Neptune's Car

Two weeks ago my friend Jon called me and excitedly explained that there was a neat opportunity to crew on a sailing adventure. His friend Alex had a friend in Albany who needed crew to move a sailboat from Albany, New York to Florida, destination unknown. Jon said, "Send him an email, give him a call and then call Alex." So I did.  I sent a quick email sharing my enthusiasm to crew for him and shared my basic knowledge of sailing which included sailing an iceboat and a sunfish since I was a child and exploring Passamaquoddy Bay in a 23' Hunter.  Within 24 hours, Captain Bob sent me an email with a few basic details and asked me how long I could join him. I wrote back that I was available for the month.  A day later I spoke briefly with Bob on the phone.  He sounded like a gentle man and then I Googled him which eased my mind even more.  Alex, Mom's neighbor has sailed around the world and spoke very highly of his friend Bob and Bob's sailing expertise.  This felt like an extraordinary adventure to grab and just go!  Savvy sailors are Alex and Bob and they gave few instructions that included bring warm gear, a light sleeping bag and foul weather gear, wool is good!  Neptune's Car is the name of the sailboat. It is a 44' steel hull ketch with a 5'9" draft and her beam is 12'6".  A ketch is a two-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged sailboat with a mizzenmast stepped forward of the rudder and smaller than the foremast.
In less than two weeks I had to close up the cottages, harvest from the garden, plant 350 Georgian crystal garlic bulbs, find cat care for Seamus, get Garlic and Dill to their winter home, clean my house and figure out what to pack and where to get all of my equipment.
With the help of my great parents and a few wonderful friends we got it done!  Now I am journeying from Perry to Bangor, Bangor to Boston and Boston to Albany, NY to join Captain Bob, and 2 other crew members to prepare provisions for the boat to set sail on the 15th!
Wow, wow, wow & gulp!

Newlywed couple from Yemen

Fourteen hours at Dubai Airport, not four! Oops.  Arrived at 10 pm and departed at Noon the following day. Just crazy enough of a schedule that there was not the time or daylight to take a tour of Dubai.  This was my second trip via Dubai that I did not have he opportunity to leave the airport with enough time to return to airport and make it through all of the security points.  I flew Emerites from NYC to Dubai and then Fly Dubai from Dubai to Kathmandu.  Fly Dubai is the economic airline for the Arab nation.  Emerites is something else.  Beautiful flight attendants speaking 30 languages with a choice menu.

I finally made it to Terminal 2 which is the exclusive terminal for Fly Dubai.  I found a wall at the far end of the airport to sleep and just a few minutes after I made myself comfortable a young couple joined me on the seats right next to my sleeping spot. They were clearly in love and enjoying each other. The young man started talking to me. We ended up talking for much of our stay. 

He and his wife had just married. They are from Yemen.  He is 22 and she is just 18, yes just 18.  They were heading to Pakistan where he is studying to be a doctor.  He speaks many languages, Arabic, English, 2 languages from Pakistan and is learning Japanese which is where he would like

to continue his studies. He learned English in 3 months. He was at the top of his high school class and was offered a full scholarship to study medicine in Pakistan.  

He has been waiting for Ather's hand in marriage for years. They  grew up together as she is his cousin. She lost her mother when she was young and has taken care of her younger brothers for years. She has 2 older brothers and 2 younger brothers. Now Murad's Mom will take care of Alther's younger brothers while she joins her husband in Pakistan.  

Murad said that Yemeni need to pay $6000.00 for a visa to visit Dubai because they have always been workers in Dubai. Now Yemen charges those from UAE the same though few from UAE visit Yemen. Murad said it would be too dangerous for me to visit Yemen as an American.  He showed me videos of the revolution there, the countryside, his home. My goodness it is beautiful. He hopes to become a doctor and work in his country to help his people receive needed health care.  

His father is a police man and his brother is a pilot for the army.  Both of them give 50% of their wages to help the poor as there is so much need for assistance.  They all live in a family compound with three generations of family and cousins. His mother also takes care of his cow and goats.

The Taliban often kill civilians for no reason. And now that the army has split and there are 2 groups fighting each other often civilians are caught in the middle. 

I cannot figure out how to upload a photo of them....will do soon.

Some day when Murad is a doctor in Yemen wouldn't it be something to put together a team of medical professionals to go to his country.  This young man is 22 and has so many plans and dreams and dedication to his people. I was in awe of his strength, commitment, life experience and knowledge at such a young age.  

I hope to send the newlyweds a Taste of Maine when I get home to congratulate them!

