Wine & The Beach

We survived driving the car on the opposite side of the road! When it was my turn to drive, I kept saying to myself "drive on the left, drive on the left"...it became my mantra for the day! I kept hitting the windshield wipers instead of the signal, but no accidents, so that's good! Hunter Valley was beautiful - green rolling hills and 142 wineries nestled in between! We went to 16 in total. In our humble opinion, the verdelho, semillon and shiraz are the best the area makes. The absolute best that we visited was Iron Gate, a boutique vineyard (they don't sell it anywhere but at the estate). Cara, thanks for recommending that we hit that one..we loved it and bought 4 bottles! Tempus Two was the other really great winery that we visited. McWilliams, Lindemans and Rosemount are others that we saw...you can buy those at home!

In addition to the great wines, Hunter Valley makes some phenomenal cheeses, olives and chocolates. We overindulged in brie, bleu and cheddar. I ate more than my share of the best marinated kalamata olives I have ever had...and lots of fudge. I am really looking forward to working out again in China! ;)

We went to Scarborough Vineyards (M.C., Barbara Jean, little and big Truman...just because of you!)...the picture of the vineyard above was taken there. After tasting the wines, we saw our first kangaroo hanging out near their vines! The kangaroo was massive! I had no idea they'd be that big. After a day of wineries, we went on a kangaroo hunt. We found several grazing in a field. Really cool!

We headed from New South Wales up to Queensland where we ended up at the Thala Beach Lodge in Port Douglas (Matt McNeel and Sierra - thanks for recommending the lodge - we loved it!). It is truly paradise on earth. The Lodge was way out of my price range and way too fancy now that I'm unemployed but luckily I paid for it while I was still working! The view of the Coral Sea from the beach is attached. We spent a day and a half doing nothing but reading, sleeping in hammocks and walking on the beach...a vacation from my vacation! The food at the resort was phenomenal! We each had Moreton Bay Sea Bugs and Yabbies (freshwater crawfish)...those will be added to my notable nibbles list I'm keeping!

Back in Cairns today...Mendy is exploring the Great Barrier Reef via submersible boat and I'm hanging out in the city. I got eaten alive by a spider in my bed last night, so it's been fun dealing with that!

Sadly, Mendy and I part ways tomorrow. She heads back to Sydney for her flight back home on Wednesday. I leave tomorrow for a two night sail/snorkle to the Outer Barrier Reef. I'm looking forward to spending a couple of days on the reef! It's been great having a friendly face from home to experience this beautiful country with!

After the sail, I'm flying to Brisbane and heading to Rainbow Beach. After one night there, I'll be going in a 4x4 jeep to Fraser Island. It's the largest sand island in the world...the views should be incredible! Also, there is a large population of dingos on the island...I hope they don't eat my baby! (ha ha...think Seinfeld!). I'll spend one night on the island getting really sandy. After Fraser Island, I head to Byron Bay for 3 nights. I'm staying at an Arts Factory where they have a recording studio on-site. I just might make my own music CD..I'll sell them for a really good price (seriously, please buy one from me...I'm going broke!) ;)

Thanks for your posts and emails! Hope all is well with each of you! It will be another week before I post, so talk to you then! Cheers from Cairns!

Sydney & Blue Mountains

Here are my titles for the posted pictures: 'Where's Mendy?!','Sunset with the Sydney Harbour Bridge', 'Mendy and Jamie Drink Wine at the Opera Bar' and 'Jamie is Bored Waiting for the Trolley in the Blue Mountains!' Notice the sandals with white socks....I'm trying to start a new fashion trend down under!

The Bridge Climb was an awesome experience. We had perfect weather and spent close to 2 hours at the top of the bridge. The bridge climb process was a Six Sigma work of art - I've never seen a more well organized and perfectly executed process! We had to do a breathalyzer test before they'd let us climb. I've never had to blow in one of those before, so that was a new experience! The climb was over 1400 steps and got up to 440ish feet at the very top. It was beautiful to see a 360 degree view of the city! After a long day of climbing, we celebrated by having a fantastic dinner at the Opera Bar which is right in front of the Opera House and across from the bridge at the Harbour. Awesome cityscape views, including the evening ritual of the local bats flying overhead from the botanical gardens out to catch their dinner (just like in Austin, TX for those of you who have seen the bats fly there...these are much larger bats though!).

