White River Junction, VT (USA)

[telework early in the morning - at 0715, left condo to go to UVAC (White River Junction) for 45 minutes of swimming, 5 minutes of sauna, 16 minutes of biking (3.4 miles) and weights - done at 0900 - errands on the way home (Staples to drop off obsolete tech at 0910 and return at Home Depot - teleworking after getting home again (0930), teleworked the rest of the day]

Gorham, NH (USA)

Back in 2020, I was hiking near Hot Springs, NC when I met a NOBO AT Thru Hiker from Finland named Inka.  She told me how to follow her on Instagram and I have been tracking her adventures since.  Just after we'd last seen each other in person, Coronavirus hit the US and she was forced to return to her native country.  Earlier this year, I learned she'd begun a second attempt to thru hike the AT and I'd hoped to see her when she hiked through Hanover.  Unfortunately, I was in New Zealand when she passed through town.  I'd offered to join up with her for a hike in New Hampshire or Maine but the logistics hadn't yet worked.  Yesterday, however, she sent me a message on Instagram about how she'd lost her cell phone on top of Moosilauke.  Someone had found it but she had already hiked almost all the way to Gorham.  So, the million dollar question (from her) was: "can you pick it up and bring it to me?"  Wanting to stay on the good Karma side of Trail Magic, of course I agreed!  This morning, I did some things around the house and didn't leave my condo until almost 0900.  I then drove to Moosilauke Ravine Lodge (via NH-10, NH-25A and NH-118).  Parking was almost impossible so I left the car in a no-parking zone and walked down to the main lodge.  The Croo members gave me some difficulty but I managed to obtain the phone using some "code words" that Inka had shared with me.  After that (1015), I drove to Gorham via NH-118, NH-112.  Along the way, I almost got nabbed by a sheriff but hesitated my acceleration enough that he only flashed his lights (whew)...  I got on NH-113 and followed it until it started taking me to the east side of Conway.  This confused me but I kept going to Fryburg, ME, before I realized that my Google Maps was targeting the wrong Gorham (i.e., the one in Maine).  After turning around, I realized that backtracking to US-302 and following that to NH-16 wasn't too different than the original timeline.  Despite the misdirection, I arrived at Rattle River AT Trailhead at around 1230 and, just then, got a Whatsapp message from Inka that she was still two to three hours away.  That didn't matter to me because the weather was very nice.  I spent the time reading, walking and cleaning up my email inbox.  Just before 1600, Inka arrived - she was exhausted from having to make tracks through the deep snow on the ridges.  I took her to her hostel (Libby House Inn) and, after she'd cleaned up, we went to get an early dinner at Big Day Brewing (1700).  The food (smashburger) was good and I tried a new beer.  Inka told me all about her adventures ("it has only rained twice in all of my hike!") and we discussed my own attempt to finish hiking the AT in 2023.  Inka was very grateful for my Trail Magic and told me she hoped I'd let her know if I ever visited Finland.  We stayed at the Brewery until almost 1930 and then I departed for home.  Getting on US-2, I made one stop at Cumberland Farms for a free drink and then drove all the way to NH-116.  I talked to Erin on the phone all the way to Littleton, where I stopped at Shaw's for another free drink.  I'd wanted to return an item to Home Depot but found they were closed by the time I reached it (2030).  I continued south on US-302 and was making good time until I encountered a "Fire Truck Parade" in Lisbon.  The road closure forced me to wait about 20 minutes before I could get moving again.  After that, I continued to NH-10 and followed that all the way to Orford before crossing the Connecticut River (NH-25A).  I then used US-5 and Lake Morey Road to get to I-91.  My journey was complete when I made it to Hanover (2200).  Glad I could see Inka again and assist her on her AT journey!

Merrimack, NH (USA)

I teleworked from very early in the morning - still on NZ time but gradually adjusting!  After work (1330), I left Hanover at and drove (via I-89, NH-3A and US-3 to Merrimack so I could attend a "Celebration of Life" for George M. at the John O'Leary Adult Community Center in Merrimack (arrived at 1505).  I got to see Allison and meet her husband, Johan, and spent the next two hours listening to stories about George and talking to some of his family and co-workers from Boston Center.  I also saw two guys I used to work with in DC (Joe and Joe).  Departing for home at around 1730, Google Maps took me on a scenic route through the woods on narrow two lane roads until I reached US-3 from the south (north of Goffstown).  From there, I used NH-3A and I-89.  I talked to Brenna on the way - it was great to catch up with her after my trip!  I made good time to my house (arrived at 1930).  Glad to have had a chance to attend the memorial service!

Oceania Trip - Day 26

Somehow, I actually got some sleep and woke up easily (0230).  I got ready, ate breakfast (milk, orange) and met the shuttle driver for our scheduled departure (0300).  We made it to the airport quickly but then found no one working at the ticket counters.  The airline staff  finally arrived at 0400 and I was able to check into my flight (with some difficulty) with their assistance.  After that, I went smoothly through security but ended up losing my wrist watch somehow.  The staff tried to help me find it but they never could... I spent most of the next hour walking around the small terminal.  In another example of the early morning, sleepy state I was in, I dropped my coat along the way but later passed it again, fortunately.  I ate a snack just before boarding at 0530.  On the Air New Zealand A320, I ended up in a row by myself near the back of the plane.  We took off at around 0610 and I watched movies on the way across “The Ditch”.  We got breakfast (a quiche-like item, fruit cup and apple turnover) - I sure have been spoiled by Air New Zealand!  We landed in Melbourne at 0745 (Australia Time) and I had to go through security processes in the International Transfers area.  From there, the gate for my flight was located almost on the opposite end of the terminal - fortunately, it was the same area I’d used to depart for New Zealand the previous week.  To reach the gate, I walked around for a while to keep my 25 day streak of 10,000+ steps.  I also checked in (text) with the kids again.  The flight was delayed (due to late arrival from the US).  During this period, I started to wonder about whether Global Entry would work in Los Angeles (it hadn’t worked in New York)...  The security zone for our flight was very restrictive but I figured out (by asking) that I could wait in the special seating area.  The United Airlines gate agent then fixed my boarding pass to include the correct information and I was able to wait in a seat close to the gate.  Boarding finally started at 0945 and I was allowed to board the Boeing 787 early.  I helped a young mom with her bags, since her hands were full, and soon found my upgraded seat in premium economy.  I was pleased to find that I had extra leg room and free movies and that it was in an aisle seat (for easy in/out).  It seemed to take forever to get everyone on the plane and I started getting excited to see that the other two seats remained empty.  However, a lady came to sit on the window seat just as the gate closed.  She promptly wiped down every surface and donned an N95 mask.  I considered purchasing WiFi (it wasn't free like on Air New Zealand) but had already spent enough money on United.  In any case, they probably should have comped us because we were late...  We finally taxied at 1010 but waited another 20 minutes to leave the ground.  During the 13+ hour flight, I watched movies, read books and tried to sleep (it was hard because of the loud talkers all around me).  I also ate dinner (penne with carrots and marinara sauce, salad, cookies), snacks (tuna sandwich, pretzels) and breakfast (omelet, sausage, fruit, muffin).  We landed at LAX by 0650 (California Time), only a little later than scheduled, and I started the time consuming International-to-Domestic Transfer process.  I calculated that I’d been awake for almost 24 hours by this point but still had some energy somehow.  That helped because I had to walk a long way just to get started.  First, I used my Global Entry to expedite the Immigration process - it worked like a charm!  I then had to walk some more to retrieve my checked bag, which was there before I was.  Next, I walked quickly through the Customs area and had to clear another security checkpoint.  It was then a long trek from the International Terminal (B) all the way to the other end of the airport (Terminal 7).  Even walking as fast as I could, I arrived at the gate when they were calling my zone.  As a result, I didn’t have time to buy snacks or lunch food.  The plane to Boston seemed to have mostly economy seats and we were all crammed in like sardines.  People seemed to be very paranoid about germs and were wiping every surface repeatedly. I did see fewer masks on this plane than I had on the trans-Pacific flight.  The size of carry-on bags was a problem, as it usually is in the US, and the bins were filled quickly.  I checked in (text) with the kids again.  Because of people “having trouble” boarding, we taxied a little bit late but still got airborne at 0840.  I did have movies and TV for free again but had watched pretty much everything I’d wanted to see on the last flight.  As a result, I splurged for WiFi (first time ever).  It turned out to be easy through the United app.  Overall, the five hour flight on the Boeing 757 was quite uncomfortable.  The two other people in my row were a guy who was a heavy sleeper (I couldn’t get out of the row easily from my window seat) and a fidgety lady who moved so much that I barely got any sleep (I know this because every time I fell asleep I woke up to her elbowing when she moved and noticed only a few minutes had passed).  We each got a small snack (some lame crackers) and two drink services (alcohol cost extra).  In order to make sure I wasn't hungry, I ordered a “snack box” that had very little in the way of sustenance.  Still, it was SOME food.  We landed at 1650 (Boston Time) and it wasn’t a long walk to baggage claim for Terminal B.  My bag was one of the first available (1715) and I was able to quickly walk to the “scheduled bus” area , where I then began waiting in a massively chaotic bus queue.  As a result of multiple busses coming and going, as well as thoughtless car drivers parking in the way of those larger vehicles, I wasn’t sure if I'd be able to board the Dartmouth Coach when/if it arrived.  Fortunately, I managed to get on the 1750 (running late) bus instead of my 2050 ticketed time because it was first come, first served.  I didn't even have to push...  We made several other stops at the Logan Terminals and (much later, because of traffic) at South Station.  As a result, we weren’t even out of Boston until after 1900.  I noticed that a lot of the other passengers blocked the seats next to them so they would have a double to themselves.  Since I didn’t do this, someone came to sit next to me almost immediately and he talked on his phone several times before he got off at New London.  By this point, I was exhausted but figured I should wait to sleep again until I got home.  It was rainy all the way to the MA/NH border but then cleared up to better weather.  Sadly, the bus was full of coughing people... I texted the kids, my dad, Eileen, my neighbors and some other friends in the Upper Valley to let them know I was home.  The bus ride took over two hours after South Station and we arrived in Lebanon at 2110.  Monte picked me up and took me home (arrived at 2120).  Ann and Beth had collected my mail and left it by my door - my neighbors are so nice!  I spent the next 40 minutes getting my house in shape to begin working the next morning and finally went to bed (after a day that lasted about 36 total hours) at 2200.  It was a great trip but I'm glad to be home!

