Diving and Travel as Far as Possible

On our way to an Island

29 April 2012 10:29:00

It is Christmas day 2011 and we are leaving the Orangutans - thus we start on a very long airline and airports day - not the best Christmas Day ever. Glowing bright red from the sunburn - after hanging around in Pangkalan Bun for far to long we get a flight back to Jakarta - with only an hour delay at this stage - we know we had to get to Terminal 2 for our next flight - and I had booked plenty of time between flights (We thought it was 3 hours) so no rush, got the free bus around to Terminal 2 - it was fairly busy so we used the automatic check in machines - tickets printed ready to do - off to the bag drop.
Get to the front of the queue - lady behind the desk scans our tickets..hmm..scans them again .... hmmm ...we can sense there is a problem here. She says 'You know these tickets are for the 25th of January not 25th of December?' WHAT!? do'h - someone (Lee) didn't use the calendar on the booking site correctly and booked 25th Jan 2012 instead of 25th Dec 2011.... oh dear. We have to get to Tawau in Malyasian Borneo via Kuala Lumpa somehow. As it turns out that quick use of the automatic check-in machine was not such a good idea - we can't reschedule our tickets since we have boarding passes now and have to buy new ones for a later flight that night, but the good news is if we go back to Jakarta in a month we still get a flight to Kuala Lumpa on the 25th of January - hmm probably not that likely.
Tickets bought - now out of cash as we had to pay a bunch of fees in cash - we expected to be able to just use it for food etc in the airport and use up the rest of our Indonesian Rupia that way - instead we use it on fees and don't want to get any more out - so hungry and several hours later than expected we finally board our flight to Kuala Lumpa.
As we come in to land we find that the budget airlines (we are flying Air Asia) have been moved outof the main terminal at KL and are now in what is called LCCT 'The Low Cost Carrier Terminal' - explains it all really except for the location, miles away from the main terminal - just looked it up -20km away!! I booked an airport hotel - expecting it to be like Jarkata - hotel in the airport terminal an easy walk and no hassle. KL is an hour on the train plus it is late at night so that would have been perfect. Shows how easy it is to get it all wrong. First problem - we are no where near the main terminal, so we waited for the bus - not really sure how the bus numbering worked but there were 4 different buses and one appeared to be going to the main terminal - so we jumped on that (after waiting around for it to show up). This bus trip shows you how far away we actually are - as it goes out onto the highway and then continues on and on around the airport - suddenly the bus stops just in front of a roundabout - driver calls out something that sounds like Concorde Inn ... I think for a minute and go - hang on thats our hotel! Up we get and jump off the bus in what looks like the middle of nowhere. Just us and two other people, on the side of the highway in the dark. Luckily there is a sign (for cars) directing you to the hotel, thus we all set of down the road with our suitcases with cars flying past us. In due course we do make it to the hotel and checkin - the only thing making it an airport hotel being that it is slightly closer to the Kula Lumpor airport then say a Jakarta Hotel would be - it is also in need of an upgrade! But for our purposes it was fine - as our next flight was a day away (spare day for unforeseen errors and delays). That means after breakfast we get the hotel bus back to the airport and then jump on the train to Kuala Lumpur for the day.
Having been to KL before we had no real plans of anything to go and see (in fact there isn't much in KL anyway) but since Margaret had not been up to the viewing platform of the Petronus Towers we decided to head there first. Unfortunately we found out the towers are closed on Mondays! And this just happened to be a Monday! Ah, plan B then! Buy some sunscreen - we are still looking fairly red after the boat trip in Borneo ...and we also do a bit of shopping in the nice air-conditioned mall under the towers.
So lunch, a bit more walking and after enough heat we headed back to the hotel for dinner and a sleep in order to get up very early - catch the bus back around the entire airport to the low-cost terminal - queue up in the hanger with a mass of other people and finally get on our flight to Tawau in Malaysia Borneo! Yes, back to Borneo - a short two hour flight later we land - meet our driver, get on the mini-bus with a few other people - then an hour later we arrive at the dock. This is a lot of traveling! And travelling in Malaysia Borneo is fairly boring as all there around is palm plantations - nothing else just palm plantation after palm plantation and more palm plantations. That is a lot of palm oil - and not much left of the jungle.
Once at the dock we offload - jump on the boat and then another hour later we approach Mabul Island - the closest Island to Sipadan that has resorts you can stay at - so after who knows what time in the morning and after a few hours of travel we arrive to our dive resort - Sipadan Water Village.
I last came to Sipadan about 6 years ago - in those days there was only two resorts on the Island, Boreno Divers and Sipadan Water Village, plus the oil rig hotel (stay away from that place) - and of course the more expensive Kapalai Island Resort off in the distance. Upon approach to Mabul this time I could already see that things had changed. The local "village" seemed alot bigger, and there seemed to be extra resorts, plus a lot more trees and greenery as well. During our stay we did take a walk on the island and found that indeed there was more resorts (3 new ones). Which while I guess everyone fits in a way, it is getting rather crowded plus since the resorts only get a set number of permits for diving Sipadan - you can only go on a roster basis - in the past you could dive on Sipadan everyday as there was not enough people to use all the permits. It was a disappointing that you couldn't dive on Sipadan everyday - takes away some of the fun of all that travel to get here. So bysides the changes how was the rest of the holiday?

Well Sipadan Water Village resort is built out over the water, one of those expensive looking places that you see in all the travel brochures that look amazing. What in fact it is, is a dive resort built out over the water - so while it is very nice and you can't complain about anything - it is a dive resort not a 5 star resort - there are no other facities except to go diving, and the food (dinner buffet) is of dive resort quality too. We did order fish and lobster off the ala-cart menu for two nights and these were fantastic! You order the day before 'What size fish do you want? What sort of fish?' Then they go catch it... 1.5kg Coral Cod please... the next night it is on your plate cooked to your specifications....much better then the buffet - but the buffet was included in the price of the resort so this was a bit of an additional special extra.
The diving around the resort and Kapili island was much better then it was 6 years ago - more fish, healthier coral and much better then it was. Still very murky around the resort, around the back of Kapili it is clearer and looking very nice - not too many big fish as this is where a lot of the village fish, but still enough life to make for interesting dives while you are not diving on Sipadan.

