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How to do the Mount Cook Park in One Day

by Filed Under: Travel

Mount Cook is New Zealand’s highest mountain at 12,218 feet.  It sits in Aoraki Mount Cook National park, and its elevation is low by world standards (Mt. Everest is over 29,000 feet.)  It is still, though, one of the most imposing and intimidating peaks for climbers in the world.

Mount Cook

You really need weeks to see the park well, but if you only have one day, may we make a suggestion.  We suggest hiking the Hooker Valley Trail.

We visited Aoraki Mount Cook National Park in the heart of the Southern Alps to get a closer look at Mount Cook.  Here there are 18 more peaks over 10,000 feet high.

Mount Cook and other Peaks Nearby

What Makes Mount Cook So Difficult to Climb

It’s the weather which is usually horrible–that is the weather up there on its peak.  Massive amounts of snow fall year round.   Its glaciers and snowfields are extensive with frequent avalanches.  Its rugged terrain is rocks and ice.

During the short time we were there, we watched several snow storms move over its peak.

Mount Cook’s vertical rise is about 10,000 feet on either side of its range, a long and tiring approach.

Mount Cook on the other side of the Hooker Valley from our hotel.

Mt Cook helped Sir Edmund Hillary, New Zealand’s most famous mountaineer, hone his climbing skills in preparation for his conquest of Mount Everest.  He tackled Mount Cook in 1949.

Our Personal Experience

We spent two days in New Zealand’s Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.  Our hotel was on one side of the McKenzie Basin and on every side of the basin the Southern Alps scraped the sky.

The Hermitage Hotel in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

 

We had these landscape views in every direction from our hotel room.

On the second day we took a day hike up the Hooker Valley Trail, a six mile (round trip) trail, though we didn’t realize it at the time. All we knew at the time was that the pamphlet said it was a three hour trail.  We thought, “a piece of cake.”

Our hotel in the foreground and the Hooker Valley between it and Mount Cook

We think they meant it was three hours return from the trail head and not from the hotel because it took us over six hours to make the entire hike, but what a glorious walk it was.  When we added to the trail the walk between the trailhead and our hotel, this was an additional two miles one way.

We walked through much different terrain between the hotel and the campground.

On the Hooker Trail itself we walked on a well groomed path over basically flat terrain, past alpine streams, through desert terrain, and below glaciers in the shadow of Mount Cook.  The mountain is called Aoraki by the Maori and the park is called the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.  The Maori are New Zealand’s native or earliest people.

Chuck on the Hooker Valley Trail

We had views of the Mueller Glacier, Hooker Lake, and Mount Cook all the way.

Lake Mueller

We crossed over three suspension bridges with glorious views in all directions.

2nd Suspension Bridge on the Hooker Valley Trail

This was a walker’s paradise, and I thought several times of my walks with my father over the earlier years of my life.  The two of us walked trails all over America, usually in the early morning hours before my Mom and sister awakened.  We were campers, and we stayed a lot in national parks.  What a great tradition he left me.

Hooker Valley Trail

The scenery here is alpine in the purest sense with its skyscraper peaks, spectacular glacier views, and permanent snow fields.  At night this valley is also a magnificent place to star gaze, a Dark Sky Reserve.

The park sits beside Lake Pukaki.  Within the park is the kea, the only alpine parrot, which we failed to see here but would see later in another part of New Zealand.

Later on the Hooker Trail we hiked past the surreal streams and milky lakes, whose suspended, glacier-ground rock sediment makes the water opaque, a surreal greenish turquoise color.

Hooker Lake with its icebergs.

We went all the way to the end of the trail overlooking a closer view of Mount Cook and the glacial Hooker Lake with its floating ice.

The End of the Hooker Valley Trail

Of course, the walk back was equally scenic but we really felt the miles about mile ten near the White Horse Hill Camp Ground.  My dogs were barking, and we both felt bereft when we realized that there was no shuttle back from the campground to our hotel.  We still had two miles to go, the sun was going down, and it was beginning to get cold.

The Heritage Hotel as seen from the White Horse Hill Campground

A word of caution about clothing, food, and water, though.  Take a packed lunch.  We did, and the rest break turned out to be perfect.  We also took a small bottle of wine and some cheese.  We stopped about 4 p.m. for another good break.

