German Fare

On March 30th we departed from Edinburgh, Scotland and flew to Munich via EasyJet. Arriving in Munich late evening, we were impressed with the airport organization, the ease with which we were able to navigate our way to the car rental agency and finally, drive on the legendary Autobahn. Ahh the autobahn! Words cannot describe the joy of this uber efficient highway. The only slightly disappointing thing was due in part to our rental – we were going for cost savings and thus our car of choice was an Opal Corsa. Certainly not the powerful purring German engineering that surrounded us on the autobahn. Drivers on the QE II highway between Edmonton and Calgary need to see what can happen in high density traffic when drivers actually understand the concept of keep right except to pass (significant counselling may be required in order to cope with driving back in Canada)! We were driving a cool 150 km/hr and were being passed as though we were travelling at a snail’s pace. Kelly and I could not wipe the smiles off our speedy faces!

Travelling in Europe in early spring equals shoulder season yet again which was great for us in finding a lovely central spot. We headed south for Schwangau, a small village near the larger town of Fussen with a beautiful view of the famous Neuschwanstein castle and the Konigsschlosser. The entire area could be considered a photographer’s dream as God’s creation combined with human ingenuity and imagination results in constant declarations of “This is so beautiful!”.

With 5 days scheduled here, we rented bikes for 3 days and would recommend this to anyone and everyone should your travels take you in this direction. We felt sorry for the tour bus groups who pop in for the castle tours and a brief walk around the nearby lake as the area caters to cyclists with a world class system of trails unrivalled in any area we’ve been to yet.

Our first day with bikes was spent exploring the local area, getting a sense of the path system, and determining our routes for the next two days. Day two was our big day where we cycled over 32 km through and around many villages, spectacularly green hills (with a rather pungent scent of freshly spread manure), and around Lake Forggensee.

Day three, involved a shorter, but more challenging route as we went into the mountains and cycled around Lake Alpsee, just past Neuschwanstein and Konigsschlosser. The variation in terrain was spectacular and while the youngest one in our party was pushed to his limit in making it up some of the steep inclines, the day was a resounding success and all of us are looking forward to pursuing cycling as a main family pastime upon our return home.

Having spent a large amount of time exploring the area surrounding the most amazing castles, we spent the next day going into the castles and gaining a much better understanding of Bavarian royalty, the incredible imagination of King Ludwig II who built an astounding 3 castles throughout Bavaria.

Despite the onslaught of tour groups in the castles themselves, we had an amazing time during the guided tours and thoroughly enjoyed the historical perspectives presented. If you plan on seeing both castles, do not expect to do so in a short period of time. To truly enjoy both the interior and exterior of both, one needs a full day and be sure to wear your walking shoes. We found many more hikes in and around the Neuschwanstein which we will have to tackle in the future. If you end up travelling here – do check out Tripadvisor reviews as well as the website http://www.schwangau.de

Final Four: Europa League

With our Around the World ticket coming to its final London leg, we left SE Asia to arrive in London and then took the train up to Perth, Scotland for 10 days of visiting friends and an opportunity to sort our remaining itinerary. The ability to settle into a bit of a routine and have familiarity has been important for us during our planning stages. To think that one can plan an entire year away in advance is delusional (not to put too fine a point on it). It seems like folly to over plan travel for this length of time and certainly, while there may be have been some missed opportunities, planning as we go has worked best for us. Travelling as a family requires that close attention be paid to the ebb and flow of what can aptly be termed “travel energy.” Our children, having just finished some fairly significant culturally different experiences and having been travelling for over 9 months, were starting to show a desire for home.

While in Scotland, we also enjoyed exploring some areas we had not been to prior – the west coast and specifically a visit to the town and surrounding area of Lochgilphead was a highlight. While staying with our new friends, the Doull’s, we were treated to a trip back in history from the crowning of Scottish Kings, the Knight’s Templar, and historical conflicts between landowners and villagers in the late 1800s. Scotland never ceases to amaze and having been in the country for lengthy periods, it has become a favourite and familiar place for our family.

Lovely central Scotland in the spring

Exploring Knights Templar graves near Lochgilphead

Arichonan settlement – sad history around burning out villages in order to take over the land

Given the desire of the boys, the fact that both Kelly and I have new and exciting jobs to return to in the fall and knowing that those jobs would take a chunk out of summer, we decided that we would return one month earlier than originally planned. It is interesting how one’s perspective changes as people plan for months, even years in advance, two to three months of travel in Europe. It took us a week of percolating through possible itineraries, comparing costs for airfares and lodging etc, to create a plan for our remaining 7 weeks.

