tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79740420474840946072024-02-21T07:48:17.628-08:00Ellingtons in New ZealandNew Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-59646095064396026102018-06-24T20:32:00.002-07:002018-06-24T20:32:30.533-07:00The Americas and a Sabbatical <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the many deciding factors to keep us here in New Zealand was the amount of paid holiday Brad gets at the hospital. He gets heaps of time off with the family and for continuing Medical education. After being at the hospital for 6 years, he gets a 3 month Sabbatical. Which he took in November, December and January. He spent the the first part at a conference in Israeli, then he went back to Bhutan to volunteer for the month of November. December was spent at a conference in NYC, a few lectures in Atlanta, and time visiting our family in the US. Then January was spent travelling around South America with his family.<br />
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The USA leg of the trip started out with a visit to my family in Atlanta, Georgia. My parents recently moved to Atlanta to be closer to my sister and her family. So easy for us as we get to visit with all my family in one town. We thought it would be fun for the kids to visit a big University town and see where I went to college so we spent a day in Athens, GA. So much fun to be back on old stomping grounds and walk down memory lane with my kids.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Between the hedges, home of the Georgia Bulldog Football team. Holds 92,000. Where we spent most Saturday afternoons in the fall. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The legendary Georgia Arch. Myth has it that walking under the arch before graduation will keep students from graduating. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">My Sorority Kappa Alpha Theta</span></b></td></tr>
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After a quick 10 days in Atlanta we flew to the east coast to spend some time with Brad's family. Brad's Dad had just had open heart surgery a few weeks before we arrived. Brad went back earlier than us to go to a conference and spend some extra time with his Dad and help with the transition of getting him back home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">David, the day before he got to go home from rehab. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Grand Central Terminal NYC</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>B<span style="font-size: small;">est Broadway play </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Owen went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with his cousins</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Christmas Dinner with family</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">This was just a few days after David came home from rehab. Defiantly something to toast too!!</span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzq0qXfsVk5zDIbzAisQbH6VXLLeIadhyphenhyphencp8tmc_uJxmVi4uNuIeN7XjlN_jdYbG-TrewsdqCwlsT9urkzt4IS5Sd1dvVfEuSj_0vPhyphenhyphenDieCdX7S1X-358HZYNAJ8FOwV3ikmzrvk9HA/s1600/DSC_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzq0qXfsVk5zDIbzAisQbH6VXLLeIadhyphenhyphencp8tmc_uJxmVi4uNuIeN7XjlN_jdYbG-TrewsdqCwlsT9urkzt4IS5Sd1dvVfEuSj_0vPhyphenhyphenDieCdX7S1X-358HZYNAJ8FOwV3ikmzrvk9HA/s320/DSC_0672.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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From NYC we went to Park city for skiing with the whole family! There were 14 of us all together staying in a beautiful Airbnb. Ages ranged from 7 to 84. Brad and his sisters managed to get David to Park city as well. Amazing trip and awesome memories. Not much snow that early in the season but enough to keep us all cruising around the mountain together. Brad and his whole extended family are awesome skiers. It was great for my kids to follow their cousins, aunts and uncles around the mountain trying to mimic their skiing. Great way to learn.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">I never got the photo but all 13 of us manged to ski together a few days. Having the 4 young grand kids bombing down the hill close to Grandma was an adventure in itself. </span></b></td></tr>
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We spent close to 4 weeks in the USA, Brad was with us most of the time but because of his sabbatical he had a few conferences and lectures to attend to while we were travelling. From Utah we flew to Houston, found a hotel that would store our bags for us for a month! Still amazed they provided that service. Imagine the stuff we had to leave behind, Christmas gifts, winter clothes, ski gear, fancy clothes, and all that American stuff we load up on whenever we go home. We had tons of stuff. We only wanted to travel with a backpack each to South America, so that meant leaving most of our things in storage. From Houston we went on to Lima, Peru. Had just one day in Lima and then on to Cuzco. You might notice in the photos below there isn't many of Owen. Poor kid got the flu in Utah and became very sick our first 10 days in SA. Because our budget only allowed for low budget accommodation we spent the first week in a backpackers in Cuzco. The sick kid was a real trooper, considering he felt so horrible and had to share toilets and common areas with a whole bunch of people he did not know.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cuzco sits at an elevation of 3300 m/10,800 ft. We noticed right away as walking around town was more tiring than usual, and going up a hill required many stops to get our breath. The Plaza de Armas is the background. We did enjoy Cuzco, however it was more toursity than we </span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>imagined. I was surprised to see a Mackers, KFC, Starbucks and Patagonia store all in the city centre. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">One of my favourite photos of the girls and I </span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3MI44rqtZ4mJFvCVyM6shrYEWy7hNvq73595f12yUcW34U2sVRt8rPCsPFTAGP7QUTLVC8xjZuo_czg2lLrF1pTGmqCUE9709qyfAuRqwtIAhUSQ75zl_K_Bz8r1TJCqZSUB4mCy52E/s1600/IMG_4152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3MI44rqtZ4mJFvCVyM6shrYEWy7hNvq73595f12yUcW34U2sVRt8rPCsPFTAGP7QUTLVC8xjZuo_czg2lLrF1pTGmqCUE9709qyfAuRqwtIAhUSQ75zl_K_Bz8r1TJCqZSUB4mCy52E/s640/IMG_4152.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Shopping was insane</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Lindsey spent the first few days with us in Peru then she headed off to her new home for 6 weeks in Cuzco. She signed up with International Volunteers HQ to do some volunteer work with animals. She was placed in a home stay a little bit outside the city and commuted into work everyday on the public transport. She had an incredible 6 weeks, had many adventures, meet some real diverse and interesting people and meet a cute German boy. So yes a successful experience, so much so she didn't want to come back home. But thank god she is a smart, sensible young lady and did get on the flight home. </span></b></td></tr>
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These next group of photos are all from the Sacred Valley, which is referring to the high Andean villages, peaceful Inca sites, and frenzied markets. We just had a day to spend here on our way to Machu Picchu. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoE9QJSv4LK6xRJF-sKM3NDe3vXY0acpqsm9xFsg36bohHtVnQuUx1KxTGiAo4_zjo-pvr_zxgxP2VSen4roSjCuRm1C8pw3faqxX1A-qtGka0v50tvPiJX5cZUrSoRgiH64dkul_JFqA/s1600/IMG_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoE9QJSv4LK6xRJF-sKM3NDe3vXY0acpqsm9xFsg36bohHtVnQuUx1KxTGiAo4_zjo-pvr_zxgxP2VSen4roSjCuRm1C8pw3faqxX1A-qtGka0v50tvPiJX5cZUrSoRgiH64dkul_JFqA/s400/IMG_0704.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Ollantaytambo Ruins</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The locals displaying their homemade wares</span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KpnJT6N9q4xpDXdKx08O3kHN-h0UHTE6k221dmntiMKO4gGBdbDoikjx4G18KFg7izfcrTmyI0abnaIan85sXLctremizb_M8pxLegsO0hBfInGIWSX7uIU8pSTUB8nniH53A3u54-U/s1600/IMG_0716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KpnJT6N9q4xpDXdKx08O3kHN-h0UHTE6k221dmntiMKO4gGBdbDoikjx4G18KFg7izfcrTmyI0abnaIan85sXLctremizb_M8pxLegsO0hBfInGIWSX7uIU8pSTUB8nniH53A3u54-U/s400/IMG_0716.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Our first sight of Machu Picchu once the clouds cleared at about 7 am. </span></b></td></tr>
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To visit Machu Picchu you have two options. 1. Hike the Inca Trail 2. Take a train into Aguas Caliente and then take a bus up to the ruins. We would of preferred to hike however with it being rainy season we opted not to do the Inca Trail and with Owen still being sick, the bus was our best option with him. Because it was off season in Peru we were able to plan the whole trip on the go. We usually have everything researched, planned and booked before we leave but decided to try a different method this time. Luckily we were planning as we went otherwise we would of been in trouble because with Owen being sick everything got pushed back a few days. However, we prefer having everything planned before we go, mainly because it feels more like a holiday without having to be on a device everyday. Planning as you go requires a few hours of Internet everyday booking the next accommodation, transportation, and or activities.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The Inca Drawbridge</span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuybTkN08LrrHUnh_yLuvRTC8LrDC6qaKhcmr2uhlSpfUxN4zGtqsHOUPuHAY3gGWHmJrT5byT-E5KXqtUqyg_mBmpyRbSIJueGIB6LuTXu4SzXY3nroytzXOxHiULXhwsaeKLyz59zo/s1600/IMG_0768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuybTkN08LrrHUnh_yLuvRTC8LrDC6qaKhcmr2uhlSpfUxN4zGtqsHOUPuHAY3gGWHmJrT5byT-E5KXqtUqyg_mBmpyRbSIJueGIB6LuTXu4SzXY3nroytzXOxHiULXhwsaeKLyz59zo/s640/IMG_0768.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The steep sided mountain in the Background is Wayna Picchu. Tickets may be purchased to climb to the top. </span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBmA0CrMmxKX3NrZDa_szd9OvMPdfM7azNt_RsaQnJ6IyGqrJbizBx3nvz0OXVYdYL6dedzQDSfqjNGbQXOE9Rkco9U-fBls37U6INPj7O90k1iVZXA1Tlbqzhr33WvfiVYrOShL77qQ/s1600/IMG_0790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBmA0CrMmxKX3NrZDa_szd9OvMPdfM7azNt_RsaQnJ6IyGqrJbizBx3nvz0OXVYdYL6dedzQDSfqjNGbQXOE9Rkco9U-fBls37U6INPj7O90k1iVZXA1Tlbqzhr33WvfiVYrOShL77qQ/s640/IMG_0790.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>They are trying to control the number of visitors to Mach Picchu everyday so they have limited the ticket sales to 2500 per day. I would highly recommend visiting this Great Wonder of the World but try to visit in the off season. It would feel like Disney Land during high season. Lines would be insane. We enjoyed it thoroughly but were very happy it was not more crowded, as it would of taken a little bit away from the whole experience. We also had a very knowledgeable guide which we brought with us from Cuzco who helped us understand and learn more about the history. </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06IX8Vpp9pLgbbfs68ObK2PcR1E90vXL4efIA2VqeOYkacLb6e4Vv9kBwy2mD4Qv63AExChMoJd22R6wQUyqt_gQxrvcSCSknZFNVzrCmeMmXBAOhbtA29r-v3KtnHipezYqVfSKx_PU/s1600/thumbnail.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06IX8Vpp9pLgbbfs68ObK2PcR1E90vXL4efIA2VqeOYkacLb6e4Vv9kBwy2mD4Qv63AExChMoJd22R6wQUyqt_gQxrvcSCSknZFNVzrCmeMmXBAOhbtA29r-v3KtnHipezYqVfSKx_PU/s640/thumbnail.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">I LOVE this picture of Lindsey. She went to Machu Picchu a few days after us with some friends from the volunteer organization. She had a much clearer day than we did. Anyone who knows Lindsey knows that she is an animal lover and most love her as well. So this photo with her and the Llama is priceless. It looks like the Llama is photoshopped in but nope it just walked up to her at the exact moment she was getting her photo taken. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>T</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>he town of Aguas Caliente. It lies in a deep gorge below Machu Picchu. Only accessible by train or hiking. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Train tracks running through town</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Only because of my height and blond hair did the locals and Asians want to take their photo with me. I told Owen it was because I looked like a movie star but he didn't believe me. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>K<span style="font-size: small;">eep in mind those rocks behind us were carved by hand and placed perfectly in line with the others. The Incas were some of the worlds finest architects. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Town of Cuzco behind us. </span></b></td></tr>
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We left Cuzco on an overnight bus to Arequipa. The overnight bus was like flying premium economy. Much nicer than we expected. The seats were very padded and leaned back somewhat comfortably, we had our own TV screen (only Spanish speaking), and they feed us dinner on the trip. Highly recommend Cruz del Sur bus company. There are however some routes that the buses do get high jacked, we just were not on one of those routes. Somewhat of a sense of relief once we arrived though, every time the bus stopped on the overnight journey I held my breathe until we were moving again.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Plaza de Armas</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Monasterio de Santa Catalina. A beautiful convent. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The most beautiful hand woven rugs. SO cheap, but so heavy to carry around. </b></span></td></tr>
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We were now starting the more adventurous part of our trip. Owen was very happy we were finally done with big cities, Monasteries, Cathedrals, shopping and ruins. According to him, the vacation has finally started, because there are finally some fun outdoor activities to do. We are now in Canon del Colca, one of the worlds deepest canyons.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rafting (we did not do)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Horseback riding.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Looking for the Andean Condorsat Cruz del Condor</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6J2yEJ65CMFf1OZTbizrJVF8I3TykhKd0P4klX1ZBo2ulmFMkSnop5a1qSq9dKErl5PkE89CitFrHspgnR-hJdL9r3aJSZr8ozYW1roUeR4YdV6Gg_YLGP9bZ3mpi_IHp6h88_vR9q4/s1600/IMG_0972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6J2yEJ65CMFf1OZTbizrJVF8I3TykhKd0P4klX1ZBo2ulmFMkSnop5a1qSq9dKErl5PkE89CitFrHspgnR-hJdL9r3aJSZr8ozYW1roUeR4YdV6Gg_YLGP9bZ3mpi_IHp6h88_vR9q4/s320/IMG_0972.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Dancers in the Plaza de Armes of Chivay</span></b></td></tr>
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These next photos are of a beautiful hike we did down to Sangalle or the Oasis. We hiked down for one night in the Canyon. Very basic hostel like accommodation at the bottom. I think I paid $16 a person for a bed, dinner and breakfast. Best part of this trip was no Wifi, epic scenery and the swimming pool at the bottom of the canyon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">At the start before we were a sweaty mess at the end.</span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIRh96xkfCv1KcBWjCbY437uBIT2wvm6xM1eUmlSWjU14p3r__ptqxKlguEurtlEks2i9pBMTg4BXfcvQVLnPPS1sGQ1sma3ZJXswfpr_tO3uMOrJynz0niYzMKZql6mtRFmo4UIn8Ic/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIRh96xkfCv1KcBWjCbY437uBIT2wvm6xM1eUmlSWjU14p3r__ptqxKlguEurtlEks2i9pBMTg4BXfcvQVLnPPS1sGQ1sma3ZJXswfpr_tO3uMOrJynz0niYzMKZql6mtRFmo4UIn8Ic/s400/IMG_0973.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80uzGEt76ieXfcPIYZKtSPANViH6G6XeD-znKlLbfQh8XXdhVt-Zpx2D4sezrReDIr-ww1-OQtOZeSowcUV3O-w9mtk9rDUW-aj_WanqBa9808Um7qZu22B8ZGDZ1YiRpTb8Cuf7eMvg/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80uzGEt76ieXfcPIYZKtSPANViH6G6XeD-znKlLbfQh8XXdhVt-Zpx2D4sezrReDIr-ww1-OQtOZeSowcUV3O-w9mtk9rDUW-aj_WanqBa9808Um7qZu22B8ZGDZ1YiRpTb8Cuf7eMvg/s640/IMG_1099.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Start of the hike.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Nap time</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> 5 star accommodation</span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYmKLGDIMA7Qn-GuqVGzSvlCrrSCAVKY3BXYGgrbxO70PDJ1l4AUNovVMXgYqllu2ca7D_PBwm6VznG_n2PR_SsiZfRmSX9BlHicSkbwE-BvD2U1q7ZA427FOXnLZxT0eQPsvgQzr0z7s/s1600/IMG_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYmKLGDIMA7Qn-GuqVGzSvlCrrSCAVKY3BXYGgrbxO70PDJ1l4AUNovVMXgYqllu2ca7D_PBwm6VznG_n2PR_SsiZfRmSX9BlHicSkbwE-BvD2U1q7ZA427FOXnLZxT0eQPsvgQzr0z7s/s320/IMG_1097.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Restaurant/bar</span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVETaKsPEBd23C5X-9SOshKS2vgbda36mLCh1SuvkQYufRevJlXd0nHoMpR16l77XAXgeFSO9GwVE-6S0ZzdsfIvMOaoCwFMjXS7mhSQfcbbxpgAx_V3BWd6M-MqrKS6OQUOjk0K1IiI/s1600/IMG_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVETaKsPEBd23C5X-9SOshKS2vgbda36mLCh1SuvkQYufRevJlXd0nHoMpR16l77XAXgeFSO9GwVE-6S0ZzdsfIvMOaoCwFMjXS7mhSQfcbbxpgAx_V3BWd6M-MqrKS6OQUOjk0K1IiI/s320/IMG_1112.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Reward at the bottom</span></b></td></tr>
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From Peru we jumped on plane and flew to Quito,Ecuador. Then had a driver take us to Montanita, which is a surf town on the coast. Known for some of the best surfing in SA. We stayed off the beaten path at a place called Balsa Surf Camp. The place is named after the Balsa wood surfboards that the owner makes on the property. The place had a great vibe, very laid back, offered free yoga classes and amazing breakfast every morning. Would love to go back. <a href="http://www.balsasurfcamp.com/">www.balsasurfcamp.com</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCCqmUFvmZ0vlVnZWChCNlEtu2lGkfV6U35w3tX1nnY0OTCxTPGLFJHMlhzFGZcn1BPi-RGSQ65heCtY13Atai8Lus8dBeL0bxPiKeIxCQv5Qqd76-hVrGyaL5pkFurMTf1QL0pkNqmE/s1600/IMG_4550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCCqmUFvmZ0vlVnZWChCNlEtu2lGkfV6U35w3tX1nnY0OTCxTPGLFJHMlhzFGZcn1BPi-RGSQ65heCtY13Atai8Lus8dBeL0bxPiKeIxCQv5Qqd76-hVrGyaL5pkFurMTf1QL0pkNqmE/s320/IMG_4550.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2d341zZ0mMKb9GD3DWL03AbOvAODg3Oo66iwcPNNGMTLDgD0GrvIyb-AYeCcUIjEO77wxn1CJIno8zyj4ydEQa5HC83rUT1Yt6swpOp1aURiJ6tjVK4RvChDI6r794jpqguZG1TFYBE/s1600/IMG_4535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2d341zZ0mMKb9GD3DWL03AbOvAODg3Oo66iwcPNNGMTLDgD0GrvIyb-AYeCcUIjEO77wxn1CJIno8zyj4ydEQa5HC83rUT1Yt6swpOp1aURiJ6tjVK4RvChDI6r794jpqguZG1TFYBE/s320/IMG_4535.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHOssQUUdfU8mYEgq8vU9eghYwNca8YNuSgD7bGbnsh6kczDcm9UTmt2tSUGiRyiGB130C36-S7Ywp87_s3NslsYMTIaP0GOTE68uXKBXZlildO-EXTF0D6mFGld4FDGorcFp81wTu1c/s1600/IMG_1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHOssQUUdfU8mYEgq8vU9eghYwNca8YNuSgD7bGbnsh6kczDcm9UTmt2tSUGiRyiGB130C36-S7Ywp87_s3NslsYMTIaP0GOTE68uXKBXZlildO-EXTF0D6mFGld4FDGorcFp81wTu1c/s400/IMG_1146.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesGCkHMbNnC_r5l3hj9vLGng77wIuVeJseca9y19o7YTyg7LMaZhf442j1241q8tWohUEj6fuKvUjZy1OAQDDADjNMfNIWHn1k22xIPqBC50McJ0E8SmizCqJ-bjCGoZw7roy8Feplws/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesGCkHMbNnC_r5l3hj9vLGng77wIuVeJseca9y19o7YTyg7LMaZhf442j1241q8tWohUEj6fuKvUjZy1OAQDDADjNMfNIWHn1k22xIPqBC50McJ0E8SmizCqJ-bjCGoZw7roy8Feplws/s320/IMG_1144.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Our plan when we first started planning the trip was going to The Galapagos Islands. However it is was too expensive so we had to settle for a day trip out to Isla de la Plata. This is where we got to see the famous blue footed boobies.</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Blue footed Boobies</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Snorkeled with sea turtles</b></td></tr>
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From Montanita we flew back to Quito and then took off for the high Andes. We landed in a small village called Chugchilan. We chose this place because it was highly recommended by our friend Darcy and I was quite excited to do some hiking in the mountains. We stayed at an inexpensive ecolodge called The Black Sheep Inn <a href="http://www.blacksheepinn.com/">www.blacksheepinn.com</a>. They are known for their delicious vegetarian food (Owen and Brad barely survived this aspect of the Inn), proximity to great hikes and the owner was a wealth of knowledge about the surrounding areas.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laguna Quilotoa</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">At a Locals Market. This Man is using a foot powered old classic Singer sewing machine to make some clothes. </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>How we were delivered to and from the start and end of our hikes each day </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">We loved this area because it was not at all touristy. No one trying to sell us things or take advantage of us white westerners. Very peaceful. </span></b></td></tr>
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We are now on our last leg of our trip. We are now in the rain forest of Borja, Ecudaor. We are with Small World Expeditions, which is a company of professional river guides taking other river loving folks on great river adventures. This company is partly owned by an old friend of ours from Aspen. Brad has done a few trips in different parts of the world with these guys so he was quite excited to bring along his family this time. We spend a few days rafting some class 3 and 4 rivers, and the kids spent a day practicing their kayaking skills. We highly recommend these guys, real professionals doing what they love. <a href="http://www.smallworldadventures.com/">www.smallworldadventures.com</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This section of the river required a long hike down to the put in. Small World Adventures pays the locals to carry down the kayaks and rafts. This was the Jondachi River. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Water was so warm, beautiful butterflies everywhere! Owen preferred swimming the rapids to being in the boat. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Not much going on here, just holding a sloth after dinner. As you do in Ecuador </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A fun, wet hike we did up a waterfall. Kids and Brad were kayaking in the local river. My husband knows the extent of my kayaking skills is swimming next to the kayaking while going down the river. Best for Mom to remain on shore. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Where your chocolate comes from</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Homemade moonshine. It had a seahorse floating around in the bottle??? When in Rome. ...</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Trying to hike after the Seahorse moonshine was.....interesting. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Beautiful Church tucked away in a small village</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The last place we landed before our long journey back to NZ</b></span></td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-29800512301499290832016-02-15T00:33:00.000-08:002016-02-15T00:33:16.683-08:00 Emergency Medicine from the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Emergency Medicine from the Kingdom of the </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Thunder Dragon </b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital, Thimphu Bhutan</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<i> </i><br />
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At 1pm an ambulance, staffed by driver and EMT with very basic skills, arrives. Inside there is a contorted mass of three Indian laborers, passengers from a vehicle that had rolled several times down a 150 meter embankment about 4 hours south of Thimphu on the road to Phoentsholing. I am certain that none of them were wearing seat belts and there was surely no air bags in their vehicle. They are pretty beat up, several with obvious head injuries, blunt chest and abdominal trauma and injured extremities. They had travelled the 4 hours along a very bumpy, windy road in various states of repair typical of a Bhutanese highway in the back of a Toyota Landcruiser with one stretcher and besides an oxygen tank, no real first aid or emergency medical supplies. There had been no attempt to expose the patients to determine extent of injuries, or to obtain even simple vital signs. They were followed a short time later by a second ambulance with 2 additional patients, another 3 had been transported to a more local facility with apparently minor injuries. There had been no ambulance report prior to arrival and ED staff were unaware that they were coming. Injured extremities were not splinted, wounds were simply dressed with the dirty clothing the patients were wearing and no pain medication had been given as there is no ability of the medics to start IVs and administer anything stronger than an oral paracetamol (tylenol). The patients were wheeled into the department with a brief stop at triage for routine vital signs and assessment of level of consciousness. They were brought back to the treatment area with no report from the medics of the nature of the accident, injuries or actions taken pertaining to the event. This is complicated further by the fact that none of the patients speak either English or Dzongkha (Bhutanese).<br />
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Despite the fact that a situation like this in many western hospitals would activate a mass casualty event and a flood of resources to the Emergency Department, the nurses and junior doctors at Jigme Dorge Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu Bhutan methodically went about their business as they have many times in the past. There is no “Trauma Team” activation, no response from surgery, anesthesiology or other departments. There was no sense of panic among them, just an attempt to identify life threatening injuries in a timely fashion. Gone is the concept of the “Golden Hour” of trauma resuscitation for if any of these people had a life threatening injury, they very likely would have expired on route. Some went to the CT scanner though none had the “panscan” (an essentially full body irradiation in CT in search of injuries not evident on physical exam) so common in modern Emergency Departments, particularly in countries with an overzealous personal injury liability environment. Some had X-rays, all had a bedside ultrasound FAST scan looking for signs of internal injuries. Lacerations, including a nearly completely avulsed ear and several deep head wounds were repaired in the ED, fractures were splinted. Several of the patients were observed in the ED for a bit and fortunately no one had life threatening injuries. <br />
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The scenario described plays out daily in Bhutan’s national referral hospital in Thimphu. It is the only facility in the country with access to any type of surgical subspecialty or any level of ICU care. They very frequently receive profoundly sick medical and trauma patients that have traveled great distances in a bad state with very little in terms of stabilizing their conditions in a pre hospital setting. Conditions like diabetic ketoacidosis, sepsis, and respiratory failure, on presentation to a hospital require rapid care including IV fluids, medication drips, a slew of blood tests, cultures, radiographic imaging, antibiotics and transfer to an ICU. In a country like Bhutan with one national referral hospital where medical specialists are concentrated, these patients will most often present to a rural hospital or Basic Health Unit (BHU) where only very basic care is available and it is administered by very junior medical personnel. With the limited resources at hand, they are unable to properly care for, package for transfer and anticipate the things that can go wrong over the next 24 to 48 hours that it will take to get the patient to definitive treatment. A dose of antibiotics and perhaps some IV fluids is what they get before hitting the road in an ambulance with an EMT with very, very basic training looking after them. This is not to say they they are not hard working or intelligent people, they just lack sufficient resources and training at this point to meet a standard of care deemed acceptable in a developed country. They are keen learners and yearn to do better for their patients. <br />
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<i>Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha</i><br />
<i> Lapis Lazuli blue in color, dressed in the robes of a monk, his left hand resting in his lap </i><br />
<i>with a bowl of amrita, the nectar of immortality and in his right
hand he is holding a branch of the healing myrobalan
plant.</i><br />
<i>The idea of Buddha as a healer is based on the notion that the Enlightened Ones are healers and the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism can be loosely interpreted as based on a medical model of diagnosis, etiology, prognosis and therapy. For his time, the Buddha demonstrated a very good grasp of anatomy and physiology and has been referred to as the Omniscient Physician who removes every pain. “May I be the medicine and the physician for the sick. May I be their nurse until their illness never recurs.”</i><br />
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Health care is a universal right for the citizens of Bhutan though it is not a uniform service. The quality of care provided will differ vastly depending on where you are. There are some 100 or so Basic Health units staffed by a health care provider though in many instances I think this means with very basic training. They refer patients on to either one of 4 regional referral hospitals which are also quite basic in their capabilities or Jigme Dorje Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in the capital city of Thimphu in western Bhutan. Here they can have surgeries, get some level of ICU attention and overall acceptable care. More complex cases such as heart or spine surgeries are referred to hospitals in India or Thailand on an as needed basis and is paid for by the government. There is also a pathway in the country to pursue the traditional medicine practice that has been passed down through the centuries and the government also will provide this care free of charge. I am certain that under certain instances this is a viable and effective option but I once encountered a man who had a broken femur and had spent a few days in the countryside rubbing herbs on it in an attempt to heal it. Only when that didn’t work did he accept ambulance for the 9 hour ride over the national highway pictured below with only some paracetamol to dull the pain. He is one tough mother as the Bhutanese overall are. Despite the fact that prehospital personnel are not adequately trained, I saw some real heroes. An ambulance one day arrived with a sick newborn that had been intubated prior to transfer and had been ventilated with a bag valve mask (had someone breathing for him) for some 6 hours in the back of one of these ambulance for six nausea inducing hours. The infant arrived in stable condition was put on a ventilator and transported to the ICU soon after arrival. I did also see people die of treatable illnesses such as respiratory failure and sepsis due to the length of time it took them to get to definitive care. <br />
