Destination NOW

Geography Lesson

Geography was never a favorite subject of mine. Memorizing capitals and products was excruciatingly mind numbing. At the time, knowing where to plop countries on a mimeographed map didn’t appear to be knowledge I’d ever find useful. Back when I considered a one hour trip to Boston a thrilling excursion, it was hard to imagine that I would ever be lucky enough to set foot any place outside of the continental USA.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t disappointed when Sister Pauline explained that there was no point in studying the geography of Africa, because everything was changing. How sad that statement is one of the few things I remember from my geography studies!

Fast forward a half a century. I will soon be filling that gaping hole in my knowledge of the world with a trip to that continent I didn’t have to learn about in elementary school. Well, only the southern part of Africa. But you gotta start somewhere.

This will be the first trip that Mike and I take with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). Although we have had wonderful experiences with Road Scholar, and RS has a similar trip, we decided to go with OAT for the following reasons:

If you pay the full amount in cash a year in advance, you get a 10% discount (and I SO love a bargain)!
If you take another trip with them within the next 12 months, you get a 5% credit.
They have an amazing website, with very informative reviews and an incredibly helpful forum in which travelers share information and helpful hints.
They offer options: you can do only the trip, or you can add pre and/or post trip excursions.
There is a maximum of 16 participants

Mike and I figured if we were going to shell out the money for airfare, and subject our bodies to a total of 30 hours (round trip) in the air, we might as well stay a while, so we are doing the pre and then visiting Cape Town on our own. Who knows if we will ever be able to get back to this part of the globe?

We start in Johannesburg, then fly to Karongwe Game Reserve for the pre-trip. Four days later, we return to Johannesburg for the main trip, going first to two camps in Botswana, then one in Zambia, one in Zimbabwe, ending with a few days in Victoria Falls, before we fly back to Johannesburg. At that point, Mike and I will leave the tour and fly to Cape Town for a few days on our own, before returning to Johannesburg for a flight home. All told, we will be gone for 26 days.

Oat created this very helpful map, with the trip extensions in the insert.

While on safari, we will be staying in tents in the national parks. WiFi will therefore be limited to the few times we are in cities. (So, sisters and cousins, when you don’t see a post, it will not be because I have met with foul play…it will just mean I am still off the grid).

We will be flying in very small planes, which limits both the weight and the type of luggage allowed. One duffel bag each, without an internal frame, weighing no more than 44 pounds, plus one carry on. Here’s a visual of my duffel bag, supplied by OAT, and my new (larger) back pack. Previous travelers had experienced problems with the duffel splitting open (I told you the forum was helpful), but fortunately that appears to be old news. Nevertheless, I’m packing some duct tape…just in case.

Years of business travel trained me to travel light, but we will be visiting a school, so once I assemble the minimum amount of clothing and supplies needed, I’ll be cramming books, pencils, crayons and other odds and ends into the remaining space up to the weight limit.

Next post will be about pre-trip readings.

Seven Selfish Reasons to Become a Cook Island Global Volunteer

It seems that this time of year we feel compelled to create and/or read lists–the ten best movies, the thirty best female vocalists of the decade, five foolproof ways to lose weight, eight helpful hints you can’t live without. So, I figured I might as well jump right onto the ol bandwagon with MY list. LIke Letterman, I’ll do it as a countdown.

7. WAKE UP EVERY MORNING TO THE SOUND OF THE OCEAN

The KiiKii, your home while volunteering, is right smack dab on the ocean. But then, just about everything in Rarotonga is right on the ocean–the island’s interior is completely mountainous. If you have trouble falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, you need to bring earplugs!

6. HANG OUT WITH THE OWNER OF RAROTONGA’S ONLY BREWERY

Yes, Global Volunteers’ country manager is indeed the owner of Matutu Brewery. And, as a Rarotonga resident, James knows everything of importance, like where to get the best pizza I’ve ever tasted! That’s where we were heading right after our brewery tour. Pizza and beer, what could be a better ending to a volunteer’s day?

