Good morning from a sun-bathed Hokatiki! This place usually gets up to 4 meters of rain per year and is not known for its great weather, but somehow we have managed to be here for a the last few days of blue skies and warm sun of summer....good timing hey?
So we've been on the road for about 10 days, and have crossed via ferry from Norht to South Island. We really enjoyed our last few days on North Island, and did a walking (read 'can drink all you like') wine tour of Martinborough and a very full day of touring Wellington. The thing about camper vanning in NZ is that the facilities are just so good, it really makes finding a camp and getting sorted for the night totally manageable, even for amateurs like us. So we've been staying in a different place every night, and usually doing about 3 -5 hours of driving a day, although some days have been less. We've had some awesome BBQ's, just watching the sunset and drinking our wine. We've stopped at several farmer's markets along the route we're travelling, and so have been able to stock up with amazing fresh food. Lets just say, the Christodoulous are not hungry on this trip!
So in Wellington, we boarded the ferry and did the 4 hour cross over. We spent our first night on South Island in Marlborough (more wine country) and did some more touring there too. By now, we have over 10 bottles of wine in the van, and less than 10 nights left in NZ- you do the math! Apart from eating and drinking, we've also done some spectacular early morning walks, so we are trying to balance it out.
After Marlborough, we headed down the East Coast and stopped along the way. The furthest south we got on the east coast was a seaside town of Kaikoura. We experienced a real highlight there. We got going pretty early in the morning, and found a small sign for the Ohau stream. Here a stream flows from a mountain waterfall into the sea, and each year baby seal pups find their way from their mothers to the stream, to come play and frolick while their mom's fish or sleep. So we walked on a path for a few minutes through the forest, and suddenly we see this stream, and there are over 50 baby seals playing right in front of us! It was magical, one of those moments you had to pinch yourself. Kaikoura also provided us with a spectacular 11km hike and amazing ocean views, as well as a brilliant roadside seafood feast!
South Island is long and thin, so from Kaikoura, we decided to cross over the island and start travelling on the West coast. So yesterday we drove the Arthur's pass, which traverses the island, and stopped to do a short walk in the forrest en route. The scenery is spectacular...think green forrests and steep snow-capped mountains with black soil. Really makes the driving so rewarding, and the stops we've done in between, either to walk, or have something to eat or check out a site in a little town, have broken up the journey really well. So we arrived in Hokatiki yesterday and had a glass of white wine on the beach as the sun went down! It was a good day :) Today we will make our way further along the coast to the Franz Josef Glacier, and hopefully do a helicopter tour. Not sure how many days we'll spend there - thank goodness we stocked up on warm clothes when we were in Wellington!
So the adventure continues. I think the best thing about this portion of our trip is that because we have no bookings and no firm itinery, we really feel free. Our little Pirate has everything we need and the road is at our command! Ok, getting a bit dramatic here, but you get the picture! Will write again in a few days.
xxxx
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Ahoy, the Pirate's adventure has begun!
Hello everyone
So we left Sydney to the fanfare of our friend Sandy (who we were staying with) giving birth to a beautiful new baby boy, Jethro Isaac Sampaio. It was amazing to be part of this little angel’s entrance to the world, and to see what labouring in the real sense is like. If I was broody before, consider me cured. We caught a flight to Auckland, and arrived just before 1am on Tuesday morning. We spent Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday exploring Auckland, and enjoying the comforts of our mate Dave’s hospitality. A few things to say about the city, which is NO New Zealand’s capital….something I didnt know!
I started writing this blog the day before yesterday, but had not managed to get it uploaded. Internet connection around rural NZ is a little harder to come by! Right now, its just after 6pm and we’ve arrived in Martinborough (great wine country). Last night, we were nestled in our camper van, parked next to the beach, with the rain pounding on the roof. Yesterday we had a fabulous seafood dinner, and before that, did a brilliant walking tour through the art deco town of Napier. It was demolished by an earthquake in 1931, and was then totally rebuilt. But this is what I originally wrote 2 days ago just to catch you up on our New Zealand adventure so far….