In addition, we layered our clothing.  I got chilly especially on the way back as the sun went down, but had a lined rain jacket to layer over my thin sweater.  So check your weather before leaving.  Finally, take enough water.  We stayed hydrated.

Layering was important. The weather changed several times on the trail.

This turned out to be Chuck’s favorite part of the entire trip.  It was my second favorite, right up there with the Great Barrier Reef.  If you only have one day here.  Park at the campground and take this trail.  What a wonderful walk!

A late afternoon view of the Hooker Valley Trail with a snow storm approaching Mount Cook in the distance.

The Real Truth about Christchurch

by Filed Under: Travel

Christchurch is a distinctly English city in New Zealand located on the eastern coastal side of its South Island, but it also has European influences with much Gothic Revival architecture.  However, Christchurch is much more than its façade.  To really know Christchurch one has to examine its people especially in light of their fortitude, tenacity, and perseverance.

A River Runs Through It

A river runs through Christchurch called the Avon, but it wasn’t named after any of the three Avons in England.  Instead it was named after another one in Scotland, the River Avon.  Apparently, New Zealand has a lot of Scottish people who migrated here in the 1800s, who fled Scotland for religious purposes.   The city itself, though, was named after Christ Church, Oxford, in England.

By the way Avon is a welsh word which basically means river, so the translation of the River Avon or Avon River is simply ‘river river’.

The Earthquakes of 2010 & 2011

Christchurch suffered a series of earthquakes between 2010 and 2012, with the worst a magnitude 7.1 in 2010.  Six months later another one at 6.2 struck the city, and over 185 people were killed when thousands of its already damaged buildings collapsed.  There were several more earthquakes which followed.

Since then, an ongoing recovery took place, and Christchurch continues to rebuild.  The city is a true phoenix rising from the ashes.

Down every street one sees construction as they replace the destroyed buildings.

Many of its Gothic Revival buildings were destroyed but many survived and are being reconstructed or rebuilt.  Even now seven years later all over the city we saw cranes working to put back what was lost.

An example of their gothic revival architecture at one of their boys schools. One sees cranes everywhere.

At the centre of the city is Cathedral Square with its iconic Anglican church which was also greatly damaged during the earthquakes.

Their cathedral right after the earthquake and before the clean up. Photo by Wikipedia.

Temperatures on our day there averaged about 65 degrees and our evenings in the low 40s.  It is October but it’s spring here and like early April back in the states.  Flowers were everywhere.

A College Town

We observed several campuses initially believing these were universities but learning later that they were state and high end private boys and girls high schools. They have names like St. Thomas of Canterbury College and St. Andrew’s College.  Also in Christchurch is the University of Canterbury.

A True Remembrance

On the Avon River is a small park with an interesting piece of structure by the river’s edge.  We learned that New York City sent a piece of our Twin Tower’s wreckage as a gift to the city of Christchurch.  The memorial at water’s edge commemorates the 343 NYFD firemen who lost their lives.  Both cities experienced major disasters and feel a bond.

The Avon River

Finally, we visited their botanical gardens before leaving for Mt. Cook.

 

Christchurch Botanical Gardens

Springtime in New Zealand is beautiful especially in these gardens which were founded in 1863.

What’s Better: Australia or New Zealand?

by Filed Under: Travel

So what are the differences between Australia and New Zealand?  Actually, there is little comparison.  Both are islands and both are in the Southern Hemisphere. In addition, both were British colonies, but that’s about it.  Here’s a comparison showing how much they actually differ.

Map by Wikipedia showing Australia to the left and New Zealand to the right, both down under the world.

A Penal Colony vs. A Religious Colony

Here’s one great difference.  Australia was a penal colony, a place where England unloaded its burgeoning prison population.  New Zealand began its European settlement as a religious colony.  Maybe it was a good thing that the two countries are over 1,200 miles apart with the Taxman Sea in between.

Governments

Another great difference is how they are governed.  Australia’s governmental bodies are somewhat similar to America.  There are states with state governments, and a prevailing central government over all.  In New Zealand there is only one central government with a unicameral legislative body, a parliamentary democracy.  Both, though, are constitutional monarchies.

