Dear Readers,
We apologize for not providing pictures with our most recent blog entries. We wanted to update you before jetting off to Vietnam, but the Blogger website is in Asian symbols for some reason. It took every bit of our memory to remember what buttons were what in order to publish the entries, but pictures prooved to be too difficult--we just have no idea how to navigate the website when everything looks like the above title.
We're excited about the last leg of our trip...we guaruntee great stories from SE Asia!
Keep reading...
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Cairns, Cape Tribulation, and Darwin
We arrived in Cairns in time to celebrate our final Oz Experience, so to speak, at the famous backpacker bar The Woolshed. Lucky for us, we ran into our favorite bus driver, Greg, who happened to have a VIP membership to the bar entitling him to free drinks all night long. He was kind enough to share this privilege with us since our funds were running low against the Aussie dollar. Too keep a long night short; we’ll jump to 3 am. Being the responsible backpacker that Laura is, upon exiting the cab she screamed, “Where are our backpacks?! What happened to them?!” (even though they had been safely locked in our dorm room for several hours). Then, after adamantly denying she had eaten any pizza (in order to get more), Laura found herself thinking the men’s restroom was our hostel room. Needles to say, the night justified a late morning feast at McDonald’s (we’re not proud). We spent the remainder of the day exploring Cairns and its one million tacky souvenir shops and dive/tour operators.
The next day we jumped on board a bus that drove and sounded like a tractor, but nonetheless, took us north to Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation. We had a brief breakfast stop in star-studded Port Douglas, which is well-known for its upscale holiday options and posh dining venues. Further along the windy Captain Cook Highway, we stopped at Mossman Gorge. Our scenic walk around lush rainforest and moss-covered boulders prompted the question, “How do rocks grow?” by a brilliant American study-abroad student. She went to Duke (just kidding). While we wish we could have spent more time here, we were unfortunately whisked away to lunch at Cape Tribulation where we enjoyed a makeshift picnic on the beach. We stayed at the Cape Trib Beach House, which reminded us of summer camp since the bunk bed-filled cabins were surrounded by the rainforest.
North Queensland is home to the most dangerous bird in Australia, the cassowary, which can disembowel a human even though it diets on rainforest fruits. Every time we heard a rustle in the leaves, we feared an attack by this ostrich-sized bird. Caution signs line the roads about every 1km, but we were never graced with their presence. We did, however, see a rare tree kangaroo perched on top of an indigenous circular palm tree (how geeky does that sentence sound?). Cape Tribulation is unique in that it is the only location in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage sights meet: the rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. The second day of our tour included a crocodile safari along the Daintree River. Fortunate to have another eagle-eye guide, our cruise spotted 6 crocs—one measuring over 4 meters long!
The following day we said goodbye to Queensland and flew to Darwin for two reasons: their famous 2 liter stubbie (oversized beer bottle) and our gateway to Southeast Asia. Darwin, however, was a little bit of a letdown compared to the rest of Australia. The sweltering heat and humidity put us inside craving the air-conditioning or a cold shower. The well-known Kakadu National Park is relatively close, but dwindling funds kept us wandering the one-street, 3-block town instead. It was not, however, a distraction from the wonderful time we had exploring the rest of the country. We can’t pinpoint whether or not Oz is an English version of the US or an American version of England, but in its own right, Australia has its own island personality and ambiable character that continues to lure travelers from all over the world.
Farewell meat pies, hello white rice...Goodbye Aussie life and Good Morning Vietnam!
The next day we jumped on board a bus that drove and sounded like a tractor, but nonetheless, took us north to Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation. We had a brief breakfast stop in star-studded Port Douglas, which is well-known for its upscale holiday options and posh dining venues. Further along the windy Captain Cook Highway, we stopped at Mossman Gorge. Our scenic walk around lush rainforest and moss-covered boulders prompted the question, “How do rocks grow?” by a brilliant American study-abroad student. She went to Duke (just kidding). While we wish we could have spent more time here, we were unfortunately whisked away to lunch at Cape Tribulation where we enjoyed a makeshift picnic on the beach. We stayed at the Cape Trib Beach House, which reminded us of summer camp since the bunk bed-filled cabins were surrounded by the rainforest.
North Queensland is home to the most dangerous bird in Australia, the cassowary, which can disembowel a human even though it diets on rainforest fruits. Every time we heard a rustle in the leaves, we feared an attack by this ostrich-sized bird. Caution signs line the roads about every 1km, but we were never graced with their presence. We did, however, see a rare tree kangaroo perched on top of an indigenous circular palm tree (how geeky does that sentence sound?). Cape Tribulation is unique in that it is the only location in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage sights meet: the rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. The second day of our tour included a crocodile safari along the Daintree River. Fortunate to have another eagle-eye guide, our cruise spotted 6 crocs—one measuring over 4 meters long!
The following day we said goodbye to Queensland and flew to Darwin for two reasons: their famous 2 liter stubbie (oversized beer bottle) and our gateway to Southeast Asia. Darwin, however, was a little bit of a letdown compared to the rest of Australia. The sweltering heat and humidity put us inside craving the air-conditioning or a cold shower. The well-known Kakadu National Park is relatively close, but dwindling funds kept us wandering the one-street, 3-block town instead. It was not, however, a distraction from the wonderful time we had exploring the rest of the country. We can’t pinpoint whether or not Oz is an English version of the US or an American version of England, but in its own right, Australia has its own island personality and ambiable character that continues to lure travelers from all over the world.