After what can only be described as bouncing itineraries and activities around and coming up with endless possibilities, a general plan emerged. We selected our “Final Four: southern Germany, the Austrian Alps, Slovenia, and Italy. Ending in Rome, we are returning to London before our final leg back to Canada. Initially, we had hoped to have a stay in Greece and Croatia as well, but after reviewing prices and travel times, these two countries will have to wait. Our commitment to ensuring that we didn’t become embroiled in the desire to “see” as much as possible now that the end was near, was in the forefront. Contrary to what some might think, this experience has not resulted in less future travel plans. Similar to the adage, “the more you know, the more you realize you have to learn,” the same could be said for travel and exploration of countries. We now have many more plans for future travel in the years to come!

The Heart of Cambodia

We met so many gracious and wonderful people in our short stay in Cambodia. Visiting with hotel staff (the boys, again, were a big hit with their blonde hair and smiling faces), and spending three days with our driver, Pich, who became part of our family, we could not express our gratitude for how we were treated. It was overwhelming.

Pich and Ethan – a common site

Little peanut selling flutes…

A stop that was most important to us was to go to the Cambodia Landmine Museum and school, (http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org), set up by a Cambodian citizen Aki Ra. His story is one of pain, perseverance, commitment, and compassion.

 

Entry to the Museum (note the Canadian flag)

Many of the land mines, bombs, unearthed by Aki Ra

His work and life is difficult to comprehend for those of us who have grown up in peace and security. Walking through the museum with our boys, safe and secure, was in stark contrast to the history of Cambodia as a nation and the stories of individuals. With tears in my eyes, I read the stories posted containing indescribable acts of violence, abandonment, and hopelessness. Nonetheless, it has been people like Aki Ra who have continued to see possibilities of what can occur with healing and support in this beautiful country. Words cannot do justice to all we saw here – I would encourage you to take some time to review their website, educate yourself on the ongoing need to support children and families impacted by all types of violence around the world, and finally celebrate with joy, the gifts you have right now. As a mother, an educator, a Canadian citizen, I am thankful for what we have, but continue to ask, what can we give?

We had an opportunity on our last day to drive out to a floating village which during the rainy season is entirely enveloped by water; however, at the time of our visit, the water was significantly lower and only those houses and stores on Tonle Sap Lake were floating. This was an eye opening experience for our family. Pulling up to see a what can only be described as a cacophony of boats lining the river banks, we were brought to our skipper’s pride and joy and after a few eye opening moments of seeing how he manoeuvred us out of the rather narrow parking space, we were on our way. It felt as though we were on the African Queen heading into unknown territory…

You’ll notice the water is rather brown – everyone is in it! Fishermen lined the river, casting their nets in hopes of catching some of the many small fish. As we came to the village, it was shocking to consider daily life in this environment. First of all, it is hot – debilitatingly so. Many people are laying hammocks in shade from the rays of the hot sun. As we went down stream we were all surprised at the amount of trash floating in the water and sitting along the banks. Making our way out to Tonle Sap, we stopped at a floating restaurant and ordered a small snack – they had alligators next to the restaurant and also on the menu – a highlight for the boys.

On our way back to our car, we stopped off at the local school to drop off some school supplies. It was fascinating to climb the tall ladder to the entrance of the school (which would have had about 50 Health and Safety guidelines back in Canada), to greet the students in their one room classroom. Students were fascinated with the boys as they deposited the supplies at the front of the room and we visited with the young teacher who was despite the heat dressed in full professional wear. Again – difference certainly sharpens appreciation for all that we have for our children. However, it could also be suggested that we need to maintain our focus on what is important in the context of the whole world rather than get caught up in some of the minute details which can distract from our overall goal of educating our children to become global citizens.

As much as we were thankful not to contend with the challenges one would face living in a floating village, we were also struck by the beauty of the sights, the care for families, and again the gracious treatment of visitors to their homes.

Temple Run

Angkor Wat

Originally our SE Asia plans were meant to include Cambodia, Thailand and possibly Vietnam. However, for numerous reasons, we had to simplify travel plans and ended up booking flights from KL to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We flew Air Asia which boasts as being Asia’s top low cost airline. Like other low cost airlines, EasyJet, Ryan Air, and Jet Star, they post incredible flight deals, but truly make their money off of additional fees for luggage, method of payment, etc. Nonetheless, our flights after the currency conversion still ended up being a reasonable price tag (just significantly more than the originally advertised rate). We were impressed with the service on Air Asia – efficient and even more shocking for North American air travellers, not only on time, but over 40 minutes early!

