go until the last minute as to whether the boat could actually safely go and land at the island because of strong southeasterly winds. As it turned out, all went well; the winds died down and we had a beautiful day. The boat we rode on was a luxuriously outfitted 80 ft. + cruiser. Shortly before landing, we were issued hard hats and gas masks. The masks were to be used if we felt that the fumes from the volcano were causing us respiratory distress.

White Island

The boat anchored offshore, and we were all transported to the island via rubber dinghy. We then spent about 2 hours on a guided tour of the volcano and its crater. We were actually in the crater, because it had collapsed during one of the eruptions. This day was a reminder that we don’t live on a dead rock of a planet. The planet we live on and think about on a daily basis is just a thin crust above a seething, boiling, incredibly hot mantle and liquid core. As we walked, we witnessed the power of nature in a spectacular show of steam rising from fumeroles and from the center of the crater itself. The smell was of acidic sulfur. Colors ranged from yellow to light green pools in the center of the crater (the green was sulphur mixed with arsenic). There were gray and brownish bubbling mudpots, too. Reds and pinks were mixed in on the walls of the crater, owing to the different elements and minerals in the rocks. This scene was set against a backdrop of blue sky and bluer sea. It was really an incredible sight, and we felt as if we were on another planet than earth.

Dec. 1-3 Rotorua
This area of New Zealand is known for its volcanic and geothermal activity and sights. We visited an area called Wai-o-tapu thermal area, the largest area of surface thermal activity of all the areas in this volcanic zone. We hiked through three areas in this park. There were many colorful and interesting sights to see. Among them were collapsed craters, some containing hot water springs and sulphur deposits. Most of these were formed when acidic steam rising from underground dissolved the ground above, causing a cave-in. Other areas contained pools of water colored by various minerals, making them many different hues.

Artist's Palette

One fact we found interesting was that some birds have adapted to this harsh environment. We saw pied stilts walking in the acidic waters. They have made a home here and feed on the insects that live in the area. Other birds such as starlings and swallows make their nests in holes of the walls of one of the craters. The heat coming from the crater below helps to incubate their eggs. Also flourishing in this park is the tea tree. Many herbal preparations are made from the tea tree, including skin remedies such as shampoos and astringents. They were growing everywhere and blooming at this time of year with white flowers. They have adapted to growing out of rock and areas where there is very little soil.

It was a new day, and there was yet another volcanic area to discover. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley was formed when the Tarawera volcano erupted in 1886, making this valley the world’s youngest geothermal area. We hiked for 2 hours through the trails to see all of the craters, hot springs, lakes, forests and other sights of Waimangu.

The first sight we beheld was a red colored lake, actually the southernmost crater. The red color was caused by a particular kind of (micro) fern growing in the water. We continued on to see other wondrous steaming, boiling pools, lakes and collapsed craters. When we looked out at the fumeroles and steaming lakes fringed with large fern trees, our first thought was that this must have looked like the world that the dinosaurs inhabited. The second thought was that these sights could be on another planet altogether, as they were so alien. There were many hot springs, and as they bubbled and boiled, the minerals in the water created bright colors that mixed with algae to create an artists’ palette of hues and shades. We also viewed ‘terraces’, which are platforms made from springs depositing minerals and silica. The silica builds up over time to create terraces and mixes with algae and other minerals to make a colorful sight.

Waimangu Marble Terrace

At the end of the walk was Lake Rotomahana. We cruised the lake in a boat and viewed more fumeroles, hot springs and geysers. The lake itself was increased in area dramatically by the eruption of 1886. Tons and tons of rock and magma were ejected out of this area, which then gradually filled with water to create the lake that exists today. Near the steaming fumeroles and hot springs, black swan families swam serenely. We also viewed scaups (ducks) in rather large numbers. The lake is stocked with trout, too. Although the weather called for rain on this day, it was partly cloudy, allowing us to have a good walk and tour with no weather related issues.

Dec. 4 Otorohanga and Waitomo
We left Rotorua in the rain and decided to go to the Otorohanga Kiwi House/Bird Park and the Waitomo Glowworm caves before venturing on to Auckland. We wanted to see the kiwis, and the best (and mostly only) way to do that is to visit them in one of the sanctuaries. It is practically impossible to see a kiwi in the wild. First, they are nocturnal, so they don’t appear much during the day when humans are likely to be out in the forest. Secondly, they are ground birds who blend in with their surroundings really well. So, off to the kiwi house we went. We were lucky enough to catch the feeding of the kiwis by the staff. The birds were active, running around and a lot of fun to watch. They are large birds with a very long, skinny beak for poking into the soil and leaf debris for insects. They do have wings, but they are extremely small, about an inch or 2 long. So we observed them and their comical behavior, but we were under instructions not to photograph them.

After the kiwi feeding, we headed outside in the rain to see the rest of the bird collection. There were several species of native New Zealand birds, ducks and other waterfowl. There were also some introduced species. We’re usually very keen to photograph birds, but the rain literally put a damper on this otherwise enjoyable activity.

After the bird park, we drove a short distance to Waitomo Glowworm Caves for a tour through the cave. New Zealand has its own species of glowworm. During the larval stage of development, the worm attaches itself to the cave wall and using saliva, puts down strands similar to spider webbing or silk worm silk, in vertical lines that glow in the dark. Other insects flying into the cave are attracted to the light and fly into it. At this point, they are trapped; the glowworm pulls up the strand and the insect is eaten by the worm. This process is repeated again and again for about 8 or 9 months until the worm enters the pupae stage of life. So, we entered the cave, descended deeper and deeper into the cave until we ultimately reached a river flowing into the cave and boarded an aluminum boat. As we sailed along this underground river in the complete dark, the ceiling of the cave was glowing as if the brightest of the shiniest stars were out and just above our heads. It was a totally awesome experience to see this unusual sight. Again, no photos were allowed, but it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to photograph in the dark in a moving boat.