Oceania Trip - Day 25

My bed in the Sundowner Motel had an electric blanket and it kept me warm last night.  I woke up (well rested) at 0600 and read until 0700.  Eating a light breakfast (milk, chocolates, nuts) in my room, I decided that I wanted to get started on the road while it was still dark.  As I departed Greymouth (0715) and started south on Route 6, the sun came up.  This provided - by far - the best weather I've had during my entire visit to the South Island!  I began to get spectacular views of the mountains along the coast, including the High Peaks of the "Southern Alps".  Even though it was miles away, I’m glad to say that I saw Aoraki (Mount Cook) without cloud cover.  At Kumara Junction, I got on to Route 73 and headed towards Christchurch.  As I headed east, I lost sight of the snow covered peaks to the south but started into Arthur’s Pass.  The road was extremely curvy and steep (16% grade in some places) and I was glad for passing lanes (called "slow-car bays" here).  I stopped a few times to photograph the majestic peaks on both sides of the deep gorge the road followed - the Otira Valley was particularly amazing! I also had a chance to marvel at several amazing engineering wonders.  At the top (Death’s Corner Viaduct Lookout), I pulled into a parking lot to look back down the valley and found a flock of Keas! These birds, a type of parrot that lives in alpine areas of New Zealand, have eluded me for the entire trip.  They were definitely living up to their reputation as thieves and used their sharp beaks to try to pry plastic and rubber off of my rental car.  What a treat!  Heading downhill for a little bit, I arrived at Arthur’s Pass Village.  It was still quite early (0900) so I was able to park easily and walk without many other people nearby.  I checked out the train station and learned a little about the "TranzAlpine" train that stops in town sometimes.  When I later met a National Park ranger (working at Devil's Punchbowl), he told me the train uses a nearby deep tunnel to get through the Pass.  Sounds like it would be a great way to get from Christchurch to the west coast of the island!  The ranger also talked to me about birds and suggested that the Kea would be a better National Bird for New Zealand (easier to find and sort of a "character").  Since I was up for a walk, I was happy to find there was a good trail that would allow me to visit Devil’s Punchbowl Falls.  The hike, which took me through what appeared to be an Alpine Rainforest, was quite wet.  The sky was blue and there were very few clouds so I didn't mind the conditions.  Once finished with my initial exploring nearby (1030), I got some sandwiches, chips and fruit at the Arthur’s Pass Cafe and ate an early lunch in the company of another Kea who apparently makes his home at the Arthur’s Pass Cafe.  He was causing all kinds of trouble for patrons!  Finishing my meal, I next visited the Avalanche Creek Waterfall.  All of the scenery was very pretty but I still had some driving to do - reluctantly, I departed Arthur's Pass at 1130.  This stop was definitely a beautiful way to start my day!  Continuing east on Route 73, I made a stop (1215) at Moana Run (Lake Pearson) and had a great conversation with a young rock climber from Berlin.  His name was Val and he’d been living and working in New Zealand for several months (and had a few months to go).  We talked a lot about the weather and places we both hoped to see and I asked him about how Berlin looked since my visit in 1986.  Overall, it was a great exchange!  After driving for a little while longer, I made another stop (1235) at the iconic Castle Hill Rocks.  They looked like something out of a fantasy movie - tall, strange-looking stones sitting on wide, green plains.  I wandered around amongst them for almost 45 minutes - it was a great stop!  Because I needed to return my rental car before the Mode Rental office closed for the day, I sadly got back in the car and continued east.  After reaching the outskirts of Christchurch (where I saw the first normal traffic light of my trip to New Zealand), I got on a road (Route 1) that took me around the west side of the airport.  My Google Maps directed me to the Mode Rental Car return lot but I didn’t see anything when I reached the location.  I also didn’t see a gas station, which I needed to make sure my tank was full before turning in the car.  As a result, I had to drive a little way (on a busy motorway!) to find a “Z” station.  At 1415 , I filled up the tank one last time.  From there, I only had a short drive to return to the Mode location - I found it the second time around.  It looked very temporary...  After meeting with the staff, I (re)completed some paperwork needed to resolve the damage I’d caused because the Christchurch Office hadn’t heard anything from the Queenstown Office.  Resolving the details for filing a claim with my insurance company, I felt relieved as I got a shuttle ride to the airport (1445).  On the way, we passed the US Antarctic Expedition Hangar - one of my friends uses that building each Summer.  Once out of the shuttle, I called the Airport Gateway Hotel at 1500 and then saw their shuttle about 10 seconds after hanging up the phone.  The driver (Keith from Australia) remembered me from my visit on May 1 and we were soon on our way to the hotel.  We arrived there at 1515 and I checked into my room (the hotel gave me milk for my tea again).  I thanked Keith for the suggestions he'd made that had definitely improved my trip.  From my room, talked to Cecelia on the phone (1530 to 1550) and updated her on my travel progress.  At 1605, I walked to the bus stop near hotel, hoping to get a ride to the CBD.  After a short wait, though, I figured out that the buses only ran every 30 minutes.  Instead, I walked a few blocks and then waited at another stop.  At 1630, I got picked up by Bus 29 (it runs between the airport and bus interchange) into the city center.  I remembered that this same ride cost nearly $45 NZD in a taxi when the bus wasn’t running - oh well...  Also, the paper bus ticket I got actually included a return (i.e., round trip)!  We arrived at the Bus Interchange just after 1700 and I spent some time walking around in the City Center.  The damage to the Cathedral was still visible and it was clear that they were still "in the middle" of an extensive repair project.  I wandered along the Avon River, taking in the sights, as the sun went down.  During my exploring, I located the Riverside Market and (1720) got dinner (chicken teriyaki roll) at The Sushi Platter.  Along the way, I used up all of my New Zealand money.  Relaxing in the food court area, I reviewed some information about Christchurch that I’d brought with me. Satisfied that I’d seen the “big stuff”, I headed back to the Bus Interchange.  When Bus 29 arrived, I looked for my return ticket and found that I’d dropped it.  Having nothing but US currency at that point, I sheepishly asked the driver to let me board.  He was amused because he said that he usually doesn’t get such a request.  I guess he felt sorry for me (he was also going off duty) because he let me board (1800).  I successfully reached the bus stop close to my hotel at 1820 and went into the bar (“The Flight Lounge”) to see Jen (the bartender) and try another New Zealand beer.  She was quite busy (very short staffed) but we had a nice talk about everything that had happened since my last visit.  I ended up ordering some dessert (brownie with ice cream).  When I was paying (1915), Jen insisted on giving me the beer for free and wished me a good trip home.  Everyone has been so nice to me on this trip!  Back in my room again, I packed my belongings as best as I could.  I've got one more LONG day ahead.  As a result of this thought, I upgraded my seat between Melbourne and LAX to Premium Economy.  I also read for a little while before going to bed early (2215).  At least, this time, I can at least say I got to explore Christchurch a little bit.  It was amazing to see how much work still remains to bring the historic buildings back from the destruction of the 2011 Earthquake. Pretty city center!  Homeward bound tomorrow...

Oceania Trip - Day 24

I woke up once during the night but was able to go back to sleep until 0700. When I was finally out of bed, I ate breakfast (muffin, last of the cookies) in the room.  After that, I took my time getting ready, waiting until it was light.  After that, I departed the Frantz Alpine Retreat.  From there, it didn’t take long to drive to to my first sightseeing destination of the day: the pretty little town of Okarito.  It was definitely off season for the beach and I only encountered a few locals.  Fortunately, I never got attacked by any sandflies, which I’d heard were the bane of the coastal residents.  After checking out the lagoon (perfect for kayaking) and the ocean (Tasman Sea), I started a walk (0900) through a marsh and, eventually, into a rainforest on a high cliff.  There were several options for hiking routes but I decided to walk the longest one to reach Three Mile Lagoon.  Unlike the Coastal Route that would have taken me though zones susceptible to tidal flooding, the Pack Track followed the highest points above the water.  The variety, number and calls of the many birds was amazing!  One highlight was when a fantail flew along beside me at eye level for almost 100 yards - these friendly fellows are a lot of fun to watch!  Didn’t see any white herons or kiwi, though... I had no cell signal so thought about turning around a few times when I hadn’t found the Lagoon.  In the end, I was glad I’d persisted and was rewarded with awesome views of the coastline and glimpses of the high peaks near the glaciers (still cloud covered).  The sun actually came out and I shed a layer (to my t-shirt).  It was a quick walk back and I arrived at my car just after 1100, having walked almost six miles in two hours.  I considered walking on other trails but figured I’d used enough of the morning - I also had a lot more things to do and see before the sun goes down!  Backtracking to Route 6 again (after dodging a washout of one lane of the road), I continued north through more curvy mountain roads and, eventually, huge farm fields.  I stopped in the town of Hari Hari at 1205 and got some lunch (burger, fries, milkshake) at The Rushes Cafe.  There was a funny cat there named Hugo who charmed all the patrons.  By 1250, I was on my way north on Route 6 again.  For the next hour, I didn’t stop anywhere, even though I saw several intriguing places (including the Tree Walk).  With unobstructed sunlight, the day got progressively warmer (mid 60s).  I arrived in the nice little town of Hokitika at around 1345.  While there, I explored a bit (including the beach).  My main reason for stopping, though, was to visit the National Kiwi Centre.  After buying a ticket (1355), I toured the many interesting and engaging exhibits.  Along the way, I saw a Tuatara lizard (very rare and only found in New Zealand) and huge eels.  I also fished for crawdads and actually caught one.  Sadly, he managed to steal the bait before I could reel him all the way into my bucket...  The kiwi exhibit was great!  There were two males in the dark display set up to resemble night time in the rainforest.  We couldn’t take photos but the nice lady at the ticket desk later gave me a snapshot card of one of them.  I learned that the National Kiwi Centre raises the kiwi from chicks and they are later released into the wild.  The numbers of kiwi vary from location to location - most are on the North Island but the ones in the south are making a comeback (slowly).  Departing from Hokitika (1445), I continued north on Route 6.  After a day of seeing almost no cars, the amount of traffic increased significantly - I had someone in front of me (and on my bumper) all the way to Greymouth.  I'd made a reservation at the a hotel, Apostles View, that was located north of town (kind of in the boonies) and stopped in to get my room key.  For the first time in years, however, I had a problem with my Booking.com reservation.  The owner told me she’d double-booked but told me she wanted "to make things right."  Fortunately for me, she'd found another hotel for me and said she’d cover the difference in price.  I thanked her and backtracked to Greymouth, where I was able to check into the Sundowner Motel (the clerk gave me some milk for my tea).  Unexpected good things came from this SNAFU: I could walk to restaurants and I got a 10% discount at the breweries in town with a hotel loyalty card!  I dropped one bag in the room (like the last hotel, the entrance was a sliding glass door) but then left immediately.  I’d seen a sign that there were no gas stations for the next 90 km so I stopped at the “Z” (pronounced “Zed”) gas station and refilled my tank (1545).  Since I wasn’t ready for my day to end, I next resumed my northerly course on Route 6.  Stopping repeatedly for photos along the beautiful coastline, I arrived at the Punakaiki unit of Paparoa National Park just before 1630.  After having a rather tough time finding a parking spot, I took a walk on a trail located on a high cliff side above the ocean.  The main feature of the park was the odd geological features that resembled piles of pancakes made of stone.  I’d seen some photos before I arrived but the geology was even better in person.  It was getting dark so I didn’t stay in the area long.  Reluctantly, I decided to skip a walk on the Truman Track and head back to Greymouth...  As I drove south, I’d hoped to see the sun set over the Tasman Sea but there were too many clouds.  Back in my room by 1730, I finished unloading my car and then changed clothes.  At 1755, I walked down the street to the Monteith Brewery.  It took a while to get served because the place was short staffed (like nearly every other establishment on the island).  Eventually (1820), I was able to order and sample six of their local beers - they were all good.  The glasses were bigger than the normal “tasters” I’ve seen in the US and I took my time going through the six beers.  In the end, I had a real "happy hour" and skipped dinner.  After finishing (1930), I walked back to the Sundowner and then rested, read and worked on Duolingo in my room.  I went to bed at 2245 after another great day.  I’m trying not to focus on the fact I’ve only got tomorrow left for exploring before it’s time to leave...

