tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-181988952024-02-06T18:40:29.522-08:00Everyday MaiaA childhood at seaDiane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-42477594939469951852017-04-06T08:48:00.001-07:002017-04-06T08:48:11.528-07:00Homeward Bound<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Hello, semi-faithful readers. As some of
you may know, I’ve been in La Cruz, Mexico for the past three months as we work
to get the boat ready to sell. When we arrived here, I was incredibly excited
about going home. I was ready to get the hell out of the tropics, and live up
in rainy, grey Vancouver. Ah, bliss. Now, things are a little different. As
I’ve gotten to know this season’s fleet, and made friends with all the kids,
I’ve found myself wistfully looking at pictures of the South Pacific and
dreaming about the smell of frangipanis and the taste of star-fruit.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">These past few months in the same place
have made me restless. I’ll be honest – right now, in this moment, I want to
cross the Pacific again. But I know that by the time I’ve finished writing this
blogpost I’ll be back to being excited about having a door again. So, instead
of angsting about it, I’ll concentrate on the good things that have been
happening. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">One of the cool things about La Cruz is
that it has a Kids’ Club, which was just starting up when I was here six years
ago. Over the past three months, we’ve volunteered at a local orphanage, worked
at the spay and neuter clinic, started a tree nursery, run several local
restaurants for a day, and tomorrow we’re planning a beach campout. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working at a local restaurant </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decapitating a pinata </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-AU">It’s a great program that concentrates on
getting the kids in the marina out into the neighbourhood, and meeting locals
instead of staying in the marina all the time</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julia from S/V Pickles playing with one of the girls from the orphanage</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-AU">I think my favourite activity was probably
working at the spay and neuter clinic, where we helped the vets fix forty cats
and dogs in the first day alone. Everyone pitched in, and dog slobber and cat
pee aside, it was really fun. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and a puppy at the clinic</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-AU">It’s also been lovely meeting this year’s
fleet of kid boats. There’s been a huge amount of them – at one point there
were eight girls my age here, which is the most I’ve ever seen. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tacos!</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-AU">And of course, my parents and I have been
working hard, getting the boat ready to sell. We’ve been painting anything that
doesn’t move, (actually, I think the cat got some paint on him) and sanding and
gluing and varnishing and generally attempting to make the boat look like it
hasn’t been lived on for eight years by a family with a very furry cat. </span></div>
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slightly dangerous Mexican fair </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-AU">As I get ready to go home, I know it’s
going to be hard to adjust. But I also know that I’m an adaptable person. And
as much as I have my doubts and my worries, I think it’ll all be ok. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-12672941359417725952017-01-23T11:00:00.000-08:002017-01-23T11:00:57.702-08:00The Women's March on Washington (from Mexico) <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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On Saturday, I piled into a crowded taxi-van with fourteen
other women and men to drive to San Pancho – a small touristy beach town near
Porta Vallerta. We were all wearing bits of white, (which is very rare for
cruisers.) My white t-shirt was a relic from South Africa, and I found it at
the bottom of my clothing locker, covered in cat hair, with the tag still attached,
smelling faintly of mould.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we drove through the junglely landscape, we talked. We
talked about a certain orange president with veerrry small hands, and how we
were not going to let him ‘take America back’. For a while, the atmosphere was
slightly angry. They took our country. They want to take our rights. But
gradually, as we got closer to San Pancho, it shifted. They <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can’t </i>take our country, because we’re
not moving. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s our country too</i>. </div>
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<br /></div>
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When we arrived, we found a soccer field filled with white.
There were pink baseball caps with ears, (the summer version of the pussyhats)
there were anatomically correct vagina posters declaring ‘THIS GRABS BACK’,
there were flower crowns and rainbow makeup and hand painted ‘Love Trumps Hate’
signs. There were women with canes and girls clinging on to their mother’s leg.
There were daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends,
girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives… we were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>there. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I was handed a poster by an elderly woman in a flower crown
and an embroidered dress who smiled at me. A group of young women asked me to
take their photo in front of the crowd. The atmosphere was excited, joyful, and
profoundly loving. </div>
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<br /></div>
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As we walked through the streets with our signs, chanting ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mujars, mujars, arriva la mujars’ </i>(The
women, the women, the women have arrived), people popped out on their balcony
with cameras, smiled at us from the sidewalks, and some even joined the crowd
threading through the narrow streets to the town square. </div>
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I talked to a woman who’d been going to protests since she
was thirteen, I smiled at a man with a ‘Tweet me with respect’ poster, and I bemoaned
the creation of the electoral college by Alexander Hamilton with an ex history
teacher, (although we also talked about our love for the musical, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hamilton</i>). </div>
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<br /></div>
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It was much bigger than I had expected. I thought maybe a
few hundred people would show up, but there were over a thousand. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And now, watching figures roll in from around the world of
the attendees of all the marches, I feel energised. The past few weeks have
been a numb parade of cabinet appointments and childish tweets from the
president-elect, but now I feel ready. We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to
keep on our feet, and we’re all going to keep demanding our rights. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Black, white, trans, cis, gay, straight, woman, man,
atheist, Christian … we are strong, and brave, and we can do this. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So thank you to everyone who marched, to everyone who opened their homes to marchers that they didn't know, to people who created beautiful posters, to people who post the patterns for their pussyhats online, to people who simply <i>didn't vote Trump</i>. Thank you for making this world a little more loving. </div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-25572299619296158522017-01-14T11:04:00.000-08:002017-01-14T11:04:49.323-08:00Girl Afloat Cat from Marina La Cruz recently asked my mum and I to give a talk to a group of sailing women about our experiences and thoughts on sailing. A few of them asked me to post my speech, so here it is!<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">As many of you know, I’ve been sailing
around the world since I was little. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’ve completed my circumnavigation, just a
few days ago actually.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">We left Vancouver, Canada when I was seven,
and we’ve sailed 37000 nautical miles miles. I’ve spent over half my life on
our catamaran, which isn’t exactly a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">normal
</i>childhood. But it is a great one. There are ups and downs, as there are in
anything, and it’s taught me a lot about my self and the world. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Hopefully it’s made me a better person, and
at the very least, it’s made me one with more exotic anecdotes than I might’ve
had if we stayed on land. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 88.3pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I was nine when I did the Puddlejump, and
most of my time was spent doing school, reading, constructing elaborate
desserts out of play-doh, and counting the flying fish that had ended up in our
nets. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Now that I’m older, things are a little
different. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I still do school and I still read, but now
I listen to podcasts, cook, clean, take watches, binge watch TV when I’m
feeling lazy and write stories when I’m feeling productive. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Passages are a chance to take a break from
the outside world and do all the things you’ve been meaning to do but never got
around to. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">So write. Read. Play an instrument, paint a
picture. If you have good balance, do some yoga. If you’re still in school,
catch up on it. Fish. Make sushi if you catch a fish! I seldom catch fish. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Enjoy yourself and your time away from the
world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">You’re also away from the internet, which
can be very, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very </i>hard. About three
days out, I start getting twitchy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">What’s happening? What are my friends
doing? What’s going on in the world? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">But now I’ve begun to view my time away from
the WiFi as a way to decompress, if you will. The internet is a marvellous tool
but it can get stressful too. And another cool thing about crossing the Pacific
Ocean is that you get serious bragging rights. That’s something you can bring
up at parties and at school for the rest of your life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Kids on boats. I’m sure you all get a lot
of questions from people who don’t live on boats.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Are you just taking a break? Do you go to a
new school everywhere you travel? How do you keep up with the world? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">And at least with me, a more than a few
people have assumed that I’m a maladjusted, anti-social weirdo because of my
unconventional childhood. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">But you know what; I think we’re pretty
cool. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">We’re seeing more of the world at this
young age than many of our peers ever will. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Many of us make friends with people all
over the world, and we learn more about the earth and its issues than you ever
will by reading about it in a newspaper or a history book. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">One of my favourite parts of cruising is
the chance to meet women all over the world, from so many different
backgrounds. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">When I was in Fiji, we met the oldest
female chief in the country and took part in a traditional sevu-sevu ceremony.
She was in her nineties, and her skin was dark and worn from the sun. She
smiled at me joyfully as I offered her the kava roots I held. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">When I bought a sari in Sri Lanka, women
would stop on the streets to offer their own ways of wrapping it and to tell me
their stories of their first sari. A twenty year old plantation worker had
helped me wrap it for the first time, busily folding and pleating the silk as
she explained how most Sri Lankan girls would have a party to celebrate getting
their first sari, similar to a Bat Mitzvah or a Quinceañera. I still have that
sari, carefully tucked away and protected from damp. It still smells like fresh
black tea, and I still remember practising wrapping it and folding it over and
over again in the cockpit of my boat until I could do it in five minutes. The
first time I tried it, it took about thirty minutes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In Madagascar women dance all the time. In
bars, on beaches, at soccer games – it’s part of their life. I cannot, for the
life of me, describe how they move. Imagine paint shakers – and then imagine
those paint shakers strapped to their hips. That’s something like it. One day,
at an impromptu soccer game in a tiny village, someone hooked up the speakers
and a tall, black haired woman seized my hands and tried to show me how to
wiggle my hips in the way she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Meeting all these women in the countries I
visit is wonderful. And of course, meeting other women sailors. They are all so
brave. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">However, despite all these great things,
there are challenges. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I haven’t seen kids my own age in a year,
(which is unusual – we were just going a route that doesn’t see many people.
Across the Pacific and the Indian Ocean, there were loads of kids. Don’t worry).
The internet’s been expensive, meaning it’s hard to keep in touch with people,
and I haven’t always been able to get new episodes of Game of Thrones, which is
torturous. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">You get homesick and you get pretty damn
sick of using a little wee boat to drive everywhere. Your clothes get damp and
salty when you drive to shore, and you have to bail out your dinghy in the
pouring rain. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’ve never heard of anyone having to bail
their car. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Sometimes it’s dangerous. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">A few days out from the Marquesas, we lost
one of our rudders. We’ve know many people whose boats have gone up on reefs,
or developed catastrophic leaks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’m sure many of you have also heard the
concerns voiced by family members or friends. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">You’re going <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sailing</i>? With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kids</i>? Are
you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">crazy</i>? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’ve had quite a few friends ask me
anxiously about pirates, or inform me that a hurricane was headed right at us
and MAIA YOU MIGHT DIE. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 256.7pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">But most of us
are pretty careful. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Another thing that boats make tricky –
making friends and having privacy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I don’t actually have a door. I’ve had
friends over, and we’re sitting in my room, talking, and my friend mentions a
school project or something and my mum chimes in from the other hull because
you can hear <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everything </i>on my boat. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">And sometimes, there are simply no friends
to be had. My advice for boat kids just setting off – if there’s a person
roughly around your age, just make friends with them. You never know when
you’re going to see another. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Throw away worries about age differences,
gender, interests, whatever. Chances are, they’re just as eager for a friend as
you are. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">One of my first boat friends was a thirteen
year old girl. I met her when I was eight. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">We talked so much when we first met, that
we both had sore throats the next day. Boat kids are some of the most
interesting, engaged people I’ve ever met, and I think we’ll all grow up to be
pretty interesting adults too. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’ve also made amazing online friends that
are as dear to me as my ‘real’ friends. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">We’ve connected over shared political
views, loving the same book series, or learning languages. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">This past year, they kept me from being
impossibly lonely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I think I got Facebook when I was nine,
just so I could keep in touch with friends. I know some cruising families steer
away from the internet and advocate the off-the-grid path, and that’s fine as
well, but for me, an only child, the internet is awesome. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’ve known many of my internet friends for
a few years and they’re all wonderful people who’re kind, supportive and
smart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Cruising life is not perfect. It’s not some
lovely fantasy filled with golden beaches and days filled with swimming. It’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hard</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">But it’s also wonderful. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">It gives you the very best and the very
worst of the world, and for me at least, that’s where I’m most happy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">It challenges me, and my beliefs, and it
reaffirms my faith in humanity. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In Sri Lanka – I hiked up Adam’s Peak, or
Sri Pada, at 3am, along with thousands of religious pilgrims. I was hiking to
see the sunrise. In Sri Lanka, it’s believed that Adam’s Peak is where Adam
first set foot on earth. From above, the 7400 feet mountain looks a bit like a
giant foot print. About halfway up, my injured ankle gave way and an elderly
couple took me into their tiny teahouse that doubled as their home. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">The woman’s sister lived with them in this
tiny, freezing shack, and at night they shared a communal bed. In their few
words of English and some dedicated miming on my part, they told me about their
daughter who had moved to Canada. They wondered if I knew her. I was wearing
cut off denim shorts and it was 12 degrees Celsius, (that’s 54 Fahrenheit for
you crazy Americans), so they gave me a blanket and sat me down in their bed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">My parents weren’t with me on that trip.
