Jul

Memorable Moments: A Wave of Ocean Wonders

by Your friends at OIC on July 17, 2018

Oh, I sea!
© iStock

One constant in our travels is the ocean, whose mysteries make it a prime location for “Oh, I see!” moments. As our bloggers navigate their way to their next set of inspiring adventures, take a dip back into some posts that highlight the majesty and artistry of what lies beneath the sea. Whether you’re diving in for the first time, or revisiting these posts as we are, fascinating discoveries await. Enjoy!

Sculpture in the underwater museum by Jason deCaires Taylor, showing innovations by artist and ocean. (Image © Jason deCaire's Taylor)

The ocean is an extraordinary exhibition space, altering art with life.
© Jason deClaires Taylor

The Underwater Museums of Jason deCaires Taylor

Jason deCaires Taylor creates the world’s first underwater museums where sculptures grow into artificial reefs, showing innovations by both artist and ocean. Go to the post.

colorful plastic pieces in rows in Jerry Takigawa's artistic expression of world ocean tragedy

Artistic Expression Speaks Out for World Oceans

Jerry Takigawa’s artistic expression inspires us artistically while delivering a powerful call to action to save the world’s oceans. As a special bonus, this post includes a free download for protecting our oceans, with useful tips for reducing your plastics footprint. Go to the post.

Sea nettle Jellies swimming at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, showing travel stories that connect travelers to different worlds (image © Sam Anaya A.).

Watch these jellies long enough and you will be transported to another world.
© Sam Anaya A.

The Awe-Inspiring Monterey Bay Aquarium

The Monterey Bay Aquarium lets us travel underwater while still breathing our own air. Come on a journey that connects us to awe-inspiring worlds. Go to the post.

To explore more treasures from the past, check out the Blog Topics & Archive section. And to find a new “Oh, I see!” moment every week in your inbox, take this opportunity to subscribe.

Your friends at OIC Comments

Making a Difference/The World's Art & Design/Worldwide Sites

Jul

Traveling the World of Birds

by Joyce McGreevy on July 2, 2018

A rainbow and bush parrot in New Zealand suggest a brighter future for native birds around the world. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

New Zealand birds need vast areas of pest-free forest to survive.
© Joyce McGreevy

Winging It in New Zealand

Some of the best reasons for traveling the world are birdbrained. Consider New Zealand, home to some of the planet’s most amazing birds. But what makes New Zealand native birds remarkable has also made them vulnerable.

A black-billed gull remind a birdwatcher traveling the world that many New Zealand native bird species are in trouble. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

New Zealand’s black-billed gulls are the world’s most threatened gull.
© Joyce McGreevy

Avian Nation

New Zealand is unique. Until about 800 years ago, its only land mammals were species of bat. With virtually no predators, many bird species evolved beyond fight-or-flight. Why fly when you can safely nest on solid ground?

Over time, the land became home to more species of flightless birds than anywhere else on Earth.

A forest in New Zealand was a paradise for native birds until humans traveling the world arrived as settlers. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

With 80% forest and 0% mammals, New Zealand pulsed with the life of birds.
© Joyce McGreevy

Sitting Ducks

What happened next? People.

As humans arrived, they introduced predators—some deliberately, some as shipboard stowaways. Meanwhile, they cleared forests and hunted.

Some birds would gobble up fermented berries and drunkenly doze off. Hunting became as easy as “scoop it and soup it.”

Soon one of the last places on Earth colonized by humans suffered one of the worst biological losses.

Size Didn’t Save Them

The most astounding lost birds were moa. Some stood 13-foot tall and weighed 600 pounds.

Moa bones and a drawing of moa remind viewers that many of New Zealand’s flightless birds are extinct. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Moa once ruled New Zealand forestland.
© Joyce McGreevy

But after millions of years of safe grazing, moas ended up in cooking pits and their habitat was destroyed.

Since human arrival, at least 51 New Zealand bird species have become extinct.

Protecting the World of Birds

Today, New Zealand goes all-out to restore habitat and protect wildlife. Biosecurity at Customs is strict, so leave those snacks on the plane and thoroughly scrub outdoor gear.