I am sitting on a deck chair in the late afternoon sun, sipping my new -world Pinot Noir at our first campsite – yes, it’s New Zealand! Today is the first day of our camper vanning adventure. We picked up our rental van which is brightly graffit’d all over and is called ‘Pirate’! I’ll leave you to imagine what the graphics are. Needless to say, Andrea has been calling me ‘first mate’ all day! We’re just outside Rotorua, which is actually a pretty big town, made popular by its thermal springs and abundance of adventure sport activities. The drive from Auckland took us about 4 hours, and it was really smooth sailing all the way. Tomorrow we’ll head for Napier, which is known as the art deco architecture capital of the world. But first, let me back track a bit.It’s very cool. Loads of retro and vintage clothing outlets and plenty hip bars and restaurants. This city acts bigger than it is. But at the same time, Auckland is surrounded by natural beauty and the people have a friendliness that makes it an easy and enticing place to navigate. As always, we first walked the central CBD flat and just soaked up the city vibe. On the Wednesday we caught a 40 minute ferry to Waiheke island for some exploring and wine tasting. I absolutely heart NZ wine – and we have had a lot of wine all over the world. We also did the Auckland museum, which houses a spectacular collection of Maori and broader Pacific artwork. It also explains the history of the country and its links back to Great Britain. Interesting to know that many New Zealanders signed up to fight in SA during the Anglo-Boer war I also found out that NZ has only been inhabited for 1000 years and that the first people came all the way from Indonesia, crossing the dangerous pacific, in wood boats! Mind blowing. The respect and acknowledgement of indigenous Maori heritage and culture is really good in NZ, and Maori people are really well integrated into broader society, something which contrasts to Australia. On Thursday night we had a delicious dinner out with our hosts at a local restaurant called Red Brick, and then got ready to say goodbye to Auckland, and the ‘home comforts’ for a while.
So this morning we picked up our camper van and got driving! Initially I wasn’t so sure, but after a few hours of cruising in Pirate, I am pretty at home. There is a gas cooker and barbecue in the back, a cooler box and a set of table and chairs. The seats fold down to make a bed, and the linen provided is of pretty good quality. You also get the necessities like crockery, a light, power source, utensils, a heater etc. The sound system is good – I tested this singing along to ‘Classic Hits radio’! Read Phil Collins and George Michael.
In terms of determining routes, we have now purchased have about 20 sources of maps, info and other recommendations (you can’t say the Christodoulou’s aren’t prepared!). NZ is so well geared for touring – everywhere has roadside cafés, motor homing sites, motels etc. – so I think my fears of being stuck in the middle of nowhere without a shower are not founded. That said, we are determined to save costs by staying at the cheaper tourism department camping sites, and many of those don’t have hot water! At the moment, we’re still on North Island, but in a couple of days, we’ll put the van on the ferry and cross over to South Island. That’s where the scenery gets spectacular. The weather is gorgeous at the moment, but a bit like CT, its four seasons in one day here.
So so far so good. It’s amazing that some people wait their whole lives to have a little adventure, and here we are, doing it and living it. Feel so privileged and in some ways, proud of the choices we have made. Anyway, the wine beckons and Andrea is about to put my NZ rump steak on the barbie…Let the NZ adventure begin! Will write soon from another stop in a few days time!
xxxxThursday, 15 March 2012
G'day from down under
Hi everyone
So the sky is jet blue and the sun is shining...we're off to Bondi beach for a swim and then to grab a burger for lunch....it can only be beautiful Australia! Not to sound too gushing, but I am really loving this place. Its the combination of the gorgeous cities, the friendly people and I think the joys of the Western world once more! This is first-world living at its best, with the lifestyle and climate to match.
So we arrived in Sydney last week Tuesday morning, and were blissfully met at the airport by my good friend Hugo. Made a nice change from battling trains and taxi's as we have done for the last while! Its been so nice to stay in a home and just enjoy the little comforts of tv on a couch and cereal in the morning. We've really explored Sydney and have been quite brave in using the buses as well as driving ourselves around - sometimes sans GPS! We've taken the time to relax, and had some glorious days on the beach, both in Manly and at Nielsen Park. The water is really clean and refreshing, you can totally see why there is such a big 'picnic on the beach' culture here. Although Andrea did have a nasty incident with a vicious red on one of our picnics - so I guess it hasn't all been plain sailing!:)
Sydney is really a first-world city. Beautiful on a geographic level and really well organised.We've also had time to catch up with friends, which after months of Andrea and I looking at each other every night for dinner, has been most welcome! The food has also been fab. The sushi is of phenomenal quality, and we got to sample some great combinations at Tokomomo on a night out with mates. And the first time I sunk my teeth into a proper 100% beef burger, I nearly cried. There is just only so much noodles and stir-fry you can take! Also, the Aussie wine is great and plentiful, been so nice to try some different stuff and there are loads of very chic wine bars all over the city.
