The Māori word for this place is turangawaewae, which means place where I stand, and its majestic, near-perfect peak gazes down at you wherever you go. The geographic and spiritual heart of this slice of heaven is the eponymous (and dormant) volcano. Can you name it?
We're talking about Mount Taranaki, of course, and our last trip here was so incredible, we’re making a return visit. The Kiwis of Taranaki are incredibly proud of their homeland and love living in the lush region. It's a place that boasts a mild climate, plenty of sunshine and abundant rainfall—making it luxuriously green. The surf’s up here, too. Outdoor adventurists from all over the world head to Taranaki to ski or board, then ride the classic waves along Surf Highway 45. As a matter of fact, Taranaki is one of the few places on earth where you can ski in the morning and surf in the afternoon.
The town of New Plymouth (the capital of the region) lies about halfway between Auckland and Wellington—a drive of about 4.5 hours either direction—on the West Coast of the North Island, and the town’s stunning landscape stretches from the Tasman Sea to Mount Taranaki. The city was named the Best Place to Live in New Zealand by North & South Magazine. Edged by a 6.2 mile/10 km-long coastal walkway that features the iconic Wind Wand sculpture by Len Lye and the brea
thtaking Te Rewa Rewa Bridge (which recently scooped the international footbridge award), Kiwis cycle, walk, run and skate beside the Tasman Sea here every day of the year.
There's a saying that if you live in New Plymouth and are more than 10 minutes' drive from the city center, then you must be living in the country. In fact, Taranaki’s regional development trust has been running a highly visual campaign encouraging people to ditch the gridlocks of the big cities and make Taranaki their home—“this amazing part of the world offers everything you need for a lifestyle like no other—great jobs, an amazing environment and a life you'll love."
Up for some fishing and food? New Zealand's W
est Coast is also a whitebait wonderland and few Kiwi customs capture the spirit more than whitebait season. The three-month whitebait season brings campervans and caravans carrying men and women, young and old, to scour the river banks for slithers of the silver-tinged fish. Whitebait fishermen won’t reveal their techniques and there are no tall fish tales here: these folks generally deny their catch. Restaurants and eateries present special whitebait dishes, but the traditional New Zealand dish is whitebait fritter, known for being deliciously sumptuous.
Another famous Kiwi treat (usually enjoyed along with their morning “cuppa”) is the cheese scone. And the cheesy little town of Eltham—the cradle of Taranaki dairy production and a key player in New Zealand’s modern cheese industry—makes a “beaut” scone. Baked to perfection at the Four Square supermarket, honors for the world's biggest cheese scone were given to none other than Eltham's own. We suggest you try a smaller version, and our guess is your first bite will have you sighing with pleasure and saying "sweet as"...
Photo credit: Whitebait fritter, backpacking_matt (via Flickr) All Rights Reserved
Tasmania. Mountain bikers have kept quiet about the outstanding trails here, but on an island crawling with outdoor adventurers a secret like this is tough to keep quiet.
The characteristic dolerite columns so prized by rock-climbers and rapellers (abseilers) are especially dramatic here. Wildflowers abound in summer, and despite the stony plateaus there are also dense forests and moorlands that make most of us think of, say, Scotland. Mention Tasmania and most people think of skiing. Yet Ben Lomond National Park, which encompasses the Mountain Range of the same name, offers a challenge for anyone who loves pedal power. It’s called Jacob’s Ladder.
Aptly named after the ladder to heaven described in the Book of Genesis, this steep and narrow zigzag road ascends to heaven, or at least 5148 feet/1570 meters in the air. The hairpin bends of the road and the sweeping views also make it a biker's heaven on earth. Jacob’s Ladder also happens to be the final section of the ascent to Ben Lomond—the only route to the ski fields.
Riders start near the summit then cruise down sweeping fire-trail switchbacks before hitting the main trail down.
One devotee, Andrew Harris, describes the ride this way: “Fist-sized rocks, lung busting ascents and hope-and-pray descents combine with vast vistas and temperamental weather for an unprecedented outdoor experience.” Once you’ve descended Jacob’s Ladder, there are some tough secondary access trails and sculpted single-tracks that are worth the trip, too.
