TravelStream™ news feed for member chrislewis7 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/chrislewis7 en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Sun, 08 Jul 2007 04:01:44 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/se_asia_-_2006/1163988000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/se_asia_-_2006/1163988000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/se_asia_-_2006/1163988000/tpod.html Sun, 08 Jul 2007 04:01:44 -0400 Part 1 of my trip from Bangkok to Hong Kong overland. Passing through Cambodia, the whole length of Vietnam, Southern China and finally Hong Kong.

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Hanoi, Vietnam

My last day in Hanoi before I join my new group and we head off towards China. I still had a lot to see and I paced quite a bit in. Up early and off to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh is currently in Russia for his yearly wash and brush up but Madame Tusauad's had done a good job and they had a good stand in. The whole visit was an experience. The area around the Mausoleum was sealed off and before we could enter we had to hand over over bags and cameras and then go through airport style security. We were then taken in single file about 100yrds down to the entrance. There were scary looking guards all round. We then passed through the Mausoleum which was built of 3ft thick stone throughout. We went through at a slow pace, but there was no stopping, no talking and in fact you didn't dare do anything much at all. The Vietnamese in front me started crying and stopped to savour the moment but they were told to keep moving in no uncertain terms.

Afterwards we passed the Presidential Palace which Ho Chi Minh only lived in for a few years and then on to Ho Chi Minh's House which he moved into and spent the last 11 years of his life because he wanted to live simply like his people. Next the One Pillar Pagoda and on to the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Lots of newspaper cuttings and inspirational words from Uncle Ho along with some arty stuff to signify the struggle against the oppressors etc.

The Museum of Ethnology next. This is dedicated to the 54 different ethnic groups that make up Vietnam and also a bit about the country's history. The facial looks, the distribution, Costumes, House designs etc. The most interesting part was an area devoted to the period from 1975 to 1986 when Vietnam was under the Subsidy Economy. The most surprising part was the introduction; 'The period of the "Subsidy Economy" has been known as a time of hardships, when mechanism for socio-economic management was inappropriate, causing privations in people's material and spiritual life. Material life was poor due to a sluggish and inefficient production system, but the constraints also applied to people's creative and spiritual endeavours.' I think that's about as close as a Communist Country gets to saying we got it wrong! Everything was controlled by the state. Food was rationed and people could not even own a bicycle unless officially sanctioned.

There was also an open air-exhibition of the houses of 15 of the different groups. All the house had been constructed by the groups themselves on the site using traditional methods. It was great to wander around and being a big exhibition it was easy to find peace and quiet and get away from other tourists.

My last stop for the day was the Temple in the Restored Sword Lake which gave great views around the lake. Did a bit of shopping, had another nice meal and headed back to the hotel. I've had a great time in Hanoi and Mai Chau between my organised trips, it's a pity I have to move on.

My trip continues in my next TravelBlog. Through Northern Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.

Check out www-chrissy-lew.com for more detailed coverage of my trip.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nepal-1999/925772400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nepal-1999/925772400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nepal-1999/925772400/tpod.html Sat, 23 Jun 2007 10:25:20 -0400 Charity Trek in the Himalayas for Whizz-kidz.

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Towards Camp 2, Nepal

Up early, woken by a porter who brings a cup of tea and a bowl of water to freshen up. This is a regular thing every morning.

Another hot day. I decided to stay at the front of group, with the younger and fitter group members. We set off at a decent pace. I felt quite good, but I did appreciate the frequent breaks and the umbrella. After about 2 1/2 hours we stop for lunch and then an easy 2 hours to camp.

In the afternoon we laze around in the sun, play some football with the porters and wait for the rest of the group to arrive. The last few arrive about 3 hours later.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nepal-1999/925761600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nepal-1999/925761600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nepal-1999/925761600/tpod.html Sat, 23 Jun 2007 10:24:59 -0400 Charity Trek in the Himalayas for Whizz-kidz.

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1st full day trekking, Nepal

The Sherpas, Porters and Kitchen Staff deserve an entry all to themselves.

Everything, the camping gear, and the trekkers kit apart from day packs, food, water, beer, is carried by flip-flop wearing porters. Sherpas wear walking shoes or boots and don't carry anything except their day-packs. Sherpas who have worked at high altitude on mountain climbing expeditions are held in particularly high esteem, especially if they have summitted a major peak. One of out Sherpas had been up Everest 3 times.