Another thing that cruising has taught me is the importance of creating your
own goals. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Cruising was never <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my </i>dream, just like hiking up Sri Pada was never my parents’. But
cruising has given me the platform to pursue my own goals. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’ve become a published author, writing
about my travels, and I’ve also developed my love of writing fiction. I don’t
know if I would’ve done these things if I stayed on land. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Some of the things you see in the world are
amazing – or horrifying. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Or both! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In the Maldives, which is a collection of
remote coral atolls, the seas are rising and the islands are really low so the
fear is that they’ll be covered by the ocean soon. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">But also in the Maldives, I met the marine
biologist who was creating coral nurseries so that they could replant damaged
sections of the reef. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In Borneo, Bruite Galdikas, one of ‘Leaky’s
Ladies’ created several sanctuaries for orang-utans where the rangers are
knowledgeable and fiercely protective of the orang-utans and their palm forest habitat.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In St Helena, the resident marine biologist
has created a program monitoring the whale sharks that visit, as well as the
endemic species. She was also involved in making sure that tourists don’t
adversely affect any of the sea life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Things like that are inspiring and amazing
to see.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">But as much as I’ve loved this life, it can
be important to take breaks, too. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I went to school in Australia for
three years, half way through our circumnavigation and I think that was a
really important time for me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">It gave me a little break from cruising and
I got to be a normal kid. It let me learn about my peers that were living a
more traditional life and it let me engage with the world that they were living
in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I learned about pop culture! I went to
malls with my friends! I got fro-yo! It was fantastic, and I’m really glad that
I had that time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Schooling on boats can be different for
everyone. Some families go the unschooling path – letting their kids learn what
they will. Others order stacks of textbooks and keep in constant contact with a
teacher on shore, and use official homeschooling programs. I buy textbooks at
my level and just work through them and that works pretty well for me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">But the great thing about this life is that
you’re learning <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all the time</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I took ukulele lessons in Tahiti from a
professional teacher and musician. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">A friend on another boat taught me the
style of jewellery making that was passed down from her grandmother. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">A French woman taught me the traditional
brioche recipe that an old man in her village had been making for decades. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I learned to scuba dive in Fiji and I went
on hikes with biologists who waxed poetic about the diverse flora and fauna of
the region. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Never pass up an opportunity to learn. Ask
questions. Listen to everyone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In conclusion boat life can be really hard.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Actually, it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should </i>be hard. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">You get scared. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">You get lonely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">You get homesick. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">And you overcome them all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">You learn that having a bit of your boat
fall off isn’t actually the end of the world; you realize that while feeling
seasick is awful in the moment, it does end, and you discover that your boat
becomes your home. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">And there are new friends and new
experiences in every harbour. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’ll be going home in a few months – back
to normal school and extracurricular activities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Weekend trips to the mall and visiting with
family that I haven’t seen in years. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’m excited beyond belief, and I’m also sad
to be leaving cruising. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">It’s been some of the best years of my
life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-77292653223021789222017-01-14T08:10:00.001-08:002017-01-14T08:10:40.543-08:00Full Circle<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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It’s been six years since we left the docks of La Cruz to
cross the Pacific. I remember waving to friends in the hot sun, and watching as
they ran along the breakwater for a final goodbye. One friend called me over
the radio once we were ten minutes out, and I began to cry. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Now we’re back. It was early morning, and the decks were wet
with dew. We pulled up a long string of flags – from all the places we’ve been –
and we blasted ‘Land Ho’ by Supertramp, our traditional coming-into-harbour
song. It was silent in the marina, and I spotted a few little kids on their
scooters, zooming down the wide flat docks. It was like a weird time warp. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Everything was the same, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so </i>different. The shop where I used to get palatas is still across
the town square, but the iguana tree that housed the large lizards has been cut
down and the iguanas have moved elsewhere. Our favourite taco restaurant is
still here, and the tacos are just as good as I remember, but just up the
street is a health food café painted in avocado green. That did not use to be
here. For everything that stayed the same, there is one subtle change and each
one throws me a bit off balance. </div>
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<br /></div>
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We’ve sailed over 37, 000 nautical miles, and we’ve
circumnavigated the world. I don’t know how to feel about this. For months, I’ve
been thrilled about being so close to home. We’ve been moving past and jumping
from harbour to harbour. And now that I’m here – doing yoga on the docks in the
cool morning, walking up to get a stack of hot fresh tortillas before the sun
heats up the sleepy town, waving at the cats on all the various boats – I don’t
know what I want. I’m fairly sure I want to go home. </div>
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<br /></div>
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But it will be hard. I think leaving this life will be one
of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Humans are adaptable creatures, and I’m
sure I’ll figure it out, but I’ll miss watching the sun come up from my cockpit
while I drink tea, I’ll miss lying around in my pyjamas to do school – hell, I’ll
even miss baking cakes in my tiny kitchen and tinier oven. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I’ll go back to the same life that most people live, and I think
I’m ok with that. Actually it really annoys me when people tell me that boat
kids are ‘superior’ to land kids, that we’re going to have better lives than
them simply cause our parents stuck us on a boat. I don’t think that’s true. I
have immense respect for the people who are living more traditional lives, because
in a way it’s much harder. We don’t have to put down roots. We flit from town
to city to island to country. But now I’ll be going home, I’ll have the same
backyard every day, I won’t wake up wondering what country I’m in. I’m trying
to come to terms with that. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I wonder if this life has changed me in some way, if I’ll
have to keep <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">moving </i>to be happy. I
hope not. But I’m not sure. What I’m trying to say, is that now a bit of the
giddiness has worn off, and I’m realizing that this trip is over. I’m realizing
that boat-to-land isn’t going to be a smooth transition. I’m scared. I’m
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Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-20502099706555398012016-12-24T08:56:00.000-08:002016-12-24T08:56:18.663-08:00Last Christmas <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Christmas is always bittersweet – it’s an ending and a
beginning and this year is especially difficult. By next Christmas, we’ll be
land-based, I’ll be going to school, my parents will be working, and our boat
will be gone. </div>
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<br /></div>
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This is my eighth and last Christmas on the boat and
December feels like it’s passed very quickly. We’ve visited three countries
this month alone – we left Panama on December 1<sup>st</sup>, the day my advent
calendar went up and sailed to Costa Rica. From Costa Rica we arrived in
Mexico, and we’ve been here for the past week. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m a person who likes traditions and adapts to new ones
rather reluctantly. Every December 1<sup>st</sup>, the hand-made advent calendar
that my godmother made goes up on the wall, and I leap into the frenzy of
Christmas baking. But sometimes it’s a bit tricky to keep to your beloved
traditions when you don’t know where you’ll be tomorrow. </div>
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When we decorate, we have to make sure that our ornaments
are placed in such a way that they don’t fall over when we’re at sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I experiment with icings and sweets that won’t
melt when I decorate cookies, and it turns out that sticking snowflake stickers
to the windows when we’re sailing isn’t such a stellar idea. In a house, that
wouldn’t be a problem because you don’t need to see where you’re heading! </div>
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Anyways, Christmas is also never perfect, which is part of
the joy of it. You get strange local sweets in your stockings, your tortierre
plans go out the window when you can’t find ground pork, and on Christmas Eve
you end up watching the Doctor Who Christmas Special with new Australian
friends who reminisce about old Doctor Who. </div>
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<br /></div>
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You can’t find eggnog in the stores so you make your own or
try a strange local version called Rompope (it’s bright yellow, and laced with
rum). Firecrackers bought from local markets end up in stockings along with the
more traditional candy canes, and your gingerbread house collapses in a
glorious sticky pile from the humidity. </div>
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In the future, I won’t remember the bad parts of my strange
Christmases – being away from family, having no snow, missing home – I’ll
remember the strange, wonderful parts that made my Christmases so special. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I’ll remember going to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus with a
bunch of cruisers in Mexico on Christmas Eve. I’ll remember the Australian
family Christmas pageants (complete with tarty elves!). I’ll remember going to
a stranger’s house in South Africa for Christmas dinner and being immediately absorbed
by the huge extended family. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I’ll remember all the things that made my Christmases so
special and unique, and I’ll look forward to all future Christmases and the new
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So Merry Christmas everyone. Have a very happy day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-81977727346296166362016-04-27T03:18:00.003-07:002016-04-27T03:18:57.433-07:00St Helena<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2hTtTyQFcr5yrT1zcCAN3eXwmGyMf9nxyB28j-J2MG9yGeFzR931eR0GoAbv2pchCh0TqRqGVByFA7kRRidt3y0mjepl0J1Whl7dQd93URRJHVszHXDnyuAQ1du2S6QBfTGyGA/s1600/IMG_2203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2hTtTyQFcr5yrT1zcCAN3eXwmGyMf9nxyB28j-J2MG9yGeFzR931eR0GoAbv2pchCh0TqRqGVByFA7kRRidt3y0mjepl0J1Whl7dQd93URRJHVszHXDnyuAQ1du2S6QBfTGyGA/s320/IMG_2203.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">The water surged up, carrying the small
yellow boat closer to the concrete pier that was brushed by rough orange ropes
that hung down. My legs were a bit wobbily after nine days at sea, but I
managed to avoid getting splashed. Visitors to the island for decades had been
brought ashore at this pier, and swung on the ropes, Tarzan-like, ashore. Some
avoided the cool blue water with ease, but some like one Governor to the
island, were dunked merrily and pulled ashore by laughing St Helenians, or
Saints, as they call themselves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">This island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, is wonderfully bizarre. The main town is Jamestown, and its
quaintly rundown shops and houses are reminiscent of seaside town in a British
soap opera. The town is situated in a deep valley, with three ways out. A
winding one-lane road up either side, and Jacob’s Ladder, a 689 step staircase
that climbs at an almost vertical angle up one side of the valley. Kids used to
forgo the necessity of climbing down by hooking their knees over one railing,
and hooking their arms over the other, and sliding all the way down. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">The climate and landscape of the island
changes dramatically from one end to the other. Lush rolling hills (complete
with sheep, donkeys, and cows) are studded with tall trees and picture perfect
farms and tiny cottages. Drive for ten more minutes, and the greenery gives way
to vibrantly coloured sand stone, and dusty desert where low to the ground gum
trees reside. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXzIpvzMRaesnR7MT7kaiWLD7M0WvNsMujv_7F2ECjyUG4IvtPXBsL_a0PBCY9Rb1sMgctSOIBFBmEKkBs1fCMyorJulE3frStK1S7QXGxaPF4Mru0cwQApi2171emXkADSVe4Q/s1600/IMG_7754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXzIpvzMRaesnR7MT7kaiWLD7M0WvNsMujv_7F2ECjyUG4IvtPXBsL_a0PBCY9Rb1sMgctSOIBFBmEKkBs1fCMyorJulE3frStK1S7QXGxaPF4Mru0cwQApi2171emXkADSVe4Q/s320/IMG_7754.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wine at Napoleon's House Longwood</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">The one thing that doesn’t change is the
delightfully friendly Saints, and their absolutely incomprehensible accent. It
is considered unspeakably rude, if one does not wave as they pass other cars,
and people always stop and say hello on the streets. One of our new local
friends told us about the ‘gang’ of boys in Jamestown, that she had heard about from an
older lady. “How do you know they’re up to no good?” we asked. “Well”, she
said, mock seriously, “they don’t wave when they’re coming down Ladder Hill!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24hFWFTKJgMwqMnyVGEofsAisgQbh_KO9QIhyphenhyphenyGTP8iK1J-BPLDpLdtHDdlonsds93sDfxcInH-jVp5ENoONDAMlk9wQPnfPa-vQ8tt06gTC3b3hrzP9UdXeNISzcxE0mkYmWAg/s1600/IMG_7529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24hFWFTKJgMwqMnyVGEofsAisgQbh_KO9QIhyphenhyphenyGTP8iK1J-BPLDpLdtHDdlonsds93sDfxcInH-jVp5ENoONDAMlk9wQPnfPa-vQ8tt06gTC3b3hrzP9UdXeNISzcxE0mkYmWAg/s320/IMG_7529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">The one time that it’s considered
acceptable to let go of manners, is when the vegetable shipment comes in. The
grocery shop becomes a free for all, and everyone quickly snatches up whatever
fresh food they can get their hands on. Once upon a time, the island was filled
with farms that grew pomegranates, berries, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots and
greens. Now, they rely on the ship that comes every three weeks that brings
exorbitantly priced withered apples and the rare packet of broccoli.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">This island is filled with simple, strange
wonders, from the neatly lettered sign that points down a small track to
‘Fairyland’, to the ordinary boulder, that when struck, produces a clear,
metallic ring and is known as the ‘Bellstone’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">On Saturday, we found our way to the St Helena donkey sanctuary, where I walked an unruly baby
donkey past deep valleys and past dainty churches. It was a lovely walk, filled
with donkey cuddles, and beautiful scenery. At the end, the fuzzy little thing
butted against me in a donkey kiss. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhez5h3q79Vsza7BFO3s0lFH38pHdMWJHfTsR4Ao_rgyUh_GReQ9sCAnN6JFB_U3MS-h2lRTEYF8IYXw02C6SAJnIzgi1wWXV0wee0wBjRok29gfjDfEOUJTgIb4yFif8tajoRDuw/s1600/IMG_7678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhez5h3q79Vsza7BFO3s0lFH38pHdMWJHfTsR4Ao_rgyUh_GReQ9sCAnN6JFB_U3MS-h2lRTEYF8IYXw02C6SAJnIzgi1wWXV0wee0wBjRok29gfjDfEOUJTgIb4yFif8tajoRDuw/s320/IMG_7678.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">We were taken by a guide to visit Jonathan
the tortoise, the island’s oldest resident. Jonathan, we were told, had
recently been given his first wish. But apparently there was a lot of
controversy, as this was actually Jonathan’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">second </i>wish. I was curious as to what a tortoise might wish for.
