When I was flying in to Vietnam from Hong Kong several weeks ago, I met a lovely woman on the plane. She spends a lot of time in Vietnam and told me I should do a post just on things on motorbikes. So here it is. You can laugh, be amazed, but most of all, be thankful you don’t have to haul your stuff on a two wheeler.
At least this guy has a trailer for his bike.
Now aren’t you glad you have a car or at least Uber?
Angkor Wat. Words do not exist to describe it.
This former Hindu and later Buddhist temple was built in the middle part of the 12th century. That in and of itself is amazing. What is even more incredible is that it took a mere 37 (approx) years to build.
We arrived before dawn to watch the sun rise behind the temple grounds.
After the sun rose, we explored the grounds. There is no way to see every corner of the temple and I will be forever grateful to our guide for navigating us around the crowds.
It takes a little while walking around to notice it, but every square centimeter of the temple structure is carved or etched. When you realize this, the temple manages to impress even more.
The temple is still considered sacred and monks can be seen throughout the grounds.
And, I don’t know if they are there for religious reasons or just to beg from tourists, but there is also a family of Macaque monkeys that roam the temple and grounds.
The area of Siem Reap (this part of Cambodia) has more temples than Angkor Wat. The one with all the different Buddha heads also impressed.
Another incredible visit was the Ta Prohm temple. This is the one where all the roots and trees grow out of the ruins of the structures. The government has decided to leave this temple almost the same conditions in which it was found. I think they made the right decision since nothing else looks like this.
After days in the heat and humidity of Cambodia, it was time for a rest.
After a few days in Ho Chi Minh City, I joined up with a river cruise and tour for the Mekong River, Cambodia and Northern Vietnam.
Quickly after leaving Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong becomes more rural and traditional. Life becomes quieter as you float from town to town. Most of the other traffic is small fishing vessels.
Before crossing in to Cambodia, we paid a visit to a small town to get a feel for life, present and past, along the river.
The oxcart is still used in this town. Yes, the tourists are big users, but we did see locals riding in them as well. I would not recommend this as a form of transportation. After a short 20 minute ride, I was more than ready to get off. I could not help but think what it must have been like for the pioneers heading across the plains in not dissimilar “vehicles”.
In this same village, we visited a local home. Again, no complaining about your kitchen ever again. This lady has to use corn cobs as fuel for the stove.
In this same town, we also saw cicadas. Not flying around, but crawling up the tree. I have only ever seen them during swarms in the USA when you are running from them. They are actually quite beautiful creatures.
After the oxcart village experience, we crossed in to Cambodia.
Buddhism seems to permeate almost all facets of life in this country. We were even treated to a blessing by two monks. We were told after the blessing we were 20 years younger. It didn’t feel like that after 20 minutes sitting on the floor with no mat but the kinks got worked out of all our knees and backs and off we went… our new, youthful selves.
The architecture in Cambodia is stunning. There are temples and monestaries everywhere and even the palaces and governement buildings are inspired by Buddhism.
Now, in my previous brief post, I mentioned that technical difficulties had prevented me from posting. The first problem was the internet along the river and in the more rural areas. The bigger problem is that my camera broke on day 3 of this part of the trip. My new friends Ted and Doreen from Vancouver shared thier SD card with me. I have a ton of pictures on my phone as well, but transfering this is proving a bit more difficult. This is mostly due to the fact that I have run out of hard drive space on my laptop.
A new camera has been procured and is meeting me in Dubai.
Hopefully, internet connectivity will stay reasonably good for the next few weeks and I can get caught up. Thanks for sticking with me.
Next post is about Ankgor Wat. Google it now if you haven’t heard of it.
Much love to all!
All is well. Technical issues have made it difficult to post. Stay tuned. Thanks.
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. It’s actually evening here, but it’s morning where most people are reading this.
I knew immediately that I was going to love Vietnam. It’s chaotic, friendly, crazy and laid back all at the same time. It might have an identity crisis if it cared.
I just walked around Ho Chi Minh City today to get a feel for things. I have a tour starting day after tomorrow, so I think I will see the sights then. It was great. The air here has the scent of overripe tropical fruit with a hint of motorbike exhaust. The streets are organized chaos. There are motorbikes, vespas and mopeds everywhere…they are like bees in a wildflower field.
