Kunming, The Beauty and Culture of China

There are many things that I will never learn about China.  It's a subject not only on travel, but also culture, politics, and history, that would take much longer for me to study than the time I have left on this Earth.  It's one of those places that are always full of surprises.  I like surprises.
Kunming is one of the best surprises that I've seen in China.  It's a bustling overpopulated city, with great food, good shopping, lots of traffic, and fairly cheap hotels.  It's a balance between old and new, and I'm not sure which one is winning.

Dianchi Lake is on the south side of the city of Kunming.  This is a place of beautiful gardens and something called the Yunnan Ethnic Village or the Minorities Village.  This place showcases 25 different ethnic groups from the Yunnan Province.  They have food, crafts, lifestyle displays, and even music and dance.  It's an organized way for you to get to know the ways of their ancestors.  In a country that's modernizing at an uncanny speed, this is a good thing.  It keeps the system going.  It keeps the people attached to their roots.  It's also a lot of fun for the tourists.

Now, if you like shopping, Kunming has got it.  There are high end stores downtown.  There are market areas, like Nanping Business Street, and they have a couple of other open market areas as  well.  Each area is a little different from the others.  Nanping is one of the oldest, but not in the best shape.  These places don't care much about hours either.  They're open well into the night, and at night, people selling stuff out of the trunks of their cars are everywhere downtown.  As far as the eye can see.
Kunming is a bustling city, with a bright modern future.  It is also a great place for history and the past.  There are skyscrapers here and there are ancient temples.  It is rumored that not only was this place temporarily ruled by Genghis Khan, but it was also visited by Marco Polo.  It's not that this place is out of the way.  It's just that this place is nice and it has a few activities and other attributes that no place else has.
Now, why do I mention it on my blog?  Well, it has some very unusual features.

First and foremost, there is the Stone Forest.  This place reminds me of Tsingy Park in Madagascar.  There are hundreds of acres of these naturally formed spires.  Here the locals will tell you that many of them remind people of animals or other items.  One of them is a hanging rock, which precariously hangs as suggests its name.  The myth here is that if you truly love your lady, you will risk all and stand under the rock to prove your love.  It's a good thing that chivalry and proving oneself hasn't gone out of fashion.

Regardless, there is nothing like a labyrinth of stone spires to make for a very interesting day out of the city.  You can normally book a tour that drives you out on a bus for the day.  It's a nice ride and a fascinating look at mother nature.  There are also some caves in the area with some amazing formations, and one of them has a lake in it.

Not far from Kunming City is a wonderful ancient religious site called Dragon's Gate.  It is a thousand steps or so up.  The good thing about this is that there is also a cable car that you can catch in Haigeng Park.  There are also two wonderful old temples in the area to visit, Huating and Taihua.  This is a wonderful country visit from the city, with views that normally only angels have.  It's well worth the visit.

Now, there are many things to do in the area.  There are influences from a lot of different cultures.  That alone would keep you busy for quite a while, what with some of the cultures in the area being influenced by nearby Myanmar and Vietnam.  But, this is the modern age.  This is the time when China is moving ahead, modernizing everything, and keeping its economy going in some very strange ways.

Not far away is the city of Chendong.  This city was farmland not so long ago.  There are quite a few of these cities cropping up in China, and they are fascinating.  The government is building them to offset a possible real estate bubble.  The thing that strikes me about these cities, which are becoming more and more well known, is that there are little to no people there.  There are empty apartment buildings, empty shopping malls, empty houses, even empty subways.  It's eerie and worth the visit outside the box just to take a look.  How often do you get to see a vacant large city?
So, if you want a place that has reasonable hotel prices and a lot to see and do that you won't find anywhere else, come to Kunming.  Take a look at the past and the future.  Have some Over the Bridge Noodles, see some cultural dance and crafts, visit some temples, take a walk on the wild side, and enjoy a unique place with a lot to offer.  And remember, this is one of the lesser crowded cities in China, and the pollution is less than in a lot of areas.
Enjoy!

