Cycling lessons from Asia and Europe

Having traveled extensively through Asia and more recently Europe, it's interesting to look at the evolution of cycling in urban areas, and what can be done to make cycling in Auckland a more pleasant experience.  By my observation, transportation in towns and cities transitions through four stages.

Stage 1 - Bicycles
Frequent in the poorer parts of Asia, bicycles are pretty much the only way to get around.  Traffic flows well.

Stage 2 - Scooters and motorcycles
As the population becomes more affluent, bicycles are traded for motorised two-wheeled variants, typically 50cc to 150cc in capacity.  Asian cities like Hanoi and Phnom Penh are good examples.  Traffic flows well, almost organically, though pollution levels start to rise from old and poorly maintained scooters, particularly if 2-stroke.

Stage 3 - Cars
Increasing affluence and status-seeking bring us to cars as the primary mode of travel.  Hong Kong, Bangkok and KL are prime examples in Asia, and pretty much any Western city also fits the mold.  The roading network becomes congested, pollution levels rise, and conditions for those not in cars become hazardous

Stage 4 - Enlightenment
Planners start to realise that building bigger roads to cater for more and more cars doesn't solve the problem.  Issues around safety, inactivity, obesity, pollution, fuel demand, CO2 emissions and social cohesiveness spur planners to focus on human well-being, and we start to see a much greater focus on public and active mode transport, and heavy restrictions on private cars.  Singapore is moving in this direction in Asia, while landmark cities such as Copenhagan, Amsterdam and Portland lead the way in Europe and the US.

So follow me on a photographic tour of my most recent trip through Asia and Europe, and I'll illustrate what I mean.

Hong Kong

You don't see many cyclists in Hong Kong, whether on the island or Kowloon. Definitely a Stage 3 city.  This guy was the only one I saw, and he was taking his chances mixing it with the trams rather than motor vehicles, which completely dominate the roading network.  Next to no cycling infrastructure of any sort.


However things were completely different on Lantau Island, Hong Kong's version of Waiheke just a brief ferry ride away.  Here bicycles proliferate, and there's extensive cycle parking at the Mui Wo ferry terminal.

Lantau is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.  On Lantau you can hire a bike and cycle the island, taking in the amazing 30m high "Big Buddha" at Ngong Ping on your way.



Turkey

You can pretty much forget about cycling in Istanbul, a very western Stage 3 city.  Out in the provinces, though, things get a little easier.  The little town of Bergama is pretty typical - a mix of cars, scooters, a few bikes and some more ancient forms of transport - all carried on narrow cobbled roads that reduce speeds to a crawl.


Selcuk, near the ancient Roman city of Ephesus, was the only town we encountered that provided reasonable cycle paths.  Courtesy of bikes loaned by our guesthouse hosts, we made the 10k return trip to the coast, mostly on an off-road path, without any problems.

The Turks don't pull any punches with their road signs.


Greek Islands

Greek cities are very much in the Stage 3 camp, but more by accident than modern design you'll come across delightful ancient towns falling into Stage 2, such as the Old Town of Rhodes.  Consisting of narrow little alleyways interlinking large squares, the town is actively hostile to cars, and a pedestrian and cyclist's mecca.  You just need to watch out for scooters racing up and down.  Thira on Santorini follows a similar pattern.

Italy
Think Italy and you think modern western culture overlaid with a sense of design, style and an exuberance for life which takes in fine food and wine.  So how does this translate to how Italians get around?

First, the motorways.  Plentiful, fast (130kph), direct, and heavily tolled, they perform the bulk of people and goods movement around the country.  Then there are the secondary roads, typically up to 90kph which criss-cross the countryside and carry more local traffic, including frequent pelotons of cyclists out on their training rides.  This is where I was first struck by the difference in attitude between Kiwi and Italian drivers.  Instead of fuming at being held up and overtaking rashly, Italians sit back, wait for a safe opportunity to pass, then do so with a wide berth.  Perhaps it has something to do with cycling being a national sport, perhaps to do with motorists being assumed liable in the event of a crash, or perhaps just common courtesy.

That same courtesy prevails in urban areas, but it goes even further.  Excluding Rome which is sprawling and heavily car-dominated (typical Stage 3), most Tuscan towns and provincial cities make cycling a joy.  Here are some of the ways they do it.

Like Rhodes Old Town, many Italian urban areas were developed in medieval times, and are constrained by their historic buildings, open plazas and narrow cobbled streets.  One of the best examples is Lucca, just north of Pisa.  An ancient walled town, Lucca has pretty much banned cars from its interior, most of which now park in large carparks outside the perimeter.  People get around by walking, cycling or on scooters.  And it's not just young males - women, children and the elderly are heavily represented.  If it feels safe, cycling is for everyone.



Complementing the ease of getting around is a huge bicycle rental facility.  Nothing fancy - just very ordinary bikes with a basket on the front, and perhaps a chain guard to stop your trousers getting caught.  No lycra required, no high-viz vests required, no helmets required.  No urban warriors.  Hop on a bike wearing your normal street clothes and just go.

So what does the heart of town look like?  The big open plaza is full of people and bikes - people catching up, people shopping, people enjoying the sunshine, people chilling out in cafes and bars.  And not a car to be seen.

You may have noticed my focus on people - the most important aspect of any urban design.  When I look at Queen Street I cringe at how our urban and transportation planners got it so wrong, and what our more enlightened European cousins must think when they visit.

