GFPKTravels2

Greetings! Being about as offline as one could be in this world has been strangely off-worldly.   Here in Lusitania Bay, Macquarie Island, sitting in the seventh floor library on the bow of the Heritage Adventurer, we are offshore of one of four islands at latitude 54 degrees south on earth.  Two of the others are on the other side of the planet, and the fourth is the next island we plan to visit.  And a million  king penguins are huddled on the beach at the base of the only piece of the crust of the earth ever thrust above the surface of the sea. For the past week, we've used this 8,445-ton refurbished Icebreaker to visit some other islands on the way here.  Each had a slightly different mix of flora and fauna, all attracting this shipload of environmental experts, writers, photographers, and lecturers.  Hosted by a combination of the Australian and New Zealand government officials, and the ship's family owner/operator (Russ Family), we've enjoyed mul...

Greetings! We arrived in Queenstown this afternoon, packed for the ship which will take us to the islands in the Southern Oceans between New Zealand and Antartica over the next two weeks.  Re-packing our bags to feature now the warm weather gear (just in time for the rain and cold), we took a walk in the park just below our hotel.   In addition to lots of new flowers, we found some young men playing their first round of Frisbie golf.  At 7pm, we joined 100 other passengers to hear inspiring speeches from our crew and leaders, and then enjoy the first of our many meals together. To see the rest of the photos taken today, click on: Wednesday, Nov 23rd, Queenstown .

Greetings! On our last day on our own in New Zealand, we decided we hadn't gotten enough of the things we saw yesterday: thrift stores, Steampunk, limestone, penguins, rocks, flowers, roadside cafes, and clouds.  So we started off at the Oamaru Visitor enter to get a serious dose of town history, and then walked around in the Victorian Section near the wharf.  The World Headquarters of Steampunk occupies a huge building and ground down there, and we were thoroughly thrilled with all that we found.  What imaginations the founders and contributors had, and what has been left there for us to admire. North of town,  the we found an information center for the energetic group seeking World Heritage designation for the first Geopark in New Zealand in a large are containing a variety of historic and geologically important sites displaying cave and rock paintings, mineral and gem formations, and fossilized bone and shell mounds. Farther south, we found the Katicki Point Light...

Greetings! It's really inspiring when you get to see the spirit of others expressed in architecture and street art. Sunday, we visited the Christchurch Transitional Church (Cardboard Cathedral) constructed while the $130 million replacement for the 2011-destroyed Christchurch Cathedral is being rebuilt by 2027. Afterward, we walked through the streets of downtown Christchurch viewing the street art which has so enlightened the walls of the structures. We ended at the Botanic Gardens, had lunch, and strolled through their Rose Gardens. Today, we drove to Oamaru, having lunch on the way at Nosh .  After settling into our house in Oamaru, we went to see the Steampunk Artists in the Wharf area.  And finally, we found our way to the Bushy Beach outlook, where our patience was treated to the arrival of a yellow-eyed penguin returning to the nest of their mate and chick.   To see the photos taken on Sunday and today, click on Monday, Nov 21st, Oamaru .

Greetings! Today, we resolved our internet access problems.  By that, I mean our host figured out what password to give us to enable our computers and cell phones to get to the Internet.  We were not looking forward to hanging out over at her house for the next four days in order to communicate with our friends. Even though it was a rainy and cold day, we decided to button up and go looking for what we could find in the way of birds, flowers, and cute towns around the Banks Peninsula.  We found all three, and enjoyed a great brunch mid-day.   Now I know you probably are asking yourselves, why would he take a picture of a group of gulls in a fresh water lake?  They were actually exhibiting a very unusual behavior - a deep and thorough bath!  For a long time.  At a spot named "Birdling Flat", we caught up with several bird types that seemed to be starting off the day preening and cleaning and enjoying each other's company. Traveling out the Peninsul...

