A PRESCRIPTION MASK

While glancing through a service travel catalog my eye caught the information about a dolphin research project in Belize, and I thought to myself that really sounds like fun.

Since the literature said we’d be swimming with dolphins, I needed to think about buying some swim equipment. When talking to my son he told me, “Mom, I think you should give serious thought to buying a prescription face mask."

My daughter chimed in saying, “I absolutely agree. A prescription mask is the only way to go. Really, Mom, you know you can’t see a thing without your glasses. I've heard the snorkeling there is great.”

This was all new to me so I asked them what they thought a such a  mask would cost. The consensus was that 35-40 dollars should do it. I did end up with a prescription mask, but it cost closer to $150. However, it was a good investment as it has been all over the world and the snorkeling in Belize was the best ever. I’d have hated to have missed the wonderful underwater seascapes because everything was a blur and I couldn’t see.

The literature said the only prerequisite for this trip was to be comfortable in the water and to be a relatively good swimmer. No problem there!   However, I’m pretty claustrophobic, which is why I never used a snorkel all those years in Hawaii. I really don’t like fins much either. I went next door nearly every day to use my neighbor’s pool, as I knew getting used to the mask, snorkel and fins would take some time.

I really had to talk sternly to myself in order to relax and not panic. Years later, I still have to lecture myself to stay calm when using a mask and snorkel. It never will become second nature for me. However, it was a good investment and one I’m glad I made, as it has allowed me to view some gorgeous underwater scenery,  beautiful colorful fish and some differnent and unusual plants and coral.  It was like swimming in an huge aquarium.  Imagine how much fun that would be!

LUCERNE'S PRECIOUS LION

On my second trip to Lucerne, Switzerland I was anxious to show Kelly the wonderful touching Lion Monument. While we enjoyed lunch at a sidewalk café along the river I told her, “It’s one of the most famous monuments in the world, and I think I can get us there. We can stroll and shop along the way.”

From a pamphlet we learned that during the French Revolution 40,000 Swiss served under foreign banners. In days of old when a man retired or died his son inherited his father’s commission. It was big business at that time. In 1792 over 700 Swiss mercenaries were killed on the Tuileries Palace steps defending King Louis XVI.

In 1819, a Dane, Bertel Thowaldsen, living in Rome, designed the monument. Lucas Ahorn, a German, carved the monument out of a sandstone hillside in 1820-21 as a tribute to the fallen Swiss countrymen.. At that time the area was out in the country, instead of in the center of the city.

The monument measures six meters high and 10 meters long [39½ X 19 ½ feet]. The dying lion has an arrow in his back, a tear on his cheek, and a paw across the S wiss shield, protecting it even in death. The inscription on the monument translates: To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss.

It is a wonderful and powerful hunk of stone! I cry every time I see it.

A MESSY MUD BATH

After an hour and a half hike through a Costa Rican dry forest we arrived at the mud baths and steam vents. During the hike we were surprised to see palm trees, and it was explained to us that during the dry season palm trees grow when the bigger trees in the forest lose their leaves giving the palm and smaller plants more light.

We entered a steam room built over a natural steam vent. The steam escaped through the spaces between the floor boards making it mighty hot inside. However, our guide entertained us by telling us  stories. When I thought I couldn’t stand the heat any longer we left the steam room and gathered around huge  pots filled with gooey warm mud. Young fellows covered us from head to toe with the warm mud. As we air dried you could feel your skin pulling tight. Standing spread eagled, I’m sure we were a hilarious sight.

Surprisingly, it was quite difficult to wash  the mud off under the showers. It had dried so well it wanted to stick! We helped each other especially on the backs.

Once again clean , we climbed into one of three small thermal pools. We discussed and laughed about this unusual experience not only while soaking in the tubs but for days afterward.

A RARE ZOO SIGHTING

Because Jan is a zoo docent at the L A zoo, we have visited many zoos on our travels, so it wasn’t a surprise to find ourselves on a city bus headed for the Edinburgh zoo. We no more than walked through the gate when the daily penguin parade started. It was amazing to see the penguins out of their enclosure and parading and strutting around a paved course.

Afterward, scanning the zoo flyer and map, Jan spotted a Painted Hunting Dog exhibit and said, “I’ve never seen such an animal, let’s see if we can find it.”

We were heading for the new exhibit, but somehow the map was not quite getting us to our destination. We approached a man with some papers and a torch (flashlight) in his hand, who we thought was a zoo employee. We asked his help in finding our desired exhibit. He was most helpful as he sprinted up and down paths trying to find the dogs.

After asking how long he’d worked at the zoo, he said, “I’m the zoo’s insurance person, and this happens to be the day to inspect the zoo.”

As we followed him around, he seemed as excited about the painted hunting dogs as we were when we finally found them! He didn’t seem to mind that we had interrupted his work day.
We thanked him for his time and kindness as he went back to work.