This spectacular ride is less than an hour from Launceston, Tasmania’s second largest town with—not coincidentally—one of the highest per-capita densities of bike shops in Australia. Buy or “hire” a bike at Mountain Bike Tasmania (MBT) where a guide can tailor any ride to your skill level. Dirt fiends here also recommend Kate Reed Nature Recreation Reserve. Wedged between the Midland and Bass highways, there’s no set route to follow, but it’s difficult to get lost; just go where you please along the trails and fire roads.
When you’re biking (or driving or skiing) here, gear should be windproof and rainproof—the weather can change rapidly in any season. In fact, pedaling in the snow is a common sight and chains are required on vehicles. One resolute rider says, “I enjoy the cool weather: it’s easier to see the incredible views if you’re not drowning in sweat!”
Rapha Performance Roadwear recently released a short film of a bike journey across Tasmania called Van Diemen's Land (the name Europeans originally used for Tasmania). Filmed with a cast of local riders over three days, it showcases the breathtaking countryside and amazing cycling roads the Apple Isle (yet another nickname for Tasmania) has to offer. For the full effect, take a journey down Jacob’s Ladder now with a rider who filmed the trip wearing IMGing HD 720 Video Camera Sunglasses. Hint: don’t eat lunch first.
Photo credit (top right): Retired Aussies
Meet the parrot that’s as smart as a monkey: New Zealand’s own kea. Dubbed the Clown of the Alps, this bird is heralded as the world’s most intelligent bird. It’s also heralded as the cheekiest. A permanent resident of New Zealand’s mountains (and the world's only alpine parrot), the kea is one of the few large birds in the Land of the Long White Cloud that hasn’t forgotten how to fly. Catch a glimpse of a kea in flight and you won’t forget it, either: the bird transforms from sleek olive-green to brilliant flashes of bright orange, scarlet and yellow.
Insatiably curious, charismatic, and mischievous, keas are also hardy; they can tolerate a range of temperatures, and they thrive on everything from berries, leaves, fruits, and nectar to insects, roots, and carrion (yes, dead animals). They’ve also been known to scavenge for food in human trash receptacles. In fact, keas are famous
(or infamous) on South Island ski fields and tramping tracks where they’re often described as bold, reckless and often downright destructive
Keas tend to loiter around alpine picnic sites and car parks partly because it’s an easy source of junk food—and partly because it’s where they can get up to the most mischief. Young keas, in particular, are natural sleuths; they're curious and will take a crack at any new plaything. Residents and tourists alike tell tales of the notorious birds hanging out on the roof and "bonnet" (hood) of their cars. Keas will tug and pull at the “aerial” (antenna), attempt to peel off rubber door seals and chew through wiper blades (did we mention keas are particularly fond of rubber?). Keas have even been known to rummage in people’s bags!
In 2009—in what has to be one o
f the world’s most unusual theft stories—a British tourist had his passport stolen by a kea! The traveler’s passport was stored in a brightly-colored bag in the luggage compartment of a bus heading to Milford Sound in the Fiordland region of New Zealand. The kea struck when the bus stopped and the driver was busy in the luggage compartment; when the driver turned around the startled kea flew away with the passport. "The thief was described as 1-ft high with feathers and a rather mischievous disposition," reported the UK Daily Mail. "The bird was last seen heading into thick forest and the British passport's owner doesn't expect to get it back." The tourist said, "My passport is somewhere out there in Fiordland. The kea's probably using it for fraudulent claims or something.”
Alas, insatiable curiosity—and a love for high-fat food—very nearly killed the kea off. It’s now a protected species, but because the kea was spotted attacking the occasional live sheep some years ago, it was dubbed a killer and tens of thousands were killed for a bounty that was put on the little green heads.
Inarguably, humans play a significant role in the population of kea birds. Now listed as a nationally endangered species, the status of the wild kea population remains unclear though estimates put birds in the wild somewhere between 1,000 and 5,000. Author Douglas Adams once said that wildlife of New Zealand can be divided into three main categories: endangered, odd, and sheep! Indeed, there are 10 times as many sheep as people. Thanks to tremendous conservation efforts by the Kiwis we look forward to the day we can say the same about the kea.