Lettuce? More lettuce? I didn’t know. Finally, after getting the guide to
repeat it many times, we realized he was saying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wash.</i> The local newspaper had mentioned Jonathan getting a polish,
in preparation for Prince Edward’s upcoming visit. The Prince is visiting to
celebrate the opening of the airport, which is a tremendous occasion for the
island. Until now, the only way to get to and from the island was by the RMS St Helena,
the only Royal Mail Ship still running. Now, one flight a week will hopefully
bring more tourists to this remote paradise. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTadBMM-sC7eZ-kTNYPxjT0lJABNBddwbAXrmMct3-5Ta1-ubxTTAzqzsfsVZj2H-TzuePBFtgMUPWCNUm1MSDSurrNsaxQMjtyHy1GlyC2vNQdsXhEwXz-Fyu57Y1_O0pKRP3g/s1600/IMG_2389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTadBMM-sC7eZ-kTNYPxjT0lJABNBddwbAXrmMct3-5Ta1-ubxTTAzqzsfsVZj2H-TzuePBFtgMUPWCNUm1MSDSurrNsaxQMjtyHy1GlyC2vNQdsXhEwXz-Fyu57Y1_O0pKRP3g/s320/IMG_2389.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’m looking forward to the rest of our time
spent here, and also the rest of the Atlantic crossing.</span></div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-36269588642317827352016-03-21T02:25:00.000-07:002016-03-21T02:26:13.603-07:00Namibia<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-AU">There’s a lot of sand. A lot, a lot of
sand. One might even say a desert full of sand. Kolmanskop is situated in what
feels like the middle of nowhere, with the sand slowly swallowing the once
grand mansions that housed German diamond prospectors during the height of the
diamond craze. You have to crouch and half crawl through some doorways because
the sand has filled the bottom floor of the house. It’s very surreal and rather
Alice-Through-the-Looking-Glass as you manage to wiggle through one gap and arrive
in front of a broken and rotten but still impressive staircase.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YY_l9NR_WkLQSjvIg75usKsL9kkauWsFF7NA8ffTqr_dKrXuCB7tbL4UgBDDwLpzbRWJIv1JFjXl75hVv5GGRm_QdZfJf9mfaJxblB83wsZIdi2sVoGQ2rfAJLHXeEZVvQ8gHA/s1600/IMG_1880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YY_l9NR_WkLQSjvIg75usKsL9kkauWsFF7NA8ffTqr_dKrXuCB7tbL4UgBDDwLpzbRWJIv1JFjXl75hVv5GGRm_QdZfJf9mfaJxblB83wsZIdi2sVoGQ2rfAJLHXeEZVvQ8gHA/s320/IMG_1880.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">To get to the top floor of the house, you
tiptoe up the sides of the stairs, one hand on the wall, like it would somehow
miraculously sprout handholds should you happen to fall. Rusty nails and shards
of glass and brick lie in a thick layer on the worn floorboards, and the
peeling wallpaper has names and dates carved into it. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GMlQzE9KH01HR3COd-nif5knvCT8RXhi_BZ9qUerMGGyFwkMHjCEo8tSZRNqIitTuzSYlKX28dCc64Dv0NcopfLWnglPA-t78IrPfArH8Z0B0s-eZ1VHosGnu8x-uU9CoI6U6g/s1600/IMG_1820.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GMlQzE9KH01HR3COd-nif5knvCT8RXhi_BZ9qUerMGGyFwkMHjCEo8tSZRNqIitTuzSYlKX28dCc64Dv0NcopfLWnglPA-t78IrPfArH8Z0B0s-eZ1VHosGnu8x-uU9CoI6U6g/s320/IMG_1820.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">The town once was a flourishing mining
settlement. There was a bowling alley, a swimming pool, a theatre where opera
singers from Europe came to preform (and which also displayed some of the first
silent movies in Namibia) along with bakers, butchers and shops. A donkey
pulled tram would deliver a block of ice, twenty litres of water, and a crate
of soda water and a crate of lemonade to each house every morning. The same
tram would take the wives of the rich prospectors to and from the shops on the
main street of the town. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-UiRU11f9grhdZiSxYAxLS0t14wh7k0lZr92X3lktaZIWR_2D2dHuS_xoJrTCxX5wVqlf8V6ZVMo0kzGzPc3i__5TMfszC4Z-V6VXz2p10O3yOCsZv1MFXKLJ-eXRvLcaEFD7Q/s1600/IMG_1872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-UiRU11f9grhdZiSxYAxLS0t14wh7k0lZr92X3lktaZIWR_2D2dHuS_xoJrTCxX5wVqlf8V6ZVMo0kzGzPc3i__5TMfszC4Z-V6VXz2p10O3yOCsZv1MFXKLJ-eXRvLcaEFD7Q/s320/IMG_1872.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Our guide pointed out the hospital to us,
telling us that it had boasted one of the first x-ray machines in Southern
Africa. The machine wasn’t just for broken bones, she explained, but also to
track down missing diamonds. If something suspicious was found, the suspect
would be dosed with castor oil and put into an observation cell for twenty four
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_I-ZHjsHjxkabBwcTSaoq2RjjPXEjONcFcCiXia4ZoP6d7YP1UU5h3reYQl_LPdB7PlOXdrbuTCSv3EX7Gi4FX5-tnxBg8iIJCQwj_2hAVinlAv_BvMUTuAyCct5AzB9yXYb7A/s1600/IMG_1888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_I-ZHjsHjxkabBwcTSaoq2RjjPXEjONcFcCiXia4ZoP6d7YP1UU5h3reYQl_LPdB7PlOXdrbuTCSv3EX7Gi4FX5-tnxBg8iIJCQwj_2hAVinlAv_BvMUTuAyCct5AzB9yXYb7A/s320/IMG_1888.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">The lengths the workers went to, to smuggle
diamonds out of the town were pretty extreme. Some would slice into the skin of
their calves and secret diamonds under the skin. Pigeons were used for a while,
but the birds would often become exhausted from the weight of the gems and fall
from the sky. Guards would revive the pigeons and let it fly to where it was
going, tracking it to find the culprit. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Diamonds are absurdly expensive for a few
reasons. One of these is how the diamond company De Beers has marketed them.
Huge advertising campaigns along with limiting supply ramped up the prices
exorbitantly. Lawsuits accusing them of ‘unlawfully monopolised the supply of
diamonds and conspired to fix, raise and control diamond prices’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4fWdEFG6uIAURQxE0mEIYTSaLT3vU04nNkq1BawC-2ZH3heYzhQA-wVL4XoDhoa6gwuelUtXJLWKuSk-ieQFVktbTBeLRkRmPFxBxHDbT7kScE-DyKQDivia9CPIT1vm2EPSSg/s1600/IMG_1891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4fWdEFG6uIAURQxE0mEIYTSaLT3vU04nNkq1BawC-2ZH3heYzhQA-wVL4XoDhoa6gwuelUtXJLWKuSk-ieQFVktbTBeLRkRmPFxBxHDbT7kScE-DyKQDivia9CPIT1vm2EPSSg/s320/IMG_1891.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">In the café of the main building, that used
to be the saloon, we saw an old sign from Sperrgebiet warning us of the
penalties we would face should we happen to wander into the restricted area.
The sign declares ‘Warning! Penalty 500 pounds or one years imprisonment.
Prohibited Diamond Area. Keep to the road’</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"></span><span lang="EN-AU">After that, we wandered back through the
red dunes to peer through these broken down buildings one final time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">All pictures by yours truly. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></span>
</div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-74939780923959023032015-12-03T01:28:00.002-08:002015-12-03T01:29:43.770-08:00South Africa and Christmas Decorations<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Merry Christmas month, my faithful readers! Tis the season
to wear jumpers, drink eggnog and buy three kilos of icing sugar at a time.
I’ve done two of these things, but I have yet to find eggnog. Anyways, I’m in South Africa!
I’m still in culture shock. There’s a mall… with clothes… and grocery stores…
and fro-yo. We’re in a marina, which is also weird. The mall was super busy the
last time we went, cause for some reason they have Black Friday sales even
though they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. It was really over-whelming, so it
kind of put me off going for a while. We’re having a great time meeting new
friends and exploring this amazing country. Recently, we rented a car and went
on a three day safari, which was brilliant. There were rhinos, giraffes, elephants,
zebras and heaps of different birds and animals. Unfortunately, there’s a very
severe drought going on which has been on for three years. This means that most
of the water in the park that we went to has dried up. They’ve actually had to
start trucking in water for the animals. In the estuary where we went to see
hippos and crocodiles, we saw flamingos at the mouth, which our guide explained
meant that the water was incredibly low, because normally they only stand
farther up the estuary where the water is shallow. Also, the estuary is now
classed as a lake because it no longer connects to the ocean. Despite the
drought, our safari was absolutely fantastic. Merry Christmas again, and I hope
you’re all doing well, and eating gingerbread and frantically buying wrapping
paper as the end of this year approaches. It’s gone so quickly, and I hope all
of you had a great one, and enjoyed hearing a little bit about my travels. This
year, I crossed the Indian Ocean and made it to South Africa, and I’m pretty proud
of that. Happy holidays everyone. </div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-31401573752952715702015-09-25T01:57:00.001-07:002015-09-28T03:52:48.707-07:00Seychelles to Comoros to Madagascar: An Epic Voyage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNyWPitQADDCUTQoCzIiqj6kOa2_fnQwC5aIIfr6SeMyOh39makYu-CJrj749QV7Nu7uf-UT-5imvgEEB52OcLxgWP7rCGjsTnW3WSHbbImAiEg0ZxNy0ptG_ldZTjlTcBlmO8g/s1600/IMG_3000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNyWPitQADDCUTQoCzIiqj6kOa2_fnQwC5aIIfr6SeMyOh39makYu-CJrj749QV7Nu7uf-UT-5imvgEEB52OcLxgWP7rCGjsTnW3WSHbbImAiEg0ZxNy0ptG_ldZTjlTcBlmO8g/s400/IMG_3000.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Hello people who read my blog! Sorry it’s been awhile since
my last post. We left the Seychelles for Comoros, a small, extremely poor group
of islands located near Madagascar. The passage was dreadful. Huge lumpy seas
and quite a lot of wind made for an uncomfortable sail. By the time we arrived
in Comoros, we were tired, the boat was a mess, and we were missing the entirety
of our wooden slatted deck. After we lost our ‘patio’, Charlie the cat would
crawl up to the window and gaze out worriedly at the void of empty space. My
reaction was similar. While in Comoros, we would have to find wood for the
deck, a facet after our water tap snapped off and food, in a country where we
spoke only a small amount of French, and none of the local dialect. Most people
spoke high school level French, no English, but mostly the local dialect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQicHN5NOArgiSwZhW92ae4v1IB_-G62sc1bqjNxbtjfeHFABLM2kP1DMSEZqt5C4vSQxjs9I5s_Z6Q87KzkES5qJC7obEYeEJgDSEx1nR9nrlCmgUKyHMdbBJ6KOVmr9RxunGg/s1600/IMG_1935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQicHN5NOArgiSwZhW92ae4v1IB_-G62sc1bqjNxbtjfeHFABLM2kP1DMSEZqt5C4vSQxjs9I5s_Z6Q87KzkES5qJC7obEYeEJgDSEx1nR9nrlCmgUKyHMdbBJ6KOVmr9RxunGg/s400/IMG_1935.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Comoros was definitely not a destination for inexperienced travellers.
To find the market, you had to weave through a maze of ally-ways and dead ends,
eventually coming out on a steep hillside where women swathed in brightly
coloured sarongs balanced tubs of fruit and rice on their heads and men
displayed cinnamon and cloves at their small stalls. There was an abundance of
carrots, cucumbers and lettuce, but not much in the way of fruit, except for
bananas. Lots of bananas. Also available at the market, but only at some
stalls, were tiny bottles of a pale golden liquid. It was ylang-ylang, a very
special perfume. The flowers were grown and distilled into a florally, fruity
perfume that to me, smelt like roses and pears, which sounds kinda weird, but
actually smells amazing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtiV-XCC3_e5e7FdtmrsRGiy2aWt-nStf8YsSHSlc3M3mw7Lp8d213JywuE6tHklXV75IJW3NRmSZhVxaxIed_VAuCM9705T5AaIQ8DCsLC3Vb7fXNRnMo1LKaFEKp5rxbfsBmA/s1600/IMG_2260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtiV-XCC3_e5e7FdtmrsRGiy2aWt-nStf8YsSHSlc3M3mw7Lp8d213JywuE6tHklXV75IJW3NRmSZhVxaxIed_VAuCM9705T5AaIQ8DCsLC3Vb7fXNRnMo1LKaFEKp5rxbfsBmA/s400/IMG_2260.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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We absolutely loved Comoros. Besides the language difficulties,
everyone was incredibly warm and welcoming. My mum accidently crashed a wedding
with some ladies from the other boats, and was invited to join in the dancing.
All too soon, it was on to Madagascar. </div>
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Probably more of you have heard of Madagascar. We arrived in
Hellville, (I giggle whenever I hear the name) and checked in pretty quickly.
Hellville was much more touristy, and the streets were filled with cafes, shops
and bijouterie. We had a lovely lunch at one of the many restaurants, and
continued on to the Super Marché. Compared to a Western grocery store, it was
nothing. But for us, it was freaking heaven. I found affordable strawberries
(sadly we later found out that the strawberries had parasites). And tic-tacs.