http://www.chinahighlights.com/kunming/attraction/yunnan-minority-village.htm
http://www.chinatouronline.com/china-travel/kunming/kunming-travel-tips/things-to-do-in-kunming.html
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/yunnan/kunming/stone_forest.htm
http://worldfacts.us/China-Kunming.htm
http://www.chinaodysseytours.com/yunnan/dongchuan-red-land-lexiagua.html
http://www.chinatourguide.com/Kunming/yunnan_ethnic_village.html
http://www.chinafacttours.com/kunming/attractions/yunnan-ethnic-village.html
http://www.yunnan-roads.com/travel/kunming/yunnan-ethnic-village.htm
http://www.yunnan-roads.com/tours/yunnan.htm
http://www.chinahighlights.com/kunming/attraction/the-stone-forest.htm
http://www.chinahighlights.com/kunming/
http://www.chinatourstailor.com/tours/best-10-top-china-tours.html
http://www.chinakunming.travel/index.aspx
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Traditions in Japan...Kyoto

 
Kyoto is one of the most beautiful spots anywhere. Kiyomizudera Temple is a beautiful place where ancient meets modern.  The grounds are beautiful. The temple is beautiful.  The Buddhist religion is alive and well, and you can drink to health, wealth, and wisdom.  Or, according to the locals, long life, success in school, and a good love life.

 
Otowa Falls is the place to drink to your good future.  Here the water runs down in three separate streams, so you can choose what you wish to drink for good luck with.  It is considered in poor taste to drink from all three, so make your decisions wisely.

This is an amazing place.  It's not just a building.  There are many buildings, temples, garden structures, bridges.  It is a peaceful and tranquil place to spend the day.  If you've ever wanted to get away from it all, this is a great place to spend some quiet time and enjoy the beauty that the world has to offer.
Now, why did I mention this place?  Well, as usual, it's exotic, it's something that almost everyone can muster up the strength and energy to do, and it's cultural.  Culture is the best part of travel.  There was one other reason that I brought it up.

Kyoto, the location of the temple and grounds, is a cultural hot spot.  If you want to learn about ancient culture in Japan, here's your spot.  The gardens are amazingly well designed.  The trees are bonsai.  The waterways are beautiful.  The cherry blossoms are abundant.  The temples are plentiful.  There's not much here that you haven't seen in the movies.  This is where the traditions live on.
 
This is where modern meets tradition, and this is where you might just see a Geisha in the subway.  It's a way of life.  Here in Kyoto, the world of the Geisha is alive and well.  And if you want, you can go to a dinner club and see the Maiko perform.

Maiko are apprentices to become Geisha.  They spend years learning the art of pleasing people.  They learn to serve tea, dance, and perform for others.  This is the life of the Geisha.  Now, long since they have been noted as prostitutes.  That is not the case for the traditional Kyoto Geisha.  These girls are business women.  They perform for their customers.  They escort them to functions when asked.  They are subservient by trade, but do not confuse this with any kind of weakness.  These girls work for their clients, but their love lives are their own.  They do date and have relationships as would any other woman.  The only catch with her life is that when she gets married, she has to retire.  They are not prostitutes, but they are single women.  When they marry, they are retired.

Gion is the neighborhood where you can experience the Geisha culture.  There are restaurants where the Maiko perform for your entertainment.  They will even teach to you and play traditional drinking games with you.  There are places where they will dress you up like a Geisha and photograph you to impress your friends back home.  There are lots of different ways to experience the Geisha/ Maiko culture.

Kyoto is old world, with tea plantations, Geisha and Maiko, temples, castles, gardens, and canals.  The cherry blossoms in the spring add that little something that makes it like no place else on Earth.  Now, this is a popular tourist destination.  This isn't one of those out of the way places that no one knows about.  That said, make your plans in advance.  There are many tour companies that will help you out.  There are many places to stay.  There are many places to see.  There are many things to do.  This is one of the places that my mind kept coming back to so often that I finally had to write about it.  Enjoy!

http://kyoto-maiko.com/English/plan.html
http://www.city-discovery.com/kyoto/tour.php?id=1380
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3901.html
http://meetuskyoto.com/?gclid=CPfo-Jee67UCFYSe4AodrHcAeQ
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/kansai/kyoto/things-to-do
http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/7-things-to-do-in-kyoto-at-night
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3902.html
http://www.japanican.com/tours/list.aspx?aff=GMT&destcd=18
http://www.gojapango.com/Kyoto_Tours
http://www.kyoto.travel/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

It's Not Easy to See, But It's Worth It...The Skeleton Coast

Some places just beg to be visited.  Some of them you visit because of the beauty.  Some you visit because of the fun or the activities.  Some you visit because of historical significance.  Some places you simply visit because you have to see it.  I think that best describes Namibia's Skeleton Coast.
Historically, the Skeleton Coast covered hundreds of miles of Namibia's extraordinary desert coast, but now it's largely been contained inside a National Park.  You can enter the park through the frightening looking skeleton gates, but that's not going to allow you to go to the best parts.
This is one of those rare occasions where I will tell you to book a safari with a recognized tour company who has access to the restricted areas of the Skeleton Coast.  It's the best way to see what you really want to see.

