Bára & Kuba on the road :: The travel diary of two

Valparaíso: city of street art and squeaky funiculars

2020-01-30T06:55:12Z

As we were going to spend a few days in Santiago we had enough time to do a couple of day trips in the area nearby. After doing a little bit of research we found out that a coastal town, Valparaíso, is one of the spots that shouldn’t be missed.

View of Valparaíso

You don’t have to be a seasoned traveller to get there by public transport. No need to book a tour there. We bought our bus tickets online in advance but in the end it wasn’t really necessary because the bus was half-full. The tickets cost about 27 000 pesos and we had to pick them up at Tur Bus office near Plaza de Armas.

One of colourful streets of Valparaíso

Our bus was scheduled for 8:30 am from Terminal Alameda Santiago. On Sundays the subway didn’t run until later in the morning and so we had to take Uber to get to the Terminal. Luckily Uber works pretty well in Santiago.

The bus headed West along Route 68 and we had about an hour and a half before the bus arrived at Valparaíso Terminal Rodoviario. The weather didn’t look great as we walked down Pedro Montt, passed Plaza Simon Bolívar and carried on to touristic centre.

Another piece of art

We were strolling up Almirante Montt and looking for a cafe for breakfast when we accidentally found the first famous photo spot – Piano Staircase. The only problem was a bunch of stray dogs on the top of the stairs waiting for tourists. Luckily they decided to follow a couple who was at the spot before us and we had a free way to the top.

Famous piano staircase

A few minutes from there we found a nice Peregrina Cafe where we had our breakfast and coffee. By the time we left, the weather got much better and we could enjoy blue sky and sunshine.

While having breakfast at Peregrina Cafe

We were randomly choosing left and right turns and visited a couple of churches until we got to our next spot – Baburizza Palace. An adjacent plaza as well as an area around the palace provided great views of the town, surrounding hills and the coast. The palace serves as a museum of fine arts. We didn’t find the exposition very impressive but the palace itself is a beautiful and interesting building.

Inside Baburizza Palace

After we left the palace we decided to take a ride with one of the famous Valparaíso funiculars. There used to be about 30 funiculars across the city but only 7 of them were working at the time. Right next to the palace is El Peral funicular. For a few pesos we got a short ride which took us down to the Plaza de la Justicia. We definitely recommend trying this iconic way of transportation at least once.

DIY electricity connections

From the bottom funicular station we went to Plaza Sotomayor where we were going to join a free tour of Valparaíso most popular spots. The tour was organised by a group of guides who worked for tips. In general, we found the 3 hours long tour quite nice. Our guide spoke really good English. She told us a little bit about the history of the town and some of the important buildings as well as walked us through the most famous street art locations. As for the first time visitors, it was a good way to easily get to know the town.

Killing Mickey Mouse

When we said goodbye to our guide and the rest of the tour group, we had just the right amount of time to grab a quick dinner before heading back to the bus terminal. We were looking along the streets and eventually went to Cafe Con Cuento. Unfortunately, it was not the best decision as the food was average and a bit pricey. However, it filled our bellies up which came in handy later as we were stuck in a traffic jam on the way back to Santiago.

We are happies

After arriving in Santiago we headed straight back to our apartment because the next day we were going to have another full day. This time the trip to Cajon del Maipo was on our plan.

West Coast Surf Trip

2018-12-16T08:46:15Z

This is a story of a few brave souls chasing waves on West Coast of South Island during one long weekend. How many smashed avocados on toast were consumed? Could they surf next to a blowhole? And did they manage to find the perfect ride?

Overture

“Mate, you should come down for a surf,” a voice resonated through the telephone line with a great enthusiasm.

“Yeah mate, I should come down for a surf,” I replied, hung up, and booked the cheapest flight to Christchurch where my friend Honza lives. What an awkward time to fly, but you can’t really complain for the price.

A stunning sunset through a small waterfall near Punakaiki

Taking the fins off Rasta, my trusted fun board with plenty of volume to catch any tiny ripples, was a standard pre-flight routine. The water was still cold so I stuffed my board bag with all the necessary rubber – thick winter wetsuit, hoodie, and booties. Locals would give me a cheeky smirk while putting on a old beaten summer neoprene lined with holes as they consider 13°C water to be almost summer.

The plan was solid. I fly down, and we decide what the plan is. Based on the swell. Catch the best rides.

West Coast

Banks Peninsula was flat. Kaikoura could’ve been mistaken for a lake. And Dunedin wasn’t showing its finest. On the other hand, West Coast seemed promising. You never know until you arrive at the beach and see the waves with your own eyes.

A dark lush rainforest of close to the ocean

West Coast is a spooky place. It is remote with rough and rugged coastline. The swell is almost always too big and you need to wait for it to drop and there is lots of water moving. Most of the times you are surfing in this unusual cleansing solitude next to a pristine dark lush rainforest. It is pretty spiritual experience.

Rugged cliffs of limestone meet with the evening foam

Also there is a lot of marine life, from dolphins to giant seals and animals with big sharp teeth that feed on those giant seals. The shifting river banks featuring murky waters are adding to the mix of mysterious and chilling (literally as the rivers are flowing from one of many glaciers) feelings.

