21 World Leaders...1 caged city

So, how could anyone not living under a rock have missed APEC? Coming from Sydney it was reasonably noticeable - we're talking a big fence around the Opera House, major disruptions in traffic and general work and life for any of the thousands of people working in the middle of the city, snipers on the rooftops...pretty extreme. Especially seeing as all reports about APEC in other countries represent it as being a small-fuss-out-of-the-way type of event.



Anyway, after much hassle and general ridiculousness a protest was organised in Sydney on the APEC long weekend (yep, we even got an extra day off for it!). Of course it couldn't go anywhere near where the conference itself was being held, but that didn't stop an unbelievable police presence!!! We had never seen anything like it!



Cam and I, his sisters, and a couple of friends attended this most peaceful of protests and marched through the city, dancing past police buses and many intimidating police. Not that we were blaming the individual officers et al, but whoever organised their presence was not only trying to be intimidating, but also provocative. It was absolutely bizarre.



It was great to see so many people there, as well as why they were there. Not many people were protesting against APEC per say, but rather about the issues that we felt weren't being addressed by the world leaders - mainly Climate Change and the Iraq War. There were also people there just because they had been told they weren't allowed - protesting for general civil rights and liberties.



Anyway, we were all happy that we went, and that we made our cool t-shirts with the Climate Change messages "Even Putin signed Kyoto - how embarrasing!" and "Howard targeting citizens, not climate change". Despite the scare tactics to try and prevent people from peacefully demonstrating how they feel, there was a fairly good turn out from all walks of life. Let's hope people don't forget how important the freedom to peacefully protest is!

Some Days in Darwin

Last week I (Jane) went on a work trip to Darwin. I've never been on a work trip before (I consider my time in PNG to be a bit more than a work trip), and I found the experience quite novel.



Basically last week was National Science Week all around Australia. Dan and I were asked to go up to Darwin for the week to run a whole lot of 20 minute workshops with primary school kids on how to make solar cells. Out of raspberries. I'm not quite sure which part of this seemed the most challenging, but it all seemed like fun; and combined with the fact that I had never been to Darwin, and that we were to be paid for the trip, it all sounded pretty good.

So Dan and I found ourselves at the airport with boxes of brochures and a bit of luggage on a Monday night. After approximately 5 hours we arrived in a lovely 27 degree Darwin, and caught a cab to Vanessa's house (a friend of a friend who had kindly offered us the use of her spare rooms). We had been left with instructions that went something like this: "Go through the back gate where you'll meet two dogs (Gus and Neil) - they are quite friendly and like to jump and lick a lot. Go in through the back door which will be left open for you, and the rooms you'll be staying in should be quite obvious". This more than anything else made me realise how different Darwin is to Sydney...

Anyway, we were bowled over by two very friendly and excited dogs - anyone with ill intentions would be licked into submission - and found our way into the house. Gus is the one pictured here.



Dan and I spent the next few days running over 30 raspberry solar cell making workshops for the primary school kids of Darwin. The workshops were only 20 minutes each - but there was plenty to fit in to that time - you can see our tables, set up, some piccies of Dan teaching the kids, and the actual 'solar cells' themselves as made by the students.









They seemed to like it, mostly because they got their hands dirty. My favourite quote from one of the students was when we were prompting them to tell us what different types of energy were. Someone mentioned fire (which quite obviously has light and heat energy), and this inspired one boy to wave his hand energetically in the air while exclaiming "Miss, miss. I burnt me house down!". I quickly explained that this type of energy is usually not encouraged.

While we did spend a lot of time at the science fair, we did get to get out and about. Dan, Jasmine and I managed to fit in a dinner together - a catch up that hasn't happened for a long time!



We also sat in on a couple of night time events - Women in Science, and Astronomy. Both of which were very interesting. The week was a huge learning experience for me, as well as any students at the science fair! One of the other highlights was getting to the night time markets on the beach. We got there just before sunset and it was truly spectacular...also managed to buy a few gifts for those at home...