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The road is in the process of being widened to hopefully accommodate two lanes of traffic but this will take some time and expedient transfer will continue to be a challenge. They do now, as of November 2015, have the first helicopter in the country, though it is also to be used to ferry around dignitaries and tourists, so it is unclear to me how much of an impact this will make. A dedicated medical retrieval helicopter would be quite useful as trips that could take up to 3 days by road could be covered in a helicopter in less than an hour. <br />
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Once in the hospital of Thimphu patients are cared for by fairly junior doctors but they are looked after by a very capable group of experienced emergency nurses and two residency trained emergency physicians who know how to recognize and care for sick patients. They often have to make due with limited essential supplies and, on occasion, a lack of important medicines. We once cared for a patient in complete heart block who would need to be transferred to India for a pacemaker insertion. Essential emergency department care involves transcutaneous pacing through pads that stick to the chest but we did not have the pads this day. In modern departments they are a common and disposable item. Here they had used one set over and over again until it no longer stuck to patients chest and was no longer available. I think in the end we tried some medications including a dopamine drip to attempt to increase his heart rate to hold him over while awaiting transfer to India. He seemed to do OK while in the ED. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">When this is your national sport...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">...this occasionally happens</span></td></tr>
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There is a bit of tuberculosis ,which is highly communicable, in Bhutan. Modern hospitals have isolation rooms with reverse airflow so as not to contaminate the rest of the ED. Some will even have a isolation room in which patients with compromised immune systems would be placed. The concept of isolation when a TB patient arrives is to put a mask on everyone else in the department. Not the proper N-95 particulate respirator masks that would actually prevent transmission of TB mind you but the flimsy paper masks worn by surgeons so that if they sneeze or cough they won’t spew secretions all over a patient. Again it seems to be fine as I did not hear of any health care workers contracting TB but if I start coughing a bit of blood tinged sputum you may want to stay away from me.<br />
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<i> You can tell Guru Rinpoche by the whisp of a mustache and the thunderbolt he always holds in his right hand. Legend has it that he flew in from Tibet on the back of a tigress and slew the Thunder Dragon then meditated for three years in a cave where the Tigers Nest Monastery now sits.</i><br />
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Bhutan is a wondrously spiritual place. The last bastion of the Tantric form of Buddhism practiced in the Himalaya with all of its interesting legends and stunningly detailed artwork of their deities displayed subduing various demons or in the carnal embrace of a cohort, Bhutan is a fantastic place to go for a visit. Temples, monasteries, chortens, stupas, goempas, and dzongs with their unique architecture and incredibly detailed artwork dot the countryside. <br />
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Often referred to as the last Shangri-La, in reference to the fictional near paradise Himalayan location in James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon, it may be one of the last places that the inevitable creep of western style capitalism driven by self interest and greed will take hold. The very beloved 4th king decided that GDP is a poor measure to use for the quality of life of a country so he developed the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH). GNH is based on 4 basic pillars; good governance, sustainable development, environmental conservation and preservation of culture. The leaders of Bhutan are committed to ensuring that the inevitable socio-economic development sure to come as the country essentially emerges from a sort of feudal existence does not degrade their traditional beliefs and way of life. It is a nation that by all measures would be considered among the least developed with a high rate of what would be
defined as poverty, yet over 95% of people live in their own home,
there is no malnutrition or starving people, and there is free education
and basic health care coverage for all of its citizens. In essence,
all of their basic needs are met and they are generally a very happy
group of people.<br />
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<img class="irc_mi" height="393" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/108/292188795_46f5c1d765.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="332" /><br />
<i>One of the many manifestations of Dorje Phurba <br />a diety of positive forces who subjugates the negative <br />influences of the three worlds.</i> <br />
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It is still a place where most people walk about in the traditional dress, kiras for women and ghos for men. You will encounter many buddhist monks in their flowing saffron robes walking about and you will have this sense of serenity of being in a place where the pursuit of material possessions is not what drives people. That is until you hear the ring tone set to some western pop song go off and watch as the monk pulls out his iPhone and cheerfully starts talking to it. <br />
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<i>The Four Harmonious Friends is a much beloved tale in Bhutan with its
portrayal of social and environmental harmony. As the story goes, the
bird finds the seed and plants it. Then the rabbit waters it and the
monkey fertilizes it. Once the seed sprouts and it begins to grow, the
elephant protects it. After awhile the it grows into a beautiful tree
with healthy fruit. By working together and sharing their individual
talents, the four friends are able to reach and enjoy the fruit.</i><br />
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The 2 weeks before my volunteer assignment was spent on a whitewater kayaking trip through Bhutan with some old friends from Colorado as well as some new friends from all over. It was an amazing trip where we made our way across the country from east to west running the rivers in each valley draining the high Himalaya. On one such day we had finished a run on the upper Mangde Chu near Trongsa and were making our way by van to the next destination when the road was blocked by a group of villagers attempting to put up a massive pole with prayer flags on it. They certainly could have managed on their own but they graciously accepted our offers of help. At one point I was holding the end of a support pole with a Bhutanese man in the colorful traditional dress. We were straining together to try and push the pole up when his mobile rang. He answered it, took a look at me and in very clear English reported “its the office, I have to take this” and with that he was gone, leaving me alone at the end of the support pole. I was mostly amazed that he had mobile coverage in this remote river valley but it also made me realize that this very special place is becoming more like the rest of the world at a quickening pace. <br />
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Not all is happiness in this kingdom. They too must contest with many social ills that plague the developed world. Alcohol use is rampant and the Emergency Department was often full of patients with the consequences. Alcoholic liver disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and domestic violence secondary to intoxication are very common. There are also now disputes among men that are settled with violence, certainly not the way of the Buddha. I have heard that petty crime, once non existent is becoming more common as is rape and other forms of violent crime. <br />
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I fear that it is human nature to covet the things our neighbors have and am concerned that as Bhutan becomes more capitalist and market driven, people will begin mistaking a new phone or a new car as the right path to happiness. This is a bit of a slippery slope and I for one am in no position to instruct them otherwise for I quite like my iPhone and car. As a westerner I find it quaint and beautiful that a country like Bhutan still exists and it is certainly in the worlds best interest to maintain societies like these. However, is it in their best interests if we try and encourage them to maintain their traditional ways? We go there, comment that “oh the people look so happy and should not get TVs and the internet as that will make them less happy” but who are we to say. <br />
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That is enough of a rant but my one suggestion to any one still reading is to go to Bhutan soon as it is still a marvelous and different place but it has been, and is, rapidly changing. <br />
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Many thanks to the good people of Bhutan and the emergency department at JDWNRH for being wonderful hosts and teaching me far more than I could teach you. Thanks also to Health Volunteers Overseas for providing me this incredible opportunity.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Entering Ema Datse Canyon on the Mangde Chu. I am the yellow helmet disappearing into a hole </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<i>"Better to not know which moment may be your last. Every morsel of your being alive to the infinite mystery of it all. Its a pirate's life for me, savvy"</i><br />
Captain Jack Sparrow <br />
<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-26826583684100105342016-02-01T00:18:00.001-08:002016-02-01T00:18:38.128-08:00Penises and PunakhaWeekend #2 found us driving over the beautiful Dochula pass to go and explore the town of Punakha. Punakha is the home of the Divine Madman Temple. The temple is said to be where infertile couples go for divine intervention, which involves being blessed on the head with a giant wooden penis. This would explain the Phallus symbols adoring many buildings. We had many a laughs over the course of the weekend, we even went as far as making a game regarding who counted the most penises. Talk about taking road trip games to a whole new level! Ok, so we are a bit immature but we know you all are laughing too!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IpRvJSL0l1kS9U2ZxHrtCJeYl7UrAXczLm6XkNcozzumv3iPFlLtakiRF9RV5NhMdFAFhA2fPzyZ9DrT1hyphenhyphenNENV_3lBZ2AJcstWTndC3d-rEIWl0wMkbYIZrzRRLUsumNRhZwv5i64k/s1600/P1020278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IpRvJSL0l1kS9U2ZxHrtCJeYl7UrAXczLm6XkNcozzumv3iPFlLtakiRF9RV5NhMdFAFhA2fPzyZ9DrT1hyphenhyphenNENV_3lBZ2AJcstWTndC3d-rEIWl0wMkbYIZrzRRLUsumNRhZwv5i64k/s640/P1020278.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dochula Pass</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Festive ejaculating paintings</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Divine Madman Temple</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">hiking through a village on our way to the Temple in the distance</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brads idea...not mine</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZHibspLfnazUhlBNa4jda1uBVcqTog77_9SIdkqMAv4FfWYs8gKM4UWs9wVhjwbMYv0yIbXVhuO689K3jqIxLFL5yN5AdrGT8izF3JQ7MMxqFzxmVG4pU4iXuZo_QuMEHv7Mc0OOtrI/s1600/P1020368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZHibspLfnazUhlBNa4jda1uBVcqTog77_9SIdkqMAv4FfWYs8gKM4UWs9wVhjwbMYv0yIbXVhuO689K3jqIxLFL5yN5AdrGT8izF3JQ7MMxqFzxmVG4pU4iXuZo_QuMEHv7Mc0OOtrI/s400/P1020368.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">DO you feel like someone is watching you??</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A penis with wings...just the souvenir I was looking for!!</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtrIJNyHCT2KvJuoz69x8lAkKzsyfQjBRTkVEVV7CHvYxhZG-ACECiKqa9vlgvNfmb1N2IzbeSaZzR1fPQ2Cj2wh787QXQUN6dxV6aPdbyP8BYbD_jcNZZDvNiO8Vg-HOHGI1yLRwc9I/s1600/P1020788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtrIJNyHCT2KvJuoz69x8lAkKzsyfQjBRTkVEVV7CHvYxhZG-ACECiKqa9vlgvNfmb1N2IzbeSaZzR1fPQ2Cj2wh787QXQUN6dxV6aPdbyP8BYbD_jcNZZDvNiO8Vg-HOHGI1yLRwc9I/s400/P1020788.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Erect and Happy</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjFYqYqjcBXzK9KDEcUfBsBfUIFlWlbR2LjLjCGHFFscurhdJocGTzHRutg196jXOyM0fuOrKV5xhcdNfANMtjRts9nAYjVbtFLfl8t4cTdz-_u-9j6BD9iQw5PBkMUYfSVwACCMQltU/s1600/P1020980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjFYqYqjcBXzK9KDEcUfBsBfUIFlWlbR2LjLjCGHFFscurhdJocGTzHRutg196jXOyM0fuOrKV5xhcdNfANMtjRts9nAYjVbtFLfl8t4cTdz-_u-9j6BD9iQw5PBkMUYfSVwACCMQltU/s400/P1020980.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">These restaurant signs were all over Bhutan. Cum means that they sell shots of liquor with the meal, not what your dirty mind might be thinking!</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHe4Q0kRU6dho-td1m98VEeEO6ZuqkY0Wkx8QtgaZrvlpzHwOfzYuNppojvQYxMpmdVuICQJyy0R5-mW5rAGO10DKZPPbyPHDhbOnNjQlR8O1gFARMNWsd2LOlUATvTkh_io6t5BXKhkI/s1600/P1030161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHe4Q0kRU6dho-td1m98VEeEO6ZuqkY0Wkx8QtgaZrvlpzHwOfzYuNppojvQYxMpmdVuICQJyy0R5-mW5rAGO10DKZPPbyPHDhbOnNjQlR8O1gFARMNWsd2LOlUATvTkh_io6t5BXKhkI/s400/P1030161.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Happy or Horrified???</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqH-aVwnNESbf2u2hawPlIfMf_eL9sc8Njw4WNs2tgJaxZECFZqfe45gc5T6cW-q5kosrTfmBR7ywY3fd7ttUZxwMq3YgAyAwCx3zoTZscZeW8hMm1wSQZTlQ_sZ8dI8LJrhkWVS7ae54/s1600/P1020360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqH-aVwnNESbf2u2hawPlIfMf_eL9sc8Njw4WNs2tgJaxZECFZqfe45gc5T6cW-q5kosrTfmBR7ywY3fd7ttUZxwMq3YgAyAwCx3zoTZscZeW8hMm1wSQZTlQ_sZ8dI8LJrhkWVS7ae54/s320/P1020360.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The kids thought these looked like rockets.</span></td></tr>
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Back to the phalluses (or is that phalli?). Buildings have elaborate and often huge penises tied with a ribbon and nothing is left to the imagination. The Lama Drukpa Kunley also known as the Divine Madman was quite the rebel in the Buddhist religión. He made general use of his penis to fight demons, convert woman to Buddhism and mock the religious establishment. His sexual exploits are legendary, on one occasion when he received a blessing thread to hang around his neck, he wound it around his penis instead, saying he hoped it would bring him luck with the ladies!! Needles to say Owen and Brad never tired of the penis jokes, the girls got a little tired of the penis talks until Brad started offering money for whoever spotted the most penises. Game on, we hit the jackpot when we entered the local shops. Penis souvenirs were everywhere! Large, small, long, short, hairy, not hairy, and all the colors of the rainbow. Lindsey walked out of a store with a few wooden penis keychains to share with her good friends. It was a funny moment when we were at the Auckland airport going through customs and the customs agent asked to see all of our wooden ítems. We were all trying to keep a straight face as she was inspecting our penis key chains. I told her that there was a good story that went along with our souvenirs , and she replied "some things are better left to the imagaition."<br />
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Unfortunatly the unusual and unique painting of erect penises on the sides of homes is being threatened by foreign prudishness and the srtictures of globalisation. This virile art form has been a tradition for over 500 years, and would be a shame to see it disappear as more and more Westerners enter this beautiful Kingdom.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwL6e1cHmpMbN4lVBubcy-iAZ7O4mgv8HDl0Cih4rqVriUDSjcXPOE8YPQe7qyBdlOgkdq9XB67ad-L3S5YmdUJg-ED1uMAG4pEghVQNFG-sxdYhD2Q7oKhAXZFSc137DZA-iMod2r50/s1600/P1020468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwL6e1cHmpMbN4lVBubcy-iAZ7O4mgv8HDl0Cih4rqVriUDSjcXPOE8YPQe7qyBdlOgkdq9XB67ad-L3S5YmdUJg-ED1uMAG4pEghVQNFG-sxdYhD2Q7oKhAXZFSc137DZA-iMod2r50/s400/P1020468.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UNXdmLnG5z4Q1HbvTqWZYM8gHYDNfmqC_NqwCiEOqMEd6HP-X3eNnRQnwGHhrhbZmISUmYt4ryi6UlMOr3aAXbD5ZZ3F7WIVrbxM6hzHATv3yaBnux4AlP6VzwB_hShs_Y2fWzD4G8g/s1600/P1020465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UNXdmLnG5z4Q1HbvTqWZYM8gHYDNfmqC_NqwCiEOqMEd6HP-X3eNnRQnwGHhrhbZmISUmYt4ryi6UlMOr3aAXbD5ZZ3F7WIVrbxM6hzHATv3yaBnux4AlP6VzwB_hShs_Y2fWzD4G8g/s320/P1020465.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs7jEz1ZMqxFQsMWMO2GMRG5apQwV0GzIFFoaXKwUCowgiTjN81pxsXfIE0TtJx67tsod1IR0GTW2P-d4C9zI_NDcZ4X9siVJuNb4wPqcF37x4j3fzeAxOWnUOU6b4oelegZDGz0_jGc/s1600/P1020423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs7jEz1ZMqxFQsMWMO2GMRG5apQwV0GzIFFoaXKwUCowgiTjN81pxsXfIE0TtJx67tsod1IR0GTW2P-d4C9zI_NDcZ4X9siVJuNb4wPqcF37x4j3fzeAxOWnUOU6b4oelegZDGz0_jGc/s400/P1020423.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tCUd9vDj_KpjggQ_8fR4ex_DMxQ7hYKopcjLTdmI5V1rQ7Ruy1swpdizCjc4ac__k3OdzWgAjpBRKbABFs8DPFy8VvySeVMnFJ4G4SRXUaekoJVRH7cD3fFQ9dP8FYyEIhI0lXxMtHQ/s1600/P1020414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tCUd9vDj_KpjggQ_8fR4ex_DMxQ7hYKopcjLTdmI5V1rQ7Ruy1swpdizCjc4ac__k3OdzWgAjpBRKbABFs8DPFy8VvySeVMnFJ4G4SRXUaekoJVRH7cD3fFQ9dP8FYyEIhI0lXxMtHQ/s400/P1020414.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdY-tsTrfByIs33KrP5dkOjJP7t9n0iD8HvbLH-mOAYhh-KwSDnFD9mhVLwGGPcaqmvShoLTEJ3uNinqBljXDXTmdFARNlWMSz6ii11G2em6MhPLd9t5AfYFLPfOCs610V19VYZXDNi8/s1600/P1020402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdY-tsTrfByIs33KrP5dkOjJP7t9n0iD8HvbLH-mOAYhh-KwSDnFD9mhVLwGGPcaqmvShoLTEJ3uNinqBljXDXTmdFARNlWMSz6ii11G2em6MhPLd9t5AfYFLPfOCs610V19VYZXDNi8/s400/P1020402.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_5B2OEX2WqruLuypaqlid-JnON0CuJjQ5XM_lJ69vAnE8LV69MCwncVqwcTyl8m0lEkoarH6jReHZd9HbQPYta_J1RlKYLzo7dVKj-rFoGx9vi4Oj3Dw7ZqstUauXy_wyQmhntGtUGw/s1600/P1020374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_5B2OEX2WqruLuypaqlid-JnON0CuJjQ5XM_lJ69vAnE8LV69MCwncVqwcTyl8m0lEkoarH6jReHZd9HbQPYta_J1RlKYLzo7dVKj-rFoGx9vi4Oj3Dw7ZqstUauXy_wyQmhntGtUGw/s320/P1020374.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten</span></td></tr>
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The next day we headed to the second biggest Dzong (the Bhutanese equivalent of a medieval castle) in the village of Punakha. What an awesome sight it was!! Breathtaking to say the least. We scaled steep wooden steps that act as a kind of draw bridge at night to secure the place, to enter a massive courtyard with an enormous Bodhi tree. This is where the royal wedding took place last year. It was a quiet morning with us being the only non monks and just a handful of monks roaming around the Dzong. The place held a great peacefulness as we wondered around the courtyard and visited the main temple which held bid beautigul buddha statues.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLeFegEtrhr2mT4VE0iZyOPNdylSi_z6ngVxtQwUtES0jAY7Lu8eqgSI26kSoIjIz1TlizLgUACv_O1O1mzhr6HFrleQT_bfEGonM-Rb8kmjbvQvnyQkJh9ia81Gkw-5xcFF3BYz0xXo/s1600/P1020525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLeFegEtrhr2mT4VE0iZyOPNdylSi_z6ngVxtQwUtES0jAY7Lu8eqgSI26kSoIjIz1TlizLgUACv_O1O1mzhr6HFrleQT_bfEGonM-Rb8kmjbvQvnyQkJh9ia81Gkw-5xcFF3BYz0xXo/s640/P1020525.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Dzong sits at the confluence of the Mo (Mother) Chhu river and the Pho (Father) Chhu river. </span></td></tr>
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We returned back to Thimphu along the same route, however this time the pass was covered in fog and we could not see the nearest hillside, let alone the Himalayas in the distance. Our faces still sore from all the laughter that involved the counting of hairy penises. And with a few funny souveniers in our bags we were sad to be leaving the penil wonderland but also thankful for a womanizing monk with a unique means of battling supernatural evil. The treacherous roads are starting to feel like familiar territory. A weekend away like no other.New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-39603213472341188852016-01-18T02:21:00.000-08:002016-01-18T02:21:40.388-08:00PARO<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Taktshang Goemba (which translates as Tigers Nest Monastery)</span><br />
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Every day here has elements of adventure, but the past weekend has presented true adventure as we have travelled to Paro to hike the Tigers Nest Monastery. Simply getting anywhere in this country is a challenge. The roads are mostly partially sealed, bordered by steep drop offs, hair pin corners, no center line markings and pot holes that look more like craters. Seat belts are not part of the equation as it is safer to not wear, just in case a quick exit from car the car is needed before it plunges over the edge. Yikes.. I have learned to just look out across the horizon as we are driving, never down. Thankfully we never exceeded 50 km, as I don't think my nerves could of taken high speeds as well. The first weekend we travelled to the iconic Tigers Nest Monastry, which is the most famous and sacred site of all Bhutans monasteries. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche flew to the site of the monastery on the back of a tigress to subdue a local demon and then mediated in a cave for 3 years, 3 months and 3 days. It is also said that the orginial building was anchored to the cliff face by the hairs of a female celestail being. At an elevation of 3140 metres it is an architecutal feat, and hiking up to it was a considerable feat as well. Sadly, we had no tigress to fly us up the top so we had to rely on our hiking boots .It is well worth the effort. Altough well visited, it does not feel touristy. The place invokes a sense of wonder, as to how this ancient building was built back in the 16h century. Tigers Nest is a very majestic and spiritual place to visit, and I suspect that the celestial forces will have it sitting there for a millennia to come.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Locals selling their goods at the start of the hike.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Horses are available to ride to the top </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another beautiful prayer wheel we passed on our way up</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">tea break on the way up</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the Tashi Tashi Café high up on the trail, it is a converted old farmhouse .We stopped here on the way up for tea and then again on the way down for lunch, with its sweeping views of the Paro Valley down below, and overlooking Tigers Nest it was ideal lunch spot. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Glimpses of Taktshang like this spurred us on to our final destination</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Machig-phu Lhakhang which is where Bhutanese pilgrims come to pray for children</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The short hike down before it was up the other side to complete the 700 steps to get to the entrance of the monastery. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the beautiful waterfall that spins the prayer wheel right below which then sounds a bell every time the prayer wheel spins. SO as we are hiking we hear the sounds of the wind, water, creaking of the prayer wheel, and the bell. Truly magical in not only visual but auditory as well. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prayer wheel</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">entrance to monastery. No cameras allowed past this point</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love this sign on the trail</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Two characters ejoying the day</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We stopped at the cafe for some lunch</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A yummy vegetarian buffet of bhutanese food, red rice, ema datse ( large green VERY HOT chillies) lentil soup, and buckwheat noodles. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A great lunch spot, one we will always remember not only for the location but also the conversation. Owen about made the Europeans choke on their food next to us as he so inocently confused the word "virgin" for "vegan", as he loudly exclaimed to us that that "he was very happy that he was NOT a virgin"!! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O<span style="font-size: small;">ur guide, Lekey, who took care of us on the weekends by sharing his beautiful buddhist religión with us and showing us his country</span></td></tr>
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Khuru is a popular darts game played on a field about 20m long. The darts are homemade from a block of wood, and a nail, and maybe some chicken feathers for flight. These guys were playing a game on our way down from the hike so we had to stop and watch.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Notice the VERY small target in the middle of the picture</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The colorful scarves around their waist represent the number of times they have hit the target. In this photo they are doing a song and dance to celebrate the success of a throw. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Drukgyel Dzong (fort)</span><br />
Dzongs are like fortresses, but they also house a monástic section and the local district adminstration. Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, known as Shabdrung or the unifier of Bhutan brought the whole country under one rule for the first time back in the 17h century. He is worshipped as a diety all over the country. Most of the Dzongs were built by him.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This Dzong was built in 1649 in a location chosen for its control of the route to Tíbet. This is the location where the trail from Tíbet enters the Paro Valley. Once the Tibetan invasiones ceased, this became a major trade route. The Bhutanese traded rice with the Tibetans for salt and bricks of tea. Maybe took a week to cross the border after treking up and over the mountain pass to get to Tíbet with heavy bags of rice strapped to their backs. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mt. Jhomolhari</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> PARO DZONG </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03Np5H2HOYPGpGQhW8TdrDwXwvGRPXWmqFssGLhjDFkPQV3sSq5RK2jqYJl7h5W7HW_4pRtd3WqVYwBqnmbfQeIZDO0HR6_CKTMwMWJh80-5YR3z1YU6QONmFcAICZ5dY4uyXwd5yzAs/s1600/P1010885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03Np5H2HOYPGpGQhW8TdrDwXwvGRPXWmqFssGLhjDFkPQV3sSq5RK2jqYJl7h5W7HW_4pRtd3WqVYwBqnmbfQeIZDO0HR6_CKTMwMWJh80-5YR3z1YU6QONmFcAICZ5dY4uyXwd5yzAs/s640/P1010885.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This massive forttress is a great example of Bhutanese architecture</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We couldn't resist....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The fine details of these massive Dzongs is awe-inspiring. Bhutans secluded nature means it has one of the most unique cultural traditions in the world. However, this distinctiveness is under threat from globalalisation. The Choki Traditional Art School in Thimphu is dedicated in preserving the traditional and cultural arts of Bhutan. Weaving, painting, and wood carving is taught to the students for 6 years. After that the students typically go back to their villages and work on temples with painting masters. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Iron chain bridges are everywhere. They are festooned with brightly colored prayer flags. They are quite flexible, acts almost like a trampoline. There are often big gaping holes, throughout from the wear and tear of use. Looking down you can clearly see the river below, flowiníg with gusto, clear and cold. Staying dry depends on the 600 year old chains!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the national animal of Bhutan, the Takin. They are kept in a reserve a few kilometres outside of Thimphu . These strange looking creatures look to be a cross between a bison, goat, yak, and rhinoceros. </span></td></tr>
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New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-86849543603879869922015-12-15T20:40:00.002-08:002015-12-17T17:51:28.488-08:00First week in the Himalayan Kingdom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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SO the flight into Paro from Bangkok was absolutely beautiful. The fear factor scale was not as I had read or feared. Yes, we flew very close to a few very large mountains, had a big right hand bank turn before landing, but no turbulence. We were lucky, on a windy day I think our experience would of been different. The plane had a quick stop in India, kids jumped off the plane just to say they had been in India. Not sure if that qualifies for another travel patch for Owens backpack, thinking one might have to leave airport for that justification. We had a clear view of the Himalayas on the short 25 minute flight. So happy to see Daddy and breathe in the beautiful mountain air after spending 3 days in Bangkok. The international airport in Bhutan is in Paro, whereas the capital is Thimphu. There is nowhere flat in Thimphu to put an airport. The whole country is covered with mountains. After the hour and half drive we arrived at the apartment that HVO puts up its volunteers. The apartment is right in town, Brad can walk to hospital and kids and I can walk to most places in the city. Thimphu is the only capital city to not have one traffic light. They have a traffic cop in the middle of town that helps direct traffic. The apartment is very basic, a lot cold and the beds are like sleeping on concrete. Lindsey is convinced she has slept on softer mats while camping....she might be right. We don't plan on spending much time in the apartment, as it seems our schedules are filling up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are on the third floor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijf2b3hT0d5WMZ3YoUrRf9ftlGW4-Ye95TSfEWdT3h_dKg_oZaKZQSI6r4zocyqQoIZQgaSIwnENr-D4edCkaeDyoLmBQaAvZxEQ1pkNUPQF3TBZUFszaOpVM9NKez57m5pvIPiKf-gcY/s1600/IMG_2748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijf2b3hT0d5WMZ3YoUrRf9ftlGW4-Ye95TSfEWdT3h_dKg_oZaKZQSI6r4zocyqQoIZQgaSIwnENr-D4edCkaeDyoLmBQaAvZxEQ1pkNUPQF3TBZUFszaOpVM9NKez57m5pvIPiKf-gcY/s320/IMG_2748.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">open space off kitchen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd0D8xLuHlF3XCzwm3JgyseCXUOeQBl_2UBUPrtyRpRJdwoM_DSZSircERe0aFwH61GRdi46PIUGX8eAJkM1w1DQfOXea5hiZL27F6hswKuIpS2PMoyI_tBjjXvYSAoRDkx6fxsv6_jc/s1600/IMG_2749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd0D8xLuHlF3XCzwm3JgyseCXUOeQBl_2UBUPrtyRpRJdwoM_DSZSircERe0aFwH61GRdi46PIUGX8eAJkM1w1DQfOXea5hiZL27F6hswKuIpS2PMoyI_tBjjXvYSAoRDkx6fxsv6_jc/s320/IMG_2749.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the three bedrooms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_aR479EItXUUgSP9roBt8RMgo4x5xP8XrmL_Z54UdqwYuaX1vRiTey9FuThXAIhX275XOZfECPYExGogaR7sPxsDP7GjRtfE9JRrNDKiwBZeDezB0A0oLbdvE5fKTxShK4HuPPi88jk/s1600/IMG_2722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_aR479EItXUUgSP9roBt8RMgo4x5xP8XrmL_Z54UdqwYuaX1vRiTey9FuThXAIhX275XOZfECPYExGogaR7sPxsDP7GjRtfE9JRrNDKiwBZeDezB0A0oLbdvE5fKTxShK4HuPPi88jk/s320/IMG_2722.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">kitchen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEHGpufHJTbxrP48X1oHBx8G54iyazA3XgV9jbr8wy_Qu3s3gq49MtVASXTkpzPG3kyeU7fH68eBdNiyxQz_gruttls3JqHoGN_klvajfJKlBtLQogYP1SbdBxgwmLiPkiABQn98jAnE/s1600/P1010347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEHGpufHJTbxrP48X1oHBx8G54iyazA3XgV9jbr8wy_Qu3s3gq49MtVASXTkpzPG3kyeU7fH68eBdNiyxQz_gruttls3JqHoGN_klvajfJKlBtLQogYP1SbdBxgwmLiPkiABQn98jAnE/s320/P1010347.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my neighbor, who has no running water</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEjIOb_DFYGLqh6QvXJ9RFjTtTJYw9NjO_XU0Zx_JTs7IJAsWwvrSiEOcMXPeEn8CVXahV2DtUDC7-ZJE3GB73UoQDEh36vQgsdd-wNIUQJUnM9qNXsslEUgOWX1_8whktFbc-Tmzo-4/s1600/IMG_2745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEjIOb_DFYGLqh6QvXJ9RFjTtTJYw9NjO_XU0Zx_JTs7IJAsWwvrSiEOcMXPeEn8CVXahV2DtUDC7-ZJE3GB73UoQDEh36vQgsdd-wNIUQJUnM9qNXsslEUgOWX1_8whktFbc-Tmzo-4/s320/IMG_2745.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lounge</td></tr>