Dec. 5-6 Auckland
We started our morning in Auckland pondering the weather, wondering if was going to be another day of rain, or maybe overcast, or even clear. You never know about these things here. Weather reports generally include all of the possibilities, so you can’t go by that. We left the hotel and walked to the harbor to check out a cruise that we wanted to take. As it turned out, the boat was leaving about 2 minutes after we made the inquiry, so we quickly booked, headed down the gangway and hoped for clear skies. We boarded an 80 foot sailing vessel that had been used in the America’s Cup Race by the New Zealanders. But, this wasn’t just any cruise. It was a hands-on, crank up the sails and steer the boat cruise. We motored out into the harbor, cut off the engine, hoisted the sails, and away we went. It was fun; the weather held out, and everyone enjoyed the morning’s outing. We made an appropriate start to our visit to the “City of Sails”.

America's Cup Sailing Yacht

Well, the epic journey is really winding down now. This is our last day in Auckland before flying to our last destination, the Cook Islands. We spent part of the day at the Antarctic Encounter, a combination of exhibits—re-creation of a hut lived in by early Antarctic explorers, 2 types of penguins (king and gentoo), and an aquarium. We enjoyed this venue for its educational and entertainment aspects.

New Zealand has been a thoroughly enjoyable place to visit. Its people are warm, friendly and helpful. The country itself is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The scenery is spectacular. The farmlands and animals, which comprise most of the countryside, are clean and healthy looking. The hospitality industry is just that, hospitable. Towns and cities are clean and safe. Prices in stores are about equivalent to what we would pay in the U. S., so it is a more affordable country than its neighbor, Australia. Politics seem to be more middle of the road, here, lacking extremists on both sides, though there is probably a little element of that. The climate is a mild one so that the use of heating and air conditioning is minimal. We leave thinking that this country is a great place to live, work and have a family. And the “All Blacks” rugby team of New Zealand recently won the world championship!

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for New Zealand, please view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

Australia
28 October - 17 November

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Australia—A Wonderland

Being in Australia is like falling down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. Fish start their lives as females and end up as males. Female birds have no maternal instinct; the males raise their chicks. Insects and reptiles grow to huge sizes, but mammals are small. Everything we thought we knew about the natural world is upside down here. Plants and animals that are indigenous here occur naturally nowhere else. As you go south, the weather gets cooler; it gets warmer as you travel north. Some parts of the country are on daylight savings time; others are not. Time zones vary by ½ hour in some areas. Traveling north to south can incur a time change, but east to west may not.

View of Darling Harbour Sydney from hotel room

28 OCT

After 13 hours on a plane from Beijing to Auckland, we took a Qantas flight to Sydney, arriving on Friday afternoon. Although tired from travel, we couldn’t resist a walk along Darling Harbor after checking into our room. It was such a refreshing experience to be back in a familiar feeling environment. We had a good dinner; Dave was ready for a steak, which we hadn’t had in months, and Renee was starved for salad, which we also hadn’t had in a long time. We came back to the hotel with a sense of well being and comfort, and we looked forward to Saturday’s visit with our nephew, Seth, a college student in the Sydney suburbs.

Sydney Opera House at Sunset

29 OCT

Seth met us at our hotel in the morning, and we spent a pleasant day together exploring the harbor area of Sydney. Renee had previously been here 42 years ago when the Opera House was under construction, so our first stop was a tour of the finished product, which was really beautiful. The Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge are the major icons by which Sydney is recognized.

We returned to the hotel in the evening and turned on the TV. On the Australian news was a really big story—Qantas had grounded its entire fleet of airplanes both domestic and international due to a labor dispute. Uh oh!! We were supposed to have a Qantas flight on Monday morning to go to Ayers Rock (Uluru). So, what to do? Although we have American Express Travel Insurance, they were not helpful after we finally reached them. The representative mentioned that she was staffing the emergency line (due to the time difference between the states and Sydney) and was unable to even access our policy. There was no way to reach Qantas, even though they had a toll free number. A recording would come on followed by a disconnection. There was no useful information on their website, either.

30 OCT

We had hoped that the government of Australia would have ordered the airline to resume flights while working on a solution to the labor dispute. After all, this situation is an economic disaster with a domino effect that ripples through the whole economy. But, that didn’t happen. We’re staying an extra day here in Sydney, followed by a flight to Cairns a day earlier than we were originally supposed to go. After our stay in the Cairns area, we hope we can continue with our original plans since the other flights are with a subsidiary of Qantas that is still operating.

Today was another beautiful day, even though rain was predicted. We spent the day at the aquarium and the adjoining wildlife center. The highlight of the center was the koalas, especially a baby one that was clinging to its mother.

Koala - Sydney Wildlife Center

The harbor area where we are staying is a virtual hub of activity day and night. The Sydney Rowing Club had a rowing competition in the harbor today. Hundreds of rowers and their boats took part in the event. The rowers were of all ages, young and older. We believe people who live here get out and enjoy the fresh air and athletic activity. They work 8 hours a day and then leave work to enjoy their lives.

31 OCT

Today was our ‘bonus’ day in Sydney, due to the flight cancellation. So, we decided to go to the Royal Botanic Gardens. What a beautiful park! Immediately upon entering the gardens, we spotted a gorgeous white cockatoo feeding in the grass. We knew that cockatoos were from Australia, but we didn’t expect to see one so quickly and in the city. As we walked farther, there was a lot of bird song and activity in the large, old, multi-branched sprawling trees. The next birds we found were the rainbow lorikeets; we’d previously seen them in bird parks, but, again, we didn’t think we’d see so many of these multicolored beautiful birds in Sydney. As we walked through the park, we came upon a really spectacular sight—large flying fox bats hanging in several of the trees around the park’s café. We started to photograph them, and after a few minutes it occurred to Renee that today was Halloween. Quite an appropriate sight for this day! Some were even flying in the middle of the day. As we watched them fly, we could see the sun shining through their translucent wings, revealing bones and blood vessels.

Flying Fox Bats Royal Botanic Gardens

We meandered around the park for several hours, enjoying the sun and the beautiful trees and landscaping. Around lunch time, hundreds of office workers put on their walking and running shoes, left their offices and went to the gardens to exercise. Some were even doing push-ups in the grass. The thing that was most evident was the fact that people living and working in the city use and enjoy this marvelous place.