Travel Tips for Nepal January 2014

Today is the first day of my month long holiday. I am heading to Kathmandu, Nepal and absolutely delighted to be heading out on an adventure.   Ashley, the daughter of a friend and Eola, a dear friend from my years at Women, Work & Community are currently living there so I have some great contacts upon my arrival. How exciting!  And thanks to Facebook and email they have already met up for a visit.

Wow it has been a long time since I have visited my blog. How wonderful to be back!  I thought I would start with some general travel tips that I have used for decades.  Feel free to comment and share other tips.  My dear friend Nathalie suggested I share tips for traveling alone as a woman.

I travelled as a kid with my folks to Canada and Florida in our station wagon. My overseas travel started just after college with a dear friend.  My passion began with my first exposure in the pubs of London where I met 20-somethings from all over the world including Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, New Zealand and South Africa.  For the past 25 years I have tried to visit a different country each year of my life.  And through many hair raising life experiences have some advice I am happy to share.

Here are some tips for travel off the top of my head:

1. Travel with a backpack. It is so much easier to get around by foot, by escalator, by train, metro, bus, plane, tour group and it is great exercise
Take a frisbee because if you do not speak the language it is a great game to play with kids and adults. You can use it as a cutting board, a plate, a bowl, and a weapon to throw at charging dogs as well.
2. Swiss army knife is a must with all of its' tools
3. wet wipes are perfect for washing hands, fruits and make a perfect shower for flights and long treks
4. memorize your passport number because it expedites the process of having a passport reissued when stolen if you are mugged and have no form of ID
5. Make copies of your passport and credit cards and important info and put it in a ziplock with a $50.00 at the bottom of your backpack. Why?  If you are mugged it is nice to have some cash in your large backpack if that has not been taken as well.
6. Make copies of  your itinerary and/or email it to a few different friends/family.
7. If you are traveling with a friend, give copies to each other
8.   Wear a sports bra and keep your important documents tucked inside your bra.  Do not use a passport holder with a cord that goes around your neck.  Why?  If it is visible it could be cut and taken.
9.  A few ziplock bags and plastic bags are handy for dirty laundry or  messy fun food or spilled toiletries
10.  Bring a pocket photo album of your life including photos of  your family, pets, house, hobbies, and highlights of where you live-industry, tourist attractions, unique features, wildlife, seasons etc.
11.  Try not to give out $ or candy. Instead give food, soap, toothbrushes, dental floss, postcards, pens, pencils, mirrors, magnets, clothes or pay for a service for someone
12. Always ask people permission before you take their photo.  While we are tourists we need to respect people and other cultures. If someone says no, please respect that.  Now, if they say yes and it is a great photo. Find out their mailing address and then print the photo, laminate it and send it to them.  Why laminate?  Areas with high humidity in particular eat away at photos and will disintegrate in just a few years.  
13.  As a single, woman traveler.  Cover up!  Regardless of the culture, cover up.  Definitely do your research and respect the culture whether it is head, shoulders, legs, waist, stomach, chest.
14. Travel guidebooks are helpful including:  Fodors Lonely Planet etc.
15. Couchsurfing.com is a great resource to visit a country but sleep on people's couches and get to know your hosts and communities through their eyes
16. TRUST YOUR INSTINCT
17. I carry mace but have never been smart or fast enough to use it when I needed it though I continue to take it with me

Invercargill to Milford Sound

Greetings from Milford Sound, Fiordland, South Island, one of the Wonders of the World. This World Heritage site is beyond belief as Patrick would say. I actually hitched from Invercargill to Milford sound, one of the longest days of my life. My first lift was from a sweet couple with a great dog and a little girl. Tehy offered me a cup of coffee, did not drive me very far but put me on the right track and the man gave me almost two kilos of freshly caught and frozen blue cod, which I believe is about $36/kilo. Anyway I kept it wrapped and frozen and in my bag for the entire day's journey. Then I met an equine dentist, who knew! Then a series of lifts from a Kiwi couple heading to a beach, a van with 2 Chileans, 1 Canadian and 1 German, two guys studing rare species of plants and insects in Milford Sound, and finally a van full of mostly Kiwi rock climbers heading back to their base camp from town. By the time I actually made it to mIlford ZLodge I was pooped and a little bit of a train wreck considering my ordeal. I had no idea it would take so long or that the roads were so windy or how little foreign travelers helpmout other travelors on foot. It was such fun talking to this group of climbers. Climbing is almost an addiction for them. Such an adrenaline rush that they do it as often as possible.

The vistas as you enter the sound are breathtaking, huge gorges with snow capped mountains, winding steep terrain that feels like us in the north until you see a fiant fern tree and realize again that is subtropical as well.

I also saw a Kea, a rare parrot, that is protected and very smart, clever, amd destructive. It was climbing all over a truck trying to pull pieces off of it. Scientists do lots of studies with the Kea making puzzles they need to solve with trick doors, levers, etc for them to get to food. Great to watch.