One-third of the country is national parkland. Avian projects by the NZ Department of Conservation engage hundreds of volunteers and are models for wildlife organizations around the world.

The piwakawaka or fantail is New Zealand bird native bird worth traveling the world to see. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

In flight, piwakawaka, or fantails, are as fluttery as butterflies.
© Joyce McGreevy

Hidden Birds

Which bird tops the perch? Kiwis, of course! About the size of a hen, the kiwi is wingless aside from nubs under its hairlike feathers. It also has nostrils at the end of its long beak.

The kiwi, a flightless bird, is New Zealand’s national icon. (Image courtesy of New Zealand Tourism)

Despite their awkward appearance, kiwis can outrun humans.
© Tourism New Zealand

As national symbols, kiwis appear everywhere in New Zealand. In the 1800s, kiwis were pictured on regimental badges, and during WWI “Kiwi” became a nickname for New Zealand soldiers, one since adopted by the general population.

Seeking kiwi (the avian variety) can feel like falling for a prankster’s snipe hunt. Kiwi is Maori for “hidden bird” and most species are nocturnal. While guides cannot guarantee you’ll see one, outfits like Real Journeys offer a 50% refund if you don’t. Either way, you’ll have a magical hike.

Such was the case when I went birdwatching on New Zealand’s Stewart Island.

“Don’t they realize we drove all the way from Auckland?” said one disappointed visitor afterward. Alas, kiwis really don’t care how far one has traveled. Nature is not a theme park.

Besides, we’d had the pleasure of sailing to Glory Cove, and then walking in silence, illuminated only by moon and stars. In this loud, light-polluted age, that, too, is a rare experience.

Precocious Parrots

Other terrestrial birds are never shy. Each morning a cheeky kākā, or olive-brown bush parrot, stopped by my garden to pluck wild fruit. Then it would perch nearby, deftly removing the peel.

The bush parrot, or kaka, is a New Zealand native bird. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

One bush parrot eats “brekkie,” while another (below) takes wing.
© Joyce McGreevy

A bush parrot, or kaka, displays its wings at Zealandia, a New Zealand bird sanctuary.(Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Though similar to kākās, keas have green plumage. These clever critters endear themselves to some and test the patience of others. It depends on whether the kea—the world’s only alpine parrot—is proving its smarts or dismantling your gear.

Hello, Caller?

One bird you’ll certainly hear throughout the country is the tūī, unique to New Zealand. With two voice boxes, tūī can produce complex songs, from melodious to punk-raucous.

They even inspired a Maori compliment about orators and singers, Me he korokoro tūī: “He has the throat of a tūī.”

Tūī are also mimics. Birdwatchers have reported tūī calls that sound like ringing cellphones.

The tui is unique to New Zealand, a favorite among birdwatchers. (Public domain image; credit: Bernard Spragg)

The white “collars” of tūī led Europeans to call them Parson Birds.
© Bernard Spragg

Pecks and the City

One surprising place to birdwatch is New Zealand’s capital. Minutes from Wellington, one of the world’s hippest cities, is the world’s first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary.

Zealandia is a sanctuary for New Zealand’s native birds and other wildlife. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Zealandia is a haven for 40 species of native birds.
© Joyce McGreevy

Over 500 acres of valley forest have been restored as closely as possible to their pre-colonized state.

Nearby is Kapiti Island, an important site for bird recovery. But plan ahead—only 50 visitors are allowed each day.

“Extinct” No More

One of my favorite sites is Te Anau Bird Sanctuary. Tourists who bypass it for Fiordland’s more famous attractions are missing out. This tranquil lakeshore setting features birds that are among the hardest to find in the wild. These include takahē, which until 1948 were thought to be extinct.

The takahe, once thought to be extinct, is one of New Zealand’s most unusual native birds. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Unique to New Zealand, takahē have been around for 8 million years.
© Joyce McGreevy

Seas the Day!

If you like pelagic birds, you’re in luck. New Zealand has the world’s most diverse seabird community. You’re never more than 80 miles from the coast, where the variety of birds includes native species of albatross (the world’s largest seabird), gulls, oystercatcher, petrel, and tern.