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We were off to a pretty quick start once we arrived. I knew that the sooner the kids and I got settled we would feel more comfortable and relaxed in our new environment. Brad had arranged for Skyler to play soccer every morning with the National team at the National stadium. Owen takes his rugby ball and teaches the other local boys how to play. Lindsey and I usually go for a run, there is a beautiful track near the stadium or a beautiful run up to the golden Buddha Dordenma.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqv5b1aXip2HA9SXVUNqGKvUV_coTRsvibY88laSKa56iQrHD8Z-bcXI_4FkoH9u05XKkUhTODQeRvousPeaxlwfgvV-GvAuEm9P_4huW59fhg3D1a_YeSWnJha42QHsYoqfZkuzQhE8c/s1600/P1010302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqv5b1aXip2HA9SXVUNqGKvUV_coTRsvibY88laSKa56iQrHD8Z-bcXI_4FkoH9u05XKkUhTODQeRvousPeaxlwfgvV-GvAuEm9P_4huW59fhg3D1a_YeSWnJha42QHsYoqfZkuzQhE8c/s320/P1010302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The National Stadium</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJl1Wl1qKhilNX4CvCZE4TMZZYTZ4q841AfJfUtKrlW31DyoW7x7eraUARfv2-pfl8nCok-byB1SFyZjZRunDMuCf-L0vnmaEeQ6jQbUbvuKGUyR9FfjfjiP24UpzVDxkBi1FjvQQMCpw/s1600/P1010381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJl1Wl1qKhilNX4CvCZE4TMZZYTZ4q841AfJfUtKrlW31DyoW7x7eraUARfv2-pfl8nCok-byB1SFyZjZRunDMuCf-L0vnmaEeQ6jQbUbvuKGUyR9FfjfjiP24UpzVDxkBi1FjvQQMCpw/s320/P1010381.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOJyEzL8t_X16gY6TDwxZh67NSqrEVdzFv1c5Zd7x61HMeErYQp8HQrsbQiEjsTPKQbA4uI8wcKNGEdTBtuU2p3iOOVEP7cJggx8fsuBEfumvtnmtk90HIhPcTt79wuimIm5zxA_v4Xw/s1600/P1010322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOJyEzL8t_X16gY6TDwxZh67NSqrEVdzFv1c5Zd7x61HMeErYQp8HQrsbQiEjsTPKQbA4uI8wcKNGEdTBtuU2p3iOOVEP7cJggx8fsuBEfumvtnmtk90HIhPcTt79wuimIm5zxA_v4Xw/s400/P1010322.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Buddha Dordenma is a 50 m tall steel statue that commands the entry to Thimphu.</span></td></tr>
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Wherever we go in the Thimphu, there are packs of dogs. They are rarely kept as pets and instead live alongside humans in their own social groups. They are given food by the families or by the monks at the many monasteries. As Bhutan has become more developed the population of stray dogs has gotten out of control especially here in the capital city of Thimphu. Bhutan is a Buddhist country, and at certain times of the year the sale of meat is banned-but there is a black market. The dogs live off the waste product, since Bhutan is such a small developing country there is not yet a regulated mechanism of disposing the unsold meat. The growing number of dogs and the growing number of high-end tourism was beginning to clash. The dogs bark and howl ALL night long. Peaceful sleeping is impossible to come by. The International Humane Society got involved in 2009 and has sterilized 50,000 dogs. We had heard about a Vet from France by the name of Marianne. She has been here for 19 years with her partner Hendrix, who is Dutch. She runs the Buhtan Animal Rescue Center (BARC). She has over 200 dogs, a few cats, a pig and 20 monkeys. We contacted her once we arrived and have been going up to help out everyday since. It is 30 minutes outside of town, so we take a taxi up to her place and catch a ride back down the mtn. in the employee car. We have done everything from washing dirty puppies, helping sterilize puppies, organize her medicines, brushing the handicap dogs and lindsey has assisted with a surgery. She does not euthanize the dogs unless it is the last option. There are dogs that are paraplegic, quadriplegic, missing legs, eyes, ears. She even gives dogs chemotherapy, and has homemade wheelchairs for her dogs. She oozes compassion for all animals out of her every pore. Lindsey watched her give mouth to mouth to a dying cat. I accidentally made the comment about how delicious the fish are in Fiji and she promptly told me that I should not eat fish because each fish has a Mom and Dad. The kids seem to really enjoy going up to help and there is always plenty to do. We come home tired, dirty and hungry and full of awe and inspiration. She also has no filter with all of her funny stories so I often have to close Owens ears as she tells her stories.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">These dogs control our block, they meet us every morning and walk us up to apartment every night. The kids have named each one of them and we feed them our leftovers. They are very sweet dogs until another dog from another part of town comes into their territory. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmVxDBLnfGcNm4B29y0QqdIvY7NAwKOn2Wt4-qHFihUuweQ3nmV7xYUH3Sh31vpSIIntaL___86CLdCIl02QxrF48h-RM7JrDk94ox1aUUjQj85tT5n4AGV8DESV4CGRav7CxP7dVq8w/s1600/P1010449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmVxDBLnfGcNm4B29y0QqdIvY7NAwKOn2Wt4-qHFihUuweQ3nmV7xYUH3Sh31vpSIIntaL___86CLdCIl02QxrF48h-RM7JrDk94ox1aUUjQj85tT5n4AGV8DESV4CGRav7CxP7dVq8w/s400/P1010449.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is BoBo, one of the 200 dogs at the property. Marianne assures me that he is friendly even though he reminds me of Cujo, and she took him in because of his vicious dog bites to his owners. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting ready for surgery</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The 8 filthy puppies that we spent all afternoon taking care of, they had mites, scabbies and lice. They are Tibetan Mastiffs. I am still itching just thinking about it. </span></td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-12674177372174339032015-11-30T02:08:00.000-08:002015-11-30T02:08:01.536-08:00Druk Yul, Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Nestled in the Himalayan range and situated in between Tibet and China, Bhutan was once an unknown and isolated territory. However with the course of time, this country slowly gained her status on on the world map. Bhutan is considered the only nation on the planet where the Tantric Buddhism is still taught and practiced. The pristine nature of the country surrounded by the spectacular mountainous scenery and the sacredness of the place marks Bhutan as a land of the "Last Shangrila".<br />
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Brad is just finishing up a two week kayaking expedition in Bhutan. The kids and I fly out later this week to meet up with him, and spend the month of December doing some volunteer work in Thimphu, which is the capital of Bhutan. Brad will be at the hospital, and the kids and I plan on spending some time at the school and orphanage. Doing some international volunteer work is something I have always wanted to do with my kids, and the desire became even stronger after we traveled through SE Asia in 2013. There are many volunteer organizations on the web and one of the most recognized companies is based out of New Plymouth. I had a couple of meetings with the director trying to figure out a plan for our family. Lindsey really wanted to do the turtle conservation in Bali. But after the program fees, and registration fees it would of cost our family $7,000 and that does not include airfare. Keep in mind there are many, many other countries and options for volunteering, this was just the one I looked into. The company gets great reviews and I am sure it would of been an amazing experience but it just cost too much money. So about a year later Brad gets an email from one of his old kayaking buddies about a kayaking trip in Bhutan. Brad and I use to live in Aspen, Colorado and Brad use to coach the high school students in track and field. He use to coach a young girl, Darcy Gaechter, who also worked with us at Colorado Rift Raft as a raft guide when she was older. Darcy became an awesome kayaker and has continued on with her love of kayaking and now runs her own Kayaking and adventure travel company, <a href="http://www.globalriverexplorations.com/">www.globalriverexplorations.com</a>. She was also the first woman to kayak the Amazon river from source to sea. Needless to say, she is a pretty cool chick. Brad has been on a few trips with her, and was keen to kayak with her company in Bhutan. Not long after he signed up for the trip he got an email from HVO about volunteering in Bhutan for the month of December. Considering he got off the river November 29, we felt as if the volunteering was meant to be and it slowly became a reality. Kids and I leave Thursday, spend 3 days in Bangkok and then onto Paro, Bhutan. The landing in Paro is considered by many to be "terrifying" . Stong winds whip through the valleys often resulting in severe turbulance. In 2011 only 8 pilots were qualified to land there. This information as well as the Worldwide travel alert that the State Department put out a few days ago, has made me drink way to much wine these past few nights. I am looking forward to being back in Brads arms at the airport, for not only a hug, but also a good punch in the arm for not telling me about the airplane landing details. <br />
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-14499292718931601172015-02-01T15:43:00.002-08:002015-02-01T15:43:51.358-08:00ABC's of our life in New Zealand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A </span>is for adventure Racing. Adventure racing is offered everywhere in this country, and for every age. This was The Big Bang Adventure Race we did on the Kapiti Coast. It was a long distance cross country navigation race that involved hours of hiking, running, mtn. biking, and tubing. We had 23 check points that we had to navigate to in the correct order with only using a compass. The race took us 9 hours, the winning team was 6 hours and the slowest team was 12 hours. </b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">B</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> is for beetroot. Beetroot is what we Americans call Beets. They are bright purple and taste like dirt. I have come to love them. Kiwis serve them with everything. They come on hamburgers, salads, relishes, smoothies, juice, dip, chocolate cake. Yep, you read that correctly chocolate cake. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">C</span> is for Cross Country. Every student at the Oakura School, and all primary schools in NZ run cross country, it is not an option not to, it is part of the physical education curriculum. It is brillant, everyone has to run, gets the health benefits and feels good about crossing the finish line. The kids love that the races are during school hours! We took a group of 11 kids to the AIMS games in Tauranga. The AIMS Games is similiar to a Jr. Olympics. It is a week long event where the best athletes of each schools compete against each other. All disciplines are represented.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her two friends in the background were so happy for Skylers placing. I love this photo. </td></tr>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">D </b>is for dog. Harper Blue, is our new English Pointer. She is lovely, even when she eats the food off the kitchen counter. We love her dearly.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">E </b>is for Eels.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">F </b>is for family. We were so blessed to have 9 family members form the USA come out and spend the holidays with us. We had an age range of 4 to 78, and with all of the beautiful weather that we had, there was something for everyone to do.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">G </b>is for green.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">H </b>is for horses.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">I </b>is for insane roads. This is Skippers Canyon in Queenstown, and that is the Shotover River below. Brad took Lindsey on a rafting trip and this is the road they travelled down to access the put in. Imagine a mini-bus pulling a five stack of rafts behind it while navigating this crazy road. The road is mostly one -way, steep and narrow with sheer drops of several hundred feet.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">J </b>is jumping for joy.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">K </b>is for Kia Ora, which is a Maori greeting.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">L </b>is for lambs.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">M </b>is for the Mt. Taranaki Around The Mountain relay.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">N </b>is for no guns. Most kiwi's live their whole life without seeing a gun. The cops do not carry guns, nor are people allowed to be carrying guns out in the public. Owning or using firearms in this country requires a very strict firearms licence. Part of the process involves interviews between the police officer and applicant, interviews between two referees (one must be a close relative and the other not related) to determine whether the applicant is "fit and proper", and the applicants residence is also visited to make sure that they have proper storage for the firearms and ammunition. Coming from such a pervasive gun culture, the gun laws and common sense that prevails in this country make much more sense to us, and also help keep our kids safe.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">O </b>is for the Oakura river. Owen getting some tubing time on the river.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">P </b>is for Puanga Festival. Traditionally, Puanga is a time to come together to learn, connect to the land and sea, to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. The Oakura school participated in this festival this year. The boys did the Haka, and the girls did the Poi. It was a competition, as each school took turns on the stage performing their dances.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Q </b>is for Queenstown. One of our favourite holiday spots here in New Zealand.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">R </b>is for rugby.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">S </b>is for sausage sizzle. It is good to know that we will never go hungry at events because there will always be a sausage sizzle.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">T </b>is for travel. With the healthy work life balance that the kiwi's have adopted makes for lots of time with family. Brad gets 8 weeks paid vacation every year, which makes for heaps of time off to play, travel, volunteer, and explore. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cambodia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thailand</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Island</td></tr>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">W </b>is for wipeouts.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">X </b>is for xtremely handsome husband.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Y </b>is yoga.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Z </b>is for zero regrets.<br />
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New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-90788892556407548072014-11-06T14:42:00.000-08:002014-11-06T14:42:03.561-08:00Ramblings of an Itinerant ED Doc<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img src="http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2013/10/30/1226746/403573-big-development.jpg" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 57px;" /><br />
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Cairns Base Hospital in far north tropical Queensland is poorly located if a cyclone were to ever make landfall. The ED sits at about 1 meter above sea level and about 50 meters from the high tide line of the Coral Sea. Apparently the Great Barrier Reef, about 30 kms off shore, would absorb most of the swell of any tropical storm but it would not take too much of a sea level rise to inundate the department. It is however in a beautiful spot with stunning sea views, right on the Esplanade and a short walk to the town center. I have recently returned to Taranaki after working a 3 month contract with the emergency department here. The motivation behind this was mainly that I needed to work in a larger more academic, "accredited" center for recognition within the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine as a fellow. I could have done this at a larger center closer to home here in NZ but I was quite keen to explore a bit more of Oz and to work in another health care system in another part of the world. There was a 3 month position open as several of the full time physicians were on a long service leave participating in a road rally that took them from London, England to Ulan Bator, Mongolia, and I was happy and fortunate to be able to fill a spot. Overall the experience certainly exceeded my expectations in every way and it was stimulating and challenging to be in a larger center again. There is an interesting patient mix including Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders as well as numerous European tourists and backpackers (lots of STDs so use caution backpackers). There are also tropical diseases and bites from venomous critters that we do not encounter here in NZ. We even had a nurse, recently returned from caring for ebola patients in West Africa, come in with fever and flu like symptoms who spent 3 days in our ED isolation room while awaiting her negative tests to come back.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Pseudonaja textilis" src="http://www.avru.org/files/imported/images/pseudtextil9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Brown Snake</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Australia has the 10 most poisonous species of snake on the planet so when I first started work I found myself walking home at night almost on tiptoes, avoiding any areas with long grass and constantly scanning the ground for anything slithering. A few weeks in though I was informed that there really aren't any snakes in the city so I began to walk home at night with a bit more confidence. Then someone showed me a picture on their phone of a snake under a bench right in front of the hospital so then I wasn't really sure what to think. The three months I worked here I saw about 10 people that had been bitten by a snake however only one of them was truly envenomated. Although highly lethal in terms of the number of humans that could be killed per drop of venom from one of the Australian snakes it seems, from my limited experience, that true envenomations are not that common . The Australian snakes are Elapids and do not have the long hinged fangs that Vipers like the N American Rattlesnakes have to literally inoculate their venom. This reduces the likelihood of the venom penetrating deep enough to cause the progressive paralysis and non-coagulating blood that it is capable of. That being said, if you are bitten by a snake in Australia you had better get to a hospital quickly because if you have received a venomous bite, they can be rapidly fatal and the antivenom is curative.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funnel Web Spider</td></tr>
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I saw one woman who came in after being bitten on the ankle by a spider, which she had brought to the ED with her. It looked a lot like this little fella who is the most poisonous spider in the world and apparently has big thick fangs that inject venom very efficiently. Rapidly lethal, also curative with antivenom. The spider ended up being a type of tarantula which is not venomous but it was a close enough match that we had to send a photo to a spider expert for identification. <br />
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In the area there are also the worlds most deadly jellyfish, cone shell and octopus though I never saw anyone who had encountered one of these. They say you cannot go swimming in the sea in a month with an R in it because of the jellies so I was most likely there in the wrong season for those. People also occasionally disappear from river banks in those parts. I did not see anyone with a crocodile bite and I think that is simply because if a croc gets a bite into you, he does not let go. <br />
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I heard from someone that the Aboriginals call the hospital the "Chop-Chop Hospital". This is because by the time they get up to presenting to the hospital with a horrible extremity infection they have to have the limb amputated. The hospital draws from a huge area and patients are transported from Aboriginal communities with names like Wujal Wujal and Pormpuraaw by the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) several times a day. They will present with open fractures and infections that could be several days old and look terrible. The Aboriginals are an interesting group of people. I believe that they were living quite primitively when the Europeans stumbled upon them some 230 years ago and they still seem like a separate civilization all together now. There seems to be very little interaction between them and those of other races. They are almost ghost like in their presence, neither acknowledging passerbys nor being acknowledged by them. I think, because of their primitiveness, that they have been grossly mistreated over the years. Many of their children were abducted at birth and forced into orphanages and western education in an attempt to forcibly assimilate them into western ways. This was occurring into the 1970s and shockingly it was legal to shoot "Abos" until about twenty or thirty years ago. It is strange coming from NZ where the native Maori while maintaining many of there traditions, seem to be wholly integrated into the larger community.<br />
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I have now worked in a wide range of places from rural Kansas, Urban Kansas City and the Bronx, provincial New Zealand and tropical Australia and I am again reminded of the exceptionalness of emergency medicine people. I get to work with people who are willing to work in an often chaotic, abusive work environment day or night sacrificing weekends and holidays with their families all in an effort to be there for those in need when they need it. I have worked shifts were it is so busy that nurses will go an entire shift without having a chance to take a meal break or even get to the bathroom. I have also been on the occasional night with only a slow trickle of patients where I have passed time getting to know many intimate details of the lives and families of those I work with. I work with people who, in one instance will save the life of a patient too obtunded or comatose to recognize or acknowledge their efforts and in the next instance will be verbally berated by someone unhappy they waited 4 hours to be told that their viral sore throat infection will get better on its own and they do not need any medicine. Guess which ones usually fill out the customer satisfaction scores. I know many nurses who have been physically assaulted and paramedics who have been shot and they continue to show up for work. I have shared many laughs with my coworkers over the folly of humanity and we have shed tears together over the occasional tragedy. I guess I am just trying to say that I feel truly blessed and honored to work with such fine people everywhere I go. I find it a bit discouraging to read from so many of the medical blogs and journals out there of the growing dissatisfaction with medicine and particularly emergency medicine as a career. They talk of burning out over increased work loads, increased demands from patients and administrators, patient satisfaction scores, the ongoing spector of a malpractice claim, and the toll that shift work takes on your physical and emotional health. To my fellow emergentologists (term borrowed from some blog which I cannot recall at the moment) if you are feeling this burnout, I would suggest to change your present work situation. Go work a locums gig somewhere else, in a different setting, or environment, a different country perhaps. You will rediscover that indeed you work with amazing people often doing amazing things for people when they need it most. I am frequently greatly inspired by the stories of my patients as well the efforts of my co-workers. That is enough to bring me back day after day and night after night. <br />
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Cairns (pronounced "Cans", no R sound) is a pretty cool spot. I was fortunate to be there during the dry season and it was sunny and warm every single day from July through October. It is an interesting place with tourists and local workers from all over the world. There are great restaurants of all ethnicities even Mexican which is difficult to find in this part of the world. There is much natural beauty and loads of outdoor activities. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of pubs and drunk kangaroos</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful rainforest, rivers, waterfalls etc.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen and good mate Connor at AFL game Suns vs Bulldogs. Australian Rules Football is an amazingly physical game and requires a great amount of endurance. Massive field, non stop action. </td></tr>
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And of course the one and only Great Barrier Reef<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found Nemo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saw many sharks though none bigger than I am. Mostly harmless reef sharks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parrot fish on am dive</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-eQOGTvxUzl6HWu_jsf1F_NPlrLmZu8CCIQ5coAOWnoXXpnasSIhXEgZiNXtOg-FV8LCDZ1Aa6pILeQoVW2C5DCoKUP4ju5JdpJVSCB6Le8Ke08OzWJjGoAmM7CNZaJsRCUb-jVHR_kg/s1600/IMG_0737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-eQOGTvxUzl6HWu_jsf1F_NPlrLmZu8CCIQ5coAOWnoXXpnasSIhXEgZiNXtOg-FV8LCDZ1Aa6pILeQoVW2C5DCoKUP4ju5JdpJVSCB6Le8Ke08OzWJjGoAmM7CNZaJsRCUb-jVHR_kg/s1600/IMG_0737.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Skyler, Lindsey and I did an introductory scuba course with Skyler's friend Aoife and her father Arvind. They spent about 20 minutes at a depth of 6 meters. Saw clown fish, giant clams, giant sea cucumbers and even a sea turtle. They loved it. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aoife and Skyler during orientation. They were soon of on their own exploring</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice rabbit ears Orlagh</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going tubing </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aoife, Connor and Owen somewhere in the rainforest</td></tr>
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Jenny and the kids were in Cairns for the first two weeks of my run there. We all had a fun catching up with our friends Arvind and Orlagh and their daughter Aoife and son Connor. They used to live in Oakura as well and now are in Cairns so it was nice having locals showing us around. They also became my surrogate family during three months. Orlagh having me over for a delicious meal every week. A nice break from all the pizza and take out Vietnamese food I had been eating. <br />
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Many thanks to all those at Cairns Base ED for the hospitality. Australia is a great country, lots of great people, beautiful scenery and I hope to explore a bit more of it some day, but I have to say I am quite pleased to be back in Taranaki which is about the most spectacular place I have ever been. I was away from my family for about 9 weeks in total and I missed them greatly. NZ feels like about the safest place in the world these days. Not too much religious, racial or political tension, no suspected Ebola patients yet and I don't have to look under a park bench before I sit down. <br />
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-84014664626451841892014-09-04T16:11:00.000-07:002014-09-04T16:11:04.658-07:00Bays,Beaches and White Sand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This post is sooo very long overdue, lets say by about 4 months! Wowzzer, where has the time gone?? I could make up all sorts of excuses but lets just go with the planning and implementing of getting a very large container from one Continent to another, or maybe moving houses for a 4th time in 4 years, or better yet, husband being out of the country for 3 months. or all the other great opportunities that life has to offer. All good reasons, but I have missed this blog and my writing so I have returned :) </div>
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This is the area of New Zealand that is referred to as "North Land", the area north of Auckland. I don't remember why we planned this trip, but I am guessing it was just another area of NZ that we had not explored and wanted to check it off our list. This area, like all the others in this amazingly beautiful country was stunning. It did not disappoint. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqr_UM-i7OUGZWpewTsSOLI_iouDWZOQ_xvHmK76cSikJTuA6Co41Iq7ByKQFzp9fTBLJXwymhcIuoUOHBp5dHN0MkYCFcgfgw08mUQ1IcOQuZpvarqr2ySriJdsy-wyR4bwcNcibqSWE/s1600/IMG_2818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqr_UM-i7OUGZWpewTsSOLI_iouDWZOQ_xvHmK76cSikJTuA6Co41Iq7ByKQFzp9fTBLJXwymhcIuoUOHBp5dHN0MkYCFcgfgw08mUQ1IcOQuZpvarqr2ySriJdsy-wyR4bwcNcibqSWE/s1600/IMG_2818.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25b5F6X8hB1srnhmBp4W5WXYNevxan8uZNk9fdFQo9JAUx5zAFrhN3dv7VXFAQqY_-rypvrLuFOsJI3r31G1ApeYHkEr86kmPQlNqx3Krqu0MHRTNjRiJCNyKF01M3pcTlCXu8C5ccgg/s1600/IMG_2830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25b5F6X8hB1srnhmBp4W5WXYNevxan8uZNk9fdFQo9JAUx5zAFrhN3dv7VXFAQqY_-rypvrLuFOsJI3r31G1ApeYHkEr86kmPQlNqx3Krqu0MHRTNjRiJCNyKF01M3pcTlCXu8C5ccgg/s1600/IMG_2830.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a>We meet our good friends on the coast and spent the day together. This whole coastal area is called Tutukaka, and National Geographic, ranks it the second best coastal destination on the planet. This is one big planet we live on, so to acquire this rating, we knew it must be spectacular. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen taking advantage of the acoustics's in the cave. </span></td></tr>
