TravelStream™ news feed for member luvntravln on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/luvntravln en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:51:42 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/4/1256356942/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/4/1256356942/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/4/1256356942/tpod.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:51:42 -0500 Luvntravln's adventure to South America

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Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand

 Jay and I met in Sydney; Jay returning from the USA and me from Melbourne. I enjoyed visiting friends and family, while Jay did some photographic workshops and visited family.  We were both ready to begin our big trip.Our first stop was New Zealand, a short stopover on our way to Rapa Nui. We chose to go to Rotorua as I have always wanted to see the geothermal activity. I was not disappointed. On our way to Rotorua we found a great cheese factory. As we normally do we stop and try.                                                                          All the way around there were lots of volcanic mounds. Too many to take pictures of - this one was at a blueberry farm - worth a visit just to taste their produce.Our first experience of the thermal waters was a visit to the Polynesian Spa. A very popular place with lots of different temperature pools. We chose a private spa with a view of Lake Rotorua. With only three days in Rotorua we wanted to experience as much as possible; the weather was against us. We had one full day without rain.  Whakarewarewa is the home to Rotorua's guiding legacy. The tour guides are women who live in the village who share with you the history, the teachings of the ancestors and the meanings behind the arts and crafts and culture. The tour was good. I learnt that there used to be 36 Geysers in the village but now there are only 2. This is due to a lot of people taping into the thermal reserve.Income is derived from opening the villages for tours, plus selling arts and crafts made available. Also you can try a hangi meal that is cooked in the natural steam vents or enjoy a corn cob cooked from the boing pools.          There are many carvings to guard the houses against evil spirits.                           The walk around the thermal area was well laid out and very informative. The afternoon was spent at HELLS GATE WAI ORA SPAFrom bubbling mud, to spurting volcanoes to sulphur pools, a hot experience all round. This is the only example of a large mud volcano in a geothermal reserve in New Zealand. This one is 2.4m in height and growing.The steaming cliffs could not really be photographed. At the surface the temperature is 122dC to 145dC. There was too much steam to make a good photograph.       The bush walk provides a stark contrast between the geothermal area and greenery for which New Zealand is known for. The native bush contains many examples of New Zealand's native trees and plants.  It was a pleasant walk.  The Kakahi Falls is the largest hot water fall in the Southern Hemisphere. Its temperature is approximately 40 degrees C. The falls hold a special place for the Maori people in that the warriors used to bathe themselves to wash away the blood of battle. The sulphur in the water was very good as acting as a salve on their wounds.The Suphur Lake (Medicine Lake) is the only pool that you can put your hand into. Around the edge of the pool there is the grey mud which is extremely fine and has been used for hundreds of years for body treatments and bathing.  The temperature at the edge of the lake is approximately 38 degrees C whereas in the middle it is 68degrees C plus. The water and grey mud can be experienced as you will see from the photgraph of us below. What a pleasant way to finish the afternoon.We went to the Rotorua Museum of Art and Natural History on a very wet afternoon. The museum is housed in the historic Bath House building located in the Government Gardens.     The Bath House, was once a famous geothermal spa which offered therapeutic treatments to visitors from all over the world.Opened in 1908 by Rear-Admiral Sperry of the American Great White Fleet, the Bath House represents the New Zealand Government’s first major investment in the tourism industry.It is a bit of a worry to see what the water did to the pipes and the baths.  Around the museum are many marble sculptures. Unfortunately over time people used to break off a finger and pocket it as a souvenir. If you have the time and take the tour around the museum yourself. Just look up the Rotorua web site.I enjoyed our short look around Rotorua.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/4/1256616177/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/4/1256616177/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/4/1256616177/tpod.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:48:41 -0500 Luvntravln's adventure to South America

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Papeete, Society Islands, French Polynesia