The story repeats in Florence, but of necessity there are a few more cars to deal with.  The Florentine solution is to severely restrict the number of cars entering the heart of town by allowing permitted cars only.  No permit?  That'll cost you 200 Euro if you cross the threshold, even by accident.


Consequently Florence is a very easy city to get around, whether on bike or on foot, whether a tourist or a stylish local.

Cycle parking is usually a requirement where there are may bikes out and about.  People usually want to lock their bikes to something, and they can look untidy when chained unstably to street furniture.  No such problems for Florentines, who take advantage of convenient kerbs in the narrow streets.

I was perhaps a bit harsh on Rome - they are at least trying, but have greater odds to overcome.  Bikes are available for rental, with many compatible outlets dotted over the city.  Part of Rome's problem is that much of the old city has been gutted, particularly in Mussolini's time, and wide heavily-trafficked roads predominate, cutting neighbourhoods in half and making for an intimidating experience for novice cyclists.  Apparently the Appian Way is restricted to motorists and opened up for cyclists on Sundays, and is a joy to ride, but it didn't suit our timing.  A useful thought for Tamaki Drive perhaps.

But every now and then you're surprised by some remarkably good cycle design, with segregated cyclepaths and cycle-specific signals at the traffic lights.

Italy might not yet be as much up with the play as Holland and Denmark, but you can tell they're moving in the Stage 4 direction for many of their towns and cities.




Japan

The country of high technology, high population density, and big industrial cities.  How do cyclists get on there?  Unfortunately I can't comment on all of Japan, just a single city - Kyoto.  I don't know if Kyoto is typical, or whether its place in the heart of Japanese cultural heritage makes it unique, but if what Kyoto is doing for cyclists is Japan's direction, then they're in good hands in moving towards Stage 4.

A major feature of Kyoto is broad footpath design which is implicitly designated share with care (or maybe explicitly if I could read the street signs :-)

Everyone cycles in Kyoto - mums with kids, students and businessmen - again in ordinary street clothes on ordinary bikes.  No helmets, no hi-viz gear.

Cycle parking is ubiquitous - the broad footpaths mean there's plenty of room for paid and secure cycle parking on every other block.  It makes cycling around Kyoto's CBD and striking out to the castle and many temples and gardens a real pleasure - there are even street maps to guide you on various itineraries.  Motorists appear well-behaved and tolerant when pedestrians and cyclists share the road with them at various times.

Interesting to see some different traffic control features.  Technically in NZ it's illegal for a cyclist to pedal across a pedestrian crossing - dismounting is required.  In Japan they get around this neatly by marking a parallel cycle crossing, requiring motorists to give way to both pedestrians and cyclists, and segregating pedestrians and cyclists to prevent conflict.  Clever!

So Kyoto was a real surprise.  Relatively little uncongested traffic, an excellent subway system, and cyclists and pedestrians everywhere taking in the culture and beauty of old Japan.

Learnings

Wrapping up the above, three things stand out if we're to improve cyclist safety and uptake.

1. Infrastructure
“Build it and they will come”.  Providing the necessary facilities, whether linked cycle paths, cycle parking or bike hire, is absolutely essential.  Every urban area has motor vehicles which are potentially at conflict with cyclists.  Providing cyclists with safe and convenient facilities, which in turn boosts their numbers so they are expected to be ubiquitous, is the primary way we can increase cycling uptake.

2. Controls on motor vehicles
Most central urban environments in Europe are now being redesigned around people rather than vehicles.  Thinking of driving into central Florence with an unpermitted vehicle?  Ping - that’ll be a 200 Euro fine.  Bicycle or scooter?  No problem.   Want to visit the old town of Lucca to enjoy the shops and cafes?  Park outside the town and walk in, or hire a bike and pedal in safety to your heart’s content.

The concept of “self explaining roads” happens by default in these old towns and cities - roads are narrow, visibility is poor, surfaces are cobbled and bumpy, and pedestrians pretty much own the roads.  It’s therefore foolhardy in the extreme to travel at high speed, and unless on dedicated arterial roads, vehicles crawl along giving way to everything in their path.

It helps too that petrol is around 50% more expensive in Europe than NZ (up to $4/litre in Turkey).  Cars are small, and drivers travel with a light right foot around town.

3. Culture and style
Not a single helmeted or yellow-vested urban two-wheeled warrior to be seen in all my travels.  Stylish residents just hop on a standard old-fashioned bike (usually with a basket on the front) wearing their street clothes and ride.

Certainly the lycra brigade are out in force on the Tuscan rural roads, but cycling being a national sport, they command instant respect from motorists who patiently wait until they can pass safely.  Perhaps we should get the All Blacks out doing their fitness training on bikes.

So what do we need to do to make Auckland more cycle friendly?  Provide cycling infrastructure, reduce the dominance and high speeds of motor vehicles, and promote cycling as an ordinary everyday activity where cyclists are expected and respected on the roads.  Simple really!  It’s what Cycle Action has been promoting for many years, and the good news is that we’re seeing incremental change in the right direction.  All we need to do is speed it up.

Technical travel tips and issues

Good news! If travel technology and a lack of photos turns you off, stop reading now and skip to the next post. But if words like smartphones, apps, wifi, DHCP, GPS, SDRAM cards and 3G turn you on, keep reading.  This blog entry tracks my thoughts during my most recent travels, taking in Hong Kong, Turkey, Greece, Italy and Japan, and does a summary wrap-up at the end.

