YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE

A quiet week here in OK Falls hence the lack of a blog and even with this entry I have to delve back into the past for something to write about. What follows are soem brief thoughts of my time as a tour guide travelling along the Yangtze River in China with tour groups.


The Yangtze River cruise usually lasts for three days and nights. The group travels on one of the many tourist boats that ply their trade upon the Yangtze River. Now when I say river boat or ferry you are probably thinking of a little dinky boat that takes twenty or so passengers. I expected as much when I first came here.


Well, actually the boats are very big and can accommodate up to 600 passengers. The boat is about 70 metres long and reminds me of a Mississippi riverboat without the paddle wheel. Upon the boat there are different standards of accommodations ranging from cabins of six people on the lower decks where passengers are accommodated in Spartan bunk beds to twin share cabins on the upper deck.

Fortunately I get to stay in the later.


The company with whom we deal with has twelve boats and each boat varies in facilities, décor and cleanliness. To date I have been lucky and I have traveled on the good boats. The cabin is set out with two signal beds, separated with a night stand table complete with inter-room telephone, There is usually a couple of comfortable chairs, a writing desk, colour TV and en-suite bathroom. There is no shower cubicle in the bathroom, which means, if you so desire you can sit on the toilet and shower at the same time which is a bonus for those with time management problems.


The best feature of the rooms I believe is the large picture windows. These windows afford the passengers an extraordinary view of everything that goes on upon the river. A favourite pastime is lying propped upon my bed and looking out the window watching the ever-changing scenery pass me by.

You can buy meals on the boat though we only usually eat dinner on board. The meal is fair and if you are booked for say 6pm your dinner will start arriving at your table at that time. If you are late too bad your dinner will sit there getting cold. Everyone usually brings a hoard of “food” on board which ranges from breads, biscuits, pot noodles, chocolate and a range of alcohol.


The boats have a lounge at the bow and to use this you have to pay a little extra. Some boats have a disco and most have karaoke a Chinese favourite. Like everything every trip is different and sometimes there are wild parties with singing and dancing, whilst at other times it is very quiet and people tend to stay in their cabin’s and just “chill out.”

Of course the major attraction of this three day cruise is the cruise along the mighty and majestic Yangtze River. Along the way we stop at ancient temples and ogle at the mighty gorges that rise steeply from the river and whose tops are often covered in cloud.

When I was last on the Yangtze the huge Three Gorge Dam project was in full swing. Many communities, farmland and wild areas had already been swamped by the rising water. One city of over 500,000 people was evacuated elsewhere as the river waters rose.

Unfortunately there have been many instances where families were removed from their ancestral homes and lands as the water levels rose.

GIVE BLOOD

It has been a reasonably quiet time this past week in OK Falls. I went and watched Cameo play soccer on Friday night and Saturday morning. Her team went down 3-0 on Friday, although that score-line should have been reversed. On Saturday it was a 1-1 draw. It was a gutsy effort from the Pinnacles team as they had just one reserve for half the match and after an injury they had no reserves to call upon. It was a hot day so it was a great effort.


Cameo had a distinguished game as she got hit squarely in the face by a ball driven from just a short distance away. Instead of doing what most girls on the team would do in going to ground with copious tears she just shook her head and grinned. She later scored the first goal of her career and then got into an altercation with a bruiser on the other team. All in all a great game!


Sunday was a trip to Omak, Washington for groceries. This time we pushed two shopping buggies around which was a mistake as we doubled up on a lot of goods. The final cost at the checkout was a tad over $500. Costly but we probably saved around $80-90.


We had no problems crossing the border either way just the standard questions. “Where are you going, “why are you going there,” how long will you be there,” and “do you have any alcohol or cigarettes.” All standard questions and the border guard takes just a quick look into the vehicle and we are on our way.
For a Canadian experience of a different sort I decided to give blood today. This is something I have done regularly in Australia for some time and I am up to around 120 donations.


The blood donation point was at the Penticton Senior Citizens Drop-In Centre. The blood donation team had driven down from Kelowna earlier in the day. Whereas in Australia they use semi-trailers for their mobile donations here in Canada they set up and pull down each day which is a lot of extra work.