1-2 NOV

We arrived in Cairns on a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney. Several Australians with whom we have spoken feel as frustrated as we do about Qantas, and many of them won’t even fly the airline anymore. Many are predicting the airline’s demise by the end of the year. After an hour and a half drive north along the east coast, we arrived at our new destination, Port Douglas. This small town is a resort area where tourists come to explore the rain forest and the Great Barrier Reef. Of course, we intend to do both.

Note: Along the drive, we saw several signs which said, “Don’t Spread Electric Ants”. We have to find out what that’s all about!

We started our orientation to the area with the local Wildlife Sanctuary, home to many regional birds and animals. Australia is home to so many beautiful, colorful birds and indigenous animals (marsupials) found nowhere else on earth that it’s wondrous just to observe it all. We enjoyed seeing and photographing parrots, cockatoos, herons, cassowaries, lorikeets, and many other birds.

Blue Damselfish-GB Reef

3 NOV Great Barrier Reef

Today was a special day! We experienced another wonder of the world. We cruised out to the Great Barrier Reef in the morning, snorkeled 3 reef systems, and enjoyed lunch and snacks on the boat. Each reef site was a little different, but all were beautiful and colorful. The coral was varied—boulder, brain, stag horn and mushroom corals. Different colors in the coral are a result of algae growing inside it. Some of the blue hues made the coral look like blooming flowers. The lavender coral was really pretty and different.

The fish are even more colorful than the coral--electric blue, neon green, brilliant sunny yellow, orange—so many species of such beauty and colors that it would be hard to describe them all. If you can imagine the most beautiful aquarium that the world could offer coupled with the most gorgeous fish and coral in it, well, that’s what we were swimming around in. It was a marvelous experience!

4 NOV Daintree National Park

Today we took a tour north of the town where we’re staying. We went to the Daintree Rainforest and then continued north on a gravel road to the Bloomfield Waterfall. The Daintree rainforest is the oldest continuous tropical rainforest in the world. We found this fact a bit misleading. To us, ‘oldest’ means really old trees, very big, like Borneo. In fact, most of the trees are not so big. ‘Oldest’ in this case just means that the rainforest has existed uninterrupted over eons of time. Most of the species of trees and plants are very ancient. We followed a coast road through the rainforest with occasional views through the trees of the beach and water. The rainforest meets the ocean here. There are wide beautiful beaches fringing the forested mountains. All of the beaches we’ve seen are nearly empty; you can have a good walk and not see anyone else. Amazing! Sweeping vistas of beach, mountain, and ocean with occasional mangrove trees thrown in for effect comprise the scenery along our route.

At a certain point, we left the asphalt road for a gravel road and continued on to the waterfall, passing an indigenous community en route. There was a sign indicating that it was illegal for anyone to bring alcohol into the town inhabited by the aborigines. It was explained to us that they have a low tolerance for alcohol, and many are alcoholics. Supposedly, the village council appealed to the government asking for help, and the outlawing of alcohol resulted. We since heard on the news that some of the tribal chiefs are angry with the government for renewing the alcohol restrictions into a future time frame. We’re not sure what the truth really is in this matter. The waterfall was scenic, and we enjoyed it.

NOTE: We asked today about the electric ants sign. Electric ants are insects that the government is trying to stop from spreading to other areas. They are asking people not to carry soil from one place to another, etc. So, now I have my answer.

Another aspect of life in Australia that is interesting is the standard of living. We have noticed that prices in restaurants, grocery stores and clothing stores are extremely high. Most things cost at least double what we would pay in the States. When I asked a couple of Australians about it, they mentioned that salaries of workers here are huge. $70,000 per year equates to poverty wages; $150,000 per year salary is needed just to make ends meet, and $200,000 and above is considered comfortable. A waitress makes over $75,000 per year, and Australians don’t tip—that is their salary. Qantas pilot captains make about $400,000 per year and are complaining to their union. Oh well, guess we won’t be moving here on our retirement earnings any time soon!! In a later conversation with Jen, our daughter and financial analyst, she indicated that there isn’t a lot of oil in Australia. It all has to be shipped a long way, which is very expensive and probably contributes greatly to the cost of goods. We believe she is right, since gasoline is about $6-$8 a gallon, depending on where you are in the country. This fact would explain the high cost of food and other items, too. Couple the oil situation with the high wages of the workers and you have an expensive cost of living.

Uluru

6-7 NOV Uluru and Kata Tjuta

The first view of Uluru we had was from the airplane coming in. At first, from the air, it didn’t seem that impressive. We checked into our hotel and were happy to discover that our room had a balcony with a view of Uluru. Our first foray at the site was to photograph the sun setting on the massive monolith. As we got a bit closer to Uluru, we were truly awestruck by the size of the actual sight and its inherent power that makes it a very sacred sight for the Aboriginal people. We drove around Uluru and then parked in the car park designed for sunset photos. We thought it would be crowded, but there was plenty of space for everyone. It was a spectacular sight watching the colors on the rock change as the sun set.

Since we have now driven around the area at different times of the day, we have noticed many changes of colors, hues and the movements of shadows. Some facets of Uluru in the afternoon shadows make it look completely different from the sunshine of the morning. The colors change dramatically—not just Uluru but the soil and the other massive structure here, Kata Tjuta. At one interval, the ground looked ochre, in the bright sunshine it took on a coral color. Colors range through the entire spectrum of reds, oranges and browns and change with the movement of the sun.

For us, it’s another one of those great wonders of the world to be here and see this magnificent icon of Australia. As you drive around Uluru, each area is different due to the way the rocks have weathered and eroded over time. One side might be pock marked with holes and caves, while another area might look as though someone has carved intricate sculptures. There are striations and undulations in the rock that are so parallel they appear to be etched with a ruled pencil.

Although this is the desert, the great red center of Australia, it is remarkably green. There are green grasses called spinoflex; there are trees, some evergreen and some deciduous. There are also many blooming plants with yellow, pink and purple flowers. As you fly over the area, you notice many hues of greens and blues, not bright, but subtle and pastel. A note in the hotel room indicated that there had been a lot of rain lately, so we’re guessing that’s the reason for the relative luxuriance of the terrain.

