Monkeys!

We went to Khao Yai National Park, about 3 hours outside of Bangkok.

The drive there, out of the metropolis and into more rural Thailand, was an experience in itself. We saw a few several story high golden Buddha shrines rising out of the countryside, Addi had her picture taken not fewer than 5 times at a woodworking stall (and another 5 or so at the park), and we stumbled across a huge shrine with hundreds of plastic roosters. We don't know the significance of the rooster (yet), but it was quite a scene and fairly representative of the topic-specific shrines we have seen scattered all over.

We arrived at the park and hiked to the 150 m 3-tiered Heo Narok Waterfall. We walked across a should-have-been-condemned wood plank bridge then made a steep steep steep hike down (it wasn't quite steep enough to be called a ladder, but it wasn't quite not a ladder) to see this magnificent fall...in the dry season. It wasn't quite low enough to call a trickle, but it wasn't not a trickle! Let's put it this way- after that crazy hike down, Addi was the main photographic attraction! With this said, in the wet season the falls will be spectacular. We were glad to have Too Greg along as he carried her back up.

We continued on to the Pho Diao Dai cliff where the hike and overlook gave beautiful views of the surrounding mountains, valley and 3 layers of rain forest. Then on to the salt licks and Hong Pak Chi Observation tower to watch sunset and look for elephants. This was my favorite part of the park. We were the only ones there, with the rustling long grasses making the only sound as the sky turned pink. I think Addi felt the same as she whispered "I think this is a secret place" in my ear. We didn't see any elephants, but we did see several elephant paths and footprints- so we know they were there. As Addi told me on the hike back to the car "its ok Mommy, we'll see them next time"

Perhaps in reward for understanding the unpredictability of nature at the tender age of three, we saw dozens of Macaw monkeys all over the street on the ride home. The highlight was a tiny little guy (about the size of a newborn kitten). They didn't seem to be afraid of cars, so we could get a good look at their freakishly human ears and blue eyes. Addi is convinced one of the bigger ones looked right at her to say "hi". .....and I think so too.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Longboats and the Jay-Jay!

We started the day in a wooden longboat, cruising the Chao Phraya river canals. We had a boat to ourselves that bounced through the big swells, through a loch, and into the calm (but busy) canals. Private homes ranging from falling down shacks to magnificent teak traditional Thai houses stood on stilts over the murky water. Children splashed in the boat wakes and the occasional morning glory harvester waded in chest deep waters. We boated to the Bangkok weekend floating market where we bought delicious street foods- satays, spring rolls, fish balls, sticky rice and coconut and a bunch of other things I don't know the names of. With full bellies and a sixer of Singha beer, we headed back to the pier.

From there we took the skyrail and subway to the Chatuchuk ("jay-jay") weekend market. There are hundreds or thousands of stalls selling everything you could ever need. This is where the locals shop and there are deals to be had for the wiley "farong" (foreigner). For US$30 I bought 2 dresses for me, a dress and a top for Addi, 3 barrettes, a pair of gorgeous sandals, a funky bracelet, a charcoal rubbing from the Wat Pho temple, a popcicle, 2 waters, 2 beers and probably something else that I am forgetting.

Addi fell in love with a little bunny barrette which I reached out to grab just as the vendor (and all of those around her) folded up and ran away. Turns out there are some illegal vendors with spotters for police and they are exceptionally fast movers when they need to be! Once aware of it, I saw this happen over and over again- something impressive to see, really!

Bonnye, Addi and I headed home while Jim, Greg and one of Greg's buddies went out for a night I won't blog about. You'll have to ask them yourselves! ;-)

The SD card in my phone is telling me it's damaged so all of my pictures are lost (I am REALLY hoping we can recover them!) so I will upload photos to this post from Jim's camera in the next few hours.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Say Wat!?

The Amulet Market is across the street from the Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew temples. It is block after block of vendors crowding the sidewalks with their blankets and tables covered with various Buddhist medallions and statues (as well as random trinkets and street foods). We started our day there, arriving by ferry via the Chao Phraya river. The crowds and smells and action are taking some adjusting for Addi. The Thai people generally love kids anyways, but Addi (with her blond hair and blue eyes) got special attention. People kept wanting to touch her, talk to her, look at her eyes, kiss her on the cheek...one lady even sniffed her! All in a very warm and non-threatening way (we never felt even remotely in danger or anything) but I think it was a bit intense for her.