Oceania Trip - Day 23

A new guest showed up at the hostel sometime in the middle of the night but I somehow was able to stay in bed until 0550.  Actually, I never even checked my watch all night until then (my phone was charging on the other side of the room).  I got ready as quickly and quietly as I could (everyone else didn't seem to notice) - there were no towels provided by the hostel but I (fortunately) had brought one of my own.  After getting my car packed, I spent some time in the hostel common area until the restaurants in town opened.  At 0655, I walked down to the waterfront and ate breakfast (sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, beans, hash browns, fruit smoothie) at Kai Whakapai.  The food was good and I was finished by 0725.  After walking back to the hostel, I left Wanaka at 0730.  By then, the sun was just coming up...  I spent the rest of the morning transiting New Zealand's Southern Alps (Wanaka to Haast) to reach the western coast.  I used Route 84 and Route 6 was I traveled north and west. I stopped for photo opportunities at Lake Hawea and again at the far northern end of Lake Wanaka.  After passing Makarora, I saw signs for Mount Aspiring National Park - it was steady climbing after that.  While most of the beautiful peaks towering above the road were shrouded in fog and clouds, I didn’t encounter rain.  At Haast Pass, I stopped to hike up to the top of the ridge, where there was a good viewpoint. Just after I parked, three bus loads of school kids stopped at the same location.  Fortunately, I was faster than them (I beat them up and back down) and my mini-hike wasn't spoiled.  Back in my car, the road began a big descent down to the town of Haast.  Along the way, I hadn't seen almost any traffic and I felt like I was one of the only people exploring this beautiful part of New Zealand.  Overall, I’d have to say that a journey through the the Pass is definitely a highlight of the South Island.  In Haast, I stopped to check out the Department of Conservation station and had a good chat with one of the rangers.  He highlighted several places for me to stop and hike as I drove north on Route 6.  He also told me about a nearby kiwi reserve that was the home of some of the rarest (only 300 in the world) of the species.  Next, I explored the town (kind of deserted) and got gas (1130) at the most expensive place that I’ve seen in the whole country.  Soon after leaving the little coastal town, I crossed a one lane bridge so long that it had two pull outs (passing zones) - a car politely waited for me to pass at one of them!  As I drove, it got much warmer (50s) but a stiff sea breeze kept me cool.  All day long, I kept seeing lots of roadkill (possums) and scavenging hawks (harriers).  Following the Ranger’s recommendation, I stopped to visit Ship Creek and walked on the beach (1150).  I learned that the name of the place was connected to a shipwreck that washed ashore - that ship had actually sunk in Victoria, Australia, and the wood drifted all the way to the South Island!  The waves coming ashore from the Tasman Sea were very big and seemed to threaten the lower-lying areas of the parking lot.  The place had great views of nearby cliffs and interesting trees but I decided against going on either of the long scenic walks to learn more about each. Instead, I got back on the road and proceeded to nearby Knight’s Point (1220).  The views from atop the cliff there were tremendous and I also found a memorial to the people who built Route 6 across the Haast Pass.  Continuing north, I started to get further and further from the coast and entered Westland National Park.  The (canceled) adventure tour had a hike in that area through the Copland Valley and, when I located the parking lot for that Track, I tried to make some footprints on it.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t figure out a way to cross the big river that was near the beginning of the trail - I saw a few hikers returning from their journey up the valley and they were covered in mud... Not wanting to get soaked (I was really missing my trekking poles), I dejectedly walked back to my car.  As I was going through a gate, I noticed that a Fantail (bird) was flying very closely, unafraid of me.  This is the second kind of fearless bird I’ve seen on a hike in New Zealand (I managed to get his photo).  While I was disappointed not to have been able to get some miles on a good trail, I figured I now had time to visit both glaciers that were along Route 6 to the north.  Making my way in that direction, the road got very curvy and steep and had lots of one lane bridges.  As a result, I took my time. I parked at the trailhead for the Fox Glacier Walk at 1415 and headed into the valley.  It started raining (I was actually in a rainforest so I should have expected that) but I still made it up to the main viewpoint pretty quickly.  I swear I could see the glacier through the mist and fog (tinges of the blue ice) but it’s really hard to see in my photos... Backtracking to the car, I continued into the town of Fox Glacier and drove south on Cook Flat Road.  The helpful Ranger in Haast had told me about a great viewpoint located near the end of that road so I went looking for it. As I drove, it didn’t seem intuitive that I might see the glacier better from farther away but I tried to keep faith in the advice of the locals (it usually serves me well).  At 1540, I found the place he meant and was rewarded with exactly what I’d hoped to see. Again, though, my photos don't give a good impression of the actual view... At the same location, there was a Māori waka (canoe) - beautiful artwork!  After heading north on Route 6 again, I stopped for a walk at Lake Matheson (1555), which is known for having great reflections of the Southern Alps on clear, windless days.  I really didn’t have either so had to settle for a reflection of blurry clouds… The walk was very nice, though.  However, one thing I was disappointed about was that I couldn’t see Aoraki (Mount Cook).  I did see lots of cows and a Pukeko (bird).  Back on Route 6, I carefully made my way (with some more rain) through some of the steepest and curviest road I’ve seen in New Zealand.  On the other side of this section, I descended into a valley that was dry and sunny.  The Franz Josef Glacier was in that area and, with about 30 minutes of daylight left, I decided to try to hike the valley to see it.  Starting at 1715, I made my way as close as I could get to the glacier and was able to see it better than Fox Glacier (with a shorter hike too).  It started raining again so I headed back to my car and drove into the town of Franz Josef.  I found my hotel, north of the main area, at 1745 - checking in, I was glad to see that I had reserved a really nice room with a good porch.  I didn’t stay long because there was no food nearby and I was hungry.  Instead, I drove back to town and ate a good dinner (lasagna, salad and local beer) at the Blue Ice Restaurant.  Finished at 1835, I drove back to the hotel, which was really almost in the middle of nowhere.  This was actually good because, when I looked up in the (clear) sky in the field next to my room, I saw SO MANY stars (including the Southern Cross) and the Milky Way!  I spent the evening resting, reading and reorganizing my belongings.  Headed to bed at 2245.  This day turned out to be one of the most active and varied of the whole trip - wish I could go on exploring forever!

