Yesterday I went on the bus to Nadi with Nicola. The bus stops on one side of the bridge as no traffic is going i n or out of the town. The high water has receeded but left behind a thick deep layer of mud. People are sweeping it out with whatever they can find. It truly is an awful mess.
Unfortunately I have had my camera stolen and so today I will try to replace it and then go to the island tomorrow. The weather has been too stormy to go before now. Many were stranded on islands and those who did get back to Fiji left early.
The sun is out today, blue sky at last.. The water if of here at the resort but life goes on. I am just visiting, but the locals have to live here.
I have made some new friends and have company every evening. I have a villa all to myself but that might not last.
I have been away in the islands. No cars, no roads, only boat access. You go one boat like a ferry and get picked up by small open aluminum boats that take you to the island. Short trips of anywhere between 2 and 15 mins. The weather has improved, and the land is drying out. Some shops are open in Nadi. Tourist trade is down to about 10 - 20% of normal. Many people left and it is very quiet here. Last night I was in a beautiful tree house dorm (built of wood on stilts,) not in a tree and I was alone. I had 20 beds to choose f from and a whole row of showers and toilets. I don`t mind but the raccoon is complaining that he did not come all this way to live in a tree house.
It is always warm and often hot. No one shelters from the rain, not even me anymore. It is easy to get around on local buses. 50c to town and $8.00 by taxi.
The bad weather has ruined vegetable crops and meat is cheaper than veg. I have come to accept that a vegetarian curry comes with chicken. I always enjoy the local bananas, paw paw and pineapple. If you want coconut you have to ask for it.
Choosing what to war every day is not a big problem. It might be if I had a second bikini.
It is left hand drive here except for when people all drive in the middle to avoid pot holes. It can be quite nerve racking. So far I have not seen one big enough to swallow a mini. but you never know. Water is very powerful and has taken out bridges and buildings.
I have no ideas what is happening in the outside world. I thought I was living in fantasy land before but this is even more weird and wonderful. I still have no camera and can only carry the pictures under my hat.
I will update l when I can. Miss you all.
I am at a lovely resort on the south coast of the big island, often referred to as the mainland. If you look at a map of Fiji, this is the island where they write Fiji. The first night I was alone in a tree top dorm. It`s not really built in a tree, but it is on stilts with a great covered deck and furniture. Normally the deck would be a good place to enjoy shade, but for two days now it has been chucking it down. Monsoon rain that is so heavy you have to shout to be heard. When it does stop, the sun shines and everything is just like in the brochures of the South Pacific. On those days I really regret not having a camera. The flowers are stunning and often very weird.
I am leaving Fiji on Saturday and going to Australia. I need to do some domestic things, like a load of laundry. I might even have to make my own bed, do some shopping and even cook a meal.
I stayed on one island you could walk around in 4 mins. Power on the islands is by diesel generator for a few hours a day. Most showers are cold, the same temperature as the falling rain that is collected in tanks, so not really cold, but refreshing.
Miss you all. The travelling Emu
This is my fourth attempt to update this diary. When I try to save the page, the wireless net work boots me off.
I am in Sydney now and leave on the train later today to go to Brisbane.
On my last night in Fiji, I was treated to a night at the Raffles hotel. Such luxury. I had a room to myself. The Racoon was glad to be out of the tree house and the bear doesn`t miss the beach. I had breakfast at Raffles and got to say "charge it to my room. Thank you" It was not expensive and was the usual English menu. The Brits have a lot to answer to when I think of the food they brought to Fiji. White toast, baked beans or spaghetti,wheat a bix, cornflakes and rice crispies. I could have ordered steak and eggs. I stuck to the luxury of a choice of brown toast, they don`t say wholemeal in Fiji, and fresh fruit. That reminds me I am glad to say that my nose is less like a banana as it has stopped peeling.
Sydney is warm, busy and vibrant. I found a nice Indian restaurant nearby and I have been able to get a vegetarian curry with no chicken. The cyclone and flooding in Fiji wiped out much of the crops in the fields and meat is less expensive than veg.
Miss you all. but not the weather.
It was a 13 hour train ride from Sydney to Brisbane. I was told when I went to buy my Counry link Train and Bus pass, that I had to show a return flight ticket. I pointed out that perhaps I would be leaving on a luxury cruise liner and this regulation was not very clever. It did me no good, he would not sell me a ticket. I went back the next day and spoke to a differrent agent, who did not have a problem with my airy fairy life. I don`t know where I will be going next and certainly don`t have a return ticket.
The train was quiet, so passengers get lots of space to curl up and sleep. You can also walk about, read, write, enjoy the view or go to the buffet car. Very civilised.
I am staying with Sue and Llloyd for a couple or three days and then go to Hervey Bay to stay with Bob and Kath.
Isn`t life grand. I thought I was Alice in Wonderland before, but this is much better and much warmer. Feel free to join me.
Weather is glorious here in Brisbane. Tomorrow Sue and I are going to pot up some native plants. I spent a few hours on the sewing machine today making a bag for Kyli. It`s a birthday present to hold her sewing things. Sue did not have time and I was happy to be back sewing.
Frogs are croaking and bush babies are jumping about in the trees. Sue has a great garden, full of life and very interesting plants. I have enjoyed huge passion fruit that I pluck from the vine whenever I want to. What a bonus.
The terrible bush fires are burning about 1500 kms south of where I am and the floods about the same distance north of here. The government has suspended business to help survivors. Teams of people have arrived to offer help and finances. Some insurance claims have been settled within 48 hours. The small town wil have to be rebuilt.
I clicked on message board to see what is was and was thrilled to see messages for me. Thank you so much. I can not always get on line but will check whenever I can. Thanks so much it was a lovely surprise. It made me weepy to think of you all.
I was sorry to leave Sue and Lloyd`s, they have a great home in Brisbane and a very private garden, with native trees, shrubs and bushes. The family came over to celebrate Kylie`s birthday.
I spent time with Sue at the nursery, potting up plants and helping where I could. Sue went off to play tennis and dropped me at the bus stop. It was a lovely visit.
I had a 7 hour bus ride from Brisbane to Hervey Bay. Bob and Kath picked me up at the bus station and 15 minutes later were showing me to my new home. What luxury, so much space, my own bathroom, bedroom, living area and they have a pool.
Kath and I have done some gardening and I feel right at home.
There was a thunder storm and rain here today,, but the rain was welcome and you can hear the ground just mopping it up. We all wish we could send it south to put out the fires. The raccoon and bear have a few new friends, so do I.
Miss you all.
I was on the over night train to Sydney, then a connecting train to Orange. I stayed at the Royal Hotel for three nights, bed and full English |breakfast $50. Aus. From Orange it was a 10 nhour train ride to Broken Hill. The train made a scheduled stop at Ivanhoe and announced they would be there for only two minutes. A few passengers got off for the two minutes to stretch there legs, but one did n ot hear the whislte and family and friends around me were shocked to see him running beside the train waving frantically, The guest supervisor waved back and then realised he recognised the passenger and he was not waving to be friendly. He headed to the front of the train and alerted the driver. Soon the train stoppe3d and the grateful passenger threw himself through the open door, gasping for breath. The supervisor came back and told us the policy was to not stop the train for passengers who did not pay attention when the whistle blew. The embarrased 25 year old explained he had been taking pictures of the sun set.. We thanked him for the excitement at the end of a long journey.
Broken Hill is Australias equivalent of Yellowknife, except the weather is much hotter. |On average 27. It does get up tyo 40 and down to 20, but heavy clothes are not required. I am staying at a yhouth hostel with a swimming pool. Today I had lunch with a lady I met on the train. She has lived in Broken Hill all her life and Friday she will be picking me up and taking me to her house for dinner.
I have seen wild emus, kangaroos and may beautiful birds.
Last night I went to the drive in liquor store and nobody noticed that I did not have a car. Wonderful place Australia. 6 Corona $19.Aus. $15 Canadian.
7th Feb has been declared a national day of mourning for the victims of the fires in Victoria.
So my journey continues. Sunday I will be going to Adelaide on the IIndian Pacific, to stay with friends. Life is great.
Sorry I have not kept this up to date. In Broken Hill I trod on a three corner jack. (seed head) in the bedroom. I pulled it out of my foot and thought nothing of it. A few hours later I was feeling unwell, but did not associate it with the thorn I had stepped on. My leg was swelling and going red. I went to bed and shivered under three blankets with the outside temperature of 30. When I got up the next morning, the leg was very swollen, tracking up to my groin and the inside of the ankle was the colour of a dark plum. Very scary. The lady at the hostel took one look at me and said get in the car, I am taking you to the hospital. Five minutes later I got out of her car and threw up, she got me inside and got me looked at. Turns out my temperature was 39.7 and I was making little sense. I was kept in and given intravenous anti biotics.
I was seen over the next few days by several doctors and no one could tell me what it was. Diagnosis ranged from gout to a spider bite or infection to blood clot. I was also told I had a white cell count off the scale, was border line diabetic and had a heart murmer. More information than I needed. I just wanted to know what was wrong with my foot and leg. The anti biotics were not working and I went to the big city of Adelaide to the teaching hospital. Eventually one of the antibiotics started to work and it was confirmed that I had celllulitius. Infection had got in through the tiny hole from standing on the thorn
I was in Adelaide hospital on blood thinners, (an injection in the stomach wall). a very strong dose of intravenous anti biotic, 3 times every . 24 hours and good food. One day I woke up to be very happy to see wrinkles on my foot. Finally things were going down Cellulitus was confirmed and I would not need surgery as it was in the skin and not the bone.
I have been out of the hospital now for 7 days and I am just now hobbling around, but very relieved to say that things are so much better. I won`t be travelling far unless I can get a cruise from Sydney to Bankok or Singapore in the next few days. I am staying with my brother in Sydney and he is playing nurse and mother. He is house sitting for a friend who is away for a month. Very convenient for me, but I doubt Ken sees it that way I definitely owe him.
I could not go on line at the hospital, nor at my friends house in Adelaide. Technology is great when it all comes together and for the past nearly 3 weeks it hasn`t., buit here I am now, not exactly moble yet, but well on the way. As soon as I start travelling again I hope to have some interesting stories to tell.
Cruise ships leaving Sydney this month are all sold out, so I will stay here in Aus. I thought the cruise would be the best way to stay off the leg. Not having a plan is not always the best way to go. Does that make sense?
Miss you all but not the weather.
I am now at Coffs Harbour, stunning beaches, great weather and new friends. I am working here up to two hours a day to get free accommodation. I clean, dust and mop. It seems ages since I did any of that. I will be here at least a week.
It seems the Canadians are leaving in droves, just in this hostel, there`s James from Vernon, two girls from Vancouver, and 3 lads from Toronto. More are booked in. I hear stories about snow and ice and really don`t miss it. Average temp. here 27 but it does cool down to about 18 at night. A cloud in the sky becomes a topic of conversation.
Wireless is down, so I can`t use the little computer and I can`t put photos on this blog. So you will see no phtotos of the animals on the beach, at restaurants or sitting around under banana trees.
I am mobile again. The foot and ankle are still swollen, discoloured and scarred, but I can walk and don`t need to be putting the leg up for hours. Great improvement.
This is a banana growing area, so that will tell you about the weather. No compalints from me..
Miss you all, please drop me a line by email or the message board, or email travellingemu@yahoo.ca thanks.
No longing hopping. Eff
It has been raining here all day. The locals talk about winter and I have booked a train north to Ballina. This week I have talked to people from Switzerland, France, Finland, England, Holland, Canada, Japan, Australia and Persia.
This had been a nice hostel to stay in. I am in a room with three bunk beds, but so far, only three of us have been home at night. The kitchen is large and clean. Hostels supply all the pots, pans, dishes, cutlery and cups, Counter tops, skinks and kitchen islands are all stainless steel. Many have an instant hot water systems nd you just use a tap on a box on the wall that produces boiling water. No need for a kettle.
I have been sharing the cooking and shopping with Ben. He arrived two days before me and will be staying. Like me he worked to for free accommodation. Where else could you talk to so many people from around the world and share meals and shopping with a 25 year old from England.
It has been amusing to hear young people complain to each other when one leaves a mess or doesn`t come when dinner is ready. No doubt it would also amuse their families., especially their mothers. have spent time on the beach and enjoyed walking on the piers to look down and see tropical fish, unfortunately I did not see the turtles that live near by, but I did see rays and a variety of birds. I borrowed a bike and cycled for miles along the coast pathways and explored part of Coffs Harbour.
I will put up photos as soon as I can get on line using wireless. Drop me a line.
Miss you all but not the weather.
I should not have gone on about the glorious weather. It has all changed. I was booked to leave Coffs Harbour to go north, but the train never left the station at 4pm as scheduled. Coaches were brought in but only just made it, soon after, all the roads were closed due to flooding. We slept on the train until 3 am when they woke us up and put us on the coaches.
Flood were receeding but everywhere you could see signs and we were lucky to get through. Three days later the trains are still not running due to damage and debris on the lines. I will be going to Brisbane where I hope to make arrangemen ts to get to Darwin and to avoid the Easter holiday msse travel hordes.
The temperature is about 24, so I am still in shorts and here no grumbling from the animals.
I am now in Brisbane with Lloyd and Sue, we are going camping to the Bunya Mountains. No doubt the animals will be glad to be in familiar surroundings and it will make a change from the beach. Little do they know that they will not be able to recognize a single tree.
I am glad to be able to use little emu, she gave me a fright recently. Her eyes were closed, she was running a temperature and definitley not responsive. By the time I got to a computer expert,all was well. It seemed that she had locked her self out. Perhaps I should think of it as a male.
I did not mind getting wet as I cycled around. The rain is not cold and the air temp. about 26. I could and did enjoy splashing in the puddles.
I read in the local paper about a concert and headed off to the local church one Friday evening, I enjoyed songs from the Phamtom of the Opera, songs by a local writer a nd easter songs from the ladies choir. After the entertainment we were fed. A lovely evening that made a change.
My brother might be right when he suggested I get employment as a rain maker. I am going to Dariwn next week, first time visit and from there perhaps to Bali or who knows where.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder and it`s true. You are are taller, better looking and more intellegent than ever and I miss you.
Thank you all for messages. When I go on line I usually check my email first, travellingemu@yahoo.ca and love to hear from friiends. I don`t want you to forget me.
I do sometimes get lonely when I think of you all, but it soon passes. Perhaps I was just feeling sorry for myself while I was not very mobile and I was scared. All over now and I am literally back on my feet.
I will put some photos on the Webshots page for those of you feeling the cold.
Look after each other. Give away at least 6 smiles a day. Eff (I don`t hear that much any more.)
Well I have been in Darwin and so far no cyclones or floods. The captain announced that they would be closing down cabin services early due to bad weather and to prepare for a bumpy ride.. He must have flown for West Jet, because it turned out to be a joke.
Darwin reminds me of Yellowknife, only three differences. The first nations are very black skinned Aborigines, the trees are lined with palms, hibiscus, bougainvillea and the temperature is about 28 every day. Plus that is. One other difference is that your glasses steam up when you go out side , not when you go indoors.
Winter here is April to Oct. average temp 20 - 30 and summer is Oct. to May 24 - 33.
You can`t swim in the ocean, unless you want to wrestle with a salt crocodile. The bear Biggles was willing, but not the rest of us. In the Northern Territories you will not find Koalas, roos or platypus I am booked to go on a three day tour of Kakadu national park and I am sure I will see strange and wondrous things. I will be sleeping under the stars in a swag. More to follow. I might meet up with Crocodile Dundee.
I am booked to go to Bali on the Indonesian National airline, but quite by accident discovered that as from Monday they will no longer be flying out of Brisbane. Qantas and Jest Star created too much completion. Guruda is a full service airline and could not compete with budget Jet Star. Just the same tactics as Air Canada. I`m glad to say that the second part of the flight, Bali to Singapore is still in place with Garuda.
Fishing is a big thing here and you can book a whole host of tours and eat just about anything that swims in the ocean or slithers about in murky rivers. I stick to vegetables, fruit and ice cream
Miss you all. The Good the Bad and the Ugly. No that is not right, I don`t know any one that fits any of those catagories. My friends are all beautiful people.
Eff and I never hear that these days.
The first night we slept in permanet tents with two single beds per tent and kept the mozzies entertained. The second night I slept in a swag under the stars. If you have seen the first Crocodile Dundee film, you will have seen the scenery of Kakadu. I was at many of the lookouts and swimming holes that were used on location. The park is the size of Wales. 20,000 sq. kms. No kangaroos, koalas or duckbill platypus live in the Northern terrotory.
I learnt more about Aborigini history and cultujre. They are a nomadic people living off the land and most don`t do well in towns. They sit for hours crossed legged under a tree or just lay down and sleep on the pavement.
I hiked up and down rock faces to swimming holes and waterfalls or followed tracks through the bush. Quite the adventure. The animals thought they were on another planet.
Where do I begin. I left Bali and my expensive $6.00 a night room and went to Lombok for one night and then to here Gili Trawanagan for 4 nights. Tomorrow I leave on a four day boat trip, very basic, sleeping on mattresses under the stars, catching our own fish and stopping at small islands to snorkel and a visit to the Kamado Dragon national park. I will keep the animals hidden, they will probably be scared silly.
The only transport here is by pony and trap. Some places have power including the traps they are lit by candles in jars or old fashioned oil lamps. When the power goes where I am staying you are given an oil lamp.
I have swum with turtles and seen thousands of tropical fish. I won`t try to describe where I am. just go to a travel agent and look at the brochures for tropical islands, then watch a documentary on coral reefs. My life of Alice in Wonderland continues and I have a good tan to boot.
Internet is hard to come by and when you see on the map just where I am and where I am going you will see why. Kevin and I seem to be in competition as to how many remote places we can visit. We are even right now but I prefer the temperatures I have to put up with here, about 30 but it does cool down at night.
The people are very poor, but cheerful. I came over from Lombok on the boat that brings the locals and all their produce. I had to wade out to my waist in sea water, no complaints it was warm and aquamarine, hoist my case over the side, then go back to the shore and climb along the narrow ledge of the boat to get to what was laughingly called a space. I truly thought it would sink. That made me wonder how anybody would know I was on board and if I disappear who would tell you. Ah the mysteries of travel.
I will load some pictures when I get a chance on webshots, and this site can live up to its name. Photos of blue sky, white beaches, palm trees, bananas growing and boats bobbing on the crystal clear warm blue / green water. There are no dogs here but lots of cats. Bali is Hindu but the people here are Muslim and the call to prayer goes out over a loud speaker. I don`t go as I don`t understand a word.
I miss you all and think of you often. Don`t forget my email address I always enjoy getting news. It had taken an hour to up date this blog and write two emails and now it is so dimly lit in here I can`t see the key board.
More later. I will be gone four days on the boat and then back to Bali, I might fly or take the ferry and bus and that will take over 24 hours.
Look after each other.
Love Eff
First the bad news and if it, is ok with you, I will imagine us out on the sundeck, me with a Guinness and you with your favourite tipple. I will miss the high temperatures , palm and bananas and mango trees, but better than that I will be sitting across from a smiling familiar face.
The infection is back in my foot and ankle and I have been in hospital for five days. It is not getting better and the insurance company is looking for a business class flight to get me to Singapore asap. I have spoken to Great West life insurance agents and they keep me informed. Fingers crossed I will be out of here soon.
Life is a roller coaster, you get on and at at some unknown date you get off, everything in between is about attitude. Balinese people believe that when a family memeber or friend is in the hospital, they require constant company.. People come in groups of up to six with bags of food and religious offerings. The husbands sleep on the floor or in the bed and stay until the wife is released. Older family members take care of the children.
I am a curiosity, the only white face in the place and people ask "when is your husband coming?" Easy question to answer, I just say I am travelling alone and they look at me in amazement. They can"t comprehend that I wil have no visitors. They bring me food and help when they can.
Most Balines are Hindus but a family of Muslims have moved in to the bed next to mine , complete with prayer mat. The room has four beds with a lu and shower in between. Each pair of beds has a tv and they are constantly on, plahying Indonesian soap operas, ameateur street concerts, re runs of US movies or English football games.
More later I have just had a call to give me 5 hours notice for myy flight for Singapore. The hospital had 17 hours notice and did not mention it.
The best laid plans of mice, men and travelling ladies, do not always go smoothly.
I was in a hospital in Bali getting steadily worse. I was sleep deprived, not in a particularly hygenic situatiion, longed for a hot meal and feeling very islolated. The good news is that I am much better now andn improving every day.
Armed picked me up from the airport. he was carrying a laminated sheet of A 4 with my name on. I did a double take as he looked so much like Alan`s dad, I thought I must be hallucinating. That is a possibility, the last 50 minutes of the flight was horrendous. I thought my leg was going to explode alike a tomatoe dropped in hot water. Armed picked me up in a black shiny Mecedes and thoughtfully brought along two cusions with silk covers. I put tissues under one before I put me leg on it.
IThe paper work was done and I was shipped to Gleneagels hbospital in an ambulacne. The stretcheer bed turned into a chair and then back into a bed, it was like something from start trek. I was put straight into quarantine for 3 nights and 4 days. Quite the contrast from pleasing myself and I had to adjust my attitude. yet again.
I am waiting for the insurance commpany to book me a flight. Prices do vary and I am glad I have insurance. Cattle class Singapore to Van. one way $1.089 Business class $6.000. Quantaqs acctually show the cost as $16,000. Wow.
I did love the service, it was such a contrast to be in a Bali hospital room at one pm and on a flight to Singapore a few hours later. The food was great, it was hot and the stewardess found me a second dinner and just kept bringing the cofeee. I oohed and aaahed at the ice cream, and the fact that the water in the glass was cold. It had been a while since I had tasted cold water .Did you know that npeople who choose to fly in business or first class and not economy, can be trusted with real cutlery. First the steward unfold the table from within your arm rest, and lays a whitel starched linien table cloth, wrapped in a smaller version of the table cloth I found two forks, a teaspoon, desert spoon and two real knifes. I was in the first seat in the cabin and could have practically reached out and stabbed the poor pilot in my crazed state. It is a strange world.
I have reconciled myself with being in Canada so soon and look forward to seeing friends and my boys, but I will be on the road again soon, or in the sky or on a boat.
I hyave missed you all and travelling has given me a reminder of just what we have in BC and how important friends are. I did not and will never forget the value of knowing that people care about you. Those memories get you through the tough times. they sharpen your attitude and make you cling to the arm rests on the roller cloaster.
Isn`t life grand. Eff.
I have my name and identy back thanks to a group of young people I met on a boat and who pulled together to get me through the night and to Bali. Amazing story.
This is a quick up date from an internet cafe. Wifi is hard to come by.
was released from hospital a couple of hours ago and I am booked into a hotel for two nights. I leave Singapore on 19th May at 9.40am and arrive 2.05pm in Vancouver.
The international date line will give me back the day I lost getting here.
Feeling much better, but not up to doing much. I hope the insurance company comes through because otherwise my budget will be good for a trip to Yellowknife. I just keep signing my name and popping the pills.
This is another event in my life I did not plan, but I have had such a lot lof help from strangers amd support from friends, it has all been worth while.
See you soon.
Eff
Michele and Karen were waiting for me at the airport. Such good friends.
I flew from Singapore to Manilla, had a 4 hour stop over and then to Vancouver. I flew business class and my leg did not explode. My grubby battered back pack looked quite out of place but I did enjoy the service. I had two dinners, 4 cups of hot coffee, cool water in a clean glass, ice cream, some fancy starter, all served on a linen taple cloth on my own pull out table, linen napkin and cutlery. I think the airline must believe that businees class people can be trusted not to flip their lid. I had two proper knives and my seat was only feet away from the cockpit. It is definitely the way to travel.
I also had wheelchair assistance and was taken to the front of every long line, no questions asked. Felt like royalty. It certainly was a stark contrast to the hospital stay in Bali. I was in quarantine for four nights in Singaore and one nurse said , "You`re like a caged bird" I did not realise it showed .I am off to England on 13th June, certainly not right yet, but Ooooh so much better.
It has been good to see friends again, I have missed you all, but as I had no plans to return to Canada it has been a surprise that I am here. I really don`t know who is planning my life.
I signed house papers yesterday, at the lawyers, so it was good timing to be here,
Travelling emu, not going far for a for a couple of weeks and then off again.
Leave me a message. It`s always great to see them.
I never did see any darkness despite looking out the window at 2.00am It makes it hard to know when to go to bed.
I asked \kevin if there was anything I could do while he and Kyly were at work and he suggested I start taking down the property fence. That was easy enough and I got to work. It took a few days but between us we bought supplies, dug holes, poured concrete, cut and saved planks, installed cross pieces and painted. We also got garden areas dug over and planted, and the skirting of the trailer stained. Once I asked Kevin if he would bring out my camera from the kitchen and he said "What have you done for me lately, beside 14 hour days?"
On the last night we went out for dinner and then to the Pilot Monument at midnight. It was a great visit and I enjoyed their company. To think I nearly did not go. I would have missed an oppotunity to get to know my new daughter in law. She is delightful, bright, intelligent, easy going and they make a good partnership.
I left Yellowknife on the 12th and spent the night with Michele in Vancouver in a fancy hotel, so that I could get the flight to England the next day. We spent the time drinking, laughing, talking and singing.. It was easier to say goodbye, as Michele said "You're only going to England this time."
Kent is very beautiful with rolling hills, narrow lanes, mature hills, ancient hedges and the new buildings are 200 years old. There are no straight lines and if you don't listen to the news or read a paper, all is well with the world.
Still wondering how I got from Singapore to England in less than a month with a stop in Vancouver and Yellowknife. What's next I wonder. The foot and ankle are very much better and I take Oz's advice and put it up in the evening. It swells less and less each day.
Miss you all. Misplaced Emu. Eff
Well I have been in England now for nearly three weeks and I was lucky enough to be here for summer, it arrived on Thursday at 11am and stayed until 7pm. I put my shorts on some days but don't usually stay in them and my jumper is never far away.
I have been working in Ozzie's garden and they have fired the gardener, there is nothing for him to do. I have also prepared and stained 5 wooden chairs, two tables and a metal lattice bench. It is just like having a home of my own again.
A few days ago I went to Brighton on a red double decker bus. It took one and a half hours each way and cost five pounds. that's about $10. It's a great way to see over hedges, into peoples living rooms and the top of peoples heads. I couldn't belive the number of people on the beach, not many of them wearing swim suits or even shorts. I could have rented a deck chair but didn't. I have been spoiled spending time on beaches in Indonesia, Australia and Fiji. Brighton beach is all stones.
I enjoy walking to the village (two minutes) and buying fresh bread, butter and cheese. The village has a pub, pizza, fish and chips, Indian and Chinese restaurant, produce shop, two small supermarkets, a post office and chairty shop. I was lucky enough to find a pair of brand new slippers and my cold toes were glad.
Oz and I drove to Suffulk, (two hours ) for a bbq with friends and as it was the 4th of July the theme was American. It was strange to see cowboys, indians, sherrifs and cheer leaders in a small village. About 9.30 we walked to the pub across the fields and stayed until gone midnight. The owners don't bother with official closing time. Fine by me they sold Guinness,
Wednesday I am off to Dorset and will be staying with my friend in a stone cottage. I am looking forward to meals as all the vegetables will be from the garden.
England is very beautiful this time of year, but the news is all doom and gloom. The newspapers have been full of details of what MP's have been up to with their expenses and housing allowance. Dog bowls, bunches of flowers, new tv's cuff links etc. have all be charged and many have taken the second house monthly payment and then charge the tax payers for renovations, then sold it and got another one. Some have been collecting payments on houses they don't even live in. It has been an eye opener on what people think they can get a way with and the lack of conscience of some people.
Idiots are shining powerful lazer light at planes in and out of airports. There has been an advisory that children in school swimming lessons should not wear goggles. Charity shops are not allowed to sell knitting needles. The rules and regulations should make you laugh but instead I just shake my head.
Apart from that and the recession, all is well. Look after those you love and enjoy each day.
Miss you. Emu in England.
Dorset is very beautiful and that helps to deal with the average temperature of 16 degrees. I am staying 20 miles away from where I was born. It is a quiet and peaceful life. Every day I have home cooked meals,(no I don't cook) and always with vegetables from the garden. On Sunday Colin is making a roast port dinner and I wil be going to the market to buy a large Bramley apple as I am in charge of apple sauce. Colin and Steve so far have been too polite to mention my cooking. I wonder if Scott and Kevin have been talking to them. We go to the local pub and moan about the tourists. The field near by is a campsite and I don't envy the campers. No trees, no fires and no sunshine.
The other day we went to France for three hours. The ferry was late leaving as the high winds kept it against the dock with very little room to maneuver. Small powerful tugs pulled it away and it went forward under it's own power. I am pleased to say that the four hour journey was uneventful. We went to the local supermarket where Steve and Colin bought wine, liquor, cider and food.. I drooled at the deli department and bought a variety of cheeses.
It's easy to get around on public transport if you have lots of time and I do. It's a glorious Alice in Wonderland life style to decide where I want to go next and how to get there. The roads through towns and villages are higgledy piggely with front doors opening on to the pavement. Traffic is never ending and parking a nightmare. I will have to adjust a phrase I use often, now instead of spending a penny I have to spend twenty to use the toilet.
The current fashion is for 1970 clothes, mini skirts (only on the girls) wedge shoes and clunky jewelery. The young men wear very tight jeans and sport body piercing and tattoos. You don't see many people in shorts not even on the beaches.
I am off to see Alan's family for a few days and will then go to Germany, I am looking forward to seeing Brigitte again and meeting my double Petra. That could be very weird.
I can now add carpet laying to the list of useful things I have done.
All is well. I will let you know the date of the next Mad Hatter's tea party,
Thanks for all the messages. Love and Miss you.
Emu in Europe.
I might not be getting fat, but I am certainly getting lazy. I actually sit in front of the tele at night and knit.
I had a good visit in Norrfolk with what's his names mum, two brothers and his sister. His mum will be 85 tomorrow and has slowed down, but is still living on her own in the family home.. It was good to see them again and to know that all is well.
I have not yet made arrangements to go to Germany to see Brigitte and Petra. We keep missing each other. I will stay in |Egnalnd for another couple of weeks and meet a friend from Australia in London.
II have signed up for a house sitting agency and will keep an eye on the site for jobs that will provide accommodation. I hope to find something in Greece, Italy, France , Spain or Portugal. What a strange life I lead but for now it suits me.
Send me a message. Love Eff
The day I arrived in Tunbridge Wells, England, I went to a BBQ with Ozzie and met her friends Roni and Malcolm. They live in France but were in England to be married on 25th Sept. Ozzie had computer melt down and I used Little Emu to let Roni know she would be at the wedding. A few days later I went to Buckinghamshire and was reminded of how lucky I was all those years ago to be paid to ride horses across the common land, through woods and stubble fields.
My friend Georgie had sent me a Christmas card and letter with her email address just before I left Canada. I I used the computer to email her that I was in the neighbourhood. She phoned that night and I arranged to stay with her a couple of days. She told me about her family and we got caught up on the news. She showed me a wedding invitation from her sister and told me she was in Tunbridge Wells. It was the same invite Ozzie had received and we realised that I knew Georgie's sister Roni. Small world.
I was also lucky enough to catch up with another friend at short notice and we went out for dinner on my last night in Bucks. Thank you Jim.
My life is full of good friends. We might not be in touch on a regular basis, but that does not matter. I just show up and get a warm welcome, a few beers, good conversation, tasty meals, laughter and sometime a few tears. Life is great when you have friends.
Thank you all. It was sad to say good bye but the journey continues. Time to leave England I really enjoyed my stay but now I need to be away from so many memories and reminders that I am now travelling alone., so I booked a coach from London to Frankfurt.
It was an 18 hour journey. I crossed the English Channel into Calais and then into Belgium and on to Germany. The coach made a few stops thank goodness as it did not have a lu on board. I got a Funfare of 33 pounds. $60. Canadian, 42 Euro. I have just got used to sterling and now I have to figure out Euros. A cheap flight would have been over three times the cost, but it was not about saving money but about seeing the landscape and crossing the Channel on a ship. I was disappointed to see how swollen my foot and ankle were when I arrived, but 48 hours later it is ok and I have a matching pair of feet.
Frankfurt station was a bit overwhelming, but helpful staff speak English and I soon had a ticket to Worms. I was amazed at the speed of the train and it wasn't even a fast one. The ticket inspector announced in English just for me "Next stop Worms" Until then all the announcements had been in Greek. or so it seemed.
Brigitte was waiting for me at the train station and we were soon seated at an out door cafe in the town centre square. I have been surprised and delighted by Worms. Many buildings are painted in Mediterranean colours, it has parks, museums and sculptures and a history going back over a thousand years Most windows have wooden or metal roller shutters and when nthe sun is shining and shutters are down, it gives the appearance that no one is home. Gardens are well cultivated and small plots produce flowers, vegetables and fruit., including figs and olives.
Some parts of the ancient city wall have been incorporated into houses, with small roads leading into the town through arches. Eating and drinking outside is a way of life providing a huge choice of bistros. cafes and beer gardens.
I have a bicycle and go exploring every day. You are not required to wear a helmet and that is just fine with me. Some parts of the world have been deprived of common sense and abound with rules about safety. This area was made for bikes, flat with miles of bike routes. I have enjoyed watching the boats on the Rhine River and wonder if I could get a job on a barge. It looks to be a very peaceful way of life and an interesting if slow way to see parts of the world. .
You don't see crowds of people standing outside on street corners, as people here are allowed to smole in the pub.. Imagine. I found the loca pub, l "beir garten" was my first clue and was surprised to learn that even though they had taps they did not serve draft beer. The land lord was weariang a pair of baggy shorts and a white vest. Not exactly dressed to greet the public, but really what does it matter.
I have been toying with the idea of cycling from here to Greece, but bikes are expensive and somehow I will have to cross the Alps. I haven't given up the idea yet. It just requires some more thinking and planning. It also means that I won't be in Greece until November.
So for now here I am Alice in Germany. quite unable to get my tongue around some of the unpronounceable Germany words. It doesn't matter, fresh local produce is availabe with many kinds of cheese, huge pretzels with sea salt and marzipan rabbits. Those I have not tried. When I had a shower I was not sure what I used for soap. It could have been conditioner.
Alan wants to serve me with divorce papers, but as I am of no fixed abode, I am unable to provide him with an address. No doubt he will figure something out.
Look after each other and don't forget you can't buy friends. The friendship vitamin is B 1.
Love Eff \ Liz
The weather has been lovely here and we have been swimming in the lake. Bike paths go through farmers fields and vineyards. Many of the fields are planted with potatoes and onions and they are used in the local Pringle factory. As you ride around you can smell them cooking. I did pick up a couple of onions to enjoy with my bread and cheese.
I haven't bought a bike. Brigitte knew of a web site that linked drivers looking for passengers, so I will be going to Torino from Heidelberg in a car. Autumn is coming and I am heading south. I will be hearing a different language but the money will still be Euros.
There is such a thing as being half deaf. I can hear the words but I have no idea what people are saying. Many German words are similar to the English ones and stand out to my ears.Super duper, tomato, milch for milk and brod for bread. and best of all bier.
I wonder what Bundesverwaltungagerich means. or wirtchaftministerium means.
I will miss the Fish Bake Festival, this weekend with parades and entertainment. I will finish this diary entry when I am next able to go on line.
Ride sharing works very well. Three countries in 8 hours. Brigite took me to Heidelburg and I met Christian. I piled in the back with four strange men and off we went. We drove through southern Germany, across Switzerland and arrived in Turin about 11.00pm. The other three left in Bern and Basel. We drove up the Alps and down again, with breath taking views and winding roads with S bends that hung off the side of the mountains. The road has miles of snow sheds and at the top a choice of using the tunnel, (20 Euros) or the gap road. As it was dark by this time we took the tunnel. We drove through the border crossing without stopping, but there is a random check by Swiss border staff. As you enter Switzerland all the road signs are in German but soon they are in French and that is what the people speak in the area of Montreux (home to the Jazz festival.)
Christian dropped me off at the Turnin Train station about midnight (it took us an hour to find it) and I talked to some taxi drivers and they directed me to a local hotel. It turned out to be 4 star for 50 Eros a night with breakfast. I slept like a log and the next morning I phoned a friends sister and she told me how to get to her small village by train. She picked me up and we went to her friends house for dinner and drinks.
Wow what an amazing place. They are English and bought an old three storey farm house twenty years ago. It is high in the hills, up a windy narrow road, made for horses, not cars. We started eating at 3pm and left about 10pm The food was never ending, fresh figs, cold meats, curry, cuc cus, cheeses, home made bread, salads and more with pork and turkey coooked in banna leaves in a pit underground. When I siad I did not drink wine, I was asked if I would like a Guinness. I thought I had died and arrived in heaven. There was about 10 of us and the conversation was from all over the world. What a day and an introduction to Italy.
I am staying with Danuta and her three children in Pizzazio, a small village one hour by train from Turin. I am unable to up date pictures, but wait until you see where I am. I don''t know where I am going next, but will up date when I can.
For breakfast I had fresh figs and yoghurt, well they were fresh yesterday when I picked them in the garden. No land is wasted here and gardens are full of produce and fruit trees. Peaches are almost over but trees drip with apples and pears. I am surrounded by grape vines and in the distance I can sea the Alps. Warm about 25 every day with a little cloud.
Spell check is in Italian, so igonore speling mistakes. I have learnt a few words and have a good teacher in Sosha, nine year Danuta's daughter. We go bike riding together and find places to get ice creams.
Love to you all.
Where do I start? I have been in incommunicado, for over a week. That's Latin for on a bicycle. I bought one in Ivrea when I was staying with Danuta and her three children. It was a great stay and I was sorry to leave them all. They live in a small village surrounded by grape vines and helped me to learn some Italian. Thank you all.
I now understand the policeman in Hello, Hello, When I ask for cappuccino very hot please, it sounds like vory hat. It is always in a small cup, lots of foam, luke warm and costs between 1 and 4.00 euros.
I have called the bike Sophie and we have done 535 k ms. So far. I loved cycling through Northern Italy, up and down hills, with vineyards, sunflowers and kiwi vines growing all around. At my first stop for coffee, a man invited me to see his organ. Naturally I jumped at the chance and we went to the nearby church. It is a large and beautiful building in a town with a population of only 4,000. What looks like marble and stone carving is in fact plaster work He played three pieces for me , one by Bach and it was quite an honour to share his love of music and the church.
I did take a short cut, on the map and it took me through rice paddies. Me to, I was surprised to find rice growing in Italy., however the path ran out and by the time I found the main road again, I was very lost. I made a few enquirers and ended up at Wilma's bed and breakfast. 30 euros. Thank goodness I had no more miles left. One night I stayed in an expensive hotel, as it was the only one open. I got a double room for 77.50 Euro instead n of 92.50. The receptionist felt sorry for me. 50 Euro = 80 Canadian. and I couldn't pronounce the name of the town. Small pensiones have almost gone by the way side and hotels are bed and breakfast. Perhaps the health and safety people have decided to make new rules and put people out of business.
The scariest thing I have done was to go through dark , 2 km long tunnel.. The footpath would have been very helpful if some idiot had not put in 3' tall metal posts so that he could attach bits of plastic. One wobble and I would have been like the road pizza I keep seeing. On coming traffic sounded and looked like trains heading towards me and I didn't dare think about what was coming up behind me. I just hoped they could see my little red light. Now I understand the saying, it was a relief to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Sardinia and Corsica have no shoulder to the roads and fast large vehicles go flashing past.. I ride on the six inch wide painted white line, trying to avoid the animals with successful suicide tendencies. Cats, rats, hedgehogs, rabbits and a fox. The other thing I seem to attract is rubbish trucks. Wherever I stop for a coffee, they seem to appear to empty the local bins, or they rattle past me, reminding me of the road pizza I have just seen. I think there must be one rubbish truck to every 10 cyclist and as I am a bit of a rarity, they mange to find me when they can't find anyone else. The only thing I over take is stationary vehicles and old men wearing pink shirts, riding ladies bikes with a basket on the front.
Occasionally I am overtaken by another cyclist, so far always a slim young man on a bike with slim wheels, he is dressed in spandex with a pointy hat and tyres in matching black.. They don't even wave in solidarity.
I slogged up some hills and flew down the other side, not caring if I was holding up the traffic. I made it to Savona and stayed one night and caught the ferry to Corsica the next day.
The ferries are like cruise ships. The long distance ones have a fancy restaurant, cafeteria, lounge bar complete with piano player, small casinos, 600 televisions, children's area, rows of cabins and of course out door areas. The first one had a swimming pool and deck chairs. All the staff are in smart uniforms and speak several languages.
On the first one all the bench seats have foam cushions and that's where people sleep. On the third one, you get a cabin or reclining seat. I don't understand the pricing but it is a great way to get around.. Savona to Crosica 8 hours, 44 euros. Corsica to Sardina, 1 hour, 18 euros, third ferry Sardina tol mainland Italy, 8 hours with comfy seat 22 euros. The bike is always tied to the rail and I walk on with the trucks. On the last one they laughed at me when I went through passenger security with the bike. I had to take off the panniers and put them on the security roller along with my back pack and shoulder bag. No problem, No one worried about the penknife, two lighters or large bottle of orange juice, just as long as I wasn't carrying a live pig. Two small bears, but no porkers.
I needed to get out of the sun and rode on gravel for about a km to find shade, when I got going again I had puncture. I couldn't do any repairs, because of course I had no spare or tools. I walked for about 3 km mostly down hill until I found a village. Some one took pity on me and arranged for his friend to take me and the bike to the next town Olbia, 8 kms away. Somehow he got the bike in the back of his small car and his great bulk into the front seat. He took us to a scooter repair shop and soon we were back on the road.
Sardinia and Corsica have no shoulder to the roads and fast large vehicles go flashing past.
When I got off the ship next morning trailing behind the trucks I had to walk again as the front tyre was flat. Happy Birthday. I walked into town and a total stranger, (everybody is) kissed my hand and introduced himself as Mario. What else. I found a bike repair shop, got the tube replaced and bought myself two birthday presents. A spare tube and pump. Mr. Murphy will now ensue that I never get another puncture.. From the port with the unpronounceable name I got the train to Rome, 8 Euros, one hour and twenty minutes later I was in Rome and had avoided a 70 km ride.
I am staying in a YHA hostel, it is close to the Olympic stadium and was s once the athletes accommodation. The traffic is horrendous, the footpaths crowded with most of the people clutching maps,bumping into each other and trying to figure out what they are looking at. Signs would be a good idea, but perhaps they think things are so obvious, they're not necessary.
I am staying at a YHA hostel near the Olympic stadium, I think it was built for athletes back in ancient times when the design was box like and functional. I am sharing a huge room with 10 bunk beds, with two young ladies from Denmark.
Today I am off to explore the ruins of Rome.
The other day I took a photo of a couple and they were from Kent, they used to live in Rusthall, where Ozzie lives.
I miss my friends, soft brown bread and mashed potatoes .
Sorry this blog is a bit dis jointed, it is hard to get on line. The adventure continues, Alice in Italy heading to Greece on a bike.
May the thoughts be with you. Not in any order of importance you are all important.
Happy birthday Brigitte,
Michele, how much singing have you done today?
Karen, how goes the book work?
Kevin and Kyly, are you ready for winter, lots of firewood and new cocktail recipes
Scott, have you bought a head set or applied to immigrate to Australia?
Brigitte M. are you managing to stay warm? Lovely to tq talk to you.
Ken and Luiz, have you decided to move back to the mainland?
Marilyn. Happy Birthdya. Are you back to bungy jumping?
Paul, Peter and Michael, hello, hello, helo. Paul you would have loved the bikes on the ferry
Lyn. Stay well. What's next for you on stage.
John, Hope you are enjoying your travels.
Next time I am on line. I will tell you about Rome, lots of crumbling buildings, art, statues and fountains. Pizza on every corner and olives with everything..
The good news is that the Greeks speak English and it will stop raining.
What a blur and how fast things change. I got the train from Rome to Naples and headed towards a hostel. On the way I found the port and discovered that a ferry was going to Sicily in two hours, so I bought a ticket and left Naples, I shared a cabin with a young Japanese woman and we both slept well.
We arrived in Palermo about 7 am and I went exploring. More narrow roads, busy streets and buildings that need a good wash. I was looking for central station and was given ten different directions, including Sicily has no trains, you can't get there from here and you can't miss it. When I hear those famous last words, I hold my palm to my face and get a smile and Si, si. and loose all hope of finding what I am looking for.
My apologies if the blog is a bitty, but I really don't knolw when I will be on line and life chages from one hour to the next.
I cycled the coast road and was glad they there were wider than on Corsica or Sardinia. Death by being squashed between a cliff face and truck is not very appealing. I did get caught in the rain, stopped for a coffee and kept going to Cefalu. A picturesque coastal town. Mind you by the time I arrived I had cycled 80 kms and was in need of a room. I found a hotel and was surprised that the receptionist could not make the decision to have my bike brought in for free or charge me 7 euro to put it in the garage as a car. Hotels are twice the price of bed and breakfast and much more impersonal. I got the smallest room ever and for breakfast coffee from a machine and and an assortment of pastries. As the weather had turned wet I decided to get a train to Messina and a ferry to the mainland. It was difficult to get a ticket because I had no idea where the ferry was going and ended up pointing out Itlay on a YHA map. I am never lost as I don't know where I should be or often where I am going.
A young man of about 25 sat and talked to me and when I said I was travelling solo he invited me to share his cabin. I settled for a cup of coffee instead. Even if I had known how to say in Italian, “I am old enough to be your grandmother” I would not have done so.
I had not been in town long when I saw the architect that designed all the ugly blocks of flats on the hill sides. He was easy to spot as he had his guide dog with him. As I was riding by them I decided then, they were designed by someone with no vision and I was right.
Some drivers slow down as they approach me from behind and then keep going when they see the old face and glasses. I must be quite a disappointment. Many just give me a friendly toot. So far I have done 750 kms on the bike and many more on boats and trains. Unless I stay in a place twice I have no idea where I will sleep that night. I know that would not suit some people, but I like the mystery and so far it has always worked out. I have not had to sleep under a bridge or on the beach.
Lovely ride through dark streets to get to the station on time. I managed to get some help to get the bike up the steps already a foot or more above the platform and get it propped again the wall. I was feeling quite pleased with myself and was surprised by the uniformed ticket man who was appalled to see a bike on his lovely Euro Star train and he told me it was impossible. However, there I was and with a ticket, so he had to let us stay. He went off tutting in Italian. I spent the whole day crossing from te tow ot Italy to the heel. I had five changes and arrived in Brindis. As before I was going to find a hotel and instead ended up at the port. Where and when is the next ferry going? I asked. The nice Greek man spoke English and booked me on a ferry going to Patros, leaving in an hour. I had to look at a brochure to find out where Patros was, I only knew it was in Greece somewhere, It turns out to be a16 hour trip.
I don't know how people with wheelchairs and prams get around. If you find a lift it doesn't work. I have dragged the bike yup many a set of steep steps, while men stand around at the top and watch me. I had what I thought was a brilliant idea that turned out to be very stupid. I decided to use the esculator. Big mistake, the bike fell over and I was under it. I did mangage to get ujp right and get the bike off and standing at the top. It was a about 10 minutes before I could stand oln the left leg and I sat there on the station platform cleaing up cuts and abrastions with TCP I ignored the bruises I ncould feel on my thigh and calf. I do have a swollen foot and ankle this morning, but I am used to that. From now on if I have to make a decison I will ask myself is this as stuipid as taking a bike on the esculator. If the answer is Yes, I won't do it.
I am on the Iowian Queen as I write this in word, ready to post on the blog whenever I next go on line. Wi fi and internet cafes have been non existent so far. I hope it will be available in Greece.
I have seen some very beautiful country side, olives groves, vineyards and rocky beaches, some very ugly towns, met some lovely people and been told off by some gruff Italians. I have met some lovely people and struggled with languages. but it is all part of the weird and wonderful life I am leading
I will let the photos speak for them selves.
I miss you all. Don't forget me. I think of you often. Emu in Greece on a bicyle. What and where next.
If that got your attention you will have to read on, but be prepared to be very disappointed.
I stayed in the most awful hostel for two nights with a crazy lady for company, no kitchen or common area. If I had them with me I would have worn my wellies in the shower. It had once been a lovely building but wear and tear was all to evident. I think perhaps it is a refuge for i llegal immigrants from Senegal. Two young ladies from |Quebec, arrived after I had gone to bed and like me the next morning, they were out of there very quickly.
From Patra I could have ridden for 274 kms to Athens, but decided to go by train, just getting out of a city can be one long battle with traffic and not very interesting. I could go on the 10 am train but not my bike, something about a new track. Made no sense to me, but I was in Greece, he suggested I go by coach. Great. To my surprise the coach driver agreed to take the bike and two and a half hours later I was in Athens. Well I thought I was. No information was available at all and the most recent road sign told me that Athens was 20 kms away, so where the heck was I was the question of the day. The coach station was huge and when I finally decided I could not just sit there in shock any longer I put my nose and front wheel out the door and whoosh, 6 lanes of very fast moving traffic. I went back in and bought a map for 6.50 euro, so called tourist map, but as I was not a Greek tourist, it did not make much sense to me. I ended up on the fast road and had a few heart attacks and decided to buy more rosary beads, you can never have too many.
For once I had done some research and found that Athens had several YHA hostels in the city. I had taken down the street names and was all prepared to check in soon after I arrived. Ha, Mr. Murphy might not show up with a puncture, but he presented me with a different problem. When you go on line in English, , they use the English alphabet for street names, these words did not exist on my Greek map, I could just see strange symbols, the letter M sideways, upside down V, an oval with a horizontal line through the middle and an upside down U with feet, to name just a few. I eventually gave up and booked into a small hotel for 30 euro, no breakfast or restaurant but clean and spacious and in the city centre.
Quick shower and off to explore Athens. It must have been lovely once when the Romans were here and before the word development was ever in the dictionary, but now it is a huge cluttered city with traffic. You can't say the traffic is non stop because it often comes to a halt and everyone leans on the horn. Most junctions have policemen on point duty, waving their arms, blowing a whistle and probably hoping at least some of the drivers will notice them. It is very entertaining to watch. I soon learned how to cross the road, you just step off and go. The secret is to not hesitate, somehow the buses, cars, and a hundred scooters and motor bikes. flow around you,. I have seen people lift up police tape and just drive up the street that has been cordoned off. Parking is not a problem, you just stop, turn off the engine and leave it, no matter that you are at a junction, on the path, a zebra crossing or beside a vehicle parked by the curb. I have actually stood at a curb waiting for the traffic to move and realised they are parked. Some do give you an indication and put on warning lights. I thought they just could not decided if they were turning right or left. I think things must be a little more crazy than usual as Greece has general elections on Sunday. Until I knew that I thought the prime minister was following me about..
I have finally replaced my Fiji flip flops with a pair of leather Italian thong sandals with bling. I also bought a gold lamae pair for evening wear. Italy is certainly the place to go shopping, very stylish and boutique shops everywhere, very few department stores. I see beautiful things and think of friends, who would really know just what do do with them.
So far I have not seen the same choice of style in Greece. I have come a cross one mall, but the idea does not seem to have taken off. The large electronic shop, did not carry batteries, half the shelves were empty and the numerous information/ help desks were deserted islands. I gave up and left, sans batteries for the camera.
Island hopping is not as easy as it sounds. There are at least a dozen ferry companies and over 700 island, some are just giant rocks.. Each travel agent deals with just a few companies and tourist offices do not exist, so information is very hit and miss. So if you don't hear from me for a while I am on some island with no internet connection and waiting for a ferry. After Sept. service is reduced and some islands get no service at all.
Two nights with a Greek sailor. (Scott, Kevin and Kyly it's ok to read the next paragraph.)
For all my friends who hope I will meet a nice man or a loyal dog, well I did.
I did get a ticket to the island of Paros, or at least I thought I did, but in fact it was for Porus and I missed the ferry altogether. In the mean time I was waiting at the boarding area and a man came and talked to me for about half an hour. He told me his name was Pavlos (Paul) and he was 56 with a 21 year old son and divorced long a go. He's a boson on a catamaran ferry and suggested as I had missed the ferry I could stay with him and we could have dinner together and he would teach me Greek dancing. That was the deciding factor. Imagine me dancing like Zorba the Greek.
I arranged to go back to the dock at 5.00pm when he finished his shift. I followed him on his scooter to he nearby apartment and parked the bike. I met his dog and decided that he must be ok. He had rescued the dog from the street and had stuffed animals on the couch. He did make mean l offer, but I insisted on the spare room and that is where I stayed for two nights. We had a nice meal together and he gave me a tour of the town on his scooter. I was wearing my flowing dress and hoping not to imitate Isadora Duncan. He had been to Canada several times on ships., speaks good English with a Greek accent and is a genuine human being, who wanted me to see a bit more of Pireau than the port area. He even went to the supermarket and bought me yogurt and honey so that I could have a good breakfast. It was nice to have a night out and company. So not very sordid but that is my story of two nights with a Greek Sailor.
I am on the right ferry now and hope to land on a brochure picture of a Greek Island. I watched a lady walking on a wet deck, holding up her pedal pushes, This ferry is packed and I might have to cycle out of town for some peace and quiet. I also hope to find a clean town, I am amazed at how much rubbish is just thrown down with no thought as to who will eventually pick it up. Cups, water bottles, plastic cups, lids, straws and plastic bags are the main source of the rubbish. Women carry very fancy handbags that could hold a weeks shopping, but I have seen very few cloth shooing bags. Recycle bins are parked outside of the town and people drive to add their rubbish to the pile.
I have been gone so long I have had to cut my fringe again with nail scissors.
I am glad to say that the swelling was from a twisted ankle, not nfection and now my feet and ankles are a mathcing pair.
If I had not inherited from Kevin a determined (stubborn) streak, by now I might have folded up my camel, packed up my tent and gone on a cruise.
Perhaps there is going to be a purpose to this journey, I hope so, it does seem rather selfish when I see people around me that have so little and no future. All around me people are working and just getting through the day, iI kow that I am not in touch with reality and I am lucky to be able to see the sights and travel. Every cloud has a silver lining.
I think of you all often and miss the laughs, the parties and good company.
Thank you so much for the messages. I love getting them and now that I am on line for a few days, I will reply.
Oct. 12th Paros and Santorini
I know this is long, but it is not esay to get on line to update it properly and a lolt happens in a week. I am also working on a very small computer and sometimes in poor light. By the time I gdt it updated it is history, I write if off line and then post it whenever I can. Thanks folr reading and keeping in touch. It makes me feel less like an alien.
Passengers are met at the ferry by hotel owners and I spoke with a man who showed me a brochure of his hotel and told me it was close by, with a pool and internet. He put my saddle bags in his van and I rode off to find the hotel. It was lovely, whitewashed, clean and 100 steps from the beach. I was soon unpacked and enjoyed the novelty of actually hanging things in a cupboard and putting underwear and tops in a draw. I had planned on staying a few days, as I hoped Leanne would join me. We had met in Rome and kept in touch, she was tired of travelling alone and ready to stay on a Greek island.
Beside the pool was a pomegranate, orange and lemon tree., breakfast was served from 8.00 to 10.30 and I had internet in my room, could walk to local shops and restaurants, definitely I was staying. The island was not mountainous, so I could explore every day. Some hotels and restaurants were shutting up shop for the winter, but it was still a busy village with alleyways to wander in. I tested the sand and found it just right for laying on under a blue sky. I swam every day and once went snorkeling . was lucky enough to watch an octopus moving from one rock to another. I was the only one swimming and one of five on the beach. The off season suits me just fine.
I stayed 4 nights, then off to Santorini on yet another ferry. Katy if you are reading this, were your ears burning about a week ago? When the ferry pulled into the harbour, I was shocked, why had no one mentioned the road and how the heck was I going to get my bike up the side of a volcano on a very steep windy road. I had my socks knocked off and my breath taken away, no state to arrive in with a bike and nothing arranged. I toyed with the idea of just staying on the ferry , where ever it stopped next had to be easier than this road. It was then I remembered I was on an adventure, so I took a breath, put my socks back on and wheeled off the car deck. Oh joy, buses, people with mini vans and hotel signs. I arranged to stay at the Hotel Agapi, wherever that was, put my bike in the van and felt oh so relieved. The hotel turned out to be 2kms out of town , 100 yards from the supermarket that sold Greek beer stacked on shelves beside the 7 up, tins of instant coffee, milk and yoghurt. My room turned out to be a suite, with kitchen, hotplate, dishes and pans. The bears had a bed to themselves, until Leanne joined me. The tariff rates were displayed on the door, 45 euors in the current low season. At the port the lady had offered me rates of 20 a night. I could save nearly that much a day, not having to buy coffee.
The island of Santolrin is what is left from a volcano eruptions in the 16th century with smaller islands near by. It is long and narrow with most of the population on the crater rim. The eastern side is flat, open and dry leading to the beaches with black or red sand. One day four cruise ships were anchored near the old port, originating in Athens with passengers from Italy and the states. Some only come ashore for three hours. They can choose to walk up the nearly 600 steps, ride a mule to the top or wait ages for the cable car. The mules run free down the steps with the owner on a small donkey yelling who knows what. At the bottom they are maneuvered into place for tourists to use the mounting block. It is quite a sight and I was pleased to see that all the animals were in good shape, well fed, no sores or split hooves. They certainly earned their dinner. I chose to walk both directions Twice I had to sit on the wall with my feet turned sideways to avoid the mules trampling them..
Other days I cycled to small villages., not staying long if they were busy with tourists. The streets are lined with gum trees, whitewashed on the trunk to a height of about 6' They must be painted regularly as gums shed their bark For the first time I saw cave houses. In this landscape homes are just a few days of digging away. Most buildings are white with blue trim, all with flat or rounded roofs. attached to each other and accessed by narrow cobble lanes.
One day I got talking to Rebeca from London and we met the next evening for dinner. She chose a place recommended in Lonely Planet guide book, looking over to the islands and a glorious sunset.
We tried the local dishes of Santorini, fava beans, tomato balls, cabbage salad and cheese pie. All went down well but high priced because of the location Like the airline industry, travelling solo has its ups and downs and it was nice to have company for the evening and no language barrier. She dropped a book off at the local supermarket for me, all part of the service of the owner. I visited him most days and he would not let me buy cheese until I tasted it and would offer thin slices on the end of a sharp knife. He would not sell me the brown roll I wanted, he said it was not fresh and cut a loaf in half for me then sliced it. His shop is called Self Serve Supermarket, this is because he tends to go off to visit friends and customers either wait for him to return or serve themselves.
Tonight I am booked on to the ferry to Rhodes at 20 past midnight. This ferry was not confirmed until 8.00pm. Half hour after it left Athens. Other ferries were canceled today because of high winds. It could be quite a trip. A very strong wind was blowing from the west, rocking the cruise ships and rattling anything loose on the decks of restaurants. Anything not well secured was likely to get moved and that included me. On the ride back gusts of wind pushed me and the bike 5 feet sideways. It has not rained and everything is covered in a coat of gritty grey dust. There is no top soil only volcanic ash and pumice. It is amazing that anything grows, but people have small gardens, olives and tomatoes grow everywhere and are never watered. Many plants are in pots, my favourite are the large Greek clay urns, once used for olive oil.
I am now on Rodos Island (Rhodes) but I leave today for I can't remember where. I actually have a plan. I will be island hopping north, despite the weather and hope to find my way to Istanbul. I will give away my bike, (with regret) and fly to England for a few days then to Australia. But as John Stienbeck wrote “The best laid plans of Mice and Men don't always work out” or something like that.
Internet cafes do exist but they are few and far between. Some restaurants offer free wi fi but the signal is so low you can't connect, I mention this to explain long replies to emails and not being able to update the blog.
The map is not complete as it can't find some of the islands I have visited and the dates are not accurate. I had to get the map out to see where I had been and how I got here.
When I have not been on line for over a week I look forward to reading the messages and emails. Thank you for writing. I really do appreciate it. I do sometimes feel like an alien and contact with family and friends means a lot. The world continues to spin and all around me people are working to enable me to travel, eat, sleep and see the sites. I am completely out of touch with what is happening in the world, no tv, radio or newspaper news., unless I learn to read Greek. So again thank you all. I am going to some very small islands, they might not even have power let alone wi fi, so bye for now. I will log on when I can.
It seems like ages ago since I updated the blog properly. nearly two weeks. How time flies.
The island of Rhodes was full of history, a walled city with ancient churches, alleyways, a dry moat and lots to see. I island hopped north on ferries that are a lot quieter now than in Sept. Many schedules are reduced or even eliminated. In the summer one ferry I was on carries 1500 passengers a day and 500 cars, now it has 50 cars and 300 passengers.
I arrived on the island of Samos and found a nice hotel one minute walk from the port.. I was glad of that because I had arrived with a flat front tyre.. I stayed three days and could lay in bed watching the ferries arrive and small fishing boats going out at night.
I bought a ticket for the next island and the young man casually asked if I knew it did not leave from this port, but the other side of the island. Thank goodness he mentioned it. I cycled the 15 kms to the other side up a steep hill and whooshed down the other side. The hotel I found was at the top of some very steep steps and I went exploring on foot. The day I did ride on the coast road, I got yet another puncture and had to walk back 7kms I don't mind walking up hill, but down is very frustrating. Each island is different, but they all have hills and are dry I never did find the beautiful beaches mentioned in the brochures.