New Zealand oystercatchers are seabirds that make their nests near the shoreline.(Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

The shoreline nests of oystercatchers have been disturbed by pests, pets—and
careless beachgoers.
© Joyce McGreevy

Don’t Pester the Penguins

New Zealand is home to three fascinating species of penguins. (Is there a boring species of penguins?) They are:

New Zealand’s little blue penguins explain why many birdwatchers love traveling the world. (Image © Chris Stephenson/ New Zealand Tourism)

Kororā, little blue penguins (average height 13 inches) . . .
© Chris Stephenson/New Zealand Tourism

New Zealand’s Fiordland crested penguins inspire birdwatchers to travel the world. (Image © Matt Winter/ New Zealand Tourism)

Tawaki, Fiordland crested penguins . . .
© Matt Winter/New Zealand Tourism

New Zealand’s yellow-eyed penguins show why many birdwatchers are traveling the world. (Image © Penguin Place/ New Zealand Tourism)

and Hoiho, yellow-eyed penguins.
© Penguin Place/New Zealand Tourism

Unfortunately, they are also among the most endangered birds—and travelers are adding to the problem.

According to NZ’s Department of Conservation, “Inappropriate behavior by visitors to . . . habitats is an increasing threat to nesting and molting birds. Poor use of selfie sticks and people entering nesting areas is causing stress to nesting penguins . . . [that] could affect survival rates.”

Does that mean we can’t see penguins? No, but if we truly love them, we’ll do so from a distance. Let’s prioritize ecological respect over social media boast-posts.

A penguin crossing sign in New Zealand reminds people to respect the world of birds. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

When penguins come ashore to breed and molt, we humans need to give them space.
© Joyce McGreevy

Becoming Bird-minded

Something I observed about Kiwis (the human variety) is that they are passionate about protecting native birds. There’s even a campaign for NZ’s Bird of the Year.

We should all be so bird-minded.

A collage of five common birds reflects the joys of birdwatching while traveling the world. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Wherever we go, we’re traveling the world of birds.
© Joyce McGreevy

Because as the campaign’s roster shows, 45% of New Zealand’s native birds are “in trouble.” In North America, 30% of native bird populations are in decline. Worldwide, nearly 1,500 bird species face extinction.

Oh, I see: When traveling the world of birds, tread lightly. Earth is a fragile nest and its balance is in our hands.

A bird’s egg reminds the viewer that the world of birds is fragile. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

Nurture their future.
© Joyce McGreevy

Find bird-friendly tips here and here. Discover birds of New Zealand here.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 3 Comments

Making a Difference/Nature Discovery/New Zealand

Jun

A Dog’s Tale of Travel Adventure

by Joyce McGreevy on June 19, 2018

Mount Ruapehu, overlooking Ohakune, is the scene of many New Zealand travel adventures. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Halfway between Auckland and Wellington, Mt. Ruapehu is
the center point of New Zealand’s North Island.
© Joyce McGreevy

Lost and Found in
Ohakune, New Zealand

This is the tale of a little toy dog, a New Zealand forest, and the power of Kiwi kindness.

Once, a Traveler took a journey through New Zealand. While traveling south by train, she visited Ohakune.

Why Ohakune? asked a man from A Big City. The Traveler wasn’t sure. She only knew it would break up the 12-hour rail journey.

It’s the wrong season, said City Man. Ohakune is a ski town. Do you ski?

No, said the Traveler. She could see that this was the wrong answer.

Accompanying the Traveler was a little toy dog that mature types might call a “travel mascot.” The Traveler called him Bedford.

People with a sense of fun enjoyed meeting Bedford.

A toy dog and a map of Ohakune, Ruapehu evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Bedford studies the map of Ohakune, Ruapehu, New Zealand.
© Joyce McGreevy

I suppose you could see the Big Carrot, said City Man doubtfully.

The Traveler looked puzzled.

Ohakune is New Zealand’s leading producer of carrots, said City Man. Do you like carrots?

Oh yes, said the Traveler. She could see that this was the wrong answer.