Those who know me will know I'm both into IT and a boy (ie likes gadgets and techo stuff), so I was determined to maximise the use of technology to minimise the stress and potential time-wasting of traveling. I enjoy writing up my thoughts in a travel blog, and I was anxious to do this without hiding myself away from my partner Pauline in an Internet cafe.

Kit
The main bits of kit to come with me are my Canon Ixus 310 HS camera, iPhone 4, iPad 1 (3G/GPS, 64Gb), and Pauline's LG Optimus One running Android Froyo 2.2. I've already downloaded lots of apps onto all devices, some of which prove more useful than others. Our itinerary is on Tripit, while critical docs and notes have been uploaded to Dropbox, Evernote and Google Docs.

The other important pre-req is ditching Outlook and as much tethering with a PC as I can. My contacts are in Google, my notes in Evernote, and my mail accounts are with Google and my own plexus.co.nz domain hosted by Orcon.  Only Apple still insists on syncing its devices with its clunky iTunes on a PC.

I'll do a summary later along with an appeal for the powers that be to make things better, but for now I'll recount my experiences in the order I encountered them.

New Zealand
Auckland airport and I want to tap in to wifi before I leave the country.  Yes, there's a WAP, but it costs. What?  Did the idea of customer service ever occur to you, Auckland Airport?  Why should travelers passing through who only want to spend a few minutes checking their email go through the rigmarole of setting up an account and paying a few dollars for usage?  Free wifi should be in the same class as the free escalator.

On the plane, and despite Rico jerking off on Air New Zealand's capabilities, there are no USB outlets on the seat back in front of me.  Good thing everything's fully charged.

Hong Kong
Hong Kong airport and they have free wifi.  How enlightened - others could learn from this.

Global roaming works a treat as I switch on my iPhone, but of course I have to switch off 3G data as it costs an exorbitant $10/MB for data roaming.  Telcos get your shit together - if you can offer me all I can eat data at home for a fixed charge, why not when roaming?  Particularly an international carrier like Vodafone.

Arriving at the cheap Hong Kong hotel and agreeably surprised to find free wifi - all good.

I realise my first major blunder when attempting to update my blog at Google's blogspot.com using the Safari browser on my iPad.  It just doesn't want to work, and I curse Apple's iron-fisted grip on what apps I can and can't run on MY iPad.   I hop in to the App Store to look for a blogging app, and come across BlogPress - perfect.  I purchase the app, and initiate a download for half a dozen app upgrades as well.

Bummer.  They all stall and won't download. A helpful message tells me to plug my iPad into my PC for synchronisation - which is a fat lot of good since my PC is thousands of kilometres away back in Auckland.  Apple - get your shit together.  Don't turn my iPad into an iBrick just because I'm away from home.  If Google's Android can update apps from the cloud, why can't you?

I try and update a small app on my iPhone - same problem. A Google search suggests turning the iPad off and on, and logging out and back in to the App Store.  Neither work, and as Pauline will tell you, I was cross.  More than cross.   I surmise that there's a problem with Apple noting I'm in Hong Kong and blocking the updates.  I switch to 3G roaming briefly, but before I can tell if it's working I get a message from Vodafone advising I've hit 2MB already.  Bloody global roaming fees!   I hope things come right in Turkey.

Google Maps relies on a 3G connection to access the map base, which is a pain when global roaming data rates are prohibitive.  I had good success caching the map base over wifi and using it for about three days before it disappeared.  Much easier navigating around a foreign city with a reassuring little blue dot telling you where you are.  But Google, anticipating this issue, why not allow a temporary map base download?  I can live without other online services - just give me basic maps, navigation and tourist POIs.  Google must have heard my plea - map caching is now available on Android, but not yet on iPhone.  Hurry up please Google.

Turkey
We arrive at Istanbul's Ataturk airport and I have a very simple requirement.  I want a pre-paid SIM card for two weeks.  Yes, says the man at the Turkcell booth, voice or data?  Both, on one card, I say.  But no, that's not possible.  Data is the most important, so I hand over 60 TL for the card and insert it in Pauline's LG.  I'm told it'll take half an hour or so to work, but by the time three hours has gone by why am I surprised it's still not working?  Ah - the APN settings.   I hop in to a TIM store for assistance.  Next problem - the phone has to be registered.  After more passport copies and the IMEI registered with the Turkish authorities I should be in business.  I ask for the APN settings but the guy shrugs his shoulders and suggests I ring customer support.  Oh, and I'm also told the phone will only work for a week as I don't have a contract.  What?!

Good news - free wifi at the Mavi Guesthouse.   In a few seconds I've googled the APN settings and success, the phone springs to life.  But for how long?

Next step is to set up the LG as a local WAP, and a couple of minutes later both the iPhone and iPad are connected to it over wireless, and we have liftoff.  Speedtest.net shows the speed at around 1Mb/sec, which is plenty good enough.   With trepidation I try the app downloads again, and this time success!   Obviously Apple regards Hong Kong as a hotbed of piracy, while Turkey isn't.

A strange problem - I can't get onto any blogspot.com sites, including my own.  I show guesthouse host Ali the large red message across my screen and he says the site's been blocked by the Turkish authorities.   Occasionally I can get in, but mostly not.  I later find out it's because someone has posted something offensive about Turkey, Turkish culture, or Turkish spirit.  Come on Governments, you can't repress your people forever by imposing restrictions on free speech.  Fair enough to block child porn sites, but blogspot?   Particularly when it's used by so many tourists.  Surely the Turkish people are robust enough to take a bit of criticism?