I left Samos on a small passenger only ferry. I had a voucher from a local travel agent and was waiting around with other people when we discovered that we all had different leaving times. I was told 5.00 another 4.00 and a third 4.30. My watch said 10 past five, so I said we were all wrong. I was then told that the clocks went back last night, most of us did not know that. We had our passports looked at by some very casual customs staff, not in uniform. No one looked at luggage. When I wheeled the bike to the boat., a policeman and a soldier approached and asked if I had been checked by customs for my saddle bags. I hadn't. So I went back the 50 yards to the office with them and they called out a lady and left me to it. She said Is that all the luggage you have?” I said “Yes” and she said “Off you go.”
Certainly not as complicated as arriving in another country by plane. It was the same when I arrived in Turkey. no one checked luggage and I just wheeled the bike through. No security at all. Very refreshing. It was only an hour and a half to the port of Kusadisi. We were late getting in because we had to wait for a cruise ship to pull out and we docked between two others, feeling very small.
I went on a tour of Ephesus, Virgin Mary's house, a temple and carpet co op. It was all very interesting and the guide was passionate about the history and culture of Turkey.
Today I parted with Sofia, the bike and felt quite sad. I have ridden 1400 kms and now will go by coach or plane. It was quite the adventure and soon I will forget that I got six flats, five punctures and one leaky valve.
I had breakfast with three young women from Vancouver who were here for three weeks and had brought their bikes with them. What is the chance of us all meeting for just one day. We all agreed that it was great to have a conversation in English and to really understand each others lifestyle. We swapped some funny stories. I gave one a book I had read and one gave me conditioner they were going to leave behind anyway. Who knows who I will meet in the next place.
Again, thank you all for the messages, I really appreciate them and think of them as a hug, something I do miss. Miss you all.
first imressions was that I am going to like it here ad 24 hours later that still holds. Nice people, friendly and welcoming, good English and lots to see. I am in a hotel 1,500 yards from the port and if I was a shopper I would be in 7th heaven. Instead I enjoy the things I sed becasue they remind me of friends who would really knolw how to put them to good use..
Before Wi fi drolps out, I will load a couplle photos. Bye for now. Please keep the messages and emajils cominng, they mean a lolt to me. Love Eff
Istanbul 1st November
I wonder where I got my information to be concerned about travelling in Turkey. It is a big country with a huge range of scenery, lots to see and easy to get around. I left my bike in Kusidasi and travelled by coach to some extraordinary places, I did not know existed. My geography has certainly improved, now if only I could pick up the languages.
I went on the bus to Ankara and thought I would stay a couple of days, but instead got an overnight sleeper to Istanbul. What a great way to travel. I had the sleeper to myself, staff brought me a pillow, sheets and blankets The train left at 10.00pm and arrived at 8.00am next day. 35 Turkish lire about 25 Canadian dollars. Night travel means you don't get to see the scenery, but that day I had crossed a vast plain, yellow with stubble that looked like the prairies and an inland salt lake. so I had an idea of what I was missing.
In Ankara I got talking to Steve from Vancouver and we ended up having dinner together and passing a few hours wandering in Ankara. He bought an umbrella and I bought a pair of jeans and left the shop wearing them. Too cold for shorts and too many looks from people who were huddled in warm clothes.
Istanbul is a huge city and it has a mosque on every corner and more minarets than telephone poles. There is a good transit system, ferries, trains, trams and buses. If you walk across the bridge near by you go from Europe to Asia but nothing changes, it's all still Istanbul. Street vendors sell hot chestnuts, corn on the cob, pretzels (I bought one for you Brigitte), mussels and candy floss.
On the dock four ornate open boats are tied up, small tables and stools are set up next to them and hundreds of fish sandwiches are sold daily. The fish is cooked on the boats and caught by local fishermen.
The population is 97% Muslim but people are tolerant of visitors, friendly and helpful. Many speak enough English for me to get by. I need not have been worried about being in Turkey. The Turkish men have only two goals in life and I am not sure which comes first. They are charming and want to give you sex to that you will feel good and sell you a carpet. They chat you up , give you apple tea tell you why you should sleep with them and how many knots per inch in the carpets. The owner of the hostel gave me a red rose. The next night we went out for dinner and he told me that he could not find another rosebut would give me his heart. At 61 it has been a novel experience to be told I am beautiful and sexy. ( I just might go back (for a carpet).
I teamed up with Jan from Newcastle England for a couple of days and we had lots of laughs, dinner together and explored the huge market area. The building used to be where the traders on the silk road brought in the goods and camels. Now it is just shops selling “stuff” to the tourists. If I had been a shopper I could have bought some very beautiful scarves, cushion covers and jewelery. Jan and I each bought a hand knitted leather cardigan.
Back in England
I left in July and it is hard to believe I am back in England. I will be here long enough to get my washing done, sort out some paper work and book a ticket to Australia.
I flew from Istanbul to Amsterdam where I thought I would stay a few days and from there figure out how to get to England. Instead I found a flight to Heathrow airport. You hear a lot about low cost airlines and ridiculous fares but so far I have not been able to find any that work for me. If you book a long way ahead it helps, but that is not something I want to do.
I paid 150 euros Istanbul to Amsterdam and 166 euros Amsterdam to London, This is certainly the most expensive flight I have ever been on 166 for 55 minutes. Easy Jet, West Jet equivalent wanted 270. 5 euros equals 8 Canadian dollars. Ah well I am here now as Michele says on Good British soil with a good friend. No more worry about white slave traders.
This time last year I was in Australia with Scott and excited about Kevin and Kyly's wedding. How time flies. One day I might work out how many miles I have travelled in the past 18 months May be not, I won't believe the number.
I now have my birthday book and will be sending cards. It is a promise I made to myself when so many people came to celebrate with me at the two parties last year.
Thanks for the messages and emails. They make my day.
Thinking of you all and miss you.
I left in July and it is hard to believe I am back in England. I will be here long enough to get my washing done, sort out some paper work and book a ticket to Australia. I flew from Istanbul to Amsterdam where I thought I would stay a few days and from there figure out how to get to England. Instead I found a flight to Heathrow airport. You hear a lot about low cost airlines and ridiculous fares but so far I have not been able to find any that work for me. If you book a long way ahead it helps, but that is not something I want to do.
I paid 150 euros Istanbul to Amsterdam and 166 euros Amsterdam to London, This is certainly the most expensive flight I have ever been on 166 for 55 minutes. Easy Jet, West Jet equivalent wanted 270. 5 euros equals 8 Canadian dollars. Ah well I am here now as Michele says on Good British soil with a good friend. No more worry about white slave traders. Oz didn't bat an eyelid when I called from Heathrow and was there to get me when I got off the bus at Gatwick.
This time last year I was just back from Australia with Scott and excited about Kevin and Kyly's wedding. How time flies. One day I might work out how many miles I have travelled in the past 18 months May be not, I won't believe the number.
I now have my birthday book and will be sending cards. It is a promise I made to myself when so many people came to celebrate with me at the two parties last year.
England: Two days and it is still raining, probably the same in Vancouver. but I have an escape plan. I have finally got round to getting a round the world ticket. It doesn't really suit my style of travel, but should save me some money and be a sort of plan, Certainly more than anything so far, no doubt it will change.
I was looking into getting a flight from London to Australia and all routes offered were east to west. In one of my blonde moments I wondered why I could not go west to east and have a stop over in Vancouver instead of the middle east or Asia. No reason at all but unless you asked, it was not offered. So that is what I am doing. I will be able to catch up with friends and family, (no not you K & K) sign some papers, arrange a few things with the bank and get my driving licence renewed. All useful stuff.
I will only be in England for a few days then to Australia via Vancouver for a few days.
From Australia I will pick up where I left off before I ended up in hospitals.
Home Alone: End of November.
It all worked out and here I am in Australia. It was so lovely to see friends and Scott in Vancouver even for such a short visit. Michele really looked after me as always and I got to see my other family, Rich, Adam, Jodie, Jacqueline, Greg and little treasure Gabriel.
I was in time to be part of Brigitte's team making a film. She referred to me as the international star and then had me put a box on my head and dance around holding the microphone boom. The box was not personal, everyone else wore one and joined me in the dance. The things you do for friends.
I managed to stay warm wearing jeans and knock off UGG boots I had bought in Turkey and borrowed clothes but I have no need of any of them now. It was an uneventful Qantas flight LA to Brisbane, always good news, with an empty seat beside me. I flew Alaska Air, Vancouver to LA. and was reminded of the poor reputation of LA airport. We landed early and were parked away from the main terminal, eventually put on a bus and driven around for half an hour. A short grumpy woman met us and we lined up on the stairs outside about 9.00pm while she separated passengers depending on which Australian city they were going to. Those of us left were put on another bus and driven around for another 25 minutes. It made no sense to us fare paying passengers, we just obeyed. Good Old US welcome.
From Brisbane airport I was able to get a bus to Hervey Bay, leaving at 10.40am and arriving at 5.30pm where Bob and Kath picked me up. The following morning I took them to the local airport on the first leg of a long journey that will take them to Beunos Aires to begin a cruise calling at the Falkland Islands, round the tip of South America and north up the coast of Chili.
I am home alone , enjoying the luxury of playing music and singing along, leaving my things laying around, and cooling off in the pool. It 's nearly mid summer here, clouds gather in the sky but it doesn't rain. A constant light breeze and some cloud means that 30 is comfortable. Someone has to do it, might as well be a sun bunny like me. In this climate it is a bit mind boggling to hear Christmas carols and see Santa Claus in the mall. He wears the full outfit but I bet he would rather be in shorts and sandals without the bushy beard.
All is well. Send me messages and emails. Miss you all.
The flying Emu
It took me about 8 days to realize that I was home alone. I have been playing c.d.'s that I got from the library. I sing and dance to the words of John Williamson and truly understand his love of Australia. I did the same thing in Canada, but here under the blue skies, with a light breeze whispering through the gum trees, with parrots and cockatoos, squawking and the kookaburras laughing, the words really hit home.
The first night alone I had to deal with two large black spiders, I think I heard them before I saw them. One went across the wood floor in front of the chair I was sitting in. Ugh, panic, but that did not fix the problem and I had no one to turn to for help, I took a big breath and went to the kitchen for a large glass. I dropped it over the spider, slid it towards the patio door and encouraged it out with a broom. By the time the second one showed up, I did not bat an eyelid, just repeated the process and hoped they found each other. Perhaps my fear of spiders has gone, it certainly has retreated.
I have slept under the stars, it is just too stunning to go inside the house. The nights are warm and I just have a sheet over me. I hope the neighbours can't see me, not that it matters if they do. There are much worse things to see, as I go swimming in my birthday suit every night before I go to bed.
The days are getting longer, I get up about 4.30am and it is light, sunny and cool I listen to the birds, but it can hardly be called a dawn chorus. There is a wandering peacock with a mournful cry, because he has lived alone for years. Most birds don't sing, they squeak, squawk, screech, chatter, whistle and then there are the kookaburras, they just sit in the gum trees and laugh to celebrate another day.
The ocean is a 15 minute walk from here, but it is mud and mangroves. The beach in Hervey Bay, 15 kms away is glorious, aquamarine with golden sands. I do have a car, a big diesel land cruiser with a snorkel, but with the pool, I have no reason to go to the beach. I just stay home and please myself, only going to town when I need supplies. Breakfast is always the same thing, good yoghurt with fresh local fruit, usually pineapple, melon and mango. Soon I will be eating passion fruit from the garden.
As the sun sinks about 7pm I sit on the deck with a 4X beer, listen tlo the birds and appreciate how lucky I am.
It feels like home, because I have been sewing, quilting, mowing the lawn, trimming edges,watering the plants and washing up. Soon I will have to run the mop over the wood floors, a quick swoosh and they will be all done. This is a very easy house to live in does feel like home.
It rained for a few hours last week and I could hear the land sigh with relief. It hadn't rained for 13 weeks, but native plants are used to that and still looked green, despite the soil being so dry. I did have to get the ladder out and go on top of the water tank to clear leaves from the filter. I was already wearing my bikini and laughed at the way I must look, on top of the tank in the pouring rain. There was no one to tell me to come in or that I would catch a cold, as it was about 26 degrees. It was as if I was a child again. Lovely feeling. Two days later the lawn was green. There is no mains water supply, it all water used comes from rain collected in three large tanks.
The only time I get dressed is when I go to town or a neighbour pops over, then I only put on a t shirt. I don't miss the cold weather. So as you can tell, all is well.
Little emu, my computer thinks it is still in Canada and when I log on, I get pictures of snow, ice, hockey and Christmas. I wonder if I have left the planet. I don't watch tele or listen to the radio and in this climate, it is hard to imagine Christmas. I will have no tree, decorations, cards, Christmas pudding or snow, but I will miss my friends and family. It will be the first Christmas ever I have spent alone.
The past two Christmases I have been with my mother, so it could be a sad and emotional time for me. I will really appreciate emails and messages. If you don't ask, you don't get, so I am asking. I will have a beer and celebrate my friends and family in their absence.
Thanks for the messages, those already received and those to come. You're the Best.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. I will be thinking of you and will raise a toast to family and good friends. On January 7th I will have been on the road for a year. It has been quite an adventure and the journey continues. Alice on a roller coaster, that's me, but the ups have far out weighed the downs. Messages, phone calls and email have kept me in touch and are truly appreciated. Thank you so much.
The following content has nothing to do with travel, just my reflections on my short stay in Queensland.
Gardening is very different here from Canada or England. The lawn is very course grass that travels along the ground and if not handled right it can cut your hands. Everywhere you look you will see ants.. Good job they are small, otherwise we would be up to our armpits.
There are no pennies here, bills are rounded up or down to the nearest 5 cents.
People wear Santa hats with shorts and sandals, sometimes a shirt.
Flyers show advertising with Christmas snow scenes.
Christmas dinner is a roast complete with Christmas pudding, on the beach or in the back garden.
Christmas comes in the middle of summer, so things can be very busy because people are taking their summer holidays and going home for Christmas.
Australia is so large and with such a diverse climate just about every type of fruit and vegetable grows here. Why do they import oranges from Florida? At the market growers bring in trailer loads of pumpkins and melons.
Some times the frogs are so loud you have to turn up the music.
This property has bore water and it is used to water the garden. It has a high iron content and stains the bark of the gum trees from a lovely silver grey to almost black. The bark from gum trees is constantly peeling and soon many are back to their regular colour. There are over 700 types of Eucalyptus tree.
Toilet seats are never cold, nor are the tiles in the shower.
Clouds are welcome but they often don't bring rain.
People will eat anything. On a local sandwich board I saw the following sign. Parrot and chips. I do hope they remove the feathers.
There are not many stop signs here. You actually yield into traffic doing 80kms.
Today I made a cake. One kilo of dried fruit, 600ml of liquid, (beer, 7 up, cold coffee, chocolate milk whatever you decide) and two cups of flour, bake in moderate oven for as long as it takes. Mine was in for half hour and was just fine.
If you want to admire the sights, I can recommend building sites and road construction. The men are young, fit and they all wear shorts, with tanned legs, boots and dark socks. (safety factor) short sleeve shirts and Aussie hats. It is a pleasure being held up by road construction.
A beer fridge is a beverage centre.
Skype is great technology. Kevin phoned me the other day and five minutes later Scott called. We had a “conference call”. For an hour and a half the three of us chatted and laughed as if we were all together. Made my day. I do love my boys.
Must have time on my hands I want to know the answer to the following questions.
Why is my body older than my mind?
I am home alone, so who is drinking my beer.
When you loose weight, where does the fat go?
Why are power points for lap tops at floor level in airports?
How do frogs survive weeks of hot dry weather? Is there a frog spa near by?
When you swim at night under the stars, why does the water feel like silk?
It is too hot for reindeer, so Santa has a team of kangaroos. He makes good use of the extra pocket space.
Must go, the owners will be back soon and I have to polish the leaves, mop the carpet, rake the floor, dust the pool, sweep the windows move a few trees, finish re roofing the shed, sing, dance, listen to the birds, and admire the gum trees.
Enough silliness.
Again Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May it bring peace, love and laughter around the world.
PS I am going to take most of the messages from the message board and store them in a folder on my computer. One day I will enjoy reading them all again.
All well here in the land of sunshine. I loved house sitting and will definitley do it again. Thanks Kath and Bob. I spent a week with my brother who was also house sitting, in Wellington Point, Brisbane. The house also had a pool. What a luxury. Days are usually about 30 degrees, cooling down to 24.
For breakfast I would go out on Ken's bike and forage. I would bring home warm mangoes, add a banana and yoghurt. Great way to start the day.
I am staying with friends on the other side of Brisbane. They have no pool (ahh) but they do have a great garden. It has been planted with the intent to encourage wild life and things to eat. It worrks. A possum manages to get in and take a bite out of any mangoes left on the counter. Last night he came into my bedroom. I was woken up by the pitter patter of his little feet on the wood floor. I'm glad the fruit bats are not so tame.
I have been helping out at the nursery, potting up native plants and love spending time there. I have use of a sewing machine and have made passports for the bears.
Yesterday we went walking in the Tamborine National Park. I have use of a bike here and do go wandering around the neighbourhood. I am not sure where I am going next but will keep this blog up todate.
Miss you all
Love Eff
19th Feb, 2010.
Two days left on my three month visa in Australia. Wow. I stayed a week at Ballina where I spent a lot of time writing up the diaries, riding a bike or cooling off in the pool. When I was there last time Michele and Len's daughter was packing to go to study in Canada. The day I showed up they were up in Brisbane picking her up from a flight from Vancouver.
From Ballina I stayed a couple of days with John in South West Rocks, stunning beaches and great walks. My next stop was Newcastle. I travel by train and get a seniors discount. Oh dear, it all helps stretch the budget. I am flying from Brisbane to Sydney to Bali on 21st Feb. Newcastle is only 150 kms from Sydney and I called at a local travel agents to cancel the flight from Brisbane but was told it would cost me big bucks and might affect my round the world ticket. So despite being so close I have returned to Brisbane for three nights. Air fare $44. plus $10 for a check in bag. One hour flight. it would have been over $200 to fly the following day. To go by train would have been about 14 hours. Just when you think things are so simple, they get complicated.
From Bali I will be picking up where I left off before the infection turned me into a hopping Emu.
I was lucky to be able to stay at John's flat in Newcastle and I have now typed up eleven diaries and I own up that it was not easy to relive many parts of the past two years. All the stress symptoms showed up and took me by surprise, pounding heart was the main one. A pattern emerged that I was a crazy lady and that I would get through it because I had lots of support from family and friends. Thank you all so much. Where would I have been without you. It was often the small l thoughtful things that really mattered and there must be a reason I kept such a detailed diaries. I have typed up the diaries as a basis for a book and will continue to work on it.
I want to take a course on teaching English. I can book on line for one that starts in May, runs for a month in Ho Chi Min city, Vietnam. I thought I would just send them my money, but I have to do a written English test and it is not easy. Some of the things I have never known and some I have forgotten. I know why a sentence is wrong, but not the names or parts of the sentence. I will have to study in order to find out the answers even before I get accepted for the course. Ah well, yet another challenge.
I have been collecting things for the Yayasan Bumi Sehat clinic in Ubud, Bali and hope to make myself useful.
I have been watching some of the Olympics, because my back went and the best way for a quick fix was to lay stretched out on the floor. I loved the opening ceremonies and the Australian broadcasters are raving about how well it has been organised, the party atmosphere, the spirit and friendliness of it all. I was a proud Candian when a Canadian stood in first place on the podium.
Thanks again for the messages. I really love getting them and apologize for not keeping the blog up todate, but it has not always been easy to go on line.
I have saved the best for last. I am going to be a grandma. Kyly is due 1st June.
The journey continues and with more travel I just might have more interesting things to write about.
Love and best wishes.
19th Feb, 2010.
Two days left on my three month visa in Australia. Wow. I stayed a week at Ballina where I spent a lot of time writing up the diaries, riding a bike or cooling off in the pool. When I was there last time Michele and Len's daughter was packing to go to study in Canada. The day I showed up they were up in Brisbane picking her up from a flight from Vancouver.
From Ballina I stayed a couple of days with John in South West Rocks, stunning beaches and great walks. My next stop was Newcastle. I travel by train and get a seniors discount. Oh dear, it all helps stretch the budget. I fly from Brisbane to Sydney to Bali on 21st Feb. Newcastle is only 150 kms from Sydney and I called at a local travel agents to cancel the flight from Brisbane but was told it would cost me big bucks and might affect my round the world ticket. So despite being so close I have returned to Brisbane for three nights. Air fare $44. plus $10 for a check in bag. One hour flight. it would have been over $200 to fly the following day. To go by train would have been about 14 hours. Just when you think things are so simple, they get complicated. Thank you again Sue and Lloyd.
I have now typed up eleven diaries and I own up that it was not easy to relive many parts of the past two years. All the stress symptoms showed up and took me by surprise, pounding heart was the main one. A pattern emerged that I was a crazy lady and that I would get through it because I had lots of support from family and friends. Thank you all so much. My angels in the wings, my social secretaries, friends that just droped in, party guests, people who called, sent cards all to let me know that you cared Where would I have been without you.
I have typed up the diaries as a basis for a book and will continue to work on it.
I spent a few days with my brother in Wellington Point Brisbane and a couple of nights in his new house in Newcastle. complete with pool. Thanks Ken for the day out.
I want to take a course on teaching English. I can book on line for one that starts in May, runs for a month in Ho Chi Min city, Vietnam. I thought I would just send them my money, but I have to do a written English test and it is not easy. Some of the things I have never known and some I have forgotten. I know why a sentence is wrong, but not the names or parts of the sentence. I will have to study in order to find out the answers even before I get accepted for the course. Ah well, yet another challenge.
I have been collecting things for the Yayasan Bumi Sehat clinic in Ubud, Bali and hope to make myself useful. Up date: I have visited the ciinic but unfortunately it is a quiet time there and the only useful thing I could do was to teach English to small children. The school was half an hour away on a scooter and I declined as I only have a bicycle. I dropped off my donations of clothes, rubber gloves, tooth brushes and toothpaste.
I have been watching some of the Olympics, because my back went and the best way for a quick fix was to lay stretched out on the floor. I loved the opening ceremonies and the Australian broadcasters are raving about how well it has been organised, the party atmosphere, the spirit and friendliness of it all. I was a proud Candian when a Canadian stood in first place on the podium.
I have saved the best for last. I am going to be a grandma. Kyly is due 1st June.
February 24th
At Sydney airport Jet Star followed the ruls and said I could not fly to Indonesia as I did not have any documentation to say I ws leaving. I agreed to the quick fix and booked a flight to Singapore. I will cancel it as soon as I know where I want to go I was glad there was a quick fix. The Jet Star flight Sydney to Bali is a five and a half hour flight and you pay for all food and drink. $3.00 for a paper cup of instant coffee. $7.00 for a coffee and muffin. Sandwich, packet of crisps and soft drink, $13.50
The flight from Brisbane to Sydney was only one hour and they provided tea, coffee, juice and a hot individual quiche. Two in my case as the stewardess had a spare. I never thought to take food with me on a five and a half hour flight. Now I know better.
I arrived in Bali about 8.30 Sunday evening and got a taxi to Kuta and a small hotel. It was definitely overpriced at $30. plus tax, including breakfast, but was good enough for the night. I went wandering the next morning and found things were familiar as I had been here before but also strange becasue of the very different culture. Temples and statues every where, offerings in the streets, on vehicles, door steps, in shop door ways and at the feet of statues. The traffic looks chaotic but seems to work for the hundreds of scooters, motor bikes, cars, vans and buses. I had coffee at a near by hotel and decided against checking in, rroom rates were a bit silly. Delux $175. US. Premiere $185.00 US Presidentail suite $900.00 and a few others in between. These rates did include breakfast, welcome drink, afternoon tea with snack and best of all a butler. May be next time.
For a while I was a millionaire, as I got one million rupea from the bank machine. Dinner at a nearby local restaurant with two cups of coffee is 20,000. A large bottle of Bintang beer 25,000 and to rent a bike for the day is the same as a bottle of beer, My hotel room is large, clean and comes with my own bathroom, deck and breakfast for 120.000. One dollar is roughly 10,000 rp so the budget is ok. I did have to pay 30c for half hour internet.
I feel very safe walking the streets at night, even though many do not have street lighting and the pavements are very broken up with 12 - 15 inch kerbs. Ubud is the place to be if you want to buy art.
Many of the paintings are large, colourful and depict local life, fishing, ceremonies, work in the rice paddies and family life. One local artist invited me to see his paintings, not at a gallery but at his home, so off I went. I did not buy any paintings but I did get to see inside a community village. Several families live behind four foot walls with a sacred gate way, each has a temple and shared areas.
On the ride back to my hotel I got caught in a down pur, a tropical storm and water was running off me as I dripped my way up the tiled stairs. I took off my glasse and put them in the bike basket, as they don't have wipers I couldn't see where I was going. Somehow they must have fallen out of the basket and I have no chance of finding them as water was running down the streets, washing everything down the drains. Fortuntely I do have a spare pair. I got so wet the watch I bought in Turkey drowned on my wrist.
People here speak enough English for me to get by and are friendly and break out in smiles as they greet you. Dogs roam the streets but they are all in good health and take no notice of the traffic. The cats, ducks, geese and chickens get out of your way. I have visited the monkey forest and introduced the bears to the local residents. You have to actually cycle round the monkeys or you can stand and watch them swinging through the trees.
The journey continues. Thank you again for all the messages. I love reading them. I will send a link for Webshots with pictures of Australia and Bali.
Love and best wishes. Miss you all
Sometimes it is just a blur and it has nothing to do with alcohol.
I stayed a week on Gili Air an island that you can walk around on the beach in an hour and a half. I snorkeled every day and swam with giant wild turtles. The coral was good and the fish amazing. I walked across the road from my house, stood with my feet in the water and put on the mask and snorkel. Twenty steps and twenty swmming strokes to the reef. The road is a sand path as the island has no vehicles, you walk or go by pony and trap. I don't think it is going to stay that wasy for long as it is being developed. I shared a room with Adder a 28 year old Polish woman now living in London. Our neighburs were Gary and Coralyn and the four of us had dinner together every night. Good company and lots of laughs. Gary and Coralyn live in Watton, where Alan's mum lives. Small world.
I didn't like to see the beautiful fish I had been admiring in the day, dead and on slabs for dinner. You choose your fish and they are cooked over small grills heated with wood.
In two days I travelled from Gili Air, an island with no vehicles to Jakarta. a city of over 14 million people. This journey involved a half hour local boat to Lombok, then a small bus for a couple of hours to the next boat ride, a five hour ferry back to Bali from the island of Lombok., one night stay in Padnabai, 8 hour bus ride and 10 hour train journey.
The only bank machine in Pandangbi would not spit out cash. I had enough for the five hour bus ride and a little left over for the ferry and realised how stuck I would be without cash. At the ferry I counted out 46,000 rp and the nice man at the ferry terminal explained it was only 4,600. 46c for an hour ferry ride. Great, I had cash for a snack and bottle of warm water. I arrived at midnight after an 8 hour bus ride and got a taxi to the train station. The train to Jakarta left at 6.00 am so I dozed and fed the mozzies until I was woken by a call to prayer and a train arriving at 4.00am. It turns out I was at the wrong station, so I got another taxi to the right one and bought an Executive class ticket to Jakarta.
Economy would have been a night mare, narrow, hard, pink bench seats along the side of the carriage and stuffed with people. They pay 30,000 for the 10 hour journey and I paid 314,000. So I figured for ten times the price I would realy be riding in luxury. By comparison it certainly was. I thought the executive lounge would be a treat, with tea or coffee available and a clean flush toilet, but I got neither of those things. Just an old armchair and a locked lu.
Between towns and cities the landscape is flat, green, clean and very productive but as you get to towns, it is dirty with litter and crowded with people living beside the railway track in tumbled down houses with red tiled roof and sheets of tin. Tarps are used for everything from roof to walls and looks ugly as it is soon ripped and tattered. Waterways collect all the rubbish and it floats in great sheets. It is piled up on the road side or dumped behind walls. Plastic is the main problem, bags, bottles, trays and cups. The average temperature is 30 all year round and it is surprising that I have only seen a couple of rats. Riding along in my Air conditioned train, I was very thankful that I did not have to live in those conditions. Uniformed staff walk down the aisles with plates of food and drinks for sale. Later they bring you a bill.
When I arrived I took a funny little three wheel thing to the main accommodation area. He asked for 25,000 and I knew it was over priced and was going to give him 20,000 but we seemed to travel for quite a long way and I ended up paying what he asked for. The next day I realsied I was in fact within walking distance of where I was going. It is easy to fool a blonde who should know better. I booked into a small hotel that had a nice lobby, but the room was awful, like a monks cell, no window, no sink, below ground and with a squat toilet.
The next day I rented a man. Very cool. I am a rich tourist and can do such a thing. He put my case in front of him on his scooter and I climbed on behind. He took me to a couple of hotels and I booked into the Sofyan Hotel, a 5 minute walk from where I had stayed but in a much quieter area. I sure know how to pick them. It is a hotel run by Muslims, so here I was a white, blonde woman, travelling alone surrounded by muslims. I wraped two bottles of beer to prevent them clinking together and took them into my room in a backpack.
The staff here are charming, all young, smiling and with some English. the women wear a head dress but faces are not covered. I am travelling with bears and not a cat, so I didn't mind it was a small room. I was shown another room and told it would be 500,000 but I did get two beds and two breakfasts.
I spoke with Scott and Kevin on Skype this morning and was explaining about the Mulsim staff but I did not mention the Koran that was on the table or the fact that I had washed out my underwear and it was draped around the room to dry. I had planned to stay a couple of nights and went off to exploare Jakarta. When I got back a bout 2.00 pm the male receptionist was very apologetic but told me I had to check out as the hotel was full. There I was thinking they were being very broad minded. It is a huge hotel and I don't believe it has suddenly becme full.
I packed my bags and left. Not very imporessed. They suggested I try the Hotel Treva, a five minutes walk away but when I tried to pay 400,000 with breakfast for the room it would not take my credit card, "It has no chip in it" A phone call was made from the hotel that I was evicted from, and I might be paranoid, but that was a new one on me.
My rented man took me all over the city to see if I could book a ship to Malaysia, but it didn't work out. I did get to see parts of Jarkarta the tourists don't go to and now I know why. There was only one ship a week and my visa was running out. We went to the bus station where I thought I might get a bus to Sumatra and get to a port on the east coast, where a short ferry ride would take me to Singpore or KL. I couldn't face a 42 hour ride on a bus for the same price as flying, so I booked a flight to KL and leave Indonesia on the 18th.
I have wi fi here, first time in weeks and booking a flight was easy enough but when I went to the front desk to see if I could get it printed, I was told it was not possible. I pointed to the big sign out side that read Business Centre and I think he was telling me that the printer was broken. He said may be tomorrow, then remembered it was a national holiday and suggested I go and find an internet cafe. Everyone is smiling and bowing their head as I find myself going in to English arrogant mode. Why are they telling me that tomorrow is a holiday. It is on Bali for the Hindu people, even the international airport shuts down, but these people are not Hindus and I am in Java.. I have to stop and think that they do speak English and I haven't the first idea how to say," Do you have a printer? "in Indonesian.
I eventtually found an internet place, opened my email and printed out the ticket.. Internet is not something you take for granted here. Travel agents don't even have computers. You can buy a ticket for the 9 o clock ferry, show up with 100 other people and be told it is full. Please wait for the next one at 10.30am Good job there was a next one.
Here's a few other thnings you can't take for granted here, lu paper, flush toilets, maps, tourist offices, being on line, good bread, cold bottled water, fresh milk, ATM's that accept your card. vegetable soup without chicken and clean streets. hot water in bathrooms and windows in rooms. cool evenings. On the island the shower is salt water, it washes off the sand but doesn't do much for your hair. Oh the petty things I compain about when millions of people live in abject poverty and think I must be related to the Queen of England. I am taller than 99% of the population and for that reason alone stick out like a sore thumb. Everyone wants to practice their English. Good job they don't know I couldn't pass the English test to get into the CELTA course in Vietnam. Apparently I can't prove I have a sufficient grasp of the language. To do this I have to complete a five page written test. I tried but found it impossible, so I will try to find another course. Here are two of the questions.
(i) What is the difference in meaning between the following sentences?
(ii) Identify the grammatical structure underlined in each sentence
(a)When I arrived at the station the train left
(b)When I arrived at the station, the train was leaving
(c)When I arrived at the station the train had left
Spot the mistake in the following sentences and correct it. Explain the nature of each error. You don't need to go into too much depth, but your explanation should be clear enough for your students to understand. (i.e. "wrong tense" is not acceptable - you must explain WHY it is the wrong tense.)
(a)I have 25 years (b) Borrow me your pen, will you? (c) I like my coffee too hot.
So back to travelling and being glad that many people do speak enough English for me to get by
Here are few strange items from menus. They might be a result of poor translation or worse still be exactly what they say they are. I'll stick to rice, noodles and vegetables.
Fried bowels Suharta style.. Spicey cooked fried cow skin. Liver and gizzard portion. Tofu chicken hot plate. I recently bought what looked like and tasted like a donut and was told it had banana in side, when I got to the middle it was fish paste. Ugh. Not a nice surprise.
I have moved to another hotel and to my surprise it also has wifi. I write up the blog off line then cut and paste it in later.
It has been threatening to rain all day, so I haven't been far. Next stop Malaysia. The adventure continues. Keep sending the messages and emails.
Miss you all.
Love Eff / Liz / weird mother.
I am now in Malaysia, my geography is improving and I now know that Malaysia is a country divided. One half is Pensinsular Malaysia and is a finger of land that points to Indonesai from mainland Asia, the other half is one third of the island of Borneo.
I waited around at the airport in Jakarta for a 5.00am flight. The only slight problem was the nice immigration man laughed and said he couldn't stamp the bears ut, as they had no visa. I grovelled and he he relented. It was a an Air Malsaysia flight of one hour and fourty minutes and they fed us a nice breakfast and lots of coffee with powdered milt, at least it had no grounds in it, at least I didn't have to seive the grounds through my teeth.. That was a week ago and already I have to concentrate to remember where I have benn since. The nice cash machine gave me Ringitts, Malaysian money. I spoke to an American working in Malaysia and he siad there was rooughtly 3.40 to the dollar. It is good to have a rough idea as you leave the airport, then you can do a quick conversion and if the taxi driver askes you to pay a ridiculous fare, you can figure out that it is only $10 and it might be high for the aera but worth it to get to the city.
He spoke good Englaish and drove me to China town in the heart of KL. I booked into the Grocer's Hotel 15 rm and shared a dorm with three men for one night and four English women the next night. I took a hop on hop off bus for the day, I could tell from the taxi ride that KL was a huge city and did not encourage pedestrians. They have a great public bus, train and meto system, but I had yet to work it out. I parked my bags and headed to Starbucks. I just wanted a cup of coffee and enjoyed the huge hot mug for 7.90 rm The locals don't go there, but they do go to McDonalds just round the corner. There is not the coffee culture in Asia as in Candada, England and Australia. I was surprised to find Starbucks closed on Saturday morning, they didn't open until 10.00am
Many years ago many Chinese and Indians came to Malaysia to work on rubber and tea plantations. They stayed and you sometimes don't know which country you are in. They refer to themselves as Indian or Chinese, speak their own language, eat their own food, follow their beliefs and dress, though most of them have never even been to India or China.
I did some sight seeing as you can tell from the photos. KL is much cleaner than Jarkarta with less traffic and a quieter way of driving. When stopped at lights they actually leave several feet between themselves and the car ahead. In Jarkarta you culdn't even find a few inches to walk between cars and most of them didn't worry about red lights. I thnk green and red lights were something left over from Christmas by the British and so they hung them at junctions to entertain the public. Another thing the British left is the electrical system. The plus is the three prong used in England. Fortunately I have one in my conversion kit.
I teamed up with Sara from Itlay and we went to the Batu caves, a holy place for Hindus and visited by many Musilims. Power has gone, that's life on an island for you. We figured out the local buses and spent a pleaseant afternoon together. I like travelling alone but it is nice to have company every now and then.
The public transport system involves buses and coaches that go all over Malaysia. The bus staion is huge, underground, noisy, full of diesel fumes and a zoo, but it worked and got me out of the city. I had got a ticket that would take me to Cherating, on the east coast, a six hour drive, On Gili Air I bought Lonely Planet Guide book, it is ten years old, but it does have maps and ideas. I also talk to other travellers to decide where to go next. Ten years ago Cherating was up and coming. The village council had put in a paved road, a pink patterned pavement and street lights. Small resorts had been built and restaurants were opened. I don't know what hapened, but the place has gone backwards,
Places that got a good mention in the book were run down and nothing new had been built. It was a very Muslim village and I didn't lay about on the beach or walk about in my shorts. I did see Muslim women in the ocean dressed in full Mulim outfits. I wondered that they did not just sink to the bottom, mind you one were not swimming, just playing in a couple of feet of the ocean with their children. I did take a river trip with mangroves either side and saw three snakes curled in tree branches over hanging the river and one crab. Not exactly a safari.
I stayed two nights in my chalet with a double bed, a single, cold shower, fan, power, flush toilet, no sink and crabs undermining the foundation. I only saw one , it would fit on the palm of your hand but I could see evidence of them, from balls of sand the size of very large marbles piled beside the hole they excavaed. A herd of goats also came to visit, no doubt avoiding the restaurants.
From Cherating I got another bus north travelling along the east coast. I was the only white faced passenger and a young man changed seats and sat beside me. He was pleasant enough, telling me about the area, but he had a heavy accent and it was a bother to listen. When I did not understand what he was saying he printed it on the screen of his phone. He wanted to get together with me and the friend I was meeting for a "saucy night." I told him to go away. He was 35 and believed me when I said I was 50. I have never liked lies but I am getting good at telling them and I have an imaginery husband, six feet tall, slim, dark hair, no grey and I am going to meet him tomorrow. I live in Vancouver and I am a writer.. Back to being Alice in Fantasy Land. Works for me.
I am now on one of the Perthentian Islands in the South China Sea, 21 miles off the coast of Pensinsular Malaysia.. It was a hair raising boat ride to get here, fast and very bumpy, with water spraying up in great waves as we hurtled along. I booked into the first place I came to, the Shari-la Island Resort. I had expected to pay 50 rms per night for a basic chalet and they were offering rooms for 80. I was looking for some luxury and found it. I have air conditioning, but prefer the fan, a nice bahroom with lu paper and clean towels, a big bed, cupboard space and nice outisde deck, but it doesn't face the ocean. Muslims run the resort and there is no bar or alohol sold, not in the resort or on the island. People know to bring their own and it means it is quiet at night, no bars to sit and have a beer, no music or dancing. I leave the island in the morning and will be heading north. I will spend a couple of nights in a small town near the border, while I apply for a visa to Thailand. If I just go over in the bus I will get one for 15 days, if I apply I can get one for 30. Thailand is a big country and I don't want to be having to leave and re-enter after only a couple of weeks.
Every day is hot, every eveing is warm. I probably shouldn't put this in writing, but I have wished I was in Yellowknife for an hour or back in Ozzies sunny bedroom, or standing in Michele's bathroom decididng which sink to use. In order to keep rooms cool, buildings have an overhang and small windows, so you don't get much natural light inside. I am always glad of the fans. I would also like a dip in Bob and Kath's pool.
I have many emails to answer and apologise for not dong so earlier. It takes a while to update the blog and load pictures, so I tend to put off answering emails. I do read them all and keep them in my box until I reply. when I am in a comfortable place with a good connection. Little Emu is called a lap top, but working on your lap, in poor light on a small screen means I don't stay working for long and in the day the screen is hard to see. Not that I would be without this little magic box. It keeps me in touch with you all and I am so glad of that, sometimes I do feel far away and wish I could just drop in for a few days.
Thailand here I come, another currency, another language and no Muslims.
Thanks for the messages. Keep them coming. Miss you all.
Before I leave Mallaysia this is a record of what would like to find in Thailand.
No Muslims. Lots of smiling friendly faces. A good book shop. or book exchange at accommodation.. No wailing callls to prayer five times a day.. Lower temperatures. Clean sheets, china crockery and not plastic. Better service. A few more travellers. Some beautiful scenery, some parks and gardens.
No sunny side up fried eggs with every meal. Vegetable dishes with no meat or sea food. I do know that chickens are not very bright, but surely it is unkind to call them a vegetable.. No fishy surprises in my donut.. No one spitting. Hot water in the bathroom taps. A few sweet smelling things, flowers, perfume, incence burning, hotel cleaning products. Mature trees in the cities and towns. Old, well cared for buildings. clean streets, A bar and some beer in the corner store. A tourist office or at least a city map. Angels and ladies shorts in shops. Not much to ask for.
I went into the computer shop in the new mall, stood with cash in hand to buy a thumb drive and was ignored by the four assistance in the small shop, so I left and bought one across the road.
I did meet some nice people, a school head master, who paid for my lunch and arranged for a private car to take me to the waterfalls, same price as a taxi but he thought I would be safer. A young man who shared the lunch he had just bought, he gave me a couple of fried bananas. A 17 year old girl and her sister who offered to share their picnic with me, but as I had just eaten I settled for a honey and lemon candy. I asked for directioms back to my hotel and was told to get in the car and he drove me, so much quicker than trying to explain Thank you to all these people, who put themselves out in such small ways and made a big difference to me.
Yes the sights might me stunning but it is the small kind acts of strangers that you remember, so next time you see some one looking at a map, ask if you can help, if they look lost at a station ask where they are going and direct them to the right train or bus. They will remember you. If you see some one who doesn't look like you even if they do, make eye contact and give them a big smile. It does't matter that they might not know the word hello, the smile says it all. Take it from one who knows. It matters.
Now in Thailand
I stayed ten days in Malaysia, the last three I was waiting to get a thirty day visa to Thailand, otherwise it would have been only 15 days. I have decided to leave in the above grumbles and am glad to say that once I crossed the border it was like night and day. It was the first time I have walked across an international border and I nearly got it wrong. We did the exit paper work and I was so glad to see a Tourist / Police office I went in to get information. I was greeted by a crisp clear, "Welcome to Thailand" He gave me maps and information and asked if I had had my passport stamped. I said yes but he siad I needed to do it again and directed me back the way I had come. When I asked how I had got this far without anyone noticing he said that an immigration officer had followed me and asked him t tell me about the second stamp.. We had only been stamped out of Malaysia.
I am much happier in n Thailand the people are lovely, with smiles and very helpful. I did have a couple of days when I couldn't go far because of something I had eaten and my back went, but now I am fine. This happened in Malaysia and I just stayed in a hotel room for a day and night and checked out next moring.
I use buses and boats to get around. I have decided to not to go to the well known islands of Ko Samui and Phuket but instead to visit the smaller ones that offer the same things,, but are far less crowded. I have seen signs of the tsunami when I realised why some of the buildings were new.
I got a bus to Krabi and then a ferry to a small island, called hi Phi, pronounced Pea Pea, I am now on Ko Lanta and sharing a room with Jen from Vancoouver Washington. We have a nice bungalow with hot water, flush toilet, restaurant, bar and beach. We pay $10 a night each. Yesterday we went on a four island tour to snorkel. and visited one of the uninhabited islands that is a source of birds nests for soup. I will have to look into how it is made and if it really does contain birds nests. We swam in a cave and I got seperated from the group of eight I was with, a bit scary, but I felt my way along the wall until I could hear other people and see a little light and then swam out to where the boat was parked. I now know first hand how dark it is in a cave.
I have a thirty day visa for Thailand and will head north then east and go exploring. Off this coast I can see giant limestone islands and the interior is jungle. Thee is an elephant and her new calf, born a few weeks ago across from where I am staying. I am going to learn to ride a scooter. Jen and I will rent one each and spend the day together finding out what else is on this island.
It is always warm but definitely cooler than Malaysia, We have a fan in our room and we sleep well. No insects and no steamy nights. There's a good half hour downpour in the afternoon, but you just stay under cover until it passes. If you are in the sea it means that the light is not very good for seeing the amazing variety of fish. The guide assured us that the pink jelly fish were not "toxic" and scooped one out of the water. It was the size of a football, the colour of candy floss and harmless, so I was the first to jump in..
Yeserday I got lost in a cave, today I learnt to ride a scooter and went all over the island,. What's new for tomorrow. Perhaps I shold get a tatoo.
All is well, I am glad to be here. I am actually back in the northern hemisphere, but you can't tell from the weather, geography or plant life. I hope spring arrives soon and summer is not far behind. I get no news about the rest of the world, but I did hear it was a very bad winter in England.
I apologise to all of you who have sent me eamils and not got a reply. I keep them in my in box and promise I will get back to you. In the mean time I love getting messages on the blog and I am reminded of all the good friends and family I have left behind. Thanks. Miss you all.
So much for staying away from the busy islands. I came to Koh Samui for a couple of days and have stayed a week. I have a bunglaow on the beach with all the amenties, for about $12. a night. It is on a quiet part of the island with ten local restaurants and 711 just down the road. I got a bus and ferry into Koh Samui and made arrangements to stay at this place from a man at the bus station.
Business revolves around bits of paper and stickers. I had no idea what I might be going to and got off the ferry wearing my little sticker. A mini van was waiting and I boarded with other tourists. The driver dropped them off at various places and I was the last to be delivered. The driver was concerned about me being hungry (it was 8.00pm) and phoned ahead and ordered me a meal. It turns out he and his brother own the six bungalows and the restaurant and live on site with wives and children. The driver is called Ess and his brother Wat. Every now and then I hear "Hi Eff. you OK?" as I sit reading in my hammock. It is good to hear my name, I miss it.
I rented a scooter and rode around the island in the morning. I was soon in town and realised that I was rdiing in traffic and only a few days ago I had looked at riders and thought they were all nuts. Now I was one of them. I stopped for breakfast, parking like a pro and later put gas in the tank. I came home to have a swim and shower. then went back out to visit some water falls. Unfortunately the dirt road was deeply rutted and I managed to get only half way up the short hill before the bike slid into one of the ruts. With effort I managed to stay up right, then lift it out, turn it round and walk it back down the hill. I had an attack of common sense and decided that as no one knew where I was and I wasn't good enough to be out on such bad back roads by myself, I would go back to the paved road. How dull. I never did find a waterfall. I am not going to see the sites recommended in Lonely Planet, one is a reclining Budah that was built in 1975 and another a mummified monk.
I am heading north but will try to avoid Bangkok. I do see a little news about the Red Shirts, who are demonstrating and want the present government to be disolved. A state of emergency has been called
and 21people were killed this weekend and no resolution in sight. Things are not really very stable here and could and do flare up with coups and bombings. However it is usually in the big cities and I have no concerns about being caught up in anything. People living on tropical islands don't usually start trouble.
The Thai New Year is celebrated this week and involves people throwing water . I am staying here for another day to be part ot it . Update: People put large barrels or boxes of water in the back of a pick up and drive round town scooping out water and throwing it at people and cars. Then they throw some sort of powder. People also use water pistols and it is billed as the worlds largest water fight.
The streets are lined with people and slow moving vehicles. The pictures on Web shots were taken from the bus I was on going through Pattaya.
Yesterday the three bungalows here on the beach were known as Canada row. The two girls next door were from Edmonton and in the third one the women were from Winnnipeg. They have gone to the next island for the festival A family of ten has moved in for two days, also here for the festival. I can't imagine whre they are all going to sleep.
Despite the high temperatures and tropical climate there are few insects about. I have seen no spiders, just ants, mozzies and a few beetles. I am always glad to see the ghekos running on the walls as they eat mozzies.
The Thai language is beyond me. A single syllable can have five different tones and mean five different things, eg. mai mai mai mai mai means New wood doesn't burn does it. Many places have an English translation of the menu thank goodness and so far I have not ordered anything with eyes that walks or crawls on my plate. Sea food restaurants serve whatever fish was caught that day, like the vegetables always fresh and you can choose your own sauce or sausage as I once saw on a menu.
The King of Thailand has been on the throne for 66 years. His picture is everywhere but has not been changed for years. I thought he was in his early thirties, same for the queen.
The women work hard here, caring for children, cooking, running restaurants, shopping, farming, selling produce and goods in markets and retail. The men help out and you see them with the children, sweeping and fishing. The women are about 5' 3' and I see them carrying huge pots full of hot cooked food from the kitchen out the back to the counter in the restaurant. You rarely see a knife at a table, A spoon and fork or the little dish like spoon familiar in Chinese restaurants. Food is served in bite size pieces and requires no cutting up. Anolther reason might be that many people have missing teeth.
When I am hungry I just go to a nearby restaurant and order. No shopping, preparing or washing up. Yesterday I did make the bed. I thought the sheet was fitted and took it off to shake out the sand, that was when I noticed that they tie the corners, to make it fit. Works well. The bed a queen size mattress on a tiled platform, no legs and therefore no dust bunnies.
I also did something I have not done in ages, I went to the supermarket, Tesco Lotus. I can't imagine how well they will do here as markets are everywhere and small shops, It is laid out as in a supermarket I am familiar with, selling clothes, food, kitchen supplies etc. I bought a tube of toothapaste and left. I had hoped to find some Thai cheese, if I had I would have bought a small loaf of brown bread and had a picnic on the beach.
I have seen very few overweight Tahi people and wondered about the wisdom of a Weight loss Clinic I saw in Au Nang, I certainly have no need of their services, skinny as a stick and skin like a brown crumpled paper bag. Young at heart and in my mind, but showing my age on the outside. Still better than the alternative of being dead. I put my little silver coin in a weighing machine and the red digital read out told me I was 58.4 kg or 128,14 lbs. I felt quite tiny until I went to buy a shirt with sleeves to wear in the temples and realised I was a giant compared to the dainty Thai women.
The biggest surprise I have had being in Thailand is how much meat people eat. I thought being Buddist I would find it easy to get vegetarian meals, but no, meat is served in every restaurant and tonnes of it cooked up every day in mobile street restaurants. People eat out a lot, which means they buy a meal served in a plastic bag and take it home. I don't understand how the small bags stay in one piece when very hot food is poured in. Plastic has replaced the banana leaf. Pity. Mind you it is still used in many places. The meal is placed on a rectangular shape piece of leaf and folded up into a pryamid. Fish is also wrapped in a leaf and cooked over small BBQ's. The sea must be empty when I see the amount of dead fish, crabls, shrimps, squid etc all dried or fresh for sale. This only one market in one town, it is the same everywher I go. Fruit is also plentiful. People might be poor but they never go hungry.
Several bus trips and a ferry and I am now on Ko Chang,. It is a tourist island but that is ok, it means I can get good accomodation and a choice of meals.
I have been meeting a lot of young Russians in Thailand, only 8 hour flight for them and they come for the heat and the parties. I travelled with four of them for the day to get to here and one of the men always carried my bag. How nice. It made me feel like a lady, I didn't consider my age had anything to do with it.
I stayed one night in Pattaya and within five minutes of arriving and sitting with the owner he told me he was homosexual, I already knew that, but then he asked me if I was a lesbian,, I liked his honesty, but preferred feeling like a lady. I was fast asleep a couple of hours later and heard a knocking on my door and his little voice calling "Eff, Eff" I woke with a start and for a moment didn't know where I was. I wrapped the blanket around me and opened the door. He came in all worried becasuse he had walked passed the window and seen my computer on the table and my bags. He moved the table out of sight of the window, likewise pulled my bag close to the bed and put my handbag on my pillow. He then made sure the windows were locked and assured me it was very dangerous and I was to lock the door and only open it if I heard him calling my name. Pattaya is know for it's sex trade and perhaps I was in the wrong area. It was dark when I arrived and the first three places the bike rider took me to were full. This one was his last hope. It was a new building, clean and spacious, looked OK to me, but I was gone the next day. I didn't want to be in a big town.
Here on Chang I have a bunglaow with a king size bed, I can sleep across it if I want, a fan, bathroom and hot and cold water. Unfotunately the beach is rocky on this side of the island, but the little town is vey lively. I went out early this morning and the first place I came to that was open for breakfast (6.45am) was a fancy resort. I knew it wuld be expensive but thought I wuld treat myself. I tucked into a variety of items on the buffet set up and sat by the pool. The coffee (three cups) came in a delicate china cup with a gravy boat shaped jug full of hot milk. Lovely. My first course was blue cheese, brie and one other cheese with brown bread (haven't seen that in months), crisp lettuce, cherry tomatoes and mango and passion fruit jam. It was so good I had a second helping, then I had croissants, hash brwns, grilled tomato and fresh fruit. I didn't get round to the usual ham, eggs, toast, rice, noodles, chicken, Thai salads etc. At the cafe across the road a cup olf coffee is 40 b and that is twice what you pay for it elsewhere, a meal of rice and vegetables is about 50 b. I was expecting to pay way over the top, may be 300 and decided it would be worth it. However the bill came to 654b and that was with a promotion of 30% discunt, 10% service and taxes. I wont' be going back for breakast tomorrow. Well perhaps.
Do rich people really think their money is well spent when they get overcharged like that. I asked about room rates, They start at 3,649 and that does not include breakfast and go up to 17,302 b for a two bedroom villa per night. You probably have to get your own breakfst for that. I am paying 300 and won't be moving in the morning. As I paid my bill the nice young man told me I could use the pool, complimentary. Thank you says I and walked back to my shanty. Later I went back with my towels and swim suit and as suggested used the pool;. I was just putting my towel on the recliner when a young lady asked me, in perfect English
"Are you staying at the hotel?
I replied "No but I was told this morning I could use the pool"
"Yes but you have to order something" she smilled at me clutching two big fluffy towels and I wondered if she was trying to figure out how to get the riff raff out of her squeaky clean, elegant resort.
"I ordered breakfast " I said. We each repeated ourselves, she gave up and I stayed. Usually when you go in the afternoon you order a drink and sit by the pool. I knew that but figured the cost of breakfast meant I could come back any time.
Today I went walking again in the opposite direction and being day older and wsier I asked the cost of breakfast. 150b. granted there was no cheese or croissants, but just about everything else was there and I preferred the view. For your comparison, photos will be on Webshots.
I will stay on this island for nearly a week as my Thai visa runs out and I am heading to Cambodia. |I have to figure out how to get to the border crossing. It involves a bus ride at 6.am being at the crossing by 7.00 am and getting a four hour boat ride at 8.00am. All this from the Lonley Planet book I picked up at a book exchange. Another book I really enjoyed is called Watermelon by Marian Keyes, an Irsh writer with a great sense of humour.
I hope to meet up with Jan from the UK in Bangkok, we met in Turkey and she'll be here for a week before she goes to Bali. I can get another Thai visa when I return. It will be good to have a friend to explore Bangkok. Big cities can be overwhelming and we have a laugh together. Two old ladies foot loose and fancy free.
I have no idea what to expect in Cambodia but I doubt that internet or wifi is easy to come by from what I've heard. I write up the blog then cut and paste it. I put photos on webshots and the blog from my folders, so I do need wifi. When I was sitting on the deck writing the blog a bird
flew into the window and landed on my keyboard. I am glad to say it recovered and flew way, with pictures of strange animals dancing in its stunned little bird brain.
All is well. The adventure continues. I hope spring has arrived and the summer soon follows.
Love and Best wishes, Alice the Emu.
Just in case it is ages before I get on line again and I have been in Cambodia so long I have forgotten I was even in Thailand, here are a few thoughts before I leave.
I went on a snorkling trip to four different islands. It was a great day out, well organsed, with two meals on the boat, great weather, lots of coral and fish. Many of the passengers were Russian. They really are every where. In some countries you used to say that about the Germans, but not here.
I have seen many white middle aged / old men with Asian women. The men are trying to be young again, but definitley not succeeding. They are pot bellied, if not fat, pale and podgy with grey hair, unattractive legs in baggy shorts, some even dye their hair, but it is so obvious it makes things worse. What happens in the mind of men over 50. They are quite possesive about the women they are with and may be they think they own them having probably bought and paid for them. I know for the Asian women they see it as a way out of poverty and for some it may even work as a good solution for them both. .
Perhaps I don't go to the right places but I have yet to see an older woman with a young Thai man. Me I prefer going solo and getting older in my own good time.
Many Europeans retire to Thailand as they can live very well on their pension and that would not be the case if they stayed at home.
I am sure I could be doing something more useful but until I figure out what, I will continue to travel and explore. (Scott and Kevin are not expecting an inheritance)
I walked across the border from Thailand to Cambodia. The boder town of Cham Yeam has no banks or cash machines, but it does have a huge casino and a one day temperorary visa so that the Thai customers can cross the border and get more cash. Thoughtful arrangement. The first thing I noticed is that the Cambodians drive on the right side of the raod. The second thing was that they deal with Baht, Thai money. I got a scooter taxi, complete with bag, as in the photos and went to Sihanouk Ville. The banks on lhy give out American dollars. The currecny is riel and every one deals in both. If you give $5.00 and need $2.50 change you get two American dollars and 2,000 riel.
The peopl,e are warm and friendly but they have an horrific history. Wild life is just coming back, people were starving and ate anything they could find. Peace came about tweleve years ago and I have seen several people with limbs missing from landmines. I have teamed up with Tracy and we give food or a bottle of water to the children instead of to the parents. One blind man walks up and down the beach all day, his daughter about eight yers old, is always with him holding a stick to keep them together and to guide him. He is still singing at 9.00 at night in the night market food area. It is heartbreaking and you wonder what kind of future these children have.
I am older than anything in this town.
Prior to 1954 Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam were a single political unit under French jurisdiction. This town of Sihanouk ville was started in 1955 as a port , funded by the French and the road to Phnom Penh was financed by the Americans. First they invade the country then they invade the bank machines.
Tracy and I booked a day trip to an island that is uninhabted and a national park. It turned out to be the party boat, Gavin showed up and we met Sco... A 6'5 gentle giant from Israel. We nick named him Shovels, as his hands are massive. When somebody rang the bell at the bar they bought a round of drinks, the first time was Robert the owner and he ordered beers. After that the passengers rang the bell and bought a round, a different shot each time. I did not drink at all but I did dance my socks off , first tune up was Honky Tonk Women.
The island we stopped at was stunning and we walked up the river while Robert explained what we were looking at. He is the only one that goes to this island and it was a pleasure to share his passion and knowledge. I sat in the water and scooped up handfulls of the fine, white sand to use as a body scrub. It was a great day out.I was only going to stay here a couple of days, but have been here for a week. Cambodia doesn't have much of a coast line and once I go it will be inland and very hot.
I pay $6.00 a night for my own bungalow, with TV, bathroom, flush lu,outside seating area. Beer is 50c a mug, meals can be up to $4.00 . Local food is $1.25 a meal. Cocktails with 3 types of alochol are $2.00. You can also buy a bucket of drink for the same amount. Tracy has got to know a small restaurant owner at the night market, I had another first a couple of nights ago. It's called a happy shake and it was mango with pot sprinkled in. You are never too old to try something once, not that I would bother again.
Kyly is well and looking forward to parting company with her in built luggage.
The adventure continues. Miss you all,
I travelled on the over night bus to Siem Reap with Tracy. We are sharing a very nice hotel room with AC and making good use of it. The hotel also has a pool but during the middle of the day you can't lay out in the sun. It is hot just walking about. We have heard that the temperature is 92 degrees 36 celcius and I can believe it. It is the beginning of the rainy season but no rain yet.
This town is close to many temples and we have visited half a dozen, including Ankor Wat. My favourite was the temple with the trees growing over the walls and buildings. We climbed to the top and it was hair rasing coming down. the stairs represent the stair way to heaven and are very steep, uneven and narrow. We sat and watched the sunset from the last temple and were joined by many other tourtists, we thought it was busy but the locals say that it was quiet and that the tourists are not visiting in the numbers they used to.
Another day we went up the river to the floating village. The river is vey low, less than two feet deep in the middle and from the bank you can see plastic strips and debris, left from when there was a lot more water arund. They are thirty to fourty feet up and it mught be quite a sight to see the river in full force. The flolating village is on the lake and many people are born there and never leave. We visited a school and the children were delightful. We were teachers for an hour.
As you go up river you see all the usual village shops and services, but they are all floating. Under many of the buildings, the owners keep fish, they feed them and harvest them for food. Some crops are grown in pots and in floating mats. Tourist visit here but people have lived this way for a long time.
I am very sorry to say that the bears have been kidnappped. Tracy, Celina and I thought we would treat ourselves and stopped for a fruit shake at the Foreighn Correspondents club, It was just about dark when we got back on the bicylces for the five minute ride home. I had my old cloth bag in the basket on the bike. Two lads on scooters drove up from behind me, slowed down and the one on the back leaned over and took the bag. I gave chase because I was mad, yelling at Tracy as I flashed by her and over the river bridge., yelling "They stole my bag." but of course I soon lost them. Tracy and Celina met me heading back to where we had parted compay, I am so glad I was not alone. It would have made it much worse. I realsied that I had lost my purse with all bank and credit cards, BC driving licence, my camera and the new batteries I had bought only a few hours before. Tracy tells me they can be replaced and then I remember that the bears were in the bag.
We came back to the hotel but the staff laughed whn I asked them to call tbe police. Tourist are robbed every day and the police are very corupt. I reported the theft the next day at the police station and they had me fill out a form and in the four places I signed my name I had to place my thumb print. I was very glad that my passport was not in the bag. Using skype I have called the banks in Canada and arranged replacements. I have learned that each card is dealt with in a different way. Van City sent an international credit card to the hotel within 48 hours and I got an emergency cash advance through Western Union. Unfortuntely the bank card with Vancity has to be sent to my home address and then posted to me. (Thanks Michele). TD will be sending both credit and bank card to the hotel and they should arrive in about a week. I am so glad that Tracy and I are travelling together. She is a 38 year old Canadian but has lived in England for fifeteen years. I was not hurt and it could have been much worse.