5. MAKE WONDERFUL NEW FRIENDS

The nicest people become Global Volunteers…take a look

4. LEARN TO DANCE

It seems like everyone on the island sings and dances. Those in the know (like us volunteers) catch the professionals practicing the routine they perform at the local resorts. There is also a show every Saturday at the outdoor market. Here’s a 30 second clip of my favorite dancers. Check out the expression on the little girl’s face, second to the left. Watching her always made me smile.

3. EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT CULTURE

Cook Islanders are gracious, friendly people who welcome visitors to their island. Family is everything to them. As a volunteer you become a member of the extended family, sharing food and laughter.

Best of all, you learn to appreciate “island time” and a life style that is safer, slower and friendlier than what you might have been used to. You come home more relaxed and more aware of what really matters.

2. ENJOY UNSPOILED BEAUTY

New Zealanders in general, and Cook Islanders in particular, are in tune with nature, and care about preserving the environment–and it shows. No billboards, no litter, no traffic jams–just flowers and mountains and ocean.

Hiking up one of the mountain trails with Niki. Check out the size of those leaves!

1. FALL IN LOVE

Look at these beautiful faces–how could anyone NOT fall in love?

What a wonderful way to spend three weeks!

It’s not ALL work…

Although Global Volunteers work a full week, we have weekends and evenings to enjoy our surroundings. To be tax deductible, however none of the fee we paid can be used for off duty activities, and the organization can’t make leisure arrangements or recommendations.

This is not a problem if you are lucky enough to have someone like Robyn in your group. A “returning” Cook Island volunteer, Robyn was a fantastic resource. During her stay last year, she discovered Air Rarotoga’s day trip to Aitutaki.

It didn’t take much for her to convince THIS group that would be a grand way to spend a Saturday.

Back: Willy, Robyn, Larry Front: Dave, Sally and Niki at the Avarua airport, waiting to meet Paul, our guide. — Back: Willy, Robyn, Larry
Front: Dave, Sally and Niki
at the Avarua airport, waiting to meet Paul, our guide.

We got a great view of Aitutaki and the surrounding motus from the plane.

Paul took us on a quick tour of the island, which allowed us to feast our eyes on some very luxurious accommodations!

The rest of the day was spent snorkeling and visiting various motus.

Our vessel -- and did you notice that beautiful white sand? — Our vessel

While we were sailing, the crew entertained us with songs and stories.

Our captain and his helper. It wasn't even "take your kid to work" day — THEY don’t need an official “take your son to work”day. Our captain with his helper.

Last Christmas, Willy’s wife Niki bought him an underwater camera. I’d say he put it to good use, wouldn’t you?

George, the giant trevally. The leg on the left gives you an idea of George's size and how close he came to us. — George, the giant trevally. The leg on the left gives you an idea of George’s size and how close he came to us.

Another photo by Willy--the giant clam — Another photo by Willy–the giant clam

I didn’t see “Survivor: Cook Islands” when it aired in 2006, but once I got home, I watched the video. I wasn’t interested in tribal councils or challenges. Nope. I just wanted to enjoy all the spectacular background photography. Die-hard fans might recognize some of the sights. The show’s opening shots were very much like our view from the plane.

Big deal--Ozzie captured a bird. Even I could have caught THIS guy. — Big deal–Ozzie captured a bird. Even I could have caught THIS guy.

We were starting to get hungry from all the snorkeling and touring. Fortunately, unlike the “survivors” we didn’t have to catch our food.

P1040139 — Lucky for this guy, we had better options.

Lunch was part of our package, and what a lunch it was!

Robyn clued us in to a special feature of the tour…getting our passports stamped at “One Foot Island”, so called because it is shaped like a giant foot. Its real name is Akaiami Motu. Paul taught the CORRECT pronunciation: “eye-k-yummy”.

It was SO worth the $2!

Time to head back. Another great day, with wonderful friends, in a beautiful corner of the Pacific Ocean.

These hotel "rooms" are over the water. — These bungalows extend over the water, and for a mere $1,20o per night, it could be all yours.