Farewell meat pies, hello white rice...Goodbye Aussie life and Good Morning Vietnam!
Mission Beach
We decided to stop here—halfway between Townsville and Cairns—for a night to relax. It was our mission, which we chose to accept, to avoid high-priced adventure sports in the area like skydiving and rafting in return for an afternoon of [free] laziness. Productivity included improving our tan and getting up-to-date with celebrity gossip. The event-packed part of the day was a competitive episode of Australian Idol interrupted by a giant cockroach that took too long to kill. We had a particular dinner in mind, but the kitchen closed on us at the nearby restaurant so instead we feasted on canned spaghetti and instant pasta. It might sound a little like freshman year, but there’s no work tomorrow and the palm-fringed beach is right around the corner...
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is a short ferry ride from Townsville and famous for being the sunniest place in Australia with over 320 days of cloud-free skies.
Upon arriving, it was conveniently happy hour, which was a great deal for us—all drinks were $3. We sat on the bar’s deck along the beach and hung out with some of our fellow Oz friends. For dinner, we cooked for the first time. Most backpackers cook to save money, but so far we hadn’t needed to. We have been the masters at finding a bargain that splits perfectly two ways. Going to the grocery store was a bit of a challenge; we had to find food and portions that would be finished in three days and used in more than one meal. Turns out, we managed to waste nothing (and reallocate budgeted dollars to mid-afternoon daiquiris).
The next morning we woke up only to relocate our horizontal positions to our hammocks along the beach. The day was quite relaxing and uneventful.
With plenty of unused energy from the day before, we spent our last day on the island exploring its many bays and hiking trails. We split the cost of a mini-moke rental with two other girls (who luckily knew how to drive it) in order to get around the island. We set out on a 2-hour hike up to the Forts, which were remnants of Australia’s involvement in World War II. On the way we spotted a baby koala and mum napping in a eucalyptus tree. The watchtowers at the top, camouflaged as granite boulders, provided excellent 360-degree views of the island and Horseshoe, Arthur, and Florence bays.
Our last exercising adventure was up to Hawking’s Point from Picnic Bay to catch the sunset.
Upon arriving, it was conveniently happy hour, which was a great deal for us—all drinks were $3. We sat on the bar’s deck along the beach and hung out with some of our fellow Oz friends. For dinner, we cooked for the first time. Most backpackers cook to save money, but so far we hadn’t needed to. We have been the masters at finding a bargain that splits perfectly two ways. Going to the grocery store was a bit of a challenge; we had to find food and portions that would be finished in three days and used in more than one meal. Turns out, we managed to waste nothing (and reallocate budgeted dollars to mid-afternoon daiquiris).
The next morning we woke up only to relocate our horizontal positions to our hammocks along the beach. The day was quite relaxing and uneventful.
With plenty of unused energy from the day before, we spent our last day on the island exploring its many bays and hiking trails. We split the cost of a mini-moke rental with two other girls (who luckily knew how to drive it) in order to get around the island. We set out on a 2-hour hike up to the Forts, which were remnants of Australia’s involvement in World War II. On the way we spotted a baby koala and mum napping in a eucalyptus tree. The watchtowers at the top, camouflaged as granite boulders, provided excellent 360-degree views of the island and Horseshoe, Arthur, and Florence bays.
Our last exercising adventure was up to Hawking’s Point from Picnic Bay to catch the sunset.
The Whitsundays
We flew from Brisbane to Airlie Beach on September 16th in order to kickoff our northern trip up Queensland’s famous tropical coastline. Airlie was to be our base for a highly recommended (almost compulsory) overnight cruise around the Whitsunday Islands. After booking the only rumored hostel without bed bugs and managing to get a last-minute deal on the next day’s sailboat, we were back to our traveling ways.
Airlie looks like a scene from Myrtle Beach complete with drunken men wearing tank tops and jorts and women walking around in skimpy, neon colored bathing suits. They have a manmade lagoon on the water for tourists since swimming in the ocean can often be a fatal risk thanks to a lengthy list of deadly marine life that inhabits the area. However, once you’ve boarded a sailboat and left the mainland behind, the scenery changes drastically. Small, uninhabited islands intermingle with large, exclusive ones to make up the 74 Whitsunday Islands. Winding its way in bays and around these atolls is the Great Barrier Reef. We boarded Wings II, a 19-passenger catamaran, for a 2-night cruise around the Whitsundays with Oz Adventure Sailing.
Thanks to the hilarious Bill Bryson for his accurate description of the Great Barrier Reef:
“Nobody can agree really on where the Barrier Reef begins and ends, though everyone agrees it’s awfully big. Even by the shortest measure [1,200 miles from top to bottom]; it is equivalent in length to the west coast of the United States. And it is of course an immensely vital habitat—the oceanic equivalent of the Amazon rainforest. The Great Barrier Reef contains at least 1,500 species of fish, 400 types of coral and 4,000 varieties of mollusks, but those are essentially just guesses. No one has ever attempted a comprehensive survey....Because it consists of some 3,000 separate reefs and over 600 islands some people insist that it is not a single entity and therefore cannot accurately be termed the largest living things on earth. That seems to me a little like saying Los Angeles is not a city because it consists of lots of separate buildings. It hardly matters. It is fabulous. And it is all thanks to trillions of little coral polyps working with a dedicated and microscopic diligence over 18 million years....”