We retreated to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew and were speechless upon entry. The book calls it "the spiritual core of Thai Buddhism and the monarchy, symbolically united in what is the country's most holy image, the Emerald Buddha". It is the most ornate place I have ever seen. Dressed in our borrowed sarongs, pants and shirts we wandered past glittering glass and mirror mosaic buildings, enormous and heavily detailed murals (Addi obsessed on the mural image attached, of course wanting to know if he was mean or nice and how did we know for sure) and gleaming gold towers. We were able view, but not photograph, the Emerald Buddha which is surprisingly tiny (66cm) and sits atop a extremely ornate and tall gilded shrine.

Addi asked endless questions that I couldn't answer and that I don't see stopping as we plan to visit several Wats (temples) is SE Asia. Jodi, I really need for you to write a book with non-denominational answers about life, death, God(s) and religion for curious toddlers. So if you could get on that I'd like it by next week? Im not kidding.

From there we walked to Wat Pho, home of the giant reclining Buddha. This 46m long and 15m high gleaming gold figure is meant to represent Buddha's passage into nirvana. The bottoms of his giant feet are decorated with the 108 characteristics of Buddha in mother of pearl (you can see the tips of the tes in the attached photo!). As we exited the sanctuary, we made 108 wishes for good luck by dropping a token into each of the 108 pails. It is very, very difficult to think of 108 unique wishes- I learned a little bit about myself by noticing which I kept repeating. The roof of the hall is being ret-tiled and for a small donation, we were able to write a message on the back of one! It is fun to think that we will have contributed a secret little part of the sanctuary for Buddha in Nirvana for unforetold years.

We had drinks at a cool spot overlooking the river and Wat Arun. This gorgeous temple is built on the spot where a small shrine once stood; an omen to the then-king to build the second capitol of Thailand-Bangkok! We were beyond exhausted at this point, so didn't tour it. Instead, we watched the sun set behind the main tower and were once again awestruck. Lights came on at dusk that turned the structure to gold. Brilliant.

We had an interesting cab ride home where the taxi driver (who was initially rather upset that we demanded he use the meter-but was won over by Jim's gum offering) asked Jim if he wanted a" bum-bum" which we took to mean hooker (keep in mind, Bonnye, Greg, Addi and I were all in the back seat!) And then proceeded to hoot at some Japanese girls in the car in front of us. Wat a character.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Sawasdee Ka, Bangkok!

We are in Bangkok at Greg and Bonnye's (Addi calls them Tio and Tia and they call each other Little Broom and Puddle. Don't ask- I don't have answers) and have had a great first day. Their apartment is on the 20th floor overlooking a city bustling with street vendors, pedestrians, crazy cars and even crazier mopeds.

We relaxed in the morning to recover from the previous nights red eye and headed out to one of G&Bs favorite haunts (Green Papya) for a delicious Thai lunch. Not only was the food amazing, but the rice came shaped like teddy bear and heart. With this, Addi is sold on Thailand. Thailand is also sold on Addi. She learned how to greet in Thai (sawasdee ka) and made friends with every person we passed on the street.

Bonnye, Addi and I had a girls afternoon while the fellas worked and headed over to Lumpini Park (the Central Park of Bangkok) for an afternoon at the playground, paddle boating and feeding a wild frenzy of catfish and carp, and witnessing a giant Monitor Lizard pull itself out of the pond and crawl into some pipe leading underground. I might never sleep again. It was like watching a croc slither into the sewer. These giant lizards were all over the place basking by the water. I think these beasts are totally harmless, but just a strange and unnerving sight!

We watched the sunset over the city while enjoying some beer and good company and are anticipating Bonnye's delicious truffle pasta. Mmmmm.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Rookie Move

Flying domestically within Australia is refreshingly easy...and it made me complacent.

Among several other luxuries, we have spent the last month able to carry half empty (or half full, depending on perspective!) bottles of wine in our carry-on luggage without issue. This was a fantastic treat as we moved from wine region to wine region and didn't have to waste any.

