Meerkat A meerkat sentry keeps watch at the Durrell Wildlife Park, Jersey.
“There is a pleasure in being mad which none but madmen know.”
– John Dryden, The Spanish Friar (1681)
“There is a pleasure in being mad which none but madmen know.” That is the Dryden quote that opens Gerald Durrell’s first book: My Family and Other Animals.
And an apposite quote it is!
When I first read the book as a young adult, I remember thinking how impossibly crazy was the life that the young Durrell had led in Corfu. Unreal. Like a mad, magical, fantasy world.
The house I grew up in valued discipline and order to the extent that domestic animals – let alone wild ones – were not part of the equation. My friends all had dogs, and cats, and guinea pigs and hamsters… I was heartbroken when my tenth birthday came and went without any sign of the pet rabbit I had convinced myself I was getting. I did once have a glass jar of tadpoles that my aunt had helped me catch; they mouldered and rotted in the putrefying water long before they sprouted legs. An edifying experience indeed. I stopped asking for a pet.
Durrell, on the other hand, at age 10, moved from rainy England to Corfu, with his mother and siblings, four books on natural history, a butterfly net, his dog, and a jam-jar of caterpillars. He began to collect and keep the local fauna as his pets – embarking on a lifelong love-affair with natural history.
Over his lifetime, Durrell travelled extensively and became increasingly aware of problems facing animals – particularly endangered species – in the wild. He believed that by collecting them for zoos and breeding programs, these animals could be protected from extinction until their habitats were no longer under threat. In 1958, with the proceeds from his book sales, Durrell bought Les Augrès Manor, a 17th-century house in Jersey, and turned it into a home for his extensive collection of animals from around the world. Renamed the “Jersey Zoological Park”, the zoo was opened to the public in 1959.
Gerald Durrell (1925-1995) A sculpture of Durrell with his lemurs sits inside the entry to the Durrell Wildlife Park.
Succulent One of the things I like best about well-kept animal parks is that they generally include beautiful gardens.
Meerkat In “Discovery Desert”, the ever-popular slender-tailed meerkats keep an eye on the visitors to the park.
Gorilla Mother and Infant The Critically Endangeredwestern lowland gorillas are a central part of the Durrell philosophy: by breeding the gentle giants in captivity, a safety net is built up against their extinction in the wild.
Female Gorilla We watch as an older mother, who has had several young, feeds on the popcorn scattered by the keepers.
Portrait: Female Gorilla The adults – even the females – look incredibly powerful.
Searching for Food In the wild, gorillas forage for food. In the park, food is scattered so that the animals don’t get too lazy.
Feeding Gorillas have a very long intestine, to help them get the most out of their limited diet in the wild.
Watching the Gorillas As parents and children watch, keepers give their gorilla talk and scatter food into the enclosure.
Infant Gorilla Keeping an eye on mum, this little one branches out alone.
Young Male Gorilla The young males – or blackbacks – are kept in a separate enclosure nearby – away from the females, infants and the dominant silverback.
African Red River Hogs It seems ironic to call these these bush pigs “river hogs” – as they live in a dry, rocky enclosure.
Playground Nearby, other primate young make use of the climbing equipment.
Sumatran Orangutans Like the western lowland gorillas, Sumatran Orangutans are Critically Endangered. The Durrell Wildlife Park works in conjunction with the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme in Indonesia to protect these “forest people”.
Orangutan and Baby Shortly after we got to the South-east Asian Primates area, the orangutans moved to their inside enclosure for their afternoon feed and some quiet time. Paradoxical, we were able to get closer to these magnificent creatures in the wild, in their North Sumatran home (Meet the Locals).
Lily Pond
Ring-Tailed Lemurs Ring-Tailed Lemurs live in the forests of southern Madagascar.
Alaotran Gentle Lemur Critically Endangered primates, the Alaotran Gentle Lemurs live in Madagascar’s wetlands.
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) In the wild, these birds are found across Europe, Africa and India.