Greetings! For the second time, we drove coast to coast across the width of New Zealand in one day.  This time, it was from Hokitika to Christchurch.  Arthur's Pass was another example of a national commitment to transportation.  Originally created to facilitate the transport of gold from the west coast of New Zealand to the Eastern shipping ports in 1885, it now supports the transport of milk.  On our way out of Hokitika, we hiked up the Hokitika Gorge.  The most turquoise water you've ever seen comes down the Hokitika River from the mixture of Granite Rock flour chemicals and mountain river water.   From the swaying bridge across it, we saw a white-faced heron nesting, and a wika on the trail and in the parking lot. The last amazing stop we made coming down from the pass was Castle Hill (Kura Tawhiti).  A completely mystical collection of limestone remnants from the collision of the New Zealand and Pacific plates about 25 million years ago lies ...

Greetings! The middle western coast of New Zealand's South Island has two spectacular stops that everyone should see.  The first is the Minnehaha Walk in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park.  Full of more giant ferns than you'll see anywhere, and with the added bonus of glow worms at night.  The second is the Fox Glacier.  We drove out to a new viewpoint a few miles west of the road through town to see it clearer.  Fortunately, the clouds slowly rose up the glacier, and we were able to photograph almost the entire face. To see all of the photos taken yesterday and today, click on: Wednesday, Nov 16th, Hokitika 

Greetings! Pat's been wanting to re-visit the Albatross rookery at Dunedin, and especially to share it with her friend Barbara Tomin, for many years.   Today, she got good weather, somewhat fewer birds and birthing, and only the disappointment of my almost running out of gas.  A bit early in the season in which the Royal Albatross makes its only mainland nesting, we nevertheless got to see many of them beginning their yearly stopover at the Otago Peninsula at Dunedin.   These magnificent birds were joined on the ground by endangered red-billed gulls and New Zealand Shags (cormorants).  Especially satisfying were the many young red-billed chicks being nurtured by their parents.  We'll see some of these same birds (but many more) on our cruise to the South Oceans next week, but this preview of them with an excellent presentation by the colony's sponsoring organization definitely warmed our hearts and inspired our passions.  Later in the afternoon, w...

Greetings! Today was a traveling day, from Te Anau to Dunedin.  Across green rolling hills where sheep and cows and every design of hedgerow beckon photos.   It took us about five hours to drive from the lake above the top of the fjords to the eastern coast of the island.  Our route took us down the backside of 400 million year old uplifted mountains now no more than sloping hills leading down to fertile grasslands.  In the distance are jagged peaks which, originally a part of Gondwanaland under the Arctic Circle, collided with the Pacific plate, and stand brilliantly against a cloudy and rainy sky. Later in the day, the Dunedin Natural History Museum beautifully illustrated that process, and the species which survived the journey.  To see a few of the photos taken in the museum, click on Sunday, Nov 13th, Dunedin.     

Greetings! This morning, we drove down to Lake Manapouri, famous for a national protest of its proposed hydro-electric power plant in the late 1950's and 1960's.  It paralleled Sonoma County's PG&E nuclear power fight out on Bodega Head.   Citizen environmentalists defeated a plan to drown thousands of acres of native land to provide energy for development. Back in town, we had another excellent lunch ( The Carvery ) including venison, reuben, and southern fish sandwiches.  Photo taken by BT).  We then boarded a boat for the cruise to the other side of Lake Te Anau for the Glow Worm Cave.   Pat and I have been to the site before, but it was so much fun sharing it with BT. Tomorrow, we make a long drive to Dunedin (five hours), where we'll see an albatross colony in Monday before heading across the island past Mt Cook to the western coast.  Here's a link to the two other photos taken today: Saturday, Nov 12th, Te Anau .     ...

Greetings! The last two days have been fun, fun, fun.  Driving to Te Anau from Queenstown on Thursday morning, we settled into a cute little A Frame house on the outskirts of town.  Actually, the town is only about a half mile wide, with nine restaurants and three grocery stores.  We checked out most of them, and decided to have dinner at Radha's Indian Restaurant in the middle of the main street. Before dinner, we visited a local Bird Sanctuary, and became Barbara's students of local birds.  We found a guide to NZ birds book in a local collective store, which also filled our lunch tummies. The election back home consumed us as we consumed a great meal, bought some groceries, and then went home to watch the latest results on our laptops and cell phones.  As you all have no doubt learned, winners seem to be be more among Democrats than expected, so we are excited.  Because the final results in Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia will not be known for a while, it i...