Well, we just went through international security in Sydney and the two bottles of wine I had wrapped up to take home from the Barossa Valley to share with our friends and family have just been confiscated. I will conclude this entry here so you can go get a tissue...and I need one too. Sob, sob!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Farewell, Dear Oz!

Jim had to work today, so fully-recovered Addi and I went to Tjapukai, a 'living' aboriginal cultural museum. It was kitschy but very educational. We got our faces painted, saw some traditional dance, painted a 'story stone', got a didgeridoo lesson, saw a didgeridoo performance and learned some of the hunting, gathering and medicinal techniques. Addi managed to get invited on stage at the end, but got her first bout of stage fright.

We picked Jim up for lunch and spent our last cloudless afternoon in Australia at the beach and pool. We saw the lifeguard pull two baby box jellyfish out of the ocean and learned that these buggers can grow to the size of a human adult with a sting that can kill you inside of two minutes! Gulp! Jim wants me to remind you that he got stung by bits of this stinger a few days ago.

Tonight will be packing up for a day of travel to Bangkok tomorrow. This will close the first chapter of the Smith Family Odyssey (with the exception of Sydney, which we will do in March). It has been amazing and went by faster than I expected. A month was not enough to get the full Aussie experience. Although we visited the Australia most Aussies live in (and then some), we missed important culture and history by missing the west, north and middle of the country (Perth, Darwin, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, etc). Another month is in order....maybe next time!

So G'day Mates, for now! Tip a toast tomorrow for Australia Day- the national holiday for our friends down under!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

No Shirt, No Service

We were supposed to spend this sunny day learning and practicing coastal aboriginal hunting and cooking techniques, followed by a short boat cruise through a rainforest, concluded with a moderate hike and waterfall swim.

Instead we rented a car and drove to the Cairnes emergency room with Addi wailing with stomach pain- arriving just in time for her to puke all over...and I mean ALL OVER poor Jim. They cut us to the front of the very long waiting line and the doctor's conclusion was that Addi had a virus (not appendicitis as the Guilford Pediatrician on call recommended we rule out and I, therefore; concluded she had). Local doctor was right, and she was much better about 5-6 hours later and seems 100% now. Addi is a trooper.

Jim is a trooper too- he had to wander around Cairnes shirtless and covered in puke looking for emergency replacement clothes. It took more shopping and looks of disgust than he would have liked, but managed to find something within about 20 minutes. It wasn't funny then, but it is fracking hilarious now!

With Addi on the mend, we stopped by Trinity Beach which was lovely and less developed than Palm Cove (which isn't very developed). The jungle more dramatically meets the beach here. We took a short walk, and then came back home. Addi begged to swim, which we let her do for 10 minutes.

We bought a short didgeridoo in Cairnes and are passing time trying to play it. We make more noise than music, but it is a fun activity between loads of laundry!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Warning: Proud Parenty Entry

The sun came out and we made the most of it by doing very little...aahhh.  After a nice long walk along the desolate beach, we went to the 'stinger net section' for a swim.  The waves were pretty big due to the previous day's storm and there were little bits of stingers floating around- even in the stinger nets (Jim caught a bit of it on the back....he looks like he got attacked by a mosquito swarm but is otherwise fine)- so we didn't last long.  We spent the rest of the day at the pool and ADDI LEARNED TO SWIM!  Well, only with a snorkel and mask, but she is floating and kicking and paddling without any flotation devices, so I say it counts!  We will rid her of all equipment before we leave on Wednesday, but she is officially swimming as of today!  We attached a video link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gekCX9cKsyE

Also attached, is the promised link to Addi's review of snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiaggNgtagg

Apologies to readers who aren't Grandparents or Jim and I reading this years in the future...I realize that several of these entries are very proud-parenty, but hey....what can I say....It's a big part of the trip!  :-)

Here Comes the Rain Again, Falling on My Head Like a Memory

I really can't complain. Even though this is generally the wettest this nation has been in decades, this is the first day since we got to Australia that has been a total rain-out. Even then, if I had a little more gumption and a bit more cash, there are fun things to do. For example, there is no better time to be in a rainforest than when it is raining, right? Rain can't soak you if you're swimming, eh? The air is warm enough that you can be comfortable even if sopping wet.