We just hope that the bears are not being kept in appaling conditions and being bred for body parts. This is SE Asia and they do eat some very strange things. Poor little bears, they have done a lot of miles and each has their own passport, stamped in and out of many countries. I will miss them. Tracy and I had a couple of beers and hoped they would be found by a small child. She gave me cash the next day as she thought she was leaving as her visa was running out. She looks after me, we swap clothes, she helps me across the road and makes sure that I drink lots of water and makes me laugh.
Camodia has only had peace for twelve years and the people are very poor, but 99% of them are decent hardworking people, with big smiles and glad to help out tourists. Dad look after their cbildren and some spend all day with dad on front of his tuk tukUnfortunately children are out on the street selling books, braclets and books to tourists, instead of going to school. Some of these children are good pick pockets. Local people will ask you not to give money to children begging or selling things, becasuse it encourages them and as long as they can make a few dollars cash, they don't go to school. We have also been told that a man supplies them the things to sell and they don't benifit very much. It is heart breaking to see children and young adults with missing limbs from landmines. When we are out , we buy them food and they are able to clearly tell us in English which item they would like from the menu. Whatever they have they share. You see six or seven year olds carrying around a little brother or sister and you wonder where they live, if they have parents and who looks after them.
I will be in Cambodia for two more weeks and then might go to Vietnam or back to Thailand.
I am fit and well and bearless. Miss you all.
I reported the stolen cards by phone on Skype on the 7th May. It is now the 19th and so far I have received one temporary visa credit card from Van City and picked up from Western Union a cash advance.. From the first phone calls it all sounded so easy but it has been a nightmare of incorrect information and mistakes, that has left me sitting here in the hotel waiting.
When I did a follow up on the cards that did not arrive on the 14th or 17th as expected I was told they had been sent to Cambodia by regular mail and would arrive in about three weeks. Another call told me they could only send a debit card to my home address, despite the fact I was not there and my friend could forwrd it. Michele tells me it has still not arrived. How long does it take for a letter posted from Ontario to arrive in BC.?
Another bank told me that as I would be out of Canada for perhaps a year they would have to close my account and transfer it to another institution. I was gobsmacked. It doesn't pay to tell the truth. I asked him to check that fact and he assured me it was so. So with fingers crossed I lied and said I would be back in three months. Until I have a replacement bank card I can't get cash. If I had felt better I would have gone to another town for a few days and come back here to pick up my mail, This is a good place to be stuck in so here I wait.The second credit card I hope will arrive today and perhaps the debit card will arrive soon by UPS. I do actualy have a tracking number and confirmation by email.
The first thing they ask you is for the card number. and fortunately I had them alll written down, along with other relative information, like my address.
When you phone they will not deal with you by email so you have no record of all the different things you have been told. I have spoken to people in Singapore, Malaysia and who knows where else, I did talk to a women in Markham, Ontario who was very helpful and will be starting an equiry in to the muddle and chaos that has followed the theft. You are told that the call may be reorded and I hope every word is on tape. I don't want to hear that they value me as a customer one more time.
Every time you call the given bank numbers you get a different person and they supposedly bring up your account. One told me there was a record of me reporting the stolen card but they did not cancel it. No explanation. Just another error. I have been told so many different things about how the problem will be fixed. I now know that your debit card and your credit card on the same account are dealt with by totally different people and the left hand certainly does not know what the right hand is doing. I called a 24 hour number and was told I would have to call back in banking hours as they only dealt with credit cards.
So I am stuck here waiting for cards to arrive by courier. I just might get a long time residents discount. Tracy left on 6.00 pm Sunday night and that turns out to be a good thing as later that evening I threw up and have spent the past three days and nights dealing with something I ate. If I had put on weight it has all gone now. I took Scott's advice and bought some anti biotics. The i nstructions are to take one twice a day with food. If I could eat I wouldn't need the pills. It is amazing what you can buy over the counter.
It is good that you can get replacement credit cards and cash advances, but when you cancel your cards you can't do on line banking until you get the number of your new card to sign in. One bank gave it to me over the phone the other told me they could not do that and would post the card to my home address.
The two louts who kidnapped the bears have no idea how much grief it causes when they steal cards and then just throw them away. Thank goodness I had Little emu and wi fi, even though it cuts in and out and I am on hold for up to 20 minutes, at least I could phone with relative ease. It means that when the recorded voice told me "Thank you for your patience, all our agents are busy serving other customers, your call we be transferred" etc. I could mutter and curse in private.
It is inevitable that given the lengh of time I have been travelling it would happen at least once and now I know to only take the essentails with me when I go exploring and to keep some cash in a seperate place and trust the hotel staff. Actually I knew that before but of course I have the syndrome that it won't happen to me. If I knew, why didn't I take my own advice? No answer to that rhetorical question. Tracy phoned her bank in England because her card didn't work at the ATM to be told there was not a problem. It cost her $11.00 to get this information.
So if you are still awake after reading this long grumble, thank you for reading. Should I ever leave here my next stop will be to Phom Penh. I have not heard from Jan in England who was due to fly into Bangkok 1st June. Between riots and death in the streets of the city of Bangkok and ash plumes closing airports in Britian, it is not a good time to be flying.
Kyly is well and I have set up a cell phone so that Kevin can call me wherever I am. Once I leave here I don't know if I will have wifi and don't want to be looking for an internet cafe to get the news that they are now parents and that she is fine. Imagine, me with a cell phone. I even know how to text, but don't plan on using the phone other than to get the news asap. When I leave Cambodia I have to get another card, but now I know how to do that. You learn what you need to know. Works for me.
So enough whining.. Writing this blog is as close as I get to talking to family or friends when I need to be heard and to count my blesssings. Thanks for listening. Promise the next blog will be about tall dark, handsome men and , exotic places. I might even mention the monsoon storms, the National Museum, floating village, Ankor Wat and other temples, the lovely people, (not the louts) the corrupt police, dual currency here and how this country has only had peace for twelve years.
I will only have to make some of it up. To be honest the tall dark, handsome man will probably be a figment of my imaginaion. I haven't had an offer in ages. Must be loosing my touch as well as weight and bears.
Miss you all and look forward to the hugs.
I gave up waiting for my bank cards to arrive and am now back in Thailand, having paid $5.00 a day for over staying my Cambodian visa. It was a long bus journey from Phnom Penh and I was glad to arrive in Bangkok. It was easy crossing the border as the bus drives you to the border crossing and you are on your own until you get to ther side and if it all works out as inteneded you will find a van with AC waiting to take you the next 300 kms. As I crossed by land I got a free 15 day visa to be in Thailand and plan to leave about the 9th to go to Vietnam.
I was amazed at the amount of foot and vehicle traffic crossing from Cambodia to Thailand and had to adjust yet again to driving on the other side of the road. My emergency cash was in American dollars but they are not accepted here and I had to change to Tahi Baht, another country, another currency, language and different way of doing things. My cost of living shot up as cigrtettes are $2.00 a packet not 50c and a glass of beer is also $2.00 and not 50c. You can still buy a meal for a dollar and for breakfast I have a big bowl of fresh fruit, museli and yoghurt. You pay twice as much in tourist restaurants. The fruit selection is great and each mouthful has a different taste, pineapple, banana, mango, dragon fruit, water melon and paw paw.
Last night I was wandering the streets, totally lost and in a quiet part of the city when I stopped for a bottle of water and plate of mixed veg. I had just got sat down when the owner said "Stand up" I obeyed and was told the king's son would be passing by. Suddenly the four lane high way was quiet and the cavalcade drove by. Police cars and motor bikes and the king's son in a white saloon car with a crest on the side. Half an hour later I was still lost having been given conflicting instructions when the same thing hapened, everything stopped, people stood to attention and the son roared past again.
I have not yet been into the centre of Bangkok where the red shirts were camped but even round here, 20 mins. from the city centre, there are a many soldiers with guns and security, some roads have barricades and there is a curfew, but I am in bed before it starts and still there when it is lifted.
I miss the luxury of my hotel in Sein Reap but I am not in my room much as there is a lot to see and do. I spent the afternoon on the river today, on the ferry system. It's a great way to get around and you don''t have to put up with traffic. I spent the morning with a tuk tuk driver who took me to several temples and some shops to order clothes. I need some shorts but wasn't willling to pay $50 US for a pair, no matter how well they fitted. There are hundredss of jewelery shops here and you could get very wreckless and be decked out in silver, gold and precious stones.
Most of the earings I brought with me are ruined and today I bought a pair that are small airplanes in honour of Kevin, Kyly and my soon to be grand daujghter.
From the little I have learned about the Buddist faith, if I have it right then their is no one God but each person reachs a state of nirvana and goodness. I now need to find someone who can explain to me why I could buy a cocktail but not a beer becasue it was Budda's birthday. I have seen them sleeping, standing, lying, one hand up the other on the lap, both hands in the air and everything in between.
Recently I visited the Lucky Buddah and the man beside me explained how I should sit on the red carpet, fold my hands and put my head down three times and then make a wish. I prayed for a healthy child and peace in my heart. I didn't ask if I only had one wish, so perhaps I was pushing my luck, but what or should that be Wat, better place to do it. In the temple before I could have paid to release sparrows from small cages to bring me luck.
I have been in Asia for so long I don't know what is odd any more. I have seen trays of cooked insects, small children riding in the front basket on a bike, a mum with twins held out either side of her, practically dangling in the traffic, a child in front of her, her friend driving the scooter and a fourth child in front of her. That makes six and the most I have seen. Three is normal. Many women over 50 have shaved heads as do all monks. The men wear the mustard coloured cloth and the women white. This weekend was a Buddist festival and hundreds of people were walking around a large buddah chanting and carrying candles. The park was a market and teaming with people, some of them working by torch light. They placed all they had for sale on a cloth on the ground then sat crossed leg waiting for customrs, talking to family and friends.
Many marquees were set up and hundreds of monks were speaking to the people. Police were out in force and it was probably the safest place to be surrounded by people praying, monks and soldiers with guns. No only the soldiers had guns, where would a monk put one in the yards of cloth they wear for clothes. Mind you I wonder if the police could protect me if I got into trouble, they are half my size, very slender and I feel I could pick one up under each arm and just carry them about. I suppose the advantage they have is in the fact they do carry hand guns. The soldiers have huge guns and probably need to put them down every now and then to relieve the weight on their arms.
It is monsoon season, but very little rain has fallen. It is still hot but thank goodness not 38 to 40 every day. The cloud cover really helps cool things down. I think it is hot but the locals all wear jeans, rarely shorts, long sleeve shirts and I have even seen woolly hats, basket ball boots and socks.
I have been thinking about returning to Canada for a few days so that I can torture and mutilate a few staff at the banks. I must be feeling kinder my original plan was to kill a few, then I could get my driving licence updated, sort out money matters and oh yeah, go to Yellowknife, but I probably won't do any of thee things. As Kevin said it would be an expensive exercise and nothing would change. Don't you just wish you were as smart as your youngest chiild.
My friend I met in Turkey arrives on the third of June and we should have a good laugh together. She can stand in for all the friends I miss..
Wifi is hard to come by here and when I found a restaurant that offered it, I sat down for a meal, they charged me for using the wifi and for the electicity as I plugged in little emu. Now that is a new one.
Any one thinking of a holiday, think about joining me for a couple of weeks. If you can find a cheap flight and hotel deal. I can live in luxury and share the cost of the room.
Off out to get a bite to eat. Miss you.
The bearless Emu.
Kevin phoned me today to tell me that Kyly and my grand daughter are just fine. She was born 3.00 pm Thailand time,, weighing in at 8.lbs. Her name is Larissa. for the first two days I thought of her as Melissa, as that is what I thought Kevin told me. Fuzzy cell phone connection or fuzzy ears caused by a big cboke up and a few tears.
I also now have all my cards back. Hurray and the bank TD bank is going to do an investigation.
Hurray. I am no longer travelling alone as I now have an adorable teddy bear and a koala. Thank you Michele. They will be appearing in a cinema near you soon. I leave Bangkok tomorrow and will be going to Laos. First I have to do an over night train journey and have booked a sleeper, first class. Sounds grand but I will let you know.I will keep this short, Wi fi limited .Happy Grandma Eff
I got the night train from Bangkok to the border town olf Nang Kieng, (close enough) I had the two bed sleeper to myself and slept fairly well. It was a twelve hour journey, leaving Bangkok at 8.00 pm. A man came and made up the bed and a lady came round to take orders for dinner and breakfast, there was no buffet car and I travelled first class. I had seen second and third class and treated myself. This train runs every day and is much more expensive than by bus, but more comfortable. I
Another day, another border crossing, another language and currency and driving on the other side olf the road from the last coutnry, (Thailand) I don't know my left from my right so it really doesn't matter as long as I remember to look both ways at least three times. It helps, so far I have not been run over, but watching out for traffic on the road is one things, you have to look out for scooter and motor bikes on the pavement.
I did see some lof the damage from the red shirts and the army, but it is in a small area and for the rest of the city it is business as usual.
I have been using the emergency cash and today tested out the ATM Hurray, it worked and for a short while I was a millionaire, I took out one million kip. There's 8,000 to the dollar. I use cash and will be here for a month . I am in the capital of Laos, if you stub your toe and say "ow" with an "L" at the front you will be pronouncing it correctedly. It is a city of 600,000 people with black hair and brown eyes, all shorter than me. What's new.
It is not as hot as it has been but don't be foooled it is still very hot, the clouds keep the temperature down to about 34 and it does sometimes rain but never for long. I will be going north and have no idea what to expect. As I said before "What's new?"
The two new bears had their pictures taken and pasted over the top of the kidnapped bears, so now I am back to being grinned at, or frowned upon at border crossings. It is nice to have company.
I thought being a grandma might be exhausting but so far I am coping well.
Hope all is well, Enjoy the summer.
Hugs and love from me and the new bears.
Vang Vieng 13th June.
This is a small town along side the Nam Song river, fast flowing and the colour of caramel cream. Development seems to require no permits and three story guest houses are springing up everywhere. They are solid brick, breeze block and cement buildings with a bamboo net work of scaffolding. These new buildings are replacing original wooden buildings, some leaning out over the river on stilts with a back drop of limestne mountains.
Back packers come to test their courage and jump from high platforms in to the river 30 to 40 feet below, visibility zero. I left this to the young ones but I did go to the caves, tubing and kyaking for the day. First stop was Elephant cave, it has a natural formation that does in deed look like a life size head of an elephant, it also has a sitting and reclining Buddah.. I tried to follow the guides story about flogs, framingoes and the liver, but gave up and took photos instead.
At the next stop I braced myself, as I got into an inner tube and held my breath as my body adjusted to the cold, clear river water. Helping hands pushed the tube to a nylon rope trailing out of a cave. Most of it was below the water level and the entrance looked like a ragged semi circle, only 18" at the highest point. Five minutes in and the natural sun light disappeared. It was replaced by eerie spot lights from the miners lamps, attached to black batteries on cords around out necks. At first it was noisy from laughter and chatter from the visitors, but when the initial excitement was over, there were only two sounds, gurgling water and one of the guides singing. We could have been in a monatory hearimg a Gregorian chant from a lone monk. It was beautiful and a pleasure to hear some one who likes his job so well he sang at work. We were in the cave long enough to see the stalagtites and to appreciate the warm air when we surfaced over an hour later.
Lunch was served on a rickety wooden platform with a roof and one wall. We had rice and bbq vegetables or meat on skewers with a baguette. Pity it was served in white polystyrene flip top boxes. Asia is drowning in plastic, much of it heaped into big piles and left to disappear from sight only, by the creeping vines and weeds.
The second part of the trip involved kayaking 15 kms back to the town, with one stop at one of the many bars along the river side. Each bar has a platform with a zip line and or trapeze used by the young and brave to plunge into the water. We encountered a few rapids but no serious mishaps, despite many of the people on the water never having been in a canoe or kyak before.
This day trip can be dangerous and people have died jumping into the river. It is not a good combination that of cheap beer and cocktails, very loud rock music, rickety stick platforms, water visibility zero and youth,
I was lucky enough to team up with five bright intelligent young women. Four of them jumped but the fifth did not want to risk injury as she was booked to climb Mount Killmanjor in two weeks. She mentioned it as if it was a trip to a new super market opening in her town. I was delighted by their company and their stories. At first I though they were all friends from England, but as we talked I realised they had all met on the road and soon would be going their seperate ways., to Japan, Killmanjaro, Phillipines and who knows where else. They made me feel like a stop at home. I loved the way they welcomed me into the group and would have liked to have spent more time with them. My disadvantage was they they were all young and gorgous, kind enough to laugh politley when I realised that being in the water had given me more wrinkles, as if I didn't have enough.
I got talking to a young women in a travel office and she told me she had a one year old daughter. I don't know why but one of the questions I asked her was "What colour are her eyes?" She grinned at me, thinking I was joking, I must have looked serious becasue she said "Brown and she has black hair like her Asian parents." Now that was silly question.
I find it very sad to find out that most of the body and face lotion sold in Asia contains "whitner"
The young women use it in an attmpt to look more western. They are beautiful, why would they want to do this terrible thing to their skin.? It might not be ilegal, but surely it is imoral of the big corporations to promote this as a good thing.
Things I have seen.
I watched small boys playing in the river, wearing ragged underpants and big water proof watches. A young woman on her scooter carrying the kitchen sink, Two young men on a scooter and the passenger had his arms stretched out behind him pulling a wheelbarrow. Monks on bicycles holding parsols and cell phones. Pineapples being sold to local restaurants from wooden push carts. Barefoot farmers with oxen in rice paddies. Women working along side men on building sites and realise that sights I once found strange are just the ordinary way of life here and that includes tiny ants zig zagging across my keyboard and sharing my breakfast with stray kittens with stumpy tails.
Travellers are accepted here in Laos and the people do their best to provide whatever they need, be it a day out on the river, accommodation, meals, shampoo and conditioner, (western brands) transport, internet and ATM.'s.
As you go north in Laos you travel across the moutain ranges through wilderness and get some idea of why the US could not find the "eneny" during the Vietnam war. Here in Phosan I have learned about the Secret War and it is shocking and shameful the damage that was done and continues to be done to the Laos and Cambodian people. US troops were droping bombs on the Ho Ch Min trail in Vietnam and the VC headed into the jungles and mountains of Laos. Millions of bombs were dropped on indiscriminant targets in the hope of finding soldiers that were not visible in the thick jungle. If a bomber did not discharge his load over Vietnam they were ordered to just let them go over Laos.
It is estimated that over 30% of these bombies did not explode. They are the size of tennis balls and to a child look like a toy. Collecting scrap metal for an income also causes many deaths. Farmers are killed every year as they plough their fields. MAG is a British organisation that trains locals on how to clear the bombs and mines from villages, educates people on how to deal with them when they are found and provides links for medical treatment and rehabilitation. Thirty years later and they are still doing horrific damage to inocent people..
I went to visit three Jar sites and they all have designated footpaths clearly marked by the white painted stones either side to designate a safe area within the markers but outside it has not yet been cleared. I was fascinated by the Plain of Jars and had no idea they existed before I arrived in Laos. They are a mystery and so far no one really knows why they were made. Some say they are burial urns, but this does not make a lot of sense. This area has been declared a World Heritage site by Unesco and no more work will be done to uncover any that might be underground or to repair broken ones damaged by bombs. They really are a mystery and I am so glad I went to see just a few out of the many thousands that sit around in fields.
Tomorrow I will travel by bus to Vietnam. If you don't hear from me the bus plunged over the cliff and within a few hours the lush jungle covered up all the evidence.
Here at a high altitude it has been a relief to be out of the heat. I have felt a bit jaded about travelling and hope my enthusiasm will be restored in Vietnam. I look forward to a change of diet and some sea breezes. as usual I have no idea what to expect.
I have my fingers and toes crossed that I will meet up with Tracy and Lindsy and new friends. No matter the scenery it is the people you meet that really make it all worth while.
Please send hugs and news. Miss you all and sometimes do wonder what the heck I am doing out here wondering around like a lost soul...
It was a twelve hour jour ney over the mountains to the border crossing between Laos and Vietnam, The road is steep, windy and supposedly two lanes, most drivers use the middle and their horns to warn on coming traffic and that includes herds of cows or water buffalo. You can not get a visa into Vietnam at the border, you need to set this up at an embassy. Fortunately I knew this and sailed through as did the bears.. The two US women on the bus had their luggage searched but I was waved through. By the time the bus arrived in Vinh, Vietnam, I had no desire to go anywhere and booked into a guest house near by.
I had no Vietnamese money and headed out the next morning to find an ATM. That part was easy, but it didn't work. All the double glass doors of the bank were open and I went inside to find out what was happening. It turns out the power was out and that if I came back in twenty minutes, at 7.30 am the bank would be open for business and they would be able to get me cash and charge me 4% or I could go to a different part of town where the power was still on. At the fourth ATM I did get cash, not knowing how many dong to a dollar. I got out one million and felt rich for a while. 16,000 dong to a dollar and a room cost 140,000 dong.
On one menu I saw squirrel, tortise, snake head steamed in beer, porcupine, eels, frogs, snails, pinkled spinach, (perhaps s spelling error). I stick to vegetables, noodles, rice and sometimes chicken in the soup. In desperation I went to the only fancy hotel in town and ordered English breakfast, Eggs, beans, mushrooms, potatoes, toast and tomatoes. I got a hot dog, a half slice of bacon some fresh and fried tomatoes, no beans, no mushrooms, no hash browns, a toasted baguette, fried egg and powdered orange juice.. Well it made a change from noodle soup.
I spent 277,000 dong on a train ride to Hanoi. I booked a first class sleeper and got the top bunk with passengers changing as it chugged its way across hills and through valleys sculptured by rice paddies.. It arrived about 9.00 pm on a busy Friday night. When the train reaches the end of the line, everyone gets out and heads to the exit or to the ticket office, this involves crossing several tracks with trains on the move. All you see is the headlight as the trains come into the station. Granted they are going slowly but it is a bit unneverving to be pulling your little bag on wheels across tracks with a moving train on your left or right. I seemed to be the only one concerned, not to mention a bit overwhelmed.
I was lucky enough to get a ticket to Lau Cai, another sleeper travelling at night this time for an 8 hour journey. It seems that half the populations of Vietnam is on the move Friday night heading to Sappa to escape the heat of the city. The train has twelve carriages. I had hoped that one would turn out to be a buffet car, as I had not eaten a proper meal since the day before, only some soup at the lunch stop on the bus and soup for breakfast while I was looking for the ATM. The only food available was from a lady with a trolley selling junk food snacks and warm drinks. Oh to be back in Australia travelling on the Country Link system.
Lack of planning and research on my part meant that I did not know that Sappa was another 40 kms up the mountiain on a bus. It was chaos at the station with twelve carriages dispensing passengers, so I walked away from the station and booked into a small guest house. I was surprised to have to pay 200,000 dong about $13. with no breakfast or pool. 99% of the tourists are Vietnamese and so there is not much English spoken or written in the town.
Sappa is high in the mountians, so it is cool and rooms do not need fans or AC. The local hill tribe people live here and wear their traditinal costumes, living off the land or selling souveniers to the few tourists who do manage the long journey. Water buffalo and cows wander around on the soccer field and in the streets and markets.
The mountain scenery is very beautiful with steep slopes cultivated by farmers who grow rice, corn and who knows what else but the town is like many others, in that it looks like a construction site. There is very little flat land and buildings cling to the sides of hills and slopes. The road now links the hill tribes and many have scooters and rely on trucks bringing in goods and produce. Before the road was built they would have been very isolated.
It is official, I admit to being lonely, this will change when I meet up with someone and we can travel together for a few days. Personal space here is something you have to get used to. People will fall asleep on your shoulder on a bus, push infront of you at a ticket counter, talk to you with their face six inches away from yours and they shout at each other.
I hope to open my email and get hugs when I am next able to get on line.
It is now the 6th July and this morning I went back to immigration and picked up my passport with an extension to stay in Vietnam, but I have decided to head back to England. I have a cold, have not been right inside since Bangkok, nothing serious but I don't want any more noodle soup and veg. I don't have a lot of energy and find the high temperatures and humidity, quite tiring. It is now high season and everybody seems to be on the move, hotels and transport are booked out and everywhere is crowded. I need to be with friends for a while, wth some decent meals, some laughs and a few beers.
I fly to Hongkong from Hanoi, then from Hongkong to London direct. I arrive on the 15th July at London airport.
I did go to Hanlon Bay for a two day cruise, one night on a boat and the second night in a poor hotel. You don't know what you will get when you book a tour. It is very hit and miss and you certainly can't count on getting whatever is shown in the brochure. The boat was first class, lovely cabins and a dining room that was classy with good service and a variety of dishes. We visited some caves and spent an hour in kyaks before going back to the boat for the night.
In the bay there are close to 2,000 islands, most of them uninhabited, with steep sides, some clothed in tress and plants, others are bare rock. It is a very beautiful area and protected by Unesco. Yet another place I did not know existed. For all the places I have seen, there are a hundred I missed and I just might be sorry that I didn't stick it out until the weather cools and things are less busy. So be it, no regrets.
I have seen people living in poverty and terrible coonditions and here I am with the flick of a plastic card I can get cash or book a flight and leave. I do know it is a good life and I have seen things I never knew existed, met great people and will travel again, but for now I just need to stop. No more rice or noodles for breakfast, I look forward to fresh milk in my coffee, a pint of Guinness, some laughter and good conversation. I want to sleep in the same bed for more than a few days and then not have to find reception to check out. I have what is called home sickness, but I have no home and that is a strange thought I don't dwell on.
Next stop Hongkong, then London.
It is with mixed emotions that I find myself in England. Very glad to be here with friends, away from the heat and humidity, surrounded by people who speak my language and all the comforts of a home. However I am disappointed that I was not able or willing to stay in Vietnam and travel down the coast until August and then fly to the Phillipines and keep the scheduled flight from Hongkong to India. in September.
A combination of factors led to the end of my travels for now. My insides have not been right for six weeks, the heat and humidity were draining what little energy I had, I really did not want any more noodles or rice for breakfast, high season meant very busy transportation and full hotels,
I looked how I felt, not so good plus I was feeling lonely. You either have the passion, enthusiasm and energy for travel or you don't. When it tapers off you have to decide what is best and for me it made sense to change the date of the flight to London from October 30th. to July and not go to India. So here I am in Dorset, having come full circle as I was born 15 miles down the road.
It has also dawned on me that not having a home or base means I rely on friends. I need to think about what I want and where I want to be. The next step will be to work out how. I intend to travel to South America and like the idea of having a place to come back to. I am reminded that you never know what tomorrow will bring. The best laid plans of mice, men and travelling emus don't always work out, so make the most of today, appreciate what you do have, hug your family and friends.
Using skype from the hotel room in Hanoi I was able to change the flight details. I booked a flight from Hanoi leaving myself five nights to explore the bright lights of Hongkong. My first stop at the airport was to use the ATM and then to Starbucks. I nearly fainted when given the bill, 34 dollars. I soon found out that 7 Hongkong dollars equals one US.
The airport is small but well laid out with signs in both Cantonese and English, helpful staff just waiting around to answer any questions in either language. The young man at Starbucks suggested I get myself to the Jordan area and ask around for hotels. I soon figured out that for the price of a cup of coffee I could get a public bus to the city, 45 minutes away. I enquired at two hotels where rooms started at $100 US a night, to be told they were full, It was a bit overwhelming to be in a city where you could hardly see the sky for high rises and millions of people shopping.
No matter how small your cat, if you swung it, you would hit a name brand or an Indian tailor wanting to make you a suit, blouse or skirt. They could also direct you to hotels or contacts to buy watches and handbags. I did find a guest house, nine floors above street level and booked in for five nights at 450 HKD. Far more than I had been paying but glad to have it. In the hall way I had use of a fridge and water dispenser with hot and cold water, coffee and tea. I was right down town Hongkong, so I could spend the day walking around, or exploring by bus and train. It is an amazing city. What you see at street level is a tiny fraction of city life. You need to go up flights of steps between buildings to find another world, restaurants, parks, appartments, museums and transit system.
My flight to London was at 11.30 pm 14th July. I arrived about 7.30 pm to be told the flight had been cancelled. Technical problems. It was nearly 11.00pm before I was told that they had me booked on a flight the following morning and a room at the airport hotel. I now know that you can get from downtown Hongkong to Fred's cottage in Langton Matravers, all by public transport. The twelve hour flight landed at Heathrow at 4.00 pm by 5.15 pm I was on a National Express coach to Poole. I had a half hour wait for the local bus to the end of Steve's driveway. Amazing.
I won't be going far for a couple of weeks. Steve and Colin will feed me local meat and all vegetables will be picked half an hour before they are cooked. When I have the energy I will go walking on ancient footpaths and bridlleways.
I talked to Steve about going to the doctors if I didn't feel better in a week but after four days he made me an appointment and ran me down to his GP. I supplied blood and stool samples and the results will be back in a few days. The doctor is looking for parasites and even maleria. If both come back as negative they will start looking for something else. Oh Joy. At least I will know what I am dealing with.
I would like to say thank you so much to everyone who left messages, sent emails and kept me going because they cared. I do not take for granted how important it was and is to hear from family and friends.
I will continue to up date the blog, but the photos and adventures will be of everyday things in England, no Buddas, no tropical plants, no scooters with several passengers, no water buffalo or rice paddies.. I no longer stick out like a sore thumb and I can hear snippets of conversation as I walk about and realise I have been half deaf for a while. I am also seeing old people walking about, you don't see many in Asia. they must all stay home or just don't make it to old age.
Thanks again. Alice in a different wonderland enjoying great cheese, brown bread and potatoes.
I already knew that Emus don't get maleria, so it no surprise that I don't have it. The tests did not show a parastie either. I have been told tot settle and get a doctor and have a battery of tests done. All this is free, no wonder the country is going broke.
So here I am in Thomad Hardy country, surrounded by hills, great waking areas, across from the Isle of Wight, in a very peaceful village. It is a relief to be out of the hgh humidity and temperatures and I have had no rice or noodles since I have been here,
Keep the mesages coming and please send a minimum of two hugs with each message..
Thanks. Travelling Emu held up again, slowed down but not stopped.
The bears were stamped into England at Heathrow Airport, the immigration man said "You are never too old for bears"
I am like a spinning top, back in Dorset but this time I was invited to stay with Steve again. How nice.
I had more blood tests done and when I called at the surgery for the results,, two days ago, I was asked to make an appointment for the day after tomorrow. I asked if it was urgent and explained I would be away for a couple of weeks. The good news was that it could wait until I got back, so I will be discussing the results on 10th Sept. I am feeling so much better, I have no concerns about what they might have found. All the symptoms have gone away. I no longer sleep in the afternoon, my face is clearing up after having broken out as if I was a teenager again, No more hot flashes, food tastes oh so good and I do get hungry. I might even start putting weight back on. She also said that six months in Asia probably had nothing to do with it. Ha, now that I did not believe. That was when she suggested it might be gall stones. (I thought of you Karen) but no more has been said on that subject. Hurray. Anyway enough of all that. Thank you for phone calls and emails. As always my family and friends are Simply the Best.
I did see the sun for very brief intervals between clouds, but mainly it is cool and cloudy with enough wind to get the washing dry or cloudy and wet. No complaints, better than 38 degrees with 98% humidity. I managed to get a couple of pairs of jeans from the Charity shops and yesterday I actually bought a pair of black leather lace up shoes. It feels very strange to be wearing shoes and socks after being in flip flops for so long.
Another surprising thing is that I have a plan, I need to be heading in the direction of where I want to go and not going in circles. As we all know only too well, things change but this is my so called plan. I will visit mum in Norfolk, then back to Ozzie's. I will book a flight to Spain and go walk about to find a place to rent for a couple of months or longer. October is the off season and prices are reasonable. An apartment that is 185 pounds per week June to September is only 75 pounds in the low season. If anyone has any contacts, please let me know.
I need to be settled and finally get round to doing something I have only talked about for far too long. I will figure out how to get on line and offer articles to magazines and see if I can create an income. My mind seems to be working again, (no jokes about that one) and I have pages of notes and some articles already written. Fingers crossed. Again I would appreciate any ideas and suggestions.
I was lucky enough to travel with Tracy in Cambodia, she is Canadian but has lived in England for fifteen years. We were going to meet in Vietnam, but she got a call from a friend and ended up leaving in June to be with friends in Northampton, England. She emailed me her phone number and when I called I said, "Where are you", I nearly fell over when she said "Tunbridge Wells, Where are you?"
"So am I" I replied and a couple of hours later she picked me up and we had lunch together and nattered away the afternoon. She goes back to Vietnam in September but I am sure we will meet and travel together again. Small world.
My friends have been generous but I can't keep swanning around and turning up needing a room because I am not at my best. I now have a presence here in England, but can't see myself living here full time. I have an address, a doctor, library card, driving licence and best of all a bus pass. Great to be over 60. My UK passport takes me anywhere in the EU I get Euros from the hole in the wall bank machine, the bank converts it to Canadian dollars and it comes straight out of my account. So much easier than travellers cheques (any one remember them) and so convenient.
Oh yeah, back to my plan. I would like to have my own front door to come back to, somewhere to enjoy my interests of sewing, gardening, writing, putting together photo albums etc. I miss having an outlet for my creative side. With this in mind I am looking at property in Nova Scotia, I can afford somewhere and may be have a home that I have enough room to rent out or share and create an income, may be even bed and breakfast. Who knows, as always, my Alice in Wonderland life style provides for so many options.
I will go to South America with Brigitte and hope by the time I leave Spain I will be able to get by in Spanish. If things work out Scott will join me there. He can also work on his Spanish. We both already know how to order beer. I will also spend three months in Australia every year until I can figure out how to be a resident.
So all is well. with Kevin, Kyly and Larissa. Scott now has a motor bike and still works on fire engines. If it stops raining Steve and I will dig over a patch of ground to extend the garden and use the rocks and stones on the walls. I am back to being useful and know why he invited me back. I might even make blackberry jam and chutney from the apples in the garden.
I went up to London for the day and enjoyed the atmosphere, seeing the old buildings along side the sky scrapers. I went to Camden market, amazed to find working locks in the heart of the city and wonderful bronze statues. The area has been cleaned up and many shops are situated under the arches of road and train bridges. I could have had a tattoo, and eaten food from all over the world in restaurants or market stalls. I did have a curry and watched people go by, wondering about the fashion sense of some of the young women.
Last week I spent the day in Dorchester to visit the exhibition of Terra Cotta Soldiers and the Teddy Bear Museum. I will send a link for photographs.
Thank you for all the messages and ;phone calls. I know each one comes with a hug and that brings a smile to my face and sends the same winging back to the sender.
Still travelling but in circles. Eff
On the road again.
I worked in Steve's garden and in Rogers, it is always a pleasure to be outside doing something worthwhile. Steve and I created a new vegetable patch, leveled a mound of stones, weeds and nettles and got it sown with grass seed. We took down a fair size tree and got it logged and cleared up. In Roger's garden I cleaned up several beds in the front garden finding all kinds of plants Roger had not seen for a while.
I spent a few days with Mum in Norfolk, then back to Ozzie's for three days. Out of the blue I was asked to house sit for a friend of Ozzie's sister in France. I ended up flying from Stanstead and Rowena picked me up from Berjerac airport. I am now alone in a wonderful old stone farm house, looking after two dogs, four geese, five sheep, a dozen chickens and one cat. Rowena left yesterday and will be back on 5th October.
Rowena is English, but has lived in France for fifteen years, before that twenty years in Belgium. Her husband died in January 2009 and she has kept the house and 20 acre property going. I have been introduced to several English friends, been loaned a bike and feel quite at home.
Yesterday I picked 20 lbs of tomatoes and made spaghetti sauce. I walked in to the village of Lalinde to explore the weekly market. I bought several kinds of cheese, some fresh vegetables and walked back. What a beautiful town, there is nothing new, everything is easy on the eye including the wide river, home to many swans. The town square is a social place, busy with people drinking coffee or wine and enjoying lunch in the sunshine. Hot chocolate is well named, it looks, taste and feels like a large mug of melted rich dark chocolate. A few French words come to mind but people are very helpful and if all else fails I can point then hold out cash.
It takes about half an hour to walk into town, along a single lane track used by tractors and cars. I can see no other houses, but can walk to the nearest neighbours in about ten minutes. It is warmer here than in England and no sign of winter in the green leaves of trees and Virginia creeper. Roses, geraniums, cosmos and dahlias are in full bloom. The chickens put them selves to bed at night, but I do have to put two of the geese away. Thankfully I am not required to shear the sheep, but the dogs are walked twice a day, except on Saturday and Sunday when hunters will be in the woods, shooting pigeons.
Fresh figs are available every day from a tree in the garden. I will get eggs on Monday from a neighbour. The view from this house on the hill includes oak tree woods and standing maize, waiting to be harvested. It is golden in colour with just a few splashes of green. Small buzzards and hawks hunt over the nearby fields and a pair of small red deer venture out of the woods to graze. The only noise is bird song, the humming of the fridge or CD's I play and sing along to.
My next move is to Spain but until I get there, I have no idea where I will be staying or how I will get there. So until then I will enjoy this huge lovely old stone house with bedrooms and bathrooms up stairs in what was once the hay loft. Every window can be opened just a few inches hinged at the bottom, but with a turn of the small window latch, it swings wide open on side hinges. Most ingenious. Every window has shutters in rich dark oak stain, but new ones in the village are now white plastic. Ah well that must be progress.
All is well. I look forward to hearing from friends and family as I have wi fi for the next couple of weeks.
Still travelling and heading south. Eff
It's cool in the mornings, but soon warms up. There has been only one evening of rain. I have been working in the gardens, always a pleasure.
Rowena will be back in three days and so far all the animals are well. The two grey geese hiss at the hand that feeds them but the two white ones are no bother. On our first walk together, the big dog Simba took off and now I always have him on a lead. The other day I had to walk across two fields to find the sheep. I was glad to find them huddled in their shed. I have not heard yet about the licence I applied for to make a healthy drink from sheep's milk. The off white sheep will produce vanilla and the brown ones chocolate. The chickens escape and wander all over the place but don't stray far from the house. No eggs are laid, it turns out that most of them are cockerels and the three hens are too overwhelmed to lay eggs. Other things on their mind. The cat disappeared for 24 hours but is home now looking for his bowl of bread and milk.
When I was out with dogs today I found the body of one of the lovely red dear that live near by. It may have been killed by hunters that have been out and about all day. I didn't see them but could hear the baying of the hounds and the horns being blown to get them back from the maize field. What a shame. I thought they were shooting pigeons, but perhaps they were after wild boar.
Hundreds of swans live near the bridge on the Dordorgne, I don't know what keeps them there. I see them every time I cycle in to the village to do some shopping and enjoy a hot choclate. I can order it in French.
Here in France and in England ,I have eaten half a hundred weight of cheese, fresh fruit and vegetables from the garden and am pleased to announce I am putting on weight. I now need to figure out how to disperse the chubby bits around my middle to my arms and legs.
It's been good to have a home of my own for a coupe of weeks. Heading to Spain but don't know yet when or where. I hope to be on the coast near Serville so that I can take a trip across to Tunisia.
Thanks for the messages.
I am off to tidy up the chickens.
Eff
Rowena invited me to stay as long as I like, brave woman. We have been sanding and staining window frames and shutters ready for the winter. While she was away I worked in her garden and yesterday as a "Thank you" we spent the afternoon at a nearby village where the river Dorgogyne and the river Versie meet. The village cascades down a hill with a castle at the top and a recently restored botanical garden. It seems that little has changed in two hundred years.
The canal is quiet now but it used to be the high way for trade including logs tht were used to make barrels. Pirates used to operate and one castle was built to protect cargo. Further down the river the rocks are red and the legend is that this is where a dragon was slayed. It is a very beautiful and peaceful area.
Rowena dropped me in Bergerac and I was going to return on the train. I arrived at the station to find that due to protests and strikes of government workers, trains and buses were not running. Post office sorting offices are also on strike. I was sitting on the wall wondering how I would get back to Lalinde 25 kms away, when Rowena drove by. She had finished work and thought she would swing by the station just in case. Thank goodness she did, I might still be sitting there or blown the budget and got a taxi.
The other day we went to lunch with Vivianne, owner of the yurts and she served stag, shot locally with black figs in baked custard for dessert. I have drunk nettle tea, Rowena says it will build me up and eaten twenty kinds of cheese. I have enjoyed croissants, hot chocolate and french bread. The woods reverberate with the sounds of hunters shooting deer, pigeons and wild boar. At night we sit chatting under a glorious sky. The sun doesn't rise until 8.00am and I enjoy a beautiful sun rise as well as sunset about 7.30 pm As always life is very different from life in Langley.
The news here is that people are very unhappy about new government rules and there will be strikes each day. The owner of Ryan air has announced he will pull out of Berjerac airport if things are not sorted out.. Air traffic controllers will shut down airports, post is not beiing delivered, I had better head to Spain soon.
I plan on leaving on Wednesday, assumming the trains are running. I will take a few days to get to Malaga. Scott will be meeting me sometime after the 12th November, so I will find accommodation near a bar and night life.
All is well. Miss you.
Love and hugs
I have seen two full moons since I have been here. Tonight it is so bright it casts a shadow on the sundial. Where did the time go?
I have loved trying the great variety of cheeses here, all locally made. A visit to the bakery is a treat, I try something different every tine I go to the village. I discovered a chocolate donut. I was surprised to bite into it to find it full of rich smooth chocolate, not just a few pieces. Yum. Today we went to a local Tea house, Rowena had chocolate cake and I had pear and almond pie. Their hot chocolate is out of this world. Best I have ever tasted.
We do eat well, Tonight was a first I had gizzard for dinner with salad home grown tomatoes and walnuts, with oil and vinegar dressing. The gizzard is where the toothless ducks and geese grind their food with small stones, then it passes to the stomach. It tastes a lot better than it sounds.
We visited one of the local paper mills in nearby Couze. They used to make paper from rags, but as clothes are now synthetic they only use plant fibre. Some of the buildings are built into the cliff face, with the river running alongside and diverted to run a water wheel. It is still in working order but must have been a cold place to work. Older woman cut the rags, men made the paper and young girls hung it to dry. It was quite fascinating.
Well it seems that French workers and students are not going to accept the governments new changes to the retirement age. They have taken to the streets to demonstrate, waving flags and letting off fireworks. Gas stations have run out of gas, trains and buses are not running, people are stocking up and according to the news, things are going to get worse next week.
My plan was to go by train to Barcelona, then head down the coast on the Spanish trains, however, that was plan "A" and I am now on plan "C' or "D". I didn't want Rowena to drive me to Bordeaux in case she couldn't fill the car and get back home, so she has been listening to the news and found out that a bus will be running daily from this village train station to Bordeaux and from there I can get a Eurolines coach to Madrid. So that is what I am going to do and I leave on Sunday.
I have finished sanding and staining all the shutters back and front at ground level, but in a house this size, there is always work to do. I will miss her and the animals, even the silly chickens.
I have no idea what I will find in Spain but will look for accommodation I can afford and get to know the locals. It has been dry here, but sometimes very cold and I look forward to warmer weather. Any one want to join me?
Al is well. Thanks for the messages. Always greatly appreciated.
Bye for now, this Canadian goose is heading south.
It was not easy to get out of France due to protests and strikes. From one day to the next, you didn't know if buses or trains were running, so that made it difficult to book a Eurolines coach from Bordeaux. How was I to get there and if Rowena drove me( 3 hours) could she get any gas to get back again? She found out that a bus was replacing the train to Bordeaux on the Monday, I had to use her credit card to book the coach as neither of mine would be accepted on line. Same again at the station. I should have been able to pay cash but the ticket machine at the station was "broken" Perhaps it was just on strike in sympathy. A few days before I had not been able to use the cash card at one bank machine but it was fine at the only other one in town. Thank goodness.
Rowena waited with me and we were both glad to see the 3.20 bus pull in. However the driver insisted he was not going to Bergerac. We assumed he knew what he was talking about, put the luggage back on the path and waited. We were getting good at it but when the bus didn't arrive by ten to four Rowena put me, my luggage and a young women in the car and drove us to Bergerac. She knew the connecting bus left for Bordeaux at 4.30pm and if she got a move on, we should just make it.
We did with five minutes to spare and she dropped me at the stop, leaving instructions with the young French woman to make sure I got on the bus and she headed home. I watched the clock on the train station tower get to 5.00pm. Still no bus, the young woman was in and out of the ticket office and on her fourth trip, told me to follow her. It turns out that a train was leaving at 5.30pm to Bordeaux. Everyone was surprised as no trains were running, but you don't look a gift horse in the mouth and I boarded the train with the small crowd of people trying to get to Bordeaux.
We waited and sure enough the doors were closed, the engine started and off we went. I enjoyed the view from the carriage windows, but not the one that greeted me at Bordeaux. Somebody had walked off with my suitcase, it contained all my clothes and a few books. I stared at the empty space in disbelief, finally accepted it was not an illusion and got off the train, It was the end of the line anyway.
I left the station and sat with a cup of hot chocolate, glad that only one of the bags had been stolen and that I had been wearing my ski jacket. I used part of the three hour wait to find the Eurolines bus station. In my dreams I was going to sit in nice warm waiting room, finish my picnic and read. Ha. It was just a bus stop beside a park in a seedy area, a ten minute walk from the station. It was not somewhere I was going to sit for long, so I walked back to the train station. Whoever designed it must travel by bus or plane. The only seats available were attached to small coffee shops. It would have been tacky to sit, order coffee and then tuck into my smelly picnic of Ryvita and blue cheese.. so I sat under a giant bill board with several other people and hoped they didn't mind the aroma of my picnic.
The bus had come from Paris and by the time we had all boarded it only had a couple of empty seats. One passenger in African robes, had his luggage in red, blue and white canvas bags, bound in brown sticky tape and loaded on a dolley. Another had a suit case so large I wondered if it contained a body. He wore a blue suit and black wig, that wasn't on quite straight. Rowena had warned me that I might have some interesting company as this bus was the route for many people going back to Morocco from France..
At 2.30 am the coach made its first stop at the Hotel Alai. I stood at the bar with half a dozen young, very black men in western clothes and listened to several languages as drinks and pastries were ordered. People were sitting in the room smoking, that is when I realised I was in Spain. No security for luggage, no checks for passports, you just enter another country. |This must make it difficult for Interpol to find people, if in fact it still exists. Europe is a huge area and I am sure people must just disappear.
It was still dark when the coach arrived at 7.30 am in Madrid. It was also cold, so I went to plan B and instead of looking for accommodation for a couple of nights, I went looking for the train station as I knew a train left for Malaga every hour. I asked various people for directions and got a blast of words, but always with hands pointing, so I headed in the direction of the pointing hands and hoped the station would be obvious.
Finally I arrived and saw that luggage went through a security check. With my North American mind set I figured it would take some time, so I bought a ticket for the 10.25am to Malaga., then headed to a coffee shop near the platforms for breakfast. The departure time and platform number are announced in Spanish and in English by the same lady who says "Mind the gap" on the London underground. I found that quite comforting.
I was assigned a seat number but choose to sit within view of one remaining case with my back pack on my lap. I was given head sets to listen to the movie playing but preferred to enjoy the view. I was very surprised to find out from the information board above the door that the train was travelling at 300 kph. The buffet carriage was all windows, with English speaking staff and good coffee, even if it was in paper cups. At 300 kph and no stops the train pulled into Malaga from Madrid on time at 1.00 pm
It was 20 degrees, so I bundled my jackets into the case and set off to find a small hotel. I didn't like the room at the first hotel but they said they would hold my case and I could pick it up later. Later it turns out I should have paid for three nights and all would have been well, but I didn't. I went out walking to explore and perhaps find a flat to rent for a month. I felt somebody bump into me and it crossed my mind that is the MO of thieves, so I stopped to make sure all the zips were done up on the back pack. A short time later I stopped for a coffee and found I had no wallet and that meant no cash, no credit cards or ID. I had put everything together when I left France.
I went back to the first hotel and picked up $50 US I had put aside. I tried several banks but they would not change it as I was not a customer, money changers were no where to be seen. I went into a pawn shop and no they didn't change money, but at the sight of my tired, tearful face, they agreed and I left with 32.60 euros in my hand. Not enough for a room but cash to make the necessary calls to cancel cards and get emergency cash. on the TD credit card.
I won't bore you with the details but it took hours, but finally I was told that funds would be wired via Western Union and would be ready for pick up in the morning. I had spent over twenty euros on calls, so decided to just wait it out at the station.. I mus have looked lost because about midnight a man asked if he could help me. He had lived in Quebec for seven years and his sister was married to a Canadian.
Following the introductions he led me to a Pension where I could get a room and pay when my money arrived. I booked in and slept in a small dark room, sharing a toilet and bathroom with all other rooms on that floor. I was glad to find my bath towel and have a shower next morning. I might be hungry, but at least I was clean and had not had to join the street people on a bench. It was oh so close. I was glad that I had locked the dooor, sometime in the middle of the night I was woken by a man knocking and nattering. I had no ide waht about and I told him to go away. In fact I had to tell him several times. Finaly he got it and did just that. I am so glad the door was locked. I had no luggage, and no money, so the only two things left were my brain and my body. At that hour my brain was not very active.
When I went to the Western Union office, the snappy young woman told me "Mucho dinero. Correos" To say the least I was very disappointed. I went to the young woman at the information desk at the station and she translated., that I needed to go to the Post office. Eventually I found the Post office, but no money at the Western Union Counter.
I tried to change another $50 US at several banks, but this was only possible if I had an account with them. I tried at a couple of fancy hotels, but they only did it for guests. Someone suggested I go the Embassy. I needed cash to make the phone calls and find out what had happened.. The Embassy was hard to find, not that it mattered, it was closed. One more try at yet another bank revealed that I could change money at the department store at the mall. Who would have known. It was the first I had heard of it and when I was handed Euros, I was also given a tissue to wipe my eyes.
I picked up my emergency cash the following day, . Everyone who asked me for money was given a Euro. I paid for my two nights at the hotel and went looking for an apartment and a police station. I did make a report using translation services provided by phone. I wished I was 40 years younger as all four young Spanish policemen stayed in the room while the paper work was dealt with. When I left they stamped the bears passports, all with a big smile and "De nada" (You're welcome")
I passed the house, now a museum, where Picasso lived, but didn't go in. I had decided to leave Malaga and head to Torrleminus. I had been told by the real estate agent, it would be easier to rent in that area and he was right. I got the bus out of Malaga and got off in a likely looking area. "For rent" signs were everywhere (in Spanish) along with phone numbers, I spoke with a man and his mother and agreed to rent a small bungalow just down the road. So for a month, I have a front door, I also have a washing machine but no clothes.
My camera insists on telling me sometimes that the card is protected. I have no idea what that means or how to fix it. If you are reading this it means I found Wi fi. so far a rare commodity. I need it to up date the blog, written off line. |My next problem to solve is why I can't log in to my travelling emu yahoo email or my Skype account. The other account works and I have been able to let Scott know to pick up all bank cards from Michele's.
Until he arrives on the 14th I will shop at the local supermarkets. I have bought muesli and a bottle of liquid yoghurt for babies, pina colado flavour. No wonder they grow up to enjoy cocktails. I will also have a beer in the evening, a large bottle costs only a few cents more than a cup of coffee and that I can now make for myself.
This area was developed in the 1960's and 70's, so would not be my first choice as a base for a month or more, If I tell you that I can get fish and chips near by, the bars sell English beer and all the shops are in business for tourists, you will know it is not very Spanish. No matter it is home and I can buy a couple of T shirts, feed myself, use the pool or walk to the ocean in one minute. Scott will be pleased to know that he will be able to enjoy the beach topless. Until I can find a pair of shorts, I am wearing my jeans and am comfortable in the mild temperature of about twenty.
Love might make the world go round, but is seems to stop spinning when you have no cash. Any how , things are looking up and the adventure continues. If you have actually read to the end of this epistle, thank you, but are you still awake? If you have you must be bored and I suggest you go and do something more interesting.
Love and best wishes from travelling emu, stationary for a month.
Beunos Diaz everyone. Here I am trying to learn Spanish, where the letter "I" sounds like ee and the letter "V' is pronounced as a "B". No matter half the people here speak English with northern accents and I have got very good at pointing at things. Universal sign language goes a long way, thank goodness.
I picked up a local paper in English to read about several tourists having their wallets stolen from back packs. I now have two large nappy pins and make sure they are on the zips when I am walking about. I haven't replaced my wallet and keep small amounts of money in my pocket.
The young Spanish women wear very tight jeans or leggings, with skimpy three quarter length sleeve tops, high heel boots, s soft scarf worn casually over the shoulders and a designer handbag. The older women Spanish and English are often over weight and wear shapeless clothes. Many shops sell colourful, clunky jewelery, beads and chains that are draped around necks and wrists.
It seems that nearly everyone has a dog, most of them small, rushing along to keep up with the owners on little spindly legs. (The dogs, and sometimes the owners) You see a big man walking with a chi wowa and young women being dragged along by bull terriers, It does mean you have to watch where you walk, as no one cleans up behind their dog. Cats also wander around and will sit patiently by a table or a fisherman. Locals do feed them and they are all in good health. Cats and locals.
This area used to have a bad reputation from "Lager Louts" but local government and the police force have changed that. It is a safe and clean area, (apart from the dogs) catering to just about anything a tourist might want. Leather coats, shoes and handbags to hats, jewelery and clothes. The streets are swept and washed down every night. Pavements are tiled with marble and very slippery when wet.
Hotels are built in to the cliffs, others are free standing tower blocks. It means that some streets are always in the shade and the tall ones change colour as the sun goes down. Shafts of sunlight will turn parts of a building into blinding white with glinting metal reflections. Buildings have stucco walls and are painted white, beige, pink, terra cotta and pale yellow. Many plazzas, parks and roundabouts have elegant marble fountains. The streets are paved not with gold but with oranges. Orange trees in full fruit and well trimmed line many streets. The fruit is out of reach and you rarely see one on the ground.
It is easy to get around using the buses and trains of the great public transit system. This coast line used to be fishing villages but is now one big development on the land between the mountains and the ocean. Many shops close from 1.30 or 2.00 until 5.00pm. Siesta. It is quiet here now, definitely off season.
There is a supermarket on every corner and they all sell alcohol . Once again it is a pity I am not a wine drinker. The women on the deli counter lift weights half the day. Huge legs of smoked pork are constantly being lifted from the shelf and slotted onto a wooden bracket where thin slices are shaved off with huge knives. They are sliced down to the bone and often look like rifles in a rack.
I did visit the market on Sunday and bought a new top plus a kilo of local avocados and mandarins. Fruit and vegetables were being sold from wheel barrows and prams. The seller either guessed the weight, or put the bag on a hook and read the dial. Some people had stalls, others just used a blanket on the ground to display their wares. I did visit the bull ring, but decided not to go to the bull fight scheduled for that evening.
There is very little Asian influence here. Only a couple of Indian restaurants, one small Asian food shop and no jars of curry sauce or paste in the supermarkets. Bazaar shops sell every thing from clothes, to wool, kitchen items, hardware and books, to towels and batteries. They are all staffed by Asian families who speak Spanish.
The weather has been sunny and warm out of the wind. People are sun bathing on the beach but the locals are wearing long trousers, jumpers and jackets. The rain does not stay on the plain, it has shown up here on the beach, just for one day. The parrots have taken shelter in the palm trees and sea gulls roost on buildings.
The customs of tapas began when barmen put thin slices of bread over a glass to keep out insects and dust. Some hospitable hosts put on an olive and it grew from there, turning into a snack and eventually as small side dishes.
The old lady that owns this bungalow invited me for coffee and insisted I eat as I needed building up. She ordered for me and a dish of chickpeas and pigs trotters was put in front of me. The second dish was chips and small deep fried whole fish, minus their heads., You pick them up by the tail and just bite off a mouthful. Delicious if you like fish. The other way to eat them is to prize them apart and remove the bone. Isabella had her two small dogs with her and eats at this restaurant every day, She took home a tin foil dish for the dogs. It was kind and generous of her to treat me.
This area is not very Spanish, but I do have a nice bungalow and all I need around me. There is a pool in the complex, but it is not warm enough to swim in. It is the middle of November after all. I have bought a pair of shorts, but the temperature has dropped and I am comfortable in jeans and light jumper.
Halloween was not a big event, a few children in costume came into the bar and were given sweets.
I did see a few cobwebs strung out in shop windows with pumpkins and witches regalia. Council workers are starting to put up Christmas lights . Perhaps as most of the population is Catholic it will be less commercial than in Canada or England. I have no idea where I will be this year for Christmas. I will let you know when I arrive. I have not been very successful at learning Spanish, I need to make more effort and to use the little I know.
I am looking forward to Scott and Mike being here. They plan on renting a car and we will see more of this area. Gibraltar is a two and half hour bus ride from here, so it might be a good destination for a day out with them.
All is well. Miss you all.
I met Scott and Mike at the airport and we caught the train to Torremolinos They settled into their apartment and came to my bungalow in shorts and T shirts. We walked down to the Marina along the beach front and each chose a boat we would like to own. They were so closely parked we wondered how they ever got out to the sea. We visited two Picasso museums. What was that man drinking and for how long? Yes I might well be a philistine, but I didn't see anything I would want hanging on my walls or any piece of pottery in daily use. Picasso was born in Malaga and left when he was nineteen.
They rented a car and we drove up into the mountains on day trips. We visited Alhambra, a fort with a history of Christians building churches where a mosque once stood, another invasion and things were reversed. At one time it was the Kings palace, with gardens, barracks and homes for all the staff. Away from the coast you see miles of olives groves, avocado and almond orchards planted and ploughed fields. The white houses tumble down the hill sides. Many small towns and villages have half a dozen churches or a Cathedral, but you rarely see a mosque.
We booked a day tour and boarded the coach at 6.40am. We walked on to the 10.00 am ferry sailing to Morocco. The guide deals with the paperwork and soon, there you are standing in North Africa. No customs to deal with, no security and no questions asked. We did go through passport control, where our passports were stamped to say we were leaving Spain, but no stamps as we left Morocco. The bears were disappointed. The ferry had empty lower decks and carried only foot passengers. It is a 45 minutes ride covering a distance of about 14 miles.
Our first stop was for a very short camel ride. The animals all looked well, if you don't consider their extraordinary appearance. Jaws that go side to side, big floppy splayed feet, humps on the middle of their back, tufted ears, stumpy tails and big brown eyes. They kneel first with the front legs, followed by the hind, so that passengers can sit astride. They reverse the process to get up and you need to hang on as their body sways and tilts.
I was amazed at how green it was, lawns and grass in parks, weeds growing at the side of the road and huge gum trees minus koalas. The Kings Palace had been converted to a restaurant leaving in place all the marble floors, staircases and tiled walls. We had a tasty soup that reminded me of mulligatawny, spicy with rice and haricot beans, fresh soft round white loaves of bread, cuscus, with chicken, a few large sweet raisins and cabbage leaves finished off with a small shortbread type biscuit. The local drink was a glass of hot sweet mint tea. It would help if they put handles on the glass.
We visited a carpet and souvenir shop and a pharmacy. We followed the guide down very narrow alleyways. To pass people had to turn side ways. We walked on what we thought were lanes to find we had to move over to let a car come through. We walked through the cazbar, stepping over litter, small piles of chicken parts, greeted sleeping cats, passed very small shops and through the fruit and vegetable market..
The buildings tumble down the hill side, all very close together. It would take a life time to know and understand how it all works. Perhaps if you stayed long enough you would end up wearing brightly coloured pointed slip on leather shoes and a robe, of sack cloth, with a hood and no middle tie. It must be very comfortable but certainly not flattering. Some men wear this on top of jeans, others wear only long johns. Don't ask.
Tangeirs is a city of one and a half million people and located where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. If the coach had stopped we would have had great photos of the Rock of Gibraltar. At first glance it looks like an island but it is an isthmus. I am glad we went and realised that it was the eighteenth country I had visited since leaving Canada. I had not been keeping count but Mike asked me and I did the maths
Scott and Mike have driven to Seville for one night and then on to Portugal. They did go swimming in the ocean, but were the only ones. Two weeks ago it was much warmer. It has been good to have company. I leave here at the end of the month and hope to find accommodation in Seville for a month. Pity I can't find a house sitting job.
All is well. I go into town and use the wifi at McDonalds. If the battery holds I will open my email and hope to hear from friends and family. 19 degrees, blue skies but feels like 14. I miss you all.
I took a four hour bus ride to Cadiz. It was the first time I had done any research as to where I would stay, but it didn't work out. I had an address of a youth hostel and a marked map from the tourist office, I wandered around in narrow roads and alleys, asking but no one had heard of it. By 8.00 pm I was tired and hungry and glad of a a young woman help, she walked me to a hotel and I booked myself in.
Next morning I went back to the tourist office and one of the staff actually left the building and walked me to another hostel and I stayed a week. The streets are a maze and the expression "Go straight on" should be struck from the language. Some of the so called roads are only fifty yards long and none of them are straight. They are all cobbled, some so narrow that when a car comes through pedestrians have to turn sideways to let them pass. The city is on an isthmus with one main road running along the coast. It was built by merchants and many of the houses have towers so that owners could watch their ships coming back to port.
I met up with a good group at the hostel and we shared the cooking, each of us taking a a turn. We were all very pleased with the meal when Sam cooked, he is a chef and did amazing things with a few fresh vegetables. It means that that we all had a decent meal in the evening. I loved the market, full of fresh fish, fruit and vegetables. It turned out to be a good thing that I did not find the hostel I had been looking for as I have ended up in a sister hostel in Seville.