We had booked 5 days staying at the Lotus Blanc Resort. Having spent only a handful of nights at a hotel during this entire trip, this spot was a highlight. We were greeted with cool coconut water and cool towelettes (I don’t want to say we were sweating in the +45 degree heat, but there may have been a glow on our faces). The manager sat down with us and within 15 minutes, she had set us up for the remainder of our stay. It was lovely not have to sort everything out ourselves and the prices for booking travel etc., were no different than those who booked tuk tuks or drivers privately. As we had arrived early in the morning, the hotel was flexible and allowed us to check in first thing, giving us the whole day to enjoy some down time, swimming in the pool, and excellent food!

The title of this entry is reflective of what can certainly become a visit to Siem Reap. With it being the site of many ancient temples, the most famous being Angkor Wat, days and days could be spent exploring temple after temple. Given the heat, the age of the boys, and our desire to ensure we didn’t experience what many term “temple exhaustion”, we had an ideal schedule:

Day 1 – toured by tuk tuk, Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom along with some smaller areas: Terrace of the Leper Kings and Terrace of the Elephants
Day 2 – with a driver, drove out to Kuleen Mountain, went to the night market
Day 3 – toured with a driver, Bayon, Cambodia Landmine Museum, Preah Khan, Bantay Srei, rode elephants to the top of Phnom Bakeng to watch the sunset
Day 4 – with a driver, went out to the floating village

A few tips if you’re considering to venture out this way:

Decide when you want to drive and when you want to go in a tuk tuk which is a must. We were pleased to be riding the tuk tuk on a day where the areas were relatively close. Our driver was incredible and we absolutely loved having him join us during our exploration.
Have photocopies of your passports – these were especially important for the boys as they were both free to enter all the temples; however, we had to show our passes and the copies of their passports every time.
Be sure to follow the dress code (covered shoulders and knees for both men and women). Although we didn’t have one, an umbrella would not go amiss to shade from the heat.
Don’t sleep in – start early in the morning!
Know your limits! We really kept a close eye on how we were all doing, as one can feel compelled to ‘see it all’ but in doing so, actually miss a fair amount. It then becomes more about the finish line of “I saw 5 temples today” as opposed to exploring and appreciating the marvel and wonder around you.

In thinking of how to describe this experience, I find that words fail me. This entry will either be 50 pages in length, or it will end with a summary list. To avoid both, I’m going to highlight a few of our impressions and experiences and of course include some of the spectacular images we were able to capture.

Most people know about Angkor Wat which is understandable simply due to its sheer size and grandeur. However, while we most definitely needed to explore the area, we much preferred Angkor Thom (the temple in the jungle) to the austerity of Angkor Wat. The bloody history (and not to long ago I might add), of Cambodia is in stark contrast to the beauty of the Khmer culture and creation of long ago. Also striking is the strength of nature as we had many opportunities to observe gigantic tree roots wrapping around and seemingly through rock faces to grow strong and tall despite any obstacles.

Entry from the East gate of Angkor Wat

The central square area

And up we go…

Angkor from the West gate

The heat was another force of nature with which to contend – it felt like +45 degrees. We had to closely monitor our water levels and ran to shade whenever possible. While I haven’t caught the Asian fascination with avoiding the sun at all costs, I now understand why they have umbrellas out especially on sunny days!

Riding the Tuk Tuk

Thank goodness for shade!

Having enjoyed outstanding food in our first few days, I may have consumed one too many coconut based dishes and on the day we were scheduled to head out to Kulen Mountain, needed to be in close proximity of ‘facilities’. Kelly and the boys took a 45 minute drive up to Kulen Mountain, a beautiful area in the jungle with tall waterfalls, a river filled with ‘la linga’ and a gigantic Bhudda laying on its side. They had a great time in the water…until the boys noticed fish and became convinced they were going to attack. This after standing in surf with baby Blacktip Reef sharks in Fiji! Regardless, Anderson eventually overcame his concerns and enjoyed jumping off the rocks with the locals. Ethan, well, he enjoyed watching Anderson!

The gigantic Bhudda was situated at the top of the largest rock ever seen. People begging line the stairway, and it was quite an awakening for the boys to see such poverty up close. Again, an opportunity to learn much about how people are impacted by country and life circumstances and usually through no fault of their own.

Our third day, was our biggest day yet, and was also the most spectacular! Our family’s most preferred two temples were explored: Bayon and Preah Khan. Bayon is famously known for the gigantic faces – they were mesmerizing to look at. Preah Khan was intriguing as it housed the royal library and when entering from the ‘public’ entrance, the doorways begin at regular height, but as you draw nearer to the center where one would greet the king, the doorways shrink in height forcing one to bow. Due, most likely, to the greater distance from Siem Reap, Preah Khan had very few visitors making our exploration of the temple that much more fascinating.