With that said, we took the day as a rain day and huddled indoors (with the exception of lunch, a hotel waterslide run, and my 'flowers in the rain' photo shoot). We filled the time with work (Jim) or arts and crafts, books, forts, a few toys, and a splash of TV (Addi and I). We (Jim) even cooked dinner in (ramen noodles with egg and tomato, wine, and Tim Tam chocolate cookies. Mmmmm). Kind of nice change of pace after a high speed month.

No regrets, but if its raining again tomorrow we will open the purse strings for a rainforest adventure!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Wonderland Down Under.

We left in the rain and headed out 40km to Norman Reef, one of the 2900 reefs making up the 5000km long Great Barrier Reef network. Our boat took us to a large platform where we could experience the reef in three ways: snorkel, a semi-submarine and an underwater observatory.

The dangerous jellies/ stingers generally stay close to land and are extremely rare at the outer reef but because it is peak stinger season, we all got gussied up in stinger suits that cover you from head to toe. We didn't see the feared box jelly on this excursion, but from what we hear, the sting is not worth the risk. The water was as warm and as flat as bathwater, making for easy swimming.

We started in the semi-sub which was pretty cool and gave us a neat preview of what was to come. Although water clarity was not great (by reef standards) due to the rains, we were able to see lots of fish and corals. It was also a cool primer for Addi who was thrilled to be in a submarine, was amazed that we were seeing these things in "the real ocean" (vs the aquarium) and couldn't get over the prospect of swimming with them.

Yes. You are drawing the right conclusion. Addi snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef. Like a pro...for two hours. Mask, snorkel breathing, head underwater, the whole thing! Without trepidation (although not without the occasional sputtering user error and with the support of a life jacket and parental arm) she plopped her face in the water to test her mask, popped in the mouth piece and started chasing fish! At one point she started to sing to the fish through the snorkel tube! It was so fun to experience this with her and is a testament to the power of excitement to overcome fear! Speaking of fear, Jim got bit on the neck by a tiny fish and keeps looking for blood.

I wish I had some pictures of the underwater odyssey, but we don't have an underwater camera. Imagine sea cucumbers, parrot fish, stag antler coral, brain coral; fish and corals in blues and yellows and reds and purples. Vibrant and alive and swimming all around you. The real treat for us was that Addi learned to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef. This opens up new possibilities for the SE Asia leg of this adventure!!

We made a short video of Addi after the snorkel....we will try to upload it shortly.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

...can you hear, can you hear the thunder, yeah....

Better run, better take cover! Men at Work. Embrace it.

Palm Cove is a tropical paradise currently in the off-season (read: wet season) so it is eerily quiet here. The weather is actually fine with a thunder storm every afternoon, but otherwise hot and humid- perfect swimming weather. The rainforest meets the beach here with lush green mountains rolling to white sand leading to turquoise blue waters. The downside is that summer (now) is "stinger season" so you can't wade into the water unless inside of stinger nets to keep the Box Jellies and their 30 foot tentacles out. A bustling Aussie winter vacation getaway, it is slow and low in summer, just what we need before leaving for SE Asia. We are boating to and snorkeling on the outer Great Barrier Reef tomorrow and will do an aboriginal tour of the Daintree Rainforest on Monday...otherwise we won't be doing much more than relaxing and reflecting!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Addi's Day

Today was Addi's Choice Day in Gleneg (20min outside of Adelaide on a gorgeous white sand beach). So we spent the morning at Beach House which has a merry-go-round, a train, a giant climbing gym...you get the gist, the afternoon at the beach digging holes and making castles followed by a nice long bath and buttered noodle dinner. Photo attached is for the grandparents in the audience.

Mollydooker Vineyards (my screen name namesake) was too ridged with their tasting times so we didn't make it to MacLaren Vale today. Oh well- guess we will have to do that tasting by the bottle at home!

