Foreign Affair Sailing

Dwayne headed out to the Lake of the Ozarks with Eric and Kelly to test ride the Chaparral 256 Deck Boat they intend to purchase.  It was a beautiful, sunny day with smooth water and hardly anyone on the lake.  After a briefing on the boat and its operation by one of the marina employees, Eric took the wheel and was grinning from ear to ear as he maneuvered the boat around the lake eventually running her up to 50 miles per hour.  (10 times faster than the average cruising speed for Foreign Affair).  The boat was very stable and performed well.  Next, Dwayne had his turn in the driver's seat.  He kept the speed down but did cross a few wakes before turning the controls over to Kelly.  She was a bit apprehensive at first.  However, it was not long before she became more comfortable with the boat's handling.  Overall, everything went well.  It looks like we'll be having a super fun time on the water this summer.  Carla will love this boat (she likes open bows and soft cushions)  If all goes as planned, the boat will be delivered in a week and a day.

We boarded our Southwest Airline flight shortly before noon.  It was a quick flight to Kansas City where Dwayne and Carla bid Brian and Janet farewell.  They continued on to Baltimore.  So, here ends our 10 week journey around the world.  It was a wonderful ride and we have definitely been busy, out and about exploring our wonderful world.  Amazingly, the weather was almost perfect and did not disrupt any of our plans.  The few times it rained, we were sleeping, traveling or endured the few drops that fell on us without much inconvenience.  There was no lost luggage or items stolen from us along the way.  We never went hungry or lacked a decent place to sleep.  We were well prepared and very lucky to have avoided any major setbacks.  It was a great learning experience and a once in lifetime event.  We will continue our travels; however, at a slower pace and not cover over 40,000 miles in a continuous journey.  Here are some highlights of our grand adventure.

It was off to Universal Studios to learn more about making movies and to have some fun at the theme park.  The studio tour was a good compliment to the one we had at Warner Brothers.  Besides the studios, we were treated to a few special effects thrills and 3D adventures.  We were able to get into the Special Effects attraction right after the studio tour.  It was entertaining and interesting to learn more about various techniques used to enhance our visual and audio experience and how special effects transform the small movie set into a limitless big screen spectacular.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was particularly popular and crowded.  We waited almost an hour to get into Hogwarts Castle.  Carla was particularly excited about this since she had endured a Harry Potter movie marathon a few months ago with the granddaughters.  Dwayne and Janet took a quick run through the Walking Dead attraction which was really a dead experience when compared to the horror houses located in the KC Bottoms.  It was no wonder there wasn't a long line to this activity.  We went to The Three Broomsticks for our Great Feast Platter and some butterbeer.  The ribs were perfect and we had plenty of food.  After dinner, we walked a bit to settle our stomachs before heading back to the hotel to rest and pack for tomorrow's return flight home.  It has been a wonderful adventure of almost 10 weeks and we are ready to have a few days rest before Easter.

Many people advised us not to miss the Le Brea Tar Pits.  We took their word and were not disappointed.  The museum was well laid out and very informative  The pits were enclosed by fences as one would expect for safety.  Yet, they gave you a good idea of why they accumulated so many fossils.  The park was filled with parents and young kids out for a day in the sun.  Our next stop was Venice Beach.  Parking there was very challenging or very expensive.  We lucked out and found a metered parking spot on the street.  It was cool at the beach but not cold.  There was a lot of activity along the boardwalk but nothing like it would be once the weather warmed.  We took a few pictures and headed back to the hotel to catch the KU-Duke game which KU won in overtime.  Another great end to a wonderful day.

We left our hotel early to get to Warner Brothers Studios to catch an early tour.  Traveling through the vast complex was quite interesting.  It is amazing how much filming can be done in such a small place both among the many outdoor sets and within the sound studios.  We were able to see people from various departments working on set construction and fabrication of items needed for both movie and television productions.  Many of the sound studios dated back to the 1930s and some of our favorite movies were filmed in whole or part at these facilities.  We followed our tour of Warner Brothers with a visit to the Hollywood Museum, Madam Tussauds Wax Museum and ended the day with a bus tour of Hollywood and the surrounding neighborhoods.  Once again, the weather was perfect and we had a wonderful, full day of sight-seeing.

