L.A., Baby!

Sierra and I arrived in LA on Sunday, after a 10-and-a-half hour flight from Fiji. I think we’ve done 10 flights so far on this trip, and logged around 40 or 45 hrs of flying – without a delay or lost piece of luggage! Until now, that is… and our Little Problem was entirely self-inflicted! Sierra pulled her suitcase off the carousel, I got mine, and we proceeded through the various Homeland Security checkpoints, made our way to our rental car, and drove to my cousin Sarah Jane and Douglas’s home in Santa Monica for a 3-day visit. We opened her suitcase, and “WHAT THE???... Whose wet clothes are these!?!? Not Savannah’s! UH OH…. Wrong bag."    Sierra has a unique looking grey and red rolling backpack, the one we picked up weighed in just as we had packed it, but we hadn’t noticed a different label: Aiden O’Flaherty from Nova Scotia! So, on the phone we go, and we track down a very helpful guy at LAX. Douglas drives me back to the airport, and in the interim this guy has found Sierra’s suitcase. In-Credible. I trade Aiden’s for hers, and later learn that his family had in fact picked up Sierra’s suitcase, tried to reach us (as we had them), but they noticed the boo boo before departing the airport, when young Aiden reached in to retrieve a pair of pants. And (according to his Dad), said something like “WHAT THE???... whose dry clothes are these? And what’s with all the make-up and dresses?!?"
Lucky us, less lucky them. By now, they oughta have their suitcase back. I only wish I could have washed and dried and folded his clothes… That would have been funny!

Onto the visit: we were nurtured and indulged in every way by our kind cousins -- great meals (and desserts in the pool!),





fun visits, directions to get around, Ben (their son) loaned us his GPS and loaned Sierra his copy of Harry Potter #7, and Rebecca (their daughter) offered sweet connection and swims with Sierra.
I enjoyed walking with Sarah Jane in Santa Monica. Sierra and I went to Hollywood BLVD, and visited Beverly Hills. Saw Avril’s, J.Lo’s, and Gwen’s hedges – very well maintained, I might add! – and Sierra is certain she saw Brittany driving an SUV.




There's Sierra swingin' on the Beverly Hills sign, with a fancy street name off to the right.

The next day, we went boogie boarding in Malibu – shades of Coff’s Harbour water temp! (brrrrr) but we were spurred on by the sight of beautiful Spinnaker Dolphins just beyond the breaking waves.
Then to Venice Beach, a little on the sleazy side, but hey – an experience –and then to the 3rd St promenade for some live entertainment (break dancing), a Val Kilmer sighting, and then Mama Mia with SJ, Doug and family. Dancing Queen is now burrowed into my brain and lives on… and on… and on…
Yesterday we had an easy day of travel to Toronto, and that is where we now are. It’s wonderful to see my parents again, they are doing great! Today we relaxed, Sierra slept ‘til 1pm! And tonight we went to her all-time favourite restaurant: Mezetta, on St. Clair.
I just spoke with Catherine, and she and Savannah are having a great time at Octopus Resort in Fiji. Warm waters, clear visibility for snorkeling, hammocks, vegetarian food for them both, and lots of youthful action for Savannah. Catherine is thoroughly enjoying the elusive white sand/warm water/tropical scene.
Tomorrow or the next day, we’ll go up to the cottage for several days… Then we’ll make our way home to Victoria.
Until then,
Hersh

Bye Bye Oz, Hello Fiji

“That was cool”

At 740 am we stood outside to catch our “Cruise Whitsunday” transport bus. We succeeding in picking an “as good as it is going to get” day to visit the Great Barrier Reef—sunny with low to moderate wind conditions. A family from Victoria (Australia) joined us on the bus after driving 12 hours from Brisbane. People come from all over to see the Great Barrier Reef.

Sierra and Savannah were particularly brave—Sierra for doing a second snorkel while shaking, chattering and wondering if she was near hypothermia and Savannah for doing her first scuba dive from a darker and mostly enclosed lower platform. Hersh gets accolades too -- he dove twice, the first times in 20 years!

