It's been a week since we landed and I have to say, it's been quite a ride getting to know you. Right from the point of stepping off the plane we sensed your sauna-like heat and humidity. The Thai written signage (Sanskrit like) was exotic to our eyes and gave us a glimpse of being illiterate but thankfully you've met countless people like us before and gave us English subscript which made things so much easier. Reading the travel warnings to avoid scams from some of your unsavoury citizens had us (ok more me than Rhonda) on high alert and weary of unsolicited offers to help but really, your people are friendly, patient, and tolerant of our bumbling ignorance.
Bangkok, your national emblem has pecs and a six pack!?
We quickly realized that we weren't well versed in your language nor customs so it became a priority to learn basic phrases like "Hello! (Sawatdee)," "Thank you (Khob koon)," and "How much? (Nee tao rai)" along with good etiquette/manners so we would not offend your people. Who knew your knees and feet had to be covered when going into temples and royal places? That gesturing with your foot is very rude and that you use a fork & spoon for plated rice dishes but chopsticks for bowled noodle dishes?
Ferry boats: great way to get around town
Chao Phraya River running thru Bangkok
We rented a condo in a convenient neighbourhood (Sathon) close to a skytrain station (Saphan Taksin) and major river boat terminal (Sathorn Taksin) that gave us quick and convenient access to your city and tourist attractions. The first few days...wow, how our eyes, ears, and noses were opened. After spending 2.5 months in Australia and New Zealand, our frame of reference was on a different level. Our senses were waken by the fragrant smell of your food vendors lining the streets with their spiced dishes and the even more fragrant aromas of dirty canals and wifts of sewage and garbage. We were visually surprised by the wide clusters of black electrical cables running haphazardly above every sidewalk, blocking people's balconies, and intertwining with tree branches. We were apprehensive towards your many mangy looking pet dogs and cats hanging around the sidewalks, sleeping in the sauna air, wandering aimlessly in and out of alleys. On the other hand, the obvious presence of Buddhist monks walking the streets contrasted the chaos in a peaceful way. Those first few days were a real shock to us. But you know what? After about a week...the anxiety we felt towards you lessoned and it's becoming easier to navigate.
The street our AirBnB was on
Extra clotheslines for the residents?
Stray dogs don't like their picture taken
One of the best noodle places, under the skytrain bridge, next to the road
The universally used plastic bag, from take out to soft drinks
Post plastic bag
Local monks
Getting to know your traffic patterns (esp. tourist patterns), times when the markets setup and open up, which vendors and restaurants are popular and what their reputations are, discovering new foods and snacks, thickening our mental skin to brave these new foods...our learning curve is finally starting to level out. We've begun re-establishing our pattern and routine: a day for sightseeing, a day to relax and explore the local area. Every so often we get bursts of stamina and go 2-3 days in a row but then that rest day becomes ever so much more important to calm our accumulating anxieties.
5pm on a weeknight
Love the architecture
Chinatown old market on a rainy day
Chatuchuk weekend market: one of the world's largest
One of many beautifully intricate temples for the 95% Buddhist population
Grand Palace and temple of the emerald Buddha
Solid gold Buddha @ 5.5 tons, 3 metres tall, valued at $250 million. Originally covered in plaster to hide it from thieves, forgotten about for 200 years, then stumbled upon when it was dropped and the plaster cracked!
So after 15 day visit, we'll be taking a train ride north to Chiang Mai to see the other treasures found in your country. Thank you for the great experiences, we've enjoyed our stay!
In Auckland we checked ourselves into a very nice AirBnB townhouse in the neighbourhood of Ponsonby. We would compare the area similar to Kitsilano in Vancouver. Here at our new temporary home we rented our host's Suzuki Swift and for the first couple days made preparations to receive my parents for the next 2 weeks. This primarily encompassed meal planning, getting groceries, checking Auckland Top 10 To Do lists, and mapping out the best Chinese restaurants the city had to offer (yes, you can laugh because it is funny lol).
Rhonda, Phylliz & Ben (Terry's parents) in front of the Auckland Museum
Auckland is a very nice city built around the natural features of its harbour and active volcanic lands (active on a geologic timescale). Houses, buildings, and roads grew around the mounds of inactive volcanic cones, making them prominent features rather than being swallowed into urban developments. The last bit of volcanic activity in Auckland occurred some 600 years ago forming an island right in the harbour. We enjoyed a segway tour around Devonport (suburb of Auckland) and Mt. Victoria.
