After reading Chuck’s various interesting and informative recent and previous travel blogs sharing his adventures with Anne, we are inspired to try and document our 2019 family trip to France. First off, a very special and heart felt thank you to Mark D. for all his lengthy efforts in planning this incredible travel opportunity.  Anyone on this trip can add to this book so it will be updated frequently and just click read more.

August 29-30 The early BirdsTravel to Burgundy

We are no longer spring chickens and needed a slow day today between two days of scuba diving and a couple of weeks of intense birding.  As do many visitors to a rain forest we woke up to a shower.  But, it was a warm shower and after breakfast we walked about with an umbrella to catch views of fabulous sqwacking Eclectus Parrots.  Unusual for birds it is the female of this species who wears the fancy clothing.  He is a fabulous lime green with crimson underwings.  She wears a green suit as well but has a bright red head and neck and a golden tail.

Almost dinner time.  We are exhausted after two days of diving and snorkeling.  Tropical fish and corals below the surface; scattered ocean clouds and volcanoes above.  At least a half dozen varieties of both angel fish and butterfly fish entertained us.  No idea how many damselfish we saw.  All a blur.  I distinctly remember the two sharks we encountered.  A matching pair but not together, a white-tip and a black-tip.  The white-tip followed us around a bit; mostly, I believe, to see if we stirred up any food for it.

Long travel day.  Rose early for a ride to airport and then flight to Port Moresby.  We had been briefed on procedures there and did well.  The terminal is new and the international terminal is best.  We stayed there and violated several dietary rules for travelers buying our lunch.  Then, when it was time we exited and entered the more earthy domestic terminal.  We made it through the unusual security procedures and waited for our flight to be announced.  Finally walked across the tarmac to a jet.