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

Early Days in Oz

Darwin

Day 1.
7 am. Sun's up. The first walk out of our rental apartment. A deep breath of clean air, vista of brilliant blue sky and turquoise sparkling ocean bordered by a reddish hued sand. It is so beautiful and welcoming.

I cross the road and immediately find an inviting walking/cycling path into a coastal nature reserve--pure exotic expansiveness. It is my favorite beach on our trip thus far.... and there is miles and miles and miles of it. I say to myself that even if is is humid and buggy in the wet, even if the town is uninspiring, that beach stretch is beguiling; I would live here.

Most of Darwin's foreshore is park, path or wild. No side by side megaresorts with guards stopping outsiders from walking on their prime oceanfront land (as in Jimbaran, Bali). It feels freeing.

Birds are everywhere...Within an hour I saw common flocks of black and white ibis, sulphur crested cockatoos, rainbow lorikeets, galahs (like big pink and grey budgies), various sandpipers, kites. Everyday we see two or three "new to us" birds. We're delighted.

We'd read our Darwin nature books and were well armed for all kinds of nasty critters like venomous spiders, python snakes and crocs (salties and freshies) "that than jump the length of their body!!!" So when we heard that a crocodile was spotted a few days ago around the beach area, we felt guarded about swimming. Teens, however, seem to disregard the warnings to not swim and were back in the ocean as soon as the partrol guy left the area. We chose to swim at the protected lake (with schools and schools of fish at our feet) and waited another day before ocean swimming-- after talking to reassuring locals -- and then, very close to shore!

Our biggest Darwin adventure was a daytrip to Litchfield National Park.
http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/litchfield.html
http://en.travelnt.com/explore/darwin/litchfield-national-park.aspx
After driving through an hour-and-a-half of nondescript eucalytus shrub land (I am sure the ecosystem has a more exalted name) we got a look at 8 foot high magnetic termite mounds. They create these massive east west structures through their saliva, the purpose being to create the exact temperature needed to survive -- internal warmth at night, and cooling in the day. Primordial aircon. From there we found our way to Florence Falls. We swam under the falls and back--exhilerating! We then tromped along a parched trail in "Savannah woodland," delightfully ending at a series of cascading deep blue-green plunge pools. Alongside the pools were monitor lizards and in the pools, very big fish.

Off to Coff's Harbour... !
We spent the first couple of days finding our bearings and checking out the local area. Yesterday we unsuccessfully went Koala Bear spotting, but we enjoyed Muttonbird Lookout and saw some very big pelicans.

- Catherine


Sierra's Post
HHHHHHHHHHHeyyyyyy everyone!
We've decided that we will each write a paragraph or two for a family blog entry! Australia is beautiful! Since my mom wrote about Darwin I'll write about Coffs Harbour. It's a small little city with the basic things like Target (American Zellers) , food stores, movie theaters, excetera....And it is surrounded by a Beach/Harbour with ginormous waves! (today we might go boogie boarding).
My parents insist on at least one hour of walking in a park each day, so we did that, went shopping, saw a movie, and most exciting of all- in my opinion -saw wild kangaroos in local's back and front yards with either tails or heads sticking out of their pouches! They were sooooooo cute and we got very close with at least 50 pictures to prove it! BOING, BOING, BOING!.....ha, ha, ha

Love, Sierra

-- Savannah's Post --

Darwin Australia was full of long, sandy beaches where you could walk for hours and hours, national parks studded with aboriginal-significant outcrops and artifacts, and lit by gorgeous sunny weather every day. Also, we had the beaches almost to ourselves during our morning walks -- well, speedwalks, because Mom came -- considering Australia only has 18 million people and Darwin has less than usual. Darwin is full of the "real outback" Aussie's -- not the cityfolk down south -- and full of all 300 of them, it seemed. But I didn't mind, because it meant for clean, beautiful parks.