We decided last minute to do our dives off of this boat since we heard many first hand accounts that confirmed Cairns was overdived, overpriced, and overcrowded. We initially wanted to spread things out, but the dive instructor ensured us the diving would be special since the weather (winds and currents) had allowed us to access infrequent dive sites. It didn’t take long for us to appreciate this decision; we kept up a lucky tradition of seeing something new and memorable each dive. Our first dive was in Blue Pearl Bay off of Hayman Island. Known as the maze, this dive site wound us through vibrant coral walls and a plethora of marine life. The fish were abundant; hundreds of them encircled us in their school as we made our way around oceanic wonders, identifying (for you dive nerds) the following Great Barrier Reef natives: elephant coral, Barramundi cod, Teira batfish, 6-banded angelfish, pink anemone fish, lizardfish, Harlequin turkfish, butterfly fish, triggerfish, parrotfish, damselfish, Harlequin sweet lips, clownfish, and nudibranchs (underwater slugs).
Each evening we had a delicious dinner and a classy glass of goon while watching a slideshow of pictures that recapped the day’s activities. We had a lesson on marine life with the captain Nathan (who we call Bruce since he looks like the shark from Finding Nemo) and enjoyed the good life onboard a sailboat.
The following morning we did a sunrise dive at 6:30 am. The location was in Mackeral Bay off of Hook Island just south of our first dive. Our dive instructor insisted this was the best time to explore since the night fish were going to sleep and the day fish were waking up. However, the highlight of this dive was getting the guts to swim through a 21 ft. long cave that appeared pitch black and narrow at its entrance. Since communication underwater is limited, we had an amusing misunderstanding. Laura looked at Katie as an excuse out of going in, but Katie interpreted her facial expression to mean, what are you waiting for...let’s go. So off we went and were glad afterwards that we did.
That morning we sailed south to Whitehaven beach, which is 99% silica and rate as one of the top 3 beaches in the world. The sand’s composition was great for exfoliation, but the European smokers on our trip were tricked into thinking it would whiten their teeth. Instead, they were left with a mouth full of grainy sand. Walking along the beach’s crystal blue waters and velvety white sand, we got close-ups of stingrays hanging out in the shallow waters.
We took a short bushwalk up to a viewpoint of Hill Inlet, which is where the saltwater and freshwater meet to create a mesmerizing swirl of creamy white sand and bright blue and emerald green water. The view is constantly changing due to currents and tides, but we will agree it’s one of the top two sights of our trip next to Kilimanjaro’s summit.
Before we knew it, we were suiting up again for dive number three. This site was Manta Ray Bay also off of Hook Island where we were to look for George, a very large Maori Wrasse. Halfway through the dive, our instructor points at a large nebulous object. We followed her—thinking it was George—as she charged towards it (since no one in their right mind would rush a shark). Turns out, the white-tipped dorsal fin that ominously swam by was not George. The 6-foot reef shark came as a shock and disappeared into the blue before we even had time to pee in out wetsuits. We also saw a 2 ft-long, camouflaged wobegong shark that lurked along the ocean floor—his presence was a little less foreboding and startling than the previous one. While the experience was exhilarating, it also gave us good reason to postpone any curiosity or inkling to do a night dive.
We were reluctant on the last day to plunge into the chilly early-morning water, but the snorkeling at Luncheon Bay proved to be worth it. The hard coral’s incredibly brilliant colors appeared to be spray painted and its abundance along the ocean’s floor prevented any glimpse of the sandy bottom hiding somewhere below. It was refreshing to know that each site was in pristine condition and that the marine life remained protected. For all the hype that the GBR receives, it was indeed an impressive and remarkable ecosystem.
Airlie looks like a scene from Myrtle Beach complete with drunken men wearing tank tops and jorts and women walking around in skimpy, neon colored bathing suits. They have a manmade lagoon on the water for tourists since swimming in the ocean can often be a fatal risk thanks to a lengthy list of deadly marine life that inhabits the area. However, once you’ve boarded a sailboat and left the mainland behind, the scenery changes drastically. Small, uninhabited islands intermingle with large, exclusive ones to make up the 74 Whitsunday Islands. Winding its way in bays and around these atolls is the Great Barrier Reef. We boarded Wings II, a 19-passenger catamaran, for a 2-night cruise around the Whitsundays with Oz Adventure Sailing.
Thanks to the hilarious Bill Bryson for his accurate description of the Great Barrier Reef:
“Nobody can agree really on where the Barrier Reef begins and ends, though everyone agrees it’s awfully big. Even by the shortest measure [1,200 miles from top to bottom]; it is equivalent in length to the west coast of the United States. And it is of course an immensely vital habitat—the oceanic equivalent of the Amazon rainforest. The Great Barrier Reef contains at least 1,500 species of fish, 400 types of coral and 4,000 varieties of mollusks, but those are essentially just guesses. No one has ever attempted a comprehensive survey....Because it consists of some 3,000 separate reefs and over 600 islands some people insist that it is not a single entity and therefore cannot accurately be termed the largest living things on earth. That seems to me a little like saying Los Angeles is not a city because it consists of lots of separate buildings. It hardly matters. It is fabulous. And it is all thanks to trillions of little coral polyps working with a dedicated and microscopic diligence over 18 million years....”
