The light at the end of the tunnel pt1 a 6 week adventure story

I still say I would get fat if I were there. So fat, I'd have to buy a second seat for the flight back to the states.
I'm really liking those food pics.
 
I agree with Michael seeing the different foods is really one of the coolest parts of this post.
Thanks for taking the time to share with us.
 
Me and Anya left Samut Sakhon after having such a nice trip to the beach.
The bus ride home brought us back to reality though.
It was nice of Anya's sister to pick us up at the bust stop.
It'll be tough to beat sunrises like this





DSC_4298 (1) by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






This was from the hotel window...





DSC_4296 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




Of course, anytime Anya goes to town, we have to get some food.
Ususally it is from a street stand, but today we decided to eat Japaneese food.







P1030821 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flick




It was good too.
Anya decided on a Pork Cutlet, and the pork was decent sized.





P1030819 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




We figured we needed to get a good meal in us before we left in the morning for Singapore, then to New Zealand.








Nobody really remembers when Anya was born.
She was born near a medical aid station on the banks of the Tah Chin...




She was going to be born at home like her big sister, but there were complications and her father decided to cut loose and put Anya's mom in a longtail boat (Like a sculling style oar, not a motorized one.)


She was delivered on the muddy banks in the back of a wooden boat about 150 yards from the medical station


After Anya arrived, her mother fell ill with a fever and was down for the count for about a month.




Back then, People had a week to report births (home born) the powers that be, or face a pretty hefty fine.


So in reality, Anya was most likely born in December, but rather than facing the fine, Her official date of birth was changed to Feb 8th.


I am not certain if that is right either, and it will be a mystery to us forever.




One good thing is, Anya gets two cakes each year. This is the one for her "Paperwork Birthday"





P1030824 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
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Paew was happy to surprise Anya with it.





P1030827 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




Anya never turns her back on a birthday cake.
Oh it was a fine time.




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P1030831 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
 
Me and Anya left Samut Sakhon and caught the plane to singapore.
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The plane was one of those budget arrangements. You have to bring your own food, and water,
There were a ton of kids and they were all fussy and fired up and shrill and shrieking.
I don't hate kids, but I .... ah hell, who am I kidding?
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The next plane From Singapore to Auckland was about a 9 hr version of the first.
There was a little boy who Got a talking to from me,
from my wife,
And then a double dose from both me and my wife in unison.

Apparently where he is from, it is ok to kick the back of the seat of the person in front of you non stop for hours on end while you make all kinds of noise and fiddle with the lights and the attendant call button.
His parents said nothing.




We finally got it through to him that if he didn't cool his jets, then we'd lock him in the bathroom for the remainder of the flight (after performing the ancient Thai ritual called "The swirlee")
That got his attention.




Auckland is different than I envisioned it, There are a lot of middle easterners, a fair number of East Indians, and a ton of Chinese folks.


Apparently today was a national holiday. To mark the signing of a peace treaty between the Maori and the Brits.


Auckland is hilly and just as windy as can be today. We walked down and Anya got some Kiwi's and some wine.





DSC_4333 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
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DSC_4334 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12335195095/]DSC_4359 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






Anya has us put up in a highrise apartment. It should give us a chance to rest up for a day or two and then we're off to see what is at the end of the road..


I'd have taken more photos, but I had 40 lbs of pack on, and another 15 of Anyas stuff....


Tomorrow should be an adventure.




I Had to snap a shot of some of these rides though..


I could hear them thundering up from the bay. so I grabbed my Nikon.


I was surprised to see this in NZ.
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12334230433/]DSC_4338 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12334073255/]DSC_4341 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


I think I saw George Peppard and B.A. Barrachus in that A Team van too.


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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12334071405/]DSC_4344 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr



I love it when a plan comes together...


I'd better sign off, There are a couple of games of cricket I wanted to check out.
 
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Today we decided to walk over to the Auckland War museum.


It is about a 2 mile walk each way, and you pass over a sprawling flat cricket grounds.


The museum is similar to what you would see at the Victoria National History museum in BC.


It was difficult for photography, as it was very dark and I didn't have a tripod.


Hard to get a handheld shot that isn't blurry as hell with a shutter speed of 1/2 second.