My parents found nice, cheap rum. Happiness all around!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrbBqiyDC8kf1GrlniO2uQLpkVv0kZsbP_bEl3S-aLtPMGO02gIjSqOXIdvQvVqwJQFKJ6rZ802JBaowO3Y_E6WufacR0y12vIzPqWi_hNdkma45BjDvJHy5p8SnEyTNqXmDyvQ/s1600/IMG_2770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrbBqiyDC8kf1GrlniO2uQLpkVv0kZsbP_bEl3S-aLtPMGO02gIjSqOXIdvQvVqwJQFKJ6rZ802JBaowO3Y_E6WufacR0y12vIzPqWi_hNdkma45BjDvJHy5p8SnEyTNqXmDyvQ/s400/IMG_2770.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We hung out with the other kid boats in a nearby anchorage
called Crater Bay, while we waited for our friend Allison to arrive from the
U.S. She arrived in due course, bearing the wealth of Trader Joe’s in her giant
suitcase. We all got rather giddy. After snorkelling and hiking our way through
the islands, we arrived at Nosy Komba, where we could go on the hunt for King
Julian. We were led up the path by our guide, who called out to the lemurs, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">makimakimakimakimakimaki’. </i>Maki is Malagasy
for lemurs. The lemurs leapt through the trees, making funny little snuffling
noises as they sped toward the bananas held in our outstretched hands. Without
any signs of fear, they leapt to our shoulders where they sat contentedly eating
the morsel of banana that we offered them. They were incredibly gentle, soft,
and light, and very cuddly. All too soon, it was over, and the lemurs hopped
back through the jungle. </div>
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We’ve had an amazing time in Madagascar so far, and I’m looking
forward to further exploring this wonderful country. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-73040517114160701702015-07-14T01:27:00.001-07:002015-07-14T01:27:38.665-07:00The Seychelles: Ginger Ale, Mountains and Baguettes<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-AU">My deepest and most sincere apologies for
not writing while in Chagos. I’m sure you were all devastated and wept salty
tears of despair every day of my absence. Well cry not faithful readers, for I
have RETURNED! Chagos was beautiful and magical, a tropical paradise deserving
of the name. Unfortunately, there was no food. Or people. Or much of anything
besides palm trees, sand and sea. Which was fine for a while, but it got a bit
old. So after a month, we set off for the Seychelles, that mystical land of
cheese, revealing clothing and trees that aren’t palm trees. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">As we sighted the land on the horizon,
hilly, beautiful mountainous land, I noticed something. Two things actually.
One, it was almost chilly, and two, the sight of mountains is a very necessary
thing after three months in a country where most of it is only about a meter
above sea level. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">We’ve been here just over a week and I have
discovered some very exciting things. They have proper ginger ale, they have
French pastries, and, I’m allowed to wear shorts. Heck, I could wear a
mini-skirt and crop top with four-inch heels if it struck my fancy! It’s funny
what things excite you after a month with no city, town or even village. Also,
they have a shower on shore!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">On the week long passage from Chagos, we
weren’t getting a lot of power from the solar panels, so we weren’t able to
make a lot of water. This led to a very difficult choice each day. I could
shower, and be clean, or I could charge my computer and watch something.
Basically, I could be clean and bored, or be entertained and less clean. Ahh,
decisions, decisions . . . Now that we have showers on shore, I can be clean
and entertained. It just seems so . . . luxurious. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Anyways, we’re enjoying the Seychelles and
I will continue to describe my experiences here.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> </span></div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-87153955434652151842015-04-21T22:26:00.001-07:002015-04-21T22:26:48.286-07:00The Metaphoric Resonance of Straws<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-AU">One of the things that I learned while at
the Anantara Resort in the Maldives
is that straws are a great equalizer. At this opulent, luxurious hotel situated
on a private island with individual villas that cost upward of $1500 a night,
they’ve improved on everything. The sheets are smoother, the temperature is
more bearable, the doughnuts are squishier . . . They’ve even managed to make
the whole freaking island <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">smell </i>nice.
But as I sipped my freshly squeezed fruit juice out of a colorful glass, I was
using the same type of straw that every fast food chain dispensed with their
mega-size soft drinks. Now, either straws are just so perfectly constructed
that they can’t be improved upon, or, as I mentioned, they are an excellent equalizer. The reason I was musing upon straws’ deep, metaphoric resonance was
because I was ridiculously relaxed and also considering the fact that I might
have been born for the life of a millionaire.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidULdteFT2bUZJr3GuoM5q0jJEqbToLHGndKLXwbCtk6UqUUebHTcoaRpfVT-bMoLxd0Ll2YGV7mjVGMXkOhJDHEIP-hA_Yfr48PbJ7DR-yKpl34KRnScqpuOGbJWEJFX11VU_AQ/s1600/IMG_6931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidULdteFT2bUZJr3GuoM5q0jJEqbToLHGndKLXwbCtk6UqUUebHTcoaRpfVT-bMoLxd0Ll2YGV7mjVGMXkOhJDHEIP-hA_Yfr48PbJ7DR-yKpl34KRnScqpuOGbJWEJFX11VU_AQ/s1600/IMG_6931.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
my last blog post, about traveling through Sri Lanka, I mentioned that I had
been awarded the nickname ‘Five-Star’ when I complained about sleeping on a
brick mattress. However, now, I was traveling at the other end of the
spectrum. And I was completely fine with it. My mother, as some of you might
know, is a travel writer. And that comes with certain perks. For example,
staying at an awesomely fancy resort and getting free food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, I even get to come with her. LIKE
NOW. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7WRuFb2zfo8xoNhrbxDZuCFYJBovEt8GpBs-bwY_FXEFr3SkAwQL9jVFvTrf33qkSSUejNb6tCAHlZ8sB7VeprJ9ZwyUTIQFZ3EL_lSum-J3YVn2vY-9_Sf9Zp2WF9TJi48dyg/s1600/IMG_6817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7WRuFb2zfo8xoNhrbxDZuCFYJBovEt8GpBs-bwY_FXEFr3SkAwQL9jVFvTrf33qkSSUejNb6tCAHlZ8sB7VeprJ9ZwyUTIQFZ3EL_lSum-J3YVn2vY-9_Sf9Zp2WF9TJi48dyg/s1600/IMG_6817.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the mattress is not a brick</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">We arrived late Monday morning, and were
greeting by the marketing coordinator and our villa lackey. We were handed cold
jasmine scented towels and walked through the warm perfumed air to the
restaurant, where we were offered fresh juice, small pastries and champagne.
Then, we got on a golf cart and were driven to our over water villa, while
sipping our champagne and admiring the scenery. I hopped off the golf cart and
entered the large villa. Our villa lackey handed us the itinerary, the keys and
a map and told us to enjoy our selves. I ran around in the air conditioning
happily. We had a private infinity pool, a huge glass bottom tub, a patio, foot
baths and a fresh fruit welcome platter. I couldn’t decide if I was more
excited about the fruit or the bath. I wandered into the gigantic, airy
bathroom, complete with day bed, and ran myself a bath. For those of you who
might be wondering, I have literally not taken a bath in years. I’m not even
joking. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Years, </i>I tell you. The tub
even had a bath pillow. I didn’t actually know bath pillows existed! I splashed
in the tub for a while, went for a swim, drank some tea and had a foot bath.
Eventually, we all meandered through the shade to the restaurant for some
lunch. Now, we got free food at a fancy, expensive restaurant. You’re probably
all thinking that I got some tiny, gourmet, hard to pronounce dish. Heck no. I’m
fine with that when I’m in a city where there’s a wide selection of food. Not
if I haven’t been to a big grocery store since Bali.
So I got a burger. Of course, it was still a gourmet burger. It had imported
mustard and fancy cheese. Dessert was the tiny gourmet part. Anyways, enough
about the food, I could go on for days. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">After lunch, my parents went off on a tour
of the resort, but I declined. I went back to the villa and lazed around in the
pool for a while until my parents got back. We all lazed around collectively
for a bit, until it was time for the cocktail party celebrating the Thai New
Year. I got an elaborate fruit juice and a massage from the masseuses that were
there to ensure everyone was appropriately relaxed and also to give everybody a
sneak peek of the spa. We hung out there for a while and released a candle
shaped like a flower over the pool in a coconut shell. Then it was time for the
main event. The one you’ve all been waiting for. Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and
girls, I give you dinner! At! Sea!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Now Sea is a very special restaurant. It's
gourmet, and expensive, but there are a lot of restaurants like that. No, Sea
is special cause ITS UNDER WATER! I bet your jaws just dropped. Ha. Its one of
only a few underwater restaurants in the world, it has eight tables, five
course dinners and it costs $370 per person. We were the only ones there when
we first arrived, and we were sat in the cool blue lighting next to a large
observation window. It felt like a high end ‘Restaurant at the End of the
Universe’ to be honest, what with the mirrored ceiling, the blue light, the
crazy carpet and the colorful seat pillows. The waiter arrived and handed us
giant menus, complete with pen light, due to the dim lighting. He explained
that there were five courses with two options for each course, and each course
was paired with a wine. Of course, seeing as I wasn’t drinking, he would be
happy to get me a juice or a mocktail. We picked the first four courses, except
not the dessert, and he bustled off, leaving us with some beautiful fish books
to attempt to identify the fish swimming by. I won’t go into details, because
the meal took three hours and any attempt to describe it would take longer, but
I will say that it was fantastic and wonderful and is something I will remember
for the rest of my life. I also met a lovely moray eel named Derek. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU">We waddled back home and tumbled into the
intoxicatingly smooth sheets. I don’t know what it is about hotel sheets, but
somehow they always seem softer, cooler and cuddlier then any other sheet
anywhere. Needless to say, I adore them. The next morning we moseyed on down to
the breakfast buffet, where I promptly gorged myself on doughnuts, leading my
mother to suggest Doughnuts Anonymous. I’m still laughing. Ha. Ha. Ha. After
relaxing in the villa for a while longer and taking another bath, we packed our
bags sadly and called our villa lackey to escort us to our Maldivian cooking
class. I sniffed and dabbed my eyes as I bid our villa a fond farewell. Ah, to
be a millionaire. </span>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">The cooking class was lovely, except I was
still stuffed with pastries so I was only able to manage a bite of everything.
We were then walked down to the dock and waved back to Ceilydh and to our non
millionaireesque lives. Which is perfectly perfect. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-16608673494833008032015-03-16T20:13:00.000-07:002015-03-16T20:13:39.134-07:00Seven Nights of Not the Fairmont in Sri Lanka, (But Still Awesome)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Being the daughter of a freelance travel writer can come
with certain expectations when it comes to hotel rooms. I will readily admit
that I’m a snob about hotels, (this leading to the charming nickname,
‘Five-Star’ from my darling mother). So when my parents told me we were going
to spend a week travelling around Sri Lanka, by bus, train and van,
and staying in guest houses and motels, I was slightly apprehensive. My
experience of travel, (not counting the six years on the boat) had consisted of
carefully structured days, following strict itineraries, dining in expensive
restaurants and retiring to $1000 a night suites with chocolates on the pillow
and a maid waiting at my beck and call. Like I said, I’m a snob.
</div>
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The day we arrived in Sri Lanka, we checked into to the
country with all due speed and immediately departed for the train station. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">plan </i>had been to get bunks in the first
class sleeper train and then travel to the town of Columbo,
take another train, arrive in the large city of Kandy and meet up with our friends on Totem
whom we would be travelling with. At least that had been the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">plan</i>. Unfortunately, the sleeper car was
full and so we would be in second class seats overnight. That doesn’t sound too
bad until you realise that second class seats cost four bucks and are made of
sweaty, sticky, smelly vinyl and have absolutely no leg-room. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
When we didn’t follow the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">plan</i>, I got mildly agitated. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, after about twenty minutes of waiting
for the train to leave, my dad found out that there had been a first class
cancelation and grabbed the cabin for my mum and I. We hurried to the cabin and
were greeted by a dismal sight. I (foolishly as it turned out), had believed
that perhaps the magical land of first class would resemble something like the
luxury train across the Rocky Mountains that I had taken when I was six. I was
sadly mistaken. The floor was dirty rubber, somebody appeared to have stepped
on our beds with muddy boots and it was stiflingly hot. Don’t even get me
started on the bathroom. I tried to fall asleep but it was horribly loud and
bumpy, and in the middle of the night the conductor burst in, shouting, to
check that there were only two people in our cabin. You get the picture. </div>
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Luckily, the next train was better. We got first class seats
in the optimistically named ‘observation car’ which promised air-con and a
clean bathroom. However, the springs on the train were too soft, and whenever
we went over a bump, we would go airborne and wouldn’t spot bouncing for about
a minute. </div>
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Eventually we arrived in Kandy. We travelled by tuk-tuk to the guest
house that us and Totem would be staying at. For those of you who are
unfamiliar with Sri Lankan forms of transport, the tuk-tuk deserves an explanation.
The tuk-tuk is a small, three wheeled taxi that nimbly weaves between large
trucks and buses at breakneck speed, while the driver looks over the back seat
and cheerfully assures you that his tuk-tuk is brand new, and he’s been driving
since he was twelve.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
As we arrived at the guest house, I took a deep breath. We
were greeted by the owner and shown to our room. It was small, cold and white.