We left the hotel the next morning at 5:00 AM to catch the sunrise at Kata Tjuta. This sight is about 30 miles from Uluru. It is composed of the same sandstone as Uluru, but instead of a monolith, there are several mountain-like domes close together in the same area. We arrived in time to see the sun rise, which was beautiful. As the light came on to the rocks, colors became more pronounced and vivid. A great photo opportunity!

We also did some hiking around both sights, but by 10:00AM, it was extremely hot and getting hotter. We finished our visit with a tour of the cultural center, which details the history of the aboriginal tribes living here. After that, it was back to the hotel for breakfast and a siesta! We’re glad we were finally able to rearrange our tickets to include this visit which was originally cancelled due to the Qantas grounding.

White Cockatoo - Kakadu NP

8-12 NOV Kakadu National Park
After arriving at the Darwin airport at the top of Australia, we drove out to Kakadu National Park, which took about 3 hours. On the way, we saw many birds—lots of hawks in the trees, water birds in the wetlands and when we went to get our park passes at the office, a huge flock of white cockatoos were cavorting, squawking, and feeding in the trees around the park building. Bird life is one of the major reasons people come here to visit.

Next morning, we took a sunrise cruise on the Yellow River. It was a great photo opportunity, with lots of birds and crocodiles. The crocodiles are very dangerous here; they’re large and aggressive. Signs are posted everywhere warning people not to go into the water or even get too close. The boat guide emphasized to us that if we wanted to keep our arms, we shouldn’t put them outside the boat, but use our zoom lenses instead. Ok!! Message received!

Other activities here included visiting the wetlands to observe and photograph the water birds. The wetlands here are what ideal wetlands should be—shallow water and shoreline that is packed with honking, squawking birds: hundreds of geese and ducks, as well as some stilts, spoonbills, egrets, ibises. Even the cockatoos visit the shoreline to feed. The sound of all of these birds is practically deafening. And as you watch in the early morning, hundreds more geese and ducks fly in to take their places with the others. As we walked the trails around the wetland, kangaroos hopped in the bush, sea eagles perched in the treetops, and hawks patrolled airborne in great arcs waiting for an opportunity to secure a meal. The wildlife is really amazing here. We even saw a dingo in the hotel parking lot.

Aboriginal Rock Painting - Nourlangie Rock, Kakadu NP

Kakadu National Park is a traditional home of the Aborigine people of Australia. As with Uluru, they now own the land but lease it back to the Australian government for National Park use. We visited one of the sights of their ancient rock art. The artwork is as vibrant today as it must have been thousands of years ago. Colors of ochre, white and black are the principle hues used in their paintings. Some of the figures are x-ray figures, meaning that they show the bone structure of a human (skeleton). Others are drawings of fictional characters or animals such as kangaroos. The Aborigines of the era that the rock and cave art (thousands of years ago) were produced were said to have been more advanced than their European counterparts (Cro-Magnon man) of the time.

We have really enjoyed Kakadu despite the hot, humid weather and the onslaught of flies every time we park the car and open the doors to get out. The flies are relentless. They fly beneath your sunglasses to harass your eyes, they fly up your nose if you don’t swat them away, and they would fly into your mouth if you opened it. They swarm around you and land on every part of you. Their only redeeming virtue is that they don’t bite. Stores sell nets that you can put over your head or hat to keep them off your face. We thought about getting the nets, but when we saw them for sale, we only had one more day left here.

Jabiru Storks

On our way back to Darwin for our late night flight, we stopped at a birding hotspot called Fogg Dam. It is an earthen dam surrounded by wetlands. The amount and diversity of bird life there was astounding. Many different kingfishers, brolgas (cranes), jabiru storks, ducks, geese, egrets, herons, and other water birds inhabit the wetlands. But along the way, the trees were full of other birds, too. Parrots, cockatoos by the hundreds, bee-eaters, kookaburras and more, help to make this area a bird paradise.

Kanagroo spotted on Night Ride

13-17 NOV Kangaroo Island

Yes, there are kangaroos on Kangaroo Island! Our first adventure on Kangaroo Island was an outing to see the nocturnal animals. We learned that most of the animals on the island are nocturnal and not usually seen during the daytime, including the kangaroos and wallabies. So, off we went in a van with a guide to see what the night would bring. We first viewed wallabies, followed quickly by several kangaroos. Next, we went to a fairy penguin colony to see what was going on there. The adults go to sea during the day to fish for their food, leaving the young ones behind in the nest. Most nights, the adults return to feed the chicks. In one rookery, we could hear the penguins but couldn’t see them. So, we went to a second location where we saw a couple of chicks. The parents don’t always return the same day; sometimes, they stay away a couple of days. On this night, the parent birds were not there. Apparently, the penguin colonies are decreasing in numbers rather rapidly due to predation by the seals.

Koala Kangaroo Island

The next morning, we went to the west side of the island. We stopped at a location known to have koalas to see if we could see them. Koalas are not endemic to the island, but when their numbers plummeted on the mainland in the early 20th century, they were introduced here in an effort to save them and increase their numbers. So, now there are about 1,000 on Kangaroo Island. We searched the eucalyptus trees to find the little brown furry balls sleeping within the branches. We saw several, along with parrots and pink cockatoos called galahs. There were bird feeders in the area which attract the parrots. Actually, the pink cockatoos are everywhere. We were surprised to see them shortly after we arrived on the island, and since then, we have viewed them wherever we’ve gone, especially around our hotel.

Our next stop was Flinders Chase National Park. The park encompasses a vast area of the western part of the island. It’s famous for its wildlife, magnificent coastline, the Remarkable Rocks (see photos), Admiral’s Arch, and lighthouses. Along the way, we saw an echidna (Aussie version of a porcupine) crossing the road but couldn’t get a photo quickly enough. We’ve also seen many goannas, which are lizards that grow up to 3 feet long. The scenery and views were absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, especially the Remarkable Rocks. As an added bonus, when we stopped at the parking lot for lunch, out popped a gorgeous little blue fairy wren. Dave grabbed the camera and got the lucky shot of the day.

