The post about the ballet dancer now with audio and lots of Ken Burns effects heerrre. Thank you kbs!
new zealand yacht powers lithuanian millennium odyssey
– In case you wonder what this post is doing here; we stumbled across this expedition after getting a message from a certain mum who knew the Ambersail was mooring in Auckland. Accidentally so were we. –
Captain Simonas Steponavičius is careening on the deck of the racing yacht Ambersail. The crew is raising the main sail which sports a large yellow, green and red flag, adding a Lithuanian touch to Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour.
Originally built to race in the Volvo Ocean Race, New Zealand designed racing yacht Volvo Open 60 now sails around the world’s five continents. The designer of the racing boat is Aucklander Bruce Farr, whose company Farr Yacht Design produced fifty of this type. The body is made of two layers of kevlar with foam in-between. It’s the kevlar that inspired the nickname ‘bullet-proof’. The sixty foot yacht weighs only 13,5 tonnes.
“The Volvo 60 is what the F1 is for the Grand Prix. The Ambersail is extremely responsive. It takes at least six to sail it, with every move done manually. No cruise control, no hydraulics”, laughs Steponavičius.
Next stop: Punta Arenas, Argentina. The Ambersail is facing tough conditions as it will head towards the lower latitudes. Heavy winds and sub-zero feel temperatures make the voyage to Argentina one of the tougher legs, said Steponavičius.
The Ambersail started its odyssey in Klaipeda, Lithuania in October 2008 with the mission to sail around the world and to meet with Lithuanian communities. In the past three months it has sailed 15000 nautical miles via the Canary Islands, Cape Town, Adelaide and Sydney. With the arrival in Auckland the Ambersail reached its furthest destination.
“Auckland’s great”, said Steponavičius, “There are probably more masts in Viaduct Harbour than cars in Lithuania. New Zealand has a big sailing culture.”
“We planned a week-long pitstop in Viaduct Harbour because of the extensive services. I don’t know any other harbour where you can have the boat checked in this short time. The shrouds, the wiring, the steering, in fact all the rigging is checked.”
1000 years
Dubbed The Millennium Odyssey, the journey marks the 1000th anniversary of the name Lithuania, which was first mentioned in a German chronicle in 1009. Lithuania, a European country of 3,5 million is one of the three Baltic States that gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Its lakes and forests are famous, and so is Lithuanian basketball.
Steponavičius: “It’s great to see the Kiwi’s excel in sailing. In America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race they hold many key positions”, he said. “Lithuania only has 90 kilometres of coastline, so we train in lakes mostly. There are not many sailors, though we’re proud that the Lithuanian Olympic sailing team won the bronze medal in Beijing.”
matapouri
While R. is training in Maori territories up north, I’m in Matapouri wwoofing. Turns out it’s a great way to learn about the nitty-gritty of organic farming, and to take part in daily life in kiwi land.
This being North Island’s east coast the beach is as much daily life as keeping a permaculture farm going. ‘Been to the beach yet?’ is the catchphrase around here.
Malaysia has nice beaches, but here.. Nested in a string of small bays, every beach is a small resort by itself. Some are secluded, one is pebbled, some have big surfs, some none at all. Palm trees, parakeets, the only thing missing in the picture is a pirate going ashore with a gold chest.
The pirates are gone but the gold chest is still around. The northern part of Matapouri Bay harbours two wahitapus, sacred grounds where the bodies of slain warriors of five Maori tribes used to be prepared and buried. In 1970 the state bought the land and turned it into the Otito Reserve. The family living there were made lifetime tenants, 60 years after they had bought the land themselves. When the tenancy expired the house was to be removed so that the wahitapu could be restored.
Instead the family plans to develop the territory. Last year land surveyors were planting land pegs in the Otito Reserve in order to divide it in plots. The plots were based on a survey plan from 1999. By chance a local noticed the surveyors at work and quickly organised the local community into the grassroots campaign Friends of Matapouri. A costly legal battle ensued, with Friends of Matapouri on one side and the state on the other. The people accuse the state surveying department of making rigged plans, and demand that the Crown restore the boundaries of 1970. The state says the 1999 survey plan, which is 1 hectare bigger than the the 1970 territory is correct. The family meanwhile stands in between the parties, eagerly waiting for the green light.
So after the Maori tribes clashed over the land centuries ago, the state taking it back decades ago, a family claiming it since last year, the battle over this idyllic piece of the Bay is still in full swing.
Friends of Matapouri have taken the case to the High Court, which will have a session on Friday.
new zealand
WE ARE ON North Island and although every Kiwi we meet insists we should see South Island, the landscape is stunning here too. Plenty of time to admire it, while pushing the bikes up the hill. Our daily distance is about half of what we used to do. Truffle-shaped hills much like the killing hills of north west Thailand and green everywhere.
Cycling in New Zealand makes us feel a bit like old elephants. Our peers seem to be bearded men from Germany with a fetish for Ortlieb bags. Two in the front, two in the back and on one top, the whole outfit in mint condition.
Like elephants, we’re terribly slow compared to other cyclists. They zoom by on titanium Scotts, Specializeds, Treks and are dressed in gear covered in brand names, as if derailed from the Tour de France. Road biking is the thing to do in New Zealand, and in Auckland the concentration of road cyclists seems to be the highest, maybe only outnumbered by the joggers that also outnumber pedestrians.
this is malaysia
Penarek. just like in the holiday catalogue.
Telong beach
Processing sea fruit. Judging by the dedication the children were at work it looked a lot like child labour.
The roads are clogged in Malaysia 
Toll road near Tumpat, as empty as national highways are full. 
Rajah Brook, the national butterfly
Malacca
ramadan
WE ARE IN Malaysia and lucky us it’s that time of year again: Ramadan! The Muslims are fasting and contrary to what we thought it means one month of, indeed, feasting. Wherever we cycle after 3 pm there’s always a street market nearby with the most colourful dishes on display. 
Meters of curries, grilled fish, roasted chicken, agar-agar desserts, pastry, all waiting to be devoured as soon as the sun goes down. Luckily for us we’re not subject to this Islamic law, just like traveling Muslims, the elderly, pregnant women and children.
grote vriendelijke mier
WE ZIJN beland aan de voet van de Inas-berg in het noorden van Maleisië. Preciezer: aan het eind van een doodlopend zijweggetje van een binnenweggetje dat zich afsplitste van een B-weg waarvan we dachten dat hij over de Inas leidde, naar het stadje Gerik. De B-weg liep dood en nu staan onze fietsen in de schaduw van tropisch bos.
Aan onze voeten een waterval die het geknetter overstemt van brommers die aan de overkant komen en gaan. De berijders, ginnegappende dorpelingen. Ze hangen wat over hun stuur of nemen een duik. Ook wij storten ons op de bergbeek, en de brandende hitte lost op als, ehm, sneeuw voor de zon.
Tegen zonsondergang vertrekt de laatste brommer en komen al snel de eerste nachtdieren tevoorschijn. Weinig muggen, maar veel mieren. Een lobbes van 2-3 centimeter die zich snel en zeker over het terrein verspreidt. In tegenstelling tot de rode en de kleinere zwarte mier lopen deze om je heen en bijten niet. 
Ze maken rechtsomkeert als je de zaklantaarn op ze richt en raken in paniek als ze per ongeluk op de schuimrubberen matras terecht komen. Ook vreemd, ze houden zich niet bezig met het verslepen van een of andere buit. Massaal van hot naar her rennen, zover we kunnen zien is dat hun voornaamste bezigheid. We zitten midden in het gekrioel, kijken ernaar en geen centje last. Microsafari voor onze tent.