Even taxis operate on motorbikes (they do have 4 wheel taxis also). It’s called Go-Bike and they have an extra helmet for the passenger. Locals seem to carpool. These two ladies where getting ready to brave the streets when I saw them. They let me take their picture.
Deliveries also seem to be made with motorbikes. The Culligan man in the USA has it really easy.
And so does the FTD guy
Crossing the street in Ho Chi Minh City is a bit like being the mole in Whack-a-Mole. Every time you think you find a safe hole, something comes out of nowhere to try to take you down. I noticed some locals waited to cross “en-masse” with arms linked together. I decided that just makes you a bigger target. Take a close look at this picture. What is the one thing missing from this intersection?
There are a few signs left of the French colonial past. The country has the best coffee I have had in Asia so far and I saw one old cathedral.
When the heat became too much, I stopped in at a cafe. It was too hot to try the life-changing coffee, however.
Now, if anyone out there has been to Vietnam and can explain this next picture, I would be grateful. The questions are both why and how? Do people not want to litter or are they going to come back later and finish their beverage?
I have signed up to take a cooking class tomorrow. We are supposed to start at the market to shop for ingredients and then head to the kitchen to cook. Should be a blast!!!
Au Revoir!
My final days in China were spent on the Yangtze and then in Shanghai.
A quick cruise along the Yangtze begins in Chongquin, a city of 30+million inhabitants. While the city does not have much in the way of tourist sites, departing from the city at night takes you under a lovely lighted bridge.
The first part of the cruise is a little depressing. The river is polluted and there are large factories right along the banks.
Our first stop was a small town which was newly built after the government opened the dam and flooded the areas close to the old river banks. There is an interesting museum and underwater viewing area in the town, but the best site was the VEGETADLE MARKET.
Inside there were plenty of vegetadles, and some other interesting things…(sorry Lynn – look away)
While our group was interested in the market, the locals were interested in us. Our guide told us that they don’t see tourists very often. Seems the whole town wanted to see us on to the bus. We felt a bit like space aliens returning to the ship.
We continued down river toward the Three Gorges Area, an area of impressive natural beauty.
The best part of the Three Gorges area visit for me was the trip on the little boats. The oarsmen paddle with the guests on the boats along one of the tributaries of the Yangtze.
We also had lunch in a small village and got to see the inside of a typical home. Don’t ever say you hate your kitchen again.
At the end of our river cruise we took a quick flight to Shanghai.
Shanghai was once known as the Pearl of the Orient. Well, now it’s a diamond! What a great city! Glitz and glam with a sedate side too.
I don’t know if Shanghai is the world capital of sky scrapers, but it’s got to be close! The tall one is the second tallest in the world.
It’ not all cement and glass. There is some green space, too. Yu Gardens is a lovely oasis in the middle of town.
Despite the green, the skyscrapers beckon. I had to go up to the top. Before I could, I had to get to the other side of the river.
There are no bridges in the center of town, so to cross the river you have to go through a tunnel. Pedestrians have their own tunnel, which is actually a little funicular rail and a psychedelic tunnel, for a short strange trip.
You exit the tunnel in a space-age land of tall shiny buildings. Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building in the world, is not really finished yet. The only things open are the observation tower on the top and the shopping mall on the bottom. I think the cost of the visit is helping to fund the completion of the middle floors!
The view from the top is pretty impressive.
Even with all of these wonderful vistas, it is at night when Shanghai really shines…literally shines. It’s like Vegas on steroids, but with a bit more class.
China has been an amazing experience. I have only just scratched the surface of the county, however. I can say that I have had an introduction to the country, but there is so much more to China than the places I have been. Maybe some day…
I have a stop in Hong Kong and then it’s on to Vietnam.
Chengdu is Panda central. When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by a dancing panda.
Even the manhole covers have pandas on them.
So, here is some cuteness overload…
And just in case you don’t believe the first picture from this post, here are a few more of me and the panda.
To get your photo opp with the panda, you have to don a lovely blue jumpsuit, gloves and shoe covers. This is not for your protection, but for Panda’s. The panda really could not care less if you are there or not. He is busy eating bamboo. He is a juvenile, about 18 months old. You are given about 30 seconds with the panda.