We bought some 4-Day Los Angeles Go City Passes and headed to Long Beach for the day.  We booked our whale watch tour and headed to the aquarium while waiting for our boat ride to watch the whales.  The Long Beach aquarium was one of the finest we have seen.  It included tropical, as well as, indigenous species.  There were several "touching pools" and a seal/sea lion show.  We particularly liked the exhibits which replicated the agitation provided by tides and waves.  It gave you a better appreciation of the effect of moving water on the fish and other creatures than would a tank with less of a water flow.  The jelly fish, coral, star fish and tropical fish are always among our favorites.  Dwayne was especially surprised to see some puffin swimming in one exhibit.  He, his sister and mother made a trip to Maine just to see these birds on the US-Canadian border where they live.  The whale watch resulted in the sighting of 2 fin whales and 3 grey whales.  Not much dramatic action from the whales.  Mostly, just blow spouts and an occasional fin.  Once again, great weather.

We departed the HakaLodge around 10 a.m. after a light breakfast of coffee, toast and Havarti cheese.  The airport was a 12 mile drive and it took little time to get to the international terminal.  Checking in, clearing customs and security went smoothly.  This terminal has the best security clearance operation we have seen anywhere.  We were soon in the Strata Lounge, connected to wifi and enjoyed a wonderful range of food and beverages while we waited to board our flight for LA.   The Beef Wellington was done just right.  The pettifor and rice pudding deserts were a great treat.  Dwayne found his Mount Gay Rum and Jameson Irish Whiskey.  Brian had a wide choice of beers.  No wonder the Aukland Strata Lounge has such a high rating.  Great food, wide selection of drinks and comfortable accommodations.  They even have a separate section for kids with movies for children shown on a big screen display.  We hope the flight will be as pleasant as our time in the lounge. The plane is supposed to be a Boeing 787.  It could be as much as a 12 hour flight or as short as 11 1/2 hours.  We hope they have good movies during the flight.

The drive to Aukland took us through cropland, vineyards and grazing lands surrounded by volcanic mountains.  We made a stop in Waihi where New Zealand's largest showing of antique cars was underway.  Many of the vehicles were very familiar to us as they included:  Chevies, Fords, Dodges, and other American brands to include at least a few AMC models such as an American Motors Ambassador.  The manager of the motel we stayed at in Mt. Manganui had his Packard on display.  He advised us of the event and said over 100,000 people show up over the weekend.  We had a good time viewing the autos and found a grill serving bratwurst for only NZ$2.50 (cheap and good).  We topped it off with some "bee sting" or Beinenstich made by an authentic German baker.  It was a wonderful way to spend our last full day in New Zealand.  We had a tasty dinner at a Malasysian restaurant which was across the street from the HakaLodge where we spent the night.  The owner/hostess gave us good recommendations on what to order.  We were not disappointed and there were virtually no left overs.  We finished our last bottle of wine and went to bed ready for our departure for Los Angeles the next day.  The overseas adventure came to an end on a good note.  The entire trip was superb.

We left Taupo a bit earlier than usual so as to get to Te Puia which is a Maori cultural center. Shortly after our departure, we saw plumes of steam rising from the ground often on both sides of the road as we drove through the geothermal river valley called Te Whakarewarewatangaoteopetauaawahiao.  (No, I didn't fall asleep at the keyboard).  The locals shorten the Maori name to Te Whakarewarewa which is what you will find on most maps.  This part of New Zealand was in part formed by volcanic activity.  It also has numerous hot springs, as well as, a few geysers, sulfur springs and boiling mud pools.  At Te Puia, we were able to learn more about the Maori, observe the geothermal activity and even see a kiwi as there are two on exhibit there.

