Caravan Holiday Victor Harbor
Friday 17th March
Caravan Holiday
This afternoon we hitched up the old caravan and journeyed down to Victor Harbor on the coast south of Adelaide, South Australia. This trip has become an annual trip for us. We had sites near six other couples who stayed in the same caravan park. During the weekend our wives attend the CWCI Convention. All the men sit around in the shade of the trees in the park and attempt to solve the world’s problems – usually unsuccessfully.
Birds of the Caravan Park
We arrived at about 4:30pm and after checking in we set up the caravan. From our site we had an excellent view of Encounter Bay and Granite Island just off the coast. The beach is about a hundred metres from our van, with no buildings or other things obstructing our view. Throughout the park there are numerous birds, many of them very tame.
Australian Magpie
The most obvious resident of the park is the Australian Magpie. I didn’t do a count of actual numbers but they are present throughout the park. They are very tame and will come to within a metre or so if one is sitting outside the van. This provides many photo opportunities and I was able to get several good shots. They keep a careful watch if one is eating outside, expecting a free handout. When there is nothing on offer they skulk around looking for any unwary creatures lurking in the grass. The spear like thrust of the beak often rewards them with a tasty morsel.
Rainbow Lorikeet
Another common park resident is the Rainbow Lorikeet. The park has many eucalyptus trees, some of which were heavy in flower. This accounts for the many lorikeets and the constant screeching calls. They will feed for a while before wheeling off through the park in twos and threes, screeching as the go to another tree.
Other Bird Species
Because there were many flowering trees in the caravan park there were also quite a few honeyeaters scattered everywhere. New Holland Honeyeaters, Red Wattlebirds, Little Wattlebirds and Noisy Miners were the common honeyeaters I observed. There were also some White Plumed Honeyeaters but they were not calling as much as they are sometimes inclined to do.
For more information about Victor Harbor click here.
Picnic at Swanport Reserve
Picnic
Today we spent a very relaxing day at a Church picnic. It was originally scheduled for Australia Day in January, but that was cancelled due to very hot weather. Last night the steady rain threatened to spoil our picnic yet again. This morning the sky was clear with not a cloud to be seen with a gentle breeze. Some clouds did appear around lunch time, but generally it was a great day.
Fishing and Canoeing
A good number of people attended the gathering on the lawns at Swanport Reserve. This reserve, a few kilometres south of Murray Bridge, is on the banks of the Murray River. The extensive lawned area has a scattering of large, shady trees throughout. A sandy beach lines the eastern edge of the reserve, perfect for casting a line or two. Optimistic anglers grace this small strip of beach from time to time. Friend Keith took the trouble to bring his canoe; various ones took turns canoeing the stretch of river near the reserve. I must take our canoe down there sometime as it’s been years since we’ve enjoyed the pleasures of sliding quietly through the water.
Birding
I usually am keen to visit this reserve as the birding can be very good with an interesting range of birds to be seen. The birding was rather slow today so my list was shorter than usual. A flock of some 60 to 100 Galahs kept a constant chorus of squawking, disturbing the peacefulness of the picnic. Their wheeling from tree to tree painted pink swirls against a bright blue sky in contrast with Jeff’s rainbow coloured kite fluttering in the breeze.
Royal Sydney Botanic Gardens
Yesterday we caught an early train in Artarmon, north of Sydney, which took us through the CBD right on to Strathfield station. We then caught a bus to a street near Corinne’s Aunty Joan’s place. We spent about three hours with her, including lunch, before catching another bus which took us to Bankstown station. There we took a train all the way to Circular Quay. From there we walked along Macquarie Street to the entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Digital Camera User Rule #1
I was looking forward to taking a few photos in the botanic gardens but we were only there a few minutes when the batteries on my digital camera went flat. Now – rule one for digital camera users – always carry spare batteries! When trekking the Himalayas last January I carried five sets of spare batteries. This time I had NONE. I thought I had a spare set but couldn’t find them anywhere in my camera bag. They were there all the time – hiding under the instruction book – but I didn’t find them until it was too late. (Sigh).