Now, Chengdu is not ALL about pandas. There is a lovely people’s park and interesting tea houses. But after looking at all the cuteness above, nothing else can compare.
Next stop…the Yangtze (or Yangzi) river and the Three Gorge (apparently Yangzi is the preferred spelling).
Xian, China is famous for the Terracotta Warriors This is why people come here. However, there are a few other interesting sites including the Muslim quarter and the old city wall.
The Muslim quarter is a sight for the senses. There are people selling all sorts of food. Squid on a stick was quite popular. If they don’t sell it as food, they can repurpose it as a puppet!
The mosque in the quarter is a lovely mixture of gardens and structures. On the surface it looks decidedly Chinese but when you look closely there are clear Arab and Persian touches.
Below is where the muezzin makes the call for prayer.
While we were at the mosque, a bride and groom were having their photos taken.
After walking around the quarter, we headed to lunch. Penguin was horrified when he saw the dumplings.
The next day, we headed out to see what we all came to Xian for, the famed Terracotta Warriors. They were discovered in 1974 by a farmer digging a well. They date from the Qin dynasty which ended around 210 BCE and were buried with the emperor to protect him in the afterlife.
This first pit has the most number of restored warriors. When you walk in, you are confronted by them.
They all have different faces and expressions, and the detail is incredible.
It is believed that when they were buried, they had wooden weapons in their hands. These burned during a fire when a rebel general later entered the tomb and pretty much trashed and burned it. You can see how they are holding their hands.
What the general did is why the warriors were found in pieces. The archeologists are now working on one of the biggest, and perhaps most important, jigsaw puzzle in the world.
The Penguin was in awe!
After a morning of warriors, we headed to the old city wall. It’s only about 600 years old and is a nice way to see the city.
Our next stop, and the next post, is Chengdu. I promise, you won’t want to miss it!!!!
I am coming to the end of my China journey. Internet has been sketchy at best for the past week or so. I will attempt to get posts updated in the next few days.
Beijing is a feast for every sense: sight, sound and smell (the latter not always good). The city is the jewel of modern China. Everywhere you look there is building going on and shiny skyscrapers to wow you. It is much more modern than I thought it would be and is testament to the tenacity and drive of the Chinese people.
This view is from my hotel at sunset, but you get the idea of how modern the city really is.
After departing the Summer Palace, we went to see the Olympic Village and the local art street.
The olympic village is nice and the Beijing government has done a very good job of repurposing the facilities in the village to benefit the citizens of Beijing.
Inside the stadium, I got a chance to ride a bike with some of the greats!
The art district, called 798, is a vibrant area of the city with galleries and cafes. The galleries are pretty expensive. It’s fun to walk around for an hour or so, but don’t plan on spending the whole day here.
After a restful evening at a nice hotel, we started the next day at the Temple of Heaven, constructed first in the 14th century (rebuilt and restored a few times thereafter). The primary structure is the Hall for Prayer for Good Harvests. We got very lucky as the smog cleared and the skies were blue!
I think my favorite thing about all of these old Asian buildings are the decorations/figurines on the corners.
After the temple of heaven, we visited the Forbidden City. It is so named because only the Emperor and nobles were allowed to even APPROACH it. Inside the walls was a private city, separated from the rabble outside.
In Chinese imperial life, the number 9 was reserved for the Emperor and only the Emperor. So, in the Forbidden City there are 9 mythical animals on the roofs (9 between the other guys).
Our last full day in Beijing we really lucked out. We had blue skies and perfect temperatures. We ran out to the Great Wall first thing to get there before the crowds. The wall, in its earliest version, was built 2000 years ago to protect the new Chinese empire against invaders. Its earliest version was primarily dirt. The wall we see today is only several hundred years old. The portions we visit have been refurbished. It is everything you expect it to be and more. It is truly amazing to think of how long it once stretched.
As you walk along the wall, you can go in to the watchtowers. They have the feeling of medieval castles.
One of the coolest things in Beijing was actually in a park. The Chinese get to retire at 60 but they do not sit around playing bingo. They go to the park and excercise with friends. I was truly impressed by the fitness level of many of the people.
