What you are about to see below are three such themed short films that were launched today on Vimeo by a trio of talented Aussie lads – Rick Mereki, Tim White and Andrew Lees who spent 44 days travelling 38,000 miles across 11 countries linked by 18 flights shooting a terabyte of footage in order to create the 3 stunning short films below.

Boy, I would have LOVED to have been part of this. *sigh*

Anyway, grab a comfy seat, check out these fantastic short films, and be prepared to have your travel bug stimulated.

On a side note, stoked to see my old mate “Julio” from Gap Adventures Peru mentioned in the credits. Well done champ!

Hi Masey. I’ll be going on my first ever overseas trip in August & was wondering if you have any crucial advice for a first timer? I’ll be travelling to Hong Kong, Berlin, London, Paris, Montreal then Rio. Cheers!

Well Tracey, I could almost write an entire book filled with my own hints and tips, based on personal experiences over the past decade, for travellers leaping outside of their own country’s borders for the first time. I don’t have that much time on my hands these days, however, so I thought it might be a good idea to just cover what I think are 5 practical pieces of advice that you should take on board while you blaze your first ever trail around the globe.

Here goes…

1. Plan just the right amount

My darling Mother, who has to be rightfully credited with being a HUGE influence on helping me become the hopefully decent adult that I am today, will probably cringe at reading this, but don’t plan too much of your travels – especially if they are long term.

Of course you should be meticulous in your planning pre-departure with things like travel insurance, intelligent and light packing, notifying loved ones of your itinerary where possible etc, but when it comes to actually arriving in, and exploring your destinations, if you plan it all too much in advance, you’ll wind up stressed and potentially pretty disappointed.

Sure, plan enough to make sure you are safe and have a roof over your head at night, but if you’re in Paris for only 3-4 days, for instance, set a goal to see a couple of big-ticket tourist items like the Eiffel Tower (cheese and wine on the lawn underneath the tower at sunset is a MUST) and the Louvre, but other than that, explore, explore, explore!

Within the boundaries of what your gut tells you is safe and a good idea, head down back streets and alleys keeping your eyes peeled for little cafes, markets, kids playing in the street and more. More often than not, it’s these side explorations that lead you to the things and experiences that end up being the most memorable moments of your time in any city, town or village.

2. Don’t be shy.

I know this is hard for some people, but travelling is probably one of the best ways to overcome social disorders as the reward from chatting to the right people at the right time on the road can be ridiculously large.

If you’ve just rocked up to a hostel, check in and take a look around in the lounge for people who look like they’d be up for a chat. Say G’day. Introduce yourself and ask your fellow traveller if they have been in town long and if there’s anything they can highly recommend checking out. At the very least you may get a great tip for a good cup of coffee nearby, and at the other end of the scale it may become the start of a great friendship and/or travel relationship.

I remember chatting to a few random people in a hostel in Berlin back in 2001. The friendship struck that memorable night led to a couple of weeks traveling through the Greek Islands with 15 or so other fantastic people, I gained a life-long mate out of it, and that, in turn, became the catalyst that led to me living in Canada for six and a half years.

3. Challenge yourself.

Never will there be a better time to try new things than when you are on the road in a foreign land. Whether it’s snorkelling for the first time, trying new and exotic foods, or scaling mountains that challenge your aversion to heights.

Broaden your horizons and let yourself off the leash a little. You’re 100% guaranteed to have a richer, more memorable travel experience if you do.

4. Explore.

This is a bit of a no-brainer, but it’s sometimes hard to tear yourself away from the ol’ “Lonely Planet” and the tried and true options contained within. As touched on above, if you open your mouth and chat to your fellow travellers, be prepared to jump off the main streets and explore, you’re bound to find some gems that you’ll be able to be put in your “we found it once, but probably would never be able to again” basket.

My best example from my own experiences in this instance is from a trip I made to Turkey, also back in 2001. Although I was on an organised tour destined for the shores of Gallipoli for ANZAC day ceremonies, a few lads and myself opted not to join one of the planned dinners while in Istanbul, and instead headed off into the back streets of this beautiful city.

Not only did we find the very best kebabs I think I’ve ever had the good fortune to consume in my life, but we also found this tiny, underground bar where we were able to meet, drink and dance with some locals in a priceless experience that we’ll never forget.

5. Keep a journal.

These days everyone seems to have a compact digital camera at the ready whenever they embark on travels to other lands. The images captured with such devices are sometimes, and I should know considering how many I take, pretty well priceless. These pictures, however, don’t always capture the emotions, thoughts or supplementary observations, you feel or see in any given situation.

The best way to record these additional thoughts and feelings is by writing them down in a travel journal. I’m not necessarily talking about the ol’ “Dear Diary…” style of journal, but more a list of notes and observations that correspond with events and sites that you see and experience along the way. If your journal notes can later be added to photos that support your written records then even better! You may even end up writing a travel Blog which is essentially how this very blog of mine came about.

I have a number of journals written which cover travel events prior to when I started this blog that I may revisit and share with everyone one day. Who knows?! But the fact that I have them means I have the option, and at the very least, some very entertaining stories I can share with friends and loved ones one day.

So there it is. 5 practical pieces of advice for the first time traveller. Are there any more you can think of? If there is, please don’t hesitate in sharing your thoughts in the comments section below.

HAPPY ADVENTURES!

How are these same social digital tools influencing whole industries though? The folk at Swedish social travel startup “Tripl” have put together a nifty infographic (I DO love infographics) taking a look at how social media and the interactions that result are shaping the Travel Industry.

Drawing on data provided by all the major players in the social media field, as well as large travel and data sites like Quantcast.com and TripAdvisor.com, Tripl have come up with the following information which they have wisely presented graphically in a way of generating exposure to their brand and interest in their, at this stage, private beta website.

To view the infographic in its full-sized glory, click on the image below.

Take heart. More and more Wi-fi connections are popping up all over the place on the global backpacker trail, and I’m about to give you the chance to win the ultimate travel companion which will enable you to easily connect where you want, when you want.

The awesome people at HP are giving away to one lucky Aussie Masey.com.au reader, the HP Pavilion dm1 notebook!

Valued at $699, this slim-lined and ultraportable notebook weighs in from only 1.57kg and is the perfect tool for checking flight times, uploading latest holiday photos or blogging about your latest adventure.

The dm1 is equipped to handle anything on the go, running on AMD Dual-Core Processor E-350 with AMD Radeon™ HD Graphics. With an 11.6 inch display, VISION technology from AMD enhances what you see, share and create.

For travelling enthusiasts, the HP Pavilion dm1 delivers performance in the perfect small package.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?!?!

HOW TO ENTER

The contest closes 5pm (AEST), 30th June, 2011 and is open to Australian residents only.

HP Australia is providing one HP Pavilion dm1 notebook to one lucky winner. The HP Pavilion dm1 notebook prize will be sent directly to the winner after I announce the winning entry on Monday, 4th July, 2011.

Follow me on both Twitter & Facebook to make sure you’re the first to find out if you have won.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

Tell your friends about this fantastic contest. Copy and paste the following tweet:

You can also go nuts clicking any of the buttons over there on the right!

FOLLOW HP!

Find out more about HP Australia’s awesome range of products by following them on Twitter and Facebook, or by visiting them at www.hp.com.au.

]]> http://www.masey.com.au/2011/06/win-an-hp-pavilion-dm1-notebook%e2%80%93the-ultimate-travel-companion/feed/ 60 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour%e2%80%93day-4/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour%25e2%2580%2593day-4 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour%e2%80%93day-4/#comments Sun, 22 May 2011 11:58:08 +0000 masey http://www.masey.com.au/?p=40493 It’s hard to believe, but day 4, the final day of my Go Natural, Go Dunedin Garden Tour hosted by none other than Mr Jamie Durie came to an end today in a flurry of hugs and goodbyes at Dunedin International Airport.

Before the curtain came down on one of the more enjoyable weekend getaways I’ve had in quite a while, our tour group of roughly 35 still had a few of Dunedin’s gems to check out. After having sampled so many wonderful gardens and natural wonders over the past three days already, ticking off a few more boxes today almost felt greedy. However, for the very few among us who hadn’t already committed to a repeat visit in the near future (possibly the Spring/Summer), this was going to potentially be their last time being down this way for a while, so it made sense to cram in as much as we could before jetting back to Australia.