The set up is basically the same you go through reception and give some brief information and get a number. You sit and wait to you are called and have to give more information and have a basic blood test by way of a prick on the finger and a small sample of blood. As this was my first Canadian donation I had to provide all of my details and this took a little while as the Canadian lady had trouble with my accent.


When this completed you go and wait in another area until called up to answer more questions. These are similar to the questions asked by the blood bank in Australia, the main difference being geography, have you been to Central or south America recently and have you had contact with monkey’s or monkey fluids. I don’t know about you but I don’t associate with monkeys on a regular basis, well not of the ape variety anyway. Apparently monkey’s have some bad stuff floating around inside them which can contaminate the blood donation.

Next stop is the donation. After a few more questions you are ready for the needle which is administered by a Registered Nurse. In no time at all you are done and sitting at a table having some refreshments.


Overall the experience is very similar to Australia. The biggest difference is the food you get afterwards. In Canada you get some packaged juices and packaged biscuits. Whereas in Australia you have a wide variety of drinks, cheese and biscuits, sweet biscuits and lots of chocolates and other treats. Why do you think that I give blood!

OKANAGAN NAME-GIVING CEROMONY

Today I was fortunate enough to be invited along to the Okanagan Indian Name-Giving Ceremony. This is a ceremony where an Indian has an Okanagan name bestowed upon them. The name can be derived from nature or a particular event in a person’s life and the name will then stay with them forever.

The event is held in the local Okanagan Indian School which is a modern facility that caters for children from kindergarten to grade 7. Amongst a standard Canadian curriculum, Indian cultural studies and Okanagan language are taught at the school.


The event is conducted by a revered Okanagan Indian elder, Modesta Betterton in both Okanagan language and English. After the opening address Modesta conducts a prayer in Okanagan.


Unlike most events and ceremonies the meal comes before the ceremony and Modesta explained that this is because they want everyone to be sated and satisfied so a hungry belly won’t turn one’s attention away from the Name-Giving.

As at any Indian feast there were copious amounts of fresh salmon and bannock (fried bread). After the meal there was a singing and drumming of the Grandmother song. The singers and drummer moved around the hall in a procession with the four children who were about to be named. The beat is infectious and it is hard not to tap the feet. The chant is haunting as it resounds throughout the hall.


Finally the procession stops at the front of the hall and the ceremony begins. Each of the four children, two boys and two girls has a sponsor who is either a family member or a friend. This is an important position and it is not unlike that of a godfather or godmother.


All the children move forward and stand on ceremonial birch and fir tree boughs. Modesta moves to the front of each child and in both Okanagan and English states what there name means and where it came from.




Today’s ceremony provided the Indian names of, Braveheart, Thunder, Little Prancing Deer and Good Hearted. It was a short and simple ceremony and at its conclusion each child will forevermore be known by both a Christian name and an Okanagan name. All the audience then moves past the participants in a long line and shakes their hand and wishes them well.

You can’t escape politics anywhere and after the ceremony the Osoyoos Indian Band Chief and two Councilors spoke of the importance of the Name Giving Ceremony. There were plans afoot that this would be the last such ceremony as many families want to conduct private family ceremonies. But after each Councilor spoke of the importance of the Name-Giving Ceremony to the community it appears likely that the Name-Giving will carry on into the future.

The final event of the ceremony was a give-away. That is everyone who attended the Name-Giving received a gift which ranged from blankets and DVD’s to antique cases and Spiderman shirts. I received a nice Indian blanket and a turtle necklace. The gift’s are provided by the families of the Name-Giving participants and is an indication of Indian culture and generosity.

My day was capped off by a photo with a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer. Not exactly my idea, but one I appreciated.


The Name-Giving ceremony was a great event and one I feel that I was very fortunate to attend as it gives a unique snapshot into Indian culture and tradition.

BACK TO WORK

It has been a beautiful clear day here in OK Falls, sunny and around 20c, the first real hint of warmer weather.