The last day in Darwin was spent in a shopping centre. Yep, we had one of those demonstration tables which you always seem to see at large suburban shopping malls. We had lots of fun handing out balloons, and watching Dan do solar cell demonstrations for the kids and adults alike. Jasmine and I also liked posing for the camera.



Overall we had a fantastic time! Thanks to Vanessa for putting us up, and to Jasmine for organising the whole thing. It was a great experience. And thanks to my science partner Dan for making the whole thing fun, as well as educational. I like to think that I'm a little bit of a scientist now...and maybe a bit of a poser...

Just testing to see if we can do this...

Cam here getting technical with the blog whilst Jane is away (that's always the way isn't it?). Now I'm sure that some of you may well have been doing this with your blogs and youtube for quite a while now, but remeber we've had a year in the bush and have only just discovered youtube... so with that as the case sit back and enjoy this one. It is a pretty good summary of one of Cam's favorite topics at the moment and it is put togther in such a way that you don't really need the video feed. The humour (and very likely the truth) are in the words alone, nevertheless some of the images (you be able to pick em) are at once funny and scary.

These are the words of a Mr Marcus Brigstocke a british comedian who has proved that you can make the rant (and a social conscience) into good comedy. The images have been cobbled together by some clever chap (or chapette) for the you tube generation... big ups to you whoever you may be. I hope that you get something from it and have a good think about what is at the core of what he is saying. If you want some more rational arguments and interesting stuff go to the sidebar and chase down the Dawkins link. If you want more of Marcus being funny go and bloody find it yourself (he does a good one on the climate change "Swindle" film).

So like I said I wonder if we can do this... no, not embed a video (any syphlitic gibbon with a blackberry could do that these days), but rather stand up like Marcus and Dawkins and ask some serious questions about religion and the harm it brings to society and about the dangers of faith prevailing over reason and science. Keep reasoning.

Home

So we're home. Some of you may know where that is, some of you may not. So this entry is dedicated to just that.



We currently live with Cam's family in Farnham House. It's a beautiful old house that is also occupied by the rest of his family. So there are 12 of us all living in one house - it needs to be a bit on the big side!

We've been catching up with all Cam's family even the ones we last saw in Italy are back now.





And of course Janes folks too, we've been hard at work in any spare time helping them renovate their house for an upcoming sale...



so if anybody wants a beautiful two bedder with a massive garden in a lovely street in Ashfield... anyway enough of THAT! we have managed to notice that pretty much anyone in Sydney is capable of talking about is real estate, it is both riveting and it really puts into perspective what are friends in the developing world are missing out on

Other residents of the house include various animals. Several fish. A dog called Guinness


and a cat called Tybalt who has rather taken to his new role as luggage security.


Jane has already thrown herself into the arts scene again with professional stage managment work for the Australian Bradenburgs recent concernt season as well as some ametuer highjinks helping mentor younger stagemanagers on the show "Cabaret".



We've both got jobs (Jane's new one starts soon updates to follow!) and Cam is working close to home in the local book shop (a job that he has secretly wanted for about 15 years!) while he looks for science and conservation work.

This little catchup is just to let you know that we are still alive and (despite the cold) managing well enough in Sydney... well Cam is anyway Jane is off on a little excursion in Darwin so her fabulous additions to the blog will return shortly and focus on that little adventure.

What's Been Happening...

Ok. So it's been a while since we've updated this. Mostly we've been busy settling back into Sydney, looking for jobs etc. It doesn't seem like all that much has happened in the month and a half since we've been back, but thought it was time to write anyway.

Firstly, it's been cold. Especially when compared to PNG or Vietnam. Despite how cold it has been, Cam has still managed to go diving (Jane was happily warm and sleeping at the time). He even managed to uncurl his cold-cramped fingers for long enough to take some photos!





Otherwise he has been working at the local bookshop while writing applications for work in the marine biology field. So, he's fairly happy surrounded by books until he can get into the water again.

Jane has been working with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra on their latest concert series. Mostly she helped out the Orchestra Manager and performers while listening to beautiful music. Anyone who's interested in listening to beautiful music too should look up Philippe Jaroussky on Youtube - he's just amazing! She's also had a couple of job interviews for more work so she can..well...live. Sydney is a bit more expensive than PNG was (although thankfully not as expensive as Europe or the UK).