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This was a great hike we did near Sandy Bay that had these fun mermaid pools for the brave ones in our family to take a swim in. I was busy taking photos and Brad was busy life guarding, so our children were the only braves ones on this day.<br />
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If you squint your eyes and look real close you might see 4 crazy Americans waving their arms on the left side of the waterfall. We thought it would be fun to swim across the little lake and hike up into the waterfall. After I felt the temp. of the water I did not think it would be fun anymore! However Owen reeaallyy wanted Mom to swim as well, so off I went smiling and shivering the whole time. Lindsey was the smart one this time and offered to stay behind and take the picture. This is Wharepuke Falls located near KeriKeri.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Happy to be warm again!</span></td></tr>
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This is the Monument of the Rainbow Warrior at Matauri Bay. In 1985 french secret service agents planted two bombs and sank the Greenpeace ship called the Rainbow Warrior. One crew member was killed. The ship was moored in Auckland and headed to Moruroa Atoll to oppose the french nuclear testing. Initially the French Government denied all knowledge of the operation, but eventually the Prime minister told the public that "yes, our agents sank this boat". Both agents pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter and willful damages. A 10 year sentence was handed down, however the french government threatened to to embargo NZ goods from entering the European Economic Community- which would of crippled NZ economy. A deal was struck. The French paid 13 million to NZ and apologized. The prisoners were were returned to the French and served 3 years on a French Military base in the South Pacific. The wreck of the Rainbow Warrior was sunk here at Cavalli Islands, where it can be explored by scuba divers.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">CAPE REINGA</span><br />
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This is what one would expect to be the northern most tip of New Zealand, however it is not. The honor belongs to Surville Cliffs farther to the east. Cape Reinga is where the wild waters of the Tasman and the calmer more serene waters of Pacific Ocean meet. The Maori consider Cape Reinga the jumping off point for souls as they depart on the journey to their spiritual homeland.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another fun mermaid pool we came across unexpectedly, so Owen just shimmed on down to his birthday suit and took a swim. The water was chilly and as he jumped in some folks came walking over, so he had to stay in the water until they left. He was a blue when he got out! SO funny, the girls and I could not stop giggling. </span></td></tr>
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These next shots of us flying down the huge sand dunes was maybe the best part of the bus tour that we did to Cape Reinga. Anytime a little thrilling adventure is part of a tour, we are keen. And this is what you get....... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> SPEED</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> LOOKS OF TERROR</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> CRASHES</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> RACING Out of Control</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> MORE......CRASHES</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> AND SMILES TO LAST A LIFETIME</span><br />
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The tour included driving back down the coast along 90 mile beach.<br />
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We rested our heads for 3 nights in a lovely, sleepy little surf town called Ahipara. Ahipara is located at the bottom of 90 mile beach. I rented us a true kiwi bach for $100 a night, the restroom was outside the front door. Not kidding, I had to go outside to use the loo. It was classic kiwi. All we did for 3 days was surf, Brad and I could set on the deck of the house and watch the kids surf. It was great fun, and aahhhh so relaxing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Shipwreck Bay, some beautiful left handers come right off the point.</span> </td></tr>
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We then made our way to Hokianga Harbour, a truely underdevelped part of NZ. The colours of the Harbour looked they were painted in every shade of green and blue. We came across this hike to these round boulders that were laying on the lakes edge, and decided to have some fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This shoot took us more time than I care to admit. The camera was precariously placed on another boulder directly across from us. The longest we could set the timer for was 6 seconds. SO someone in the family had to push the button, without moving the camera, jump off the boulder and then scramble up onto the other boulder and quickly get into position. Well, everyone in our family thought they were the ones for the job. WE all tried a few times, and this is best we ever got. Yes, Owen is in there somewhere, you just have to look harder. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzqpwdkatxilvSq44o-N_ZCxumTuyoko0cZShwryg6hFQqonxS2u96oPiDJmELpEQyzAXkM5UxQ9r08GobgjWhOdQhXid-S-_2UY1iNh682jH4HoKCuUo4EZcw8FcWEhTSgz3FjpVCQs/s1600/IMG_3352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzqpwdkatxilvSq44o-N_ZCxumTuyoko0cZShwryg6hFQqonxS2u96oPiDJmELpEQyzAXkM5UxQ9r08GobgjWhOdQhXid-S-_2UY1iNh682jH4HoKCuUo4EZcw8FcWEhTSgz3FjpVCQs/s1600/IMG_3352.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another beautiful hike we did up above Hokianga Harbor. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We got a little obsessed with mermaid pools on this trip. Every time we saw one, someone in the family(not naming names........OWEN) had to go in sans clothes. He is going to make a good frat boy one day. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What is wrong with this picture??</span></td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1844647775"></span><span id="goog_1844647776"></span><br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-15661277825802809382014-05-23T20:14:00.002-07:002014-05-27T21:01:36.959-07:00R.I.P. KD<br />
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<i> There is sorrow enough in the natural way</i></div>
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<i>From men and women to fill our day;</i></div>
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<i>But when we are certain of sorrow in store</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Why do we always arrange for more?</i></div>
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<i>Brothers and sisters I bid you beware</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.</i></div>
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<i>Rudyard Kipling</i></div>
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This morning we all lost a cherished member of our family. Never has a dog been as loved as much as our sweet KD. One of the very hardest and perhaps worst decisions of my life was deciding it best to leave our almost 12 year old dog behind when we moved to New Zealand. I thought it was best to spare her the long flights and the period of quarantine required for what originally started out as one to two year plan to live abroad, We would be back in the States to pick her up and enjoy her twilight years we thought. As it turns out, things in NZ have worked out pretty well for us, and here we are still, three years later with no immediate plans to return to the US. Depriving my family of the experience of seeing KD through to the end will likely be one of my biggest regrets in life. While we have very much enjoyed our travels and adventure, there has always been an un fillable hole in our lives. For 11 years that dog did everything with us. She would have loved New Zealand as well and I wish we could have brought her here. She was an ever present source of unconditional love, companionship, gentleness, and joy. <br />
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KD came in to our lives when Lindsey was one and was there with us though the births of Skyler and Owen. She helped us raise these kids and the lessons imparted by her we will all carry forever. Dogs, without any intention, teach us some of the most important lessons of life don't they. About living each day with joy and exuberance. About really learning to appreciate the little things in life and realizing that those are the only things that ultimately matter. A tennis ball, a walk in the park, a romp in the snow, a swim in a creek and a bit of love from her family is all she ever needed or cared about. The way her butt shook, the way her feet slid on the wood floor and the way her tail wagged when you walked in the door, like you just got back from a trip to the moon would make all of the stresses of daily life melt away. I feel some what ashamed for any time I may have pushed her aside because all she was trying to say was "I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU" as passionately as she could. She taught us about being a good friend, patient, non judging, and always there for a cuddle. <br />
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She taught us about selflessness and patience. She was dressed up countless number of times, had her toenails painted, was ridden like a horse by all the kids in the neighborhood who often used her as a jungle gym with never a nip or a bark. Just that sheepish little look of "OK one more time". <br />
She logged hundreds of miles helping Jenny train for three marathons, she played catch with me (literally would catch the ball in her mouth on the fly) for hours and hours, which I think was therapeutic for both of us. <br />
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She made family road trips to east and west coasts and many places in between and never once asked "are we there yet"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Never a more beautiful Lab than KD</td></tr>
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I have to tell my favorite KD story;<br />
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It was one fall or early winter evening, already getting dark, when KD and I went out for a routine jog on one of the trails near our home. It was a bit blustery and as it darkened, a bit spooky running through the woods on the paved trail. Now KD did not have tons of self confidence and was always a tad fearful of other dogs until she had had a god sniff to confirm that they meant no harm to her. She often lagged a bit behind me on our runs as she was always off exploring some new scent. As I went along, I passed a large man in a large black parka who had a large dog with him, a few steps past them I looked back to see where KD was. She was frozen in her tracks about 30 yards back with this fellow and his dog between KD and I. I said "KD come on" several times. She looked at me as if to say "are you crazy, I am not getting one step closer to Cujo and the zombie." With that she took off in the opposite direction, towards home, running like a cheetah at top speed, only faster. She sprinted about a mile and a half across major roads and through several neighborhoods. Jenny, inside cooking dinner, could hear her pathetic yelp as she turned the corner by our house. She opened the door just as KD was about to crash through it. I turned and jogged home, expecting to see her around any corner with an embarrassed look on her face. It took me about 12 minutes to get home and Jenny told me KD had been home for 15 which means she had gone so fast she had actually gone back in time. When I walked into the house she was still cowering under the kitchen table. She she felt so ashamed she couldn't even look at me.<br />
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KD was wonderful and had all the traits you would want in a family dog but she certainly was not courageous. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two days before her passing</td></tr>
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The last three years of KD's life were spent living with Pat and Ralph, Jenny's parents, and I know they loved her as much as we did, and she loved living with them as well. We will be forever grateful to them for agreeing to take her into their home. At least we knew that KD was getting as much love and attention at the end as she always had been living with us. I know she loved her daily walks with Ralph and probably a bit of Pats delicious home cooking. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gHKDAeOH2-70XopPaB2ikSpVh8cgccI_xcZzQubATSo4f546V0qm4GLUCLRcE34LGrJPkwzO0_nOriOTwxmTHh7wiqmYV_29TnXFYUoR6jFqFlmQg3A7itI7ap6_sJIof_7Ipa09xkk/s1600/Feb+1+2006+078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gHKDAeOH2-70XopPaB2ikSpVh8cgccI_xcZzQubATSo4f546V0qm4GLUCLRcE34LGrJPkwzO0_nOriOTwxmTHh7wiqmYV_29TnXFYUoR6jFqFlmQg3A7itI7ap6_sJIof_7Ipa09xkk/s1600/Feb+1+2006+078.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Dear KD girl, Thank you so much for all the wonderful times. None of us will ever, ever, ever forget you. </div>
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We all love you. </div>
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Brad, Jenny, Lindsey, Skyler, and Owen</div>
New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-23322588802531805152014-05-03T23:01:00.001-07:002014-05-04T01:17:07.462-07:00Singapore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
"Don't take any chewing gum", was one of the first things we heard as jokes from friends when we told them we were going to Singapore. The fact is, a total ban on chewing gum was enacted in Singapore in 1992, apparently as an attempt to reduce maintenance and cleaning cost throughout the city. Since traveling to the country we realized that the "gum law", is just one of the seemingly crazy laws in Singapore. In addition to the gum laws, its illegal to bungee cord jump, walk around your own home nude or smoke in public places. Your definitely not permitted to do all three at the same time-but that is just common sense...ouch!! We laughed after reading this because in Queenstown, bungee cord jumping naked is totally allowed, permitted and encouraged!!Bungee cord jumping naked was free, until they had to change the rules because too many folks signed up for it! Back to Singapore....another law is no peeing in a public elevator, and you can be fined if you use the public toilet and don't flush. While most of these laws are things you don't have to worry about, it is evident everywhere you go just how serious Singapore is with the laws. For example, the first sign we see when we get off the plane in big bold letters is "IMPORT OF DRUGS IS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH."</div>
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As bizarre as some of these lesser laws are, what was more interesting was the hefty fines for what would seem like minor infractions. $300 for jaywalking, and NOBODY jaywalks. With a population of 4 million, it is one of the safest and cleanest cities in the world, so maybe they are on to something. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is the subway, without eating or drinking or gum chewing allowed it makes for one CLEAN subway. The 3 second rule would not of applied here....I would of allowed 10-20 seconds with the cleanliness. </span></td></tr>
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Singapore is known for its shopping and eating. The shopping is amazing! It is hard to describe the atmosphere here, how a country that is 26 miles wide can sustain the sheer number of highest level luxury brand stores I will never understand. I know that a lot of wealthy people from China come here just to shop, but it is nonetheless mind-boggling. I googled the number of malls here in Singapore and and the number 223 came up. The most famous of the shopping areas is called Orchard Road. On the day that I shopped and Brad was in meetings, I walked past three Prada stores, in four blocks! It is crazy. I was super excited to come across a H&M store, I dropped $220 and got a new pair of jeans, 3 new shirts, and a new shirt for Brad. That is my kind of shopping. $200 would of bought a button at Prada. </div>
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One of my favorite streets in Singapore was right off of Orchard Road, called Emerald Hill. There were probably 8-10 restaurants located in the area, each in what was originally a private residence built in the 1920's. Nearly all have open, outdoor seating. There are a few residences in the area, farther up the street, and they are among the most inclusive in Singapore. Wealth is very apparent in most places in Singapore, it is very common to see Lamborghini's, Ferrari's, and Porches. We were blown away by the beautiful cars. We did not see one used car in the city. Driving a car in Singapore is a real privilege because of the cost. The government wants the people to take the public transport, so they have implemented something called the COE or certificate of Entitlement. Each month only a certain number of COE's are released, and it is valid for only 10 years. They price of your COE depends on the engine size. The prices range from $48,000-92,000 just for your right to own a car. Remember this price does not include the CAR! The price of the car is separate. and after buy the car you then have car insurance, car tax, registration, electronic road pricing, and road taxes. So what does this mean for driving your dream car here in Singapore? An Audi A4 will cost $182,000. So either start saving up, or make sure your company gets you a car. Only about %15 of Singaporeans own a car, and obviously it is only the wealthy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Emerald Hill</span></td></tr>
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Singapore has three seasons they say, hot, hotter and shopping. It is hot here, the kind of hot that drenches shirts in a matter of minutes, and the kind of hot that feels nausea's after only a 15 minute run. There is %100 humidity. The lowest temperature ever recorded was around 70 degrees. I will take the heat over the cold anytime, but it does suck the energy out of you.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Emerald Hill, I loved all of the greenery! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is the Sultan Mosque as we walked around this area known as Kampong Glam , we could hear the chanting coming from the Mosque. It was a beautiful sound.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Raffles Hotel, </span></td></tr>
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This is the Marina Bay Sands, it is the most expensive stand alone casino in the world. At the cost of $8 billion, it is the largest public cantilevered building in the world. It is kinda cool. The lotus shaped object is the Art science museum. Weird, but beautiful! We went to the top of the building one night for a drink. And I mean ONE drink each, considering 2 drinks cost us $52!! It was worth is though, the views were spectacular, as was the people watching.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Singapore Flyer, Worlds largest observation wheel. It beats the one in London by 30m. </span></td></tr>
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These striking sci fi "super trees" are all part of Gardens by the Bay. I have never seen anything so futuristic and was in awe walking around this beautiful part of Singapore.<br />
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These are state of the art conservatories housing plants from endangered species. They are the largest climate controlled greenhouses in the world. There are two, one is The Flower Dome, and the other is The Cloud Forest. The outside air temp was close to 100 but the inside air temp of the conservatories was very cool. The domes are cooled by chilled water pipes in the floor, and energy to power the conservatories is generated on site by the solar super trees. Many awards have been won by the buildings.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> THE FLOWER DOME</span><br />
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These were my stall choices in the women's bathroom. The little urinal for young boys was so thoughtful. This country thinks of everything and spares no expense.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">THE CLOUD FOREST</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was a 5k run we did one night. It is called the Electric Run. We might of been the oldest people there, okay..we were the oldest people! It was more like a walk through the lights while texting your friends, listen to loud music afterwards and maybe do some stage diving while drinking the free beer they had afterwards. We had fun, got some good freebies for the kids, and enjoyed partying with the young Singaporeans.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> CHINA TOWN</span><br />
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Probably, more than anything Singapore's known for its vast spectrum of food choices. From Hawker centers to fine dining, one can find it all in this little country. Hawker centers are basically open air local food courts. Google told me that in the 1950's the government did not want the unlicensed food vendors "hawking" their street food without regulation, so they forced them into these centers and provided them with running water and facilities for cleaning. There are hawker centers everywhere, some having better reputations than others. The food at these centers is considerably less expensive than "regular" restaurant food. We got complete meals for $3-5. The problem is that sometimes, I was not sure what I was ordering. Each stall has a picture of the dish and the corresponding name. One time Brad ordered "carrot cake", and it was some sort of vegetarian dish, not even close to the western carrot cake we all know. Something we learned was that there is a shortage of napkins in this country. No one passes them out, and if they do they are what westerns would call Kleenex. I am still inept with chopsticks, so factor in messy Asian food, and a flimsy napkin, we must of been quite the site. Anthony Bourdain has written about many restaurants and hawker centers. I like the guy, have read his books and decided to try and do food a tour going to his recommendations. We were late in booking a tour with an organized group. The the Raffles Hotel would of kindly organized one for us for the mere price of one of my children. We do love our kids so we decided to pass on the limo-chauffeur driven tour hosted by Raffles. We did our own and had a blast, we might of walked close to 100 miles (maybe not that many) that day trying to get it all in, however we did it and it was a gastronomic experience! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Spicy fish cakes</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Something Something with Squid</span></td></tr>
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Both of the above dishes came from an outdoor food stall that Anthony Bourdain describes as one of the "13 places to eat before you die". The place is called Sin Haut Eating House, and it lived up to the reputation, awesome!</div>
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This post so far makes it look like all we did was eat... and your right. But one thing I noticed about visiting the Asian countries is the lack of weight that is put on after traveling tho the country. Yes, we ate lots but it was mostly rice, noodles, chicken, fish and vegetables. Their diet is so healthy compared to the western countries. Dairy does survive in this hot, and humid climate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Carrot Cake</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzmL3MSzJYCqokJBaX0RE7uW6BcNHE20BSFt0JyZi6wHI_Auk6aA0cjfV730xBL4ChVyXj2PYnd0ehGRKrKe1rYZ951QCJZRl4c7171ILx_iuBzdkHP1V3uPMcM_gQhfss_1Ok-_BJfQ/s1600/IMG_1810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzmL3MSzJYCqokJBaX0RE7uW6BcNHE20BSFt0JyZi6wHI_Auk6aA0cjfV730xBL4ChVyXj2PYnd0ehGRKrKe1rYZ951QCJZRl4c7171ILx_iuBzdkHP1V3uPMcM_gQhfss_1Ok-_BJfQ/s1600/IMG_1810.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Do not remember the name for this dish, but once again yummy. There was tofu, jalapenos, egg, lime, chili sauce, and some type of crunchy dried fish. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Inside a Hawker center. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Famous Singapore Chili Crab</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I do not know how they do it but this simple dish of Hainanese Chicken Rice was simply awesome. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was our dessert we got down the street. It is bean curd, dough sticks and a few egg tarts. The bean curd was fresh, silky and warm. We got a few with peanut butter in the middle. A taste I have never had before, but it was sooooo delicious! Not my favourite consistency, but I would definitely order it again. The long things are basically warm doughnuts. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is the Gondola Ride we took to Sentosa Island. Sentosa Island is a dream come true for any child or child-like adult. It has anything and everything a child would think was awesome! Universal Studios, a huge water park, a luge, a zip-line, aquarium, swimming with dolphins, swimming with sharks, lakes, light shows. We went over to check out Fort Siloso. We promised the kids we would not do anything "fun" without them, hence the Fort. I would of much rather been sliding down the cool water slides in the 100 degrees but history buff hubby really wanted to see the Fort. It was actually pretty cool to check out and learn a little history at the same time. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A picture I took while going over Sentosa Island. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Architecture in this city was splendid. This building is a great example. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I opted not to do the ear digging. I probably missed out on some divine experience but for some reason the name just put me off....a little</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another beautiful street....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Beautiful Orchids inside the Raffles</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And we thought the port in Taranaki was big!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UEcjtLykz-tMT1tK3Pz9w7ym0ab4TOUGd1oLnIhtpSZTK0wIzpI1oa4Vb7aYzEC0XxcwwfZgNAPiGg8IT4rF6VkWLty9Tz8fwlcah5OzyqGvjh_AYhUghixIzPnV5kK-tTmbeVvSBBU/s1600/IMG_2759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UEcjtLykz-tMT1tK3Pz9w7ym0ab4TOUGd1oLnIhtpSZTK0wIzpI1oa4Vb7aYzEC0XxcwwfZgNAPiGg8IT4rF6VkWLty9Tz8fwlcah5OzyqGvjh_AYhUghixIzPnV5kK-tTmbeVvSBBU/s1600/IMG_2759.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Made it this far? I commend you! This was a long post. We hope to go back one day with the kids, maybe a long lay over to somewhere far away. I need the kids so I can do the water slide and I hear the Singapore Zoo is one of the best!New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-54923454364998229012014-04-18T23:38:00.001-07:002014-04-18T23:38:07.391-07:00Hall Closet<br />