Oceania Trip - Day 22

I slept alright and woke up at 0500.  Since the Tailor Made Tekapo Hostel had quiet hours (until 0700), I read and packed before getting ready for my day.  At 0715, I drove a very short distance to the waterfront.  The sun hadn’t come and everything was quiet - I guess the day starts later in Lake Tekapo.  While waiting for the restaurant to open, I walked around a bit near the waterfront.  By the time The Greedy Cow opened at 0730, I was one of the first customers.  I ordered breakfast (French toast, bacon and fruit) and took my time enjoying it.  One of the first activities on the itinerary for the (canceled) adventure tour was a climb up Mount John, which was located just to the west of the town of Lake Tekapo.  I had been dubious about how fun such a hike would be after 30+ hours enroute from the US and decided to find out for myself after breakfast.  First, I tried to drive up to the summit of Mount John on the access road but discovered that it was closed until 1000.  Undeterred, I backtracked to another trailhead I found on Google Maps (near the town's waterfront) and found a parking spot.  I started walking the Track by 0830.  As has happened several times on my hikes near water, I was serenaded by loud birds (geese/ducks?) - this time, I saw they were Paradise Shelducks.  Along the way, I was accompanied by a LOT of rabbits!  Conditions were cool (40s) and misty.  After a steep climb on a trail that was well maintained, I made it to the South Summit.  Finding a large clearing that offered a nice view of the town and lake, I snapped a few photos and concluded this hike would have sucked for a first day of an adventure tour... Instead of climbing higher, I decided to descend again.  In addition to saving my knees and energy for another hike later in the day, this decision would give me a chance drive around to the other side of the mountain to access the paved road that climbed to the Observatory on the north summit.  Before driving to the top of Mount John via the access road, I stopped to visit a pretty old building (The Church of the Good Shepherd) on the waterfront.  While there, I had a nice conversation with an older Auckland couple (Ron and Judy).  After getting some good photos, I left town for good.  Driving west on Route 8, I returned to the Observatory access road (had to pay a toll to enter) and drove to the top of Mount John (1010).  From the highest point, I was able to get another view of the town and lake - and some snowy mountains in the distance.  I also explored the different telescope buildings. We were in and out of clouds at the top (3000 feet) so I didn’t stay long (done by 1100).  Returning to Route 8, I drove west.  When I saw signs for Lake Ohau, another stop on my canceled adventure tour itinerary, I took a detour to learn more about the area (1150).  The terrain around lake was very picturesque, with most mountains ringed with clouds.  The Lodge (where we were supposed to spend the night) was actually closed for a wedding so I couldn’t go inside (1220).  Backtracking again to Route 8, I continued west.  I got a bit of rain as I was driving though Lindis Pass.  Despite this, I held my own with the speed and maneuvering and made great time to the junction with Route 8A.  I’d been concerned that this road might be closed (it had been all week) but was relieved that it was open for the weekend.  This allowed me to take a shortcut to Route 6.  The terrain smoothed out and it stopped raining long enough for the drive to be enjoyable.  I was getting hungry so I stopped at the first place on the eastern outskirts of Wanaka with a “Food” sign.  This ended up being a winery, Paddon's Paddock, and I got some pizza (good) and wine flight (1415).  During my tasting experience, I tried the Pinot Gris (white), Chardonnay “Daddy Longlegs” (white), Pinot Noir 18 (red), Pinot Noir 19 (red); I liked the latter two the best.  While there, I spent a good bit of time talking with the owner (Chris) about how he had gone from being an engineer to owning a vineyard.  Overall, I had a great time but may have missed some of the drier parts of the day - it started raining again by the time  I finished my "linner".  As a result, I continued into Wanaka (Routes 6 and 84) instead of looking for something else to do outside.  I stopped at the Mount Aspiring National Park Visitor Center but discovered it was closed on weekends (strange...).  My lodging for the night was at the YHA Wanaka and I was able to check in at 1530.  My room, a six bunk hostel bedroom, was shared with (at least) four others.  However, I only really talked to one (Kyle, from the UK, whose grandmother was from County Monaghan).  I thought about going out for another hike but it was still raining and I felt like relaxing.  A young lady (Nadine, from India) in the common area had been trying to find someone to play a pool game with her and she eventually asked me.  Despite feeling rusty (I can’t even remember when I last played), I was already settled and dry inside so I agreed to play.  We were well matched, skill wise, but I lost by sinking the 8 ball, unintentionally, with one other ball in play.  She was gracious in victory and made me some tea (with milk and sugar).  I went walking in town afterwards - it was sprinkling again but only very sporadically.  From the waterfront, I had good views of Mount Aspiring on the other side of Lake Wanaka.  Tried to locate the Wanaka Willow (#ThatWanakaTree) but didn't know exactly what I was looking for until I went to bed later in the evening.  Instead, I took photos of the other pretty trees on the waterfront.  After exploring the “downtown”, I stopped in for some beer (happy hour) at Speights Alehouse and stayed from 1700 to 1745.  After that, I walked back (in the dark) to the YHA and talked to the receptionist, a young lady from Italy who was working (with her boyfriend) in New Zealand “to figure out what to do in life”.  Back in the bunk room, I did some repacking (to reduce any noise I might otherwise make in the morning).  I also spent a good deal of time reviewing brochures (to plan my drive to the west coast of the South Island) and talking with Kyle about hikes he’d done in New Zealand. I passed the remaining hours reading and relaxing.  Went to bed (with everyone else) at 2130.  It’s been fun to explore the Southern Alps for the last few days but now it’s time to head for the coast!

Oceania Trip - Day 21

Today saw the first real (intentional) change in my itinerary since I’d planned this trip.  My original plan was to spend two days in the Wanaka area and proceed to the west coast of the South Island.  Reports from my Christchurch shuttle driver, Coogan relatives and some other tourists made it clear that a visit to Aoraki (AKA Mount Cook) was more valuable than many days in Wanaka.  This got me me thinking about elevating my “optional detour” to replacing something else on the main agenda.  I should add that the final tipping point was when Mollie was extremely insistent that I not miss “the best hike in New Zealand” (located in that area). With such rave reviews, I rearranged my plans to make a full day visit to Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park, with an overnight in the town of Lake Tekapo.  My morning began early again with a missed call (Ramesh B) at 0515.  I got out of bed at the La Quinta about 30 minutes later and packed up my stuff.  By 0715, I departed Queenstown.  It was very dark driving on Route 6 and I didn't have any tail-lights to follow.  However, there was LOTS of traffic coming into town and this kept me focused.  I ate a light breakfast in the car and then had to pay extreme attention to the drive as I proceeded through a deep canyon, at least part of which was called the Kawarau Gorge.  It took almost an hour to get out of the winding roads and find some flat land - whew!  As I approached the town of Cromwell (from the west side), it finally got light enough to see something besides the highway.  As a result, I had some nice views of Lake Dunstan just after I got on Route 8A (for a short time).  After reaching Route 8, I continued north.  Before long, I found myself completely alone on the road.  Any thoughts I had of relaxing, however, were constantly being challenged as I kept encountering random 90 degree turns and one lane bridges.  At 100 kph, those types of surprises can really give you a jolt!  The weather was cloudy but dry and the temps started in the 40s.  Occasionally, really fast cars overtook me and disappeared again.  Otherwise, I was alone in the middle of New Zealand...  I passed one interesting terrain feature called the Lindis Pass - there was snow on the tops of the hills above me as I came through another series of canyons in the area.  Something tells me that the pass was a short, easy transit compared to the two I have to cross to see the west coast...  After the hills, it got more flat again and I saw several interesting towns along the way (hope to have time to stop in some of them tomorrow).  Just over two hours into the drive, it started to rain.  This reduced the already poor visibility to almost nothing.  A bit later, I switched to Route 80 and drove along the west side of Lake Pukaki.  The water was a pretty turquoise color.  The rain continued as I made my way deeper into the valley below Aoraki (AKA Mount Cook).  On this stretch of highway, there were lots more single lane bridges.  I saw glimpses of snow covered mountains coming in and out of clouds but really had no good views.  At 1015, I arrived at Mount Cook Village.  As I got out of the car at the historic Hermitage Hotel, temps were near freezing and there were huge snowflakes falling!  I was not inclined to start the hike yet so (at 1030), I got “brunch” (breakfast burrito, banana and cookie) at the Sir Ed Cafe inside the Hermitage Hotel.  While eating, I did some texting with Eileen.  After my meal, I wandered downstairs and located the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre and bought a ticket for their displays and a movie (1130).  The museum was interesting and the movie, about the life of the first man to summit Mount Everest (and the expedition itself), was even better (I learned about his philanthropy too).  As I emerged from the hotel again (1230), I decided the weather looked nice enough for the hike.  I first tried to visit the National Park Visitor Center but found it closed for lunch.  Instead, I decided to drive further into the valley to see if I might hike a little of the Hooker Valley Track, Mollie’s favorite trail in New Zealand.  I found the trailhead at 1250 and was able to get geared up quickly and hit the trail.  I have to say that I agree it was a good hike!  It featured three huge suspension bridges, about 3.5 miles of hiking (one way) to a beautiful glacier and lake and amazing views of the towering mountains on both sides of the valley (the so-called “Southern Alps”).  Downside (besides getting rained on for most of the walk): there were a lot of people on the trail because the terrain wasn’t too steep.  Still, I was glad to have gotten a chance to make the journey after the earlier nasty weather.  I finished this memorable Trek at 1500 and returned to the Visitor Center to learn a bit more about the park.  The weather was still good and the park rangers recommended a drive into the Tasman Valley, which I began shortly afterwards.  Along the way, I found a short hike that allowed visitors to view the Tasman Glacier - sadly, it’s almost gone after about 40 years of constant retreat.  It only took about 20 minutes to climb up and down (1540 to 1600) but that was good because it started raining again.  Since I still had some driving to do before reaching my hotel, I left the park.  I used Route 80 to make my way south again.  The weather had improved tremendously and I got great views (by stopping the car a few times) of the mountains.  By this point, my gas gauge started dropping much more quickly than I was expecting.  I’d planned to get gas in Lake Tekapo (where I was going to stay) but it was clear I wouldn’t make it there.  My Plan B was to get gas in the town of Twizel, which I thought was at the intersection of Routes 80 and 8.  When I arrived, already on fumes, I realized I still had to drive 8 km (backtracking away from my evening destination) to reach the town.  Needless to say, I was sweating bullets by the time I reached the Mobil station in town (1700).  I didn’t even care how much it cost per Liter!  Tank refilled and feeling relieved, I got back on Route 8 and headed east.  During this phase, I got more glimpses of Lake Pukaki (from the southern end) and could see more mountains across the water.  The road, however, went father and farther away from these views and I soon found myself in the middle of some of the most desolate and barren land I’ve seen in the country.  It got progressively darker but then started to rain.  As a result, any chances I might have had to see stars from the middle of a Dark Skies zone were soon pretty much gone.  Dang...  I arrived in the town of Lake Tekapo at around 1740 and located my overnight accommodations, Tailor Made Tekapo Hostel.  However, I didn’t find any staff - fortunately, some keys were waiting for me there and another lodger helped me a little to follow the "late check-in" process.  In the end, I found my nice little room OK.  When I went into the kitchen and common area, absolutely nobody (there were like 10 people there) responded to my "hello."  I was quite surprised because I've met a lot of nice people on my trip.  It’s possible that the other guests are not from New Zealand and may not even speak English but I was still surprised.  Oh well...  Since I didn’t have any groceries to cook for dinner anyway, I went into the town center to try to find a restaurant.  Several were only open for breakfast and lunch and the others had predominantly Asian cuisine.  In the end (1825), I settled for a pseudo-grill (Tea Cha Pearl) that featured a menu of fried food.  I decided to try the Hoki (fried fish) and some chips (fries).  I added a mint shake to my order and then watched, with fascination, as the young lady (owner?) prepared my unique meal.  After eating in the restaurant, I explored the area near the waterfront.  As my Christchurch shuttle driver had told me on the first day in the country, Lake Tekapo is a dark town and I could barely see where I was going.  Fortunately, I didn't fall or run into anything!  One disappointing thing was that I’d specifically chosen an overnight stay in Lake Tekapo because it was in the middle of a Dark Skies Project - unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate for stargazing.  I’ll have to return for another chance...  After the Recce walk, I retreated to my room at the hostel.  For the rest of the evening, I read, relaxed and dried clothing.  Heading to sleep at 2200, I felt glad that I'd made the change to my plans and detoured to Aoraki / Mount Cook!  