We've come to adore the notorious parrot—despite recent headlines that referred to a newborn chick named Nelson as the “ugliest bird in the world.” He may be looks-challenged now, but he'll eventually blossom into one beautiful bird. You can enjoy kea antics all over YouTube. We also recommend this fascinating documentary about the kea. Or enjoy some coffee with your keas at Arthur's Pass in New Zealand right now:
Photo credits - Top upper left: Craig Nash (via the Kea Conservation Trust) - Upper right: Summit of Avalanche Peak by JLKY (via Flickr) All Rights Reserved - Bottom right: Kea Landing by Ian McHenry (via Flickr) All Rights Reserved.
Ah, yabbies. These lovely freshwater crustaceans (you might call them crawfish or mudbugs) are as much a part of Australian culture as the didjeridu and the akubra. Derived from the Webma Aboriginal word “yabij”, yabbies have a lobster-like flavor that's uniquely delicious.
The humble art of “yabbying” - or hunting yabbies - is also a long-standing pastime. Hunting (which is really just a game of coaxing the critters out) harkens back to ancient times and usually entails sitting on the edge of a dam (pond) with a small piece of rotten meat tied to the end of string. Some of the yabbies caught might make it home, but most are boiled right then and there in a tin over a campfire.
Generations of Aussies reflect on childhood memories of tramping through creek beds, turning logs and rocks over, and digging tunnels with sticks in pursuit of yabbies. Good yabbying is conducted in bare feet so getting nipped on the toes (and fingers) is likely. Real yabbiers claim they dive into creeks and catch them with their teeth! Others prefer the “pumpin’ yabbies” method, which you can learn right here.
Yabbies can be found in water holes, ponds, swamps, creeks and (of course) billabongs all over Australia. You'll even find yabbies far inland in Narembeen, Western Australia - thanks to a farmer who brought some in from Victoria and gave the yabbies a home in his farm dams. It was a long shot, but they not only survived, they thrived on the muddy water and warm water temperature. Now people who live hundreds of kilometers from the coast can enjoy the novelty of catching their own seafood.
Haven't discovered the delights of yabbies yet? The delicate, sweet flavor and firm texture has earned lavish praise from foodies, chefs and yabbie fans everywhere. While you’re in Oz, treat yourself to a local farm stay and have yabbies around the campfire. Or hunt them yourself with a string and rotten meat. Or if dangling dead carcass isn’t your thing, snatch some up at a local fish market. Or buy some online at Southern Yabby Farms.
Just like Bubba Gump’s beloved "fruit of the sea” - the almighty shrimp - you can prepare yabbies in a myriad of ways including barbecue, boil, broil, bake and sauté. That’s right, there’s yabby kebabs, yabby Creole, yabby gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple yabby and lemon yabby, coconut yabby, pepper yabby, yabby soup, yabby stew, yabby salad, yabby and potatoes, yabby burger, yabby sandwich...and Jimmy Watson’s squid ink lasagna with red claw yabbies...and that's about it.
It’s spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, a time of new life and rebirth. Our friends down under are enjoying
early autumn, so with temperatures dipping it’s a great time to be outside. Easter weekend is a big one in Australia and New Zealand. Good Friday is a day off. Plus, major holidays that fall on weekends are "Mondayized" - which means it's a four-day weekend for Kiwis and Aussies. Their celebrations are much like those we enjoy here. And like most religious holidays, Easter down under has pagan roots: rabbits and eggs symbolize fertility; marshmallow chicks and jelly beans symbolize...shameless commercialism?
There's also chocolate. In Australia, you get a choice of bunnies or bilbies. Yes, bilbies - rather adorable, but endangered marsupials (they look like long-eared rats and sometimes resemble Yoda from Star Wars). Bilby populations have been decimated by dingoes, foxes, and feral cats. Rabbits have taken over many of their food sources and burrows, too, so about a decade ago, environmentalists campaigned to replace the chocolate bunny with the bilby. Australia’s candy manufacturers - like Haigh's and Darrell Lea - created bilby confections to rival traditional bunnies and eggs, and for a while it was game on with bilbies versus bunnies for sales dollars. The drive even earned some profits for the Save the Bilby Fund, which reports bilby numbers are up. A National Bilby Day is now on the calendar every September, too.