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Do you have any part of your house that has become such a mess that you just close the door? Closing the door helps to forget about the mess, the mess that otherwise might take all day to clean out. Maybe the mess is in your hall closet, spare bedroom, or garage? Well, now image that over the years this hall closet has grown into a 500 sq. ft space. Over time the space has acquired some old things, some new things that have been outgrown, things that you love but don't have the room for anymore, and things that you dislike, but just couldn't throw away. Now, lets imagine that this hall closet is charging you rent every month, let's say around $450. What would you do? Common sense says to clean out the closet, get rid of what is not being used and move the rest of it back into the house. Oh yea, one more thing, the cost of cleaning out the closet and moving it back into the house is about the same as taking a family of 5 on a REALLY nice holiday, the kind of holiday that involves little umbrellas in drinks, down feather beds, and mimosas for breakfast. Obviously, this is not a hall closet we are dealing with but our lovely STORAGE UNIT! After the news we found out a few weeks ago, that we have to be out of our rental house in September (but just found out yesterday that we can stay), we have decided to tackle some issues head on. The main one being our stuff. Honestly, we miss it. Alright, if I was being super honest I should say that I miss it and Brad would be very happy to sell most of it and give the rest away. But, because there are two in this marriage, he understands that is not going to happen, especially if he would like to remain in a nice ,happy, loving relationship. Not only do we miss it, but we need the stuff. I have great friends that do not mind if I ask to borrow stuff, but I don't want to borrow anymore, not when I have a whole storage unit full of things waiting to be used. Air New Zealand was having a sale last week, and I did it, I bought a ticket home to tackle our stuff. The plan is to load up a 40 ft container with our belongings and ship it over. We are so looking forward to having our stuff here in NZ, I wish we would of done this from day one, but hindsight is 20/20, and I never would of imagined we would still be living here. I will have to leave behind most of our electronics, washer, dryer, re fig, and kitchen gadgets. New Zealand operates on 220-240 volts whereas the US is 110-120. So I would either blow up the appliance or myself if they are used here, so they will be staying behind. I will also have to leave behind some furniture. The fact that all of my stuff does not fit into a 40 ft container is embarrassing enough without going into to much detail. Seriously, who needs so much stuff? Obviously, I did. Yes, it is going to be expensive to bring it here, but sometimes piece of mind outweighs the dollar. The trip across the Pacific should take about 6-8 weeks, so hopefully sometime in July we will be unpacking. The funny thing is, we have no idea where we will be living in July. We are looking at buying a place, maybe renting another house, or even building. We are all over the board, as usual. What we do know is this. This little slice of heaven that we have found here on the western coast of New Zealand, is almost to good to be true. It is worth the stress and money to bring over our goods and dig our heels in a little deeper.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was the Taranaki 6 hour adventure race. The race involved 4 stages, ranging from mtn. biking, tramping, kayaking, and running. Every stage had numerous checkpoints we had to find, no GPS's just a topo map, and compass. We had simple clues for each check point such as tree, hill top, 50m into bush. The checkpoints were circled on the topo map. Each checkpoint was worth 100 points. We had to be back within 6 hours or else every minute we were late 10 points were deducted from our overall score. We loved it, had a great time, and looking forward to the next one! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trying to figure out where the hell we are!! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Skyler winning the Taranaki School Surfing Competition. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A great 5-6 hour hike we went on called the Puffer. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIY4ZS3dKcpSiMLQRI_Z325Noka6r-N-_N92paZxf4Ap5x73lJLBqaTVewGp3hj_jTrL4V3KtZld-Gkm2nWM5L2vOOeqX5J_1W-LYw6aA-Yg614TKt8kqIeGwDfWNy7OK5aXBdpQqDZc/s1600/IMG_2227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIY4ZS3dKcpSiMLQRI_Z325Noka6r-N-_N92paZxf4Ap5x73lJLBqaTVewGp3hj_jTrL4V3KtZld-Gkm2nWM5L2vOOeqX5J_1W-LYw6aA-Yg614TKt8kqIeGwDfWNy7OK5aXBdpQqDZc/s1600/IMG_2227.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Paddling Boarding on the river. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lindsey and I</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZREfr8B2XSANG4anQhZh9U0wtfS2EID8wd7lD73RVqxoB2mV8e9a5wi1KVE0djp0xPR-ZXWmNIPbqbaw4GU6rwu2ozQ-dA2sTLqlloyW52EmILXOIJWBMHfRcFsnERQThRHpZB1y5Wo/s1600/IMG_0113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZREfr8B2XSANG4anQhZh9U0wtfS2EID8wd7lD73RVqxoB2mV8e9a5wi1KVE0djp0xPR-ZXWmNIPbqbaw4GU6rwu2ozQ-dA2sTLqlloyW52EmILXOIJWBMHfRcFsnERQThRHpZB1y5Wo/s1600/IMG_0113.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Claiming Glory on Mt. Taranaki</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneU1qA9SyfI1biVVMtvFwGcuWzx1VifQqlIjTKCBM1qaXIKWfXQbJgfCHA1QQdhdCaQxSODiyz11ekJUXD-SxmhyphenhyphenYbe-MFi_gLLda90itBQr5zu4Nm8YlhjnZut_eSNJBK-Ut_qHJ5BE/s1600/IMG_2300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneU1qA9SyfI1biVVMtvFwGcuWzx1VifQqlIjTKCBM1qaXIKWfXQbJgfCHA1QQdhdCaQxSODiyz11ekJUXD-SxmhyphenhyphenYbe-MFi_gLLda90itBQr5zu4Nm8YlhjnZut_eSNJBK-Ut_qHJ5BE/s1600/IMG_2300.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">SKy and one of her best mates, Arianna. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7miVQoWih6bSF96gc6G2lyWhX-NPdCjPkDo2-tYymmQxOYtXjj9NJ6UXro_OH7yd1yrgJYxRTPP0PBHv2hMOuMTXMN7gaUdHJe95RbwzVbH6MFnkDbrfJRAy7aF9vkCM11tkSth8caKM/s1600/IMG_2470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7miVQoWih6bSF96gc6G2lyWhX-NPdCjPkDo2-tYymmQxOYtXjj9NJ6UXro_OH7yd1yrgJYxRTPP0PBHv2hMOuMTXMN7gaUdHJe95RbwzVbH6MFnkDbrfJRAy7aF9vkCM11tkSth8caKM/s1600/IMG_2470.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVMcJdLb-uZ4EYTAVYBh_1asN4r0wT60WOaK0GIlePY9tAeLD0JEl_A9_MykhFSgyf2slpLxM-d4Ghcy47fXcpJw82HQLHoii-UgpwA7LI6RlU_NR4fF0miPzpTjIgHUD6uEstE2iWLM/s1600/IMG_2510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVMcJdLb-uZ4EYTAVYBh_1asN4r0wT60WOaK0GIlePY9tAeLD0JEl_A9_MykhFSgyf2slpLxM-d4Ghcy47fXcpJw82HQLHoii-UgpwA7LI6RlU_NR4fF0miPzpTjIgHUD6uEstE2iWLM/s1600/IMG_2510.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brad has become an awesome surfer, he loves to come home from work and hit the waves. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSNYgWS_voYACRZgll2Mw7rbpgTK1QTCOzGRoZeFVhr1DjEjKyRol09FpsusVJd93IBfeTwWz56V1PxgCg6P1MNi7M4L4EyDiaaHTQgFd7DZcv75r09k1RZ56nVIm0F5Ver8A6UpaLsQ/s1600/IMG_2511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSNYgWS_voYACRZgll2Mw7rbpgTK1QTCOzGRoZeFVhr1DjEjKyRol09FpsusVJd93IBfeTwWz56V1PxgCg6P1MNi7M4L4EyDiaaHTQgFd7DZcv75r09k1RZ56nVIm0F5Ver8A6UpaLsQ/s1600/IMG_2511.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7swYWoxatmJjlGDoXLA2BIvJL-LeVZq4OkyfYNR5eHv7NBcLE-lG2gnhMfW8luwtVtz261tbWDXDjgLxRFjQG7crhDB8ChnNdWcSHxUluWKblZ6MMtYHxuGPOxuRvhfHS_wPsTktgi4/s1600/IMG_2538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7swYWoxatmJjlGDoXLA2BIvJL-LeVZq4OkyfYNR5eHv7NBcLE-lG2gnhMfW8luwtVtz261tbWDXDjgLxRFjQG7crhDB8ChnNdWcSHxUluWKblZ6MMtYHxuGPOxuRvhfHS_wPsTktgi4/s1600/IMG_2538.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As Owen would say "I got munted!" </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Looking for the waves with their surf coach, Gary. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7VMARZWLnZFHF4a2DrgGAp3SHYSNqcTKUtSd_PFhwtSc_-bsYStjVVPvmL3vjGx28-XQymEQAWg09gUTEbhsvaW4PZdmYJvM2y4qWHbWWciy0onpSsbO0GlGpOC51QsFEN9nIQdFpQE/s1600/IMG_2625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7VMARZWLnZFHF4a2DrgGAp3SHYSNqcTKUtSd_PFhwtSc_-bsYStjVVPvmL3vjGx28-XQymEQAWg09gUTEbhsvaW4PZdmYJvM2y4qWHbWWciy0onpSsbO0GlGpOC51QsFEN9nIQdFpQE/s1600/IMG_2625.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen having a blast at the tryathlon. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3uH1IpQdZ0wlv3yv4V_E4D9_-jWp5NrVMfdMNwmVARsirj1hirNO_Q8DYUIZHnm5TyUQEhrdwfpL3sWHjxTbSfj4Vexu0F6jdERKqQVu_dBCdzT0YKlMBEBamCvA5V4v9WeyvhoxdLk/s1600/IMG_2670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3uH1IpQdZ0wlv3yv4V_E4D9_-jWp5NrVMfdMNwmVARsirj1hirNO_Q8DYUIZHnm5TyUQEhrdwfpL3sWHjxTbSfj4Vexu0F6jdERKqQVu_dBCdzT0YKlMBEBamCvA5V4v9WeyvhoxdLk/s1600/IMG_2670.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brad and the kids heading out at the ship wreck. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jOAe7qZtJ2Fjg_pvtl3oc6wpkEbtQRb0_8VwgqWXJ4jOC9VEc6iH-mO6FwRnVHvTUfi8p-PFK1vGXDmzATPZUPkkiY3rIwdbmm-Qw28LC8KXgkryotREAo6yprgOCtqssAJLmo4WkXI/s1600/IMG_2676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jOAe7qZtJ2Fjg_pvtl3oc6wpkEbtQRb0_8VwgqWXJ4jOC9VEc6iH-mO6FwRnVHvTUfi8p-PFK1vGXDmzATPZUPkkiY3rIwdbmm-Qw28LC8KXgkryotREAo6yprgOCtqssAJLmo4WkXI/s1600/IMG_2676.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lindsey having fun on the paddle board with some of our friends. </span></td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-14690895527485746022014-02-21T19:21:00.000-08:002014-02-21T19:21:13.243-08:00"We knocked the Bastard off"- Sir Edmund Hilary after climbing Mt. Everset<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The summit of Mt.Taranaki is usually cold and windy. A -4 wind chill would not be unusual for a summer day at the top. We got very lucky on this day and had warm weather and no wind, it was beautiful! We managed to hang out at the top for an hour, and take lots of photos. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Getting some sugar on the summit!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Planking on the peak!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hanging out with their mates at the summit!</span></td></tr>
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Right before we arrived at the summit a young backpacker who did not speak a word of English fell and sprained his ankle. As a result, we got to witness a live mountain rescue. It was hard to take pictures because of all the flying rocks and dust, we had to hide behind rocks every time the helicopter got close.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So proud of O for making it to the top. He keep all of us going with his humor , and enthusiasm.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7W4JKKOPNUhCfwUt_xM_ADqb5Ijr3yhCF1Y5XQLY7yjjf3Xr8_uuvxGiYLqY_J4CxOJxJwIvW4mA0xfKhRyJEEqe-HtNbweV3RnULv3Mst97_bWca8TafA3qUngQJieJidasjg3O2R0/s1600/IMG_1549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7W4JKKOPNUhCfwUt_xM_ADqb5Ijr3yhCF1Y5XQLY7yjjf3Xr8_uuvxGiYLqY_J4CxOJxJwIvW4mA0xfKhRyJEEqe-HtNbweV3RnULv3Mst97_bWca8TafA3qUngQJieJidasjg3O2R0/s1600/IMG_1549.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cb6Erd5NVdaYoqAoHFeZCDWguzw5IzDPT0d2ovIUH5P3jWJkjkXOm0loNY9JKLAhyphenhyphenWYDDakP9uKWi-JCQAm-H2J3lFOMwSCobT_-4IOCDki_V4JBs_rTymurIi2hwwRMoFrxIhqtasc/s1600/IMG_1538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cb6Erd5NVdaYoqAoHFeZCDWguzw5IzDPT0d2ovIUH5P3jWJkjkXOm0loNY9JKLAhyphenhyphenWYDDakP9uKWi-JCQAm-H2J3lFOMwSCobT_-4IOCDki_V4JBs_rTymurIi2hwwRMoFrxIhqtasc/s1600/IMG_1538.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>A few photos of the crater. Owen was hoping to get a good ride on the snow but only managed some snow up the bum, and cold biscuits afterwards! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW58xp1bGX0w9UmpR-xL2bd1ns5YKRJ6M3NO7rBrnIzzcBc2CrcBBlwGrY7sIFTlEXv0GmVEmzE9woI6As2Im9snNJhKfu5yXA-eNKeCAS1N0g1YLdpgYGY-Z40yYnsSEj84vpI3EHkJ4/s1600/IMG_1536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW58xp1bGX0w9UmpR-xL2bd1ns5YKRJ6M3NO7rBrnIzzcBc2CrcBBlwGrY7sIFTlEXv0GmVEmzE9woI6As2Im9snNJhKfu5yXA-eNKeCAS1N0g1YLdpgYGY-Z40yYnsSEj84vpI3EHkJ4/s1600/IMG_1536.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF31xKJ_G3NX38jjaesx74D4lSVxayTw96EIKEPlY0uZP-go5dwGgqPWvNtqSAL02xoyUTyqi3W1-UAdLIr0eq_rDYlyUY1MIyejsFfw1CbkoREsLvJt_dxcnUGUCfpWAECogIdd6gd9A/s1600/IMG_1534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF31xKJ_G3NX38jjaesx74D4lSVxayTw96EIKEPlY0uZP-go5dwGgqPWvNtqSAL02xoyUTyqi3W1-UAdLIr0eq_rDYlyUY1MIyejsFfw1CbkoREsLvJt_dxcnUGUCfpWAECogIdd6gd9A/s1600/IMG_1534.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQOOGMEW4sGGT4lvZkzL32hR-UI548j8gJ4Erl96aaEFZfO0Be3zJJHdS2PimRQOu7z-_jM5a-F8TcCj3GWLaedAWjGmkU4uyKmDXNypPEoV1vd8nfyKpWP0HNpEomcBqoqHsFgMbJYQ/s1600/IMG_1532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQOOGMEW4sGGT4lvZkzL32hR-UI548j8gJ4Erl96aaEFZfO0Be3zJJHdS2PimRQOu7z-_jM5a-F8TcCj3GWLaedAWjGmkU4uyKmDXNypPEoV1vd8nfyKpWP0HNpEomcBqoqHsFgMbJYQ/s1600/IMG_1532.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljPsaymG_5O48MwQiw7GjT4RPKlL0ly5dMYAd8LinYtzPSD_zaH8elUrv9uqO-e8FirLnqk9RPim69q74IYndYPLApbTZBQcYvy9Daz6df480Y_D9ExXsQgtpyHzIL2vhTeicX5BwLPg/s1600/IMG_1531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljPsaymG_5O48MwQiw7GjT4RPKlL0ly5dMYAd8LinYtzPSD_zaH8elUrv9uqO-e8FirLnqk9RPim69q74IYndYPLApbTZBQcYvy9Daz6df480Y_D9ExXsQgtpyHzIL2vhTeicX5BwLPg/s1600/IMG_1531.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHl2izVzlbKvjZE4IuHjo8roDug5PKKNco0RQooB6m4T7sEei-4XhNS_ZCcPMFC061Jsq-9cIhuNx-BgDNHzPcaL-6ioYp8WPFwNIE3aAeHRuaEM0OoDW7zLujzqv2x1EWONqtd4f9us/s1600/IMG_1517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHl2izVzlbKvjZE4IuHjo8roDug5PKKNco0RQooB6m4T7sEei-4XhNS_ZCcPMFC061Jsq-9cIhuNx-BgDNHzPcaL-6ioYp8WPFwNIE3aAeHRuaEM0OoDW7zLujzqv2x1EWONqtd4f9us/s1600/IMG_1517.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iMc_Vi6TASjGusfE7WUkV3vhRnK0n2d4TDssylQiWYMGSQL9oeSidcyrfPeVWd4JKAgdpCfWhYUJHyXIoVYCDjnHyKzKNa5nMg6kONMjRDiWTfH6zVNuUtJWXkNLA7uA8iB7fIrYD30/s1600/IMG_1515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iMc_Vi6TASjGusfE7WUkV3vhRnK0n2d4TDssylQiWYMGSQL9oeSidcyrfPeVWd4JKAgdpCfWhYUJHyXIoVYCDjnHyKzKNa5nMg6kONMjRDiWTfH6zVNuUtJWXkNLA7uA8iB7fIrYD30/s1600/IMG_1515.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpfvfLLZXArEYDhsPJfdCQSd1_iQtN1qvBGi8ktXrwNgU48oHVLf1LvZXp0fxLELlcochL1XbAWMsb3Wm0ETpg5EiVRC1RqQu19AxzvU-JaG3dUBMA23xOyt6pVO9a04nioK9O7vSNkU/s1600/IMG_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpfvfLLZXArEYDhsPJfdCQSd1_iQtN1qvBGi8ktXrwNgU48oHVLf1LvZXp0fxLELlcochL1XbAWMsb3Wm0ETpg5EiVRC1RqQu19AxzvU-JaG3dUBMA23xOyt6pVO9a04nioK9O7vSNkU/s1600/IMG_0134.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1scKsab1EP1lwYBT11di6E4Rm-ebSufm51TVLD8zzBdh2sKIIA8KWg0xZweqYiNSYyihTfQlSf-947Myb_EOy10JBGMa4d395niN8rTRnjBwiu13pLHH1EDp5YvVqCuUDYjDx8h1bX44/s1600/IMG_1520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1scKsab1EP1lwYBT11di6E4Rm-ebSufm51TVLD8zzBdh2sKIIA8KWg0xZweqYiNSYyihTfQlSf-947Myb_EOy10JBGMa4d395niN8rTRnjBwiu13pLHH1EDp5YvVqCuUDYjDx8h1bX44/s1600/IMG_1520.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This photos really captures many of the moments we had with the kids on this hike. No, it is not a corpse, it is Lindsey having a moment. It was an awesome day in so many ways, but at times it was also really hard for the kids. Our kids are relatively fit, and they have a border line obsessive Mom, who loves to exercise and wants her kids to grow up with the same passion for being healthy. Climbing a mountain is not just about fitness levels and endurance, it is %70 mental. Starting the climb with positive attitude, and trying to maintain that attitude throughout the climb is a must as well as believing in yourself. And having a few bags of lollies to help get through the tough times is a must as well! We spent 12 hours on the mountain that day, 6 hours up and 4 hours down, an hour on the summit and an hour waiting on friends. Accomplishing this climb together as a family was priceless, and ranks up there as one of our best family days ever!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Enjoying the waves the next day. </span></td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-6741151785232218302014-02-04T00:49:00.000-08:002014-02-04T01:58:34.410-08:00Utopia<br />
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Summer has arrived in the Southern Hemisphere and the Kiwi's and and other expats are all flocking to the beaches and soaking up this summer warmth that we are experiencing. I believe that on a sunny blue sky day, Oakura is one of the most beautiful places in the world. I know that that can be said about many places in the world, but this is why I think it about Oakura. We have the beautiful and majestic Mt.Taranaki to the South, which looks completely different every day depending on the clouds, snow and sunshine. The Oakura river to the the East, which becomes a playground for the locals in the summer. The Tasman sea to the north is the draw for many of the locals and visiting tourist, and has some of the best surf breaks in the world. The Oakura beach is the heartbeat of this community, it is where the action is. But yet, there are many days no one is on the beach and one has the place to themselves. My kids can walk/ride bikes/scooter/skateboard anywhere in this village and I do not get heart palpitation the minute they walk out the door. They wanna go on a one an hour walk on the beach with the neighbors dog.....sure, I'll see them when they get home. They want to ride their bikes up to the local dairy and spend their allowance on lollies...sure, I'll see them when they get home. Yes, there are creeps every where in the world, but with NZ having such a small populations, it makes for less creeps. But the real attraction and the most beautiful part of this place is the hearts and souls of the people that live here. The other expats, and the locals here seem to have figured out what is important in life. I have not meet anyone that lives in Oakura because they were transferred here. Yes, maybe some in New Plymouth but not out here. The People that live here do so because of the lifestyle that it offers their families. The big paychecks and low cost of living are not the reasons why expats live here. They realize that life is short, we only get to live it once and they live it on their own terms. Not the terms that society can often box us into and restrict our movement. They do not complicate their lives with much materialistic goods, they don't like drama in their lives, and they always make time for what important- friends and family. I have learned so much from living in this village, and I Thank God that we get to spend as much time here as we have. Even with all of the these reasons why Oakura is one of the most beautiful places in the world, there is still a big tugging on our heart strings to return home at some point and live more of a "normal" life. Live the American dream. Go back, buy a house, have a mortgage, get a pet, cheer for the our college football team, become a rampant consumer again, and live the conventional life. When we really start to weigh our options, we are not so sure if that is what we want anymore. And it is scary, to think about living a life that you never envisioned yourself living. Not really having a plan just living day to day in a place that makes that makes you smile every time you wake up. </div>
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We had such an amazing trip back home for the holidays that I feel incapable of putting it into words. It was everything we had hoped for and more. Just a few pictures to tell the story....</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My sweet 92 year old Grandpa, with two of his great grandsons. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamHFq0sgttHt_DLIYnjTzQHJAxsdfbVEQ2LY1efq9Yu0Tw5IWvz1kPd3s824O9mLWOFePFm-ujTRrmBVI3aVPvnclABX6gkeRi4yCgUYewwlpMw8PwbTBI6yWTUANdWNAkkE17T82ZFg/s1600/IMG_1329.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamHFq0sgttHt_DLIYnjTzQHJAxsdfbVEQ2LY1efq9Yu0Tw5IWvz1kPd3s824O9mLWOFePFm-ujTRrmBVI3aVPvnclABX6gkeRi4yCgUYewwlpMw8PwbTBI6yWTUANdWNAkkE17T82ZFg/s1600/IMG_1329.PNG" height="320" width="309" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My Mom and sister. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cousins from Atlanta. It has been almost 3 years since we have all been together.</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My favorite people!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Love this picture because this is what Owen use to do to KD's ear when he was little. I caught him doing it right before we left for the airport. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Skiing in Vermont with Brads family. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Artic Vortex we were so lucky to be a part of, it made for lots of hot chocolate between ski runs. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hanging out in times Square.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">At the top of the Statue of Liberty with East Coast cousins. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brad and his sister Molly</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This picture is taken at a trendy restaurant in Tribeca called Bubby's. Lindsey's wish to see a movie star in NYC came true here during our lunch. If you look real close, you might be able to recognize Orlando Bloom in between Brad and I. He was there with his smokin hot x wife, Miranda Kerr, celebrating their son's birthday. If Brad only knew Miranda Kerr was sitting behind him, I think he would of excused himself for the loo a few more times!! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">9/11 Memorial. A very spiritual, and moving monument to the victims of the terrorist attacks. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wen doing what the rest of us felt like doing as we traveled through the LA airport with 15 bags of luggage. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One final stop at Disney. It was a blast and a great way to leave the US. The goodbyes are never easy, and this helped ease the pain for the kids, and myself. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We were so lucky with the small crowds, we hardly had any wait for the rides. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Back to Utopia</span></td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-59452639788060739302013-12-16T19:53:00.001-08:002013-12-16T19:53:18.096-08:00Bits and Bobbles and Santa Clause<br />
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Brad and I were sitting at the Hasting Top ten Holiday Park this past weekend with some of the other parents from Skyler's soccer team. We were in shorts and t-shirts, as the weather was 75 degrees. The kids were busy doing their best belly flops in the pool. We were enjoying our ice cold beers, and I faintly heard some catchy music in the background. So I listened harder and heard this " I wish you a Merry Christmas..I wish you a Merry Christmas...". Brad and I turned to each other with eyes wide open and smiles on our faces. It is still a surreal feeling for us Midwest and East coast Americans to associate Christmas with warm weather. I have to constantly remind myself that it is Christmas time, and that I need to be getting ready for the Holidays. We do not have the daily reminders that the states has. There are no slavation army bell ringers at every store, homes are not decorated with red and green lights, the radio stations do not play Christmas songs, and no holiday parties at the schools. To some this may sound Bah humbug, but to others the Christmas season here is just perfect. There is nothing draining here about the Holidays. Warm weather, sunshine, the beach, and extraordinary scenery take the place of shopping and spending. However, we do miss the exciting anticipation, and Christmas buzz that hangs in the air back home. We will be getting our fill of Christmas craziness that the states is so known for in a few days as we head back home to be with family, that we so dearly miss. <br />
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So you might be wondering what Christmas in NZ looks like. Well here is an example......<br />
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This was a trip we took last holiday break with some good friends. Kuratau, a quaint little community on the SW corner of Lake Taupo. We rented a house together and biked, hiked, ran, swam and kayaked all week long. It is a rough life we live here in NZ.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The road heading into Kuratau.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen and good buddy Chester </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Ngauruhoe </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was a storm we watched from the beach rolling in from the east. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen riding a wave</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Walking home from the beach.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trying to get Sky back on her surf board, she has been so busy with her running and soccer that her surfboard has been collecting dust in the garage. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sky had her best season with cross country this year, a few first place finishes and placed in the top ten in the overall Taranaki championship</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My view from one of my runs near Mt. Maunganui. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our annual Halloween Party was great fun. We managed to get close to 20 houses this year for the kids to trick or treat. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our Thanksgiving Dinner with 100 of our closest friends!! Hosted by The Viners, friends of ours that moved here from KY. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Their new minature pony. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dessert table</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Skylers not so normal Thanksgiving meal. Fresh strawberries, sushi, and potato casserole. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">YUMMY!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The grommets from Boardriders. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lindsey and her horse Buddy.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen is learning how to play the electric guitar. He goes to The School of Rock. His teacher is Johnny, and the owner of the school is Rimu. If you were to look up cool in the dictionary there would be a picture of these guys. They are so positive with the kids, and encourage the kids in whatever activity they are pursuing. Owen was taking hip hop dance class last term and when these guys found out they made Owen feel so good about himself, and really encouraged him to continue. They would of said the same of any class Owen was taking, they are just that cool. The volume levels on Owen's amplifier are rock, heavy metal and insane. I kid you not. I have added ear plugs to my Christmas list. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sky was the MVP of the U11 Taranaki Girls Represenative Team</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A view of Oakura from up above.</span></td></tr>
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These next few pictures are taken in the town of Napier, which is located on the east coast of the North Island, in the region called Hawks Bay. We went for a soccer tournament and ended up eating our way around the region. It is considered the bread basket of NZ, as well as some of the country's best wines come from here. We passed fruit/vegetable stands on many corners and the Farmer's Market was outstanding. Lot of fresh produce and gourmet foods. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cape Kidnappers in the background. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The town is known for its art deco buildings. There was a earthquake that leveled the town in 1933, and the town was rebuilt using art deco architecture. </span></td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-40804145914538482942013-12-03T01:41:00.000-08:002013-12-03T01:41:12.617-08:00Taylor Swift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had a quick weekend away last week in Auckland. Taylor Swift's Red tour had a stop in Auckland and it was something that we did not want to miss. My husband, the closet Taylor Swift fan was the one to let us all know a few months back that Taylor was heading our way. He knew this because he is on her fan club and gets e-mails from her weekly, don't tell anyone but he might be one of her biggest fans!<br />
One of my favorite things about living somewhere new is all of the "firsts" that we get to have. So going to a live concert of a big pop artist in the Southern Hempisphere was something we wanted to do as a family. It was a rockin "first", and it also brought back some great memories of our Taylor Swift concert we went to in Kansas City in 2010. I think Owen even enjoyed himself, how could he not? He was surrounded by 12,000 young beautiful girls. He did however, ask the next morning if he and Dad could could just have some "guy" time, because he was getting tired of screaming girls.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Vector Arena </span></td></tr>
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We had been to Auckland 3 times these past few years, but only to catch international flights. We were looking forward to spending a few days in the city and getting to act like tourists and enjoy the attractions and not be in a rush to catch a flight. Auckland is a great city, it offers everything from Island hopping, and volcano hiking, to trendy neighborhoods with high end shopping. There is something for every interest in this city.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The girls and some of their friends before the concert.</span></td></tr>
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We came across this Superyacht in the harbor Sunday morning. It is owned by some Russian billionaire, and cost US $350 million. The bath knobs alone cost $40,000 each! $$$$$$$$$$$<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnTqpZSVIe-V0AHmOdbikizKAH4KIp4EfDSFp4Vnt4f-ud6_GRzM8zK6gr0EDDQjk5vMdtSqNJqBJFtuKFTKCmjr9gGLTo3QMaHfx4oiOJMG3ydTW62XcC3vqzIg-SuzxbzdAe0RF-N4/s1600/IMG_1107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnTqpZSVIe-V0AHmOdbikizKAH4KIp4EfDSFp4Vnt4f-ud6_GRzM8zK6gr0EDDQjk5vMdtSqNJqBJFtuKFTKCmjr9gGLTo3QMaHfx4oiOJMG3ydTW62XcC3vqzIg-SuzxbzdAe0RF-N4/s320/IMG_1107.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibu8St_lPa63jzMACggSP0kVqvJM12lvMNsHIqcCyqI6veaWDg12KXthmxhrC75opGaHf5rnDSoCbVxg1BZ9A5GxAcoW0c2s4MCq1kVpGd8t-X-ItuysVDzx2XcmXHwN8QT3xA_swywYc/s1600/IMG_1131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibu8St_lPa63jzMACggSP0kVqvJM12lvMNsHIqcCyqI6veaWDg12KXthmxhrC75opGaHf5rnDSoCbVxg1BZ9A5GxAcoW0c2s4MCq1kVpGd8t-X-ItuysVDzx2XcmXHwN8QT3xA_swywYc/s320/IMG_1131.jpg" width="240" /></a>The biggest Christmas decorations we saw in Auckland. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8DJWhc13tq8Ih7hKxnl_hqCe6OQ9p12a_0vKHv045MYOgMfXTeMUyLRmHufORMYUoKEylS2hqXyq84_ZbqI9ZFudmDTT-tSIU75zeian0f2lFc1amJKsjcMtUA8BVByG_8YViLk6FE8/s1600/IMG_1133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8DJWhc13tq8Ih7hKxnl_hqCe6OQ9p12a_0vKHv045MYOgMfXTeMUyLRmHufORMYUoKEylS2hqXyq84_ZbqI9ZFudmDTT-tSIU75zeian0f2lFc1amJKsjcMtUA8BVByG_8YViLk6FE8/s640/IMG_1133.jpg" width="480" /></a>Who needs playgrounds, when there are trees like this to climb??</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTrHwrhYyFGY-AN9Awbk6AsVY052_Ko165p0XbzvSfpuDQF5zR2TAlKhO6mNIhZ2IJlMqyqUk7WRiL_7moJicg3kmNeBO_n16fRtHPsbZFoCWVNgHl6DW2Rol5u5aXXOo_mC90pr7NCs/s1600/IMG_1134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTrHwrhYyFGY-AN9Awbk6AsVY052_Ko165p0XbzvSfpuDQF5zR2TAlKhO6mNIhZ2IJlMqyqUk7WRiL_7moJicg3kmNeBO_n16fRtHPsbZFoCWVNgHl6DW2Rol5u5aXXOo_mC90pr7NCs/s320/IMG_1134.JPG" width="320" /></a>The War Memorial Museum</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ-2LBx72pJxGUX1BoGIiy1qpODflicHOK6ufIY6eCELu9r_Ftn_N4MeSfQv7niVZmoxl1DgzRkPxXhfc-UlNP9hnVdBUv4P6-vXm9pxIdsO3_gqG8baEVWoGD0VR40rE2JhevB4VeBQ/s1600/IMG_1136.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ-2LBx72pJxGUX1BoGIiy1qpODflicHOK6ufIY6eCELu9r_Ftn_N4MeSfQv7niVZmoxl1DgzRkPxXhfc-UlNP9hnVdBUv4P6-vXm9pxIdsO3_gqG8baEVWoGD0VR40rE2JhevB4VeBQ/s400/IMG_1136.PNG" width="225" /></a>Taking the ferry over to the volcanic Rangitoto Island. It was only a 20 minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland. It was about a 2 hour hike to the top of the volcano, and it was an amazing 360 degree view! We then hiked down through the middle of the island to get to the volcano caves. Some were pitch black, which the kids loved until we all started hitting our heads on overhanging rocks. Next time we will read the information pamphlet on our hike and bring a torch, like they suggested.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Energy for their hike up. These lollipops could of been in the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They would not shrink. They lasted for over 3 hours. Owen felt he was ripped off with his candy bar, which lasted only 4 minutes. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It is times like this, I LOVE the fact there are NO snakes in NZ. They are not even allowed in zoos. Another bonus of living here.....snake free....sweet as.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Never too old to hold hands.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This island was formed by a series of eruptions that happened 500-600 years ago. Some of the hike was on these black lava stones.</span></td></tr>
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New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-76539353126392339062013-10-31T03:20:00.001-07:002013-10-31T10:58:15.744-07:00Birthday Suites and Smoke Alarms Brad and I just got back from a lovely weekend in Melbourne, Australia. We left the kids with our dear, sweet and brave friends for 4 nights, and jumped on a flight, flew over the pond and landed in a very hip and diverse city. Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, and has a population of 4 million. It has been ranked the worlds most liveable city in 2011, 2012 and again in 2013. It is also the fifth most expensive city in world to live, and our $20 mojitos can attest to this! We found the city buzzing with life. It was sophisticated and slick, yet edgy and rough. The architecture was ornate victorian, modern-contemporary with sophicated arcades tucked into alleyways. It has the worlds largest tram system, but yet biking was also a popular mode of trasnsportation. Melburnians are very devoted to their sport, and they go ballistic over the Australian football league. It is the second most watched sport in Oz behind cricket. I have never seen a game but Brad tells me that AFL is like a giant game of kill the carrier. As we biked around the city we counted 6 different sports arenas. They were all massive, and each one designed for a different sport. Cricket, AFL, tennis (Australian Open), soccer, swimming and rugby. <br />