A perfect memory for a snowy New Jersey day!

Long Live the Queen!

Timing is everything in life, and Vaca 139’s was perfect. How many other Global Volunteers got to watch a Rowing Regatta AND witness a Maori coronation? Not many, I assure you!

As one might expect, the coronation took place at the palace. So what comes to mind when you hear word “palace”?

You ready?

I took this picture from the bus (I DO love those bus rides) the day before the big event. If you look closely, you can see the red plastic chairs that were being set up on the palace lawn for the expected guests. Not quite Buckingham Palace, but a whole lot friendlier and far more inclusive.

As mentioned in an earlier post, there was a bit of disagreement over the line of succession, and protesters were anticipated. Not to worry–these guards were ready!

Okay, so maybe this protest wasn’t quite what you might have envisioned either. No riot police, no gas masks, no picketers with signs. In fact, if Willy hadn’t made friends with a Maori lady who translated, I would have figured that the shouting we heard was all part of the celebration.

The Maori are very inclusive, so all were welcome to join in the festivities. Old…

young…

Islanders…

Visitors from the good ol US of A.

Willy and his new friends from Utah — Willy with his new friends from — can you guess? The white shirts are your hint. Utah, of course.

Climbing on walls, trees, chairs, the stage — all was allowed, as everyone tried to see over the crowd to catch a glimpse of the queen.

And here she is, dressed in gold, regally listening to the man serenading her. I’m not revealing how I got that shot, but remember, climbing WAS allowed.

Isn’t it fascinating to see the juxtaposition of tradition and technology?

Cell phones, ipads, microphones--all capturing the action — Cell phones, ipads, microphones–all capturing the action

Sharing food is very much a part of the Maori culture, and this event was no exception. An enormous pig was presented to the queen. Sorry, I wasn’t able to get a shot of the pig–all I could see were the tops of the heads of the several men it took to carry the beast over to her. Not a very compelling image. So, instead, I took pictures of the “take out” packages that were being prepared for all guests.

Coconuts, chicken, pork, sweet potatoes, etc all packed into these biodegradable containers. We could learn a lot from the Maori!

This will give you an idea of how massive an undertaking it was to feed the crowd.

Full disclosure, I haven’t gotten the hang of videoing under the best of circumstances, and this event was a challenge to capture. BUT the singing was beautiful–the crowd quite colorful and entertaining, so if you would like to experience the queen’s entry or listen to the flag raising ceremony, just click and make your way over to YouTube. You’ll feel as if you were there, after imbibing a large quantity of wine perhaps. Or maybe you’ll need to drink some first to flow along with my camera!

Rollin’ Round Rarotonga

Remember the John Candy movie “Planes Trains and Automobiles”? If it had been filmed in Rarotonga it would have been called “Buses, Scooters and Pick Up Trucks”– and we rode them all.

Where else does the bus driver stop to pick up his breakfast and come back with a load of bananas for everyone on the bus? The food stand owner knew we were all going to church, so she wanted to show us a little love.

"Superman", one of my favorite bus drivers--with our gift from "Mama" — “Superman”, one of my favorite bus drivers–with our gift from “Mama”

There are two bus routes on Rarotonga. The Clockwise bus leaves from the center of Avarua on the hour; the Anti-clockwise bus leaves on the half hour. Their only route is the circle around the island that is Rarotonga’s one main road. Although technically there ARE bus stops, standing anywhere by the side of the road and waving enthusiastically works too. And there if there is one thing I have plenty of, it’s enthusiasm!

My other favorite driver was Bob Hopeless, who turns a bus ride into a bona fide tourist attraction.

If you’d like 30 seconds of the Bob Hopeless experience, click this link. If you want more, you’ll just have to visit Rarotonga. And yes, the road was that bumpy, which is one reason I decided against renting a bicycle. The other was bus rides were so bloody much fun!

Maybe in Boston, (at least according to “Cheers”) everyone in the local bar knows who you are; on Rarotonga, it was the bus drivers.