We went to the Blue Mountains today. The weather wasn't great - cold and rainy. We had to buy gear to survive! It was a beautiful area - lots of waterfalls, open valleys, the famous Three Sisters peaks. Mendy was smart and rested at the top enjoying the rainbows in the valley while I did the 'Great Stairwell' path. It was insane. At one point I thought my heart was going to pop out of my chest. The climb was very steep...I was the only one on the path, so it was cool to hear all of the noises from the animals in the surrounding wilderness. When I finally realized that a) I might die because I am so out of shape from riding in a truck for 6 weeks in Africa with virtually no exercise and b) I was all alone walking straight down a mountain...I gave up. So, I didn't make it to the bottom, but I am here to write about it which is a good thing I guess!

We're off to Hunter Valley tomorrow for two days of wineries and relaxation. I can't wait! Will write more once we get up to Port Douglas (Great Barrier Reef) later in the week. Cheers!

Hello Sydney!

I arrived with no problem in Sydney on Thursday morning. I finally washed my clothes from the Serengeti in a proper washing machine. My clothes thanked me for that - they were disgusting! I spent the afternoon walking around Daarling Harbour, Kings Wharf and Circular Quay. It was a great moment to see the peaks of the Opera House come to view as I turned the corner while walking under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sydney is a beautiful, clean and very modern city. Everyone is friendly and seems happy and relaxed - it's fantastic! I shopped on Pitt Street for some clothes that didn't look like safari clothes and went to bed early, still adjusting to jet lag.

Mendy arrived safe and sound on Friday morning. We had breakfast and then caught the bus out to Bondi Beach. It's a beautiful little beach, no more than 1/2 mile wide with rocks/cliffs right up to the edge except where the beach is. The water was freezing, so we didn't go for a swim. We walked around the cliffs and then had a picnic on the beach. It was a very relaxing way to spend the day! Back in Sydney, we went to Paddy's Market where I bought an adorable fedora hat just like Bek and Keira, two of my favorite Aussies. I also got a green and yellow scarf to wear to the Wallabies vs. All Blacks game Saturday night (see below!). We went to a few pubs (it was Friday after all!) and met some very nice Aussies who we shared a few beers and laughs with.

Saturday was a busy day! We woke up and went for a run up to Paddington's Market. It's a quaint, retro area of Sydney with lots of cool shops, cafes, etc. I made Mendy go with me to Max Brenner's (DS and Julie - it's nothing like the Max Brenner's in NYC, but the chocolate was just as delicious! And they have huggies for hot chocolate!). We walked around the arts and crafts market, but I am not allowed to buy anything else because I have no money or room to carry it! So, I just window shopped!

From the market, we showered and headed to the Sydney Opera House where we saw Aida. Thankfully, they had subtitles because it was in Italian, otherwise I would have had no idea what was happening! The costumes were beautiful and their voices were incredibly powerful. I really enjoyed it - my first opera ever and in the Sydney Opera House...very cool!

Last night, we headed out to Olympic Park for tailgating and the Rugby game. It was a blast....Today we're climibing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. So, watch the news tonight to be sure there were no horrible climbing accidents! Tomorrow we're headed up to the Blue Mountains for some hiking. Tuesday, we're renting a car and driving to Hunter Valley, a wine region about 2 hours outside of Sydney. Should be very interesting driving on the opposite side of the road than we're used to!

Mom, thanks for the adorable card...it was great to hear your voice! I appreciate the $ you sent...Mendy and I are going to spend it on a nice dinner at the harbour tonight and save some for another nice dinner in Port Douglas. I love you! Take care everyone! Miss you!

Rugby Game!

Mendy got a great shot of some Wallabie fans lifting me up during tailgating! I don't think they broke their backs...but who knows! We had a great time tailgating outside of the ANZ Olympic Stadium. Although we paid a small fortune, our tickets were on the 50 yard line in the nosebleed section. The stadium was awesome - I've never been in an Olympic stadium before. It was fun to learn about how rugby is played from the people sitting near us! The final score was Wallabies 18, All Blacks 19. The Wallabies (AUS) vs. All Blacks (NZ) team was the 2nd of 3 games. The All Blacks were already up a game, so last night they captured the Bledisloe Cup. The Aussies looked good though. I really enjoyed the game...the guys are way tougher than American Football guys. I must find a rugby player to hang out with while I'm in Australia! ;)

Hello Bangkok!

What a difference between Africa and Thailand! Despite the Kenya Airlines strike which ended while I was in the airport, my flight left Nairobi right on time. After a 12 hour flight with a short layover in Doha, Qatar, my transfer to the hotel was waiting for me at 8 AM. There was a protest going on related to the recently convicted Prime Minister of Thailand. The home base of the protest was my hotel, The Royal Hotel in the heart of Bangkok. Chaos doesn't begin to describe how it was getting to and around my hotel yesterday. I was basically told not to speak to anyone in red (color the protesters were wearing!) because there was some dissonance between the Thai people over the PMs supposedly corrupt actions. I wore black and grey just to be safe! The protests were on BBC International News last night, so it might have made it home too!