I am on a two week trial and working for my accommodation, if I don't get the sack I will be here for a month. I am cleaning and making bunk beds, three or four hours a day, five days a week. I have keys to the building, use of the washing machine and dryer, kitchen and share a dorm with five others. In the morning I take my coffee and walk a hundred yards into Cathedral Plaza. I really am right in the centre of the old city. The cathedral is the 3rd largest in the world, but I have yet to go inside.
I have been inside several churches and am amazed at the grandeur, the art work, the carvings, plaster work, tiles, etc. I am also surprised at how massive the churches are, I can't imagine how so many are preserved and maintained, There is nothing new in the city centre and it really is a great place to get lost. Some buildings have had new doors and windows put in to house a bar or restaurant but 95 % is as it was two hundred years or more ago.
Sometimes it is hard to hear yourself think when the bells ring. The Cathedral tower has twenty one bells and they ring several times a day and on the hour. You can see them swing clear of the tower as they do 360 turns. Some do the same call as Big Ben and then clang out the time of day. Others just seem to peal for the fun of it. I picture mad monks dangling on ropes and laughing madly.
Some restaurants don't open until 10.00 pm and many people don't go out until midnight, Shops close from 1.00 or 2 pm and open again at 5.00 or 6.00 pm. Soon after that the streets are full of people, strolling around, eating and drinking and just enjoying the evening, There is a great atmosphere and the city centre buzzes until the early hours of the morning. The bars are full and people spill out onto the street and stand around drinking or sit at tables for meals. Children sit in bars and young ones in push chairs. The trees are dripping with oranges and Christmas lights. Well worth making a few beds to stay here for free in such a great location.
I bought a second hand bike the other day and went exploring. I chained it to a pole and went shopping. When I came back the key would not undo the padlock, so I bought a pair of pliers and spent half an hour cutting the chain. No body asked me what I was doing. When I finally got it free I discovered that the back wheel was very bent and I had to half carry it back to the shop where I had bought it two days before. I have no idea how it got bent, It was standing up right against the pole with nothing around it and no vehicles to run into it. I just know it was a long walk home and I have bruised hips from lifting the back wheel. A new wheel has fixed the problem and I am back on the road.
Another weird things has happened, this time with email. My travelling emu account has been wiped clean and it s not receiving emails. If you have sent me an email in the past two weeks, please send it again to my old address evelynu2@yahoo.ca In the mean time I doubt I will be able fix the problem and will have to get another email address. I wish the gremlins would take a break.
Last night there was a staff Christmas party, you have never seen so many shrimps, plates of cheese, crisps, olives and bacon. That was for starters and the main course was paella cooked in a metal dish that was three feet across and three inches tall, standing over a huge gas ring powered from a cylinder. One of the other workers was from Ontario and he brought ice cream sprinkled with fresh walnuts and maple syrup. About 11.pm ten of us went to the bar where we had a few drinks and danced our socked off,
Sounds of Seville: Clip clop of horses hooves, laughter of children in school play grounds, shrieks of small boys playing football with an orange, bells chiming at all hours, single hoot of the tram, trumpets being played and the notes bouncing off the cathedral walls, blues from street musician, chatter of Spanish voices, screech of small green parrots, cooing of doves, young men breaking out into song and the echo of their voices in narrow alleys, clank and rattle of dollies and carts being pushed along the cobbles. It's a great city.
My Spanish is pitiful, the other day I asked for a window of water. Now that it has stopped raining, it is 23 degrees most days. I am doing some imaginary Christmas shopping and will send you a list, so that you can pick out your own gift.
I am off to it in the Cathedral Plaza with a cup of hot chocolate. Will write again soon. I think of you all often and hope to hear from you.
Hola,
Before I start my Christmas present list to you all, I will offer you a selection from the menu of the bar Toro Toro. The spelling mistakes are from the menu not my typing.
While you decide what you want to eat, enjoy a glass of orange wine, sangria, wine or a beer.
Starters: Red stuffed peppers of shellfish. Eggs jilled of tuna. A variety of cheese and marmalade.
Combination Plates: French omlet naguets of chicken, croquetes and fresh fries. Filets of sirloin to the plate, Fried potatoes, tortillas of camarones, plugs f cake and salad. Meat of bull tail served with potatoes. Chiken ssteaks withcheese sauces to choose, whisky, roquefort or salmonejo. Chicken steak breadcrumbs. Squids with sauce of tomato and rice..
Fried: Kind of anchovies seasoning. Cakes of small shrimps. Plugs of fried potatoes with piquant sauce and mayonaise. Dogfih in seasoning
Desserts: (Postres) Rice pudding, Vanilla on hot coffee. Two balls of rice icecream
With total disregard to budget, wrapping and postage I have spent the last few days cycling around the very beautiful city of Seville choosing gifts for family and friends. You can choose one, several or all from the following list. enjoy. I had a great time thinking of you all and picking out just the right present and a few extras.
A bottle of really good wine and a box of the cheap stuff.
A 6" flower pot over flowing with a red poinsettia. (I could have just lifted them out of the ground from several parks or planters, but resisted the temptation.)
Locally made ceramic bowls, dishes and vases. Dark yellow base colour with blue and red designs.
Hand made white lace table cloth, handkerchiefs or runners.
Porcelain, gold or silver statues from 3" tall to 3" Elegant, graceful and delicate.
A new hat,
Selection of seeds.
Garden art.
Two of every fruit and vegetable you have never seen before.
All the fresh herbs and spices you want.
Coffee table books about Spain and Andalusia.
Fashion bags made from leather, fabric or plastic in bright colours with zips and buckles with shoulder strap or regular hand bag style.
Boxed sets of after shave with weird and wonderful names or perfume. Two dabs will reduce your age by 20 years, tone up your skin and attract your dream partner for a night or day on the town.
Flamenco dresses, bright lipstick red with black trimming to each frill.
Dinner at one of the Cathedral plaza fancy restaurants. 20 E for a bowl of soup.
Two tours of the city by horse and carriage, one by day and one by night..
A river cruise.
Day trip to Cadiz.
Dinner and Flamenco show.
Tapas tour.
Spanish lessons.
Hot chocolate and churros.
Huge box of chocolates.
Leather boots or shoes. You can choose between ankle or mid thigh boots, with or without buckles or tassels. Soft comfortable fashion shoes.
A Christmas decoration from Ingles Cortes department store.
Cd's Pan pipes, flamenco music, classical guitar instrumentals or street musicians.
Tiles. You can design your own or choose a local pattern. They are everywhere and include house names. Blue and white is very popular but any colour is possible. You see them on the back of seats, on church walls and as business name plates.
Heavy clunky jewelery that looks great with the right outfit, made from a combination of beads, glass, fabric, feathers and silver.
Delicate silver brioches, ear rings and matching necklaces.
A 15" orange tree dripping in oranges and Christmas lights.
Five nights accommodation in the Sierra Nevada mountains with ski pass and rentals. Includes all meals and drinks.
A week in a four star hotel or youth hostel, return first class flight unless you want to stay and go travelling with me. I would really like that.
So let me know what you chose, using both my email addresses. I am hoping that travelling emu kicks back in. So far it hasn't happened. I don't know if I have a virus or someone has hacked in to Little Emu. My bank account is ok and so is my old address evelynu2@yahoo.ca. If all else fails I will create a new address. Meanwhile the technical gremlins continue to travel with me. if you have a small sturdy box, I could send them to you and you can take care of them until I decide where I want to be.
Today I made four jars of marmalde with sweet oranges I bought and Seville oranges I picked from the trees. I had Matt help me as is is 6.2" and had a longer reach than me.
I miss you all and will be thinking of you at Christmas and the New Year. I will stay at the hostel in Seville, working three to four hours a day five days a week in exchange for my bed, good for the budget but the best thing is that I have new friends, despite the age difference I am totally accepted and included in whatever is happening. I share a room with 5 others, from Germany, Holland, Switzerland, England and Australia. We some times swap shifts and we share meals, so I won't be lonely as we are all in the same boat. I have heard a rumour that the owners will be putting together a New Years Eve party, If it is anything like the staff Christmas party, we will be well fed and have good company from all over the world.
Think of me when you tuck into your turkey, Christmas pudding or shrimps on the BBQ. No matter the temperature wherever you are, I send you warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year. I wish you good health, peace and contment. It is hard to believe that I left Vancouver in a snow storm and went to the South Pacific two years ago. I have seen many beautiful things and places, met some great people, made new friends, but I haven't yet decided what I what l want to be when I grow up. Have you?
The adventure continues. I have no idea where I will go from here but I will make the most of it. As far as I know you only live once.
So once again.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to my family and friends. You have been there for me through the ups and downs and I treasure you all. Thank you so much, so far away but always in my thoughts.
Love Mum,Grandma, Eff, Liz and travelling emu
I left Seville on 4th January and I am now in Canos de Meca, it is s a quiet village on the coast of southern Spain, 150 kms from Seville. Seville Backpackers Inn was a very social place, we had a staff party on Christmas Eve, a New Years Eve party and a going away party for me on the 3rd. Joe from Germany cooked a meal and Josh (from England) was his helper. Other people were from Spain, Portugal, Georgia (USSR) Romania, Holland, Switzerland and France. It was a great send off.
I loved the city of Seville, always lots going on, beautiful architecture, art, parks, places to ride my bike and a good night life, access to small supermarkets, bars and churches. I didn't mind that often I was lost in narrow streets, it is a great city to just wander.
Having a bike meant I could explore places at my leisure. I did get into a bit of bother when I tried to cross both rivers. I ended up under the motor way, in no mans land. The river had washed out the path and bank and I had to scrambled up and down, wading through mud and flooded tracks. At one point I was in water nearly up to my knees. By the time I managed to get back on to the road, I was quite a mess and glad to find the car wash for me and the bike.
One day I rode to the end of the false river. I had been there a while before I realised that the bridges I used were built over a false river and the real one was two kilometers further north. It was fast flowing and the colour of melted milk chocolate. I do not know the reason for creating the river through the city, but it is certainly a major feature and creates a place for people to fish, canoe, boat races, tours and to ride or walk on either bank. I was sorry to leave and the people I had met, but it was time to move on.
I went to a couple of services at the Cathedral, it was moving for me to be in such a setting thinking of Michele, Rich and their faith. They would have enjoyed the service , beauty, atmosphere, and architecture of such a building. Christopher Columbus is buried there beneath a huge monument. The service was in Spanish and the men in robes of purple, red or white. The day I went as a tourist I climbed the tower and had great views of the city. The tower is left over from when a mosque stood on the site.
I was able to get two buses and take my bike with me to where I am now, in Canos de Meca. 150 kms from Seville on the coast. People are surfing every day, but the water is too cold for me to think about swimming. It is a quiet village and no doubt much busier in the summer. Many hotels and restaurants are closed and it is a fifteen minute bike ride to the nearest shop.
I am no longer sleeping with four men. I have accommodation and food in exchange for five hours work a day, five days a week. I look after a horse, do some gardening and clearing up. It would be much better if the owner was not a crazy lady. I was alone here for six days but now Samantha and Ben are sharing the house with me. They are from England and have a massive camper van, motor bike and push bikes. Karen the owner buys the food, no meat, but we do get cheese and eggs and we do our own cooking. Fortunately Sam is a great cook and enjoys making meals. I just do the washing up.
On the 7th January, I celebrated two years of travelling. Wow. I went to Josh's house, he had friends over. We shared a fruit salad, some chocolate and enjoyed the music and playing of two of his friends. The woman was a professional flamennco singer ad had a beautiful voice, I was thinking it was strong and she turned up the volume, Wow. she sang with typical Spanish emotional. What a way to celebrate. It was delightful and memorable. Josh lived in one of the small house avaiable for rent to tourists. He has been here three months but two days ago Karen told him had to leave in the morning. Like I said a crazy lady.
The other day I cycled 16 kms to Vejer, fairly flat until the last three and then it was very steep. Vejer is one of the many white towns that tumble down a hill side or cluster at the top. Another day I went to Conil about nine kms away. It is a quiet sea side town, with a few shops and lots of bars and small restaurants. The Spanish people seem to eat and drink all day. You have to get used to them closing from 2- 5. shops and bars. Barbate is about twenty kms from here up and over the hills, through pine forests. The trees look like stalks of broccoli not the sort of pine trees I am used to. Babate was built when Franco died and is a tuna fishing port. No high rise buildings, wide streets and boats moored at the quay side.
I went out with Karen on Three Kings night to visit her friends and their three daughters, all adopted from orphanages. The thirteen year old is a Russian Gypsy, the other two are from India, Three Kings night is when Christmas presents are given out and there is a parade in the street, with the three kings throwing out sweets to the children. A traditional ring cake is served to family and friends. Inside your portion you might get one of the small kings for good luck or one of the two broad beans baked into the cake.
All is well but quiet. We light a wood fire at night as the temperature drops when the sun goes down, but I gather we have nothing to complain about as this is the middle of winter. The near by lighthouse shines a patch of light on my bedroom wall. The lighthouse is half a miles away. It is called Trafalgar and this is where the Battle of Trafalgar was fought.
Still travelling but not going far with each move. Thanks for the messages. I really do enjoy getting them. The travelling emu email address seems to be working again, but then of course I have no idea of what doesn't show up.
Thinking of you Bob. Hi Kath. Bye for now.
Hola Everyone,
I have been lax about sending birthday cards and I no longer have a birthday and address book. I went to Conlil but could not find the post office. I was directed to the local smoke shop where I could buy stamps. It was a very small over stocked shop, shelves lined with cigarettes, books, children's toys and a few items that tourists might want.
I found it difficult to concentrate as I talked to the shop owner, he only had one large black eyebrow, it travelled across his brow from ear to ear and wriggled as he talked. In my best Spanish I asked for stamps, when that didn't work I showed him the three envelopes I wanted to post. Up went his eyebrow and down under the counter went his arms. He fished out a square biscuit tin, plonked it on the counter and prized off the lid. It was stuffed with stamps, some loose, some in books and some possibly printed by hand many years ago.
He sold me a stamp to England, (I send post cards and letters to Alan's mum,) but when he saw the other envelopes he told me he had no stamps for Canada. He had a think, then smiled and showed me the few teeth he had left and slapped on two stamps, each the value of posting to England. Perhaps his geography his poor, having probably never left the village and he thought that as Canada was twice as far away as England, two stamps would do the job. Who was I to argue?
Outside I found a post box, just like the ones in England but yellow. I hesitated before I dropped in my cards as it looked as if it had not been used since the shop was opened, however the slot was not blocked and in went the cards. Hopefully they will be picked up and delivered.
I left Canos de Meca with Sam and Ben as they were gong to Ronda and the route took us in the direction of where I was going, ie east to Almeria for a work away place. I spent one night in Marbella, then off again on the bus with my bike to Torremolinos. It all seemed so familiar and I got a warm welcome from John, Hettie and the locals at the Dunglish. No one is surfing, swimming or para gliding on the ocean, but the the sun shines and it's mild.
I soon found a studio apartment to rent for a week, each morning I put my bed back in the cupboard. From the deck I look out over the pool and gardens and from the back door I look at the apartment Scott and Mike rented. I did ask for some washing up liquid, but was told it was a self catered flat, but he would look into it In the mean time I use shampoo. I am enjoying a hot shower, a change from the warm water from the taps in the last house.
I stayed for a few drinks the first night and was back again the next night to celebrate a wedding. Since I was here in November Harm and Irene, both Dutch had been married by John the bar owner, something about him being captain of the ship. Good Dutch food was available and drinks paid for by the happy couple. I am not sure how happy they would have been the next day to see the bill. No matter it was a lovely evening and the place was rocking when I left at 10.00 pm.
I went to Malaga with my bike as a test run. It fits through the ticket barrier gates with a quarter of an inch either side of the handle bars. I hope on the day that someone will follow me in and bring my case on wheels. It is a three to four hour bus ride to my next port of call.
Wi fi was available at the last place if you sat on the picnic table outside the office. You had no power, in the day light you couldn't read the screen and at night it was dark and cold. If you had your own computer you could connect it to the internet cable in the caravan, but it was an awful place to sit, cold, dirty, uncomfortable and lit by one small dull orange bulb. You win some, you loose some.
I worry about Topaz the horse and hope soon she will be back in a field with others of her kind.
I read a couple of interesting books recently, by Felicity Lawrence, if you come across one it will make you think and that is a good thing. I read "Not on the Label" and one about food production, supermarkets, the real cost of labour for cheap food and distribution of products.
All is well, though I feel very out of touch with the outside world. Thank goodness for my brother Ken who does his best to keep me up to date with snippets of news, links to interesting sites and general chit chat about things at home. Thanks also to friends who leave messages, contact me on skype and send emails. It reminds me that I am not the only inhabitant of Wonderland,
Bob and Kath I hope to talk with you soon and get all your good news.
Bye for now from travelling emu aka , mum. Grandma, Liz, Eff and loony lady on a bike.
Well what a change: I had a five hour bus ride to Almeria and then another hour to Los Gallardos. It was pitch dark when I arrived in the middle of nowhere. I unloaded my bike and bag and watched the bus pull away. I was greatly relieved to hear a voice shout from across the road “Hello” I called back “Are you Jean? “Yes” came the reply. Fifteen minutes later we were at her house in the mountains.
I have landed on my feet, in a lovely place with a delightful lady. As a work away placement I trade my time in exchange for accommodation and food. Each host has different needs and Jean decided to invite total strangers into her home for the company and to have someone who would shop for food and cook. She has a beautiful garden and I have done a little cleaning up. I have broken her sewing machine, but when it gets fixed or we borrow a friends, I will continue to alter some of her skirts and trousers.
We are hardly ever home. One day we went out on a trial run of a car rally she helped to organise. We went out to Cabo de Gato and walked on the cliff tops. The area would entertain a geologist for life. It is wild, rugged, dry, terraced and beautiful, sparkling in white and pink splashes from the blossom of the almond trees. One evening we went to the pub for an acoustic jam session. We had had lunch with friends, I go into the town with her and wander around while she gets her hair done, goes to the bank etc. I shop in the local market and I love it here.
Jean is on a diet, so I get to eat all the treats in the cupboard. She is great company, kind and generous. She eats every thing on her plate and despite what Scott and Kevin say about my cooking, she tells me she has no complaints. I cooked for five of us the other night. No doggie bag needed.
When I write the blog I think of family and friends, so it has been a strange experience for Jean to mention something I have done, or something that has happened in the past couple of years. I wonder, how would she know that, but of course she read the blog to decide if we would get along. I am used to it now,but it was very odd at first.
I thought that all the English people who moved to Spain to avoid the winter, lived in apartments on the coast, but now I know better. Many have homes on the hill sides close to Spanish villages. I can walk to the village of Beder in 20 minutes. The post office is open from 12.45 to 1.15. The village has one small supermarkets, four restaurants / bars / coffee shops and an estate agents. It is 24 kms to the ocean.
Sensible planning has prevented the mass of high rises across from the beach. Unfortunately this common sense did not extend to the farm land. It is covered with plastic to produce crops out of season for supply to supermarkets. It is very, very ugly.
One of the friends who came to dinner the other night is a taxi driver. He works six months of the year in London. He brought over a box of things he had found with his metal detector, I was thrilled to be holding Roman bracelets and arm bands, gold coins, tokens, rings, cloak clasps, buckles and weights. I think the newest item was 400 years old. Normally these things would be in a museum under glass.
During the day it is warm enough to wear shorts and a T shirt but once the sun goes down it feels very cold. Jean lights a log fire and we go to bed with hot water bottles. In the summer it gets very hot and dry, but I have no complaints as it is winter. There has been no rain for weeks and nothing to shovel.
One day I will take the bears and ride my bike down the mountain, Jean will load me and the bike in the car for the return journey. It would take all day to walk back up the steep twisty roads. I will send photos of the area on Webshots.
Kevin called me for his birthday and I was able to watch Larissa clambering all over him as he knelt beside her. Later he put her on his lap and she yanked off his head sets. She is working on her first symphony. Like Kevin and Kyly she has skin problems and some rashes, but they are working on that. No doubt things will improve when she is able to spend time in the sun. Kevin tells me it is minus twenty, so it is not an option yet.
All is well. Keep in touch. Send me your news.
Love from sunny Spain.
PS My travelling emu email seems to have recovered. Thank you for sending to both addresses. I will never know what the problem was, it doesn't matter. I am just glad I did not loose travelling emu as an address.
Jean kindly took me, Sophie, (my bike) bag and bears to Vera bus station then headed home. I didn't want another good bye. When the bus pulled in half an hour later the driver was adamant, I could not take the bike on the bus. We went back and fourth but he would not change his mind. I wheeled it in to the office, leaned it against the chairs and walked out. A minute later he came to where I was standing with my bag and said “OK bicicletta”
Several hours later I was in Valencia and found a small hotel in the centre of the city. It is old and beautiful, with modern museums. It is known as the city of Art and Science. I loved the old building that housed the market, called Mercat, it was just across from where I was staying. I spent days out on the bike riding on the river bed. Water has not flowed there for years and it is one huge park, ancient plane trees, some gums and pines. Permanent tables are available for ping pong and chess with children's playgrounds every half mile or so. One day I rode out to the port and another day right off the map to find gardens and orchards, lovingly tended by old men. Perhaps the land had been in the family for generations and they just ignored the dry river bed, industrial estate and freeways that run along side or overhead.
I decided I would like to go island hopping and when I was at the port I found out about ferries to Mallorca. Cities have great bus systems, but they don't take bikes. The ferry left Valencia at 11.00pm. so I rode the bike (7 kilometers) tied her up to a pole, got the bus back to town, picked up my case, got a bus back to the ferry terminal and paid 57 euros for an eight hour crossing. I did inquire once I was on board about a cabin, but declined to pay 151 e. The ship had a capacity for 550 passengers. There was twelve of us if you include the bears. Definitely off season. I spent time with a young couple, from Richmond and Delta. B.C. Small world.
We docked in Palma and I found a room in the Ritzi Hotel across from the Cathedral. Once the building must have been very grand, built around two courtyards, three stories high, ornate wooden doors, tiled and marble floors, but now it is shabby with charm. My room was small and dark, with a set of bunk beds, wash basin and shared bathroom out on the landing.
I had to portage again to get from Palma. to Arenal, 25 kms along the coast. I am in a great hotel. I have a huge room with wifi, a very spacious bathroom with marble floor and sink counter, and a deck, both bigger than the room in the Ritzi, plus I have heating. I pay 5 e a night more for half board, which means I get breakfast and dinner.
The place is full of young men with bikes. The hotel actually has an underground parking area for them. I am surprised they let me in, as I don't wear a pointed hat or spandex, neither do I go around in a pack. I can walk to the beach in 20 seconds or to the bar across the road. Sophie holds her own amongst the fancy racing bikes with very thin tires but I don't do so well against the young long lean muscled men wearing bike shoes and no time to enjoy the views..
I go down dirt tracks, walk the hills and enjoy the scenery, while they flash by me in a blur of colour depending on who is sponsoring them. I did talk to four young women who are here from Belgium to train for the bike riding part of a triathlon. Oh to be young again.
Mallorca has been a pleasant surprise. Palma is quite beautiful, well maintained and anything less than a hundred years old is considered new. The tourist development area is spread out along the bay but only in a narrow belt. Ten minutes walking inland and you are in fields, with orchards, windmills and the motorway cutting through as if it has always been there.
I rode the train to the centre of the island, with great views of the dark mountains, orchards in bloom, ploughed fields, old stone walls protecting grazing sheep and goats. Buses run every ten minutes and trains every half hour, so it is easy to explore away from the city when I need a day off from riding. I hear myself say “My bum hurts” and know it is time for a day off.
I will stay here a few more days, I like the accommodation the food and the location. My next move will be to Barcelona and then to Toulouse to meet Michele. Hurray I am really looking forward to seeing her and the laughs we will have together. Perhaps some tears.
I will house sit for Rowena in France then perhaps go to England. Anyone want a free gardener. I will say a fond farewell and give the bike to the man who mended a puncture for me. It turns out that quite by accident I washed up in a hotel that caters to people with bikes. There is a huge lock up area down stairs, activated by your room card. Mallorca is a great place to cycle, miles of bike paths and secondary roads.
A thought about value and price. At the ferry terminal I paid one Euro for ten minutes internet, here at my very nice hotel I pay 2..00 Euro for 24 hours. A cup of coffee is 1.50 and an hours bus ride 1.25 E. Makes no sense to me.
If you have any ideas or suggestions as to what I can do when I grow up, please send them by email or leave a message. Thanks.
Miss you all. Wrinkled old Emu.
I left the island of Mallorca on an eight hour ferry ride that docked in Barcelona. It was dark when I arrived but I soon found a youth hostel.
I spent a couple of days wandering around the city and trying to stay dry. The main street called The Ramblas is wide with the middle being pedestrian only, two lanes running either side for vehicles with shops and restaurants across the road. It is very colourful as many stands are flower shops. It is also the place to be for street entertainment, ranging from musicians to living statues. The architecture is an interesting mix of old, modern and just plane strange. It is definitely a city to visit again and stay longer. I would like to go into the Cathedral, some art galleries and the chocolate museum.
I used Euro lines to travel from Barcelona to Toulouse arriving at 9.00pm. I stayed in a hotel for one night, then moved to one close to the train station. I had figured out how to get to the airport and was looking forward to seeing Michele the next day. I opened my email and was astounded to see a message from Sheryl telling me that Michele was at the airport and asking where I was. I jumped into some clothes, rushed to the airport bus and fretted while it stayed put until the scheduled time to leave. It stopped at red lights and to pick up other passengers but finally arrived at the airport. I ran up and down looking for Michele, running about like a frantic mad woman when I couldn't find her.
I was like a jabbering idiot when I spoke to the two young women at the information desk. One said “Canada” and I was so relieved to hear that Michele had booked into a nearby hotel. They called her and passed me the phone. I told her “ I'm on my way.” We met in the lobby, so relieved to see each other. She explained to the receptionist that she would not be staying but she had had a bath. This was unusual circumstances, most guests stay more than an hour. We laughed abut it being the most expensive bath at 50 euro.
Later I found out that Michele had thought something might have happened to me and she got the police involved as I was a missing person. She had found a police man at the airport but he didn't speak English. He called his girlfriend and handed the phone to Michele. The next day she phoned the lady and explained that I had been found and to thank her for all her help. We had a good laugh over it all.
We spent a night in Toulouse, then headed to Rowena's for a few days. We explored Bergerac and visited a couple of villages with Rowena. We got the train and stayed the night in Bordeaux and the last night back at the airport hotel. The receptionist asked if she would be staying longer this time. Funny man. We were at the airport by 4.00am and I was so sad to see her leave.
I wish we could have met in Spain. I could have rented us a two bedroom apartment for the same amount of money we spent on train journeys to and from Toulouse. We could have explored Malaga, walked on the beach and pleased ourselves. However, it didn't work out that way as Michele was fitting in with school holidays and I had promised to house sit. What a friend to come all this way. Thank you Michele for your friendship and caring. I miss you still. ( Do you still look at a baguette and think of me? Perhaps I should eat more and change my shape. It might require eating more than one large chocolate bar a day. Now there's a pleasant thought.)
All is well.
Eff / Liz / Grandma / Friend
Michele and I had good weather, but now it is grey and wet. If it clears up I will play in the vegetable garden. While I have internet I am looking at flights and ferries to England. Michele's visit really brought it home to me how much I miss my friends, people who know me and have shared experiences. Peter sent me an email minus hugs and got a blasting. It was worth it as I got a reply with enough hugs to last a week. I think I should have hugged Michele more, but she might have thought I was really off the rails, instead of just suspecting it.
I am now alone at the farm house. At night I bring the two white geese to the back of the house. One is almost blind and certainly deaf, so that makes it easy to sneak up on it, grab the wings and move it. Yet another new experience, wrestling with a goose. I certainly would not like to try it with the healthy one.
It has been shorts weather, 28 degrees but it does cool off at night and I light a log fire. Signs of spring are everywhere, the daffodils are finished, blossom on all the trees, cuckoos calling, wild orchids in flower, owls hooting, frogs croaking, lambs frolicking and the ram is wearing him self out.
Vivianne's cat had kitten two days before I arrived. I was glad of her timing and that mugging up on C section births for cats was not necessary. She had climbed up into the roof and Vivianne wriggled her arm in, pleased to discover only two kittens. A few days later I saw the cat carrying one kitten, but left her in peace as she was obviously looking for a safer place. It seemed to me that getting them down from the small cavity in the roof would mean she wouldn't have to teach them to climb down the pipe she used as a ladder.
On my fourth night here, I went up into my open loft bedroom, complete with Japanese staircase, grabbed the big cushion, my pillow and settled down to read. I was two sentences in when I thought I heard a tiny mew, very close by. I lifted the duvet and found five kittens, a foot away from my shoulder. I was amazed that I had not crushed them. Two minutes later mother cat arrived. I put the kittens in a cardboard box on the bed and hoped she would join them. She took one out and nursed it, I turned out the light and left her to it, purring close to my ear. When I woke all the kittens were back on the duvet with mum stretched out nursing all five close to my shoulder. I was stretched out on only half the mattress, delighted with her trust of me.
It turns out that watching Fawlty Towers, provided me with an education that came in handy this week. I was asked to help out at a restaurant, run by an English couple for English visitors. Ten minutes after arriving I was standing by a table, with note pad and pen at the ready, looking the part in borrowed black slacks and white blouse. Debbie was cooking and her husband Tom preparing deserts, lending a hand to serve or to remind me to offer menus. I delivered meals and drinks, cleared tables and called for the bills.
Somehow I got through the evening, with twenty eight customers, some who must have wondered what I might do next. At one point I lost the plot altogether, for a minute I couldn't remember who should be served next, where I should put the meals I was carrying, the table numbers, who was waiting for what and perhaps it was time to shake my head and leave. I explained to the people at one table that I had been trained by Mr. Fawlty and soon I would be going off down the drive back to Canada with a gnome under my arm. He replied “You could take a stick and beat your car.” Another Fawlty Towers fan.
When the last customer had gone, I was amazed to see that my white blouse had no stains, I had not dropped anything into the lap of a diner, had not given anyone the wrong meal, had not broken any glasses or crockery. The three of us cleaned up the kitchen, washing huge saucepans, colanders and all the dishes.. My last two jobs were to wash and dry the glasses, then polish the cutlery. Debbie said I had done well, as I had been thrown in at the deep end, she was amazed that I had never been a waitress before. A bonus to this new work experience is that I get fed and paid. So now I have one more experience to put on my resume. Thank you Manuel. Isn't life grand. What next?
I have been asked several times, often with pained expressions, as people think of a harsh cold climates, “Why Nova Scotia” Here is my answer. I can afford a proper house, not a shed or apartment. I can have a garden and room for friends. I hope to rent out to someone who would stay in the house while I go travelling in the winter months. I have links with the medical system. (dull but something to be considered.) Geographically I am half way between the west coast and England.
I have not given up looking in Spain but with the money I have I would be buying an old stone cortija. inland, probably outside a small village, I have heard horror stories of people loosing their land or the house because of rules and regulations changing.
Home is where the heart is and mine has not yet settled. I want a garden of my own and to be working for myself. My first choice would be Australia, (no surprise there) but I am too old and too poor.
Michele asked me what she should tell friends when they ask “When is she coming home?
My answer is that I will be back in Canada, but don't see myself ever living in BC again, To afford a home I would have to go to the north. I miss my family and all my friends in BC but don't see it being home for me again. As funds are not unlimited and I have yet to meet the fabled rich, tall handsome Mr. Right, I have to work with what I have. So Nova Scotia it is. Apart from the winter, what is wrong with that?
Michele is right it is time I saw my grandchild and friends. So I have a plan. My next stop will be to visit friends in England, then go to Nova Scotia with shopping list in hand. It will read “Buy a house” . I will then go to BC and Yellowknife and leave Canada to go to Australia arriving about 18th October as I am booked to house sit for friends.
I love getting electronic hugs and hearing from friends and family, so keep the messages coming, even if you don;t hear from me very often.
The journey continujtes. Love Eff / Liz / Grandma / Friend
Hi Everyone,I got a train from Berjerac to London. I used the underground in Paris to get to Paris Nord and hook up with the Eurostar. I was expecting something grander, forgetting that the service has been running for years and the carriages are now a little shabby. It was my first time through the Channel Tunnel but I can give you no description as it was dark for the forty minutes we were underground and under the English Channel. (Do the French call it the French Channel?)
Oz and I were soon back in the routine and catching up on the past eight months. I made several visits to the local kebab shop for pie and chips or a kebab. Oz had a few jobs for me, gardening and sewing, but things are on hold for now as they are having the bathroom refitted, so I am in Dorset, Steve has no tele so I arranged to go to Colin's to watch the wedding. They said they would not be watching it, but as we painted the walls, skirting boards and window frames, we stopped to enjoy a special day and to see history in the making.
I am going to paint the breeze block out building to match the stone cottage, so that should keep me busy for a few days. I will then go back to Kent and fly to Halifax on 19th May. I will be in BC sometime during the summer. Anyone need a gardener?
England is very beautiful this time of year. Bluebells are blooming, the primroses have finished, lambs are gambling, (fruit machines not cards) the trees are in full leaf and the birds are nesting.
All is well. Keep in touch.
I spent a great month with Oz and Steve and enjoyed a warm English Spring, with lambs in the fields, wild flowers in the hedgerows, trees in full leaf and small apples set on the branches. It has been a dry spring, farmers and gardeners will be glad of the rain when it comes.
I had a day in London and visited the Natural History museum, worth a visit for the building let alone the contents. I also went to the Albert Hall and National Art Gallery. The walls are dripping with art and you are able to stand within three feet of them behind a rope or sit in the middle of the room and enjoy paintings from Goya, Constable and Canaletto, to Picasso and Van Gogh. Many of them you would not want to see just before going to bed as they depict scenes of beheading, mass murders and torture.
It was a six hour flight to Halifax and they fed us twice. By the time I went to the departure lounge I had eaten the sandwiches and cake I had packed. My luggage weighed in at 20.00 kgs and 5.00 kgs. Lucky me as I had not weighed it and this was the allowance. My hand luggage would have been over weight had I not had my computer tucked into my jeans.
It was a surprise to find that Nova Scotia is about a month behind. Maple trees are in bud but not open, dandelions are in full bloom in the fields, but it has been too cold and wet to plant out gardens or window boxes. Daffodils, tulips and apple blossom are in bloom, but municipal flower beds and planters are bare. The locals tell me that it is not normal weather and like me they don't like the fog and low temperatures.
I was very lucky to be picked up at the airport by total strangers. My friend Sue on the Sunshine coast, BC arranged it through her sister. Carol and Charles held a sign with my name on it and I felt like a VIP. I don't know what I would have done without them. I soon realised that you can't travel in Canada like you can in Europe, at least not without planning. Something I have not had to do for a while.
We went out one day and they showed me parts of Nova Scotia. We found the property with two houses and a pool but it was in a quiet location right on the road. I loved the Bay of Fundy shore line, dramatic and colourful with massive tides. I was introduced to Carol's mum's husband who is a real estate agent. He had printed off properties, but none took my fancy. Many had the bedrooms in the roof and were considered one and a half stories. I will continue to look and explore NS. I am struggling with being back in Canada but still so far away from family and friends, so may be my idea of buying a property here might not happen. I will continue to look and explore.
I am renting a cottage, one km down a dirt track and thirteen kms from the nearest shop. near Pictou and a car. The owners of the cottage are friends of my friend Ann in Ontario. We used to work on a farm together when I was in Canada many moons ago. The cottage is well equipped, with one bedroom but room to sleep four. $500 a week is ok if you are sharing but with just me, a week is all I have booked. I have rented a car for eight days, at $47 a day. There goes my budget. You just can't travel here as you can in Europe and the only workaway available in NS has been filled. I have to give up my European way of thinking and do some planning. Eeek.
I have got used to old, quaint and small. I realise I much prefer the look than a large paved mall area with box stores. I miss the coffee shops, with nice patios or with tables and chairs outside. Imagine I miss latte and I didn't even drink it before I left. Of course shops here carry a wide choice of fruit and vegetables but they are mostly from the States and in Spain and France I was eating local produce, bought at the markets.
Now some facts about Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia has 3,809 islands. You are never more than 56km from the ocean. 77% of the land is forest, but the trees are small and mixed species. The highest mountain is 536 metres. The people live up to their reputation, friendly and helpful. I have only been here five days, so I have a lot to discover and learn in the short time I will be here. I will be looking for flights to Vancouver arriving at the beginning of June. I think this counts as plan B.
I have wi fi here at the cottage and hope to use skype to talk to friends as I am now only three hours behind instead of eight.
All is well except for a cold. Thank goodness for friends and friends of friends.
Heading West. Be there soon.
Well Plan B turned out to be plan C. I spoke with Kevin and he suggested holding off booking the flight to Vancouver for a few hours and he would get back to me. When he called again it was to tell me that his friend at work was going to S. America for three weeks on 7th June and I could house sit for him. So instead of going to Vancouver, I booked a flight from Halifax to Edmonton to Yellowknife. I took the rental car back to the airport and checked in for the 7.45 am flight.
Kevin and Kyly were both working when I arrived just after 1.00 pm but as arranged I found Kevin's truck and drove my self to where he works. He was between flights, so big hugs all round and off to his house. I had three hours by myself until Kyly came home, then we went to the sitters to pick up Larissa. She acted strange for a day but then so did I. I kept looking at her and thinking, “This is my grand daughter. Wow” I arrived on Wednesday, her birthday. Saturday was a BBQ birthday party with friends of Kevin and Kyly's over with their children. It was a feeding frenzy of gifts, cup cakes and wrapping paper.
Larissa and I are now friends. I have taken her out in the stroller, that took me back in time. I have picked her up from day care and we play together, if I am a last resort. Mum first, then Dad then me. She is close to walking, has a big sunny smile, that melts my hear when directed at me. She has allergys that results in itchy, inflamed skin on most parts of her body. Cows milk and pears have been eliminated from her diet, but the rashes continue. It is hard to watch her scratching with her pudgy little fingers. I have not cried publicly, but have shed a few tears when I go to bed and when I wake up.
Kyly and I went to a dance show the other night. I loved being back in a theatre and enjoyed the dances, the costumes and the performers ranging in age from 7 to 18. Kevin and I have been finishing off a few jobs. We have framed inside doors, put up siding, filled gaps, installed crown moulding and put up a missing panel in the porch ceiling. They are going to put the house on the market as he has been offered a job in Terrace or Smithers. It all happened very quickly so it might turn out to be a very good thing that I came here first.
It has actually snowed here a couple of times, just a few flakes that didn't settle,but enough for me and locals to mutter and complain about snow in June. I am still here with Kevin and Kyly but will go to my new digs very soon. I will have a bike to get around and will make myself useful. Kevin and Kyly are both out and I am looking after Larissa, who doesn't know it because she is enjoying an afternoon nap.
I have watched the Cannucks game and celebrated their second win over Boston. I am definitely back in Canada. I hadn't seen Kevin and Kyly for two years and I am delighted to be with all three of them.
We go to bed in broad day light and wake up to the same. I have to look at the clock to know that it is bedtime. You need to close the curtains, otherwise it feels like an afternoon nap..
All is well. My next stop will be BC. See you soon.
Hi Everyone,
I am delighted to be a grand mother. Like being a mother, it did not come easily or naturally to me, but now that I have got the hang of it, Larissa and I play silly fools at home or in the park. She has got the idea of walking and is fairly confident if she has something to hold on to, ie, a cloth bag, envelope or set of keys. The other day when Kyly and I went to the supermarket she walked in the aisles and at the check out. She giggles when she stops walking and you can see the cogs turning. Another few days and she will be independent and off down the street. I am so glad to be here to get to know her and see her walking and trying out sounds. Some sound like da da, some like ma ma, but she has yet to manage “Good morning grand ma” Perhaps next week, when she has finished her first symphony.
You can't get up at dawn here, but you can sit outside and read at 2.00 in the morning. Your internal clock goes haywire, the birds sing twenty four hours a day and you don't need lights on your bicycle. It all takes a little getting used to. and requires blinds on bedroom windows if you are to sleep properly.
Kevin applied for and got a job in Terrace. Last week the three of them flew flew to Edmonton, Vancouver and Terrace. It was strange to be waving them off at the airport and wishing them a safe journey. They went to explore Smithers and Terrace for a few days. Kevin has a job with Hawk Air and will leave Yellowknife at the end of the month. We will do a road trip together driving sixteen hours to Terrace in his pick up. Kyly will stay and work out her contract. It is a very similar situation that they found themselves in when they moved to Yellowknife, five years ago.
Renovations are nearly finished and the house will go on the market. The bathroom has a new floor and walls. The hall and living room have been painted, Door. ceiling and floor trims installed, several kilos of filler used as nothing is straight in the house. They have a new hot water tank, A small false ceiling has been put in the kitchen, sanded and painted. Kevin hired a painter and carpenter and I was the third musketeer working while they were away. Both Derry and Meda are from Newfoundland, and we worked well together.
When their job was finished I was invited out for a drink. Many places do not serve draft beer and I got a strange look when I asked for a pint of the local brew. We went to three bars, one with good live music. With all the lights on it would have been very seedy looking, but it had a friendly atmosphere. I talked to members of the band, staff owners and other customers. The very talented young, drummer lives in Vancouver. He will spend the summer playing with the band and working a part time job. He has a degree in biology and is half way through a second degree in geology. He joked that he fitted in well to life in Yellowknife as he is an Indian. He then added from India.
Everything comes from somewhere else. It feels as if you are living on an island. When you are shopping in the supermarket you could be just about anywhere. I have not got used to the idea that every piece of fresh produce, garden furniture, cutlery, towels, ice cream, dairy products etc. arrive here by plane or truck. There is no grazing land here, so no cows to provide milk, no chickens pecking in gardens, no crops growing, no orchards or brewery. Most of the shopping is done at Walmart, Canadian Tyre, Home Hardware, The Co op and Extra Foods..
I nearly wept when I went to buy plants to liven up the garden. Canadian Tyre has a “Garden Center”
Very convenient if you want a tray of petunias, antirrhinums or a few leggy sprouts and tomato plants. I would like to know where these plants are grown and how they get to Yellowknife. The tab just says Rainbow nurseries, Canada. With gritted teeth I browsed the plants available at Walmart. They were on metal trolleys, four shelves tall, up against the outside wall. In this location with no shade and longs hours of sunlight, it is impossible to keep them healthy. Anywhere else they would have made a trip to the compost heap, but here they were still on sale. I put a tropical house plant on the deck for three days, while I was painting and all the colour was bleached out of it. It is now back indoors and I hope it recovers.
Apart from the long days another factor here is that it is very dry. This results in small trees, low growing tundra plants and a very fast pace of life for insects and birds. You can get a nice garden established, but it does require watering and thoughtful planting. No just sticking plants in the ground and letting them get on with it. Garden art seems to consist of ski doos, old pick ups and boats.
House styles are very varied, ranging from three story dark stained wooden Dutch barns, to tin houses, rows of trailers with extensions and decks, five story apartment blocks made from brick and regular houses with aluminum siding. The city is built on the Canadian Shields and massive rocks are everywhere. Homes are built on and around them, they loom in basements and gardens. If you want a flat space you call someone who can work magic with dynamite. Top soil comes in plastic bags, speaking of plastic bags, if you want one at the supermarket you will be charge 25c for each one.
The temperature has ranged from 12 to 28 C. If you have extra rain where you are, please send some to help along the seeds and plants. Advice to people driving the get away car, take off in reverse as vehicles do not carry front licence plates. The required plates on the back are shaped like a polar bear.
William and Kate arrive in Yellowknife on 1st July. Kevin and I will be gone by then. Pity it might have been an opportunity to see royalty for the first time.
All is well, if you don't count wrecked hands and body and strange sleeping patterns. Slowly heading south.
I am looking forward to seeing family and friends in BC but I will miss K K and L.
Up date: The for sale sign went up and the follwoing day they got two offers, one at the asking price and the other just a little higher. They have accepted one offer and will know for sure by June 29th. Wow, things moved very quickly. Two months ago they hadn't even thought of leaving.
2,414 kms in 37 hours.
Kevin packed the truck with clothes, dishes, pots, cutlery, tinned and dried food, tools, a futon, bedding, his bike. 20 gallons of gas, water and a picnic. They have yet to figure out how to get Larissa, Kyly her car, the cat and the rest of the contents of the house to Terrace, but they will.
We left Yellowknife at 9.00 am Tuesday and arrived in Terrace 8.00pm Wednesday. What a drive. The first hour was on a road built by a trucking company. They should stick to what they know. It was like a roller coaster, at 80 – 90 kph the truck left the ground and we kept our fingers crossed the load would stay in place. The bears whimpered, but Kevin and I laughed each time we landed safely.
We drove onto a small ferry, very similar to the one used in Fort Langley. A bridge will eventually replace it, but building is at a very slow pace and for now the ferry goes back and fourth all day.
Everything was new to me but for Kevin it was familiar as he had driven in and out of Yellowknife several times. His first journey was in December when he drove alone in his his old pick up and trailer from Langley. He had no map and his sandwich on the passenger seat froze solid. Thank goodness I didn't get the details of this mad journey until much later. Another time to bring in a new car and once for a wedding .
We were travelling across the Canadian Shield flashing past eighty year old trees with trunk diameters of 8” and maybe 30' tall. They don't have long sweeping branches, nor do the so called forests have under brush. Most plants are very low to the ground to cope with the extreme temperatures. We did stop at a couple of parks and wondered why they were built. Who would drive so far out of town to use the swings and eight sided shelter with tables and benches. At least these parks had a dry toilet, most stopping areas, were just a pull in with one bear proof rubbish bin.
In Buffalo nation park we saw many bison. (One day authorities will change the name of the park.) We also saw moose, bears, goats, deer and a coyote that might have been a fox We should pay more attention when watching David Attenborough, Another mystery was the seagulls. Why do they live so far from the sea and why do they play chicken on the road?
Eventually we passed the NWT border into Alberta and enjoyed watching the scenery change from rocky, flat, boggy marshland to mountainous, with forests either side of us, wide green verges, valleys and snow peaked mountains. This change of scenery meant that we were not constantly bombarded by insects on the wind screen. At each stop for gas 350 – 400 k apart Kevin filled up and I scraped the windscreen. Finally a use for me, but I didn't attempt to clear the radiator gril,l It was jam packed with insects and at one stop a sparrow flew down and had a feast. Is this evolution working or just smart birds?
As we are not insect eaters, Kevin and I came prepared with a well stocked cooler. We munched our way through two loaves of bread, egg and tuna salad, lettuce, cheese, crisps, raisin cookies washed down with bottled water. Fortunately Kyly's mum sent a message to let Kevin know that the road was closed at Chetwyn due to floods, so our route took us through Jasper down to Grand Cache.
There we booked into an hotel, had a pint at the local sports bar and fell into bed. We were on the road by 7.00 am with just over half the journey behind us. The route took us through Prince George, Vanderhof, Burns Lake, Smithers and finally Terrace.
Hawke Air, Kevin's new employer had booked him into the Sandman Inn. The next day his first job was to find accommodation. I soon understood the convenience of an I phone. My first thought was to buy a local paper, then find a phone box or wifi and use skype. Kevin scoffed at the idea and asked if I was serious? Almost instantly he had the local classified ads. on his little screen and phoned to see if places were still available. When he found a couple he liked he emailed photos to Kyly. We did drive around and get phone numbers from signs on apartment blocks. A few more phone calls and walk around and he agreed to take a three bedroom four plex. There is lots of room to swing the cat when it shows up, bedrooms, bathroom, living room and large kitchen dining area on the top floor, with a lounge, TV room downstairs, storage rooms and laundry area. It has a small deck back and front and a lawn he doesn't have to cut. All this five to ten minutes walk from down town and next door but one to a day care. He could not supply previous rental history references, but the owners took him on face value and he was given a key and asked to wait twenty four hours while the carpets dried. They also gave him a rocking chair and kitchen table Wow. Now he has it all, somewhere to eat, sit and sleep.
We ate out every night for the first few days but now he looks forward to making his own meals. Earlier in the day I had noticed a board advertising all you can eat pasta 5 pm to 8 pm. I ordered pesto with vegetable sauce and Kevin had chicken and Alfredo. It was served in a medium sized bowl with bread. We both said “Yes” when the owner / waitress asked if we would like more. However we were not allowed to change the sauce and linguine was the only pasta available. She brought out the same servings, not asking the size of the portion we would like. Later we found out why.
We served out half of each on to the plate under the bowl. The lady came over and in a firm tone said “No sharing” We were a little taken back and asked why. She gave us a lecture on being in business to make money and if people wanted to try a different sauce they had to come back another day. I went to the ladies and she came back to the table to ask Kevin if he was going to finish the spoonful left in my bowl. His reply was “Technically I am not allowed to” She said it was ok this time but normally as she charged for any food not eaten, it was money out of her pocket. We felt like scolded children and decided we were unlikely to return. The business had won Rookie of the year award and we wondered how long they would be in business if they treated all their customers as we had been treated.
The weather here is cold, cloudy and damp, but it is a beautiful area surrounded by mountains. Kevin has been showing his roots. He is glad to be back in BC with large trees, lush growth, tall ferns, salmon berry bushes and a lot less insects. To my surprise we have not driven each other mad, but he says “Shut up” when my watch beeps every hour, He has tried turning it off and I say the same when his I phone pings, rings or tinkles. When he is at work I cycle around town, hoping the clouds will clear and I can get some good pictures of the mountains.
We went to Heritage Park and celebrated Canada Day, then up to the Lava flow area to explore. We visited small native villages and an interpretation centre. We had been told earlier that until ten years ago the only pedestrian access to the village was the suspension bridge and lookig around we wondered why they would build a bridge at all. Perhaps years ago there had been another village across the river.
The lava erupted about 1775 leaving a strange moonscape with the lava rocks covered in a variety of mossses and only a few small plants have taken hold since. The plant life is unlike anything I have seen before and I wish I knew more about the area. I will add it to the list of things to research and study. Either side of the bare open spaces the forests are typical temperae rain forest with gurgling creeks, giant cedar trees, moss and lichen on branches and rocks.
Kevin is trying to arrange a flight for me to Vancouver and if it works out I could be leaving here in two days. |It has been great spend time with Kevin, Kyly and Larissa and to see places with familiar names, I had only known about from weather forecasts and news items.
Still heading south. See you soon.
Kevin flew to Vancouver in the morning and finished working by early afternoon. This meant he was at the airport to see me off on the 4.00 pm flight. I feel so proud when I see him in his pilot's outfit. I was sad to leave but very happy that I had been able to spend time with them all. I do hope it won't be another two years before I see them again.
Kevin arranged my flight and I enjoyed two hours on a Dash 8, seated at the back. The wings are high on the plane so everyone gets a good view of the clouds and mountains below. The hostess served complimentary coffee, tea, juices and snacks. The plane has one aisle with a pair of seats each side and five across the back, to accommodate 39 passengers.
Unfortunately the weather in Terrace was cloudy and I have few pictures to show the beauty surrounding the town and the great campsite located on an island in the river with a road and train bridge running overhead. I also failed to get good photos of a strange phenomenon of a rainbow circle on the clouds with a shadow of the plane in the middle. The shadow and circle faded in and out as the cloud cover changed or disappeared altogether.
Scott picked me up from Vancouver Airport, hugs all round and soon we were having dinner together. It was certainly a rare occasion for me to see both boys in the same day. Breakfast with one and dinner with the other.
It was great to be with Michele again, out on the deck with a beer, watching the sun sink behind the mountains. I spent a couple of days working in her garden, then it was off to Brigitte's in my old neighbourhood. I worked in her garden and felt right at home. I was familiar with all her plants as they had come from my garden a couple of years ago. It was good to see for myself that Mile's is doing very well after brain surgery several months ago. We surprised several friends by just dropping in to say hello. I did enjoy all the hugs and amazed expressions of friends I had not seen for ages.
We called in to Mary and Gerry's, my neighbors, stayed an hour or so and were back the next day for a BBQ. After dinner, Mary produced a cake and I stared at it and fell apart briefly. Mary and Gerry went indoors while Brigitte and I hugged and cried. Who would have thought a chocolate cake would have upset me? It was her thoughtfulness that hit home and a casual remark “It's like old times” The emotional hic cup passed and it was back to good conversation and news of the neighbourhood.
Unfortunately my Canadian passport has gone walk about in Yellowknife. My BC driving licence expired but I can't renew it because I have no proof that I am Canadian. Thank goodness I do have a British driving licence and passport. I will report the lost passport, apply for a new one and then probably the old one will show up. Murphy's Law at work.
This weekend I am off to Kamloops on the Greyhound bus to visit Norma. We had hoped to go camping, sit round the fire surrounded by giant cedar trees, but all campsites are booked. We will just stay home out of the rain. Summer has not yet arrived and we are wearing jeans and jackets. It was much warmer in Yellowknife, blue sky and sunshine all day and most of the night. In Terrace it was a novelty to see lights on in houses and to go to bed in the dark. Despite the cool, cloudy wet weather here, like Kevin I do feel at home.
I went through a box of papers I had stored at Michele's hoping to find some thing that would show I am Canadian, no success but I did throw away and shred a stack of papers.
All is well. It is great t catch up.
Hi Everyone,
I have no stories to tell of ancient lands, tropical beaches, or making myself understood by pointing and reference to a dictionary. I look back with nostalgia at those past happy days. Little did I know when my purse was stolen in Malaga that it would be such a problem.
I went to renew my driving licence. This would give me photo id to apply for a passport. When I explained that I had lost my passport I was told “No problem, show us your Canadian Citizenship card”
I smiled and explained that it had gone missing at the same time as my driving licence.
“Come back when you have got your new Canadian Citizenship card Sweetie” This from a woman less than half my age. I came back the next day with copies of everything I thought might be helpful, but NO, unless I could prove I was a Canadian Citizen, I could not renew my BC driving licence.
I tried another Driving Licence centre and was told the same thing. I asked to see a manager, but was informed it was not necessary. On this my third visit, many words and rising frustration I gritted my teeth, said “Thank you” and left. I have filled out countless forms, made many phone calls and been on a tread mill with little result. Catch 22. You need ID to get ID. I have now applied for my Canadian Citizen ship card and will keep my fingers crossed. I sent in a form signed by a lawyer to say he had seen the original of my Canadian Citizen ship certificate (no photo) my tax returns, pension statements, copies of my previous licence. Certified copy of my UK licence, a photo copy of my current but lost Canadian passport and the fee. I considered sending them my old ski pass as it had my picture and name on it. I have been told it could take up to a year for a replacement card,
I wonder what happens to people in fires, plane crashes or , sinking boats who loose everything. It seems there is no back up system and you just can't drive or leave the country. Fortunately I do have a UK passport and driving licence. (Thanks Oz) Michele has been great driving me to different places or lending me her car. She has also been an advocate and stood between me and the robot at the front line of government offices.
I have been making the large deck curtains storm proof, sewing on tie tapes, made some shopping bags, fixed a few things, done some gardening, stayed at the house and looked after the dog when she went away for a few days but I owe her big time.
I went by Greyhond bus to Kamloops and spent a week with my friend Norma. She convinced me to get my nails done and so I did. I really like them, at least I did once they were trimmed down and look very natural. Norma and might buy a house together. We have started the ball rolling. We went to the city park a couple of evenings and enjoyed musicical entertainment. People af all ages were dancing on the grass, or just sitting in fold up chairs, enjoying the entertainment and watching the sun go down. Earlier in the day we had seen two groups of four young men walking round town in their undies. Later we saw them playing a ball game at the park. We never found out what it was all about.
I called Scott and invited him for dinner as I was here alone and was going to make a meal. Even knowing that he accepted the invitation. The day before I had been looking through some boxes in the hope of finding an old passport, until I realised the one I had lost was my first Canadian passport but I did find the Citizenship certificate. I also found a slide projector and three boxes of slides. After dinner we plugged it in, not knowing what we might see. What a treat, it was slides of Scott when he was two and Kevin as a baby. It also had pictures of Christmas in the Aldergrove house, Scott three years old and Kevin a year. They are wearing identical blue jumpers their nanny knitted them, playing on the floor with my mother. Other photos showed us at Golden Ears by the lake with me, Scott my mum, both my brothers and Kevin just a few months old and of Scott taking riding lessons We remarked that both technology and Scott had changed a lot. He is now over six feet and we have digital pictures. What a find. I will get about 70 transferred to photos and make a small album.
Saturday night I thought I was going out with Scott for dinner and to meet his friends but when the phone rang it was Kevin asking me “What are you doing tonight?” I thought he was a two hour flight away in Terrace, but he was at Scott's house and Scott had gone off with friends for a night and day at the beach. So I had dinner with Kevin and drove him back to the airport. Nice surprise.
Monday was BC day and I spent it at Hastings Race park in Vancouver. We had a great buffet lunch, I bet on a few horses spending a total of $6.00 and got back $5.70 then I spent time in the casino. I turned $40 in $62.01 and stopped. I might like my beer but I definitely don't have a gambling problem.
This weekend I am going to Campbell River to see friends, then if I can figure out how to get to the ferries without a car, I will go to the Sunshine coast to see Brian and Sue. What a life.
I have a workaway booked for a month in Fiji and will be there from mid September to mid October then on to Australia for three months.
The adventure continues and I love it. It has been great to see friends and collect hugs. We all need them and I send you all three and a big smile.
Hello Everyone,
Rich dropped me at the Pacific Rail Station in Vancouver in good time to get the bus to Campbell River. Via Rail and Greyhound buses leave from this station. I was in good time and parked myself on a bench in front of loading bay number 11. I got stuck in to a code breaker puzzle, when I looked up ithe bus to Campbell River had left. I was the only one on the platform and only a few feet from the door of the coach. There had been no announcement and the driver didn't think to ask where I was going. I was dumbfounded. How could a bus come and go so close to where I was sitting and I didn't hear a thing.
I went to the Greyhound desk and explained I had missed my bus. She said the next one was tomorrow. I could however use the ticket to at least get on the island and figure it out from there. I waited for a couple hours, then helpd a couple of young women carry on enough bedding, cushions and bags for a family of ten, plus three small children. When I showed the driver my ticket, he said he could only take me to Horseshoe Bay, the Vancouver ferry terminal. The ticket showed that I had paid to go to Campbell River and this included the ferry ride to the Island. He was adamant and made an announcement to the six other passengers "Would all those passenger who are going to the island with me, please stay on the bus, would other passengers please exit the bus as soon as we arrive at the terminal." A dozen eyes turned in my direction.
I did as I was told and went to the ferry ticket office and bought another ticket to Nanaimo. I was rushed on to the boat and sailing away three minutes later. Fortunately there is a private company that runs an Island Link bus, so for the same money I had paid to Greyhound for the entire trip, I paid the same again for a two hour bus ride. I arrived in Campbell River twelve hours after I left home that morning. Dizzy blonde, all because I had my head in a book.
I stayed a week with Bill and Ginnette, We nattered away and it was hard to believe that I had not seen them for three years. We spent a day at the Salmon Festival that included a logging show, with Ginnette's niece singing on the main stage. Campbell River is a great place to see wood carvings. They are public art round the town, in parks and along the coast paths.
I bought a bike at the Salvation Army Thrift Shop, fitted it with a rack and was all ready to ride to the Sunshine Coast. I was sorry to leave, it was great to spend time with them and other family members.
Bill was kind enough to drive me 60 kms to the ferry in time to catch the 10.15am. to Powell River. It would have been a long hot ride and an early start. Sue had business in Powell River and arranged to meet me there. This eliminated another 60 kms ride to her house in Half moon Bay. We had lunch together, then with the help of a quick release front wheel, I loaded the bike into her car.
Friday night was the Veteran car parade. We didn't even have to leave home, neighbours sat at the end of their driveways and watched over 350 cars drive by. It didn't take long before people were remembering their past, seeing cars they had learned to drive in, cars they had grown up with and boy friends. Sue also arranged a ladies get together, plus it was the right week for a friend's annual party. Never a dull moment, plus half a dozen games of scrabble.
Once again I stayed a week so that I could meet up with Scott who was on the island for the weekend and could pick me and my bike up at Horseshoe Bay, Thank goodness, it would have been a long hot ride into Vancouver, over the Lions Gate bridge to the rapid transit train for a trip out to Surrey and then 25 kms bike ride to Langley. It was a good plan but when I saw the hill and traffic out of the ferry terminal, I was really glad to be in Scott's truck. Some things just work out.
Michele and Rich are going to move and the house goes on the market this week. I have once again been sorting through boxes to see if I can leave less behind. They have stored my Guinness collection, sewing machine, pictures, paintings personal papers and some photo albums. All that is left of my past life.
Tonight I am going with Brigitte S. to see Shakespeare I the park.
I have been humbled by my friends, I just drop back in as if it was only a few weeks ago that we were together. I try to make myself useful but I can't begin to return the kindness and generosity of people who care about me. My heart is full. Whatever did I do to deserve such good people in my life. Thank you all.
Cathy Eberts, at Walnut Grove Travel has come up trumps, yet again, I am booked to leave Canada on 20th September, I stay a month in Fiji, then on to Australia for three months. It means I will avoid winter yet again. Blonde but not daft.
All is well. Hope it is the same with you.