The boat ride through the beautiful and famous Whitsunday Islands takes 2 to 2.5 hours. By tea time they pulled out the classic adored treats—lamingtons (kind of like a really bad twinkie with chocolate and coconut covering it), Devonshire scones with jam and whipped cream (Sierra’s new favorite) and vegemite on crackers (what can I say). Note: Sierra just walked by and told me that she actually likes the lamingtons so I stand corrected. Hersh also came by and said “goooood twinkie…not bad twinkie.” You’d have to try it yourself, but sorry, it’s not first on my list for recipes to bring back home. I do have a scone recipe made with lemonade that has me curious.

The boat ride to The Great Barrier Reef (Knuckle Reef) was smooth and included a few humpback whale sightings (including one breaching). In many ways these islands remind us of the inside passage at home, albeit in warmer turquoise waters and with more pronounced volcanic slopes and curves. Geography is geography around the world…

We arrived at the reef 2.5 hours later—it is a long way out—and into a rush of people whipping on thin wetsuits. The water was warmer than the wind but not warm enough to stay in for more than 30-45 minutes (15 minutes for Sierra). Hersh took off for his first dive.

Savannah, Sierra, and I went out snorkeling. Within a minute Sierra looked down and saw a white tipped reef shark below. Then along came the huge Humpback Maori Wrasse, colorful fish like butterfly fish, clown fish, nemos, barracuda… and an amazing underworld of exotic hard and soft corals, filters, anemones, giant clams, urchins, tube worms, and squid. Sierra’s snorkel kept filling with water though so she headed back for lunch and the glass bottom boat tour. We could see everything from the boat that was visible snorkeling.

Leaving Airlie

We’re discovering that in a journey of this length, each stop along the way has some places that are memorable, some people that stand out, some moments in time… At Airlie we particularly enjoyed the stories of our home exchange/motel host: He slid in gossip about our home exchange partners, other guests, and all things scary but amusing….Stories of cane toads that filled his pool so he scooped them into the garbage can and sprinkled in a killing chemical. It didn’t work. People approached him the next day, saying “do you know that your garbage can is moving!?!” He would shrug his shoulders in innocence. That backfired when the garbage collector went to dump the full can of cane toads into his truck, only to have the whole lot of them spring up and out and go off running down the street! Our host chased a few, stomping on them but “you flatten them and they pop back up into their normal body shape!”). Cane toads are the equivalent of our introduced and overtaking bullfrogs, only nastier, bigger and numbing to the touch. Needless to say, the garbage collector was displeased. Our host claimed he didn’t know you could fill those cans with toads… Or the python that crept onto one of the neighbours balconies, and took off with her cat. She saw the whole thing. Two weeks later? The cat shows up!

These were the stories we were treated with daily. We are wondering what he will say about us when we are gone. J Those damn Canadians, you try and joke with them about being vegetarians—you know the ones that really are just eating cow manure—and you can’t get a laugh out of them no how! They come all the way to the land of the GBR and then debate whether to go. Instead they go down the street for Devonshire tea. Canadians are crazy and backwards, I say! Why travel all this way just to have tea!! No matter, my wife made them scones that were even better than the ones they paid for the other day by that other woman… Then they gave us a gift-Canadian Maple Tea but they had taken our only tea pot so we can’t even try it!!! Backwards, they are… and late! Always running late, those Canadians! I had to start lying and saying they should arrive 10 minute early. They deserved a damn medal on the last day. 20 minute early! I’d trained them well by then.

We are leaving Airlie now…leaving its outdoor swimming lagoon, tropical waters, unpredictable cool weather, grass trees, waddle seed trees, curlews, cockatoos, chameleons, billion dollar tourism industry around the 74 islands and the reef (which they have managed to protect fairly well), but with little tourism infrastructure on land—I predict that will dramatically change in 10 years time with more development. I am happy with our experiences here and ready to go.

Brizzy Stopover on the way to Fiji and Home

We are back in Brisbane for a night before heading to Fiji. We have an apartment overlooking the lit up river and Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Savannah is in the background reading the Australia headline about the 5^th foot turning up on the beach in BC—the only BC news we have read locally for 2 months. We are musing that we could live here—it’s a great city—but we are loyal and have our personal top 10 highlights for Victoria, attesting that they compete well – in a world class sort of way:

Willows Beach, at the end of our street
The Garry Oak Tree in our backyard, lit by evening sun
The Galloping Goose Trail and regional park system
The accessibility and beauty of the gulf islands ( From Airlie it will cost you 132.00 per person for a round trip boat ticket to Daydream Island which is 15 minutes away)
Our own exceptional restaurants, including Pags for lunch and brunch
Some great bakeries/cafes
Dallas Road
World class family, friends, and colleagues!
Vancouver for a big city day
Pleasant size and “ bike-ability.