The Crew

We stopped at a petrol station. Gauging each other with a bit of surfer’s smalltalk about the board volumes, shapes, and recent sessions. Tristan suddenly went silent. Squinting his eyes and letting the wind land on his cheek he started his divine prophecy.

Jay and Tristan, the watermen of South

“It looks like an offshore for the morning,” he whispered. All of us nodded in complete silence giving him utter respect for his arcane knowledge of the weather.

For good waves you need a big storm far away from the shore to start pushing the waves towards the coast. When they are coming closer to the beach you need a little bit of local wind coming from the mainland to smooth them over. This is what Tristan was referring to as an offshore. That’s the secret ingredient to a perfect ride.

“Or not. You know, can be anything, really.” And we knew he was right. It could be anything.

Jay looked at him. “Yeah, bro. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see in the morning, aye?” and he puffed from his electronic cigarette. He was the most chilled person on the trip. You could always tell he’s around by the sweet smell of cherries from his vape. The only time I’ve seen him remotely close to being stressed was when he thought he lost his smoking device. It turned out to be in the pocket of his jacket. Phew, that was a close one.

Honza was the last one of the crew. He put the group together, organised the trip, and sorted out our sweet bunk accommodation. He’s probably one of the top Czech surfers. I mean he would make the top 100 for sure. I guess there would be like 100 Czechs surfing at least, right? Also, he has a great talent for losing his car keys which posed a challenge on the last day when we were chasing that brief window of morning offshore winds.

Loads of whitewater on a sandy beach with limestone rocks

Along the winding road through Arthur’s Pass and a long drive we arrived to Punakaiki. It was late at night so we all went straight to bed.

Punakaiki River

In the early morning we went to check out the nearby spots. The first one we arrived at was this uninviting beach break next to Punakaiki River and the famous blowholes.

It was gloomy, foggy, and there was a bit of drizzle. The true surfing weather for West Coast. We watched the waves for a bit. There was a lot of water moving and the sets were big but they didn’t happen too often. It was just us and the beach. Being the new guy on West Coast I asked Tristan and Jay what do they think.

Foggy hills around Punakaiki river

“You know, I reckon we either go in, or not. Either way,” said Tristan.
“Yeah bro, I’m totally easy,” replied Jay with confidence.

So much wisdom and surfing knowledge in just those two sentences. I knew that I’m in the right company with these two experienced watermen of the South. In the end, we decided to go in.

Lots of water moving at this surf break

Paddling out was a mission. It was fine if you timed it well. You could avoid getting a wave on your head altogether. But if you were unlucky and the sets started rolling in it was almost impossible to get out.

Tristan and Honza were the first to paddle out. It looked easy as no sets came through. But they couldn’t catch a wave for at least 30 minutes. Me and Jay watched them and were considering our options.

Hard work paddling out at Punakaiki river

And then suddenly these giant walls started coming in. Take off as steep as you can imagine followed by a fast journey through a hollow pit. This nasty, grunty, and gnarly wave wasn’t there to mess around. If you were at a good spot you could squeeze into a small tube. Tristan caught the wave of the day – this head-high beast was steep and fast.

Me and Jay set ourselves on the quest to paddle out in between the sets. It took us good three attempts to get out but eventually we made it to the back. With the roaring sound of waves breaking just a few meters away from us it was a good introduction to the West Coast ruggedness.

We had a window of clean waves with light breezes of offshore. After a few rides the waves started closing out and there was no wave face to ride anymore. Everyone caught at least one decent ride so we happily got out of the water. It was one of these happy that I made it back feelings.

‘Woot, woot!’ the palms were cheering while Tristan was taming the beast

“Let’s get a feed,” said Jay. And we went back to cook some eggs on avocado toast for late breakfast.

Punakaiki Blowhole

The next day we went to the other side of the pancake rocks and blowholes. The Punakaiki beach is a sandy break with a beautiful rocky point break on the left. During high tide you get back wash from the rocks and getting out of the water could be a bit of a challenge.

The point was breaking far away from the shore but it offered long rides and clean faces. We didn’t hesitate and went for it straight away. The surf was still pumping with head-high waves, and maybe with a few overhead sets.

A beautiful left hand point break with long punchy rides

The easiest entry to the water was through sketchy boulders. You’d have to time it well and then jump and paddle for life. Otherwise you’d end up tumbling between big boulders and sharp reef rocks. Not a situation you’d wish to experience.

Tristan was the first one in the water and I followed shortly. Adrenaline was amped to the max while getting closer to the rocks. Time it well, jump, and paddle. Paddle fast into the safety of the deep waters.

The beginning of Pancake Rocks

The wave was a bit fat, but beautiful and punchy. It was glassy as and it had a kick. The rides were long with plenty of face to work with. Everyone was catching the waves and riding like there would be no tomorrow. With the arms out of jelly we all got out of the water a few hours later. Smiling.

This was the highlight of the trip. The reason why we came here. This is why we surf.

A bit of backwash coming from the rocks on high tide

Jay took a few puffs from his ever present ciggie. “Mate, I’m looking for a feed, aye?”

Westport

On the last evening, Tristan started “Like if I was here just by myself, and I know I’m not, I think I’d try to go early. You know. I mean if it was up to me, but it’s not. I’m easy, you know.”

I looked at him with admiration and curiosity. “So, tomorrow, you wanna go early, huh?”

“Ummm. Yeah, bro. But I’m easy.”