Otherwise we have been catching up with family and friends. Events worth special mention:

*PNG at Home - Cam volunteered at a Biodiversity Extinction Crisis Conference and met many Papua New Guineans, and people working in PNG. So he decided to invite them all over to dinner. It was a great night, and he even tried to cook some local PNG cuisine including claypot-style starch vegetables in coconut milk, and of course bulli and noodles. Unfortunately their were no Milne Bayans there, but it was nice to be surrounded by tok pisin again, and to meet new people - especially those working to preserve and protect the unique and amazing wildlife in PNG.



*Life Force Poetry and Prose afternoon - a lovely afternoon held by Lifeforce (a cancer support group) where actors and celebrities are asked to read their favourite poems and/or prose. It is held as a fundraiser so as to keep the group and their wonderful service going. It was great to share the poetry and prose and get an added insight into those who chose and read the pieces. It was all quite inspiring for a variety of reasons.

*Random going to the pub night - highlight was definately Cam and Jeff drinking whisky out of jam jars. Enough said.



Anyway, that's it for now. But we will definately endeavour to make this a regular thing again. Now that we're getting back into the swing of things it shouldn't be too hard : )

Hanging Around Halong Bay...

After we left Hue we caught a plane up to Hanoi - another one of our favourite places (there are quite a few of them)!

Our hotel was right in the depths of the colourful and lively Old Quarter of Hanoi, which met we were in the thick of things as soon as we stepped outside. We were met on our first day by the lovely Phuong Anh, who works with the Fred Hollows
Foundation in Hanoi. She showed us around, and took us to see the new and improved eye hospital. Here she poses with one of the many 'typical' Vietnam bicycles - so stacked with goods we don't know how they move. And this one is filled with ceramics!



The day after we arrived Phuong Anh took us for a drive to meet Giap. The drive itself was interesting (and the driving, again, quite scary), but meeting Giap was a really awesome experience. For those of you living in and around Sydney, you may have seen photos of Giap as a young boy, with Cam's dad Fred - they're often up at bus stops and other public places. Cam's dad Fred actually operated on his eyes and restored his sight around 15 years ago. So it was a special moment when they met each other as adults.



We had a lovely lunch and translated conversations. It was great to learn that Giap is half way through a university degree in Maths teaching - no mean feat.



After lunch we had to head back to Hanoi - another 3 hour trip! We did have one quick stop to buy young coconuts from the side of the road - Cam's favourite drink.



While we were enjoying Hanoi, we decided we had to get out to Halong Bay - one of the world's natural wonders. So the next day we caught a bus with a small group of people from our hotel, and tried to ignore the near-death driving habits of the Vietnamese people.



On arriving in Halong Bay we were overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of other tourists and lots of boats. We were shepheded by our tour guide (it is truly amazing how quickly tourists are moved on and off the boats - it's a smooth operation) to our boat, which we had to walk the plank and cross two other boats to get onto. On arriving safely and handing over our passports we retired to the top deck with a drink or two.



We cruised around the bay, past many islands and rocky formations - headed by our dragon (each boat has a dragon at the front for good luck). After a HUGE and fabulous lunch we were told to get off the boat and walk up a lot of stairs. While this may have been a bit of a mission the caves at the top of the stairs were amazing, and truly vast.



After walking down all the stairs again we were then taken to a kayaking site (they may give you a lot of food, but they make you work it off). We paddled around for a bit, trying not to fall in as the water didn't look all that clean and pleasant. Our guide took us through a pass that only small boats can fit through, and suddenly we were surrounded by what must have once been a huge cave. It was so beautiful, and worth the effort.





All the exercise done for the day, we got back on the boat (via all the fresh seafood that had been caught and was still alive in water filled 'cages' - a bit sad). We watched the sunset and had a drink, then another feast called 'dinner'. For evening entertainment we were called upon to teach some of the old uni drinking games - the things you find yourself doing in random places!