Tomorrow we go to "the far north" to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef for a week. Palm Cove is north of Cairnes and is far from the Queensland flooding. So, nothing to worry about- well, except for the box jellyfish with 30 foot tentacles and a wicked sting that demand swimmers swim in netted areas and wear a "stinger suit" ...if they dare go in the ocean at the beach at all! We will gage risk v rumor when we get there, but expect to make good use of the hotel pool!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Finger Wave, Kangaroo Island.

We had our final day at Kangaroo Island yesterday and I don't want to forget to write about the KI Finger Wave! This wave, done by lifting the right hand pointer finger from the steering wheel, is done by every driver to every driver- kind of like the Jeep Wrangler wave at home, but indiscriminating. I think it is because you pass so few cars on this island that every car is in the club! We felt like locals, mate!

After many a finger wave, we explored Flinders Chase National Park on the west end. We went to a stone formation called The Arches and I think this is the first time I have truly seen the ocean "boil". It was the roughest, angriest ocean I have ever seen. There was a colony of New Zealand Seals speckled all over the rocks as they got battered by the crashing waves and forceful winds. I can't imagine why they liked that spot, but they seemed happy! We went from there to The Remarkable Rocks. This formation, as seen in the movie December Boys, was wild with the boulders taking on all sorts of crazy shapes.

As we packed up the hotel, Jim said goodbye to one of his many tropical offices and tried to pick up a piece of dust that turned out to be a scorpion!

Finally, we bought the Men At Work Greatest Hits album. Yup. That just happened.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Kangaroo Frenzy

Today we explored the interior and north coast of Kangaroo Island. Tomorrow is the west end. I love love it here. They say the place is overrun with wildlife at dawn and at dusk, but we have not managed to be out at either time. So, we went to Parndana Wildlife Reserve and got an experience.

We saw all sorts of native Australian wildlife, but of greatest interest was the kangaroo field where we were allowed to go in and hand feed them! These little kangas were adorable in soft chocolate brown; about as tall as Addi when not 'standing up' and up to my shoulders when on hind feet; and as aggressive as geese who knew there was food to be had. Addi and I were a bit nervous at first, but enjoyed ourselves once we figured out how to manage the swarm (how? You wonder? Let Jim hold the food bag!). We had great fun petting, feeding and watching them hop around until one little quick guy decided to play with Addi (read: tackle...or as we told Addi: hug). She was fine- just startled, and the kangaroo was really only playing with her the way they were playing with each other, but we took the queue and left. Once outside the gate, Addi told the kangaroos that it was ok; she knew they were just playing. Here's to hoping this doesn't come up later in therapy!

The other animal worth mentioning is the talking cockatoo who said "hello! Hello!"....with an aussie accent!!

From there we took the red dirt roads north through endless wild bush to Stokes Bay. We trekked through volcanic rock and caves which suddenly opened up to an amazing little coral beach. Although the waters were exceptionally rough, there was a small protected lagoon that Jim could snorkel and swim with Addi in. The water was a bit cold for me so I observed from the sand.

We stopped at Sunset Vineyards on the way home for a tasting and bought some delicious wines for enjoyment tonight. Among others, we tasted a sparkling Shiraz. Served chilled, it is a very popular Aussie trend that I forgot to mention when writing about the Barossa valley tour. It is a treat...and one that I had not seen in the US. Keep your eyes open for it. Greg and Bonnye, we are bringing a bottle to enjoy with you in Bangkok.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

KI day 1: Sea Lions, Spelunking and Sand Castles.

It was only a 30 minute flight from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island, so we were here and rolling by 7:30AM. The island is 30% conservation land but remains more than 50% old growth native bush. In other words, it is very very sparsely built upon. It is a nature and wildlife sanctuary- densely populated with kangaroo, koala, wallaby, echidna, penguins and sea lions.

We explored the south side of the island with a first stop at Seal Bay; home to a huge Australian Sea Lion colony where we were able to walk the beach amongst hundreds of them. Addi was less enthralled than I had predicted, but I guess that's what a dozen trips to the Mystic Sea Lion show will do! There was a hump back whale skeleton on the same beach that held the little adventurer's attention so all was not lost!

We went from there to Kelly Hill Cave- Addi's first spelunking experience! She was a bit intrepid as we descended below the Earth, but I later heard her whispering "I love this...its so beautiful". An average cave by comparison purposes, but a fun hour and a half!

