Green Around the Globe » Personal Travel Updates

Finding a Home on Wheels

Keith — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:00:11 +0000

The Anticipation
After 8 months of being on someone else’s schedule to get around, whether it was a bus, train, boat, tuk-tuk or even the occasional airplane, I was looking forward to the freedom of driving when we got to Australia. Open roads, stopping at roadside stands for fresh fruit and vegetables, being in control of the air conditioning: it all sounded fantastic. To live the dream we decided that a campervan made the most sense, as we wanted to cover quite a bit of ground from Cairns to Sydney while seeing many sights along the Eastern Coast. In addition to the freedom of being on your own schedule, having a camper is great because you are covering your lodging and transport with one cost. And in a country like Australia where a private double room in a hostel can cost upwards of $52/night, a camper can be quite a cost saver.

The one reservation that Amy and I had about many of the initial companies we looked into was the size of the campers and varied reports from other travelers on the quality once they picked them up. As you can see below, the “campers” from companies like Wicked are really just converted old mini vans. Being crammed into one of these for a couple weeks made us both a little nervous, even if the paint jobs are creative.

Finding the Right Company
We were fortunate enough to find out about KEA Campers while we were in Beijing. KEA operates in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The best part was they have a serious commitment to the environment as all of their campers have solar panels on the roofs that charge the electrical system when it is not plugged in at a campground. In addition, they operate a new and very fuel-efficient fleet of campers. Our 2-person model was a converted Ford Transit van. The best part of this vehicle was that while it was small enough to drive comfortably, the living area was tall enough to be able to stand up and walk around in. And by looking around KEA’s website we were able to get our camper on a “fleet relocation” special which reduced the daily rate from $120 AUS to $80 AUS (~$75 USD) per day. The pickup process in Cairns was pretty easy once we arrived at the depot, which is quite a walk from town. The van came equipped with nearly everything we would need from maps, a coffee press and even dish soap. Many of the other camper companies will not include even necessities such as pots and pans in the stated price, making you pay extra for them.

The Drive
I found the camper was easy and comfortable to drive. One thing to note is that KEA’s entire fleet is manual transmission. I found the driving to be quite easy, even if as the driver I was on the right side of the cab, driving on the left side of the road and having to shift with my left hand. I think I only stalled out twice…the first day. Since the camper was a manual transmission diesel it got much better mileage than other campers. Mileage is another consideration when renting a camper. While some of the campervans may have much cheaper per day costs, if they are older they could get much worse gas mileage than a new, more comfortable van such as a KEA. Fuel costs are likely to be your second biggest cost when renting a camper so be sure you are aware of gas mileage the vehicle will likely get and build that cost into your budget.

Bringing it Back
Due to our change in plans, we had to get to Sydney a week earlier than expected. When I called KEA to explain the situation they could not have been more accommodating. Not only did they take the camper back early, they refunded us for the days we did not use – in full! The check in process in Sydney was quite easy. After pulling in and doing a quick inspection of the van, the agent took us inside to process the paperwork and refund our insurance excess deposit of $7,500AUS – which because of the strengthening Australian dollar, made us a profit of nearly $500 USD. This is another thing to note about KEA. If you do not pay for the extra insurance they will charge your credit card $7,500AUS. That money is refunded when the van is returned in the same condition it was rented in. However, if your credit card company charges international transaction fees or the Australian dollar changes in relative value your refund will not match your deposit. For us it worked in our favor but it could have been the opposite.

All in all I was very happy with our experience with KEA. And while they are not the lowest cost company, their campers are very high quality and they have a clear commitment to limiting their impact on the environment. When Amy and I make it to New Zealand we will be sure to get our camper from KEA.

Meet Barney

Amy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:55:28 +0000

Meet our newest friend, Barney the Koala.

Barney is cute and cuddly.

Barney has his own Facebook page with lots of friends.More than we have for this blog in fact (hint hint…we would appreciate your fan love here!).

Barney also has a thing for the ladies and groping whatever he can get his claws on. But we love him despite his lecherous ways.