  We have  arrived in Tahiti the day before we left New Zealand. Think about that one. We are seeing some sun and we are finally back into our shorts and singlets. While it rained at the end of the day at least it was warm.A little History of Tahiti and why the local people speak French. I have found this very interesting and am sharing it with you.While Tahiti is estimated to have been settled by Polynesians from Tonga and Samoa between AD300 and 800, Samuel Wallis an English sea captain sighted Tahiti in 1767, and is considered the first European visitor. A French explorer Bougainville came in 1768. He described the island as an earthly paradise where men and women live happily in innocence, away from the corruption of civilization. Why do we have to change things that are going well? Captain Cook arrived in 1769. After his visit many European ships landed on the island with more frequency. The best known of these ships was HMS Bounty, whose crew mutinied after leaving Tahiti in 1789.In 1842 Admiral Dupetit Thouars convinced Tahiti's Queen Pomare IV to accept a French protectorate. This happened in 1843. The island remained a French protectorate untill 1880, when King Pomare V was forced to cede the sovereignty of Tahiti and its dependencies to France. In 1946 Tahiti and the whole of French Polynesia became a French Overseas Territory. The native Polynesians fought for France during the World Wars.  In 2003, this status was changed to that of French overseas community. The Polynesian population reflects its history. It is said that there are very few full blood Polynesian people. Now there is a mix of Polynesian, Chinese and European.  France oversees the Polynesian islands even though they are 17,000km away. It reminds me of Australia still being part of the Commonwealth.  Many would like Australia to become a Republic. I tend to feel that it is the same here in Tahiti.Our hotel was out of the main town of Papeete, and was very relaxing. .                             We had an ocean view room that had a great view during the day and at night. The sand is black, the water is warm, life is great. It was neat  to sit by the pool, read a book and sip on a Mai Tai.  One can never get away from doing the washing.  Those of you who really know us would be saying; " Come on you two, you know what you can do about those textiles." and I would answer; "I wish we could."  We hired a car for a couple of days to do a tour of the Island. The Circle-Island Tour is 70miles/113ksm to complete. So it is not that far, but when you stop and start like we do it took us two days to get around. Don't forget we had to stop to eat, have a coffe and of course see the sights. One day we went clockwise to half-way, then next day we went anti-clockwise to finish in Papeete to go to the night mobile restaurant market called Les Roulottes.    The complete circle island tour shows the real Tahiti while driving along the steep seashore road. You also see that the only habitable land is right on the coast, as little as 1km inland the mountainous terrain strarts.Our first stop was the Arahoho blow hole at Tiarei. It was supposed to be able to be seen from the roadside, but I am sorry to say it was meerly a squirt. Not like what we are used to seeing in Australia.From here we went to the Faarumai waterfalls. The stories that have been passed down through the generations of  Tahitian people tell of how the falls were formed.  The way they are told  reminds me of the many Aboriginal stories. Walking the tracks to the falls certainly put the knees to work. Thank you Dr. Gallagher.                                                                     It was good that Jay was able to take his time with some pictures.  This was an artificial palm tree, but we had to look a second time to work it out. At the very top you can see a telecommunication set up. We retraced out steps while we tried to find the Paul Gauguin Museum. The map we had was a tourist map with the points on the wrong sides of the road. Now I am sorry to say I managed to get disorientated and we missed the Museum twice even after asking directions. One person said it was 100m, but we went much further than that and it was not there. On this note we decided to head home.Our next day took us off on the circle tour again, hoping to successfully find the Gauguin Museum,but first we stopped at some Grotto's. This time on the trail we found the museum. How we missed it, WELL we will not go into that one! It was worth finding. There was a lot of history mostly written in French, but we got the gist and many of his original art works. Jay is standing under the original door frame from his house. It was raining so we did not look around the Gardens     We have always enjoyed museums and The Museum of Tahiti had a wonderful exhibition. This was to be our last stop before we made it into Papeete for the amazing Les Roulottes. Jay had remembered it called "Le Truck". Every day at sunset on the Papeete waterfront, food trucks called "Les Roulottes" roll in and begin to set up charcoal grills for evening diners. The van have portable kitchens. The pictures at the end tell the story.   Our visit would not be complete without a tour of the local markets. Here we were treated to a fresh produce market and a flower market.   You are greeted at the airport with a Lei, a garland of beautiful fragrant flowers. Garlands are also made for the women to wear on their heads.Someone has to make these beautiful arrangements. Our last nights dinner was at Le Belvedere a restaurant that has been open for 41 years. It is located at 2,000ft, with a magnificent view of Papeete and the harbour. We took their offer of the round-trip transportation,and boy weren't we pleased we did.                 This restaurant is known for its signiature dish "Fondue bourguignonne". Another yummy.Our last morning saw us at the pearl shop. I had not planned this but I am a sucker for pearls. It was fun looking through the different colours, and choosing one for a necklace. Very simple. I will put it on a chain when I get home. What a wonderful way to finish our excursion in Tahiti.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/3/1230786000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/3/1230786000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/3/1230786000/tpod.html Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:59:21 -0400 FUTURE TRAVEL PLANS

