vacation – Page 12 – Tales and Travel

Misadventures in New Zealand

Swimming with dolphins, kayaking on the open sea, hiking along the shore, plus visits to wineries and fabulous meals. My kind of trip.

It was the Marlborough Nelson pre-trip on our voyage to New Zealand last November to attend the convention of the Society of American Travel Writers.

The food and wine were over the top. Dolphins and kayaks – another story.

“These are very sturdy kayaks. No one has ever capsized on one of my trips,” our perky kayak guide assured us as we prepared to put the boats in the frigid Pacific. Maladroit Bob and Leah had obviously not been on one of her trips.

We were the retards in the group of six or so kayaks – always way behind the others. He (Bob) kept yelling at me to switch the paddle to the other side, to dig the oar deeper into the water. I must admit, I was not adept with the blasted paddles. And, I was always a bit nervous as I feared we were holding the others back, so I constantly tried to paddle faster and faster which was exhausting and left my arms throbbing. The scenery, however, was stupendous.

We held our own until we had to round a point to get back to shore. The winds were strong, so strong we weren’t moving, even though we were paddling hard. The guide explained how we could use the paddle as a sail – just hold it up and the wind would blow us forward. Bob was screaming at me, “Paddle left, Paddle left.” As I switched to the left, a gust caught the paddle and over we went.

A rude shock. 12 degrees C. ( 54 degrees F.) water is none too pleasant, but I popped right up and out of the kayak. Where was Bob? I was concerned as he does not know how to swim. Fortunately he popped up instantly too. Nonetheless I panicked. My camera, my precious new Canon Rebel? It was in one of those waterproof bags strapped to the boat, but I was devastated, convinced it had drowned.

How to get back in the kayak which had righted itself? The guide, no doubt eating her words, arrived at the scene of disaster and told us to turn the kayak upside down to empty it of water. I refused, certain this would spell death for my camera if in fact it had survived. I told her to help Bob, and that I could swim to shore which did not seem that far off. She was adamant – no way should I swim. So, she gave us instructions and somehow, but with great effort and none too gracefully, we managed to manipulate our soaked and freezing bodies into the boat. Then, she instructed us to pump the water out. We pumped and paddled, but we were trembling with cold and making little progress. Finally another guide came and towed us to shore (farther away than I thought – good I did not swim).

I could not stop shivering, but once on shore I ripped open the bag with the camera. Unbelievable. It was OK. Bob’s expensive sunglasses did vanish to the bottom of the sea. My prescription sunglasses, which I had been wearing, managed to stay on my head. Another miracle.

We had been toId to bring an extra set of clothing. Certain that it would not be required, I only brought a pair of jeans — better than nothing, but more was needed. Others in the group lent us T-shirts and sweaters. Nonetheless, we quivered from the cold for what seemed like ages… (This kayak catastrophe brought back memories of our failed attempt at dancing lessons. There, too, we were the duds in the group. We best stick to bicycling.)

Then there was the boat excursion to swim with dolphins. The lovely creatures were sure to appear, we were told. Those in the group who planned to plunge into the freezing water, this time about 14 degrees C ( 57 degrees F.) , were given wet suits. Bob, not a swimmer, passed on this adventure.

The boat trip was scenic, and eventually we spotted dolphins. The playful creatures followed right alongside the boat, jumping and soaring out of the water at times. Watching them was thrilling. Swimming with them would be even better.

The boat captain maneuvered the craft to get ahead of the dolphins, then we were told to jump in. As dolphins are said to be curious and like humans, they were supposed to come and join us in the water. We were told to make noise, to sing, through the snorkel mouth piece. This would surely attract the dolphins.

Nine bodies swimming around in frigid waters emitting bizarre sounds. It was comical. The wet suit did help, but after awhile, the cold penetrated. We swam and sang, but the dolphins did not show up, so one by one we’d get back on board. This ritual was repeated four different times as the captain tried yet again and again to position the boat where he thought the dolphins would be. And, time after time, we plunged into the icy water for naught.

The dolphins were nearby. Why didn’t they join us? According to one of the guides, they were probably mating, and sex was more exciting than a bunch of crazy humans. Can’t say I blame them.

Not all was amiss on our excursion in the Marlborough and Nelson regions which are at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. Marlborough is the country’s largest wine-growing region, especially known for sauvignon blanc. We visited several beautiful wineries where we tasted and savored some excellent vintages.

We also enjoyed a delicious boat excursion to mussel beds Lunch was on board – a feast of succulent greenshelled mussels, the best I’d ever tasted.

And, we had a delightful overnight stay at the Lochmara Lodge Wildlife Recovery Center. The lodge is accessible only by boat. Hiking trails lead up in the hills above the cluster of buildings, offering super views, as well as interesting outdoor art and sculptures en route. www.lochmaralodge.co.nz

Watch the slide show below for more photos of New Zealand. And, try the recipe for “Two Cheese Spinach and Mushroom Casserole” listed in the column at right. It’s a winner – and easy to prepare.