Want to get felt up by hold the cutest Koala in Queensland? Barney lives in Bungalow Bay Koala Village on Magnetic Island, Queensland. For a reasonable fee, you can tour the wildlife preserve and hold Barney or one of his pals along with a python, cockatoo and various other creatures unique to Australia.

Australianisms

Amy — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:25:47 +0000

After eight months on the road, we both let out a subtle sigh of relief upon landing in our first English speaking country. How nice, we thought, to have conversations more complex than the requisite Where are you from? Where are you going? What am I eating? exchange. We’d be able to read street signs and advertisements. Ask for directions when lost without having to engage in complicated hand rituals. Read labels on items at the grocery store.

For the first few days, our excitement was transformed into delight as our ears were suddenly immersed in the familiar. We could pick up bits of interesting conversation at the coffee shop, listen to the radio news reports and easily navigate our way around.

But then slowly, words that seemed familiar but not quite comprehendible began creeping up around us.

GFC?
Cracker?
Esky?

While Australia sounds like an English speaking country, and technically it is an English speaking country, to our American ears, it’s not quite the English that we were used to. Australians abbreviate EVERYTHING. I’m not sure how they evolved to be the most linguistically lazy people on the planet, but it seems that nothing and no one in Australia is called by its/their full name. The GFC that we kept hearing about on television ads against the newly proposed mining tax? That would be the Global Financial Crisis, Australians’ catch phrase for the worldwide economic recession. A tour guide named Shazza? Her birth certificate says Sharon but no one has ever called her by her given name. Not even her mother.

So here for your amusement (or in case you ever find yourself struggling to understand what an Aussie is saying to you) are a few of our favorite Australian words and phrases, translated for your American English ears:

How ya’ going? = How are you?
Love/Mate = Mr./Mrs.
Bikkie = biscuit = cookie
Iced Coffee = ice cream coffee float
Reckon = I guess
GFC = Global Financial Crisis
Capsicum = bell pepper
Beautiful (adjective applied to food) = delicious or good
Footie = Australian Rules Football
Cracker = great, wonderful, fantastic
Esky = cooler
Joey = baby kangaroo
Rego = car registration
Ute = utility truck. Sort of like a 1970s low rider pick up.
Zebra Crossing = pedestrian crossing
Mozzie = mosquito

What are your favorite Australianisms (or other isms from the many English speaking countries around the world)? Share in the comments below.

Finding balance between Scuba & Snorkeling

Keith — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:26:07 +0000

Since getting my PADI scuba certification back in November when we were in Dahab, Egypt, I had completed 21 dives before arriving in Cairns, Australia in June. I was fortunate to dive on beautiful reefs in many countries during those 7 months, including: Thailand, Vietnam, Bali and the Gili Islands. However, due to her many ear infections when she was little, Amy is relegated to snorkeling while I scuba dive. Sometimes, like in the Red Sea, this arrangement worked out great. There was good visibility, calm seas, and plenty of shallow coral and fish for Amy to see snorkeling while I dove. Other times, like in Thailand off of Koh Tao, the sea was rough, currents were strong, visibility was low and most of the reefs were 10 meters (33 feet) or deeper. These conditions make finding trips that work for both of us more difficult.

While doing my research on day trips to see the Great Barrier Reef I was looking for a company that would be able to provide a great experience for both of us. After looking into numerous options, I am very happy we went with Ocean Free. The boat was an excellent choice. The small group and beautiful sailboat provided a relaxing and luxurious first experience for both of us out to the Great Barrier Reef. The trip to Green Island from Cairns got under way at 8am and we were offered fresh coffee and muffins as soon as we stepped on board. As we motored out of the harbor I was introduced to my dive instructor and Amy met her fellow snorkelers. The 14-person group on the boat that day was about 2/3 snorkelers and 1/3 divers.

Once we arrived to the anchorage point off Green Island I went on one of two dives for the day. While the reef was not the most spectacular I had seen (that title remains with the Red Sea) it was colorful with lots of marine life. And after the dive I was able to drop my scuba equipment on the boat and jump in to snorkel with Amy before lunch and snap these pictures.