In terms of sightseeing, we've seen the classics (harbour bridge, opera house, botanic gardens, darling harbour etc) and also just soaked up some of the different suburbs in the city. The Rocks is an old part of Sydney, which has loads of character and a great place to people watch. The Queen Mary is currently docked in the harbour! Loved the NSW art gallery and the Sydney Museum really helped us understand the early days of the country, and the history of friction between the early settlers and the indigenous people. Having done all of that, I think that really, Sydney is about enjoying the beaches and the lifestyle - not really its cultural sights. You can't help but smile when you drive over the bridge and the harbour is full of sailing boats on a sunny day - it just does seem a little too perfect!
Then the last 4 days, we've been in Melbourne, which is a 1,5 hr flight from Sydney. I guess Sydney is like the JHB of Aus, much more flash and 'try hard'. Melbourne is kind of like the CT/PE blend. Just more authentically cool and comfortable in its own skin. Its not as beautiful as Sydney but it has plenty heart. We spent our time walking the city flat, and getting out to the outer suburbs. Again, perfect weather made it easy to just be out and about all the time. There was also a major buzz, as its the F1 Aussie gran prix this coming weekend (bring it home Mark, as they say!)
The city centre is well known for its acceptance of graffiti street art and its cool little cafe's in tiny alleys. We spent many hours just people-watching and experiencing what it's like to be part of the scene there. One of the evenings we went to a tapas bar/restuarant for dinner - unbelievable food. If you're ever in Melbourbe, go to Bar Lourindha! Another highlight for us was the Immigration Museum. Melbourne is home to very large immigrant communities, including plenty of Greeks! Our last night's meal of slow-cooked lamb and Spetses-style sword fish was testament to the strong Greek heritage and not-to-mention the Greek brilliant cuisine that is there! The museum was a fascinating insight into the process and history of migrants to Australia, as well as how the social and cultural landscape has been shaped by these different groups. We also saw a William Kentridge exhibition at Federation Square, which was brilliant. Felt quite proud to be South African! It was also great to see friends in Melbourne who have immigrated there, and understand from them what life is like - you can totally understand why South Africans come here and why in some respects, its a good fit.
So now we're back in Sydney, and will spend the weekend here. On Monday evening, we fly to New Zealand, for 3 weeks of campervan touring (Lord help me!), wine tasting and beautiful scenery. Australia has been a soothing salve of western comforts and home-cooked meals (thanks Hugs and Sandy), and to have all that while exploring two amazing Aussie citites, has been phenomenal. As I said to Andrea, if it wasn't on the opposite end of the world to all the people I love, I would seriously live here! Am sure its not really, but at face value, for the last 2 weeks, it's been paradise! So glad we came.
Will blog soon from some where in the NZ countryside.
xxxx
So the sky is jet blue and the sun is shining...we're off to Bondi beach for a swim and then to grab a burger for lunch....it can only be beautiful Australia! Not to sound too gushing, but I am really loving this place. Its the combination of the gorgeous cities, the friendly people and I think the joys of the Western world once more! This is first-world living at its best, with the lifestyle and climate to match.
So we arrived in Sydney last week Tuesday morning, and were blissfully met at the airport by my good friend Hugo. Made a nice change from battling trains and taxi's as we have done for the last while! Its been so nice to stay in a home and just enjoy the little comforts of tv on a couch and cereal in the morning. We've really explored Sydney and have been quite brave in using the buses as well as driving ourselves around - sometimes sans GPS! We've taken the time to relax, and had some glorious days on the beach, both in Manly and at Nielsen Park. The water is really clean and refreshing, you can totally see why there is such a big 'picnic on the beach' culture here. Although Andrea did have a nasty incident with a vicious red on one of our picnics - so I guess it hasn't all been plain sailing!:)
Sydney is really a first-world city. Beautiful on a geographic level and really well organised.We've also had time to catch up with friends, which after months of Andrea and I looking at each other every night for dinner, has been most welcome! The food has also been fab. The sushi is of phenomenal quality, and we got to sample some great combinations at Tokomomo on a night out with mates. And the first time I sunk my teeth into a proper 100% beef burger, I nearly cried. There is just only so much noodles and stir-fry you can take! Also, the Aussie wine is great and plentiful, been so nice to try some different stuff and there are loads of very chic wine bars all over the city.