I have been thinking of what my highlights are from the whole trip, about what I have learned about myself, about travel, about differing cultures, but there is still Fiji to come and go.

In 2 weeks, Savannah and I are home and in one week Hersh and Sierra are in LA then Toronto/the cottage (which is also Sierra’s home, she reminds me). It feels like the final stretch with a big finale in Fiji. We are all looking forward to Victoria in August and reconnecting with friends, favorite things to do, and work. Not that we are ready to leave… but more that one starts to naturally turn towards what is next.

Beyond our usual life rhythms, Hersh is plotting a trip with Ambrose for sometime next year, after his graduation from Princeton (Alaska or the Caymans??. He’s also really looking forward to seeing that tree in the backyard! I plan to go to Calgary with Sierra to visit My Dad, post surgery, and Brother Dean and Sister Phuong and new baby), and Savannah is off to Colorado August 18^th for 2 initial weeks of outdoor adventure and international group time, prior to starting university at Colorado College.

August has travelers coming to us. My brother Chris and girlfriend Sasha are visiting Victoria from T.O. this summer. Later in August, we are looking forward to Mariana joining us from San Paulo for 6 months. We really love our Brazilian student friends, and have already experienced via email that Mari is warm, talented, loving and worldly.

Next, Kava Kava, Fiji Time, and a further indoctrination in the art of smiling and relaxing without concerns… (and swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and exploring the local hills and villages)!

Ciao,

Catherine

Fiji

We excitedly anticipated some parts of our trip that in the end were enjoyable but not spectacular and then other parts that surprised and delighted us. Fiji is both of those. At our stop over location (First Landing Resort) we were treated to an evening of South Pacific fire dancing and Fijian dance. We all joined in and did the crazy moves they like travelers to make to embarrass themselves.

We arrived at Starfish Blue, our villa after a journey that took three times the estimated travel time, but hey, we were prepared for “Fiji Time.” We were thrilled to travel through our friend Sharon’s home town of Ba, find a vegetarian restaurant and fresh fruit, vegetable and spicemarket in Lautoka, and put-put behind slow-moving sugar cane trucks alongside the endless cane fields, past waving school children, and view beautiful volcanic ranges.

Our villa is lovely, overlooking myriad shades of green and blue waters, set on a cliff with palm trees and hibiscus. Not everything is as advertised, but it is pretty close so we are content here. Outside the villa, the southeast tradewinds blow up to 30-40 knots per hour. I knew there were winds here at times, but this reminds me of wind speeds in a bad winter storm at home. So much for my image of lying flat in the water, snorkeling in clear, glass like waters. That white chop out there is relentless.

So we adapt. I have learned on this trip that the first day in our new location is often one of orientation and adjustment…we figure out exactly where in the world we have really landed and what it will take to make the most of our time here. So here in Northern Fiji, land of amazing snorkeling, beaches and charm, my fantasy snorkeling trip has become a tennis trip. Luckily they have one somewhat protected court at the nearby resort. We are also getting used to braving water, whatever the conditions, so we did get in the water today and snorkeled in a more protected bay. Batfish, blue starfish, sea snakes, and lots of small iridescent fish…Tomorrow we are boating over to Nanu –a- ra Island tomorrow for more protected snorkeling and exploring.

The Fijian locals have been marvelous—Women and men seem somewhat interchangeable to me in manner, everyone laughs and being in the moment is their way of being. “Too much Kava” replaces too much coffee. I ask each day about the weather and no one seems to know what is coming or care. Today I persisted with my question and was shown the formal notice on weather at the local resort—Weather tomorrow: “FINE.” Fine? What does that mean? …They laugh at my need for detail. “No rain,” one offers. “Probably wind.” Like today (which rained, blew, was hot, gusty, and appears to be building to a storm… hmmm... To see a place and culture is to experience whatever comes.