Then we spent the late afternoon relaxing and building sand castles on Vivionne Bay Beach. Rated among Australia's most beautiful, it lived up. Truthfully though, I don't know how one Aussie beach ranks above another...they all seem to be ruggedly picturesque, pristine, unspoiled, turquoise blue..... stunning.

Unfortunately, I really don't think Addi is retaining very much. Don't get me wrong, I know the experiences are shaping her and I am sure she remembers more than she let's on, but when asked, her "favorite part of the day" is usually whatever she did last. (Eg: her favorite part of today was dipping her feet in the pool before supper) and she doesn't recall some of our earlier activities (eg: climbing the dunes in Tassie). Then again, I can't usually remember what I had for breakfast so who am I....

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

The Botanist

We started early at Central Market which is like a huge grocery store where each department is independently owned by multiple vendors (like Fanuel Hall in Boston). Hundreds of stalls. We had breakfast in there at a well renowned spot called The Big Table. Servings were huge and food was amazing. I had a warm raspberry pear oatloaf with melted butter. Divine.

Jim had a work day while Addi and I hit the Royal Botanical Gardens and Adelaide Zoo.

We literally spent four hours wandering the gardens with Addi picking up fallen petals and leaves so we could tape them into her sketchbook. I attached a photo and am hoping the tape will preserve the colors for posterity. She told me what to write next to each...I don't know if you can read in the photo, but the names are adorable. "Heart shaped leaves", "butterfly skirt", "rainbow flower", "duck flower", "minute flower", "I love I love I love" etc. It was really fun and she is so excited about it.

From there we went to the zoo and saw some animals our zoos don't have. Tassie Devils, meerkats, some crazy birds and bears and creatures that I don't remember the names of, yadda yadda yadda. They have a new panda exhibit that was pretty great.

We leave super early for Kangaroo Island tomorrow and we can't wait. My final assessment of Adelaide is that while there are nice points, its strongest points are outside of it- the beaches, wine valleys, etc. If I could do it again I'd have rented a car to spend more time outside of the city. With that said, we have had a great run here!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Barossa Valley Wine Tasting. mmmmmm........

Despite my experience with the Great Ocean Road tour (recall meatball review) I signed us up for a full day van (not giant double decker bus) tour of the Barossa valley and I am SO GLAD I did! Barossa is one of the many famous wine regions outside of Adelaide; in addition to Clare Valley, MacLaren Vale, and several others. We chose to do a tour so that we could have two active wine tasters...and chose this particular tour because it also stopped at Addi-friendly sites including "the Big Rocking Horse" (the largest in the world! Addi and I climbed ladders 35' to the saddle, but rain and fear kept us from climbing 60' to the top of the head), the Herbig family home (a family of five lived in the trunk of this tree for five years!), and the Whispering Wall (a dam with unintentional acoustic properties that allows you to whisper at one end and be clearly heard at the other end 100m away).

We tasted more than 18 wines at four vineyards: Wolf Blass (including a $130/bottle black label) Simpatico (grapes sourced from Stonewall Vineyards), Grant Burge on Krondorf and Kies Family (a small 6th generation vineyard). We bought at three of the stops. We had a 3 course lunch at The Vine Inn where Addi got a paper peacock in her ice cream- apparently, a dream come true.

Everyone on the bus, with the exception of Addi, Jim and I, snoozed on the hour drive home from the valley. That should give you a sense of quantities of wine 'tasted' if the number 18+ didn't. It was perfect.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Tadika and Opals

Addi and I went to the Aboriginal Cultural Institute aka Tardanya ("the place of the red kangaroo") today. We saw some amazing Aboriginal artwork, a didgeridoo performance, and a historical documentary on the instrument. It was fantastic. I attached a link to a youtube didgeridoo song in the entry below...I couldn't figure out how to add it to this entry. Worth a listen if you've never heard it before!

As it turns out, most Aboriginal tribes have never used a didgeridoo. This instrument is only used for tribal storytelling purposes in a tiny section of the very far north of Australia. I also learned that westerners are the only people to call the instrument a didgeridoo. Its real name is Tadika! The wood is hollowed naturally by termites and then trained Tadika masters find the 'perfect' hollowed tree, cut it and decorate it.