But you come here to dive on Sipidan and once again it didn't disapoint. Our first day there started a bit rough with a good sized swell on the 40min boat trip, but once underwater it was all calm - except for the raging current, so in one dive - instead of a nice calm leasurily drift along the wall - we just raced along about 1km further then we probably should have before we got were able to turn a corner around the Island and get out of the current.

Other then that the dives went as expect, sharks, turtles and loads of fish, masses of coral on the top, steep wall dives and masses of fish everywhere. Even the huge school of jackfish was still there, was there 6 years ago - and still there now - well I guess new fish in the school but it looks the same.

And more photos!

The dive staff were obsessed with finding a school of Baraccuda - everytime we would drive around on the boat looking for them and never find them - till we came to believe they did not exist.Then finally - we were assured they would be there, we jumped in and swam a long the wall a bit and before the filtered light darkened around you, the sun disappearing and a huge wall of large baracudda was circling. They formed a long tornado like funnel down into the water, circling and circling, their huge bodies slicing through the water and the mass of them dawarfing the divers swimming below. Quite an incrediable sight and no wonder the staff was obssesed with finding them.

One more:

Our days where basically spent thus - wake up, eat breakfast go for two dives - eat lunch - rest - go for an afternoon dive, come back, change, go to the bar before dinner, eat dinner, go to the bar after dinner, sleep, wake up, eat breakfast, dive ...continue....

And all those Orangutans we saw in Indonesian Borneo last week - well we couldn't leave them alone and we found an Orangutan Crab! Hard to see - but small orange hairy crab!

So while a fairly busy time, it also gave enough time to relax and enjoy the warmth and sun. Till finally it was New Years eve and while we still went for a dives during the day there was then a huge feast for dinner. It was massive, turkey, roast beef, fish, lobster, prawns, desserts (if someone knows why they love bright fluro green desserts in Malyasia please let me know) totally overboard with the food!
After the feast and some time to rest up, it was party time in the bar! Breaking into teams there was party games to be played - balloons, ping-pong balls, volleyballs and other bizzare entertaining games to be had. Suffice to say our team got first place and a massive basket of chocolate and other sweets (these they basically got donated to the dive shop for anyone to eat during the next day/ after diving)
There was also multiple lucky door prizes, where Margaret won a dive dry bag. And then the owner of the resort decided that this wasn't quite enough fun - so he split everyone into regions (Asia, Europe, America, Australia) and declared that one person from each region would win a return flight to Sipidan from where ever they live. And the challange to win this prize? Rock/Paper/Sissors! yes rock, paper, sissors to win a return flight to go diving.
So off everyone went, a lady from Maylasia (living in New York) won the first round, second round came down and people got eliminated...slowly...then it was just myself and another guy from Australia playing for the prize! First go - both rock...try again...second go...he went sissors and I went rock.... wooohoo I win! So the biggest prize I have ever won was by playing Rock, Paper Sissors!
After 7 days of diving and sitting in the sun it was finally time to leave, so getting speed boat back to the mainland, bus back to the airport, flight back to Kuala Lumpur (very familiar with the low cost terminal now) and then finally another flight to Bangkok - oh how we love to spend our days on transport!

Remember as always - more photos are here: Flickr Photo Sets

Christmas With The Orangutans

26 March 2012 10:48:00

Christmas is coming - well in the world of my late running blog Christmas is coming still. And to welcome Christmas in HSBC decided not to renew my contract - last day 21st of December so that was a good present to get. Not to worry as on the 22nd we flew out on holidays to forget the cold and dark and head to the hot, humid weather further south.

Heathrow to Singapore, change of flights and Singapore to Jakarta, where after 20+ hours of flying it was finally a chance to sleep in a bed. Only in the airport hotel however - and we had to eat dinner in the airport too, as the city is about an hour away from the airport, so being 2100 at night and fairly tired after flying the only thing to do was eat get into a normal bed.

The next morning it was back onto a planes as we flew from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun. Now if you are looking to fly to Pangkalan Bun for your holidays let me give you this advice ... it is impossible to book tickets yourself for flights - don't even bother trying. It is also impossible to book tickets more then 30days in advance. It is also impossible to buy tickets directly using a foreign (non-Indonesian) bank/credit card. It is also VERY possible that your plane may not actually fly the day you expect. Back in London I contacted 5 agents in Indonesia multiple times, trying to get a flight and confirmation till eventually less then a month before we left I managed to get confirmation that we had tickets. Bit of a worry when your whole holiday is predicated on getting this one flight and you have paid and confirmed everything else in advance. At least this time there were not problems - those came later.

Our flight was due to leave from Terminal 2 - (domestic and budget airlines with chickens allowed - ok we saw no chickens but anything could have been in all those boxes people had) while the main international terminal was fairly well organised...we could barely squeeze into Terminal 2 - a mass of people packed in trying to fly somewhere - chaos - luckily that somewhere was not Pangkalan Bun and our check-in was virtually deserted - just a struggle to actually find it!

While waiting in the open air lounge (walls are an optional extra) the first (there are more) holiday failure was discovered. I pulled out the DSLR camera to get it ready - the gear weighs about 6kg (camera body, 3 lenses, batteries etc) - So I have been lugging this around on my back for carry-on - all set to use on our half way round the world holiday - when - yup - camera would not work - reset it, reset, different lens, new battery - tried everything and it just blinked 'ERR' at me. Hmm well that isn't very good - now we have no camera at all...except our iPhones - and this expensive heavy camera is of no use at all - except to give me exercise carrying it.