The weirdest thing about Australia so far is a particular species of Australian male -- about 35-50, grizzled, looks like he's seen a lot of things in life, girlfriendless or wifeless or companionless, tatooed, and possibly drunken mid-flight, on 100 ml plastic bottles obtained from the exasperated but polite stewardess. (She: "Can I get you anything to drink?" He: "Sure, I'll have anything with whiskey in it.") We have had a few run-ins with this kind: the first was flying to Australia from Bali -- the man who sat in front of me, told the stewardess he'd been flying on this airline "For 7 years!" and proffered her a gift for another stewardess he knew well. This smacked intuitively of prosititution and drugs to me (the 7 years flying to Bali alone, that is). He then proceeded to get really drunk and show the defining characteristic of this species of Australian male -- a unexplainable and shocking hatred of children. He made several extremely rude comments into the air in front of him about Sierra, in the jist of "Shut up little girl! Why didn't you leave her at home if she can't sit there like a mummy and be perfectly silent and allow me to pretend children don't exist in this world?". (This was accompanied by his holding his hands over his ears, and quietly intoning "shut up! shut up! shut up!") My impression was later reinforced by a grizzled taxi driver who told us that when asked by children the question "How long until we get there?" he liked to respond in a menacing tone with "Get out of the car!"

To be perfectly fair however, this type of human composed 1% of the Australians we have encountered, and the other 99% have been perfectly humorous, kind, welcoming, chatty, hospitable, and helpful, showing a sense of strange but funny humour and a stranger taste for food. In the market in Darwin we passed a stall in the food row -- "Roadkill cafe: You kill 'em, we grill 'em". Proud providers of 'roo meat, crocodile meat, wallabee (sp?), etc etc so on and so forth. I suppose if you are a Darwinian "true" outbacker yet living in the city like one of those soft city folk, you must make up appearances by eating the tough, wild, burnt meat of the predators and prey you are so nicely protected from while inhabiting the city environs. Perhaps nastiness to children is another way of convincing yourself you are still a tough, indomitable Crocodile Dundee man.

.

Hersh says:

Love the lingo! Too right!

Day One in Oz:

We needed to do a bit of grocery shopping, so we pulled in to a strip mall where they had several stores including a Woolworth's. Thinking it was like the Canadian version (a Zeller's variant) we asked a bloke in the carpark if he knew where there was a grocery store. He looked at us in a rather gape-jawed manner, and said "Wot?!?!" Repeating our plea, he said "wellllll..... there's a Woolies right there," and of course being the rather thick-heading Canucks that we are, we asked (Again!) "but does it sell groceries? Cuz that what we need!" And he said "yaaahhhhh... it's what we call a 'grocery store'." Of course, we explained that we were clueless Canadian's being used to Woolworth's as a drygoods. He came to, and we got our tucker. (not bad lingo, huh?!?)Anyways, we were all quite amused.

Driving:

Fortunately Singapore and Bali exposed me to right-hand driving... I must be getting a bit used to driving on the left, no glaring headlights coming at me, and -- it requires a high degree of focus.

Winter:

It's winter here. Solstice in 2 days. The sun sets at 5pm. Weird.

Kangaroos: Very very cute...

for pix to accompany this post, click here:

http://s122.photobucket.com/albums/o274/hersh_album/Australia%20Pics/

cheers

Hersh

Bali North, Bali South... Catherine's post

Tejakula and Jimbaran

I didn’t mention that we switched accommodation 2 times in Ubud to avoid musty rooms and stagnant pools of water (risk of dengue fever via mosquitoes). In Northern Bali-- Tejakula we arrived at our villa after a long and stunning drive through the eastern volcanic mountains. We enjoyed the view of Mt. Agung and the ground covering of volcanic ash.

We were suppose to spend a week there but the villa was not as advertised so Hersh negotiated to leave half way through. Small things that added up, like -- they provide snorkeling equipment…not…have cable… disconnected…has air con… is broken… is well appointed…has a 60’s styled kitchen with a few shelves and a hotplate , dim lights, broken this and that. The kicker was 3 frayed lampcords with bare wire exposed, and not enough power for basic electrical needs. Essentially, glorified camping with a beautiful lawn and view. All that would be fine, except this was advertised as a luxury villa. Night 2, and we were in the dark from 5 pm on because the whole northern region had a power outage. While this isn’t as rural as Bali gets, it isn’t far off. Poverty is everywhere, and yet, most everyone seems content.

…. And (switching tenses) despite my gripes with the villa, I am in love with Tejukula. There is a simple vibe, it is quieter and on the ocean. Yesterday I joined a Tibetan healing yoga class at the neighboring Bali Mandala Center(the only western center in the town) for yoga and meditation group retreats… finding some inner calm to match the surrounds.