It was a fricken cell. The bathroom at least, had hot water. And ants. I could
deal with the ants. It was however, when I sat down on my bed that the trouble
began. It appeared to have been made from chopped up tires mixed with bricks. I
sat down on my parent’s bed. Perfectly acceptable foam. I went to visit the
kids from Totem. Their bed too, was normal. Damn. Later, we found out from our
friend Behan, from Totem, that my bed was probably made from processed coconut
husks pressed into a brick. However, despite the brick bed, Kandy was lovely.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL8jfIsb-76nwr-s5ApqT1MdsMMysoJau7mhWTv2S9Zf9p0C8qqAx5s7xkDKyT5F-Fhkmgym69qmws37R56vW7hfHrMbFpyUOK0FkT8boBZi8I0_ra2V8cmttM3VRYprOmacV0A/s1600/IMG_6296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL8jfIsb-76nwr-s5ApqT1MdsMMysoJau7mhWTv2S9Zf9p0C8qqAx5s7xkDKyT5F-Fhkmgym69qmws37R56vW7hfHrMbFpyUOK0FkT8boBZi8I0_ra2V8cmttM3VRYprOmacV0A/s1600/IMG_6296.jpg" height="201" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people were
friendly, the air was cool and the food was wonderful. At three o’clock, we
visited a sari shop, so that my friend Siobhan could pick up the sari that she
had had tailored the day before. When I was little, in Vancouver, I had always wanted a sari. The
women wore them with such elegance and grace and they were so beautiful. So
finally, here was my chance. I poured over the fabrics and gazed at the
delicate patterns. Finally, I chose a purple-grey silk with a lacy copper edge.
The blouse would be made of black silk with the same border. The next day I picked
it up. Then, we travelled through the hill country of Sri Lanka to
one of the abundant tea factories. When we reached the small stall that sold
Sri Lankan tea, my mother asked one of the women if she could help me wrap my
new sari. She bundled me up with a smile and sent us on our way. As it turned
out, a foreigner wearing a sari in Sri Lanka was an entirely social
experience. Almost every woman we passed would stop to adjust me and rewrap my
sari to her satisfaction. The woman that we had encountered up until that point
had been very shy, so it was fascinating how a simple piece of fabric could
open the way to conversations and friendship. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mN_7pcrhg6cigu5-gGO8zPSW9N77Kxvfoxy15HPVswU72o6Dm1_ELVR2oDPaCvUtJQUM6c1XYIMkK40V_NfMle7kFRctf507C9WVQf5uxJX2lHF0Qq6ehIvKQcz08YkQ21Hvmg/s1600/DSC01132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mN_7pcrhg6cigu5-gGO8zPSW9N77Kxvfoxy15HPVswU72o6Dm1_ELVR2oDPaCvUtJQUM6c1XYIMkK40V_NfMle7kFRctf507C9WVQf5uxJX2lHF0Qq6ehIvKQcz08YkQ21Hvmg/s1600/DSC01132.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxXrjxaUsqjZSLdSbTrEZYXJ1aZcRgn4u0hS4Rs6wVwdaupwB1siqlnXuB7fektTYaA79i7JeW0AchKeu5sfp4m62NVoZJRIqDxnNeR_tGVJmF_9GWngGKi5teL_L-k6x2Qdg8Q/s1600/DSC01134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxXrjxaUsqjZSLdSbTrEZYXJ1aZcRgn4u0hS4Rs6wVwdaupwB1siqlnXuB7fektTYaA79i7JeW0AchKeu5sfp4m62NVoZJRIqDxnNeR_tGVJmF_9GWngGKi5teL_L-k6x2Qdg8Q/s1600/DSC01134.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Over the next few days, we traveled to the tiny town of Dalhousie whose claim to fame is a mountain is called Adam’s Peak where the locals believe Adam first set foot
on earth. Every day, hundreds of pilgrims journey up the 5000 or so steps to
visit the temple at the top. We left for the climb at 2:30 a.m. I was just
starting to regret wanting to do this. The air was frigid but infused with
excitement. You could feel the thrill tingling through the icy air. Sadly,
about 1000 steps up, my bad ankle gave way, and so I waited in the tea house of
a kind old couple for the Totems to come down. The elderly couple spoke barely
any English, but showed me pictures of their children and grandchildren and
gave me a blanket and insisted I wait on their couch. At about 6:30, my father
came up from the foot of the mountain to fetch me. The couple took a photo with
me, I thanked them and bid them farewell. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEP4whXSxlVHZauS_5QU6IYNY_isjV1ReqThIpwjewOcCJzUArkjSeV-oRuuXasTDS-dqq7ccstf4hHm9HDfrtdnwNqArL-EaM_K9WlEQ1Z55vBcgcLUeMyokI6Gg4aGTt8X7zw/s1600/IMG_5578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEP4whXSxlVHZauS_5QU6IYNY_isjV1ReqThIpwjewOcCJzUArkjSeV-oRuuXasTDS-dqq7ccstf4hHm9HDfrtdnwNqArL-EaM_K9WlEQ1Z55vBcgcLUeMyokI6Gg4aGTt8X7zw/s1600/IMG_5578.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubert the Elephant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1P5Niaf2mB1iLJluxqQiFpUE8y6h-vPetlpi0K1lJ-PkxZk-1N4km0bKvGD0nW8iPwWk3kb_NC_RmlZT8smPmoYUECVwfAvcRuCFjRnVc0wnMCrs5LXpSebeWc4Sfd1tCzlM9Og/s1600/IMG_5564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1P5Niaf2mB1iLJluxqQiFpUE8y6h-vPetlpi0K1lJ-PkxZk-1N4km0bKvGD0nW8iPwWk3kb_NC_RmlZT8smPmoYUECVwfAvcRuCFjRnVc0wnMCrs5LXpSebeWc4Sfd1tCzlM9Og/s1600/IMG_5564.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie's cousin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next hotel was the worst. The bed was too small, it was
boiling hot, the bathroom was filled with mosquitoes and it was filthy. I was
horrified. I got through it however, (albeit grumpily) and we traveled on. The
next hotel was much better. The three Totem kids and I shared a dormitory like
bedroom, with thick mattresses, air-con, T.V, a mini-fridge, and a clean
bathroom. It was slightly sad how excited I got. We would stay there for three
nights, and we were all ecstatic. The other kids and I spent the remainder of
the day chilling in the air-con and watching CNN. Excitement. The next day was
our safari. We were packed into a giant jeep and splashed off through the
puddles. We saw a leopard, elephants, jackals, deer, peacocks, wild boar, and
mongeese. It was fantastic. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoiDC96UNGNrsAjFKM-u8afFxMdjcn9NEDtERhGJL_CAogL8haHIRP2p5soSPvUN4tbFkk82wpBjBiHyTOLdefCId5kCCUjgZxSYEglp2ePw2ROHwObUkbLKfK0cwaEjpMMzMGQ/s1600/IMG_5741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoiDC96UNGNrsAjFKM-u8afFxMdjcn9NEDtERhGJL_CAogL8haHIRP2p5soSPvUN4tbFkk82wpBjBiHyTOLdefCId5kCCUjgZxSYEglp2ePw2ROHwObUkbLKfK0cwaEjpMMzMGQ/s1600/IMG_5741.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The following day, my parents and I travelled by
bicycle through the ancient city of Anuradhapura.
It was beautiful and fascinating. The ruins were interspersed with peoples’
homes, which helped to see how huge it was. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next day, we left, and arrived home at the boat. I think
I might have possibly left some of my hotel snobbishness behind. Maybe. </div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-49915336257212196542015-01-03T20:32:00.002-08:002015-01-03T20:32:34.231-08:00My Red-haired Relatives--visiting orangutans<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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On Boxing Day, a large yellow and green boat pulled up next
to Ceilydh. This was the boat that would take us up the Sekonyer River
for three days while we go see orangutans. This was the trip we’d been dreaming
about for months, the chance to go to Camp Leaky and also to see wild orangutans.
Ever since I heard of the problems and dangers that orangutans face, I’ve
wanted to help. We’ve given up palm oil, and we’ve adopted a young orangutan
named Bayat, who we’ll receive pictures and updates of, in order to support
Camp Leaky. For me, the most important part of this trip was learning more
about the orangutans and how we can help protect them. </div>
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We would sleep, eat and travel on the boat with a small crew
and a guide. Our guide was awesome. Her name was Rini, she was Muslim, she’d
been to university and she was married to a university professor. She was very
talkative and curious, asking about our travels and seeming especially
interested in the komodo dragons that I mentioned.</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On our first day, we
traveled up the river, stopping at the first feeding station at two o’clock.
Rini led us through the forest, pointing out various plants and herbs for
healing. “That one there prevents malaria. The orangutans eat it too,” she
informed us. “And that one’s for mosquito bites”. There was such a huge variety
of plants and trees and the palm oil companies were burning them and the
illegal loggers were chopping them down. This forest is unlike any in the
world. The horror of its destruction is just starting to reach the rest of the
world, but luckily, Indonesia’s new president has pledged to stop the illegal
logging.</div>
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Soon, we started to hear yodelling guides, (that’s the best
way I can think to describe them) calling for the orangutans. We walked a bit
more before entering a small clearing. I was dismayed. There were rows of
benches and a roped off platform covered with bananas. “It’s like feeding time
at the zoo” I whispered to my mum. Soon though, I felt better as our red-haired
relatives swung down through the trees to grab bananas in their mouths and then
scurry away. The thing that amazed me was their eyes. They had soft brown eyes
that seemed ancient and sad and so human. They would stare at you, making
eye-contact for a brief moment that stretched out forever.</div>
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The next morning, we headed off to the second feeding
station. Rini pointed out orangutans, telling us their names, ages and a bit
about them. Many were the children or grandchildren of the original orphaned
orangutans that Dr. Birute Galdikas had rehabilitated and introduced back into
the wild. Their parents had been killed by the palm oil plantations and the
babies had been taken and sold as pets. The palm oil plantations and loggers are
not only killing the orangutans, but destroying their habitat; the rainforest
of Borneo. Palm oil plantations only produce for twenty years, after that,
they’re simply cleared away; leaving an open space that will never regrow, due
to the poor soil.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUa6tYNcHAduWOYwAEBqToxehk_2wSExlCNmtYVr6V83amwaKb-omUyQWxv0tdTEGLEB7FEax_jr8FVih-2MigX1N54IraXEHixALv7PW1RVxHg7Eqo3_oRmGjtYauR1pYR4u5g/s1600/IMG_5049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUa6tYNcHAduWOYwAEBqToxehk_2wSExlCNmtYVr6V83amwaKb-omUyQWxv0tdTEGLEB7FEax_jr8FVih-2MigX1N54IraXEHixALv7PW1RVxHg7Eqo3_oRmGjtYauR1pYR4u5g/s1600/IMG_5049.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way the
orangutans swung from tree to tree was incredible. They would climb to the top
of a bendy tree and then fling their weight to one side, causing it to lean
over and allowing them to grab the next tree. You could see and hear them
coming from quite a ways away, because the trees would bend and rustle. They
were perfect and beautiful, and I felt so lucky to be able to see them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next stop: Camp Leaky. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were people from all over the world,
come to see the ginger apes. The first part of feeding time wasn’t much
different than the other stations, but after about twenty minutes, things
started to get a bit more interesting. Sarah, (Our friend who’s visiting from
New York for three weeks) got peed on by a young and mischievous orangutan. A
mother with her two babies came walking down the path. And a ridiculous looking
gibbon chased a wild pig.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7dZiLuDqy9dCUWrJu0D44Q9pf5j3SHoH9G9ePpWxBZHfqPtiRV3WhG-9xYcJmfxKJ50LWI9OD7qkfu-b2HwL30ygltncpvv8l520I9qQPAmyqwMMNbExoQNj9ZG-Zh651u5YBQ/s1600/IMG_5378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7dZiLuDqy9dCUWrJu0D44Q9pf5j3SHoH9G9ePpWxBZHfqPtiRV3WhG-9xYcJmfxKJ50LWI9OD7qkfu-b2HwL30ygltncpvv8l520I9qQPAmyqwMMNbExoQNj9ZG-Zh651u5YBQ/s1600/IMG_5378.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVWv7bYlFweFKi6wLkdKBTpu6x1HbSqy8j8_eTen0B427omotG-8jsgUbAR0p1nR3OyAn3eJaIJlPB_15byxtp_JNITymgPpc9mA4NhCs1moBU3rjtR0RufCiyUXnTh_PvIrbjg/s1600/IMG_5278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVWv7bYlFweFKi6wLkdKBTpu6x1HbSqy8j8_eTen0B427omotG-8jsgUbAR0p1nR3OyAn3eJaIJlPB_15byxtp_JNITymgPpc9mA4NhCs1moBU3rjtR0RufCiyUXnTh_PvIrbjg/s1600/IMG_5278.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The mother orangutan’s name was Uning and her oldest baby
would be ready to leave her in a year or two. She was nineteen years old, and
we got to watch as she taught her five-month old baby how to climb. First
though, she whacked a wild pig with a stick. There are many wild pigs that hang
around Camp Leaky and the feeding platform. They are aggressive, and have
killed several baby orangutans. So before Uning started to guide her baby
through the trees, she picked up a stick, and smacked the curious pig. Then, as
we watched, silently cheering her on, she gently pried her baby off and wrapped
the infant’s arms and legs around a low branch. Her baby reached out with both
hands and feet, trying to find its mummy again. Uning pushed her child up
through the trees, ignoring the baby’s grasping hands.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha93FZwCQkYDVRH3OaULInoJGEKUsEGTziAfq8c5rKBn-wZQ-U-vEGWehYlHMSgeitQ3BHkX4MmZ44BCaQIxH2Kj_FSkghiF26CKp_HxvrWXPu_ekI8K2qvQmWh2Hc59Lc0MBaQg/s1600/IMG_5491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha93FZwCQkYDVRH3OaULInoJGEKUsEGTziAfq8c5rKBn-wZQ-U-vEGWehYlHMSgeitQ3BHkX4MmZ44BCaQIxH2Kj_FSkghiF26CKp_HxvrWXPu_ekI8K2qvQmWh2Hc59Lc0MBaQg/s1600/IMG_5491.jpg" height="400" width="286" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, a large man
pushed in front of everyone watching with his ridiculously huge camera pointed
at Uning. (Seriously, the camera was just silly; it looked like a missile
launcher). Everyone sucked in their breath as he began to take rapid fire
pictures, (with flash!) of the orangutans. His guide placed a hand on his arm
and requested that he stop using the flash, as it disturbed the orangutans and
was against the park rules. The man shook him off; “There’s no sign! You’re not
