NEW ZEALAND

January 14 - April 13, 2009

A Critical look at a very lovely country





































































































































We spent a total of 3 months in New Zealand. One week was enjoyed in Auckland before renting our campervan. We stayed next to the Domain Park at Domain Lodge. A very quiet, very clean and comfortable accommodation and bus stops just outside. We toured the Museum, took a ferry to Rangitoto Island, to NZ Open Tennis tournament, to their great Museum, to Victoria Park market and visited the downtown and Newmarket area a number of times. Auckland is a very clean and beautiful city and has an excellent bus system.













SCENERY
A little of everything - mountains, glaciers, hot pools, lakes and farming land. This is a smaller version of Western Canada. They have millions of more sheep, and lots of cattle also. Spectacular sceneries along the ocean, especially on the South Island and every shade of green on hill and valleys. A number of attractive towns with well preserved old buildings.

BIRDING
We missed seeing the Kiwi in the wild due to heavy rain in the area. There were entrance fees of NZ$25-$35 to see them being fed in a habitat where day and night was reversed so they would eat during the day for the tourists - as they are only nocturnal.

We lucked into a personal visit to a Kiwi Nursery by the Keeper at Napier (a beautiful town). It really was exceptional what he did for us as we were allowed to hold a 13 day old chick, a 34 year old mother and view the 50+ year old father incubating the egg.

Species numbers are low unless you pay to go to a predator free island for viewing. The numbers are high for the imported species - House Sparrow, Magpie, European Starling, Common Myna - all from Britain. We did manage to see over 100 species on our own without paying. New Zealand is known for their pelagics and I scoped a number from shore.


ROAD SIGNS
If you think you are on a major street there will be no name placard. but only side street. The street name also changes every few blocks. Signage for tourists is confusing as they will state one name like "Harbours" and the next sign will have a name. When you come to a T in the road and the road goes both directions which shall you take to the Lighthouse. A 50% chance and we chose the wrong one.

An interesting fact is that the Country does not require you to have car insurance - it is not compulsory, therefore the majority do not have insurance.

They have very good notices about speeding, driving tired and driving drunk.
















INTERNET
Very expensive! It ranges from $6-$8 per hour. The main Library in Whangerei charges $7.50 per hour if you bring your own computer. Some libraries are free. We only had two campgrounds where the internet was included.



















NEW ZEALANDERS

On the whole - very friendly and helpful. Many either had visited Canada, knew quite a lot about the country and would like to visit. We spent a few days with friends that we met a few years ago in Mexico - it was great to renew our friendship. We were introduced to a family in Christchurch by a mutual friend in Winnipeg. They took us on a tour of their city and invited for a family dinner. These visits were one of the highlights.

When they get behind the wheel - some become indignant about slower campervans even if we try to go over and let them pass. They probably are just tired of tourists, but that is their main industry. There is more crime than we expected as NZ has a reputation for being very safe.






















ATTITUDE TO CLIENTS
If you buy an article it often cannot be returned.

We complained to a Campground manager at Punakaiki Beach Camp about the thick black coal smoke that wafted over the camp. It was a lovely camp but we had to leave with all the smoke. The manager became very defensive about her camp and the coal heater for hot water was just fine she said. They were not in the least bit concerned about pollution in the campground. We also left another camp on the west coast because of the coal smoke.

WEATHER
It is the land of the long white cloud. The weather is very changeable since it is an island and maritime weather. In the South Island we had about 1/4 of the days with some sun and the rest was rain, wind and cold. There were days where we had on two jacket and gloves and still were cold. On the North Island the weather was more stable but we were surprised how cold it was at night. We used our electric heater just about every evening and morning for the 3 months we were there (which was their summer). It was interesting that when standing in the sun you were warm to hot as it was intense, but moving into the shade it would be quite cool especially when there is a breeze.

WILD ANIMALS
There are none to speak of. We were seeing rabbits and road kill (opossums and hedgehogs). There really are only domestic animals - sheep and cattle and horses. I really missed seeing animals in the wild. It all seemed a little sterile.