Eventually our flight left (an hour late) and we flew across the short straight from Java to Pangkalan Bun in Borneo. There is only one reason to go to Pangkalan Bun, after being there I can confirm it 100% (there is nothing there) - it is to go and see the Orangutans in Tanjung Puting National Park .

So on arrival we were met by our guide - who drove us to the police station to register in case we get eaten by a crocodile (apparently a tourist did get eaten along with their passport and no one could find out who they were, so now everyone has to register before going into the jungle) Once that was sorted it was a short bumpy drive down to the docks and on board our boat.

Not knowing what to expect from the descriptions of the Klotok, we were pleasantly surprised - the boat was big, plenty of room and basically we stayed on the top deck, which had a large table, and two chairs and nothing else, well it had a roof but of course no walls. The crew (Captain, boat boy, Chef and tour guide) all slept and basically stayed below deck, while we stayed on the top deck.

At this stage there was no bed out so we had no idea where we were due to sleep - but that was a secondary matter as we got underway and started steaming down the river, and also our lunch was delivered to us. So we sat and ate a delicious fish curry while slowly moving down the main river, and then turning up into a small tributary as the jungle slowly encroached on each side.

Our first stop was about an hour or so along the river - basically a small dock sticking out of the jungle with a few boats tied up, with a run down looking Eco resort on the opposite side of the river. Covering ourselves with insect repellant we made our way along the dock and into the jungle - after about 10 minutes we made it to the feeding station and our first sight of the Orangutans! There was one large male sitting, eating all the rambutans, while in the trees, a juvenile male and a female with baby hung around hoping to somehow get past the male and grab some of their own rambutans.

The second thing you notice about seeing the Orangutans in Indonesia is the distinct lack of any fencing, safety or otherwise to keep people and the Orangutans separate - while there was a wire in front of the for feeding platform to keep you back - there was nothing else - so the Orangutans swinging around in the trees and came from any direction, they got as close to you as they felt like - or you to them as you thought was safe - which when you see how big some of them are is probably not too close.

And this was also the case of having to use our iPhones to take photos - now we have been traveled to many places (as you may have noticed) and in every location I see people taking photos using mobile phones - and I think - what are you doing? Why? Did you not think maybe it would be a good idea to bring a camera to this once in a life time destination that could take better photos then a mobile phone? I mean it is not like suddenly you wake up in Petra, Jordan and go - what? How did I get here? I didn't plan for this trip and I have no camera - better use my terrible mobile phone camera that takes shocking photos. So now here we are halfway across the world in the middle of the Borneo rainforest, seeing orangutans up close and personal with no fences and holding up mobile phones like all those people I shake my head at. Oh well the iPhone we are told has a good camera - lucky we bought a new ones recently!

After watching the orangutans play for an hour or so, and the large male keep everyone else away from the food, we headed back to the boat for afternoon tea, before motoring up the river another hour or two. As it got dark we pulled up to the side and moored to some trees for the night. Dinner was served - delicious! And finally we saw where our bed was to be located...some mattresses appeared from downstairs - where placed on the deck - a mosquito net was hung up over the mattress, throw on some pillows and a light blanket and you have a bed - with hopefully no bugs in your bed. With not lights all that was left was to fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle.

The next morning after a great cooked breakfast - we started by motoring further up the river for a further hour or two before pulling into another dock - this one with a lot more boats moored up to it.

On walking out onto the dock and looking up the path - which was raised wooden planking - you can see why this forest was called lowland/wetland rainforest. Basically the river just went into the forest...so while it was all jungle and trees - there was no actual ground - just shallow water a long way through the trees.

So off we set along the wooden walkway, only to be stopped about 100m along as an orangutan was swinging through the trees about 2 meters from the walkway. The orangutan waited till the crowd had continued on then climbed on the walkway and casually followed everyone down the walkway - then hurrying past when a gap allowed, on it's way to the feeding station.

This area was a bit bigger then the last feeding station we went to and had a permanent buildings and research area, though I am not sure there is much research going on in these camps at the moment due to the numbers of Orangutans in the area (no more ex-captive or new orangutans are allowed to be released in this area due to numbers around the forest)

This time at the feeding station their were more Orangutans, but basically the same as the last as they came swinging out of the trees, watching out for the large male, and grabbing fruit as they could. A few mothers with babies and a couple young adolescents added to the entertainment.

Again after an hour or so watching them play around we headed back to the boat and further motoring up the river - where we then turned off the main part and into a much smaller side tributary. It showed how small it actually was when we came upon a traffic jam. Two boats had tried to pass each other going different ways - and one had become stuck in the plants on the side of the river. Thus we had to pull up and wait while the other boat tried to untangle itself and let the boat going the other way past.

The river here was also crystal clear - the main river is full of mud and very dirty, while this one was so much different. We learn later that the mud in the main river was due to a mine further upstream. Maybe once it use to be as clear as this side channel, unfortunately not any more. Illegal logging, palm plantations and mining all eating into the remaining parts of the rainforest.

But once through that minor issue it was on to Camp Leaky - the main and first research camp in the forest. It had been moved from it's original location (an hour or so walk through the jungle) to a place just past the mandatory boardwalk over the swamp through the forest.

After a relaxing lunch and a bit of lazing around on the boat - it was off to the afternoon feeding at Camp Leaky. This is the main stop on the trip and it did show as there were a lot of Orangutans! Just hanging out in the trees and walking up towards were the feeding platform is.

On the way we ran into King Tom - the big male of the area, and he was HUGE!

Way way bigger then any other Orangutan we had seen. Wouldn't like to run into him in the jungle. We gave him some space and let him lead the way to the feeding platform - every now and then he would stop and look back just to see who was behind him - each time he did that the other orangutans that were walking with us (yes there were Orangutans walking along just behind us) would either stop - or duck into the trees on either side of the path. I guess it is wise not to catch the eye of the king.