All five dogs were lean and good size. Their multi-colored coats reminded me of camouflage. Endangered they are almost extinct. Their huge ears stood up antenna straight. Obviously, their sense of hearing is excellent. The dogs were not very active but were not sleeping either. It was neat to see them.

The Unique Kangaroo

I had a chance to get up close and pet a kangaroo at a sanctuary outside Melbourne on my first visit down under. I reached far back to my school days to remember that marsupials are a group of animals whose babies are carried in the mother’s pouch. The fascinating and unique kangaroo is the largest of the marsupials. Their strong muscular tail is used for balance when hopping and as a prop when resting. Hind legs are long and strong while forelegs are short.

A female kangaroo becomes fertile at 18 months, the male at 3 years. The normal gestation period of a baby is ten months; however, if the food supply is not adequate the mother can stall the pregnancy for an indefinite period of time until nature provides an adequate food supply! The baby stays in the pouch 9-11 months. The fetus, not much bigger than a large bean, is born after only a few days, then claws and climbs its way into the pouch where it develops. Mama has two teats in the pouch and it is possible for her to have two babies at different stages of development in the pouch at the same time. In such a case she produces a different kind of milk for each baby! She could also have one in the womb so it is possible for her to raise all three babies at the same time. Now is that unique or what! To the best of my knowledge the kangaroo is the only animal who can do this.

The poor female spends most of her life pregnant and raising children. The baby is called a Joey. Mama can determine the sex of her child, and usually waits to have a male ‘til her later years, as she is the one responsible for raising him and teaching the male to box. She often takes a bit of a bruising during that process. Kangaroos have no herding instinct, each reacting in his or her own way.

The dominant male can live to 12-15 years. He spends his life checking on his females, as they are not synchronous breeders. Their thick strong claws often claw the abdomen when fighting. A dominant male only remains so for 3-4 years before a younger stronger male takes over.

There are 27 species of kangaroos from the smallest 9” kangaroo rat to the red kangaroo, the largest of them all who can cover 47 feet in a good jump/leap. The most common kangaroo is the eastern gray kangaroo, which grows 4-5 feet tall.

I think most people are fascinated with kangaroos because they are not only cute and so different from any other animal, but, except for zoos, they are seen only in Australia.
When on Kangaroo Island, where the animals out number people two to one, we found a baby kangaroo hanging in a cloth sling on a hat tree as we entered the showroom of an eucalyptus oil factory. Its mama had been hit and killed by a truck. The kind people had rescued the Joey. Hanging she was safe and out of the traffic of the store. I think she spent more time in someone’s arms being cooed to than she did hanging in her sling. We all held and petted her. She was just precious and what a thrill. Such remarkable moments make a trip a memorable one.

GANDER, NEWFOUNDLAND

Crossroads of the World
Because of Gander’s aviation history I had always wanted to visit the city. The nicely done museum appears to have a plane running through it. Its tail is over the entrance and the nose of the plane protrudes out the back of the building.

The pretty much fog-free area was isolated until the 1930s when the British Air Ministry chose it for an air base. In 1936 its 6000-foot runway was the longest in the world. However shortly, the base was filled with wartime air traffic. It was a strategic refueling base as well as a major service and air traffic control center.

After WW II Gander became the hub for trans-Atlantic commercial airline routes. Today it is an alternate landing site for the space shuttle.

I was in South America on 9/11, when on that terrible day 39 international planes carrying 6500 people were diverted to Gander. After all hotel and B&B rooms were filled, churches and schools were opened, and finally the friendly people of Gander opened their homes to house and feed stranded airline passengers. All of the 6500 people, who suddenly found themselves in Gander, had a bed to sleep in. No one had to sleep in a chair at the airport! Emergency phone lines were set up and cell phones were lent to people so calls could be made to worried family members. I met some of the musicians who hastily put together shows to entertain the city’s unexpected visitors. As the book title says it was a day the world came to visit Gander.It was nice to hear about the kindness of strangers to strangers and this heartwarming 9/11 story

Kangaroos, Kookaburras and Tea

It amazes me how many people don’t know Australia is a continent unto itself. Can you imagine coming to the United States for a week by spending a day in Boston, one in New York City, another in Chicago, one in San Francisco and a final day in Los Angles and then saying you’ve seen America? Evan worse make that a few hours in each city—if you were cruising and putting into port more than likely that is what it would be.

Yet Americans do this all the time when traveling overseas. Although Australia is shaped a bit differently than the U.S. it is still about the same size. I have many fun stories from down under from two 3 ½ week visits.

One delightful adventure meant a ride from Sydney up into the Blue Mountains where we had afternoon tea in a lovely park setting. Our van driver’s wife had made and sent with him a delicious spice cake. Kangaroos, including several mamas with a Joey in her pouch, played around us all afternoon. We watched with fascination as they hopped around, but we respected their territory and did not try to pet them-----that came on another day on another trip when I visited a sanctuary where the animals were tame and used to people.