The porters come in all shapes and sizes but none of them are very big. Yet they are practically running up the track some carrying one of our 20kg backpacks, some carrying 2! Some of them porters are girls barely into their teens. One girl in particular hung around the out lead group of trekkers throughout the trip. Running along in her little pink flip-flops she was a little star.

On the trail most of the porters race on ahead to prepare camp for our arrival, while the sherpas walk with the trekkers, constantly keeping tabs on our well-being. Captian Tek brings up the rear ensuring that every one of the trekkers safely makes it to the next camp.

The heat can be debilitating, and it is very important to take in plenty of water. At camp, the sherpas serve the food prepared by the cooks and kitchen boys, and wake us each morning with a cup of tea, and a bowl of washing water.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168909200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168909200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168909200/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 05:09:49 -0500 One month trip around both islands of New Zealand.

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Invercargil, New Zealand

The Catlins area is the accessible stretch of the coast line at the very southern most end of the South Island. Next stop Stewart Island and then it's Antarctica. A couple of months ago a 3km long iceberg came within 50kms of the coast! We had amazingly good weather but there was still an icy wind blowing, and it was really blowing. First stop Nugget Point (see picture). Pretty little spot, very rugged, fur seals on the rocks etc.

We did a couple of walks along the coast, walked up to a waterfall and into a small lake. Just soaking up the scenery and checking out the wildlife. I loved it but some of the short attention span 'kids' got bored. 'There is nothing to do down here' etc.

The area is also the main sheep farming area of New Zealand, about 10 million of them in the area. There are everywhere. To think New Zealand had no mammals at all until the Europeans came, it must've been a very empty place back then.

The Curio Bay stop was fantastic. One of the best places we've been so far and we were so lucky with the wildlife. Curio Bay is famous for 4 things. A pod of Hector Dolphins (the smallest type), fur seals, yellow eyed penguins (the rarest in the world) and a fossil forest.

First up we spotted a couple of Hector Dolphins, playing in the surf. Riding in on the waves. A few days before the guys on the bus went into the water and the dolphins swam around them. We were going to get changed and jump into the freezing cold water, but by the time we were down to the water they had disappeared so we aborted that plan.

So we headed off with a local guide down to the fossil forest. It is an ancient forest that was engulfed by a volcanic eruption which must've been at the perfect temperature so it didn't burn the forest down. Instead it encased the trees. After tens of thousands of years of earth movements, erosion etc the fossilised trees are now exposed amongst the rocky shoreline. Amazing.

Just as we got down to the beach we saw a yellow eyed penguin jump out of the sea, take a look around and start walking up the beach towards it's burrow which was also right up towards us. We sat down a watch it waddle and hop its way up the beach and over the rocks. There are only 6 breeding pairs in the area so we were so lucky to see one.

We then walked along the beach and there was a fur seal basking in the sun. We got quite close and then sat and watched it for a while. Now and again it would stand up, turn over or have a huge yawn. The only problem was that we were down wind of it and its breath stinks of fish!

We spent the evening in Invercargil. They call it a city over here but it was the most dead place I have ever been to. We hardly saw a car, hardly saw a person. The place was deserted. It really was as if there had been a volcano warning or something and everyone had left town. But the evening wasn't a total write off as I got my first decent western meal in New Zealand. So far all we've had has been pretty awful. Stopping in one horse towns where everything is deep-fried and served with chips. But tonight it was a couple of roasted lamb shanks with some herby mash and veg. It was gorgeous.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168822800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168822800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168822800/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 05:04:52 -0500 One month trip around both islands of New Zealand.

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Dunedin, New Zealand

The Edinburgh of the South with a climate to match. The drive across from Queenstown took up half the day but to a few on the bus it seemed like a lifetime. Last night was the last night together for our group on the bus down the West Coast before we all head off in separate directions, so a few brevvies were consumed. I was feeling pretty good this morning but Dave, Cat and especially Alma were in a pretty bad way. In fact we had to make a couple of unscheduled stops for Alma ;-)

The scenery changed from rugged mountains around Queenstown to more rolling hills as we went through Otago to Dunedin. A bit like a trip from the Higlands of Scotland to the Lowlands. We're on a smaller bus for this trip. A mini-bus of 20 rather than than the bus of 50 going down the West. 20 is manageable maybe I'll get to know some names rather than calling everyone Mate.