About those rascally rabbits: if you worship the quaint old tradition of the Easter Bunny there’s a New Zealand tradition you’ll want to skip - The Great Easter Bunny Hunt (be vewwy, vewwy quiet). While most people hunt for Easter eggs, New Zealanders stalk, shoot and kill bunnies dead for 24 straight hours. Why? These fast-breeding creatures are far, far too plenteous in Aotearoa. They’re pests. They’re eating and destroying plants and pastures. Last year, close to 25,000,000 bunnies were taken out on the South Island alone. If you’re still not up to shooting bunnies, then possums, and ferrets are considered fair game, too.
Music and outdoor entertainment are a highlight of the season, too. In New Zealand, the Coca-Cola Easter Show is in its 169th year. The event attracts over 80,000 people and offers everything from fair and fresh harvest-time food, to sheep shearing contests, to extreme rides —what else would you expect from a country of adrenaline junkies?
The Sydney Royal Easter Show is the largest annual event in Australia. Celebrating everything from bush heritage to city life, it runs for two weeks and includes a rodeo. Music lovers head to Byron Bay for Bluesfest - Australia's premiere blues and roots festival. Headliners this year include Cold Chisel and John Fogerty performing the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Finally, Tasmania pulls out the stops for the Australian Three Peaks Race, a non-stop, four-day offshore/onshore, sailing/mountain-running endurance race around Tasmania’s east coast and interior mountain ranges. Teams of two runners leave their yachts at three points along the coast for a 82.6 mile/133-kilometer run. En route, the running members of each team have to scale Mt. Strzelecki, Mt. Freycinet and Mt. Wellington. We assume the contenders won't eat too many chocolate bilbies before they race.
Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of the boab tree. With its bulbous trunk and spider web-like branches, boab trees are a dark an otherworldly sight. Also called bottle trees, Aussies simply refer to them as “boabs” and you’ll see a lot of these gnarled beasts Down Under.
So how did the boab get to Australia? There are two theories. One says the seeds floated there from Africa; the other suggests boab trees may well have survived 65 million years since ancient Gondwana—when Africa and Australia were one continent.
A species once found only in the Republic of Madagascar and Africa, boabs somehow made their way to Oz—to the Kimberley region of Western Australia and the Victoria River area of the Northern Territory. Although they grow just 15 meters/50 feet (not exceptionally tall compared to some trees), boabs live mostly among low-growing bush plants, so in their habitat they are behemoths. Boabs are a very slow growing tree, too, yet some trees are about 1500 years old. That means boabs are among the oldest living things on earth.
A mature b
oab is truly a sight to behold. Its voluminous trunk often grows with two or three intertwined. No two of these conspicuous trees are alike, either. Indigenous Aboriginal people have used the giants as landmarks and meeting places for centuries; they've also used boabs for shelter, food and medicine, while white settlers used the boabs as impromptu prison cells. Yes, with its immense hollow trunk, the tree made for a convenient police lock-up. The now-famous Prison Boab outside of Derby is a popular tourist spot.
Speaking of lock-ups, don't mess with boabs in the wild—they're a protected species and you're not allowed to gather even the seeds. However, the trees are now grown commercially in Kimberley, where the boab is an icon. Sold as a gourmet food, the nuts and leaves don’t get all the attention, it’s the roots that are fodder for foodies (although we hear the young leaves make a nice salad). Visitors should try Paddy's Market in Kununurra on Saturday mornings during the dry season (April to September), where growers offer free "tasters" and sell all kinds of boab delicacies. Then there's Peter Fox and Denise Hales of Boabs in the Kimberley, who wrote a recipe book and sell boab products. They even the sell 
the trees! Sadly, they don't export to the U.S. (we're waiting for one of our locum doctors to bring some pickled boab or dark chocolate boab fudge back). Thanks to the world wide web, you can do a little boab shopping now.