Tomorrow, we move over to the local resort before one more transition night. Hersh and Sierra are off to Santa Monica and Toronto and Savannah and I are off to the famed Octopus Resort. I am crossing my fingers for good weather.

So here’s our quick list of top experiences…

Time with Hersh and the girls…everywhere…
Octopus Resort (I’ll be optimistic)
A great visit with Shannon and Ashe in Coffs Harbour
Hersh’s visit with his old friend Barry in Singapore
Darwin beach, rocks, walks
Litchfield National Park, Darwin
Brisbane Riverpath alongside Kangaroo Cliffs
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore
Waves crashing and spraying the rocks on headlands in Coffs Harbour
Playing bridge in our travelling foursome
Great Barrier Reef (editing out the cold wind and water)
Bali offerings at the beach,
Bali flowers, fragrance and gentle harmonious people
Swimming at sunset in Tejakula
Visiting A Balinese school for Saraswati
Authentic Italian dinner overlooking the cliffs, Jimbaran Bali
Kayaking with Dolphins, Bribie Island
Taking the time to watch and nurture Sierra growing up
Precious time with Savannah as an adult before she launches into university

Whitsundasys -- 3 island cruise

After plotting the weather for days we jumped in and did a three day island adventure. Not that the weather was significantly better than some of the other days, it simply wasn’t ever materializing as perfect during our week.

First stop: Whitehaven Beach, one of the 10 top beaches in the world with 7 kms of white powdery, squeaky silica sand. The white wasn’t as white as the pics, but pretty. Second stop: Hook Island for snorkeling. While the visibility was limited, we nonetheless saw fish of every color. We thought our new friends from Spain were clever in bringing wet suits. Brrr…we are hoping Fiji water and air are hotter. The memorable moment for me was Sierra realizing in an exhilarated moment that we were surrounded by what could be scary—30 fish-- and in the next moment, that it was safe and fun.

Third stop: Daydream Island and resort. It’s reportedly the first human-made coral lagoon, with plenty of tropical fish, sharks, and stingrays on display, which was cool. Sierra swam in the first warm pool we’ve found around here.

Some people advised us that three islands in one day were too quick but it was fine. I would have liked more snorkeling time, Sierra more playground and swim time at Dreamland and Savannah a little more time at Whitehaven and Hook. It was a little of everything for everyone.

All in all, a fabulous day!

Now we’re back at our abode listening to flocks of screeching sulfur crested cockatoos on one side and the highway on the other.

Tomorrow we’re going to take the big plunge – literally and figuratively. We’re doing an expedition out to the Great Barrier Reef. We’ll be going with a company called www.cruisewhitsundays.com. Check it out!

Catherine & Hersh

Airlie Beach and the Great Barrier Reef

Airlie would be great when its warm, in the sun, with tons of money or just for 3 or 4 days. We have a week here. It is cool, occasionally rainy and rather windy on the water. To have one day at the outer reef would cost 50o-600 dollars for our family. You sort of want some good weather to do that!

We spent our first day getting oriented, exploring the small strip of tourist town, taking in lunch and icy swimming at a resort overlooking the water while listening to live Jazz. It was a great day. (Rod I am getting in cold water much faster these days...We will have to run Thetis and I can demonstrate! Thetis is much warmer than pools here)

Yesterday Hersh and I took a couple of reluctant hikers up the great 3 day walk (for a couple of hours)--a dry, dusty trail with steep inclines and no view within our time frame. We did come across some cool chameleon like lizards, turning from leaf-brown to iridescent blue (Susan, I thought your kids would be thrilled at this point!). This was followed with a lovely Devonshire tea and my offering of tea-leaf reading.

After plotting the weather and planning what will work best, we have chosen a couple of reef outings. Today is rainy so some of us will head back into the forest, armed with maps and park office information recommendations first. Hopefully we'll see some rock wallabies. Later in the day we might swim or rent a kayak.

Savannah is excited about doing her first dive. Later in the week Savannah and I will get to the outer reef when it is sunny but through the 1.8 meter high waves. Bring on the ginger pills and coke. Hersh is sparing Sierra 3-5 hours in a wave crashing boat. She's less than enamored with the idea of throwing up in unison! Tomorrow we've planned a three island sightseeing and reef snorkeling cruise that should be doable for everyone and spectacular. Wait until you see the pics!