Climate

Climate wise they are very different.  New Zealand has glaciers, fertile soils, mountains, lakes, and coastal plains and seems to be as green as Ireland, maybe because it was spring when we visited.

New Zealand (North Island)

Australia though is tropical at one end and arid and dry in its vast middle.  There are deserts and long-term droughts.  New Zealand has droughts but they are short-term.

Australia in the Outback down in a canyon near Alice Springs

Demographics

Australia has over 24 million people in a country of almost 3 million square miles, while New Zealand has less than 5 million who live in a little under 103,000 square miles.  Over 4.5 million Australians live in the greater Melbourne area  alone, which is about the total population for all of New Zealand.  Australia’s GDP per capita is almost $54,000.  New Zealand’s is almost $43,000.  In comparison the US’s is over $59,000.

Economy

Australia’s primary export is minerals (global coal) and New Zealand’s is agricultural (dairy products and meat). Australia’s minerals are owned by its government. Australians may own land but their government holds all the mineral rights on the privately owned lands.

Land in Australia is primarily owned by its governments to the tune of 72% of all land. Thirteen percent is owned by the aborigines and 15% by private landowners. I could find no land ownership estimates for New Zealand other than a ban on land ownership by foreigners.

Natural Disasters

New Zealand has major earthquakes. Australia natural disasters include cyclones, bush fires, and floods.

Languages

Both countries primarily speak English but New Zealand also speaks Maori, though Maoris only make up 8% of the total population.  The indigenous people of Australia make up less than 1% of its population.

 

So what’s better is relative to us individually.  Some will love Australia, especially those who like urbanity and the finer multi-cultural things of life, and others will prefer New Zealand for its long vistas and pastoral way of life.    I liked them both because they were so different.

Four Terrific Ways to See Sydney

by Filed Under: Travel

Our last stop in Australia was Sydney.  After the remote Outback and steamy Queensland, Sydney was a breathe of fresh air literally.  It was a cool 55 degrees when we got there, though the days’ temperatures rose to a comfortable 70 degrees.

Sydney is the state capitol of New South Wales, Australia’s largest city, but not its capitol city.  Greater Sydney sits on Australia’s eastern coastline on the Tasman Sea with over five million people living in the city and over 650 suburbs.

Sydney, Australia

The explorer James Cook found it in the 1770s but Australia’s indigenous people had already been here over 30,000 years before him.  We spent two days exploring the city.

Sydney’s Harbor Bridge

Sydney is built around a wonderful natural harbor, and this bridge built in 1932 is a focal point of the city.  The views of the city from the bridge were awesome.

The Sydney Harbor Bridge as seen from outside the Sydney Opera House

The steel-through arch bridge crosses between Syndey’s central business district and its north shore suburbs with lanes that carry rail, vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

Sydneysiders (that is what they call themselves) nicknamed the bridge “The Coathanger.”

For the really adventurous, one can climb the bridge from the south side for $400.  Climbers wear special clothing and are attached to the bridge by a wire.

They climb in groups with a guide the upper eastern arch of the bridge to the summit, cross to the western side and then descend down the upper western arch.  It takes about 3 1/2 hours.  There were no takers from our group.

We’re told the best views of the city are from this climb.  Still no takers.

The Sydney Opera House as seen from under the Sydney Harbor Bridge

Sydney Opera House

Opera House might be in its name but the center is a multi-venue performing arts center sitting on a promontory in Sydney Harbor.  Its distinctive modern expressionism architecture makes it an iconic Sydney focal point, and a visit and tour became one of the highlights of visiting the city.

The Sydney Opera House as seen from the city.

Outside are pre-cast concrete shells covered in tiles which are striking in the sun.  The building itself covers over four acres.

The inside of the center is made of glass curtains and Australian birch.  Walls are also of pink granite.  We loved its lines and views of the harbor.

Inside the Sydney Opera House

It houses several theatres, a playhouse, a recording studio, gift shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.  We had lunch there and enjoyed the views of the city, its harbors, and its harbor bridge.