Oceania Trip - Day 20

Fortunately, it stopped raining during the night.  I was awake by 0545 and started to get ready immediately.  My boots weren’t totally dry so I spent extra time blowing them with a hair dryer in the shared bathroom.  It was still dark while I was packing up the car but I was soon on my way without any other issue.  I tried again to find the Sand Fly (recommended by the Tasman Holiday Park) and was successful this time.  However, the place packed with people (tour bus?) so I decided to go back to the Freshchoice to get some food (0730).  After that, I filled up the gas tank of my little car at a nearby Mobil (0735).  Just as the sun rose, I headed out of Te Anau and drove to the Rainbow Reach trailhead for the Kepler Track, another of New Zealand’s Great Walks (west of town).  By 0800, I was geared up and ready to go for a walk in the woods.  I ignored some ominous signs about frequent break-ins. I had to cross a long suspension bridge to get on the actual trail - the Waiau River below me was raging! I didn’t go looking for the actual views but there were several vistas in the area where Peter Jackson filmed LOTR scenes and the whole place looked liked something out of a fantasy world. The forest was lush, with creeks and moss at nearly every turn. The trail conditions were quite good, despite the recent rain, and it was clear that someone takes great pride in maintaining the Track. Along the way, I got views of several rivers, some snow-capped mountains in the distance and some large bogs. Seemingly following me on my journey, several local version of a Robin (grey with a white belly) curiously watched me (from very close!) passing - I learned later that they like to eat bugs that are exposed as hiker boots make tracks. Near each of the (two) suspension bridges, I saw groups of Fantail birds soaring and alighting on the suspension cables. My outbound walk was advertised at about 90 minutes but I reached my turnaround point, Moturau Hut, a bit quicker. Just before I saw the building, I encountered a young couple (from the Netherlands?) who were finishing up their full circuit of the Kepler Track. Despite all the rain they’d seen, they had smiles on their faces... Near the Hut (a spectacularly nice building), I got some good views of Lake Manapouri. Inside, I found more smiling young people who’d almost completed their multi day walk in the South Island wilderness. Other than talking to them briefly, I didn’t tarry. On the way back, I kept up a much brisker pace so I’d have more time for the next leg of my day and arrived at my car by 1100 (after nearly 8 miles). Today’s hike was nearly perfect - good weather, nice solitude and healthy exercise!  After packing up, I realized I'd forgotten my water bottle at the Tasman Holiday Park.  Heading back to Te Anau in hopes of retrieving it, I was fortunately able to find it.  I then ate my lunch and posted on social media before departing for Queenstown (1200).  I used Routes 95, 97 and 6 as I headed south and east. The weather was intermittently cloudy, sunny and rainy during the entire route - that was apparently due to the different types of ecosystems I was passing through. I stopped in the little towns of Garsten (population 140) and Kingston (beautiful waterfront views of Lake Wakatipu). While driving along the cliff edges on Route 6, I stopped several times to check out the snow covered peaks that kept making appearances through the clouds. I got stopped for a while at one point because road crews were clearing big rocks that had fallen into the road - yikes! After reaching Queenstown, I stopped at the airport to convert $100 USD (cash) to NZD (1415) - parking was free for less than 30 minutes so that helped.  I also stopped at the Mode rental car office to report the scratches I’d gotten on the Milford Highway (I also reported the damage to my credit card company (in hopes of recouping some of the overall cost).  It was still a little while before I could check into my hotel so I decided to check out the Queenstown commercial district. I’d earlier considered the option of hiking a big hill that overlooked the town but changed the plan to visiting the Kiwi Park (since I was convinced it was probably the only way I’d see one). This decision ended up taking me into a busy, frustrating sea of humanity. Oh - and there was also lots of construction and closed roads. If you’ve ever been to North Conway, Vail, Aspen or any other ski town, you can probably imagine what I experienced this afternoon. By the time I actually was able to find the wildlife park, my interest in remaining downtown had almost dwindled to zero. Parking was tough to find (or expensive), the park was not going to be open much longer and the price for 30 minutes inside didn’t seem worth it. So I skipped the venue and took a quick look around in the crowded shopping and tourism markets. The city boasts that it is the "Adventure Capital of the World" and I believe it.  The number of outdoor stores, tour companies and excursion options was amazing.  In the back of my mind, though, I was relieved that I didn't have to use up two valuable days of a 14 day adventure trip in Queenstown itself.  Just too much civilization for me...  At 1530, I stumbled across a “sushi-go-round” (Soki Sushi Train) restaurant that didn’t look busy and ate there while I built up the mental energy needed to drive around again. The regular menu items were mostly automated and a little train brought special orders.  Once back on the road, I drove through town again (trying to reach Route 6) and then started looking for my hotel.  It was getting exhausting to have to pay so much attention to the road rules all the way... When I found the a La Quinta, I was amazed at my luck - the location on the far eastern edge of Queenstown gave it an amazing mountain view!  When I reached my room (1615), I was blown away even more by the stunning sights from my window.  I spent the rest of the night resting, reading, sorting clothes, doing Duolingo, shaving and planning for my next day of exploring.  Went to bed at 2215.  Glad I was able to see Queenstown proper - its an interesting place - but also glad I’m leaving the tourist madhouse in the morning!

Oceania Trip - Day 19

The final part of my trip will cover most of the highlights from the (canceled) adventure tour I’d been planning to take. Since I’ve only got just over a week, I don’t have the luxury of taking my time in many places and with my rented car (an experience all by itself!).  It stayed dark until much later than I’d expected so I stayed in bed (at the Tasman Holiday Park Te Anau) until 0635.  When I looked outside, I saw that it was still pouring rain (as it had all night).  As a result, I got wet going back and forth to the shared bathroom.  While waiting (hopefully) for the weather to clear, I made calls to Mollie and Eileen and then did a little reading.  After I'd gotten my car packed, I stopped in at the reception desk to verify that I'd correctly completed all tasks during my check-in last night.  After confirming that I had, the lady clerk observed that "Te Anau gets rain for about 85% of the days of the year but other places nearby sometimes have nicer weather at the same time."  With this local wisdom (and another comment, “when we get a lot of rain, the waterfalls are amazing”), she convinced me that it might be worth the effort to drive to Milford Sound.  With the framework of a plan for my day, I next went looking for breakfast.  Despite some restaurants being open, I ended up getting some (and lunch food) at Freshchoice.  It continued to rain throughout this period...  At 0905, I started driving north on Route 94 ("Milford Highway".  I encountered almost no traffic in the northbound direction but did see several Jucy Camper Vans going the other way.  Along the way, I made sight seeing stops at Henry Creek, Te Anau Downs, Eglinton Valley, a 45th Parallel South sign, Cascade Creek, The Divide and Pops View.  Just after the last spot, I had to pass through a construction zone that featured a narrow, single lane bridge.  Feeling a "bump" along the way, I thought I'd driven over an obstacle of some kind.  After getting out of my car nearby, I figured out that I'd added a long scratch down the left (passenger) side front fender of my shiny Toyota Yaris (from Mode Rentals)!  Ugh...  There wasn't a soul around so I spent some time taking photos of the car and road and getting a narrative together.  During this investigation, I figured out that the bridge had a subtle 30 degree turn in the middle which I hadn't noticed while driving.  Mostly, this was because I was not use to the clearance on that side of the car but also because I've never seen such a bridge in my life.  This whole incident obviously caused me concern about police reports, insurance and costs - while standing in the rain near the car, I began to wonder what I should do.  Realizing that this situation could make or break the entire rest of my trip, I decided to "move on" and deal with the consequences later.  For those who know me, this was something that was obviously harder than just thinking or saying I'd do it...  Still, I didn't have a lot of choices and didn't want the whole vacation to come down to this one memory.  So, I continued north towards Milford.  To make the "dealing with reality" challenge even harder, the road after this point got even narrower and most of the white lane lines completely disappeared.  This was mostly due to the precarious nature of the road itself - it was perched on the edge of steep cliffs.  At times, I found places where only one vehicle could pass through and it made me glad that I didn't encounter a bus or truck nearby.  Throughout this period, it wasn’t exactly clear who had the right of way...  For more than 15 kilometers, the road was also very curvy and narrow, even when there were two lanes.  Eventually, I crossed through the Homer Tunnel, a one lane cut through a huge mountain that made the Milford Highway possible.  Coming down from there, the road required a bunch of switchbacks and there was really no place to pull over to take photos of the amazing number of waterfalls cascading off the snowy peaks above the valley.  Even when I eventually had a chance, I decided not to stop because I was then in an area with several light-controlled construction zones.  There were also several one lane bridges but none so bad as the earlier one.  It still kept raining throughout the drive.  I arrived at Milford just after 1100 and reached a dead end.  I did find a big parking lot there but the weather looked so horrible (and parking cost a good bit of money) that it was hard to see much point in staying long.  Also, I hadn't signed up for one of the famous boat tours and this meant that the only view I got of Milford Sound was a foggy, rainy image of distant terrain.  Disappointed that the weather hadn’t improved all morning but also wanting to avoid the approaching hordes of visitors, I decided to start my backtrack immediately.  On the way back towards Te Anau, I saw LOTS of tour buses and more Jucy vans headed north  Fortunately, I didn’t have a lot of traffic on my side.  I made photo stops at the Tutoko Suspension Bridge and during the delay for the Homer Tunnel.  After I passed the "fateful" bridge from earlier in the morning, it occurred to me that I didn’t travel over 8,200 miles just to drive around in the rain!  For this reason, I stopped at the parking lot for "The Divide", determined to get take a hike even if I got soaked to the bone.  At 1220, I started walking into the woods on the Routeburn Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.  The trail was a continuous climb but wasn’t too steep.  It was, however, very wet and rather cool (40s).  I stayed warm under the poncho I was wearing.  The higher I went, the closer I got to actual clouds.  About two miles in, I had a choice of continuing on the Routeburn or taking a side trail to Key Summit.  Even though the weather didn’t look promising, I chose the latter option.  Even though I could occasionally see snow covered peaks all around me, I got no views.  I did get more rain... Sadly, I never got a glimpse of Lake Marian, even though I was perched high above it at about 3000 feet.  On the way down, I found that most of my footfalls were in water because the trail had flooded.  At the junction with the Routeburn Track, I encountered several high school students from the town of Alexandra.  One of their teachers told me they’d started two days before from a trailhead near Queenstown.  She added that there were three other similar groups (of eight) from the same school who had parked their vans at The Divide and were hiking to the other trailhead, allowing for the the opposite-direction hiking groups to swap keys in the middle of their hike.  I also learned that the hike was part of the school’s year long Outdoor Course, which was basically a supersized Phys Ed curriculum with practical training on wilderness survival.  By this point, I was drenched and was incentivized to make great time to the car.  Upon arriving (1435, after walking nearly six miles), I thought about changing in the nice building made for that purpose but, by then, it was full of kids.  Instead, I drove back to Te Anau (on Route 94) and hoped the car’s heat might actually dry my clothes.  It continued raining all the way back to town...  After arriving in Te Anau, I explored a little and made my way over to the Fiordlands National Park Visitor Center (1550).  A nice lady there fine-tuned my hiking plans for the Kepler Track and gave me some bird ID photos.  It was still raining but I walked down to Lake Te Anau and took some photos.  Back at Tasman Holiday Park by 1615, I dried myself and tried to dry my clothes - I’ll be really lucky if they are ready in the morning...  My neighbors reported that they'd just returned from a bus tour they had taken to Milford Sound and said they’d seen beautiful waterfalls with rainbows.  Oh well...  I read until it was dinner time (1755) and then drove into the center of town.  Just after parking at a restaurant, I realized I’d forgotten my wallet and had to go back to retrieve it.  Eventually, I sat down at La Toscana and ate a delicious dinner (spaghetti bolognese, tiramisu, Fiordland Lager).  Finished at 1905, I walked across the street to Freshchoice to get some toiletries and OJ.  On the way back to my car, I did some more exploring in the center of town.  After that, I drove back to Tasman Holiday Park to check on drying clothes and plan for my next day.  I did some reading and went to bed at 2200.  Even though the day was wet, I’m pleased that I got a real hike and summit climb!