In terms of sightseeing, we've seen the classics (harbour bridge, opera house, botanic gardens, darling harbour etc) and also just soaked up some of the different suburbs in the city. The Rocks is an old part of Sydney, which has loads of character and a great place to people watch. The Queen Mary is currently docked in the harbour! Loved the NSW art gallery and the Sydney Museum really helped us understand the early days of the country, and the history of friction between the early settlers and the indigenous people. Having done all of that, I think that really, Sydney is about enjoying the beaches and the lifestyle - not really its cultural sights. You can't help but smile when you drive over the bridge and the harbour is full of sailing boats on a sunny day - it just does seem a little too perfect!
Then the last 4 days, we've been in Melbourne, which is a 1,5 hr flight from Sydney. I guess Sydney is like the JHB of Aus, much more flash and 'try hard'. Melbourne is kind of like the CT/PE blend. Just more authentically cool and comfortable in its own skin. Its not as beautiful as Sydney but it has plenty heart. We spent our time walking the city flat, and getting out to the outer suburbs. Again, perfect weather made it easy to just be out and about all the time. There was also a major buzz, as its the F1 Aussie gran prix this coming weekend (bring it home Mark, as they say!)
The city centre is well known for its acceptance of graffiti street art and its cool little cafe's in tiny alleys. We spent many hours just people-watching and experiencing what it's like to be part of the scene there. One of the evenings we went to a tapas bar/restuarant for dinner - unbelievable food. If you're ever in Melbourbe, go to Bar Lourindha! Another highlight for us was the Immigration Museum. Melbourne is home to very large immigrant communities, including plenty of Greeks! Our last night's meal of slow-cooked lamb and Spetses-style sword fish was testament to the strong Greek heritage and not-to-mention the Greek brilliant cuisine that is there! The museum was a fascinating insight into the process and history of migrants to Australia, as well as how the social and cultural landscape has been shaped by these different groups. We also saw a William Kentridge exhibition at Federation Square, which was brilliant. Felt quite proud to be South African! It was also great to see friends in Melbourne who have immigrated there, and understand from them what life is like - you can totally understand why South Africans come here and why in some respects, its a good fit.
So now we're back in Sydney, and will spend the weekend here. On Monday evening, we fly to New Zealand, for 3 weeks of campervan touring (Lord help me!), wine tasting and beautiful scenery. Australia has been a soothing salve of western comforts and home-cooked meals (thanks Hugs and Sandy), and to have all that while exploring two amazing Aussie citites, has been phenomenal. As I said to Andrea, if it wasn't on the opposite end of the world to all the people I love, I would seriously live here! Am sure its not really, but at face value, for the last 2 weeks, it's been paradise! So glad we came.
Will blog soon from some where in the NZ countryside.
xxxx
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Crazy about Cambodia
Hi everyone,
Been a while since I last wrote, so sorry if this ends up being a bit of a long one, but the updates about Cambodia are worth it! The synopsis is that if you can ever travel to this beautiful kingdom, with its amazing ancient history and its recent historical tragedies - you should! Cambodia is a magical place, and its people and history are enchanting.
So after leaving Vietnam behind, we arrived at Siem Reap airport (pronounced seeum reeup) at 9pm in the evening, and the heat hit us like a wall. Cambodia is basically a jungle zone, so the humidity is incredible. Even our driver commented how hot it was! Siem Reap is a small town, which has been plucked from obscurity because of the ancient Khmer temples which are dotted all around it. The most famous is of course Angkor Wat, but there are so many more. We spent four nights in Siem Reap, and aside from our temple excursions, we enjoyed some great downtime by the pool, and just soaked up the town atmosphere. You have to get going early to see thetemple sites, because temple gazing at 40 degrees celcius is not fun. So we had a few early starts...one of our most memorable moments was arriving at Ta Prohm at 5:30am, and walking through the almost-dark jungle to get to the ruin. All we could hear was the jungle sounds coming alive as the sky went pink and we had one of the world's great sights to ourselves. Amazing. Angkor Wat was also phenomenal, but the experience was less magical - just more tourists and so vast that you can't really take it all in. But you have to see the size and detail of these amazing temples (of which really very little is known) to fully appreciate their grandeur.