A Video of him walking along in front of us...

A Video of him walking along in front of us...

This viewing was the best by far - lots and lots of Orangutans, lots of mothers with babies and they came from the jungle over peoples heads or just walked through the middle of everyone on their way to the platform. You could seem them all hanging back when Big Tom was up on the platform - but as he left - the rest came down and started digging in. It is pretty amazing to get that close and see that many Orangutans, see how they act and different personalities.

A while later it was time to go, and we headed back to the boat for afternoon tea, to relax reading books and do not much else - due to, well there wasn't much else you could do while on the boat. We did string up a hammock so that was good for afternoon naps (we were still jet-lagged at this stage) but other then that - it was just see orangutans, read books, sleep, eat and see Orangutans.

In the morning, our guide walked out with us and stated 'Let's go play with the orangutans'. Which is then basically what we did. First we had to find an Orangutan - and the it was encouraged to come down out of the trees by the promise of rambutans. In the end a mother and baby came down to eat some rambutans, and it turns out orangutans are not good at sharing. The mother kept eating them all and the baby was getting more upset as it did not get any food. In the end we distracted the mother and quickly gave the baby some - which he grabbed and then made a dash for the trees - the mother seeing the baby had managed to get a rambutan then made a dash for the baby - grabbing it and taking the rambutan if the baby had not eaten it by then, causing the baby to throw a temper-tantrum!

This went on for a bit but in the end everyone got some food. While trying to take some photos of these two orangutans - the baby seemed to enjoy tapping people on the head if you got within range! Gave a bit of a shock to get knocked on the head when standing under the orangutans.

After a rest on the boat for morning tea and lunch, it was time to head out for the afternoon feeding - and this time on the way to the station we found a female orangutan who decided that she would like some help to get to the feeding station. So the guide held one had while Margaret held the other hand and off they went with the Orangutan in the middle!

Didn't take long for the weight of the Orangutan to get too much so we had to let her go and walk to the feeding station ourselves. There was a lot more people today, plus a lot more orangutans. Now every day we had been in the jungle it had rained at about midday- pretty much on schedule. Rain only lasted for about 30minutes and was never too heavy. Today however, just as the orangutans had started eating - it started raining and it poured down - heaviest downpour yet! Everyone tried to get under cover - but no one really had much in the way of rain gear - and there was a boat load of tourists who had nothing - they just got soaked! Really wasn't very pleasant way to watch the orangutans, even they started hiding under trees, and making umbrellas out of leaves - they would pull a small branch off a tree and then stick it on their head - very cute even if not very effective. So due to the miserable weather - we decided to head back early towards the boat.

About halfway back we found a young orangutan who was also on it's way along the path - so we stopped to say hello - and then got to feed him and get right up close with him. He was very cute and a little damp - but did love taking the rambutans from us!

Ok this little guy was so cute we had to take more video of him too -

I my have a lot of photos and video (and I have more) but how many chances do you have to get this close to see these animals without fences without people telling you what to do without anyone or anything in your way. The whole trip from the boat, the food, the jungle was incredible add in the Orangutans the lack of people and this trip goes up the list. We have been to a lot of places but there is no places in the world where you can feed and get this close to such amazing animals as you can here in this one and only one part of the world. It is quite incredible when you sit back and think about it. But onwards....

Most of the afternoon it rained so we stuck undercover on the boat - watching monkeys play around on the dock and the occasional orangutan would wonder down to the dock to check things out. Other then that it was just read books, sleep and relax.

Here I could go on about so much more about - the old mother Orangutan who came down to the docks for a cup of coffee in the morning - and then when she had her mug (yes she drank from a mug) would blow on the hot coffee to cool it down before drinking it...I know some people will say - but then they are not wild, they should be wild - they should have no human contact etc - realistically though this jungle has no protection (or very limited) and orangutans only live in two small places in the world, here and Sumatra - we are lucky to have them at all and if one of them drinks coffee from a mug in the morning and causes one more person to challenge and ask for saving this part of jungle then maybe it is worth it - yes not every orangutan should be like this one - but neither should will ignore the fact that this also help save the forest. On the lighter side everyone should read the book "Don't tell my mother I work on the oil rigs, she thinks I am a piano player in a whore house" - cause an orangutan mixing drinks behind a bar in Singapore and then on a oil tanker - well that would have been amazing - not so much conservation wise - but they really are so human and so smart. Watching them hold onto their mothers, getting close to the juveniles, their expressions, actions and emotions - it is nothing different then from what a child would do.

Now back to our trip - after snoozing in hamocks all afternoon, eating afternoon tea, watching orangutans swing in the trees and having a massive dinner we went to bed watching other small monkeys try and get on the boats to steal food....

The next morning it was up early - and off motoring back towards the town. It took about 4 hours - and since it was so nice, cool and early in the morning we sat up on the top deck at the back (not under the roof) and got to laze away for 4 hours moving down the river as the jungle passed on both sides.

A quick thank you to the crew and chef on the boat, and our guide drove us to back to the small airport. once there we started to notice a problem. That 4 hours out on the boat relaxing - well that was 4 hours out in the sun as well. And slowly we were starting to go red....very red. You know those English tourists? Well yes that was us. Two people who we saw a few times in the jungle (they were on another boat) - saw us and said 'Oh, are you two OK? You look really red.' hmm That was a reminder to get the sunscreen out!

And don't forget more photos are here on my flickr sight

You'll love them. Look around.....

Friends come to Visit

03 February 2012 05:22:00

Hello all! Well I guess I better get back to writing some updates before I forget all that has happened.

So we are all the back in September / October I believe - that is a long time ago! So I guess this better be a quick post and a lot of photos to make up for it.