a ranger! Get out of my way” he said in a loud voice, startling Uning and her
baby. He got much closer than you were supposed to and continued to take
pictures. So I stepped up. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“One of the basic park rules is no flash photography of the
orangutans. You’re scaring Uning and her baby” I told him. He looked at me
disdainfully. “Show me the sign little girl. You need to learn about obeying
the rules!” Now I was angry. “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You </i>need
to learn about respecting the beautiful creatures that we have all come to see,
along with respecting the people that protect them. Enjoy the experience, and
stop frightening the orangutans”. He blustered a bit but stopped and stomped
off. Our guide, Rini grabbed my hand tightly, possibly to prevent me following
him and ranting at him a bit more. “Thank you” she whispered, “You are brave to
say whatever you want to say”. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLtMyQnLQOKWXYey7L5AtOq669aoZu_K0OHkmdBFUUiIXrG5LqzU_CHkCJml6vNa6b7xFUALFxt1IzeYfdDkSxzwLIkSPqGRzZ5kIBg6N2XopKalUezQSaVe375AA_1yXj9spQQ/s1600/IMG_5405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLtMyQnLQOKWXYey7L5AtOq669aoZu_K0OHkmdBFUUiIXrG5LqzU_CHkCJml6vNa6b7xFUALFxt1IzeYfdDkSxzwLIkSPqGRzZ5kIBg6N2XopKalUezQSaVe375AA_1yXj9spQQ/s1600/IMG_5405.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-ILUfgFWGmd_J1OOOWo9JiELpTDvstuwpJiPI-iAHWhLu-SHNcpJjVfJy36pLA22SfF9_42BWpeIrvtN19WkVlQ7j5z75GtrmAvOabBXD3EIopmP59UYd2XTu7XhKYS1eo_wFw/s1600/IMG_5388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-ILUfgFWGmd_J1OOOWo9JiELpTDvstuwpJiPI-iAHWhLu-SHNcpJjVfJy36pLA22SfF9_42BWpeIrvtN19WkVlQ7j5z75GtrmAvOabBXD3EIopmP59UYd2XTu7XhKYS1eo_wFw/s1600/IMG_5388.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few minutes later, there was a commotion from up the
trail. “Tom’s coming!” people called in hushed voices. Tom is the alpha male of
Camp Leaky, and he’s huge and furry and orange. He came striding down the
trail, looking very cool with a shaggy haircut and giant cheek pads. He was
like a rock star, he had handlers, pushing people out of his way and clearing a
path. He settled on the feeding platform and ignored everyone. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoX2uiqFKpo_RP0wZIflloPhSX1uv7eI5_yci_L_zrFo3I17EOpwUiCG0xYcioSZXt2x5P2dA4b7Fhy-Q4Y1Wv2OBusbthRAp3_t6l79Y1YdaWyJI3STSSCDFAATBVb6jg1L3Ow/s1600/IMG_5543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoX2uiqFKpo_RP0wZIflloPhSX1uv7eI5_yci_L_zrFo3I17EOpwUiCG0xYcioSZXt2x5P2dA4b7Fhy-Q4Y1Wv2OBusbthRAp3_t6l79Y1YdaWyJI3STSSCDFAATBVb6jg1L3Ow/s1600/IMG_5543.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We were one of the last groups to leave, and I was so happy
that we had gotten to see both Tom and Uning. The orangutans were so amazing,
but what I found fascinating was how they seemed to show such strong emotions.
They weren’t human emotions, but they were clearly reacting to the world around
them. Uning seemed proud but a little sad when her baby got the hang of
climbing and she was clearly wary of the wild pigs. Some orangutans were just
young and playful, but every so often they would look at you, and you could see
just how similar to us they really are.</div>
<br />
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-39389050138503254832014-12-02T21:40:00.001-08:002014-12-03T01:05:04.302-08:00So Many Ponies . . . <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
When we go to the market, we walk. Period, full stop. Or, if
it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really </i>far away, we might
splurge on a bemo. (I know, such extravagance). But today, we really went <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>out. First, we took a taxi. Then we
arrived at the market to see pony carts parked outside. I promptly squealed.
This, of course, made all the locals chuckle. We finished our shopping, as I
urged my parents to hurry up. I wanted a pony ride, damn it. They seemed to be
slowing down on purpose, chatting with the tobacco seller, smelling the
mangoes, and basically ignoring me. Such kind people. Anyway, after they
finished inspecting every single piece of fruit the market had to offer, I
rushed them to the pony parking lot. They had been to the market yesterday, and
taken a pony cart home, so they were more blasé about the ponies. But I wasn’t.
I could never be blasé about ponies. NEVER. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I finally succeeded in towing them to the ponies, they
recognized their pony man from yesterday. Apparently he was very gentle with
his pony, so we picked him. The pony, a tiny, shiny, fat brown animal, pulled a
ratty, broken down chariot with two wheels. There were nicer carts but we liked
this determined, sturdy little pony and the small, kind old man who drove the
cart. The pony’s hooves were being reshod, probably with my parents fare from
yesterday, so we waited as the pony was tended to by the local farrier. While
this was going on, we had to watch as a complete jerk of another pony man,
chucked manure and fruit at our driver’s head and tried to convince us to
switch carts. We declined. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, the pony was ready. We climbed into the wobbly
contraptions, which falls back as you climb in, and squished up to the front,
to balance our weight over the wheels and make it easier for the pony. As we
trotted out of the yard, the other driver ran up and rubbed manure into our
driver’s hair. We all shouted at the other driver and the pony picked up his
pace. When we arrived at the small marina owned by a British expat and his
Indonesian wife, the pony was slowing down. We hopped out, fed the pony a
carrot, and waved it down the road. Best. Transport. Ever. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC_TlsWoUPzDdGnYrGiW2oFHSYiwuFeoU2aVA8m45dxSFob2JodMivQKAktYKTSfjgUL8QfAHlFBDbcxyhIJg2AMbBMmU5mvwJjyU-nq5DT3pPMDaY_Dc9QwkZrLRWnaiD4U8LQ/s1600/IMG_4037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC_TlsWoUPzDdGnYrGiW2oFHSYiwuFeoU2aVA8m45dxSFob2JodMivQKAktYKTSfjgUL8QfAHlFBDbcxyhIJg2AMbBMmU5mvwJjyU-nq5DT3pPMDaY_Dc9QwkZrLRWnaiD4U8LQ/s1600/IMG_4037.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kA3WxYp8UhFFzHT8FjHRU6X-dMXloXEgX7U0vi7jZXzxybTJk4-ZZ6D-Hvk6UaLkbeGWxYahl6mKLe-a72fjl8Jiv7Oa7vJS0ReeZwcAAEiGxbqWzI3P4ANLY0S-DXrWc8EmtA/s1600/IMG_4032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kA3WxYp8UhFFzHT8FjHRU6X-dMXloXEgX7U0vi7jZXzxybTJk4-ZZ6D-Hvk6UaLkbeGWxYahl6mKLe-a72fjl8Jiv7Oa7vJS0ReeZwcAAEiGxbqWzI3P4ANLY0S-DXrWc8EmtA/s1600/IMG_4032.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2O3ekhvDCIM36w3gv3LIWD57hQjYjaaE9RrUOmkXhqbf3htWCTLRDnmk_TkYEK65NP1SZpWpRuEvlEh8zcAFwq13YZ6eA4fy9TjQxdncGl8x-KRpPW2oKNzJm4DEPLYAWM1YGA/s1600/IMG_4017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2O3ekhvDCIM36w3gv3LIWD57hQjYjaaE9RrUOmkXhqbf3htWCTLRDnmk_TkYEK65NP1SZpWpRuEvlEh8zcAFwq13YZ6eA4fy9TjQxdncGl8x-KRpPW2oKNzJm4DEPLYAWM1YGA/s1600/IMG_4017.jpg" /></a></div>
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<![endif]--><br />Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-37851606208547431842014-11-26T03:00:00.000-08:002014-11-26T03:00:10.038-08:00Shopping; Indonesia Style<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"></span><span lang="EN-AU">Shopping in Indonesia is an endless scavenger
hunt of squeezing between small stalls, laden with vegetables, and prowling the
aisles of gleaming grocery stores, filled with processed products crammed into
plastic wrappers. You learn to ask people not where the store is, but where you
can buy a specific type of food. You begin to notice people with shopping bags,
and note the direction they came from. It’s so different from shopping in Australia, or America,
or Canada.
There, you find the grocery store, and with it, everything you need. Here, you
have to work for it. First you find the market. That can sometimes take all
day, and as markets are busiest in the mornings, when you get there in the
afternoon, there’s likely nothing left. So you go the next day, and haggle with
cheerful women in bright headscarves that laugh at your attempt to bargain. You
return home with colourful fruits and vegetables, pleased with your purchases.
But wait! Fruits and vegetables, while, delicious and healthy, do not exactly a
dinner make. So you go to the grocery store and find flour and canned goods and
perfume and socks. You hunt through the shop, looking for the refrigerated meat
in cold, misty cabinets. Consulting the cashier doesn’t help either. She will
shrug helplessly and smile hopefully, putting her hands up sadly. </span>
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-GTADW4BVfGGG0edvECUf0h5vv3-ihAEDl1RUxx5hN_xohMG9iNXD-3yoFzHBNLTVm7e6YiJmPJ9HaxG_eCxtDzL-j_cv__NarxzxQvNlRHocXHyQeMLx4iMVrgQ76JQBglERg/s1600/IMG_2443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-GTADW4BVfGGG0edvECUf0h5vv3-ihAEDl1RUxx5hN_xohMG9iNXD-3yoFzHBNLTVm7e6YiJmPJ9HaxG_eCxtDzL-j_cv__NarxzxQvNlRHocXHyQeMLx4iMVrgQ76JQBglERg/s1600/IMG_2443.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">This is the story of our day long quest for
chicken. An epic tale that will take you, the reader, from one end of Lauban
Bajo to the other, while following, me, the author, and my trusty, yet simple
companions. We started in a bemo, the small decorated, bejewelled mini vans
that have been outfitted with long benches and pressed into service as
taxi/buses/transport things. My trusty, yet simple companions and I could not
sit upright in the bemo, which proudly declares that it loves Jesus and Elvis
Presley. We requested to be taken to the market. We were taken to a sloping
hill with a few stalls, where the market appeared to be almost finished. My
trusty, yet simple companions and I leapt heroically from the bemo and dashed
to buy the few green offerings. Now, unfortunately, we were stuck on a hill a
ways from town while the cruel sun beat down upon us. “Why did you bring us
here?” I chastised my trusty, yet simple companions. They had no answers. We
hiked for a while until we found a bemo whose clearly flamboyant personality
was smothered and repressed under a coat of silver paint. I sympathized.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdcBWDOphcdXqUJH9g5imxeu09KFLjNFybXPEbBQUYBmiPORacvHv55eL40tWON-GpCuvzLXnMJqVJ9xpl5faKnRkJKkhrkZ65v2juod37O54wZYthuZlv1P4da7bKKx8FgAV8Q/s1600/IMG_2441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdcBWDOphcdXqUJH9g5imxeu09KFLjNFybXPEbBQUYBmiPORacvHv55eL40tWON-GpCuvzLXnMJqVJ9xpl5faKnRkJKkhrkZ65v2juod37O54wZYthuZlv1P4da7bKKx8FgAV8Q/s1600/IMG_2441.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
trusty, yet simple companions asked to be taken to the fish market. The fish
market! There was a mutiny going on here, and none but I could see it. Fish
market indeed. We arrived at the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fish
market </i>(I can feel my fingers shrink from the words as I labour to write
them) and my trusty, yet simple companions bought plantains. An oppressive
smell strangled my nose. If a grocery store smelt like this market did, it
would get no customers. It smelt like a place where rats hung out. And in fact,
they did. My trusty, yet simple companions led us to this hell hole. From now
on, they are no longer trusty, just simple. My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">simple </i>companions led me to the back of the market where they
bought mangoes and bananas. Their trusty status has been resumed. However,
there was no chicken or beef. Just dried fish which my trusty, yet simple
companions turned up their trusty, yet simple noses at.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhfrOMuuJj_LwCVm3Zvc5OnuW2tmTix0SN0fUMNYYGstUb6DnkAt1hmT4p-dUestU0cxzxFDbcIIzmX7mYGLZ79TI0e8Xy4Y866-zMSZKfU0GFG72BtNcQ8dxWsEjq70VAIdOdQ/s1600/IMG_2445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhfrOMuuJj_LwCVm3Zvc5OnuW2tmTix0SN0fUMNYYGstUb6DnkAt1hmT4p-dUestU0cxzxFDbcIIzmX7mYGLZ79TI0e8Xy4Y866-zMSZKfU0GFG72BtNcQ8dxWsEjq70VAIdOdQ/s1600/IMG_2445.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdd0wRofmJ7JRxfRmAkTW2AASZfaMAl8WdUGgvmy1yWJGTN_L_W9WCaRGzLSNRyRQOpB36__MCmJIbe3HYF9c0I_P5_l5YJbfvido1LedUVQN5m0M2YQi-PI_wr9RPpsqoCZblw/s1600/IMG_2446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdd0wRofmJ7JRxfRmAkTW2AASZfaMAl8WdUGgvmy1yWJGTN_L_W9WCaRGzLSNRyRQOpB36__MCmJIbe3HYF9c0I_P5_l5YJbfvido1LedUVQN5m0M2YQi-PI_wr9RPpsqoCZblw/s1600/IMG_2446.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first and only chicken that we found in the market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
then travelled to the grocery store, and searched half-heartedly for chicken or
beef. But then, one of my trusty, yet simple companions found a hidden freezer,
shunted to the side in shame. Inside, were large round shapes cloaked in black
plastic. They were the size and shape of human heads. I declined to look
inside, instead, inquiring of the cashier, what the suspicious shaped black
lumps were. “Beef” she whispered in a horrified, revolted tone. We bought one
lump of beef. We then continued on our hunt for the elusive chicken. First, we
stopped in a European bakery where I got a fruity iced tea and a slice of the
best lemon poppy-seed cake EVER, and my trusty, yet simple companions indulged
in a ginger coffee. One of my trusty, yet simple companions had the bright idea
to ask where we could buy chicken. The cook gestured towards a young girl who
had just brought us our food. The girl drew a hand across her throat and made a
gagging noise, and then clucked and flapped her arms. My trusty, yet simple
companions hastily requested two dead chickens, and promised to be back at
four. And there ends the heroic quest of a brave girl and her trusty, yet
simple companions. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">P.S.</span></div>
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Today they lied to me and told me it was Friday
when it was in fact Saturday. Evil
!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@@@@@#$%^&*&&^%$%^&$#$%^&*^%$#$@#.