TOURIST PACKAGES AND CHARGES
Almost all entrance fees were $25 and up with few exceptions. Entrances in current "Moon" book stated free but when you arrived they now charged. Wherever we turned it was charges here and there.
We did not pay them (except Rotorua) as we felt the tourist was being gouged and we became negative about paying any.

GENERAL - GOOD ITEMS
New Zealand have gotten rid of the penny and the nickel which is very sensible - Canada should do the same. Just about everyone takes Credit Cards (only 2 campgrounds did not).

The roads are in excellent condition - I think we only experienced one pothole - Imagine!

"Round-abouts" are great as traffic flows through intersections. They are widely used and traffic lights are only in the centre of the cities.

















CAMPING
All campgrounds have lots of facilities ranging from basic to excellent. They all have full kitchens with stoves, ovens, microwaves, stainless steel counter tops and many sinks for dish washing. Some also have pots, pans, dishes and cutlery.

Besides the campground you can rent a cabin with only beds to full bathroom facilities.


IN CONCLUSION

We have finally visited New Zealand and enjoyed the experience. We were busy every day and the time went by quite fast. We only drove to our next destination in the morning and spent the afternoon enjoying the area - we then decided if we wanted to stay another day. We spent extra time in the major cities and used the local bus system to travel to the city centre. We drove both North and South Islands but naturally there is still a lot to be seen and places we missed as it is larger than one imagines.

HONG KONG

January 6 - 13, 2009

This is nothing but spectacular!

We spent one week in and around the city. We walked miles, took the ferry a number of times to the Island (seniors ride free) and then buses and funicular to Victoria Peak, Aberdeen and just sightseeing around the Convention Centre. We were staying in Kowloon at the Imperial Hotel only 2 blocks from the ferries and Promenade. At night we could see part of the lazer show from our hotel although we went to the Promenade a couple of times to see it in its entirety. This show was a nightly spectacle.

We found it very clean and organized. Dogs were not allowed in the parks or downtown area and "No Smoking" in parks and many public outside areas. Sleeping on benches also was not allowed and we witness 2 security guards telling a backpacker to sit up and not lie down.

We visited parks, took the subway system to Mai Po marsh area about 50km out of town. walked through a huge multi-level indoor upscale shopping malls, sat and people watched, ate at noodle places and local eateries, bargained at the market and just enjoyed yourselves. Our hotel was very clean, small rooms, angled windows to view street level, pleasant staff and reasonably priced.

On our return from New Zealand we spent one night in Hong Kong to catch our flight the next day and we stayed at the nearby luxurious Novotel Citygate Hotel.

In the morning before leaving we walked the many connecting parkways and recreational areas lead ing out from the hotel and residential are a. This area was extremely clean with shrubs and tall trees bordering mini soccer fields, tennis courts, sitting areas and numerous children's play areas. We watched mothers with children, seniors doing Tai Chi, young people playing soccer and people fishing along the promenade.

Great place to visit! You would be awed and surprised.

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
and
BLACK SEA CRUISE

Sept. 17 - Oct. 3, 2008



Sept. 17 We flew from Winnipeg via Toronto to Rome, Italy. Irene and Chris were joined by their friends Chris and Annelies Kaufmann, who like us live in the Fountain House in Winnipeg.

Sept. 18 Arrived at Rome Airport and were transferred by bus to the beautiful Prinsendam, Holland America Lines small cruise ship carrying 700 passengers and 400 crew. We had life boat drill, good dinner and smooth seas when we sailed.

Sept. 19 We were up early to be awed by the ever spewing and smoking Volcano Stomboli. We had excellent viewing starting before dawn till after sunrise and cruising about 1/2 mile off shore.



Through the Straits of Messina that separate Italy and Sicily. This is a very narrow channel and a Pilot came on board.

Sept. 20 Sailing overnight to Dubrovnik, Croatia. The ancient city looking as beautiful as before the Yugoslavia conflict. We spent the day walking the old historical streets and enjoying the atmosphere of the city.