Still travelling Emu
Hello Everyone,
History repeats itself and here I am again leaving Vancouver to fly to Fiji. This time it feels so different. I am not making a giant leap off a precipice. I had no idea how long I would be gone, what the future held, if I could cope or what to expect. I was a little crazy and emotionally drained from saying goodbye to friends and family. I suppose I was running away, but despite all that I was leaving behind, I just couldn't see myself setting up home and starting all over again. I could not afford to stay in the Fraser Valley and really didn't know where I wanted to be.
This time I am a lot stronger and so much wiser. I have family and friends that care about me and I like myself again. It has been an adventure and I have no regrets. One thing I did worry about was being forgotten. Everyone would be getting on with their lives and I just wouldn't be around. Skype, the blog and email have kept me in touch. I have just dropped back in to your lives and it is as if I never left. If it was a test, then every one passed with flying colours. Thank you so much.
I have spent time in gardens, where I recognize most of the plants, as they were moved to a new home in 2008. I have enjoyed watching Brigitte's barn door change I have visited friends and seen things I have made, quilts, bags, pillows etc. It is a great feeling to know that gifts are valued. The real gift is the friendship. With my weird and wonderful lifestyle I truly understand this and make no apology for repeating “Thank you all” from the bottom of my heart.
On separate occasions I have been out to dinner or lunch with Scott, my brother, sister in law and Winnie. I was at my nephew's engagement party and this week I had several birthday celebrations.. Thursday I went to the at the pub with Michele, Scott and friends, Friday twenty of us sat down for a joint birthday party at Brigittee's and on Saturday I went to dinner with Kevin, my grand daughter and Michele. Kevin headed back to his in laws and Michele and I sat on the deck with one or two beers until nearly 5.00 am.
I am sad to be leaving but look forward to the next part of my journey. I will be staying with a family in Fiji for a month then on to Brisbane, Australia. If you get a spare minute have a look at www.workaway and you will see how I find places to stay and work for my board and keep. I have only been using it for the past eight months but it means that I am able to save and stretch out the income to continue travelling.
So until you hear from me again from Fiji, I wish you all the best, peace and contentment.
Back on the road.
Thanks again
Travelling Emu
I have finished knitting the sweater for Larissa. Thank goodness. I just couldnt see me under a palm tree knitting. It has taken me forevber and she will be able to wear it when she is tenb.
It was tough to say goodbye to Michele, but knowing I would see her again in five or six months, did make it easier. This time we were able to eat our sandwich and coffee for dinner and not stop between bites to cry or laugh. I am going to miss you all. It was great to be back and know that all is well with family and friends. Thank you for the hugs, warm welcome, meals, bed for the night and most of all for the friendship that has endured despite my absence.
I was seated between a honeymoon couple for the flight to Fiji and was up graded to a seat in a small area of forty seats behind first class. I shared a four seat row with one young man and had no one ahead of me, so I was able to put my feet up and doze.
Despite landing at 5.00 am the local band was at the airport to welcome us all. It is a lovely tradition with the men in sulus (skirts) playing ukuleles and singing. By the time the luggage was unloaded the sun was up, lighting up palm trees, bougainvillea, hibiscus and Indian Noisy minor birds. I took a taxi to the Blue Water Hotel but it was full. The circle was complete when I crossed the road and booked into the Beach Escape Resort. I had stayed there for 10 days in 2009 riding out the storm. The staff remembered me with a warm welcome back..
I had a one hour bus ride to Latouka and then a two hour trip to Rakiraki. The local people come in from the villages everyday with produce to sell at the market. Some have stalls, many just sit Buddah style on the ground. Everyone here speaks English and I was able to use the cell phone of a market trader to call Jim, my workaway host. Ten minutes later he picked me up in in old pick up truck. He showed me to my room and introduced me to a million people.
Jim is Australian, married to Kara, a Fijian women. Her sister Lawatta lives with them and three children. Staying for a few days was Sulu, (Kara's sister in law) and her four children. It was quite a zoo and I wondered how long it wold take me to remember all the names. Children stay with other members of the family, wandering in and out of houses and all sleep together. They sit on woven palm frond mats, eating from bowls with their fingers. It didn't work for me, so I ended up on one of only four chairs in the house, using a spoon. You never wear shoes in the house, it it would be the equivalent of putting your muddy boots on the dining room table.
The house has power and cold running water.. We all share a very small sink in the hall way to wash hands and clean teeth. Oh the luxury of Michele's bathroom with hot water and two sinks. The water is not very cold as the temperature everyday is about 30 degrees. My bedroom has a window but it looks out into the kitchen. Fijian adults and children can just stretch out on the floor and sleep. They must think we white people are very soft, requiring privacy and a bed. Oil cloth is laid over the concrete floor and considered a luxury.
Also staying is a young couple, Guiame from France and his girlfriend Stephanie from California. We work in the garden on any jobs that need doing. I have been transplanting small trees and tomatoes, cleaning up under vegetables I did not know existed and just making myself useful. In the middle of the day I stay in the cool area at the side of the house.
Five year old Rosie started Kindergarten this week and we all went to watch the new class dance. Some family members drove two hours to be here for the event then headed home. I wondered if they would make it back in the battered old car with eight passengers.
One hundred years ago the British imported Indian labour to Fiji and they stayed. There is a distinct ethnic split, Fijians and Indians, they each retain their own culture, traditions and language. Rosie attends an Indian school where she will learn English and Hindi. Evidence of missionaries is in the churches ranging from Pentecostal to Seven Day adventists and just about everything in between. So far I have not seen a Catholic church. Ten percent of the population is Muslim and when it is quite you can hear the call to prayers from the Mosque.
On Sunday we went to the beach. The children played in the water. When it came time to leave the truck would not start. We pushed if off the road for Jim to deal with the next day. In true Fijian style a plan was formulated. Jim would call a taxi and we would all wait in the sheltered area of a small restaurant. The children and dog climbed all over the boats, the steps and small pier. They didn't break anything or fall in the water. The taxi came and the driver suggested he go back to town for diesel and see if between them they could get the truck going.
It turned out to be an electrical problem and the nice Indian taxi driver waited patiently for the children to get into dry clothes. In fact they just put shorts and t shirts over the wet ones. It took a few minutes but eventually, Jim, his sister in law, me, seven children and a dog were in the taxi heading back to the house.
The island has a good public bus system, though may of the buses would not pass a safety inspection. People amble for miles to and from villages and plantations. The men work in the heat cutting cane by hand and the women sell a few vegetables or fish from the road side. The recession has not happened here, when you have so little you don't notice falling house prices or tumbling stocks and shares. When you wash your clothes in the stream or stand at an old cement sink, beating clothes with a stick you don't wish you had a washing machine. When the gas bottle runs out, you just light a fire outside and finish cooking dinner. When you want meat for dinner, you go outside and kill a chicken.
From the outside looking in, you think people have very little, but they have most of what they need and all work together, helping each other out and sharing what they have. A family unit is not just mum, dad and two children, it includes every generation and the neighbours.
The adventure continues and I will stay here until I leave Fiji. However I will go back to so called civilization for a couple of days. I have put this blog on a thumb drive and will up load it using Jim's computer.
Stay tuned to find out more about the weather, riding the bus, segregation, plant and animal life on a tropical island
P.S. I still don't have a B.C. driving licence or Canadian passport.
Cavalungi is the Fijian word for foreigners, It translates as “People not from here” Pome stand for Prisoner of Mother England, going back to the time when judges sent prisoners to Botany Bay, Australia to relieve over crowding in English prisons.
I worked in Jim's garden but this is the beginning of the cyclone season in Fiji and heavy rain turned it into a quagmire. Plantations are large gardens. People clear a few acres, leaving the mature trees standing. They plant fruit and vegetables to feed the family or sell at the local markets. It is not gardening as we know it in the northern hemisphere. It much harder and all year round.
Carva is a national non alcoholic drink. The roots of the carva tree are dried. They are then put in a small metal tub and beaten with a mallet on a long handle. Most evenings you can hear the ring of carva being pounded as the handle hits the side of the tub. When you are handed a coconut shell cup, everyone claps twice and then you knock it back. It is a cloudy pale brown colour with a taste of peppermint. If you drink enough of it your lips go numb and eventually you fall asleep as it acts as a muscle relaxant. Unlike alcohol it produces no side effects or violent behavour. However it does mean that not much gets done once people start drinking.
I did get a few cuts from the rough wire fences in the garden, but they healed well. Same for the burn I got on my leg from hot fat that splattered out when roti were being cooked. After a day or so the blisters broke. It scabbed over and did not get infected. Thank goodness.
One day I went walking with three of the children. They looked after me as if I was their grandmother. We walked to the top of the hills across the road from the house, through sugar cane fields and grazing land for tethered cattle. They asked my permission, then climbed like monkeys up the mango tree. The mangoes did have some red and yellow on them, but were far from ripe. The children eat them like apples.
I left Jim and Kara on Fiji day, riding on a crowded bus for three hours back to Nadi. On one side of the bus the seats are in pairs, across the very narrow aisle there are three seats. Many Fijians are a good size and when they struggle down the aisle, seated passengers get hit in the head or shoulder by bags and boxes. Thank goodness they don't travel with live chickens.
I enjoyed peace, quiet, a hot shower and swimming pool at Beach Escape, then headed to Mana Island. I stayed four nights sharing a dorm with nine other people. The stay included three meals as there are no restaurants or shops. Breakfast varied from porridge and fresh fruit to pancakes, home cooked triangular donuts and toast with cane syrup. Lunches were roti with lightly curried vegetables, fried rice, white bread sandwiches, egg, tuna or baked beans. Dinner was chicken curry, fish, chicken with coleslaw and potato salad or rice, veg and fruit. No spices are used and soon things began to taste all the same. Apart from bananas and paw paw, everything is brought in daily from “The Mainland”
I stayed at Serena a backpackers resort with 27 beds available. This includes private rooms rented in village houses. Either side of Serena was another backpackers, both more upscale, with a bar, outside seating and a dance floor. One night the male staff danced inside for the guests, then finished off outside with fire dancing. They twirl a four foot stick that blazes at each end when the kerosene soaked material is lit.
I went snorkeling often, read a good book I had been given and got to know some of the people I was staying with. Claudia from Austria, two women from Germany, Tom and Dave from England, four Swiss people and Michelle from France. I also watched my first rugby game. Fans are very passionate. There were some long face one morning as Wales had lost to France. I watched the NZ All Blacks play the Wallabies from Australia. Many New Zealanders have settled in Fiji and were delighted when the All Blacks won. It is a fast, physical game and I suppose it has rules, but they are not obvious. to me.
Ian who left NZ twenty years ago lives across from the Beach Escape and a couple of mornings I went into town with him. The first time, before we left he gave me gave a tour of the golf course he runs. He actually drove his car on the course and I took photos.
I checked in for my flight to Brisbane at 5.30am and sauntered up to Raffles for coffee. The four hour flight was uneventful, except for the landing. The 747 rushed to the ground and the pilot must have been fighting side winds, as the plane yawed left and right for a couple of minutes until it lost some speed.
Getting around in Australia is really easy. I got a bus from the airport to Hervey Bay where my cousin picked me up. It is a four hour bus ride and I enjoyed being back among the gum trees, It is very green, with wet lands. running streams, grass on all the verges, new leaves on many trees and the great purple cloud of jacarandas.
I am back in my luxury accommodation, Bob has set me up with a full size computer screen, key board and wifi. I have three meals a day plus morning and afternoon tea that come with home made goodies. I had nothing sweet to eat in Fiji and I am making up for it now. Tomorrow I will move across to Tia and Ingoff's house to look after the dogs. It is so good to be here out of the high humidity and temperatures of Fiji. It is spring time here , average temperature 19 degrees and cloudy. Mangoes are coming down from the north and will be ready here in about six weeks.
All is well. I will catch up on my emails and hope to talk to some of you on skype.
I stayed with Bob and Kath in the Granny flat for three nights, then packed my bags and moved across the road.. We have shared meals and I have have become quite domestic. I make dinner or lunch and we joke about Bob and Kath going out to eat again. I have shopped at the Sunday market, buying local pumpkins, potatoes, carrots, peppers, pineapples, mandarins, bananas and giant avocados. I have enjoyed making meals and inviting people over. Other days Kath would cook and I go out to lunch..
The avocados weigh about two kilos. I picked fresh lemons from the garden, squeezed on the juice and tucked into half the avocado with a spoon. No washing up and no preparing. Domestic bliss. One thing I did learn when I picked the lemon is that the tree grows huge thorns. I have yet to find out why. It would make sense if the fruit was soft, and sweet but really, who or what eats lemons. Bananas are growing in Thea's garden but they will not be ripe for another month.. Mangoes will be ready around Christmas time.
I have worked in three gardens and listened to the birds as they call from the tall gums, or chatter in the shrubs. I wake at dawn, sit outside with a cup of coffee, then go off on the bike with Nicki the dog. (I ride the bike, he can't reach the pedals) As it is only 5.30 am I do wonder if the neighbours wish I would go later as I set up clouds of noisy cockatoos, galahs and lorikeets. I also disturb the dogs, they run along the property fence line barking a good morning to Nicki.
I have used Kath's library card and taken out half a dozen DVD's and talking books. While I am listening or watching I am learning to knit with four needles.. I have not had much success yet, but hope to eventually produce a pair of socks. Bob has a great work shop and between us we have made a little wooden trolley and blocks for Larissa.
I spent a day in the nearby sugar cane town of Maryborough, I loved the old buildings and was glad to see them maintained and used by local businesses. The Mary River runs through the town and planners have used it's banks to create shady walks and parks. Small sailing boats bob on the water and there is a hint of burnt sugar in the air. All quite delightful.
It is a quiet life here with good company. Out of the blue I have arranged to house sit for a family in Brisbane. I made the contact through my brother Ken. I leave here in the morning for an eighteen day stay. After that I don't know. I will be travelling down to Brisbane with Elsbeth. We met in Fiji and she has stayed here in Booral for a couple of nights.
Despite the great set up Bob has put together, I have not spent much time on the computer. I prefer to be outside. Therefore I have not replied to emails, kept my diary up to date, worked on the children's book or sorted out my photos. Perhaps I need to be in wet, cold climate that keeps me in doors. This is not appealing, I only wear shorts and a light top or swim suit and rarely shoes. The thought of hats, scarves, coats and boots makes me shudder.
When you house sit, owners invite you to help yourself to anything and everything in the fridge, freezer and cupboards, supply you with the basics and beer. In effect you move into a fully stocked home. It takes only a day or so to figure out where everything is, including light switches and before you know it, the owners are home , treating the place as if they owned it. Time to move on.
I do realise that this is not a life style for everyone one but I like it. If I do get into a routine, it soon changes, I am constantly surrounded with new things, views and challenges. I have no monthly bills at all, eat local produce, meet new people and avoid winter.
I am still able to enjoy gardening. You just have to put a cutting in the ground, water it for a couple of days and soon it is flowering. It is spring here but is is green all year round. The black bark branches of the Jacaranda tree are bursting with floods of purple, soon the leaves will appear. A mature tree will be 80' tall. At night I can sit out in my knickers and a T shirt, listening to the bats squabbling in the trees and enjoy the glorious night sky, with no distraction from street lights.
It is warm and sunny in the day, 25 degrees, cooling off at night to 18 degrees. I sleep under a sheet and light blanket.
So, as I have been known to say before, “Life is Grand” Feel free to join me anytime.
The journey continues. Next stop Brisbane. Tell you more when I get there. Miss you.
Elsbeth and I travelled to Brisbane on the train. At Maryborough station, the loud speakers broadcast the Last post and I stood in the blazing sunshine for the one minute silence. As usual I thought of my parents, Adam and people posted overseas, separated from their families and trying to make a difference. Later I realized it was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011.
Fredi picked us up close to Birkdale station.. Quick introductions all round, dogs and people, a natter and off to bed. The next day, the family was gone by nine thirty, leaving Elsbeth and I to find our way around the house. We took the car to the local shopping area, had a wander around, then decided it was time to go home. Ah a problem. Where was home?
All we could remember was that we were in the suburb of Sheldon. Eventually I remembered the name of the family and we spent twenty minutes going into each shop to find a phone book. Our other plan was to find internet and open my email. The family was not listed but the friendly butcher told us to keep the directory so that we could use the maps. He gave us directions on the map to Sheldon and wished us luck. He hoped we would find something familiar as we got near to where we were staying.
Success. We found the house, took note of the number and street name, then had a good laugh.
Elsbeth stayed a week then headed south to Surfers Paradise. I have rattled around in this big house, pleasing myself for a over a week now. The dogs are no bother and don't seem to mind the change of their routine. The typed notes tell me they are walked twice daily, groomed and at 5.00 pm they watch the box. Well I don't know if they do actually watch it, as I have not turned it on for them. If they want to be entertained they have to listen to the Australian equivalent of BBC Radio 4.
I have worked in the garden, what little there is. Mainly I have rescued plants from pots and put them in the ground. I have also made covers for the deck furniture, a card for Larissa, listened to my Spanish lessons, trimmed the banana trees, mulched a brick flower bed off the deck, cut down dead branches and chopped up old carpet. It was an eyesore laying out the back rotting away. Before I could do anything I had to buy a small saw and a Stanley knife. The only tools here are a spade and trowel. I even had to buy a bucket to use as a watering can for the new plants.
Thank goodness for the car. Without it I would be quite isolated. On Tuesday and Friday I go to the nursery with Sue. (Winnie's daughter in law). When I leave here I will stay with Sue and Lloyd. I will help Sue finish painting the house and deck.
I started knitting a cardigan for Larissa. The farthest I have got is the 9th line. I have ripped it out half a dozen times. I just can't seem to follow the pattern that produces a row of rabbits just above the rib. I have the luxury of time, peace and quiet to persevere and these rabbits will appear.
By coincidence, Bob, Kath and I all had UK passports that ran out in March 2012. Bob printed off the forms, we filled them out and took them to the local post office. We had our photos taken, then then each application checked over. Ten days later we all had new passports in the mail. How's that for service. The following day my old one with all the stamps arrived. It was a little un nerving to be without a passport. If it didn't show up I would have to throw myself on the mercy of the Canadian or British embassy.
I have been granted an extention of my visa and will be staying in Australia until mid April. My return flight was booked for 18th January, but as I have no warm clothes, staying here was a good option. I have also applied to be a Canadian non resident. Michele emailed to give me a name and number of the Canadian passport office. They had two questions, one was when did I retire, can't remember the other. I phoned half a dozen times before I spoke to a real person, not a recording telling me that no one was available. I answered the two questions and was told my Canadian passport would be processed. Hurray. I also have a BC driving licence and a Canadian citizen identity card. Perhaps now I have done with paperwork and forms.
It rained here last night for the first time since I arrived over a month ago. It will be soaked up by the dry ground and is very welcome to all gardeners and wildlife. Every evening the kookaburas laugh from the top of the tall trees, the cockatoos screech as they fly overhead and frogs call to each other. As the light fades the music of the wildlife almost matches the dawn chorus.
It is light here about 4.15am until about 6.30pm. with blue skies and welcome clouds that until recently have brought no rain. When the sun goes down the temperature drops to about 21 and I have to put on a T shirt. The only time I get dressed is when I go to town and the nursery. Try not to picute my daily wardrobe as I only wear a bikini. It means I get a bit cut,scratched and dirty as I work outside, minus safety boots, gloves, goggles or a hat.
I have applied to be part of Pet Sitters Australia. I am working my way through an on line training course . I now know how to give CPR to a dog. Before I started the training I thought that when a dog was not breathing it was dead. It's good to learn something everyday, but I hope I will never need to revive a dead dog.
Look for me on Skype or leave me a message. I love getting them and to know that I am not fogotten. Thank you all.
Hello Everyone
I left the dogs,, garden and house in good order, 1st December. Sue picked me up for a session at the nursery. I spent a few hours potting up small seedlings and catching up with news from people I had not seen for a couple of years.
All the time I was house sitting in Sheldon, the weather was hot and sunny. Since I have been here in Brisbane, there has been some much needed rain. At the beginning of the year many places in the city were flooded, people are still working to restore their gardens. The trees have recovered well but smaller plants need replacing. I actually put jeans on the other day and a jumper. The weather forecaster announced on the evening news, that temperatures were 14 degrees lower than the normal temperature of 28 – 30 degrees.
I am helping Sue to paint. The shed is finished. To paint the shed sounds like a fairly small job, but this being Australia, means the shed is a good size. This one is 30' x 20 ' with the walls and roof being made from corrugated tin sheets. It serves as a double garage, work shop and storage space. It was wet and dirty when I scrubbed it down with sugar water then, Sue pressure washed it. We have finished the deck railings. I was delighted to see the kookaburra land on the top rail, only ten feet from where I was working. I often hear them but it is unusual to get a good photograph.
The shops are full of Christmas ornaments, tree decorations and ideas for gifts. It seems strange to be thinking about Christmas in my shorts and T shirt, with the trees in bloom and summer just around the corner. I will leave here in a week to spend Christmas with Bob and Kath. I will be house sitting for a neighbour from 24th December to January 8th. After that I hope to head south and see my brother.
Have you ever thought about how pineapples and bananas grow? That question occurred to me as I stood in Sue's garden looking at both. They don't produce seeds and planting either in the ground would just provide a picnic for the ants. For bananas you buy or obtain from a friend a small one from the mature plant. They are never called trees. For pineapples you plant the spiky growth from the top. Like the chicken and egg quandary, which came first, fruit or plant?
Talking of chickens, Sue keeps a few in the back garden. She now has two less. One was taken by the neighbours dog right before our eyes and the other turned out to be not sure what she was. Apparently. when a flock of hens live without a rooster, one of them can change sex. It will grow a bigger comb and start to crow as it becomes the leader. Some neighbours were tolerant of the crowing but others complained. He / she has now gone to the great pot in the sky.
I have been teaching Sue patchwork. She has made pot holders and is part way through a bag. It is good to be quilting again, but I am amazed at how much I have forgotten.
It is very cloudy and I will not be able to enjoy the eclipse of the moon tonight. Pity
I will write again when I am at Booral and send Christmas greetings to you all.
Love and miss you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
I am a five minute walk from Bob and Kath, house and chicken sitting. I know where the light switches are and how to work the phone. The first thing I had to do was go to town with Kath and get some food. The fridge was empty and the cupboard bare. Perhaps the family went camping and took everything with them. It is the first time I have experienced this. Thank goodness for Bob and Kath.
The house is OK but I think the owners and the designer have more money than sense. There are eleven doors leading out to the deck. An industrial fridge and freezer that seems to run constantly. If I close my eyes I can imagine I am on a plane. The kitchen drawers close themselves. The saucepans have whistling lids and the steam burns your hand when you lift them. off. I get half a dozen eggs a day, but I feel sorry for the chickens. They have an old cat carrier as a nest box and have to line up to use it.
No matter it is home until 8th January.
Hurray, I got to talk to my brother Ken. Despite being in the same time zone for the past couple of months, we kept missing each other.
From the deck I look out to Fraser Island and some glorious sun rises. Some days I can watch the roos grazing. One day a pair of rainbow lorikeets flew in to the kitchen. Very cheeky birds. It has rained a fair bit recently but no one complains. Kath's nephew Richard and his wife Holly are here for a week. The four of us climbed Mt. Walsh. It was a two hour hike to the top and one down. Not bad for two old ladies.
I have been typing up diaries. It is very time consuming but interesting to be reminded of people and events. I shake my head at the realization that in two weeks time, 7th January, I will have been on the road for three years. I look back and know that family and friends have travelled with me and made it possible. I would have been lost without your support and friendship. Thank you all so much.
Christmas Thank you poem
The sun is shining, the sky is blue,
So far away but I am thinking of you.
Flip flops and shorts are costume of the day.
I don't envy reindeer pulling a sleigh.
Colourful decorations are stacked on shelves,
Shiny baubles, lights, angels and elves.
Christmas in the north may well bring snow,
But here in the south, to the beach we go.
It is very welcome, the gentle breeze,
As it cools koalas sleeping in the trees.
Kangaroos and joeys have taken to their beds
No dreams of sugar plums in their heads.
Santa's in his shorts, dreaming of beer.
My thoughts are with you. Wish you were here.
Away from family and friends, it can be sad
But I remember all the good times we had.
My reply to emails might be slow,
But here is something I want you to know.
You are in my heart, I really do care.
It keeps me going, knowing you're there.
Thank you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I wish you peace, contentment and laughter..
The adventure continues.
13th February 2012
Hi Everyone.
It was organised chaos staying with Jim and Anu in Syd ey but somehow it worked. Between us we got meals prepared and cooked. Often nine of sat down for a United Nations dinner. Further north small towns are flooded, but here the rain was just inconvenient if you wanted to work outside. Painting the house next door got put on hold but Anu kept me busy with a variety of jobs, from sorting a whole orphanage of odd socks, to organising the garage. Once it stopped raining I was back to decorating.
I had a great day out with Ken, wandering around Sydney, a nice lunch at an Indian restaurant , a visit to the houses of Parliament and New South Wales Art Gallery. I am not sure either of us understood some of the exhibits, certainly didn't look like art to us. However, there was more things to enjoy than things we didn't like. We also went to the NSW library for an Antarctic exhibition.
One afternoon, Mary and I went out on a long bike ride. We prefered the board walks and mangroves to the busy roads. One small commercial street was busy and we walked our bikes past at least half a dozen different nationality restaurants, Lebanese to Thai, Chinese bazaar shops and an Arab bank. The night before I left, we had a hen night. We bought beer and pizza. Jim and Anu joined us when they got home from dinner out, so did the neighbor. It was a party and no one had to drive home.
The French couple bought a car and left on Tuesday, Manu and Yvonne, (German) left an hour before I did to get a flight to Ayers Rock. Mary and Audrey (northern Ireland) will have the weekend off but will be back at the factory on Monday, filling bottles with shampoo.
Sydney is about 200 kms from here but everything is different. The train and coach travels up and over the highlands then on to the Tablelands. Here there are a lot less gum trees, more pine and deciduous trees, with large fields dotted with grazing sheep and cattle. I hear that this has been a very wet summer with low temperatures. Mind you it is still shorts and T shirt temperature, or was until I got to the Tablelands , where I am wearing jeans and sleeping under a duvet.
I arrived in Goulburn early Saturday afternoon. Rebbecca picked me up at the station and within half an hour I was working. I had arrived at a different zoo. The house was full of people doing things, as this was the day Rebbecca and the two children moved in. Friends, she has no neighbours, were fixing plumbing, unloading boxes and generally helping finish the move.
Sunday Gus the handyman came back as the toilet was leaking, for a good part of the day we had no lu or running water. He ended up putting in a new cistern. The lu now works but the pipes leaked, so he was back the next day to fix that problem and to plumb in the shower. Another run was made to the old house to pick up chickens, geese, three cats and three dogs. Zoos don't always have exotic animals.
I can't imagine what the house was like before it was cleaned up and renovated. No one knows how old it is, only that the old lady who owned it lived here for ever and did not look after it. It has had many additions over the years, but I don't know why it is still standing. It used to be the post office, which is very strange as the nearest neighbours are quite a way off, perched on the hill. It is so far out of town, Rebbecca does not have rubbish pick up, but can go to the tip any time and get her card stamped. We have power and rain water tanks. The house is on eight acres with several out buildings.
I am staying in the shed, not the garden variety, but a typical Ozzie shed with tin walls and roof. Fortunately this one has windows, transparent panels on the roof and power. The main house is only a few feet away, so although I am not living in luxury I have all I need, including use of a spare car. If the problem can be sorted out we might have Internet this week. If not I will go into town and see if I can go on line to send this up date. Sorry but emails will have to wait, I am not ignoring you, I just can't get on line.
Happy Birthday to Kevin, Michele, Mary and Steve, Happy Anniversary Bob and Kath.. Jean, have your ears been burning, you are still my favorite work away.
All is well..Love and Best wishes from the shed. and Goulburn Tourist information centre.
G'day everyone.
I did have use of a car while I was with Rebecca. One day I went exploring the small towns in the area. I was on the Hume Highway heading to Sydney, I missed a turn and eventually realised I could turn around using a break between the lanes of traffic. The road was two lanes in each direction, posted at 100 kmp. A sign indicated that the turn was 200 yards ahead. You had to be in the fast lane , reduce speed very quickly turn at 90 degrees and stop immediately. You then waited for a gap in the fast traffic and pulled out. It is a wonder that cars were not piled up on the road side. It was quite hair rasing, but when in Australia do as the Australians do. It worked and I am here to up date the blog. I found some lovely spots to explore and towns that were marked on the map but only had one small cafe or a couple of shops.
Rebecca dropped me at Goulburn train station on Friday for the 8.15 am train to Sydney. It arrived at 11.00 am and I wandered around Sydney until it was time to board the 4.00pm to Brisbane. It arrived at 6.00 the next morning. I had a lady beside me until 9.30.pm She had travelled to Sydney to hear the reading of her brother's will. He had left it all to one brother, leaving out six other siblings. She was upset, but got over it and was good company. At 10.00pm the lights were turned off, so I was able to curl up across the two seats and get some sleep.
I had arranged through my brother to house sit in Redland Bay. From Brisbane I was on the city train for an hour to Cleveland, then two buses, the second one dropped me at the door and I went looking for the neighbour with the key. She let me in, explained about feeding the cats and that she walked the dog twice a day. She headed home and ten minutes later half a dozen neighbours came over and interogated me. One man was the spokesperson and insisted that as he knew nothing about this I must leave immediately. He told me that he would take me to the local hotel until it was sorted out. Like a condemmed person I was allowed to make a phone call, so I rang Sue and Lloyd in Brisbane.
They were in Cambodia, fortuntely their son Andrew and his wife Nicola are house sitting for the month and much to my relief said it was OK to stay with them. By coincidence, one of the neighbours was taking her grand daughter home and she lived near Sue and Lloyd, so she droped me off. Thank goodness, it would have been a pain to get the train and buses back to Brisbane then out to Holland Park.
It's good to know that neighbors are looking out for each other. I had the neighbours phone number and they knew my brother Ken, but as I couldn't prove I was his sister and they had heard nothing from the owners, they were very fearful that I was up to no good. No matter, plan B or was it plan C worked out just as well.
I stayed at Sue and Lloyd's for three nights, then headed out to the work away in Cabulture as previously arranged., just different dates. I had applied for other work away places hoping to split the 700 mile journey from Sydney to Brisbane but by the time I had been accpeted, I had already arrived in Brisbane.
I hear from the news that Gouburn is now flooded. Fortunately I think Rebecca's new house will be OK While I was there daily storms came over the hills producing heavy rain fall that lasted over an hour. The water did drain away as long as I checked the channel running along side the shed. If it got blocked by leaves, the water would have gone in to my bedroom. It was a great shame that Rebeca's tanks had not been installed, the storms would have soon filled them.
Andrew and I went to Brisbane together. There was a problem with trains, so he got a bus to work. Public announcements were constant as there was a problem on the tracks and many trains were late or not running at all. Mr. Murphy must have stayed in Goulburn as the line I would be using was OK. I phoned Andrea to let her know I would be catching the 9.37. I travelled for an hour to Cabulture. I went across to the cafe, ordered breakfast and a coffee, while I waited to be picked up. A lady sat at the table beside me, eventually we got talking. She was waiting for someone coming from Brisbane. I asked her name and when she said "Andrea " I replied. "I am that someone"
It was half an hour drive to her house in the small town of Woodford. (population 8,000). She lives on twenty acres, a seven minute walk into town. I don't see much of her as she works six days a week at the local sports club. On the seventh day she goes down to Brisbane to spend time with her grand children.
\Yesterday we picked up her mum and went out for a drive. We visited Somerset Dam, a recreational and camping area. You can bring your own camper or rent a tent. The dam looks like a lake, some parts are wide and long, ideal for water skining. It was quiet when we were there, but no doubt it is full in school hoidays and hot, sunny weekends. On the way we passed a bamboo farm. To my amazement the farm produces bamboo shoots that are exported to China. The canes are sold to furniture manufacturers. It is not an agressive bamboo they use, so the small stands that look like woods, have not taken over. This is a good thing as it grows forty feet tall. As there are no panadas running loose in Queesland, it does very well.
I have been working in the garden and cleaning cupboards in the kitchen. Andrea is very easy going and just leaves me to get on with whatever I think needs doing. I am her first work away and it suits us both. I like making myself useful and it enables me to see small towns and parts of Australia the tourists don't get to.
Untill you have been involved with trading your effortts for board and lodging , it must be difficult to get your mind round the fact that total strangers show up and live with you for a couple of weeks or longer.. If I ever own a home again I will invite people to stay with me and share their knowledge of astronomy, physics, geology and philospphy.
I don't know how long I will stay here with Andrea , but I will stay in this area as my flight to Vancouver, via Fiji and LA leaves on 14th April.
I am looking forward to seeing family and friends again, hugging my grand daugher, welcoming Jodi and Adam's first born and catching up with you all.
Sorry about the hic cup with the blog site. I did not get any notice that the annual fee needed renewing. This has been done and should create no problems.
All is well. T E
Hello Everyone,
I was in Woodford, one hour from Brisbane for two weeks. The host was gone seven days a week. She managed a sports club and worked ten to fourteen hours a day, six days a week. On the seventh she left early to look after grandchildren. I cleaned house, cut back the wilderness around the outside seating area, washed and oiled the deck, the table and half a dozen large teak chairs.
We did go out twice, once to visit the near by town of Maleny and the second to see the Somerset Dam. It is a very beautiful area, with rolling hills, woods of gum trees, a few cattle grazing and the Glass house Mountains. They are odd shaped rock cones left over from long ago volcanic activity. When Captain Cook first saw them they reminded him of the glass factory chimneys in the north of England, hence the name.
On a Sunday morning there was no one to ask which of the two platforms I should be waiting on. The only local passing by was also looking for information, but guessed it was platform one. He went off to get his friend and left me reading. Twenty minutes later I hear "Hey lady, the train is coming" I expected it to split off and pull to a stop on plaftorm one. So did the man across the track but it didn't. . I grabbed my bags, hammered the lift button, tore across the bridge, ran down the steps and met the same man who told me "The driver saw you sitting there and will wait for you" What good service. It is the first time I have had a train wait for me
I can highly recommend husband sitting. I get a big hug every morning, I cook one main meal at lunch time and in the evening we have soup and home made bread. It means I eat well and don't always have to do the washing up. Bob is great at fixing things, helping me out with problems on the computer, someone to bounce ideas off and good company. He has great skill and talent when he works with wood in his shed. He has made several toys and puzzles. We are working on the second wagon for Larissa. Bob makes the wagon and cuts the blocks. I paint and varnish them.
His lovely wife is a way for two weeks. When she gets back we will share the cooking and I will get more good company. It feels like home, not just staying somewhere with a stranger.
Ocassionally one of us will say, "It's raining again" but we know it will be over in twenty minutes, it is good for the garden, the clouds will move on and we will be cooling off in the pool an hour later. What's not to like. The two acre garden looks as if there is nothing left to do, but of course there is always trimming and weeding to do. When I was here last Kath and I cut back a tall shrub, sawing through branches with a diameter of one and a half inches. Eight weeks later it has produced two foot long new growth. (Should that be two feet?)
I only once had internet when I was in Woodford. Kevin and I typed a few messages on Skype but it was hopeless. The next time I was on line I got a message from Kevin "Killakoala sounds like a nice place." I was puzzled at first until I remembered that in frustration I had written "I am off to kill a koala"
Many parts of Queensland and New South Wales have been flooded. People have lost their homes, .many have been evacuated. Some were just getting right again after similar floods a year ago. I left Goulburn the day before the town flooded. I don't think water would have reached the house I was staying at, but it would have been cut off from town for several days. Booral is 350kms north of Brisbane and doesn't flood. Even in heavy rains the water soaks in to the land and out to sea. It is a ten minute walk to the ocean. not a white sandy beach, but pebbles and mangroves. It keeps the tourists away.
At night I stand under a velvet sky lit by a billion stars and watch the fruit bags fly thirty or forty feet over head. I can sometimes hear their wing beats. I listen to the frog symphony and wonder where they all go in the day time. Mind you I doubt they would be heard above the birds. Cockatooes, screech, rainbow lorikeets twitter, butcher birds stop you in your tracks, kukaburras cackle, parrots squeak and squawk. I don't know the name of the birds that whistle or how to describe the apostle birds, top knots, pied wag tails, galahs and countless others.
All is well. I will be back in Canada 19th April. Thank you so much for all the messages. What did I do to deserve such good friends and a caring brother.
Love hugs and best wishes to you all.
Kath is back and I am second fiddle. We have been working in the garden and sharing the cooking. It is never cold here but it has been wet and windy. I have to wait a while for the flowers to produce more passion fruit and the oranges to ripen. We did cut down a couple of small trees. All of the cuts oozed thick white liquid. It jammed up the saw and when it dried on your skin or clothes it turned dark grey. I imagine it is the same liquid extracted from rubber trees when they are tapped.
We did finally get it down and the roots dug out. We put it on a dolly, rolled it to the carport and winched it on to the trailer. Kath and I drove to the recycle place. You can bring all the green waste you want for free. It is turned into top soil or mulch. In this climate people are arriving daily with trailer loads. Kath and I had no idea how we were going to get it off the trailer, but we were in luck. A young man and his machine were working just where we pulled in. He used his twenty ton crushing claw to lifted the stump up and out of the trailer.
This week Queensland held an election. The labour party has been in for fifteen years but no longer, They kept only six seats, the Liberal National Party got 77, the Kater party two. The liberal National Party is a coalition that has only been in place for two years. The Kater party was started by an individual six months ago. The Premier of Queensland Anna Bligh, Labour, kept her seat but resigned the next morning. What the forty five year old didn't say was that this entitled her to a pension of, wait for it $150,000 a year for life. The new premier has given marching orders to Anna Bligh's husband who stands to receive a six-figure payout if he is dumped. He renewed a three-year contract, with a further two-year option, on his $220,000-a-year package in December. As the solar progammes he installed will no longer be funded by state money, he is being asked to stay and dismantle them. He is not being eased out of his goverment job. It is all in the wording.
It is hoped that with Labour no longer in the driving seat the state of Queensland will pick up. The major defeat is a worry to the federal labour governemnt. It is all very interesting and I probably know more now about Australian politics than I do Canadian. Is Stephen Harper still prime minister? It is very rare to hear anything about Canada on the news.
Mary, Kath and I went to see the Luxurious Marigold Hotel and I can highly recommend it. Some of the lines are very funny and others very sad. It covers many topics based on real life situations. There are no explosives, no car chases or computer generated graphics.
Kevin, Kyly and Larissa are in England for a couple of weeks. I have spoken to Kevin and he has a list of things for me to work on. I hope he has time to help me, one includes replacing the siding on the house. They bought a new house a few months ago and I look forward to helping in their garden. I will need to do some mannual work to loose the results of eating three meals, plus afternoon and morning tea with cakes.
A bonus to sitting outside is the birds that visit. The Butcher birds ae quite tame and will pick up crumbs and treats close to where we sit. Sometimes they will catch crumbs in mid air. The lorikeets will gather on the overhead rails, in the near by tree or on the bird feeder and make such a racket, you just have to feed them.. I wonder where they keep their watches. They are delightful entertainment.
A lone peacock lives in the neighbourhood. As it is unlikely that a female will show up he might remain alone for life. He has lost his beautiful tail feather and looks a bit scruffy. It must take a fair amount of energy to grow new ones in only a few weeks.
Norma and I nearly bought a house in Kamloops, but it all fell through. Pity.
I have finished knitting two cardigans, so this will tell you that I am not straining myself. I am glad to say that here there is no little dog to pick up the knitting and bring it into the living room. He always managed to leave one ball of wool trailing from one room to the other.
Kath and I did drive on a flooded road. The water was running off the fields and stream, but only 6" deep. We did not need the snorkel.
Time for lunch or a swim. Probably both. All is well. I look forward to seeing family and friends and catching up with all the news.
All is quiet here at the hotel Booral. Blue skies and sunshine every day. People refer to it as being autumn but you certainly can't tell from the trees and plants. The leaves don't change colour and nothing dies back. Every morning there is dew on the grass and it feels cool for an hour or so.
I have seen a couple of snakes in the garden. Nothing to worry about they slither off when you disturb them. They are a bit less than two feet long and as big as my pinkie finger. I have seen one huntsman spider and was brave enough to encourage it to go outside on the end of the mop.
Kath brought an insect to show me but we are not sure if it was a locust or a giant grasshopper. Whenever you disturb the soil or mulch you upset thousands of ants. They are very industrious and work together to build nests in shrubs., They climb the stems bringing building material, cause large leaves to curl and provide a new home for themselves. When we cut out the nests blue beetles lined up on the branches. Humans could learn about living and working in peace together from watching ants.
Bob and I swim every day, I do ten length then drip dry. It is refreshing once you are in but feels a bit nippy at first.
I have had the pleasure of trimming the passion vine. It will produce fruit for months. It trails along a fence and if left to its own devices will grow thirty feet, travelling up trees or in this case up on to the shade house. The vine in this garden has half a dozen fruits and fifty flowers at different stages. It comes with its own ties. Tendrills produce tight springs that can be uncurled and looped over the fence wire. Other tendrils grow long and straight reaching out until they find something to cling to. They are so pliable you can tie them in knots. Very useful.
I have also trimmed the orange and mandarin trees. It is a wonder that the branches do not break. One orange can weigh several ounces. A group of four or five at the end of the branch will have it well weighted and heading south. As I am in Australia may be that should be north. I can't resist free food so I made marmalade. I will probably make another batch before I leave as the fruit ripens.
The lone peacock has a new ploy to attract a mate. He has been wandering in the neighbour's garden imitating a goose. So far no luck and I don't rate his chances.
As this feels like home let me introduce you to the neighbours.
Mary's husband died nine months ago They had been married for 45 years. The last two years were difficult. Mary does not miss the night trips into the garden to watch for the Taliban.
Robin has a twelve year old poodle. Every day at 2.00 pm she takes it across the road for a bowl of milk. It can not be left for more than an hour so when she goes out the neighbours across the road take care of it. It will only drink the milk if given by these same neighbours.
New people in the area have two great danes. At night they turn them loose and recently they attacked a small dog. Other neighbours have their own idea of dealing with the problem and one dane was found peppered with shot from an air gun. The police are involved but no prosecution, only a promise from the owners to tie up the giant dogs.
An elderly gentlemen near by is still up to cutting his lawn with the ride on, but we wonder about his grey matter. He uses WD 40 on his dry skin. He kills green frogs but saves cane toads. One neighbour is a detective another a principal of a high school, All the homes are on two to five acres. News is passed over the fence and travels fast.
In the few weeks I have been back the sugar cane has grown to be almost as tall as an Elephant's eye. It is a common local crop, harvested for sugar and Bundaberg rum. No doubt the rain has helped the sugar cane and all other crops. For a few days things were soggy around here but it soon drains away. Other areas are not so lucky.
Speaking of floods. Have you heard on the news that Fiji has been hit by storms and a cyclone? The airport at andi has been closed and the main island declared a disaster zone. Many people are in evacuation centres. I have read the rules, no drugs, smoking cannabis or grog. Does not sound like a place I would want to stay at. I will check on flights and conditions to see how things are by the time I leave here on the 14th.
I have been looking in to flights to England from Vancouver. The lowest fare I have found is $900. No doubt prices have risen due to the Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee.
See you soon. Keep adding to the list of jobs for me to do or to help you with.
The bears send a hug, so do I. See you soon.
Bob and Kath took me to Hervey Bay airport for a forty minute flight to Brisbane. In that short time Quantas staff gave us all a snack in a plastic container that looked like a miniture suitcase. They also offered wine, beer or ornage juice but no tea of coffee. Flying to Brisbane was a good alternative to getting the coach or train. I could leave Booral at 3.30pm for the midnight flight to Fiji. Going by bus or train meant leaving at 9.00 am for a five hour bus ride, arriving at 2.30 and having an even longer wait at the airport.
When I was last in Fiji I met Ian, a retired New Zealander who lives across the road from Beach Escape. I was at the bar one night and he introduced me to a friend of his that works for Air. Pacific. I never did find out what he did there but he had clout and told me he would arrange for me to be upgraded and he did.
I checked in with my UK passport and was asked for my "ESTA" This is an electronic visa for the states even though I was only in transist. I found the shop, bought a voucher to use internet, found the computer and was wading my way through the form, when the Air Pacific check in lady came over and helpted to speed up the process. She had been through this before, spoke perfect Englaish and was very helpful. Thank goodness. Back to the check out desk then out to security and departure gates with ten minutes to spare before they started boarding..
The young one on the immigration desk would not stamp the bears out.. From her expression I knew it was just too weird for her. I could see her mind,thinking that she had not come across this situation in her training. She was amazed to see that they had been stamped in, but still refused to give them an exit stamp.
At the departure gate check in I was asked if I had upgraded my ticket. "Yes" says I fingers crossed.. My passport and boarding pass were handed back and I took the hall way walk to the plane. The stewardess looked at my ticket, smiled, directed me to go forward and said "Up the stairs". My new friend had put me up stairs on a jumbo. I would not be making the nine and a half hour flight in cattle class. Hurray.
This section just behind the cockpit had fourteen rows of three seats and only a dozen passengers. It meant we all had three seats to ourselves, no children and good service. Great to have friends in high places. In this case the friend was on the ground and I was in the high place.
The connecting flight to Vancouver was from LA. where I had to collect my luggage and check in with Alaska Air. It was a five hour stop over, so I had a bite to eat and waited. I hd been given a window seat in front of the wing, but it was dark all the way, Murphy's law at work. Scott remembered to pick me up and provide me with four cans of Guinness. Thank you Scott.
Michele had been running a local bi election in Chilliwack and arrived home ten minutes after me. Scott left us to it. Soon the three of us were out on the deck, drink in hand catching up on all the news. Adam and Jodi are now parents. Owen was born on the 18th of April, mother and son are doing well.
I am trying to figure out how to get two cabinets to Terrace. If you know of anyone going to Terrace in the next couple of weeks with a half empty van or pick up truck, put me in touch with them. If I drive up I will stay and help Kevin and Kyly put the garden together and according to Kevin put the siding back on the house. I might have to drive up and back to reurn a rental vehicle then fly back to Terrace. One way rentals are very expensive if you can find them..
It has been a bit of a shock to wear jeans and socks, but thank goodness it is not cold. All is well.
Thanks Bob and Kath, miss you both and the passion. Happy birthday to Bob and Karen.
Michele was a kind friend and put up with me being grumpy for a few days. I was dealing with paperwork, banks, accountant, trying to rent a vehicle and getting my mind around wearing socks, shoes, jeans and a jumper. We sank a few, well I did, Michele sipped daintily on a bottle of wine, We had a few late nights and caught up on all the news. I had lunch with Winnie and suddenly eight days had gone by and I was booked on a flight to Terrace.
I enjoyed my first time on the Sky Train. I had Subway for dinner at Vancouver Airport and kept my fingers crossed there would be a seat for me on the 6.20 pm from Vancouver. At the check in gate my seat was changed . I was the last one on the plane and delighted to see Kevin across the aisle from me. When I fly with Hawkair, it is standby for me and my luggage. He had flown in from Dawson Creek and it was doubtful he would make the connection. It would have meant him staying in Vancouver overnight and me finding his pick up in the parking lot and driving myself to his new house.
He spent the next day on the siding, while I cut and passed pieces up to him on the scaffolding. The next two days I drove him to work so that I could clean up round the building site, ooops, sorry his house and load the truck for trips to the dump. He was home for the next five days and we got stuck in removing trees. He cut them down and I trimmed them. They had been topped about ten years ago and were an eyesore. We left stumps about three feet tall and lopped off about twenty feet, just shy of the house when they fell.
His friend Scott spent the day here with his small digger, but only got one tree and roots out.. The nice neighbour across the road lent us his flat deck trailer . We loaded it and the back of the truck to clear the area that will eventually be lawn again. In all I made seven or eight trips to the tip. It is surrounded by mountains, many snow capped and home to ravens and bald eagles. They scavenge on the household rubbish piled high and very smelly. It is sad to see these wild birds looking so tatty hanging around garbage heaps.
We realised that the small machine was not up to the job, so the following day Kevin ordered a bigger digger. He was cutting the stumps to ground level just ahead of the digger pulling them out. Two hours later they had all been dropped into the back of a huge truck and driven off to the tip.
All that is left to do is reduce the logs to campfire size, dig over the ground ready for grass seed. With this in mind I now have a new garden fork.
When I can start the chain saw I work on cutting the fallen trees, when I can't Kevin does it for me. He has finished the siding, installed light fixtures and a fan in the bathroom. The home inspector was here yesterday and the result of his tests, show that the house is now 50% less drafty than it was. It means they will now get rebates on much of the work done, including all the new windows.
Larissa and I have got to know each other all over again. She has a good vocabulary and will soon be stringing sentences together. To my surprise I understand every word she says, including "Park please" I looked after her the other night while Kevin and Kyly went to the movies.
She likes to wear a pink tutu, with or without Thomas the Train blue wellie boots and straps on a pair of pink wings. I am in jeans and a jumper, but she seems quite comfortable despite wearing so little. After pulling on the wings she likes to pull the trolley Bob and I made for her containing the wooden blocks. When she is ready she comes over to me and says "Tower" then we stack the blocks.
Kevin is working for the next five days, so I will continue to cut and stack wood. If it rains I can put primer on the walls down stairs, carry on ripping out a built in cupboard in one of the bedrroms, look after and play with Larissa.
It seems to be always cloudy here and the highest temperature so far is ten degrees. Before I could start anything I had to go to the Thrift shop to buy a jacket, a couple of sweaters and boots. I asked for jumpers and got a puzzled look.
I had hoped to book standby flights through Kevin's employee partnership to England and Australia, but that might not work out, so when I know what I am doing I will up date the blog. I will be going back to Australia in August, Bob and Kath have asked me to house sit. They are travelling the world again for nearly three months. It just means that going to Belize will be put off until October or November.
All is well.
The month in Terrace flew by. I have not worked so hard for a long time. As Kevin pointed out it was all voluntary but I just could not sit around when so much needed doing. Kevin and I worked well together and I enjoyed his company. He used the chain saw and I was on the end of the rope to guide the fall. No point putting new siding on a house then having a few mis guided trees fall on it.
I primed and painted a bedroom, primed door frames as Kevin cut them, got the lawn cleaned up and created three log piles. We got three loads of top soil in Kevin's pick up and spread it over the ground that was rough. This was after days of removing stones and roots.
I was also domestic and made Cornish pasties twice. I wanted to make pea and ham soup and went to Safeway to buy meat ends. To my surprise they are not available. Meat is put on the slicer but when it get down to a small amount instead of selling the
ends as they used to, they are now thrown away as they consitute a health hazzard. Who decided that?
When the ground was cleared of trees and stumps, I dug big holes to bury the stones and to give us a bit more top soil. It was a long slow process to prepare the ground. Kevin and I dug it over with a fork and spade. Kevin rented a roller and large rake and we just kept at it. Parts were compacted from heavy machines and it was mind numbing back breaking work, but we got it finished and the day before I left the ground was seeded.
On the long weekend, I went early and booked them a provincial campsite only twenty minutes from town. Kevin was working but joined us about 10.00pm. Kyly and I arrived about 7.00. The frist thing Larissa did was to get into the fire pit, with a ball on a Frisbee and put it on the grate. They slept in the tent but I headed home to a warm comfy bed.
They left Larissa with me for one night and stayed in a hotel in Prince Rupert. Kyly had told her that Grandma's are allowed to spoil their grandchildren and I did. I put her meal in her dish and at her request we stretched out on the couch under a blanket and she had dinner laying down. We spent time at the park, going on walks, reading (I read she listened) and playing silly games. It was delightful.
I did finished a cable jacket I was knitting for Larissa then I crocheted a diaper for a doll, made a mattress, pillow and blanket for her new bed. Still with time on my hands in front of the box, I made a woollen bobble. I had put one on a hat I had made for Larissa and she was quite fascinated with the way it felt and moved.
I found an educational toy and sent it from Australia. When Larissa opened the parcel and asked what it was, she was told it was a caterpillar. As their cat has always been known as Kitty, the colourful creature will always be known as kitty pillar.
It did not rain all the time I was in Terrace, but it was often cloudy. When the sun did shine the locals were all in T shirts and shorts. I even saw some children in bathing suits playing under the sprinkler. Hardy souls, I was still in a sweater and jeans.
Terrace is a town of 10,000 inhabitants, set in the Skeena Valley, everywhere you look you see the mountains. The river is wide and fast flowing with snow melt and parts of the town do get flooded. It is something to think about when buying a property. Highway 16 runs through the twon and is called The highway of Tears as many women have just disappeared. Large signs let you know that hitch hiking is now illegal. On a lighter note, you are not allowed to have bird feeders in the summer. You have to wait until the bears go for a long sleep.
One Saturday Kyly, Larissa and I drove to Prince Rupert. The port is one day less sailing to Asia than Vancouver and ships out logs and grain. It is a small town and I can't imagine what they do with the passengers from the cruise ships that pull in. They dock and passengers are able to walk off on to a ramp straight into town.
I have been back,with Michele for four days. I bought a new suitcase as my current one has a hole across the bottom and I can see my clothes through it. I fixed the problem once with duct tape, but even that wore off. I will meet Kevin in Vancouver on the 4th June, spend the day with him, then overnight at a hotel ready for the 8.00 am US Air flight to London via Phoenix and Philadelphia. Yes it is a long winded route but I am booked through the airline staff travel agents for half the regular price.
I will be in England for a couple of months, back in Vancouver for a week and then off to Australia, land of no warm clothes, flip flops or bare feet, palm trees and a pool.
It has been a quick visit and I am sorry not to have seen more friends.
I will say hello to the queen for you and hand her a scone. Just as long as she does not mention cutting down any trees.
I have a technical glitch. I put photos on a memorty stick to transfer to the blog. I really don't junderstand why they are not on the stick but worese they have disappeared from my computer. Mr. Murphy still sows his face and the photos missing are the ones with Larissa and I. A million curses.
All is well. Hope it is the same for you.
I didn't actually get to meet the Queen, we kept missing each other. I arrived the day after the four days of celebrating her Jubilee and I was in London the day before trooping of the colour and her birthday bash. London is a wash in red, white and blue flags and bunting. The streets are clean and crowded, I thought things were being dismantled after the Jubilee but what I was seeing was preparation for the parade the next day. I was glued to the box and loved the colour, the pageantry, history and preservation of carriages and tradition. I am very familiar with the guards in the red uniform and black bear skin hat, but I didn't realise they were active soldiers, They had little time to prepare as they had recently been in Afghanistan. They used to carry riffles but now they have what looks like small machine guns, that they use while on active duty.
I went to Aylesbury for the weekend to catch up with friends. My timing was right, Friday we were at the pub and Saturday at a party. My friends have a very interesting cast of characters around them. Aylesbury has been changed by the influx of immigrants from India and Europe. I am not sure what brings them there, but they do add colour.
It is very easy to get around on trains and buses, but the trains are expensive. Prices for the same journey vary, but as far as I know there are no concession for seniors or travel ling off peak when you just show up. I need to get better organised but as this is unlikely to happen I will just enjoy the journey.
One day I jumped on a double decker bus thinking I would get off at the first town or village that caught my eye., I would wander around then head back to Tunbridge Wells. It was a good idea, but I was a bit taken back when I asked the driver when the next bus went back and he told me there wasn't one. He told me I needed to get the next bus to Maidstone, ten miles away and from there I could get a bus home. There is always another option.
Summer has finally arrived, it might last all day. Fingers crossed., It has been so wet the hose pipe ban has been lifted. Gardens look a bit battered, blossom did not last long on the trees, but it will all work itself out. The fields are green with crops of barley or corn, the trees in full leaf and the rolling hills are very beautiful dotted with red brick houses with tall chimneys.
Oz and I will enjoy days out, exploring villages and towns with medieval or Roman origins. England really is a treasure box of history.. I just wish I could remember half of what I learn.
I am off to Dorset 27th June to play in Steve's garden. The locals call tourists Grockles, but this does not apply to me as I was born in Dorset, so I am a Native Returned, but not the one Thomas Hardy wrote about.
Where ever you are I hope the sun is shining. It is 14 degrees and raining here in, mid summer. No matter,, the welcome is always warm and it is friends and family that matter, not the weather.
Love and best wishes from me and the bears.
Ooops. Sorry about the repeat blog. Technical problems. I put the diary on a stick but was unable to open it at the library or at Ozzie's. I tried different formats, but nothing worked, I just ended in a muddle with several copies of the same thing, still unable to cut and paste it to the blog. Thank you so much to everyone who noticed.
Oz and I did have a few days out. There is no need to go far. We visited Ightham Mote, (proncounced Item) only half an hour away. The National Trust inherited the propery from an American who bought it in 1953 and left it to them in 1985. We toured the 14th century house, wandered in the gardens and in the woods that run along side ponds that are used to clean all the water used on the property. The moat still has a few fish, but it is no longer a source of food..
When the house was listed by the Nationazl Trust it included a large dog house that was in fact a replica built in the 1950's. Now it can not be decorated or changed despite being younger than I am. The bears liked it and sat still to have their photo taken.
Another time we went to Tenterdon and enjoyed lunch of Cumberland sausage and mash. We were disappointed by a pub that displayed a sign to tell us it was the longest serving brewery in England. The brewery had gutted it, removed every vestage of it being an old pub and fitted it out with glass and chrome.
I did go to London and was amazed to see that builders had to take out all the waste from a renovation in small bags, load it on the back of a pick up and dispose of it. The traffic keeps moving in London, towns and villages, but soon backs up on the motorways. I am happy to travel by bus. peeking into peope's living rooms or bedrooms from upstairs on a double decker.
The weather has been awful, everyone is complaining and it really shows in the gardens. Here in Dorset we have been digging up potatoes as the tops have turned black and soggy. Fortunately the spuds are just fine. I have cleared a wild patch, dug out the weeds and grass, ready to put in other plants, perhaps some fruit bushes. No decison has been made yet.
BBC weather reports more flooding in the north of England. Tomorrow they forecast a month of rain in 24 hours. They have only just cleared up from floods a few weeks ago. Here in the south it is just cool and wet, grey and depresing with standing water in fields that are normally dry meadowland for cattle and horses..
Barclays banks and its high earning big cheeses have been resigning in the face of fixed lending rates, selling products to customers who did not need them and probably would not be able to claim if they did. Children's homes were privatised some time ago and charge huge amounts per child but some have been providing very little service. Small children have been showing up at food kitchens, the list goes on. I don't think I like the real world.
I did go to a clay shooting range with Steve last week. It is the first time I have handled a twelve bore shot gun. One bang was enough, I had no desire to blow the life out of poor little clay discs. Each hide shows a drawing that tells you in which direction each launcher will send the clays.. It is definitely a solo sport and requires a lot of practice.
Queen Elizabeth the first, used to number her spies, she called them 00 then added a number. The double 0 representeed her eyes.
All is well.
Did anyone watch the Okynmpic Games opening ceromonies? It was amazing, so many people on stage plus farm animals, life size chimneys rising from the ground. burning rings in the air and music. Mr. Bean played a piano using only one note and the Queen parachuted in with James Bond. Representives of two hundred and six countries filed in proudly waving flags but no mention was made of the lone athlete that competed under the Olympic flag as he was stateless.
People lined the streets and beaches to watch cyclying and sailing, thousands attended parties and concerts prior to events and despite what the newspapers printed Britian celebrated and welcomed the world.
Steve, Colin and I went to France for half an hour.. The boat leaves from Poole unloads and returns 45 minutes later. It was a day out and a chance to get duty paid tobacco, beer, wine or spirits. Shortest visit I have ever made to a country.
Michele arrived at Heathrow airport 8.30 am on the 1st August, I was up stairs checking in at 9.00 am. It wa a shame that we didn't have an hour together for coffee. It would have been nice to see her smiling face.
I flew from London to Phillidelphia, to Phoenix, to Vancouver, had a four hour stop over then to San Fransisco to Sydney to Brisbane and a bus to Hervey Bay. London to Vancouver was a seperate trip from Vancouver to Australia, so I had to pick up my luggage in Vancouver then start the next leg of the journey.
I waited at the carousel until I was the last one standing there. It was then I reaslied that I was in Vancouver but my luggage was who knows where. I reported the lack of case to a US airlines official. He went into the luggage department "just in case it has fallen off a trolley" and came back empty handed. I filled in the form and was told it would be delivered to my home address asap.
"Slight problem" I replied "I am going on to Australia" "But you've just arrived from London" he said. I could see from his expression he knew there was a problem and wasn't sure how to solve it.
By now it was time to check in to the flight to San Fransico. I got more odd looks when I told them I had no bagage to check in. London to Vancouver had been as a standby passenger and it was a bit nerve racking as all flights were full. Getting on the flight would depend on somene not showing up. I was the last one on, the door would close behind me and I coud breath again. I had booked through Open Skies the airline staff travel agents. Hawkair (Kevin's company) had a partnership with US Air and I could fly to London for half price. Vancouver to Brisbane was booked, so I didn't have that worry.
In June I spent the day with Kevin in Vancouver and bought a brand new Air Canada top of the line suitcase to replace the Thrift Shop one I had bought in Langley. I arrived at the London underground and had to carry it up and down stairs. The first time I picked it up the handle broke and now it has gone missing. I don't have the receipt and Kevin tells me the shop I bought it from is closing down. It is the first and last time I will buy new luggage.