This guy is 70 years old.
And this pretzel man is 72!!!
All I can say is WOW!
Stay tuned for Xian and the warriors.
Hello From China!!!
I arrived from Japan at an ungodly hour and was transported to the Crowne Plaza Beijing Airport to sleep. I would not recommend this place. I think it is about to be dumped at a Crowne Plaza because it does’t meet international standards.
Anyway, after that I was taken by the tour company to the Aman at the Summer Palace. A vast improvement!!
The hotel, while not old, was built to resemble the palace. It is beautiful.
Who wouldn’t want to start the day with breakfast here?
A very vocal little bird woke me up at 6:05 am on my first morning at the Summer Palace. I quickly dressed and ran to the palace grounds to see what I could before the crowds arrived. I am glad I did.
Later that same morning, we had a tour of the palace. The crowds had arrived but it was still wonderful.
After the summer palace, we went to central Beijing. I will try to get those photos uploaded soon.
I have seen in the international news that the typhoon did cause some damage. In Kyoto all was fine this morning. I am am safe at the Nagoya airport waiting for my flight to Beijing.
Pretty cool that I can use my phone to post. Now if I could just figure out how to add a picture…
When a typhoon is hours away from hitting a Japanese city, the people DO go to the store. The difference, as I found out earlier this afternoon, is they don’t buy out the place. There were still products on the shelves. I was reminded of the near supermarket hysteria in DC when Isabel was about to hit. Hey DC, you can learn from the Japanese! I bet they don’t panic when it snows either.
I have enjoyed Kyoto but I wish now I had come here first. It is a city of temples and shrines and by this time in the Japan journey, I am pretty templed and shirned out. You probably are too, if you have been following the posts.
In addition to shrines, Kyoto is known for the incredible Arashiyama area. Natural beauty with a river and mountains and, the incredible Bamboo grove.
The river that runs through the area has these wonderful cormorants just hanging out.
There is a temple and lovely gardens in Arashiyama as well, but I will reserve my temple photos for ones in central Kyoto.
In addition to temples and shrines, Kyoto is also known for Geishas. I did not go to any of the houses where Geishas work, but I did go to Gion, the neighborhood known for them. It’s a lovely place to walk around and you get a feel for what the city may have been like 50 or 100 years ago.
Possibly the most important Buddhist temple in Kyoto is Higashihonganji. It’s quite impressive. There was a prayer service going on while I was visiting and I was able to sit in the back and listen to the beautiful chanting of the monks. It was so peaceful.
Here in old and new coexist, a shrine and a modern tower.
The rooftops are just so amazing.
A peek inside from outside the doors.
This guy was just hanging out on the roofs. I think he was trying to figure out where to go to ride out the storm.
So this evening, my last in Japan, the city is hunkered down. Streets are quiet. Hopefully, to storm will come and go without too much damage. Hopefully for me, trains and planes will be running tomorrow. All trains right now are cancelled. The forecast says the storm will be out of here by noon tomorrow.
I have loved my two weeks here. I have had a great time and seen a lot. I don’t know if I would do the solo thing over again. I think I have missed out on some things since I don’t speak the language and cannot read the explanations on signs. However, traveling solo, navigating subways and buses has given me a better feel for the country and enabled me to meet people I would not have on a tour.
My next stop is Beijing, where I do have a tour starting for several parts of China. I have a flight tomorrow night from Nagoya. I don’t know if I will be able to post from China, the Great Firewall may make it difficult. I hope I can, at least once or twice. So, if you don’t see a post for a couple of weeks, I have not forgotten you.
When I started planning my visit to Japan, I wasn’t going to come to Hiroshima. I don’t like being reminded about the horrors human beings are capable of inflicting on one another. However, several people said I should reconsider. I am glad I did.
Hiroshima today is a modern vibrant city with wide boulevards and lush greenery. The city is now a living monument dedicated to promoting peace on earth.
As you get close to the center, or the hyperzone (ground zero), there is an amazing little (very little) park area with a number of treasured old trees. The trees in the little park survived the bomb. A testament to the strength of nature.