Sept. 21 A day visit to Sarande, Albania, which will hopefully become a holiday destination and tourist resort judging by the hundreds of buildings going up and only partially finished.






Sept. 22 Agostoli, a Greek Island which was totally destroyed in the '50's by an earthquake and has been rebuilt. This is a popular tourist resort.

Sept. 23 At Sea

Sept. 24 Visiting the beautiful and exciting ancient city of Istanbul, Turkey. Awesome Churches and Mosques, Grand Bazaar and a bustling harbour.






Sept. 25 At Sea

Sept. 26 Trabzon in Eastern Turkey, south of Georgia. A traditional old city with hundreds of Minarets and Mosques. Most women were in Islam attire. Masses of men stop in squares or streets to pray when the call for prayer is heard. They us cardboard or carpets to kneel on and traffic slowly passes them.



Sept. 27 We were safely docked in downtown Sochi, Russia. A popular sea resort for the Russian people and it is the largest resort in the Russian Republic. We saw people swimming in the Black Sea very close to where we were docked. Sochi will host the Olympic games in 2014.



Sept. 28 Sevastopol, Ukraine. This site was chosen by Catherine II of Russia to establish her naval harbour in the Crimea. We visited a Muslim Khan Palace and Harem, which was very well maintained and exhibited. We then went on to a Monastery which was carved out of rock (about 50km out of the city). This is a pilgrimage destination.





Sept. 29 Nessebur, Bulgaria. This is an very ancient town. We did not take a tour but enjoyed walking the old streets of the island, followed the pathway around the island, visited St. Stefan Church where frescoes from the 16th century adorn the walls, and stopped for refreshments at a restaurant overlooking the small harbour.







Sept. 30 At Sea and slowly crossing through the Bosporus, by Istanbul, the Sea of Marmara, and then the Dardanelles. A spectacular all day trip with commentary from the Cruise lecturer about the history and the sights. This is one highlight of the trip.


Oct 1 Docked in Kusadasi, Turkey. This is the seaport for the ancient City of Ephesus, which is mentioned in the Bible. The excavated buildings and streets date back 2000 years. A sight that reminds one of Pompeii





Oct 2 Our last stop of Athens, Greece where we visited the Acropolis and the shopping district - the Plaka. Our hotel for night was right in the Plaka and we could walk to the historical sites and park. After our journey home we woke up from our unreal dreams of having travelled to such an ancient culture





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CRUISE



Osaka

JAPAN, EASTERN RUSSIA and ALASKA

April 20 -

May 10, 2008

Tokyo

From Vancouver we flew to Osaka, Japan to board the Holland America cruise ship the Statendam. This was a repositioning cruise and our final destination was Vancouver. This was Irene's first cruise and her sister, Lorraine, accompanied us.

We took shore excursions in Tokyo, Hakodate, Japan, Petropavlosk, Russia (Kamchatka Peninsula) and day stops in Kodiak, Alaska, Homer and Sitka with cruise up Glacier Bay National Park.

Petropavlosk, Russia

We started out with very rough seas from Osaka (Kobe) to Tokyo, but the ship was very stable. We had high wind in Petropavlosk where we were forced back to the dock and required 2 tug boats to manoeuvre it out to sea. There was some scrapes along the side of the ship which were repainted in Homer.

This was a trip of contrasts. Japan being very clean, modern and progressive, Russia - poor roads, housing and buildings not maintained. This is a forgotten part of Russia. The harbour is very protected with surreal scenery with volcanoes surrounding it.

We then went on to Kodiak, Homer and Sitka
- all surrounded by wild nature and mountains. Glacier Bay NP was unbelievable!! We had a clear, sunny and windless day where we could see for miles. We could hear and see the glaciers calving and sea birds flying in the long narrow fjord.

We dressed in layers as this was not a Caribbean cruise. Most days we had toques, mitts and hoods up to walk the deck, to stand on the bow and just to watch the world go by.