One of the other highlights of our time in Siem Reap was going to hear Dr Richner play the cello and talk about his life-changing medical work for the kids of Cambodia. We had heard about his paediatric hospitals (5 dotted around the country) from other travellers, and he plays his cello twice a week to create awareness and pull some donations from the tourists. Today, his hospitals cover 85% of all the healthcare needs of Cambodian children, and are 90% funded by private donations. That gives you a sense of how poor the government provided health care is. The reason for this is two fold - firstly the Khmer Rouge obliterated the infrastructure and murdered most of the Cambodian doctors, so since 1979, the country has really had to start from zero. Also, as Dr Richner says, the policies and practices prescribed by the WHO and other western bodies just dont make sense for a really poor country like Cambodia, and the kids are suffering for it. Its really worth looking up more info on the Dr and his work - we were truly touched.
The Cambodian people are also fascinating. Mainly orginating from the Khmer people (who came from India) they are beautiful looking, and very friendly. Although Siem Reap throngs with tourists, we felt less harassed there, and more able to be open and friendly with the locals. The kids are also really cute...round faces, dark eyes and clearly doted on by parents and extended family. We also had some great Khmer food...cuisine in its own right.
So after Siem Reap, we caught a boat to Phnom Penh, where we spent 2 nights. The capital is really pretty, with wide roads, paved on either sides with lots of trees and greenery. Clearly the French colonial influence meant that the architecture and city lay-out were all aesthetically pleasing. There are very few high-rises, and most of the buildings are painted a shade of yellow. The Royal Palace is the heart of the city and creates a magnifcent backdrop. On our first night, we strolled around and along the river. In the evenings people can join outdoor aerobics classes, and we loved watching them shaking it to the latest Cambodian pop music.
The next day we headed straight for Tuol Sleng Prison, which is now the genocide museum. The Khmer Rouge were meticulous about record keeping, so there are literally thousands of pictures of people who passed through the prison, en route to the Killing fields. Of the 20 000 people who entered the prison, only 7 survived. We met one of those survivors at the prison - hard to know what to say to a person who has been through that kind of trauma. The devastation and absolute barbary that the Khmer Rouge regime unleashed on the population of Cambodia is hard to describe, and to think that is was so recent, 1975 - 1979. You cant help feeling that the museum in some ways doesnt do justice to the history. So disturbing but really worth seeing.
More sight seeing around Phnom Penh (Royal Palace, National museum) brought us to the end of our 2 days there, and 4 days ago we caught a bus down to the coast, to the sleepy town of Kep, which is where I am writing this from. Kep used to be the holiday retreat town for the French generals, so on the hillside overlooking the sea are the most beautiful villas, which the Khmer Rouge torched. Today, there are a few hotels and resorts, but mainly its a local's place with day trippers and family weekenders from the surrounds. So we've spent the last 4 days lying at the pool, chilling on the beach, eating the most delicious crab and just soaking up this tropical paradise. Its been a really awesome way to enjoy up our last few days of SE Asia before we head for Australia.
Hard to put into words what the last 6 weeks have done for my understanding and mental model of what Asia is all about. Its been a beautiful mix of learning, experiencing and being suprised by it all - so glad we came. Am sure we'll be back at some point. Have loved it all.
Will check in again from down under! :)
xxxx
Noogs
Been a while since I last wrote, so sorry if this ends up being a bit of a long one, but the updates about Cambodia are worth it! The synopsis is that if you can ever travel to this beautiful kingdom, with its amazing ancient history and its recent historical tragedies - you should! Cambodia is a magical place, and its people and history are enchanting.