The ocean is warmer to swim in than the kid pool at Oak Bay Rec. We went snorkeling today (a first for Sierra and me) and saw eels, blue starfish, clownfish, iridescent bluefish, and numerous other fish and creatures. While this isn’t the season for jellyfish there was one washed up on the beach so we are a tad tentative in the water. A jellyfish sting we do not need.

This morning we visited a local school. Sierra must have felt famous, and with a swarm of eager kids around her, she played Frisbee and ball toss with them. They loved it. We left the Victoria High School frisbee, motivational school stickers, books, wristbands and as many Canada pens and pencils we could find before we left Victoria, with them.

Everyone is eager to talk to us. Everyone smiles and says hello (Salamat Pagi! which is good morning in Balinese). While we ruefully don’t speak much Balinese (like almost none) it certainly isn’t hard to remember their names. They all have a name based on their birth order. It can change depending on the region of Bali you are in. So here, as a first born my name is Putu. Down south it was Wayan. But it could also be Gede. So is our gardener, our neighbor and a couple of the kids that hang around the edge of our villa watching us when Sierra isn’t playing with them. There are no last names. At most I might be Putu Catherine. http://www.klubkokos.com/guidebook/names.htm

Before our school visit this morning we ventured along local dusty paths (it is their dry season in an already dry region of Bali). Paths are peppered with chickens, dry pond fronds, smiling kids and garbage. One can see how destructive plastic has been to our world, as any walk we took there was past plastic garbage strewn over the land…a lot of the land. Locals say it is because they can’t afford taxes that would collect their garbage. It’s amazing how something produced for often only a few minutes of use will last for hundreds of years.

One 19 year old asked if we would please visit his house so we did. There his mother sat on a rock on the dusty ground, chopping greens to cook over the coals for breakfast. They would have greatly liked it if we stayed for breakfast but we politely declined. Instead, Savannah offered to go back tomorrow to give the 19 year old a lesson in English (as requested).

On our last day we were guests at the local school for Saraswati, a celebration of the goddess of knowledge and wisdom. Wow! Imagine that anywhere in the village you could hear the beckoning of Hindu music (they use loudspeakers) at dawn, quickly get ready and then arrive to see a few hundred kids dressed up in beautiful sarongs, sitting cross legged on their sandals on the ground, They are devotedly praying and chanting en masse. Incense burns, kids perform nerve awakening gamelan music, dancers dance and teachers bless every single kid with sacred water. This is the beginning of their graduation celebration. I think of all the poor dusty housing compounds that most of these kids live in and here they are celebrating with such richness.

….

Jimbaran

We said goodbye to Tejakula later that day and went to Jimbaran in the South. Sierra made a friend but she doesn’t have a home address and certainly doesn’t have email. Perhaps we’ll send her a note via the school.

In Jimbaran we learn that the morning after Saraswati, everyone heads to the water for another sacred holiday that blesses the 4 elements. Not knowing this, I arrive at the beach at 630am and to my surprise there are miles of offerings and kids playing in the water. It feels like every day is sacred here. Every day a chance to spiritually bless, smile, offer acts of kindness, and welcome good karma. There is a soft feeling in the air.

I walk to the end of the beach and into the crowd welcoming back the fishermen. The feeling changes and it’s pretty clear that I am not welcome. I leave. It’s okay.

A few more days of boogie boarding, waterslide park, long beach walks, Italian food on a terrace overlooking the bay at sunset and swimming in warm water… there were many lovely moments.

Next stop, Darwin Australia!

Pix of Tejakula and Jimbaran

Ubud, Bali -- Catherine's post...

Hey Folks, here is Catherine's post with accompanying flickr pix. They are under the "Bali" set.

http://flickr.com/photos/65515862@N00/sets/72157605324315837/

Also, here is Sierra's latest blog entry...

www.circlepacific-sierra.blogspot.com

best,

Hersh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ubud was an interesting mix of great and less than great (but all worthwhile to have) experiences.

Great—rice field paddy walks along meandering broken cement and mud trails, past villas and local shacks made from simple fronds, wood and thatch. Less than great—the busy buzzing roads, often with no sidewalks or cracked sidewalks.

