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March 5, 2016

Adelaide’s Downton Abbey: Ayer’s House

I have been moving my home and office since I got back from New Zealand, so I am behind on blogging about my trip. I cannot help but notice that all US social media is leaving a little space (after election coverage) to talk about the last episode of Downton Abbey airing on PBS this Sunday evening. The season traditionally ends with a Christmas episode that plays on Christmas Day in England.–obviously delayed in the USA. I bought Season 6 on Google Play so I have already seen the conclusion and I will not spoil it.

It did make me think about Adelaide’s equivalent of Downton Abbey: Ayer’s House.

Growing up in California I can relate to places like Adelaide, South Australia. The sprung up, new fortune, scratch-a-community-out-of-the-bush feeling is one I know well. Whether it is a gold rush or agricultural land rush, the place history is not very old and the challenges of creating a “showplace” home to create status in a brand new community is familiar. When I walked up the circular drive to Ayer’s House in Adelaide it felt like a mansion in Grass Valley of another mining tycoon.

This particular tycoon, Henry Ayers, exaggerated his work experience. He was an office clerk but he claimed other skills so he could get a subsidy to emigrate to Adelaide with his wife Anna. He did well with the Burra Burra mines and ultimately served as the Premiere of South Australia five times between 1863 and 1873. He built a huge house in downtown Adelaide near the Botanic Garden. Even now it is gracious.

The clothes are right for the 1920s Melbourne AND they feel modern.

I went to see it because I saw a flyer on the bookshop window advertising the exhibit of costumes from Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. I have watched all of the episodes on Netflix and the costumes depicting a wealthy feminist detective and her entourage solving mysteries. Sometimes with television I am disappointed with the reality of a set or costume because the camera can fool you. These costumes are the real deal–recreated couture to emulate the roaring 20’s.

I was ready to join the enthusiast crowd of women who sew or craft to go through the exhibit, but first I stopped and spoke with the docent at the front door. It was he who told me about Henry Ayers and why the house is worth a look even when there is not a fashion display in every room.

This mermaid costume was worn by Phryne when she was undercover.

To make it more interesting, the museum staff also created a bit of a whodunit to solve while you walked through the rooms. I did not need anymore entertainment as I was completely enraptured with the clothes themselves. Beautifully made from exquisite fabrics, I enjoyed talking to other women who sew about where they source fabric and how hard it is to find. We all laughed because even though we were from USA and Australia, both of our mothers used to look at a garment in the department store and say the equivalent of “You could make it yourself for less.” Now it is quite the opposite. No one can say they are sewing to be thrifty.

This gives full permission to sew as a creative expression. Many of these garments are impractical and designed and executed as a celebration of beauty.

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The show, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, is based on Australian author Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher book series. I have looked for them in the US and have not found them. The gift shop had a new copy of the first in the series Cocaine Blues. I bought it for my Mom. Then when I found a secondhand bookshop at the Central Market I was able to pick up quite a few more in the series. My Mom read them first and now I am reading them. They are not as complex as say Robert Galbraith’s Cormoran Strike series, but neither do you have to worry about gore or upsetting physical violence. I hope Ms. Greenwood makes her books available electronically in the USA so more people can enjoy them.

If you are interested in fashion that pushes the envelope and is inspiring and beautiful, the check out WOW! The World of Wearable Art dates for 2016 are September 11-October 9 in Wellington, New Zealand. Tickets are available here.

March 3, 2016

Happy World Wildlife Day

I am running out of time to celebrate World Wildlife Day! One of my favorite travel purposes is to view and enjoy wildlife doing their wild thing. (Not that, get your mind out of the gutter!) I especially love penguins. I have made a point of viewing penguins whenever I go to New Zealand and now Australia. Most of the time I was not allowed to take photographs, so I went a little crazy and took hundreds of photos of these Fiordland penguins when I had the chance.