In 4 days we'll be in Fiji...the trip is speeding by now.

Love Catherine

From Bribie to Brisbane

Today was our last day on Bribie Island. We rented kayaks for the morning and paddled in Pumicestone Passage. Within minutes, we were kayaking with a pod of dolphins. In front, beside and under our boats the dolphins swerved. For half an hour we followed the dolphins’ emerging path. We were thrilled … Delighted, excited, and at least mildly awestruck!

We carried on for another hour hoping to see dugongs (apparently similar to manatees), but did not. No worries! The Dolphins were treat enough. Savannah and Sierra also saw a stingray pass right by the side of their boats, scaring Sierra and confirming her fear that the water is indeed treacherous.

The way back felt like a different day, a different trip. The wind picked up and the tide continued to go out, leaving us navigating through wind, choppy waves and ever emerging sand bars. After 2 more hours of continuous hard paddling and a short lunch we dashed home to pack for Brisbane. As I write, my arms could pass for jello. Hersh is asleep at 9 pm (He hasn’t gone to bed that early as long as I have known him!) and Savannah is nursing her right arm with ibuprofen (she had the open single which didn’t track well). Sierra… well… she’s fine! She paddled valiantly for part of each leg of the journey, and slept for the other parts. Could be why my arms feel like jello as she was my double boat partner J

Somewhat to our surprise, we enjoyed Bribie Island -- a sleepy, beachy, spot an hour and a half away from Brisbane. One day we went to the Steve Irwin Zoo and the girls got to hug Koala Bears and have their pictures taken with them.

We prefer to search for animals in their natural habitat but we’d cranked our necks looking at endless eucalyptus trees without spotting success in our search for koalas, so we experienced completion here). On another day we walked along a cliff of houses and mangroves and the girls went tobogganing Australian style (on flattened cardboard boxes on grassy hills, or in other places on sand).

Tonight we are checking out the city. Having walked the bustling and lively Queen Street, we shopped and then settled on a Turkish Restaurant in the Southbank precinct area—(while not exactly Lebanese, it was close enough that I thought of you Lisa, and your great homemade Lebanese bread. For the record, your food is superior!).

It is 7 weeks into our journey and we are in the flow of it. There are many moments to appreciate being in family and just hanging out together. Mostly there is harmony, but being together 24/7 means everyone’s personal process surfaces once in a while too. Out of the workaday world, there seems to be space for that... A lot matters, yet also doesn’t, in the grand scheme of it all. Last week my father was rushed into hospital for a burst polyp, following a diagnosis of diverticulitis. I am sending him love and while traveling in family, recalling the outdoor and family time he spent with me when I was growing up.

Brisbane

Brisbane is a high fashion, upbeat city for the Australian late teenagers who want to get out of there boring hometown (writes Sierra). We loved Queen Street, a no-car shopping district with streams of people traffic. We caught an art installation/acrobatic drama show about juicing oranges,

ate at a great food court that would be an inspiration to our anemic Canadian mall offerings. ..on a foodie note, I have had enough pumpkin to last me a year. Aussie’s serve pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkin sandwiches, pumpkin pasta and pumpkin everything. Cream is hard to find without gelatin and stabilizers, food is generally expensive (maybe it is back home now too), there is less Kangaroo and croc on the menus that I imagined and asking for something other than full fat milk will get you odd stares in some of the smaller communities. If you want vegemite pizza, just ask me – I’ll tell you where you can get it!

“Brizzy” is awesome. There is a riverside trail/bikepath (26 km in length, sparkling skyscraper lights on the river at night, and al fresco dining.

Sierra and Catherine went abseiling at Kangaroo Cliff while Hersh and Savannah meandered down the river by boat, taking in busking and cafés.

Sierra rollerbladed along a divinely smooth pathway and others walked through yet another rather charming botanic garden (every city we go to we visit the botanic gardens).