That said, let me tell you that the rest will be an adventure.  The best and only way to get to see all of the shipwrecks along the coast, is to fly in and out in small planes with guides.  These trips are so sophisticated that they come with picnic lunches and specially outfitted Land Rovers with drivers who know where vehicles are allowed to drive.  All you have to do is go along for the ride and bring your camera.  This place is one giant photo op.
 
It's not just the desert that makes this place so treacherous for ships.  The Benguela Current flows in the area, and brings cold water from the Atlantic to the shores of the Namibian Coast here, making fog, and in effect, causing shipwrecks.  There are many stories about seafaring men who ran ashore and spent days looking for life in the desert.  It's a scary combination of desert and crushing currents offshore.
The land along the Skeleton Coast is full of shipwrecks and whale bones.  Reportedly, there are also some human bones wasting away in the sand of long ago tragedies never solved.
Namibia's desert is a fascinating place to visit.  As usual, I wouldn't tell you to go all the way to the most remote shoreline of Africa just to see some rotting old ships, fascinating though they are.
Cape Fur Seals inhabit the coastline, and even set up house inside the wrecked ships.  It's nature's way of making use of a tragedy, I suppose.  The seals fish directly off shore and sun themselves on the beach.  There are hundreds of seals in the colonies and they are quite something to see.

When you safari to the Skeleton Coast, you will most likely stay at a camp.  These camps are quite civilized, and you will find that you are as comfortable in one of these camps as you would be in a hotel.  They have wonderful meals and comfortable shower facilities.  The beds aren't bad either.
But you can go to more than one came and see more than one area while you are in Namibia.

Do you like dunes?  Along the coast of Namibia, you have some whoppers.  There are the Sossusvlei Dunes which are possibly the highest in the world.  They are surreal and glow red.  When on a safari, guides will drive you around them in Land Rovers and walk to the top of some if you wish.  The sand looks soft, but in many places it is walkable.
 
There are also the Roaring Dunes.  These babies are very red, and there's reason.  They're largely garnets.  Part of the sand along the Skeleton Coast is made of semiprecious gemstones, ground into sand.  It gives it a particularly shiny and colorful appearance, and the structure of these dunes makes them vibrate in a way that makes it seem as though they are roaring as you go down them.  It's an amazingly odd experience, that you won't want to miss.

If you go on a safari with a tour company, you will most likely get an opportunity to visit local tribes such as the Himba.  These are a nomadic people who have lived along the edges of the desert for centuries.  You will have a chance to meet them and see a little bit of their lifestyle.

And then there are the animals.  There are desert elephants here, who have adapted to this harsh terrain and live here quite comfortably.  You will also see Hyenas, Zebras, Turtles, many birds and so much more, including the seals.  The wildlife abounds in the harsh place, which is amazing, but there are a great variety of animals in the Western Namib Desert lands.
 
You will have the opportunity to take a boat on the Kunene River and see clay castles on the hilltops and Crocodiles in the water.  Once again, the camps will keep you comfortable and well fed.
This is a multi faceted adventure, and you will find something interesting and fascinating at every turn.  There are caves with archaic drawings in them.  There are oases, and canyons, and gemstones, and shipwrecks.  The Skeleton Coast and the surrounding area have something for anyone.  The best part is that you can go and still have a comfortable vacation.  It's certainly something that will give you impressions that you've never gotten anywhere else.  It will give you a new perspective on the rest of the world.
The world is old in Namibia, whether it be the old rotting ships in the sand, or the pipe-like rocks leftover from the volcanic times, or the dunes that rise unbelievably high against the coast.  Traditions are old here, just like everything else, and you should experience it before the conservationists decide to restrict it even more.  Make a reservation, and let someone else do the thinking on this one.  Just go along for the ride.