Kicking things off this morning, following yet another great buffet brekky at the “Scenic Hotel”, we checked out of our rooms, filled the underbelly of the coach with all of our luggage and headed off for the first stop of the day – Baldwin Street.

Baldwin Street

Touted as the “Steepest Street in the World” by Dunedin’s residents and our coach driver, Brad, alike, Baldwin Street is a 350m stretch of road about 3.5kms from the city centre which rises up Signal Hill from around 30m (98 ft) above sea-level at its intersection with North Road, to around 100m (330 ft).

From where we were released from the coach for some souvenir shots at the North Road end of Baldwin Street, it really doesn’t look that bad with the asphalted section (see below) consisting of a pretty gentle slope upwards. It’s once you hit the concrete section of the street, however, that the “world’s steepest” title is earned.

At its steepest point, about 70.6m from the top, a 19 degree or 35% gradient is experienced. That is, for every 2.86m travelled, you gain 1m in elevation. That’s pretty steep by anyone’s standards.

With a distinct lack of time at our disposal, any thoughts of ripping on up the hill on foot were quickly dispelled and we instead followed our “pocket rocket” guide Midge back on board the coach ready to take off for our next destination.

Wylde Willow

132 North Taieri Road, Abbotsford, Dunedin, New Zealand.

I think I have reiterated in nearly every daily tour post prior to this one so far that I’m not exactly what anyone could feasibly consider a “green thumb”. The extent of my gardening prowess up until this point is… well… so non-existent it’s not even worth considering in this space.

While I should leave judgements like I’m about to make up to the experts like Jamie, I’d like to throw it out there that Fran and Mike Rawling’s gorgeous “Wylde Willow” garden was probably the most enjoyable garden for me over the course of the entire weekend.

Located in the suburb of Abbotsford, just south of central Dunedin, Wylde Willow is a peaceful 1 hectare of former waste land which has been beautifully converted into a large country garden which begs to be explored. The tranquil Abbots Creek winds its way through the property for over half a kilometre, criss-crossed by a number of quaint bridges and lined by 100 year-old willows.

Beneath these giant softwoods a series of pathways lead you from the house through a forest featuring a variety of rhododendrons, small shrubs and woodland perennials.

The property also features a lovely orchard guarded by a number of very healthy looking sheep which appeared to be happy enough being hand-fed the odd apple, and a park land setting with marginal plantings surrounding a reflective pond which is frequented by ducks and geese.

A couple of the stand out attractions to be found throughout “Wylde Willow” for me, were firstly the good old “Hills Hoist” (below) which has been crafted into a brilliant vine-draped piece of botanical art.

Secondly, as you make your way to the far end of the property near the reflective ponds you stumble upon a cute “Hobbit Hole” which was built as a play area for kids. I guess you can consider me a “big kid”, because I LOVED it and had fun opening the small wooden doors to reveal the over-sized spider and web on the inside.

A huge congratulations to Fran and Mike for all the hard work they have put into “Wylde Willow”. If you’re ever down in the Dunedin area of New Zealand’s South Island, make sure you drop on by and check out the garden for yourself!

Northview Garden

95 Currie Road, Maungatuas, Outram, New Zealand.

By a little after 11am, we found ourselves led up a steep driveway to the immaculately manicured “Northview Garden”. Spread over something like 5 acres, Northview presented our tour coach of keen gardeners with the opportunity to wander across lawns bordered by roses and rhododendrons, around a couple of beautiful ponds, amongst various sculptures and to enjoy sweeping views of the valley to the rear of the modern, main residence.

The return journey to the coach, after having explored the grounds for a good 45 minutes, was via a winding, sloping path which wound its way through hundreds of rhododendrons and blooming, colourful hydrangeas.

Everyone seemed to be very impressed by the massive waterfall construction that is underway at the front of the property on the hill leading up to the main house. When it’s done, it is no doubt going to be quite spectacular and will become a major attraction.

Northview Gardens sadly was the last of the feature gardens on our Go Natural, Go Dunedin Garden Tour which, I have to say, has been awesome. What a great way to explore this gorgeous part of New Zealand. But our tour wasn’t over just yet. Oh no. The fun was only just beginning as we made our way to “Grandview Gardens” for a unique lunch experience.

Grandview

A favoured venue for weddings and private functions in the Otago region, “Grandview Gardens” features two acres of gardens including ponds, water features, large oaks and a collection of fantastic rustic details.

With a full morning of garden exploring under our belts already, however, the main priority for the tour group seemed to be to enter the large, modern, 100-seat reception hall where we found an open bar (uh oh!) serving up pre-lunch beer and wine. As I approached the bar myself, the unmistakable label design of “Emerson’s London Porter” stuck out in the beer fridge behind the bar attendants, and I knew right then that this was going to be a great way to cap off a fun weekend. Check out the Day 2 post to find out about the start of my love-affair with this award-winning brew.

No sooner had everyone sorted out table placements and drinks were flowing, the sound of bagpipes fired up and a few tour members selected as volunteers upon our earlier arrival at Grandview filed into the hall behind a piper, carrying whiskey, a haggis and a huge Scottish broadsword respectively.

Over the next 20 minutes or so we were thoroughly entertained by a heart-felt and often hilarious (see the signature kilt photo below) “Ceremony of the Haggis” presented by one of Grandviews Scottish staff members as he recited Robert Burns’ famous “Address to a Haggis” with admirable passion and expertise. For those of you who don’t know it, it goes a little something like this:

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the puddin’-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak yer place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o’ a grace
As lang’s my airm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dicht,
An cut you up wi ready slicht,
Trenching your gushing entrails bricht,
Like onie ditch;
And then, Oh what a glorious sicht,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmaist, on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
‘Bethankit’ hums.

Is there that ower his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit:
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
Oh how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his wallie nieve a blade,
He’ll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

Ye Pow’rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if Ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!

Upon completion of the entertaining Haggis Ceremony, lunch was served and we all took our turns in lining up at the buffet tables ready to load up a plate with a huge selection of yummy offerings. As this was going on, the now sliced up haggis was doing the rounds of the room giving those who had never tried it before, the opportunity to give it a go. I personally love the stuff after having tried it while travelling through Scotland a few years ago, so I was more than happy to dig in.

Inevitably, Midge and Brad got the ball rolling on the closing speeches thanking all those in attendance for making their way over to New Zealand to sample all that the city of Dunedin has to offer. They also continued their now familiar cheekiness by presenting a couple of hilarious hand-made posters to Jamie while thanking him for being such a fantastic host over the past 4 days.

All that was left to do then was continue to drink the bar dry (haha!) and grab a few photo opportunities with Jamie. I have to say, considering I watched a number of ladies finally get their long-anticipated opportunity to throw themselves at him (some literally into his lap!), Jamie’s a damn good sport – plain and simple.

Up until this point, I hadn’t had much of a chance to explore Grandview, so I took the opportunity to scoot out into the grounds and grab a few shots of the type of rustic charm that I LOVE about places like that. While doing so, however, it suddenly went quiet back around near where the coach was parked. I was wondering if everyone had suddenly boarded without me so I ran back around to see what was going on, only to find everyone lined up for the big group shot (see below).

The only thing left to do following our lovely lunch date at Grandview was to head back out to Dunedin airport, check in with the good folk at “Pacific Blue”, madly start exchanging email addresses and prepare for our flight home to Australia.

For me, it was the last opportunity I had to sit and have a chat with some of the great friends I had made on this little journey, like Eliza, Jamie and Joy (Jamie’s Mum). By publishing these 4 blog entries covering our adventures over the past weekend I hope that we’ll all have something to look back on fondly in the future. The people and the city of Dunedin were so fantastic to us all with their beautiful natural wonders, and their warm and friendly hospitality. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going to find down in this part of the world, but I can happily recommend anyone reading this blog to get over there and check it out.

Time to say thanks!

In closing, I have a long thank you list that I need to get out there. First and foremost to Hamish Saxton and the team at Tourism Dunedin for extending the invitation to attend the “Go Natural, Go Dunedin Garden Tour”. I had a ball and have full intentions of returning to Dunedin and the Otago region as soon as possible!

To Midge, Brad and the team at Citibus – Thank you, thank you, thank you! Midge, you’re truly one of a kind and it’s hard to see how anyone could walk away from ANY of your guided tours without a huge smile on their face. And Brad… you’re a talented man. Most women argue that men can’t do two things at once. You successfully, safely and consistently transported us from point A to point B while educating us on the city you clearly love, making us laugh, and deflecting all of Midge’s good-humoured ribbing along the way. I salute you on a job well done my friend.

