Greek Easter Feast in the Mountains

LAMB, LAMB, and more LAMB. We were on our way to Meteora .......... recently of James Bond fame

Our Typical Egyptian Dinner

Essam's family with Steve before dinner. They lived at the base of the Giza pyramids. Sunset over the Pyramids each night........I spent two hours that afternoon helping Essam register with a Dating service over the internet.....tried three sites.......problem was Essam did not have a credit card. I offerred my credit card but it is an ongoing committment. Essam owns three houses, is in high demand for taxi services, yet own a credit card???

His deceased father was in National Geographic Magazine in 2002 as the best Cairo guide. His daughter is completing her University degree as a Travel Guide

Cairo Natives??

Tibetan Refugee Children at School

We bought all of these children rulers, pencils, erasers, and other school supplies. They were polite and were learning the English language!

Eliphant Riding in Nepal

A little later I took a bath with an Eliphant in a muddy parasite infested river. You have never seen someone swim thru the air have you? After my Amazon experience I left only one orifice exposed!

Beijing Smog

This is from one of Beijings tallest hills looking down through the awful Smog at the Forbidden City

Memories of Beijing

The famous Peking Duck being served to Steve and I at Beijing's extremely popular restaurant. This was our second night of the trip, after visiting one of the seven wonders of the world (The Great Wall)......little did we realize at the time that this would be our best meal and one of a small handful of dinners as we did not go out for many meals on the entire trip!

Pictures

Victory

My partner Steve and I received our beautiful trophies today in Toronto at the CN Tower (150 stories above the city?).........we had just watched most of the Blue Jays/White Sox Baseball Game in the indoor stadium (Yes, our final scavenge)......it is raining here today so roof to stadium was closed for the game. Also went to the Hockey Hall of Fame and saw the original Stanley Cup (it is in a vault yet the current larger Stanley Cup isn't)////
Still can't get pictures to blog will try again tomorrow
Bart

Friday afternoon in Amsterdam

Now were talking my type of competition. I've been riding bikes for the last two days and it counts as a scavenge!! I am always happy to come back to one of the truly great cities of the world and, obviously, one of my favorite big cities. Steve and I have been busy runiing around Amsterday (and The Hague) completing scavenges. This is Leg #9 and the competition ends in Toronto tomorrow night. None to soon for this haggard team! It has been a LONG, hard, difficult 23 days and we are happy to see the finish line. Hopefully, a secure victory for our team would be a great accomplishment! Weather has been good here but rain is forecast for Toronto. The city of Amsterdam always has that "Weed" smell (we visited the Weed Museam as a scavenge) and the North American air will smell good once again. Regards to all ......... Bart

Wednesday in Bucharest

It started after I wrote my last blog........I left my passport at the front desk of our Athens hotel and did not realize it until Thessoloniki (upper Greece). I called the hotel and arranged delivery to Bucharest. But that would be three days later and the scavenges where to take place between Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania during that time..........I couldn't disappoint my partner Steve! As most of you know, if you travel extensively, a US citizen can receive a second passport after requesting permission from the government. I had that passport with me....so what is the problem you say. Try three.....1. Second passport expired in 18 days (governments typically want 6 months unexpired, 2. It had ZERO room for government stamps, and 3. It did not contain my entry stamp into Greece the day before.
We decided to leave one day early from our hotel due to the holiday closure of everything and this confused me evidently. I made it through the Greece border but not without a lot of work. They threatened a 600 euro fine, etc. but finally I prepared after showing my airline bording pass to Athens, etc.
Now three days later and after little sleep and massive transportation issues we are done with these four phases of the scavenges. We turn in our list later tonight and then fly tomorrow to an unknown destination before our final scavenge the day after in Toronto. These past few days brought us spectacular sites in Greece (Meteora's "columns of the sky") and Bulgaria (Rila Monastery)
That's all for now.....hope we can keep our lead!
Bart