Finally after many years of waiting some friends decided to come over and visit us for a proper trip! Then even got to stay in our new house (even if it was in the living room on the floor) As such late one night I headed out to the airport to pick-up Greg and Ali after their flight over from Australia. During the first week Margaret and I were both working so we just basically helped Greg and Ali with directions and suggestions of places to visit.

We met up with them every night after work - trying to pick different pubs each night of course - which also means we didn't get to most of the good pubs around the place! Just too many. We went to the usual places to show bits of London - the outside bar at coq d'argent (grass on top of a building in the city) Tayabbs in White Chapel - Barnes for an outdoor Sunday Roast with a walk along the Thames tow path to Putney, Tower Bridge at night, it also helped that the weather was still quite sunny and slightly warm so was a good time to be out and about.

We did go to see a show at The National Theatre - War Horse. We had heard good things about the show but did not really know too much about it. After watching it the puppets (the horses) are just amazing - the amount of expression and life they were able to put into them was incredible. Here watch a little promo from the current run (it has moved theatres now)

Anyway - don't go see the over the top sentimental movie - if the stage show comes around your way make sure you see it.

So after a week and a few days of hanging around London we headed on up to Kings Cross and jumped on the Eurostar - and there is only one destination if your on the Eurostar - PARIS! Now you may say .. 'Paris?? Again??' but you would be wrong .. well no you would be right it is Paris again - but this time we managed to go to totally new places we had never been to before! So no it wasn't Paris as it was before - it was Paris AGAIN woohoo!!

We ended up staying in a two bedroom apartment in the 7th - which is near the Eiffel Tower - and in a place with very few hotels or anything, so it did feel mostly local, even if Rue Clare was just around the corner which is a very popular market street. The Rugby World Cup was also on, so lucky for us a cafe down the street was a rugby cafe and had the games on so we could watch them over breakfast! Sorted out perfectly for us!

First day we went into Les Invalides - which contains Napoleon's Tomb and the Military Museum - but on this particular day there was a firefighters awards thing going on. So the main square was filled with lots of people in uniform and lots of fire fighters and the bands. We watched this for a while as people got their awards, a few people collapsed in the heat and sun (it was hot!) and the finally after the awards had been given out - a bizarre gymnastics display followed - as firefighters ran out carrying ladders and parallel bars, the band started marching and doing a marching display - while all these gymnasts climbed ladders and used the parallel bars - really I don't think I will see anything quite like that again.

The Military Museum is HUGE! I am not sure how much we saw of it - but it went on and on and on. Displays through all the ages. Far too much for us to take in all at once... as every time we said - just around this corner must be the end - turn the corner and off into the distance goes the building. Hunger at least got us out of the building - and a quick visit into Napoleon's tomb - a big Tomb for a little man - but it is impressive which I guess was the whole aim.

We tried to visit Rodin Museum only to find the street full limo's, photographers and models - it seems it was Fashion week in Paris and the Museum was being used as a catwalk during the morning. So nothing for it but to drop in for some lunch at a local cafe - where there was a big english bulldog named Sparticus guarding the door - who enjoyed nothing more but licking your feet and ankles as you ate! The Museum was still not open after lunch so we took a detour to a little park and sat in the sun a while till it did open up, finally!

The museum is housed in an old hotel, and has large grounds surrounding it - it is very beautiful - classic French. And thus we walked around the grounds and into the one building to view a lot of Rodin's sculptures - The Thinker, Gates Of Hell, The Kiss and many more.

The next day we wanted to visit Sainte Chapelle - but seeing as the queue for that is always huge - we knew the sort cut - visit the La Conciergerie first! Basically it is all part of the same complex - so you get an entrance ticket for both when you buy one - however if you visit the Conciergerie part first - you get your ticket quickly (no queue) and then get express entrance to Sainte Chapelle.

The quick details on La Conciergerie - a former royal palace and prison in Paris, France, located on the west of the Île de la Cité, near the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. It is part of the larger complex known as the Palais de Justice, which is still used for judicial purposes. Hundreds of prisoners during the French Revolution were taken from La Conciergerie to be executed on the guillotine at a number of locations around Paris, including Queen Marie Antoinette - an interesting visit - and worth going to even if you just use it to skip the queue.

So on to Sainte Chapelle - we skip the massive queue to start, and walk into a secondary minor chapel - which while impressive enough does not prepare you as you walk up the stairs and enter the main building. Basically it is a long thin building the feels like the walls are made from stained glass. All sides almost floor to ceiling are stained glass - another one of those places that we have never seen anything quite like it. Very impressive. The photos don't quite do the light and windows justice but hopefully you get the idea.

Our afternoon then consisted of relaxing in the sunshine in front of the Eiffel Tower with some nice French Wine -

Before heading out to dinner at Le Timbre - which unfortunately for Greg and I was not quite up to the standard we had expected - still the food is never that bad their so who can complain! After the taxi ride back to the apartment we headed out to the Eiffel Tower for the night time show - along with 1000's of other people it appears. Was absolutely packed with people as it felt like a late summers evening.

Finally, Sunday came around and our last stop was - well after a visit to the Madeline Chruch another impressive place we had never seen before - but that was only a quick visit before we headed to the Tuileries to visit Mussee de l'Orangerie which is only really famous for one reason - The Water Lilies by Monet. Also it just so happened that it was the first Sunday of the month which means the museums are all free! Perfect. And the Water Lilies paintings - beautiful - the rooms they are housed in suit them perfectly. Amazing how many times we tried to go here and never made it to see the paintings - glad we could finally see them.

And with that it was the end of Margaret and my Paris trip - Greg and Ali - stayed on for a further two weeks to travel and cycle around France - while we headed back to London and back to work.

Thus when Ali and Greg arrived back in London - it was almost my Birthday - and when it is your Birthday - well you should go to Venice - apparently! So Venice it was!