My son Tevis is knocking around Asia for the next 9 weeks and he has discovered a fascination with elephants. I understand this. I could watch elephants all day. I have fond memories from the one time I was able to go on a wildlife safari in South Africa. Here he is experiencing elephants at the Chiang Mai Elephant Nature Park.

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From salmon swimming upstream, to an echidna meandering or a koala sleeping to a giraffe browsing on tree leaves, they all help me get in touch with wonder and add to my already huge appreciation for God’s creation.

What is your favorite animal to watch in the wild?

February 13, 2016February 14, 2016

Wildlife Safari on Kangaroo Island

Such fun! Another friend suggested a I check out Kangaroo Island (KI) if I was going to be in Adelaide. I debated whether or not to spend a day away from the bike race for a wildlife safari. I am glad I did. It was terrific to spend the day relaxing and viewing the strange and wonderful animals of Australia.

If you look really closely you may be able to see dolphins playing in the waves.

Signing up for a day trip to KI makes for a long day! I had a 6:15 pick up at my hotel, then a 2.5 hour bus ride to Cape Jervis. Then we boarded the SeaLink ferry for a short ride to Penneshaw. A guide from Kangaroo Island Odysseys picked me up with a family from Italy. Paolo was guiding me until we caught up with my group. All of the vehicles are top rate. We met up with my guide Nikki and I transferred to a smaller group–just one other American couple in a jeep-like vehicle.

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We had a full morning of viewing kangaroos, dolphins, pelicans, and wedgetail eagles before we stopped at Odysseys special camp for a gourmet lunch. We relaxed for a short while before we went on a bush walk on their private reserve and viewed koalas and found an echidna.

20160122_151825_000 — The echidna is like a punked-out hedgehog. Charming!

Our guide, Nikki, was excellent at taking care of every detail and sharing her enthusiasm for KI. We saw so many species on found in Australia and it was delightful. We also learned the history of the island. As we stood watching the sea lions up close on the beach I realized I could drive 3 hours to the Monterey coast and watch California sea lions. Why wait till a big trip? Why not both?

Nikki Redman is an amazing authority on the flora and fauna of KI. Pointing to a pile of wallaby bones, “Do you know what that is?” No one does. “Wassaby.” 🙂

The tours begin at $415 US and increase depending on size of group. There is also an option to spend the night and includes accommodation. My day was really long because I had the bus ride and ferry (round trip) included in my fee. The couple in my group flew on a small plane from Adelaide so they spent less time in transit (and more money). There may be more affordable ways to see KI, but I am not sure if you drove over (ferry accommodates autos) how much wildlife you would see without a guide.

You can see more photos and learn more about the experiences available on the Kangaroo Island Odysseys Facebook page.

February 10, 2016February 12, 2016

Oh Sweet Adelaide

Adelaide is much like my hometown of Sacramento–similar size and equally flat and easy to navigate by foot or bike. The main thoroughfare is King William Street and the main street for shopping is Rundle Street or Rundle Mall. On arrival I was keen to find a bookstore so I trundled off to Rundle Mall.

Dymock’s Bookstore was delightful. I found the books on the shelf of “What Australians are reading…” to be strangely familiar, so I asked Pam for help finding authors with an Australian voice. Plus my seatmate on the flight from Melbourne had given me two names: Tim Winton and Robert Drewe. Pam gave me MANY options and I chose Salt Creek by a local Adelaide author Lucy Treloar. It was an excellent story following the misfortunes of a family on the Coorang. I also thought it would be a great gift for Adelaide-native Kate Bridgman.

The Botanic Garden is wonderful. It is used by families, friends and lovers as a city park. At the same time it has a wonderful collection of plants and beautifully designed gardens. It is an easy walk from Rundle Mall.

The East End is a particularly fun section of the City. One night I walked there to have dinner at Africola, a restaurant I read about in my pre-trip research. I loved my experience and if I had not eaten so much amazing cauliflower I would have gone to the corner chocolateria and enjoyed more dessert.