I spent yesterday afternoon riding around in a tuk-tuk (basically a motorcycle with a cart which you sit in that scoots around town). I visited two temples and the Golden Mountain. I tried my hand at the gong there for good luck! This morning, I had a private tour with a Thai lady where we visited three more temples. Unfortunately, I could hardly understand her because she had such a heavy accent. So, I just kept nodding and saying "really" "wow" "how interesting!" although I have the slightest clue what she was saying. Oh well...it all looked pretty. I have now seen almost as many buddhas as I did lions in Africa. I can't keep them all straight!

I have also done a lot to support the Thai economy on Khao San Road. Bought some beautiful 2 carat, 14 K white gold garnet earrings (my birth stone and a really early birthday present for myself!). Jewelry here is VERY cheap. So is the food. I had pad thai from a street vendor for slightly over $1. The green curry is better than Downtown Thai in Winston-Salem and costs only $1.50. This afternoon, I'm going for a 3 hour thai massage and foot reflexology massage that will cost just over $10. It's a tough life. The heat and humidity is ridiculous, so I just have to do something to escape it! ;)

Tomorrow morning I am headed to the floating market. It's about 1 1/2 hours out of Bangkok - it's supposed to be incredible...all of the vendors sell their wares from a boat...and the people shopping are in boats too. Insanity!

I fly to Sydney tomorrow night. I can't believe how quickly time goes when you're having fun! Speaking of fun, my eye caught the Wall Street Journal while walking past a newspaper vendor yesterday. Congrats to all of the BB&Ters reading this for the acquisition of Colonial! You all will have your hands full for the next several months! But, you'll pull it off with no problems I am sure! It was weird to see the newspaper and to watch the news in the hotel last night...I have been ignorant of everything going on in the world for the past 7 weeks!

My favorite part about Bangkok, despite the beautiful architecture and lovely people, is my hotel room. It's got air conditioning, a queen size bed, and a shower with a bath tub. And, hot water! The best part is that after I shower, I walk onto tile and carpet, as opposed to dirt while in Africa. So, my feet actually still look like they are clean. It's really fantastic.

That's all from Bangkok...off to my massage! ;)

See the Big 5 in Africa. Check.

I am going to have trouble describing in words the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. It is by far one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. If you ever plan a trip to Africa, you MUST go to these two places!

Ngorogoro means cowbell in Maasai. "I've got a fever, and the only cure is more ngorongoro." Just doesn't have the same ring to it! Formed from a volcanic mountain that collapsed into itself over 2 million years ago, the crater floor is now filled with herds of animals, a salt lake, a few ponds and lots of wide open savanna for the animals to graze. We saw a rhino here, albeit off in a distance. The highlight of the crater for me was watching a lion eat a wildebeest carcass that was still a fresh kill, likely from the night before. There were 3 other lions laying near the kill, all had blood around their mouths and chests. So cool! In all, we probably saw over 20 lions just on the crater floor alone.

Driving into the Serengeti brought tears to my eyes. It was such a moving experience to finally get to the park and to see the vast stretches of landscape - acacia trees, rock formations, golden reeds in the savanna. Just like I have always imagined. We spent the night at a bush camp in the Serengeti. Over night, we heard hyenas running through the camp and devouring the food scraps and trash. Also, heard lions roaring nearby! We weren't supposed to leave the tent unless it was an emergency. I had to leave twice during the night for a toilet run (more on that later!). Needless to say, it was a great adrenaline rush at 10:45 and 4:30 AM!

The game drive in the Serengeti the following morning was simply incredible. We were lucky enough to see well over 20 lions, including two male lions very close by. We saw a leopard eating fresh gazelle meat in a tree. When he was done eating, he just straddled the tree and hung out resting. So cool! We saw two cheetahs and a serval cat, in addition to tons of zebra, giraffe, gazelle, red bok, hippos, wildebeest, buffalo and elephants. The best part of the drive came on our way back to camp when we drove up on about 5 other jeeps watching a female lion stalk gazelle and zebras who were ignorantly drinking from a watering hole. Our driver, Kopa, sped past all of them and we got a front row seat. I was seated in the front (left-side of the jeep over here!) and standing up watching the female lion, let's call her Alice. Kopa started hitting my leg and I looked down wondering why on earth he was doing it. He said to look out of my window. There was Betty, another lion, walking right past our jeep. She literally was rubbing herself on my front door, and I realized that the lions were using the jeep as cover for the surprise attack on the zebra and gazelles. Betty broke off into a sprint and the zebras and gazelles rushed away from the watering hole with Betty in hot pursuit...they didn't make the kill, but it was awesome to watch. [Picture above] There was dust everywhere from the stampede of animals! On our way out of Serengeti I listened to the Circle of Life off the Lion King musical soundtrack. It brought more tears to my eyes because I had just witnessed the raw power that the song speaks of!