This time we had booked another apartment as for four people in Venice proper this was the cheapest option - once we managed to pick up the keys from the closed office (it was late at night) and then get dropped at the right dock - displeasing our taxi driver no end as he did not like having to make two stops in his boat - but eventually in the dark and through twisting alleys we found the door to the apartment - in what looked like a construction site of a building. hmmm. And then what followed was none of the key's working in the locks on the door. After Greg and I trying all the keys, different doors - probably waking people up - asking random drunk people strolling down the alley - Margaret and Ali and had enough and walked back to a hotel to ask them for help - they came back with a Italian man, who took our keys - couldn't open the door either - I then took a look at our instructions which I finally saw said 'THE LONG KEY OPENS THE DOOR' in large bold letters. No idea why that wasn't large and bold the first time I read the print out. What do you know - but if you use the large key and force it in and turn - the door opens! So an hour of standing in the cold later we are into our apartment and quickly asleep!

The apartment was located on the Grand Canal - just up from the Rialto Bridge - perfect location - and beautiful view - even looking through the half open shutters as below.

Wake up and see all the traffic on the canal go past, as they start the day - the rubbish boats, the grocery boats, fishing boats, building boats everything just chugging along mixed in with all the tourists.

The four days we spent in Venice we didn't do too much - as last time we did most of the tourist things and we didn't really want to visit all the churches again, we do go to the Doges Palace and the Basilica again - as those are both fairly impressive - especially the Basilica - the mosaic ceiling is incredible.

We also went to the mainland and visited Padua - got lost a lot - but eventually found a nice square to eat lunch in a really hot midday sun! Padua is a nice town - lots of old squares, lots of cobble stones and one of the largest medieval halls - basically it was built like an upside down boat to as they knew how to build boats - just not big buildings it seems.

The main attraction though is the Pontifical Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua.

I describe this place as like the disneyland of catholics. It is just bizarre (well maybe for someone who is not Roman Catholic) basically it is a huge place with signs up all over pointing to various activities you can do ... this way to confession, this way to Relic A, this way to Relic B, come on over here to see this tomb, AND over here we have a priest to talk to, while not to be missed check out these courtyards and rooms - don't forget to donate your money, here, here and here...oh you looked at that .. drop a coin in here....

The place is HUGE too, absolutely massive - we did join a queue and view hundreds of relics - old bones of saints and others encased in gold, silver and covered in gems displayed in this huge 10ft high glass cabinet about 10m long - and that was only one section of things to see in the one of the chapels. We skipped seeing the tomb of St Anthony and the other parts, it was also very busy with people - people obviously taking it more seriously then I was, but it was worth seeing, interesting place and one of the larger working churches we have been too.

The Rugby World Cup Final was on this weekend too - so early one morning - the 4 of us and a whole lot of other people jumped in one of the few pubs showing the game to watch NZ beat France in the final. I don't know - must of the match was in Italian so I probably missed a bit - but I think France had a good shot - NZ almost lost it again. Still was a good match - will see we're we are in 4 years time - I hear it is due to be played in England in 4 years time.

But after 4 days of walking around Venice just looking at the views - and visiting Harry's Bar -

which we had not heard of before (somehow!) where the Bellini was invented - a drink made of sparkling wine (traditionally Prosecco) and peach purée. And while it was invented by Hemingway - Harry's Bar was a favourite haunt of Hemingway - so once again we end up following Hemingway around the world! It was also pretty expensive for a small glass - much easier to buy the pre-mixed bottles of the stuff for half the price!

Thus it was time to head back to London on our nice speedboat - and then it was unfortunately time for Greg and Ali to head back to Australia after one more meal at the local pub of course.

It is about time I catch up.

20 November 2011 12:52:00

Well I am sure a lot has happened in the last six months .. seems it is that long since the last update. So let me see if I can catch up a bit and remember the things that had been going on.

After coming back from Croatia, it was time to get the new house organised - this means spending money which also cuts down on our holiday ability! So people looking for any more holiday updates better skip this post for the next one.

Things we have done:
Got a new 3 seater couch and a one and a half seater chair - very comfortable!
Got the windows draught proofed and one set double glazed - as it is coming into winter this is making a huge difference! The house use to feel slightly cold with a breeze blowing in - now nothing! Fantastic! Plus they got painted at the same time so look all new.

Garden has been looking good all summer - went to Hampton Court Flower show - which is HUGE and bought some more things plus a nice mirror to hang on the wall out the back to give the illusion that the garden isn't just a little box but actually has some size to it.

Although summer here was very very poor - I think it decided not to show up - we did manage a few BBQ's outside in the garden which is really nice. So good to have a little bit of outdoor space to just use for ourselves.

We camped overnight at Wimbledon - joined the Wimbledon queue - so overnight camp, wake up - get a ticket and then enjoy Centre Court! It was a great day, and so well organised considering the amount of people queued up trying to get in. Saw some good tennis and sat out in the sunshine!

Went to Hampton Court Flower show - the biggest in Briton and got some more plants for the garden and bulbs ready for next spring!

In the middle of June, Scott and I (who I use to work with at another job) decided it would be a good idea to ride the London to Southend bike ride. Which ends up being 52miles in total. So while I had just started riding to HSBC (10miles there and 10miles back) each day for work, and Scott rides now and then .. sometimes...we thought sure - how hard can it be!

Plus - a beautiful June summers day - cycle through the countryside, end up at Southend on Sea - meet Margaret and Jamie (our wives who decided not to join us on the ride but take the train to Southend) and then have a nice lunch on the beach before getting the train back to London. Well, it started off bad when Scott couldn't get to the start line due to the trains from his house being out. So he had to ride 10miles to London Bridge where I was waiting in the early morning cold after catching the train there. After we met up we cycled the 2miles to the start line, got lost, cycled a bit more, found some other cyclists and followed them. Got it!