They have this statue, “The Big Carrot.” It’s a statue of a big carrot, City Man explained.

The Traveler sensed he would not enjoy meeting Bedford.

At the station, City Man chuckled without smiling. Well, see the Big Carrot anyway, he said.

A Sign of Things to Come

The Big Carrot and Ohakune sign welcome visitors to New Zealand travel adventure. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Maybe I’m here to have an adventure, mused the Traveler. Little did she know.
© Joyce McGreevy

It was April—autumn in New Zealand. Green grasses and red-gold trees sprang from volcanic alpine soil. Wildflowers fringed the footpaths. Fields chorused with birds. A-frame houses dotted the landscape, their picture windows gleaming gold.

Field grass in Ohakune, Ruapehu evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The soil of Ohakune (OH-uh-koo-nee) is bursting with life.
© Joyce McGreevy

Rugged and magnificent, Mount Ruapehu towered over it all. So this was Ohakune. The Traveler and Bedford stared in silent wonder and joy.

Every day the Traveler went for scenic walks, with Bedford riding along in her backpack. Every evening they returned to the house called Ti Kouka to read by the fire and watch the stars.

One morning, the weather was spectacular.

Clouds above the Old Coach Road, Ohakune, Ruapehu evoke memories of a New Zealand travel adventure. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Fluffy white clouds chased each other like lambs across a field of sky.
© Joyce McGreevy

The Traveler explored Tongariro Forest, following the Mangawhero River.

The Tongariro National Forest, Ohakune, Ruapehu evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Tongariro National Forest protects a multitude of vulnerable native plant species.
© Joyce McGreevy

She made the acquaintance of native trees and birds. She listened to stories that only the wind knew how to tell.

Then, her feet carried her up the Old Coach Road, above the Basin of Bounty.

Hills above the Old Coach Road, Ohakune, Ruapehu evoke memories of a New Zealand travel adventure. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The Old Coach Road winds through wavelike farmland.
© Joyce McGreevy

The Traveler decided to take a photo of Bedford. She reached into her backpack.

Bedford was gone.

Where Oh Where

Oh no, oh no, oh no, went the heartbeat of the Traveler. She ran down the hill, eyes wild, looking left and right. No Bedford. She raced back to the forest and forced herself to slowly, safely retrace her steps. No Bedford. Next morning, she looked again, asking every natural thing where Bedford could be.

Gone, said the bare path. Missing, said the chill wind. So sorry, said the rustling leaves.

The Traveler felt miserable. She had to leave, and it would be weeks before she passed this way again. It was the first time in her travels that she had ever felt alone.

The Ruapehu I-Site, the visitors center in Ohakune, evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure and Kiwi kindness. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

As the train headed south, the Traveler wrote to Ohakune’s visitor center. But with so many Big Problems in the world, would anyone care about a little toy dog?

Reminders Everywhere

Everywhere the Traveler went, she saw reminders of Bedford:

Cooper the Samoyed of Crafthaus in Ohakune, Ruapehu evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

A statue of John Plimmer and his dog Fritz in Wellington evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure and Kiwi kindness. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The Mackenzie Dog Monument at Lake Tekapo evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure and Kiwi kindness. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

At the visitor center, Barbara and Nina read the Traveler’s message and sent encouraging replies. Barbara put up posters all over town. Neighbors told neighbors. Ohakune Facebook groups did, too.

People began looking for Bedford on their walks. Eileen and Stu, who owned Ti Kouka, searched the forest. Others searched the Old Coach Road. Even teams training for search-and-rescue missions kept an eye out for a little toy dog.

A view of Mount Ruapehu in Ohakune evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Days passed. The Traveler and Barbara kept exchanging emails.

What our imaginations make real through time, love, and happy memories is powerful, wrote the Traveler. Barbara agreed. She told the Traveler about her daughter’s travel buddy, a toy penguin, who joined the family in South America.

On sunny days, the Traveler felt hopeful. On rainy days, she worried. To ease her mind, the Traveler read books about New Zealand—history and literature, flora and fauna. She wanted to learn everything about this place that Bedford had decided to explore.