We decided last minute to do our dives off of this boat since we heard many first hand accounts that confirmed Cairns was overdived, overpriced, and overcrowded. We initially wanted to spread things out, but the dive instructor ensured us the diving would be special since the weather (winds and currents) had allowed us to access infrequent dive sites. It didn’t take long for us to appreciate this decision; we kept up a lucky tradition of seeing something new and memorable each dive. Our first dive was in Blue Pearl Bay off of Hayman Island. Known as the maze, this dive site wound us through vibrant coral walls and a plethora of marine life. The fish were abundant; hundreds of them encircled us in their school as we made our way around oceanic wonders, identifying (for you dive nerds) the following Great Barrier Reef natives: elephant coral, Barramundi cod, Teira batfish, 6-banded angelfish, pink anemone fish, lizardfish, Harlequin turkfish, butterfly fish, triggerfish, parrotfish, damselfish, Harlequin sweet lips, clownfish, and nudibranchs (underwater slugs).
Each evening we had a delicious dinner and a classy glass of goon while watching a slideshow of pictures that recapped the day’s activities. We had a lesson on marine life with the captain Nathan (who we call Bruce since he looks like the shark from Finding Nemo) and enjoyed the good life onboard a sailboat.
The following morning we did a sunrise dive at 6:30 am. The location was in Mackeral Bay off of Hook Island just south of our first dive. Our dive instructor insisted this was the best time to explore since the night fish were going to sleep and the day fish were waking up. However, the highlight of this dive was getting the guts to swim through a 21 ft. long cave that appeared pitch black and narrow at its entrance. Since communication underwater is limited, we had an amusing misunderstanding. Laura looked at Katie as an excuse out of going in, but Katie interpreted her facial expression to mean, what are you waiting for...let’s go. So off we went and were glad afterwards that we did.
That morning we sailed south to Whitehaven beach, which is 99% silica and rate as one of the top 3 beaches in the world. The sand’s composition was great for exfoliation, but the European smokers on our trip were tricked into thinking it would whiten their teeth. Instead, they were left with a mouth full of grainy sand. Walking along the beach’s crystal blue waters and velvety white sand, we got close-ups of stingrays hanging out in the shallow waters.
We took a short bushwalk up to a viewpoint of Hill Inlet, which is where the saltwater and freshwater meet to create a mesmerizing swirl of creamy white sand and bright blue and emerald green water. The view is constantly changing due to currents and tides, but we will agree it’s one of the top two sights of our trip next to Kilimanjaro’s summit.
Before we knew it, we were suiting up again for dive number three. This site was Manta Ray Bay also off of Hook Island where we were to look for George, a very large Maori Wrasse. Halfway through the dive, our instructor points at a large nebulous object. We followed her—thinking it was George—as she charged towards it (since no one in their right mind would rush a shark). Turns out, the white-tipped dorsal fin that ominously swam by was not George. The 6-foot reef shark came as a shock and disappeared into the blue before we even had time to pee in out wetsuits. We also saw a 2 ft-long, camouflaged wobegong shark that lurked along the ocean floor—his presence was a little less foreboding and startling than the previous one. While the experience was exhilarating, it also gave us good reason to postpone any curiosity or inkling to do a night dive.
We were reluctant on the last day to plunge into the chilly early-morning water, but the snorkeling at Luncheon Bay proved to be worth it. The hard coral’s incredibly brilliant colors appeared to be spray painted and its abundance along the ocean’s floor prevented any glimpse of the sandy bottom hiding somewhere below. It was refreshing to know that each site was in pristine condition and that the marine life remained protected. For all the hype that the GBR receives, it was indeed an impressive and remarkable ecosystem.
Laura's Birthday
Only a month and one week later, Laura followed in Katie’s footsteps to leave the glorious age of 21 behind and enter the ripe old year of 22. Conveniently, BJ’s sister Tayte was also celebrating a birthday—leaving her teenage years for the big 2-0. This made the evening’s festivities double the fun. Two birthdays and coincidently our last night in Brisbane gave us good reason to party.
BJ treated us to a morning of rock climbing and abseiling along the cliffs of the Brisbane River with great views of the skyline. Despite her moaning and complaining, Tayte surprised us all with her athletic abilities. It was hard to take her seriously since her outfit consisted of 80s-style, bright yellow aviators and blue plaid man-shorts.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent preparing for the Hollywood character-themed party. We decorated the house for the occasion with a red carpet, popcorn, and other festive goodies. Dallas and Bede spoiled everyone with homemade satay chicken kebabs, wings, and wontons. Our costumes involved a lot of hard work and preparation: BJ was a Jamaican bobsledder, Katie was Joe Dirt, Tayte was Gogo from Kill Bill, and Laura was Fat Bastard. Let us rephrase this—BJ was in black tights with a lucky hard-boiled egg, Katie had bogun facial hair and a makeshift mullet, Tayte looked Asian, and Laura wore a fat suit and chewed on a rubber chicken for [more] effect. As the night wore on, Tayte and BJ’s friends showed up with costumes ranging from Baywatch’s David Hasselhoff Baywatch and the milkmaid from Monty Python. It is necessary to mention that Laura and Katie ran the beer pong table with an undefeated record.
The party was a success and it was hard to believe that our time in Brisbane had come to and end. It had become our home away from home. To the Hamptons: again, I don’t think we can thank you enough for your generosity and hospitality. Thanks for making our time here so special.