After the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater, we spent some time at the Olduvai gorge where the most significant finds in human evolution were found. Most of skeletons date over 2 million years ago). It was extremely interesting to see and read about all of the discoveries in the gorge and in nearby Laetoli, where fossils dating to 3.6 million years old have been unearthed. Very cool stuff.

Medical update: I thought that I would make it through my entire time in Africa without any major issues. Wrong! Sunday night, after returning to Dar es Salaam, I was up most of the night with a very high fever. We were camping right on the Indian Ocean. It was easily in the upper 80's and I was shivering in my 20 degree bag with my fleece blanket wrapped around my head. It was terrible. I felt awful the next day with aches all over and horrible stomach cramps. The diarrhea started (hope you aren't eating while reading this! Sorry if you are!) on Monday afternoon. The Cipro I was prescribed did nothing to stop it, neither did Imodium. The jeep ride from the Crater to the Serengeti was the bumpiest road I have ever been on...I somewhat regretted not packing adult diapers! It was horrible. When we got into Nairobi yesterday, the pharmacist told me it was likely from the water in Zanzibar (I didn't drink any, but likely from the food) and that I had infectious diarrhea. They prescribed Ercefuryl Nifroazide (Gayle - details are for you to help me figure this out!!). 30 minutes after taking it, I started having horrible pains in my chest that are still not 100% gone. My stomach is better now, but I am really nervous about flying to Bangkok tomorrow!

My camera surgery worked (yeah!!) so I think I will be okay. Mendy, I will let you know by Tuesday if not! We are going to dinner in Nairobi tonight, our last group dinner, to a place called Carnivore. It has been rated as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world twice. I really hope my stomach can handle it!

Africa is an amazing continent. The landscapes are so vastly different from one minute to the next. The people are incredibly helpful and happy. Despite the extreme poverty, health epidemics, political instability and depleting resources, one gets a sense that despite all of these negatives, there is a sense of hope. My time in Africa has by far been the most rewarding, amazing traveling I have ever done. I have made some great friends and will be in touch with them, hopefully, for the rest of my life!

Malawi & Tanzania

Hi! This is going to be quick because I have to catch a ferry back to Dar es Salaam in a few minutes! I had a great update ready that I wrote on the truck, but this internet cafe doesn't have Word, so my update would read %&*(*(#*$ which isn't very understandable! The good, the bad and the ugly: the good - Zanzibar is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I went on a full day snorkel trip to Mnemba Atoll yesterday, and I will forever remember the crystal clear water, white sand and beautiful reefs. Awesome. The bad - my camera died. I dropped it while it was turned off several weeks ago and it has worked fine ever since. Not anymore. I am going to perform minor surgery on it, perhaps I got some sand in it. (I am in Africa, after all!). Our tour leader, Kath, is going to loan me hers because we head into Serengeti and the Ngrongoro Crater this week and I would be devastated not to have pictures of that experience! I'll buy a new one in Thailand if I can. If not, Mendy will be doing some last minute camera shopping for me before she heads to Sydney! The ugly - we took a ferry from Dar es Salaam on Thursday morning to Zanzibar. Our truck dropped us off at a petrol station where we unloaded our bags and got organized before walking to the ferry. Not 10 minutes after we walked towards the ferry did the petrol station explode. Several people were injured and we could hear the sirens. Crazy. Divine intervention I suppose.

Medical update: I stupidly walked down a crowded street in Zanzibar trying to open a lollipop with my swiss army knife and sliced my finger open. Note to self: do not ever walk down a crowded street with a knife and try to open a lollipop all at the same time. I had a slight stomach issue leaving Zimbabwe, but nothing that Pepto Bismal couldn't cure. I reckon it's all the unhealthy food I ate as Zimbabwe has no fruit or vegetables due to the cholera epidemic! Finally, I got hit in the shoulder by the rear view mirror of a car while walking down an alley in Stone Town (Zanzibar). I really must pay more attention to where I am walking!