Bayon

Bayon

Causeway outside of Angkor Thom

Preah Khan

Preah Khan

To finish off our third day which we all have declared ‘epic!’, we took an elephant ride up to the top of the large hill where the Phnom Bakeng temple is located. This temple is quite precarious in certain spots; but is popular with tourists as a spot to watch the sunset. Honestly, do take the opportunity to go to the top of the hill; however, avoid the throngs of people going up to the temple and rather turn right. We caught some beautiful views of Angkor Wat in total solitude and the sunset was also spectacular (minus what felt like every tour group in the region).

Honestly, this post feels as though it is merely skimming the surface of the sights, smells, sounds, and feel of this incredible part of the world. Our recommendation: travel here!

Malaysian Experience

Our stop in Kuala Lumpur was primarily for reconnecting with our friends, Sam and LeeAnn Krishnan. Although LeeAnn is Canadian, she married Sam, a Malaysian, in 1999 and they have been living and working in Kuala Lumpur ever since. Of particular note is the ministry work they have been doing – Sam is the leader of a drug rehabilitation centre called Breakthrough and Lee is intricately involved in many areas of the ministry as well as raising their 4 children. 13 years ago, we had our first foray into Malaysia; however, had not seen one another since with limited contact. With both of our families expanded significantly (they have 4 children now), we were excited for our families to explore daily life together.

Breakthrough is a ministry supported by a mega Methodist church in KL – with over 3000 people attending services and involved in programming, it was amazing to enter a Muslim country and join in Sunday services with vibrant worship and a message of hope. Having attended churches in many different countries and of many different denominations, we were curious about this predominantly Chinese congregation. Suffice it to say, that it is near impossible to exit the building without being in some meaningful way connected to an individual or group – offers of meals, coffee, or joining in on various activities abounded. It was an encouragement to see our friends so well supported and involved in a vital faith community!

Kuala Lumpur is an interesting mix of third world and modern development. The downtown core is filled with towering skyscrapers, fancy cars, sophisticated shopping malls, and efficient public transit. Head outside of the core, and you will discover streets filled with adhoc market stalls, random shops, and the ever present hoard of scooters with 4+ passengers drinking pop in a plastic bag (really – everything is in a plastic bag here!).

View from our apartment

View of downtown from our apartment

Typical transportation on major highways

The market can be stressful

It was the daily life of KL we loved. Food is important in Malaysia – good food! Sam and Lee took us to many incredible food spots where we were able to taste Thosai, Roti Telur, Nasi Goreng, the famous Durian fruit (check out the boys’ expressions after eating it), Beef stomach and tendon soup… Eating together and hearing all of the kids make sense of one another’s daily lives in different countries and context was a joy.

King Durian

Kelly did the honours

Their first taste…

…and reaction…

Sam – the expert teacher

Men in the kitchen = good food!

Enjoying some tulse for breakfast

The best beef stomach and intestines around!

Traditional Thosai Tower

The laughter, arguments, and good natured teasing that may have sometimes ended in a few tears was just what our boys needed. Thankfully our apartment complex had a huge pool and with the weather being +36 and feeling like +45 degrees, this was a central gathering place when we weren’t out and about.

We all enjoyed small purchases from our Petaling Street market visits. Sam was outstanding as we walked slightly ahead of him and indicated any items we were interested in. He would then go into the stall and get the “local” bartering price, and not the price including ‘skin tax’ as they refer to it in Malaysia. I liken the bartering in the market to a special kind of dance – facial expressions, posture, and sounds of ‘hmmm…’ and ‘ahhhh’ all combine to equal the art of the barter. Sam was able to abscond with some lovely knock off products at a fraction of the starting price. Kelly and I returned to Petaling street without Sam a few days later and for those of you who know me (Joanne), you will chuckle as I was keen to purchase a sweater for Anderson. As the shopkeeper started off with an outrageous amount, I demonstrated my ‘delicate’ approach which is to say, I firmly believe that a lot of guess work can be avoided by being upfront. True to form, my response was “Right, I was here yesterday with my friend Sam who is Malaysian, and he bought the exact sweater for 25 RM (ringitt). How about, we save time, and you go from your price of 75 RM to 25 RM or I walk?” Needless to say if you liken my bartering move to dancing, you may wish to second guess volunteering as my partner, for your feet may be somewhat battered by the end of the song…but I did get the sweater for 25 RM. Success!