BJ treated us to a morning of rock climbing and abseiling along the cliffs of the Brisbane River with great views of the skyline. Despite her moaning and complaining, Tayte surprised us all with her athletic abilities. It was hard to take her seriously since her outfit consisted of 80s-style, bright yellow aviators and blue plaid man-shorts.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent preparing for the Hollywood character-themed party. We decorated the house for the occasion with a red carpet, popcorn, and other festive goodies. Dallas and Bede spoiled everyone with homemade satay chicken kebabs, wings, and wontons. Our costumes involved a lot of hard work and preparation: BJ was a Jamaican bobsledder, Katie was Joe Dirt, Tayte was Gogo from Kill Bill, and Laura was Fat Bastard. Let us rephrase this—BJ was in black tights with a lucky hard-boiled egg, Katie had bogun facial hair and a makeshift mullet, Tayte looked Asian, and Laura wore a fat suit and chewed on a rubber chicken for [more] effect. As the night wore on, Tayte and BJ’s friends showed up with costumes ranging from Baywatch’s David Hasselhoff Baywatch and the milkmaid from Monty Python. It is necessary to mention that Laura and Katie ran the beer pong table with an undefeated record.
The party was a success and it was hard to believe that our time in Brisbane had come to and end. It had become our home away from home. To the Hamptons: again, I don’t think we can thank you enough for your generosity and hospitality. Thanks for making our time here so special.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Vanuatu
I arrived in Brisbane on Aug. 25th and only had enough time to catch a night's sleep before
leaving the country again to go to Vanuatu in the South Pacific with BJ. The plan was to ride bikes around the main island of Efate (about 140km) and stay in local villages along the way.
We got to check out a beautiful little cove owned by the village and went snorkeling off the village beach.
The hut where we stayed in the village
The family we stayed with in the village
On the way to our next stop we got a flat tire but still made it thanks to a local truck that picked us up and even helped us ask around until we found the house where we were going, since BJ didn't think to get directions beforehand. We camped in his parents friend's beach-side backyard in Havana Harbor where we did some amazing snorkeling and had a view of Lelepa Island.
BJ carrying all the gear
We kept riding further the next day and rounded the northern tip of the island along the coastline. We picked up a stray dog along the way and rode right into a storm which forced us to pull over and stay the night in some little bungalows. I doubt they get much business because the owner's daughters had to move out of the bungalow and clean out their stuff before we could go in. It ended up being pretty nice, despite having to shower using a bucket of cold water, and the dinner they cooked was a feast. The highlight of our stay there was the after dinner entertainment that consisted of watching Ugandan music videos.
The next day we attempted to ride the 70km back into Vila past an old U.S. Naval base which was slowly being hidden by Kudzu. The novelty of the ultimate eco-tourism bike ride began to wear off since BJ seemed to be suffering from a case of Giardia and his handle bars fell off. Not to mention that the combination of the bumpy road and my hard bike seat were causing me to take a "bum break" every half hour. We ended up giving up part of the way down the road when the sun got so hot that we couldn't bare it any longer- fortunately BJ's prayers were answered and just like magic a local transport truck came along and offered us a ride back to Vila for $5.
The icing on the cake was being bitten by a ferocious dog back in Vila and being treated in their hospital that brought back memories of the Jones County, Mississippi Health Dept. I got 2 shots, 3 bags of pills, and bandaged all for $10! We treated ourselves to a nice place to stay back in town where I spent the rest of the time sitting at the bar by the pool.
In retrospect the people of Vanuatu were truly amazing and I don't think I ever passed anyone there without them saying hello. After only being there for 8 days I could see why it has been called the happiest place on earth. It was such a refreshing break from India and restored my faith that there are indeed good people in this world.
leaving the country again to go to Vanuatu in the South Pacific with BJ. The plan was to ride bikes around the main island of Efate (about 140km) and stay in local villages along the way.We spent the first night in some beach side bungalows just outside the town of Vila. I knew I had been traveling too much when I woke up in the middle of the night completely disoriented and had to think for a minute about what country I was in! We stayed in Vila for the first 2 days organizing things for our bike ride and checking out the local market scene. We waited an extra day for a ride up the colossal hill just out of town- you can't judge us for waiting until you've seen the hill! The bike riding was pretty novel at first because we could pick up and go whenever we wanted and enjoy the outdoors at the same time- for free! The first village we stayed in was in Mangaliliu where we were lucky enough to catch a week long wedding celebration for the chief's son. Everyone was in a celebratory mood and welcomed us like we were part of the village, which meant that we got to stuff our faces at the feast and dance with the local kids to some island pop.
The pile of wedding gifts- all food for the feast!
The pile of wedding gifts- all food for the feast!
We got to check out a beautiful little cove owned by the village and went snorkeling off the village beach.
The hut where we stayed in the village
The family we stayed with in the village
On the way to our next stop we got a flat tire but still made it thanks to a local truck that picked us up and even helped us ask around until we found the house where we were going, since BJ didn't think to get directions beforehand. We camped in his parents friend's beach-side backyard in Havana Harbor where we did some amazing snorkeling and had a view of Lelepa Island.The next day we rode our bikes through groves of palm trees and past villages who had set up small huts memorializing the U.S. Naval base that was stationed there in WWII. They all sold old Coke bottles that had been tossed overboard the Navy ships- there are thousands of them! They fetched different prices based on which town was printed on the bottom- San Francisco bottles were double the price! Our next stop was even further up the road in Siviri village where BJ had stayed a few years ago on his first bike ride around the island. The people remembered BJ and let us stay in their "strangers hut" for the night and even had us over for dinner and breakfast the next morning. BJ got to see the little boy named Coco again who is now 2yrs old and quite social.