I was reviewing some paperwork today and I came across a story I wrote in January 2009 about the trials and tribulations of getting back to work. Here goes.

All of us to some degree dread going back to work after the Christmas break and what irks most of us is just getting to work again after a break. We have to confront the traffic or scores of people jostling for a seat on a train or bus. Then there is the mind-numbing journey into work, all the while longing to be back at home again on holidays.


Thankfully for most this trial is over in and hour or so. But for some government employees getting back to work after the Christmas break is an exercise of mammoth proportions.


Let me tell you how I got back to work this year after the Christmas break.


First there was the hour taxi ride to Brisbane airport and then the long line waiting to check in. A four hour flight seems like eight when a couple with a baby sit in front of you and the baby proceeds to cry most of the way to Darwin. Even worse the in-flight movie is Mama Mia.

We all know the wait and hassle of collecting our luggage after a flight but I happen to arrive at Darwin just as a flight of homecoming soldiers returning from Timor land and clog the airport with their bodies and baggage.


It takes me nearly 40 minutes to get a cab for the trip into the city. Once there I pick up my 4WD vehicle and proceed out of town. Usually a trip to Katherine takes around three hours but I am travelling most of the way through a steady tropical downpour which reduces visibility and increases travelling time to almost four hours.

It is almost six pm when I arrive at my Katherine motel, more than 12 hours after I set of from home in Brisbane.


I need to get back to my East Arnhem community of Ngukurr but the road into Ngukurr has been cut at several places so I have to cool my heels at the community of Baranga whilst I await the river levels to drop.


I hear that there is a chance that the river may drop so I make my way out to the flooded creek crossing and wait for four hours to no avail. I have to turn around and drive 300 kilometers back to Baranga.

I try the next day and after many deliberations and false starts I decided to try to get across the aptly named Hell’s Gate Creek. With some trepidation I take to the water and force the vehicle through the swollen creek. The farther I go the swifter the water gets and I have to fight to control the vehicle. The engine gives out a splutter and my heart thumps as I have visions of being washed away and eaten by crocodiles.


Thankfully with a little more gas the engine fires and I am through the worst of it. My car leaves a bow wave like a mini destroyer and I wait relieved on the other side as water pour from all parts of the car.


The journey continues with a few more creek crossings, though none as hairy as Hell’s Gate Creek.


I arrive at Roper Bar late in the afternoon. In the dry season the water trickles over the Roper Bar but during the wet season the river level is almost 12 meters above the bar. There will be no access across the Roper Bar until late March early April. So I spend the night at the Roper Bar Motel, a misnomer really as all you get is a bed. There is no TV, phone or internet connection at the motel.


The next day I organise a barge to take me into Ngukurr. It is no simple process getting the vehicle on board the small barge as the ramp is narrow and slippery and it is pouring with rain.

Safely on board I have an hour journey down the Roper River to Ngukurr. Only in the Northern Territory could you have a bare-chested barge pilot trying to shield his eyes from the driving rain calling out to his spotter to watch out for logs and debris as he could not see anything further a meter or two in front of him.

It is a far from comforting vision to look at the banks of the Roper River to see numerous large crocodiles laying on the banks no doubt in the hoping for a mistake from the blinded barge captain.


Finally the barge arrives at Ngukurr and I drive carefully off and make my way to my temporary accommodation, the Ngukurr Church Rectory. I stop in amazement at the front of the house as the driveway and most of the yard is covered in fallen trees and branches. During my absence a severe storm had gone through Ngukurr and uprooted and destroyed most of the trees.


To make matter worse the electricity had also gone off during my absence which meant all the food in the refrigerator and freezer had spoilt and stunk to high heaven.


The joy of going back to work! Over 100 hours travelling to face many more hours of cleaning up.


If only I could catch a train or bus to work!

akmacca08@live.com.au

GRANDAD

Big weekend just gone. Firstly I became a grandfather for the first time and my youngest child, Kellie celebrated her 20th birthday.