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The World, Australia

26 Sept 2009 - 23 October 2009: While Jackie goes to Melbourne to visit relatives, Jay is flying to the USA to participate in private photography workshops in Florida with Jim Neiger and James Shadle. After six days of intensive instruction learning how to photograph birds in flight, Jay flies to California for a three-day workshop in the Eastern Sierras with Jack Graham and macro king Mike Moats. Thereafter, Jay and Jack are doing two days in Death Valley with Jay's brother Steven. Jay then returns to Australia to meet Jackie for their trip to South America. 23 October 2009 - 5 May 2010: After spending a year in Australia we are heading off on a seven month journey to New Zealand, Tahiti, and six months in South America. Currently we are booked along with Jay's brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Mary, on an Antarctic Cruise 28 December to 24 January 2010: http://www.cheesemans.com/antarctica_sg_dec09.html. We will end our six months in South America with a 7-day Galapagos Islands dive trip:http://www.peterhughes.com/destination/galapagos Sept-Oct 2010: Steve and Mary are again joining us for two diving trips: our return trip to Wakatobi Resort (http://www.wakatobi.com/home.php), and then to Komodo Island National Park aboard Komodo Dancer (http://www.peterhughes.com/destination/bali). We would love to have you join us during our adventures. Life does rock!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1207540800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1207540800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1207540800/tpod.html Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:06:52 -0400 Two Graduations, A Wedding, and visits to Alaska and Indonesia

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Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Today is 25 February; four months after we returned to Australia, this introduction was written a couple of weeks ago, today I have written the last USA entry about our time in San Diego after Jamie's graduation, and now I get to go and play with the underwater pictures. Writing this for "you" - I was there - writing this last entry is a bit of a relief.The journal thus far contains 1687 photos; we invite you to take the time, read slowly and open the photos. We really enjoyed the experience they depict and are glad to share them with you.This trip, five months in the USA and after we return to Australia for three days we then go to Indonesia for one month of SCUBA diving has been in the planning stages for almost one year. The initial outline was to be in San Diego for six weeks, and take two weeks to travel from SD to Berkeley for Robyn's graduation from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law.  Jamie was also graduating 24 August with her Masters in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica; that meant we had from 17 May - 24 August to "do" Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks, drive to Seattle, and "do" Alaska mid-June to late-August. Ah, the best laid plans! Fortunately when you plan in advance, even when you make reservations, everything can be changed. Why fortunately? Robyn decided to get married to a fantastic fellow - Adhi - 10 August and wanted us to be in Oakland the week prior to the wedding! The result: after a month plus in San Diego and then traveling to Berkley, we participated in Robyn's graduation. Then with Jay's brother Steve and sister-in-law Mary, we visited Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. Next we spent two months in Alaska which included fishing for sockeye salmon and a cruise from Nome, Alaska to Russia, and then through the Bering Sea stopping in Kodiak before ending in Anchorage. After Alaska we returned to Oakland for Robyn's Wedding, then to Los Angeles for Jamie's graduation, and finally after three days in Australia, a month of SCUBA diving in Indonesia.After diving and before returning to Australia we stopped in Bali to catch up with a successful graduate.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1223611200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1223611200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1223611200/tpod.html Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:27:31 -0400 Two Graduations, A Wedding, and visits to Alaska and Indonesia