Great-- because we found a healthy restaurant named Bali Buddha that, while it took an hour-and-a-half to get our order, gratefully served some home comfort food like walnut spelt pancakes. Less than great-- a highly regarded restaurant set in a lush garden that took 2 hours to deliver food and put bacon in our salads (after fervently underlining our vegetarian moral imperative) not once, but upon rounds of clear understood feedback, another two times! The topper was the free dessert peace offering that contained a live beetle. Savannah swore off restaurant food after that.

Great –sounds of beautiful songbirds in the morning (after the ever popular 430-6 am rooster)…

Great—watching Batik painting. Not so great, seeing a police officer kick a beggar on the street inches away from us (whom we later did give money to). In Bali you can walk past a high-end coffee shop and within a block there are people with very few possessions, cooking on the street using a small pot over coals. It is dusty and cars and bikes are whipping past them every few seconds. Only the higher class can afford to shop in grocery stores. Everyone else goes to the market or makes do with what they can grow.

Great— shrines everywhere. Offerings are placed daily in front of every home and business. There are the offerings on the ground for their animistic spirits and on the shrines above for the Hindu gods. Incense burns and fragrant flower petals are everywhere, in offerings and on the streets.

Great—the girls and I take in the Ubud spa experience. I had a Balinese massage and intoxicating scrub and Sierra, a honey scrub, followed by flower baths and ginger tea and fruit. All this while listening to new age music, the sound of trickling water, and birds in the adjacent rice paddy. All this while smelling incense and the scrub of sandlewood and tumeric. Sierra and Savannah went back for manicures and pedicures. A spa treatment like the one I had costs 12 dollars and lasts one and a half hours.

Great—a trip to the Bedugal area for a rainforest walk, canoe paddle and waterfall experience. It was enlightening to see coffee growing and participate in their basic and simple processing techniques. The bumpy road to the rainforest goes over the top of the mountain with not a lot between you and the valley 1800 meters below. We saw papaya, cocoa, avocado, banana, tumeric, cloves, and every tropical plant you ever see at in our home stores, growing in the wild. Not so great, the drive back over the mountain in the thick fog with 2 feet of visibility, dark (because it is near the equator Bali gets dark by 630 pm) and zipping by motorcycles and drivers in our lane at times. We were ever so grateful that we had a careful and competent driver, Yudi, with us. This was the trip that confirmed that Sierra gets motion sick…

Great, the warm smiles, lovely, gracious, happy and kind people. There is no “not great” that could ever cancel this experience out. It will stay with me forever.

Savannah's Post

After a harrowing escape from Singapore after graduation, (following a great look around with my parents for a week prior to graduation) I am more than happy to be in Bali. And when I find myself comparing Bali with other places I've been in Southeast Asia, it most often comes out on top.

So what does Bali have...

Natural beauty, preserved -- check.
Extremely friendly people -- that too.
Great geographical diversity for a small place -- yes again. (Beach, rice paddies, mountains, etc)

In Bali, nearly every building is a temple. I can honestly say I've never seen anything quite like it. Many homes have elaborate stone carvings to guard their front gate, as well as more stone and wood carvings, banners, and beautiful gardens of Frangipani and Bird of Paradise in some. Possibly because I spent my first very happy week in Bali with Marius, in addition to just having left an extremely polluted and crowded city, Bali seems pretty much like paradise -- if you've got the money, that is. Food is cheap, but amazing accommodation is not -- if you want to stay in a Villa, you pay for every polished piece of silverware. However, I'm sure there's great budget accommodation too, probably with a free drug basket instead of fruit basket if you lodge in the dingy corridor of Poppies Lane (in the surfer district) that is so popular with backpackers.

So in comparison to other places I've been, I have to say:

The men stare less than in India (but still a considerable amount, despite all attempts to dress conservatively)

The people are friendlier than in Cambodia (and those Cambodians were happy people). I think Vietnamese people get a tie.

The cost of living is cheaper than Thailand, with cheap shopping to boot.

Food is better than in Singapore.

Spirituality, Religion, and outright Paganism is in evidence in greater levels than any Asian country I've visited.