Having a drink at the Sydney Opera House overlooking the Harbor Bridge.

Originally estimated at $7 million, the finished Opera House cost $102 million in 1973.

Harbor Tour & Luncheon

One great way to tour the city is from the harbor.  We took a harbor boat tour and viewed many of its suburbs from the water.  Later, we took a bus and toured the suburbs from within.

Sydney Harbor and its boat traffic as seen from the Sydney Opera House

Walking Tours

Of course, the best way to view Sydney was on our own by foot.  We found its downtown streets to be clean and safe, even at night.  It is full of good restaurants and shops, too.

One of Sydney’s Parks

The street in front of our hotel within walking distance of Sydney Harbor, the Harbor Bridge, and the Opera House.

What’s the Difference Between Uluru and Ayers Rock?

by Filed Under: Travel

The difference between Uluru and Ayers Rock is nothing except the former was named by the Aborigines and the later by the Europeans who came later.  Located 280 miles from Alice Springs, we took a bus.

The bus trip provided the means to see more of the Outback.  On the way we saw cattle with no fences, wild camels with no boundaries, and a place that breeds camels and allowed us to take a ride.

He rides a little high

It is estimated that there are over 300,000 feral camels in Australia.  They were brought here in the 1800s for colonization of the Outback.  They have done quite well surviving here.

But what goes up, must come down.

We got to Uluru in time to celebrate sunset at the rock with a champagne reception.

Martin, Chuck and Cindy in front of Uluru

Uluru is a sandstone formation in the center of the Outback.  It is a holy place for the Anangu tribe of Australia’s aboriginal people.  It wasn’t even seen by the Europeans until 1873.  They renamed it Ayers Rock.

Uluru

Today it stands over 1100 feet high in the desert, but it once stood at the bottom of the sea.  It is estimated to be over 600 million years old.

Uluru is a beautiful backdrop for photography

The monolith is over 2 miles long and 1.2 miles wide.  It was formed as the hard rock of a mountain left over from the erosion of the softer parts of the mountain.  It has a lot of iron, thus its red color.

Its rock formation make it special.

The next day we visited the rock, learning about the dreamtime (creation) stories that the formations describe for the local tribe.  It also made a wonderful place for photography.  Uluru is located in the Uluru/Kata-Tjuta National Park.

In this creation story the rocks form the body of a large snake. His head is above his body, which is above the people walking below.

The next day we traveled to another nearby rock formation called Kata-Tjuta/the Olgas.  This was a group of dome shaped rocks, one of which was over 1,700 feet high.  The rocks were once parts of a single monolith.

Chuck in front of Kata-Tjuta

I was impressed that my youngest daughter knew all about Uluru.  I had never heard of it.  I loved it, but Chuck after seeing the second formation said, “I think I’ve seen enough rocks now.”

 

 

The Real Truth About Australia’s Deadly Animals

by Filed Under: Travel

Australia is known for its vicious, biting, dangerous wildlife.  It has deadly animals that want to bite you if not kill you.  When someone lists the top most dangerous creatures in the world, Australia’s top the list.

We visited the Alice Springs Reptile Center so we could get a quick lesson in what to stay away from, what not to do, or what to do, especially if we get bitten, most especially by the King Brown Snake, which is where I’ll begin.

The Brown Snake

The center explained that most people are bitten by the latter, because they either try to kill it or they find themselves standing on it.  The snake, though, can be aggressive, meaning he will attack by chasing you until he bites you; and he is the second deadliest snake in the world.

Brown Snake, photo by Wikipedia

We were told to stand still if one is too close until it slithers away, even if he decides to slither across your shoes.  Everything in my being, if not in my raising, told me that this is ill-fated advice at best, totally opposite of the way I was raised.  Running like hell is what we Florida kids did instinctively.

The Reptile Center also told us to wear long slacks and no sandals, which was most of my wardrobe.  It seems this snake’s fangs are microscopic and probably won’t reach your leg if your slacks aren’t tight.  So much for my narrow legged ankle pants in the Outback.

By the way Australia has the first most venomous snake, too.  He just didn’t happen to live in an area we visited.