Unfortunately I was thousands of kilometres away in Canada whilst these momentous events occurred. It didn't feel good being so far away from the action but at this stage there isn't a lot I could do. There is a little uncertainty about my Canadian visa inasmuch if I leave Canada I may not be guaranteed automatic re-entry. Therefore the risk is too high for now. So I had to pay $200 to change my flight details.

The baby was due several weeks ago but decided to take it's time coming and a decision was made to induce the baby on Sunday evening if labor hadn't began. As these things often go Meg went into labor on Saturday evening. I kept getting updates from various sources about the progress or should I say the lack of.

The baby finally came at 2027 on 11 April, a boy Kale Stephen McKay. 9lb 1oz, 54.5cm. A big unit indeed! I received the news from my son Ken at 0400 in the morning and I must say that it was a pleasure to be awoken at that time with the happy news that baby and mum were doing well. Now Ken and I just have to ensure that he turns out to be a South Sydney Rabbitoh's supporter!

The next day it was my lovely daughter, Kellie's 20th birthday. Kellie is such a wonderful women and I am very proud of her. She does have her "ditzy" moments but that is what endears her to people and seperates her from the pack. Happy birthday Kellie!

I never wanted this blog to be one of those that plasters family photo's all over it or comes out with a multitude of personal anouncements but what the hell this is big news!

akmacca08@live.com.au

HITCHIKING - NORTHERN TERRITORY STYLE

It has been a very quiet week here with not a lot happening. We actually got some snow on Thursday, just flurries but enough to remind us that the cold weather hasn't entirely given up and departed.

Driving around in traffic earlier today reminded me that before I came to Canada almost all of my driving was done in remote areas of Australia on blood-red, dirt roads. There you didn't have to worry about other vehicles, just kangaroos, emu's, camels and buffalo's wandering onto the road. The driving comparisions  between there and where I am now are worlds apart.

That notion actually leads me to a memory or driving in the Northern Territory of Australia.............

"And not under any circumstances are you to carry civilians in your government vehicle, nor will you transport goods or animals. Your vehicle is to be used expressly by you for government business. Does everyone understand that failure to comply with this directive can result in immediate dismissal from government service?” The facilitator glared at the class daring any student to challenge his meager authority.


“Do you all understand?”



The class provided him with a few nods and a couple of yes sirs.

 

So why was I driving down a pool cue straight gravel road in the Northern Territory of Australia, in a government vehicle occupied by three Aboriginal passengers as well as their four hunting dogs?



I can say that I really didn’t have that much of a choice in the matter as the trio had planted themselves in the middle of the dirt road and basically demanded that I drive them and their dogs to their community.



Unfortunately this scenario was never discussed in my training to be a government worker in remote, Australian Aboriginal communities. Reluctantly I allowed them to climb on board.



“Hey, what does this one do?” asked the Aboriginal man sitting beside me in the front seat as he leant forward to press a button on the car stereo system.



He did not wait for my reply, he pressed down on the button and the music was cranked up to its maximum warp factor of sound.



The music boomed and filled the vehicle.



His buddies in the rear seat thought that this was a fantastic replacement for silence and they started to pound on the back of the front seat.

 

“I am stuck in Folsom Prison,” they sang along with Johnny and with each uncoordinated bang on the back of my seat my entire body was thrust forward.



It was around the time of “I hear a train a coming,” whilst trying to stave off concussion, mingled with dread thoughts of losing my job that the dogs in the far back of the vehicle began to fight, no doubt thrown into a web of excitement by their master’s off-key singing.


I was looking in my rear view mirror at the sing-a-long in the seat behind me, and the dog fight in the back when the bloke beside me said ever so calmly, “watch out for that big roo.”



“What roo?” I said flicking my eyes back to the road to catch sight of a large red kangaroo bounding across the road in front of the vehicle.



Now kangaroos are notoriously stupid. Cute, but plain out and out dumb.



This particular kangaroo must have been the cream of the crop because he had hundreds of thousands of acres to roam in. Within that acreage there was just this one single-lane road and on that one small road just was just one vehicle and this kangaroo had to launch himself across the road there and then.