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Bali, Indonesia

We stayed in Bali for a couple of days before heading back to Australia. It was time for me to catch up with Made a young man that I met a couple of years earlier when he was our private tour guide/driver. We developed a friendship and after getting to know him I decided to help him pay for his education. He had worked to put his sisters through their schooling and now it was his turn. He was doing an Agricultural course. Things were a bit tough for many in Bali after 2002 as the tourist numbers dropped right off.The picture says it all.This time I was able to meet all of the family. Made took me out to their home in the country I love Bali and the people. The smiles say it all.Once out into the hills you see the rice farms for miles around.   On our return to the city we stopped at a traditional village called TENGANAN. I include only a few pics to give you a feeling of what it was like. Writing on bamboo is a very old art form, and I was shown how it was done. A delicate job.Living in the caravan I do not have the space for carvings which I love, or the puppets. I just have to look at my pictures.I enjoyed my day out with Made, meeting the all of the family.Since I have returned to Australia Made has had another daughter.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1249093547/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1249093547/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1249093547/tpod.html Sun, 23 Aug 2009 01:31:07 -0400 Two Graduations, A Wedding, and visits to Alaska and Indonesia

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Pulau Tomea, Indonesia

Enjoy!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1222660800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1222660800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1222660800/tpod.html Sun, 23 Aug 2009 01:26:39 -0400 Two Graduations, A Wedding, and visits to Alaska and Indonesia

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Pulau Tomea, Sulawesi Tenggara, Indonesia

After an interesting flight we made it to our boat transport to Wakatobi. This island is in a very out of the way spot. We have now experienced some very different environments in the diving world. As you can see Jay is extremely happy. Arriving at the Island we go to our cabins which are set amongst the palms. An idyllic location. The weather could not have been better.With the sun shining we prepared ourselves for the introductory dive on the House Reef. A magnificent wall. We saw a very large sea snake working its way among the coral. Each day we went out to a different dive site. Often we would pass the locals out fishing directly on the top of the reefs. Our dive boats were well equipped. After checking our tanks they would be put on board for us. We were well looked after. The crew worked hard to keep up with us. They fed us between dives, made sure we had hot drinks. It was a wonderful environment. We were split into two groups one went with Claire we went with Yann. Both guides knew what they were looking for. Yann was exceptional at finding the Pigmy Seahorses. Photos of these to come. Yann taught me a lot about the currents and how to read them while underwater. My diving skills improved greatly on this trip. At the end of the day we would head down to the bar and share stories over a wonderfully mixed Mojeto by our super Barman who grew his own mint for this delightfully refreshing drink. Then we would wait for the sun to go down.                We ate very well. There was always a selection of foods. I really enjoyed the raw Tuna that was freshly caught.  The settings were always creative. We were always served with a smile. Time to leave. The visit had gone by very quickly. New people met, lots of stories shared. We are looking forward to our next visit in October 2010.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1217390400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1217390400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1217390400/tpod.html Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:43:54 -0400 Two Graduations, A Wedding, and visits to Alaska and Indonesia

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Kodiak Island, Alaska, United States

"The modern city of Kodiak is just one settlement on Kodiak Island, a lush landscape known as Alaska's Emerald Isle. To locals, it is affectionately known as "the rock." Kodiak was the first capital of Russian Alaska, before it was moved to Sitka. During the Russian period, over-harvesting of the sea otter for its precious fur led to its near extinction. The indigenous culture, the Suqpiaq ("the real people"), more commonly known as Alutiiq, was also at risk. Because of the influence of the Russian Orthodox church, the people and their traditional ways were protected. Today, St. Herman's, a Russian Orthodox seminary, is located in Kodiak. Kodiak is a community with tremendous cultural diversity, largely due to the fishing industry. The largest U.S. Coast Guard station is located here, fulfilling its mission not only to homeland security, but also patrolling Alaska's extensive coastline for illegal foreign fishing, and performing life-saving search and rescue operations in some of the most dangerous fishing grounds in the world. While much of Kodiak's past and present is tied to the sea, a recent focus of the economic diversification of the community has had residents looking toward space. A commercial launch complex was constructed here, bringing high-tech jobs and dollars to this area. Nature has had a tremendous influence on Kodiak as well. Traces of the 1912 eruption of Novarupta Volcano can be still be found in soils on the island, and the entire city had to be reconstructed after the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and subsequent tsunami. The coastal environment supports not only one of the most productive fisheries in the U.S., but also one of the biggest populations of LARGE brown bears. These magnificent creatures own the shoreline, and feast on nutrient rich salmon. They are considered the same species of brown bear that you will find in interior Alaska, but are often 500 pounds heavier." When I started to write this short description I asked Jackie what was most memorable about going to Kodiak? The answer is at the end! After another lovely breakfast on the aft deck we visited the Kodiak Military Museum and then - at least for me - we went to the other extreme - the Russian Orthodox Church. Additional organized activities included a visit the The Baranov Museum, the Fish and Game Center (look at all those salmon!) and a musical presentation by the students at St. Innocents Academy. St. Innocents takes in students from around the states with "problems" and teaches them to intergrate into society without their "problems". That lovely bus has toured the States and the students have played the major venues around the Country. You waited patiently to learn what was most memorable: picking and eating fresh large plump wild Salmonberry&nbsp;<i> (Rubus spectabilis ), of course! Actually, that was what was most memorable for Jackie; for me, the nighttime chocolate celebration sticks out in my memory (and still in my stomach!)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1222012800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1222012800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1222012800/tpod.html Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:56:14 -0400 Two Graduations, A Wedding, and visits to Alaska and Indonesia