Sunday Morning in Athens

We arrived yesterday afternoon in Athens. We have a hotel room for two nights here but, after further review we have decided to leave in a half hour and work our way through upper Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Our next check in and completion of the leg is in Bucharest on Wednesday evening. We will be using a taxi and the railroad system to obtain our scavenges through this leg. Steve and I are both sick and tired but with a the lead in the race it does help to some extent. We visited the midnight Church services last night here in Athens as this is Easter and everything is closed it seems! Quite a Church service....especially after our entire group had a great drunken evening in a taverna locally in Athens before.....plates broken, etc.
Last week of the trip....starting to see the finish line!
Bart

Friday in Cairo

Hello everyone
I am writing to you from my "new friend" Essam's house who has kindly invited myself and my partner Steve to dinner tonight at his house to have traditional Egyptian food. We are both looking forward to the experience later. I assume all of you have read the greatescape blog and know that Steve and I have a nice lead after 3 rounds (7 to go). We will not relax on our laurels and hope to keep the lead until the end of the competition!
We are close to ending the Cairo scavenges (9pm tonight.....it is presently 3:30 pm) and have been very busy.....little sleep......and little ability to enjoy our hotel accomodations at one of the best hotels in Cairo (Mena House Oberoi....across the street from the Giza pyramids).
Even though Steve and I have had numerous trips to Cairo in the past the 45+ scavenges showed us alot of new sites and experiences. You should have seen us in full African headdress atop a horse at sunrise this morning. Or, cruising the Nile River twice last nite (one with belly dancer entertainment). Tonight our last scavenge will be the sound and light show of the Giza Pyramids (which we have both seen in the past).
Well, we continue to be very tired and have no idea where we are being sent tomorrow morning for the next leg (scavenge #5).........I will try to find time to keep you all updated.....Bart Hackley

Kathmandu Day 2

It is bed time after another exhausting day....up at 4:30 am and on the road at 5am for the 3 and 1/2 hour drive to the border of China and the beautiful waters at Tatopani the 3 and 1/2 hours back for a busy afternoon of workng on scavenges. The most meaningful scavenage is our volunteer of our time to the Tibetan refugee camp elementary school and the Tibetan refugee camp older folks home.....we have put in significant hours the last two days and will spend all morning tomorrow.
Our lead after Leg #2 has increased to 460 points.....do we have enough stamina to last 10 legs? Stay tuned!
We fly tomorrow night to ??
Regards to everyone back home......Bart
PS We received a spur of the moment invite to a Mongolian wedding.....what a festivity!!

Singapore Airport en route to Kathmandu

Yesterday was a fast paced day. Sharing a taxi with fellow participants we drove from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka to Singapore with stops in between. You wouldn't believe all of the scavenges we were able to complete .............. ending the second stage with a ride with the world famous "singing cab driver" as he drove us to the famous "Long Bar" at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. A "Singapore Sling(one)" and one drink, and two beers was over 80 Sin (or $65)......The taxi driver entertained us and we entertained ourselves (another participant couple shared the taxi with us) with Karoke singing old and new songs. Meeting at 10pm told us we are going to Kathmandu today (I am at the airport in Singapore). Other than a loud explosion from the heavens last night....fireworks included (lighting).....we have had a slight respite for the last 11 hours. Stay tuned........

Kuala Lumpur

We have been so busy with scavenges that it leaves little time for blogging.......sleep has been in the 3-4 hour range each night.......................we promise ourselves 1 hour of "down" time daily (Steve is getting a massage now and I will sonn go to the gym)........we have not had a lunch all week.......you get the picture!
Read GreatEscapes blog as it is quite informative and the organizers have way more free time then the teams. So, I won't repeat the information other than to add that we are proud as a team to be in first place after stage 1 (I believe we will have 10 stages in the competition)......I am sure the leader board will change alot! Now, on to Singapore and more of Malaysia tomorrow........Bart

Good Bye Beijing!!