I swore to my father that one day, I would smother him in his sleep. Make a
note of that</span>Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-53658659058570408072014-11-24T01:39:00.000-08:002014-11-24T01:39:03.170-08:00The Critters of Komodo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Hello, to my mostly faithful readers! I
hope you’re all doing well so that you can continue to read my blog. If you all
died, no one would read it, and then I’d be sad. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Any-</i>ways, we’ve been poking around the Komodo National park, that’s
made up of about four or five big islands and lots and lots of little ones. And
on these islands, there are critters of various shapes and sizes. When we
pulled into our anchorage yesterday, Timor
deer dotted the rocks like the chocolate chips in freshly baked cookies. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBVlTKgJni4WHYcJtYaWDlbMP_1J5UaKTrYf268w7FhKXYvoHXJjS-j1V4rUna9ZCBz8pcRrIK3BB2IeSwIgl0UVC_A_C1TfE_nhHLggwv5oX_HQQ-IaIdQv068BeUVutyVsqRw/s1600/IMG_3584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBVlTKgJni4WHYcJtYaWDlbMP_1J5UaKTrYf268w7FhKXYvoHXJjS-j1V4rUna9ZCBz8pcRrIK3BB2IeSwIgl0UVC_A_C1TfE_nhHLggwv5oX_HQQ-IaIdQv068BeUVutyVsqRw/s1600/IMG_3584.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">There
was big deer and little deer, brown deer and tan deer, and BABY
DEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As you no doubt have assumed from the excess of exclamation marks, this fact
excited me. AND THE BABY DEER WERE </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">SWIMMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">!!!!!!!!!!!!! </span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv2N3g9KgM7aLreTZuwFr9wQlZfhnpGaFxUtHyheZvbnNznY63WbwMuJsBAjZI5IaJ9cqbloQ8v5YMB7eD9mZm53KhFIPL32QyeYXmbQmXUg1w_qDymTXecxCLHqMmEW01ojlIg/s1600/IMG_3590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv2N3g9KgM7aLreTZuwFr9wQlZfhnpGaFxUtHyheZvbnNznY63WbwMuJsBAjZI5IaJ9cqbloQ8v5YMB7eD9mZm53KhFIPL32QyeYXmbQmXUg1w_qDymTXecxCLHqMmEW01ojlIg/s1600/IMG_3590.jpg" height="316" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-AU">CUTENESS IN A SMALL FURRY BUNDLE. There were also
wild boars. And wild BABY PIGS. This morning, I watched gleefully as a large
mama pig led her two little pigs down the mountainside to the beach. She then
encouraged them into the water for their morning bath, which sent my mum and me
into squealing fits of joy and caused my dad to shake his head sadly at our delight. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2luiCprrvMtrsSE0zuACI7QtD7dJCk2-LDQjwJM44k50KdatWnPUUTEBSZxj0VaeYQly5OlyxPBQL0xd2ZXphnk9gCVHf3hVCb5hgZQFkcI5ELij4RU4LVesQmOK5P_sUio99cw/s1600/IMG_3523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2luiCprrvMtrsSE0zuACI7QtD7dJCk2-LDQjwJM44k50KdatWnPUUTEBSZxj0VaeYQly5OlyxPBQL0xd2ZXphnk9gCVHf3hVCb5hgZQFkcI5ELij4RU4LVesQmOK5P_sUio99cw/s1600/IMG_3523.jpg" height="231" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">Of course, Komodo isn’t all small baby
animals that cause you to practically wet your pants over their utter
adorableness. If you talk about Komodo, you have to talk about the dragons. On
Rinca, one of the islands in the park, we visited these- lizard/dragon/voldemort/Darth
Vader/ things. When they get mad at each other, they swell up and sound like
Darth Vader. And I swear to god, they’re secretly claiming that they’re the
dark lord. They also bear a strong resemblance to Voldemort. When we arrived at
the dock on Rinca, a guide leapt up to take us to the office to pay for our
park pass, person pass, boat pass, hiking fee and guide fee. His name was Paul,
he was shorter than me, and he looked extremely nervous. He carried a long
forked stick, which he used to warn off the dragons. When we asked whether the
dragons had come to recognise the stick, he snorted. “It’s not magic” he told
us. “If it’s not determined to eat you, it works fine. But if they’re hungry,
run, and climb a tree”. He glanced down at our sports sandals doubtfully. I
then noticed that all the guides were wearing trainers. “I’ll leave you my
stick” he offered, heading off to the office. When we got close, he told us
that the office had been raided three times by dragons, and the in charge guy
had been bitten twice. “I think the dragons know he’s corrupt” he mused
thoughtfully. Once we had paid, he took us on a winding path through the
ranger’s houses. My mum squeaked. I turned to look at her, and she was doing a
little excited dance, and pointing under the house, where about eight large
dragons rested. “That one’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">smiling</i>!”
she giggled. I looked at the one in question. Its mouth was open and it was
propped up on its front legs. Then, there was the Darth Vader noise. Paul
gripped his stick. “Oh, shit” he muttered, as a dragon slowly heaved himself to
his feet.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibB5PtGheIbKmmwZUgMYQ50TnroHUpYENSyyiycpeggo4UIVxuL1I5eJbjo08eDTJUk2H9L2ICrmZ5C8-QrWFGSO1KbDD4AXW8hD5v64keJ5DP30JTSRVdQcOnqr7So_H14dzUMg/s1600/IMG_3349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibB5PtGheIbKmmwZUgMYQ50TnroHUpYENSyyiycpeggo4UIVxuL1I5eJbjo08eDTJUk2H9L2ICrmZ5C8-QrWFGSO1KbDD4AXW8hD5v64keJ5DP30JTSRVdQcOnqr7So_H14dzUMg/s1600/IMG_3349.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-AU">Later on our walk, I asked if there were
many female guides. He laughed and shook his head. “No women!” he said. “I
think it is too dangerous for them”. I raised an eyebrow. I was quite a bit
bigger than him. When I pointed out that danger doesn’t lessen or grow
depending on gender, he shrugged. “I didn’t tell my parents that I work here.
They think I work in a restaurant” he told us, changing the subject hastily.
After our walk was finished, we went and looked at the dragons again. These
ancient animals were huge and mysterious. They were the largest lizards in the
world, and on the islands, they had no predators. I was so privileged to have
seen them in their natural habitat, and I know it is a memory that I will carry
for the rest of my life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-33706443820999459772014-11-03T00:05:00.001-08:002014-11-03T00:05:35.665-08:00Making Friends in Maumere<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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In Maumere, it took two days for us to find the market. The
first day, the scooter driver sent us to the right. The man selling bananas
sent us left. The schoolgirls sent us to the back of town. The bemo driver took
us to the park. By the end of the day, we were sure it was a plot to confuse
the foreigners. Eventually, we headed home with our purchases from the
supermarket that we had found. The supermarket was a large building with tidily
ordered rows of teas and cookies and soap, wrapped, then double wrapped, and
then triple wrapped with plastic. The only fresh food was imported apples at $7
a kilo. However, we did manage to find the lone pork chop, buried deep in the
freezer and frozen rock solid. We wearily trudged home, tired of the heat and disappointed
that we had been unable to find the market. We were unpacking our groceries,
when we realized that we had accidently bought long-life <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chocolate </i>milk. I didn’t even know that that existed! </div>
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The next day, we took off at 8am, determined, that this
time, the market would not escape. We marched off, filled with new resolve. We
weren’t exactly sure <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how </i>we would
find the market, but find it we would. We passed the park, with the large
statue of Jesus smiling blindly and benevolently down on the cracked pavement
and withered shrubs. Two teenage girls walked laughing, towards us. “Hello
mister! How are you?” one asked, and then burst into a new fit of giggles with
her friend. It appears that in Indonesia,
foreigners of both genders are ‘mister’. We smiled and waved and called,
‘Selemat pagi! Di mana pasar?” (Good morning! Where is the market?) The two
girls pointed different ways, had a brief argument, and then smiled, and both
pointed the same way. We thanked them and walked away. </div>
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After a couple of blocks, the girls appeared again. They
started to lead us to the market and it seemed as if they were our
self-appointed guides. It turned out that they were in a tourism program,
learning English, so that they could go to Bali
and work in hotel management. They were fifteen, and living in a boarding house
with several other girls while their parents worked in Bali.
They got us to the market, and we bought them ice-cream as a thank you. They
then marched us back to the boat, practising their English with us all the way.
When we got close to the boat, we were joined by another friend of theirs, also
in the tourism program. She was seventeen, and her English was quite good. We
invited them back to the boat, eager to repay them for being such wonderful
guides. After much giggles, they accepted. They loved Charlie and also the
artwork on the walls. We exchanged phone-numbers and facebook, and promised to
stay in touch. They laughed and grinned and then indicated that they must go.
Wishing them luck, we waved as my dad took the back to the wharf. They were so
sweet and so kind and I hope that they will succeed in whatever they do. </div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-43436315275822542332014-10-22T22:22:00.001-07:002014-10-22T22:23:06.618-07:00Village LifeYesterday we went to a traditional Indonesian village. We were standing by the side of the road, trying to figure out where the bus-stop was, when a car pulled up. Two men stepped out and offered to take us there. Their names were Elfis and Nobbi. We got in the car and headed up through a bumpy, winding road, while Elfis and Nobbi watched music videos by this elderly Christian guy. They seemed to have an endless supply of them. We eventually ended up at the foot of a steep hill, which we trudged up, ending up at a small village of traditional houses with thatched roofs and no walls. We were greeted by the village leader, who dressed in original garb and showed us his spears, machete, and bow and arrows. We were then led to where the women had set up their various necklaces, bracelets and baskets for sale. They were all basically the same thing, and most of them showed signs of being produced in a factory. My mum however, bought four baskets that we didn't actually need, and my dad bought a wooden spoon. It was interesting to see just how isolated they were. They had their own pigs and chickens, and they grew most of their own food. After we had been waved off, we took Elfis and Nobbi out for lunch. For the five of us to have huge lunches, plus drinks, only cost about eight dollars. The food was quite spicy, to me, but I soldiered on, until being informed that this was 'mild' for Indonesia. After being dropped off near the harbour, Elfis asked for money. We had paid for gas and food, and they hadn't said anything about money at first. We had hoped they were just being friendly, and showing their country to foreigners. Despite that, we had had a wonderful day and it was fascinating to learn about the traditional lifestyle. (My dad also bought a machete at from a market on the way home, for chopping up coconuts, and declared that it made him feel 'manly').
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<br>for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-6453142315714185762014-10-22T22:22:00.000-07:002014-10-22T22:23:05.782-07:00Visiting the AlorsToday, we are heading to Alor Island, part of the Alor archipelago. We plan to spend six weeks slooooowly heading up to Bali. We have about fifteen or sixteen travel days. When we were sailing up the coast of Australia, we were moving every day. But now, we're going to spend roughly four weeks just lazing about. Scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming, hiking, exploring, talking to locals, going to markets . . . These are all things we just didn't have time for, in Australia. We had a normal life, school, work, circus and friends took up all our time. We had such a wonderful time in Australia, but I'm really excited about this new part of our voyage. The area of the archipelago that we're going to is newly protected by the locals, and is just taking off as a scuba diving spot. There are also several traditional villages that we're hoping to visit. We have about a week in the Alor Islands, which to me sounds like an insane amount of time. It should be fun though, and I'm looking forward to exploring Indonesia.