Box Jelly Fish

Another deadly creature is the almost invisible box jelly fish, with his long tentacles and venom that causes a person’s heart to stop.  They are so prevalent that people only swim on the north shore in areas with nets for protection.

Box Jellyfish, photo by Wikipedia

 

Spiders

My Mama would have hated this place, because Australia has over 520 species of spiders, most of which are extremely poisonous, including the world’s most venomous–the funnel web.  The latter likes to hang out in your shoes.

Funnel Web Spider, photo by Wikipedia

The Saltwater Croc

I mentioned the saltwater crocodile earlier.  All I can say is that this archaic thing not only can eat you but even looks like he wants to eat you.  Our alligators here in Florida look like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm next to this unholy looking thing.  He looks like an alligator that is demon possessed.  Up on the north shore they rule the roost up there with hardly any predators, and they will eat almost anything.

Saltwater Crocodile, photo by Wikipedia

We were told that he responds to vibration, thus the instructions to stay away from the banks of rivers, streams, beaches, mangroves, you name it.  One minute you think you are all alone, and the next minute you’re his dinner.  Actually he really doesn’t like the taste of you, but you are big enough that he wants you dead.

Other Things that Can Kill

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  There are also poisonous centipedes, snails, octopi, and fish, to name a few.  Even the Outback itself crisscrossed by remote uninhabited hot, dry miles and miles of roads with no service stations, towns, or civilization can be a problem for the unsuspecting.  Did I say hot?  It gets up to 122 degrees out there in the summer which is in December/January.  All kinds of things can happen out there.

The Mighty Cassowary

There is a bird called the Cassowary that goes around kind of mad at the world and will chase you down and beat you up, maybe even kill you if given the chance.  Somewhat like ostriches and emus, he grows to six feet tall and can run 31 mph.  A cousin to the raptors as seen in Jurassic Park, Cassowaries are smart, can jump five feet, can swim, and will find you.  You cannot hide.

Cassowary

The fauna of Australia are truly interesting.  Of course, marsupials are not mammals; and before it was inhabited Australia had lots of the former but hardly none of the later.   Australia has over 200 species of marsupials native to the continent, a very ancient land, one of the oldest in the world.  It has shallow soils, and its marsupials can survive better here than our mammals.

Believe me.  This is a strange land down under here.  I never encountered any of these varmints, but it wasn’t because I wasn’t looking…all the time.

 

 

 

 

What No One Told You About “Waltzing Matilda”?

by Filed Under: Travel

In the Australian Outback, there’s a School of the Air and also the Royal Flying Doctors Service.  Both were established because people living in these remote and isolated conditions lack medical services and educational services.  We also learned the meaning behind the song “Waltzing Matilda”.

The School of the Air is the largest classroom in the world serving over 521,000 square miles, double the size of Texas.  Enrolment is for pre-school, primary, and middle.

It provides educational materials and personal communication with parents and home tudors.  It began using radio to provide education for these children but now use satellite, email, and home tutors.  We watched a teacher doing a class live with students from a studio in Alice Springs.

An Air Teacher in Her Classroom. The TV Monitor at top left shows what the students see.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is an air ambulance service for these people.  They take the finest care to the furthest corners so that any who lives, works, or travels in the remote areas of the Outback can enjoy the best of health.

We toured the inside of one of these planes.

We also saw a live map of where these planes were currently serving throughout Australia.

That evening, we went to a Bush Bar-B-Q where the cooking was done in dutch ovens near a banked fire.  We also learned about the stories behind some of their more familiar folk ballads.

Did you know that “Waltzing Matilda” was a story about a drifter (or swagman) who was waltzing with his matilda (his bedroll or swag) one lonely night by a billabong, a pond while waiting for his billy to boil.  His billy was a pot.

Anyway, he killed a jambuck, a sheep, which belonged to someone else.  When three police came for him, he fled into the pond and drowned.

The singer also said that “waltzing matilda” has a double meaning, as the drifter carries or this thing he calls matilda on his back as he wanders from place to place.  So now you know the rest of the story.

Listening to Australian Ballads

The singer said that many Australians believe it should be their national anthem, but folks are worried that a national anthem about a drifter who commits suicide may not be entirely appropriate.