To Jamie, thanks so much for your expert guidance and entertainment all weekend long. You were clearly the ideal choice for this kind of journey and I KNOW that a lot of the tour group will take away an immense amount of added knowledge and enthusiasm for gardening because of your involvement. You’re a top bloke and a good sport, so thank you and all the best for all of the amazing projects you have coming up!

And last but not least, to all of my fellow coach passengers and now, new friends. These kinds of tours are only ever as good as the people you are lucky enough to share them with. Knowing how good a time we all had over the past few days, it only makes sense that you all give yourselves a pat on the back too! Here’s hoping the “powers that be” take note of all the positive feedback they have received from us, and look seriously at organising a Spring/Summer tour which I know many of you will jump on board without hesitation!

Until we meet again, HAPPY GARDENING!!

See also: Day One | Day Two | Day Three

]]> http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour%e2%80%93day-4/feed/ 1 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour%e2%80%93day-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour%25e2%2580%2593day-3 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour%e2%80%93day-3/#comments Sat, 21 May 2011 12:53:14 +0000 masey http://www.masey.com.au/?p=40464 Clear blue skies greeted us this morning at the start of day 3 of our Go Natural, Go Dunedin Garden Tour. I’m not about to sit here and lie by telling you that I was feeling 100% peachy after the late night out with Jamie, Eliza and others last night. No siree! There was a definite degree of fogginess going on upstairs in my gnoggin’ as I leapt out of bed. That probably put me ahead of the game when compared to some others though (not naming any names – you know who you are)!

Although I should have probably relished the opportunity to get some extra sleep in this morning before meeting the rest of the crew, I simply couldn’t ignore the sunlight streaming into my hotel room window and decided to try and snap off a few shots of some of the more prominent landmarks around the centre of town while the skies were blue and the light still soft.

While the plan was to meet in the foyer of Dunedin’s “Scenic Hotel” around 8am to be transported to our choice of either the Otago Farmer’s Market, or a quick shopping spree in one of Dunedin’s central tourist malls (Mulberry Lane, The New Zealand Shop, I Love Merino) just off the “Octagon”, I instead opted to continue running around taking photos (see below). After all, the last thing I need after having just spent 6 weeks in South America is the opportunity to buy more trinkets and souvenirs!

Otago Farmers Market

Beside the Dunedin Railway Station – Anzac Square, Dunedin, New Zealand.

For those of you who are still interested in knowing a little about the Farmer’s Markets, however, here’s what you need to know. Held every Saturday morning (rain or shine) between the hours of 8am-12:30pm, over 65 vendors gather in the Dunedin Railway Station north car-park giving tourists and bargain hunters alike the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of the finest fruit and vegetables available in Otago.

Considering the extra plastic bags of fresh produce that appeared on board the coach as we all piled on ready to tackle the day’s travel itinerary, the markets were definitely worth checking out.

Glebe Cottage

86a Beach Street, Waikouaiti, New Zealand.

First garden stop of the morning was the beautiful “Glebe Cottage Garden”. To get there we had to drive roughly 45 minutes out of town. This probably seems like a fair whack of travel time, but with Midge (tour guide) and Brad’s (coach driver) continual good humoured ribbing and story telling keeping everyone entertained along the way, the time pretty much flew by. Add to this a great little pep talk from our host Jamie Durie before each stop, and it was always smiles all around throughout the tour group.

Set on just over one hectare of land in the East Otago sheep-farming town of Waikouaiti, Glebe Cottage is a private garden lovingly managed by Gwyneth and Les Pullar who open their creation consisting of a woodland, cottage and formal gardens overlooking the Hawkesbury Lagoon to the public upon appointment from September to April each year.

As Jamie has pointed out on numerous occasions on this tour already, the best gardens are ones that pull you into the outdoor space and motivate you to explore simply by their layout and design. Glebe Cottage sure does prompt this sort of exploration.

The top garden features a rose walk and woodland area in a space that displays blossom rhododendrons in the spring. Leading further down a gentle slope heading towards the water, you pass through a tree and shrub lined walk which helps support the bird and wildlife that find sanctuary on Hawkesbury Lagoon.

Glebe Cottage was a pretty little place that Midge, Eliza and I enjoyed wandering around for the 45 minutes or so allotted to us.

Orokonui Ecosanctuary

600 Blueskin Road, Waitati, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Next up – the Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Disembarking the coach, our group were greeted by staff of the Ecosanctuary at the entrance to the multi-million dollar Visitor and Education Centre where a traditional Maori greeting was extended, followed by a brief introduction.

Orokonui, through 10 years of hard work, now serves as the the only place on mainland South Island of New Zealand where a number of native bird, animal and insect species are able to exist free of predation in an environment that has been restored back to a pre-human state.

Assisting in this restoration is a $2.2 million dollar, 8.7km pest-proof fence which was erected in 2007 and now borders the Ecosanctuary’s 307 hectares. In 4 short years, pests, with the exception of the odd mouse here and there, have been almost entirely eradicated.

In small groups of no more than ten at a time, we entered the Ecosanctuary through a strictly controlled gate, and spent a half hour wandering a couple of trails through lush, ancient forest where our guide was able to point out at least a few bird species that were now thriving in the predator-free environment.

Like “Nature’s Wonders” yesterday, Orokonui is definitely one of those inspirational places where passionate and dedicated people can clearly be seen to be making a difference in their attempt to reverse some of the damage that humans have inflicted on the environment.

Back inside the impressive Tourist and Information Centre, we were able to take a load off and enjoy a buffet lunch put on by the centre. It gave me the opportunity to mingle with yet more tour members who I hadn’t met formally by this stage, and also for us all to discuss what we had just seen on the “safe” side of the big fence outside.

Make sure you check out Orokonui’s great website to find out more about the project. The breathtaking native wildlife photography in the rotating page header is reason alone to check it out.

Head over to: www.orokonui.org.nz

Dunedin Botanic Gardens

The return coach journey back into the inner-city region of Dunedin gave Jamie the opportunity to command the microphone for a spell and, upon request, give an entertaining account of his very interesting life thus far and explain how it is that he became so completely wrapped up in the world of horticulture. One thing you can say for sure about the man, it’s that he makes the most of every opportunity that comes his way. I greatly admire people like that, so it’s been really fantastic for me to be able to have had the chance to hear him share his story.

In under 30 minutes we had arrived at perhaps one of the most hotly anticipated stops on the weekend tour – the Dunedin Botanic Gardens.

Like the gardens of Larnach Castle we visited yesterday, Dunedin’s Botanic Gardens share the esteemed label of “Gardens of International Significance”, the second of only five in all of New Zealand.

…consists of a hillside native forest and formal lower gardens which together contain over 6,800 species of native and exotic plant species covering 28 hectares.

The oldest Botanic Garden in New Zealand being established in 1863, Dunedin’s version consists of a hillside native forest and formal lower gardens which together contain over 6,800 species of native and exotic plant species covering 28 hectares. Ably guided by a couple of the Gardens’ most experienced botanic-savvy staff members, we gradually made our way from the top of the gardens, down the hill towards the primary gated entrance, passing a beautiful smorgasbord of plant life as we went.

Now a quick reminder again – I’m NO green thumb. Jamie and our guides’ expert knowledge on everything we stumbled upon (latin names were being thrown around thick and fast in an impressively giddy manner), no doubt delighted the keen gardeners amongst us, but they left me reeling to unsuccessfully take notes in a bid to throw something remotely credible together for your reading pleasure.

I failed… so I’m just going to have to ashamedly quote some of the notes provided by Midge on this one.

Mature specimen trees set off the lower garden’s formal rose garden, herb garden, herbaceous borders, and the Camellia collection. The character changes on the upper slopes of the garden to one of a more informal nature consisting of pockets of regenerating bush, an extensive collection of rhododendrons containing about 3,500 specimens and a woodland garden with large groups of Meconopsis, Primula, Astilbe, Hosta and Iris.

The native plant collection is also found in the upper garden, with many rare and endangered species including a native wetland and the Rene Orchiston collection of heritage flax (Phormium).

What I did notice for myself is just how well managed each of the presented microclimates are. Of particular interest to Eliza, being the Marketing Manager of “Proteaflora”, was a section of the gardens devoted to the establishment of a collection of South African plants including a stunning selection of Protea’s (see lead image).