It is 4 am in Beijing and my team partner Steve is fast asleep....Of course, I am awake....what's new (some things never change)
Due to China blog censorship and our Event Coordinator's excellent commentary that you are hopefully reading.......I will be brief!!
These past three days were very hard. Emotionally, Physically, Time Change Mechanics, etc.
We feel our team did well for Stop #1......we will find out scores today I believe as we fly to our next stop......Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.........nearly straight south and warmer!!
Found out we are the oldest team competing at 123 years (63 + 60).....I am the second oldest individual to a 64 year old Canadian who also rode a bike across his country (his ride had more miles than mine).......talk to you from KL next, Bart

Monay early Am in Beijing

I guess you all can read this........I can't
We were told at dinner in SF to go to Airport for 1:20 am Saturday departure on Cathay Pacific. We found out Hong Kong for transit to Beijing.........14 plus hours to Hong Kong and another 3 hours North to Beijing. Slept maybe 6 hours so I was fresher than most participants including my partner Steve. Our hotel is the Regent.......great accomodations!
A couple hour nap and gym work-out brought me to 3pm meeting. Received our first Scavenge list.......85 scavenges for Beijing stop
Finished 1st scavenge by attending the Opera performance at Huguang Guild Hall Sunday evening (went over international dateline on flight)........language is a BIG barrier here in China
Also ate at Dong Hua Men Ye Shi Steet vendors (part of another scavenge)......had ENTIRE shrimp deepfried......I ate 4.....heads, feelers, everything........also had corn on cob and fried banana
Taxis are cheap but No english understood.....lot's of massage/sex offered as we walked the 4 blocks to the Dong Hua.......only few hours sleep and now Monday morning beckons in Smoggy Beijing

Beijing Censorship

We are in Beijing and I doubt this will post.......let's try

Prediction Fulfilled
10pm Friday April 11th
OK we were told in the last hour at our welcoming dinner to Pack up....
Be at at SFO Airport for 1:20am flight on Cathay Pacific in International terminal
That's it!
We found out first stop is Hong Kong by checking with Cathay Pacific subsequently
Is it just a stop or destination..........stay tuned!
Other than a 3pm "get acquinted meeting today" I have nothing else to report.
Nice article online edition of LA Times-Daily Pilot today on me.......go to
http://www.dailypilot.com/articles/2008/04/11/features/dpt-travelbrief041108.txt
The interview was 45 minutes via car phone and the picture was shot with Sally's new iphone in Stockton after the writer had called stating she screwed up in not asking for a photo two days earlier in the car phone interview...No sleep tonight on to Hong Kong

Typical!!!

OK.....It is 10:30pm at night Wednesday evening. I have done nearly nothing to prepare myself for this upcoming 23 day travel adventure/competition. Let's see, I did get a visa for China (the only country other than Canada that we have been told we will visit to date)......I was going to Beijing for the summer Olympics in August so, at least, I can use the multiple visit visa for both trips! I have readied my 4 and a half inch Sony computer (weighs 2 pounds) and taken a few notes and practiced with my wifes digital camera (Canon....10 pixels). Went to the bank for cash (bribes?)......that's it! I will go to bed and leave in the morning for my drive with a rental car to San Francisco from Newport Beach. I am driving with my wife, Sally, so that I can do a little last minute business from Stockton to Antioch to Oakland. Spend Thursday night in Berkeley after another wonderful meal at a great favorite Chez Panisse. Friday starts the adventure.
So, what have I missed (I just returned from dinner with our friends and three bottles of wine).....oh yea, I need to pack..........But wait!!........I can do it early tomorrow morning.......I read today an article in this month's Orange Coast magazine about the couple that won CBS' "The Amazing Race 12". They stated......"I remember at one point in the race, we weighed our backpacks at the airport, and together they weighed 15 pounds".......That's me! Stay tuned from the guy who only needs to visit 11 more countries to fulfill his dream of visiting every country in the world!

March 31, 2008

12 days until start of the GreatEscape2008: The Global Scavenger Hunt!!