Revelations

Clean drinking water that is free is not be taken for granted.
One out of every six people in the world live in India.
Very few countries offer sugar-free options for drinks and food products.
Prejudice exists everywhere.
Fish in Australia and New Zealand are almost uncatchable.
You can travel with spouse 24/7 for 60 days and not kill each other.
Toilet seat covers are to be found only in America.
Having the time, health, finances, and energy to travel is a blessing.
Dorothy was right---there's no place like home.

The Sum Of It All

It's been an amazing (almost) 60 days since we left Seattle for worlds unknown, and had I not taken the time to journal and blog, I doubt I would be able to remember half of the details of our experiences. To say they were grand would be quite an understatement. I sometimes feel my head is about to burst with new information of countries, cultures, and people. It's certainly made me realize how little I do know about our world and the problems faced by other people in other places. Although I cannot completely identify with them, my heart is heavy to hear their stories of war, loss, natural disasters, poverty, and economic troubles. But without a doubt there was always a connection, and most often hope for a better future.

Airports - 40
Hotels, motels, B&Bs, motor inns - 32
Countries visited (or made connections in) - 10
Meals eaten out - over 170
Different modes of transportation - 13
Photos taken - over  3,000

They really do exist!

A rare sighting of two Tasmanian she-devils, previously thought to be extinct, was documented near Launceston on Friday, March 22, 2013. This rare footage was released today. The sighting was reported by Allan Vance and Paul Oen, two Americans on holiday in Tasmania, who were walking in the Cataract Gorge Reserve when they heard shrieking sounds coming from a nearby cave. They stopped to investigate and were startled by the appearance of the two strange-looking creatures. Afraid to approach the she-devils, they called the police and the local news station who promptly responded. The camera crew was able to capture these images on film before the creatures retreated into the woods nearby. After reuniting with their wives, who were in another area of the reserve at the time, Vance and Oen attempted to explain their strange encounter. The women dismissed their delusional behavior as the need to provide some excitement after their uneventful fishing expeditions.

Some days are like that . . .

. . . even in Australia. For the first time on our trip Allan and I had a chance to play golf. We enjoyed our time together and the nice, albeit windy, weather. As far as the golfing was concerned, that's another story. Of course, we have a myriad of reasons for a poor game---not having golfed in months, the wet course which was aerated yesterday, using rented clubs, not having our golf shoes, the number of rabbits and turbo hens on the course, as well as debris blown from the string winds yesterday---but the bottom line is we're just not that good. Oh, we'll, some days are like that.

Gorgeous Gorge

The Cataract Gorge is a lovely expanse along the Tamar River. On Friday we explored the trails along the Cataract Reserve. We were lucky we had Allan along to hold back the treacherous rocks blocking our path. The clear skies were certainly a welcome break from Thursday's continuous rain. On Thursday night we ate our final dinner with the Oens at the quaint Gorge Restaurant and enjoyed the local cuisine as well as the company.

Watch me wallabies feed, mate*

In four hour hours we crossed Tasmania from Hobart in the southern part to the Cradle Mountains in the northwest section of the state with not too many towns along the way. Cradle Mountain National Park covers a wide expanse and is one of the most popular areas for hikers. The terrain of the area was formed when glaciers flowed from the edges of a huge ice cap carving the landscape into dramatic shapes. On Tuesday we hiked a five mile trail with an elevation change of about 300 meters passing a couple lakes on our route. We were favored by excellent weather and were able to spot wallabies, paddymelons (a variety of marsupials) and a wombat. The terrain itself was quite unusual, even stark in some places, and we often felt we were off in a world of our own. We accomplished number 2 on our list on the aforementioned post but still haven't spotted any Tasmanian she-devils. We'll keep a lookout on our continuing journey.

*recalling one line from Tie Me Kangaroos Down Sport

Prison Break

An hour an a half drive from Hobart is the town of Port Arthur. The penal colony there was constructed in the 1800's for the most hardened criminals from England and Ireland but is now a world heritage site. The complex also housed a women's prison and Puer Island, the first juvenile facility establish by the British for young boys. The bucolic setting which included beautiful gardens and churches seemed at odds with the original concept of a prison, although this prison touted its efforts to develop psychological methods for prisoner reform. Perhaps the prisoner's favorite song would have been "Unchained Melody."

Tazz-Mania

For three very important reasons we were very excited about going to visit Tasmania (the island which is the southernmost state in Australia):
1) We were going to travel with Paul and Amy Oen, friends from Angola who now live in Perth.
2) We wanted to travel through this beautiful microcosm of Australia.
3) We needed to find out if the Tasmanian She-Devil really does exist.
On Saturday we flew into the capital city of Hobart, which was just placed as the number 7 city for their "Best in Travel 2013" by Lonely Planet. Originally established in the 1800's as a penal colony, Hobart is now praised for their food, arts and scenery. We first visited Salamanca Market, one of Australia's best known open air markets. We then walked through town to see the old buildings which are still in use, though often different than the original purpose as factories or government buildings. Surprised by a rainstorm, we took shelter in a local cafe for a couple of hours taking the time to catch up with our friends and sample some of the local cuisine. What do you expect we had for dinner? Local seafood, of course, at The Drunken Fisherman. Well, we at least accomplished number 1 on our list. We've got a week to explore the other two.