Blue Fairy Wren

Seal Bay was another interesting destination. Along the south coast, Seal Bay is a protected area for Australian Sea lions. We joined a park ranger sponsored walk along the beach to see the seals. As you descend the path to the beach, the first thing you must look out for are the tiger snakes. The weather is warm and they are on the move, but we didn’t see any. These are highly venomous snakes that populate the island. Approaching the beach, once again you are awed and amazed at such a beautiful view. Before you is a wide, white sandy beach framing the multi hued turquoise and deep blue ocean which is populated with sea lions and many, many birds such as little terns and sooty oystercatchers. The seals are lying on the sand, basking in the warmth of the sun. Some are surfing in the water as they come in from feeding. The mature males weigh about 400 kilos, which by my calculation is about 800+ pounds. Is that even possible? We learned that their numbers are declining rapidly, too. They are one of the bellwether species that signal the health or ill health of the ocean. Although this is another sad story, we couldn’t help but feel good that at least a large area of beach, bluffs and dunes has been set aside for them to live and reproduce.

To round out the day, we went hiking at the largest lagoon on the island. The first thing we saw was a large kangaroo grazing on the grass. Apparently, no one told him that he was supposed to be nocturnal. There weren’t too many water birds, although the one that is seen all over the island is the black swan. We’ve seen hundreds of them wherever there is water.

Pennington Beach

We concluded our time on Kangaroo Island with a visit to some nearby sights, including Pennington beach. Again, this is another sight that would knock your socks off. How many colors of blue and turquoise can you count in the water? Many, many!! We stood at the top of the bluffs looking down at the multicolored sea, the waves gently washing ashore onto a wide, white sandy beach. The beach was empty, save for a couple of fishermen. It was a great beach walk on a beautiful beach.

We have really enjoyed our stay in Australia. It’s a gorgeous country with so much to offer. For us, the wildlife and birds were the main attraction, and we were not disappointed. We’ve seen so much and done so much in just a short time of 3 weeks. People here are friendly and cordial. However, we have found that service at hotels and restaurants leaves a lot to be desired. Housekeeping does a minimal job most of the time. Service in restaurants is very frustrating. Sometimes, you feel like the invisible couple. Doesn’t anyone see us? Don’t they know we’ve been waiting 20 minutes to have our order taken? Why is it taking an hour to get the food? Why does it cost $7 or $8 just to get a skimpy plate of bread to munch while we wait for the food to come? Or maybe we’re just getting tired of eating in restaurants after 4 months of travel? More and more, if we have a room with a minibar, we’re going to the grocery store and buying things to have for breakfast and lunch, instead of hassling with restaurants. Now, if we can just solve the dinner dilemma!

Now off to New Zealand!

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for Australia, please view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

China
17 - 27 October

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We arrived at Beijing Airport on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 16th. In our list of superlatives, I think that this airport will have to be the largest one that we’ve seen. It’s also new, modern and spotlessly clean. As per our usual procedure, we met our guide at the baggage exit, and our driver was waiting in the parking garage with the car. We were delivered to the Renaissance Hotel, a 5 star establishment near the center of the town. We spent the remainder of the afternoon resting and had Peking duck for dinner, known as roasted duck here.

Forbidden City Palace

17-19 OCT Beijing

Our first day of sightseeing was spent mostly in the Forbidden City. It’s truly a huge complex of palaces and buildings that were used by the Chinese Emperors from the early 1400’s up until the revolution in the early 20th century. Also on the agenda and in the same vicinity was Tiananmen Square, which is vast. We had lunch at a restaurant in an older neighborhood, specializing in Hunan food. As we surveyed the menu, Dave’s eye caught a menu item that truly freaked Renee out. It was ‘caterpillar fungus’. Now, we’re not sure if this means fungus grown on caterpillars or a fungus looking like a caterpillar, but we didn’t feel the need to investigate the issue further. Dave opted for a chicken dish, and Renee went vegetarian with mushrooms and walnuts (interesting pairing, there).

18 OCT Great Wall

Today was one of those landmark days when you’re just so fully aware of where you are and how special it is. We left the city for a visit to the Great Wall. We drove for about an hour and a half and took the cable car up to the top of the mountain. From there, the wall stretched to the right and left. We walked up and down the wall steps and paths for about 2 ½ hours, going from guard post to guard post. Each time we reached a new post, a new vista opened up that was a bit different from the last one. All in all, it was a truly memorable experience for us. Lunch today was at a trout restaurant. The fish was delicious as was a chicken entrée and an eggplant dish.

The Great Wall

From Ancient Engineering Feats to Modern Ones

Upon returning to the city, we visited the site of the 2008 Olympics. We saw the Water Cube and the Bird’s Nest. Both are such immense structures. We should probably point out that China has become a playground for some of the leading architects of the world. Some of their designs are controversial, but all are unique. We have seen some really interesting building designs here in this megalopolis.

Beijing is an extremely large, sprawling city. Other than Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, we’re not sure there is any real downtown area. Old neighborhoods are being replaced with towering apartment and office buildings. When you drive on an expressway, all you can see are these huge structures. It isn’t until you actually leave the expressway that you can see shops and restaurants and other accoutrements that resemble ersatz neighborhoods. The roads are in good shape; traffic is bad, but not so bad considering that about 20 million people live here and most have cars, now. When there is no breeze, the pollution hangs like white fog in the air. Automobiles contribute to the pollution, but we heard there is widespread use of coal in the power plants, which is also a major factor.

We finished up our tour of Beijing with a tour of the Summer Palace and boat ride on the lake adjoining the palace. The atmosphere was so hazy that good photos were impossible. We then went back to the older section of town and took a rickshaw ride in a traditional neighborhood called a ‘hutong’ and had lunch in a traditional Beijing restaurant. Later in the afternoon, we transferred to the airport for an early evening flight to Xian.