Feeding the Flamingos
Chilean Flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis)
Red-billed Chough Choughs, specialist insect-eaters, died out in Jersey over a 100 years ago. The two breeding pairs at the Park are from Cornwall.
Les Augrès Manor Now the headquarters of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the site of Les Augrès manor house dates back to medieval times – although most of the current building is 19th century.
“The Gerald Durrell Story” A small museum contains memorabilia from Durrell’s life and work.
Orangutan at the Entrance / Exit
It was wonderful to be reminded of Durrell and his books and TV programs from my youth.
It was also wonderful to “meet” his friends and family.
It was, however, sad to reflect that these creatures are even more at risk now than they were when he first started his collections.
[…] and animal sanctuaries (as regular visitors to these pages will know; e.g.: Potoroo Palace; Durrell Wildlife Park; The Two Tarongas; Gunung Leuser Orangutangs), so any excuse to visit a new one is fine by me. And […]ReplyCancel
[…] for crows, Australia’s choughs were named after the European birds that they resemble (see: The Stationary Ark) but are only distantly related […]ReplyCancel
Indian Rhododendron on the Sumatran Mountainside Overlooking the town of Berastagi in Northern Sumatra, Mount Sibayak – a small volcano – is a popular tourist attraction.
Just two weeks before my husband and I visited the island of Sumatra in February 2014, Gunung Sinabung erupted, killing at least 14 people. The province of North Sumatra is not that big: Mount Sinabung is in the Karo Plateau, only 40 kilometres away from the Lake Toba Supervolcano, and in the general region where we would be travelling. When we arrived at Bukit Lawang, about 50 kilometres north of the mountain, volcanic ash still hung thick in the air, like smoke.
Part of our our itinerary was Mount Sibayak, an inactive (but not extinct) volcano a mere 30 kilometre drive away from the scene of the Sinabung explosion. It is always hard to know, as an “outsider”, whether a visit to a region will do more harm than good when there are problems, but the guides assured us we’d be well away from areas of risk.
Still, it reminded me of a drive we had made, years ago, through flooded and washed-away villages just a day or two after unseasonable rains in East Java, en route to another Indonesian volcano: Mount Bromo. On that occasion, we stopped overnight in Cemoro Lawang, got up around 3am to have a cup of coffee before crossing the cold, dark plains at the base of the mountain on small ponies, and then scaled a rickety stairway up the flank of the cone in the bone-chilling dark of a January morning. I am usually a bit of a mountain goat, but I remember feeling anxious about falling as we carefully picked our way through the crowds gathered around the slippery edge of the crater. When we looked down (never a good plan!), the ponies appeared as small as ants on the ground below, while the heat and the smell of sulphur bubbled up to meet us from the inside vent – alluding to the hellish death that would result from a fall.
Huddled in the dark, we waited for the sunrise. Unfortunately for us, because of the overcast weather, daylight arrived murky and diffused. It was rather anticlimactic; we climbed cautiously down the stairs and pathway, tired, cold and hungry, and without the benefit of the promised display. Two years later, Mount Bromo exploded, killing two.
We were assured, however, that our climb up Gunung Sibayakwould be far less eventful. After all, it is the easiest and most accessible of Sumatra’s volcanoes, taking less than two hours to walk up.
Start Walking! Although this is still technically a roadway, it gets pretty rough and doesn’t go much further. The rest of the way is by foot.
Dangerous Birdsong High over our heads on the steep path, a bird tied in a cage sang a sad song. The cage owner hoped this would attract other birds, who would then be captured and sold.
Cliffs and Climbing Before long, we left the last vestiges of roadway behind and clambered up a rocky crevice: not an easy feat when you are laden with camera gear!
Path through the Jungle At times, the path – and our guide with it – practically disappeared into the jungle growth.
Guide on the Path He kept his eyes on the surrounds as we climbed up the flank of the mountain.
Indian Rhododendron Back in the open, the mountainside is covered in hardy flowering bushes, like the “Pride of India”(Melastoma melabathricum) …
Pitcher Plant … interspersed with delicate-looking but carnivorous Pitcher Plants(Nepenthes).