Walking along the river is when you first see it, the Atomic Dome, a skeleton of the building it once was and a forever reminder of what happened on August 6, 1945.
After walking around the dome (and before heading to the peace park), I headed to the Hiroshima Castle, which was rebuilt after the War to exactly replicate the original. It is a beautiful structure next to a lovely shrine and lush gardens.
When I was in the castle grounds, there was a photo shoot going on. Gorgeous young people in traditional dress. I love the kimono colors, but I don’t think I would want to walk too far in those shoes.
Also on the castle grounds, for the benefit of tourists, are roaming Samurai. I got a picture with two of them. They promised me the hand signal was appropriate.
After the castle, I visited the Peace Park Memorial and Museum. Any words I try to come up with seem hollow. Oh, and the dove on top is real.
A day in Hiroshima is emotionally draining. By the end, I was exhausted from both all the walking and everything I experienced.
My next day in the area, I went to Miyajima Island. This is most famous for the red Great Torii Gate which appears to float at high tide. I was there between the tides, but it was still beautiful. It was also sunny, for once.
The gate leads to the Itsukushima shrine.
The island is also famous for the deer that roam around.
Up the hill from the Itsukushima shrine is the Daisho-in (Buddhist) Temple.
There is a side path and staircase that has about 500 statues of deities. My limited research says that they are the guardians of children, but I welcome correction if needed. I could find no reason for the hats. Nobody had an explanation. If you know why they are all wearing hats, PLEASE let me know (it’s not because they are cold…) Also, do you think someone knit or crocheted all of those hats?
The view from the temple, which at the top of the hill, is also impressive.
Miyajima would be a great place to spend a day and would be even better to spend the night. My travel companions also enjoyed the day and were equally happy for good weather.
Next, and final stop in Japan is Kyoto. I hope to see some great sights before Monsoon Trami hits.
Don’t forget, you can comment and let me know what you liked or didn’t like.
Greetings. Konichiwa.
I have spent several days in the delightful city of Kanazawa. This city is known as “Little Kyoto”. Not having been to Kyoto (yet), I cannot offer an opinion on this. I can say, it is lovely.
Kanazawa, despite having shrines and temples to spare, is not a tourist mecca yet. This has both good and bad sides. The bad, very little in the way of tourist infrastructure. The good, far fewer tourists. So, should you add this city to your Japan list? ABSOLUTELY. Should you take a patience pill before you get here, also yes.
My good luck with weather has not followed me to Japan. I spent one day seeing sights in POURING rain and another in a steady drizzle. My USA umbrella gave up the ghost on day one here. Lucklily, every other shop sells umbrellas.
The most important sight of the city is the castle and neighboring gardens. The castle has burned down more times than I can mention here, so the one that exists today is a rebuid from the 20th century. It’s still beautiful and the builders did all they could to follow traditional techniques.
The sun finally came out later in the day.
Next to the castle are the Kenrokuen gardens. They are reputed to be one of only three “perfect” gardens in Japan. I have no idea what makes a garden “perfect” but they were lovely.
Near the castle and the gardens are numerous women (and the occasional man) in traditional dress. I never did figure out why or what they were doing, since I did not want to be THAT stupid tourist. I shared many a bus with women in traditional dress and near the gardens, two of them let me take their picture.
After the castle, the other big sight in Kanzawa is the Oyama Jinja Shrine. Like other big shrines or temples, the sight is both shrine and garden. This particular one was pretty spectacular.
I just loved these frogs. Can I have someone put them in my next house, wherever that may be?
After days touring shrines and gardens, it was time to take a break. I was lucky to be able to get a spot at a tea ceremony. One of the perks of being a solo traveler…you can often squeeze in to existing bookings.
The rituals and formality that surrounds the tradidional preparation of tea is something so foreign to Westerners in generals and Americans in particular. It was a real treat for this California girl to see something so sacred associated with what we consider to be a mere beverage.
It was very interesting to me that the tea in the ceremony is powdered. I asked why and our hostess said that was what was brought from China hundredes of year ago, so the tradition remains.
Kanawaza was a wonderful experience. As I write this, I wish I had taken photos of my favorite dinner spot.