We head to Serengeti and the Crater this week - I have looked forward to this part more than anything. Still have to see a rhino and a leopard to cover the Big 5! A week from today, I fly to Bangkok. I am not ready to leave Africa and I can't believe how quickly it has gone! Will write more and post more pictures from the last few weeks in Thailand!

Chris Pesti - happy 34th! Mendy - happy 40th! Candi - happy birthday! And, to whomever else had a birthday, an anniversary, etc...hope it was lovely!

Having a blast in Tanzania....

Zambia & Malawi

Victoria Falls was incredible. Walking next to the Falls, I was wearing a raincoat and an using an umbrella and still got really wet from the mist! There were several rainbows too, but no gold! It's a mile wide and truly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I am glad that I did the micro flight to see it from the air - gives it a totally different perspective!

We had a lot of fun in Victoria Falls. There was a great club where they played dance music and had guys playing bongo drums live. So cool! The adrenaline package was great. The gorge swing was by far the best...very similar to bungee jumping. The gorge is 120M and there was a 70M free fall which equates to a full 3 seconds before you swing out into the gorge. I jumped off the platform from a handstand position. It was crazy! I hurt my throat screaming so loud! I will try to upload the video if possible! I also off loaded some of my stuff by trading old clothes for souvenirs. Got a really cool wooden giraffe for a pair of capris (I accidentally spilled an entire glass of red wine on them and they were filthy!) and a 3 year old bathing suit. I am getting the hang of haggling with the locals!

Sadly, Trine left the trip in Victoria Falls, so I was supposed to get a new tentmate. Desiree, who teaches pole dancing classes and dances at clubs in Belgium, was going to be my new tent mate. But, she packed like 15 bags and there was no room for me and my stuff in the tent. (She's never traveled before and brought her own blow up mattress! On a safari?!!? Luckily, there was an extra tent so I am now alone. It's really nice to spread out, but I miss Trine!

This week we traveled from Zimbabwe through Zambia and into Malawi. Long days on the truck! Zambia was had some beautiful landscapes, but we didn't spend much time visiting any parks or anything like that. Lindsey, Hannah and I went for a walk outside one of our campsites and we saw giraffes mating! It is definitely mating season in Africa! We pulled over by the side of the road for a restroom stop and as I was using the bathroom, several kids jumped out from hiding in the bush and started laughing at all of us. They get a kick out of all the white people pulling over to pee I guess. It was hilarious.

Lake Malawi is very peaceful...just like a beach without the waves. It's freshwater, so only crocs and hippos to worry about. I tried to do a PADI refresher dive course before Zanzibar and Australia, but they wouldn't let me. Turns out that I need a doctor's note to okay me to dive due to my asthma. So, I snorkled instead. Lots of beautiful blue and yellow fish...luckily no crocs!

I went horseback riding through the forest, village and on the beach yesterday. It was by far the worst experience of this trip! I knew from the minute I met Toots, my horse, that it was going to be a rocky relationship. She had a mind of her own, was inquisitive about everything that moved or didn't move, ate every 5 seconds and completely ignored me. When we started trotting (for those of you not up to speed on my horseback riding experience, I don't really have any!), Toots charged ahead like she was trying to win the Preakness. I freaked out because there were some local children and their mothers carrying stuff on their heads and we were headed straight towards them. My right foot came out of the stirrup and I was screaming. The locals literally dove into the bush by the side of the road because they were scared too! I ended up doing an impressive half jump, half fall off the horse that I couldn't recreate if I tried. It took me several minutes before I calmed down enough to get back on Toots. I kept cussing at her and I know she could tell I was nervous the rest of the 2 1/2 hours on her. I don't know that I will ever get on a horse again. I was ready for a stiff drink after that ordeal!

Last night, a couple of the groups at Kande Beach decided to do a 'garbage bag party'. What is a garbage bag party, you ask? It's when all you are allowed to wear is a garbage bag. Nothing else. It was hilarious. I was amazed at how creative everyone got with theirs! I wore a nice little black cocktail garbage bag with an orange belt. During the party, I nearly swallowed a butterfly! ;)

The bar is right on the beach, along with our tents. It is a beautiful camp ground....spent most of today laying on the beach recovering from wearing a garbage bag all night! This week we head to Tanzania, then over to Zanzibar. Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania. Should be beautiful. I can't believe that I have been traveling over a month now!

Thanks for all the blog comments. Not able to upload any pictures from this computer! Sorry! Grandmum, glad to hear you are reading along. My love to you! Barbara, congratulations on your new position! I can't believe you are moving to Winston after all these years! Caroline, glad you're reading the blog! Nathalie, happy Switzerland Day! Take care...