A clean ground swell waves lining within a perfect period

Everyone woke up with the chickens apart from Honza. But it didn’t took long and he came down just after Jay finished his morning brew followed by obligatory sweet cherry smoke.

After a while, he sadly admitted, “Guys, I can’t find the keys from the car.” And the classic search and rescue operation began.

After we found the keys, hidden flawlessly under the chair in the kitchen, we arrived to the point next to the blowholes. We surfed one more time having another great session and then we set off back to Christchurch. This time through Lewis Pass so we could check a few other spots on the way.

It started blowing onshore and the wind was killing the waves.

Fox River, a long breaking river mouth with icy cold glacier water and hollow waves, wasn’t working. Nine mile beach didn’t look like much either. Tauranga Bay was surfable but after the perfect rides from the last two days Tristan disapproved.

“Yeah mate, it doesn’t really spark my interest. If you know what I mean,” he judged the swell.

Limestone cliffs throughout the coast

I knew what he meant and we ended up in Westport looking at Shingles and Breakwater. Breakwater was small but clean. The last chance for catching a few. Jay and Tristan chose to pass and we parted our ways. Honza and myself were in for one last session. The water was chilly as Buller River was flowing into the ocean next to us. There were a few decent peaks with few hollow rides.

After a short session we decided it’s time to go back to Christchurch.

Conclusion

A few days later the phone rang again. It was my mate Honza.

“Bro, was a good weekend, aye?”
“Nah, yeah bro. Was epic! Totes rad.”

Where the ocean meets the land

I hung up and looked into the distance. West Coast is harsh and primal in its essence. It is the most prestigious university of surfing. The Harvard and Oxford of New Zealand. When we left Christchurch we were just boys but we came back as men.

Or most likely not. Nevertheless, we had heaps of fun!

Avalanche Peak and autumn in Arthur's Pass

2018-11-09T05:13:10Z

It’s a while ago when one of our friends moved from Wellington down to Christchurch and left his car with us. He asked us if we could drive it down during one of our trip and so we did.

On the way to Arthur’s Pass

We booked the ferry and planned to make a stop in Arthur’s Pass on the way to Christchurch. So far, we only had done some small walks in the area and were keen to do some of longer hikes.

Steep hills of Southern Alps

The ferry anchored in Picton and we carried out via Nelson Lakes to Murchison and than down south to Jackson where we book accommodation at Jackson’s Retreat Alpine holiday park. This place is beside a wonderful forest with options for short walks and a few glow worm spots. The park’s communal areas are well equipped and everything was super clean. Furthermore the owners had a goat strolling around park and let everybody to rub it.

The weather was perfect

Next day morning we moved on to Arthur’s Pass and went to a local DOC office to get more information about hiking options and also to ask about the latest weather forecast.

A view towards Mt Rollston

As the forecast said the morning clouds should clear out later in the day, we decided to climb up to Avalanche Peak and return via Scotts Track. The entire walk was estimated to take between 6 and 8 hours, so we packed our backpacks and set off.

A view of Lyell Peak

With no easy warm up, the track immediately started to climb up. More than once we had to use our hands to swing up large steps. As we ascended through the forest, we could see waterfalls along Avalanche Creek every now and then. We made a few short breaks but after an hour or so, we finally made it to the bushline.

Terrain was not easy – steep and rough

Even from here views were amazing but we still had about 700m of elevation ahead of us. From this point the track followed the ridge line and every moment we stopped and turned back to have a look around.

A couple of hundred meters below the summit the ridge flattened so our legs could have a rest before the final part. It wasn’t my favourite section because we had to climb up through bluffs with sheer slopes either side.

Devils Punchbowl Falls

However, our effort was rewarded with an amazing 360° view. The sky was clear without a single cloud and some of shaded hills were still covered by snow patches. With such views our summit lunch tasted much better.

A photo on the summit was necessary

After resting and taking enough pictures we headed back to Arthur’s Pass via Scott’s track. As the track path runs along the neighbouring ridge, we could enjoy the views before we got below bush line. The track was also considerably less steep then the one we had climbed on the way up.

Waimakariri River Valley

A couple times we could see Devils Punchbowl Falls through clearings in the bush on the other side of the valley. After an hour we met the main road and it took about extra 10 minutes to get back to our car parked near visitor centre.

On the way to Christchurch

It would not be a proper hike without a treat at the end so we grabbed a scoop of ice-cream at a local cafe. After that we could head off to Christchurch and hand the car over.

New Caledonia: vanilla from Lifou and vibrant Noumea

2018-10-14T05:11:22Z

When we’d been planning our trip to Caledonia we’d decided that it would be worth including a visit of one of those tiny little islands near Grande Terre. After looking at our options and trying to find the best fit for our schedule we picked Lifou, one of Loyalty Islands.

View of Lifou from the plane on the way to Noumea

From Great South we headed early in the morning straight to the Magenta airport in Noumea. The flight with Air Caledonia to Lifou was definitely not the cheapest transport option we could have chosen ($450 NZD return for 2 people) but given that we didn’t have too much time it was better than spending hours on a ferry. Moreover, I liked the idea that we were going to have a view of islands from the bird perspective.

Coast of Lifou

The flight was smooth and we had a really good view of the mountain range on Grand Terre as well as island’s coastlines. Shades of blue between deep and shallow spots in the ocean were amazing.