Because we are workers, we get a special red bus pass–10 rides for $20–which almost functioned as an ID badge, differentiating us from the other Pakeha (non-Maori) on the island. Our Global Volunteers fee covers transportation to and from the worksite; any non-work related travel (even going to church) we fund ourselves. Anyway, before too long the drivers were greeting us and they knew exactly where we were headed.

But buses were only one method of transportation. This is a VERY friendly island. Sometimes we’d decide to walk back from school. We’d start off but before we got too far, we’d hear someone shouting our names and we were hopping onto or into one vehicle or another. One day a pick up truck, the next a scooter.
Niki and I jumped out to get ice cream while Patrick (in the front seat) and Willy continued on the last few “blocks” to the KiiKii Motel. My seat was right over the left rear wheel.

Note the water bottle in Willy's hands; note the disappointed look on the boy;s face. Willy had promised to squirt Niki and me, then thought better of it. — Note the water bottle in Willy’s hands; note the disappointed look on the boy’s face. Willy had promised to squirt Niki and me, then reconsidered.

No photos exist of my rides on the back of Engia’s (the principal of Takitumu) motor scooter, but Niki did take this one of me hitching a ride with Bud before our hike up the mountain.

We also got offered rides in regular cars, but what made those trips memorable were the conversations with the drivers. Tora is a Maori who emigrated to Australia and joined the army. He was a military attache to the US army who had served in Afghanistan.

Tora clued us in to the controversy surrounding the upcoming coronation. It seems that a former king had three wives and some thought that the wrong line had been selected to replace the prior queen. He explained that the dissenters would be letting their feelings known at the coronation.

Okay, so NEXT post will be about the coronation. I promise!

There was ONE more method of island transportation that us “three weekers” experienced vicariously. The 10th Annual Vaca Eiva went from November 23 until November 29 and drew rowers from all over the Pacific region: Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, even one team from Hawaii, and of course The Cook Islands. The racers rowed right by my hotel room, giving me great opportunities to capture the action. Because they all wore event tee shirts and not their team shirts, it was a little tricky to determine who was who. Fortunately, the KiiKii was also home to a Kiwi team and when their supporters started cheering wildly, I started shooting.

The young Kiwis staying at our hotel came in third!

The Tahitians were #1 and 2, but our Kiwi friends did quite well, and were thrilled I had managed to capture the moment for them. And I was thrilled to be able to show MY appreciation for the warmth, friendship and hospitality I experienced while visiting their country by giving something to them. And isn’t that what Global Volunteers is all about?

Global Volunteers, Cook Islands

Let me introduce you to Global Volunteer’s Vaca 139. Why “Vaca”? Because it is the Maori word for boat, and it serves as a reminder that we are all in the same boat–we’re in this together.

The 139 is self explanatory: we are the 139th group of Global Volunteers to serve in Rarotonga. Of Vaca 139’s ten volunteers, six have been here before, which speaks volumes about this assignment. Half of the group will be staying for two weeks. I am one of the five that opted for three weeks.

Standing: Dave, Larry, Willy Middle: James, Lynda, Shelley, Bud Front: Robyn, Patrick, Sally, Niki — Standing: Dave, Larry, Willy
Middle: James, the country manager, Lynda, Shelley, Bud
Front: Robyn, Patrick, Sally, Niki

So what were we going to do during our stay? Larry and Sally split their time between the prison and the high school. When she was not in jail, Sally was a one woman “beautifier”, sprucing up the exterior of Tereora College. She was leaving HER mark in flowers, while Larry, a former math teacher, gave his students practical skills, such as learning how to calculate nutritional values and convert celsius to fahrenheit.

Robyn and Dave worked in Titikavaka College. Bud, an Ob/Gyn, returned to the hospital to offer his assistance, and Lynda worked with the Ministry of Education, developing plans for special needs children.

Willy and Niki, Patrick and I were delighted to be assigned to an elementary school. Papa Patrick, an artist from Florida, very thoughtfully brought along a suitcase full of watercolors and paper. He spent the first two of the three weeks at the school, helping the children make cards; the last week he taught disabled adults at the Creative Center with Lynda.