The road out of Siviri
The road out of Siviri
BJ carrying all the gearThe next day we attempted to ride the 70km back into Vila past an old U.S. Naval base which was slowly being hidden by Kudzu. The novelty of the ultimate eco-tourism bike ride began to wear off since BJ seemed to be suffering from a case of Giardia and his handle bars fell off. Not to mention that the combination of the bumpy road and my hard bike seat were causing me to take a "bum break" every half hour. We ended up giving up part of the way down the road when the sun got so hot that we couldn't bare it any longer- fortunately BJ's prayers were answered and just like magic a local transport truck came along and offered us a ride back to Vila for $5.
The icing on the cake was being bitten by a ferocious dog back in Vila and being treated in their hospital that brought back memories of the Jones County, Mississippi Health Dept. I got 2 shots, 3 bags of pills, and bandaged all for $10! We treated ourselves to a nice place to stay back in town where I spent the rest of the time sitting at the bar by the pool.
In retrospect the people of Vanuatu were truly amazing and I don't think I ever passed anyone there without them saying hello. After only being there for 8 days I could see why it has been called the happiest place on earth. It was such a refreshing break from India and restored my faith that there are indeed good people in this world.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
New Zealand
On August 29th, I flew to New Zealand to join a week-long Contiki tour of the South Island. Known as Kiwis (after their endangered national bird), New Zealanders take pride in their beautiful country, rich in vegetation and wildlife that is unique to this South Pacific island. With only a population of 4 million people, New Zealand has 10 sheep for every one person. It comes to no surprise that they film science-fiction movies here because the scenery is surreal and like no other place on Earth. Blessed with endless, breath-taking views and impressive landscapes, I found New Zealand to be a tranquil and refreshing place even though I can also argue this is the country where I lost my mind...
Fox Glacier is one of very few glaciers benefitting from global warming. The lack of rain in Australia is actually falling on the west coast of the South Island and increasing the glacier's size. The steep part of Fox moves 5 meters while the flatter area only makes it 20 to 30 cm per day.
A large group of us took helicopter rides to the clean, flatter part of the glacier where we strapped on cramp-ons to walk comfortably on the large ice "slide" for a few hours. Here we explored deep crevaces and caves while admiring the bright blue glow that illuminated different ice formations. It takes approximately 5m of snow to produce 1m of glacial ice making the dense glacier weigh 16 billion tons! We flew out and had to grab a superfast lunch before getting on the long, winding road to Queenstown.
The cliche, don't look down. Yea right, because that's pretty much impossible. Before I knew it, they're counting to 3 and I'm in position (arms out to my side and all), ready to go. Luckily I dove off without thinking because if you hesitate then you're doomed to be beat by your own thoughts. However, even looking back at footage and photos, I'm in disbelief it was me. I'm rushing head first straight for the river; I have tunnel vision as the ground gets closer and closer. Then all of a sudden, it stops and you're floating half the distance back up and falling again. I only had time to think, what did I just do? and never once worried if the bungy chord would catch. The adrenaline mixed with the new, unreal feeling makes it hard to fathom that I just fell 440 feet for 8.5 seconds. On your second bounce, you lean up to your ankle and yank a cord that puts you harnessed in a sitting position. I expected to be scared when they slowly pulled me up, dangling from a mere concoction of tightly woven rubberbands. Instead, I screamed and almost cried from the overwhelming amount of emotions I experienced in such a short period of time. In a matter of 15 seconds the wide spectrum of feelings went from fear, doubt, nervousness, to adrenaline, excitment, disbelief, pride, and elation. I couldn't seem to wipe the smile from my face.
We boarded the Milford Mariner for an overnight cruise and set out to explore the area's remote waters. At a frigid 3 degrees Celcius, we couldn't exactly go swimming, but they did offer motorboat and kayak excursions. Everywhere you turn in Milford there is a 100+ ft. waterfall. The captain would get the boat inches from the water's edge since the high rock cliffs are mimicked underwater. That night we feasted on a delicious buffet and celebrated our tour guide's 30th birthday and final Contiki tour. By the end of our cruise, we had seen the endangered fiordland penguin, fur seals resting on the rocks, and a pod of bottlenose dolphin trying to stay warm. The fiord's still waters produce a perfect reflection on a clear day oftentimes of Mitre Peak, which is Milford's central landmark. Once again, New Zealand's stunning landscape amazed me with it's indigenous features and vibrant life.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the home of the world's southermost University, Otago, and the study abroad location where BJ and Laura met (aw). Brady recommended I go down there to meet and hang out with her former flatmate, Simon (a super-friendly, 6'5" curly, redheaded Dutch Kiwi). I boarded a bus in Christchurch at 7am and 6 hours later I was in Dunedin. The time flies by, however, because the scenery along Highway 1 (that shoots up the South Island) is beautiful. Between naps and a stop in Timaru, I enjoyed rolling green hills and heaps of sheep farms. Thankfully, Simon met me at the Railway Station (which happens to be the second most photographed building in the southern hemisphere) and we headed back to Cumberland Street. I got to stay in Laura's old room and tour the campus and surrounding area. The next morning Simon treated me to homemade blueberry pancakes before we took our adequately stuffed stomachs over to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory for a tour. Smells of fresh chocolate wafting through each room tempts the senses. The tour guide satisfies any cravings by providing samples around almost every corner. Similar to brewery tours, you watch mass production and packaging machines masterfully at work. To top it all off, the end of the tour features a 3-story chocolate fall with 1 ton of liquid goodness. I wasn't shy to treat myself to a creme egg since the U.S. is only graced with Cadbury chocolate once a year. With a sufficient sugar high, we sped through part of the city's botanical gardens before I had to catch my shuttle back to Christchurch.