Our Bush Bar-B-Que

Still, though, it is a beautiful song; and it was a wonderful evening.

Five Surprising Facts About the Outback

by Filed Under: Travel

All of Australia’s Outback from the semi-arid south to the tropical north have several things in common–a low human population; amazingly large, intact natural areas; and an economy that depends on a pastoral lifestyle where livestock relies on the Outback’s natural environment or mining.

Cattle run free, and apparently there are no fence laws in this area of the Outback.

The next day we flew from Cairns to the Outback, the vast, remote interior of Australia.  This part of the Outback is called the “red centre” and is arid.  We flew into Alice Springs, just about the geographical center of Australia.

It is obvious why this is called the ‘Red Centre’ of Australia’s Outback.

The Australian Aborigines came to this island continent over 65,000 years ago and are probably closer related to the people from New Guinea, the Philippines, and India.

One of our group sits down to negotiate for a piece of art with an Indigenous Australian.

We learned that as hunter/gatherers, they are especially adept at finding naturally occurring food in the Outback.  Though with much effort, they know exactly when, where, and how to find what is edible.

The men were especially good at hunting and slipping up on their non-suspecting prey.  We learned how to throw a boomerang (one that is nonreturnable) to bring down a kangaroo, one of their food sources.

One of the men demonstrated, and then we all got to try our hand at throwing a boomerang at a target.

We also learned about several of their other tools and weapons.

This one was used in war. The pointed part could eviscerate an enemy or brain them. It was used like a tomahawk.

By the way we did not see any kangaroos in the wild.  In this area there is a severe drought, and the kangaroos have moved on to areas with more water.

Most communities in this area were nomadic, moving seasonally and often according to food sources.  They were always in search of the scarce food sources. We visited a small village to see how they built their structures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, we had an opportunity to buy some Aboriginal art.  Their art tells a story mostly about their culture.

Mary with a piece of her art, which was for sale. The fruit was called desert tomatoes. The U and / are women. The / is her digging stick, used to find food in the ground such as roots, etc. If the U had two straight parallel lines by it, then it is a man. A simple U means people. Their art told their stories before they could write.

What No One Tells You About the Great Barrier Reef

by Filed Under: Travel

The Great Barrier Reef is actually over 2,300 reefs in one giant coral reef system running approximately 1,400 miles along the northeastern shore of Queensland, Australia in the Coral Sea.

One of the 900 islands on the Great Barrier Reef seen from the air on our first day.

Queensland is like one of our states.  The reef sits about an hour and a half by boat from the city of Cairns.  Our group of 20 individuals took a catamaran out on a fairly rough day at sea.  The rain limited our visibility for photos but not for exploring.

Our Catamaran Trip to the Reef

The views looking back at the mainland were awesome.  This coastline of Australia had mangroves, humidity and palm trees like Florida.  Unlike Florida, though, it also had mountains and saltwater crocs.

We snorkeled wearing wet suits, because of a particularly bad jelly fish.  We swam out from Michaelmas Cay.

We found the diversity of life on the reef to be amazing.  Two of my most exciting moments was swimming over a giant clam…

and having a very large manta ray swim under me.

And all the other sea life!

We also took a submarine type boat to see another part of the reef in this area.

By the end of this trip, this was by far my favorite day!

A Train to Karanda

by Filed Under: Travel

On day 2 in Australia, we traveled by train through dense rainforests, past spectacular waterfalls, and beside deep ravines.

Kuranda Scenic Railway

The railroad was built in the late 1880s.  We traveled through 15 tunnels and over 37 bridges.  Since we were near the coast, we also had views of the sea as well as the fields around the area.

Queensland near the northern coast of Australia

Kuranda is a village in the rainforest on the northern coast of Australia near Cairns.  We ate lunch in the village and returned by skyrail.

A Sky Ride Above the Rainforest

That evening we had dinner together on the roof of our hotel with the rest of the group from Georgia Tech.

Our Rooftop View

Then each of us got to hold a koala and have our picture made.

My Moments with a Real Live Koala

The minute they hand you the koala, he hangs on for dear life as if giving you a caressing hug.  It was so sweet.

A Koala Handler