After a delicious lunch on board the boat, the captain ran us over to Green Island in the dingy so that we could take an hour and walk on the nearly deserted beautiful white sand beaches. We finished the afternoon with another snorkel and dive before starting the trip back to Cairns.

Perhaps the best part of the trip with Ocean Free was the sail back. Since the wind was with us we were able to hoist the sails, kill the engine and peacefully cut through the small waves rolling across the blue water of the Coral Sea. All the while being offered wine, cheese and fruit as we chatted and lounged with our fellow tourists with the sun sinking ever lower on the horizon.

My decision to go on the Ocean Free was reinforced the next day when I went alone on a high speed catamaran for three additional dives. While the diving was great, the location was not ideal for snorkeling. Many of the best sea life and coral was too deep for the 60 or so snorkelers that made up the majority of the nearly 100 people on board this much larger boat. And while the high speed, larger boats offer divers a better chance to see sections of the reef that are further from Cairns, the Ocean Free was a trip we both could enjoy.

Change of Plans

Amy — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:42:04 +0000

Amy and Lewis

In case you did not see it on Facebook, we are back in the States. While in Australia, we received the news that my stepfather, Lewis, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Two weeks later we were on a 27-hour plane ride from Sydney to New York and the next day we caught a flight visit Lewis in Charlotte, North Carolina. For now, we’re bouncing between family and friends while we figure out our next move. We still have stories to tell from our three weeks in Australia, so stayed tuned for tales of catching our first waves, wining and dining our way through the Hunter Valley and cheering on Australia’s Union rugby team.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame…Japanese Style

Amy — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:49:41 +0000

“Take me out to the ballgame…

I am not a sports girl. But ever since I read this article about baseball in Japan I have been obsessed with seeing a game firsthand. With tickets in hand thanks to JapanBall, I got my chance to watch the Seibu Lions battle it out with the Yakult Swallows.

Getting to Seibu Stadium, however, was a little bit of a journey. Unfortunately we were staying on the opposite side of Tokyo, so it took two subway lines and two commuter trains to reach the game. The beauty, however, of the Tokyo trains is that they are fast and almost always on schedule, and the station is just meters away from the stadium entrance.

We arrived at the domed stadium just in time for the singing of the national anthem and opening pitch, finding our seats along the first base line close to home plate.

Take me out with the crowd…

The crowd was a mix of men in business suits, kids in t-shirts and fans of all ages in their favorite team’s gear. While far from a sell out, the enthusiasm radiating from the stands was palpable. A cacophony of cheers and clapping surrounded us, interspersed with moments of intense umbrella waving. Yes, you read that correctly, umbrella waving. I’m not sure how pastel plastic umbrellas became the foam finger of Swallow fans, but there you have it.

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack…

I know this is totally un-American, but we snacked on neither peanuts nor Cracker Jack. But we did have hotdogs. And soba noodles. Between the French fries and chicken tenders, we also could have indulged in sushi, tempura and other Japanese culinary delights, but we had to make sure to save room for the beer.

Beer delivered to our seats.

By cheerful girls in pigtails.

With kegs strapped to their backs.

Keith’s never really been a huge baseball fan, but I think he may have found his new favorite sport.

I don’t care if I never get back…

We did get back to our teeny-tiny bunk bed room in Tokyo, but really, there’s not much else to say about the ride home.

Let me root, root, root for the home team, if they don’t win it’s a shame…

In the US, when the crowds get really riled up, say, in the bottom of the ninth with a tie score, you might get a “Let’s go!” chant going in the upper decks. If the crowd is really, really into it, you might even get a wave. But here in Japan, all it takes is a new player up at bat and the cheap seats go crazy. I’m talking jumping up out of their seats waving Canadian flags while singing at the top of their lungs crazy. In fact, each player has a unique cheer that doesn’t end until that player either strikes out or gets a hit. Foreign players get their home country’s flag in the air while Japanese players get signs that are, well, in Japanese. No one in the outfield seats sits when their team is at the plate.