Given our first real chance to catch a glimpse of some brilliant Autumn colours, I know that everyone enjoyed this stop on the itinerary immensely. And with the prospect of a much talked about dinner ahead of us at the last stop of the day, Glenfalloch, everyone loaded back onto the coach at the front, lower entrance of the Gardens and we were away again.

Glenfalloch

430 Portobello Road, Dunedin, New Zealand.

With the daylight starting to fade, we arrived at the Glenfalloch Restaurant and Gardens around 4pm. Glenfalloch, Gaelic for “hidden valley” is situated on the Otago Peninsula in a location that allows for dramatic panoramic views of the harbour down as far as Tairora Head where we visited “Nature’s Wonders” yesterday.

As much as we’d all liked to have wandered through the 12 hectares of gardens, this evening’s tour was limited to a gorgeous little herb garden where the chef and owner of Glenfalloch, Steve Richardson, conducted a brief herb demonstration. With fresh herbs collected, we all headed indoors to the restaurant where the bar was open and waiting for us!

With seats and wine glasses filled, Steve appeared once again to conduct a fantastic intimate cooking class where, using the herbs he had collected earlier outside, he prepared a delicious herb chicken entrée (see image below) that we all enjoyed as a lead into our incredible buffet dinner. The man sure knows his trade. Within minutes he had created a gorgeous looking entrée that is definitely easy enough for even culinary mortals like myself to prepare at home. Good stuff!

Demonstration over, Steve had to run off to his other restaurant in Dunedin, “Table Se7en”, leaving the rest of us to tuck into some really great dinner and conversation.

With a distinct lack of sleep starting to take its toll, all that was left to do for day three of our tour was to head back to the hotel, head up to my room, collapse and fall asleep reciting all the latin botanical names I had learned earlier in the day.

Again, I failed… and simply passed out without blinking. Zzzzzzzzzzz…

See also: Day One | Day Two | Day Four

]]> http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour%e2%80%93day-3/feed/ 1 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour-day-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour-day-2 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour-day-2/#comments Fri, 20 May 2011 15:58:21 +0000 masey http://www.masey.com.au/?p=40200 Waking up on day two of my “Go Natural, Go Dunedin Garden Tour”, my first move was to scoot downstairs at the Scenic Hotel to tuck into a brilliant buffet-style breakfast along with a selection of other early risers from the tour. I’m slowly but surely getting to know my fellow travellers and I’m finding the predominantly female crew (let’s face it, Jamie Durie is undoubtedly going to attract a pretty lopsided crowd when it comes to gender), to be a lot of fun.

With tummies full and expectations for a beautiful day under semi-clear Autumn skies at a pretty high level, Midge and Brad pulled up in the Citibus coach and welcomed us aboard for another day’s touring. I think Brad was especially excited this morning as he was going to have the opportunity to kick off the day with a quick whip around a few of the more notable parts of Dunedin that we simply don’t have the time to explore at length during our stay here.

City Sights Tour

There’s no chance I can possibly communicate the history of Dunedin with the same amount of knowledge and passion as Brad, but here’s a quick (and I mean real quick) historical overview for those of you playing at home.

Records suggest that New Zealand’s indigenous Maori people roamed the lands surrounding the Otago Peninsula and Harbour from as early as the 1600′s and perhaps even earlier.

Scottish Presbyterian settlers first arrived on Otago Harbour’s headlands aboard the “John Wickliffe” and the “Philip Laing” in 1847. The migrants, arriving from London and Glasgow, brought with them a large number of carpenters and bricklayers who quickly set about constructing a new city amongst Dunedin’s wooded, fertile, wildlife abundant hills.

1861 brought with it the discovery of gold at “Gabriel’s Gully” and a subsequent rush of migrants…

1861 brought with it the discovery of gold at “Gabriel’s Gully” and a subsequent rush of migrants from Ireland, Italy, France, Germany and China. This wave of fortune seekers helped make Dunedin the richest and most populace province in New Zealand.

The city now has a population of roughly 120,000 which is partly fuelled by a healthy resident student community who attend the University of Otago, New Zealand’s first university (1869), and also Otago Polytechnic which is pretty much the same thing as an Australian TAFE Institute.

In addition to the University, the city of Dunedin can lay claim to a wealth of other firsts including possessing New Zealand’s first girls’ school, first chocolate factory, first public botanic gardens (more on that tomorrow), first daily newspaper, first cable car transport, first kerosene street-lighting, first public art gallery, and even supposedly the steepest road in the world – Baldwin Street.

First stop today, however, was the iconic Dunedin Railway Station.

Dunedin Railway Station

Anzac Square, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Built in 1906, the Dunedin Railway Station handled over 100 trains a day at its busiest, accommodating passengers travelling from Dunedin to Christchurch in the north, and Invercargill to the south. There has been much debate over the unique design of the impressive building with its distinctive mix of Kokonga dark basalt and lighter Oamaru stone facings. So much so that the building’s architect, George Troup earned the perhaps fitting nickname of “Gingerbread George”.

No matter the popular opinion, the Dunedin Railway Station is considered the second most photographed building in the Southern Hemisphere after the Sydney Opera House. With that in mind, we simply had to jump off the coach and take a look around, so Brad cracked open the doors and let us all out to play for around 20 minutes or so.

Although the design, and in particular the 37m high clock tower, were impressive from the generous lawn and garden area out front, I was perhaps most blown away by the booking hall just inside the main entrance which features a mosaic floor comprised of something like 750,000 Minton tiles.

Next it was off to a couple of other scenic spots around Dunedin’s inner city area with a quick visit to “Lookout Point” at the top of Caversham Valley where we were able to take in from the coach, a sweeping view of the city and Otago Harbour stretching out towards the Otago Peninsula.

Of note was the prominent shape of the city’s new Forsyth Barr Stadium, a 30,000 seat rugby and entertainment stadium which is set to replace Carisbrook Stadium (affectionately referred to as the “House of Pain”) for a number of games during this year’s New Zealand hosted Rugby World Cup.

On the way down from the lookout and on our way to the first of our garden stops for the day, we passed by the Otago Boys High School which features an architectural style not unlike that which we witnessed earlier at the Railway Station.

Jamie Durie and his gorgeous Mum, Joy, had joined up with the tour back at the Railway Station earlier in the morning and he was now keen to jump on the mic as we made our way towards our first garden stop for the day – Olveston Public Garden.

Olveston Public Garden

42 Royal Terrace, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Olveston’s one acre of beautiful gardens and large mature trees surround a grand 100+ year-old (1906) 35-room stately home which is listed as one of Dunedin’s “Category 1 Historic Places”. The garden features various pathway connected terraces containing rhododendrons and native plants, flowing lush green lawns and a great little conservatory which was chock full of plants that Jamie explored with his Mum and other tour members.

With all of this beauty at our finger tips, we had a good half hour opportunity to stretch our legs and leisurely peruse the grounds.

Hereweka

10 Hoopers Inlet Road, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Back on the coach, it was time for Brad to lead us out of the city limits on a 40 minute drive along the spectacular Otago Peninsula “high road” through rolling green sheep paddocks en route to Hereweka, a garden retreat and eco-lodge managed lovingly by Peter Cooke and Anna Moore.

A fantastic morning tea was immediately on offer as Anna greeted the tour group and proceeded to give us a quick rundown on what botanical treats were to be found throughout the grounds. Jamie jumped in at the conclusion of Anna’s piece to add his own pearls of wisdom regarding the property, showing that he had done his homework and also revealed how impressed he was by Peter’s expertise when it came to structure and design of the garden.

Breaking into a couple of smaller groups, everyone scurried away to explore, eventually meeting up to be led through one of the far corners of the garden where both Peter and Jamie pointed out a number of notable native species including the famous New Zealand Silver Fern.

Hereweka’s extensive garden continues to evolve and it’s definitely a place that would be at its most spectacular in the colour-drenched Spring. If the comments I heard on numerous occasions this morning are anything to go by, a majority of the tour group already have their eyes fixed on a return journey to the area, and indeed Hereweka, later in the year.

Jamie and his Mum, Joy (above).

Winding our way further along the picturesque Otago Peninsula, rising as we progressed, we eventually arrived at the grounds of the stunning Larnach Castle, 300m or so above sea level.

Larnach Castle

145 Camp Road, Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, New Zealand.

If ever there was a stop today that was going to remind us all of the significant Scottish heritage of Dunedin, it was going to be the spectacular Larnach Castle. In saying that, however, the castle was in fact ironically built by an Aussie banker by the name of William Larnach, back in 1871.

