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Volume 4, Issue #10 - November 2011

Narita Stopover

By Annette Freeman
ITWPA Member

Twelve hours in Japan -- what would YOU do? Traveling via Narita Airport in Japan can mean a convenient route or airfare savings, but can also result in a long layover in an airport two hours or more from the center of Tokyo. Here’s how I spent a 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. layover.

First, I checked into a day room at the Narita Rest House and took a shower. The Narita Rest House, despite its attractive, traditional-sounding name, is in fact a cheap, run-down airport hotel. Never mind -- the room had a shower and a bed, and one of those amazing over-engineered Japanese toilets.

Refreshed, I headed off with a guide, Kaoru, and a cheerful driver, both pre-booked through WAK Japan.

We made our way into Narita City, our object the local temple known as Naritasan. This is a principal Shingon Buddhist temple, founded in 940. It is an impressive complex of buildings and gardens approached by several long and formidably steep staircases. By chance, we had fortunately arrived on the day of the annual fire-walking ceremony. Naritasan is dedicated to a deity named Fudōmyōō, who is associated with flames, which allows the monks to play with fire quite a lot.

 

 

 

 

The main ceremony involves the lighting of a sacred fire. It seems that if you wave your belongings in the general direction of the flames, they absorb some spiritual potency, so the ceremony ends with the monks carrying armloads of cheap handbags and waving them in the flames before returning them to their pious and hopeful owners. Outside, since this was a special day, other monks were lighting a large bonfire and performing various rites of chanting, dancing, and fierce-sounding invocations around it. Later, they would walk on the dying embers.

 

 

 

Kaoru and I then wandered up a nearby street where vendors were getting ready to quell the appetites of the faithful with a variety of unidentifiable foodstuffs, including a kind of jellied eel, the local specialty. Seeking refreshment, we walked down a small alley leading off Omotesando Street, opposite the Narita Tourist Pavilion, and found a lovely little tea garden complete with koi pond and red parasol umbrellas. Kaoru helpfully ordered some Japanese tea (strange sludgy stuff) and sweets (a red bean paste thingy), which I drank and ate, feeling quite Japanese. Well, a tiny bit.


 

 

 

After this interlude, we set off with our cheerful driver to Sakura City, about 30 minutes away. Our goal: the National Museum of Japanese History. Once inside, Kaoru and I wandered through the galleries on the early Paleolithic age through the Nara period (8th century); daily life up to the 16th century including the Heian court and everyday lives of samurai and a wonderful model of 16th century Kyoto; and the culture of the Edo period up to the 18th century. Kaoru kept exclaiming (in a refined, Japanese kind of way), “This great treasure!” and “Look here! This very famous!” We found marvelous scrolls that had been preserved for centuries buried in metal canisters; detailed, painted screens showing life in ancient Kyoto and Tokyo; and some very well-preserved ancient pottery.

 

This is indeed a great museum, though very rarely visited because of its distance from Tokyo. It was a busy Sunday at Naritasan, but there was hardly anyone in the Museum. Not only is the Museum worth a visit for its contents, but it also sits in a beautiful botanical park known as Sakura Castle Park. Sakura Castle, of which some remains still exist in the park, was founded in the early 1600s. Sadly, a mere stopover did not give enough time to explore -- maybe next time.

Then it was back to the Narita Rest House for a few hours of shut-eye (and another look at that amazing toilet) before the next long-haul flight leg.

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Orangutan Rehabilitation in Sabah

By Professor Robyn Quin
ITWPA Member

Sabah, north Borneo, offers visitors diving, snorkeling, white water rafting, jungle trekking, mountain climbing, and wildlife viewing. Travelers keen to see the wildlife of the jungles should visit the east coast, around Sandakan. Here the dense jungle is populated by orangutans, proboscis monkeys, macaques, mangrove snakes, monitor lizards and langurs.

While many of the ten species of primates in the region can be observed by going on jungle walks or river excursions, the orangutan is elusive. It is a solitary animal and much harder to spot than troop monkeys such as the macaques and lemurs. A visit to the Rehabilitation Centre offers a sure way to see the orangutans up close, while at the same time supporting conservation efforts.

Twenty minutes by road from Sandakan is the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. The Centre rehabilitates orangutans of all ages. Some are just small babies orphaned when their mothers are killed by hunters. Others are adults, forced from their jungle homes when the vegetation is destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. The baby orangs are kept in a nursery and hand fed. Those too young to hold their own bottles are taken home at night by the staff. These orphaned youngsters must learn to climb, swing, and build nests along with other life skills normally imparted by the mothers.  

 

 

Rehabilitation can take up to 10 years. In the wild, the young orangutans remain with their mothers for about eight years, which explains why the restoration process can be such a long one. When considered ready the orangutans are released into the jungle at Sepilok. It is a staged process marked by progressive movement further into the jungle, a transition governed by the location of feeding platforms. There are three feeding platforms on which fruit and vegetables are spread twice a day. Only the first stage feeding platform is accessible to visitors; the others lie deep in the jungle. As the orangutans become more acclimatized to jungle life and better able to fend for themselves, they are moved to the location of the next platform further into the jungle interior.

Feeding takes place at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily and entry is 30 ringgit (approximately US$9.50). Lockers are provided free of charge because it is forbidden to take sunscreen, backpacks, or insect repellent into the jungle. An elevated walkway leads visitors a few hundred meters into the jungle to a feeding platform. At the appointed time a khaki-clad keeper will climb onto the platform and spread out his bucket of fruit and vegetables.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The arrival of the orangutans is signaled by the snapping of branches and the mad swaying of the tree tops. They swing down from the jungle canopy via vines and branches onto the platform and help themselves to the fruit provided. Some are carrying young, the babies clinging firmly to their mothers’ hairy backs. Some sit and eat their fill on the platform while others carry off bunches of bananas in their feet to enjoy in solitary pleasure in the branches of the nearest trees. The primates generally feed for about fifteen minutes before they swing off into the tree tops.