The following day I met up with the Contiki Tour and we started the long haul across the South Island to the west coast. I noticed on the list that there was one other person from the U.S. traveling in the group. A guy pulls out a Duke sweatshirt from his backpack so of course the only other American came from 8 miles down the road. Otherwise, the majority were Australian. With an additional handful of Europeans and two token Canadians, we had a packed bus full of mostly solo travelers eager to meet new people. Driving through Arthur's Pass, we enjoyed stunning views of the snow-capped Southern Alps. We arrived in Hokitika to shop for carved greenstone, abudant in the area and a significant part of Maori culture. Driving south, we reached Franz Joseph Glacier where we stayed for the night. Anyone who wanted free drinks at the bar could eat a live NZ grub, but needless to say, I just bought my glass of red wine and watched.
Fox Glacier
Fox Glacier is one of very few glaciers benefitting from global warming. The lack of rain in Australia is actually falling on the west coast of the South Island and increasing the glacier's size. The steep part of Fox moves 5 meters while the flatter area only makes it 20 to 30 cm per day.A large group of us took helicopter rides to the clean, flatter part of the glacier where we strapped on cramp-ons to walk comfortably on the large ice "slide" for a few hours. Here we explored deep crevaces and caves while admiring the bright blue glow that illuminated different ice formations. It takes approximately 5m of snow to produce 1m of glacial ice making the dense glacier weigh 16 billion tons! We flew out and had to grab a superfast lunch before getting on the long, winding road to Queenstown.
Queenstown
As the adventure capital of the world, Queenstown is well-known for being the only place where you can jump, swing, dive, fall, or throw yourself off or into just about anything. It's home to seasoned adrenaline junkies and those first-timers that are here to challenge their fears and test their will. It's also quite expensive. Technically, a 10-second adrenaline rush can cost you $200, but there's comfort in knowing that you're investing in a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a 100% safety record. The city made it's mark on the map when AJ Hackett opened the first commercial bungy site at Kawarau Bridge in 1988.
I spent the first day in Queenstown exploring the city since I only had enough guts and money to be temporarily insane once. The town is nestled around Lake Wakitupu and the Remarkables, which is the snow-capped mountain range for those who come to ski and snowboard. I managed to get a free excursion out of a promotion Contiki was running when I signed up for the trip. The company, Fly By Wire, had me suspended by a cable and whizzing around in a figure-eight motion so that I could reach maximum heights and speeds in this odd-looking, individually-sized plane. I was strapped in on my stomach in a body-sized, rocket-looking machine that I would get to fly myself after being released halfway up the valley at speeds of up to 140 km/h! While it was a fun ride, I was relieved that I didn't have to pay for it.
Per Laura's recommendation, I ate lunch at Fergburger--the burger joint famous for their giant patties and large french fries. After managing to finish a burger the size of my head, I commented that everything in Queenstown must be extreme...even the food. The rest of the afternoon was spent biting my fingernails and psyching myself out after hearing the daunting accounts of two Nevis survivors. As much as I counted out the 8-seconds of freefall and the act of jumping off of a ledge into an abyss, I could not imagine actually going through with it. How could I look down the equivalent of a 44-story building and fight past all logic and sub-conscious that tells you not to jump?
Luckily, we were the first jumpers of the day and it was so early that most of my worries managed to stay tucked in bed while I dove off the plank. After being weighed and shuttled up to the remote Nevis Highwire (the highest in the country) bungy site 45 minutes away, I was starting to worry that I wasn't worried enough. My emotions were running circles around me so much that I was starting to feel numb. The process is quick; they snap and strap a harness on you and before you know it you're swinging on the cable car that's ever so slowly riding off the cliff edge and towards the suspended jump site. Yet for some reason I still wasn't nervous. But then I was standing there, watching the first guy jump and a rush of all those notorious emotions returned. Yea right...that was not going to be me in 2 minutes. I had made a pact since Day 1 with a girl on the trip that we would do this together, but she awaiting her turn a seemed quite convinced that should would have to back out. Somehow I managed to convince her to jump still lacking the confidence that shortly after I would be in the same position.
Now it was my turn.
[Gulp]
[Gulp]
You're moving in slow, reluctant motion and they're running this like a well-oiled machine. They have you sit in a chair while they snap and clip on all sorts of things, yanking chords and making sure you're good to go (which is why it didn't even cross my mind to question safety; there was just too much to think about that I couldn't really think about anything). The last thing you do is smile at the camera before swallowing the giant lump in your throat and shuffling your feet out to the ledge.