20-21 OCT Xi An

We had hoped the air in Xian would be a little cleaner since it’s a smaller city, only 8 million. It actually seems worse; the visibility is very bad. We started our day with a trip to the old city walls (600 years old). We rode bikes around the top of the walls. From there, we could look down and see the garden area surrounding the walls and the moat that’s part of the old city’s defenses. Xian was the beginning of the Silk Road in ancient times. Military and merchants set out from here with porcelain, silk, paper and other precious goods for trade in the west. At one point, they reached all the way to the Mediterranean.

Also in the gardens below were people doing early morning tai chi exercises. Everywhere we’ve been in the mornings, we’ve seen many groups of people doing the same. There is always music playing, and they are always holding something. Some hold paddles with balls and balance them in a way that when their arms move gracefully in all directions, the balls don’t fall off the paddles. Others use flags or scarves. It looks like a very gentle and graceful way to exercise.

Later, we saw a site that should be declared another wonder of the world—the Terracotta Army. The archeological site is divided into 3 pits, each with a building constructed over it. We went to Pit #1 first. It is the largest and most complete reconstruction that exists. When you look down into the pit area, a whole army of terracotta soldiers is looking back at you, all facing forward. As you peruse the faces, you notice that each is different and unique. This army is composed of the front line infantry soldiers. There are also horses and the remains of the chariots. When the emperor died, he was buried near here, and the purpose of the clay army was to defend him in death. While a farmer was digging a well in the 1970’s, he discovered the first clay head of a soldier. It was a few years later before he reported the discovery and excavations began. (Today, this farmer sits in the gift shop, shaking hands.)

We also toured the other pits. The armies there were arranged differently. In one, they were arranged ceremoniously. In another, there were archers and other soldiers, ones that would have been in the rear guard. This remarkable place is truly awesome and so worth seeing. Just comprehending the scope of the excavations takes some doing. Excavations and reconstruction are still taking place and will be for some time. Some areas are still covered over with dirt, because the original soldiers were painted in different colors. Once the pit sections are opened, exposure to the air fades the paint.

On the way back to town, there were many fruit sellers along the side of the road. They were all selling 2 items—persimmons and pomegranates. As we looked beyond the vendors, we noticed many persimmon trees laden with ripe fruit and in their midst, pomegranate bushes filled with fruit. This harvest is quite bountiful!

We rounded out the day with a dinner theatre performance. Dinner was composed of a specialty of this area—dumplings. All kinds of steamed dumplings were presented: chicken, pork, shrimp, fish, vegetable, scallops, and others. After the meal, we enjoyed a classical orchestral and dance performance. The music was written many centuries ago and has been performed ever since. For a dinner theatre, the quality of the performance was very high.

We started our second day in Xi An with a stroll down the streets of the Moslem quarter. For centuries, this city was the eastern point of the Silk Road trade route to the Middle East. Moslem Arabs made their way to this Chinese city and married Chinese. The result is Chinese Moslems living in a city neighborhood. They have preserved the Moslem way of life with hallal meat shops, fruit stands, shops and restaurants. There were stands upon stands of dates, pomegranates, walnuts, and many other things. It was fun to walk here and see the way of life in this area.

Before going to the airport for our flight to Cheng Du, we also visited the Wild Goose Pagoda (formerly a Buddhist temple) and toured a beautiful history museum. History in this city goes back to the bronze age, so there are many antiquities on display from the Bronze Period up until the Tang Dynasty in the 7th or 8th century. Next, we experienced the first real glitch on the trip. There had been a schedule change and our flight to Cheng Du had left 2 hours prior to the time we got to the airport to check in. As I write this, we are waiting for a very late flight, hoping to still arrive in Cheng Du in time for some sleep before our day begins tomorrow.

22-23 OCT Cheng Du Pandas, Pandas, Pandas!

Today was a special day. We were driven to the Cheng Du Panda Research Base where we spent the day as volunteers. We fed the pandas pieces of apples, cleaned their cages, then fed them more apples and panda cakes. Panda cakes are made daily of grains, milk powder, vitamins and minerals. The pandas love them and eat every crumb. They spend the night in secure indoor cages, but, during the day, they have outdoor enclosures where they can play, eat bamboo and sleep.

Pandas at Chengdu Research Center

There is a very active breeding program here to try to increase panda numbers. In the wild, at their lowest point, the numbers had decreased to about 1600. Today, it has increased to 2000. The reasons for the decline are the same that we have found all over the world—loss of habitat due to deforestation and increasing human numbers. When the pandas reach about 5 or 6 years of age, they are sent back to the forests to live and breed on their own. This facility is also the place where pandas are lent out to zoos worldwide. Any offspring produced are sent back to China. We toured other areas of the base, including the nursery, where several babies about 2 months old were sleeping in a crib. The panda base is a pleasant place for the pandas, as well as an interesting place for people to be educated and enjoy seeing the pandas. As we were able to have an up close experience with the pandas, we can say that they are such sweet, gentle animals, truly as precious as the stuffed toys we see for sale.

24-26 OCT Guilin

Well, we’re in Guilin, now. This city is smaller than the others we’ve visited. It’s famous for its scenery. Today, our visit consisted of Elephant Trunk Hill and the Reed Flute Cave. The Elephant Trunk Hill is a natural land bridge formation that connects to the river. Locals named it so because they thought it looked like an elephant with its trunk in the water drinking. It is very scenic and was made more so by the cormorant fishermen. The fishermen have 2 cormorants that are trained to dive into the water and bring up fish. (This feat is what they do naturally, except they eat the fish.) The training involves giving the fish to the fishermen instead of eating them. Hopefully, they get to keep some for themselves! The cave is a large limestone structure with lots of stalactites and stalagmites. Very pretty!

In the afternoon, we drove to the rice terraces where we spent the night in a charming Chinese lodge at the top of the mountain. The terraces, where rice is farmed, surrounded the lodge. We drove to a parking lot and finished the trip to the lodge on foot up the mountain for about 30-40 minutes. As we arrived, the clouds totally obscured our view. It felt like a wasted trip, considering the road we traveled snaking up the mountains and the uphill climb. But, after we settled in at the lodge, the clouds magically parted to reveal the stunning landscape. It was amazing! Rice terraces were visible in all directions as far as one could see. The rice had already been harvested, so the colors weren’t as vividly green or gold as they would have been a few weeks ago. We spent the night at the lodge and the next morning hiked for a couple of hours along the hillside and rice fields to enjoy the panoramic views.

