In town for the 2015 Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships, I didn’t get much time to tour.
But the highlight of what I saw was the Water Park.
Category: gymnastics
Texas, Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica
Tickets booked.
NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships 2015 in Fort Worth.
Then in April returning to Panama City and San Salvador as a volunteer for the International Gymnastics Federation. And adding a new nation (to me) on the same trip – Costa Rica.
As driving might take 97 hours, I’ll fly. 🙂
I’ll stay in Costa Rica an extra week or so to do some hiking.
to Brazzaville, Congo
From Nepal I fly to the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) Nov 23rd for a Gymnastics coaching clinic with my friend Guy Lavoie. I’ll be staying at Hotel Saphir. Visiting the Lesio Louna Gorilla Reserve on my day off
If you’d heard something about Ebola in Congo, know that it’s the OTHER Ebola. In the OTHER Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasha), formerly Zaire. There are (at least) two of both.
The Ebola River is in what is in what is now the DR Congo. But there’s been no new outbreaks of the OTHER Ebola in the other Congo since Oct 4th.
… many visitors claim that it’s the most pleasant city in Central Africa. …
more Brazzaville photos
farewell Nanning
After 18 days in Nanning, I departed by sleeper train to Vietnam.
Aside from the fantastic World Gymnastics Championships hosted here, I’ll best remember the many hours I spent walking and running along the river parks.
Locals come to the river to exercise. And swim like Mao.
Somebody here was selling bags of fish.
The Chinese lie down and sleep when they are tired. Regardless of where they get tired.
China, and especially new cities like Nanning, are orderly. Even the graffiti is orderly.
Parts are ultra modern. But lifeless. Many of the beautiful architectural creations are more form than function.
Twice I walked to the Museum of Science and Technology. Twice it was closed.
Though the traffic on foot and motor vehicle IS chaotic, I only saw 2-3 accidents over my days there. Remarkable.
As much as possible, I stayed away from vehicles, shopping near exclusively on this pedestrian mall.
Farewell Nanning. 🙂
more Nanning photos
China – unadventurous eating
I spent 18 days in Nanning, China. As in most subtropical climates, the local food is spicy.
First night Dvora and I headed for the famed night market.
The fresher, the better. Some of the delicacies on offer were still wiggling.
I’m not very adventurous at the best of times. And most visitors in China find the taste of the seasonings used here odd. This was the last time I ate street food.
Most of my meals were provided at the World Gymnastics Championships cafeteria. The self-serve dishes had names like:
Bone Soup with White Gourd (Rib, Soybean, Mushrooms)
Purple Sweat Potato
Braised Beef in Wine (Beef Knuckle Meat, Carrots, Wine, Onion, Celery, Flour, kitchup and Vanilla)
Hakka Braised Pork (Soybeans, Streaky Pork)
Stir Fried White Fungus with Macadamia Nut and Celery
Catering to palates from all over the world, most were quite bland. All were overcooked as many foreigners fear getting sick from the food in China.
I tried a bite of most everything. Except for stews. Who knows what actually in this?
Some offerings were interesting and colourful, thought I often could not identify what they were.
Sadly, I have to report that my very favourite cafeteria food was European white bread with New Zealand Anchor butter.
Watermelon and melon for desert as sweets in all of Asia are NOT to my liking.
After our first restaurant had a rat run between the tables, I ended up instead buying groceries at Wal-Mart (Coke Zero from Atlanta and Sultana biscuits from Singapore) and snacking in my room.
My go to meal in downtown Nanning was a delicious Chicken sandwich at … McDonalds.
Hopefully I’ll be a bit more adventurous in Vietnam.
more food photos
my Nanning transport
The Gymnastics competition venue is a long, long way from … everywhere.
China National Day
The streets are crowded in Nanning, people already celebrating National Day of the People’s Republic of China:
Celebrating the 70% of Mao that was good, setting aside the 30% of Mao that was bad. For the week. 🙂
The PRC was founded on October 1, 1949 with a ceremony at Tiananmen Square. …
South Park Lake, Nanning
My favourite section of this young, booming, green and tropical city (so far) is South Lake Park. (South Park is easier to remember. 🙂 )
We splurged on a recommended tourist restaurant called Babel.