We loved the Aussie culture—different slang, manner and people laughing at our accents. Our apartment building included a pool and hot tub which sat alongside a buzzing outdoor apartment dining and community barbecue scene with mostly Aussie Koreans. This meant that while Sierra and I enjoyed the bubbles of the hot tub and night skyline, we also shared in endless trailing breezes of wafting community barbee meat. Vegetarians are in the minority around here.

Aussies (generalizing for a whole culture, I realize) are admirable. They gather for barbecues which sit at playgrounds and public spaces and in apartment buildings like ours. They also value their downtime and playtime, closing many shops at 5 pm weekdays, 2 pm on Saturdays and not being open at all on Sundays, or again closing early. Alcohol flows freely, people are friendly and Aussie football and rugbie are fervently watched.

We all could have used another few days in Brisbane, but hindsight is like that. The longer we travel the more I learn what works for our family and the planning we did months ago doesn’t always fit with what our on-the-ground needs are. Sierra hasn’t taken up a love of hiking but is giving up the protest and instead fervently bargains for time limits to the walk (which we agree to). Savannah would love a younger vibrant scene , Catherine a yoga retreat or week long something and Hersh seems pretty content. And, we are, every day planning with more ease, and creating fun that fits for everyone. I have thrown out consensus and am going with the vote. Much easier!

Bribie Island

We settled into our new home exchange after a day of travel. It is so delightful to see how others express and organize themselves through their homes. Shag carpeted car, Miami blue floral furniture, and personal mementos that tell of many years of travel around the world.

Sierra is handling transitions easier every move, as evidenced by her short-lived protest about sleeping on a thin foamy in an office. Savannah lost the coin toss for the best room in Coffs House so they are switching it up here.

This morning I ran to the southern tip of Bribie and hung out in the bird hide over the lagoon. Australia amazes me every day. There were large black swan like birds with red beaks. Every day I see new species of birds...today was no exception...new kinds of egrets, herons, spoonbills, ducks.

Yesterday we all walked the beach, getting local tips on whether we could safely pass the blobs of jellyfish everywhere: "O yah, they're alright! As long as you don't handle them a lot. They'll "sting ya but they won't kill ya!" Sierra asked if there are sharks..."tons of them. Just don't go swimming at night time!"
(ahem) As If!!!!

Unfortunately, Sierra who is ever viligant about dangers lurking around the next corner, is in the bedroom reading Harry Potter, hoping to escape kayaking today in the "shark infested waters" where she most certainly would be eaten!!!

More soon,
Catherine and Hersh

"Yep, that would be a strike pose..."

Savannah and Sierra, Boogie Boarding

Here are some higlights from Coff's Harbour, Australia...

Sierra played catch with a sea lion and petted a dolphin...




Rainforest walking up high in Dorrigo National Park, almost stepping on a huge carpet snake in the forest. We found a ranger who guided us back to take another look at the snake ("yep, that would be a strike pose", he said with total ease as we stood peering a foot away from it)

horseback riding in the hills and forest of Moonee

Our friends, Shannon and Ashe joined us in Coffs for some great visits, cycling and market shopping.

They also brought Australia Trivial Pursuit (Chocolate edition) along. Hersh was the hands down trivia champion. How many of you know "which soulful Shefield singer was backed by the Grease Band?"

Town walking (from our house, you can walk to town on the beach or forest path: It takes 2 and a half hours. Ask Savannah because we enjoyed finding our way there together but she didn't appreciate me dragging her most of the way back (which was not our deal -- Savannah), and beach bumming today (boogie boarding, watching the surfers, lazing in the sun, playing badminton and sticky ball).

Countryside around Dorrigo National Park with green and yellow fields backed by blue green hills.

Fabulous headlands with crashing surf, beaches with long foamy breakers... the sounds of pebbles tumbling on the beach...

The girls learning bridge

Sierra reading her way through almost 4 Harry Potter books

Daily pots of homemade chai tea

Time, Time and more time... in family, in sun and in a lovely home.

Two more days in Coffs Harbour and we are off to Bribie Island and Brisbane area for the next week. We think the plan for the next week may not be all that we are looking for, so we've decided to evaluate when we get there, and if we want to change things up, we will. Possibilities include: overnighting in the Glasshouse Mountains; heading up the coast to Noosa Head and Frazer Island; bumming around Brisbane.

Catherine and Hersh