ANACORTES — So, what fuels Hugh and Wendy Kendrick’s passion for visiting the far reaches of the globe?

For the Anacortes couple, it’s about getting the chance to view and photograph exotic wildlife, and having the opportunity to experience different cultures.

The Kendricks will offer a glimpse of their travels, including their three-week foray to the Japanese islands of Kyushu, Honshu and Hokkaido, and their eight-week walking safari in Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, at 7 p.m. Friday in the Aqua Room of the Skagit PUD Building in Mount Vernon.

The presentation will benefit the Pacific Northwest Trail Association. There is no cost, however, donations will be accepted.

Booking through Seattle-based Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions, the Kendricks set out for Japan this past February in search of snow monkeys and cranes.

“Our guide was so energetic and passionate, he was able to get a group of us to stand outside in sub-freezing temperatures for two hours to hear the rare Blackstone’s fish owl, “ said Hugh Kendrick. “Not to see it, mind you, just to hear it.”

Starting on Japan’s main southern island of Kyushu, the Kendricks covered the islands south to north with a stop in Tokyo at tour’s end. From Kyushu, they traveled to Honshu before continuing on to Hokkaido, the northernmost island.

“It was a fantastic trip,” said Wendy Kendrick. “There were so many surprises. We really expected it (all of Japan) to look like Toyko. It’s definitely not.”

Along the way, the Kendricks were treated to not only cranes and monkeys, but to a host of other animals and cultures.

“There were lots and lots of cranes,” said Hugh Kendrick. “The Arasaki Crane Reserve had thousands of wintering cranes. There are five different species, including the Siberian crane. We saw red-crested cranes. They do this sort of dance where they jump up and down. It’s very spectacular.”

While on Honshu, the Kendricks traveled to the village of Shirakawa-Go, which is in an isolated, steep, mountainous area in the Sho River Valley. It’s a World Heritage Site that showcases an architectural style called Gassho-Zukuri, where houses resemble praying hands because of their steeply-pitched roofs that look like steepled fingers. Some of the houses are four stories high.

In the late 19th century, there were about 1,800 such houses. Now there are about 150.

“It’s a very traditional area,” explained Wendy Kendrick. “The buildings were all thatched and the floors were covered with rice straw. When you entered the bedroom, you had to take off your slippers because they could wear out the mats.”

From Shirakawa-Go, the Kendricks traveled to Jigokudani to photo the famous snow monkeys near local hot springs.  Hugh Kendrick had the opportunity to view rare Japanese serows.

“While everyone else was at lunch,” said Hugh Kendrick, “I snuck away and was able to see a pair of serows. They are a very strange looking thing. Sort of a cross between a goat, dog and antelope.”

The monkeys were a definite draw.

“The monkeys were very tame,” said Wendy Kendrick. “They were very accustomed to humans. When you entered the area, you couldn’t have any food on you or in your backpack. If you were looking at one, you weren’t to hold eye contact. You were told to look away.”

The Kendricks took advantage of the local hot springs, wanting to immerse themselves in the culture.

“There were a lot of hot springs,” said Hugh Kendrick. “The Japanese refer to them as onsen. They bathe in them three times per day. Wendy and I, we went once or twice a day. What you do is sit in progressively hotter and hotter water. You can really get oneself very clean. Some were inside while others you could sit outside with snow falling on you. It is just a fantastic way to end the day.”

After getting out of the hot springs, they slipped back into a yukato, which is a robe. That was the attire for much of their stay.

“You go to dinner with your robe on,” explained Hugh Kendrick. “It was very nice. We really took advantage of every opportunity to wear our robes. Of course, there was always the issue of what to wear under your yukato. I think most us went the more conservative route.”

Heading north, the weather got colder.

“The northernmost island of Hokkaido,” said Hugh Kendrick, “is just across the sea of Okhotsk from Russia.”

There, the Kendricks saw a lot of foxes.

“We counted 22 of them,” said Hugh Kendrick. “They were all seen in the span of four days. We also saw two sables.”

The African walking safari took place in 2007. Hugh Kendrick just finished going through all his photos.

“We went through four different countries,” said Hugh Kendrick. “We like Africa an awful lot. Since our first trip back in 1996, we have been to Botswana three or four times and Tanzania twice. We just love it.”

The Kendricks had a specific reason for this trip. They attended a symposium in Botswana where experts came together to discuss Peace Parks.

“Peace Parks are parks that are made up of different countries,” explained Hugh Kendrick. “Instead of putting up fences for borders they are committing these vast swaths of borders to parks.”
The Kendricks were also interested in the topics of wild dogs and rehabbing leopards.

“Following the symposium,” said Hugh Kendrick, “you could choose from various safaris. We did a lot of walking.”

The Kendricks found themselves on the same plains and plateaus as the animals they were in search of.

“There was a lot of wildlife to be seen,” said Hugh Kendrick, “and we were close to much of it. But that’s one of the reasons why we go on these types of trips. We don’t want to spend a lot of time in the towns. We want to be outside and occasionally visit a village here and there.”

That close proximity gave the two a glimpse into the psyche of the animals.

“We are really interested in animal behavior. What are they doing and why are they doing it?” said Hugh Kendrick. “Of course, the whole way we had a guide by our side with a rifle.”

That may have provided some comfort. However, there were times when lions outnumbered trekkers.

“One morning,” recalled Hugh Kendrick, “we saw 14 mothers, cubs and growing males. Our guide told us to get down low. If a lion sees you, most of the time they will run away. They are scared of humans. So we stayed low and did get very close.”

On previous safaris, there were a couple of times where Hugh Kendrick got a little too close for comfort.

“I’ve been charged by two male lions,” he said. “One time, we were just walking along and interrupted this male while mating. It wasn’t intentional. We were just walking by this bush and there he was.”

The guide let Kendrick know exactly what to do.

“If he charges,” the guide said, “get behind me.”

The lion charged, and the 6-foot-2 Kendrick took up his position behind his 5-foot guide.

“It sounded like a motorcycle starting,” Hugh Kendrick said of the lion. “Then he came out of the brush shaking his head in an attempt to make himself look bigger. He backed up and then charged again.

“After that, the guide told me we could slowly start walking backward. Very slowly. I really was never scared, but there was a lot of adrenaline.”

What causes Hugh Kendrick to worry are cape buffaloes.

“They make me nervous,” he said. “We came upon a huge herd of them. Luckily, they were moving in a different direction.

“Being that close to any of these types of animals makes you much more aware that you are in someone else’s territory.”

Then there are the reptiles, many of which are poisonous.

“Wendy actually likes snakes,” said Hugh. “This trip, we came across a large spitting cobra that was out sunning itself. We disturbed him and he just went on his way.”

When the Kendricks come upon a village, they look for ways to help those living there, in particular, the children.

“We always want to go to the schools,” said Hugh Kendrick. “And we always try to find something we can do to help. In a village in Zambia, we asked the teacher what we could send here.
She said Bibles and dictionaries. So once we got back home, we sent them off. They were thrilled to receive them. We like to make local contributions like that. We like putting it right in their hands.”

Vince Richardson can be reached at 360-416-2181 or by e-mail at .