One of our outings involved a trip to the Batu Caves, famous limestone caves and also a central Hindu shrine. With 272 steps leading to the entrance of the caves, it is a daunting climb given the need to be nimble as you avoid the rather ferocious monkeys flitting about looking for any piece of food to scavenge. Every phobia one might have of monkeys may well be proven here and we made sure to strategically pick our route. The gigantic statue of Murugan, a Hindu god dwarfs the cave entrance; however, once up in the caves, the limestone stalagmites and stalactites are remarkable and take over in terms of grandeur. We had to laugh though as of course the kids fascination with chasing pigeons will probably take precedence in their memories – they were obsessed with running into the large flock at the base of the stairs – some of us spent more time ducking our heads in hope of avoiding being hit by special deliveries from the sky as the pigeons flew about!

Our family was so blessed by our time in KL and once again – yes there is a theme here folks…it is the people with whom we spend time with, and next to, not the location, that make this experience special and life changing.

Singing the Praises of Singapore

Our first foray into SouthEast Asia as a family was a week long stay in Singapore. Kelly and I had travelled to Singapore 13 years earlier and as one of our cab drivers indicated – much has changed and much has stayed the same. First off, Singapore is a wonderful city to come to as a family. Thanks to the recommendation of friend and colleague, Jeanie Ross who taught at the Canadian International School in Singapore for two years, we booked in at the Albert Court Hotel using the website www.stayfareast.com. We would recommend both this website and the hotel to anyone looking for excellent accommodation and pricing in what can otherwise be an expensive stay.

Singapore knows how to move people around – efficiency at it’s best. We wonder if our Canadian municipal, provincial, and federal leaders and planners look closely at systems in place in these large cities. The West certainly has some catching up to do in that regard! This time around however, we utilized cabs for getting around as with four people, it was more cost-effective than using the MRT.

Can’t say enough about staying at the Albert Court Hotel – the staff were incredibly welcoming! Of note was the manager taking time to introduce a traditional game called Capteh to the boys. The premise is the same as juggling a soccer ball; however, it’s a feather attached to a small weight. Quite a challenge actually, and perfect for confined spaces with no fear of breaking things! It also seemed that each time the boys passed through the foyer they were entertained by various ‘magic’ tricks courtesy of the doorman, Jamal. With the boys dipping their toes into Asian style breakfasts, we loved the buffet every day and it was great to see them trying food such as various noodle and curry dishes for breakfast.

 

Boys learning to play Capteh – notice the small yellow feather to the left of the photo.

Singapore is a great first introduction to Asian culture as there is enough ‘western familiarity’ that for our young boys, they were not completely overwhelmed. We made sure to listen to the recommendations of our cab drivers and one thing they all had in common: a love for great hawker stall food. Aside from our breakfasts and two meals on Sentosa Island, we ate solely at hawker food markets. Our hands down favourite was Maxwell Market where we all enjoyed Tian Tian Chicken Rice and Kelly also loved the Laksa – a sour and spicy soup. All four of us could have a full meal and drinks for under $14 CAD total and the food was outstanding! Seriously, I could complete a rather large blog post talking about all the food alone!

In line to order

Chicken Rice!!!

Good food surrounded by chaos!

We purchased a series of passes through an agent at our hotel and planned the itinerary for the week. Aside from wandering the streets of downtown, the Botanical Gardens and ensuring we stopped by the Raffles, we were unsure of our exact plans when we first arrived. It was a whirlwind week of fun as Kelly and I made a conscious choice to feed the entertainment side of our kids. Universal Studios, Night Safari, Singapore Zoo, Singapore Flyer, Adventure Cove, and the S.E.A. Aquarium! Normally, our family avoids theme parks like the plague (some terrible childhood memory probably impacted this), but given the reasonable prices and the guarantees of no crowds, we decided to jump in and boy are we glad we did!

First of all, the S.E.A. Aquarium of all the aquariums we’ve been to in major cities, was by far and away the most superior (beating out London, Melbourne, Sydney, and Monaco). They have the world record for the largest tank and one could spend hours sitting in front of this tank alone. Also of note was how incredibly clean the glass on all the tanks were allowing for great viewing – this was not always the case in other aquariums, especially Sydney. Able to make many connections to fish we have seen both in the ocean and in aquariums, it was wonderful to see the boys come alive with joy in being able to observe all of the great fresh and saltwater fish!

Following the aquarium, we ventured to Adventure Cove, the waterpark next door. Again, with no crowds, we were able to thoroughly enjoy the many slides with little to no wait. The only ride requiring a wait was most definitely worth it! The Riptide Rocket…combination roller coaster and waterslide, this one brought out more than a few shrieks of joy and gigantic wipeouts at the end.