Yarra Really Beautiful

With the beautiful Yarra Valley an hour away, we decided to drive to the wine country on our last full day in Melbourne. The perfect weather combined with the beautiful scenery made for an absolutely delightful afternoon. We stopped first at Chandon, known for its champagnes, then on to a couple family run boutique wineries. It was a wonderful contrast to the wine regions we have had a chance to visit in Napa Valley, South Africa, and Margaret River.

The MelBourne Identity

The forecast for cloudy weather proved wrong, and we spent a beautiful day seeing just a few of the sites in Melbourne. This city is quite different than Sydney in its feel and architecture--and a bit more treacherous as you have to watch out for the trams and so much cross traffic. (Whoever heard of making a right hand turn from the left lane when the light turns red?) First, we putzed around Queen Victoria Market which sells trinkets from all over the world. Then we boarded the free visitor shuttle which stops at all the major sites in the city. Because of Allan's never ending search for local brewery glasses, we walked a couple of miles to a brewery (which evidently was not considered a major site) that was closed and didn't have beer glasses anyway. Good exercise anyway, eh mate?

You know you're tired of eating out when . . .

. . . you're willing to pay more for your groceries to shop across the street so you don't have to drive to a store with better prices and selection.
. . . you're happy to cook up a lean cuisine for dinner in your hotel room.
. . . you don't mind washing dishes.

We figure we have probably taken about 136 meals out, some better than others and some that were fantastic! But your come to a point when convenience and ease win out over your taste buds. After battling a couple hours of Melbourne in-city traffic and getting our credit card stuck in the parking garage machine, we were ready to crash in our room with the easiest way out. Wasn't so bad after all!

Pit Stops

A beautiful sunrise greeted us this morning before we left Narooma, and our first stop was Central Tilba, a small well-preserved village that just celebrated its 100th anniversary. We took time to browse the cheese factory, tea shops, bakery and stores filled with local crafts. We always get a kick out of seeing the Cal-Tex stations along the way (both in Asia and NZ and AU). However, this one has been out of commission and is now the post office. Bermagui, another coastal town, was our stop for a picnic lunch. At one scenic vantage point, Blue Pool, they created a swimming pool within the tide pools of the shoreline. The ocean water was the bluest aquamarine we have seen so far. There was a cloudless sky on this very warm day (95). Unfortunately, we had to pass on some of the other little towns in order to get to our destination of Lakes Entrance by dinner.

"Sydney or the Bush"

I have to chuckle as I recall Bill Murphy repeating this saying from Charlie Brown. As far as I know, Charlie Brown was never in Australia; however, the saying is apropos. It's all or nothing. Well, sadly we left Sydney today but not really for the bush. We started our three-day drive (1022 km) down the east coast towards Melbourne and appreciated beautiful scenery as we rounded the turns or topped verdant hills. A picnic lunch in the seaside town of Wollongong (try to say that 3 times) gave Allan a chance to enjoy the view as well. We also saw our first roos since arriving in country. Because we had putzed around in an antique store a couple of hours in Sydney, we didn't arrive at our destination of Narooma (whoever heard of that) until 6:30. We finally found a "room with a view" overlooking a golf course and the Tasman Sea. Wish we could hang around to play a round in the morning, but we need to press on.

Taking the Bridge

I was determined to walk across the Harbor Bridge before we left Sydney, so after dinner I climbed the steps from the tower near our hotel and made it across the bridge and back in 30 minutes (including time to take a picture of a Japanese couple). Mind you, this is not the same as climbing the arc of the bridge, which is what they charge money for. I was so sorry I didn't have my camera with me, as there were some great sites to snap and the sunset was beautiful tonight. It was a great feeling to tick this one off my bucket list.

Nana and Pops Go to the Beach

With a beautiful day ahead of us, we decided to take the ferry across the harbor to Manly Beach--apparently, so did most of Sydney. The ferry and the beach were crowded with both locals and tourists, and surfers were out en masse. We took a picnic lunch, but after seeing so many yummy restaurants, we wondered if we made the right choice--although we certainly made the less expensive one. At 4:00 we headed back to town enjoying every bit of scenery along the way.

Nana and Pops Go Out on the Town

On Saturday night we walked to Lord Nelson's Pub, the oldest pub in Australia, but didn't experience the usual pub grub--no siree. We enjoyed a lamb burger along with a beet and mango green salad--and a couple brews, of course. We then had the opportunity to go to a performance at Sydney Opera House in one of the smaller theaters. Unfortunately, the only show we could get tickets for started at 10 PM. I would call it a combination of circus and cabaret--kind of a mini Cirque du Soleil. Because it was lively and entertaining enough, we were able to stay awake through the whole thing! Quite a remarkable evening indeed.

Bold and Beautiful (not me, silly, the city)

We had considered climbing across Sydney Harbour Bridge; that is, until we found out it costs $228 per person to make the climb! Instead, we took a walk through the beautiful botanic gardens before boarding the sightseeing bus to tour all the famous spots in Sydney and out to the beaches. We are so impressed with this vibrant city in its historical structures, contemporary buildings, and beautiful parks. We took a stop off at the Sydney seafood market which has many shops selling so many kinds of fresh fish. We opted to buy a kilo of prawns (and that's a lotta prawns) and small loaf of ciabatta for our lunch on the wharf. Delish! Finally arrived back at our hotel around 4 to rest up for a great evening out.