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Cape Kri, Indonesia

Enjoy!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1221969600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1221969600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/luvntravln/1/1221969600/tpod.html Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:10:56 -0400 Two Graduations, A Wedding, and visits to Alaska and Indonesia

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Cape Kri, Papua Barat, Indonesia

As wide and diversified as the World is, and as often as we discuss whether we would return to a particular place before seeing all of the rest of the world, Papua Diving: Sorido Bay Resort is one of the few places to which we will return! Frankly, I have never felt the need to reinvent the wheel! In this case the descriptions provided by Papua Diving: Sorido Bay Resort are a perfect starting place for our description of a magical week in Raja Ampat on Kri Island, Papua Irian Jaya: http://www.papua-diving.com Located off the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula on Kri Island, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, a fast archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays and shoals surrounding the four main islands Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo. It is a part of the newly named Papua province of Indonesia which was formerly called Irian Jaya. Raja Ampat's pristine beauty, both above the water and below the water, is truly unrivalled. Its remote location and lack of infrastructure have inhibited the growth of tourism. This area's staggering abundance of marine life is due in part to its incredibly low human population density. Beneath the dense jungle canopy, the islands are primarily karst limestone, which are dry, inhospitable, and overwhelmingly vertical. The few resident Papuans are mainly a subsistence society, exploiting a variety of resources to meet their basic needs. Fishing is only one of these resources, and they continue to employ traditional, low-impact fishing techniques, using a hook and line from dug-out canoes. Papua Diving actually maintains two resorts: Sorido Bay Resort where we stayed; Kri Eco Resort (on the right side of the photo off in the distance) around the point and within walking distance from Sorido Bay. I am taking the time to talk a little about the Papua Diving, and in a moment it's owner Max Ammer and his staff, because we were so impressed with everything - of course the diving, the ambiance, the incredibly helpful and friendly staff, and the food in the middle of nowhere - that as far as we are concerned 1) we will definitely make the trip to dive with Papua Diving in the future, and 2) if you are a World diver and you haven't been to Sorido, well... you just haven't been!! Sorido Bay Resort is newly built and opened November 2004. The resort allows our guests to experience Western style comforts in a traditional Papuan setting. Located on a beautiful deep lagoon and white sand beach on Kri Island, the dive resort is central to the most spectacular dive sites in the Raja Ampat. Our house reef is Cape Kri&nbsp; where Dr. G. Allen recorded 283&nbsp; different species of fish during ONE dive. This made this not only the fish richest dive site known to science, but also the richest house reef anywhere! The resort has been built to offer all western comforts combining modern and traditional Papuan building methods. Frankly, we were so amazed with everything, and especially the construction of the resort. Most of the materials are local hacked out of the forest and prepared in a small mill that Max created. If I had a carpenter's level with me there is no doubt that everything is both level and square. Max went to the area many over 20 years ago hunting for plane and ship wrecks, found much more than he was seeking, and created a paradise in the middle of nowhere. Good on ya Max!! In addition to the two legged walking residents, our favorite two legged flying resident was Horny! Horny visited us throughout the day, and at meal times he had a good eye for catching fruit in the air. In addition to diving, one of the "land" activities is getting up at 5:30am (Jackie did; I didn't!) and going to the forest to see the Red Bird Of Paradise. And that is just Sorido Bay Resort!! Now lets talk about the diving: first, when we are above the water and then we will present our Papua Diving UW images.
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