Uncle Willy worked with the third graders during class time.

Can you see why it required more than one attempt to photograph THIS group?

Once the drums started beating (yes, that’s right–there are no bells, there are drums that mark the start and finish of school periods) he was out in the field, playing soccer with boys of ALL ages, regardless of the heat and humidity.

If you would like a more vivid drumming experience, Just click on this YouTube link.

Niki and I preferred more sedentary (and cooler) ways to interact with the children during “free” time. During the school day, she worked one on one with fourth and fifth graders.

My first week was spent helping out in the office. Their secretary had abruptly quit right before we arrived, leaving a mountain of unfinished paperwork. A basic principle of Global Volunteers is that you do whatever you are asked to do, so I got busy copying, doing excel spreadsheets, data entry, and report cards. James figured that my years in the insurance industry would mean I was good at office work. I didn’t bother to tell him that wasn’t quite what I did, and once I left the world of paid employment, I said goodbye to PCs to become an Apple devotee. I was shocked at how much windows and excel had changed in just a couple of years! Fortunately, speed was not important, and I was able to figure it out–although the copy machine WAS a bit of a struggle.

The best part of my assignment was I shared the principal’s office, so I got to know this warm, gracious, interesting woman. Because she had recently married, she generously shared her wedding photos and the stories about people in them, her extended family.

In the principal's office — Engia, the principal, and her new secretary

Of course, I was able to take several breaks during the day to play and read with the children, who LOVED to have their photos taken, AND to take photos. Here are a few schoolyard shots.

Stay tuned for the next post–the coronation!

Geologic Wonders

A photo just doesn’t do the Te Puia bubbling mud pools justice. I was mesmerized, watching them pop up and flatten down. If there were such things as witches’ cauldrons, I imagine they would look exactly like this.

But the real show was the Pohutu Geyser.

Hmmm, that wasn’t all that special…but wait…

It’s getting better…
Our guide, Albert, took this photo of Mike.

Mike’s quite a distance from the geyser, so it gives you an idea of the size of the water column. But there is more to come.
NOW you’re talking!

Speaking of Albert, here he is with our Maori guide.

While I was busy photographing Albert, Mike was surrounded by a crowd of Asian women. Just like in Thailand, but this time only one wanted to be photographed with him, so I wasn’t fast enough to capture the scene. Mike was only to happy to explain to me that his new friend told him he was very handsome…
But back to the tour. After viewing the geological wonders, we visited the woodworking school.

This one is my favorite.

Blowing Off Steam

I didn’t think that anything could come close to being as glorious as yesterday’s experience in the Waitomo Caves. I was wrong. The Waimangu Valley Geothermal Site was equally magnificent, but in a very different way. This valley is the only geothermal system on the planet that was created by a volcano–the Tarawera eruption of 1886.

The result was Lake Rotomohana. Our group was divided in two, with half cruising the lake first while the other half hiked, and then we switched. Our boat was the only one on the lake that morning, and with only 18 passengers, it was easy to get an unobstructed view of all the geothermal phenomenon. Before the volcano erupted, what is now Patiti Island was part of a small hill. It became a lava plug, cooled, and is now home to cormorants.
The steam vents fascinated me, so I kept snapping away.

The hike gave us the opportunity to get close to craters and geysers.
The lake water is acidic. It looks like it is boiling because of the gases (carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide) bubbling up to the surface.
Here is our smiling guide Chas, holding a silver fern, one of New Zealand’s symbols. Do you think he usually carries a Winnie the Pooh back pack in front? Something to look for in future installments.
More bubbles, then time to head back for lunch.

Pretty amazing, right?
Once again, our guides came up with a great lunch venue. The Princess Gate Hotel has it all: an owner that welcomed us with a brief history of the hotel, fantastic food, wonderful ambiance, and a location close to the most beautiful section of Rotorua.

After lunch, we had time to stroll through the gardens, and ogle the beautiful buildings.