Coming Around the Mountain Our guide was continually on the lookout for plants we might find interesting.
Smoke in the Saddle As you come around the hill, the broken sides of the caldera come into view, and the smell of sulphur is stronger.
Smoke on the Mountain Steam rises from the vents; Mount Sibayak hasn’t erupted for more than a century, but it still gives rise to plenty of geothermal activity.
Sulphur on the Rocks The vents produce crystalline sulfur, which clings to the rocks and was once mined on a small scale.
Guide on the Rocks Our guide climbed over the sulphur-crusted rocks, looking for a good vent…
Burning Sulphur … to set a light to. Burning sulfur melts to a blood-red viscous liquid and runs over the rocks.
Graffiti in the Caldera Visitors have taken the time to sculpt designs and patterns on the volcano.
Caldera in the Mist The mountain rises up into the mists of sulphuric steam.
Cairns and Gardens Ferns and mosses take hold in gardens sculpted by visitors.
Ferns on the Wall
Flowers and Berries On the way back down the track, we notice different bushes.
Yellow Flowers Not all of the plants are “pretty”, but they all have their niche.
Thermal Pipes Driving to one of the many hot-spring bathing pools in the Berastagi area for a well-earned soak, we passed pipes boiling over with steam that was heading to the local power station.
There is nothing quite like soaking in a pool of mineral-laden hot-spring waters that have been piped in from the mountain you have just hiked!
Not particularly “eventful”, but interesting, and well worth the effort.
Hi Ursula. Thanks for sharing your experience hiking up to Mt. Sibayak. I’m planning a trip there soon and am wondering how to find a guide. Wasn’t able to find any online. Appreciate if you can give advice on how to find a reliable guide and if there’s any place in particular to stay at.
Hi Tiara,
I arranged our Sumatra trip through Adventure Indonesia and they took care of all the local guides. You might like to contact them.
There are a couple of big hotels and lots of small ones in Berastagi, and accommodation should be easy to find in any price range.
Cheers,
UrsulaReplyCancel
hock -May 23, 2018 - 6:46 am
ya please call/chat +6285270901937 for hike sibayak.ReplyCancel
Candle Heath (Richea continentis) Thriving in the sub-alpine bogs around the Guthega Pondage, the prickly candle heath was in full flower when we walked there late December.
It is supposed to be a nice summer walk to Mount Tate from Guthega Dam on the Snowy River in Australia’s High Country.
I wouldn’t know.
Three times I’ve driven over the bumpy dirt roads to Guthega, on the back side of Blue Cow Mountain, in search of the unmarked circuit through Consett Stephen Pass and across the Tate East Ridge. I have a book on Snowy Mountain Walks, published by the Geehi Bushwalking Club, and a husband who used to be and Eagle Scout, so finding a well-walked track should be easy.
But, no.
I can get lost in a car park, and my husband – in spite of his protestations – is not much better. I like to spend the change-of-year in the mountains (Alpine Bookends 2014) – after all, it is summertime in Australia. However, our attempt to make the Mount Tate circuit one of our last walks of December 2014, found us on a better-marked track, proceeding in pretty-much the opposite direction. We hiked south-east, from the closed and lonely-looking Guthega ski lodges, over the fens and bogs, to the privately owned (and also closed) Illawong Lodge.
Fortunately for us – while it wasn’t the walk we were aiming for – it is a delightful way to spend the afternoon.
Illawong Lodge Trail Head The first clue that were we on the “wrong” path should have been the fact that it was so clearly marked!
Illawong Lodge Trail The track leads southwest along the banks of the Snowy River, …
Alpine Mint Bush (Prostanthera Cuneata) … through sweet-smelling alpine mint, …
Candle Heath (Richea continentis) … and prickly clumps of candle heath.
Metal Bridge Metal grids take us over boggy creeks.
Bridge over Blue Cow Creek Built in 2010, the proper metal bridge eliminates the need for the old flying fox …
Flying Fox over Blue Cow Creek … which was used in the past to provide a safer option for crossing the rocks when the creek rose.
