Intrepid Travels

Travelling in the 70's, 80's & 90's

When I first traveled we didn't have emails or mobile phones and calls were pre-booked to their foreign destination.  Writing letters and postcards were a challenge because once a story was written that is it, I'm done!  So when emails came with distribution lists, that was just fantastic.  The first email I ever sent while traveling was from a little internet cafe in Tia'man Square, Beijing.

Looking back there were many countries visited before emails and blogs: Africa and Egypt; South America and the Caribbean; Malaysia; Thailand; Singapore; Europe; USA; Australia; Papua New Guinea and many more.

So it is time to pen the memories and relive those footloose and fancy free times!  Enjoy the arm chair traveling.
                            3-12 years old:    1970's Living
                            13-22 years old:  1980's Holidays
                            23-32 years old:  1990's Expeditions

My first travel memory

My first travel memory was when I was about 3 or 4 in the early 1970's.  My aunt and uncle were visiting from the UK and we took a road trip down to Melbourne.  There are 3 things that stick in my mind:
Firstly it was hot and as a result we always stayed in motels with a swimming pool.  One motel didn't have a swimming pool and I had an absolute tantrum, as only a young child can do!  So my uncle, who in this case was fortunately deaf, bundled me up with my floaty rings, and hat and took me to a motel down the road which although fully booked had a swimming pool which they allowed us to use.

On the way back to Sydney we were driving along a beautiful road in our big blue and white Valiant, long bench seats and plenty of room.  There was a cliff on the left, and we were winding along the road.  I was sucking a dummy and my mother didn't like that I was still using a dummy.  So in a flash of a moment my mother grabbed the dummy, threw it out the window and I watched it disappear down the mountain side.  I was stunned and then nothing.  I didn't miss it and that was the end of that.

The last moment of this trip which I recall was we were on a ferry on Sydney Harbour.  I was standing near the railing and the cool breeze felt good on my face.  Then in a flash, my favourite pink hat, was whisked off my head by the wind and dumped in the ocean.  I watch it sink in the waves off the boat and my hat was gone.

Pyramids, Horse Races and Tourists

When I was 21 in the mid '80's I did a 3 month overland trip from Botswana to Kenya in an old Bedford Army Truck.  My Mum had suggested that at the end of the trip I should go to Egypt as it was so close and it might be some time before I ever get the chance to get there again.  I really resisted at first because to me Egypt was only about history and monuments and I really struggled with history at school so didn't see the point.  Though my Mum can be very persuasive when she wants to be so sure enough I found myself on a flight to Cairo arriving at 3am!

As luck would have it the girl sitting next to me on the plane was also an Aussie and staying in the same hotel so on arrival we arranged a taxi together.  At the hotel there had been some mix-up with the rooms and they had only one so we decided to share and of course didn't sleep as we stayed up chatting about our recent travels.

At breakfast we met some other travelers who were heading out to the Pyramids for some horse riding.  Now the Pyramids was one thing I really did want to see and I could ride so why not?  The first shattered illusion is that the Pyramids are not miles out in the desert rather they were right smack back on the edge of Cairo.  So the city looked out to the Pyramids and the Pyramids looked back at the city... hmm interesting. 

We made our way to the horseman and discovered that most of his horses were quite wild an not really for the inexperienced rider.  So the quiet horses were given to those that didn't really ride and the two wildest ones were given to the guide and me.  That was cool.  I am certainly not the best rider though I am happy to hold on tight and just go fast and anyway if I fell off I would be only falling into sand right?  Actually no.  Where we started and closer to the Pyramids there is a lot of rubble and I certainly wouldn't want to be falling off.  So I guess holding on tight was all I could do.

As we headed out it was obvious my horse was not going to walk, it was either full speed or not at all for this one.  Our guide suggested that he and I race around behind the pyramids and come around the front with an invisible finish line to the Sphinx.  In my estimation that was about 3/4 of a kilometre and most of it was sand so why not?  He headed out first to lead the way and I followed close behind, figuring I could catch him up once we got closer to the Pyramids!  We  were in full gallop and then in an instant he disappeared!  He didn't fall off as both he and his horse disappeared.  I was just about on the same spot not knowing what was there that made this happen and the next thing I know we are on the side of a sand dune and the horse is like sliding down the dune.  It seemed to know what it was doing so I just held the mane tighter and hoped for the best.