On the Road to Rotorua

A long drive is a pleasure when you have Albert and Chas on board. Their commentaries are educational AND entertaining. Have I mentioned that the Kiwi sense of humor is quite delightful?

The bus is very comfortable and quite spacious. We were grateful to have our skillful driver Andrea behind the wheel, navigating the winding single lane highways and byways to Rotorua. But first we stopped at Roselands for terrific barbecue lunch. This is definitely NOT a weight loss trip!

The view from Roselands was typical New Zealand: green rolling hills, with sheep grazing on the hillside.

The rhododendron were in bloom and were spectacular.

Our next stop was the Waitomo Caves, the home of the awe inspiring glow worms. Here’s what happens. You walk with a guide through caves with interesting stalagmites and stalactites. All very nice, but I had seen similar versions in both the US and Halong Bay. Then we entered a boat, and floated into pitch darkness and complete silence to witness a breathtaking phenomenon. We weren’t allowed to take photos, but postcards are a good alternative. So, this will give you a very rough idea of what it was like.

My new friend Mel (and yes, we have bonded already, so whether he likes it or not, he has become a friend for life) wrote this beautiful poem that sums up the experience better than I ever could.
“In the darkened stillness, the glowing pinpoints embrace me, reminding me that, as ever, there is a spirit that guides me.”

It was definitely a peak experience, and one that I will never forget.

Our Last Day in Amazing Auckland

Have you ever experienced an inspiring teacher? Been completely enthralled by a lecture? That is what our entire third day was like, being with the amazing Dr. John Walsby. He is truly a Walking Wikipedia — botany, geology, history, architecture, zoology, marine biology–you name it, he can speak at length about it. Although his extensive knowledge was impressive, what was most memorable was his delivery. He talks with his entire body. For example, he didn’t just say “boom” when describing a volcanic eruption — instead, his whole body exploded–with arms and legs flying in all directions. Dr. Walsby is a writer, an artist, a marine biologist, the author of 5 books, weekly contributor to Nature Watch, a newspaper column, and one of the most entertaining and memorable speakers I’ve ever encountered. So, what did we learn?

Although we tend to lump Australia and New Zealand together, that island just to the west of New Zealand is about 1,200 miles away.

New Zealand’s weather is influenced by its location midway between the equator and Antarctica. It gets warm air from Australia and cold air from Antarctica, which makes for plenty of rainfall. The North Island gets many brief showers, averaging about 4 feet per year. The joke is that Auckland gets all four seasons, frequently within the same day. Despite cloudy skies in many of the photos, the weather has been quite lovely!

Some of his more memorable analogies:
The earth is like an egg cooked in a microwave: a solid core surrounded by an ocean of magma with a cracked crust.
Volcanic activity is like tea being brewed on the top of Mount Everest or a bottle of champagne being uncorked, with the crust on top being the cork. Important fact–volcanoes don’t erupt in the same place twice. Once it goes dormant, it is done.
The formation of New Zealand was compared to a scab that formed on your knee (the knee being Australia) that gets “flicked off”.

Our first stop, Lake Pupuke, was created from a volcanic eruption. A mile across and a half a mile deep, it supplies fresh water for the nearby town of Devonport.

Here is Dr. Walsby, demonstrating what happens when a pukeko gets frightened. The pukeko flushes a white tail to warn his compatriots of impending danger. Had I been faster with my camera, I would have caught him flashing the white handkerchief tucked into the back of his pants.

And here is a REAL pukeko.

This beautiful flower is fertilized by birds, rather than insects. It’s “lady parts” are on the outside, rather than the inside of the flower to make it easier for the birds to do their important work. Can you see the long appendage?

Our next stop is Takapuna beach to see the fossilized trees. When the lava flowed from the volcano, the trees were snapped at the base, with a portion of the trunk remaining. It became encased in hot lava. The flows are clearly visible around what was once a tree trunk.

Dr. Walsby in action.

Our final stop was at North Head, a great spot for our group photo.

I’m not pressing my luck–I’m going for the upload! Thank you Queensland Airport!

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