It was a long drive from Wellington to Taupo (375 Kilometers).  We drove Highway 1 which intially lies between Cook Straight and the Akatarawa and Tararua Mountains.  This region is luscious green and supports grazing, as well as, crops.  As we reached the interior of the island, we entered a semi-arid stretch that ran for perhaps 75 kilometers and included a large military maneuver area which reminded Dwayne of the time he spent with the US Army in the deserts of New Mexico.  Further north extinct volcanos doted the landscape.  Our lodging for the night was a backpacker hostel which overlook Lake Taupo which fills what was once a volcanic crater.  We also noticed a significant increase in the number of Maori people the farther north we headed.  They are Polynesians who came to New Zealand nearly 800 years ago.  Most of the Maori live in the northern section of the north island.   We are anxious to learn more about these native inhabitants of New Zealand.

We made a short hop on New Zealand Air from Queenstown to Wellington.  The flight was quick (about an hour) and easy.  It didn't take us long to gather our baggage, pack it in our rental car and get to our motel.  We were out and about looking for dinner at 5 p.m. since we missed lunch and only had a snack on the plane.  We went first to the Bombay Polo Club for drinks.  A small pitcher of gin and tonic was only $7 (cheap).  Next, we set out to find something more substantial to fill our stomachs.  Dwayne and Carla opted for beef pot pies with mashed potatoes and a pitcher of beer at one of the many pubs which lined the street.  Brian and Janet went for Mongolian BBQ at a restaurant further down the street.  After dinner, Dwayne and Carla took a walk to settle their meal.  The Basin Reserve was a short distance away and proved to be quite interesting.  It is a historic cricket ground and home of the New Zealand Cricket Hall of Fame.  The first cricket match played here was in 1868.  The Basin also served as a venue for other sporting events in the past.  We will be leaving Wellington in the morning.  So, we won't be able to watch a cricket match played on this historic field.

We departed the Fiord National Park Lodge at 0645 and it was pitch dark.  There was frost on the car  windows which Brian scraped off with a credit card.  The sky was clear and we did not encounter any fog on the roads during our two and a half hour drive to catch the excursion boat for Milford Sound.  We had great luck with the weather.  The sun was shining bright and there was very little wind.  The locals told us it rains about 280 days of the year and this is the first sunny day they had in almost a week.  The three hour excursion took us down the fjord to the Tasman Sea then let us off for a nearly hour long stop at "The Discovery Center" where we descended steps to a viewing platform at a depth of about 15 meters below the water to observe sea life in the fjord.  Here we learned more about the formation and life in the fjord, as well as, some local history.  We departed "The Discovery Center" aboard another excursion boat which was full of Chinese tourists who arrived by bus.  Our goal upon reaching the wharf was to get into our car and stay ahead of the numerous buses heading back to Queenstown.

We departed Queenstown at our usual 10 a.m. for the 200 kilometer (120 mile) trip to Fiordland National Park Lodge where we spent the night before heading on to Milford Sound.  Once again, we had beautiful weather with temperatures in the high 60s and partly cloudy skies.  We drove along the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu, through the Eglinton River Valley and ended our journey on the shores of Lake Te Anau with the mountains surrounding us.  We made a stop at Mirror Lake; however, there was enough breeze to create ripples on the water which distorted the lake surface and ruined the mirror effect.  Besides the scenery, a highlight of the day was watching a shepherd and his dogs work some sheep from one pasture to another.  It was amazing how the shepherd was able to control his dogs by whistling different signals.  Within a few minutes, hundreds of sheep were rounded up and moved through a gate at one end of the pasture into another pasture.  We spent the night at one of the park's backpacker lodges.  It was not as spartan as we expected and had wonderful views of Lake Wakatipu and the mountains of its western shore.