Not bad. Until a rat scampered across the floor between tables. 😦
I grew up in a city without rats and have not had many run-ins with them. But all those run-ins have been in China.
I’m in Nanning for 18 days at the World Gymnastics Championships.
Nanning China in September
UPDATE: arrived Nanning – 28 hours in transit:
4am Canada …
car to Nanaimo
ferry to Vancouver
bus & train to YVR airport
flight to Guangzhou
flight to Nanning
courtesy car to official hotel
taxi to my hostel
… midnight China time
I’m staying at the Green Forest hostel. Facebook and twitter are blocked but my websites are working.
original post __
I fly today out of Vancouver. Arrive Nanning Sept 25th for the World Gymnastics Championships.
Nanning is known as the “Green City” because of its abundance of lush tropical foliage. …
Nanning has a warm, monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate …
Nanning is close to scenic Guilin, with its world famous hillscape, northern and western Guangxi and its minority villages …
I’ll exit by train to Vietnam en route to Nepal. Hiking in both those nations.
Here’s my post just prior to my 1st trip to China Aug. 1998 – have you eaten?
Gymnastics TRIP to southern Africa
updated September 15, 2014
If interested in taking part on this tour June 2015, you’ll need to decide soon. I ask for a verbal commitment by October 12th. I’ll email each person who’s expressed interest personally by that date.
So far I have only 2 people committed:
Rick McCharles – organizer
Wesley Chirima – coach at Calgary Gymnastics Centre
estimated BUDGET (each person pays their own costs)
I’m certain that CDN $4000 would be more than enough for 2-3 weeks. As we’ll be hosted by Gym Clubs en route, we’ll have opportunities to save money by billeting with families, if we wish.
$1600 flight Ottawa JoBurg return
$150 flight JoBurg to Capetown
$200 flight Capetown to Windhoek
$200 flight to Windhoek to JoBurg
$200 for 3 nights hotel Capetown
$500 for 3 day tour of Kruger Nat Park (we’ll get a good deal)
Opt-in Etosha or Skeleton Coast trips would cost less than $500 each. We’ll take a big African camping truck.
Questions? Suggestions?
RickMcCharles@gmail.com
___
Gymnastics is a great excuse to travel. I’m hoping to organize a gymnastics holiday in Namibia and South Africa for gymnasts, parents and coaches.
• training in Johannesburg, South Africa
• training in Swakopmund, Namibia
• big game safari to Kruger
• optional or Etosha or Skeleton Coast side trip to see the desert elephants
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• side trip to Capetown
Two weeks minimum, your trip could easily be extended.
Accommodation with gymnastics families or hotel.
One good window for the trip is the month of June 2015:
GYMNASTICS TRAINING WEEKS
wk 1 – fly to Johannesburg
… transport directly to Kruger National Park for 3 day safari (while jetlagged)
… 4 days training / sightseeing at Visions Gymnastics, Johannesburg
wk 2 – fly from Lansaria Airport, close to the gym, to Cape Town
… 3 nights sightseeing
… fly to Windhoek, Namibia
… transport to Swakopmund on the coast
… 4 days training / sightseeing at Swakopmund Gymnastics
depart
____
wk 3 options include:
• desert elephant safari
• safari to Etosha National Park
One of the gymnastics families in Swakopmund runs Ondjamba Safaris. I’ll be doing one or both of those tours.
Stay on longer, if you like. Or travel earlier and meet us in Johannesburg. I’ll be doing that myself, most likely hiking Fish River Canyon in Namibia. Possibly Blyde Canyon near JoBurg.
___ Notes:
There’s a low risk of malaria in Namibia and southern South Africa, but check with your local travel clinic for “official” advice.
June is winter in southern Africa. Johannesburg will be temperate. Cape Town most probably windy and blustery.
Fill out the form below if you want to be updated by email on dates, costs and details.
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Rick McCharles 