There was a large thump as I hit the kangaroo broadsides. Nothing could survive that blow.



The music was forgotten and the dogs stopped fighting.



“Hey stop, stop,” the man beside me said urgently as he put his hand towards the steering wheel.



I bought the car to a sliding halt.



“You guys worried about the roo?” I said feeling pleasantly surprised at their act of concern.


“No mate we wanta get that roo and take him home for dinner, he’s a big one and will give us a good feed.”



“Oh,” is the only reply I could muster.



Later I drove into the Indigenous community with the large kangaroo tied to the roof of the vehicle, the unfortunate animal having bled all over the car on the way. The combination of blood, dust and wind had turned my formerly pristine white government vehicle into something that belonged on a cheap and nasty slasher film.



 My passengers got out of the vehicle without a word, untied the kangaroo, placed it over a broad, black shoulder and wandered off.



I looked at my gore splattered government vehicle and tried to recall if we were warned about the carriage of dead animals and bloodied and battered vehicles.



No such warning sprung to mind which meant that my first day, of my last job wasn’t a total disaster.

akmacca08@live.com.au

CANADIAN EASTER

Easter has come and gone and now we march on towards summer. The weather is pretty much the same, neither warmer or cooler. Actually it has been pretty murky this last week or so and Easter was cool and drab.

This past Saturday saw a huge hailstorm hit OK Falls. Tammie and I missed it as we were in Penticton shopping but on our return home the surrounding mountains and streets were covered with small hailstones. It looked more like a carpet of snow.

Easter in Canada is pretty much the same as in Australia, commercialised and overdone. Like everything else she does Tammie throws herself into the celebrations with gusto. I never knew until this year that there was such a thing as Easter decorations. Well there is and Tammie has most of them.

Our house was decorated with eggs in all shapes and sizes. Eggs that were oversized and gaudy. Eggs that sparkled and shone. And just plain old eggs that were painted and decorated. Of course you have t\o have Easter bunnies to go with the eggs and these also came in a variety of guises.

 The piece de resistance though was the fluffy bunny and Easter chicken that were lit with optic fibres and a glowed in a multitude of colours. Tammie is so proud of that duo. A tree outside the house was decorated in Easter eggs and tinsel lay everywhere around the house.



Now I am used to Easter egg hunts. My kids always had a blast finding them and then a huge fight dividing the spoils. Tammie has an egg hunt for her children but the difference is that the eggs are hollow and some contain $2 coins whilst a few of the others contain cheques. Of course there are chocolate eggs as well but these are just a by-product of the hunt.



Coincidentally when the girls counted their booty we found that there were three unaccounted for Easter eggs. It appears that I am such a good hider of eggs I forget where I hid them. No doubt they will turn up over the coming weeks/months.

But that isn’t the end of it once the egg hunt is over the girls go on another hunt for presents. Unreal! Now I am not sure if this is just a house tradition or a Canadian tradition but my guess is that it is the former rather than the later.

We wrapped up the day by going for a long walk with the girls to the abandoned quarry. This is something that the girls would never normally do but as it was Easter and broached as their gift to their mother they really had very little choice though that didn’t stop one of them bitching and whining most of the way. No doubt those of you that know Cameo and McKenzie will be able to guess which one.

 

I am at a crossroads with my book at the moment as it is just sitting, waiting. I haven’t touched it for over two months I have just lost all interest in it. I am prepared to let it sit there but Tammie isn’t and she is lighting a fire under my backside to get moving with it. To that end she has made an appointment to meet with an editor in Kelowna to discuss publishing the book. I really appreciate her faith, foresight and perseverance and I will just wait and see what the outcome is.

 

I have been having some late nights from Thursday’s through to Sunday’s lately as I stay up to watch my favourite teams in the Australian National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL) competitions.

To be awake at 3am in the morning to watch your team lose is a real bummer. Then again if it was like the last weekend where both of my team’s, the South Sydney Rabbitohs (NRL) and the Sydney Swans (AFL) record fantastic wins the lost sleep is worth it.