I found this great little barbeque spot near my hotel run by a wonderful husband and wife team. While most of our communication was sherades, we were able to get by. One evening (I ate there three times), I was stuggling with chopsticks and large pieces of vegetables. The owner offered me a fork, which I refused. We all laughed. Well, mostly they laughed at me and my attepts at large things with chopsticks. At the end, we all had fun and I loved them for their humor. I wish I had taken pictures. It didnt’ occur to me until later. Now, every place where I make a connection, I will try to take a picture.
My next stop is Hiroshima. Probably not as positive an experience, but too many people said I had to stop there. Hopefully, it will not depress me too much.
I arrived in Tokyo after almost 24 hours traveling. From Auckland to Hong Kong it was 11 1/2 hours and then it was another 4+ from HK to Tokyo. Add layovers, waiting around and getting to/from airports, you get pretty close to 24 hours. Needless to say, I was beat when I got here at 5:30am. Luckily, just outside arrivals at Haneda International Airport there is a coffee shop with REALLY GOOD coffee.
Tokyo is an enormous city. About 845 square miles and a population of 9.2+million. It’s overwhelming when you first arrive. All of these people knowing exactly where they are going and you are just standing around looking perplexed. Fortunately, the appearance of a perplexed tourist sparks kindness in the locals. Several times now I have been approached by locals offering assistance. It has ALWAYS been appreciated.
Since hotel check-in time wasn’t until 2pm, I dropped off my luggage and walked around the Shinjuku area of the city; mostly in a fog and trying to stay awake. I walked to the Hanazono shrine which is not famous but is quite pretty.
The second day I braved the subway/metro. It’s massive and overwhelming at first. All the lines have names, colors and most important, a giant LETTER for ID purposes. Each station has both a name and a number, which makes it much easier to figure things out. Once you get the handle on that, navigating the system becomes much less stressful.
After getting a metro card (essential!) and the map, I ventured off to the Imperial Palace…in the rain. The palace grounds are open t the public and it was very nice to see. The gardens are lovely, even when not much is in bloom.
After some time walking around the palace grounds in the rain, I took refuge in the modern art museum. It’s a very nice facility with a lot if information in English. I loved that almost all the works were from Japanese artists. This picture was my favorite.
Next, I visited the Sensoji temple and five story pagoda. This is tourist central. The temple is still used and I saw a number of people praying, but today it seems more like a tourist trap than a place of worship. It is still a must see in Tokyo and the weather was cooperating.
There was something going on at the shrine that I was not able to figure out. In addition to the above women in kimonos, there were two ADORABLE kids in traditional costumes.
Near the temple, there is another tourist site. The famous golden turd. It’s actually supposed to be a flame and it sits on the office building of one of the breweries. Whatever you think it looks like, there’s no missing it.
Tokyo is known for its Cat Cafes, but you can see a cat anywhere. I went to the HEDGEHOG Cafe. Yup, super cute hedgehogs you can hold. For about $16 you can spend 30 minutes with two of your own cuties.
Near the Hedgehog Cafe is Shibuyu Station and the statue of the world’s most loyal dog, Hachiko, an Akita. If you don’t know the story, there was a movie made, staring Richard Gere. The cat has become quite famous, too.
Another day I ventured to the Meiji Shrine, which is in a large 170 acre evergreen park. Perfect for at day that was about 90 degrees F. The original shrine was built in the early 20th century (1915 – 1920) but was largely destroyed during WWII. It was rebuilt in 1958.
While at the Meiji shrine I got to see a beautiful bride getting ready for her wedding. I don’t know much (actually nothing) about Japanese wedding traditions but I enjoyed being able to see something special.
As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, Tokyo is overwhelming in its size and population. Like all great cities, I am sure this one takes more than 5 days to get to know. I probably would have seen more and learned a bit more on a tour, but navigating the city on my own has made me feel closer to it. I could not have done it, however, if it weren’t for the kindness and warmth of the Japanese people. They go out of their way to help, even when they don’t speak a word of English. I will end my Tokyo post with my one Japanese word: Arigatōgozaimashita or ありがとうございました
Next stop: Kanazawa
I promise no pictures of snow-capped mountains here.