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Okay this is where this post might get a little dodgy for some or TMI for others, so read ahead at your own risk. Packing for a holiday usually involves packing pajamas. And as I was packing for this trip, I thoght no different and put in my favorite pair of pj's. And at about this exact time, Brad walked by. He calmly and very confidently told me that I would not be needing those this trip and to leave them at home. I thought about it for a second and realized that he was correct, there would not be any children crawling into our bed in the middle of the night due to some scary nightmare involving The Lord of the Rings films that I exsposed my kids to at way to early of an age! So I happily took out my night wear and stuck them back into the drawer. And as I was doing this Brad started walking away and jokingly said under his breathe, "let's just hope that there is not a fire alarm in the middle of the night." We both just chuckled. HaHaHa..... Fast forward to Melbourne. We landed about 10pm Melbourne time, which is 12pm New Zealand time. We were both quite knackered (tired not drunk) and decided to call it a night. We both crawl into bed wearing well.....nothing at all, because remember my cheeky husband requested that I leave my night wear at home. And of course as luck would have it, yep...you guessed it, the fire alarm goes off sometime in the middle of the night!! We both laid there in denial, like we did not hear this deaf defying alarm that was ringing in our ears. The thought of having to crawl out of bed shimmy back into my skinny jeans, find my top, and then put on my sweater, and then go stand outside until the problem was solved was too much to think about. So we did not, and luckily because we were somewhere other than the US we did not have to. The guy on the loud speaker came on and told the customers of the hotel that until the emergency was figured out that we could stay in our rooms! Really, there could be a huge fire burning somewhere, anywhere in the hotel, but until they figure just exactly what the problem is, we could just keep sleeping. Considering our attire we were quite happy with the decision and feel back asleep. Just another example of how life down here in the Southern Hemisphere is so laid back, maybe too much at times, but nonetheless, stress free!<br />
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Disclamer: All these shots were taken with our iphones. My good camera in being repaired, it was dropped in SE Asia and needed a little TLC.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Beautiful Public Library that was located right in the middle of the CBD.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Yarra river with the city in the background</span>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">These are both taken at Queen Victoria Market. A friend recommended that we go to the market for breakfast. Best suggestion ever, thanks John! More than a thousand stalls sell everything from fresh bread to cheap china goods. It was a blast walking through the stalls, and Brad was in heaven with his homemade German bratwurst for morning tea. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Loved these arcades. Could not afford much, but good window shopping. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The best part of these Mojito's was the bartender that made them. He had travelled the world surfing, and had some good advice about some of the best spots. Don't think we will be hitting any of the epic surfing spots anytime soon, but maybe one day after the kids have gone off to college we can travel the coast in a rented VW van, and pretend we are still young. We both bought some Birkenstocks last week so maybe we are closer than we realize. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A good example of all the different architectural designs in the city. Modern mixed with 1980's and an 18th century church. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An alleyway that they turned into a bunch of great little Cafes. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE0b49DcyH8qmPtWRqOUXshyLCoLD7O_pb3mR1HN_OFmhyGNmAi6pgXJDonzqgUVadaykEi6TJp2pleg6VR3ioKNJRn1gjFHOvho19xlV-v4JtOn-sppVvGFKIf3npP1foUct2qqbxcU/s1600/IMG_0930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE0b49DcyH8qmPtWRqOUXshyLCoLD7O_pb3mR1HN_OFmhyGNmAi6pgXJDonzqgUVadaykEi6TJp2pleg6VR3ioKNJRn1gjFHOvho19xlV-v4JtOn-sppVvGFKIf3npP1foUct2qqbxcU/s320/IMG_0930.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our breakfast choice. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Rod Laver Stadium where the Australian Open is held. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Flinders train Station</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I happily stumbled across this Tea house one afternoon and insisted that Brad bring me here for tea. One of the best requests I have ever made......</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I wish I could tell all you readers that this was a horrible tasting cake, and you did not miss much. However I cannot lie, it was one of the most delicious cakes I have EVER had. Simply divine. It was a chocolate roll with fresh cream and strawberries. Worth every single calorie, and best ho-ho in the world. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Beautiful Street Art</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An alley where certain art clubs are allowed to paint different scenes every few months. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bike ride along the Yarra River.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is the town of St.Kilda which is a 15 Km bike ride from Melbourne. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brad enjoying the view at the restaurant. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Luna Park in St. Kilda<br />One of those moments where I really wished the kids were with us because they would of loved this mini amusement park. We missed having the kids around, they are such great traveller's and add an element of wonder to the journey. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In 1993 Brad played Rugby for the Newport Breakers in Sydney for 3 months. This was one of his team mates Dan Headon. Brad and Dan have not talked or seen each other since 1993. Enter the convenience of FB. Brad came across Dan a few weeks before we went on our trip, and they arranged to meet at this bar in St.Kilda. He brought along his lovely wife Jane, and we enjoyed catching up with them over a few beers. </span></td></tr>
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We are happily back home, enjoying the spring weather, and looking forward to our Halloween party, and getting out our paddle boards. It is still weird to me that Halloween is in the Springtime! The kids only have 7 weeks of school left before summertime. Another strange one for us is Christmas in the summer! Still not use to it, so we plan on heading back to the chilly, arctic temperatures of the midwest and east coast for the holidays. I am really missing family so the dates could not come soon enough for me. And Dad I promise to wear pajama's in your house over the holidays, pinkie promise!!<br />
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-64678066975943066572013-10-07T12:48:00.000-07:002013-10-07T12:48:10.868-07:00Packing Tape<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been very delinquent with the posts on our blog. But lets pretend like most things in New Zealand the slow pace simply adds to the experience. We have also been busy with shifting into our new rental. Our 3rd move in 3 years, needless to say I am getting pretty good at packing and unpacking, and have come to find a new appreciation for my taping gun. Our new home ticks all the boxes, where as the last house only ticked one-warmth, and actually warmth only in the lounge, but that is a typical kiwi home. Our new home is referred to in the village as the boat house. Our friends bought the house last year, and he was transferred to another oil and gas job in Nova Scotia. They called us asking if we would be interested in renting from them and we jumped at the chance. We have our view back, and having something beautiful to look at is so good for the soul. We now have two indoor showers, large bedrooms with closets, two decks that look out to the ocean and a two car garage (it is filled with toys so the chance of ever pulling in both cars is slim to none). It is not a big house by American standards, but we have had some kiwi friends over and they call it a mansion! It is about 2,000 sq. feet. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The view from our rental house. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The boat house.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxPcMbf2d0iLcT_g-b0jo1YDvoiOl8AyH8QFl1izdN06sord_EwjRjguPljpOgImArtONQjmzTQrXxJKsHzbuJ8i8c1KDfOF0uFHkpAnspZJifgyFoGDosPO33SrWqDb9eP-lc3hTB6Q/s1600/IMG_0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxPcMbf2d0iLcT_g-b0jo1YDvoiOl8AyH8QFl1izdN06sord_EwjRjguPljpOgImArtONQjmzTQrXxJKsHzbuJ8i8c1KDfOF0uFHkpAnspZJifgyFoGDosPO33SrWqDb9eP-lc3hTB6Q/s320/IMG_0839.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Doors to Lindsey's room, and she plans on planting a garden out front to go with her cactus. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkv08cZ5iQwqFzIquy7P7A7UDlLBbMFXQYu0mtUcVd7U5N43wilm7HWW49H37K4G_eKNJ4KC02lrUqTWqGckdC9tyZui7fy-xsczIzsf849UYMchOLFm72-dViSvQmttam1-KG8-n5to/s1600/IMG_0845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkv08cZ5iQwqFzIquy7P7A7UDlLBbMFXQYu0mtUcVd7U5N43wilm7HWW49H37K4G_eKNJ4KC02lrUqTWqGckdC9tyZui7fy-xsczIzsf849UYMchOLFm72-dViSvQmttam1-KG8-n5to/s320/IMG_0845.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The upstairs bathroom has personality to say the least. This is the door to the bedroom. Brad finally gets a bond girl in his bedroom. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimezJEbHh7CZ_TiFbDqCYyTY458LNbtP_eJ_K7xTEJXf0rYHz9xBUnuASkMN64_Y5KIHobDazIRK22wKuqBe56PgYRSaAlEJf23zOaju5t4-kO6xda1i9dHZCFNEfQYh_Y9mtEcuybDZY/s1600/IMG_0846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimezJEbHh7CZ_TiFbDqCYyTY458LNbtP_eJ_K7xTEJXf0rYHz9xBUnuASkMN64_Y5KIHobDazIRK22wKuqBe56PgYRSaAlEJf23zOaju5t4-kO6xda1i9dHZCFNEfQYh_Y9mtEcuybDZY/s320/IMG_0846.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The man who built this house was single, and loved the ocean. That is why the house is shaped like a boat, has a porthole, has fish painted on the walls and the kitchen cabinets are shaped like surfboards. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4M-0Ke0UtXYUOCUiwYU0cFIt_iW8Y6VUTV_Q9TuuRcE8DGt7vr1ff4dplrd8aPAu3E0cOsDcFTQpg0uCKdFhPiTTU0I9ILcKOxj1S4U3244PysztpBMvaApRI46gW7cyHeAdf9SaQDxs/s1600/IMG_0847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4M-0Ke0UtXYUOCUiwYU0cFIt_iW8Y6VUTV_Q9TuuRcE8DGt7vr1ff4dplrd8aPAu3E0cOsDcFTQpg0uCKdFhPiTTU0I9ILcKOxj1S4U3244PysztpBMvaApRI46gW7cyHeAdf9SaQDxs/s320/IMG_0847.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One of the quirky parts of the house. This is the sink of the upstairs bathroom (the bond girl is on the left) , it is about a total of 3 feet tall. It is like a spit sink in a dentists office. There is no electrical outlets in either bathroom, and counter space is obviously lacking as well as storage. Its alright though, we have fish to keep us company and a boat to sail away on in case of a tsunami. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_trinyROUHGsZtXVKikJbbK06Vn0229HCHGFSITVpz5IbDbeDVYGSUVH92OitZOxYC-1yNAomfTeKutNLx7JcBeR544hgPUf-tVc40Dg0nQfhR8VCuuHvFGcr8XGaInEfIWOjONw_ws/s1600/IMG_0849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_trinyROUHGsZtXVKikJbbK06Vn0229HCHGFSITVpz5IbDbeDVYGSUVH92OitZOxYC-1yNAomfTeKutNLx7JcBeR544hgPUf-tVc40Dg0nQfhR8VCuuHvFGcr8XGaInEfIWOjONw_ws/s320/IMG_0849.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Told you so. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9MOp4I0nRNcVz_NWBX7Ja0GmkxU1c4pRbMB3i7JYTExW_AcpSO0nV6mFVULxKRaVLeMqNBNykdZf3aAHGT0aNM7ufRDOxZaioYccTToaLML7cT_eGW9bzxz8Gu6qrkzsyvqxw8qZTKI/s1600/IMG_0850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9MOp4I0nRNcVz_NWBX7Ja0GmkxU1c4pRbMB3i7JYTExW_AcpSO0nV6mFVULxKRaVLeMqNBNykdZf3aAHGT0aNM7ufRDOxZaioYccTToaLML7cT_eGW9bzxz8Gu6qrkzsyvqxw8qZTKI/s320/IMG_0850.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kitchen cabinets. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJ42iW0-shfoDcO8Pt5LvOjbo9_RWsFX6cxZ8jAH3_Q6iyKDfb4UnCtAppNMWr-B9gK2biz7k5LTbMmc6wSfpajOG3YbnIAvnqLEoxt-7MoV8tJ7ir4aocdRRtL0zx2SkBqbCiO37pdo/s1600/IMG_0851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJ42iW0-shfoDcO8Pt5LvOjbo9_RWsFX6cxZ8jAH3_Q6iyKDfb4UnCtAppNMWr-B9gK2biz7k5LTbMmc6wSfpajOG3YbnIAvnqLEoxt-7MoV8tJ7ir4aocdRRtL0zx2SkBqbCiO37pdo/s320/IMG_0851.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Nice kitchen, we feel like we are really roughing it though without a microwave. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrVXou2PW7HmVWmMlvTv3ab6PeKl1FAFBhhZerQYFn_Sgx7bo7Zxdq52ueEzXDnDLooPLWfvW0p6io8P2VrzTLj50LXxihLQeAz95cY3a7lacjqBm-wIf-UF4IStmvdPnYFCNeNW1Qmk/s1600/IMG_0852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrVXou2PW7HmVWmMlvTv3ab6PeKl1FAFBhhZerQYFn_Sgx7bo7Zxdq52ueEzXDnDLooPLWfvW0p6io8P2VrzTLj50LXxihLQeAz95cY3a7lacjqBm-wIf-UF4IStmvdPnYFCNeNW1Qmk/s320/IMG_0852.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is the dining room, great room, living room, office, and kitchen table room all rolled up into one. This is where life happens in our house. I love the high wooden ceilings, gives the room some character and height. It is actually bigger than it looks, we had 15 people eating dinner in here last night and it worked. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5cYmEVacNl7wXsK0XN3LAJloju-0he84Ohj84WiSV6GKoawRpQ_mUPQdTb8tq7RM06RaPu43ubs0b44-xjy8BxiinS41JyXT0oaxtS_x_lcyP_bG6ld1YKMR6ZTpqxkMgCchKnWwpiQ/s1600/IMG_0854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5cYmEVacNl7wXsK0XN3LAJloju-0he84Ohj84WiSV6GKoawRpQ_mUPQdTb8tq7RM06RaPu43ubs0b44-xjy8BxiinS41JyXT0oaxtS_x_lcyP_bG6ld1YKMR6ZTpqxkMgCchKnWwpiQ/s320/IMG_0854.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The stairs.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SlPKP8NiqfOI-suQQXJ3acVoBWw4mGbaOyGT-fqlS3SO7XcqPfYBWhrTvIx8oVYhm36rzoT-ih3-dA0QrySk9yNnLw-F5vKAega5HpvaGfBlWbfM-x8VbDIAbt8HO1JsJuv9E9oCEVI/s1600/IMG_1359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SlPKP8NiqfOI-suQQXJ3acVoBWw4mGbaOyGT-fqlS3SO7XcqPfYBWhrTvIx8oVYhm36rzoT-ih3-dA0QrySk9yNnLw-F5vKAega5HpvaGfBlWbfM-x8VbDIAbt8HO1JsJuv9E9oCEVI/s320/IMG_1359.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The upstairs deck is off our bedroom. And similar to a boat, the deck continues down both sides of the bedroom. Awesome views from up there!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpfArKD5ofhrRpERFouOl7lm0LoKUKjcwEfrva_zljjvwPOz9KLYhn40JNAhTHWukYiDd6wfGcKievFqa8SoFAfE4UByQLpVyy1B9pONrtc4FU9zAYylQUdlGStaQO3-348-9N__Jf5A/s1600/IMG_1360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpfArKD5ofhrRpERFouOl7lm0LoKUKjcwEfrva_zljjvwPOz9KLYhn40JNAhTHWukYiDd6wfGcKievFqa8SoFAfE4UByQLpVyy1B9pONrtc4FU9zAYylQUdlGStaQO3-348-9N__Jf5A/s320/IMG_1360.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The backyard, the kids turned the little shed in the corner to a clubhouse. </span></td></tr>
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We are quite happy in our new rental, only 47 steps from the beach, and 34 steps to the playground and skateboard park. Our dear friends live directly across the street, and others are very close by. It is going to be a great location this summer with the new ice cream stand, and taco stand being at the bottom of our street. Plenty of room for family and friends so book in now as we are filling up fast!New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-69166653209360776172013-08-09T22:29:00.000-07:002013-08-09T22:29:33.051-07:00CAMBODIA<br />
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After getting off our flight from Vietnam we were all looking forward to seeing our new digs in Cambodia, and getting some much needed sleep. After a 15 minute drive from the airport we pulled into a very non-descript driveway that would be our home for the next 4 nights. The lobby looked like a beautiful British colonial house. We had finally arrived a<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">t </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black;"><a href="http://www.journeyswithin.com/">Journey's Within Boutique Hotel</a>.</span> We had use<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">d<a href="http://www.journeys-within.com/"> Journeys Within</a> to</span> plan our trip through SE Asia and had heard and read so many wonderful reviews about their boutique hotel that we were so excited to of finally arrived. The owner's of the hotel and tour company have truly given back to the community with the creation of several community programs. They have opened up two schools, they fund water Wells for the the villages, and provide a scholarship program to the children of Cambodia, and Laos. Journeys Within is changing lives of the local people and we were honored to help be a part.<br />
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The first night we were in Siem Reap we were treated to a traditional Khmer Dance and dinner.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"Angkor Wat is the largest religious temple complex in the world. The temple was built by King Suryavarman ll in the early 12th century. It was built as his state temple and eventual mausoleum."</span><br />
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This place was enormous! It is completely surrounded by a moat, followed by a sandstone wall with multiple entrances ( one for the king and queen, two for the nobility. and two more for the unwashed masses). Once inside the interior wall the temple itself is still a few hundred yards away. Our guide, Sina led us around, providing enough information to keep in interested but not overwhelmed and took us to the best picture taking spots. Sina was a lovely gentleman. He spoke excellent english and had us laughing more time than not at some of his stories. He spent is early years working at a labor camp with his Mother. His Dad was executed by the Khmer Rouge because he was educated (more on this later). The kids had fun climbing on the rocks and narrow steps throughout the complex. It was amazing to think that this massive complex was all engineered by hand and just how long it has survived. Especially with major damage in the mid 1970's from a war. I think we were all quite awestruck.<br />
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This next complex was Angkor Thom. It was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire, built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman Vll. Like Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom is massive in size covering an area of over 9km2. It is again completely surrounded by man-made moat, and giant sandstone wall. Within the wall surrounding this ancient Khmer city, there are several structures and multiple temples, at the exact center of which is the Bayon Temple. The Bayon Temple is one of the most recognizable in due to the enormous stone faces found on every corner of the temple.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lindsey lightening an incense with a Cambodian lady. I think the lady said a small prayer for our family, or else Lindsey said a small prayer for the Cambodian lady. Either way, good karma was being spread. </span></td></tr>
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We also explored neighboring temples called Phimeanakas, Terrace of the Elephants, and Banteay Srei.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I love this photo, it reminds us of an old album cover.</span></td></tr>
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This temple is Ta Prohm, which is one of the most well known due to it's role in some of the filming of the Tomb Raider. We saw no Lara Croft, but Lindsey, Skyler and Owen filled in with plenty of climbing and jumping on the rubble. Ta Prohm was built in the late 12th century as a Buddhist monastery and university. It was recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 1992 and has become one of the most famous and visited temples in Siem Reap due to the trees growing in, around, and literally on the temple walls. As a result of these trees, the temple has received limited restoration, as removing the trees will cause the temple to crumble.<br />
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After 2 full days of visiting temples we were then taken on a Village tour. Our guide for the village was Sothy. His job was to take us to his village to meet some of his family and to see how they live. This was an emotional day for all of us, especially me. I cannot hold in emotion. Call it a weakness, call it a strength, but I call it annoying. Thank God for sunglasses. The most emotional part of the trip for me came as we were driving down this dusty, dirt road. I was asking Sothy about the school in his village and he told us that not many kids attended school in his village when he was younger. Not because they did not have a school or couldn't find teachers- rather, because all the previous teachers had been tracked down and murdered by the Khmer Rouge regime. </div>
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What he is referring to took place between 1976 and 1979 (the genocide part, the violence and the fighting lasted many, many more years) when a communist party called the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, drove everyone out of the cities and into country labor camps to work the land basically as slaves.They executed almost all the teachers (95%) and doctors (75%), in fact anyone linked with an education. Even if you wore glasses, you were killed. Anyone linked with law enforcement, the previous government, disables people and minorities were all killed. Many times entire families would be killed. The only way to survive would be to pretend you were a rice farmer, but no matter your chances were slim. Children were taken from their parents, trained as soldiers and took part in torture and execution. By the end of the reign approx. 2 million Cambodians had died. Did I mention that happened in the 70's? While I was happily playing with my dolls, a quarter of the population of an entire nation was being wiped out by monsters. The world at first mostly denied it was happening, then when it could no longer be denied it was mostly ignored. </div>
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As we started walking to his village we quickly noticed all the happy smiling children. These beautiful babies were half naked, playing with sticks in the dirt. They would stare at us as we walked by, and sometimes run over to greet us and practice what little English they knew. The families live in open aired wood structures with thatched roofs. People sleep on wood slats or hammocks. There is no electricity, no plumbing, and unfiltered well water to drink. Rice farming is the primary business-rice is grown, it is processed (Sothy owns the only machine in the village and allows others to use it) made into rice wine, rice noodles and other rice products. Sothy's mother lives with him and she makes rice noodles every afternoon, and sells them on the side of the street every morning to help support the family. The people work all day at whatever they can. Livestock are everywhere and live under the wood structures. They still use oxcarts to plow the land. It is the same way they have been living for hundreds of years, if not thousands. </div>
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A few Stats about the country: * 80% have no electricity<br />
* The child mortality rate is 10%<br />
* 75% get dysentery every year<br />
* 40% of children have stunted growth due to malnutrition<br />
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With the exception of a few motorbikes in the village, there are few technological advances reminiscent of the modern world. Sothy's family has been sharing a bike for transportation his whole life up until last week. He told us that he took out a $500 loan from the bank to buy his first motorbike. In order to take out a loan the bank requires you to hand over the deed to your property. A big risk just for a small loan. Sothy has a year to pay back his loan or else the bank takes over his land. The average salary for Cambodia is $950 a year, so paying back a $500 loan on such a salary is nearly impossible. He will have to work many extra jobs. He is very nervous. As we heard this story, it made us once again realize how lucky and fortunate we are, in more ways than one. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sothy's House</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The wooden slat bed where the kids all slept. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This little boy was too nervous to come and get a toy from us. I don't know if he has ever seen folks with such fair skin and blonde hair before. I could imagine we looked like aliens to him.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The neighbor's house</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Skyler showing the kids how to use the jump ropes that we passed out the children.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When in Rome.......</span></td></tr>
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Skyler eating the cricket. It tasted just as you would imagine. Crunchy on the outside and slimy and gooey on the inside. One was enough for our taste buds. I would of much preferred mine dipped in kethcup, but the lady on the side on the road was not offering any condiments. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ATV rides through the countryside of Cambodia.</span></td></tr>
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This trip was the most eye-opening, jaw dropping, and humbling experience of my life. It was fun, exciting, heart-warming and heart-breaking all rolled up into one. At times we all felt elated (meeting all the beautiful and wonderful people), exhausted (climbing temples in 100 degree heat) and humbled at times by the locals generosity and kindness towards us Westerners. Even though we all had the adventure together, I think that each of us has taken something different from the experience and learned from it. Lindsey, for example came home and decided to write her speech on the Vietnam War and has done all the research herself, and has a genuine interest in the topic. Owen has a new passion in elephants, and Skyler now understands what poverty looks like. And as a result she has a even deeper compassion for children who have less. Brad and I are already thinking and talking about what our next trip may look like, and hoping to incorporate some family volunteer time in another part of the world. Traveling really opens up the mind and soul, and helps to gain a more complete perspective of how the world works. We saw all this happening with our kids and ourselves on this journey. My kids all saw new things, smelled new odors, tasted new foods, heard new noises, and felt new emotions on this trip. The world is like a very large puzzle, and SE Asia is just one small piece. We look forward to filling in the rest of the pieces.<br />
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New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-60082624455235392212013-08-01T12:45:00.000-07:002013-08-01T12:45:05.581-07:00VIETNAM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> HANOI</span></div>
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Two things about Vietnam:</div>
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1) If it moves and doesn't talk they will eat it</div>
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2) There is nothing that cannot be delivered on the back of a 125 cc Honda Motorbike</div>
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The traffic in Hanoi was intense. I never knew that there could be so many motorbikes in one city. We quickly learned that traffic lights, crosswalks, and stop signs are just suggestions to the Vietnamese. People drive pretty much wherever they want, there are no road rules. They would honk their horns when they approached an intersection to let the other 100 + motorbikes know they were coming. When someone wants to make a left hand turn they would just hug the curb turning left into the oncoming traffic. It was insane, they would drive the wrong way on a roundabout. But the best part was there were no angry words yelled at each, no finger gestures, no tempers. It was controlled chaos. Crossing the streets was just like the old video game Frogger. Nobody stops to let you cross. You just walk out into the traffic and all the motorbikes keep going, they just drive around you. Keep in mind there are no lanes so you might have 10 motorbikes spread out on the street and they are all heading your way. And behind those 10 are another 10, and it just keep going. If you wait for traffic to clear, you would wait all day. It was scary at first, I mean really scary. Willingly walking out into oncoming traffic defies everything we ever learned. The kids loved it, they thought it was awesome. I am not afraid to admit that a few times when I was by myself, I would use a walking local as a blocker to get across the hectic streets. I would stealthily walk as close to him/her as possible and just catch a ride on their shoulder.<br />
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Both of these shots were taken from the front steps of our hotel. Scenes like this were all over Hanoi and Bangkok. This is how the locals prepared their food everyday. Pretty sure the FDA would not of approved of the way these ladies were handling their meat. This is one of the reasons we were advised not to eat any of the street food. We were told that our western stomachs would not of been able to handle the extra bacteria that some of these meats may of offered. We are happy to report that not one of us got sick the entire 3 weeks (except for a small incident involving Brad and Owen on the overnight train, and all I have to say about that is THANK GOD Brad was sharing a room with Owen that night and not me).<br />