Sitka

ECUADOR

February 8 - 28, 2008

What a rugged country!

We just returned from 3 weeks in the north east and west portions of Ecuador.

We went from the Amazon lowlands to 4400 meters at Papallacta Pass where we had snow and ice. We stayed at 4 different lodges located in different habitats.

We left our camper at La Laguna Sta Maria del Oro at our friends home in Nayarit, Mexico and travelled by bus with Ben Wassink to Mexico City where we caught a flight to Quito.

The next morning we took a short domestic flight to Coca where we were met by the Sacha Lodge staff.

We took a fast motor boat ride down the huge Napo River for 2 1/2 hours, walked a kilometer to a canoe landing where we were paddled across a small lake to the hidden lodge. The next 5 days were spent birding, canoeing to different locations, climbing a tower wound around a huge Kapok tree, climbing a metal tower and walking the swing bridge above the jungle canopy. The swinging cable bridge was very stable but still was a challenge for Irene as she is not that great on moveable structures.

Another day was spent travelling to where the Parrots gather to eat clay to aid their digestion - this was quite spectacular. Here we saw many species of birds, monkeys, many varieties of trees.

After our flight back to Quito we were met the next morning by our driver (Nestor and his new large van) and guide (Galo). They were with us for the next two weeks as we travelled to our other locations. Galo was very nice, hard working and very knowledgeable and Nestor was very friendly and an excellent driver. We enjoyed both of them.

We spent time at Yanacocha, Paramo, Papallacta Pass area, Tandayapa area, Antisana Reserve at Guacamayos, Loreto Road and around the trails of the Lodges. Needless to say we got lots of exercise and sometimes it was not easy as the altitude ranged from 2200 to 4400m. Some days the rain did not make it easy and the trails became muddy and slippery. We then would move to walking
the roads.

We did have a lot of rain and there were many small slides along the roads and waterfalls appeared where there had not been any the day before. Since we were at a higher altitude the temperatures were cool and we only went without jackets at Napo River and Loreto Road area as these were at lower elevations.

The scenery was stunning, rugged and all shades of green. We saw snow covered
mountains, heavy rain clouds and some sun (not as much as we would have liked)

The Lodges that we stayed at after Sacha were Tandayapa Bird Lodge, Guango Lodge and San Isidro Lodge.

The only Lodge that we do not recommend is Tandayapa Bird Lodge, near Mindo and Bellavista. The lodge is only accessible by a 60-70m (77 steps) climb from the parking lot, since it is about 2300m the climb is not easy and you have to stop to get your breath. This is the worst arrangement we have seen for accommodation.

The lodge was also cold and they kept all doors and windows open. We did close them once and we noticed it was warmer but the volunteers (not Ecuadorians but Canadians) opened them again.

The fireplace was not usable and the humidity was 100%.

The Lodge is known for their hummingbird feeders. The feeders were extremely busy but we also noticed the owners had not planted any flowering plants only leafy green ones and the birds were totally dependent on the feeders for their sugar. The food here was good but the best was their soups.

Guango and San Isidro are sister lodges. The Guango lodge was at a higher altitude on the east slope and small and cosy, also cold and the dishes and cutlery were ice cold. Chris ate with his gloves on once. They did try to light a fire in the fireplace but they were not too proficient at it. The wood was stored in a damp place so there was a lot of smoke. They did try to warm it up. A river was near the Lodge where we got to see a family of Torrent Ducks. The many trails were nicely groomed.

At the San Isidro lodge we had cabins with two suites each.

It was also about 100% humidity as nothing dried. It is a very pretty setting with easy access to the road for walking and trails around the area. At this Lodge we had gourmet meals - just excellent and presented with much care and explanation of each dish.

We saw a new species of owl and in total we saw 369 species of birds and other wildlife including Red Howler Monkeys, Pygmy Marmaset Monkeys and Chris saw an Ocelot. We did not see any snakes.

We had a great time, but we were tired when we arrived back in La Laguna after an 11 hours bus trip from Mexico City and an hour taxi ride from Tepic.

