Fiji

Fiji.

After New Zealand and its fairly temperate climate Fiji was a shock. It was hot, about 35 degrees and very humid. I headed by small plane from Nadi to Taveuni, where I stayed for four days swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. Total indulgence. Up with the sun and to bed with the moon. Almost! A series of three spectacular waterfalls spilling through the rain forest. Hard work though climbing up to them in the heat. Luckily you could cool off with a swim.

This is your romantic treasure island. Great skies, seas and tropical storms.

Luxurious plants and flowers seem to be growing before your eyes. Steam rising from the earth.

A coral reef just off the beach with wonderful fish. Each day I took a kayak to a nearby island, where I snorkeled or fished. Close by they were diving for pearls. One evening as I paddled back sail fish skimmed through the water in front of me. It was magical.

Below is a very brave and colourful fresh water crab who, when you approach, instead of scuttling away, stands upright, claws raised in challenge. There seems to be one and only one of these crabs at every watery location on the island.

Taveuni looks just as lovely from the air. I loved the gentleness of the people, their sense of fun and their music. I had heard these harmonies once before, in Beijing when women from the Cook Islands sang. I have never forgotten it.

One of the highlights of this journey was Rotorua and trout fishing on the Ngongotaha River and the estuary of the Hammerama. The rivers are narrow and clear, small streams really, but you can see trout, many of them really large moving about. The fishing is completely different from home. Nymphing and casting upstream. With the expert help of Bill Blacker I had some success and tremendous fun.Wow a rainbow on the line!

And on the bank! But soon back in the river.


The legendary Bill Blacker, expert fisher and guide in action on the Ngongotaha.



The malodorous sulphur springs of Rororua.

River outside Taupo.

Another lovely local view.

Heading off for my skydive which I will never forget. Thought this would be my last pic ever!

Jump. I recommend it to all.

New Zealand has been whistlestop. Usually only one or two days anywhere. I have seen the major sites on the two islands and although bus is not the ideal way to travel, it works when you are on your own. I am now in Rotarua for some serious trout fishing. I am being guided bt Ross and Barry's friend Bill and that really is an experience. This computer does not take pics but i will upload some of Bill and the trout if I'm lucky enough to get any.

Next its Fiji. Palm trees and snorkelling. Should be fun.

I hear that things go from bad to worse at the other side if the world. It sounds tough and I commiserate. Here its a time warp. Half second world, part first and a small part third. No international news in the newspapers. And no international newspapers. So I'm blissfully unaware of wars, financial collapses and all the other things that affect people's lives.

Do send emails. I love to read them tho its not always possible to reply.


All my love to you. Keep well. And escape when you can.

xxx Hilary

Arrived in Christchurch in the South island of New Zealand without my bag. Challenging, as glacier climbing lies ahead. As everyone knows- amazing scenery. Around every corner another John Hinde moment. After three days!!! Bag arrives. Bliss. Note my luxurious backpacker shared bedroom!

Punakaiki National Park en route for Milford Sound and Franz Josef Glacier. Very cold still. Water Mayo temperature or worse.

Milford Sound with a waterfall three times the size of Niagara. Its a vast, incredibly mysterious and beautiful fjord, features like most awesome sites in Lord of the Rings.

Highest rainfall on the whole planet. Rainforest vegetation reaches to the sea in places.

Lake Tekapo for some swimming with dolphins, hundreds of them. And a really good view of a sperm whale.

Then Franz Josef. The glacier is almost at sea level. Its a sort of freak of nature, but we still needed ice pick and cranpons. I felt really professional kitted out.

The colour of the compacted ice and the patterns were etherial and beautiful.

Mount Cook, highest mountain on the South Island and a lovely climb up to lakes with small icebergs floating on the surface. I found some fun walking companions. Sarah and Matt.

Art continues in different forms!!!

The scenery changes all the time. Sometimes, particularly in the north it looks like Mayo.

Then the one activity I had been dreading. Both ross and Erica said it was a must but I was pretty uncertain. Then I thought what else can go wrong? If I can jump out of a plane I can do anything. So I signed up with Steve in Taupo. God was I scared! Sitting on the floor of the plane waiting to jump I simply could not speak.

But It was amazing. Totally beautiful. I recommend it to all. And not scary once you were out.

These are a few images from Varanasi where as in all over India cricket is the game. These guys are playing along the ghats! Also a couple of Dharamsala shots and finally two pics from Bharatpur. This must be the best bird sanctuary in the whole world. It is teeming with migratory waders. The numbers are quite staggering.
The weather is pretty wet and cold here in New Zealand, so I've taken the opportunity to load some pics. It takes ages!!!

Send emails. In the midst of all this travel they are very welcome. For texters my New Zealand number is 02102506327, without the 0 and adding the NZ code.

Love to everyone. xxx Hilary

Before leaving India I headed north to Dharmsala and stayed with my friens Jeevan Kumar and his family in the Himalayan foothills. The scenery was very beautiful and the weather extremely chilly. The Dalai Lama who lives there had rather thoughtlessly gone to Italy the day I arrived, so I made do with other Tibetan lamas who were mostly busy drinking coffee or speaking on their cell phones.

Then Varanasi. What can I say... Burning ghats, Mother Theresa's hospice, The Ganges, millions of people, noise, smells, rickshaws, car horns, street food, colour, beauty and everything Slumdaog Millionaire has to leave out. Enervating, exhausting and wonderful at the same time.

Pictures hopefully to follow.

India Photographs January 2009

India January and Feb. 2009

Abandoned all plans for a regular blog when we arrived at camp in Lalsot, Rajasthan. We are right out in the desert. No shops, no other houses. We have salubrious mud huts, each with its own tap and an uncertain electricity supply. It is seriously back to basics and as the only people living near us are nomads and tribal people living in tents with their camels who live like this all of the time and have done for thousands of years, it really is like moving back into history. h uproariously at me among themselves.

Life is tough, they are seriously poor but seem to cope much better than in the cities. The local farmers grow mustard as a cash crop, it needs little water and also their own vegetables. The women seem to do most of the really hard work, digging, planting and cutting, and even in the fields they wear the most gorgeously coloured saris and look beautiful. Against the monochrome of the desert it is a riot of colour. The men are straight out of the bible, tall, erect and dressed in white dhotis and turbans. Most have fine beards or mustaches. They get to drive tractors and lead camels.

No one speaks English. The Raj is dead and gone or never reached Lalsot. Communication is difficult and its all about pointing and laughing and going with whatever happens. Our work involves painting a mural on the wall of the local school. It was filthy work and hot, but we enjoyed it and felt really pleased with the outcome. We also put on a play about under age marriage. I was the beastly mother who agreed to sell her 11 year old daughter to an ancient old fogey of 35. It was in Hindi!

600 people had climbed in over the school wall to swell the audience. After the play some old women came up to me and through an interpreter told me that this had been their story and they were visibly moved. Since then I have seen wedding parties in which little girl brides are all huddled up looking terrified in their marriage clothes.

It is clearly a man's world here. Women work all day, the men chat and play cards.

Its been a great experience. No sickness or illhealth and a lot of fun.

I know the weather has been dreadful in Ireland and all I can say is next year come and volunteer in India.

Love to you all. Keep well and send me an email from time to time. I should have better internet access in future.

Much love,

Hilary

Here are some pictures from Rajasthan.