When I was in Terrace I bought a watch. I carried it around for a week before I remembered to take it to a shop for a battery. The lady took the back off and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I cannot put a battery in it". "Why not? I asked and she replied with a grin "Because it is a wind up". This same watch fell off my wrist as I was filling out the form for lost luggage and has since disappeared on a plane. Full flights don't leave you much room to rumage about for small lost items.
US Air did phone here to tell me the case was in Phoenix, that was three days ago. Who knows where it is now. I arrived in Hervey Bay on Saturday at five to five and nipped into a shop that was closing to buy underwear. Kath has loaned me clothes, shampoo, conditioner and a hair brush. Meanwhile I wait.
Yes it is winter here and the temperature at night drops to 7 degrees but during the day it is 24 with blue skies and sunshine. Bob and Kath leave in six days and return on 20th October.
The neighbours have invited me to lunch to celebrate my return and six of us will go to a restaurant in Hervey Bay. I have picked up my bike and will soon be seen around the neighbourhood at all hours. I have stocked up with fruit from the local market, mandarins, bananas, avocados, kiwi and pineapples. Next Sunday I will go again and get more fruit and some vegetables. The kookaburras are laughing, the bats squeaking and the parrots squawking. The dawn chorus starts about 5.00am It is dark by 6.00pm.
Two good nights sleep have put me back in working order and soon my fat ankles, feet and lower legs will be skinny again. I now have internet and hope to talk to Scott, Kevin and friends on Skype. I have a new camera to replace the one I was using that did not work so well when it was left out in the rain.
Hope all is well with you.
Love and hugs
For three weeks now I have been living a normal life. I shop, cook, sew, knit, garden, read and have even used the vacuum cleaner. I don't know where the time goes.
Spring must be just around the corner, not that you can tell from the weather if you don't live here all year round. The sun is up by 6.00 am and by nine I have shed the dressing gown and slippers. Day time temperatures are 25 degrees, with blue sky and sunshine.
Early one evening it looked as if it might rain, so I ran the hose pipe and topped up the swimming pool. I enjoyed the gurgling sound as the rain ran into the tanks. It only rained for an hour but it refreshed the lawn and garden. There is no point in having full tanks when it is raining then using the tank water to top up the pool.
The pool water is slowly warming up. Kevin tells me I am a wimp, if there is no ice on top I should be swimming every day. I have no doubt he would be, hearty Canadian that he is. Kyly's due date is 7th January. She is over the morning sickness and feeling fine. I am ashamed to say I forgot her birthday. Some mother in law I am. This is my public apology. So sorry Kyly.
Bob left me instructions to change the filter on the pump in the fish pond every other day. I checked it the day after they left and the bio tank was not running. I changed the filter but still no water flowing out. I used my logic, ( not usually a good idea) and washed out all thirty five of the green scouring pads in the bio tank. They act as filters, but they have another use. The water started running again and I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't looking forward to giving Bob the news all his fish had died.
I let him know in an email what I had done and was horrified to find that I had been responsible for a mass murder. It seems the scouring pads hold millions of micobes and they would need replacing. With further instructions I was able to fix the problem. I found 20 ml of sleeping microbes in a bottle in the shed. Who would have known you could buy such a thing. Anyway I was glad it was available as I suspected my solution of adding yoghurt, probably would not do the trick. I am pleased to say that the pump and bio tank are working, the water is clean and the fish smiling
I have been working in the garden, weeding, digging over the shade house and planting seeds. The day before I left Vancouver to go to London, I had my nails done, that is acrylic tips were added and filled. It didn't take long working in the garden before I shed some of them as if I had a mild form of leprosy.
The bird life here is glorious, colourful, musical and noisy. I was very sorry to see a top knot fly into a window and not recover from the blow. At night I shine a torch into the tall trees and watch fruit bats cavorting and listen to them imitating squeaky toys chewed by a small dog. The storm bird is back and you have to stop hearing it. It has two loud, clear notes and begins calling before it gets light. I have yet to hear a reply but assume it does eventually attract a mate.
My brother Ken called to let me know he has booked a flight from Sydney to Hervey Bay and will be here to celebrate my birthday. I had recently typed up a diary I had left at Ozzie's that covered my time in Germany and Italy. I was on my bike and celebrated my birthday alone in Rome. As I remembered those days I realised I would be alone for another birthday. I had thought of inviting the neighbours over for dinner, but having Ken here for a few days will be just great.
I have been drinking fresh squeezed juice from oranges and bush lemons growing in the garden. The orange tree is very busy. It has huge ripe oranges weighing down the branches, new leaves sprouting and flowers in bloom with new fruit setting.
Mercotts, from the mandarin family are in season. I buy ten of them for one dollar at the local market. Buying them gives me an excuse to talk to a very good looking thirty something Australian male, who tells me about the two hour drive from his friends garden to the market. He wears dark glasses, a typical Ozzy felt hat, short sleeve dark blue polo shirt, shorts, socks and walking boots. Delicious, like his fruit.
At the markets you can buy anything from a solar panel to a packet of seeds, from a book to a knitted toy, plus fruit vegetables, brick a brac, jewelery, plants and clothes. The lady who knits the toys doesn't use a pattern. Twenty years ago she started with a teddy bear for children in hospital and now her creations are loved by children across Australia.
In case you are wondering, yes I did eventually get my suitcase back, ten days after I checked it in at Heathrow. It was found in Phoenix, taken to LA, then to Sydney and up to Hervey Bay on a Virgin flight. They have approved my small claim. I had intended leaving knitting and presents with Kevin at the Hawkair desk in Vancouver, but no suitcase meant no presents. I have now posted them back to Vancouver.
Today I will take my bike into town with a neighbour. He will drive home and I will cycle back, stopping to enjoy the sea and the ride along the esplanade before I have to turn inland.
All is well. Hope it is with you.
Hugs and good wishes to you all.
Not everyone was in favour of the city council plan for the esplande in Hervey Bay. Some wanted to see the trees taken out to give them an un restricted view of Wide Bay.. The voices of disent are now silent. They do not have the view they wanted but tourists and locals now have a fourteen kilometre walk and bike path from Point Vernon to Urangan. The same trees that were the focus of protests now provide shade and a wind break from the ocean.
The protected area runs between the beach and the road. It starts at Wet Side, a water park with slides, fountains and sprays, delivered through life like models of humpback whale tails and dolphins. A short walk takes you to the Butchulla Aboriginal Monument.
In the surounding trees you might see the camp of flying foxes. Some choose to hang on bare branches, others in the shade of leafy trees. They are mammals and usually produce one live young a year from September to November. The young cling to the mother’s belly for the first three weeks, then it is left in a nursery while the she goes off to feed at night.
There is regular beach acces to carry a canoe or windsurfer on to the golden sands of Wide Bay. Good planning has included ample parking in car parks or on the road. As you stroll the pink brick walkway, marked for pedestrians and bicyles, you can stop at one of the many children's parks, picinc areas with free bbq's water fountains and exercise equipment. Fun for the whole family would be to rent a four wheel bike with two bench seats.
A couple of restaurants are located on the beach side, the Hervey Bay boat club, sailing club and caravan parks. In Torquay you can cross the road to enjoy some shopping, a meal, a snack or drink. There are many places to eat, including cafes, two pubs, two Indian restaurants, a Tapas bar and two fish and chip shops. If you choose to take your fish and chips wrapped in white paper back across the road to the picnic areas, you will soon be visited by the local ibis who patrol the picnic grounds They are Hervey Bay's stand in for seagulls.
Groynes provide good places for fishermen. A short walk takes them to the end of the pier where they can cast a line in to deep water in the hope of catching Bream, Flathead, Trevally, Tailer, Tuna and Kingfish. Boat charters are available for more serious fishing and trips to Fraser Island. The end of the pier is a good place to watch pelicans bobbing on the water.
So now you know more about the Esplande. Once a week I go in with the neighbour. He does his shopping then heads home. I ride along this route until I have to turn inland up Elizabeth Street past the shark place. Yes I do stop and feed the ibis and enjoy the cheery smiles from every one I pass. It must be the sun shine that keeps people cheerful. As I write this I am glad to see the clouds gathering. I have my fingers crossed that it will rain. We need a good storm to fill the tanks and water the garden.
I played hostess the other day for afternoon tea. Mary from across the road came over with her niece Sussane, Mel, Sussanne's husband and Mary's nephew Robert visiting from Vancouver. Mel was the only Australian in the room. Mary moved from Ontario over 45 years ago. Her sister still lives there. As tradition calls for treats with the cups of tea, I provided crackers spread with three fruit marmalde I had made the day before. I am off now to squeeze the life out of a few more citrus fruit. The mullberries suffered a cooler fate. They are now in the freezer.
On the webshots link I have put up photos of the garden, including the Bohemia trees, one pink and one white. The blossom smells like gardenia and the fallen leaves look like butterflies. There is also a photo of The Asbestos House. I have no idea why it is painted the colour it is or the history of the name.
September 1st was the first day of Spring, birds are courting, and trees coming in to bloom. Day time temperatures average 26 falling to 14 over night. Sunrise is 5.20 am and it is dark by 6.00.
I head back to Canada at the end of October. Anyone need a house sitter or guest for Christmas. I am looking into going to Belize but have not yet found a work away place, so might go further south.. It is mid September so time to do some planning.
I am looking forward to Ken being here to celebrate my birthday. We will raise a toast to Marylin, David, Brigitte and Ann. Happy Birthday to you all.
Thank you all for the birthday wishes. {Ann if you are reading this please email me on the travelling emu address. I sent you birthday wishes on the Uni Guelph address but it was returned.} Mary came over for dinner and we toasted each other, friends and family with a bottle of wine she had brought. I now have two more bears. Mary gave me one and I got another one from Alan's mum. She sent it with a lovely long sleeve blouse and a card.
It was great having Ken here. We took the bikes into Hervey Bay and rode both directions on the Esplanade. We cycled out to the end of the Urangan pier to see what the fishermen were catching. I was surprised to see a cormorant speeding along towards the pier as the line was reeled in. I thought it was chasing the fish, but it turns out it had gulped down the catch and was now being reeled in. Soon it was out of the water with a stretched neck, dangling quietly. The man hauled it over the railings, disentangled it, then threw it back into the sea. It landed with a flop, webbed feet flapping and swam away. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Ken and I spent some time fixing the suitcase. When we looked inside we discovered how poorly made it was. The two hollow square tubes that extend from the pull up handle did not reach the bottom of the case. They had come loose from the plastic base plate. Ken knows how to use a pot rivet gun, so we added a piece of wood and got the tubes attached to what was left of the bracket. We used the same pot rivet tool to fix the external handle but didn't bother to repair the placsic bar that served as a balance for the two wheels. No doubt the repairs will last longer than the rest of the case.
Thanks Ken. I really did enjoy your company and your help. When you have no fixed address you really do appreicate family and friends.
I had opened an email from Steve quoting the Beatles song "When I am 64, will you still need me, will you still feed me" He had added one word "Yes" Later I was humming the tune and stopped in my tracks. "I AM 64." I said out loud. I had been so busy enjoying my birthday, hearing from friends and spending time with my brother, I had quite forgotten the number.
It has rained twice since I have been here but I have not yet had to cut the lawn. The orange tree still provides me with fresh juice daily. The mullberries are all in the freezer and by the time Bob and Kath get back we will be eating home grown lettuce. The tomato plants are now one inch high but seem reluctant to sprout any more leaves. If the council workers don't stay on the job, signs are soon obliterated by vines or leaves. No doubt I am just impatient. Somehow in this tropical climate I expected all the seeds to sprout and grow very quickly.
Does any one have any contacts with West Jet? I have a work away place in Belize and want to take my sewing machine to the women in the village. I would also like to take the scissors, needles, thread, cutting board, rotary cutter and templates. I will figure out how to get it all in a suitcase or better still as cargo. Any ideas will be welcome. I will fly from Vancouver to Cancun Mexico then get an over night bus to the Orange Walk district in Belize. They are very generous with weights and baggage allowance, so I just might be able to get it all in an extra suitcase.
It is definitely time to get my self going again. I have found out by being alone so much that I am not a very interesting person. My mind is all over the place and I can fritter away a day or week. I read or listen to CD's from the library while I knit or sew, which means I don't do much thinking. I have enjoyed Richard Branson's Reach for the Sky. It is a fascinating history of balloons, Birdmen and flying. History is full of facninating, half mad people with dreams. I have been amazed to read how many women were aviators and explorers. I am content but ready to be doing something less selfish and more useful.
The adventure continues. I look forward to learning more Spanish, teaching women to sew and helping them to learn English.
All is well. Love from me and the bears.
Time to leave Australia again. I will miss shaking out towels, gardening gloves and shoes to dislodge any overnight visitors. I have seen one snake here in the garden. Soon after I arrived I went into the loft to see about a dripping pipe. I wore Kath's track pants, top and my shoes to avoid the insulation but half way across the beams I remembered I was in Australia. I thought if any snakes were on the property, this loft would provide an undisturbed location to set up home. I crossed my fingers, then crossed on the beams to check out a possible leak. Fortuntely I saw no leaks and distrubed no snakes.
It did rain the other night for ten minutes. Half an hour later the sky was cloudless and twinkling with stars. Despite no decent rain fall for months, the council ditches are bordered in green and yellow from low growing yellow wildflowers. Many trees are in bloom providing food for small mammals, bats and insects. The bohemia tree has lost all its leaves, most of its flowers and is now decorated with runner beans.
As the sun sets, the light fades, the colour seeps from the sky and the blue turns to gray. The hot dry air is cooled and the noisy birds scatter in small flocks to roost for the night. Pink and gray galahs, tired from a day of playing on wires, swinging upside down or tumbling around each other settle down for the night. The orange haze in the western sky provides a backdrop of colour that turns the trunks and branches of trees in to silouettes. Within an hour the sky is dark with the stars twinkling in the trees. They seem to wink on and off as the breeze moves the leaves. I watch the fruit bats feed on the white wattle blossom. They swoop on to the top branches sounding like sheets flapping on a line. If they disturb one another they start protesting with loud squeaks and chattering.
It is rarely quiet here. In the day the lorikeets, cockatoos, magpies, butcher birds and storm birds sing, argue and chatter on, filling the air with chirps, tweets, hoots and squawking. At night except for the storm bird they are all silent. Their songs are replaced by cicadas, toads and frogs.
Kath and I play scrabble after dinner. Good for the mind but not the waist line. We get through a lot of chocolate fudge I made.
I have one night in Brisbane then fly to Sydney, to San Fransico to Vancouver. I will be in Canada for three weeks and I am looking forward to seeing family and friends. On 21st November I will fly to Cancun, then get the overnight bus to Orange Walk District Belize. I know very little about Belize but I do at least know where it is now. I have a work away arranged until the end of December.
I am sorry to be leaving Bob and Kath's, it feels like home, but I am glad to be on the move. I might have developed late ADD (attention deficient disorder) or just been on my own too long. I am ready for new challenges, new faces, places and being useful. I have been knitting and will pack the results along with new bears to be delivered to my grand daughter. I started one thinking the next child was a girl. Half way through I found out it was a boy, so I gave up the pink and carried on in blue.
I met Garry at the market a few weeks ago. We met in town for coffee and arranged to go out for dinner before I left, but he got held up out of town and cancelled. It must have been genuine because he did call to apologise. So it was back to town to return the new dress, shoes and hand bag, back in the bank with the dusted off diamonds and dinner with Bob and Kath that night. It is good for the ego and confidence to be asked out, even if it doesn't happen. For a day or two I did have a date arranged.
All is well. Next stop BC then Belize as I follow the sun.
It is hard to credit that I am back in Canada. I went to Brisbane on the train, stayed over night then flew to Sydney, to San Fransico to Vancouver.
Scott and I have been out for dinner and he drove me to the airport to fly to Terrace. Thanks Scott.
I had a lovely week with Michele, did some more sorting in boxes Scott dropped off. Karen rounded up a lot of things for me to take to Belize, needles, thread, fabric, scissors, zips and a whole lot more. Both my cases will be full when I fly to Cancun on thr 23rd. Thank you Karen and friends.
One evening Brigitte and I went out for dinner and to the Langley Players. It was good to see friends again and enjoy a play.
I was in in Terrace for nearly two weeks It ws cold and wet when I arrived and I was at the Thrift shop the next morning. I bought boots and a warm top that came with long johns and I have been very glad of them. A few days after I arrived it snowed. To combat cabin fever I shovelled the drive. Quite a change from having a swim to cool off in the middle of the day.
I have enjoyed getting to know Larissa all over again. It did not take long, soon we were playing with the stuffed toys, reading books, playing hide and seek etc. I am certainly not a natural with two year old but I followed her cues. I was given stuffed toys and she talked to them. I was required to answer and wriggle them as they talked. If I forgot to wriggle them, she would look up and say. "No not you Grandma., new bear, dog, mama bear or whoever was on my knee. It did not matter to her that the reply sounded just like her grandma, just so long as she got an answer to her question.
One day we went into town on the bus, wandered around for an hour and came back on the bus. It was our adventure together. I attneded the memorial on November 11th and was surprised that there was no one minute silce or the Last Post played. When did that change?:
Now for somthing completely different.
Some inside facts:
A Dash 8 weighs 27,000 lbs empty. (Funny the weight is not metric.) 5,600 lbs of fuel is taken on board. 1 litre weighs 1.6 lb
In Vancouver airlines pay $60,000 a year to use the de icing centre , plus anywhere from $1.00 to $3. 00. per litre of de icer used. Air Canada pays the same annual fee as Hawkair.
Each male passenger is counted at 200 lbs. A female 165lbs and children under 12 at 75 lbs. The body weight includes 13lbs. carry on.
The Dash 8 can carry 2,500 lbs in cargo. Occasionally cargo is carried on board in specialty bags that can be strapped to the seat.
From the ticket price Hawkair pays $14.00 per passenger to land at Vancouver. Passenger landing fees vary from airport to airport.
Pilots can work up to fourteen hours a day but if things go wrong this is exte3nded to seventeen. Every flight has an alternative landing arranged.
I am back in Langley, staying with Brigitte. We have been to see another play, never a dull moment. We did consider going dancing after the play but ran out of energy. I will see a few more friends and be back at the airport on Friday.
I have enjoyed the red, yellow and brown of autum leaves but miss the palm trees.
All is well.
It was an easy flight to Cancun with Westjet but hard to say goodbye to Miles and Brigitte, who dropped me off. The night before we had been on line and found a couple of hotels in Cancun, so I changed my plan and decided to stay there instead of getting the bus to Playa de Carmen.. I paid a driver at the airport to take me to the address I had noted but he never did. We drove round and round and I finally said "Please, Just take me to a small hotel, no more circles." He understood most of it and we soon found me a bed for the night.
I got the bus next morning to Playa de Caman and stayed two nights at a very nice hostel. It was two minutes from the beach and a two minute walk from the bus station. I shared a room with Rachelle from Seattle and a Mexican woman Dayan, who had recently found a waitress job and was staying at the hostel until she found a place to live. The next day Rachelle and I helped move her things to her new room.
It was a bit confusing at first as all prices seemed to be in US dollars and very expenisve. Prices are written as $100 but is actually $10.00 American $100 would be shown as 100 USD. Playa de Carmen provides everything a tourist could want, a posh area with all inclusive hotels, white sandy beaches, aquamarine ocean, bars, restaurants, palm trees street food and entertainment. OK for a couple of days but you definitley don't feel as if you are in Mexico.
I took the night bus to Belize, a five and a half hour overnight ride, leaving from the other bus station at 11.40 pm It was a surprise to learn that the town had two bus stations, both of them large and modern. Even at 11.00 pm I saw small children out playing and could have bought food from vendors with push carts.
The roads are good in Mexico but a bit rough once you cross the border. The coach was new and very comfortable, with only a dozen passengers, so we all had lots of room. It frequentley slowed down to deal with sleeping policemen, (traffic bumps) used every few miles or so to slow down traffic. The bus pulled into the Mexican side of the border, we all trooped off, showed our passports and paid 300p to leave the country. No receipts or paper work.. It is probably not right but you pay up anyway. Five minutes later the driver stopped again and we all dragged our luggage into the Balize immigration and security.area.
A rough and tough Jamacian man aged between 40 and 80 offered to help getting luggage from the bus to the shed. He threw my two cases on his dolly and I followed him in side. I joined the queue and watched him heading to the other end of the shed. I thought he was going out the other end never to be seen again,. I was glad to see him deliver it to a young womam near the exit.
It was a big tin shed, with a couple of posters, a battered old table and chair occupied by a young man in a black woolly hat, blue jeans and T shirt. He turned out to be the entire immigration staff.. We all had to answer his questions and get our passport stamped, so we did. I told him the contents of my two cases were personal belongings and I was going to visit a friend. Stamp and I was in for thirty days. I collected my cases and used the dolly to get them back to the bus. Some cases were searched but no one even looked in mine.
Back on the bus and an hour later, still dark, I was dropped at a bus station near a market in the town of Orange Walk. Before I had time to gather my wits, Rod approached me to say :Good morning, you must be Evelyn.? I was very pleased to see him and not have to work out how and when to get the next bus.to the village.
Light was just appearing in the sky and I found out later he had got the 4.30 am bus into town to meet me and we would go out on the next one at 8.00am. We left my bags with one of the people setting up a market produce stall and went for a cup of coffee, then a walk around town. It is very small with a couple of places for accommodation, bakery, small super market (don't picture Safeways) a couple of banks, hardware shop and a town square.
The buses are old and rickety, but we were delivered to the village, a half an hour ride along a dirt road. The land is flat and unless tamed is jungle.. Vines grow up the trees and along side the road. I think I am going to enjoy the bird life
Rod is a quiet spoken American with a good heart and love of the land. Good news is he has a boat. In fact he lives on the boat he had built four years ago. It sits in a cut out of the river bank but goes no where. He has power and cold water from tanks. Compared to me it is luxurious. I am staying in a converted bus. A sleeping area and bed fill one end, partitioned off by a wooden wall decorated with a great mural. It is in bright colours and shows jungle plants and wildlife, spilling up the wall and on to the roof. I have a shower, but only cold water and no power.
As I sat getting to know the place last night I could see fire flies all round. a sign the land is healthy. The bus sits in a field, fenced off to contain the three goats, three turkeys, several geese and newly planted trees. Rod has used stacked tires as garden beds but it is a loosing battle with the goats, birds and wild life.
I have met some of the women in the village and will see how it goes. The village has only dirt roads with small houses. Except for me they all have power, flush toilets and running water. The people I have visited all seem to live with a lot of clutter but they are very friendly.
My computer will not pick up wi fi. Perhaps I have re set something, who knows. It is a pity as there is good wifi reception here on the boat. Very frustrating. I will up date the blog from a memory stick and use Rod's computer.
All is well if a bit basic.
The village is called San Antonio with a population of 500. The roads are crushed white rock and are lit by street lamps. There is no garbage pick up, rubbish is tipped on a field near the river and burnt every few weeks. Litter is dropped everywhere, leaving plastic bags, wrappers and containers lying on the grass verges between the road and peoples gardens. Dogs and pups roam the streets taking no notice of roosters, chickens, chicks and turkeys. I have seen only one cat.
I stay in a bus with a sink and plastic hose attached to a tap. I have a shower with cold water and no power. One end of the bus has been partitioned off to create a bedroom and seperate toilet. It sounds much grander than it is. The toilet is a large bucket set under a plank with a plastic toilet seat and lid over the hole. After use you drop in a handful of wood shavings. It actually works well and is oudourless as long as no urine is added. That goes into a yoghurt pot, then into a watering can to be diluted and used to water plants. It is a far cry from the five star I get at Michele's or Bob and Kath's.
The bus is also a storage space for tools, wire, bags of cement and the library with three shelves of mostly childrens books in English. It is in a field where Rod is trying to grow some fruit trees and vegetables. Some areas are fenced off for the goats, geese, ducks and three turkeys. I feed them corn twice a day.
One night I came home to a loud mewing. With the aid of my torch I found a very small kitten on the door step and brought it inside. It kept me awake half the night, wanting to creep up onto my face. I eventually put it in a box with a small blue blanket over the wall clock. It did finally go to sleep. I let it out the next morning and was glad that it was not there later in the afternoon. Hopefully the mother found it.
Rod lives on his boat hooked up to the power system to run his small freezer. His fridge is a blue and white cooler packed with frozen bottles of water. A solar panel provides electircity for the computer and wifi.. Rain water is collected. As it thaws out in the cooler is is used for drinking. Washing up water comes from the river, scooped up in a batterered old metal bucket. The bucket also serves to rinse dishes, they are often left to drain on a small shelf by the window. When the washing up water is thrown back into the river, small fish show up for a feed.
Hygiene is not something to worry about, It is not easy to keep the boat clean as it is constantly visited by children who come just to talk to Rod or use his power to re charge their phones. It is a mystery to me that so many have phones. Everywhere he goes people greet him with "Hola Mr. Rud". not Rod.
One boy about 13 spends many hours sitting on his bike with his phone hooked up to the power pole. Children go to school here in the village until they are eleven. This early education is paid for by the Belize goernment, after that parents have to pay for further education and the students go on the bus to Orange Walk. Most of them cannot afford to send their children to high school, so the young ones congregate here at the boat. Rod has movie nights, shown on his computer, the audience then stays for a dance.
I have sat with only a handfull of women and helped them with sewing. They are able to mend clothes as they have access to the sewing machines, thread, needles and scissors. It turns out that the young boys want to know how to make things. Rod has shown them how to thread the machines. Soon after I arrived they asked for a time to get together to show them how to make something. On the dot five of them showed up, only one girl and they made bags. One made a small one with a long handle for a cell phone the others made larger ones to give to mothers or grandmothers.
Yesterday schools closed for a month for the Christmas holiday and no doubt they will be back with friends to learn something else. All the things I brought will be very useful as they now have fabric, thread, scissors, elastic and zips to make their bags. I am not learning much Spanish as they prefer to speak to me in English. It is the offical language of Belize, but they talk to each other in Spanish. They all call me teacher.
The houses in the village are made from breeze block or wooden planks. Some are plastered and painted bright colours but mainly they are grey and need some maintenance. Some houses are half built with block walls but no roofs, windows or doors, Most buildings are one storey, half a dozen have some blocks or re bar in place as if a second level will one day be added. Some are eight feet above the ground on poles. Every one (except me) has running water and power, it is odd to see ramshakle homes with a small satelite dish and a TV.
It is a five minute walk through the village from the boat to the bus. Everyone I pass greets me and we all ignore the loud music coming from each home. It would be my guess that most residents are deaf, but of course that is not the case, they just like loud music and songs blaring in Spanish or English. It happens on the buses, so I have learned to sit at the back away from the speakers.
There are five churches in the village. The Catholic one has a cross, the others are unmarked.. You only know it is a church when you see and hear a service as they look like houses with double front doors. There are also five shops, selling tinned food, dried goods, instant coffee, biscuits, coke and snacks. One is now providing fresh produce and with notice you can have a chicken killed, plucked and ready to eat.
A shop is created by putting a wide window sill in and shutters. As you look in towards the few shelves you see the residents on an old sofa watching the box or just chatting. The shop is part of their living area. People go into Orange Walk town on the bus, half an hour along a dusty white bumpy road to the market and the small supermarkets.
My favourite shop is the pastry delivery man. He has an old battered one speed bike with a rack on the front to carry three plastic boxes. He rides for miles to sell the cakes, muffins, small meat pies, sausage rolls and cookies his wife makes. He doesn't speak much English but always thanks me and wishes me a good life in heaven for my generosity.
Without the bus service this village would be very isolated. A few people have battered old pick ups and do somehow create an income. One man is a carpenter and will make things to order from local wood. He made two beds for Rod and took us into Orange Walk to buy foam for the matresses. Rod also bought material and I covered the four pieces of foam, then made sheets.
Rod (74 in March) has lived here on the boat for over four years. He likes the lifestyle and is encouraging the women to create an income from crafts. It is a slow process but he now works with Hose and his family to bring in some cash by renting out the Cabana that was custom built. It has a thatched roof, the walls are small palm trunks plastered inside. It has a flush toilet and power. The bed is hung from chains with a large sheet draped high over head. This was done in consideration of any guests that would worry about insects or small animals climbing up bed legs or dropping down from the thatched roof.
Rod feeds the guests as they have no way to cook for themselves. The last visitor was Rochelle from Florida. She is 76 and stayed ten days. We went away for a night to Corazal just to see more of Belize. It is a one and a half hour bus ride north and just three miles from the Mexican border.
It is on the coast but has no beach. The ocean comes right up to a low stone wall bordering the walk way. It looks out to Ambergris Caye a developed area for tourists. (Ring a bell Carol?)
Corozal is definitley not a tourist area, but it has several hotels that manage to stay in business by providing accommodation for groups of skilled people who come from overseas to provide health care, education and agriculture workshops. One hotel, has twenty seven rooms and is owned and run by Gloria and Ken, brother and sister from Alberta. Eight hundred ex pats. live in the town mainly from the US and Canada. Rochelle and I talked to a couple from Maple Ridge, (across the river from Fort Langley) who are waiting to move in to a house they had had built on twenty acres. Small world.
The mornings and nights are cool 68 F 20 C. but after ten it gets very hot expecially if there is no cloud cover. It has rained once in the night since I have been here but didn't amount to much. It was welcome as it washed the white dust from the trees and plants.
Rod made contact with a family from Michigan, Brendan, Stacey and their three daughters Tiger Lily ten, Aroona nearly four and seven year old ,sounds like Marakesh , but isn't. They are renting a house in the village and helping out in the garden. Rod did manage to feed all eight of us when they arrived, quite a feat as he only has three bowls, four plates, one saucepan, fryhing pan and small pressure cooker. They now feed themselves at the house and the boat is less crowded.
Rochelle has gone back to Florida and Rod will be away for a few nights visiting friends in Cancun. They left together to get the over night bus. Apart from being in bed this is the first time I have been alone.
Well I have rambled on long enough. In the next episode I will write about the political system, food, coconuts, insects, canoeing on the river, Menonites, death in the village, going to a wake in , lawn mowers, pig workshop, Chinese shop keepers, variety shops, Red Cross meeting, driver and PU truck to Lamanai, washing in the ceynote, quarry, very poisonous tree, sugar cane, rum factory, and mending a saucepan lid with needle and thread.
Adios for now. Don't take hot water for granted, clean clothes or a fridge.
Happy Christmas to you all and a huge thank you for the messages and for keeping in touch. It really does mean a lot to me. Yes I am meeting new people all the time but it is friends and family that are really important to me as I bumble my way around. I sometimes wonder what the heck I am doing, but that passes and I am glad to be wherever I am.
Webshots is no longer avaialbe but as soon as I find a good alternative I will send photos.
I now have an extention to my visa and can stay in Belize until 25th January. I will not be going to the buttterfly farm, but to Caye Cauker, a tourist area that stills offers low cost cabanyas near the beach.
San Antonio is a small, poor village but news filters in and for a week I was asked about the end of the world on 21st December, news to me, but it seems to be tied with the Mayan calender and like so many predictions it didn't come true. Others have mentioned three planets lining up and causing darkness for three days, This could also mean doom for us all, but so far, the sun rises and sets as normal and as far as I know all is as it should be.
Another piece of good news is that at last I have skinny ankles. It must be a disappointment to the dogs that roam the streets waiting to pounce on the bones jangling as they walk from the bus to the boat. Eating is a hit and miss affair. Rice, beans, and fresh fruit are staples. A Mennonite truck comes round every Saturday, honking the horn and Rod buys produce and a flat of eggs. It would last us all week but he is feeding a family of five, here with Workaway.
I prefer to look after myself, as I find it very crowded and noisy when they arrive to cook and eat on the small boat. They are renting a big house in the village but prefer to cook and eat meals here and not in the well equipped kitchen in their house. I do go into town and stuff my face at least once a week.
Here is my last grumble. I am struggling with rubbish in the streets, or piled up, waiting to be burned when someone gets tired of seeing It. Rod's boat is filthy. We drink rain water but wash and supposedly rinse clean in river water. The only hot water I see is in my coffee cup. The other day I arranged with a local woman to do my washing. I can rinse out undies and blouses in the small sink in the bus but certainly can't deal with large items..
Anyway, I was very pleased to get my sheets and towel back. I buried my nose in the towel and shuddered. It certainly did not smell clean. It had been washed with a bar of carbolic soap that had been stored in the compost bin and not rinsed. It smelled awful.. I hung the sheets on the deck of the bus for hours hoping the smell would be reduced and bearable by the time I went to bed. Ha. Like a lot of things, I just grin and bear it. I am sure my grin is sometimes a grimace and hope people won't notice.
I think I mentioned that the bus I sleep in is also the library. This means that I am visited often by small children. Some come to colour, sitting on my bed, others do a puzzle on the floor and some just borrow a book and head home. Whenever I say something in Spanish they stare at me and say "What" I must have developed a Chinese accent. One young man is listening to me read and correcting my pronunciation. It will definitely help. When I leave Belize I will need to get by in Spanish, sign language and gestures. Wish me luck.
Dr. Death strikes again. I feed corn to the ducks, geese and turkeys twice a day and was telling Rod that the turkeys are messy, getting aggressive and serve no purpose. Whenever an area around a small tree is cleared, then mulched, the stupid turkeys scatter it everywhere. I suggested it was time to eat one. He agreed and decided to dispatch them all. We will eat well tomorrow, fresh turkey cooked in a hole in the ground, probably wrapped in traditional Mayan tin foil. I won't miss them and hope that I get a piece of the one that bit a previous visitor and threatened me. The turkeys are well informed.when I fed them last night I said "Enjoy your last supper. tomorrow is the end of the world as you know it."
One day fifeteen of us went out on Rod's boat. Rod, myself, Henri (an American woman visitor) the family of five, and the family from across the road with their children and friends. The boat was untied and pushed out in to the river. It was carried by the breeze until we came to an island. I thought we would all pile off and go exploring but the island was the result of a small boat that sank years ago in shallow water. Over time debris piled up, grass and small trees took root and the island was formed. We passed by jungle on both sides of the river and enjoyed bird watching.
Chicken was cooked on a half drum BBQ and served with rice, beans and coleslaw. Henri and I decided to come back to base in the canoe and arrived the same time as the boat. It was quite a sight to see it in mid river, unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me in the canoe.
Politics. Belize was once a British Colony, unlike other parts of the world they left behind no infrastructure. This is a poor country of less than half a million people. It does export bananas and rum but little affluence seems to filter down to the people. There are two parties, The Red and the Blue. One is the United People's Party and the other the People's United Party. If your village supports one or the other, this is signified by having the trunks of the trees painted the appropriate colour or having small party flags hung from lamp posts and trees.
The village trees here have red painted bands, and it was this party that showed up on 22nd to give a Christmas party for the children. It was arranged for 5.00pm. Children and mums started arriving at the Hurricane shelter, about 4.00 pm. Rod was dressed as Santa Clause in a skimpy suit and looked more like a demented elf as he danced for and with small children to keep them entertained. The officials arrived about 5.20. Set up some music and an MC who arranged for a few children to sing or dance to the audience who were sitting on benches at one end of the above ground concrete bunker..
There was a rush when it was announced that Santa would be handing out gifts. Someone took charge and order was restored to four lines for the boys and four for the girls to queue for their gift. Each child was given a white grocery plastic bag containing a boy or girl present. Rice and chicken was then served in polystyrene flip top boxes and pop in clear plastic cups. Twenty minutes later the place was empty.
Many years ago an agricultural school was opened with investment money from over seas and perhaps from the Belize government. Silos were installed, plus large open side sheds, a small office block and so called toilets. For a couple of years they harvested soya beans and experimented with other crops. Sadly today it is clear that it was a wasted investment. A few pigs are living in a shed, the huge combine is rusting away. For the past ten years the only people employed are a team of locals as security guards working 24 hours a day., two per shift.
Rod was invited to the works Christmas party and I went along as his guest. A pig was slaughtered and cooked over the usual half drum BBQ. Wives brought flour tortias, coleslaw, tacos and diced tomatoes with onions and cilantro. We all sat around for a couple of hours, the men drinking cans of beer and the rest of us pop. The pork was the Christmas bonus for the staff. and time together with each other and families.
A couple of weeks ago a man in the village died of a heart attack. This may or may not have been related to a diet of beans and rice. At 7.00 pm a bus pulled out from the village, every seat overflowing with adults and children. Earlier Ro and I had sat waiting for the bus on a concrete block. I slipped on a black skirt and dropped my shorts. We laughed at the scene, there we were two old ladies sitting on a pile of rubble, waiting for a bus to take us to the funeral of man we had never known.
Despite being very full the bus stopped to pick up more passengers as it went through Yo Creek. My mouth dropped open as it pulled up in front of a huge two storey, shiny white mansion, complete with ornate balcony, a huge open sided marquee, a couple of hundred people seated around small tables and more standing outside.
The house was unlike anything I had seen so far but what made it really strange was that every other building on the street was a shack, hovel or breeze block house. It turns out this this grand affair belongs to the son of the man who died. He is the Ambassador to the United States. Just because you get rich, doesn't mean you move out of the neighbourhood.
Rod and I followed the queue from the front gate to the house and stopped abruptly when we realised we would be heading into the downstairs room to view the body. it was surrounded by women in their finest clothes, wailing and crying.
Catering staff had been employed and dressed in black skirts and crisp white blouses. They came out of the house carrying one sandwich at a time wrapped in what could have been a paper napkin and handed it to anyone who was within reach. Later I found out it was two ;pieces of white sliced bread, a smear of mayonnaise and slice of spam. Surely not a national dish, just something left over from when the British ruled. Despite my accent I declared I was Canadian. I did not want to be associated with this culinary delight. It made beans and rice look interesting.
I have been helping some women with sewing, mainly altering clothes. I would like to see more women show up but those that do are glad of the choice of all the things I brought with me. Until I arrived, thread and needles were in short supply. Now at least alterations can be made with a matching thread and pinned before sewing. One lady wants me to show her how to make a dress for her fourteen year old daughter but I haven't seen the daughter, no fabric has been bought, I have no pattern and neither her mother or I know what style she would like. So for now that project is on hold.
My strangest fix to date was a saucepan lid. It now has a handle made from a metal button on the inside and three large plastic buttons on the top. Granted it look odd but it works.
A few Chinese immigrants live and work in Orange Walk. They have variety stores and run restaurants. I would have thought they would understand every Spanish word I speak with my Chinese accent, but they don't. Fortunately they know some English and I am able to order something or just point.
A Red Cross committee showed up last week, goodness knows how it got organized , to talk about rubbish pick up and disposal. It was agreed that something should be done, but no one wanted to help, pay anything or get involved. An hour later the Red cross pulled out and no solution was found so the rubbish will continue to pile up and be burned every few weeks. You can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
In two weeks time I celebrate four years on the road. Wow.
All is well. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, peace and Joy for 2013.
A young woman from Bowen island is here through work away. I have no idea how she will spend her two weeks here, but I was impressed that her first morning she had a hair wash and shower in cold water. Sharing the bus was not an option so I have booked myself into the cabayna for two nights where I have a flush toilet and bed that swings every time you move, as it is suspended from the roof beams on chains from each corner.
Christmas and New Year were a non event for me. I did go into Orange Walk on Christmas eve to get breakfast and lunch and was reminded of the usual last minute Christmas shopping. The bus was full when it pulled out of San Antonino, two or three to a seat, most of them overflowing with large behinds, children standing or sitting on laps. At the next village, Yo Creek another thirty people got on. People were standing in the aisle and crowded near the open door. It did not occur to anyone to get off to let passengers out., they stayed firmly in place while people shoved and squeezed their way through the bodies, clutching bags, small children and babies..
I had intended to get the twelve thirty bus back, but a policeman was directing passengers. He wore a crisp pale green shirt, with badges and insignia on the shoulders, black pants, and heavy leather belt. He declared the bus full and said " There isn't even room for a message."
People board the buses half hour or more before they are due to leave and wait patiently. No one notices the ripped seats, rubbish on the floor or the heat inside a stationary bus. If there is room vendors walk the aisles selling plastic cups of shaved ice with a squirt of co louring and a straw. I always by a bag of bananas, ten for a dollar (50c). It means I don't have to carry them around. I have given them to fellow passengers and one small girl that needed to be distracted.
I did manage to get on the two thirty bus by a change of tactic. I stopped being polite and and pushed my way on. It is just a different way of doing things. People have a very different idea of personal space here. I have seen no aggression, only smiles and bums shuffling over to accommodate someone who needs a seat.
Some families in the village had people over for Christmas, others left on the bus or a battered old pick up to visit family. Three miles down the road is a small border crossing to Mexico. It provides a way to mix up the genes in the village. Belize men marry Mexican woman who move to San Antonio and raise their families.
There is always loud music from sound systems in the village but the family across the road out did themselves. They set up three speakers, four feet by two feet and kept them blaring all day and into the night, while family and friends sat on the other side of the house to eat and catch up on news. Small children got new bikes, the older ones got phones or gadgets to play music.
I have heard Adele singing with her original music replaced by reggae. I have heard Alvin and the chimp monks in |Spanish, several versions of Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, White Christmas and once some live singing of hiyms from the church.
It is never quiet here, with music blaring, dogs barking, roosters crowing , pigs squealing and the local birds adding to the din.. Apart from the music all these noises continue throughout the night.
The people are poor by my standards, but cheerful and friendly. Everyone you pass, day or night greets me with a smile.
Some houses are draped with Christmas lights, others have decorations on the doors and one even has a tree decorated with ornaments and lights. When people are home at night, very little light shines through the wooden louvered shutters, but their outdoor Christmas lights twinkle on and off. A few yards away in fields and dark gardens the fireflies carry out their own twinkling celebrations of the night.
Mains water is available but many prefer to carry water in jugs or buckets from a tap in the garden. I now know better and realise that although some have flush toilets, they are not plumbed in. Water from a bucket is dumped into the lu to flush it in to septic tanks. Kitchens have no sinks, just an old washing up bowl on the counter. Some families have the kitchen outside under cover, this includes the stove, washing machine, crockery, pans and dishes. It is never cold here and as long as the roof doesn't leak, the area stays dry. No indoor plumbing but satellite dishes and a hundred channels to watch, is to me is an odd mix.
In the village New Years Eve, was celebrated by families getting together, fireworks and fire crackers, with squeals of laughter from the boys who set them off. I have no idea what or if anything happened at midnight, I was I reading in my swinging bed, enjoying the luxury of a light bulb.
Orange Walk District is home to four thousand Mennonites. They have split into two distinct groups,. One has all the mod cons, large clean airy House, cars, schools, trips back to the States, while the other group travels by horse and buggy, doesn't use machinery or electricity. Neither group votes or gets involved with politics of any kind.
The women wear simple cotton dresses, heavy black shoes with stockings and wear headscarves or bonnets. The men wear navy blue denim dungarees, or trousers with braces, long sleeve check shirts and straw hats. The men are usually Blondie, over six feet tall, slim and trailing a wife and children in duplicate uniforms. Mennonites are responsible for much of the food grown in Belize, they plant crops, raise poultry for the BBQ chicken, rice and beans meals. Most of them arrived in the 1950's from the Mid West States.
Hector the bakery man must have enjoyed saying goodbye to me on Tuesday, because he came back again on Thursday for a repeat performance. He held my hand, bowed, hugged me several times,, told me I was in his heart and asked when I would be coming back. He seemed to have lost track of his wife and seven children. I don't know how that was possible as he was leaving the next day in his van to drive to El Salvador to spend Contrasts with his parents. He wanted to give me cookies and treats, but I slipped cash into his top pocket and said "For your children" More hugs. To my relief he did not try to kiss me but it was a close thing. Ah well another admirer is good for the ego.
Scott and Kevin please disregard the last paragraph. I know it is too much information for you both. I can explain that if any one wants an explanation.
I have enjoyed parts of my five week stay. It has been interesting to see how the other half live. I have helped women to alter clothes so that they can now be worn. I think they buy second hand clothes or get hand me downs, either way it means that have been able to get clothes for very little cost. With all the things I brought with me they now have access to scissors, thread, elastic, tape measures, bias binding, zips and fabric. All things that were in very short supply or just not available to them. I managed to find knitting needles and taught one woman to knit.
I have varnished new beds Rod had made in the village and I have sewn covers for foam matresses and made sheets for ten beds. I have also made myself useful fixing and mending things. I would have done some gardening but the garden / field was once the local rubbish tip. It has more rocks than Brighton Beach and occasionally turns up huge cut blocks. Perhaps the Mayans were here before it was a village tip. It doesn't take long for the weeds and jungle to grow over tumble down buildings.
I am going to Caye Caulker in the morning and hope to see another side of Belize. it might be stuffed full of tourists, have white sandy beaches, aquamarine ocean with good snorkeling and small restaurants along the main street, that will be fine by me. I am no mother Theresa. I have lived in a small village in the jungle and need some luxury for a few days.
I will get the bus to Belize, then a small boat out to the island, stay a few days, then head back to the mainland, travel by bus down the coast of Belize to Palencia, then get a boat to Honduras. I have decided not to travel in Honduras, Guatemala or El Salvador. I will go to Costa Rica and apply for some work away places.
Perhaps I will find myself in a place where I can download a programme to send photos. The blog only covers a few of the details of my continuing adventure. I have very little opportunity to write a diary and when I do get a chance I write up the blog. It just might be the only record I have plus the photos.
I have had no luck getting a sim card for the phone I bought in Australia, so I will be checking my email every day to get news of my new grandson. ETA 7th January.
Happy New Year to you all. Peace, Joy and contentment.
Emu on the move.
Life on the road. Who would have thought I would be still out here wandering around. Four years 7th January.
I left San Antonio 2nd January and headed to Caye Caulker via Belize City . For good reason the buses are called chicken buses. You feel like one of several chickens that are transported in small baskets. I stayed two nights in a cabana on the beach. It had a bare light bulb, bed, cold shower and lu. A decent room in a small hotel would have cost three or four times the price I paid per night. I was very surprised by the lack of sandy beaches and didn't even swim.
From Caye Caulker I went inland to San Ignatio. for a couple of nights. It was odd to hear engines grinding as they struggled up hills. The town is close to the border of Mexico. From my hotel I walked a couple of miles to a Mayan ruin. I passed a casino with security. A small man with a very big gun standing outside. He was guarding the casino even thought it was closed.
My next stop was to Palencia where I could get a boat to Honduras. That was the plan, but it didn't work out. When I got off the bus at Independence with a couple and we trudged down the dirt road to the Hokey Pokey boat dock for the fifteen minutes ride up the river to Palencia. I pulled up the handle on the case and it broke, so I was pulling it along with the small handle. Not easy on a dirt road. A couple got off the bus with me and the kind young man grabbed the handle and it pulled out of the frame work. The repair Ken had done held but not the other side. He then carried it to the boat for me.
The usual questions were asked and we all laughed at the answers. He was from Chilliwack, she was from Abbotsford.. They had booked a room, but their hotel was full, so were the three others near by. I arranged to meet them later and wandered to the end of the strip.and booked into the Manatee,
I couldn't get wifi but the owner of the hotel let me use her computer twice.. The second time I got the great news that Kyly and Kevin had a son on 6th January. As arranged earlier I met Page and Brandon in a restaurant / bar and we celebrated the new life.
Earlier in the day I had bought some rope and spent time making four holes in the suit case to construct some sort of handle.
Despite being the busy season, many hotels, bars and restaurants were closed. The skies opened up and it went from dry to lashing down in a split second. Two nights was enough and convenient as the owners of the Manatee were going away for a couple of weeks and closing the hotel. I travelled back to Independence by boat and shared a taxi with an American couple to the bus stop on the main road. A chicken bus took me to Belmopan, capital of Belize and on to Porta Gorda.
The boat from Palencia to Honduras left once a week and I certainly was not going to stay another five days. Information filters down and I decided to go to Purta Gorda for a boat to Guatemala. I intened to stay over night as I would be too late for the daily boat at 2.00 pm. I found accommodation but it was awful, so I left my case and went looking for another room. I found one across from the port. Better still I found out there was a boat at 4.00, so I canceled both rooms and went to immigration at the dock.
You pay 30 B dollars to leave and another 7.50 for the environment. I think that second sum goes in to the beer fund. I did not hear or see many projects or places where money had been invested into the environment..
The bears and I got our passports stamped and walked tto the boat. It was fiber glass with bench seats for about twenty people with a tarp stretched over half of it. .My battered case with the string handle was thrown on the floor and I was directed to a seat at the back. You step off the concrete walk way, stand on the side of the boat and step in, hoping it does not swing out at the wrong time.
I was the only passenger and half way trough the ride I did wonder what the heck I was doing. I was in an open boat, speeding along over four foot swells, out of sight of land with four strange men. Well I don't know if they were strange or not but I certainly did not know them. I kept my legs outstretched and braced for all the bumps, thumps and crashes as the boat rose and fell on the solid water. The sun was setting to my right and the water dark and threatening to my left. I was glad to see lights after about forty minutes.
By the time I arrived it was dark. Immigration was a ten minute walk down a dusty road., where I got the passports stamped. I booked into the Europa hotel, ten minutes from immigration and the dock area. I was glad of the telly because the next day my back was bruised from the boat ride and my legs battered and bruised from dragging the suitcase.
To my horror my cash card would not work in any of the bank machines. Now what. Plan B. I remembered that I had US dollars. I had to show my passport but was able to change the dollars into local Quitzelas. Thank goodness. Now I could buy a suitcase, a meal and pay for a bus ride.
I spent one night in Guatemala City, with a few hours to explore. On one street I saw people standing by waist high tables with typewriters. I never did find out what service they provided. I was back on a bus the next morning to Antigua. I had to keep reminding myself I was in Guatemala not Honduras.
The bus wound its way up and over the mountains, passing winding rivers, corn growing on 45 degree slopes and vegetables in the valley. I was on the bus to Antigua when I realised I was going in the wrong direction. By this time the bus was half way across Guatemala City in a rea with mad traffic, a developed area of shops and malls either side of a four lane highway. I certainly wasn't going to get off in all that madness.
I am pleased to say it was a mistake that turned out to be a good move. Antigua, two hours from Guatemala City is vibrant and historic. Three volcanoes are near by. The town has many up scale restaurants and hotels, lots of budget accommodation and coffee shops, set around a public park. Local people stroll around offering to sell you local handicrafts, bags, shawls, jewelery and wood instruments, If you say "No thank" you they leave you in peace.
I am staying in a small place with my own room, shared bathroom with cold shower and booked for sixty hours Spanish lessons. It is a great small town to wander around with things that stop you in your tracks. If you look through a door way you will see a beautiful garden, courtyard with tables set,, fern trees, potted plants, and sometimes a fountain.
The area has had several earthquakes over the past 400 years leaving tumble down churches, ancient walls with sprawling bougainvillea, trumpet vines and plumbago. There has been restoration going on for three hundred years. The overall effect is quite charming.
My apologies if you received photos with no message. I have been trying to get a new system to send photos and I still need to work on it. If you received photos and could not open them please let me know. Thanks.
The adventure continues and so far I love Guatemala. I am heading to Costa Rica and until I get there I will be on my own, not using work away places.
Thank you for all the messzages. Keep them coming. They mean a lot to me.
My new grandson is called Connor Dylan and this time I have got it right the first time as Kevin wrote it down for me. I have talked to Kevin on Skype and seen him sleeping in his push chair. (The grandson not Kevin,) What a treasure. My heart melted. Congratulations to you both and Uncle Scott.
I feel a little like the small boy in the story of the emperor with no clothes but I did not like Belize. I would not go there again. I did give it my best shot and travelled in the north, south, east and west. I think it is a place to enjoy if you stay in expensive resorts or hotels and have an endless supply of ready cash. I have no doubt that many people enjoy their visit to Belize but I think there are many other places that have more to offer.
I am staying with a family in Antigua. A large house has been converted to provide five bedrooms upstairs with a small outdoor deck area. It does have a rippled tin roof that lifts in the breeze. At night it sounds like gunfire. Guests share a bathroom, keeping our fingers crossed each morning that the water in the shower will be hot. Well not scalding but at least warm. Most times it is, thank goodness. We eat meals in the dining room, then Eluvia sets a meal for the family. She lives here with her husband, son, daughter in law and two month old grandchild.
She has a partnership with Juan who meets the buses and invites people to the guest house only or to stay and take Spanish lessons. I pay $14.00 a night for my room and three meals six days a week. The arrangement works well as I get to meet and spend time with some interesting people. We go out together or end up on the roof patio talking and swapping stories. People come and go, but you soon make friends.
Here are some of the characters I have met this week.
David, 48 from Connecticut. He imports and sells French table clothes. Mark 31 from Switzerland, speaks five languages. plays and sings with his guitar and has been travelling for six months. .Joshua, 19 from Cornwall England, an accomplished sailor with experience in the Caribean and Greek Islands.
Gus and Celine from Chartridge, |Bucks England. One mile from where I lived in St. Leonards. He buys and sells war memorabilia. He has guns large and small, flags, swords, grenades and more. While he was here he ordered on line, bayonets and hand grenades from France. They will be sent to England to be sold when he returns after being away for a year. It seemed perfectly normal to him to decorate a howitzer with tinsel for a Christmas tree. By trade he is a plasterer. He has a strong rough London accent but is very entertaining and funny.
On Sunday David and I treated ourselves to brunch. We simpered and ooed at the snowy white table cloth and napkins, A chef cooked omelets and we helped ourselves to smoked salmon, bread, bagels, cheese, poached eggs in tomato sauce, (not from a bottle), pancakes, syrup, real butter, melon, grapefruit, bananas, strawberries, mandarins and coffee in a china cup, with a hot jug of milk. The staff wore black with crisp white aprons. All this in a beautiful courtyard garden with fern trees, lawn, orange trees, a fountain.and soft classical music playing.
I had a teacher for two five hour lessons. The first lesson was so bad, I thought it must be me and it could only get better but it did not, so I changed teachers. Josh came in the next day and he got the same teacher that I had.. The conversation around the dinner table confirmed it was not me. Josh felt the same way and he actually speaks a lot of Spanish. He also changed teachers and we hoped the one we had would not be out of work with seven hungry children and an aging mother to look after.
My lessons are going well. I think that trying to teach myself was not really a good idea as my head was full of words that I mispronounced. However it does mean that I understand the spoken and written word. I now need the confidence to use it and not worry about poor grammar or words in the wrong order.. I just wish I had started forty years ago. No doubt it would have been much easier.. The grey cells would not be so damaged.
The other evening there was an earth tremor that lasted about ten seconds. We were all glad it was not the nearby volcano coming to life.
I have enjoyed the luxury of having my washing done for me. Washed, dried and folded. The lady weighs it and charges by the pound. It was strange to have a pile of underwear, neatly folded and I didn't do it. I just had to take them out of a bag and put them in a drawer. Another new experience was to make use of the shoe shine service available in the park. For the price of a cup of coffee my walking shoes are clean and shiny.
It is warm in the day with a cool breeze but at night the temperature drops to about ten and we all have a couple of blankets to snuggle under. I left my fleece jacket and jeans in Belize and wish I hadn't. I have bought a jacket to wear in the evenings. Mark loaned me a pair of socks. I bought him new ones when I bought the jacket at the market.
I need to buy a new suitcase, (yes again) the one I bought when I arrived in Guatemala lasted two days before the wheels fell off. Luckily I can get one here in Antigua and hope it lasts a bit longer. I would rather spend the money on beer, good meals and treats from on e f the many cake shops here.
The night before David left I brought home a big chocolate cake for afters. We were all craving something sweet. Elvia provides good simple meals with no desert. She serves, pasta, macaroni and cheese not from a packet, rice, local vegetables, shredded lettuce with avocado, tamales, black beans, tortias and eggs. sometimes with fried chicken, a small pork steak or fish. Cereals and fruit or scrambled eggs for breakfast.
After lessons I wander in the town.One day I watched grown men playing in the fountain. Actually they wre not playing but scrubbing the stone work with small scurbbing brushes and using cut poplbottles to distribute the water.
Sometimes I have a coffee and sit in the park to listen to musicians, playing pop songs on the pan pipes or watch the people go by and enjoy the scenery. I love the pan pipes but today they gave up playing when the city brass band started playing. They just could not compete with trumpets, horns, drums, saxophones and a dozen other instruments. I could just imagine Larissa dancing to the music with the innocence and freedom of youth. She would probably joined the local children as they jigged around to their own beat.
The streets are narrow and cobbled, not easy for high heels, horses or bikes. It also means that the vehicles go slowly and to cross the road you just stroll between them.. There are no traffic lights.or anyone conducting traffic. Certainly no road rage.
I have no doubt this is not the real Guatemala, but I really love it. I like the contrast of ruins being maintained by adding clever designs to include the crumbling walls to make room for hotels, restaurants and shops without spoiling the look of the old town. The Spanish were here five hundred years ago and left a distinctive style to the buildings. Earthquakes and volcanoes have done a lot of damage over the years but still the town flourishes. Broken but beautiful. Modern facilities but ancient foundations. Fine dining or street food. Boutique shops or Mayan women with shawls and jewelery for sale. toddlers at their feet or babies on their backs.
Antigua is small, picturesque, safe, interesting town. It has everything a visitor could need but it is also where everyday people live. No new buildings exist, The park is where locals and tourists go is the centre of town. There is always something going on, bands playing, people walking dogs, friends chatting, people like me sitting with a coffee and enjoy the scenery. Horse and carriages passing by looking for passengers, women selling local crafts or street food.
I am taking advantage of a good Internet connection to up date the blog again and to send photos. I have also been able to have long chats with Ken in Newcastle. I am still working on sending photos it and will send them when I have figured it out. Antigua is very photogenic. Every corner you turn presents something else to enjoy. This is the city with the most lovelys' so far. A lovely is something I see that stops me and I think, "That's lovely" It could be a tree in bloom, a mother nursing, a door way, garden, a small child that grins and says Hola as he or she walks by. Any number of things count as lovely and this place is stuffed with them. A bonus here when you walk about is the smell of roasting coffee.
Thanks again for all the messages. I apologise if I don't reply to emails, but I have homework to do, five hours a day lessons, interesting people to talk to and places to explore, sunshine to enjoy a market to get lost in and people to practise my Spanish with.
This might seem like a long blog but it is only a part of the story. I could go on for pages about the details of life here, but I don't want your coffee to get cold while you read.
Sunday morning I am getting a shuttle bus to somewhere in El Salvador. I am heading to Cosat Rica and hope to meet up with Karen, a friend from Aldergrove.
Adios for now.
Congratulations again to Kevin and Kyly.
I am in Nicaragua. This diary page was written a while ago and this is the first time I've had the chance to up date the blog.
It is not until you travel in Guatemala, Belize or El Salvador you realize just how small they are. It was a five hour shuttle bus run from Antigua, Guatemala to Libitad in El Salvador. I chose to go by shuttle to make it easier to cross the border. I loved Antiqua and would recommend it to anyone. It caters from back packers to people who want five star treatment. It is a an easy safe place to walk around day or night and always you find something to enjoy. We moaned about the cool weather some days and the cool nights, but it is better than high temperatures twenty four hours a day.
From Antiqua you can actually hike up to the top of a volcano, camp and walk back down again. It requires stamina, good walking shoes and the desire. I had none of these and admired them from afar. You can catch local buses for a ten minute ride to near by villages. The villages all have a central park, old buildings, churches and places to explore. It really is never ending the things to do and see.
The cool weather was unusual, so the locals had to go looking for warm clothes. One day it rained for several hours. The next day I heard the churches were full as the locals had gone to pray, just in case it was the end of the world. Rain in January really was a rare event. The following day, the newspaper was full of the fact it had snowed in Guatemala City. More need to go to church. All those prayers must have helped because it soon melted and the warm weather returned.
Travel agents arrange these mini vans to take tourists in relative comfort. You could go on the regular chicken buses for a lot less but it would take all day and you would be left at the border wondering how to get the next bus. I crossed with a dozen other travellers from Germany, Holland, Canada, England and Australia.
The 24 year old Dutchman I sat beside had piercing blue eyes, he looked a little crazy but in fact was very creative. He had ridden a bicycle from Cancun to Guatemala and talked a friend into buying photographs. He was going to El Salvador to pick up a motor bike he had bought because he had created a job as a motor bike tour guide in Central America and would be travelling as a guide for a year. Yes he supposed he should have a work permit but didn't feel the need to apply.
I spent a day with Gus and Celine from England. They showed up at the hostel I was staying in at El Tunco. El Salvador. This happens a lot as people travel from country to country, ending up in the same places. We got the local bus to a town in the hills. to find the waterfalls and swimming holes. It is not in any guide book but you hear about it from the locals. It was well worth the half hour 50 c bus ride. A guide offered his services when we got off the bus and we were glad to have him. We tramped up and down hill sides for about an hour before we arrived at the refreshing water in the swimming holes. More adventurous people jump from a height of about 30 feet, but we clambered down the side, glad to be in cool water, splashing about like seals.
Pedro the guide took photos for us and was quite fascinated by the bears. He put them in many places and then asked for my camera. Osos (bears) don't exist in El Salvador. He was quite taken by them. I certainly did not get possessive as he carried a very large machete. I watched him peel a cucumber with it, then slice it part way through so that we could snap off a piece to eat..
The steep hill sides are farmed and a local farmer came up behind us carrying a sack full. If my garden had been located on a forty five degree slope with no shade and the only way to get the crop to market was to walk, I would not have been giving them away to any Tom Dick or Harry. We all decided that next time we had cucumber on our plate as part of the meal or just to for decoration we would finish every slice and think of this farmer trudging up and down the mountain side.
The guide joined us for lunch where he tried again to pronounce the word cucumber. I understood his problem and offered to write it down but it turns out he did not read or write. He was also hungry and finished his meal long before we did. Finding people who need a guide puts food on the table for his family, a wife and four sons.