Dunedin (pronounced done-eedin) is a medium-sized city in the south-east of the south island. It is known for its world class university and the bird life that lives nearby.
The Royal Albatross is the largest of the albatross with a wingspan of 3 meters. It breeds on the hills above the sea just outside Dunedin. We got to see two. These are juveniles. They were pretty far away.
The Red Billed Gull is a super cute bird that seems to be everywhere; however, they are becoming more endangered than the albatross. I love the red eyeliner and polka dot tail.
Shags are sea birds that don’t have oil in their feathers. There is a big colony of them just below where the albatross nest.
The Masked Lapwing is actually from Australia but is now quite at home in NZ.
You may remember photos of a similar bird from the Galapagos. This is Oyster Catcher.
The Pukeko is all over this beautiful country, often seen on the side of the road. Sometimes in it.
The Paradise Duck has been one of my favorite birds here. I have only seen it on the South Island. The female has the white head. The male is much more impressive in flight. They are always seen in pairs.
Stilts are always fun to see. I am pretty sure they got thier name because of their legs.
All of these are wonderful, but it is PENGUINS that are the area’s most famous birds.
The PENGUIN PLACE is a private sanctuary run by the family that owns the land the penguins have decided to call home. They have worked to restore the area near the beach to bush land that will shelter them. Two penguin species live here. This is the beach where the penguins come ashore.
The Little Blue Penguin, Korora in Maori, is the smallest of all penguins. They only reach 30cm in height. Generally, they live in underground burrows, but the good people of the Penguin Place have built shelters for them.
The Yellow Eyed Penguin is one of the rarest in the world, and one of the most threatened. They are also very shy and do not live in colonies. Again, we saw them from far, far away.
Our penguin was very happy at the end of the visit.
Our next stop is Japan. This will be my first time to Asia and first place on this trip where I do not speak the language. Things will start getting very interesting. Stay tuned.
Queenstown is a beautiful little city in the mountains in South Central New Zealand. It is also where most people stay when visiting the sounds: Doubtful and Milford.
Like getting to other cities, I drove to Queenstown in the rain. Not pouring, but steady. The drive from Franz Josef to Queenstown requires getting over a mountain range. There a lots of little walks and hikes you can stop for along the drive. Lovely views and waterfalls are all around.
My first night in Queenstown the snow level dropped almost to street level. This made the city look beautiful and me excited for the trip to Doubtful Sound.
I took an overnight trip to Doubtful Sound with an amazing company called Real Journeys. I would recommend them to anyone traveling in Southern New Zealand.
Before we got to the boat for the trip on the Sound, we were treated to a fabulous view of Doubtful Sound from the hills above.
We boarded a nice boat and checked in to our cabins. To save money, we stayed in the dorms down below. Penguin was ecstatic since we were right at water level.
The boat trip was amazing. Not just the scenery, but the boat, the crew and everything.
After an afternoon seeing beautiful sights from the big boat, many of us got into kayaks for an unforgetable up-close experience with Doubtful Sound.
Penguin was most unhappy that he couldn’t go kayaking (they didn’t have a life vest to fit him). So he got up to mischief on the big boat.
On day two of the mini-cruise, we were treated to a beautiful sunrise.
And later, we saw Penguins!!!! The Fjordland Crested Penguin. It only lives in this part of New Zealand. So very exciting!!!!
When we got off the boat we met a Kea. The Kea is the only alpine parrot in the world. They are social, inquisitive, and according to some Kiwis, a bit cheeky.
After my two days in Doubtful Sound, I spent one day on a trip to Milford Sound. Milford is the more famous of the two sounds and is spectacular, but it’s not better. Both are wonderful.
I traveled to Milford Sound by small plane and returned by helicopter. The visit to the sound itself was on a boat.
I loved traveling on the small plane. It was quiet and stunning. I got to sit in the co-pilot seat!
The plane at the airfield
After the plane, we got on a boat and toured the Sound.
The helicopter ride back from the cruise was incredible. We stopped again at the top of a mountain for photos in the snow.
(click on the above to see a really cool video)
My trip to the Sounds has been brief but amazing. Queenstown is a beautiful city and demands more time than I have been able to give it.