DSC_4510 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr





DSC_4371 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr





DSC_4375 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr



DSC_4376 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




I knew that The Kiwis were our allies, but I had no idea the number of campaigns they had been involved in.
Both with us and on their own backing Britain.





DSC_4373 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
 
The building is massive, and has 3 full floors with everything from S.Pacific indigenous tribal stuff, to womens fashions and much war memorial
related info and photos.







DSC_4508 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


I am always fascinated by these types of places.
To realize the sacrifices of those whose names are etched on a marble wall.


Their struggles must have been monumental
their pain and suffering
fear and loneliness, crushing.


Thinking about war always makes me sad
and then it makes me angry


mostly angry at the waste of human life and potential.
 
Some mighty fine craftsmanship on this desk.


I was afraid i'd see the surface marred with "The headmaster is a prick"
But it was totally flawless.



DSC_4380 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr



DSC_4381 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


Some very ornate Maori Staffs here.
Sorry these photos are dark and some are blurry. In a few shots I had the shutter open for over 2 seconds, so any slight movement is blurred.



DSC_4386 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
 
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This is a Maori Courthouse.







DSC_4390 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




The building was reminiscent of the Pacific NW Native tribal structures from up in British Columbia and Washington,


The carvings and the totems all of it. The Maori carvings did not showcase animals as spirits Like the ones in N. America.


Their carvings were often more human like.



DSC_4395 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


 
This is the inside of a gigantic war canoe.


The Maoris built it to hold 100 warriors.


The canoe was taken by the British during a time of tension in the 1800's





DSC_4400 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






Apparently the Government gave the Maoris compensation for it later on.




Where I come from,


If you take my boat, you'd better be ready to go for a swim.









DSC_4398 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






The folks that were to become the Maori's used ships like these to get here.


These were serious seafarers!









DSC_4407 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
 
There were a bunch of Harpoons, but my favorite was this one.


It is wooden. and there are rows of sharks teeth that have been sutured to the margins.


It must have taken a long time to make it too.





DSC_4402 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


Here are some home made flies and hooks.




The hooks are made of ivory and bone..





DSC_4409 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




This is the Moa.


It is about 9 feet tall, and it's foot is larger than a jumbo garbage can lid.


I reckon that if you could cross breed an ostrich with a dinosaur.....





DSC_4412 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


 
Some massive cave dwelling bugs.


I wish I didn't know about these things,
because I wanted to go explore a cave here, now, not so much









DSC_4414 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr








Here are some of the Local ducks.


You guys probably already know about the 2 main species here.


Mallards and these ones..





DSC_4418 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




Some places you can shoot 20 mallards a day.








Sorry for the glass glare.





DSC_4426 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr





DSC_4425 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




Neat birds on exhibit.





DSC_4427 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


Here are some ducks that are not as common
 
A bunch of these flew over.


The large ones are some kind of Pigeon like bird, only they are as big as a blue grouse.



[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355466124/]DSC_4419 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




This tree was about 600 years old when the Magna Carta was constructed.
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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355464474/]DSC_4424 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr



It is similar to a redwood.
Not as tall, but very stout.







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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355181223/]DSC_4430 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


everyone likes a kingfisher




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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355007165/]DSC_4431 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355005795/]DSC_4432 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




These are albatross.


Apparently it is bad mojo here if you hang these around the Captains neck.




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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355447274/]DSC_4435 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr








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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355447274/]DSC_4435 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355183263/]DSC_4428 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
 
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A nice display of propellers.





[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355000115/]DSC_4439 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12354996085/]DSC_4446 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


Some Double guns here


a good cartridge collection too.




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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12354994745/]DSC_4448 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




A Japanese Zero




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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355163723/]DSC_4451 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355163723/]DSC_4451 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355165023/]DSC_4450 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12355165023/]DSC_4450 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr
 
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Here is the powerplant from a Spitfire.



DSC_4490 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


When I was a boy,
my father took me to the airshow and a P-51 flew by in a chase with a spitfire.
It sounded as though the sky had been ripped open by the hand of God.


The rumble and growl and the whistle as the Mustang tore by.
I will never forget it.
 
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