If you are a surfer the entire coast of El Salvador is just for you. There are approximately 68 separate beaches with accommodation, bars, restaurants, surfing equipment shops and of course surfing lessons available. However if you want to swim you are in the wrong place. The strong waves create a drag both in and out so it is difficult to even stand up just a few feet into the water. The force brings up the black sand to invade anything you might be wearing and makes it impossible to swim. After only one attempt I understood why the hostels had a swimming pool.
I had thought that I now dismissed mad ideas, but apparently not. I decided to leave the coast, head inland to the hills and hopefully some cooler weather. The mad idea bit was to go by local buses. I took the first bus to Libetad expecting to get the next bus to Zac.... about 10.00am but it did not leave until 2.30pm. I didn't want to arrive at night, so booked into Tony's Surf Hotel for a night. I have no doubt I am the first ancient non surfing guest they have had. Buses leave from the market and it was in full swing at 7.30 am. noisy, bustling with people and buses creeping between the pedestrians, stalls, baskets, boxes, crates and stray dogs.
I spent ages trying to pronounce and remember Zacatecoluca. Somehow I ended up on the right bus traveling with a lady and her basket of very smelly fish, another lady with a large plastic tray on her head, like the ones you would see in a bakery, she was taking cakes to the next village. To my surprise everyone got off after forty minutes. I found out I was in Rosaria. Thank goodness for a map I had been given. People shook there head when I asked if this was Zac... I had to wait only twenty minutes for the next bus that was going through. We arrived in yet another busy small market town somewhere in the hills. Drivers allow people to ride the bus to sell goods to passengers or to preach, so the time goes quickly.
The third bus took me to San Vincente. From the map it looked as good a place as any to go for a day or two. At least I was heading east and in the right direction to get to Nicaragua and then to Costa Rica to meet Karen.
This country is littered with volcanoes, steep hills, small villages and market towns. Tourists go to the beach to surf and so I am certainly a bit of an oddity. I have been asked several times if I am American and when I say "No Canadian", I am asked why I am here. Charming. You would think that one tourist would be better than none, three if you count the bears.
I have met several El Salvadorians who have lived in the states. They tell me they were deported, but I don't ask why. One showed me to a small hotel as requested then headed home. The room was huge and dark. It looked as if it had once been the stables. One wall had a double door that was secured by a hefty piece of wood. "For security" I was told. It had a lu and cold water shower in one corner and a bed that did not look too clean. When I asked the price I was asked if I wanted the room for the day, the night or both?
I left the suitcase there while I looked for another hotel. I talked to the local police man and he told me it was a hotel for the poor. Fortunately I was only a two minute walk from a decent place. Quick trip back to the dark stable to retrieve my suitcase, hand back the key, explain I was not staying and off I went. The owner did not get out of his hammock.
I have a double bed, clean sheets, lumpy pillow, bathroom, AC and a telly. Best of all I have a large deck with a breeze. I look out over the park but it is noisy with birds squawking, car hooters honking, buses and cars constantly on the move. I am finding the heat a bit overwhelming. I stay in the shade when I go walking to get more cold water. One short walk takes me to Ellie's Cakes where I can get a really good cup of coffee a piece of cheese cake and think of Brigitte and her family.
Most of the cattle you see are for meat, not diary cows, so milk is often not an option when you order coffee. To my amazement I have seen acres of coffee bushes growing under the shade of taller trees but when you ask for coffee you get instant. Milk if there is any is extra. Often half the price of the cup of coffee.
I have not been kidnapped because I am the only tourist for miles around. If I go missing someone just might notice. Any way bandits only want sweet young things, not wrinkly, spotted old grandmothers. I know that El Salvador was once a dangerous place to travel but things have improved. Bandits and guerrillas have gone back to farming. Guns and weapons are no longer funded by American tax dollars, people just want to get on with their lives. This is a very simplistic view, the history of the violence is far more complicated.
The land is littered with volcanoes, a few dry river beds, subsistence farming, small villages and steep hills. I have seen some concrete channels that are used for irrigation but it is a mystery to me as to how plants survive the hot dry season. Tall mature trees grow in the valleys but on top of the hills it is dry, a complete contrast to the lower slopes.
I don't know who St Vincinet was or why the town was named after him, I certainly have no idea why the park clock tower was put up. Heaven knows what it celebrates. However it is at least useful, you can tell the time from one of the four faces or count the bells that chime. You can even walk up to the bell tower for good views of the surrounding hills. You have to step over necking couples who sometimes break off to say "Hola" as you walk by. Very polite. Street food is good, beans, plantains, eggs, rice, chicken, tortias, orange juice or water in a plastic bag.
I have seen no wifi cafes here so perhaps this blog update will have to wait until I am in Nicaragua. All is well if a bit hot and steamy. Sorry my email replies are so far behind. I hope to catch up soon.
Love and hugs to you all from Central El Salvador.
Happy Birthday Kevin, Michele and Steve.
Love and hugs to you all
Grandma Emu
My geography has certainly improved. I had no idea that part of Honduras dipped in between El Salvador and Nicaragua. Now I do because it means that you travel in three countries in three days with three different currencies.
At each border crossing you are approached by men holding great bundles of cash. They are money changers and provide a very useful service. Anywhere else but at a border crossing, they would be suspected of doing some thing illegal. They will change US dollars into the currency of where you are going or take notes from where you have been and give you US dollars. It means that way up in the hills, with miles to go before you get to a town, you at least have cash for a bus or taxi ride.
San Marcos de Colon, Somoto, Esteli, Leon, Managua, Granada, Ometepe. I list these towns as they are where I have stayed over the past couple of weeks and might be my only record of how I got here.
Managua is the capital of Nicaragua but feels like a ghost town. Between earthquakes and war the city took a pounding and many places were not rebuilt. Instead memorial parks, monuments, live flaming torches, flags and a few malls have taken the place of what was the old part of the city. It has rows and rows of small houses, many of them hotels and hostels, but not many shops, or restaurants around. I was glad to find a garage that sold decent coffee. Americans have invested and it is a 711 type garage with "On the Run" over the door in big yellow letters.
I ended up in a hotel owned by Germans. It seems they have also bought up many of the coffee plantations. Despite coffee growing everywhere, you often get instant and if you want milk it costs half as much again as the cup of coffee.
Travelling on local buses can be a strain. Us white people have a very different idea of personal space. When all the seats are taken, twenty more people get on, with bags, boxes, baskets and big plastic bowls. Somehow the fare collector squeezes his way down the aisle to get to the people who got in the back door. Buses have the usual door at the back, one at the front and some have a third at the back on the side. I really don't know how the conductor keeps track. Some rattle a few coins in front of everyone to remind them to pay, others seem to keep a mental tally as a waitress does in a busy restraint. I don't know if any one is charged for freight that rides on top of the bus, everything from bicycles to sheets of tin for their homes to baskets of fruit and sacks of beans.
I left my case at Panda hotel and got the 5.30 am bus to Rivas, to get the ferry to Ometepe. I walked through the streets in the dark but was surprised to see market stalls already open, people sitting with produce around them and lights on over rickety shop tables.
This first bus was stuffed. I was given ten inches of seat and held in place by the people beside me and those standing in the aisle. I tried not to think about what body parts were holding me in or to flinch when I was hit in the shoulder or head by a bag , basket or elbows. It was a long two hour ride.
Ometepe is an island in Lake Nicaragua, shaped Ike a figure eight with a volcano in each circle of the eight. 35,000 live there, farming steep slopes and providing for tourists. This weekend a Marathon was taking place. 350 people come from other countries to pay $300 to run 50 kms or 75 kms 100km or be in the death race. These fit young maniacs, start at 4.00 am to avoid some of the heat of the day and run up the volcanoes not once but twice. Temperatures in a single day can range from mid-50s on a volcano peak to upper 90s in low-lying forests. The toughest sections of the course are the steep climbs (with no switchbacks) that head straight up over the two volcanoes, gaining approximately 3,000 feet over Maderas and 4300 feet over Concepcion..
The first race was held four years ago with fifty participants. No doubt next year there will be five hundred as word gets around. I met some of the runners and they seemed perfectly normal, but of course they are not. Some testosterone filled,, pumped young men were from Houston. Texas and declared the heat would not bother them. I struggle in the shade walking for a bus. I did not ask what the death rate was.
It is a a very interesting piece of real estate, two volcanoes on a an island in a lake. It requires a bit of effort to get there and you need to be twenty years old but you can rent bikes, horses, stroll up volcanoes, swim in the lake, rent canoes, kayaks and small boats. Thought ab out doing all these things as I sat in the bar the first evening. The second evening I sat drinking and talking to a couple of Canadians, close to my age. As all three of us puffed way, we decided it would be good to be young again.
Speaking of young, I spent a couple of days on a surfing beach in Penitas, Nicaragua. I slept in a dorm with David a 34 year old American who now lives in Quebec. His company sell carbon credits and with the money from people who buy them because they pollute, they plant trees in villages. It is a long term project and it is hoped it will provide an income for the next generation In the mean time the villages are paid every three months to maintain the trees. Only native trees are planted, species that will provide lumber and shade for other plants and wildlife in a few years.
I have met other young people working in clinics, helping to staff small village schools and trying to make a difference. It is good to be out here meeting enthusiastic, caring people. I have given up regretting that I am not one of them.
This morning I had breakfast in a restaurant where most of the staff are deaf and do not speak. The menu is set up so that you can point to things with a red cross through them to say you want coffee but no milk. A sandwich but no cheese. stickers are on the end of the table so you can ask for the bill, toilets, more milk, ice or cutlery. etc.I had a nice plate of yogurt, cereal and fresh fruit. and I do mean a plate. It came with a knife, fork and teaspoon. The same organization teaches people to make hammocks and when you watch them being made, you realise how much work is involved.
It has not been possible to get workaways in the last four countries, but I will apply for some in Costa Rica. I now realise that developing countries do not have rich people who need a new
face or a helping hand. They have poor farmers that don't have Internet let alone know about workaway or they are good hearted people living high on a mountain or deep in the jungle and want to share their dream. Five weeks in a Belize village convinced me I don't have to do that again, so unless things are a bit civilized3d, I don't apply. I don't want to share a tent with three others, bring my own food or dig a latrine..
I hope to meet up with Karen in the next couple of weeks. I leave Granada in the morning on a proper bus to Liberty in Costa Rica.
I have found myself saying on a few occasions "I must be mad" or "Well I am glad I am here, wherever here is" but I am glad to say that the adventure continues. Sorry if the dates are all mixed up. I rarely know what day it is and find it difficult to find a comforatable place, peace and quiet to write a diary or update the blog.
As always thank you for the messages.
Love and hugs.
It is all a blur but here I am in Panama, five and half thousand feet up a mountain with a mad American.
I left Granada, Nicaragua on a Tica bus to Liberia in Costa Rica. Soon after the bus leaves Granada the conductor collects passports. . At the border, all passengers get off and wait on the raised island in no man's land where locals sell drinks and snacks. The conductor disappears and you just have to not worry that a total stranger has gone off with your passport and four US dollars exit fee.
I was glad to see him come back forty minutes later with an immigration officer who stood at the bus door and called out the name on each passport. He checked the face with the name and each passenger was allowed back on . The driver then took the bus five hundred yards to the Costa Rica immigration offices. Here we all got off again but took our luggage this time.
When you cross the border into Costa Rica the first thing they ask you is "When are you leaving?" If you can not produce an itinary from a travel agent or a ticket to show you are going elsewhere soon, they won't stamp your passport. However it is just red tape with a quick fix. You go to the little hut nearby and buy a bus ticket back to the nearest town in Nicaragua. This is scrutinized, no smiles just a stamp in your passport. Miserable lot would not stamp the bears in.
The bus dropped me on the Pan American Highway and I walked into Liberia and spent two nights in a nice hotel. I met a very interesting Italian woman. She is working in a musuem in L.A. on potttery, arts, statues and ancient artifacts. She is a sort of detective and determines their origin and accuracy of their providence. We had dinner together and she left the next morning.
Two local buses took me to Quepos, Costa Rica. arriving about 3.00 pm I checked into yet another small hotel and went off to explore. As instructed by Karen I went to the Best Western Hotel and left a message to say I was in Quepos and would see them in the morning. I was up stairs having coffee in the restaurant when I looked up to see Ray and Gary standing beside me.
A quck stop at the hotel to collect my bag and off we went up the hill to where they were staying. What a road, narrow, rutted, winding and in the dark I had no idea where we were going. Ten minutes later I was being greeted by Karen. The first familiar face I had seen since I left Canada in mid November.
I stayed five nights with them and enjoyed a morning out at the beach, dinner at Ronny's well known for sunset views over the ocean and a couple of hours at a local fair, where Karen and I rode the carooursel and toasted Michele.. good meals and company. It was hot day and night and we all enjoyed spending time in an beside the pool.
Monday morning Ray and Karen took me back in to town to the bus terminal and I was off again to a work away in Panama with a stop overnight in San Isidro before I left Costa Rica. I had been moving quickly to catch up with Karen before she headed back to Aldergrove but now I will take my time as I am back to no plan and no direction.
I travelled on three buses when I left San Isidro, a local bus to the border into Panamma, no stamp for the bears and a roll of the eyes and "OK when I could not produce a return ticket, Another bus to David and the third to Cerra Punto. arriving just as it got dark.
A lady helped me carry the case down a rutted dirt road to Howie's house but it was dark, no one home. Oops. I stood wondering what to do when Howie came down the road. it seems he had not recieved my emails and news that I would be arriving on Tuesday. No matter. I had a quick tour of the place was given clean sheets and Howie went off to the bedroom in the finished house and I took up residence in the second house across the road.
The house has two stories, with walls up on the second floor and holes for windows,. no roof. I have a finished bedroom, shower and lu at ground level, the rest of the space is a work shop. So far I have not done any cooking for a work crew but I have been clearing a years growth from a stone wall, sanded and varnished kitchen counter tops and will do some painting.
It is a very beautiful area, mountsins and hills, clad in pine trees, eucalyptus and native hardwoods. Everywhere you look you see small fields on the hill sides. Coffee is grown under the shade of large trees. The rich volcanic soil produces a variety of vegetables and fruit., potatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, celery, strawberries, oranges, watermelons and some root vegetables I don't know the name off. It seems odd to see oranges falling from trees gowing next to large pines. In the evening you often see the workers heading home with a sack of food over one shoulder. The contents depend on what they have been working on during the day. It must be back breaking to work on 45 degree slopes as they hoe and weed by hand, wearing large straw hats, hoodies or baseball caps.
The nearest town is Volcan., It has developed on a bend in the road to service the produce industry. Eighteen wheelers, rumble by constantly. You often see the shiny tractor parked outside a small run down breeze block house. Sacks of vegetables are moved in pick up trucks but when you see how much is growing it is amazing that it all gets to market or is exported.
The town has a supermarket, a produce shop under an old tin roof that sells watermelons, tomatoes and not much else. several hardware shops, a bank, internet cafe, a few restaurants, auto repair places and a post office that does not sell stamps.
I went into town one day to the internet cafe, but the computer would not read the memory stick and I could not post Scott's birthday card. I have since discovered that the blog update I cut and pasted to the stick has disappeared from my hard drive and this is my second attempt. The recyle bin has emptied itself and I am concerned that poor Little Emu is developing a problem.
Despite a lot of gadgets and flashing lights, the only way to be on line is to use Howie's computer, to stand at the back door, often in high winds, pointing in the right direction and try to read and type while you sit in the dark, or try to read the screen in sunlight, hoping you stay logged in. It doesn't work for me and hopefully I will be able to send from the Quetzales Hotel using their wifi.
It is build like a Swiss lodge, wth small houses near by in the same style. One area is called New Swiss and it seems that people from Switzerland came here about eighty years ago and stayed. The local people are Indians. The women wear a long simple,ankle length shift dress with short sleeves, decorated with ric rack in three rows to compliment the bright orange, purple or turquoise of the dress material.
In Quepos it was hot day and night, here it is cool and I have had to buy a pair of jeans and shoes. It is the wind that brings the temperature down. If you can find a sheltered spot it is very warm. The climate and volcanic soil create good growing conditions but I could not image living here full time. Dirt roads lead off the main paved road to small farms and big houses built by Americans. They often have high walls and iron gates. The locals are now building homes from breeze blocks as they have raised cash from selling lots to Americans.
Howie would like me to stay and house sit when he leaves to return to California on 25th March, but I will be moving on to another work away. Each room of his house is seperate. It is a very strange three story house. I opened a door to what I thought would be the pantry in the kitchen and came face to face with a lu and sink. You have to go out side up and down stairs to get to another room. It has no furtniture of TV or music system.
I worked cutting grass away from the stone wall one day and the next day I had what looked like bites or round red holes all over my lower legs. I assumed I had been bittern or damaged the skin from the sharp grass. What I did not like was the swelling. As it subsided I could see that the skin was not broken, what looked like blood was under the skin and soon the swelling went down. I will never know what it was, I am just glad it has almost gone away.
All is well, apart from no internet and no stamps at the post office,
Happy Birthday Scott.
Wow I am in Panama.
I decided to leave Howie's on the 18th and not stay until the 24th. It turned out to be good timing. Out of the blue he invited six other people to stay. Between the two houses he has only two beds, a large fold up table, plastic chairs and a set of drawers. Four young American men showed up the day before I left and a couple were arriving in the afternoon of the day I left. I had no idea what Howie was going to do with them or where they would sleep. Three of the men had a tent they put up outside, the third man slept on the floor of the living room and the couple would get my room. It was definitely time to leave.
I enjoyed the company of the local children. Some are well dressed and clean in school uniform, others, just run about all day barefoot with grubby faces and big smiles. At first they were shy but when I gave them fruit or whatever was avalable they would come back with other family members. Sometimes seven year olds carried babies in a shawl across their shoulders. They all looked after each other. If you gve one a sweet they would ask for an extra for the child at home. One day I made a big bowl of croutons and to my surprise they ate them all. Sometimes they took their food home, other times they held it and just stood staring at me or watching what I was doing.
I had been exchanging emails with Kipp who has a bed and breakfast on Isla Solarte and let him know I would be available a week earlier than previously mentioned and he invited me to come on over.
I was on the bus to David ( two hours) the next morning, then a bus to Almirante (four hours) and a water taxi to Bocas del Torro, arriving about four in the afternoon. The second bus winds and grinds its way up and over the mountains but at least I did have a seat on the 26 seat mini vans that are used for buses here in Panama. At the top the bus strops at Lake Fortuna, created by a hydro electricity dam. A few huts line the bridge on the dam and people come out to sell produce and snacks. I bought two prepared rings of fresh pineapple but not a bag of onions or potatoes.
A quick stop and we were off again. It is wilderness, mountains, hills and valleys with just a few very small villages or lone farm houses perched on hill sides. Some homes have power, but I doubt they have plumbing. The people must be quite self sufficient and creative, some have probably never left the area to visit the big city of David, two hours away.
Almirante is on the mainland with a system of water taxis to take people to Bocas del Torro. It is on an island but refered to as the mainland. Almirante is a dock town but Bocas is for tourists. It has developed over the past fifteen years, with a main street, restaurants, bars and accommodation. It has half a dozen small supermarkets all run by Chinese families and selling just about everything from salt to shampoo, plumbing supplies to pegs. Many Americans have settled on the islands opening small resorts, bed and breakfast or bars.
One or twice a week trucks come over on a ferry to re stock the town with produce, toilet rolls, beer, wine and anything else that has been ordered. It is really is quite a system. Once things arrive in Bocas they are delivered by water taxi. They are twenty feet long open boats with a tarp or rubber roof on pole supports, bench seats and room to load people or goods.
I spent one night in the town of Bocas, long enough to get to know the small town and realise I was much older than most of the people strolling the streets. I followed directions and was at the dock to be picked up by Kipp's boat man Chingo at 11.00 amthe next day. Forty minutes later I was on Isla Solarte being greeted by Kipp and his dog Zeus. My suitcase was pulled up the concrete path and delivered to my cabana.
Wow what a difference from where I was before. It turns out that the cook / housekeeper had left that morning and I was given her quarters. Very nice they are too. I have a queen size bed, bathroom, table and chairs, two sets of drawers and complete privacy. I am away from the main area of Kipp's house, the three rooms rented to guests, the swimming pool and restaurant area. It is a one minute walk through a tropical garden to work.
If you want to go anywhere you have to go by water taxi, kayak or your own boat. Sebastian the gardener arrives every morning in a dug out canoe. A recent delivery of gravel and concrete arrived the same way. If you never left the city or the main land you would never know about this transport system that is the life line of everyone living here.
I look out over the mangroves, jungle trees and plants. The resort is on an island of its own, even through it is part of the big island. You can't get to anywhere else unless you take a boat as the land is connected by a narrow strip of mangroves. It has two docks, one with a parking area for Kipp's boat where you can jump in and snorkel, the other for water taxis.
I am staying at the Garden of Eden Bed and breakfast. The first three nights had no guests booked, so Kipp took advantage of a quiet time and headed in to David for a break and to order supplies. Karen and Steve had been helping out for a few days and took over when he left. They are an American couple who manage several other small resorts in the area for owners that need a break or extra help.
My first day at work was to help Karen empty every shelf and cupboard to give everything a good clean. We put bottles, plates, pans, dishes, ornaments etc. out on the sun lounges by the pool, on tables and bench seats. We did not get it all put back until noon the next day. It was a good way for me to find out where things lived. The next job was to get the three rooms ready for guests. I cleaned the rooms, made beds and wished I had paid more attention when Kath was showing me how to fold towels into ineresting shapes
My last job was to wander around the garden to collect intersting leaves and flowers for the rooms and dining tables.. Tough job but I managed.I walked by bananas, star fruit, and a lime trees, hibiscus, orchids, a small herb garden, birds of paradies etc. etc. The weather is hot and sunny, with occasional night time rain showers that fill the tanks. The property only has tank rain water and solar power with occasional use of the generator as the solar system was only switched on a week ago and the bugs are still being ironed out.
Guests go off for day tours to Red Frog beach, to visit caves and return for the evening meal.. Karen and I prepare meals, Steve does maintenance and helps out when we need it. We eat with the guests. Last night it was fillet mignon with blue cheese dressing, tossed salad with papaya seed dressing and mashed potaotes. Dessert was a soft cream cheese base with passion fruit. Another night we had chicken in cream and bacon sauce on noodles, chocolate cake with ice cream and bruchetta with cerviche. I will probably leave here a few pounds heavier, but for now I will just enjoy.
I have been out on the canoe, actually had an afternoon nap and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The first guests to arrive for three nights were from the States, the second ones were from England. A young couple, both skinny as sticks, very pale with black hair., shy and quiet. They would not have looked out of place in a hostel in London, both with back packs and very interested in the local wildlife. They were certainly very different company from the late fifties American couple. She had seen and done it all but she did give me a tip when they left.
I am booked to stay here until the end of the month, but things could change and I might stay longer. Kipp is back now and we will see how it goes. Karen and Steve are easy to work with. Kipp is an unknown right now, but he seems easy going. I certainly prefer it to the town of Bocas and at $150. a night bed and breakfast I would not be staying as a guest.
So I have landed on my feet. Never a dull moment. I do have internet so I hope to catch up with news from you all. Thinking of you Marilyn and Larry.
I have found out that sometimes it is almost impossible to get there from here and Columbia being the next country is certainly one of those places. It seems there is a vast jungle between here and there so I will have to fly. I don't have to worry about it yet, so I have no plans or solution yet. Certainly a water taxi is not an option or a ten day tour through the jungle, at least not for me.
From an island dwelling Emu.
I was sorry to leave The Garden of Eden, but it was time to move on. I enjoyed useful work in a delightful setting. Kipp was a supervisor in his past life and was happy to just let me get on with whatever needed doing. I cleaned rooms and got them ready for new guests. I waited on tables, cut and arranged flowers, did some mending and some baking. One day I went into town in the boat to do the shopping, I cleaned shelves and fridges and I washed a million dishes.. Any compost that was created was taken in a bucket down to the end of the dock and fed to the fish daily.
Kipp is easy going and good company. A quiet man who seemed to appreciate me and whatever I did. He was comfortable with the guests who usually stayed two or three days and it was good to get a change of company. Most were Americans with only one couple from England and another from Toronto.
I left the island in the water taxi to Bocas and off to the airport. I had a workaway in Pina near Colon on the other side of Panama. I could have gone by bus and taken about 15 hours or a one hour flight to Panama City.
From the airport I followed instructions and got a taxi to Albrook bus station. It was a cultural shock after the peace and quiet of the island. Hundreds of buses, huge mall, fast food, honking traffic and crowds of people all rushing somewhere. I eventually worked out how to get a bus to Colon and hopped on a comfortable blue double decker bus. Well climbed on really. There is no hopping when you have a case on wheels.
The route was often on two lane highways or a motor way and it zipped along through pleasant green country side. As the bus approached Colon it passed many ten storey housing blocks, with balconies that were not for sitting and enjoying the view, but to string washing.
Colon is a port town, very dirty, falling down buildings, mould stained walls, filthy streets, hot and crowded. I was glad I only had to stay long enough to get a local bus to Pina. Fortunately it was only a five minute walk from one bus to the next. It was certainly not a place to linger or stand out.
The suitcase was put in the back of the crowded old school bus and I was shovelled in the front door to the only empty seat. Instructions by email told me to stay on this second bus until I saw the sign for the house, two kms beyond Pina. That might have worked if the journey had been shorter. The bus rumbled up and over many hills with jungle either side.
Traffic stops for ships entering the Gatton Lock. Passengers get out and watch, waiting for about twenty minutes and then off again. I have yet to figure out how the road crosses the lock as it runs below the level of the water and the lock gates are very near. It seems that if they were to open the vehicles would be swept away by the force of the water. The light was fading as we left the Gatton Lock and continued on to Pina.
Perhaps in the day light it would have looked inviting but at night, definitely not. Occasionally I would see half a dozen street lights but nothing I would call a village. I passed around the piece of paper to the passengers but no one knew where the house was. The driver stopped and stared at the same piece of paper but it didn't help.
Eventually it was agreed by most of the passengers that they knew where I should be dropped off. It was a small hostel and turned out to be five kms from where I should have been. I stood in the pitch black clutching the suitcase and was glad to see a man come out of a small house. It turns out he knew Carlos and called him to say I had arrived. It was one of the few times I was truly grateful for a cell phone.
I had to wait more than an hour and Daniel owner of the small house hacked open two coconuts for me to have a drink and bite to eat. Carlos arrived and took me to the house. I produced the bottle of rum I had been asked to bring and sipped a rum and coke while I was introduced to the other six work aways.
The house only has three beds so people were sleeping on couches, hammocks and a blow up matress. As I had been unable to buy any food I was given breakfast buy a young German couple. That first morning I was asked to do house keeping so I did. We worked four hour shifts and bought all our own food. The second morning Carlos put me with two young men to help them dig up over grown trees. He kindly supplied me with a pick axe and suggested I dig out the roots. The three of us shook our heads at his retreating back.
Later he wandered over and suggested I might like to work in the tropical garden. It definitely seemed like a better idea to me. We walked around and I got an idea of what he wanted. I spent the morning looking for plants to move and put on a crumbling wall, transplanting, trimming dead growth and weeding.
In the afternoon we were free to please ourselves. Most of us went down to the beach for a swim. About four o clock Carlos found me stretched out with a book. I had wandered the beach looking for a spot in the shade and was just thinking, "I wish I had a pillow" when I spotted one propped up against some tree roots. It was in good condition and definitely out of place with the other rubbish washed up. I wondered where it had come from and wished it could talk.
It was plump with foam chips and came in a pillow case. Had it been thrown overboard from a cruise ship, a symbolic gesture from a passenger who wanted to say goodbye to something or someone? Had it been lost in the night from a small fishing boat caught in a storm? I would never know but I was glad of its comfort as I propped myself against a bleached drift wood log.
I had not been day dreaming long when Carlos showed up to ask for a list of the things I had done in the garden that day. When I had finished telling him he told me that the chemistry was not good between us (if he meant we did not like each other I would agree), that I was not getting along with the team. (How can you be a team when you have only just met and you all doing different things) and that he was going to ask everyone to work longer hours. Whatever they were doing was not enough.Then he gave me the sack. He told me I had to go now and he would drive me to the hostel down the road.
I headed back to the house to sort out the food I had brought and share it. The others were shocked and sorry when they heard what was happening. I was given email addresses and good wishes. I spent the night in the dingy hostel no guests. I cooked and shared a meal with two young Argentina women who were couch surfing. One gave me her address and told me to contact her parents when I was in Argentina and I could stay with them for a night or two.
I was on the bus the next miorning with Susie and Thomas, Anton had left the day before so only three people left out of seven. The three of us headed to Panama City and went our separate ways at the bus station. I got a taxi to the old quarter and booked into a hotel. It turned out to be the longest running hotel in Central America. It opened its doors in 1914 but might not make it to celebrate one hundred years. The walls are all white with fans in the middle of the high ceilings probably installed when electricity first arrived. The outside rooms have louvered windows but the inside ones have no natural day light. Light comes from the dim bulbs in the hall way through the wooden slats around the top of the room. You need a floor fan to sleep but it drowns out the morning chorus so you have to get up and open the door to see if the sun is up.
The photos I will send will best show the contrast between the old and new Panama City.
I went out for a few beers with Klaus and Berndt both from Germany and was glad of the company.and the laughs. We all enjoyed the roof top space and views of the water and city. I don't think any of us would have been out at night alone.
I was out waking in the middle of the day and escorted back to the hotel by a police man and given instructions to not go left from the front door as it was very unsafe, to only walk on the main pedestrian street and never go out alone.
Klaus left the next day early to return to Germany, with no time to deal with his hangover, I had a little more time and was feeling better when Berndt and I went out for the day with a driver and car. We went back to the Miraflores locks at 2.00 pm to watch freighters travelling through the locks.
There is a seating area, two coffee shops and a restaurant but not one word about the canal, no photos, no amazing facts, charts or models to explain what you are seeing. The only thing I found out was that the gates in use are original, installed in 1913 and still working well.
Berndt left the next day to fly to Guatemala. I went with him to pick up his ticket from a travel agents and stayed to buy one to Quinto, Ecuador. It has solved the problem of how to get from here to there. I heard too many stories about the boat trip and decided I was too young to die, with many more places to see.
Only this life style puts you in position to go for a drink with two German men and to have dinner with one the next night. Who knows what is next. I am looking at work away and hope to find one as good as with Kipp, not one that involves a manipulative, controlling 40 year old. I take the good with the bad and am happy to say so far it has been almost all good.
The bears were stamped into Ecuador with a smile and a welcome. The immigration officer even asked their names. When I have been a here a little longer I will tell you more about it. So far I really like it. Next time you have a drink in your hand I invite you to raise a toast to the Emu and the bears who made it to South America. Hurray. I think I am on the equator but will know for sure when I head into town tomorrow to look for the marker.
Love hugs and thank you to everyone who reads this blog.
Absent Grandma, mother, sister, cousin and friend.
I hardly know where to begin and will have to consult the travel book to remind myself of how I got here. I have not written a diary for a month as it is difficult to find a comfortable quiet place to write. Propped against a wall sitting on a bed, doesn't work for long The other problem is that I have been on the move a lot lately, with new places to explore, another hotel or accommodation to find, plus where and what will I eat. I do have written notes and hope to catch up one day.
It takes a long time to edit, name or delete the many photos I take and then to decide which ones will go on the blog and which ones to the Picasa albums. Working on a small screen adds to the problem but I am glad to have this computer More about that in the next up date. The blog entry does not include many details of where I am, the people I meet or weird things I see. It would be pages long if it did.
My Spanish is improving I now sound like a three year old. I have given up worrying if I am using reflexive passive or incorrect conjugation of verbs. I just want a beer, a room, bank etc. regardless of my Chinese accent.
I solved the problem of the Darien Gap. It is a huge jungle area in Panama with no roads to Columbia. I had two options, one to go by boat the other to fly. I had heard that the boat was dangerous, very uncomfortable, high risk. and expensve so I chose the easy way and flew from Panama city to Quito in Ecuador.
I did not know how far away the airport was and by the time I had travelled on a bus for one and a half hours to Quito, it was dark. When the bus arrived at the terminal I did what I always do, talk to the driver. He suggested the Windsor Hotel and a taxi. I took his advice. The next morning I saw that the hotel was called Twintzer. I stayed two nights to get my bearings then a taxi to down town Quito, only fifteen minutes away.
The new airport opened in February of this year and is many miles from the city. The old airport was almost down town. It had a reputation of being a challenge for pilots because of the city and surrounding mountains. The next step is to build hotels and accomodation near the airport. Only two exist right now but you can see that the area will change as more are built. If you have an early flight or are leaving late in the day, you don't want to be two hours from the airport.
Another thing I do is to ask people who know an area to suggest hotels or hostels of a place I am going to. When I was in Panama city I got advice from a lady who lived in Ecuador. She suggested I go to the Mariscal area. She was right, it was easy to find a hostel or hotel. They stand side by side, close to a plaza with many hotels and bars. I chose one that did not look like a party house and checked in for two nights. I stayed for eight. It was quiet, comfortable and run by a family who made you feel very welcome. I had one of four beds in a room, no bunks and breakfast, hot water in the showers, TV room upstairs and close to public transport and restaurants.
We were served breakfast by the owners. Some mornings you could hardly see the counter for all the fresh fruit waiting to be chopped up. Scrambled eggs were served with baguettes bought at the corner bakery, with tea, coffee, chocolate, hot milk and water.
I liked the city of Quito, modern, clean with a good bus system. I could jump on a bus and travel up into the hills for 25c to see where the locals lived, pay another 25c and go back down in to the city. (Since 2000 Ecuador has used the US dollar so I didn't have to figure out a different currency.)
I went into a mall and decided that Ecuador was not a poor country. In one part I could have bought jewelery or watches to last a life time. My only problem would be choice of store, Swaroski, Bulgari, Montblanc, Cartier, or Tiffany's. etc. When I had finished draping my self in gold and silver I could shop at Plaza Vendome, Zara, Bellino,, Pelle, Bosi, Pull and Bear, Osbo, Guess and a couple of dozen other places. By then it would be time for a hot chocolate drink or cup of Juan Valdez coffee followed by chocolate dessert, decorated with drizzle.
I should own up to going into the mall in the first place to find the equivalent of K mart to buy knickers. Silly me.
Another day I rode on two buses to get to the middle of the world. I took pictures of the bears either side of the yellow painted line and did not mind that in fact I was 250 yards south of the actual equator according to GPS findings. I got our passports stamped and sent postcards. That was a month ago and no news yet of their arrival.
Eating out in Quito was easy I found a good Indian restaurant near by, with a large menu, all meals served with a giant piping hot nan or big bowl of rice. All the staff and the many family and friends that drop in and out during opening hours all spoke English with the expected accent, but as the restaurant is in Ecuador you would also hear them speak Spanish, I wonder how their accent sounds to Spanish speaking people?
When I returned to Quito I set off by bus to Columbia. Looking at the maps I decided that if I did not go now, four hours north to the border, I just might not get there. It is likely that when I go north again it will be a long flight.
From Quito to Tulcan, four hour bus ride to border of Columbia. One night in hotel. Taxi to border, out of Ecuador, walk over the bridge to Columbia and immigration. It was all very easy with clean streets, no line up and no one bothering you. Easiest border crossing I have tackled yet.
I will eventually catch up on my emails and again thank you for writing and not complaining when you don't get a reply. It does not mean I am not thinking of you.
The next blog entry will be about a trip to the Galapagos Islands. I really was there and it is a diary entry unto its self with photos and even a video.
Love and Best wishes David Attenborough wanna be and was.
It had never occured to me that I could follow in the steps of David Attenborough and go to the Galapagos Islands. I thought it was only for scientists who were studying land or marine fauna and flora.
I talked to a Japanese man I was sharing a room with in Quito and he had just come back from a two week stay. He certainly opened my eyes as he told me about hostels for $15.00 a night, buying food and making meals in the communal kitchen. Who would have guessed. It turns out that if people are willing to visit then the infrastructure will appear.
Twenty years ago there was one flight a week. Now there are three a day. The islands have a human population of 20,000 with a limit of 170,000 visitors a year, two airports, a capital city Santa Cruz, small supermarket,resturants,, hotels, bank machines and a night life. They are 1,000 kms west of Ecuador with flights costing between $400 to $500 plus a $100 envirometal fee when you arrive.
I headed to a travel agents the next moring to see about a flight. His English was very good and we looked at other options. I ended up booking a flight and seven nights aboard the Yolita cruise boat. Two days later I was back at the new airport and on my way. I arranged to leave my suitcase at the hostel and travelled only with my small back pack, icluding my swim suit and snorkel.
The early morning flight gave views of the snow peaked mountains, then through holes in the cloud blanket I could see deep dark ravines, steep hillsides and rivers flowing on the valley floor. The plane with forty passenggers made one stop in Guaquil, and then we were up up and away, over the ocean. Breakfast was a fairy cake pretending it was a muffin, decorated with coconut flakes, tea, coffee or juice.
When we arrived, the luggage was literally tossed off the plane and thrown on to small roller conveyor belt. It was a bit hectic but I talked to some guides who put me in the right place for the Yolita boat. Unfortunatley we had to wait for the next flight for more passengers before we could get on the bus that took us to the dock area.
Fifteen people were loaded in Zodiacs with crew and taken to the Yolita. I was so busy being in awe of the fact I was actually on the Galapagos Islands and watching the sea lions, I didn't realise I should have been on one of the Zodiacs. Other boats were waiting for passengers with zodiacs going back and fourth with people, luggage and supplies. Somehow I figured it out, a message went to the Yolita and they came back for me.
We were shown to our cabins. I shared with Sherry from the States. She was travelling with her son and his girlfriend. It was a good arrangement as I had company of someone my own age and a new friend. We were both happy to sleep with the cabin door open to enjoy the salt air.
From the deck you looked out over rippling aquammarine water, golden, deserted sandy beaches and a clear blue sky. At the stern a row of wet suits were dangling on a line, roped together through the sleeves like a troupe of flat dancers as they twisted in the breeze.
It was a very solid three deck boat and you had to look to the shore to realise it was swinging gently back and fourth on the mooring. We were directed to the dinng area with three round tables laid with linen napkins, cutlery, wine glasses and fresh flowers. Lunch was served with instructions to be ready after lunch to go to the Zodiac for a trip to an island.
It is all a blur, but whereever we landed the low scrub bushes were home to nesting frigates and boobies. We followed the guide along sandy paths and stood only feet away from the birds who completely ignored us.
For three days the sixteen of us in two Zodiacs were taken to different beaches to walk inland, while the guide explained what we were seeing. Other times we snorkled from the Zodiac, or went in from the shore. We visited Kicker rock and snorkled between the high cliffs. It was here that I swam just a few feet above speckled rays and sharks. What a thrill.
By good luck one of the passengers had a very good underwater camera and knew how to use it. He was also generous enough to share all his photos with us. Thank you Peter, how else could I possible explain what I saw swimming above rays.
The water was always clear and cool. An hour snorkeling and I was ready to sit in the Zodiac to mop up the sunshine. Sitting quietly, taking in the views of cliffs, caves, whirling sea birds, the splash of red from frigates, flash of white from diving boobies and white caps crashing against the cliffs.
We swam with wild curious sea lions. As we got in the water from the zodiacs they would lumber off the rocks to swim with us. We saw crabs, sealion pups nursing, land and marine iguanas, nesting albatross and some of Dawin's finches.
Each island has very different vegetation, no large trees but some cacti have developed to look like trees. Tall tough grass on another where the albatross nest. Black volcanic rocks near beaches were home to the sealions, Some islands had stunning golden or white sandy beaches. Some were totally inacceable unless you could fly. Sheer two three hundred feet straight up cliffs.home to albatross colonies.
Every day was different, the only constant was that we started out with a good breakfast, came back for lunch, went exploring in the afternoon and were back for dinner. The staff produced three course meals in a tiny kitchen. The only odd thing I remember I getting was half a tinned peach in a bowl, topped with marachino cherry.
Some nights the boat travelled for seven hours and it was a pleasure to sleep in the cabin bed as the engine ran and the boat rocked gently. As you lay on your side your body weight would lift and sway as if you wee in cradle.
We had an hour ashore in a small town, one night and a strange sight greeted us. Sea lions were everywhere. They clamboured up on to bench seats, streteched out like homelss drunks. They lay in the flower beds of the park, on foot paths and door ways. I can't imagine what brings them off the rocks only a few feet away on the beach.
One evening we watched five large dolphins riding the bow wave. Even though it was dark they created their own light from the phosperescence in the water. I marvelled at how powerfull they were. They seemed to make no effort to just move sideways from the bow wave, flip just for the joy of it and then back to the foaming water for more fun.
One day I was just getting out of the water when Sherry called "Look what's behind you" I turned and nearly fell over a sea lion. He or she was interested in the flippers I had borrowed and like all other aninmals showed no fear, only curiosity. I convinced it to not follow me as I headed up the beach. You just have to talk to them in a stern voice.
On the third night the guide took me aside and told me that the boat would be shutting down for repairs and my seven night cruise would only be four. He offered me a place on another boat but said I had half an hour to decide,
It was all very strange. It turned out that a representative from a travel agents in Miamai had been aboard and said that things were not up to standard and would need repairing immediately. Her company booked passengers three weeks of every month and they paid huge amounts for their cruise.
I decided I did not want to travel on the smaller boat and was going to confirm with the guide when he returned. However, there were four other passengers involved. The five of us had booked for seven nights , everyone else for only four nights. One couple from Austria who had booked the tour a year in advance decided to leave. The two others took the only two spaces on the alternative.boat I wonder what they would have done with me had I chosen to change boats.
The following day a very young man came aboard and gave us a cash refund. No apology, no suggestions for a hotel when we landed, just good bye.
I ended up sharing a room with Sherry as they had two rooms booked following their four night cruise. I was very glad of the company. Justin and Claire went diving one day and Sherry and I went to see the giant tortises (Should that be torti. )We also walked through a lava tunnel, that was quite an experience. At one point we were down on our hands and knees.
It was very disappointing to be on shore. I loved being on the boat, the peace, the views, the meals, the tours and sights. An ordinary hotel was a big let down.
It was too short a notice to book any more boat triips. The Yolita was to take us back to where we started for the flight back to the mainland. It was not until the following day I realised we were as far away from the airport as you can get and it took a while to figure out how to get there. It involved a taxi to the bus terminal, out in the middle of no where. A ferry to the next island and a bus to the airport.
With no good alternative I did not change my flight and returned to the mainland eight days after I arrived. I learned a lot and will probably go back to the Galapagos and stay a while. Any one want to join me. It really is a magical place. The advantage of the boat tour is that you don't see ordinary things like roads, shops, busy streets, taxis and people wandering about. You feel as if you really are walking in the foot steps of David Attenborough and Darwin.
It was is an incredible place and well looked after. You are not allowed to take any food to the islands not even chewing gum or sweets. You are certanly not allowed to pick the flowers, pet the animals or leap off the cliffs like the albatross.
It will be a memory I treasure for the rest of my life. What a marvelous place. The birds and animals really do ignore you and have no fear of people or little brown bears. Wow. I visited the Galapagos Islands. Seems like a dream.
I returned to Quito for a couple of nights then headed north to Columbia. More about that in the next blog.
When I ended up on dry land with Sherry and her family I found that my computer would not open properly. It would get as far as the pinging Windows song and then a black screen. I decded to have it looked at when I got back to Quito or get a new one if need be. I put it in the back pack and forgot all about it. Ten minutres after take off rom the Galapagos Island I remembered where it was. If it had a problem before it was definitley fried now travelling with checked in luggage on a plane that reached 35,000 ft. twice. From the island the plane landed in Guaquil, dropped passengers off and then headed to Quito.
The following day I took it to a repair shop. To my amazement he turned it on and it booted up properly. He looked at me as if to say, another blonde bimbo. I didn't care. It worked, all my diaries and photos were saved and I didn't need to buy a new computer. Back at the hotel, everything continued to work but it would not go on line. I took it to a different shop and was told it had "Conflicto" I returned in a hour and there it was on line. Amazing as the young man spoke no English.
So all is well with me, Little Emu and the bears.
Happy Birthday Larissa.
from Purple Grandma.
PS. Again thank you for the messages and emails. I do appreciate them and will do my best to reply. Just because you don't hear from me does not mean I am not thinking about you.
I flew back to Quito from the dream of the Galapagos Islands and decided to go north to see Columbia. becasue if I continued south it was likely that I would fly back to Canada eventually from somewhere in South America and it would mean not going to Columbia.
I travelled by bus over the mountains on a road that in places just hangs off the side, with ocassional bridges over rivers and valleys. It was stunning scenery, with bare mountain tops, steep fields planted with coffee, orchards, vegetables and corn. I really don't know how anyone can farm on the angle of the land. The other problem I see is getting to the fields. There are no roads, just goat tracks linking fields and houses. They zig zag to account for the slope, so the distance is trebled..
I did not realise Columbia is as big as Spain, France and Portugal combined, while Ecuador is the size of Wales or Nevada. A four hour bus ride from Quito took me to Tulcan, where I stayed one night before crossing the border. I found a cemetery with rows of high walls and small arched insets for ashes. The hedges have been trimmed since 1939. You can look over and see snow peaked mountains.
A short taxi ride took me to the border where I was stamped out of Ecuador, walked over the bridge and stamped into Columbia. It was the easiest border crosssing yet. It was quiet, with no line up, no one trying to help you, even the money changes did not make a nusance of themselves. Another taxi to Impiales and the bus station. I mentiond the town I wanted to go to and was told it was an eight hour journey. Ooops, I bought a ticket to a town half way so that I would not arrive in the dark.
To make a long story short, I rode buses or flew to Cartgena and back to Ecuador. The buses are proper coaches with leg room and good views from big windows. The colectivos are 15 seater vans crowded when they are full, stopping often to let passengers off and pick up new ones. The old rattley bueses are used for short disatnces.
One flight from Medillon to Cartengena, an hour and five minutes was only a few dollars more than a fifteen hour bus ride. Granted you miss a lot of scenery but it is not a difficult decision..
Medillon is a modern city stretched out in the valley with the old part straggling up the hill sides. The city has a great transport system including a metro line and cable car. It has two airports, one with the runway along side the bus terminal and the other twenty miles out of town.
In Cali the taxi driver took me to a hotel, but I don't know what he was thinking The receptionist asked if Iwanted to pay for twelve hours or twenty four. It did not register until I paid close attention in the room. It wa nice enough, purpose built but not for regular tourists. The matress was on a non squeaky concrete base, long mirror along side, toilet roll dispenser within arms reach of the pillow and a framed sign with prices for service and available products. I locked the door and was gone first thing the next morning. I found out too late that had I asked they would have found me a man and added it to my bill. Ah well you live and learn.
Cartegena is a walled city, very hot and crowded. It would have been helpful if the Spanish had thought ahead to the combustion engine,. If they had designed roads for a horse and carriage to pass each other, there would be less traffic problems. It is a tourist destination with buses, trucks, cars and bikes all vying for narrow roads, cobbled streets, archways in the wall and bridges.
I went out for breakfast one morninng and was entertained by a ten week old kitten who didn't know when to give up. He waved prettily with his paw hoping to be friends with the parrot who did eventually convince this curious kitten to leave the premises. You usually have to go out for breakfast. Very few hotels have a restaurant attached and in room coffee makers have not yet arrived.
You would think that in Columbia you could get a good cup of coffee everywhere. This is not so. Mr Juan Valdeez and his donkey would be spinning in their graves if they knew what was offered as coffee in their home country. I grew up with instant coffee and was overwhelmed when Brigitte invited me to go for coffee at a proper coffee shop. twenty questions later I had a hot steaming latte in my hand. I have come a long way since then, I still like instant coffee if I can make it myself, but don't want to drink it in restaurants.
Here you have to ask for coffee with milk and you get a cup of hot milk, a spoon and jar of instant coffee. Some places think they are really classy because they have a coffee machine. They press buttons and serve you a small paper cup of coffee with froth on top. It is always Nescafe or Maxwell House. I have come to think that if it is reasonbly hot, slightly brown in colour and doesn't contain milky skin, it is ok. I find myself looking for a good coffee out lets, Gloria Jean's Hudson, even Starbucks, but they don't exist in Columbia or Ecuador. Enough, back to evenings in Cartegena.
At night the plazas come to life when nearby restaurats set up tables and chairs out side and people gather to eat, play music, sing and enjoy themselves. A ten minute walk outside the walled city is an area called Getsamani. Five years ago it was very run down but money has been invested and it too has small restaurants that set up tables and chairs on the pavement. New businesses have opened up but the locals still live there.
Every evening families bring out chairs and sit outside their homes to catch the breeze. At the plaza in front of the church, they gather to eat street food and enjoy the evening. The local corner shops will sell you a cold beer, flip off the top and of you go to sit on the low wall, drinking with new friends.
My new friends were an odd mix, but lots of fun. One was a short, bright English woman, the other six feet tall, blonde hair, white Californian Muslim. She attracted people like pins to a magnet. They would walk over and actually lift her long skirt to see if she was wearing heels. I am tall compared to most Columbians but she towered over me. She wore a head scarf, long sleeves and skirt to the ground. They were both great company and I enjoyed evenings out with them.
I am back in Ecuador now in small town called Banyos. More about that and why its name translates to toilet in the next blog.
My suitcase only has three wheels and my back is bothering me but apart from those two small problems, all is well. Not sure where I am going next, let you know when I arrive.
Please excuse any errors or repeats. I am house sitting for a week for Elizabeth but internet has been replaced by Mr. Murphy the technical gremlin. I have not had internet since she left and I am in a an internet cafe, struggling with a very worn keyboard and instructions in Spanish. Just getting my thumb drive to open was entertaining. I even had to ask how to get the amersand and found out I had to press the alt. key and 64. I think I learned that before but have since forgotten.
When I was last in Canada I received an application for Canada Pension. I filled it all out and thought that was the end of it. Silly me. I now have to prove all over again that I am Canadiian.. This includes certified copies of all pages in my passport, drivers licence ID card, and proof of when I arrived in Canada over thirty years ago. I have applied and was told it will take eght months. I have also been asked to provide a ticket or boarding pass the for flight to Fiji in January 2009. I am working on that one.
So back to the other world where no forms are required.to an up date and a chance to say thank you to everyone for reading it. I am sorry it is so far behind. Blame Mr Murphy and not having access to wifi or internet
From Columbia I went back to Quito and then started travelling south again to Banos. I stayed a week and took a long walk on a goat track up the mountsins. If I had gone missing the only way to identify me was by my hotel room key. Fortuntely it was not necessary but the bears and I were glad to see a dirt road after three hours of walking.
In a small cafe in Banos I met Elizabeth. We got talking and she was going back to her appartment in Aluasi and invited me to stay with her. She had hired a small truck and driver for the two hour drive, to bring back her belongings and her Rotweiller, Abbey. That was the first week of June and I have been here ever since. She has been away twice for a couple of nights, so I house and dog sit. We have a lot in common and get along well. I have enjoyed her company and having a home instead of a hotel room. It is nice to get up in the morning and make coffee and not have to go out to forage for breakfast. Elizabeth moved here permanetly from North Carolina, ten months ago.
There are no supermarkets but small local shops sell just about everything you need. Walls are lined with wooden shelves and stacked with packets and jars. Small fridges hold the local cheese, flavoured yoghurt, cream and beer. Beans, flour and grains are served from sacks on the floor. In the daily market you can buy fruit and vegetables. The women sit all day shelling peas and broad beans, then pack them in plastic bags.
The one time I bought meat was interesting. I figured out how to say ground beef in Spanish and asked for a pound. The lady hacked off chunks from part of the beast hanging on a hook, weighed it then took it a few shops down to be ground. Easy when you know the system. When you ask for butter the server goes out back and returns with a handful in a plastic bag. It is weighed and a knot tied in the neck of the bag. Definitely fresh.
Saturday the little town of Aluasi is very quiet, most of the shops are closed and very few people about. On Sunday it comes alive with five different markets around town. At the bottom of one of many short but steep hills is the livestock market You can buy a donkey for $40. or some cows, pink or black pigs, sheep, goats and ponies. The easiest way back up the hill is to climb into the back of a pick up truck, sit on one of the bench seats either side and pay 25c for the driver to take you back up the hill. You will travel with locals and avoid the steep walk back.
A large parking area hosts a seperate fruit and vegetable market, the equivalent of Costco. Growers will sell you a sack of potoates, peas, beans, oranges, manderins etc. but you have to go else where if you only want a few pounds. The ground around some tables is heaped with huge stalks of bananas, gray plastic sacks full to the top with tiny red and white potatoes, onions, peppers, broad beans, peas, grain and baskets of tomatoes. Vendors will grind up the grain on the spot and provide you with a variety of flours. Very few things come in commercial bags, spouting nurtritional value or added things you don't actually need.
At the plaza near the church you can buy household goods, brooms, mops, buckets, rafia mats, string, ropes, pots and pans etc. A near by road is closed to traffic and becomes the clothes market street. So far I have been unable to find anything that would fit me. There is a good choice available for the small women and children. Half of it is is locally made the rest imported.
A fifth market can provide you with a local culinary delight. One problem is that it involves buying a live guinea pig, getting it home, puting an end to its life and then figuring out how to cook it. Guinea pig and chips is unlikely. I imagine it is served with rice. I have not tried it and have no plans to.
If you don't want a cui (guinea pig) you can buy live chickens, roosters to train for cock fighting, rabbits, day old chicks and ducklings. You tuck them under your arm then head home carrying a big sack of greens, straw or whatever food is required for your new pet or next weeks dinner. My brother Ken had guinea pigs when we were children and I would no more eat them than horse meat. In fact except for potatoes I stay away from food with eyes.
Now for the local little women.
They wrap braided shiny black hair with flat orange, red or pink trim topped with a black, or dark brown Fedora hat. The hats all have a band around the crown and the women tuck in colourful feathers. This thin strip of colour is just the beginning. Around their shoulders they wear light velvet or heavy wool shawls, held with a kilt or diaper pin. The shawls have no pattern, just a solid colour of fuschia, bright red, dark green, royal blue, purple or navy. The skirts are full in contrasting colours, knee or ankle length with a four inch band embroidered with flower or abstract patterns including sequins that twinkle as the skirts ripple from the hips. Knee length socks in bold colours, orange, pink or green slip into black slip on shoes. wellies or ankle boots. They all wear dangling earings, with loops of pearl beads or gold chain necklaces.
About town.
Dogs wander the street or spend the day snoozing in the sun. Some are mutts but many are well bred and most of them look well. You never see one on a lead. A small white van drives slowly around town with a loud speaker playing old English nursery rhymes, including London Bridge is falling down. It is a moblile laundry service.
The large white rubbish truck patrols the streets daily, picking up all bags put out on the curb before 8.00 am. It also plays nursery rhymes that play in your head until replaced or until they drive you nuts. A team of cleaners armed with brooms, dustpans and barrels on wheels also keep the streets clean.
How to get a baby or toddler in a shawl.
First you put the baby over one shoulder and lean forward far enough to stop it falling down. It will cling like a koala cub. You then stretch out the shawl and with a quick flip send it over your back and under the bum of the child. The two ends are then brought round to the front scooping the little bum into a comfy secure seat. Babies are sometimes enveloped, just their heads visible, but toddlers peer over mum's shoulder with legs dangling down her back. To remove the child, you bend down and let the he or she stand up and remove the shawl, a baby I don't know. I have yet to see a one lifted out.
A couple of women walk round town and we call them the "Pot ladies' they carry up to twenty aluminium cooking pots, over their arms and in a shawl on the back. From the market or shops you can buy furniture, computers, shoes, electronic goods, pots and pans, sim cards and phones, get your hair cut, or false nails added. You can stay in one of the many small hotels or go for a ride on a train. Quito the capital of Ecuador is a three hour bus ride away and Riobamba just over an hour so if you can't get it in Aluais you have two other places to go.
It is safe to walk about at midnight, not that we do. Often in bed by 10.00. We have all the basics, hot water in the shower but not the kitchen sink. ( We boil a pan of water to wash dishes.) a large deck back and front, a micro wave, gas stove and a washing machine. Water goes off most nights after 8.00pm. A satelite dish brings in American TV and Net flicks, which reminded me of Bridgitte and my two other sons. While Elizabeth was away I watched Pillars of the Earth and thought of you Michele.
Aluasi is at 7,700 feet. The locals are sturdy short people and not bothered by the altitude. I have seen a variety of things carried on the backs of small women, including gas tank, sacks of fodder, grain, boxes, vegetables, children and babies.
Street food is cooked on grills, BBQ's or in large steel pots over a gas ring. You can buy plantain (giant bananas) sweet peanuts chips. with chicken or so called sausage. Looks like hot dog, split and curled, maize or potato cakes, kebabs, ice drinks, coconut milk, fresh squeezed juice or a thick white hot drink made from corn. All this food is coooked on mobile stands run with gas tanks or charcoal BBQ's. I enjoy the chips and order them without lettuce, chicken, tomato sauce or mustard. I just like a squeeze of green mayonaise. I think they smush in avocado to make it go further.
For a town with a population of 5,500, Alausi has all the facilitiesincluding a indoor swimming pool, civic centre, seven hunddred seat theatre, auitorium, half a dozen parks, cemetary, banks, sports arena, permanent livestock auction ground, indoor fruit and vegetable market. It has no post office but you can go to a small variety store and buy stamps.
In town no one drives over 25 miles per hour. No stop signs, yield or traffic lights and no accidents. Buses make five point turns to turn left or right. Traffic can also be held up waiting for people to push barrows and carts up hill or herd sheep, cows and goats in the street. In festival week streets are blocked off with temporary bamboo fences, trucks or taxis. More about that in the next blog. It was quite the event and no bulls were harmed. I will also write about a train ride around the Devil's Nose, about dancing with a man who had to raise his arms to put them on my shouldersand the bears first ride on an alpaca.
I will be with Elizabeth until 14th July then I make my way to a work away in Peru. Elizabeth rents a two bedroom apartmentwith three bathrooms, all with shower, lu and sink. It is unsual in that it has a balcony back, front and side with lots of natral light. I can lay in bed and see the mountains or the fireworks. At night when the sky line blends with the land, a few street lights glow high on the hills and look like yellow stars.
The weather is much the same every day about 70 degrees, warm and sunny, very little rain. It is comfortable in jeans and T shirt. Clouds come down the valley most evenings to create fog that last less than an hour. It comes in a band and leaves the top of the mountains clear against a darkening sky.
My computer will go on line if plugged in but not pick up wifi, at least it used to when I had internet here. It is probably time to consider getting a new one and to be sure I back everything up.
Recently all the diaries for the past six months disappeared. I am glad to say I found copies on a thumb drive. They are now on the back up hard drive as well.
All is well. It is good to be in a home and not in an hotel. I can get up in the morning and make coffee, go out for fresh bread for breakfast, fruit and vegetables to make a meal or more chocolate.
The best chocolate is made up in the hills. It is poured out and cools into a flattened egg shape, 8" long. Two of them are put in a plastic bag to be sold at the market every two weeks. It is rich with a hint of coconut and niceer than the shop bought bars. Great find.
I have a workaway booked for the month of August in Peru.
I hope all is well with you. Here close to the equator the weather doesn't change much, but I know it is mid summer in the northern hemisphere and you will be enjoying gardens and summer sunshine.
As always thanks for keeping in touch. I do enjoy getting your news. Glad you got the card Oz. Hi Karen I took the suitcase to the local saddle maker and he stitched the wheel back on. .
Love and hugs from me and the bears.
Hi Every one.
A few days before I left Canada in January 2009, I was honoured and humbled to be the guest of honour at a going away party attended by friends from Surrey Little Theatre. At the party I promised to share my experiences with two little stuffed toys, send words and pictures to show friends and family a part of the world they might not visit and to keep in touch with so many people I would miss. When I don't keep the blog up todate I feel I am not keeping my promise. For this I apologise. Family and friends are the most important thing in my life and never far from my thoughts.
I love getting messages on the blog and know that many people who read it do not leave messages. My son Scott is one and when I spoke to him several weeks ago ( a rare occurence) I asked him if he had read the blog lately. His answer was "No, it is too long but I did look at the pictures." With that in mind I will keep this short.
I am in Peru. The end.
Well that does not live up to the promise so I will add a little detail.
I was sorry to leave Elizabeth's hospitality, generoisity and friendship, but it was time to go south.
I travelled on buses using the maps in Lonely Planet to locate a town within a four or five hour bus ride. I stayed in small hotels and went exploring in the towns.
In the town of Macara at the Ecuador / Peru border I found a new cafe that was achieving something different. There was no rice, guinea pigs or chicken on the menu. They had a pool table in the cafe, books on shelves and board games available. I ordered a coffee and piece of chocolate cake.
Imagine my disappointment when I was told they had neither. I was offered a mug of mocha and a slice of cheese cake. Hurray. Both were delicious and came with two scoops of good chocolate ice cream, with a blob of cream and a marachino cherry. Ah proper food at last.
The following information might explain my outlook on food. Peruvian cuisine promoted to tourists. Of course BBQ'd guinea pig. Pork marinated in vinegar then roasted and served with dried boiled corn. Mashed corn filled with beef wrapped in banana leaves. Chicken broth with wheat.. Ram's head soup. cooked and served with head, feet and inards. with mint. How much mint can you get in a bowl to disguie what you are really eating. Rice with boiled chcken is served for breakfast.