Photo Opportunity #1
You guessed it.
Only two minutes later a magnificent photo opportunity presented itself. Walking along a path we came across a Buff Banded Rail – eating chocolate that had dripped from some kid’s icecream on to the path. It only reluctantly moved out of the way to let us pass. Now Buff Banded Rails are not as common as sparrows or crows or most other birds. I’ve only ever seen about three or four EVER. After nearly 30 years of concentrated birding. And me unable to take a photo. (Bigger sigh)
Photo Opportunity #2
Later, while having an icecream, ANOTHER Buff Banded Rail walked right past us where we sat admiring the boats on the harbour. I do hope it wasn’t the same bird taunting me. (Even bigger sigh).
In between these two incidents I saw many other really tame birds up close. I would have taken plenty of wonderful photos. Oh. well, that just gives me the excuse to return there another day.
Durbar Square, Patan, Nepal
Saturday 21st January 2006.
After breakfast I checked my email and replied to one from Corinne. Again the connection was very dodgy so I didn’t worry about sending out a general email to everyone. It is very frustrating to spend 20-30 minutes composing scintillating prose only to have the connection drop out before one gets to send the email. This usually results in a lost message.
Durbar Square, Patan
Again this morning I used a hotel driver to take me to Durbar Square Patan. I had to pay Rs200 to enter this area, and for that I received a tourist guide and map. Some of the temples and buildings in that area are thought to be over 2000 years old while others are only several hundred years old. A large part of the city has been given World Heritage Site status. It is a fascinating area and my camera received a very good workout, capturing over 100 images of this area.
Persistent Guides
As soon as I emerged from the car I was besieged by ‘guides’ offering their services. They are very persistent now that the main tourist time has finished. I managed to convince them that I didn’t need a guide. Sure, engaging a guide I may have learned more and seen more of this amazing place, but I wanted to wander at my own pace. I certainly didn’t want to be obliged to enter shops or other establishments at the insistence of the guides. Often these offers go hand in hand with expectations to buy at certain places only. Going at my own pace and where I wanted gave me the freedom to explore out of the way places and see life as it really is in Patan. I wanted to spend time learning of the real Patan and photographing every day life, not just the temples. The highlight of this approach was seeing and photographing four young boys playing marbles.
Washing Day
People were gathered in the square in force. Saturday is a public holiday in Nepal, the equivalent of our Sunday. It also seems to be washing day. Clothes were being hand washed in tubs in many places, and clothing was hanging from every available spot in the sun to dry like so many brightly coloured signs. Hand operated water bowsers were in every street or square and often had a queue of five or six girls or women waiting to fill their copper pots. Gatherings of men talking on street corners and children playing games in groups of three or four were seen often. I followed two little boys, perhaps aged six or seven, who were eagerly staring through shop windows appraising the relative merits of the toys on display. I managed to get several candid shots of these toy experts. They were just as eager and enthusiastic as any Aussie child.
Feral Pigeons
Wherever I went I saw people going about their everyday tasks. Some people, especially near the temples, had set up their food stalls to provide for those who had come to the area. Others had set out their wares on a one metre square groundsheet on the ground. Still others had fruit and vegetables for sale from their bicycles, their old style hand-held scales weighing the amount the customers wanted. Dogs are common in this area and so are pigeons. These pest birds are so common here one could almost come to the conclusion that the temples had been built with the sole purpose of providing the pigeons with perching and nesting facilities. I actually saw one old woman selling seed to feed the pigeons, as if they needed any help.
The Shops of Patan
Even though some shops were closed most were open and their owners trying to eke out a living. Every street has many ground floor shops selling only a few basic lines like groceries, drinks, chips and lollies through to extensive establishments, their wide variety of wares crammed into a tiny space. Many are merely the front room of someone’s home. Some shops included jewellery outlets, tailors, restaurants – including the oddly named “Happy Memorize Restaurant†(sic) – internet cafes, sewing machine shops, more motor bike repair shops and one plant nursery – the only one I saw in the Kathmandu. This nursery sold only large pot plants. Every home with a balcony had at least one pot plant.