Kookaburras in the trees serenaded us as if saying welcome down under as we sipped our tea on the beautiful warm sunny day. As I write this my rusty brain is trying to remember the kookaburra song we sang as kids some sixty-five years ago:
Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree
Merry merry king of the bush is he
Laugh kookaburra, laugh kookaburra
Gay your life must be.
In the second verse I think he eats the gum drops, while we begged him to leave some for me. I haven’t thought about that little song for years--- since my now middle-aged children sang it.

Our van driver told us a many interesting things about Australia’s national animal, but except for its name I’ll save the rest for another day. When European explorers first saw the strange jumping animal, they asked an aborigine, "What arw they called?"
He answered, “Kangaroo,” meaning I do not understand your question.
Repeated, the question received the same answer, and that is how the kangaroo got its name. True or not, I have my doubts, but it makes for a good story and the ending to today’s ramblings.

My Friends and Me

During my husband's military career we made several trips across the country---coast to coast. Each trip, a two-week vacation, followed a different route allowing us to see a great deal of the United States. Eleven years living in Hawaii covered that state and Alaska was visited in later years. A European tour of duty never materialized so I tackled that in retirement.

Not able to psych myself up to cross the Drake Passage, after an awful sea-sick episode on the way to Roratonga, is the only reason that Antarctica is the only continent I've not visited.
I've swum with dolphins, seals and penguins, petted kangaroos, held a baby kangaroo and a koala as well have ridden a camel. I've hiked in and stayed in several rainforests, and have ventured into the jungle 3-4 times and transited the Sambu River in the Darien Jungle in a cayucu (dug out canoe). I've slept in hostels, barracks, on boats, in small hotels, Victorian hotels, Motel 6 to five-star hotels and everything in between, a haunted hotel. a brothel, in tents, a jail, and in the Grand Canyon I chose to sleep under a full moon and the canopy of a star-filled sky.

In 1988 I sailed on the ill-fated Galaxie when her crew mutinied. We left the ship in San Jose, Costa Rica. Another time a travel agency absconded with my money and when we came back from the Sea of Cortez we learned we had no hotel reservations, or tickets for taxis or the Copper Canyon Train. But we did just fine with the help of a wonderful English speaking fellow in El Fuerte and thoroughly enjoyed our trip home.

Over the years I’ve made many trips alone. Elderhostel, now renamed Exploritas, was brought to my attention years ago when I was taking a series of retirement classes at my local college. The organization, started in 1975, has trips all over the world for senior learners . It’s a safe and comfortable way for single, especially women, to travel.

My first service trip, commonly called a working vacation, was a bottlenose dolphin research project in Belize. Nearly having gills myself, I thought what fun that would be. It was, and Belize provided the very best snorkeling I’ve ever done. My roommate on that trip was Kelly from New Jersey. We immediately liked each other and made 7-8 trips together before she died.
This trip was early on in my adventures and where I learned the value of those address stickers that keep coming in the mail. Both Kelly and I had disposable underwater cameras. We each put our camera in a special place where we would know where it was. Come time to pack we each thought the other had our camera. With no way to differentiate, we each took a camera, had double prints made and mailed a copy of prints to each other resulting with each of us having twice as many pictures. An address label has marked many an item since then!

When Kelly and I were hiking the Swiss Alps, Jan and her friend, Carol, always occupied the hotel room next to ours. Janice had been designated Jan by a baby sister when she was little, and the name has stuck for about everything except legal matters. As it turned out Jan and I paced pretty evenly while hiking and fortunately Carol and Kelly did likewise, albeit a bit slower. You can imagine how much yakking Jan and I did while hiking those gorgeous mountains. We became fast friends and over the years have made 21 trips together . What fun we have had and what great stories we have to tell.

Since much of my domestic travel was done years ago when I kept limited and sketchy diaries and journals, this blog will concentrate on fun international experiences.

AMERICAN CEMETERY at OMAHA BEACH

In Normandy, France our guide decided to avoid the crowds, so he got us up a bit early in order to be at the cemetery for the flag raising. We stood quietly on the steps of the memorial, each with our own thoughts as a French male and female approached first one flag pole at the end of the reflecting pool, then the other. It was a windless day and the flags hung limp as they slowly climbed up to the top of the poles.

Some interesting facts I learned include that the cemetery sits on US land as France deeded it to us after WW II. All the white marble crosses and Stars of David face the United States. The employees are French but employees of the US government. The grounds for the 9286 American boys who made the ultimate sacrifice on D-day are impeccably kept. It was an incredible experience to stand among them. (Remember in the 1940s there were very few females in the service and those who were did not see action.)

Infamous bloody Omaha Beach now is like any sandy beach---a place where people go to sun and have fun. The powder-fine sand is a pale beige. The tide was out and from my vantage point in the cemetery I spotted a horse and cart running along the wet sand, as if they were practicing for a race. This experience has become an incredible memory.