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA

Our home for many years! Winnipeg is a beautiful prairie city, which has all the amenities that a large city offers - Symphony, Concerts, Ballet, Sports, Parks, Zoo etc.

The one thing it does not have is long time consuming drives to any destination. It still is easy to commute from one side of the city to another in about ½ hour and a little longer during the evening rush hour. Since we are retired the rush hour does not bother us anymore.

Chris used to walk to work and we still
walk downtown to the Library and anywhere else we wish. We live within blocks of many restaurants, banks, grocery and drug stores.

The city is vibrant with so many activities - the new MTS Centre hosts visiting Celebrity Concerts, Hockey and Horse Shows. The Symphony, Ballet and Chamber Orchestras have a full schedule which includes visiting some of the other cities in Manitoba.

We have two Universities and one College – The University of Winnipeg was just named one of the top 3 schools in Canada. The University of Manitoba has a large campus on the south side of the city. Red River Community College has greatly expanded its campus to many downtown

locations in redeveloped historic buildings.

The Forks location is at the forks of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers. This is one of the smallest National Parks in Canada and is a historical meeting place.

The CN yards have moved and it is now
developed into a gathering spot for outdoor concerts, world class skate-board park, hotel, pubs and market. In winter a skating rink is under the huge umbrella.

Inside the city Assiniboine Park and Forest encompasses about ¾ section. Many deer live in the forest, and the pond
is home to ducks and many bird species. Winnipeg is lucky to be on the Mississippi and the Central flyway and we are treated to a bird list of about 370 species.

We have travelled to many cities in the world and Winnipeg is still our home of choice.

ORILLIA, ORANGEVILLE AND LONDON

Summer 2007

It is a long drive from Winnipeg to Orillia – 24 hours. The north route goes on the north side of the Great Lakes. It is very scenic but one is always on the lookout for moose on the road and the speed limit is about 80 kph. We never even saw a moose but then we did not drive early morning or late at night when they are most active.

It was great to visit with my son, Grant and his family, Angel and the 3 boys, Tyler, Mitchell & Jarrett.

They have recently moved into their new home

and enjoying all the remodelling and decorating. The boys are very tall, thin and active.

It was a surprise to also visit with Chris' mother and sister from Vancouver in Orangeville. They were visiting Holly (Chris' niece) who is an equestrian trainer. This is picturesque farm and horse country.

We had one more stop - to visit with former Winnipeg friends in London, Maris and Derek
Smith. We always enjoy their hospitality. We took one drive to an artsy town and to the Winter Wheat Gallery. It was most unusual lawn and decorating shop.

Our return to Winnipeg was via the south route (through the USA). The weather was very good and since this is a flat route it takes less time. Entry into the US was smooth with only ½ hr wait, but then the Customs Officer wanted to know what we were doing in Ontario, which was weird as we are Canadians maybe he got mixed

up.

We had hoped to visit friends in Wisconsin but they had gone fishing (literally).

Our two week trip went by very fast.

NEWFOUNDLAND
JUNE, 2007

This was our first visit to this Province and we thought it was about time that we went to see "The Rock". The Maritime climate was what we expected, but did have more cloudy days than we would have liked. The fog rolled in, the rains came down in buckets, the sun came out and the scenery was spectacular.

We spent a sunny day walking the streets of St. John's with visits to the downtown and on to Signal Hill. Here we had our first view of icebergs floating past the entrance to the Harbour. This was the first year in the

past 3 years that icebergs were seen around the island and we were to see many more as we toured the coast line on the Atlantic side. From Signal Hill the view of the city and harbour is quite spectacular. A very historical area!

The downtown is very colorful with the "jelly bean" painted houses. It is a very old city and some buildings have been replaced with high rises which cuts off the view from the houses behind the modern buildings. This was a disappointment as the Harbour is not visible from a couple of streets away. They do have a very open Promenade along the harbour front. While walking along this area we met a crew from a Cruise boat, Cruise North, that was leaving the next day for the north and on to Churchill via Labrador, Baffin Island and Nunavut. Very interesting itineraries according to their brochure.