The grounds are so big, the castle so grand and the gardens so extensive that I can’t possibly cover them all in this blog post, so I’ll have to direct your attention to the fantastic Larnach Castle website which will take you through the history of the castle, it’s inhabitants and the surrounding gardens which are one of only 5 gardens in New Zealand considered a “Garden of International Significance”.

What I can tell you is that the historical account of the castle is one worth checking out. As explained to us by both current owner Margaret Baker, and later by Brad our coach driver, William Larnach led a life filled with extravagance, intrigue, scandal and ultimately tragedy – all perfect elements for a good story. So check out that website – www.larnachcastle.co.nz.

First task within the grounds was to file into the spectacular ballroom (below) for a buffet lunch. Yum!

Being on the last table to receive meals, I shovelled down the tasty offering along with Eliza, my fellow 30-something traveller, and a half dozen other ladies before we were instructed to head to the stables for a formal greeting from Margaret, the castle’s current owner.

The stables, which have now been converted to guest lodgings, have been beautifully restored and proved the perfect location for a quick history lesson and botanical tour via slide projection.

Breaking into smaller groups, we then headed out into the garden and explored. There was plenty to be seen across a number of themed areas including a temperate rain forest featuring an avenue of mountain cabbage trees, a rock garden, a formal garden featuring a Laburnum tunnel used for weddings in the warmer months, and the most recent addition, an impressive South Seas garden.

Midge, Joy and Eliza (above).

Natures Wonders

Taiaroa Head, Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, New Zealand.

All castled out, we once again boarded the coach and travelled another 40 minutes to a special parcel of land out at Taiaroa Head owned by a very special human being, Perry Reid, and his family.

Called “Natures Wonders” for good reason, the self-funded wildlife conservation area is home to a large selection of wildlife including New Zealand Fur Seals, Sea Lions, Cormorants, Gulls, Hawks, Blue Penguins and the world’s rarest penguin – the “Yellow-Eyed”.

Perry has tirelessly worked to ensure that the wildlife living within the natural environment on his land is protected for all future generations to enjoy. Through the installation of kilometers of predator proof fencing and designated predator traps located throughout the property, Perry has managed to effectively protect the delicate ecosystem in his care from pests such as possums, stoats, ferrets and wild cats.

The best way for us all to see exactly what “Natures Wonders” is all about, was to throw on some water/wind resistent overcoats and climb aboard a number of 8-wheel ARGOs and head off into the undisturbed, natural wilderness.

“Wonder” number one was a breeding colony of New Zealand Fur Seals and their pups. Despite being a good, safe (for the colony) distance from the rock pools and cliffs the seal colony populated, inquisitive pups still approached our viewing positions giving us an incredible up-close encounter with these gorgeous little creatures.

A pretty special experience for sure.

Moving back to our ARGOs, the engines fired up and we continued further along the pristine coastline until we dropped down into a beautiful protected bay where we were instructed to keep our voices low and head down into an all-weather hide.

Set into the hillside overlooking a beach crawling with seals and sea lions, the hide afforded us the rare treat to view one special little fella whom we were all hoping to catch a glimpse of – the Yellow-Eyed Penguin.

But back to Perry…

You simply must spend a good hour in this man’s presence to get a real appreciation for just how passionate and determined he is to achieve his dream. After having done just that this afternoon, I can say without hesitation that he is one of those rare and special eco-warriors just like Australia’s own, late, Steve Irwin. The world certainly could do with a lot more Perry’s, that’s for sure.

Back at the reception building, we all had the chance to sit down with a hot drink and a bite to eat and listen to Perry address everyone one last time about his life project – “Nature’s Wonders”. Stirring stuff.

Eliza, Jamie, Joy and I all opted for the attractive option of a beer instead of a tea or coffee and we somehow jagged a comfy corner lounge to take a load off and have a chat about all that we had seen and done throughout the day.

After Hours

With the light failing fast, all that was left to do was to cruise back along the edge of the beautiful Otago Harbour towards town where we all headed to the “Etrusco Italian Restaurant” for dinner. I can’t speak for everyone else’s tables, but I can assure you on our table pasta and pizza was enthusiastically consumed, Eliza, Jamie, Joy and Geoffrey got stuck into a few bottles of red around me, many laughs were shared, and I fell in love with a new beer – the locally brewed “Emerson’s London Porter”. Wow – what a drop!

To close out what was a pretty full day, Eliza and I opted to skip the optional outing to Dunedin’s “Fortune Theatre” to catch the show “God of Carnage”, and instead head to a bar for a few more drinks. Under Jamie’s advice, we headed around the corner from the restaurant, down a dark alleyway and eventually came across a fantastic hole-in-the-wall lounge called “Pequeño”. Great news for me – they had Emerson’s London Porter in the fridges! Sweet!

Needless to say the evening picked up a notch with a few wobbly-pops under our belts (that’s being fairly truthful eh Eliza?) and it kicked on even further once the theatre show finished and we were joined once again by Jamie, Joy, Hamish (CEO of Tourism Dunedin) and a few other prominent Dunedin “suits”.

I don’t know why I felt really intimidated by him at the beginning of the tour (mega-celebrity status no doubt had something to do with it), but it turns out Jamie Durie is indeed a normal human being just like the rest of us.

He loves a glass of wine, loves a chat and LOVES everything to do with horticulture.

Awesome day capped off by a really fun night. Bring on day three!

See also: Day One | Day Three | Day Four

]]> http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour-day-2/feed/ 0 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour-day-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour-day-1 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour-day-1/#comments Thu, 19 May 2011 13:25:46 +0000 masey http://www.masey.com.au/?p=40042 A couple of weeks ago I received a fantastic email, via my blog, from the great people at Tourism Dunedin, New Zealand. In essence, the email was an invitation, extended my way, to attend a “Go Natural, Go Dunedin Garden Tour” in and around the beautiful Dunedin area in Otago, New Zealand.

Over 4 days, I would have the opportunity to visit some of the city’s most beautiful gardens, wander through incredible eco-sanctuaries, marvel at stunning examples of Victorian and Edwardian heritage architecture, and make friends with 35 or so passionate gardeners from around Australia.

…one of Australia’s best known and successful outdoor and gardening specialists and one of Oprah’s go-to people…

To top it all off, our host for the weekend tour was going to be none other than Jamie Durie – one of Australia’s best known and successful outdoor and gardening specialists and one of Oprah’s go-to people when it comes to all things horticulture and landscape design!

Quite the unexpected and exciting surprise I have to say! For those of you who are wondering if this is what I was eluding to when I tweeted about some awesome news received a little while ago, then yes, this is what it was all about!

Obviously, I accepted without hesitation, despite being well aware that my thumbs are about as “green” as a Queensland Reds rugby jersey. For me this opportunity was going to be all about exploring a picturesque city in a part of New Zealand that I haven’t visited before.

Flying Virgin’s Pacific Blue to NZ

A mid-morning start out of Brisbane International Airport had our merry band of 35+ garden and outdoor enthusiasts, the majority of whom I was yet to meet, in the air aboard our smooth, comfy “Pacific Blue” flight bound for Dunedin – a short 3 and a half hours away.

Wheels down on NZ’s south island, next thing to do was scoot through customs and immigration and meet up with Hamish Saxton, CEO of Tourism Dunedin who was on hand to welcome me and let me know that, if there was anything I required, he would be but a phone call away. Talk about feeling like royalty! I remember thinking, “I could get used to this!” Haha!

Next meet and greet was with our own personal pocket rocket (all 4 foot 11 of her) – Midge Ruka, our tour guide for the weekend. What a dynamo this little lady is! Can’t wait to see how she interacts with our talkative, informative bus driver, Brad, over the next few days. I have a funny feeling it’s going to be quite entertaining!

Dunedin Chinese Garden

Corner of Rattray & Cumberland Streets, Dunedin, New Zealand.

First stop of the evening, and indeed the tour, was Dunedin’s stunning Chinese Garden. As New Zealand’s only authentic Chinese Garden, one of only three in the world outside of China and the only one of its kind to be built in the Southern Hemisphere, this seemed like the ideal place to commence our garden tour and Jamie’s excitement over what we were about to see seemed to rub off on everyone on board the coach.