We drove a long way today - 350 kilometers (200 miles).  It isn't a long drive in the States but here, the roads twist and turn through the mountains and you might average 40 miles per hour at best.  We made stops along the way for lunch and to view some of the wonderful scenery.  One particularly beautiful spot was the Fantail Falls.  There the water in the stream running below it took on a distinctive aqua marine color.  This color was quite a contrast to the typical gray-green waters elsewhere in the mountains.  We passed signs for several ski resorts but could not locate any ski runs from the highway.  Queenstown is New Zealand's premier ski resort and it was a busy place when we arrived.  Actually, it is an attractive city year-round but is busiest in winter and summer.  Boating and fishing are popular summertime activities in Queenstown which rests on the shores of Lake Wakapiku.  After dinner, we wandered the town.  A Highland Pipe and Drum band was playing in a courtyard.  Many people were dining in the open air sections of the many restaurants.  The most incredible discovery was the extremely expensive prices for activities and outings.  Jet skis were renting for $169 per person for less than an hour.  Cave tours were $93 for an adult.  Half-day bicycle rentals were $89.  I guess there are a lot of people with enough money to make it work.  Queenstown is more expensive than Vail or Beaver Creek in Colorado.  We were happy to walk the waterfront.

The drive from Greymouth to Franz Josef was down Highway 6 which hugs the Tasman Sea until turning through the mountains.  The highway was in good condition.  One thing we discovered was that in rural areas one lane bridges are the norm.  Some of these bridges date back to the first years of the highway and need some work.  Another surprise was the amount of rain that falls in the area.  Some places get over 20 feet of rain per year which is over 10 times that of Kansas City.  It rained some every day we have been in New Zealand.  Fortunately, the rain has not interfered with our plans.  It usually stopped or drizzled when we were outdoors.  Our objective was to see the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers.  They were not very impressive compared to those of Alpine Europe.  We were somewhat disappointed.  These glaciers are significantly less than they were 50 years ago.  What did impress us was the vegetation.  With so much rain, everything is very green and ferns are abundant in the shaded areas.  Moss is found on most trees in the really dense forests.  It was Hobbit Land.

We departed Christchurch at 10 heading west to Greymouth on the New Zealand Gold Coast.  We went through Alpine National Park via Allen's Gap.  The total distance we covered today was about 250 kilometers (150 miles).  The terrain varied greatly over this distance.  We started out from Christchurch heading across the flat plain of the Waimakariri River Valley in which fruits and vegetables are grown, as well as, sheep and cattle graze.  As we entered hillier terrain, grazing became the primary farming activity.  Some logging was done in the heavily forested hills and mountains.  The scenery along the entire route was worthwhile.  A significant change in vegetation was noted as we crossed to the western side of the mountains.  The increase in rainfall on the western side resulted in a much greener and lush landscape.  The Tasman Sea beaches were rocky and cold with a stiff breeze coming off the water.  It was a great day for a run to Greymouth where we met the Tasman Sea.  We got in before the heavy rain showers that occurred through out the evening and on into the early morning.  So far, we have been lucky with weather.

We were up at 0430 to get to the airport in time for our 0845 flight to New Zealand.  There was extensive construction around the airport which made it challenging to get to the terminals. So, we took the earliest airport shuttle from the hotel to the airport.  Clearing out was quick and easy since few people were at the airport so early.  We had a nice breakfast at the airport before the crowds arrived.  We boarded our Emirates Airbus A380 and settled in for a pleasant 4 hour flight to Christchurch.  We picked up our rental car and drove a short distance to our B&B for the evening.  Dinner was at a Lone Star restaurant for steak and ribs.  The food was fine; however, the prices were outrageous.  Australia was expensive but New Zealand might be even more so.  We saw an old Morris car in the parking lot which was interesting.  We watched some television afterward.  One program featured Australian Customs and Border Protection officers at work.  We were amazed not only at what they discovered being brought into the country but also the incongruous actions taken in response.  Sometimes things just don't make sense.