Cape Spear is the most Easterly Point in North America.

We rented a car for the 2 weeks and drove almost 3500km. It is a larger island than one imagines. The roads were good (except for the gravel road to Cape Race). One was always on the look out for Moose as they have really populated the Province and we spotted them any time of the day - not just in the early morning and late at night. The Gov't posts signs on the Highway state how many accidents have occurred.

We had some unbelievable birding experiences at Cape St. Mary's where the Northern Gannet, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common Murres, Thick-billed Murres and Razorbills are nesting. It was quite fascinating to watch the action of 1000's of birds and the cacophony of sound is something else. We visited this area twice as the first time it was so fogged in we could only see a few feet and the next time was a beautiful sunny day. We just had to go back to hopefully
have a better view of the birds.

We had another unusual birding experience at Bonavista where the Atlantic Puffins nest in their burrows on the side of a rock island. They arrive quietly in the evening, gather together on the water, start their flying formations around the rock, drop down to their burrows and stand around for a short time and on some silent signal they all instantly disappear into their burrows for the night.

Our tour took us to Gros Morne National Park where we took a boat trip up the Western Brook Pond. This was another beautiful day of sunshine. To get to the Pond one has to walk 3 km on a good trail to the boats. This area is locked in and the two boats were brought in by helicopter or on sleds in winter and are only used for tours down the fjord. Quite rugged, spectacular scenery.

Our next boat ride was taking the Ferry from St. Barbe across the Strait of Belle Isle (Gulf of St. Lawrence) to Quebec/Labrador. Many icebergs were seen, a few pelagic birds (not as many as expected) and one whale. The trip was uneventful except having to purchase return tickets in Quebec. We thought we had purchased round trip tickets but Quebec wants to sell their portion there. It was a fair little walk to the ticket agent as they do not have them right on the dock - we were not too happy about this inefficiency.

We passed Daniel's Harbour where the houses have slid into the ocean and many more may find this fate as the ground is unstable. The area was roped off with Security Guards at either end of the area. There was really nothing to see from the street side, but only visible from the ocean as we have seen the pictures on TV about the disaster.

L'Anse aux Meadows was very interesting. The Vikings had lived there in the year 1000 - travelling to and from Greenland. When they lived there the temperature was believed to be warmer by 5' Celius as grapes were growing and they called it Vinland. (Wineland) It was very foggy on this northerly point but it added to the character of the visit. We saw our first Common Eider on the rocks.

We stayed in small motel units which were very common - like many motels one can hear your neighbor next door and it would be nicer if there was more sound proofing in the walls. We did not reserve rooms anywhere (except for St. John's) and had no problem except we got the last room in Deer Lake. This town has an airport that services the east of the island - so there are many people coming and going.

We were fortunate to be leaving the day planned as on the previous day planes were not taking off due to fog. The air portion of the trip from Winnipeg takes longer than going to Europe. We had at least a 4 hour wait in Toronto and a stop in Halifax.

It was a very good trip and we had a good look at our 10th Province and it certainly is unique.

CHINA

MAY, 2006


We forgot to post our trip to China. We wonder how this could have happened but making movies and slide shows got in the way.

We recently returned from a memorable trip to China. Without a doubt this was an experience beyond expectations.

Our 15 day trip was remarkably reasonable. An incredible value for the money.

We visited Beijing, The Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian, in Guilin we enjoyed a day cruise on the beautiful Li River, a 3 day cruise down the Yangtze River leaving from Chongqing, to Wuhan and a flight to Shanghai.

Pacific Rim Travel did an outstanding job on this well planned itinerary. Our reliable guide, Peter, accompanied our group of 7 people from arrival in Beijing until our departure. A job well done. To see the detailed itinerary go to www.pacificrimtravel.com and check tour called Guilin and Yangtze River Explorer. Take the trip! You would be amazed by this remarkable country.

Some of our co-travellers considered this the best trip they had taken.