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Meandering around Melbourne

This was the best part of our visit to Australia. It’s all due to the warm and generous hospitality of our friends Meg and Brendan Downie who took great pains to show us the sights and treat us to excellent meals and superb wines, not to mention comfortable accommodations at their attractive home in Donvale outside the city.

We met Meg and Brendan years ago when we lived in Germany where we were members of the Porsche Club. I had a Porsche 944 (considered by many not to be a real Porsche), but it was my baby, my pride and joy, which I drove for 17 happy years. Brendan had both a Porsche 356 and 911. He still has these, and a 1936 Ford. Attendance at a Porsche event was a highlight of our visit.

Plus, a spectacular drive through the Mornington Peninsula, the Yarra Valley, a visit to an animal sanctuary, an aborigine art gallery and more.

During a visit downtown, I had the opportunity to talk to John McGaw, senior business development manager with Destination Melbourne. “I’ve worked in the tourism and wine industry for years,” he said. “I’ve lived in Syndey, Adelaide and now Melbourne. I prefer Melbourne. It’s such a friendly city. Everything is easy here…We’re a shopping and dining capital.” The city has 80 different kinds of ethnic restaurants, he pointed out.

According to John, Melbourne, a city of almost four million, was just voted “the world’s most livable city.” “It’s as safe a city as you’ll find anywhere,” he boasted. Tourism is important to the multi-cultural city, with China considered the largest future market, followed by India. Then there’s Greece. John said that Melbourne has the second largest population of Greeks after Greece. “They’ve been coming here for 40 years.” The city’s Greek Quarter, as well as Chinatown, is fun to visit. For Vietnamese fare, there’s Victoria Street lined with noodle shops and grocery stores.

The downtown is lively, vibrant, with street entertainers, hucksters, and plenty to admire, including 50 shopping arcades, the oldest, the Black Arcade, dating to 1892. John recommended we visit an old world Victorian tea shop whose window was filled with luscious pastries. The place is so popular, we had to stand in line to wait for a seat.

Federation Square is an innovative mix of glass and steel structures with shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars — and the venue for some 2,000 events every year. Docklands on Victoria Harbor offers more shopping and dining opportunities. The Queen Victoria Market is food paradise. Meg and Brendan shop there every Saturday, visiting favorite stands for fruits and veggies, as well as delis and bakeries.

Within just 90 minutes of the city center, stunning scenery awaits. We made many photo stops on our drive through the Mornington Peninsula. The Yarra Valley, a wine growing region, is also picturesque with wineries where you can stop to taste fine chardonnays, pinot noirs and more. Our drives took us though areas devastated by the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009 which ravaged southeastern Australia —— past slope after slope of still barren trees.

Wildlife is a major attraction in Australia. Meg took time from her duties as ward councilor for a visit to friend Neil Abbott, a jovial farmer with 100 acres where 70 – 80 kangaroos usually hang out. As luck would have it, the beasts were missing the day we visited. The day before there had been a major fire drill with helicopters hovering over the area. The noise drove the kangaroos away, but we did spot one or two during a tour with Neil in his four-wheel drive vehicle through the hilly terrain. And, we learned about kangaroos.

“The aborigines used to eat them. The dingoes (Australian wild dog) used to eat them. But now they have no natural enemies,” Neil said. So, they proliferate and become pests, destroying trees and fences. They sharpen their claws on the tree bark. “Their claws are longer than your finger,” he explained. Some people shoot them, but this is an outrage. “People are up in arms about those who shoot our national emblem,” he said. He can no longer farm due to the kangaroo population on his land, but he won’t shoot the animals.

“The kangaroos are a wild animal. They should be in the bush. It’s cruel to have them in these areas where they are chased by dogs, where they ruin fences, and are a danger to cars and people… I believe there are a lot of accidents, people killed, veering to avoid hitting a kangaroo,” he said.

During our drive through his farm, Neil said he had a surprise for us. He knew where a wombat lived and would take us there. He got out and went ahead down a hill. “Be quiet…he’s here,” he told us. We crept behind, me with camera ready. Voila, I focused on a furry brown head. Wait, something seemed amiss. It did not move. It looked a bit suspicious. No wonder. It was a stuffed wombat Neil had buried under leaves – a joke he often plays on naïve visitors.

We saw more wildlife on a visit to the Healesville Sanctuary where demonstrations and lectures on the various critters are scheduled throughout the day. The Koalas drew big crowds.

Colin McKinnon is another friend Meg took us to visit. His Mia Mia Gallery features an amazing collection of beautiful aboriginal art. The gallery is owned by aborigines, and the profits are returned to aborigine communities. Colin, himself an aboriginal artist, explained the symbolism of many of the intricate and colorful works, and he generously gave me a print which now hangs in our living room, a treasured souvenir of our memorable visit to Melbourne.

More on the Mia Mia Gallery at www.miamiagallery.com

More on Melbourne at www.destinationmelbourne.com.au

More on the Healesville Sanctuary at www.zoo.org.au

For more views of Melbourne and surroundings, watch the following slideshow. For a taste of Greece, whose influence is prominent in Melbourne, try Meg’s Baklava, recipe in column at right.

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