As Brad pulled up at the gardens, situated just around the corner from Dunedin’s famous Railway Station, it became quickly apparent that we weren’t going to just waltz into the complex without a little resistance. Guarding the impressive Pai Lou archway that led to the grounds were three Maori Warriors.

Once we were all positioned under the large Chinese gate in the garden entrance forecourt as instructed by Midge, the three men began proceeding towards us in an ever-so-intimidating manner, utilising moves and sounds not unlike what you hear when New Zealand’s “All Blacks” burst into the Haka on a rugby field. On this particular occasion however, we were on the pointy end of a Haka like traditional welcome that involved spears and lots of tongue poking! Like I said, somewhat intimidating, but awesome to watch!

Opened in September 2008, the roughly 2,500 square metre garden was constructed to commemorate the contribution of Dunedin’s Chinese Community to the city’s history and culture, which dates back to 1858-1860 when a significant Cantonese community settled in and around the city during the Central Otago Gold Rush.

Once inside the 4-metre high stone walls of the garden, our tour group delighted in a twilight exploration of the garden which features a large central lake, a number of impressive perimeter pavilions, a zigzag bridge and a climbing mountain featuring a cascading waterfall – all punctuated by glimpses of striking Fall/Autumn foliage.

With guided tours of the gardens out of the way, the group retired to a stunning courtyard where wine and appetisers made the rounds while speeches from both Jamie Durie and Tourism Dunedin’s Hamish Saxton were offered as an official welcome to all those in attendance.

The time spent sipping on wine afforded everyone time to mingle and get to know one another. I was able to have my first chat to Geoffrey, a journalist for Australia’s “Your Garden Magazine” and someone whom I will be taking a selection of shots for as we tour the gardens over the next few days, a quick chat with Jamie, and also the opportunity to meet Eliza, the Marketing Manager of “Proteaflora” and the only other “youngie” on the tour bus.

Piling back onto the bus, it was off to Dunedin’s super comfy and central “Scenic Hotel” to check-in. I grabbed a couple of beers from the bottle shop across the road and got stuck into some photo editing while the rest of the group headed out for dinner.

Already I’m struck by how friendly, warm and welcoming everyone down in this little pocket of New Zealand are. If tonight has been any indication, we’re all in for a real treat over the next few days.

See also: Day Two | Day Three | Day Four

]]> http://www.masey.com.au/2011/05/go-natural-go-dunedin-garden-tour-day-1/feed/ 2 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/03/g-adventures-south-america-day-14-refugio-amazonas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=g-adventures-south-america-day-14-refugio-amazonas http://www.masey.com.au/2011/03/g-adventures-south-america-day-14-refugio-amazonas/#comments Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:10:09 +0000 masey http://www.masey.com.au/?p=47285 Well, there’s a first time for everything. And, while I sit here by candlelight, surrounded by mosquito netting, writing this post about today’s journey deep into the Amazon Forest, I can safely say this is a new first for me. Actually, where I am sitting right now on my bed in my private, but open walled room, is a stone’s throw from the rattling, shaking, hooting and hollering forest.

There ain’t no silence here, way out in the middle of nowhere. No siree. That there forest is ALIVE and there’s but a thin sheet of mesh separating me from anything that wishes to just enter the hut and say g’day. What an invigorating and slightly terrifying feeling!

But hey, I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself here. First, we need to deal with the events of the past 24 hours…

About Last Night…

When I signed off last night after a HUGE and memorable day wandering the ruins of the breathtaking Machu Picchu, I should have been tucked away in bed in our cosy hostel in Cusco. Due to some recent pretty heavy rain and resultant landslides, however, we were still anxiously waiting in the tourist town of Aguas Caliantes along with hundreds of others, stranded while the train tracks somewhere between Machu Picchu and Cusco were cleared.

Julio, our G Adventures guide was a superhero by the end of the night, dealing with all of us tired, cranky and somewhat tipsy (bar hopping to fill time will do that to a person) as well as doing his best to wheel and deal our way onto any next departing train.

We eventually did get aboard a train at around 1am after some pretty crazy pushing, shoving and running to grab a seat, and after that it was all a bit of a blur as we did our best to get any amount of sleep possible.

Above (L to R): Atholl, Rob and Julio get some long-overdue shut eye.

Above: The lovely Germans Leonie and Florian follow the trend, across from me.

Somewhere along the way, out in the middle of nowhere, we all disembarked and transferred to a small bus which carried us the rest of the way back to “Hostel Corihausi”. Again, a super human effort from Julio getting everyone conscious and vertical long enough to get us all off the train, considering our sleep-deprived, zombified states of being.

And here’s where the fun really started for me. Considering today was our first day in the Amazon, I was all scheduled to start a course of “Doxycycline” anti-Malaria tablets last night. My tablets were in baggage storage at the hostel in Cusco so the only thing I could do was take them as soon as we returned this morning. As instructed, the first dosage was a double one (2 tablets). The instructions also call for the tablets to be taken with meals. I was soon to find out why not obeying this suggestion was a bad idea.

With our flight out of Cusco and into the Amazon but a few hours away, I took the Doxycycline tablets (on an empty stomach), organised some washing and jumped straight into bed in an attempt to grab a couple of hours of dead-to-the-world slumber before having to pack and leave again.

After having dozed off for no more than say 25 minutes, I awoke to what I can only describe as the most intense heartburn I think I’ve ever had the misfortune to endure. To all those people who have had coronary episodes that took the form of severe indigestion-like symptoms… I think I know where you’re coming from…

Doxycycline 1 – Rob 0

All I could do was throw up violently, guzzle a LOT of water and try to go back to sleep. Needless to say, by the time I was packed and heading back out to the airport with our reduced group, participating in the Amazon trip, I was no better off in the sleep department. Not a great start to the day.

Rainforest Expeditions

A short flight north-east from Cusco to the town of Puerto Maldonado and we found ourselves in the super warm and muggy surroundings of the Amazon Forest. Talk about a surreal experience. Yesterday, the cool, oxygen-starved Inca Trail through the Andes mountains, and today, the sweaty, humid Amazon Forest.

View Larger Map

I rarely ever get sick – maybe once a year if I’m really unlucky, but when I do, it’s usually at the turn of the seasons when temperatures vary greatly from one day to another. It’s like my body freaks out and shuts down in protest. So far I feel fine (despite this mornings little episode), but considering the vast difference in atmospheres and temperatures I’m now experiencing, I’m a little nervous at how the next few days are going to go.

But I digress…

Arriving in Puerto Maldonado, we were met by our local “Rainforest Expeditions” guide, Johan. He collected us all from the baggage carousel of the airport terminal and escorted us out to the company bus waiting in the parking lot for us.

Climbing aboard, we had no sooner taken our seats when we were each presented with our own basket of rainforest snacks including salted banana chips (A-MAZING), brazil nuts and a native orange which was messy to eat, but delicious.

As we demolished our culinary gifts in a fashion that would have suggested we hadn’t eaten all day (which for some of us was the truth), Johan introduced us to the rest of his crew and explained that we were on our way to a port where we would transfer to a long boat and cruise up river to our accommodation – “Refugio Amazonas”.

Once at the port, we had the opportunity to stretch our legs, purchase snacks and drinks, visit the loo, chase around some chickens and generally stretch our legs a little before heading down to the river to board our next form of transport.

With a good 3-4 hour river journey ahead of us, all we could do after doning our life vests was grab a position on the wooden benches that lined the sides of our long boat, and try to get comfortable. Johan, meanwhile, ran through a few safety notes including providing us with reassurance that, should we end up in the drink for whatever reason, we were likely more at danger from camen alligators than from flesh-stripping piranha. Reassuring indeed. Thanks Johan.

Next, we were each handed another unique snack – this time a gourmet rice of some kind served wrapped in a large banana leaf. Yum! The meal certainly kept us quiet for the first quarter hour or so as we headed off along the muddy waters of the river, deep into the Amazon!

Above: I think that’s Florian’s “I can’t wait for this…” face!

Over the next couple of hours we had plenty of time to sit back and observe the vastness of the country we were in as thick forest after thick forest passed us by on the river bank. The increasing feeling of isolation was broken up from time-to-time by the rare passing of other boats and by the odd roughly constructed mud hut that appeared on the banks.

An abundance of wildlife is something I’m obviously keenly interested in seeing throughout this short visit into the Amazon. And while we didn’t see all that much with our naked eyes on the river this morning, we sure as hell could hear a massive amount of critters all around us, even over the top of the boat’s motor. There’s absolutely no doubt that the forest is alive with activity and I couldn’t wait to hit land and check it all out.