I was staying at Hilton Adelaide Hotel on Victoria Square. It was the headquarters of the Tour Down Under and race village. Just across the square (or diamond) is the St Francis Xavier Cathedral and the hotel is adjacent to the Central Market.

I realize that most people focus on Sydney or Melbourne when they visit Australia. Brisbane is the current “it” city. Many people visit Adelaide with a focus on the wine country because the nearby Barossa Valley is on par with Napa Valley as one of the world’s great wine growing regions. South Australia is also an ideal place to take a cycling vacation. Adelaide is worth the time and effort.

February 6, 2016February 5, 2016

3 Reasons to Take to the Great Ocean Road

Several friends, when they heard I was visiting Melbourne, urged me to check out the Great Ocean Road. My usual approach is to rent a car and go it alone. Then I noticed on Trip Advisor that there are a number of tour providers. It appealed to me because to really enjoy a coastal road it is helpful if you do not have to keep your eyes on the road.

The awesome part of being a tour group member in a country where they drive on the left: if you grab the shotgun seat you have a beautiful view of the coastline! This road was developed by boosters of tourism after the Great War and employed mainly returning soldiers, fondly called Diggers for their role in digging the trenches. Even today Australian soldiers are sometimes called diggers.

1. I chose Melbourne Coastal Tours. For a reasonable $130 AUS the company picks you up at your hotel and gives you a full day and then delivers you at a location you request in the central business district (most of our group wanted to be dropped at a restaurant not their hotel). Our tour guide Daryl was excellent and I learned a lot more about Australia’s history and geology than I would have on my own. It is also more fun to explore with other people.

2. We made frequent stops throughout the day. The first stop for bathrooms and morning tea at a small town on a protected ocean inlet was about 1.5 hours in. After that we stopped about every 30 minutes until we were on our way back to Melbourne. It allowed us to see wildlife, rainforest, and coastal beauty and enjoy shopping, a delicious lunch at La Bimba and hiking. It was a full day!

3. The breathtaking beauty is worth the investment of time. Although if you have difficulty climbing steps, your access to the beaches and some of the other stops will be limited.

Melbourne Coastal Tours also does penguin viewing tours of Phillip Island.

February 3, 2016February 2, 2016

Getting to Australia Without Jet Lag

Famous surf beach on Phillip Island is one of many reasons to make the trek to Australia.

Melbourne in Victoria Australia is a terrific destination for a vacation. A lot of people avoid travelling to New Zealand and Australia because they think it is too far to fly. From San Francisco or Los Angeles it is about 12 hours (depending on the wind) to Auckland. For people on the West coast it is equivalent to flying to Europe. I have made the trip over a dozen times now in one direction or another. This time I mentally prepared to continue on to Melbourne–another 4.5 hour flight. (There are direct 14 hour flights from LAX to Melbourne on other airlines.)

On both legs the Air New Zealand plane was their new style with seats in Economy that have these foot rests that if you have control of the entire row you can create a bed. It does not do you much good if you are flying with a bickering married couple from Oak Park, Illinois like I did. I smiled as I imagined the three of us stretching out on “bench.” However, great if traveling with children.

I had done some reading about avoiding jet lag and I tried a few new ideas. First I ate dinner at 7 in the airport (a few slices of wood-fire pizza). I avoided alcohol both pre-flight and en route. I declined the dinner and took a couple of Advil PM. I slept really well–at least 8 hours. Then I ate lightly until I arrived in Melbourne.

I was tired when we landed in Auckland and would have loved a shower. Instead I drank a flat white. I stayed awake all day both to speed getting on the right time zone and because there were penguins to see and friends to enjoy. I slept soundly and I woke up around 3 a.m. The key is to not panic or stress when you awake off schedule. Just as we can go without eating for longer periods than we often think possible–we can function for a few days with less sleep as we adjust.