Once we go to Dunedin our driver did a little City Tour to get our bearings and show us the sites. We're leaving again early tomorrow morning so not much time to get a feel for the place. We made a stop at Baldwin Street. According to the Guinness Book of Records, 'The World's Steepest Street'. We jumped out and walked to the top. Every year they have a race to the top and back down again. The record is 1 min 54 sec. We took a little longer. The street is 161.2 metres long and rises 47.22 metres. (1 in 3.41) But at its steepest it is 1 in 2.86.

After checking in we had the choice of a Cadbury World Tour or a Speight's Brewery Tour. We the majority of the group still feeling worse for wear Speight's was a non-starter. So Cadbury World is was. Cadbury have a near monopoly on chocolate and confectionary in NZ. 80% of all sweets eaten over here are Cadbury. The tour covered the history of chocolate (first made by the Mayan people) and the process of making chocolate. A glass and half and all that. Being Sunday the factory wasn't actually producing anything but we did get to see a huge chocolate waterfall and do a bit of product testing.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168679400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168679400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168679400/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:56:58 -0500 One month trip around both islands of New Zealand.

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Queenstown, New Zealand

Today we did the short trip from Wanaka to Queenstown. The drive down is spectacular running along the river in a narrow deep gorge. On the sides of the gorge are the remains of Gold Mining towns from the 19th century.

The main activity for the day is the stop at Kawarau Bridge 'The Home of Bungy'. The first commercial bungy jump, the A.J. Hacket original. I had decided well before I got there that I was not going to do one. Never really grabbed me, I could have done it to say I'd done it but there are a lot of other things I rather do. Anyway about a dozen people from our bus did the 47m jump with an elastic band attached to their ankles.

We hit Queenstown at about 3pm. The weather started to close in again (the sunshine could never last) so I turned it into an afternoon of paperwork. Booking the buses, hostels and stuff for the remainder of my time in New Zealand.

We may not have had great weather in our trip down the West Coast but it didn't seem to discourage the sand flies. The little ankle biting bastards. They're only small and you don't notice them on you until you feel the bite. I've got off quite lightly with a dozen or so some people have a lot more. The bites don't flare up the same way that mosquito bites do but they still itch like hell for a day or two.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168650000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168650000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168650000/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:55:59 -0500 One month trip around both islands of New Zealand.

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Wanaka, New Zealand

Started the day off with another disappointment. Again I almost went up in a helicopter for a scenic flight around the glaciers. Lovely clear skies when we woke up. But the first available flight was at 10:05 and by 9:30 the clouds were rolling in so I cancelled, jumped on the bus and we headed off towards Wanaka.

It was about a 6 hour drive but that included loads of 20 minute stops for little walks to waterfalls, pools or just great view points.

The journey took us over the Southern Alps, when glacier cut valleys, tree covered hills and snow topped mountains. It really was the best scenery of the trip so far.

Once we got to other side of the Alps the weather was instantly better. All the rain gets dumped on the west side of the range and Otago side is a lot drier. Wanaka is a lovely place. Situated right on Lake Wanaka with the usual hills and mountains in the background.

The late afternoon arrival gave us time for a little look around, a great Thai meal (my first decent food in days, down the west coast the scenery may be great but the food is crap, everything deep fried and with chips!)

If I was coming back for an activity based holiday this would be a great place to stop. All the usuals are on offer but it's a lot smaller and less hassled than Queenstown. The locals fear though that it is slowly going the way of Queenstown and it will one day be taken over by the backpackers.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168563600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168563600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168563600/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:54:33 -0500 One month trip around both islands of New Zealand.

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Franz Josef, New Zealand

It's raining again. Helihike cancelled again. In fact no helicopters went up at all today. I wasn't booked on to any organised hikes so I decided to get the shuttle bus up to the glacier car park and do a few walks from there. The first took me right up to the bottom of the Franz Josef Glacier itself. About 1/2 hour walk along the riverbed ignoring a couple of don't go any further signs (they were out of date the river had subsided although the path had been completely washed out). The picture shows the river running out of the glacier, in the river were large chunks of ice that had been carried down.