Above: Leonie watching the world go by…

Above: Simon keeping watch for any signs of wildlife at the front of the boat…

A couple of hours into our river journey and we were required to dock at a small checkpoint where we registered our entry into the “Tambopata” region and received some pretty cool stamps in our passport validating our visit to this amazing part of Peru. I wasn’t aware that you were allowed to stamp your passport with anything other than official country entry and exit stamps, but I was soon assured that it was all above board, so I jumped in line and got my passport inked!

It was here at the checkpoint that we all got out first close up glimpse of some Amazon wildlife as the trees above rustled with the playful movement of a couple of monkeys of some kind. It seemed to trigger a run of good luck for us as, over the next couple of hours on the river we saw more monkeys playing in the forest canopy and also a family of capybara foraging the muddy shoreline.

My camera simply doesn’t have the telephoto power to capture such sights with amazing clarity (damn you Peruvian thieves!!), but here’s a shot I captured of the capybara.

A pretty nondescript set of old wooden stairs leading up the muddy bank from the river’s edge and into the forest was all that marked our arrival at home for the next couple of nights – “Refugio Amazonas”.

Considering none of us really knew what we were in for over the next couple of days in terms of accommodation and activities etc, exiting the boat and heading along the muddy trail into the forest was pretty exciting in itself.

The unknown soon presented itself as we entered a clearing and set our eyes, for the first time, on the amazing “Rainforest Expeditions Lodge” like an oasis at the end of a lush, leafy green desert (or something), with its high pitched hardwood frame and just all-around awesomeness.

Needless to say, with available light starting to fade, cameras were quickly whipped out and everyone captured the memory of coming across this amazing construction in the middle of nowhere.

Seated in the bar area, Johan gathered us all around, introduced us to some of the lodge staff and tossed up the idea of heading out on an evening activity. We were all pretty tired after our hellishly long night last night and a long day of river travel today, so we passed on the idea, opting to push the activity to tomorrow evening.

Instead, we opted for the opportunity to settle into our amazing individual rooms, and enjoy a few cold beers set amongst our amazing new surroundings. This was followed up by a surprisingly decadent buffet dinner that left each and every one of us well and truly satisfied.

And that brings me full circle to now. In my much needed cage of mosquito netting, scribbling away by candlelight wondering what the heck it is that’s nestling and rustling away in the walls above me. To be honest I don’t really care. I feel oddly safe on the bed here and now I think it’s time to try the ol’ sleep thing, assuming the creature (whatever it is), that’s just started screaming out there to my right, gives it a rest soon.

Wish me luck!

]]> http://www.masey.com.au/2011/03/g-adventures-south-america-day-14-refugio-amazonas/feed/ 0 http://www.masey.com.au/2011/03/g-adventures-south-america-day-13-machu-picchu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=g-adventures-south-america-day-13-machu-picchu http://www.masey.com.au/2011/03/g-adventures-south-america-day-13-machu-picchu/#comments Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:03:04 +0000 masey http://www.masey.com.au/?p=47267 Oh boy. There’s not a fibre in my body that would have believed that, what has become one of the longest days of my life, would also be what will become one of the most memorable days of my life, considering the way it all kicked off in the wee, dark hours of this morning.

For those of you who have been following my journey along the Inca Trail as part of a larger month-long “G Adventures” tour of Peru and Bolivia, you would know that I signed off yesterday’s entry, day 3 on the Inca Trail, crossing fingers hoping for good weather this morning. I mean, we’ve heard stories over the past few days about groups that have trekked all the way in dry weather only to wind up in an unidentifiable “Machu Picchu” covered in low, thick cloud – not something I wanted to encounter.

All the finger crossing in the world, however, was not going to save us this morning. Up and at it before 4am, the nightmare reality of having to deal with heavy rain as we made our way up to the Sun Gate, overlooking the ruins of Machu Picchu, became all too real. By the time we had washed, packed, eaten and broken camp, there were already a number of groups ahead of us waiting at the park entry check point. Not too keen on lining up behind in the rain, we decided instead to take shelter at the campsite restaurant/bar building along with scores of others and wait for our turn to head down.

Patience paid off as we eventually had our credentials verified and we set off as a group, away from Wiñay Wayna and into the damp darkness with our head lamps on hand to light the way. Only a couple of hours hiking was required this morning through a forest of large trees and giant ferns, before a final push upwards towards “Intipunku” (the Sun Gate), where we would either be met with breathtaking views over Machu Picchu, or, being more realistic considering the current weather conditions, views over a valley filled with dense cloud.

Alas, although the rain had stopped by the time we reached the Sun Gate, the ruins that we so desperately wanted to lay our eyes upon were blanketed in swirling cloud.

Intipunku – The Sun Gate

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“So what’s this ‘Sun Gate’ thing all about”, I hear you ask? Well, for those of us who had taken up a resting spot near our guide, Nancy, we received a quick rundown on the significance of the ruin. Consisting of two discernable stones flanking a narrow passageway leading through a crevice in the mountain, the “gate” is consistently struck by the first rays of sunlight each morning. Hence, the name “Sun Gate”.

Given the vast focus Inca religion placed on the worship of the sun and the essential role it played in all aspects of life, providing light, warmth and fuel to their crops, it’s safe to assume that this place of worship would have played host to many ceremonies in ancient times.

Right now, however, we were just hoping that the sun was going to answer our collective prayers and burn off the cloud which, thankfully, looked to already be dispersing as we made the decision to start the descent along the trail that led directly into Machu Picchu.

About 300 metres down the gentle sloping trail, from the back of our group I began to hear a number of gasps as we approached the clearing of another, smaller temple ruin. Sure enough, in the short time we had taken to hike down to this next point, the screen of cloud that was obscuring any views we had of the valley lifted and there it was – the stunning, silent, mysterious, Machu Picchu drenched in sunlight.

It was really interesting to observe the split reactions of our group at this point. On one hand you had a bunch who instantly reached for their cameras and set about madly snapping away, filling up their precious memory cards with their first glance of this ancient wonder of the world. On the other hand, there was a group of us who chose to take a moment, sit down, stare and just reflect on the magnitude of what we had accomplished over the past few days, and the significance to our lives of what we were about to explore and experience…

…then we TOO got our cameras out and started snapping madly! Haha!

After hundreds of frames had been snapped – panoramic shots, telephoto shots, individual shots and shots with friends (that’s me and the big man, Sam, above), it was time to continue past the odd grazing Llama and into the actual grounds of Machu Picchu.

Although we had been hiking the same stone pathways as the ancient Incas for the past couple of days, there was something special and surreal about treading this final section.

With a few minutes up our sleeve to observe the magnificent stone walls and unfinished structures from a different perspective prior to assembling and meeting Julio down at the visitor centre, the cameras started firing again. In a little over an hour’s time Machu Picchu was likely to be overrun by tourists traveling up to the site on day tours from nearby Aguas Calientas, so it was somewhat a priority to grab as many “unblemished” scenic shots as we could, while we could.

Reaching the visitor information centre, we were immediately met by the beaming, unmistakable smile of Julio, our lead guide on the Peruvian leg of this G Adventures tour. Julio was all ready to congratulate us all on completing the Inca Trail and propose a toast using a couple of champagne bottles that he distributed to the group.

Simon and Rob (above) took on the job of popping the corks, and the cool bubbly liquid was soon flowing into small plastic cups which were raised for multiple toasts in honour of finishing, of Nancy’s expert guiding over the past few days, and to the Incas, without whom we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be standing where we were.

Above (L to R): Lou, Helen, Atholl, Anna & Johnny raise their cups for the first of a few toasts.

Above: Lou struggles to make sure that her EVERY last precious golden drop of bubbly doesn’t go to waste!

Above: The lovely Nancy shares a “cheers” moment with Simon.

Machu Picchu – A day of ancient exploration

With 20-30 minutes of free time allocated to take care of whatever “comfort” things we needed to do (change clothes, hit the loos etc) we also had a brief opportunity to check out the visitor centre, gift shop and snack bar to stock up on munchies in preperation for the next few hours that would be spent exploring every last square foot of the magical site.

It’s funny, while we whole-heartedly appreciated the semi-sanitary pay toilets, have the opportunity to purchase drinks and put our daypacks into storage (allowing us to “take the load off” for the remainder of the day), I couldn’t help but be a little dismayed with even the existence of the large visitor centre so close to the site. It undoubtedly impacts the romance of the experience.