On the way home I ate a light lunch and then declined a big dinner. I drank some hot tea and ate the cheese and crackers offered. I lucked out and had the row to myself, so I got to try the new “couch” in economy. It works quite well and would have been even more restful if the cabin lighting had not malfunctioned. They could not be dimmed. I still managed to get 4 or 5 hours of sleep. I watched quite a few films–watch The Dressmaker if you can.

I arrived in Sacramento by noon. I stayed up until 8 p.m. It was easy to go to sleep because it was already dark. I slept straight through until my alarm went off. I felt great today.

What do you do to avoid jet lag?

January 30, 2016February 2, 2016

Sports Mad Melbourne

Melbourne Open

I enjoyed my recent visit to Melbourne. I was able to spend a lot of time with locals and what I suspected was confirmed by my tour guide Daryl–Melbourne is sports mad. In a country whose main religion is sport, this is the mecca or the Jerusalem.

They have the premier horse race of the year: the Melbourne Cup. They invented Australian Rules Football and started the national league. They also host the Australian Open tennis tournament. It is as if New York City, Dallas and Kentucky were all rolled into one.

The 2016 tennis tournament began just as I arrived and it concluded last night. There was a big upset. Serena Williams rolled over everyone she played except one. Angelique Kerber played superbly and never lost her courage. Good on her! Serena was very gracious in defeat.

Just a funny story or two to illustrate how sports influence Aussies. We were traveling on the Great Ocean Road and we kept spotting these big black and white birds. Daryl, our tour guide, told us they are magpies. Then he added, “I hate magpies.” I asked why (since I love Sacramento’s yellow-billed magpies). He explained that the Collingwood football team mascot is the magpies and that the fans from Collingwood (a neighborhood in Melbourne) are “quite feral.”

Melbourne has 11 teams just in their city alone and regularly fill the stadiums. But then they only charge about $45 a ticket. The last time I heard of someone going to a San Francisco 49ers football game the seats were $250 each.

Daryl also told us the story behind the saying “Buckley’s chance.” It implies that the odds are long. William Buckley was a convict who unknowingly bought some stolen goods in England for which he was tried and sentenced to deportation to a new penal colony in Melbourne. The land was inhospitable and the penal colony was not surviving. The leader in charge decided to move everyone to what we now know is Tasmania, but he did not explain this to any of the convicts. So Buckley thought he was being shipped back to England. He was not having any of that, so he and two other men jumped overboard and swam ashore. The jailors decided not to go after them since they were unlikely to survive.

The three men made it ashore and scrabbled around trying to find enough to eat for a few weeks. The two other men decided to set off for Sydney and were never heard of again. Buckley was a tall man–6’4″ and he must of been strapping. He continued to make a go of it on his own. Some time later he met his first aboriginal people. They had just lost their elder who was also a really tall man. So at first they thought Buckley, with his very pale skin, was his spirit. It was all sorted eventually and they taught Buckley to survive. I cannot remember now how well he eventually did, just that he lived long enough to be immortalized with the slang, “You don’t have a Buckley’s chance..”

Some might have said that Angelique Kerber did not have a Buckley’s chance. But now you know the story and you know that Buckley’s luck was both bad and good. And that like Buckley, Kerber made the most of her luck and came out on top.

January 24, 2016January 24, 2016

Must See: Tour Down Under

City of Adelaide goes all out to welcome UCI cycling event Santos Tour Down Under and its fans.

When I was following the Tour de France in 2014, the Aussies I met encouraged me to come down for the Tour Down Under. The City of Adelaide really commits to making the Tour Down Under a success. Victoria Square is completely dedicated to the 6 stage race with a festival open to the public (free access) all week. It is right on the streetcar line and just across the street from the Adelaide Hilton, headquarters for the Tour Down Under race management, all of the cycling teams, and many fans.