The tourists tend to drift away as soon as the orangutans take off. The canny visitor should wait and will be rewarded with the sight of a troop of macaques coming to enjoy the leftovers. There is obviously a jungle pecking order at work and the monkeys will not approach the feeding platform until all the orangutans have left.

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Kitschy Beach Hostel on Kenya’s Coast Showcases Local Wildlife and Offers Tree House Living

By Miranda Adler

Don’t be alarmed. Upon arrival at Stilts Backpacker’s hostel you will be asked to lock up any tasty treats on your person. But the fast-footed bandits here aren’t to be feared -- the playful and mischievous monkeys make the experience at Stilts in Diani Beach.

The tree house-style living at Stilts offers a unique vacation experience at affordable prices. The check-in lounge, set high up in the trees, looks more like a page from Disney’s The Jungle Book than a hostel. With a full bar and kitchen serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, guests can fill up and relax where the wild things are. American dishes as well as African specialties are cooked up fresh; don’t miss the Green Gram and Chapatti special.

Rooms, built like small huts, are charming and cozy, with an exposed bathroom and shower nestled in a forest-like atmosphere. Mosquito nets are supplied but be sure to bring along plenty of insect repellant, as bugs abound in this beach town.

 

 

 

Just across the street, guests can stop by Forty Thieves Beach Bar for happy hour, lounging on the white sand and turquoise water that make Mombasa so famous. If the friendly locals selling jewelry and toys get too overwhelming, take a camel ride down the beach.

Touted as the best value hostel in Diani Beach, Stilts is a fun, unique way to enjoy Kenya’s coast.

Stilts Backpacker’s Eco Camp, +254 722523278, stiltsdiani@hotmail.com

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A Roosevelt Island Adventure

By Betty Turner


There is no gift shop, visitor center, or delicately maintained landscape, just a sign displaying a map of the trails and a schedule of ranger-sponsored activities. But you can catch a glimpse of local wildlife including deer, cottontail rabbits, muskrats, chipmunks, butterflies, garden snakes, many birds, and more. Or join a park ranger for a free “Island Safari,” usually on weekend mornings. The safari takes about one hour. Reservations are not required, but it is suggested to call ahead if your group is more than 10 people.

This 91-acre wilderness preserve is a living memorial dedicated to our nation’s 26th president. It’s the perfect retreat to enjoy nature and get away from the hustle and bustle of the hectic pace of daily life in D.C. Roosevelt Island is almost hidden from sight right in the Potomac River! It is accessible only from the northbound lanes of George Washington Memorial Parkway. A footbridge from the western bank of the Potomac River is the only land access.

 




 

A 17-foot bronze statue of President Theodore Roosevelt stands at the center of a Memorial Plaza. It is surrounded by four granite tablets, each reaching more than 20 feet tall. The tablets are inscribed with quotes representing Roosevelt’s philosophies regarding The State, Manhood, Nature, and Youth. Soothing sounds from two fountains fill the air as you listen to the quiet peacefulness of your surroundings and reflect on the history all around you.


In addition to the Memorial Plaza, there are more than two miles of hiking/walking trails through marshes, swamps, and woods following the banks of the Potomac. Benches are placed along the boardwalk, allowing you to pause, rest, or just observe nature. Various markers along the trails highlight the history of the island and its scenery in both Spanish and English.

The park is open year round from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily. No cars or bicycles are permitted on the island.  Parking spaces in the vicinity are limited and do fill up quickly on weekends. Rosslyn is the nearest metro stop and is about a 20- to 25-minute walk. Leashed pets are allowed.  

 

 

The National Park Service maintains the island as part of the nearby George Washington Memorial Parkway. A fountain rehabilitation project has been in progress this year and is nearing completion. Many locals consider this the perfect place for a fall color tour. Contrary to numerous reports, there are bathrooms and drinking fountains on the island. Check the website at www.nps.gov/gwmp for more details or call visitor information at 703-269-2500.

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Traveling Old Route 66

By Joseph Zahnle
 

Today directional travel east to west or west to east in the U.S. is simply a drive on one of the Interstate highways. But older people might remember Route 66. You can’t be in a hurry if you would like to explore the old route. It is accessible along busy Interstate 40. Take every exit possible to see the signs and old buildings, and don’t forget your camera. Here are some highlights, starting in Oklahoma…
 

 

 

 

 

Lucille’s in Hydro, Oklahoma, was built in 1929. It was first named the Provine Station in 1934. The building has an over-the-drive design and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Conoco Gas Station and Café in Shamrock, Texas, is a distinctive tower building built in 1936. This is an excellent example of a gas station/diner of the 1930s. Listed as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1994.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tee Pee Curios in Tucumcari, New Mexico, was built in the 1940s as a gas station and was doing well until Route 66 widened. Tee Pee Curios had to give up its gas pumps for the road. It is a very distinctive building design. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, is a unique set of teepee rooms. They were built in 1950. There are
15 teepees, each 14 feet in diameter and 32 feet high. They are still in use today, so if you have never stayed in a teepee, here’s your chance.
 

 

 

 

 

 

This portion of old Route 66 is a step back in time. The little town of Oatman, Arizona, originally called Vivian, came into being in 1902. The name was changed in 1909 to Oatman. Oatman was bypassed in 1953 by the new alignment of Route 66. Be careful because there are donkeys everywhere and they are protected.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Located in Needles, California, the Wagon Wheel Restaurant was built in the 1950s as Lynn’s Broiler. It became the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in 1978.

Enjoy your trip on Route 66!

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