Oceania Trip - Day 18

Last night, I didn’t sleep well - Mollie called after I went to bed, I had loud neighbors and the bed was uncomfortable.  It wasn't a good feeling, therefore, to find that I was awake before my alarm (0515).  Groggily, I packed up my stuff and, after getting ready, went down to the lobby.  The receptionist was just departing the lobby and had already locked the door - since I would have otherwise have had to go back to my room to wait until a later departure, I went with her in the 0600 shuttle to the airport. At the same time, I was notified by Air New Zealand that my flight was delayed 35 minutes already.  Luckily, I was still able to check in quickly and then proceeded through security as quickly as I ever have. I next spent a little time walking around the huge gate area before stopping (0650) at Happy Jack’s (Burger King knockoff) for breakfast.  During this time, I tried to figure out if I could do Australia VAT Recovery (the money I spent didn't qualify me for the reimbursement).  I then read and relaxed for a bit before my flight was supposed to depart.  However, the weather delayed the arrival of our aircraft and I ended up with more time to take walks - in fact, I almost reached 10K steps before boarding the aircraft.  Along the way, I saw a DC-9 airframe (Quantas) parked on the tarmac - glad to see they are still flying out there in the world...  Realizing my arrival in New Zealand could be delayed beyond the hours when the rental car company would be open, I made a call to inform them that I would probably be getting there late - they said they’d make sure I’d get my car.  Eventually, we were allowed to board and finally departed Tullamarine almost 90 minutes late (1035).  There was nasty weather in the middle of "The Ditch" (part of the reason for the delay) so I think we were lucky to even leave at all.  We got free internet and movies again (I took advantage of both).  I also did some reading.  We got breakfast (omelet, apple turnover and fruit) during the flight.  Crossing the coastline of the South Island of New Zealand, I began to see many of the huge mountains for which the area is famous.  The approach to landing in Queenstown was spectacular, with peaks above us as we flew into the valley where the airport was.  Even with over 5000 hours of flight time as a pilot myself, this was probably the most beautiful airport arrival I’ve seen, with mountains at eye level for many miles.  I was stunned to see how “Winter” had arrived on the South Island - things looked much different from when I first landed in Christchurch on May 1. The towering peaks were all covered with powder and there was a nice briskness in the air that reminded me of late October in the US.  We landed at 1515 (New Zealand Time, two hours later than Melbourne) and ended up getting out of the plane on a set of stairs which had been rolled up to the airplane.  Even on the ground, the scenery was amazing! Baggage claim, customs and biosecurity was really fast (even when I declared my hiking boots again and some packaged snacks).  As a result, I was standing on the curb, waiting for the rental car shuttle, by 1600.  After a ride to the Mode Rentals office, I quickly picked up my little car and familiarized myself with driving from a front right seat.  I departed Queenstown by 1630 and it took a bit of mental gymnastics to jar my memory of driving in Japan (over 10 years ago) to feel truly comfortable.  I would have loved to have a bit more time to get used to the car in a big parking lot or wide country road. However, it was imperative that I complete my two hour transit to the town of Te Anau before it got too dark and made things “interesting”... I wanted to stop to take pictures of everything but all kinds of logistical challenges arose every time I thought about it. From a steady stream of roundabouts to lots of commuter traffic, my concentration was keenly focused on “left side, left side” and not much else. I managed to get beyond the main hustle and bustle and build my comfort level up to 100 kph (~60 mph). This would normally be easy, I suppose, but these roads weren’t exactly Interstate quality. The first hour of the drive took me along a steep, winding road (Route 6) above Lake Wakatipu. I ate dinner (snacks I'd picked up along the way) in my car.  All the scenery was breathtaking but, sadly, the darkness didn’t hold off as I continued south, and then west (on Route 97), towards my hotel. On the plus side, the traffic thinned out and I eventually found some long straightaways. But, like the old flight simulators, the New Zealand roads had one more curveball to throw at me: rain. With the trifecta of different driving rules, darkness and precipitation, I had my hands full for the last hour. On the home stretch (Route 94) to Te Anau, I began to wonder if I’d been too confident in my abilities when I booked the rental car... Needless to say, I was quite happy to reach the Tasman Holiday Park and the end of my drive (1830).  Since I knew I'd be later than the lobby was open (30 minutes earlier), I'd already called ahead called the reception desk to coordinate getting my key.  They actually made it very easy and, apart from being in an unfamiliar place, I found everything quickly (despite the rain). My room for the next few days was in a little bungalow with shared bathrooms, kitchen and TV. I explored the rest of the facilities (kitchen, laundry, etc.).  On a world map wall in the common area, I noticed that zero pins have been added to Vermont or New Hampshire - I think I may be an Upper Valley pioneer! I’ve already met several Kiwi families on vacation away from other parts of their beautiful country so I think I chose a good place to quarter during my time in Fiordlands National Park. Since it was still tremendously rainy, I didn’t leave the room again after using the bathroom,  Instead, I reviewed brochures and made plans for the next two days.  I went to bed at 2245, relieved that I'd stayed close to my schedule and excited about adventures I will have during the next week in New Zealand!

Oceania Trip - Day 17

Before this trip started, I figured it would be wise to reposition from the South Bank in Melbourne to a hotel next to the airport in Tullamarine (to have a shorter trip for my flight back to New Zealand early tomorrow morning).  Since I’d already tried the Skybus (and Uber) to travel between airport and city and still had an active Myki card, I decided to attempt the more complicated return method via train, bus and hotel shuttle. Everyone I talked to thought this routing was too difficult and time consuming but I wanted to try.  This morning, I woke up at 0600 and was able to get down to breakfast in the hotel lobby right after they opened (0630).  My reward for rising early was another pretty sunrise.  Back in my room, I quickly packed up for a short trip to the beach.  Departing the Holiday Inn at 0730, I walked west on City Road until I found a tram stop.  When I got on the next one that passed, I figured out it wasn’t going to St. Kilda.  Hoping for better results, I got off and walked west on York Road until I found the Number 12 tram route in Clarendon Road.  The next challenge was figuring out how to get on the tram - there were no visible stations and I didn’t realize there were places I could “hail” one.  Eventually, I was able to board a passing tram...  The Number 12 route passed through some pretty neighborhoods but eventually just came to a stop. When I asked the driver where the beach was, she pointed towards the southeast.  Walking from there, I located the area of St. Kilda where Clive had driven me almost a week before.  The oceanside was breezy but warm and I explored along the coastline for about 30 minutes before heading back towards the Number 12 tram stop.  Once we got started, I noticed that the route passed by Albert Park - decided to get got off the train there and do some more walking.  There wasn't much in the way of interesting attractions there but I saw lots of pretty birds and enjoyed the nice weather.  Back on the tram again, I used it to get to the City Road stop before walking the rest of the way to my hotel (arrived at 0930).  I spent the next few hours resting and reading.  At 1130, I left the Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Southbank (a very nice place to stay) and walked across the Yarra one more time.  From the Flinders Street Station, I boarded a train that was headed towards the airport.  As I  mentioned before, this route wasn’t efficient but I wanted to learn more about the Myki system.  Since there was a transfer opportunity at North Melbourne, I chose to switch there instead of Southern Cross.  I only had to wait about 10 minutes to catch a Craigieburn train.  Several people asked me for directions and how to use the train - I guess I looked like I knew what I was doing...  On the next train, I watched some great behavior on the part of several other helpful passengers (assisting the elderly, helping folks with parcels, etc.).  Following some directions I found online, I got off the train at Broadmeadows and then easily located the waiting area for the bus (901) to the Airport.  Because of some delays, however, I had to wait about 25 minutes before it arrived.  Fortunately, the weather was pleasant and I knew I had all day to reach my new hotel.  After getting onboard the bus, I reached the airport at1315.  I called my hotel, requesting that they send a shuttle, and the driver arrived about 10 minutes later (I met him at the hotel shuttle zone near Terminal 3).  We were at the Quality Hotel Melbourne Airport about 10 minutes later and I was able to check into my room at 1330.  Verdict on the trains/buses option from Melbourne CBD to Airport: I believe I was successful because I had all afternoon to make it work and could afford to be patient. It took about two hours, rather than the 45+ minutes of bus and Uber from my first day in the area.  Also on the plus side: it was much cheaper than other methods.  After getting settled, I realized that I still had a whole afternoon with beautiful weather!  The hotel staff told me they didn’t think there was anywhere to walk nearby but I decided to try to find something.  Departing from from the busy commercial area, I entered a quiet residential district. This immediately yielded dividends as I discovered that most neighborhoods had extensive “greenways” that allowed transit to playgrounds, ball fields and parks. Locating a bike path called the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail, I wandered farther and farther from town until I could barely hear any traffic. I could still see departing and arriving aircraft at Tullamarine Airport but couldn’t hear them either. I climbed a nameless hill that had a great view of the town, open fields and mountains in the distance. While atop this plateau, I encountered wallaby tracks, lots of playful cockatoos and, I’m almost certain, a wombat who waddled away from me as I approached. Bonus: I found $5 (Australian) on the path.  Instead of backtracking, I ended up reaching a road that allowed for a loop to the hotel - total distance was close to 3.5 miles.  It felt good to find a way to take a hike in a rather urban setting, especially when the locals didn’t seem to know about pretty walks located close to where they live... Just before I was finished with my excursion, I noticed that there was an interesting business called “Lolly World” (located next to the Quality Hotel) but it was closed on Mondays.  After getting done, I stopped (1515) for an early dinner (grilled chicken burger, salad, Sprite Plus Lemon and Lebanese Custard) at “Sheesh”, a Lebanese fast food restaurant.  The food was good and I enjoyed watching the customers.  Finishing my meal at around 1600, I walked back to my hotel room and changed shoes.  Looking for something to drink (I'd heard the hotel had a happy hour), I took a seat at the hotel bar and tried a few more Aussie beers and, in the process, used the rest of my Australian money.  The bartender was nice and I met two ladies from Western Canada (Dawn and Sherry) who had just finished driving a “Jucy” van from Melbourne to Cairns - what an adventure!  I stayed in the bar until 1900 and then returned to my room to pack.  For the rest of the evening, I read and relaxed - bed time was at 2230.  After all the adventures I had this week, I’m going to miss Melbourne...