Signing autographs at BMC booth. — Cadel Evans, Tour de France champion, now retired, is Australia’s most successful cyclist and a huge favorite with fans.

While the race starts and stops all over South Australia, it returns every night to the Victoria Square to turn over bikes to mechanics set up in a main tent. Thus there is a routine for cyclists and fans that makes the race easier to watch (and probably to ride).

Free haircuts for gents in the Village by one of the sponsors. I do not understand: caffeine shampoo by Alpecin.

There is Willunga Hill, but South Australia does not have Alps or big mountains, so the race favors sprinters. It is also a great race for tuning up your legs and fitness as teams enter the new season after 2 months “off”.

Jens Voigt signing autographs and posing for photos with fans at the Trek booth.

This is a UCI sponsored event so it draws the main European teams, but a mixed bag of headliner riders and domestiques. Just as the Tour of California attracts all of the American riders, this race draws all of the Australian cyclists.

View the race from Victoria Square on the big screens.

When I arrived on Thursday, Stage 3 was taking place outside of town. I had to wait to check in so I stowed my bags and headed downtown to find a bookstore. I got distracted and returned to the hotel just in time to watch Simon Gerrans (Orica Greenedge) nip Rohan Dennis (BMC) at the finish line. The bonus points extended Gerran’s lead. He was heading towards his 4th win (nonconsecutive).

I met up with my Tour de France friend from Perth for dinner. He and his cycling club spent the week cycling out to the race course. They were having an absolute ball riding, watching the race and having a few beers. They were not the only bike club, every day the festival area and the race course were awash in Aussie cycling clubs, including Greg’s club the Eaton Dogs from Bunbury, Western Australia.

Cyclists ride to the start of Stage 6. The final stage is 20 circuits through the Adelaides CBD.

The next day I spent about 18 hours going to Kangaroo Island for a wildlife safari. Fortunately I caught the tail end of the highlight television broadcast. Simon Gerrans won his second stage win and solidified his lead.

I was tuckered out from the big day out on Kangaroo Island and thought I would just watch the race and call it a day. So I bought a wood-oven pizza in the village and found a seat to watch the last hour of the Queen Stage on the big screen. Tassie rider Richie Porte (BMC) won the biggest climbing stage for the third straight year. He wrote his name on Willunga Hill–no one could beat him, not even the Columbian climber Sergio Luis Henao winner of the King of the Mountain jersey, could catch him.

The final day was a 20 lap circuit through the central business district. Because it was only 90 km it started at 1:30 instead of 11ish. This allowed me to relax and enjoy some time to read before slathering on the sunscreen and heading out. I checked out the course on King William Street just as the peloton was headed to the start. I realized that while it would be thrilling to find a shady spot on the street, I would only be able to see them go by 20 times and I would not see the finish. I opted for the village again at Victoria Square. The big screen projection screens allowed me to watch the televised version of the race.

Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen announce the race with assists from Robbie McEwan and Jens Voigt. On Australian television they show about 10 minutes of racing and then 10 minutes of advertising. It is a bit frustrating. Still, it was great to see the entire race, including the sprint finish with Caleb Ewan (Orica) beating Mark Renshaw (Dimension Data) by a comfortable margin.

Lots of people rode their bikes to watch the race. Cycling clubs from around Australia made this a club outing for the entire week.

The overall race was won by Simon Gerrans, though this was never in danger. Team Orica controlled the race and Richie Porte, who moved into second place with his win on Willunga Hill, was quoted as saying, “I cannot sprint out of sight on a dark night.”

Adelaide is a smaller city and very walkable. I loved staying at the Hilton, but there are lots of hotels to choose from at different price points. The CBD is a $20 cab ride from the airport. Buy bus tickets to get out to the racecourse, or ride your bike. Or focus on downtown Adelaide like I did and enjoy the village and the rest of the city. There are VIP tickets for better viewing spots with grandstand seating and better access to alcohol. One of the most endearing aspects of the Tour Down Under was the easy access to so much of the race and amenities without having to buy expensive access. I was able to meet Jens Voigt and Cadel Evans at events in the festival village. I could have easily collected signatures by handing out in the mechanics tent.