The initial start was a touch annoying as you cycled out of London - busy, cars, lights etc, with a lot of idiots on bikes - only saw one big crash with a lady going down a steep hill and fell off at the bottom, she was not in a good way - but at least a lot of people were around to help out. Slowly it gave way to open fields, the cyclists spread out so it was less dangerous, the sun was out with light overcast conditions so not too hot, all in all a very good day for a ride! The countryside was really nice too, open fields, forests, little villages all in all a very pretty ride.

We did end up having to go single file over a flooded bridge - this caused a HUGE back up of cyclists and it took us probably 30 minutes to get across the bridge from when we hit the back of the queue.

Then it was time to ride, and ride, and ride we did - stopped at some of the rest points to rest the legs, before more riding... seems 52miles is quite a long way. We eventually made the rest stop which we figured was over half way - all downhill from here! Of course this means we are closer to the coast, and sure enough a headwind started up, so for the next 20 odd miles we tried to draft as much as possible from the steady stream of people cycling along. Didn't help much, it was still tough going.

Margaret and Jamie - the wives waiting for us at the finish gave us a ring at the final pit-stop. We won't be long - home stretch. Then as we cycled through the never ending fields - we slow started to get into civilisation. Top of the hill and we could see down into Southend and the sea-side. Unfortunately -this just so happened to coincide with a massive downpour.

It just started to pour down with rain. So the last 30 minutes through the Southend was a bit of a blur as cars turned up and rain belted down. By the time we made it to Margaret and Jamie they looked non to happy. Standing in the rain waiting for Scott and I to finish. However is with nothing like the relief Scott and I had with finishing!

Thus in the pouring rain we organised to meet up again at the restaurant we had chosen for lunch - one of the posh ones on the sea-side in Southend. Scott and I rode down on our bikes - Jamie and Margaret in a taxi. The restaurant itself was in a great location - right on the beach, but really it was more like a cheap cafe instead. Not living up to its advertisement at all. This may have been due to the fact it was also soaking wet outside and we had just gotten changed in the restrooms so we could eat in some form of dry clothes! And it could also be because all we saw of Southend was concrete and roads and nothing appealing at all. The seaside was all amusement arcades and concrete - also it was pouring rain and blowing a gale and cold! We didn't make it to Adventure Island which at least had a giant turtle going for it. Check it out here

After lunch - it was a cycle back to the train station (Margaret and Jamie in a taxi) where-in we arrived at the train station to find - no trains! Yes no trains were leaving from this station - thus we had to find our way to the other train station for another train going into London (Southend has two stations - one main station and a second smaller station going into different London stations) - At least at this station we could get a train to Fenchurch St - and an hour forty five later we made it there - walked to Bank - Margaret and Jamie got on to the tube - and I had to cycle to London Bridge to get an overland train with Scott. Thus I jumped on a train to Clapham Junction that I thought would be quick - only to find it went via Sutton first! So instead of 10 minutes later - an hour later I finally made it home after our easy 52mile nice sunny warm summer cycle!

Still not a Honeymoon part III - Split, Plitvice Lakes and Zadar

14 August 2011 06:24:00

After our trips to Montenegro and Bosnia it was time to check out of our Dubrovnik base and head north up the Croatian coast. So driving once again along the twisty coast raod, through the little section of Bosnia and further north. The coast line the whole way is really nice - although doesn't change much. Little villages along small beaches with beautiful blue water and islands out in the distance. Cars going flying past us - even though I am sure we are probably doing over the speed limit - it is hard to tell since everyone seems to be going rather fast. Our destination for the day is Split, the second largest city in Croatia and one of the biggest ports - destinations for people traveling into and around Croatia, the islands and Italy.

The first thing you should have when driving into a new city, is a map - and not a general road map but a city map. So we used the best thing we had - a tourist map from a tourist brochure - which lead us pretty close to where our hostel was. Unfortunately there was no where to park near by except in the pay parking ferry port. So we kept driving - only to discover there is no parking anywhere in Split. There are cars parked in every little tiny bit of space, on sidewalks, in gardens - any spot that looks like a car might fit into it - a car has fit into it. Which means we drove around for a long time more, before going back to the ferry port and paying to park there.

Our hostel was located in the Old Town - which is not actually an Old Town as you would expect - but is actually built inside a Roman Palace. All the gates and walls are the from the Palace - and some of the buildings inside are the palace buildings others have been built in the ruins, creating streets and squares all inside what was once a palace. You can see the old palace walls behind all these cafes below.

After checking-in and finding a good spot to park the car that was free, we walked around the town. It is full of narrow little streets,lots of bars and a lot of touristy restaurants. Luckily for us - straight outside the door of our hostel (a single room above a shop - rather then a busy hostel) was a local restaurant - fantastic food, hand written menu's and half the price of anywhere else (which are half the price of Dubrovnik!)

The next morning we had organised a walking tour of the old town to learn about the palace. Diocletian's Palace, was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD, the massive palace was built in preparation for his retirement on 1 May 305 AD. The palace has been taken over by the town, with buildings and temples scattered around the place. The main focus points of the palace are a monumental court, called the Peristyle, near the access to the imperial apartments. With Diocletian's mausoleum on the east (now Cathedral of St. Domnius), and to three temples on the west, which are now bars and cafe's mostly - since they did get destroyed in ages past. Also scattered around the Peristyle are Egyptian granite pillars (these seem to show up everywhere - like the massive ones in Istanbul) and several sphinxes. All the gates are also in place, with their defenses - locked passages to trap attackers, archers slots and sharp corners where the defenders would wait in hiding.

So after a full day of walking around Split, climbing the tower

and then an evening trying to find a place to eat and ending up back in the local place opposite our hostel, the next morning we decided to head off and go to Plitvice Lakes, further north and inland.