Blue sky and crystal clear water of Lifou

To travel easily around Lifou we’d booked a car. After arrival, we managed to find our rental but a guy who ran the place obviously didn’t know much about our booking. Still, during a few minutes, he got a car with a full tank from somewhere. When we asked him about lit warning signs on the car’s dashboard which were indicating that something is not quite right he just said: “No problem”. Well, in the end, he was right, we wouldn’t have any car related issues on the way, but at that moment it made us a bit nervous.

Colonial architecture

From the airport, we drove to a vanilla house near Hnathalo. The minute we arrived we knew it’s a trap. A tourist trap. As a large group of tourists from a nearby cruise ship queued for snack. Jakub queued as well and got a free biscuit. We had a quick look at the gift shop and decided that it’s not for us and we rather move on without a tour around a plantation.

An old well no longer in use

We headed down to the south until we reached the coast. As well as on the mainland it surprised us how many wreckages we passed. Most of them were old busses.

Bus wrecks were all around the island

Along the coast, we stopped at a couple of beautiful white sand beaches. We chose one of them and went snorkeling. The water was crystal clear but pretty chilly. We definitely expected it to be a bit warmer. But fish and coral were beautiful.

Ready for snorkeling

We spend a night at Chez Waka. The place was lovely. It had all we needed – a clean bathroom, an equipped kitchen, a beach just a couple of meters away. We stayed in our tent but the place also offered an accommodation in tribal style houses. The only con was that Jakub wanted to try a local specialty – le crabe cocotier – which I’d asked for when booking but a lady who owned the place had probably forgotten. Une catastrophe grande!

Sunset on the beach at Chez Waka

On the other hand, the next day she organized a private tour to a small vanilla house just a few minutes away. In the morning, a woman welcomed us to her house and guided us through her plantation. A conversation was a bit tough as she only spoke French but with a help of Google translator we managed to ask questions and learned some interesting facts about vanilla. In the end, we didn’t avoid being offered some souvenirs to buy but it was much nicer than the vanilla house we had seen the previous day.

On vanilla plantation

When we finished the tour we still had a couple of hours before taking a flight back to the main island. So, we visited a few interesting spots around the island, had lunch on the beach and a short dip in the cool water before we headed to the airport.

Bara attempting pollination

In Noumea, we booked an accommodation through Airbnb. The place was very basic but it had all we needed and not too far from city center. After checking in, we drove through the city to Baie des Citrons. It is an easily accessible, sheltered beach and as it was weekend there was a plenty of people enjoying nice weather, jumping in the water or just sitting on the sand and eating an ice-cream.

We grabbed our snorkeling gear and jumped into the water. Corrals were a bit further from the coast but we saw different species of fish and Jakub spotted a turtle. He didn’t talk about anything else for rest of the day. In fact, he still talks about the turtle from time to time.

Traditional Kanak houses

Later in the afternoon, we decided to visit the Tjibaou Cultural Centre. The centre itself is located aside from the city and it is a combination of a museum, performance space and park. The Mwakaa area was an interesting insight into Kanak architecture. It displays different types of Kanak tradition houses as their design differs depending on the region.

Tjibaou Cultural Centre

Back to the car, we walked via Kanak Pathway which winded through the park. It was designed to create an educational journey of native flora and its importance in Kanak culture. Definitely a nice stroll. I liked the design of the main cultural center building which supposed to blend Kanak tradition and contemporary art but unfortunately, we found most of the exhibitions inside quite boring. So, not really sure if the visit was worth the money.

Last dinner in Noumea

We wrapped up our trip with an amazing dinner in one of the restaurants located along the promenade at Baie des Citrons before heading back to our accommodation.

See you next time New Caledonia

Next day we had time only for a quick coffee at L’Annexe at Coconut Palm Square but then we had to go straight to the airport to catch a plane back to New Zealand.

New Caledonia: magnificent colours of Great South

2018-06-11T22:34:30Z

We woke up early. The raindrops were quietly hitting the top layer of our tent and the air was fresh. By the time we sat down in kitchen shelter and ate our breakfast, it was pouring down with the rain.

Once we got further inland the weather looked promising

We packed the wet tent and left Dumbea. We had about 24 hours to see as much of south Grand Terre as possible and the schedule was stretched. It became even tighter after we spent about an hour and a half stuck in a traffic jam around Noumea.

Finally, we get out of the urban area, passed Mont-Dore covered by cloud and were moving on through hilly landscape. Soon, the green colour of surrounding vegetation stepped back and patches of red soil became dominant. Compared to lush east coast this part of the island looked scorched.

A red soil reminded us of Australia

Just before we reached Lac de Yaté we turned left on the road to Parc de la Rivière Bleue. It is the biggest park in New Caledonia and the main attraction in Great South. To avoid crowds it is best to start your visit early in the morning. We didn’t manage to do that but because of shoulder season, we hardly met any other people.

Red, green and blue colours of Great South region

At the main entrance, we bought tickets and quickly headed off to Pont Perignon which was where the bus tour around the park departed from. At first, we were worried that we had been waiting at the wrong spot but after a few minutes, a bus arrived. As it was only us on the bus we had a private tour.