Oh, and the home team did win. In the bottom of the ninth the Seibu Lions hit the winning run, making for a very exciting game.

For it’s one, two three strikes you’re out at the old ball game!”

Great game. Delicious food. And grown Japanese men jumping around like three year olds with pixie sticks. What more could we ask for?

Glorious Japanese Fish

Keith — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:31:22 +0000

As noted by Kristin in the comments of my Cuisine of Japan post, I made no mention of the glorious sushi found throughout Japan. That’s because the sushi of Japan could not be simply lumped into a roundup cuisine post, with fish this amazing it demands a dedicated post.

The Tsukiji Market
This is the undisputed biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world, and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind. It is the source for most of Tokyo’s amazing sushi and for those reasons I was really looking forward to visiting. So much so that I excitedly set the alarm for 4:30am to ensure we caught the very first train to the Tsukijishijō Station at 5:12am. However, even this effort was not enough to secure one of the 140 tourist spots to witness the famous tuna auction on the official tour. Not being so easily defeated, I was able to strategically position myself outside one of the massive garage doors that opened into the tuna area. From the picture below you can see that I was able to get a much better and unobstructed view of the action than the tourists on the official tour. They are the ones in the green jackets roped off and fighting with each other for a view and a quick snapshot over my left shoulder.

After seeing the tuna auction, which ends by 7 am, we wandered around the inner market looking at all the other great fish and seafood on offer. Watching the precision carving of a massive tuna with a 3 foot knife was amazing. Not a bit of the expensive meat was left on the bones. The market itself is huge and we spent a good hour wandering around and taking in all the sights and sounds. Oddly different from any other fish market we visited, and even the fish vendors at Reading Terminal Market back in Philadelphia, there was no fishy smell to speak of. This is a result of the extensive daily cleaning the market gets everyday at 1pm once it closes.

Sushi Breakfast
The best end to a visit to Tsukiji is a sushi breakfast at one of the many restaurants ringing the market. Amy and I decided on a small one just to the east of the market. The only seats were at the counter and there were 4 options for sushi sets: good, better, best and really expensive. Amy went with “good” and I decided that “best” was the way to go. The fatty tuna was silky, the rice firm and my first taste of raw prawn was quite good. I would not recommend raw prawn outside of Japan but I thought it has to be better than my sister Kristin’s experience, when she mistakenly ordered raw chicken. Thankfully there was no raw chicken on my gorgeous breakfast banana leaf. I savored each bite and lamented that what I previously thought was good sushi at home was never going to measure up to this.

Logistics

Tuna Auction: if you really want to go on the official tour of the auction you need to spring for a taxi. The trains do not start running early enough to ensure you get there in time to get one of the 140 tourist spots. Also be sure the taxi takes you to the office where the tickets are distributed on Harumi Street, northeast of the actual tuna market.
Photos: taking pictures in the fish market is tough. It is early in the morning, the light is very low and the distance from you to the tuna is 20-30 meters at best. The key is to ensure you have a camera with a high ISO setting (>1600) and if it is an SLR you have a zoom lens with a wide aperture while at 200-300mm. I used a Tamron 70-300 1:4-5.6.

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Update June 27, 2010:
This morning after reading the New York Times Magazine cover story on the destruction of the wild blue fin tuna stocks in the worlds oceans I felt compelled to link to the article as a way to help inform others. Before reading this well written and informative article I was not aware of the perile that these wonderful, if tasty, fish are in. I will no longer be able to order tuna sushi in good conscious and I would suggest that if you enjoy tuna that you read the article to see if it changes your mind. If Japanese sashimi was my last, I am glad for it.

Cuisine of Japan

Keith — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 06:52:44 +0000

Okonomiyaki. It is a fun word to say, go ahead and try it, o-ko-no-mi-yaki. It just rolls off the lips and tongue. If saying it is fun, eating it, be it Hiroshima or Osaka style, is a texture and taste experience not to be missed when in Japan. Okonomiyaki was just the beginning of our 15 days tasting and eating our way around Japan.