On the sunny southern shores of a crystal-clear lake that laps at the feet of Mount Aspiring sits a tiny town (population 5,000) called Wanaka. Surrounded by the Crown Range and New Zealand’s Southern Alps, Wanaka is the gateway to the spectacular Mount Aspiring National Park—and Wanaka’s eponymous lake is said to be the most tranquil of all of the South Island lakes. That said, it seems a bit strange that Outside Magazine just named Lake Wanaka the “best new adventure hub”. Alas, it’s true.
Lake Wanaka typifi
es the New Zealand experience: a relaxing, laid-back atmosphere combined with adrenaline-filled activities in Lord of the Rings-style scenery. Outside Magazine writes, “When tourists in New Zealand want adventure, they go to Queenstown. When Kiwis want to escape, they head an hour north to tiny Lake Wanaka. In fact, Lake Wanaka is emerging as the country’s Jackson, Wyoming.” The town is sprinkled with historic hotels, restaurants, cafes and pubs (like Wanaka Beerworks, where you’ll find Brewski and Tall Black on tap).
Five minutes north of town 
you’ll find Sticky Forest
with its more than 20 mountain-bike trails and endless alpine road cycling. Endurance athlete and mountain biking champ Rebecca Rusch put Wanaka second on her list of top five recommendations of the best places to mountain bike on earth (Sun Valley, Idaho was first, followed by Pucón, Chile, McKenzie River Trail, Oregon and Moab, Utah respectively). With the highest mountain bike tracks in New Zealand, you’ll also find heli-mountain biking.
The Wanak
a area also has some world-class canyons that the rest of the world hasn't discovered yet. Take a guided descent into a canyon or head out for some rock-climbing, and then hit the lake for yachting, kayaking, sailing, and wonderful water fun. Fishing is popular in the ever-changing Matukituki River. Watched over by Avalanche Glacier and the peaks of Mount Aspiring (or Tititea, which means glistening peaks), the Matukituki is one of New Zealand's most pristine rivers. It’s also powerful, so it's perfect for jet boating. Or take a more quiet journey along the braided waters.
In winter, s
kiers flock here from all over the world. In fact, Wanaka was also just named one of the World’s 25 Best Ski Towns by National Geographic, who says Wanaka is "Best for: Skiing and snowboarding addicts from the Northern Hemisphere who just can’t let go when winter slips away.” The closest and best ski field is Treble Cone. "In typical New Zealand style,
the entire ski area is above tree line. It’s also steep, offering intermediates an array of plummeting, groomed runs but limiting the options for beginners.”
Flight seeing in the region is also popular. Remote landing areas are available in Mount Aspiring National Park for trampers, climbers and hunters. Camp, hit a hostel or stay in the lap of luxury at a lodge like Whare Kea Lodge. Tucked into the glacial snow of the Southern Alps, this steel-and-glass lodge was designed by architect I.M. Pei and the only access is via private helicopter. There are just two rooms in the chalet, but both have sweeping views of Mount Aspiring, the Lucas Glaciers, and Aoraki/ Mount Cook—the highest peak in New Zealand.
Clearly, Lake Wanaka will keep you
busy for some time, although Queenstown is also nearby. Long heralded as the adventure capital of the Southern Hemisphere, the folks in Queenstown seem to be okay with letting their “Wanaka neighbours” steal some of their thunder. By the way, if you’re heading from Wanaka to Queenstown (or vice versa) the most scenic way to travel is by way of the Crown Range Road—the highest main road in New Zealand. It combines great views and is often accompanied by amusing encounters with kea (mountain parrots). It's bound to be a memorable trip.
Check out some other great Lake Wanaka adventure photos here.
Those Aussies are an ingenious bunch. Thousands of years ago, they came up with the didjeridu and the boomerang. Then there's prepaid postage and the military tank. They also gave birth to the plastic spectacle lens, the pop-top can, and the electronic pacemaker. In fact, Australians are the single source of many notable world firsts, including the inflatable aircraft escape slide, the dual flush toilet and - one of our favorites - the refrigerator. You may be using an Aussie invention right now.