The bus driver tried to tell us some interesting facts about the park and its wildlife but communication was a bit complicated as our French was a bit poor and his English was even worse. But with the aid of gesticulation and body language, we learnt some stuff.

Drowned forest during the dry season

We made a couple of short stops around the park. The first location was the drowned forest which is a field of dry, bleached thin tree trunks sticking out of the ground. After the construction of Yate Dam, the water level rose up and trees got flooded. However, as we visited the park during a dry season, there were only puddles of water among trees.

We made another stop at a giant kauri tree and a bit further our guide took us for a short walk through bush and tried to look for a cagou, a symbol of New Caledonia. Although he really made an effort – he was whistling, calling and hitting the ground with a stick – we didn’t see a bird.

A big kauri tree

When we reached the end of gravel road we had about an hour to explore the surrounding before the bus would come back to pick us up. We found a lovely spot near the river. It was not hot enough to jump into the crystal clear water but along with birds singing in the bush, it created an amazing atmosphere to just sit and chill.

The trails in the park are ideal for cycling which would give us more flexibility but unfortunately, we didn’t have so much time to spend there a whole day.

Crystal water of Bleue RIver

When we returned back to our car, we did a bit more self-guided exploring and drove around the park. We stopped at a couple of viewpoints. The contrast of red, green and blue colours of surrounding landscape was amazing and the place really reminds us of Australia. Most of the time we were alone and hardly met any other visitors.

Looking out for bright future

From the park, we carried on along the lakeside and a winding road led us to a massive concrete wall – the Yate dam. On east, we could see the ocean on the horizon. The water from the lake ran via a nice green valley which we had a better view of as we descended down to the town of Yate.

The Yate dam

There was not much in Yate itself. It is a sleepy town. When we asked a lady at a local grocery store for directions, she struggled to find the town. After that, we rather head to our campsite.

We had some amazing views of Lake Yate

The Les Bois Du Sud campsite was a beautiful place surrounded by bush. We’d arrived just on time to catch up with a ranger before his shift finished and he headed off. We were the only overnight guests there which was a bit scary

Happy campers

However, everything went well and the next day in the morning we woke up super early to hit the road back to Noumea. We had a plane to catch. Next destination – Lifou.

New Caledonia: lush rain forest and desolated mines of East Coast

2018-04-29T20:18:16Z

In morning, we left Koumac and drove across the top of the island towards. A surrounding land was covered with half-dead trees sticking out of charcoal coloured soil. The vegetation was very sparse in this part of country. We passed a worryingly high number of car wrecks along the road. Some were remains of car accident but others were probably just dumped there to get rid of an useless vehicle.

A sad fate – cars like this were not an exception

In the past, this part of island was a significant mining region but it also left its marks on landscape and we were wondering how many tourist get around. Those views were not from a travel brochure.

Black soil and burned vegetation – you don’t find these pictures in tour brochures

However, once we got to Ouegoa – a historical copper and gold rush town – and near the coast, the amount of rainfall got higher and everything was greener. We stopped at a couple of desolate beaches. The views of palm trees bending down water and rapidly rising hillsides were spectacular. We had a quick dip in the ocean but then moved on to the next stop – Tao waterfall.

The next stop – Tao waterfall

There were many waterfalls along the road but this one was easily accessible from and was definitely worth stopping by. We spent there a good half an hour hopping from boulder to boulder and dipping in clean water.

A great place for a refreshing dip

When we got back to the car we carried on to Ouaième ferry. It is the last working Caledonian ferry and should be soon replaced by a bridge. The ferry was small and fitted only a couple of vehicles but operates 24/7 and it was free.

Ouaième ferry – according to local tribes also the place is where the entrance to the land of dead people is found

We arrived in Hienghene, where we made our next stop. The town is located on the edge of Hienghene river mouth and is popular for its limestone rock formation called La Poule. The stone which sits in the lagoon is easily spotted from lookouts along the road or there was an option to hire a kayak and paddle around. But we skipped that and after a lunch we moved on.

La Poule – the famous Hienghène’s brooding hen

It took us a couple more hours before we arrived in Port De Poindimié where we were going to stay over the night. The Camp De Tiakan was an amazing spot situated in a palm grove right next to the beach. The only worry was not being hit by falling coconuts. We picked a site with a view of ocean and in the evening we watched the sunset while having dinner. It was definitely the best campsite during our stay in Caledonia. Basic but beautiful and clean.

A top spot for the romantic sunset – Camp De Tiakan

In the morning, we had to set off early as there was a lot of driving and we had to get back on west coast. Before we left the coast and started to go up to the central mountain range we had stopped at Ba waterfall near Meomo village. The waterfall was off the main road and an access path to it looked a bit dodgy. But luckily nobody kicked us out.

Ba waterfall

From Poro the road started to climb up and we entered the mining region again. In this part of the country, the mining of nickel has been going on since 1980s’. The landscape there looked terrible, especially in the contrast with the fresh and green upper east coast we had just came from. Down here, there was no vegetation. The dry red soil was separated by deep gullies modelled by erosion. Now and then we could see large diggers operating in the distance.

Exhausted landscape near Poro village

At one point we got a bit nervous about the lack of petrol in our car. The car fuel consumption was quite high in the hills and no petrol station was anywhere near. And we definitely didn’t want to be stuck here. Luckily, we soon passed the summit and slowly descended to west coast.