Flying Fox Erected by the Illawong Ski Tourers in 1961 and decommissioned in 2011, the old fox is now National-Trust listed.
Over the Snowy River Looking back over the Snowy River and Guthega Dam – part of the extensive Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme.
Snowy River Valley There’s not much water in the river – but you can be sure it’s cold!
Bog and Heath The sub-alpine ground is wet like a saturated sponge, complete with small “lakes” and puddles. Walkers do well to stay on the paths.
Steps Wooden steps divert water and protect the vegetation from run-off during the spring snow-melt.
Illawong Lodge The small hut on the hill has long been used as a winter base for ski clubs.
Illawong Lodge In 1956, the then-dilapidated hut was transformed into the present lodge. It is maintained by the Illawong Ski Tourers club. Although the National Trust lodge is for private use, there is emergency shelter at the back, underneath the main building.
Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe Even without access to the inside, it is a lovely spot for a picnic in the grass and clover.
Alpine Hillside To return to Guthega car park, we retrace our steps through the fragrant scrub.
Buttercups It might be the same path, but we notice different things as we work our way across the hillsides.
Snow Gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) Snow gums are nothing if not adaptable; this one stretches at ninety-degrees from the side of the hill, over the Snowy River below.
Snowy River The cold white water rushes over the rocks in the river bed.
Australian raven (Corvus coronoides) A raven welcomes us back to the patch of green below the car park.
That’s the beauty of walks in the Australian High Country –
No matter which one you are on, it’s a great way to finish up a wonderful year.
[…] at least one ambitious alpine walk (e.g.: Bookends on 2013, Alpine Bookends 2014, Illawong Lodge, Guthega, or Summer Walks in the High Country), but last summer we took it a bit easier. I […]ReplyCancel
[…] the sixteen major dams that make up the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectricity Scheme. We were attempting – not for the first time – to find the track to Mount […]ReplyCancel
Looking over Charlotte Pass The view from Mount Stillwell across the summer heath in Kosciuszko National Park.
The world has gone mad.
This last year has been a turbulent one: wars, acts of terror and insanity, massacres and tragedies – at home and overseas. The floods and droughts that accompany climactic extremes seem more common; the forced displacement of people is at its highest since the second world war; and the unprecedented ebola outbreak has claimed over 7000 lives.
Just this week, another passenger airplane has gone down…
Personally, I have been lucky. Although my family has experienced the ups and downs of unexpected marriages and splits, for the most part we have escaped the worst vagaries of misfortune. I have enjoyed a wonderful year, travelling and exploring on three continents with my husband, friends and family.
But, no man – nor any woman – is an island, and the news all around has indeed been distressing and depressing.
We all need an escape – a respite from the stress that the uncertainties in this modern world can induce. For me, that escape is in nature.
That is one of the reasons why I like to get away to the Australian Alps.
There is a stillness in the mountains. It helps me breathe. Centre. Refocus on all that is good…
So, the first and last days of 2014 found me – as is usual over the New Year’s break – in Kosciuszko National Park, walking through the snowless summer ski fields of Australia’s high country.
Early in January, my husband and I drove to Charlotte Pass to look over the Main Range, and to take a short walk up Mount Stillwell.
Out of Season The trail climbs up Mount Stillwell from the Charlotte Pass Lookout carpark, to the top of a forlorn chairlift. It was overcast, with intermittent rains, so we had the track almost to ourselves.
Alpine Shrubs Delicate sights and smells are all around.
Rocky Path It’s a charming – but moderately steep – climb up to the first lookout.
National Park Ranger My husband and I usually walk on our own, but every so often it is nice to have a NP Ranger along as an interpretive guide. As a local who’d lived in the area and worked with the National Parks many years, he was able to recount the varied interconnected changes wrought by recent differences in weather patterns. Australia’s alpine areas are particularly vulnerable to alterations in the length and timing of seasonal temperatures.
Roots on the Rocks As we climb out of the sub-alpine region into the alpine zone, vegetation is lower to the ground and hardier.