Greetings! We slept in this morning after picking up BT from the airport last night.  Her flight was delayed, and we spent the evening watching a Eurasian Blackbird from the porch and planning today's activities.  We're looking forward to seeing as much as we can of New Zealand's South Island.  As we do, BT will help us learn more about birds, plants, and how amazing are the views of New Zealand's mountains. Today, we drove into a nearby shopping center to find a guide to New Zealand's birds.  We found one on the way to Glenorchy, in a collective of farm buildings converted to shops.  Our drive to Glenorchy was one of the most beautiful short road trips imaginable.  We stopped at trailhead, and hiked down to a small lake where kayakers and boaters were enjoying the day. The last stop we made was at the Little Paradise Lodge & Wild Dream Garden.  This bed and breakfast nestled in a huge garden has been the work of the lives of the most talented of o...

Greetings! The day before we fly to New Zealand means spending Australian dollars, using up Transit GoPasses, doing the wash, and re-packing all the luggage to change from having hot weather clothes easily available to having cold weather clothes easily available.  It's also the last time to walk the South End Esplanade along the river, to see the artists at the Sunday Market, and feel your toes in the sand at the two-acre beach and pool.   What a feast of people to immerse yourself in.  We still don't know if the Ibis that clean up after tourists meals actually make any sounds.  Children who chase after them would seem to scare them into vocals, or groups of Ibis would talk to each other when fighting over the biggest piece of meal.   But no luck watching either, all remaining silent except the children. To see the last photos of Australia, click on Sunday, Nov 6th, Brisbane .

Greetings! Tomorrow morning, we say goodbye to Australia, and fly to New Zealand.  Our two months here have been quite a challenge, but have not been unexciting.  We have been impressed with how much the country has spent accommodating visitors like us, and recommend you all come experience what they have to offer.    This last stretch in the South End of Brisbane have allowed us to relax and see how a big city ought to operate.  Filled with a wide variety of residents, and offering public amenities which continue to dazzle us, we could not feel more comforted and entertained.  High-end theater, museums, parks, and a zoo all were delightful.  The explosion of languages, ages, colors, and beauty astounds us. I have to also say that we have enjoyed the political climate during our stay.  It's been so satisfying to hear dialogue which demonstrates that productive conversations on serious topics can occur.   To see the photos of the Australi...

Greetings! Today, we spent the morning checking out this beautiful coast from a variety of lookouts, and a stretch of beach.  On recommendations from the Kanu Kapers crew, we used Google Maps to get us to those mountaintops which allowed the best drives and views.  We'll stop at five more of these volcanic-plug crags jutting out of this mostly sand plain on the way down to Brisbane tomorrow. On the way back home, we drove along the coastal scenic road, and stopped near Coolum Beach.  The waves were just inspiring enough to renew my belief that, with a stronger swell, my dream of body-surfing during this trip could have been achieved.  Oh well, that's why they call them dreams. To see the few other photos we took today, click on: Wednesday, Nov 2nd, Noosa Heads.

Greetings! Yesterday, our first full day in our great B&B in Noosa Heads, we left early and drove to the Elanda Point on Lake Cootharaba.  Kanu Kapers Australia had agreed to take us kayaking through the upstream stretches north of the Lake, and we agreed to meet them at the Lakeside Campground.  I am so glad we chose them for this serious exercise on the water here on the Queensland coast.  So far, we've been experiencing only moderate tourist adventures, and this would be a test of our endurance and muscle strength.  We needed guides that were capable of handling small kids and senior adults.  Kanu Kapers did not let anyone of us down.  They were skilled and knowledgeable, and made the day possible.  We are very grateful to them, and recommend them highly. To see the photos that Jan took, click on Tuesday, Nov 1st, Noosa Heads .