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/83d91/f11/
http://www.opulentafrica.com/holidays/skeleton_coast_national_park.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=skeleton%20coast&utm_campaign=Skeleton%2BCoast
http://www.namibian.org/travel/namibia/skeleton.htm
http://www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com/safaris.htm
http://www.goodsafariguide.net/skeletoncoastsafaris/
http://www.go2africa.com/location/7253/why-go
http://www.tshokwanesafaris.com/namibia/safari-tours/skeleton-coast-safaris/
http://www.namibweb.com/skeletonsaf.htm
http://www.africaexclusivesafaris.com/namibia/skeleton-coast
http://www.thesafaricompany.co.za/The_Skeleton_Coast_Safari.htm
http://www.tamba-africa.co.za/nmb_skeleton.html
http://www.voyagetrek.com/Travel/Tours/Namibia?tfa_SpecialFormNotes=Bing+Yahoo-Search&tfa_SpecialNotes2=Skeleton%20Coast%20safari
http://www.africanodysseysafaris.com/safaris/namibia/the-skeleton-coast/
http://www.african-tribes.org/himba-people.html 
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Enjoy!

The Most Amazing Little Island...Madeira

 
It's old world meets new world.  It's nature meets civilization.  It's where water meets the ocean.  This is Madeira.  I was attracted to this location just because of the Lava Pools of Porto Moniz.  These are amazing.  They are naturally formed by volcanoes, right next to the ocean.  The locals have made them into natural swimming pools.
 
These massive pools are accentuated with ladders, Roman style steps, and partial containment walls to guard the massive surf from the Atlantic Ocean on the outside.  This is a swimming destination like you've never seen before.  They may be closed due to harsh surf in the dead of winter, but due to the island's sub tropical climate, they are open most of the year.  They are a scenic and peaceful place to take a dip.  They are the only place quite like this in the world.  Make sure that you and your family are safe when swimming here though.  Just because it's a monitored and maintained place, doesn't mean that there aren't safety hazards.  If your children can't swim, be very careful taking them into any natural pool.  The floors remain natural and therefore uneven.  That can be a hazard to little ones that don't really swim.  There are lifeguards at the pools for the public safety.  They do have operating hours, and charge a small fee for entry, so check the current details before you go.
Now, the lava pools were great.  To me it was reason enough to visit Madeira.  Then I heard about the cable cars.  The most famous one is from Funchal to Monte.  It goes from one town to another, because it's easier than a train or a car.  I'm not joking.  The mountain that separates these two towns is steep, so they built a cable car.  The result was a great tourist attraction that has incredible views of a good portion of the coast of the island.  It's amazing.  Once again, a great view is reason enough to visit a locale, but there was more.

The Monte Palace Gardens are some of the most amazing gardens I have ever seen.  There are water gardens, Asian gardens, bird sanctuaries, Orchid gardens, and tailored gardens of all kinds including some that showcase the enormous variety of local plants and trees.  You could easily spend all day here, taking in the beauty of the place.

Now, Madeira is not a country.  It's an island in the Atlantic, not far from Morocco.  That may be a little vague, but just look at a map and figure it out.  It's owned by Portugal.  There's an old world nature about a lot of the island.  This is something else that makes this a worthwhile trip.  There are beautiful old world looking towns all over the island.  There are wineries in the hills that make wine sought after the world over.  There are wonderful traditions.
One such wonderful tradition is the Monte Toboggan Ride.  What is it?  Well, it's the quickest way to come back from Monte to Funchal.  There are these traditionally dressed guys at the top in Monte.  They wear white clothes.  They have wicker toboggans that are made somewhat like sleighs.  They will put you in that sleigh and run you down the hill to Funchal.  I'm not kidding.  It's one of the oldest traditional rides on the island, starting somewhere in the mid 1800's.  The ride lasts about 10 minutes until you get to a suburb of Funchal on the bottom.  The sleighs can go up to 48 km per hour.  It's a thrill and a great ride in the old world.

Now, Madeira has many wonderful things to offer.  There is a model of the Santa Maria that you can take a cruise on.  They have a theme park and a water park for more traditional family fun.  They have great shopping, beautiful architecture and a great fireworks display on New Year's Eve.