Segway tour on New Year's Eve
View of Auckland's harbour & downtown from Mt.Victoria
Volcanic activity predates Western civilization in New Zealand, however Auckland's most recent rumblings do not predate the Maori people who lived on these lands over the last several thousand years. In fact, the Auckland area was a frequent battle ground for the Maori due to its fertile lands (a postivie result of volcanic activitiy) and strategic geographic features for war forts (volcanic cones). Interesting note, New Zealand was settled by Polynesians approx. 5,000 years ago, the same wave of people who were thought to have settled Hawaii. The two cultures share many similarities, especially in language; whereas Australia was settled some 50,000 years when sea levels were lower and there was a land bridge between Australia and SE Asia!
Video of Maori Haka performed by New Zealand All Blacks rugby team
Speaking of the Maori, a major cultural point we recognized in New Zealand is the proliferation of Maori language and culture into popular society. It would be at the level comparable to French found in Canada to the extent that this indigenous culture has major cities where the predominant language and ethnicity is made up of Maori. Maori themed artwork, design, and even tattoos are easily seen in public, and is an official language of New Zealand, side by side with English. Quite remarkable considering New Zealand went through a similar path as Canada with European settlers landing and pushing aside the existing peoples.
So I screwed up the dates a bit...we spent ~2 weeks in the South, ~1 week going from the South to, and thru, the North island to Auckland.
After our canyoning trip in Abel Tasman we spent a couple days making our way across the South island to catch an evening ferry ride across Cook Strait to the national capital of Wellington. We spent the night there and then hit the road again to the Lord of the Rings filming location for Mt. Doom: the Tongariro Crossing. Unfortunately...we weren't well prepared for hiking very far into this area due to timing, weather, and required clothing (it gets COLD and WINDY). So we hiked part way up this sulfurous area and enjoyed the journey nonetheless.
Steam vent
Hot water waterfall
After Tongariro we headed to our next adventure...ZORBING! Think giant inflatable hamster ball, rolling downhill with you in it.
Zorbing is something I first saw a number of years ago (probably on Youtube) and it instantly hit my bucket list because who wouldn't want to roll around in a giant hamster ball!? As a kid I was so envious of my pet hamster who got to explore the world with impunity while bashing into everything. Now...it was my turn! *evil hamster laugh*
Zorb video above :)
At the end of Week 3 we arrived in Auckland, New Zealand's most populous city at ~1.5 million people (out of 4.5 million nationwide). The City of Sails, as it is known, is a beautiful harbour city reminding us of a smaller version of Vancouver. Here we checked into a townhouse, also booked thru AirBnB, where we would stay for 2 weeks and host my parents over the Christmas season.
-Terry
The 2nd half of Week 2 saw us heading to the renown Milford Sound (some call it the 8th World Wonder) where we took part in a cruise around the fiord. As the cliche goes, but particularly applicable to Milford Sound and area, pictures do not do it justice. Driving 5hrs up the twisty roads towards the sound we were confronted with some unbelievable views as we drove towards the mountain range, through a very steep and dark tunnel, and out the otherside to what I'd describe as a rocky mountainous bathtub carved out for God. To your back were sheer vertical walls for over 180 degrees and in front of you the winding road dropped down to the ocean where 1,000ft mountains shot straight out of the water.
Up to 7m of annual rain fall!
Lady Bowen Falls @ 160m, largest in NZ
Upwards of 1,700m
Throughout our drive around the south island we contended with twisting hairpin roads, a real unsung attraction linking each major destination together. New Zealand offers some of the best public driving roads I've ever encountered and would be a near dream come true for any driving enthusiast. The only thing lacking would be cheerleaders and a live rock band greeting you at the end of every leg of the drive. Oddly enough this sounds like the ingredients for a great beer commercial...
Road down to Milford Sound
*cut commercial, resume regular programming*
After Milford Sound we began the long drive north to the less touristy national park of Abel Tasman. A place where Rhonda & I took part in a day long canyoning trip, something I consider to be the highlight activity of our time in NZ.
Week #2 was a packed one for us so it'll have to be covered over 2 posts!
Queenstown and Wanaka - sister cities of parallel beauty, adventure, and tourism...but if they're sisters, then I'd say Queenstown is the LV handbag carrying, Prada wearing, selfie taking, BMW driving, beauty queen. Thus making Wanaka the 65L bag carrying, Patagonia wearing, waterproof camera taking, SUV/truck driving, au naturel beauty.
My personal choice...
With that said, we did spend much time taking in Queenstown and its tourist attractions, namely a hike up the Skyline Gondola, its world famous Fergburger restaurant, and the diaper filling Shotover Canyon Swing (unfortunately I couldn't persuade Rhonda to jump with me...something about self preservation...)