We rode the Hop On - Hop Off Bus for a quick tour of Canberra, the Australian capital.  Once again, it was a beautiful day, sunny and warm.  Both Sydney and Melbourne aspired to be the capital city of  an independent Australia.  A compromise was reached when the Australian Capital Territory was created and Canberra was selected as the location for the national government (much like Washington being located in the District of Columbia rather than in one of the 50 states).  Like Washington, D.C., Canberra was laid out as a planned city in 1908.  Most of the government buildings are very modern compared to those of other national capitals.  The Parliament House was completed as recently as 1988.  The Old Parliament House which dates back to 1927 now houses Australia's National Portrait Gallery.  Our drive also took us through the embassy area which was interesting with its very modern buildings serving as embassies.  The Parliamentary Triangle and immediate surroundings function much like the Washington, D.C. Mall which links the principal governmental buildings with green space, monuments and museums.  We drove to Sydney for the night.

We entered New South Wales driving north toward Canberra, the Australian capitol.  Again, we passed through a variety of terrain.  One of the things we noticed throughout our travels in Victoria and New South Wales is occasionally we came across trucks with snorkels for wading through deep water.  During the rainy season, water quickly fills creeks and streams which rise above the road level. As a result, depth markers are frequently placed at points where flooding occurs so those with vehicles equipped with snorkels can judge whether they can ford the stream.  Drivers we spoke to say they live in areas where they sometimes need the snorkels.  A point of interest to us was Wagga Wagga, the Sister City of Leavenworth, Kansas.  A big deal was made and some controversy existed when an attempt was made to name the major north-south road in western Leavenworth Wagga Wagga Drive in honor of the Sister City.  The official name is 20th Street; however, two large signs were erected at each end of the street indicating 20th Street also is known as Wagga Wagga Drive.

The objective for the day was to sample some fine Australian wine.  Victoria has 21 GI wine regions within which there are 776 wine producers and 526 cellar doors (tasting rooms).  We drove much of the day through the King and Alpine Valleys region.  A couple of convivial ladies at the tourist information office suggested we make a stop at the Brown Brothers Cellar Door in Milawa.  Our taste buds were put to the test there and we were not disappointed as we purchased 4 bottles of wine which we will consume before leaving Australia.  Brown Brothers is one of the oldest wineries in Australia being established in 1889 and is still owned by the Brown family.  They currently have vineyards in various locations in both Victoria and Tasmania.  They do not export to the USA due to the challenges of complying with the rules and regulations of 50 different states.  Too bad for us.

We continued our journey along the Victoria coastline eventually ending the day on Phillip Island.  We made a stop at the Cape Otway Light to climb to the top of the lighthouse for a breath-taking view of the shoreline (the climb to the top was a bit breath-taking as well).  This light is the second light built in Australia and first lit in 1848.  It is the oldest light still standing but it no longer serves as an aid to navigation as a modern automated light built next to it now serves that purpose.  We had a long, informative introduction to the lighthouse and shipping in the area by a local guide.  The trip from Europe and the US East Coast to Australia during the 19th Century would take on average three months and the Cape Otway Light was for most immigrants their first sight of Australia.  We also discovered our first koala bear lounging in a tree alongside the road leading to the lighthouse.

We had a brief visit from Karen, our B&B hostess, prior to our departure.  Dwayne asked her about the many sounds which he heard last night.  She did her best to try to identify possibilities among which were:  sheep, alpacas, possums, fox, dog and numerous birds most of which we had never heard of before.  Karen showed us her garden which provides some of their food for the winter, as well as, in season.  Shortly after 10, we were off on our way to the Great Ocean Road.