Our next day involved the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. Kelly and I had been on the Night Safari in 2001 and really enjoyed the experience, but never went to the zoo. Again, Singapore wins as far as most well organized and set up zoos of all the ones we have visited during our travels. A highlight was the elephant show where we were able to observe how well trained these incredible animals can be as well as how strong they are. The boys were able to spend some time following, feeding the elephants. Their trunks while so strong are also delicate and graceful. Seeing the many different animal species was wonderful, but as we all talked following the day, it always leads to questions about animals in captivity. We know that education and awareness is key to ensuring that humans and economics don’t further deplete species and habitat; however, it is also difficult to reconcile the “caged” animal no matter how well looked after.

We headed over to the Night Safari which is always a full attraction – we remembered feeling overwhelmed by the number of people 13 years ago, and this was again the case leading up to entry into the park. However, once we had completed the train tour of the safari, our walking tour was comfortable and at our own pace. We loved seeing the smallest deer – a mouse deer and walking through the area with the gigantic fruit bats were highlights. These bats are flying free and the look on the boys faces once they realized that they were surrounded by the massive creatures was priceless! One thing we all found interesting was that people were obsessed with taking photographs on the night safari; however, no flashes are allowed and it is dark hence the quality of photographs are poor. This experience is not one that is meant to be recorded on any device other than your mind. Listening to the animals move around and be active in the night, is a whole other experience than leisurely wandering the zoo during the day while many are sleeping.

Singapore is an incredible city in many ways. The number of shopping malls along Orchard Street alone is entirely overwhelming and every possible high end and mid range shop in the world seems to be available here. Looking out over downtown, the high rises and architecture is incredible combined with the humming port absolutely stuffed with huge shipping vessels. Going up the Singapore Flyer (30 metres higher than the London Eye), allowed us to gain further perspective on the incredible engineering feats of man looking at all of the buildings and infrastructure surrounding us. With most people living in apartments, it was yet another learning experience for the boys in recognizing the impact large populations in small spaces has on the style of living and daily life.

Merlion Park

Merlion Park at night

Marina Bay Sands

Temple near China Town

View over the harbour

Wandering the Botanical Gardens

Catfish feeding time at the Botanical Gardens

Our final major attraction was Universal Studios. Having never been to any of the Disney theme parks and our only frame of reference, brief visits to Galaxyland in West Edmonton Mall, we were unsure of what to expect. Our number one descriptor of our day was FUN! We had an absolute blast as a family going on every ride, posing with theme characters, and enjoying the general atmosphere of the place. Our longest wait time was approximately 10 minutes and that happened only once. We didn’t have to wait at all for most rides and it was slick! The boys favourite ride was the 3D Transformers ride which may have made their mother rather ill due to the realistic effects and feelings of flying through a city being chased and hammered by the bad robots (no I’ve never watched Transformers). The special effects on this ride were outstanding! I preferred the Mummy Returns roller coaster which is in the dark and certainly packs its fair share of G-forces and unexpected turns. We were so relaxed and never had to rush (with the exception of when the Minions appeared for photo opportunities – that may have been a little bit of Asian line up craziness!). Kelly and I may have to rethink our avoidance of this type of attraction – with the right mindset and the right timing, this was a blessed day for our family together in a totally different way than we had expected.

Good times!

Our Minions

Notice their watches…

Muscular Men

Drying off in the “pod” after a ride

Considering a different destination city? Consider Singapore – safe, clean, affordable, fun, and an opportunity to introduce yourself to cultural difference with enough familiar to help you take a risk.

Cave Fam

Our final major adventure stop in NZ was at Waitomo Caves. With limestone rock formations peppered throughout cattle and sheep pasture, one could drive through and do little more than comment on the seemingly random hilly terrain. However, to those who know caves – this region is a playground boasting over 300 caves! With many companies vying for the popular tourist dollar, we did some research prior to booking. There is a large company which takes groups of over 30 into one of the larger caves, however, we chose to go with Spellbound Tours, a small company based out of the general store in Waitomo. Rather than an hour long tour, surrounded by many, we enjoyed over 3 hours in and around the caves with a group of 12. Our tour guide had a great sense of humour and we very much appreciated his interest in getting to know the people in the group and building our love for the caves we were entering. This was Science curriculum at it’s best. Stalagmites, stalactites, columns, glowworms…it was outstanding!

We entered two separate caves – the first was via a path down to a dinghy where we were enthralled by the seemingly bright lights of the glowworms. Glowworms: such a cuddly sounding term. Really, they are fungus gnats which glow during their larval stage. Catching food with delicate silk threads hanging down, it is quite the feat of nature to see millions of these throughout the cave. As we floated down the stream within the cave in complete darkness, the gentle ‘kerplop’ of water droplets combined with the glittering ceiling, it felt as though we were being transported into a totally different world.