Oceania Trip - Day 16

After my great trip on the Great Ocean Road, I'd made plans to take another tour (again with Autopia) before leaving Australia.  Despite feeling a bit excited about this and believing I'd have a tough time sleeping, my day began much later than (0730) than it has on the whole trip.  Guess I’ve completely transitioned to this time zone now - it’s gonna be painful to get back.  When I arrived at the breakfast buffet in the hotel lobby, I didn’t find it too busy, fortunately.  After another satisfying meal, I got ready to go out and left the hotel at around 0900.  With some trams and walking, I managed to make it to (0930) Mass on time at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Afterwards, I walked around in Fitzroy and Treasury Gardens and found a memorial for JFK. The weather was awesome again! My timing with the trams was bad (that’s been happening a lot) so I walked all the way back to Flinders Street Station.  I saw a tram with a “Vermont South” destination - I wonder where that is...  Along the way, I had to dodge a Cancer Charity 5K and stopped at Ezymart to use some of my remaining Australian dollars and pick up snacks for the tour.  Since my tour didn't start until 1145, I next walked over to the Immigration Museum and took a short tour (without buying a ticket I only got to see some of the displays).  At 1145, the bus arrived at the museum and I was waiting for it.  I was a little disappointed that the driver was using a much larger vehicle than the previous tour. There were also almost 30 people with me this time (including young children) so there was no way the experience would be as intimate. Almost everyone else was from Asia and Europe but there one US couple - we never actually spoke all day because the group was so large. Our driver/guide was Vicky and, as we left the city, she entertained us with stories about the founding of Melbourne (a man with the surname Batman was the first settler). After crossing the Yarra a couple of times (to leave the city and reach the motorway), we passed by the Rod Laver Arena, home of the Australian Open. On the way east on the M1, I noticed that the road was initially surrounded by trees (much different than on the west side of Melbourne). Nearing the town of Cranbourne, we got on Route M420. We stopped in Tooradin, a tiny little village on the north side of Western Port Bay, for a break (1250 to 1330). I went exploring while everyone else stood in line at the bakery. Just before we had to leave, I got some ice cream at a little shop by the waterfront. Back on M420, the terrain transitioned to treeless farmland. After about an hour, we crossed a big bridge that took us to onto Phillip Island. We stopped at the Koala Conservation Reserve, a Phillip Island Nature Park, and stayed there from 1430 to 1530. Inside the reserve, run as a “koala rescue”, we saw koalas (mostly sleeping), wallabies (wild, they jumped the fence), parrots & cockatoos (loud) and a bush stone curlew (caged). Even though they were apparently close by, I didn’t see or hear a kookaburra. We next drove west across the island. On the way, we passed Philip Island Circuit, a huge race track that is apparently quite famous. Vicky told us about attempts by the locals to eradicate non-native species - they have apparently been successful but pet ownership is tightly controlled. We next stopped at Nobbies Centre, a building built high on a cliff that sits directly opposite a volcanic mountain in the sea. The “Nobbies” reminded me of the Devil’s Tower but in the ocean. From a boardwalk that overlooked the cliffs, we got beautiful ocean views. I saw many examples of the Cape Barren (pink legged) Goose there. Even more interesting, though, I saw a burrow with a penguin inside - was it a baby waiting for its parents? (Remember this point for later in the day!) This stop was quite nice and I would have liked to stay longer (we were only there from 1550 to 1615). However, we needed to get going to make it to the Penguin Parade in time! Sadly, the large bus and many passengers meant that we were forced to wait longer and longer each time (for the same people) and didn’t leave on schedule. For our next leg of the journey, we used a cliff-side dirt road to reach Summerland Beach. Vicky told us about the huge colony (32000!) of little (blue) penguins that have been brought back in huge numbers since Victoria purchased a huge (developed) part of the island and returned it to its natural state. The cliff sides were covered in wallabies and Cape Barren Geese.  I later learned that bandicoots lived there too but I didn’t notice any. Arriving at the Penguin Parade Visitor Center, we learned that we’d have from 1640 to 1900 to watch the penguins return home from the sea. Before heading out to the viewing area, I first stopped to eat dinner (Pan Fried Tasmanian Salmon and a Byron Bay Lager) at the Shearwater Restaurant in the Nature Park. The food was good! At 1515, I headed out to the beach for the show; I’d read about a good place to sit and headed over there. The viewing area was already mostly full but I got the last (wet) spot near the action (my boots were in the sand, I was so close). We’d been told that the penguins were likely to arrive on the shore at around 1750 (just after sunset) and would be only about 75-100 feet away from the viewing area. In the end, though, they didn’t start arriving until after 1800 (completely dark) and were so far away they that they were nearly impossible to see. I had brought my little binoculars and that helped a little bit. From what I was able to determine, the penguins came ashore in “rafts” (groups of maybe a dozen) and, once they thought the coast was clear (literally), started walking in a line up the beach and into the tall grasses there. I probably saw 10 such groups through my binoculars but I’m not sure anyone else saw much at all. The ranger said that there could have been a seal in the water nearby that scared the penguins further down the beach. There were signs everywhere telling people not to take photos once the sun went down, so as to prevent the penguins from getting spooked, but most people around me ignored this guidance. After about 30 minutes, I made my way up hill (towards the boardwalk we’d used to get to the viewing area) and watched the beach for a little while longer. I saw a few more rafts before I gave up; one group was funny because they appeared to be afraid of some seagulls (or it could have been someone with their camera) and skittered back into the ocean. After that, I looked for the penguin families (outside their burrows) and saw several. The whole area was full of the sounds of penguins calling loudly to each other. Before heading back to the bus, I took a long look at the night sky, which was as dark as it could be from the southernmost point of land in the area. Not only did I get to see the Southern Cross again but also got an amazing view of the Milky Way. It already seemed late so it was fortunate that my fellow passengers got back on the bus on time. Even though we were right on schedule when Vicky got us on the road, we next had to navigate through a lot of traffic (I think there was only one way off the island) to reach M420 again. Using that road and M1, we made it back to Melbourne by 2045.  Vicky dropped us off at the Immigration Museum at 2100 and I started walking back to my hotel.  Along the way, I passed a bar I’d been reading about ("Ponyfish Island") that was located under a bridge in the middle of the Yarra.  I got a beer there and relaxed in the cool air, enjoying the city skyline.  Back in my hotel by 2145, I spent the rest of the night reading (so I could finish a digital book before it was due at the library) and went to bed at 2230.  It was another great day of sampling the best of Melbourne!