After returning to Guilin, we strolled through the walking street and downtown park. The next another morning, we boarded a boat for a cruise down the Li River, another highlight of this region. The cruise is unique for the limestone mountains that rise dramatically on both sides of the river coupled with the bamboo growing on the banks, causing a uniquely beautiful oriental water scene. The cruise should have been all that I just described, but there were a few factors that made it fall short of expectations. First, the weather was heavily overcast, but nothing can be done about that. Second, the river level was so low, that instead of seeing the beauty of the water, there was only a small, shallow, barely navigable channel, the rest of the river presenting as gravel and sand. Next, this was such a popular tourist venue that there were so many boats in such a small area that it was impossible to photograph any scene without so many other boats in the photos.

We would have to make a few observations in summarizing our visit to China. First, we felt that there were many sights worth seeing here, and we have enjoyed them all. Secondly, from a tourist’s cursory observations, we have to think that the entire Asian economy (with a couple of exceptions) is growing at a very exceptional pace, much more so than western countries. There is an immense building campaign here, but, also, there are signs that maybe there is over building and a possible real estate bubble such as we had in our country a couple of years ago is beginning to materialize. Citizens ‘seem’ to enjoy the ability to travel, pursue careers, and live much as we do, but we don’t know what it is really like for them.

The tour guides are all very well versed in English, but seem very scripted. Once you deviate from the official tour language, there isn’t much to talk about, or they don’t understand what you’re saying. We did have a conversation with one person whose parents had another child after she was born. She was willing to say that her parents had to pay a big fine for having a second child; they violated China’s one child policy. We’ve observed parents with their children—most only do have one. But, we’ve seen little girls as well as little boys, and both seem equally well cared for and loved, so much so that they are overindulged. The children seem very spoiled to us. They kick and hit their parents, often putting their shoes in their parents’ faces. We’ve heard that because there is only one overindulged child, they don’t learn to share with others or socialize easily with other kids. We know that in the U.S., there is a growing issue with less people paying into social security and more people drawing it. The same thing could easily happen here.

One final thought as we jet off to Australia is this—I hope I never have to see another porcelain drain in the ground in a public restroom that has been labeled ‘toilet’ again.

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for China, please view them at our photo website below.

E-MAIL: dcapouya@comcast.net
VISIT OUR PHOTO WEBSITE: http://reneecapouya.zenfolio.com

Mongolia
9 - 16 October

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10 OCT
After flying from Singapore to Beijing and spending the night at a hotel near the airport, we caught an early flight to Ulaanbaatar. Our driver and guide were there to meet us, and we set off on our new adventure, an 80 mile or so drive to Hustai National Park. Our guide is a very pleasant young woman named Mugu. She is a college student on break who is majoring in social work. Her English is very good.

Just how many shades of brown are there? Driving through the high Mongolian plateau to our first destination, we saw golden browns, beiges, buffs, tans, taupes, warm hues and cool ones, all blending and yet contrasting in the landscape. There were enough new earth tones to create a color palate of paint chips at the hardware store. There were many domestic animals—horses, cows, sheep, goats and horses. Mongolia is famous for its horses and horsemen.

We arrived at the park’s “ger” tourist camp in time for lunch. A ger is a round Mongolian felt tent in which the nomadic people live, and they also comprise the tourist camps. There are few hotels outside of the capital city. We were introduced to our ger, and the luggage was brought inside. It’s a comfortable tent with real furniture and a king size bed, just no bathroom. We’ll walk to the bathroom and showers. From inside the ger, we can hear the sheep, cows and horses roaming just outside. The land is unfenced for the most part, and the animals roam free.

A Success Story, We Think

In the late afternoon, we went for a game drive to try to see the famous wild horses of Hustai. The horses actually went extinct in the wild in the 1960’s. There were a few in zoos, however. Those horses, through a program, were bred and reintroduced back into their native habitat. They now number about 250 and are doing well here. The familiar name of the horse is the ‘takhi’. It is also known as the Przewalski horse. Their color is dun with dark markings on the legs, and they have a very short mane. The takhi is closely related to the zebra.

Wild Tahki "Przewalski" Horse

We set out in the vehicle and about 20 or 30 minutes later we spotted a small herd of 6 coming down the mountain to a water hole near us. We sat on the ground and watched and photographed the horses as they came closer to us. After awhile, a larger herd of about 8 came down to the water to drink. During the time we were watching the horses, a large herd of about 12 roe deer were on the crest of the mountain watching us. We hoped that they would follow the horses, and we could get a good look at them, but they were shy and veered off to another water spot farther from us.

NOTE:

Renee had previously filled out a questionnaire indicating that she was a vegetarian, because she was not comfortable with eating mystery meat that she knew would be served here in Mongolia. Apparently, the form was lost. We were all served the same 4 course lunch, the main course having meat (actually beef). But, during the conversation about meat, Mugu indicated that they eat all meats—sheep, goat, beef, horse, yak and ground hog. Of course, that made us feel better!

11 OCT
Today, we drove to another location called Karakorum. This area was the capital city of the Mongol Empire founded by Genghis Khan in the 1200’s. Not much is left now of the ruins, but there is a beautiful new museum that we visited that has artifacts and details the history from the Bronze Period onward.

After touring the museum, we visited a nearby monastery which was founded in 1586, making it the oldest one in the country. While there, one of the monks honored us by pouring a bowl of mare’s milk in a bowl and passing it around for us to share. Dave said it tasted like yoghurt and was thick; Renee wouldn’t actually know.

At the conclusion of the day’s touring, we went to our hotel. Most of the tourist ger camps, unknown to us at the time of booking, are closed for the season. So, we checked in at a local hotel. It was brand new, rather basic and spartan, but clean and neat. They weren’t going to turn on the central heating until the end of the month, so it was a bit chilly. The bathroom had small water heaters attached to the sink and the shower. The only problem was that no electrical outlet had been installed for the shower heater, so there was no hot shower that night.