1. WiFi 
anyone? In 1992, an Australian named John O'Sullivan was trying to detect the radio pulse of exploding mini black holes when he and his colleagues discovered WiFi technology and realized its potential. Like the estimated 1 billion devices worldwide?
2. Then there are the two audacious Australian brothers named Lars and Jens Rasmussen. In 2004, they were jobless and had $16 between them. They also had a "sophomore product" which they said, quite audaciously, would "kill e-mail and forever change online communication." So they flew from Sydney to Silicon Valley and managed to sell their web application to a little company called Google. The Rasmussen boys found a home for "Wave" with Google Maps - and a cushy job.
3. Listen
up: A bionic ear does exist and it has nothing to do with the Six Million Dollar Man's girlfriend, though it has a lot to do with an Australian named Graeme Clark. As a young boy, Clark's father lost his hearing, and it inspired a lifelong mission to help deaf people, culminating in the Cochlear implant or "bionic ear." The electronic device is implanted into the head to stimulate the auditory nerve and provides a sense of sound even for the profoundly deaf. The first surgery - in 1978 - was a success, and today nearly 200,000 people benefit from the bionic ear.
4. Now here
's something Qantas Airways can appreciate: When Dr. David Warren, a scientist at the Aeronautical Research Laboratory, was asked to investigate the mysterious crash of the world's first jet-powered aircraft in 1953, he argued that a cockpit voice recorder would be a useful way to solve otherwise unexplainable aircraft accidents. Hmmm, let's see: a durable box designed to record and replay flight data and audio from the final moments before a plane crash, revealing what went wrong. Warren was the only one who thought the idea had merit, so he went ahead and built one. It took several years and an airliner crash in 1960 to get noticed, but then Australia became the first country to make the ruling that all airlines must carry flight recorders. Imagine a world without a "black box" - which, by the way, is never, ever black.
5. Last, and certainly least, the Speedo. Americans love to hate the swimwear, but the rest of the world has embraced it - and it originated in Sydney at the MacRae Knitting Mills. Also called the "racerback," the Speedo was the first athletic design for a suit, and the name was allegedly conjured up by some guy named Jim Parsons who won a competition with the slogan "Speed on in your Speedos."
From exploding mini black holes to the world-renowned swimwear, the Aussies always leave us clamoring for more.
If you’re a fan of "it", there’s a tour for "it" in New Zealand: fly fishing, rugby, surfing, cooking, wine tasting, hiking/tramping, Lord of the Rings, more rugby, and on and on. In fact, there’s so much to see and do as you tour this exquisite country that we tend to forget some of the “downtime” pursuits. One of our own favorites is reading, and we're not alone—Kiwis are passionate about books.
New Zealand’s media website claims more bookshops per capita than any other country, which amounts to one for every 7,500 people—not bad for a country whose first book wasn’t printed until 1830. While oral story-telling underpinned traditional Māori culture, capturing memories with the written word was a tad slower.
Well-read settlers in the 1840s often complained that colonial New Zealand was a cultural desert, despite numerous public lending libraries (like Wrigglesworth's in Wellington and Chapman's in Auckland). But then came the bookshops. Booklovers
in Wellington made a beeline for the Old Identity Book Shop in Thorndon. The eccentric Robert Holt Carpenter opened the shop in the early 1850s to trade used books, but he also imported and sold new volumes. His shop, he claimed, was patronized by “the cleverest men and prettiest women in the Southern Hemisphere.”
Roy Parsons opened his first bookshop in Wellington in 1947 and the store still thrives. Coincidentally, the first really stylish coffee shop to open in Wellington (introduced by Harry Seresin) was situated on the balcony above Parson’s bookshop: proof that coffee and a good book are ideal companions.
Writers from 
New Zealand have also captured international attention, from 19th century short story writer Katherine Mansfield to the lyrical Nobel Prize nominee Janet Frame.
Witi Ihimaera was the first Māori writer to publish a collection of short stories as well as a novel—The Whale Rider—which also became an internationally successful feature film.