Another thing that they have in Madeira is the old north coast road.  This thing goes from Sao Vicinte 16 km to Porto Moniz.  The scenery is amazing.  The cliffs are astounding.  The tunnels are really something to behold.  It's a great way to spend some time in the afternoon, and you can top it off with a swim when you get to Porto Moniz.
Is that enough?  Well, there's something else.  In the old days, they had to figure out how to get fresh water to the growing coastal towns.  The solution was to make a canal or Levada to let the water meander its way down from the mountains to the towns along the coast.
 
Now, you can go for a trek along them.  There are several tour companies that will help you plan your walk along some or all of the 2500 km of Levadas.  They have been around since the 1600's and they have tremendous views.  It's an amazing way to spend your walking in nature time.
So, let me just say that if you like the old world with a twist, you'll love Madeira.  It has everything and something for everyone.  It's got great Portuguese food too.  Beat that.  So, if you think that you would like to drive along a coastal cliff drive, see great mountain views from a cable car or while hiking along a Levada, if you would like to swim in a pool created by volcanoes, or go screaming down a mountain on a toboggan after walking amazing gardens, then this place is for you.  It seems as though it would be a million miles away, but it's just in the Atlantic Ocean not far from southern Europe.  It's something truly exotic that's not that far away.
There are some things that you should know.  Like the Azores, you will probably want to allow the time to fly through Portugal on layover to get there.  It's way cheaper.  Also, it does get cooler in the winter months even though it is still warm by most standards.  This means that there are short periods where the pools and some other attractions may not be open.  Be prepared to wrestle with the language.  English is not so widely spoken there and Portuguese is the native tongue.  However, there is barely any crime on this tiny island, and the people are old world friendly.
Take a chance on a small island, take a step back into the old world.

http://www.seadestination.com/the-lava-pools-of-porto-moniz-madeira-island-portugal/
http://www.iknow-portugal.co.uk/tourist_information/madeira_azores/funchal/funchal_cable_car.htm
http://www.madeira24.com/english/activities/cable_cars/cable_cars.htm
http://www.love-madeira.com/monte-toboggan-madeira.php
http://www.madeira-web.com/PagesUK/index.html
http://www.lido-tours.com/en/walks.html
http://www.madeira-tours.info/
http://www.madeira-a-z.com/madeira-holiday-guide.html
http://www.madeiraguide.co.uk/coastroad.shtml
http://www.madeirarural.com/council-area-monte/
http://www.madeiratours.co.uk/
http://www.madeirahappytours.com/
http://www.madeiralodgings.com/ 
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Enjoy!

Borneo...Take a Walk in the Rainforest

 
This is the latest way to experience a rainforest.  As time goes on and more people want to have that experience, the people who live there are trying to find easier ways for people to do just that.  A couple of decades ago, it would have been almost impossible for the average Joe to go to a rainforest in Borneo and see the views up close and personal.  The idea of just walking around and seeing rare birds and Orangutans was something that only the richest people in the world with personal guides and fancy equipment could do.
 
Not any more.  This is the canopy walkway at the Discovery Center just outside of Sandakan, Borneo.  It may be a little bit of a wild drive to get the 24 km to the Center, since the roads are not necessarily what you would expect in America.  The roads are dirt, and subject to the weather.  It isn't always an easy drive, but the payoff is well worth it.

There are observation towers here in the middle of the rainforest.  Instead of taking ropes and clips with a guide and camping gear...you can just walk along and look for yourself.  You don't have to be a wilderness buff.  You don't have to be an adrenaline junkie.  You can just do it.
Now, I don't mean to say that this is handicap accessible or anything.  You do have to be in moderately good shape to take this walk.  The walkway itself is up to 100 meters high in the canopy.  There are inclines and stairs along the way.  But the views are amazing.

You might even see some of these guys.  That's right, the local residents are Orangutans.  These wonderful primates are becoming more and more rare and are currently listed on the endangered species lists.  In Borneo, not far from the Discovery Center, there is the Danum Valley Conservation Area.  Here the Orangutan is protected, so that they can live and prosper.  The conservation area is another fabulous stop on this tour, so don't miss that either.  There are programs to take part in to learn more about these animals.  There are guided tours there, and much else.

Now this is the Borneo Rainforest Lodge.  This is the place to stay if you want to spend some time in the area and see the wildlife up close and personal.  They have many activities to keep you occupied and teach you about the area.  They also have their own walkway in the rainforest.  It rises up to 26 meters above the rainforest floor and goes for about 300 meters through the canopy.