12 OCT
Today, we drove to an area that featured sand dunes similar to the Gobi desert. The purpose of coming here was to ride a 2 humped (Bactrian) camel. As we were driving, it was raining a little, sleeting a little and snowing a little. We did ride the camels, but cut it short because the wimpy Americans didn’t want to be out in the bad weather.

After the ride, we visited the camel owner’s ger. He and his wife are true Mongolian nomads. They pack up their ger and move with the seasons. Right now, they are in their autumn camp. After the first major snow, they will pack up and move near a mountain, where they will receive the benefit of protection from the strong, cold winds that blow from Siberia. Renee thought she was off the hook when we were only offered some candy. But more treats were soon to follow. Next, was a bowl of camel’s milk that was passed around. Then came the real delicacy—a boiled sheep’s head, complete with the teeth still in it. The guide and driver were delighted and ate from the head. Dave tried it, too, having had to endure similar experiences in his military career. Renee’s excuse was a bad stomach (actually true). After the head, they had some soup that was boiling in a pot.


Interestingly, the ger has no windows, but sections of the top are left open for light and for the cooking fumes to escape. In the center of the ger under the opening is a metal stove that provides heat and cooking space. The fire is fed with dried dung from the animals. There is a raised platform bed on each side with room under for shoes and boots. There is a solar panel (yes, solar panel) outside that transfers energy to a battery that runs a light bulb and a TV. TV, you ask? Yes, there is a satellite dish outside, too. There are a couple of decorated chests that I think hold personal items. On top of one was a mirror and make up. The top of the other was home to a small Buddhist shrine. Water comes from a stream. As we were leaving, we noticed a goat tied up outside—tomorrow’s lunch!

We drove to our local hotel for the night. After seeing the room we were to be given and being informed that again there would be no heat and no hot shower, Renee brought up the idea of driving back to the capital to spend the night. It was just lunch time, and we would have the whole afternoon to make the drive where we could spend the night in a decent hotel. Both the guide and driver were amenable to the suggestion, so we did just that. We were there by 6:00PM, but the rush hour traffic meant that it took another hour and 15 minutes to reach the hotel.

13 OCT
After spending the night in a hotel that had hot showers, we toured the city to see the major sights (not too many). The architecture is a mixture of Soviet style buildings with some contemporary new glass office buildings. There’s a lot here that is reminiscent of a trip to Russia. Actually, for over 50 years Russia was an important part of Mongolia’s political life—they were a Communist country. Not just the architecture, but the buildings are painted the same colors that the Soviets used. Inside, there are the same decorative features. And, many of the buildings have the word palace attached to them, such as sports palace (an arena), wedding palace, etc. The state theatre looks similar to a copy of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. In 1991, when Eastern Europe rid itself of the Soviets, so did Mongolia. They are now a democracy.

We toured Parliament Square where there was heavy security, and the police were motioning to us to stay back a certain distance. We saw several large SUV’s parked in front of the building and watched as reporters, cameramen, and politicos in dark suits emerged. Among and between them was Angela Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor. Renee managed to snap some distant photos of her with her entourage.

After lunch, we drove to Terelj National Park, a popular destination for Mongolians and tourists. We had the tour company book one of the only two 5 star hotels in the country for us there, and we had read that it was designated as one of the finest small hotels in the world. After checking in, we were simply stunned to see our room—about the size of a closet with a double bed pushed up against the wall, so we went back to reception to get the room changed. That was not a problem, but a decent sized room required an upgrade for which we had to pay. That night we ordered dinner, and we would give it minus 5 stars, really pitiful! The attitude seems to be one of just not caring about service. May be a holdover from the Soviet era?
14 OCT
Today, we toured a bit of the park and saw the ‘stone turtle’ natural sculpture that tourists come here to see. We also visited a huge (over 100 feet tall) stainless steel statue of Chinngiss (Genghis, to us) Khan on horseback, finished last year. The building upon which it sits houses a new museum. This statue is massive, gleaming in the sun with a bright blue sky behind it. It is a source of great pride to Mongolians, who view Khan as their hero.

Upon returning to the hotel, we made the obligatory horse ride; thankfully, it was uneventful. Our dinner was a bit more interesting, however. We had our meal in the hotel where the guide and driver were staying (next door). When we walked into the dining room, there was a group of about 50 people from an office having a party. They were eating, drinking, laughing, making speeches on a microphone and singing songs together. It was a raucous party, but we actually had no idea what was going on. As this noisy group was finishing up (at the tables, but probably not for the night), in walked a silent sandal clad procession of priests, nuns and laymen from an Orthodox Christian church who quietly took their seats at a table laid out for them for dinner. The contrast between the 2 groups couldn’t have been more marked. This was definitely an event where people watching was an event. In the midst of all of this, a young boy entered stage left wearing a spiderman costume and parading around as if either looking for a parent or pretending to be playing spiderman. It seemed by now that we were viewing an existential play of some sort but missing the playwright’s message. Tomorrow, we leave here, spend the night in the capital, and catch a flight the next morning back to Beijing, to begin our tour there.

To summarize, Mongolia is vastly different from any other place we have visited. The terrain is similar to the American west, and the nomadic people live a life that we imagine to be very similar to the nomadic native Americans living in the 1700’s and 1800’s. As in our west, the horse is such an important animal.

More and more people, however, are moving to the capital, Ulaanbaatar, to be educated and to look for an easier lifestyle. The city is a busy hub of activity with many people and cars. Unemployment is low here, and we were told it’s because no outsiders are employed to work here, only Mongolians, who will do all of the jobs. Mongolia is a young democracy, and in spite of growing pains, seems to be doing okay.

Postscript
Dave’s blackberry stopped working after being in a rainstorm in Borneo. Mugu happened to mention that her fiancé had recently earned a master’s degree in IT, in Australia on scholarship. When Dave told her about the blackberry, she said she could give it him to see what he could do to fix it. Within 2 days he had opened the unit, found water had leaked inside, thoroughly cleaned it and put it back together. It now works! He didn’t want anything for his service, but we had to reward his kind efforts, anyway.

Pictures: Due to the additional number of pictures we wanted to post for Mongolia, please view them at our photo website below.

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