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The food in Vietnam was delicious. It was a balance of sweet and heat. The fresh simple herbs could be tasted in every meal. They use mint, cilantro, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and tear inducing chilies if you dare. They are known for their fish sauces, which change with each region. The most well known dish is Pho, which is homemade rice noodles mixed with french minded meat broths.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A man selling chickens and ducks. Evidently he would kill the bird for you on the spot if needed. We just trusted this advice and kept walking.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHSmxByxGlzwmRMYKxbwOF41Duhq_45k0NXzeUDTWFb8PRDMuJ3NXxdD5NapJVr8QS66JeLSwjBMMpJxRm2j-bd-OJHkUmpphrhw2-dTlIOhNrb6q_W3RyA5BYt_yc0BLWtoaYUMHUTY/s1600/IMG_0452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHSmxByxGlzwmRMYKxbwOF41Duhq_45k0NXzeUDTWFb8PRDMuJ3NXxdD5NapJVr8QS66JeLSwjBMMpJxRm2j-bd-OJHkUmpphrhw2-dTlIOhNrb6q_W3RyA5BYt_yc0BLWtoaYUMHUTY/s320/IMG_0452.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The buffet at the market which included black chicken and intestines. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDtqJIJPFNE446flne4ICrQBGaiSpBOxEIAv-aD6s1MfZfzanYBbaQRhUdsLG1urCXRNp4B2yyEMUKAzx6Wz2Zp0YE7s8-6MmdQIgeWUxYviKEubETPm7fUZ7C8HQO-cBxtJPfGywPSM/s1600/IMG_0454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDtqJIJPFNE446flne4ICrQBGaiSpBOxEIAv-aD6s1MfZfzanYBbaQRhUdsLG1urCXRNp4B2yyEMUKAzx6Wz2Zp0YE7s8-6MmdQIgeWUxYviKEubETPm7fUZ7C8HQO-cBxtJPfGywPSM/s320/IMG_0454.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Meat aisle</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC47vAFncztL8cNw8q1AIuJyPiCeILB85KP3KvRVlc-L4mbo8G00J21-m8lTIxQfC0ubClztXTWeQojbT1wK0P1iMgZF6cRkoq7ma77TfFAJeiMyVkN9_Oekr-zCvgqyigctiZK-_lp2g/s1600/IMG_9682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC47vAFncztL8cNw8q1AIuJyPiCeILB85KP3KvRVlc-L4mbo8G00J21-m8lTIxQfC0ubClztXTWeQojbT1wK0P1iMgZF6cRkoq7ma77TfFAJeiMyVkN9_Oekr-zCvgqyigctiZK-_lp2g/s320/IMG_9682.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">By far the most disturbing food we saw in the market. Dog. I had hoped my kids would not of seen this, but they did, and some tears were shed and some hard facts learned. Our guide told us that they eat anything that moves and does not talk. Needless to say Owen did not shut up the whole time we were in Vietnam! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsqTs-c2Pc3fy7yly2TyKZnXeyoriVYQPNZy5M8xKgo106kAufUBXWhAxuAPi0_dUkqT8TeDbfhuzEgTm_x8zNGL5quCSBNZN9k5i6gm6-3b56rJrCIwFWzyk7fGrL4i2yZl60EiWwlI/s1600/IMG_9665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsqTs-c2Pc3fy7yly2TyKZnXeyoriVYQPNZy5M8xKgo106kAufUBXWhAxuAPi0_dUkqT8TeDbfhuzEgTm_x8zNGL5quCSBNZN9k5i6gm6-3b56rJrCIwFWzyk7fGrL4i2yZl60EiWwlI/s320/IMG_9665.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lady selling snakes, eels, snails, and other fish.</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtzn0b658meohKlo_nn1NVmU9flzNgkykgvdwqXHC-LEuos7yrS_mzcyKC9UCkiMdsAzJlBj6dRa919tXZiMlomAZAQWagbIXCjjXXLkfmFoNdQkZNhtJM6MO3L935HgskJkyfDoVTnE/s1600/IMG_9750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtzn0b658meohKlo_nn1NVmU9flzNgkykgvdwqXHC-LEuos7yrS_mzcyKC9UCkiMdsAzJlBj6dRa919tXZiMlomAZAQWagbIXCjjXXLkfmFoNdQkZNhtJM6MO3L935HgskJkyfDoVTnE/s320/IMG_9750.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Ho Ch Minh Mausoleum. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKE-j5uBOT_lUmAmddpGXuXbnjoJD3AAe6mPEsnh8EBsYPsvhExGwC1CqflmxAFmqKoInGlrcX2E3UYo8tHC_LZnIxj7Od7kNB9O0NN0DHNXbvAwpV3bPPjXiBoRqLAM35U4mnz1UKCE/s1600/IMG_9767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKE-j5uBOT_lUmAmddpGXuXbnjoJD3AAe6mPEsnh8EBsYPsvhExGwC1CqflmxAFmqKoInGlrcX2E3UYo8tHC_LZnIxj7Od7kNB9O0NN0DHNXbvAwpV3bPPjXiBoRqLAM35U4mnz1UKCE/s400/IMG_9767.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our guide Canh, in the Atlanta Braves Hat. He was excellent, very direct and knowledgeable about Vietnam. He also got onto us whenever we made stupid tourist mistakes, like leaving our camera case in a public place, which we amazingly recovered because of a phone call he made. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A1yPrb7ytnoYLXWYrhU6EhobiHQ9MruFdvML6Qdlamjs4nHd3u5F0uXJ4VY4Q_VT08l91MmML-Gl1mcTzEHKLnHFxw5F_2OmM8PoWEA6YlklFAG0ySEWN7vlEOHSCPp5xgi7nS3Su1w/s1600/IMG_9776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A1yPrb7ytnoYLXWYrhU6EhobiHQ9MruFdvML6Qdlamjs4nHd3u5F0uXJ4VY4Q_VT08l91MmML-Gl1mcTzEHKLnHFxw5F_2OmM8PoWEA6YlklFAG0ySEWN7vlEOHSCPp5xgi7nS3Su1w/s320/IMG_9776.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is the flight suit that John McCain was wearing when his navy airplane was shot down while on a bombing run over Hanoi.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hanoi Hilton</span></td></tr>
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This is North Vietnam's Hoa Lo Prison, the most infamous P.O.W camp in Hanoi. The American Prisoner's jokingly called it the "Hanoi Hilton". John McCain was held here for more than 5 years. Most of the prison was torn down in 1993 to make way for a luxury hotel but they preserved one corner for the museum. It was fascinating and entertaining to read how the Vietnamese portrayed life inside the prison. They showed pictures of the Americans receiving letters from their families, and sitting down together for Christmas dinner. One of the plaque's says" Though having committed untold crimes on our people, the American pilots suffered no revenge once they were captured and detained. Instead they were treated with adequate food, clothing and shelter."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was a lovely local couple that prepared us a traditional Vietnamese meal. They were both teachers, but the man fought for the Viet Cong during the war. It was a very humbling experience for us, and just another example of the kindness and forgiveness of the Vietnamese towards American people. They did not speak a word of English, but our guide was able to translate everything for us. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She gave us all the ingredients for Pho and we made our own using the noodles, pork, herbs and broth. It was delicious as were the spring rolls. </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> MOVING MARKET </span><br />
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This market starts at 4 in the morning and then they have to move all of their bikes around 7 when the traffic starts to get worse. It was beautiful to see and once again so impressed by what they are able to carry on their bikes.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">HALONG BAY</span><br />
Located in Vietnam's northeastern seacoast, it is often considered one of the world's most beautiful bays.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is what they call a Junk boat, and where we got to spend the night. Halong Bay was a 4 hour drive from Hanoi.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I woke up early on the junk and since there was now where to run, I took some photos of the early morning fisherman. </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> FLOATING VILLAGE</span><br />
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A village of about 600 inhibitions built on the water. It is a magically calm place away from the hustle and bustle of the streets of Vietnam. The village is a true water world, rising and falling with the tides sheltered amidst limestone towers. These people have no home or land ownership, and their main livelihood is fishing and aquaculture. They also harvest oysters for pearls. They take small oyster, pry them open, insert a small round mineral into the oyster for a pearl to develop around and return it to the water for several months. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> SAPA </span><br />
Once we arrived back in Hanoi after our night on the Junk we then caught an overnight train to the mountains of northern Vietnam to a beautiful mountain town called Sapa. The valleys and villages that surround Sapa are home to a host of hill tribe people who wander into town to buy, sell and trade. The weather was much cooler, and terraced rice fields were breathtakingly beautiful. We wanted to experience the colorful hill tribes and go tramping in the valley. It was the most exhausting leg of our trip, as we had to take an overnight train to arrive, we only had one night in Sapa, and then we had to depart on the overnight train the following night. And sleep did not come easy on the public transport. We had our only hiccup of the trip on the train as well. The train was scheduled to arrive at 6 am. So around 5:45 we all woke up and got ready to depart the train. I saw the conductor and ask him how much longer to Sapa. Now keep in mind, he does not speak a word of English, nor do I speak a word of Vietnamese. He looks at me and shows me 5 fingers and says words I do not understand. So I think, great, 5 minutes till we arrive. Well, he was telling me 5 more hours! It was funny at the time because we had no idea when we were going to arrive, every time we ask someone we got a different answer. So all there was to do was sit back and enjoy the ride. The kids slept, Brad read and I enjoyed looking out the window soaking up all that Northern Vietnam had to offer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The town of Sapa lies at 1600 m. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The black Hmong hill tribe women. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A beautiful lady and her baby working on the side of the trail. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Skyler and I doing some damage at the market. That afternoon we bought a purse, a skirt, 3 coin purses and we each had a 30 minute foot massage. Our total bill was 525,000 dong which equates to $25 American dollars. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Bargaining at the market was expected form the ladies, it is part of their custom. I was lousy at the game. I quickly realized that I was arguing over $1, maybe $2. That was pocket change to us, but lots of money to the locals. I happily backed off and would usually give them their asking price. The markets were exciting, thrilling and exhausting. The products were beautiful, all of it. We tried not to make eye contact with the ladies unless we were serious about buying something. And once the ladies realized what you where after, they would quickly hold up all their items, and then all the ladies in the stalls next to them would run over and hold up all of their items. And before we knew it, we had 4 to 5 ladies surrounding us, all holding up their items. It was sensory overload. I usually succumbed to the pressure and would just smile and walk away. Hell, I have a hard time deciding what I am going to eat for breakfast so having to make quick decisions in the market with local ladies pleading for your business was quite intense. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This little girl and her baby sister are trying to sell bracelets to the tourists. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This little girl stood there throughout our whole lunch trying to sell Skyler some bracelets. She would say "buy from me purleesse", and we would say "no,thanks", and then she would say "yeeesssss". This went on for about an hour. It was a bit annoying and also sad. Our guide would not let us buy from the local tribes who were begging. They were breaking the law by selling to us without having a storefront. It about killed me not too, but it just encourages the behavior and gives the kids an incentive not to go to school. Why go to school when I can sell merchandise and make $10 a day to help my family??</span></td></tr>
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After 6 days in Vietnam we headed to Cambodia. We realize that we have really just scratched the surface of Vietnam. It is a wonderful country full of interesting people, tastes and sights. We hope to return someday to explore it a bit more. <br />
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New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-14081050882733041402013-07-17T09:24:00.001-07:002013-07-17T09:24:37.547-07:00Luang Prabang, Laos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have loved Laos. Independent since 1954 Laos, as a part of the former French Indochina, is a wonderful blend of old world SE Asia with its Buddhist ideals and agrarian life mixed with French culture. It is a Shangri-La with French cuisine.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Lao food always accompanied with sticky rice in the little basket, something wrapped in banana leaves and assortment of sauces</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chicken cooked in stalks of lemon grass</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Giving morning alms to the monks.<br />Every morning at dawn, 0530, a procession of some 200 monks from the Buddhist temples scattered around Luang Prabang makes its way around town collecting the alms. The monks get all of their food for the day in this way and they do it every day. Mostly what ends up in there offering bowls is sticky rice though you can give them anything. I did notice a few bags of chips and even some candy. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another beautiful Wat. There are around 20 of these here. The detail on them is amazing. This one is on the grounds of the formal Royal palace. Though the capital of Laos has been Vientiane since before the French colonized it the king had always lived here. On a tour through the Palace I noticed a peculiar irony. Among many gifts from foreign governments or heads of state given to Laos were 2 small plaques with flecks of moon rock from the early Apollo missions addressed to this great peaceful nation signed by Richard Nixon. At the time, under Nixon's leadership we were in the midst of dropping more bombs on Laos then were dropped during the whole of WWII in an unsuccessful attempt to destroy North Vietnam supply routes. In the garage there was also a 1965 Cadillac Eldorado that had been given by the US government.<br />The king was eventually forced to abdicate when the communist Pathet Lao took over things in 1975.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That Chomsi Stupa. I gather that a Stupa is a place where some great monks remains lay, like a mausoleum.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That Chomsi Stupa hill </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Looking down on Luang Prabang</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Beautiful Laos highlands with meandering Meekong river.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Silk worm poo tea anyone. Just what it sounds like, Jenny enjoyed hers.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kEHKgiRCw4mwO46OSnA4n369RADlpnTnoyHSK_T64j9DyWKjvNgjXsYr7cx8iXnNLJByGqVceCDYgYXz5pFoDILXX-ZJv0XzIvYxiFAaMKDqw56YDSoV7zxkkmJ7yK8Cu4uc2HWR2zg/s1600/IMG_8908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kEHKgiRCw4mwO46OSnA4n369RADlpnTnoyHSK_T64j9DyWKjvNgjXsYr7cx8iXnNLJByGqVceCDYgYXz5pFoDILXX-ZJv0XzIvYxiFAaMKDqw56YDSoV7zxkkmJ7yK8Cu4uc2HWR2zg/s400/IMG_8908.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Luang Prabang sits at the confluence of the Nam Cham and Meekong rivers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG8ObSCTCFWsPjq-1C9u2igNL6jYAk7GTxLGyV9OjA65NMYp6OkrkeXZCfyNSxj9JRuUHQ0I-cIrCupipNNc98UUvwtu7FKTwEzOu2WOflYi0RMnP-49R1RTAuHZwbJbrmcIdHyEq8FE/s1600/IMG_8987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG8ObSCTCFWsPjq-1C9u2igNL6jYAk7GTxLGyV9OjA65NMYp6OkrkeXZCfyNSxj9JRuUHQ0I-cIrCupipNNc98UUvwtu7FKTwEzOu2WOflYi0RMnP-49R1RTAuHZwbJbrmcIdHyEq8FE/s320/IMG_8987.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Had an incredible day as rice farmers. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSCSmUnriHPt4NGhiBMzxAGIv2iQvaaUXtHnadNw1d2xZDnjNqfD61tp36p3v3RYr6JGX0pAgFswre1DBwiEX9nCITVXDSgxRcJd-87H3Fdw5CNygnDTCHB-xm8_-1sHn9o26IxhgwsA/s1600/IMG_9015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSCSmUnriHPt4NGhiBMzxAGIv2iQvaaUXtHnadNw1d2xZDnjNqfD61tp36p3v3RYr6JGX0pAgFswre1DBwiEX9nCITVXDSgxRcJd-87H3Fdw5CNygnDTCHB-xm8_-1sHn9o26IxhgwsA/s400/IMG_9015.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Rice is without a doubt the most important commodity of SE Asia. We spent a neat day at a rice farm going through all the 13 steps of cultivation. Owen here plowing the paddy with the help of a water buffalo. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Planting seedlings</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Weeding. Difficult to tell which are weeds and which are rice plants</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf5H-pm5N36jb-Ccp3KF3YBPmjcGjPMlLMNztIqnhCyxormC3izogvZYRyZcwOhPETmQRjHY9MpH1-g6Zix_-6nS3Cuvnsz_b75vwRvla3US31UDdEQ1cIJE2v6E9jO_6PrXYk4RdKTs/s1600/IMG_9091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf5H-pm5N36jb-Ccp3KF3YBPmjcGjPMlLMNztIqnhCyxormC3izogvZYRyZcwOhPETmQRjHY9MpH1-g6Zix_-6nS3Cuvnsz_b75vwRvla3US31UDdEQ1cIJE2v6E9jO_6PrXYk4RdKTs/s320/IMG_9091.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Having 2 much fun. Pumping bellows to stoke fire used in blacksmithing tools. I tell you the kids weren't too fired up about a day on a rice farm and none of us really knew what to really expect but we all really had a lot of fun. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6G9mrW3xuYRGC-rJdGT17bP8DLOLIOiIv7jYFAeJ0Pfhd47owgdYQoenOZcu39N2ZYgf5L6VA71nk-ChZ4E9UrC1TEw6dXVozmQ8UpUOKeGt4nnGlqj0p7MjwmYU59ONEwzrNaJZQqE/s1600/IMG_9134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6G9mrW3xuYRGC-rJdGT17bP8DLOLIOiIv7jYFAeJ0Pfhd47owgdYQoenOZcu39N2ZYgf5L6VA71nk-ChZ4E9UrC1TEw6dXVozmQ8UpUOKeGt4nnGlqj0p7MjwmYU59ONEwzrNaJZQqE/s320/IMG_9134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After picking the plants and thrashing it on a mat to release all the seeds this is how they transport it. We also pounded the seeds to get the husks off, separated seeds out and even ground some into flour with a human powered mill stone. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Grinding sugar cane to make juice. It was quite good</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What is for lunch. Rice of course. Rice cakes, sticky rice, rice pancakes, rice pretzels. Not bad but I confess we did stop at a French bakery for some sandwiches as well. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Home brew</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8HN-nzCqh5VMeabbbBRJIRpyiwNWHvy3SGWj-QolkJ9CSfJMjWjTml9g64TIz0VWJEjAytLJRHLcfMuLmznghT6__RAnpAr3Fz1qHOVtcYPAdeYcHS_FK4rQtk4EGCDv4lElFE8a2QE/s1600/IMG_9204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8HN-nzCqh5VMeabbbBRJIRpyiwNWHvy3SGWj-QolkJ9CSfJMjWjTml9g64TIz0VWJEjAytLJRHLcfMuLmznghT6__RAnpAr3Fz1qHOVtcYPAdeYcHS_FK4rQtk4EGCDv4lElFE8a2QE/s400/IMG_9204.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Reward for hard work was a trip to Kuang Si Waterfall, about 45 minutes outside of town. A beautiful drive to get here through hills, and past terraced rice paddies. Great rope swing and cliff diving into beautiful travertine pools.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen and Jasper went first. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBQpcP6tJ_lkdFzso_JabiqItM2Pw6o0cOt60ylgZp1scJuAtFMrTIVS1Qlw_37Bhl_FYjExLcB2iRw4cvux4zdTF-TQHLi0vHjKEjuhHq_zh-A9VuMy26zYhYpDXbPg0T7QnQDRQfU8/s1600/IMG_9275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBQpcP6tJ_lkdFzso_JabiqItM2Pw6o0cOt60ylgZp1scJuAtFMrTIVS1Qlw_37Bhl_FYjExLcB2iRw4cvux4zdTF-TQHLi0vHjKEjuhHq_zh-A9VuMy26zYhYpDXbPg0T7QnQDRQfU8/s400/IMG_9275.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lays in SE Asia. Lobster, crab, seaweed and squid flavors.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEfFrd8dq5ssxpU1tCGoXAoSc5TPuZO-P1IGKmYIfFP6-LvUNNb9HyQDHg6-pToMaTgLF-JKgxjwjdvHeUSA_l4IQQ34WH1jofGedGolB3MMkwoHeCslQO9-BBem4O7VKq93BnVps-Ug/s1600/IMG_9319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEfFrd8dq5ssxpU1tCGoXAoSc5TPuZO-P1IGKmYIfFP6-LvUNNb9HyQDHg6-pToMaTgLF-JKgxjwjdvHeUSA_l4IQQ34WH1jofGedGolB3MMkwoHeCslQO9-BBem4O7VKq93BnVps-Ug/s400/IMG_9319.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Learning about textiles. These women dye and spin all there threads and weave the most beautiful things. Some are so intricate that they take weeks to complete. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen found some buddies and ended up playing soccer with them while the girls learned about weaving. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen drawing pictures of superheroes for these kids.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Finished products</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our vessel for Meekong river cruise.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing village</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out checking fishing lines and traps</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Beautiful Wat in small fishing village.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Learning how to make rice whiskey. Here is the still, alcohol is being collected in small jug on right.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lunch in a local fishing village with the "chief" of the village. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kitchen used to cook our meal</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The chief</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Village School</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids dispensing colored pencils and balloons</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pak Ou caves. Very sacred buddhist place over Meekong.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karst formations on Northern Laos</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /> Big Brother Mouse<br />Book store / informal English school<br /> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen and I went into this bookstore just for a browse. As soon as Owen sat down to look at a book he was besieged by several young Lao who wanted to practice their English. Many of them had never been outside of this region. Their desire to learn was amazing and we sat there for about 2 hours speaking with them. Owen read some of his book to them. The girls came looking for us and they too were quickly recruited. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pediatrician's office</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A village local selling her produce</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is the monk that ask Jenny to help him with his english studies book. She happily obliged and worked with him for over an hour.<br /><br />Our four days in Luang Prabang were great. Wonderful place though I am fearful that a proposed Chinese railway line from Nanjing to Vientiane planned to come though here in 2015 may spoil a bit of its serenity. </span></td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-41640422752690597042013-07-14T17:39:00.003-07:002013-07-14T17:39:35.735-07:00Chiang Mai / Northern Thailand<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq5ogUs343qRT9LgWdULggZJhmnsSkwZ-KqXLZy3F6Ds_I3irVJxzmnO9ciFMIQgEGqb9MU6LPDknxgea7VFrYCOSc3EUx18sP3T0EjGbol354gUQYeb80wY42ge8u8WHvQbm5V3XdDs/s1600/IMG_0808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq5ogUs343qRT9LgWdULggZJhmnsSkwZ-KqXLZy3F6Ds_I3irVJxzmnO9ciFMIQgEGqb9MU6LPDknxgea7VFrYCOSc3EUx18sP3T0EjGbol354gUQYeb80wY42ge8u8WHvQbm5V3XdDs/s640/IMG_0808.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mowgli</td></tr>
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The next leg of our Journey took us to Chiang Mai, an ancient city in Northern Thailand. Surrounded by a centuries old moat and wall Chiang Mai is a common stop for tourists traveling through SE Asia. The city today has swelled outside of its former boundaries and is a fairly sprawling metropolis. It is popular now for its mix of history as a former capital of a Northern Thai Kingdom filled with incredible Wats (Buddhist temples), and culture including wonderful food. It also serves as a gateway to the outdoors and beautiful mountains </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highlight of Northern Thaialnd for us was a day with Patara Elephant Farm. They provided an incredible comprehensive full day of education and interaction with these incredible, gentle giants. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were outfitted in attire that the elephants would be more comfortable with. We learned how to get them to come to us and helped feed them bananas and stalks of sugar cane by putting it directly in their mouths. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We learned how to do a quick health assessment of our elephant. <br />1. Do they flap there ears and flip there tail every so often<br />2. Are there signs that the elephant has been sleeping lying down and rotates sides. You do this by looking for dirt or smooth spots on each side. Apparently an elephant that is sick will not lay down to sleep as it knows it will not have the strength to get back up. The elephant also has to get up every hour or so to lay on its other side so as not to crush any of its organs.<br />3. A healthy elephant will produce sweat. Any idea what part of an elephant sweats? <br />Only on the cuticles or base of their toenails. We felt for moisture on their toes to ensure health.<br />4. Most important in evaluating the health of the elephant is the poo inspection. Each motion should provide at least six large turds. It should be moist and you should be able to squeeze water out of it. You must also break it apart to make sure the elephant has healthy teeth and there are not any large food particles. You also need to give it a good sniff. Healthy elephant poo is not at all offensive in smell. Yes we all participated in all steps. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby elephants were very possessive of their mothers. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We learned commands to make them follow us. We were also taught to firmly pull their ear in the direction we wanted them to go.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several different ways to mount. Owen demonstrating the method where the elephant lowers its head and lifts you up with its trunk</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We rode them up and down some pretty steep muddy tracts and they are incredibly sure footed</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excellent lunch provided. Wrapped up in banana leaves is sticky rice. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best part of taking care of the elephants was a complete scrubbing of their hides. Takes a little longer than washing your average dog.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ELp2JNcNi78dKlvOnuSqlaXq02_xwhWZRxRfnZ_t-L3zSW3MJz_EKFZpE1Clws9PCXep3VyYORd7yFvO6hvo_mbUMlG02T2E-95f-3FW5xfbWgOI8b__0XO1Wg8-K-pjG64o1jJm_5s/s1600/IMG_0920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ELp2JNcNi78dKlvOnuSqlaXq02_xwhWZRxRfnZ_t-L3zSW3MJz_EKFZpE1Clws9PCXep3VyYORd7yFvO6hvo_mbUMlG02T2E-95f-3FW5xfbWgOI8b__0XO1Wg8-K-pjG64o1jJm_5s/s400/IMG_0920.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"thats my mommy"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcoming lemongrass tea. Banyan tree behind Keira and Skyler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenJhaDMoLDEeQPm8l_tka1s5eysUL1oqG5B1yw8x7F9qv-K7ouSEm7eyWZpROCX3PAXMKxkLSXmfZ5IJJoPl467m-dRpw8UHvT5_VP0aKJaY1Wakne_i8ZUa59IW-J63BM0vpEGhqS4g/s1600/IMG_8124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenJhaDMoLDEeQPm8l_tka1s5eysUL1oqG5B1yw8x7F9qv-K7ouSEm7eyWZpROCX3PAXMKxkLSXmfZ5IJJoPl467m-dRpw8UHvT5_VP0aKJaY1Wakne_i8ZUa59IW-J63BM0vpEGhqS4g/s320/IMG_8124.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I find that whatever country I am in, the local beer tastes the best. This may taste like urine back home but here it is the nectar of the gods.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night market Chiang Mai</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTFnZFi7SIe1o-3xYzBJ-vF7f4A3bF-KaeP3kU2i-qqwkiUTperMFrUsSfWJNCwuuT2lJsjYyF4Zg_n6qe06oVvNM6kqqCW3Q0MdIYFUaNI_X81twEx6mAfo1IM-ZySOLkLrI-TbLHMI/s1600/IMG_8297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTFnZFi7SIe1o-3xYzBJ-vF7f4A3bF-KaeP3kU2i-qqwkiUTperMFrUsSfWJNCwuuT2lJsjYyF4Zg_n6qe06oVvNM6kqqCW3Q0MdIYFUaNI_X81twEx6mAfo1IM-ZySOLkLrI-TbLHMI/s320/IMG_8297.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few more elephant shots</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzGSgc2Mz6K1H4cGsCLib3OD2geL5UQzeThrSqUf5XJYQb9YIbs75ZHu3wboYGeGhaR_zTmKr8lvr-uw-3FMnqr1ZPcMNQVQA-x79VlgWXz5cQXn-XLiOLu2iYGqblKxNMsmwMM14Aus/s1600/IMG_8309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzGSgc2Mz6K1H4cGsCLib3OD2geL5UQzeThrSqUf5XJYQb9YIbs75ZHu3wboYGeGhaR_zTmKr8lvr-uw-3FMnqr1ZPcMNQVQA-x79VlgWXz5cQXn-XLiOLu2iYGqblKxNMsmwMM14Aus/s400/IMG_8309.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keira holding an elephant turd. No big deal. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-1V_spJ0W3oblsDICkduhzO7HtdN325zohidcptot3kVUI4u4vMLw0A7stmb01WiqIjWlTqcTu86pIz38rCWdjTNwJkNfp7go0yV3qzDLkg57rRL-DlgYutM2K6Z8vhPp95i4iLl2JM/s1600/IMG_8540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-1V_spJ0W3oblsDICkduhzO7HtdN325zohidcptot3kVUI4u4vMLw0A7stmb01WiqIjWlTqcTu86pIz38rCWdjTNwJkNfp7go0yV3qzDLkg57rRL-DlgYutM2K6Z8vhPp95i4iLl2JM/s320/IMG_8540.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poo collector. Floating turds in background. Took a little getting used to swimming in elephant toilet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day two in Chiang Mai was village to visit hill tribes. They continue to live today much as they have for centuries</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">making mush</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice paddy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggUl8NxYXX2qO4CkOZTJTLLwN9q3I6JQJJlw2KtATlDzu8XlXG1B28n1wWUn99cYu9U7TyrncKEImMtnLwx30ANt7l6mNmLdLe0-766mbu1jhPYerAM6CSUW5WyWPRB7jqb6zrW9Fj3E/s1600/IMG_8689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggUl8NxYXX2qO4CkOZTJTLLwN9q3I6JQJJlw2KtATlDzu8XlXG1B28n1wWUn99cYu9U7TyrncKEImMtnLwx30ANt7l6mNmLdLe0-766mbu1jhPYerAM6CSUW5WyWPRB7jqb6zrW9Fj3E/s320/IMG_8689.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The long neck people. 1 ring per year and they are quite heavy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8Bopt4uEV5VrbrhbhBp-S0F_DIqm3TV9pxKEAfaxy1uOXZtI3ItewhV0c3FCbndOcNqeWJCgow2isGrapeOCbbEZY2P0mXpdpjbA9L5umqTxa3jEGBEuQYV4v9CvYwCWxVzPFXkfnBE/s1600/IMG_8703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8Bopt4uEV5VrbrhbhBp-S0F_DIqm3TV9pxKEAfaxy1uOXZtI3ItewhV0c3FCbndOcNqeWJCgow2isGrapeOCbbEZY2P0mXpdpjbA9L5umqTxa3jEGBEuQYV4v9CvYwCWxVzPFXkfnBE/s640/IMG_8703.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen really enjoys the guitar lessons he has been taking. Nice to be able to get in a little practice in rural Thailand</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They had lots of home done textiles for sale</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orchid farm. Roots do not need soil they absorb water and nutrients right out of the air.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Noodle shop Chiang Mai</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls getting foot massages from little fish that nibble all the dead skin off your feet. Weird</td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-3456992071367925682013-07-12T16:31:00.000-07:002013-07-12T16:31:03.982-07:00Bangkok<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On July 6th, Lindsey's 14th birthday, we made our way from New Zealand to Southeast asia for a 3 week trip many months in the making. We felt like a trip to this part of the world would be stimulating for all of our senses and another great experience we could share together as a family. So far it has not disappointed. We spent the first 3 days getting acclimated in Bangkok, a great city complete with sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that none of has ever encountered. The kids loved the tuktuks (above) and the long tail boats with which we pretty much got around on. <br />
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Bangkok is an interesting mix of new, European and modern blended with old traditional Asian culture. <br />
You can eat traditional Thai noodles served by any one of thousands of street vendors or at restaurants representative of the finest European cuisine. You can travel in a new air conditioned Toyota taxi, elevated super modern sky train or by open air unmuffled motorized tuktuks (we suggest the Tuktuks, though they do drive like mad). There are open air markets packed to the gills with merchants and there are some the fanciest looking shopping malls I have ever seen. Truly a vibrant place. <br />