The cliche, don't look down. Yea right, because that's pretty much impossible. Before I knew it, they're counting to 3 and I'm in position (arms out to my side and all), ready to go. Luckily I dove off without thinking because if you hesitate then you're doomed to be beat by your own thoughts. However, even looking back at footage and photos, I'm in disbelief it was me. I'm rushing head first straight for the river; I have tunnel vision as the ground gets closer and closer. Then all of a sudden, it stops and you're floating half the distance back up and falling again. I only had time to think, what did I just do? and never once worried if the bungy chord would catch. The adrenaline mixed with the new, unreal feeling makes it hard to fathom that I just fell 440 feet for 8.5 seconds. On your second bounce, you lean up to your ankle and yank a cord that puts you harnessed in a sitting position. I expected to be scared when they slowly pulled me up, dangling from a mere concoction of tightly woven rubberbands. Instead, I screamed and almost cried from the overwhelming amount of emotions I experienced in such a short period of time. In a matter of 15 seconds the wide spectrum of feelings went from fear, doubt, nervousness, to adrenaline, excitment, disbelief, pride, and elation. I couldn't seem to wipe the smile from my face.I expected to feel totally different that what actually happened. Adrenaline is an unimaginable, surreal, and fleeting sensation. I can't put the experience into words, but it gave me a a unique and euphoric feeling, one I have never felt. The decision to jump is a mental battle that challenges normal human thought. I initially thought it was stupid or pointless to test precious life, but because it's 100% safe, I now disagree. Instead, you're challenging yourself to live life to the fullest, face your fears, take risks, and experience things that most people don't. Good on ya for anyone who does it...I think it's a big deal.
Milford Sound
After an event-packed few days in Queenstown, everyone was ready to relax in Milford Sound. By early afternoon, we had arrived in Fiordland National Park. We stopped for a compulsory frolic through Egleton Valley and continued to wind our way through the U-shaped valley surrounded by snow-capped rock cliffs and hundreds of cascading waterfalls. We were fortunate to have blues skies on both days because Milford is notorious for bad weather with rain guarunteed 2 out of 3 days. We learned that Milford Sound is actually a fiord and therefore, incorrectly named. Nonetheless, it surpassed the hype. The photos cannot do it justice.
After an event-packed few days in Queenstown, everyone was ready to relax in Milford Sound. By early afternoon, we had arrived in Fiordland National Park. We stopped for a compulsory frolic through Egleton Valley and continued to wind our way through the U-shaped valley surrounded by snow-capped rock cliffs and hundreds of cascading waterfalls. We were fortunate to have blues skies on both days because Milford is notorious for bad weather with rain guarunteed 2 out of 3 days. We learned that Milford Sound is actually a fiord and therefore, incorrectly named. Nonetheless, it surpassed the hype. The photos cannot do it justice.
We boarded the Milford Mariner for an overnight cruise and set out to explore the area's remote waters. At a frigid 3 degrees Celcius, we couldn't exactly go swimming, but they did offer motorboat and kayak excursions. Everywhere you turn in Milford there is a 100+ ft. waterfall. The captain would get the boat inches from the water's edge since the high rock cliffs are mimicked underwater. That night we feasted on a delicious buffet and celebrated our tour guide's 30th birthday and final Contiki tour. By the end of our cruise, we had seen the endangered fiordland penguin, fur seals resting on the rocks, and a pod of bottlenose dolphin trying to stay warm. The fiord's still waters produce a perfect reflection on a clear day oftentimes of Mitre Peak, which is Milford's central landmark. Once again, New Zealand's stunning landscape amazed me with it's indigenous features and vibrant life. Lake Ohau
We stopped in Arrowtown on our way to Lake Ohau. The small village outside of Queenstown became famous during the 1800s gold rush and for several scenes in The Lord of the Rings. By sunset we had reached Lake Ohau, which was our stopping point for the night since it was halfway between Milford and Christchurch. The next morning we set out for our scenic drive by Mt. Cook (NZ's highest peak), Lake Tekapo and Mackenzie (sheep) country. The lake's naturally bright-blue waters, crystal clear skies, and untouched environment made for another picture-perfect day. To top off our final day together, we had lunch in the small town of Geraldine, which is world-famous for having the Guiness Book of Records' largest sweater.
We stopped in Arrowtown on our way to Lake Ohau. The small village outside of Queenstown became famous during the 1800s gold rush and for several scenes in The Lord of the Rings. By sunset we had reached Lake Ohau, which was our stopping point for the night since it was halfway between Milford and Christchurch. The next morning we set out for our scenic drive by Mt. Cook (NZ's highest peak), Lake Tekapo and Mackenzie (sheep) country. The lake's naturally bright-blue waters, crystal clear skies, and untouched environment made for another picture-perfect day. To top off our final day together, we had lunch in the small town of Geraldine, which is world-famous for having the Guiness Book of Records' largest sweater.Christchurch
We made it back to Christchurch by mid-afternoon on September 7th. That evening we celebrated at Speight's Ale House and had dinner one last time as a tour. There was a small group of people who also had to kill time in Christchurch the following day so we all met up for meals and to shop and wander around.
I flew out at 6am the morning of September 9th and was back in Brisbane before most people had gotten up. I'm glad that I decided to venture off on my own and got the opportunity to experience what I would argue is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It's quite hard to do the scenery justice, but check out the photos. As the Kiwis frequently say, New Zealand is "sweet as..."
I flew out at 6am the morning of September 9th and was back in Brisbane before most people had gotten up. I'm glad that I decided to venture off on my own and got the opportunity to experience what I would argue is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It's quite hard to do the scenery justice, but check out the photos. As the Kiwis frequently say, New Zealand is "sweet as..."
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