There are some other activities at the lodge that are worth checking into such as the natural jacuzzi, the nature trails, ancient coffins with skeletons in them, a safari drive, night walks and so on.  You can even go innertubing on the river.  It's a wonderful way to commune with nature.  It's a wonderful way to see the rainforest.  It's a great way to learn about the local community.
 
And the lodge is one of the greenest places to stay on Earth too.  They are well aware that we need to be aware of our waste and keep the rainforests as well as the rest of the planet in mind as we go to live our lives with all of our luxuries.  The lodge is solar powered and fairly self contained.  The staff is nice too.

So, if you want to see the rainforest up close and personal, come to the Rainforest Discovery Center in the Danum Valley in Borneo.

Come stay at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, so you can take the time to investigate the valley area.  There are Pygmy Elephants, Orangutans, monkeys, and rare and beautiful birds here to see.  There are trees so large that it takes a ring of ten people to encircle them.  It's amazing, it's beautiful, and it's waiting to be visited.

http://www.borneorainforestlodge.com/packages/itinerary4day.htm
http://www.goborneotravel.com/rainforest-discovery-centre-sabah/
http://danum-valley.com/borneo-rainforest-lodge.htm
http://www.borneonaturetours.com/www/default.aspx
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/borneo/white-text
http://www.destination360.com/asia/malaysia/borneo-rainforest
http://www.mongabay.com/borneo.html
http://www.sabahborneo.com/
http://www.villa.com.au/search-results/borneo-sabah-rainforests-and-wildlife-experience/
http://www.responsibletravel.com/holiday/5308/orangutans-and-ibans-tour-to-borneo 
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Come and experience this wonderful idea of walking through the rainforest canopy before it gets out.  Right now it is quiet and comfortable.  In the future as more rainforest areas develop these kinds of attractions, such as the one in Queensland, Australia that has already gone up, the crowds will thicken.  Get there ahead of the crowds.
Enjoy!

Do You Find Hobbits Interesting?

If you like the Lord of the Rings, you'll recognize this.  If you love the Lord of the Rings, you'll need to go here.  This is Hobbiton.  That's right, that set from the movies, most recently, The Hobbit.  It's now a tourist attraction near Matamata, New Zealand.  It's summer down there right now, or at least the weather is summer like.  All of this lies only about two hours south of Aukland.

You just don't see this everywhere.  Most of the time, movies, even the really big blockbusters, take away their sets when the movie is finished.  It's very rare that something like this is left to be used for a tourist attraction.  The only other one that I know of on this scale is the one from Star Wars in Tunisia.  This is a special opportunity to see a little bit of movie history.
 

You don't see things like this just anywhere.  And what a great thing for Tolkien enthusiasts.  A real trip to a Hobbiton in Middle Earth.  It's a sci-fi Mecca.

Now, don't forget, there are about a million things to see in New Zealand.  This would just be the crowning glory to a really great trip.  New Zealand has some of the most amazing scenery found anywhere in the world.  It has mountains, beaches, farmland, cities, Maori culture, vineyards, and some of the friendliest people on Earth or from Middle Earth.  There are some crazy things to do like flying down mountains on a monorail in a tube, or inside of a padded inflatable ball.  You can go surfing on sand there, and hiking on glaciers.  It's a truly amazing place.
 
It's called Schweeb, and it's a real thrill ride down the side of a mountain.  You'll find it in Rotura.

Cape Reinga is a beautiful spot near Northland.  The beach here is full of dunes, and sandboarding is the sport here.  It's crazy and fun, and something different.
 
This is Zorb in Rotura.  If you ever wanted to go bouncing down a hillside inside of a plastic ball, this one's for you.
Kiwi's love their off beat and thrilling activities.  That's what I'm told and what I read in the brochures.  This is the land of the avid bungee jumper, hiker, rock climber, sea kayaker, hang gliding enthusiast, skydiver, scuba diver, and so on.  So, you will never run out of things to do.