That night at the lodge I made Ramen noodles and blue cod cooked simply in a little olive oil, had a shower and CRASHED! Tomorrow night I have enough fish to feed a few others. Ai just need to make some friends.

Hot Water Beach, Coramandel Peninsula

Just 45 minutes to the beach if you do not get lost or distracted with three little kids in the backseat eager to hit the sand and the surf. Darren timed our arrival perfectly! Two hours before and two hours after low tide you can dig holes in the beach where 2 fresh water springs meet the gorgeous blue waters in the eastern Bay of Plenty. Geothermal activity abound on the islands of New Zealand below the ocean and terra firmas. Here at Hot Water Beach the hot rock beds 100s of meters below the sand heat the water rising from the earth of two springs. As you dig into the sand the warm and often HOT spring water fills these sandy pools we have all dug. Sit and enjoy and let your body soak up the heat and then pounce into the refreshingly cooler but still quite warm ocean waves at one of NZ's deadliest beaches. Due to rips you cannot see from land often swimmers are pulled under and out into the ocean. So we waded, tumbled and did not go out over our chests. Safety first!

The Coramandel Peninsula has wonderful vistas overlooking breath taking cliffs and marine reserves. Oh my! Snorkeling trails and hidden coves for the smallest of sailboats and home to the best beaches in New Zealand. Lots and lots of clever cafes, roadside fruit stands, and chic boutiques.

In New Zealand honey bees live the life! There are stacks and stacks of bee hives everywhere and not the typical white colored ones of the USA but all colors are celebrated. Bright blues, greens, golds, pinks, purples, grays, and browns.

Te Aroha, the mountain we love

Te Aroha is about two hours south and east of Aukland nestled into deep cattle farm country at the foot of Mount Te Aroha, the mountain we love in Maori. With a population of only a few thousand Te Aroha has a lovely little downtown shopping area with local artists, an organic food shop, 3 grocery stores, meat pie shops, a chemist, clothing and a lovely geothermal spa with geysers and foot baths to boot. It also has an Asian food shop and a top knotch sushi restaurant called Lavendar Sushi.

Darren, Caleb, Jade and I took several wonderful hikes experiencing magical vistas across the cow paddocks and through the lush green tropical forests littered with giant fern trees Jade calls Spider Monkeys. We saw heaps of stick bugs, giant ferns called Korus, silver ferns, one of the signature symbols of New Zealand. We hiked up Mt Tearoha to Bald Spur Lookout and then we hiked Wairongomai Loop, which was a gold mine for years in the early 1800s.

We then drove to Karangahake Gorge which too was a mine in the 1800s. The Karangahake Gorge has tunnels and tracks laid to move mold and minerals and today you can walk through the tunnels and along the tracks. The swinging bridges were my favorite because it felt like a wee roller coaster just much safer.

Paeora, an adjacent little town is famous for a local soda drink L & P (Lemon and Paeora), now sadly owned by Pepsi but in its' hayday was New Zealand's signature soda made with natural spring water and lemon juice. Quite refreshing and served really everywhere in NZ.

The landscape of NZ is the first one notices arriving in this pristine modern society. New Zealanders grow up recycling, celebrating and protecting their environment.

Tauranga and The Rena

I am currently in Tauranga for 4 days while Darren's parents are on holiday we are housesitting for a few days. Yesterday we went to the beach for the kids to body surf. Beautiful huge waves. It was lovely. Due to the wreck of the Rena there is still oil floating toward shore. We got soaked by the waves and we had small specks of oil on us as well, little specks on our feet and the backs of our legs. Imagine what it does to the sea life. We struggled to wipe it from our skin. The worst wreck in NZ's history. Lots of seabirds died from the oil spill and are dying from the massive amounts of food mostly milk powder and styrafoam bubbles spilling onto the shore. The amount of volunteers pitching in to clean up was amazing and information about the extensive clean up is now at museums around the country. Why the news does. ot report hardly any of this is beyond me and somehow the ship itself is respnsible for very little of the $ burden. Craziness.

Jade and Caleb did see a healthy little blue penguin while the grown ups went for a walk up a cliff on Mount Mauganui called the blowhole. We watched the surfers surf. We have climbed up 3 mountains in 3 day one was Te Aroha mountain and the other was called Wairongimai Valley. We also visited the Karangahake George, walked over 2 swinging bridges (scary) and through tunnels and tunnels used for rail cars to move gold. We also found some silver ferns, the symbol of the All Blacks, the 2011 world rugby champions and native baby fern fronds called koru which symbolise new growth in Maori culture.