The second walk took me to a some pool surrounded by lush bush with a great view up the valley to the glacier. The view was obscured by the clouds that were getting lower and lower but still a great view.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168477200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168477200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168477200/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:53:08 -0500 One month trip around both islands of New Zealand.

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Franz Josef, New Zealand

Today we head to the Franz Josef Glacier region. On the way we make a stop at a Bushman Centre and we watch a video of the history of deer hunting and farming in the West Coast region. It is well put together and I really enjoyed it although it wasn't everyone's cup of tea. There are no native mammals in NZ all were introduced by the 'White Man', mainly to provide sport for the rich land owners. The trouble was the deer, red deer especially did a little too well and were destroying everything. So hunting permits were issued. Helicopters were used to get to the remote regions. There were early videos of guys hanging off of the helicopters shooting the running deer. In the 50s they found a market for the venison in Germany and hunting became big business. Then someone had the bright idea of farming deer.

But they had to catch the deer. This is where the real fun was. Before they had stun darts and net guns they used to stand on the step of the helicopter, the chopper would fly low over a deer and the guy would jump off and rugby tackle the deer to the ground. They had some great videos. Some successful and some not so successful. One showed a guy grappling a deer as they rolled down the mountain, he didn't let go though.

We arrive in Franz Josef and get dropped off at the activity booking centre. 1/2 day and full day walks up on the glacier, ice wall climbing, scenic helicopter flights and helihikes where they fly you up onto the upper parts of the glacier and you do a 2 hour hike around. The forecast for the next couple of days is wet so I book onto a helihike heading out in about an hour. But the weather is closing in and just before we're going to get called up to go they cancel the trip. They could get us up there but fear they won't be able to get the helicopter in there 3 hours later to get us out. So I switch onto a scenic flight in about an hour's time.

The weather is closing in, but they get us out to the helicopter for the last ride before they stop flying for the day. We climb in buckle up and take off. My first time in a helicopter. We fly for about 3 minutes and the weather is getting worse and worse. So bad in fact the pilot aborts and we head straight back. We get our money back but after all the messing around the whole afternoon is wasted. Worse still with the weather forecast to get worse I might not get up on the glacier at all. I could do the hike but I strained my foot on the walk out of Christchurch and I don't fancy doing an hour or so going up an ice staircase to reach the surface.

In the visitor centre I find out about the glacier. At the top about 20m of snow falls each year, the sheer weight compacts this into ice. The ice glacier then slides down the mountains. The rate of travel of about 8m a day. So the top reaches the bottom in about 15 years. Usually glaciers flow at about 1m a day. Because of the speed that is travels it gets lower and closer to the sea than any other glacier. At the bottom the glacier is just 200 metres above sea level and amidst the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest.


]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168390800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168390800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrislewis7/nz_-_07/1168390800/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:52:26 -0500 One month trip around both islands of New Zealand.

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Lake Mahinapua, New Zealand

We head off down the coast. Scenery spectacular. The West Coast Road that stretches 435kms along the rugged Tasman shoreline. The road winds through diverse landscapes, the Southern Alps, the rain forest the rugged coast. We stop at Cape Foulwind seal colony, do a couple of rugged walks have luch and do a walk at the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks & Blowholes. The strip of land between the Southern Alps and the sea is simply referred to as the West Coast.

The strip of land is quite narrow and it's wild. Men are men and sheep are worried. It's mainly bush and rainforest. The warm winds from Australia pick up the water from the Tasman Sea and they dump it on this area. About 3m of rain per year at the coast, 16m on the mountains. It rains 2 out of every 3 days. There are palm trees and rain forest with vines and everything right down to the coast. And what a coast rugged as hell with high cliffs and rocky outcrops.

The Pancake Rocks shown on the right are layered rocks that funnily enough look like stacks of pancakes. Geologists have no idea why they look like that but it's impressive.

In the evening we're staying in a real Western Pub. The old bloke who runs the place has put sheds and portacabins at the back and he takes in the Kiwi Experience Bus each night. We're the only ones staying there and so tonight is fancy dress night. The theme the letter 'P'. We have a quick stop in Greymouth for props then it's over to the pub for happy hour and some dressing up.

We have punks, pirates, police women, a pussy cat, a princess, pimps, prostitutes and a poof. I went as a Pommie at a Pool Party.

Eoman on the very left of the picture went as a present and next to him the guy went as a poo stain! Tone for the evening was set nice and low ;-)
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