My next stop is Dunedin – on the east coast of NZ. One reason for my stop here is more penguins. Cross your fingers that I get to see more of these wonderful creatures.
Love to all y’all!
Okay, I know you are getting sick of mountains. But today I took a HELICOPTER to the top of the glacier. I just had to share it with you because it was such a great day!
The views from the helicopter and the top of the glacier were incredible.
It was also fun to play in the snow on the top of the mountain!
So I won’t bore you with any more commentary. Here are some quick pictures to see what I saw today. If you are not interested, you wont hurt my feelings.
Have a great day! And remember, you can comment and send me messages directly from the post or email!
I have stopped driving for a few days and am enjoying the scenery in Franz Joseph Glacier. Getting here took a couple of days traveling through some very pretty coastal and mountain scenery.
I left Nelson about noon, after spending the morning walking around the town. Nelson does not have that much to offer in terms of tourism, but the surrounding areas are beautiful.
After driving for an hour or so, we stopped to stretch our legs (flippers) and take in a view.
The road to the West Coast goes through an amazing river gorge.
After the gorge, you hit the coast. The weather was starting to deteriorate. I drove along a beautiful section before stopping for the night.
When I woke up the next morning, there was a storm approaching. However, you could just make out the mountains in the distance under the cloud.
The drive on to Franz Joseph was pretty much all in the rain. Halfway through the drive, I stopped in this town that had a Kiwi center. Kiwi’s are nocturnal, so it’s tough to see them in the wild. They are also MUCH bigger than I thought. They’re the size of a cat (about the size and shape of Reba, for those of you that knew my cat)!
Photos are not permitted in the kiwi area. They are very sensitive to light. So, I have a picture here I got online.
Evolution has not worked well for Kiwi. No wings means it can’t get away, and its instinct when threats approach is to “shelter in place”. It also has a very strong scent that dogs find irresistible. Dogs and cats are kiwi’s biggest predators.
The kind folks in the Kiwi center adopted a lamb whose mother had rejected it. Ed now greets visitors, but will soon go to a farm to work as a lawnmower.
I am sure the drive to Franz Joseph Glacier is stunning. However, it was pouring rain so I didn’t get to see much.
The next morning, however, the sun came out and the scenery did not disappoint.
Since the weather was cooperating, I decided to head out to Lake Matheson, New Zealand’s most photographed lake. Once I got there, it started to rain. However, it didn’t last long and we got to see a gorgeous double rainbow.
Lake Matheson is a Kettle Lake. It was formed as the glacier retreated and left calved ice pieces that melted and formed the lake. The hike around the lake is on a well maintained path. It’s about 4.5km around the lake, most of it through rain forest.
One you arrive at Lake Matheson you are rewarded with a spectacular view, and if you’re lucky (I was), a reflective lake.
After the hike around the lake, I headed back in to town. It was rush hour on the only highway, but I didn’t mind.
I have a couple more days here and keep my fingers crossed for good weather.
I continue moving south. The drive to Wellington went through a valley with more beautiful mountains.
I stayed a night in Wellington. Having been there before, I just stayed one night and then caught the Ferry the next morning. The morning sky at the ferry terminal was amazing.
This was my first time ever driving into a ferry. It reminded me of the Millenium Falcon.
Once onboard, Penguin and I enjoyed a Flat White (that’s a coffee).
The ferry crosses the Cook Straight and then goes through one of the sounds into the town of Picton. Picton is on the left about 2/3 way down the photo.
The scenery is impressive.
Penguin was very happy to be on open water again and had a good time goofing off on deck.
From Picton, is it a gorgeous 140km drive to Nelson. The road goes through vineyards and then up and over mountains to the bay of Tasman.
When I saw the vineyards with sheep, I just had to stop. (Jo, these are for you!)
The valley on the way to Nelson is just stunning.
One of the GREAT things that happened today was that I was able to change the drop off city for the rental car. I am now going to fly back to Auckland and leave the car here in the south. This will give me more time and less driving. Three cheers for the good folks at Apex Car Rentals who allowed me to do this for NO ADDITIONAL FEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will now make it to Dunedin which makes me, and Penguin VERY HAPPY!
Next big stop is Franz Josef Glacier.