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<br>for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-61825303891089562702014-10-17T20:22:00.000-07:002014-10-17T20:22:25.331-07:00First Impressions of IndonesiaFirst Impressions of Indonesia
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<br />
Walking the streets of Kupang for the first time was interesting, shocking and wonderful. As me and my tall parents passed the crowds of small Indonesians, loads of the boys or young men whistled and shouted. At first we thought it was because we were the only white people in the mass of people. But we soon realised that they weren’t talking to us. They were talking to my legs and my mum’s cleavage. I was wearing my usual outfit, shorts and a t-shirt. My mum was wearing a long dress that wouldn’t be considered low-cut in Australia, but it was here. Together, we scandalised the town. <br />
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Today, I wore a knee length dress with a highish neck-line. My mum wore a similar one. We still got some shouts, but people were talking to us. They were looking at our faces and asking our names. They would touch our hair and smile happily. And it made me feel like dirt. I completely understand the need to be respectful of other people’s cultures and religions, but when people think that the way I dress influences me as a person? That confuses me so much. I dress to be comfortable in the heat. I dress in a way that makes me feel good about myself. However, when I show my legs or shoulders and that makes people view me as if in exposing my body, they somehow own me, that makes me embarrassed and angry. It seems as if in wearing shorts, my body becomes separate from me. I also think, that if they want to stare at me and judge me for my un-modest outfit, that says more about them then it does about me. I wish I could be someone who laughs it off. But I’m not. It hurts when people judge me and shout and whistle. I’m thirteen. I’m still a kid. And I don’t want to have to think first about how others will see me if I wear a particular outfit. <br />
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Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-4586140676215507162014-10-03T01:54:00.002-07:002014-10-03T01:54:43.312-07:00Two Fish<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-AU">TODAY I CAUGHT <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TWO </i></b>FISH!!!!!!!!!! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TWO!!!!
</i></b>I KNOW!!!!!!!! Seeing as the last fish I caught was a three inch long
sunfish when I was 7, I’m pretty proud. We’re in Alcaro Bay
and we’ve stopped for a day. Not because it was windy, not because we had to
repair something but because we met a lovely couple who encouraged us to stay.
Their names were Ted and Des and when we arrived in the anchorage, they
promptly zipped over in their dinghy to tell us about Darwin and give us advice. We joked about
running out of food but it turned out they had stocked up for six months and
insisted we come for breakfast. I think we might have eaten an entire pig.
There were sausages and pork chops and bacon and hash browns, baked beans,
toast and eggs. Impressive. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">We went to shore to walk off our breakfast and when
we came back all of fifteen minutes later; Ted and Des were fishing and had
already caught about fifteen fish. There were a few big fish which they kept
and lots of medium ones that they tossed back or flung on shore for the big sea
eagles which inhabited the shore. When they tossed fish on shore, an eagle
would swoop down immediately and, not stopping, grasp the fish in its talons
and fly away to enjoy its treat in privacy. They offered to let me try so I
thought what the heck, might as well. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Now, I’ve always been the bad luck
fisherman. When I’m around, nobody catches anything. My mum’s the same. So,
naturally I was surprised when 20 seconds after tossing my line in, I caught a
fish (Wooo-hoooooo!!). Excitement. After about five more minutes I caught the
biggest fish of the day. I named it Doris. Doris was a goodly fish. She was about 6 pounds. After
chopping off Doris’s head, my mum spotted a
mud crab. A big one. Ted and Des claimed it was tiny but I don’t believe them.
Ted grabbed his weighted throwing net thingamajig and after a few tries, caught
it. And immediately gave it to us, because apparently, they were sick of crab.
So we got three fish and a crab and a wonderful friendship which sounds really
soppy and sentimental but I don’t care. So, good day. </span></div>
Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-66134198783950490012014-09-16T00:50:00.000-07:002014-09-16T00:51:30.342-07:00Lizard IslandI've been busy. On Saturday, we went on a rough sail and then a long snorkel. On Sunday, we went on a 4.4km hike up 1000ft of elevation. At 8am. Without breakfast. UP TO A CAPTAIN COOK LOOKOUT. As some of you might already know, I have a grudge against Captain Cook. When we were crossing the South Pacific, we sailed where Cook had sailed, anchored where Cook had anchored and walked where Cook had walked. By the end of it, I was officially DONE, with Cook. So it was with great pleasure that I thought (foolishly, mistakenly) that we were ACTUALLY done with Cook. But it was not to be. Sailing up to Darwin, we've been to the town of 1770, where Cook was. We've been to CookTOWN (the name seems self explanatory). And now we're leaving Lizard Island where Cook spotted a path through the Great Barrier Reef
<br>
<br>But back to my busy life. On Sunday, we also went scuba diving. On Monday, we walked 6km in the sun with no shade, in soft, black, BURNING HOT sand to the Lizard Island Research Center that offers a place for university students and scientists to study and research the Barrier Reef. Sadly, this March, a Category 5 cyclone ripped through Lizard Island and the surrounding reef. The cyclone spent 11hrs over the small island where it devastated what once was spectacular coral and all the vegetation on the island. It's difficult for the coral to bounce back because it's facing additional pressures such as the Crown of Thorns starfish and bleaching due to the ocean temperatures rising.
<br>
<br>It was clear just how much damage the cyclone and us humans had caused to the reef. Instead of the huge bommies made entirely out of various types of coral in a rainbow of colours, which you see in postcards of the Great Barrier Reef, it was seaweed covered rock with the occasional small, bleached piece coral dotting the wall. However it was a bit of a mixed bag, with a barren wall for a few meters and a thriving reef for the next few feet. The good news is that the fish population was looking great, which is wonderful to see because many people fish on the edges of the no-take zones, claiming that the protected areas 'just don't work'.
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<br>Anyway, we just left Lizard Island and it's a bit rough so I'm sitting in our desk chair rolled back and forth across the boat and TRYING to get this written. But finally I've succeeded. Yay!!! Bye until next time!!!
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<br>for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-34008226869301527152014-09-04T21:06:00.000-07:002014-09-04T21:06:38.215-07:00The DaintreeYesterday we went to the Daintree Rainforest. It's the oldest rainforest in the world.We took a shuttle to the edge of the forest and then set off to explore the huge tropical wonder. As we entered the densely packed trees, the air immediately cooled down and the light was dimmed. Supposedly, the rainforest is home to a number of cassowaries, a huge emu-like bird with a curved horn on the top of their head. They're apparently quite aggressive, even attacking the unwary tourist. Sadly, we didn't see any. We had considered bringing the cat as bait for the cassowary, but decided, seeing as we're quite fond of him, to keep him for the crocodiles instead. We went on a steep hike up a mountain and once we were sufficiently warm, plunged into a freezing mountain river. Said river, was cold, had a swift current and lots of smooth boulders plunked into the middle of the river. Still, it was the perfect way to bring your body temperature down after a lovely hike. The river was called the Mossman River and was part of the part of the Daintree Rainforest in Cairns. ( And you can't pronounce it 'Care-ins', it must be 'Cans' ). So that's my most recent 'adventure'.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A suspension bridge over the Mossman River</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BIIIIIIIIIGGGGG TREE!!!!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just cause I can</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrh5JWIvQNTjbuc294KRcgKHRRQQjZdpXF-2KoZhczQelWs4IbxWt4F1HOo3f3KeqJzM8OS69dpGU68SusDZm80R95yfTBsdDgD0rmUiiDEYCPL0JWwbyYh2HrppI7G1V9PV7pA/s1600/IMG_1542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrh5JWIvQNTjbuc294KRcgKHRRQQjZdpXF-2KoZhczQelWs4IbxWt4F1HOo3f3KeqJzM8OS69dpGU68SusDZm80R95yfTBsdDgD0rmUiiDEYCPL0JWwbyYh2HrppI7G1V9PV7pA/s1600/IMG_1542.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This tree got a bit confused . . .</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CIFCp2_31zAXCx4BrjtSoJ-LavnF3mep82x-UInEwC-3ds3YCydINH3qWBeYGFOaKE9sNjMVr5fnaBCgnyB1KUkhcZwgPW6KIfm8ixr9piunxs7-7hyphenhyphenEXSDzUqxOctHqbHOLkg/s1600/IMG_1558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CIFCp2_31zAXCx4BrjtSoJ-LavnF3mep82x-UInEwC-3ds3YCydINH3qWBeYGFOaKE9sNjMVr5fnaBCgnyB1KUkhcZwgPW6KIfm8ixr9piunxs7-7hyphenhyphenEXSDzUqxOctHqbHOLkg/s1600/IMG_1558.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SWIMMING!!!!!!!</td></tr>
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<br />Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-28884858236693855082014-08-25T17:52:00.002-07:002014-08-25T17:53:21.769-07:00Abbot Point<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abbot Point</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Yesterday we passed Abbot Point. The long
pier, that allows ships to collect coal, extends 1.5 miles off shore. Abbot
Point is a large coal port that contributes significantly to the huge amount
off coal getting shipped out off Australia each year. However, one
pier is clearly not enough. Why have only one, when you could have two? Or
three? So that’s what they’re doing. They’re going to dredge off Abbot Point so
that the water will be deep enough for two more piers. The dredge spoil will be
dumped on or near coastal coral reefs or sea grass beds. However they’re not
really taking into account the fact that dredge spoil <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spreads</i>. It doesn’t just sink immediately; it spreads and can
smother and kill many marine habitats. Also, areas like the sea grass beds are a
large source of food for animals like dugongs and turtles. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gladstone is also undergoing a building boom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"> Now, for my opinion. I think that the
people who are justifying all this as okay, are either seriously misinformed,
crazy, or just don’t care. I’ve spent more than half my life at sea, watching
hundreds of animals play near our boat. When we first arrived, we didn’t
snorkel on any reefs. And then we were in Brisbane
for two and a half years and none of us really wanted to swim in the Brisbane River. But now we’ve snorkeled on a few
reefs in Australia
and I know that the level of sea life we’re seeing isn’t healthy. Because I’ve snorkeled on lots of reefs outside of Australia and while I don’t have
data and notes, I think I can tell a little bit about whether reefs are
healthy. We have seen no sharks. No large fish. None of the signs of a healthy,
well balanced reef. And it makes me want to cry. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAq3TO0TklNR7w9TdqiEkd6YGl4D633ikKLykGhMPxWDPeXkS4JDyOAleQFR-GzRUoFZzZ0p9HoWPzoWMCEYVM2oRcUbcWRKLZqQvZ0FE5p8gEUcC9hC448kQvX_asDuoq6a9WA/s1600/IMG_1158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAq3TO0TklNR7w9TdqiEkd6YGl4D633ikKLykGhMPxWDPeXkS4JDyOAleQFR-GzRUoFZzZ0p9HoWPzoWMCEYVM2oRcUbcWRKLZqQvZ0FE5p8gEUcC9hC448kQvX_asDuoq6a9WA/s1600/IMG_1158.jpg" height="297" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU">We’re seeing a reasonable amount of turtles
and whales when at sea and in anchorages, but no signs of life on the reefs.
We’re heading more into the Great Barrier Reef
area, so I’m hoping that there’s life. The largest coral reef in the world is
starting to die. And unless we do something, we’re going to see it end.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsfeSFam5qDvCe6GaxcVDfHfADgPZxJfsqzLXnxFoaemdCEDwupLblnK0gxWHOF3o3aVSNLEPi0hkRvdnYnM4AAoAl91-0-4cN7W4_a0fWKjoY7-TGS-mATRHizWygw2zyysbWw/s1600/IMG_0874-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsfeSFam5qDvCe6GaxcVDfHfADgPZxJfsqzLXnxFoaemdCEDwupLblnK0gxWHOF3o3aVSNLEPi0hkRvdnYnM4AAoAl91-0-4cN7W4_a0fWKjoY7-TGS-mATRHizWygw2zyysbWw/s1600/IMG_0874-2.jpg" height="640" width="564" /></a></div>
<br />Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607359149594812176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198895.post-62621338989205373682014-08-07T18:33:00.000-07:002014-08-07T18:34:05.344-07:00Ceilydh: Trapped in the . . . Well, Just StuckWe arrived in Refuge Bay just over a week ago, planning to spend a few days in the anchorage, deciding where to haul out the boat. We're. Still. Here. We didn't stay because it was pretty or we met nice people. We stayed because the wind is blowing roughly 30 knots and we didn't like the look of the waves. It's funny though, we're refuges from the wind in Refuge Bay. The beaches here are strewn with coral, the forest is dense and inaccessible, and, we are, the only boat here. We went for a quick swim on the reef yesterday, and while it was healthy and beautiful, it was also stinking cold. We're going snorkelling on it again today. Why? Because there's not much else to do. But, I must admit the view from the boat is lovely and it was wonderful to see such a healthy, colourful reef. There's also lots of sea life. There's Yrtle the Turtle, Helvetica the Lobster and Melanie the Soft Shell crabby snaily shell-like-thing. And of course we mustn't forget Daisy, the sleazy, villainous dolphin responsible for all the muggings and robberies in the area. And for those of you that are no doubt wondering, no, being stuck in an isolated, windy anchorage has not made me lose my mind. It's just done something strange to my creative streak.
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