Oceania Trip - Day 15

After another good night's sleep, I was awake at around 0500.  I read until it was time for breakfast in the hotel lobby (0700).  There was a dense fog early on so I waited (reading some books) until 0930 (late for me) to leave my hotel.  For the first time this week, I didn’t cross the Yarra - instead, I looked around in the area behind my hotel in an attempt to access St. Kidna Road.  The only way I could find took me through Arts Centre Melbourne, a distinctive looking structure with a tall spire.  Along with the nearby Hamer Hall, another performing arts venue, city residents have a great selection of high-class entertainment.  Coming outside again, I found the fog was nearly gone and had been replaced by a brilliant blue sky.  I noticed that a queue had formed in front of the adjacent NGV International building; it was just opening (1000) so I followed the crowd inside.  Unlike the “Melbourne Now” exhibit I visited at another NGV building earlier in the week, this museum contained things I’d definitely classify as art.  There was a huge variety of work on display from all over the world - I especially enjoyed the Dutch and Japanese sections.  It seemed that most people weren’t as interested in the former paintings so I found myself alone in one huge room of portraits and still life scenes.  One of the guards struck up a conversation with me and then showed me a series of drawings he’d done (whenever the museum wasn’t busy) in colored pens.  They were very good!  When learning that my roots were in the Boston area, he pointed out that Melbourne and “Beantown” are Sister Cities.  I’d never realized that but it clicked my opinion of the city up another notch.  After I was done in the museum (1100), I walked across the street (to the east) and entered a HUGE city park area.  Heading south, I passed through a series of pretty areas: Queen Victoria Garden, King’s Dominion and the Royal Botanic Gardens.  Just before the last one, I detoured back to the west and visited the Shrine of Remembrance, dedicated to those who’ve served in the armed forces of the State of Victoria.  The exhibits inside were really good.  Wandering around later on the high ground nearby, I had great views of the city skyline and the Yarra.  The trees were very majestic (a few were changing colors) and there were birds everywhere.  The funniest (and loudest) ones were the colorful lorikeets but I got close to a flock of cockatoos and (finally) a magpie.  I’d already thought of Melbourne as a beautiful walking city but today improved that opinion even more!  Heading back to my hotel, I ate lunch (leftovers) in my room.  Acting on the recommendation of several people I’ve talked to in Melbourne, I purchased a ticket for this afternoon’s Australian Football League (AFL) “footy” match between the Melbourne Demons (AKA Red and Blue) and the Hawthorn Hawks, scheduled for later this afternoon.  To make sure I got the most from the experience, I left my hotel (1350) and walked (through Arts Centre again) to the MCG.  As I walked along the north bank of the Yarra, I had to pass through a busy Korean Food Festival going on next to Federation Square - there was a logjam of people there.  Still, I managed to arrive at the MCG by 1420 and had enough time to explore the grounds around the stadium before the gates opened at 1500.  I’d expected my General Admission seat to be in the nosebleed section of the 100K seat stadium but was shocked when the ushers told me “sit wherever you want” (in GA). The closest open section ended up being on a very low level in the Hawthorn zone (the “Home” team side). During the course of the evening (game started at 1635), these diehard fans adopted me as an honorary member of their “clan.” This was fortunate because I needed help to understand a lot of what I saw. The first thing that struck me was the size and shape of the field - it was a HUGE oval! Melbourne’s team was one of the oldest in the league (established in 1858) and basically wrote the rules that govern the sport. There are 18 players on each team and points can be scored by kicking an oblong ball through wickets - one point for outer zones and six for inner zones (goals). The skill required to compete was amazing! Not only are the periods or "quarters" longer (roughly 30 minutes) but the players have to run, kick, bunt, tackle, dribble, mark - all without the benefit of padding. The fans were well dressed and well behaved - the rules were very clear: “misbehave and you are out!” Most people wore team scarfs (like the ones in the “Harry Potter” movies) but others went beyond that. In the goal area (very close to me), some folks handed out flags and pom-poms and coordinated rowdy cheers in support of their Hawks (on the opposite side, fans were doing the same thing for the Red and Blue). Most of the Hawks fan jerseys had the word “Tasmania” on them so I initially thought that’s where they were based. Some of the younger fans near me (who were interested in my accent) informed me that some of the team sponsors were over in “Tassie” but the team was based in a suburb of Melbourne. The theme song for the Hawks was set to the “The Yankee Doodle Boy” tune while the Red and Blue had a song that sounded like “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” An older gentleman told me the Hawks were a young team and might not do well. A nearby young boy and girl (they reminded me of a young Harry and Hermione) added that their Hawks “would do well in the beginning.” Unfortunately, the first two periods did not go well for the home team… Most of the action was on the complete opposite side but it was all going Melbourne’s way. After half time, though, the Hawks showed some life and scored a series of goals to close the gap. We got to see scoring right in front of us and some young players scored their first AFL goals. The many kids proudly waved their banners and cheered very loudly after each score. Some of the adults were boisterous in their support or criticism, depending on the current situation. Along the way, I got some food (chicken sandwich and chips) and beer (Carlton Drought) for very reasonable prices.  After the sun went down, it actually got cold and seagulls started ominously circling the field (yikes).  Still, the "footy" action was so engaging that I ended up staying for the whole game (it ended at 1900). The final score indicated a clear beating - Melbourne was in top form and Hawthorn has some room to grow. Overall, I had a great time! After the match, I followed the mass of humanity on the pathway that led to Flinders Street Station.  There were lots of street performers along the way.  Instead of going straight to the hotel, I (re)entered Queen Victoria Park in search of a place to look at the stars.  After a bit of dodging street lights, I found a big clearing.  After some research (and luck), I located the Southern Cross for the first time in all my journeys south of the Equator.  Very satisfying!  While walking nearby, I also saw a brushtail possum (a guy watching it told me what it was).  I arrived back at my hotel by 2000 and spent the rest of the evening blogging, resting and reading.  Bed time was at 2300.  What a great day!  I’ve seen some “Aussie Rules” games on TV over the years but, after tonight, watching the screen won’t ever be the same again...  

Oceania Trip - Day 14

Several Melbourne folks had told me that that I should check out Ballarat, a historic town in the Goldfields region of Victoria (located to the west of Melbourne).  Since my itinerary has been filling up with plans, today looked like the best day for the trip.  I woke up at 0530 after a nice, uninterrupted, sleep.  I called Mollie but she was at the VaTech graduation ceremony.  Instead, I went to breakfast just after 0630.  Back in my room, I packed for my day.  At 0815, I left the hotel and walked across the Yarra.  I then took the westbound tram on Flinders Street (to get to Spencer Street) and later walked to Southern Cross Station.  To maximize use of the Myki card, I visited the V/Line ticket booth they gave me a paper ticket. They also expanded my access to the complete Victoria transportation system (just for the day) - this made the whole trip out of the city possible.  I’d planned to take the 0915 train (45 minutes later) but then noticed there was one departing in six minutes.  With a little bit of hurrying, I made it on board in time (0836).  The train headed out of Melbourne to the west and we made stops at Footscray, Sunshine, Ardeer, Deer Park, Caroline Springs, Rockbank, Cobblebank, Melton, Baccus Marsh and Ballan on the way.  The weather was ok (mostly cloudy with temps in the 50s) and the scenery was pretty (mostly flat farmland).  We reached Ballarat at 1000 and I managed to get off before the train continued west.  In the station, I got some brochures and maps.  I thought I was ready to go exploring but ended up getting delayed by a phone call with Mollie.  At 1100, I realized that most of the interesting things to do in town required a bus (or a heck of a lot of walking).  Since I’d seen had information about a museum at the Eureka Center (it was related to the Victorian Gold Rush of the 1850s), I figured I should start there.  I found a V/Line service desk at the station and the nice staff gave me a map for the Number 20 bus that would take me out to Eureka.  Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long to depart and, once on the bus, I rode through town and some nice neighborhoods.  This little journey helped me get my bearings.  On the way, a bunch of kids called for a stop at the Ballarat Wildlife Park so I decided to get off with them (1200) to learn more about the attraction.  After learning that they had kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, dingos, emus and koalas, I bought a ticket.  The lady at the entrance asked if I wanted to buy some seeds to feed the kangaroos but I declined.  Inside, though, I saw why she’d asked - the friendly, docile animals came right up to people and you could pet them!  I watched little kids having the time of their lives... By this point (1230), I was quite hungry so went into the little snack bar to get some lunch. While I was eating (fish & chips), a lady with her kids (and her mother, I think) engaged me in conversation about the park.  They were all understandably proud of the local attraction and told me about some of the things I shouldn’t miss.  As I was leaving, one of the women gave me some of their leftover kangaroo food.  Going outside to feed them, I found that they had all decided to take a nap.  A young lady who worked at the park showed me another field that had more “active” free range animals.  Even better, she also offered to photo and film me feeding and petting them.  The pigeons flocked around the snacking kangaroos but everyone seemed to get their fill.  Next, I walked a short distance to watch a presentation about the little blue penguins that are famous in the Melbourne area. Since I’m planning to visit them in the wild in a few days (but will not be allowed to take photos then), this was a great opportunity to learn about them.  The show was good and I next walked through the koala and wombat areas.  They were so close that I could definitely touch the animals if I wanted!  A bit later, I strolled by the dingo enclosure - they looked so friendly and docile and I couldn’t imagine how they got their horrible reputation.  Just after I walked away from them, they started the most amazing howling session but I had no chance for video.  I walked another circuit of the park before there was a presentation at the dingo enclosure (1330).  It was so interesting to see them interact with the staff during their feeding time!  After the program was over, I reluctantly left the Wildlife Park - I had a lot more I wanted to see and do before catching my train back to Melbourne...  I was able to catch the bus almost immediately, which was fortunate because the town didn’t really have many sidewalks.  It was a short ride to the Eureka Center, where I got off the bus (1400) and bought a ticket for the museum.  I learned the building was actually a memorial to a group of miners who had tried to organize (in 1854) for more political representation. Their movement was called the “Eureka Rebellion” (the locals use the term “Eureka Stockade”) but the freedom seekers were cruelly repressed (22 died).  They got their way in the end, though, and the concessions they’d sought ultimately became law.  Their banner, the “Eureka Flag”, is now a sort of National symbol and has been lovingly preserved.  The exhibits were every informative - I was reminded of some parks in the US that had similar famous flags (Sheldon Cooper would definitely have had “Fun” there).  I’d hoped to catch another bus to get closer to town, since time was running short, but I had bad timing. Instead, I walked west (through more neighborhoods) until I reached (the rather steep) Sovereign Hill area of town.  I’d heard that the venue was the “real” museum of the Gold Rush period and, when I got there, it made total sense.  In a nutshell, it was one of those living history towns like Plimouth Plantation or Colonial Williamsburg.  Even though I had less than two hours before park closure, I bought a ticket and eagerly entered (1510). I immediately encountered a recreation of a gold mining camp, complete with panning opportunities.  Not surprisingly, I didn’t find anything but other people near me found significant amounts of dust and one little nugget.  Moving on, I took a self-guided “4D” tour of the Red Hill Mine.  A little group of us were able to travel down 50+ stairs into a series of mining tunnels and got to see, hear and feel what it was like to look for gold underground. There was a part of the tour when we got to see a replica of the famous Welcome Nugget (almost 150 pounds in weight) that was discovered in Ballarat in 1858. Climbing the stairs again, we returned to the surface with a new appreciation for the hearty “diggers” of Victoria. During the rest of my visit, I explored inside the many types of buildings on the property (machine shops, schools, churches, hotels, etc.) and interacted with staff members dressed in period clothing. Overall, I was inside the park for about 90 minutes (done at 1630).  I’d hoped to be able to catch another bus back to the train station but the first one I boarded was not actually headed in my direction.  Fortunately, I’d asked when I got on and the driver let me off again.  At that point, I gave up on buses and walked back to the center of town. I passed a sign for Bakery Hill, which I later learned was the real location of the Red Hill Mine (where the Welcome Nugget was actually found). Since I was not sure about the exact train I wanted to take back to Melbourne, I stopped into a restaurant (1655) I’d first seen during my bus ride in the morning.  The Rusty Spud served baked potatoes with cool toppings - I got one called “Italian Stallion”.  Since I was the only patron, I sat down to eat in the restaurant and struck up a conversation with the owner.  When another customer arrived, I took the opportunity to check on the train schedule and figured out I could catch one at 1735.  This required me to quickly walk to the station (it wasn’t far) and I made it in time. Once aboard, I noticed that the train drove very slowly on the way back to Melbourne for some reason.  Unlike in the morning, there was really nothing to see after the first 10 minutes because it got dark.  Each time we stopped, the train filled up more and more passengers.  Most were young people who were dressed up for a Friday night on the town.  We arrived in Melbourne at 1915 and I visited a couple of the customer service desks to better understand how I could use my Myki card to get to the Tullamarine airport.  The weather was nice so I walked back towards my hotel on the north bank of the Yarra (until Queensbridge).  At 2010, I stopped in the lobby and finally tried a couple of beers (both from the Mill Brewery in Melbourne) at the 24 hour bar.  I was finally back in my room by 2115 and spent the evening reading and resting.  Went to bed at 2215 after another awesome day in Australia!