By now the Traveler was “south of South Island.” She’d seen beautiful places but missed her travel buddy.

Waiting and Wondering

Weeks passed. The Traveler prepared to return north. She’d fly to Wellington, catch the train to Ohakune and resume searching. But it was nearly winter. Would she get there before the snow?

One morning, The Traveler received a message from the visitor center. Perhaps it would say Nothing more can be done. After all, it had been 36 days and there were Bigger Problems in the world.

Guess what? wrote Nina, Bedford has been found!!!! He is a little dirty and is being looked after by the couple who found him.

Sue and Paul had seen the poster at Ohakune’s Sweet Pea Café. They had travel buddies of their own and understood how the Traveler felt. They talked about this as they hiked through the forest.

Then Paul spotted something under a wooden walkway. A little toy dog.

River rocks in the Mangawhero River, Ohakune, Ruapehu evoke memories of a New Zealand travel adventure and Kiwi kindness. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Sue and Paul owned a business looking after dogs in distress. They lovingly cared for Bedford and introduced him to their travel buddies, Winnie and Gracie.

Then Sue and Paul brought Bedford to Barbara at the visitor center. Barbara took him home to recuperate.

There Bedford met Coco, a little toy dog that Barbara had had since she was two years old. The dogs stared at each other in wordless surprise. Their resemblance said it all. They were cousins!

Kiwi Kindness

Sue and Paul were sorry not to meet the Traveler, but they had to return to Wellington.

I’m headed there now! wrote the Traveler.

The Traveler hugged Sue and Paul and thanked them for their kindness. By the time the Traveler left Wellington, she had friends there.

Two women with several toy animals share memories of a New Zealand travel adventure and Kiwi kindness. (Image © Susan Jamieson/ Barbara Van Der Woerd)

Then the Traveler caught the train to Ohakune. Thank you, thank you, thank you went her heartbeat.

By now, everyone in town knew of the little toy dog who’d gone walkabout in the woods. The Ruapehu Bulletin reported Bedford’s safe return. The Sweet Pea Café updated their poster: FOUND! People in town took photos with Bedford.

The Traveler met wonderful people in Ohakune and attended a fundraiser. There she learned that several locals, including dogs, are everyday heroes. As members of RARO, Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organization, they risk their lives to save people who are lost or injured in Tongariro National Forest.

New Favorite Color: Ohakune Orange

The Traveler and Bedford visited the Big Carrot. They had fun at nearby Carrot Park, a whimsical playground accessed by a meandering walkway through beautiful native bush. Numerous people in the community had worked together for years to create it.

A toy dog at Carrot Park, Ohakune, Ruapehu, evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure and Kiwi kindness. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

As the Traveler got to know people in Ohakune, she understood why Bedford had lingered. People in Ohakune were hardworking, creative, brave, witty, and kind. Elsewhere, people might have rolled their eyes at a Traveler who lost a little toy dog. But in Ohakune, even the busiest people made time to help.

A train pulling into Ohakune Railway Station evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure and Kiwi kindness. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

As the train pulled out of the station, the Traveler considered all the good that had come from Bedford’s travel adventure. It had prompted her to read more deeply about New Zealand. It had shown her the power of Kiwi kindness. It had led her to friends she would love for life.

Not just Bedford had been lost and found.

Oh, I see, said the Traveler. Ohakune is famous for the Big Carrot, but it also has a Big Heart.

Bedford, reflecting on his travel adventure, quietly agreed.

A toy dog with souvenirs from Ohakune, Ruapehu, evokes memories of a New Zealand travel adventure and Kiwi kindness. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Visit Ohakune’s Crafthaus, then launch your Ohakune adventure here and here.

Learn about the life-and-death rescue work of RARO here.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 12 Comments

Adventure Travel/Cultural Encounters/Life Lessons/New Zealand

World Views:

Topics

Category Archives: Traveling Through Life

Memorable Moments: A Wave of Ocean Wonders

The Underwater Museums of Jason deCaires Taylor

Artistic Expression Speaks Out for World Oceans

The Awe-Inspiring Monterey Bay Aquarium

Traveling the World of Birds