And finally... making Balinese friends is fun. I think you'd have to actively try not to -- cultivate a grinchly scowl or something. The cook will bring you a picture of his newborn baby. The cleaner at the resort across the road will come and play guitar with you in the evenings at your house. Someone will chase after you on foot and then on motorbike to invite you to their village home, offer you breakfast (and then practice their English). The fourteen year old next door, who looked like she was about nine, made best friends with my sister while we stayed in Tejakula. I got the impression that if you wanted, you could choose to always have company in Bali -- I have never met such effusively and sincerely friendly locals.

So, bottom line, I like Bali! I definitely want to come back.

Next! Australia. Western culture! Yea!! Finally!!! It's been a while.

Sanur, Bali

It's hard to believe that it was exactly 2 weeks ago (almost to the minute) that Echo picked us up at home and took us to the inner harbour in Victoria for the beginning of our day of travel to Singapore.
The elasticity of time and memory is indeed a strange thing...
So here we are in Bali, at the end of our first week on this island, and our first of 3 places that we will stay. We've been in a really wonderful villa, a great place to relax after Singapore's hectic pace. The villa is not huge but is so well laid out -- 2 bedrooms either side of a covered but outdoor common living space that includes a kitchen, comfy furniture, a TV, and -- a swimming pool!!! We've swam countless times. Here is the original posting that we saw, that led to our rental:

http://www.homeexchange.com/show.php?id=88212

While we've been here, we've walked the beach, ate great inexpensive meals, played lots of Hearts, visited a 10th century Anamist temple, seen a fire dance, had a day with Savannah and Marius, and Catherine and Sierra have gone boogie boarding and done Balinese dance. Here's a fun link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZJbh7WnTHs

Tomorrow we go up into the hills and rice paddies for 4 days, in a place called Ubud. It's an artisan community, apparently with lots of natural beauty and natural food. Savannah will be ending her week with Marius on Sunday, and joining us then.

Accessing Our Photo Website

Here's the link to our pictures... There are 3 sets of photos so far, and we plan to create more along the way...
I hope they are easy to view for you!

http://flickr.com/photos/65515862@N00/

~Hersh~

Our week in Singapore is finishing today. Savannah had a great grad, and is ready to leave.

Singapore is a complex city of development, prosperity yet hard work and little leisure unless you are the upper class. Every cabbie except 2 that we spoke to drives every day of the year for 10-16 hours a day. They can't find relief drivers and can't afford to not run the cab for a day because they still pay the company on that day.

Food has been fabulous, and other than a few goods and hawker stands, most everything is smaller in size and costs more than at home. A tub of Ben and Jerrys costs 12 Singaporian dollars (about 9 Canadian)....I can see why Savannah misses food from home. After Indian food most days something "Canadian" would be great. They have one terrible "canadian pizza" here...and restaurants for all food tastes. Western food is expensive.

Local Singaporians are kind hearted...we have enjoyed meeting them in the 3 to 5 cab rides every day. There are 30,000 cabs here.

50 percent of the land is devoted to apartments and business buildings. Many areas for the Housing Developments have eating areas on the main floor where locals have inexpensive breakfast and dinner. The little rainforest they have left just got an 8-lane highway cut through it on one side and a condominium development on the other... They chose to protect some of this land because while developing it they realized it was a main water source for the island. As it is they import water from Malaysia.

The land planning document just unveiled yesterday is planning a 150 km circle bike loop for those who want it greener and...because too much green would be "boring" and "threaten prosperity"...they are developing local eating/working centers in every yet to be developed corner of the island in the next 5 years. It will reduce traffic congestion in the city core, but leave little land left for wildlife.

Overall, it is clean, hot, humid, busy, dense, fascinating, culturally diverse and oh so not green. Yesterday's newspaper said Al Gore was influenced by apocalytic fundamentalist Christian views and he doesn't have any credibility!!!

Trip Highlights:
Sunday--seeing Savannah looking radiant and touring her school. Meeting her amazing strong and self-assured international friends and family members. Taking in how independent, gracious, confident and mature Savannah has become. Swimming in the cool school pool while we withered in the heat.

Monday - Loved the orchids, insect eating plants and huge tropical trees at the Botanic Gardens. A wonderful dinner hosted by parents' of one of Savannah's friends.

Tuesday - Not so much a highlight as an experience of cramming through a popular department store in Little India (and getting just how dense Singapore's population really is!), Having a great meal at Banana Leaf Apollo on, of course, banana leaves, visiting a Chinese Buddhist temple for Vesak (Buddha's birth celebration), then buzzing to the other side of the city for dinner. There are over 6.500 people per square kilometer ( 9.27 people per square kilometer in Canada and 76 per square kilometer in the States).