I had the same feeling when I visited “Stonehenge” in England. Had I been forced to hike over rolling green hills and descend into a hidden valley protecting the massive formation of druid stones, I probably would have appreciated the occasion more than I did. Pulling off the highway, getting out of the car and walking no more than 20m to stand at the foot of the circle kinda crueled it for me. Just saying…

Anyway, with Nancy’s expert and informative guidance at our disposal, we spent the next 2 hours visiting and becoming familiar with the more notable sections of Machu Picchu. Features such as the “Watchman’s Hut”, “Intipata” (Inca bridge), “Temple of the Three Windows”, “Intihuatana”, the “Main Plaza”, “Condor Temple”, “Intimachay”, “Ceremonial Baths”, “Temple of the Sun”, “Royal Sector” and more.

I could literally spend the next 2 weeks writing all about each of the aforementioned ancient attractions in turn. Although I appreciate all my reader’s thirsts for knowledge, I have neither the time, nor the literary stamina to indulge in that exercise right now, so the fairly comprehensive collection of images following, accessorised with captions (where I can) will have to do you all this time around.

Just know that Machu Picchu is absolutely everything you would expect the ancient wonder to be, and more! As evidenced by the hundreds, if not thousands of shots I took over the course of the day, I was well and truly blown away by the experience. Hopefully you’ll be able to absorb some of my amazement from the following shots.

Above: I wasn’t sure whether there was going to be too many signs of wildlife within the site other than the iconic Llamas that skilfully wander the terraces. Then I found this little guy…

Above: Standing strong and silent to the north of Machu Picchu is the mountain “Huayna Picchu”.

It’s hard to imagine any photo of the ruins without this iconic rock featuring prominently. While the hike to the top of this mountain is known to be quite treacherous, you can pay to be part of two regulated groups that make the climb daily. While the views from the top would no doubt have been quite spectacular, I wasn’t about to devote a couple of hours of exploration time to yet another ascent.

Above: Throughout the urban sector, examples of the intricate stone work the Incas were renown for, were in plentiful supply.

Just like in the stone walls found throughout Cusco, the stone blocks are so tightly and accurately aligned that despite the lack of any kind of mortar, it’s impossible to slide even a coin in between the huge bricks.

Above: The extraordinary entrance to the “Royal Tomb”, located directly below the “Temple of the Sun”.

The three steps you can see to the bottom right of the entrance is representative of “Pachamama” (Mother Earth). The inside walls of the cave (roped off to tourists) are covered with perfectly united cobblestone bricks punctuated by four, door-sized trapezoidal niches.

Above: I’m not sure why the above photo is one of my favourites from the day. Maybe it has something to do with the multiple elements – “Huayna Picchu” shrouded in cloud, terraced ruins of Machu Picchu under blue skies and a couple of birds in flight. Nice.

Above: The view from the urban sector back up towards the “Watchman’s Hut” where I had read presented one of the best all-inclusive vantage points over Machu Picchu. It’s where the watchman would have been stationed, so I guess that makes sense.

Above: Nancy demonstrates how two simple slabs of stone could be effectively used by the Inca people to crush grain and prepare food.

Above: More wildlife spotting – this time a mountain viscacha (Lagidium viscaccia), a member of the chinchilla family.

This little guy was spotted perched in one of the high niches in the walls of the “Principle Temple”. I guess he feels safe since tourists are not permitted to enter the temple due to the danger the weakened rear wall (due to seismic activity) presents.

Above (L to R): Sam (UK), Leonie (GER), Johnny (NZ), Molly (UK), Sophia (UK), Florian (GER), Victoria (UK), Rob (UK), Me (AUS), Lou (UK), Helen (UK), Simon (AUS), Ali (AUS), Atholl (UK), Anna (AUS), Sara (AUS).

Above: On the road leading to the top of the pyramid where “Intihuatana” is located, there’s a stone which has been carved to imitate the shape of the distant mountains behind. Neat!

Above: Just in case you forget which way to head to get to the base of the unmistakable “Huayna Picchu”.

Above: The winding road, clinging tightly to the steep slope of the mountain, that carries hundreds of tourists to and from Machu Picchu down to the nearby village of Aguas Calientes – modern engineering feat in itself.

Above: Remember what I was saying earlier about the “Watchman’s Hut” being perhaps being one of the best vantage points in the whole site? Here’s the proof. Iconic profile picture anyone?

Back up to “Intipunku”

Despite the soaring heat and the fact that after 4 days of solid hiking my bad knee was no longer my friend, Rob and I made the decision to follow through on our earlier plans to hike back up to the “Sun Gate” in an attempt to capture the view “from the top” that we missed this morning because of all the cloud cover. Armed with an estimated amount of water to keep us going for the 1km hike back uphill, we set off at a relatively easy pace.

Once arriving at the elevated viewing position, the rewards were immediate. Machu Picchu in all its beautiful glory to our left and the soaring, vegetation covered surrounding mountains rising up from the Urubamba River, to our right.

With our agreed meeting time back down in Aguas Calientes rapidly approaching, Rob and I headed back down to the visitor centre, pausing briefly to snap a last couple of frames, grabbed our respective gear from storage and boarded a rickety old bus back down the mountain along the winding road we had spied from the ruins earlier in the day.

I’d love to describe what would have been a pretty hair-raising experience, I am sure. But the reality is I think I snoozed nearly the whole way down until the raging waters of the Urubamba were right alongside the bus.

I took a little bit of time to explore the banks of this powerful river before heading up to the tourist strip where I would meet the rest of the group for lunch. The power of the thrashing water was awe-inspiring. I took a bit of video of what I was witnessing, and hopefully it will give you a bit of an idea of what I saw. Anyone got a kayak?

R&R in Aguas Calientes

For all intents and purposes, the town of Aguas Caliantes is simply a tourist trap built around a train station, obviously constructed to allow visitors to be delivered on the doorstep of Machu Picchu. Even the main restaurant strip sits directly on a section of the train platform. Filled with colour, music, activity and smells that would cause absolutely anyone to start salivating, it was the perfect place to meet the rest of the crew who had made their way down at various times throughout the afternoon.

I have to be honest, while the first full-sized meals on offer to us for a good few days was an attractive prospect, it was the “tallie” beers that I had my heart set on. I was hot, tired, and an ice-cold bottle of Peruvian “Pilsen” had been on my mind since climbing aboard the bus topside. I think my resultant smile (below) says it all.

As was the case for Rob up on the Inca Trail a couple of days ago, today was Simon’s birthday – an occasion we were more than happy to celebrate. I mean it was the perfect excuse for more rounds of “Pisco Sours” and cake… let’s not forget the cake!

The Long Wait

The process post-lunch was supposed to be real easy. Get our gear together, head through town to the main train station, board a train back to Cusco around 3:30pm, settle back into our “Hostel Corihausi” for a good night’s sleep before some of us take off for the Amazon tomorrow.

Travel wouldn’t be travel without a few hiccups to challenge the best laid plans, and this evening has been no different. As I sit here writing this, we still don’t know if we’re going to get out of Aguas Caliantes tonight. *sigh*

Let me explain.

There’s no doubt that we had our fair share of rain on the Inca Trail, but we had no idea that there had been so much rain in the area over the past couple of days that a number of land slides over the train tracks has made it difficult for us to get back to Cusco by rail. I can’t really tell you too much about what has happened because the flow of information from authorities to rail staff and then to waiting, anxious passengers here is pretty poor.

All that has been left for us to do is explore town a little, check out the markets, invest a few Sols at pretty much every bar in town (without getting TOO drunk) and play LOTS and LOTS of cards.

I think we all feel a little sorry for Julio. He’s been glued to his phone for the best part of the last 4-5 hours trying to find out from the G Adventures office in Cusco what’s going on and attempt to make alternative arrangements in case we do get stuck here (in a town with VERY limited vacant accommodation options). We’re all starting to get tired and a little cranky and, bless him, he’s shouldering all the frustration.

Nothing we can do at this point other than visit another pub, play some more cards and keep checking to see if there is any new developments. I guess I’ll fill you all in on what happened tomorrow night from deep in the Amazon Forest (I hope)!

NOTE: For those of you who’d like to learn more about Machu Picchu, check out this great article on the National Geographic website: Top 10 Machu Picchu Secrets.

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