The weather was sometimes broiling or hot and humid. Yet I would say this was well worth the time and expense to get to Adelaide to see the Tour Down Under. Well done everyone!

Santos Tour Down Under encourages a new generation of cycling fans. — Stage 6 was family day and these kids got their faces painted in the village.

January 22, 2016

5 Awesome Aussie Animals

We arrived just in time to see the “Spirits of the Sky” bird show.

There are more than five awesome Australian animals or birds. The continent broke off from Gondwanaland way before any others so some pretty weird evolution occurred that is unlike anywhere else in the world. I was able to see all 5 at the Healesville Sanctuary outside of Melbourne.

Exhibit A: the Platypus. Sometimes called the duckbilled platypus, but that is redundant. There is not another kind of platypus. This may be my favorite animal in Australia. (All five of these are contenders.) I saw the wee platypus climb out of the water and into her den–alas no photo. I did buy a terrific hand puppet in the gift shop.
The Wombat. It was a hot day and so the wombat was snoozing under a log. They are so darn adorable. There is a photo of one in the newspaper and you just want to give it a squeeze.
Koalas. They have to be on the list, of course. They are fascinating; however, they are also sloth-like and hang out high in trees so there is not as much interaction. And you want to cuddle them until you see their amazing claws.
Surprise: Wedge-tail Eagle. Did not know about them until the Spirit of the Sky show. Wow. They are HUGE. And awesome.
Wedge-Tailed Eagle are magnificent birds.
Surprise: Dingo. Maybe I am missing Lulu and Dozer (dogs at home). We caught the keeper presentation on the dingo and watched her interact with the two in the closest enclosure. I was reminded of my beloved Radar and yet there is that wildness that is also fascinating.

What does not make my top five? The Tasmanian Devil fell out, in part because they are not very bright and can be vicious. The kangaroo because, except for the joeys that are A-Dor-A-Ble, they are kind of like really big rats and as common as deer. The Little Penguin I associate with New Zealand as well.

The Tasmanian Devil is bigger than expected and solid like a badger.

My friend Sandy’s favorite animal is the echidna. I did not see one until I was on Kangaroo Island and I have to admit they deserve adoration–not sure what animal or bird they’d knock out of the top 5. What is your favorite?

January 22, 2016January 21, 2016

The Koala Experience

Koalas in gum tree on Phillip Island The Phillip Island ticket we bought for the Penguin Parade gave us access to the Koala Conservation Centre within 6 months of purchase. We ate a yummy breakfast at Bean’d Eatery in San Remo and then drove across the bridge and to the middle of the island where a grove of gum trees is home to koalas both inside and outside of a sanctuary.

The sanctuary has older, larger koalas sleeping the day away in eucalyptus trees along a raised boardwalk. This allows you to see them a few yards away, and yet give them the respectful distance that a wild animal deserves. The centre is different than a traditional zoo because the design feels more like it is about containing the human visitors than containing the koalas.

Koalas are tree-hugging marsupials: their young is born, climbs into their pouch and nurses for months, then the “joey” climbs out and rides on Mum’s back or front.

All day there was interpretive signage that communicated the threat to many of Australia’s iconic animals. The main extinction threat appears to be loss of habitat. And then, perhaps to limit overpopulation, some koalas have chlamydia, and some Tasmanian Devils develop cancer of the jaw, and so on.

I saw koalas in several more locations and each time the koala was chilling in a tree. Sadly when there is a bush fire of gum trees, it often consumes koalas who do not move fast enough away from an oncoming fire.

The koala looks so soft and cuddly and yet these nocturnal creatures are not. The males especially can make a racket at night.

I am so gladI saw so many different koalas.