Pauline and I are keeping track of our trip expenses on a Google Docs spreadsheet.  It works ok on the mobile device setting, but is really only suitable for data entry.  Switching to the full version brings the warning that some features aren't compatible with the Safari browser, and sure enough copying and pasting are frustrating in the extreme, while formula entry is tedious.  Google and Apple - surely you can do better than this?  The first step would be for Google to provide decent apps for word processing and spreadsheet to use offline, then integrate with similar cloud apps for data storage.  I think it's still in beta or waiting on HTML5 - the sooner it's out the better.   I really don't want to revert to a PC unless I have to.

On the bus from Istanbul to Eceabat and bugger me there are USB ports on the seats in front of us!  A shame I packed the cables into the pack in the bowels of the bus, but we're fully charged and have no issues, though using Pauline's phone as a WAP does drain its battery quickly.

Even better, the bus has wifi, but we don't really need it while on the move. It's an encrypted link and it's a bit tricky asking the driver for the password.  Good idea though.  For those that don't have a 3G device or data plan it certainly makes public transport more attractive.  Perhaps free wifi for Auckland City and its trains and buses should be high on Len Brown's agenda.  I suspect not.

Tramping around a big site like Ephesus makes you realise what's possible but not here yet.  Yes there are audio guides you can buy, but how cool would it be for a GPS-enabled smartphone app to guide you around the site?  The new Lonely Planet city guides are a step in the right direction, but could do with major improvement.

Our bus from Selcuk to Pammukale has not one but three USB ports in front of me.  Joy - I can charge multiple devices simultaneously, and this time I have the cables.   I plug the iPad in hopefully.   It acknowledges the USB connection, but states NOT CHARGING at the battery indicator.  What!  Why bother putting USB ports in a bus if you can't charge your devices from them?  None of the three ports work.   I suspect they're just there so you can plug your iPod in so it's available with the other entertainment options on the console.  Fortunately the iPad has plenty of charge - one of its major advantages due to its size.

Nearing the end of our time in Turkey and the 3G card is still going strong - great!  Wifi reception can be spotty at times, and some hotels completely screw their wireless setup.  Here I am at the Artemis Yoruk Hotel in Pammukale.  The iPad connects ok, but the iPhone is allocated an IP address outside the standard private IP address scope, with no default gateway or DNS servers defined, so it's dead in the water.  I try and fudge a static IP address but with no luck.   I suspect trying to explain to reception that their DHCP configuration is screwed will be an exercise in frustration, so connect through the Android instead.  Having resiliency options is good!

Greek Islands
Optimistically I keep an eye on Pauline's LG phone reception as we head for Rhodes on the ferry.   Perhaps it'll still get Turkish coverage, or perhaps roam from a Greek site.  Sadly the reception gets poorer and poorer, and is off the air completely as we step ashore in Rhodes.  C'est la vie.  Or "Étsi eínai i̱ zo̱í̱" as they say in Greek.  See - Google Translate is useful!  At least the Turkish SIM card went the distance and didn't cut off early - I got my money's worth in the end.

I've heard getting a prepaid SIM in Greece is an exercise in frustration, where you have to register at the Police station and it takes for ever.  Not worth it.  We'll have to make do with wifi, which isn't hard as pretty much every guesthouse and cafe offers it.  I'll reserve judgement when I get to Italy as to whether I'll get one there.

I start having a play with ZorroGPS while on the bus back from Lindos.  Seems to work pretty well, though all the road names are in Greek.   It's a fully featured app, and the trial period helpfully runs out the day we fly out to Rome.

Unfortunately Zorro becomes an exercise in frustration when on the road in Crete.  While the menus and voice prompts can be set to English, it only accepts and displays place names and addresses in Greek.  Unfortunately having done integral calculus in my youth with a myriad of Greek letters doesn't help when it comes to this app.  I even set up a Greek keyboard on the iPhone, but no joy there either.  The only way to set a destination on a map is to point to it, and that's not easy either as the panning and zooming is poor.  But I'm determined to master the bloody thing, and after much swearing and configuration it does provide a modicum of usefulness, particularly when used in conjunction with paper maps and Google Maps on the iPad with a pre-loaded cache.

You'll also need to set what POIs you want.   I quickly switched off everything - counting down the metres to the hamlets became tedious in the extreme, not to mention the "make a light left turn" which was spoken as "make a right left turn".  Amusing though was the speed warning - "You are exceeding 50 kilometres piffer" for 50kph!

This was also my first opportunity to use the TomTom car kit for iPhone. It mounted well to the windscreen, connected ok to the cigarette lighter socket, and all seemed to be going well until I noticed the phone wasn't charging.  After much experimenting and cursing, I discovered I had to add extra pressure to the contact switch behind the phone with a couple of folds of paper.  Will sort out a longer term solution when I get home.

Italy
En route to Rome via Athens and they have free wifi, but only for an hour, but that's all I need to check emails and do a Facebook post.  Arrive in Rome, straight into the Fiat Punto, and head north.  In these little Tuscan towns wifi is a bit of a rarity, but there's just enough to keep in touch and keep caches loaded.   In hindsight I should have got a 3G SIM card - it's frustrating not having access to information when you really need it, particularly search and translation services.

TomTom Europe proved a very worthwhile purchase, and guided us around the Italian motorways and country roads with next to no issues.  It certainly takes the stress out of driving for both driver and navigator.   I relied on TomTom for the detailed instructions, while Pauline did more big picture planning on Google Maps on the iPad.