Alpine Meadows Delicate-looking but tough and resilient shrubs cover the hillside.
Silver Snow Daisies The colours of the heath are soft: the dusty blue-gray of the silver snow daisy leaves, red sheep sorrel flowers, and purple eyebright punctuate the hill.
Tiny Ground Cover
Shrubs in Flower Back down at the Charlotte Pass Lodge (1760m), we are again surrounded by sub-alpine shrubs and trees. The flowering season is brief – with late December through January usually the best time to catch the endemic blooms.
Snow Gum As the rain starts, the colours on the trunks of the snow gums (eucalyptus pauciflora) deepen.
[…] his protestations – is not much better. I like to spend the change-of-year in the mountains (Alpine Bookends 2014) – after all, it is summertime in Australia. However, our attempt to make the Mount Tate […]ReplyCancel
[…] “This last year has been a turbulent one: wars, acts of terror and insanity, massacres and t… Remove the ebola, which has finally been conquered, and add a devastating earthquake in Nepal, and it seems little has changed. […]ReplyCancel
[…] Park. Usually we plan at least one ambitious alpine walk (e.g.: Bookends on 2013, Alpine Bookends 2014, Illawong Lodge, Guthega, or Summer Walks in the High Country), but last summer we […]ReplyCancel
A good time to reconnect with family and loved ones, even though some might be far away, or missing completely.
An ideal time to reflect on the possibilities of love and peace – although the world at the moment seems to be providing few examples.
A good time to count one’s blessings, and, regardless of the hardships we might be facing, to be thankful for those opportunities and things we do have.
It’s not such a good time for the latest WordPress update – which doesn’t seem to allow me to upload photos in the relatively simple manner of old…
So, this will be brief: an afternoon’s sojourn into the Great Northern Desert of Rajasthan, a place where the air crackles with heat and hope, where life is hard (Life in the Thar Desert) and the nights are magic (Music and Magic). A place where, in the late afternoon, watching some men and their camels on the crest of a sandy hill, you can contemplate the rugged beauty of the place, and feel an expansive quietness – even while taking hundreds of pictures.
I will share only a few.
Camels on the Hill After a short camel ride over the dunes, we come into sight of another group of camels on the hills.
Three
Here comes our Guide!
That Look!
Regal Creature
A Boy and his Camel Children start work young – even if it seems to be a labour of love.
Afternoon Light
Camel Portrait
Waves in the Dunes
At Rest
Camels on the Crest Our local guide DV has a word to the camel drivers on the hill.
Walking the Camel
Camel in the Sunset One of the camel drivers canters across the sands against the lowering light.
Merry Christmas, Ursula. This week’s wanders is seasonal in a wonderful way, without snow, evergreens or feasting. It reflects one aspect of the multi – denominational or even the non – denominational nature of the date. I’m seeing caravans of camels snaking through the holy lands with exotic goods, beliefs and ideas; perhaps influencing a certain young, impressionable man, millenia ago. In my northrrn latitudes it the rebirth of the Sun that I celebrate. My Muslim, Punjabi, Christian and non-of-the-above friends all find reason to celebrate family, friends, prosperity and the promise of the end to the darkness at this time of year. Peace be with you!ReplyCancel
Merry Christmas, Thomas!
So nice to “see” you here on line.
I resisted including the photo I have of three wise women walking across the desert with metal pots on their heads. 😉
Best wishes for the New Year.ReplyCancel
I love the desert. I myself have also done in the Ra desert a tour on a camel. I wish you a great new year’s Eve and a healthy 2015 Ursula. Warm greetings DietmutReplyCancel
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
Packets of 10 for $AU50.
Or - pick any photo from my Flickr or Wanders blog photos.
[…] and animal sanctuaries (as regular visitors to these pages will know; e.g.: Potoroo Palace; Durrell Wildlife Park; The Two Tarongas; Gunung Leuser Orangutangs), so any excuse to visit a new one is fine by me. And […]
[…] for crows, Australia’s choughs were named after the European birds that they resemble (see: The Stationary Ark) but are only distantly related […]