Back to the journey.
A taxi took me to the border, two miles away, where I expected to get a taxi to the bus station in the town, five miles away. I can't think where I got my information from but I was way off the mark. The taxi driver waited for other passengers, while I sat around on the bridge in no man's land. Eventually he told me he would take just me. He had a friend in the front passenger seat, fired up his battered blue car and off we went. We made several stops to ramshackle businesses but no more customers were available.
One stop was to a gas station. The front door was open and arm chairs set out in the dark area that might have been the living room. The walls were mud bricks, sticks and rafia mats. A young man came over with a very large funnel with a rag over the top end. The narrow jointed end was put in the gas tank opening and gas was poured in from plastic buckets dipped into a large barrel. No health and safety officers in sight.
The short jounrey turned out to be nearly two hours. Several passengers were picked up and dropped off. At one point in the front two seats sat the driver, his friend, and a lady with her child.. In the back with me were two men and a third in the back with the luggage. I was glad to arrive,wherever it was and to get a bus to the town I was heading to. It was twenty minutes away on a crowded bus.
I was dumb struck to see that ten minutes out of Ecuador the Andes had been replaced by desert. The landscape was flat to the horizon just sand, a few battered buildings, a couple of small towns, giant sand dunes and a few scraggly trees.
The work away in Huarz didn't work out. The man who invited me never did show up when O arrived at the hotel as requested in an email. A woman on reception had a sister hotel and invited me to go there. I stayed three days as they wanted 6 hours a day, six days a week for breakfast and a bed in a dorm room. I didn't mind the dorm, you get to meet people but I did not want to work 36 hours a week for so little.
By the time I had done a four hour shift for breakfast, I didn't want anything to eat. The kitchen was not clean, washing up done in cold water and the place was a mad house. We served thirty people breakfast and worked our way around the sixteen family members. The youngest was two, didn't speak just grunted or screamed and still using a bottle. The oldest were probably the ancient grandparents. Add to this the radio was playing Peru football games and an old couple were using the old fashioned hand grinder to turn chillis into paste. It was attached to the table with wing nuts, the table jammed against the wall and it screeched like a banchee on every turn.
I applied for another workaway but the room was awful, part of the family area while the hotel was really nice. I arrived as arranged next morning but the young woman who had been so pleased to see me was sleeping and her mother would not let me in even though we had met yesterday and her daughter explained t her why I was there.. Very weird.
No matter I am in nice place now, very affordable, with use of a kitchen, while I decide where to go next. This town is the hub for out door recreation. The mountains are very beautiful but I do not want to go on a three – twelve day hike, to rent shoes, clothes, sleeping bags etc. so I will take some day trips.
The town of Huaraz was almost destroyed in an earthquake in 1970. The answer was to throw up buildings with red or mud bricks. To leave most buildings unfinished and spend very little money on art, parks or clean up crews. Men urinate in the streets, the river running through the town is full of rubbish, big dogs bark at you or just growl as you sneak by their prone bodies. Women spend all day sitting on the curb to sell fruit or veg. set out on a rag. Meat sits out on counters, plucked chickens hang from hooks through their head and I am hesitant tl eat in the small dark restaurants.
I have Cathy Eberts the world's best travel agent looking into flights for me to go from Lima to Brisbane. Time to hang up the contents of my suitcase for a while.
All is well. Ooops This is not so short, but I hope you find it interesting. Photos to follow..
Love, hugs and best wishes from the travelling emu and the bears.
When I left Canada in 2009 I had no idea where this adventure would take me or when I would be back. When I return to Canada is still an unknown, three to six months. but for now the travelling is over. I have run out of whatever kept me going. The main problem is being alone. When I had a workaway place I had company and was in one place for three or four weeks. It was ideal and worked very well. I have met some wonderful people and stayed in places off the beaten track I never would have had access to.
Unfortunately places in Central and South America often involve being tucked away in a jungle, washing in the river, bringing your own sleeping bag, sleeping in a hammock, or working in cities with disadvantaged children. I am not of an age or outlook to be in either place. Diet and good food has also added to the problem. Things are no where near as bad as when I left Asia but the signs are similar, so before things get worse I will close up the suitcase and be still for a while.
I need a new computer and have missed not being able to go on line with Skype and talk to family and friends. Internet cafes provide coffee and wi fi, but as this is not an option I go to internet places that provide computers in very cramped dark rooms, often with loud music playing and not conducive to doing anything but checking email.
All these things have added up and with help from Cathy at Walnut Grove Travel I have a ticket from Lima to Hervey Bay, Australia. It wasn't until I looked at a map I realised just how far I had travelled in almost a year. I leave Peru on 6th September, fly Lima to San Salvador, to LA to Brisbane to Booral where Bob and Kath will pick me up.
I will devour fresh brown bread and good cheese. Eat proper granola with excellent yoghurt, enjoy good company and conversations, not have to look for a hotel every few days and figure out what I am going to do next.
Peru was a surprise. Deserts, vast sand dunes, high wildernesss mountains, deep canyons,, glaciers, snow peaked mountains, poverty and high unemployment. I did discover that just because a map takes up one page in Lonely Planet, you need to look at the at the scale. I don't know how distances are measured but many roads are switch back as they wander up and over mountains.
From Cusco to Lima is a twenty two hour bus ride. Uniformed staff bring you dinner, breakfast and a cup of tea. Many of the buses have two floors. The seats on the first floor recline to make a bed. The upstairs seats cost less and recline enough to be comfortable. It is a good way to get around once you consider the distances. I tried to never to arrive in a town in the dark, then hope to find a hotel.
I was going to Lake Titikaka but changed my mind when I heard that it would be home stays with families on islands, several hours on a bus to get there and having to return to Lima for the flight. I went to Arequipa instead. I was met at the bus station by a young man offering a hotel. It was three stars and I stayed two nights before I moved to The Andes Bed and Breakfast.
I have the luxury of a very large room with high ceiling, a bathroom with piping hot water and a window that opens on to the street with no bars. There is a huge dining area with natural light, a big well equipped kitchen, boiling water availabe for drinks and a small book exchange.
One of the first questions you ask at hotel reception is "Does the room have a window?" Many rooms do not, they are more like cells and as I don't go out at night, I have no wish to stay in a windowless room. I am very glad of cable TV as I can find English and American programmes.
I wander the city during the day enjoying the colonial buildings made from sillia. It is an off white stone and the city sparkles in the sunlight. The mountains and three volvanoes are close by but unlike Cusco the city does not have steep streets and steps. It is a pleasure to walk around until you have to cross a road. Traffic does not stop and pedestrians skip between moving vehicles.
From Huaraz I took a day trip to see a plant that lives to be one hundred years old and flowers only once. The trip continued to the end of the road high in the mountains stopping at a glacier. In the middle of no where people had set up tiny restaurants, with poles, tarps and bits of wood. It actaully snowed as we were at an altitude of 12,000 feet. I couldn't see where the people lived it was a desolate location and cold.I enjoyed the boiled potatoes and egg on the menu.served in a plastic bag. Very classy.
Tourists can ride small ponies to the glacier. Patient creatures, who just plod along ignoring the overweight riders, who sometimes squeal when the pony moves off. No doubt their first time in the saddle.
I booked a two day one night tour from Cusco to Machupicchu. With fourteen other passengers I was driven up and over the wild mountains , stopping in St. Teresa for lunch. The next stop was to the Hydroelectric train station. I was the only English speaking passenger but figured out I was to walk on the railway line with my pack for three hours. No problem. The young ones set off at a good pace, I didn't try to keep up with them as I wanted to enjoy the scenery, watch for birds and take photos. Soon I was alone, not worried because how could I get lost following railway tracks.
I walked until I came to a siding and was instructed to leave the track and walk on the dirt road. Ten minutesl later I was at a junction with no signs and didn't know if I should go left of right. Fortuntately I found a local who turned me around to continue the walk to Agua Caliente. I arrived in the dark, with no idea of where I was staying the night. To add to the problem the town was without power, so I sat on the wall in the centre of town hoping to see someone I recognised from the mini van. With no plan B I continued to sit in the flickering light from candles in restaurants and hope I would be found. It worked. An hour later I was rescued.
It was a 5.00 am start to ge the bus to Machipiccu the next morning. I was on my own again, I just followed the crowds gathering at the bus terminal. Half an hour later we were at the entrance to Machipicchu. The guide stayed with us explaining what we were seeing, then left us to wander.
It is hard to comprehend the scale or why it was built in such a location. I thought of Katy and Kyly who had walked the Inca trail for days and knew I had taken the easy route. The next part of the tour involved taking the train back to the Hydro electirc area to pick up the mini van for the long ride back to Cusco. It was here I reqalisd that if I had not found a local, I would have been walking in tunnels.
So for now adios. Next update from Australia. I look forward to contacting family and friends to say thank you for your support and to catch up on news.
From a weary Emu love and best wishes to you all.
Hi everyone,
Seemed like a good idea at the time and once I had made the decision, it was just a case of book it and go. Cathy at Walnut Grove Travel in Langley, was brilliant. She worked out a route that was long but affordable. emailed me a few times to sort out details and arranged for me to pay with my credit card. I printed out the itinerary, booked a flight from Arequipa to Lima and felt some relief.
I had dose of whatever I had before that took me out of Asia. It is diet related I think. One side affect is that I have no energy. I would go down for breakfast then back to the room for a nap. I had a lovely place in Arequipa for two weeks before the flight, so I found a bakery that sold brown buns, bought butter and giant avocados for lunch. I made meals at night, no white rice or boiled chicken. I bought fresh milk and had hot chocolate twice a day.
I was feeling much better and glad I knew what was wrong and how to fix it. Now I could face the journey Peru to Australia. I left the hotel early as I did not want to be travelling in a taxi at night. I arrived at 6.00 pm for a 4.00 am flight. Goodness knows what I did for all that time, eat, read, write, doze and people watch I suppose. I kept moving around to find comfortable places to sit so no one asked me to pay rent.
I liked Arequipa in southern Peru. I was there for twelve nights and watched three parades. I don't know when any work gets done or how they pay for all the uniforms, police dogs and vehicles. It was quite a sight as I stood with the crowd watching people demonstate for higher wages while hundreds of riot ploice looked on.
I have come to believe that airport lounge designers, walk everywhere, perhaps ride a bike on the weekends and for holidays always go on a cruise. Surely if they took even one flight they would come up with designs that cater to the people that will be using the areas.
Low triangular tables with two chairs on each side back to back, is not a place to sit around for long nor can you have a decent conversation. If you want to plug in something you have to stand by a round pole with a narrow shelf around it. Hardly big enough for Little Emu let alone a grown up computer. OK for a cell phone I suppose but as I don't have one of those, I didn't care.
I was a total of twenty five hours in the air with four flights and fifty six hours from the hotel in Lima to Bob and Kath's. Lima to San Salvador, to Los Angeles, to Brisbane to Hervey Bay. 17,536 kms. or 11,585 miles. Quite the trip and I was glad to arrive. “You must be mad” was a phrase that came to mind but as usual I either agreed with it or ignored it. Both worked.
Two airport stories.
Here in Australia, less than a year ago, bureaucrats in high end offices, sat around a table and decided to change the current regulations. From now on passengers would be allowed to bring in only 50 cigarettes, not the standard world wide 200. Of course you don't find that out until you arrive and declare your bottle and 200 duty free smokes. No problem they have two solutions.
1. You open the carton and remove 50 cigarettes then throw the rest away.
2. You pay full duty on all of them. $80. which makes them not much less than if you buy them in town. Not to mention that you have now paid duty on the 50 you were allowed duty free.
I bought the cigarettes in Lima plus a bottle of something for Kevin and Kyly. I arrived at the departure gate for the next flight to San Salvador with both items in my carry on back pack as my luggage had been checked through.
All carry on bags are checked at the departure gate when I realised the problem. You certainly can't carry a bottle of liquid on a plane but this must be a common error and the reason for checking carry on luggage. They had a quick and easy solution. You remove any items you might want on the flight and the backpack is checked in. Now this would be a golden opportunity to confiscate the bottles and have a party later, but this is not the case. How relaxed and honest is that for a solution and happy passengers.
In one way I am sorry that the travelling is over, but glad not to be on the road. Four things put an end to the gypsy life. Being alone all the time, food, language and no workaways. Now I have to think about what I want to do. I want a base, to settle down somewhere and get a life. Somewhere to hang my hat until I am ready to travel again. It is an amazing and diverse planet, still lots to see. I also want somewhere of my own so that family and friends can visit. I want to pick up hobbies, cook and know when my next meal is coming. I might even learn to enjoy housework. No probably not.
I think Ecuador is the answer. I really liked it there. I have a friend in Elizabeth. Yes it is in South America but Quito is only a four hour bus ride away. I will have no hot or cold bills, air conditioning and heating not required. I will have access to amazing amounts of fresh produce and live guinea pigs for lunch. Who could ask for anything more?
If I don't go to Ecuador, what will I do? Mooch off friends for another year. Tempting but no it is time for me to have my own front door, a garden, sewing machine and to do something useful for other people.
It will be a long haul to research and follow up with what I need to do. Paperwork is a problem and I may need copies of my birth certificate and who knows what else. One of the requirements is to show a pension of $800 a month coming in, I can't do that but I might be able to get a police check for the past five years, if I keep my mouth shut. At least I have a plan.
I am a bit sad, it is all over. A chapter in my life closed but I have learned a a lot about myself, my family and friends. At times I have been lonely. Sometimes doubting my sanity but mostly it was a huge adventure. Full of stories to tell the cats as I sit in my rocking chair.
What else would I have done. Bought a little house in woop woop BC and shivered through the winter, probably spending the same or more than I have travelling. It would have been a life but I think this was a better investment of my time and did not test my sanity as much.
To everyone reading this blog, I want to say thank you. Whether you sent me a message or not, it was good to know that people were logging on to find out where and how I was. When you have your own front door, a phone, a social life, hobbies and interests, you almost take things for granted. Know that I never did and will always remember the messages, emails, even when you didn't get a reply, I knew you were there thinking of me and it made a big difference.
I am now back to reality, where I can use a public lu and not hand over a few coins in exchange for half a dozen pieces of toilet paper. The floor will be clean and dry. I will not be asked if I want to buy paintings or other souvenirs. I will not have to figure out when and where the bus leaves, where I will go next or where I will sleep that night. I can understand conversations I over hear, ask for directions and understand the answer. Kitchens are clean with running hot water and a dozen other little details of daily life.
I can get up and stay in my dressing gown all day. Make a coffee whenever I want. You can't do that in a hotel. I have access to a library, internet and skype. The kookaburras are laughing, the sun is shining and the pool beckoning. All is right with the world.
It certainly was an adventure. I have no doubt it changed me but then I probably needed to change. The people in my life were valued before, now I celebrate you all as national treasures.
The blog will remain open until the contract runs out next February and I will keep in touch with a few updates.
Thank you all again. No longer travelling Emu and the bears.
I hope you enjoy the photos from Peru. Thank you for the birthday greetings, If you have any questions or comments I would be glad to hear them.
Love, hugs and thank you.
Purple Grandma, Liz, Eff, Eve and Travelling Emu
Hello from Down under.
Blue skies and sunshine. When the clouds roll in, we say “Oh good it might rain” but so far not a drop has fallen. The garden is green with many plants putting out new growth for spring. The orange tree near my back door is an exception. It has new growth but it also has blossom, tiny new green oranges and ready to pick ripe ones. It seems to me that is a lot of work for one tree. It does not recognise seasons.
Kath and I have been to the Op shops and I now have new clothes. I have been sewing to shorten a pair of capris and use the cut off potions for pockets. I have started a quilt for Connor and I am knitting for Larissa. How's that for a normal life?
The other day I headed out to cycle the 19kms to town. I was half way there and turned off to wait for traffic to go round me so that I could cross the road and ride on the path. The third and last car to go round me, did not keep going. It pulled up in front of me, lights flashing. A ghost car. A six foot tall policeman unfolded himself and ambled towards me. I knew I was in trouble but was too busy admiring him, not wishing I was taller but thirty years younger.
“Do you know why I stopped? he asked.
“No” I replied, knowing full well and wishing I did not have to lie to a policeman. (Left over from being the child of a British Bobby) He pointed out that by having the helmet on the handlebars and not on my head I was breaking the law and facing a fine of $170. He thought it was a very sensible law. Good job he couldn't read my mind. I was thinking “Who wants to be sensible? Do you know how old I am? I didn't wear one when I cycled in Europe. Why can't I make my own decisions? Flock of sheep“
He got out his note book and asked for ID. I pleaded the ignorance of a visitor from Canada and produced an English driving licence. I was surprised to find it in my purse and hoped it did not confuse him. He asked for my address in Booral but I would have preferred him to ask for the phone number and if I was free for dinner that night.
Eventually I was allowed to continue my ride and was let off with a warning. Now I know that all of you who wear a helmet do the right thing but I have never liked them and plonked it on my head with the straps attached but long so that it fell backwards and nestled on the back of my neck, in the breeze. No matter I was behaving myself as I muttered “Baaa” or “G'day to pedestrians who were unprotected from a fall. No helmets or knee pads in sight.
Change of subject.
I am reading and exploring about having photos on line for sale. I actually read my camera manual. When I bought it in Panama, I charged the battery, put it on automatic and thought no more about it. Now of course I wish it had been on a higher setting. I am learning about light, pixels and what makes a photo stand out. Some of it is in foreign language, at least it uses words I have never come across before. Any suggestions or hints would be much appreciated. (Steve are you reading this?)
I am also looking into starting up a web site to create some income. It is on the back burner for a few weeks while I sort out other things. Again any ideas would be appreciated.
As mentioned I am looking into living in Ecuador. I am trying to line up the ducks so that I have the required documentation in place before I apply. I have to be in Ecuador to do it but so far can find no official list of the ducks. Like the photography I will keep going until I have what I need.
Now that I have a link I will be able to apply for an extension to stay in Australia until March. In order to find the link Bob called a government office in Canberra. and as arranged it arrived in my email box. Why is it not on the web?
I frequently have brain freeze, not related to a slushy drink but too much information. Still better than being bored. Mental challengers just might stave of senility.
The adventure might be over, but as I am still not settled anywhere, this is a welcome break from living out of a suitcase and dealing with every day things I had not thought about before.
Two things have cropped up from messages, emails and phone calls. 1. I sound wistful. 2. Relief that I am in a safe place.
In some ways I am sorry it is over, so many other places to see and things to do, but I just did not have what it takes. When I have a base I will travel again and invite you all to stay with me. My turn to give back. I was never in serious trouble but it was a life style that required thinking and fortitude. A poor attitude could affect situations and leave me downcast. I was always touched by people living in poverty who had no hope. Perhaps they were content, perhaps they were just too busy getting through the next hour to have dreams or ambitions. I knew that whatever I was dealing with was temporary and would soon change. For many people this is not the case. They have few if any options.
For now I am enjoying the luxury of getting up at odd hours, being able to make a drink and go outside. I can hang things in a cupboard or put them in a draw. I have company but a space of my own. Great combination for us all. Some evenings Kath and I play Scrabble. We are well matched and enjoy the games. together.
I will be back in Canada in March. My first stop will be to borrow some warm clothes and head to the Thrift shop. Flip flops, shorts and T shirts are daily wear here with a light top in the evening.
The next photos will be from Arequipa and Machipuccu. Both places seem seem far away and in another life time. I went on a day tour with fifteen other people, all Spanish speaking to see a glacier and a plant that grows for one hundred years, flowers and dies. It was quite the climb up and over the mountains. Sometimes on paved road, often on narrow, winding dirt roads. We stopped to see the spring water and the ancient plant, then onwards and upwards to the glacier.
Four hours from Huraz, the starting point we arrived in a desolate, cold, windy mountain valley an hour walk from the glacier. I was dumstruck to see a pink toilet block with attendant taking money for toilet paper. Tiny restaurants, with sticks and tarps for roofs and walls, plastic chairs and two tables, provided staple food, boiled potatoes and eggs in a plastic bag. One woman was bundled up in layers of skirts, and shawls, propped against a low stone wall knitting, while her child played near by. She was still knitting when it started to snow.
Ponies were avaialble for anyone too lazy to walk to the glacier. Tired, patient, creatures carrying wooden saddles and tolerant of the screams and yelps as people were startled by the first few steps. I couldn't figure out where or how the people lived.
Authorities had built a sturdy wooden hut, complete with windows as the administration office for the lone windmill near by. but everything else was ramshackle. It felt like the end of the world. When the clouds came rolling in and the snow started falling, it looked like it. I am glad I went on this tour, I could not have imagined the mountains, winding road,desolation or that people would be at the top to provide services.
All is well.
With love from No longer travelling Emu and the bears.
Hello from sunny Australia.
Karen wrote to me to tell me she had read my essay on the blog. Is that what it was? I thought I was rambling. She did not say if she liked it or not and I have no idea if anyone else has read it but now that I know. I like the sound of it and will write another.
As I am a wimp with very few clothes, going to B.C. in December is not very appealing. No problem, do what I did before, go on line and get an extension to my three months tourist visa. Ha.
I spent an hour going round in circles on the government web site. I could find no where to go for an extension. Pages about all the different visas available, how to choose one, a link to estimates of visa costs and a paragraph that informed me these costs do change. If the price goes up after you have applied, they will not assess your application until you have paid the difference.
During morning tea, Bob listened to my muttering about bureaucracy, then made a phone call. Half hour on hold after pressing several numbers he eventually arranged to have the link sent to me. Ah progress. (Have you ever thought how suitable the word bureaucracy is, hard to pronounce and even more difficult to spell)
I was required to provide information on eighteen pages. I could find no way of saving it part way through, so when I had to find information, it would time out before I got back. On about the third attempt I got to the end to discover my credit card had a problem. Time for afternoon tea with some alcohol.
As requested I phoned the credit company the following day. An eighteen hour time difference means you can't phone immediately. Thank goodness I was able to talk to a human being. It turns out I had put in one wrong number from the three on the back of the credit card. I was surprised this had been recorded but glad to be told everything was OK and to try again. She obviously did not know about the eighteen pages prior to credit card entry information.
After much muttering the process was completed. Hurray, time for more tea and treats. The following day an email arrived from from the government of Australia, Department of Immigration and Citizenship
Notification of grant of a Bridging visa
I wish to advise that a decision has been made and a bridging visa has been granted on 03 October 2013 to each of the applicants listed in the attached Bridging Visa Grant Notice(s),which contain important information about your visa.Please keep a copy of this letter and the Bridging Visa Grant Notice in a safe place for your reference.
I was a happy camper on two accounts, I could stay until March and the government of Australia was $335. richer. I had a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing I had contributed to a good cause. When you are managing a big island every bit counts.
Imagine my surprise the next day to get another email to tell me that I now had three days to arrange a chest exray to confirm I did not have TB. It seems that accepted now means received. They did not account for the fact, that the three days included the weekend and a bank holiday. More circles to find out where to get the exray taken. More phone calls, more long waits. It looked as if I would have to go to Brisbane, 350 kms away. I explained the distance to a faceless voice who did not see the problem. More phone calls until I found out I could get it taken here in Hervey Bay. Why does the left hand not know what the right is doing?
Now the fun begins or should I say more torment. I could not make an appointment until I had a HAP number. Whatever that was. More phone calls, more on hold until I had what was required to jump through one more hoop. By now I could have got a job in the circus.
Yet another faceless voice had a northern England accent and a kind heart. She told me the request would be passed to the correct department and I would hear from them in a few days. I explained about the three days and she promised to send me what I needed immediately. One step closer, I thanked her profusely then hung up my headsets.
The official letter requesting action within three days asked for date, time and location of exray appointment, but gave only a general information number and no email address linked to the person who sent it. I crossed my fingers and sent the confirmation as a reply to sender email. I had no way of knowing if it would reach the right person. The worry was that I had been seen to do nothing and the application would be thrown out or buried deep in the pile.
One of the messages you hear constantly when on hold is “You should apply for your visa in good time” no mention of the fact that you could be dead and buried by the time it is sorted out. If you are lucky you may just need to shave your legs again. How times flies when you are on hold.
If TB is a problem, why do they let you in, then ask if you are healthy. I suppose if a chest exray was necessary before you could visit Australia, the tourist rate would plummet, better to deal with it after the fact, more strange logic. In the mean time income is created for clinics and hospitals who charge $100 for the exray and form filling.
Speaking of forms, at the clinic I handed over the required pages plus two passport size photos. This was quite unnecessary, despite being the current information on the web site. It seems the system has changed yet again and all paperwork is now done on line by clinic staff. A large old fashioned screen was unrolled to provide a white background for the radiologist to take my photo with her little point and shoot. Like me she didn't know why I could not just stand in front of a while wall.
It was all new to them. I smiled when I heard one say “We are going round in circles” as they tried to follow instructions. I knew that feeling. I was asked for a phone number as they were not sure it had been sent. There were no instruction to explain what a grey screen meant when they hit send / enter / or do something.
I had been back an hour when I got a phone call to say I was now in the system. Certainly more efficient than the government department. I have no idea if they are looking into the application or if they have all gone to Tonga Tonga for time away from red tape and forms. I cringe but I might have to make one more phone call that will take up an hour of my life and do damage to any grey cells I might have left tottering around between my ears.
Being in the system is like being on hold but you can get up and do something useful while you wait. More tea and cakes or have a swim comes to mind. So for now I must wait the ten days until I hear if I have been granted an extension or been refused as I am riddled with TB
Why do I have three days to respond and they get ten working days?
Is it not heart warming to know that government departments now work closely with each other across the world to insure the public gets similar treatment no matter how they dress, where they live, religious differences or sanity level.
Confucius or was it Road Runner declared it wise to learn something new every day. I have learned how to smile, thank someone profusely through gritted teeth while sitting on my hands. Very useful.
Note: I have made no mention of the bears, so if they have TB this is the end for them. They are on their own.
Thanks for reading. Please send comments, insults and ideas to the bears before they pop off.
Good news: I now have a visa that will allow me to stay in Australia until 6th March. I can only assume I do not have TB as there was no mention of it in the reply. The bears are still on their own. No ex rays no news.
I am a bit more comfortable as I have been slowing undoing the knot in my knickers. I have written to local and federal members of parliament and a tourist magazine. No complaining if all you do is talk about it. Time for action.
There is a form to be completed that states “Please list all the family members that are NOT coming with you.” The drop down box offers you every relative you might have, from grannies to nieces to children and distant cousins. Surely this is a mistake and just might be fixed. However when I called I was assured it was not a mistake but it would be OK to only mention my sons. All the madness was creeping into my head and I vowed to go bike riding the next day.
I set off at 7.00 am the morning to visit the market. It was still cool and I wore my purple cardigan. Ten minutes later I needed to remove the cardigan to fix the overheating problem caused by cycling up a slight hill and being over dressed. Except for wearing the cardigan in the first place it was reasonable thinking so far.
Then it all went to pieces. Perhaps it was at this point I decided it weighed fifteen kilograms. Instead of putting the offending garment in the almost empty back pack, I decided to hide it in the long grass to save carrying it. The tottering grey cells overcame the idea I would forget to collect it and decided to pick up the next piece of string I saw. My luck was in. Before I could forget this good idea I came across a piece of bright blue baler twine. I wrapped it around the handle bars, tied the ends in a big bow. I couldn't miss it or the sad reminder that it was necessary.
I spent a pleasant couple of hours wandering in the market then headed home. The blue bow grinned back at me. I shook my head at the very first sign I am now sixty five. I might forget a few things but my ability to pretend was in good working order.
Hands up if you think I rode by the cardigan in the grass?. Don't you love it when you are right. Back at the old homestead, I leaned the trusty steed against the wall and with a flash of inspiration knew why a blue string bow grinned back at me.
Morning tea beckoned and being too lazy or stupid to set out again, I followed the sound of coffee and cakes being set out. Until tomorrow, the cardigan was going nowhere, nor was I.
It was an effort to face my stupidity but with no one else to blame, I set off the next morning, helmet swinging from the handlebars, wind rustling in my long blonde hair (another dream like image) tanned muscled legs pumping (second dream like image) to the end of the dirt road.
Naturally with no camera I missed several photo opportunities. A large red pirate kangaroo hopped out of the bush, eye patch in place and cockatoo on his shoulder. The parrots it seemed not willing to play his silly game. A wombat carrying a kola were investigating the strange purple mass in the grass. A magpie tried to undo the bow on the handlebars and three police cars drove by, occupants smiling and waving, with no mention of the helmet not in good use.
Just another day in Booral. Back on the bike, purple cardigan around my waist. I wondered about the secrets of the over night diet. The cardigan now weighed just a few ounces I replaced my brain batteries and headed home. I vowed there and then I would not go out without them ever again.
The blue bow adorning my hair is a simple fashion statement. Certainly not a reminder to replace brain batteries on a daily basis.
I would love to hear your stories of forgetfulness and how you deal with it. Age is not a factor, so “I am too young it doesn't happen to me” can not be used as a valid excuse to deny the ocassional lapse or foray into stupidity.
Thanks for reading.
T E TB free
I have a new title: “Mother of Captain.” It all becomes official in a few days. Kevin is oh so matter of fact about it, but I am so proud. Scott got Employee of the month award. Hurray. He is working through an apprenticeship to be a qualified electrician. He can walk to work to the high rise building in Vancouver. I just love skype.
Just when you think some things don't change Bob and Kath sell their house. Contracts will be unconditional in a few days and we will be out of here 19th December. I will miss staying in the granny flat. I have my own space with a bathroom, wifi, large screen, access to coffee day and night. I don't disturb them when I keep odd hours and I have company. It works well for us all.
I have an extension to stay in Australia until 5th March. I will stay to help them move, pop down to see Sue and Lloyd, return to house sit for neighbours and their dog, then off to Sydney to visit Ken then back to Canada.
Bob and Kath have made arrangements to have a house built in an adults only complex, looking out on to a man made lake. The house will be finished by early April. Until then the site management has offered them a house to live in. They have assured me I will not be homeless. Kind generous people that they are. Still, being homeless is not new to me. I actually miss wandering around, new sights and places to see.
Up dates:
Ecuador: I have no news on moving to Ecuador. I have to be in the country to apply, so I am working on getting paperwork done. I have to show a regular income to qualify for one of the visas, not yet in place but a light is shining at the end of the tunnel.
Canada Pension: I do not receive a pension because I have to supply a piece of paper called Verification of Status. I applied to Victoria in July. Recently Michele sent me notice from them that I had not completed the form and I had to start all over again. The eight months it takes starts now, so it will be June before I hear anything. Why does it take so long? I just need a copy of the information on record on the day I arrived in Canada in 1980.
I have written to Qantas and the newspapers about poor service and rude telephone sales people. I did mention that I thought their motto “Spirit of Australia” needed to be in line with their past service and reputation. Charging $2.50 to use a debit card when you book a flight, seemed a bit mean spirited. This is a small charge compared to the $250. to change a flight and a further $80 for a service fee. I don't expect to hear from them, but I did not tell them that. No more Qantas flights for me.
Stock photography. It would have been easy to give up but I inherited a stubborn/ determined streak from Kevin and so I continue to learn about stock photography. I have had no photographs accepted, but that is no surprise. I am competing with people who have far more knowledge, fancier equipment and sometimes a background in photography. Still you won't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket. I frequently wonder what I have got myself into but you have to start somewhere and I am certainly wiser than I was.
I have made Christmas cards and will post them at the beginning of December. The shops are full of Christmas decorations, gifts and loud speakers trilling the joys of snowmen and cozy fires. The British influence remains. The criminals might be going straight and changed their ways, but Christmas continues as it always has in England.
Summer has arrived and it seems a bit over the top to be seeing advertising in shops to buy your turkey and ham in good time. I have even see brussell sprouts for sale. Without a frost on them, no thanks. they taste like sour cabbage. Generations of Australians have never seen snow, a robin or enjoyed a a cozy night round the fire but this theme continues. It even includes hanging lights around the house.
What will you be doing for Christmas and the New Year?
I decorated a train and blocks Bob made for Connor and I have been knitting for Larissa. Christmas will be in March when I visit them.
The birds in the garden provide endless entertainment. A pair of Butcher birds bring their young. The youngsters sit on the tiles at our feet while the adults hop onto the arm of the chair to take food out of our hands. They then drop to the floor and feed the gaping squawking mouths. Mickey birds have nested near by and didn't bother to move when I took photos of their offspring sitting on a branch.
The days are getting hotter 27 C most days. Mid summer is 21st December. There is very little difference in the number of day light hours. We make good use of the pool and enjoy the breeze that comes in from the ocean.
We might get a few mangoes from the large trees in the garden. The season starts around Christmas. Some rain has fallen, enough to green up the grass and to set the passion flower to producing flowers. As I am house siting in January across the road, perhaps I will be able to share the bounty with the new owners.
Must finish now I am off to pick oranges from the busy tree in the garden, to make marmalade.
I am working on a piece called “Why you should not live with your children” It will tell the story of three woman I have got to know since staying with Bob and Kath. It will make your hair curl.
All is well.
I recently went out to lunch with six women. I was the youngest and the oldest was 87. One was happily married, one happily living alone and three with nightmare stories of living with adult children. There was much laughter around the table and sympathetic clucking noises as we listened to tales of woe. Somethings are not funny at the time but mature and turn into stories that make you reflect on how good your life is.
Pour old soul one had moved in with her sixty five year old daughter. It seemed like a good idea to rent a place together, share the bills, daily chores and have some company. She had brought up nine of her own and one adopted boy. (later she found out he was the result of her husband's fling. One of many, flings that is.) The daughter applied for and got carers pension to look after her mum. Simple so far on paper. However, her daughter is looking after her own grandchildren, working part time and is not often home.
The daughter she set up home with has three children. One of them grew up to be a nurse and went on to have six children by six different fathers. Now this woman has a football team of grandchildren. Oh my how the family grows. One of the grandchildren has children of his own and expects this woman to take care of them when it suits.
She used to be a kindly, gently loving old lady, now she just says “No” If that does not work she invents places to go, people to meet and classes to attend. At 87 she still has all her wits about her. However her off spring still drop in, empty the fridge, eat any treats she has bought herself and ask for money. It is not the peaceful life she had envisioned. One cure she has is to go to lunch and tell stories of relatives who drop in and don't always get a warm welcome or invitation to stay for a bite to eat..
Pour old soul two is at that in between stage. On her next birthday she will be eighty. She enjoys the peace and quiet of living alone, eating what and when she wants and enjoying her favourite soap opera with no interruptions. A small car gives her the freedom to pop into town for a change and enjoy breakfast at a fast food outlet. The breakfast treat comes with a free cup of tea or coffee. Total spent $2.00 with the opportunity to meet friends, enjoy the local newspaper and people watch.
When she stays with her daughter in the big city, a week is long enough. When she talks about going home the daughter gets crabby. She thinks her mum should not be living alone and is abandoning her and the grand children. (yes her forty something daughter has problems of her own).
The daughter seems to think that her mum should not mind that her bedroom at the top of a flight of stairs is not a haven. She needs earplugs to blot out the noise of her sixteen year old grand daughter and boy friend in the room next door. When half a dozen teenage friends show up, shrieking and giggling as they throw themselves in the pool, this woman has no where to go.
Her daughter being quite out of touch with reality, recently bought a pure bred pup. Perhaps she was trying to replace her husband who left six months ago. On top of the noise and chaos this woman was asked to take care of the pup, including instructions to wipe its rear end and walk it every twenty minutes. Needless to say this did not go down well and the request was greeted with a firm refusal to do something now that she had never done before.
She cannot sell her house and use the money to move to a smaller place with facilities near by. Several years ago it was handed over to her daughter and son in law to prop up their business. It might have seemed like a good idea at the time but it now leaves her with no security and only one option. To move in with her daughter permanently when her family home of thirty five years is sold. In the mean time her daughter will not speak to her at all. She does not return phone calls and recently ignored her when she passed by in the mall. All because this woman prefers to be in her own home.
Poor old soul number three has a fifty four year old son on a disability pension, ( back problems). He has had several costly relationships with young women from the Philippines. He brings them back to Australia but they are not issued with visas to stay long. In between trips to the Philippines. he stays with his mum in her small rented flat, where he is fed and receives cash handouts.
The rules for receiving the disability pension have been changed. He can now only be out of Australia for six weeks and not three months. He brought his latest girlfriend from the Philippines to Australia on a six months visa. A week before she was due to go back he married her. She can stay but she cannot work. In order to help her son this crazy lady, let her flat go and now lives with her son and his wife on twenty acres of rented property out in the boon docks.
The son has a job driving trucks at a town one and half hours away. He goes off five days a week and leaves this woman with his sweet young wife of twenty seven and struggling with English. She still has her car and can meet up with friends for lunch just before she completely looses the plot.
Speaking of which, what happened to these once intelligent women? Why are they still rescuing their adult children? Why are they going along with things that put them in a position where, they have little freedom, no peace and quiet and appear to now look like piggy banks. Why do they not just say “Thanks for the offer, I have thought about it and decided to stay where I am”
So beloved and treasured sons of mine, feel free to invite me to live with you. The answer will be “Thanks for the offer, I have thought about it and decided to stay where I am” In my case I have no idea where that might be but you get the picture.
Yes sometimes you do give your children a helping hand, but you don't prop them up and wonder “What next?” They have their own lives to lead, their own mistakes to make and their own joys and achievements to celebrate. Let them get on with it. We did and look at us. The good, the bad and the down right stupid. Be honest, which category do you fit into?
We are now in the new house living in surbia. Instead of it taking an hour I can now cycle to the library in fifteen minutes However I will miss the swimming pool, the mango, orange and tangerine trees, the passion vine and the quiet. It will take some getting used to. Bob and Kath have made me feel at home. I have my own room with seperate bathroom and toilet. I intended to stay with them for six weeks but once the house went on the market and they got offers, I stayed to help with the move. It seemed the least I could do after all they have given me.
Most of the furniture was moved out by strapping young men in big boots and shorts, wearing the company orange T shirt and safety vests. That night Bob and Kath moved into the new house but I stayed on for three nights for the clean up. The new owners had bought the queen size bed in the granny flat and the sofa. I kept milk cool in an insulated bag so I could have coffee every morning with fruit cake for breakfast. I had an evening meal with Mary across the road.
I will go down to Brisbane to visit Sue and Lloyd, 5th January for ten days, then back to Bob and Kath's for a few days. Before the house sold I promised the neigbours I would house and dog sit for them, while they are away on a cruise. The move and house sit leaves me no time for workaways or to see more of Australia. From the house sit I will go to Sydney to stay with Ken and his partner. I will be back in Canada around the 4th of March.
Christmas week is mid summer. Roads, trains and planes are busy with people going home for the summer holidays and Christmas gatherings. It is not a good time to travel, so I am happy to be here for a quiet Christmas. I do feel sorry for Santa. In the northern hemisphere he is glad of his warm red fur trimmed suit. The fat trembling stomach holds up his trousers and keeps him warm. Big black boots keep his feet dry and the pointed red hat with bobble protect his head from snow storms and cold winds.
It is quite a different situation for him here. He has to make an effort to be jolly as his body overheats and sweat trickles down his brow. The constant sunshine makes him squint. Instead of a glass of milk, he would rather have a cold beer. Me too. The kangaroos are reluctant to take the place of reindeer. Hopping across the sky dragging a sleigh is not the easiest thing to do. They would rather be in the shade of a gum tree.
The British influence just does not seem to go away. The shops are full of heavy, sweet Christmas puddings, mince pies and hams. Most Christmas cards portray dainty robins in snow scenes, homes lit with glowing fires and a freshly cut Christmas tree. Shop shelves are lined with baubles and decorations for the tree. People out Christmas shopping wear shorts, summer dresses, sun hats and sandals. while Santa looks on enviously.
I am typing up this blog entry on Kath's computer. Before we left Hotel Booral, Bob was dealing with Telstra the national carrier for landlines and internet connections. One day he was on the phone for three and a half hours trying to get the connection hooked up in the new house. He dare not hang up as it is impossible to talk to a human being. He was given the run around, told lies and still did not get an appointment for the change over.
A few days later they went to the mall to talk to a person at the Telstra booth. To their amazement they could buy a very small box, take it home and have interent as soon as this magic box was plugged in. It worked. Why was he not told this was available by the people who kept him on the phone for so long. It is all the same company but the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.
Little Emu refuses to recognize the connection so for now I am unable to go on line unless I use Kath's comuter when they are out playing golf. A minor problem.
As a result of writing letters and sending them by the old fashioned mail system, I did get a response from Qantas. Someone from customer care phoned me. I could hardly get a word in edgeways as she blundered on about how Qantas strives to be the best it can be. Wants all the passengers to be happy etc. etc. She offered me a pass to the Qantas lounge when I next fly with them. I accepted but when I put the phone down, I did not feel like a valued customer. The pass had cost them nothing. I would have preferred an upgrade.
In the mail I was sent two lounge passes with a two line note to wish me a Merry Christmas. I thought the second line was a bit thoughtless. She wished me a safe flight. Does she know something I don't? So now I jojn the ranks of many others who will no longer fly with Qantas.
Things just might change drastically as the flying kangaroo, symbol of Australia is struggling with debt. People prefer to fly with Virgin, where you get what you pay for plus service with a smile. A so called expert was brought in five years ago to turn the compnay around. He has been paid $15,000,000 over the last five years plus bonuses. What is wrong with this picture. Newspaper reports that Qantas executives say for things to get better the compnay needs to reduce the number of pilots, in flight staff, baggage handlers and behind the scenes personel.
Enough. The point of this blog is to wish you all a
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from down under.
I look forward to messages and wil reply when I am on line again. Love and Best wishes to you all.
Sorry it has been a while since I posted anything on the blog I have been with Bob and Kath for four months. The move went smoothly and we all had to adjust to living in surbia. Kath and I sat outside each afternoon and played our own version of Scrabble. We would be interupted by the neighbours so close we thought they were in the garden.
Neighbours across the road have small children. Their son has temper tantrums, running out into the street or open garage yelling and screaming. He soon gets over it and is brought inside where the noise is muffled. It was a pleasure to see the children out on new bikes for Christmas. No one near by had a New Years Eve party. We were in bed by 10.00.pm.
It made me think of all the parties and social events that were planned or just happened in the Langley house and garden. I miss you all.
I spent ten days with Lloyd and Sue in Brisbane (Lloyd is Winnie's son). I worked my way through the list of things Sue wanted finished, played in the garden and enjoyed a day out with them in the rain forest in the hills around Brisbane.
One morning Sue and I went to the Brisbane market. We came back with boxes of mangoes, blue berries, advocados and tomatoes. Thin slices of mangoes were soon in the drier, tomatoes were cooked with onions ready for any dish that might require a tomato based sauce, the blueberries were turned into a delicious thick sauce for pouring over ice cream but the avacodos were inedible. They looked fine but as they ripened each one was brown inside.
I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the market. Hardly a wihte face to be seen and so many dfferent languages. Prices per box are chalked on the pavement outside the roll up door sheds and prices drop as noon draws near.
Another day we visted the recylce shop. It carries all sorts of things left over from manufacturing, printers and small businesses. You never know what they might have for sale or when you just might find the very thing you are looking for. Interesting place.
One afternnon much needed rain was delivered from a storm complete with lightening and thunder. The gutters soon filled with leaves and as we did in Booral it was up a ladder to clear them so that the water would fill the tanks. Rain here comes down in sheets and doesn't last long. You don't ever get drizzle or cold wet days.
There has been no rain for a couple of months or more here in Booral. The trees manage with their deep roots but lawns are no longer green. Apart from low level dams on properties, brown lawns and a few drooping shurbs, you would not know the area is in drought.. It surprised me that giant mango trees set flower and produced tons of fruit ready for picking by Christmas, all without a down pour.
If you took a giant spoon and scraped a hole 30' x 20' in the garden, this would be a dam. It looks like a pond and is lined with plastic. Run off water drains in to it and provides water for wildlife and plants. Many are stocked with yabbies, a small lobster like creature, good to eat when cooked on the BBQ.
You can tell the season from regular visits to the local markets. I buy acid free pineapples from a woman selling them out of the back of a pick up. She twists off the tops to plant for the next crop. They are sweet and juicy, great for a base for sweet and sour sauce. Very different from a regular pineapple. In September just about every stall holder has oranges, October tomatoes, December it is mangoes and passion fruit. Yam, potatoes, pumpkins, pineapples and bananas are always available. It is an easy way to eat what is in season that has not travelled far from field to table. Unlike the super markets that actually sell grapes and oranges from America. No thank you.
I am staying in Ingoff ad Tia's house for ten days while they are away on a cruise. I walk the dog in the morning and feed the fish. So far I have got it right and not taken the fish for a walk and drowned the dog. I like house sitting and don't mind having to figure out where everything is. I can keep strange hours with regard to sleeping and eating and not bother anyone.
I have been working in the garden, cutting back bouginvilla that was so over grown you had to drive through it to get to the garage. It has tough thorns and I am surprised it did not do damage to the paint work. In the cool part of the day I am spreading mulch. It has sat here for a year since the Hydro people trimmed trees and put the branches through a shredder. Not much gain in getting free mulch if it sits in a pile. It is a wild garden. I would not tame it if it was mine but I would take better care of it and enjoy the plants and wild life that find a living here. Cicados click, chirp and buzz in the eveing and ghekos find their way into the house. They are welcome insect catchers as they run up and down walls. I have seen no snakes.
I do see flat, dried mini pizza cane toads on the road. I have no sympathy when I think of the damage they do to native Austrlain wild life. They were introduced about fifty years ago in the hope they would eat a beetle that lives in sugar cane. It turns out they can't jjump high enough to get the so called pest, so cane growers did not solve their problem but did introduce another. The cane toads have no natural enemies and are poisonous to the birds and small animals that eat them. They have been hopping and croaking their way northwards in plague proportions ever since.
I have made mango and tomatoe chutney by request. I share an evening meal with Mary next door. We are two displaced Canadians. She speaks with her sister in Toronto every week and we shudder at the weather on the east coast. Speaking of snow, picture this; a little girl of three and half with her feet in tiny boots attached to skis. I spoke to Kevin recently and he tells me he has been sking with Larissa twice. I would love to have been there.
I would not mind arranging to have four regular house sits for three months at a time that roll from one to the other. It would solve the problem of being homeless. As this is not going to happen I will be gathering the paperwork to move to Ecuador. At least I have a plan. I leave Australia after a month with Ken in Sydney, then a visitwith friends and family in B.C. then England. I have to be in Ecuador to apply and need all my ducks in a row before I arrive.
Travelling in Central and south America seems like a dream. Was I really there? Must have been. I don't have the t shirt but I do have the photos and memories.
Still drifting and un hinged I again thank you all for your support and friendship.
All is well. Thanks for the messages. Send me your stories of celebrating Christmas and New Year.
Love and hugs
G'day everyone.
It was hard to say goodbye to Bob and Kath and to leave Hervey Bay. Kath took me to the airport after one last game of Scrabble. She is like the sister I never had. Thank you both for your warm welcome, generosity and weepy farewell. (Bob didn't cry but Kath and I did) I will miss you both.
It was a pleasant uneventful one hour twenty four minutes flight with Virgin to Sydney. You fly over miles of empty stunning beaches, over a few small towns and look westward to what seems to be an empty dry land. The colour changes as you approach the Blue Mountains, the hills are draped in dark green trees, some dry river beds and a few homesteads. No doubt there is life down there nuit from 35,000 feet it is not obvious.
Ken and Don were there to meet me. To my surprise they were at the gate and we walked through a huge shopping area to the luggage carousel. Ken put my case on a set of wheels and we walked twenty minutes to Mascot train station. It cost $17.60 each way if you stay on the train from Mascot and go to one of the two next stops, the domestic or international terminal. This adds up if you want to see people off or pick them up. Walking to Mascot is a good solution to keeping costs down.
Don (Ken's partner) gave me a bunch of Gerber daisies, hugs all round and soon we were at the two bedroom apartment they rent close to Meadowbank raill station. Don had cooked an Indian meal. He is from Sri Lanka, speaks with an Indian accent is easy going and friendly. They live in one of many three story blocks of flats with private houses and gardens across the road.
Ken and I went out on the bikes exploring Sydney using cycle paths and staying out of the traffic. We visited Homebush and Olympic Park. It was deserted and hard to credit you were in the middle of big city. We cooled off riding in the fountains.
I enjoyed The Brick pits, what a strange place across from the Olympic stadium. A giant hole was created when bricks were made to supply the need of the growing city. When it was closed down it was decided to keep it as a wildlife refuge to give a home to the Green and Golden frog. It is prime land and good to see a frog habitat saved and development stopped.
We could not find a cafe, so ended up at Costco for lunch. We had a chicken and avocado wrap at the indoor car park restaurant. Very weird. It got stranger. The next day we went to a temple and listened to a half hour service of hari krishna chanting. Custom says you must stay for a bite to eat. I was very surprised to be served with a huge serving of rice from a bucket with vegetable curry and several side dishes. What is next I wondered.
The public transport system includes, buses, trains and ferries. Trains and ferries will take your bike so it is a good way to get around. From the flat I can walk to the local shops, it looks like a small town high street built in the fifties. Some areas have a distinct nationality, Korean, Chinese, Indian, Sudanese or Vietnamese. The shops sell fresh food, canned and packets with no English on the packets or even above the shop. It makes it interesting to browse and be able to make different dishes.
I can also walk to the library, a park, corner shop and two train stations, ferry wharf, all within five to ten minutes. Asian faces out number white ones and everyone seems to get along; . There is always a babble of different languages and accents when I am out. I also enjoy the different smells drifting from windows and up stair wells as tenants prepare meals
Ken and I went to the Qantas head office and I delivered a fourth letter along with copies of the previous three. We spoke to two customer service executives who came down out of their ivory tower, listened politely and told me somebody would call me tomorrow. I did get a call but nothing changed. I did not feel like a valued customer and vow to never fly Qantas again. It would not surprise me to hear in a couple of years that Qantas did not get a bail out and will folding up their hangers.. Holden the national car company will be closing its doors soon as will a large fruit canning company.
I walked over Sydney Harbour bridge one morning and rode the ferry under it in the afternoon. The Opera house photos were taken from the bridge and from a ferry. I went out as far as Richmond one day, the end of the line. I talked to five young women who had been on the colour run. They looked a sight but that was the point. They were running to raise money for cancer. On the route colour is thrown over them. They had to wear a plastic bag neck to knees to keep the train seats clean. They were energetic, cheerful young things. A pleasure to talk to and to know that young ones are out doing good things.
All is well. I look forward to seeing some of you in March.
I was a month in Sydney with my brother. I visited many places by train, walked over the Harbour bridge, visited famous areas in the city and enjoyed a day out with new friends to Wiseman's ferry. We had a picnic in the park and drove through some beautiful country side. The ferry was started in 1836 to ship cattle and produce across the river. It is now used for half a dozen cars and pedestrians.
On one tree trunk in the picnic area I saw the shells of cicados. I have never seen the live insect but they are to be heard day and night chirping in the trees.
I spent time at Paddy's Market. It is an indoor market where you can buy souveniers, clothes, luggage, sunglasses, clothes, shoes, drried fruit and nuts, spices and local fresh produce Ken and I visited a local supermarket that turned out to be a trip around the world. It wasa treat to wander the aisles and to read labels. Dried, pressed, sealed, squashed pickled fruit and vegetables from all over the world. French jam, Japanese sweets, Turkish red peppers, Italian olives, coconut oil. It was well laid out, clean and classy. The one surprise was that a tin of Australian pineapple was three times the price of a fresh one.
You too can travel the world without leaving home. Next time you have five minutes read the labels on the tins and packages in your kitchen to find out where your food is coming from. You migt be surprised. In Michele's pantry I found a packet of golden crry sauce from Japan.
I stayed at John's house for a couple of days to feed his ancient cat while he was away in Melbourne. I am glad to say did not die on me.
There are only twenty four hours in a day is not always true. I was up at 5.00am Tuesday morning. Ken Don and I walked to Meadowbank station and got the train to Central. As we waited on the platform, Don suddenly took off. He was back five minutes later with a cup of coffee and two chocolate bars. He handed them to me and I quickly withdrew my arm as the train doors closed. It was the best cup of coffee ever and once again I was touched by his thoughtfulness. My next stop was Sydney International terminal where I checked in my case and headed to the Qantas lounge.
I enjoyed several cups of coffee, breakfast items from the buffet, not including the baked beans, toast, muffins and pastries. I thought it a pity to see the only fresh fruit were apples and oranges. The rest were tinned or dried. The butter that came in individual packs was very soft, perhaps because it was from Denmark and not on ice. Why does Qantas not serve Australian butter. The dried apricots were probably from Turkey and the tinned pineapple from Thailand. All very strange.
No matter it was a good place to wait for the flight and I was glad of the pass. It was given to me by Qantas Customer Care Service in the hope that I would forget the poor treatment I had received over the simple activity of changing the date of my flight.
Unfortunately I did not get an up grade to Premium economy as it was full. There was a note on my file that popped up when I checked in and arrangements had been made to block out the seat beside me no matter where I choose to sit. The plane was late taking off due to a technical fault. This is not very reassuring when you are on the tarmac hoping to leave soon. Knowledgeable mechanics fixed the problem and we were up and a way only half an hour late.
When the lounge passes arrived in the post they came with a two line letter. The first line to tell me there were there and the second to wish me a merry Christmas and a safe flight. I thought that was an odd thing for an airline customer care staff person to wish a customer. I wondered if they knew more than I did.
Qantas has been in the news for the past couple of months. They are the national carrier and struggling. A new Chief executive was brought in and paid $3,000,000 a year for five years plus bonuses . His work resulted in big losses. A recent newspaper article announced they would be reducing 1,500 jobs at head quarters. How many people work there I ask myself. When Ken and I dropped in to hand deliver my fourth letter we were amazed. It has a four story atrium with glass walls, turn style for the staff to get in and up the very wide stairs all visible to the public, What opulence is there behind the scenes and on any of the floors making up this expensive high rise office block. How many are left when 1,500 go or will they be shifted sideways, given short term contracts or treated in some other devious way to get them off the books to help turn Qantas around.
Back to my long Tuesday.
We touched down in Los Angles fourteen hours later and it was still Tuesday, 6.30 am. I did not have time to enjoy the Qantas lunge in LA Like a flock of sheep all passengers are required to stand in line and shuffle through US immigration, collect our bags, then check in for the next flight. This took an hour and a half. The next flight was with West Jet, two and half hours to Vancouver arriving 2.30 pm still Tuesday. I found my way round the sky train system and was at King George waiting for Michele at 4.45pm.
It was a cold wait as I was not dressed for cold wet weather. To make matters worse there are no public toilets at the stations. Why is this? Waterfront is a glorious building, tall arched roof, paintings in the panels, dock for the sea bus, entry to Vancouver with the Pan Pacific only a few yards away but no toilets. I was so glad to see Michele we were soon at her house and it was 6.30 again still Tuesday.
I had no problem going through security with a large box of chocolates in my carry on. Don and Ken had given them to me the night before. The put in a note that made me cry. It was a great visit and I was sorry to say goodbye.
I had promised Scott a bottle of duty free. He is lucky to get it. I did not buy it when I left Sydney, thinking I would get it in LA. It turns out that you go through to the gates for the West Jet flight to Vancouver but it in an area where all other gates lead to cities within the US. Internal flight passengers do not buy duty free. Luckily one small duty free shop had been set up in the corner and as promised I bought some thing liquid with alcohol. When you arrive in Vancouver you pick up your luggage, go through immigration and out into the street. No duty free available when you arrive, only when you leave.
Today Michele and I went to the Op shop and I bought jeans, a jumper, pair of socks, a warm top and a belt. Now I am ready for the cold weather. I will soon be used to having cold tiles when I go bare foot, cold sheets when I get into bed and a cold wall when I lean on the shower tiles. My shorts will be tucked away for now along with my flip flops.
I will get some paper work sorted out, get more information on going to Ecuador, get to know my grand children, catch up with friends, meet Scott for dinner and perhaps his birthday.
I shake my head that I am back in Canada. All is well the bears were stamped out of Australia and into Canada. I think they have more stamps than I do. They are glad of the jumpers I knitted for them.
I am off now to get a hair cut. See you soon.
Love hugs and shivers.
It is so good to see family and friends. It is still the gypsy life with never a dull moment. I stayed with Michele a few nights. First stop next morning was for warm cothes. Two days later dinner with Scott. Friday I was off to Brigitte's in the old neighbourhood. We spent a day sorting out costumes in the mezanine at Surrey Little Theatre where I acquired more warm clothes. We played in the garden moving plants and trimming others. I am very familiar with her garden and remember putting in many of the plants. It is a pleasure to see Brigitte enjoying her garden and now quite an expert.
Mary came over with coffee cake and told me all her news. It included that she is now a grandmother and glad to say all her children have finally left home. Brigitte and I had dinner with Liz. What good conversation as we sat round the fire. I agreed with Liz when she said "What a good evening, three old broads with history and easy in each others company, chatting the night away." I had dinner with Katy and Bob. They sent me home with the best goody bag ever, a Guinness and chocolate cake. Another great evening with varied topics of conversation and pictures of our grandchildren on the fridge.
I am house and dog sitting for Adam for a few nights while they play in Whistler. If it stops raining I will go down and chat with the chickens. I might discover if the rooster is exhausted or frozen to explain why I have not heard him crow. I will then go to Terrace to introduce myself to my grandson and get to know my grand daughter all over again. It will probably be cold in Terrace but a change from the wet grey days here in Vancouver.
I shake my head at the development and changes in the Langley area. My memories are a snap shot of when I was last here and many things are oh so familiar but then in the blink of an eye I don't know where I am. There is now an overpass for the train track near the old house and a roundabout. Another overpass is being built in Langley. It looks big enough to launch a rocket and includes roads that change from two sleepy lanes to four fast ones with new wide junctions and traffic lights. Huge new modern buildings to house car dealerships, office workers and more shops. Residential housing springs up like mushrooms, bringing new people into the area with constant traffic.
I miss the buzz of Sydney, bits of unintelligible conversation in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and everywhere in between. I enjoyed having access to the transport system on buses, trains and ferries. It was quite astonishing to wander in shops where you did not understand a word on the boxes or labels of imported food or to see vegetables that looked as if they came from another planet,
The choice of fresh fruit and vegetables is endless. Most of it grown locally in gardens or small farms. Immigrants have opened up cafes and coffee shops combining their traditional food with Australia meals.
All these things are available here in B.C but it is winter and I see many things imported from the States or Mexico. It is something to adjust to after being out of Canada for nearly a year and a half.
Now some Food for Thought:
Why does organic produce come in plastic bags with high gloss non recyclable labels.
Why does the list of ingredients in a pot of yoghurt contain up to a dozen items
Why is the print so small and blurry.? It does not improve much in good light wearing reading glasses. I suspect the makers do not want you to know what is in it.
Why is there a water shortage in the lower mainland and for all I know in other parts of B.C.
When did the phrase perimeter shopping become fashionable?
Why is organic milk sold in plastic jugs.
Does any body really buy porridge, spinach or custard in a tin or mashed potatoes in a clear plastic container.? Why does homemade soup come in a waxed box?
What has happened to the good old wooden spoon and washing up bowl.
Enough rambling. All is well if a bit soggy and cold. Next stop Terrace then England.
Hello friends, family and readers of Evelyn/Liz/TravellingEmu,
This latest entry is being written from Terrace BC, where she was staying for the last week on one of her many family visits. After spending time with her friends and family in the Fraser Valley she arrived in Terrace on Thursday to meet her second grandchild for the first time. After all the exotic, tropical locations she has travelled in the last few years of this amazing adventure, she fell ill and passed away very unexpectedly only days into the visit.
The weeks before were surrounded with loving family, playing and going for walks with both her grandchildren, for whom her suitcase was full of homemade toys and presents from her latest expeditions. With such a large percent of the last 4 years spent travelling around the world seeing and experiencing other cultures and places, she still managed to be home with family at the end. Wherever you are in the world, please say a prayer and have a Guiness for her.
Information on funeral services will be posted here.
For more info contact her sons Scott and Kevin at kgreen_5610@hotmail.com
Dear friends and family,
I would like to start by thanking everyone for your offerings of support during the past weeks. Mum as always been a great judge of character and with so much help from friends and family that definitely shone through in these difficult days. I know she would have been proud of everyone and I am certainly glad for a guiding hand when I’m not sure where to turn or what to do.
Her service will be held at the Aldergrove Legion hall on April 29th at 2 Pacific Standard time. I know Mum's friends are spread out all over the world and will not be able to attend in person. Scott and I are currently looking for suitable options to include you and will post any arrangements we are able to make on the blog.
As I'm sure most of you know, Mum was very quick to help anyone around her in need. At the service, we will be asking everyone do a random act of kindness or help someone around you in her memory.
Sincerely,
Kevin Green
To all Mum’s friends spread across the world that are not able to attend in person.
Unfortunately we are unable to do a live feed of the service as we had hoped. We hope to have a recording posted to the blog shortly afterwards.
Please do check the blog for further information or stay in touch.
Thank you,
Kevin
Hello all,
Thank you to everyone that came out for the service. There was an overwhelmimg turn out of support and a record number of Guinness pints consumed. I did attempt to record it for all those that were unable to attend, but ran into some technical difficulties. I managed to get the first 20 minutes, unfortunantely missing a very memorable speech by Michele that was eqaul parts laughter and tears, and a slide show put together by Kevin and I that definitely resulted in more of the latter. The volume is low but here is a link to what I did manage to get:
Thanks again,
Scott and Kevin