Our journey was filled with culinary exploration and rewards at every turn. Using dollars as a metric for what we valued, when we look back at our budget for Japan it is clear that we voted for the amazing food. We exceeded our average daily budget for food of $45 by 80%, while still being slightly under budget for the country as a whole. We both have zero regrets about a single dollar we spent on all of the delicious food. Below are some of our favorites. If we missed your favorite, please leave it in the comments.

The Great Okonomiyaki Debate

Hiroshima or Osaka style? This is the question that needs answering when consuming okonomiyaki. Both styles start with the same basic ingredients: cabbage, rice pancake batter, and egg. And while Hiroshima style also includes noodles, it is really the assembly process that distinguishes the two. Hiroshima style okonomiyake has a much more complex and regimented approach to its layered construction. At the Full Focus center in Hiroshima, which has an entire floor dedicated to okonomiyaki restaurants, we sat at a bar and watched the process unfold before our eyes. The chefs layer the ingredients one at a time to carefully build a crunchy and cheesy delicious creation.

Our experience in Osaka was much different with the ingredients arriving mixed together in a bowl. The chef then poured the mixture out onto the hot griddle to let it cook while periodically reiterating through hand gestures that it was not yet ready to eat. I guess he expected us to dig in with our chopsticks as soon as he turned his back. And while I appreciate the simplicity of Osaka style, and its delicious combination of sweet sauce and mayonnaise, I remain a loyal Hiroshima style fan. There are after all no short cuts to create the great tastes and textures that come from the effort that goes into creating a layered Hiroshima okonomiyaki.

Donuts

While not the first thing to come to mind in a discussion of Japanese cuisine, we found that despite a couple of other dessert failures (green tea ice cream was gross), the donuts were consistent winners. From the cinnamon donuts we bought in a Kyoto subway station to the delicious whipped cream and brown sugar topped delight below that we discovered by joining a long line of teenagers outside a stand at the Nishiki Food Market, the donuts did not disappoint. The second lesson we learned here is that a long line of Japanese teenagers outside any food stand often leads to delicious discoveries!

Attention to the Details

The Japanese take presentation of their food to a whole new level. For anyone that has read Linchpin by Seth Godin, the Japanese bring their “art” to work everyday in many wonderful ways. If you have not read the book I highly recommend it, but the result of this effort towards every small detail is that you will constantly be delighted. The perfect example of this is the omelet I ordered for breakfast one morning from a small hole-in-the-wall place in Tokyo. The owner/chef used the ketchup to wish me a great day, and as a result was sure to bring a smile to my face and more importantly bring us back in the next morning.

We found this same amazing effort all over Japan, including the McDonald’s in the Hiroshima train station. Imagine this experience at a McDonald’s at home: our order of hash browns is delayed, so we take a seat at a table. Minutes later the cashier brings our hash browns to the table and apologizes for the delay. He then wishes us a great morning and safe travels. What a change from what we can expect when we return to the States! At the 30^th Street Station McDonald’s in Philadelphia I am glad when I get what I ordered the first time around, much less a polite good morning and a wish for safe travels.

The Best Beef

No discussion of Japanese cuisine would be complete without mention of one of Japan’s most famous and expensive exports, Kobe beef. With our JR train passes in hand, we spent our last afternoon in Japan by taking a quick side trip to Kobe. Only a 25-minute train ride from Osaka, I had to try genuine Kobe beef in Kobe. Despite the price tag of $55 per person for lunch, it was well worth it. The beef had extensive fine marbling that made for a tender and flavorful steak when prepared by our own personal chef. In addition to the beef we also had seasonal vegetables that were grilled in the rendered fat of the steak (yum!), seafood bisque, salad, coffee, green tea and grapefruit sorbet for dessert. It was an excellent end to our Japanese eating adventures.

Also be sure to check out our favorite pictures from Japan here.