So after leaving Vietnam behind, we arrived at Siem Reap airport (pronounced seeum reeup) at 9pm in the evening, and the heat hit us like a wall. Cambodia is basically a jungle zone, so the humidity is incredible. Even our driver commented how hot it was! Siem Reap is a small town, which has been plucked from obscurity because of the ancient Khmer temples which are dotted all around it. The most famous is of course Angkor Wat, but there are so many more. We spent four nights in Siem Reap, and aside from our temple excursions, we enjoyed some great downtime by the pool, and just soaked up the town atmosphere. You have to get going early to see thetemple sites, because temple gazing at 40 degrees celcius is not fun. So we had a few early starts...one of our most memorable moments was arriving at Ta Prohm at 5:30am, and walking through the almost-dark jungle to get to the ruin. All we could hear was the jungle sounds coming alive as the sky went pink and we had one of the world's great sights to ourselves. Amazing. Angkor Wat was also phenomenal, but the experience was less magical - just more tourists and so vast that you can't really take it all in. But you have to see the size and detail of these amazing temples (of which really very little is known) to fully appreciate their grandeur.
One of the other highlights of our time in Siem Reap was going to hear Dr Richner play the cello and talk about his life-changing medical work for the kids of Cambodia. We had heard about his paediatric hospitals (5 dotted around the country) from other travellers, and he plays his cello twice a week to create awareness and pull some donations from the tourists. Today, his hospitals cover 85% of all the healthcare needs of Cambodian children, and are 90% funded by private donations. That gives you a sense of how poor the government provided health care is. The reason for this is two fold - firstly the Khmer Rouge obliterated the infrastructure and murdered most of the Cambodian doctors, so since 1979, the country has really had to start from zero. Also, as Dr Richner says, the policies and practices prescribed by the WHO and other western bodies just dont make sense for a really poor country like Cambodia, and the kids are suffering for it. Its really worth looking up more info on the Dr and his work - we were truly touched.
The Cambodian people are also fascinating. Mainly orginating from the Khmer people (who came from India) they are beautiful looking, and very friendly. Although Siem Reap throngs with tourists, we felt less harassed there, and more able to be open and friendly with the locals. The kids are also really cute...round faces, dark eyes and clearly doted on by parents and extended family. We also had some great Khmer food...cuisine in its own right.
So after Siem Reap, we caught a boat to Phnom Penh, where we spent 2 nights. The capital is really pretty, with wide roads, paved on either sides with lots of trees and greenery. Clearly the French colonial influence meant that the architecture and city lay-out were all aesthetically pleasing. There are very few high-rises, and most of the buildings are painted a shade of yellow. The Royal Palace is the heart of the city and creates a magnifcent backdrop. On our first night, we strolled around and along the river. In the evenings people can join outdoor aerobics classes, and we loved watching them shaking it to the latest Cambodian pop music.
The next day we headed straight for Tuol Sleng Prison, which is now the genocide museum. The Khmer Rouge were meticulous about record keeping, so there are literally thousands of pictures of people who passed through the prison, en route to the Killing fields. Of the 20 000 people who entered the prison, only 7 survived. We met one of those survivors at the prison - hard to know what to say to a person who has been through that kind of trauma. The devastation and absolute barbary that the Khmer Rouge regime unleashed on the population of Cambodia is hard to describe, and to think that is was so recent, 1975 - 1979. You cant help feeling that the museum in some ways doesnt do justice to the history. So disturbing but really worth seeing.
More sight seeing around Phnom Penh (Royal Palace, National museum) brought us to the end of our 2 days there, and 4 days ago we caught a bus down to the coast, to the sleepy town of Kep, which is where I am writing this from. Kep used to be the holiday retreat town for the French generals, so on the hillside overlooking the sea are the most beautiful villas, which the Khmer Rouge torched. Today, there are a few hotels and resorts, but mainly its a local's place with day trippers and family weekenders from the surrounds. So we've spent the last 4 days lying at the pool, chilling on the beach, eating the most delicious crab and just soaking up this tropical paradise. Its been a really awesome way to enjoy up our last few days of SE Asia before we head for Australia.
Hard to put into words what the last 6 weeks have done for my understanding and mental model of what Asia is all about. Its been a beautiful mix of learning, experiencing and being suprised by it all - so glad we came. Am sure we'll be back at some point. Have loved it all.
Will check in again from down under! :)
xxxx
Noogs
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