Kiwi crime novelists also have a strong following, beginning with Dame Ngaio Marsh. One of the "Queens of Crime" (four female writers who dominated the genre in the Golden Age of the 1920s and 1930s), Marsh is in good company with Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham and Agatha Christie.
Naturally, you can combine your love of literature with sightseeing in New Zealand, too. The Wellington Writers' Walk, set in one of the world’s loveliest urban land-and-seascapes, combines a stroll along the city’s waterfront with the discovery of sculptural quotations. The Haiku Pathway in the town of Katikati (in the Bay of Plenty) is a meandering river stroll punctuated by boulders engraved with poems. You'll find another literary walk in Dunedin, where a series of brass plaques aim to entertain and enlighten passers-by about the city's literary heritage.
You can still visit Parson’s, just one of the many bookshops that serves voracious Kiwi readers. This October, literary New Zealand will be in the International spotlight as the official guest of honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair—the world’s largest publishing event.
March also happens to be NZ Book Month, a non-profit initiative promoting books, reading, and literacy in New Zealand. We wholeheartedly agree with their now-familiar slogan: Books really do change lives.
Hello again from the Top End of Australia,
We toured the Darwin Military Museum this past month and learned details of Australia’s role in World War II.
My father, Army Air Force Master Sergeant Joe Starkey, was an aircraft mechanic on various islands in the region (New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and the Philippines) and spent time in Australia. In fact, I still have a 1943 Australian dollar bill he brought home.
If you’re not familiar with the details, on February 19, 1942 Japanese aircraft brought fury down on Darwin. A total of 683 bombs were dropped killing 243 people in the first raid—though to prevent panic spreading throughout the country, authorities at that time played down the number of deaths. It was the first and the largest single attack mounted by a foreign power against Australia. Incidentally, the raid was conducted by the same pilots who had bombed Pearl Harbor less than three months earlier—and they flew from the same aircraft-carrier fleet! Ultimately, 64 raids occurred in the Northern Territory over the next three years, prompting ain influx of some 250,000 military personal from Australia, Great Britain, Canada and the USA to the region. The USS Peary destroyer became a watery grave for 91 brave US sailors who died during the attack; the sunken ship remains in Darwin.
Tragically, the city of Darwin was destroyed again in 1974—on Christmas Eve no less—when Cyclone Tracy came ashore. Now rebuilt, it is the most modern city in the country and has a young, growing population of about 120,000. The city itself is built on a low bluff overlooking the harbor, and the region (like the rest of the Top End) has a tropical climate with a wet and a dry season. We finally had our worst bout of rain with 4 inches falling in 8 hours, so our grand total for January was 20 inches. This made for wild wave action in front of our home when the tides were their highest. Molly caught a shot of a bloke who didn’t seem to be bothered by tidal waters as he fished!
This month, Molly also checked off two big items on her “bucket list”: she climbed the largest steel span bridge in the world over Sydney Harbor, “The Hanger” (it’s affectionately called that because it looks like a clothes hanger), and she took a two-day railroad journey on the famed “Ghan” train. She rode in the Kangaroo Red class with a backpack from Adelaide to Katherine
We both enjoyed a coastal weekend fishing trip with new friends, including a sand dunes cruise in an open-air utility truck. We didn’t catch any fish, but we did see a magnificent sunset. I was completely enthralled by the "mudskippers" living on the mangrove and in water. These amphibious fish use their fins to move around in a series of skips—up to two feet into the air! Unbelievably, they breathe through their skin, which must remain moist. They pretty much blend right in here!
We are loving th
e hot, humid experience at the Top End of Australia and have met so many wonderful people. We’re heading home soon, it's not the end of our locum tenens adventures - not by a long shot.
Cheers,
Kathy & Molly
Dr. Kathy Starkey, an OB/GYN, and her partner, Molly Evans, have chosen locum tenens as a permanent lifestyle (they're currently on their seventh assignment). Their adventures have taken them to New Zealand's North and South Islands, the Cayman Islands, Western Australia, the Australian island state of Tasmania and now the Top End of Australia.