And in Middle Earth, you'll never run out of amazing views.
So, in the middle of winter, think about visiting Middle Earth in New Zealand.  Hobbiton is there and waiting for you to come and take a walk on the fantasy side.  Take a walk through a movie and feel like you've walked into your favorite novels.

http://www.zorb.com/zorb/locations/zorb-rotorua-nz/
http://www.awesomenz.com/
http://www.newzealand.com/int/feature/rotorua/
http://www.newzealand.com/int/matamata/
http://www.newzealand.com/us/themeleisure-park/
http://www.newzealand.com/us/
http://i.goaheadtours.com/b/newzealand?mkwid=e8H66H2aG&pcrid=332528414&utm_source=bing&utm_campaign=GAT_New_Zealand&utm_term=New Zealand
http://www.relaxingjourneys.co.nz/
http://www.tauck.com/tours/australia-travel.aspx
tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Hobbiton
http://www.hobbitontours.com/ 
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings


Hobbiton is a place you'll never forget, and never quite believe really even exists.
Enjoy!

What Actually is in Ha Long Bay?

Ha Long Bay.  In recent years we've all heard of it, but what do we really know about it?  I know that I saw it on Top Gear, the original version.  I know that it's off of the east coast of Vietnam.  I know about it's characteristic rocks rising out of the water.  What I wanted to know was what do you do there?
 
Here's what I found out.  First off, it's a World Heritage Site.  There are around 3,000 islands in the bay.  The easiest way to visit it is to take a cruise that could be as short as a day or as long as two weeks out of Halong City.

The cruise ships are exotic looking, somewhat of a junk, only extremely modernized.  If you take a multi day cruise, you will have a cabin on board that is just like a hotel room.  All the modern amenities are there.  It may look like a junk, but it's a small cruise ship.
For starters about what is in the bay, there are four pretty well known floating villages: Cửa Vạn, Ba Hang, Cống Tàu, and Vong Vieng.  Ba Hang is the one that most people believe was visited by the Top Gear guys in their Vietnam special where they rode across Vietnam on motorcycles and scooters, then turned them amphibious to get to a bar in the middle of Ha Long Bay.

Cua Van is the biggest of the villages, and is home to the first ever cultural center for the group of villages.  This is a great place to learn about their way of life.  Remember, these people are born, live, work, go to school, get married, raise families, and die on the water.  It is a unique way of life, so if you're looking for a stop at McDonald's, this is not for you.  If you truly like to travel and learn about other cultures, this is for you.
 

Now, CatBa and Monkey Islands are the home to the famous Monkey Island resort.  The resort is world class.  CatBa is the only island in the bay with a town built on it.  The town has many resorts and hotels.  It's set up well for tourists, with activities and beaches.  Monkey Island is pretty much a side trip.  You can stay on the island with the resort.  You can also just catch a boat for an afternoon and visit.  There are around 20 monkeys who live on the island.  You get to see them in their natural habitat.  Remember, they are wild.  Don't try to get too friendly with those locals.
 
One of the most beautiful things in Ha Long Bay that doesn't necessarily stick out at you are the grottoes.  The islands being rock protrusions in and of themselves are riddled with caves.  Some are more famous than others like Thien Cung Grotto or the Heavenly Grotto, and Trinh Nu Grotto or the Virgin Grotto.  There are dozens of the grottoes around the bay though and a lot of them are easily accessible, beautiful, and an adventure for all.  Some of them are colorfully lighted so that the experience is enhanced and the pictures are second to none.
So, if you want to visit somewhere that you've seen on TV a bit lately, this is one of those things. The best time to visit is in the cooler months from November to April.  It gets hot and wet in the summer there.  The best way to travel is with one of the cruise company's that will take you on a guided trip.  There are 3,000 islands out there.  Even if you have a super yacht of your own doesn't mean that you would be able to find your way around.  Let the professionals take you.  They know what they're doing.
 
So, visit a floating village, see some monkeys, take a cruise, and explore some amazing caves.  Don't forget your camera, because if you do, you will regret it.

http://www.halongbay.gov.vn/travel-guide/having-adventures-in-vietnam-why-travel-to-halong-bay.html
http://www.halongbay.gov.vn/
http://www.travelhalongbay.com/halong_grottoes.htm#Trinh%20Nu%20&%20Trong%20Grottoes
http://www.monkeyislandresort.com/travel-guide/monkey-island-in-catba-and-monkey-island-resort.html
http://halongbaybeauty.com/1642/halong-bay-this-aint-no-junk/
http://www.traveltohalong.com/villages/
http://halongbaycruises.com/
http://www.halongbuzz.com/
http://www.cruiseshalongbay.com/
http://www.halongluxuryjunk.com/
http://www.visithalongbay.org/ 
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Enjoy!