The next day we woke up, ate breakfast, and then were put off the boat and told to walk up lots of stairs again (is there a pattern here?) even more stairs than the day before! At the top there was a 360 degree view of Halong Bay, so perhaps it was worth the pain. Cam even met 'God' up the top.





Once we had recovered sufficiently we managed to walk down the stairs again, passing some small Vietnamese men carrying their body weight in steel cables. A bit of a reality check for us soft (and puffing, panting, and sweating) Westerners. There was a lovely beach down the bottom (real or artificial we're not sure), and a stall hiring out swimming costumers. Ewww.



Our Halong Bay trip almost at an end we cruised back to shore where we were fed another huge meal. After this one we sat on a bus for a few hours, and got to sleep - probably wise. Although most of us were awake to see a poor man lose a load of wire clothing stands off the back of his bike. It's amazing he could get them all on their in the first place...

We only had a few more days in Hanoi. We spent time walking around the shops, looking and buying - there were just so many lovely things! We met up with our Halong Bay friends for dinner and drinks at the jazz club one night. Cam received plenty of admiring glances surrounded by all the ladies.



After more delicious meals (including sinful and refreshing ice creams at 'Fanny's', pho and Vietnamese spring rolls), final shopping (there's so much we didn't buy, but we still had trouble packing everything) and trips to the post office, it was time to leave Hanoi.

And so our overseas adventures have ended for the moment (but not this blog!). We've had an amazing time, met some great people and seen some special places. Thanks to everyone who helped us, put up with us and caught up with us! We'd love to return the favour sometime...perhaps when we have jobs and a place of our own!

Scootin' Around in Vietnam...

The UK and European part of our trip over, we boarded planes to take us to Vietnam. Gee, we were glad the trip was only 12 hours long! It's a great way to catch up on 3 or 4 movies (while you're trying to ignore how much you need to go to the toilet so you don't have to ask the nice stranger to move again).



Anyway, we got off the plane at Ho Chi Minh City and experienced 'real' summer in the tropics. It was back to shorts and singets, trying to ignore that our luggage was full of jumpers, and cold weather paraphenalia (yes we were in Europe and the UK during summer - but it was still COLD!). We only spent one day in Ho Chi Minh City, but we still managed to have a good look around and get a feel for the place. Industrious people, persistant cyclo riders, and interesting aromas. We went to the Rex hotel for a drink (probably one of the most expensive things we did), and ate plenty of Pho.



The next day we caught a plane to Danang where we visited the office of the Fred Hollows Foundation and met (and were well looked after) by the staff. They showed us around Danang, which is really a very pretty place, and took us to lovely eating spots to experience the local cuisine. We also were taken to the local eye hospital, and even got all 'scrubbed up' to see the end of an eye operation. Quite an experience!





Next stop was Hoi An. By this time we were ready to settle down for a few days, and this was the perfect place to do so. It's small and fairly quiet, but certainly knows about tourism. There were tailors and little shops and restaurants everywhere!



We spent lots of time walking around (in 45 degree heat - no wonder the locals think tourists are a little bit mad!), swimming, getting massaged (sigh), and of course getting some clothes made. Cam hired a motorbike to get around town quickly, and Jane hopped on the back loaded up with bags in true Vietnamese style. Even though it was a quiet town, it was still a nerve-racking business for all involved! We also managed to get on a boat one morning and went for a couple of dives. The water was lovely, but sadly there were few fish...probably on account of huge populations in South East Asia (and the rest of the world) eating so many sea creatures.



After our few days of relaxing in Hoi An, we caught a bus to Hue. The bus ride in itself was an experience! Brakes are used rarely and the horn is almost used instead - if you hear beeping, then get out of the way. We think that people who ride motorbikes in Vietnam should not be allowed to drive buses. Anyway, we arrived in Hue in one piece, even if we had lost a few litres of sweat from fear and heat.

Hue was an amazing place. We visited the old, imperial city, which was partly destroyed in the war, but is still amazing. Didn't spend long in the old city, but we took cyclos around and so managed to see alot in a short time, including the house that Ho Chi Minh lived in when he was a boy.



And so ends this post, but will write a bit more about the rest of our time in Vietnam (specifically Hanoi and Halong Bay) very soon...