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We are joined on this trip by our dear friends Brian and Daryl and their kiddos Jasper and Kiera. We met 2 years ago after arriving in NZ. Brian and I worked together in the ED and though they returned to their home in Canada 1 year ago we remain good friends and they kept their vow to join us on a trip a year after leaving NZ. <br />
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What follows is mainly a photo log of our travels thus far. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese style pagoda</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">typical Thai Wat or temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khmer, or Cambodian influenced Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spent a lot of time traveling on the Chao Phraya (river through central Bangkok)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street Vendors are everywhere. Many urbanites so not have kitchens so this is where they get their meals.<br />
Very cheap often a meal for less than $1. We stuck to restaurants as we felt our stomachs not quite ready for Thai street food. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fruit everywhere also. Fruits I have never seen before. Interestingly I noticed apples from NZ and oranges from Florida for sale on the streets..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Outside the temple of the Emerald Buddha next to the Grand Palace. Allegedly over 2,000 years old the Emerald Buddha, though he only stands about 2.5 feet high is one of the most revered in all of Buddhism. He has been moved over the centuries around SE asia depending on who was in power. Four times a year, depending on the season, they have a special ceremony presided over by the king in which they change the Buddha's attire to make sure he is appropriately dressed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the grounds of the Grand Palace. Though never fully colonized by a European power, Thailand early on adopted many western traditions including architecture. I find this place interesting in that the building itself has a very European look to it but the roof is very Thai. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephants are very important in Thai culture and images of them are everywhere</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our preferred mode of travel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen enjoying his Thai massage</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Flower Market in the Old City. Incredible colors and smells</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long tail boat, powered by old car engines with long propeller shaft that also functions as a rudder </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2khcIZz_C0Lky95J4w4du86N84a_iJpl5TFu_eNiOAJtV9rq47XcgZsX18sHKoAhqlGSCeC1YPrgNUs0e3UrF_oIPe38h8F3E46732NuNbgFuuI31eGyrzXcURbEWAT11-IlJM1pjbY/s1600/IMG_7871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2khcIZz_C0Lky95J4w4du86N84a_iJpl5TFu_eNiOAJtV9rq47XcgZsX18sHKoAhqlGSCeC1YPrgNUs0e3UrF_oIPe38h8F3E46732NuNbgFuuI31eGyrzXcURbEWAT11-IlJM1pjbY/s320/IMG_7871.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who would have thought?<br />
Bangkok has everything</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lindsey and Kiera</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Floating Market"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqbpmoR1CIlNZftjOOzbtXg7RTa07fvECNPEyRi8vcFb1mI1p2nnwe0QvBXPM8UxC0EUY0ThPCrCWnmomZgtMqXvzZ6XKPl0id81SunTOBsqOwHbdgmBRedzujRp9ksCsPCQQu7UxKT8/s1600/IMG_7972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqbpmoR1CIlNZftjOOzbtXg7RTa07fvECNPEyRi8vcFb1mI1p2nnwe0QvBXPM8UxC0EUY0ThPCrCWnmomZgtMqXvzZ6XKPl0id81SunTOBsqOwHbdgmBRedzujRp9ksCsPCQQu7UxKT8/s320/IMG_7972.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cold Beer while on Long tail boat ride through canals of Bangkok, priceless</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cold cokes equally priceless</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very friendly people where ever we have been in Thailand</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning exercise in Lumphini Park close to our hotel. Old folks out as groups all wearing same colored shirts doing Tai-chi early every morning. <br />
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-91535632711771388132013-06-18T18:36:00.001-07:002013-06-18T18:36:14.106-07:00Two years <blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<li> June 23rd will mark our two year anniversary of our move from the suburbs of bustling Kansas City to an island on the other side of the world called New Zealand. Over the course of this time we have visited many parts of this world, parts that I thought we would never get to explore. We have seen, ate and experienced things that would of never crossed my mind two years ago. We have swam with dolphins in the Tasman Sea, traveled a road untraveled by many locals, slept in a boat in the Fiordlands, jumped off a perfectly good bridge, hand fed eels, walked on silicone sand, and saw wild dingos. We have had an exciting and wild ride these past two years and we are not ready to call it quits yet ( not to mention there happen to be no jobs in any of the towns that we would consider moving back to). There are still many items on our list that we want to check out before we close this chapter of our lives. </li>
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<li>Yes, there are days that we contemplate just staying, packing up our storage unit in the states, shipping our belongings over, buying a house and settling in for the long haul. And yes, there are days all I think about are moving back to the states. Settling down, and establishing some roots somewhere. The pros and cons to either argument are long, complicated, and emotional. And just when I think I've got it sorted out in my head, homesickness will hit me. It happens at the most unexpected times and places. Today it was the home furnishing store. I know what your thinking, "really, the homes accessories got to her, she must really have issues!" SO sappy, I know but it is the truth. The store gave me a glimpse of my old life, when we owned a home and enjoyed decorating it and putting our own touches on the place. Damn you New Zealand! Why do you have to be so breath taking beautiful at every turn? Why do you have to be soooooo good at providing the work life balance to your employees that expats are flocking here from all over the world to enjoy this slower paced lifestyle? Work is still work, but in NZ work is not life. Why do you have to be such a safe country that my kids can roam about freely without me sitting at home anxiously waiting for them to walk in the door safely? And why....oh why do you have to be so far away from our loved ones? I am learning that living life as an expat is not for the faint of heart even during the best of times. Honestly it would be easier to commit to one way or the other than to continue to live with one foot in the US and one foot in NZ, which is what we are doing now.</li>
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<li>Our two year work visa's expire in a week so Brad applied for our Resident Visa's. We were approved after providing our original birth certificates, finger prints, mountains of paper work, and a large sum of money. It basically means we can stay in NZ indefinitely, but don't worry mom it doesn't mean we will, it just gives us better health benefits and the ability to come and go easier. </li>
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<li> The kids are 100% customized to the Kiwi lifestyle, and we all find ourselves using Kiwi-ism everyday. We are in the middle of winter and they are still wearing shorts and no shoes to school. Owen uses the term "sweet as" on a regular basis and I do not even internally acknowledge it any more, but I do have to explain it to family members when they come to visit. "No, Aunt Maggie he is not telling you that you have a sweet ass, he is saying sweet AS." We now wear jandals, and togs and eat lollies. I frequently get puffed, buggered, stuffed and or knackered after my long runs. When we get cold, we put on extra jumpers or jerseys. I find myself having a few cups of tea throughout the day with a wee bit of sugar, and heaps of milk. I now know that Brad is also called my partner, and not just husband (I use to think everyone here was gay because they rarely say husband/wife). My heart does not skip a beat any more when Owen asks to borrow a rubber (eraser) from his Dad. And "fanny pack", is a term one should never, ever use while visiting or living in NZ. "Fanny" refers to female genitalia. SO imagine my horror, after referring to my "fanny pack" at a party last year. </li>
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<li> So I guess what I am trying to get across is that we like where we live. We like it a lot. And instead of trying to constantly think about what is next or where we are going to be in 5 years, we are just living every day to the fullest, because we are just not sure when this journey will end. We are here now, so we are going to enjoy the now.</li>
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<li> To celebrate our two years we plan on going to the same restaurant we ate at on the day we arrived, The Tree House. On June 25th 2011, we were all exhausted from our trip over and just needed to eat before going to bed. We were all craving some American type food, so we all ordered hamburgers and french fries. The hamburgers arrived with large slices of beetroot on them. Beets on hamburgers?? Who does that and why? So I quickly removed all the bright purple vegetables from the hamburgers, and we quietly pushed on. After biting into my hamburger, I quickly realized that it was more like a meatloaf burger. It had onions, and breadcrumbs and was held together with an egg. It was good, but not what we were all hoping for. I just knew that Owen, who was 5 was going to have a total melt down after trying his food, and it was going to head south very fast. He takes a bit of his food and gets all teary eyed. I told him just to eat his french fries and ketchup (kiwis refer to it as tomato sauce), and not to worry about the burger. The ketchup here tastes a lot different than Hines. It is not as sweet, and has a distinct flavor to it. Owen tries the ketchup and wham-o, he is out for the count. He was so heart broken, all he could do was cry. He just wanted something that tasted like home. So after two years of eating meatloaf burgers and kiwi tomato sauce, we don't mind it anymore. We actually kinda like it. So we are all going to go back to The Tree House and order hamburgers for dinner with extra beetroot. Have you ever had a hamburger with beetroot on it? It is delicious, you should try it sometime. </li>
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New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7974042047484094607.post-37638211654817203782013-05-22T03:30:00.000-07:002013-06-14T16:30:16.421-07:00Namaste and $26,200I am the opposite of the sterotypical zen like yoga person. I would like to think that I am a very positive person but I'm opininated, impatient and rather easily annoyed. I am like the anti-yoga. My idea of a workout consists of high impact work outs that leave one sweating from head to toe. If I am not out of breath, close to out of breath or short of breath than to me it is not excersice. I love basketball, running and a cold beer. I do not drink green tea smoothies and think wheatgrass is something one would use on their yard. I have tried yoga twice. And what I remembered it was difficult and boring. And I could not tell if I was burning off breakfast or just burning off time. The first class was in KC at a large fitness center that we belonged to. My class was filled with large breasted beautiful ladies that were there more to be seen than to work out. My second class was here in NZ that was all about closing one nostril with a finger and breathing out of the one open nostril while saying "Ommmmmmmm". It took everything I had not to bust out laughing. Are these people serious? I thought that the OM was a myth but apparently the OM is actually very important. So I had decided that yoga was not for me. In comes Sarsha. She is a yoga teacher and the Mom of one of Lindseys good friends. She is a beautiful women, inside and out. She just reeks of yoga when you meet her. Calm, gentle and free spirited. I just knew I had to give yoga another shot. So here I am 4 months later and totally hooked, I am now a yoga loving wanna bend like a pretzel kind of gal. Let's be honest, I do love the social aspect and we do have lots of fun. However, I am in awe of the bendy ladies around me and not sure if I will ever be able to do some of those poses, but I get what the fuse is all about. I think I like it so much because I am so bad at it, but yet I love a challenge and love learning new things and who know maybe one day I will be able to touch my toes without bending my knees.<br />
Sarsha teaches yoga up at her house. Here are a few pictures of her house and where I go to practice my new favorite activity.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLZQQlB7DChF43HwkJiadoX_FC3PGijAcKWgZPl3zmlGkxfcqfLrYT4ED4Rm8lQenMHNDvPoVaogT_hDrdG2pnNZm_s7wE45elRlFtdf4DdS_OcjeinfK3YSM1ohlLMOBgEuL-sF44wk/s1600/IMG_6829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLZQQlB7DChF43HwkJiadoX_FC3PGijAcKWgZPl3zmlGkxfcqfLrYT4ED4Rm8lQenMHNDvPoVaogT_hDrdG2pnNZm_s7wE45elRlFtdf4DdS_OcjeinfK3YSM1ohlLMOBgEuL-sF44wk/s320/IMG_6829.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sarsha's home and the yoga studio is in the back</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They built this separate room for the Wwoofers. Wwoofer's are folks that are traveling the country and are willing to work for 4-6 hrs a day in exchange for a free night of accomodation and food. The work could include anything from sowing seeds, gardening, making compost, milking, or cheese and bread making. Cheap way of traveling , and yet a cool way to experience life in other parts of the world. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The out house in the back of the house.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGs2t2frEP-WQeI0sGyvJ_VxcetnaSVYBWZDcFzAw0iqZxPdK2gCWJjtHqLvSdRmrpDUEbwUXZgWDVSbL7kvEweQuFvRZAfY12ZHUA4UilytcCzHM7xitAokmNe4YKV5CATAUmNR_rzDg/s1600/IMG_6834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGs2t2frEP-WQeI0sGyvJ_VxcetnaSVYBWZDcFzAw0iqZxPdK2gCWJjtHqLvSdRmrpDUEbwUXZgWDVSbL7kvEweQuFvRZAfY12ZHUA4UilytcCzHM7xitAokmNe4YKV5CATAUmNR_rzDg/s400/IMG_6834.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Her beautiful yoga studio behind her house. To me it is just how a yoga studio should look, inviting, calming, not flash but yet simple and natural in its design. And the fact that it is located in one of the most beautiful places in the world probably helps a little...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The view from her house and yoga studio. Doesn't get more zen like than this!</span></td></tr>
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We had our school Gala last month. The last school Gala was held 7 years ago, so this was a huge event for the school. A New Zealand Gala is kinda like a school field day/carnival all rolled into one. It is a fun, family, friendly fundraising event that was put on by the FOOS (PTO) commitee. We had food stalls, auctions/raffles, games, crafts and entertainment. The whole community came out to support our school and over $26,000 was raised in a little over 3 hours. It was impressive accomplishment for a school of 300 kids.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jByPYyQ_ciB8mTQHI5rqSu8Nyirf09B1OjwUhevblt80BtJJ8iX8VkEZgb5rnxmbrFYFUbJd6fjUexEH1Xh04dxxCUJlisL_wfWYpsOeq3B1qifYTz8HClG8eFR5rsutAKpn2LErBIU/s1600/IMG_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jByPYyQ_ciB8mTQHI5rqSu8Nyirf09B1OjwUhevblt80BtJJ8iX8VkEZgb5rnxmbrFYFUbJd6fjUexEH1Xh04dxxCUJlisL_wfWYpsOeq3B1qifYTz8HClG8eFR5rsutAKpn2LErBIU/s320/IMG_0148.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was the Zorb Balls, the most popular game we had. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was called The Magic Carpet Ride, the second most popular ride. As you can tell from the picture it was a piece of fabric pulled by a car that the kids rode on. Let me repeat that one more time, it was a piece of fabric pulled by a car that kids rode on!! They loved it and the line was 20 deep the whole Gala. Brad and I were trying to envision this happening in the states. First, you would have to sign your life away. Second, safety gear would be required of all body parts. Third, there would have to be a safety talk about what might happen, what could possibly happen, and what to do if all that did happen. And fourth, there would have to be some type of extra insurance purchased by the school to safe guard themselves from getting sued if something were to happen. So basically this would never ever happen in the US, but Kiwis with their attitude of "she'll be alright" are able to pull off some Dodgy activities. Another reason we Love living here!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2k3l-13qrb8Fep_dT30UxxvKMlVeuqNHGrlTBB7GzeQtx0JgUVUzjDGU4RJrPHIUeu5G4VesOSqKvHXOE4G5aCUycj2dbie-Y7fkJdTlCC7Zyb5_nPi5pM0MVKK1YA6rlWZZQaStGaI/s1600/IMG_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2k3l-13qrb8Fep_dT30UxxvKMlVeuqNHGrlTBB7GzeQtx0JgUVUzjDGU4RJrPHIUeu5G4VesOSqKvHXOE4G5aCUycj2dbie-Y7fkJdTlCC7Zyb5_nPi5pM0MVKK1YA6rlWZZQaStGaI/s400/IMG_0143.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was hoping to see some more carnage on this, but boringly enough nothing no one got hurt or fell off, and all the kids had loads of fun. </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTcLPTyoklgV1z8yvZOP0-mA4zq6to8bhfHhTM-ipIrPlCNYX9TTYfRsGbeZDYebxsdbZ-wJQbdzpjlXyzY4ZCuXAAuFUH-XJ_mDkaknjI9TzQOYpvbOp5L8Dc6OP9q4Lzowz4kUfALw/s1600/IMG_4394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTcLPTyoklgV1z8yvZOP0-mA4zq6to8bhfHhTM-ipIrPlCNYX9TTYfRsGbeZDYebxsdbZ-wJQbdzpjlXyzY4ZCuXAAuFUH-XJ_mDkaknjI9TzQOYpvbOp5L8Dc6OP9q4Lzowz4kUfALw/s320/IMG_4394.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One of our food stalls.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_T8LOgi44L6vpeIs5ItEaZHXlW2T7aNHdLbHIrvLzSQAKe0aUIPmSS8c9z23dh6FAnZ9W3VVI5Es1uGxGqsZbsuUWSU_8CH5vLJVxlV_9u3ozjKL_LYS_EiUkqc06jkDD5Zpm3N87PtQ/s1600/IMG_4417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_T8LOgi44L6vpeIs5ItEaZHXlW2T7aNHdLbHIrvLzSQAKe0aUIPmSS8c9z23dh6FAnZ9W3VVI5Es1uGxGqsZbsuUWSU_8CH5vLJVxlV_9u3ozjKL_LYS_EiUkqc06jkDD5Zpm3N87PtQ/s320/IMG_4417.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Art work done by the students that went for a premium price. </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo7ADG_KboWf43NPaH6mnXDCqCdUdNj5ReVo-IJoXZVVDArIWlZqxupsvz4VgSv3h_5HN6UmxuPcxdMpixqYAgEqzbgjeUjqUj4nWwyWzo0qzyopEISy_th0Z4R0RGBhdDcxsHQavRnM/s1600/IMG_4469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo7ADG_KboWf43NPaH6mnXDCqCdUdNj5ReVo-IJoXZVVDArIWlZqxupsvz4VgSv3h_5HN6UmxuPcxdMpixqYAgEqzbgjeUjqUj4nWwyWzo0qzyopEISy_th0Z4R0RGBhdDcxsHQavRnM/s320/IMG_4469.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Football game</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f2biNs3srGRuFUtlHN_RBvcGX_JtXDtUzfMfZnMeMyZ1uWOBoWhYKcCmdW10JQqaC9fAFvgaKYhTEkjPQ5EBVNYgl2Uo3I7qpS8MO6G6sesWp_ihQXRXfHUYZogVI6oj7s-BiCSANtI/s1600/IMG_4483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f2biNs3srGRuFUtlHN_RBvcGX_JtXDtUzfMfZnMeMyZ1uWOBoWhYKcCmdW10JQqaC9fAFvgaKYhTEkjPQ5EBVNYgl2Uo3I7qpS8MO6G6sesWp_ihQXRXfHUYZogVI6oj7s-BiCSANtI/s320/IMG_4483.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Toss the Coconut Game</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pH6GGvl0Wb5YMU09-KMRTshThGjFoouq9eBQiM06_MmdT87G5jz-tHHM6-wvnD_FvVPmg2pomvzaGwnDGau_nGsYMMXfpoji6i9ge4rqszPOo53OjeI09j-Dz16otqpYyQgiQSTbL7s/s1600/IMG_4534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pH6GGvl0Wb5YMU09-KMRTshThGjFoouq9eBQiM06_MmdT87G5jz-tHHM6-wvnD_FvVPmg2pomvzaGwnDGau_nGsYMMXfpoji6i9ge4rqszPOo53OjeI09j-Dz16otqpYyQgiQSTbL7s/s320/IMG_4534.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Quad bike rides. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkj8JwV1XseXVmXiRCDXsItBiazIJod7toINliZP509mprnHHOc4SnxFDQ3TZG38k63mfQOgETNYh-vls4ZUdYo_t0Qn0wC3pPdEybF4WRY9z2XbR_PrkdNG2CkmRqFe9iSH5mCVLOKc/s1600/IMG_4525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkj8JwV1XseXVmXiRCDXsItBiazIJod7toINliZP509mprnHHOc4SnxFDQ3TZG38k63mfQOgETNYh-vls4ZUdYo_t0Qn0wC3pPdEybF4WRY9z2XbR_PrkdNG2CkmRqFe9iSH5mCVLOKc/s320/IMG_4525.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fairy Tent</span></td></tr>
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I also mentioned in the last blog that the year 7 and 8's were going to have their outdoor activity week so I wanted to post a few of those pictures as well. This was the dam dropping, talk about a dodgy activity. But the kids loved it and honestly so did I. It was fun and exhilarating, with a tiny bit of danger thrown in. Keep in mind that the kids missed a whole week of school for activity week, they just got to play with their friends while being pushed to their limits. Too bad this is not part of the curriculum for every school system. I witnessed kids refusing to do this activity but after some deep thought and lots of encouragement from peers and parents, they went for it. One of the girls I took down was crying she was so scared, but after we had made it to the bottom, she was smiling from ear to ear and asking to do it all over again. Priceless.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbp3Z8XugDJT-A45dUkz8e8iME9k2DIyIpOq7QKm_HNSJ7j5F-Mf8-PFaRnKhhoY49X8Obbqg91g3P_PC6Ri5KM_6nB6nw_VNsbWb41if_K-oBwgpOGSv6ph7UqUNMOgvW441pUHLM3k/s1600/DSCF0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbp3Z8XugDJT-A45dUkz8e8iME9k2DIyIpOq7QKm_HNSJ7j5F-Mf8-PFaRnKhhoY49X8Obbqg91g3P_PC6Ri5KM_6nB6nw_VNsbWb41if_K-oBwgpOGSv6ph7UqUNMOgvW441pUHLM3k/s320/DSCF0183.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTD_xPelyviOv3cY5thVGi9RyPU_64yQg9wx3m15wS12jcgw-r1FzCxFGXvqN4ODuF4wD37_gUmro4WOnd8AXGNTCVHFRnA2-3rxscuMNu9ZVD6F-_9A4d3XLMQKPTd5fzV2W_4uQFDg/s1600/DSCF0229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTD_xPelyviOv3cY5thVGi9RyPU_64yQg9wx3m15wS12jcgw-r1FzCxFGXvqN4ODuF4wD37_gUmro4WOnd8AXGNTCVHFRnA2-3rxscuMNu9ZVD6F-_9A4d3XLMQKPTd5fzV2W_4uQFDg/s400/DSCF0229.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Even Dad took the day off to be a part of dam droppi</span>ng. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87DQtiqvdvdMHmzCb-X2U1x3_mEaQPw448LUou1kF2YRs3hfRoBo_9M5fC_zmV1FYrH1HsPs8rvLAfoxuiTDjl14ypUhU-685eTIwJJiDrOIB0hmgpFmAJ8SbESHZPSKLETR1Mvr2yFg/s1600/DSCF0232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87DQtiqvdvdMHmzCb-X2U1x3_mEaQPw448LUou1kF2YRs3hfRoBo_9M5fC_zmV1FYrH1HsPs8rvLAfoxuiTDjl14ypUhU-685eTIwJJiDrOIB0hmgpFmAJ8SbESHZPSKLETR1Mvr2yFg/s320/DSCF0232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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These next few pictures are of the mud run. Which smelled and felt more like mud/cow poo run. Some of the kids were loving the throwing/slinging/hurling mud at each, the parents and teachers. The others kids politely put a smile on their face received the allocated mud balls to various body parts and counted down the minutes until they can get clean again. Skyler (and I have to admit I was right there with her) fell into the later of the two catergories. I asked her at the end of the run, if we should bring Dad, Lindsey and Owen on this trial. She looked at me as if I were some giant blood sucking alien and just kept running.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMAV8TVjyWHvsfmcpTL5GFFEsI2_0JFzFE_MxcXJu6N7VmdswiI1MeSgg3nEGzCgy-mlDL0nMpEM_dsGPdogdTNX9q8bnJ6c2ck8dZQPBFJW0JZzPgSnJ_PiwiOa6MBUCKuV8j6QVnJg/s1600/DSCF0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMAV8TVjyWHvsfmcpTL5GFFEsI2_0JFzFE_MxcXJu6N7VmdswiI1MeSgg3nEGzCgy-mlDL0nMpEM_dsGPdogdTNX9q8bnJ6c2ck8dZQPBFJW0JZzPgSnJ_PiwiOa6MBUCKuV8j6QVnJg/s400/DSCF0256.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The last few moments of being nice and clean.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFgj6005RMKyx0Sz9BTfFqg3pbTsIYiX15JN5C-66RDrDsKENdUYtXuPS1frSnSrCyFi5JPBcNmQG8_gdCC15oDoTbGaQ78OSy2QKMtGAS0Y29H5sgE0JJAZgIAneTePyO58sayY3kIE/s1600/DSCF0258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFgj6005RMKyx0Sz9BTfFqg3pbTsIYiX15JN5C-66RDrDsKENdUYtXuPS1frSnSrCyFi5JPBcNmQG8_gdCC15oDoTbGaQ78OSy2QKMtGAS0Y29H5sgE0JJAZgIAneTePyO58sayY3kIE/s400/DSCF0258.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heading up the river to the mud pit</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4B0JJ-ZQ8-E5Vi3d831RqMDzCrpsyui2Suk3DYv-ZGvGSgyj2ABgRLWGAywegg3zIZYkH0LJwAEwtkvKHrSHD7FG7zaPkGE74mdUMIXiucKG9kfGSTZsAK9XzBti9T_h4WrRrUTVIpk/s1600/DSCF0260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4B0JJ-ZQ8-E5Vi3d831RqMDzCrpsyui2Suk3DYv-ZGvGSgyj2ABgRLWGAywegg3zIZYkH0LJwAEwtkvKHrSHD7FG7zaPkGE74mdUMIXiucKG9kfGSTZsAK9XzBti9T_h4WrRrUTVIpk/s320/DSCF0260.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Disappearing up into the steep trail. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqcKIm8s7fJ_XGB2fK4cuf4sTBDpnsRLurvpBdwCzU6yBvuauXTj6AzDjaKtqvQE4Yp4_WkY70N91ecLNBcZPDSViD9bSAqvO0zZomJB5Q8Pm2XmVL3NQmH0K5YiGLcpmK2qelAWFY_8/s1600/DSCF0263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqcKIm8s7fJ_XGB2fK4cuf4sTBDpnsRLurvpBdwCzU6yBvuauXTj6AzDjaKtqvQE4Yp4_WkY70N91ecLNBcZPDSViD9bSAqvO0zZomJB5Q8Pm2XmVL3NQmH0K5YiGLcpmK2qelAWFY_8/s320/DSCF0263.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The track down to mud hell....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRvNoeVTGSzIx3PbRT9iERy3L4TqsENZqZ_Ia_65aMvTby10P-PBj-6OpNlk1akzDHHlTx4PlG84pNXBndR9DZclGAmmQ8BjLIole7UqOKp-gZnD2XsGQdKM__5Ugu_62DFxjNUi0UQs/s1600/DSCF0271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRvNoeVTGSzIx3PbRT9iERy3L4TqsENZqZ_Ia_65aMvTby10P-PBj-6OpNlk1akzDHHlTx4PlG84pNXBndR9DZclGAmmQ8BjLIole7UqOKp-gZnD2XsGQdKM__5Ugu_62DFxjNUi0UQs/s320/DSCF0271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">MUD FIGHT</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8V9akgvRg6qrbokHf-_eoeLmcAKZGsYBEe_R4QXK1hcMZ-UN5hGKjw-Vm59NbqqO6o4jVKGrBvGkpDuN-eEaaRu3z_bFD45-8jc6Eqm3mQpB8fMurLFWlyd2w6ZoFapueapJwroBo2dQ/s1600/DSCF0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-size: 13px;">S</span><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8V9akgvRg6qrbokHf-_eoeLmcAKZGsYBEe_R4QXK1hcMZ-UN5hGKjw-Vm59NbqqO6o4jVKGrBvGkpDuN-eEaaRu3z_bFD45-8jc6Eqm3mQpB8fMurLFWlyd2w6ZoFapueapJwroBo2dQ/s320/DSCF0275.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Skyler is standing off to the right hoping that no one spots her. And I was hiding behind the bushes taking photos (it was water proof but I told no one that as I hoped they would take mercy on me).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_COUMS3O28l7-AAOuF4U55ZE7qtJm35QuNjiq8Z866029BWflc0-vPrE06Ia1qajMd5pXSb2YiQ9g8M8RFbMaCxQy38yzQkC3b2F1fKXOS-aW7iAltvjI_khqmX8tRnr9gt9NevdAwc/s1600/DSCF0278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_COUMS3O28l7-AAOuF4U55ZE7qtJm35QuNjiq8Z866029BWflc0-vPrE06Ia1qajMd5pXSb2YiQ9g8M8RFbMaCxQy38yzQkC3b2F1fKXOS-aW7iAltvjI_khqmX8tRnr9gt9NevdAwc/s320/DSCF0278.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was a mud slide. The Mom in the jeans managed to stay clean the whole hike. She did this by turning into the exorcist every time a muddy kid looked as if they were going to slime her with mud. It was the kind of day that one just had to surrender to being covered in mud and getting soaking wet, and not be bothered by it, or you too would have your head start spinning and smoke coming out of your ears. </span></td></tr>
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And a few last photos of what we did during the kids two week break. We were quite keen on going on a road trip but the kids just wanted to stay in town and play with their mates. So that is what we did and enjoyed every minute of it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uWpjpkUf_j-nm6GmgcngCPnhuWrN_NdZ4IrVl22Oe4pFGEyx4EBGZFoY0xaDcqBIQiUni0tQ66w_j0B2fjKD-4xX0RJh3MxTGRUVCpP7H_DWfMHaMCYMygEfApPDOpwHL-rHwNkDrwo/s1600/IMG_0088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uWpjpkUf_j-nm6GmgcngCPnhuWrN_NdZ4IrVl22Oe4pFGEyx4EBGZFoY0xaDcqBIQiUni0tQ66w_j0B2fjKD-4xX0RJh3MxTGRUVCpP7H_DWfMHaMCYMygEfApPDOpwHL-rHwNkDrwo/s320/IMG_0088.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This was a great bike ride we went on with 2 other families. It was 17 km round trip, a perfect distance for young kids. We had a 5 month old black lab puppy with us, so I volunteered to run with Samie, the puppy. It was great fun, and it took me back to 12 years ago when I use to run with our yellow lab, KD, when she was a puppy. She was a hell of a dog, still is actually. She lives with my parents in KC. It is a great match, as my Dad enjoys exercise as much as I do, so he takes her out everyday for a walk, they go home pop their vitamins, have a snack, and lay down for an afternoon nap. It is a win win for all. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHSZNUf44b9k3cOfZmPEjGzRtzlpqdj7txWwmxdBQ1WCMxp0KzrQuz4I_hd2McqB8eVSe1J_XsxAOBT_XO-rf4OzHIvQqoO4Je8f-GVort00DhY0u8sk3deK2nlwDDhIWpkxi47-hZP0/s1600/IMG_0084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHSZNUf44b9k3cOfZmPEjGzRtzlpqdj7txWwmxdBQ1WCMxp0KzrQuz4I_hd2McqB8eVSe1J_XsxAOBT_XO-rf4OzHIvQqoO4Je8f-GVort00DhY0u8sk3deK2nlwDDhIWpkxi47-hZP0/s400/IMG_0084.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am holding Samie in my arms</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brad running back with Samie.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Owen and his mates at a Surf Comp. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkx63hoGeIvJOkkRtUKhkzUBo2js7qp2BHV8neYZjUZVsHkwn3DN6lpLWbMlFKevU3i1biPxxQ7Q8-306Utlrin55lcRD_USZ9eM_7HcjwE8u3J8CKx1Y17IuX6LBE_f_lsOMv9qdRwOE/s1600/IMG_6754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkx63hoGeIvJOkkRtUKhkzUBo2js7qp2BHV8neYZjUZVsHkwn3DN6lpLWbMlFKevU3i1biPxxQ7Q8-306Utlrin55lcRD_USZ9eM_7HcjwE8u3J8CKx1Y17IuX6LBE_f_lsOMv9qdRwOE/s320/IMG_6754.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Enjoying a beautiful sunset on the beach</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I wanted to end my post with a tribute to our good friends Orlagh, Arvind, Aoife and Connor. They are our good friends who moved here a year ago from Australia, and we had to say goodbye to them last week as they headed back to OZ to start a new chapter in their lives. It may seem odd to some to hear me use the term good friends to describe someone you have only know a year. But that is what happens to families who are sharing the same experience living abroad. We are all a long way from our families, and friends back home and all we have is each other to rely on. The bond can sometimes be instant and fast because we immediately know what the other is going through. So we react/respond to their needs/emotions almost as if they are family because it is all we have. So to make a long story short, this is how we felt about this sweet family. The kids became best friends, and we spent many days hanging out together. Orlagh even talked me into going tent camping with her one night, and that is not an easy feat. But with her, I forgot about the fact I was sleeping in the dirt, having to pee in the middle of the night not once but twice, and getting a few sand fly bites. We wish them the best of luck and look forward to seeing them again.</span></td></tr>
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<br />New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06964635364530591083noreply@blogger.com0