On the way back to the west coast

Before we reached the coast, we had made a turn to a small town called Farino where we wanted to visit a giant fern park. Unfortunately, a hunting had been in progress and people were not let in due to safety reasons. Then we had to be happy with a near walk to a Farino waterfall. The easy trail followed the bank of the creak before reaching a small waterfall. A whole way a dog accompanied us as a local guide.

Farino waterfall

When we got back to the carpark it was late afternoon and we still had a couple of hours of driving ahead of us. Once we reached the west coast we merge into highway and the rest of the way passed much quicker. Just before the dusk we arrived in Dumbea where we stayed over the night. The Gaia Pacific campsite was basic but clean and quiet place. Apart from us, there were only two more tents.

Stay tuned as the next destination will be – the Great South!

New Caledonia: scorched land and white beaches of West Coast

2018-02-13T08:50:31Z

After Bali and Samoa we looked for our next holiday destination. The priorities were that a final destination would offer various things to do and also that we would not have to spend hours on a plane to get there. We investigated our options, did some research and eventually chose New Caledonia.

A view during our lunch break

Our early joy from a purchase of cheap flight tickets immediately changed for the annoyance when we realized that each of us had two tickets to Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, but none back to New Zealand. Usually helpful customer service from Air New Zealand was a bit hopeless this time but in the end, we got our return tickets and were all ready to go.

We are on the road again

As we planned to travel around the island, we booked a car in advance. In total, we were going to stay for 7 days, not much time then. Therefore, due to the fact that we were going to spend most of the time on the road, and also because of high prices of accommodation, we decided to camp. New Caledonia has quite a good network of campgrounds and holiday parks. Apart from that, we also read other people’s reviews and tried to avoid the ugly places.

A bunch of locals at Base Nautique de Ouano

October and November are probably the best months to visit the islands. The temperatures are nice and it is the least rainy period of the year. Although, it might be too dry, as we realised later. The day before our flight, there were extensive bushfires between the international airport and the capital. Luckily for us, we were going to head the opposite direction up north first.

Resilient vegetation

At the international airport in La Tontouta we picked up a car, bought some food in a nearby supermarket, and started our adventure. But no real adventure starts with empty belly and so shortly, we turned off the main road and drove to the beach to have lunch. The menu was a baguette, cheese, and paté. A combination which we repeated with little deviations every day for the whole week.

A beautiful view from Pointe Sauveur

Our next stop was Ouano’s mangroves. This extensive swampy area is a unique environment and home of wealthy fauna and flora. There are three short educative walks with a number of informative plaques. We chose one of the walks. On the way, we saw heaps of small crabs moving with amazing speed across the muddy surface before disappearing in one of small holes under the ground. Later, we drove along the beach to Pointe Sauveur – a lookout providing stunning views – and also stopped at Plage de Ouano to cool our feet.

Ouano’s mangroves

We moved on via La Foa where we supplied food and passed a local monument – the Marguerite bridge. Although, we didn’t find it worth stopping. In Moindou, we made another turn off the road and headed inland to the royal palm forest. The royal palms are the local pride and we spotted them easily standing out from the rest of the vegetation.

A royal palm grove

After a couple of more hours, just before Bourail, we turned left to Poé Beach. There was a campsite which we’d booked for the first night – La Reve de Nemo. It was a nice and tidy place only a few meters from the beach where we could watch a sunset.

A traditional Kanak house

An interesting thing about the lifestyle of locals is that they get up early. Very early. Between 5-6am. Luckily, thanks to the time difference between Caledonia and New Zealand, we didn’t mind that because it felt like 7-8am to us.

Somewhere on the way

We started the second day with the Three Bays track. Getting up early had one advantage – the cooler weather. As the track went up and down between the bays it was definitely more pleasant to do it in the morning than under the midday sun. The track provided some beautiful views and we explored small beaches which we had just for ourselves because nobody else was there. The only downside was that we didn’t spot any turtles which sometimes come there.

Three Bays Track

Before midday, we were back on the road and headed further north. As we were passing through the scorched landscape we were more and more surprised what a massive barrier the central mountain range is. All the rain is caught on its other site. When we drove through the section where the ground was burned and tree trunks were black with dry leaves, the entire picture looked really depressive.

The land after ravaging of bushfire – we saw a few of them

When we arrived at Voh, we made a break for a walk up to the near hill. A guide book said it would provide a view of famous Heart of Voh. Initially, I had thought that we would break our piggy bank and took a flight in an ultralight over the area. It would possibly provide the best views of the landmark as well as a view of deep sea blue holes but unfortunately the weather was not very impressive and we decided the flight was not worth the fortune. Instead, we tried to drive up to the lookout but our tiny Peugeot 108 was definitely not a right car for a crossing of half a meter deep gullies. So, we drove back, parked at the bottom and walked up again.

Can you find a heart?

Well, we got some good views but from the elevation, almost everything resembled a flat clearing of a heart shape and we could only guess which was the famous one.

From there we carried on to Koumac where we’d booked a site in Gite Du Lagon. The campground was very basic. It was located next to the beach which was not particularly pretty but it had all we needed. An owner was a nice guy who we had a good chat with. We wrapped the day up with dinner in Koumac Marina where we enjoyed another portion of baguette while watching a wonderful sunset and listening to waves lapping against the beach.