Japan
I'd heard that wifi usage/access in Japan was low, and sure enough no restaurants or cafes offered it. Fortunately our Eco+Tec hotel in Kyoto had a strong signal and pretty good bandwidth.

Osaka airport has free wifi, but the throughput is so variable it's next to useless.  On one rare occasion I saw 3Mbps, but most of the time it hovered around 20Kbps - hopeless.

I'm a bit paranoid about charging everything before the flight home, but I needn't have bothered - the AirNZ 767 had a USB port that charges things.  Joy!  Thanks, Rico!

What works and what doesn't

Canon Ixus 310 HS
An excellent little pocket camera that takes good quality images and videos.  I particularly liked the slider switch on top for instant point and shoot on one setting, and full manual control on the other.

iPad (GPS-enabled)
A brilliant device for traveling.  Get one and you can forget about Internet cafes and paper maps.  So long as you preload the Google Maps cache and keep it refreshed over time, it's great for navigation, working in conjunction with a GPS.  If you can't live with Apple's painful restrictions, get an Android pad instead.  The long battery life makes it great as your iPod player too for those long journeys.   I initially had reservations about bringing the iPad as I like to travel light, but the weight premium is worth it for the convenience.

SDRAM card reader for iPad
Yes it costs extra, but you can pop the memory card out of the camera, plug it in to the iPad, and all photos are downloaded and available for viewing, editing, mailing, or blog/Facebook import.

iPhone
Similar comments to iPad.   Indispensable, and Vodafone global roaming for txt messaging works well in every country visited.

LG Android phone
The LG Optimus One is a little slow, and not quite as slick as the iPhone, but it more than makes up for it in versatility.   I may be won over by Android when looking for my next smart phone.

Browser and mail
Essential, and work as expected.

Tripit
An excellent app for planning your trip.  Really needs full web access to create an itinerary, but nifty iPhone, iPad and Android apps allow read access and basic editing on the go.   Great for pasting reservation and address info from emails etc, which can then be easily shown/reviewed to reception on arrival.   A URL can be sent to others so they can read the itinerary.

BlogPress
Great for updating the blog from the iPad.  You can compose an entire post offline, including importing photos stored on the iPad, then post when you have an Internet connection.  A few problems though -  you don't have fine control over layout, so it's best not to let text flow around images.  Take care to save as a local draft every now and then.  While swapping between BlogPress and the image library didn't require a save, swapping to Photoshop Express certainly does (as I found out the hard way).  I also lost a post too after uploading through a WAP with a weak signal.  The app is basically good, but needs improvements in editing, presentation, error messages and robustness.  Photo quality on the blog is also poor due to the way it uses web album thumbnails, but adequate for a basic image.

Google Docs
Excellent for online access to your docs and spreadsheets, especially if shared with others.  A bit tedious when accessed by mobile devices though.

Google Maps
Indispensable for getting around, so long as you've cached the map base.  Roll on manual map base caching on all devices.  I've since discovered a good alternative could be the Sygic GPS maps - they're cheaper than full blown GPS programs and seem to be suitable for city walking, including 3D representations.  Will check them out next time I'm travelling.

Google Latitude
Great for letting friends and family know exactly where we are.  Also useful for tracking the kids as they travel through Indochina.  The ultimate in snooping apps, so take care what you share with whom.

Google Translate
Pauline has lots of fun with this. As I type these words in Eceabat on the Turkish west coast, she's watching Turkish Masterchef, and translating the words she sees on screen to English.

Compass
Handy to know where you're heading, especially when you can't take cues from the sun position.

TomTom Europe
I'm impressed by TomTom NZ, so it was a no-brainer to buy it for the extensive driving we were going to do around Italy, and it worked well.  Unfortunately its scope doesn't reach to Greece or Turkey, and it wasn't worth buying specific TomTom apps for those countries.

TomTom car kit for iPhone and associated free app
Mixed feelings about this one.  I bought my first car kit through the Apple store in NZ.   It was faulty and had to be sent back.   The second I bought from Wired Dog in Takapuna, and works ok, but the pressure pad switch behind the phone is temperamental.   Even with the iPhone4 adapter I have to wedge a piece of paper between them to ensure a good contact.  The free app works ok, and gives a satellite fix summary too.

ZorroGPS
Download it, swear at it, and use the app free for a month.   Don't waste your money on it otherwise.  TomTom Greece would likely be a much better choice, but it wasn't worthwhile buying for a couple of days of use.

Viber and Skype
Great for keeping in touch.  Viber is very iPhone-like, while Skype is great for video conferencing and skyping out to landlines (and for those who don't have an iPhone).  Don't know what'll happen to it now Microsoft's bought it.

Evernote
A good note-taking app, but a pain when not cloud-connected, so I'll migrate to another note app.  The annual subscription for offline storage is too steep.

Springpad
Having good results with this new note taking app so far, which also includes a task list.  Maintains offline storage, and syncs to the cloud when connected.  A shame it doesn't have an Evernote import yet. Will reserve judgement for a while.

XE
The ultimate in currency converters.  Don't leave home without it.

Photoshop Express for iPad
Useful for basic image cropping and editing.  Also experimenting with Zagg's PhotoPad which seems a bit more capable, but my needs are basic.  Make sure you save work under other apps (eg BlogPress) before editing and saving with Photoshop.