We woke to another beautiful sunny day and headed into Grampians National Park.  These sandstone mountains covered with trees on the hillsides and meadows in many valleys range for many miles.  We passed through Hall's Gap and stopped at many of lookouts to take in the beautiful views.  The Overlook was a particularly spectacular vantage point.  We hiked to the bottom of MacKenzie Falls and took a long break before climbing up the hundreds of stairs to get to the top of the falls.  There was still plenty of water flowing despite the area being in a severe drought.  Wallabies inhabit the Grampians and we saw several along the roadside as the sun was going down.  The challenge was getting a picture because as soon as the car got close enough to perhaps get a good camera shot, they'd hop off into the brush.  Our accommodations for the evening were unique as we spent the night on a sheep station sleeping in a nearly century old building that served in its history as a car garage, a tobacco kiln and now a B&B.  Our hostess, Karen, gave us a good orientation of the building's history and the station's operation.  We slept well despite the many usual sounds of birds and beasts outdoors.  At one time, there was a possum on our roof.  It was like being in the Thai jungle - unfamiliar sounds in a truly foreign environment.

We departed Melbourne and headed to the hills where gold was first discovered in Australia.  In 1851, gold was found in the Ballarat area and fortune seekers from around the world rushed to Australia just as many gold seekers headed to California in 1848.  Today, at Sovereign Hill an outdoor living history museum replicates aspects of life in the gold fields.  We took a guided tour of the digging fields and learned about the harsh conditions which the early miners endured.  The Chinese and Irish were treated particularly badly by the rest of the miners and settlers.  We took a tour of  an underground mine on site which was in operation well into the 20th Century.  A main street filled with shops and a later period residential street were also interesting.  A highlight was the bowling hall which featured nine pin bowling.  We all took a turn attempting to get a strike without success.  Gold mining is still an important element of the Australian economy.

We slept in a bit.  Dwayne was up at 7 a.m. which would have been 3 a.m. in Bangkok.  He took a shower and kept quiet so as not to wake the others.  Carla got up about 8 and Janet about 9.  Brian rolled out of bed shortly before 10.  We had coffee and cornflakes for breakfast before heading to the metro for our ride into Melbourne.  Our Myki pass cards cost us $6 each and we needed another $7 per card added in credit to each card for fares.  Trolley service was free once in downtown Melbourne.  We wandered about a bit before heading down to the Docklands to see what the area had to offer.  The big ferris wheel is located there, as well as, high end condos and shopping.  We ate lunch there at a restaurant which had $10 lunch specials (not including drinks).  The food was fine enough and a piano man kept us entertained with music while we ate.  The shopping left much to be desired as there was nothing special about the outdoor mall.  We headed back to the downtown area hoping to catch a walking tour.  However, we got there too late and were on our own.

We arrived in Melbourne about 12:30 p.m. after a 9 hour flight.  Clearing in was quick and easy.  We picked up the rental car and were lucky to get almost all our luggage into the trunk.  What little was left rode in the back seat between Janet and Carla.  Brian drove and Dwayne assisted by tracking our progress to the hotel on the GPS.  We were a bit surprised to discover our hotel was also a casino.  The room was a bit more spartan than what we experienced the past few weeks with Gate 1 Tours.  The price was right and we don't plan to do much more than sleep in the hotel.  So, we are not disappointed.  Clean sheets, clean towels and air conditioning are all we need. We went to McDonald's for dinner.  Real beef, good fries and no chopsticks.  We bought a family meal for $20 Australian (about $15).  We went to bed early hoping to adjust to the 4 hour change in time zone.

In Ayutthaya we visited the Bang Pa In Royal Palace, also know as, The Summer Palace.  This palace is open to the public with the exception of a few buildings reserved for state functions.  The grounds are quite extensive and well manicured.  What makes this site unusual is that most of the buildings date back to the mid-19th Century.  Older structures dating back as far as 1632 were allowed to decay as the palace fell out of favor with subsequent kings.  A canal leads from the Summer Palace all the way to Bangkok and the royal family and courtiers could travel by water to the palace in its early days when it was surrounded by jungle.  Another unexpected structure was a lookout tower which resembled a light house.  Unique to Thailand was a Buddhist temple built in the style of a 19th Century Christian church with steeple and bell tower.  The king at the time had it built to provide an opportunity for those who had never traveled outside of Asia to see Western church architecture.