Baguette, pâté, and sunset

The next day we were going to drive across the top of the island and explore the fresh green east coast. More about that soon.

Vietnam: busy life of the Mekong delta

2018-02-03T05:12:53Z

After two weeks in northern Vietnam, we flew from Hanoi down south to Ho Chi Minh to spend the rest of our trip there. To keep the expenses low, we chose the Jetstar airlines for our flight. They are cheap but not particularly reliable and so, it didn’t surprise us when we took off with two hours delay. Classic Jetstar.

A floating market with all different kind of goods

At the airport in Ho Chi Minh, we wanted to avoid a hassle with bargaining the price of a taxi and used the Uber instead. We didn’t have to negotiate the price but talking to the driver on phone and finding the car was not easy either.

As we knew that we would arrive late at night, we’d booked our hotel in advance. Rooms were very simple, nothing luxurious, but they were clean, had windows and most importantly – an air-conditioning.

One of smaller boats got closer to try to sell some of their fruit

For the next day we’d planned a trip to the Mekong Delta. A man picked us up early in the morning at our hotel and took us to a meeting point where we waited for a transport. For all our organized trips we always required to be a part of a very small group and so far it had always worked out. Until that time! A large packed bus with 30 other people arrived.

Finally, after being squeezed on the bus for a few hours, we arrived at Cai Be where the hot air slapped us immediately when we got off. We boarded a motorized boat and headed to the floating market. Each of oncoming boats was loaded with different types of fruit or vegetable and sellers kept trying to slip the samples of their goods to us from tall wooden poles. After a while, we parked next to one of the boats and had a chance to buy some of the tasty stuff.

A refreshing coconut water

We carried on to a rice noodles and a paper factory. But, before that we had to have a useless 30 minutes break inside a souvenir shop.

The factory itself, which was rather a small backyard workshop than anything else, was quite interesting place. Both our guide and workers made an effort to explain and to show us a whole process of making the noodles and the rice paper. Volunteers could even try to make the paper on their own. Aside the other workers prepared coconut candies. We tasted a few pieces along with some other pastries but all of them were too way too sweet.

A process of making rice noodles

Later, we hopped back on the boat and it took us to a different place where we had lunch. Again, all the food was delicious. The most interesting was a fish. At first, we hesitated to eat it because it looked a bit dodgy but then we plucked up the courage.

Our lunch included a local fish

After lunch, we had a choice to go for a short push bike ride. The bikes were not in the best condition but good enough for a small loop in near surrounding before we headed back to the boat.

We cruised for a few minutes before we got to our next stop. There, we were given traditional cone hats and got into small rowing boats operated by paddling women. They manoeuvred us through narrow river canals surrounded by dense vegetation before we got to a small wharf. From there we walked back to our boat on dry ground with a small stop for a cultural performance which was not very good though.

A part of the tour was also a demonstration from local beekeeper

It was the last stop for the day. After returning back to the main wharf the bus supposed to take us to our accommodation. Or at least that’s what we thought was a plan. Instead, we stopped in the middle of nowhere and our guide told us we have to swap a bus because that one was going to go back to Ho Chi Minh. We had to run across a busy four-lane highway, including climbing over concrete panels and waited in a odd place for a second bus. Luckily, it came soon and a couple of hours later we finally got to our hotel in Can Tho.

Packaging of coconut candies

After dinner, which was an interesting seafood hot pot, we went for a walk on a nice waterfront along the city’s river. It was full of busy bars and restaurants.

The second part of the tour we started the next day early in the morning. The bus full of other people picked us up and we headed to the wharf where a boat had been already waiting for us.

Rice paper drying on the sun

We cruised one of the river branches for about an hour before we made a break at a fruit orchard. It was a nice walk among fruit trees concluded with a fruit tasting and opportunity to buy some exotic pieces. No doubts that the prices were much higher than usual.

When we got back to our boat we kept cruising for another hour but then it was time to slowly get back to our bus and head to Ho Chi Minh.

Ho CHi Minh – Post Office

Overall, the trip was an interesting insight into life in delta but its value was degraded especially due to a very big group of people on the tour, too much waiting and useless stops at souvenir shops or because of that weird transport organization. Those things definitely need some improvements.

Vietnam: cruising in Bai Tu Long

2017-11-27T08:17:39Z

When we’d been organizing our trip to Ha Long Bay I was full of doubts. Many resources referred to the place as a location with thousands of tourist and hundreds of boats which cruise the bay all day long. After reading different resources and reviews we’d decided to do an overnight cruise in less known Bai Tu Long. It was a good choice!

What a day for a cruise

Our trip was organized via Mrs Mai. Early in the morning, a guide picked us up at our accommodation in Hanoi and we headed to Ha Long city. It took a few hours, so we arrived at Hon Gai wharf about midday. Within 15 minutes we were already boarding on a small boat which was going to take us to our wooden cruise boat. No delays.

A busy spot near Thien Canh Son cave

Beside us, there was only one Australian couple and a crew. It was almost like having a private trip. No crowds, no people stepping on each other’s heads.

Cabins looked amazing. Wooden interior, a double bed, a nice bathroom and a big window for a proper view. We were chilling out only for a couple of minutes when somebody knocked on the door and announced the lunch time.