As we approached the Pyramids a tourist group of about 30 people arrived right in front of our path.  The guide started yelling and screaming for everyone to get out of the way. People started running everywhere, it was pretty chaotic and funny at the same time.  However this all worked to my advantage as my guide was really breaking the path and I was able to sweep in behind up the cleared path to ride past the Sphinx.  Another victory for the Aussies!

Certainly not what I imagined I would be doing in Egypt.  However, this turned out to be the beginning of an amazing trip.  My Mum was right, 18 years later I have not been back, so I am very grateful for the two weeks I did have experiencing this wonderful country.

In the backwaters of Brazil

When I was 23 in the early 90's I headed off with a friend to South America knowing we would be gone for a year... maybe more.  This trip was completely overland, no flights allowed, that was part of the challenge to find the numerous modes of transport to get us to our destination.

When in Brazil we decided to do some alligator spotting.  Why and what inspired this flash of bravery I am not sure needless to say we found ourselves in an open jeep heading into forests and deep rivers.  At night we slept in hammocks slung between trees and went with our guide and his handy torch to spot the eyes of the alligators.  It is rather eerie when you are walking along and all of a sudden you see these eyes glaring at you in the light, quiet narrow and certainly not friendly.  I always made sure I was never standing in the front, you never know I might need a quick getaway and a little head start could make all the difference.

During the day we walked through the jungle having natural food and remedies pointed out to us.  Very hot and sticky going though very interesting.  One day we needed to cross a river, there was about 5 of us and as we got closer and closer to the centre the water was up around my arm pits.  We were all holding our cameras above our head and for my friend, who was much shorter than I, she was up to her neck.  Someone had the bright idea to ask at this moment what about the alligators and anaconda snakes!   Our guide told us if we stick together we would  be seen too big to take on so we would be left along.  Suddenly  my  'stay at the back' strategy didn't seem such a good idea so I quickly hot footed it up to the middle as we continued our way across the river.

A couple of minutes after arriving on the other side our guide pointed out a rather large anaconda snake kind of buried in the mud by the river.  Certainly glad to be on dry land now!  Some people say to me when they hear this story that we were so brave.  I don't know about that, rather ignorant more like it.  In reflection there were many times when traipsing through jungles, mountains, deserts and the like that you do put your faith completely in the guide.  Gratefully I have made it through completely unscathed from these expeditions and am always ready for the next adventure.

Most memorable dining moments

Now that I am thinking of food and special dining moments several are coming to mind so here is a list of my top 10 most memorable.  In no particular order...

Somewhere in Southern China I walked into a restaurant where everything was wooden.  The speciality of the house was dumplings.  In fact that was all that was on the menu.  Light, tasty and melted in your mouth with no sauce required.  Served in about 10 different varieties.

Camping in Argentina and running out of cooking gas.  So half cooked the rice, put in a plastic container and wrapped it up inside my sleeping bag.  Used the rest of the gas to cook the vegetables, pulled out the rice and mixed together.  Sure enough the sleeping bag oven worked and the rice was cooked!

On a beach in Hawaii having their famous luau.  Suckling pig and roasted vegetables all cooked under stones and sand.  Absolutely delicious as we sat on the beach watching the sunset and tucking into our meal.

My first roast dinner cooked by a Yorkshire lass.  Our next door neighbour in Port Moresby.  Tasting Yorkshire pudding for the first time and melt in your mouth roast beef... delicious.  We had the air-conditioning on full-blast to keep the room nice and cold to eat our roast as it was 38 degrees outside!

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia the one and only time I have had beef wellington.  This old colonial mountain retreat certainly hasn't lost their touch in cooking all things British.

North Coast of Sulawesi having baked fish on the beach.  Freshly caught, cooked in the sand and eaten off banana leaves.

Not that tasty though certainly memorable... 100 year old pickled eggs, they were black, and chicken's feet.  All part of a 15 course banquet in Malaysia.

In Holland the street stalls on the promenades.  Hot chips with peanut sauce, pickled herring with onions and fresh, hot profiteroles sprinkled with icing sugar.  Yummy!

At boarding school in Hawaii we would have a campfire some weekends and used to make these sticky, sweet desserts.  They do have a name though I have forgotten!  Sweet cracker, topped with marshmallows cooked over the campfire so they are gooey, melted Hershey's bar and a sweet cracker on top!

At a rest stop while canoing the canals of Southern Argentina.  We warmed up on spiced wine and would you believe home made chocolate cookies!

After reading this list it is amazing to realise I am now vegetarian.  Even so I can still remember how good all these meals were.  Good food, good company what more could a gal want?