Fast Food – Nepalese Style
Just like the Thamel area of Kathmandu, Patan has few butcher shops. I did see one interesting fast food outlet. I didn’t see any McDonalds of KFCs in Nepal, but this tiny establishment was the next best thing. In a small lane off a slightly larger lane I saw a man with a blow torch attached to a gas bottle. He was using the blow torch to cook a chicken! A short distance on I saw a chook market, a line of beautifully woven cane baskets full of chooks for sale.
In several areas I saw groups of treadle sewing machines lined up on one side of the square or on the footpath. The men manning these machines were all idle, patiently waiting for a customer to come and ask them to do some sewing for them.
Taxi Hassles
I caught a taxi back to the Shangri La Hotel for a late but relaxing lunch in the garden. I had walked in Patan for quite a few hours so I was pleased to sit down for a while. The taxis in Kathmandu are required by law to have meters to charge their customers. The one I hailed had an inoperable meter so we haggled over the price of the journey. He wanted Rs300 (A$6) but I knew this was exorbitant for the length of the trip so he accepted my offer of Rs200 (A$4) which was still a little high. To be fair, he took me on a longer and less busy route back to the hotel so I got to see another part of the city.
An Offer I couldn’t accept
After lunch I walked into Thamel yet again to do some final shopping. Large squads of armed police and soldiers were in evidence everywhere. I had yet another new experience this afternoon. I was approached twice by men offering to sell me marijuana. When refused I was then offered a massage. I didn’t hang around to find out what kind of massage!
Shopping in Thamel, Kathmandu
After exploring for over an hour I found two clothing shops where I could bargain the price down to what I was prepared to pay. I bought two pairs of trousers for Rs1200 (A$24) and two t-shirts for Rs800 (A$16). The trousers were similar to those I used for the trek. The t-shirts both had the same design with mountains and the caption of Kathmandu, Nepal. One is grey and the other is navy blue.
Central Zoo Kathmandu
Thursday 19th January 2006.
 This morning I woke with a headache, the first for the whole trip. After taking a paracetamol and having a good breakfast I was fine. I then had a rumbly tummy for a while but by 10am I was feeling a lot better. I have been surprised that I haven’t had any other headaches along the way and my stomach upsets have been quite mild. With all the different foods I have eaten, some of it very spicy, I though that I may have had more problems.
 Central Zoo, Kathmandu , Nepal
I tried to access my email but all internet access was unavailable. Mid morning I used one of the hotel drivers to take me to Central Zoo. The entry fee was Rs100 (A$2) plus Rs10 for my camera. The zoo in Kathmandu is a sad, run-down affair. It looks tired and few changes seem to have occurred since it was built in the Nineteenth Century. In fact, many of the cages are 19th Century in style with no attempts apparent to bring the exhibits up to modern standards. Despite these criticisms I spent two very pleasant hours wandering around the enclosures. The bars and wire fences made photography a challenge but I managed to get some very good shots.
The main purpose of visiting the zoo was to view the many animals and birds of Nepal I missed seeing in the wild. I was disappointed that they didn’t have any Red Pandas in their collection. This is one of my favourite animals and Nepal is a stronghold of this wonderful animal.
 Patan
After leaving the zoo I walked down the hill from there for about a half hour. This gave me another area of the city to explore as I went along. Being the only foreigner in that part of Patan I was the centre of attention. Many people at the zoo had also stared at me as well as my expensive looking camera. One man even spoke to me in good English and made his son shake my hand and practice speaking English to me. He was delighted to find out that I was an Australian. At least there is one country where Australians are looked up to and respected. As I walked along the street I was acutely aware of the stench of sewage. Sure enough, looking down some broken parts of the path revealed the source of the smell.