Inside our cabin

After lunch we went out on deck to admire the beautiful scenery. Rugged islands of different sizes and shapes were jutting all around and water sparkle in the afternoon sunshine. We could not have had the better weather.

Chilling on the deck

We anchored near Thien Canh Son cave. A small boat took us to the shore and with our guide, we climbed stairs up to the cave entrance. It was the only time that day when we had to interact with a bunch of other tourists. The cave itself was nice but nothing amazing. But it had an interesting history. Before listed in UNESCO, the cave served as a party venue. Due to that fact, some formations inside the cave suffered from vandalism.

Inside Thien Canh Son cave

When we returned back to the boat it was time to do some exercise! We got on kayaks and paddled around one of the small islands. I was quite surprised how clean the water was. We only saw a couple of floating plastic bottles and packages. It was a big difference compared to rest of the countryside overloaded which garbage. It didn’t take long and we were jumping from the boat deck into the deep water.

A bit of exercise before Happy Hour

After the sunset, we joined some of our crew members for squid fishing. While they were attracting the squids with a torch, we were trying to catch them with a simple bamboo stick and a hook made of a wire. It seemed hopeless but eventually, Jakub caught one! Next day it was served for lunch.

A chef prepared a yummy lunch

The night on the boat was great. While anchored in a sheltered area, the boat hardly swayed and the next day we realized that we were moving only because of a roaring engine.

In the morning, we headed to Vung Vieng floating village. We got on a small rowing boat and paddled through small settlement. The houses were tiny, usually one bedroom with hammocks on front deck. Some households even had a dog but we felt a bit sorry for them as their movement was restricted to floating boardwalks.

Vung Vieng floating village

The whole place was really quiet and peaceful which was in high contrast with busy La Ha Long. The journey to the village ended with dipping through the cave carved through one of the rocky pillars.

Rowing through the arc near floating Vung Vieng village

When we returned back to our boat, it was time to check out from our rooms. From floating village, we were heading back to the wharf. We had one more delicious lunch (including Jakub’s squid) and after that, we just hung around on the deck and enjoyed the view.

A beautiful sunset in Bai Tu Long

Our driver picked us up at the harbor and we drove back to Hanoi. In the evening we were going to catch a plane to Ho Chi Minh where we would stay until the end of the trip.

Vietnam: a cup of tea in Moc Chau

2017-11-07T08:47:23Z

Early in the morning, we left our accommodation and headed west from Hanoi. Moc Chau is about 180 km away from the capital and it took us several hours to get there. On the way, we made a couple of stops which provided nice views of a landscape dotted with small cone-shaped mounds. But those stops also showed how a big problem all the ubiquitous rubbish was. A view of skinny cows which were looking for a last bunch of fresh grass among heaps of plastic bags was pretty sad.

A snack break on the way to Moc Chau

After midday, we arrived at our accommodation in Moc Chau. The homestay itself was surrounded by a lovely tea plantation with good views of hills in the distance. We stayed in a simply equipped but spacious dorm with two other girls. As a welcome drink, we got a cup of tea which was so strong that it could easily replace a shot.

A tea plantation in Moc Chau

Surprisingly, the only downside of that accommodation was food. The selection of meals was not a good fit for us. Personally, I’m not a fan of too fatty meat or frog’s legs. So, eventually, I settled for plain rice and cabbage. Better than a rumbling belly.

View of village near by

Next to our homestay was a short loop walk inside the tea plantation. Later, we also went to a tiny workshop where they did all the work which followed after a harvest – drying and packaging the tea. Although, at the time of our visit big drying pans were turned off. The lady at the workshop did a tea tasting for us with multiple samples of their own tea. As we quite liked some of those, we bought two small packages of the tea. Unfortunately, later at home when we tried them, we realized that they were of much lower quality than the ones at the workshop.

Local pets

Then our guide took us for a stroll to a nearby village. After experiencing busy Hanoi it was a nice change and we enjoyed a calm atmosphere there. We passed a house where wedding preparations were going on. When we left the village we carried on along the path which winded among fields. There were only a few houses on the surrounding hillsides and everything looked peaceful.

Stroll around ethnic village in Moc Chau

The next day, we drove to Moc Chau town. As a first thing we climbed up to Doi Cave. The vast cave was embellished with awesome stalactites and from the main room there was a number of narrow footpaths which led to other tiny chambers. On the ceiling we could identify marks from bats which gave it its name – Bat Cave.

Inside Doi Cave

Our next stop was Ang Village. There was a lake surrounded by pine forest where we rented tandem bikes and went for a ride around the lake. Although riding that type of bike looked pretty easy, it took us a while to manage to coordinate our movements and keep the bike going straight. Even if the path was nicely flat and paved. Once we got on a bit harsh terrain I rather jumped off the bike than end up with bloody knees.

Somewhere on the way

The last bit for the day before we headed back to Hanoi was an orchid garden. It was located just a few minutes drive from the lake but could have been easily skipped because it was not worth it. Moreover, it was not a blooming season. So, we only saw a bunch of green plants, apart from few exceptions, and one poor bird of prey locked in a small cage. It seemed to be just a time killer to fill the schedule before we hit the road again.

In the orchid garden

As a part of the plan we were originally supposed to go to see the Dai Yem waterfall. However, our guide advised us that there had been some work done on a hydro power station and therefore there was hardly any water left in the waterfall.