Wednesday-Hiking in Bukit Timah. Monkeys! Lizards! Soaking in the views, lushness and sounds of the tropics.Ferns the size of trees. More plant diversity in this little park than the whole of North America. Coaxing Sierra to come along then bribing her with "you can ask me to do something I don't want to do this trip." Sierra doesn't forget a thing so is holding that card in reserve for when she can play it with gusto.

Thursday- Touring the city. The air is surprising clean. Tall Tall buildings.

Friday- The tree top walk at MacRitchie Reservoir. A giant spider... For the most part, visiting parks require a cabride with cabbies who has never been in the well marked, few in number parks (and one got us lost!)
Afternoon at VIVO City--a neuvo shopping mall that redefines mall architecture with open spaces that flow into the next and a rooftop wading pool and amphitheatre. Marche restaurant with super fresh fruits, vegetable and entrees. Sierra actually was given more whipped cream than she could eat (a rarity for her) on her Strawberry, chocolate and mascarpone cheese crepe.

A cocktail party with people from 8 countries.

Saturday- Grad! Enjoying Savannah enjoying a full celebration and being done. Getting to know some other parents from many different countries. Parents who are as amazing as their kids. Lovely warm outside air at 11 pm.

Sunday- Trying out the Seniors outdoor playground (outdoor colored exercise equipment) and anticipating Bali.

Ps. I have run for 10 minutes this entire week...no sun until 630 am then blistering heat...early outings to get ready for...no where to run except the roads with cars...yesterday I resorted to running up and down the stairs a few times (and that was 5 of the 10 minutes!).

Lots of Love
Catherine

Today was Savannah's graduation ceremony. There are parts of those ceremonies that I really love... the inspiring speeches. Today's was no exception. You know, just the piece of acknowledging the courage, wisdom, hope, and promise of what these kids will both bring to and take from the next phase of their journeys.

After the ceremony we went to a dinner with a bunch of Savannah's friends and their families at the Sheraton. (Pix to follow, hopefully in the next few days.)
On the way to the dinner, we called Ambrose, who is on campus in New Jersey, grinding away in the lab for the summer. It's his birthday today: so here we are, whipping through the streets of Singapore in a taxi, calling Ambrose to his cell from Savannah's cell, and the 4 of us are singing Happy Birthday to him. It was surreal, yet also completely ordinary. Somehow it had me remembering when Savannah's radius was just 2 or 3 kilometers: Howe St. to South Park to Barbara's art studio, maybe Moka House, and once a week venturing to Victoria Gymnastics.
Now, her radius is the globe.
Wow...

Tomorrow morning we will pack up and check out; then we will go to the school and help Savannah pack the rest of her stuff, box it, mail it, then tomorrow night we fly to Bali. I'm quite looking forward to (what I imagine) will be a slower pace. It's been a hectic week!
until,
Hersh

Our voyage

Hi folks, for those who may not know, we've taken our family show on the road. I'm just trying to get a blog off the ground, so here is a sample of it:
http://circlepacific.blogspot.com/
Our itinerary is:

May 17 – 25: Singapore

May 25 – June 11: Bali

June 11 – 15: Darwin

June 15 – July 13: Brisbane

July 13 – July 20: Fiji (Hersh + Sierra)

July 20 – 23: L.A.

July 24 – Aug 4: Toronto

July 13 – 27: Fiji (Catherine and Savannah)

July 27: Fiji - Victoria

If you would prefer to not receive photos/blogs etc, please let me know and I'll remove your name from the distribution list...
until then,
best
Hersh

2 more days in Singapore...

It's been a monumental 6 days, comprised of pavement pounding, rainforest canopy walking, light meals, heavy meals, animal zoos and human zoos. All of it fairly extreme in polarity except the heat: that only lands in one direction. (Well, come to think of it, Air Con is a nice counterbalance.) Tonight we will attend a cocktail party hosted by the family of one of Savannah's friends who lives in Singapore. Tomorrow is her actual grad. Sunday we pack, and that evening we fly to Bali...
Attached are a sample of pictures.
Cheers,
Hersh

ready... set... go

Finished work today