Radio NZ
There's something strangely comforting waking up in the morning and listening to NZ National radio afternoon news.

NZ Herald for iPad
I might be on the other side of the world, but it's good to stay in touch with local news.  So Scott Guy's brother in law shot him, eh?  Bet that'll have a few tongues wagging in the tea rooms.

The Onion
This satirical newsletter has a lot of US references, but sufficient tongue in cheek international comment to make it a must read.

Accuweather for iPad, Yahoo weather for iPhone
Set it to your cities and get advance warning on whether you need to pack a brolly or not.

World clock
Useful but not indispensable.

Facebook (and Friendly for Facebook - iPad app)
Gotta keep in touch and post photos of exotic locations to piss off all your friends.

Dropbox
A great repository for scanned images of passports, drivers licences, itinerary PDFs etc.  Really only there for emergencies.

Lonely Planet Istanbul app
Surprisingly useful, with a GPS-located basic map, and all the sights and attractions described.  We could do with an expansion of this for other cities and tourist spots.

Android tethering and portable hotspot
Perfect for linking multiple devices over wifi to a single 3G connection.   The Apple kit can do it too.   It does suck the battery though, so in hindsight I should perhaps have chosen a SIM card for the iPad.

Kindle
Pauline had reservations about reading a novel on her LG, but the ease of purchasing and reading has won her over.  Me?  I don't have time for novels when I'm playing with toys.  We also have the ebook versions of Lonely Planet Turkey, Greek Islands and Italy.  Much easier to carry round electronically and shared across three devices than the hardcopies.

Angry Birds
To while away those boring moments.

National Geographic World Atlas
To see the big picture, and of course to plan the next trip.  A pain it reverts to cloud-dependent Bing maps as you zoom in.  Really useful though to discuss big picture planning with locals, and also to show them where New Zealand is!

File transfer between iPad and iPhone
Apple doesn't make it easy to transfer files between devices.  Bump is good between iPhones, but doesn't work on the iPad.  iShareFiles works well to share photos (and contacts too if you need to) via Bluetooth.

iHandy Level
Surprisingly useful for determining the steepness of amphitheater steps.  The answer?  27 degrees at Ephesis!

Other tourist apps
The only one worth getting was the guided tour of the Vatican.

Blackbox noise-reducing earbuds
Great for on the plane.

Four way power board and international power adapters
There are always three or four things that need charging at once.  Assuming all your devices don't need an earth pin, break it off to make the plug more flexible.


How things can be better
In a word, cheap and ubiquitous cloud connectivity from anywhere in the world, with decent battery life measured in days rather than hours.   In the meantime, the following will help.

Transportation suppliers - airports, airlines, trains, buses

• Give us a USB port so we can charge our devices
• At airports give us easily accessible power outlets so we don't have to sit on the floor next to the Coke machine
• Give us free wifi so we can access the Internet

Food and accommodation suppliers

• Provide free wifi and advertise it to attract customers

Telcos

• Trash your userous global roaming charges
• Provide easy to activate prepay SIM cards

Apple

• Trash your dependency on iTunes on a PC/Mac
• Allow cloud app updates and downloads irrespective of location

Google

• Continue to roll out caching of local map data
• Allow more pins to be dropped in Maps
• A tourist POI layer in Maps would be useful
• Give us offline versions of Docs apps with seamless online synchronisation (looks like Google has just released an Android app for this, now for the iDevice version?).

So what do you think? Agree, disagree, suggest more/better apps? Suggestions welcome.

Kyoto to home

We have five Euros left each at Rome airport, but nothing to spend it on. All the bike mags are in Italian, but there's a Playboy on display for only €3.50, and most importantly, the words are in English. Meanwhile, Pauline spots a nice block of chocolate, but needs my €5. The things I do!

I watch The King's Speech on the plane and wonder what everyone's raving about. Certainly a good movie, but very simple and linear - seems more like a PR job for the Royal Family.

A bit of a worry flying into Japan given the recent events. I ask the captain to circle the Osaka runway a couple of times to check it out. There don't seem to be any cracks, nor is it glowing brighter than the runway lights, so I give him the ok to land.

We touch down after two hours sleep. Monday's not going to be very productive so we head for a decent coffee to give us a boost. The moving walkways sense our presence, play soothing music and whisper to us in Japanese. Yes, we've arrived in the land of high technology. I'm looking forward to going to the loo and being told if my sciatica's going to flare up tomorrow.

Suitably caffeinated we manage to just comprehend the Japanese rail system, and after an express train from the airport through Osaka to Kyoto and two station changes later find ourselves exiting the subway not far from our excellent Eco & Tec hotel, and yes they have wifi - just as well as the cafes and restaurants don't.

Our orientation walk towards the Heianjingu temple is an eye-opener.


Yes we're on the eastern side of town where a lot of the temples are, but I'm struck by just how quiet and beautiful it is. Do the trees really grow like this on their own?


It's rush hour, but where's all the traffic? Then it clicks - everyone's on bicycles! I was expecting Kyoto to be a typical modern Asian city like Hong Kong - chock full of cars as status symbols of success. But Kyoto has evolved to the next stage where cycling infrastructure is ever-present, and everyone, young and old, male and female, students and businessmen chooses a bicycle as the best way to get around. We can learn something from this!


Dodging the showers on Tuesday morning we head off to the Kiyomizudera temple to the south east. But where to have breakfast? I spot what looks like a restaurant. Pauline's dubious but follows me in, and we're ushered in to a little booth with tatami mat floors and cushions at low tables. Magic! Food's excellent too - beautifully presented with exquisite service. You don't actually mind paying a premium for quality.


