Expotition to The Source of the Nile

On October 1st we had another holiday.  This time "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day".   I looked after Hannah to let Rika have some free time.

Inspired by Winnie the Poo's 'Expotition to the North Pole', I suggested an 'Expotition to The Source of the Nile'.

The Lower Nile at Shatin

 So we set-off by bicycle up the valley.

Rest Break

As we passed the village of Shatin we saw a large party of natives performing traditional court-ship dances by the riverside.   Unfortunately I couldn't get a photo of this amazing sight...

Egret at the first cataract near Tai Wai

Previously we had only gone upstream as far as the first cataract near the walled village at Tai Wai.  This time we kept going up the riverbank...

Past Mei Lam towards Mei Tin (beautiful field)....

Upper Nile at Mei Tin

I had hoped to keep going up to the high dam at Aswan.   But unfortunately the road became impassable.   To get to the dam we needed to take a different route over the ridge.

The Nile just below the Dam at Aswan 

As we were deciding how to proceed, we were shaken by violent thunder overhead and it began to rain heavily.

Thunder Storm at Mei Tin

We had to sit-out the deluge in a nearby hut.  Hannah was able to barter some provisions with the locals.

So we had to abandon our expotition, without seeing the Aswan Dam or finding the true source of the  Nile.    Undaunted, Daddy is already planning another attempt.

Back to Civilisation - Cairo at dusk

A short stop for well-earned refreshments, then home for dinner by 6:30

Video:  Cycling on Shatin's cycle-paths

Tai Po Kau Nature Walk

On Monday we had a holiday for the Mid-Autumn festival.    Autumn is the nicest season in Hong Kong since the weather is usually sunny and warm but not too hot.   Perfect weather for outdoor activities like hiking, so we should make the most of it.

We decided to a family walk at the nearby Tai Po Kau nature reserve with our neighbors, the A. family.  

The Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve is a thickly forested 460-hectare ‘special area’ .  It was re-forested from 1926 with a 100 different species of trees, and is now home to many species of butterflies, amphibians, birds, dragonflies and trees, and is a superb place in which to enjoy a quiet walk.  See these good links for more information about the reserve.  (hk outdoors link, afcd.gov.hk link).

It is also noted by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society and others as one of the best locations for seeing forest birds in Hong Kong.  Of the 452 species of birds recorded in Hong Kong, 166 have been observed in Tai Po Kau.

The reserve is just 15min from our apartment by taxi, and has several different walks.  We did two : the nature trail, and the 'red' walk, about 1 hour each.   Along the way we had a picnic at a very nice picnic area.

Yu-chan and Mr A.

The walking was very nice in the shade and we did see some wild-life :  a small snake and this  monkey, and we heard a lot of birds.

Monkey

Hannah and Yu-chan enjoyed the walking, but didn't want to do 'too much'.

From time to time we were passed on the trail by photographers in camouflage gear carrying enormous cameras : 'Bird Paparazzi'!

What could these paparazzi be stalking?  the Pamela Anderson of Tits?,  the Princess Diana of Thrush?   I took this smudgy photo on my I-phone and later guessed the bird is a 'Chinese Hwamei', - "often very difficult to see, it typically feeds on the ground among leaf litter, foraging for insects and fruit." (link).

As we finished our walk, Yu-chan ran into a group of friends from his school.

Hannah finished the walk tired but happy and didn't complain too much.    I think we chose well by not pushing them too hard this time!

Rika on the other hand complained of disturbing and unfamiliar sensations : weird symptoms like faster breathing, elevated heart-rate, feeling hot and perspiring, sore feet and tired leg muscles.   If this is what happens when you exercise, she'd rather stay safely at home!

Vet Again

In Saturday we had to take Kura and Jayden back to the vet.   Jayden has flue and eye infection and both needed inoculations.

So we loaded the pair into our small cat -arrier, and took a taxi to Tai Po.

The staff at the vet were very friendly, and enquired about Minimi's health.

 It seems we have become 'regulars' at this establishment.

Grooming

Jayden is a very affectionate kitten, and really likes grooming others.  He is almost obsessive about it.

 If my hair is wet he will start grooming me!

It is quite a nice feeling.  Provided you don't dwell too much on the thought that your hair is being covered with cat-spit.

Japan 34 - South Africa 32 !

The 'Brave Blossoms' beat the Springboks in the opening game of the Rugby World Cup!

The greatest upset in rugby history!

Makes me proud to be Japanese !

Chijimi Party

On Saturday night we has a Chijimi Party at our flat with the Mr and Mrs A. and Yu-chan

Hannah played with Yu-chan and we made Chijimi on the hot-plate.

Mrs A. cooked delicious Korean food for us.

Anxious Cat

When Minimi returned from hospital we did everything we could to reassure him that he was still Number One Top-Cat.   I deliberately avoided handling the kittens so that Minimi wouldn't smell the intruders on me.

Minimi seemed sad and anxious and mainly stayed in the bedroom.  We tried to follow the Vet's instructions but he wouldn't eat and vomited-up the anti-nausea pill we gave him.  

He snuggled-up to me at night....

....and during the day.   He still wasn't eating by himself so we had to syringe-feed him with small amounts of wet-food, and the anti-biotic and de-wormer medicine.    We decided not to stress him further by trying to force him to take all the other medicines.

On Friday Rika allowed him into Hannah's room to visit the kittens in their cage.    Once he saw them he visibly relaxed and brightened up.   We think he had been imagined the intruders were scary three-foot-tall 'oni-nekos' (ogre-cats)

On Saturday we let the kittens come into the living-room with Minimi for the first time.

Minimi sat under Rika's chair and tried to ignore them.

But Jayden came-over politely to introduce himself.   He stood near Minimi and then let Minimi approach.

Formal cat introductions followed:   a Neko 'hana-chu' (cat 'air-kiss')....

... then bum-sniffs.

Minimi seemed to decide he could tolerate this kitten, as long as he behaves himself.

Kura was less successful.   He approached Minimi from behind and sniffed his tail...

... and Minimi decided to show him who is boss.

Video:   Minimi putting Kura in his place.

After all this stress Minimi retreated to his cat-bed for a bit of 'strange-single-behavior' (pretending to be a kitten suckling his mother).  And we put the kittens back in their room.

Minimi then demanded to visit Auntie's room to check if there was an 'oni-neko' hiding there.  And then he relaxed further and started eating the liquid part of his Mon-petite food.

Phew!   What a relief!