And this time we got to use the Brand New Motorway - no stops and 120kph! And of course if anyone had been following 120kph means I was doing 140kph and everyone was passing me! Plus the road was empty! It is brand new and a toll road (expensive toll road) but so much quicker then the coast road. We flew up the road - across the mountains...well I lie...we didn't go across the mountains, we went under them! First tunnel was 5km long! And that doesn't start with the other tunnels 3km long and the bridges - huge spans high in the air. Well it is an impressive motorway - so much easier then the twisty coastal roads. We hit the Plitvice region in around 2 hours and headed down the country lanes (after paying around €50 for the pleasure of the motorway) and noticed something - it was cold and green over this side of the mountains! Down near the Mediterranean coast it was dry (green but dry) and warm. Over the mountains - lush, green, wet and cold! Check out the road here.

Not to worry we drive into Grabovac where our hotel is for the night, which Margaret would like to announce was more like it belonged in a horror movie. Slightly isolated, cottage, no one around - one guy waiting for us to welcome us - no one else at all is staying there, no one else is one the streets around... slightly disconcerting. We had dinner at a recommended place up the road in another village - which happy to say the restaurant was full of people. It seems this area is full of little villages, with hotels/house-stays, everyone goes walking in the National Park leaves and goes to these big restaurants that are dotted along the main road - and there are a lot.

The next morning we woke bright and early to get to Plitvice Lakes National Park for the day - what did we see in the morning light? Well not much - it was fog - just fog and rain. Oh well we come prepared - gore-tex on and we are off.

The start of the walk is on top of a cliff - which provides a absolutely amazing view of the main lakes - we know this because we saw the brochure - what we saw was white - just white fog filling the valley. I could hear waterfalls though! I admit in the afternoon was we walked back - the clouds had cleared and we saw that spectacular view - it was worth it!

I guess I should just describe the what Plitvice lakes is - basically it is 16 lakes running down the length of a valley, all connected by hundreds of waterfalls! The rock is limestone and calcium - so big deposits build up form waterfalls, collapse form new waterfalls and on and on. The water is the most incredible colour - that blue green that comes from all the limestone - absolutely amazing. We spent the day following the trails (you get a map) catching boats (only way to get up the end of the big lake) and a train-bus (only way to get back from the end of the lakes) but basically walking and walking - photos don't do it justice - but only way to even come close to describing what it looked like.

I did like when we had lunch at the far end of the walk - they also had on sale homemade rum, homemade vodika, homemade wine - ah I should have tried them just to see what they actually tasted like!

So after walking all day - we went to a trout farm for dinner which some people mentioned to us that we ran into a few times around the lakes. What it was is basically a island on a river, with the water running, around and through the village (and through a house or two - just built the house into the river!) at the end over a couple bridges was a trout farm/bar/restaurant - not the best food but a bizarre place to eat.

The next morning we awoke to a clear sunny day of course and headed off to our next stop - Zadar - which it turns out was our best stop (well I liked it) of the trip. There isn't anything you can pinpoint to, it was just a nice place - not over the top like Dubrovnik, smaller and less busy with more places to eat then Split while still having massive Roman Ruins, marble streets and all the rest.

Zadar sits out on a peninsular a harbor on one side, ocean on the other and surrounded by walls - good fortification! The land gate has a Venetian Lion over the top of it - showing that Venice did get into those fortifications and took over Zadar for a period. (Venetian lions all have wings)

Our apartment this time was across the pedestrian bridge that goes over the harbor - just above a pizza shop (of course) and as chance would have it - we where the first people EVER to stay there! The owner had just opened (well bought and was fixing 3 rooms) so ours was the first one ready - and it was spectacular! So well built - huge room, kitchen - everything - plus so close to Zadar Old Town with a great view over the harbor! Not forgetting the weddings they had in the hall next to us - followed by hours of diving in circles honking horns - this must be a done thing - cause wedding party after wedding party drove around in circles around Zadar!

The two most unusual attractions you will find in Croatia are at Zadar - The Sea Organ and the Sun Salutation. Both are really nothing to look at but are totally amazing at the same time. The Sea Organ - is a series of steps and pipes that plays 'music' as the waves from the ocean wash past. Just wait till a ship passes!! It is a haunting sound - rises and falls with the waves - but something you can listen to for a good while - I won't say for hours - and I can't imagine living near by - as there is no way to turn it off. The waves never stop!

Listen to the Sea Organ here:

The Sun Salutation is a big circular disc filled with solar panels in the ground right next to the sea organ. During the day it is just a big disc - at night a spectacular light display comes on! Very very cool! There is so much sun, all the lights on the sea front are powered by the sun salutation! A light show and music all in one!

On our next day in Zadar we decided to head to one of the Croatian Islands - one we could drive to just near by - Pag. For a thousand years it has produced salt on Pag, and has plenty of salt pans to show for it - but the most incredible thing is - the place is a desert - you drive there with trees and green and all the normal plants, suddenly there is a bridge and nothing - just desolate - a complete micro-climate on Pag. Besides the salt they also have sheep and make a distinctive cheese - which is almost impossible to buy - as they only sell it on Pag (or so I guessed as we hardly saw it in Pag Town or anywhere else) I think the sheep hardly eat anything, so hardly any cheese is made - thus they keep it all to themselves.

And with that and a few more walks around Zadar - eating in the sunshine on the harbor - so many places to eat in Zadar and so cheap with such good food - but it was time for the long drive back to Dubrovnik to fly home.

Only this time - if you remember how we have no idea what the currency is of Bosnia - well on the way home, we stopped for Petrol - just so happened we had passed the boarder into Bosnia on the coast road - and suddenly had to pay some amount in some currency and they didn't take card.... we made it back to Dubrovnik .... and I have still no idea what currency they use in Bosnia.