No surprise seeing hordes of school children in their sailor suit uniforms, but unexpected was the number of women in kimonos - not sure if it's just our proximity to the temples, Kyoto, or a special day, but it's certainly welcome.


Kiyomizudera is a beautiful Buddhist temple in beautiful surroundings, and it seems every school kid in Kyoto is here. Apparently it's very auspicious to plunge your head into an urn of burning incense and waft it over your face. I tried, but couldn't elbow my way through.


Magic walking through the gardens. You can just feel the stress of jet lag, insufficient sleep, tired feet and travel weariness seep away while you immerse yourself in the exquisite layout and soothing flowing water.


Same same but different. In Italy you look up a little cobbled lane to see someone on a bike, and a statue or Tuscan tower. In Kyoto you see someone on a bike and a temple or shrine.

Dinner and we really don't feel like going out to a restaurant. Our hotel has cooking facilities, so a quick trip to a nearby 7-11 sees us with a couple of instant heat meals and a half bottle of a Californian red. Excellent! Yes, food's expensive, but it's still possible to eat economically on the odd occasion. You'll even find the occasional McDonalds if you're desperate. I popped in to check out the whale burgers but it can't have been the season. Hopefully it never is.

Wednesday 18 May - our last full day sightseeing! Is the trip really coming to an end this quickly? Seems like only a couple of weeks ago we were excitedly heading off for Hong Kong.


First stop is the moated Nijo castle on the west side of town.


In the grounds I find an answer to my question as to why Japanese trees grow so exquisitely. They have a helping hand!


A stroll through the palace gardens and I start thinking of redoing the garden at home. Perhaps a moat would be good too - to keep the Mormons and cold-calling salesmen at bay.


Seemed to work for the Japanese emperors.

My walking shoes are on their last legs, but we haven't finished yet. A hike to the north-west via the Path of Philosophy aims us at Ginkakuji temple, another sublime Japanese offering to weary tourists.


Just off the Path there's a little shrine where we commune with our Asian zodiac equivalents. The forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive, intellectual, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, and shrewd rat for Pauline.


The inventor, motivator, improviser, quick-witted, inquisitive, flexible, innovative, problem solver, self-assured, sociable, artistic, polite, dignified, competitive, objective, factual, intellectual monkey for me. Sounds about right!


No surprises - Ginkakuji and its grounds are beautiful,


including the large sand sculptures and textured surfaces that must have taken for ever to make.


I'd come across a snake in Tuscany, but it slithered off into the undergrowth before I could get a good look. On our way back from Ginkakuji snakes were the last thing on my mind as I stepped over a branch lying on the path. Then it moved and made its way to a tree while a bunch of Japanese gasped and wondered why this stupid 外国人 was tempting fate.


My nephew John and wife Yayoi had recommended we try Okonomi-yaki - Japanese pancakes, and conveniently our visitor guide brochure gives us 10% off at Hanatanuki restaurant which specialises in them. I'm sitting down to a seafood Okonomi-yaki while Pauline scored the Tanuki-yaki topped with spring onions. Both definitely recommended, as is Japanese beer.

We have time for a bit of souvenir shopping in our travels. A nice wall hanging? I'll have that! Teapot and mugs? I'll have that - developed a taste for properly made green tea. A kamikaze (divine wind) headband? I'll have that! Just right for cycling in Auckland, though Pauline thinks it better refers to my ability to clear a room. That's a forthright rat comment if ever I heard one.

Thursday morning and we're due at Osaka Kix in the afternoon. Just time to squeeze in another garden and temple!


This time it's nearby Heianjingu, and we're pleased we made the effort.


Even more so if I'd been able to tickle one of these giant carp out of the water, but I might have had a bit of a problem getting it back through NZ Biosecurity.


We retrace our steps through the rail network to get to the airport, only to find our scheduled flight doesn't exist! Another flight leaves three hours later, and we have no choice but to hang around the airport rather than spend another half day sight-seeing. Come on AirNZ - all it would have taken was an email or txt message to warn us ahead of time - but there was no communication at all.

So, impressions of Japan, or to be precise, the people and temples of Kyoto, which is a world away from industrial Japan. Basically we had a great time and can't fault it. The people were friendly, service respectful and excellent, the city uncongested and full of bicycles, almost no graffiti, and the temples and gardens stunning. There's a bit of culture shock in not comprehending the spoken or written language, but there are sufficient signs and instructions in English to get around. Given an opportunity we'll definitely be back.

The flight home is uneventful, and we step out into a cool Auckland autumn day, with just a few clouds around. Not a tornado in sight - it's good to be home.

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Rome and the Vatican

Remember the broody she-wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus? The twins founded a little village, but bickering led to fratricide, leaving Romulus to take full credit for Rome's establishment.


Images abound, this one in topiary.

700 years later the Roman Empire was on its way to world domination under Julius Caesar and remained a potent force for 500 years. Coupled with Renaissance art and the home of the Holy See, there's a lot to take in!

Our high speed train from Florence gets us to Stazione Termini mid-afternoon, then it's on the metro to Spagna, the nearest stop to our Hotel Panda. We tumble out of the station blinking in the bright sunlight and wonder why all these people are hanging about on the steps.


Then we check the map. Ah - it's the Spanish Steps - the longest and widest steps in Europe - built to link the Spanish Embassy with the Vatican. It all becomes clear.