The second cave was much different in that we were able to observe many distinct limestone formations due to various entry points of sunlight beaming down, exposing crystallized formations. We enjoyed a traditional Maori song sung by three young girls from Wellington – the acoustics in the cave were beautiful. The boys were not as eager to continue on in song, but managed to hum a few sounds. If you’re headed to Waitomo – we would highly recommend booking with Spellbound Tours!

With our time in NZ quickly coming to an end, we spent one day in Auckland and confirmed that while Auckland is a lovely spot, one does not visit NZ for the cities. We thoroughly enjoyed all parts of our visit to this great country (okay, Wellington wasn’t really a highlight). If you’re planning a trip here – it had better be more than 2 weeks and even at that, be sure that you understand you will only skim the surface of all NZ has to offer! The sites, the outdoor activity, the people…all combine to create an ultimate travel experience! Next for us: South East Asia!

Saying Goodbye

Road Hippies Part II

Arriving in Rotorua, we were again faced with myriad activity choices. Anderson REALLY wanted to go zorbing and so we showed up at OGO ready to go for a family zorb. For those of you unfamiliar with zorbing, it was featured on the Amazing Race during one of the New Zealand legs. In essence, it’s gigantic plastic ball surrounding a smaller plastic ball which also contains water. To enter, you “superman dive’ into the smaller chamber and literally get rolling….down the hill. As far as activities go, this one was more about the ‘nifty’ factor than true adventure. The boys enjoyed both the Sidewinder run and the Straight run. Kelly and I signed up for a tandem Sidewinder run and this is where nifty gets thrown out the window, and we (specifically me), exhibited spectacularly poor thinking skills. Feel free to laugh at my expense – Kelly sure did!

Earlier I mentioned the “superman dive’ where you run towards the small tunnel opening of the Zorb and dive into the water filled inner chamber. Sound like fun? It is! Kelly and I reasonably assessed that he should dive in first given his larger height and weight and I would follow. So far so good. BUT…being that I believe in doing all things full out, I didn’t take into account Kelly slipping in the water and me throwing myself head first into his knee. As I’m in the foetal position clutching my head and groaning, Kelly is first of all trying to right himself in the slippery ball, and secondly laughing so hard he could hardly move. Staying true to sheer stupidity (yes, I went there), when the the concerned attendant asked if I was okay to head down the Sidewinder Track, I responded in the affirmative and my throbbing face and soon to be aching shoulder slipped, rolled, and careened down the hill. A few lessons here:

Don’t do a full on head first dive into a confined and slippery space containing potentially harmful body parts no matter how cool the idea may seem at the time. Zorbing is fun. Is it worth the cash? Maybe not, but the story sure is!

I did end up having to access healthcare to check out my shoulder and certainly received my fair share of double takes due to my black eye. It should be noted that accessing a doctor here is a totally different story – I waited a total of 5 minutes to get in to the doctor at a walk in clinic!!! Thankfully, my shoulder is slowly mending. My pride…well that may take a little more time.

Going off a recommendation from a university friend, Kelly and the boys had a blast touring the seemingly endless number of incredible mountain biking trails on quality bikes from Planet Bike, an unassuming bike rental company set up in an old industrial building. Their bikes are top end and they provided well suited recommendations for trails both days. This is a must do activity in Rotorua and given how much fun they all had, is worth a 2 or 3 day trip with biking being a part of each day. Given my gimpy shoulder, I entertained myself with the other fantastic activity in the area, hiking. Completing an 8 km loop in the Redwood Forest park one day and a 5 km loop with Anderson the next day, the variation in terrain and trails makes for interesting hiking.

Biking, hiking, zorbing, mini golf, thermal wonders, and so much more, Rotorua is a great family spot and we could have entertained ourselves for much longer in the area had we had time to do so.

 

Road Hippies

We said good bye to Bailey on February 11th as she returned to Ontario for her final grade 12 semester – it was so great to share our travels with her and truly a blessing to spend time together as a whole family. February 13th, saw us saying another farewell to Kelly’s extended family and Arrowtown, embarking on a 14 hour travel day up the west coast of the South Island. Despite traveling a mere 860 km, the winding roads definitely required a slower speed. This was fitting given our rather uninspired rental, a Nissan Wingroad station wagon. The boys enjoyed making fun of everyone we were able to pass as this vehicle was short a few gerbils under the hood!

We made two key stops along the way: The Fox Glacier and the Pancake Rocks and Blow Holes at Punakaiki. Both sites are well worth the stop and fascinating geological learning opportunities. The Fox Glacier, far different from our Alberta Columbia Icefields, was fascinating with tropical plant life interspersed amongst the grey glacial till.

A primary highlight was the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes: breathtaking coastline and wave action combined with spectacular rock formations in the shape of…you guessed it – stacks of pancakes. Although it was raining heavily during part of our time, this area is magnificent in sunny or inclement weather.