There is an opal mine about 525 miles into the southern outback that produces 90% of the worlds opals. Unfortunately, it is too far for us to go on this trip (boo!) but we found an opal store that has a small replica of an opal mine. Addi was in heaven and we spent almost two hours there! In the name of frugality, I resisted my urge to buy opals...I hope I don't regret it! Hmmm....I already do.

So, we did not make it to the zoo or the botanical gardens today, but the Tardanya and opal store were all we needed.

I hear you east coasters are going to get more snow. Oh dear- its a white one this year, eh?

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Didgeridoo (Tadika) sample clip

Per the preceding entry! Take a listen!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Kanga Tastes Like.....

Today was basically an all-day travel to Adelaide day, so not much to report. My first impression is that this city of 1.1M doesn't have the character and charm of Melbourne, Sydney, or anyplace else, but I will keep an open mind tomorrow as we head to the zoo, the Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Botanical Gardens. South Australia is also famous for its wines....so we will probably do a wine tasting tour in Barossa Valley or MacLaren Vale during our stay!

We had dinner at a korean barbecue where kangaroo was not only on the menu, but was raw- we had to cook it ourselves! I am proud to say that I not only tried it, but I had seconds! It looks like beef....and tastes like it too! Truth be told, we grilled the kanga and beef next to each other and I couldn't tell the difference. Adelaide is known for its "bush tucker" - game meats, so we should also have luck finding emu and crocodile while we are here!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Sinister Sevens- 7 minutes, 7 days a week for 70 days- are you in?

We are 14 days into this amazing adventure with 70 days remaining. I am having the time of my life...but miss my Crossfit! ...so I made up my own crossfit challenge and am seeking comraderie! It takes 7 minutes and you can do it without any equipment and without leaving your room.

2 min as many push-ups as possible
20 second rest
2 min as many sit ups as possible
20 second rest
2 min as many squats as possible
20 sec as many burpees as possible

*Rotate which exercise you start with each day (eg: day 1: push ups, sit ups, squats; day 2: sit ups, squats, push ups; day 3: squats, push ups, sit ups; repeat). Burpees are always at the end
*journal how many you do each day to track improvement.
*Starts tomorrow and ends March 16! This shouldn't have to interfere with anything you may already be doing...so...Who is in? Jimbo says he's in! Anyone else? Just 7 minutes!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Sherpa to Wine Glass Bay and Farewell, Tassie

Wine Glass Bay is in Freyicnet Nat'l Park and is rated one of the top ten beaches is the world. It is a two hour steep and rugged hike each way, but worth the work. Views from the top and the bottom are attached. Turquoise blue waters, giant surf, sugar white sands, and nearly desolate. We were greeted at the beach by a wallaby that disagreed with my earlier description ("big hopping rats"). This one really looked like a little kangaroo! Apparently there are several different kinds of wallabies. Who knew!?

One of the many benes of traveling with a 3 year old is that, at 30ish pounds, she is light enough to carry on any hike she can't do on her own. Jim was a first class Sherpa carrying Addi 70% of the way!

While on the topic, there are several other benefits to traveling with a three year old. I highly recommend it.
*In Aussie, they are always free- for everything.
*At the same time, they are old enough to do, and enjoy, almost everything
*They are easily excited by the prospect of seeing an animal, finding other kids, finding a playground, or any kind of imagination game. These elements are easily woven into any activity by crafty parents
*an 8:00 bed time forces grown-ups to enjoy necessary down time and offers time to plan the next day.
*They see everything through a completely different lens. This greatly magnifies the experience at hand.

We leave Tasmania tomorrow morning and head to Adelaide. I am not ready to leave. It is a nature lovers paradise with extensive hiking trails, National Park systems, untouched beaches and wild life. I think you'd need three weeks to do it right (there is so much we didn't get to!). Rented camper vans are big here and campgrounds looked nice. There are back country backpacking opportunities at every park that take you to the most gorgeous spots. Hmmm... maybe when Addi is a teenager and needs to be weaned from her electronics!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5