Thursday and we set out to explore the old part of town. First stop is the magnificent Trevi fountain. A huge 25m high Baroque facade fronts a massive pool with water cascading into it. Now driven by recirculating pumps, the location is actually the terminating point of the Acqua Vergine, one or Rome's ancient aqueducts (so named as Roman engineers found its source with the help of a virgin...)


No surprises about this one. Tucked just to the east of the Roman Forum is the Colosseum, an engineering marvel. Built around 70AD it was the entertainment spot of ancient Rome, holding 50,000 people.


An elaborate set of winches hauled actors, convicts, gladiators, props or wild animals up onto the stage, which was covered with sand to reduce slippage and soak up the blood. One of the more bizarre uses was for theatrical executions, where the hero of the story - played by a condemned convict - was killed in one of various gruesome but mythologically authentic ways, such as being mauled by beasts or burned to death.


Back at our hotel room and by standing by the door and holding my mouth the right way I can just pick up a wireless signal. The iPad's proving its worth for Internet access, mail, and of course news from home.

We have to switch hotels on Friday morning, so we're off to San Pietrino in the Prati district close to the Vatican.


After checking in, our walking tour takes us to the Pantheon (from the Greek for "every god"), a huge domed structure fronted by an impressive portico, and perhaps the best preserved of all of ancient Rome's buildings.

Originally dedicated to the Roman gods, it was taken over by the church in 600AD, at which time the "pagan filth" was removed. I wonder idly whether it might now be timely to return it to its original purpose, with a cross, a star of David, a Buddha, a Hindu god, a Chinese god, and an Islamic prayer mat facing Mecca spread around its interior circumference. Might do a lot for reconciliation and the promotion of religious tolerance.


You're looking at the steps of Pompey's theatre in Largo Argentina. Significance? Beware the Ides of March! Julius Caesar didn't, and he was murdered here in 44BC.


Rounding a corner brings us back to the 21st century with a jolt - the Ducati Cafe materialises in front of us, but they're just closing up and we're too late for a coffee. The merchandise is outrageously priced too. Nice idea though, and yes there were some nice Ducatis parked outside.


The Tiber splits briefly at Isola Tiberina, now the site of a hospital. The ruins of the old Ponte Rotto, ancient Rome's first stone bridge, are still standing.


Saturday morning, our last full day in Rome, and we're booked in for the Vatican. But breakfast comes first, and to conserve our last few Euros we buy some bread, cheese and prosciutto from the deli of a local supermarket and camp out in the middle of a roundabout. It's a very pleasant spot in the coolth of the morning, and we're pleased to see a few locals doing the same thing.


The queue for Vatican tickets is quite substantial, especially tedious when shuffling forward at a snail's pace in the hot sun. Fortunately we'd taken advice to prebook over the Internet, but it isn't immediately obvious where the entrance is. Finally discovered around the back of the city, and we make our way in to feast on the treasures the Catholic Church has acquired over the last two thousand years.


Fortunately it's not all Christian iconography. Past Popes collected heathen works to demonstrate the transition from paganism to Christianity, and there are many fine Roman statues on display. Sadly one of the early Popes was offended at the amount of nudity, and many artworks and statues have had fig leaves strategically applied, which has destroyed their beauty and the artist's intent.


Somewhat macabre is an Egyptian mummy, perfectly preserved. Many other Egyptian artifacts reconfirm it was a good idea not to go to Egypt itself in these troubled times.


Nor is everything from antiquity. Out in the central piazza is a modern copper orb with interesting dissections visible close up.


But it's really Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel everyone comes to see. Photography's not allowed, but many were ignoring the signs, including some using flash, which is a pretty substantial giveaway. I managed to surreptitiously sneak this shot without anyone noticing, but was later lining up a nice shot of Judgement Day behind the alter when I got a tap on the shoulder. Oops!


A special exhibition of Faberge eggs caught our eye on the way out. Well worth a look.


And quite extraordinary is the double concentric spiral staircase that cantilevers out from the walls. I'm not sure if it was meant as a work of engineering art, but it comes pretty close to me.

Sunday morning and it's time to leave Rome and Italy. After a couple of changes the metro delivers us to Fiumicino Airport where we have our final frustrations with Italian organisation. We'd seen a T-shirt on sale listing the definition of heaven and hell based on each European country's strengths and weaknesses, and while heaven is run by the Germans, hell is run by the Italians. I can see why.

The simple act of ordering a couple of sandwiches and coffees requires prior knowledge of which queue to stand in, memory in Italian of what to order, then two queues with one receipt to actually collect the items. All of this at the airport where surly staff grump in Italian at ignorant passengers for not knowing the process!

Passport control has 10 booths, of which only two are manned. The queues lengthen and lengthen as passengers bulge through security screening, and those panic-stricken because they're late for their flight or find too late they're in the wrong queue beg to be let through. Bedlam!

But despite Italians' organisational skills, their aggressive driving (Lonely Planet warns that the best way for a tourist to cross the road is to join a group of nuns), and the embarrassment of their Prime Minister's bunga bunga parties, the locals have a lot going for them. Their design skills, their style, their presentation, their food and their wine make up for it all in spades.

We're glad we've seen Rome, with the Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel obvious highlights, but the Eternal City probably won't get another visit. Florence and Tuscany, on the other hand, can be revisited multiple times, and will be the starting point for our next Europe trip, one that takes in Venice before heading further north.

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