Travel tip: given our reliance on wifi for planning and booking further travel, I would totally recommend purchasing a wireless transportable router that allows for different SIM cards in each country. This little piece of equipment allowed us much more flexibility as while on the road, I would access wifi and book rooms depending on how travel was going.

We decided on a little place called the Linkwater Motel 30 minutes from Picton where our ferry departed from the next day. This place was a gem and given the beauty of the area, we were sorry not to be staying longer. When we went into Picton to catch our ferry to the North Island the next day, our decided reflection on the area was: “Picton…who knew?”

The ferry ride over allowed for more beautiful scenery and as we arrived in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, we realized that although these two islands are part of the same country, there are some definite differences. We didn’t feel compelled to spend any more time than necessary in Wellington and after one night continued up the road to the Lake Taupo Region. Having travelled for 3 straight days we decided against taking in all of the sites of Taupo and the boys had a great time swimming in the pool, a family game of mini golf, and a quiet view over the valley from our Top 10 Holiday Park Cabin.

Heading up Hwy 5, the Thermal Highway, we were struck by the views of volcanoes and desert like conditions. Science curriculum at its finest, we stopped at the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland. This isn’t an outlet store for long underwear for all frozen Canadians given the poor winter you’ve been experiencing…though if you dipped your toe into any of the mud pools, the heat would certainly be overwhelming.

We arrived 30 minutes prior to the magical 10:15 eruption of the Lady Knox Geyser. Surrounding it is an interesting mix of geothermal pools and forests first planted by prisoners from the nearby jail in the late 1880s. As it has been rather dry in the area, the eruption was not as lengthy following rainy periods (can last up to 20 minutes), but was still great to watch. The multi coloured pools and steam make for stunning photographs – we may have a challenge in determining which shot will be on our wall when we get home! The boys found the area fascinating, but their sensitive nasal passages resulted in some interesting faces and the odd cry of “Hurry up and take the photo Dad!”

Before the eruption…

During…

Jaws

Determining the title for this post was the easiest thing I have had to do thus far on this trip. Love that movie. This Bucket List thing thing though….  To be honest, I’m not sure I like the idea of a bucket list.  Maybe I’m channeling Langston Hughes and going all A Dream Deferred on you, depends on interpretation, but I really believe that whatever you do,  you do it to the best of your ability, and enjoy it.  Dreams and goals are great, but I would make two observations: 1) Don’t lament the dreams that don’t come true.  They serve a valuable purpose.  2) When you do have a chance to fulfill a dream, without harming others or self, go for it!  Such was the opportunity to dive with Great White Sharks.  I had hoped to go on a charter in Australia with Rodney Fox, sort of a personal hero of mine (look him up…seriously) but time and cost prevented it.  However, I turned my attention to south New Zealand, a relative newcomer to the shark diving family.  The cost was affordable and it suited our travel plans, so with the click of a button, I was booked!

I have been fascinated and terrified of sharks since I could read.  This terror and fascination has not diminished, and in fact has increased over the years.  I  read and watch anything I can get my hands on about them.  And I become positive that I’m slated to become dinner as soon as I set foot in the surf…until I set foot in the surf.  Then my fascination takes over.  Although I must admit, this experience ran counter to conventional wisdom.  In my previous diving, swimming, snorkeling and surfing experiences, the idea is to minimize the chance of a shark encounter.  No bleeding wounds?  Check.  Other people around? Check. Avoid murky water? Check.  No obvious shark prey around?  Check.  On this dive, it was different.  Big bag of chum? Check.  Abundant shark prey? Check.  Big tasty tuna floating in front of the cage? Check.  Large great white sharks circling boat? Check.  And I couldn’t wait to get in the water.

The experience was incredible.  I was able to spend as much time in the water as I wanted.  It was very cold, but I really didn’t notice with the sharks around, and they were around for over 5 hours.  The guides were knowledgeable and really care about these animals and take care not to feed them which might alter their natural behavior and feeding habits. One of those habits is that the sharks ‘test’ the cage from time to time to see if it is edible, but it is not a frenzy.  It is a deliberate, cautious approach, and somehow that makes it just slightly more unsettling!  Here I think the pictures tell the story best.

The south coast of New Zealand is a paradise for nature lovers.  Minimum people and maximum fauna.  The Catlins coastline has penguins (including the rarest of them all, the yellow eyed variety) albatross, dolphins (including the Hectors dolphin) seals, sealions…and Whitey. Two days after we departed Porpoise Bay, a spectacular, isolated area where the kids had a great time swimming and playing in the surf and watching the wildlife, a young man was attacked by a great white while surfing.  Thankfully he is doing well.  Food for thought.